Redemption
II
The Dinner
..

'What in the hell am I doing?' Bunny thought over and over and over again as her little Accord wove through the Widow Forest's winding roads to the top most part of the lonely mountain.

After much debate, she thought that it would be best to accept the vague invitation. She really didn't have much else to do other than job hunting and besides, her friends had encouraged her to take the opportunity for this potential business contact. It was very desirable to have the name 'Shields' on her list of business references. That made her grin.

But the sun was slowly dipping behind the mountain and the shadows of the lonely, dangerous road were becoming more threatening. With the surrounding darkness that seemed to quite literally close in on her, Bunny's self confidence and curiosity began to wan. A voice in her head kept telling her to turn the car around, it wasn't too late, while another told her to press on, that she had bills to pay. Lots of them too.

The blonde turned the radio up slightly to comfort herself, to keep her imaginative mind from wandering to the ghost stories that took place on this very road, in the very house she was about to spend a few hours of her time....

She could have hit her head on the steering wheel. Now she was just spooking herself in attempts to occupy her mind from the very visions of horror she made a point not to think about. She could have and probably would have, but the mansion came into view and soon her car was parked in front of the gates. Looking around, she saw a speaker on one of the stone pillars that held the iron gates up.

Stepping out of her car, she smoothed out her black dress and walked over to the speaker, only to stop and stare at the iron work that remained closed. It was menacing, to be sure, with sharp twists and gothic patterns but what really caught her eye was the huge silhouette of a dragon in the very center.

Stepping closer she felt a sense of deja vu come over her. It was such a familiar marking that she was sure she had seen it somewhere before, in a painting or something historical. Perhaps it was just her imagination or the fact that dragons were popular in family crests and the Shields' were the type of family who still honored such old customs. The wax seal on the invitation was proof of that.

Shaking off her strange revere, she moved to the box and before she could press the button to call, a voice resounded out of it, making her jump. "Welcome, Miss Cyphers."

And with a loud, screeching the heavy iron gates swung open to let her in. Transfixed, she just climbed in her car and drove on through, leaning forward to get glimpses of the surrounding walls of the huge estate and the house itself. It was most definitely was out of this world with its gargoyle-like statuettes made of black stone, the menacing archways, windows resembling that of a cathedral's, and so many more details that were lost to her senses of apprehension. No wonder people made up ghost stories about it; it was freaking scarey!

Bunny pulled the black Accord around the circular drive way where a large fountain lay in the center. That too was made of some sort of black stone and had demonic creatures adorned as the focal point. Turning her attention back to the drive way she saw that she was now directly in front of the house's front doors. Not only that but there was a man standing in the middle of the road, waiting patiently for her to stop.

When she did so, the old-- almost ancient-- man walked over to her door and opened it for her, "Miss Cyphers, welcome to Shields Manor."

"Uh–" Bunny's voice squeaked, "Thank you."

Climbing out she grabbed her purse and portfolio, then handed the man in the tux her keys. Walking on legs that felt as if they had been reconstructed of gelatin, she walked up the steps to the front doors and timidly knocked. So softly did she knock on the dark mahogany wood that she barely herself heard the sound. Surely no one inside did, but the doors opened any how and Bunny was greeted by one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen.

She was tall, around Bunny's height. Her skin was an exotic tan, eyes a piercing, seductive violet; and her hair fell down her back in liquid like strands. The red dress she was wearing was elegant and, Bunny imagined, could send any sane man into a quavering mass of desire. Or maybe that was just the woman alone.

"Why, Miss Cyphers, how good of you to make it," the woman spoke with a slight accent, stepping aside to allow Bunny to enter the expansive building, "Please, come in."

"Uh, thank you." She said for the second time that night.

"I do hope that you found the manor without difficulty," the woman continued, closing the massive doors behind the blonde.

"No– it wasn't too difficult to find," Bunny answered truthfully, feeling a little out of place in the massive parlor.

"Good," the mystery woman extended a silken, elegant hand and smiled a slow, easy smile, "Rei Manson. I am most happy to meet you, Miss Cyphers."

She took her hand and smiled, ignoring the jolt that ran up her arm when she made contact with Rei, "Likewise, and please, call me Bunny."

Again Rei smiled her seductive smile, "All right, Bunny. Please, would you join me for a few drinks while we wait for dinner to begin?"

"Sure."

Lord knows I could use it, Bunny thought. She was tense to say the least and extremely nervous. Rei, strangely enough, helped ease some of her weariness even though her body language screamed power and confidence, and her aura oozed a sensuality that Bunny envied slightly. Even with all of that, the blonde felt some sort of peace as she followed her hostess through vast hallways to come upon a large living room of sorts.

It was as luxurious as the rest of what the guest had seen, and she was sure that no expenses were thought twice about to make it seem so. The whole decor of the manor, in fact, held the same antique, gothic theme that the outside seemed to hold. It was intriguing because more than half of the house's contents seemed to be decades old, maybe older. Family heirlooms, she gathered.

"Please, have a seat," Rei walked directly towards a small golden cart that held several crystal containers and glasses, "What would you like?"

"Uh– " She began, sitting on a plush, blood red couch, propping her black portfolio on the side, "A Manhattan, if you can manage, please."

She couldn't see it, but could hear the smile in Rei's voice, "I can manage."

Walking across the room with Bunny's drink and her own in hand, the brunette sat across from her guest in a high backed chair, but not before handing the Manhattan to Bunny, "A bold drink. Nervous?"

"Um, sort of. I have never been in a house such as this, holding company as I am now."

Rei laughed a deep, throaty laugh, "Yes, I can see how I would be intimidating."

"No," Bunny smiled, "I didn't mean it that way. It's just that I am in shock to even be here really. Which reminds me... what exactly am I here for? I mean, the invitation said something about my work, so just as a precaution, I brought my portfolio just in case. I hope that's all right."

Again the sensuous woman smiled, "No, that is more than all right. My fiancee's brother has a painting of yours I believe. That fancy he has taken in your work, as you say, has motivated him to invite you here tonight. As for what his intentions are exactly, I'll wait for him to inform you of what exactly it is he's looking for."

That answer wasn't exactly what she had been looking for, but it would have to do for the time being, Bunny decided. But what bothered her most was that there was something about the way Rei said it. It was almost as if there was a double meaning behind what had just been said.

The first part clicked, "A painting... of mine?"

"Yes. I myself have taken a particular liking to it. Redemption, I believe is its name. A masterpiece."

"A– a masterpiece? I'm not sure it is that great...."

"Please don't belittle yourself, Bunny. My future brother in-law and I have share a fine palate for art."

"Oh, well. Thank you. Last I saw of Redemption was..." she calculated the years in her head, "Five years? It was in New York I painted it and sold it to a gallery."

"I do believe that is where he found it."

"I had no idea that someone bought it. It was such a sad, disturbing piece," her brow furrowed, "It's actually kind of funny that it would end up in my home town, huh?"

"Fate, perhaps, took him to that gallery that day to buy that painting and to bring it back here to hang," Rei smiled, "Or just coincidence. It has brought our family joy to look upon your talent. Would you like to see it again?"

When the blonde nodded, her hostess stood, setting her untouched drink back on the cart, "I am sure Darien would love to discuss it with you. Now, if you'll excuse me for just a moment, I'll go and see if dinner is ready."

Bunny watched her retreat and when she was alone, she downed the rest of her drink with haste hoping for liquid courage. Blinking away the tears that came from her searing throat, she stood and began to walk around the room. It did seem that Darien Shields was the one who had summoned her after all. Great, she thought, more cause to be nervous.

..

He had been on the second floor in his study when he saw her arrive. Peering through the window he saw Joseph help her out and then valet her small Honda Accord. Even from inside he could smell her apprehension as she stepped up to the doors.

A slow, calculating smile came upon his lips. Rei would be the one greeting her. Out of all of his family, she was most anxious to meet this Bunny Cyphers. Well, next to him of course. He had been waiting for centuries to meet this woman, endlessly searching for her. Now that he found her, he had no intention of letting her go. Ever.

"Do you really think she's the one, Endymion?" A familiar male voice asked.

Turning he gave his cousin a look of annoyance, and said in a pronounced language not lost on the second man, half heartedly scolding him.

"Of course, Darien. But really, why should we be so lucky to find her in Rosedale?"

"Don't you feel it Marius? Don't you feel it within your soul that she's the one?" Darien sat down behind a menacing desk, steel blue eyes fixated upon his cousin.

The man known to be Marius Graves, looked away, staring at nothing in particular, "Like we have souls...."

The first man just chuckled at this, "Now now, Malachite. That's unfair. Of course we have souls, which is exactly why we need her."

"Well, you'll just have to excuse me if I am a little weary of looking for someone who probably never did or will exist. It is too much to ask for that hope to remain after all these years." The white haired man turned his slate blue eyes towards his cousin once more, "Don't you think?"

"Jadiete doesn't seem to think that I am so foolish. If there is a Hell, why not a Heaven? If demons can exist, why not angels? Really, cousin, I thought that you would have more faith in me."

Marius' eyes narrowed, "I do have faith in you, cousin. To keep this family together, however, I cannot believe so easily in some prophecy given by a phantom that, may I remind you, only you saw."

It was Darien's turn to become cold, "Malachite, I do not appreciate what you are insinuating. You once believed in me, where is that belief now? It seems that you would rather take your fate into your own hands by throwing yourself into the morning light's mercy." He hesitated, studying his dear relative who was once again avoiding eye contact, "Have you lost will?"

There was a lapse of silence before the second man responded, "... no. Not yet at least."

Before Darien could pry any further out of anger and concern, a quiet knock announced Rei as she quietly opened the door, "Dinner, gentlemen, is served."

Standing, the head of the household stopped as he brushed past his emotionless cousin and said firmly, "We will continue discussing this later, cousin."

"As you wish," Marius sighed.

Rei took Darien's offered arm as they left the study.

"She is quite beautiful," she said as they walked down the dark hallways together, "If not a little frightened."

He smirked, "Frightened?"

"Yes."

"We shall have to put her as much as at ease as we can provide, hmm?"

"I have hope, friend. For the first time since... after the first thousand with Jadiete. She exudes this light that no other holds."

"A light, you say."

"Yes, it is only hidden behind walls unseen. Walls only you will be able to break down."

"Mmn."

Detaching herself from Darien, Rei walked on past the vast dinning room to retrieve Bunny. He looked around to see two men join him, the only family presently in America. One was Marius and the other was Nathaniel Harrington to the world, Nephrite to family.

Rei slinked back into the room with the blonde following behind. She did indeed, Darien noted, seem like a scared little rabbit being knowing lured into the wolf's din. He smiled secretly at this analogy.

Rei brought her in front of the men for introductions, "Bunny, these gentlemen are Marius Graves, Nathaniel Harrington, and the man who bought your painting, Darien Shields."

.................................
TR- Well, I did a bunch of research on a certain person to write this and get the idea. I can't wait until Bunny finds out exactly what Darien and fam wants from her. Which will be next chapter...? Buwhahaha! That and you'll find out who it is that I had to research. It's pretty interesting, but scarey. And this isn't going to be a mainstream 'Bleh! Bleh! I'm a vampire, you're a slayer, I want you right now. I know you want me too' story. Blah. Expect something a little more creative, will ya?

5.30.04

(unedited)