life's little moments

[Haven Elizabeth Raines]

open to all who wish to enter

Haven whistled as she walked along the path in the park. Autumn and spring were her favorite seasons. She loved to watch the colors change, plants bloom and then the leaves fall. It was a comfortable weather for her. She could wear her jeans with her purple floral graphic tee and a black sweater that tied around her waist. The perfect fall ensemble for a walk-comfortable but kept her from getting sick. Haven hated to be sick, especially since every season was wedding season. And each holiday there were new ads to shoot. And the models from Les Soeurs d'Ackers Modèlent, which meant Ackers Sisters Models, seemed to always need a new headshot. This month was the time to get the photos for the new calendar that was locally sold. Haven had a month completely booked for shoots to take care of.

After helping a little boutique with photos for a new Christmas ad, she had rushed to her meeting her the Levesque and Hill couple to consult for their wedding. After settling on a price and the time for the wedding, Haven headed home. She set aside half of each day to just unwind and relax. The only time that she couldn’t have her unwiding period was if there was an evening wedding. Today she did not have one. After she changed out of her more professional clothes to something more comfortable, Haven escaped into the park. Her boots crunched on the fallen leaves, which helped to clear her thoughts. Haven just wanted a day of nothing that bothered her. Which is why when she saw the coffee kiosk in its usual spot in the park, she couldn’t help but get her favorite French Vanilla hoot coffee. The coffee just made her day that much better.

After a few more minutes of walking, Haven found a little stone wall which she pulled herself up on. With each sip of coffee, her eyes traveled around to gaze upon the various visitors. There was a mother playing with five kids. Haven liked to make up stories on people she saw. Like about that mother-two of the children looked like they were her’s, but not the other three. Haven figured it was a blended family. The other children were from her new husband’s first marriage. It had taken a lot to win his kids over, but once she did, she treated them like her own. Or there was the man taking a jog. Haven figured him to be a business suit-a guy who had cases on his mp3 which he dictated so he could keep his mind fresh and work even out of the office. Then there was the two women jogging with each other. Haven liked to think that they were friends from baby yoga classes. Their kids were best friends and even went to the same schools.

It was all the various people she saw that sparked her imagination. Kept her from losing touch with why she did what she did. She had known photographers who only wanted things their way. The shot, the models, the set, even only stuck with certain wedding venues because it had was set up how they liked. Haven liked working with the people who hired her. While she knew which lighting was best and the most flattering techniques, she still listened. Something some artists in her business didn’t like to do.

[Sethius Artemis Liandron]

To say that Sethius was in trouble would be an understatement; he was outside, during the day in the searing sunlight. It was hardly dazzling sunshine for humans but for him the sunrise had sent him reeling for the nearest cover; a children’s play park. He was now stuck there for the duration, longing for darkness to descend once more upon the earth, time had crawled and it reminded him starkly of his insomniac years when he’d really been down the gutter, this he kept telling himself was simply a minor set back, so long as the police, or worse, didn’t turn up he’d be fine.

He’d done the honourable thing, he really had, buying the others time to escape, but he still felt sick to the pit of his stomach. His hopes of re-taking his generalship were effectively dashed, it wasn’t that he was particularly ambitious, it was that he had the knack for it, he really did, truly it was where he belonged, but now it had all gone to hell again because of one tiny slip up.

There seemed to be an unwritten law, not to fight in the park during times when kids could be around, and he was glad of it; he’d have been dead if not for the Lycan’s common decency, it was almost laughable. So there he was, stuck beneath a children’s play park in the bottom of the tower that made up the castle proper, complete with various slides, monkey bars and countless ropes hanging down, oh and one injured vampire trying rather unsuccessfully to hide a dead Lycan beneath him. He had early morning joggers to thank as the terrible battle had whirled about the park the Lycans had closed in, the most ambitious but clearly most foolhardy darting in before his companions, to meet a pretty quick end at the ends of the far quicker vampire, admittedly he now had another jagged wound across his legs from the Lycan’s powerful lunge but though it hurt like hell still it would heal given time. Time he didn’t really have as the Lycans would undoubtedly be waiting for him, he’d have to move off even before twilight at this rate, he’d been praying for clouds all day but none had come yet, he was damned after-all. Watching the sunlight inch across the arrow slit window of the tower was driving him crazy and every child’s voice nearing made him recoil further into the shadows, but none had ventured down yet, he’d heard footfalls pounding across the mock battlements several times now but the poor children’s play-time never lasted long. Seeing that the sun’s weakening rays were close to his legs he curled up pushing the dead Lycan further back into the corner, turning to the luckless Lycan he slipped his shirt from him muttering “it’s not like you need it anymore,” and shoved it quickly into the arrow slit, blocking out the sun, he’d already done the same to the three others with the Lycan’s tattered jacket torn into chunks, now he only let a little light shine through, so he could watch the sun excruciatingly slowly edge towards its setting, picture perfect probably, and yet he hadn’t seen it in years, how he longed to actually see it set, to feel the sun pleasantly upon bare shoulders rather than burning instantly. He would have born the pain then if he hadn’t had his nasty gash that was still barely healing.

Childish giggles broke his listless reverie, and cries of a mock battle started up, organisation first being the key with two girls crying “I want to be the princess!”
Bickering started with arguments tossed between them until a weary sounding voice broke in, “you can both be beautiful princesses in the tower, twins if you like and the boys can charge in to rescue you, just play nice ok?”
A murmured chorus of “yeah ok,” mingled with “that won’t be so fun,” as the children neared the castle, the girls presumably running in first towards the tower and the eldest lad holding off the other two, his active imagination came in handy as he put the pieces into place of the girl’s footsteps resounding across the battlements, he was well and truly screwed. Resisting the urge to hold his breath in nervousness in case he needed to bolt he pushed himself further back into the shadows, pushing back against the dead weight of the mercifully human-form Lycan. Not that any dead body wouldn’t make young girls scream. Seconds ticked by with the girls chattering and the lads play-fighting but the eldest was clearly able to hold them back; annoyingly, and with the girls getting bored one muttered to the other,
“lets confuse them and play hide and seek,” as if things couldn’t get any worse now they would undoubtedly go for a dark area to hide, the only dark place around was right where he was sitting, this was never going to end well. A trainer wearing foot set upon the ladder down into the depths, then another as the girl began he descent, “woah its really dark down here Amy,” she whispered up to the other
“they’ll never find us,” Amy was unable to suppress a giggle. Sethius cleared his throat, it was the only way to stop them getting down finding him then and running around silly with fright until they were scared to death, plus this way they wouldn’t see the body from the ladder. Course he hadn’t bargained on the girl being so jumpy and slipping from the ladder, diving forward he caught her before she hit the ground, the scream as she fell didn’t stop as she tossed in his arms,
“calm down,” he murmured softly holding her with the utmost care, “you’re fine, nothing’s broken.”
“Bel,” cried Amy looking down, “what happened?” Childish concern was scorched into the six-year olds face.
“She just startled me is all,” answered Sethius as the girl, Bel calmed as quickly as she’d started screaming, now a look of pure interest was written across her face
“what’re you doin’ down here?” How quickly fear turned to curiosity, annoyingly so as he was painfully aware of the body just metres behind them.
“Just needed a warm place to sleep is all,” he could hear several footsteps hurriedly running across the battlements and a worried voice crying out “where’s Bel?” This really was going badly, trying to put it right he lifted her up easily out through the hatch, setting her easily onto the floor.
“Bel,” cried the Mother, “what the hell happened? What were you doing down there?”
He prayed she wouldn’t notice.
“A man caught me,” oh shit, he was screwed.
“A man?”
“Yeah…down there.”
“Move away from there Amy, right now.” If she didn’t see the body she’d at least call him a paedophile, either way the police would be coming, and it was only 3 o’clock, if that, he wasn’t sure as his watch had been broken in the fight. “Who’s down there?” He had to think of a way out of this, and quick.
“We’re just homeless, the police kept moving us on and its warm down here is all, we’re sorry Miss we should have moved along but my mate here’s completely twat…out of it.” He wasn’t going to let her see his face so kept to the shadows, it wasn’t as if his story would be believed.
“Then why won’t you come out of the shadows? It’s cause you’re a filthy paedophile! You should be ashamed,” she cried, trust a mother to over-react, “Jason, phone the police,” she snapped standing over the hatch glaring down. He needed a miracle to escape this hellish turn of events, and judging by his run of luck recently there was no-way he’d get one. Time to get running. Something he did rather well.

[Hope you don’t mind me joining =) ]

[Haven Elizabeth Raines]

Haven eventually got bored of her game. She decided to finish off her coffee so she could toss it in the nearby trash can. Haven wasn’t ready to go home though. She’d be alone for at least another couple hours. Reese was at work and Haven wouldn’t come out until the sun started to disappear. Sometimes it got to be a pain since she worked from home. Haven began to think of setting up a sound system outside the dark room. Unless she could find one that didn’t light up to put inside the darkroom, which was almost impossible. Because of that fact, there was yet to be a good enough sound system to use when she was working.

Since she was so lost in her thoughts, Haven didn’t realize the path took her to the park. A warm smile crept on her face. When she was a little girl she used to come out here with her dad and Reese all the time. As her and Reese got older, they used to spend their times talking on the swings. Haven ran away to here after getting out of the hospital just to breath. It’s where she got drunk after her father had died. It was where she felt safe in times of need.

Today she didn’t need to feel safe or comfort. Today she just wanted to swing. Once she found her favorite one that just seemed to curve along her, Haven pushed off with her foot. Her legs curled underneath the swing when she pumped herself back and forth. She was careful how high she went though, since she wasn’t sure how stable the swingset still was. Either way, it felt nice to have the breeze she created tickle her skin. It truly was autumn though.

Her face began to scrunch as she watched a commotion going on at the castle gym. Haven tried to peak over as she pumped back and forth. Apparently someone was hiding in the tower? A pedophile according to one concerned mother. Haven rolled her eyes. Homeless people used to hide in various bit of the castle all the time. With one last swing, Haven jumped from the swing and collected herself. She walked up to the family-the mother clinging frantically to her children and the father who decided yelling into the phone was more efficient then being calm. Haven introduced herself and tried to get the story out. The mother was too busy trying to yell at her husband at what to say. Haven rolled her eyes before she knelt down to talk to the little girls.

”Hi I’m Haven. What’s your names?” The girls looked nervous before they answered Bel and Amy. ”Well those are pretty names. Why is your mommy and daddy so angry?” Haven got right to the point. She didn’t want to dance around the subject here. If a homeless person was in there, they’d take the to station for a few hours before letting them out. She had seen it before when she was down here. The little one named Bel answered. ”I fell in the tower and there was a man in there.” Haven nodded as she glanced at the castle which the kids seemed to be vacating. ”Did the man say anything?” ”He said he was sleeping!” Amy nodded to agree with Bel before she said, ”There’s two of them down there.” Haven said her thanks then got up to head to the castle. Haven wasn’t sure how to approach this but she tried her hardest.

It was darker as she glanced down there then she remembered. Haven’s head stuck out as she sighed. ”Yo, buddy. You and your friend need to move out of there. The cops are coming and you either need to find your own way out or else they’ll find a more interesting way. Plus, they don’t take too kindly when someone says you’re a pedophile.” Haven had tried her best as she waited for a reply. They had maybe a couple minutes. Maybe less if the police who patrolled the park came around.

[Sethius Artemis Liandron]

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, that’s what his current predicament felt like, with the police en-route Sethius would be forced to resist arrest, people would get injured and before he knew it Spectre would be involved, then he’d have a real fight on his hands; one he couldn’t win on his own. The situation was rapidly slipping out of control but if he did something quick he could hopefully save it, devising reasoning’s for being in a children’s park, hunkering down in the dark was difficult though, unless he just told the truth; at least a half truth. He just needed someone to listen but the angered parents were hardly going to give him the time of day now were they? He could hardly blame them, as if he’d ever had kids he would have reacted just as violently, humans were very good at protecting their young, vampires didn’t have to be. Making sure the dead Lycan was firmly wedged into the corner Sethius moved towards the ladder in order to look up and try to reason with anyone above, as he looked up he briefly checked his weapons, three knives on his belt and one in his shoe was always there, then his holstered berretta beneath his left arm, all well concealed but within easy reach to quickly decimate any foes he came across, he just couldn’t bring himself to use them on humans, even Spectres unless he was heavily outnumbered but the Lycans would be waiting, if he could first overcome the not inconsiderable obstacle of these humans and their police.

Filtering through the raised, angry voices Sethius heard one remaining level, a wave of calm in a turbulent sea, it sounded like this voice of reason belonged to a lady who wasn’t hasty enough to brand a man without conviction, she was thinking it through which made him thank his lucky stars, ordinarily he’d have waded into the argument to defend himself, but being stuck down in a dark place hardly added weight to his defence. Her clear voice pierced the darkness, handing a drowning man a line and he lunged for it,
“we’re honestly not paedophiles,” no word of a lie there, he certainly wasn’t and the Lycan was long dead, “my mate here’s just plastered, a complete dead weight at the minute there’s no way I could lug him out,” he couldn’t help but smirk, “he’s not a pretty sight, and I’ve…well I’ve got this skin condition, I burn like hell in the sun.” If she knew of vampires that hint would be enough, but if she was with Spectre he’d have opened up a whole new can of worms. Hopefully she would believe him, as every word was true so his voice carried that extra weight of sincerity. His shining blue eyes looked up at her, and he grinned nervously, hoping against hope that she would believe him, and even better help him out.
“We mean no harm at all honestly, and we’ll be gone by nightfall…just don’t get the police involved my mate’s done more than drinking last night…” he left his unfinished sentence hang and looked at her meaningfully, his cold eyes piercing through her, she seemed a reliable sort and the fact that she was going out of her way to help an alleged paedophile was quite frankly amazing, he actually felt an affinity with her as he would often defend the inexperienced vampires when they did wrong from the righteous wrath of the Elders in particular, they were fair most of the time but every so often they went too far in his opinion and needed someone to remind them to not pass judgement too readily or harshly, he’d thrown himself in the line of fire before now and had paid the price. Sethius smiled earnestly at this lady who would give him a fair chance, his narrowed eyes studying her carefully, maybe she even knew of his kind, or she could even be a Spectre which would make sense of why she was so willing to throw herself between angry parents and an accused. He’d find out soon enough, he was just glad the parents had moved off and weren't hurling down abuse at him...yet.

[Haven Elizabeth Raines]

Haven kept a look out of the corner of her eye at the family. They weren’t’ exactly the reasoning type at this point. Haven was a bystander who was going to try her best to help. Why? She honestly didn’t know. Normally she minded her own business. But there were a lot of homeless people around was what she did know. Some it was their own fault while others-not so much. In this case she didn’t know and really didn’t care. She just didn’t like police in the park she loved.

She sighed as she pushed some hair behind her ear. ”That may be so but you’re honestly not helping yourself right now.” Her breath caught a moment about his skin condition. There were people with skin conditions but with what she knew from Dane-it was hard to decipher which was which anymore. Her throat cleared as she tried to think quickly. ”Well the police are out of my hands.” She tried to think quickly. With a side glance at the family she did what she could. ”What your name?” The only way out of this is if someone thought on their feet quickly. She had a feeling on what he was. But Haven wasn’t about to say anything out loud. Haven hadn’t met anyone besides Dane like that.

She shifted to let him know her plan. ”Listened I can help. I’ve got a car-I live not too far from here. I’ll try to talk reason to this family and the police as well. Just I need your name for my plan to work.” Haven pushed up from her position on her stomach to sit up with her legs dangling down into the tower. Honestly she had no clue what she was doing. It was probably a stupid idea. But Dane had brought her into this world. If they were vampires, she couldn’t help it but to help. In extension, she was helping Dane out by helping his kind. All she hoped was if he or they were, that she nor Reese didn’t get hurt. Her hand traveled to her phone in a fleeting thought to call or text Dane. It was only fleeting due to the fact there wasn’t time for that.

”Only condition on me helping you is this: you don’t ask me nothing and I don’t ask you nothing. If you need something cause of your…condition I won’t ask questions. And you don’t ask any questions about what I’m doing nor why. Deal?”

[[ooc: Erm yeah if there's something you don't like pm me haha >.<]]

[Sethius Artemis Liandron]

Trying to broker a deal as it were…he jumped at the opportunity, much like a Lycan for a vampire’s throat, except he was slightly more subtle. There were problems associated with her reasonable plan though, mainly the getting to the car in the light but it was fading faster now, this seemed to be his opportune moment, and her assistance would be gratefully taken. He looked up at his would be saviour and smiled earnestly, “I’m Sethius…Sethius Liandron,” he could and probably should have lied but for some inane reason he felt inclined to trust her. “It’s definitely a deal,” he took one last peek back out of the hole to see the slowly dying rays of the sun dwindling down, “and in a spirit of good faith I’ll be honest…he’s dead…oh and he’s a werewolf too, but yeah let’s get going shall we?” With that he scrambled with inhuman speed up the ladder and held out his arm in a gentlemanly fashion before thinking better of it and crouching down some before the angry mob started throwing their rotten vegetables…then again he guessed they’d probably moved on from that to sharper objects like broken bottles and the like.
“I know it’s a question but where’s your car parked? Cause there seems to be a growing crowd of angry humans out there.” It had only taken a darting glance over the parapet to tell that any onlookers had soon been drawn in, nothing got humans angrier than someone threatening their children, except maybe powercuts, or England losing at football.
“Where’s that bastard? The police should be here any minute is he still down that hole?” The father was coming back to assault the “castle” with a group of raucous lads in tow itching for a fight it had taken only one word to get them to come; paedophile, because that meant they could give someone a beating and not even get a telling off.
Hearing the tell-tale blare of sirens, far off still but too close for his liking Sethius added, “the police are under a minute out, actually.” Murmured Sethius readying himself for a mad dash against the setting sun, he held out his hand to his saviour, whilst weighing up their options looking for an escape route; he’d drag or carry her if necessary because right now he was in an increasing amount of peril and it was beginning to show by the strained expression of nervousness creeping across his features, the Lycans were out there, and they were waiting for them.

[Sorry for the late reply uni has been getting in the way =) ]

[Haven Elizabeth Raines]

Haven drew in a breath and nodded. Ok she got a name, but more then a first name. She hadn’t figured that one. ”Well Sethius, nice to meet you I think.” She wasn’t quite sure if it was nice or not. Depended on if he was really homeless or if he was a vampire or lycan. Haven had been thrown into this world so it’s not like anything would be a surprise to her.

Especially when he told her.

”Well, to be honest I figured you were. But didn’t figure about your mate. Is he bloodied up?” Haven looked up as some clouds moved in and the sun died down a little. At least that would help out a little. Her car was just across the tree line. If they could just get there, Haven had some jackets and maybe a blanket in the car. They could get across. But the werewolf-that was the issue. ”Where there trees are behind me, it’s just past there on the street.” She followed his gaze to the people. The father was not getting any better so Haven got up. Good thing she acted in his school. ”Sir I know your angry, but my brother is the one who’s passed out. He has mental issues and hasn’t lived a thome for months. I’ve tried to help, but he only trusts Seth right here. At night he likes to come here because when we were little this is where we used to play.” She took a look down to see if she could make out the guy. ”Seth called me last night but I lost my phone. I wouldn’t have known if your daughters hadn’t found him.”

Haven didn’t know how close Dane was to this particular vampire. But she was protective of Dane, so she was protective of Sethius in extension. She looked back and shrugged off her jacket. ”Seth, if Josh isn’t awake can you put a coat on him? I’ll help you bring him to my car.” Haven never asked for this life, but she accepted this life. She liked having Dane in her life and didn’t want to lose him. If helping someone else worked, then that’s how it would go.

"So we are gonna go. I have my car and I'm going to take him to the hospital and then see if he'll come home tonight sir." Haven went over to the opening to assist Sethius. "We need to do this fast. Most homeless people have blood on them so if a little shows we should be fine." They still needed to go as fast as they could though not to rouse oto much suspicion.