Vampire's Kiss
Disclaimer: No, I do not own Oblivion, its characters or places or ideas. Nor am I making a single Septim from this. Sniff
Author's Note: Thieves and blood and a shop keeper who might not survive the story. Enjoy!
Chapter 13
"So… what's the plan?" Vicente glanced at Tessa's shadow hidden face as she scanned the crowd on the Waterfront's broad walkway. Several new ships had just arrived, and the hustle and bustle of activity provided them with enough cover to slip into the upstairs rooms of an unused warehouse. It was early evening and the sun had just gone down, some of its debilitating rays still shivering over the water and distant hills.
"We wait." He could feel her stare on his face as he turned to once again watch the crowd below. He knew she craved to ask, could tell that the question burned her tongue as a hot coal placed on its moist, living surface. Finally, she nodded, and simple returned her gaze towards the boarded up window. "The time of shadows is not only the time of assassins."
A low chuckle told him she had finally understood, and now stilled in patience, she settled more fully besides him, allowing his arm to drag her closer to his side, her head resting on his shoulder. They would not move until the darkest hours of night had fallen and seek their prey in little visited places between the shacks and huts of the slums leaning against the great warehouses of the waterfront. They had no need for idle conversation as the shadows grew deeper and deeper along the walls and alleys, the crowds slowly turning from their pursuit to seek the relative shelter of their homes and beds. As the first sliver of Masser rose, the vampire finally roused himself to move. With a soft smile, he glanced at the still woman by his side. She had curled against him and succumbed to the sleep needed by mortals. It would be a long night yet.
"Tessa." He murmured as he ran a hand through the sleep tousled hair.
"mmm?" Vaguely, she fluttered her eyes open, smiling and stretching as from a good dream.
"It is time." She nodded and stood, stretching more fully, the beat of her heart falling into the rhythm of the waking, no longer claimed by sleep. She slipped her arms around him before he could turn towards their exit, and brushed a kiss over his cold lips. He quirked an eyebrow at her action, but refrained from commenting, motioning her forward with a half-smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.
The streets were mostly empty. The hollow ring of the patrols' feet hitting the pavement, and the occasional pained moan from a beggar seeming at odds with the otherwise still night. They easily slipped from shadow to shadow, avoiding the slowly pacing figures, to reach a well hidden place between the high walls of the warehouses and the weather molded paneling of the waterfront hovels. A group of 4 stood under the uncertain light of rising Masser, conversing in low tones. The two Bosmer females and Redguard male had the looks of experienced thieves about them while the Argonian male seemed to play at being thieve.
The duo clung to the shadows and watched. Soon enough, the females and the Argonian left the area, the two women jogging with a set destination in mind while the Argonian seemed on his way to a short stroll along the beach. Once only the Redguard remained, they stepped from the shadows to face him.
"Who are you?" The man carefully placed his hand on his weapon, his glare apparent even in the weak light.
"Fellow inhabitants of the night." Tessa spoke softly, as if not wishing to startle him. "We come seeking information"
"Speak plainly woman." She laughed as softly as she had spoken, before lowering her hood, allowing the weak moonlight to highlight her features.
"We belong to the Brotherhood and seek an audience with your leader."
"Assassins?" The man spat the word as if it were highly distasteful.
"Yes." Vicente simply answered. "That and more."
"And what information could we possibly have which your kind would want?" The two assassins exchanged quick looks, before Tessa bowed her head to her fellow assassin.
"The kind not in your possession, Armand Christophe." Vicente's voice was even, almost emotionless as he spoke.
"And why should I help you then?"
"Why indeed." Silence fell between the three as they stared at one another. Both Tessa and Vicente allowed no impatience to cloud their faces. The thief could not know just how desperate they were for the information the guild might be able to provide. As for Christophe himself, he glared at the two, attempting to pierce through the shadows surrounding Vicente's face.
"What stops me from calling for my fellow thieves. The Waterfront belongs to us!" The thief finally declares.
"You would be dead before help reaches you, and we would be gone." Tessa nodded to her companion, before a small sigh escaped her lips.
"Tell your leader," Vicente finally spoke, "that we will meet him where he wants and on the terms he himself sets. We would be in his debt." He spoke the words as if in distaste, knowing he had very little choice. Neither he nor Tessa currently had access to the Brotherhood's extensive intelligence network, not without knowing how much of it had be corrupted by the traitor and the Morag Tong. The Thieves had a network second only to their own and in some cases, it was even superior. Without access to it, they might never find the traitor and clear Tessa's and, by extension, Lucien's name.
"And why should I pass your request on to him? Kill me and you'll never get what you want."
"We will complete one task of your naming." The Redguard threw back his head and laughed at the words.
"I don't need anyone killed." He spoke with a spiting sarcasm in his tone. "We are not murderers." He spat the final word as if it were something highly distasteful.
"My companion did not offer to murder someone for you. He offered to complete a task for you. Should you stipulate it, we shall even ensure that no blood is spilled, even if such a thing is contrary to our very natures." Tessa countered softly.
"There might be something you could do for me." He seized the two up, as if taking the measure of their worth. "And no blood is to be spilled. Do this, and I will arrange a meeting for you." Both assassins nodded at his words, waiting with barely contained impatience.
"What do you need of us?" A wide grin stretched the man's face, as if in glee at the prospect of getting rid of the two so easily.
"Councilor Ocato has recently acquired a rather unique amulet. It is of unusual beauty and supposedly capable of holding an enchantment more powerful than most other high quality items. We have received a request to retrieve exactly that amulet." The look in the thief's eyes dared them to turn him down.
"And I suspect, the Councilor never takes this amulet off?"
"You suspect quite correctly." Without another word, the two assassins turned to leave. It would do no good to argue. "Don't bother returning without the amulet." Tessa was certain she could hear Vicente's teeth grind as they faded back into the shadows. The thief was insufferable, but neither would give the man the satisfaction of knowing this.
"We can't kill Ocato." Tessa's tone of voice was rather despondent, as if dreading having to complete a task without bloodshed.
"He only specified it must be bloodless, not deathless." Tessa snorted in answer to Vicente's calmly stated words. While true, they both knew that if anything happened to the man, then there would be no meeting, and their time was running out.
"If I remember correctly from my time shadowing the Casemoore's, then Ocato goes to the Temple every evening around dusk."
"Heavily guarded?"
"Heavily guarded." Tessa confirmed. She had seen the man strut towards the main door of the Temple of the One with the confidence only a man with power could hold. There was no deny that he wielded power. With no Emperor enthroned, he quasi ruled the Empire. Tessa suspected he wouldn't appreciate the appearance of a bastard son of the late Emperor Uriel.
"We'll need some kind of diversion."
"An Oblivion gate would do quite nicely."
"Perhaps, but it is a bit of an overkill, and I don't relish the fire." They had reached the tunnel up into the city proper by now, slipping in after a group of guards headed up to their barracks at the end of a patrol. By the time they reached the Temple District, Secundus had risen, casting their surroundings into a silvery white light. The duo stopped in the awing of a house, within sight of the temple's main entrance. "Does he always use the same path?"
"The path yes, the time varies to within plus/minus one hour, if I remember correctly." Without further prompting, they headed towards the Palace along the path the High Chancellor took for his evening devotions. The path was short, and far too open for an attempt at theft. There was no dark alley, no shadowed corner from which to launch an attack on the man.
"What does he do inside the Temple?" Vicente asked as she walked on towards the gate again. Tessa stopped in her tracks at his question.
"You know what? I honestly don't know." She shook her head in frustration as she tried to conjure up an image of what the man might have been doing in the Temple every evening.
"Then, you will have to find out tomorrow." His eyes scanned her from top to toes, tsking disapprovingly. "But first, you'll have to go shopping. This outfit won't do." With low chuckle at her annoyed expression, he slipped her arm around his, and tugged her towards the Market District. Arm in arm, they walked through the night, enjoying the cool touch of the double moons hanging high up in the sky.
~V~
The small bell above the door chimed, and the Altmeri woman bending over the counter, examining the seams of a silvery colored shirt looked up in slight irritation at the intrusion not minutes after she had opened the shop. That irritation grew as she spotted her newest customer's plain clothing and even plainer face.
"I am in need of clothing." The woman spoke softly, looking around the displayed clothing, not bothering to look at the merchant. Straightening to her full height, Palonirya glared at the woman who was so obviously out of place in her exclusive shop.
"Anyone can wear clothes. But the RIGHT clothes? That is not so easy. Go to any castle. They wear Palonirya's designs or they're nobody." The woman raised an eyebrow at her before turning back to an exquisite afternoon dress in a lovely shade of persimmon.
"I am aware of that," she replied softly, "or I would not be here. My luggage was lost during the journey to the city. I can't possibly show my face in public dressed in such a manner? I am expected at the Temple tonight, and anything less than perfect simply will not do." Palonirya straightened herself at those words. It seemed that the woman was a customer and not simply a peasant who had lost her way into a fashionable shop.
"I hope you did not lose your gold as well. My creations are not without their price." Instead of answering, the woman simply removed a large pouch from her waist and threw it on the counter; the sound of gold clinking within music to Palonirya's ears. "Well then, I must apologize for my behavior. You can never be too careful."
"I fully understand." The black haired woman smiled softly and finally settled her attention fully on the clothe merchant. "Do you perhaps have an idea on what might suit me. I always have trouble finding appropriate colors and styles and so very few have the knack for it."
"Indeed. The pallor of your complexion and the mundane shade of your black hair does cause some trouble. But together with your brown eyes, any shade of green or blue will be stunning. I would keep my fingers from the warmer colors as they will give your complexion an unflattering red hue. For the Temple I would suggest a light brocade with a Breton lace trim." The master tailor slowly paced around her customer, seizing the woman up.
"This way please." With a wave of her hand, the customer was directed into the back room. If the woman was to attend the ceremony at the Temple tonight, then Ocato would be present. And where the High Chancellor was present, high born ladies were never far. It was the occasion to try one of her new designs, and as the woman was rather slim and petite, it would not be a problem to adapt one of her new dresses to fit her like a glove.
An hour later, the woman left again, dressed in clothes more appropriate for her station and with directions to the best lodgings in the city. The dress would be delivered promptly at four, giving her another two hours to get ready. Palonirya herself would accompany the delivery to insure that everything was exactly as it should be. She couldn't wait to hear the reactions the next morning. The shop will be positively overflowing.
~V~
Vicente looked up from his place in a shadowed corner as the door slammed open and closed again. Tessa stalked in carrying a heavy bag with her traveling clothes, wearing a stunning combination of new clothes. Tight black pants with a silvery blue over dress reaching to her knees and slit up the side to her hips. Soft looking black boots and a silver chain completed the outfit.
"You seem to have enjoyed your shopping." He stated mildly, amused at the disgust on her face.
"What I would enjoy is driving a blade through that woman's heart. She's insufferable." He lazily waved with one hand to approach him, staring hungrily at her exposed throat as she slowly stepped closer.
"Perhaps once we no longer need her." He grabbed her hand when she was close enough, and pulled her down onto his lap, locking his arms around her. He dropped his mouth to her throat and watched with satisfaction as she tilted her head backwards to give him better access. He kissed the pale flesh softly over the point where he pulse was steadily growing more uncontrolled. A soft shudder moved through her body as he grazed his sharp canines over the area. Drawing in a shuddering breath, she lowered her head and sought his lips for a kiss, drawing him away from the so very tempting flesh at her throat. She slipped her legs on either side of him and pushed herself closer, her hands sliding up until finally they held his face cradled between them. His own arms tightened around her until his embrace was just shy of painful. When they finally broke the kiss, a look of regret flashed in her eyes.
"You can't. Not now." He chuckled softly, before drawing her down to rest her head against his shoulder.
"I know. Once we have what we need from Ocato and the Thieves Guild, there'll be no stopping me." She shuddered slightly at the dark promise in his voice and closed her eyes to get a grip on herself again. Vicente's blood lust always left her shattered in pleasure, but weak for days afterwards. It had only grown worse since her return. In a candid moment, he had told her that her blood tasted like a rich red wine, meant to be enjoyed sip by sip. Yet give a parched man that same drink and he will drown it without thought. He could not stop himself once he tasted her. Perhaps, once the Black Hand passed its judgment and declared that only her death would compensate for her deeds, she could ask them to allow her death to come at his hands. Allow him to drain her dry to the last drop. That thought left her feeling by far too aroused for her own good.
Author's note:
Just what are they planning for poor poor poor Ocato? And will they manage to finish the task for the thieves, meet with the Gray Fox and get the information they need before the Black Hand catches up with them?