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Buried Way Too Shallow

Look at him, look at me 

That boy is bad, and honestly 

He's a wolf in disguise 

But I can't stop staring in those evil eyes

I wasn't exactly sure how I got here. I had left Blood Reign and the comforting press of the crowd to come here. I was curious to see who else of my kind I could find and I knew they inhabited this area. At least the more refined ones did. The more unsavory characters stuck to the swamp where they could drown prying humans and dump the bodies of their dinner. I didn't like to associate with the type. It would probably mean bad news for me if I did. It wasn't unusual for them to bend the rules until they snapped. That's what makes them dangerous. They have no regard for secrecy which would be a lot of trouble for the entire population of us if the humans discovered we existed. I'd had run-ins with the vampire hunters in the past and it usually ended with a lot of irritation on my part. I would have to move again and deal with them following me for a great deal of time. So far, they hadn't come up with a hunter good enough to catch me. I didn't want to press my luck by keeping reckless company.

Either way, I ended up here. I'd been having some trouble with someone lurking outside my club causing trouble. I suspected fledglings, a group I had called 'Young Bloods'. They were the new vampires and hybrids that didn't have any finesse and killed unheedingly. I figured if I could find somebody here, I could ask if they had heard anything. I had lost touch with the community recently but didn't notice until I realized I had nobody to ask. I sighed, pulling off my glasses to pinch the bridge of my nose for a second. New vampires were a headache. I replaced my glasses before continuing through the trees. When I had become a vampire, I had thought that I wouldn't need the glasses anymore but I was wrong. Vampirism doesn't cure damage done during human years. That's the bad part of being a changeling rather than being born vampire. Born vampires are generally flawless while changelings retain their scars and injuries even though no new ones can be made. That's why my tattoos remained. I had discovered that it is very difficult for born vampires to retain tattoo ink since their skin tends to heal too quickly and reject the ink. It was a small blessing of being a changeling that I welcomed. However, any new tattoos did the same for me. I remember watching it happen. My skin never bled during the process but the ink ran off it like water leaving no marks where the needles had penetrated. I had done some research into it and there were some underground artists that had methods to make the ink take but I hadn't had time to go looking for them. So, I stuck with my current tattoos and my flawed eyesight. When I was in the club, I often went without the glasses since girls had the unfortunate habit of removing them and leaving them about while they dragged me off somewhere. Thankfully, I could see without them, though not everything was clear.

I took a path that led up to the top of a hill. I had heard that this was where they usually congregated. There was a clearing and a stone building to one side. It was about the size of a small store, likely for more private meetings. I sat on a bench that was on the edge of the clearing and laid back to look at the canopy of pine trees and the cloudy gray sky. It was deathly quiet out here, the trees cushioning all the sound. It was also cold, the onset of autumn bringing a chill. Despite that fact, I was not cold in my t-shirt and jeans. I turned my head back to the empty clearing. I wondered how long it would take before someone showed up.

That boy is a monster...

My lengthy stride carried me into the clearing in a flurry, I could practically imagine my heart fluttering, were I human, with the strain of running. I loved running, nothing could compare to barreling full speed past trees darting between trunks and leaping over brush, nothing but silence as the creatures of the forest fled from her, that sense of danger flooding them. I slowed quickly, throwing myself to the ground, sprawled on the grass, back down. A fit of giddy laughter erupted from my chest, euphoria was something like this, this sense of freedom. The chilled air could not touch me, in fact it never had, but the smell of the coming frosts was infectious and beautiful. I was rarely like this, so careless, so unrestrained, but tonight was rare, for tonight was a day I would always remember, the night I fled home, fleeing through a forest much like the one I had just emerged from. Though that was so long ago the memory of the feeling of liberation much like now remained as fresh as a springtime bouquet in mind. However soon, suddenly so, the sense of loss flooded me, my bright smile faded and I could practically feel my eyes darken, deep with that small, faint sense of sorrow. I was older now, much older, but some part of me still relates, all too well, to that scared girl who wanted nothing but her mother in those first few years. Quickly I regained my composure, recalling that regardless of that yearning I never turned back and it was too late to do so now.

As my mind wondered my senses sharpened and the scent of another flooded me. "Hello." I said simply, still sprawled on the ground, eyes now closed, head turned to the side in utter relaxation and nonchalance. I knew that there was no danger, not in this place, this place was a sort of Mecca for vampires, no one, no matter how deranged, would dare make any irrespective move in this place. Regardless I knew what I was capable of and at the least, in any situation, I was capable of at least fleeing without being scathed. Then again at the moment I'm not entirely sure I would want to leave, after all death or injury was something I had been contemplating experiencing. However if the stranger had meant hard they would've made their move or at the very least made their presence known long ago. My smile returned, this time with a mischievous, sort of tired feel to it. Exhaustion was something I have never really known, but there were so many ways to feel tired, something I suddenly realized I was. Tired of many, many things. Carelessly I picked a twig from my hair, the first and only movement I had made since taking my place on the grass.

The mess of dark hair was undoubtedly tangled, somehow it had worked it's self loose during in my run and now lay tangled and curly in a halo about me. I could only imagine what the stranger must think of me, if they were human they'd probably would've though I was a talking corpse of some victim of violence. After all I was dressed in nothing but a simple, too big grey shirt dress, bare footed, too pale, and flawless. I knew that at the moment even a vampire would find me an odd sight, across no doubt of something like a hippie/nymph and a, well, vampire. It seems that, for the night, every shred of normalcy I possessed was gone and what was left was something too different from myself for even me to fathom... 

Say goodbye, 

As we dance with the devil tonight 

Don't you dare look at him in the eye 

As we dance with the devil tonight

I literally felt her arrive, much as a shark would sense its prey with its lateral line system. It was like a momentary electrical charge, breathing life into the lifeless. My body beckoned me to the one of my kind, as if it was starving for the proximity of something other than humans. The breeze that had been carried in her wake rustled the fringe that hung barely in front of my eyes. A deep breath pulled air into my lungs, bringing the sickly sweet scent of ancient vampire blood along. My eyes snapped open and I turned my head to look at her. This one was not a changeling, this was a pureblood. I sat up with preternatural speed, the motion appearing blurred. A crooked smile crossed my features. "Hello there, darling"

Being in the presence of another vampire sent sparks along my skin. Prolonged separation from the species did that to me. I felt a twinge of self-consciousness because she was pureblood and I was changeling, but I crushed it quickly. There was no difference in she and I except in how we came into being. I abruptly became curious about why she had arrived here. I wondered if it was just a whim, or if there had been another purpose. I had failed to check the stone building to see if it was occupied, an act that could prove to be a mistake. In my mind, I hoped not.

This new vampire brought distinct memories back to me, specifically of my mentor, my creator, my killer. She had been pureblood also, yet I had never learned much about her. She had taught me what I needed to know, how to survive, and how to behave properly, yet she had carefully avoided the topic of her past. I never learned her name, mostly because she would not tell me. She resembled this new visitor in many ways. She'd had dark hair and eyes and appeared exotic. She'd had the fire of life in her despite the fact that she had always been undead. Even before I knew what she was, when I was still human, I knew there was something different about her. Something that made me feel hunted, caught in her predatory gaze. I had rarely felt like that in my life, having infallible confidence ever since I was young. But she had made me feel fear in a way that made me wary of her instinctively. Maybe that's why she waited until I was asleep to steal my life and give me eternity. I was never angry with her for doing it, for she cared for me afterward. Through the rigors of changing and the hard lessons of adjusting to the new lifestyle. She cared for my wounds when I stood too near the window in the daylight, and calmed me when being near humans became difficult. Then, when I was starting to become comfortable, she disappeared.

I'd never understood why she left. I always figured it was much like how birds were. As soon as the young ones can fly, they're on their own. I wanted to find her for a time after she left, but the attempt was useless. Vampires as a species know how to cover their tracks unfailingly, even to others of the kind, especially fledglings.

I stood up, breaking out of my revelry and strode toward her, a bold move that could seem like a challenge to another if they were to take it as hostility, which it was not. My interest in who she was made me bold. I nodded my head in greeting, lapsing into my old respectful habits. "How do you do? I'm Cody." I wasn't sure if she would think me odd. It was something that was not uncommon amongst vampires. Cross that many generations and you were bound to get some misunderstandings since people of different eras behaved differently. I didn't think she was too far off from me, so maybe our eras were the same.

Trembling, crawling across my skin 

Feeling your cold, dead eyes 

Stealing the life of mine 

I heard the baritones of the creatures voice and the subtle steps he took my instincts took hold I sat up too quickly. No he had not startles me, no I did not find the possible challenge, merely I was curious, and above all else alert. My legs folded to the side so as not to come across as unlady like, a knee jerk reaction to the mannerisms I was taught in my true youth. I opened my bright steely blues and gazed upon the figure before me, dark haired and eyed, a changeling no doubt judging by his glasses and tattoos, no pure blood could hold such flaws. However luckily for this stranger I had dropped my prejudice far too long ago, to some like me, to those raised like I had been he was considered less. However to me, as it always had been, I thought of him as a stranger and nothing more or less. Though that would be like most when first acquainted.

"Formalities are not of this time, but I suppose I should respond with 'I'm fine' though since we seem to be on the same wave length a more appropriate response should be 'ho do you do?' or perhaps 'pleasure to make your acquaintance'. Then again 'How now?' could work just as well, perhaps a bit old fashioned. Hmm choices, choices..." alright so admittedly I was playing games, but in good fun. No offense was meant and in a way I sort of sought to lighten things, show that I was of no threat. None the less I was drawn to this stranger, this Cody, just as blood calls to blood so do vampires call to one another. It had been my experience that when withdrawn from your own kind for so long to come across one is like satiating a thirst you never knew you had. Truly there was nothing like the draw of likeness to likeness. I stood then, a soft smile upon my face, hand extended I continued, "pleasure to make your acquaintance, Cody, I am Lucinda." I studied him while going through the pleasantries, a habit I had formed long ago.

His build was modest in a way, not flashy, a sign of his possible lack of vanity, something Luce find pleasing, after all most who are vain are pompous and no one enjoys the company of such people. Then again I had never been good at judging a book by it's cover so there was still hope for him. Regardless there was something about the fellow that I decide I liked. This meeting would no doubt be peaceful, then again there's always hope for that as well. I gathered my hair and twisted it before pulling it over my shoulder picking a piece of dry leaf from it before coming to cross my arms. I only hoped the stranger, though now technically he was not, would not take the gesture as hostile, something I was not, though admittedly I could barely contain my curiosity.

I felt like a child in a candy store, it had been too long since I had seen let alone been near another immortal, something I hadn't realized I missed till now. Perhaps the situation could better be related to Death meeting Dr. Kevorkian, they were different yet had so much in common, a like though still individually different. It was then that I notice the building out of my peripheral. Decidedly I was asleep until now because I had barely noticed a thing. No doubt the night was not on my side, I was off and to someone who knew me it would be apparent. Still I could revel in the fact that I kept my composure, regardless of how out of element I felt. I could only imagine what Cody must think of me, a strange pure blood, dressed anything but normal, sticks in her hair, and obviously unobservant. No doubt if I were human tonight I would be far too easy pray. 

I want a normal life 

Just like a newborn child 

I am a lover hater 

I am an instigator

She moved just as quickly as I, and I tracked her movements with dark eyes locked onto her. In my experience, this is what most meetings were like if the two vampires didn't know each other. It was like putting two feral dogs together; they were likely to hold pleasant distance before moving on to greetings and becoming comfortable with one another. I'd heard that dangerous criminals in prison often behaved the same. It was a wonder how different we were from humans. We acted much on instinct, yet at the same time were highly refined. As she spoke, I relaxed my posture, putting my hands in my pockets despite the fact that the warmth was unnecessary.

My smile quirked to one side as she riffled through the possibilities of responses. Again, it was an action typical of multiple generation vampires. Our brains worked much like computers, tossing up multiple possibilities for us to choose from. Unlike humans, we had to calculate which one would fit the situation best and it usually had to be done rapidly. Sometimes I wondered if any scientists that were aware of our existence had ever studied our brains. They had the technology and I'm sure there would be some willing to undergo the process. But then again, if the scientists were to discover something that could be used against us, it could mean certain destruction for our species. I couldn't imagine the implications if a society of vampire hunters were to get a hold of information like that. Still, it made me curious about how we worked. Humans had been studied into minute detail while we still remained a complete mystery. It was much like how science knew much about the solar system but very little about Earth's own oceans. Obviously our priorities were a bit out of order.

I took her extended hand into my own, clasping it gently before raising it to my lips for a chaste kiss. "The pleasure is all mine." This action too, seemed a throwback to ancient times. Some locations upheld the tradition and I utilized it when the situation seemed right. This was one of those times when formality seemed correct. I noticed her scanning me, taking in my appearance and did the same to her, rather inconspicuously. It had been so long since I had been in the presence of another vampire that I never noticed how differently we greeted each other. Humans now seemed very flippant in their greetings, usually saying 'hello' before drifting off to another activity. They usually did not take great care into seeing exactly who they were meeting. Vampires analyze every situation in great detail. Realizing this made me wonder why. It came naturally, as if it was instinct.

I noticed her gaze flicker to the building, and I wondered what she knew of it. It made me curious myself, as a human would have never built it up here. It was on top of this great hulking hill, entirely too out of the way to be of any use to a human. Therefore, either a vampire or hybrid must have built it. I pondered on its purpose and how often it was used. And whether anyone occupied it now. I brought my attention back to Lucinda. "So, what brings you to this hill? I must say, I have not seen you before." I realized belatedly how pointless the second half of my words was. It was obvious that I had been out of the presence of my kind for quite some time and therefore would have had not opportunity to see her. I often did this, speaking too quickly for my mind to catch up. Usually it was because my mind was on something else by the time I spoke.

Just call my name 

You'll be okay 

Your scream is 

Burning through my veins

Wild Ones

She was supposed to be working on Lyrics on Music, on listening to demos sent to her to choose which one she wanted to sing for whomever was selling them to her to make a hit out of. She had listened for at least an hour but she had gotten annoyed with it all. Pushing them all across the table she found her mini mp-3 player and made sure it was charged. Changing into her jogging pants and her cold water rash guard that would allow her to run in the cold weather for longer. Drawing her hair into a long braid she sighed it was no longer very red but she would change that when she called in her hair dresser again; after all it was not permanent. A long sweater with sleeves that were naturally longer than her wrists was pulled over the rash guard. She placed a fur lined leather coat on over it and her best running boots on over her pants. Each piece of clothing held in it plates to help protect her out of habit.

Fingerless gloves with leather padding were added to her hands and in the coat she had another set of gloves that would have her fingers covered if it got too cold. Just before she stepped out the doors she grabbed up a scarf and wrapped it about her neck tucking it into the jacket which she promptly zipped and buttoned it to ensure safety after all she was not going out for the ordinary jog.

Slipping the head set around the back of her head she sighed but took off at a slow run once she was outside. She had very little on her, no bag, no more identification than she needed and she ran. It started off very simple that was until she dove over a low fence flipping and landing on her feet to continue running. She was thinking, thinking about everything; about heaven, about Donnie, about a new album. The lines were blurring and she felt as though she was drowning. Donnie was the man that could help her but even he could not be around twenty-four-seven and she couldn't have him around all the time it seemed to hurt him just the same amount it did her grand parents.

He cried a lot and that just sent a knife into her chest again. Every time she closed her eyes she could see those evil eyes looking down on her pressing the blade into her chest. Memories; they had to be memories. She ran, her hand pressed into the center of a car's hood as she leapt over it. Her feet touching down on the pitch of the road as she continued going moving easily between people and running along the side of a wall to avoid a man who had dropped his bags. Once she landed on the other side of him she stopped to help him pick up his things drawing the scarf over her nose and mouth to keep the warmth up. The man was apologizing and talking about how he was having an off day. Monree smiled though he could not see it and replied softly. "It isn't your fault... not even these bags last forever."

She lifted her eyes and patted the older man's shoulder. "I'll be right back... I am going to get you something to put this in." the man wanted to protect but before he could she was gone. Returning a few moments later with a fair sized box that could hold all of the groceries the man had been carrying. She helped him pack the box and then she was off again. Climbing up the corner of a stair well and across a park; though trees and over a bench as she continued seasoned Joggers tried to keep up with her a few times though when she lept onto walls and then off a story below she could hear them gasp in surprise and even fear that she may have actually hurt herself. She used any obstacle she came across as just another element to this seemingly choreographed dance. At times she shocked people by leaping off of a second level walk way onto the lower level and kept going.

She just ran and ran. She would not stop dodging and avoiding people and opening doors. She walked along a wall simply before she settled there on it. Just why was she brought there she did not know but there had to be a reason why she was staring at an old odd looking building. A chill ran down her spine suddenly and with that she thought perhaps it was best to continue on maybe walk back to the hotel. The woman's name was Emma Arnott, and she had contracted long ago for the love of a man. Of course, her wish had been granted by a demon and Emma had spent a happy two weeks with the male before his life tragically and unexpectedly ended in a car crash. How was poor Emma to know that the man had previously contracted with a demon for good looks? The ordeal had left poor Emma with a heavy heart and a desire to end her life. Too cowardly to end her life herself, she instead had purged on alcohol and drugs, her life spiralling downwards until she found herself at the brink of death. The body had endured enough suffering for three, and it was in the old, abandoned factory building that she would meet her end.

It hadn't taken Judas too long to find her, especially since the contract on her head was nearly at an end. The woman had suffered terribly; her skeletal frame was just as decrepit as her mental state. Even now, as he stood directly in front of her, she mumbled words that were incomprehensible yet filled with a lifetime of regret. Things should have been different, could have been different, had she not made that contract so many years ago. The pity in his eyes was only superseded by his own self-loathing that he should fulfil the contract and damn her soul to an eternity of suffering. He could see plainly by looking at her that the woman had suffered enough. He knew that using that reasoning on Lucifer would probably only elicit his laughter.

Reaching out, he physically closed the woman's eyes before reaching deeper with his own power, causing the heart to cease beating and the soul to become attainable. The metaphysical chains he possessed immediately attached the soul, placing it into a cage for safekeeping. He consoled himself with the idea that the soul didn't feel pain, at least not in this moment. It would only begin to feel that way once it was placed in the appropriate level of damnation. The suffering would never end from there. Even as he thought of it, the agony of his own soul caused his heart to ache - even though it was lessened somewhat on the mortal plain, it never stopped entirely.

The body now void of any conscious, Judas simply left it behind. The soul could sense the separation, and he explained as gently as he could that the physical form was now deceased. He never bothered to tell the souls that they were headed to hell - it only caused more anguish and it wasn't something that he truly enjoyed doing. He wasn't sure if not telling them made it better or worse, he just liked to give the soul some feeling of peace before it was punished eternally.

Without too much effort, he changed to being invisible in order to return the soul without too much trouble from the mortal realm or the demons who probably wanted his body torn up and sent back to hell. Exiting the building, Judas looked around before frowning. Staring at him, directly at him was a human girl. He couldn't help but feel that she was familiar to him, though he couldn't exactly understand why she seemed so familiar, nor could he understand why he felt the impeccable urge to approach her. Instead, he double checked himself. He knew he was invisible, but he had felt as though she had been staring right at him with those hazel coloured eyes.

Soul still chained to his being, Judas decided to approach the girl, though he was careful to enter back into the building just to take his invisibility off. There were enough humans around that he knew he would probably be alright, it was just risky to expose himself so openly. Walking towards the wall that the young woman sat on, Judas looked up with icy hues, lips parting as he struggled to find a greeting for the girl. Why she felt so familiar and why he felt so terribly obliged to speak with her was confusing to him - he was never so drawn to the living. She had the ability to see ghosts and while it was a little unnerving in a land that had so much history she had few moments where she could rightly claim it was overwhelming. At the moment there was a ghost saying death was near, then she felt it death the dead some where, there would be no walking back this way at night. No accidental raising. It was only when the man exited the building that she settled on the wall the usual ghosts that hovered vanished This was about to be come very interesting.

She was cause a little by surprise when he approached but never the less she lifted her eyes to his and smiled softly. "It is a nice day to day..." there was no aura about him none that she could reach out and touch and his eyes held the mark of centuries yet he was not dead. She lifted a hand to her chin as she settled to sitting on the wall properly. It was obvious by the movement of her feet in the boots that they were made for free movement. Plucking the ear buds out of her ears she carefully lowered her scarf from around her nose and mouth. Well the need to get as far away from the death as possible was certainly what she wanted at the given moment and so she eased herself from the wall though that didn't really change her height.

"Would you like to join me for some hot chocolate? I passed a man in the park with a cart..." the man needed business and it would give her an excuse to leave this place freshly dead could be raised and by accident as the dead were still energized by the living energy that once resided in there. She did not want that. "I am Monree Facilier... and you are?" She did at least seem to be used to the conversations wither they were with strange people or beings she didn't seem to give away that she knew there was something off about him.

To Judas however it would be like he was in the presence of Morgan... though not. The same sense of magic. As he continued to struggle with the English language, Judas almost felt as though he were infatuated with the ebony skinned woman above him. Certainly, infatuation was the wrong word to use since the idea of love had long since died in both his mind and his soul. Yet he wanted to remain near her, to talk with her. It seemed terribly important, albeit a little mind numbing. It was terribly confusing to Judas; these alien feelings that consumed him and rooted him to the very spot he stood. It was the soul of the human that pulled him back from these feelings, the agony of his own burning soul that reminding him that he was no longer mortal.

Self-analysing his own draw towards the woman, he realized that it could very well have to do with the barest touches slither of her power, however well guarded, calling to him. This revelation was enough for the edges of his lips to curve downwards, the confusion now clearly showing on his face. It made no sense, none at all. Yet when her dark hues met his own, his questions disappeared, his mind calming as he tried to figure out who, or what, she was. She certainly wasn't a demon; demons never had such an effect on him. Nor did angels or fallen. Anything else was up for debate.

When she finally spoke, he was glad for his tongue had been lost in the curiosities of the alien emotions filling his void of a body. "It is," he responded cautiously, his voice sounding quiet even to his own ears. He wondered if she too was entrapped in the bizarre array of fascination that he could not break out of. Judas did not feel himself, not in the slightest. It would have been rude to ask what she was, especially if for some strange reason she thought of herself as human.

Knowing that hot chocolate was a taste lost on him, Judas responded to the woman. "I would be delighted to join you." If only Lucifer could see him now! How terribly raw his responses were, as though he were some mortal suffering from an ailment. He received her name, and almost instantly understood why he felt so drawn to her - he had heard rumors of the Voodoo Priestess through the years, and yet he had never known her. It was certainly a good time for this to change.

"Judas Iscariot," Judas responded honestly and openly, already knowing the exact implications his name would have. If she choose to judge, then so be it. He was used to it from trying to negotiate with the Vatican. Still, as an afterthought, he added another question. "Would you still keep me as company?"

He said he would join her and so that was stage one. The second stage was remembering the path that would not take them through the obstacles that she had encountered and overcome. With the gift of his name she paused nearly stumbled but it was recovered at least and her eyes once again lifted to him. His question that followed had her brows lifting "Judas, are you truly him?" there was no sound of judgment in her tone there was a curious light but there was also the question with if he was then that could be interesting and if he wasn't she was being toyed with. In either sense she started them walking in the direction of the park.

She near laughed but chose not to she had run into a past that she did not remember beyond the fractures that she was putting back together and an angel that she knew knew that she had been in heaven. "If you are... the stories of you are legend. They tried to drill it into my religion and my people. The only deal with that is that we find a similar base like you are similar to one of the spirits and so they would toast to you drink Wine in your honor on the day of your demise. As much as the church would like to forget... we do not like to upset and anger either side and so to honor both or none at all." She tried to speak proper English, it was the best thing to do at the moment and given that she was an islander, she knew that her accent was sometimes hard to understand.

"Lets worry bout some hot chocolate and not how yuh look in voodoo." she added with a slight laugh in her voice. "It is an interest o' mine, though I would not push it past human curiosity. Cause I be curious."It seemed that Monree recognised his name, though Judas sensed no hesitation or anger in her tone as she questioned his identity. Even as light hues locked with darker, Judas could not see judgement in her gaze, nor fury in her posture. The combination of all of these things with the addition of the strange vibe he received from her was enough for him to smile in response to her question. Would a human such as her truly believe that he was? Even with the addition of powers, he knew all too well that humans were supposed to remain ignorant of the immortal and their ways. It simply would not do for him to speak of the truth of his past, even if she was terribly infatuating in the most bizarre sense of the word.

He listened to her words about his human past. He had never truly considered himself worthy of being a legend, rather his story was one to be ashamed of, and perhaps to learn of. That she knew it (albeit probably a version that was far separated from the truth) and that churches taught it was always terribly disheartening to him. The past would never really leave him. Even though she spoke of honouring both sides, his ears were deaf to it as his thoughts travelled back to that day, even if only for a moment. There was no self-forgiveness or justification he could possibly find for himself. There was only loathing.

Still, he smiled through the memory at her, as though he were amused greatly by her words. Her next sentences, however, took him back a notch. It was as though her speaking manner had entirely changed, the hint of an accent in her previous tone slipping back under her tongue. It was rather endearing - he had once done the very same thing, at least in the beginnings of his unlife. "I agree," Judas responded, choosing not to react to her revelation about her religion. His earlier emotions, albeit how weird, suddenly made sense in that context. He wondered if she had the ability to have his soul taken away from hell? It wasn't something he would ask without having great trust for another first, and he was hard pressed to trust anyone.

"I know not much of voodoo, though I know plenty of souls," Judas offered, leading the way back with his footsteps. Whilst he didn't know the exact direction of the hot chocolate vendor, he certainly knew where the park was. "Good souls, bad souls and everything in between. It is a complicated business. I would question the choice of voodoo to study such things however." He was not purposefully trying to be rude, he was merely humanly curious. The Vaudun's smile softened as they walked. "Souls are the bread and butter of every religion, spirits angels gods and guides. I was born into voodoo, born with gifts members of the church would have called it a gift from God. I don't think knowing that something is going to happen good or bad is a gift but in any sense they wanted me to expand on it. Most others were jealous and well I was not all too keen to continue." a shrug of her shoulder and she gently hooked her arm in his it was to keep him close and to keep their conversation private as they walked. "There is a saying that is very true in Voodoo, It takes a Village to raise a Child. Well being born into a village like that... one ends up falling into that line."

Shrugging her shoulders again as they turned a corner "Just as I became a Mambo... I was young, I was really young but the Loa they were always around me and I suppose my born gift of knowing when shyte was gonna happen..." trailing off with a sigh she fitted the scarf again higher over her chin briefly so that she could warm up a little. "Before I could venture further into the ways of a Mambo I was sacrificed or I was going to be. The man, the group that did it were killed by zombies of their other victims and my soul was spared but I was still... I was still dying and I did die. Another Vaudun Hougun... my faddah... he did tings. Bad tings and brought me back."

Monree did not think that should be a secret after all she was figuring things out and in Voodoo had it not been for all the bad things she was like Jesus Christ in a way... not exactly something that she wanted. It was a disgusting thought; she did not think she was meant to save anyone but she was back though bad means. She wanted to ask her father if it was worth it before they took him she did not know... she did not want to know if she could face him and let them take him, leave him to his fate. While her thoughts moved off onto that she fell silent. Judas listened to Monree's talk of souls, genuinely surprised at how well versed she was. He did not feel that all churches would have been so accepting about the gift of voodoo, but he did not think to argue it with her. If she had not experienced that sort of hatred and isolation from the church itself, it was truly for the better. He did understand the human weakness of jealousy, and he merely nodded as she spoke of it. Even as an apostle, he himself had felt some small tinges of jealousy in regards to the attention received from the son of god, though his feelings had all been insignificant in the end.

Unlike with the fae girl, Judas found himself not minding as the young woman beside him linked arms with him. It served a double purpose that he was already aware of. However her touch was neither cold like ice, nor hot as his skin was. It was merely light, soft as though her soul were as light as a feather. Certainly it was another level of fascinating to Judas, though he was sure to remain attentive to her as she spoke of her past. His silent responses of nodding were the only indication that he was listening at all. He did not feel it was correct to interrupt a story of her past.

"Nothing is more fierce or passionate as the desire to protect ones child," he offered, his tone not sympathetic but rather calm, as though what he was saying was a matter of fact. "Even the most pure of men can reach their downfall by the sight of potential loss of a child or lover. He merely desired to keep you alive, a core basic instinct. He loved you, for you would not be here otherwise." In his own mind, Judas could not help but think back to the crucifixion, the uttered words of Christ that he would die for all of their sins. Had Jesus known, even then, that Judas would betray him? Even so, Judas knew that all had not been forgiven and his sins still entrapped his soul in the very pits of hell.

"I am sorry you lost him. A path without a father is a difficult one, especially in such dark circumstances." His voice was sympathetic this time, icy hues drifting for a moment to the profile of the young woman. It would have been a difficult path to walk alone for so long. She sighed as it was now her turn to listen to what Judas said he was right in many ways but her father, her; they were meant to be the good guides they were the lights at night the flashlights in a child's room. He was right however if she had the choice she would have found some way to save her own child, though she did not think she could take the life of another to save her own. "Judas, I do understand that but I wasn't alive, he did tings and bring me back to life. And did would the tenth anniversary of my waking" She shrugged her shoulders just a little.

"It wasn't too bad I got to spend some time with my grandparents put some pieces together before my presence there was doing more harm than I wanted. I would say something like 'what's my favorite food' when my gran said that she made such for lunch, she would breakdown." she paused "I know contracts are ten years or fifteen years some times even shorter than that. I don't know if I should talk to him. I have tried... I would call and hang up. I don know if I should jes go see him I been avoiding him these past ten years now."

It wasn't as though she wasn't busy, she did have a lot of things to do; a great number of things to keep her busy. "I haven't lost him yet... But it isn't easy to face him."Judas knew that his words wouldn't provide much comfort to the young woman, but he had to try anyway. Her story was simply so dark, even if he wasn't aware of the full details of it all. He nodded sombrely as she tried to paint her father as the bad guy once more, and he knew then that her mind had been made up for quite some time on this judgement. Perhaps his heart was simply more forgiving, having seen so many of the sinful. A sin to bring back a daughter was one done in self-sacrifice, even if it could be considered a terrible crime in modern day conflicts. Then again, Judas was more forgiving than most. He was silent as she shrugged nonchalantly, and he felt some sympathy for her. It was certainly not an easy path to have walked.

"It is better to try and reconcile than to have regrets," Judas responded hypocritically. He had not even tried to face god or his son to apologise, and he had no intention of doing anything of the sort for quite some time. He was terrified that he might not be truly forgiven for his sins, and he was equally terrified that they would simply shun him as one of Lucifer's creatures for what he was doing right then and there. "If you have had thoughts of talking with him, it is something that weighs on your mind. For the sake of your own mind's clarity, you should consider not hanging up next time." He knew he wasn't exactly speaking of an easy task, but she had brought up the topic and he was offering his opinion. "Besides, it is better to make peace then to be left wondering about the possibilities."

As they arrived at the hot chocolate vendor, Judas paid for two and handed her one. The taste, as usual, was lost on him but his body was grateful for the sustenance. It was somewhat cruel to have to eat food only for it to taste like an awful blandness. Still, he smiled as he turned to Monree. "This is amazing. Good choice."

Author's Note

ignore grammar problems, what do you think of the dialogue