As Lonny dragged her forward to the burning barrel, JewelKiss screamed in terror. She twisted and struggled uselessly, tasting the kerosene on her lips and smelling it soaking her hair. Calliope half-strode and half-skipped along beside her, bending to purr into her ear. "The best part is, honey... kerosene burns slow... You're gonna roast, not burn." She poked her finger into Jewel's face as they neared the barrel... "I'm gonna love ripping out and eating those pretty eyes... when they're cooked just right!" She straightened and fairly screamed at Lonny. "Put her in!!" The big Italian grinned and effortlessly hefted Jewel, spinning her and laying her over his shoulder as he aimed her head at the barrel. Calliope giggled madly as Lonny made a show of lowering the struggling redhead oh-so-slowly.
Calliope's giggles stopped dully, she was stricken with a silently dumbfounded look when Lonny's chest exploded just next to JewelKiss' ear. A large piece of his spine shot out his back to clatter wetly onto the pile of old rusted girders and most of the pack watched it with confusion. Caught utterly by surprise, Calliope actually leaned forward to get a better look through the hole as the big Italian swayed on his feet. As the echoes of a gunshot faded across the lot, JewelKiss struggled in Lonny's relaxing grip. Another scream was torn from her when Calliope's head did a sudden impression of Lonny's chest, exploding in a spray that spread across Jewel and outwards for several feet. JewelKiss lunged free and rolled away as Lonny toppled backward and a headless Calliope fell forward on top him.
The Bloodweaver pack was seized in a disarrayed uproar as Jewel ducked sideways to huddle against the old girders. She backpedaled slowly to put as much distance between the fire and her kerosene-soaked head as she could, hoping at the same time not to be noticed by the frenzied pack. Weapons flashed in the firelight, and several of the remaining pack-members fired randomly into the darkness, cursing and growling as they scanned the area for the source of the sudden attack.
Coltin swore and stormed back and forth, screaming taunts and epithets into the darkness and trying to focus his pack-mates on finding their assailant. JewelKiss couldn't figure out why he didn't just grab his goons and run. She flinched inadvertently and covered her head when one of the pack was suddenly knocked off his feet by the force of an explosion that tore a gaping hole where his upper chest had been. Coltin spun and stared in shock as his pack-brother pitched forward onto his face and slid a few inches, he was stunned momentarily by the sight of three of the seven Bloodweavers suddenly laying motionless in the dirt. Just then his sharp ears caught a ratcheting click and he snapped his head up to look into the shadows beneath the forgotten building framework.
Coltin roared - catching his remaining pack-mates' attention - as a figure emerged at a fast walk from under the shadowed steel. The three other Bloodweavers remaining turned to see a man stalking toward them with a grim smile showing beneath the brim of a wide black hat. The owner of that smile was striding forward recklessly and relentlessly, a heavy shotgun dangling loosely in each hand as he walked. His long coat was open giving a view of an outdated black vest and priest's collar between the lapels. Most of the pack, including Coltin, raised their weapons in a rush - firing wildly at the stalking figure. One of them gave in to the rage of his blood and dropped his gun, lunging forward with claws and fangs extended, intent on tearing his prey apart. The priest's eyes were locked on Coltin, and only Jewel heard him murmur "I don't think so." through his smile as his arm flashed up and the shotgun in his hand roared. The priest hadn't even looked, but the attacking pack-member collided with the ground two paces behind him as he stalked past, the Sabbat's neck now a smoking stump.
Jewel watched in utter amazement, realizing that the priest - if he was a priest - was actually allowing some of the pack's bullets to hit him, and that he seemed completely unconcerned. She saw his coat buck and dance as the three Bloodweavers remaining fired again and again at him. She watched him finally begin to twist his body to minimize the number of bullets that struck him, at the same time bringing his other hand up and loosing a beheading blast that tore the pack down to two. The priest spun both shotguns in his hands by their cocking levers as Coltin dropped his empty gun and charged forward with an animal roar. JewelKiss saw Coltin call upon the vampire blood within himself and she saw him take on animalistic features as he closed the distance to the Priest. His already pointed fangs lengthened horribly, and claws tore from his fingertips in a matter of a few steps. Still, the ratchet-click reload was faster than Coltin's charge, and the priest smiled as he brought the big guns to bear again. "Ashes to ashes, my son." He murmured in a deep and soft voice.
The right-hand blast knocked Coltin to a dead stop as the big 4-gauge tore out most of his stomach... the left blast took most of the last pack-member's head off before she had run ten feet, and she flopped out of sight into an open foundation. Coltin peered down in mute confusion at his gaping belly as the priest calmly closed the last few strides. The sound of the shotguns as they spun again in the priest's hands caused him to look up, and the priest calmly pointed both weapons at Coltin's head. "May God have mercy on your soul." The priest murmured, and the guns roared.
JewelKiss was still huddled by the rusted pile, shocked and immobile as her eyes swept over the scene. A Sabbat pack of seven was gruesomely laid out before her, defeated in less than two minutes by one man. To say she had never seen such a thing was pointless, she had never even heard of such a thing. As she watched, the priest calmly reloaded his guns from a wide belt of shells while whistling what sounded to her like a hymn she remembered from Catholic services as a girl. When he was done he spun the weapons to cock them and walked over to Lonny. With casual finality he leveled one of the two shotguns and rendered Lonny's head into a fine spray. A few more steps and he repeated the action with the Bloodweaver that had tried to jump him, a few more and the last pack-member joined his headless brethren. The priest looked up and frowned as sirens were heard in the distance, then dropped his gaze to Jewel. "Where's the intended feast, little girl?" He intoned quietly while shifting one of the guns to the crook of his other arm.
"F... feast?" Jewel croaked, finding her voice stunned to hoarseness. She watched the priest stalk quickly over to where she had been first grabbed by Lonny. He bent and scooped up her shovel, spinning on his heel and returning to her as he spoke. "The blood feast... the sacrificial lamb for this new recruit." He pointed with the shovel at the rough grave. "This pack was nomad, child. They must have had a mortal nearby to feed this new member if and when he or she clawed their way free." He paused, waiting for her to answer, but saw her confusion and continued. "Truly, you have the courage of a martyr, my child... but I should think a little more knowledge of the enemy would show wisdom as well." He tossed the shovel at her with a grim smile. "Be the Samaritan you intended... dig... and quickly. I will find where the 'ritae' was to be held, and hopefully the lamb of sacrifice as well." To punctuate his statement, he cocked his head to call attention to the sirens wailing ever closer, then spun on his heel and stalked away.
Jewel hesitated only for a moment, then shook off her confusion and focused on her task. Snatching up the shovel she summoned forth all the strength and speed that were the gifts of her own vampire blood and attacked the packed earth of the grave. She prayed the Sabbat recruit had at least tried to dig their way out and had made it closer to the surface, the sirens wailing in the night lending frantic urgency to her digging. The first and most unbreakable rule Gray had taught her was the Masquerade. Mortals must never know that Vampires walked among them, her love had warned her many times. She knew if the police arrived here and saw the grave, they would think to exhume it for evidence - thereby releasing the poor creature entombed within. If it was not daylight when they freed this helpless soul, at least one or more of the officers or workmen would die as the frenzied hunger of the newly made vampire was spent. If it were daylight, then the fledgling kindred would die an agonized death... either way - the Masquerade would be shattered in a way very difficult if not impossible to cover up. Worse, another mad and uncontrolled vampire could be loosed upon the world.
JewelKiss dug like a demoness.
Less than a minute passed as she flung dirt by the shovel-full out of the too-slowly deepening hole before a hand burst through beneath her efforts. Curled into a rictus-like claw, it scrabbled at the air and dirt frantically as Jewel dropped the shovel and unthinkingly scrambled to help. She gripped the wrist in both hands and heaved backward, seeing the earth shift and break as the buried initiate began to emerge. Too late, she realized her mistake as the grave suddenly exploded in a spray of dirt and she felt herself seized by clawing hands and heard a growl of pure animal hunger. She toppled backward with the clawing, snarling initiate fully on top of her, and saw his distended jaws seeking any portion of her body he could reach. She locked her arm under his jaw and pushed back with all her might, the strength lent by her older blood just managing to balance the power of the bloodlust in this frenzied creature. She felt his claws rip through her jacket and gasped as they gouged flesh, still struggling to keep that starving mouth away from her skin. Horribly, she felt realization sinking in that she may have to kill what she had tried to save, just to stay alive herself.
The starved and frenzied initiate suddenly jerked in time to the sound of a dull clang, and went limp in Jewel's grip so abruptly that her efforts to hold him off fairly flung him away. She looked up as the priest dropped her shovel - now dented badly like its earlier mate - and offered her his hand. "We've run out of time, little girl." He murmured through a grim smile, heaving her to her feet. He turned and grabbed the unconscious figure of the initiate, straightening and flinging him over one shoulder. "The intended feast will be found by the police, and will come forth from this relatively unharmed. I also found what I assume to be your car, and I would suggest we make all haste for it now."
JewelKiss nodded and spun in the direction of her car, but the priest's sudden hand at her elbow jerked her to a halt. "I believe you're forgetting something, child." He admonished, pointing past her at her open backpack a few feet away. She cursed silently and lunged to grab it as the priest set out at a fast walk in the direction she had started in. She ran quickly to catch up, fishing out and fumbling with her keys as the sirens seemed to bear down directly on top of them. They reached the car just as the first of the police vehicles roared into the lot from the opposite side, and Jewel frantically unlocked and opened the doors as the officers leapt from their car and drew their weapons. Cries of 'Police' and 'Stop right there' went unheeded as she gunned the engine of the sports sedan and threw it into gear. With no time to back out, and more sirens behind them, Jewel floored the accelerator as the priest slammed his door - the unconscious kindred having been dumped rudely in the narrow back seat. The car jumped forward and bounced across the rough ground, its headlights dancing crazily on the blank expanse of wooden fence that bordered the old construction site. Puffs in the dirt ahead and a whine from the car's body told Jewel that the police had elected to start shooting. She screamed as the rear window shattered, spraying the interior and occupants of the car with flying glass. She swerved wildly but managed to keep the madly jostling car under control, and she up-shifted even as the bumper struck the old wood. The fence exploded in a dry shower of splinters and freed planks, and Jewel wrenched the wheel hard over as the car bounced onto the street, turning just in time to narrowly avoid a direct collision with a second speeding police car. A scream went up from the brakes of the police vehicle, accompanied by a shriek from both cars as they exchanged paint in a glancing scrape. Jewel fought the wheel and righted her car in its lane, then cranked it immediately into another sharp turn at the corner of the block while still accelerating. The car rolled onto two wheels to answer its unforgiving mistress' demands, and before the officers behind could even check for a license number - it was gone from sight.
The priest turned in the seat, eyeing JewelKiss' shaking hands and smeared face before turning further and reaching to examine the unconscious man in the back seat. He glanced back to Jewel when she mumbled under her breath, "I hit a cop car... I can't believe I hit... a cop car..." He could clearly hear the note of hysteria in her voice. He straightened in his seat and reached to lay a hand over hers on the steering wheel. She flinched from the unexpected contact, but managed to control herself before jerking her fingers out from under the cool, dry touch. She bit her lip and glanced sideways at him in time to see him remove his broad-brimmed hat, and she saw a thin and weathered face marked by many smiles and many miles. He raised his brows and pursed his lips comically, inspecting his hat, and JewelKiss found a small giggle forced from her when he extended a wiggling finger through a hole in the black crown. His eyes twinkled as he favored her with one of those smiles that had so creased his face, and his deep voice was warm as he patted her hand. "Pretty near added a bit too enthusiastic new part to my hair." His slight drawl was heavily exaggerated, and Jewel couldn't help herself. She laughed outright as she turned to watch the road. "At least they only tried to part yours," she managed shakily through her laughter, "...they wanted to flambe mine."
The priest returned her smile with a wide grin of perfect teeth, then softened it as he dropped his hat in the back seat and held out his hand, "Jebediah Christian... 'Father'... Jebediah Christian." he drawled. Jewel hesitated a fraction, steeling herself before managing a smile and shifting her grip on the wheel in order to brusquely shake his hand. "'Father Christian'?" she tried not to smirk, "That sounds way too convenient... I'm B... JewelKiss." She glanced quickly away and pulled her hand free as she saw his eyes catch her slip. Rather than call attention to it, he chuckled and touched his collar. "I always felt it was a calling, personally." He glanced into the back seat again and sobered. "Well, Miss JewelKiss, if you have a destination in mind... we'd better make good time. This boy's not going to stay out much longer before the hunger drives him awake again."
Jewel shot a panicked look into the mirror, then into the back seat itself. She could still feel the sting of the new-made vampire's claws in her arms and neck, and feared that her next sleep would relive the image of those fangs stretched wide for her skin. She spun back to face the road, laughter forgotten as worry filled her features. Father Christian peered at her for a moment before speaking quietly. "You didn't think this out real good, did you, child?" When she bit her lip and mutely shook her head a fraction, he leaned back in the seat with a heavy sigh. He swept a hand through his hair and glanced out the window, then back at Jewel with a reassuring smile. "Well... the Good Lord has seen fit to give you the opportunity to learn by your mistakes... and if you trust in Him, He will provide."
As Jewel glanced nervously into the back seat then back to him, waiting for proof of his words, he turned his attention to peering out the windshield and side window. After a moment he spoke without looking at her, "It's changed a bit since I was here last, but I do believe I know where we are. If memory serves there should be a turn just up on the right... take it." Jewel jerked her attention back to the road and began watching for the turn. In a few moments an off-ramp appeared and she glanced at Father Christian, who frowned slightly but nodded. After several more gestured and nodded directions, Jewel found herself navigating through darkened streets deep in one of the roughest districts of the notorious South Side. Boards covered most of the windows, while garish spray-paint covered most everything else, and if people were present at all - they stayed well back in the deep shadows presented by a lack of unbroken streetlights.
Father Christian's voice made her jump a bit as he pointed ahead to a tall shadow against the night sky. "There. You should find a gateway around back into the yard." She leaned forward curiously as the edifice loomed into view, then smiled despite her nerves. "An old church... why am I not surprised?" She shot him a smile and he returned it easily, a slight chuckle marking his voice. "It is good to know some things don't change even in a hundred years." Jewel winced slightly at his statement but recovered quickly, hoping his sharp eyes hadn't seen. She followed the turns and soon was inching up to a gate at the back of the ancient church. Even as the car's one remaining headlight showed a heavy chain and padlock barring their way, Father Christian was out of the car. He gripped the chain and pulled, then swung open the gates with the useless chain dangling from his grip as Jewel rolled the car through.

The twisting angles of the church courtyard served to hide the car from view of the street, and the side door of he rectory proved less of a challenge than the gate - having been broken in already by squatters or chill-seekers some time past. Most of the rooms of the rectory itself were either piled high with forgotten refuse, or a complete shambles of detritus, debris, and excessive pigeon leavings. The two finally took refuge in the chapel itself, draping their already-stirring burden along the bench of one of the pews.
Jewel sagged against the lectern as Father Christian circled the chapel quickly. She watched him peer up at the boarded-over windows, and found the energy to marvel with him at the still intact stained glass that filled virtually all of them. Beyond that, JewelKiss found little left of her drive or resolve, and slid slowly to sit at the foot of the alter as Father Christian returned to inspect their now-groaning baggage. She had just dropped her grimed and kerosene-smeared forehead into her hands when Father Christian touched her shoulder. She looked up to see him looking down at her, grimly but not unkindly. "Our work is not done, my child."
Jewel sighed heavily and struggled to her feet as Father Christian produced his shotguns from under his coat and laid them on the alter. "What... what do you need me to do?" She asked with wearied resignation dragging in her voice. He nodded to the pew and the initiate that was groaning and beginning to move feebly. "What were you going to do with our prodigal there when you dug him up?" He asked, sweeping off his coat and laying it over his guns. As he watched her fight indecision he began rolling up the crisp white sleeves of the shirt he wore beneath the vest. JewelKiss noticed that they were marked with fresh but almost bloodless holes here and there, and was reminded of the hail of bullets this kindred had walked through. She began to bite at her thumbnail as she tried to think, but immediately made a face at the horrid taste it left in her mouth. She sighed in disgust as she looked up into Father Christian's calmly expectant gaze. "Oh... I don't know... feed him a bit, maybe, until I could get him something else, and show him how to do it?" she gusted, expecting to be chastised or laughed at... realizing how little she really had planned in this venture.
Instead, Father Christian only nodded and started forward, catching her by the elbow to bring her along. "Then that is what you shall do." He nodded. Jewel struggled briefly in his grip, confused and surprised. "Hey, what? I mean... why me? I feel like I've burned everything I've got..." Her feet skidded on the floorboards and she began to feel afraid again as she was dragged forward.
Father Christian released her beside the erstwhile Sabbat and turned to face her, speaking quickly and urgently, but his tone doing much to calm her nerves, and his words even more. "It must be you, child... for while I could ease this lost one's pain and thirst... you could not hold him from doing harm to me in the process, not now." He turned as the man they spoke of suddenly lunged up from the pew with a snarl. With lightning speed he sidestepped the attack and wrapped his long arm around the poor creature's throat, turning them both and driving the slaveringly hungry vampire to his knees. He braced himself as the creature howled and struggled in his grip, and he looked up to JewelKiss with a snap in his voice. "Decide now, child... do we finish what you started, or shall I give him the only mercy left on this Earth for the damned?" He shifted and tightened his grip as the creature clawed at his bared forearm, and Jewel was taken for a moment by the fact that the vampire's claws hardly made a scratch. "Decide!"
Father Christian's voice snapped Jewel out of her reverie and she swallowed dryly. With a numbed look she slowly knelt just out of reach of the thrashing fledgling and swept back her hair - exposing her throat. Turning her face away, she bit her lip and nodded, bracing herself against the onslaught of that horrible hunger.
Jewel heard Father Christian's boots scuff forward on the old flooring, then she felt herself seized by the fledgling's grip. As the starved vampire lunged forward, she bit through her lip. Her fingers were curled like claws at her thighs, shaking with the supreme effort it took for her to hold still. When she felt those terribly demanding, maddened fangs touch her throat - she screamed.