Playing With The Big Dogs
Ketti: Sooo... It's been... a long time. I do live. I swear I'm not brain dead or muse dead just ... a bit catatonic. One of my friends, and fellow readers, poked me earlier tonight about this story. So we finished chapter four and have a tiny bit written for five. Maybe she can get me back on track for writing and updating things again? I make no promises. I don't want to get your hopes up too high. Y'all probably hate that my first update is this short and this silly, but maybe I can keep this up and finish this and work on something else. She likes making me write, so there is a silver of a chance that I won't vanish again for months or years.
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Chapter 4
The first thing Seras saw when they entered the common room was a tattooed back; the tattoo was very pretty, designed in shades of purple and green in life size proportioned fairy wings that almost looked real, as if they'd start to flutter and the ravenette would levitate off the floor any second. The girl turned and squeaked in embarrassment at blocking the door, especially considering the important guests waiting to enter, a becoming flush tinting her pale cheeks pink, and Seras found it hard not to stare as those emerald eyes threatened to hypnotize her. The other vampire's hair was a little shorter than Seras' but spiked just as wildly, and before she could say anything a tall man – taller than her Master even! – in a fishnet shirt swept up behind the tattooed lady and picked her up, pressing her to his hip as he bowed to them, his long, shockingly red hair accentuating his black eyes, no whites showing. Seras shivered a bit, unnerved, but Alucard nodded in acknowledgement and the behemoth of a man glided out of their way to situate himself in a chair, the girl captured in his lap.
'Do you know these vampires, Master?' Seras whispered into their bond, and he sent a wave of amusement at her as he dragged her into the large gathering of nosferatu.
'You need to brush up on your vampire history, fledgling. The red head was once known as Jack the Ripper, in fact, those shards around his neck are said to hold the souls of his victims.' Her Master sounded terribly amused by that, and Seras tried not to gawk at the man in question. 'It's said he retired from his public killing spree when he met the girl you see on his lap, a condition from her Sire to allow him to join their family.'
Seras blinked, surprised at that, and tilted her head consideringly. Before she could ask another question, however, a new pair of vampires approached, bowing and curtseying to them.
Names and faces blurred as Count This, Lord That, and Lady Whatever introduced themselves and pledged their continued allegiance to Alucard and his laws. Seras was more interested in the fledglings she saw at their Master's sides, all different ethnicities and genders, yet sharing the servile silence as their 'betters' talked. Alucard let her go mingle when a pair of long time allies approached to talk in a language Seras did not recognize. She immediately zeroed in on the massive arm chair that the red head and the pixie like girl occupied, offering them a smile. "Hullo, my name's Seras. What're yours?"
The girl's cheeks flushed again as she looked pleadingly up at the redhead, who chuckled and patted her head indulgently, his accent nearly as thick as Paladin Anderson's. "I em called Devi now-a-days little lass, and this is Frannie. It's nice ta meet ye, fledgling of th' vampire king."
Frannie waved meekly then reached up, tangling her fingers in Devi's necklace, watching Seras with wide eyes. Seras opened her mouth to say something, then blurted out the question that was nagging her since her Master mentioned it, "Were you really Jack the Ripper?"
Realizing what she said, Seras flushed and clapped her hands to her mouth in mortification as he laughed, the deep baritone vibrating through her in a familiar wave, he reminded her a lot of her Master. "Aye, lass. Once upon a time. Tessa didnae approve." He winked at her and looped a possessive arm around Frannie's waist, "Said I was a bad influence on her little girl."
"Tessa?" Seras questioned, tempted to ask if the shards of what looked like glass really did hold the souls of his victims, or if her Master had been pulling her leg.
"You rang?" A melodic voice cooed into her ear and Seras nearly shrieked as she jumped a good two feet off the ground, whirling to face a gently laughing woman with white hair and green eyes like Frannie's. The woman radiated a gentle power and age, and Seras could see why Devi respected her. Tessa tilted her head to the side, studying Seras before offering her a smile and sitting on the arm of Devi's chair to caress Frannie's hair lovingly. "I see you've met my children," Tessa purred and patted Devi's head as well, "They're so cute together, aren't they?"
Seras laughed a bit nervously as she nodded, deciding it was better to agree with the woman.
In the temporary lull of their conversation Seras was grabbed by the arm and yanked back into the crowd, she yelped as she was pulled halfway across the room in less than a second, feeling almost woozy as the blur of colors passed by and she found herself standing in front of another chair where the man from the room sat. His grey eyes analyzed her indifferently, a large hand resting on the head of an ebony wolf with golden eyes. Blue met blue as Esque turned Seras to face her, dainty hands surprisingly strong and firm on the Draculina's shoulders. Esque grinned and leaned in close to Seras' face, not giving the younger girl a chance to pull back, "You smell of power, I like that." Cool lips met her cheek as Seras was pecked, and the argent haired girl laughed, the sound like tinkling bells, before she draped herself across the dark haired man's lap, ruffling the wolf's fur affectionately as she did so. "I told you she was pretty, Sir." Esque spoke to the man, as if he had disputed the fact. Seras wasn't sure if she should feel offended or flattered. The man grunted, and Esque laughed again, "He doesn't talk much, but I love him anyways."
Seras nodded, idly wondering his name, but dared not ask, feeling far too shy to go through that boondoggle a second time.
The wolf barked sharply and Seras almost jumped, but controlled the reaction, turning her curious gaze to the lupine, only to find herself gazing into intelligent inhuman eyes, and she knew that the animal was not as it seemed. Esque giggled again and crooned something under her breath before baring her sharp teeth at
Seras in a playful grin, "Tani here says hello as well. My wifey's being punished," she added with a conspiratorial wink, "for breaking curfew. So she's stuck in the form for the next month." Esque sat up straight suddenly, as though the man she called Sir wasn't even there, "Hey, wanna race? I bet we could beat you!"
Before Seras could even say a word otherwise, Esque was in wolf form, and the two circled her predatorily. Silver and ebony fur brushed her legs, large heads nudging her hands goadingly, sapphire and amber eyes flashing in challenge.
Seras glanced around her, seeing that no one was really paying much attention, and the dark man was gazing at them indifferently, Seras shrugged and melted away into the shape of her golden wolf as well. This could be fun!
Padded paws thundered across the open space between the groups of vampires, headed for the half open double doors when, rounding a smaller cluster, Seras barreled head first into the tiny pixie girl Frannie who was carrying a tray of bloodwine glasses. Two more furry bodies plowed into them and the glassware went flying, blood spraying in every direction, the metal tray landing with a deafening clatter next to the heap of young vampires.
Silence filled the great hall as eyes zeroed in on the troublemakers, the drip drip of blood only accentuating the awkward scene.
In the span of time it took Seras to blink, the tall red headed Devi and the man Esque refereed to as Sir were there, standing on either side of the tangled limbs and fur, arms crossed, brows arched in identical expressions of amused disbelief, toes tapping in unison, while Alucard glanced up from his conversation and sighed. "Children."