A/N: Here's chapter forty! (whistles, horns, confetti) Happy Christmas Eve! Here's the death of an old saggy vampire to celebrate!
Disclaimer: I do not own my OCs, but I do own—oops—I do own my OCs, I do not own Bloodlines OR Madame Guil.
Trying to wander out of the cave proved difficult in itself. They were so warped in fear earlier that they didn't notice how long it took Jasper to take them to Madame Guil. Basil was doing everything he could to lead them out.
"It should be another few lefts." He said, "And then you'll be out of here, back to your lives. You can pretend that this was a nightmare."
"Oh, I will, you can count on that…" Finley said, wondering if someone spiked her coffee at one point.
Basil's eyes shrunk, someone was guarding the door, "You…" His eyes then hardened, as his wings spread out.
Jasper's grin was cold and merciless, unfeeling as his eyes were crazed, "I don't think I remember allowing any of you to escape."
He frowned, "I don't understand." He said, "Madame Guil is back there. You have your audience with her, you have all you need to put your plan into motion. You don't need these girls anymore…"
He chuckled darkly, "Right now, my followers are probably weakening your old boar of a sire right now. I think if I had a nice drink, it would restore my energy, so that I may drain Madame Guil once and for all." He looked from Finley to Aurora.
"I already told you before, so I don't see why you would think I'd let you touch either of them."
Jasper started laughing, throwing his cape to the side, "Watch me…watch me…Lady Natalia! Watch me kill this fool and take the precious kine vitae as my trophy!"
"What a fool…" Basil muttered, getting into a fighting stance.
They both stood opposite of each other, saying at once, "I need to get rid of him quickly, and save my strength for Madame Guil."
"We should just run, Aurora." Finely tried to tug her along.
Jasper held his hands out, a green glow coming from them, as he summoned a countless array of mummies, "All in the name of Lady Natalia…I will succeed in my goal!"
"You call drinking from another vampire until she dies a goal?" Basil asked.
"It's better than what you wish." Jasper said, "You just want to kill her. That would be a waste of her pure blood and her powers."
"She needs to depart to the afterlife." He said, "Having her blood live on inside you is both abhorrent and disgusting. I won't stand for it."
"You won't have much choice in the matter." He growled.
Basil flashed away. To the girls, it looked like he was moving so fast, he turned invisible. He would only reappear after an attack was done. All the mummies coughed up blood and collapsed on the ground as they were killed. Jasper was attacked next, he crashed into the wall, grunting.
Basil flashed back towards the center of the room, his wings coated in blood, "I never got to ask you your age." He said, "I'm assuming much younger than me…given your meager performance…"
Jasper gave a stray chuckle, only a little bit of blood on his torso, "Was I supposed to feel that? Is that how you deal damage?" He asked, "I think I know the gist of your fighting style."
"Oh?"
"You may be fast, but your attacks lack any bite behind them." Jasper stood firm, "If your attacks are as weak-winded as that, you won't stop me."
"Is that so?" Basil flashed towards him, knocking him back yet again. Jasper coughed up blood and skidded back in the ground.
He regained his footing rather quickly. He held a hand out, blasting a massive sandstorm towards Basil. It was Basil's turn to get bloodied and fall back. He crashed into the other side of the room.
Jasper snickered, standing proudly, with his chin up, "Brag all you want…but you could never stand up to the sands of Egypt."
Basil slowly got up, shredded bloody scars all over him from taking the brunt of the sandstorm. He dusted his shoulders and wings off, facing ahead. They both looked about equally injured, yet they still looked raring to go.
But his hat was gone.
Basil's eyes shrunk, as his head all of a sudden felt incredibly cool. He put a hand on his head, his face looking pressured as he didn't feel any wool. His eyes darted around, frantically looking for his hat.
Jasper burst out laughing, "You're bald?! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Can you even grow hair anymore, or did the curse of Vicissitude take that away from you too!" He laughed and laughed, "No wonder you wear that cloth rag on your head, I wouldn't want to be seen either if I looked anything like you! First you have those ugly wings to deal with, next you want to tell me that you're bald too! Oh, but I suppose Vicissitude has been quite kind to you if those are the only things you have to deal with! Maybe I should bury you here and now and save other lifeforms the trouble of looking at you."
Basil narrowed his eyes. He held a hand out, the red orb of Vicissitude formed in his hand, lighting up his face with a red glow, not making the antagonistic expression on his face look any nicer. He dove at Jasper with the combined might of Celerity and Blood Buff. Jasper tried to block the blow, but he was smashed back. Jasper screamed in agony and coughed up blood, getting knocked through three stalagmites in the process.
As his bloodied form hit the ground, Basil flashed over him, striking him with such force that a huge explosion of bedrock, blood, and gore sprayed in the air.
By some miracle, Jasper got away from the onslaught, only to start booking it by begging, "Please…don't change my beautiful face! Have mercy! Leave my beautiful face out of this!"
Finely looked horrified, while Aurora just kept shaking and grabbing onto her friend. "Let's just…just take us out of here." Finley ordered Basil.
"I…I won't let you go…" Jasper coughed, trying to stumble after the two girls, "I won't let you go! All of my hard work! I won't let a bald homeless fool take it away from me!"
Basil grabbed Jasper by the neck, slamming him against the wall with such force, the entire room shook a bit, "Your arrogance will cost you dearly." Basil snarled, "You should be thankful I'm even considering sparing you."
Jasper squirmed, eventually freeing himself, "You fools…you don't realize…my great plan…all for Lady Natalia—"
A gunshot was heard, Jasper made a horrible choking noise, as a small red hole was now in his torso. He collapsed on the ground, not moving.
Sirius blew smoke from his cigar to the side, smoke coming out of his pistol as well, "Jeez…doesn't that idiot ever shut up? I mean, I get it, he wants to get in Natalia's pants…but…jeez…he's being played for a fool." He said, then smiled at Finley and Aurora, giving a whistle, "Sure knows how to pick sacrifices though."
Basil stood protectively in front of them, wincing, as there was likely still sand in his wounds, "Whose side are you on?"
"Relax, I'm just joking." He said, "Pretty sure we're on the same side. I'm Camarilla." He said, "I'm here to kill Madame Guil. Guess she's your sire."
He nodded, "To be honest, I had always dreamed of joining the Camarilla…but…I had feared since my blood was so closely connected to her…that I would be killed for trying to apply."
"Nah, I'm related to Kemintiri, and they don't care, I'd say you got a fair shot."
Finely paused, "So, he's dead right? The…crazy bastard? We can go home now?"
Sirius crossed his arms and smiled, "Course, I probably led the rest of 'em here with me…so…"
Basil's eyes bugged out, "Why didn't you tell us that before?!"
Madame Guil sprinted into the room, "Sirius!" She yelled, trying to slash through him with her animalistic, electrified claws, but nothing was happening.
"You wanna scratch my back?" Sirius asked, "Go ahead."
The rest of the serpents of light ran in, they all looked shocked that Jasper was downed. The three of them looked at Finley and Aurora, "The sacrifices."
Irving slinked in next, and bringing up the rear were Arthur and Dragomir, who seemed to have worked up some temporary alliance, given how much they were aiming at Madame Guil together.
"Curses." Basil fumed, "We're exactly back to where we started…"
Madame Guil frowned as the umpteenth attack failed to do anything to Sirius, "It's just as I feared, you used Heart of Darkness." She looked at Irving, "Irving! Listen to me, and listen well! I want you to look for a dismembered heart, and I want you to crush it! Even a feeble human like yourself should be able to do it!"
"But…but Madame Guil…" Irving started.
"Was that hesitation in your voice?" She kicked him, "Do it, now!"
Dragomir snickered, "Ooh, this should get very interesting…"
"Hey." Sirius looked back at Basil, "You mind taking out those Setite wannabes for me? If you do, I'll put in a good word for Strauss."
"With pleasure." Basil gave a hungry grin. His bones began to snap and rearrange themselves. He grew in size until he transformed into the Chiropteran Marauder. He roared, a bit cramped in the cave. Nonetheless, many looked at him in fear as he sped around, knocking out the serpents of light like flies.
"Huh…alright…with them gone…I can focus on this bitch." Sirius said, as he and Madame Guil stood opposite of each other.
"What…the hell…" Finley cowered back with Aurora, who started crying again.
Dragomir stood at Sirius's side, "She's too fast for me, but I have one trick up my sleeve. You'll have to give me a hand."
"Yeah, what's up?" Sirius asked.
Dragomir flicked his hand out and summoned a dozen ravens to flock down and swarm her head.
"Nice one!" He flew towards Madame Guil, tackling her to the wall and pinning her there.
"Oh, hey, let go of me!" She flailed about, punching and kicking at Sirius, but not even her claws were denting him.
"Quick, now, fiery guy!" Sirius said.
Arthur narrowed his eyes at the last-minute nickname, nonetheless he blasted fire at Madame Guil, who screamed in pain.
Basil froze. He had finished off the serpents of light, so he turned back into his normal form, yet he stayed airborne. He watched from above. She was the one behind the French Revolution, and she was one of the most controversial Kindred figures out there. But, why did her agony tug at his heartstrings so?
The flames lit up everyone's figures with crude shapes, glinting in the reflection of Dragomir's glasses. He gave a deep and haunting laugh, watching the woman burn alive with such ease.
Madame Guil thrashed about, evidently still having some fight left in her, "This won't be the end of me…you…you fools…I'll just…I'll—"
A sharp wooden stick was stabbed through her from behind, causing most of the vampires in the room to react with shock and horror as she was now paralyzed.
Irving dug the stake around in her chest, his face angered, but his legs wobbling, "I've…I've had to put up with you for a while now…and…and I know…I might die from this…because…I probably did nothing…but…but I wanted to get a hit in too. Not for me…for all my friends…my classmates…the ones you murdered." He said, muttering to himself, "This probably isn't doing anything at all…ha, ha…" He sniffed.
Sirius and Dragomir exchanged a glance, then Sirius grinned as he faced forward, "I like you kid. You're gonna be my ghoul."
"What?" Irving gasped, "No, you're even scarier than she is, no more vampires!" He begged. Sirius laughed.
Dragomir lunged forward and scooped Irving up like a slippery fish, hoisting him over his shoulder, "To go, please."
"Ah!" Irving screamed, "Please let me go! Please, please, please! I promise, I don't taste very good at all!"
Arthur looked at Sirius, "So what's your grand idea now?"
"I don't know…" Sirius poked at her face, "I kinda feel like she's standing up dead."
A cough was heard from the ground, "You're all wrong…" More coughs.
No one knew who was talking, until they saw Jasper, crawling towards Madame Guil. As if he had a fair chance as anyone did to the Elder. "I need to defeat her…you're all…you're all too weak…" He rasped, "I need…to drain her…for…for Lady Natalia…"
"Holy shit…I shot him…at point-blank…" Sirius said.
"Is he a cockroach?" Arthur asked.
Jasper kept pulling himself against the ground. He was only a couple feet away, but it might as well have been miles, "I must…I must endure…for Lady Natalia…"
"This is just sad…" Sirius said.
Dragomir sneered, dropping Irving into Sirius's arms before he stepped forward, stomping on Jasper's head, "Listen, boy, enough is enough. The snake woman wouldn't want you no matter how much blood you soak your fangs with."
When Jasper's only response was a weak grunt, Sirius looked back to Madame Guil, "Alright, I guess I'll kill her."
"I should do it." Arthur said, "I promised my men the death of a vampire, I should be granted one."
"Alright, alright, calm the hell down." Sirius said, "Guess it doesn't really matter who kills her."
"Stop!" Basil screamed as he slowly landed. His look was stern, that of a headmaster quieting a large group of quarreling children, "This is our business, not yours. Everyone else, stay out of this."
Arthur and Sirius exchanged a glance, then they moved away. (Not like Madame Guil was going anywhere anyway, with that stake inside her).
Basil caught Madame Guil's shoulders, "It's over now…maybe…maybe if you're lucky…you'll…you'll find him…"
Madame Guil smiled weakly, barely able to even talk, thanks to the accumulated damage and stake, "Basil…" She put a hand on his cheek, but just as quickly, she died, turning into dust.
After the mission's success, mostly all the vampires and humans left. The cave became a desolate wasteland once again. Only two vampires remained.
One of them was sitting against a stalagmite. His wounds were only partially healed, and the look on his face was one of bitterness and apathy. It was obvious that he was still trying to soak in everything that had happened around him.
She couldn't think of much else to say. "Are you okay?"
He looked at the platinum haired girl, not responding. He was surprised she was even talking to him.
She sat across from him, a very good distance, pulling her legs against her chest. "Do you want me to leave you alone?"
Another pause went by, for a minute or so, "Don't you resent me?" He asked, "After everything I've done…it seems a little strange that you would conduct yourself around me as you are now."
"Everyone acts out for a reason…"
He slouched in his posture, "Act out…" He repeated, "That's what I was doing, wasn't it?"
"May I ask what you are?"
"We were all vampires, in that cave." Jasper explained, "My specific type is the Follower of Set. We're snakelike, our clan was born in ancient Egypt."
She closed her eyes. Poor thing must have had a headache. "Monsters are defined as what's inside."
"I know. You said that before."
"Because it's true…it's all I could think of…" Her eyes opened a tiny bit, "If you're a kindhearted vampire, you aren't a monster."
He gave a light chuckle, "I'm not sure there's such a thing."
"A kindhearted vampire? Maybe not. I'm not sure that exists in people either."
"Your perspectives changed."
"Hmm?"
"After tonight…you've either given up on humanity…on vampires…possibly both…"
"No, I don't think so…I've never doubted the chance that humans are the only…creature like this on the planet. I've also never felt we're divine perfection. I think there's a place for you, as for everyone else, somewhere."
"Hmm…you're quite the accepting young woman."
"…a flaw of mine, in Finley's eyes…"
"You might've died without her." He said, "I was more than prepared to have you both killed. It's for that reason why I'm so surprised that you still wish to speak with me."
"Because I think you…need a helping hand…"
"You think I need help, hmm?" He asked, "…maybe I do…"
"I don't have to be the person to help you, but there should be someone."
He looked up at the cave ceiling, "Dalton. That's who I blame for all of this…if…if it weren't for my silly rivalry with him…none of this would be happening…"
"Who was he?"
"We were stepbrothers…we got along…but we always wanted to outshine one another. It carried onto our adult lives. We joined different branches of the military because of it. It drastically changed both of our lives."
"This started in the military?"
He nodded, "He was killed during his duty, while I was Embraced into the Setite clan. Hmm…I suppose I could just say we both died, and I would technically be right."
"I'm so sorry…"
"Maybe it was the loneliness that got to me…or…perhaps…I just imagined that Dalton was still alive…challenging me to rival him." He said, "So I learned all that I could to the Jyhad, Kindred society…and I met Lady Natalia…er…I mean…Natalia…who is a very controversial figure in our brood." He said, "She's looking for her master so she could subjugate the world. The events in this cave were just another mission for her. I…I wanted to be like her…powerful…I think in a twisted way, I was trying to honor Dalton's memory…"
"So you never really did feel the drive to just be cruel for no reason, then…"
"I don't think anyone does."
"Neither do I…"
He looked her in the eye, "You should probably get back home. You have somewhat of a purposeful life to lead, I'm sure."
"And you don't?"
He sighed, "I'm not sure exactly what I have anymore…"
"I think your life has just as much potential as mine does."
"Perhaps."
She slowly stood to her feet, then approached him and held a hand out.
He grabbed her hand, standing up, "If I abandon Natalia, my associates most likely won't stand for it."
"Is there any way for you to…to disappear?"
"I'm sure I'll figure something out." He said, "I need to find a new path for myself, that's what Dalton would have really wanted, not for me to descend into darkness."
"Do you have somewhere safe to stay?" She gently let go of his hand.
He nodded, "My haven's not far from here."
"O-Okay…" She took a step back, "So is my coffee shop."
He half-smiled, "It isn't."
"You're welcome there at any time. Maybe not when I'm asleep."
"I'll only be out at night."
"I close at two."
He smiled, "Very well. Aurora, is it?"
"Yes, that's right."
He hadn't moved from his spot. He was knelt down in front of Madame Guil's ashes. There were probably about five Volgirre in existence, and now that number had lessened. He felt as though the entire world were just a little bit colder now, with the sheer fact that he was one of the last ones.
He had since found his hat, but he nonetheless glared at the top of his head, and his wings, the two things he hated the most about himself. How did she do it? She still looked as divine as she did on the night of his Embrace, two-hundred years ago. He supposed he should have just considered it lucky enough that the curse of Vicissitude was so kind to him, but that's because he used it sparingly in the last two-hundred years. With all the times he used it tonight, maybe his skin would turn blue.
He sniffed, a hand over his face as tears streamed down it, "I…I'm surprised you're still here…mademoiselle…" He said, "You strike me as a very busy woman…"
Finley jumped. She didn't think he knew she was there. "I mean…it's like…three AM…I'm usually asleep by now…"
He brushed more tears away, but more came, "It was selfish of me to allow that Setite to carry out his plan and bring you two down here…but…but I needed to see her…one last time. For that, I do apologize…"
"It's fine…" She said slowly, "I'm sure she's…in a better place…"
"I…I didn't expect myself to feel this way…when she…when she…" He sniffed, "She turned me into what I am today…but…we were fairly apart…she and I…" He turned to look at her, his face extremely wet with tears, "I'm mourning a mother I hardly got to even know…"
"It's okay…I mean…I'm sure if I got to hear who my mother was at the same time I learned she was dead, I'd…probably be upset too."
He brushed more tears away, "There weren't many women like you, back when I was human." He said, facing ahead again, "I think I can honestly say its better that that's changed."
She chuckled softly, "I'm sure there were women of all sorts back then…some like me and some like Aurora."
He stood tall, this time, no more tears came when he rubbed his eyes, "Perhaps I just wasn't paying attention." He faced her, "Though I'll never understood how she remained looking the way she did…I don't have much time left…soon I'll look even worse than I do now."
Her wits still seemed about her, despite some confusion. "Huh?"
"The Discipline I have…the power…Vicissitude…it's a power and curse in one. It changes my body. I think it's responsible for…" His eyes darted around as he self-consciously checked himself, "My new features…and the loss of my hairline…"
"Well, I mean, as ditzy as she is, Aurora was right about the whole monster thing. It's cliché but it's what's on the inside that counts."
"…you really think so?"
"Of course I do. You tried to save the two of us, so, that definitely accounts for something."
He gave a small smile, "I need a favor from you."
"Uh…yeah, sure."
"Keep what you saw tonight to yourself. Me, anyone else you saw down here. There's a reason vampires have been around since the dawn of time." He held a finger up to his lips, winking, "We typically cover our tracks."
"Easy-peasey. I'd be more worried about Aurora."
He blinked, "You're right…I more or less lost track of where she went."
"She's in here somewhere…" She looked around, then looked back, "Sorry about…being in the way."
"In the way?" He repeated, "You weren't in the way, your lives were put in danger…I should be feeling guilty, not you."
"Yeah, well…we were the idiots who fell for it. Really it was Aurora, she's head over heels for the looney snake-demon."
"Yes." He crossed his arms, stealing a glance at her, "Love works in funny ways, doesn't it, mademoiselle?"
"It does when you're Aurora." She muttered under her breath, blowing her bangs out of her face.
"Why don't we go look for her, then I can escort you ladies back home."
"Yeah, that's a good plan." She nodded, heading off down the channel to search for her friend and finally get some shuteye.
A/N: Basil's so cute…almost as cute as Irving…Thanks for reading!