My Little Ventrue Pt. 06 Ch. 15

It didn't matter, ultimately. A strange, red circle flashed in Jack's eyes, and he stopped. The symbols on the circle, inside and around it, were familiar. One of Elen's circles. He let go of the Begotten's head, and fell back, body shaking, muscles clenching.

"You o-ok?" Tash said.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." Jack stood up, and stared down at the limp man. "He's guarded, by more than just his own nightmare horror thing. Elen's circle is blocking me. I can't get at his mind, let alone break it. Maybe... maybe Julias could have."

Come on, Jack. Let me out. Let me do it. You think I can't smash through a fucking ward? I'll rip his mind to bits.

Jack gulped, and blinked several times, as he digested that. Ok... maybe he could talk to... it.

You'll destroy him. He doesn't deserve to be turned into an invalid.

Yes he does. He's been captured and turned into a fucking robot, serving his masters, hunters. Any paranormal who fucks up that bad deserves to die.

Jack growled and shook his head hard, earning some glances from the others. Talking to himself was natural, and he'd been doing it since long before he was a vampire. But when himself starting talking back, especially when not prompted, that was unacceptable. A back and forth between his inner self? Christ, it was so cliché. Doctor Jekyll, meet Mister Hyde.

He didn't tell the others his Beast came with a voice now, and he wasn't going to. He'd told them enough. This was his burden, and he could manage it. And, much as he hated to admit it, he needed this monster lurking underneath his skin. Once Angela, Jeremiah, and Elen were dead, he could tell the others, and let them lock him away; or dissect his brain, or whatever they'd do.

"What do we do then?" Damien said.

Jack shrugged as he looked down at the prisoner. "The Prince would have a better chance of breaking him than any Ventrue currently... alive, in the city." There were never that many Ventrue in Dolareido, and they lost the greatest of them last night. "Her Majesty discipline might do it. Even if it can't, she's gotta have a plan, right?"

"If she doesn't," Daniel said, "she will have one soon. We didn't expect to capture the Begotten alive."

Nodding, Jack circled the Begotten a couple times, looking for details he may have missed. "Last night's encounter set them back a lot."

"Us too," Damien said.

Jack winced, but nodded. "Yeah... us too." Stop it. Don't think about it. Think about it later. "We have to lick our wounds, and so do they. Gives us some time to see if maybe we can get through to the Begotten, or figure out a plan."

"Agreed." Damien turned for the door, but glanced back to look at the prisoner. "We should probably get him drink and food. He's not a vampire. His body will starve."

"Agreed." Jack retied the bandage around the monster's eyes, and looked to Daniel for confirmation. The elder nodded, and the four of them left the room.

What a waste of time. If they couldn't get through to Sándor, either with Disciplines or words, he wouldn't be of use. Torture was unlikely to work, considering who and what he was, and from how the man was basically a zombie.

"Elen said she had t-to redraw the symbol, after he healed it," Tash said. "M-Maybe if we wait, he'll... he'll b-b-break free on his own?"

Jack nodded, and once Daniel began leading them again, the four of them started up the stairs back to the lobby. Maybe Sándor would heal and eventually be free of his magical binding, if that was the case. It was hard to believe any sort of curse could be permanent, when used on something as powerful as a Begotten; Jack's certainly wasn't permanent. And this Sándor, he was brutally strong. If Jack and Julias had faced him in the nightmare, it wouldn't have been a fight at all. And—shit.

The Fates hated Jack. They despised him. As if discovering his new life with Antoinette had pissed them off, and now he was doomed to suffer eternally, everything conspiring against him. Maybe they'd summoned Angela, to destroy him, break him, ruin him. Whatever happened, his life was becoming one unending string of bullshit, perfectly timed to bring the worst possible pain. His torture, his mother's assault, Mary's death, Julias's death, it was a string of Hell. And it never stopped.

As he stepped out of the stairway, and up into the fancy, massive lobby of the Elysium Tower, someone came up from around the front desk. Jack knew who it was, even before his eyes recognized her. Half because Antoinette said she was coming, half because he knew the Fates wanted to make sure he suffered until the end of time.

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~~Antoinette~~

Standing by her window, hands behind her, she watched Beatrice approach her tower. The woman knew what floor to come to, and Antoinette suspected the Nosferatu would be suspicious of the meeting. She had not talked to her lover, Julias, and would be looking for him, or awaiting his response to her messages to him. Antoinette would have to explain the reality, and she did not look forward to hurting her so. She still trusted the woman, all fire and energy, to reach Jacob, and pull her old friend back from his dark agendas. But after tonight, that would, perhaps, be a lost hope.

Hopefully, with a touch of luck, Jack would be able to handle the situation better than her. She did not want to bury the boy in yet more pain, but Beatrice deserved to hear this from him. And, she needed to know, how this new Jack would respond.

Samantha stood beside the Prince, the small creature sipping from her glass, robe still wrapped around her. She gasped once or twice as she stared over the city landscape, its colorful horizon of lights and lit signs, and the desert that lay beyond.

"I still can't really believe it."

"You saw the condition of your son's suit, Samantha."

"I... I didn't... I didn't really, honestly."

Antoinette chuckled at that, and looked down at her new childe. "It was filled with gunshot wounds, Samantha. Last night, your son, and his sire, fought perhaps eight hunters, to save your life."

"Hunters?"

"I... I suppose Jack will be better equipped to explain the circumstances in terms you can understand. Media, television and video, I have not remained enlightened as to modern storytelling."

"Modern... storytelling?"

"I am very old, Samantha Terry. I moved to a quaint little village hundreds of years ago, and I grew it into the Dolareido you see today. As your son explained, we are immortal."

The glass in her hands began to tremble, and Antoinette reached out to set her hand underneath it. Touching its bottom was enough to awaken her childe from her shock, and regain her grip on the glass.

"It really is your city?"

"Indeed."

"And... and I'm... your childe?"

"Indeed." Antoinette waved a dismissing hand. "For now, you need only concern yourself with becoming comfortable with your new existence. Your old life is gone, and... and while nothing can undo the horrible pains inflicted upon you, or return to you that which has been stolen, you must understand that you have been reborn. You are now a creature of the night, Samantha Terry, and now you are to begin your second life."

"Second life..." The small woman took a sip, before stepping closer to the glass, and looking down at the garden maze far below. "My old life ended only an hour ago, for me, miss... I'm sorry, you never told me your last name."

"A thing lost to the annals of time."

"You lost your last name?"

"If I contacted my order, or if I searched through decrepit journals from my past, I am sure I could recover it, but it is not necessary, or desired." She turned, and walked back to the glass table. Sitting down upon her large chair, she motioned for Samantha to join her once again. "My second life began many centuries ago, Samantha. My last name is an artifact from ancient days that no longer have meaning to me."

"B-But, your family, I—"

Antoinette shook her head, and leaned back in her chair again, pulling her hair over her shoulder to begin combing it. "Unfortunately, one of the negatives of our long lives, is that our memory fades, and is suspect. That which occurred over a hundred years ago has faded somewhat. Two hundred years, is quite blurry. Three hundred years, I have only the faintest, drifting images. Before that, it is... gone."

Samantha stared at her, eyes wide and wider still. The poor woman's eyes were going to slip free of her skull if she continued.

"And... s-someone like you... is Jack's...love?"

Of course, the mother could not help but wonder about the woman dating her son.

"Your son is an amazing man, Samantha Terry. He has affected this city, influenced it and its denizens of the night, and made great strides in many facets, including his political power, financial security, and abilities as a vampire."

Jack's mother frowned, and looked down at the drink in her hand. "And that's why you love him?"

Ah, she was concerned about the sort of woman Antoinette was underneath the skin, concerned for her son. It was terribly cute, and the Prince smiled at her new childe.

"No. I love your son because I have met few, in my many years of unlife, that have his conviction, his commitment to honesty with himself and others, and yet, he somehow remains sensitive and sincere. I can always trust your son to be genuine, Samantha. We Kindred, we have an instinct to deceive and to manipulate, and yet your son resists this urge." She sighed, and let her head lean back onto the spine of her chair, as she smiled. "He is a diamond in the rough, Samantha. You raised a wonderful man."

"Diamond... I..." The fledgling found a smile, a real smile buried underneath her misery, and it sneaked its way onto her lips as she took another sip of her drink. "I always told him, growing up, that he needed to be honest, with himself and everyone else. His dad, he... he taught him how to think, before he died. Challenged him, you know? When Jack would ask 'Why's the sky blue?', he'd say 'Dunno, why is the sky blue? See if you can find out.' And Jack would stay up late on the computer, rotting his eyes and brain, but sure enough, the next day, he'd give James a big explanation about something scientific, and... and... and Mary would roll her eyes. Call him a nerd." Her shoulders began to shake, and she set the glass down on the table before she dropped it. "I can't believe she's gone."

Antoinette reached out, poured herself a glass of blood, and took a sip as she leaned back in her chair once more. "There is no misery greater, than a parent losing their child."

"I... I didn't think... I didn't think I'd have to face it again. At least this time, there's closure. M-Mary is... is gone."

"And your son Jack, is alive." After another sip, Antoinette offered her childe her gaze. Let her peer into her soul, and she her in return. For Antoinette, it was as if looking upon an icy desert of pain. For Samantha, hopefully, there was stability and honesty found in Antoinette's eyes. "There will be plenty of time to grieve, Samantha, but for now, I must explain to you the role you play in your new life."

"D... do I get a say in this?" She looked down at her drink, a hint of fear in her eyes.

"No. Well... I suppose that is not true. You will always have the choice to end your own life, if you so desire."

She snapped her head up and blinked at her, as if it were the most absurd suggestion she had ever heard. Bien.

"I wouldn't... I... I couldn't... now that Jack..." Now that Jack was alive, she would not consider it.

"Then you are my childe, and for now, I am responsible for you."

"How long does that last for?"

"For the first year or two of your life, you are considered a fledgling, and your sire is held accountable for your actions. After, once you have proven capable of survival and respecting the Masquerade, you are a neonate, until you are about fifty years old, in Kindred years. Your covenant will be your guide in those years. Generally, from fifty to about one hundred and fifty years old, you are ancilla, and you will be a key figure within your covenant, trusted with difficult tasks, and important decisions. After, you are what we consider an elder, and you will be a key figure within whatever city you reside, respected and feared by all." She chuckled as she watched Samantha reel with the massive numbers. "Though, by the time you reach such an age, I suspect many of us will be within spaceships, and will have to discover new ways to approach our nightlife."

She downed her drink, and poured herself another. "Good god... Masquerade?"

"The veil of secrecy we Kindred hold dear. If you announce the existence of vampires publicly to humans, which we call kine, you will be killed. If you perform an act that would draw the suspicion of the kine, you will be punished." Before her childe could begin inevitable panic, Antoinette smiled and shook her head. "Do not fret. I will guide you."

"H... how many vampires are in Dolareido?"

"Less than three hundred, at the moment. I have allowed siring to recommence, to repopulate."

"Three hundred, and you run the city? You, alone? But there are millions of people in Dolareido."

Antoinette leaned toward her childe, and grinned. "You are a creature of the night now, little Terry. You will grow into powers you can not even begin to comprehend." She held up a hand, open palm, four fingers and thumb spread outward. "There are primarily five types of Kindred, childe, and since you are my childe, you share in my bloodclan. We are Daeva."

"Daeva?"

"Mmm, oui." She increased the sensuality of her words, her expressions, and took another sip of her drink. "Of two of the many shared disciplines, we are naturals: strength, and speed."

"Like... those superhero movies?"

"Quite. All Kindred share in common disciplines, and all bloodclans find they are naturals at two of them. Speed, strength, resilience, the ability to cloak ourselves from sight, and the ability to talk to, summon, and control animals."

"... I... I can't even..."

This was delightful. As much as the poor woman had to manage the greatest moment of chaos in her life, misery and joy mixing, it was pleasing to see the wonder and surprise on her face. Antoinette had not taken the time to explain to a fresh vampire the enchanting aspects of their Kindred species, in many, many years.

"Bloodclans also have unique abilities. We, the Daeva, can bend the minds of others, into adoration."

"Adoration?"

"The Nosferatu can haunt the minds of others with nightmares, and make them feel fear. Gangrel can transform into hideous beasts, and alter their bodies in many ways. Mekhet can see into the truth of people, events, and objects, even so far as seeing glimpses of the past. Ventrue, like your son, can break the minds of others, and turn them into obedient servants. Particularly skilled Ventrue can wipe memories, change them, manipulate them. While you and I, Samantha Terry, can drown ourselves in sin and pleasure with but a flick of our wrist and wink of the eye. I could, within a single month, teach you to turn any kine you wish into an adoring fan for the night, someone who would do whatever you wished of them. Anything."

"You m-mean... s-s-s-s—"

"You are a vampire, Samantha. You feed on humans, and while that may sound horrible, I assure you it need not be. We call it the Kiss, and it is exquisite. It is more pleasurable than sex, and there is nothing to stop you from indulging in both, at the same time. For Daeva, this is particularly effortless, as we can use the discipline Majesty to turn any kine into a dotting, enraptured admirer." With a playful wink, she took another sip of her drink. "And, if you take your time, build the moment, and let your hunger emerge as a creature of lust, rather than aggression, the Kiss becomes overwhelmingly blissful for the kine. Many, if not most of the Kindred in my city enjoy feeding during sex, and indulge in total freedom in their pursuits of pleasure."

"Oh... god...W-Wait, I'm not blushing! I should be blushing." The woman pat her cheeks, likely seeking the heat that did not come.

Antoinette chuckled again, and nodded. "You will learn how to, as we call it, Blush Life, and with a smattering of will and energy, force your body to behave as it once did, before you were turned."

She continued, and took delicate moments to explain to her childe the nuances of a Kindred's life. The Blush of Life, feeding, torpor, and avoiding fire and sunlight. Required knowledge, before she dared let Samantha out of her sight.

Beatrice did not come to meet her, doubtless having run into Jack, or the three Mekhet. Sorrow gripped Antoinette, pulling at her, demanding she give it her attention. She refused. Julias's death, and Beatrice's inevitable misery, were not as important as preparing her new childe for her second life, her requiem.

And once the Nosferatu learned of her lover's death, God have mercy on the fool who stumbled onto her path tonight.

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~~Beatrice~~

She did not like this.

Walking up to the Elysium Tower never felt good, but that was normal for any Nosferatu. The tower represented peace, and younger Kindred hung around in the gardens, free from any covenant disputes. A no-violence zone. If Kindred wanted to show up, talk, get to know each other, this was where they'd do it. Nosferatu didn't show up, because they were ugly as fuck, and that startled other young Kindred. So they hung out by themselves for the first few years of their embrace, and longer, hiding in sewers and whatnot until they were strong enough to Cloak themselves easily.

Times were different. She was different. She was a witch now, Jacob's student, and that put her on Antoinette's radar in a way she didn't necessarily like. She'd helped Jack when dealing with that strange spider monster in the sewers, so she had that to put her in Antoinette's favor, at least. Antoinette had also asked her to actually do her a favor, for Jacob, so there was that, too. And now she was dating one of the Invictus council, putting her on everyone's radar, which was probably what this call was about. The fuck did Julias do now?

She'd sent him a message before going to sleep yesterday, since he wasn't at the mansion. Still no reply. Strange. Ugh, did the man piss off the Prince somehow? Or lose his phone. Julias wasn't the type to forget his phone, or lose it, but who knew.

"Let me know how it goes," Jen said. She moved over to a bench, and sat nearby some other Kindred. The chance of hunters coming to Elysium was none, but still, the buddy system wasn't going away until the hunters were gone. Vamps had to stick together.

Nodding, Triss walked up the stairs. Once through the front door, she frowned at the thrall behind the front desk. A fat guy, bald, and he offered her a small wave.

"Miss Damor? Hey, come on in. You're expected."

"... thanks." She didn't bother Cloaking to hide herself from him, but it'd never be easy, revealing her mutations to a kine. The fat man did a double take once he noticed her cheeks, or lack there of, and the crocodile teeth that sat where cheeks were supposed to be, but quickly went back to his computer — and donuts — once he saw that she saw.

God damn, the tower was a fancy thing. The Invictus tower was all black marble, but the Elysium Tower was black marble with white veins, fucking everywhere. It was gorgeous, and imposing. And—oh, Jack and crew. Four Kindred came up from the stairs in the back of the big lobby, and turned to face her, Jack at the forefront. Tash, Damien, and Daniel followed him, probably the three most powerful Mekhet in the city. Scary.

She met Jack's eyes, and froze.

The boy stood there, and while she could see he struggled with it, he was forcing himself to look at her. The other three couldn't, avoiding her gaze, as if catching her snake eyes would set them on fire. Even Daniel, the fucking statue, had picked something else to look at, rather than meet her eyes.