Foolish youth.
Ellis watched Panos from her perch uptop the building he was leaning against. Panos was an ousted Tacharan with nothing to do except invite his death. She remembered, in fact, just why she threw him out of the clan but was at a loss as to why she hadn't killed him on the spot. That's where her error lay, she had gotten soft. She was ripe for the betrayal, letting an inconsequential bug on her windshield of life exist for no other purpose. Well, on that note - Ellis decided that this was Panos' opportunity to redeem himself. She'd give him purpose...she'd also give him horror at the same time because what was one without the other?
Slipping from the rooftop, Ellis dropped silently behind Panos and inhaled the deep musky aroma of his cigar. With a wistful sigh, she waited for Panos to notice and the fireworks to begin.
Looking for trouble (private)
The alley was dark behind the massive industrial buildings. So dark in fact that Panos had to squint to see at times. The moon was completely covered by clouds so think you couldnt tell if there was even a moon.
He dumped the gasoline all along the base of the large crates that were staked high above him. They towered eight to ten feet in the air. Filled or unfilled it didnt matter. He was antsy.
He poured a trail from the crates alongside the building to the loading docks and finally just enough on each of the 3 boats stationed there. They would ignight like dominos, their decks combusting one by one and slowly burning through to the cockpit.
He pulled a pack of black and mild cigars from the pocket of his waist length leather coat. Drawing a match across the scratch pad on the back of the packet he watched the tiny flame dance before him. Lighting the cigar that was now hanging from his mouth, he watched that same tiny flame erupt into a massive burning inferno of crates, with just the flick of his wrist. He leaned his back against a neighboring building and watched the flame continue it's dance to the unsuspecting boats that were bobbing gracefully in the water.
Ellis Duban
17 years ago
Panos Mehalitsenos
17 years ago
He inhaled deeply as he puffed on his cigar. These things were cancer pacifiers for old men alike, but the taste, the taste was enjoyable every now and then. Particularly when doing something destructive.
Mid puff Panos felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and his body immediatly tensed up. There was something different in the air and his inwardly cursed himself for not sensing it sooner. Too much time spent enjoying the cigar not enough time spent tuning into his senses.
The fire had been bound to draw the attention of someone, but when Panos turned around in a slow purposeful - i knew you were there- manner he did not exspect to see her face staring back at him. Not after all the rumors he had heard, and not with Simon claiming head of household at the Tacharan fort.
But there she stood, right before him. The cigar slipped from his lips to the ground stopping along the way to burn a small hole at the knee in the jeans he wore. He couldn't play this one cool, the shock and slight horror had most likely been visable from the moment he began to turn around.
Ellis... He began to stammer.
Mid puff Panos felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and his body immediatly tensed up. There was something different in the air and his inwardly cursed himself for not sensing it sooner. Too much time spent enjoying the cigar not enough time spent tuning into his senses.
The fire had been bound to draw the attention of someone, but when Panos turned around in a slow purposeful - i knew you were there- manner he did not exspect to see her face staring back at him. Not after all the rumors he had heard, and not with Simon claiming head of household at the Tacharan fort.
But there she stood, right before him. The cigar slipped from his lips to the ground stopping along the way to burn a small hole at the knee in the jeans he wore. He couldn't play this one cool, the shock and slight horror had most likely been visable from the moment he began to turn around.
Ellis... He began to stammer.
Ellis Duban
17 years ago
A very slow and deliberate smile spread across Ellis' face. She watched the cigar fall from his mouth and bounce onto the ground. Without breaking eye contact with Panos, Ellis reached down and picked up the discarded cancer stick. In her black pants and stiletto heels, she bent at the knees and reached in between her legs. Standing slowly, she slipped the cigar in between her lips and returned to her casual stance against the building.
'Waste not,' she purred slowly. Ellis inhaled deeply on the black cigar, enjoying its robust taste. Her penchant was for cigarettes but an occasional cigar was rewarding. The thick smoke poured out of her mouth like a chimney and she made no move to not blow it directly into Panos' face.
'Little brown eyed, Panos. You gotta work on that perception, sweet heart. Never know what might creep up on ya.' Ellis took another puff of the cigar and rolled the smoke in her mouth, slowly running her tongue over the front of her teeth. She smiled again and her mouth opened, revealing her tongue running down a fang.
'How ya been, baby?'
'Waste not,' she purred slowly. Ellis inhaled deeply on the black cigar, enjoying its robust taste. Her penchant was for cigarettes but an occasional cigar was rewarding. The thick smoke poured out of her mouth like a chimney and she made no move to not blow it directly into Panos' face.
'Little brown eyed, Panos. You gotta work on that perception, sweet heart. Never know what might creep up on ya.' Ellis took another puff of the cigar and rolled the smoke in her mouth, slowly running her tongue over the front of her teeth. She smiled again and her mouth opened, revealing her tongue running down a fang.
'How ya been, baby?'
Panos Mehalitsenos
17 years ago
How in hell? He stuttered and tripped over his own thoughts and words.
She very obviously wasn't as dead as everyone had assumed. He had only one run in with her before and somehow he had managed to slip past her renouned wrath. He had heard the stories and as everyone had been upon entering into Tacharan, he had been warned to stay in line. Of course that was easier said than done for him.
He straightened up his back and squared his shoulders. He pulled out the cigar box from his coat pocket and removed another cancer treat. Lighting it he spoke, still unnerved but trying to keep his cool.
These things pack more cancer power than your normal cigarettes Ellis, but.... I would wager that someone who is supossedly dead can handle a little black lung or two. Shouldn't you be decaying in some pit of hell somewhere? Or is that where we all are now? From what i heard you were disposed of.
Inwardly he winced at his comments. He was being bold, perhaps too bold. He crossed his fingers as he felt the icey chill spreading inside his chest.
She very obviously wasn't as dead as everyone had assumed. He had only one run in with her before and somehow he had managed to slip past her renouned wrath. He had heard the stories and as everyone had been upon entering into Tacharan, he had been warned to stay in line. Of course that was easier said than done for him.
He straightened up his back and squared his shoulders. He pulled out the cigar box from his coat pocket and removed another cancer treat. Lighting it he spoke, still unnerved but trying to keep his cool.
These things pack more cancer power than your normal cigarettes Ellis, but.... I would wager that someone who is supossedly dead can handle a little black lung or two. Shouldn't you be decaying in some pit of hell somewhere? Or is that where we all are now? From what i heard you were disposed of.
Inwardly he winced at his comments. He was being bold, perhaps too bold. He crossed his fingers as he felt the icey chill spreading inside his chest.
Ellis Duban
17 years ago
She could feel her hackles bristle at Panos' arrogance and false confidence. She gave him a hard but expressionless face.
'Still foolish and still very stupid, I see. Well then, consider your situation here Panos. Clanless, therefore alone and causing mischief. You are literally swinging in the wind, dear, leaving yourself vulnerable and inviting your death with no one here to proctect you from other predators.' Ellis leaned in close and whispered in Panos' ear.
'No clan standing behind me, but more importantly, no Simon here to protect you...from me.' Ellis paused, letting her words sink in, then when she was satisfied that he understood that his life was now in the palm of her hand, she continued.
'I'm offering you a chance to walk unfettered once again. A chance to...redeem yourself, so to speak. But we both know - you really have no choice. So drop the big boy attitude, before I throw you over my knee and break you in half.'
Ellis pulled away and smiled prettily.
'Still foolish and still very stupid, I see. Well then, consider your situation here Panos. Clanless, therefore alone and causing mischief. You are literally swinging in the wind, dear, leaving yourself vulnerable and inviting your death with no one here to proctect you from other predators.' Ellis leaned in close and whispered in Panos' ear.
'No clan standing behind me, but more importantly, no Simon here to protect you...from me.' Ellis paused, letting her words sink in, then when she was satisfied that he understood that his life was now in the palm of her hand, she continued.
'I'm offering you a chance to walk unfettered once again. A chance to...redeem yourself, so to speak. But we both know - you really have no choice. So drop the big boy attitude, before I throw you over my knee and break you in half.'
Ellis pulled away and smiled prettily.
Panos Mehalitsenos
17 years ago
His whole being frozen when she leaned in to whisper.
He quickly calculated his chance of survival against Ellis. None. The answer came quicker than lightening and he knew he had no option but to submit to her. There was Chryseis, if he could manage to get away he could always...No, hadn't he just told her that he'd start owning up to his problems? Plus he had serious doubts that she would risk her clans dissaproval to help him out clanless as he was and against Ellis. He wondered how that battle would go. It was an interesting thought but the bigger point was, he wouldnt be leaving here alive without doing whatever Ellis wanted.
He dropped his shoulders in a worldless show of submissivness.
Redeem myself how? What could you possibly want from me, like you said, I am clanless.
He quickly calculated his chance of survival against Ellis. None. The answer came quicker than lightening and he knew he had no option but to submit to her. There was Chryseis, if he could manage to get away he could always...No, hadn't he just told her that he'd start owning up to his problems? Plus he had serious doubts that she would risk her clans dissaproval to help him out clanless as he was and against Ellis. He wondered how that battle would go. It was an interesting thought but the bigger point was, he wouldnt be leaving here alive without doing whatever Ellis wanted.
He dropped his shoulders in a worldless show of submissivness.
Redeem myself how? What could you possibly want from me, like you said, I am clanless.
Ellis Duban
17 years ago
Ellis flicked an errant spec of dirt off his shoulder, her finger just a hair from touching him. Submission was a glorious thing, but she didn't push it further. Ellis was still very aware of Panos and his Anantya family and tipping her hand wasn't in the cards yet, so to speak.
'I need you to be...my eyes and ears. I suppose it goes without saying that any mention of me yet would be very bad on your part?' Shrugging slightly she closed her eyes and gave him a small smirk. 'I just need you to be at my beckon call.'
She had been back since March and the time was drawing near for Simon's inevitable call to the council. There were things to do in preparation for her only child's..oh wait, she supposed that wasn't true anymore...her *first* child's acension into power and Ellis wouldn't miss that for the world.
'That's all.'
'I need you to be...my eyes and ears. I suppose it goes without saying that any mention of me yet would be very bad on your part?' Shrugging slightly she closed her eyes and gave him a small smirk. 'I just need you to be at my beckon call.'
She had been back since March and the time was drawing near for Simon's inevitable call to the council. There were things to do in preparation for her only child's..oh wait, she supposed that wasn't true anymore...her *first* child's acension into power and Ellis wouldn't miss that for the world.
'That's all.'
Panos Mehalitsenos
17 years ago
His eyebrows raised in partial disbelief.
Your eyes and ears? I haven't had any contact with the Tacharan since our little....mishap.
He thought for a moment, his statement wasnt entirely true. He had in fact had very much contact a while back. Alexandra.
Actually, I have. It was how i learned you were gone. But she was new to Nachton and had just known bare bones of what had happened. She wasn't even sure she belonged there last i spoke to her. Not a very great resource for me to get information he shrugged.
How does that do you any good. I would think youd want someone who was inside Tacharan, not me a clanless vagabond.
Something was off. All he had to do was be her eyes and ears and she wouldnt kill him? It seemed too easy. To say yes seemed like the obvious choice. Be at her beckon call? No problem, when would she ever need him? Unfortunatly he knew it wasnt that simple, in fact it could down right be dangerous.
What he was forgetting was another tie to the Tacharan clan. Shay. Through her he had Mathias waiting in the dark. Wishing and waiting for him to foul up so that he could have a good reason to try and take him out without upsetting Shay. Mathias also knew he had been kicked out from the clan. There were more run ins with the clan than he thought.
He inhaled deeply once more on his newly lit cigar and looked her over. She looked pretty good for being the recently deceased. After another puff he pulled the cigar out of his mouth. A boat on the docks exploded. The flames had reached its gasoline tank. Hadnt he come here looking for trouble? He lit the fires hoping to attract some sort of danger and it had certainly done just that.
Call to demons and sometimes the devil shows up instead. He mumbled as he stared at the inferno around them.
No worries Ellis, theres no reason for me to mention you to anyone. What would I gain from that? Either A. no one would believe me or B. they'd haul my ass in to get information out of me that i dont have. It's a lose lose situation.
Your eyes and ears? I haven't had any contact with the Tacharan since our little....mishap.
He thought for a moment, his statement wasnt entirely true. He had in fact had very much contact a while back. Alexandra.
Actually, I have. It was how i learned you were gone. But she was new to Nachton and had just known bare bones of what had happened. She wasn't even sure she belonged there last i spoke to her. Not a very great resource for me to get information he shrugged.
How does that do you any good. I would think youd want someone who was inside Tacharan, not me a clanless vagabond.
Something was off. All he had to do was be her eyes and ears and she wouldnt kill him? It seemed too easy. To say yes seemed like the obvious choice. Be at her beckon call? No problem, when would she ever need him? Unfortunatly he knew it wasnt that simple, in fact it could down right be dangerous.
What he was forgetting was another tie to the Tacharan clan. Shay. Through her he had Mathias waiting in the dark. Wishing and waiting for him to foul up so that he could have a good reason to try and take him out without upsetting Shay. Mathias also knew he had been kicked out from the clan. There were more run ins with the clan than he thought.
He inhaled deeply once more on his newly lit cigar and looked her over. She looked pretty good for being the recently deceased. After another puff he pulled the cigar out of his mouth. A boat on the docks exploded. The flames had reached its gasoline tank. Hadnt he come here looking for trouble? He lit the fires hoping to attract some sort of danger and it had certainly done just that.
Call to demons and sometimes the devil shows up instead. He mumbled as he stared at the inferno around them.
No worries Ellis, theres no reason for me to mention you to anyone. What would I gain from that? Either A. no one would believe me or B. they'd haul my ass in to get information out of me that i dont have. It's a lose lose situation.
Ellis Duban
17 years ago
How could he help her? Well now, Ellis had hoped Panos would've figured it out by now. Why would a dead ex-clan leader approach another outed clan member. A young boy, by vampiric standards lacking the infinite wisdom that someone a thousand years older, but still, really...what could he offer her?
Might she need not his knowledge of Tacharan, maybe...just maybe...it wasn't Tacharan that she wanted information from.
'So dear,' Ellis started as she took a deep drag off the cigar, blowing the smoke off to the side slowly. 'How's Chryseis?'
Might she need not his knowledge of Tacharan, maybe...just maybe...it wasn't Tacharan that she wanted information from.
'So dear,' Ellis started as she took a deep drag off the cigar, blowing the smoke off to the side slowly. 'How's Chryseis?'
Panos Mehalitsenos
17 years ago
His face began to darken when Ellis said Chryseis's name but he caught himself quickly.
How very kind of you to inquire, she's doing well thank you. Sarcasm dripped off each word.
His eyes narrowed as he tried to read her face. Why was she bringing up Chryseis? She didn't honestly think she needed extra leverage to threaten him did she? She already made it clear that he wasn't leaving alive if he didn't agree to her whims, but was she bringing Chryseis into it as well? He felt his anger fuel a fire inside of him equaling the heat to the one surrounding them.
Shall I give her your regards?
How very kind of you to inquire, she's doing well thank you. Sarcasm dripped off each word.
His eyes narrowed as he tried to read her face. Why was she bringing up Chryseis? She didn't honestly think she needed extra leverage to threaten him did she? She already made it clear that he wasn't leaving alive if he didn't agree to her whims, but was she bringing Chryseis into it as well? He felt his anger fuel a fire inside of him equaling the heat to the one surrounding them.
Shall I give her your regards?
Ellis Duban
17 years ago
'No, I could really careless. However, times are a changin' for Tacharan and I'd be interested to know just how the other clans are viewing my fortunately demise.' Ellis took a final puff of the cigar and listened to the boats ignite like the 4th of July.
'Your concern for her is admirable, but your ability to do anything about it is far from that. In any case, I'd be interested to know what she does...anonymously of course.' She pushed off the wall and turned to face the explosions. The night air was now brimming with activity and no doubt the city's finest would be en route.
'So,' Ellis started as she began to walk back into the buildings shadows, 'I'll be seeing you.' And with that, she flicked the cigar and blended back into the night, walking away from dear little Panos, not overly concerned with his reaction.
((OOC - blended and away =D Out ))
'Your concern for her is admirable, but your ability to do anything about it is far from that. In any case, I'd be interested to know what she does...anonymously of course.' She pushed off the wall and turned to face the explosions. The night air was now brimming with activity and no doubt the city's finest would be en route.
'So,' Ellis started as she began to walk back into the buildings shadows, 'I'll be seeing you.' And with that, she flicked the cigar and blended back into the night, walking away from dear little Panos, not overly concerned with his reaction.
((OOC - blended and away =D Out ))
Panos Mehalitsenos
17 years ago
She was gone in a split second. Her voice rang throughout his head. The rage still boiled inside of him but what could -he- do? Nothing except wait and watch.
She'd be back. That thought alone started a small knot in his stomach.
The sirens that filled the night snapped him back to his senses. With a quick scan of the area for any other surprise visitors, Panos turned and darted into the shadows of the many large warehouses and fled the scene.
(ooc- out too!)
She'd be back. That thought alone started a small knot in his stomach.
The sirens that filled the night snapped him back to his senses. With a quick scan of the area for any other surprise visitors, Panos turned and darted into the shadows of the many large warehouses and fled the scene.
(ooc- out too!)