Leads and Confessions
A/N: Your wish is my command. And this seems to be the longest chapter I've written thus far. I do hope all who read enjoy. And as always reviews and criticism are welcome as long as it helps with my writing. A~
I had slept in the graveyard that night. The midnight rendezvous with the Grave Guard fresh in my mind as I hurried to Isaac's jewelry store. Nervous? I knew I was. The Voices didn't even have to speak it for me to feel it. Hands trembling with the tape in my grasp. I hope he didn't know. He knows his ghouls well though... Sharp intake of breath, why am I even breathing? I'm dead. Relax. Right. I sighed as I slowly turned down the alleyway leading behind the Jewelry Store. Toreador syndrome's contagious... Playing with the Grave Guard was fun, making me feel almost alive. I'd managed to find what the Baron wanted, after sweet Romero went under the euphoric high of the Kiss after our escapade, in the grave of a deceased actress. Not a lake like I had previously thought. I smiled to myself at the silliness of my mind. The tape was my ticket to finding both the Nosferatu and my Sire. Hoping the baron did not see the blood of his ghoul in my belly I entered his orifice.
The moment she entered my office, I could smell the scent of my Ghouls blood in the air. Suppressing a growl, I sighed. He fell for the charms of this Mad Girl. But then Nines and Jack had fallen to her, as well. He'd admit, her innocence mixed with madness was a work of art in its self. A beautiful darkness that could either be her blessing or curse. He had a soft spot for the girl, but his ghoul on the other handwould not get off so easily.
He knows... My whole body tensed at those words, his frustration almost tangible. I shrank from his gaze as I placed the tape upon his desk. His golden orbs held mine for a moment as he seemed to contemplate something. Sighing, he shook his head before speaking.
"Well whatever's on this tape will be beneficial to both of us, I'm certain", he spoke in a business like tone taking the tape and placing it in the VCR upon his desk. The large TV that was mounted on the wall flickered to life as static flared across the screen before a girl came into view.
She was scared, and searching for a light. The moment she found it she regretted the decision to be able to see. Grotesque creatures, with mouthsfull of pointed teeth and arm like appendages as legs, snarled and lunged toward the poor mortal woman. She let out a blood curdlingscream and ran up the stairs, trying to escape those gnarly beasts. Unfortunately it was to no avail. Once upstairs in a bedroom she begged for help but instead was met with more beastlycreatures, and was devoured in a bloody end.
The video went black and a mask appeared on the screen. Isaac's brows raised at the disembodied face. He seemed to be pondering something before he began to speak.
"It seems like the video's damaged. We need to find another copy."
"Where shall I look for another of this terrible tape...?", I queried, pondering where one finds smut like this. Smut. The Sin Bin... I broke into a grin, knowing I'd seen that sign somewhere down the strip. Before Isaac got a chance to speak I was out the door and headed towards the palace of smut.
"What can I do to you, honey?", came the not so subtle greeting from the Prince of Porn as I entered his domain.
"I am looking for the dark and depraved, a terrible tape, something almost deranged...", I purred, the madness leaking into my words as I spoke.
"We got whips, chains, canes, paddles, furies, all in the back. What exactly are you looking for?"
"A terrible tape, of the dark and depraved", I stated again, locking my mismatched gaze with his own, "Tell me what you know of the Death Mask."
The poor Prince of Porn, he damn near pissed himself revealing to me what he knew of the tape. Tried telling me to get out of whatever I was in. What he didn't know is I was in too deep. Already costing my life, and leading the path of my unlife. I walked the night with demons of dread. Led by the had of the mysterious moon mistress. To the basement of the internet cafe, though they had no food to serve or good coffee. Instead finding where the recordings of the grotesque smut that some get off to was created. Though not the terrible tape. But a copy was found. Along with a handful of the gruesome little creatures from the tape itself. They really wanted me dead it seemed. But then they were mostly mindless killing machines, at least from where the voices were concerned.
After delivering the full tape to Isaac and watching the scene unfold again with the same girl I finally got a lead. The Way of the Kings. A house just outside of Holly's Woods. The dawn was fast approaching again that night and I had nowhere to go in the Home of the Stars. All the motels were full, so I turned towards the cemetery. Either the grave guard would allow my presence another night, or I would find a nice grave to climb into for the dawn.
I slinked past the congregating bums back to the whole in the wall and through it towards Romero's shack in the back lower part of the cemetery. I knocked a simple tune before walking through the side door.
"Greeting's Grave Guard", I stated in a cheery tone. Though my happy expression faltered when I gazed upon his face. Mixed emotions crossed his features as his olive gaze rested upon mine, "Romero...?"
Uncertain of what I should do I awaited him to speak. Though eternity nearly passed and daybreak was less than two hours away. My internal clock was ticking down and my body was already starting to feel the fatigue of daytime.
"H-hey there lost girl", he fumbled over his words and I giggled at the seemingly random nickname. I was lost in this new world most of the time, "Y-you know, I never really got your name the other night."
My name. My name? What was it again... I'd seemed to forget among the many other voices that loved to make their presence known in my head. I'd slowly began to distinguish each and give them their own nicknames. Our name! Right, sorry. I thought a moment more before it finally surfaced, "Amelia."
He pondered this for a moment before smiling more to himself than to me, "I thought it would be something, I don't know, more out there I guess. With you being a Malkavian and all..."
I just tilted my head even more confused, "What brings this change of heart Grave Guard?"
"Uh-hell, i'm gonna be up front with you Ams. Isaac said either get closer to you to keep you on a shorter, monitored leash. Of cut ties with you completely. But I don't think I can really. Cut ties with you that is."
"I don't mind leashes", I murmured playfully, smirking at him in a seductive manner. He reddened slightly but seemed to stay more focused than I was.
"i wouldn't mind knowing you a bit better", he stated back, a mix of earnest and eagerness in his tone, "But that can come at a later time. Handcuffs will have to do until I can get a leash."
I grinned at him wickedly, before shoving him forcefully onto the couch behind him. As I undid the buttons to his shirt, I noticed scars. As the shirt fell to the floor I noted sweet Romero's body was nearly covered in scars. And I doubted it was the zombie hordes. I forgot the attempted flesh play, and began to trace over the more older looking ones peering up at him questioningly with a mix of sorrow and open curiosity.
He chuckled softly grasping my hands an almost haunted expression briefly crossing his face, "i forgot how young you still are."
I pouted at his words, but waited for him to continue.
"It was before Isaac took me in", he seemed to want to make it clear it was not the Blood Baron who inflicted those wounds, "i'd had a run in with a Tzimisce."
I shuttered at the name, uncertain why it invoked a since of fear in my being. Flesh crafter's...Mirror-Me's voice was hesitant as she spoke the words in my brain, causing more worry to bloom in my tightening abdomen.
"If it wasn't for Isaac I would probably be dead years ago."
It seemed the Baron has a soft spot for the lost and the broken. I wrapped and arm around Romero's broad shoulders and hushed him with a slight brush of my lips before my body was too heavy to move anymore. The blackness of the Dead's Sleep slowly bled in as my body slumped across the Grave Guards lap. The last thing I heard was a sigh mixed with a soft chuckle before drifting into the oblivion.
I didn't have the heart to tell the lost girl that the Baron had taken my blood fix away for the month. It was his punishment for me giving in and letting her drink my blood. I left out the part about us sleeping together. But I have a feeling he knew it probably occurred. I sighed, running a hand through her hair. Dawn had already taken hold of her, and he knew by her coming to him of all people she trusted him with herself. Most Kindred would never allow themselves to rest among others, let alone another's ghoul. He smiled down at her fondly, though he did pity the poor girl after finding out who her sire was. He'd only heard stories, but those were enough to have him involuntarily tighten his grip upon her still frame. Positioning her more comfortably on the couch he locked the doors and pulled out the cot he had stored under the couch and laid down thinking over how the night played out.
