Ten Years Prior: Part IV
Warnings: Violence, Profanity, and Adult themes.
Writer’s note: I know I just bitched and moaned about not wanting to do Mickey’s point of view. But, I frickin’ did it. *sticks tongue out*. Ugh, but I hate it. It breaches a suck ass topic for me. And simming it is the bottom end of an elephants ass. It is one thing to write something that is balls… simming it makes it super balls. Poo.
Just a set up, because otherwise it may be awkward. I don’t know if you remember but Mickey was with Arden for almost a year. Since Chauncey is around, you pretty much know that time is about to come to an end, but she’s been with this dude for a long while. And in that time, he has pretty much ruined her. She’s managed to lose herself in all this mess. It was supposed to come up later, but eh, Mickey has forgotten her name. She is “the girl”. She is “she”.
This is only relevant because I write in third person, almost exclusively in limited, subjective with multiple separated points of view. That probably sounds like gibberish… basically, I chose one character at a time and I follow them. If they don’t know what is going on, neither should I. But you usually have names to accompany the ‘he said/she said’ and avoid confusion. In Mickey’s case, I’ve dropped her name. This wouldn’t really work in any other situation unless I expanded on the setting and her character, but we know who she is and there are pictures so I’m kind of cheating. I hope that it doesn’t come across as forced, but I felt it was appropriate.
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Arden was angry with her. She could almost feel it. It didn’t take much to upset him, but she could tell from the way that his eyes bore into her that she had really done wrong this time. But she hadn’t been able to help herself. She had been sitting quietly, just like Arden had told her, when they had brought him in.
Him. He hadn’t had any light. She had never seen that before. She had only meant to give him a little, make him a little brighter, but she hadn’t stopped until he glowed as brightly as she did. And then he opened his eyes. She was in trouble for it now, but she’d do it again just to see those eyes. They were… gentle.
But the eyes that were looking at her now were not gentle. Far from it. They were cold as they were blue, and they hid nothing. They told her that Arden would bite her and the idea of it made her want to cry. But there was nothing that Arden hated more than tears. If she cried, she’d only make it worse.
She bit her lip nervously and began to reach out slowly to touch him. Maybe if she gave him her light, made his brighter, he’d have no need to sink his fangs into her neck. No need to torture her with an unrelenting pain that inundated every part of her body.
“Don’t touch me,” he said lowly.
She pulled her hand back into her lap and her eyes followed.
“Look at me,” he told her, and she warily brought her head back up.
But he wasn’t meeting her gaze. He was staring at the marks on her neck. She pinched her knuckles to keep herself from covering them up. She already knew what he was thinking, but cringed when he spoke it aloud.
“You aren’t healing.”
“Sorry,” she offered quietly. There was little else that she ever said to him. She was always having to apologize for something. She couldn’t seem to make him happy, no matter how hard she tried. And now it was just one more thing. She wasn’t healing. There was a time when the marks on her neck would be gone within the day, but lately, they were lingering, scabbing over and sometimes even scarring. She didn’t know why, and she didn’t know how to fix it, but she’d apologize if it kept Arden from getting upset over it.
He blinked, eyes low. “Turn your head.”
He was going to bite her. She had known that he would, but now it was a certainty.
Don’t cry. Don’t cry, she thought to herself, but there was no need. Her eyes were bone dry. They too understood the consequences should they shed tears.
She turned her head to the right, exposing the side of her neck that Arden favored. He leaned forward, but clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing in what could have been disgust. The scabs from his previous ventures with her clearly did not appeal to him.
“Other side,” he almost whispered.
Don’t cry, she continued to chant in her head, the mantra having become a bit of a comfort. She turned her head to the left. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and tried to pretend that she was somewhere else when she felt his fangs press against her throat.
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“She didn’t answer. Again.” Aeryn frowned. “This is so weird.”
“She’s probably screening your calls, you’ve been calling so damn much,” Hadrian said to his sister from the floor of her living room.
“Salem doesn’t screen calls,” she replied icily. “And I’m only calling so much because I haven’t heard from her in days. I usually see her on the way to class.”
“She still takes classes?” Hadrian asked Tobias, who was lounging on the couch above him. “For what?”
Tobias shrugged, not looking away from the television. “She’s not taking any of mine, I know that.”
Aeryn joined them in the living area and slumped down on the couch. “I’m taking auroric security, and you should probably look into it, Hadrian. It’s a good course. I mean, I’m not doing so well in it, but it would come so easily to you.”
“Pass.” Hadrian shook his head. He had taken the basic courses offered by The Calling to help hone his psychic abilities when he was a kid. Now, he was simply content to use the organization as a social network. “I know what I need to know. Why don’t you take one of Toby’s courses?”
“Because I’m not a telepath or a clairaudient,” she answered. “I don’t belong in Telepathic Control 101.”
“You’re a channeler, idiot, you can be whatever you want to be if you just sit next to the right person,” Hadrian scoffed.
“Don’t call me an idiot, idiot.” Aeryn slapped Hadrian in the back of the head. “I’m not going to take a class where I’m learning something that I’d only be able to use if I was sitting next to the right person. That’s pointless. And besides, I don’t need an easy A.”
Tobias frowned. “Why would my class be an easy A?”
Hadrian smirked. “Because you have such a raging crush on her that you’d ace her automatically.”
“Hadrian,” Aeryn sighed, annoyed.
“Dude, what are you talking about? A crush is nothing. I’d fail her so hard,” Tobias answered, hardly reacting.
Aeryn turned to gape at him.
“What?” he shrugged at her. “I mean, you’d at least have to let me take you on one date for me to ace you automatically. That’s just a given.”
Aeryn shook her head. “Am I the only one who cares that Salem is missing?”
“She’s not missing, you buttmunch,” Hadrian mumbled.
“Then where is she, snotwad?” Aeryn retorted.
“It’s very likely that she’s somewhere minding her business.” Hadrian moved to stand up. “Well, I’d love to sit here and alternate between being nosy and paranoid with you, but I’m meeting somebody.”
Aeryn waved him off, “Tell Samantha I said hi.”
“Oh, no. No, no, I’m meeting Kris tonight.”
“Are you serious?” Aeryn said disapprovingly. “Who the hell is Kris?”
“Ugh,” Hadrian huffed dramatically. “5’7, blond, curvy, retrocognitive – ”
“Yeah, I didn’t ask for her measurements, loser, I asked who she was,” Aeryn cut him off. “What the hell happened to Samantha?”
“Sam and I… we just weren’t meant to be.”
“You were in love with her last week. You said you going to have her babies.”
Hadrian nodded. “Yes. Yes, I was prepared to give birth for that woman, but you know, it just wasn’t… meant… to be.”
Aeryn rolled her eyes. “And how long did that one last? A whole week?”
“Excuse you, we lasted ten whole days. And they were the best ten days of her life.”
“What?!”
“Hey, hey, judgment hats off! True love is a science, and pretty girls are my hypothesis. I’m just experimenting here,” Hadrian said, smiling.
Tobias chuckled. “You are such a bag of sluts, man.”
“Dude, she was a photomantic. Every time you turned on the lights she’d start having visions. There is but so much you can take of that before it gets unreasonable.”
“Ew, Hadrian, you’re embarrassing!” Aeryn groaned. “You’re gonna get a reputation!”
Hadrian looked down at an imaginary watch on his arm. “Yeah, well, it’s half past my wrist, almost time for, get off my back, woman.”
Aeryn shook her head reproachfully and tsked. “No home training.”
Tobias smiled at Aeryn. “I’m heading out too. I’ll walk this slut bag down.”
“As a fellow owner of testicles, you’re supposed to be on my side,” Hadrian complained to Tobias.
“Yeah, well, you’re sister is cuter than you are,” Tobias said, pushing himself off the couch. “If it’s any consolation, I put the side skirts on the Dodge. Upgraded my turbocharger to super.”
“Dude, took you long enough!” Hadrian enthused. “I gotta check it out! When are you gonna rebuild the transmission?”
Tobias shrugged. “I might start this weekend. I gotta set up my suspension first.”
“I’m there. I’m so there, man.”
“Uhm!” Aeryn interrupted their car talk. “So I’m just going to sit here and worry about Salem by myself?”
Hadrian turned and she felt him make a few calming tweaks to her aura. “No worries,” he said.
Aeryn leaned back serenely for a minute before abruptly shaking off the artificial tranquility. “Hadrian, I told you not to DO THAT TO ME!” she yelled at him, her voice rising in volume as the calmness quickly subsided.
“Alright, alright! Crazy pants, chill out!” Hadrian retreated back toward her door.
Tobias grinned at her. “I’m sure Salem is fine. I’ll ask around, and see what’s up. Cool?”
Aeryn smiled back at him. “Thanks, Toby.”
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Chauncey paced back and forth in the strange room. He had no idea how long he had been there and he was beginning to believe that he had simply traded one captor for another. The stone door was immovable, for he had spent what felt like hours trying to break it open. Claustrophobic anxiety and feelings of being trapped were beginning to seep into his gut, and worse, his mind kept returning to his short-lived companionship with the strange girl. She had left with that demon of a man, and in every hour of her absence, Chauncey’s brain created a new terrible scenario of what could be happening to her.
He couldn’t help but worry. She had helped him. Although he couldn’t explain it, he knew that she had revived his aura. Somehow given him auroric energy. But energy wasn’t given. It was taken. And even if he had somehow manage to take from her in his unconsciousness, her aura hadn’t appeared in any way weakened or damaged. What was she?
“A ruby for you thoughts.”
An accented voice startled Chauncey mid-pace, and he spun around. He hadn’t even heard the door open. Standing in the doorway was a very tall man and a lightly dressed woman. From their auras, Chauncey could tell that the man was vampiric and the woman was only a few bites off from being a puranadict.
“Who are you?” Chauncey asked.
“You’re parents did not tell you about me? Ne?” The man sneered. “Keeping you clear of my sort, hey. Interesting, seeing that they are my sort.” He cocked his head to the side. “Eish, it makes me wonder what sort you are.”
Chauncey frowned, perplexed. This man knew his parents?
The man smiled at his confusion. “You will have dinner with me and we will discuss all of the torments of life. But not with you looking like a bridge troll.”
He reached over to the woman at his side and ran a hand through her hair. “I was told that your aura was in dire straits, and Arian here, donated her services. But on first looks, your aura doesn’t appear to be tuning you grief. In any case, she’ll clean you up, get you some clothing.” He smiled down at the woman. “And assist you in any other way you may need.”
Chauncey felt his jaw drop and began shaking his head. “I – I don’t – I’m not – ” he stuttered.
The man waved off his attempted protest, and turned to leave. “Ag hey, pasop bru. She bites back.” And then he was out the door, leaving Chauncey with the mischievous looking woman.
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Garcia sat quietly as Rowanne examined her fangs in a hand mirror, pretending not to notice her restored aura. He was more interested in the fact that since he had walked in and sat down, she had been using her fangs make small cuts in the palm of her hand. He watched as she pressed her index finger lightly against the tip of one and looked on curiously as a ball of blood rolled down the digit.
“Have we recovered the escapee?” Rowanne asked suddenly. “He could not have gotten far. I was under the impression that he had… turned.”
Garcia cleared his head of all extraneous thoughts and shook his head calmly. “It appears that he may have had help. Those individuals that were on detainment detail during the event in question are being interrogated as we speak.” He didn’t mention that he had already planted thoughts in the minds of these individuals that would lead all investigations of the escaped teen’s disappearance in circles.
“Hmmm,” Rowanne hummed, peering at herself in the mirror from another angle. “And Salem? Did your lead pay off?”
He didn’t flinch. “No.”
“Am I allowed to be disappointed with you then?”
“Of course,” he replied.
“Mr. Hazard,” she continued, putting down the mirror. “You will fix this.”
He nodded. “I will.”
He continued to watch as she used her fangs to break the skin on two more fingers, her palm accumulating a small puddle of blood. “If they bother you, you can have them removed,” he said, unable to maintain his silence.
She pierced her thumb and watched it bleed. “They’d grow back,” she responded softly.
Garcia frowned. “Then you can remove them again.”
She shrugged and slid her middle finger quickly down the sharp point of her protracted canine, slashing her finger down the middle. She stared at her hand for a moment as a surge of blood spilled from the long gash down her middle finger. Rotating her palm back, she eyed her wrist.
Garcia pushed himself from his seat and pulled her wrist down before she could run her fangs across it. “You can have them removed,” he repeated firmly.
Rowanne chuckled. “What for, Mr. Hazard? I’d still be a monster.”
He clenched his jaw, loosening his hold on her arm. “Come with me to see a healer.”
“Bring the healer to me.”
“I’d… prefer if you came with me.”
She laughed again. “Don’t want to leave me alone with myself?” Her eyes seemed to brighten as she gave him a frigid smile. “Aw. Mr. Hazard cares.”
Garcia continued to frown, but said nothing.
“It’s no matter. I don’t need a healer.”
“You’ve sliced your hand open.”
“Have I?” She opened her hand and let him view her palm.
Garcia’s eyebrows deepened in their furrow. Although her hand was caked with drying blood, her wounds had closed, and their remnants were healing. He let his eyes trail slowly back to her face, hoping for an explanation.
She sighed and pulled her arm from his grasp without resistance. “Maybe if my aura were in lesser form, you’d have grounds for worry. But at the moment, it appears I’ll have no need for healers for a while,” she said to him, her voice soft. She looked down at her hand and flexed her fingers, the last of her wounds closing up without warrant. “But no matter what form I’m in, Mr. Hazard. With fangs or without. I am a monster. And you’d do well not to forget it.”
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“Come. Graze with me,” the accented man waved Chauncey over.
Chauncey stepped into the small, lavish dining room, still a bit shaken up by his encounter with the woman he had been left with. Although she had shown him to a bathing room, and gotten him clean clothing, she had also tried to force her way into the bath with him, and had offered him her neck on more than one occasion. Hell, she had offered him access to ever major vein and artery in her body. Chauncey had managed to keep her at bay, but he was now even more wary of the situation he was in.
Chauncey sat down hesitantly across from his host and pulled at his fingers nervously.
The man looked over the woman, who appeared to want nothing more to do with either of them, and laughed. “You had no use for Arian?” he asked, peering at Chauncey questioningly.
“I don’t think I’m his type,” Arian spat from the doorway.
“Eh?” The man raised his eyebrows. “Oh! My apologies. I can usually gauge this sort of thing very well, but, if you preferred a man you should have just spoken up.”
“No!” Chauncey shook his head. “I don’t – I don’t want anyone. I don’t want anything like… that.”
“Ah.” The man raise his eyebrows even higher. “A virgin. Again, I apologize. I had simply assumed. A handsome boy like you… and the father you have…” he chuckled. “Well, in that case, I’m surprised you’re still in one piece! Arian, she isn’t the delicate sort. Brusque. A bit of an acquired taste, now that I consider it.”
“Fuck you, Loris,” Arian said, spinning out of the doorway.
“Is that a promise?” he called after her.
“Loris,” Chauncey repeated the name. “Loris Mosai.”
“Loris Biljon von Trott Zu Soltz Mosai.” Loris said, leaning forward. “So you have heard of me. Good things I hope.”
Chauncey looked down. He had heard Jericho speaking of Loris, and nothing he had heard was good. What the hell was he doing in this character’s home?
“I see your father in you, but truly, you are your mother’s child.” Loris scrutinized him. “How old are you?”
“Seventeen,” Chauncey answered, keeping his head low. “What is this place?”
Loris looked around. “My home. But no frets, you will not be here much longer. Your kin will be along to get you soon enough. I can’t hide my interest in you, but I am beginning to see that I, myself and mine may not be your suit.”
Chauncey could not agree more, and he almost nodded. Instead he flinched as the tip of a newly acquired fang cut the inside of his lip.
“You’ll get used to them,” Loris said, clearly amused. “I’m chuffed at how fresh you are, but…” he shook his head before motioning downward. “Eat.”
Chauncey looked down, suddenly noticing an elaborate looking salad in front of him.
“I hope that is alright,” Loris proffered. “I am thoroughly vegan and occasionally have troubles feeding my guests. Ag, but there is enough iron and protein in our diets, hey?”
Chauncey balked, whatever appetite he might have had left him at that moment.
“Ha! Oh my, what are you?” Loris speculated with a grin. “Your parents must be in awe. I know I am. No sex. No purana. How do you live?”
Feeling uncomfortable, Chauncey kept his silence.
“At least tell me how you keep your aura so lively.”
Chauncey hand flew to his chest subconsciously, and rubbed the spot where the anonymous girl had touched him. “There was a girl,” he blurted out without considering who he was talking to. “She… helped me. I don’t know how…”
Loris’s jovial attitude seemed to evaporate. “What do you mean ‘a girl’? What kind of girl? Was she a healer?” he inquired heatedly.
Chauncey immediately regretted having said anything. “I don’t… she… her aura was…” he shrugged apprehensively, not knowing what to say. He hadn’t even caught her name. He reached up and touched the left side of his face. “A man who was marked, he… took her, and I’m afraid he’s…” his voice trailed.
“When did this happen?”
Chauncey hesitated, still of guard from the sudden shift in atmosphere. “I’ve lost track of time… a day ago… maybe…”
“While you were here?” Loris persisted. “In my home?”
Chauncey gave a slow, uncertain nod. Loris’s abrupt ascent from his chair made Chauncey jump, but the man was out the door without giving him any clue as to what was going on.
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Writer’s translation:
I don’t know, I was pretty…English… with Loris in this one…
Ag hey, pasop bru… = Oh and, hey, be careful man
…uhm… yeah.
Edit: Rowanne’s floating hand mirror situation? Yeah, don’t know. And probably not gonna fix it 
.
Edit again: Hadrian is wearing a wedding ring because he wants me to smack him.
That made me smile
Poor Mickey. At least we know she gets out of it relatively okay…
Van
August 12, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Loris is a ho’bag. But even in his sluttery, he’s amusing. He might even redeem himself… not a whole lot, but maybe a smidge, in the next update.
Poor Mickey indeed. It is so strange, but I HATE doing that to her.
Veron
August 12, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Whoah… This was brilliant, Veron. The characterizations. The dialogue. The descriptions. The Loris. THE CLIFFHANGER!!!
I am going to read this a few times. And then I will come back. And then I will have questions.
Penelope
August 12, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Hehehe, The Loris.
Cliffhung! Yeah, I’m not big on the cliffhangers, but the pictures I was complaining about before? They were supposed to be tacked on to the end of this. Eventually I was like, screw it, I’m just posting this biznatch. I’ll just push everything into the next update.
Veron
August 13, 2009 at 1:03 am
I forgot to mention the funnies:
“You will have dinner with me and we will discuss all of the torments of life. But not with you looking like a bridge troll.”
I died.
Loris walks into a scene and I forget that anyone else is in the room. ‘Cause he’s that fabulous.
Penelope
August 13, 2009 at 1:38 am
Ha! I chuckle at that too. Bridge troll. Hehe.
Loris is a big character for me. And to think, had I not done Ten Years Prior, he would have shown up like… twice.
Veron
August 13, 2009 at 1:53 am
Pen! Go to bed!
Veron
August 13, 2009 at 1:54 am
*stalk,stalk,stalk*
Oh what’s this? I just happened upon an After The Calling update? How did that happen? I haven’t been here in ages! *Ends stalking, can shout for joy now*
And onto the good part – reading it!
Kayvon
August 12, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Hehehehehe
Veron
August 13, 2009 at 1:03 am
Mickey and Chauncy are my favorite couple so I am thrilled that we are getting more backstory on them. Mickey 10 years ago such a polar opposite from how she is now. Timid little mouse vs. spitfire. You write them so beautifully individually and as a couple so seeing how they met and got together is very rewarding for me.
I understand that Rowanne is crazy, but biting up her hands… what the hell??
Once again I must contend that you are the master of posing sims. I am in awe. Great update.
Muzegoddess
August 12, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Mickey and Chauncey, they’re like the only individuals I can be *sweet* with. Like Tobias and Aeryn, they’re a little strained. And they will definitely have issues in their future. Jax with… any female, even his wife, he’s not so much sweet with them, he’s just… Jax. Layne and Monroe, meh. Troy and Harper, they’re both a bit too raucus to be sweet. But Chauncey and Mickey, they are absolutely my sweethearts. Like love with no pretense. I mean they have issues like everyone else, because I can’t seem to make a character without issues, but it’s baggage that they are both aware of and deal with together.
I don’t think I’ve every really approached the full level of Rowanne’s crazy. Inflicting pain on herself is totally within her personality, I mean, she spends most of her time with a defunct aura, which is pretty painful. Her chewing on herself is maybe her punishing herself for her bout of weakness with Nyxon. She prides herself in not indulging her aura, despite the fact that it sends her even further into loonyville. So that her aura is restored, it is like a sin to her. Of course 10 years down the line, she has a different view of things, prefering to use her vampirism to torture her enemies, but at this point, 10 years ago, she was murderous, but not extremely so. She was still internalizing. It all goes to hell once she starts externalizing.
Thank you!!!
Veron
August 13, 2009 at 1:17 am
Woah. Should Arden be afraid? We have seen the sliminess (is that a word?) of Loris but is he dangerous too? I mean I know he’s dangerous in a vampiric sort of way but do you know what I mean? Like Rowanne dangerous or Garcia dangerous?
Oh my, poor poor Mickey! Poor you, Veron! I got that you hated with a special kind of hate visiting this point of view – here’s to hoping that she is better and stronger than ever because of the pain and darkness that she endured in her youth. So so glad that know that her first encounter with Chauncey already occurred and there really is light at the end of that dark terrible tunnel.
Okay so Hadrian and Tobias was entirely too funny to me! And lighthearted at that! After that encounter with Arden on Mickey leaving the dark pain looming they were a much needed breath of fresh air! Hahaha, Hadrian was prepared to give birth for his longtime girlfriend of 10 whole days – hilarious! I loved the brief look into the relationship of Arden and Hadrian now too. I am still trying to understand just what happened to him anyway. I was reading way too fast to fully understand his role in everything.
Don’t want to make this comment epic-like in length, just wanted to say OMGoodness this was so worth the hourly stalking *cough* I mean Occasional check in for your latest update!
*coughing again to futher disguise the involuntary confession* Something got in my eye…
Kayvon
August 12, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Arden might be about to have his ass handed to him.
Loris and Arden are companions, and Loris puts up with Arden’s crazy for the most part, but only to a point. Even though Mickey’s involvement with Arden is pretty much DIRECTLY related to Loris, Loris isn’t too hot about it. Not gonna give too much of the next update away, but Arden tried to keep Mickey hidden for reasons outside of trying to hide the fact that he’s kidnapped a 15-year-old.
We haven’t really seen Arden flex his abilities, but he’s a dangerous guy. I wouldn’t compare him to Rowanne in the strength sense, but definitely in the influence sense. Both of them have a lot of influence.
Rowanne is dangerous not because she’s a powerful psychic… even though she is, but she’s a telepath, and while telepaths can do some crazy stuff, she isn’t big on using her abilities. She’s dangerous because she’s got a message that is a bit overzealous, and she has a bunch of people carrying out that message. She’s essentially begun a small genocide, and she has minions willing to follow through. That is why she’s dangerous.
Loris is dangerous not so much because he has followers… although he does have a lot, almost as many as Rowanne, but a great many of them are… high… or drunk… or naked… just not in a great place to be apart of an army or something. Loris is dangerous because he is pretty darn powerful in a psychic sense. He will jack your shit up. He is pretty much the epitome of everything that Rowanne wants to eradicate. But she can’t, not only because he’s got people who do follow him and will willingly die for him to maintain the lifestyle he fosters, but also because he would take out more than a few of her soldiers without help. So wouldn’t risk it. So she just pretends he doesn’t exist.
HATED Mickey’s POV. It wasn’t so bad until I started simming it. Those few pictures took me so many tries. Just because… ugh, actually posing that. I mean, I half assed it definitely because I couldn’t focus on it for very long without getting unnerved, but I didn’t want to visit it mostly because of the pictures. And I probably won’t do it again. At least not until happier times. It is a bit of a comfort because I know the character she becomes, and where she is. And I try to tell myself that teen Mickey’s experiences are so important to adult Mickey’s character, so it is necessary to visit it. But it totally sucks.
And yes, I had to show that there was a side to all of this where people were completely oblivious to all that was going on. The “normal” psychics who have no idea what is happening behind closed doors. Hadrian, Aeryn, and Tobias were completely clueless until Hadrian started having issues with his aura, and everything went to shit. But yeah, they’re just going about their life while people are being locked in cages and starved of life energy.
Quick recap on Hadrian: He is an empath, pretty powerful, but he essentialy grew up within The Calling. Both him and Aeryn were assimilated into it when he was a kid and she was a teen. They came from a broken home, their father died, their mother was an alcoholic, so when The Calling adopted them as psychics, they embraced it fully. Cut to when their older… and we’ll see it, sort of… Hadrian becomes pre-vampiric… meaning his hold on his aura starts to get weaker… it gets worse, until finally he turns, however, Aeryn doesn’t necessarily realize it. She tried to help him by offering him some of her energy, and he, completely accidently, almost kills her.
After than happens, he runs. Away from the people he loves, because he realizes that he’s dangerous… being that he just nearly killed his sister, and away from Rowanne, who is keen on destroying him beause he spent all this time in The Calling and slipped right under the radar as a pre-vamp. Aeryn recovers, although her aura is forever mangled, and tries to find him. She has a slight awareness of him, but suddenly, he slips right off the map. Mercer got her hands on him.
Next time we see Hadrian, he’s got a family and kids, and people are telling him he’s a schizophrenic, and the ideas that he’s a psychic is crazy talk. But he believes it. We kind of figure out that he’s dreaming, but as far as he’s concerned, its real. And that’s Hadrian in a really long nutshell.
Consider this comment EPIC-LIKE IN LENGTH. XD
Veron
August 13, 2009 at 1:51 am
Ronni! I got 4 hours of sleep last night and then had to sit through a 3 hour team building exercise this morning! When I get home, it’s lights out for sure. Heh. DID you go to sleep last night????
Penelope
August 13, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Hahaha! 4 hours as well, had to be at work at 7 am, and by the looks of things, I think I’ll be here til 7 pm. I’ve drank about 13 cups of green tea in the last two hours.
Veron
August 13, 2009 at 1:46 pm
i looooooved this. Mickey is so interesting to me… and the banter between Hadrian and Aeryn and Tobias was hysterical!!! I especially loved Hadrian’s man-sprawl. Loris is still intriguing. I also really liked the pics of Rowanne biting her hands… made me want to test the sharpness of my own teeth haha.
the_mctavishams
August 14, 2009 at 12:33 am
Thhhaaaaank you! I think it was beneficial to see from where Mickey came, but oh man, it’s killing me. I am glad that I got a chance to expand on Loris, because otherwise he would not have been a huge character in the story, despite having a lot to do with EVERYTHING. And I had to take a peak into Rowanne’s crazy, although this is just the beginning.
Oh! And I got you email! Will reply soon!
Veron
August 14, 2009 at 8:05 pm
just as an aside (this is my second time reading it, i do that so I can grasp it all) I think you did an AMAZINGGGG job at writing in Mickey’s POV. I know you said you hate it and you won’t do it again, but it was quite possibly my favorite part of this chapter. Don’t look at me like that, I’ll explain!!!
From within the story, yeah, Mickey has the short end of a shitty stick, and emotionally, she’s a wreck. But that’s hard to write! That’s hard to portray! And I think that with the way you eliminated her name was so… poetic(??)… it was ARTISTRY. And to me, it was the strongest part of the chapter.
Oh also, is Loris’ skin the Enayla alien default? Or maybe it’s his black eyes that make me think that.
Hmm off to go take some pictures!! You are SO being mentioned in my next update … it’ll all be like OMG THANK YOU VERONNNNNNNNNNNNNNN for the whole page, haha!
Thanks again!!!
the_mctavishams
August 16, 2009 at 11:23 am
THAANK YOU, because I did tweak on Mickey’s POV. I still tweak. Whenever I visit this page, I scroll straight through her part because I don’t want to look at it. Oh my gosh, artistry. That is so sweet of you. Loris’ skin is pretty green isn’t it
… I don’t have any of enayla’s defaults so I don’t know if anyone made that into an alien default, but it’s either Pixie warmth or pixie teak. I know those two are based on the same coloring but one is darker, and I can’t remember which. I’m thinking pixie warmth is what is on Loris, but I’m not sure.
And I know I promised you a tutorial (and an email reply! ack!), but I’m doing some major failage at everything this weekend. Hehehe, good luck!
Veron
August 16, 2009 at 7:10 pm
oh don’t worry!!! I’m patient
And I’ll be here. I’m still lurking around in corners trying to catch myself up a bit. I’ve been taking pictures for ONE SCENE for the last THREE HOURS. My eyes are going to MELT OFF MY FACE. Im sooo frustrated. lol. And it’s not the posing that’s the problem. Nope! It’s the stupid sim KEEPS POPPING OUT OF MY OMSP!!!!! argghhhhhh ::snarl:: But i think I got it now. Just a few more and my next chapter will be up… if it kills me, SO HELP ME, it will be up tonight!!! 
Although the guitar scene isn’t in this one.. it won’t be for the next two updates… but YOUR INSPIRATION lurks in all of these photos… 
Oh right, and the alien skin I was referring to; no it’s not green… its actually like a strange brown-y gold with awesome effects close up. I think pixie warmth is very close to it. I know he’s not considered “alien”… just worldly. But the two skins are similar
the_mctavishams
August 16, 2009 at 9:50 pm
I can see why it was a bitch to write Mickey’s POV. It was hard to read it but it absolutely shines – wonderful evocative writing! Horrible but wonderful. And to finish up this piece with another scene that just leaps out and grabs you by the throat. Every single thing, every word, every shot in the last scene is phenomenal. Pitch perfect. Poor Chauncey (Loris wondering if he got it wrong and should have provided a man LMAO!). Brilliant!
love the scene with Hadrian and Tobias and Aeryn – feels so real I could be sitting right there (not someplace I’d like to hang out actually but you know what I mean).
For all her overbearing inflated ego monster attitude, Roxanne doesn’t really seem to know what’s going on. Not entirely. Yeah monster, go sharpen your teeth. Garcia is a rock; doesn’t seem likely she’s going to accomplish much except blunting them if she keeps biting into that.
Always always incredible!!!
S.B
August 14, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Thank you Beth! I had been so waiting for Loris to pop up, but in the main story. I think his introduction would have been more powerful there, but I like that I get to take more time with him here. He’s a bit more devilish 10 years from now.
Hahahaha, Aeryn’s place was totally not the hot spot, but yeah, I tried to get it to feel easy. They’re not bothered. Even if Aeryn is suspicious of Salmem, there is nothing that they have to worry about. Distinct contrast to what is going on elsewhere.
Rowanne is a bit crazy. More than a bit. Crazy, and self-hating. But if she holds on to any marbles, they are the marbles of her mission to destroy everything like her.
THANK YOU!
Veron
August 14, 2009 at 8:50 pm
I am truly amazed at the stark contrast between Mickey as a teen and Mickey the adult. Even though there is still a fragility (is that a word?) to her now, it was nothing, NOTHING compared to then.
You have my curiosity and imagination working overtime though with Loris’ reaction to the fact that Mickey and Arden had been there. Does that put him at risk from no longer being neutral? Does it put him on Rowanne’s radar because Chauncey (I adore that boy) was seen by Arden? Should I know this and am too dense to realize it?
The way you wrote Mickey…perfect. Anonymous, lost. That’s how she came off. Detached. Wonderful job of capturing that. Your pictures…brilliant.
gayl
August 14, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Adult Mickey and this teen Mickey are two different people, but then she had ten years to recover from this. And even then, the remnants of it are still upon her. I think it helped that she never blamed Arden. That could be a left over sentiment of submitting to his ownership over her when she was a teen, but she was very forgiving of him. I think recovering was easier because of that. Everyone else was pissed off enough for her.
Arden is already on Rowanne’s radar because he’s marked. He definitely had some kind of falling out with The Calling in his past, otherwise he would not have that brand on his face. That could also be part of the reason why he sticks so closely to Loris. He knows that that is neutral ground, and as long as he’s in Loris’s good graces, he’s safe from Rowanne’s talons. But Loris is aware that Arden has a crazy streak, and Mickey kind of eluded to it before, but Loris does not like that Arden-Mickey situtation. Granted he has taken the “if you do it, don’t do it near me” approach, Arden hasn’t really heeded that. So now he’s in a smidge of trouble.
Thank you so much Gayl!
Veron
August 14, 2009 at 11:31 pm
I guess I am mostly in awe of how you captured that difference in her so well. She is the same, she is different.
Loris really does fill the room doesn’t he? I have seriously enjoyed the look back.
gayl
August 15, 2009 at 12:04 am
I had to fix my comment, it was like Arden is Arden but Arden so Arden. Every character was named Arden for a minute. I meant Loris
I’m glad you enjoyed it! It is very beneficial to the story I’m seeing, not just for readers, but for me as well. But I have to admit that I am itching itching itching to get back to my main story. ACK! XD
Veron
August 15, 2009 at 10:54 am
Oh man, I literally cringed in my seat as Mickey waited for the bite. :S She’s such a poor thing, so scared of everything!
And, eww! What’s wrong with Rowanne, is she testing her healing abilities? And SHE CAN HEAL?? Omg, that.. doesn’t sound very good.
I LOLed when Loris said “graze with me” XD I mean, it makes more sense coz he’s a vegan. He’s abrupt leaving doesn’t seem to be good news though. I hope Arden gets into trouble, not Mickey. :\
Ning
August 15, 2009 at 1:01 am
Hi Ning! Mickey has reason to be frightened, Arden hasn’t really been treating her to nicely.
And with Rowanne… hehehe… I’ve been totally avoiding vampire lore in trying to keep my vampirics separate. But I had an ephiphany. My vamps are totally vamps just with select differences from Dracula, and I need to just get over it. She can heal! She’d be vulnerable however, if her aura was in worse shape. If she was doing the silver hair, starving aura thing, she would be bleeding to death. But thanks to Nyxon, she should be alright for a bit.
Hehehe, his abrupt leaving might be good news for some, bad news for others. Much like everything he does. His qualm isn’t with Mickey.
Thanks Ning!
Veron
August 15, 2009 at 11:42 am
Hi!
I’ve found this trough the thread at GoS, and I’ve been reading it for the better part of the weekend.
I loved the story (I read the entire thing in two days, now that says something, I think). Also, your poses, MAN! There’s so many pics, and the posing in all is marvelous (the pics of Aeryn and Jax having sex a few chapters back were briliant).
I’m glad we’re getting to see a bit of everyones histories now, I’ll definitely be stalking you for updates.
Once again, briliant job on everything, and thanks for sharing the story with us!
Meralgia
August 16, 2009 at 3:09 pm
*brilliant
*brilliant
etc…
excuse the spelling, I’m super tired and too lazy to spell-check. (:
Meralgia
August 16, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Hehe, thank you Meralgia! I totally stroked out over that sex scene (I’m stroking out over the mere mention of it
), so lucky you got to check it out after I was done freaking out about it. It almost didn’t make the cut. I’m actually trying to update right now, but its not working like I thought it would… I’m doing some more spazzing over iffy subjects.
Thank you for your compliments and for commenting! I really appreciate it.
Veron
August 16, 2009 at 6:58 pm
“I can usually gauge this sort of thing very well, but, if you preferred a man you should have just spoken up.” LOL!!! That made me laugh so hard because I totally thought Chauncey was gay when we first met him. Before the pic of him and Mickey getting freaky in front of the fireplace. To funny.
Are there any gay psychics? Besides superlez Troy? And I like your enormous amount of sexy men roaming around
Even the crazies are attractive. And I still feel like Rowanne looks like a pretty drag queen when shes low on purana and totally white haired.
And how much more of 10yrs prior do we get to see? maybee like everything til Hadrian tries to kill Aeryn?
Just saying
Sinclair
August 16, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Hehe, Sinclair, YOU THOUGHT CHAUNCEY WAS GAY XD XD XD, Aww he’s just sensitive. He’s my sweety. He’s a bit of a pansy though, but he steps up when he has to… but the first time we see him is when Mickey is peer pressuring him to take a chuck out of her neck which seemed hetero… ish… Maybe not.
Well, Loris is pretty much game for any human with a heartbeat. I mean, its not particularly obvious now, because I’ve had him pawing at only women, but he’ll show both sides of his story soon. WAIT, he totally made a lude reference to Layne in TYP: Part II. And then there is the Troy-Harper situation.
I am partial to the pretty sims. That’s how everyone got their role, more or less. They came out pretty. But the majority of my sims in game look like horses, so these few are such an anamoly. And to be honest, when you take the enayla skins off the ones I use… particularly Rowanne, they tend to look like horses too, heh.
Okay here is the plan… like four more updates in TYP, and then one “5 years prior” update which basically looks at Chauncey, Mickey, Hadrian, and Troy, and is just an excuse for me to write tortured romance. And that last bit will be about a year before Hadrian is so far gone that he jacks Aeryn’s shit. So like a year before the point where I started the story. But I can’t do TYP much longer, for like a number of reasons. Sorry!
Veron
August 16, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Lol he is a sweetheart. It just took a sec to figure that out. Andd the whole please suck my neck thing came across as like a weird drug deal thing. Thats what my messed up thinking thought of first lol.
O I totally thought that was like super flirt joking…i feel dumb for missing that lol
Haha so i was right! Its ok though since we never see them without those skins.
Yay that sounds like all my hopes and dreams will be fulfilled! And then we can get back to what the hell is going on with Hadrians wife and kids and “accident”
Sinclair
August 17, 2009 at 1:13 am
I really do feel sorry for Mickey, but a lot has changed since, I can see a HUUUGE difference between younger and older Mickey!
Toby, Hadrian, and Aeryn were quite the characters back then until everything went crazy!
Rowanne is just scary…nuff said
The ONLY thing I like about Loris is that he’s such a smart ass, and I LOOOOVE smart asses, lol!
But I can see Chauncey’s discomfort but it looks like he said something that shouldn’t have been said at the dinner table!!
I really hate how u keep the suspense like this, but that’s what keeps us more and more interested, huh? lol!
Great update, I can’t wait for the next chapter!
Damon
August 21, 2009 at 2:07 am
Thanks Damon! I’m actually not a fan of cliffhangers myself, but this was more to keep this update from being massive than to leave you guys hanging.
Mickey was fairly damaged, unfortunately, but it is surprising to think that a healer would need to do some healing herself. Luckily she had Chauncey, Jericho, and Ryan.
Chauncey definitely said something that Loris did not want to hear, but all for the better!
Veron
August 22, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Loris didn’t know about Arden? that is interesting!!
I’m glad Chauncey mentioned it… hopefully that would be the first step to get Mickey away from Arden!!!
Poor Mickey, I really feel sorry for her. Her story was definitely hard to read… I’m just amazed at how much she had changed!!! She is nothing like she used to be 10yrs ago!!!!
I was impressed with Rowanne, she seems kind of lost in this chapter, like she is there, but not really there, seems like she is till getting used to her “new” her… like she is not completely sure of what is happening to her…
wonderful chapter!!
s@ndy
August 24, 2009 at 1:51 am
Loris knew of Mickey, but didn’t know that Arden was still keeping her around. He doesn’t like the idea of it. Even though it was mostly his fault that Mickey was even in the situation he was in.
Mickey was definitely a different person, but it just shows how far she had to come to get over her past.
Rowanne is definitely lost. This is just a glimpse into her insanity. She’s been vampiric for a while, but she is very rarely walking around with a healthy aura. Her cutting herself is a bit of punishment for having indulged her need with Nyxon, and also a bit of a mental release. She’s a cutter, more or less, who just has the benefit of being able to heal.
Veron
August 24, 2009 at 10:28 am