A/N I'm evil. I know this. Hey, I like cliffhangers. So sue me. Okay, here's where the story gets funtastic. Cash and Charlie's secrets are both out of the bag. What happens when Julian finds out?
Disclaimer: I'm a beatnik writer, just me and my bongos here. I don't own anything else.
Chapter 8
Cash woke with a start. He looked around the small room with his preternatural eyesight. The body next to him stirred a bit and Cash smiled. He still couldn't believe he was still here with her after last night.
The Gangrel pulled himself out of his spooned position behind his girlfriend. Almost as soon as he set foot on the ground, he stubbed his toe. After a few curses under his breath, Cash couldn't help but laugh. *When you say the word "protection" in a sexual context to most people, it usually involves condoms or other birth control devices* he thought. But not for Cash and Charlie. No, no. Safe sex where Charlie was concerned involved a bedroom made of wall to wall bricks, with a metal ceiling and a stripped down bed, as well as strategically placed fire extinguishers littering the floor. *Not too friendly on the feet* Cash concluded.
As he went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, the Gangrel Primogen reflected on the events of the previous night.
FLASHBACK***************************************************************************************
"Vampires!?" Charlie said incredulously.
Cash shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "We actually prefer the term Kindred...But the concept is still the same."
As he watched his girfriend pace around the loft, trying to figure things out, Cash got more and more nervous. It was quite possible that he would lose her now. Charlie could reject him for what he was. Julian could call out a hunt for her once he found out about the power she possessed. Either way, the situation was not good.
Abruptly, Charlie pivoted around to face him. Seeing the worried look on his face, she walked over to Cash and knelt down in front of him. The Firestarter touched her boyfriend's face lightly and smiled. "Okay. So, what now?"
Cash let out the breath he'd been holding. *Okay. She's not going to reject me.* He rose to his feet, pulling Charlie with him as he went to sit on the couch. "The rules of The Masqerade say that we have three choices. One: I have to kill you. And we both know that ain't gonna happen."
Charlie nodded her understanding. She knew Cash would never hurt her. "Two?" she asked.
"I use hypnosis to make you forget what you know about me and the rest of the Kindred." Cash watched his girlfriend shake her head. He knew what she meant. No one had ever been able to hypnotize Charlie. *And even if I could,* Cash thought, *neither of us want that.*
"And the third option?" Charlie asked, using measured tones to hide her trepidation.
Cash swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. This was the acid test. This was what it all came down to. *The moment of truth* he thought wryly. "I could Embrace you. Make you Kindred; Gangrel, like me."
Charlie stared down at her hands, contemplating, for what felt to Cash like an eternity. "And if I choose none of the above?... What will happen?"
The Gangel Primogen felt as if she'd hit him in the stomach with a sledgehammer. He tried to turn his head away to hide his distress but Charlie caught his face in her hands.
"No. Cash, listen to me! If I were a normal girl, I'd love nothing more than to spend eternity with you. I'd love to be part of the family you're part of. I've dreamt my whole life of belonging to something like that. But I am not a normal girl. I'm a Firestarter. I mean, say I let you Embrace me. What then? Do I become Kindred and lose my powers? Would it work at all? Would I turn into an even bigger freak than I am now?... Understand, Cash, this is a big decision. I am not saying no. I just want to cover all my bases."
Cash thought about her words a moment. Every word she said was true. Knowing Charlie, it probably wouldn't end up being a normal Embrace. And could he ask her to spend an eternity in pain if something went wrong? "If you continue to live as a human with the knowledge I've given you, The Prince of the City will most likely be forced to call out a Blood Hunt for us both."
"Meaning?" Charlie did not like the sound of the phrase "Blood Hunt." Any phrase with the word hunt in it often had dire connotations.
"Meaning Julian Luna will have to send his Enforcer, a very powerful Nosferatu, and every other Gangrel in the city to kill us. They'll probably snap your neck and they'll frenzy to drain my blood and take my power." Cash finished darkly.
Flames flashed across Charlie's eyes for a moment. Oh, she was pissed off, now. She quickly calmed herself down. She had to think logically here. Anger and a few burnt pieces of furniture would accomplish nothing...yet.
"I don't think Luna would be to keen on killing you. But if he finds out about my powers, that might change." She was back to pacing again. "How long do the rules allow for such a decision? I mean, there have to be cases when people take longer than a few minutes to consent to or refuse an Embrace?"
Cash gave her a quizical look, the nodded. "The laws says: three days. But I don't see...."
Charlie cut him off by putting a finger to his lips. "Shh. I'll give you my answer in three days, then. Right now, I think we should get to bed. It's been a long night."
Cash retained his quizical look while she led him by a hand to the bedroom. Then, he thought of something. "Charlie..."
"Yeah?"
"Lillie."
"What about her?"
"She wants you too." Charlie's eyebrows nearly jumped into her hairline and Cash realized the context he had put his remark into. "No. I mean, Lillie wants to Embrace you as well. She wants you to be a Toreador."
"Lillie is Kindred too?" Cash nodded and Charlie looked pensive for a moment. "Well, then she'll get her answer in three days as well."
PRESENT*****************************************************************************************
As Cash finished his glass of water, he felt a set of arms encircle him from behind. Charlie pressed herself into his back. "Hey." he said
"Hey. Goodmorning."
"Morning. I gotta get to work." he smiled as he turned around to hug a fully dressed Charlie to his chest.
"Hey Cash, can you do me a favor?" Charlie asked burying her face into his bare chast.
"Sure, what?" he said after kissing her hair.
She looked him straight in the eye. "Don't go to work today."
Cash looked at her, confused. "Baby, I gotta go to work. I have to talk to Julian and clean all this mess up."
"I don't care. Call in sick or something."
"Kindred don't get sick." he retorted.
Charlie shook her head. "Please, just do me this one favor. I have to run some arrands today and I need you to stay away from work ...and from The Haven."
The Gangrel's suspiscions were peaked now. "Why do you need me to stay away?"
Charlie kissed him deeply to shut him up. "I just do, okay? Please, it's very important."
The desperation in her eyes spurred Cash to agree to her little request. "Great!" she cooed, scurrying out of his grasp. "I'll be back later tonight."
She ran out the door so quickly that Cash was left holding his empty water glass and wondering just what hit him.
************************************************************************************************
Lillie Langtry was quite perturbed that morning. She'd had very little sleep the night before owing to the damage control she had to do with Julian when Sasha had related her outlandish story. Lillie had heard of the Old Ones, Antidiluvian Kindred with the power to control fire. However, the Toreador could not imagine a human being with such a skill.
Just as she was arguing over the phone with the agent of a band that she had booked for the next few nights at The Haven, said human being walked into the club.
"Charlie! It's good to see you. I heard you had an eventful night last night." The Toreador smiled amiably at her.
"Hey, Lillie. Do you think we could speak in private somewhere?" Charlie asked.
The Toreador Primogen nodded before escorting Charlie to the private suite on the building's second level. As they sat down on the chaise lounges in the sitting room of the suite, Lillie asked, "What's so important that you wanted to speak alone Charlie?"
The Firestarter gave the Kindred a measured look before beginning. "I know what you are Lillie."
A look of shock passed Lillie's eyes before she settled into a look of dark amusement. "So Cash has asked to Embrace you, I take it?"
Charlie nodded. "He also tells me that you want the same thing. He says you want me to be Toreador, like you. Is this correct?"
Lillie shifted on the chaise. She'd planned to win Charlie over slowly. Now, she was being broadsided by Charlie's blunt question. "Yes, Charlie. That's right. I guess Cash explained the process to you. How much did he tell you about us?"
"Enough." she replied. "He's also told me that I'm allowed three days, by your law, to make my decision."
"That is also true. So, what did you need to know from me?" Lillie wanted to cut to the chase. Charlie was pretty much guaranteed to choose Cash's offer over her own. This made her wonder what the girl was up to.
"I want to know where I can get some unbiased information about your kind. I want to make an educated decision as to whether or not I want to be Embraced, and as to which clan I would want to be a part of if I do become Kindred."
Lillie smiled. *Smart girl.* she thought. *Even if she doesn't intend to let me Sire her, she still gives me the impression of having an edge.* Charlie would make an excellent addition to Toreador Clan with a head like that on her shoulders. So, Lillie decided to play along. "I may know someone."
Disclaimer: I'm a beatnik writer, just me and my bongos here. I don't own anything else.
Chapter 8
Cash woke with a start. He looked around the small room with his preternatural eyesight. The body next to him stirred a bit and Cash smiled. He still couldn't believe he was still here with her after last night.
The Gangrel pulled himself out of his spooned position behind his girlfriend. Almost as soon as he set foot on the ground, he stubbed his toe. After a few curses under his breath, Cash couldn't help but laugh. *When you say the word "protection" in a sexual context to most people, it usually involves condoms or other birth control devices* he thought. But not for Cash and Charlie. No, no. Safe sex where Charlie was concerned involved a bedroom made of wall to wall bricks, with a metal ceiling and a stripped down bed, as well as strategically placed fire extinguishers littering the floor. *Not too friendly on the feet* Cash concluded.
As he went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, the Gangrel Primogen reflected on the events of the previous night.
FLASHBACK***************************************************************************************
"Vampires!?" Charlie said incredulously.
Cash shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "We actually prefer the term Kindred...But the concept is still the same."
As he watched his girfriend pace around the loft, trying to figure things out, Cash got more and more nervous. It was quite possible that he would lose her now. Charlie could reject him for what he was. Julian could call out a hunt for her once he found out about the power she possessed. Either way, the situation was not good.
Abruptly, Charlie pivoted around to face him. Seeing the worried look on his face, she walked over to Cash and knelt down in front of him. The Firestarter touched her boyfriend's face lightly and smiled. "Okay. So, what now?"
Cash let out the breath he'd been holding. *Okay. She's not going to reject me.* He rose to his feet, pulling Charlie with him as he went to sit on the couch. "The rules of The Masqerade say that we have three choices. One: I have to kill you. And we both know that ain't gonna happen."
Charlie nodded her understanding. She knew Cash would never hurt her. "Two?" she asked.
"I use hypnosis to make you forget what you know about me and the rest of the Kindred." Cash watched his girlfriend shake her head. He knew what she meant. No one had ever been able to hypnotize Charlie. *And even if I could,* Cash thought, *neither of us want that.*
"And the third option?" Charlie asked, using measured tones to hide her trepidation.
Cash swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. This was the acid test. This was what it all came down to. *The moment of truth* he thought wryly. "I could Embrace you. Make you Kindred; Gangrel, like me."
Charlie stared down at her hands, contemplating, for what felt to Cash like an eternity. "And if I choose none of the above?... What will happen?"
The Gangel Primogen felt as if she'd hit him in the stomach with a sledgehammer. He tried to turn his head away to hide his distress but Charlie caught his face in her hands.
"No. Cash, listen to me! If I were a normal girl, I'd love nothing more than to spend eternity with you. I'd love to be part of the family you're part of. I've dreamt my whole life of belonging to something like that. But I am not a normal girl. I'm a Firestarter. I mean, say I let you Embrace me. What then? Do I become Kindred and lose my powers? Would it work at all? Would I turn into an even bigger freak than I am now?... Understand, Cash, this is a big decision. I am not saying no. I just want to cover all my bases."
Cash thought about her words a moment. Every word she said was true. Knowing Charlie, it probably wouldn't end up being a normal Embrace. And could he ask her to spend an eternity in pain if something went wrong? "If you continue to live as a human with the knowledge I've given you, The Prince of the City will most likely be forced to call out a Blood Hunt for us both."
"Meaning?" Charlie did not like the sound of the phrase "Blood Hunt." Any phrase with the word hunt in it often had dire connotations.
"Meaning Julian Luna will have to send his Enforcer, a very powerful Nosferatu, and every other Gangrel in the city to kill us. They'll probably snap your neck and they'll frenzy to drain my blood and take my power." Cash finished darkly.
Flames flashed across Charlie's eyes for a moment. Oh, she was pissed off, now. She quickly calmed herself down. She had to think logically here. Anger and a few burnt pieces of furniture would accomplish nothing...yet.
"I don't think Luna would be to keen on killing you. But if he finds out about my powers, that might change." She was back to pacing again. "How long do the rules allow for such a decision? I mean, there have to be cases when people take longer than a few minutes to consent to or refuse an Embrace?"
Cash gave her a quizical look, the nodded. "The laws says: three days. But I don't see...."
Charlie cut him off by putting a finger to his lips. "Shh. I'll give you my answer in three days, then. Right now, I think we should get to bed. It's been a long night."
Cash retained his quizical look while she led him by a hand to the bedroom. Then, he thought of something. "Charlie..."
"Yeah?"
"Lillie."
"What about her?"
"She wants you too." Charlie's eyebrows nearly jumped into her hairline and Cash realized the context he had put his remark into. "No. I mean, Lillie wants to Embrace you as well. She wants you to be a Toreador."
"Lillie is Kindred too?" Cash nodded and Charlie looked pensive for a moment. "Well, then she'll get her answer in three days as well."
PRESENT*****************************************************************************************
As Cash finished his glass of water, he felt a set of arms encircle him from behind. Charlie pressed herself into his back. "Hey." he said
"Hey. Goodmorning."
"Morning. I gotta get to work." he smiled as he turned around to hug a fully dressed Charlie to his chest.
"Hey Cash, can you do me a favor?" Charlie asked burying her face into his bare chast.
"Sure, what?" he said after kissing her hair.
She looked him straight in the eye. "Don't go to work today."
Cash looked at her, confused. "Baby, I gotta go to work. I have to talk to Julian and clean all this mess up."
"I don't care. Call in sick or something."
"Kindred don't get sick." he retorted.
Charlie shook her head. "Please, just do me this one favor. I have to run some arrands today and I need you to stay away from work ...and from The Haven."
The Gangrel's suspiscions were peaked now. "Why do you need me to stay away?"
Charlie kissed him deeply to shut him up. "I just do, okay? Please, it's very important."
The desperation in her eyes spurred Cash to agree to her little request. "Great!" she cooed, scurrying out of his grasp. "I'll be back later tonight."
She ran out the door so quickly that Cash was left holding his empty water glass and wondering just what hit him.
************************************************************************************************
Lillie Langtry was quite perturbed that morning. She'd had very little sleep the night before owing to the damage control she had to do with Julian when Sasha had related her outlandish story. Lillie had heard of the Old Ones, Antidiluvian Kindred with the power to control fire. However, the Toreador could not imagine a human being with such a skill.
Just as she was arguing over the phone with the agent of a band that she had booked for the next few nights at The Haven, said human being walked into the club.
"Charlie! It's good to see you. I heard you had an eventful night last night." The Toreador smiled amiably at her.
"Hey, Lillie. Do you think we could speak in private somewhere?" Charlie asked.
The Toreador Primogen nodded before escorting Charlie to the private suite on the building's second level. As they sat down on the chaise lounges in the sitting room of the suite, Lillie asked, "What's so important that you wanted to speak alone Charlie?"
The Firestarter gave the Kindred a measured look before beginning. "I know what you are Lillie."
A look of shock passed Lillie's eyes before she settled into a look of dark amusement. "So Cash has asked to Embrace you, I take it?"
Charlie nodded. "He also tells me that you want the same thing. He says you want me to be Toreador, like you. Is this correct?"
Lillie shifted on the chaise. She'd planned to win Charlie over slowly. Now, she was being broadsided by Charlie's blunt question. "Yes, Charlie. That's right. I guess Cash explained the process to you. How much did he tell you about us?"
"Enough." she replied. "He's also told me that I'm allowed three days, by your law, to make my decision."
"That is also true. So, what did you need to know from me?" Lillie wanted to cut to the chase. Charlie was pretty much guaranteed to choose Cash's offer over her own. This made her wonder what the girl was up to.
"I want to know where I can get some unbiased information about your kind. I want to make an educated decision as to whether or not I want to be Embraced, and as to which clan I would want to be a part of if I do become Kindred."
Lillie smiled. *Smart girl.* she thought. *Even if she doesn't intend to let me Sire her, she still gives me the impression of having an edge.* Charlie would make an excellent addition to Toreador Clan with a head like that on her shoulders. So, Lillie decided to play along. "I may know someone."