A couple of days have now passed since Kassandra and Rick's picnic-date, so Kassandra had waken up this morning anxious and excited, hoping this would be the day that Rick would call her! He'd promised that he'd take her out to dinner for their next date, and it was all she could think about! Well...it was the MAIN thing that had been preoccupying her!
She'd been spending her time weight-training twice a day on the weight equipment she'd conjured up in the atrium of her house-- her lack of strength being her biggest weakness in a battle-- and had been doing very well. Each day Jagyr had a limited time when he could get up out of his bed and train Kassandra's cabal in their weapons, and he'd been the one to advise her on what weight equipment she'd need and how to use it.

Which brings the subject to the other matter that had been occupying Kassandra's mind: the love-triangle in the healing-room. Aidan always seemed to be in there-- which wouldn't arouse any suspicion if it was only she and Darcy. However Jagyr was in the other bed. Every time Kassandra went in there to see how everyone was doing Aidan would be there, claiming that she was there to help Darcy try to come out of his weird coma. But many times when Kassandra would go in Aidan would be there tending to Jagyr...trying to talk to Jagyr...that sort of thing.
Kassandra was harboring a secret worry that Aidan was GLAD Darcy was in the coma because then she was free to give her attentions to Jagyr and Darcy would have no knowledge of it. She was afraid that maybe Aidan wasn't really trying to fix Darcy...that if the Fae-war was successful that Aidan would pretend that she hadn't been able to fix Darcy and just go off with Jagyr.
Kassandra knew that was probably too horrible to be the truth. Darcy is not just Aidan's boyfriend, but mentor, and that's a very serious bond. But maybe...MAYBE Aidan wasn't trying her hardest to fix Darcy right now...not with Jagyr right there. It's very possible. And of the two men, Darcy is Kassandra's friend-- not Jagyr-- and she identifies a lot with Darcy, and isn't going to stand by idly and let him get hurt again. Even though Kassandra's feelings for Darcy had quickly died back down to plutonic friendship after the whole Fae Alliance near-fiasco, she still cares very much about what happens to him.
And on top of that Aidan has a very possessive aire when she's around Jagyr-- like she's his only friend in the chantry! Kassandra wishes Aidan would just be honest with everyone about what's going on! Their cabal needs the training! None of them are in the least bit interested in "stealing" Jagyr from her!
Kassandra suddenly realizes...she doesn't need Jagyr to be her only trainer! Rick could be her personal coach! Then she wouldn't have to endure the little show Aidan subconsciously puts on whenever she's around Jagyr! Now Kassandra has a valid reason to be the one to call Rick first...aside from just plain wanting to hear his voice again!

Kassandra finishes her first work-out of the day with a distracted smile on her face. During her routine she is constantly catching herself day-dreaming about Rick...about how he smells and feels in her arms...about every kiss they shared...about his voice and the way he looks at her and talks to her...about things she hopes they will do together. She quickly showers and then makes her way out of the horizon realm with her cell phone-- the smile never leaving her face.
She walks upstairs and out of the kitchen to find a private place to call, and passes Beamer's lab. Aaah...Beamer. She needs to talk to him, too. She puts her cell phone into the back pocket of her jeans and knocks on his door.

Beamer smiles as he lowers the glue gun...very precisely. He's been working on this model all day and if anything...
The knock on the door is enough for him to almost lose the glue gun out of his hand. He steadies it and gives an annoyed look to the door. "Yes? Yes...coming!" he says. He moves the goggles from his eyes and opens the door. "Oh Kassandra, yes yes, come in come in. I'm just finishing this model here," he says pointing to the toy car. "Do you like it?"

Kassandra had smiled and shaken her head when she first sensed that she was bothering Beamer. This will make what she has to say a little easier!
When he opens the door she follows him in and looks at the car he's been working on. "Oh! I didn't know you made model cars! Do you have a collection? Or does this one do something magickal?" she asks curiously. He's always working on SOMETHING, and everything he works on seems to have magickal properties! Somehow!

"It's a remote control car-slash bomb. You like it? You can detonate it from two miles away with the receiver I implanted in the middle of it." he says smiling like the cheshire cat. "It has the power of a grenade, so you could send it into the middle of a room, or under a car whatever you like."

"Oh woooow!!" Kassandra says in a whisper, leaning closer to look at it. "I like it! A LOT! We could totally use a fleet of these, Beamer! What a great idea!" she says excitedly. "Then we wouldn't have to get close to a car with Technocracy agents sitting in it! We could just send the car under their car and blow it sky high!" she exclaims. "I wish it would work in Fae! Do you think it would?"

"No of course not. Technological device and all. But against men in black cars, it should work beautifully," Beamer says with a grin. "How...ahh...how's your training coming? Good? Learning sword and all?"

Kassandra smiles and leans against his wall, flexing her arms. "Yes...learning sword, but mostly concentrating on archery. The sword is still a little awkward for me because I'm used to knives and a sword is much longer and heavier, but I'm getting stronger! I just hope I'll be ready when the time comes..." she says, a hint of worry crossing her face.
"I wanted to apologize for not stopping by to say hi more, but then I realized that you never come by to say hi, either!" she raises an eyebrow with a smile, folding her arms and looking very much like her mother. "But it's OK, Beamer. Your work is your most important thing to you, and if you DIDN'T spend so much time in here you'd never be able to come up with all these great inventions! So I understand."

"Well," Beamer says pushing his glasses back in place. "I, uh, I'm so busy down here and everyone keeps their space right? I mean I wouldn't want to trouble anyone...I don't think the rest of the Chantry likes me to begin with right?" Beamer says sadly.

Kassandra looks at him in genuine surprise. "What?? Doesn't like you? Where did you get THAT idea??" she asks incredulously. "Everyone thinks you're great! Whenever we come across a new weapon or item, everyone's first comment is 'Beamer could make this better!' or 'I bet if we showed this to Beamer he'd know how to make it do this or that!' We feel spoiled having you here! Seriously, Beamer! Why do you think no one likes you??" she asks, feeling a little defensive of Beamer. If anyone's been rude to him they're going to pay!

"Oh...no one comes to visit unless they want something you know," Beamer says. "Seems that's all I'm good for, 'Beamer fix this, Beamer build that, Beamer modify this'...no one comes down here to say hi or how are you doing except you." he says.

Kassandra's eyebrows raise and she stands there quietly a moment, and then realizes...that's probably true. "You're probably right..." she finally says. "But...I think it COULD be because you never leave your lab. Seriously! If they could see you at breakfast or dinner then they could ask you how you're doing and get to know you better! But everyone has to come here to track you down...and it's possible that they're afraid of bothering you UNLESS it has something to do with fixing or making something because they think that's all that interests you. I think it's just a miscommunication. Seriously, Beamer." she says, hoping this will get him out of his lab more.
"It IS a little hard getting to know people here. My first week here I spent more of my time with my family and John than with my cabal because we all kept to ourselves so much. So I do know how you feel. It's not your fault. Entirely!" she says with a little smile.

"Hmmm maybe you're right, but I've been so busy lately trying to build all these projects that I haven't had a chance to visit. Maybe I'll take my dinners upstairs." he says. "Well anyway, what brings you down here?"

Kassandra nods with satisfaction when he says he'll try eating dinner upstairs. "Well, like I said I did want to say hi! And John says he's on his way back and will be here soon. Although coming from John that could mean...pretty much anything! This is the guy infamous for leaving for years on end, after all!" she jokes.
Now suddenly Kassandra doesn't quite know how to say what she wanted to say! And then it comes to her.
"You asked me at the beginning of the week what I was doing the next day...like you were interested in going out again...and I'm sorry I didn't get back to you after I found out that we WEREN'T marching on Faery the next day. Beamer, you can be so infuriating sometimes! I mean, I thought we had such a fun time when we went out to that movie! I thought for sure you WOULD call me like you said you would, but then weeks went by and you didn't call! So then I met Rick at the party, and things are going really well with him, and THEN you finally try to ask me out again! Why didn't you ask me before? I would have LOVED to go out again!" she says pouting and folding her arms.

Beamer looks at her nervously and shrugs, grabbing his glue gun. "Well I uh...am so much older than you, and your dad and mom might, you know, take it wrong and besides..." he sighs and puts on his goggles. "What would you want with a crusty old inventor who likes bugs anyway," he says. "Alright, Kassandra. I've got to finish this within the hour so..." he says getting back to his work.

Kassandra frowns, still folding her arms. "Well I happen to LIKE older men!" she sniffs. "And I liked that we were both really into our own creatures that everyone else seemed afraid of! You know...bugs and snakes? And I liked other things about you, too. So there." she continues frowning.
She stands there a moment. "But you like being in here alone, so I'm probably not your type anyway because I tend to be clingy and I'd probably just drive you nuts." she says, scuffing her foot on the floor. "So I guess it was for the best. I just wish you'd given me a chance instead of deciding all of this on your own!" she finishes, pouting again.

"Right right," Beamer says a little distracted, or at least tying to act that way. "Ahhh...so well then I guess I'll see you for dinner then?" he asks still gluing the model together. "Do you know what we are having?"

Kassandra lets out an exasperated noise and throws her hands up. "Fine, fine-- I'll leave you alone then!" she exclaims walking to the door. She puts her hand on the knob and turns to look over her shoulder. "And no, I don't know what's for dinner!" She sniffs and lifts her face, walking out the door and slamming it behind her.
'You and John deserve each other!' she thinks to herself, wondering whatever she saw in older men anyway! She hmphs and walks away.

Beamer looks over at the door sadly. He had wanted to call her but...there was no way she'd be interested in him. He shakes his head and stares at the door for a long time before he sighs and gets back to work.

Kassandra walks around the manor, trying to blow off steam. If she hadn't met Rick she would have been rejected by Beamer!! The thought shakes the self-confidence Rick had built up in her a little! Maybe she should have known better than to ask out one of John's friends. She bets if she'd even asked out Ric the Vic he would have turned her down! Every one of his friends would have-- even if they thought she was attractive and nice! But she and Beamer had had fun! She THOUGHT! Maybe John had called Beamer and told him to leave her alone. That's entirely possible. No WONDER John didn't freak out when she sent him the smiley-face emotes! He already knew it had nothing to do with Beamer! That meddling John!
She finally stomps upstairs to the ritual room and shuts herself inside, making herself push the frustration out of her mind and let thoughts of Rick fill it again and calm her. She summons the memories of him holding her in the park...his powerful arms around her...the gentle way he kissed her, and then the passionate way he kissed her...and she gets a pleasurable little shiver that, thankfully, completely wipes out her previous anger!
She takes her phone out and quickly dials Rick's number before her nerves can come back! She doesn't want to bother him, but at the same time she wants him to know that she likes him and has been thinking about him, and won't make him be the one who always has to call.

Rick lays underneath the car in his garage fiddling with the undercarriage when the phone rings. He slides out and wipes the grease from his hands. He sits up and digs into his pocket for his phone. He opens it and smiles seeing who it is. "Hey there," he says into the phone. "I was hoping you'd call."

Kassandra smiles with relief and wants to say, 'Really??' but doesn't! That would sound TOO self-conscious, and she knows he likes her! She'd be pretty dense if she couldn't see that!
"Hey handsome!" she smiles, sitting down on the floor and resting her back against the wall. "I miss you. I missed hearing your voice. I'm glad your guard-duty was uneventful!"

"Yeah it was. Just prowling about for a while, nothing serious." Rick says with a smile. "I missed you too. I wished I could have stayed. I'm just here doing a quick tune-up on the car," he says. "What are you up to?"

"Just finished working-out! Jagyr's got us all on physical training regiments...he thinks we've been too lax on our fighting-skills." she smiles. She still hasn't told Rick about the Fae war coming up because of Peter's warning that Rick would insist on coming with her. She's letting him think that their training is only for the battle against the Technocracy that's looming on the horizon. She feels so bad about being dishonest, but wouldn't it be better to have him mad at her later than dead??
"I'm actually getting stronger, and he's stopped looking so worried so I guess it's working!" she grins. "So...that offer to take me out to dinner...is that still standing?" she smiles, twisting her hair around one of her fingers absent-mindedly.

"Absolutely!" Rick says, thinking he sounded a little too eager. "Hey give me a couple hours to finish this, clean up, and pick you up. How's that?" he asks hoping she's OK with it. He looks at himself. Yeah definitely shower up.

Kassandra beams excitedly. She's so happy and relieved at how excited HE sounds, too! It's SO wonderful to be in a mutually-pleasing relationship!! There's no struggle...no trying to talk anyone into anything...they just both want to be together!
"That sounds perfect! How should I dress? Casual? Semi-formal? Formal?" she asks, wanting to make sure she looks her best for wherever they're going. "And should it be bike-friendly?" she smiles. They could be going to McDonald's for all she cares! She just wants to go out with him again!

"Let's do something formal, for a change...for me at least it'll be a change," he laughs into the phone. "Alright let me finish this and shower up and I'll be out!" Rick says all excited. "I know a place we can go to," he says. "You like Japanese?"

Kassandra tries to think if she's ever had Japanese...and she's not sure if she has! "You know, I don't think I ever have!" she confesses. "So I should! This definitely needs to be remedied!" she laughs. "It sounds like a great idea to me! Both the formal, and the Japanese! Are you coming over on your bike?" she asks. Knowing the vehicle he's coming over in will definitely help her dress-selection-process!

"No I'll take my van," he says. "You have to try this place, it's great. They make the food right at your table!" he says. "Woah I better get ready if we want to beat the dinner rush! See you soon, Kass!"

"OK Rick! See you soon!" she smiles, and then folds her phone closed. She gets up off the floor and does a little jump and yip of excitement. She stands there with her hands clasped together, just basking in how good the call went, and then realizes she better get ready, too! She just barely had a shower, so that will give her more time to pick out what she's going to wear!
Kassandra hurries down to the horizon realm and into her house. She passes a marble table she made just to hold the vase of flowers that Rick gave her on their first date-- the flowers haven't aged at all thanks to the magick of the realm. She goes into her room and begins the all-important task of deciding what she's going to wear!

Rick tries to hurry the tune up, and finally finishes. He slides out quickly from underneath the car and nearly runs into the house. He takes his clothes off and hits the shower, scrubbing off the grease and oil from his hands and face.

Kassandra slides the dresses across the rack for the third time, looking at each one intently...imagining how she'd look in each one, and how well they'd work for the date. She wants to give just the right affect.
She finally decides to go for the complete knock-out look. It's a formal date-- she may not get this chance again for a while! Especially with everything that's coming up ahead for her cabal.
She even gets choosy with the underwear. Just in case. She wants to feel as beautiful as her mother looks in them. She picks out a black lacy push-up bra and matching panties...which happen to be a G-string cut. She's never worn these before...never worn anything remotely like this before! Her mother got them for her and she's just never gotten the guts to even try them on! But when she puts them on she DOES instantly feel sexier! Then she pulls on the black thigh-high nylons and clips them to the straps hanging down from the underwear and stands in front of the mirror. Wow. With the lights dimmed a little she DOES look like her mother.
She gets an excited shiver, and then turns back to the dress she picked out. It's a floor-length form-fitting red dress with off-the-shoulder sleeves and a side-slit that goes up to her thigh...up to just below where the nylons stop. She sticks her dagger into the top of the nylon like she's seen women in movies do, feeling sexy AND dangerous now, and slips into the dress. Wow...she wonders how her father reacted when her mother wore this out on one of THEIR dates! It's not so hard to understand now why they always head right to their bedroom when they get back from their dates! Kassandra's never sported so much cleavage before...or leg!

Rick finishes his shower and gets into his room. He opens his closet and starts rummaging through his clothes. He picks out a black suit and blue tie. He smiles as he starts putting it on. "This is going to be a great night," he says as he brushes his hair and ties it into a silver string. He puts on some cologne and dresses up.

Kassandra experiments with her hair, but in the end decides to leave it down. She puts on her make-up carefully, and then finishes with a gold necklace and earrings that her father gave her when she graduated from high school. And then pauses...and quickly dabs her neck and wrists with some nice-smelling perfume that her mother had given her for her birthday.
Finished, she grabs a red purse that she'd put her foci in, and leaves her room. She pauses...wondering if she should ask John-bird if she looks good, or if he thinks she might be showing too much skin, but then figures he won't know anyway, and continues out of the horizon realm!

Rick finishes up dressing and he grabs his wallet and keys. He walks to the door and checks himself. He smiles and heads out to the car. 'This is gonna be a great night...good food and Kass. That's the best,' he thinks. He heads into the car and drives off.

A part of Kassandra wishes that one of her chantry-mates would suddenly come out and see how good she looks...realize that she can be sexy, too-- Aidan's not the only one-- but another part of her is glad when she slips through the horizon realm unnoticed. She might have gotten teased and lost the confidence she's currently sporting!
She steps into the kitchen and then hurries into the living room-- quickly but carefully so she doesn't fall in the high heels she's wearing-- and peeks out the front window to watch for Rick's van.

Rick drives as fast as he can while keeping to the speed limit. He finally reaches the driveway and pulls up the hill. He thinks he sees someone in the window and smiles. He wonders if it's her. He pulls up and places the car in park and opens the door. He walks towards the door.

Kassandra lets out an excited noise and lets the drapes fall back when she sees his van. She paces a little with a big grin on her face. The thought doesn't even cross her mind to get Peter or someone to open the door for her so she can make an entrance-- she's too excited to see Rick again to have to wait through such an old-fashioned gesture right now!
In fact, she goes a step forward and opens the door just BEFORE Rick can ring the doorbell! She stands in the doorway and smiles as he walks up to her. He looks SO incredibly good...her memory of their picnic hadn't done him justice! He fills out the suit perfectly, and with his hair pulled back his handsome face fills her eyes and leaves her speechless. If she had a greeting ready to say, it's gone from her mind now!

Rick stands there his hand nearly at the bell when she opens the door. A goddess stands there. He stands speechless, he blinks again and then looks. "Kass?" he says. "My goddess...you're gorgeous!" he says. "You're so beautiful," he says again.

Kassandra smiles a big smile at him and then steps forward and wraps her arms around him, kissing him. She couldn't help herself! When the kiss breaks she touches his face and looks at him with shining eyes. "You look so good, Rick..." she whispers. She feels like the chantry has disappeared behind her and it's just he and she floating in space.

"I look good?" Rick asks incredulously. "You...you're the one who looks...wow," he says almost speechless. He stands there just looking at her. The kiss was even better than before. "So...wow Kass...you make that dress look...fantastic..." he says.

Kassandra blushes and smiles, looking down at her dress and smoothing it over her hips with her hands and then looking back up at Rick. "Thank you! You're so sweet!" she says softly, looking happier than she has in a long time. "And yes, you DO look good! INCREDIBLY good! You fill out that suit better than a GQ model!" she exclaims, hoping that didn't sound dorky! It's just that it's true, and she doesn't know how else better to say it. And then she does. "Like a god." she finishes.

"Like a god?" Rick says. "Oh no you are the...listen to us. This has got to stop before we lose our reservations," he says with a chuckle. He looks down at his watch. "We've got a little time...how about we take this to the restaurant?" he asks with a laugh. "But god do you look good."

'But I WANT us to lose our reservations!' Kassandra thinks in protest, and then realizes that he means their RESTAURANT reservations, not their MORAL reservations!! PHEW!
She smiles and laughs-- a little more loudly because of her relief. "Rick, you are wonderful!" She takes his arm and squeezes it. "Yes-- let's go to the restaurant! I've always wanted to go to a restaurant where they make your food right there! It sounds exciting!" She pauses. "Is it all raw?" she asks with wide eyes.

"Some of it is, but just the appetizers. The rest of it is cooked right there," Rick says. "It's great, he...well you'll have to see for yourself. Come on, hop in the car and we'll be off," Rick says offering her his arm. "Shall we miss?"

Kassandra laughs and takes his arm again. "We shall, sir!" She looks at his van. "I didn't know you had a van before today! How many cars do you have?" she asks curiously. She points over to her black Honda Accord. "That one's mine, by the way."

"Well I have the motorcycle, well...have a couple of those. One car and the van." Rick says. He looks at her car and nods. "Honda's not bad, I can fix that up for you. That car has issues with its head gasket. I can make it so that won't happen."

"Really?" Kassandra asks gratefully. "I would really appreciate that!" She imagines that if she pulls her car into the garage where it's warmer that he might...you know...take his shirt off so it doesn't get oil or grease on it...
Her grin gets a day-dreamy quality to it as he leads her to his van and lets her in. She gets buckled in and waits for him to climb into the drivers seat.
"Speaking of helping me, do you happen to know how to fight with a sword or bow?" she asks hopefully.

"A sword or bow...no. I know dagger-fighting, how's that?" Rick says opening the drivers side door. He hops in. "I know how to brawl in a bar-room...but that doesn't help does it?" he says with a chuckle. "Why do you ask?"

Kassandra gets a little nervous. She really doesn't want to start out this relationship with a lie, but she can't get the image of Rick's lifeless body laying at her feet in Fae.
"Well, you know how the Fae are! Jagyr thinks we should all be trained in old-fashioned weapons. He's not very impressed with firearms skills. He says they wouldn't work in Fae so they might be useless in the spirit realm, even though we know different. But Jagyr has to rest a lot right now while he recovers so I didn't want to be a burden on him. Hmmm...but I bet brawling would be really useful! And look!" she says excitedly, flexing her arm for him. "I have a little bitty muscle now!" she laughs, trying to look proud.

"Nice!!" Rick says. And then he gets a concerned look on his face. "Wait...why is Jagyr teaching you those skills? Why don't you learn how to be better with a gun? Why use a sword? Are you going to get close enough to do something with a sword?"

Kassandra gets nervous again. She HATES this! Maybe she SHOULD tell him, and then beg him not to come...get Peter to help her convince him. This is horrible! She doesn't want to lie to him about anything!
"Jagyr just seems to think it's really important that we know them. I'm thinking maybe the technocracy wouldn't be able to affect them like they would a gun? You can't really jam a bow and arrow...or sword. He's hoping we won't get close to anything...that's why he's teaching us to use bows...but he wants us to be prepared in case we DO need to fight up close." she says, clasping her hands together tightly, feeling horrible deep down.

"OH..." Rick says calming down. "That is a good point," he says. "Yeah I guess that would be more difficult to harm a sword or bow." he says. "Well if you need a sparing partner," he says starting the engine, "Just call me."

Kassandra smiles, glancing over at him and trying to keep the tears out of her eyes. What if he wants to break up with her when he finds out she lied?? Wouldn't that be almost as bad as dead??
"I will! Thanks Rick! Oh hey-- did any of the Garou go by the node-site to see if the bodies are still there?" she asks, referring to the Men In Black that they'd killed a few days ago while rescuing Richard.

Rick nods, "We did. The place was clean except the shopkeeper's body. We cleaned that up and no one is the wiser," he says. "So don't worry about it, Kass, we took care of it." he says. He smiles at her. "The node is big...bigger than we thought. Node...why do you call it a node?"

Kassandra exhales in relief when she hears that the shop is still secured. "Hmm...that's a good question! It's just one of those mage-terms, I suppose. It refers to a place where energy flows and pools into naturally, and because of that if we put spiritual walls around it we can cast our magick without fear of the Technocracy's backlash affecting us there. It's a rare and sacred resource. I'm glad this is a big one!" she says excitedly. "Do Garou have a name for them? What do you do with yours?"

"No...we don't have a name...well some of us call it a well, or a waterfall, or milk of the mother, I guess it all depends on who you ask," he says. "Ah here we are." he says pulling into the parking lot. "Our destination," he says hoping out. He runs over to her side and opens the door. "My lady."

Kassandra smiles and takes his arm, holding the side of her dress as she slides out of the van so she doesn't step on it, but still managing to flash more of her leg than she meant to. The hilt of her knife flashes at the top of her nylon for a moment.
She gives a little laugh. "Always prepared, right?" she smiles, quickly concealing the knife again. "I wish we didn't have to be, but after looking over your shoulder for so long it feels almost like you're naked not to have a weapon at hand, doesn't it?"

Rick nods to her, "You'll never need that when I'm with you, Kass. I'll protect you to the death, you know that right? I'd make sure no one ever hurts you," he says giving her a serious look. He takes her arm and walks her to the restaurant.

Kassandra struggles to keep the tears out of her eyes as they walk towards the restaurant. "I know you would, Rick..." she says softly. "And I'd do the same for you."
'I just wish *I* didn't have to hurt you in order to do it...' she sorrowfully adds in her mind. She slides her arm down so she's not holding his arm anymore but instead has taken his hand in hers so they're walking holding hands. She likes this better. It's more intimate and romantic. She still keeps her body close to his as they walk.

Rick smiles at her when they enter the restaurant. The hostess stands there by a small desk and looks at the book. "Do you have a reservation?" she asks. "Grimaldi," Rick says.
"Ahhh table for two," she says. She leads them into the restaurant proper and sits them at a table with a large oven and grill attached to it. There are several ingredient bowls freshly put there as a waiter walks up with a large cart. He fills the bowls with food and walks off. A chef appears at the grill and begins to cook.

Rick pulls the chair out for her and she sits carefully-- making sure her dress is still concealing her knife -- and then looks at their table and watches the chef. This is so exciting! She'll have to tell her dad all about it later! Ah, but then she'd have to tell him about Rick. Oh but she WANTS to!
She smiles and looks over at Rick. "How does this work?" she asks excitedly.

"Well he cooks for us all these samples and we stop him on one we like and he cooks that up for us for dinner." Rick says. "I usually wait until four or five choices and then decide." he says. "You've never been to one of these? He starts with the appetizers and then moves on to the tea and then the meal and then side dishes, and then dessert."

"Wow...this is incredible!" Kassandra says. "I think I would be too self-conscious to cook under the eyes of an audience like this! Maybe!" she laughs. "Maybe after a good stiff drink to calm my nerves!"

The two watch as the chef starts to prepare their samples. It doesn't take long before they both choose an appetizer and then meal, side dishes, and desserts. The chef stays with them the entire time, which hampers their conversation to mundane topics. Soon they finish dinner and head outside.

"That was great," Rick says opening the door for her. He hops in on the other side once she's in. "So how did you like your first try at Japanese food?"

"It was excellent! I was really surprised at how good the sushi was! I was a little nervous to try it-- I've never had raw meat before! But it was actually good! Probably because it was rolled with so many other things!" she smiles. "This was a great idea, Rick! Thanks for suggesting it!"

"No problem," Rick says happily smiling. "Yeah I found this place awhile ago and I come here every so often," he says. "I love Japanese food, Chinese food, you name it," he says. "Especially your pies and cakes," he says.

Kassandra laughs and nudges his arm playfully. "You flatterer!" she grins. "I'll have to make you a big Italian dinner sometime! Not that Italian is my specialty or anything, but hey! I gotta give props to the home country, eh?" she says in a perfect imitation of her dad! Right down to the hand-gestures!

Rick laughs, "You sound like you're from the old country. But yeah that sounds like a great idea. I love Italian, and hey you have to cook it well if you are around your dad all the time. I bet he has all these secret recipes."

Kassandra grins. "That he does!" She falls silent for a moment, watching the scenery as they drive...trying to build up her courage.
"Do you have time to come in tonight? I'd love to show you around!" she asks hopefully, trying to keep her voice light so it doesn't sound like she's putting the pressure on. "And my snakes would love to meet you, too!" she grins.

"You bet! I have the night off, so let's go!" Rick says. "So do I have to pay fifty cents for the tour or do I get a special rate?" he asks as they turn up the driveway. "Because I think all I've got is my debit card," he says with a wink.

Kassandra laughs excitedly. "Oh...your debit card will be just fine! As long as you leave the PIN number with me!" she laughs again. "You goof!" She nudges his arm again with her elbow, smiling happily. "You can just pull your van in next to my car...let the two get to know each other better!" she grins, wiggling her eyebrows.

He laughs as he pulls in. "Alright," he says. He cuts the engine and hops out of the drivers seat. He gets to her side and opens the door for her. He helps her out and walks her to the door. "So let's start this tour from the beginning."

"All right..." Kassandra says, feeling a little daring. "These are my lips..." she says, leaning in and kissing him. "And these are my arms..." she says wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. She grins up at him. "And this is the front porch, the great view of the city, and the yard." she teases him. "And you smell really nice, by the way."

Rick enjoys the kisses she gives him and he holds her in his arms as she holds him. He smiles at her, "This is the kinda tour I like." he says. "And thanks, I was hoping you'd like the cologne. I bought it new to see if you'd like it," he says. "Nice view," he turns towards the city.

Kassandra smiles and rests the side of her head against his chest as they look out across the city. "It really is." she says softly. They stand like that for a moment when Kassandra feels the familiar slither of one of her mother's snakes crossing her feet. She looks down and there lay two of the three ghoul-boas-- Apretura and Dientes. Their tongues flicker in and out, tasting Rick's scent.
Kassandra smiles. "Don't move your feet...Mama and Daddy-snake are smelling you!" she whispers good-naturedly, motioning down at the ground. "The smaller one is Apretura and the larger one is Dientes. They're mates. 'Apretura' means 'crush' in Spanish, and 'Dientes' means 'fangs!'" she explains, a fond look in her eyes.

Rick looks down and smiles, "Wow, they are really well cared for, Kass. Look at their colors! Just beautiful," he says. "What do you feed them?" he says. "I gotta know so that I can feed mine the same," he says. He keeps still as the snakes continue to check him out. "I hope they approve."

Kassandra beams under Rick's praise. "Well I can't take TOO much credit for their food! Because I can let them wander around free like this they prefer to catch their own meals! They love ground hogs...gophers...mice and rats...and they're very good hunters! Do you have magick you can use to communicate with your snakes, too? If I weren't a mage and they were regular snakes I'd have to keep them in my room. I think they're so happy and healthy because they can roam freely." she says, reaching down and smoothing her fingers across Apretura's head when she runs her head up Kassandra's leg.
Dientes slithers up Rick's body slowly and carefully until he can look into Rick's eyes-- Kassandra apologizing for the snake's forward behavior. Snake and werewolf look at each other for a moment-- Dientes' tongue flickering in and out. Kassandra is suddenly very nervous. Will Dientes know that Rick is a werewolf?? Will it upset him, considering Dientes is the ghoul of a vampire?? And then suddenly Dientes rests his head on Rick's arm.
Kassandra lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "OK, he likes you!" she smiles. "I TOLD him you were OK! What a naughty boy!" she pretends to scold the snake.

"Yeah for a moment there I thought there was going to be trouble," Rick says relieved. "He starts petting him. "Good boy protecting your daughter like that. You keep up the good work," he says encouragingly. "I like him," he says. "Oh I couldn't let mine roam freely. The neighbors would have a shit fit."

Kassandra nods in understanding. "Oh yeah! I can imagine! If we didn't live up here on the hill I'd try to keep them in my room, too!
Apretura nudges Dientes' tail with her head, and he reluctantly slithers back down Rick's body. The two then disappear off into the grass side-by-side.
Kassandra laughs and shakes her head. "They're so funny! Sorry about that! I have two more snakes somewhere around here, and the spirit-snake in our horizon realm." she explains, leading Rick into the chantry past the medusa-head.
"Well, you know this area pretty well! The living room's here, and the kitchen is through there." she points, and then takes his arm. "There are just bedrooms and guestrooms upstairs...not too much to see unless you'd like to..." she says, and leads him down the hall. She shows him the library...the party-room again...some of the other lesser-used rooms...and then the door to Beamer's lab.
"This is Beamer's lab and apartments. He's probably in there working on something...he always is." she whispers. "I hope he came out for dinner tonight. He promised he would. He needs to make more friends."

Rick looks at all the rooms she points out and nods, taking it all in, although it's hard to concentrate with such a beautiful woman next to him. He smiles at her comment about Beamer and then points back to the living room. "I've seen that room. Nice tv you got there." he says. "Umm...how about some coffee?"

Kassandra smiles. "Sure! You've come to the right person!" She leads him back to the kitchen and then starts bustling around like she was born in a kitchen...which she ALMOST was, if her mother hadn't made it to John's bathroom in time!
She gets two mugs out, and then gets the coffee machine loaded with fancy mineral water. She goes to the freezer and pulls out a bag of gourmet coffee, and then loads just the right amount into the paper strainer and put it into the machine.
"Two cups coming up!" she grins. "What kind would you like? We've got just about every flavoring and ingredient you could want!"

"Straight black," Rick says. "Maybe a couple of sugars," he says sitting down at the table. "Thanks Kass. I was dead thirsty but I didn't want to mention it till I couldn't handle the dry mouth." he says. "Wasabi makes my mouth dry," he says.

"Oh poor Rick! You should have said something sooner!" she says worriedly. She quickly pours him a glass of the cold mineral water to tide him over until the coffee is ready, and then when the coffee's done she pours him a cup and brings him the bowl of sugar cubes and a coffee spoon, as well. Then she makes herself a cup of coffee-- adding a little cream and spike of caramel-- and walks over to where he is, pretending not to be watching for his reaction to her coffee!

He drinks the water down and is ready for more when the coffee is done. He takes his cup and takes a sip. "Mmm this is good. Nice and dark like I like it," he says. "This is a really great place you guys have. Is it hard with all the roommates?"

Kassandra smiles with relief when he likes his coffee, and then takes a sip of hers while he asks his question. She thinks for a moment, and then shakes her head.
"Not too hard. For having so many people here it never feels very crowded. Everyone kind of keeps to themselves. I wish Aidan's cousins would come hang out more, but they've had a lot of tragedy to deal with lately. They probably want to keep their distance right now, I guess. And now that my cabal lives in the Horizon Realm, there are plenty of bathrooms to go around!" she grins. "Speaking of Horizon Realms, would you like to see ours? My little house is in there! I have a nice garden of my own, but the whole realm is just incredible and beautiful!"

Rick nods, "I've never had a roommate. Can't stand to have someone around touching my stuff who I don't want touching my stuff...you know? Fighting over the TV, or the bathroom." he says. "It gets a little lonely at times."

Kassandra nods in understanding. "We mages have a standing rule that you might like! If someone else breaks into your room, it's grounds for death. Seriously! Each room has its own bathroom, and everyone gets their own adjoined ritual-room that they can do whatever with, so that gives us a lot of space to put things that we don't want touched. The only exception is the rest of the house like the kitchen and living room. We all have to share the food and items in the kitchen, and the TV in the living room and stereo in the party room. But luckily it's never been a problem. Not YET anyway!" she smiles.
"Even with all these roommates it got lonely for me...so many of them have significant others-- or at least someone they would bring home and go into their rooms with. Beamer has his inventions...Kyril has his computer...Richard had Kaiden...Darcy has Aidan...Aidan's cousins seem to have their separate friends they hang out with and don't really include us in. That's why I ended up going home a lot to eat and talk with my parents. Pretty sad, huh." she says with a little laugh, tracing her finger around the lip of her coffee cup.

"Nah, that's normal. Most of my pack are married or mated so I know exactly what you feel." Rick says nodding in agreement. "It sucks being the third wheel doesn't it?" he says. He takes a sip of his coffee. "This is really good. Well maybe we don't have to be third wheels anymore."

Kassandra smiles, looking up at Rick. She reaches over and takes his hand. "It would be really nice to be mated-- I mean not third wheels!" she quickly corrects, her cheeks flaming pink! "Oh boy...talk about Freudian slips..." she murmurs, holding her forehead in her hand. She gives another little laugh and drops her hand back down from her face, trying to regain her composure! She clears her throat and grins at Rick. "It would be wonderful having you as my someone special." she finishes, bringing his hand to her lips and giving it a soft kiss, and then rubbing her cheek against his hand.

Rick smiles, "You already are my someone special," Rick says kissing her hand back. He smiles at her letting the silence speak for them as he holds her hand. This is a good moment, no need to speak and chance ruining it. He smiles at her.

She smiles back at him, feeling butterflies in her stomach and sparkles shooting up her spine. She reaches up and touches his face with her free hand. She doesn't know why, she just loves touching his face. Maybe it makes him more real to her...like he's not just a dream that's going to suddenly fade...he's real and solid under her fingertips. She opens her mouth to say something impulsive, but then blushes a little and the words stick in her throat.
Instead she leans forward and presses her lips against his very softly-- not even kissing, just pressing her lips to his. Then she slowly kisses him, and then moves her lips up to his upper lip and gives it a soft kiss...and then down to his lower lip and kisses it, as well. Then she lets out a little sigh of contentment and rests both lips against both of his while stroking his hair softly...just sharing breath with him with her eyes closed.

Rick is in astonishment as she kisses him. He's never met a girl like her. He can't help but feel he's never going to leave and he wants to just gather her in his arms and...what...he needs to calm himself. 'Take it slow slow and easy, no need to rush...' he thinks to himself. He lets her kiss him and he kisses back. When they finally break he smiles at her. "Wow...nice kiss." he says.

Kassandra smiles, feeling almost drunk! 'Where did I learn THAT from!' she wonders.
"It WAS nice, wasn't it..." she says softly. "I don't know where that came from...I...just...wanted to do it..." she says. She takes his hand and stands slowly. "Come...I want to show you our realm. This place is too...mundane for a moment like this..." she says, motioning to the kitchen.

"Well next time you just want to kiss like that, don't let me stop you," Rick says with a smile. He stands up and follows her. "I was hoping you would show me the horizon realm. I've heard you talk so much about it. It must be beautiful."

"It is!" she smiles. She loves holding his hand! She's such a romantic at heart, and holding the hand of the man she loves is something she's always dreamed of! Of the man she loves...yes...she DOES love him! And the more she gets to know him, the deeper it will get. Somehow she just knows this.
She leads him into the freezer, pushes aside the hanging meat to reveal the door in the back, and then opens the door. She gives him a little grin over her shoulder, and then they arrive at the Guardian.
"This is our guardian of the realm." she explains. "Guardian...it is I, Kassandra. And this is Rick Howls-At-The-Moon. He is under my protection." she announces.

The guardian nods and bows to her allowing them to step through.

"Woah...he's kinda creepy isn't he?" he asks. "Where'd you get him?" he asks. Rick looks the guardian once over. "He's not our type of spirit."

"He was here before we got here. I'm not sure exactly how the original owners came to get him, but each Horizon Realm is supposed to have one...to keep anyone out who's not supposed to be there." she explains as best she can.
She takes him down, and soon they emerge into the Horizon Realm. It's night-time now...a perfect night sky and crescent moon float overhead, stars dotting the night. There's a quiet sound of crickets everywhere, and some kind of fairy-singing coming from their glades.
Kassandra motions ahead and to the left to an orchard. "That's where the energy-fruit grows-- the fruit that we made the wine and drinks from?" she reminds him. Then she points ahead to a large circle of trees, and leads Rick up the path and through the trees. There are a line of drums to one side, and in the center of the ring is a large stack of wood for the next bonfire. "This is our sacred drum-circle site." she explains.

Rick looks at all this with wide eyes, he shakes his head amazed. "This is just like what we do, Kass. Drum circle and grove. This is really nice," he says walking around the drums. "I can feel her energy here...Gaia has touched this place." he says closing his eyes.

Kassandra smiles happily as she watches Rick bask in the energy here. "The Verbena mages care for this grove...they worship Gaia, too, so that's probably why her energy is so strong here." she says softly. She stands motionless, not wanting to interrupt Rick until he's ready to see something else.

"Verbena...you're a Hollow One...have you decided to join a tradition? Or will you still be a Hollow One?" Rick asks. "You seem very much in touch with nature. Shouldn't you be a Verbena?" Rick says opening his eyes and looking over at her.

Kassandra smiles. "Actually, there are other Traditions that are just as in touch with nature, such as the Dreamspeakers-- our shamen." she explains. "Out of all of the Traditions that's the one that I would join if I had to join one. They are usually the Native Americans...the Aboriginees...those cultures who are closer to the spirit-realm than anyone else. The Verbena are the caretakers of Gaia's creations, but the Dreamspeakers are the caretakers of Gaia's spirit-realm. I...still don't know if I want to enter into a Tradition. Uncle John says you get swept up into Tradition politics if you join. But one of Aidan's cousins is a Dreamspeaker, so when I get a chance I want to talk to her about her Tradition in great detail...see how it feels to me. The Verbena would probably be my second choice, though."

Rick nods and moves back down to where Kass is and puts his arm around her. "Show me the rest of this wonderful place, Kass. I am so impressed with it. Is this some realm of spirit I've never been to? I mean there's a lot I haven't been to, but..."

Kassandra nods her head. "Yes. There are a few other spirit realms that I THINK only mages can get to...like the different levels of the Umbra. And there's also the Net that only Virtual Adepts can get into. But my favorite is the spirit-realm with the spirit-animals...probably very similar-- if not the same-- as the one you guys go to." she says.
She also puts her arm around Rick, and the two walk out of the grove. "Wait until you see this next place!" she grins. She takes him to the right side of the realm and into the faery ring that's made up of stones-- much like Stonehenge. Little lights dance in and out of the stones, and the sound of the fairy-singing is louder.
Just outside of the ring Kassandra and Rick can see centaur-couples walking slowly, nuzzling one another as they find a secluded place in the wood that marks the right border of the realm. They see the flash of a unicorn as it runs by, and overhead a mother-pegasus teaches her baby how to fly.
Kassandra leans her head on Rick's shoulder as they stand in the faery-ring and grins.

"Creatures of old...we've heard legends of these things! Kass! Are you keeping them here? Safeguarding them from others? What purpose do they have here??" Rick says astonished. "Where did you find them??"

Kassandra feels a little bad that their spirits have gotten Rick's hopes up. "Actually...these are just jagglings...spirits imitating pegasuses and centaurs and fairies and such. We asked for them to come here to bring wonder and beauty to the realm, but they're not real unicorns and pegasuses and things...although we really WISH they were. I guess just the real Fae-realm has the real ones." she explains.

"Oh...oh..." Rick says a little disappointed. He turns to Kass and smiles at her. "It's still a wonderful place," he says. "They act so real and look so real, Kass. Are you sure they are just small spirits?"

Kassandra smiles, taking his hand again. "I've been fooled before, too. Actually...it's very possible that any of them could suddenly turn into a real unicorn or pegasus any time they wanted to. I have a statue of Apollo in my garden, and when I first made it I asked a jaggling to inhabit it...one who could give me advice and act like Apollo. Well...last week I went to ask it advice, and the REAL Apollo showed up!! THAT was unexpected!" she laughs. "So I guess it's entirely possible that any of these could be real. Maybe if we keep this realm beautiful and peaceful like this it might invite real creatures to come. That would be incredible wouldn't it!" she says, walking slowly out of the faerie ring with Rick.

"It would be," Rick says. "You guys have made a paradise here. If the werewolves were to see this they would understand you all so much better. If we could work together we could get the world back to this once more." Rick says hopefully.

Kassandra looks up at Rick with hope in her eyes. "Really?? Is that what the Garou's goal is? Wow...that would be...perfect..." she says softly. Then her face falls a little. "Oh no...I just remembered...our Virtual Adepts and Sons of Ether...they would probably want technology to continue..." she says sadly. "But all the rest of the Traditions...I think they'd want things to go back to the way they were." she says, thinking out loud.
The two walk past the grove and turn right. There before them is the great tree, surrounded by all the houses where the cabal-mates lives. "This is our great tree...the nexus for all the power that flows into here." she says reverently. Then she points out each house-- each very distinctly representing the person who made it.
"That's Aidan and Darcy's house...and that little house between it and the faery ring is the house of healing where Jagyr, Darcy and Richard and recovering...Aidan's most likely in there right now. She never leaves." Kassandra explains. "Over across the way is Kaiden's house, and on the other side of that is what they call 'Pantheon Hill.' The Verbena have placed statues there of all the gods they revere."

Rick looks at each house and points out a few distinctions between each of them. He listens to Kassandra describe the houses in great detail and smiles leaning on her a little.
"Where's your house? Do you live a little more down the way?" he asks. "I'd like to see it."

Kassandra feels electricity go through her skin as Rick leans against her and asks to see her house. She looks at him and smiles. "On the other side of the great tree." she says, pulling him around it and down the little path to her house. The path is lined with rose bushes that she'd "planted" after she and Rick's first date. As the two pass between them red roses suddenly bloom. Kassandra grins and blushes a little.
Her front yard area has palm trees and tropical plants and flowers. Butterflies flitter from bloom to bloom, even in the dusk of night. As the two draw near to her house, the torches on the front burst into flame, illuminating the house made of white marble and stucco with its white marble pillars in front, and the dome on top.
"This is my place." she smiles. "I tried to create a balance between my mother's Caribbean roots and my father's Italian blood." she explains.

"It's great!" Rick says impressed. "You built this yourself?" he asks watching the roses bloom. "Are they blooming for a reason?" he asks again. He looks around the hill dip and smiles. "I like the marble," he says. "Very Italian."

Kassandra smiles, very pleased. "I'm so glad you like it! It's easy to build things here if you are attuned to this realm. Basically, you just think it and it appears. You have to be very specific with your thoughts, though. If your mind wanders while you're working you can end up with something really messed-up-looking!" she laughs. "If you want to summon spirits and jagglings, you have to be adept in Spirit, though." she adds.
She touches one of the roses...trying to get up her courage to answer his question...and then picks it and hands it to Rick. "The roses let me know who the last person who walked between them was...kind of like a caller-ID. They bloom a color that signifies to me how I feel about the person who walks between them. Red, pink, yellow, white, orange, black, purple, blue...all kinds of colors." she says, a touch evasively.

"I see...and what does red mean then, because they bloomed red when I walked by," Rick asks with a big grin on his face. "You just think it and it appears? Nice...it must be something to have that kind of power here. Almost like a god." he says.

Kassandra flushes and lowers her eyelids with a grin on her face. "They've been made to sense my emotions. It had...kind of slipped my mind that I'd done that until we started walking between them..." she bites her lip, still grinning. "It looks like no one's tried to visit me since I planted them because they didn't have blooms on them until we walked here. That's a good thing, though. I'm a very paranoid person when it comes to my house!" she laughs softly.
"I'll tell you what red means...after you see the rest of my house!" she smiles, looking up at him again with a twinkle in her eye. She takes his hand again. "Before I take you in, I'll show you the rest of the outside."

"Fair enough," Rick says. "No one visits you here? But you have the best house! Is it because your mage-fellows respect your privacy? Or are they jealous because you have the best house?" he asks as she takes his hand.

Kassandra laughs as they walk on the path that leads around the side of her house. "Each of them thinks they have the best house, so don't let them hear you say that!" she grins. "Actually, remember that rule I mentioned that if someone tried to break into your room it would be grounds for death? That rule extends to our houses in here, too. People can knock, they just can't try to get in! I guess what I'm the most paranoid of is someone sneaking into the back and trying to activate Apollo behind my back! Kaiden has threatened to!" she grins. "That why they made that Pantheon Hill! So they could have their OWN gods to pester!" she laughs.
"I guess the real reason that no one's come to visit is that they know where they can find me-- usually up in the kitchen. Kaiden doesn't spend much time in here-- he's always watching TV up in the house. And Voldia, Kyril and Beamer never leave their places...Richard is in the house of healing or he probably would have come to visit...and Aidan and Darcy are both there, too, for at least the rest of the week. Darcy's in bad shape, poor guy."
The two enter the back yard. It's lush with tropical greenery, and in the center is the shrine to Apollo with the large marble statue of the god. Kassandra leads Rick up into the round mini-temple, and from this elevated view Rick can see the amazing waterfall and river that runs behind Kassandra's house. "Watch..." Kassandra whispers in his ear, and as they look at the river, a mermaid jumps into the air and dives back into the water. Then another climbs up onto a rock and starts brushing her hair while a merman plays some kind of soothing-sounding horn from the reeds. "Still jagglings, I'm afraid." she tells him before he can ask. "But isn't it the best backyard view you've ever seen??"

"Very beautiful," Rick says. "It's like a dream this place. I could live here forever and just lose myself in its splendor." Rick says. "So what inspired all of you to create such a place? With mermaids and centaurs and the like? Just felt like getting back to the way it used to be?"

Kassandra nods. "For the Verbena their goal is the same as yours...to get back to the way things used to be. For others it's an ideal place inspired by bedtime stories...a peaceful place to meditate and get away from the real world. Other chantrymates are probably humoring us and wouldn't mind if this place looked like a modern city...or a graveyard..." she says, motioning over at the mountains and graveyard where Voldia makes his home. "But no one complained when this version was suggested and then created. I think everyone likes it here."
Kassandra turns and holds Rick in her arms, looking up at him. She smiles. "So if you had the ability to make any kind of house and yard you wanted, what would it look like?" she asks curiously.

"This...with a bit of desert over there so I could ride my bike without disturbing these creatures. But so far what I have seen, this is damn near perfect, Kass. The outside of your house is wonderful, very classy Kass." he says looking at he house. "What's inside?"

'Oooh...a desert!' she thinks, having a brain-storm. 'If there's enough room in this realm maybe we COULD make a desert! That might be the only way me and Rick could ride on his bike through a desert safely! And UÑA would be ecstatic with a desert!' she thinks, referring to her mother's cobra.
She blinks and comes back to the conversation. "I'll show you!" she smiles, taking his hand and leading him back down off of the dais and up the path and marble stairs into her house. "That's a really good idea about a desert, by the way! I'll see if there's enough room to make one!"
The two enter into Kassandra's piazza with the large water fountain showcasing the statue of the rainbow-serpent-loas Ayida Wedo and Dumballah intertwined. There are soft Roman-style lounging-sofas against the walls with more torches that light up when Kassandra and Rick enter. To the side-- looking very out-of-place-- are the exercise machines that Jagyr had helped her make.
"This is where I come to read and study...or just relax...AND work-out! I need a better place for the machines!" she laughs.

"Very nice, Kass. This place is really nice," he says. Rick wanders about the room and checks out the machines. "Yeah I have a few of these at home too. I work out when I can. I do a few reps on this and..." he starts telling her about his workout routine and asks her about hers.

Kassandra excitedly launches into her own routine-- one that specifically isolates her biceps, triceps, back muscles, chest, and stomach muscles. She also has some endurance-machines she trains on, and just to keep balanced she works on her legs as an extra. She tries to demonstrate some of the things she does-- so Rick can make sure she's doing them correctly-- but her restrictive gown makes it a little difficult, and she just ends up flashing more leg and almost popping out of the top of her dress! Laughing and blushing, she gets up off of the machine and re-adjusts the top of her gown!

Rick laughs and tells her jokingly that she's doing it more than right and corrects her on a few things. He laughs when she nearly pops out of her dress. He winks at her and tells her he didn't notice...of course his face is very red so she's sure he's lying. He asks to see her kitchen.

Kassandra smiles and takes his hand again, leading him through the white stucco archway and into her prize kitchen. It looks like an old-world Italian kitchen with grapes and vines painted around the top of the white-washed wall. All the appliances are there, but they have an old-fashioned exterior to them. She even has a brick oven for baking bread properly. There's a large wooden table and chairs in the middle of the kitchen, and tons of counter-space and cupboards.
"Anything you want, just tell me and when I open the refrigerator it will be in there! Of course, if it's something I can make then I have more fun making it!" she smiles. "But if you want something to drink, the sky's the limit!"
On the table is the vase of flowers Rick gave her a couple of days ago-- still as fresh as the day he brought them.

"How about some iced tea? Think you can make that?" he asks. "The world you guys live in is fantastic. Can you do that with money? I mean make yourself a millionaire if you want? Or will it be counterfeit?" he asks. "Cause that would be the best of all powers. Money is power and freedom, according to our society that is."

"Iced tea coming up!" she smiles, opening the fridge and bringing out a glass pitcher frosted and icy cold. She gets a glass, puts some ice into it, and then fill it with the tea. She even adds a mint leaf as a garnish, and then hands it to Rick.
"We can make anything we want in here, but the minute we leave the Horizon Realm it disappears." she explains. "However, Kaiden can make money out of paper in the real world...so can Uncle John. Or at least Uncle John can make you THINK it's money when you look at it. Kaiden can actually turn it into money. I'm sure there are tons of mages out there who are taking advantage of this power, but no one who lives here has had any desire to get powerful...probably because that would put us into the public eye, and therefore make us bigger targets for the Technocracy." Kassandra muses. "I can't make money like that, so if we need a lot of money in a hurry Kyril can credit fake credit card accounts...that's how we now own the store that the node is located in!" she admits.

Rick nods. He could see how that would be hard to explain, and he's sure the IRS would want to know how you came to have all that money if it just suddenly appeared. He looks at Kass and takes the iced tea. He takes a sip and smiles. "This is really good, Kass. Just like Mom used to make," he says with a wink. "Any pie in there or any of your cakes?"

Kassandra laughs. "I'm embarrassed to say...not in this refrigerator! I have some upstairs in the kitchen in the manor. That's usually where I cook. I know that sounds crazy, considering this is my very own kitchen down here, but...I get lonely sometimes, and I like to cook where other people might walk in on me so I can get them to try my creations. My dad's the same way! He loves when I come home to visit because I'm his best critic!" she grins. "I feel really dumb that I don't have any of my cooking to offer you here!" she says in embarrassment. "I'll have to fix that! When I make you that big Italian dinner we can have it here in my house! And we could eat out in the garden! I'm sure Apollo won't mind!" she winks.

"Absolutely, the garden would be a great place to have that lunch," Rick says. He looks around the kitchen a moment and then nods to her. "What else do you have to show me?" he asks.

Kassandra laughs and gets a little blush to her cheeks as she thinks of an answer her mother would be more likely to give!
She takes the empty glass from Rick and puts it in the sink, and then takes his hand and leads him into the living room. She points out the closet and tells him how she's got a raven-sprit named Matthew that lives in there and loves to impersonate her mentor whenever she needs training on the spirit-world and cosmology, and tells him that she calls him "John-Bird."
"Do you want to meet him?" she asks with a smirk.

Rick chuckles, "I"ll wait till after I meet your real mentor. This way I can get the joke as well," he says with a grin. "Besides I know a raven spirit named Matthew. I'd hate for it to be him and tell you all these embarrassing stories about my Rite of Adulthood." he says.

"OoOOOoh..." she grins mischievously. "Really!? Well I'll just have to find that out...later!" she wiggles her eyebrows. She takes his arm and leads him out of the living room and back into the piazza.
"Rite of Adulthood...what did you have to do for that?" she asks curiously.

"Ahh well umm..." Rick then chuckles. He explains that werewolves, when they come of age, must perform a rite of adulthood to be accepted into the caern and that often the Master of Rituals chooses something you must work on-- either wisdom, honor or bravery. His, of course, was wisdom. He tells her the story of his rite which ends in the both of them laughing at the end of it.
"Of course the raven still won't forget the tail feather-incident, he lets me know every time I see him!" Rick says through laughter.

Kassandra laughs and smacks Rick's arm. "Oh Rick! You need to stop putting your intelligence down just because you're a biker! I have yet to see what you're even talking about! You're one of the cleverest men I'VE ever met! You HAVE to be to do the things you do in your garage!" she smiles.
She leads him towards her ritual-room, and as they cross the piazza Kassandra notices her mother's other boa constrictor Culebra slither in from the garden, and up into the fountain-- her favorite place to bask these days. Kassandra points her out to Rick, explaining that this is her mother's first snake, and that she's taking care of her while her parents are in hiding.
"She's raised all her snakes from eggs-- just so she'll be the first mother they know and be extra attached and loyal to her." she explains.
While Kassandra's talking the cobra finally makes its entrance-- having sensed that Kassandra and a stranger are getting close to the ritual room. The cobra is coiled in the doorway, watching the two humans as they talk.

Rick nods at the boa, "She's beautiful. Look at those colors. Your mother has a very good eye for snakes. So do you, Kass. He turns to see the cobra and looks to Kass. "Look at this one! Who's this?" he says bending down looking at the cobra.

Kassandra feels her stomach jump when Rick bends down curiously to inspect UÑA, but UÑA doesn't do anything except continue watching Rick.
Kassandra stands beside Rick and also bends down. She hisses to UÑA, and amazingly UÑA hisses back! The two talk for a moment, and then Kassandra exhales.
"This is UÑA-- my bodyguard!" she grins. "She's a cobra-- also raised by Mom from an egg. Her name means, 'talon' in Spanish. Mom left her here to babysit me." she rolls her eyes. "Luckily she hasn't had to perform her 'duties' here! She's so protective! And she thinks she's better than the boas because she's a more efficient killer, and all that! Cobras are so cocky!" Kassandra grins. "She didn't want to take Dientes and Apretura's word that you're a good person! She wanted to see you for herself before making up her mind! But don't worry, she agrees with them! She doesn't like to be held, though, unless it's HER idea. She thinks it makes her look less tough!" Kassandra whispers, hiding a little laugh behind her hand.

Rick chuckles, "Well UÑA, I'm glad you think I'm a good person. Really glad, in fact," he says. He slowly moves his hand towards her so that she can catch his scent. "You're a good bodyguard, UÑA. You and me, we'll keep Kassy all safe."

UÑA hesitates...pretending not to notice Rick's hand in her arrogance...and then reluctantly brings her head closer to catch his scent. She may not understand most of what Rick is saying, but she gets the jist of it. This human-wolf will protect their Kassandra when they're not with her...and help them protect her when he's here. She doesn't know how her mistress Vanessa feels about this man-wolf, but he has honorable intentions and Kassandra called him "her mate" so UÑA will trust Kassandra's word.
She waits there a moment, and then lifts her head and slithers past them and out the front door to slink around in the plants and flowers, looking for dinner.
Kassandra wait until she's gone, and then giggles again. "What a primadonna!" she grins. "Oh but I love her. She's a sweetheart! Oh but don't tell her I said that!" she quickly adds.
She takes Rick's arm and leads him into the ritual room, explaining what she uses it for. She points out all the voodoo items and explains everything to him very carefully. The room has sand on the floor and bamboo for walls with tropical plants around the perimeter, and it's warm and a little breezy in here somehow, with the sound of the ocean surf in the background.
In the middle of the circle of ashes lays Andromeda, Kassandra's spirit-snake. Kassandra points her out.
"This is Andromeda-- my spirit-snake. She's the last of my snakes." she says softly.

Rick smiles and looks the snake over.
Andromeda slithers up and catches his scent. She smiles at him and begins to speak to him in a language Kassandra doesn't understand.
Rick speaks to her back and the two converse for a moment before she slithers off. "Good spirit there. She said you were a good girl and that she trusts me to protect you. She also says that UÑA is a primadonna too." he says with a chuckle.

Kassandra looks surprised, and then laughs hard. "Andromeda is great, isn't she?" she grins. "Wow-- the two of you were talking in a language I couldn't understand! That was incredible! Was it a...spirit-language? Or Garou-language? You Garou must be really special to spirit-animals. I never thought about it before, but she's probably proud of me that I found a Garou to bring home!" Kassandra smiles, touching Rick's back with her hand.

"Yeah it's called beast speech. Most of us know it, hell it's almost a requirement you know?" Rick says. "If we don't have it we're at a real disadvantage in the spirit realm. The spirit animals see us as little cousins most of the time, others see us as their children." he says.

"Wow..." Kassandra says, nodding her head as she listens. In her mind she'd always assumed that the spirits must see the GAROU as the superior being...and themselves as the children or little cousins! But for the spirits to see the Garou as the children...spirits must be a lot older and more powerful than she thought! She could lean SO MUCH from Rick! If she weren't already the Vampire liaison she'd beg Kyril to let her be the Werewolf liaison!
She turns to Rick and runs her hands up his arms. "Rick?" she asks, her voice suddenly a little shy. "There was...something I've been thinking about...something I'd like to do. When I saw you in your wolf-form and werewolf-form I was a little distracted at the time. I'd like to see you in those forms again...and...let you see me in my snake form...so we can pick out little identifying features on each other...get to know each other's scents in those forms...so that I can pick you out from any other white wolf-- especially in battle. Does that sound like a good idea to you, too?" she asks a little timidly.

Rick smiles, "Like what you saw did you," he says chuckling. "Ok let's do it." Rick says. He stands back a little and shifts into his silver wolf form. He sniffs the air and looks over her way. His coat is entirely silver with little bits of white highlights, his eyes are a bright ice blue.

Kassandra oohs quietly, just standing there for a moment, and then slowly steps forward, looking him over intently. She reaches out and buries her hand in his fur...luxuriating in its softness...and walks around him. Then she gets down on her knees in front of him-- carefully in her dress-- and runs her hands in through the fur on his head and face, looking into his eyes intently. Such a gorgeous shade of blue! She takes in every little nuance...every little feature and marking while trying to memorize them. She imagines a pack of white wolves around him, and then thinks about what features stand out on Rick and what would make him different from them.
Once she has this firmly in her mind, she uses her Life-magicks to enhance her sense of smell to the level she would use in her snake-form. Then she closes her eyes and buries her nose in his face-fur where some of his musk-glands are located. She inhales slowly, getting mental-images of forests and testosterone and hunter and mate and affection for her and finally links it to Rick as his own special scent.
Once this is completed, she gets back up to her feet just as carefully and smoothes down her gown. She smiles at him. "OK, I know your wolf now." she says with wonder in her voice. "I'm ready to see your werewolf."

The wolf backs up to a safe distance. He begins to change, become bipedal. He stands nearly ten feet tall, same hair and eyes. His arms as thick and muscular. He howls and then crosses his arms staring at her. "Ish thish what you mean?"

Kassandra watches all of this silently, her eyes large and shining with amazement. He is taller than she remembered...he's HUGE! How could anything harm him? He looks like he should be able to tear through ANY enemy! Oh how she wishes he could take this form in Fae!
She nods at him slowly. "Yes...this is the form I was talking about..." she says in a reverent-sounding voice. She gets shivers down her back when he howls, and then notices for the first time...he's um...not wearing any clothing, and is very definitely and prominently male. She swallows and suddenly feels a little warm! She quickly looks back up at his face, her cheeks furiously flushed, and smiles in embarrassment. She doesn't know if he saw where her eyes just went, but she assumes that in this form he can probably notice just about anything!
She motions for him to lean down, and then runs her hands into the soft fur of his face and neck, studying his face while marveling over how incredibly ferocious he looks...yet...his eyes are gentle and safe-looking when he looks at her. She touches his pointed ears...his snout...she memorizes every detail of his face...and then buries her face in the side of his neck again, inhaling slowly. It's the same scent as before. She wonders if he smells like this in his man-form, too, and reminds herself to check later!
Then she releases his neck and walks around him...touching his arms...sides...back...chest...looking for the same markings that he had when he was a wolf and feeling proud when she can find them. When she feels confident that she could pick him out from a FLEET of white werewolves she stops in front of him again and smiles. "I know you now..." she says, and then pulls his face down and gives him a quick peck on his snout. "You're amazing..." she says softly.

He hangs his tongue out of the side of his snout in happiness. He shifts once more and he's just Rick again. He smiles at her, his arms still crossed. "Like that form? Or the wolf form?" he asks. "Alright let me see your snake form. This should be interesting," he says.

Kassandra laughs. "I like THIS form the very best, but I have to admit...there's something very intriguing about your werewolf-form! It's like you're the epitome of masculine and animal energy! It's rather...intoxicating! AND intimidating! How you guys EVER lose a battle is beyond my understanding!" she smiles.
"OK, my snake-form!" she says, and closes her eyes. Then she quickly opens her eyes again. "I just remembered...I can't do that trick with my clothes like you can! If you could just...nudge my clothes into my bedroom after I change?" she asks, blushing again and pointing to the side-door. Then she nods and closes her eyes. Rather than shimmering and suddenly appearing in another form like Rick does, she feels herself slowly shift...her skin covering over with the familiar metallic rainbow-scales...and then her body morphs into a snake-body. When she's done shifting she's about 10 feet long and as thick around as Rick's forearm. She slithers towards him-- her eyes black and shining-- and rests her head against his shin...her tongue flickering in and out.

"Wow," Rick says. He kneels down and touches her skin getting the feel for her. He can smell the scent of her skin. He looks over her colors and contours and texture. Finally he picks up her clothes and pushes her clothes into the bedroom. He nods to the snake and turns his back so that she can change without fear of him peeking. "You're a beautiful snake," he says.

Kassandra seems to smile, and as she passes by him she encircles one of his legs with her body in a little hug, and then continues slithering past and into her bedroom. She changes back into her very naked human-form in her bedroom, and then gets back into her underwear...nylons...and then gown and shoes again as fast as she can. Then she hurries back into the ritual room and walks up behind Rick, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his shoulder. "Thank you. You're a beautiful wolf." she says with a smile, kissing his back and rubbing his chest with her hands.

Rick leans his head back against her shoulder and smiles. "Thank you, Kass. You're a beautiful snake, and woman. I am so lucky to be here with you today." he says. He turns around in her arms and kisses her. When the kiss breaks he smiles to her. "Any place else you need to show me?"

Kassandra smiles, suddenly feeling a little nervous again, but also excited. "Yes...just one more room..." she says taking his hand. She pulls him slowly towards her bedroom, her heart racing. They enter the bedroom, and Kassandra's glad she wasn't messy getting dressed this time-- no piles of discarded clothing here and there like before their LAST date!
The carpet is soft burgundy-red, which matches the thick draperies, bedspread, and canopy that hangs around her large bed. The canopies are held apart by gold cords. She has a mirror, dresser, night-stand and vanity table all made of cherrywood with gold accents. The walls are covered in rich black brocade wallpaper. The affect of the room is dark, warm and inviting.
"This is my bedroom..." she says softly. "Not a lot on the walls, but it works for me." she adds.

Rick looks the place over and smiles. "I like the cherry wood. Very nice touch. The bare walls make it seem softer...I like it." He says. "How did I know you'd save the bedroom for last," he says. "Just a hunch I suppose," he says with a wink.

Kassandra gives a little giggle, her cheeks flushing, but then she gets this suddenly burst of daring and pulls him into her arms, looking up at him seriously.
"Probably because I was hoping we wouldn't leave for a while..." she says in a low voice. She runs her hands up his chest, looking up at him with a mixture of hope and desire.

Rick nods feeling his temperature rise a little. He looks down into her eyes and smiles. "I wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon." he says. He suddenly bends down and picks her up into his arms. He carries her towards the bed with purpose. He lays her down.

Kassandra's head is light. She can't believe this moment is finally here! She watches as he tears off his jacket, tie, and shirt, and then she quickly kicks off her high heels. She sits up and reaches behind her, unzipping her dress, and then scrambles up to stand on her bed, letting the dress fall down to pool around her feet. She reaches into the top of her nylon and pulls her dagger out, tossing it onto the floor, and then kicks her dress onto the floor and sinks down into her knees on the bed, reaching for Rick to help him undress with a fierce look in her eyes that she's never had before.

Rick tears off his pants as quick as he can and his underwear along with his shoes and socks. He stands there naked before her in the soft light. He looks down at her and smiles at her. "A dagger?" he asks.

Kassandra is breathless with desire as she looks at him, but she still manages a sheepish smile. "Like I said...a girl feels a little naked without one!" she grins.
She slowly gets down off of the bed, reaching behind her and unhooking her bra and letting it fall to the floor, her eyes never leaving Rick's. Then she reaches down and unhooks her nylons from her panties, and taking a deep breath she slides down her panties so that she's wearing her nylons and nothing else. She stands back up and looks Rick over, exhaling slowly. 'He DOES have the body of a god...I knew it...' she thinks, feeling a little dizzy.

He smiles at her, his eyes never leaving her eyes. But finally he drinks her in slowly with his eyes. He looks at her with flaming desire. 'She's more beautiful than I could have imagined,' he thinks. He pulls her close and kisses her passionately, laying down slowly upon the bed with her still in his arms.

When Rick said he didn't plan on leaving anytime soon, he meant it! Kassandra's nylons eventually got discarded...although not quite intact!
The two spend most of the night making love. Fast and furious, passionate at first, and then tender and loving at the last. Finally the two fall asleep in each others' arms as the morning sun just begins to crest over the horizon.

When Kassandra finally opens her eyes it's early afternoon...but it doesn't matter what time it is to Kassandra! The only thing that matters is that she's still laying in Rick's arms...that the night wasn't a dream. And what an incredible, incredible night! She feels completely rejuvenated...changed...filled with unimaginable joy!
She smiles and snuggles closer to Rick, and then runs her hand lazily across his chest and stomach...loving the feel of his muscles and smooth skin. She sighs happily and nuzzles her nose against the side of his neck. She's changed her mind about what she wants to do everyday! She'd happily give up baking in exchange for laying right here with Rick, she decides!

Rick wakes up a little while later to feel Kassandra nuzzling him. He smiles and stretches. "Hey there, Kass." he says. "Hmmm what time is it?" he asks. He looks over at the clock and smiles. "Well at least we got eight hours of sleep," he says with a wink.

Kassandra laughs softly. "Only eight? Pretty good for two people who worked so hard all night..." she smiles mischievously, her hand sliding lower under the covers. Then her hand pauses. "Rick...I hope this doesn't sound corny, but...I feel reborn. Like a whole new woman! You are just...incredible...and I...I realized I never answered your question yesterday...about the red rose?" She slides her hands up to cup his face, and leans forward and kisses him softly. "I love you." she whispers.

Rick smiles and holds her close. "Love me eh? Oh Kass, I feel the same," he says. "From the moment we met I knew we'd be mated," he says. "I love you too." he says. He holds her in silence for awhile and sighs. "Hungry?"

Kassandra smiles, rubbing her foot against his leg. "Ravenous! I'll make us whatever you want! Just name it!" she says, slowly sitting up, the covers falling down around her waist. Then she looks down at him with a soft look on her face. "When you say 'mated,' do you mean in the physical sense? Or does it mean something deeper? Like, if I told another Garou that we were mates, what would that tell them?" she asks curiously.

"That would tell them that you are off limits, that you are mine and no one else's, and I'm yours and hands off," Rick says. "It would also tell them that I love you." he says. He stretches again and looks over at her. "Anything I want huh? How about something old-fashioned. Bacon, eggs and toast with jam. Can you manage that?" he asks.

Kassandra smiles dreamily at his description of "mate."
"'Yours and no one else's'...'hands-off'...I like that...a lot!" she smiles a big smile, rubbing his chest again. "Yeah...I think I can manage a nice big old-fashioned breakfast like that!" she grins. "If you can manage OK while I cook it naked!" she laughs. She jumps out of bed, snaps her fingers, and an apron appears in her hand. She slowly ties it around her waist, glancing back at Rock coyly as she gives him a little shake of her bare ass. Then she laughs and hurries into the kitchen.

Rick laughs and grabs a robe from the bedside and follows her in the kitchen, laughing all the way. This has been an incredible night for the both of them, a night they will never forget. Rick and Kassandra sit and talk during breakfast and bond even more. Soon Rick has to leave. Kassandra has her practice with Jagyr, and he his job. Kassandra walks him to the door and the two kiss and promise to see each other again that night. And the next one and the one after that and the one after that...

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