The Children of the Night (Taylor)

[Vlad]

The vibrant colors of the flowers, the greens and browns of the leaves and grass, dark black of the night sky speckled with stars like beacons piercing the thick fog of the early morning sea. All these things, so filled with beauty even in the dim light of evening, flashed before the vampire's eyes. Even after living for centuries, the understated grace of nature still astounded him.

He had hours still before the sun rose and cast ribbons of color across the sky, so the top hat and glasses were clutched in his hand rather than worn. He reveled in the silence of the night, disturbed only by the sound of his own footfalls on the narrow pathway. Peaceful.

Lost in his own thoughts, he wandered, sifting through the events of recent days past. The increase of all things supernatural in London, meeting the intriguing human Esme, Morgan's meeting with the humans of The Fifth. So much to unravel and so little time to do it in.

Borrowed blood pulsed through his veins, though he would need to feed soon again, the ever present scorching in his throat was growing more pronounced, demanding to be attended to. He would return home to his servants before long.

An energy crept along his skin that broke through the calm. It had been so very long since he had encountered a wolf. It was getting closer, this energy, so he stepped off the path and waited.

[Taylor]

She was on her way back to her house from spending another evening alone. Spending her nights alone didn't bother her she had done it for so long now. Of course she would get the occasional guy that was relentless and wouldn't give up, tonight was no different. Getting fed up with telling people no she wasn't interested. Still a little frustrated she decided to take a walk through the gardens to clear her head before heading home.

Walking along the path she She stuck her hands in the pockets of her mid thigh lenght coat that she had left unbuttoned showing off her form fitting v-neck black shirt and a pair of kahkis. Her heels clicked off the ground as she walked. Getting lost in thought she continued down the path tucking a few stray strands of her dark brown hair behind her ear and replaced her hand in her pocket continuing on her way.

[Vlad]

Footfalls, this time not his own, echoed closer and closer through the night air. The idea of meeting this wolf in his own canine shape grew more tempting with each soft, earthen thud. But then, clad in fur he could not very well converse.

It was a short while until he could make out the form of a woman walking alone along the pathway that wove through the gardens. Her hands tucked firmly in the pockets of a long jacket that emphasized a petite figure. His eyes followed the hand as it tucked stray strands of hair firmly back behind the woman's ear.

When it was apparent that the wolf still did not notice his presence, he stepped from the cloak of shadows and onto the path a short ways in front of the woman. "A most pleasant evening, wouldn't you agree?" He did not raise his voice to cover the distance between them, the wolf would hear him perfectly well. "But forgive me, I have forgotten my manners. I am Vlad."

[Taylor]

She had not been paying attention to anything around her. Just placing one foot in front of the other and making her way home. Looking up when a man seemed to appear from the shadows and stepped out on the path infront of her. Stopping dead in her tracks she looked him over and narrowed her eyes. Hearing his words she raised an eyebrow at him. He was still a good distance away from her and yet he spoke normally where he was.

There was something odd about him but yet familiar. Looking around no one seemed to be paying any attention to him or her and she walked up to him. Leaving a little bit of space between them more for her then him. "Its a very pleasant night..Vlad" She let her eyes wander over him. "I'm Taylor." She kept her face pleasant but she was catious. He felt similar to her but not.

[Vlad]

A soft chuckle trickled from between his lips as the wolf, Taylor, closed the distance between them. Confusion creased the young face, so innocent. But of course she could not be expected to know to who or to what she spoke. At least the young wolf had sensed that something not ordinary, that something that marked him akin to her.

"A delight, surely, Ms. Taylor." He replied, gentleman's smile painting his features. "Might I inquire as to how long you have spent in fair London? For surely I would have recalled such a striking woman." If she was new, then was she a part of this increase of the supernatural that the Fifth and the Council fretted over so? Was this young wolf, as the saying went, trouble walking?

A soft breeze played with the long curls of his hair, so black it rivaled the sky. The wind brought with it the bittersweet, heavy scent of fresh rain, that scent that was more a feel and that clung to the skin in a fine mist. It brought the fragrance of the flowers around them and above all that, the heavy musk of the wolf standing in the waist length coat before him.

The gardens were empty but for him and the wolf as if fate had planned this meeting for them. "It is not becoming for the wolf to hide." He hinted, a good start for the conversation.

[Taylor]

"We will see on that Vlad." She matched his gentleman smile with a smile of her own. Hearing him ask how long she had spent in London. Raising an eyebrow at him she licked her bottom lip. "I have been raised around London my whole life. I have lived here for many years now." She was confused by his questions but she had a feeling he knew what she was. It seemed that everyone was beginning to know what she was.

When the taste of rain was on the air and a gentle breeze wrapped around them. Her eyes wandered around and it seemed that she was left alone with Vlad. She had no idea what he was but his next words caused her eyes to narrow. Shaking her head she smirked and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "Not becoming huh Vlad. How do you know what I am?"

She was beginning to think that she had a sign posted on her saying werewolf right here come and get her. Letting her eyes wander over him she wondered what he was but she would ask her questions and had a feeling he would have more as well.

[Vlad]

"Many years in London? It seems my talents in perception are not what, as they saying goes, they once were. Fate, then, is to blame for depriving me of your company until this night." Pleasant to know that this girl was not a part of whatever it was that was shaking London at it's very foundation.

A chuckle here, straight to the point, a most becoming quality. He watched her hair as it tossed with the shaking of her head and the corner of her mouth as it curled into a smirk. "Why, my wolf, I do believe you can answer your own question. Come close to me so that the wind won't interfere and take a deep breath, what scent clings to me?"

Very young, to not notice the stench of blood and death that clung to vampires as if moss clinging trees. Younger still, not to feel the part of him that allowed his own body to take on the likeness of the wolf. Was she lost and confused as Esme was, in need of a mentor? As the humans said, it seemed to be his week for it.

[Taylor]

She hated to give away her emotions on her face but his words were confusing. She just needed time to shift through them. He said talents of perception not being as they once were and Fate. Well if could have easily picked up on what she was and hadn't these eight years until tonight she had been doing something well. Fate, now fate was a tricky one. It seemed fate was pushing her and other supernatural beings to meet. Well she had good feeling that is what he was.

"Fate is tricky Vlad and I must have just been protecting myself just that good." Her eyes narrowed a little bit when he said that she could answer her own question. He wanted her to step closer to him to scent him. She had never thought of that was glad that the wind was blowing at him. Her eyes moved over him and she stepped closer. She was being catious but that is how she had been living her life.

Walking up to him she stood closer than what was comfortable but she wanted to see if she could do this. She knew that her senses were heightened from her years of being a werewolf but she never tried to purposely use them. Looking at him she glanced around to make sure that they were still alone. Though any passerby would never think that she was smelling him. Breathing in deep the scent of him it took a brain a few seconds to process. Blood, death and wof and she took a step back.

"You smell of death and blood but you are walking talking...Vampire." she licked her bottom lip and looked up to meet his eyes. "You have the lingering smell of a wolf. The question with that is are you like me or are you a shifter?" She asked her question with a smile. So glad that she had done all the reasearch so long ago and some more not to long ago after meeting Adam.

[Vlad]

Parts of her modern speech confused him, not the words but the order they fell from the girl's full lips. His face a composed mask, refusing reveal any inkling of his confusion to the young wolf. It would not do for him to appear naive or slow for that matter. No, no indeed. "No, my wolf. Fate is not tricky for by it's very nature has a set path. Simply confusing for those of us caught within it's web."

Almost tangible, was the distrust rolling from young Ms. Taylor when he asked her to step closer. This was explanation enough as to why he'd never noticed the girl before, it was difficult to find that which hid. It was good to see that she hid, made him glad to see that others had taken it upon themselves to hide without the council's urging. What a smart wolf. Though the part of him that held compassion for humanity cried to see distrust in the eyes of one so young.

He heard her intake of breath and a smirk bepainted his features as he waited for the scents to process. Placing distance between them as soon as she had her answer, again the distrust, tragic and wise. An ancient soul locked in a youthful hull, but ignorant at the same time. Intriguing.

He nodded his approval at her question. "Wise. I am a vampire, and though I am neither wolf nor bat I take their shapes at will. In answer to your inquiry, my wolf, I am not sure I am either but closest to shifter I would think."

[Taylor]

She raised an eyebrow at him when he said that Fate was not tricky just confusing. Well maybe it was confusing and cruel and just unfair. Now was not the time to talk about her views on fate she just shrugged her shoulders. It could have turned out to be an interesting conversation but right now she was paying attention to Vlad. She wondered what was up with all the supernatural beings showing up in London. Either they had kept themselves as well hidden as she had or they were all flocking to the city. She was hoping on the first but no one had ever picked her out before.

After she answered her own question by his scent Taylor noticed his nod and smiled. She listened intently as he said that he was neither a wolf or a bat. Now she must have missed that and it was interesting. He could take on their shape at will and was similiar to a shifter. She was the one to nod now and shook her head slightly. "That is very interesting Vlad but what does a vampire want with me. Or to put it bluntly which I do apologize but why did you stop me?"