The next morning I lied in bed far longer than I normally would, too nervous to really get up and meet a man I have no idea who he could be. Lynnie and I kinda believe he may be part of the Buffy 'verse but really we had no idea.
"Ros!" I sat up, "Stefan is on the phone."
I jump up and run to get the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey Ros."
"Hi! What's up?"
"Well see I-" he paused abruptly, gave a very heavy sigh, "I hear you invited Damon in your house and I need to talk to you about protecting yourself." He gave a sigh and I could just imagine him with the phone to his ear and his other arm over his brow trying not to lose it. "You have no idea how dangerous he is."
"I kinda do, Stefan." I answered. "I know that he will kill me and those I love without a thought. Just like I would take a breath of fresh air without a thought. I know, Stefan."
"Th-" he gave a grunt of frustration. "Why then?"
"The agreement." I answered, simply. "Lyn told me of her agreement with him."
"What if he's lying Ros?"
"Why would he though?" I shifted feet, "And besides, I'm fairly certain that I can be his friend."
"Jesus! Ros really?" Lynnie shouted.
I spun around and gave Lynnie a smile. "Um, I gotta go Stefan." I hung up the phone and gave my attention to my glaring sister. "Hiya!"
"You need to start being a bit quieter," she said with a frosty glare. "Glad something finally got you up. It seemed like you were ready to hide underneath the blankets all day."
"I don't want to meet him," I whispered.
"You are such a whiny baby."
"Gwendolyn's patented 'suck it up, buttercup', speech coming in three, two, one."
"Shut up," she whispered, "now come on, let's go."
"I don't want to go," I whined again.
"Shu-
"Girls! It's time to go!" Aunt Joyce called out. Lynnie just gave me a superior grin and opened her arm to me as if gracefully allowing me to go ahead of her. I pinched my face into a fake smile and moved passed her.
"You may want to get dressed really quick first."
Stupidly I yipped and jumped up and ran upstairs, throwing on clothes as quickly as I could. In record time, I might add. I came downstairs to Aunt Joyce glaring at me.
"You were supposed to be ready, Rosalind."
Heat filled my cheeks, "Yes ma'am."
"Car please."
"Yes ma'am."
I quickly made my way to the car and tried to remain calm. Last thing that I wanted to do was piss off Aunt Joyce.
I got to the the car and tried to push aside my worry and nervousness, blaming the immaturity all on my teenager body. However, a look at the calm and collected Lynnie shot that theory down.
I took a breath and tried to calm down some. "You know at least in this world, getting dressed in record time doesn't immediately equal looking like a hobo."
"Just please shut up," she said with a sigh.
"I think we should get cell phones," I stated as Aunt Joyce came out of the house without Buffy coming.
Aunt Joyce came in the car with a slight huff, "One of you girls get up front please, Buffy is apparently spending the night with Caroline and forgot to tell me."
Lynnie fast as lightning jumped to the front seat, sending me a smirk. And I just shook my head at her action. However, my mind wandered to Buffy and Caroline. Especially since Caroline had been spending a lot of time planning and forcing me to be her sounding board and Buffy has only occasionally joined us, spending most of her time with Xander.
I shrugged off my suspicion and tried to prep myself for this lunch.
"Aunty, Ros thinks we should get cell phones," Lynnie's tone practically dripped with sweetness. I gave the girl a glare, knowing she felt it.
Aunt Joyce winced, "I know, I'm thinking of getting Buffy one and you guys using it all together," she gave a heavy sigh, "You know Buffy hung up on my boss last time she used mine." Aunt Joyce gave a bemused smile. "I'll look for some plans that we can afford, but until probably next year, the bills are too high for me to afford a new plan."
I nodded, and Lyn gave an "Okay." But we were both disappointed. It was the time where nearly every teen had a cell phone, but the adults still thought pagers were the more ideal device for teenagers.
We pulled into the large restaurant and Aunt Joyce stopped the car, her fingers tapping on the wheel while she took a deep breath. "Alright girls, you ready?"
"As I'll ever be," Lyn stated with a sigh.
We left the car and made our way to the smiling hostess. "Welcome, table for three?"
"Actually, our party is already here, Sirk?"
"Oh!" the smiling lady said, "He's already at a table, right this way."
We followed the hostess to a table, one that was somewhat secluded in the back of the restaurant.
The man sitting at the table was well dressed and far older than I had guessed he would be. I mean what I remember of seeing Isobel I didn't expect her to go for father types, but that's what he was.
He was thin and had a very dark, obviously dyed hair. He seemed refined and dignified and seemed too uptight to be anywhere near here. He stood upon our arrival, his eyes calculating and dark. They were the same shape and color as those I saw in the mirror.
I latched hold of my sisters arm and squeezed it while the man motioned to the table. "Please join me." He came around and smartly zeroed in on Aunt Joyce. "Joyce," he greeted with a smile, "Pleasure finally meeting you." He then turned toward us, "Gwendolyn? Rosalind?" He asked.
"I'm Ros and this is Lynnie," I stated, feeling my nerves disintegrate as I felt Lynnie's nerves stiffen her body. I slowly put myself in front of her and gave a closed off smile, "Hi."
He gave a nod, "Yes, of course." He held out Aunt Joyce's chair and only sat after we tentatively sat down. "Well my name is Rutherford Sirk and it is a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can at least set up a phone scheduled."
"Did you know about us?" Lyn asked, going right for the jugular.
Aunt Joyce's eyes widened, but Rutherford smiled widely, giving a chuckle. "I knew your mother was in the early stages of pregnancy, but she ran off before I knew more than that."
"Who were you to Isobel?" I asked.
"I was her financial provider."
"You were her sugar daddy?!" I asked reading in between the lines.
"That could be a term considered in our situation," he answered casually, cool and collected as if talking about the weather instead of such a hush hush situation.
"What?" Aunt Joyce said, her eyes wide and in shock.
At that moment the waiter came and took our order hurriedly left. But it wasn't until he came back with our drinks that anyone said a word. And even then it was really only us saying a soft thank you to the waiter.
Aunt Joyce seemed floored with a little bit of green around the gills.
Finally our food was brought out and it was just the sound of cutlery on the plates. Or actually it was more of just Rutherford's cutlery on his plate. He had ordered a steak while everyone else ordered more lunch appropriate meals.
"So how are you girls doing in your new school?" He asked after a long minute, "I understand you girls moved up a grade?"
Lynnie nodded, "School is good, we moved up a grade and it's pretty cool."
I looked at her and was surprised at how lame she sounded, and by the look she shot me, she knew.
Rutherford nodded and took a bite of his stake and once finished patted his mouth. He kind of reminded me of a pre-Buffy Giles. Stuck up and full of himself in his British up tightness, maybe more of a Wesley, just more refined.
"I was planning on taking the girls to the conference room, that way the girls don't become nervous about being alone with what is essentially a stranger," and again his voice was so cool and detached.
I took a deep breath at that, though his manner gave me the willies, he seemed to understand our worry and was apparently trying to make us feel more comfortable. I actually gave Lyn a real smile, she gave me a nod, her eyes smiling.
After a long while he paid for our meal and gave Aunt Joyce the hotel and number she could reach us at and led us to a rather lovely auburn colored convertible. Lyn pushed me to be in front seat, as classical music began to play.
"So what are your favorite subjects in school?" he asked lamely as we made our way past the freeway.
I snorted, before covering my face with embarrassment. "Uh," Lynnie stated after a long moment. "I really like psychology," she covered, equally as lame as the stuffy British man.
"They have that in high school?" He asked somewhat stupefied.
I could like feel Lyn shrug from behind me, "Yeah they have some really interesting courses in Mystic Falls. Psychology, sociology and like medical terminology," I added, covering my sister.
"What about you Rosalind?"
"I like history for the most part," I answered with a shrug. Not really sure what more to say.
"History is interesting," he said blithely, as if Lyn's more studious subjects weren't as interesting.
His tone was causing me to wonder just want he was playing at. Lyn's interests in psychology was something that could be expounded on, but instead the lame statement that history is interesting. It filled me with caution.
He pulled into a nice hotel perhaps motel, I'm not sure the differences between the two, but this was nice and nearly ritzy looking. He pulled into the valet and we waited on the side while he walked around the car to join and lead the way.
He went to the front desk and with a distinct no nonsense tone to his voice. The woman behind the desk just smiled and motioned to the bellboy. The bellboy was large smiles and led us to a small but not uncomfortably small conference room.
As I looked around I was alarmed to find we weren't alone in the room, once the bellboy left, a chair turned around to reveal Jenny-I mean Isobel.
"Hello, Mother." Lyn stated beside me and I had to bite my lip to keep in the chuckle that built up at my sister's tone.
"Hello, Gwendolyn, Rosalind," she sat up and gave a smile that didn't look real, "Rutherford."
"Do you have everything ready?" he asked her, blocking our way out of the room.
"Of course," she answered, standing and moving incredibly fast in front of us. She tilted her head and used both hands to grab our faces. Her hand was gentle but firm, and I knew not to squirm or I would feel pain. "Our girls are really beautiful," she stated and then turned to Rutherford. "You will ensure they are okay, right?"
"Of course Belle," he said severely, "You just need to compel them."
I started to squirm not liking that idea. Only to feel her fingers tighten on my jaw, Lynnie most likely doing the same.
"They are on vervain," she said after a long minute of intense staring.
"Well then what do you suggest?" he asked her, irritation on the rise.
She sighed and was back in the chair sitting primly on the seat, "Tell them the truth I guess."
"What truth?" I asked. Lyn scoffed and I could feel the heat flush my cheeks.
"Yes, we are on vervain," Lyn stated defiantly, I felt her straighten, "you may as well tell us what is going on."
Isobel smiled, "I love that you are so brave, Gwendolyn." She crossed her legs and flicked her hair, "Well our original plan was to compel you girls and complete the ritual Rutherford had started when he found out I was pregnant."
"You started a ritual when she was pregnant?" I asked amazed.
"We don't have time to go through everything right now," he said with a hint of hesitancy, "I believe that if we complete the ritual or at least somewhat it will help with your illness."
"It will," Isobel answered easily. "I had someone go through it and they believe if we do the proposed ritual it will stable your blood and ensure your survival."
I scoffed and wrapped my arm around my sister, "Like you really care."
Lynnie pinched me, but that warning was a little too late as a very irritable nearly black eyed Isobel was in front of me. "I will not lose anymore daughters."
"Um," was all I could say as she looked to Lyn with sadness.
"No more."
"Right," Rutherford said, "Well since you can't be compelled will you girls follow us to the ritual chamber?"
"Camber?" Lyn squeaked out.
"Yes," he answered, existing the conference room and walking to an employees only room. He then opened another door that had stairs leading down and I was suddenly a little too afraid to actually step foot on them. This was like every horror movie ever.
"This is for Gwendolyn," Isobel stated, giving me a push.
"If I go, can we get more answers?" I asked, my voice shaky and a bit higher than usual.
"This is to ensure she lives and you think answers are more important?" She asked with raised brow.
"No," I stammered, seeing Lyn follow our sperm donor down to the basement. "I just don't know what is going on and the stairs are creepy and this is creepy and I don't do creepy well."
Isobel scoffed, "Yet one of your best friends is a witch and a vampire?"
"I'm not friends with the witch anymore."
She didn't say anything, just placed her small hand on the middle of my back and gently pushed me down.
Each step brought more darkness, "Jesus, I maybe dead but I'm still your mother." When I didn't say anything she grabbed my arm and wrapped it in hers holding my hand tight, "You reek of fear."
I said nothing as I allowed the seemingly un-heartless vampire down into the ritzy's hotels basement into what the sperm donor called the ritual room. All in all I was starting to find I may be claustrophobic.
It was pure dark before a slight wind in the staircase revealed the flickering reddish orange of fire. Feeling like a moth to the flame I found myself picking up speed to bask in any sort of light. Two steps into the room I froze finding that the room was made out of hollowing out the earth. No roots were to be seen but the chill of underground was there.
It was circular room with tens of dozen candles giving light to the dark dank room. Wooden beams gave support to the otherwise mud room. The ground was oddly neat. Not clean, obviously it is dirt, but it was neat and in the center of the room there was an indent in a shape of a circle moist with liquid of some form.
"Alright, Gwendolyn and Rosalind you need to have-" Rutherford coughed, turning around and giving a nod to our mother, "Right, Belle?"
She sighed and handed us a bag that was already there. "You girls need to wear these and get into the circle, without disturbing it and hold each other."
I made some form of a "wha-" sound but was left with Lynnie squealing in my ear. I turned to see her with eyes wide and terror filled with her mouth a gape.
"No!" she stated, shaking her head emphatically.
Isobel smirked, "It's either those," she motioned to the bag, "Or you'll need to be nude."
"What?!" I asked, braving a look at the bag to see two string bikinis. "And we have to hug each other?" I squeaked out.
"You two need to be as close as you two were as babes in the womb." Rutherford spoke up, inspecting something on the other side of the room his back toward us.
"Where can I change?" I asked after a really long bit of mindless staring. Lynnie looked at me in shock. "They're our parents, they may hurt us but it's more plausible that they really want to save you. If I have to cuddle with you in a bikini to save your life, then I guess the only thing I can do is make it weird after the fact." I gave her a brave smile, stepping up as I noted her fear.
She snorted, "Ugh," was all she could say and turned to the woman who gave birth to us. "Where can we change?"
"Rutherford will go upstairs and I will keep watch," Isobel stated. She gave a sigh and rolled her eyes, "Need I remind you girls that I too am of the female species and more than that, I gave birth to you two."
Rutherford sighed and went up the stairs. And Lyn rounded to me with her eyes wide and worried. I motioned to the corner of the room and began undressing. "Gimme the bag," I whispered.
She handed over the bag filled with what I thought were normal bikinis, but they weren't. They were made of a breathable cotton and of an off white color. Or at least they seemed off white, as the light from candles aren't all that great. They didn't really stretch and they had some weight to them thankfully.
I pulled my undershirt down some and slid off my bottoms and slid on one of the string cotton bottom. Lyn followed my lead and slid on hers and we both turned our backs to Isobel and tied the top and let each other tie the back.
They weren't too revealing, but they strikingly small.
"Ready," Isobel called out as she led us to the circle.
Upon closer inspection I noticed that the indent liquid had a blackish hue and I was suddenly very afraid that it was something Isobel, Stefan and Damon would be intimately familiar with. Looking Lyn in the eye she mouthed one word, 'blood'.
AN-Thanks for reading! Any comments or questions I'd be all too pleased to discuss them!
