The Front Lobby

[Eli]

Continued from: Katrina's Bedroom.


Eli was quick to follow Katrina's commands, as always, and before too long, he was stood just in the doorway to Carey Hall, watching the stairs silently for any signs of the vampire. He knew it wouldn't be unlike her to delay her own arrival; perhaps to tease him, and remind him just who had command. She was allowed to take her time... Eli wasn't.

Glancing briefly over his shoulder to reassure himself that the car was there, he soon diverted his eyes back to the staircase in the lobby that led down from the upper floors, and took in a deep breath. The sun had already set, and he had a feeling that Katrina wouldn't want to return home until the sun was about to rise again.

[Katrina]

Katrina glided down the stairs and noted that Eli had done as he was told - no surprise there. She moved to the driver's seat and when she lifted the door handle, it was locked. Without expression, she took the keys from Eli's hand, and closing her fist around them used them for weight to the punch she threw to his side.

"You should never forget to open the door for a lady." As the wolf winced, she opened the car and sat in the driver's seat. "Get in, mongrel."

[Eli]

The blow knocked the wind out of him enough to leave him standing outside of the car breathless for a moment, wincing, before he pulled himself back to his full height and pushed the discomfort away; it was a false reprieve from the force of the blow, but something he'd taught himself to do years ago.

He did as he was told, sitting himself in the car without a word, eyes lowered lest he displease her in some new way; it hadn't taken him long, after his initial capture, to realise it took very little to rub her the wrong way, and he'd incurred her wrath many times in the past with the simplest of things.

[Katrina]

Katrina turned on the engine and smoothly accelerated out of the driveway, heading into town.

"Now - let's see. Some good hunting ground... ah yes. Near that nightclub...or the art gallery. Yes. Excellent. I'll drop you off and park the car - and you can find one and bring it to me. You'll know where I am."

Accelerating, she opened the window and gave a laugh as the moon appeared around a bend.

Continued at the Onyx

[Katrina]

Continued from The Alleyways and Exteriors with Eli

Katrina pulled the car up smoothly to the hall and got out, leaving Eli to put it away. As she entered into the lobby, she walked up and down a couple of times. She'd fed, watched a fight... and there was still night left. How dull.

"There has to be something else to do." She picked up a small piece of bric and brac and threw it against the wall. The maid would clean it up. Or she could get Eli to clean it. She moved over to the front door again and looked out at the city. Perhaps I should find a few more werewolves. Kill them this time. The idea had merit.

"Eli!" She yelled. "Guard the house. Eat. Whatever. I'm leaving." She ran out the front door and began to move through the night at speed - looking for clues as to who lived in the city... and if the wolves there would promise some chase to be had.

Continued at The Onyx

[Eli]

Eli had been closing the garage when he heard Katrina call to him, and as he turned from the now-shut door, he saw her form disappearing into the night. She was gone. Eli blinked his green-hazel eyes, and paused where he stood, before letting himself feel the discomfort. Pulling a face, he headed back for the lobby, and inside, closing the door quietly behind him. Even though the vampire was out, he was used to staying quiet, and making no more noise than was necessary. Biting his bottom lip gently, he realised he had his back to the door, and opened his mouth in a silent gasp. He pulled off the shirt Katrina had stolen for him, and winced. He didn’t care if the shirt was dirty; he could wash it. But he had to clean the wounds, at least… something else he had gotten used to in his time.

Carrying his shirt in his hand, and glancing to his torn forearm, he sighed, and headed up to his room, and its little bathroom.


Continued in: Eli’s Room.

[Eli]

Continued from: Eli’s Room.


Having gotten himself something simple to eat from the kitchen — he knew what he was allowed to touch, and what was off-limits — he had returned to the front lobby, and subsequently, the steps outside the front door itself. He seated himself in the pleasantly cool night air, adopting a relaxed but subtly ready posture, book in hand. He would sit there until Katrina returned, guarding the house while at the same time indulging in the only real hobby he had.

He would hear or smell anything coming long before it presented itself, whether it be wildlife or any kind of intrusion on the property. Taking his eyes from the surrounding area, dark though it was, he opened the book, and started to read.

[Katrina]

Continued from: Club Exterior and Alleyways

Katrina approached the house smoothly and gracefully. The journey back had been fast and invigorating. A hot bath would be perfect before settling in for the morning. She saw Eli before he moved, but by the time she was within 100 feet from the house, his head was up and looking in her direction.

She looked down at him as she walked inside. "I assume that when I awaken, everything will be in order?" Without waiting for the positive reply she knew would come, she climbed the strairs to her room to sleep for the day. Before heading up, she said, "Full moon soon, dog. You know what that means."

[Eli]

Continued from: Katrina’s Bedroom.


It hadn’t taken the trembling Eli long to get the car, as he had been told. It was parked, just behind him, waiting to be driven away from Carey Hall. He stood, uncomfortable, just inside the door to the lobby, watching the stairs as he felt his wolf pace eagerly within him. It knew it was close to time; it could be free soon.

And it had heard Katrina’s ‘promise’… it knew it would be allowed to run free, and wreak havoc, if only for one night. Eli could feel the unbridled, bestial joy from inside, and it caused him to tremble again. Eli hated being frightened, especially of himself.

[Katrina]

Continued from Katrina's bedroom

Katrina held her hand out. "Keys." Eli handed them over, and she saw the relief in his eyes that he wouldn't be driving them into town. She would have enjoyed that, but it was impractical for tonight. The door was open for her, she gave a smug smile of satisfaction.

She got in and started the car, waiting for Eli to get in. "Buckle up for safety." Her tone was light, but the green of her eyes made it sound so much less pleasant.

As he closed his door, she revved the engine and they took off.

Continued in Backstreets

[Katrina]

Continued from: Backstreets with Eli and Flynn

Katrina pulled the car into the drive with a jerk and blew an errant lock of hair out of her face. Looking at the wolf sprawled on the seat beside her, bleeding onto the seat, she scowled. The human had left a mess in the backseat too. "You can clean all this up when the stupid moon's over." She opened her door and stepped out into the night. The turn of events had made her remember that Eli was not to be trusted during the moon - which meant that she, Katrina had made a mistake. And then she'd had to fight him - she'd not been worried about winning, but it had definitely been a waste of effort and blood. She'd have to feed again tonight now.

Scowling, she moved to the side of the car and opened the front door. Reaching into the back, she felt the human's cheek. He was still out, and probably in shock. He'd not awaken for a while yet. Eli, on the other hand - the small moans coming from the man's mouth meant he'd be waking up - and then wolfing again. Time to get him downstairs, and now. Rolling her eyes, she hefted the young man over her shoulder. Extra strength came in handy, but he was still cumbersome.

Continued in: The Basement with Eli

[Eli]

Continued from: The Basement Cell.


The ruined shirt was quickly disposed of in the usual way, Eli knowing by now how to handle such things; it had been his responsibility for several years, decades even, and he wasn’t about to break from routine. That would earn him a painful cuff to the back of the head, or something worse, and he was keen to avoid a fresh scolding, if at all possible. No matter how hard he tried, it seemed impossible for him to avoid them altogether. Eli had yet to learn how to keep Katrina from lashing out for an entire night.

If there was some secret to it, he had yet to discover it.

With the car keys in his hand, and a fresh - about as fresh as they came, at least - set of clothes covering his body, the last ones splashed with water and salt, he headed for the basement door again, knowing Katrina would want him to carry the other werewolf up from below.


Continued in: The Basement Cell.

[Eli]

Continued from: The Basement Cell with Flynn.


Flynn hadn’t moved at all, even when Eli climbed the steps and nudged the solid basement door open with one foot, wobbling only for a fraction of a moment as he balanced on one foot with the prone, young werewolf’s weight in his arms. Disconcerting, but not unexpected. At least not to someone who knew Katrina as Eli did. He had lived most of his life in her ‘employ’, doing whatever she asked of him, obeying her and experiencing the brunt of her anger, whatever the cause. It was a miracle Flynn was still breathing.

And he was. As shallow and shaky as it was, it was there, disturbing the stillness of his chest, his heart fluttering beneath the surface of his bruised, bloodied chest. Eli felt a pang of fierce regret in his chest, like a twisting blade, and he frowned, more a grimace than anything, averting his eyes for only a moment before realising he was standing still, not moving or being at all useful, with a half-dead man in his arms.

Katrina wouldn’t like that. He needed to get moving.

[Katrina]

Continued from The Basement Cell

Katrina stood in the front lobby. He'd been moving, and he'd stopped. If she hadn't have already been in such a good mood at the thought of her name being associated with fear, she might have been angry. But she was slightly annoyed. "Eli! Move!" She snapped her fingers once. "Get up here with that, get him in the car and move fast or ..." Her eyes flashed as she paced once.

Dogs. She'd drop this waste of flesh at the other dog's house. A calling card of a kind, and then all would be set. She'd send a message to them, and then perhaps.. her lip curled into a smile. Her Eli could go hunting again, and together they could try to break another. One who had been wolf longer.

The idea still made her want to purr with glee, but she refrained, turning to watch Eli move into the room. Taking up her whip, she cracked it against the tiles twice. "Move, Eli! Or feel this on your back too!"

[Eli]

The recognisable, sudden crack made Eli start, and it was a kind of miracle that he didn’t drop Flynn in his alarm. His heart hammered, the wolf in him stirred only to curl right back and down, ears flat and posture low and submissive, and Eli’s throat felt dry. Momentarily, his feet forgot how to move, but then he was in motion, remembering the way to the garage and wasting little time in getting things organised.

It didn’t take him long to get things organised after Katrina’s threat, years of ‘training’ snapping his mind into an odd kind of focus. Before five minutes had passed, Eli had gotten Flynn into the back of an appropriate vehicle, and pulled that car around to the front of Carey Hall, stepping through the front doors of the lobby, the engine idling outside as he stepped back from the door for Katrina to exit ahead of him.