Valentine Manor http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj230/MissFayeValentine/Mansions10.jpg ((Click on the pictures to see them larger))

The enchanted home of Faye Valentine and her pet Lucy Kitty. This home is a special place, it can not be found by anyone " except those who know where it is of course. This was a very small number of people. It had been one of the things that made Lucy feel safe enough to live there. Only Faye, Faye's boss Bob (who had given her the home), Lucy and Lang knew the location.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj230/MissFayeValentine/Fayescar.jpg The roar of the engine of Faye's car could be heard outside as it barreled at a dangerous speed to the house, screeching as it turned in the driveway. It came to an abrupt halt directly before the front door. A moment later that door was opened and Faye entered with her arm around a brutalized Lang, his arm draped over her shoulders as she helped him walk.

Lang's nose and ribs were broken, and his suit which had been so nice, was covered in a dangerous quantity of blood. Faye had dressed in a stunning lavender gown for their evening together. They were planning on going to Club Babylon where Lucy was to perform for the opening. The date of the opening had been delayed, and Lang had been running late. Faye had gotten all dressed up for him in spite of the date being pushed back again so they could have a nice night together, and was understandably upset as the hour got later. So she went over to his place to have strong words with him about not showing up on such an important night.

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Of course" This dress was also now covered in dust and blood as well. Her voice called out for Lucy. "Luce! Bring bandages quick!" She then helped him to the leather couch in the den. Lang was doing a remarkable job of not showing his pain, which she knew was because he didn't wish to worry her. But his injuries were clearly serious.

It was evidence of her love for Lang that she not cared not about her ruined dress, nor for her favorite couch. It wasn't as though either would be hard to replace, but Faye being who she was would generally not have been the nursing type. Especially when it meant getting another persons blood on herself or her stuff. Though her feelings for Lang had caused marked changes in her behaviors ? her priorities were all different when it came to her Lang.

These thoughts, of course, were far from her mind. All she saw or could think of was the badly injured love of her life. When she was sure he was going to be alright....Then perhaps she would be able to give more energy to feeding the serious rage growing in her for the one responsible for his pain. A twisted creature by the name of Rose.

"Been out playing?" asked Lucy, on seeing the blood and the stagger which she mistook for happy drunkness. She and Faye had often played rough enough to draw blood, and it was natural for males to put up a stronger fight in play.....Then she heard Faye's words, smelled the sharp sweat of past conflict, and went into action.

Lucy, normally talkative, acted quickly in a crisis. She grabbed the medical kit from the shelf beside the door and moved to bandage Lang, after a quick look to see that Faye was all right. There was an old legend that felines had a healing touch, and her hands were gentle and sure as she treated him. In the village where she had grown up, wild animal attacks were a fact of life and everyone was expected to know how to treat wounds.

Her next act was to take a clean robe from their bedroom, and she gently removed Faye's gown. She put the robe around her mistress' shoulders and held her close. "There, there," she purred. "It's all right now. Lang's all right." She wrinkled her nose at the smell of blood. "You should have a bath. Him too, after he's had some rest."

She went to the bathroom and turned the taps to fill a hot bath - she herself did not bathe with water, but Faye found it soothing, and many were the tense nights that Lucy would keep her company and enjoy the steam. She rejoined Faye, and saw that her mistress was shaking. "My dear," she said softly. "My darling dear human."

"Tell me who did this," Lucy begged, just as soft, but fierce. She did not so much mean Lang's injuries, which would heal, as Faye's painful emotional state. It was as evident to her, with her feline empathy, as Lang's wounds were to those with eyes. "Please, Faye, let me kill them. Let me use the skills you've taught me, to make them hurt. Then I will feel I have repaid you for rescuing me from the man who hurt me." Unlike her small cousins, Lucy did not kill for pleasure - but she was a predator bred, and when the time came for killing she did not flinch.

Rose smiled to herself, though it was a twisted smile as she listened to the words. Even if she hadn't figured out the location to Faye's secret home prior to this, Faye's intense focus on her she could have felt radiating from miles away. It drew her to Faye easily as she sought her out.

Her cruel, mocking laughter would echo of the walls in Faye's house from no apparent source. "And let me guess.." Came her voice from thin air. "You are going to make me pay' You are a bigger fool than I thought."

" Thank you." Whispered softly to Lucky when she was done tending to his wounds. That actually eased the pain flowly through his form now. His eyes slowly closed, so he could regain his own energy. That had been sapped from him during the fight.

" Tis you anger, love. Rose can sence it. " Whispered softly, before shifting to relax more in the couch. His mind raced over and over again. Over the fight that happened. As well as the words that were exchanged. His eyes openned as he looked from Lucy to Faye.

He had to get better now. Because he knew what Rose would plan, and if it cost him his own life. He wouldn't let this happen. But for now..He'd let himself rest. Waitting and hoping Rose would hold off long enough for him to heal.

Lucy waited until everyone was done speaking. "That seals it," she said. "Rose is a danger to all of us and she must be eliminated. The sooner the better. Lang, you are the only one of us who is strong enough to do this! Once you are well, we will strike at the creature with you as our leader."

As she spoke, she drew a piece of parchment from the pocket of her skirt, and a bit of charcoal pencil - the ever-present tools of the storyteller. Hopefully her subterfuge would work. She quickly sketched the words: "She will expect either of you to come for her, or all of us. She won't suspect me no matter what I said. I am the least powerful of us all, so only I can surprise her. Gather for me whatever magics you can, and I will fight her this evening."

When Faye opened her mouth to object, Lucy shook her head firmly and silenced her with a kiss. Her eyes met Faye's, and the look of fierce anger was unmistakeable. She would not be dissuaded from her mission, and Faye could only bring her into more danger by discussing it further.

Her blood was rising. She was in hunt mode. She left the couple then and returned to the bedroom, where she changed her clothes. The bodysuit she wore for acrobatics and fighting practice. A belt, then a light skirt over it. She slipped the long blades into the belt, where they rested in their hidden sheaths on the front of her thighs. Her claws she painted with a liquid venom which would soon dry, hands and feet both, and she wore simple sandals which left the claws of her feet exposed. She removed her earrings, both sets, and placed her heaviest rings on her fingers. A diamond on her right hand sparkled wickedly from its pointed surfaces.

A final few weapons: the long killing spike which she wrapped in her golden-brown hair, its decorative handle protruding from the bun like a comb. The stilettos in the seams of her long boots. The heavy collar which protected her throat, and held in its hidden compartment caustic dust which could be thrown in the eyes. If inhaled, it could be lethal - though Lucy doubted Rose would be that easy to subdue. The crazy female was, after all, an immortal.

But Lucy had been trained first as a storyteller. She knew that immortals could be killed, by those determined enough to find their weaknesses. Lucy sat to meditate, clearing her mind and relaxing her body. She had to spend some time in inner communion to protect her mental defenses (so much stronger since the days of Travanix!) She focused herself on victory, on the strength of her pure devotion to Faye. She was calm. She was ready.