Foreign Skies

"She is dead, Vladimir. Teresa is dead. Stop calling me that name." I hissed through my fangs as his lips press some. The others were watching us. "I want the return of my journal, Vladimir." I said as he looked to the others.

"Come with us, Teresa. The red star is going to rise with the blue moon as well." He said as I pulled from his grasp.

"Stop it Vladimir Dracula." I growled low. I saw the eyes of the others go wide. "If you had stopped Vance from making me and made me yourself this would be different. But it is not. I'm not yours or anyone else's anymore. I'm a loner. I have no clan or pack to call my own. The ones that did this are dead because you still want to stop my feelings from being hurt. I'm dead, Vladimir. Nothing you can do or say will change that." I hissed as my body stepped back away from him. Mythos grabbed my wrist. We yelped out as we were both shocked at the same time. He released me as I drew my wrist back rubbing it staring at him. Vladimir looked at him as well.

"What the hell was that?" Vladimir asked as Mythos looked to him.

"I don't know." Mythos said. I used my celerity to get away from them as I came to another street six blocks away from them. I rubbed at my wrist some for it still irritated me from being shocked by him. My Auspex opened some as I felt the sensation of being followed. His shoes were light as he moved following me down the road. I could hear a heartbeat in his chest. He was human. His breath smelled like a Mentos mint. His hair shifted over his shoulder down his back in a ponytail. My head turned some as I waved to a taxi that was coming up the road. My eyes went to the one following me. He was a good looking brunette. His body was dressed in jeans and a long sleeve shirt. His body had stopped as my lips brought a smile to them. I winked to his as his chest tightens. I opened the taxi door and slipped within. I closed the door as the taxi began to move.

"Twenty-third and Western." I said as the taxi driver nods. My head turned to see the guy slip into a black car. My body turned around once more as I watched from the rearview mirror that the black car was following me. They want to follow and I will lead them to a place many vampires go to drink and kill humans that are being nosy. The taxi stopped one the corner of twenty-third and Western as I paid the driver before stepping out towards the line that was wrapped around the building. Max and Stephen were standing at the door. Their bodies were huge compared to some others of the vampire clans. My head turned some to see the black car stopping on the other corner. I walked up to Max as he lifts the rope for me. I stepped up a step or two behind him.

"I think I'm being followed, Max. The black car on the corner. There are three men in the vehicle. You Brujah like to play some games. Don't let them bother me again." I said as Max turned to look up at me. I laid a gentle kiss on his cheek as he smirks some.

"I like the vanilla, Lillian." He said as I smirked some.

"Thank you." I said as I walked into the club. The beat thumped the building as I turned my Auspex off in this place. I still kept my eyes and sense of smell on as I moved through the crowd. The strobe lighting didn't bother my eyes as I walked around dancing. A hand slid around mine as my eyes came to Denver. He smiled to me and drew me against his chest. My hands slip up over his chest and around his shoulders and neck as he grinds my flesh against him.

"You smell amazing tonight, Lillian." He breathed in my ear as I chuckled and nuzzled into his neck some.

"I was being followed by a couple of humans, Denver. Max is going to take care of them if they try coming into here. I've been having a bad night." I said gently as his eyes widen some as he draws back. I heard the growl come from his throat. Three vampires came out of the crowd near us. He growled to them as they nod and take off into the crowd once more. His hand took mine as he led me through the crowds towards the bar. He lifts his hand to the bartender Marshall as Marshall nods and brings over two glasses of blood. The black cups hid the color of the contents within from the humans that also danced around the floor. I took a glass from Denver's hand as he sipped his.

He drew me up the steps onto the second floor of the club. We walked back towards a VIP section that George opened to let us through. There were a couple of people I knew here sitting and relaxing to the beating of the music. Tanya took my hand as I nod to her and her two ghouls. Samuel sat with his child, Lawrence, nodding to me as Denver and I passed by. Julie and Vicky smiled to me as I rolled my eyes some. Denver offered out the inner part of the small booth as I tucked my dress and sat down. I slid over as Denver sat down with me. His hand laid over my thigh as my eyes watched around. I sipped at my blood.

"What is going on, Lillian? Why are there humans following you?" Denver asked as I sighed some. His head turned and looked to me. I don't usually show human sides like this to the vampires but I was tired.

"Vladimir came to me. He destroyed Vance and the pack for what they did to me." I said as Denver's eyes went wide. I saw other heads turn in this direction with wide eyes.

"An elder killed Vance and the pack? They died because Vance left you?" Denver asked as I nod. I sat back against the booth and looked out towards the crowd of the jumping and dancing people.

"Yes. The lords of the world are coming here as well. They are gathering for the blue moon and the red star. I guess Gehenna is coming." I said as their eyes were wide and looking to one another. "Don't quote me on that. They only spoke of the blue moon and the red star on the rise." I said as their lips press some. "I walked away from Vladimir and the others and was being followed by the human. I hailed a taxi and slipped in when I noticed that the human stepped into a black car and it followed me here. If they try to get past Max I'm sure he will tear them apart. I have had enough dealing with this stuff. I think I will be packing up and leaving soon, Denver." I said as Denver pressed my thigh gently.

"I don't blame you, Lillian. I would leave too if I didn't have the club to take care of. You aren't being held back by a clan or a pack, Lillian. You can go anywhere you want. No one is stopping you." He said as I nod.

"It will have to be tomorrow night to head out. I have a couple of things to do before I leave. Thank you for the drink, Denver." I said finishing my glass before standing up. Denver stood up and took my wrist.

"Stay a while, Lillian. You just got here. It isn't safe out there for you." He said as I chuckle some.

"I'm not a child anymore, Denver. I'm very capable of taking care of myself." I said as he slowly nods releasing my wrist. I leaned up and kissed his cheek before walking out of the VIP section and down the steps through the crowds. I slipped through the back and out into the back alley. My eyes watched around before using my celerity to take me back towards the pent house. I rode the elevator up to the floor and stepped out into the hallway. I went to my door and unlocked it. I stepped inside and walked to my journals. I had this pent house rigged with explosives. I know it was dangerous but in this kind of life I wasn't going to let my stuff get into the wrong hands.

I picked up a backpack and changed into some jeans, tank top, and a hoodie. I picked up my shades and put a couple of unfinished journals into my backpack. My important papers were in the binds of the journals. I zipped up the bag slipping my purse into one of the pockets of the bag. I slipped out the key chain with my keys for the door and the detonator. I know that all the vampires around this place along with the humans will see and feel this place explode when I walk from this. No one will find me though. I was going to run. I wasn't sure where I was going to go but I knew I had to leave before sunrise. My eyes checked my watch on my wrist. It was nearing midnight now. I stepped on the elevator in sneakers and ordinary clothes. I slipped my hood up to cover my red locks and head. I drew on the shades and stepped off the elevator. I walked out of the building walking down the street.

My fingers slipped around the detonator in my hoodie pocket. I pressed the button. I heard and felt the explosion as my body turned and my eyes looked up. I heard the screams and lunged backwards as pieces of my pent house came crashing to the ground. My body turned away as I began to run like a human. I slipped into an alley before my celerity kicked in and I was gone from that place. I came out on a street a couple miles away before turning back to see that my place was lit up like a Christmas tree. Even from here I could hear the sirens and people screaming. I turned away and walked on for a while before hailing another taxi. I sat down in the seat drawing my hoodie and glasses off my eyes. The driver looked to me as I slipped the shades into my hoodie pocket.

"The airport, please." I said as the man nods and turns away. We drive in silence as the news came onto the radio. They were at my pent house. I could hear someone calling out Teresa in the background as my lips press some. I heard others calling out Lillian. The vampires were fearful that I had been taken out by the humans that had been following me. I chuckled lower than the human in the driver's seat could hear. My eyes went to the window as I stared up at the stars as we came out of the city. Let them think I'm gone. I was something dead hiding in the shadows and running from shit that they want of me. We came to the airport as I paid the driver and walked into the airport. I walked to the counter and could see my pent house still on fire as firefighters tried to put it and the rest of the building out. I made sure that the explosives would continue to burn to take care of everything that had been in that pent house. Maybe they will think I was destroyed in the flames. With how much paper and natural ash in the pent house they would think I was burned up. I know it is strange to have ashes around my home but it was placed there to protect me. I guess you could call me a bit superstitious but it was to ward off the bad spirits. I got to a counter as the woman looks up. A soft smile came to my lips as my eyes glitter.

"May I help you?" She asked.

"A plane ticket to Cairo, Egypt." I said as the woman nods. I bring out one of many passports and ID. My name on this one was Tessa Graver. I paid a vampire friend for many of these things. They were just in cases like this. I handed it to the woman as she took my information before handing them back to me. I paid for my ticket through this name and walked towards the terminal. I knew I would have to hide as the sun came up on the plane but that wouldn't be that hard. My powers would protect me while I slept. I waited for my flight to be called before I stepped down the launch ramp into the plane.

The flight attendants didn't bother me as I moved through. I slipped down into the cargo hold of the plane and found a crate that was going to Cairo. I popped the nails and slipped within. I drew the crates lid closed and laid within. I smelled another dead thing in here with me. My eyes looked to the mummy as a chuckle came from my throat. My fingers slipped down the cheek of the male. I slipped under the hay drawing my bag with me as I sank further under. I felt the plane begin to move as I laid there listening to the flight attendants roll on about seatbelt safety. I felt the jet engage as the plane began to move. Soon I would be in the air. Soon I would finally get out of this country into another that I had no idea what was like. I didn't know what kind of vampires were there either. Maybe I could finally get away with being alone. Cairo was humid but when it rained it was a downpour before stopping for months. I felt the sun coming and felt sleep take me.

When night came once more I felt the lowering of the plane. We must have stopped off somewhere to refuel. I pushed on the crate and slipped out from under the mummy. I pushed the lid down tight before brushing the hay off my clothes and hair. I moved around the cargo plane a couple of times as the under belly crew came onto the plane to take the cargo out. I walked out from under the plane and up with the rest of the passengers through customs and out of the airport in the darkness of night. The air was crisp and the sky was beautiful and foreign to me. The moon was a half full greyness and the stars were welcoming. I walked down a sidewalk and wondered towards a hotel for the night. I was quite hungry but I would ignore it for now. When I get familiar with the night I will find a place to feed. For now I just wanted to blend in to the darkness.

My Auspex opened to the silence. I could hear heartbeats and steady breathing throughout the buildings that I passed by. My fingers drew the backpack further up my shoulder. My head turned some as I heard a muffled gasp from an alleyway. My eyes caught the sink of fangs into the throat of a female victim. I stopped by the end of the alley and waited for him to be finished. He released her throat and touched her cheek before she wondered away from him down the other end of the alley. The man's head turned as his eyes came to me. His body cloaked in dark colored clothes moved with fluid towards me. His body stopped before mine as his amber colored eyes watched me in the moon light. His hair was short and snow white in color.

"Roch Skylar." He said as I nod.

"Tessa Graver." I said as he watched me a moment.

"If that is what you wish to be called." He said as I nod. "You just came in this night. How did you beat the sunlight?" He asked as I chuckle some.

"I slept with the dead under a plane. What territory does Cairo belong to?" I asked as he chuckles some.

"This is the Follower of Set territory. Where did you come from?" He asked as we walked down the sidewalk together.

"The states. Needed a change of scenery." I said as he shakes his head some. "Followers of Set are strange to me. They believe things I have read of. Are you one of them?" I asked looking to him.

"Yes. You could get into a lot of trouble here if you are not like us." He said as I sighed some. I felt his chest grow tight as my eyes went to him. "You sigh like a human." He said as I nod some.

"Just something I do. It freaks out others as well. I plan on staying for a couple of days before moving on to someplace else. I don't want to start any trouble for anyone." I said as we came to a sandstone building with words in Egyptian. I took it as a hotel of sorts.

"How can you speak Egyptian?" He asked as my eyes went to him.

"I'm speaking English. I can't understand Egyptian." I said as his eyes widened.

"You are speaking Egyptian, Tessa." He said as I watched him. "The hotel has rooms available but you should get something to drink before you settle in for the night." He said as I chuckled some.

"I will be fine for a couple of days. I will feed when I head out onto the road again." I said as his hand slid around my wrist stopping me from going up into the hotel.

"Come with me to the bar. You can get something to drink there." He said as I drew my hand from his hold. His eyes widened some.

"I am just fine, Roch. Thank you." I said as his lips press some. I turned away from him and wondered up into the hotel leaving him alone in the street. I walked to the counter as the old man standing at the counter looked to me as I approached. "A room for a couple of days please." I said as he nods. I drew out my ID, credit card, and a pen to sign my name. Two days would do for now. If I was going to stay longer I would pay for those extra days. He gave me my key and had me sign the receipt. I walked away from the counter and walked up the steps towards my room. I unlocked the door and stepped in. I locked the door and walked towards the window. I drew open the curtains and stared into the sky. The moon was beautiful as it looked to perch on the roof tops of the buildings around the city. My eyes moved down to the street as I saw Roch watching me from this room. His body leaned against the building across the street.

"You aren't safe here." My auspex could hear his words as I chuckled some.

"I'm safer here than where I was, Roch." I said as my eyes lift towards the sky once more. My eyes gazed upon the stars. My eyes went back down to the street and found that Roch was gone from across the street. He had walked away. Damn Followers of Set. I walked away from the window drawing the curtains closed. Since I could not tape up and black out the sun I would sleep in the bathroom when day breaks. A soft sigh came from my throat. I walked into the bathroom and checked out the tub. There weren't any windows in this area of the hotel room. I tossed the pillows from the bed into the tub and closed the door behind me. I checked the clock and found it to be two in the morning.

I put my bag down and walked from the room. I closed the door locking it behind me. I walked down the steps of the hotel and walked out into the darkness. My auspex opened as I wondered down the street. I wondered the streets moving towards a place with blood lingering from the door. I stepped up and opened the door before walking into the club. The music was different from the states as people danced and swayed around the dance floor. Women in provocative clothing swayed around incense holders that drifted strange scents into the air. I sat down at a low table as watched the women move around. A woman came out with a snake in her grasp. The women's hearts did not beat and their skins were darkened tan. Through the veils I could see their eyes were slits like that of the snakes in their holds. A woman set a cobra down on the ground as a flute began to play. The creature curled up and lifts its body as the hood unfolded showing the beautiful silvers, gold, and reds in the creatures flesh. The snake swung back and forth to the flute as the women danced around the creatures that coiled up on the ground. A tweak of a smile came to my lips. Such dangerous creatures freaked out those with hearts that still beat but my heart was stone. There was no more fear of death here. I couldn't die like a mortal.

My eyes came to a veiled woman as she set a glass before me. I could smell the blood in the dark colored glass before I placed a couple American dollars on the table. Her fingers take them up as she nods to me. I sip the blood and smile some. My eyes went back to the snakes. They swayed and strike the air as the flute plays. The veiled women pranced and bowed as their silks slip gently over the snakes back and hood. My hand slowly reaches out towards one of the snakes. Gasps came from throats as the snake closed its hood and slithered away from the veiled woman that was dancing around it.

The snake slid over my skin and wrapped lightly around my arm as its head lifts opening the hood once more. My eyes watched its eyes. My fingers slid over the head and down its back as I could feel the beating heart of the creature. His tongue slipped out and touched my cheek gently. My eyes lift to the veiled woman that the snake had moved away from. She was wide-eyed as I chuckled some and look to the snake on my arm.

"Go back to your master." I said gently kissing the head of the creature before he closed the hood and slid off my arm into the grasp of the woman. Her eyes stared at me as she stepped back. She turned away as the snake slid off her hand to its place once more. My head turned as Roch came to my table sitting down. His eyes went from me to the snake that swayed once more with the flute.

"How did you do that?" He asked gently as I chuckle some.