Blood of The Rose
Chapter 10: Return to Mercurio
Santa Monica Pier
Ruby ran her hand along the rough wooden railing of the rickety steps leading up towards the pier. The landscape just past where she walked was obscured by the misty rain, even for her enhanced senses. Towards the top, along the narrow walkway that wrapped around a shuttered restaurant, flickering lightposts barely illuminated the way.
"Creepy night," she murmured. "Kind of appropriate for us, right?"
"If you buy into the stereotype, yes," Weiss replied lightly. "Personally, I much prefer the indoors."
"Really? So not the outdoorsy type, huh?"
"I was heiress to a multibillion euro banking conglomerate," the platinum-haired fledgling scoffed. "So no, I did not have the time nor the inclination for outdoor activities."
"Huh." Ruby paused, resting her arm against the railing at the top. "I always liked being outside."
"Did you play softball?"
The brunette glanced over at her partner's question before catching the significant look towards the bat she carried casually over her shoulder. "Oh! Yeah, yeah I did once." She paused, noticing a pair of silhouettes behind Weiss' shoulder, up on the ridgeline that bordered the pier. She leaned forward slightly with her silver eyes narrowed. "What the hell…"
And then, just like that, they were gone again, bounding off into the fog.
"What?" Weiss questioned, turning around.
"Did you… You missed it!" Ruby exclaimed incredulously. "Okay, so look, I know since all… this… happened, I've seen some freaky shit, okay, but… I swear to God, Weiss, I just saw an enormous wolf, and right next to it was, like, a panther or something."
"A panther?"
"Yeah! Like this really huge black cat! The size of a wolf!"
"Well, that does sound like a panther…" Weiss looked out into the mist pensively. "While I do know of werewolves in the vicinity of LA, at least in the parks and on the outskirts, I've not heard of any werecats…"
"Oh, well yeah, sure," Ruby sighed melodramatically. "Why am I even surprised about anything anymore? So, we got werewolves, and werecats… What else? Werecows? Wererabbits?"
"Now you're just being ridiculous," the other vampire opined before turning and resuming their walk along the pathway, her boots clicking against the wooden planks.
"I'm being ridiculous?" the brunette muttered under her breath. "I'm a freaking creature of the night, and it's way too fucking crowded in this world…"
Weiss paused, glancing over her shoulder, though she made no indication whether or not she'd heard her complaining. "What exactly are we doing up here?"
"What, you don't want to go to the carnival?" Ruby grinned.
The platinum-haired vampire levelled an unamused look her way.
"Okay, fine, fine… So I just wanna take a peek at this body they probably still have strung up. News was saying it got torn apart, I'm thinking a vampire."
Weiss eyes narrowed as she gave her a sharp nod. "If it is, then they are breaking the Masquerade. We would do well to put a stop to such public activities."
"So glad you approve," she smirked, pushing past the white-clad girl to take the lead.
The path continued around the side of the darkened restaurant and onto the boardwalk before another shorter set of steps led upwards once more. They finally reached the boardwalk itself, exiting the narrow path in between the restaurant and an arcade. As they continued forward, Ruby glanced over at the bright lights and electronic noises coming from the open area.
Fortunately the sounds covered their approach, as the next corner brought them up against a chain link gate. On the other side, surrounded by policemen helpfully standing around and doing nothing whatsoever, was a torn body strung up across a pair of lightposts like a crucifixion or an offering of some sort. Garish lights from the ferris wheel nearby lent the scene a certain sense of the macabre above and beyond the visceral gore of intestines and bloody sinew littering the ground beneath the corpse.
Ruby swallowed, feeling slightly nauseous. "Um… I think we've seen enough, yeah?"
"Yes," Weiss replied breathily, her own face unnaturally even more pale. "We should depart before one of the officers there spot us."
"Sounds like a plan," the brunette agreed readily, turning on her heel and leading the way back to the stairs.
Mercurio's Apartment
They made it back to Mercurio's without incident, Weiss not receiving any comments on the large duffel bag slung across her shoulder, nor her usual bag holding her rapier.
Ruby rapped on the door but received no answer. "Well, I did drug him up pretty well," she admitted ruefully.
Her companion rolled her eyes and pushed the door open.
The New York native was still lying in much the same position Ruby had left him in. If anything he looked to be even more comatose, but it seemed as if the bleeding had stopped. In fact, as the brunette came closer, she noticed that the bruises on his face were already fading.
Ruby walked right up and gave him a gentle poke on his cheek once again. "Heya, Mercurio, feeling any better? 'Cause you're sure looking better!"
"Unh… Yeah, yeah I'm up…" he groaned before his eyes focused in on the grinning fledgling. "Oh, hey, kiddo, how'd it go?"
"We got it back!" she replied cheerfully, squatting down by his side so he wouldn't have to crane his neck. "The Astrolite, it's here in the bag. Show 'im, Weiss!"
The other vampire sighed, flipping her ponytail back over her shoulder as she brought the duffel bag around and zipped it open carefully.
"Oh yeah?" Mercurio chuckled harshly. "That the stuff, alright. Didja waste those sons of bitches?"
"Yeah…" Ruby glanced aside, trying to ignore the twinge of guilt from her impulsive and violent actions. "They kinda didn't leave me any choice, at least, I didn't see any other way to go about it, y'know?"
Weiss shrugged as she zipped the bag back up and placed it in a corner of the room. "No less than they deserved, anyway."
"Got that right, Ice Queen. Hope it was painful."
Weiss opened her mouth to retort irritably, but Ruby beat her to it. "So, hey, what's the story with this Astrolite? Some kinda bomb, right?"
"Got it in one, kiddo. That Astrolite… twice as powerful as TNT. Instant demolition. Be on the other side of the world when you engage that timer." Mercurio nodded, resting his head back against the armrest and closing his eyes wearily. "You need to make some place disappear - a warehouse. Looks to be a Sabbat interest."
"Huh. Well, okay then." Ruby shrugged. What the fuck ever, sure, let's blow up a Sabbat warehouse. "So how do I find this place?"
Mercurio grunted and winced as he tried to shift his position. "Well, there's a guy, I never met him, but I heard a lot about him. His name is Tung, Bertram Tung. He's one o' you types." Ruby glanced over at Weiss, who replied with a nod and a murmur of "Nosferatu".
"If there's anyone who knows more than me about this city, it's him," Mercurio continued in a quiet rasp. "Unfortunately, Tung's hiding out at the moment."
At that, both Weiss and Ruby furrowed their brows, one in confusion while the other with concern. "What?" the platinum-haired fledgling questioned, followed closely by the brunette's "Why?"
The brunet man chuckled weakly, cracking an eye open to regard the pair of vampires. "Tung's lying low cuz of Therese, Therese Voerman, you know her? Anyway, word is Therese and Tung are feuding - I don't know the details. My take's that Tung thinks he's about to get whacked, so he's gone underground till Therese calls it off."
With an exasperated sigh, Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. Privately, Ruby was inclined to agree with her.
"If you wanna put that warehouse into orbit any time soon," Mercurio continued, "you're gonna have to get Therese to call off the feud."
The brunette stood up and turned towards her annoyed companion. "So where do we find her?"
Mercurio, though, spoke up before Weiss could. "She and her sister, Jeanette, they run The Asylum." Ruby shivered slightly at the mention of Jeanette's name, causing Weiss to eye her curiously. "Some freaky customers frequent that place, but some of you types hang out there too. I try not to do business there."
"Yeah, yeah I've been there… Um…" She turned back to Weiss once more. "So… I don't wanna, like, offend anyone… but is it okay if I get Mercurio's opinion on them?"
"I don't see a problem with that," the other vampire shrugged. "I'm here to help you, Ruby, not censor you. It's not my place to tell you how to go about your mission, and you're certainly free to form your own opinions"
"Oh, cool. Well, thanks." The brunette flashed Weiss a wide grin before turning back to the reclined man, sitting down cross legged by his head.
"So, then, Mercurio. What can you tell me about Therese?"
He eyed the diminutive pale vampire still standing, though Weiss seemed to be more interested in a large painting that hung on the wall depicting the New York City skyline at night. "Yeah, sure… So, she's the woman around here. Power player. Nice looking broad for a dead chick, but, uh, personality like stone. Um, no offense."
Ruby shrugged nonchalantly. "None taken. What about her sister, then?"
"Therese…" he began musingly. "Therese I don't like, but I can respect her. Jeanette's different. I don't know what to make of her. She's a little, you know, in the head. I don't know. Therese is, well, like you two, and I would think so's Jeanette, but I hear rumors about her."
"I can only imagine," Ruby snorted softly, thinking of the rather overly assertive elder vampire. "So, what kinda rumors? I'm almost afraid to ask, but I kinda need to know what I'm getting into, here."
"Call me old-fashioned," he snorted, "but, uh, I just can't talk about that kinda thing in front of a woman."
The brunette rolled her eyes, but it was Weiss who spoke up next next in an eerily disinterested voice. "Call me old-fashioned, but I believe a knee to the balls always makes a guy talk."
Ruby gaped at the other fledgling, impressed, while her partner turned slightly to give her a smirk.
"Alright," Mercurio sighed, raising a hand up partway in surrender. "Jeanette. Got a body built for bedrooms. And I got close acquaintances says they conquered that territory. But I asked the main man and he says you types, you know, can't or don't, err, do that kind of thing. Anyway, whatever she is, I hear Jeanette's a wild girl."
At that, Ruby eyed Weiss questioningly, who now looked to be a bit embarrassed. "It's just not anything most Kindred even concern themselves with," the platinum-haired fledgling murmured. "Though it's technically feasible," she admitted in a quiet mutter.
"Huh. Well, yeah… okay then…" The brunette stood, rubbing the back of her neck uncomfortably. "I'm just gonna leave that one alone and head on out… Oh, hey. What about you, Mercurio? What's your story?"
"Me?" He barked out a quick, raspy laugh. "What's to tell? I can get anything anyone wants at any time. Could say it's my calling. Till the Astrolite, wasn't anything I couldn't handle - well, back east, some shit went down, Big Apple, can't go back. I hate LA, but whaddaya gonna do?"
"Yeah, I hear ya… Okay, so you're good for now?" Ruby looked him over once more carefully. "Don't need anything else from us tonight?"
"Nah, go on, kiddo, I'll be fine." He coughed lightly. "Come on back for the Astrolite when you got the location of the warehouse, yeah?"
"Alright, take care, then."
The pair of vampires exited the apartment building and began to walk slowly back to the Haven. Both of them had their heads down, lost in thought.
"Hey, Weiss?"
"Hmm?"
"Before you, y'know… became what we are now, did you ever… I mean, had you, um…"
The white-clad girl paused, looking at her in confusion. Ruby blew out an unnecessary but nervous breath.
"Are you still a virgin?" she finally squeaked out, momentarily pulling the red hood of her jacket over her head in embarrassment.
Weiss coughed lightly into her fist, staring out into the darkness. If either vampire were flush from feeding, they would likely have been blushing brightly.
"Er, yes… yes I am… Ahem. I take it you are the same?"
"Yeah… yeah." Ruby scuffed the toe of her red converse into the sidewalk. "You ever think about… um… missing out on that kinda stuff?"
"Not really, no," Weiss murmured, somewhat sympathetically. "As I said before, most Kindred simply do not concern ourselves with… such matters of the flesh. Not when we have the ecstasy of feeding."
"Yeah, I suppose so…" The brunette sighed as they resumed their slow trek. "Always wondered who I'd end up with someday, y'know? I mean, I never really felt attracted to anyone, guy or girl, so I never really knew what I liked… My sister, now, she was all over the place. Mostly girlfriends, some boyfriends too, though."
"You shouldn't dwell on the past," her companion advised gently. "Nor what could have been. Those sort of thoughts will only cause you harm."
Ruby nodded, her eyes riveted on the ground. "Yeah, I guess so." Her shoulders firmed up as she stopped outside the alleyway to their apartment. "So, there's a little time before sunrise, should I go meet with Therese? Are you coming with me?"
"Hmm." Weiss paused as well, tapping one elegant finger against her chin thoughtfully. "I agree that you should try and visit with Therese, but I should not be there. It would leave the impression that Ozpin, the Camarilla Ventrue Primogen, was meddling overly in her affairs."
"Um, but isn't that the case already?"
"Not exactly," Weiss frowned. "It's a matter of appearances."
"Okay, fine," Ruby sighed. "Well, can I go up with you, get your opinion on Therese and Jeanette?"
"I can't really provide you with much of an opinion as I haven't met either. I can tell you that Therese is reported to be fairly inclined towards the Camarilla, while Jeanette… Apparently she tends to look more favorably upon the Anarchs."
The brunette snorted softly. "Well, I bet they have some fun conversations over dinner… Oh, shit. I just made a pun without realizing it, didn't I?"
"Er, perhaps," Weiss replied, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Not a very good one, though. In any case, you should still come up and check your email."
"Oh, yeah, true… Hey, why can't I get my email on my phone?"
Weiss shook her head with amusement as they entered the apartment and climbed the steps. "Most of the technology set up amongst the Camarilla is courtesy of the Nosferatu. They are not, however, terribly responsive when it comes to matters of technical support."
"So, what, I gotta make a request and hope they get back to me?"
"Precisely, though seeing how you are a fledgling without a Sire, your chances of timely support are slim to none."
"Fan-freaking-tastic," she sighed as they entered the room. "Whelp, at least I have the laptop, that's something…"
"Just be aware," Weiss added quietly as she sat atop the dirty mattress with only a slight look of distaste. "Anything you communicate over phone or computer will likely be intercepted along the way."
"Well, sure, that makes sense, right?" Ruby chuckled while plopping down on the chair and opening the laptop lid. "They got all the keys, they got all the secrets."
"Er… yes, precisely."
Ruby smirked and shot a wink over at Weiss' somewhat bemused expression. "Not a total idiot, Weiss."
Laughing lightly to herself, Ruby opened her email program to see a new mail notification.
(Subject) A favor
(From) La Croix
"Great," Ruby sighed, her good mood evaporated. "Now what…"
It has come to our attention that a sample of werewolf blood has made it into the hands of the local tabloid, and that they have sent it on to the clinic in Santa Monica for testing. The responsible party has been dealt with (most painfully, I can assure you), but for obvious reasons we can't have anyone testing the blood. Please retrieve the blood sample from the clinic and leave it in your mailbox. You will be compensated accordingly. - SL
The brunette fledgling shook her head after re-reading the contents aloud for Weiss' benefit. "Well, which should I do?" She recalled the email she'd read at the hospital concerning Controlled Substances. "It's gonna be a pain in the ass for me to sneak into even at night. And I've only got the time for one or the other tonight, right? La Croix or Therese?"
Weiss pursed her lips. "This one seems to be more urgent," she mused. "I'd handle it first if I were you, Therese could wait until the next evening."
"Whelp," she exclaimed, standing up and stretching. "Better get to it, then. I'll leave my bat here… Um, can I have the mailbox key, so I can drop it off on my way back?" She thought the instructions a bit odd, but whatever. Who was she to question a Kindred Prince? See, I can be a good little vampire minion and follow orders, yes siree.
"Certainly." Her partner pulled the key out, dropping it into her outstretched palm. "Be careful, and good luck."
A/N: I keep writing these chapters, and then I reach what I'm trying to set as my average chapter length halfway though. I really suck at estimating how many pages a chapter will take before I get into it. Ah, well. So, the visit to Therese has been put off, while we go hunt for Werewolf blood instead! Busy little vampires… Oh, and if you caught it earlier, there was a slight change from the game. The wolf in the distance was joined by another. Now, whoever could it be that accompanied Beckett? (And no, just to head this off for those not familiar with the game - they're not weres. Beckett and his companion are Gangrel vampires.)
Cheers to my awesome Beta and collaborator, Live to anger the World, and massive props to those who took the time to leave a review: Sharkdude5, zerosabers, kaiju62, Chim3r4, djjohns94, Reaper Whisper, Pyrojack1. Even if it's just a quick kudos, I love hearing from folk!
Stay shiny!
