|| Death Is Not Always The End || Open!

[who the heck is mikey]

I know just what it feels like to have a voice in the back of my head.
- - -

Nathaniel was speechless. He watched the two quarrel for a few more moments before he said, rather loudly, "SHUT UP! Both of you! Don't you hear yourselves? Now is not the time to be fighting. We have something that we need to do." He looked at Trace, eyes slightly narrowed. "As a team." Nate's hand closed around hers when she took it, and he held it tight. "I'm serious. Stop fighting. We do not need this sort of tension between us. You," his eyes were still on Trace, "of all, should know that. Arguing like you're children is not going to help anything."

Nate sighed, and let go of Auri's hand. He made his way outside and dug through his coat pockets for a stray cigarette. Was denkt ihr? He thought, giving up on his quest to find the tobacco stick. Wie denken sie, dass sie eine erfolgreiche Organisation mit jener g�tigen Einstellung laufen k�nnen?

- - -
P a r a n o i a ' s all I got left.

[Translation: "Wie denken sie, dass sie eine erfolgreiche Organisation mit jener g�tigen Einstellung laufen k�nnen? "
"How do they think they can run a successful organization with that kind attitude?"

[Miss Murderous Laugh]

-- Auriana Kiasky --

Take a breath. Hold it in.
Start a fight you won't win.
All in all, you're no good.
You don't cry like you should.

No matter how many times that you told me you wanted to leave...

Auriana stood like a deer in the headlights in the wake of Nate's yell. She felt sullen because of Trace and scolded because of Nathaniel. She made a movement to follow Nate outside, an unlit cigarette held out to him in her shaky hand. The door closed in her face and she stumbled backwards in her gown. She felt helpless. Auriana dropped the cigarette on the floor and walked unsteadily back to a lumpy sofa. She sat, head in hands and didn't say a word.

... No matter how many breaths that you took, you still couldn't breathe.

So I'll find what lies beneath
Your sick twisted smile
As I lay underneath
Your cold jaded eyes.

[Tiara_Estella]

~*~Lucinda Fallow~*~

Lucinda cringed nonetheless, then lowered her gaze as Auriana turned to her. She wondered if it would make a difference in answering her question. Nate's sudden outburst silenced them, removing the need to respond to the woman.

With an irritated sigh Lucinda watched Auriana quietly then sat beside her on the couch.

"The means nor the consequences matter to me..." she started, making her point early. "I was...shaped to be as a tool should... Unthinkingly taking commands. Whether I like or dislike the manner in which this war is fought, is of no use..." She paused, choosing each word carefully in an effort to make her point as clear as possible.

"Hesitating and lashing out at your allies only increases your enemies.... As well as putting your team in danger..." she added just as slowly, taking Nate's words into account. "Fear, regret, and doubt have no place in war..." she finished, than hesitated. "If you want to save lives, then do so without placing your own team in danger..."

She watched her carefully, then decided not to wait for an answer. She stood, returning to the desk where Trace sat. Her blank, expressionless face proof of her words to Auriana.

"Whenever you're ready.......Captain..."

~*~Lucinda Fallow~*~

[icegirl6274]

Тяасэ | Ратяiс | Баяоиэ

Now you want to take me down
As if I even care.
I am the monster in your head.

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/3527/traceroleplay.jpg

Trace's face seemed to contort suddenly at one word. The one name that Auriana called him: a monster. He almost didn't hear anything else she said afterwards. The word 'monster' kept echoing in his mind. It brought up an unresolved issue he had in his past that refused to leave him. He couldn't let it slide....he had been called a monster before. And he was beginning to believe it to be true.

He couldn't bring himself to speak after she had finally quieted down. He knew what to say, but his mind kept echoing 'monster...monster....monster...' His eyes narrowed. If he hadn't been so taken aback by what she had called him, he would have noticed her latter comments. He would have noticed her bring up who he used to be, how he was when she had first met him. In fact, he had noticed, it just hadn't registered in his mind what she really meant. All he heard was an angry voice of a woman who seemed to hate him at the moment: and for good reason.

'Monster....monster...monster...'

Trace was about to respond when Nate finally intervened. He was taken aback by the sudden authority in Nathaniel's voice. His mouth snapped closed in response to Nate's shout. He stood there, staring at the man as he spoke. His face calmed slightly, though the slight anger wasn't completely gone. He looked away for a moment as Nate left the room. "Who's fighting?" he commented as the door shut behind Nate. He stared at the wall for a minute, not seeming to register what anyone was saying.

"I think we all just need to cool off a bit," he finally said, shooting a quick glance back at Auriana before walking down the hallway off to his office. He entered the room and shut the door behind him. He didn't slam it, he just shut it. He walked over to his desk and let himself fall into it. He felt somehow defeated, which was an odd feeling for him. He let his head roll back and he stared up at the ceiling. If Nate hadn't intervened, he probably would have started actually yelling at Auriana. But it wasn't her fault. He was hot-headed. He was acting on instinct and emotion, not reason. She was right and he knew she was right. But he wasn't going to admit it to himself. He had become a monster. Starting out as a Hunter, he had done it solely for the purpose of the job: to eradicate vampires from the planet. But, as time went on, he had grown to love his job too much. He killed for the joy of killing, not because he had to. There was a certain rush he felt when he witnessed chaos and pain. It was terrible. He truly had become a monster.

But he wasn't going to admit it. Trace was never one to apologize for something. Even if he realized he was wrong, he would never say 'I'm sorry' to anyone. He was too proud of a person to do that. He would admit he was wrong to himself, but never to anyone else. It was just something he could not bring himself to do.

And I thought you'd learn by now
It seems you haven't yet.
I am the venom in your skin.
And now your life is
в | я | о | к | е | и

[who the heck is mikey]

I know just what it feels like to have a voice in the back of my head.
- - -

After Nathaniel had cooled off considerably (which was unnecessary. He had no reason to be angry), he went back inside. Pushing the heavy door closed, he fell against it, and observed what was in front of him. The two girls sat on the couch, and Trace had gone off to his office. "We should probably get our crap together," he said, rather bitterly.

- - -
P a r a n o i a ' s all I got left.

[Miss Murderous Laugh]

-- Auriana Kiasky --

Take a breath. Hold it in.
Start a fight you won't win.
All in all, you're no good.
You don't cry like you should.

Auriana simply stared at Lucinda. Something seemed to disconnect in her brain. She remained silent and watched the girl leave, and blank expression remaining on her face. Lucinda had made so much sense in her talk of teamwork and emotional control, but... Auriana couldn't wrap her head around the idea of someone being build for war.

With wide eyes, she looked around the room. Trace walked past, blank as well. Lucinda remained in the same spot as before, her face as emotional as a marble slab. Nathaniel was outside still and Dasha was who-knows-where. Yes, she was alone. Out of the five of them, two were mechanical killing machines, one was a crazy whore, and Auriana and Nate? Well... they were just wrecks. Together, they hardly could be called a team, much less a tight-knit hunting squad. Things seemed hopeless.

Auriana let herself slide off the sofa onto the floor in a crumpled head of red silk and lace. "We're never going to get ourselves together in time for the ball... with things going the way they are now, maybe I'd be of more help if I just seduced one," she grumped, fumbling around in the layers of silk close to her for a cigarette, refusing to touch the one that she had offered Nathaniel which now lay a few feet from her on the floor. Feeling an object in a hidden pocket in the silk, she pulled out a small compact mirror. "Not a cigarette... but it'll do." Auriana sighed, opening the mirror and and examining her hair. The mirror had a small crack on the southern edge, but otherwise reflected her disheveled appearance pretty well.

She tucked the flyaway strands of hair back into the bun, securing the pearls. Auriana closed the mirror with a snap and paused, taking a deep breath before standing up and brushing out the crinkles of her skirts. "Pretty decent... I suppose," she mumbled, remembering something Lucinda had said. Fear, regret, and doubt have no place in war... As horrified as Auriana was of Lucinda's way of thinking... or rather, the lack of it, she knew she was wise in her words.

Another deep breath. Auriana's lips never creased into a smile, nor a frown. Her eyes were devoid of spark, the color seemingly faded. If holding a straight face and a stone heart in battle was what would make herself helpful, she had to do it.

She looked down, considering the cigarette on the floor. She blinked, then moved back to the sofa, leaving it untouched. Auriana observed Nathaniel's entrance but did not speak, her eyes barely falling upon him.

So I'll find what lies beneath
Your sick twisted smile
As I lay underneath
Your cold jaded eyes.

[who the heck is mikey]

I know just what it feels like to have a voice in the back of my head.
- - -

Nate hated this uncomfortable overtone they had set on the whole building. He felt as if he couldn't say anything without an outburst... from anyone. Nathaniel was very in tune with people's auras. He was very sensitive when it came to emotions, and so it didn't take him long to figure out that there were problems. Auriana's aura was colorless. There was no emotion. It bothered him.

He cleared his throat and pushed himself away from the door, putting all of his weight on his right leg. "Could you two not just sit there? It's really starting to bother me."

Nate saw a cigarette on the floor, and swiftly picked it up, pocketing it. He'd need it for later.

- - -
P a r a n o i a ' s all I got left.

[Tiara_Estella]

~*~Lucinda Fallow~*~

Lucinda felt annoyed. Even the Captain's demeanor had shifted dramatically. How this group had survived together before escaped her. She nibbled on the inside of her cheek, pondering what should be done. No one seemed willing to do anything anymore. She knew they would go to the ball as planned, but it would not end well with this set up.

She watched Auriana move her concentration from her thoughts to her appearance. A simple task, but it seemed to help her gather her thoughts. Nate as well seemed much calmer after a smoke outside. Small simple things seemed to do the trick. Her gaze traveled to Trace's door.

Her mind brought about a simple choice of action, though she hated it instantly. It would go against everything she had been working towards, but she knew something must be done.

Nate's voice, his comment, initiated it...

"Hi Nate, welcome back~" she chimed, a soft child-like smile on her face. Her whole demeanor radiated innocence, something that had not been seen in her until now. She stood up and stretched out with a short yawn, then held onto her skirt as if thinking.

"What shall we do now?~ Annie and Tracie aren't getting along..." she pouted slightly, tracing her foot on the ground uncomfortably. "I don't think the ball will be fun anymore..." she consented letting her eyes travel from Trace's door, to Auri and fall onto Nate's own wide gaze.

Part of her enjoyed their reactions, but she kept them hidden. Managing in turn to keep her gaze true and clear.

~*~Lucinda Fallow~*~

[icegirl6274]

Тяасэ | Ратяiс | Баяоиэ

Now you want to take me down
As if I even care.
I am the monster in your head.

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/3527/traceroleplay.jpg

Trace sat for a long moment staring up at the ceiling. His face was expressionless as his thoughts ran circles around his head. He seemed to be in a daze, unmoving, until finally he blinked a few times and sat up. His eyes wandered over to the black liquid that sat in jars on his desk. He eyed them for a moment, considering the time. Finally, he leaned forward and opened the drawer in his desk. He would be needing what the liquid provided shortly, so he might as well get it over with.

He pulled out the syringe from the drawer and closed it, placing the needle on the top of his desk. He picked up one of the vials and held it up to the light. The ooze was so thick that no light shone through it's inky black. He placed it in the syringe and rolled up his sleeve. This routine was so familiar to him that he hardly thought about it anymore. He was just going through the motions.

He placed his thumb against his arm and pushed it down hard. He waited a moment before the blue line was clearly visible on his inner elbow. He then grabbed the syringe and inserted the needle. He slowly dispensed the liquid into his veins and watched as the black disappeared into his body. He pulled the needle out and placed his thumb over the wound. He bit his lip lightly as the effects of the ink began to take effect. Every time he did this, he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever get fully used to the blood.

His jaw clenched and he put the needle back in it's place, not bothering to take the jar out of it. He braced himself against the table as all of his muscles tensed. His hand twitched and shook slightly as he sat, staring at the floor. It would only be another few moments before he was back to normalcy...

And I thought you'd learn by now
It seems you haven't yet.
I am the venom in your skin.
And now your life is
в | я | о | к | е | и

[Miss Murderous Laugh]

-- Auriana Kiasky --

Take a breath. Hold it in.
Start a fight you won't win.
All in all, you're no good.
You don't cry like you should.

Auriana set her dull, colorless gaze upon Nathaniel. "You don't smoke." She said simply, considering a cigarette tucked into her cleavage. She left it there, feeling no particular urge to light up. "At least, you always give me a hard time for smoking."

"Sorry to bother you... Nathaniel..."

Her voice was unusually monotone and quiet, but in those last choice words she had said, they were like a winter breeze. Chilling and whispered.

Auriana stared at Lucinda, puzzled and almost disgusted. It was as if they had switched personalities. She said nothing, settling her expression and turning back to look at her hands, loosely folded in her lap.

With no announcement, she stood, the only sound being the swishing of her silk gown. Auriana departed in an even, measured gait; her heels didn't even dare to break the silence. Without looking at either of her coworkers, she left the main room, down the hall to her separate office. She left the door open and unlocked, not considering secrecy nor seclusion. She strode over to her desk, picking up a sharp comb embedded with pearls and setting it in her hair. If, somehow, something horrible happened, she knew what to do. She walked over the masked windows, leaving the red ribbon corsage abandoned on her desk.

So I'll find what lies beneath
Your sick twisted smile
As I lay underneath
Your cold jaded eyes.

[who the heck is mikey]

I know just what it feels like to have a voice in the back of my head.
- - -

Nate stared at Auri. "I do. Sometimes." He could feel the tensity growing, but he didn't feel like he could do anything about it. When she walked by him into her office, he was half tempted to follow, but he knew better. Whether others knew it or not, Nate was always second guessing himself. He more than often thought about what he was doing.. "Auri," He said, sighing.

He looked at Lucinda, and frowned. "We're just like one big family, eh? Hope it's not going to scare you away. I mean, it's not like Trace is going to let you leave anyway. Unless you really screw up, or convince him otherwise... but whatever."

He sighed, and sat down beside the silver-haired girl on the couch. "Sometimes I don't think I belong here."

- - -
P a r a n o i a ' s all I got left.

[Tiara_Estella]

~*~Lucinda Fallow~*~

Lucinda listened to him quietly, then her naive smile returned to her face with renewed innocence.
"I belong...here..." she said slowly, watching him with her hands pressing into her legs. She had slouched forward slightly, as if engrossed in everything he did or said.

"I know because this is what I know to do, what I choose to do..." she paused, hesitation slighting her words. "What I live to do... Its not a job...Its my life..." she concluded, tossing her feet playfully as she did so.

"You belong...where your life...is meaningful...to you..." she chimed in a sing song voice, as if rhyming the phrases. She gave him a moment, and nodded with a smile.

"I'm off to see Annie now, kay?" she asked, though she stood and skipped away without waiting for his reply. She paused at Auriana's door, then pushed it open and leaned on the door frame. "Annie?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

She waited then slowly walked up to Auri, standing in front of her and looking up slightly. "Can I stay?" she asked, though she didn't seem to be preparing any explanation. There was a sad shadow in her eyes, as she gazed into Auri's own pair.

~*~Lucinda Fallow~*~

[icegirl6274]

Тяасэ | Ратяiс | Баяоиэ

Now you want to take me down
As if I even care.
I am the monster in your head.

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/3527/traceroleplay.jpg

Trace stared down at the base of the wall in front of him for a moment as he felt his muscles slowly relax. His jaw loosened and slowly began to unwind. He rolled his head back, loosening his neck back out and blinked his eyes a few times to clear his vision. He took in a deep breath and stood up. He felt light headed suddenly and steadied himself with his desk. It passed quickly and he turned to look at his door. He cracked his neck and walked over to it. Opening it, he stepped outside.

As he passed by Auriana's office, he glanced inside to see both her and Lucinda. He said nothing and just walked by. He went out into the main room to find Nathaniel by himself. He stopped in the middle of the room and glanced around for a moment before letting his eyes fall on the Hunter. "If you and Auriana haven't taken any of the blood yet, I would suggest doing it soon," he said simply.

He then turned and walked over to the desk again and opened one of the drawers. He shuffled through it for a minute before pulling out a small, decorated dagger. It's hilt was gold with a shimmering surface. There was a gem embedded in the butt end of the hilt. The blade itself was a shining silver that was slightly curved. He inspected it for a moment, running his finger along the smooth end of the blade before pulling out a holder from the drawer and shutting it. He sheathed the weapon and set it down on the desk top.

And I thought you'd learn by now
It seems you haven't yet.
I am the venom in your skin.
And now your life is
в | я | о | к | е | и

[Miss Murderous Laugh]

-- Auriana Kiasky --

Take a breath. Hold it in.
Start a fight you won't win.
All in all, you're no good.
You don't cry like you should.

She was fragile and frozen, And now she's somehow more broken...

Auriana ran her nails down the velvet drapes, feeling the softness in between her fingers. Her eyes stared aimlessly outside into the frigid landscape, blinking periodically. Her hands left the drapes and pressed against the icy glass which fogged around the warmth, then faded. She sighed, hearing skipping footsteps down the hall and a call of faked innocence.

"That is not my name," Auriana said quietly, turning to face the young woman. She stared right back into Lucinda's eyes, noticing the shadowed color, or rather the lack of. "Be my guest, Lucinda." She said, motioning around the room. "This is your home as much as it is mine."

Trace's voice echoed in her head, and for a split second Auriana was tempted to scream out, to protest the madness that took over her body with the blood. But, she held her tongue, remembering that her will meant nothing.

"Yes, sir."

Auriana exited the room with a last look at Lucinda. "You may follow if you wish. Or perhaps not." She looked back, watching to see if Nathaniel was going to follow her to take the blood as well. She knew he hated it as much as she did. She overcame the urge to call out to Nate, and simply looked at the passing floorboards as she walked to Trace's office where the potion slept.

We must... it is strength, it is power. It is what we need to win.

She sighed, facing the cabinet and taking a clean syringe from its resting place. Opening the glass cabinet, she took a single vial from the rack and uncorked it with her teeth. Auriana avoided looking at the blood for too long, hoping that she would react less if she pretended it did not exist.

...She's pulling her weapon to her side, Loading it full of her goodbyes.

So I'll find what lies beneath
Your sick twisted smile
As I lay underneath
Your cold jaded eyes.