Chapter Two:
As dawn fast-approached, the house noticeably grew quieter. Many of the older vampires had left to feed before the sun rose, leaving only David and Armand with Usagi and Jesse. The four had not yet left the living room, and few words had been spoken between them.
The television was on, muted. Some twenty-four hour news channel or something… Usagi wasn't really paying any attention to it. Jesse had fallen asleep against the blond vampire's shoulder some time ago, and the young David looked ready to follow. He yawned, glanced out the window and the slightly graying sky, and made an effort to stay awake a little bit longer.
"To bed with you, love." Armand's quiet, accent-laced voice cut through the silence, the angelic-appearing man glancing down at the younger man with what could only be called tenderness. "Dawn is nearing, and you've had a long night."
Rising, the former reporter glanced towards the Egyptian woman, who returned his gaze with steady blue eyes. He swallowed his nervousness, gaze darting quickly to the sleeping Jesse, then nodded respectfully as way of saying goodbye.
Armand also stood, wrapping an arm loosely around David's waist. He didn't appear nervous in the least as he gazed at the ancient vampire before him. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you to a room where you and Jesse may rest until the sun sets again." He turned without waiting for a reply and began to make his way out of the room.
Without a word, Usagi gracefully stood, careful not to disturb the sleeping woman against her, and scooped the redhead up into her arms effortlessly. The sun was just beginning to light up the sky as she followed Armand out.
*
She was awake and sitting by and open window when he awoke, her gaze focused on the darkening horizon and seeming to not hear him as he entered. It wasn't until he purposely cleared his throat that she turned those impossible blue eyes on him.
"Good evening." She greeted, rising and turning to face him. "You rested well, I hope?"
Lestat nodded, his own grey eyes narrowed in study of the ancient before him. "I did. And yourself?"
Instead of answering the question, Usagi laughed softly. "Why don't we just skip the pleasantries. You have questions. You don't like not knowing what's going on, do you?"
The question was obviously rhetorical, but he replied anyways. "You know I don't. And I'm sure you also know I don't trust you." His entire stance went from calm to on guard instantly.
Silently, the blond marveled at the sudden change in him. So this was the man to whom her mother had given her blood. She smiled slightly, the corners of her mouth just barely lifting, at the thought. She could see what her mother saw in him.
"Fearless." She said aloud after a moment. "Why don't we sit? The others shall be rising soon, and we do not have much time to talk."
With a fluid grace he didn't even seem to notice he had, the former-rock star lowered himself onto the arm of a leather armchair, drawing one denim-coated leg up and wrapping an arm around it. "Fine, so talk."
"Why do you not trust me?"
The question was immediately answered with a harsh laugh. "You're the daughter of Akasha. Should that not explain it all? Qui se resemble, sa resemble*."
She nodded, sighing, a small frown settling on her face. "Yes, but it is also said don't judge a book by its cover." She pointed out, meeting his gaze. "I'm not my mother. I'm me, and I have no intentions of following in her footsteps."
"Then explain why you're taking blood claim." The quiet statement came from the door and two pairs of blue eyes immediately focused on the new arrival. Marius leaned against the door frame, blond hair loose around his face and shadowing his eyes. "If you do not intend to follow in the footsteps of your mother, then why must you take the claim?"
Usagi smiled. "Marius, Marius. Why must you ask questions to which you already know the answer?"
The ancient Roman returned the smile, though with more mockery than anything else. "I would think one as old as you would not feel the pain as much." He stated. "And you wouldn't need blood from all of us."
"Not all of you, no." She paused for a moment, tilting her head to the side and studying him intently. "You presume too much. As it is, the pain is much worse for one as old as myself. And the blood is the only thing that will banish that pain."
Lestat had been following the conversation up to this point with a confused expression upon his face. He now stepped forward impatiently and effectively cut off the conversation between the two elders. "What is this blood claim Marius is speaking of?" He began, glaring at the woman. "And who exactly would you need it from?"
The reaction he got wasn't what he had expected. The blond Egyptian laughed, her voice soft like bells, and regarded him with a highly amused expression. "Blood claim is exactly what it sounds like. Claiming blood from another. And I'm sure you can guess who the Claim must be taken from."
Marius opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it and fell easily into a chair.
Pausing, Usagi glanced at him with an unreadable look, then continued as though nothing had happened. "You, of course." She said, pointing to the Frenchman. "And Marius, because he has given you blood and is therefore connected to you. The twins, Maharet and Mekare, I have already taken claim from. They actually sought me out and offered it. The others' blood is unneeded, as they had no real part in my mother's death."
"I see." Lestat suddenly didn't seem too happy. "That much blood from so many of the elders… that would make you strong. Much stronger than your mother." This little fact he didn't seem to particularly like.
If Usagi noticed uncomfortable tone in his voice, she made no outward sign of it. Instead she shrugged. "There are other reasons." She stated simply. "I'll wait until the others have risen before I continue though. They need to hear it as well." She glanced out the window again, watching as the last bit of light faded from the horizon and the half moon slid up the sky. "Jesse will be waking soon and she needs to feed. I shall be back here by one o'clock."
Neither man spoke as she rose and left the room.
*Qui se resemble, sa resemble : French for (more or less) 'Birds of a feather flock together'. Not quite, though...