In reality, I should be sleeping. But instead I'm writing. I have my priorities.
-AGU-
Between the fact he had alienated half the people here, and he wasn't sure who was real and who might be the shifter, Adam was dangerously close to tossing Malik in a UV cage and torturing him. For information. And maybe some stress relief. Hanging out in the courtyard for the sense of freedom away from the buzzing vampire energy of Garside, Adam almost welcomed Malik turning up. "Having fun being the most hated at the school?" "I think that's still the maths teacher." Malik actually chuckled a little, then realised who he was talking to.
"Not far off everyone here wanting you gone. Just your little daughter, who appears to have inherited your twisted sense of family. You really do fuck up don't you?" Scowling, Adam played his card. "Ooh, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" There it was, Malik's eyes widening in surprise. It was Elisabetta wearing Ingrid he had seen - he had been awful to her for nothing. "Don't know what you mean, my mother is dust." Stepping closer, in spite of Malik's height advantage Adam knew he was the superior in power. "Be warned big brother. I'm on to you." Flitting off before he could answer, Adam needed to plan.
Bertrand would believe him, but there was no guarantee it would be Bertrand he was talking to. Especially if they weren't alone, the sense of unease would only tell him the shifter was near, and being alone with anyone was not a safe bet now. Lucky he was used to running on little sleep and food he supposed, but every time he had to leave for Council Adam was petrified he would return to a massacre. Sighing as he checked off the list of candidates, Adam wasn't completely sure in his choice but out of the four, Tassov was the best according to his clan research. And he could always just dust him and start over. He needed Bertrand's advice to be confident, but that was out of the question with the shape shifter about.
It was killing him, he was even scared to go near his children in case they weren't them. Because if the shifter had a brain, that would be the fastest way to stop Adam daring to hurt it - copying his children. Even if he were certain, Adam wasn't sure he would be able to physically attack someone wearing his offsprings face. Just in case. And because his protective, paternal instinct was almost overpowering at times. He couldn't hurt them. Swallowing the last of his soya glass, he tossed it aside and stretched. Last days sleep before council, then only a little more than a fortnight to Erika's birthday. If they didn't have Malik dealt with by then, it was going to become apparent she was born before he was sixteen - If Erin hadn't shared that secret already.
No, she wouldn't have. He hoped. Because that would put Erika in danger, Emil too and Adam had to cling to the hope that even as careless as she was getting, Erin wasn't genuinely prepared to sacrifice their children for that maniac. Or to get back at him. Whatever it was driving her to stay with Malik when he was clearly using her. Pacing up and down his room, he eventually sighed and climbed into the coffin. It was a little backwards, he supposed, that he was trusting Bertrand to be watching his kids at school but wouldn't trust the man if he were stood in front of him. Managing to pass the next few hours with intermittent sleep, Adam rose and dressed for Council - it wasn't even dark yet, but he was awake so he may as well be ready to go.
"Off to choose a new council member?" The voice sent shivers down his spine, Ingrid's silky, dark words sliding over his skin. "Yep, can't do anything until I fill the spot. Though I envision losing another two of the current members in the near future if they continue to behave such a way." Even if it was the shifter, the information was vague, unspecified and could easily be seen as made up. Adam wanted to apologise, kiss her and never stop. But he didn't have that right, and neither he or Ingrid would be happy if it wasn't really her - he would feel sick at kissing Elisabetta, and Ingrid would be irate he hadn't known it wasn't her. It was still her face, the body he still knew as well as his own and it made him ache.
The innate feeling of the sun going down struck him, meaning he could prepare to leave. Tucking the Daralum scroll and the candidate list inside his robes, Adam took one more desparate, longing look at Ingrid before forcing himself to move away. "Be careful" the warning fell from his mouth before he could stop it, but he couldn't wait for an answer or he may never manage to leave. Transylvania seemed years away as he flew, he should be home watching for the safety of his family but he had to be seen in his position.
Landing at the VHC, Adam sighed to himself quietly before heading in. "Evening Hack. Everyone here?" "Of course sir. Your first election choice, everyone is terribly excited." "I'm sure. Shall we?" Hack jumped up, walking ahead while Roque stayed close to Adam's side. A quiet nudge had him remembering to put on his crown, settling at the table where they would present the candidates again. "Thank you all for returning, and for the nominations." Suspense hung in the air, and more than one of the candidates glared as though that would influence his choice. "Tassov, congratulations. You are my new minister for education. Thank you all for your interest. Perhaps next time. Dismissed." Waving his hand idly, he kept track of the energy of the four nominees. Two left immediately, but one - Cooper, he thought - hung back.
Tassov bowed and followed the others to get his VHC robes fitted, thanking "your Grandness" profusely and Adam actually thought he seemed genuine. Cooper glared some more, and Roque stuck to Adam's side. "You should reconsider." "The leader has made his decision. Show some respect!" Cooper didn't back down, hissing and baring his fangs. Temper already shorter than usual, Adam hissed back. "One chance. Leave. Or I will end you here and now." Counting to three, and Cooper clearly weighing up if he could get away with attacking Adam, he was dust before five seconds were up. "Have someone sweep that up would you Roque? Why do these vamps think I will be bullied into changing my mind?"
"You're young, new at the job and chosen by a higher power than a political election, I fear it means they underestimate you." "That's their mistake. That and thinking I need a stake to dust them, I always appear unarmed." Squeezing to check the UV cage was still in his pocket, Adam followed the security vampire to the meeting room. "Everyone, Tassov is our newest member. Shall we get on?" After they complained about not being able to do anything until Adam selected a new candidate, they had no place slowing down now they had one. "Of course Your Grandness." It was still a short meeting, until Adam got his bearings he wasn't going to start changing things properly so there were very few proposals or processes to work on.
Hurrying back to Garside, barely taking the time to ensure he wasn't followed again before he flew. Pacing up and down the courtyard for a while to burn off some anxious energy, Adam felt unsettled through and through even with nobody around. This would usually be where he would seek out Bertrand to take the edge off, but again - he didn't fancy being fucked by Malik's mother dressed as his tutor, that was just wrong. All in all, Adam was a little pent up. If he was honest with himself, he had basically gotten used to having sex on a regular basis, ever since he was fourteen. The longest he had gone without was probably between sixteen and seventeen years of age - after they left but before he had inadvertently seduced his tutor. It probably wouldn't bother him so much if he had ever learnt a different way to deal with his anxiety and issues, but Adam had never needed more than pain and sex before now.
The sun was starting to rise, his legs aching from pacing for what must have been hours while he was lost in his thoughts, before Adam realised he should probably go back in. "Adam right?" Glad he had shoved his council robes in his bag, so he was just in his usual shirt and jeans, Adam turned to find the headmistress - Miss McCauley. "That's right. Sorry, I know I shouldn't be in the school, I just got in from my night job." That wasn't technically a lie, he did work at night. "Oh, no, that's not it. I wondered if I could have a word?" Desperate for his coffin, but curious, Adam nodded and followed her into her office, mindful of the sunlit window. "I don't mean to sound accusatory, but you and that Malik? Yes, Malik, boy seemed to arrive together, and ever since then I can't help but notice Emil and Adrian have been much less focused on their school work."
Trying to think how to word their situation without mentioning vampires, long lost father's and possible prodigal sons, Adam sighed. "It's been a tough time for the family as a whole. Adrian is worried about Emil, and Emil is angry about Malik for multiple reasons. It isn't going to be for much longer" if Adam had any say in Malik's dust-or-not status "and everything should be back to normal. I apologise for any trouble it's caused you." Yawning for show, Adam begged off to sleep quickly and hoped the headmistress was appeased. He could hardly explain he was the boys father, or that Malik was dating Emil's mother - they didn't look old enough to be their parents. Dropping into his coffin to take weight off his stiff limbs, Adam didn't expect much sleep and was proved correct. His legs were still a little sore, so he pulled out his books on vampire law and settled comfortably at the table to read.
The books were dull, but passed the time until the school was emptying and Adam could go back to watching the energy of everyone else in the school. The Count was talking to Miss McCauley in her office, the teen children upstairs all in one room, Malik and Erin in her room and Bertrand and Ingrid were... together. Not hugely surprised by the fact itself, Adam was surprised Bertrand hadn't come to him first. Still, he had no place to judge them and there were far worse people they could be with. Like Malik. Or himself, if he was honest. Trying to close his senses down before he gave himself a headache, Adam went back to meditating in a bid to calm down somewhat.
"Vous essayez de vous éloigner de tout le monde?" The voice made him jump, instantly scanning again for Bertrand. His tutor was right in front of him, but there was still his energy with Ingrid. "Holy shit. Ingrid will not be happy." Bertrand raised an eyebrow in query. "Assuming you are... you. Who the bats and blood is in Ingrid's room with her?" "It certainly isn't me. I wouldn't... At least not before addressing it with you." Adam had been right about that then, the shape shifter was slipping, unable to mimic personality all that well. "Be my guest. Just not when you're watching the kids. Do we... Do we go up there now? I'm not sure we are ready to deal with the shifter, but Ingrid will knock the dust out of me if she knows we knew and didn't tell her immediately."
"Your choice. Actually, keep watch on that, I need to find my backup shape shifter book." "Of course you have one. Go. Go!" Bertrand flitted off again, leaving Adam trying to keep track of both copies of his energy and not imagine Ingrid killing him when she found out the truth. "Got it." Bertrand was clutching the most miniscule book imaginable, the text indecipherable without a magnifying glass. "I'm not an alchemist, but there's an anti shift potion in here that I can make - it will trap a shape shifter in one form." "How long?" Twitching with the implications of a way to at least slow down Malik's mother, Adam hoped his tutor didn't take the rough tone to heart. "Could be a couple of days, it depends on the stockpile of ingredients here." Practically tap dancing now, Adam tried to think.
"Check for the ingredients, then leave. Find somewhere to make that potion, and don't come back here until it's done. I'll keep watch, and when you come back we can finish this." The not-Bertrand upstairs was starting to move, they didn't have long. "How will you know it is definitely me when I come back?" The tutor had a good point. "Bite me." "I was only asking!" Shaking his head, Adam elaborated. "No. I mean. When you come back, find me and bite me. The shifter knows better than to copy me, and I'll know it's you then. Now go, it'll be dark in half an hour and I want you gone when it's safe." Bertrand looked at him oddly for a moment. "What?" "Fifteen years and you've never..." Understanding now - Bertrand teased him with fangs and flat-teeth bite marks, but Adam had always held off on letting anyone claim him again. "I'm trusting you. With my kids, my family, even Ingrid. You do this, I'm yours. Well. You know what I mean."
Bertrand knew Adam wouldn't give up Ingrid - If she ever spoke to him again - but he didn't seem to mind. Adam realised that he had been in denial somewhat of Bertrand's feelings, the kiss pressed against his mouth full of emotions that made his head spin. "Now go, we need to stop the shifter." "I'll be back, I promise." Their foreheads rested gently against each other for a moment, then Bertrand was gone. Keeping track of just that energy until it darkened, the vampire left Garside and Adam was alone against the shifter for what could be days. And if anyone asked, he would say he had sent Bertrand away. Which wouldn't endear him to anyone, but was an added incentive for the shifter not to copy him again, using it to get close to the kids or even Ingrid.
Sighing as he prepared to have everyone upset with him again, he contemplated braving the attic but the shifter was still up there. Actually, he should be stashing soya blood in the room next to Adrian and Emil's, so he could hide out up there later. Shoving a few bottles in a bag, he went outside and entered the room through the wall, rather than go through the attic first. Dropping the bag, he went back outside and up to the attic the conventional way - the stairs. Nobody paid him much mind, unless he counted Malik suddenly exceptionally interested in Erin's face. Shaking his head quietly, Adam felt the reassuring weight of the UV cage in his pocket and contemplated 'caging' the shifter-Bertrand, who eyed him for a second them went back to looking invested in a book.
Ingrid's face made his chest constrict, guilt a heavy weight there and Malik's smug smirk making Adam itch to dust him there and then. As he undoubtedly knew Ingrid had been with the fake-Bertrand, and to Adam that was even worse than Malik kissing his mother dressed as Ingrid just to get to Adam. She was not going to be happy when she found out. Adam wanted to declare the shifter was a fake, but that would be a dead giveaway and until they had the antishift, Adam had to grit his fangs and wait. Or dust Elisabetta. But he should be patient, do this properly, set a good example in logic and patience for his kids. As long as they were safe, he could wait. Plus, he really owed them a good example for once.
Adam didn't join the meal, but then as he wasn't totally sure what it was and he knew he had soya blood, he didn't really mind. The thing wearing Bertrand was a mildly relieving sight, at least he knew who was the fake for now. Come the morning, he would have no idea if Elisabetta stopped dressing as the tutor. Watching from behind a book, Adam could see the deep, heavy looks that Erika and Adrian exchanged, wondering if Emil could tell - Malik knew after all - and whether it was an if or a when. Maybe he should find some real, factual information on GSA for Emil, and hope he would understand if Erika and Adrian did give in. Because he had been there, he knew it was intense, souldeep and terrifying, over fifteen years since he first laid eyes on her and Adam had never stopped being overwhelmed by Ingrid.
-AGU-
vous essayez de vous éloigner de tout le monde - are you trying to distance yourself from everyone? (according to Google translate, I really need a french vampire tutor... Mmm)
This and Chosen Two updates may be later than usual, I'm away at the moment and don't have much time to write. Business as usual by next week, promise!