Helen entered the small church, staring in amazement at the stained glass, and various holy figures. A small book in hand, titled Utopia she payed her respects to them. She noticed a small rat scurying by. Discusting. She was certainly not fond of rodents. She scrunched her nose, and furrowed her brows, giving the rat a cold stare.

The small church was silent, save the birds, and rodents scurrying around, and had a secretive history hanging in the musky air. She circled around a few pews, then found one she thought was suitable to hold her weight. She sat down, setting her worn combat boots on the top of pew in front of her.

Again, she looked around, crows racked the high beams, cawing, and an occasional fluttering. They didn't make her uncomfortable, and in a way, she enjoyed the noise. It always beat the akward silence of her years. The stained glass impressed her. Especially for a small church. In some ways, she missed the feeling of a Sunday morning, seeing colored light being filtered through such windows.

She remembered her grandmother, and even her parents, taking her to a usual Sunday sermon, of the God-Fearing people of her cultures. Warm smiles, and hand shakes, and of course, a cheek pinching. She winced at the memories of her lost family.

Sighing, she cracked her book, and read the yellowed pages of her book. Her ice blue eyes followed the words of the page, every once in awhile, she turned the page. Lets see how comforting Utopia can be this evening... she thought to herself.

Catherine had just ate, her body feeling regenerated. She wandered a bit before heading to the Nephim coven. She hadn't been there in a while. She now lived with a mortal, her lover. She smiled at the memory and decided that she could go inside. Simply because she didn't live there anymore didn't mean that she wasn't a Nephim anymore.

She cracked open the door and walked in, feeling the familiarity of the place wash over her, this was home or kinda like it. She saw the other vampire but ignored her for the moment. She walked to each glass, her hand touching the pews as she walked by. She smiled as her hand remembered the touch and feel of the church. She stopped at the pew where the other vampire was reading. "Good book?"

As Helen turned a worn, and aged page, a voice from behind disturbed her. She raised an eyebrow, and look up at the female vampire. She folded the page where she had stopped reading, and closed the book, setting it down beside her. She removed her feet from the pew in front of her and nodded.

"Well, that would be my reason for reading it. If I found no interest in it, why should I waste my time reading it?" Sarcasm dripped from her voice, and her cold eyes washed up and down the approaching vampire. Her mouth creased to a toothy grin, showing her white fangs.

Helen pushed a hunk of her hair that had fallen from her ponytail out of her face, behind her ear, and shrugged. Her mouth fell to a relaxed position, and she lowered her eyebrow, looking a bit more approachable.

Catherine laughed amused. The other vampire was younger than her. Catherine was fooled by the other vampire's cold eyes. It was easy, she had mastered that easily. On this night she had chosen a long green skirt that swirled around her ankles with a black coat that covered her body, which she unbuttoned in the church. Once the coat was open it revealed a cream coloured sweater.

Her auburn hair fell loosely around her face and in some disarray from the wind outside. She smiled at the other vampire, showing her own fangs. "Well perhaps you hadn't read the book, it looks used and old but it doesn't mean that it was yours." Catherine's eyes watched the younger vampire and her fingers drew designed on the pew. She walked towards the other vampire, her body moving with grace and agility, from centuries of practice. She then sat down next to the other vampire and rearranged her skirt. "WEll it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Catherine."

Helen shrugged, and she picked up the book, holding it in her lap, she stared at it. "It's not my book. It belongs to a library. Tenth time I've read it. Good ideals, I admire them. Too bad Utopia comes from a Greek word meaning 'no place'." She sighed, wondering what a Utopia would be like. Would a beast such as herself exist in such a wonderful place?

Her blue eyes followed the fellow vampire as she sat down beside her with utmost grace. She watched her sit down, and glanced quickly at a idle rat running by the atlar. "I am Helen Gustare. The pleasure is all mine, Catherine." She raised her head slightly, at this older vampire, then brought it back down.

Young vampire faced with an older one. A degree of respect passed between them, though Catherine brushed it off. Respect had to earned not simply granted, besides Catherine was a fun person, respect was something that friends had for each other, that was what Catherine had for everyone she met.

Catherine smiled at her. "I love books, I'm always trying to find a new book to read and if that book is interesting perhaps I'll read it at some point." Catherine smoothed out her skirt, then she smoothed out her unruly hair, passing her hand through it. "What brings you to Demaitre?"

Helen nodded, she almost smiled, but only managed another smirk; slightly smaller than the one given before, but given with more feeling. Her eyes lightened, only slighting. It was nice meeting someone with common interests. A fellow bookworm. How lovely.

Helen offered the book to Catherine. "Take it if you wish. I've had it for about a decade now. I think the library I borrowed it from figured they lost it. It's quite a lovely book. Tends to give false hope though." She sighed looking at the book lovingly. "I'm glad to hear you like reading though. It's one of my favorite pastimes. Besides, I've found a strong liking of the Renassiance period. Looking beyong the realms of their minds, I admire them."

Helen looked down at her dirty boots, as Catherine asked her question. Various chunks of black hair fell onto her shoulders. She turned her head slightly, meeting Catherine's gaze, raising her head. "From the lack of having something better to do." She sighed, "I traveled for awhile, trying to accept what I've become. Heard of this place though. A safe-haven for vampires? I was a bit skeptical, to be honest, but I figured what would it hurt to investigate?"

Catherine reached out and took the book from Helen's hand and smiled softly. "I love the Renaissance as well, though I do prefer the philosophical teachings of the Lumieres. They were wonderful thinkers with so many ideas." She paused and let a smile draw upon her face. "I was born during the Renaissance in France. A very tumultuous period, though a very beautiful one."

A safe-haven? Demaitre? "Have other parts of the world gotten so bad? The only reason we are safe here, is because of the Amman, they protect us and make sure that we aren't found out." She paused and frowned. "I don't remember the rest of the world being so hostile to vampires, most of them don't even know we exist." That was the simple truth.

Helen shrugged, not being from the Renassiance she was intrigued, wondering what it was like to live through it, not just reading about it. She watched the femme with interest, speaking of her favorite subject. Nodding, she spoke, "It must have been interesting living in that time period. I've only read about it. Since I was born much after, in the 19th century."

Helen laughed dryly at Catherine's question. "Safe haven in the terms of being around other vampires, with acceptance for who we are." Helen found it quite redundant everywhere she went. Coming out at night, feeding, going to sleep, repeat, repeat, repeat. With no one to talk to but her dead parents, and reading the occasional book. Of course there was the rare museum she slipped into during after hours, admiring paintings, but that had become risky. She wasn't fond of breaking and entering.

Catherine smiled and then shrugged. "I never thought much about it, but I suppose it could be interesting." She tilted her head to the side, battling with one particular tough knot in her hair. "It was to an extent, though I prefer the vampire lifestyle. You get to see so much."

Catherine laughed. "The ancients aren't so bad. Some of them are quite interesting others aren't quite so nice." She remembered the Tarepha, though he didn't seem so bad now. "There is so much to see and so much to do during the night." She turned her head to the other vampire. "Do you ever go clubbing?"

Helen raised an eyebrow to the thought of clubbing. For the majority of her vampric life, she had been alone. Along conversing with a few mortals, only to feed off of them, eventually killing them.

Another dry laugh, "No, but there is always the first to everything. What kind of clubbing? Would a turtle neck, and boots suffice to a proper attire to such a thing?" She eyed her garments, wondering if such things suited 'clubbing'.

She even wondered what her grandmother, would have said to clubbing. Sure, she was over a hundred years old, but her grandmother's voice always acted as her conscience. Would such a thing be approved of? Her mindset could be so absract at times.

Catherine glanced at the other woman, evaluating her clothes and nodded. "For your first time it would be fine, though next time you need something a little more revealing." Catherine grinned at that thought. "Perhaps a skirt instead." She tapped a finger to her chin and looked over the other woman thoughtfully. "A skirt would look nice on you."

She turned over the book in her hands and placed in a bag that was at her side. She never went anywhere with out a bag. She always found interesting things and thought it a good idea to sometimes pick them up and that included books. "We could go clubbing if you are still up for it."

Helen stood, looking down at her covered legs. She remembered what it was like to wear one of her grandmother's exquisite, flowing, elaborate ballgowns. She hoped it wasn't one of those skirts. She had found joy in wearing simple pants, after years of being stuck in the "proper attire" forced upon her by her grandmother. Corsets, elaborate dresses, petticoats, feathered hats, the whole nine yards. "What kind of skirt did you have in mind? I suppose a shopping trip is in store for us..." Her voice trailed off, and she almost chuckled.

"I would enjoy a night of clubbing. I must admit, I am quite curious to this event..." Her blue eyes held curiousity to them, and almost warmed, from their icy state. It was nice actually talking to someone... who talked back.

Catherine smiled, good she was opening to the idea of spending time with other people and a shopping trip was defintiely in order. "I love shopping and perhaps we can get something similar to my skirt. Nothing too elaborate or too fancy, something simple."

Catherine enjoyed simple that was for sure. If things got difficult she tried to simplify them, it was easier to understand that way. "Once we get you properly attired then we will go clubbing, it will be fun, that I can promise."

At the words leaving Catherine's lips, Helen's shoulders relaxed. Simple. Helen was becoming more at ease with this woman. She enjoyed simplicity, just like herself. She ran her tongue over her teeth, and nodded. "Agreed, I prefer simple... Where are we going shopping?"

Had Helen already found a potential friend? It was amazing, to her. After hiding for so long, she had found a woman who was nice. But, Helen was still skeptical. Sometimes she cursed herself for being so. But, she figured in the end, it was worth it.

Catherine smiled, well that woman was definitely relaxing around her. She got up and buttoned up her jacket. "Let's go to the mall. It is closed, but we don't need to worry about that, we can still pay. That's what I do."

She got up and hoisted her bag on her shoulder. "Well I'm ready. Do you want to go now?" Catherine was always ready for some shopping and this was one of those instances. Simple would be fine for her and it would suit her too.

Helen walked out from the pew aisle, and nodded. She removed some hair out of her face, that refused to stay behind her ear. Helen frowned, watching Catherine button up her coat. "I... I don't have any money." She looked towards her feet, ashamed. She wasn't fond of charity either. A choice wasn't available to one of her status though; she needed new clothes. "But... nevertheless, I'm ready."

Helen took one last look at the glass, noticing the stories told within them. She wondered who made them, and when they were made. They seemed old, but old was a hard concept for a vampire. Especially one of her age. She glanced over at Catherine, ready to follow her.

Catherine signaled her to follow. "I can lend you a bit to help you out, then I will help you make money. For someone that lives as long as we do, you'll need it." Catherine was always willing to help and this was one of those moments, besides she had a bit of money to spare.

Catherine paused thoughtful. "wEll we could always steal, though I don't like that idea."

Helen moved over towards Catherine, following her out of the church. She wasn't quite sure why Catherine was helping her though... Skeptic as she was. But, decided that allowing, and accepting her help would be necessary.

"I cannot thank you enough... I'll be sure to repay you as soon as I can..." Her voice trailed off, still embarrassed at her helplessness. Helen was eternally grateful for this aide. Litterally.

Helen smirked at the idea of stealing. Yes, it was wrong, but it had been apart of necessary survival for Helen for quite some time. She had figured she had become rather skilled at it.

Catherine smiled, well at least she wasn't refusing Catherine's help that was one thing, they could steal, that would be fun, she hadn't done that in a while. It would be fun to steal.

Catherine waved her hand. "No need to repay, it truly is my pleasure. I love to help." That was simply how she was and she wanted to help Helen it would make her happy, very much so. "WE could always steal, that would be more fun..."

Helen grinned a toothy grin, raising her eyebrows. Helen nodded, and laughed dryly. As her head went down in her laugh, her hair went with it, drapped over her shoulders and she brought her head back up.

"I agree. Over the years I'm seem to have a skill for getting past security systems. If they were smart enough to have them to begin with." She chuckled, "And then, I wouldn't have money to repay you with, but friendship."

Helen almost felt it strange how easily relaxed she became with this vampire. She just hoped to God, that betrayal, or false intentions weren't behind this woman. Helen was in desparate need of a friend, and Catherine seemed to be willing to befriend her.

Catherine smiled at Helen relieved to hear her laugh, it was good to hear that sound coming from her mouth. Catherine nodded agreeing. "It is especially useful when you can't be seen. I can shadow-walk, so that way I don't have to be seen and I can't be seen." She then shook her head and said amused. "Poor little mortals..."

Catherine didn't know the meaning of the words betrayal and false intentions. She was fully bent on trust and truth, that was how she is and was. She would always say the truth, that was the way she was.

Helen grinned, she knew a thing or two about blending with the shadows. Helen faded within a shadow, moved gracefully, and quietly in front of Catherine, reappearing. "I know a thing or two about shadows..." She continued her toothy grin, almost showing off her fangs, and vampiric powers.

She wondered if Catherine, being older than herself, could help her inprove her powers... She wasn't very strong in mentally controlling things. But, had become quite good at blending within shadows. For obvious reasons. Helen almost had become a shadow. Disappearing from the world; her face had been forgotten.

Catherine laughed as Helen disappeared. "Not bad, not bad at all." Catherine to show what she could do vanished from the spot she stood in, literally turning into a shadow. "This is real power though, able to become a shadow and to not be found." Catherine rematerialized and raised an eyebrow.

"Of course that is not the only thing I can do, I can also move very fast, faster than the immortal eye, or so I'm told." Catherine looked at the front door of the church and gestured to it. "Let's go." Catherine walked off and waited for Helen to join her."

Helen applauded Catherine's display, and smirked. "I'm afraid I am not as skilled as you, however." Helen was not worried though, she had until the end of time to worry about such things as powers, and fading into shadow. "But it seemed like I didn't need powers to become a shadow to mortals..." Her voice faded away, almost like a shadow itself, holding sorrow within it.

Hele's smirk faded, as she recalled the things she could do, unfortunately not well. "I have enhanced speed... But I wouldn't call it faster than the immortal eye. My powers are sort of limited... I kinda had to explore, and train on them myself. Would... would you be willing to help me with that?" Helen looked at her boots, and the several scuffs on them. Helen almost felt like a child to this experienced vampire. Even though she was one hundred and fifty-six years old, well over her natural mortal life.

Catherine smiled. "You powers will grow in time. You think that I could turn into a shadow at the beginning? Of course not, through training and strength, I managed to turn into a shadow simply recently." It was the truth and powers did grow with time some powers were strongers than others.

Catherine nodded. "Mortals are blind to everything, we see better than they do. They don't even comprehend what we can do." She tilted her head to one side. "Well you aren't a shadow anymore and I will gladl help you."

Catherine held her hand out. "Come young one, the night is ours. It is calling for us to go out and play, let us heed its call."

Made sense. Helen, compared to most, was a relatively young vampire; giving her young, undeveloped powers. Helen nodded to Catherine's words, and took them to heart. Catherine had a calming sense to her voice, one that Helen enjoyed listening to; was comforted by.

Helen was grateful for such help. Mortals had been a grave disappointment, and finally, Helen was looking forward to her new life as a vampire. Until now, was it truly begining.

She shyly took Catherine's hand, if she could have blushed, her cheeks would have been a flushed, rosy pink. A figurative sun had finally begun to rise in her night striken life. Things were turning around for young Helen. She almost smiled. "I'm happy to oblige."

Catherine brought Helene outside and they made their way to the mall. Catherine was glad that she had thrown some sense into Helen and that this one was finally getting used to her life as a vampire it was about time.

Unlike some vampires, Catherine had adapted well and had been given the chance to accept this life before it was thrust upon her and she had taken it gleefully. Now if she could simply give what she had to Helen and show her that life wasn't so bad, she would have done something good.

As Helen caught sight of the mall, she sighed. Where would they begin? She figured that was up to Catherine... Helen had no idea...

"So... Where do we start?" Helen looked around, taking in the new scenery and smell surrounding her.

This was the first time she had been anywhere else in this new city. St. Mary's was the only place she had found herself wanting to go.

Catherine smiled at her. "We start by getting in and starting at some stores where we can find skirts. That is what we came here for and that is what we will do." Catherine looked at the building. The last time she had been here after closing a door on the roof had been opened, she doubted that she would be that lucky again.

She gave the outside a measuring look. "So any ideas of how to get in?" Catherine turned to look at Helen, a raised eyebrow in question. Did she have a solution to their dilemna? Catherine had a few possible ideas, yet she wanted to see if the other had ideas.

Amused, Helen always enjoyed a good puzzle. Everything depended on how secure these mortals decided to be. "I'd try all the back doors to start... If someone is doing some late stocking... Usually doesn't happen, but I've gotten through that way... Also, roof doors occassionally. But..." She held up a long, thick fingernail. "If they have simple locks... I can pick them with no problem."

It was funny to Helen, how her life had become a game of hide and seek. Slinking around in the shadows, avoiding humans, for the most part. Going through cracks of the system, and becoming invisible. But now, she had a partner. "What about your ideas? You know this place better than I."

Catherine listened to her ideas and shrugged. "I see no problem with any of your ideas, they are all ok. I think we should follow your plan. It is a great idea." She then shrugged her shoulders. "My ideas are a little more vampiric, more a use of powers, but I prefer your ideas better, I have to learn to pick locks. You should teach me, there's a way to repay me, since you seemed to insist on it. Teach me things I do not know."

Catherine had found a solution or so she thought, as least it was an idea that they could explore, there were many things she didn't know and this was a way to find out what she could learn.

Helen bit her lip, and nodded. She led the two of them to the back of the mall, finding a loading dock, that seemed abandoned. No mortal was in sight, and no one else seemed to be around, she looked around, just to make sure. "Well, when you aren't aware of the powers you have... You learn to live without them, I suppose."

Beside the loading dock was an average glass door, with steel re-enforcements across the middle, and down the sides. Helen smirked. "Just what I was looking for..." She approached the door, and peeked inside of the door, checking for any sort of alarm system. With luck, there did not seem to be one.

Helen held up her pale hand, flickering her fingers, flashing the thick nails that had come to being from her death. "Now... our nails are thick already, but they can only hold so much strain."

She inspected the lock that seemed to be holding the door from unwanted entrees. "This, seems to be a simple enough lock. See? It's only a keyhole... No chains or padlocks are attached, because it's a handled door, instead of one that you push open..."

Her voice trailed off as she inserted her pointer finger's nail into the keyhole. "Turn right once, half turn..." As she turned her finger this way and that, she heard a click. "Perfect." And turned the handle, opening the door. She turned to Catherine and grinned, proud of herself.

"Piece of cake."

Catherine followed and watched her work the lock. Keeping her eyes on the lock and on the way it worked, she let out a sigh. "I can't do that, my nails don't extend it's one of the things that my body can't do. Which is why I believe my powers are more obscur."

Catherine didn't mind too much, perhaps she could use her telekinesis to unlock the lock, but that was the only way she coudl do it. Catherine entered the loading area and looked around the area, there were boxes everywhere. "We could always start here, or go to the store, which do you prefer."

Helen looked towards Catherine and frowned. "What a shame. This is one of the ways I was able to obtain that book you have in your purse." Helen walked into the large room, holding all of the stores' inventories, in somewhat of an organized manner.

Helen raised an eyebrow to all the boxes. They were everywhere. She let out a sigh, and shrugged. "I would think we could get more done by going to a store. We could be here until dawn searching through all these boxes. But that's just my opinion."

Helen walked passed a few boxes, kicking them out of her way, she made a path towards a door leading to what seemed to be the heart of the mall.

Catherine followed her, but instead of kicking them out of the way, she moved them telekinetically. She gently slid them out of the way. It was almost like the boxes parted to let her through.

Everything Catherine did was done with grace and with thought. She approached Helen to follow her outside into the mall itself. She stepped through the door and held it open for Helen while she reoriented herself in the mall. She nodded in a direction. "That way, we'll find a few stores that we could look at."

Helen stopped for a moment, watching in awe as Catherine walked through the piles of boxes, moving them with her mind. She truly respected this individual. She held such grace that seemed almost unreachable. At least to Helen's concept of mind.

Helen thumped into the mall with her boots hitting the tile paved floors. Helen looked around the store, and in the direction Catherine pointed, and nodded. "I'm following you, Catherine."

Catherine smiled and walked to the direction of the store. She pointed to one of the stores. "This one and that one." She pointed to the one next to it. "They should have everything we need." Catherine closed her eyes and pressed her hand on the lock. It clicked and the door opened. "That's the way to do it, when we don't have claws."

Catherine went through the store and straight to the skirt section. She rummaged through them and motionned Helen to come and join her. "I don't know what colours you like so you are going to have to help me. I want to pick something you like."

Helen followed Catherine with awe... She looked around the mall, looking at empty stores, food shops, and simple set ups. She imagined what it would have been like, seeing the place filled with people, sun leaking through the sun roof windows... That was another life.

Claws? She didn't think of them as claws... and was embarrassed to call them so. She wasn't a beast... She ran her tongue over her teeth, followed by her fangs... Or was she?

Helen followed her, picking up various articles of clothing, looking at them, and making a face at them depending whether or not she liked them. As she approached the skirt section she became wide-eyed. What did she like? Well, she really didn't know...

"Blues, and blacks, I suppose. But, I guess I'm willing to try anything."

Catherine smiled and rapidly picked through the dresses. She found short and long skirts. Not wanting to offend the younger vampire, she picked longer skirts, ones that were no shorter then above her knees. She picked light blues, but focused more on darker colors, picking navy and dark blues, with a few blacks.

She frowned as something caught her eye. She grabbed the skirt and tilted her head to the side. It was ankle length, completely black with blue swirls across the bottom and across the top. It was a beautiful design. "What about this one?"