The Guardian...
The chill in the air was enough to make most mortals bundle themselves in sweaters or turtlenecks. He almost hadnt noticed the cold, were it not for the small cloud of breath he saw from the small bird nestled in its small warm gather of leaves and string. placing his face down next to it, he smiled briefly as he watched this little avian. "A pondering for philosophers", he thought to himself, "if birds actaully dream." He sat for a few moments, waiting for the interest of the evening to present itself. He was an officer of the Camarilla again...a Scourge. Really just the Kindreds pleasent word for "Janitor".
The bustle of Saturday night Westport was entertaining enough, but, Dante was watching for something else. Something...elusive. Something that had escaped him for several nights now. Closing his eyes briefly he attuned himself to the structure beneath his feet. A wash came over him. A feeling of one-ness with the stone and concrete within. His mind began to race as he calculated each presence within. A large clutch on the bottom floor, moving rhythmically...most likely the dance floor. Several others in two small rooms...bathrooms. And many others simply milling about. An alien sensory tool, his talent. Not something that others were able to comprehend the few times he shared it. It was one of the many gifts that the Great Tremere had given him, and one that he had been thankful for, for just over 825 years.
Then, his eyes blazed open...the infiltraitor having revealed itself...in its own attempt to hide. The powers of Obfuscate were known to him thanks to his teacher, Thanatos. Though they were especially prey to his own abilities. He could sense those who tried to hide themselves. Moving on all fours he circumnavigated the rooftop to the parking garage where it was moving. Willing his stony skin to take on its surroundings he became a blur of colors. On top of that, he ustilized his mentors gift of Obfuscation. He crept across the garage floor, mindful of his large slithering tail. In a few moments, he heard the sickly wet sound from the other side of the Security desk.
Peering around the station, he saw what he thought he would. A kindred...unknown...unpresented...and most especially uninterested in preserving the Masquerade. His lip curled up almost subconsciously as his claws began to grow from his fingers. The security guard was deep into the kiss, his eyes having fluttered into the back of his head as his mouth lay agape. The slight sound of air escaping his lungs was the only thing that would lead anyone to believe something was wrong.
This creature...most likely a Nosferatu, was dirty...and worse, it smelled. Dante watched it for a few brief moments, waiting for it to pause from feeding. When it did, it held its head back, relishing the warm vitae as it slid down its throat. Licking its lips and preparing for another go, Dante decided to end this as fast as possible. He weighed his options...watching the doors and listening to the walls for oncoming witnesses. When it seemed all was well, he crept up behind the thing and loomed over it slowly...moving his great wings to encompass the creature fully. Though still hidden, he knew his attack would reveal himself to it and any who may have been watching.
In a sudden flash of visability, his wings closed around it as his powerful hands grasped the kindred by the head. It tried to spin around, to no avail, at its attacker. Hissing and distending its jaw, it flailed around within its leathery stoned prison. Dantes thumbs curled in and found their target of fleshy eye sockets, gouging the eyes within. A muffled scream followed by a repeated cracking of the neck was all that was heard before the gut wrenching sound of flesh and bone tearing away from itself as the head left its shoulders. The security guard was washed in blood, although still oblivious to his surroundings.
Standing for a moment, pleased with his work, he smiled. Then, the sound of a car horn from the lower level. He spun around, grabbing the corpse and head and tucking them within his wings. Blood began to drip from his middle. Growling from frustration, he lept towards a corner of the garage. Finding an open area he slipped out and up along the walls. On the South side of the building, a grocery store lay across a 100 yard parking lot. Were any passersby looking at that moment, they would have surely seen him. Upon the top of the structure, and safe for the moment, Dante could feel the presences of several others below rushing to the security guard, laying in a pool of blood. The police would be here soon...following blood trails...ending up here where he stood. Taking to the air with a beat of his wings, he carried the dismembered body with him. Landing upon the roof of an abandoned building, he burried the corpse under a large roofing tarp. Then, taking a moment to pause and retrace his steps for assurity he hadnt been seen, he took to the air again.
This time, he landed atop the Liberty memorial. Below he could see the lay of hte land just before the downtown stretch. Another night...and the Camarilla is saved from an unknown outsider...who, could have perhaps been retrained...and counted amongst its legions...
He shook his head and sighed, watching the passing cars below.
The bustle of Saturday night Westport was entertaining enough, but, Dante was watching for something else. Something...elusive. Something that had escaped him for several nights now. Closing his eyes briefly he attuned himself to the structure beneath his feet. A wash came over him. A feeling of one-ness with the stone and concrete within. His mind began to race as he calculated each presence within. A large clutch on the bottom floor, moving rhythmically...most likely the dance floor. Several others in two small rooms...bathrooms. And many others simply milling about. An alien sensory tool, his talent. Not something that others were able to comprehend the few times he shared it. It was one of the many gifts that the Great Tremere had given him, and one that he had been thankful for, for just over 825 years.
Then, his eyes blazed open...the infiltraitor having revealed itself...in its own attempt to hide. The powers of Obfuscate were known to him thanks to his teacher, Thanatos. Though they were especially prey to his own abilities. He could sense those who tried to hide themselves. Moving on all fours he circumnavigated the rooftop to the parking garage where it was moving. Willing his stony skin to take on its surroundings he became a blur of colors. On top of that, he ustilized his mentors gift of Obfuscation. He crept across the garage floor, mindful of his large slithering tail. In a few moments, he heard the sickly wet sound from the other side of the Security desk.
Peering around the station, he saw what he thought he would. A kindred...unknown...unpresented...and most especially uninterested in preserving the Masquerade. His lip curled up almost subconsciously as his claws began to grow from his fingers. The security guard was deep into the kiss, his eyes having fluttered into the back of his head as his mouth lay agape. The slight sound of air escaping his lungs was the only thing that would lead anyone to believe something was wrong.
This creature...most likely a Nosferatu, was dirty...and worse, it smelled. Dante watched it for a few brief moments, waiting for it to pause from feeding. When it did, it held its head back, relishing the warm vitae as it slid down its throat. Licking its lips and preparing for another go, Dante decided to end this as fast as possible. He weighed his options...watching the doors and listening to the walls for oncoming witnesses. When it seemed all was well, he crept up behind the thing and loomed over it slowly...moving his great wings to encompass the creature fully. Though still hidden, he knew his attack would reveal himself to it and any who may have been watching.
In a sudden flash of visability, his wings closed around it as his powerful hands grasped the kindred by the head. It tried to spin around, to no avail, at its attacker. Hissing and distending its jaw, it flailed around within its leathery stoned prison. Dantes thumbs curled in and found their target of fleshy eye sockets, gouging the eyes within. A muffled scream followed by a repeated cracking of the neck was all that was heard before the gut wrenching sound of flesh and bone tearing away from itself as the head left its shoulders. The security guard was washed in blood, although still oblivious to his surroundings.
Standing for a moment, pleased with his work, he smiled. Then, the sound of a car horn from the lower level. He spun around, grabbing the corpse and head and tucking them within his wings. Blood began to drip from his middle. Growling from frustration, he lept towards a corner of the garage. Finding an open area he slipped out and up along the walls. On the South side of the building, a grocery store lay across a 100 yard parking lot. Were any passersby looking at that moment, they would have surely seen him. Upon the top of the structure, and safe for the moment, Dante could feel the presences of several others below rushing to the security guard, laying in a pool of blood. The police would be here soon...following blood trails...ending up here where he stood. Taking to the air with a beat of his wings, he carried the dismembered body with him. Landing upon the roof of an abandoned building, he burried the corpse under a large roofing tarp. Then, taking a moment to pause and retrace his steps for assurity he hadnt been seen, he took to the air again.
This time, he landed atop the Liberty memorial. Below he could see the lay of hte land just before the downtown stretch. Another night...and the Camarilla is saved from an unknown outsider...who, could have perhaps been retrained...and counted amongst its legions...
He shook his head and sighed, watching the passing cars below.