Oct-26-2001 5:09 PM Message 103 of 245

Subject: Disquieted [Belle]

From: cyberian_belle

Reply to: cyberian_belle [ Message 84 ]

Her own gasping cry of Dahlia's name awakens Belle in the grey twilight. She lies in the tangled, sweat dampened sheets, first surprised to find herself alone, then aghast at how that makes her feel. She desperately needs to clear her head, to try to understand what has happened to her. Belle goes to the window and watches the dusk settle upon the calm waters of the lake.

She has had the usual dream, this time, however, without Brad. Instead, Dahlia led her into the tall grass, and laid next to her there. Dahlia's kisses ignited a burning passion. Dahlia's cool fingertip played across Belle's bare body like the thrilling brush of ice. And again, in contrast to when she dreamt of Brad, the dream culminated with Belle surrendering her body to Dahlia.

Now fully awake, Belle watches the breeze moving through the newly budding branches of the trees by the shore. She has never before felt for anyone the way she feels about Dahlia. Twenty years of Catholic upbringing scream out against such feelings for another woman.

Belle considers leaving and returning to campus. She had completed her essay, and so has no reason to remain up here. She could leave Dahlia behind and return to the comfortable safety of her family and friends.

If she did, she realizes, she could never face Dahlia again. Dahlia would know she had fled, and why. What if she ran into Dahlia some day during the long summer weeks she spent up here with her family? What could she say to make amends for her betrayal of friendship? The only thought Belle finds more distressing than facing Dahlia under such circumstances, is the possibility of never seeing Dahlia again.

No, she must accept Dahlia's invitation and attend the dinner party tonight. Whatever else, Dahlia is now, at least, her friend. If Belle later finds her other feelings for Dahlia make her presence too uncomfortable, Belle could then at least bid a proper farewell.

Nodding in determination, Belle pads across the cool oak floor, into the bathroom, and draws a steamy bath. Once she settles into the hot water's embrace, she realizes that she remains as inexplicably libidinous as she has since her first morning up here. As she has found necessary so often this week, she seeks solace as best as she can in her loneliness. And try as she might to resist the urge, she discovers she can think of nothing but Dahlia.

***

May-27-2001 1:26 PM Message 104 of 245

Subject: Arrival [Anya]

From: azzizs

Reply to: cyberian_belle [ Message 77 ]

(Note: Continued from the Arrival of Anya topic, see "Related Discussions" below to read more about this character.)

This time the portal dropped Anya into a forest at the dead of night. She collapsed in a heap on the ground.

As she gathered her barrings, she realized that she was hurt badly. The brief exposure to the strong sun had left her weak and low on blood.

There was a light wind and it carried the slight smell of other Kindred. Anya wasn't sure whether to be hopeful or afraid. But she had little choice at this point, if she was to have a chance at survival. *Anya this way* She heard a voice in her head, but couldn't place it. I must be hallucinating she thought. But nevertheless, she followed the direction the voice directed her in. Unable to stand, she was reduced to crawling towards her hopeful salvation.

About halfway there, Anya had a moment of panic, What if they take this opportunity to drain my lifeforce and kill me?

The pain from her burns were getting hard to ignore, but she gritted her teeth and pushed on thru the pain. She wasn't sure if it was a mirage or not, but she could dimly make out a door in the distance. The vision forced her forward, the last few yards she was literally dragging herself to get there. *You can do it little sister* The voice pushed her forward, but she found she still couldn't place it. She dismissed her lack of recollection as being the result of her weakened state and the pain. Closer...the door was getting closer.

She made it to the doorway, managed to make a pathtic attempt at a knock, and then the darkness claimed her and Anya passed out.

***

May-28-2001 2:27 AM Message 105 of 245

Subject: A knock. [Briant]

From: Vampiress_Dahlia

Reply to: azzizs [ Message 104 ]

~*Briant is awakened immediately by the soft sound of a fist thudding agianst the front door. He has been trained for hundreds of years as Dahlia's right hand man and is a very light sleeper. He pulls on his overcoat and walks drowsily into the parlor and then to the door. He opens the door a crack, letting sunlight pour in just past his feet. He steps further into the shadows, the harsh light hurting his vampire eyes. He opens the door all the way, standing behind it and peeking out through the hinges. A woman slumps forward into the doorway. He can tell by her scent that she is a vampire and is shocked that she has the strength to endure in the sunlight. He himself has built up a slight tolerance over the centuries and allows himself a brief few seconds to drag the woman into the room and slam the door shut. He then picks her up and sets her on the sofa in the parlor, checking for identification on her but finding none. Shrugging, he goes quietly into Dahlia's room and awakens her.*~

"M'lady, there is a female vampire in the parlor. She has been in the sun for far too long and is weak and unconscious. Should I let her rest here?"

~*Dahlia cracks her eyes open and barely mumbles...*~

"Yes, of course, Briant. You know our door are open to all Kindred. And if she poses a problem, I am more than confident I will be able to handle her. Now, go back to bed."

~*Briant nods gracefully and bows out of the room, returning to his own bed and quickly falling back into slumber.*~

***

Aug-9-2001 12:27 PM Message 106 of 245

Subject: Awake [Guillaume].

From: Anborn

Reply to: Anborn [ Message 101 ]

Although the muted light inside the curtained rooms of Dahlia's mansion does not change, Guillaume's eyes snap open just as the top edge of the Sun vanishes below the unseen horizon. He rises and moves to the closet where Briant, Dahlia's butler, had hung the traveling clothes from his valise the night before. He decides he will have his trunk sent here as well. Dahlia has been as gracious a hostess as ever, and he knows she will not mind if he stays at Crimson Kiss manor for as long as necessary for him to find an appropriate place to take as his own residence nearby.

He gets out of his black silk pajamas and lays them across a chair for Briant to find later. He then dresses for the evening: A white silk shirt; charcoal flannel slacks; soft, low black boots; a burgundy satin "smoking jacket" with black velvet lapels; and a gray ascot with a black pearl pin.

As he dresses, his mind naturally turns to Dahlia's suggestion that he should help her with her wardrobe for entertaining the mortal girl she has taken on as a pet. Guillaume believes he has some good suggestions. He remains oblivious to the irony of this, considering that his own apparel for the evening is itself a century out of fashion.

***

May-30-2001 6:43 PM Message 107 of 245

Subject: Sleepy Dahlia.

From: Vampiress_Dahlia

Reply to: Anborn [ Message 106 ]

~*Dahlia's eyes flutter open at the setting of the sun and the sound of movement in the room across the hall. Her eyes are a deep greyish green from sleep and her face is pale, her full lips a faded pink. Her mahogany colored hair streams across the pillows and frames her face, it's deep rich color contrasting sharply against her porcelain skin. She sits up in her bed, the red satin sheets brushing cooly against her skin. She groans softly to herself, clearing the sleep from her head. Walking into her en suite bathroom, she peers into the mirror.*~

~*It is a myth that vampires cast no reflection in water or mirrors. The are merely a different species, not a demon with no soul cursed by the church like the romantics like to tell stories about. Their DNA is extremely powerful with regenerative qualities and can bring the dead back to life if their brain has not been damaged too badly. If a human is turned while still alive, the effect of the new DNA sends their system into shock and their heart stops for a few seconds to a few minutes. Therefore, a human must die to become a vampire, but not for very long. A vampire can change a human by merely inserting a cup of their own blood into the human's veins, because the vampire DNA will kill off the human DNA and take over the host's body...but it is a very violent and painful process, and much better left alone. Crosses, garlic, running water, silver...none of the myths are true. Except, of course, for the stake. But it does not have to be made of wood. A sword, dagger, or any other long sharp object left in a vampire's heart will kill them for their heart cannot regenerate around an implanted object. It will, however, push out a bullet.*~

~*Dahlia runs a brush through her hair then steps into the shower. Standing there under the hot spray and steam, she washes herself with a lavender scented soap and considers the evening's plans. Food, wine and clothing would be carefully considered and chosen to make the evening perfect for Belle...for it would be her last as a human.*~

***

May-31-2001 8:57 AM Message 108 of 245

Subject: Alarmed [Guillaume].

From: Anborn

Reply to: Anborn [ Message 106 ]

Guillaume's nose winkles as he approaches the door of his suite that leads to the hallway. When he opens it, he is nearly overcome by an acrid stench with which he is far too familiar. He immediately assumes something has happened to Dahlia, the only other Kindred in the manor when they had retired at dawn.

He dashes across to his hostess' door and pounds upon it. What might have happened? Perhaps a curtain rod collapsed and exposed her room to the afternoon sunlight.

"Dahlia!" he shouts. "Are you alright?" He steps back, prepared to break through the door, when his vampire senses recognize that the odor of burnt flesh comes not from her room, but upon a slow draft originating at the other end of the hall. The underlying scent is not Dahlia's.

Rather, from inside Dahlia's boudoir, Guillaume hears the squeak of Dahlia shutting off her shower spigot, followed moments later by the graceful, and obviously healthy, rhythm of her barefoot strides as she approaches her door in response to his clamor.

***

May-31-2001 3:42 PM Message 109 of 245

Subject: Sartorial Betise [Belle]

From: cyberian_belle

Reply to: cyberian_belle [ Message 103 ]

Clothes have become a significant problem for Belle. She had come up to her family's summer house to write a paper for school, and had not expected to do any socializing. She had packed only blue jeans, comfortable shirts, walking boots and tennies. Now, for the third night in a row, she has a da.... She almost calls it a "date" in her mind.

Well, she rationalizes, I guess it is a dinner date. But therein lies the problem. The friends Dahlia had invited her to meet sound very sophisticated and cosmopolitan, like Dahlia herself. Belle cannot imagine showing up in jeans and a sweatshirt.

So she digs and rummages through drawers and closets. She has already used --- for her dinner with Dahlia the night before --- the black party dress her mother had left from New Years. Her own white minidress, left from last summer, has a dark smudge on the rump from when she fell during the confrontation with that jerk, Kellaeth Serit'tis. Finally, after a half-hour of searching, the best she can find is a black skirt she has not worn in years, and a fine white blouse belonging to her mother.

She stands in front of the full length mirror in her parents' room and tries on the skirt. Its pleats and just-above-the-knee length are a bit dated, but thanks to Belle's narrow hips, it hangs well enough to pass. The blouse presents another problem. Her nipples are plainly visible through the sheer fabric. She searches her mother's dresser but cannot find a camisole. Belle has not worn a bra since starting college, and the only one she can find is black. She goes back to her mother's closet, but cannot find another decent blouse. Instead, she pulls out a short, black linen, "matador" jacket and tries it on. It is a bit loose, but fits well enough.

She inspects herself before the mirror: Short pleated black skirt and matching jacket with a white blouse. "Gawd!" Belle says aloud. "It looks like a prep school uniform. All I need is knee socks and saddle shoes and they'd think I'm fourteen."

The choice for footwear raises another concern. She hasn't seen any pantyhose anywhere in the house, and the pumps she had worn the past couple nights would look silly with this outfit. She digs through the couple dozen pairs of shoes abandoned on the floor of her mother's closet, and finds a pair of conservative black sandals with medium stacked heels. She puts them on and goes back to the mirror. The sandals work with bare legs, and look okay, if not entirely fashionable, with the rest of the outfit.

But the ensemble still makes her look awfully young. She does not want Dahlia's friends to dismiss her as some insignificant teen. Belle would soon turn 21, after all. She would simply have to make sure she mentioned early that she went to college, and, if appropriate, drop the name of her sorority, one of the most exclusive in the country.

Later, during the monotonous drive to Dahlia's house, with the long straight highway framed by anonymous forest, Belle's mind can focus on deeper issues than the wardrobe concerns that plagued the past hour. Belle wonders if her obsession with clothes represents a certain shallowness in her character. On the other hand, if dressing well helps her make a good impression on Dahlia and her friends tonight, then perhaps they will begin her introduction to a world full of discourse and experiences far more important and fulfilling than any she could hope to find in the secure life with her family. Belle hopes she will not be disappointed by finding tonight no different than the stuffy dinner parties her parents give --- full of nothing but empty platitudes and generic small talk by business-world clones.

Rather, she stops on the highway opposite the path to Dahlia's house with hope that the people she will meet tonight will open a whole new and exciting reality to her.

***

May-31-2001 4:22 PM Message 110 of 245

Subject: So little time...

From: Vampiress_Dahlia

Reply to: cyberian_belle [ Message 109 ]

~*Dahlia emerges from her shower at the frantic sound of Guillaume's pounding. Thinking something is wrong, she swiftly ties a towel around her body and pads over to the door, opening it to a very confused and distraught-looking Guillaume.*~

"Let me guess..." Dahlia says as she taps a finger to her lips. "You're out of soap?"

~*Dahlia giggles as his face contorts into a hilarious mask of even deeper confusion. Then, sniffing the air and smelling sickness, burnt blood and near death, she realizes what has caused him distress.*~

"I...you...I thought..." Guillaume stutters out breathlessly.

"I know what you must have thought, but I'm fine. Briant brought in a stray last night."

~*Clapping her hands loudly, Dahlia calls out Briant's name. When he appears, and bows deeply in front of his mistress and her guest, she waves a hand impatiently.*~

"Briant, see to the vampire girl. Give her a room and some bloodwyne. There is a goat out back, yes? Fine, give her the goat's blood if her condition gets too severe. We will fetch her a human later on this evening after Belle is resting from her transformation. Guillaume...you come with me to help me dress. Belle will be here shortly."

~*Dahlia watches Briant walk off to obey her orders and waves Guillaume into her room. It is extremely spacious and decorated with bold colors. The bed is covered in satin sheets and throw pillows in varying shades of red. The furniture is a deep cherrywood and the paintings are abstract and exquisite. She shuts the door and walks to the bureau, throwing the doors open and turning to look at Guillaume.*~

"Well, what do you think?"

***

May-31-2001 6:08 PM Message 111 of 245

Subject: Occasional Valet [Guillaume].

From: Anborn

Reply to: Vampiress_Dahlia [ Message 110 ]

Dahlia shuts the door to her boudoir and walks to her bureau, throwing the doors open and turning to look at Guillaume. "Well, what do you think?"

Guillaume leans against the door, crosses his arms and looks at Dahlia. She stands there wearing nothing but a towel tucked together just above her left breast. As it drapes down, the two ends part at the point of her left hip, leaving her entire left leg exposed. The limited width of the towel leaves most of her right leg bare as well. Her skin still glistens with beads of water from her shower. Her long wet hair cascades down to form dark curlicues across her shoulders.

Guillaume smiles. "What do I think? I think if you want to convince Belle to become yours, you should just let her see you as you look right now."

Dahlia smirks and rolls her eyes.

"Alright, alright," Guillaume chuckles. "I will be happy to help you." He crosses to stand before the cabinet, and starts sliding each of the hangers holding various dresses, skirts and blouses, one by one, from left to right, inspecting each in turn. "Believe it or not, I actually have some experience at this. I take great care to keep nicely dressed the mortal girls I bring to my castle to serve me. I regard most of the clothes I find them in vulgar, unflattering or both." He continues to look at various items hanging in the closet. "Although, I must admit, the wardrobe I provide my servants is not as modern as yours, Dahlia. I prefer more... traditional clothing.

"Then again," he concludes as he pulls a hanger off the bar. "I think this will do nicely." He lays a full-length, dark burgundy velvet dress, with long sleeves and a deeply scooped neckline, upon the bed. He then turns back to the cabinet and crouches down to peer inside a series of small compartments built across the bottom of the bureau. "Also, I will admit the one item in which there has been great improvement over the years is in shoes." He reaches into one of the boxes and pulls out a pair of delicate, black quarter-strap sandals with high stiletto heels. He stands and sets them at the foot of the bed.

He turns to face Dahlia. "Oh. And over the past few decades, I have found women --- mortals, at least, as that is all I have dealt with --- have grown fond of a new and particularly unattractive form of hosiery; 'pantyhose' I think they are called. What an utterly displeasing form of clothing! Why anyone would want to effectively dip herself in plastic up to her navel is beyond me. I certainly hope you have not adopted this strange human practice."

Dahlia still wears a smirk, and Guillaume finds it impossible to discern if she appreciates his selections and advice or not. Still he cannot resist. He again crosses his arms, then leans against the bedpost, effectively placing himself between Dahlia and the dress he selected.

He smiles and asks, "So, is there anything else I can do to help you dress?"

***

Jun-1-2001 5:04 PM Message 112 of 245

Subject: Getting ready.

From: Vampiress_Dahlia

Reply to: Anborn [ Message 111 ]

~*Dahlia stands, a foolish smirk on her face, transfixed as she watches and listens to Guillaume. When he is finished, she walks towards the bed, brushing by him to examine the outfit.*~

"Very nice, I love it. Thank you. It will go wonderfully with my bloodstone necklace. And no, I'd never touch pantyhose...I find them appauling. They pinch and tug on delicate skin best left alone."

~*She fingers the gown and it's soft fabric and turns to Guillaume.*~

"Do you intend to watch me dress?"

***

Jun-2-2001 9:18 AM Message 113 of 245

Subject: Anticipation [Guillaume].

From: Anborn

Reply to: Vampiress_Dahlia [ Message 112 ]

"Do you intend to watch me dress?" Dahlia asks with a low voice.

Guillaume grins. "No, that was not my intent. So if there is nothing further you need of me, I shall take my leave."

He bows slightly, then slips out the door. He walks down the hall and enters the parlor, glad to find Briant has already built a roaring blaze in the fireplace in preparation for the evening's activities. Guillaume smiles in anticipation of meeting the mortal girl Dahlia calls her "pupil."

***

Jun-3-2001 11:37 AM Message 114 of 245

Subject: Preparation.

From: Vampiress_Dahlia

Reply to: Anborn [ Message 113 ]

~*Dahlia smiles and waves as Guillaume leaves the room. Then, turning to the bed, she drops her towel and shivers as the cool evening air drifting through the cracked window brushes against her wet skin. She uses the towel to remove the remaining droplets of water from her body then unties the corset-like waist and back of the dress. Slipping into it, she laces it snugly to accentuate her small waist, narrow hips and full breasts. Turning to the mirror, she brushes her long mahogany hair until it snaps with static. Then, taking a sheet of silk, rubs it briskly until it glistens. She applies khol to her eyes to make them appear dark and mysterious, as well as deeply sensual. Then, spreading a dark liquid stain on her lips, that won't rub off for at least a day, she smiles. She is the Demonic Angel. Which is exactly what she wants to be tonight. She will seduce Belle, hunt her, take her and make her love it....*~

~*Sweeping away from the mirror, she walks out of her room and into the main parlor to join Guillaume. She finds both he and Briant there and gracefully bows and twirls in a circle.*~

"Well? What do you think...?"

***

Jun-3-2001 11:47 PM Message 115 of 245

Subject: Confidence [Guillaume]

From: Anborn

Reply to: Vampiress_Dahlia [ Message 114 ]

"Well? What do you think?" Dahlia asks coquettishly.

"I think I should take back what I said before," Guillaume responds with a chuckle. "You are even more alluring in this dress than you were fresh out of the shower." He laughs softly at Briant's scowl.

"But seriously," Guillaume concludes. "If you cannot win your mortal's heart tonight, she must already be dead!"

***

Jun-5-2001 12:38 AM Message 116 of 245

Subject: The Whistler.

From: Iethro_Tullius

Reply to: Vampiress_Dahlia [ Message 114 ]

A knock calls Briant to the foyer. He opens the front door and Ian enters, wishing him a good evening.

The mansion is filled with tension, excitement, and even pain, although he can only guess at its source. Thus, it surprises him slightly when he enters the parlor and finds only Dahlia and Guillaume there. Apparently, the mortal girl Dahlia said she'd invited had not yet arrived.

Bowing to Dahlia and tipping his hat to Guillaume as he passes, Ian takes his stool in the corner. He pulls a flute from his haversack. After a moment, he decides upon the best opening song for the evening's festivities.

~~~

I'll buy you six bay mares to put in your stable,

six golden apples bought with my pay.

I am the first piper who calls the sweet tune,

but I must be gone by the seventh day.

So come on, I'm the Whistler.

I have a fife and a drum to play.

Get ready for the whistler.

I whistle along on the seventh day

whistle along on the seventh day.

All kinds of sadness I've left behind me.

Many's the day when I have done wrong.

But I'll be yours for ever and ever.

Climb in the saddle and whistle along.

So come on, I'm the whistler.

I have a fife and a drum to play.

Get ready for the whistler.

I whistle along on the seventh day

whistle along on the seventh day.

Deep red are the sun-sets in mystical places.

Black are the nights on summer-day sands.

We'll find the speck of truth in each riddle.

Hold the first grain of love in our hands.

~~~

***

Jun-5-2001 5:02 AM Message 117 of 245

Subject: Entertaining guests.

From: Vampiress_Dahlia

Reply to: Iethro_Tullius [ Message 116 ]

~*Dahlia smiles at Guillaume's compliment. She nods to Ian, sighing as he begins to play and sing. He always sounds so beautiful. She exists the room to go and find this girl who came in last night. She finds her in one of the bedrooms and steps into the doorway. Briant has followed her intructions and given her plenty of bloodwyne. There is a pitcher of it nearby on the dressing table next to the bed on which the girl lays. Dahlia sniffs the air and finds it still acrid and stale with the smell of sickness. She knows that Briant will have to slaughter the goat and give the girl it's blood just to get her through the night. The next evening they'd find her a drifter and kill him, then force the girl to drink all of his blood. She had no clue whether or not the girl would feel remorse at the taking of a human life...she appeared young and still a freshly made vampire. Either way, she wouldn't be the one doing the killing. Shrugging Dahlia leaves the room and goes back into the parlor to wait for Belle....*~

***

Jun-6-2001 9:01 AM Message 118 of 245

Subject: Momentary Concern [Guillaume].

From: Anborn

Reply to: Vampiress_Dahlia [ Message 117 ]

Guillaume stands as Dahlia returns to the parlor.

"So, how fares your new guest?" he asks. "Or should I say 'patient'?"

***

Jun-6-2001 5:53 PM Message 119 of 245

Subject: Like a Nightingale

From: Iethro_Tullius

Reply to: Anborn [ Message 118 ]

When he hears Guillaume's reference to a "patient," Ian looks up with alarm. He can immediately read Dahlia's body language and gage her level of concern. If Dahlia's new pupil were sick or injured, she would show much greater anxiety. No, whoever is convalescing in one of the manor's guestrooms is certainly not in any "mortal" danger.

Although he had picked up his mandolin for a different song, Ian is naturally inspired to start off with this little ditty.

~~~

Tip-toes in silence `round my bed

and quiets the raindrops overhead.

With her everlasting smile

She stills my fever for a while.

Oh, nursie dear,

I'm glad you're here

to brush away my pain.

~~~

***

Jun-6-2001 9:03 PM Message 120 of 245

Subject: Diagnosis.

From: Vampiress_Dahlia

Reply to: Iethro_Tullius [ Message 119 ]

~*Dahlia looks up at Guillaume as he questions the young girl's condition.*~

"She's fairly ill. She's been exposed to the sun for far too long and in desperate need of blood. Briant is starting her out on some bloodwyne then he's going to slaughter the goat out back we keep for emergencies and give her that. She'll have to have human blood by tomorrow though, or she'll die. I have to go into town to get a human for Belle to feed off of when she awakens anyway, would you accompany me to fetch another for the girl? It would be fairly inconvenient for me to drag two unconscious mortals home by myself.*~

~*Dahlia smiles, chuckling slightly at her joke.*~

***

Jun-7-2001 9:26 AM Message 121 of 245

Subject: Loose the Hounds? [Guillaume].

From: Anborn

Reply to: Vampiress_Dahlia [ Message 120 ]

Guillaume grins at Dahlia's offer. The better part of a millennium had passed since he had last hunted alongside another of the Kindred. He remembered the playful excitement of such a chase.

An esurient desire surges through him.

"Now?" he asks hopefully, baring his fangs. "Or do you mean during Belle's 'faux mort'?"

***

Jun-7-2001 2:06 PM Message 122 of 245

Subject: Anticipation.

From: Vampiress_Dahlia

Reply to: Anborn [ Message 121 ]

~*Dahlia chuckles, sensing Guillaume's desire to hunt. She deliberately sashays across the room and slides into his lap, a wickedly smile curving her lips and baring her fangs.*~

"No, my dear...not now. Later on tonight after I've changed Belle. I'll already be full from feeding upon her, so I won't need to feed again...but you on the otherhand are welcome to pick out a juicy young human for yourself. But remember, we must bring back two others for Belle and the stranger."

~*Dahlia tilts her head back and sighs in wanting anticipation.*~

"Oh, Guillaume...I can taste her sweet nectar now, pulsing into my mouth and sliding down my throat. A few more hours and she will be mine, yes, but it will seem like an eternity!"

***

Jun-7-2001 10:36 PM Message 123 of 245

Subject: Crossing & Shifting [Belle]

From: cyberian_belle

Reply to: cyberian_belle [ Message 109 ]

The sky has turned completely dark by the time Belle pulls onto the highway shoulder opposite the path to Dahlia's mansion. As she exits, she grabs the bottle of Merlot she has taken from her parents' cellar at the lake house. She locks the doors and drops the keys into her small black purse.

She crosses the road and enters the woods. She realizes she must have grown quite accustomed to this trip, she so deftly navigates the trail in the dark. Then she remembers that she heard on the radio that the Moon will be full tonight. She attributes the ease with which she sees roots to step over and branches to duck to the moonlight glowing on the eastern horizon.

Indeed, by the time she reaches Dahlia's home, moonbeams filter through the trees to dapple the door. Belle stands for a moment, watching the shifting patches of light, marveling at the complex patterns they create in the oaken panels and moldings. It calls to mind the dynamism and sophistication Belle sees in Dahlia. Belle hopes that by meeting and associating with Dahlia and her friends this evening, some of that same brilliant illumination will help brighten her own life.

***

Jun-8-2001 9:14 AM Message 124 of 245

Subject: Commoving [Guillaume].

From: Anborn

Reply to: Vampiress_Dahlia [ Message 122 ]

Guillaume growls lowly, his fangs fully exposed. Dahlia's hunger, her desire for Belle, is nearly palpable in the very air of the room. After two hundred years of isolation, having this beautiful, urbane, and often aloof Vampiress, in her own enkindled state, suddenly nestled in his lap is nearly more than he can bear. He forces himself to maintain an even countenance, but cannot quite bring his breathing under control.

He knows he cannot act on his desires. First, even if Dahlia might be interested in him in other circumstances --- by no means a sure thing --- she would surely reject, and be insulted by, any advances at this time, when expecting Belle's imminent arrival. More importantly, it would benefit Guillaume, and all the Kindred, to have Dahlia's unsated passions focused entirely on the mortal girl this evening.

Dahlia had always had too much concern about the folk on whom Vampires must prey. Her ideas had influenced many others. In her current agitated state, bringing Belle across tonight could be just what it would take to make Dahlia as remorseless --- and thereby free --- as Guillaume himself had become over the centuries.

Guillaume tilts his head toward a slight rustle from outside the mansion. He sniffs the air. His eyes flash and he grins.

"I believe someone has just arrived."

***

Jun-8-2001 1:17 PM Message 125 of 245

Subject: The arrival.

From: Vampiress_Dahlia

Reply to: Anborn [ Message 124 ]

~*Dahlia smiles, her fangs pricking her full lower lip as she senses Guillaume's desire for not only the hunt, but herself as well. Vampires are not committed beings. They find sexual pleasures to be as casually pleasing as a glass of good wine...perhaps after Belle has been turned and has adjusted to the Kindred way of life she would consider an affair with him. He is very handsome and she cannot deny an attraction to him...but Belle would be upset if she were to be with both she and Guillaume. Vampires tend to hold onto mortal beliefs of fidelity and committment for a very long time after they are turned. Indeed, Dahlia still found herself very possessive of her lovers...but more for reasons of being territorial.*~

~*Dahlia looks up at Guillaume's words and sniffs the air, then grins slowly.*~

"She's here, but we must wait for her to knock."

***

Jun-8-2001 5:51 PM Message 126 of 245

Subject: Appetency [Belle]

From: cyberian_belle

Reply to: cyberian_belle [ Message 123 ]

Belle's stomach growls. She suddenly realizes she has eaten nothing since dinner the night before. It occurs to Belle that she has never seen any food served at Dahlia's mansion. Nonetheless, given Dahlia's obviously exquisite tastes in all other matters, Belle has no doubts that Dahlia dines only on the finest delicacies.

Smiling in anticipation, Belle knocks on the ornate oak door as she says to herself, "I can't wait to find out what's for dinner!"

***