A/N: Here's chapter thirty-seven! Forgot how…physically large these chapters are compared to our other works…huh…yeah, let's use that as an excuse for why it took us so long to post something…Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bloodlines, but I do own my OCs. Also Juliet.
"Are you going to keep hiding in there forever?"
"Go away, Jeanette…"
"Gottfried's worried about you, you know."
Therese's forehead felt cool up against the wall, her eyes felt warm when she closed them.
"Don't make me come in there." Her voice sounded funny behind the door.
"You stay away from me." Therese's was no better. It came out ragged and hoarse, nothing like her own.
"Sister—"
"Please, Jeanette…" Her demand was laced with anguish, "Just go…go downstairs, at least…go…"
There was a temporary silence. "Who did this?"
"Nobody. It's…it's just a headache."
Jeanette's heels sounded sharp on the floors of the foyer. "Fine. I'm worried about you too. Please, if you want to talk, just…just seek me out. I'll be here." Therese didn't answer. She let Jeanette wait for a response and then waited for the sound of the elevator ding.
"I didn't have your bidding…" Therese's lips moved only when it was silent for a very long time, "I didn't have your bidding to…to see a man, to engage in courtship, to…to…" Her eyes filled with tears again, "To turn this affair into a ragged mess…" She held her face with both hands, "Oh god, Father you must forgive me…" She sobbed, feeling the air rip from her chest and crash into the wall in front of her.
Her gray eyes slowly peeled open, a feeble hand reached forward and scratched the walls, chipping more of the paint there, "But…what's the point in holy matrimony if…there is no such thing…?" Her voice was breathy, "I can't worry about you walking me down the aisle when there won't ever be an aisle, there won't be a church, there won't be a ceremony…any church that would house our kind would burn…so then what…what do I do with this man…?" She pressed her palm flat against the wall, "What do I do, Father!?"
A dark horrid sound was heard as a gangly mass of shadowy tentacles rose from the ground, immediately binding Therese's wrists where she was, "Well…well…well…" Remus said, "It seems I've interrupted a very private conversation…"
She gasped, her eyes bugging out as she turned her head over her shoulder. She then looked at the tentacles holding her wrists, pulling at them with all her might. She turned back to him, a terrified look on her face.
He gave a deep, threatening laugh, "As we speak…my Sabbat soldiers are slowly turning your city into mincemeat. I do hope you enjoyed having Santa Monica for a fleetingly short amount of time. Because on this eve, I will be taking it back."
Her eyes were already swollen and red from all the crying. She turned back to face the wall, then strained her neck up to look at either the ceiling or the painting. "He'll have you killed…" Her voice sounded bored, like out of all the things for this man to be affiliated with, this was her least concern.
Remus chuckled, "How…amusing…your immediate death doesn't seem to faze you at all."
"It's far overdue." She couldn't help but laugh.
"I see the Prince has since…lowered the bar…for his Primogen candidates." He said, "Or…perhaps it is merely your clan ties that has you to be so…underwhelming…"
She looked down at her bound hands, not pulling on them for a hope at freedom, but just to see their strength, "You'll find that…ascending the ladder grants you both power and age, but…" She closed her eyes, "So many enemies, so many reasons to stop and drown that…the desire to swim is absolutely flooded…"
"This day will be vastly remembered, Miss Voerman." He said, "This will be the day known as the Siege of Santa Monica." He said, "The day where the Sabbat will finally have its rightful resurgence in this city!"
"Santa Monica…" Her eyes burned as she remembered the words she had heard spoken in her direction for years, "Don't pretend this city is worthwhile! Capture downtown L.A., that's when your labors will be noted…" She laughed again, "Why else would they post a Primogen in such a far-away city if nothing else but a distraction?" Her glare was sinister as she looked over her shoulder in his direction, "You've fallen right into the Prince's trap, you pitiable fool…"
He narrowed his eyes. Was this Malkavian out of her mind, or right on the money?
The door burst open, "Therese!" Gottfried sped forward.
Remus frowned, like an annoying fly had buzzed in on their otherwise intelligent conversation. He drew his cursed blade and sliced open Gottfried's chest. Even with the latter using Celerity. Gottfried coughed up blood and thudded on the ground. "Oh, so this is where you've managed to end up…you miserable ingrate." Remus said, "I shall make an example out of you, to all the other…bleeding traitors…"
"Gottfried…?" Therese's expression melted as her bodyguard came rushing in. She tugged desperately on the tentacles without avail, "Just go…" She huffed, "Go, run! You don't need to get caught up in this, he isn't a threat unless provoked. Please."
Gottfried grimaced, a giant blood splatter and a new scar on his chest, "I…I have to protect you."
"And how do you intend on doing that?" Remus asked.
Gottfried sped forward, this time activating Potence. He punched Remus in the face with such crushing force, that Remus nearly flew through the wall. He coughed up blood and crashed into the other side of the room.
Remus growled, wiping the debris off of him as he held his sword firmly, "I see you've gone from being Bloodworth's dog to Voerman's." He said, "Tell me, how does it feel to constantly be rejected of individuality?"
Gottfried snarled and sped around the room. Remus quickly coated himself with Obtenebration to counter any of Gottfried's immediate blows.
Therese grew frustrated, "Gottfried, let me go…" She urged, which sounded strange, considering the fact she was bound with Remus's Obtenebration, "This needs to happen, and I've only realized it now…it's all a part of his plan."
Gottfried gave her a confused look. She could tell that he was trying his best to pay attention to her and keep Remus at bay.
"Just go, find Jeanette and take her too, I'm begging you!"
Gottfried nodded, heading for the door. "Oh, I don't think so." Remus said, holding a hand out. Dominate caused Gottfried to faint immediately, and then Remus reared his sword back to finish the job.
The world didn't drop beneath Therese, it spiraled, it whirlpooled, it tornadoed. She let out a bloodcurdling cry as her lover faced imminent death.
The smells of the house were more than inviting. It actually made him relaxed, forced his tensed muscles he didn't even know were tensed into rest. It wasn't even the scent of his own riches, the deep solitary forest, or the cleanliness of the walls not being made out of flesh that struck him.
It was the smells of his wife.
Her cooking, her clothes, her sweat and nail polish, her lipstick and whatever eye makeup she had. And her body smelled different too, the hormone change he could taste and smell in the air.
He didn't miss anything else this much in his entire life.
He shut the door behind him, "Juliet, I'm back!"
"Sirius?" She called, he could hear the excitement in her voice, and then he heard the running. She came to him, this time, and hugged him before he could even get a good look at her, "God, I missed you to death. Ugh, you smell terrible." She only held him tighter.
He pat her head, "Didn't have a chance to hose myself off yet."
She kissed his cheek a few times, "Alright, then let's go shower and catch up."
"Sure." He said, heading down the hall to one of the many bathrooms. He gradually stripped down and stepped in, letting her join him.
She hopped in with him, her eyes travelling over him briefly as his did the same. "You're still in one piece. That's good."
"You're still sexy as hell. Glad to see we didn't let each other down."
"I thought that went without saying." She smirked at him, then lightly pushed him out of the way so she could soak her hair and wipe her makeup off under the water.
From behind she felt his hands go around her breasts, clamping down on them.
"Hey." She turned over her shoulder, "No frisk until you're clean."
"I am clean."
"You didn't even take the soap out, Sirius." She put some of his shampoo in the palm of her hand and turned around, washing his hair for him.
"Eh? I got some soap right here." He stroked a hand down her lower abdomen.
She tensed up, "Fuck, Sirius!" She slapped his hand away, "Just wait, I want to wash your hair."
"Jeez…" He said, "Didn't know you liked my hair so much."
"I just don't like it to be gross and stanky. Where even were you to make you smell this bad?"
"Sewers."
"Ah hah…that explains a lot." She gave him a little push to put his head under the water. She giggled as suds ran down his face.
"So what have you been up to while I was gone?"
"Work…I've been going in and out of these little jobs…filling in for a sick chef or helping kids in home economics at school…I dunno, odd jobs. Other than that…I did laundry, baking…tried to ignore the sounds outside from all the wildlife…"
"Nature needs to reproduce too, Juliet."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just scary as shit when a bird flies into the window or something…I always think it's someone breaking in…" She grabbed a bar of soap and slid it over his body.
"No one's going to do that. They don't know we live here."
"I know…" She sighed, "I just worry." She massaged his shoulders while she was at it.
"What? About Natalia? I'll kill that bitch sooner rather than later."
"Not even her. Just random fucks who want to break into a cabin in the middle of the woods."
"It's too difficult to get here for just gangbangers. Remember the off-road driving you complained about. Yeah, they wouldn't show up here."
"That's true…" She sighed, "Thanks." She kissed his lips briefly.
He gently held her hips, giving them a rub, "You know, you worrying all the time worries me."
"Does it? I'm sorry. I have nothing better to do." She said softly.
"Joking." He gave her a quick pat on the butt.
"You think you're clean enough?" She asked, "Feel gritty anywhere?" She looked around.
"No…what…I can't even do that?" He asked, "Jeez…I was stuck underground for weeks…funneling through caverns with a bunch of other assholes. I don't think I've ever been this horny for you."
"Alright, alright." She turned the water off and hopped out of the shower, grabbing a towel for him and one for herself as she started shivering, "Excuse me for not wanting some sort of gross infection."
He remained under the showerhead, "I mean, you didn't have to turn it off right away."
"Well, you sound pretty needy." She smirked.
"It won't be worth it if I'm dirty." He said, "You're not pissed off?"
"Of course not."
"Alright." He got out of the shower, taking the towel she offered him, "You get sick often?"
"No. I have a pretty strong immune system. I get morning sickness sometimes…"
"That probably sucked without having anyone around." He said, drying his hair off first.
"Pfft. It's not like Colby was ever there either. It's fine, don't worry."
He was briefly reminded of Vernon for a moment. He narrowed his eye in thought. The Brujah Antitribu Embraced Juliet's husband and was indirectly responsible for the murder of her quintuplets. Sirius would have to repay that favor, whenever he found a convenient way to dress up the vengeance. Maybe if the Sabbat leadership weakened a little it would be an opportune time. "How the hell did you guys meet anyway?"
"Business class in college. Went out for drinks a few times, thought we hit it off. I don't know, I was desperate and dumb." She shook the towel out after drying her hair, hanging it over a hook over the door.
"Yeah, I remember you telling me he was by the wreckage when LaCroix's tower blew up. Probably got Embraced there."
"Yeah, probably…" She sighed, seeming a little bitter about it.
"Still hurts, doesn't it?"
"Yeah. Sorry, I didn't mean to shit on the mood."
"It's fine…I just noticed that you never brought it up…must kinda be…uncharted territory…"
"I mean, it's not the nicest to just…bring up my dead kids…it's just not good…conversation matter."
"I know, but…if you ever need to talk about it."
"Yeah, I know I can." She held his shoulders as she gently placed a kiss on his lips. He held her close and felt up her rear. "You really missed that, didn't you?"
"I missed your curves. And your hair." He fisted some of her hair briefly, "And your eyes. And just…your personality, your perspective on things…"
She seemed absolutely enamored, "I missed all the same things about you…well…except I didn't miss your curves, I missed your abs."
"I feel like if I had curves, you'd be having a discussion with me right about now."
"Yeah…" She giggled, putting her hands around his waist and pulling him towards the bed.
They were kissing each other so much their descend, or, tumble rather, to the bed nearly resulted in both of them rolling straight off. He sighed as he anchored himself on top of her, rubbing his firm length against her hip.
She sighed, "Well…hello there…" She smoothed her hand down his back.
"Anything specific you want?" He asked, "Just looking at you naked again after those weeks away is already doing wonders for me…"
She grinned, "You flatter me." She started kissing his jawline and neck, one hand gripping around his ass firmly. He fisted her hair again, petting it when he had the chance as she kissed him. Meanwhile, his humping began to get a bit more vigorous.
She ran her hands across his shoulders, "Didn't you want to stuff me with vegetables before you left?"
"That involves getting up."
"I can go do it, babe…"
"Heh, heh, sounds like you want one inside you more than I do."
"…maybe I'm curious…" She smirked.
"Alright, knock yourself out."
She sat up, waggling her butt a bit before she headed for the doorway, "So…what exactly do you want?"
"Whatever would fit in the best. I don't wanna kill ya."
She raised a brow, "Like you think I would know?"
"I mean, it's your hole."
She sighed, "Alright." She turned around, "Get the condoms out then." He heard her thump downstairs, coming up a few moments later, "Alright…I wasn't sure how many you wanted…" Her cheeks were actually flushed as she brought in an entire bag, "I figured you could pick."
"We don't have to do this if you don't want to."
"I said I'm curious."
"Alright, just lay down and relax…I'll…pick my favorite…I guess."
She laid down and crossed her legs, "So where are things going and where are you going?"
"Again, feel free to make these choices yourself."
"I want you to surprise me."
"Alright…let's see here…" He rummaged through the bags, "Filling all three of your holes would be fun…"
She smiled, "Let's hope so." She sat up, "You gotta make sure to butter me up first."
"Good, that I know how to do." He got on top of her again, licking her stomach as he allowed her sex to be more or less pressed up against his chest. She hummed pleasantly, scraping her nails against his scalp as she gripped her legs around him tightly. "Do you like this? Or did you want me to be more direct?"
"I certainly wouldn't complain if you were…"
"Heh, heh…" He moved back a little to start touching her. Even though he was gone for two weeks, he certainly wasn't out of practice. The coil that had been building up in the pit of her stomach only spun tighter and tighter. Her heart thudded faster in her chest as she spread her legs more, a silent plea for more when her voice was too busy grunting out garbled words. "Let me know when you want to upgrade."
"Upgrade…?" She panted.
"I don't know…to like…something in the bag."
She paused for another moment, "I want to feel it in there first. Your cock."
"Sure." He went inside her, "There it is…still nice and big." He started a slow rhythm, "I might go soon if I stay in here long enough."
She let out a deep moan, reaching up to hold his shoulders, "D-Don't…Save it…for…after I'm stuffed…
"Eh, alright, you might not be alive afterwards though."
"I hope I'm not…"
"That'd be a hell of a way to go."
"Oh yeah…" She gave a brilliant grin.
"Heh, heh…" He gave a sadistic smile of his own, "Big slut Juliet, gonna get fucked seven different ways in three different instances…"
"Maybe if you get lucky, I'll vomit on you too." She jeered, pulling herself away from him so she could catch her breath and reposition herself, maybe glare at that bag of produce on the floor.
"That won't be necessary."
"Uh huh. I'll do my best."
"That didn't confirm or deny anything."
"Just…fuck me with a zucchini. And put a condom on the damn thing, please." She spread her legs for him.
"Alright." He dug around the bag for zucchini, then for a condom, "Shit…hang on…" He said, fumbling around with it, "Alright, get ready."
She closed her eyes and snickered, "Can't be as bad as all the poking and prodding I got when they put these four in me."
"I'll…start slow…" He said. For a split second there was a look in his eye that wondered and questioned what in the name of sanity he was doing, then he just gave up and gradually slipped the zucchini towards her entrance.
"You don't have to go that slow…" She said, letting a muffled sigh through her nose, "I've jerked with cucumbers before, they've acquainted themselves with me."
He froze, "You…you've done this before…"
"...maybe…"
"…heh, heh…you really are a filthy slut…" He stuck it in there further.
She closed her eyes and let out a quiet moan, "S-So where does that…leave you…?"
"I don't know…it's kinda hard to reach anywhere else."
"Want me to turn around?"
"How would that help?"
"Then you could fuck me in the ass…"
"Do you want it there?"
"I want to be stuffed, babe."
He rubbed the back of his head, "Alright, just hang onto this, I gotta find lube."
"It's right in the nightstand." She reached an arm out, but it just wasn't far enough.
"Alright." He moved away slightly to get it, "Here goes." He started rubbing some on her bum once she turned over, then he stared rubbing some on his length.
She held onto the zucchini, "You gotta hold onto it too, Sirius…you have two controls now to make me come all over you…"
"Yeah, yeah, I know what I'm doing." He grabbed onto it, a bit firmer than she expected because she felt it sink a little deeper inside her, "Ready back here?" He squeezed her butt cheeks.
She bit her fist to muffle a groan, "Uh huh…"
"Heh, heh…" He moved forward a bit and gradually entered her from behind, making sure to provide some sort of a rhythm in the back as well as in the front, "Damn…you look like an even bigger slut…"
Her moan was loud and shameless, her senses just about completely overloaded from just the feeling of being filled in both places, "S-Sirius…" She whimpered, he could feel her quivering around him.
He snickered, getting a bit rougher, "Come on, we haven't even started yet."
She gasped, grappling onto the pillow with a merciless grip as she kept stammering out his name.
"Damn, I wish I could fill your mouth too…you could use the protein."
She panted a bit, "You could…grab another….zucchini…"
"To stick in your ass?" He asked, "Could that even work?"
"No in my…" Her breathing hitched, "Mouth…"
"I mean, I don't have to, kinda sounds like you're dying of orgasm."
"I'm…f-fine…"
"So you want one in your mouth?"
"If you're down with it…"
"Alright, I'll be right back." He moved back to get another zucchini, "Open up."
She smiled before she opened her mouth and let him stuff the vegetable in there too. Anything else she said was too muffled.
He entered from behind again and got back into position. "All good?" He started building up a rhythm again, "Everything okay?"
She let out a pleased moan, her body getting right back into the rhythm as her hands grappled the sheets tightly.
"God…you look like an even bigger pregnant slut…" Sirius licked his lips, "I wanna devour you…"
Another few groans, followed by a wiggling of her hips.
"If you keep moaning like a bitch, I might just come inside you."
This time she let out a more pitiable sounding moan, lowering her upper half down onto the mattress more, pressing her hips up against his. He gave a loud groan as he released his load inside her, one that had been patiently waiting since their shower together.
He gripped onto her tightly, feeling a powerful surge overcome him as a keep jerking around inside her. Either he felt guilty or ineffective when it came to her sex, so he made sure to stuff the zucchini inside her even deeper to make her feel more of an impact.
Her response made it all the more delightful as she screamed into the vegetable. She bit down on it, biting until the poor thing snapped. She spit out the piece in her mouth and screamed his name into the pillow.
Her walls clenched around the vegetable with frustration, considering it just didn't have the same feel as Sirius. That frustration vented a burning orgasm, but the anger still lingered in the back of her head.
He more or less cleaned up the bits of vegetable and anything else soaked or left on the ground, "You okay?"
"Uh huh…" She flopped on her back, "Ready for round two…"
"Round two?" He laid beside her, "You dirty whore."
She smiled and panted, "I wanna feel you in there this time…"
"Yeah, I feel like I almost killed you with that."
"I'm a lot hardier than you think…"
"I don't know…sometimes I…" He paused, giving her a hug, "Sometime I feel like I forget that I need to take care of you every now and then."
She closed her eyes, nuzzling her head next to him, "Aw…" She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly.
The phone started to ring, Sirius got up immediately. Due to the sheer size of Sirius's house, finding a phone to answer could have been easier. He dashed out of the room returning on the phone, "What did you need?" He asked, his eye looked critical, then overall annoyed, "All the way over there?" He asked, "But I just came back from New York." He asked, a long explanation from the other end followed, "Why?" He asked, "Who the hell even is this bitch?" He asked, waiting for a response, "And no one else can handle that?" He asked, "Alright, I'll sort it out." He hung up, sitting on the edge of the bed.
She looked a little upset, or maybe it was just worry, "Who was it? Your boss?"
"Yeah…" He said, "That's…kinda what sucks…when you're the best member of the Camarilla…"
"Do you need to go?"
"Yeah…apparently this bitch…Madame Guil showed up, and she's a threat to the Camarilla." He said, more than a little annoyed, "I don't even know who the hell she is." He fumed, "Doesn't seemed to be related to Lafayette or Natalia or anything. I have to go tomorrow…"
"Where?"
"Some dump at the other end of the state. Some risky shit is going on down there…I don't know, he didn't really give me that much information…"
"Well…" She held onto him tighter, "Let's just make the most of the night then."
His eye hardened, still staring ahead, "Yeah…" He said, "I know you're pissed about all this…I…I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything…it's fine…" She held his hand with both of hers, "You…you're not just ditching me for work."
"But I might be gone for a while."
"I mean…yeah, that's fine. There's nothing you can do about it."
His shoulders sank, defeated. He squeezed her close, "I'll make it fast. I'll kill whoever the hell this is and then we can fuck over it."
She giggled, "Sounds like a good plan."
He sighed, "Seriously though…I love you…I just…feel like I'm never around…"
"It's okay, hun. Maybe you can see if we can…schedule a honeymoon or something."
He nodded, holding her hands close to his chest, "So…you've been feeling okay? Not too sick or anything?"
"Nah, just morning sickness…occasional soreness but…nothing too bad."
"Good, good…had a nightmare about that…actually…"
"Really? You should know I'm built for this." She smirked.
"It was freaky…you…gave birth to one of Lafayette's flesh demons…that was that night I screamed and you wondered what the hell was wrong with me." He said, "Although, we don't actually know what's coming out of you…other than that it's a revenant or…something…apparently it ages slower…"
"Huh…interesting…." She hummed, then paused, "Wait…are we gonna outlive our kids?"
"Neither of us can age." He bopped her nose.
"I don't like that anymore…" She looked worried.
"Eh, I'm sure there's something we can do."
"Okay…" She melted again, playing with his fingers.
"So are we doing round two?"
She smirked, "If you're up for it."
He smiled back and kissed her on the lips, "I don't know…all that zucchini stuff…it was kinda…impersonal too…"
"It just made me want you more…"
"Same here." He eventually inched himself on top of her, kissing her lips harder, and petting her hair.
She locked her legs around him, closing her eyes as they made out. Her hands found their way to his face where she held him endearingly. He let the blood rush to his length, rubbing it up against her lower abdomen as he held her close.
Her moan seemed to reverberate around the entire room and rattle the organs in his chest he had long-forgotten. From time to time she did contemplate the fact that she was being porked by a dead body, but he usually got her senseless before she could contemplate the thought.
His erection slowly grew in size, creeping up her lower abdomen. Of course, him deciding to clench a grip on both of her breasts helped with this. She bit her lower lip, "Sirius, talk dirty."
"I was about to ask you the same thing, you pregnant whore." He smirked, "I wanted to hear about how badly you needed a dick inside of you."
She slid her fingers in his hair, pulling him up against her closer, just using her legs, "I want to be fucking jam packed in there, and I'll be pissed if I get anything less…"
"I love how even after you get three of your holes fucked you still want more."
She traced a finger down his chest, "I think you owe it to me babe, what do you think?" Her hand didn't stop on its downward trail, wrapping around his shaft as she smirked.
"Shit." He bit his lip, "Careful…with that…"
"Hmm?" She started stroking him, "What, this?"
He grit his teeth, "Juliet…"
She giggled, grabbing his ass with both hands, "Hmm?"
Once he was free from her grip, he paid her back tenfold. Reaching towards her entrance and getting her off. He licked his lips and put his mouth around one of her breasts, sucking as much as he could while he was touching her.
She closed her eyes and gave a high pitched squeal, shuddering beneath him, but her nails clawed into his shoulders, "Fuck, Sirius…" Her growl was primal and throaty and everything he loved, "Get the fuck inside me…"
He gave a muffled response, sounding like 'wait.' He clearly wanted to keep playing with her boobs. He bit down slightly harder, sighing as he kept suckling on one of them. If his hand was going to get soaked by her sex, so be it.
"Sirius!" Her voice was more edged with anger than desire, "Fuck's sake!"
Moving in general was a little difficult with her claws sunk into him so deeply. Nevertheless, he obliged. He touched her for maybe another minute or so, ambushing her mid-orgasm. Her frustrated expression morphed into something that lit up his brain like a Christmas tree.
Without argument, she had a bad case of resting-bitch-face, but it looked a whole lot hotter when he was the only thing on her mind.
His engorged length finally acquainted itself once again with her sex. He slipped in with no sign of hesitation or caution. Given her smooth skin, large rear, fertile breasts, flaming red hair, and piercing green eyes, it wasn't exactly hard for Sirius to let out an orgasm that seemed to have twice as much energy as usual.
It was no doubt that he missed her in his travels and New York, and this much was evident when Juliet felt the penetration go even deeper, even though he usually stopped by now. Because he was so immersed into it, there wasn't really much he could do other than hold onto her, if anything, the desperation he felt from her hands clawing him down got him off even more.
Her body reminded him of a ragdoll when he moved away from her. Her red hair, flushed cheeks, and of course, just how limp she was in general. When he brushed some of the damp strands of her hair out of her face, she gave him a radiating smile, "I…" Her chest heaved, "I don't know what I'd do without you…"
"Read a shit ton of dirty novels…probably…"
"Yeah but…all the zucchini in the world wouldn't compare to this…"
"Heh, heh…yup…figured that out tonight…"
She looped her arms around him forcefully, which surprised him for the amount of energy she seemed to have left. Her head nuzzled itself under his and she pressed her lips up against his skin. He could feel her pulse thrumming underneath his fingers, slowly going down from the frantic pace it was at previously.
He hugged her back, "It'll be quick, I promise. I…also hope me killing broads is a huge turn-on for ya."
She gave a small moan of contentment, and nothing else. Her nails felt so docile against his back now, but he could still faintly feel the scratches she left on his shoulders.
"I'll keep you safe, alright? Nothing's ever gonna happen to you or the kids. I'd be an idiot to lose you."
He felt her smile and squeeze him tighter, then plead in a tiny voice, "Let me fall asleep with you…"
"Of course, I don't have to leave until tomorrow night."
She smoothed her hands over his back and opened her eyes to meet his, "I love you."
"I love you too." He kissed her on the lips.
"So…this is Santa Monica?" Ella asked.
Slade nodded, "A few things come to mind, like…Gimble…or Arthur Kilpatrick…or…yeah, that's kinda it."
"I remember being an idiot…" Tess crossed her arms, "And yes, I remember Arthur Kilpatrick."
"Are we waiting for someone else?" Derek asked impatiently, standing beside his adoptive childe.
"Yes." Tess said, "But he's usually fashionably late to everything."
"He should hurry up." Ella said.
Slade gave Derek a glare momentarily, before he faced ahead, "We'll have to be fast. Strauss said that Therese was being attacked by a LaSombra. Entire damn city's besieged."
"This LaSombra is older than she?" Derek asked, only a touch of unease in his voice.
"It's Remus." Slade said, "But…I don't know much about him."
Ella stood on her tippy-toes and whispered into Derek's ear, "What's a LaSombra?"
He tried to think of a simple explanation for her, something he was really getting used to with all the time he spent with her. "The Sabbat equivalent of the Ventrue. Only they're…absolutely deplorable. What we Ventrue show in class and wit, they show as betrayal and wretched…torture and grotesque manipulation."
Tess couldn't help but smirk, "Ventrue and LaSombra don't get along at all, so I've heard. Perhaps it's because they're so similar, they're stuck arguing over who's best."
"Silence." Derek snapped, "You know nothing of our clan differences."
"Mmm hmm. Alright."
"Or in Cadmus's case…a LaSombra killed his wife or something…so…there's that." Slade said.
"That's much more understandable." Tess said.
A taxi pulled over, the door popped open, and a familiar figure got out, taking a deep breath of the air, "Ah, sea and garbage. Just as nice as it was." He slammed the door shut and adjusted shades. Derek visibly stiffened as he saw who was there.
The car honked its horn at him. Tess covered one of her ears, "Ah, Dragomir…" She jumped, "Did you pay the driver?"
"No. I did not."
"Please make him go away, then, somehow."
Dragomir reached in his back pocket but pulled out a lacy pair of panties. "Hmm. Don't think he'll take these." He put them back in there, reaching in his other pocket and pulling out a comb. "Nope. Well, it appears I've left my wallet at home." He slicked his hair back with the comb before tucking it back in his pocket.
Another honk.
Dragomir turned to Derek, "How convenient. Fifty dollars please."
"It can't cost that much." Derek scoffed.
"I asked for fifty dollars."
Derek glared at Dragomir before he reached in his suit and took his wallet out, handing Dragomir a single bill.
"No. Two twenties and two fives."
"I don't have—"
"You're walking towards your own execution."
Derek scowled and snatched the fifty back, handing Dragomir the exact bills he demanded. The tension in the air was thick enough to swim in. "I really think we should be going." Tess said softly, but it fell on deaf ears as Dragomir and Derek exchanged a one-sided stare-down of the century.
Ella watched on in bizarre confusion. She was used to Derek being the pinnacle of being in charge and at command. She didn't expect anything like this. They were treating him worse than the commoners he despised.
"I'd say you should be grateful." Slade said from behind the Ventrue, "After the stunt you pulled against Dragomir, it's a miracle you're alive. Not many people get away with crap like that against Dragomir."
Derek opened his mouth to speak, but Dragomir raised a hand, "Now, now, Slade. As much as I adore your hostility, I think we should both look past it." He gave his characteristic, (and sadistic) grin, looming over Derek with the inches he had over him, "Things will stay just as they are, I think it's working wonders."
"I'm completely lost." Tess said.
"Nothing you need to involve yourself with, dear." He stepped back, then turned his gaze over to Ella. There was just something about the feel of this man that alarmed her, but she was still quite young to understand or interpret auras, "And who is this dollop of fresh blood?"
"Stay away from her." Derek's voice came out a lot stronger than he wanted it to.
One of Dragomir's brows twitched as he turned over to Derek, "She doesn't smell like you. Hardly smells Camarilla. She has holy veins."
Derek stepped between both of them, "I don't give a damn if you force me to lick the ground on my hands and knees, but you stay away from her. Am I understood? This dispute is between the both of us, and nobody else."
Dragomir found this extremely amusing, and that was apparent judging by the look on his face. "An honorable request. I'd simply like to know the little girlie's name."
Derek held the stare for a moment before he turned away, "Ella." He started moving towards the Asylum.
"Ella?" Dragomir purred, smiling at her, "I imagine unlife with Mister Parker is a dream come true."
When Ella was too frightened of Dragomir to respond, Slade said something instead, "Aw…damn, you gotta be kidding me…entire freaking club looks destroyed…"
Derek eyed over the place, "Do we go in or investigate the area?"
"We could split up, but…it would be unwise." Tess said, "We should just go in and see if there's anyone here first."
Dragomir flicked a moth off of his shoulder, "She's still inside."
"Alright, good, then let's go in." Tess said, leading the way in through the busted down doors.
Derek looked appalled with the entire club scene, even more so when they couldn't seem to get the elevator working. "What do we do now? Do those stairs lead to the second floor?"
"No." Tess said, pointing to the disheveled counter, "Someone needs to go over there and look for a switch or a key or something."
Dragomir strolled over and got down on his knees, whistling absentmindedly before there was the sound of broken glass, "Ouch." And then he returned with a key in hand, "Probably didn't have to break the glasses, but…" He watched Tess's nimble fingers jam the key into the door and hand the key back to him, "I like the sound of broken glass."
The shaky doors open and the entire thing rattled as they travelled up. Tess smirked as she looked over at Dragomir, "I think you're weighing us down."
"You think so?" He looked around. "You might be right. Everyone in here is tiny except for me."
The doors rattled again as they entered the foyer, then busted through the door to see quite the layout.
"Crap." Slade lunged forward, blocking Remus's sword, which was about to end Gottfried.
Remus snarled as he parried Slade's sword, "More visitors…I see."
Tess drew her sword as well, standing beside Slade to help him out when the time came for it. Derek stayed close to Ella, arming himself with a handgun.
Dragomir merely walked around the place, then stood behind Therese, "Quite the bind you've got yourself in."
She scowled rather than dealing with him, "Either get rid of the LaSombra, or get Gottfried to safety."
Dragomir decided to do the latter, seeing as Slade and Tess had Remus occupied. He put his arms under Gottfried armpits and dragged him away, "Heavy one…this one…"
Remus chuckled, eyeing Therese momentarily, "This is your cavalry?"
Her eyes burned and her teeth were clenched, but she didn't offer a response. She had no choice in who came to her rescue, but she had more faith that the Prince would either send more Tremere, or someone over a handful of decades.
Dragomir dropped Gottfried after he was a safe enough distance, "Now what gives you the moxie to doubt us, hmm?" He asked with a grin.
"Do not assume you have the advantage due to mere numbers." Remus held his sword proudly, "An Ancilla versus a brigade of fledglings is quite a foolish move by your Prince, indeed."
"Oh yeah? Well, watch out then, mister LaSombra guy! I'm gonna pulverize you with the ghosts and the undead!" Ella held her hands out, calling on Necromancy, given the purple skulls emanating from her hand.
A single zombie arose from the ground, slowly meandering over towards Remus.
Remus narrowed his eyes, he impaled the zombie once it got close. When the zombie fell over, his animalistic eyes narrowed, "Is this really all you have to offer?" He slowly raised a hand.
Derek slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her away from his gaze, quickly and urgently teaching her never to look in the eye of an opponent with Dominate.
Tess dashed forward, putting her training with her lover to good use with more precision with her Celerity than Slade could recall.
Remus held his arms out, Tess slashing right through a shadow, "You're wasting your time, fledglings." He said, "Let me show why I'm the closest thing a Cainite can get to ultimate godhood." Tess stepped back with Slade, casting him a worried look. Derek kept a hold on Ella, warily holding his gun out, despite its uselessness.
Dragomir cracked his neck, "Godhood? Why any Kindred would want to approach such an absurd title is beyond me." He stepped forward, then waved Remus forward, "Let's see your mettle. I'm curious."
Therese hissed, "This isn't a game! Kill him and get on with it!"
"If one of you would like to take Gottfried back, you may." Dragomir said.
Again, Tess exchanged a look with Slade.
"His generation…" Derek whispered to himself, "But, how can he be so sure Remus isn't the same? He's only a year old…"
Remus looked shocked, "Impossible!" He said, giving an arrogant chuckle afterwards, "I mistook you for Gideon when you first entered this building. And to think, you have power comparable to him. Perhaps this siege won't go as easily as I'd like."
Slade looked at the others, "Let's leave and take Gottfried someplace safe, we'll only get in Dragomir's way if we stay. We'll focus on the shovelheads around the city."
Tess nodded, leaving with Derek, Ella, Slade and Gottfried.
Dragomir laughed, "Funny you mention the man! We worked together for a while, actually. Don't tell my Prince." He briefly brought a finger to his lips, "When the man wasn't throwing dumpsters at me, he was abusing his childe, it was rather interesting."
"His childe was nothing more than a miracle amongst circumstances." Remus said, "She was born under a night of howling wolves and mothers intuitions. The childe of Petaniqua most likely detests being saddled with larva of his own."
"Then he shouldn't have sired the poor thing. Oh, but what do I know?" He held a hand in the air, "My father was killed by the former Prince of the Camarilla, I've been an orphan ever since. Tell me, LaSombra share similar customs to the Ventrue in certain senses, is your father someone close to you or someone far apart?"
"If the Prince called you here to chat the enemy to death, I think he made a very prudent decision…" Therese brooded to herself.
Remus snickered, "Your Prince and I were once Primogen in the east, I'll have you know!"
"Really?" He seemed extremely fascinated, "I'll tell you something about this new Prince, he's a saint dressed in blood. If any other man sat in that throne, I'd be so Independent, I'd be Sabbat."
The shadows emanating from Remus seemed to be leaking all over the room. He lunged at Dragomir with his sword out, "I often hear Gideon's plans of converting you to the Sword. As one of his faithful knights…I had no idea the man struck an uncanny resemblance to him."
With the aid of Celerity, Dragomir swerved right out of the way. "And I keep telling him to become Independent. Poor thing has almost as much megalomania as Miss Voerman."
"What?" Therese spat.
Remus looked surprised at the air he slashed through, rather than Dragomir, "A rather common symptom amongst Malkavians…or at least the ones I've observed."
"Symptom?" Dragomir snorted as his fists lit up with Potence, "You ought to brush up on your Malkavian-talk if you're in a room with two particularly erratic types." He then corrected, "Three."
"And Malkavians don't typically have Celerity. Or Potence."
"No, they don't." He grinned, "They can't typically do this either." His body size changed as he activated Protean, growling at Remus before he sprung forward with Celerity and Potence to claw him in the face.
Remus flew back, destroying more of Therese's furniture. He didn't take much damage from anything, but being knocked around the room was wearing him out at least.
Therese looked shocked at Dragomir's abilities, "That's…that's diablerie on at least two accounts…" She shuddered, using Auspex to confirm the theory.
Dragomir roared and ran forward to head-butt him into the wall. Remus snarled and activated.
Dragomir stumbled back just in time, quickly evaluating his next move before he reeled his foot back to kick him in the stomach.
Remus was flung back again, at least this time he was able to make a swift landing. He frowned and ran at Dragomir with his sword out.
Dragomir really didn't like the looks of Remus's sword. In any other situation, he'd catch the blade and toss it aside, but something about this one made him uneasy. He tried to swerve around Remus and knock him down to the ground from behind.
Remus was felled, trying quickly to get up. Maybe Dominate would work, but, if it were botched, he would run out of blood and Therese would be freed. Was this fool really at such a generation low enough where the great Remus could not sway him? He couldn't even use Therese as a hostage properly, because Dragomir was too fast for him.
Dragomir's mind was in another place, a simpler place. It had been a while since he had been engaged in battle and really actually enforced to battle. It was refreshing. At the same time, it was annoying that Remus's blade was holding him back so much. If he couldn't get hit by the blade, maybe his best option was to take the blade for himself.
He lunged his foot back to step on Remus's arm to maybe jolt the blade from his hand.
Remus moved out of the way, "I don't think so…I believe you've stolen enough."
Dragomir's snarl sounded like something from the Jurassic Era. He reared a mitt back to swat Remus in the jaw.
He flinched and was knocked back, but his expression went back to what it originally was in a flash, "It's pointless…I'm sure you know the properties of Obtenebration by now."
Dragomir put Protean down to chat again, "On the contrary, I've hardly been Kindred for a year, I have no idea what secrets hide behind your main Discipline."
He smirked, "Then you are doomed to fail." He dashed at Dragomir.
"Well, you are Kindred, and all Kindred share some weaknesses." He rushed out of the way, rearing back to kick him in the back with the help of Potence.
Remus flinched again, "No. I haven't been Kindred for at least fifty years. I am a Cainite now."
"Pardon me, then." Dragomir held his hands up, "Where I was raised, it's 'blood-sucking monster' but I could gladly go by either Kindred or Cainite."
He twirled his cursed blade around a few times, "Perhaps I now see why Gideon wants so badly to include you within our ranks. You seem…open to teachings of the Sword…and to have lasted this long…you have an impressive sense of prowess."
"Then I'll tell you the same I told him. Never in my life have I stuck anywhere, and that won't change from an impressive sense of prowess. If you want this prowess, you can come and get it," He stuck his tongue out a bit, "But it's mine and only mine. It will remain that way until my ashes contaminate every breath man, woman and child take…"
"I used to think in quite similar days, in my early fledgling days." He said, "Back when I roamed the fields with other shovelheads, we were like wolves…only the strongest members survived…and were granted a seat in the council…"
"I have no doubts our great ancestors lurk in our shadows, waiting to devour us all and claim our domain as theirs once again." He stuck his hands out in the air, "But what difference does it make? We're all going to die eventually, whether this planet spirals into the sun or ancient vampires consume us all, we will die one way or another! What is there to fear?" He stepped forward, defiantly pointing a finger, like he was staking a claim for an entire faction, let alone one man, "Why not live every last second to its fullest, live the rest of your unlife while you can? Rape the mind of every scholar you find, pick the bodies of the rich, gnash your teeth with every foe you can to get stronger, to be the best, that's what I say! That's how to live like a king, and why shouldn't you? Rise high enough and maybe those dusty ancients will fear you." He gave a hyena cackle.
"That's exactly what I plan on doing." He raised a fist up, "For my company and tutelage were no less than childer and grand-childer of LaSombra himself. I know firsthand the power behind our condition."
"Then why let the Sabbat drag you to your knees? Or are you milking them as I do…?" He asked with a salacious grin. Therese watched with wide eyes, now quite confident she should be terrified.
Remus slashed at him, but Dragomir avoided it thanks to Celerity, "The Camarilla took away those dear to me. Your Tremere took away more than I would have liked. This is how I must attain my revenge."
"My Tremere? I don't own any. Oh, I'd love to. Strap on little leashes, watch them make blood spray like the Fountains of Bellagio. I'm here for the rise to stardom, darling, and nothing more."
"You utter fool." Remus raged, "You're both going to die in here! You and this wretch of a Primogen!" He pointed at himself, "You don't get to make your own decisions anymore! I decide whether or not your lives have any purpose!"
"And what gives you that right?" Dragomir's grin was exchanged for a grimace, "It must be that Sabbath impulse, hmm?" A grin again, "Do you feel it pounding between your ears, rattling your skull and your spine and your heart with every step you take? I bet it burns…I bet it burns to stand against someone who isn't afraid to grab liberty by the balls and pull til' he screams…"
"You've made a foolish mistake exposing yourself to us now." He chuckled, "The Sabbat will make sure you're either under our banner, or killed outright." He said, "No one who's feasted on as many Cainites as you have lived long enough to tell the tale, and that's because they too are also consumed. Even if you best me here and now, it means nothing, should I get a chance to regroup."
"I might not belong to any sect, but I am the Prince's, and he is mine. I wish you the best of luck piercing his defenses."
His Obtenebration faded, he held his head, feeling a possible frenzy coming, "I may have been bested by the Prince in battle once…with minimal effort…but that will not happen a second time…" He slashed open a window behind him, "I will have my revenge…" He jumped out the hole he made.
With her hands unbound, Therese had her freedom. But she still sat on her knees, staring at the walls, her hands clasped together. It wasn't until Dragomir placed a large hand on her shoulder and jostled her to her feet that she stood.
He snapped his fingers at her like a cat and waved a finger in her face, "Follow my finger."
"I don't have brain damage, you fool." She swatted his hand away, seeking eye contact but finding none. "Just what do you think you're doing?" She spat, "You'll get yourself killed spouting lies like that."
He headed for the window, "Unlike your former Prince, I only cry truth, no lies. Tell your sister to stop calling me." He dropped from the window. When Therese ran towards the broken glass, he was gone.
A/N: Just like Dragomir to swing all directions…thanks for reading!