Learning How Not To Die 101

[MementoMori]

Ever since his meeting with his cousins, Naoise, and Psych at the library, Kieran had been all the more interested in the supernatural. For it had seemed like had just barely scratched the surface for what was out there, not to mention their own family history. What ensued over the next few weeks was him using any and all methods available to try to find out more. So he scoured the library, surfed the net and even called a few of his contacts to see what they knew about this city.

What little he was able to dig up pointed to deaths under mysterious circumstances that seemed to coincide with the city's founding and then reoccur at different intervals up until present day. Most cities tended to have their own tall tales but this one seemed to take the cake the more he was able to dig up. Again he couldn't help but think that he was barely getting the whole story as to what was going on. For now that he knew that there were other creatures out there. This had to mean that some of them had to be responsible for some of the phenomena that was being reported.

What caught his attention the most was the sudden absence in deaths in one area of the city. What equally had raised his suspicions further was the sheer lack of information concerning the area. For right up until thirty odd years ago, there had been accounts of deaths by exsanguination, strange creature sightenings and a curious number of bizarre animal attacks. The list of accounts went on and on and got even stranger. If it weren't for what he had previously seen, he would have put this off as it just being a coincidence, but now he would have to put good money on it being a cover up. All the previous tales pointed to all sort of creatures of the night. So logic dictated that they had to exist somehow and now someone or something was keeping the information from the general public.

This led to his current path investigation, searching for more leads on more supernaturals. Kieran had a hunch that if he found out more about who or what was doing the cover up that this story would break wide open. He didn't know what had possessed him to decide on his next course of action, but he must have been temporarily insane. Or so he mused to himself as he got to the back of the line to get into 'Venture', a supposed vampire club. This definitely topped the list of stupid things he had done but he had to know. He just hoped that this wasn't going to bite him in the ass.

Kieran was dressed in what might be considered as club-lite. This consisted of skin tight dark jeans, a jewel blue tone dress shirt, leather jacket and matching black boots. He had though to go for something simple and yet nice so that he had a greater possibility of fitting in.

[Existentially Odd]

Jeanne was called to the front of the club as soon as the bouncers got a whiff of Kieran's thoughts. He was still a little way down the line when she arrived, intrigued by the request for her presence. Something as out of the ordinary as someone who seems to know about supernaturals - yet hasn't had confirmation - presented the prospect of a less-than-banal night, so she was pleased by the summons. Mortals with suspicions were often let into the club but Jeanne had stipulated that if the bouncers weren't certain the customer wasn't going to disrupt proceedings within or have a larger effect on the city at large once their hypothesis was confirmed, she should be called to make a final decision.

Frankly, once she got to front-of-house and scanned the mortal's mind, even she wasn't too sure about Kieran - mainly because she couldn't predict his intent. His thoughts of stories and newspaper articles didn't bode well for the city's masquerade policy in general but he also seemed so... ineffectual, with his cute outfit and can-do attitude. What danger did him knowing about vampires pose? Still, there was no way she was going to give this guy the ammunition to bring about catastrophic revelations. The city had faltered in such a manner far too often as it was. No, best to play it cautiously and avert disaster by taking a firm hand to the situation.

Jeanne walked along the line, her open-toed black heels partially concealed by the extravagant hem of her elegant, wide-legged dress pants. They were black, high-waisted and boasted parallel lines of four large gold buttons running vertically over her pelvis. She had a long-sleeved white lace top with frilled cuffs and collar over a black bra on her upper half, teamed with a long, brunette wig. She made eye contact with him as she stopped at his side, smiling mildly at him.

"Mr Thompson? Please come with me," she bade in her husky French accent. She turned and sauntered past the line and into the foyer of the club, passing the cloakroom and heading for the wide spiral staircase that led to the upper floor. She monitored Kieran's thoughts and progress at her back carefully - if he had questions or wanted to mouth off or didn't wish to follow her, she would stifle his words and his thoughts and force him to walk a few steps behind. If he came willingly, she led him up the stairs and skirted the booths without looking at him, walking up to an anonymous-looking bit of mirrored wall that became a panel which swivelled open at her touch. The lights and the noise were an excellent distraction from him seeing anything revelatory as they passed through the nightclub - not that anyone would dare break Venture's rules and do anything untoward in the open.

She closed the mirrored panel behind Kieran, aware of his heat as her proximity to him increased in the muted lighting. The thud of the music became less of an attack on their hearing and more of a deep, throbbing beat felt in their chests the instant the panel was closed. "This way," she murmured, taking him down a darkened, carpeted corridor and into her office. They didn't enter through its door, which Kieran would notice when Jeanne ushered him through and pushed a large, mahogany bookcase closed behind him. The room was minimally lit by a Tiffany lamp on her desk and a floor lamp in the lounge area, where a two seater faced two armchairs. Jeanne indicated that Kieran should sit in the antique red leather chair on the opposite side of her desk and took her position in the seat behind it, sliding her laptop to the side so that she could maintain eye contact with him (but still type notes in it, if needed).

"I am Jeanne D'Arshan, Mr Thompson," she introduced herself with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "and I am interested to know what brings you to our club tonight?"

[MementoMori]

Kieran had no idea what to expect when he got to the front of the line. For if they were truly vampires, there had to be a way of preventing unknown riffraff from gaining entrance. This brought up an array of powers, like mind reading and the ability to do magic for starters. His mind boggled at all of the possibilities. Not that he was one to talk, his own quirk was strange enough. Being able to talk to cats was odd enough but it didn't take the cake with now who his cousins were involved with, a shifter and a dark imp. Both were beings straight out of a storybook and now reality was beginning to seem stranger than fiction. It was a sobering thought, but it was also one that made him even more hungry to know more.

Never would he have imagined the next events that transpired. For one of the most striking women, he had ever seen came out of the club doors and proceeded regally down the line of people from the doors. And even more shocking she stopped in front of him and used his name. Kieran had no idea who she was but it was more than obvious that she was in charge, but how the hell did she know his name? He had to wonder. He felt himself going dumb for lack of words and just the surprise of the situation. So instead, he nodded his head slightly at her instruction and obediently trailed after her. He could only hope that this wasn't going to end badly.

As he followed after Jeanne, Kieran could only marvel at the few sights and sounds he was able to take in as they past through the interior of the nightclub. It really was an amazing place, but nothing of what he had seen pointed to anything out of the ordinary. Still there had to be more to the story. There had to be a kernel of truth to be found here. Even if he didn't write about it, his earlier curiosity had been far from sated. Kieran's eyebrows arched up as he watched her open up a mirrored portion of wall that turned out to be a secret passage. Now this was odd, but an cool addition to the atmosphere.

Kieran took his que from Jeanne and had kept quiet until they had arrived in what seemed to be her office. "I...I apologize. You have me at a bit of a disadvantage here. It is nice to met you, but I have no idea how you know my name." he said honestly as he took the seat that she had made him to sit in. His bright hunter green eyes were focused on her face as he went to answer. It sort of felt like if he had said the wrong thing that he might be squished like a bug, but damn his curiosity.

"I'm sorry. I'm normally less akward than this but I am too damned curious for my own good. I wanted to see if the rumors might be true about this place and maybe meet a vampire. I know how crazy it sounds, but you seem to be the person in charge of this place. So I wanted to be straight with you." he added. His reporter instincts told him that it was to better to go with this instead of trying to lie.

[Existentially Odd]

Jeanne smiled serenely as she listened to Kieran's explanation. She found his youthful exuberance alluring in its naivety but also dangerous. It was a good thing she'd found him first, she felt; better a vampire whose maternal instincts were roused, rather than one with only predatory ones. Kieran was unaware how vulnerable he really was, foolish, ignorant child.

Her eyebrows arched as he mentioned rumours about Venture but listened until he stopped speaking. "I appreciate your candour. You are correct, I am the person in charge of the club. My family owns it, I manage it. What rumours have you heard about us?" Jeanne enquired, pacing her questioning so that he could settle himself into a less awkward state and answer in a measured manner.

[MementoMori]

Kieran's eyes widened a fraction when Jeanne confirmed his earlier guess. Holy Shit Never would he have dreamed to be meeting the owner of said club that he was investigating. It was so strange. He could almost swear that a certain amount of weird luck or fate was at play. The only problem was that he wasn't sure if this was going to be a good thing or a bad thing. For the odds were high if this was truly a vampire club that Jeanne was one too.

"Oh wow, it is truly an honor to meet you." he said honestly. "As for rumors, most of them are old, but they all have one thing in common. They say that this is where one would go if they wish to meet a vampire. I know how crazy this sounds but most recently I have had my eyes opened as to what else is out there in the world." he admitted as he gazed across the desk at her regal countenance.

"So what was once quite insane idea now seems to be not out of the realm of possibility. This combined with my natural curiosity led to me needing to know more." he added, "Hence my trying to get in here."

[Existentially Odd]

Her smile became indulgent as he freely shared the content of the rumours he'd heard. They annoyed her, because someone had obviously told another someone things they shouldn't, so Venture's reputation was being built by rumour-mongers and nosey gossipers that passed the information on as their currency of choice - possibly because actual money had already failed them.

"So you have come here to meet a vampire and confirm they exist, yet you know already of other things in the world? What are these things that you already know?" she enquired with great interest, sitting forward in her chair to show he had her undivided attention.

[MementoMori]

It was hard not to notice how he was being humored at the moment, but there were worst things. Jeanne was at least listening to him. She could have tossed him out on his ear or scared him away much earlier on. Those were still potential options, but at the moment they seemed farther away. And maybe just maybe, he might have a chance to see and to know that vampires were real.

"Yes." he answered immediately. "Not that long ago I ran into my cousins at the library who had befriended a cat who wasn't just a cat. They were doing research on some of our strange family abilities and happened to catch the attention of a dark imp in the process. I know that this sounds like something straight out of a fantasy novel, but it was real. It happened. And to think, I would have missed it had I not decided to work on my latest article for my employer that morning."

[Existentially Odd]

A cat that wasn't just a cat? She assumed he meant a were-shifter. A dark imp... interesting. And what were his family's 'strange abilities', then? That was also intriguing. Her attention sharpened again at his last statement. He wouldn't be working for a supernatural paper or magazine - not if he still needed confirmation of the most proliferate of the species inhabiting the city - so who was he working for and what was he reporting on?

"I am aware of more species than just those that you have mentioned, Mister Thompson, so I assure you that it does not sound like a fantasy novel, to me. What are these strange family abilities you speak of? Do you have supernatural genes yourself?" she enquired humbly, delaying asking about his job until she properly understood his personal viewpoint. So far she knew he was inquisitive and decisive, because he'd come to Venture for answers. What else was there to him?

[MementoMori]

Kieran would be lying if he hadn't noticed how Jeanne's attention grow more astute when he mentioned his job. Shit, he hoped that she hadn't thought that he was so stupid in order to try to report on the club. It was true that this would be the story of a lifetime but there had to be some sort of safeguards to prevent it from happening. After all the general public were still as ignorant as always. Still this didn't stop him from wanting to know and learn all that he could in the process.

So he had to raise his eyebrows at her next words, his curiosity being peaked further. Part of him wanted to ask about those other species while the other wanted to hear more of what she was willing to share.

"I can hear the thoughts of both cats and snakes. As for my cousins, they have both telekinesis. Every other generation or so there had been always one or two people with the odd ability ever since five generations ago. So I suspect that we have an ancestor who was an other. As to what species I do not know." he started to say."What I have been able to dig up is that an ancestor of ours back went missing when she was a young lady around this time period and then reappeared three years later with a child. I haven't been able to find much more because the rest of the records were lost in a fire." Kieran added with a small frustrated shrug.

This was one part that still bugged the hell out of him. He had gotten so close to getting more answers about their heritage only to come up short.

[Existentially Odd]

"How disappointing," Jeanne sympathised, wondering at the skills these mortals had. Telekinesis was difficult for even vampires to master - it took her a millennia before she was able to lift much at all with her mind and, even now, it drained her terribly if she overdid it because it wasn't a skill she practised regularly - and as for hearing the thoughts of cats and snakes? It was oddly specific and surely useless. What thoughts could such creatures possibly have that would enlighten anyone?

"Your heritage does sound mixed indeed. I would also be interested to know what species of ancestor has bestowed such different gifts upon their lineage, for they sound unique. Now, you mentioned writing articles for your employer. I gather that means you are a reporter of some sort? Have you come to my club as part of a story? Some trivial research? For, I assure you, Mister Thompson, Venture is not interested in publicity - especially potentially negative publicity - from curious humans such as yourself. What do you intend to do with any knowledge you acquire tonight?"

Her demeanour had become more brittle, her gaze more authoritative as she discussed his intentions and implied that the consequences for him bringing the club's reputation into ill-repute would be dire. From what she'd learnt of him so far, he seemed harmless but it didn't hurt to put the fear of maiming or death into mortals, to keep them in their place. His life was nothing to her; the damage he could do was far more important.

[MementoMori]

Kieran inclined his head at her show of sympathy. Still at the same time part of him had hoped that those traits he had described would have sparked another lead. Oh well, back to the drawing board. When the conversation turned to that of his occupation, he felt the same intimidation as earlier. It was more than clear in his book that she could squish him like a bug if she wanted to.

"Yes, ma'am. I am a reporter by trade for a magazine." he admitted softly before adamantly shaking his head. "No I haven't come here for a story." he started to say. He then almost immediately backpedaled a little when he realised how it might sound."I would be lying if writing an article about all of this does not appeal or fascinate me, but it is a foolish wish. If you what I think that you might be, you are more than able to stop me. I value my life more than that." he admitted softly, "Any information that I get tonight, I will use in my own studies and try to find out more about my own lineage."

He hoped that his sincerity was shining through their conversation and that he would survive this night. And yet Kieran dared for more. He yearned to know more and to talk to these other races that Jeanne had referred to.

[Existentially Odd]

Jeanne continued to stare at him, as if she doubted his sincerity. Really, she'd already decided he was harmless enough - and close enough to a number of truths that she might as well nudge him over the line on a few matters. But she did enjoy making him squirm. Her hard stare became a more considered expression and then a speculative smile as she relented.

"You are correct. I do have many ways of stopping you and if you misuse any information you gain here tonight, I will come for you to punish you," she threatened. It was an offhanded enough statement but she felt he would correctly interpret her sincerity from the look in her eyes and the superior tilt of her jaw. "The magazine you work for, I gather it is a mortal publication? And you are unaware that there are numerous supernatural publications available in this city?"

[MementoMori]

Jeanne's continued stare easily made Kieran squirm. Though he did his best not to overly show it. For it felt like he was under a very keen microscope and if he said the wrong thing he could be erased. When she finally smiled even just a little, it lessened some of the pressure. Still there was no doubt in his mind of the seriousness of the situation he had found himself in.

He nodded slowly at her a matter of fact threat. "I understand, ma'am." he said solemnly. There was no freaking way that he was going to go back on his word. There was no question of this in Kieran's mind. And besides if he did, he would lose the only chance to know more about this world. Kieran then nodded once more at her next question. "Yes my current employer is a human publication. And no I didn't know until now that there were supernatural publications, but it makes sense. Honestly that idea of what kind of stories they likely must cover fascinates me." he said, his expression open and again keenly curious. His imagination was already coming up with possible ideas of said stories.

[Existentially Odd]

Jeanne was satisfied by his pledge to keep his information to himself. She supposed he'd share it with his family but she expected - and, in fact, respected - that. Kieran would keep them in line also, at the risk of their lives, so all was well on that front. It left the little matter of confirmation for him.

When he imagined fabulous supernatural secrets available at his fingertips, she rolled her eyes playfully. "Lately, the features have degenerated into a confusing pile of drivel and accusations - mostly circling around the upcoming election for leadership of the Central District, so it is not a great time to subscribe," she chortled. "We stock all the latest issues. Buy some and see for yourself. They are available from the cloakroom on your way out," she informed him with a wink and a smirk. "Or leave your details and subscribe to get digital copies, as I implied. So. What questions do you have for me?"

Her tone was positive as she smiled into his eyes and linked her hands together in apparent enthusiasm.

[MementoMori]

Kieran's eyebrows lifted curiously at Jeanne's playful statement. "Accusations? And election? Color me intrigued. When you say districts, I gather that the city has been separated into these and are governed by an elected official similarly to a more human style of government. Though I would have to imagine that there are more than a few key differences. Like the races and rules governing them to begin with." he started to say, his keen mind absolutely fascinated by the possibilities.

At the mention of picking up current issues and subscribing, he nodded excitedly. "I would love to do both. This way I can catch up on all what is going on." he added, his voice brightening at the promise of learning something new. When Jeanne asked him what questions he had, he offered her a small happy grin. "Oh wow...I didn't expect this. So I guess I'll start with what is your earliest memory, Jeanne?" he asked softly leaning forwards slightly.

"I know that there many legends about vampires but what is the reality of it? Are you changed? Or born? What kind of abilities do you have?" he asked quickly. He then flushed a little at the speed of his questions, "I am sorry for bombarding you like this, but it is just so interesting."