They moved in the black of the night sky, like their was something chasing them. The rain poured down onto them washing away any blood as if it was purifying them from their sins. They arrived at Stone Manor. Head to toe in gleaming wet black clothes, Lois open the double doors and walked through the middle. Ignoring the whispers and stares she received off people she made her way into the back till she came to a fully black door, she took a deep breath Here I goes again she thought. She made her way down the spiral down the stairs which seemed to last forever, she finally reached the bottom. She made her way across a corridor but it was different from the others in the house, it was of the original stone poorly lit that no human would not be able to see were they were going. She always hated walking down here even as a child with her mom or dad. Lois grew tense she knew she had failed her father… again. As she reached the end of the corridor there was two of her fathers most trusted bodyguards standing outside the door like they were part of the manor. The old door creaked open and their he sat in the middle of the round, bare room. "I hope you have good news this time" he stated without looking at Lois.
"There was a complication, I didn't have enough time." she replied trying to keep the tremble out of her voice.
"A complication? Are you sure or was it your incompetence to carry out the one task I give you." he spat out towards Lois who was avoiding his gaze as well as trying not to flinch. She didn't answer. She knew she had failed him, but he wanted an answer. She opened her mouth to speak but before she could get out a syllable the door flung open and in ran Andrei. Andrei was slightly taller than Lois but he was scrawny with dirty blonde hair that ran down his shoulders and hollow brown eyes which watched everything. He always freaked out Lois, she couldn't help it. It was some vibe she got off him. She didn't trust him.
Andrei and her father conferred in hushed tone, she knew better than to listen in. Her father kept giving her little glances, whilst her eyes bounced anywhere around the room except from her father. Andrei handed over a silver chain which has a ring on it then nodded twice and turned to leave the room his eyes connected with Lois, a shiver ran down her back which caused him to smirk. God she hated him. The door shut leaving Lois and the general. She heard the general sigh. "Father? … What is it? What's wrong?"
"when I thought this day couldn't get any worse. Go get your mother tell he I need to speak to her and tell her it is urgent."
"But …"
"JUST DO IT!" he roared at her. Lois practically ran out the room and up the stair, why did I have to question him, why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut for once. She walked up to the top floor to her parents bedroom and knocked in the door. She had learned her lesson about knocking when she was a teenager and that scarred her for life. Lois heard a faint "come in" so she entered, "mom, father wants to speak to you, he says it's urgent."
"Ok I'll go in a minute, come sit, tell me what happened today." she softly said whilst putting her arm around Lois guiding her to the seat at the end of her bed.
"I'd rather not talk about it, I messed up again. I let the general down again mom." Lois replied with a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Shhh it's ok" she tried to soothe Lois
"No it's not, he see me as a complete failure. I know he wishes I was born a boy maybe he would be different to me if I was." she whispered the last part and allowed a single tear to fall down her right cheek.
"Don't ever speak like that your father loves you, do you understand, he LOVES you" her mother replied lifting Lois's head so she would look in her own glassy eyes.
There was another knock on the door and Andrei entered without being told to do so. "the general wants to know what is taking so long, also I would like to have a few minutes with Lois … if I may"
"I'm just on my way down and you may talk to Lois but keep it short I need her to keep an eye on Lucy tonight" she turned her attention from Andrei to Lois "is that going to be ok? Will you be alright?" all she received was a nod from Lois. Just like her father, a good little soldier. Her mother nodded to Andrei as she left and shut the door behind her.
Lois stood to move around Andrei and back to her own room but he stood in front unwilling to move. "Lois I know you that I am you fathers second in command and when he gives up his position I will be in charge and I will be needing a strong beautiful woman at my side who can carry on my name."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Lois can't you see, you are that woman. You may not see it yet but you will, I will prove to you I am the one for you. Your perfect match, your soul mate." Lois cringed at these word, she knew her soul mate would never be like him.
"you my soul mate? I don't think so. My soul mate will never be as weak and twisted as you. He won't make my skin scrawl with disgust every time I see or hear him, he won't look like he hasn't washed in the last decade, so move out my way."
"No" he replied with a firm tone causing Lois to push past him and walk into the corridor
"Argh can't you understand. I will never ever be with you." she shouted over her shoulder
"Well your dad thinks differently" he replied cockily with a smirk on his face, she stopped she could hear the smirk in his voice all she wanted to do was walk back and punch him. But no, she took a deep breath and walked away to her sister's room. She could feel his eyes on her even when she had turned the corner.
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Lois's mum walked through the heavy doors "Ellen" she heard as she entered "Sam" she said in common courtesy "what is the matter? Is it that urgent that it can't wait until after Amelia and the rest of the grand council arrives?"
"I'm sorry my love but it is, I heard that there have been sightings of the Gangrel clan in our town" the anger was clear in his voice but there was something else, Ellen's face paled even more she knew they meant trouble every town they have been in where other clans resided always ended in bloodshed. "Gangrel… are u sure?" her voice was trembling and less than a whisper " I wish I wasn't …… you should have seen that they did to Marco and he is one of our strongest but that's not what worries me it this" he hands her a silver chain with a ring at the end "you know what this means" his own voice threatening to break "Lois" she whispers whilst Sam move out his seat and in front of Ellen he lifts her chin with his hand causing her to look at him "I promise you they will never get Lois I will do what ever I need to do to protect her" his voice let Ellen know he meant it but it didn't stop the tears streaming down he face. He pulled her into a hug trying his best to comfort her the door opened behind then and entered Andrei he cleared his throat causing Ellen and Sam to separate. Sam looked at Ellen and wiped away the few stray tears on her cheeks before she turned to leave, giving Andrei a polite nod as she left.
As Ellen walked back to her room her mind was consumed with thoughts of what will happen is this why all them other clans were massacred, what if we don't accept their offer for Lois will we be next . Can I give my daughter to a clan like that vicious, no order, the reason we are hated. She entered her room and started pacing there was no way she could sit with her mind working at 100 mile per hour. God, what will happen to lois if we don't were are we going to hide her I can't let them have her I have to keep her safe no matter what Sam says. Were is safe, what frighten the Gangrel enough to make them her head rose as realisation hit, the only place safe for lois was with there rivals would they make a deal to protect her or would they laugh in our faces. No I heard their leader this … Jor was a decent person Will sam ever agree to allow them to keep Lois safe well that is if they agree. Will Lois agree? She is hard headed like her father but maybe this will put this tension between us in the past well from a little while but maybe this may bring a truce. Ellen stopped pacing and decided she need to check the history books about the Daciana always better to be prepared.
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"Lucy, Lucy Argh will you give it a rest. I don't wana here about you and Paolo." Lois said while putting the pillow around her head to drone out Lucy. "Lois, lois are you listening?" Lois didn't reply which Lucy thought it was a sign to carry on. "Lois it was so romantic you need to go to Spain to the men in the clans are so gorgeous even you could get a guy. And did you know they have a tan, who knew vampires could tan?" Lucy looked behind her at a half asleep lois, "did you hear anything I said" "yea, yea course I did" said a half-asleep Lois "something about Spain" she yawns "vampires having a tan" she said while yawning "even I could get a man but I don't need one. Lucy shook her head, silently laughing at Lois as she fell back asleep. She saw a glimpse of Lois's car key well she wouldn't mind I it borrowed her car if she never finds out. She reaches over to the keys and takes them out Lois's pocket careful not to wake her. She slowly tip-toed out of the room and out the hallway window.
Lois shot up from her sleep to find Andrei watching her "what do you want?" an irritated lois asked rubbing the sleep about of her eyes, he smirked then walked forward to the end of the bed and leaning forward making lois lean away "your mother and father wants to see you in the office. I'd hurry if I was you it looks important" he flashed her a smile of his yellow teeth and left. Lois made her way from her sister's room to hers to freshen up, realising she was missing her car keys she hoped Lucy wasn't doing anything stupid as she made her way down. Lois made I silent prayer hoping they weren't going to ask her about marrying Andrei, she shuddered the thought even made her sick. She made her way down the stairs again, through the heavy doors to find her father sitting in his seat and her mom standing to his left both with a serious looks on their faces .
"Lois I think you should sit down. We need to talk" her mother said in firm but yet soft voice. Please please please don't let it be about Andrei.
