"The Books of Aurelius" The history of a Vampire: Nine
Female Reasoning
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The coach carrying Angelus and Darla pulled up in the stable yard around the same time Buffy emerged from the attic.
Charia greeted them. "Hello dears, It's good to see you return in time for the banquette. The order is greeting 6 Newly Borne tonight. I expect your journey was a pleasant one?" Darla smiled at the keeper of the keys. She was always polite and kind, but that didn't change the fact that you should never anger her though.
"The journey was bearable. Thank you for asking. We will attend tonight's banquette." They retired to their rooms on the first floor of the east wing.
Darla drew herself a long bath to get rid of all the traveling grime and settle her thoughts. The couple had been attending some business in Paris concerning a dispute between two clan members there. It gave them a sort of holiday on the main land. Darla had enjoyed France with her Angel. He was without a doubt a beautiful man and they had turned many heads in the Parisian establishments. Underneath the elegant finnier lay an even more amazing creature. His blood thirst, passion and strength were always enough to bring her to new heights. She knew he would make the perfect mate to her when she took over control of the order. She was brains where he was balls. When she had turned him she had hoped she could mold him into a loyal follower and to a certain extend he was. Only the turning had also given him a freedom to his character that made him unpredictable. A trade she both loved and hated in him.
Angelus took his time alone to rest on their large bed. He had been drunk on France the last couple of days. The women, the lights, the wine and the freedom. He gained some respect from the clan members for the way he had handled the dispute. And now he was back in the fold. He had been so bored before this trip. Here he was Darla's companion, never Angelus. He loved Darla but love alone was not enough for him. Now he had an eternity to enjoy his existence and no father there to tell him what was acceptable and what was not. His world held so many pleasures. Why was he being cooped up in this stuffy mansion playing political games? He wanted to be out there tasting life with his blond devilling at his side. His thoughts were interrupted when said devilling entered the room dressed only in a long flowing crimson silk robe.
"Could you please wear normal dress trousers to the banquette tonight, my Angel?" She asked while crossing the room to their closets.
He barely lifted his head from the pillow when he answered her. "I'm not going."
Not again, when will he get this through that gorgeous skull of his! "Darling, I have discussed this with you many times. I need you to be there. The order must get used to seeing you as my companion. They must know that my words flow through you mouth, if not then they will never obey you when I become the leader of the order."
This time he sat all the way up. "God, Darla how long is it going to take before you find a way to dispose of the old man in a safe way? At least another half a century. Missing one measly banquette before then will not make a bit of difference."
She had had enough of this argument the second time they had it. This fourth time she grew angry at him only two steps into this particular dance. Her voice got an almost inhuman distinction and she vamped out. "You will not disobey, Child. I want you at the banquette!" She boomed through the room.
Angelus simple swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stalked towards her laughing out loud. "Ahh, my love. You are beautiful when you are being all commanding." He gripped the lapels of her robe and slid it off her shoulders while stroking his thumbs over the exposed skin. Then he lowered his head until his mouth reached her ears. "I might come if properly motivated" he whispered softly before kissing the skin of her neck just behind her ears.
Involuntarily her hands went to his chest and she looked into his brown eyes. She saw love but also something else. Something bordering on a caged animal. As she slid down his body, opening up his pants for her to start motivating him, she had one last thought. I need to get him a past time soon or he will meddle in my plans.
*****
Buffy and Charles had been standing outside a large set of doors for a good 30 minutes now. When they arrived all the current Newly Borne were there with their Sires. Now only they were left. Theresa and Roland had disappeared through the doors moments ago, like all the others before them. Charles had explained to her on their way there that every Newly Borne is lead before the Master by their Sire requesting his approval for admittance to the order. Sometimes that went easier than others. The master could be fickle in his granting and he was known to ask the weirdest things before approving an inauguration. If you were not accepted you would be staked on the spot. Every once in the while they could hear some noises through the doors, Buffy could see that Charles was slightly nervous about this so she laid her hand on his arm smiling up at him. "I have gone through more trials than I care to remember. I will make it through this one too."
And then the doors were opened and he had to lead her inside. I hope you are right, little one!
The doors opened to a square hall. It was large and lit only by huge chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. At the end of the hall was a small podium with a semi-circled table. The rest of the room was divided into four groups of tables. In total she guessed there were a little less than 150 vampires inside the hall. A straight path lead between the tables towards an open space in front of the podium. A hush had descended over the hall while Charles and she walked towards the podium. There Buffy found the one man she was hoping to see but also the one man she dreaded meeting the most in her entire existence. Angel Sitting at the table next to Darla who sat at the Master's right hand. Her first love was following her with his eyes while he drank from a steel goblet. Darla on the other hand had her eyes fixated on him ever since she saw Charles' new Childe.
Both of them focused on Charles as he introduced his first Childe in 200 years. "My Master, I plead for your acceptance. I wish to bring a new Vampire into your Order. Her name is Buffy Anne Summers. How do you answer my plea, Master?"
The Master looked her over. "Othan informed me that you have won the inauguration. Therefore you have won the clan of fighters extra supplies and privileges." Loud cheering came from the group of tables to the Master's left. "But winning the inauguration doesn't mean I automatically grant you access to my order, little girl. Charles assures me that you have an extraordinary intelligence. Othan raves about your fighting skills and your beauty strikes every man in this room. Your assets are all in the open. You seem almost too good to be true."
Oh shit The confidence that Buffy had felt before entering this room had disappeared. Here standing before the three vampires that had scared her the most in her slaying days she felt naked. Does he know, does he suspect I still have my soul and that I used to be the Slayer? She could not leave this place unharmed or unliving if he did. But if he did then why was he staring at her instead of exposing her himself? What could he have to gain by taunting her? Nothing! He doesn't know! He was just aggravating her to see how Charles' miracle Childe would react. Fine, two can play that game. You are about to meet a liberated woman, wrinkle face! She took one step forward and away from Charles and then crooked her head while standing in the most enticing way she could think of.
"Of course I am too good to be true." There were a lot of different reactions to that one little sentence. She felt Charles take one step towards her. She heard a collective intake of unneeded breath from the tables behind her. The most intriguing reactions came from the table in front of her though. Darla, who had been engrossed in her plate of food ever since the Master first spoke, whipped up her head to peer at this insolent little girl before her. She was trying to dissect Buffy with her eyes, hoping to find out what kind of game this Newly Borne was playing. Angel merely lifted his eyebrows in question but Buffy recognized the twinkling of amusement in his eyes.
The Master merely laughed and then motioned her to continue. "Well then would you care to explain what you are then?"
"Hello vampire here! Being good isn't really in my nature, now is it? I am the best at what I do though. So you are pretty stupid if you turn me down and since you are supposed to be the oldest living vampire here, I don't think you are stupid. Are you?" At that moment all that was heard was the scraping of a chair over stone floor tiles. The Master got down from his place at the podium and circled around Buffy. Everybody was anxiously awaiting his answer to her question. His arm came up and descended next to her head. He's going to hit me! Buffy tried not to tense noticeably but she mentally got ready for a battle.
Then the hand landed on her shoulder only to go up again for another hearty clap on her shoulder. "You are going to be an outstanding addition to my fighters." The Master proclaimed while he turned her around. "Order of Aurelius, meet Buffy Anne Summers, Childe of Charles du Pinot."
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Female Reasoning
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The coach carrying Angelus and Darla pulled up in the stable yard around the same time Buffy emerged from the attic.
Charia greeted them. "Hello dears, It's good to see you return in time for the banquette. The order is greeting 6 Newly Borne tonight. I expect your journey was a pleasant one?" Darla smiled at the keeper of the keys. She was always polite and kind, but that didn't change the fact that you should never anger her though.
"The journey was bearable. Thank you for asking. We will attend tonight's banquette." They retired to their rooms on the first floor of the east wing.
Darla drew herself a long bath to get rid of all the traveling grime and settle her thoughts. The couple had been attending some business in Paris concerning a dispute between two clan members there. It gave them a sort of holiday on the main land. Darla had enjoyed France with her Angel. He was without a doubt a beautiful man and they had turned many heads in the Parisian establishments. Underneath the elegant finnier lay an even more amazing creature. His blood thirst, passion and strength were always enough to bring her to new heights. She knew he would make the perfect mate to her when she took over control of the order. She was brains where he was balls. When she had turned him she had hoped she could mold him into a loyal follower and to a certain extend he was. Only the turning had also given him a freedom to his character that made him unpredictable. A trade she both loved and hated in him.
Angelus took his time alone to rest on their large bed. He had been drunk on France the last couple of days. The women, the lights, the wine and the freedom. He gained some respect from the clan members for the way he had handled the dispute. And now he was back in the fold. He had been so bored before this trip. Here he was Darla's companion, never Angelus. He loved Darla but love alone was not enough for him. Now he had an eternity to enjoy his existence and no father there to tell him what was acceptable and what was not. His world held so many pleasures. Why was he being cooped up in this stuffy mansion playing political games? He wanted to be out there tasting life with his blond devilling at his side. His thoughts were interrupted when said devilling entered the room dressed only in a long flowing crimson silk robe.
"Could you please wear normal dress trousers to the banquette tonight, my Angel?" She asked while crossing the room to their closets.
He barely lifted his head from the pillow when he answered her. "I'm not going."
Not again, when will he get this through that gorgeous skull of his! "Darling, I have discussed this with you many times. I need you to be there. The order must get used to seeing you as my companion. They must know that my words flow through you mouth, if not then they will never obey you when I become the leader of the order."
This time he sat all the way up. "God, Darla how long is it going to take before you find a way to dispose of the old man in a safe way? At least another half a century. Missing one measly banquette before then will not make a bit of difference."
She had had enough of this argument the second time they had it. This fourth time she grew angry at him only two steps into this particular dance. Her voice got an almost inhuman distinction and she vamped out. "You will not disobey, Child. I want you at the banquette!" She boomed through the room.
Angelus simple swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stalked towards her laughing out loud. "Ahh, my love. You are beautiful when you are being all commanding." He gripped the lapels of her robe and slid it off her shoulders while stroking his thumbs over the exposed skin. Then he lowered his head until his mouth reached her ears. "I might come if properly motivated" he whispered softly before kissing the skin of her neck just behind her ears.
Involuntarily her hands went to his chest and she looked into his brown eyes. She saw love but also something else. Something bordering on a caged animal. As she slid down his body, opening up his pants for her to start motivating him, she had one last thought. I need to get him a past time soon or he will meddle in my plans.
*****
Buffy and Charles had been standing outside a large set of doors for a good 30 minutes now. When they arrived all the current Newly Borne were there with their Sires. Now only they were left. Theresa and Roland had disappeared through the doors moments ago, like all the others before them. Charles had explained to her on their way there that every Newly Borne is lead before the Master by their Sire requesting his approval for admittance to the order. Sometimes that went easier than others. The master could be fickle in his granting and he was known to ask the weirdest things before approving an inauguration. If you were not accepted you would be staked on the spot. Every once in the while they could hear some noises through the doors, Buffy could see that Charles was slightly nervous about this so she laid her hand on his arm smiling up at him. "I have gone through more trials than I care to remember. I will make it through this one too."
And then the doors were opened and he had to lead her inside. I hope you are right, little one!
The doors opened to a square hall. It was large and lit only by huge chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. At the end of the hall was a small podium with a semi-circled table. The rest of the room was divided into four groups of tables. In total she guessed there were a little less than 150 vampires inside the hall. A straight path lead between the tables towards an open space in front of the podium. A hush had descended over the hall while Charles and she walked towards the podium. There Buffy found the one man she was hoping to see but also the one man she dreaded meeting the most in her entire existence. Angel Sitting at the table next to Darla who sat at the Master's right hand. Her first love was following her with his eyes while he drank from a steel goblet. Darla on the other hand had her eyes fixated on him ever since she saw Charles' new Childe.
Both of them focused on Charles as he introduced his first Childe in 200 years. "My Master, I plead for your acceptance. I wish to bring a new Vampire into your Order. Her name is Buffy Anne Summers. How do you answer my plea, Master?"
The Master looked her over. "Othan informed me that you have won the inauguration. Therefore you have won the clan of fighters extra supplies and privileges." Loud cheering came from the group of tables to the Master's left. "But winning the inauguration doesn't mean I automatically grant you access to my order, little girl. Charles assures me that you have an extraordinary intelligence. Othan raves about your fighting skills and your beauty strikes every man in this room. Your assets are all in the open. You seem almost too good to be true."
Oh shit The confidence that Buffy had felt before entering this room had disappeared. Here standing before the three vampires that had scared her the most in her slaying days she felt naked. Does he know, does he suspect I still have my soul and that I used to be the Slayer? She could not leave this place unharmed or unliving if he did. But if he did then why was he staring at her instead of exposing her himself? What could he have to gain by taunting her? Nothing! He doesn't know! He was just aggravating her to see how Charles' miracle Childe would react. Fine, two can play that game. You are about to meet a liberated woman, wrinkle face! She took one step forward and away from Charles and then crooked her head while standing in the most enticing way she could think of.
"Of course I am too good to be true." There were a lot of different reactions to that one little sentence. She felt Charles take one step towards her. She heard a collective intake of unneeded breath from the tables behind her. The most intriguing reactions came from the table in front of her though. Darla, who had been engrossed in her plate of food ever since the Master first spoke, whipped up her head to peer at this insolent little girl before her. She was trying to dissect Buffy with her eyes, hoping to find out what kind of game this Newly Borne was playing. Angel merely lifted his eyebrows in question but Buffy recognized the twinkling of amusement in his eyes.
The Master merely laughed and then motioned her to continue. "Well then would you care to explain what you are then?"
"Hello vampire here! Being good isn't really in my nature, now is it? I am the best at what I do though. So you are pretty stupid if you turn me down and since you are supposed to be the oldest living vampire here, I don't think you are stupid. Are you?" At that moment all that was heard was the scraping of a chair over stone floor tiles. The Master got down from his place at the podium and circled around Buffy. Everybody was anxiously awaiting his answer to her question. His arm came up and descended next to her head. He's going to hit me! Buffy tried not to tense noticeably but she mentally got ready for a battle.
Then the hand landed on her shoulder only to go up again for another hearty clap on her shoulder. "You are going to be an outstanding addition to my fighters." The Master proclaimed while he turned her around. "Order of Aurelius, meet Buffy Anne Summers, Childe of Charles du Pinot."
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