((ooc:Ok No prob. I'll finish it up right now and I also changed her to Toreador b/c she is really beautiful!))

OOC: Sorry I haven't been around much. I'm still pretty busy but if someone wants to use Andre feel free. I'm kinda short on creativity anyways. :D

Valerian was delighted to find that what Gemma had scribbled down on the small note she handed him, was her actual address. Not a phone number, not an email address, not even the name of some ghoul that could put him in touch with her, should he come looking for her. It was her real address, the way to her very haven.
Though he didn't know why it surprised him. She'd shown him time and time again already that she was nowhere near as reserved as the rest of her clan. 'A breath of fresh air' was the expression he had used to refer to her in his mind earlier. And how true it was. She seemed so unbound by the characteristics of her clan, so unlike the Tremere stereotype. And yet there was no doubt that she was one of them. It was in the allure about her, the mystery in her eyes.

"You can come by any time you want to", she said with a smile. "I am usually there."

It was an invitation Valerian would be sure to remember. He spent most of his time at the club, acting the ever popular and gracious host, or in his chambers. Though he did frequently find the time to venture outside, to check out the competition; the other clubs, or to seek inspiration for his art and poetry, to do something Claudia had asked of him, or even just experience life outside of the club.
Or, as would be the case here, to meet someone. Sometimes for business, sometimes for pleasure.

"Of course..." Gemma added. "... only come by if Claudia doesn't mind. We wouldn't want you to get into trouble, now would we?"

The soft giggle emitting from her smiling face told him she was mostly teasing him, and it all brought forth a smile on his own lips. He knew some considered him whipped - as easy for Claudia to control as if he was a simple ghoul - but it didn't threaten him. It didn't even bother him. He knew that Claudia had the power to control him only because he allowed her to. She was indeed the stronger one, but that did in no way mean he did not still have his own free will. Which, at times, could cause her to throw an anger tantrum, make snide remarks, or take attempted stabs at his self-esteem.

"Somehow I can't help but feel that no matter how much trouble it would get me in, it would be very much worth it", he said with a somewhat impish smile, before turning a little bit more serious to bring sincerity to the words that were to follow; "But really, nevermind Claudia. She has strong opinions of how she likes things to be, but we have an understanding. I allow her a certain amount of control, but despite what people say and think, she does not have me on a leash. Nor will she ever. I care for her very much, and I do so with honesty and out of my own free will."

He slid the note into the back pocket of his pants, and followed her gaze as it momentarily roamed the sea of moving bodies in the club. It wasn't as crowded as it had been when he and Gemma had first gone up the stairs to be alone, but it was still rather busy. Familiar faces were everywhere, along with a fair share of new ones. Each one stuck out to him, but there was one in particular that got his attention. One he recognized, but couldn't place at first. However, a few moments later his face lit up when he realized it was someone he knew but hadn't seen for a very long time. Twenty years, maybe even more.

"I would like to offer you the same generosity as you have offered me", he said, turning back to Gemma. "My door is always open to you."

He motioned towards a dark wooden door with beautiful carvings further down the hall, indicating that said door was in fact close by.

"However, should the club be closed, or you don't feel like enduring the unpredictable movements of the crowd, there is a private back door. You'll find it in the alleyway behind The Haven. The one on top of the only set of stairs there. And should you not wish to wait in line to get in to the club itself on a crowded night, there is another back door as well on the ground floor. It'll take you through the storeroom in the back, but you'll easily found your way out of there, and come through that door over there, next to the bathroom doors."

With that he took both her hands in his, and there was a sudden look of enthusiasm on his face.

"Now come", he said as he started leading her down the stairs. "I just saw someone I simply must say hello to, and I am not yet ready to part with you. In fact, you really should meet her as well. She is a most delightful creature."

They reached the bottom of the stairs, and Valerian started making his way towards a young beauty with hair so dark it made her skin seem as pale as that of a porcelain doll. Her youthful face made her seem a little bit too young to be in the club in the first place, but there was a maturity in her eyes and an assertiveness in the way she moved that would keep just about anyone thinking she belonged in the world of adults.
With a hand gently on Gemma's hip, Valerian guided her between the swaying bodies of the dance floor with such skill that the two of them ended up not getting bumped into even once.

"Carissa," Valerian said, his lips parting in a big smile as he and Gemma finally stopped by the young woman, who had just reached the other side of the crowded club. "What a pleasant surprise to find you here. Rumour has failed to tell me you were back."


(((ooc: Sorry so long, so crappy, and to move on so fast, but we're switching to night #4 tomorrow, and I really wanted XsnowdropX to have a chance to interact with someone before then. She's been left out in the cold far too long. )))

((Awesome))

The figure she bumped into happened to be some random human. Carissa smiled apolegetically, not feeling up to shouting about being sorry over the noise of the club. The person smiled back, apparently still also feeling the same way, and went on their way.

Sighing, Carissa planted herself in the dance floor. She felt strangely out of place aurrounded by several dancing individuals, letting loose and having fun, while she herself stood motionless in comparison. She looked around her for a moment, still nobody she recognized.

She sighed, and joined in the dancing, dropping everything from her mind. She stopped mulling over whether or nor it was the right decision to come back, letting go of all her troubled feelings.

It wasnt long before a famiiar face caught her eye, and not only that, apparently he had recongnized her as well. He was moving through the throng of dancers, a woman on his heels. She stopped dancing the moment the figure reached her.

"Carissa," Valerian smiled widely upon reaching her. "What a pleasant surprise to find you here. Rumour has failed to tell me you were back."

Carissa smiled, pleased to have finally found someone she knew. Her eyes fell on the woman beside Valerian, giving her a short, friendly smile, before addressing her old friend.

"I've only just returned tonight, I suppose rumour didnt have enough time to get to you." she broke off, moving out of the way of a dancing couple and continued, "Its good to see you Valerian."

((My brain totally fizzled out near the end of that. I wish it could have been a bit longer but...whatever:P))

Gemma was delighted to here that Valerian's door was always open to her, should she need him. He even told her of the private entrance to the Haven in the back.

"Now come", he said as he started leading her down the stairs. "I just saw someone I simply must say hello to, and I am not yet ready to part with you. In fact, you really should meet her as well. She is a most delightful creature."

They moved as smooth as liquid through the dancing crowd, not getting bumped once. Valerian led Gemma over to a woman who was very young looking with dark hair and pale skin.

"Carissa," Valerian smiled widely upon reaching her. "What a pleasant surprise to find you here. Rumour has failed to tell me you were back."

Carissa smiled at Valerian and then turned her attention towards Gemma for a second, giving a friendly smile in greeting. Gemma returned the smile at once, wanting to be affable.

"I've only just returned tonight, I suppose rumour didnt have enough time to get to you." she broke off, moving out of the way of a dancing couple and continued, "Its good to see you Valerian."

Gemma silently wondered where she had been. . . She wanted to wait for Valerian to speak before introducing herself. It would have been rude to interrupt. Carissa really did seem to be an interesting woman though.

(((ooc: XsnowdropX - I'll take it Carissa has been to introduce her presence in the city to the Prince, as it's required that any Kindred entering his domain it to do so. (see bottom of the Prince's bio in post #4 . If not, let me know so I can RP Damian accordingly. )))


The young woman, Carissa, returned his beaming smile with one that seemed just a little bit relieved. Relieved of seeing a friendly face perhaps? If she had just gotten back, she would be pretty much out of the loop of things, not knowing which friends were in town and which had moved on to another domain. Valerian wondered if she had heard about The Haven, as it had earned quite a reputation - not only because of him, but also for being the place to go to keep up with the who's who of Kindred society in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, he was honored to have her there. He knew that despite her appearance, she was an Elder, and he so treasured the presence of Elders in his club. It made him feel that despite it's modern vibe and crowd, The Haven had earned a label as a respectable place even to the ones who tended to prefer classical music and courteous behaviour over thumping beats and lines such as "yo, what's up?".

"I've only just returned tonight," Carissa said. "I suppose rumour didnt have enough time to get to you."

She paused to gracefully avoid getting knocked over by two people lost to the beat, and then continued;

"It's good to see you Valerian."

He rewarded her with another smile, and leaned in to give her a quick peck on her pale cheek; his way of greeting any female Toreador with whom he was already familiar. Then he turned slightly and motioned towards Gemma with one hand while pulling her closer with the other.

"Before I forget my manners", he smiled, jokingly hinting towards his widely known tendency to become distracted by just about anything that spoke to his sensitive, artistic nature. "Carissa, meet a very dear friend of mine, Gemma. Gemma, meet the fair Carissa, a fellow Toreador whose presence has been missing from this town for far too long."



(((ooc: msp_teen - Not trying to ruin anything, but just so you know; their fangs don't actually show. It's not a biggie, but you might want to check post #3 for Kindred characteristics.


Also, just a reminder; we will be moving on to night #4 in approx 14 hours (from when this post was made), so you guys may want to wrap up what you're currently doing. )))

((ooc: Thanks a lot for telling me that, I am always off..lol, but thanks))

((Atropa, I wanna RP with Valerian, where would I find him?))

(((ooc: omarion99 - Great. He'll usually be found in the Haven, since he's the co-owner/host. Although, he's got a little something he needs to do in his chambers before going downstairs. I'll get a post in about it tonight, and finish it up by having him move downstairs. Sound ok?)))

((Cool. I'll just RP my character heading down))

Mattias got dressed, took his wallet, and turned of the tv after just hearing the end of a riveting piece about a can of tuna and a chess game. He got into his convertible, and sped down to the Haven.

Kira stood lokking at a painting hanging in the gallery. It was an older piece of art she had done. Remember painting it she smiled. She was longing for home and poured her feeling in the art. She moved the painting beside it. One of a river going thrw some hill hill. A single girl stood on a hill looking at the sunset. Her hair was to the side like the wind was blowing. You could slso she some trees with branches leanind as if gesturing the wind was blowing. It made one feel lonely looking at it. The girls eyes were filled with sorrow. Her mind reflected back the the painting she saw at the Haven. It was a dark piece, one she woudnt put inher gllery usually. But the felling one got from it. It made her wounder what other ones the artist had done. Something in her wanted to meet the artist. And maybe gent a glimpse at other work they had done.

She looked out the glass doors. The sun had just set. A glmpse of light near the fall of the sky. She weighed her choices. She could go to the club in hopes of finding the artist. Sam would be amused to find her going.

She locked up her gallery and headed home to change her clothes. She had decided to go ahead with her out ragious idea of going to the haven.

((yeah shes already gone I guess, sometime before I started her :shrug:. lol.))

The woman with Valerian gave a small smile back as Carissa spoke, but didnt say anything just yet.

Valerian smiled back, and gave Carissa a quick peck on the cheek, and immediatly pulled the woman with him a bit closer, about to introduce her, she figured.

"Before I forget my manners", He smiled, hinting at, Carissa figured, the fact that he sometimes finds himself easily a bit distracted. "Carissa, meet a very dear friend of mine, Gemma. Gemma, meet the fair Carissa, a fellow Toreador whose presence has been missing from this town for far too long."

Carissa smiled, "Has it really been that long? Ohh how time flies." She then turned to the woman with Valerian "Gemma, its nice to meet you." She gave the woman a beaming smile and held out her hand to shake.

Some time later a short glance at the clock gave left Carissa a bit alarmed. It was late, very late. Ahh...oops.

She turned to Valerian and smiled.

"Must be leaving now, I'm afraid. Dont want to get caught in the sunlight. Maybe tomorrow night we can talk some more? I've got so much to catch up on, I can imagine."

Later Carissa walked into her home, her new home, here in LA, again. She sighed, showered, and laid down to sleep.

Night fell, Carissa awoke. A half hour was passed by her groggily stumbling around her apartment, wondering what to wear and what familiar people she might stumble upon tonight.

Now done, and stepped outside and locked the door, wondering where she should go now.

((so uninspired right now. Just needed to post a rp after being left with no internet yesterday:P))

Once again Valerian had found himself waking up before the sun had really set, and been driven out of his king sized bed, overcome by inspiration. His artistic senses had been hard at work over the last couple of nights; relentless, never-ending waves of creativity - of the urge to paint - continuously crashing over him. This time, it was the memories of the closeness and the warmth shared with Gemma that refused him to sleep any longer.
Last night, he'd had an overwhelming desire to paint her portrait, but he'd told himself 'later'.
'Later' had now come.

He'd pulled on the old pair of worn and torn jeans, spattered with stains of various colors, that he always wore when painting, and after getting his brushes and palette ready, he slowly padded around the room on bare feet, staring intently at the blank canvas, picturing her face on it, his mind producing a mental image of what he wanted the portrait to look like. Then he got to work.
When inspiration hit, it rarely took him very long to finish his painting. His hand usually moved as though it had a life and will of it's own, an instinct telling it how and where to make the stroken. Before long the image in his mind would start to appear on the canvas before him.
This night was no exception. Soon he found himself staring into Gemma's eyes once again, her pale and softly sculpted features spilling across the cloth. With a tiny smile tugging at his lips, he took a step back for an inspection while scratching his bare chest, more out of thoughtfulness than from an actual itch. He was quite pleased. He'd wanted to capture the two different sides he'd seen of her, without mixing them together, and so he had done a split portrait. One half of her face picturing the slightly reserved Tremere woman, and the other the gentle, passionate beauty he'd come to know. The differences were so subtle that at a first glance, a viewer would percieve the paradox, but not be able to put his or her finger on what it was that did it. But on a closer look, a perceptive person would catch the slight variation, which was mostly visible in the eyes; the firm resolution hinted on one side, and the soft warmth and bashfulness in the other.
He looked at it for a long time, pondering just what to do with it. He would never hang it down in the club, as it would be intrusive on her privacy, and also announce to people that she had some kind of connection to Valerian. And he couldn't be sure if she wanted people to know or not. Keeping it for himself was another option, but no matter how much it appealed to him to be able to gaze at her face whenever he wanted to, his wish for a third option, for her to have it herself, was far greater.
Though he would not force it on her by sending it to her. No. Instead, if given the chance he would show it to her, and it she appeared to appreciate it, he would offer it to her.
If she did not, however, he would just pretend he wanted it for himself. He wasn't sure he would be able to handle a "thanks, but no thanks", no matter how polite.

Adding a couple of finishing touches, he then headed for the shower to scrub off the accidental paint smears on his skin, while considering wether or not to paint a portrait of Mina as well. She too had the kind of persona that made his fingers itch to try and portray it, although in a way different from Gemma. With Gemma, he'd wanted to convey her different layers, while Mina's presence would call out for him to portray her majestic appearance; her regal posture, the piercing green eyes, the strength within.
But again, he had to settle for 'later', if ever. He wasn't quite sure how she would take that kind of gesture; if she would see his earnest intentions, or if she would think he was after something. However, if that was to be the case, then surely the lack of hints and requests that would be to follow would speak of his harmless purpose, of his simple wish to pay her a compliment in the best way he knew how.
She was a smart and clear-sighted lady. He trusted she would see his motives.


Once out of the shower, he quickly got dressed - black leather pants and a thin, dark gray shirt with long sleeves - and then headed downstairs to the club.


(((ooc: There. He is now approachable.)))

Mattias walked past the ravers into the club. He walked up to the bar and ordered a scotch on the rocks. He saw Valerian and thought to himself "Time for some fun," He walked over to him, and said "Hey buddy, which way to the bathroom. I gotta throw up that scotch," he said.

((ooc: could someone bring me in please))

(((ooc: msp_teen: I think it would be easier if you first RPed your character actually going somewhere, so that people will know where you are. )))


Valerian's boots had barely touched the floor of the club before Melody appeared by his side, slipping both arms around his waist and tilting her head back and greeted him with a greedy kiss. She'd been waiting for him, much like she always did when she needed her frequent dose. Giving her an affectionate smile and a caress over her hair, Valerian whispered softly in her ear:

"Soon."

He didn't want people seeing him descend the stairs only to go back up again within a couple of seconds. It wouldn't be very polite. Plus, he wanted to see who else had made their way into the Haven this evening. The sudden turnout of Kindred patrons over the last couple of nights had left him more curious of the crowd than usual.
With Melody following right next to him, almost cuddling up to him as they walked, Valerian started making his way over to the bar. It was always the best place to start, as it offered a good view of both the entrance and the dance floor. Once there, he ordered Melody a Cosmopolitan - her favorite drink - and was just about to start scanning the sea of faces before him when his eyes landed on a brown-haired man further down the bar, mainly because the young man had his eyes on Valerian, and seemed to intend to approach him.
And indeed, he did.

"Hey buddy", he said. "Which way to the bathroom? I gotta throw up that scotch."

Slowly one of Valerian's eyebrows drifted upwards in a look of slight surprise and skepticism. A Kindred who drank, and made a show of the fact that it would make him vomit? How... peculiar.
In reply to the odd man's question, Valerian simply lifted his hand and pointed to the right, towards the bathrooms.

"Over there."

((ooc: ok so where is everyone right now, what is the main scene))

(((ooc: A new night has just begun, and so far only me, innoscenteyes, XsnowdropX and omarion99 have posted. Kira, Valerian and Mattias are all in The Haven, and Carissa is in the streets, I suppose.)))

Where should I go....

Carissa ambled down the road absentmindly. The Haven? Maybe. Some other club? Clubs are fun, possibly. Talk to random people and creep them out? Thats always fun.

She walked on, hardly noticing the woman as she approached from behind, and her attention was only turned to her once she spoke.

"Hello I'm Loyena".

The voice, seeming to come out of nowhere, jerked Carissa from her thoughts. She stopped, calculating where it had come from, and turned to find herself face to face with the speaker, a woman who seemed a few years older than herself. Carissa's first instinct was to think up a good lie, which she knew would be effortless, for why someone as young as her was on the streets this late. She would rather avoid some nosy human's suspitions and endless questions.

But only a second later she realized that she seemed to be like her, kindred. She stopped her activity of picking the best and most believable story and sighed, introducing herself to Loyena.

"Loyena....Hello." She smiled in greeting and continued, "Im Carissa."

((He is a Malkavian after all :P))
"Thanks," said Mattias. "Ahhh, the basic instinct of Kindred and human alike. The subtle art of the rave dance," he said in his wispy way.

Bee woke to blackness as always. She sat up on the bed. Her mind flew to Mathew. It boggled her mind what had happened. Maybe she missed him so much beacuse she knew she couldnt see him again. It is funny how the mind works that way. Getting out the the bed she ran her fingers threw her waves and sighen. Another night. Then she remembered Sarah. Was she still here, Bee hightly doubted it. She probably made mends with her friend as Bee had figures she would. There is no dobt in Bees mind that she will run into her again. Maybe she should call her. Bee shrughed her shoulders and decided she would do it later. Right now she wanted another shower. there was no clue on why Bee felt so grungy since last night. It must have been let tainted blood in her. She could barely feel any of it left. Still it sicked her to know that the file stuff was in her blood. and that she was tricked. Ventrues did not like such things. She had it in her mind to show him a lesson, but she knew she couldnt. Ventrues are regal vampires. Vengeance just inst her style. For now it would wait. Not seeing her would be punishment enough for the human. She should never had trusted him. How could she trust again. Still sadness had hit her more now than ever. She was alone yet again. No one by her side. She needed someone. Sarah popped into mind once again. How could a thught come to mind. She barely knew the girl. It was going to be along night she knew it. Sighing again she got in the shower.

(((ooc: omarion99 - It would really help if you elaborated a bit more on your posts. A single line isn't much to draw inspiration from, and it leaves your character rather... flat. Doesn't create much of a feel for him, so to speak. At least not for me. What about thoughts, feelings, little details, quirks, facial expressions, memories, anything? There's so much more to communication than just the words spoken.)))

"Thanks," the brownhaired young man said, but instead of heading towards the restrooms, he stayed, and added; "Ahhh, the basic instinct of Kindred and human alike. The subtle art of the rave dance."

Valerian's other eyebrow joined the first in it's slightly elevated position. Rave dance? In The Haven? Oookay...
That comment along with the previous one, about throwing up the whiskey, could only mean one thing. The young man standing before him was a Malkavian. And a young one, it seemed. Not as young as the one that had stumbled upon Valerian the other night, but young still.
Could either of them be the now notorious Milo Burne Nye, the one with the Camarilla sword hanging over his head?
Not that Valerian had any intention of participating in the blood hunt - he'd never taken a life, human or Kindred, and he was not about to start now - but he didn't want to get caught possibly helping the fugitive either. No matter how much it pained him to stand by while one of their own kind was hunted down like some poor animal, he just couldn't. The price would be too high.

"If you are indeed to vomit, Sir, I would suggest that you make haste", Valerian said firmly. "Purposely staying to throw up in my bar will earn you nothing more than one-way ticket out of here."