When I awoke the next night, I stayed in bed for a long while. My mind felt too full. For some reason, the revelation that LaCroix was bound to Layla had really rocked my world. I'd never thought of him as one who could be bound to another. He'd seemed too powerful for that, maybe. Or perhaps it was because of the position he held. After all, he'd said himself that it would be foolish for a Prince to allow himself to be bound to another. Which led me to another question: why didn't Layla ever try to take advantage of her hold over him? Perhaps the bond wasn't strong enough? Maybe he wasn't fully bonded to her...

I shook my head and made myself get up. There was too much to think about and no way to get answers right now. After we return from Florida, he'd said. That was still over a week away. Samantha and Blake first, then Layla, I told myself as I brushed my hair. I chuckled humorlessly at my reflection in the mirror. Sebastian LaCroix should never have girlfriends, I decided. They wound up causing him too much trouble. But where does that leave me? I thought with a sigh.

Simple. This won't last forever. He'll always be my sire, I'll always be bound to him, but our relationship won't always be like this. Eventually, we'll hardly be more than business associates. What a sobering thought. It was inevitable, though. Questions about his little hints at affection and actually caring for me came to mind, but I squashed those quickly. It was easier to just pretend those didn't exist than set myself up for a fantasy that would never come to be.

After dressing, I went up to the penthouse, taking a deep breath before opening the door to the office. As expected, LaCroix was hunched over at his desk, a deep frown knitting his eyebrows together as he quickly flipped pages of paper, quickly signing or initialing some. He glanced up and saw me as I entered, and his head came up as he put the pen down. I smiled a little. "You don't have to stop because of me," I said. "Just wanted to see if there was anything you needed me for or anything I could help with."

He looked at me for a few moments, and I instinctively stood a little straighter under his scrutiny. My hands clasped behind my back, and I consciously reminded myself to not bite my bottom lip out of nervousness. His right eyebrow twitched just barely before he lowered his head again and gestured to a stack of papers at the side of his desk. "Take these down to Mr. Sheldon on the 38th floor," he said. "They shouldn't have come up here in the first place." I nodded though he wasn't looking at me. I approached the desk, then stepped around it to where LaCroix was sitting. He looked up at me with a confused and annoyed look, just the opportunity I'd hoped for. Bending down a little, I kissed his forehead and smiled. He frowned, eyes narrowing. "What was that?" he asked.

I stepped back, frowning. "I just...know you're under a lot of stress right now," I said, unsure of what else I could say to explain myself. I'd felt I had humiliated myself at my presentation by blurting that I loved him, even though he hadn't reacted negatively to it at all. Still, I wasn't about to repeat the performance.

He rolled his eyes and gave me a cold glare before turning back to his paperwork. "Don't patronize me," he muttered.

"I'm not trying to!" I argued. "I know I made you feel like shit last night, and I'm trying to fix that as best I can for now!" LaCroix put down his pen roughly, but I spoke again before he could say something. "And I'm not going to apologize for using language that absolutely fits the situation."

He sat back in his chair and stared at his desk. "This is the last thing I need to deal with right now," he said, his voice tired. "I told you, we'll discuss it after next week's errand."

"I don't care about discussing it," I said, leaning down with one hand on his desk. "I want to make sure that you're okay. That's all."

That made LaCroix finally look at me again. After a few silent moments, he got up and slowly walked to the fireplace, hands clasped behind his back. I stayed beside the desk, somehow sensing trying to be close to him would be a mistake at the moment. "Has this turn of events made me weak in your eyes, Miss Lucas?" he asked, still turned away from me.

"No, of course not," I answered, frowning.

"Then why are you acting any different towards me than normal?"

I opened my mouth to answer but found that I couldn't argue against it. I was treating him differently. At least, I had the urge to; and giving him that kiss had only proven it to him. "I...I'm...I feel guilty for even bringing it up," I said finally, being as honest as I could.

LaCroix snorted, a short chuckle without amusement. "And you try to apologize or atone by bringing it up yet again in some way when I specifically told you that we will be discussing it after dealing with more important and immediate matters." I leaned my hip against the desk, deflating a little. He turned to me angrily and walked back to the desk, his strides long and fast. "If bringing this to the forefront of my mind while I'm positively overwhelmed with work and other grievances is your version of 'helping,' Miss Lucas, I'd very much prefer that you do not bother coming up here until next week when we are leaving for Florida." His jaw was clenched tightly when he paused to sit at the desk. "I've too much to do in a very short period of time to be able to afford being distracted like this."

He sat down and went back to his paperwork, and I knew I'd been given my instructions and dismissed. My hands trembling with anger, I slowly picked up the pile of paper he'd told me to take downstairs. I wanted to scream at him, get into an argument, make him see that I was at least trying to show him I cared; but I really didn't know why it mattered to me that he knew. However, I also knew that it would just get me into deeper trouble with my sire. What he'd do in retaliation, I couldn't be sure; but hints of how violent he could be had come out during my Agoge. I didn't want to invite more of that. So, when I picked up the papers, I stood straight, my chin held high. I wanted the last word, though. "Forgive me, then, my Prince, for being such a distraction. I can see you have things under control here, so I'll find other ways of busying myself."

I heard him growl deep in his throat, making me pause instead of turning away to leave as I should have. He slammed his pen against his desk and stood suddenly, his face inches from mine with his fangs bared. "Let me speak in terms you're apparently more familiar with since you seem so insistent on delaying your departure in spite of my clear instructions to leave," he said in a low voice. Moving even closer until our noses were nearly touching, he growled, "Get...the fuck...out."

As startled as I was by his use of language I knew he hated to hear coming from a Ventrue mouth, I instantly turned and left as fast as I could without running. His voice echoed in my head, and I wondered if he'd dominated me to make me leave. No, he stressed the wrong word, I rationalized. No, my action of immediately leaving was my own, motivated by pure fear. Presence, maybe? No, unnecessary. He's just really fucking pissed.

I dropped off the paperwork in my arms to Mr. Sheldon as LaCroix had ordered, then hesitated around the elevator while I wondered what to do next. I obviously wouldn't be hearing from LaCroix for the next week or so; I was pretty much on my own. Deciding to go back to my own suite, I sighed. I didn't even clearly know what the next part of my Agoge was, so I didn't know if I should get back to studying or if there was something else I needed to do. I hated being restless. Even more, I hated being useless. I needed to do something to keep myself busy. When I entered my suite, I stood in the entry and looked around. I could redecorate a little, maybe... Rearrange some furniture or something... Deciding it was better than nothing, I walked around my living area and looked for new possibilities for my furniture and the paintings on the walls.


The week moved by slowly. I spent a lot of time away from Venture Tower. The time was helpful, really, as I became more confident in my hunting abilities and began to feel more comfortable in my Kindred skin. By chance, I happened to meet one of the Ventrue who had attended my presentation. Andreas Chambers looked my age but was over a century old. He was the proprietor of an antique book store near the edge of town, but most of his time was spent in the private office on the upper floor of the shop. He never spoke to customers directly, instead having his ghoul employees bring books up to him for appraisal. Mr. Chambers bragged about how he was never wrong about a book's worth, how he was regarded as the best book seller on the west coast in his line of business. More important to me, however, were the little bits of lessons he sneaked into our conversations in his office.

Mr. Chambers was my first teacher aside from LaCroix, but he directed his teachings in such a way that I had to be paying attention in our conversations. He encouraged my questions; but if I ever made him repeat himself, the glare he gave me was positively withering. Inattentiveness was an insult to Ventrue. Of course, through my time with LaCroix, I had known this; but I had previously thought it was more of a personal insult to him. On the contrary, all Ventrue seemed to expect to have the undivided attention of their guests. Rightfully so, I supposed. After all, it was rather rude to ignore one's host.

After a week had passed, I made a short visit to Mr. Chambers to let him know I'd be indisposed for a few days. He frowned, dark brown eyes narrowing. "Won't be able to come by?" he asked. "Why not? Your sire doesn't approve, perhaps?"

I shook my head, wondering why he'd bring that up. "No, not at all. Prince LaCroix will probably be thrilled to learn I've been spending time learning from other esteemed members of our clan," I responded.

To that, he raised his chin a little. "He doesn't yet know you've been here?"

"No, he's been rather busy this past week," I replied. "I've found it wiser to leave him to his work than spend time trying to engage him in idle conversation about my day." Mr. Chambers nodded slowly, turning away from me and giving me the opportunity to let out a silent breath of relief. "Actually, I won't be coming by for a few days due to a business matter that Prince LaCroix and I must attend to out of state. I should be seeing you again next week, though."

"A business matter?" Mr. Chambers repeated. He had a habit of doing that: repeating my words back to me and, at times, letting me know just how naïve or unrefined I could sound. This time, though, I sensed it was more of a matter of curiosity. "Everything is all right with the Prince's foundation, I hope?"

I smiled. "Of course." I fought the urge to explain myself. Mr. Chambers had said often that saying less was the best defense against those intelligent enough to pick your words apart. In this case especially, I found it wise to follow his advice, though it was using it against him at the same time.

He gave me a polite smile back. "Well, I suppose it can't be helped, then. I'll be looking forward to your next visit, Miss Lucas."

"As will I. Good evening, Mr. Chambers." I gave him a slight bow of my head before leaving.

"Give the Prince my regards," he said as I left, making me chuckle. I wondered if the two Ventrue even knew each other or if Mr. Chambers was using me as a way to gain a connection to the most powerful Ventrue in the city.


I walked into LaCroix's office with my head held high, determined to not let him even try to intimidate me. "Good evening, Prince," I greeted him. "If I've read my calendar correctly, we should be leaving soon. This is correct, yes?"

He looked up from his work with a raised eyebrow for a few moments, then looked back to his desk. He stayed silent long enough that I wondered if he was still upset with me and giving me a silent treatment, but he finally laid his pen down and looked up again. "We'll be leaving for the airport in an hour," he said, lacing his fingers together on the desk top. "We'll be arriving at our destination with an hour or so before sunrise."

I raised an eyebrow. "It takes so long to get there?" I asked.

"Time zones," LaCroix sighed, getting up from his seat. "And it's a five hour flight."

I frowned and followed LaCroix across the room to where Blake was staked in the corner. "Which makes it dangerous for us if there's any sort of delay," I pointed out.

"Slightly," LaCroix agreed, turning to me. "But with a private jet like the one available to us, we have the ability to wait until the next sunset to leave, if need be." I nodded, assuming LaCroix had the situation well in hand. This wasn't the first time he'd traveled, after all. Of course he'd have a plane equipped to deal with our "condition." "As for now," he said, kneeling next to Blake, "we should allow Mr. Xavier a drink before we leave." He gripped the stake and pulled it out slowly, making me wince at the sickening squelching sound it made exiting Blake's chest. Blake coughed and groaned, fighting to sit up. As he recovered, LaCroix turned and looked up at me. "Have you fed tonight?" he asked.

"I've had a little," I answered. Mr. Chambers always offered me a glass of blood when I visited, and that night had been no different. Out of politeness, I'd accepted.

Nodding, LaCroix reached into his coat and pulled out his key card to hand it to me. "Fetch us a bottle; you know where it's kept."

I took the card and inclined my head. His demeanor this night was rather formal and businesslike, even towards me. I felt obligated to answer in kind. "Of course, my Prince," I replied. "Glasses as well?"

"Please."

Nodding again, I turned and left to retrieve the blood from LaCroix's suite. During the elevator ride, I decided cool and polite was a better reception than I'd expected to receive. Things seemed back to normal, somewhat. He'd calmed down from our last encounter and was willing to let it lie instead of punishing me for it, it seemed. Just as well. Perhaps this was a lesson in itself: let things lie when there are more important things at hand. He was showing me through example what I'd failed to do when I'd tried to "make things up" to him a week ago. I smiled a little as I entered his suite, experiencing a small feeling of gratitude that I had him for my sire. As moody as he could be, he was still deserving of every bit of respect he demanded.

I quickly retrieved a bottle of blood from his cupboard and three glasses before going back up to the penthouse office. Blake had moved from the floor to one of LaCroix's couches, elbows resting on his knees. He wearily looked up at me when I entered, his expression mostly blank. I handed the bottle to LaCroix and set the glasses on his desk, my eyes still on Blake. I didn't feel sorry for him; he'd made the choices that led him here on his own. "Give this to him," LaCroix said, bringing me out of my thoughts as he handed me one of the glasses, nearly filled to the brim.

When handed the glass, Blake looked up at me again. "Thanks," he said, his voice slightly hoarse. His eyes closed as he drank the blood down quickly. "You Ventrue get the good stuff," he said with a chuckle.

"As it should be," I said quietly, taking the empty glass from him.

"You're no better than us," he grumbled, narrowing his eyes at me angrily.

"Than Tremere?" I said, raising my chin. "Perhaps. Better than you, however?"

Before I could continue, LaCroix interrupted. "Natalie. Enough." I pressed my lips together tightly, knowing better than to argue. He'd heard Blake's statement. If he saw no reason to put the Tremere in his place, I had no right to do so against his wishes. Instead, I turned and walked back to LaCroix's desk, letting my expression show that I wasn't pleased with having to leave the argument alone. He took the glass from my hand and refilled it. "It's not worth it," he said softly. "His position won't change. There's no reason to waste words in argument, especially if it only leads to blatant personal attack."

"Yes, sir," I relented.

"Good." He handed the refilled glass back to me. "This should help with his healing."

I nodded and went back to Blake, giving him the second glass of blood. He took it but gave me a suspicious look that he turned towards LaCroix a moment later. "I thought you'd keep me as weak as you could," he mused before taking a sip from the glass.

"No, on the contrary," LaCroix said, approaching us with the other two glasses in his hands. He handed one to me and took a drink from the other. "I want you at full strength for visiting your sister tomorrow evening."

"My sister?" Blake repeated, surprise washing over his features.

LaCroix nodded. "As I'm sure you can imagine, I have some matters to discuss with her." To my surprise, he put his arm around me waist, pulling me close. Then I remembered that Blake and Samantha thought we were lovers; around them, the game was in full effect.

Blake's eyes narrowed, but he quickly looked away from LaCroix. "You beat the shit out of me, and you expect me to believe that you just want to talk to my sister?" he asked.

LaCroix chuckled low. "Trust me, boy, I won't be laying a finger on her," he said. His words made me look up at him questioningly. He still hadn't told me what his plan was.

"She's out of your jurisdiction, you know," Blake said, standing and meeting LaCroix's gaze eye to eye.

"I'm fully aware, Mr. Xavier."

Blake stayed silent, but I could tell he was trying to figure out what was going to happen. I was, too. He was right, after all. LaCroix didn't hold any sway outside of the Los Angeles area. The most he could do would be to talk to whoever was the Prince of Pensacola and tell him the story, then hope he'd be believed. That fact alone made me wonder why we'd be going straight to Samantha instead of the Prince. I thought briefly that perhaps Samantha herself was Prince; but no, she was hardly older than I was, as far as being Kindred was concerned. She'd never be entrusted with such an office so early. The Camarilla would never allow it, let alone the clan. "She'll deny everything," Blake finally said. He was trying to cast doubt in LaCroix's mind.

"I'm sure she will," LaCroix said, a smirk on his lips. "But we do know the truth, thanks to you." Blake swallowed hard, and he seemed to shrink a little. He was losing courage, seeing he was trapped in this situation. LaCroix finished the blood in his glass, and I followed suit as he said, "Come. We'll miss our flight."


On the flight to Pensacola, LaCroix and I sat next to each other, Blake across the plane from us. My curiosity finally getting the better of me, I leaned over to LaCroix, kissing his neck lightly for appearances before whispering, "You still haven't let me in on your plan."

He chuckled, placing a hand on my knee and squeezing lightly. "You're merely here for effect," he said softly. "All you have to do is enjoy the show." I pulled back and frowned at him. My frown was met with a smirk, as usual. He brought his hand up to my cheek, brushing his thumb over my cheekbone lightly. "Trust me."

"I do, but-"

His finger touched my lips, stopping me. "I've said all I need to," he said. I sighed but nodded. Trying to force an explanation would only make him lock up his thoughts more tightly from me. When he saw that I wasn't going to argue, he went back to the book in his lap. I peeked over at what he was reading, but it was in French. Not understanding a word, I settled for leaning against his shoulder and closing my eyes. I felt him shift, then sigh, shifting again to put his arm around me and letting my head rest on his chest instead.

"Do you know someone named Andreas Chambers?" I asked.

"Should I?" LaCroix asked.

"He owns an antique books boutique in Los Angeles," I said, sitting up a little to look at my sire. "He's Ventrue."

Raising an eyebrow, LaCroix glanced at me then frowned into his book. "Chambers..." A flash of recognition finally flickered over his features as he closed his eyes and nodded. "Ah, yes. Introverted type, keeps to his shop. Rather successful in his line of business, as I understand."

I smiled and nodded. "He is. I've been spending time at his shop lately."

LaCroix looked at me again, seeming surprised. "He's taken you on, has he?"

"Seems that way. He's very conversational in his lessons, though," I said, settling against my sire's shoulder again. "It's as if every word is a lesson in how to pick out an underlying meaning."

He chuckled. "More than likely, that's exactly what it is. And you've been under his tutelage for how long?"

"The past week."

"Then you're already doing well, it seems, if you can pick out his intentions so quickly."

I shrugged. "It was no great feat. After all, he's not good at disguising his disappointment in me if I don't answer something the way he wants me to." LaCroix chuckled again. "I'm serious!" I insisted, laughing a bit myself. "He gives me a dirty look, then pouts! I think he feels like I've ignored him if I so much as forget something he said towards the beginning of a four-hour conversation!"

"Ah, he's young," LaCroix said, going back to his book. "Young, but not stupid. You've chosen a good mentor for your second."

I smiled at that. "To be honest, he chose me, I think. Our meeting after my presentation was purely coincidental."

LaCroix glanced at me from the corner of his eye. "Was it?"

I began to nod, then thought deeper into his question. He wasn't asking for sake of conversation. He wanted me to think back and consider if my meeting Mr. Chambers was as much a coincidence as it seemed. "You think he planned it?" I asked, sitting up.

"I wouldn't doubt it," he said with a slight shrug. "I'm sure everyone who plans on taking you as a student made their decision to do so at your presentation."

Sitting back in my seat, I frowned thoughtfully. "He made our meeting seem so...random, though," I mused. "As if he was surprised to be running into me on the street."

"If he had approached you, introduced himself, and made clear his intentions to become your mentor right there 'on the street,' as you put it, how would you have taken that?" LaCroix asked, closing his book and looking at me.

I paused to think about that for a moment. "Nervous, probably," I admitted. "Apprehensive. Suspicious."

"Why suspicious?" he asked.

"Well, I've already had the feeling that he's planning on using his interaction with me to gain some connection with you," I answered. "It seems that any Ventrue who talks to me of their own volition really wants to have some inside connection for getting your attention."

LaCroix chuckled. "And so you have an obstacle that other Ventrue childer in Los Angeles don't have: gaining attention for yourself and not allowing yourself to be overshadowed by the mere fact that you are a Prince's childe."

I groaned. "I never thought of that."

"It's all a part of your gaining your own dignitas, Natalie," he said, laying a hand on my arm. "Your Agoge won't officially be over for several years, if you follow the course of the average Ventrue. During that time, you'll gain your own notoriety through your being mentored by the other Ventrue in the city. Talk of your performance will get around; and soon it will be your own merits that draw them to you, not those of your sire." He raised an eyebrow at me again. "That is, should you continue to show that you have such talents to offer. If you merely float along and just answer their questions correctly, you'll have a much greater struggle to gain a place in their memory."

"In other words, I need to strive to stand out from any other Ventrue that they may have had the chance to mentor," I said, clarifying for myself.

"You are a Prince's childe, Natalie," LaCroix stressed, squeezing my arm lightly. "You must show yourself to be extraordinary. It's expected by everyone."

"No pressure," I joked weakly.

"Nonetheless, I wouldn't have Embraced you if I thought you wouldn't be able to stand up to such a challenge. You know this."

I sighed. "I trust your assessment of me, but I really don't think there's anything so special about me that will stand out," I confessed. "I'd practically need to be you to keep from being overshadowed by your position."

LaCroix smirked. "How have you managed thus far around other Ventrue?" he asked. "Before your Embrace, as well."

I chuckled, already knowing the answer to that question. Of course, I'd managed to fit in my emulating him. His speech, his mannerisms, his discretion... The only thing I'd had to do was fit it all for a female. A curtsy instead of a bow, a demure smile instead of a chuckle... "Surely you don't mean making your merits my own," I said.

"Consider this: how does a human child learn to speak? By listening to and mimicking those around it. This method of learning can be put towards nearly everything in life. Everything is a copy of something influencing it. Now, you've spent enough time around me to obviously adopt my own mannerisms into your ways—don't seem surprised that I've noticed, Natalie. As your sire, if I wasn't keeping a close eye on the finer points of your personality, I wouldn't be doing my duty."

I smiled but glanced at my hands in my lap nervously. "There's a problem with my doing that, though. The last thing I'd want is for people to know me as 'another LaCroix.' Not that it wouldn't be an honor to be thought of as such, of course! But...how do I separate my own personality from the parts of you that I've taken through your example?"

LaCroix sighed, but seemed to be hiding a bit of a smile. He glanced across the plane to where Blake was sitting. The Tremere was making no secret of the fact that he had been listening to our entire conversation. Turning back to me, LaCroix said, "The best advice I can give is to keep your own mind."

"My own mind?"

The small smile became a hint of his signature smirk as he touched two fingers to my temple. "I can tell when you don't like something I've said," he told me. "Even when you choose to stay silent on the matter, I can always tell when you disagree with me. That is your being of your own mind and opinion. As long as it doesn't lead to your arguing about instructions you're given, I don't discourage that at all, though you may want to work on not letting others know your thoughts. Your transparency can lead to an awkward situation if you offend someone."

I laughed. "So, I can disagree as much as I want, but I can't verbally disagree or show it outwardly."

"I know that's how it seems, and that may be fact for now. But eventually, childe, you'll have gained enough experience and wisdom that you'll be able to offer an intelligent counter-argument in some cases. Also, you've yet to learn a sense of tact that will present your counter-argument in those appropriate times as merely your thoughts on the matter instead of an attack on the other person's view of things."

"I'm too aggressive with my ideas, then," I said.

LaCroix smiled. "At times. Now, you must see why the Agoge takes such a long time to be considered complete."

"It's a total change in personality."

"No. No, not a total change. Merely adding to it. Refining it, becoming a greater version of yourself than you would have had time to become as a mortal. You'll retain your personality and use it to your advantage, but those additions you've made over time will make your personality that much stronger and more influential. You'll see and feel the change in yourself, making you confident. Others who've known you from the start will note the change as well and respect you for how you've grown Those who respect them will see that and know that you've apparently done something to earn the respect of the others, and the cycle continues. That is where your dignitas comes from. That is what you're working towards."

I sat silent for a few moments before speaking again. "And that's where one's creativity and ambition comes into play," I said slowly, voicing my thoughts as they came to mind. "One's outward appearance and demeanor gets one implanted into the memories of those who may prove useful in the future. The true personality, though, defines how far one can go and what one can achieve."

"See there?" LaCroix said with a smile. "You've got the intelligence and reasoning facilities to go far. Listen to what others are teaching you, but don't take it for face value. You've already shown that you take people's words and analyze them for their true meaning. As long as you ensure you understand those implications, you'll have no problem staying a step ahead of anyone you encounter and rising above them."

I returned the smile and leaned my head against his shoulder again. I much preferred his way of teaching. Straight-forward. Granted, Mr. Chambers gave me a chance to practice my ability to figure out what people were really saying; but I rather liked not having a need to do that. Made things less complicated.

The plane landed a while later; but we chose to stay on board to wait out the daylight hours, just to be safe. Even with the shades pulled down, blocking out all sunlight, I felt the sunrise drag me into sleep, still using LaCroix's shoulder as my pillow.


A/N: More blah, blah, blah, I'm afraid... D: Next chapter's gonna have more actual interesting stuff in it, I promise. -_-; Just a matter of finding the time and will to write.

A/N #2: As of 7-10-10, I have no computer to write on. D: My power supply went kablooey, and bills still need to be paid, so I probably won't be able to post a new chapter for at least a week or two. So don't think I've abandoned you! I've just run into technical difficulties that will hopefully be fixed soon. Next chapter's in my head and will probably be substantial in length. XD Stay tuned! I'll post when I can!