Mortal Stakes

Cynthia Marie as Nelli G and B. Dave Walters as Victor Temple

When a trio of vampires (Nelli, Jasper, and Victor) investigate a violation of their territory, they discover Annabelle, a fledgling vampire so new to the night that she cannot survive on her own. With their help, Annabelle discovers what she is and how to survive in her deadly new situation.

## Mortal Stakes

*Only where love and need are one,*

*And the work is play for mortal stakes*

*Is the deed ever truly done*

*For Heaven and the future’s sakes.*

-Robert Frost

## Plot Synopsis

### Part One

A coterie of vampires--Victor, Jasper, and Nelli--discover that somebody’s been hunting in Griffith College, their territory, without their permission. After asking around the campus infirmary and students, they find Annabelle, a sociology student who has been feeding on other members of the student body. She has not breached The Masquerade, but she has told her girlfriend Ellenore about her affliction. She is quite distressed about the whole affair, which is worsened when she realizes Victor is her boyfriend's father, and that she is a vampire, what is known as Kindred. The coterie warns her not to tell anyone about kindred, which Annabelle is displeased with. They decide to take her to Isaac Abrams, the Baron of Hollywood.

### Part Two

The coterie introduced Annabelle to the Baron, and they exchange questions and information. Annabelle is put under the responsibility of the coterie, and is told yet again to not reveal any information to her loved ones. Annabelle does not know her sire, and the Baron tasks the coterie with taking her to the Witch, a tremere kindred in Griffith Observatory. Victor's driver, a woman named Ib, takes them to the observatory. When they arrive, Nelli sees a vision of a woman in an old dress, beckoning her closer, but the vision quickly dissipates, and the coterie go to find the Witch, who is a pale woman named Eva. Eva does magic with Annabelle's blood, discovering that she is of clan Brujah, 13th generation, and that blood magic has been used on her previously. Victor, possibly unintentionally, offers a favor to Eva, who accepts. When they leave the observatory, a car crashes into Ib's SUV, and everyone gets into combat. Ib, Victor, and the driver and passenger of the new vehicle use guns, while Annabelle turns to blunt force, Jasper to threats and coercion, and Nelli scouts out the area, finding another car in the distance. Jasper interrogates one of the men, finding out MacNeil sent them to make sure the coterie didn't make it out of the observatory. Jasper and Annabelle knock out the two men, and the coterie takes their car. Jasper stays behind to catch the other car Nelli saw, watching it tail the coterie. Jasper tails this new car, holding onto the back of it and running along with it, and spots that the woman in the passenger seat has beautiful long fangs. Jasper falls off of the vehicle and skids on the road. In the coterie's car, Victor and Nelli call the Baron, letting him know about the attack and informing him that Annabelle is a Brujah. The Baron tells them to lose the car tailing them, which they do, and to see him again the next night. Jasper heads home and calls the Baron himself, letting him know that MacNeil sent the goons.

## Featured Characters

### Valley Coterie

* Annabelle
* Jasper
* Nelli G
* Victor Temple

### New

* Chris
* Clay
* Eva
* Francis
* Ib
* Isaac Abrams
* Juan
* Female Apparition
* Unknown female Kindred

### Mentioned

* Ellenore
* MacNeil
* Mark Temple

## LOCATIONS

Griffith College

Hollywood & Highland

Griffith Observatory

## Cast

### Core Cast

* Jason Carl *as the Storyteller*
* Erika Ishii *as Annabelle*
* Cynthia Marie *as Nelli G*
* B. Dave Walters *as Victor Temple*
* Alexander Ward *as Jasper*