Friday, August 28, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures s9 p13

The Nosferatu Adventures
page 237, chapter 237

Out of Time

"No Isabelle, I won't have it!" he said storming across the room, throwing a look over his shoulder at her. "I know the baby isn't mine! I know you slept with my brother T.J. Colt. And my father J.J. Colt Jr." he spun around ignoring the fact she had moved off her mark and was no longer in his eyeline. "I know..." he went to move but wasn't sure the camera could follow so instead he just shifted from one foot to the other nearly dancing in place. "...I know...I know you haven't been faithful at all since the wedding." Montgomery raised his hand pointing across the room waiting for Juila's reaction, knowing the camera was suppose to follow her before doing their close ups.


"No. No.!" she went to move around the large armchair that sat in the middle of the space, catching her six inch heels in the edge of the rug, slamming her knees into the coffee table. "I swear to you! I promise you, this baby is yours this time." she shook her head, her curls bouncing on her shoulders as she did. "I'm really having your baby!" Julia brought her one hand up biting her knuckles.

"I just don't believe you. I can't. Until you have a paternity test that is." Montgomery's eyes squinted as he tried to read the teleprompter aware Julia had forgotten her other line. He waited hoping she'd realize it, but they were running out of time for the shoot. Turning back around to lean on the only other piece of furniture in the space, he drove into his monolog. "I will not raise another man's baby, not again. Not after having done so with Aiden, Kal, Ricky, Paul, and Jessie. I just won't be fooled again."  He heard the director scream cut, as he relaxed his shoulders, the make-up assistant running to his side. The actress they hired to play his new love interest was driving him up the wall, never remembering her lines. Worse, she kept getting his twin characters mixed up. The director didn't seem to care or notice, too busy on his phone most of the time.  Ever since the new writer had been  brought on board, strange things had been happening.
There had been a few deaths with the younger crew and cast members, which most people were pushing off as drug related, strange accidents like lighting grids falling crashing when no one was near them, then there was the day they were shooting the voodoo queen's scenes and the potion she was working with exploded. It was like they were hexed. But at the same time, the ratings had never been higher.  Still, he didn't like to be alone with Edward. Montgomery could have sworn once when he was leaving the studio late, that he heard the man growl at him. He had been in the parking lot about to get into his car, when he'd seen Edward standing in the shadows of the building, a strange flash crossing Edward's eyes. Nearly gave him a heart attack as he tried to make sense of it.
Clearing his throat, he took his mark getting reading for his close up.


Meanwhile...

Matilda turned the sofa cushions plumping them up three times each, before turning around herself in the same manner settling in. There were still little habits that her nature didn't let her drop since becoming a familiar. Thankfully, no one really noticed; or if they did, they just put it off as her being a bit ditzy.

Rufus shuffled into the main room of the shop, his feet dragging on the ground as he did. The male familiar had been mopy for the last few days, ever since someone had out bid him at an auction. He'd heard about a rare grimoire that dated back to the 1930's and was said to have been owned by H.P. Lovecraft.
Holding a cup of coffee, as he made his way over to one of the bookshelves. Taking a sip he raised an eyebrow. "Don't you love how everything here tastes like sage smoke." he spoke into his mug.

"Well, what do you expect, we have to smudge so often." Matilda snorted at him.  There was something else bothering Rufus, she just couldn't seem to waggle it out of him.

"Edward is still a sidhe. He still needs to feed that side of him even here in this world. He just doesn't remember it. Doesn't remember any of it. Of us." he remarked harshly as he took another sip of his coffee.

"He remembers some of it I'd say." Matilda nodded towards the tv she had on a small table. "Have you watched My Gothic Kitchen; lately? No one is bothering to tweak his writing of the spells for the occult part of the show. I'm sure by now he's written enough to make a small version of his grandmother's grimoire." she gave a small laugh.

Rufus's coffee mug clanked onto the bookshelf as he dropped it, splashing the hot liquid everywhere cracking the mug. "Oh my god!" The familiar went as white as a sheet, all the colour draining out of him as he spun around to look at her. "Didn't he say they were doing a scene today where the voodoo queen character brings some zombies back from the dead?"

"Yes, and?"

"The actress has no idea what she's doing, but if she's going word for word what he's writing and the props people get every ingredient he's written into the script..."

Matilda jumped up off the sofa. "Better get to the studio."


Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me(straight up story. And the drama continues...)
 

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures s9 p12

The Nosferatu Adventures
page 236, chapter 236

1470

The auburn wolf leaped over the guard's dead body licking his muzzle as he landed squarely on his paws without much more then a light patter. Turning to look at the destruction, the creature tilted his head to the side sniffing the air.
This wasn't his handy work. Nor was it, as far as he could tell, that of any wolf. Turning back towards his goal, the large wolf made his way cautiously towards the darkened room. Smart he thought to himself, turning an abandoned well into the banshee's prison. Carefully, he stopped short of the silver bars, daring not to burn his fur.  Even though the female was gone, her scent was heavy in the air. Crossing to the stone wall, the wolf sniffed again pressing his large cold nose against it, closing his eyes.

"You're too late."  Growling, Dagan turned to see Bacchus hunched on his heels a few feet behind him, the red tie flapping like a long tongue. "Get out of that fur coat will you. I hate these one sided conversations." The werewolf sneezed shaking his head not wanting to at first, but the sandy haired god sighed with impatience snapping his fingers.
Dagan started to transform against his will, his bones snapping and cracking as he did. Within minutes, he found himself kneeling on the cold stone floor, one naked leg in a puddle, one bare hand in the moat as water rushed across it. "As I was saying, you're too late." Bacchus cleared his throat standing over the naked male practically gloating. "Loki has whisked her away." he turned lifting his hand in a careless dismissive gesture.  "I don't suppose you know why?"

"Does it matter?" the auburn haired male asked as he stood.

"So you couldn't have her." he twisted on his heels leaving a scuff mark on one of the stones. His hands in the pockets of his suit pants, he shrugged. "Hm." Bacchus tilted his head so he could look the werewolf in the eyes. "I'm sure he's thankful you killed that witch for him. He couldn't remove her from here until you had." he winked.

"If he knew how to find her, why did he never get her out before?" Dagan never took his eyes off the god, barely managing not to snap his teeth at him, barely keeping from growling in his face.

Bacchus let out an over exasperated  breath letting it hiss from between his teeth before answering him. "The thing with gods is that even we have to follow certain rules now and again. The witch that was impersonating her had been a favourite of Hecate. There was a spell..." he gestured towards the prison.

"Cloaking spell." Dagan said nodding.

"No. We knew...were fully aware she was here we just couldn't do anything about it. As long as the witch was alive we couldn't break Nosferatu out. And we...and I do mean any god, could not kill the little...Loki's been waiting rather impatiently for someone to figure out where she's been all this time. For someone to either rescue her, or kill the witch."

"Kill the witch you kill the spell." Dagan interrupted.

"Pretty much."


Meanwhile...
Out of Time

The slap of the large brown envelope as it landed on her desk sent a stack of pages flapping in the breeze. Our heroine looked up at the delivery guy from under her lashes, as he leaned on the edge of the desk, as if he couldn't care less about it. "Do I need to sign for it?" she asked mindlessly.

"Yeah, suppose that's what's done isn't it?" he commented around a piece of gum as he handed her the little electronic pen and screen. Taking it from him, our heroine hesitated. "Right there." he pointed tapping the contraption. "Not that hard. Just your name." Growling under her breath our heroine scribbled something illegible before handing it back. "That wasn't hard now was it..." he tried to read it squinting up his eyes at the loops and swirls before scanning her desk for a name plate. Finding nothing to indicate what her name was, he nodded leaving the office.

Grabbing the package, she scuffed down the hallway towards Loki's office, not bothering to knock before opening the door. Normally he was just sitting around playing video games if he was not with a client, sometimes she'd find him actually reading a manuscript or doing actual work but that was rare. But today, she found him sitting in front of  the large monitor he used for his games, flipping channels with a tv remote.  "Did I catch you watching porn?"

"Haha very funny. No, I was watching My Gothic Kitchen."

"Sounds dishy." she couldn't help but smile as she put the envelope down on the desk. "Why?"

"Let's just say that I'm heavily invested behind the scenes shall we."  Turning he scratched the back of his skull. "I'm craving donuts."

"Sure, I'll see what's in the break room." she left the office remembering to slow her speed down in case any clients happened to be in the lobby.  Slumping his shoulders, the dark haired god hung his head his chin hitting his chest as he flopped back to lean on the edge of the desk. Even with his ability to shimmer he had cut it close, nearly having to shift while shimmering back in. He'd have to make up an excuse to leave next time he wanted to do something like that. 


Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me(straight up story. Can you tell I long for the return of more daytime soaps...) 
 

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Coffee Talk aug 22nd 2015

September's theme week is kicking my arse!   Normally, I have the theme figured out in advance, but since I decided to combine the original one I had scheduled for Sept with October's to make my 13 Days of Hallowe'en, I've hit a wall. I was hoping to have it ready; at lest the first movie for the first of the month to kick off the whole thing. But every time I think of something, I realize I've either talked about those movies already, or just can't find more then two in that theme.

Speaking of witches...remember last month I was both hyper and pissed off about Witches of East End Season 2 on dvd...It was finally out, but nowhere to be found in Canada. Well, it's finally available in Canada to buy. I had to reserve a copy at HMV and pay a fortune for it but finally got my hands on a copy.  Haven't popped it into the machine yet, but I have a feeling it's going to be a collector's item if it's not already.

And I've gotten completely hooked on Downton Abbey.  I had tried watching it few months ago on Netflix Canada and had only made it ten minutes into the first episode, writing it off as not my style. But, it keep both popping up on my recommend list, and kept hearing people going on about it, so I gave it a second try the other day.  I'm in the middle of season 3 right now. Totally hooked in.  What did we do before binge watching?

and now coffee...and back to Downton Abbey...


Monday, August 17, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures s9 p11

The Nosferatu Adventures
page 235, chapter 235

Out of Time

"I can't believe you brought her here!" Bacchus screamed, slamming his palm down on the table.

"Relax." Loki replied not bothering to turn away from his video game. "There hasn't been any major issues with our containment unit since we doubled security. Bringing Rufus in to help keep an eye on The Seer was a brilliant plan."

"It's not The Seer I'm worried about!" the sandy haired god said leaning over Loki's shoulder, his hand automatically going for his tie smoothing it down. "Is it? Huh?" he pointed towards the closed office door. "It's her. What if she bumps into him? Have you thought about that?"

"What if she does?" Loki mumbled as he hit the pause button tossing the controller to the floor. He stood up facing Bacchus, his hands behind his neck as he stretched. "He won't recognize her."

"But she will him won't she?" Bacchus threw up his hands in defeat, turning his back on Loki crossing to the door. "The whole point of keeping them separated was so that Pan who's been squatting in The Seer all these years, can't be reborn. If Nosferatu and The Seer start up their affair yet again; there's no telling what could happen!"

Loki cast his eyes down staring at the floor, his mouth in a slight 'o' as he tried to focus. The last thing he wanted was for our heroine to end up back with The Seer. "It won't happen." he said raising both hands palms flat downward, crossing them and uncrossing them as if smoothing out a surface.

"It won't happen he says, relax he says. Those two have runaway together already. Since day one, The Seer has been her weakness. No matter who claims her, or who she claims." he titled his head snorting. "Oh yeah, I'm fully aware of your little scheme few years back having her mated to Reuben while in the 1400's. Sneaky, I'll give you credit for that, but still it didn't stop her did it?" he leaned over again to punctuate his point.

"That wasn't Edward."

"No it was worse! It was his previous incarnation who only married her the first time in her previous incarnation then stole her from her husband!" Bacchus made a rolling gesture with his hands. "Over and over and over again those two go." 

"I'm not going to let those two start up another affair trust me on this." Loki said scratching his ear his left leg beginning to twitch. He'd grown too fond of her himself over the decade to want to see  her claimed by any other werewolf, or in a relationship with anyone for that matter.

"Why? Why should I trust you this time? What do you plan on doing?"

Loki brought his hands out in front of him, his fingers still locked as he stretched again. "Sway her to my darkside."

Bacchus couldn't hold in the fit of laughter as he nearly bent double pointing at him. "Sway her to your darkside? I think you've got that turned around bud. I think...no I know, she's already got you swayed to her darkside. Have you looked in the mirror in the past decade? Huh?" he rubbed his forehead.  "You're the shacking god of shapeshifters and when was the last time you bothered to do so? I mean really shift." the sandy haired god held both his hands out between them like upward claws. "I don't mean just when you are summoned by anyone else and take the shape they expect of you, no I mean when you're sitting around Valhalla, or alone or what have you. Since the first time you presented yourself to her, since the first time you searched her mind for something she identified with to shift into you've stuck with it." Bacchus moved on his heels, hands now at his waist as he raised an eyebrow. "What is this? Some wrestler? Some punk ass...have you ever bothered to ask yourself why you chose to keep this outfit?"

"Chicks love it." he remarked squaring his jaw.

"She loves it! You've kept this...this...outfit because she's in love with it. Doesn't matter that she doesn't remember who he really was before hand, lest not consciously. Admit it, you love the fact that face makes Nosferatu..." he sighed slouching his shoulders. "able to stomach you."

What he was hearing was partially true. Loki just couldn't bring himself to admit that given he was the god of shapeshifters, he couldn't even remember what he truly looked like. "What do you suggest then?"

"You really want to sway her to your darkside?" Bacchus air quoted the sentence. "Then try shifting into a fresh outfit. Don't even tell it it's you if you want. See how much influence you really have on her when your not wearing this face?"


Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me(straight up story. We ready for another Buffy quote..."get out of my facial"...)

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Coffee Talk Aug 16th 2015

Spudguns!  How are you on this fine August Sunday?

This is one of those posts that I'm doing because A) it's been almost a week since I posted, B) the last few were all installments of The Nosferatu Adventures  and C) I'm taking a short break from doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen.

PPPPSSSTTT....Spudguns! just between you and me, I have a confession to make. I might have sort of miscalculated a couple of projects for my 13 Days of Hallowe'en, and am now scrambling to figure out how to make up the missing number.  Part, because one project I was working on, I realized even though it will be present in many blog posts for October, doesn't really value a blog post itself.  And part because one project has turned out to be a lot trickier to get all the pieces for.  And you know, domino effect because of it. So that's a total downer.

Some of you newer readers are scratching your butts wondering why I'm talking about that now...but those of you who have been following me for any length of time know that October is a season all it's own, and for me Every Day is Hallowe'en.

And, I've been trying to get the 13 Days sorted out, because I've got something up my sleeve for September. So having all the posts pre-prepared will help me from spinning around in circles like an overwrung dishrag.

And now...coffee.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures s9 p10

The Nosferatu Adventures
 page 234, chapter 234

Out of Time 

Our heroine stood in the overly bright lights of the bathroom, her feet finding the cool white tiles warm to the touch. She'd been in the prison for so long, in the dampness of the converted well for all that time, that her body was finding everything hot to the touch.  She stared at the shower, her mind trying to convince her this was not a hallucination. She had been recused. Loki had rescued her. Stepping in, she turned on the hot water finding the lavender scented shampoo.
The steam clouding up the small room could not disguise the scent of fresh pastries and coffee, as our heroine found herself at the mercy of her stomach. Following the delicious trail of warmth coming from the kitchen, she stood nervously waiting for Loki to say something. But, he didn't even look up from his task of chopping onions, let alone comment on the fact she'd found the scissors and cut her hair, styling it into it's familiar inch long spikes.

He kept his eyes down, concentrating on the simple too human task of cooking. Normally he'd just snap his fingers and have whatever he wanted materialize; but the dark haired god needed to blend in while in this reality as much as possible. Specially after the temper tantrum he'd had the night at the bar. The fire had been all over the newspapers the next morning.

Turning his eyes up to look at her from under the corner of his lashes, Loki licked his lips overly aware of her presence. Since she'd fed off of him, he'd been able to think of nothing else. Clearing his throat he nodded to himself, popping a cherry tomato into his mouth. "Do you like your eggs scrambled or poached?" he spoke around the fruit as he waited for her to answer.

"Um..." our heroine shook her head twice in disbelief as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "Scrambled I guess."  It all seemed a little too surreal, sitting in an overly white kitchen with the god of shapeshifters doing something so mundane as eating breakfast. Our heroine just couldn't wrap her head around the idea. "This is the part where I ask why am I here?" she said speaking into the depth of her coffee cup. "I mean, totally grateful someone pulled me out of that hell hole, but...why bring me here wherever here is? Why not just take me home, back to Vlad's castle or even back to Reuben and the others?"

"You should never have been in the 1400's to begin with." he replied mindlessly. "I should have pulled you out of that timeframe the second you went there, should never have given you the choice to stay. But I got distracted with the Se...well with another of my pets and I let Bacchus run things for awhile solo. I shouldn't have done that."

"Why don't I hate you? I should hate you for everything you've put me through."

He made a sound as he nodded to himself again, his lips in a heavy pout. "Here is nothing for you to worry about. Here..." his eyebrows knitted together as he began to drop the onions into the fry pan, stirring them with the freshly cracked eggs. "...is a place for you to relax, process the fact that magick here isn't what you've become used to. Except for us gods. Magick for us is not bound by any place or time."
Moving towards the kitchen table, he began dishing out the eggs steam rising from them to mingle pleasantly with the still warm pastries and coffee that already adorned the two foot table.

"You have all this space, and you're squashed into the corner?" our heroine asked as she leaned one leg on the nearest chair, not sure she really wanted to sit down.

He shrugged screwing up his nose. "I never have guests for meals a small table just seemed appropriate" He raised his hand about to snap his fingers, about to turn the table from a two foot square to a large family size one, then thought better of it. "How are your typing skills?" he asked reaching for the salt.

"Not as good I'm sure as they were before becoming a banshee a decade ago. Why?"

The dark haired god scratched his right ear letting out a deep sigh. "I find myself in need of yet another secretary. That and I want to keep an eye on you." he dropped his voice for the second half of his remark, clearly aware her overly sensitive ears still heard him.
A half hour later they stepped into the elevator going to the office one floor down. Loki stood there for a moment, his eyes focused on the floor as the elevator doors opened.  "I don't like this." the dark haired god replied pointing to the yoga pants and t-shirt our heroine was wearing. "You're suppose to be a secretary, this is a real office with real clients. Skirt, blouse, make-up." he snapped his fingers impatiently waiting for Nosferatu to magick mist a new outfit.

"You're dressed like you're going to a rock concert." she snorted gesturing wildly to his jeans and leather jacket.

He'd been known to torture people for talking back to him, but with her he found her amusing. "People think I'm a trust fund kid playing at my job. They half expect me to look like I'm going to a rock concert. You on the other hand, are the first thing they will see when they walk through the doors. My last three secretaries were serious business."

"And what happened to them?" she asked as she sighed letting the magick mist swirl around her replacing her outfit with a knee length black skirt and a black button up blouse that had short puffed sleeves.

"They got killed." he stated matter of factly.  Our heroine's mouth dropped open as she started to protest but Loki just walked away from her heading into his office. The banshee was one step behind him wanting to know why?  "It sort of is a long story." he turned the corners of his mouth into a pout as he waved her off. "Nothing to really worry about. I don't think. Just..." he ran his hand over his face, the other on his hip.

"Just what?"

"Nothing." he shook his head pretending to shuffle through some papers on his desk hoping she'd get the hint and leave the room. But she wasn't budging.

"What got them killed?" she asked her arms now crossed under her boobs giving them a lift.

"Shacking me got them killed."  Our heroine began to snicker as she looked the dark haired god up and down. "Oh not like that!" raising his voice at her, he tossed the pages he was looking at down scattering them. "I pissed off another god and they took their revenge out on me by killing them. It happens." he shrugged.

"Because they slept with you? Sounds more like a jealous ex then an angry god...oh my god! No pun intended." she mindlessly reached out placing her hand on his upper arm causing Loki to glare at the paleness of it. "It was an angry ex who just happened to be a god wasn't it?" her eyes lit up as she leaned in closer.

"No actually." Loki scratched the back of his skull raising an inch on his toes as he made his point. "I slaughtered a coven of their devotees, so they were doing the same. So to speak." he cleared his throat suddenly feeling the most human he had in centuries.

"Right. Note to self, no ripping off the boss's magickally painted on pants. I think I can remember that." rolling her eyes, our heroine left Loki's office to look around the rest of the place.


Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me(straight up story. What's he got up his sleeve?)

Monday, August 10, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures s9 p9

The Nosferatu Adventures
 page 233, chapter 233

1470

"How long has it been?" the soothing male voice cooed. Our heroine didn't bother to open her eyes. As she was sure her latest hallucination would be just out of reach. He always was.

"I've long since lost track I'm afraid." she said pushing herself up the edge of the wall, her nose twitching with the coming of the tide. Moving closer to the east end of her prison, she counted as the water rushed in between herself and the voice, creating a stream of running water. Twice a day, the moat was filled, making sure it had just enough water in it to keep her from crossing the room to freedom. Even if she did find a way over the water, our heroine still had a locked cell of pure silver and three armed guards to deal with. She'd learned the hard way when she first was captured that there wasn't any way out for her. Lest not any way that kept any amount of skin on her body, the silver saw to that. The burns she had suffered from the pure silver the first few days she'd been there had left her weak enough on it's own, but the fact the witch kept her half starved, draining her blood over and over again, just compacted her weakness.

The hallucination moved in the dark, dampness of the prison, the sound of his leather jacket echoing to the point our heroine winced; her ears having become so delicate since being locked away. She heard everything now. Not that she didn't before with her banshee and werewolf natures, but being locked away had somehow attuned her sensitive hearing to razor sharpness.
He snapped his fingers creating tiny sparks of light with each movement, balancing the fire on his hands like pea sized bonfires.
Blowing on his fingers, the sparks went out, leaving the place black once more. Locking his fingers behind his head, he leaned back against the damp rock wall, first whistling then humming an old Sex Pistols song. The hallucination wasn't talking to her today. In the beginning, the visions, the daydreams would help our heroine try to find a way out, then they reflected her own desires for company, before becoming nothing more then a way for her to remember what everyone looked like.
Over her imprisonment, she had imagined Rolf telling her about her son, had imagined Dagan's mocking of her inability to escape, had imagined Reuben's taunting her to stay alert. Over and over again she saw The Seer in her mind the way he was on the day they met, before becoming a werewolf. Let her memories flood with both the fear and the comfort he spread through her when he'd kidnapped her so long ago in that lighthouse. She'd daydreamed about Harker and Ash and even Leo, all coming to her rescue.

Her rescue. Our heroine could never understand why Bacchus or Loki had left her here? Why had they at the very lest not come to save her?  Maybe she was just all out of favours? Maybe they had washed their hands of her after she was stupid enough to be captured? Had they given up on her because she had done what they wanted? Given birth to a litter of werewolves. The experiment had been extremely successful, and they had gotten what they wanted. Maybe they just didn't need her anymore and had decided to leave her here to die?

"You know what I miss?" the hallucination spoke finally. "Video tapes. I can't get that line from that slasher movie out of my head about returning video tapes, and it got me thinking about it all." he turned towards her, his sneakers scuffing on the rocky floor. "I mean sure, digital is great, convenient even. Everywhere anytime, but it just doesn't have that realness to it." he brought his knees up to his chest picking at an invisible fluff-ball before standing up. "Dvds, that was something wasn't it? Portable, slim, could fit twice the amount...but there just isn't anything like a good old fashioned video tape." he moved across the length of the prison cell, clearing his throat as he made a grande gesture of lifting his knee high and stepping over the moat of running water. "Renting a horror film was given the same treatment as renting a porno." he continued. "Had to prove ID just to get access to the room with the shelf of them. You couldn't get away with renting more then three at any given time because they were just too heavy to carry around all day. And if you were unlucky enough to have the tape get caught in your vhs...well the arm and leg you had to pay out to replace it." he bowed his head slightly making a tisk-tisk sound as he waggled his finger at her. "And of course, they were just so much easier to copy in the beginning. Bootlegged horror movies, and porn for that matter. It's how most people became fans of stuff. But they were never as clear or as good as the original. The colour would become nothing but orange-y red or completely washed out. Sometimes those crazy tracking lines would appear at the top or bottom of the screen driving you nuts. All because someone forgot to pay attention to the details when making the copy."  The hallucination bit his bottom lip as he grabbed her by the back of the skull, his brown eyes flashing the amber-grey of the wolf before licking her face from her jawbone up to her temple. He planted a quick kiss on her forehead making an exaggerated noise. "People became obsessed with finding the original of their favourite bootlegged vhs movie. Found themselves paying any price they had to to get their hands on it. No longer happy with just the watered down copy."  He snarled opening his mouth just enough to expose both his top and bottom fangs, before grabbing the edges of his leather jacket opening it up as his grey t-shirt magick misted into nothing, leaving him bare chested.
A low growl escaped him as he ran his nails over his chest, blood pouring down in a heavy heat. "I think it's time you got a taste of the real thing, no more of this watered down bootlegged werewolf blood."

Our heroine fell against him, the blood the only thing she could see, the only thing she could smell as the small gush filled her throat like a wave of thunder. Grabbing a hold of him, she dug her nails into his ribs holding him steady as she drank greedily. Gulping like a mindless child at a bottle.

"That's enough." Loki replied grabbing her by the back of the hair, ripping her from him, the blood saliva a thick string as it dripped from her stained mouth and chin, still stuck to Loki's flesh. "Let's go return some video tapes." he smirked as they shimmered away into the darkness.


Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me(straight up story. So where does that leave Dagan?)

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Coffee Talk Aug 9th 2015

Spudguns!  How are you this Sunday?  We're sitting at a +23C with a +28C humidex, so this for me is a day to hide in the darkest corner of the apartment. Cause, me and the sun/heat don't get along. I break out in migraine headaches and hideous disgusting freckles and sweat. No sir, I don't like it.  That and the whole "I don't tan, I don't burn, I implode." part of things.  I already use SPF-50 when I go out; just one step away from being some cliche from a Tim Burton film carrying an umbrella when it's not raining.
I would use something stronger, but I haven't seen anything with a higher label here in town.  No joke, I'm like that scene in Blade when Frost and his crew of vamps are holding the kid captive in the park and Blade's all "Your mascara is running."  because the sun is so hot the titanium uber sunblock is melting off.  (mmmm Stephen Dorff)

This has been a bit of a slow week for blogging, cause I've been busy in the physical world doing tarot readings. And this upcoming week will be slow for blogging, cause I'll still be busy in the physical world doing tarot readings.
But, with that said, I 'll try to get the next installment of the Nosferatu Adventures up this week.

And if you are in the Thunder Bay area and are interested in a tarot reading, you can leave a comment here or on either my facebook page (yes I broke down and rejoined the rest of the world...here) or on the Bliss Cafe Thunder Bay facebook page.

Till later.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures s9 p8

The Nosferatu Adventures
page 232, chapter 232

Out of Time

The dark haired male leaned on the edge of the bar, his head down, elbow blocking his drink as he closed his eyes listening.  The band quickly went into a Doors cover, making him feel sad for the briefest second. That was until someone slammed into his back. Opening his eyes, Loki licked his lips turning to see who was drunk enough or stupid enough to get in his way?
The guy was double the size of Loki, with a beard that came half way down his chest and covered in tattoos. Raising his hands, the god was going to back off, but this seemed to irritate the drunkard just enough. Poking Loki in the chest he told him to get out of his way.

"You seem like such a nice ogre what with your dime store press on tats, and your everyone else is wearing it beard, I'd really hate to have to get blood on my spiffy leather jacket."

"What did you just call me?" the drunkard replied, screwing up his nose in a grunt.

"An ogre. You know large ugly and terribly smelly. Not too mention slow..." the dark haired god started to count on his fingers. "clumsy, the intelligence of a gnat, and..." he brought both hands up in an ape like fashion, contorting his face to resemble one as well. "brutishly useless."
The drunkard made a swing at him, but Loki ducked out of the way effortlessly. In a blur, he stuck his left foot out just enough to catch the drunkard and send him falling backwards on his ass. "I just came in for a drink, listen to the band, maybe pick up on someone." he rolled his neck back, bending deep at the knees for effect. "'Relax a bit after a hard day at work."  the drunkard staggered to his feet, his fist flying towards the god. Letting out a deep sigh, Loki grabbed him mid punch. "Now, I've got some overgrown monkey-boy thinking he's the king of the mountain trying to make me bleed." he twisted the drunkard's arm hearing bones grinding against each other as the guy let out a scream. "You're just not getting the hint are you?" he snapped his arm before letting go, shoving the guy a few feet. "I don't want to fight you." Loki turned back towards the bar, grabbed his drink downing it in one swallow before turning again his elbows behind him leaning on the bar as if nothing had happened. "I just want to...finish high school, movie to Europe marry Christian Slater and die...no wait that's a line from a movie..." he shook his head. "I don't want to do any of that. Lest not in this body." he ran his hand over his jeans. "I don't know about you, but I always thought that line would have been funnier if she had said Keifer Sutherland instead..."  the dark haired god spotted another large ogre like biker suddenly out of the corner of his eye, punching the guy before he even knew what happened, just as a second one seemed to appear to his left.
A chair scrapped on the floor as Loki in yet another blur swung his left leg again, this time locking his toes in the wooden leg of the chair, tossing it over his shoulder catching it. That ended up over the back of the one on his left, knocking him sideways.
He ended up causing a domino effect as he tumbled into another biker who was playing pool, sliding down his back to fall on the floor at the biker's feet. Turning, he swore as he made a step towards Loki. Grinning, he thought because he towered over the dark haired god, he'd squash him like a bug easily. To his disbelief, the large man found himself holding his nose with one hand as his kneecap collapsed under him sending him hurdling to the floor in screams of pain. 

"You got blood on my jacket. What did I say about not wanting to get blood stains on my jacket? Huh?" he began to rub the droplets, his fingers becoming taloned claws. "Now, I'm going to have to get hardcore on your ass." he said as his voice took on a gravely tone. Picking the guy up with one hand, Loki growled practically roaring in his face before tossing the 300 pound biker as if he was nothing more then a broom. The music stopped as the band and everyone in the bar finally realized the scene before them was more then just a typical bar fight. Watched as the biker flew across the length of the building and straight out the window on the far side.
Reaching behind him, the dark haired male grabbed a hold of the edge of the bartop, cracking off a chunk of it crumbling it to dust in his hand. People started to push and shove their way for the exits, like a mass of scared children, crushing each other as they did. He could smell the blood of those who were unfortunate to have fallen to the ground trampled underfoot, could smell the fear in their sweat, and urine as they tried to escape. Lifting his hands silently, Loki locked the doors and window trapping everyone inside.
Panic rose to a degree he could feel, his skin buzzing with the vibrations of energy coming off the crowd in shear terror. 

He had been a good boy for so long. Had kept his temper under control for centuries; for the most part and he'd had enough. Snapping his fingers, he watched as one by one people nearest the doors started to spontaneously combust.
It didn't take long for the sprinkler system to be set off, dousing the flames, leaving the few remaining survivors looking like drowned rats. And wasn't that all they were? Rats fleeing a sinking ship.  He scoffed at the thought, rats at lest had the sense to respect a force greater then themselves before disaster hit. 

Stepping over the mass of injured, Loki raised both hands shoving the doors to the main street open, as he shimmered into the darkness.


Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me(straight up story. We can't have it all light and airy all the time can we...)

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Theme week p3-Werewolves

The Wolfman

plot: After finding out about his brother's disappearance, Lawrence Talbot returns home to his family's estate to find he's too late. His brother's body was discovered mauled by a wild animal. Before long, he witnesses another animal attack, becoming a victim himself. On the next full moon, Lawrence not only turns into a werewolf, but learns the truth about who made him one to begin with.

This is the 2010 thriller starring Benicio del Toro and Sir Anthony Hopkins.   It's the remake of the 1941 version starring Lon Chaney Jr.

I know it got bad reviews, but I liked it. Ran a bit long for me, they could have tightened it a bit. (I know there are two versions the cinema version and the extended cut. I've only seen the cinema version and it still seemed long to me)

You buy these actors in these roles. There is just something wolf-ish about both del Toro and Hopkins. This two actors were just designed for these classic roles. Anthony Hopkins will always be Van Helsing to me so, for me watching him in this role just fit. What I didn't jive on was the romance between Emily Blunt and del Toro. It felt forced, as stiff as the corseted dress she wore.

Werewolf stories have such an interestingly chewy bit of balance for me. Little more then just a metaphor for human nature, and yet perfectly able to dig into the psyche.
I would have liked more bits of actual folklore in this movie though, that was the big area it lacked for me.

Monday, August 3, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures s9 p7

The Nosferatu Adventures
page 231, chapter 231

1470

He took a step towards her, nearly dragging the one side of his body, his left hand twitching as he began to fight the shifting. The woman in front of him raised her gloved hand to lay her palm flat on her chest, breathing deeply.
The two female guards had already drawn their swords moving to attack, getting their throats slashed in the blink of an eye for their trouble. One loosing an arm before her already dead body hit the ground, soaking it and the nearest villagers in her blood. Half the villagers scattered screaming while half were frozen in terror.

"You killed them! They were two of the strongest, fastest in our sisterhood." she uttered the words as if in a trance standing a few feet still from him. "My most faithful of servants."

Grabbing the stunned woman by the back of the neck, the werewolf sped off in a blur to the middle of the woods. Pushing her up against a tree, he sniffed deeply before spitting in her face. "How you doing this? huh? What is it a glamour? Cause I have to admit you look enough like her, smell enough like her too." he tightened the grip he had on her neck. "But you just ain't her and something tells me that if I rip off a piece of your neckbone you ain't coming back from the other side."

"I don't...don't know what you are talking about?" she pleaded with him turning her face to the side as best she could as he continued to choke her. "Please, you're hurting me..." He moved from her an inch, sniffing as he wiped the back of his hand over his mouth, still half transformed.

"Not so fast." he grabbed both her wrists as she raised her arms, the fingers on her left hand in the formation of a hook. "What huh?" he was slightly out of breath, near panting like a dog as he let the saliva drip in a steady string from his bottom lip. "Think I don't know that you're not her? You might be able to fool everyone else, but I'm not everyone else." the words were beginning to become a slurred hiss as his animal nature had taken over, magick mist clouding around his shoulders like steam as he barely bothered to keep the pretense up of wearing clothes.

The woman smirked as she gave a halfway glance towards him from under her lashes.

"Bravo." she tossed her head as if adjusting a loose strain of hair. "You're the only one to figure it out. Four years and no one noticed. Not her husband Vlad..."  The male winched as she spoke. Raising an eyebrow the witch continued. "You didn't know about her and Vlad? No matter he was none the wiser, and if he couldn't tell...nor her lover well my lover Edmund, and not even those damned werewolves. A few drops of that wretched halfbreed's blood is all it took to become her. And to be honest, not the most comfortable job in the world either." she licked her lips. "May I?"

"Everyone's allowed a last request." he snarled.  Dagan watched unblinking as the woman before him began to change form. She became taller, thinner, her face younger than Nosferatu's, her hair long dark ringlets that cascaded over her olive shoulders. "Why? Why on earth would you want to be her?" he pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, saliva still pooling around his bottom fangs. "She's not pretty, you're much better looking then she is, so why ruin your face?" he leaned in close enough to let the tip of his tongue dart across her chin, getting just a taste. It was all he could do not to rip a chunk out of her right there.

"Edmund." she let the name fall from her lips in a hush.

"Yeah it figures. What's that guy got that I don't?" he huffed thinking about the Seer from his time. "Second thought I really don't want to know."

Swallowing, she diverted her eyes to look at the ground. "I devoted myself to him. To the covens for years. Gave him everything. My fortune my best spells, everything. And what did I have to show for it? Nothing. Just when it looked like he was about to marry me or in the very lest make me head of his covens, High Priestess; she shows up!" tears began to roll from her eyes in hot anger. "This halfbreed dead thing! Not even human." she snorted a half laugh of disgust. "The ghostly image of his dead wife. It made me sick to watch him fall over her. Again! To watch him break up her marriage to Vlad. He was going to raise her little monsters as his own did you know that? Give them, everything we worked so hard for. That's when I knew I had to do something." she shook her head trying to break free from Dagan's grip, but he just dug his claws into her wrists keeping the witch from being able to cast anything against him.

"How did you know who I was?" he asked pressing his hip and knee against her to keep her from wriggling out of his grasp.

"I get just enough of her memories with her blood to recognize the more important people I needed to fool." she hissed. "Which begs to ask, how did you know? Like I said, few drops a week of her blood fooled the other werewolves for years, so how did you know? I smelled just like her."

Dagan said nothing, just snarled as he reached over with one hand to secure the witch's wrists before turning his face slightly, his lips pressed together in difficulty over his fangs. "The guard on your right for starters. She turned in the crowd, her sword knocking over a water jug. As it poured over the venders table and to the ground, it caused a small stream of running water. Which you walked through." he gestured then to the tip of the witch's wet boot. "Then there's this." he raised his hand that was still holding tight to her wrists, exposing the stains on her gloves. Sniffing, he let his eyes flash for just a half second to their normal blue before returning to the amber-grey of the wolf.  That seemed to unsettle the witch just enough."Strawberries. Nosferatu doesn't like strawberries. You on the other hand seem to indulge in them, the scent is heavy from the stains on your gloves."  the auburn haired werewolf cracked his neck rotating his shoulders as he relaxed the full body press he had been using to pin the witch to the tree. He could sense the fear beginning to build in her. "The fact that you're wearing clothes. No traces of the magick mist anywhere. Nosferatu never wears real clothes anymore, it was the one big thing she loved about her what did you call it...halfbreed lycanthrope side she loved. And real clothes trap scents. The silks and the cottons and the wools; all collect bodily fluids, hair etc." he leaned in millimeters from her neck and face as he sniffed her, his eyes closed, more saliva dripping onto the witch's flesh. "You might have fooled the wolves that didn't know her, but I'm a different breed."

"You...you got all..." she swallowed hard. "...that from just one glance?"

He nodded growling as he grabbed her neck once more with his free hand. "That and the fact Nosferatu would never need or want the company of female guards."

"You can't kill me. If you do, you'll never find her." she whispered.

"Lady, I'm a god damned hunter. I can track anyone anywhere no matter what. My compass is never broken."  he grunted as he bit first into her neck, his hand over her mouth keeping her from screaming. Bending his mouth to her chest, Dagan sunk his teeth into the area just above her breast, ripping the tissue, like tearing the flesh from a turkey leg. Her ribcage snapping like twigs as he made sure to finish all of her heart. Dropping her lifeless body, the werewolf tossed his head back letting out a howl before heading south. 




Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me(straight up story. Let's just hope our hunter does not become the hunted)

Theme Week p2- werewolves

Never Cry Werewolf

plot: After seeing a mysterious fog roll into the street, Loren notices her next door neighbour has some oddities, like the fact his palms are hairy, and is up all night. Hearing about two missing persons since he moved in, Loren begins to believe her next door neighbour is not just a serial killer, but a werewolf. When the police don't believe her, it's up to her and a local television host to save the day.

This is a 2008 made for tv movie starring Peter Stebbings and Nina Dobrev

So if you're paying attention you've got the chick from Vampire Diaries playing the part of Charlie Brewster, Peter Stebbings playing the part of Jerry Dandridge, Spencer Van Wyck playing the part of Amy Peterson, Sean O'Neill playing the part of Evil Ed and Kevin Sorbo playing the part of Peter Vincent Vampire Hunter....no not joking, this is a werewolf remake of the classic vampire movie Fright Night.   They've sort of changed the sidekick and the love interest around, giving the "Amy" character the twist of being the lead's little brother whom she's got to save, and the "Evil Ed" to the semi-boyfriend.

Not in any way shape or form original, but I'll forgive it because Fright Night is one of the coolest, at the time original vampire stories around. Hell, one of the most original horror/thriller stories to come out of the 1980's.
And as much as I don't care at all for the lead actor Dobrev, I can't hate it because it is a rip off of Fright Night. And you can't deny her Buffy moment either when she braids her hair grabs a cool leather jacket and crossbow.

Sunday, August 2, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures s9 p6

The Nosferatu Adventures
page 230, chapter 230

2023
Darkest Forest

The auburn haired male stood on the edge of the field, staring at the convent. He wasn't ready to walk up to the doors, unsure how to ask for help.  "Not like I can just knock..."he commented to himself while miming the action of knocking.  "...and say hi what's up, that witch still living in your basement because I need a big favour." he leaned forward at the waist balancing on his heels, toes pointing up, then leaned backward palms upward, elbows tight to his hips.
 

"Why not? That's what I would do." the very feminine voice said behind him. Turning around to see the middle aged woman, the werewolf scratched his ear wondering how she sneaked up on him? How come he didn't hear her or smell her for that matter?  "You're lost." she said matter of factly as she moved past him, the silk pants she was wearing rustling as soft as the trees as she did.

"I'm a werewolf, I never get lost."

"Not like that smart ass." she said over her shoulder as she continued on. "I was expecting you months ago, you're late. Stay there, I'll be back in a few hours."  she just continued on towards the old barn where she lived under the convent.

The male did what he was told, planting himself at the base of the nearest tree, grabbing a handful of grass as he sat with his knees tucked up under his chin. He fell asleep as he seemed to be drained of energy all the time no matter how much sleep he got or how often he ate. When he shifted to wolf form, he would stay like that for weeks at a time, almost afraid to attempt to shift back to his human form.  For the first time in he couldn't remember, he did not dream. He just faded into the darkness of a heavy sleep.
A squirrel twitched it's tail as it braved darting past the snoring lycanthrope to run up it's tree, stopping in fear a few times as the male's own arm spasmed in sleep.

He woke only once the winds shifted bringing the coolness from the promise of rain and the light scent of roses and lilacs. The auburn haired male stretched as he yawned forgetting for a brief second where he was. Springing to a standing position, he got his wits about him, as Kendra stood in front of him, a red shawl wrapped tight around her shoulders, her dreadlocks peeking out from the top of a head wrap, that reminded him of a broken flower vase.

"I need your blood to finish the spell." she said grabbing his arm without asking. A sharp dagger slashed across the softer flesh of his elbow leaving a small trail of crimson droplets that barely lasted before healing completely. But it had been enough for her to add to the small glass flask.

"So drink this and it will stop my nightmares? The ghost that has been haunting me will go away?" he asked.  Kendra lowered her chin laughing a deep rich sound before clicking her tongue at him.

"That is no ghost you retard. Nightmares? Is that what you came here for? Nightmares you just need to take some raw camomile and wormwood.  No this is daminana, vervain, and a few other things that will help you..." she snickered. "Find your way home. What was lost to you will be returned. The visions you have been having are not simply nightmares, they are a piece of you that is so deeply wounded that you don't recognize it as yours anymore. But it is. It has been always." she handed him the flask, cocking her head to the side causing her dreadlocks to swing. "You really so foolish to think that a simple nightmare would draw you here to me for help? A simple nightmare would need nothing more then a few shots of rum to help you forget. No boy, you came to me because you no longer trust." she brought her hand up to cuff his chin gently. "Now go on with you." she shoved him hard with both hands sending him flying backwards, stumbling over a large tree root. "And you'll know when you need to use that." she nodded as he tried to balance himself but couldn't seem to as the winds picked up.

The earth seemed to open up under his feet as if a tornado had appeared under him drawing him in. Dirt, grass, and other such things began to swirl around him making it hard for even him to see; as he raised his hands to shield them. All the air seemed to get knocked out of him, forcing him to stumble again, this time he did fall into the heart of the mini tornado, the blackness swallowing him whole.

The rushing in his ears finally stopped, his nose feeling like someone had punched him, as he steadied himself once again on solid ground. Looking around, The auburn haired male had no clue where the witch had sent him. Pinching the bridge of his nose first, he then cleared the bits of sand from his nostrils, shaking the cobwebs from his mind.

And the familiar scent that filled his senses caused him to freeze on the spot. His normally blue eyes flashed the amber-grey of the wolf, as he snarled lowering first his shoulders, then his upper body to a half sideways hunch. He began to shift involuntarily his upper and lower fangs extending, his nails glass like claws, ears becoming points, and two days worth of beard on his jaw.
The smell was all his brain could compute as he followed it for the next mile up a winding patch of hillside to a clearing near the edge of the village gates. There not too far from the castle's walls, in the village market place was what caused his animal nature to take over.

She walked slowly around the crowd, flanked on either side by two heavily armed female guards, stopping every few feet to extend her gloved hand for a villager to shake and kiss.
Creeping towards the gates he growled low causing everyone to gasp at the sight of him as they froze in shock and fear. Turning towards him the woman's eyes went wide.

"Dagan?"



Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me(straight up story. Well you know what I always say, time portals are like buses if you miss one just wait twenty minutes.)

Saturday, August 1, 2015

August Food n Flix

This month's Food n Flix selection is August Osage County and is hosted by Eliot's Eats.



 plot: After her husband disappears, cancer patient and drug addict Violet calls her children and sister to be with her. The family soon learn their father died in what is being listed as a "fishing accident", but everyone knows he committed suicide as he made sure to hire someone to take care of his wife before he disappeared. Secrets start to come to light as every corner of the family's lives are opened.

This is a 2014 drama based on the stage play starring Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. 

Once again, I watched this online so there is a lack of dvd cover in the photos.

I saw bourbon, wild onions, prickly pear, beef, bundt cake, biscuits and gravy, apple pie, iced tea, wine, casseroles, scalloped potatoes, green beans, tossed salad, catfish, chicken and gravy.

Yeah, my notes are thin-practically non existent- this time around as you'll notice I don't have any of my cute little sidebars from what popped into my head from scenes.  There was a time in my life a movie like this would have been a top favourite of mine, but I guess my tastes have changed cause it just seemed to drag on forever.  And I love most of the actors in this, Streep, Roberts, Benedict Cumberbatch, Margo Martindale; so this should have been a cake walk.

With all that said, had I not been vegetarian, I would have gone with a fish dish, but that's not on my menu, and the obvious would have been for me to do a casserole given my blog title. So I went with ... a "don't screech at me" bundt cake with a caramel-rum sauce.

There is a lot of screaming in this movie, and I went with Screech, hence the title of the cake.


Cake Ingredients

1 c white sugar 
1/2 c margarine or butter
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 c milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 c flour
splash of Screech


Cream together the margarine and sugar, add salt
Mix , then adding in the eggs.
Mix well, then add in milk, 
add baking soda and flour,
add Screech, mixing till smooth
Bake 1 hour roughly depending on your oven at 350degress









Sauce Ingredients

1/2 c water
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c milk
1/2 c butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Screech










Combine sugar and water in a saucepan, on medium-high, swirling BUT NOT stirring until it's a dark amber-ish colour.









Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and milk

Add salt

Whisk in the Screech,  let cool, pouring half on the cake, while letting the rest chill in fridge for 45 minutes.


Pour remaining sauce over cake.


I had every intention of making this with bourbon, but I have to admit when I went to buy it, it was double the price of the rum, so I went with the rum instead.







I love the fact this is sort of "soaked" in the sauce with the first round of the half cooled sauce, and then the actual caramel coating with the second round of the fully chilled caramel.






Theme Week- Werewolves

Full Eclipse

plot: After witnessing his partner kill himself, detective Max Dire is offered a chance to join a special unit called the Pack. On their first mission, where he believes the others are using a designer drug to ramp up their adrenaline, he starts to investigate their chief Garou. Max soon learns his new boss is a werewolf, and is running out of time before not only the next full moon, but a total lunar eclipse, where Garou will become unstoppable.

This is a 1993 made for tv crime drama starring Mario Van Peeples and Bruce Payne.

I remember seeing this twenty years ago on vhs rental. I had no idea it was a made for tv movie. With that in mind, it would explain why there are a few scenes that feel rushed. Otherwise, this is one of the more original werewolf movies to come out of the 1990's.

There is one scene when we learn what the "drug" really is and Garou utters the line "this is my brain, this is you on my brain any questions?"  Which is funny for the simple fact the anti-drug campaign back in the 1990's was "this is your brain this is your brain on drugs any questions" with the eggs frying.

Bruce Payne is the star of this, even though he's the big bad, and only in half the movie, you end up rooting for him.  His character does all the bad stuff, all the wrong things for all the right reasons with completely good intentions.

Now, this version I watched online and was the 93 minute R-rated, which is edited just a bit. What I saw 20 years ago on vhs was an uncut version which came in a few minutes longer, and I seem to remember there being more story to do with the lead character's wife, and more with the mob.