Reformed Sinner

Vampire b.1531

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

Matilda looked at her watch and shook her head. “We can go ahead and go. This ‘call’ will finish out my shift. Let me grab my bag?”

Henry nodded. “You bet. Lead the way, officer.” 

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

Mattie acknowledged the quick change of subject and nodded. “We could take a cruiser, full lights and sirens.” She offered.

Henry nodded. “Let’s do it. Do you need to tell anybody? Oh you said you had a shift to finish. Do you want to grab me afterward?”

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

“I’m sure you don’t make people into monsters.” Mattie shook her head. “You’re a kind soul just from what I’ve seen. And you help people. You want to help. That’s saying something.”

“Thanks,” Henry replied, smiling. “But if you had seen my first 200 years, you might disagree.  Anyway--” he said, changing the subject, “we may need your magic, if only we could get to where we needed to go, and fast.”

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

“Not…. a I went to school type of doctor. I was simply a healer. I lied to the townspeople that I was simply very medically inclined.” Mattie shrugged.

Henry chuckled. “Well if you actually helped people down the line, then I would call it a job well done.  I wish I could heal in ways other than making people into monsters. But I guess that’s just not my lot.”

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

Emeline frowned. “That’s so sad.” She said, reflecting on his small story before answering Henry’s question. “I guess I’ve just always wanted to be here. I felt a pull and I just kind of followed.” Emeline shrugged. “I think I like how Celtius acts like a safety net, and I like being around people that are different from me. I romantasized it a lot when I was younger if im being honest.” Emeline laughed.

Henry smiled and nodded. “I know exactly what you mean,” he replied. “When I was growing up, a long time ago, we believed in witches and faeries, and when I was just a boy I wanted a fairy maiden to come and steal me away to her magical land. I guess, in a way, that sort of ended up happening; though not quite how I expected.” He laughed. “Getting drained by a vampire and left in a dirty tenement to become...this,” he said with a gesture to himself, “is a little less romantic.” He laughed.

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

Blue put her hand on the man’s shoulder, nonverballly communicating reassurance to him. “Is it the breach?” Blue asked in her strange lilting voice. “That you’re worried about? I saw the devastation myself, I couldn’t help it. I had to.” Blue said, folding her hands neatly in her lap and looking at the man with a tilt of her head. “You know everything about it, don’t you?”

Henry would normally have been alarmed if a stranger touched him without warning, but this was a calming touch, a soothing presence.

“Y-yes,” he said. “My work grants me privilege to this information.” He took a steadying breath. “It’s a lot worse than we feared. The warlocks are losing their minds trying to figure out how someone with such ill intent can have gotten in.” He took a good look at the woman for the first time. She was lovely. “I’m Henry, by the way.”

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

“North Carolina.” Emeline said, as if it was a confession of a sin. She had no pride in where she was from, and she made sure that people knew that right off the bat. “You lived in New York?” Emeline asked, going off of her vague knowledge of Woodstock.

“Oh nice, I have never been there,” Henry replied.  “But you don’t seem too proud of that, if I’m not mistaking your tone,” he said, a little puzzled. “Is it because of the hunters?” He shrugged. “Not everyone in the south is a hunter.”

“Yes, I spent some time in the mountains of upstate New York. I left England during World War I, and settled in the quiet hills for some self-imposed solitude. Life had grown…unmanageable in England.” He smiled, somewhat sadly.

[curiouserandcuriousxr-blog]

Emeline shrugged, not really wanting to get into the details. “How did it get unmanageable, if you don’t mind me asking.” Emeline had always wanted to explore other countries, but truth be told Celtius was the only place that really felt right to her, and she wanted to establish her life there before even thinking about traveling. It felt like home. The breach had terrified her for this reason.

[henryclaypoole]

Henry smiled. "I don't mind. I fell in love with a human woman, and she brought out the best in me. We got married. Then she... She got sick. She died. She wouldn't let me save her. I had to go away; get away from London, so I went to live alone in the mountains." He sighed. "But enough about me! How did a girl from North Carolina wind up in Celtius, if you don't mind sharing?"

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

“I’m a witch…. never portaled.” She frowned. “Mostly I heal people. Like I was town ‘doctor’ …. a couple of centuries ago. Most of my potions are just for show.”

“Ah, well...maybe we can find a warlock to create a portal for us.” Henry said, thinking.  “You were a doctor? That’s great-- we might be able to put your skills to use if we need to...” he trailed off, not wanting to consider the possibility further.

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

“North Carolina.” Emeline said, as if it was a confession of a sin. She had no pride in where she was from, and she made sure that people knew that right off the bat. “You lived in New York?” Emeline asked, going off of her vague knowledge of Woodstock.

“Oh nice, I have never been there,” Henry replied.  “But you don’t seem too proud of that, if I’m not mistaking your tone,” he said, a little puzzled. “Is it because of the hunters?” He shrugged. “Not everyone in the south is a hunter.”

“Yes, I spent some time in the mountains of upstate New York. I left England during World War I, and settled in the quiet hills for some self-imposed solitude. Life had grown...unmanageable in England.” He smiled, somewhat sadly.

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

Mattie nodded and smiled. “I would like that. Having someone with me. I… if the wards are down, whoever did this is out there. I love this place so much, and the people in it. I want to keep them safe.”

Henry nodded. “I understand, and I agree. OK, let’s heard out that way when your shift is over. Are you a witch or warlock? Will you be able to portal us?”

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

Mattie nodded. “Okay. I’ll do that once I’m off. I’ve never encountered something like this. Celtius has always felt so safe to me.”

“Same here,” Henry said, and shook his head. “I guess this will remind us not to let our guard down.” Henry hadn’t seen any sort of action in a long time; he had sworn off violence of any sort over 150 years ago, and had remained out of the fray ever since. Perhaps it was time to step up, after all, it was for the right reasons. “Maybe...maybe I should come with you.”

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

“Leanne Hollis, she’d only look around thirtyish looking, if my mom is telling the story faithfully.” Leanne’s story had been passed down through generations of Emeline’s family. She’d been married, but she fell in love with another man, he’d been a vampire. The two had bonded and Leanne was changed, and after Celtius had been created the two left, and no one in Emeline’s family had heard from Leanne since. “You’ve been here for fifty years?” Emeline asked, interested. She knew it wasn’t that long of a time for the supernatural, but it still felt long to her.

“Yes, fifty years. I came over here after the woodstock music festival ruined my peaceful Catskill mountain sanctuary,” Henry laughed. “As for your grandmother, I wonder if she’s using the same name, or if she took her husband’s...” he trailed off, thinking. “Either way, I’ll ask around, see if any of the elders have heard of anyone like that. Where is your family from?”

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

Mattie sighed and shook her head. “What else can I do to help? My shift ends in a half hour, tell me what I can do?”

Henry thought a moment. “I don’t know, I suppose I’m not the right person to ask,” he sighed. “I’m told that Jade Delacroix, one of the investigators, is there right now looking at evidence. Perhaps you could go help her? I think the founders are putting together a plan as we speak.”

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

Emeline shook his hand with a smile, her ego being stroked by the fact that he thought she was strong. “Celtius just called to me, I guess. Family stuff too, my great great- I don’t know how many greats actually Grandmother was turned into a vampire like a while ago, and I guess I was hoping maybe I’d meet her here too. It just added fuel to the fire.” Emeline said with a shrug. “I’m Emeline Hollis by the way.”

“Really!” Henry said, surprised. This definitely stoked his interest, and his worry about the breach lessened slightly-- if only for a moment. “I’ve been here for about fifty years but I know others who have been here much longer. I could ask around. What is her name?”

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

“I’m not.” Emeline said, shaking her head. She had a few aqquantinces who were supernatural, as well as coworkers, but she stuck to herself for the most part. She was fascinated by the people she was surrounded by, but that fascination didn’t work well for having more than casual conversations. She just had too many questions. “I’ve done pretty well at handling myself so far though.”

“I’ve no doubt,” Henry said, and managed a small smile. “I have the utmost admiration for humans and what they are capable of.” Henry thought this young woman could be a prime example of that perseverance.  “Forgive me if I’m too forward, but you seem quite young. What brought you to Celtius all alone?  Oh, and I’m Henry, by the way. Henry Claypoole.” He held out his hand in greeting. “Pleasure to meet you.”

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

“They-What?” Emeline gasped, horrified. She’d heard about the breach, but not about this. “Holy shit.” Emeline’s mind started going wild, thinking of all of the possibilities. It had to be a rogue hunter, it was the only explanation. What if it was someone she knew? Someone she loved? She couldn’t stand the idea of anyone hurting the country that she loved more than her own being. She knew she had to relax though. They didn’t know who it was, it wasn’t necessarily a hunter. It probably was though. “A whole settlement, gone?”

“Yeah,” Henry said quietly. “It was small, but still over a dozen people. We’re still investigating, apparently.”  He looked over at the young woman. “You’re a human. Are you paired with a supernatural, to protect you?  Not to imply that you can’t take care of yourself,” he hastily added. “There’s just...you know. Safety in numbers.”

[henryclaypoole]

open start: crisis management

[henryclaypoole]

“I heard there was a breach I just haven’t gotten anymore info. Chief has me on patrol here in town. I want to help though. Do…. do you know who did it? Or what caused it?” She asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Henry shook his head. “There were killings. Since it occurred so soon after the wards went down, the logical conclusion is that it was a demon or hunters, but we don’t really know anything yet, or where they are now.” He sighed. “It’s the worst I’ve seen since Celtius was founded, and everyone is in danger.”