Life of Blood [Closed]

[NightNurse]

Merlin looked over at Gabriel, and then back to the vampires. He didn't know what to do, so he didn't do anything. He listened to Carla and the vampires in silence, his hands balling into tight fists.


"Prove it." The vampire said. Carla didn't even pause. She had expected the vampire to ask her to prove what she was claiming.


"Peter Troy." She said simply. "Killed twenty years ago by human rebels. Now, I knew Peter. Quite well, actually. He was under Hercine's protection. So, please tell me how was it that he was found and killed?" She said. Of course, in reality, she had killed Peter. Esmeralda's father had helped her with that. "Not to mention the various situations that Hercine could have dealt with had he wanted to."


"What situations?" Based on the uneasiness in the vampire's voice, and the way he kept glancing at Hercine's body, he was starting to believe Carla. And she knew it.


"Well, for one thing, them." The vampiress said, gesturing towards Merlin and Gabriel. Merlin tensed, staring at Carla with a hardened expression. For all he knew, Carla was trying to get them all killed.


"They've been here for weeks." Carla continued. "And Hercine didn't have them killed, or captured, or anything? Unbelievable. Hercine has been giving them information on other vampires. Betraying other vampires." She said, looking angry.


"And how do you know this?" The vampire asked, folding his arms across his chest.


"I've been stalking them. That's how I knew where he would be." Carla said, nodding towards Hercine's body. "And then there's the matter of Hercine's 'escaped' slaves." She said. 'Thank you, Esmeralda.' She thought. She knew that Esmeralda helping those slaves escape would work out in Carla's favor some day. "A dozen in the last year alone. That's almost impossible. Unless, of course, there's someone freeing them. And since Hercine owned them all..." Carla gave the vampire a knowing look. "Who else could have helped them? If it was anyone else besides Hercine, wouldn't he have done something about it?"


The vampire shifted his weight from foot to foot. His faith in Hercine was crumbling. Merlin watched him closely, desperately hoping that the vampire wouldn't give the order for them all to be killed.


"Where does the dhampir fit into all of this?" The vampire asked. Carla glanced over at Evaline, looking sympathetic.


"The rebels were giving her to Hercine." She said softly. "As a thank you." Merlin stared at the others. How long had Carla been planning this? What the hell was her endgame here? He wondered with a frown.

 

[Lucyfer]

Carla spoke with knowledge and authority. It made Gabriel anxious and all the more worried. If he didn’t know better, he would have believed her. Of course, he did know better—he’d never worked with Hercine in his life. How she managed to come up with this story, and all these details, was making his head spin.


Gabriel tried to think back to any other vampires his group had killed in this area, that would line up with the idea of Hercine tipping them off. He wasn’t sure why, but he thought it might be good to have that information just in case. ‘So they have more reason to kill you?’ He wasn’t sure. He was still far too hopeful that Carla had something planned.


He glanced uneasily over his shoulder, wondering if anyone did bear the mark of Hercine’s slaves. He hadn’t gotten a chance to really look at it, when he was in the man’s presence. Of course, no other rebel came out to present themselves. ‘Are any of you nearby?’ Doubtful. They were further out to ensure Hercine didn’t have the forces to ambush the rest of them. ‘Please stay away.’ Gabriel quietly hoped they wouldn’t get suspicious and venture closer to the scene.


When the dhampir was again given the ‘task’ of gift, Evaline couldn’t help the laugh, however quiet it was. The sound caused some anxiety that was easily detected, since she had been quiet this entire time. Unmoving. She still resisted the urge to move, since she knew it would be for her sword, even if her intent was to just roll off her side.


Her shoulder did not agree with the hard ground. “There are chains here somewhere,” she muttered, uncertain if the vampires would even make out the words. She supposed that’d be evidence enough that she was being given over. “C’est la vie….”


Gabriel’s eyes narrowed at the strange phrase he’d never heard before.

 

[NightNurse]

"Yes! See, the chains.." Carla gestured in the direction of Evaline and the broken chains. She glanced down at the dhampir, having no idea what she had just said, but decided that now wouldn't be the best time to ask.


"And yet, your wrists are the injured ones." The vampire pointed out dryly. Carla glanced down at her hands, and Merlin held his breath. He was desperately hoping that none of his people would come any closer to the building than he had told them to. If the vampires saw them, it would all be over.


"Oh, these wounds are unrelated." Carla said quickly. There was a long pause. The vampire looked over at Evaline, suspious. Carla let out a sigh.


"I have another example of Hercine's betrayal of his fellow vampires." She said quickly. "Diana Morris." Her stomach twisted up in knots. "Killed one hundred years ago for planning an uprising. Hercine said that she was killed. But did anybody actually see the girl's body?" Carla asked. Of course, she had seen Diana's body. She had been the only one. "For all you know, Hercine let her go."


"Look, you have to believe me." Carla said, staring at the vampire. "I am not the kind of person that kills another vampire!" She said. 'Lies.' She thought, a bit amused by her own lies. "I mean, I know I killed my sire but that bastard had it coming." The vampire frowned.


"If you are telling the truth.." He paused. Carla held her breath. "Jesus." the vampire murmured, pushing his hand through his hair. "Lord Hercine a traitor.."


"It was shocking to me too." Carla said softly. 'He's believing me!" She thought, pleased with herself.


"Well, until I can prove you wrong.." the vampire turned towards his comrades. "Arrest the humans. You, get the dhampir." He said, nodding to another vampire.


"I'll help her." Carla offered. The vampire just waved her on. Merlin took a step back, defensive. He didn't want to be arrested. But what other choice did he have? He couldn't just run, and if he tried to protest or defend himself, he would be killed. So he stood still as a vampire approached him and tied his hands behind his back. Merlin looked over at Gabriel, willing the other rebel to cooperate as well.


Carla went over to Evaline, crouching down in front of her. "Let me help you up." She said, leaning forward slightly. "Just play along for now." She said in a hushed whisper.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Ok. Un prison. Oui. Il sonne bien.’ Evaline hardly noticed the shift of her thought’s language. She really didn’t want to get up. She knew that putting any weight on her leg was going to hurt. She also imagined that standing couldn’t be good for the blood that was rushing through her body.


Carla volunteered to help her, and Evaline let out another breath. Carla came close and knelt besides her, and Evaline let her eyes drift up. She understood what was said, though it clearly took a few moments for it to register. Evaline sat up on her own, but then held out an arm. She was going to need help standing, or else she was going to fall as soon as the pain shot through her leg.


Evaline would accept the help up, at least.


Gabriel, meanwhile, swallowed hard when he understood what was going to happen. Had the dhampir and vampire planned this from the start? ‘No, the dhampir reacted badly.’ And got shot for it. She had been just as surprised as him.


Perhaps Carla was just saving Evaline because the dhampir had stood up for her? A debt to be repaid? He looked to Merlin, desperate and anxious energy in his gaze, but he didn’t step back. He was too afraid to really move much, despite the energy flowing through his veins. Fight or flight. He could do neither.


He stamped his foot hard on the ground, but then disarmed himself completely. “Horse shit,” he cursed and had his hands bound behind his back like Merlin.


They would be led out of the building, and Gabriel imagined, they would be led right into cells where their fates would be decided. ‘Hopefully the group can go on without us.’ He wasn’t sure who would rise up in the ranks when he and Merlin both were gone. There wasn’t exactly a 3rd in command.

 

[NightNurse]

Carla took Evaline by her arm, gently helping the dhampir to her feet. Looking at Evaline, Carla frowned slightly. The dhampir was in bad shape. She seemed barely responsive. This wouldn't do. Carla felt bad for her.


"Come on, love." She said gently. "Don't go fainting on me or anything."


Merlin was lead forward by a vampire prodding him in the back with a gun. The rebel scowled. He couldn't think of a way out of this. He should have just killed the vampire when he had the chance, damn it. Because now he was taken captive by vampires, being lead to God knows where to a probable death. If Carla was dead, this probably wouldn't be happening.


Was was going to happen to his people? He had never officially named somebody to take his place if something happened to him. When his parents had died and left the group leaderless, the choice had been obvious. But Merlin had never decided on a plan B leader.


Merlin had considered Gabriel. Merlin had always thought that Gabriel was smart enough to lead. Sadly, it looked like they were both heading off towards death. 'Who would they all follow? Could they even decide on somebody?' He wondered. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the ground in front of him. Was this how his parents had felt? Knowing they were probably going to die and their main worry being the others in their group?


Shaking his head slightly to clear it, Merlin just tried to focus on his present problems. If there was one thing that he couldn't do, it was to give up. He couldn't just wait for death. There must be a way out of this. And if there wasn't, then he would go down fighting.


"Come on." The vampire leader said, nodding towards the door. His people surrounded the rebels. A few of them stayed near Carla and Evaline. Carla figured that the vampire leader didn't think a wounded and starving dhampir and a vampiress who appeared to be on their side was much of a threat.

 

[Lucyfer]

Fainting was a real concern, Evaline realized. She’d prefer it to the other options her mind had humored. “Je ne vais pas tomber dans les pommes,” she understood that Carla was speaking English to her, but she wasn’t thinking fast enough to speak English.


She let some of her weight fall on Carla, and let herself be led forward, holding on to consciousness as best she could and doing her utmost to ignore the scents of the humans behind. It was easier, among this many vampires. However, when they got within the city, someone started to pull her away from Carla.


There was no strength to resist, but she shot a bewildered look to them, “Quel…?” Arms were pulled behind her back. There was no malice to it, no harshness.


“We’re going to need to speak with you alone,” the one vampire said to Carla, “We’ll put her with the others.”


“Non, non, je ne—” a pull and she shut up, bowed her head, and let herself be brought along.


Gabriel and Merlin had been turned in another direction to start with, and now Evaline was brought with them to the cells, and unfortunately, locked in the same cell as them. A panic rose up in her as her steps staggered and she almost fell back onto the cot. She adjusted her weight, and held her breath, before moving to occupy a corner.


“Hey, you can’t leave us in here with her!” Gabriel shouted down the hall, but he went ignored. “She’s not—damn it,” he cursed, banging his fist against the bar before letting his head rest against the bar. Well, if the vampires intended to kill them, they might very well get their wish. “Damn her,” it was Carla he cursed now.


In a cell, his faith evaporated.

 

[NightNurse]

As she was separated from Evaline, Carla resisted the urge to scowl. In her current state, Evaline could say anything that could lead the vampires to believe Carla was lying and not even realize that was what she was doing. Granted, she might be speaking in French, but there was no guaranty that Evaline was the only person around here who spoke the language.


Carla watched Evaline be taken away in silence. She had to admit that she was a bit worried about the dhampir.


"Right." She said, looking to the vampire who had spoken with her. Putting Evaline in with the human rebels could end badly, but Carla couldn't say anything. She was lead down a couple of hallways and left in an office like room. She stood there, not moving. She heard the door lock. She let out a long sigh.


Outside in the hall, Samuel stood by the door. He turned to one of the vampires standing guard. "Go get Gaius. Tell him what has happened." He instructed, watching as the vampire nodded and went off.


Merlin didn't say anything as he and Gabriel were led to the cell and locked in. He leaned against the wall, not moving, until he straightened as he watched Evaline be brought into the cell. He was weaponless, and she was a starving dhampir. She was outnumered, but still a concern.


"Should have just killed the damn vampire.." He murmured, letting out a sigh. He watched Evaline with a frown.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gaius was not in any posh office. Whenever it was night, he was about as far away from his home and his office as he could get, unless it was absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, most of the vampires knew this about him, and so he was tracked down to a garden, where he was discussing botany with another individual.


“Gaius,” and Gaius sighed. He’d long given up on enforcing the Roman way of things, so that his first name wouldn’t be used except by close friends. No one cared any longer. He turned.


“What is it?” He asked the one who approached.


“Samuel has sent for you,” he glanced at Gaius’s companion, “I can explain on the way,” he noted, apparently not impressed with the company Gaius was keeping. Gaius shrugged his shoulders, bid farewell to his companion, and then walked alongside the guard. The explanation began, “Lord Hercine is dead,” and the brown eyes of Gaius widened.


“By who?”


“A vampiress known as Carla Davenport has claimed to be the author of his demise, and has further claimed that he was working with rebels. Two of them are in custody right now, as is a dhampir they were handing over to Hercine, named Alana Montgomery.”


Gaius’s frown deepened. “And the rebels?”


“A Gabriel and a Merlin.”


Gaius was certain he knew the name Merlin. He nodded. “I see. And Samuel wants me for…?”


“Not certain.”


Another sigh escaped Gaius, “Very well,” he would see to it. The guard would lead him to Samuel.


~***~


The corner Evaline chose was also near the bars. Metal centered her, but she knew it wouldn’t last. She snaked one arm around the bar nearby to try and anchor herself there, and she leaned against it, pressed her cheek to the metal.


They were all cursing Carla. “Elle est avec nous.” Why did she talk? Talking meant breathing, and from the dumbfounded look Gabriel gave her, she knew he didn’t understand. Why couldn’t she get her tongue to obey and speak English?


“What are you even speaking?” Gabriel asked her. Evaline just shut her eyes and tried to focus on the metal. Her hand tightened around the cold as she had to take in another breath simply to live. The chill that went through her was not from that cold, though.


“Vous devriez me tuer.” Evaline muttered, and didn’t close her lips again completely. She couldn’t, without her own fangs now digging into her lip. They wouldn’t be so easily retracted, though it gave her something to focus on, and she tried. She tried.


Gabriel noticed the glint, and he backed up to the far corner. “I don’t know what she’s saying,” as if Merlin would. It frightened him that he didn’t understand the words, though he completely understood the body language. He wasn’t sure if it matched. The tone indicated near apathy, but that might be because it was deadened by physical needs.

 

[NightNurse]

When Samuel saw Gaius approaching, he straighten, glancing towards the locked door for a second before facing the other vampires. "I assume you told him what was going on?" He said, directing his words at the messenger. Not even waiting for the vampire to answer, Samuel got straight to the point.


"I need you to help me figure out if she's lying and then what to do with her. And the others." he said, nodding towards the door. "The vampiress who killed Lord Hercine... claimed he was a human sympathizer." He scowled. "She could be lying, obviously, but seeing as she was quite convincing I let her live. For now anyway." He grumbled. He turned back towards the door and unlocked it. Pushing it open, he stepping inside motioning for Gaius to follow him.


Hearing the door unlock, Carla turned around. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She had no idea what was going to happen now, seeing as at this point in time things were pretty much out of her hands. If she couldn't convince all of the other vampires that she spoke the truth, it would all be over for her. Her stomach knotted up a bit, and she let out a long sigh to calm down.


"Hello." She said slowly, noticing that Samuel was not alone. She didn't know exactly who the other vampire was, although she vaguely recognized him from her time spent in Hercine's empire.


---


"I don't know what she's saying either." Merlin grumbled. He pushed his hand through his hair, scowling. He wasn't really all that angry at Evaline for speaking another language, or Gabriel for not understanding it. He was angry that he was in a cage, captured by vampires. But he was even a little more frustrated with himself for being such a fool to be tricked by a vampire. How had he been so stupid? He really should have just killed Carla and been done with her.


"We need to get out of here." he said quietly. Of course, he knew that he may very well die here, but he had to at least try to get free. His people needed a leader. And that leader was him, as stressful and frustrating as leading was. He looked over at Evaline, and his eyes narrowed. He just had to take this one problem at a time. And right this second, he figured that he and Gabriel's biggest concern was the dhampir going crazy and trying to kill them. Starving vampires, and therefor he assumed dhampirs, were even more like wild animals than they were when they weren't driven mad by blood lust. Not to mention that Evaline was a good fighter.


"Ev.. Alana." He said, quickly correcting himself. He couldn't risk a vampire overhearing and realize that Carla had lied about the dhampir's name. Of course, Merlin didn't care if Carla was caught in a lie, but he figured that if whatever Carla was doing went wrong, it would certainly be the end for him and Gabriel. Of course, it was probably the end for them anyway.. he sighed.


"Alana, if I help you out with your... problem... would you help us figure out how to get out of here?" he asked slowly. He watched the dhampir with a frown. He was certainly desperate, offering help to someone with fangs, even if she was also half human.

 

[Lucyfer]

Samuel was to the point, which Gaius appreciated. He gave a nod at Samuel’s direction and the need to ascertain whether or not this Carla was telling the truth. It seemed Samuel was already biased towards her, so Samuel imagined he’d have to act biased against her, though he had no opinion just yet.


He hadn’t known Hercine all that well, but he hadn’t liked Hercine. He was an upstart, and those sorts always annoyed Gaius even if they were smart and rightly ambitious.


Gaius followed after and saw the vampiress there, dark-haired and light-eyed, certainly a pretty one. He didn’t know how old she was, wasn’t familiar with her by name. “Hello,” Gaius said and walked forward. He offered his hand, “I am Gaius Catalla Mercellus. Who are you, and who is responsible for you?” As in, who was her sire, who was to blame if all went wrong.


~***~


Evaline willed herself to remain silent since her tongue disobeyed her desires to speak English. She was slipping, and she knew it. She could only hope she’d slip into unconsciousness and not into the feral state that gripped her with each breath she had to take. She was trying to hold her breath for longer periods of time, each time.


Her eyes remained shut. She focused still on retracting her fangs, and clenching her fist around the metal bar. The nails threatened to dig into her own palm each time, but they were adequate distractions for the time being.


She opened one eye when Merlin made it clear that he was addressing her. It took her a few moments to understand what Merlin was offering, though Gabriel knew immediately, “You can’t do that!” Gabriel said, eyes wide. “You don’t know what—none of us know what that might do.” They knew the risks of a vampire bite, which were certainly not good risks. A dhampir was unknown.


Evaline bit the inside of her cheek. She could tell Gabriel there was no risk of becoming a vampire, but he wouldn’t understand, presently. “Ou—” French. She bit down on the word and gave a single nod. A clearer head would help her to think, which would help them to get out if it was necessary. It also put the two of them at a lesser risk, if she didn’t just slip nicely into unconsciousness.

 

[NightNurse]

Carla watched the other two vampires, stepping forward and shaking the one vampire's offered hand. "Nice to meet you." She said, sounding a little nervous. She had just killed a vampire Lord, after all. She didn't know if this Gaius was very loyal to Hercine. She didn't know what his reaction to what she had done was just yet.


"My name is Carla Davenport." She said. At Gaius's second question, she paused. "My sire is dead." She said quietly. Samuel was watching her closely, narrowing his eyes slightly.


"What happened to him?" He asked. Carla got a little fidgety. Her sire, and was had happened to him, was something that she knew she couldn't lie about. All either of these vampires would have to do was to ask somebody who had heard of her, and that lie would crumble. And if she got caught in one lie, everything else she said would come under even more scrutiny.


"I.. killed him." She said softly. Samuel raised an eyebrow. "I was newly turned and in an unfamiliar place. I...I was confused and I was panicking." Carla said quickly. Feigning a look of remorse, she let out a sigh. "It was a mistake, alright? Please don't let that make you any more biased against me than you both probably are." Samuel scowled.


---


Merlin looked over at Gabriel as the other man protested what Merlin was offering. "I don't want to die here, Gabriel." He said, willing his voice to remain steady. "She could probably be helpful trying to get free." Gabriel was right, of course. They didn't know what a dhampir's bite would do. Merlin didn't know if dhampirs could turn people or not.


"Who knows, she might not even be able to turn people." He said. He really hoped that was true.


Merlin watched Evaline nod, taking a slow step towards her. He had never had anybody drink from him but he tried to put those concerns aside. He needed to get out of here. He had to do whatever it takes to get out of here. To get back to his people. He couldn't just give up and abandon them just because he was too cowardly to risk the possibly results from a bite from a dhampir.


"Okay.." he said slowly, holding out his wrist, a little awkwardly.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gaius sat after the handshake, and listened to the answer Carla provided him. By her words, that meant she likely didn’t know the name of her sire, but he still had to prod, “What was his name?” That would offer more insight into the situation. The actual identity of the sire was often useful.


The fact that he was dead made it reasonable for why Gaius wouldn’t know Carla. She must have fled, and had to learn how to be a vampire more or less on her own. The sires were in charge of educating their childes. He was pleased that she was at least willing to confess to his death. Considering the situation she was in, that would have been something to lie about—two vampire murders was not good for anyone’s reputation, if those vampires hadn’t already been determined to be traitors in some fashion.


~***~


When Merlin spoke of her inability to turn people, she gave another single, firm nod, hoping he understood. So far as Evaline knew, she didn’t produce that venom. Never had, likely never would.


Gabriel narrowed his eyes though. It could easily be a ploy, or a lie, and Evaline accepted that suspicion. She’d be suspicious in his shoes. Would she do it, though? Evaline considered she had already put her life on the line for them, and it led her here.


The answer was obvious.


The wrist was offered. Evaline could tell him there were less painful locations, but then again, they weren’t the easiest to access. Hopefully, he’d never have to know again. Evaline kept one hand on the bar, and reached with her other for his. There was a part of her that longed to deny it, but she knew how that would end—she’d kill them both. So, she drew the wrist closer to her lips, and then let the fangs puncture the offered flesh to take the blood out of his veins.


Gabriel looked away immediately.

 

[NightNurse]

"His name was Luther Blake." Carla said. She stood in front of Gaius, frowning. "Although that might not even have been his real name. I never heard of him before he turned me and I knew of a lot of the vampires in the area where I lived." She shrugged. She hated thinking about Luther, about being turned. Those were such unpleasant memories.


"You like killing vampires?" Samuel asking, narrowing his eyes at her. A vampire is kind enough to offer her the gift of being a vampire, of being immortal , and she kills him for it? Disgraceful.


Clara glanced over at Samuel. She could guess what he was thinking. "No." She said, wondering how much the fact that she had killed her sire would effect the outcome of this current situation. Hopefully, it wouldn't change that much. It very well might, though. After all, these vampires had just met her and she had confessed to killing not one, but two vampires. She didn't have the greatest reputation. Of course, two vampires seemed like almost nothing compared to what she has done using aliases. Luckily these vampires didn't know anything but what she was telling them. Otherwise, it would certainly be all over for her.


---


Merlin saw Evaline nod when he mentioned her not being able to turn people. He hoped she was confirming his hopes of not being turned by her. He told himself that dhampirs were half human, even if they seemed more like vampires. Humans couldn't turn people. So maybe dhampirs couldn't either.


As Evaline bit into his wrist, Merlin flinched. He made the mistake of glancing down at her, and his stomach twisted up in knots. Looking away, he let out a sigh, forcing himself to remain calm. He kept telling himself that this was necessary. Helping Evaline would better his chances of getting him and Gabriel free.


He was a bit freaked out though. He had never been bitten before. How would he know if Evaline was turning him? His free hand clenched into a fist, and he forced himself to not look down at Evaline. He had to try and get back to his people. If that meant letting a dhampir drink from him, so be it.

 

[Lucyfer]

Luther Blake wasn’t a man of much repute, one way or another. ‘Why did he turn you?’ It was a decent question to ask, but Gaius did not. He did not imagine there would be an answer if Carla had been so confused at the outset of this event. Luther must have meant it for harm rather than good.


‘Still….’ He thought to phrase it another way, “Did Luther say what he was going to do to you?” He cast a glance at Samuel, “It is possible he didn’t mention it.” And if so, then Luther had broken their own laws by turning a human who hadn’t consented. It wasn’t punishable by death, not usually, but it would shine some light on the situation and the character of this woman.


He knew this was off track from Hercine, but he imagined it’d be easy enough to get back on track, and find out how the woman knew Hercine was dealing with rebels. It was still difficult to see. Hercine had never seemed like a turncoat.


~***~


Evaline didn’t let her gaze move up. She could feel the fear and disgust in the trembling of his arm. She drank, not deeply, but until she felt satisfied. Until her head stopped swimming with French and she could think in a coherent, English sentence. That was when she licked the wound to close it, and pushed Merlin’s arm back to him.


One deep breath was taken as she pulled herself to her feet. Dhampirs didn’t need as much blood as vampires, so she certainly hoped Merlin was feeling all right after the loss. “Thank you,” the words were a bit slower, weighed still from the memories of French. She decided to explain, glancing to Gabriel, “My native tongue is French,” so he’d know what she was speaking.


“Uh…huh,” Gabriel blinked, “Wait, you’re from France?” He’d heard of France. He was certain that was far away.


Evaline nodded. “Are you all right?” She was still speaking slowly, as she addressed Merlin.

 

[NightNurse]

Carla simply shrugged at Gaius's question. It made sense that he would ask that. After all, vampires tend to have a reason for turning somebody. "He was going to marry me." She stated. "Although I only got that wonderful news after I was turned. I think he might have just said he was going to marry me because he turned me without thinking and thought a marriage would fix things." She shrugged again. Samuel raised an eyebrow.


"Did you not give your permission?" He asked, frowning a little. Carla shook her head slightly.


"No, I didn't." She said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Look, I had a good reason to kill Luther Blake. I don't take killing a vampire lightly." She said. She was kind of lying about that last part, but Samuel and Gaius didn't know that.


"Hmm." Samuel said thoughtfully. Maybe Carla wasn't a bad person, as he had first assumed. If she really hadn't consented to being turned, and then had woken up scared and confused, killing her sire was an action that made sense.


---


When Evaline pulled away, Merlin let out a soft sigh of relief. He put his hand over his wrist, watching the dhampir. "Ah." He said simply, regarding Evaline's explanation of her language use. When she asked if he was alright, he nodded.


"I'm fine." He said. He didn't feel bad. A little lightheaded from the blood loss, but that was bearable. It was certainly more bearable than having a starving dhampir attack him, and probably kill him.


"I still feel human, so I don't think you turned me." he commented, glancing around the cage. Now the figure out a way out of here.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gaius nodded, accepting Carla’s answer for Luther. If his sire hadn’t informed him what was going on, he would have lashed out. Then again, he’d been a Centurion—violence had been his thing. Fortunately, he’d been told, and he allowed for it to happen. That was even before these formal rules were in place.


That was why these formal rules were in place, among other reasons. People had been turned into vampires for grudge reasons in the past, and that just made more powerful enemies for all vampires to deal with. “All right, let’s get back to the topic at hand. Hercine,” he said, and thought to what he’d been told. “Tell me how you came to know that Hercine was a human sympathizer,” he hadn’t been given all the details of how she supposedly knew this to be true.


~***~


Evaline smiled a bit at the comment about turning, “We can’t. Not to dhampir, nor to vampire—and we can’t make vampires human,” she had remembered when that was questioned, too. As far as Evaline knew, despite her father’s hopes, the dhampir was infertile. It couldn’t create like human nor vampires.


For some, like Merlin right now, that was likely a relief. “Did you ever try?” came Gabriel’s question.


Evaline shook her head, but answered, “Not to turn, but I’ve tried to produce the venom. I don’t have the sacs,” she’d undergone an examination when she stumbled upon a couple humans who had secured a medical facility.


She then turned to the topic at hand. Escape. She bit the inside of her cheek, then shook her head, “For the moment,” she took a glance down the hall to see where the nearest vampire was, then lowered her voice just in case, “we should not move to escape, but we can identify the methods.” There was the door, obviously, locked though it was. The standard tricks of one being sick likely wouldn’t work. No windows. Evaline paced along the walls, not sure what she was looking for.


‘Seems like just the door.’


Gabriel complained, “Why shouldn’t we be acting now?” His voice was also kept at a whisper, following Evaline’s lead there. His eyes followed her as she stalked the small cell.


“Carla has a plan.” She wasn’t privy to it, but she understood.

 

[NightNurse]

Carla nodded at Gaius. "I lived here about a hundred years ago." She informed him. "It was around that time when I first started to suspect Hercine."


"And got yourself exiled." Samuel muttered. Clara let out a sigh.


"Yes, I was exiled. But I'll get to that in a minute." She said, looking back at Gaius. "When I lived here, I mostly kept to myself. I didn't know anyone very well." She shrugged slightly. "I bought a house and a few slaves. One of slaves was named Diana. One day I came home to find her missing. I was quite angry at first, thinking she had run away, until one of my other humans explained to me that some of Hercine's people broke into my home and took Diana away." She frowned.


"So I went to Hercine and asked for Diana back, or at least enough money to buy another human. He refused. Then he told me that she had been killed because she was organizing a rebellion among the other humans. That wasn't true." She paused for a second. "I think that Hercine let Diana go. Nobody ever saw her body. If she was dead, why go through such a effort to hide her remains?"


---


"Hhm. Good to know." Merlin said thoughtfully, peering at Evaline as she told them that dhampirs couldn't turn anyone into anything. He looked around, trying to think of an escape plan. He turned back and looked at Evaline when the dhampir mentioned Carla.


"Carla having a plan would be a lot more comforting if I trusted Carla." Merlin muttered. "I think we should be trying to figure out how to get out of here as soon as possible. We don't know what Carla is planning. She could be talking to somebody right now...arranging our executions." He said, also lowering his voice in case there were vampire guards nearby.


"I mean, for all we know the bitch vampire could be arranging for Gabriel and me to be sold into slavery. God knows what she could be arranging for you." He said, nodding at Evaline. "Seeing as being executed or sold are both things that I would like to avoid.." his voice trailed off as he looked around the cell again. "I think we should try to escape as soon as possible."

 

[Lucyfer]

Hercine had never reported such a thing, from what Gaius remembered. That wasn’t saying much, but he could check the records. He made a note to do so, looking back a century or so for any commentary on a human rebel called Diana, and a report by Hercine.


Gaius didn’t take the bait about ‘why hide the body’. He could think of reasons. A group with a lost leader often became lost in hope. He’d employed the strategy before and watched groups dissolve because there was just no proof that their leader was dead. “Did you report this incident? If Hercine had taken your human, there were routes you could have gone to sue him for the money or return,” Gaius could also look into the records to see if a Diana was mentioned that way.


However, he had a feeling that Carla hadn’t done this. There was going to be an annoying lack of paper for this case.


~***~


‘God knows what?’ “Experimentation,” Evaline filled in. Experimentation or execution seemed the only live options, and experimentation was the last thing Evaline wanted.


Still, it seemed the only way out was the door. “She may also be plotting how to get us out alive,” considering the route she had chosen, Evaline could only really see one way for the rebels. Slavery, of course, but slavery under Carla. “She called me Alana.” Her real name would have been a death sentence to anyone who remembered her father—and she was certain that memory was alive here.


“Even so, this,” Evaline gestured to the door, “Is our only way.”


Gabriel frowned, “And how is that our escape?”


Evaline shrugged. “We get it open.”


Gabriel gave her such a dirty look for stating the obvious. He got up from where he was and decided to approach the part where the lock was, glancing down the hall for vampires. He wouldn’t touch it, but he did lift himself up on his tiptoes to try and see down, to figure out the locking mechanism. “We could pretend you’re sick.” Evaline said as a jest.


The vampires wouldn’t care at all.

 

[NightNurse]

Carla shrugged. "I was going to report it, but then Hercine had me exiled." She stated. "He gave me two choices. Leave and never come back, or he would accuse me of aiding Diana's rebellion and freeing her. I'm not an idiot, I knew that if I stuck around I would be charged and sentenced. Nobody would have believed me over Hercine. I was new and mostly kept to myself and he was the leader. And I couldn't prove that I hadn't let Diana go, because I didn't have her." She explained. Samuel frowned.


"Over the years, have either of you noticed that every once in a while a slave belonging to Hercine just vanishes? No body, no explanation, or anything. He let humans go." Carla insisted.


---


Experimentation? Merlin frowned. He wondered if Evaline had been experimented on before. He peered at her, shrugging slightly at what she said about Carla. "We have no way to know for sure what the hell she's doing." He said. "I mean, she might have called you Alana to keep you alive for longer, but not avoid execution or experimentation forever." He pointed out. "She could need something from you and once she gets it, you die." He looked over at Gabriel as he inspected the lock.


"Even if we could get the door open, I doubt we would be able to get far enough away without anybody noticing." He said thoughtfully. He started pacing, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Okay.. Carla said that we've been working with Hercine." He glanced over at Gabriel. "Maybe we'll be asked about it. We could be taken somewhere else to be question. If that's the case, we could try to escape then, although there would probably be a lot more guards around." he scowled.

 

[Lucyfer]

Of course Gaius hadn’t noticed. He never cared enough about a few missing slaves from any vampire. It was bound to happen. So if Hercine had a few go missing over the years, it was nothing to wonder about. Gaius didn’t even wonder about it then, as it was put before him. He just shrugged. “It is possible.” If so, Hercine wasn’t smart about his alliances, though that was obvious.


He was dead. “All right then,” Gaius waved a dismissive hand, “Tell us how you got involved in that mess with Hercine earlier, and what you knew about the situation with the dhampir and rebels.” For that was curious. Gaius didn’t even know of this Alana Montgomery, and usually the birth of a dhampir was not something that fell under the radar easily. Even if the pregnancy could be hidden, usually the infant’s nature made itself known quickly, and people gossiped.


It seemed strange that a dhampir was involved in all of this. He wasn’t clear on whether or not she was in favor of vampires or humans, though if she was being traded, that indicated an ally.


~***~


‘Carla couldn’t keep that from me forever.’ All good dhampirs were expected to go through with experimentations to enjoy their livelihood in the protection of vampire society. There were many reasons why this world didn’t suit her, and that was high on the list. Some dhampirs were fine with it, or at least, she’d heard that. She’d never met one.


“Should we get our story straight?” Gabriel couldn’t help but ask when Merlin mentioned the Hercine bit. It was a bit derisive, “or would a confusing mess be better?”


Evaline shook her head, caught between amusement and exasperation, “At least my role seems the same.” The bait to trade. This was too easy. “But it would be easier when we’re let out for questioning,” if they were. “Or for any reason,” she let her gaze move to Merlin, “Should we act together, or wait until we’re separated?” When the door opened, they’d have the chance to act as one, rather than be pulled in three different directions.

 

[NightNurse]

Carla nodded at Gaius' question. "I got involved with this current situation about twenty years ago. I was in the area and I contacted an old friend from when I lived here. His name was Peter Troy. He mentioned that Hercine was protecting him from some human rebels. And then he was killed by..."


"It's awfully convenient that all of your information comes from dead people." Samuel said dryly, interrupting Carla. Carla narrowed her eyes slightly at him.


"Actually, not all of my information." She said. "But I'll get to that in a minute. What I was saying before I was interrupted is that Peter was killed by human rebels. So my question was how did a vampire under Hercine's protection get killed like that. I found the man who killed Peter." She said. "He wasn't a slave here. Hell, he wasn't even marked so it wasn't like he could have just lied his way in." She said. She was talking about Esmeralda's father. She figured she could use him in her lies, since the man was dead anyway.


"The human's name was Aaron. I don't know what his last name was." She informed them. "Now, after that, I was more suspicious of Hercine than ever. However, some human rebels found me. I managed to escape from them, but they knew that I wanted to come back here and look into Hercine. They found that out by torturing me. So it wasn't safe for me to come back here. Until a few days ago, when I got bored and figured I would risk it. I saw the rebels that you have locked up and started watching them. I overheard one of them mention the meeting with Hercine and that's how I got here." Samuel nodded slowly.


"Where does the dhampir fit into all of this?" he asked. He had never heard of the dhampir. Which was surprising, considering the fact that a dhampir doing so much as existing was a big deal. Carla just shrugged slightly. She knew that this was where she had to be careful. If she said too much and then Evaline said something different, it wouldn't be the best situation.


"I found out about the dhampir watching the rebels arrive at the building." She said. "I overheard her name, and that she was being given to Hercine, but that's it. I've never heard of her, nor do I have any idea where her loyalties lie." Evaline would have to handle a bit of Carla's scheme herself. Carla would let Evaline figure out what exactly she wanted to tell these people. "Although considering that humans were keeping her prisoner, she may prefer her vampire side." Carla shrugged.


---


Merlin nodded thoughtfully when Gabriel asked if they should get their story straight. He thought that they probably should, although that might be a bit difficult considering that they had no idea what exactly Carla was trying to accomplish. So perhaps a confusing mess would be better. But if they didn't cooperate with the vampires, things might be worst for them versus if they lied.


"Getting our story straight is probably a good idea, I'm just not sure what exactly our story should be." He frowned, trying to figure out the best answer when Evaline asked about them acting together. That particular question was something Merlin could handle. Plans of action, he could do. Plans of lies and manipulation.. not so much. So he decided to focus on what seemed to be what would happen first.. the cage door being opened.


"Once we're separated, Gabriel and I will almost certainly be locked up." He glanced over at the other human. "But, depending on what Carla is saying about you," he looked at Evaline. "You might not be." He paused thoughtfully. "So.. if they don't chain you up or anything, I wouldn't screw things up for yourself by trying to fight them. Lying may be better." He watched Evaline thoughtfully.


"For us, however." He looked over at Gabriel. "I don't think we have a chance of a situation that's at least somewhat.. civil." He shrugged slightly. Regardless of whatever Carla was doing, he and Gabriel were still human rebels. "So we might want to try and escape if we're still together." After all, there was strength in numbers. Even if that number was two, maybe three if Evaline was with them, against a city full of vampires

 

[Lucyfer]

It was interesting how so many of the contacts were dead, though if Hercine was covering tracks that was the smart way to go about it, too. Carla noted she had a contact alive, and would get to that, so Gaius waited to hear it as she got to the ‘end’ of the story. The dhampir wasn’t known to Carla. Her allegiances weren’t known, either.


There was the obvious guess, that she was for vampires. It wasn’t unknown. There wasn’t really anything common about dhampirs to be certain which was more probable, in either case. Gaius assumed humans were just as ignorant about them, if not more so. However, if Hercine was willing to trade for the dhampir, that meant something.


“We’ll have to have someone speak to this Alana, then,” Gaius said softly, “and the rebels, as well, to find out what was going on with this trade,” it was possible the dhampir had no idea. Making the rebels talk might be difficult, though. “You said you had some living contacts left, Carla? Who can speak for you?”


With a trail of dead, it was hard to know the character of Carla, and whether or not she was trustworthy. Speaking with the rebels and the dhampir might help to figure that out, though they were even more susceptible to lying than Carla, in his mind.


~***~


Gabriel understood the odds of escaping were better if they were together, so he started to nod to that idea, “There might be a civil way. Of sorts.” Evaline spoke up.


“And what would that be, Evalana,” he threw the name into one rather smoothly, and she couldn’t help but smirk a bit at it.


How quickly he’d grown accustomed to Evaline. “We agree on a simple story. I’m a vampire sympathizer, and something Hercine wanted.” She kept her ears alert for the sounds of steps. If they were heard plotting a story, it would all fall apart.


“Why would Hercine…,” there was a look in her eyes when they glanced up from the floor that gave Merlin the word. “Oh.” Experiments. “Does that really happen? I mean…even if you’re with the leeches?”


She lifted her eyebrows once, then looked back down to the floor, “Vampires are interested in our ability to defy daylight, to eat human food, and much else. It doesn’t matter what side you fall on, human sympathizer or with the vampires entirely, we’re…interesting.” She shrugged her shoulders, dismissed it as something that simply was true, like so much else. A simple reality. “If that doesn’t suit as a reason, go with money. Others would pay Hercine for a dhampir. You two can decide on it, I can play ignorant of the intentions. The point I want to get at is, if I can play it off well enough, they might…accept me as one of them, and allow me to decide the punishment for you two, since I was the one harmed.”


Eye for an eye sort of justice, if she could manage it. Rebels didn’t exactly get trials.


“You’re thinking slavery, aren’t you?” Gabriel didn’t sound at all inclined towards that, even as a charade. What guarantee did he have that it was a charade, after all? They’d already been screwed over by Carla, who was to say Evaline wouldn’t take this second chance as well?

 

[NightNurse]

Carla nodded at Gaius. She wasn't terribly worried about them speaking to Evaline. The dhampir seemed smart enough to realize what was in her best interest. And what would be the best thing for Evaline to do would be to play along with Carla's lies. Carla hoped the dhampir did realize this.


It was the rebels that she was a little concerned about. Of course, the vampires might not believe them if they said they weren't working with Hercine, but Carla doubted that would do anything to make them believe her. She hoped that the humans were smart enough to lie. At Gaius' question about who could speak for her, she didn't even blink before answering.


"Richard Mckinney. He lives here, and sired Peter Troy." And was why Peter was killed, but Carla didn't tell the vampires this. Richard owed her a favor for killing Peter. She was fairly certain that he would lie for her.


"I know him." Samuel said thoughtfully. "He knew of your suspicions of Hercine?" He questioned. Carla nodded.


"Yes. At first, he thought I was crazy." She said. "And then Peter was killed and Richard started to believe me. Of course, he hadn't acted on his suspicions because that wouldn't have been very smart of him to do."


"No, that wouldn't have been smart of him." Samuel commented. "Wasn't very smart of you either." Carla shrugged slightly.


"No, it wasn't smart of me to act." She admitted. "After all, I have no guarantee that you're going to believe me. But I believe that I did the right thing, that's why I confessed to killing Hercine."


---


Merlin nodded thoughtfully, watching Evaline. He sighed softly when she spoke of the vampires experimenting on her. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be experimented on. Actually, he could imagine a little and nothing that he thought up was very pleasant. He frowned slightly.


"Alright. We were selling you to Hercine because he wanted to experiment on you." He said. When Evaline mentioned her being the one to decide on his and Gabriel's punishment, he frowned. That might end up better than if it was a random vampire deciding their fates, but that would mean that Evaline was on their side. Merlin wasn't entirely sure who's side the dhampir was on.


At Gabriel's mention of slavery, Merlin frowned. His first thought was 'I'd rather die.' But maybe it could just be a charade. Again, that would be meaning that Evaline was on their side.


"Wonderful." He commented dryly, running a hand through his hair. "Exactly whose side are you on?" He asked then, peering at Evaline intently. "Are you going to be like Carla and completely screw us over?" Of course, if these were Evaline's intentions, she had no reason to admit it. Still, Merlin had to ask.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gaius gave a nod as the name was given, and turned his attention from Carla to Samuel, “Do you want to have people sent to get Richard for questioning, and some others to go question the rebels and dhampir?”


That seemed the next step in finding out if Carla’s story checked out. They had to check her sources, the few living ones. The rebels likely wouldn’t be good sources, but this Richard could. The dhampir was uncertain, but questioning her would certainly help matters progress. “I can stay with Carla if you wish to question Richard yourself,” he wasn’t sure if Samuel would want someone else to do it, since Samuel knew Richard.


He ought to know his nervous ticks.


~***~


Evaline gave a nod, accepting the reason given. However, when Merlin accused her of treachery and asked her side, she shut her eyes and shook her head.


“You’re forgetting,” she began softly, “that I’m not Alana.” The two humans already had the way to condemn her, if they wanted to. Her and Carla both, really. “Just tell them who I am if you want to know what side I’m on.” It wasn’t something Evaline really wanted them to do, and she was hoping they’d understand.


“But that—” Merlin realized it before he could finish. “Oh.” Right. If Evaline was safe under her own name, Carla wouldn’t have changed it. He remembered that Carla seemed to know of Evaline’s parents, and what happened to them.


Dhampirs evidently lived longer than humans. “I’ve no intention of living a lie for very long,” Evaline said calmly. “The second I’ve the chance to leave it, we’ll all leave it. If you don’t trust that, Merlin, then go ahead and have me condemned with you.”

 

[NightNurse]

Samuel looked over at Gaius, nodding thoughtfully. "Sure." He said, glancing at Carla. They needed to know if she was telling the truth. He knew Richard fairly well, he figured that he should be able to tell if Richard was lying.


Carla didn't say anything. This was where things could really go wrong. She didn't let her worries show on her face. She couldn't. If she did, they would know that she was hiding something. So she remained to appear calm. She watched as Samuel headed towards the door.


"I'll have some people go question the rebels and the dhampir." He said. This was going to be interesting.


---


Merlin watched Evaline closely. He realized that he and Gabriel already had one way to condemn Alana if they chose to. One comment about Evaline's name would be enough to condemn her to death. Or experimentation.


"Fine." He said after a moment of silence. "We're all in this together. For now anyway." He commented dryly, glancing towards the door again. He ran his hand through his hair. He hated being in this cell, just waiting. It was driving him crazy.