Bright Lights, Bloody Nights, Big City: Vampire Game Thread

[Bratty]

After he leaves, she exhales out and heads up the stairs. Closing the door to the office behind her, she sets down the suitcase and slinks down leaning against the door until she is sitting on the ground.

'Get ahold of yourself, Cassie! Snap out of it! Did you come all this way to get stage fright? This is your big shot!'

After chastizing herself thoroughly, she changes into a shiny short fringed skirt, and looks for a mirror within the office to freshen up. A small mirror will have to do as she applies her red lipstick in a cupie bow.

Show time.

She puts on her bravado, the last accessory, and heads from the office to the stage, eyes wide.

[Charon]

Marcus thanked him then moved over to the phone. Marcus tok care to speak softly enough so that the noise wouldn't travel too far. "Hello operator. Yes I'd like to be connected to <insert Wright's bar's address>. Thank you." While the operator was still connecting Marcus continued in a louder voice, convering up the reciever as subtly as he could. "Oh wait, no I got that wrong. Shit, connect me to <insert own home address>." Just as he finished speaking the connection went through.

[Josh]

"LAST CHANCE, you COCKSUCKING MOTHERFUCKER!" Wright yelled, slamming the rifle butt into the man's kidney again. "You can take a fucking drink, I'll cut your fucking balls off, I SWEAR!"

Things were proceeding well in the basement.

====================

The party would have been an entirely familiar scene in olden times, the very reason the term 'bacchanalia' was invented. Booze flowed freely, people danced or fondled each other in semi-secluded corners. There was a desperate tone to the festivities, a sense that every precious moment had to be lived to the fullest.

[Cynical Cat]

"Fuck that," Johnny said. The O'Banion soldier pulled a .38 revolver out from his shoulder holster. Around the bar another six mob goons pulled out various hand guns as well as a Chicago Typewriter and sawed off shotgun. "I heard that shit. I thought your bullshit sounded funny. It's a god damn set up."

People began to vacate the room, having suddenly acquired an urgent impulse to be elswhere.

[Bratty]

The phone rings. Cassie looks at it, wondering if she should pick it up for one ring. To hell with this.

"Hello?" She says, her voice lyrical. "David Rossi's office."

[Charon]

Marcus cursed under his breath. "Fine, I'll be out with it. I was calling Wright to get him out to the trainyards." With that Marcus hung up the phone. Whoever'd picked up would hear that much. "But trust me man, I wanted him out there so we could plug him. Just wanted to make sure the rumors were right. Make myself look better you know." While he was talking Marcus slipped into a position where he could better get behind the bar for when, not if, the bullets started to fly. But for now it was better to not totally look like a spy.

[Bratty]

She blinks and looks completely baffled at the phone. Fumbling through some paper, she writes down the message to the best of her ability.

She heads down the stairs, ready to perform. She thinks she will sing the some jazzy upbeat tune. The crowd will love it and it will calm her nerves.

[Cynical Cat]

"That the best you can fuckin' do?" Johnny asked. And then he shot Marcus throught the spleen and left lung.

[Josh]

"That's it, slurp up you little fucker," he snarled, then he slapped the man's head away from his wrist.

He was tough little bastard, the new Ralph. But he'd broken, all the same. Hunger, thirst, exhaustion, a rotting wound on his collarbone, combined with a judicious beating had done the trick.

Break the hard one and the soft ones would follow soon. He looked at the other two.

"Okay, so, do I have to kick the shit out of the two of you, or do you want to take the drink?"

------------------------

The crowd hooted and whistled as she approached. Fresh meat, and they knew that the entertainment is eminently disposable around this place. Various men and a couple of women in the crowd very visibly and obviously were sizing her up...

[Charon]

Marcus took the hits with a muffled yell and went down. He quickly rolled to his left, cursing hismelf for leaving his weapons back in the car. With any luck blondie would be at the car when he got out there. Grumbling Marcus brought forth an inky blackness which quickly enveloped a good portion of the room.

[Bratty]

She is oblivious to their intentions. She is someone else as she walks on the stage, her presence is obvious and unmistakeable. She has "it", whatever that undefinable characteristic is, she has it.

"How are you doing tonight, Chicago?" She asks into the microphone. No matter what the response, she is undaunted. "Here's a little number to dance to." She looks over her shoulder to the pianist, "Hit it!"

She Sings ~

come on everybody
everybody's doin it now
look on what we've started
everybody's joining us now
it's not hard to do just follow the one in front of you
do what they tell you to and you'll look just as good as we do

come on everybody
everybody's doin it now
look on what we've started
everybody's joining us now
it's not hard to do just follow the one in front of you
do what they tell you to & you'll look just as good as we do
it's not hard to rule the world with so many fools
come on everybody
everybody's doin it now
come on everybody
everybody's doin it now

[Cynical Cat]

Wright's new prospects took him up on the offer, taking the drink. Having fed three ghouls, that left Wright rather thirsty at the moment.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

"What the fuck?"

"He shot the fuckin' lights out!"

"Find that wop cocksucker and kill his ass dead."

"Jesus-Mary-Joseph!"

The mob soldiers were temporarily dissordered, but within seconds they had gotten enough of a grip of the situation to try and find him.

"The cocksucker's making a run for it out the door!"

"Christ! I put two in his chest! Kill 'em."

[Charon]

Marcus grinned as he got to his feet, grabbed a bottle and threw it towards the back of the room. The glass shattered just as the mobsters started to organize themselves again and he bolted towards the door, bringing some of this precious blood down into his legs to speed his efforts there.

[Josh]

Hungry and disgruntled. He left the ghouls tied up, but he'd have Fred come down and feed them. Right now he was in no mood to start the training. First, he'd go get something to munch on.

------------------------
Slowly, the crowd quieted down, becoming absorbed in the music and the performance. By the time Wright got up the stairs, the only sound in the room as the music and the singing.

[Bratty]

The music slows as she sings a ballad, clear and perfect.

~

There's a saying old says that love is blind
Still we're often told "seek and ye shall find"
So I'm going to seek a certain boy I've had in mind
Looking everywhere, haven't found him yet
He's the big affair I cannot forget
Only boy I ever think of will regret


I'd like to add him initial to my monogram
Tell me where's the shepherd for this lost lamb

There's a somebody I'm longing to see
I hope that he turns out to be
Someone who'll watch over me

I'm a little lamb who's lost in a wood
I know I could always be good
To one who'll watch over me

Although he may not the boy some girls think of
As handsome to my heart
He carries the key

Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh how I need
Someone to watch over me
Someone to watch over me

[Cynical Cat]

Bullets chased Marcus out the door. One grazed his left shoulder, another went through his gut, and a third lodged in his thigh.

"Jeezus! He won't fuck'en drop! He's some kind of fucken iron man!"

"Follow him out and unload in to the fucker. Just because he ain't dead yet doesn't mean he ain't gonna be."

Needless to say, O'Banion's men were in pursuit.

[Josh]

He leaned against the wall, ravenous hunger pressing on him. But damn, she did have one hell of a voice. And she had his collection of little freaks and brats in the palm of her hand.

She might even last more than the usual week that his entertainment generally made it.

As she finished her latest song, there was a hush on the room, then a tide of applause. He made his way into the crowd, clapping politely himself. He wanted everyone to know that he was the one who had brought this one in.

(Now that he thought of it, Rossi was the one, though- he'd mentioned bringing in a singer. Oh well, the dead would get no credit when he was around.)

[Bratty]

She bows for the crowd and says in the microphone. "Thank you all"

Seeing 'Rossi', she makes her way down to the crowd, leans forward to give him a kiss on the cheek in politeness. He can feel the adrenaline rushing over him like a sweet summer breeze. Whispering in his ear, "So, am I hired?"

[Charon]

Marcus dived into the back of the car and looked up at his ghoul, Eric. "Drive, now. Or we're both dead." Eric quickly peeled away from the bar and drove down the road. "Back home?" Marcus snarled at his thrall as his regenerating flesh pushed the bullets out of him. "What are you stupid? Last thing I need is them knowing where I live. Drive to the trainyards, and take a long route.."

Marcus hoped the fiesty Brujah had gotten his message or this would get interesting. With a soft groan Marcus leaned over and grabbed one of the two pistols there. Lightweight stuff, but it would help. With his other hand Marcus grabbed his broadsword and brought it up next to him. Hopefully they would stay far enough ahead to keep them from firing on his car.

[Josh]

He put his arm around her waist, pivoting them both around in a circle so he could properly show off his new prize acquisition.

"Baby, that was great. Whaddya think, folks, should we keep her?"

The babble of the crowd was enthused, closing in to press on them, touch them, congratulate them and entreat for more.

And it was REALLY getting on his fucking nerves. He could hear the pulses thundering through their veins, see all those lovely throats just begging for the touch of his fangs.

Fighting down the desire to start ripping into throats here and now, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Keep up like that, and your pay'll double. Now keep 'em happy."

He released her and grabbed the wrist of one of the girls in the crowd. With a predatory smile, he pulled her close, then began to guide her toward one of the love nests he'd had installed in the adjoining rooms.

[Cynical Cat]

Holes were ripped through the windows and body of the car as bullets from the tommy gun and handguns struck Marcus's car. Fortunately, most of the damage was superficial. Eric was bloodied from glass fragments, but the ghoul had a lead foot, good reflexes, and decent driving skills. He got them out of the kill zone in a hurry.

[Bratty]

She dances the Charleston, and a few new other dance crazes. She meets every one of them, singing and dancing, turning the house into a juke joint.

Part of her briefly wonders where he wondered off to, but he is definitely pleased with her. The show must go on.

[Josh]

He left his chosen taste of the evening unconscious on the bed. She'd recover, be a bit woozy for a while, but now she'd have something to brag about, whoever she was.

Cleaning away the evidence, licking the wounds, all done, he made his way back to the never-ending party.

Admittedly, he wanted to see more of the show. This was new, actually having quality entertainment.

[Bratty]

Wright comes back to the party literally raising the roof. It is a mad house, even for the decadence of the time. The second rate piano player is doing his best to keep up with the crowd, but is actually having a good time for once, forgotten are threats of violence if he does not perform.

Queen of Spades is dancing with the crowd in a line. Everyone wants a piece. Everyone wants a taste.

But unlike everyone else, Cassie is showing signs of fatigue. After all, here, she is abnomal one.

[Charon]

Marcus returned a few shots with his pistol, not really expecting to do much but keep these goons from shooting at him too freely. Eric meanwhile made sure the distance between their car and their pursuers stayed just far enough to give them running room. Marcus considered driving by Wright's place, maybe that would shake them. He nodded. "Take this upcoming left, take us past Wright's place." Marcus readied his pistol again.