Oxford City Centre

Oxford City Centre is home to world-renowned Oxford University colleges, bordering peaceful parks and meadows. Millions of books are stored in the landmark Bodleian Library. The Ashmolean Museum displays Egyptian mummies and classical sculptures, while weapons, masks, and pottery fill the cabinets at Pitt Rivers Museum. Indie food stalls line the 18th-century Covered Market.

(Continued from Brasenose College, Monday morning...) The brisk but short walk from her dorm to the sociology faculty offers a refreshing change of scenery from the quad and the stuffy lecture theatres she'd spent the earlier part of the day in. It also offers something more relevant though — time to realise how poorly thought out this plan was. Not so long had she been a vampire that she couldn't remember still the warm touch of the sun's rays on her skin, but evidently it'd been long enough that she'd momentarily let the alluring comfort of the night make her forget one simple fact: businesses and school departments were rarely open near midnight. Cursing under her breath she considers turning back. Perhaps she could go the next day? Earlier, just after sundown. With sufficient layers to guard against any potential bits of sun, she could always pass herself off as a poorly-disguised celebrity. She'd seen worse attempts to evade the papparazi in People , certainly.  Fuck that.  She balled her hands into defiant little fists and narrowed her gaze down the street before her. You've already walked this far. If they aren't open that's their problem, not yours. So on she marched, the clack of her boots against the pavement seeming to echo louder as she found her way to the facility. Sure enough, it was mostly dark, and there seemed little movement in and about the place, but a place like this wouldn't simply leave the building unattended, she reasoned. And so she strode up to the door, peered through, and knocked. "'Ello? Is someone in there?"  She squints, trying to make out any movement.  "I know it's terribly late but I'm a student and urgently need help!"

Aubrey's fist hammers on the door, but there's no light in the windows and the building appears to be locked up for the night.

After a couple minutes of faux-pleading for aid, it becomes clear there's no one there. Stomping her feet in protest, Aubrey groans and tries circling the building. There has to be someone here. Some daft guard or diligent little desk jockey who stayed late to finish work.  But despite her confidence, not a speck of light can be seen within the facility, and there's an annoying stillness to the place that sets her eye twitching. "Idjits,"  she mutters to herself. Coming around towards the front once more, she kicks the wall near the door and turns away, back towards the mid-night streets, and sulks off towards campus once more.

Khalid sat in the dark straining his eyes against the blue light of his laptop.  Some time ago he had received a message from a Kindred, he was sure of it.  Which Kindred and their affiliation were the questions he had spent the last hour attempting to answer.  So far he had come to a few conclusions but nothing conclusive, searching Liam's friends on Facebook did not reveal much save for the recent hubbub about about Aubrey Knight's arrival at the campus.  He could reasonably conclude that it was unlikely the Circle of Crone had found him since he wasn't dead or enslaved yet, and the mention of the cats was comforting.  At leas he know what they wanted, or at least he hoped. Replying seemed the most prudent response for the moment, he would just need to be careful. Hey! I am a friend of McCarthy and I'd say I'm ok with cats, they just seem to tolerate me more than others. I should be relatively free in the next coming days and as long as the macchiatos are dairy-free I'm down to meet. Just let me know when and where.

The frustration Aubrey felt leaving the Sociology facility emptyhanded took most of her walk back to simmer down, and it wasn't until she was well away from the place did she even check her phone for the first time since her work with Odin. She'd received a message from Liam's friend. That was good. At least there was that, unrelated as it was to what she'd been trying to do. She smiles to herself reading the message, tapping over to his profile once more to reexamine his picture. He was a lot cuter than she'd bothered to notice earlier. Of course, I only ever have soy myself lol so like its a bit early buuuut tomorrow morning maybe? I have classes all day soooo :\  say 6:30?? there's a little place called Caffe Nero on high street that I definitely didn't just google that looks fun! 

Khalid nearly found himself lulled into a sense of comfort.  This was already the most natural conversation he had had with a Kindred.  The time frame proposed would give him time to prepare a contingency, if he found it necessary. I'll be packed busy during the day anyway, so 6:30 sounds solid Also I've heard good things about Nero, so your googling skills must be on point

As the plans settle into place for the morning, the remainder of the evening stretches out before Aubrey across the city itself, and with it tapestry of possibilities. Very specific possibilities, given the pang of hunger that stung her. Her senses were starting to flare, the scent of blood wafting from the veins of the walkers out beside her on the streets. The scent of blood and alcohol. She changes directions, following the stench to a pub nearby, and starts her hunt. It isn't a difficult one, though it does take a little longer than she'd care to admit. Even with her Majesty, it takes time for some of the drunken patrons of the pub to give her the due attention she knew she deserved. Eventually however, her slim pickings give way to a frenzied slam of a man's body into the back of a restroom stall, her dance partner for the evening quickening his pace as their make-out nearly takes a turn in his favor, before she pushes him back to lean it in hers instead. She feels nothing in the moment — no need to play the role; to put on the mask. For all her act in getting him to this moment, the lingering bitterness of being denied entry to the faculty earlier still stings on her tongue, and someone had to bear the brunt of that. She commands him to beg her for it, and he's quick to. But it's her fangs against his throat that she rewards him with, and the pleasure high that comes with it as she drinks her fill. Her eyes roll back and she does her best to savor the taste in the moment, but once the moment is gone, so is she — back out into the Crown , and onto the streets again. It was time to meet with a Liam's 'mage' friend.  And to that end, she eventually heads to Cafe Nerro . 

Khalid rubbed his temples as he finally closed his laptop.  He was already struggling to keep his eyes open as he made his way to bed, setting his alarm for three and a half hours earlier than his proposed meeting time.  He was going to hate himself waking up, but he needed the extra time to prepare.  Thankfully his dreams took him quickly, a chaotic reflection of the past weeks events.  By the time he woke, a part of him was glad to be rid of his dreams. Not bothering to change, he set himself to work preparing a spell.  He did not know who this Kindred was so preparing a general spell seemed most prudent.  Electing on enhancing his physical form, he went to work.  Intoning supernal truths in High Speech as he performed the mudras taught to him by the Adamantine Arrow.  In three hours time his work was finished, boosting his agility and strength by not a small margin.  Quickly changing into more presentable clothes he heads over to Cafe Nero,  texting his contact as he walked. Just heading over to Nero now.  I'm in a black sweater.

Be there soon! You'll know it's me <3 Aubrey arrives within the hour at the cafe, watching the early morning stream of commuters and workers making their way to their meaningless, banal jobs. Pulling open the door to the place, she looks about for the mage, walking in the meanwhile towards the counter to order their drinks. 

Khalid sat near the bar, keeping a casual eye on the door as people filtered in the cafe.  "You'll know it's me? What's that supposed to mean."  he was tempted to respond with that very question, but elected to at least wait the hour.  It took twenty minutes and as his patience began to thin, he was met with a face he did not expect to see here, Aubrey Knight.  Khalid did not keep up with celebrities or the gossip that constantly surrounded him, but he was aware of Aubrey in passing.  At the very least since her name was running in the circles of local social media.  It was as he was recalling this information that the realization hit him.  Aubrey was the Kindred.  It seemed obvious now, in hindsight, but Khalid's pre-conceptions of Kindred did not correlate with celebrity status. He stood from his stool and approached the counter standing near the plastic straws and forks.  Waiting until Aubrey finished her order he waved to get her attention before gesturing to an isolated table he had picked out.  If Aubrey wasn't indeed the Kindred, which he doubted, he would at least save some face.  He walked back over to the table grabbing two napkins on his way and waited for her response.

Aubrey watches with mild amusement as the boy with the black jumper stands and signals to her. He matched his profile pic rather nicely — something you could never be too sure about with online personas — and the awkward little wave he did was oddly endearing in a way. Waiting for her drinks, she double checks near the floor for Meowlando's presence. If anyone had any quarrel with the cat sticking to her side everywhere she went, she had yet to hear it, though it wasn't as if anyone would get far in trying to tell her otherwise. With drinks in hand, she maneuvers her way over to the little table he'd found for them. "Dairy-free macchiato, as promised," she smiles as she places the cup before him, setting her own down as well before sliding into her seat. "You thought someone was having a laugh, didn't you? When you got my message."  She chuckles, but doesn't break eye contact as she raises the cup to her lips to take a sip, her gaze at once warm but steely. "You can be honest."

Khalid watched Aubrey approach, it seemed his late intuition was correct, although a part of him hoped it wasn't.  Smiling as she set down his macchiato, he matched her gaze, "Been a while since I've had caffeine, and I definitely need it waking up this early.  I appreciate you buying, but yeah I can say that I definitely did not expect you to show up.  I should have guessed, you being a friend of Liam's and all.  Either way it's a welcome surprise." Khalid lounged in his chair slightly as he took a sip of his macchiato feeling strangely relaxed in her presence.  Perhaps he was getting used to Kindred after all.

"Been a while since I have, too," she laughs. Aubrey watches him take his sip, but her eyes start to drift down over him. "I live to please."  She has to fight the urge to frown — he was definitely properly fit and all, but he was awfully... normal  for what she was imagining. "Okay so like, genuine question — and don't laugh — but how accurate is Harry Potter? No offense meant by it but when Liam told me what you were I was expecting... I don't know, robes or whatever, you know?"

He stifles a laugh, "A few of the older mages are maybe about on par with the books eccentrics, but I've also seen some go above and beyond.  I can't reveal too much, but I don't think I've one of these dudes hats would reasonably exist without gravity defying magic."   He takes a quick sip of his macchiato before continuing, now with a devious twinkle in his eye, "But two can play at that game.  How accurate was Twilight?  Was  Stephenie Meyer secretly a vampire propogandist"

She raises a brow. Truth be told she hadn't expected he'd be aware of what she was, though considering who her contact was she couldn't be that shocked.  "That rubbish?"  she scoffs,  "Have you actually read that?"  Aubrey snickers and leans forward in her seat, the sweet scent of the vanilla hand cream she had on wafting around them. "I'm partial to Interview with a Vampire , honestly. But that may be because I'd let Brad Pitt bite me anytime, if he asked." With a gesture under the table she motions for her cat to approach, and tries to call it up onto her lap.

Khalid raises his eyebrows and nods, "Brad Pitt, not a bad choice.  Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, I haven't seen either.  Maybe I'll add Interview to my list if it has your recommendation."  Khalid takes a glance around the cafe as he pierces the veil to check for prying eyes, "As much as I'd love to keep talking supernatural media I don't think that's the reason you hit me up.  I don't like making assumptions so I'd appreciate if you told me what you want."  

Pushing back off the table, she crosses her arms, a frown spreading across her face. "Don't get all serious, I already told you."  With a gesture to the cat, she sighs, "This cute little guy's been by my side for the last couple of days now. I thought it was like, something everyone got around here, but according to Professor McCarthy , they're, I don't know, spies or whatever?"  She shrugs and takes another sip of her macchiato. "I mostly just wanted to know its name. I asked but, my Cat  is a bit lacking these days. Liam told me you could communicate with him better, so I was hoping you could translate for me."

Khalid looks at Aubrey, surprised for but a moment,  "Oh, you actually wanted to talk about your cat.  I thought you wanted... never mind."   He trails off, feeling some tension he did not know he had leave his body.   "Talking to animals is surprisingly trivial for my skillset, but they aren't the greatest conversationalists.  I can start here and now if you want, or we could find somewhere more private.  Whatever you prefer."   

Aubrey watches Khalid’s face carefully, noting the momentary hesitation, and raises a brow. “And just what type of cat did you think  I meant?” She cocks her head to the side and narrows her eyes at him, holding the stare for a moment before the edge of her lips curl into a devilish grin and she reclines once more. ”Of course,”  she strokes the cat in her lap,  “much as I think it’d be, like, an absolute laugh to watch you have a chat with a cat in public,  we can go somewhere more private. Maybe just walk about outside even? What did you have in mind?”

Khalid tenses at the implication, flushing with embarrassment,  "What type of cat? No that's not what I meant I..."  He quickly realizes Aubrey's intent as she smiles, "Ok, that was nice.  Caught me off guard there. I just assumed a friend of Liam's would want another service, I figured mentioning the cat was to tip me off you were kindred."   He takes a drink as he looks outside, "Outside could work, I don't live near here so I'm not familiar with the area but we should be able to find somewhere with shade.  Worse comes to worse, I have an umbrella."  He offers a sly grin with his last remark, gauging her reaction.

She stifles a laugh as she plucks an unopened straw off the table beside theirs and waves it before him. “Worse comes to worse, I have a wand.” Leaving her unfinished macchiato where it sat, she pushes her chair back and lets the cat hop down from her lap, standing and pushing the hair back out of her face. Waiting for him to follow suit, she leads him back outside, gesturing to the open air where the waning bits of moonlight keep the alluded to sun at bay for just a little while longer.

Khalid chuckles and follows Aubrey as she rises, picking up his duffel bag on the way.  He takes a deep breath once outside and looks towards Aubrey, she was a peculiar kindred.  Perhaps it was the celebrity status, but so far she seemed the easiest to talk to, among those he had met.  "You know a park or something nearby?  Like I said I don't know this area well, so I'll follow your lead."   He looks down one street, attempting to orient himself to something familiar, "Unless you're as lost as I am."

“I’ve been here less than a week, luv,”  she says, turning to look around some before pulling her phone out. A quick google search pulls up a few results, and she starts off in one direction after another moment. “There’s a spot near the castle that we can walk about. Come.”   Making their way down towards the castle mound, looking for a nice open spot to sit for a bit. The whole while she kept her eyes mostly on the street before them and her phone for directions, but every once in a while stole a glance back at the mage. He was far from what she’d expected to be sure, and despite herself found he was at increasingly somewhat fun to talk with. Once they arrive, she spins about and gestures openly. “Will here suffice for all your spell and sorcery needs?”

Khalid took in his surrounds as they walked towards the castle, noting any landmarks he spotted on their way.  Once they arrived he set down his duffel bag and,  from a side pocket,  pulled out a set of worn black MMA gloves ,  "Yeah this should be fine.  Nothing like a castle to bring me back to my wizardly roots."   He absentmindedly fiddles with the padding in the gloves before slipping them on, "So just a heads up, I'm gonna sound like I'm speaking gibberish, but I swear it is very sophisticated mage-speak."  With his warning out of the way he turned his attention to the spell, taking but a moment to focus before incanting.  He spoke, in High Speech, of the supernal truths of life, how all species were interconnected and through this connection they could forge an understanding.  His second point of focus was on his gloves, a grounding connection for his magic to not lose himself to the paradox his magic creates.  In the span of seconds he stopped, knowing instinctively that his magic had taken hold and even stronger than he expected. "Huh, maybe the castle did help.  That was easier than I'm used to."  Khalid turns towards the cat, speaks in plain,   albeit American,  English, and in the most flattering way he can manage,   "Your beauty precedes you.  Your admirers wish to know by what name to refer to you as."

The spell procedure is, as was becoming a common theme with this whole meeting, far from Aubrey's expectations. Especially when the man pulled a set of a beat-up looking gloves out. The 'gibberish' he spoke was far and away from any Wingardium Leviosa  or Avada Kedavra  she had anticipated, and there were hardly any dazzling lights. She did her best to pay attention, for sure — she'd have so much to tell to Camille later about all this, and her sire would be cross with her if she didn't glean anything — but she couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment creep over her face watching the proceedings. When it's done, she gives him a quizzical look, waiting for something obvious to happen. "Is that all?"  She blinks at the young man, then down to the cat. "Kinda was hoping for something more exciting..."  she mutters to herself. Regardless, her eyes stay glued to Meowlando, or whatever his (her?) name was, eager to hear it speak back to him.

'Meowlando' lies atop one the low stone walls of the ruined castle, paws crossed in front of him as he watches Khalid with mild interest. "You are wiser than Miss Molly here," he purrs in reply to the introduction. "You may call me Amun."

Khalid looks towards Aubrey, mildly exasperated, "This isn't Harry Potter, but if you stick around long enough you'll have a chance to see something exciting.  Besides you'll have to trust me when I say you generally don't want to see exciting magic."   He then turns towards Amun as he introduces himself, nodding and offering a small bow of respect, "He says his name is Amun.  I assume you've got more questions?"

Aubrey skeptically raises a brow. “Hmph, why buy a mage coffee if you don’t get to see something exciting?”  Her question is sincere but teasing, and when the cat purrs at him she pouts, having half-hoped for something more… Sabrina -esque.  “Amun? Well that’s not as cute but alright.”  She places a finger on her chin to ponder more questions. “How about… does he prefer dry or wet food, and why do none of the little mortals seem to notice him?”

Khalid breaks into a mischievous smile, "Well since you so graciously did buy me coffee, perhaps I could show you something exciting once we're done here."  He takes a moment to revel in his fading nimbus, the soft grey mist slowly receding from his supernal vision.  He then nods in agreement to Aubrey's second question, it was something he too was curious about.  Khalid turns back to the cat and attempts to replicate his previously successful tone,  "Amun, the one you follow desires to know how best to serve your meals, do you have a preference between dry and wet food.  She also wishes to know how you are able to avoid the notice of the humans in the area."

"I am not following the girl," Amun remarks with mild amusement, "I am protecting her. Regardless, she need not concern herself with my eating habits.   I am not interested in that processed human junk. As for the masses, I do not wish for them to notice me and so they do not."

"Protecting?  That actually makes sense, strangely, but what are they protecting the Kindred from."   Khalid took a moment to think on perhaps the shortest but most significant answer from Amun.  For a moment he debated keeping the information secret, but Aubrey had been cordial and honest so far.  It would be in poor taste to deceive her.  He slowly paces, debating on how to precisely pose the next question he wanted to ask the cat, as he addressed Aubrey,  "So it looks like Amun is not interested in cat food, at least not the ones we make.  He also avoids attention by willing for humans not to notice him, he did not elaborate on how.  More importantly he isn't just following you, by his account he is protecting you.  I already know the next question I want to ask, but it's still your call."

Aubrey watches the ensuing ‘conversation’ with great interest, albeit a remaining bit of skepticism. There was no doubt the cat was responding ー quite fervently too at times ー to Khalid’s words, but there was no discernible difference to his own speech. So did the cat understand her then, naturally? If so, then all of them, including Hera’s and Odin’s and Liam’s, truly were little snoops. Have I said anything bad? Shit I didn’t like, give away anything did I? Mmm but Hera seemed perfectly fine openly discussing things with the cats around. The answers she gets are more baffling, if only because they raise ten times as many questions as they resolved. “Well that’s awfully sweet. And confusing. Hmm…” She turns to Meowlaー Amun , and tilts her head. “You can understand me, can’t you luv? We don’t need to play Telephone,  do we?”  She gets down to his level and reaches to scratch his head as she talks.  “Thank you dearly for protecting me, it’s certainly been scary here without my usual coterie of bodyguards, but who are you protecting me from?  And why?”

Amun stretches and arches his back. "Why, from  the wizards , of course," he explains with a Cheshire cat smile.

In a panic Khalid shoots a look seeing if Aubrey understood the cat.  He knew it was unlikely but he wasn't taking risks.  Khalid switches to High Speech, his spell still doing the work of translating, but now with the assurance, to Amun, that he could not utter a falsehood.  "I do not understand Amun.  To my knowledge neither me nor my brethren seek harm to the Kindred.  If you have the knowledge, I wish to know of the wizards you speak of.  If you are unwilling to give this knowledge freely, I am willing to bargain."   As he speaks to Amun he keeps Aubrey in his periphery, gauging her reaction as he begins speaking gibberish.

Aubrey turns expectantly to Khalid after the cat’s mewing, but is met instead with… something different. That other tongue again. Why was he switching to another tongue.  “What is it,”  she leans closer towards him, her voice growing slightly more demanding, “what did he say?”

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy," Amun pontificates. "I doubt that you would consider those of whom I speak to be your brethren, but you have encountered them."

Khalid remains in High Speech to respond to Amun, "They were there that night.  I should have known.  Thank you for your insight Amun."   He turns to Aubrey and takes a small step back before responding (in English), "So it looks like Amun is Fae or Fae influenced.  He also seems to have read Shakespeare so if you've got an exam coming up, you got a study partner set."  He offers a short laugh and half a smile to Aubrey, making to conceal the more dire information provided by Amun.

“None of that answers my question though…”  She glances at Amun, as if expecting an explanation from the cat she could understand, but refocuses on her new friend instead. Pulling her head back a bit, Aubrey’s eyes narrow ever-so-slightly. “Why did you switch back to your magicky language.”

"It's not magicky language, it's High Speech, the supernal language of truth. I literally can't lie when I speak it,"  Khalid matched Aubrey's gaze. "Some supernatural entities recognize the language and are more trusting to those who speak it.  I figured I'd give it a shot with Amun."   He glances briefly at the cat before looking back towards Aubrey, "Although I'm not entirely sure it did anything."

“Khalid, darling, if I didn't know any better I'd think you were trying to hide something."  The response is quick, moving past his deflection as she keeps her stare on him, yet her tone is almost sing-songy in its playful demanding. “Who is he protecting me from. And don't worry, I've had stalkers before. Whoever it is I can handle hearing it.”

"It's complicated,"  Khalid folds his arms.  He did not trust the Kindred, yet, but he also did not want to escalate his current situation.  Aubrey did not seem to be an elder he should be able to defend himself if a fight broke out, but Khalid had been humbled before and he would prefer to not relearn that lesson.  "I'm really not the right person to be... you know what, fuck it. Amun claims to be protecting you from mages.  I have reason to believe that these mages do not come from the Pentacle, which is the recognized governmental institution for my kind.  I don't know what or why this is the case, but I'm sure you can tell how delicate of a situation this is."   Khalid watched Aubrey, ever-so-slightly shifting his stance, waiting for a response.

Mages.  Aubrey's brow furrows, and she looks him up and down, considering for a moment what she knew of mages. Very little, in fact.  Not more than the basics her sire had told her of any other supernatural being, save for a warning to tread carefully around them. But mage or not he was still just a mortal right? If it came down to it he'd age and bleed and die as any other human, yes? It still hurt though. The deception. "So you tried to hide that because what, you thought I'd kill you immediately?"  With a pout, she inhales deeply. "Is that what you think of me, Khal? And here I thought we were having such a nice little coffee date." Truthfully, she knew he wasn't crazy to lie. She probably would in his shoes. A part of her screamed to bend him to her, make him submit and take away any chance he'd prove Amun right. But what might have started as simply a facade of friendliness had become rather honest. She really had  enjoyed the last hour with him. After a beat, she exhales and drops the tension from her.  "Okay fine. So what, there are 'dark wizards' after me? And yours are the good ones then?"  She scoffs,  "Why in the fuck?"  The question is as much to him as to Amun.

Khalid relaxes, his face slowly easing into a smile, "Listen, I've met like three Kindred so far and I'm fairly confident they would not have had a pleasant reaction to that information."   He knew he should be more careful, but even his instincts had eased.  He unfolds his arms and shakes his head,   "It's not just you that the 'dark wizards'(we call them Left-Handed Mages by the way) are after.  So far I've seen every Kindred on campus with a cat and I'd doubt that more than one supernal creature is after Kindred.  As for why I have absolutely no idea, perhaps to disrupt the power of the local Kindred or goals beyond my comprehension."   Khalid shrugged as he internally debated on what further to mention, the night of the cats arrival was surely tightly tied to the threat of these rogue mages.  But the staked elders and the eldritch monstrosity were sure step in the severity of the conversation, perhaps a topic for a later time.

Seeing him ease up, she smiles sweetly, "Well I'm not those kindred, obviously. Are all mages so quick to stereotype though? Nevermind," she shakes her head, "If you think every left-handed one of your kind is evil I think I have the answer."  She chuckles. Aubrey's gaze falls down to her own left-hand, where her thumb idly runs across each of her fingers, and in a matter-of-fact tone speaks once more.  "Besides luv, if I was worried about you, you and every human around us would already be knelt at my feet fawning over me for favor."   Not that they shouldn't be, anyway . She tilts her head back up at him and her lips curl into a closed grin. "But I like you, so don't try to do that again and we'll be fine, 'kay?" "Now Amun, simple way to solve this,"  she says to the calico, "Is Khalid one of the ones you are referring to? And are the other cats doing the same for the kindred they stalk?  You can just nod yes or no. "

"Left-handed doesn't mean literally being left handed.  It's more of a figure of speech, probably carried over from old human prejudice,"  he looks over to Amun.  "To most they may just seem insane, but they practice magics forbidden by the Pentacle.  Stuff that'll make the worst Kindred look humane."   He shivers slightly, recalling the stories his betters told him of the Scelesti, "But the Left-Handed are loosely organized.  The more I think about it, the Seers may be responsible.  I don't really know." As Aubrey chastises him for his deception, he grins playfully, "Well don't tempt me with a good time.  But I get you, I'll play nice."   He raises an eyebrow when Aubrey questions Amun about his own allegiance, but watches for the cat's response.

Amun swishes his tail and rolls his eyes. "This is demeaning," he tells Khalid. "You know the answers to her questions."

Aubrey watches the cat for its response, but when it instead mews at Khalid, she grinds her teeth.  “I don’t care  if he knows the answers,”  she snaps at the cat as Khalid finishes explaining what it had said, “I asked you  to know if you are accusing him or not.” Returning her attention to Khalid, she forces herself to relax, despite the cat’s noncompliance. “So you know then if the other cats are doing the same? It’s not just for me? Well who sent them? Liam mentioned they all appeared the other night and some crazy things happened right afterwards. Wolves and libraries or whatever.”  She gestures about with one hand, and looks to Khalid hopefully as her desire to truly understand all these oddities swells within her.  “What’s that all about?”

Amun raises his tail indignantly and hops down from the wall, stalking off in the direction of some pigeons.

"Liam seems to tell you a lot.  But he's right, I tried talking to his cat as well but I wasn't as tactful as I was today so it didn't really work out,"  Khalid watched Amun stalk away, it seemed that as mystical as he was Amun still behaved like a cat.  "I don't think I'm at liberty to tell you everything that happened that night but you've been nice and haven't tried to fuck with my mind so I'll give you what I can," his tone grew serious and hushed as he turned to Aubrey.  "The cats came a little early in the night, that's when I tried to talk to them.  They didn't say much save for that they were each assigned to a Kindred, almost by instinct.  That very night we ventured deeper into a library and discovered a force field constructed by a mage which I was able to dispel.  It was guarding an area where coffins of sleeping elder vampires were being kept, I heard the term  Methuselah mentioned.  Some Kindred elected to awaken one and it went into a frenzy attempting to eat the others vampires."   Absentmindedly he began to fiddle with the straps on his gloves, latching and unlatching the velcro strips, "From there we got the hell out of dodge, didn't stay to see what happened.  Later on we delved a little deeper and encountered a creature.  I honestly don't know how better to describe it.  If you've seen The Thing, think that but throw on some horse legs and make it the size of a sedan.  Managed to scrape away from that one by the skin of our teeth."  He nods in the general direction of Amun, "The cats weren't much help with the creature, but were very incessant on following the Kindred they were assigned to.  My running theory is that the creature I mentioned was summoned by the same mages who made that barrier I dispelled and the cats by an opposing force (to the mages), likely fae aligned."   He offers Aubrey an exasperated smile and shrugs, "That's about all I can give, and to be honest I'm not leaving out that much, just individual details.  I haven't learned much since that event, save for this talk with Amun and yourself of course.  Hopefully that makes up for the macchiatos."

Aubrey leans in closer and closer as the mage’s story goes on, her mouth hanging ajar and her eyes brimming wide, though with wonder or bewilderment she couldn’t tell. She makes little noise throughout except for the occasional What the fuck  muttered under her breath. When he’s done she slumps back, trying to process all he’d said. It certainly explained… some things? Liam’s reaction to her joke about the library, for sure. But the rest was well beyond what she’d come here expecting. ”That’s… a fucking lot,”  she stammers out finally. Rubbing her temples, she breathes in and slowly starts to nod. “Okay so like, it’s like that one year at Hogwarts yeah? With the big snake thing in the bathroom? But also like um,”  she begins hurriedly snapping as the title titters on the edge of her tongue, but instead a rapid, rambling panicky string of words spew forth, “the one with the tournament and the dragons? Obviously there weren’t any dragons here. Well, I don’t know what this creature was it could have been, but I guess you didn’t say it breathed fire but that’s not the point I mean the one with the hot quidditch guy and no, wait, well actually yes but I mean specifically the part where Edward Cullen dies and they awaken Voldemort in a graveyard with a freaky baby and the ratman and Voldy’s cult?” Caught in a whirlwind of excitement, Aubrey has to stop herself to finally regain her train of thought. ”Sorry, I like, did not  expect anything like this you know? I just wanted to know what my cat’s name was yeah? But now…”  her eyes flash as a thought occurs to her. “The other kindred ー besides Liam ー could you introduce me? If Amun being here means I’m involved in this, I’d prefer to work with those who, like, already have an idea what’s bloody happening. You get what I mean?”