may 2-3 : Another Sleepless Night

Liliana laughed when she noticed the shadowy figure creep up and curl and purr around her legs. she moved her legs a bit, giving the creature room to join her in her lap. "Hello friend" She says with a smile. "Sorry I havent been up here to see you lately" She whispers reaching out her hands to pet him. "A lot going on, and no real focus" She sighs a bit looking back at the window.

The shadows in the room start to swirl again, forming great loops and whorls, sending out long tentacles, exploring. It's a little like the shadows have erupted, then suddenly Mary steps out of the mass of writhing arms, and they retreat back into the darkness.

Mary looks at Liliana and Balthazar.

"I expected to find one of you here. The other should be in bed, no?" She smiles, and moves to take a seat near the window, facing Liliana and the small shadow.

Mary holds up a hand as if to put a stop to Liliana's protests.

"It's ok, I understand. Balthazar had told me that you are often here at night. Personally, I could think of many worse places for you to spend sleepless hours. How have you been? I heard you had an... episode. I hope you have recovered?"

The old vampire had examined her concern for the young witch. She wasn't sure if it were the girl as a possible childe that drew her, or something else, but she was certainly concerned. Unusual. Exo would certainly be surprised.

Mary looks from Balthazar, to Lil, then back to the shadow "traitor" she half laughs.

Mary nods, listening. She doesn't interrupt the young girl, only speaks when she has finished.

"I'm sorry to hear things aren't going so well. I'm sure they'll improve with time. You have had years of trying to ignore your gift, and only weeks of working to master it. Give yourself time!"

She leans over, reaching to pet Balthazar. She scratches behind his ear, in just the right place to make him squirm and roll on Lil's lap. He loses form momentarily, then reforms and curls up when Mary stops.

"Perhaps you are destined to become a childe of the night. We Cainites rule the night, and pass the day in dreamless oblivion."

Mary smiles at Liliana's laugh. At least she still find joy in life, she thought.

"We are. I am. Why do you think you would not be a suitable choice? You are intelligent. You are beautiful. You have a curious mind. And a ... propensity to the darkness. Sounds ideal to me!"

Marys smile is subtle, perhaps a little dark. The pupils of her bright green eye are dilated, making them look much darker than usual. Balthazar lifts his head to look at Mary, mrrrring softly.

Mary nods.

"Yes. I'm not sure it's origin, but it could be why Balthazar is so fond of you. He sesnses it too. As for your gift ... that is a special bonus, and one I am not ashamed to say would make you valuable to the Sword."

Exo was curious, and she knew the others would be, too. That Mary had opened up so much to Liliana was unusual. It meant something. And, if she were wrong ... there were ways.

"That is an interesting question, I must admit, I am curious to see what you might see if you touched me. I have died, but I live, and at some point, I will die again. Final death, we call it. Would you see that? Or only the death I died when I was reborn? Would you see nothing, since I am already dead? When you are stronger, and willing to experiment, perhaps we can answer those questions."

Mary stands, moves to look out the window at the night.

"As for use .. if you were hundreds of years old, wouldn't you want to know how much more time you had? Even if the future moved, and that changed, humans are not the only creatures who fear leaving the world, and what they have built. If you saw rebirth as death, we could learn who is destined for this life later, who now, and who not at all. It gets messy, when a childe does not fulfil their promise."

She turns to Liliana, reaches to pet the shadow.

"Speaking of holidays, do you still plan to stay with me for the summer? Have you mentioned it to your parents yet?"

"Actually, we celebrate our death day, meaning the day we died and were reborn. I celebrated 430 years in the night this March just passed. Like you, I do not count down to my end, but up from my beginnings. So yes, when I die my final death, that is when I consider my life ended. Unless something else awaits. Are you religious, Liliana?"

Mary tilts her head slightly. It's a curious gesture, almost birdIke.

"I don't so much keep track of it, as know. God cursed Caine for killing his brother. This is fact. Caine was the first of us,, and as we exist, what more proof is needed that God exists? What lens you view him through is personal choice, but he is part of the world. Roman Catholic was my flavour, while I lived, and for many years after."

She pauses, turning from the window, she pulls out an ornate rosary: a heavy silver fully detailed crucifix hanging from a string of onyx and ruby beads.

"Some say his rebirth was as one of us, though I've never believed that."

"Oh, I believe that Caine was the first of us. I do not believe that Jesus Christ rose as one of us. But, we can discuss more of history and philosophy over the summer. I'm glad that you still wish to come. Will it make a difference to you that I have another sharing my home now? "

Mary watches for Liliana's answer, and the emotions that will cross her face first.

"He is looking forward to meeting you!"

"Oh, no, you wouldn't be intruding! Quite the opposite!" She smiles.

"Do you know where Mr Wolfbauer will be staying over summer? There is a tube station very close to my house, so you will have easy access to the city should you wish to roam."

When Liliana mentions 'cuddle buddy' Balthazar performs; stretching and rolling in her lap, he turns himself inside out as cats often do, then goes one step further and actually turns himself inside out then back the right way, pawing at her hand for more attention.

"I think he agrees with your assessment there!" And laughs softly.

"This is perhaps not the responsible teacher suggestion ... but, if Mr Wolfbauer needs somewhere to stay in London, my home has space. Yes, having two young people who are beginning a relationship staying under one roof without parental supervision isn't perhaps the most responsible thing to be offering, but there, it is offered."

She sits back down. It's possible that Mary has been a lot more ... relaxed ... than usual. Perhaps her visiting friend is responsible!

Mary nods, smiling ... "Yes, there is that. If you can't control casual skin touch yet, you're not going to be making out in my guest bedroom any time soon!" She almost giggles.

"Exo? Yes, and no. He is vampire, but of a different line of blood, so his abilities and preferences are slightly different."

She muses for a moment. Her expression makes it clear she likes him.

"He and I have been pack mates for many years, and we're very close. The pack only separated recently so that I could come where to teach. I missed him, so called, and he came. With luck, he rest of the pack will also respond to the call. Having been here a year now, I can see no reason why we cannot be together in London while I teach here."

Mary laughed.

"Packs are family in many ways, yes. We are very close because we have to be. We rely on each other for our lives. We use a blood rite to reinforce that bond. Why? Because it works! Exo and I were more than just packmates, though. For a very long time. Some of that is over now, but we will always be close, yes. Our last 'close encounter'," she giggles at the words, clearly very relaxed in her monologue, "was just before I left, when I anointed him Bishop."