Sands & Victoria have an audience with Abberline (cont)
Night 3 part 7
Sands: We get dressed again and I find my gaze drawn back to her over and over. Then I sense another very nearby, one who wields a great deal of power. I know this vampire. I turn to face the door of the pantry.
"Are you descent yet?" I hear the voice of Abberline and if I could blush, I would.
"Yes," I cast a quick glance to Victoria and mouth the name "Abberline" to her. I hope she understands.
Victoria: Sands seems suddenly distracted. I watch him carefully as I fasten my pants. "Abberline" , he mouths. I remember that name from Andre. He is the one for whom our clan is named for. I am embarrassed and step behind Sands placing his body between Abberline and me.
Sands: I move toward the door, sensing Victoria behind me. "Sir?" I ask. I can see him now and wonder why he has come for me.
"Would you two come with me?" Abberline asks politely. He still has his British accent, hasn't lost it even though he's been here a hundred years or so.
"Yes, sir," I say. I reach back a hand for Victoria's. "Come with me."
Victoria: I nod and place my hand in his. I look into his eyes. Can he sense my worry? What could Abberline want with the two of us? We shouldn't have come.
Sands: Abberline leads us to a back wall. He touches it and the wooden panel slides aside to reveal a hidden staircase. I didn't know this was here. We climb up to the third floor then exit through another sliding panel. We're standing in the research library within Abberline's private quarters. The scent of incense fills the air. He gestures toward two leather chairs and walks around behind a desk.
I study him. He hasn't changed much since I last saw him. Physically, he's a just little shorter than me, his hair neatly combed back, his dark eyes seeing everything.
Victoria and I sit. I wonder if this is going to be a lecture.
Victoria: This is a beautiful room. I sit quietly and fold my hands in my lap crossing my ankles, trying to look as innocent as possible. Suddenly an old feeling creeps over me. The feeling I used to get when father wished to scold Claude and I. I brace myself for a lecture.
Sands: Slowly, Abberline pulls a tobacco pouch from a pocket, roles a dark-paper cigarette, licks it, and seals it. He sits back. "I understand you've been the target of the Viscalli. What do you think precipitated it?"
Oh, so that's what it's all about. I feel Victoria relax a little beside me. "I talked to Quinn about some possibilities," I start. "It could be retaliation for a kill I did in Russian about twenty years ago. A KGB agent who might have been Viscalli." I shrug. "Just a theory."
Victoria: I look to Sands, KGB? He's had an interesting life. I listen quietly, sure that I was not the target of the attack. From what little I learned from the others while Sands spoke to Quinn, it is more likely that Sands was the target of the attack, not me. Then I feel something, something that I have not felt for a long time. I concentrate.
Sands: I look from Abberline to Victoria. They're about the same height, same coloring, my train of thoughts makes me wonder what I have in common with her. He's still waiting for more of an answer.
"I don't know, sir," I continue, speaking slowly. "I have enemies." I meet his gaze. "Don't we all?" His gaze continues to see right through me. "How far back do you think I should look? I was discussing this with Quinn. I did assassinate someone who could have been Viscalli during the cold war, as I said. That's the only one in the past.twenty years or so."
Victoria: Sir, he keeps calling him sir. Abberline must be very powerful to command such respect. I bow my head and look at my hands, listening very carefully to the conversation as it passes between the two men. I stroke one of my fingers as I listen. The cold war, I went to sleep for a short while during that time. It was easier than running, I wonder if Sands has ever chosen to sleep. I don't think so, he tackles everything head on.
Sands: "Yes, Sands," Abberline is saying to me in his calm patient manner, "Quinn mentioned that, you already mentioned that, but what about more recently? It might not be a Viscalli you engaged directly. They may be someone else's tools." He reaches over and picks up a lighter and holds it, his gaze going to Victoria. "Do you mind if I smoke?" he askes politely. That's Abberline, his sire one of the most fucking powerful vampires ever to walk the earth, and he asks Victoria if he can smoke in his own mansion.
Victoria: He breaks my reverie. I look up at him through my thick lashes and smile politely. "No, not at all." Then I go back to my thoughts. Tools? Someone's tools?
Sands: He's getting right to the point. "They could be, but what other clan would dare attack us?"
"Attack you, Sands," Abberline corrects.
I shrug. "Attack me, a member of your clan, our clan, however you want to put it."
He holds up a hand. "Sands, you made it clear years ago that you are a loner. The clan holds no appeal to you, except as a source of weapons and research."
I nod. "I'm not here for tea and cookies, if that's what you mean. But I have defended our clan with the best of them."
"And you've made many enemies who don't even know your of the brotherhood," Abberline ads. "Human enemies."
"Yes," I have to agree. "But most of them think I'm dead."
"Obviously not all."
Victoria: Interesting; the conversation of these men. Women of my day were trained to listen, to sit quietly and observe the world around them. I am learning many things tonight. Sands has many enemies. I interlace my fingers, we all have enemies. But does Abberline intend to abandon Sands if this hunt is specifically for him? I look up and watch Sands as his lips move. He's so controlled at this moment. I know he'd rather be anywhere but here. Then I turn and gaze at Abberline as he speaks. I look into his eyes.
Sands: "Not all," I repeat. Then I smile. "We could start at the very beginning with Jacob," I say brightly. If Abberline wants details, I'll give him details.
Victoria: I turn my head an look at Sands. He's itching for a fight. I clear my throat ever so quietly. "Excuse me," I wait briefly as they both look over to me. "Should I go? Perhaps you two would prefer to continue this in private?"
I don't think Sands is ready to reveal all his secrets to me, especially not in this manner. Besides I think Abberline can read my thoughts. Some of our kind have different gifts, they manifest themselves as we age. One as strong as he can certainly read my thoughts.
Sands: I am puzzled by Victoria's words. "Go?" I ask, hoping she doesn't leave.
Abberline has turned his 100 watt attention on Victoria now. "Tell me, why is it we've never seen you before, Victoria?"
Victoria: Now I've done it, broken all my own rules, and now I'm trapped here in this room, in this house, of all places in front of our clan leader! I can feel my heart jump and my fingers tighten there grip around each other.
Perhaps I can charm my way out of this.
Sands: Why isn't she answering him? "Victoria?" I urge her. I wet my lips, and open my mouth, then she speaks.
Victoria: I smile pleasantly and straighten up. "I was never one for crowds."
Sands: My mouth hangs open and my gaze darts to see how Abberline is taking this. He looks fascinated.
Victoria: I look at Sands and then back to Abberline. "I have spent most of my time traveling about from country to country, and in all that time I have never met more than a few of our kind. My sire being one of the few."
I sigh and then continue as Abberline's gaze becomes more intense. "Being around our kind can be complicated and dangerous. The humans are much easier to deal with."
Sands: "She is of our clan," I tell him. Then I wonder. Did she lie to me? Shit, I would if I was afraid of other vampires the way she seems to be. That fuckwit who turned her is responsible for this. "Someone named McLoud turned her," I blurt out, to confirm her being a member of our clan. "A Scot, right Victoria? He wouldn't let her out of his sight. Real possessive bastard. Tell him, Victoria." Now she'll tell him.
"McLoud?" Abberline echoes.
Victoria: My eyes pop open. Fear fills me. I'm sure they can both smell it dripping off of me like honey from the comb. Then I close my eyes. "You canna hide forever lassie," I hear inside my head.
I take a deep breath. "My troubles are not you concern sir, you have much more pressing matters to attend to, I'm sure." My good breeding comes into play.
Sands: I reach to touch her arm, wondering why she's withdrawing from me. Abberline begins to speak and suddenly both Victoria and I are looking at him with shock on our faces.
"If you had studied your own history, Sheldon, you would have discovered that your first enemy, Jacob he was called then, was cast out by Lilith and went to Scotland."
I feel a strange sensation at the base of my spine. "Did Jacob make McLoud a vampire?" I ask, my throat dry with hatred.
"No," Abberline looks at me with those liquid brown eyes of his, "He did not make McLoud, he IS McLoud."
Victoria: Sands reaches to touch my arm. I don't move, I let his hand come to rest upon my arm. I turn my gaze to Sands. "Do you know Connor, uh Jacob?" I ask. The I turn my gaze quickly back to Abberline. My other hand reaching instinctively to Sands. "Sir, he isn't here is he?"
Sands: "Fuck!" I breathe. "Here? He's here?" Suddenly my vision is flooded with red. I'm on my feet. "That stupidbloodyidiot is here?"
Abberline is also standing. "You will not create violence in my house, Sands." His voice is soft, but binds me like steel. I'm practically shivering with rage but unable to act. "He is in the local area, not in this building. Lilith has sensed him for a few weeks now."
Victoria: I stand quickly. "I have to go, please I have to go! He'll kill me for leaving him, for what I've done!" I need to get to my car and then out of the city. If he's here , then he'll know where I am. Perhaps he sent those other vampires after me as a warning that he was coming.
Sands: Abberline, effortlessly, holds me like a butterfly on a pin. I can feel Victoria's fear washing over me. I wonder what she's done.
"He's not here for you," Abberline tells her. "McLoud's the criminal here, Victoria."
Victoria: "You knew then?" I ask softly, relaxing just a bit. I don't feel so well. I reach for the chair behind me and lower myself into its inviting cushions. "Criminal?"
Sands: "Do you think we allow people like Jacob to hold other vampires as slaves?" I ask, spitting the words out. "Slavery is for thralls, not vampires."
"I concur," Abberline speaks up. "It would seem you two have a common enemy." He purses his lips. "I didn't realize you were unaware of it."
Victoria: I lowered my head into my hand hiding my eyes from the two of them, feeling quite ashamed. I closed them tightly as a coldness rushed over my body a mixture of hatred and fear. "It was more than slavery," I murmured as my mind shouted a thousand other things. They knew, they all knew and did nothing.
Sands: "I will kill him," I hiss.
Abberline looks down, then back to me. "Not on the grounds, Sheldon."
"Fine," I say quietly. I have a plan now. A goal. "Victoria, perhaps you should stay with Andre." I start.
Victoria: "No!" I shout and pierce him with my eyes. "I will not stay here! I cannot be here!" Anger filled me, but it was not for Sands, it was for all the rest of them, all those below us who sat in leather chairs and drank from expensive goblets trying to be fashionable. "When he dies, I want to see it." I state flatly.
Sands: She makes me smile. "Okey dokey," I tell her. I cannot forget that we're in the presence of power here. "Sir, if you'll excuse us?" I incline my head to him.
"Be careful, Sheldon. Lilith would somehow make it my fault if anything happens to you," Abberline says with a quick smile. He turns his attention to Victoria. "You will find revenge unsatisfying, but perhaps it will help chase the nightmares away."
Victoria: I look up to Abberline. "They'll never be chased away. In the last 250 years I've only had fleeting moments of peace. At least with him gone I can stop running."
I stand and step towards Sands. Then I turn and look into those powerful eyes. "Excuse me, but how long have you know about Connor? I mean about what he's done, been doing?"
Sands: I look at Abberline, wondering if he knows more than I do.
"I knew nothing of what he did to you, Miss Dupree. He's done it to others, one much more recently. She escaped and found her way. into the hands of our enemies. She runs with them now, but words gets back to us." Abberline straightens. "I know you've lived apart, but you may find the clan as useful as Sands does if you investigate our resources."
He looks to me. "McLoud has many thralls. He's wealthy. He may have paid the Viscalli to hunt you down. Then again, the woman who escaped from him may be hunting Miss Dupree here, not realizing she's more of a friend than foe."
Victoria: "I don't understand, why would she come after me?" Then I turn to look at Sands again. "Why would Connor come after. . . " My mouth opens in a wordless response of recognition.
Sands: "What?" I ask. Obviously Victoria is a step ahead of me, for I don't follow. Her eyes have lit up, her mouth with those luscious lips is still open and the wheels of her mind are turning turning turning.
Victoria: It is a moment before I can respond. All the pieces of a long unfinished puzzle are beginning to fall into place. "He hates you because of her," is all I can manage to say.
Sands: In unison, Abberline and I say: "Lilith."
Victoria: I nod. "He despises you."
Sands: "Well, the feeling is mutual." I look from Victoria to Abberline, who is now trying to hide one of his little smiles by lowering his gaze and hiding his eyes behind a thick fringe of lashes. "If you think he hates me, you can't even imagine what he feels for Abberline."
Victoria: Lilith must be very beautiful, to command the desires of such men. I have been a pawn in his game of revenge, what he could not do to her, he has done to me.
"Thank you, I will think about the usefulness, the possibilities of what clan has to offer." I take another step towards Sands, then stop again. "Connor isn't here, in this house then?" I send my mind out into the floors below. If he is here I will know. If he is here, then he is already aware of my presence.
Sands: Abberline laughs. "I am not suicidal. He's been banned from this house." He turns to me. "Good hunting, Sheldon." Then we both stop, our smiles suddenly gone as we sense Lilith.
I turn and face the door to my right, as does Abberline. Always the gentleman, he stuffs out his cigarette. Lilith never did like the smell of them.
Victoria: Now I will see the women who has caused all this. I to straighten up, in order to make a good appearance.
Sands: The door opens and Abberline steps forward. "My dear," he says softly, holding out a hand. I gaze at her, still feeling the power of her. I am bound to her eternally, perhaps no longer a lover, but certainly her son, her brother, her protector if she needed one.
She is smaller than the women of this day and age, petite they call her. Yet even though she barely reaches five feet, she carries her power with her like the queen she truly is.
At first, she has eyes only for Abberline. He kisses her hand then stands aside and her attention is drawn to me and Victoria. A warm smile fills her eyes as her lips grin. "Sheldon," she says in her musical voice. "My dear, you've not visited me in a long time."
And suddenly it's as if the years have not tumbled by. I'm besotted, but not as drunkenly as I was when first turned. I remember my voice, my manners. "Lilith, may I present Victoria Dupree?" I reach for Victoria's hand to draw her forward.
"Victoria?" Lilith tilts her head to the side, studying Victoria. "Frederick, wasn't that your wife's name?"
Abberline nods and I see a shadow pass over his features. After all this time, he still mourns her.
"I'm glad to meet you, Victoria," Lilith says, moving to shake her hand.
Victoria: I watch; intrigued. She is elegant, strong, beautiful. I am drawn to her, filled with a mix of emotions. Fear, love, anger, adoration, jealously. I stand motionless, knowing that I do not belong here, I have no place in this scene.
Sands: Well, this is just peachy. Lilith is telling Victoria she's beautiful, and Victoria is replying politely. I'm waiting for the white elephant to leave the room.
"Victoria and I have a common enemy," I tell Lilith.
Victoria: How strange he behaves, I smile slightly. I nod in agreement as he speaks. "Connor," I murmur.
Sands:
"Jacob," I explain.
Lilith opens her mouth in an 'ah' and nods. "I should have killed him that night, but I needed him, didn't I? Well, Sands, I'm sure you can remedy the situation."
Nothing like getting to the point. "Your wish is my command," I tell her, forgetting not to smirk at the idea of killing Jacob.
Victoria: He fawns over her. Why shouldn't he, she is his maker. I probably would be the same if my situation had been different. "May we go now?" I ask politely.
Sands: I thought we were having fun. Apparently not. I turn to Victoria. "Sure. We can go now." I thought . I don' t know what to think anymore. "Want to hunt down Jacob?"
Victoria: I am surprised that he answers, I had meant that question for Abberline and Lilith. "Actually, I thought we should talk. There are a few things you should know."
Sands: I nod. I wish we'd had time to get a little drunk downstairs before Abberline interrupted us. "We can talk in the car," I tell her. I look at Lilith and Abberline. "It's been a pleasure," I tell them.
Wisely, Abberline says nothing. Lilith smiles at Victoria again. "Take good care of him," she tells Victoria.
"Watch your back," I tell Abberline.
He sends me a quirky smile. "He wouldn't dare."
"He dared with me in broad daylight, if he's the one behind the Viscalli attack," I remind him. I hold an arm out for Victoria, and we start to leave.
Victoria: It feels so strange to stand here and have pleasant conversation with other vampires. Especially since any one of them here could easily do away with me. Another lie Connor always spoke.
Lilith address me. "Take care of him", she says.
"If he'll let me, "I reply. What a foolish remark. I nod a goodbye to Abberline and take Sands' arm.
To Be Continued
Sands: We get dressed again and I find my gaze drawn back to her over and over. Then I sense another very nearby, one who wields a great deal of power. I know this vampire. I turn to face the door of the pantry.
"Are you descent yet?" I hear the voice of Abberline and if I could blush, I would.
"Yes," I cast a quick glance to Victoria and mouth the name "Abberline" to her. I hope she understands.
Victoria: Sands seems suddenly distracted. I watch him carefully as I fasten my pants. "Abberline" , he mouths. I remember that name from Andre. He is the one for whom our clan is named for. I am embarrassed and step behind Sands placing his body between Abberline and me.
Sands: I move toward the door, sensing Victoria behind me. "Sir?" I ask. I can see him now and wonder why he has come for me.
"Would you two come with me?" Abberline asks politely. He still has his British accent, hasn't lost it even though he's been here a hundred years or so.
"Yes, sir," I say. I reach back a hand for Victoria's. "Come with me."
Victoria: I nod and place my hand in his. I look into his eyes. Can he sense my worry? What could Abberline want with the two of us? We shouldn't have come.
Sands: Abberline leads us to a back wall. He touches it and the wooden panel slides aside to reveal a hidden staircase. I didn't know this was here. We climb up to the third floor then exit through another sliding panel. We're standing in the research library within Abberline's private quarters. The scent of incense fills the air. He gestures toward two leather chairs and walks around behind a desk.
I study him. He hasn't changed much since I last saw him. Physically, he's a just little shorter than me, his hair neatly combed back, his dark eyes seeing everything.
Victoria and I sit. I wonder if this is going to be a lecture.
Victoria: This is a beautiful room. I sit quietly and fold my hands in my lap crossing my ankles, trying to look as innocent as possible. Suddenly an old feeling creeps over me. The feeling I used to get when father wished to scold Claude and I. I brace myself for a lecture.
Sands: Slowly, Abberline pulls a tobacco pouch from a pocket, roles a dark-paper cigarette, licks it, and seals it. He sits back. "I understand you've been the target of the Viscalli. What do you think precipitated it?"
Oh, so that's what it's all about. I feel Victoria relax a little beside me. "I talked to Quinn about some possibilities," I start. "It could be retaliation for a kill I did in Russian about twenty years ago. A KGB agent who might have been Viscalli." I shrug. "Just a theory."
Victoria: I look to Sands, KGB? He's had an interesting life. I listen quietly, sure that I was not the target of the attack. From what little I learned from the others while Sands spoke to Quinn, it is more likely that Sands was the target of the attack, not me. Then I feel something, something that I have not felt for a long time. I concentrate.
Sands: I look from Abberline to Victoria. They're about the same height, same coloring, my train of thoughts makes me wonder what I have in common with her. He's still waiting for more of an answer.
"I don't know, sir," I continue, speaking slowly. "I have enemies." I meet his gaze. "Don't we all?" His gaze continues to see right through me. "How far back do you think I should look? I was discussing this with Quinn. I did assassinate someone who could have been Viscalli during the cold war, as I said. That's the only one in the past.twenty years or so."
Victoria: Sir, he keeps calling him sir. Abberline must be very powerful to command such respect. I bow my head and look at my hands, listening very carefully to the conversation as it passes between the two men. I stroke one of my fingers as I listen. The cold war, I went to sleep for a short while during that time. It was easier than running, I wonder if Sands has ever chosen to sleep. I don't think so, he tackles everything head on.
Sands: "Yes, Sands," Abberline is saying to me in his calm patient manner, "Quinn mentioned that, you already mentioned that, but what about more recently? It might not be a Viscalli you engaged directly. They may be someone else's tools." He reaches over and picks up a lighter and holds it, his gaze going to Victoria. "Do you mind if I smoke?" he askes politely. That's Abberline, his sire one of the most fucking powerful vampires ever to walk the earth, and he asks Victoria if he can smoke in his own mansion.
Victoria: He breaks my reverie. I look up at him through my thick lashes and smile politely. "No, not at all." Then I go back to my thoughts. Tools? Someone's tools?
Sands: He's getting right to the point. "They could be, but what other clan would dare attack us?"
"Attack you, Sands," Abberline corrects.
I shrug. "Attack me, a member of your clan, our clan, however you want to put it."
He holds up a hand. "Sands, you made it clear years ago that you are a loner. The clan holds no appeal to you, except as a source of weapons and research."
I nod. "I'm not here for tea and cookies, if that's what you mean. But I have defended our clan with the best of them."
"And you've made many enemies who don't even know your of the brotherhood," Abberline ads. "Human enemies."
"Yes," I have to agree. "But most of them think I'm dead."
"Obviously not all."
Victoria: Interesting; the conversation of these men. Women of my day were trained to listen, to sit quietly and observe the world around them. I am learning many things tonight. Sands has many enemies. I interlace my fingers, we all have enemies. But does Abberline intend to abandon Sands if this hunt is specifically for him? I look up and watch Sands as his lips move. He's so controlled at this moment. I know he'd rather be anywhere but here. Then I turn and gaze at Abberline as he speaks. I look into his eyes.
Sands: "Not all," I repeat. Then I smile. "We could start at the very beginning with Jacob," I say brightly. If Abberline wants details, I'll give him details.
Victoria: I turn my head an look at Sands. He's itching for a fight. I clear my throat ever so quietly. "Excuse me," I wait briefly as they both look over to me. "Should I go? Perhaps you two would prefer to continue this in private?"
I don't think Sands is ready to reveal all his secrets to me, especially not in this manner. Besides I think Abberline can read my thoughts. Some of our kind have different gifts, they manifest themselves as we age. One as strong as he can certainly read my thoughts.
Sands: I am puzzled by Victoria's words. "Go?" I ask, hoping she doesn't leave.
Abberline has turned his 100 watt attention on Victoria now. "Tell me, why is it we've never seen you before, Victoria?"
Victoria: Now I've done it, broken all my own rules, and now I'm trapped here in this room, in this house, of all places in front of our clan leader! I can feel my heart jump and my fingers tighten there grip around each other.
Perhaps I can charm my way out of this.
Sands: Why isn't she answering him? "Victoria?" I urge her. I wet my lips, and open my mouth, then she speaks.
Victoria: I smile pleasantly and straighten up. "I was never one for crowds."
Sands: My mouth hangs open and my gaze darts to see how Abberline is taking this. He looks fascinated.
Victoria: I look at Sands and then back to Abberline. "I have spent most of my time traveling about from country to country, and in all that time I have never met more than a few of our kind. My sire being one of the few."
I sigh and then continue as Abberline's gaze becomes more intense. "Being around our kind can be complicated and dangerous. The humans are much easier to deal with."
Sands: "She is of our clan," I tell him. Then I wonder. Did she lie to me? Shit, I would if I was afraid of other vampires the way she seems to be. That fuckwit who turned her is responsible for this. "Someone named McLoud turned her," I blurt out, to confirm her being a member of our clan. "A Scot, right Victoria? He wouldn't let her out of his sight. Real possessive bastard. Tell him, Victoria." Now she'll tell him.
"McLoud?" Abberline echoes.
Victoria: My eyes pop open. Fear fills me. I'm sure they can both smell it dripping off of me like honey from the comb. Then I close my eyes. "You canna hide forever lassie," I hear inside my head.
I take a deep breath. "My troubles are not you concern sir, you have much more pressing matters to attend to, I'm sure." My good breeding comes into play.
Sands: I reach to touch her arm, wondering why she's withdrawing from me. Abberline begins to speak and suddenly both Victoria and I are looking at him with shock on our faces.
"If you had studied your own history, Sheldon, you would have discovered that your first enemy, Jacob he was called then, was cast out by Lilith and went to Scotland."
I feel a strange sensation at the base of my spine. "Did Jacob make McLoud a vampire?" I ask, my throat dry with hatred.
"No," Abberline looks at me with those liquid brown eyes of his, "He did not make McLoud, he IS McLoud."
Victoria: Sands reaches to touch my arm. I don't move, I let his hand come to rest upon my arm. I turn my gaze to Sands. "Do you know Connor, uh Jacob?" I ask. The I turn my gaze quickly back to Abberline. My other hand reaching instinctively to Sands. "Sir, he isn't here is he?"
Sands: "Fuck!" I breathe. "Here? He's here?" Suddenly my vision is flooded with red. I'm on my feet. "That stupidbloodyidiot is here?"
Abberline is also standing. "You will not create violence in my house, Sands." His voice is soft, but binds me like steel. I'm practically shivering with rage but unable to act. "He is in the local area, not in this building. Lilith has sensed him for a few weeks now."
Victoria: I stand quickly. "I have to go, please I have to go! He'll kill me for leaving him, for what I've done!" I need to get to my car and then out of the city. If he's here , then he'll know where I am. Perhaps he sent those other vampires after me as a warning that he was coming.
Sands: Abberline, effortlessly, holds me like a butterfly on a pin. I can feel Victoria's fear washing over me. I wonder what she's done.
"He's not here for you," Abberline tells her. "McLoud's the criminal here, Victoria."
Victoria: "You knew then?" I ask softly, relaxing just a bit. I don't feel so well. I reach for the chair behind me and lower myself into its inviting cushions. "Criminal?"
Sands: "Do you think we allow people like Jacob to hold other vampires as slaves?" I ask, spitting the words out. "Slavery is for thralls, not vampires."
"I concur," Abberline speaks up. "It would seem you two have a common enemy." He purses his lips. "I didn't realize you were unaware of it."
Victoria: I lowered my head into my hand hiding my eyes from the two of them, feeling quite ashamed. I closed them tightly as a coldness rushed over my body a mixture of hatred and fear. "It was more than slavery," I murmured as my mind shouted a thousand other things. They knew, they all knew and did nothing.
Sands: "I will kill him," I hiss.
Abberline looks down, then back to me. "Not on the grounds, Sheldon."
"Fine," I say quietly. I have a plan now. A goal. "Victoria, perhaps you should stay with Andre." I start.
Victoria: "No!" I shout and pierce him with my eyes. "I will not stay here! I cannot be here!" Anger filled me, but it was not for Sands, it was for all the rest of them, all those below us who sat in leather chairs and drank from expensive goblets trying to be fashionable. "When he dies, I want to see it." I state flatly.
Sands: She makes me smile. "Okey dokey," I tell her. I cannot forget that we're in the presence of power here. "Sir, if you'll excuse us?" I incline my head to him.
"Be careful, Sheldon. Lilith would somehow make it my fault if anything happens to you," Abberline says with a quick smile. He turns his attention to Victoria. "You will find revenge unsatisfying, but perhaps it will help chase the nightmares away."
Victoria: I look up to Abberline. "They'll never be chased away. In the last 250 years I've only had fleeting moments of peace. At least with him gone I can stop running."
I stand and step towards Sands. Then I turn and look into those powerful eyes. "Excuse me, but how long have you know about Connor? I mean about what he's done, been doing?"
Sands: I look at Abberline, wondering if he knows more than I do.
"I knew nothing of what he did to you, Miss Dupree. He's done it to others, one much more recently. She escaped and found her way. into the hands of our enemies. She runs with them now, but words gets back to us." Abberline straightens. "I know you've lived apart, but you may find the clan as useful as Sands does if you investigate our resources."
He looks to me. "McLoud has many thralls. He's wealthy. He may have paid the Viscalli to hunt you down. Then again, the woman who escaped from him may be hunting Miss Dupree here, not realizing she's more of a friend than foe."
Victoria: "I don't understand, why would she come after me?" Then I turn to look at Sands again. "Why would Connor come after. . . " My mouth opens in a wordless response of recognition.
Sands: "What?" I ask. Obviously Victoria is a step ahead of me, for I don't follow. Her eyes have lit up, her mouth with those luscious lips is still open and the wheels of her mind are turning turning turning.
Victoria: It is a moment before I can respond. All the pieces of a long unfinished puzzle are beginning to fall into place. "He hates you because of her," is all I can manage to say.
Sands: In unison, Abberline and I say: "Lilith."
Victoria: I nod. "He despises you."
Sands: "Well, the feeling is mutual." I look from Victoria to Abberline, who is now trying to hide one of his little smiles by lowering his gaze and hiding his eyes behind a thick fringe of lashes. "If you think he hates me, you can't even imagine what he feels for Abberline."
Victoria: Lilith must be very beautiful, to command the desires of such men. I have been a pawn in his game of revenge, what he could not do to her, he has done to me.
"Thank you, I will think about the usefulness, the possibilities of what clan has to offer." I take another step towards Sands, then stop again. "Connor isn't here, in this house then?" I send my mind out into the floors below. If he is here I will know. If he is here, then he is already aware of my presence.
Sands: Abberline laughs. "I am not suicidal. He's been banned from this house." He turns to me. "Good hunting, Sheldon." Then we both stop, our smiles suddenly gone as we sense Lilith.
I turn and face the door to my right, as does Abberline. Always the gentleman, he stuffs out his cigarette. Lilith never did like the smell of them.
Victoria: Now I will see the women who has caused all this. I to straighten up, in order to make a good appearance.
Sands: The door opens and Abberline steps forward. "My dear," he says softly, holding out a hand. I gaze at her, still feeling the power of her. I am bound to her eternally, perhaps no longer a lover, but certainly her son, her brother, her protector if she needed one.
She is smaller than the women of this day and age, petite they call her. Yet even though she barely reaches five feet, she carries her power with her like the queen she truly is.
At first, she has eyes only for Abberline. He kisses her hand then stands aside and her attention is drawn to me and Victoria. A warm smile fills her eyes as her lips grin. "Sheldon," she says in her musical voice. "My dear, you've not visited me in a long time."
And suddenly it's as if the years have not tumbled by. I'm besotted, but not as drunkenly as I was when first turned. I remember my voice, my manners. "Lilith, may I present Victoria Dupree?" I reach for Victoria's hand to draw her forward.
"Victoria?" Lilith tilts her head to the side, studying Victoria. "Frederick, wasn't that your wife's name?"
Abberline nods and I see a shadow pass over his features. After all this time, he still mourns her.
"I'm glad to meet you, Victoria," Lilith says, moving to shake her hand.
Victoria: I watch; intrigued. She is elegant, strong, beautiful. I am drawn to her, filled with a mix of emotions. Fear, love, anger, adoration, jealously. I stand motionless, knowing that I do not belong here, I have no place in this scene.
Sands: Well, this is just peachy. Lilith is telling Victoria she's beautiful, and Victoria is replying politely. I'm waiting for the white elephant to leave the room.
"Victoria and I have a common enemy," I tell Lilith.
Victoria: How strange he behaves, I smile slightly. I nod in agreement as he speaks. "Connor," I murmur.
Sands:
"Jacob," I explain.
Lilith opens her mouth in an 'ah' and nods. "I should have killed him that night, but I needed him, didn't I? Well, Sands, I'm sure you can remedy the situation."
Nothing like getting to the point. "Your wish is my command," I tell her, forgetting not to smirk at the idea of killing Jacob.
Victoria: He fawns over her. Why shouldn't he, she is his maker. I probably would be the same if my situation had been different. "May we go now?" I ask politely.
Sands: I thought we were having fun. Apparently not. I turn to Victoria. "Sure. We can go now." I thought . I don' t know what to think anymore. "Want to hunt down Jacob?"
Victoria: I am surprised that he answers, I had meant that question for Abberline and Lilith. "Actually, I thought we should talk. There are a few things you should know."
Sands: I nod. I wish we'd had time to get a little drunk downstairs before Abberline interrupted us. "We can talk in the car," I tell her. I look at Lilith and Abberline. "It's been a pleasure," I tell them.
Wisely, Abberline says nothing. Lilith smiles at Victoria again. "Take good care of him," she tells Victoria.
"Watch your back," I tell Abberline.
He sends me a quirky smile. "He wouldn't dare."
"He dared with me in broad daylight, if he's the one behind the Viscalli attack," I remind him. I hold an arm out for Victoria, and we start to leave.
Victoria: It feels so strange to stand here and have pleasant conversation with other vampires. Especially since any one of them here could easily do away with me. Another lie Connor always spoke.
Lilith address me. "Take care of him", she says.
"If he'll let me, "I reply. What a foolish remark. I nod a goodbye to Abberline and take Sands' arm.
To Be Continued