Mablevi rose his hands to gesture of the two women to stop from going further. Whether at one or another, both or some other aggravation, the Empress was not someone that should be seen at the moment. She had been noticeably short-tempered this last week, but additional news from Council members had drawn the last straw. He had cleared out quickly to avoid her wrath from reaching beyond the scope of a few broken windows and cracked walls and happen to run into the niece and her human companion.
"Its is good to see you-"
A small rumble of the Palace had Kira frown, but she was unafraid of the Pureblood Vampire's power. Mablevi noticed this and was drawn in to know more-humans do not grow accustomed to such a terrifying display of power unless they are constantly with such power. Seeing as Eona has been absent and likely see along with her, it would explain the Empress's...temper this last week.
Kira sighed looking to Eona, "I should probably try to calm her down-"
"It is most unwise to further agitate our Empress's wrath." Mablevi warned, "Given her mood in your absence, seeing you now may only incur harm onto you."
Eona frowned and stepped forward protectively, "I'd never let her-"
"Lord Mablevi is right, probably not a good idea right now." Kira cut off quickly, Eona failing miserably at keeping a low profile.
Looking at her phone, "I'll go check in with my father, don't forget to text Jake we're back." Eona said, throwing her bag over her shoulder, heading down the hall.
Kira rubbed her neck twisting it from side to side, it had been bothering her incessantly this last week. From intense desert dryness and pain to needle-like annoyance, not amount of suppressants was keeping it in check. This made the woman wonder if these symptoms were somehow a form of withdraw; as Carmilla had given Kira were vampire blood rather routinely, it could be her body has become reliant on it, like a drug. Emily has never said anything of the nature, did she not think of the possibility or did she believe it to be something else? Kira let out a heavy sigh. Not to mention that bizarre dream I had the other night.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind ." Mablevi stated his observation, his presence Kira actually forgot about for a moment.
She put on her polite, servant mask, "Please m'lord call me Kira."
"I would, but I trust that is not your true name."
Before she could think of what to say he explained, "My ability allows me to detect lies." He smiled, giving her relief, "Do not fear, I will not ask you of your true name, Kira will suffice. Though I am very interested in knowing about the mysterious Empress's Pet, I assume that is you."
"It is not."
Mablevi tilted his head in contemplation, narrowing his eyes when trying to understand how she told a lie when he knew the truth. He understood, it was the truth, simply not her truth, she did not believe herself to be the Empress's Pet and thus did not technically lie. Clever woman. This made the immortal all the more interest, while their Empress was cooling her head, he asked for the two for the two of them to talk more. Kira agreed, remembering the kindness of the man during her time at the Council meetings.
"I have heard much about you, but I fear I do not yet know the woman behind the wonder." Mablevi began the two of them walking to the library.
"Where would you like me to begin?" Kira asked openly, knowing she would be every limited in what she could avoid obscuring the truth about.
Mablevi smiled, "How you were able to capture the heart of the Red Queen." He chuckled deeply, "I have been friends with and have known the Tepes family for thousands of years-Carmilla has never once had a serious relationship it is not in her nature to settle down." The African man correctly himself, "That is until now."
"I don't know what you mean..."
He clicked his tongue, waving his finger, "The worst lies one can tell is to themselves."
"Or one they wish were true." Kira muttered in response, "I consider myself just a body to warm her bed, but honestly...I don't know what she thinks of me."
Mablevi hummed with a smile, "In the centuries I have known Carmilla there are only three events where I have witnessed her change herself. One was Eona's birth, I daresay Carmilla was more excited than her own parents."
Somehow that image of an Aunt Carmilla made Kira smile. She has always dotted on Eona, Kira being brought to the Palace was for Eona to have a playmate afterall. When it comes to Kira, it's only because Eona is Carmilla's niece that she has been tolerant of the woman's advances. After this week however...that tolerance may run out.
"Another was when her sister, Eona's mother died." Mablevi grew quiet, "All vampire kind lost a great deal when she passed, but those two..."
"Were twins...I've heard." Kira nodded slowly, "What was the third?"
The vampire's smile returned, "When the Council convened in Germany, during supper I noticed her attention was fixated on someone in particular. It was not until you brought the tray over, that I saw how she looked at you; you are more to her than simply a body to warm the bed."
Kira's fist hovered over the massive doors, after a moment or two more of self-reflection that this was quite the bad idea she knocked three times. For a moment there was silence, then one of the two massive doors flew open, Carmilla already walking away back to her whiskey sat beside her chair. Papers were scattered on the table in front of her, reports from her spies planted throughout the world, all searching for a single man. A man if you were to call him that, was alluding every single spy.
Knowing this was either going to be silent or short, Kira sighed, her tension lessening as she closed the door. Carmilla has never once hurt her, has never attacked her whether mentally or physically; she trusted Kira and despite their differences and disagreements...Kira trusted her. Her hand left the the door handle, dropping to her side, but it was another few moments before she turned around and not before Carmilla spoke first.
"I see you enjoyed your little get away with Eona." She said with obvious knowledge that something more happened, but whether she knew the full extent was unknown.
Nodding, "I did, we went back to Germany since we didn't get the chance too during the Council Meetings." Kira continued, manipulating her tone and words to ensure she did not appear to hold guilt.
She did not feel guilt of what she and Eona shared, only the consequences of after.
"We went fishing and hiking, haven't done anything like since I was a kid..."
Carmilla ran her fingers through her hair, grabbed a cigarette from the carton on the table and lit it, sitting back in her chair.
Having never seen her smoke before Kira was confused as to this sudden shift in personality. Was she stressed out over the Reign? Was the Last Stand Army causing more problems than was publicly revealed...or was Kira's sudden departure to blame. Emily had openly revealed the mortal's-affection-of Carmilla, though Kira believed such a conclusion was wildly over exaggerated from 'gratitude' and 'survival', but Mablevi had also pointed out Carmilla's own change in personality.
It would be a lie to say she had not noticed the subtle changes over time. Before the two of them could not stand another: one was a human slave, burning bright with hatred of the vampire. The other was the master, the Empress of all immortal who regarded humanity as expendable and disposable livestock. Kira often butted heads with the Empress, openly defying her no matter the amount of trouble she would get in. Eventually the two simply ignored another for a great many years, Kira quelled her hatred, nearly forgetting it completely in Eona's company. She never regarded Carmilla as her master in the beginning, but with time she obeyed the vampire's commands, not without attitude.
It was an unspoken truce to stay out of the other's way, in order to avoid a plethora of public humiliation. When guests arrived at the Palace Kira would keep to and hide in her room, not coming out which originally was to avoid Carmilla, but over time became a normal routine to avoid the hungry eyes of her guests instead. The Empress rarely gave the mortal a passing glance and for a while that was the extent of their relationship. All that changed when Kira was attacked and nearly killed.
"I'm sorry..." Kira muttered quietly.
Carmilla exhaled a puff of smoke, raising a curious brow to the mortal.
"And what have you done to be apologetic towards me?" She asked, taking a sip of her whiskey, never breaking eye contact.
The intensity of her gaze made Kira unconsciously avoid her eyes, "I never responded to your calls or messages..." She answered staring at the ground.
A shadow loomed over her, Kira jumped, it was easy to forget how fast Carmilla was, even among the immortal it was exceptional.
"Is that all?" The immortal asked in a manner that made Kira uncertain if she wanted to be left alone or if there was something else she expected her to apologize for.
To emerge out of this unscathed, Kira needed to believe herself that she had done nothing else wrong, before convincing Carmilla of the same. She had not been this close to the woman in over a week, the smell of cigarettes irritated her eyes just as they did whenever Emily smoked them. Unlike the doctor this woman did not smoke often and the stench had not quite set in her clothes meaning this was a recent habit. Most likely the last week, meaning the ladder of what upset her was being proven true. Carmilla was without a doubt pissed at Kira disappearing with Eona. She spoke in her mind. I'm in a lot more trouble than I thought.
Carmilla's breath smelled spicy, of the many glasses of Whiskey she partook in to numb her no doubt to the aggravations of the last few days. She was angry, but there was something else, something she was fighting against, fighting to hold back. Kira has seen many faces of Carmilla, some fewer than others, but this particular face she had only seen in the last few months...anytime she was alone with Eona. Oh fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck I screwed up! The mortal stepped back. It was one thing to temp the Empress, to tease her and be playful, it was another thing entirely to make her jealous.
That was not her intention, she expected the Empress to be angry, but jealousy was never something Kira would have thought of. It would mean that towards the mortal, Carmilla's feelings were without question beyond that of sex friends. Kira knew. She knew there was something more the Empress wanted, but she had ignored it, denied it every step of the way in an unconscious hope that Carmilla would just keep their relationship as it had been. Kira was a selfish fool in believing she could ignore it long enough and it would go away, that it would not surface. If Eona had not come back...things would have been much simpler. It was far too late now.
Carmilla downed the last of the Whiskey, walking towards Kira.
"If you have no other guilt, why do you cower before me?" She asked with a hiss, "Why do you fear retribution from me for something as meger as a lapse in communication?" She backed Kira into the wall.
She's pissed! Kira panicked internally, having never seen this side of her, she had no plan. She expected to having something thrown at her, to even be cast from the bed, but this was out of character. When all thought ceased formulating rational thought, Kira remembered: Carmilla was the one seen kissing a former suitor, who the hell was she to judge the mortal? The fear, the uncertainty vanished from Kira's demeanor and instantly turned into indifference. It was just like a vampire to shove off responsibility to someone else, to think they could do no wrong-Kira would not stand for it.
She shut her eyes, neutralizing her facial expressions, accepting whatever punishment was about to come, but never admitting she was in the wrong. They were not in an exclusive relationship, they were not dating, if Carmilla could go off and sleep with whoever she wanted than Kira was under no such obligation of elusiveness.
Reaching out, Carmilla grabbed the door handle beside the mortal and opened it.
"Get out."
"Carm-"
"Now!" She snarled, extending her fangs out viciously, making Kira jump and bolt without a second thought.
The door was slammed behind her, Carmilla held the glass in her hands until it shattered beneath her grasp. The shards cut into her palm, causing her thick blood to ooze from her hand, before already beginning its healing process. With her ability she could easily make it heal instantaneously, but she did not want to. This pain was retribution for lashing out at Kira, for what she was tempted to do to the woman.
You're losing her. Said her voice within her mind, a phantom beast in human form appearing over her shoulder. A phantom figure of Carmilla smirked, leaning her head over the Empress's shoulder, whispering into her ear. Eona will take her from you. Wouldn't it be easier just to take everything she is into you? To keep her with you always?
"You're noisy." Carmilla waved her hand in the phantom's face. It had been quite sometime since her instinct has emerged which could only mean her control had temporarily slipped.
Only as noisy as you. Did you see how she looked at us? How sweet that fear was, how it hardened like a sharp bite of spice into that anger? The phantom chuckled. She's delicious, you want to eat her. I know you do because I am you.
Carmilla huffed, grabbing another glass and beginning to pour the next glass of Whiskey.
It's not too late. The phantom whispered, wrapping her arms around Carmilla as she drank. She can be ours forever, just as she should have been all those years ago.
"Shut your filthy mouth!" The Empress hissed slamming the glass down.
The phantom giggled, sensing her time was nearly up with the Empress forcing her back into the depths of her own mind. You think that by giving her our blood she will understand our Imprint? So long as she remains human she will never understand and so long as she loves Eona, she will never be ours.
The hot waters of the shower brought her no further ease. Kira had stood in it, hoping everything that happened in the last few hours would wash away and she would no longer be burdened. A useless wish, that would never see fruition. She clenched the wet tile to the side of the shower, cursing herself for the situation she placed herself in. She could no regret her choice to acknowledge that she still loved Eona, but her feelings towards Carmilla were overwhelming everything in her mind. Goddamnit. Kira flexed her fingers. How the fuck am I supposed to handle this? She rubbed her face, cleaning the last of her body. Her neck began to bother her increasingly since leaving Carmilla's room, as though she had not taken her medication in days. Scrubbing her tattoo, hoping somehow that would distract her and was disappointed when it did not, therefore she ended her time in the shower.
Grabbing a towel she began to dry herself off, when a sudden surge needles in her neck nearly had her slip. What the fuck? She nearly slipped going to her sink, grabbing the edges to keep her stable she stared at her reflection. Her heart sank, the blackened ink of the Stigma now glowed a hot red and vine-like extensions had spread from the initial seal. She had never seen it change like this before and for a moment Kira thought she was hallucinating, until a quick slap to her face had her see the reality of the situation. Has it done this before?
Quickly grabbing the medication, Kira pour half the bottle in her hand, throwing them into her mouth. She turned on the water and drank from the faucette, a cool rush came through her body as the medication went down her throat, but not everything was well. What the fuck is going on! She saw the shadow of the vampire in the mirror, the immortal whose scarlet-eyes had haunted her dreams for years. They reached for her, Kira growled at them. Go to hell! She gripped her neck, squeezing, choking herself until air would not pass through. She looked at her reflection, a crimson-eyed child stood in her place frowning in sadness and pity, casting the shadowed attacker away. Don't forget. She said touching her own neck, disappearing. The mortal watched the vines retract into the stigma, their glow darkening, her pain subsiding for now.
A knock on the door caught her attention. She looked out, then back at the mirror seeing nothing aside from herself. Calling out to give her a minute, she threw on a quick set of clothes, going to the door as she pulled down her t-shirt. Reaching for the handle, her hand stopped. She felt something, a presence, a smell distinct and strong, like an Iris the Bearded Iris in particular she remembered Eona describing when they were in Germany. It was a smell she thought would have led her to Eona, but when she opened the door she was surprised to find Carmilla standing at her door. After earlier in the night, one would expect her heart to race, that she would be thrown into a panic and be unable to meet the Empress's eyes. Ordinarily she would submit to the presence, the domination of the immortal, but this time was different, Kira did not care about what would happen to her, she was too worn, too weak to fight back anyway.
Moving out of the doorway, Carmilla entered, the door shut behind her, closed by Kira's back. She stayed at the heavy wooden door, knowing that she has condemned herself by closing her last chance of escape. Not that she would be able to even if she tried, Carmilla would never have let her go. If the Empress was here then it would mean she has sobered up and calmed down, but whatever she was going to talk about Kira did not bother to speculate. She knew this would be about her and Eona a conversation that was inevitable to happen, that would once and for all give Kira and Carmilla true clarification as to what they were. The mortal needed this, she could not longer stand the unknown, the uncertain; tired of playing these games. She needed to know which feelings were real, which were of a Sire and which she would follow if any at all. This was not for the sake of survival, her life was forfeit the moment she shut the door, now it was up to chance and fate.
"You and I tell lies in order to protect. I tell them to protect others, you to protect yourself." Carmilla began looking out the window, her back to Kira.
Standing in the darkness of the room, Carmilla was in the last light of the night's moon, setting on the horizon with the approaching dawn.
"Eona, on the other hand, is honest to a fault. She is a terrible liar." Carmilla smiled some, remembering how much like her mother she is, "Her entire life she has never been a very good at it and it has reached the point where she does not bother with the effort." She turned to Kira, calmly, "The moment you returned I could smell Eona's scent all over you and you on her. That kind of crossing does not occur simply by being in the same room." Carmilla looked into the mortal's eyes, "Tell me the truth."
Kira's exhaustion was apparent, for a moment she refused to speak, the limit of Carmilla's patience quickly running out. What did she expect her to say? She slept with Eona just to get back at her? That was self-centered and arrogant, but how would telling her she still loved Eona make the situation any better? The truth was harder to speak than it was to swallow, after seeing Carmilla with another woman she was distraught and Eona took her on a trip as a friend, not using the chance to get back with her. It was not the vampire's fault it was Kira's, just like everything else; all of it was her fault.
"It doesn't matter-"
Carmilla instantly moved in front of Kira, slamming her hands onto both sides of the door with the mortal in the middle.
"It matters to me!" She bared her fangs, her intense eyes in furry; she nails dug into the door, marking them with her presence, "I do not tolerate people touching what is mine, or what is mine touching someone else."
Without restraint, a resentful growl escaped Kira's throat.
Carmilla hissed, "Making me jealous, is not wise-"
A surge, sent a jolt from Kira's neck and snapped out, "You think you're the only one who can get jealous!" The mortal got in the immortal's face, "Do you have any idea how I felt watching you kiss that slut!"
Kira had no control, no tact in her words; her sense of self-preservation, of survival was replaced by raw, unfiltered emotion held back and suppressed by years of being a human in a vampire's world. This could be her death sentence, but she did not care, she did not care about anything except the fact she had ignored and resented her emotions for years all for what? To survival, existing instead of living? Suffering in a world she had no fault in making? She needed to get it all off her chest, this confusion, this fear, she could no longer exist with it, existing this way. If Carmilla wanted to get rid of her than do so, Kira refused to be led on and refused to be treated that her feelings were not valid. It was not fair and she has felt more pain than anyone else here and more than enough to have earned at least that fairness.
"I've spent years walking on glass around you!" She pushed Carmilla back freeing herself from being pinned, "I've done everything to survive, trying so hard to keep myself alive, terrified if I so much as breathed wrong I'd be killed! And you know what?" Kira shoved bared sharpening fangs, "I'm sick of living like a scared lamb waiting for lions to tear me apart! I'm sick of being toyed with like a fucking puppet with no feelings!"
Carmilla did not retreat.
"I'm sick of having no fucking clue what the hell this is! Four years! Four years you and I have been in this...relationship-arrangement I don't even know what it is! I've been terrified to think what it is or isn't-how long until you throw me away! Then Eona comes back and-!" Kira paced back and forth, "I don't even know if these feelings are real! If it's something that was put in me because of this fucking thing on my neck or whatever the reason you've been giving me your blood!"
Carmilla waited for Kira to catch her breath before explaining. She did not defend herself, there was no defense and she wanted this, wanted Kira to express herself, her emotions: she wanted the truth. Good, bad, it did not matter, she trusted Kira and she wanted Kira to trust her enough without fearing of what might happen.
"That woman is a vixine who thought she could seduce her way back into my bed. She is nothing, but a body who fulfilled my physical desires in the past. You are different than her."
For an Empress she need no justification in her actions. An Empress owed no one nothing, especially a human, but she was not here, in this room as a ruler, as a master, but a woman. Kira had left after seeing a questionable sight, refusing to answer any phone calls or text messages. It drove Carmilla mad, that she was being denied what was hers, what she wanted; Kira. Her body, her mind, her heart, her very soul, Carmilla wanted it all and while she fought the vampire within to devour her whole, she wanted Kira not just in her bed, but by her side.
Hearing Carmilla say that did not make Kira feel any better, it did not calm her down it only enraged her further. Why did she even entertain that vampiress in the first place? If things were over then she should never have been alone with her nevertheless allowed her to kiss her. If Carmilla was telling the truth that is, it could always be a trick, a manipulation to get her to submit to her once again. Her previous partners were always there to satisfy a physical need, what would make Kira different, if anything she would be considered a downgrade, being that she is an ordinary human.
She gritted her teeth, her hands shook from her anger. It was all out in the open now, her fears and anxiety of the uncertain; the doubt she felt in herself and those around her. Friend or foe, she did not know how she could feel this way, towards vampires, towards the very woman who literally initiated the apocalypse of humanity. Her people would lynch her if they discovered her betrayal, vampires would ostracize her because she is not one of them and now she did not know where she could belong.
Walking to Kira the mortal was on the verge of tears, whether in anger, sadness or confusion did not matter.
Carmilla wrapped a hand around the younger woman's waist, pulling her closer when wiping a tear from her cheek, "She is nothing compared to you, you are more than human, you are not a slave, you are precious to me. I...do not quite understand how humans express affection and I apologize that my actions have hurt you."
The tension in Kira eased, the pain she felt in her neck began to subside as her body contoured naturally to fit into Carmilla's.
The woman called softly, "I want you to stand beside me, to support me, love me, now and always. Be mine alone; your mind, your body, your heart, your very soul." Carmilla pulled her closer, resting her forehead on Kira's, her eyes softening, "You are the one I want to spend eternity with, my mate." She kissed her sweet and gentle, "Marry me."
