Disclaimer: You already know! Sorry for the slow updating exams and all. Thanks for the support! ^_^


Control

Chapter 6: Fergus and Regus

Hal was sat on one of the sofas staring into the space between the wall and where he was sat, spinning round a domino. The works of a classical composer I couldn't place, but it was relaxing and such a marvellous melody. It was another one of Hal's techniques to keep in control, since Leo and Pearl passed on and since he nearly fell of the wagon, he'd been awfully OCD with his routine. I on the other hand was trying to clean the house a little, to help Annie out and to try and keep sane. As I was polishing the counter of the bar, Annie and Tom returned with Eve from the shops.

"Morning," I greeted placing the cloth down on the counter as I took the shopping off of Tom as he gave the baby to Annie, Hal stayed in his trance like state. Once I returned from putting the food in its rightful place in the kitchen, Annie had already put Eve down for a nap.

"You need a job." Tom stated as he picked up the remote to the stereo, cutting off the music. Hal closed his eyes in irritation before glaring up at Tom.

"What?" he asked irritation set in his tone as he snatched up the remote that Tom had placed back down on the arm of the sofa. The music started once more making Hal sigh in relief as he once more closed his eyes trying to focus once more. But he was interrupted again by Annie this time.

"Just to bring money into the household," she reasoned it was a good a reason as any really, if we didn't have money we wouldn't have a home to call home and then surely we would begin to drink blood once more, a more morbid version of drinking your sorrows away.

"Instead of lazin' 'round 'ere." Tom added although it seemed like Hal was simply being lazy, he was in fact barely hanging on to his control. He'd been shaken by Leo's death, we both had been but it was he who had run off in frustration trying to vent on one man he knew wouldn't be missed.

"It may look to you as if I am doing nothing, but I assure you this is me hanging on by my fingernails." Hal stated through gritted teeth as he glared up at Tom who seemed unaffected by Hal's response, Annie on the other hand seemed to understand. Maybe the previous vampire occupant of the house had been like Hal and I, trying to stay off blood. Maybe she knew exactly how hard it was for us and knew that blood to us was like a drug, it wasn't easy to simply give up especially after nearly six hundred years.

"It could be a good idea; getting back out there and I'm sure you won't lose control." Annie reasoned perching on the arm rest of the couch; it was a good idea, to bring money into the household so that no-one came snooping around and it could possibly start a new 'routine' and keep us all sane. After all we'd be spending a lot more time together, there was no way I'd be going back to little barber's shop in South-End. However there was always a chance of Hal reverting and ripping someone's jugular out in broad daylight…which let's face it is not such a good thing.

Hal looked towards me as if I could 'protect' him and help him out, I sighed sitting on the opposite arm rest to Annie.

"Think about it Hal…" I said before he scoffed and shook his head, I looked over towards Annie who gave me a small smile as if to say thanks for trying. Tom however seemed even more aggravated by Hal's unwillingness to get a job.

"Aren't Vampires supposed to 'ave lots of money or suttin'?" he asked sure enough that was the most stereotypical thing about a vampire accept for the whole can't look and crosses, stake through the heart and the sleeping in coffins. I haven't met many vampires who have slept in a coffin; then again I wasn't around when…when the likes of Mr Snow were reasonably young.

"Some bad investments before the crash." Hal replied the look in his eye had changed; he genuinely seemed to be giving the idea a chance.

"Some really bad investments." I added earning a nudge from Hal, I'd told him not to but he never would listen to me when it came to money or business or anything that he deemed as a 'man's job' then again not many men back in the 1920s listened to women concerning any of the 'big' decisions.

"Well…If I did try exactly where would I get a job? If you haven't noticed there isn't any simply lying around."

Why did I agree to this? It was one of the most humiliating things I had done in a long time. The outfit is enough to make me want to end this charade and just go off the handle maybe then I'd be put out of my misery by a swift stake to the chest courtesy of Tom. Said werewolf was now explaining to me how to rid a cooker of grease, I was happy to at least be wearing gloves.

"Just stake me now Tom, get it done. You can tell Annie I attacked you and Sophie…she'll probably attack you after saying that." I said as Tom explained several things to me, none of it going in. this was simply hell.

"I'd love to, but I don't want two murderous women after me." He replied stoically, I knew he didn't want me to be working here; he didn't want me anywhere near him or Annie and the baby. However there was a small smile forming on his face, reminded me of one of my younger recruits back in the day…

"Believe me I've had my share of angry women running after me." I said it was like a normal human moment between us, though it soon ended and we returned to the tedious tasks at hand.

"Righ' scrape the grease and put it in this bucket." Tom explained offering the scraper to me; I looked between him and the item raising an eyebrow. "It's either this or cleanin' the bogs."

"This then, little less hell." I said grabbing the scraper and turning to the cooker, why did I ever agree to do this?

I wonder if Hal and Tom are alright at the café. Hopefully they aren't at each other's throats, but seeing the interactions between the two of them over the past couple of days was not promising a very good outcome. With some luck we wouldn't be turning on the news tonight with news of a massacre in a café in Barry, but then again if Hal was pushed over the edge that could be a likely story to hit the news. I shook the violent thoughts out of my head, he wasn't like that anymore and neither was I, there was no way he would completely give up on all the work he had done in the past 50 years and neither would I.

Annie had entered the room with baby Eve; once Pearl had told her about 'swaddling' she had taken to walking with the baby in the park. It gave her and the baby some peace and fresh air, which told me that this house had a lot of memories in it that she wished to remember but at the same time forget because they were too hurtful to think about. I'd always wanted to join her, but I couldn't allow myself to leave Hal alone especially when he was with Tom, the two would certainly brawl while we were out. The doorbell brought us both out of our little worlds; I looked towards Annie who was trying to calm Eve down since the doorbell had disturbed her.

"You couldn't just answer that please." She asked rocking the baby from side to side. I nodded gaining a smile from her. "Thanks and if it's a vampire don't allow them in."
"Sure." I said walking towards the door; it would be a lot easier if it were a vampire there wouldn't be the temptation to sink my teeth into their jugular. But Annie had a point the vampires would be after Eve and allowing one in would not be the best idea especially for the humans. As I opened the door I was in utter shock at who stood there. "Regus!"

"My God…Sophie?" he stuttered in equal shock, most of the vampire community believed that Hal and I were dead and gone…well dusted and forever unable to return. Only a few in the inner circle of the Old Ones truly knew what had happened…well those who were close enough to…Mr Snow. Obviously Regus, who to be perfectly honest was actually within certain circles with being the 'Vampire Recorder' he dealt with a lot of scripture that was held in high esteems by the Old Ones, had not be notified of our departure. "I thought you were dust, dead, gone."

"Well that's not the case." I replied whether it was a good idea to inform him that Hal was alive was another thing, but then again he finding me would ultimately lead to him finding out that Hal too was also alive as a vampire can be.

"Does this mean that…god you haven't butchered the War child have you? I know what the pair of you are like." He asked craning to see inside the house though he didn't make any move to try and enter the house…which would lead to his death…

"I'm not like that anymore…he's not like that anymore." I stated albeit quietly, but he caught on.

"Ah…so the War child?" he asked once more, maybe he had met Annie, Tom and Eve before. It would explain why he knew where they lived, if the vampires knew where the War child, if they knew who the War child was, lived then surely there would be hordes surrounding the place trying to kill the child that would one day kill all vampires.

"Unharmed and safe." I answered by this time Annie had emerged from the front room with Eve wrapped protectively in her arms. Immediately Regus' attention shifted to Annie.

"Do you have any idea what could have happened this morning? Parading the baby around in the open? She's the War child, all the vampires are after her and there you are in broad daylight with her." He reprimanded I looked back towards Annie who seemed rather annoyed at him for trying to tell her what she could or couldn't do. After all the responsibility for the child was in her hands, who could tell her what was dangerous? She already knew whether she felt safe with the child or not, she knew when the child was in danger.

"She was safe, see no harm done." She replied shifting the baby so that Regus could see with his own eyes that she was indeed unharmed. It still did nothing to stop Regus' tirade.

"No harm? The vampire community could easily have followed you home, could be watching until there was an opening for a strike, a chance to kill that child." He continued Annie had given up on ever convincing Regus that what she was doing was the right thing to do. She ushered me back in and closed the door, I stood there for a moment listening to him babbling about what could have happened and why she shouldn't have taken the baby. He began to scribble something down on a scrap paper before posting it through the letter box and leaving.

"How do you know him?" Annie asked as I picked up the scrap paper and handed it to her. She had put Eve down on the couch where she was happily giggling away.

"An old, old friend, met him in London around the 1800s…was it the 1800s maybe the 1700s I can't remember it was such a blur all the…erm…blood and well more blood." I answered sitting down picturing all the horrible massacres we had ended up participating in over the years. "He kept all the records, still does, of all Vampire mythology. But how does he know where Eve lives, he's not all that knowledgeable."
"He saved her, well several vampires kidnapped her in order to sacrifice her to the Old Ones, I think Griffin was their leader before…George killed him." she explained it had been a long time since I'd heard anything about Griffin, generally it was always about his sire Wyndham I never liked either of them always thought they were better than us. But even they were frightened of what Hal could do, what he'd taught me to do. "But he saved her and gave her back to us."

"I'm sure he knew what he was doing; he always had a clear head on his shoulders. Griffin however was always a tad too pig-headed to actually see the bigger picture." I said all those memories flooding back, I shook my head clearing my head the last thing I needed right now was to remember gutting some poor soul. "I think I need some fresh air."

"I think we do too, don't we Eve? Why don't we go to the park?" she offered picking the baby up and grabbing several pieces of extra clothing to wrap her up in. she then carefully placed her within her jumper to make sure that no humans saw a floating baby, now that would surely make the news. I grabbed a set of keys and opened the door for Annie and Eve before exiting myself and locking the door.

The park was close enough to the house a mere ten minute walk, Annie and Eve sat near the lake underneath the cover of some low trees. I stayed close enough to the pair to make sure no harm came to them and to make sure I had someone I could count on if I began to lose control. As time passed I surveyed the area watching as children ran around with no care in the world as their parents watched on smiling and laughing with one another. Little did they know that there were predators like myself that could easily flip and stain the idyllic scene with their blood. Unbeknownst to myself a predator had already approached Annie and the baby, though had done no harm, but their interest soon turned to me.

"Well, well my Lady." A voice said I'd heard it countless times back in the 19th century. I didn't need to turn around to have my assumptions confirmed as an arm wound itself around my waist pulling me against his body and his other hand holding a very sharp knife was drawn close to my neck.

"Fergus." I hissed trying to break his hold, but he was just too strong. My attempts to escape amused him and it was then that I realised just how close he was as his breath tickled my cheek. He'd always had some sick obsession with me, whether it was jealousy of Hal and I or that he simply wanted to see if ever had a chance with me. But when Hal was around he would never try anything, but when I was left alone he'd try anything and everything in the book something that Hal tried to limit as much as possible.

"No happy to see me after all these years?" he asked in mock surprise drawing patterns across my neck with the sharp edge of the knife although he did not press hard enough to draw blood. "And here I was thinking that my Lady was dust."
"I'm not yours and I never will be." I hissed renewing my efforts to escape only to catch myself on the knife drawing blood and thus receiving several tuts from the monster.

"Now, now look what you've done." He reprimanded revelling in the fact he'd caused some damage and took the opportunity to lick the blood off of my neck.

"Let go of me!" I hissed yanking my head away from him only to have myself pulled closer to him.

"Unfortunately this is a public place and well it wouldn't be decent if, well you know all too well." He whispered letting me go, I was finally free. I turned round ready to give him a slap only to have my hand caught. "Assaulting an officer of the law, didn't think you'd have it in you. I'm sure I'll be seeing more of you my Lady."

He kissed my hand in a gesture becoming of gentlemen, but he was far from any gentlemen I had known. His trade mark smirk stuck in my mind as he strolled away, I immediately went over to Annie.

"I think it's time to leave." I said looking around, if Fergus was here there could be a lot more vampires lurking in the bushes and I could barely fend him off let alone a horde of vampires ready to sink their teeth into the baby.

"I think so too."


Author's Notes:

Hi! Extremely sorry for the slow updating, I have had a hell of a lot of revision to get through but luckily my last exam is Friday and I have two weeks off, so I can see some updates in the immediate future. Also I would have done the whole of the 3rd episode, but I quite like the idea of splitting them in half now…maybe not the last episode though…but we shall see. Hope you have enjoyed! Thanks again for the support it means a lot that you took the time to review/favourite etc. Ciao for now! ^_^