You don't know me.

Noemi Marsh. 31. She/her. History & literature. Not much else. Regs do not interact.  (Re:Vamp RP)

[laneluthorblog]

librarygirl​:

“Yeah well,” Karma showed her empty hands, “we were just looking around. And now we’re leaving. Empty-handed, alright?” There was the undertone of a growl to her words - she couldn’t help it - but she tugged Noemi toward the stairs and the exit.

The vampire followed silently, never taking her eyes off Lorna for more than a second. A year. She’d been trying to find the woman she loved for a year, and this chance encounter was the only luck she’d had. She wasn’t going to just walk away without trying… something.

As if reading her thoughts, Karma tightened her grip on Noemi’s arm. Her ex knew her too well.

“You gonna let us go or what?” the volph demanded, staring the Reg in the eye.

“I need confirmation from all of you,” Lorna said. Simple. Unbothered. “Unless you were watching each other the entire time?”

Lane’s jaw tightened. It didn’t show—no, she’d never let it *show*. In her line of work, there was a time and place for being smart with a cop and one for being sharp, and, when cornered with two vulnerable aliens, it was time to just be silent and get out.

… Three.

“I’ve nothing I didn’t bring with me.”

The Regulator’s eyes shifted to Noemi. Waiting.

[librarygirl]

Noemi met Lorna's eyes. She didn't try to find her girlfriend in that gaze; she knew she was there, but hidden. Trapped. She didn't expect to be able to get through to the woman behind the Regulator, but she needed to find something to work with.

Cracks in the armor

"I've got nothing," she spoke quietly. "But I was here when it happened. I can give a statement if you want."

She didn't look to see her friends' reactions. She didn't need to.

[archaeologicalnews]

Ancient hoard of gold Roman coins discovered in plowed UK field

A cache of gold coins found buried on farmland in the United Kingdom has caught the attention of coin experts, who have linked the treasure trove to the Roman Empire.

So far, metal detectorists have discovered 11 coins on a remote stretch of cultivated field located in Norfolk, a rural county near England’s eastern coast, and experts remain hopeful that more could be unearthed in the future.

Damon and Denise Pye, a pair of local metal detectorists, found the first of several gold coins in 2017, after local farmers finished plowing the soil at the end of the harvest season, which made the land prime for exploration. The haul has been dubbed “The Broads Hoard” by local numismatists (coin specialists and collectors), for its geographic location near The Broads, a network of rivers and lakes that run through the English countryside. Read more.

[laneluthorblog]

librarygirl​:

Noemi didn’t hear Lane or feel the hand on her shoulder. Her arm fell to her side, letting a single drop of blood spatter on the dry pool bottom. She was frozen in place, eyes locked on the woman by the door.

It had been a year since she’d seen Lorna’s face. Eyes wide with shock as she was pulled away, her hand ripped out of Noemi’s. This wasn’t that face. This was the fake, uncaring smile of the Regulator she’d met the night her sister had attacked Charlie. The indifferent voice of the woman who’d tried to kill Isfet, who’d told her ‘We’re done’ in a tone that clearly said ’You mean nothing to me.’

Karma hopped down beside the vampire, taking her arm. Her volph ears twitched in irritation because she couldn’t change them back.

“Let’s get out of here, hon,” she said quietly. “There’s nothing we can do for her now.”

Noemi didn’t respond.

Lane looked up from the cut to Karma and her twitching ears. Calm as everyone seemed right now, it would only take a moment for the situation to turn and all of them, Regulator included (and no doubt why she’d disabled their powers the moment she’d arrived), knew it.

She nudged Noemi forward from the other side, towards the stairs and away from Lorna.

“Just a second.”

Lane closed her eyes and breathed in. Shit.

“Yes?”

“No property is allowed to be removed at this time.” The Regulator’s dandelion puff of hair bounced as she nodded towards the tools in Lane’s hand. “Any aspects of the tree included.”

[librarygirl]

"Yeah well," Karma showed her empty hands, "we were just looking around. And now we're leaving. Empty-handed, alright?" There was the undertone of a growl to her words - she couldn't help it - but she tugged Noemi toward the stairs and the exit.

The vampire followed silently, never taking her eyes off Lorna for more than a second. A year. She'd been trying to find the woman she loved for a year, and this chance encounter was the only luck she'd had. She wasn't going to just walk away without trying... something.

As if reading her thoughts, Karma tightened her grip on Noemi's arm. Her ex knew her too well.

"You gonna let us go or what?" the volph demanded, staring the Reg in the eye.

[sendusablade]

librarygirl​:

A small but genuine smile lit up Noemi’s face at the idea of Charlie spending more time here. She looked up to share it with her friend, but it faded just as quickly when she saw the other woman’s hands shaking.

“What’s the matter?” she asked with concern. Her hand reached out, but she stopped herself. She didn’t want to make Charlie more uncomfortable, especially if…

If this was because of her.

“Nothing.” Charlie said quickly, scrubbing harder at a stubborn speck of food. It was able to still her hands for now. “It’s nothing. It’s just been a while since I’ve been in this kitchen, you know.” She didn’t sound convincing, even to herself. 

[librarygirl]

Noemi nodded her understanding. This house had accumulated a lot of bad memories for Charlie.

"You can go if you want to. I'll finish those. Or we can go out for coffee," she offered, not wanting her friend to leave yet. She'd withdrawn from most of her social circles over the past few months, but this party had reminded her how much she missed everyone.

[laneluthorblog]

librarygirl​:

“This isn’t what I agreed to,” Noemi grumbled, not too seriously, as she descended the cracked steps into the shallow end. She approached one of the holes, kneeling down and peering into it. This side of the pool was mostly dry, but she could see the glint of water down there, probably within reach.

Swearing silently to herself, she rolled up the sleeve of her sweater and stuck her arm down into the hole. There was something. Smooth, cold, sharp.

“Ah!” It came out as a loud whisper. She yanked her arm out to examine her bleeding hand.

“Shit.” Karma swiftly made her way over to Noemi’s side of the pool. “What happened?”

“Just a cut.” Noemi watched the wound close. “Something’s down there though, maybe another seed-” She stopped and glanced up when Karma’s head whipped back around to face the door.

“Someone’s-”

The volph didn’t get the chance to finish.

“Are you three lost?”

A voice, clear and… not cold, that would be better than the impersonal tone it took echoed through the empty pool room. Lane swiveled towards it and froze, unable to keep herself from glancing towards Noemi. 

Lane had never met Logan’s twin. It figured she’d pick right now. Blue eyes shifted from the Regulator to vampire, and the taller woman began to close the gap between them, slowly.

“The pool area is closed.” Lorna smiled without it reaching her eyes.

“We were just leaving.” Lane rested a hand on Noemi’s shoulder and glanced down, trying to catch her attention. Instead, her eyes froze on the small, but still-bleeding cut on Noemi’s hand. She squeezed her shoulder.

Don’t do anything rash.

[librarygirl]

Noemi didn't hear Lane or feel the hand on her shoulder. Her arm fell to her side, letting a single drop of blood spatter on the dry pool bottom. She was frozen in place, eyes locked on the woman by the door.

It had been a year since she'd seen Lorna's face. Eyes wide with shock as she was pulled away, her hand ripped out of Noemi's. This wasn't that face. This was the fake, uncaring smile of the Regulator she'd met the night her sister had attacked Charlie. The indifferent voice of the woman who'd tried to kill Isfet, who'd told her 'We're done' in a tone that clearly said 'You mean nothing to me.'

Karma hopped down beside the vampire, taking her arm. Her volph ears twitched in irritation because she couldn't change them back.

"Let's get out of here, hon," she said quietly. "There's nothing we can do for her now."

Noemi didn't respond.

[laneluthorblog]

librarygirl​:

Karma returned the wink. “I told you babe, I got you.”

She trained her senses on the door, gold eyes illuminating and ears morphing into their volph shape.

“All clear for now,” she murmured after a few seconds.

“Okay. Thanks Karm,” Noemi answered, somewhat comforted by the extra set of eyes and ears keeping watch, but still not quite comfortable lingering longer than necessary.

“Find anything?” she asked Lane.

“Not yet. Now that the distractions are over, perhaps? You take the shallow side.”

She’d been hesitant to ask Karma - inviting more to the party was likely asking to be caught. But now that her fun had been had, they could settle into it. In, out.

Easy.

[librarygirl]

"This isn't what I agreed to," Noemi grumbled, not too seriously, as she descended the cracked steps into the shallow end. She approached one of the holes, kneeling down and peering into it. This side of the pool was mostly dry, but she could see the glint of water down there, probably within reach.

Swearing silently to herself, she rolled up the sleeve of her sweater and stuck her arm down into the hole. There was something. Smooth, cold, sharp.

"Ah!" It came out as a loud whisper. She yanked her arm out to examine her bleeding hand.

"Shit." Karma swiftly made her way over to Noemi's side of the pool. "What happened?"

"Just a cut." Noemi watched the wound close. "Something's down there though, maybe another seed-" She stopped and glanced up when Karma's head whipped back around to face the door.

"Someone's-"

The volph didn't get the chance to finish.

[laneluthorblog]

librarygirl​:

Karma snorted. “I know for a fact she already has one, and I can’t imagine you don’t.”

She squatted down near the edge of the pool. “So what are you planning to do with whatever you find?”

Noemi glanced at the door, hoping no one was noticing all the talking coming from the closed pool room. Getting kicked out by the staff didn’t particularly scare her, but if the regs were still watching the place…

Her thoughts about them had gotten complicated again, and she didn’t want to deal with that right now.

Lane had looked to the side with a wicked smile and winked at Karma. Criminal records were less of the problem when one knew how to hide their tracks, and she’d learned a lot about doing so where Regulators were concerned since…

Noemi had gone awfully quiet. Lane recognized this for the redirection it was, and let it happen.

“Mm, it depends on what we find, doesn’t it? So! Who’s our look-out?”

[librarygirl]

Karma returned the wink. "I told you babe, I got you."

She trained her senses on the door, gold eyes illuminating and ears morphing into their volph shape.

"All clear for now," she murmured after a few seconds.

"Okay. Thanks Karm," Noemi answered, somewhat comforted by the extra set of eyes and ears keeping watch, but still not quite comfortable lingering longer than necessary.

"Find anything?" she asked Lane.

[librarygirl]

Surprise Party

"Coffee?" Noemi asked her remaining guest, already reaching for the can.

She was grateful to Charlie for staying to help clean up after her birthday party. Not that there was much cleaning to be done. It had been a small, quiet gathering, just a few close friends and a couple of surprise visitors.

Still, she appreciated the company. Karma was away - visiting a friend, she'd said - and despite having people around all day, Noemi didn't feel like being alone right now.

"I'm making it either way," she added with a small smile.

[sendusablade]

librarygirl​:

Noemi had already turned away before Charlie spoke, so the other woman couldn’t her face when the remnant of her smile faded from it. She may have been able to notice the vampire freeze for just a moment before busying herself with the coffee pot.

“Yeah,” she answered in a neutral tone. “I guess so. But I do a decent job on my own.”

So few friends left to share it with.

Charlie knew she fucked up. She didn’t need to see Noemi’s face or her freezing up. 

“Well, that’ll change from now on.” She said quickly as she made her way past Noemi and to the sink. “Just so you know, I will be mooching off of you whenever I can.” 

No plates met the floor on the way and that was enough of a win for her to ignore the shaking of her hands as she scrubbed away at them. Fuck. Clearly, her body had not forgotten what happened to her in this kitchen with Isfet. She just hoped Noemi wouldn’t notice.

[librarygirl]

A small but genuine smile lit up Noemi's face at the idea of Charlie spending more time here. She looked up to share it with her friend, but it faded just as quickly when she saw the other woman's hands shaking.

"What's the matter?" she asked with concern. Her hand reached out, but she stopped herself. She didn't want to make Charlie more uncomfortable, especially if...

If this was because of her.

[litsnaps]

[litsnaps]

[librarygirl]

Surprise Party

"Coffee?" Noemi asked her remaining guest, already reaching for the can.

She was grateful to Charlie for staying to help clean up after her birthday party. Not that there was much cleaning to be done. It had been a small, quiet gathering, just a few close friends and a couple of surprise visitors.

Still, she appreciated the company. Karma was away - visiting a friend, she'd said - and despite having people around all day, Noemi didn't feel like being alone right now.

"I'm making it either way," she added with a small smile.

[sendusablade]

Charlie was in the middle of stacking plates slathered in all types of food at a precarious height when Noemi spoke up. She jumped a little, but managed to keep hold of it by some miracle.

“Oh! Uh. Yeah, sure.” She smiled back, “Bet you’re-uhhh. Going through that much slower now.” Charlie said awkwardly nodding towards the can. She immediately regretted bringing attention to that fact. Stupid.

[librarygirl]

Noemi had already turned away before Charlie spoke, so the other woman couldn't her face when the remnant of her smile faded from it. She may have been able to notice the vampire freeze for just a moment before busying herself with the coffee pot.

"Yeah," she answered in a neutral tone. "I guess so. But I do a decent job on my own."

So few friends left to share it with.

[librarygirl]

Surprise Party

"Coffee?" Noemi asked her remaining guest, already reaching for the can.

She was grateful to Charlie for staying to help clean up after her birthday party. Not that there was much cleaning to be done. It had been a small, quiet gathering, just a few close friends and a couple of surprise visitors.

Still, she appreciated the company. Karma was away - visiting a friend, she'd said - and despite having people around all day, Noemi didn't feel like being alone right now.

"I'm making it either way," she added with a small smile.

[archaeologicalnews]

First Pompeiian human genome sequenced

The first successfully sequenced human genome from an individual who died in Pompeii, Italy, after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE is presented this week in a study published in Scientific Reports. Prior to this, only short stretches of mitochondrial DNA from Pompeiian human and animal remains had been sequenced.

Gabriele Scorrano and colleagues examined the remains of two individuals who were found in the House of the Craftsman in Pompeii and extracted their DNA. The shape, structure, and length of the skeletons indicated that one set of remains belonged to a male who was aged between 35 and 40 years at the time of his death, while the other set of remains belonged to a female aged over 50 years old. Read more.

[archaeologicalnews]

Lasers reveal 'lost' pre-Hispanic civilization deep in the Amazon

Millions of lasers shot from a helicopter flying over the Amazon basin have revealed evidence of unknown settlements built by a “lost” pre-Hispanic civilization, resolving a long-standing scientific debate about whether the region could sustain a large population, a new study finds.

The findings indicate the mysterious Casarabe people — who lived in the Llanos de Mojos region of the Amazon basin between A.D. 500 and 1400 — were much more numerous than previously thought, and that they had developed an extensive civilization that was finely adapted to the unique environment they lived in, according to the study, published online Wednesday (May 25) in the journal Nature. Read more.

[archaeologicalnews]

UK kitchen vase turns out to be $1.8 million Qing-dynasty treasure

A royal blue 18th-century Chinese vase decorated with gold and silver, which sat in a U.K. kitchen for several years, just sold at auction for about $1.8 million after historians realized it had once belonged to an emperor.

However, the vase’s unclear history — combined with the looting of Chinese palaces in the 19th century — raises ethical concerns, according to an expert who was not involved with the sale.

The vase is large, about 2 feet (0.6 meters) tall, and it is marked with a symbol associated with the Qianlong emperor — the sixth emperor of the Qing dynasty, the country’s last imperial dynasty — who ruled China from 1735 to 1795, according to a statement released by the auction company Dreweatts, which sold the vase on May 18. Read more.

[litsnaps]

[archaeologicalnews]

A woman bought a sculpture at Goodwill for $34.99. It actually was a missing ancient Roman bust.

An ancient Roman bust from around the first century that had been missing for decades has finally made its way into the San Antonio Museum of Art, and all it took was for one artist to buy it from a Texas Goodwill for under $40.

In 2018, art collector Laura Young was shopping at a Goodwill store in Austin, Texas when she stumbled upon a sculpture on the floor beneath a table, according to the San Antonio Museum of Art. Someone that looks for undervalued or rare art pieces, Young told The Art Newspaper she bought the piece for $34.99, and a picture of it after she bought it shows it buckled up in her car with a price tag on its cheek.

After buying the bust, Young noticed it looked very old and worn, so she wanted to find out when and where it came from. Read more.