The Road:

[Steven Fitzgerald]

Steven drove his silver Ford Focus ST four door Saloon towards town. He was looking forward to starting his new job. As he drove he drunk a cheap takeaway coffee and a Danish pastry he had purchased in a roadside café. The car was filled with all his belongings, which to be honest didn't account for much. On the passengers seat was an open file filled with information on people in the town. His father had dug it up for him before he left.
He flicked through a few pages before he came to the one he wanted. He found his Dictaphone and switched it on. "Note to self, Get an interview with Austin Darkora, leader of the band of rebels called 'The Circle'. And an appointment with..." He flicked a few more pages, "The chief of police... Nicolas... Umm... Nicolas Wright ASAP." He switched off the Dictaphone and took a bite out of his Danish.

He took a sip of coffee and his eyes glanced to the road just in time to see a man on a mobile phone cutting in front of him. He had to swerve to avoid hitting him. "IDIOT! Bloody people on there mobiles not looking where the hell they are going and..."

Ring!

Steven picked up his phone, "Hello?"
"Hello Steven, it's Michael. Owner of The Edgehaven Gazette." said the voice on the line.
"Hey Micky! Mikeo! Mike the man! How are you my friend?" Steven asked.
"... Alight, anyway swing by the building when you get the chance."
"Will do Mike, I'm just coming into town now, I swing by after I drop my gear off at home."
"Okay, see you soon Steven." Mike said hanging up the phone.

Steven put his foot down on the accelerator wanting to get to town.

[Austin]

Please Note
Time Jump Initiated
All following events are at least two months after those above

[Leo Silvêr]

Leo had now found himself at a loose end. He had come back to Edgehaven at the request of Vincent telling him that he had some urgent news to give to him and now he was dead.

Leo couldn't say that he particularly cared that Vincent was dead it was just disappointing to see a man so sure of himself brought to his fall.

Now Leo found himself debating whether or not to leave. He had no reason to stick around now, and his feet had started him on this path out of the town. Casting a side long glance at the place where he had been born long, long ago he weighed up his options.

Go to see Belle, go to see Kana or continue on his march out of town. Were there any other options for the ancient Were?

[Leo Silvêr]

Leo had just made his mind to leave Edgehaven after he had considered all other possible courses of action. As was his nature he had looked at his situation from every angle and had taken what he assumed to be weeks if not months to make his decision. Leo wasn't a one to keep track of time he had lived so long that he barely noticed a passing year let alone a few days.

He had just begun his trudge out of town deciding to walk rather than take the bus as he wasn't sure of his destination yet. As he walked the inner more conscious part of his mind that focused on the here and now began to almost regret the need to leave. He would miss Nico, the human girl that he had met upon his most recent arrival in what for him was his home. Unusually for him Leo had actually considered going to tell the girl that he was leaving feeling that he probably owed her some sort of explanation to his sudden departure. But at the last moment his usual manner decided to assert itself and he had left in secret.

Putting Nico from his mind Leo stopped mid stride as his superior lycan hearing made him aware of a car speeding toward him down the road he was traveling out of town. Turning to see the black cars approach he waited sensing something was amiss. As the black car with equally blacked out windows got nearer to Leo it began to slow then coming to a stop beside him. As the cars rear right side door opened Leo noticed subtle changes to the air as he breathes deep lungfuls of the night air telling him several things about the cars occupants.

Three vampires, two male, one female. One of the males given over to wearing too much aftershave and mixed with the cars air-freshener made a disgusting aroma that assaulted the senses and caused Leo to snort trying to dislodge the stench from his nose.

Quickly two of the vampires climbed out of the car giving Leo his first glimpse of them. Both were in immaculate black suits with white shirts without any form of tie. They each had an almost feral look to them and a hunger in the way they moved almost stalking. They approached with there hands never straying far from there sides where Leo could see the outline of poorly concealed gun holsters.

Leo knew that, unless they had silver bullets, if it came to a fight they wouldn't prove any difficulty for him. The one thing that assured him that this was not going to end up in a brawl however was the Lémartes tattoos on each of the vampires right-hands. The tattoos looking almost new as they appeared raised and the skin around it red and sore.

"Leo Silvêr ?" One of the pair asked while the other stifled a laugh. In truth Leo's name was not in fact Silvêr, that was actually a nickname given to the Were by Vincent Lémartes when he had first entered his employ. The ancient Lycan had not know his surname and so Vincent had made one up for him. The name almost mocking he knew which a lot of people, including the names creator, found funny. Leo on the other hand did not.

"Yes." Leo answered as was his fashion.

"Mr Lémartes wants to see you." The female vampire said sounding almost as if she was in awe as she said the name.

For a moment Leo found himself confused, he was sure that Vincent Lémartes was dead, and when he voiced such both of the vampires laughed.

"Not old Vincent." Said the male given to the wearing of overly strong cologne. "Mr Kana Lémartes."

Once the name was said it all became clear to the old Lycan. Kana as the oldest male Lémartes would become head of there house. "I was aware that Vincent had named Miss Belle Thorne his heir and successor." Leo stated knowing the statement true.

"She may think so." The woman almost shouted, "But all she has is a pitiful club to her name nothing more!" Fixing a closer eye on the woman he noticed something that he had not seen before. Two, almost new bite marks upon her neck. This woman had been recently turned and by the way she was talking in an almost infatuatus manner he reasoned that Kana had in fact been the one who had turned her.

"Why does master Kana wish to see me?" Leo asked using the old English form of address to indicate he was referring to a young boy and not in fact the head of the house.

Both of the vampires seemed pleased that Leo had spoken this honorific which confused him as it had actually been an insult. "One does not ask of Mr Lémartes. One simply does his bidding." The female vampire quoted something that Leo had heard many of Vincent's employees and servants say over the many hundreds of years he had known the vampyre.

For several minutes Leo stood in silence as he contemplated his options. The wolf part of him wanting nothing to do with Kana or these vampires offering him the option of tearing each of these three vampires throats out and continuing on his way. Leo always listened to his wolfish nature but didn't feel the need to succumb to it like many of his species did. In all the years he had lived he had come to an understanding with the beast allowing him to change form when needed and allow the wolf to be let loose, though his conscious mind was also there meaning the wolf didn't get too much out of hand.
In short they were one.

Obviously tired of waiting the suited woman took a step forward her hand inching to her pistol. "Are you going to come with us or do we have to force you?" She asked sounding as if she was trying to threaten and failed.

In most cases that would have been the moment that Leo would have let his wolf side free but in this case he decided to forgo it and instead decided upon something most peculiar. He would go and see Kana. After all Vincent had asked him to come to Edgehaven with the message that he had something important to tell him. Kana might know what it was.

"I am not going to come with you." Leo replied, "and you do not have to force me." He said replying to each question that he saw, as was his way. Turning he began to walk back toward Edgehaven.

"Where do you think you are going?" Screamed the woman as Leo's hearing made him aware that she had drawn her pistol as he heard the sound of the metal gun sliding against the leather holster.

"To see Kana." he said without either turning or slowing.

"Wait!" the woman cried. "We're supposed to bring you in!" Having nothing to say to that Leo carried on walking. "WAIT!" The female vamp yelled just as Leo dived to out of the way of a clumsily fired bullet.

It was then that he let his wolf side free.

After the three vampires had been dealt with Leo shifted back into his human form and picked up his fallen coat. He was annoyed that he had had to resort to violence especially after he had decided to do what the three vampires had wanted.

Slowly walking away. Leo made his way back towards town in search of Kana.

((Continued in The Edge thread))