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Post by Nina Giles on Dec 2, 2010 22:00:34 GMT -5
She narrowed her eyes at him, but since she had been debating at least digging a toe in she couldn't really argue. Much. "If that ankle bruises you're going to hear about it," she muttered darkly, then relaxed back into the chair. Sitting on the deck with her feet in his lap wasn't exactly a hardship no matter what the circumstances. She looked up at the half moon, and finally back at him.
"I wasn't trying to save Mason, Damon. I was trying to save you. From doing something that I believed you would have come to regret." She held up a hand to forestall any disagreement. "I know, you don't have regrets, nothing matters to you, blah, blah, blah. Heard it all before and still not buying it. You may keep it all hidden away inside, but whether or not you want to admit it, you are a good man. One who is very capable of caring about the people around him. The fact that Liz Forbes is alive speaks to that truth. And I've been around long enough to know that of you and your brother, you were definitely the better man when you were human. That hasn't changed. What you are as a human is only intensified when you turn, it doesn't make you a monster. Having someone like her to obsess over might drive you to extremes, but it still doesn't change the core person you've always been."
She sighed deeply. "And if, Gods forbid, the worst happens and Tyler triggers the curse, then he's going to need Mason."
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Post by Damon Salvatore on Dec 3, 2010 22:40:51 GMT -5
If he hadn't been watching her as closely as he was, he might not have seen the expression of sorrow and pain that crossed her features.
He thought about her words, trying to decide which statement to take on first. She was around back in 1864? Wouldn't he have remembered her? More as a stall tactic than anything, he slid her light runners off and gently massaged her feet, grinning when she closed her eyes and leaned her head back.
Finally he chose the last one, filing the other comments away for future reference. "I stand by my earlier 'since when do you care about the Lockwoods' comment." Even as he spoke, though, the pieces fell together. "Mason Lockwood isn't the first werewolf you've met, is he? What happened?"
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Post by Nina Giles on Dec 3, 2010 23:15:16 GMT -5
Nina opened her eyes, but for a moment she was seeing events that had transpired decades ago. "No," she shook her head, "no, he isn't. Chris Phillips was his name, but he preferred his D&D alias 'Iain the Brave'." She grinned at him momentarily, "We were all huge gamers back then, don't judge me. And don't stop, that feels wonderful."
She sighed again, "He didn't carry the gene, though, he was bitten by what he thought was just a common gray wolf. Until the next full moon, anyway. A group of us were supposed to get together, but he called and said he wasn't feeling well. I went to check up on him and found him writhing on the floor in agony." She closed her eyes against the memories that were still far too fresh. "It took him nearly six hours to change the first time. Once he had, he ran through a plate-glass window and disappeared into the night. He was fast, fueled by adrenaline I suppose, and by the time I caught up to him he had already changed back. But he was covered with the blood of the family of four that he had come across who had been out camping in the woods."
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Post by Damon Salvatore on Dec 3, 2010 23:45:05 GMT -5
He couldn't help it, he had to laugh. "You really are full of surprises, aren't you? I never would have pegged you for a D&Der."
He thought for a minute, then shook his head. "That isn't the end of the story though, is it?" he asked.
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Post by Nina Giles on Dec 4, 2010 1:33:01 GMT -5
"Unfortunately no. Over the next few months we thought he was adjusting to what he had become. He claimed that the change was a little easier every time, and he started doing what Mason does, chaining himself up so he couldn't hurt anyone else.
"What none of us even suspected, though, was that although he could accept that he was going to turn into a wolf once a month, he couldn't come to terms with the lives that he had taken that first night.
"Half a year after he was bitten, give or take, he finally succeeded in ending his own life. I have often wondered how many times he tried and was thwarted by the speed-healing ability that being a werewolf granted him."
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Post by Damon Salvatore on Dec 4, 2010 1:38:52 GMT -5
He didn't want to ask. He may have wanted to know, but he really, really didn't want to ask, and he definitely didn't want to delve into the whole 'let's keep torturing him because he heals so fast' thing.
But she was his Nina, and he owed her so much. Plus he was truly curious to know the answer.
"How does a werewolf take it's own life?" he finally asked, trying very hard not to wince in anticipation of the response the question was liable to bring, considering she still had the very badly injured werewolf he had tried to kill in her house.
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Post by Nina Giles on Dec 4, 2010 1:51:31 GMT -5
She looked out at the night for a long time before she answered him. "Before this happened to him, Chris was the most intense gamer of all of us, and he was a longstanding member of the SCA. He was our Dungeonmaster and his 'Iain the Brave' was a warrior.
"He had a vast and impressive collection of weapons and armour befitting his 'noble' status, both in the SCA and in the game, and he'd had it for so long that none of us even gave it a second thought."
She looked up at him. "He fastened a sharpened sword to his ceiling fan, turned it on... and walked into the blade."
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Post by Damon Salvatore on Dec 4, 2010 23:52:43 GMT -5
Damon stared at her. "Wow. Didn't see that coming." He put her runners back on and sat in the chair next to hers. "I was kind of wondering how you would have come to the conclusion that decapitating a werewolf would kill it."
He reached over and took her hands again. "Okay. If you can get the werewolf to lay off his quest to expose Stefan and me to the town and get us killed, I'll leave him alone. I can't promise anything as far as Stef goes, but I'll talk to him." He hesitated for a moment, then pulled her up out of the chair and into his arms. "Only for you would I even consider this, you know."
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Post by Nina Giles on Dec 5, 2010 0:06:09 GMT -5
"I know," she replied, hugging him back tightly before letting go. "Contrary to popular belief it is possible for vampires and werewolves to co-exist peacefully." She gestured to the house. "In fact, once he's feeling up to it I think the four of us should sit down and discuss this like the rational adults I believe we're all capable of being. There's no need for you to be enemies, Damon, and I have the feeling that this is only the beginning.
"I don't believe in coincidences. Katherine, Mason, Elijah, Klaus. There's new vampires, werewolves and witches in town, and everyone is either looking for that moonstone or looking to kill a whole lot of people in order to get what they want. We have a much bigger problem on our hands here than the ridiculous feud between vampires and werewolves. I think we're all going to need all the allies we can get if we're hoping to survive the coming days."
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Post by Damon Salvatore on Dec 5, 2010 0:21:59 GMT -5
"Yeah, I think you may be right about that. Like I said, I'll talk to Stef, see if he's willing to go along with this, but he's pretty pissed off about being shot several times because of Lockwood."
He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "You be careful, Nina. He's under Katherine's compulsion, there's no telling what sick, twisted little ideas she's planted in his brain." He waited for her nod of assent. "I'll check in with you in a little while, and if you need me just call."
Feeling both relieved and worried, he headed back home.
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Sir Patrise
New Member
I shall protect you for as long as you walk this Earth.
Posts: 9 
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Post by Sir Patrise on Dec 5, 2010 22:52:41 GMT -5
Once Damon disappeared around the hedgerow, Patrise faded into sight. "Nicely done. You may yet avert another war," he commented, looking at Nina. She had managed to negotiate peace between a group of vampires and a family of werewolves once, avoiding bloodshed on both sides and saving several small villages in the process.
"At the very least, you should be able to save both the Lockwoods from themselves and from Katherine. I believe he's waking up, by the way, and he's liable to be disoriented when he does."
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Post by Nina Giles on Dec 5, 2010 23:57:41 GMT -5
"He is?" Nina asked, surprised. "I would have expected him to be down for hours after all he's been through." She glanced down the driveway before turning and going back into the house. It wasn't necessary, but out of habit she held the door behind her for Patrise.
She walked quietly into the den where Mason slept restlessly on. She was tempted to wipe the sweat from his forehead but she didn't want to wake him unnecessarily, so she sat in the chair next to the couch and watched him.
She found herself wishing that she had spoken more with him, but she hadn't really had much chance. They had only met briefly at Richard's wake, and although she had seen him around town a time or two since, she had no reason to approach him.
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Sir Patrise
New Member
I shall protect you for as long as you walk this Earth.
Posts: 9
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Post by Sir Patrise on Dec 6, 2010 0:53:48 GMT -5
Patrise followed her into the house and perched on the edge of the arm of the chair she sat in, then reached out and ran ghostly fingertips across her forehead. "I know that expression and furrowed brow all too well. Since your discussion with Damon went well, I have to assume it's this one causing you concern."
He looked at Mason for a moment, then back to Nina. "For whatever it's worth, luv, I think you're doing the right thing. Not just for his sake, or for the young Lockwood boy."
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Post by Nina Giles on Dec 7, 2010 20:54:59 GMT -5
Nina watched Mason a moment longer before she turned and looked at Patrise. "It was a good story, and I needed to tell Damon something he'd understand, Patrise. This isn't just because Chris died on my watch. Saving another werewolf, or two such as the case may be, isn't going to undo past mistakes or bring him back."
She sighed and looked at Mason again. "There's just something about him, you know? And Tyler really is going to need him if he triggers the curse. I don't know much about Mason, but from what I have heard, he's a good man."
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Sir Patrise
New Member
I shall protect you for as long as you walk this Earth.
Posts: 9
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Post by Sir Patrise on Dec 7, 2010 22:25:53 GMT -5
"I've heard much the same, actually," Patrise replied, nodding. "A good man who's been dealt a truly lousy hand in life." He smiled at her somewhat astonished expression. "I get bored, I eavesdrop," he shrugged.
"The cranky sister-in-law, mind you, has a singularly low opinion of him. Then again, she has a singularly low opinion of most people." He grinned at her. "She can't quite figure you out, that's for sure. Apparently the librarian has ALWAYS been in on their secret little council but, and I quote, 'she's so young, and she doesn't seem the type who could possibly be interested in the problems of our little community. She is, after all, an OUTSIDER, what does an outsider know about vampires?'. If she only had half a clue..."
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