#ccsemberclub

He does not seem to be in the Club; staff present would report he left via the front door and their demeanour suggests he was... upset.

"Oh snot" She starts to head out and...

"Sorry, M'am" Wheeler says

"Beg your pardon?" She says

"Not unescorted" he reminds

"Son of a .." She hisses at him, "Fine. Follow" And she conjures a tattle tale to find her love

The cantrip tells her he is surrounded by green growth, and a warm breeze. Familiar surroundings. That limits the places he might be; sometimes, since the cancer diagnosis, they take a walk together in a local park....

She sighs and looks to Wheeler "When I approach him I'm going to want SOME distance. YOU don't need to hear me apologize"

A warning look

"I hear that" He assures

And soon, footsteps in the park, well, hoofsteps

He's sitting on a bench, elbows on his knees, head down; but the sound of her hooves brings his head up.

She motions Wheeler away, then approaches "I'm sorry" She says and means it "I'm scared, and I didn't know what to say that wouldn't make me more scared so I joked to take the bite off it. I should have realized you were scared to and what I did , mocking the situation, would be seen as mockery of you and that's not... not what I wanted." She sits next to him on the bench "I really didn't know what else TO say."

He reaches and takes her hand. "I left to take some air. Before I said something I would regret."

A deep breath. "We cannot out-last this creature. And we've seen we cannot ignore it. I do not want to run from it; we have built so much here."

A nod "You would have been right to be angry. I was insentivive to YOUR feelings and given how HARD I feel, that's hypocritical of me. " She squeezes his hand "So, we hunt it, or have others hunt it for us"

"Do you know any vampire slayers?" an eyebrow.

"Back in the days of the SHadow court? yes. We had a few. You know the best way to slay a vampire?" She says

"We are -not- taking help or asking for it from The Court." firmly.

"And no. What is the best way to slay a vampire?" he sets it up.

"Find out where he sleeps , block the egresses, and set fire to EVERYTHING" she says "Hopefully while you have a second unit ready to intefere with fire fighters"

"During the day." he adds "After posting snipers."

"Damn straight" She nods

"I guess my point is, we do not fight fair on this. And overkill is best"

"Dearest, I hope you have never known me to fight fair, or with less than maximum leathality."

"I love your efficency" She nods

"I knew there was something." he offers, a weak jest "This approach is not without its dangers."

"Is it possible you think to sic some one we don't LIEK on the vampire?"

"In Belgium?"

"I would love to sic the entire nobility of the country on the vampire."

"We can't outlast, but maybe we can ...arrange things" She ponders "But it would take finagling that would take months. Do we have that much time?"

"Goons are easy to hire. And, this creature has time on his side. -Why- is he after you, Dearest?"

"There's one type of vampire that is.. fixated on art and artists, or singers. I think he wants to collect me"

"And he is familiar with you."

"He saw me perform" She reminds

"And you had associations with the one that turned him."

"Vaguely yes." She nods

"Yes. And really, otherwise, why would he come to have seen you? From Belgium, with all the hazards travel must present to him?"

"You're saying he may not be the one who wants me, or not the only one? Or that at least I got fingered by his mentor whehter she meant it as a 'see this lady's show' or whatever?"

"Do you think -she- is involved as well?" this clearly had not occured to him.

"Well, I didn't, but you never can tell with Lilith's brats. They're political animals, petty politics, which means vicious at times. "

"Mm." thoughtfully "They say all politics are local."

"True. No assurance they get along "

"It would be the height of folly to seek information directly."

"Unfortunately" She agrees "Ideas?"

He rubs his chin in thought.

"We can make the staff and guards aware of this creature, with strict orders not to engage with him but to inform us should he return. We could, of course, use you as bait to lure him back but I am loath to do that. I no longer have sufficent contacts in Europe; I have downsized my circle considerably. We will NOT involve The Court."

"All right. I don't much liek the debts that would incur anyway" She admits

"Although politics may be local, I do not want to, as they say, shit where I eat. I want him, her, it, or they to stay out of Kansas City. Missouri for that matter, and Iowa. Concordia, if it comes to that."

"Easy to say, trickier to do ,dear" She knows he knows that but feels it must be said