Thoughts on a new city

Wed, 18 Feb 2004 20:29:34 GMT

Beth left the court gathering with a shake of her head, this was a strange place indeed. The music that stirred the soul, brought memories that she relished, but not in public situations. Strange conversations with unusual clans, disregard to the laws of the sect. That still burned her. That Malkavian, much like the one she already hunted would have to be found.

She growled slightly as she stepped up into the truck, flipping the scanner on. “Great” She muttered and flipped it off again, there would be road blocks all the way out of the city. And she wanted nothing more then to feel the highway beneath her as she drove the long deserted highways of the night. With her stables and horses left far behind her it was the closest thing she had.

With a sigh she left the parking deck, doing her best to navigate and unfamiliar city that did not believe in labeling its streets. “This place sure as hell isn’t Texas.” Traffic came to a grinding halt as she approached the first of the roadblocks, placing the call long before she reached it to assure her easy passage through. Nothing law breaking only assurances and friendships. She allowed the truck to be searched. Showed the permits for the arms in the back, nothing unusual, especially when one got a look at the Texas plates.

Small talk with the officers, friendships starting to form, the way they always did with those of like minds and like ideas and soon she was on her way again. Two more she passed before she was out of the city on I-84 heading south. She did not really know where she was heading, for now she was just driving. She had yet to find a home outside of the truck stop Motels she tended to prefer to stay in. And those were plentiful along the highways.

The music played on as the highway rolled beneath the truck, she though of going off road of taking the ‘ol boy for a spin though the mud, but choose to just drive, thinking on the events of the evening. Nothing overly impressive appeared in her mind. Standard kindred, several of whom she already began to make friends with. A prince, courteous and gracious. She offered her assistance as she could with patrols, but she would need to learn the city first. A possibility of Sabbat having arrived, that she would help deal with. And then there was that Malkavian. What was it with that clan. No. she could not blame the whole clan she had met many that were not so cold, so ruthless, so disrespectful of the laws of kine and kindred.

The Loneliness of the a dark deserted highway

Mon, 16 Feb 2004 18:23:45 GMT

She could feel the cold coming through the window of the truck, not that effected her anymore, but she knew she was far from Texas now. The wheels beneath her rolling on as she drove, the music playing the modern twang of country she let her mind wonder with the passing of the fields and lights. This time she had found a lead pointing her north. And Area of the country she had never been. In had been nearly 20 years since she had a lead on the man. But he was here, some where she could feel it in every muscle. And she would find him.

Absently rubbing the star she held in her left hand, she smiled, this time she would not loose him. She promised herself this. For herself, for Thomas, for all the fallen rangers. No criminal escaped justice.

The dark highway, brought back the memories of the past clear and crisp on the cool night, kissing his star she slid it back into her front pocket. She could almost feel his presence next to her in the truck. They had never ridden like this. Trucks and automobiles did not exist when they rode together. Wagons, and horses, had been their method of travel.

His laughter still echoed though her head, as he taught her to ride, the image still brought a smile to her face. Never had she forgotten him, and never did she think of him with anything less then a smile. His memory brought heartache, but it was from his loss, and she had learned to look past that and remember the joy she experienced at his side.

Her first sight of him, and she had loved him, never had that left her. They worked the ranch, struggled through the hard times, always with a smile. Their son was beautiful, so much his father. She knew the life, knew the dangers, knew what to expect.

When the stranger rode up to the house, she folded the last shirt laying it in the basket. The sun was long down, but it was nothing new, there were days where Thomas was out riding the range. She nodded politely to the Stranger, “Good Evening sir, may I help you?” His hat held over his chest concealed his badge until he lowered it.

“Mrs Hays?” She nodded swallowing hard as her eyes focused on the star on his chest. “Mam’am…” He bowed his head slightly and looked at her, holding out another star that matched his own except for the blood on it. “...I’m sorry.” Nodding numbly Elizabeth took the star of her husband. She never fully heard the explanation, even now she could not remember, what the stranger had said that night. She kept her eyes dry until she walked inside, forgetting the clothes sitting on the ground out back, and knelt clasping her son to her chest, only then did the tears start to flow. That night, she learned how happiness could be destroyed, that night she learned how to survive.

To this day she still carried that star. Still held it close, with it she could feel him watching over her. He had kept her safe all these years, protected her and her son those long nights after his death. Some nights she could still feel the brush of his lips before she woke.

She only met the stranger once or twice after that night. Until nearly 10 years later, when her son came home, on his chest a badge nearly identical to his father’s. She looked on him with pride, the boy had grown into a man, and was so much his father that it sometimes pained her to look at him. They held the same honor, the same confidence and though it scared her to see that badge on his chest she was very proud of him and knew his father was as well.

It was then she really took notice of the stranger that had come to tell her of her husband’s death. She had seen him in the town, but had been unaware of the fact he had watched out for them the last 10 years. It was only a year later when word came, she looked at her son as he left the house, intent to find that man that killed his father.

Fearful of loosing her son, as she had lost her husband it did not take long as she stood in the house staring at the rifle above the fireplace. She had learned to defend herself and her home. Her husband had taught her and she had not had cause to forget, loading the gun, and a smaller pistol she saddled one of the horses and rode to town after him. There were three of them and only her son, no other Rangers had come. Or so she had thought. When all was said and done though, her son was unharmed; two of the men lay dead. Her own guns lay empty, and yet still one of them was missing.

She had no time to run to her son, he was mounted and riding after the man that killed his father. All she could do was wait. She did not know that from the shadows watched the stranger. Nor did she understand at first why he was waiting at her house when she returned. Busing herself with the care of the horses, trying not to worry over her son, she heard the crunch of the gravel and dirt beneath someone’s boots and turned quickly, the pistol raised until she saw him.

He nodded, “impressive, I should have know Thomas’ wife would not be meek.”

“I defend my own,” she replied, “how may I help you sir?”

He walked closer and she noticed her horse get a little skittish though he did not try to bolt, “It is I that can help you. Your son won’t find him. I made sure of that, I did not wish to have to bring that news to you again.”

Pride sparked in her and she straitened even more, “he is even better then his father…”

“Mam’am, he is up against something he doesn’t understand. It has nothing to do with skill. At least not yet. Now I came her to offer you a chance at him. Given time, and training you might be able to pay him back for your husband’s life…”

“How?” she had not until he mentioned it realized she wanted revenge, she had lived for her son, and now he was grown, and now she was being offered a way to settle the score.

“Do you wish the opportunity?”

She hesitated only a moment, leeriness in her, she did not really know this man. But desire welled in her and she felt herself nodding, yes. She wanted his spirit to rest easy, to be at peace. But as the stranger separated the distance between them she felt the desire to flee as the moonlight glinted off the fangs she had never noticed before. But he was much quicker then she realized and held her firmly she went to scream as his fangs sunk into her neck and the rush of the kiss took over, even as her life drained from her body.

She laid curled against him the next day in her bed, not since her husband’s death had any man been in her bed, and even now there was no passion in the embrace, and the need of him she felt for him, was of hunger and nothing more. Her fangs sunk into him feeding enough to starve off the beast. To calm her as he explained began the long explanation. She listen as she went about her routine, even cooking dinner through he refused. He allowed her to eat. Waiting for the inevitable reaction, letting her learn the lesson for herself. It did not take long, the food unsettling to her stomach soon she was vomiting it and blood up.

He smiled as he stood over her, “you have much to learn my childe, shall we begin with how you feed now?”

Learned she had, it had been many years since she had seen her sire and even many many more then that since she had been born to this life. With it she carried her husband’s passion, his devotion to right and wrong. How she lived was for him, to honor his memory and his name, and on the nights like tonight as she drove down the long highways, she could feel his presence and knew he was proud of her.

Her hand went absently to the star in her pocket, taking it out again she smiled, as the lyrics on the radio played on… and miles stretched on before her as she rolled through the Smokey mountains.

The first time I laid my eyes on you I knew.
We'd spend this life side by side.
I still feel the same though you're so far away.
I swear that you'll always be my.

Forever love.
I promise you.
Someday we'll be together.
Forever love.
I won't give up.
No matter what.
I'll be waiting for you.
Forever love.

Minutes and hours and years may go by.
But my heart knows nothing of time.
So don't cry, just keep me right there.
In your dreams.
And hold on to these words of mine.

Forever love.
I promise you.
Someday we'll be together.
Forever love.
I won't give up.
No matter what.
I'll be waiting for you.
Forever love.

Love is the road to our destiny.
Nothing can change what is meant to be.

Forever love.
I promise you.
Someday we'll be together.
Forever love.
I won't give up.
No matter what.
I'll be waiting for you.
Forever love.

Elizabeth (Beth) Hays

Thoughts on a new city

The Loneliness of the a dark deserted highway