<span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;">It had been many years since Olivia last visited the city - a choice she was now starting to regret.<br/><br/>After Devon had vanished into thin air without so much as a whisper betraying his location, the colony soon followed in the wake of the unsettling event. With no Beta to step up and replace their Alpha as a permanent or temporary proxy, they scattered. Omegas, the young, barely experience vampires, were quickly scooped up by other colonies, and most of the subordinates wasted no times joining them within the ranks of rival groups. The Alphas had no complaints at the sudden flood of vampires in need of protection – and why would they? The clan that had caused them so much trouble and had a hold over much of the surrounding territory was disbanded, leaving the hunting grounds and forces open for picking. However, there were a few, like her, who refused to accept the fact that there beloved – or at the least respected - leader had left them to their own devices. It was foolish, naïve and wishful thinking, but it was impossible that he had just abandoned them. Impossible. There <em>had</em> to be a reason why he couldn't be found, one that she over looked. Hence, she returned to city of Devon's preference, the city that he'd allegedly spent his earlier years in. She had already scoured the obvious places, such as Kara's colony and the territory surrounding, or Ireland, with his former Alpha's clan. Neither had yielded any useful information on his location. His sister, however, despite not making any valiant efforts to reconnect with her brother, had suggested that Olivia should try searching Arborden for any leads.<br/><br/>She doubted that she would find anything. Tugging her duffle coat closer around her, the action out of habit rather then of anything else, her lips pursed into an irritated moue, platinum hair curling around her face as a breeze swooped through the street. Three years was a long time to be searching for someone - someone who might have disappeared of his own free will. It didn't matter that she or anyone else of her kind didn't age; to the older ones, yes, the years might seem brief and the lack of one's presence most likely inconsequential, but there was an eerie and unsettling air about the entire situation. Something was amiss, out of place... something was <em>wrong</em>. The fact that Olivia didn't know what it was only aided in stirring her continuous feelings of disconcert. If she failed to find any signs of her Alpha’s presence here, she’d be forced to return to a second line of inquiry, one that make her lips curl in disgust and the pit of her stomach squeeze with anger: she’d ask about the whereabouts of their former Beta. Former, because the coward of a man fled as soon as it was clear that Devon wasn’t returning, abandoning the duty of sliding into the Alpha’s role, and abandoning their colony to chaos. Julius was someone whom she’d preferred greatly <em>not</em> to meet, but if it came to it, she would. If he had peeled out so quickly, without any questions and without any known cause, then he most likely knew something. Or maybe not. For all she knew, the titian haired male deserted them because he was a weakling, because he was too scared of taking up the position that had so suddenly opened up. She knew nothing about the burdens of a Beta or Alpha, even despite the seniority she used to hold among the other subordinates. But it was clear that Julius was nothing more that a traitor and a deserter. Which was exactly what he was.<br/><br/>The soft soles of her boots made muted noises on the damp sidewalk as she hugged the shadows of the nearby buildings, the smell of rain and dew coating her skin in a clinging vapor. Despite the fact she had no blood pumping through her body to recoil at the chill, Olivia shivered. Even as a human she had never enjoyed storms or the idea that the skies broke open and heaven cried down on those who were unfortunate enough to lack the foresight to bring an umbrella, soaking jackets and clothing to the bone and drenching the hair – but what was the worst thing about it, in her opinion, was the <em>smell</em>. The rank, putrid odor of rain mixing with the pavement and smog hanging over cities like a lethal veil was sharp in her sensitive nose, causing it to wrinkle in revulsion as she struggled to control the growing nausea in her stomach. Snow was much more pleasant. Crisp, white, and new, the season of winter was one she favored above most. What wasn’t to like about it? <br/><br/>So wrapped up in her thoughts was she, the slender vampire only because aware of the pair rushing towards her at the last possible second, narrowly avoiding being rammed into by molding herself to the nearest wall, her back scraping the harsh face of the bricks behind her. Her silver eyes managed to capture only flash of green, black and red as they bounded past, the male shooting a glare and rather offensive oath at her as he ran by. In response, a hiss involuntarily escaped her mouth, white teeth flashing slightly in the dim light that flickered from surrounding streetlamps. Bastard. Did they think she wanted to be <em>here</em>, hunting down the two men who abandon them? No, no, no. Not abandon - only one of them did that. Devon didn't leave them. Wiping her expression free of any surprise and irritation, she send a glance down the street, a small part of her wondering what they were running from in the first place. The feeble gleam illuminating the streets caught on a small group standing on the black asphalt, two striding systematically across the sidewalks while one stood stationary in the middle. Despite the fact that she was in a roaming zone of a vampire’s territory, Olivia felt a tendril of fear slither down her spine, her expression shutting shut into a blank, uncaring look. Being a loner was a disadvantage at times like these. If anyone harmed her, there would be no one to ensure they were punished, no one to assist her in returning the favor. No one to care if she was killed again. <br/><br/>Resisting the urge to revert back to her Omega instincts - ones that were supposed to die out six years ago - she lifted her gaze, hardening it as she briefly met his eyes, their argent tone not unlike hers. Making sure to drop it after several seconds, lest he think she was sniffing around for a fight of some sort, Olivia resumed her path towards the Cafe' that was said to welcome vampires and humans alike. If there was a good place to gather information and eavesdrop on local gossip, surely it would be there.  </span><br/>