Cowley

The revelation of a Strix being here in Oxford leaves him wide-eyed, but he quickly regains his composure and writes down this important information. He contemplates his new acquaintance's abilities and wonders if it's similar to his own. "Hmm, that ability sounds interesting. I'm familiar with shadow magics as well as the incorporeal because those topics fall under the umbrella of us necromancers, but I'm currently unaware of the ability to delve into the shadows and become one. Would you mind giving a demonstration?"

"I can demonstrate it, yes. But it's taxing to perform, and it was fortunate that I happened to be full when it first occurred. Would you allow me to feed on you after I've demonstrated the ability?" Rae again looks to the dark corner, then to Lotus once more, curious as to what the strange creature is making of all of this.

He nods in understanding, "Yes, I see. This has been an interesting conversation, so I do think a glass of 'wine' isn't out of the question. I'm still hesitant to drink from the tap but, I can still supply. I'm also curious as to what my blood would do to you."

Rae chuckles, "I believe we have strained the wine metaphor to its limit, Mr. Grimm. It's best if I draw it directly from you. But don't worry, we'll get you a biscuit and an apple juice afterwards." Rae smiles deviously as she stands and approaches the shadow of the upper left corner of her room. Reaching out, she wills the Vitae in her system into resonance with the darkness, as she had felt it just the prior night. Unsure at first, Raziel almost flinches when the darkness reaches back out for her in return, tendrils of darkness coiling around one another to form wispy phalanges. Doing her best to relax, she steps into the shadow. A blackened void briefly overtakes her vision, an infinite oblivion that defies distance or distinction. There is a great shift in temperature, as though she had stepped into a freezer, while a feeling of weightless gives her a sudden sense of freedom, as though she had released heavy weights from around her shoulders. Then the void fades away to return her vision to the room that she had left, just inches from the walls of the corner. Turning around, she faces Merric and nods, only to remember that he cannot actually see her.  To any who would witness this event, the darkness that had reached out to Rae grasps her hand and engulfs her body just as quickly as she steps into it. All definition that her form had is lost as it joins with the shadow, as a snowflake loses itself upon contact with the earth beneath it.  The shadow that had been Raziel then begins to scale the wall beside Merric at a relaxed pace, eventually finding itself on the ceiling directly above him. Wishing to partially resume her natural form, she pokes her head and shoulders out of her shadow to stare down at the young man. She smiles at him and pulls her left hand free to wave at him. "Unusual, isn't it?"

A little embarrassed about the response to his wine comment, I thought it was pretty clever . He nervously thinks about this vampire being so persistent in biting him and is concerned about the situation he's put himself into. Rae begins using her ability and his concern is washed away by sheer fascination as he looks on to see the vampire meld with the shadow in the wall and move around like something out of a movie. "Wow, that is amazing"  He takes notes in his journal about the ability. His impulsive thoughts get to him as he thinks about what he can do with his shadow-crafting spell and her being in the form of a shadow. He makes brief doodles in his book including, a baseball, a sword, and a teddy bear. Heh . "Can you still hear me in that state? Are you able to communicate or interact with objects? "

"Thank you, yes I can still hear you and perceive the room as I normally would outside of this state. I think I need to leave the shadows to interact with objects, however. As far as communicating from within the shadows..." Rae pulls back into her darkness. "Can you hear me?"

Merric's looks and feels like he can sense her presence. He thinks he saw some wriggling in response to his question. Guessing she can't talk like that . He writes down in his notes and jots down some theories correlating shadow with his knowledge of ephemeral and Twilight. He reaches a theory predicting that her state is similar to ghosts, in which she is located in Twilight and therefore cannot interact without manifesting. "This is very fascinating. I believe you can hear me but I think I can theorize why the reverse isn't true. It seems to me like you are in a similar state as ghosts. Only a select few mages that specialize in Death and Spirit can communicate through Twilight, the realm ghost inhabit. I realize this is a one-sided lecture, but I would love to do further experiments with this at a future date. I believe you said you had questions about magic for me?"

Rae listens intently to the death mage from her dark haven. This information is all the more confusing as she reflects on the nature of Strix and their relation to Twilight. Partly emerging from the ceiling, the worry is evident on her face. "I exist in Twilight while in the shadows? This is all so befuddling, but it gives me an idea about the Strix. Since they normally exist in Twilight as well, maybe it was close enough to be aware of my step into it and came after me. But I was able to see it while I was outside of Twilight...this is a mess."  Returning to her shadow, she moves across the ceiling to the wall beside her bed before re-substantiating in a seated position on her sheets. With her legs crossed, she works small circles on her temples with her pointer and ring fingers. "I suppose these are questions to ask the Circle tonight. As far as magic goes, yes I..." Rae pauses, registering the new depth of her hunger after her little shadow jaunt. Where once the Beast would have growled with a feral need for satisfaction, it now simply looms with ominous expectation at the forefront of her mind.  "...I have questions about ways to combat spirits, as well as ways to resist supernatural manipulations like those of some Kindred. But first...I think I need a quick drink. That took a lot out of me just now."

Merric jots down the comment about Strix, "That's an interesting theory about Strix and Twilight. I'll have to look into that."  Merric leans back pondering the vampire's questions, "Hmm. I think you're going to have to be more specific when you say spirits. I could either be a great help or no help at all depending on what you mean. As for mental manipulations I know for sure is a different field for me, however, I do know an expert in the field of the Mind. I could ask them if there are techniques to combat vampiric manipulation."  Nervously trying to avoid the topic of drinking, he takes a deep breath, "You really want to try this blood-tasting experiment huh? "

Steeling herself to focus on their conversation rather than her need for blood, Rae considers what Merric has said. "By spirits, I'm specifically referring to Strix that are hiding in Twilight before they possess a body. Since they are first and foremost incorporeal creatures, it is of the utmost importance that I'm able to fend them off if another one comes for me. And I would be in your debt for such assistance with both spirits and ways to resist mental manipulations. Though, in fairness, I already am for your willingness to assist me tonight." Smiling softly at the mage after having gotten a bit more control over herself, she shakes her head. "I am interested in the experiment, yes. But my hunger is a bit too pronounced for comfort at the moment, particularly if we are going to face the seething anger of the Circle tonight." She pauses, sitting up straight and moving forward to plant her feet on the ground. "I swear on the lives of all I love, you will not be in danger."

Merric thinks about what he knows about Strix and possession, "I see, off the top of my head I can't come to any solutions. I'd have to do some research on the subject. It's not exactly the most well-known area of study."  The vampire's smile comforts Merric slightly, 'we', did she just say we? I never said anything about confronting the Circle with her.  He'll have to handle that topic later. Ideally, after she tries to bite his neck. "Very well. I'll take your word for it. Let's see if I can make it more potent, just promise you won't be alarmed." Merric braces himself as he channels the mana in the pit of his stomach out through every pore of his body. To the untrained eye, they see nothing but the sense of dread and overwhelming fear of looming death come over them. To the awakened and a select few, they see dark wisps rolling off Merric's skin and into the air like dark steam coming off of him.  I hope this isn't too overwhelming for her.

Rae does not have to wait for long to see what Merric is talking about, as the magical aura that is the essence of the mage's power falls upon her. It is initially a cold and horrible dread that drums up thoughts of her Final Death, either by sunlight or other, more horrible means. Her eyes go wide as the feeling wells up in her chest before pervasively expanding outward into a quiet terror that she dare not look upon. But in these thoughts of her Final Death, she is met by the solace of having atoned for the mistakes that she'd made, leaving those close to her with safety from her misdeeds and lapses in judgement. And then, perhaps, nothing. Peace. The terror is, all at once, transmuted into the warmth of freedom from her contrition and the calm of the resolute. Her features relax as another soft smile graces her face. "Was that a spell? It was awful at first, but it's quite nice now."  Standing, she looks to Merric with gentle attention. "Are you ready?"

Merric, a bit relieved that things didn't turn for the worse. "Not quite a spell. All beings have an aura of some kind, even your kind. You have probably experienced it before. We mages call it Nimbus and each mage has a unique nimbus that is a mixture of all the facets of the mage like specialties, power, personality, etc. I'm glad mine wasn't too rough on you. Many cower in the feeling of dread, but it seems like you came to terms with it." He gives an exhale releasing his nerves. "Yes, I'm ready. I trust you won't take too much. I need to get home after all, heh."

Rae nods thoughtfully. "I understand, it's similar to when we Kindred expose our predatory nature. But yes, I can imagine that those who aren't prepared may be overwhelmed."  Stepping in close, she leans forward till their faces are mere inches apart. "Yes, this won't take long. Please do your best to relax." Leaning to Merric's right side, she decides on a spot on the lower part of his neck. She brings her lips close to the skin, hovering for a moment as the anticipation begins to build in her. Then she opens her mouth and bites.

The fangs tenderly pull apart flesh, piercing blood vessels and allowing Rae to drink. In contrast to the powerful and lurid immediacy of the visions brought on by Khalid’s blood, Merric’s blood is more subtle. She drinks for several seconds before anything of note catches her attention. Then, as though passing through a gossamer film, the grand cemetery of a muted and colorless world comes into view. Tombstones large and small, audacious and austere, pepper the ground in an innumerable array. Stretching out for as far as the eye could see, vast mausoleums and ornate entrances to crypts break the uniformity of the scene. This is the mass grave of all that has ever lived.  Translucent, vaguely humanoid shadows float lazily between the sea of resting places, seeming almost unaware of one another as they move about without aim. Other creatures move between them as well, black dog-like and fox-like creatures with unnatural numbers of eyes, limbs, mouths, or other features. While calm, they seem alert, nearly expectant. Then the horizon draws itself closer to her, and the sea of graves has been replaced. Before Rae rests towering pyramids whose points look to almost touch the swath of dark clouds that blanket the sky. Rather than their usual coloration, these pyramids are a nacreous white that faintly reflects the gray of the world around them. Though impossible, she feels these pyramids to be equally infinite in number to the small graves that had come before them, and the many humanoid shadows here move on, over, and around them as though they had found Mecca. The awareness of Death in this place feels as omnipresent as gravity, and it rests upon Rae as moss would cling to stone. It is a feverish and metastasizing thing that she imagines would have brought her immeasurable discomfort and dread had she been a living thing. But there is a colder, more impartial entity that lies beyond the death, something that is unmistakable. Undeath coils in great spires in this place, a multi-headed Jörmungandr that sits before the mouth of the monolithic basin of this place. Expressing itself as a black hole of death in every sense, Rae wishes to move as far away from it as possible, and is brought to a final destination. There is unrivaled stillness here, the flat ground covered in tall reeds that sway in an absent breeze. The thing that pervades this place is intimately familiar to her, and her awareness of it is like a phantom limb. Lifting her hands to dredge it up, all-consuming darkness overtakes the field before her, a shallow ocean of impenetrable shadow. It reacts to and mirrors her slightest gesture with the attentiveness of a new lover, and she can feel that she is bound to it in a manner comparable to the bond she shares with the one who made her.  The visions then recede as the feeding ends, and Rae pulls her fangs away and licks the wounds closed before retaking her seat to contemplate what she’s just seen.  “The power you draw from is breathtaking, immense beyond comprehension. And it seems we share a common ally, the darkness there was as potent and ubiquitous as death. It reacted to me far more readily than it does here. It was nice, almost reassuring. Like it would never leave me.”

Reeling back from the surprisingly euphoric experience. He seems a little light-headed but returns to his seat to hear what the vampire thought of the experience. "That was... new. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."  He wonders what she experienced. It must've been euphoric based on her response. "It's nice to meet someone else at peace with the inevitable. Death is absolute. Nothing escapes it, not even your kind for long. Many fall into despair at the thought of death being around the corner, but to me, it's more reason for me to enjoy now than to dwell on the inevitable."  He gives a slight chuckle, "You of all people should understand how life and death are not that far apart given your current constitution." He takes a moment and flirtatiously asked, "Now I'm curious, how was it compared to the other mage?"

Still giddy from the intensity of what she'd just experienced, Rae laughs at Merric's comments and looks to him with a lopsided smile. " When we exist, Death is not; and when Death exists, we are not. " Leaning back, she thinks about how to describe the differences between the blood of a Shaman and a Necromancer, quickly finding it near impossible. "How it compares...take an Olympic runner and a renowned painter. Now give the runner a large, blank canvas and tell them to win the day, while giving the painter an  Olympic-sized track and telling them to break your heart with the truth of the thing." Rae begins to laugh again. "You draw from sources that are diametrically opposed, yet vital to the continuation of the tapestry of existence. The other mage's blood was the overheated desperation of all life to sustain itself and assure the future of its kin. Your blood is the sweet surrender of the self to the river of what will one day claim all things. Having had them both...I would shame the beauty of it by attempting to describe it any further."

Merric tries his hardest to follow what she is saying but it just all sounds too esoteric for him. He just stares confused, "Right. I think I follow what you mean. I'm happy it was a good experience for you." He remembers to do something before he forgets. "Excuse me, for one moment."  He opens his phone to send a message to the nearly acquired contact information of this Shaman.  Hey, is this Akil? I got your number from our mutual friend Raziel. I'm a mage like yourself and would like to meet up and chat. Especially about what happened last week. Let me know when you're available to meet up! He sends the message and looks back to Rae, "Sorry about that. I just remembered something I wanted to do and did it before I forgot." Not wanting to spoil the moment with her but the knowledge continues to weigh on the back of his head, "I'm sorry to bring this up. But you mentioned something about turning yourself in."

Rae's frivolity disappears as she recalls the aim of her night. She sits up straight and does her best to compose herself,  "Yes, now that the Circle is aware of my identity and the identity of my sire and others who have helped me, I am going to turn myself in to keep this whole debacle from having harsher consequences for those close to me. The Circle may very well bring me to the Final Death as punishment, as I cannot escape the fact that I am just a neonate who almost broke the Masquerade on Oxford grounds. You had said something over the phone about wanting to help lessen my punishment, if possible?"

Pensive and worried about his newfound friend he replies, "As much as I talk about accepting Death, thinking you might be walking towards Final Death tonight saddens me. I believed we were having a good time and it'd be a shame for it to be the last time. I'm not sure if I can do anything about your vampire cohorts sadly. The vampires were not the only ones curious about what happened that night which is why I was investigating. My report would be useful to my cohorts and lessen what they would've done without it."  He solemnly ponders a solution to the situation. "I don't think I would have any political weight in time for your judgment. I don't know much about the politics here but, do you not have a creator? A vampire that turned you. Would they have any political influence here?"

Rae nods solemnly as the mage explains their situation. "Well, I am grateful that you can advocate on my behalf to your colleagues. As far as my sire, the one who made me, she has helped me as much as she has been able to. She has provided resources and connections for me, but she has been detained by her own affaires over the last week. And I believe that she and I would be in agreement that the Circle would expect nothing less than for the sire to come forward and defend their childer, regardless of the circumstance." Looking down to the floor, she retraces the inciting events and what may be drawn from them, when a new possibility strikes her. "What about Matthew ? Could we somehow use his spirit to corroborate my story? Or perhaps what you've learned from his spirit?"

Merric thinks for a moment and looks into his bag to pull out the bottle holding Matthew. He takes it out and places it on the table and it begins to tremble. He points at the Dasani water bottle filled with a hazy white-gray substance and strange black etchings on the cap and says, "It's funny you say that because I have Matthew right here." 

Rae's mouth hangs open as she is left speechless before the quotidian object containing a human soul. "This...he's truly in this bottle?" A whirlwind of emotions sweep through her as she sits before the life that she took. This mortal who, no matter how noxious his first impression was, had a life and a future. Her mind brings her back to the grounds of Brasenose, in the bushes staring down at the mangled body of the man. The revulsion toward what she'd done had almost doubled her over, and she'd tried to put him out of her mind as much as she could in the following days. While her troubles with the Circle and others naturally engendered regret over the mistake of that night, it felt almost sardonic that she feel such profound regret for the act itself. It had been an accident, but one that seems almost inevitable for even the most well-meaning Kindred. We are not human. Humans sustain our unlives. Be it anemia, a hunger unattended, blood taken in aggression, or what have you, it is the state of Kindred existence to be the glimmering, horrible end of human lives. Perhaps it is more insulting to carry the regret, to pretend that she is anything other than vampyr. "Chalk it up to the game, as dad would say." Regardless, she would do her best to avoid taking life whenever possible. "I have a multitude of questions, but they'll have to wait. In what ways could we-you-interact with his spirit to support my defense?"

He wraps his hand around the bottle to maintain its trembling, "Well, I'm not sure about Matthew here's ability to communicate but he certainly knows you're here. This trembling you see, it's a spell I put on Matthew's receptacle that triggers when near to his killer. Almost like a sonar mixed with a compass. However, before I put Matthew in here, I struggled to get any words out of him. His spirit might be as anemic as his body ".  He lets out a slight smile and chuckles at his own joke. "But there are some ways that it could be useful. For one, if one of your circle has the ability to see into the mind of a spirit they could see his moment of death and see the shock on your face when he collapsed." He pauses to think and brushes some ideas away, "There are other ways we could use his spirit but they can be risky, to say the least. The issue with Matthew here is that he struggles to talk and if he could, I doubt he would be kind and understanding towards your position. The remedy to those are difficult and that's only if  they'd be useful"  He leans back to contemplate further, "I suppose if there was someone who could read minds they could just read yours and see the incident as it happened. But I don't think you'd like people crawling around in there."  He pauses and leans forward, finally looking into the eyes of the vampire, "It's your life on the line. What do you think?"

Rae purses her lips as she considers their options. "Yes, that does make any reliance on Matthew reckless at best. But I do believe that you're right, the Circle has powerful Mekhet in their ranks, and they'd likely read me the moment we're in a space together. And the limits of their blood magics are known only to them, they could potentially draw truth from the spirit of the deceased." She taps her foot as she plays out scenarios based on the information at hand. "I think it may be best to present my mind to them and allow them to see for themselves. But my interpretation of events may not be enough to garner sympathy. Would you be comfortable allowing them to see the events from your perspective as well?"

Alarms rang in his head about approaching a coven of vampire blood mages, "Listen, I want to help you as best I can. However, I don't think going and getting mentally prodded by vampires is a good idea. If they peer into my mind I would be putting my cohorts at risk. I'm already beyond my legislation by being here now. But, I can do this."  He takes the bottle and places it directly in front of Raziel,  "My perspective is no different than Matthew's, I merely saw through Matthew's eyes at the moment of death. You can take him in this bottle with you. I have no need for him and he should stay in the bottle without my presence. I think having both your perspectives should be enough to plead your case."  He sits back straight, "I'm sorry I'm being difficult but I hope that bringing Matthew for testimony will be enough to help you out of this situation."

Rae holds her hands up in admission. "That's perfectly understandable, and I'm inclined to agree with you. I hadn't considered the risk you would be putting your colleagues in." Gingerly, she reaches out and picks up the bottle, feeling it rattle in her hand in reaction to her presence. "You've done more for me tonight than I am likely aware of. I had no idea that mage organizations were investigating last week as well. For your assistance and support, I sincerely thank you, Merric Grimm." She stands and walks over to her bag to place Matthew in it alongside her other things. "Now, I must be off to defend and potentially lose my unlife, and I'm sure that you have business to attend to as well. I hope that it is not too long before we see one another again."

Bittersweet about saying goodbye to his first vampire acquaintance, "It's been a pleasure Raziel, wish I could do more. I sincerely hope this won't be the last time we meet. If you make it back in one piece be sure to let me know. I'd love to pick your brain about the nightlife '."  He packs his journal into his bag and gestures goodbye to Rae as he leaves the building. Whew, that went way better than expected. I hope this won't be her final night.   I better go back to the dorm and compile my notes so I can send a report to the professor.  He quickly checks his phone to see if he got any response from the mage but not yet. He makes his way back to his dorm. (Continued in Christ Church)

Rae agrees and sees Merric off with a smile and a wave, closing the door behind him and returning to her room to gather her things. The mage had been a lovely diversion to her evening, and she now felt much less doomed than she had even an hour ago. But the distinct possibility of Final Death still hangs over this night, and she does not want to forestall what may take the rest of the eveing. Stepping out of her front door, she once again looks to the dark sky as she makes her way to campus. (Continued in Brasenose)

(Continued from Blenheim Palace) The half-hour car ride back to her flat is sullen, quiet except for the sounds of the engine, turn signals activated by Parker, and chatter from the passing streets. The events of the evening felt as though they had taken place over days, rather than hours, and all she truly wished for now was safety and the companionship of someone who could understand her. Someone who could see her without trying to take something from her or mold her into what they wanted. The last ten minutes of the ride are spent thinking only of Lyra. As she is dropped off by Parker at the front of her home, somewhere in the back of her mind is the question of how the man already knew her address. Thanking him and watching the car depart, she decides not to even go inside, instead leaving immediately towards Lyra's flat. Her phone then dings, and she looks down to see that her message only sent about twenty minutes ago, once she left the Asp's Nest. The response from Lyra reads, "Oh, yeah?" Mhm ;). Sit tight, beautiful. As she walks, she wonders if she'll be able to keep Lyra safe. To make her a ghoul could potentially make her a target for those trying to find her. But as the images of the extravagant cages comes into her mind, she decides that anything would be better than that potential fate. She will  keep Lyra safe. Reaching the young woman's front door, she knocks gently. 

It takes a few moments before Rae hears movement on the other side, undoing the latch and unlocking the door. Eventually Lyra's pale face  appears in the gap  framed by tresses of dark hair. "You know, calling me beautiful doesn't make it any less of a booty call," she tells Rae deadpan.

Rae frowns at the potentially-belladonic beauty before her. " Lyra, you are not a booty call. I'm sorry that I've been so busy lately, things have been difficult and it's kept me from spending as much time with you as I'd like. But I'd like to change that. I want you to know how important you are to me, I'd like to show you how important you are." She takes a step closer to Lyra without crossing the threshold of her flat. "I don't make a habit of letting people get close to me, and there's only one person who could claim to be as close to me as you are right now. I'm sorry if I've come off as guarded or closed-off."  Rae reaches out to take Lyra's hand gently in her own, bringing it up to hold against her cheek for a moment before kissing it. 

If Rae were still mortal, Lyra's cool stare might have frozen the blood in her veins. However, the girl does allow the door to swing open besides her.

Rae smiles knowingly at Lyra. "Thank you, darling. You're so very patient with me." Stepping into the flat, Rae makes her way towards the now-familiar bedroom and takes a seat in an armchair, rather than on the bed.  The events of the evening weigh her down, even now, and she takes a deep breath.  "Tonight has been...frightening. My place in the world I belong to has changed dramatically, and I now hold a position of some importance. I had to stand by and watch such cruelties. Human beings kept like livestock, stripped of their free will...I couldn't do anything to help them." Looking towards Lyra, she holds out a hand to her. "And I am going to make sure that will never happen to you."

Despite herself, Lyra finds herself irresistibly drawn towards Rae, until she kneels before the armchair looking up at the vampire. "What does that mean?"

As Lyra kneels, the act immediately summons mental images of Aubrey on her knees in the Brasenose quad. "No, love. Here."  Taking Lyra's hand, Rae pulls the young woman up and onto her lap. She holds her close, drinking in her warmth.   "It means that, if you want to, you can step into my world at my side. It would make you stronger, faster, and you would cease to age as long as I continue to share myself with you. You'll even be able to use my gifts. All while still being human." She kisses the young woman's neck, at the place where she usually feeds. "And we would be connected beyond the world of words and flesh."

Lyra gasps and moans softly when Rae kisses her neck. Her arms hang about the vampire's shoulders, clinging on tightly.

Rae continues to gently kiss Lyra's neck, jawline, and cheek as she continues.  "You would walk with my countenance. To harm you would be to harm me. But that might make you a target if others want to come after me." Rae wraps her arms around Lyra's waist, now kissing across her chest.  "Do you want that, sweet girl?" "Do you want to be with me?"

Lyra is barely able to speak as she pulls Rae against her and nods emphatically.

"Good girl." Rae takes Lyra up in her arms, supporting her back with one arm while the other supports her legs. Rising from the chair, she carries her darling to the bed as if she were made of feathers. Laying her down gently, Rae bites her own wrist and feeds the young woman her Vitae, providing what is needed to gift her ghoulhood and permanently seal the Viniculum. She spends the next few hours with Lyra, eventually leaving once Lyra had been asleep for a good while. Returning to her home, Rae pushes away the simmering sense of worry that surrounds the uncertainty of the coming nights as she settles into her bed. Basking in the memory of her darling, the lovely extension of herself, the first she'd ever ushered into her splendid dark, she gives herself to daysleep. 

October 16th, 2009  Rae stirs from her dead sleep to find several messages from both of her parents, along with messages from other family members and acquaintances. In all that had transpired over the last week, the idea of celebrating her birthday had seemed too minor a thing to warrant any attention. As she responds to the cheerful and jubilant texts, she recalls that today was Professor McDermott's deadline to procure his "gift" to begin their partnership and secure his aid with her brother. Her damned, benighted brother.  She chuckles to herself, realizing that this moment would have been a lovely time to have the help of a Daeva, especially a celebrity one. Instead, Rae considers another avenue that may go over just as well. Without wasting much time, she prepares herself to leave. She needed to make two stops at Keble before returning to Blenheim. Exiting from her front door, she retrieves the mysterious card that Parker had handed her yesterday evening, inscribed with nothing but a phone number. She quickly types out a message to the number.  Need to stop at Keble before returning to Blenheim. Can I be picked up from there in approximately an hour? With this, Rae makes her way to Keble, heading directly for the office of Professor McDermott. (Continued in Keble College)

(Continued from Blenheim) Stepping out of the Rolls Royce and thanking Parker for the ride, Rae finally begins to feel the tension leave her body as she approaches her front door. It's only as she slides the key into the lock that she startles at the sensation of something pushing against her leg, only to see the affectionate form of Lotus as he circling her leg. "Hello dear, happy to see you again. Come inside, it's been a long night." At what she hopes would be the tail-end of a terrifying and unexpected evening, she makes her way to her bedroom and closes the door behind her, almost entirely forgetting to check if Andre is home as well. But he'd probably peek in to say hello if he is, so it wasn't worth worrying about. Flopping onto her bed, Lotus's friendly little face was a relief to have around, as well as the protection that he now clearly provided. "I owe you one, sweetheart. I would've been torn to pieces or worse if it hadn't been for you. Can you tell me how you did that? And why you're protecting me, for that matter?" As she'd done before, she reaches out to the cat's mind with the darkness of her Beast to find answers. 

The vision that comes through is subtle, the room remaining unchanged. As Rae looks into the vertical-slit pupils of her cat, their coloring grows more and more golden, the color eventually glowing out into the space between Lotus and herself. Incandescent white light then erupts from the cat, filling the room and nearly blinding the young vampire. Reminiscent of the sun's terrible power, she feels innately that this light should be tearing through her, searing her deeply and reducing her to little but ash.  The vision then subsides, leaving Rae cowering away from a tranquil Lotus in a dark room. She waits a moment, slowly realizing that this is the only vision that would come to her, and she huffs in disappointment as she sits up straight.  "So. Doesn't seem to me that this is a practiced magic, though I could be wrong about that. What you're capable of is intrinsic to you, then? Which again leads to the question of just what you are."   She sighs, settling for another puzzle piece that doesn't fit into what she already knows.  "In time, I suppose. I don't need to understand you to appreciate your help for the moment." Relaxing onto her bed, she curls up with a copy of Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist and waits for either Lyra or Mehdi to arrive.

It's not long before Rae's phone buzzes with a message from Lyra. We really have to work on your game - you text like my great grandmother. See you in a few. However, when the knock at the door finally comes, Andrei is the first to answer. Rae can hear a muffled exchange of words from below, before he calls upstairs. "Visitor for you again, Pui. Busy social life this week, hm?"

Rae's light laughter fills the room upon reading Lyra's text.  Oh you know you love it. See you soon, princess. She's already halfway across her room when Andrei's voice reaches her. "Positively buzzing, thank you, Andrei!"  Without delay, she heads towards her guest, wondering just who she'd be greeting and if Mehdi's plans may have run shorter than intended. 

“Rae! Hi,” Mehdi says as the mekhet appears in the doorway. He stands a bit stiff, not sure if a hug is appropriate for this acquaintance who he’d shared just one traumatic event with. “Feels like it’s been forever. May we come in? There’s… a lot to catch up on.”

"Um, excuse me," a female voice interrupts from behind Mehdi. Lyra peers around his shoulders, trying to make eye contact with Rae. "Are you here to see Rae? Sorry, I don't think we've met."

"Mehdi! Lovely to see you!" It's only as Rae steps in for a hug that her eyes meet Lyra's.  "My umbral Blodeuwedd." Rae coos as moves to stand before Lyra, cupping Lyra's face in her hands and covering it in kisses before wrapping her arms around her beloved ghoul. "Hello, dearest." Surprised by his presence, Rae gives a smiling nod to Liam, having expected Mehdi to come alone from the tone of his text. Stepping back, she now addresses all of them. "What timing you all have. Mehdi, Liam, this is my companion Lyra. Lyra, this is my friend Mehdi and his associate, Professor Liam McCarthy. I'm glad that we're able to have this discussion together. I wish for Lyra to know all that I know, Mehdi. Come inside, we have much to discuss indeed." Stepping across the threshold, she beckons the trio inside and towards her bedroom.  

Lyra moves to Rae's side with a speed and grace that belies her ghoulish nature, linking her arm through the vampire's and never straying far from her domitor. Andrei waves the pair inside and takes a seat at the kitchen table, where he appears to be cleaning some dismantled mechanical parts.

Mehdi simply blinks at the exchange, eyeing this stranger with mild curiosity and suspicion. There are people out for both his and Liam’s heads and the paranoia of the hunted is hard to assuage, even with Rae’s warmth, so uncharacteristic for her kind. He exchanges a glance with the professor beside him and steps in after the girls. ”So… what have you been up to?” he asks, wordlessly regarding Andrei and then immediately looking around for Rae feline protector.