The Forgotten: Thirteen

Mac jumps down to join David and Samuel.

"So, you can see their faces. Can you find them? Because they don't live after this."

Samuel nods, and starts looking through the building for more details.

...

David gathers together those affected by the unknown elders. Lake's gang, Grey, Danton, Mia's sire Elena and 'brother' Sean.

"There's a war coming. Barrett took this city years ago, some of the old prince's brood made it out, now they think they can walk back in, they don't care who gets in their way."

Plans are made.

...

Jones finds the stranger. Mac comes to back him up.

"Considered my offer?"
"Yeah. How about a counter offer. Get out of town."

She considers this for a moment, then snorts derisively.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Mac says, and charges her. She takes his hits and barely stumbles, then throws him into the wall.

"You are children."

You're The Only Thing Worth Dying For: Six

Vampire: The Requiem

You're The Only Thing Worth Dying For

Six: Can you love me for what I've become?

One
Two
Three
Four
Five

They held hands for a moment, and then she moved in, her other hand moving to his neck to help pull him closer and into a kiss. His lips were only slightly warm, and his hands were cool as he moved them up to hold her, but that didn't stop her.

Finally, he broke away, shamefaced.

"I can't - we shouldn't - "
"Why not?" she demanded.
"I'm a monster."
"No." She shook her head once, and reached up to caress his face.
"I'm not safe to be with. My life is dangerous."
"I'm in your life already."

He looked at her, struck with guilt at the danger he'd put her in.

"I should go."

But her hand slipped to his as he put it down on the table to push himself up, and he paused, and looked into her eyes. And she moved close and they were kissing again.

She rose with him as he stood, and clung to his arm as he finally pulled away.

She followed him out, but he was gone, vanished into the darkness.

...

She looked for him the next night, called and left messages, but there was no sign of him.

...

Caitlyn and Gemma picked her up the night after, taking her out in an attempt to get her to remember how to smile.

"I've never met anyone like him..."
"Ghosts when he gets cold feet, never calls back?" Caitlyn tutted. "I've met plenty like him."

And then at the corner of her eye, she saw him...

The Forgotten: Twelve

Danni gets up, shakily. David and Jessica go to help her.

"We have to tell the others. Everybody."

They call Jones, Samuel and Mia, and agree to meet at that twenty-four cafe near the university.

Danni explains what happened. Including pointing out that they could have killed her.

Jones mentions the stranger and her offer. Mia tells the group about Danton.

Samuel asks if he can try and see Danni's memories. She's understandably wary, but lets him proceed.

And he recognizes the same lean, dark-eyed vampire who killed his sire.

"So what do we do with this? Who do we tell?" Jessica asks.
"We tell the people we care about," Mia says.

The group breaks up.

...

Jessica calls her mother, relieved when she gets a response.

Mia calls Elena... and Danton.

Samuel leaves a message for Carlin, and another for Broughton.

David helps Danni get out of town.
"You seem like a smart guy. You should be getting out too."
"I have people relying on me."
"That's not a good place to be. For them or for you."

...

Samuel and David break into the Vault so they can both look around in their own ways.

Samuel is quickly drawn to Lake and his gang's usual table. "This is where he died. They just... smashed his skull against the floor."

David looks up and sees... someone watching.

Mac.

Ursula K. Le Guin

"I talk about the gods, I am an atheist. But I am an artist too, and therefore a liar. Distrust everything I say. I am telling the truth."
The Left Hand Of Darkness

The Forgotten: Eleven

So... there's a group conspiring against the Prince. Or at least so they claim. They're kicking up a conflict with the anarchs to make him look weak and perhaps pick off some of his followers. Or so they claim.

The Forgotten has a double meaning.

This is as well as the vampires of Lawrence, who want to overthrow the Prince, and then take over as well. And the anarchs, who want to overthrow the Prince anyway.

...

Jones looks skeptical. "So why tell me?"
The stranger shrugs with her eyebrows. "You don't seem to care much one way or the other."
"Maybe not. But if you start a war, people I do care about get hurt."
"Then take them to safety."
"So you have one less enemy when it hits?"
"Yes."

The vampire lying at his feet stirs and starts to rise, growling under his breath.

"And I'm supposed to take your word for that..." Jones notes as he starts to back away.
"If you like."
"So who's in charge?"
"Oh, no-one you've met, if that's what you were thinking."

...

Samuel and Carlin move through the boarded-up house warily, Samuel heading down to the basement. He hesitates, then places a hand on the floor, still stained with old blood.

He sees a memory of his sire fighting an unknown vampire, gets a clear view of his face. Hard lines, dark eyes.

...

Mia looks for Danton around the Rack. She finds him in a club, and he gestures for her to join him on the dance floor.

"So... you're working with Stewart, in Lawrence."
"I am. I hope that doesn't make us enemies."
"Not yet. He agreed to hold off for now."
"Good. I'd much rather we were... friends. Or would that earn me an enemy in David?"

...

David and Jessica go to check on Danni, awake from torpor and recovering in a rowhouse that's been for sale over a year.

"They weren't from Lawrence. I didn't recognize any of them. But they were... I think they were old. They had that look, like they hadn't made themselves warm in so long, you know?"
"Like we don't have enough problems..." David mutters.
"Blood in the water..." Danni says quietly.

Happy new year!