What am I doing? My minder keeps his eye on me as we leave out the back of the bar and head towards an auto shop about a block away. I hate leaving my bike behind… My stuff is still sitting in the saddle bag including my sword. Thankfully I had my phone, gloves, and boots though so a bit of arcane might was still available. I was a decent martial artist, what vampire trained in combat isn’t but my gloves would provide me with enhanced skill if I poured enough will into it. The bound spirit was one who was spawned within an MMA gym near where I set up my home in Montreal. It wasn’t the strongest bound spirit I had but it was enough to give me access to a few combat arts I was trained in. My boots could temporarily increase my agility and my phone had a pattern spider bound to it. The Weaver wasn’t good for much but its spirits made excellent tools for the manipulation of technology. It was enough to allow me the ability to use my smartphone without fear of someone snooping. If they did the little bugger would attack and brick whatever tried to violate my digital security. Spirits were amazing and one of the reasons the Sect in Montreal gave me the respect I got. I was effectively the group’s support Wizard.

My mind wandered as we walked as I tried to focus on anything that didn’t include meeting the Anarch boss for this area. I didn’t know their clan, their temperament, or anything else that would help formulate a strategy. So play up the naive fledgling then and hope they buy it enough to let me get out of town?

“Hey kid, don’t be nervous. We don’t bite, at least without permission.” He grinned at me, taking my expression as fear. I just smiled back showing my permanent fangs.

“What if I did?” I asked with a girlish giggle trying to play up my part. Raulf just laughed a bit at that. I couldn’t tell if he bought what I was selling or if he was just trying to lure me in without me bolting. Surely if he planned to hurt me he would have already done it.

“Gotta say, whoever your Sire was did a number on you. You don’t normally see so many Frenzy marks these days. You hide it decently.” I was about to respond to him that I didn’t know what he was talking about but he shook his head before I could. “Don’t try and hide it. Golden eyes, permanent fangs, and whatever you are hiding underneath the beanie. Nobody collects those sorts of marks without living a dangerous life.”

I didn’t respond because there wasn’t anything I could say to that. I’m pretty sure he had an idea of the kind of pack I ran with now and I wasn’t buying the simple, ‘Meet the Boss’ routine. This guy wanted something out of me. So I kept playing innocent until I knew exactly what he wanted.

The auto shop was just as dumpy as everything else in this neighborhood and it bothered me at a spiritual level. My Path demanded I keep my territory clean and harmonious and these guys lived like gang lords. At least pick up the broken beer bottles and repair the windows in the area. The best feeding ground was one where the sheep weren’t dying on the street. Sure other Cainites might not mind snacking on rotting drug users and the homeless but we just as easily spread disease as any other blood sucker. Not to sound judgemental but I was offended by the leadership the Anarchs were showing already.

As we entered I was confronted by half dead over head lights and the smell of cigarettes and weed. There had to be mortals in the building because we weren’t affected by drugs directly. The only way to get high was to get the mortal high and then feed off the mortal. I knew this first hand because I had dabbled in bottling intoxicated blood and selling it to the more party focused packs. Yes that sounds hypocritical when I was just complaining about this place but in my defense they weren’t my mortals. I was just doing a job for payment. Yeah that does sound pretty bad in hindsight… Maybe I really wasn’t living up to my own preaching. This was something I would need to meditate on because I didn’t want to be part of the problem anymore. The stuff I did for the Sabbat had tainted me more than I realized and if my Mother saw me she would be disappointed.

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“Boss I got a trespasser who was trying to feed at my bar.” Raulf proclaimed as we entered the garage from the front entrance. There were half repaired cars with three mortals dancing on the hood and their three keepers nearby plying the girls with all manners of things that came out of a bag. Sitting on a tool table was the person my escort was talking to. Doing a quick scan I could count five vampires and three mortals in the room and I didn’t like my odds one bit if things went south. “She hasn’t given me any trouble and followed me without a fight.” He pushed me forward and I could see that the boss was a woman with stark white hair and plenty of scars on her face. The eyes though told me everything… She had crazy eyes and when she looked at me I could almost feel the madness slip through her gaze. A bloody Malkavian was in charge of this group.

“Did she really? Kinda funny don’t you think?” The woman spoke with an almost whisper as she looked me over. It was obvious she was Auspexing me. Malkavians were rather rare and I only knew one of them back in Montreal. They were rather rare because as a clan they were cursed with politically incorrect madness. No it wasn’t like a mortal mental illness… My friend had explained to me that it was like listening to all the colors, sounds, and textures all the time and the sensory overload drove them to madness. I had heard that the ones we had in the Sabbat were more dangerous due to the Dementation discipline they had being removed from the more mainstream of the clan but that didn’t mean they still weren’t trouble. Domination was one of those things I was prepared for. Nala was trained to attack anytime that dreaded discipline was aimed at me. I had to learn due to the Lasombra having been big in the Sabbat. I heard they joined the Camarilla though. Traitors the whole clan.

“How so boss?” Raulf replied not understanding what his boss was talking about. My guess was he wasn’t as sharp as I had given him credit for.

“Her aura is stained black… If I am not mistaken you are, or I guess was a member of the Sword?” The mysterious lady asked, having seen right through me with Auspex. She could see the diablerie running through my aura and could probably still see traces of the Vaulderie that I had done with my pack. Since the gig was up I shifted from an innocent persona to my professional one. I wouldn’t be following this Malkavian tonight.

“Yes I am, though my status is in limbo thanks to the burning of my temple by the Inquisition. I do though mean you no harm as I was traveling through the area.” I offered keeping my hands up to show that I wasn’t armed. My eyes stayed on the woman and Raulf instantly went defensive. Guess these guys have had conflict with my Sect in the past.

The woman chuckled a bit before hopping off the table and approaching me with a gaze that shook me slightly. “I’m Lori and you are in luck that I can read folks like I can. Otherwise I would have you executed by my boys.” She proclaimed spreading her arms out like a villain would as the other three vampire gang bangers stood up with one taking point at the door to prevent me from running. “So running from fuzz huh? How about a trade? You help us with our problem and I’ll let you walk away with your head?” Well who saw that coming? Surely not me…

“Sure, let me guess it involves violence? What other reason would you offer someone like me a task?” I asked with a shrug which received a full on laugh from the boss. Maybe I would get out of this in one piece.

“Great answer and yes. I want your help with jumping the local Sheriff. Surely a Tower Elder wouldn’t be a problem for a member of the Sword of Caine?” When she dropped the task I couldn’t help but sigh inside. Maybe I wasn’t getting out of this in one piece. I would agree though as my choices were limited. It wasn’t like I didn’t enjoy knocking off Elders. Maybe if said Elder was a lower gen than me I might get a boost to my own power.

“Awesome! Welcome aboard the Freedom Train my temporary friend!” The Malkavian flipped from serious to excited on a dime and proceeded to hug me like we were best friends. “My name is Lori, what’s yours?”

“Yuiko, and it is nice to be your friend too, Lori.” I returned the hug because frankly I didn’t have much choice. Why did this feel like it was going to be a long night? I just wanted dinner…