Just Another Night

Ashton leaned against a birch tree, the branches bare of its needles, as was the same with every other tree. Manchester has certainly been an adventure for her so far. She still wasn't sure if she was to take the two offers of protection as an omen or just something to keep in mind. The park was quiet accept for a young couple making out in their car. Parking, as she heard it called among humans. Their breathes fogged up the window from the cold weather outside. They had cut the engine and turned off the lights. Ashton continued to wait for the right moment to interviene. The couple had been at it for a while now. The cold didn't bother her, as she couldn't feel it. She sighed. Humans were so oblivious to things unless it affected them directly. She looked up at the star dusted sky, the moon looking cold and pale with a silver hue as the winter night wore on.

::The roar of another's car engine came up the path to the lover's lane and the head lights of an approaching car appear. The two people in the already parked car panic and are quick to leave. The two cars pass each other and soon the Black Lincoln parks quickly. A large built man in a cheap suit exits the car and slams the door shut. It's clear that he's furious about something and he storms off towards the edge of the woods, his long sword bouncing off his hip as he moved.::

Ashton pursed her lips in a thin line. Another lost meal. She pinched the bridge of her nose, her expression irritated. She was surprised though, that the other Kindred hand't sensed her. Obviously he was to pissed to care. She straightned and followed him, intending to give him a piece of her mind about him chasing away tonight's dinner. It didn't take long for her to catch up. "Hey." She said irritably, grabbing his arm to stop him. She glared at him, her arms folded. "What's the matter with you?" She demanded.

::Frank whirls on the spot and pulls away from the other kindred. He sneers some and draws out his sword in the blink in the blink of an eye. He takes a few steps back, seemingly surprised by the other kindred that he had missed.::

"Who are you? You with the Movement. I am not in the mood to deal with an assassin right now."

::He says and takes a strong swordsmen stance.::

She raised an eyebrow and glanced at his sword. With an amused expression, she leaned against a tree, and crossed her ankles.

"The Movement? Never heard of them."

She paused, unpurturbed.

"Actually...I just wanted to tell you with that temper tantrum of yours that you chased off my meal."

She rolled her eyes, remebering the time C-J walked by while she was getting ready to feed and the man running off on her.

"And I have to say, it's rather annoying."

Again she glanced at his sword.

"And don't tell me people still use those things."

::Frank sneer down graded into a frown and he put his sword away.::

"I still use them, and that's good enough for me."

::Frank said and suddenly was side tracked from what he was so mad about.::

"Your er... meal huh?"

::Frank said and shoved his hands in his pocket and shrugged some.::

"You a member of the court here?"

Ashton sighed.

"Yes. My meal."

She waved a hand.

"And as for being a member of the court, no, I'm not."

She let silence fall over them like a stiffling blanket.

"So what's got you so pissed anyway?"

She wondered, eyeing him up and down.

"By the way you drew your sword and probably would've killed me, I'd say somebody tried to assasinate you...or worse."

::Frank stiffens some when he hears that she's not a member of the court. It denoted to him that he didn't need to be polite to her.::

"I wish assassin were all I had to worry about. I know how to deal with those problems."

::He says and shakes his head.::

"I'm Sir Franklin Mason of the most honorable order of the thorned wreath. and you are?"

::Frank introduced himself and then asked.::

"Ashton. Ashton Grey."

She sighed and combed a hand through her raven hair. This guy, whoever he says he was, was definently a character. She hid her amusement. And he seemed to have an attidute that matched her own.

"And I have to say, I've never heard of you before."

She admitted. She watched him, wondering what his reacttion would be. The way he introduced himself made it sound like a lot of people knew him. And apparently, not all of them friendly.

::When Ashton said she hadn't heard of him. He chuckled some.::

"Good."

::He says simply and looks around the wooded area.::

"Then call me Frank. It's easier that way Ashton."

::He said and then looked back to the other kindred.::

"Been in Manchester long?"

She rolled her black eyes.

"Only a few weeks. But I must say...it's been quite the adventure. There aren't near as many Kindred as from were I was originally from..."

She trailed off, thoughtful, letting the blanket of silence cover them again.

"Sounds like a nice place. Somewhere with less kindred..."

::Frank says, now completely sidetracked from his anger. The ventrue's mind was easy to side track. He looked back to the parking lot and only noticed his car.::

"Did you walk up here?"

She waved a hand. "There's a public parking space over yonder." She answered absently. "Well..." She trailed off, thoughtful. "I need to feed before the night is done, so I think I'll head into town. Or...somewhere." She frowned and turned her back on him and started to walk away. "Hopefully my next meal won't get chased off." She rolled her eyes again.

::Frank considered the other kindred for a moment and opted to follow after her.::

"If you need some help I beat someone up for ya. It's the least I could do considering I ruined your other meal."

::He says and slowly walks with her.::

Ashton looked over at him. "It's nice of you to offer but...I'm afraid beating people up and then feeding from them isn't really my style..." She trailed off, her black eyes unreadable. Again silence overlapped the two Kindred, and as they walked, Ashton gave him a sideways glance, wondering who he was and what his story was. She sighed. Almost all Kindred had a story behind their Changing. Some of them were just plan unlucky, as Ashton had been, but most seemed to have known a Kindred for a while or the Kindred came to them. She refrained from asking though, as usually Kindred were touchy about talking about their past lives.

"Have you ever tried it? Great way to blow off steam."

::Frank suggests and stops over by his car.::

"You should try it some time."

Ashton raised an eyebrow. "Nah. Not my style. Thanks for the advice anyway though...Well...It was...uh...nice meeting you..." She looked up at the sky for a moment, trying to distract herself from her thirst. She looked back at Frank. "Or would you care to join me?" She offered.

::Frank shrugged some.::

"I bet your means of hunting are a lot more subtle than mine. However, with a mug like mine I don't have the options you do."

::Frank says with a chuckle. The large man motioned to his face that had a few scars on it and his cheap suit certainly didn't make him a looker.::

"Yes...well..." She frowned slightly, trailing off. "I don't mean to be rude but I really do need to feed so unless you would like to join me, I think I'll be off." She turned, intending to walk back to her car. Normally she fed more often then this, but as of late, she hadn't been feeling like herself. She wanted to resist her beastly urges, but she had done that before, before she came to Manchester, and that's how her eyes got to the color of onyx. The more she resists her urges, the more the monster she is overtakes her human apperance.

"See ya around then. And look out for them commie carthians, there's a lot around these parts."

::Frank says and watches her go. Now successfully distracted from his anger Frank looks around the parking area and rubbs his chin some.::

"Now what was I doing here again?"

::He asks himself out loud. After a few moments of thought he shrugs and pulls out the keys of his car.::