The Path of Blood (complete)

[Katarina Gordislava]

The thought of stooping to the level of kine - to let one lay with her as a husband - it nearly turned Katarina's stomach. "Indeed I do. The Camarilla are weak from their love of the kine, and must be ...punished. Rodermark's little pet will serve as a reminder to them of what they really are."

Or, at least, it would hurt Gabriel deeply, which was just as good in her opinion. And now that the Vaulderie was over with, the Sabbat were more free to scout out the enemy. To locate this kine plaything of Rodermark's, and to take her from him.

[Vahid Hesam]

“Shall I add the kine to my targets? Not to end, of course, but to bring to you.”

It was some time since Vahid had taken a retrieval mission, but capturing a mortal would be no challenge at all.

[Katarina Gordislava]

She smiled tightly, "That will not be necessary." Sheila had practice with kidnappings, from her time in South America. Plus, it was not hard to snatch a kine off the street - they did it all the time.

It would be an excellent mission to trust to the Londoners, with Sheila along for oversight. Katarina looked at the Assamite, "Do you have any further questions I might answer for you?"

[Vahid Hesam]

At her question, Vahid shook his head. “I believe that is all. If we have no further business, I shall return to my temporary haven and rest.” This said, Hesam rose to his feet and offered another slight bow.

[Katarina Gordislava]

Katarina got to her feet as well, affording him a nod in return to the bow. A male Lasombra, fourteenth generation, showed the assassin to the door. Once it was closed behind the Assamite, the Archbishop made her way up the stairs towards Vishnyakov's set of rooms.

Some in Russia had thought it a weakness that she talked over everything with her Vizier (or at least, that her Vizier was not Lasombra as well), but Katarina found it to be a good way of conducting business. Sergei often looked at circumstances from different angles than she did, and second opinions were always welcome. Behind closed doors, of course.

He knew better than to question her in front of the others.

[Sergei Vishnyakov]

Katarina found Sergei alone, in the process of reading one of the many books that he carried everywhere with him. At the Archbishop's entrance, he closed the small brown volume and set it down on the bed beside him.

“How did it go?”

[Katarina Gordislava]

She sat down on the closest chair, picking imaginary lint off her slacks. "It went as well as could be expected. He has taken the job - thought it remains to be seen how well he will accomplish it."

Katarina picked up one of Sergei's books, and opened it up to admire the illuminations etched within. "I did recieve a bit of information that I think will come in very handy in the months ahead. The Prince entertains a female kine in his bedchamber tonight - one bonded to him by the strongest of blood bonds." She turned a page in the book, but was not reading it. "The deaths of his Primogen will get Rodermark on rocky footing politically. But taking this kine from him..."

[Sergei Vishnyakov]

Sergei had heard rumors of the Prince of London being especially lenient towards and protective of kine, yet this was going one step further. It was pathetic, in fact, that he should pretend as such. The warlock shook his head in disapproval.

“She will make quite the bargaining chip. As for the Assamite... we can only hope that he is successful. If he is bested by one of the Primogen, it is against their... code of honor to dispatch another assassin in the place of the fallen one. It might be wise to have a back-up plan, just in case.”

[Katarina Gordislava]

She nodded, closing the book and setting it down carefully back on its stack. "A back-up plan is needed, I agree." Katarina rubbed her forehead with her fingers, "Unfortunately it is something I do not have yet."

The Archbishop got to her feet, brushing her slacks free of any wrinkles. "I must contact the Cardinal and give him an update on our progress. As for the kine, we will have her in our custody before the end of next week."

She reached out to him, brushing his cheek with the back of her hand. "Good day, Sergei." Katarina left quietly, closing his door behind her. The conversation with Father Nicholas would take up what was left of the night.

Walking down the hall towards her rooms, the Archbishop rubbed her thumb over the healing spot on her wrist where she'd drawn her blood earlier. She would make an appointment with her Vizier to renew his vows - perhaps after the packs had taken Rodermark's kine. Jorge Montague, however, was a loose end that they would have to tie up soon.