Chapter 7: Butterflies

The bass was loud. Too loud. but Kate almost didn't notice it anymore. Rebecca dragged her to the bar and ordered cocktails she had never even heard of. James looked both pleased and concerned at Kate's presence at the club.

"This must truly be the end of times if you are here," he smirked, passing a glass filled with ice, clear liquid and a lemon wedge inside across the bar top towards her.

"What is this?" Kate asked.

"Just fucking drink it, you'll like it I promise," her sister's sweaty body was glued onto hers because of the crowd, and all Kate could feel was their skins sticking together. James looked like a King standing alone on the other side of the counter.

Kate took a sip, and the drink immediately tasted like bitter regret. Her face involuntarily puckered as she felt the alcohol burning the lining of her mouth and throat. It was a miracle she didn't heave. "Ew Becca, what the hell is this?"

James laughed and moved on to other customers waiving their credit cards at him. Becca however, was utterly distracted.

"Hey, where do I know that girl from?"

Following her sister's laser-precise gaze, she looked up to the mezzanine, where Godric, Eric and Willa sat on the booth talking quietly. Forget James, they looked like royalty up there.

"That's Willa's Burrell. You don't remember her?"

"No. Should I?"

"Dad used to be good friends with her father when he was Governor," she explained, without saying his name out loud.

Truman Burrell a very hated figure in vampire circles. He was brutally murdered in his home, shortly before the scandal of his vampire prison camps was leaked to the media, some ten-ish years ago. But the incident broke out in the news a few months after their mother died, and the Bellefleur children were too busy adjusting to their new boarding schools in order to care. Being so far away from home made grieving easier. It was easy to forget anything had happened at all.

"Oh God, that was a long time ago then. Isn't he dead?" She asked, full of intrigue. "I wonder who does her botox, she looks amazing-"

Now it was Kate's turn to want to punch something. "It's Doctor immortality, can't you tell?"

Her sister's attention turned back to her, her brows knitted together in concern. It was the stern look of an adult judging a child. Not this again.

"James!" Kate called out, and their friend popped over, ignoring the long line of customers. "Could I have a pinch of baking soda?"

"What for?"

"If I increase the alkalinity of this alcohol solution so-"

In a movement faster than her eyes could register, James slid the small orange box across the counter. "Say less."

Becca watched her pour the white powder into her own drink and mix it with short black straw, making the ice clink inside the glass. "It's so I don't taste the alcohol."

Her sister's brows shot up. "Are you serious right now?"

Kate took a deep breath and swallowed the ice-cold drink in one go. Her tongue didn't taste it, but she could feel the irritation in her digestive lining by the heat of the blood rush seconds after she put down her empty glass. It was like swallowing ice and fire, except it didn't hurt as much.

"What's gotten into you?" Her sister asked, both confused and amazed. Years of trying to get Kate to socialize Tara's style and all it took was one failed experiment.

Or rather, vampires trying to buy Bonne Nuit. That's all that it ever was. A business transaction, is an investigative exercise of the goods to be purchased. Godric didn't care about her research, or the glass, or how it worked. He wanted to buy it and profit off of it. She really thought he was different. For a few incredibly fascinating hours she really believed that he cared about her purpose, her mission, her passion. But the vampire was just like all the others. It was all about the money, the shareholders, fiscal quarters, and bottom lines. If anything, it had been him doing the experiment all along. Kate was unknowingly made part of a blind study, and she had been taking the fucking placebo. It had all meant nothing.

If she had felt stupid before seeing Willa on Godric's arm, she felt even worse after her sister's explanation of true purpose behind Godric's flattery. He probably didn't even think her work was brilliant. Kate felt an emptiness inside her, a painful void. Despite all she had were hopes, the loss of them left her feeling incomplete. How could one person in such a short time affect her so deeply?

"Hey, how did you get here? Terry didn't tell me you were coming," Becca asked.

"We, uh, walked."

Rebecca's eyes tripled in size and her jaw dropped, her pouty lips forming a perfect O.

"You did what?" Her sister laughed, but not in a ha-ha funny way. "Terry is going to fucking kill you. Come on, might as well enjoy the time you have left."

Breaking the tension, her sister pulled her out onto the dance floor. This wasn't like cotillion, where she had to practice and memorize the steps. It was free form, immediate, and there wasn't a correct way to do it, but there was definitely a wrong way. The worst of the sciences.

The alcohol slowly and insidiously entered her bloodstream, thinned her blood and broke the blood brain barrier. Kate could notice the levels of neurotransmitters of her brain's frontal cortex and cerebellum dropping. But knowing how a process works and actually experiencing it are two different things.

Dancing became much easier, and she let the music flow through her, moving her body along with the rhythm of the beat. It was freeing not to have to think so much. She couldn't help the calculations that her brain did all on its own, including what her blood alcohol level probably was, but she was able to put the thoughts of her embarrassing and preposterous attempt at an experiment with the ancient vampire out of her head. All that existed was feeling the music take her.

They did shots, lots of them. Then the night became a bit of blur, which was something that rarely happened to Kate's near eidetic memory. The alcohol had reached her hippocampus now, and her brain was no longer recording memories. It was a whirlwind of neon lights and the mass of bodies moving on the dance floor, of Rebbeca's mocking satisfied smile, the unbelievable heat, the beads of sweat sliding uncomfortably down her back, her hair sticking to her face and the sweet taste of sugary lemons on her tongue. The once overwhelming colourful dancing lights, the loud music and the sweaty crowd were no longer a shock to the senses, but an anchor of stimulus, keeping her waiving consciousness tethered in this world. The night reminded her of when she was a child and she would ride on the carousel; it was all sparkling lights and laughter, and not much else mattered. The world outside was just a dark blur, out of reach. Nothing could touch her here.

This wasn't like her, not at all. But she needed the vision of Willa Burrell's arm threaded so artfully through Godric's out of her head, along with the mortifying feelings she had felt for the vampire who wanted their mother's company and nothing else. And most of all, the emptiness she felt once they were destroyed. The easiest way she could delete it all was by following her sister's example: consume copious amounts of alcohol.

She then wondered what kind thoughts Rebecca needed to drown so badly to come here so often.

"Well, this is fun," Eric snarked. "Exactly the type of celebration I had in mind."

Godric resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Eric. He had not been successful in tonight's planned maneuver. In fact, it had gone completely off the rails and now they had to stay up here to keep appearances in the public eye. It was Fangtasia in its heyday all over again but somehow worse.

"Oh please, as if you aren't loving this," Willa swirled her glass, the thick crimson liquid inside clearly not wine.

Willa, much like Godric, had also noticed that every vampire in this establishment and many of the humans too, stared at their presence and whispered amongst themselves. Eric was the face of New Blood and had done a lot of publicity using his natural charm and charisma which had done wonders for the success of the company. The downside is that they drew a lot of attention when they were out in public, something Godric avoided at all costs.

"If I wanted smart quips I would have invited Pamela," Eric glowered.

"Enough, you two," Godric told them as he watched the crowd below. He had planned on coming to this club, and it was about what he had expected. Bright lights, loud music, sweaty humans, alcohol, drugs. He had observed parties for decades, centuries even. A place that used to be a perfect hunting ground was now a stark reminder of how much he had changed - how much the world had changed. Vampires and humans mixing on the dance floor below, partying together without a care in the world. The prey completely aware of its predator, yet totally unafraid.

How many of these vampires were actual mainstreamers? Or did they just see the humans as willing prey?

Perhaps that didn't matter. It is the peace that mattered, the coexistence. That was really all he wanted. That's all he hoped for at this point. Maybe this is what it looked like.

He watched the Bellefleur sisters on the dance floor. Rebecca Bellefleur certainly wasn't what Eric had expected, of that Godric was certain. But Godric had been surprised too, and that was a rare thing.

A very rare thing.

Both girls consumed copious amounts of alcohol. He knew that this was commonplace behaviour for humans at a nightclub, but he had a feeling that it wasn't common behaviour for Katherine. She just didn't strike him as the party type, judging by her stiff motions and total discomfort with the crowd. Even now, intoxicated and acclimatized, that was something about her that just didn't fit in with the rest.

"I'll be back in a moment," Godric called over his shoulder, but he wasn't sure if either of them heard him. Willa and Eric bickered like siblings, and Godric doubted that they would even notice if he left the booth.

Godric went down to the main floor, avoiding humans the best he could in this overcrowded establishment, and made his way over to the bar. His intention had been to subtly inquire about Dr. Bellefleur to the bartender, but, as luck would have it, he didn't need to ask any questions — all he had to do was wait, and listen.

"Please, James?" Katherine was giving the bartender an adorable pouty look.

"The puppy dog eyes don't work on me, kid," James, the bartender replied, and only then he realized the man looked strangely familiar. "You're cut off."

"You gave Becca at least 16 more ounces of alcohol than–"

"She has a much higher tolerance than you, and she's taller." James set a tall glass of ice water on the counter. "Drink some water."

Katherine sipped the water looking as disappointed as Godric did at the taste of New Blood. She leaned against the bar and Godric watched her throat work as she swallowed. Her pale neck was hypnotizing. He wasn't nearly as desperate as before, but now he knew what she tasted like despite never his lips never touching her. It was quite the thing to know what she tasted like without having truly bitten her.

But now that their intentions of acquisition of the company were clear it would be unlikely for him to ever get a taste. If that was what he really wanted. At this point he wasn't sure what he really wanted from the good Doctor. Only that he couldn't quite stop his curiosity. It felt much more powerful than his hunger.

Unable to help himself, Godric leaned over to her and said, "It was a pleasure to meet you this evening."

Katherine was glowing, her body so warm that he could feel the heat radiating off her. She was so very human.

And beautiful.

"Okay," she replied, and Godric knew that was probably lucky she didn't throw her drink on him.

"I want to apologize if I caused any tension between you and your sister," Godric told her, only being able to apologize for that.

"You want Bonne Nuit," she stated matter of factly.

He wasn't sorry about trying to acquire their company, only perhaps their methods. He wished the means didn't justify this ending, but he had higher responsibilities to his kind than satisfying this ludicrous hunger that ached the fangs in his mouth. "I do."

Katherine tilted her head at Godric, looking at him with piercing blue eyes. "Do you know the difference between a Ismenisu Tiger butterfly and the Tiger Leaf Wing butterfly?"

It was a nonsquietor, surprising him. Godric was knowledgeable on many topics, but entomology wasn't an area of his expertise.

"No."

"They look nearly identical, and predators can't tell the difference between them. But the Ismenisu Tiger tastes like poison, while the Tiger Leaf Wing doesn't," Katherine paused momentarily to take another sip of water. "But everything stays away from the Leaf Wing too, even though it isn't unappetizing—" she slurred a little bit, and Godric briefly wondered why it was so endearing that she still managed to slur so intelligently.

It was clear to Godric that she was trying to make a point here. He briefly glanced at the perhaps poisonous butterfly in question. Rebecca was lost in the music in the middle of the crowd, attracting everyone around her with a magnetism he was quite familiar with. But his eyes found Katherine again rather quickly. Her words could be misconstrued as a threat, but his heart refused to believe it.

"And which butterfly are you?"

Eyeing him up and down, Katherine gave him a sly smile. "You had taste, Godric, which do you think?"

Katherine was certainly decadent, and he knew now that he wanted more than just a taste. The appetite that he had suppressed and rationalized flared to life at her words. She had woken the monster within him. Katherine escaped into the mass of people before Godric had a chance to respond, but he wasn't at all surprised when Eric saddled up beside him. Sadly, he had over overheard Dr. Bellefleur's last words.

"I haven't seen you feed on anyone in nearly a century. Why her?" he asked. "And how?"

The butterflies. Her riddle wasn't a threat, it was a warning. The girls were going to put up a fight, and although the doctor may not be the poisonous one, her sister was.

"She's simply brilliant," Godric was too enamoured to say anything else.

"Maybe she tastes like a Smartie," Willa appeared behind Eric's elbow, and upon seeing their blank expressions, elaborated. "You know, the candy?"

"Her blood neither sweet or ketonic, she's not a diabetic," Godric replied dryly, and Eric chuckled. It only dawned on him moments later she was trying to make a joke. She still had her strange human sense of humor.

Godric finally lost sight of Katherine in the crowd and looked over at Eric. Godric knew his face as well as his own, and judging by his blown out dark pupils it would be wise to have them leave. Any more surprises tonight and things could get bloody.

And not in a fun way.

"Let's adjourn," Godric suggested, and Eric nodded.

"I'm gonna stay a little longer," Willa said, waving them off. "I'll see you at the nest later."

Godric looked toward Eric, hoping that he would offer some maker-ly advice. Seeing that Eric had no intention of saying anything, Godric stepped in, as always.

"Stay smart, and stay away from the Bellefleurs," Godric warned her.

"I will, and I will," Willa sighed, and then she too disappeared into the crowd.

Stepping out into the night Godric was finally able to exhale. He hadn't realized how suffocating the club was until he was out of it. This was New Orleans, and the city streets were still alive with music and drunken people, but this was far tamer compared to the claustrophobic heat trap Tara was. Now that they had escaped the cacophony of sound and the oppressive sensation of so many bodies packed into one space, he was left with the persistent cold silence of his progeny which was still deafeningly loud despite the lively streets.

That silence followed them into the back of their car, and continued for a few blocks until Eric finally broke it.

"What happened with the doctor?" Eric asked him. "Will it compromise our plan?"

Plans. Schemes. Pulling of strings. It's all they ever did. It was his obligation and their duty to make the world run smoothly.

"No. Leave it be, Eric." He ordered.

"We're not bonded, you can't command me anymore," Eric's voice was harsh with resentment, and Godric knew that it wasn't him that he was most angry with.

The things that happened to his family in that camp were unspeakable. The way they were torn apart from each other, forced to release their Maker-progeny bonds under their sick and twisted games was nothing but savagery of the worst degree. But Eric never had a good handle on his temper, even prior to their internment at Burrell's camp.

"I would answer you," Godric finally replied, waiting for Eric's rage to simmer down. "But I'm not sure I even understand it myself."

The car stopped in front of Godric's nest, and he exited the vehicle.

"Fucking Bellefleurs," Eric snarled, and then pulled Godric's door shut with a slam.

Indeed.

The club floor looked vast and large and it took Kate far too long to realize the place had emptied. Her mind spun rapidly in circles, as if somehow it were trying to escape her ethyl alcohol soaked brain. Her body felt like it moved in slow motion. Actually it felt like they didn't move at all, as if she were a puppet and someone had cut her strings.

Becca was supporting Kate under her arm towards the back entrance where Terry had parked in the alley. Her sister seemed unphased by it all, as if she did not downed one shot after another all night. Maybe Kate ought to study her sister's liver enzymes because that was one goddamn medical marvel right there.

The outside night air barely felt any cooler on her skin than inside of the club. The humidity of New Orleans was just as sweaty as the circle of hell she walked out of. Kate was still inebriated, but she had thrown up in the bathroom about ten minutes ago. She had no memory of getting there and in fact, she had no memory of much tonight. Her brain couldn't help but calculate her probable blood alcohol content. Being 130 lbs, taken 10 servings of alcohol with each shot being 1.25 oz of liquor at 80% proof diluted with 3 oz of soda over a period of 3 hours, minus an estimated 2 shots she puked, her BAC should be around .24 which was considered - if memory served her correctly - very legally intoxicated. At least the world was starting to spin a little slower now that she was outside.

When Terry saw them, his reaction was instantaneous. He jumped out the vehicle, swearing as he rushed towards them, moving to lift Kate off of her sister's shoulder and onto his own.

"What in the name of all that is– How the hell did yah get here?!" Terry yelled at Kate, the loudness of his voice making her head pound.

Moving to stand on her own, Kate swayed slightly, but didn't want Terry to think that she was too drunk, which was probably unlikely. Terry's hands grappled her arms tightly, pushing her against the body of the car. He looked wildly pissed off, but she thought he was, as always, being over reactive.

Her brain waves must have slowed down to 40 Hz, because he shook the answer right out of her.

"I walked-" Kate tried to say stoutly, firmly, and without regret. It came out short and loud, as she tried to stifled a burp.

"You walked?" Terry's face reddened in anger. "On the street? All the way from the Glass Tower, in the middle of the night alone?" He was outraged as if he were about to burst, and it made Kate feel like she was about three feet tall. Being a child at the dinner table looked pretty good from where she was standing right now.

"No, I walked with Gawwwdric," Kate unintentionally drew out the length of his name. It was a fantastic name. It almost gave her shivers and then she realized that she needed to not feel that way, and refocused her efforts on not like him or his stupid beautiful name. And his stupid beautiful face. And his stupid beautiful voice. And his most idiotic hair. And perfect hands.

Terry stared at them intensely. "Who the fuck is Godric?" He questioned.

"A vampire we had a business meeting with," Rebecca answered, crossing her bare arms with a chill.

Her sister's face was set grimly, a mix of worry and pity. It drove Kate insane how they acted like they knew all about vampires, when she was the one that studied them. Years spent studying their physiology, anatomy, psychology, anthropology, and she knew so much more about them than most people could ever even dream of knowing! Kate was the one who was with them night in, night out and no one batted an eye until now. Why? Because that was her job. But fraternize with one afterhours and everyone loses their collective shit.

"You went out without telling me, with a vampire?!" Terry yelled furiously.

"It was fine! I am fine!" Kate tried to minimize Terry's anger. She knew Terry would blow this way out of proportion. War had left some serious scars inside and out of his body, but Kate did not have it in her tonight to just accept his overzealousness. She wasn't a child!

"This ain't fine, Katie! It's my job to know where you are and keep you safe and I didn't even know–"

Kate rolled her head back and groaned, a sound she did not make very often at people. It was an impulse that she would have been able to keep in check had she not consumed so much liquor. "God Terry, it's just seven blocks in New Orleans, not a freaking warzone–"

"It coulda been just as dangerous! If anythin' happened to you on my watch–"

"But it didn't, did it? Nothing happened! Nothing EVER happens to me! All of you make damn sure of that!" Her voice echoed off the bricks of the narrow passage and reached back to her ears as if someone else had said them.

She lived her boring little life in her boring little lab and the one time she thought something exciting might be happening…It was all a ruse. Who was she kidding? Who was she trying to be? Her sister?

"And nothing ever will, if I have anything to say about it!" Terry snapped at her. "Do you know how dangerous these streets are? If someone had recognized you they could have hurt you-" he barked using his authoritarian Sargeant voice. She had heard his sermon a thousand times, but it was usually directed at Rebecca. It was a strange feeling, no longer being the observer.

"I'm not a child, Terry. I can walk down the street! I can hang out with a vampire!" Kate fought back. "In fact, I can do whatever the hell I want!"

"What's gotten into you tonight?" Her sister protested.

Ah, yes, her perfect big sister. "Don't act so shocked Becca. It's gonna give you wrinkles and God forbid we let that happen," another thought slipped from her mouth, alcohol making it impossible for Kate to hold anything in. Every pain, every sadness, every frustration was just pouring out of her.

"What did you just say to me?" Rebecca thundered, approaching like an angry Amazon in her heels.

"Hey!" Terry slammed Kate's shoulders against the car door, stunning her before she lost it completely, but also blocking Rebecca with his own body. "That's it! That's enough-"

Her cousin opened the back passenger door and shoved Kate in the back seat like a large piece of luggage.

She thought about it all the time, how everyone always treated her like a baby at work and at home. She was tired of it. Smart enough to make the family millions, smart enough to fill her father's house with awards and achievements, smart enough to be published in over a dozen scientific journals and lead a whole research lab. But no matter what she did or how hard she tried, no one took her seriously. Everyone treated her as if she were made of glass, and not the UV bullet proof kind.

Rebecca sat upfront with Terry, something she never did. She didn't even look back. Kate was all alone in the backseat, guilt settling in like an elephant-sized passenger next to her.

"All I'm saying is that I am not a child-" she muttered.

"You're sure acting like one! Imagine what your father would say if he knew I lost track of yah?" Terry stared hard at Kate through the rearview mirror as he navigated the streets.

"He'd probably say 'There goes my best cash cow, guess I'll have to find another one'," Kate mockingly impersonated her father's deep voice. She rarely voiced such thoughts aloud; how her father didn't seem to value her, or her sister really, outside of their ability to help his company. "We all know it's all anyone likes me for."

"You can't possibly think that, Kate," her sister's head turned around abruptly, her brows knitted together and her eyes sparkled underneath her long full lashes.

Becca's hand reached for her thigh, and Kate clutched it impulsively as if it were reflex. Even though she was far too drunk and angry, she still needed her sister. Her returning grip was reassuring. Despite how their father thought of them, or how ugly Kate behaved they always had each other. Even though it didn't feel like she deserved it right now. Kate had ruined the night with her feelings. She had lost control of the experiment altogether.

Terry ground his teeth, but remained silent the whole drive home. A heavy quiet crowded the car right along with the guilt. Soon enough, they'd need a bigger car. When Terry entered the garage and turned off the engine, Kate scrambled up immediately, desperate to get away from Terry's disapproving stare, but she wasn't quick enough.

"If what your father thinks don't move you to think through your actions, then maybe just think about how I'd feel," Terry told her slowly. "You are being selfish-"

That word cut right through her. It was, wasn't it? Selfish.

Just like killing yourself. Did mom think of how her children would feel?

"Sorry Terry," her eyes involuntarily filled with tears. "I guess I got that from my mother too." Kate then bolted from the car, unable to breathe through the layer of guilt suffocating her.

AN: well that was quite the shit show wasn't it?

The next few chapters are some of my favourites (so far) and Im super excited! Until next time!

xoxoxo

Spice

PS: I've only been updating this fic because I have until chapter 12 written. I'm haven't given up on Wicked games, I just don't have time to work on it until the semester ends (and I survive it)