The street in front of the Black Squirrel...April 10, 2007

Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me

Night after night, she searched and hunted for the Man Hater doing what she knew needed to be done. One place and then another she hunted, nights running into the endless days spent researching the surrounding area and all abandoned buildings.

Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me

Hunger seeped into her thoughts as she left her small haven. Having moved back to the apartment she now slipped in and out through the alley entrance. Time had blended together since she had left Molotov's haven and spoke to the Prince.

She was tired and worn, her nerves were strung taut after weeks of little sleep and not feeding well. Molotov's words had hit hard, she was examining every little thing these days trying to analyze her motives and feelings. The woman in her nightmares, the faceless one now had a name and a place. Her sire, Fursa ..the Prince. So many thoughts and images slipping into place, her mind filled with questions and memories....

Young teacher, the subject
Of schoolgirl fantasy
She wants him so badly
Knows what she wants to be

He was so kind but she had more on her mind, than she could talk about. The Man Hater had now become a mission. To find and stop the rogue, maybe prove to herself and Mol that she wasn't a coward. His heart beat echoed in her ears. She stood and looked at Rhys Davies, the pulse beating steady in his neck as her fingers closed around the strap of her pack tightly.

Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me

Liam walked past and she felt his gaze. Rhys continued to talk to her, so kind ..so gentle. Her resolve was weakening and she felt the hunger rising as the beat of his heart rose in volume. It was all her imagination...or was it. He stepped closer and she had to grind her teeth to stop from reaching out and pull him close.

Inside her there's longing
This girl's an open page
Book marking - she's so close now
This girl is half his age

Her fingers began to ache as she white knuckled the strap. Liams presence kept her from leaping on Rhys and sating the growing hunger. He was a ~friend~ an aquaintance and she couldn't.....no she couldn't do that to him. She wanted to growl...to shout at him but she stood staring at nothing ..the *thud..thud..thud* of his heart beating a drum in her mind.

Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me
Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me

He asked her again if she was alright as Liam stepped out to sit on the step of the Squirrel. She shot a glance in his direction and knew instinctually he could sense her slipping control. The Man Hater ...her image crept into her thoughts as Rhys took a few steps closer...the strap let go and snapped just as her control was balancing on frenzy.

Her friends are so jealous
You know how bad girls get
Sometimes it's not so easy
To be the teacher's pet

Liam stepped between them, trying to shield her, hiding her truth from Rhys. They exchanged words and she backed away intent on escaping to save Rhys from her own hunger. Breaking the Masquerade....her mind screamed "No..." her sires words from so long ago had....Suddenly she wanted to run...

She backed away so aware of the sudden change in Rhys heart beat. Rapid and booming in her ears as she heard the muttering of words between the Brujah and the ex-priest. Her gaze widened as Liam growled at Rhys and she spun wildly moving off the curb into the oncoming traffic. Lights pinned her as she stumbled toward the cars and horns blared loud.

Temptation, frustration
So bad it makes him cry
Wet bus stop, she's waiting
His car is warm and dry

A sudden slamming of body against body as Rhys put his full weight into her knocking her out of the way of an car shoving her to the pavement and rolling to his feet crouched ready for anything as Liam moved toward them gun drawn. Liam sneered and a sudden explosion filled the air with a cloying smoke and she let out a scream..." No don't leave....not again..."

The explosion triggered the images of a battlefield, a weight on her body and a voice telling her to run to hide. Her hands clenched and her eyes watered as the smoke continued to billow around them...Liams voice rang out in the murkygrey smoke just as another explosion went off. She went down on hands and knees beginning to crawl under the offending mess. Searching....lost back in time she was that young kindred...three days old and searching for the Sire that had placed her existance over hers.

Loose talk in the classroom
To hurt they try and try
Strong words in the staffroom
The accusations fly
It's no use, he sees her
He starts to shake and cough
Just like the old man in
That book by Nabakov

"Doc where the hell are you? " Liams voice reached her ears just as she yelled out into the murky darkness...

" Don't leave me again...." and the soft voice of Rhys came from above her...

"I haven't gone anywhere..." she still couldn't see anything but the present came back in a rush and she knew she couldn't be around Rhys. Suddenly Liam was there helping her to move down the street...his hand closing around her arm and propelling her away from Rhys...away from the temptation and toward a feeding. She stumbled along beside him....away from Rhys.

Liam had come to the rescue unexpectedly....his voice gruff as he whispered... "C'mon Doc...lets get you the hell out of here now.."

Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me
Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me
Don't stand, don't stand so
Please .....Don't stand so close to me

[Lyrics: "Don't stand so close to me" by The Police.]