The next evening Jubilee seems fine, till I try to bring up sunlight, then she curls up in her cocoon and even her shadow self can't get her out. I finally drag her out and spank her. That got her attention. "Why did you spank me ?"

"Well if you're going to act like a scarred toddler I am going to treat you as one. Now Listen. That fear of sunlight is not from you. It was Planted in your mind by a very mean vampire. OUR kind of vampires have no trouble walking about in sunlight. It will not kill us or anything like that. Only thing I have found is it is harder to enter the shadow realm when we are in direct sunlight. " she was with me till I mentioned 'entering the shadow' then she looks confused.

So I show her and she flips out. I laugh at her antics then fade back in, in the same spot, "It's a way we can move around, nearly invisible and able to pass through cracks and tiny openings. I do it pretty much on instinct. I guess you don't as you did not know you could do it. So tonight I am going to train you in our basic powers."

She sits up and smiles. "I learned I can jump really far and climb walls and ceilings." I nod, "I was watching, you looked like you were enjoying yourself." she nods.

"We can also spin webs out of our wrist and extend claws from our fingernails." I show her the claws and tell her how to do that. Once she has that down I teach her how to spin webs for different purposes. From ropes, to binding prey to swinging around from the ceiling and even aid in climbing. I even shows her how to spin a web in the shadow realm then Pull it in to the physical realm. All in all a fun learning experience for both as the powers of the Body are very interesting to the new fledgling.

"Can we do anything else ?" She ask later, as we sit on a ledge and sip mead.

I nod, "Speed, enhanced strength, agility and endurance. Then we have some mental powers to. Presence, the ability to manipulate emotions and Auspex which is a catch all for many forms of detection and psionic powers. Like heightened senses, seeing aura's, reading minds and more. We all start with the heightened senses. It's partly why you can see in here. There is no Light in here, but we can see pretty well, yes ?"

That little bit, the lack of light, just floored her. She looks around, eyes going wide. I smile and sip my drink. "I just thought there was some kind of glowing fungus on the walls, but now that you mention it. We needed lanterns or magic lights to see in here before .. Oh wow." She walks around after that Looking at everything. Listening to everything. She even caught a fish, just cause she could. She sniffed it and tossed it back, "That did not smell like food." she states in mild disgust. I nod, "Yeah fish and reptiles are at the bottom of the list for possible foods and they leave you feeling slimy, on the inside. So not recommended. Also we can eat animals, but they are not as tasty or as filling as a human. Oh the better the diet of the human the tastier they are."

She nods, "So how do you turn a human in to a pet ?"

I think, "Oh different ways. Mentally break them down is one. That takes time and is iffy and if done wrong they don't work as pets. Unless you enjoy having sniveling scared people at your feet. I don't.

The next way is feeding them your blood. A little each day for a week and they will come to love and adore you. Trust you even if it kills them. Otherwise they retain their own will. A few are immune to that, but it is rare."

She nods and thinks that over. "You're doing that to the others aren't you ?"

I nod, "Mix of the two actually. I keep them in a cell of sorts. Give them something nice every few days and spike their allowed foods with my blood. In time they will give themselves to me. Mixing our blood with food dilutes it, so it takes longer. But it will work in the end. "

She sighs, "So they are off limits for eating. Andrea is a priestess of Hathor and Jase is a mage of some power but of the Academic line. Lots of complex things and ritualistic magics. Took us a year to get her to use shortened combat spells but only because the longer 'safer' types nearly got us all killed more than once."

I nod, "I been reading her spell book. I thought it was a comedy at first. I mean some of the stuff is logical, but some is out right stupid and pointless unless your just trying to write about it and not activate the spells on paper. I can understand some of the theory, but it all seems to have been written by people who are afraid to use magic."

She nods, "That is pretty much correct. They are taught to Fear magic and as such while they are good at Ritual stuff other magics are beyond most of them. That is why I preferred the Bard way. They agree at least that the Music gives structure to the magic, but most of them don't understand Music enough to understand how magic works with it."

I nod and sigh "I know a few spell songs but never learned to play an instrument. Not from a lack of desire, more from a lack of finding a teacher. Always wanted to learn the Lute or Mandolin. Lovely instruments. I know a little music on a piano and some horn music I learned as a child but that was so long ago."

She nods, "I have heard you singing sometimes. You have a good voice, but could use some lessons. Not sure of the languages you use though. Strange words."

I nod, "Elven and Dwarven songs mostly though I know a few Halfling story songs and some Gnome songs concerning Gems."

She grins, "Gnomes do love their Gems."

I nod and we smile at each other. I think I know which way her Reason will go now to. Music is very likely it. I could be wrong, but time will tell.

She takes a deep breath, "So what else is there to know about what we are ?"

I grin, "Tall order that. Ok, we are descended from a clan called the Toreador, Never understood that name as it Literally translates as Bull Fighters and the clan is dedicated to Beauty, Art and such. We have strong passions. Tend to be more social than other vampires and hm, I forget the rest of that speech. I myself was never good at the social parts. I was mortal who died, was brought back by the Balance, which is a group of Gods that help keep good, evil, law and chaos, in balance and therefore allow the worlds to continue to exist. Because of that we have more abilities than your standard Undead, like the sunlight and no problems with Holy stuff. Down side I have found is we need a specific Reason to exist. For me it's Magic, the art of it, learning, teaching, working, etc. I love magic. The Reason need not be an Art, it can be almost anything really. Though things you can practice and work on tend to work better. Something your passionate about helps to. Otherwise our general abundance of strong emotions can eat us alive, so to speak and drive us a bit more insane than we are to start with. Point for you to understand, Everyone is a little insane, have to be just to survive. Though some are crazier than others and not always in a good way. We just try and focus some of our crazy in to a Reason. It really does help when your life span is potentially forever.

Toreadors also have a specific weakness and we share it. It's Beauty. If something be it music, a painting, a natural setting, whatever strikes us as Beautiful we can become so mesmerized by it we can actually freeze in place till it ends or something blocks us from it. Your music did that for me. It's why I wanted to keep you. The fact that there was actual Magic in your music also probably has something to do with that too as well Magic is my Reason for Being."

She slowly nods, "So a person's stronger Passions can become a Reason to keep existing other than just existence itself."

I nod, "In a nut shell, yes."

She nods then walks off to think that over.

I head out a little later and meet with Jon, who tells me about how several high ranking types were taken out recently. Some low level ones to but he was out of town taking care of some business at the time. I give him 2 gold (first and second week's pay) and we talk. He is too upset to really 'use' me but I let him smack me around some to relieve some frustration, then feed him more of my blood and give him some nice head to help with the rest. I warn him that Jubilee is up and around, that she is now a red head, and that I saw 6 other vampires on the prowl to. He is scared of Jubilee and I can't blame him. Apparently he and Fred made a play for her one time but she escaped. I kiss him, tell him to lay low if he needs to and we will try to meet later.

I went home, fixed a drink, then took my drink and went to read more of these Academics Theories of Magic, and why they need to Fear and Respect it. I have trouble because I find a Lot of it stupid. Sure Respecting magic is good, fearing it is stupid. You need to Learn of it, find its Rules and obey them. But fear, no. Does not mean that you are not careful. Magic can be dangerous stuff. Like chemistry or other sciences. There are rules and it's hard to learn them as trial and error are the normal way. Though reading up on other peoples errors so you don't make them is really good to.

I lose track of time. Easy to do when your following your Passions. I go to ask Jase about something I read in one of her books, and find the room and 'bathroom' empty of any living thing. I look around and find rope like webs leading in to the room from the entrance and follow them out. A quick run around the lair shows me a door is open. The one leading in to the town itself, the one I sent Jubilee out to hunt by.

Jubilee and her stuff is gone to. I am miffed.

I pack up all my things, which takes a while, but I don't know how long I have before the hunters come down with fire to end me. I don't know if they are coming at all to tell the truth, but better safe than dead.

I head up my own passages only to find them blocked off. In fact almost all the passages to the surface are blocked. Only 2 remain open and only because I never showed or told them to Jubilee. That little Skank is helping them seal me in here. Well I will teach her a lesson when I get out of here.

I consider the hut, but then I can't recall if I told her about it or not. That leaves that weird temple with the people chained to the wall. So that is where I go. I follow a different path once there. I know that one direction leads to the cells, but I have not checked on the other one.

What I find in the other direction is a second, rather Evil temple with people nailed to walls and being tortured ritualistically to death. The torture does not bother me, the waist of all that blood and meat does - go figure.

I look at the runes around the victims and come to realize someone is trying to use blood magic but doing a hack job of it. I have no idea what they are trying to do as the mix of runes, some of them dwarven , some look Norse and a few 'witch' types which from my readings are pure fantasy. Also the dwarven ones when put together in the order they appear are a childrens song about how to do a dwarven dance about Hammers and Anvils.

Being the mischievous and slightly desperate person I am and in need of a diversion, I find the main torturers (easy to do) and knock them out (not as easy but doable) then I tie the tortures up in their own devices and free the still living ones from the bleeder devices. Using healing potions from my Wondrous Bracelet I revive them all. There are only 10 of them but it should do. I shush any of the noisy ones as escape is the key here, not calling down any guards or other evil sorts on us.

On the way out I stop to free and heal (at least a little) all the other prisoners to, while incapacitating any guard or dark priest I find and putting them (with gags) in the prisoners place. In the end I find and free about 100 prisoners and mess up some working rune spells that inhibit Mage magics. Which comes in useful when we run afoul 4 priestesses who came apon us as we were trying to quietly slip up a hall. The priest took down a few prisoners with 'hold' spells. I gave up on quiet and turned them to BBQ with a fireball spell. After that the prisoners all realized Magic was working and getting out proved Very easy as they are ALL mages.

I look at the 2 who had been shushing anyone up to this point who went to use magic, "Why ?"

I ask them. They blush, "Cause till this point magic of our type did not work. We don't know why it's even working now."

I rub my temples, "You two saw me chipping marks through all those runes ? Those Runes were what were blocking your power. How can you be mages and not know that ?" I let out an exasperated breath and move on. All of them are giving me strange looks from then on. I stop them 3 times in the exit of this massive underground complex to 'rub out' or change rune lines I find. Allowing us to escape and still use magic. This place is Old to. From the looks of it this was a prison for mages at one time, before the evil ones moved in.

Now that they know the runes are bad, the younger ones especially, take to breaking every rune they come across. I only stop them twice as the runes in question set off magic alarms if broken, "You all seriously need lessons in rune magic. Kids these days I swear." I sigh.

One of the older ones gives me a look, "what are you 20, 25 ?"

"750 last time I checked the star charts." I state, "I was created by the gods a long time ago for a war that was won also a long time ago. For all effects and purposes though I and the few like me still around are immortal."

One middle aged woman jogging to keep up, "Oh! I have read of such beings. They have all kinds of special powers and tend to do strange things for strange reasons."

I give her a look, "We were made to do things, sometimes we get urges to do things from old missions. Mostly as we were not supposed to live as long as we have. Old commands sometimes come active. Like this rescue. I just had an over whelming urge to recreate a rescue I did 700 years ago. Lucky for you this prison is in use again."

Once in a courtyard I use the bracelet to open a hole 10ft x 10ft. Some old fart grabbed my arm, "Let me see that!" two others behind him knocked him to the ground then beat him unconscious. I give them a long look until another explains, "He is bad about stealing magical items from people." I nod, "Well I am the only one who can use this device properly, for anyone else it works at random and can be very dangerous."

Other old man, in scoffing tone, "Oh really, how dangerous ?"

"Ever see a wand of wonder ?" I ask as the others move down the new tunnel.

He nods, "Annoying things those."

"This object works like that, only if you activate the wrong command you could disintegrate yourself just as I did that wall."

Middle aged woman, "She has a point there. Best not to mess with other peoples magic. "

Fortunately we get everyone out and mostly toward town just as the sun is setting. Not 30 minutes after sun set the vamps and their near army of thralls show up. On horseback, ready for battle. Only to run in to this ragged group of mages. A few mages seem to know the leaders of the thralls at least.

"Oh look it's Lady Patrick, still trying to get us to make you something magical ?" one of the annoying old farts ask her.

I am close to beating this small group to death, with their superior attitude they are so annoying.

I recognize her from my tunnels, "I got tired of waiting for you, so I went and got them myself." I tell her. She stares at me, "Do I know you ?" I sigh and shift to Shadow Form. Her eyes practically bug out of her head. "What you thought I was limited to that place ?"

She shakes her head, "No, 8 hours ago they sealed every exit, then flooded that underground place with flammable gas and set it on fire."

I grin, "One not Every exit, there are several hidden passages down there, one of which lead to the prison these people were in. Two, I only know 1 person who knew where most of those exits were and when I catch her I am going to Roast her alive. Ungrateful child." I snarl. Male thrall (would be mage) "She and her two friends said you are a demon and needed to be sent back to hell."

I growl then sigh, walking past the line of thralls to the lady, "Your welcome to those mages, I have a young Toreador Shadow to punish." The lady gives me a strange look. The 2cd woman (still don't know her name) looks surprised while the man just grins Very widely, "SO THAT’S IT!" he laughs, "I have heard of your line. Agents of the Balance, more powerful but more focused in their passions than most of your clan. HA!" he turns to Lady 2, "Told you they were real. You owe me on that bet now Abigale."

She frowns and sighs, "Fine Gebralter, you can pick 1 of my private servants."

I look between them, "Bet ?"

Gebralter nods, "I bet her your line existed some years ago. You’re a hard group to find." I nod, "Tell me about it. Sometimes we get a little Too focused on something and end up going in to torpor because of it. Really makes the family reunions difficult when half the family is asleep and the other half is off doing something potentially crazy."

He laughs and nods, "There are stories you know. I collect them, I am Brujah though. Abigale is Toreador."

I nod and look at her, "You ever figure out where our clan name came from ? I haven't, it does not make sense really. We are preservers of Beauty and Art mostly, but our clan name means Bull Fighter."

She shakes her head, "Other than they being flamboyant, no."

Gebralter nods, "Like Brujah makes sense. We are philosophers and warriors yet our clan name means witches. I wonder about the names to. The rarely make sense when looked at from a language point of view."

Lady Patrick looks at us, "Pardon me people, we are on a mission here. I do not see all the missing persons."

Middle age woman, "That is because many of them are Dead. There is some Demon worshippers in that place, doing evil magics in a bid to take over all the magic in the world."

I look at her, "Is that what that weird mishmash of runes was for. Won't work, the runes they are using are gibberish mixed with a few old languages and how a dwarven children's dance is supposed to help them control magic, I have no idea. It's repeated over and over all around the place they were draining the blood from those people."

Lady Patrick looks at me, "You read Dwarven ?"

I nod, "And Elvish and Gnome as well as half a dozen other old languages. I was around when Dwarves still walked the world. Before they left in their flying mountains. Spell Jamming hunks of rock, slow as all get out, but they were pretty to look at. All the fine carvings they did on those. So pretty." I sigh and stare at the stars. It is obvious to me that Lady Patrick does not believe me. Not sure about the other two though. I shrug and then lock on to my blood line and work out where my thralls and child are. I am Happy to note that I get 3 pulses from the Thrall lines. I grin at the lady, "Well TTFN"

She gives me a confused look, "TTFN ?"

"Ta Ta for Now." I state then move in to the shadows and take off at high speed toward town. I got a baby girl to spank, and maybe Stake to a wall. I hear Gebralter 's laugh as I run off. He is easily amused I think. (image: Tall, pretty, slightly mad girl, suddenly turns in to 2D looking black and white figure and runs off at super human speed (think black and white Flash).

Once in town I find a lot of activity. Combinations of lanterns and magical lights abound. I decide to find Jon first. That takes a little while even with our link to guide me. He is hiding, among the river boats. As he is a smuggler I suspect he is in a hidden room or such. And I find I am right though it takes an hour and following a guy carrying a large bag to find him. The bag struck me as odd. But none of the others who saw him paid him much mind. Except one guy and he just joked around with him about being over prepared for a run. Actually that was Why I followed, curiosity. He went past several boats and ended up at a barge. Not something I would have considered a smugglers ship. Turns out I was wrong. He went to a hidden door in the side and slipped in. Being in shadow I followed and found Jon, pacing a small cabin by the light of a shaded candle. The 2cd fellow sets the bag down, "No problems Jon. They thought I was over stocking again just like you said. That crazed red head is still looking for you and your right she got enough of the town riled up to string up or lock up most of the bosses. Only old Sadie and McGurt are still free and that is only cause he runs the Hanged Man and she the talent."

Jon nods, "That girl wants to take over and to do that she has to kill the bosses and anyone who knows who she really is. That is why she had those tunnels firebombed. Kill the mage down there who saved her fool life. I know the woman, little crazy sure, but no demon. Course just about as honest as anyone else in town, but that is to be expected from someone who prefers to live underground."

The other fellow nods. "I don't know how long you can hide here. If Fred comes back "

"Fred's not coming back. Told you that. Fred tangled with the wrong folk and got himself dead. Hard to come back from dead."

Other one shrugs, "It's happened before."

I slip out of the shadows behind the fellow. Jon turns in his pacing and almost has a heart attack, "YOU!"

I grin, "Hi Jon. Fortunately for me, idiot did not know all the exits or that I can make more. Had to collapse a wall behind me, but well I got out."

He grins, "Jack this is Robina, the mage from underground." I nod to Jack, "Hi Jack, your hard to track Jon. I ended up following Jack here cause he was one of the few not acting like his head was on fire and his ass was catching if you take my meaning."

Jack nods, "if you need to get something done on the quiet you don't act like you're doing anything wrong."

I nod, "Yeah I know, not the most honest of people myself. But Jon is a friend and I tend to stick by my friends. So Jubilee is trying to take over is she. Well I will have to deal with her then. Foolish child thinks I taught her all my tricks. Jon, glad you're safe, stay that way. I want you in one piece. Me I got a child to stake to a wall and set on fire."

I get up to go, think better of it and go give Jon one hell of a kiss 'for luck' and cause I really like the scoundrel.

Jack grins at that and joshes him about how well he knows me, I tell Jack, "Well he has had his dick in me several times, so intimately." I pat the boy on the head and then vanish again. Jack is chuckleing as I go.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Jon just grins, "She is a fun woman, no doubt about that."

Once outside I put on my combat gear and then mix my magics with my training and hop around town till I get a lay of the land. Once I got that it is pretty easy to take control of Jubilee and get her to walk outside and lean against a wall.

I wrap a 'magic missile' spell around a 10ft long 2inch wide oak pole and launch it at her heart. It's a tiny target so I hope this works as I have never tried it before. It was close as this old woman is walking around and talking at her. Jubilee waves her off just before the pole splits her through her chest and in to the wall beyond. Only about 5ft of the pole is visible. The old woman screams and several people run out. I am grinning as the child is discovering that she is completely paralyzed.

Scary and Jase come running out and stare in shock at the sight. I watch as Scary runs back in to the tavern. Jase suddenly stumbles and I almost get knocked over by the suddenly Strong bond I feel between us. Something on or about Scary is blocking my control of her. So I take this opportunity to call Jase to me. She acts like she needs / wants something from the building across the street, as I am on the roof I wait for her.

She arrives shortly and almost faints when she sees me. "Hello Jase." Jase falls to her knee's, "Oh thank the Maker your alive. I was scared she had managed to kill you."

I nod, "I would have called sooner but something about Scary is blocking my power." She grins, "She has a name you know." I nod, "Yes but using it could call her attention to me and I don't want that right now."

She nods, "She has been using constant spells from her god to protect us from your influence. Feeding us with her food creation spells and even trying to destroy any food you brought us. Saying it was tainted. Still I loved the preserves and hid them from her. I am under your power now aren't I ?"

I smile and nod she sighs, "thought so. So, are you going to turn me to ?"

"Do you want me to ?"

She considers, "Well maybe, someday. But no, not right now."

I nod, "Then no. Jubilee was an accident. I just did not know how big of an accident till now."

She nods, "She has always been evil, but it's been petty stuff, you know. Now she has 'real power' she thinks she can use it to take over this town and maybe more."

I shake my head, "She is young and impatient and that is her down fall. She has very little idea of our powers, how to use them or what all our weaknesses are."

"She figured Fire would work." Jase points out. I grin, "I am a Mage, level 1 spell, Affect Normal Fires. Make a shield so the fire can't Reach me, then use a tunnel I knew about and escaped in to some older tunnels. Place used to be a prison a few hundred years ago. Now it's a temple to some minor evil god or demon. I freed all their prisoners by the way.

As for Jubilee, Stake through the heart, enhanced by magic and held in place by a different spell. Paralyzes her. Well slamming it through that wall helps in keeping it in place to."

Jase nods, inching over and looking at everyone running around down there.

Scary comes out and yells, "Jase where are you ?"

I scoot back, "Tell her or she will get all prissy on us. Don’t need that, oh don't mention me either."

She stands and, looking nervous, "Up here. I was hoping to see who or what threw that spear. But I don't see anyone."

Scary, "I thought you were afraid of heights." she calls back.

Jase nods, "I forgot till you mentioned it, I wish you hadn't." she scoots away from the edge and sits down, "I will be down once my legs stop shaking" she calls out. I watch Scary shake her head and turn to trying to get the pole from the traitor child's chest. It of course does not budge.

I think, "Would you be terribly upset with me if I killed Scary and Jubilee right now ?"

Jase considers and shrugs, "A little. Well not so much Jubilee, she has gone completely power mad evil. Andrea, well she means well but tends to be blind to her friends darkness." I nod.

I Push a little on Scary to get her to move away from Jubilee. She holds her head and moans as my power is interrupted by her gods power.

I look to the heavens, "Hathor, love, I am trying to move your priestess out of harm's way so I can destroy that accursed child."

A Cow ghost appears before me, "Yes well, I want your influence Gone from my child you evil thing."

I look at the cow, "I am not evil. I am a Toreador Shadow Created by the Balance and working for the Balance and sometimes things don't work as planned. Now will you at least allow me to see to my mistake and move your child. My power over her will fade in a few months. " the cow looks thoughtful then nods, "Ok Shadow Walker. I am too far from my places of power to bath you in the cleansing Sun anyway."

I smirk, "The sun has little power over me Cow-Girl."

She humphs at that but at least gets Scary to move out of my line of fire. Which is literal as I send a Fire Strike (3rd level spell, variant of a fire ball, but this is a pillar some 10ft across) down on the child. I let Her burn as I cast a 2cd spell, Affect Normal Fires, which I use to make sure the Tavern does not burn down.

Her screams as she is consumed makes me sad. I have never had to destroy a child before, but I never had one try and kill me either … come to think of it, I don't recall ever having a child. Oh well, maybe my next one will work out better.

Scary and most the others outside watch in shock and awe as fire rained from the heavens and destroyed her.

Jase came out of the building soon after, shaking. She went to Scary and I listened as she told her, Hathor had appeared up there and sent the flames to cleanse the Evil One from the world. She added that this being, who called herself Jubilee, was in fact the same monster who had attacked and killed off their party as well as all those people in town. She was just using them to help her take over this town. For her own evil ways.

I am really surprised that anyone believed that story. But well the priestess did feel her Goddesses presence for a moment and that seems to be enough proof to her of what happened fire wise. But she (and most everyone else) want to know where the pole came from.

Jase suggest (and I actually Felt her cast a spell with this one) that the Goddess sent it, as Hathor is also known as a warrior and protector of her people.

Scary ask about me and Jase shrugs, "The mad hermit woman who tried to protect us and keep us safe from the vampire ?"

Scary considers this while the few remaining bosses slowly regain their power over some of the people. Others finding they have the power to stand up to these Bosses don't give them the authority they once had. I calmly sit on the roof and watch the new power struggles play out. Going to be a while before things settle, but nothing here will likely be the same.

Having it explained to them that many in the town had been under the power of a vampire, who was killed by a goddess when a Priestess called on her for protection from that evil.

It's a convoluted and strange story and I am very surprised when most just believe it. Or at least don't pursue it further.

One more thing to add to this towns strange ways and means.

I move after several people head my way. Shadow leaping around till I find myself on another tall building. Mind you most buildings here are one sometimes two stories. A few three story types but only 4 are four stories and one of those is an old, poorly maintained guard tower / castle. It still stands and has a flat roof, but it needs some serious TLC. From what I can tell the upper 2 floors are no longer in use as the ladders to them have rotted away. I get distracted from what I was doing and start to look this place over more carefully. It's a strange shape and after a bit I figure it out. This was part of the prison long ago. A processing or guard building maybe, or even offices at one time. Well what is left of those buildings. Looks like some time ago someone tore down a connecting tower, probably for its stones, and then redid this building as a warehouse or something. Now it's used by the towns poor as a sort of squatters home with tent like rooms on the bottom 2 floors and the upper floors left to the birds and other critters. With a little work I think I could restore this building enough to live in it. I don't mind the squatters. To me they are a combination defense and food source.

A few of the ones on the second floor see my shadow moving around on the 3rd floor and call out. I find the old stair entrance and pop in to reality before moving my face over the hole, "You called ?"

Squatter 1, "How did you get up there ?"

I shrug, "Magic. I am a mage."

Squatter 2, "What you doing up there ?"

I grin, "Looking for a new place to live as someone burned down my old place. Don't know why I was not bothering anyone."

Fat Squatter, "You was livin under the town in them caves they found, wheren't you ?"

I grin and nod, "Yep, got out just in time to. Good thing I don't own much. You all mind if I live up here ?"

They shake their heads, "as long as you don't bring the roof down on us we is fine with you being there." Squatter 1 states. I nod and smile then disappear back in to the 3rd floor, working out what I need to do to make the place livable.

Around midnight I pop off to find Jack or Jon. I find both of them talking to a group who are trying to throw their weight around and take over the docks. I listen for a minute before joining Jon and crew. "Hiya Jon, what is going on ?"

He jumps a little as I just walk out of the shadows, "Holy, Lady I really wish you give some warning before you do that."

I grin, "I did, I said Hiya. So what is up ?"

He nods at the other group, "Most of the old captains who ran this area are dead or deposed. So this group, who has nothing to do with the dockside, thinks they can just come down here and take over. Kick us off our boats and such."

I look at the others, "So none of you know much of anything about boats or what it is these people do ?"

Their leader grunts, "We control this area and there is Nothing this lot or you can do about it."

I summon up a ball of blue 'fire', "I could turn the lot of you to ash. That would solve things."

Jon pushes my hand down carefully, "Robina Love, let's not resort to burning the town down now. Just cause this lot sided with that Vampire creature and tried to kill you by setting fire to your tunnels is no reason to kill them and their families off."

I consider, then ask all innocent like, "Wait, They did that ? Ok, so how many want to be on fire, or just changed in to useful things, like Bait for river sharks ?"

Old fisherman looking fellow, "Humans don't work well as shark bait, however gar love the taste of fresh human and there are quite a few of them in these parts. Eels to for that matter."

Several of the sailors pick up poles, bill hooks and the like and start moving toward the merchants. The biggest of them, holding a large smithing hammer suddenly looks uncertain, "We got Lady Patrick on our side." he warns.

Jon nods, "Maybe, but we got ourselves a lot of boys and a mad mage on our side. Besides there are still 5 ship owners to deal with as well as their crews."

I look at Jack, "Owners ?"

He nods, "Captains run the ships, Owners run the Captains. There were 8 owners originally. Not sure where the missing 3 are. Could be dead could be locked up. Still the 3 with the largest fleets are here now."

I nod, a couple merchants, who apparently did not understand that the Captains were not the ones in charge down here suddenly look very unsure.

As this is unfolding a warning comes from a look out, "SAILS HO!"

Looking upstream the whole group can make out 1 set of black sails (local ship apparently) being followed by 2 good sized ships with white sails. I hop up on a building and run, jump and spin over the roofs till I am on top of the lookout tower. I look inside, "What does it mean when all three of those ships are connected by ropes ?"

The 2 in the tower grin at me, "Means the 2cd two have been captured and some owner just increased his fleet by 2 ships."

I grin, "Nice." they nod and I do my parkour run back to Jon and gang and report, "1st ship is towing in the other two. Looks like more forces for your side."

The merchants, scowling leave. The odds now seriously out of their favor.

Fisher man to Jon, "Those are your colors Jon, looks like your voting share just went up."

I look at Jon, who shrugs, "You’re an Owner ? Why did you not tell me ?"

He grins, "Now where is the romance in that ?"

"I am going to spank you later." I tell him. He grins at me. Damn Rogue.

I sigh to Jack, "What is it about Scoundrels being so appealing ?"

He grins, "no idea mam. Just wish there were more women like you around who liked people like us." I grin at him while watching the dock hands scurrying to get the landing craft secure after the ships drop anchor.

"So Jon owns that ship and the barge ?"

Jack nods, "And another ship that is out of port right now. Merchant Cog that actually does legitimate cargo's. Granted the source of those cargos is not always legitimate, but they do their best to keep their cover as a legal ship."

I nod. That is actually pretty smart. 2 ships for illicit reasons, smuggling, piracy etc one to sell the illegally gotten goods for pure profit.

The first ship to send a landing party has this feisty woman in its group. I give her a long look, there is potential there.

I nudge Jack, "Who is She ?"

He grins, "That is Captain Nancy "The Nasty" Fairweather. She is a blood thirsty one and one of the more respected captains around here. Though she really does not like Jon much he pays well and no one else will meet his price for her services."

She gives Jon a leery look as he approaches. I and Jack are following a few paces behind. She is not paying us much of any attention. Jon walks past her, "2 ships. I am impressed Captain."

She nods, "Marooned the crews, and got all their cargo's with nary any challenges. Our ships mage removed all the tracking spells on them to, so no surprise visitors will be showing up either." Jon nods, hands on his hips and smile on his lips.

I walk to the end of the dock and lean out, staring. "No magic, but I detect 2 life forms in the front section of the forward part under the keel and figure head.

So did you check for secret rooms, smugglers passages or the like," I ask.

She gives Jon a long look, "Who is she and why is she being impertinent to me."

Jon smiles at me, "She is a mage of some power, my present lover, and someone it's not a good idea to cross."

Nancy looks hard at me, "You know the sorts of things he does to women ?" she ask me bluntly.

I turn a brilliant smile on her "Oh yes, and I enjoy Every moment of them to. Though I had to kill Fred, idiot tried to put a knife in me, so I tore his head off."

Figured I skip the longer story.

Jon makes a face, guess he did not want that shared, oops.

She turns to Jon, "She killed Fred ? Lady Patrick's personal lap dog ?"

Jon nods.

"How is she still alive ?" she ask incredulously.

Jack states, "Cause till this moment no one but her and Jon knew. But now that she blabbed it …"

I shrug, "She does not scare me. We have met before, couple times. No big deal."

Nancy pats me on the shoulder, "Your insane you know that. And dead, so very dead. Though well done and it was nice to meet you."

I shrug, "I think you over estimate Fred's worth to her."

Jack, scanning the shore, "We will know soon enough, I count 3 snitches on their way hoping for some silver for this news."

I shrug and wander off, watching the crews work.

They found the spy's, right where I said they were. They are in chains now.

30 minutes after that Lady P and crew (Gebralter, Abigale and 6 thralls) show up she looks miffed and one of the snitches points in my direction.

Lady P marches over and I turn and smile at her (Flexing just a touch of my power and making her Flinch under it), still she approaches, with a little more deference to me now, "Mam" she starts, I nod at her. Everyone on the docks has Stopped and is watching the exchange, "It is my understanding you killed one of my people."

I shrug, "Possibly, I killed Lots of people recently."

She slowly nods, "This one was called Fred. He was a special pet of mine."

Jon moves over behind me and I nod, "Fred tried to make me dead. Did you know Fred was a necrophiliac ?"

She looks surprised, "What ?"

Jon nods, "Yes mam, I witnessed it many times. He would rape a woman, then beat her to death or stab her if he was in a hurry, then fuck them as they died cause he enjoyed how they turned quiet and cold while he was in them. He tried to knife the Mistress here and she tore his head off."

I lean in and whisper, "Then I ate him." I nod. She nods stoically, "I did not know that about Fred. Had I, I would have seen to his fate personally."

She looks around then at Jon then me, "He is yours now is he ?"

I grin and nod, "and if you try to demand equal justice on him for Fred I have no problem with sending you after Fred."

She considers that. Then looks at her helpers. The other vamps consider it then point out, "She does out rank us by a Lot."

Abigale explains, "Age means rank and power. If we knew your generation that would affect it to."

I nod, consider the shrug, "Don't know my generation really. No one ever told me. My sire did not talk about her past much including her sire or that kind of thing."

They nod, some people were like that. Which given most of vampire history is Oral Traditions, people like that are full of missing information. Which one way or another ends up becoming lost.

I consider, "Fine ?"

She nods, but let's Abigale handle it. Abigale pulls out a brown notebook with coded runes in it. I lean around and read it over her shoulder. I am Very surprised by what I see as I wrote this language a long time ago as a way to send coded messages and be pretty at the same time. Actually a lot of it was made using Text Coding, including Emoji's in with the language runes I made up a lot longer before for a 'language' for a fictional race of half dragons in a story I started to write but never finished (junior high), "The Kaloom code" I state, mildly awed, "I wrote this long ago. Secret code used to send messages hidden in other messages as a sort of doodle language. Smiley faces and all. The smiley faces are called Emoji's and were ways to try and communicate emotions with in the messages."

The way all 3 vamps freeze as I talk wistfully about this ancient code goes right by me, but not Jon. He taps Gebralter on the shoulder, "Pardon me, why the sudden look of stunned disbelief ?"

Still looking at me, "That code was written by the Ancient Robina of Tyche. Part Paladin, part mage, all crazy according to legend. At the end of the war during the age of Babel, which was over 6000 years ago, she wrote that code. Called it the Kaloom code, named the parts and what they meant and even worked out how to send 2 or 3 messages along the edges of other messages so that a letter from an officer to his wife, or similar could contain all kinds of hidden messages concerning the enemy. Sometime after that war she wandered off in to parts unknown. Showing up usually right before the shit starts raining on the world in one fashion or another. Always with a new face and partial amnesia but calling herself Robina. Always a mage to for that matter. She is the face of Fate and Fortune, and not someone whom you want to be on the wrong side of Ever. Somehow she is 3rd generation and Toreador and yet her own clan to. No one knows How that happened."

I turn on him, "That's is because no one believes me when I tell them. As I keep stating, I was MADE by the Gods. People believe in gods, but the number who believe that something 'improbable', like me is real is really small and I get labeled Mad because of it. Ok I am a bit Pissy, it's a sore spot. As for the face thing. Happens when I go in to torpor, the gods remake my appearance so old enemies can't find me based on appearance. Though I admit this is the first time I came back as a brunet, usually I am blond."

Abigale just bites her lips and consults the book. "Ok. Well it says here because Fred was family of Patricia Patrick, though killed in self-defense, testimony given by witness of the event, hm. Blood price of either 100 gold coins or a thrall."

I reach in to my bag, fiddle with the bracelet but make it look like I am searching the bag. Then pull out a purse, open it and check (cause sometimes it gives me candy coins instead of real ones) then happily hand over the old Roman gold disc. "Hope these will do. They are from my stashing's."

Lady Patrick takes the purse and pulls out one of the heavy gold coins and stares at it. Then gulps slightly. 100 new minted, never used, gold aureus, which were only in circulation between the 1st and 4th century BC (by a calendar not in use in this world - though the look of the coin can give it's age due to which emperors face is on it. These are from the 2cd century BC equivalent - or 1200 approximate years ago.) Abigale nods, "Yes those work."

Lady Patrick, takes several breaths before speaking, "These are from stashing's ? And you just hand it out without blinking ?"

"Child, you have to understand, I have millions in gold hidden all over the world and in other dimensions as well. I am a very rich old lady who does not spend much money on anything usually. If I can't make it or conjure it, or hunt it down, then I don't have much use for it. So I don't spend much, but I find or get lots. Mostly I buy food or drink for my pets and that's it."

Gebralter is snickering and nodding, "She spends allot on appearances. Most of mine goes in to books and keeping histories. But if you are not a highly materialistic person it is easier to save money."

The other two nod while Jon looks 'crafty'. "No Jon you can Not renegotiate your contract with me at this time. Besides you only told me you were a smuggler, not the owner of your own boat."

I look at G, "He has a nice barge. Found him hiding in it when my child was trying to take over."

Abigale looks up, "Ah the demon vampire girls struck down by the goddess Hathor. Somehow I find that hard to swallow."

I nod, "Flame Strike after I made a temporarily blessed weapon out of an old oar. Stuck her to a wall then blew the ungrateful traitors child in to burning smoking bits. She tried to have me killed, in my own tunnels no less. But I got people doing stuff to clear my name, a little. They are telling the mortals I am just a mad hermit like mage who was living down there. Till that red haired vampire showed up and started trouble.

I find being thought of as Mad is preferable to being thought of as a vampire. Also lets me get around certain things, like not knowing common histories and such as I have been asleep for a couple hundred years, again. I hate that really. I don't know Why I went to sleep and everything I went through gets mixed in to my dreams to the point I don't know what really happened and what is just dream." I sigh. "It is Most annoying."

No one says a thing. Lady P just counts the coins, G and A read over the book and I decide I said enough and walk off, toward this Captain Nasty girl. She intrigues me and if she is not taken I may see about making her a pet to.