A/N: Here's chapter two! Double Anarch action in this one! What, you thought we'd stop being the Anarchs now? If anything, it's the opposite…hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bloodlines, but I do own my OCs. Also, there is a bit of sexual content, if you're not a fan, feel free to skim over it.
"Isn't it a little dangerous to be here, hmm?" Vandal grinned, "Oh boy, am I getting paid well tonight."
"Enough. We need all the blood you have." Killian said, before he looked over at Sirius.
"All your blood, for free. You heard him. Hand it over." Sirius held a hand out, as a glow of green snakes went around Vandal's head.
"Give me a few moments." Vandal went in the back room.
"We should go shopping." Cissy said.
"What?" Killian hissed, looking over towards her.
"I mean, like, for backpacks and…knives and…survival shit. At least something to carry all this stuff around with. Did you guys even think about where we're gonna carry all the blood in an entire hospital?"
"He's probably gonna give us a huge cooler or something…" Killian said.
"But still…I think we should at least invest in bags to carry our stuff around in."
Anastasia shuddered, "Isn't someone gonna notice that the entire blood bank is empty?"
"Won't matter. We won't be here long enough for them to find out who did it." Sirius said.
"Therese'll probably be pissed." Killian muttered, "Hope she throws a fucking fit of the ages."
Vandal came back with a massive cooler, heading around the back door so he could deliver it, "It'll last three days."
"Three days?" Catalina asked, "That…that sounds promising…"
"We'll need to be fast then." Killian muttered.
Skelter turned and headed out, so the others followed. Damsel, over her crying phase, just kept herself a little distant from everyone else. But, not nearly as distant as Skelter.
"So now what?" Sirius asked.
"Guess we'll…go somewhere to grab bags. Unless you want to split off." Killian said.
"I guess." Cissy scratched the back of her neck, "Can I take a few people with me?"
"Yeah, at least three, I would say. The rest of us will go get ammo."
"Okay, where should we meet?"
"Back here. It's kind of quiet."
"By the hospital?"
"Let's go with Surfside Diner."
"Okay." She nodded, "Uh…Anastasia, you wanna come with us?"
Anastasia gave one last forlorn look at Skelter, "Okay…" She said quietly, going with the Assamite and the Ravnos.
Cissy yawned as they headed down the sidewalk, "Are there even any good places to shop here?"
"I don't know…I've been here like…twice…" Catalina said.
"Hmm…" She looked around, "Maybe we could just like…mug a few kids…"
"No."
She gave a frustrated sigh, then looked over to Anastasia, "You okay?"
Anastasia looked up at Cissy, giving a solemn nod, and a small, perhaps fake, smile.
Cissy held her arms out for a hug. Anastasia's smile grew and she hugged her back, sniffling once her head rested on her shoulder. "We'll be fine." She pat her back, "I almost think it'll be kinda fun, once we get out there. Like a big camping trip. Maybe we can tie up Killian and hang him from a tree for the bears."
Anastasia bit her lip and snickered, while Catalina also smiled, from where she was standing.
She gently broke the hug, "Are you upset about Skelter too?"
She nodded, "He hasn't said anything since…since…" She sniffed.
"They all knew Nines way longer than we did." Catalina said gently to Cissy, "They knew him for years…we only knew him for about six months…"
"I still don't thing going mute makes any sense…" Cissy muttered, "Maybe see if you can talk to him one on one at some point. Sounds like a man thing."
"I tried that…but…but…" Anastasia said.
"People show grief in different ways." Catalina said, "Maybe waiting is a better idea."
"I still think he's being a baby. He's the most experienced one here, right? He should take Nines's place. He should be leading us around." Cissy said.
"I don't know…if we went by age…then…ugh…Sirius would be the boss. Maybe Skelter would be a better alternative…"
"Skelter's been in the movement longer. I feel like that counts for more."
"Yes, please, whatever makes more sense to make him in charge. Anything."
Cissy snickered, "Then we should all talk to him, later." They walked into a run-down store, "Tell him he should be putting his foot down. He'll have to like the sound of that."
"Who knows…?" Catalina said, waiting for Anastasia to wander off in a different aisle, "She seems almost as quiet as him…"
"She does. It's really sad…" Cissy crossed her arms.
"A lot of them are like that…at this rate, it's going to be run by…me…you…Sirius, and Killian…"
"Whatever, maybe they'll get over themselves soon." She started looking around for bags.
"I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that Anastasia won't be helping us much with this…" She said, "So…what are your suggestions for getting all this out of here without having to pay?" She smiled.
"Uh…." Cissy really had to think about it, "We go in the aisles that don't have camera's and sneak out. It's hard to hide shit like this in our clothes."
"Alright, I just thought you had a plan for everything, when it came to shoplifting." She snickered quietly.
"I do. We avoid cameras." She muttered, "Or we just run." She grabbed a few bags, handing two to Catalina, "Here, you take two, I'll take three…and we'll see what Anastasia grabs, I guess."
"They're seven of us…we'll need seven." She said, "Jeez…as much as I can't stand him, Sirius would make this insanely easy…"
"He would…" She grabbed two more, handing one to Catalina, "Okay, we just need Anastasia…" She started peering around, "I don't know where she went…"
"I'll get her, you make a break for it."
Cissy nodded, peering around at the cameras before she slinked out of the building.
He didn't care about the rain, or the wolves. The first gradually ruined his clothes, the second could kill him in a heartbeat. But he weathered the persistent rain regardless, the entire time he felt almost as if he were in a trance doing so.
From the fog came the grave he was finally looking for. The figure, clad in black, crossed his arms. From head to toe he was in leather, with a final black outer trench coat and an axe or two at hand. It made him look like a monster, an executioner, especially the way those cynical black eyes glared at the tombstone. Cadmus Vanderbilt was a feared warrior of the Camarilla. Though unknown to many, it didn't just end there.
His arms fell to his sides and his entire composure fell apart as he fell to his knees directly in front of the tombstone honoring Nines Rodriguez, the fallen leader of the Anarchs.
He placed a hand on his face, as tears billowed down both his cheeks. He had seen the end of two eras now. The arrogant Ventrue Prince, LaCroix, and the rebellious, yet humble Anarch leader Nines Rodriguez. He let out a growl, which quickly turned into a sob, as he started crying uncontrollably.
"Damn it!" He punched the unkempt, muddy ground, he snarled, not caring how much his voice echoed, not caring about luring the werewolves in closer. "You knew it was going to happen like this, didn't you?! You knew this would happen!" He grit his teeth, feeling them cry out in pain and rebellion, "Why did you attack the Tremere directly?! Why did you throw your movement away?! Why the hell would you abandon them, you bastard! Where are they now?! Where are they now?!"
He felt a frenzy creeping up on him from within his soul. With flawless humanity and an aversion to many vampire customs, Cadmus did not like the prospects of this one bit. He tried to control himself, now punching both fists into the ground. He kept crying, almost hating that more than frenzying, but in the long run, this would be a better option. The park did a fantastic job of letting his screams of anguish echo for all to hear.
Footsteps fell behind him. They sounded staggered, heavy. Here they were, the wolves, ready to devour him. It was about time. He tried to brush his tears away, but given how wet his sleeve was, it was a moot point.
A gun suddenly landed on the earth, right before the tombstone. A desert eagle. When Cadmus turned to see who it came from, he saw Skelter standing there, still as a statue.
Cadmus looked unnerved that he had seen him in such a vulnerable state. He looked from the gun to Skelter, absolutely shocked, "Is that…?"
"Yeah. Figured he'd…he'd want that back. Be pissed if he saw me with it."
"With you it'd at least be in use for a good cause…"
He seriously contemplated picking the gun back up, but he closed his eyes and ignored it for now, "She's alright. Your sister. We'll keep her alive."
He shuddered, looking inches away from either some sort of breakdown, or a frenzy, "You…you will…?"
He nodded wearily, "She must be pissed with me…" He muttered, "I haven't spoken a word to them in seventy four hours…but…" He closed his eyes, "That was how long I existed after my Embrace before I met him."
"…it must have been nice, having someone to show you the way…"
"It was. My sire was never there, hell, it was Nines who killed the son of a bitch." He gave another shaky sigh, "How the hell is a follower supposed to outlive their leader? What the hell does a dog do when its owner dies? Sits at his grave and rots in the sun…"
"You would make the most sense, though. Take it from a complete outsider."
"I don't lead." He sighed through his nose, "But none of them do either. We're fucked, kid."
He didn't know what to say for the longest time. Part of him felt guilty, because he was the one who led the armada towards them. "Then your only other option is to find a state with more Anarchs. You're the one that told me Jyhad was everywhere…find one where the Anarchs are beating back the Camarilla…"
He snickered, "The reason Nines and I went here was because there was already a kickass Anarch movement. We wanted to build ourselves up from here, help them take the state, then move on. Turned the place into an Anarch-free state, which was great, until everyone started poking holes in us. We lost so many of our key players…to think, Nines used to be as valuable as Killian or Catalina…he was no big name. He was only a big name when the Kuei-Jin came in and he happened to survive. He was always a big name to me, but…then LaCroix died and he lost every bit of drive he had. I think he saw this day coming months ago."
"I…I remember when we first came here…from New York." He said, "I never thought I would see my sister here. I never thought I would see her again. I never thought I'd see her with the Anarchs…" He said, "I thought everything was going to get better when LaCroix finally died but…now…I don't even know what's what…"
Skelter picked up the gun again, cocking it and gazing in awe, it seemed. "If I lose my mind forever, I'm telling her to use this to put the bullet through my head. Your sister."
"You can't leave her side." He finally looked up at him, "I don't trust her with the rest of the Anarchs…"
"I'll do what I can to keep the beast away. He's out more now than I ever am. Hell of a miracle that girl even feels safe near me. I'll turn and bite her head off any day and she won't give a damn."
"Of course she won't…she's amazingly forgiving…" He said, "She even forgave me…for all the shit I gave her…"
Skelter looked away from the grave. It started to hurt again, "I should get back to them. I can't stay out here long."
"Yeah, alright. I may be a while." He said.
"You take care, Cadmus. We're looking at Arizona, now. Keep dead quiet about that if you want us alive."
He chuckled, "I don't tell anyone anything about you guys."
Skelter started heading back, then paused, "I'll think about forgiving you for mounting your attack."
"If it wasn't me, he would've sent someone else. Trust me, by now I'm replaceable."
Skelter faced away, "Who was it. Who was that motherfucking spy?"
Cadmus was still facing the grave, both of them facing opposite directions. Nevertheless it disturbed Skelter at hearing how confused Cadmus was, "…spy?"
"Who was the leech? How were you learning about our plans?" He turned to face him, "Victor's assassination, the Chantry destruction. How'd you get those helicopters ready? How the hell did you know?"
He wilted a bit, a fresh set of tears running down his face, he was just thankful Skelter couldn't see. "You think those Tremere tell me anything?" His voice broke, but he tried to play it off that he was clearing his throat, "I told you before I'm old news. I may have mattered back when LaCroix was in everyone's business and he needed to be knocked off, but now I'm just a part of the background…" He said, "Especially ever since that damn Malkavian Antitribu started attacking me…left and right…" He took a heavy sigh. "Look, I don't know. But I know we were always ahead of you. Strauss, or, whoever was briefing me, said that 'we have intel that', or, 'we have info that', they already knew, and I didn't know how they knew." He said, "If there was a spy involved, then they didn't tell me anything…" He said, "I guess it's not something as simple as a Nosferatu."
He gave a little nod and turned back, "You have fun with our state then. Treat her right."
"As long as you keep my sister safe."
By the time Cadmus had finished waiting for a response, he turned over his shoulder and saw that Skelter was gone. The rain let up just a bit, just a little bit. He stayed, minutes dragged by before he heard another set of footsteps, a familiar pace, "Cadmus?"
He broke into tears again, "Fleance…" He sniffed.
His ghoul ran up to him, gently hugging him, "Hey…it's okay…why are you crying?"
"Isn't it obvious…?" He trembled, "They…they lost…it's all over…" He said, "Now…now she'll be gone…forever…"
"Your sister? No she won't…I'm sure she'll be fine."
He gave her a squeeze, calming down for the most part, "I…I just hope they're able to keep her safe…"
"I think they will." She rested her head on his shoulder, "I think she'll be just fine…"
There was a pause, "I should go back…" He said, "I'm freaking drenched…"
"Yeah, that's a good idea." She took his hand as they headed back to the trams.
His first instinct when he got back to his room in the red tower was to take his clothes off. They were wet and muddy and he felt disgusting inside them. So he disrobed and took a rather long shower, then he headed to his bedroom, sitting on the bed in nothing but his underwear.
Angelique must have had a similar idea, though somehow, her shower was much shorter. She came out, wearing one of his tee shirts and nothing else, "I like my hair this short, it's so much easier to wash…" She said quietly to herself, sitting next to him, "You okay?"
"I…I don't know…" He said, "So much…so much has changed…since then…"
"Since when?"
"Since we came to California…"
"Of course it has…it's always going to be changing as long as there's some sort of war."
"Now…I'm just…the bait to some old Malkavian while the rest of the war passes without me…"
"Someone will have to get rid of him eventually."
"I still feel useless…I don't like burdening someone else with taking that guy out, it's going to be a complete nightmare…"
Her eyes narrowed, "Maybe we don't have to defeat him. Maybe we can find another way to get him off your case."
"Maybe…" His shoulders shook, "I'm sorry…"
"Stop apologizing." She kissed his cheek.
"You shouldn't have to be forced to answer all these questions though…"
"I'm not forced. I'm trying to help."
He gave a small smile, "Thanks."
"Mmm hmm." She took his arm and hugged it close, "She'll be fine."
He leaned in and kissed her lips, giving her a hug. She slowly slid up into his lap, sliding her fingers into his hair and sighing his name. He kissed her harder, giving her a bit of a tighter squeeze.
She pushed him down onto the bed, then rolled over so she was underneath him. He reached out and took her shirt off, his small smile growing, "You really like my shirts…"
"They're cozy." She said, nothing underneath, "I like your shirts, too."
"Glad they could be of help." He kissed her, rubbing both hands up and down her sides. She put her hands on his shoulders and moved in to kiss his neck, bringing her legs up and around his body. He sighed, giving a shudder as he moved one of his hands up to hold her breasts.
She closed her eyes and sighed, rubbing her hands over the muscles in his arms. He moved one hand down to rub one of her thighs, while his other continued squeezing at her breast. Her arms moved up and locked around his back, pressing her chest against his as she roughly kissed his neck and shoulder.
He squeezed her back, "Was there anything specific you wanted?" She shook her head, running her fingers up and down his back.
He waited until there was a slight bit of space in between them, rubbing his hands down to her lower abdomen and massaging it. She moaned his name lowly, unintentionally spreading her legs a bit. He smiled seeing her get so eager. He kissed her lips in between moans, pressing at her waistline even harder.
She squirmed beneath him, "M-M-Master…" She whined.
He scrambled to take his underwear off, sending the blood through his system. His eyes widened at how big his erection got. He bit his lip, the only thing able to sooth the throbbing was resting it on her lower abdomen, "Just a second…Fleance…"
She nodded feverishly, spreading her legs even more. He took a few deep breaths, trying to get his length through her entrance with as much simplicity as possible. Once he did, however, he pressed in a bit further for penetration.
He gave a loud sigh, humping her relentlessly as his eyes basked in the glory of her beauty. She moaned his name between pants, her tiny but shapely body laced in a thin sheen of sweat as her hips grinded against his.
A few groans followed suit, as his load came to a long and gradual close. She gave one last low moan as he pulled himself away before she melted into the mattress, letting her arms fall uselessly at her sides.
"Was…was that okay?" He asked.
"Yeah, of course…" She panted.
He nodded, giving her a little squeeze, "Thanks again for everything."
"It's nothing." She kissed his forehead, "Stop worrying so much."
"It's hard…being cooped up in here all the time, hiding…how come you're not pissed off with me?"
"I don't know, because you're not…you're not doing it because you're lazy. You're doing it for a good reason…"
"I guess you're right…" He said, "Guess we'll just sleep on it."
She nodded, curling up in his arms, "Night, Cadmus…"
"Goodnight Fleance…"
"Alright. Skelter went to go take care of something." Damsel put her hands on her hips, "But I know what kind of ammo to get. We should be fine."
"And I'll make sure we get it for free." Sirius snickered.
Damsel gave a little smile as they kept walking, "I think Jack would hate your guts."
"Who, that Smiling Jack guy?" He asked, "I thought Skelter said I reminded you guys of him…"
"You do, but he hated Ventrue. He hated Dominate, all that mind discipline stuff drove him nuts."
"Pfft, whatever. I never met the guy. I never will, cause Strauss." Damsel went dead silent, too angry to speak, it seemed.
"Where'd you guys want to go for ammo?" Killian asked, "Trip's?"
"That guy?" Sirius asked, "I guess…he might be so high I won't need Serpentis…"
Killian snickered, "Probably not…"
"I feel like Killian at some point was exactly like Trip." Damsel grumbled.
"I was not." Killian rolled his eyes, then paused, "Alright, sometimes. A lot of the time…but I was never dumb enough to do business or any of that. When I was high, I was painting or partying. I was never trying to sell shit, that guy's an idiot."
The trio entered the pawnshop, being immediately greeted by Trip behind the grate, "Hey…hey, how's it going…you…uh, looking to buy…or…sell…or…?"
Sirius waved a hand, as a green glow of snakes came out of it, "All of your weapons are free." He smirked.
"All of my…weapons are free?" Trip asked, "Alright, sure."
"Ammo too." Killian added, without Serpentis.
"Huh?"
"Everything in your shop is free…" Sirius held a hand out again.
"Oh, oh right, I forgot."
"It's all good." Killian said.
"We'll just…we'll take all the ammo you got, then." Damsel said. "And throw in…two shot guns, four revolvers."
"That's gonna be heavy…" Killian muttered, already carrying the cooler for all the blood.
"Too bad."
"We need those bitches with the bags…" Sirius hissed, "Or else this'll be impossible to lug around…"
"We'll meet up with them soon, alright?" She said, then Trip handed them two massive crates. Damsel hauled one, then gave it to Killian. She carried the other one herself, "Thanks."
"No problem." Trip said.
"Alright, so what happens when we all meet up? What's the game plan then?" Sirius asked as they left the pawnshop.
"I think we're going to pack up our shit and leave." Damsel said.
"I have more stuff to grab back at home." Killian said, "I need to get that before we leave."
"Where do you live?"
"Hollywood."
"…that's dangerous. You're in an out of there, one night, tops. We'll have to camp out at Skelter's or something. He lives in the middle of nowhere."
"Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." Sirius said.
"He's probably gonna get pissy with us." Damsel muttered.
"He's not gonna let me stay there, you realize that." Killian said.
"…maybe you can sleep outside?"
"Oh yeah…forgot about all the drama between you two…" Sirius snickered.
"Dammit…" Killian muttered.
They entered the Surfside Diner, seeing Skelter sitting at a table by himself, waiting for them, it seemed. Damsel sat next to him, "Hey." She gave a little smile.
"How much ammo did you get?" Skelter eyed the crates dubiously.
"Everything they had." Sirius said, sitting down.
"Same with the blood." Damsel said, surprised he was talking. She wasn't going to bring it up. "You see the girls yet?"
"I haven't."
"I hope they're alright…" Damsel worried, "If they got caught, swear to god…"
"I mean, they're being led by an Assamite and a Ravnos…we can only hope…" Sirius said.
Sure enough, moments later, the door opened. Cissy came rushing in with a series of bags, so did Catalina and Anastasia, "Sorry…"
"Did you steal those?" Damsel's eyes grew wide.
"Uh…yeah." Cissy said, "Yeah."
"Fuck." Damsel stood up, "Stuff your bags, we gotta go."
"Go where?" Cissy asked.
"To Skelter's."
"What?" Skelter asked, "I didn't…" He sighed, "Fine, we'll go to my place."
"Thanks." Damsel grabbed a bag and started filling it with ammo, "Keep the blood in the cooler for now. We'll sort that out when we get there."
"Alright…I'll say it…" Sirius said once they all filed into Skelter's house, "It's cramped…"
"It's not meant for seven freaking people…" Anastasia put her hands on her hips.
"It's still cramped."
"Excuse the hell out of me." Skelter said, "There's an upstairs and basement. Break anything, you're dead."
Killian stood near the doorway, "Uh…should I go?"
Skelter glared at him, "Goes double for you."
"Yeah…" He gave a rigid nod, "Thanks."
"Jeez…so how long are we gonna be here?" Sirius asked.
"I gotta pack up my shit in Hollywood." Killian said.
"I got…some stuff on my plate." Skelter said, "I'd say a week at most."
"That's dangerous…" Damsel sighed, "But whatever. It's fine. I should grab some stuff from my place too." She said, then she looked at Killian, "Put the blood in the fridge for now." He nodded and brought the cooler with him.
"And you're sure no one knows about this place." Sirius looked at Skelter.
"I move like…every other month." Skelter's expression was still as jaded as ever.
"…but I mean…there is the spy…" Catalina said, "Why would they stop now?"
"Lots of reasons." Sirius shrugged, "They probably saw that we gave up and don't give a fuck, and they told Strauss as much, and Strauss gave 'em something else to do…"
"Still…we should be careful…"
"Catalina, I doubt the Camarilla cares about seven wandering Anarchs anymore."
"You're freaking me out…" Anastasia said.
"We'll just be here a week." Skelter said, "It ain't really long. It'll be fine. We'll leave earlier, if possible."
"Good." Catalina crossed her arms.
"Christ, you're paranoid." Sirius said, "A week should be fine. As long as we're not screaming Anarch stuff at the top of our lungs, they'll all think we either ran away or died…"
"Whatever…" Damsel took a deep sigh, "It'll be fine. Let's just try and hang in there as long as we can."
A/N: Seems like they're getting along pretty well. Maybe if they move to another less populated state, the Anarch movement will burn back into a roaring fire in no time! Thanks for reading!