Los Angeles: Blood Moon - ❌🌙🟩ch10-cry-me-a-river

Chapter 10 Location: Asp Hole, Hollywood Players : @Jean-Paul / Sasha (Lucas) ST: @Slinar [Alexander Montferrier] Previous Scene #❌🍕🟩ch9-just-a-dream

MOOD MUSIC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTy4Am3MQ4c

Lacuna Coil - Topic

Swamped

15:03

As Jean-Paul entered the place, he could almost immediatly see the mood of the place. There and there, flashy and tromboscopic lights were flaring, vomiting and blinding the fools dancing on the floor. A bar in the center of the place was giving shots, beers, champaign bottles to horny and thirsty teenagers, wannabe-stars, or even sometimes real stars. But more in the pornographic section. The music was loud, too loud, as a woman was screaming blasphemy into his soul, he saw all of this crowd gathering here. If the Vesuvius was a place of erotism, this place was Sodom and Gomorrah.

@Jean-Paul / Sasha (Lucas)

'I HATE THIS' Jean-Paul was screaming internally as soon as he got inside. He was young and all, but he enjoyed a bit more classy stuff... this was a bit too much for him. No matter, he put on a smile and walked in, headed to the bar in the center and waited for a bartender to go talk to him.

A bartender little claded looked at him. She was wearing a white skirt and a white crop top in latex. She smiled at him, with a little more than the usual facade for customers as she asked him : "Hellooo, what can I get you, really?"

"Good evening, I'm looking for Ash, I have a message for him" He keeps us his smile, even though he really, reaaaally doesn't feel happy about being in this place. There was something different. Although the women in Vesuvius were even less dressed, it was more tasteful than this. He couldn't quite explain it, but, it was true.

"Oooh, and what that get me ? You can reward me in some way, handsome ?" She smiled at him, hunger in her eyes, as she lusted over her body.

"Why don't you come out here and find out?" He's definitely not going to pass the opportunity to feed when he's hungry. Especially when she's offering herself like that. Hopefully she didn't do any drugs.

The woman took him above the counter, and dragged him on the other side. She began to touch him, his torso, his face, as she tried to pull him under the counter where she sat.

(if you accept, fade to black)

(yes)

Ok

"So, do you think I am worthy of that information now?" She's probably going to be feeling a bit groggy, considering she just lost some blood. But she likely did feel pleasure from it nevertheless. What matters is the result, which is to talk to Ash.

Jean-Paul looked at her. He was pleasured, but the blood had a strange taste. At first, he thought it was the excitation, the tainted place affecting him, but now, he could see that the world around him seemed to move a bit slower than before. And he was a bit faster, a bit on the hedge, like pushing that accelerator and going faster and faster.

16:28

"Yeah, Ash... Ash is on the second floor, with his babes."

Jean-Paul will try to his best to focus and head to the second floor. He will definitely also try to make a mental note to never feed in this place again. Might not remember it though. Either way, he will look for Ash on the second floor.

The way to the second floor was tricky. He could feel himself walking with a newfounded aisance. It was like flying and soon he was like teleported on a second dance floor, upstairs.

16:35

In front of him, a man was sitting, with two pretty woman at each of his side, laying against him, as he looked the dancefloor. A broken king, ruler of none.

16:36

The man looked at him, with a cold expression, as he stroked the purple hairs of one of the girls in bikini suits.

"For the guy who owns such an agitated place... you don't seem to fit in at all" Jean-Paul seems surprised when he says that guy. He can only assume that actually is Ash, after all, he was told he'd be 'with his babes'.

"Who are you? And what do you want ?" The guy wasn't that fun looking at all, visibly pissed by his arrival.

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"I am Jean-Paul du Toit... and I guess you're Ash? Isaac Abraams asked me to send you a message, so... if we could talk in private"

He looked at him with a smirk, visibly annoyed. He looked at the two women. "You heard the man, let us in private. I'll get to you later, ladies." As the got up, and looked at him with a smile, he tapped the couch on his side. "Let me hear what the old geezer wants."

"Well, first of all, I am Isaac's ward, I arrived here last week, still kind of figuring how things work in LA... but he wanted me to let you know he's got all the Sabbat attacks covered, so there shouldn't be any problems around here... and if you have any concerns, you can let me know so I'll pass it over to him"

The Toréador looked at him, silent. He sighed, gazing into the dancing crowd in front of them. "The Sabbat Attack. Ah. I would want them to come her, vanquish me from this pathetic existence." He reached his arm behind Jean-Paul, on the back of the couch. "You want to help me, Jean-Paul? Don't let Isaac do to you what he has done to me."

Well, that was not what Jean-Paul expected at all. "What do you mean by that?" He looked confused, to say the least.

"Jean-Paul.... As you I was in the industry... Why do you think Isaac took you beneath his "protection"?"

"Because of common interests, I assume? He's a movie producer, I'm a... well, I like to think I am, at least, a rising movie director, and I have always been an Anarch... why else?"

"Don't you think he has plenty Anarch on his hand ? Or movie director ? You're not special, Jean-Paul. Not to him. What could you bring him of new? Of special?"

Jean-Paul just scratched the back of his head. He hadn't really thought of that. Maybe it was just because he was a good Anarch and wanted to help him... which should have been the case, after all. "Nothing, I mean... I don't have to be special"

"I just don't want you to die stupidly, Jean-Paul. You really seem like a nice guy." He paused his hand on the shoulder of Jean-Paul, pressing his lips in a "meh" face. "I... I don't have really much to tell you. I'm pretty sure everything is fine in my club, and I don't really see the use of going outside. For the Sabbat stuff... I don't know of them, and if they come to me, I shall call you." The pretty face took out a pro-card and gave it to him. "Give me a call once in a while, it's good to have pleasurable brothers."

Looks, on them. Jean-Paul felt eyes gazing at them, from time to time, visibly interested in them both. A famous actor and a famous film director talking, normal isn’t it ?

"Do you really think Isaac would send me in some sort of suicide mission?" Jean-Paul wasn't sure what he meant by that first part, about dying stupidly. Either way, they're Anarchs, he could always refuse it. Or so he believes.

"We’re… Selfish creatures Jean-Paul." He leaned back in the couch, stretching his arms wide. "And the more we grow old, the more we become monsters." His sight pierced through Jean-Paul. He really was beautiful, a living image of a fallen angel. "How old do you think my father is ?"

"Considering his interest in Cinema and his appearance... I'd say he's at least 150 years old, it seems to fit the age when cinema was created... but maybe he was alive before that, with theater and all that"

Ash sniffed. "I just ask you to be vigilant. Copy?" He pressed his forehead with the tips of his fingers. "What’s your current goal in L.A by the way ?"

"I want to get inspiration for my next big project... the city of Angels seemed like the best place for it, given its history with movies"

"The question…" Ash took a beer bottle, and began to swing it in front of them. "… Is what do you want to tell?" He began to show people in the floor. "Love ?" Two person intertwined. "Passion ?" A lone dancer, nearly in transe. "Or tragedy?" He pointed the bottle at him, as placed the tip under his chin.

"What's your tragedy, Ash?" Jean-Paul will sit down by his side and look at him with curiosity. No, he's not yet decided on what he wants to tell, but, he knows that inspiration can come from anywhere.

"My tragedy... It's just the one of someone meant to die, to have a fulgurant end, and to have his death stolen by the damnation that is our condition." He took a cigarette, lighting it up. "I was to die at the peak of my carrier, and enter posterity. And now, I'm an actor who can't play because of this Masquerade, and condemmed to be forgotten slowly." He dragged on his cigarette, letting out a puff of smoke slowly, looking at Jean-Paul with a sarcastic smile. "What would you do if you were to stop directing ?" His gaze shifted to the dance floor, tired and contemplative. "If you were to stop what makes you yourself?"

"I'd try to find a way to do it... get a fake identity, learn obfuscate, and work on Theaters only... it's certainly not the same as a Cinema, which can be appreciated by the whole world, but it will give you a taste of it"

"So going against the very principle of the Mascarade ?"

"No, that's why you'd learn obfuscate, you'd have to pretend to be someone else as well... the only issue are the Cameras"

He stayed silent a moment, looking at the smoke made by his cigarette. "I envy you, Jean-Paul, trully. Feel free to come here as much as you want, I really take a liking in you."

@Jean-Paul / Sasha (Lucas)

"There's... not much to envy from me... I mean, I am just a neonate who dreams of some day being greater than Stanley Kubrick... but I guess I appreciate the compliment, and I'll make sure to come by again"

"See you then." He maked a sign to the girls to come back to him, as they were visibly focused at dancing with a third one.

A cold sensation in his neck, as he looked back. He could see the predatory smile of an individual, a huge man looking over a group of girl chatting, waiting for one of them to depart to follow her. It was strange, as he felt a weight in his stomach.

Jean-Paul felt afraid of that. It could be a Nosferatu trying to feed or something like that... but he couldn't just ignore it. He took a deep break, before heading to the group of girls with his biggest smile possible. "Hey girls, how's the night treating you?"

"Heeey!" They responded, as the guy began to took off. Some of them began to respond positivly, one even recongnizing him and beginning to flirt. But yet, he still had this weird impression. This gut feeling that something was off.

"Just wanted to check in on your little group, but I'll make sure to come by another night... I hope I'll get to dance with you then" He's going to wink at the woman who flirted with him. After that he'll excuse himself and try to follow that giant guy, if he's able to. From a distance, though, keeping himself surrounded by people.

The guy was visibly hanging at the bar, ordering a beer.

Jean-Paul will try to blend in, dance with people, and get closer, so he can get a closer look at how that man looks like.

He was six feet tall, really bulky, with a stretched red shirt and a blue jean. Jean-Paul could see the belly of this man protubering between the buttons, and his big arms resting on the counter, as he began to sip on the beer. He was saddenned, visibly, and yet, sometime maked envious looks around him.

Jean-Paul will stay nearby to pay attention to what he's doing. Only when he's out of the place he's going to be satisfied. Though he won't be able to do much if the Sun comes up... He'll text his bodyguard to come to the Wasp Hole.

16:45

And then he'll send another text saying never mind.

The man quickly goes out of the place. He seemed to pay little attention to what happened near him, and had a defeated look on him.

As Jean-Paul looked around, he couldn't shake this feeling. And there it was. A blond woman was looking at him, with an insistent gaze from afar. She was little claded, and yet, when he looked at her, she looked away once more.

That could not be his stalker, could it? Surely she couldn't have dyed her hair so quickly just to go unnoticed. No, that couldn't be it... Although he was feeling good for most of the night, the memory of that woman came to haunt him again. No, that can't be her. He will try to approach her discreetly to see if he recognizes who it is.

As he advanced toward her, he managed to escape his gaze by going beside a collumn and coming back with a group of chatters. She was visibly well chiceled with a white bikini top and a a golden sailor pant. She had blond hair, cut at the neck. She was really pretty, and yet seemed a bit annoyed by the fact to have loose him. He never has saw her before.

Considering it's not his stalker, Jean-Paul already felt relieved. He will walk towards the woman with a smile. Of course with a smile, she's pretty, no need to hide it. But since she was looking at him, he will simply stay close enough that she can approach him whenever she chooses to, rather than the opposite.

As he walked near her, she seemed to be surprised at one point, before going toward him. "Hey, I have a stain on me ? That's why you're looking at me ?" She smiled, a bit uneased.

"Please, I spotted you from the moment I entered the club, how could I not have noticed someone as pretty as you?" He smirks. "I was just waiting for the right time to come here"

"I... I didn't knew I was that impressive. You noticed even when you were talking with him?" She pointed at the stairs leading to the second floor. "Why catched your eyes ? Only my beauty ?"

"Of course not, I'm not that shallow" He chuckles. "I guess I just wanted to get to know you better... may I ask what is your name?"

"The name's is Cass. If you wish, we could go out, and talk a bit? It's a bit too loudy here for me." She raised her hand to her head, a bit embarassed.

Something was off. She had looked at him too many time, looked at his mouth... There was something creepy about this one. Something that make him think of the stalker, but with the previous sight... It made him feel like a prey.

Jean-Paul did not like that. At all. Could this be one of the Sabbat Isaac mentioned before? He did say he had them under control though. "I'm sure if we go to the bartender we can wave some cash at him or her and get us a private booth"

"Sure, all I want is escape this fucking noise."

==END SCENE== Next scene #❌🌙🟩ch11-private-interview

Jean-Paul finally went to the Asp Hole, to meet with Ash River. They talked a bit about Isaac Abraams and he invited Jean to come back again. But something else caught Jean-Paul's attention while he was there. A very predatory-like woman who stared at him the whole time. He did not want to go out with her and give her a chance to attack him, so he decided to get a private booth instead.

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