Blood Bonds Pt. 01

"Is that a tattoo?" Sarah asked, leaning back to get a better view. "Turn around."

Taylor flashed that same dark smile and pivoted smoothly, pulling her long hair over her shoulder so they could all see.

"Something like that," she murmured.

"That's not a tattoo; that's a real commitment," Ana whistled, bending to look at it.

"Hey, that's the same design as on your stationery," Nel noted, closing the notebook, though she ran a hand over it lovingly. The background was of a stylized black bird, a phoenix apparently, as it appeared to be rising from flames. Deep, blood red script in an unknown, beautiful language overlay the image of the phoenix.

"Does it mean something?" Sarah asked, moving closer as well.

"It's... my crest. Long story," Taylor said, turning again.

"What language is that?" Nel asked, tilting her head to the side thoughtfully as Taylor slid on the vest and buttoned it quickly. It was tailored to fit her, breasts pushing at the top of the silk in a sexy but dignified sort of way. A strip of flat white stomach was revealed alluringly between the bottom of the shirt and the top of her jeans.

"Oh, that's hot," Ana sighed. "Maybe if I wore a really really padded push-up bra? You should totally wear it tonight!"

"Well, I don't think I'm ready to bust out that much of this Mark just yet," Taylor said, smiling as she unbuttoned it again and handed it back to Ana, pulling her other shirt back on. "Some people will recognize it and then all hell will... Anyway, I stand out enough as it is. I'm trying to blend a bit here, at least at first."

"You planning on making a splash later?" Ana asked, raising her eyebrows.

"No, trouble just follows me, that's all."

"I can-" Sarah started to say but was interrupted by a knock on the main door. Ana whipped on her shirt as Sarah dashed past to get it.

"Oh, I hope it's that hot guy from down the hall," Ana whispered. "Kevin, oh my god, he's big, strapping, blonde, talks like he has a sensitive side. His roommate's a dick, but ..."

She and Nel stood at the door, listening to Sarah, picking up a deep male voice.

"Ladies," Sarah called in a sing-song tone. "Kevin's here to escort us to the ball, please hurry!"

They heard laughter from the next room before Nel lunged for the door, slamming it closed.

"It's him!" Nel exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly. "Hurry, do my make-up fast. Make me look f-I-–e!"

"Me too, shit, there's gotta be something in here that will fit me. I don't want him to see me in this ratty old t-shirt."

"Look on the far left," Taylor instructed her as she quickly swiped color on Nel's eyes and cheeks, defining her bright blue eyes and applying dark brown mascara.

"Oh, this? I like it!" Ana exclaimed, holding up a blood red top. She wriggled out of her shirt.

"Don't wear a bra with it," Taylor suggested, not looking up. "It'll look better, trust me."

Ana complied, stripping out of her bra and pulling the top on carefully. It was a constructed top that held her breasts firmly, though it was carefully designed to look careless. Spaghetti straps held the silk down to where it gathered at the breasts, sweeping down over her stomach to her hips, open from below the cleavage. She looked over herself approvingly, then launched herself onto the bed that Nel had just vacated. Nel stood looking forlornly at the closet, glancing down at her unspectacular shirt.

"Honey, look in the bottom drawer, there may just be something that will work for you," Taylor suggested. "Marnie usually picks up a few things for my gir- one of my friends in case she comes to visit. She's closer to your size."

Nel looked hopeful as she dropped to her knees and dug through the bottom drawer of the bureau. A moment later, she yelped in triumph as she pulled out a sparkling, gorgeously deconstructed turquoise top, holding to her body.

"That'll look just fine," Taylor confirmed. "Again, don't wear a bra. You can pull it off."

"You're not big on bras, are you?" Ana asked, looking up into Taylor's eyes as the girl applied the last touch of lipgloss.

"My People are not known for our modesty," Taylor said with a sexy smile, eyes darkening seductively. Ana just stared at her, licking her lips, then starting as Taylor held a mirror in front of her.

"What do you think?" Nel asked. "I feel naked!"

"Oh, honey, you look fantastic," Taylor said with a grin. "Now, go! Both of you. I'll be right there."

They nearly ran into each other as they both tried to get out the door at the same time, smoothing their hair.

"Hi, ladies," Kevin said, standing politely, setting down the drink Sarah had made for him. She'd found the stock of premium alcohol and various mixers Taylor's people had deposited in the fridge along with a copious amount of groceries and had taken the liberty of breaking into the vodka and juices. "Wow! You all look great! I feel underdressed now."

"Oh, you look just fine to me," Ana said breathlessly. She looked accusingly at Sarah. "Where did you get alcohol?"

"The army brought it in," Sarah said, cocking her head towards Taylor's room. "I didn't think she'd care."

Nel and Ana both made for the fridge, ooh-ing over the selection, previously having only been able to sneak from the parents' liquor cabinet and icky kegs at high school parties.

"Are you guys dead set on this school thing?" Taylor asked from her room.

Kevin's head jerked to the side so hard, he hurt himself, looking for the owner of that voice. If the person attached to it was half as good-looking as she sounded, he was going to need to sit down.

"Not really. Why?" Sarah replied, looking at the others, who shrugged. "Come out here and say hello."

"In a minute. I know a great club here in DC that's so much better. And since you all apparently like to drink, it's all free. I can have transportation here in ten minutes."

"What club?" Nel asked.

"Volition."

"Holy shit! I've heard that place is incredible."

"None of us are 21 and I don't have a fake," Ana called, sniffing her drink. "How do you propose we get in?"

"Is that a yes?"

"I guess so. Answer the question!"

"I know the owner."

"Who?" Nel asked.

"Me," Taylor said, voice deeper than ever as she leaned into the room. She was gone in a second and Kevin inwardly cursed that he didn't get a good look at her in the dark hallway.

"You're not kidding, are you?" Sarah called, trading amazed looks with the others, who all gulped down their drinks.

"Of course not," she responded. They heard her speaking in a very fast, melodic language for a moment, laughing, then she went silent.

"What are you doing? Get in here!" Sarah called again.

"I'm changing! Hang on," she called. "Don't worry, you all look hot like you are. There's no dress code tonight and it wouldn't matter for you guys anyway."

They all let out shocked laughter, looking at each other. Kevin thought he would burst with anticipation.

"She's completely loaded. I can't describe the amount of wealth," Ana whispered in his ear. "She flew in from Rome in her own jet today."

"So, we're leaving soon. I called for a car. Drink up."

Kevin spun at the voice, which was right behind him now. His mouth fell open at the sight before him, for surely this was a succubus. Her long, tousled dark silver hair flowed around her like a mane, entrancing green eyes peering out from her pale face. He knew he was obvious, but couldn't help running his eyes over her body. She wore a short-sleeved black shirt with a slight sheen to it, cut just above her belly-button to bare a generous slice of six-pack. Perfect breasts stretched the fabric, proportional to the wide hips and generous ass encased in tight black leather pants that flared around shapely calves. The ruby at her throat caught his eye, seeming familiar, though he couldn't place it. Devastatingly, calculatedly, carelessly sexy, and she knew it. And nothing remotely human about her.

"Hi, I'm Taylor," she said, holding out a hand, the smile on her face dark and more than a little mysterious.

"Kevin," he managed, shaking her cool hand, feeling a rush of electricity race up his arm. She cocked an eyebrow at him, but didn't say anything, moving away and taking the drink Sarah held out for her.

"I've lived in Europe for a while now, so I'm a drinker," she said. "I probably should have asked first, but I guess you all are okay with underage drinking."

They all laughed.

"You don't have any beer, though," Kevin noted jokingly.

"I'll have some brought up for you, then," she said with that heart-melting smile. He swallowed hard, praying his body would remain under his control. He felt his heart stop suddenly. She held her drink with her left hand and on her ring finger was very obviously a wedding band. He felt like crying, but she followed his gaze to her hand, then smiled at him and winked. Hope, guilty, evil hope blossomed in his heart once more.

Something else caught his eye as she moved. Something unnatural about how the air moved around her, the way the light collected around her body. He squinted at the space around her, cocking his head to the side. Then he stepped back in surprise, catching an odd look Sarah gave him.

"We ready?" she asked, tossing back her drink and moving to the door, hips swaying above the tall heels. They followed her down the elevator, past the longing stares of the other students hanging out in the lobby. A long black stretch limo pulled smoothly up to the curb as they walked out into the sultry early evening.

A driver hopped out and came around to open the door for them. Kevin glanced back at the building, smiling at the envious stares on their classmates' faces, then climbed in behind the girls.

"Good evening, Lady Talera," the driver said, after they were all inside, lowering the partition between the front seat and their leather compartment.

"Taylor, David!" she corrected him a little sharply, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, I forgot. Sorry, My La- uhm, Taylor. I got your-"He didn't finish the sentence as she lunged forward and grabbed the pack of cigarettes and lighter out of his hand, eliciting a chuckle from him. "Why do you never bring any to Europe with you? Marnie has pondered sending a care package ahead of you from now on so she doesn't have to send me out at three in the morning so she can overnight them to you."

"I'm not thinking of that when I'm getting ready. I can see lighting up in a Council meeting going over well. Thanks, David."

"My pleasure, Taylor," he said, smiling at her in the rearview mirror, then rolling up the partition.

She let out an exaggerated sigh as she opened the pack and lit one with the engraved silver lighter, rolling open the moonroof to let out the smoke.

"'Lady Talera,' huh?" Ana said, deadpan. "Didn't we have this conversation about not being royalty or something?"

"And I didn't answer the question, if you'll recall. I'm not from any Court you'd recognize, love," Taylor said, taking a long drag and leaning over to open a compartment in the side panel, revealing a full bar in miniature. She pulled out a bottle of spiced rum and took a giant swig straight from the bottle, ignoring the glasses, and holding it out to the others, who gaped at her.

"Do not try to keep up with me," she said with a laugh, handing the bottle to Kevin. "I run on a very different operating system and I'm highly experienced."

"You're a little party animal, huh?" Sarah asked, eyebrows raised as Kevin passed her the bottle. She took a swallow, choking a little, unaccustomed to drinking straight alcohol, passing it to Nel.

"What Court are you from?" Ana asked, squinting her eyes suspiciously.

"Let me just have one night to be normal, okay?" Taylor asked, her expression almost pleading. "I promise you'll hear all about me sooner than I'd like. For now, just have a good time."

"That's cryptic," Sarah muttered, but couldn't help but smile. She was sure there was more than met the eye with the young woman and she loved a good mystery.

"You have no idea," she laughed darkly, exhaling a stream of blue smoke.

"I think I might," Kevin said under his breath, no one but Taylor hearing him, but she only smiled.

Sarah turned and whirled on the dance floor, enjoying seeing the flashing lights blur as she spun, laughing when she caught Ana's eye. Nel danced closer to them, waving at Taylor and Kevin standing on the private balcony high above.

Standing behind Taylor, Kevin looked intently at the part of the Mark showing between her shirt and low pants, recognizing the design there. A thrill ran through him. He knew he was drunk, that he should be more than cautious, but shrugging to himself, he quashed his inner voice.

"What are you?" he asked, coming up behind her, bending so he could whisper directly in her ear, catching a whiff of her perfume, her natural intoxicating scent. She didn't turn, just slowly rotated her hips against his, moving in half-time with the pounding beat. "Succubus? The Chosen part is a given. But there's something else. No way you're human."

He put his hands on her hips as she turned around in his grasp, running her lips over his collarbone, exhaling a cool stream of air. He felt his stomach lurch, his body starting to react to her body against his.

"Couldn't even give me one night?" she murmured in his ear, standing on tiptoe, eyes burning into him.

"Sorry, it's too much for me," he replied, restraining himself from kissing her. He could fall into her eyes, get lost in those green depths.

"What are you?"

"Born Hunter."

She smiled, brushing his lips with hers ever so lightly.

"I wondered if you knew," she said.

"My parents are archaeologists. Study your People. They know a few Hunters, so I've known since I was ten. It's never mattered until tonight. So... am I right?"

"Yes and no. I'm Chosen Ascendant. I'm not human, but I'm not a succubus. I function as one, but I'm not. I'm something else."

"This isn't your true form is it? I can see the shadows move around you. You have...wings, it looks like. Maybe a tail."

"You are good," she exclaimed softly. "Very few from this realm can see that. This is my original form. I was human once. An Elemental."

"You're THAT Chosen? The Chosen Ascendant?" he said, alarm coursing through him as his mind caught up through the lag of alcohol. He took several steps back from her, eyes growing wide.

"Pan'ah, the Lady Talera. House of Arkon. Ruling Line," she said, bowing slightly as she ran through her full title.

"Holy- My Lady, forgive me," he stuttered, dropping to a knee before her, everything he'd learned about the Vampyr and their Ruling Line since birth rushing his mind at once.

Get up, honey. I'm just a happy college student tonight. I'd never hold you to ceremony anymore than I would those girls down there.

Her voice echoed in his head. He felt himself pulled to his feet again, though he made no effort to stand.

"I- this is- whoa," he stuttered, feeling a little faint. He turned and moved back into the insulated room beyond the balcony, the throb of the party outside dying instantly as she followed him inside, closing the glass door after her.

"May I see your true form?" he asked, looking up at her. She looked down at him as he sank down into the soft couch, peering up at her. She quirked her mouth to the side, considering.

"I was gonna play this completely differently, you know," she sighed. Her eyes suddenly filled completely with black, blotting out the green and white. "I was not planning on telling anyone. I've been ordered to get back in touch with my mortal roots. Apparently, I'm losing that connection. You're fucking up the plan."

Her tone didn't match her words.

"Sorry. I have a talent for that kind of thing," he chuckled, relaxing.

"I gathered that. But... I was thinking it was kind of unfair to them anyway. They should probably know if they're going to live with me. Or not if I tell them."

"Let me see," he almost pleaded, leaning forward.

She clicked her teeth together, baring a full set of fangs on both top and bottom for a second. Then she shrugged.

"Alright. I'll let you get a look at half-shift. If you lose it, I'm erasing it from your memory. Deal?"

"Deal."

She raised her arms to the sides, palms out, smiling darkly. Scrolling black ink lines began to fade into view around her temples, eyes, wrists, what little of her sides were exposed between her clothes. Her hair darkened to jet black, a silver sheen to it, with blood-red stripes running through it.

"Holy..." was all he could muster. She tilted her head to the side, black eyes staring through him. He lunged to his feet, holding out his hands. "No, no! Don't erase it! I think it's fantastic!"

"Really?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest. She idly tapped one finger on her arm, displaying a wicked set of metallic black claws, nearly an inch long each.

"No wonder your nails are black," he laughed incredulously.

"Yeah," she said, looking down at her hands. "Of all the things I can push back into another plane, I have a hard time, making the color normal. At least they're retractable, because nothing on this planet can trim these babies."

"You sure you're not a succubus?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her. "Because you sure... uh, I mean...I know you have wings and all, even if you won't let me see, and..."

She smiled slowly, running her tongue over crimson lips.

"Their wings are blue and feathered, if they choose to show them. Same with incubi. You can tell them from normal people by their eyes. Brilliant, gorgeous cobalt blue. My wings don't even remotely resemble theirs. And I'm certainly not blue. So, no. I'm not a succubus. I am bonded to an incubus, though, so I can fully function as one of them if I want to. To tell the truth, I can't turn it off, so never touch me unless you want a real rush."

"Okay," he breathed. He wanted to inspect every inch of her, but knowing what he did about her through his parent's friends, he gathered that she was giving him more liberties than she would normally. With a grunt of real pain, she closed her eyes and pushed her form back into another plane of existence, the long claws vanishing back into her fingertips.

"Does that really hurt that much?" he asked, puzzled.

"What do you think, Hunter?" she sneered her tone suddenly vicious, fangs bared threateningly for a split-second, then her face returned to its normal seductive smirk and she cleared her throat. "Sorry."

"Are you losing it like all the Hunters say?"

She laughed out loud. "I lost it a long time ago, honey. You can't get it back once it's gone. What? You don't read my fansites?"

He laughed and sat back down on the couch, shaking his head.

"What are you doing here?"

"At Winecroft?"

"Yeah, doesn't seem like you need higher education."

"Not my idea at all. I was actually vert strongly opposed to doing this. But..." she sank into a big leather chair across from him, curling her legs beneath her. A club staffer appeared from nowhere, depositing drinks before both of them before vanishing again. "I bowed to Council on this one. You know, if I'm, like, talking over your head, let me know. It seems like you have a pretty good hold on our community and how we work."

"Thanks. I've been immersed my entire life, so..."

"Anyway," she sighed, picking up her drink and draining it. "It's been a couple of years since I've been out in normal, mortal society and... with everything that I've already got going for me, Council is concerned that if I don't reconnect with my humanity, things are going to be... interesting when I'm Turned."

"Really. People are already saying you're the Antichrist."

"Oh, yeah. That one I'm well aware of. I have a particular distaste for Hunters since some moron took a shot at me last year because of that."