Blood of The Rose
Chapter 36: Disturbia
Life in a sanitorium was brutally simple. You lived to exist, not that you had much of a choice in the matter. Patients had no rights. They had no illusions of life outside those cold stone walls, only the barest hint of their former existence to sustain them, more ethereal than dreams, though that was never enough.
Nothing was enough to get through the pain, the torment, the indignities, that all happened in the name of 'healing' that was nothing more than pseudoscientific babble.
Nothing could get a person through this sordid existence with anything of their former selves intact.
The girl wasn't really sure what her name even was. She'd had one once, she was sure of it, something perhaps noble or alluring or… But none of that mattered anymore. Who she had been didn't matter. All she was, her entire universe, was distilled into a number.
Forty-two.
Patient forty-two, to be precise. Or sometimes just 'the patient', or maybe even 'the girl'. Never a name outside of that number. One silly little number, her entire existence.
She giggled silently, rocking back and forth against the concrete wall. It was cool and soothing for her feverish skin, trapped inside the irritating jacket that would not allow her to use her hands. Her dirty hair, limp and lifeless, fell in drab strands across her eyes and plastered against her cheeks, hiding her face away.
Perhaps if she hid well enough, they couldn't find her the next time they came for her.
But they always did win the little game, find her and drag her small body out of her cell and into the room, the room with the bright lights and horrid smells and inquisitive people, people in white coats who wanted to know what made her tick, what made her tock, why she would never respond, never answer no matter what they asked…
"Cat got your tongue?" one of them had asked.
She'd stuck it out at him in response.
The girl looked around her cell, peering out from behind listless bangs at the dull, unchanging view of her home. The walls felt too close, encroaching upon her space, crowding out the air and the life. Her chest heaved as she tried, desperately, to suck in more breath. All in vain.
She would have screamed were she able to.
But then, a new sound. Not the flat clack of the orderly's shoes coming to get her, though those were present as well. The girl stilled, entranced by the memories that it tickled in the recesses of her mind, just at the edge of her consciousness. She struggled weakly to grasp at it, the noise, steady, so very similar to that of the orderly's footsteps and yet not. Firm, authoritative, sharp… approaching her cell like her doom or salvation.
Or perhaps both.
Click. Click. Click.
"She don't talk much," the man's voice drifted towards her through the space under the steel door. "Scheduled for lobotomy soon enuff, so there's that. Make it easy if she were to up an' vanish."
The clicks and the clacks came to a halt right outside the portal into her horrid little home. The girl had frozen, though, as she mulled over the word he'd dropped so very casually.
Lobotomy.
Tap, tap, ice pick to the corner of the eye, no more patient forty-two. Or would she be gone? Would they give her a new number, a new identity, discarding the old like they did the last unremembered one?
What would it be like not to think, not to feel so much, not to be so small and helpless in a world determined to make her very much so.
Tap.
Tap, tap.
Click.
Her eyes shot up, squinting against the wavering electrical lighting that silhouetted an entirely new figure in the now-open doorway. One she'd not seen before, a woman… But hadn't she? Wasn't this the same woman from her dreams, the blonde hair, the mismatched eyes that crinkled in mirth as she crouched down on the stiletto heels that had made the almost-familiar clicking sound.
Was this her savior? Was this her murderer?
Or was she both?
One hand reached out to brush the lank strands of the girl's hair aside, revealing her face. Found again, no escape, no running from her fate.
A small, lopsided smile graced the beautiful woman as she opened her dainty lips to whisper the words that would forevermore change who she was. Not patient forty-two, not the girl… Not anything she'd ever been or even dreamt of being.
Two words, all it took to happily and willingly trap her into her new life, her new existence.
"Hello, sugarpop."
Downtown LA
Neo sat up in her bed, eyes wide and staring out into the room. It had been many years since she'd last taken a breath, otherwise, she might have been left gasping for one right now.
As many years as it had been since the events of her dream.
Slowly, the diminutive Kindred turned her head to look around. This wasn't her own Haven, but it was close enough. She'd gone home with her second-favorite vampire in the entire world. Jack-O'-The-Lantern was sleeping still, oddly enough, in his much larger bed on the other side of the opulent room.
She pulled her legs around, glancing curiously towards the shuttered windows. Sure enough, the barest hint of dim lighting could be seen, indicating that the sun was not fully down yet.
"No, ma'am, you've still got maybe a half hour yet," the lamp on her endtable informed her deferentially.
Thank you, she replied with a regal nod. All of the network here in Jack's Haven were so very polite to her, it was refreshing sometimes. Why did this happen?
"Oh, it does sometimes, ma'am, to Malkavians. It's happened before, just been a while."
I see.
Neo tilted her head to the side, blinking her eyes slowly. As it was early still, her thoughts were a bit sluggish, but rather than figure out what to do with the time graced to her by the dream she decided to simply lay back down.
Her heterochromatic eyes roamed about the intricate ceiling etchings. Centermost was a scene from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and she curiously examined the details of the almost grotesque-looking carved pumpkin atop the Horseman's shoulders.
Eventually, though, the other bed rustled. She glanced aside to see Jack let out a small groan as he sat up and stretched. His expression changed soon enough into a pleased smile at the sight of his erstwhile roommate.
"Ah, up already, m'dear? Excellent, excellent… We've got a big evening in store for us, much to do, people to see, plans to set into motion." He chuckled wryly as he fiddled with the objects on the sidetable nearest him. "You know how it is."
Nodding, Neo watched as the Autarkis Kindred set about snipping off the end of one of his expensive cigars, setting it alight with an old-fashioned wheel lighter, and then taking a puff. Jack sent a cloud of smoke up into the air where it dissipated into nothingness.
"Shall we?" he invited with a rakish grin.
An hour later saw them at La Croix tower. The pair passed by the ubiquitous guard, not even sparing a glance as he'd been there long enough to know neither visitor were to be trifled with.
As they entered the elevator, Jack stabbing the button for the sixth floor with the tip of his cane, he let out a sigh.
"I do so despise visiting her here," he grumbled. "Can't be helped, I suppose, but all these damned Ventrue milling about make me itch."
Neo held a dainty hand up to her mouth, laughing silently. She then twirled her parasol around and quirked an eyebrow. It'd be just as easy to end them all, you know.
"Now, now," he chastised with a humorous wag of his finger. "We must play nice. For the time being, at least."
Oh, very well, she huffed, crossing her arms irritably. You used to be more fun.
"Don't pout, Neo, m'dear," he chuckled as the doors dinged.
She stuck her tongue out at his back as he preceded her onto the floor, but soon enough fell into step alongside him. They ended up outside the door of a suite, which Jack knocked upon imperiously. It opened soon enough to show the scowling face of a youngish-looking grey-haired vampire.
"Ugh, yeah, she's expecting you both," Ares grunted irritably.
"Thanks, kiddo," Jack smirked, brushing by the bodyguard. "Don't expect a tip, though."
Neo smiled sweetly up at Ares as she passed him. He wasn't quite as stupid as others thought him to be, and certainly deadly enough, but he served his role well. Gatekeeper to the Daughter of the Shadows.
"Ah, Roman," a sultry voice called out from the office next to the entryway. "Come in, tell me you have good news."
"Cinder, a pleasure as always," he greeted the Daughter, doffing his eccentric hat before taking his seat across the modern glass desk with a flourish.
Neo tuned their conversation out as she wandered around the perimeter of the room. Her small fingers brushed across the mementoes and volumes that lined the bookshelves. Trinkets from Africa, Malaysia, Japan… Classic tomes such as the Iliad and Art of War and The Prince. She giggled silently as she moved past a few scandalous copies of Anne Rice's works, taking note of their host's unrealized sense of humor.
When she reached a small jade carving of a Chinese dragon, the green faded with age, she nonchalantly turned to make sure she was still unobserved.
What news? she queried in a murmur.
"Yesss, newsss there isss," the tiny dragon hissed quietly. "The Daughter plotsss, asss alwaysss…"
Yes, yes, that's not news, you glorified lizard. Give me something useful, please!
The jade figurine huffed indignantly. "Well, if you're going to be insssulting, I'm not going to help you."
Neo sighed, closing her eyes briefly. She'd forgotten how sensitive her decorative spy could be. I apologize. Truly.
"Do you mean it?"
Of course, I do.
"Very well. And I am not a lizard."
Fine, fine, yes, you're a very fierce little dragon, she snorted with a roll of her eyes. Now can we please get on with it before someone gets suspicious?
The conversation between Jack and the Daughter drifted to her attention when her name was brought up. Once reassured they were merely hashing out the details of her involvement in the events to come, she brought her attention back to her spy.
Her parasol would catch her up later.
"The Daughter, she paysss attention to Little Red ssstill," the dragon intoned quietly. "Makesss friendsss with Nero, liesss, all liesss, of the shadowsss she isss…"
Neo tapped her chin thoughtfully. Of Little Red, she'd wondered how her presence now in the city would affect things, and apparently, the Daughter was of the same mind. All the more reason to ensure that Neo would remain in the thick of things.
Though the information regarding Nero was of little consequence. Little emperor sitting atop his gilded tower, watching the city burn… but his end would come soon enough, though whether through fire or blood was yet unknown.
And what about the Queen of Serpents? Should you not know something of her?
The jade figurine was silent for a moment before it began hissing angrily. "Again with the lizard! I am not a sssnake! I am a dragon!"
Yes, yes, she sighed, turning away once more. When he got into this state, there was little she could do about it.
"Dissshonor upon you!" he growled at her back. "Dissshonor upon your family! Dissshonor upon your cow!"
She almost paused, curious as to where the cow came into things but continued on as she did not really want to get drawn back into an argument.
The meeting was beginning to wind down, but she was bored now and meandered over to the door leading out of the study. However, before she could exit, a solid form filled the space.
"Goin' somewhere, pint-size?" Ares smirked, his arms crossed against his chest.
Neo regarded him calmly with her head slightly tilted. Do you know where you are going? And how you will arrive there? Is it the Final Death you seek, War-God?
"Know what I think?" he continued with a leer. The conversation behind her had cut off, though no sounds of protest were issued. Not that she'd expected or wanted an intervention.
The hubris of gods existed to be humbled.
"I think you're all talk." Ares barked out a laugh. "Not that you can talk. But, yeah, I've never even seen you in action. I think a little nothing like you is more of a hindrance than anything."
Regretfully, she was forced to revise her earlier opinion regarding his intellect. He was perhaps as stupid as he looked after all.
"Neo, dear," Jack murmured nonchalantly. "Do mind the proprieties."
Oh, very well… Just a lesson, then, and not the Final Death after all. I do hope the difference is appreciated.
She was ready for when he made the first move, lashing out with a fist that was easily dodged. The follow-up swing was dodged as well, though she took the opportunity to hook her parasol handle around his wrist and spin him around.
With a growl, he sent a snap-kick out behind him, but she'd already moved. A quick flip onto one hand allowed her to sweep his feet out from under him. Before he could hit the floor, however, she completed the flip backwards, her foot connecting with his chin in an audible crack. Ares was sent flying back into the hallway, smashing into a display table and assorted vases perched there.
Neo could hear the wince in the Daughter's voice. "Those were Ming dynasty, you realize."
"Bill it to the kid," Jack-O'-The-Lantern chuckled. "He started it."
The diminutive Kindred darted out after her opponent, catching him just as he rose up. She detected as he activated one of his Disciplines and braced herself for the onslaught.
Sure enough, when he came at her next, it was in a blur. His limbs moved impossibly fast as kicks and punches flew out at the tiny vampire. But she avoided them all the same, able to foresee where they would land likely before Ares even knew where he would aim.
The palm of her hand slammed into his sternum, sending him smashing into the wall once again. This time he left an indentation, and when he staggered forward it was with a groggy shake of his head.
"That's enough."
The low voice, laden with power, froze Ares in his tracks. Neo graced him with a smirk as she bent down to retrieve her parasol, giving it a jaunty twirl before moving towards the door leading from the suite.
"Well, then," Jack laughed. "I suppose that will do for now. You let me know how it goes with Chinatown and I'll let you know how it goes with Hollywood."
"Thank you, Roman," the Daughter said smoothly, walking the pair of Kindred to the front door. "I shall see you soon. In the meantime, however, I'll need to have a little talk with the hired help regarding a redecoration project."
Jack gave her a tip of his hat as they left. Once in the elevator, Neo expected him to comment on her fight, but he seemed disinterested. Which, truthfully, was to be expected, as inevitable as the outcome had been.
"You know," he mused thoughtfully. "As nice a paycheck as this is giving me… I really couldn't care less if the old witch succeeds."
Neo tilted her head consideringly. You do not?
"M'dear, you know me. I'm in this for myself. I'll do what I do best, as always… lie, cheat, steal, and survive."
And survive you shall, Neo proclaimed solemnly. I shall always have your back, Jack-O'-The-Lantern.
He gave her a wink as they exited the elevator and walked out the front. "Well, then," he exclaimed. "That's it for tonight's business. You'll take care of that little item over on King's Way?"
Her mouth parted slightly in confusion, but then her parasol spoke up in a whisper. "I'll fill you in on it later."
Instead, then, she nodded solemnly. They parted with waves, but instead of heading for a cab she walked over to a gargoyle perched on a neighboring fence who was trying to get her attention.
"I have names," he intoned dramatically from high above her head.
Neo sighed in resignation. Gargoyles were always the most pretentious of her network, full of their own importance like nobody else. Do tell.
"Little Red Riding Hood. The Ice Princess. Shadow Cat. Sun Goddess."
She nodded her head slowly, only allowing a hint of her eagerness to show. Indeed, these were names well known to her, the four who were destined to come together and alter the course of events, break the strings of fate. Internally, she was positively trembling with excitement. And what news do you have of these four Kindred, wise one? she prodded, hoping a little flattery would help move things along.
"They have assembled," the gargoyle assured her. "In the Haven set against the sky."
Neo couldn't help herself any longer, clasping her hands under her chin and practically bouncing on her toes. Truly? Then, it has begun?
"It has indeed. You would do well to ensure the bonds have grown."
I would indeed. Thank you most kindly, o wise winged one.
She skipped along the sidewalk, heading for the cab finally. This is momentous, she giggled.
"Yeah, it is, but you still gotta take care of those creepy things for the Daughter of Shadows," her parasol informed her, unusually reasonable for an object used for so much bloodshed. "Then go check on those girls, see 'em settled in."
That sounds like an excellent plan, she replied genially. Take care of work, then grab a bite to drink, and then…
Her grin slipped as she realized the path she was on, now. Where it lead, the forks she might be forced to choose. Loyalties. Bargains. Neo nodded solemnly as she approached the cab, relieved it was the Old One again who could understand her all too well.
And I will keep them safe as best I can from the machinations of the Daughter of Shadows.
A/N: So this was another chapter I didn't anticipate on writing, it kind of came to me while waiting to do more gameplay (which is done, just needs transcribing) in order to write the next chapter. Thought it'd be fun to check in with our adorable little resident mute psychopath Malk. Next chapter, though, we'll get into that gameplay… Unfortunately, I still can't commit to an update schedule soooo it'll be done when it's done, lol.
Mad props to my talented and patient Beta and collaborator, SilvanaCrowe, and hugs to you awesome readers and reviewers: amerdism, randomlolguy, noone297, Sharkdude5, AntonSlavik020, Blacsparrow, TacoKing23, Mossblomma, RealTerminal, kinigget, Lavits Dragoon, kaiju62, zerosabers, EteDesp Jirachi Of Frost, thanks as always for all the encouragement!
Stay shiny!
