Author's Note: Alrighty, so here we have a chapter through Valeska's POV. It picks up almost right after she lost consciousness by giving insight into her near death experience. For me this chapter lies close to my heart, for little less than a year ago I had my own near death experience that very closely mirrors the one I wrote for Valeska. Not something I usually share so openly, but if it gives better insight into why I chose this route, then why not? Anyway, this chapter also has quite a bit of romance between Valeska and LaCroix, as it shows the first time in which they have any kind of real physical interaction. It's not much, and personally I think he might be slightly out of character, but let me know what you all think. Enjoy!
Special Thanks: Thank you very much to my new story followers who are Kalisca, Ambrii, and Nightlydeath89. I would also like to express my gratitude to those who favorite'd Secrets of Blood who are Nightlydeath89 and inutana. Finally, my reviewers know they have my eternal thanks but nonetheless I appreciate the support that Naruto Loves FemKyuubi, RavynKlaine, AluSoRandom, and Ambrii have given me with the previous chapters. You all keep me going when the going gets rough!
Responses: To Naruto Loves FemKyuubi: You didn't offend me lol, no worries! Also, as much as I would like to say my work is original, I can't deny the fact that my chapter on Nines had glaring similarities to another author's work. Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed my portrayal of the blonde Prince and his family. Valeska will indeed try to talk him out of obsessing over the sarcophagus, but I can't say whether it will work or not at this point.
To RavynKlaine: No worries on not reviewing the last chapter, life tends to suck up time like mad. Yes Sebastian definitely lacks…tact when it comes to a relationship, though this chapter might better explain why. I'm pleased to see that you are enjoying things so far as events unfold, and if you ever have any ideas let em loose! =)
To AluSoRandom: Yay a new reviewer! Please don't think you're a horrible reviewer for not posting before, I tend to be a bit shy myself with these things. It's always nice to hear that my work is enjoyable for others, especially since I'm so paranoid about screwing up (especially with steamy scenes in which I have no experience). The plagiarism thing is understandable as if we're thinking about the same fanfic then it cannot be denied that they are similar with certain ideas. It's very difficult to make me feel uncomfortable so fear not; so long as there are no direct insults that have no constructive criticism then you are fine! ^_^ Your vocabulary and grammar is not nearly as bad as you think either, so feel free to share again in the future if you want as your review is more than readable. As for the vampire songs, one of my reviewers just likes to share inspiring works so that is probably where you noticed that. Thanks for the ideas!
To Ambrii: Another new reviewer, this must be my lucky day! Thank you very much for your positive words as they encourage me more than you might think. As for Valeska's nature, send me a PM if you'd like with your guess and I'll let you know if you're correct. I appreciate the fact that you've given me constructive criticism, since I'm always looking to improve my work. I've been worried for a while if my POV switches ever irritated anyone, but everyone (until you that is) told me that they enjoyed getting a look into the private look of some of the other characters. I can definitely understand why it would be annoying though, and since I've gotten enough practice with my writing at this point, I'll try not to switch POV's too often unless I absolutely have to for story purposes. From here on most POV's will be either through Valeska or LaCroix's eyes. As for their relationship, I'm still aiming for the realistic approach since LaCroix doesn't seem the type to fall in love easily. If he ever did I wanted it to seem like he would be annoyed with the situation at first as such feelings are highly unusual for a two hundred year old Ventrue Prince. He would try to distract himself with his work or even flat out deny his feelings with anger for the simple fact that love is a weakness that could be exploited by enemies or allies who disapprove of his private relationships. When it comes to their blood bond, I won't deny that Valeska's feelings are slightly influenced by it, but LaCroix is completely unaffected as besides tasting great, her blood has no means of bonding him to her unless you consider the fact that he finds it addicting. It's funny you should mention their romance now, as this chapter really starts to cement things between the two as well as give insight into how things are going to play out in regards to their romance. You weren't rude at all, so no worries about that! ^_^
Chapter 35 Awakening the Beast
Valeska Latimer was floating in darkness. There was no bright light to comfort her nor was there was a heavenly father to guide her, just impenetrable darkness that prevented her from doing anything except drift aimlessly. It was a lonely feeling too, knowing that this was what she had to look forward to for the rest of eternity, and she couldn't help but wonder if this was because of the life she had led, the things she had done, or the fact that she had never really followed any specific religion. While her grandmother had always been a devote Christian, the ghoul herself preferred to avoid investing time in any organized religion, by instead placing her faith in science. That was not to say she was an atheist in any form of the word, as when her scientific beliefs failed, she often turned to more spiritual beliefs like reincarnation, the spirit world, etc. Every once in a while though, when the world seemed like it was caving in and she had no one else to turn to, she prayed. Not to anyone in particular either, but the chance that someone out there was actually listening to her was oddly comforting.
Now all of those troubles that once plagued her mind seemed so pointless, as her primary concern was dealing with the fact that she was dead now. She would never again see anyone she had cared about, she would never be able to prove herself to the world, and her very name would fade into the obscurity of history. Her current existence would leave her with nothing to do but to ache for the memories she had once experienced, while at the same time pondering on all the wrong she had ever done. Every person she had ever killed for a paycheck, every lie that she had ever told for protection, and every item she had every stolen just for the hell of it would have its events repeat themselves in her mind until she either ceased to be or simply went insane from it.
Then, without any form of warning her consciousness began to gather speed as she was hurtled towards something while the sound of eerie whispering filled her ears. Suddenly she felt as if she had been dropped from a substantial height, as the sensation of being weightless was immediately replaced with a crushing heaviness. When her eyes finally fluttered open in confusion, she realized two important details. The first which was undoubtedly the most noteworthy was that she was alive, and the second was that there was blood running down her throat that came from a small glass being tipped into her mouth by a blurry individual. Assuming it to be a vampire due to the flavorful taste, Valeska had soon greedily swallowed every bit of vitae that she had been granted, yet part of her desperately wanted more after she was done.
Sitting up in order to better request this desire, she was hit with an unexpected and overwhelming feeling of hunger. Her body literally felt like she was starving to death, and it was screaming to her that if she didn't acquire some form of sustenance soon then she would be back in that oblivion of crushing darkness. Add to the fact that her eyes weren't working properly, and her mind naturally began to panic as to where she was and if she was in any kind of danger. With a hazy mind that was barely registering minor details and senses that felt like they were nearly just as blind, it was no surprise then that she reacted violently when the blurry figure moved quickly to lay the ghoul back down on the bed. Thinking the worst case scenario she reached out for her assumed attacker, grasped them by their arm, and managed to dislocate their dainty shoulder. A muffled cracking sound along with what sounded like a woman's scream reached the ghoul's ears, but at this point she couldn't stop herself from continuing. It was like being a puppet on someone else's strings, in that she had no control over what she was doing all while being split between enjoying the incredible power she suddenly had at her fingertips and the fear that filled her.
It would have been incredibly difficult for Valeska to clearly explain what happened next, for her intense desire to satisfy her hunger had her literally jumping onto her attacker, tweaking her neck to the side, and biting roughly down on it as though she were an animal. She felt like an animal too, but after ripping off a thick piece of flesh in order to access the tangled bundles of bloody muscles and nerves underneath, the magnificent taste in her mouth had her completely forgetting all about her uncontrollable monstrous nature. All that mattered to her was the blood, and so long as she continued to experience the rush it gave her, she didn't care about the consequences.
Yet consequences there were, because although her opponent's blood was helping the ghoul's senses to return, her vision had her experience the startling realization that she was not only in LaCroix's penthouse, but the person she was drinking from was his secretary, Katrina. On her face was a horrified expression as she desperately tried to struggle away from Valeska, but the surprising amount of strength she had kept the vampire firmly in place. Despite the ghoul's reluctance in wanting to continue harming someone who had helped her in the past, she found herself unable to resist returning to her frenzied feeding. At least that had been her intention before she noticed that on the ground was a gigantic, towering shadow. On her back she felt something strong clamp down on her collar before she was torn away from Katrina and tossed across the room like a ragdoll. Her head hit something hard, her vision faded out, and that was pretty much all she remembered besides the sensation of having her body dragged across the floor.
The next thing she knew she was standing in a dense forest, obviously dreaming, but nevertheless not feeling comfortable with how dark her surroundings were. Glancing around for some kind of sign as to what she should do next as that was usually how her dreams worked, she observed that in the not too far away distance was the faint glow of what she assumed could have been anything at this point. This was her sleeping mind after all, so for all she knew the glow could have been a Vortigaunt from the Half Life series powering some generator. That possibility seemed unlike however, seeing as how the light was orange and not green, but one could never know what to expect from the unconscious.
Deciding that this was the path she should follow, she began walking towards the faint light only to find that she was moving at an incredibly sluggish pace. Attempting to run didn't seem to work either, for no matter how hard she tried to increase her speed, she continued moving as though she were in slow motion. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally reached the source of the light, though after pulling aside a few branches of one of the pine trees, she was met with the image of someone she had least expected to see, her father, Viktor Latimer. A feeling of intense shock swept over her, not only because she was standing in front of a dead person, but because he strongly resembled the mental picture of him that she had clung to over the years. After all, she only had but a single physical photo of the man that she kept safely hidden from the rest of the world, so relying on memories were often more effective than risking the damage of one of her most precious belongings.
Sitting on a fallen log in front of a roaring fire he must have built himself, her pale skinned father, who hadn't aged a day since she last saw him, stared up at her with bright green eyes that gave her the sense that he was expecting her. With his long auburn hair tied back behind his shoulders, his single pendant of a pentagram, and his crooked nose, he held the overall image of a wise wizard. The only thing he lacked really were the flowing robes and long beard, but she supposed that a chin of stubble and jeans that had seen better days would simply have to do for now. Holding out a hand that was decorated with several ornate rings, he gestured for her to sit across from him, and while she did as she was instructed, she made the mental note of how realistic the forest ground felt.
"It's wonderful to see you, Valeska," her father greeted with a warm smile, "You've grown into a beautiful young woman."
"Uhm…thanks, dad," Valeska acknowledged, not really sure what else to say. She wished she could have forced her mind into pretending that this wasn't a dream so that she could better enjoy the illusion, but in the end there was no looking past it. Normally when she was aware that she was asleep she would wake up, but since this had not yet occurred, she simply chose to enjoy the time she had with her dad, even if he were imaginary.
"I realize you must miss me terribly, but the time we have here is short," he announced.
"You mean I'll be waking up from my dream soon?" the ghoul asked, feeling disappointed.
"Yes and no," Viktor answered, his almond shaped eyes staring intently at her from behind his glasses, "Yes in that you will be gone from here soon, but no in the sense that this is not a dream. At least, not in the normal sense that you might attribute your usual sleeping mind to be like."
"That doesn't make any sense. Sure this dream may feel very real, but I've had ones similar to it in the past," Valeska pointed out, her voice full of skepticism, "I mean I know you're dead, so what else would this be? The afterworld?"
"There's no time to explain, your Prince is approaching," her father rushed as he quickly stood from his fallen tree branch and moved towards his daughter. Valeska had to crane her head up just to meet his eyes, as she had forgotten how tall he was. His height didn't match the Sheriff's, but he was certainly tall for the average person as well as quite thin too. "Now I need you to listen to me very carefully, alright?"
"Well okay, but why are you so worried about the Prince? I don-" she began after standing up.
"No time!" he interrupted, his voice full of concern, "I did you a great disservice by leaving you in this world with so many questions and no answers, but now that you've entered the world of vampires you need to know what you are."
"What I am…father I am just a ghoul serving a vampire Prince. My friend, Mercurio, has already taught me all about being one, so what else is there to know?" Valeska asked, "And besides, the only question you left me with was why you chose to abandon me. At the time it made me think that I did something wrong as your daughter, but only now after two whole decades have I realized that you were probably in some kind of trouble. Just what happened to make you leave so suddenly?" On her father's face was a pained expression as he pulled his daughter into a tight hug, which in turn allowed her to take in his mixed scent of incense and tobacco. It was just as she had remembered him, but it something that had her torn between happily smiling and crying just because it made her think of all the happy times that they had shared, but would never again experience. A perfect set of words to describe it? Yearning nostalgia.
"I…I am so sorry, sweet pea, but this cannot be discussed further right now. When the sun next sets you need to see Maximillian Strauss. He will have the answers you seek," Viktor continued, his voice gentle as he spoke in her ear. Then, the image of her father and the feeling of his embrace began to slowly fade away as she felt like someone was trying to wake her up.
"Dad? Dad, I can't see you!" the ghoul exclaimed anxiously as she put her arms in front of her in order to fumble about blindly. "Dad, where are you? Please, I've missed you so bad. I don't want to leave yet!"
"I know sweet pea, but you don't have a choice. We will speak again, but I need you to heed my warning, Valeska, do NOT trust Sebastian LaCroix," her father cautioned, "Do you understand me?"
"Dad, please, I don't want to leave!" she repeated, as she felt hot tears streaming down her face.
"Valeska, listen to me!" her father ordered, his voice stern, "Do not trust your Prince!" The ghoul's eyes suddenly shot open as she tried to get a handle on her surroundings. At least, that had been her primary concern until she saw that standing next to her was a very irritated Prince still dressed in his bloody attire. She hadn't intended to let a scream loose, but with the combination of the dream she had just had and the fact that he had almost killed her earlier, she found herself less in control of her emotions than she would have liked. Was he going to attack her again? Was he here to extract revenge on her for feeding from his secretary? She had no idea, but her first reaction was to defend herself by any means necessarily. Therefore, while still screaming like an idiot and not entirely sure if she were even awake at this point, she picked up the nearest object, a lamp, and launched it towards the wide eyed Prince who easily stepped to the side to avoid being hit.
"Stay away from me!" she shrieked, as she scurried to the opposite side of the bed.
"Miss Latimer! Restrain yourself!" the Ventrue Prince commanded in a powerful tone that made her want to obey, "I am not here to hurt you, now calm down!" Still breathing heavily (almost to the point of hyperventilating), her eyes darted anxiously from her boss who looked surprisingly concerned, to every possible exit that was open to her. There were only two, though because the windows entailed certain death if she slipped, the only one that was really open to the panicky ghoul was the room's entrance which was currently blocked by LaCroix. Part of her knew she was overreacting to what was happening, but her normal levels of paranoia, which were usually quite high as is, were further heightened from the intense dream she had just experienced. It seemed so foolish to be emotionally compromised by something like that too, but with everything she had dealt with in the past few weeks made the possibility of being contacted by the dead seem very real. If that was really what had happened, then her father wouldn't have wasted his energy on false words. The Prince was dangerous, and more than likely he was here to hurt her. Therefore, her only way to escape the situation unscathed was to attempt to talk her way out of it.
"Not gonna hurt me, huh? After I tore out your secretary's throat and threw a lamp at you? Yeah right!" Valeska babbled out, placing a pillow in front of her in some feeble attempt at protection.
"Those things are insignificant to me," her boss stated as he slowly inched his way towards her.
"Yeah? Then why are you here?" the ghoul questioned with suspicion, following his actions closely with her eyes. "And stop moving towards me like I don't know what you're doing." The Prince stopped in his tracks and raised his hands slightly, a sign of peace that he was surrendering to her request.
"I am here to check on your condition, to acknowledge your earlier actions, and to apologize for mine," LaCroix responded, as he watched her just as carefully. It was like two hawks staring one another down while they analyzed the tense situation and plotted their future moves. "I understand at this point that your faith in me must be shaken, but I give you my word that I will not harm you. All I am requesting of you is that you trust me just a while longer so that I can answer for my crimes against you." He paused when he noticed that Valeska was lowering her guard ever so slightly; damn Ventrues and their silver tongues. "Now may I approach you without fear of having my face smashed in?"
"I…" she began before hanging her head in defeat. She wanted to tell him no, that he could go fuck himself by watching a sunrise for all she cared, but for as much as she desired to say this, she knew she couldn't. It wasn't because he held her grandmother's life in his hands either, but because despite all the flaws he seemed to possess, she still cared for him deeply. At the same time she despised him nearly just as much, and she sure as hell didn't need her father telling her not to trust the man. However, the harder she tried to believe that she hated his guts, the more she felt like she was literally being torn in two. Sure seeing him right next to her bed covered in blood had been terrifying at first (especially after she had attacked his secretary), but now that the initial shock was wearing off, she was beginning to comprehend just how relieved she was. Seeing him near death had not been an easy thing for her to witness, and although it wasn't much, a bit of her previous anxiety was being lifted now that she knew for certain that his health had improved. Was this because they shared a blood bond? Perhaps, but despite her concern with this being the primary reason for her feelings, something inside told her that it wasn't the only reason for them existing.
Nodding to let him know he could safely approach her, she observed her boss cautiously moving around to the other side of the bed with his hands still up. At this point she knew without a doubt that he wasn't going to hurt her, but as he neared her, the ghoul felt herself tearing up nonetheless. Seeing it as a sign of weakness, she had always despised crying and even more so when it was in front of someone else. Yet she couldn't stop the tears from falling, and not because she was afraid, but for the simple fact that there was just too much going on in her mind. The realistic dream of her father was still fresh in her overwhelmed mind, as well as the intense feelings of aching nostalgia she had for those memories. The time spent with him was the only time she could ever remember feeling safe, as though her grandma had provided a decent amount of security, the days spent being bullied in school constantly had the ghoul on the defensive. Now everyone she knew that could effectively comfort her either lived hundreds of miles away like her grandmother or in an entirely different plane of existence like her father. She was completely alone, which meant that the only person she really had at that moment who could immediately help her, was the Prince.
"May I sit he-?" her boss began softly. Valeska didn't give him a chance to finish his question though, for in one singular movement she tossed the pillow she was clutching to the side and threw her arms around his neck. At first he seemed shocked at her move to hug him, for his entire body tensed up as his arms stayed at his sides like he was a stone statue of a soldier. He didn't say anything either as she started to sob quietly into his shoulder that smelled of old blood, but soon he slowly brought his arms up around her as he sat down on the bed and pulled her closer into their embrace. It had been months, years even, since she had last received a real hug of any kind that did not occur in her dreams, and though she had initiated this one, the feeling was still incredibly comforting coming from a dead man who had turned her life upside down. The two remained that way for a short time, with the vampire remaining silent as his ghoul released her sorrows. She never wanted this moment of theirs to end, but even though it gave her a sense of safety, she knew that like all good things, it would have to eventually.
"I'm sorry, sir," Valeska apologized after quite some time. She was no longer crying, but her cheeks were stained from the previous tears that had her red eyes burning slightly. "I don't know what came over me."
"It is of no concern," was all the Prince said with surprising gentleness as he continued to hold her. There was no real reason for him to do that either, but she was glad that he had yet to move away. "You've been through quite a lot this evening, which I believe the two of us can both agree was primarily my doing."
"I don't care about that, I'm just glad you're alright," the ghoul admitted as she pulled away from him in order to gaze into his confused eyes. Obviously he wasn't able to comprehend the fact that someone in the world had been genuinely concerned for him. "And you don't have to apologize for something that wasn't your fault. You were shot up and bleeding to death, so I knew the risk I was taking when I offered myself to you."
"I…don't understand. My lack of control nearly killed you, and you're behaving as though these actions do not warrant some form of apology. Why?" LaCroix questioned with mild suspicion that surprised Valeska. He truly and honestly did not understand the concept of love in the slightest, and though she had not yet admitted such feelings to him, she had assumed he would have been intelligent enough to realize this on his own. Instead he still seemed legitimately confused as he uttered words that accurately mirrored his paranoia. It was like he wasn't able to handle any form of affection, and she was probably lucky that the two had been hugging only moments ago.
"Well I'm alive now, aren't I? Besides, you attacked me, and I attacked your secretary. I'd say that makes us even," she offered with a weak smile. "Though it still unnerves me because I've never done anything like that in the past. Did I…frenzy or something? Can ghouls even do that?"
"They can," the Ventrue vampire answered slowly, still wearing an expression that looked like he was partially unconvinced of her words. "Often when a ghoul is placed in a high stress environment or a near death situation they react much as a vampire would. Miss Thornton is perfectly fine however, so there is no need to fret over those actions. In the future though, do not be surprised if she seems uneasy around you." He paused and looked over his ghoul for a moment. "Are you…certain that you do not require an apology?"
"I'm sure, though I wouldn't mind hearing how much you appreciated what I did," Valeska teased with a small smirk. Oh geez, was she actually flirting with him now? One minute she's literally attacking the poor guy, the next she's crying in his arms, and now the night ends with her playfully flirting with him. She was as unpredictable as he was, worse even, and she knew he must have been thinking the same thing for the surprised expression on his face was priceless. "Uhm…sorry sir, that was a joke."
"I see, well nevertheless I do appreciate your actions to save my life. Without them I would have undoubtedly perished so ah…thank you," he acknowledged with an awkward expression and a short nod. Clearly he was not used to such displaying his appreciation, at least, not on a personal level that was not work related. It made the ghoul wonder if he had ever shared a romantic relationship with the opposite gender in the past, for the current evidence made her think that he had not, or at the very best he had forgotten what being romantic was like. Perhaps she was just reading his intentions wrong.
"You're very welcome. I can't say I'm anxious to die again, but should events similar to the one that occurred earlier repeat themselves, then know that I'll be there to help you if I can," she promised with a warm smile as she took his hand and squeezed it. It was her way of showing that she cared, but as soon as they made physical contact, he quickly retracted his hand as though she had burned him. Clearing his throat, LaCroix quickly rose from the bed and straightened his obviously ruined suit.
"So that's that then," her boss stated, while on his face were signs that he was disturbed by the situation; another hint then that he was either unfamiliar or uncomfortable with tender moments. "You will stay here for the remainder of the evening. Tomorrow you may either stay or go, though I would recommend that you remain in order to continue recovering."
"Even without vampire blood I'm a quick healer, but I wouldn't mind sticking around for a little bit. Just until I'm feeling better anyway," the ghoul said, feeling more than a little frustrated that he had returned to his business as usual attitude so quickly.
"Very well, then tomorrow I shall return to check up on your status," the Prince assured as he moved to exit the room.
"Wait!" she exclaimed as he turned back around a little too quickly to acknowledge her request. A little unusual for someone who was supposed to view her as a disposable pawn, something that she knew without a doubt she was, but she found herself smiling inside at his actions anyway.
"Yes?" LaCroix asked. On his face was an expression that made it seem like he didn't really want to leave her side just yet. In fact, it practically looked like he was just waiting for her to say the right words so that he could remain. If only she had the courage to do such a thing she would have, but she knew that she was a chicken shit when it came to these kinds of things. Sure she had experience with relationships in the past, but it had always been the opposite party that had ever initiated anything. She herself was much too shy to be so confident, and she was actually surprised that she had gotten as far with the Prince as she had.
"I just…well I…" she began, her voice wavering as her words stuck in her throat, "I think the reason I attacked you earlier was because I was having a nightmare. Just wake me up gently tomorrow okay? I don't want to throw another lamp at you."
"As you wish," the Prince simply nodded as he matched her weak smile with a subtle look of disappointment. She felt bad, but what was she supposed to do? Invite him to share the bed with her? It was certainly large enough that the two of them would never even touch once should either of them wish that, but with his concern for his reputation he would surely turn her down if she even offered something like that anyway. Was there any harm in asking though? Well yes, but no one ever achieved anything without putting forth a bit of effort that was inspired by either bravery or stupidity.
"I mean, I know I might sleep better with someone here with me, but asking that of you would just be stupid right?" Valeska hinted at with a bit of forced laughter, her cheeks burning hot with embarrassment. "Heh, a vampire Prince sharing a bed with his ghoul…that sounds like a bad comedy show that's destined to be canceled after its first season." The ghoul felt unbelievably stupid as well as incredibly awkward, but when she looked to her boss she was shocked to see that he seemed to be seriously considering it.
"Considering the circumstances, I believe it would be highly inappropriate for me to take advantage of the situation," he informed his ghoul quietly, making it so it was Valeska's turn to feel disappointed. He had put out all the right signs, so what was his deal? In a way it seemed like he wanted to get close to her, but that he was just as terrified as her to take the next step.
"No I understand, I wasn't implying anything," the ghoul quickly lied.
"Yes you were," the Ventrue vampire countered as Valeska opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water. She felt like such an idiot, and after flat out lying to his face these feelings were intensified. "Obviously I would not feel comfortable slumbering in the same bed as you, though not for the reasons you might think. I can however, remain here until you either fall asleep, or the sun starts to rise." Valeska's eyebrows shot up in surprise, for though she was truly grateful for his gesture, it was one she had not been expecting. "Consider it my way of saying thanks for a job well done."
"Thank you, sir. I just really don't want to be alone right now," Valeska confessed.
"Understandable," her boss acknowledged before closing the room's curtains and dragging over the arm chair that was previously located in the room's corner. Sitting upon it with perfect posture, he crossed his legs, folded his hands over one another, and made eye contact with his ghoul. Even when he was in such a disheveled state of frizzy blonde hair and a completely ruined suit, he somehow maintained that powerful impression of absolute confidence. She had yet to meet another Ventrue, so she could not accurately state that each and every one of them behaved like that. However, it still had her wondering if all vampires from his clan were naturally that way or just the one sitting next to her.
Deciding that it didn't really matter, she broke his unwavering stare and slid under her covers. She wasn't really tired, and even less so knowing that her boss was watching her. Sure it made her feel safe knowing that he was there, as in a way he was watching over her like a guardian angel would. This was an undeniably comforting feeling, but at the same time she couldn't help wonder why he would agree to do such a thing. Surely he had more important things to do in regards to being Prince of LA, so was this simply another attempt to manipulate her? He already owned her life to the point where he could order her to do anything he desired, so that possibility seemed unlikely.
However, when she disregarded that aspect the only two reasonable options left were that he either felt guilty about frenzying, or that his actions really were genuine in nature. The former was much more believable than the latter, for she could only imagine how horrible it must have felt for a Camarilla Prince to lose control and attack his ghoul, not to even mention the political implications of these actions. Mercurio had been quite avid in teaching her about some of the more prominent stances the Camarilla took on a wide range of issues, for the simple reason that she had to be educated of their ideas due to the fact that she worked for them and all. Therefore she was well aware of the political shit storm that LaCroix probably had headed his way, but again this had her wondering why he wasn't currently tackling that issue while he still had the time. If she continued to place her faith in the idea that he felt bad about frenzying or hurting her then it made sense, but she got the feeling he was also doing it because he sincerely wanted to.
"You know, you don't have to stay here if you don't want to. I realize that you probably have a lot of work to contend to with the attack and all, so if you want to leave you can," Valeska told her boss after turning on her side to face him. He didn't appear as though he were upset when she spoke of this, but he did raise an eyebrow at her statement.
"I'm well aware of my options, Miss Latimer, but I'm here precisely because I wish to be," LaCroix revealed as he leaned forward slightly, "Would you rather I wasn't?"
"Uh not at all, sir," the ghoul courteously replied, "I just want to make sure I'm not wasting your time or anything." She paused, her mind desperately trying to find some way to change the awkward conversation before settling on something that had been plaguing her mind with curiosity since she woke up. "Forgive me for changing topics so suddenly, but I have a question for you that's been driving me crazy. Do you think family members can contact their living relatives after they die? Not like if they're vampires or what not, but if they're dead, dead, as in no quick loads or extra lives."
"Evidence that spirits haunt the location of their passing has been documented by some of the more academically inclined vampires, so I suppose the answer would be yes," he answered without so much as batting an eyelash at her question. It was certainly an odd one to ask out of the blue, but seeing as how he probably dealt with Malkavians on a nightly basis it was no surprise that any hint of confusion was entirely absent on his face.
"Yeah, and humans have television shows dedicated to proving their existence, but I didn't ask what some professional says. I asked what you thought," Valeska clarified, hoping her revised statement wouldn't sound rude. LaCroix tilted his head thoughtfully.
"I have only ever once encountered a small group of angry spirits or poltergeists if you will, in my past," the Ventrue vampire responded, apparently not fazed by her choice of words. "Over a century ago my sire requested that I acquire an artifact of great importance to him, but that proved to be quite problematic as it was in the ruins of what used to be an ancient tribal village. The deceased ancestors of that place were just as dedicated to guarding their home as they were in life, and as such were not pleased when I disturbed their ashes."
"What happened next?" she inquired, leaning forward with interest at his attention grabbing story. Ever since she had learned that vampires existed, she had always wanted to interrogate one so that she could learn how the world used to work centuries ago, but settling on tales of their conquests was just as good. Seeing her obvious fascination with his account seemed to please LaCroix too, for she noticed a small smile creep up on his face. If there was one thing she had learned about men in the past, it was that they loved sharing details on how they had overcome some challenging obstacle. With someone like the Prince who clearly loved talking about himself, it was clear he was more than content with the current situation.
"I retrieved the artifact, a tribal priestess's necklace, and escaped into the jungle. Ghosts don't really pose the threat that the entertainment industry loves to portray to the public, so the most I actually suffered were a few mild cuts and bruises from having objects flung at me," Prince LA continued, waving his hand indifferently.
"Fascinating…" the ghoul said, realizing that she sounded much too similar to one of her favorite characters from the Original Star Trek series. "But have you ever been contacted by a deceased family member, maybe through a dream or something…?" The Prince said nothing as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"No," her boss denied in a flat tone of voice. Judging from the way he was reacting she knew he was being dishonest, but for what reason she wasn't sure. "Why are you asking me these questions anyway?"
"Just curious I guess," she shrugged nonchalantly; the last thing she wanted to do was to have her boss believing she was some kind of loony by telling him she had been contacted by her father from beyond the grave. "I tend to be a skeptic when it comes to these kinds of things, and I always look for the first piece of logical evidence before jumping to any sort of conclusion. In the past I've had questionable dreams about my father though, so it just makes me wonder if anyone else has ever experienced something similar is all." An awkward silence drifted between the two, as the ghoul wondered if she had said something to offend the Prince.
"I have occasionally dreamt of my family in the past," he finally divulged softly, "Specifically my sister as we were quite close." His words were short and to the point, but they conveyed more about the man than he probably intended to let on. On his face was the same mournful expression that had flittered briefly across his face when he had spoken of his sister before, but this time around it actually stayed there. Clearly his sister had probably been the most important person in his life at some point, and try as he might to act as though he didn't care, it was clear that the hardened leader had a soft side to him.
"Danielle…right?" Valeska guessed, hoping the name she recalled him using in the past was the correct one. Luckily it was, for he nodded in return to her query. "She was really important to you, wasn't she?"
"Irrelevant, she's gone now," Prince LA countered, naturally trying to put up the strong front he was used to portraying for the public. While still under the bed sheets, Valeska sat up and scooted a little closer to where he was sitting so that he could clearly see that his ghoul wore an unconvinced facial expression.
"Let's pretend for a minute that you don't see me as a complete idiot, sir," the ghoul challenged, hoping her statement wouldn't upset her boss too badly. "It's obvious you're in pain and trying to bury that pain with work isn't going to make you forget her memory. Trust me, I know." For a moment it seemed like he might angrily snap at her, but he stopped short of doing this for some reason. Perhaps it was the sincere look of concern she wore, or maybe it was because he knew she was right, but either way he said nothing as he rose from the armchair he was seated in.
"Your concern is noted, but the sun will be rising and I must retire to my chambers," the Ventrue vampire proclaimed as he began walking towards the room's entrance. He made no effort to meet her eyes which were full of disbelief, but before he shut the door he did look over his shoulder to say one last farewell. "Sleep well, Valeska."
"You too, Sebastian…" she exchanged in the hopes that using his first name wouldn't be too informal. With that he closed her door softly as his footsteps could be heard echoing down the marble floored hallway. Flopping backwards onto her pillows, the ghoul let out an irritated sigh as she assumed she must have done something wrong. Looking to her right though, she saw a faint bit of early sunlight peeking through her curtains which signaled to her that his abrupt leaving hadn't been her fault. However, she could not disregard the fact that the Prince had been noticeably disturbed by her choice of conversation topics.
She could completely understand where he was coming from in not wanting to discuss his sister's death though, as she actively avoided talking about her own father's passing. Still, it wasn't healthy, and after two centuries of keeping something so personal buried so deep, it was no wonder he had shut down like he had. After all, it was much easier for someone to run away from their personal problems by distracting themselves with work rather than to confront them. Valeska had seen him tackle a wide range of challenging issues in the past, but again, he clearly had problems when dealing with anything intimate. Whether this was because he had abandonment issues he had not yet moved on from, or that he was simply terrified of commitment, she had no idea. All she knew for sure was that seeing this side to the Prince was all she needed to have her realize that she was not working for the monster she had originally thought he was. Of course that didn't cancel out the cold, calculating, and brutal manner he employed when he wanted something, but that didn't mean that he had abandoned every aspect of his humanity. It was strange to think about too, but their short moment of tenderness gave her hope. Not a lot of hope, but enough to where she felt quite happy as she closed her eyes to sleep.
Author's Note: Ok, first let me clarify again that while the Prince is distant right now, it will not stay that way forever. That doesn't mean he's going to treat Valeska like a princess in the near future either, as anyone who has ever dated would know that a realistic relationship has plenty of tears, heartbreak, and jealousy. Depending on the situation though, he will be less inclined to yell at her fortunately. The next chapter will also be through Valeska's POV, as we finally learn what she is! That is, if you haven't already figured it out yourself at this point since I've dropped several clues. =P Anyway, as always let me know how you enjoyed the chapter, and if you didn't, why that is. Drop ideas, share compliments, bestow criticism, etc. Thanks again!