Missing

[Aurashka]

Well, Aura couldn't help but be pleased with Danielle's reaction to her.  The Vidas usually prepared themselves for who Aurashka was before meeting with her, and she was usually diplomatic enough to keep them from actually trying too hard to kill her.  It was nice.

"I believe you, Danielle," she said, plucking the name from the girl's head.  Even a Vida witch couldn't entirely block all thoughts from a vampire over three millenia old.  "Now, what is the problem?"  She looked from one to the other, not wanting to tear through their minds to get all of the information.

[Danielle Vida]

The name she did not mind. Danielle had seldom few thoughts she wanted none to have, and most of them she left in Germany. She leaned against the bar again, trying to get comfortable.

"My friend, Ash. I need to find him, and I know he owns the place. He and I go back - well, you probably aren't interested in details. I'm looking, I can't find him, and this guy behind the bar says as a matter of fact he's been missing for a few days."

She rubs her temples. "Now I know he's prone to a disappearing act - we all are. The problem is.. this one feels different. Somethin' is tellin' me to keep asking, or I never would have even told anyone I was a Vida, or let loose with the aura. I'd rather feel stupid that he was tryin' not to be found than hate myself because he needed to be found."

[Aurashka]

She frowned, then approached the bar with a few graceful steps, as though floating, before sliding onto one of the stools.  There was still another between her and Danielle, her way of giving the witch some space, and she thought about the situation for a moment.  

"Well, the last time I saw Ashtaroth, he was with Ian of Midnight.  Ian didn't tell me what they were up to, but that may be the best place to start."

[Danielle Vida]

Danielle felt nausea rising within her. She looked away and took a breath, closing her eyes. Midnight?

"Midnight?" she echoed again, aloud. "Theres no way.." she trailed off. But it was completely possible. It was always possible.

"I don't think I'll be able to walk in and inquire.. and if I did, nobody's likely to tell me," she said, words carefully chosen. She did shield her thoughts now. Danielle.. was apprehensive about Midnight for other reasons. She was on the verge of breaking herself - how easy would it be for somene else to do it? Think for her? It made her dizzy and she swung backwards on the counter and sat down with a sharp 'thud'.

[Aurashka]

She looked at the witch curiously, with a definite note of worry, but said nothing of what she saw.  Yet.  For now, it was Ashtaroth she was worried about.  Despite her constant teasing him and such, she was quite fond of the witch, and she didn't want to see him harmed.  "No, they wouldn't, you're right," she said thoughtfully, then hesitated and looked directly at Danielle.

"Danielle, look at me," she instructed, wanting to ensure that the witch knew what exactly she was saying.  "I can arrange a meeting with Ian, and you can come, but only if I have your word that you will be...reliable."

[Danielle Vida]

"Reliable how?" Danielle could fight, and she could win, but lately she'd been in a real problematic area of her life that pretty much said kill them all or dig a hole and hide in it for a while. The hiding bit was what she'd been doing more often then not. She dipped too far into her rage in Europe, and now was a time to cool off, not fire back up. Not without serious consequences.

[Aurashka]

"Reliable in a way that means you'd be an asset to Ashtaroth if he so needs it.  In a way that keeps me from worrying what you're doing if I'm attempting to be diplomatic.  Do you understand?"  Aura was going to try her best to keep things as clean and painless as possible with Ian, and simply find out what had happened to the Hellcat.  She couldn't really believe that anything truly horrible had happened to Leone, as she knew he wasn't one to be trifled with, but what else would keep him away from the Hollow for so long with no word?  Leander would have been informed, by Dave at least, if Ash had disappeared of his own choice.

[Leander Moreaux]

"Did you find anything?" the young woman asked him, and Leander turned around to face her.

"Yeah, I think I got..." he trailed off as he noticed the very person they were looking for having entered the bar, blinking in surprise at her even as Miss Vida uttered something before turning too. It was she who answered Aura's question, and with the strangeness of her words, Leander decided then and there to keep his own mouth shut and stick to listening.

He wondered if this was something gang-related again, like he'd wonderd last time Aurashka was there, and when the name Midnight came up again it felt almost like a confirmation. The strangest thing was perhaps that neither of the women, or the man Ian, seemed like the sort of people to be invlved with gangs.

"I don't think I'll be able to walk in and inquire.. and if I did, nobody's likely to tell me," Danielle then said, confirmed by Aura, and a tought was sown in him. It probably wasn't a good idea, and part of him wasn't too keen on sticking his neck out for someone he barely knew, even if it was someone who'd given him a job, but as the women went on he decided that what the hell, he couldn't just leave them on their own to take the brunt of... whatever it was.

He coughed slightly for attention.
"Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt, but... Maybe I can help? If Miss Vida here would be recognised, and your face is known to these people," he nodded to Aura, "then maybe I can go there and ask around? Surely I wouldn't be recognised?"

~~*~~
He so has no clue what's going on! XD

[Danielle Vida]

"If you need me to stand back and keep my mouth shut, I can do that. It's not a big deal. I spent a lot of my life doing it, you know." Danielle folded her arms, glancing to Leander.

She didn't know if it would be a good idea for him to go into that place.. he was perhaps desirable? She figured she would let that be Aurashka's call. She was the Mistress of the City, or at least if she wasn't she sure should have been. Nobody stays alive for that long and doesn't own at least one nice piece of property.

[Aurashka]

Aura had to smile softly at the reasons behind Leander's offer, his reluctance to let herself and Danielle handle this mess, as though he was going to protect them.  It was ridiculous, but sweet.  Still, she wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to let him try something so dangerous, especially when she was certain that if Morfeus, Kay or any of the other Midnight vamps other than Ian saw him, they'd want him.  And bringing Leander in there was just asking for someone to attempt to take him.

"We'll see if there's anything you can do, Leander, but I'm afraid to risk you," she said honestly.  Neither she nor Danielle could be claimed, and even if she draped her protection over Leander, they could simply insist that she trade if Leone had indeed been detained.  This was just a bad situation.

She sighed, then looked from one to the other.  "I will arrange a meeting with Ian.  If anyone knows what happened to Ashtaroth, it will be him.  Any other ideas?"

[Danielle Vida]

She watched the beautiful woman closely, but not too. She spoke logically, which Danielle liked and appreciated - she hated people who spoke in riddles like they were important.

"The only ideas I have involve a lot of seek and destroy. I was -this- close to contacting the guilds." Danielle had the money, and she knew they had the time. "Nothing I can come up with is productive enough and will ensure that nobody gets hurt." Danielle was a suicide bomb kind of person when it boiled down to it. That was probably a bad thing. That fabled Vida control had slipped a long time ago, and Ash was ALL she had to keep from falling apart completely. With him gone, it was back to the lab again, conjuring up some dark emotions to work off of.

[Leander Moreaux]

Okay, so maybe those two knew more about the situation than he did, but that he would be at any greater risk than the two women was ridiculous, from his point of view. One that didn't include vampires or witches or supernatural powers.
"Just... think about it," he responded. "Another pair of hands and eyes, and an unknown face, could be useful."
Not having given up, he unhappily kept silent for now and tried to pick up more details from their conversation.

Guilds? Was that another word for gangs? Or had he gotten that bit wrong from the start? It's not like any of the ones involved looked like that sort of people. Mafia? That would fit a bit better - and make the whole situation a great deal worse. Had he managed to get himself involved with some sort of rivalling mafia? One of which seemed to be called Midnight. Or was that a person? He found all of it very confusing, and neither of the ladies seemed like they would be willing to explain.


~~*~~
I know he shouldn't get involved, but the boy is being stubborn and refusing to leave this be ^^;;;

[Aurashka]

Aurashka was impressed by Leander's subbornness, but she was still worried about the boy.  And she completely believed Danielle.  The girl definitely struck her as a very dangerous person, and she seemed quite fond of Ash.

"Then I suppose it's a meeting with Ian, and we'll take things from there," she said simply, sighing.  "Give me an hour or so, and I'll be back to tell you what's going to happen."

She needed to contact him.

[Danielle Vida]

Quite fond of him wasn't the phrase that would best fit, but it was hard to tell by the way Danielle simply was. She was a well-known 'explosive personality', so it was hard to pinpoint the why and the what. The thought of Ash being in that place made her nauseous, dizzy, and very, very angry. She fathomed that if she thought about it hard enough, she might actually spontaniously combust. She had never been encompassed entirely by that type of emotion, not towards another person. She didn't know what it was. She'd never felt it before.

"Thank you," she said. She meant it. Unlike other Vidas, Danielle had been around enough to know that not every vampire was a mindless drone bent on conquering the world. She got the feeling Aurashka was above the petty this-and-that, but then again, when you've been alive for that long, you've been there, done that, and gotten the t-shirt, mug, comemorative plates, anniversery coin, and a free pair of shoes.

She didn't know what to do then, but she felt very weak, and sat down suddenly. She looked up at Leander. "Can I have a drink, please?" she asked softly. Her entire expression had gone from rabid to exhausted in a matter of seconds. There was that masquerade, slowly slipping from her.

[Aurashka]

Aura returned shortly later, feeling at least a little better as she looked at Danielle and Leander.  She had some good news, at least.

"I've arranged a meeting with Ian for tonight.  Be well-rested and alert," she said simply.  "I'll meet you here around sunset."

Though I'm not so sure if Leander should come, she shot at Danielle, wanting an opinion.