My Little Ventrue Pt. 04 Ch. 07

"Been a while, I must admit."

"There are plenty of women here who would enjoy a night with you, old friend, kine or Kindred."

"But would I enjoy it with them?"

"Perhaps," she said.

Yeah, dangerous topic. Jack tried to step back a little, but Antoinette's hug around him was secure. He wasn't going anywhere as these two gods traded veiled barbs and references he didn't understand. It had to do with Minerva, that much he knew, but the nature of that relationship was a mystery, beyond its importance to Jacob. Jack was actually pretty surprised Antoinette took the conversation in this direction, knowing it'd poke the witch in a sore spot. Maybe she was trying to goad a reaction out of him? Sometimes the best way to come to terms with something that was eating at you was to have a spontaneous reaction about it, make some painful revelations.

No way that was going to work with Jacob.

"Don't worry about me, Prince. I'm fine. And, considering the amount of sex that goes on in my home, I am surrounded by moans at all hours of the night as is."

That wasn't exactly a counter point, but Jacob seemed satisfied with his response. And it certainly put images in Jack's head. Othello and his ghoul, Jennifer and her ghouls, and Beatrice? Shark mouth had a great body, and he'd seen her breasts, and—yeah, this party was warping his brain. Couldn't think about anything but sex.

"Jennifer certainly has her eye on Beatrice," Antoinette said.

"Does she?"

"Oh do not play coy, old friend. Look at her now, how she glances Beatrice's way every few seconds, and looks the woman up and down. Even with such delights around her, she seems utterly focused on your new project's derriere."

New project? Whatever that meant, it was enough to stir a tiny frown from Jacob before it vanished behind his sly smile again.

"The love lives of my subordinates are not my concern."

"With how close you witches are, I thought perhaps it would be."

"A little drama only adds to the spice of unlife, non?" he said, complete with a fake French accent. Jacob shrugged, and gestured to the sheriff. "Perhaps you should turn your eye to Daniel. Forever on the sidelines, I fear he's been neglected a woman's touch far more than I."

The sheriff had moved to the side of the room closer to the entrance, and was watching. The tux wouldn't fit a sword, but Jack doubted the man didn't have at least two hidden knives on him. His eyes were drifting between the members of the ball, and Natasha. Keeping a close eye on her, and the Uratha around her.

And keeping an eye on Athalia too. The Begotten had stopped closer to the middle of the room, and was looking around at the display of blood and skin that surrounded her. But she caught Jack's eye, and he shrugged. Could be her, right? Could be her, just letting loose and getting Kissed, or having sex, or both.

No way she was going to abandon decades of hatred in a single night, just because he didn't know how to keep his mouth shut. Still, she offered him a small wave of her fingers, before walking out the front door.

"Daniel is as stubborn as you, old fool." Antoinette rolled her eyes, but the smile remained. "I must speak with Mire and Damor. I will see you at the next Primogen meeting, Jacob."

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~~Julias~~

"Jacob is going to cause trouble," Triss said.

"No doubt. He's your boss though, think you can stop him?"

"Nope. I'm surprised he's as calm as he is, with Uratha around."

Yeah, Jacob really hated the werewolves, no doubt about that. "And Athalia looks like she hates everyone."

Triss laughed, and slipped her arm under his, behind him and around his waist. At least she'd taken off her veil, as no one outside could see into the ball. Not really a ball, just a party pretending to be a ball. And as he looked around at the nearby Invictus, he found less Invictus than before as people switched places, more Carthians coming to join them. Many were drinking blood in excess, and some were drinking from ghouls or thralls, kine that were not their own. Some were drinking of ghouls at the same time, and that was making the kine very aroused; Kindred too. That much blood, flowing, pouring, it got to the point some Kindred were purposefully letting blood slip free of their lips, so it dripped down onto the bare skin of their meals.

Most of the Kindred in Dolareido, or any city truly, were young. Ultimately, neonates were the overwhelming majority of Kindred, and neonates had very little sense of self control. Presented with food, with sin and bliss, they were at the mercy of their desires. And, he could see the itch on Beatrice's face. She was young, so such needs were always bubbling at the surface for her as well.

Sometimes he felt like an old man, indulging in a woman far too young for him. He laughed, and shook it off when Triss raised a curious eyebrow. If that's how he felt, how did Antoinette feel about her relationship with Jack?

Speak of the devil. The Prince escorted Jack over until the two of them were standing with them. Jack made occasional glances at the vampires drinking of kine sitting in chairs; one kine was even lying on a table and having four Kindred bite into her. At some point, the woman's shirt had come undone, breasts exposed, and no one made any effort to cover her as she squirmed under the pleasure of a quadruple Kiss.

"Prince," Julias said.

"Prince," Beatrice said.

"You look lovely, Miss Damor. I am both intrigued and surprised at your choice of attire. It is perfect."

Triss squirmed, and hugged Julias's waist a little tighter. Even when she was being nice, sociable, the towering woman made all neonates feel uncomfortable, and intimidated. She radiated power, strength, and a 'fuck with me and I'll kick you out of my city' aura. And, she was showing enough cleavage to have everyone nearby staring with desire. Triss was no exception, but it was hard to stare at someone without being noticed when they were only a few feet in front of you.

"Thank you, Prince. Jennifer helped me."

"Ah, Jennifer. Lovely woman. Perhaps a little quick to indulge in her feminine wiles." To prove her point, Antoinette nodded her head back toward Jennifer, who was obviously enjoying the eyes of the men and women on her. The girl raised her elbows a little higher than necessary when reaching for a glass of blood, so everyone could see how the flimsy fabric hanging around her chest raised as well, exposing her breasts.

"I'd be remiss if the women weren't so eager to show off said features," Julias said. And, winced when Triss elbowed him in the side.

But Antoinette laughed, and nodded. "As would many." She turned her head, enough so she could look down toward Jack, and set her hand to his chin. With at least a hundred people watching, she guided the shocked boy's face toward hers, and set her lips upon his. The act earned a momentary quiet from the crowd, as they watched in awe at the very tall woman kissing her short boyfriend. The two couldn't be more different, and no one had expected the relationship to last.

Julias was glad it was still happening. He couldn't deny Antoinette had really helped the kid through his fledgling months, probably more than he did. Couldn't help but feel a bit jealous about that, being the kid's sire, but at the same time he was happy the woman was able to help him in ways he couldn't. Though, she did love to put him on the spot, to make him squirm. Kissing him in front of everyone, almost every single Kindred in the entire city? Might as well have been shining a spotlight on him.

"How has your time been with the Circle of the Crone, Miss Damor?" she said, pulling away from the long kiss with a smirk. Poor Jack, still shocked, caught between smiling and glancing around at the staring Kindred.

"My time? You mean, with Jacob? It's been pretty... well, scary sometimes."

"Yes, the old man can be terrifying when he wishes to be." She glanced over her shoulder toward Jacob, who was talking with Jennifer, and the three werewolves. Natasha was caught in the middle, but no doubt was listening to every word. Spying overtly. "But it is not he I wish to speak to."

"It isn't?"

"Non. Come with me Miss Damor. I desire to talk, away from our other halves." She pat Jack on the head, kissed it, and started to walk toward the balcony. The music was being played from there, but it was a large balcony, and Julias was sure Antoinette would find someplace the two of them could talk.

Why she wanted to talk to his girlfriend though, he didn't know.

"Um, yes Prince." Raising a brow at Julias, she shrugged, and followed after the Daeva.

"It's the talking balcony," Jack said, once the women were out of earshot.

"Magically imbued to make people talk." Julias nodded, pat Jack on the shoulder, and started to guide him around the ball, like before.

But he could tell Jack was distracted, and it wasn't by all the thighs and breasts surrounding them. A buffet of blood and a treat for the eyes, and Jack's mind was elsewhere. What did Athalia say to him?

And he had to ask. Before he was in the council, he'd have let the boy have his secrets, but he didn't have that luxury anymore.

"What did the Begotten tell you?"

"I... shouldn't tell you."

Well, that was a lot better than lying to him at least. Kid avoided eye contact, but he didn't have the squirmy look he used to have when he was avoiding saying what was on his mind. Working on his poker face. Good.

"Shouldn't tell me? Because it's personal, or because it's Invictus business and it'd damage the Invictus to tell me?"

"Bit of both?"

Julias frowned. He didn't like not knowing, and if it was from Athalia and had to do with the Invictus, that likely meant Azamel was involved. Not knowing was dangerous. But, he was trusting Jack with bigger and more important tasks all the time, and the kid was doing good work.

"Alright, I trust you."

"... thanks." Kid nodded, scratched his head a few times, and sighed as he looked to the front door. "Pity she left. Woman really hates us."

"I understand Viktor caused her great strife, but I don't know the details."

"I... shouldn't talk about it, I guess. It was really personal, and she didn't give me all the details either. And it seems like she's had a hard life in general."

"Fair enough."

"I'm kind of surprised about this party, er, ball. I mean, Barry's dead, and there's a genuine possibility he was murdered, with four humans as potential threats out there. But we're all here, drinking, having fun, socializing." To make his point, the kid gestured to Amanda and Gloria. The two women had a male thrall between them, a new one, and both were suckling on his wrists. Gloria, older, more bold, was doing more than that, with her hand on the man's crotch and rubbing him through his pants.

"How's your history?" Julias said.

"Academically? Awful."

"In times of war, life affirming acts often increase in frequency, not decrease." He sighed with the reality; Kindred were dead after all, but the philosophy still applied. "Keep looking for clues about Barry though."

"I am. More evidence pointing toward those four humans."

"Good. And, we're not ignoring Master Barry Tellern's death. Every Kindred in the city is finding more secure places to sleep from now on, as are you I assume." And if he guessed right, Jack would be sleeping at Antoinette's tower from now on. Kid hadn't asked him for help yet, and it wasn't like he wouldn't if he needed it.

"Antoinette offered, and I think I'll take it."

"Be careful. Cross a line and the Invictus may have to intervene," he said. Jack looked up at him, but he offered a small, dismissing shrug. "I doubt there will be an issue, but the closer you get to Antoinette, the more difficult it becomes for you to grow in the Invictus covenant."

"Because she's a dragon."

"Yes. The Ordo Dracul are not our enemy, but they are not our friends, Jack. And while I'm happy you and the Prince are happily in love, there's a fine line you're approaching."

"A fine line. Any hint as to where that line is?"

"If you move in with her, as a permanent arrangement that your living den is her tower, that will greatly compromise your position in the Invictus."

Jack sighed, but nodded. He knew it, and the Prince did as well. The realities of the covenants, like bickering children that didn't like sharing their stuff.

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~~Beatrice~~

Oh god, this again. Last time she'd had a one-on-one with the Prince, Antoinette had told her she loved Julias. And she'd been right. Kind of took the fun out of the juvenile charm of not knowing, the mystery of romance, but it was a good thing Antoinette had told her anyway. Kindred could be stubborn.

But, just being near the ancient vampire was making Triss's muscles tense. So much like Jacob, and so different. No getting around the two were masters of deception, manipulation, and every tool Kindred had at their disposal to control others. And ultimately, she was one of those tools, someone they could break and mold, or twist and misdirect, someone they could have dancing in the palms of their hands without her ever knowing. She fully expected this conversation to be such a manipulation.

Or maybe Antoinette just wanted to be nice, and help her out like she did last time? Could happen.

The two of them stepped onto the balcony where Jack and that asshole monster chick had been a moment before. No idea what that was about, and she was tempted to ask the kid. Maybe next time when she visited him.

"Miss Damor," she said, once they found a cozy little place on the balcony to speak, "I wanted to speak of Jacob."

"Jacob? What about him?"

"Now that the Uratha have returned, I know Jacob has been pursuing his own agenda. Of course, the old bastard has never stopped, but Avery's arrival has sparked his interest in some of his older, more sinister goals. And I am concerned for him."

"... honestly, I picture the two of you as rivals more than friends."

The Prince frowned at her, and Triss froze. Jack could probably get away with being so direct with her, but she couldn't.

"I have known Jacob and have worked with him for longer than the whole of your life and unlife, Miss Damor. Such a friendship transcends petty labels and pettier generalizations. It would sadden me to see him hurt, and I fear his hatred for Avery will ultimately lead only to pain. For him, and for others."

Beatrice rubbed her arm, and remembered the Black Blood of Dolareido thing. Jacob's hidden agendas were beyond her imagining, if the man was conspiring with alien entities like that.

"I don't know—"

"Of course you do not know. Sweet child, I am not here to ask for information. You have little to share with me... except, perhaps, that is not entirely true anymore, is it? I know that Jacob has taken interest in you, and has invited you into his shadows, into the dark corners of the Earth where he weaves his webs. Where bodies pile high and he chases that which should not be chased. Should not be named."

God fucking damn it, how did she know that?

"I still won't tell you anything."

"Of course not dear. And if I truly wanted it, I would take it from you, not ask."

"You—" She stepped back a little when Antoinette turned to face her, and met her eyes. Red eyes. Fuck, it was like looking into the eyes of a real fucking dragon, Ordo Dracul or not. "... then what do you want from me?"

"To ask a favor."

Sighing, Beatrice stepped back in again, and stood beside the towering woman. And, standing beside her, she couldn't help but take a few peeks at her body, and how the open cleavage exposed her nipples a little. Hell, from the side like this, Triss could see them pretty obviously. Each tit was as big as her head. Bigger! Fucking hell, Jack was sleeping on those puppies nearly every day too, and—holy fuck stop thinking about sex for one minute. Can't, can't stop, not with a dozen kine below her groaning and moaning as vampires drank and fingered and jerked them off.

"What favor?"

"I expect Jacob will move against Avery, in some way not obvious. Your leader is a crafty individual, and for all my powers, my sources, my abilities, I know I will not be able to stop him. I could deal with him now, but I have faith the man will change, if someone was to give him an open ear."

"You... want me to be his friend."

"After a fashion. Would you? I know the man can be twisted, and he holds a tiny porcelain doll of a soul, hidden deep in the shadow of black talons, inside his tainted shell. But, I knew him from long ago, and there is a wise, sincere man with a shred of humanity remaining, buried within that broken husk."

Holy shit. The Prince of Dolareido was laying some pretty heavy personal views on her, and asking her to try and break through to this old friend of hers. Break through to that twisted freak who stuck her in the gut with knives, who summoned fucking demon things from the beyond?

"... I can try."

"Merci. I would hate for my old friend to become my enemy." She leaned forward enough to put her elbows on the railing. Yeap, tits just hanging there in her dress, nipples almost out. God fucking damn those were some massive pillows. "Your friend Jennifer has quite the infatuation with you."

"I... wait, what?"

She nodded in Jennifer's direction. "The girl embraces sexuality with a familiar zest. But tonight, much of her display has been aimed at grabbing your attention, and yours alone."

Beatrice raised a brow, and looked in the Ventrue's direction. The girl was with a stranger, some thrall or ghoul Triss didn't recognize. Looked like they belonged to the Invictus, considering the kine was surrounded by suits. And the suits were either watching, or leaning in to Kiss the poor, mewling woman, while Jennifer fingered the shit out of her. Triss could almost see the juices from the balcony.

Jennifer wasn't drinking the stranger though, she was watching, and her eyes were glancing around, occasionally flitting up to find Triss. Eventually their eyes locked for a while, and as they did, Jennifer fingered the girl hard enough to have her body shaking. Whoever she was, the only thing that kept her from falling backward onto a table were the other two Kindred with their fangs in her neck. Why Jen wasn't partaking, Beatrice couldn't figure, but the vampire seemed to not only be having fun making the helpless woman cum her brains out, now she was happy to keep looking at Triss from a distance while she did it.

Jen raised her free hand, and slid into the open cleavage of the woman's dress to lift and pull one breast, and then the other free of the clothes so they spilled over the dress's chest. The Ventrue kept her hand upon her victim's breasts, squeezing one of her nipples maybe a little rougher than she should have. The poor human didn't seem to mind. And with Jen's arm raised like that, one of her breast was exposed as well for all to watch, jiggling with the inertia of her arm moving up and down while she fingered the kine into what must have been a fourth orgasm.

Jen grinned at Triss, and looked back to her target, to continue forcing the now exhausted creature to cum yet again.

"... yeah, I guess she has been trying to grab my attention."

Antoinette laughed, and turned to look across the way to other people, other Kindred who were enjoying a more laid back experience, drinking from glasses and sitting at tables.

"An enjoyable little minx, isn't she?" she said. "Such brazen confidence. And yet, she serves Jacob loyally."

"Yeah, I guess. Damn girl has been trying to get into my bed for a while now."

"Oh? She wishes to share you with Mire? A pleasant image, I must admit."

Antoinette didn't find her shark mouth unappealing? Heh, points for her.