Re-opening night in downtown Orlando

Melissa showed up at the re-opening about an hour after the doors open in hopes of avoiding a line. It still baffled her how despite searching the internet she had no more information on what happened that night. She couldn't even find any personal accounts from anyone claiming they were there. Normally such events wouldn't interest her, but due to the magnificent cover up job that the powers that be were doing, she couldn't help but be fascinated by it.

She wasn't used to the loud noise that filled the club, nor was she used to the bump and grind dancing that people were doing on the dance floor. Deciding to avoid getting hit on by anyone, Melissa headed straight for the bar and sat at the end waiting for the bartender to finish serving another couple. She hoped that by being perhaps the only woman dressed in dress pants and a suit jacket, it would be enough to ward off the playboy types but to stand out enough to catch the attention of any undead types.

Raven had slipped into the bar as soon as he was able to move through the city. The Prince had told him to keep an eye on the place, they hadn't found out anything and it had cost a pretty penny to keep some stuff from the Press as it was. He had been sitting up on the loft when he flet the lesser beast walk into the club. She was new he hadn't felt her before she was weaker then him and the sudden flash of hurling himself off the balcony and at her, ripping her to shreds just for the fun slipped away as he caged his beast. He waited for one of the few and sparse wait staff to come by and pointed her out and whispered into her ear. He watched as the waitress went to the upstairs bar and then walked down to the women in the suit.



"Excuse me but the man up thier..."

She turns and points to the massive form of Raven sitting up on the balcony...

"Got you this drink"

Melissa can smell the faint smell of blood coming off the drink.

Melissa looks up at the large bearded man looking down at her. So much for warding off the playboys, she thought, that was until she caught the scent of the drink the waitress handed to her.

"Thank you" Melissa says to the waitress, smiling as she looks up at the man and gives him a friendly nod. She presses the glass to her lips and felt a hint of euphoria as it went down.

Getting out of her seat, Melissa makes her way up to the balcony to the table the man is sitting at. Once she walks up to him she says, "Thank you for the drink, I'm not exactly familiar with the club scene and feel a little out of my element. Is this seat taken Mr....?"

"Mr. Masters, and isn't a club the best place for the modern predator to hunt for modern prey?" "Isnt that what they are doing in thier own way?"


Melissa smiles and says, "Mr. Masters, nice to meet you. My name is Dr. Watkins." she says taking a seat and extending her hand, "Perhaps you're right in this being the best place" she says, "I guess when I say out of my element I'm in reference to hearing 'Poker Face' on the stereo. However, my business here was not in looking for prey if that was what it seemed, but I won't say that I wasn't happy to indulge in what you bought me. I just hope I'm not interrupting you're own hunt."

She grinned when he mentioned bearing allegiance to someone who could make lives unbearable. It was so nice to be right sometimes.

"I've only been here for one night so far as I just moved in. The reason I'm here tonight was to look for someone who could introduce me to the appropriate person to bear allegiance to, as I know it is the custom in this city as it was in my previous city." she says, "As to any family. I don't know specifically of any friends to look for, but I have many sisters back home and if there were any here as well I'd be interested in meeting them. Is there a way the one you bear allegiance to can help me with that?"

Hit in the head? Melissa wondered. Apparently he didn't understand what she was talking about. Still, at the mention of Dragons and Cross, she figured he had to know at least one nickname for her family as well, just not the one she was used to.

"I suppose we can start with the main dog as you say first and then go from there. I'm sorry for not being clear before, I know my family well. When I say sisters, I suppose I mean Acolytes, which I know is a more well known term amongst others. Past that, the only other thing I'm missing is employment which I was seeking to remedy after speaking with the person in charge of things here."

Melissa held her tongue as she listened to him explain family and friends. She generally saw things as less black and white and more of a grey area, but then again, her sire warned her of her naivete having consequences like now. At the mention of Savagery, she felt a bit on edge, his size was intimidating enough, but knowing that his ties lay within the wilder side.

"I get you." she said, "In that case, my family is known for it's secrecy and remaining hidden in the Shadows. Although I admittedly have done a poor job so far tonight. In terms of a position, I was looking towards a more academic role with a university around here. But if there is anything I can do for the person in charge here I'd be more than happy to offer my services to him. I'm very good at seeking the truth, which in some ways was what brought me here tonight after reading what happened several weeks earlier. But we can discuss that at another time. I'll follow your lead if you don't mind." she said, putting some money in for tip as well as she got out of her seat.

As she gets closer to her car she points and says, "There's my car." pointing to the red cavalier.

"I apologize again Mr. Masters" she prefaces, "This is the first city I'm new to since my embrace and I'm overlooking the fact that I am a stranger in your eyes when I speak nonchalantly like this. I do understand the risks of working at a school and would never consider it if I knew it would truly jeopardize exposing our world. If I were to search for something, and this is still hypothetical as I haven't actually looked for one yet, it would be in a position where I would only need to be there one night a week. With Psychologists, many of them only get hired into a university to do research and are left to their own business. Most faculty don't even learn the names of each other half the time so it is easy to remain hidden in this setting. Still, if it would please you and the powers that be, I can find a different alternatives that would better uphold the Masquerade."

Melissa just nodded and said, "Certainly" as she unlocked the doors to his car. She could tell from his body language she had said nothing to assuage his unease. Still, it was better now than before presenting herself and she knew she was going to have to be extra careful in front of him.

As she got in the car she started the engine and asked, "Where are you parked?"