A/N: Here's chapter forty-four! A big change for the Anarchs, will it bode well or not? Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bloodlines, but I do own my OCs.
"Jesus fuck, there he is."
"For real?" Skelter's head turned.
"Yeah real. What happened, huh? You get kidnapped?" Cissy was standing outside their base, a smug grin on her dark lips as always.
Killian scratched the back of his head, "No, but, we do need to talk."
The other Anarchs left the base to see Killian again. The night air was crisp, a little cooler and less smoggy than it was in California. The insects sang away.
"Like hell." Skelter said, "We packed the Jeep, we gotta go. We can talk about your little vacation later. Almost got us killed, motherfucker."
"I'm not going anywhere."
Skelter's shoulders dropped, "What the hell is this about."
"It's gonna sound dumb so you better pay attention."
Skelter raised a brow, "Entertain us."
"There's this chick."
Skelter wiped a hand over his face, "Get your ass in the damn car."
"Look, it's nothing like that." He said, "She's different. I'm not after her rack, I'm not after her at all, I'm not after anyone!" He shouted, "It's somewhere safe, and she's decent to talk to, that's it. I'm staying. Who's saying the Cam even tracked us anyway?"
"You are." Skelter said flatly, marching up and poking him in the chest, "You're the one who grabbed Madison by the dick and yanked him our direction."
"Then just move like, a mile that direction! What are the chances they'll find us?"
"Are you for real?"
"They have helicopters, you know." Cissy crossed her arms.
Killian clenched his teeth, "Look, our movement isn't doing shit if we keep running around, building shitty houses out of sticks. If we stay put somewhere, we have more of a chance of building influence. We'll have some sort of fucking stability."
"If we stay put, we're a sitting duck." Skelter said.
"Well, I'm staying here. And it's my fucking car, so you can't take it." He crossed his arms.
"Killian…" Anastasia started gently.
"You're bleeding heart is going to get us killed." Catalina said, "Can we save the tantrum for another time, please?"
"Bleeding heart?" He asked, "This isn't about her. This is about our movement. I thought about it, alright? Everyone knew the Last Round was Anarch turf, but we held onto it for ages, didn't we? If we keep moving around, we look weak, and we won't be able to find any support. I get that it might be instinct for you to move when faced with danger, but it's not gonna work this time, alright?" He said, mostly to Skelter.
"We made it clear I decide where we go. I decide we go." Skelter said, "We're takin' your car."
"No, you're not. It's mine." He seethed, more upset about the car than anything else, it seemed, "And I'm not going anywhere."
"I mean, if he's going to be difficult, we could just walk." Catalina said.
"I have an even better idea." Cissy said, "Leave the idiot behind. He can drop us off at the road, we can just 'hitchhike'. Carjack. He gets his car, and we don't have to deal with him anymore."
"That's not what I intended…" Killian muttered, "I'm still an Anarch—"
Skelter glared at him, "That's enough. You're not part of our movement." The bullfrogs croaked as Killian stood like a statue, Skelter's glare ever-present. "You've fucked us over for the last time, I've had it. Drive us to the edge of the street and drop us off, then go fuck however many deer and squirrels you want. When the Cams come after you, don't come cryin' to us."
Killian glared at them, his composure on the verge of collapsing. "Fine." He headed towards the Jeep and got in the front seat.
"Killian…" Anastasia's eyes were wavering, as she quietly got into the Jeep with the others.
The ride was quiet. Not silent, because Cissy kept blowing hot air on the windows and drawing phallic-like shapes. He pulled the car into park as soon as he reached the road. "I'll…see you guys." He said, staring ahead, not wanting to look at any of them go.
Cissy and Catalina were hardly a pain to watch go. He hardly knew them, he figured he wouldn't waste tears over them. Skelter didn't hurt much either. After all this time, seeing Skelter for possibly the last time was almost a relief. A dream come true.
Anastasia? That was different.
Three out of the four doors shut as they all left. As Anastasia slowly got out, he looked up and smiled weakly, "Knock 'em dead for me, toots."
Anastasia sniffed, brushing a tear or two away, she ran up and opened his door to hug him, "Bye, Killian. We'll meet again soon."
He sniffed and nodded, patting her back, "Good luck." He gently let her go, giving her one last look before he waited for their signal for them to finish unpacking. He then put the car in reverse and drove back, trying not to let his tears haze his vision as he drove through the woods.
He sat outside Phoebe's house for a little while, trying to compose himself. He didn't want to march in there like a crybaby, at the same time he didn't want to go in there and arrogantly claim his independence. He grabbed a few of his belongings from his car, (his sketchpads, his pencils, his phone, an old flask, a broken wristwatch), then headed inside, setting the bagged items in the doorway, "I'm back."
Phoebe looked up from her book, giving a small smile, "That was fast."
He smiled back, but she could tell it was a weak one, "You mind if I crash here for like…more than a week?"
She turned a page, "I wouldn't mind at all."
He seemed relieved, slowly moving in to sit next to her. His mind was still running, cycling. The last time he was able to sit, relax and worry about nothing for a little while had to be in his late twenties, at most. It was the last time that giant hill of his undetermined future loomed over him so greatly, the last time something was so far out of his control, he felt like he'd break down at any minute. He closed his eyes and rested back on the sofa, wishing he could just be put into a coma so he wouldn't have to think about any of it.
"If you need to rest, I'll move."
"No, no, I'm good." He took a deep breath, "Sorry." He looked over towards her. If anything, this girl was going to be his salvation. He just hoped he didn't pull her down into hell alongside him. "What are you reading?"
"Would you like to see?"
He raised a brow, "Sure. I'm not the best with reading, so if it's like, Shakespeare stuff, I'm not gonna really get it…"
Her grin grew a bit more pleasant, and a bit dirtier, as she handed off her book to him. He squinted his eyes at first, it was almost funny, and what was even better was the look on his face. She could see his eyes reading over the same paragraph a few times, see him blinking a few times over. He handed the book back, "Huh."
"You don't seem to have a pronounced opinion on the matter."
"I didn't know shit like that existed." He said, then he rolled his eyes, "Well, not in book-form, at least. Guess it makes sense. I mean, you're not the type to like, watch something like that. That'd be too gross for you. It's…it's like classy smut."
She narrowed her eyes, "There's a tasteful narrative behind this. You just…happened to glance upon a rather…savory scene…is all…"
He couldn't help but laugh, "Savory, huh?"
She closed her book and put it away in the nearby bookshelf, "I can't read with you around."
"Oh, what, am I distracting?" He smirked, "My bad."
She crossed her arms and pouted, "I'll just have to read while you're asleep."
"Then when will you sleep? I could just go in the other room if it's dire."
"It isn't dire."
"Alright." He shook his head, slinging his feet up on the coffee table and locking his hands behind his head, "If I get in your hair at any point, feel free to tell me to piss off. I parked my car out back, I can live in there for a few days if I need to."
"Oh, I don't think you'll ever bother me." She smiled, "It's a joy having you around."
There was a twinkle in his eye, "You're the first." He snorted.
"The first what?" Her smile faded.
"I dunno, the first person to enjoy my company."
"Well, it isn't the first time I broke trends."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes. You've pointed it out yourself, I do not follow the trends of others. It still surprises you that I'm a Gangrel."
He shrugged a shoulder, "Yeah, guess so. Well, if it's any consolation, I get called a Toreador practically any time I meet someone new."
"That doesn't surprise me as much."
He raised a brow, "Oh yeah?"
She pulled at the collar of her jacket, "You dress nice."
He snickered, "Think I'd either peg you as a Tremere or a Toreador."
"I wonder why."
"I dunno. You're pretty."
She half-smiled, "Thank you."
He smiled back, "You got anything to drink? Want me to go out and get something?"
"It's alright, I did a bit of hunting while you were gone." She got up and headed to the fridge, getting a glass of blood for the both of them.
He stood up and went into the kitchen with her, taking a seat at the table. There was a moment of rest, then he said, "So…so what happened to you, with your previous sect? Like, why and when did you become Independent?"
She paused, just staring at the interior of the freezer for a moment or two, "It's a rather long story."
His leg bounced, "Yeah. Right. Sorry." He sighed, "I just got fucking kicked out of the Anarchs and I'm fucking lost." He didn't know why it slipped out, but he didn't bother stopping it. He just held one side of his face with his hand, "Fuck. I'm sorry."
"The Anarchs?" She asked, her eyes finally showing vitality as she was concerned, "For what reasons were you expelled?" She asked as she set glasses of blood for both of them.
"Because apparently the last straw was me giving damn for once." He sat back, "I don't mean to vent but damn, I'm pissed. I told them I wanted to stay here to show some sort of stability, some sort of fight against the Cam, but they insisted they keep running. So they left without me, and the leader told me I'm done." He gave an angry sigh, "Whatever. I'm still an Anarch. I don't need to be part of their shit-show to be an Anarch."
"Conflict within a sect is most inefficient."
"Yeah…there's been conflict since I showed up…" He grumbled. "I never got along with that jackass. The current leader."
"Yes, I believed you mentioned them before. You expressed distrust in his decision-making and instincts."
"Did I?" He asked, taking a sip of his drink before he pouted and rested his head in his hand, leaning against the counter, "It started when I showed up and got a whole lot worse when we started fighting over the same girl. It was like some sort of reality TV shit."
"Harper? Or…no, it must be Anastasia."
He blinked a few times, then sat up, "So you heard a lot of that phone call, I guess."
"Yes." She said, "Even without Obfuscate, I've mastered stealth."
He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, guess I gotta be real careful about living here if you're around." He teased.
"Yes, I'm so dangerous, aren't I?"
"Lethal."
"So you'd better be a good boy."
He exaggerated his pout, then took another sip of his drink, "Well, I'll never see them again. Not him, not her. Not either 'hers'. Harper had nothing to do with the Anarchs anyway."
"I see. She seemed to be more of an annoyance for you anyway. Anastasia however, you cared for deeply. She's an Anarch?"
"Yeah." He said, finishing his glass, "First time I try to fucking care about someone and it falls to shit…" His eyes ordered him to cry but he refused to cry in front of her, "I wish I could get drunk and just curse her out all night long." He sat back, a pained smile, "We all have something like that, right?"
She stared at the table for a while before responding, "Perhaps."
"First time and last time…" He pushed his glass forward, looking up at her, "Refill?"
"Hmm?" She looked up, in a daze, "Yes, of course." She got up and refilled his glass, "You said the Camarilla destroyed your movement in California." She sat back down, "I know how that feels."
He looked up at her, "Were you part of a movement that collapsed?"
"Yes. The Camarilla executed a lot of my allies, just as I suspect they did with yours."
He looked pained, "They killed my leader…he was like a father to me. And then the Sabbat killed my adoptive-sire too…Kent…VV…god…" He grit his teeth, "Lark…"
"We've had a lot taken away from us. You and I."
He nodded, taking another drink from his glass. He sat back again, "I took a shit on the mood, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag you back, either."
"That's perfectly alright." She said, "It seems like you've been through a lot."
"Yeah, you too." He said, "Too bad you're a closed book, huh?" He teased, "It's not like I'm gonna tell anyone anything. I have no one to tell."
"It…it was so long ago…it feels like it was a dream…" She said, "But…it wasn't any different than anyone else's Jyhad experience…no one has it easy."
He could tell she was in no mood to share. Great, idiot, piss her off, that'll help your case. "No, that's a good point. I'll try to think about it like that." He covered, "That's a pretty good life motto."
"In this case, it would be a death motto."
He rolled his eyes, finishing his drink, "Yeah, yeah." He stood up, looking at the clock briefly, "Damn, only midnight. Sure you don't want me to go out and do some hunting?"
"If that is your wish." She stood up, "We might make a good team."
"You wanna go out with me?"
"Of course."
"Who's gonna watch the house then?"
"No one will ever find it, remember?" She smiled.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's go find some idiots."
The knock was daintier than anything Phaedra was used to. She was inches away from undoing the buttons on Poe's shirt, dark lipstick marks all over his neck and jawline, her hands grasping at his waist, but the knocking startled her.
She was treading on thin ice getting him to kiss her to begin with, so she was positive this disruption spoiled any sort of chance she had to relax him.
"Damn. Again with these two." She kissed his forehead lightly and stood up to answer the door.
Ella looked up at Phaedra when she answered the door, "Hello."
"Hello, darling." Phaedra smiled, "You need more help with him?"
"No." She closed the door behind herself, "I want to live here with you."
"Oh, I see…" Phaedra seemed surprised, only minimally, "Does the Prince know of this?"
"Well…if I tell him…he'll kill Derek…should I…should I tell him?"
She sighed, "No, no. Not yet." She went to the fridge to pour Ella a glass of blood, "Ella, this is Poe. Polonius, this is Ella." She handed the girl a glass of blood. "I'll have a chat with Mister Parker tomorrow evening. I think some cooldown time is in order."
Ella blinked at Poe, "You got a little…" She gestured around her face and neck area.
Poe swallowed hard, getting up and leaving the room.
"Just…do be careful with him…" Phaedra mused quietly, sitting on the couch and motioning a spot for Ella to sit, "His mind is extremely fragile, especially recently. He's gone through many traumatic events…"
"He has?" Ella sat next to her, "Sorry…"
"Oh, it's no worry." She effortlessly conveyed a stress-less tone, "So what were your plans? Live here until I wring his neck and tell him to behave himself? Or are you searching for something more permanent?"
She crossed her arms, "I'm not interested about him anymore. You and I both know Necromancy, you can actually help me. He doesn't let me near you. Besides…he doesn't care about training me for combat…he just hides in his room all day…"
"I see. So you were planning something more serious then."
"Yes. You're there for me more than he is."
She rolled her eyes, "I'm terribly sorry dear." She said, "I also must apologize ahead of time. I've had my hands full treating Polonius, so if I do…ignore you for a short period of time, please do not take offense…"
"That's fine, being alone is better than being with him."
"That bad, hmm?" She smirked.
"I just wanna makes ghosts…" She said quietly.
"I'll do everything in my power to teach you, darling. I still have a few texts my sire gave me as well, fortunately."
She nodded, then her eyes shrunk and she leaned forward and held her chest, "Crap…" She said quietly.
"What's the matter?" Phaedra's eyes grew concerned.
"Nothing…it…it just…feels weird…" She sat up again, blinking in fright a few times, "I think it's just in my head though. But…but it feels so raw…like…like a part of me just died…"
Phaedra sat up a bit, "Have a bit more to drink. I've never heard of this feeling before, I'm not sure what to tell you…"
She gave a pained nod, "Maybe I should…go rest…somewhere…" She looked at her, "Get out of your hair…"
"Nonsense." Phaedra stood up, "Would sleeping on the couch be a burden? I could see about getting another place for you to get comfortable."
"No, no, this is fine." She smiled, "Thank you for your kindness."
"Not a problem." She smiled, "Sleep well." She locked the door just in case, then went into her bedroom with Poe, "That poor girl…she's very sweet, what do you think?" She asked but Poe was already in bed, asleep. She gave a slight sigh, crawling into bed beside him and pressing her hands up to his chest where his heart was, her chest to his back, "I love you, Polonius." She said softly in his ear, drifting off beside him.
"This is going to take us forever…" Tess moaned, evidently holding Delilah for this long was taking a lot out of her.
Dragomir, on the other hand, hardly looked fazed carrying his best friend, cradling him like a child. "We'll find civilization eventually."
They were trekking away from the fiery rubble, down the gravelly road, towards the direction they came from.
"Could we switch?" Tess asked, wondering if Slade would be any lighter.
"No."
She sighed and looked away, "At least we destroyed one house…"
"We hardly did anything."
"It was something."
"Hardly."
Tess blew her bangs away from her forehead, "Why are you in such a bad mood? You've been in this mood since we were assigned."
"In the words of the serious one, I want to go home and please my wife."
"You aren't married to her…"
"A shiny rock doesn't change anything."
She rolled her eyes, "You'll have plenty of time to give to her once we get back."
"I'm not so sure. If I keep doing well on missions, he'll only give me more. My generation and Disciplines make me intimidating no matter what. He might as well throw me in a bundle of his lackeys just for the charm I give."
"That isn't what the Prince is doing."
"Sure feels like it."
"You're in the Camarilla to work, not to sleep all day and night in the red tower."
He growled lowly, muttering something about how he wished he never joined in the first place.
Slade's eyes slowly opened, he coughed a few times, "Hey…hey…why do I only have one sword? What's going on…?"
Dragomir's eyes lit up with joy, "Slade!" He squeeze him tighter, "I missed you!"
"Dragomir? What's going on?" Slade asked again, trying to crane his neck and look back, his eyes widening, "Crap…the house is on fire…"
"It's been on fire." Dragomir said, "It blew up."
"We pulled you and Delilah out from the rubble and decided to just leave. Any Sabbat who was in there surely perished." Tess said.
Slade coughed, "Damn it…I can…I can barely move…"
"Just relax." Dragomir held on a little tighter, "I don't mind carrying you back."
"I think if anyone even tries to carry you back, he'll bite their finger off…" Tess muttered.
A lone figure was in the distance as they advanced. The blue Tzimisce clenched his hands into fists, "You…you wretched fools, I'll slaughter every one of you! Every last one!"
"Crap…" Slade said, "Not Lafayette."
"You killed Cedric!" Lafayette yelled, "You killed Cedric!"
"What…?" Tess looked over towards Dragomir, "Did you kill anyone?"
"Tess, hold my beer." Dragomir plopped Slade into her arms, she almost crumpled under the weight, "Now go. Take him and go."
"Dragomir—"
"This is not your battle, Tess." He growled, Potence rippling over his muscles, "Go." He barked out.
She slowly stepped back, very reluctantly.
Lafayette gave a crazed snicker, "You pathetic Malkavian sapling. I'll fell you in one attack."
Dragomir adjusted his glasses, his eyes shone brightly underneath them, "What, with that new Dominate of yours? There's a reason I wear these and it isn't just for the fashion!" He cackled, whipping his hand out to launch ravens his direction, then fly in with Celerity for a punch.
Lafayette was dazed by the ravens, then smacked by the punch. He coughed up blood, but Dragomir felt a searing pair of claws inside of him as Lafayette latched onto him. "Fool…" He rasped, as blood trickled out of his mouth, "You've fallen right into my trap!" He freed a claw, "You do remember Beast Shards, do you? One of Vaska's favorite attacks?" He launched the blackened shards at Dragomir, they gradually sunk into his body. The he sprang off him to let his attack take its effect.
It hardly took a second before Dragomir slipped into a frenzy, lumbering towards Tess.
Tess gasped as she pumped Celerity and dashed out of the way, watching as he dumbly searched for the nearest target. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to strategically lure him towards Lafayette.
Lafayette snickered, his yellow eyes further illuminated by the contrast of the dark and dreary night, "I'm going to rip all your friends away from you and kill you with them, girl!" He screamed. Lafayette was an angry, violent vampire alone, but with the death of Cedric it was taken to morbid levels. "This will be your nightmare, and your graveyard!" He held a hand out, and Delilah began to squirm in Tess's arms, Lafayette began to control her like a marionette.
Her eyes quivered as she had no choice but to drop her, both of them. She drew her blade and dashed forward to slice his arm.
He retracted his arm, and in effect, Delilah collapsed on the ground. He slowly transformed into his Zulo form, roaring at her as he ran at her with his claws out.
She gasped and hardly dove out of the way. Fighting was not going to work. She scooped up the bodies of her fallen comrades and took one last forlorn look at the crazed Dragomir, running off without him.
A/N: Someone's a little grumpy that his buddy got killed…Thanks for reading!