A/N: Here's chapter twenty! (confetti, streamers, piñatas) A Primogen meeting is far overdue! Those are always very calm, civil meetings, aren't they? Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bloodlines, but I do own my OCs.

It was her first time planning a date, and her first time thinking about which venue would be the best. This was provided her date was a Nosferatu.

So, she needed to find a place that was easily accessible through the sewers, vents, other such means of transportation, and somewhere he wouldn't be seen, somewhere dark or hidden.

She didn't really want somewhere dark again, because she wanted to be able to see him when they spoke. She knew he might be a little insecure, but he'd have to get over that eventually.

Finally, she decided on the abandoned hospital in Downtown L.A. It was quiet, people avoided it, and it seemed pretty Nosferatu friendly. She headed down with her sledgehammer beforehand to make sure there were no guests, and was relieved to find none. There was a pile of corpses, or at least skeletons, but it seemed entirely void of life. If something did pop up, well, she'd just have to hope she could run fast enough.

"I remember this place." Edgar said as he arrived and dropped his Obfuscate, "This Nagaraja lived down here…eating people…she was…interesting…but apparently she liked women. Or at least that's what she told me…"

"Really?" Iphigenia asked, glancing back at the bodies, "I suppose that explains quite a bit…" She turned back to him, "I wonder if she was…if she was exterminated. I know they've been planning to demolish this place soon."

"I have no idea…of course, that was ages ago…"

"Mmm, good point." She leaned against the old operating table, "So, how have you been?" She smiled.

"I've been fine…Gary's out at a meeting so it was the perfect time to ditch…"

"Ah, wonderful. If I'm ever too much of an obligation, please, just let me know. I'll give you some space."

"What? No…he doesn't have me doing much anyway."

"That must be nice then. Some time off." She reached forward to flick a bug off his shoulder.

"What about you?" He asked, "Are things getting any better?'

She sighed, "No. It's worse, if anything. He's lost all respect for me. I don't mind that he's not paying me, but he won't talk to me, won't even look at me. I'd defect but I would never follow the path of the Sabbat. That's just stupid. I might just move. Maybe I could find somewhere cheaper to live, too."

"You're going to leave Los Angeles?"

"It's looking more and more likely every night. Delilah's hardly around anymore to chat too…neither is Venus. I think Victor's been keeping her away from me. I don't know. It's like they've all turned their backs on me…"

His eyes shifted around nervously, as he recalled Gary warning her exactly as such. "It's just…terrible to have a clan that doesn't watch their members' backs…"

"Well…" She shrugged a shoulder, "I can only hope I can find another Chantry that would be willing to accept me. It's highly unlikely, but better than this. If something happens to me, I know they won't give a damn. I can't afford that type of risk."

"So…you won't be here anymore…"

"Not for much longer. Halcyon's going to be livid…" She mused.

"You're sure there's no way back?"

She crossed her arms. "I could try and resolve the issues, but…the Tremere tend to hold grudges."

"Ah…right then…" He said, "Easy come, easy go…"

She gave a little smile, "We could try long distance."

He gave a long sigh, "I suppose that would be the only other option."

"I'm sure you'll grow bored of me after a month or so anyhow."

"That isn't true." He said, "Why the hell would I give someone willing to be with a Nosferatu a second thought?"

She stepped forward and hugged him, "Well, I won't be going anywhere within…the next month, at least. Maybe I can find another answer by then. I'll keep thinking about it, okay?"

He was taken aback, nevertheless, he hugged her back, "Alright…I hope you stay…"

She kissed his cheek, "Gary gives you plenty of time of independence anyway, doesn't he? I'm sure we could figure something out."

"I mean…this time, I knew he wouldn't be in the warrens…"

"If he complains about it, tell him it's my fault." She smirked.

"I honestly don't want to egg him on. He already loves to hate you."

"Oh, I know he does. If I ever see him in person again, I'm sure I'd be dead within the next five minutes. But he's too much of a gentleman to do it quickly."

He nodded, "He has more ways to get rid of someone than I can count…"

"Mmm…" She took a step back and rubbed his shoulders, "I've been wondering if maybe I could…trade my stay in the Chantry for a stay in the warrens. Live with the Nosferatu despite our differences. I just don't think Gary would like that…I don't know, I've had so many different ideas with so many different problems…"

"…no, he would definitely hate that…I can't picture him getting on board with the idea at all…"

"Considering how he treated my sister, I can't imagine him being any nicer to me. Mmm, maybe he'd have less fun because he can't really get a rise out of me…"

"But it would be dangerous for your sisters." He said, "They'd be turned in no time at all, if they were kept anywhere near him…"

"That's a good point. I'll keep thinking. Maybe it'll blow over. Who knows." She leaned in and gently pecked him on the lips, "Please, don't worry about it. I'll handle it."

"Right…" He nodded, "Well, good luck."

"Are you mad at me?" She asked.

"No…the way your circumstances are…I would understand having a difficult time around it."

She gave him another squeeze, "Okay. We'll meet again soon and talk this over."

"Right." He squeezed her back, "Hope everything goes well."

The doors to Strauss's office opened, "That's two Primogen who've meddled in my apprentice's affairs." Victor said as he strolled in, "It would…be a shame…if this were a…reoccurring tradition…"

Therese and Gary turned over their shoulders. Gary merely smirked, while Therese didn't really offer the same lighthearted response.

Instead, she looked like she was about to murder Victor in cold blood in front of everyone.

Victor gave a devilish grin at the Primogen who took the bait, "Let's try to remember the clan in control of the Camarilla, hmm?" He sat beside her and crossed his legs.

Strauss cleared his throat at his desk, "Perhaps another time…this dispute can be attended to." He said, "The others will be here shortly."

Miranda came in next, and Prospero and Goddard filed in shortly after that, always together as usual. Strauss cleared his throat once again, "Excellent, we shall get through with this meeting as quickly as I can allow. Though, the dangers that are now present in our Kindred community are quite urgent."

"I have a question before we begin." Prospero raised a hand. The utter casualness he went about his seating posture and how he spoke really caused a dissonance compared to most of the other Primogen.

If Strauss was taken aback, he didn't show it, "Yes, Mister Kingston?"

"That Giovanni…the one scuttling around our city like a rat. Did we ever get a first name on him…?"

"Yes…I believe his name was Giuseppe Giovanni."

Prospero's eyes widened. His jaw slightly dropped, like his search, at least to some extent, was over. The decades long hunt was finally coming to an end, and he would finally be able to pounce.

"Mister Kingston?" Strauss asked, to no avail, as Prospero stayed frozen stiff, "Mister Kingston?" Goddard's eyes flickered over from his book over to Prospero, remembering how violently he reacted when he heard news of a single Giovanni in the first place. He narrowed his eyes, curious as to where all this hatred came from.

Therese gently cleared her throat, "Well…um…while the Giovanni is surely a problem…the LaSombra who was once rumored to be incapacitated has made an unfortunate return."

"Yes…Miss Voerman, Mister Stone has resurfaced, after I had assumed that the fall from the top of the tower would give him Final Death. It is an error that I am unfortunately the cause of. As a result I seek his imminent destruction."

"Do you two have history?" Miranda asked.

"Yes, indeed." Strauss said, "Mister Stone was once a Ventrue Primogen, or…at the very least masquerading as one, many years ago. This was back when LaCroix and the rest of our Camarilla was in New York, caught in the untidy storm of warfare between us and the Sabbat. During that time, we would constantly receive aid from the Camarilla in Washington D.C., and we would in turn send aid to them as well. The Prince during that time was a man named Vitel, a promising Ventrue Prince."

"Wait a moment…" Victor said, "This all took place back then? This is the same Remus who was once that Primogen?" He looked shocked, "I…I didn't think someone who was…quite honestly a nobody…would amass to something like this…"

"Regardless, he must be executed. He's a threat to my city." Therese said.

"Well, now it's my turn." Victor said, "The Anarchs—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait…one of these things is not like the other." Prospero said, "The Giovanni and LaSombra I get, they're direct threats to us, but the Anarchs? We wiped them out a while ago…they have nothing to do with this."

He stood up and began to pace, "Well, the Promise of Fifteen Twenty-Eight makes any attack plan on the Giovanni useless. We'll have to hope he gets taken care of by the Sabbat. And I could easily deal with this Remus bloke the next time I find him. The Anarchs on the other hand, are planning a comeback…"

"Planning a comeback?" Miranda asked, "Did we not kill them all?"

"No." He narrowed his eyes, "Your proof…lies right before your eyes." He rolled his sleeves down.

There was a pause as the other Primogen grimaced at all of the scars, "What the hell are those?" Prospero asked.

"Little nicks from an Assamite." He rolled them back up, "She and the burly Gangrel, Skelter, nearly tried to assassinate me. Again." He said, "Skelter is Armando's dog, literally. Out of the Anarchs that slipped through our fingers, he is the most dangerous one. He made it quite clear that he and the other survivors would be making a return someday. We should be prepared in case they choose to act on those words, lest they attack right when we're up to our noses in Sabbat and Independent clan trouble…"

Therese looked peeved as she crossed her legs, "The keyword there is, 'someday'. I'm sure whatever he's said to you is all empty threats. Considering my sister was affiliated with the Anarch movement, I know just how much they get done, or I should say, how much they say they've done. They're no threat to us at all. Especially the rag-tag group of them that managed to cower away with their tails between their legs. You're worrying about a group of half-beaten dogs who are already afraid of their own shadows."

"You forget, they had this land long before we did. For over seventy years, this land was a haven, a completely safe, Anarch Free State. Armando and his little group of animals prided themselves on keeping the state clean of Camarilla influence. And, well…once LaCroix and Ming-Xiao settled in the early two-thousands…you all know the rest. Do you really think they would just give up their namesake land so easily? These are not the type of brats to know when they are beaten. They'll get up and try again, perhaps not soon, but eventually."

"And what army do you think they'll bring with them?"

"They'll contact resources from around America, surely. And if not that, than the world." He said, "At least having reconnaissance on them wouldn't hurt."

"It's not a bad idea if we have the time. I'll keep a lookout on them." Gary said, stifling a yawn.

His eyes flickered over to Gary in approval, "Nice to see that one of us is prepared for this." He said, returning to his seat.

Strauss folded his hands, "The reason I initiated this meeting, is because there is a Setite Temple, within our borders."

Another pause, "A Setite Temple?" Miranda asked.

"Indeed. Its destruction is our top priority. Having their members scurry about in my city may as well be open defiance."

"But…they take priority over the LaSombra? And the Giovanni?" Prospero asked.

He gave a solemn nod, "I fear this is no ordinary Setite structure. Spies have traced its origins to…perhaps possibly the most feared Kindred on the earth."

"You don't mean…" Victor's eyes widened.

"Well I'll be a son of a bitch. Let's be sure not tell my best spy about it, he'll get real snippy." Gary said.

"Yes, Kemintiri. The Follower of Set on the very top of the Red List." Strauss said, "She had a childe, Natalia, and sources tell me that she is in control of the temple. Spies have been very quiet afterword, I fear they have been discovered and dealt with…"

"So what are your plans for the temple? Surely we cannot just…anger the nest with an assault? We need a strategy." Victor said.

"I will send numerous garrisons and we will attack it from multiple directions. Hopefully Natalia will fall. And with any luck, the Sabbat may aid the destruction of the tower as well. They are no allies to Kemintiri or any of her followers."

"I'll keep an eye on it." Gary said, "I have time to kill."

"The assault will take place in a few days." Strauss said, "Some of us will remain in downtown, while the rest of our forces will conquer the Setite temple, and end Miss Natalia's reign before it begins."

"Lumi?" Soft shuffling was heard as she felt the bed beneath her rock gently. He placed a hand on her upper arm with upmost caution, like touching her would burn him, "Are you okay? Do you want me to get you another pillow?"

She laid silent for another moment before she sat up and combed her fingers through her hair. "No." Her voice came out soft.

"You still feel so cold…are you sure you're not ill?"

"Yes."

This is why she didn't sleep in the bed with Kipper. This is why she didn't sleep with Kipper, or go on dates with Kipper, or take him out anywhere.

She didn't even know him anymore. Not how he was now. Not with the brain damage she'd caused him. At least he hardly showed it. It could be worse, she told herself.

"Are you taking some sort of medication or something? Do you want me to go to the pharmacy and look for sleeping pills?"

The pharmacy. It was where she first met him. Not Kipper, but Chester. Behind the counter, sorting pills. She knew he'd popped a few behind there when no one was looking, where the camera couldn't see. She remembered how bloodshot his copper eyes were, like he had just returned from a war with his own psyche. According to him, things were just so very boring back there.

"No. I'll be alright." She reassured, getting to her feet and looking for something to put on in their dresser.

"Are you going out? You should be careful, it's late." He sat up, drawing the blanket up with him in a very child-like fashion.

"I know. I'll be careful, Kipper." Her delicate hands thumbed through the different shirts she had. Was tonight a practical night, a grimy night, or a pretty night? She couldn't quite tell yet.

"Are you taking anything? You never seem like you're able to sleep at night."

"I must've just…disrupted my sleep schedule."

"Oh…" His dark eyes landed on the sheets, before they looked back up at her, "Did you want to go out somewhere together? I miss you."

It felt like he latched onto her heartstrings and hung on with deadweight. "I know. I miss you too." She sat on the edge of the bed and leaned in to kiss him. Their kisses were brief, they hardly even made contact.

He gave a soft smile, an overwhelming amount of emotion in his expressive, round face, "I miss you more."

"I know." She hugged him close with her free arm, then broke away and adjusted her bra straps, reaching for a skirt and pulling it on. She then looked for a matching blouse, and a tie.

He watched her get dressed like a little boy watching his mother, this impressionable look on his face, "Are you sure you don't want me to come? Where are you going?"

"I have work to take care of. It's boring. You wouldn't have any fun."

She knew exactly what he was going to say. "Of course I would. I always have fun with you. Even if we're just counting grains of sand."

"I know." She turned away, towards the door, "Not tonight, Kipper."

He was a dog whose master shut the door and went to the car without him. "Okay…"

"I'll be back in the morning." Her voice never grew more or less caring. It was always the same tone.

"Okay. Be careful. I love you."

"I love you too." She gently closed the door and headed downstairs, adjusting her tie. She went outside and snatched up her phone, calling a familiar number. He said he'd be free about now, so she was confused as to why he wasn't here. "Chester?"

"Lumi. Got caught up at work. I'm on my way."

"Good. We need to talk."

"Agreed. I'll be there soon. Five minutes and a half, approximately."

"Excellent. Thank you, Chester."

"Anything for you, my queen."

She hung up and tucked her phone back into her pocket. She really only bought skirts with pockets. She loved skirts, ever since she was little, but never understood why they rarely had pockets. It seemed dysfunctional. Why did men's clothes always have such adaptability, but women's clothes didn't? She supposed she was selective.

She looked back up to the bedroom window, where she saw the light go out. Finally asleep, she hoped. She hated thinking about him worrying about her. That's all his life was now, wasn't it? Constantly wondering what she was doing, where she was going, why she wasn't spending any more time with him. Wondering what he did to annoy her. What he did to drive her away. Why she wasn't in love with him anymore.

Did he know she really loved him? She'd sit and care for him all day if she could, but just as much as she loved him, she couldn't stand him. He was more of a child to her than a husband.

She heard a loud sneeze behind her, and abruptly turned her shoulder. She soon relaxed immensely as she saw who was there.

It was an alpaca.

It stepped forward and nuzzled her roughly, nearly knocking her over. She smiled and held its face, kissing its nose.

A free range alpaca was the real reason Lumi didn't have many neighbors that lasted. Most people grew very upset when they were spit at.

"Are you hungry?" Lumi asked softly. The alpaca stood tall, its head at about her shoulder. Both its eyes were nearly scarred over with black flesh, like it had been burned. It looked as it if it could hardly see. It gave no response. "Not hungry then. Just lonely?" She combed her fingers through the wool, then gently hugged its neck.

Most alpaca would be jittery around being touched like this, but not this one. This animal loved Lumi more than Lumi thought possible. If it didn't get a hug from Lumi at least once a night, it'd spit at anything it saw.

Minnie was her name. Because she was that small when Lumi met her. She'd been taking care of Minnie since her youth. Minnie was the reason Lumi bought the farm property in the first place. Kipper liked it too, because he could grow his crops.

Minnie had the tendency to keep Lumi occupied anyway. A therapy animal, in a way.

A black sedan pulled up and Chester got out. He seemed a little winded, a little worn out. "Lumi." He stepped forward, then stopped and held his hands out as Minnie stepped away from Lumi and stomped over to Chester.

"Chester. You're here. Good. We're travelling tonight." Lumi stepped forward.

"Travelling?" He asked, nervously eyeing the alpaca, "Can you ask her to calm down?"

"No. She does what she wants to who she trusts."

Chester's eyes landed on the alpaca again, before he reached a hand out for her to sniff. He grunted as he was promptly spit on. Lumi covered her mouth as she giggled.

"Wonderful." Chester took his coat off and folded it over his arm, "Let's go. I see she's in a wonderful mood."

"It isn't you." She sat in the passenger's seat. "It is in a way."

He got in the driver's seat, throwing the coat in the back, "What do you mean?"

"She doesn't like men."

"She lives with Kipper." He fired up the engine.

"He's an exception."

"Apparently he is."

"It's your voice. It's deep enough. It frightens her."

"Kipper's voice isn't." It came out as a statement, he was clearly overwhelmed by the animal's logic.

"No."

"Strange creatures."

"No stranger than we are."

"Agreed." He looked over to her, waiting for instructions.

"I want to go to Vegas."

"Vegas?" He asked, "Do we have the time for that?"

"Plenty if you start driving."

He pressed on the gas, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to go to Vegas? Interested in gambling?"

"Terribly." She said, her voice dull as ever, which made sarcastic comments sting all the more.

"Then what is it?"

"A high bounty there."

"Ah."

A light pause filled the air, so Lumi reached forward and turned the radio on. She was surprised when Latin music started to play. She turned to him, "You listen to this?"

He changed the station to some obscure talk-show. "No."

"Interesting. I would have assumed something else."

His dark eyes briefly flickered over to her, "Like what?"

"Nothing." She crossed her arms and turned her gaze back out the window, "Baroque? Classical?"

He was silent for a while. Then he said, "I listen to Latin when I speed."

"Mmm."

He cracked his neck, "But mostly when I'm high."

"I figured."

There was a light pause as she futzed with the different stations.

"The Nagaraja rejected our trade."

"As I'd figured."

That seemed to relax him a bit. He gently nudged her hand out of the way and turned the station back to the Latin music, "I gave her the first case regardless."

"Good. That means you are capable of listening."

"She threatened me multiple times in Spanish, I believe."

"I'm sorry."

"She didn't actually do anything. She was with another man. He seemed nervous, she didn't want to frighten him."

"Another man?" She sat back and looked forward at the road as he started to weave between cars, "What was he like?"

"Quiet. Kindred. I'm not surewhat clan. Maybe Toreador?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Appearance."

"Ah. They must be lovers."

"Highly likely. He was on the couch."

"I can see no other clan but Toreador falling in love with a member of a clan like Nagaraja." She said, "They can just find beauty in anything. Even real life monsters."

By the time they arrived in Vegas, it was late in the night, very early in the morning. Lumi got out of the car in the parking lot of a casino. She was just going to have to start blindly looking around with Chester driving her. She decided if he drove and she got out to hunt, it would be safer.

And she wouldn't be nearly as lonely.

There was one thing she forgot, however, and that was that Chester got right off of one of his jobs. And he was human.

So he was very hungry.

When she got out and reached for her gun, he seemed antsy. "What's wrong?" She asked, looking up at him with her bright eyes.

"Nothing." He said quickly, "How long do you think this one will take?"

"I don't know where he even is yet."

"…okay. Good luck. Call when you need me to pull up."

"What's wrong, Chester?" She asked.

"Nothing." He sat up tall. She could still smell the alpaca spit on him.

"Chester."

"It's nothing."

"Go grab something to eat while I'm hunting."

He nodded, "We'll make it on time?"

"We'll be fine. Go."

He nodded and rolled the window up before he drove off. Machine gun in one hand, Lumi headed towards the casino. She started by investigating the parking lot, however, and the streets around it. This was where he was spotted the most. Maybe he'd be right here, and her job would be a whole lot easier.

"Look sharp, LeBlanc, your target's elsewhere." She heard a snicker from behind her, coming from an incredibly arrogant and haughty voice. When she whirled around, she saw a huge lumbering man with flaming red hair, strange goggles, and nothing but a white fur coat on his torso, leaving his chest completely exposed. His grin grew as he shamelessly looked her over, zeroing in on her chest, and staring for what felt like minutes, "Hmm, I haven't eaten French Vanilla in a while…"

She eyed him over for a different reason. Searching for weapons. "Where have we met?"

He chuckled, "Very, very, vanilla…I see." He started pacing around her, "So boring and practical…I see your voice only has one intonation as well…how fun…" He said, stopping in front of her again to point at her, "You're on the network, LeBlanc. The Malkavian Madness Network."

"I am…? What am I doing there?" She reached forward and lowered his hand, "It's not very polite to point, either."

His grin grew, "The Malkavian Madness network." He said, "Orchestrated by Malkav himself."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Every Malkavian is in the network, and those with powerful Auspex and Dementation can access it anytime at will."

Her eyes narrowed, "That certainly sounds foul. What use it is having a load of crazies running amuck in your head?"

"Tracking their location can be essential. We are at war after all."

"With each other? I don't see you as an enemy."

"No. I reside with the Sword. But, for example, detecting my Malkavian foes in the Camarilla is quite a useful ability. I can to a smaller extent counter the Camarilla's movements based on what a small percentage of their forces are doing." He said, "We have spies anyway…but I think my way is more fun."

"Ah, I see. It does sound that way."

He adjusted his goggles, "You're not Camarilla?"

"No. I align with no one. I never have. I prefer gray over black or white."

"That's you in a nutshell isn't it?" He chuckled. "Gray, normal, Lumi. Bland, vanilla, standard, never quite making waves. I struggle to believe that you are one of Malkav's childer…"

"I've made many waves. But I like low-tide. It's quiet."

He crossed his arms, "So who are you hunting for?"

"A useless kine."

"Ah…" He snickered more, "So you're bringing him in dead, I assume?"

"I don't intend to bring him in at all." She said. "His body would be wasted, don't you think?"

"Wasted?"

"Just burned to ash. Let's save that for the Kindred. Humans have flesh, that can sell for a lot to the right person."

"You're a flesh distributor?" He laughed.

"I don't distribute anything." She still sounded unimpressed, "You should know this. Aren't I in the network?"

"So you run an underground cell that deals in flesh sales?"

"Ideally. It makes other deals as well. Those I don't partake in, but I don't argue with extra green paper."

"And who do you typically sell your flesh to?"

"It's being ironed out."

He took a few steps closer, palming the top of her head, and tilting it up a bit so she looked him straight in the face, "And who typically rules at the top of any Sabbat cell?"

Her shining orbs looked on without flinching. Or at least, as much as they could, with those goggles in the way. "Well, I'm not sure. Ignorance is bliss."

"The Tzimisce. Flesh crafters…"

"Oh. Did you want some flesh?"

"I don't want it. Lafayette will." He said, "Tzimisce craft flesh into monsters, and furniture, it's a very powerful and frightening power, Vicissitude…" He mused, then he smirked again, "You could be a Sabbat war supplier, fueling our empire with flesh donations. Lafayette or any of us wouldn't ever have to go hunting for him again, and we would finally be able to defeat the Camarilla."

"Okay. I just want payment."

He fished out a huge wad of cash out of one of his fur-lined pockets, "How is this for a primary payment?"

She seemed disappointed. "Predictable." She tucked it into her pocket, "I'll take it for now."

"Deliver flesh to us and you'll see more of that."

"Will I ever see something more colorful?"

He raised brow, "Colorful…?"

"Something other than the color green."

"If you want, I'll slather a paintbrush over some of the bills, if that's your derangement."

She crossed her arms, "Bills are a gift you give a cousin when you forget his birthday. Without the thought behind it, a reward becomes worthless."

"You're a confusing business."

"I know. Times are pressing."

"Yes, that's why I just handed you thousands of dollars. Were you there for that?"

"Never mind."

He stifled a chuckle, "It's quite interesting to see you actually feel something for once." He said, "For a minute, I thought I fell into torpor for hundreds of years and missed the invention of androids…"

"Does everything someone says have to carry a song with it?" She asked.

"It's better than nothing."

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

"No you're not."

"You're right."

His grin got dryer, a bit more sinister "You've been saying that line all your life. And it's always been a lie." He crossed his arms, "With the level of honesty you have, I was probably just ripped off of three-thousand dollars…"

Chester's car pulled up again. He rolled down the window. "Do you need help?"

"No." She held a hand out to keep him there, then looked back at Gideon. "I'll bring you the flesh. We need a meeting place. You cannot come to my home."

"No, of course not. You have a stage to set, a show to run."

She took a step back, "Do you know where I can find someone to hunt?"

"Unfortunately I run a casino to the side. I make money, not murder, though it is a fun pastime of mine." He said, "Supply us whenever you wish, and you will see profits from your actions. If you wish, I'll even keep your name silent to Master Lafayette."

"Yes. I would like that." She paused, then held a hand out and tried to meet his eye, "We can meet here. When?"

"You may enter the building next time. Tell any of the girls that you're here to see Gideon, and they'll instantly make you a priority." He shook her hand, "I suppose that makes us in business, LeBlanc."

She brought her other hand to the back of his hand, holding him there. She stared in the distance as she just held onto his hand with both of hers.

He narrowed his eyes behind his goggles, "Was there something else?"

She shook her head.

He pulled slightly, "Then I have business to attend to. Our three daddy's are all out, and they haven't returned. Fellow Cainites in the Sword are beginning to worry. Though…if they did all perish…" He started laughing, "I would be the next leader!" He said, "And…there will be a feast soon…a devilish one." He said, "Hmm…that may be difficult to recover from…"

She didn't budge.

He pulled harder, "This is important business. My childe will go off like a siren should she not see her master at the exact predetermined times in her demented mind…"

"Don't you think…" She spoke softly, "There's a certain sense of discomfort when holding the hands of someone who's still living and breathing than another in the same condition? I think it's just as unnerving for us as it is for them…something so disenchanting about the hand of someone when their blood is so warm, so fleshy and weak…still thrumming underneath there…" She continued to stare at his hand, "But another dead…it feels right. It feels like I'm in hell where I belong with the other demons…"

"I suppose your view on ghouls is mismanaged at best."

"I don't mind them. I like them. They keep me company."

"You have a network of them. You're the boss-lady in your compound." He smiled, "So I'd be careful out here, where you're just another vampire, little girl."

"Allow me to correct myself. Him. I only have one."

"The man in the car?"

"Yes. He does the distributions. He's a good kid."

"It's cute how you have a little underground operation of flesh-selling and god knows what else." His grin grew, "You would fit in perfectly in the Sword…"

"I don't do well with people."

"Does any childe of Malkav?"

"You do."

He chuckled, "You caught me on one of my good days."

"I'm sure." She looked back up at him and gently let his hands go, "You said you hadn't eaten French Vanilla in a while."

His eyes flickered to her left hand briefly, "I congratulate your memory."

Her head cocked to the side, "You? That bothers you?"

"I'm afraid I'm not following."

"Yes you are. I can…remove of the audience."

"Not necessary. As I said, I have business to attend to."

She took a step back as started to head off. She looked up at the stars, then felt an overwhelming weight fall on her chest. She fell to her knees and started to weep.

He was facing away from her, starting to walk off, but then he stopped mid-step, "It's finally come crashing down around you…hasn't it?"

She just kept crying. Chester got out of the car, thinking Gideon performed some sort of Dementation on her. He'd seen it before. He fell to Lumi's side and held her shoulders, trying to goad her into an upright position, trying to grab her gun and put it in her hands, but, it was a little too heavy for him. She didn't have the will to push him away.

Gideon whirled around, "I suppose it's a usual sight for the stage-master to get overworked, hmm?"

Lumi whimpered, feeling entirely too pathetic. If only he knew these outbursts rarely had anything to do with what had immediately happened. Rather, they built up inside her and needed to be released after great stress. But, this certainly added up.

"What'd he do to you, Lumi?" Chester asked quietly, but he wasn't granted an answer, of course.

"This is not of my design." Gideon said, "She collapsed on herself. And I'm not surprised." He said, "The little white lies all added up, until the snowdrift finally buried her alive. She may be able to shovel herself out of this breakdown, but they'll only get worse."

Chester stood up, Lumi held onto his legs for support. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "Be that as it may, it was you who shoveled her head over."

"Chester…" Lumi pulled on his pants, "Please…go back in the car…"

He adjusted his tie, "I'll hold him off for you, my dear."

"Go back in the car…" She held a wavering hand up. It was a threat she had never really used on him. He jerked back and then immediately went into the car. Lumi used her gun to get to her feet and eyed Gideon over briefly, "I will see you for…" She sniffed and wiped tears away, "A transaction, in the near future."

"You're ghoul is going to get killed if he isn't careful. He does know how feeble and limited his kind are against the real deal, yes?" Gideon asked.

She sniffed, "That…might have been the first he's ever seen besides me."

"Is that right? I suppose reducing exposure has its ups and downs…"

"Goodbye." She still felt the pounding on her heart every time she looked at him.

"Good evening, LeBlanc, I'll see you during our next transaction."

A/N: Lumi's got a lot of derangements underneath that she's just quite good at hiding, but sometimes they can't just be hidden…Thanks for reading!