Still Breaths [Closed]

[Lucyfer]

It was a dreary evening in London, not that it was all that different from normal. The news of the death of Lord Aidan Hesperus rocked what safety many thought they had. Aidan Hesperus was known to humans and vampires alike as someone who was trying to equalize things. There was nothing more evident to that fact than his daughter, Dawn Hesperus, lived as his equal despite being a dhampir.


The dhampir now paced in the Victorian style home with a letter in her hand, written in Russian. She had learned Russian some years back when it became evident that the vampire known as Viktor would never write in any other language. Dawn had met the “White King” on a few occasions, and wasn’t even sure he spoke other languages.


The death of Aidan left a hole in leadership. ‘So the council is coming here.’ Rare. Usually, they all went to Moscow. ‘They will want to find my father’s replacement from the vampires here.’ Dawn imagined other letters had been sent out. ‘I suppose I should be grateful I even received an invitation.’ Viktor’s stance on dhampir was clear.


He disliked them. “Lady Hesperus?”


The strawberry-blonde woman turned as the voice of a man. He was one of her father’s guards, who seemed to be staying in service to her. Lucius Decimus Antonius, Roman to the core. He was looking away out of some idea of modesty, since Dawn was dressed simply in a nightgown and robe. “Yes, Antonius?”


“The lady Amenset is at the door. Should I let her in?” Lucius did not like Amenset, and Amenset did not like Lucius.


“Yes, she is going to be my guest while the council is in town.”


Lucius frowned. His brown eyes finally lifted to meet her turquoise ones, “Is that wise?” He questioned. “I thought she had a rather…dangerous interest in you.”


“She does,” Dawn knew it well. Amenset was desperate to walk under the sun. Dawn was capable of doing that as a dhampir, albeit it was not enjoyable. “Regardless, let her in, and show her to a room. Let her know I am in my father’s…in my study.”


Lucius left her presence, and returned to the entrance where Amenset had been left with her baggage, and several guards around her. With a wrinkle of his nose, Lucius addressed the darker-skinned vampire, “Follow me. A room is waiting for you.”


“I told you,” Amenset said, and lifted one of her bags, while motioning to a few others to take up the others and follow after Lucius, “Pity, isn’t it? I always liked Aidan.” Lucius chose not to comment.


Amenset didn’t really expect that he would, and so she cast her dark brown eyes around the home she’d been in time and time again. Aidan had fallen in love with the Victorian period, even though he was Greek. They had been turned around the same time, and been friends for years. Sure, Aidan always denied him the use of his daughter in experiments, but perhaps that would change.


Dawn would have her own voice now. ‘And she’ll need help if she wants to keep power.’ Viktor would not be easily persuaded to allow a dhampir power, not when there were plenty of other vampires he could give leadership over the UK to. A few names ran through Amenset’s head before she was distracted by a door opening. “You will have use of this room. Lady Hesperus is in the study.”


Amenset threw her things towards the bed, “Leave all my things here,” she told those with her bags, “I’m going to see Dawn,” such a lovely name, too, one so full of hope. Without hesitation, she walked by Lucius and on down the stairs, to the base floor, to find the study.


~***~


Much further from the home sat Kichiro Hajime. He was not in his home, but sitting atop the roof of a building and watching a jet land. “Who killed Aidan?” Kichiro asked aloud.


A woman with red hair sat next to him, shrugged, “No one knows,” she said. She’d contacted all the rebels in the area that she knew, but none were willing to own up to the crime. Aidan Hesperus had been found in the streets, dead, with a note scrawled about how his death was what all vampires deserved. “Fucking stupid, whoever did it.”


Kichiro nodded, and pushed a hand back through his dyed blonde hair, “He was one of our few allies.” Which was rare among the vampires.


“I’ll keep looking around,” the woman said, “You should prepare for that meeting.”


He let out a sigh, his breath freezing in the air even as the rain continued to pour down on him, “Yeah.” He had run away from home at 16, but he hadn’t fallen off the radar. He had to pretend to be normal by working a regular job. “Figure this out. We have to find a way to make it clear that this crime doesn’t speak for all of us, too.” He wanted to work with the vampires, for equality.


He didn’t want to senselessly murder them.


~***~


The jet that landed contained none other than Viktor Belun, known as the “White King” to many. He hardly noticed when it landed, relaxed as he was in his own leather seat, eyes shut, head back. He was not looking forward to the dull meeting that awaited him, but it was necessary.


‘Otherwise that dhampir will go unchecked.’


Dawn Hesperus, a potential threat to his master plans. He needed someone in power here, who could actually use it. Aidan had been far too soft. It was good that he was gone.


“Lord Belun, we have arrived.”


Viktor heard the door open and the stairs descend. He stretched and then rose, already dressed in his white suit for the meeting. He had an image to keep up. There was a man there in black with an umbrella, but he shook his head. The umbrella was folded up, and Viktor pulled on his white fur coat and strode out into the wonderfully cold rain.


He lifted his head up so that it could splash his face and smiled. ‘Ah, London.’ He shut his silver eyes for a few seconds, took in a deep breath, and then exhaled. He lowered his head and walked on, knowing there would be a car waiting for him to take him to the hotel they’d all agreed to meet at. He would be first. He was always first.

 

[phantompierrot]

Atop a high hill a little ways from London sat a large black beast that leered over all that lived below. The estate was all that the Gothics could have possibly dreamt of. Spires soared and pierced the sky, windows like a thousand eyes watched the world with omniscience. Dark vines crawled up in between cracks of the black stones, blood red roses growing in matted tangles all around the edges. It was old, dreadfully old, and looked abandoned. It almost was, save for the two lonesome people residing within the estate's great belly.


Nell laid strewn across a red, velvety sofa, an arm dangling over its edge.


"Nell, why don't you and I go out a bit? It's no good to be cooped up like this." Charlotte perched on the arm of the sofa, hands folded neatly in her lap. Patience was a lovely virtue bestowed upon her, and she frequently made good use of it.


"I've stayed here for over three hundred years," Nell replied, looking up. "I can stay for a hundred more."


Charlotte sighed. "Come now, don't you want to take a trip into town? Some fresh air is good for you."


"It's raining. And I can open a window."


"Nell, for God's sake..." For the past fifteen minutes the poor girl had been coaxing the vampire to do something, to no avail. He never wanted to leave, it seemed. If anything was needed, Charlotte had to make arrangements for delivery, or go out herself. She knew he couldn't help being so frightful of others, but to act in such a manner for three centuries seemed a little excessive. She tried a different route.


"You of course remember that Aidan fellow, don't you?"


"Of course I do. It's an awful shame he was done in. What's your point?"


"He was a very important man, yes? He made strong efforts for his beliefs; he was active. Perhaps you should find something to work for? You could be a very influential person if you would only try-"


"You can't pester me with that," Nell interrupted. "Really, Charlotte."


"It is unhealthy physically and mentally to be like this," she pressed. "You are not going to be idle like this forever. Come on. We are going into town and you are going to stop being such a scaredy cat. Talk to people. See what's out there that needs to be done! Idleness and this fear of yours will be the death of you."


Nell groaned and reluctantly followed her, donning his coat and grabbing his umbrella with shaky hands. His heart pounded in his chest, a cold sweat appearing on the back of his neck. He hadn't gone out willingly in...


Just how long had it been?


"Stop dawdling, Nell," Charlotte called at the door. "Come on!"


"I-I'm coming."

 

[Lucyfer]

Amenset strode into the study as if it were her own throne room, dressed in a pleated black dress with plenty of gold accents. She saw Dawn pacing the floor and clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, “You are not at all dressed to see Viktor,” Amenset said as Dawn’s head snapped up to see her. “Unless you think that sleeping with him will help, but I assure you many men and women have tried to win his favor that way, only to be utterly destroyed.”


Amenset drew closer to Dawn as the dhampir stopped pacing and placed a cold hand to the warm neck, feeling the pulse of true blood beneath her fingers as she let them graze up to her cheek. Silence reigned between them as their eyes locked, a tension between two predators that never knew which was truly the alpha. “I suppose it is redundant to say you do not look well.”


Color touched the dhampir’s cheek and she smiled while lifting her hand to remove Amenset’s, batting it away like a nuisance and stepping back, “Yes,” she said. Of course she was unwell. Her father was dead, and Viktor was in town to dethrone her. She walked to her desk, “You know I asked you here to ask your support.”


“Yes,” Amenset walked to the desk, but stayed on her side as Dawn walked around it, to the chair her father had once sat in when he held court. Amenset placed both of her hands on the wood and leaned forward, “It comes at a price.”


Dawn sat and looked up into the Egyptian’s eyes. “I know. Just state it in simple terms.”


“I will require three things: residence in London, a laboratory in London, and you.”


Dawn suspected as much, and so said nothing, waited for the elaboration.


“You and dhampirs like you hold the secret to changing our own nature, so that we can walk under the sun, enjoy the human foods again, and so much else. You’re one of the few to survive.” Many died in the womb. Most died right after birth by an angry parent, since usually the mother died in the process. Those few who went on to survive that either sided with their human parent and human causes, and thus died, or were like her—but there were very few like her.


Of course, she was a result of loving parents, not of some nonconsensual relationship a vampire chose to have with a mortal. There was no side for her to pick. “I can do that,” Dawn answered her. “Have you chosen someone to rule in Egypt while you are abroad?”


“Of course, the one I left there will remain in that position.” Amenset smiled broadly. “Well then, you should get dressed. Viktor won’t like to be kept waiting long.”


Dawn rose from her chair, “I’ll meet you at the entrance,” with that said, Dawn walked out of the study. True to her word, a few minutes later she was a bit more put-together, hair brushed out and now wearing a more appropriate navy gown. It wasn’t the Victorian style, too slinky for that. “Shall we?”


Amenset nodded, and Dawn snapped. Lucius was almost immediately at her side, and the trio set out from the house, “We’ll walk to the hotel, it isn’t terribly far from here,” she informed Amenset.


~***~


Within the town, the nineteen year old human had left his perch on the roof to dress in the uniform of the hotel he worked at. He knew that one day it would pay off, and today might just be that day. He stood as host at the register that day, and for the first time, his eyes came to rest on the White King.


The room itself seemed to cool when the man walked in, and walked right up to the counter, “Has the room on the 59th floor been prepared?”


Having just arrived a few minutes ago, Kichiro didn’t honestly know, “Let me call up, sir,” and he quickly took up the phone and pressed a few numbers quickly. Viktor’s gaze never once left his face, and it was quite unnerving. Kichiro wasn’t even sure if Viktor was blinking. “Y-yes,” he didn’t mean to stutter, but he couldn’t help himself. “This is Kichiro at the front desk. L-Lord Belan—”


“Belun.”


“Belun! Belun wanted to know if the 59th floor meeting room was prepared?”


He listened to the answer on the other line, nodded, “Thank you,” and hung up. He looked back to Viktor but found he couldn’t hold his gaze. His eyes dropped to the keyboard, “It has been prepared.”


“Good.” He said not another word, but walked on towards the elevator, leaving Kichiro to glare at his hands and wonder what had just come over him. He was never that anxious around vampires before. Never.

 

[phantompierrot]

Poor Charlotte was shaking with cold as they entered the hotel bar to get out of the rain. She hadn't thought it would be so cold, or so violent a rainstorm. Little bit of a mistake.


"You insisted," Nell reminded her, though not without pity. She was a sensitive little thing, a little feeble too. Though he wanted to hug her warm, he refrained. Sometimes, he was wholly afraid to touch her. He was afraid to touch any human. He always smelled them, and when they were near, he shrank into himself like a beaten dog. Even now, sitting at the bar and chatting mindlessly with his friend, his eyes couldn't help but flickering back and forth between Charlotte and the young man sitting at the front desk. Human. What did Nell have to be afraid of? That young man was over there, and Nell wasn't even hungry. There wasn't a chance he could hurt him. Maybe he was a little intimidated by them, after his sufferings he'd sooner forget. The unmistakable scent of vampire lingered faintly, making him nervous. He didn't like other people. Even know, three hundred years later, the poor lad hadn't been able to accept them, or himself. They frightened him even more. Scary things, things that didn't think he belonged. He felt like a prisoner in his body, felt that everybody knew it too. A tiny sliver of himself wanted to believe he was still human. Looking at the young man, he desperately thought, I'm still like him at the core, aren't I?





"Nell!" Charlotte snapped her fingers in his face, giving him a start. "Stop staring at him, it's creepy. That's not how you make friends, you know."


"S-Sorry. I was spaced out."


"I know. You didn't hear what I said, did you? I didn't think so. Anyway, what I said was you should pick up a cause, maybe something about awareness? Let humans here know what happens elsewhere. You know all about that firsthand. Humans can talk to humans much easier than a vampire to humans, you know. I think that maybe if you..." her voice faded in his ears. He wasn't listening. Instead, Nell focused on a scent that hung in the air like the cold draft left by a passing phantom. It ran shivers down his spine. By the prickling of my thumbs, he thought warily, something wicked this way has come.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kichiro noted the pair enter, an oddity on that day, a young human and a young-looking vampire. Many vampires were embraced in the prime of their lives, but he looked a little younger than usual. Kichiro realized he didn’t know who this was, and felt increasingly bothered by the stare.


He wasn’t half as afraid of this one as he was of Viktor, but he didn’t appreciate the stare. He busied himself with others as they entered, and informed those who asked where the meeting was being held.


He shot a glance at the blond vampire when his companion raised her voice, drawing his attention and beginning to lecture him on something. ‘Strange.’ He wondered at their relationship. It was rare to see a human speak so boldly to a vampire.


He wasn’t able to consider it much longer, as a group of three came in, soaked to the bone. He recognized two of them immediately, the Roman Lucius Antonius and the daughter of Aidan, Dawn Hesperus. The other woman, who looked like a drenched cat (and just as upset as one) he knew he should recognize. The name was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t quite place it as the trio walked up.


“Excuse me,” Dawn spoke to him, and he straightened up, put a smile on his lips and tried not to look guilty. He wasn’t guilty, of course, but he knew where his alliances stood. If she ever suspected he was a rebel, he imagined she would think he knew who killed Aidan. “Where is Viktor hosting the meeting?”


The black-haired Roman shot a glance at the others in the lobby as Kichiro answered, “Floor 59, room 5901.”


Lucius arched an eyebrow when he recognized who it was, though it took a moment. He almost never saw Nell out of his home. In fact, he wasn’t sure the last time he had seen Nell. It might have been two centuries ago. ‘What is he doing here?’


Amenset checked her phone for the time, “We have a bit. Let me dry off before we go up there,” she said, and without waiting for an answer from Dawn, she walked right over to the bar and waved a man over, “Bloodwyne, please!” And as Dawn and Lucius walked over to join her, she noted the other man and human there, “Ah, who are you?” She guessed he was here for Viktor’s meeting, but she didn’t recognize him at all.

 

[phantompierrot]

Nell jumped a foot out of his chair at his acknowledgement. He smelled them the moment they'd come in, his keen ears listening in while Charlotte tried to hold conversation (with little success). He had hope they would just leave, go up to the meeting that he hadn't even been aware of, though it explained the wickedness in the air. He had to hold his hands between his thighs as though he were cold to conceal how much they were shaking.


"I-I.. I um..." it was remarkable that Charlotte could even hear him stammering, quiet as he mumbled. It made her skin itch. Come on, she thought, all you have to say is your name. Wrapped up in his own convoluted fears and issues, however, he could not, and shot a pleading glance in her direction. She fought to stifle a sigh.


"This is Nell Heartwood," she said in his place, smiling pleasantly. Though her smile spoke of cordiality, her icy blue eyes offered an apology for Nell's problematic shyness. She shot him a sideways glance. I'm not speaking for you. Come on, Nell. You're not a child, you know. He winced, knowing very well the scolding look that so resembled faces he'd seen his own mother make. Even then, he had been a painfully timid one.


With shoulders pushed forward and his head angled downward, he raised his eyes and looked directly passed the vampires before him, and said, "I-It's a p-pleasure to meet you, um... Miss...?"

 

[Lucyfer]

It was the human who answered for the stuttering and stumbling vampire, to Amenset’s growing curiosity. Lucius rolled his eyes at the man’s clear inability to speak for himself, and waved over the bartender to place his own order for bloodwyne. He glanced to Dawn, who shook her head. Nothing for her, and certainly nothing with blood.


She and Nell had one thing in common from reputation—they both tried to deprive themselves of blood. Dawn, however, never went on murderous rampages. She understood when she needed blood long before that. “He’s the resident recluse,” Lucius whispered to Amenset.


Her eyebrows lifted, and she smiled at Nell as he didn’t know who she was, “Must be,” she said to Lucius, and then offered one hand to Nell, “I’m Amenset, Mr. Heartwood,” normally she’d be offended not to be known, but she supposed a recluse wouldn’t know of her. She was famous among vampires, of course, but her fame wasn’t as widespread as Viktor’s, and mostly centered on her fascination with the sun. “No surname. Too old for that,” she chuckled at the idea of even having one.


She wasn’t too old for one, of course, Lucius had one. Different cultures.


Viktor, she was certain, had just made one up. She didn’t even think Viktor was his birth name. “Did you want to come see the boring politicking upstairs?” She asked the recluse.

 

[phantompierrot]

"A-Amenset," Nell echoed, forcing himself to take her hand. He flinched when their hands met, as though he expected her to rip his arm from its socket, though of course nothing of the sort would happen. "Erm, politicking?" he cast his eyes down hurriedly. "I-I don't know, I really must stay with my Lottie, you know, a-and I'm sure it wouldn't be appropriate for her t-to tag along, and I couldn't possibly just leave her alone, or-"


"Nell means to say that he would quite enjoy it, if you would allow him," Charlotte interrupted, "and it wouldn't be a problem at all if I were to be excluded for the sake of your privacy." There it was, that reprimanding look in her eye again. He looked away from her again. "Go along, go along, Nell. I can wait right here if you like, or I can send myself home while you attend. Go on, you need to acquaint yourself with your own kind. I can't be the center of everything, you know."


"But-but..." He had no argument. How could he, knowing that she would always top him with something else? "I..." he sighed. "If you would be so gracious to have me," he said to Amenset. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt." At least, I hope it won't, he thought. He could still smell Viktor in the air. I don't know how I feel about this...

 

[Lucyfer]

Amenset’s grip was firm, as it always was, but Nell’s was not. She released his hand as she saw that contact was uncomfortable, and tried not to laugh. She didn’t know what could cause a vampire to become like this—or who would even turn a person into a vampire when they were this fragile.


Amenset turned her dark eyes to the human and gave her the full attention she deserved, since she clearly spoke for Nell, “Poor dear,” she wasn’t sure if she pitied the human more or the vampire. “You can stay here, I’m sure,” she said to ‘Lottie’, then let her gaze return to Nell, “Don’t let Viktor see your fear or he’ll eat you alive.” Charlotte had no idea what she was doing in volunteering Nell for this.


“He’ll just kick him out,” Dawn said, pushing away from the counter. She was going to be lucky to get in herself, but she at least held herself with a confident air. “I trust you’re quite dry enough, Amenset?”


Amenset let out a breath that blew some of her black hair up and out of her face, “Oh, I suppose, if you’re that anxious to see him.”


“I would like to see him before the meeting actually begins,” Dawn noted. She needed to greet him, and make her intentions clear to him, and everyone else in the room. The position abandoned by Aidan was hers, and she wouldn’t allow any challengers to the throne, as it were.


Amenset slid off her stool and offered her hand to Nell, “Come along then, dear.” She invited. Lucius and Dawn strode on ahead.

 

[phantompierrot]

Nell cast an uneasy glance to Charlotte, hoping that she wouldn't really make him go. Please, please don't make me, he thought pitifully, but he knew by her face that she wouldn't budge. His heart started throbbing hard in his chest again, his skin feeling cold and clammy. Right about then, he wished that vampires were more like the ridiculous monsters of human legends, with hearts that didn't move at all. His hammered so vehemently that it felt like it was climbing up his throat.


"R-right." Nell patted Charlotte's hand before politely taking Amenset's, throwing another glance over his shoulder as he walked along with this new person. All the while, his nervousness built and built. Maybe this Viktor really will eat me alive, he thought, wanted quite badly to wring his hands in his nervousness. I don't have any business here. I don't belong here at all - I'm a misfit, I know it. Nell glanced at Amenset, at Dawn and Lucius ahead of them. They know it too, surely. Why would they want me here? Who would want me anywhere? Nell almost himself in thought, before remembering the person beside him and thought then that he should at least try to acknowledge her. For Lottie's sake, I suppose.





"U-Um, what is the council meeting for, my lady- miss - I mean, um..." before he could make it worse, he shut his mouth and watched his toes as they walked. What has Lottie gotten me into? I'm going to wreck myself before I get there.

 

[Lucyfer]

The poor dear was a wreck. Amenset couldn’t stop grinning at it as they walked down the hallway and to the elevator, rather than venture up 59 floors all on their own. Amenset wouldn’t have cared either way, but she supposed this would be a good way to talk to the shaking one. “The council is meeting because Aidan Hesperus passed away, or didn’t you know?” Amenset did wonder at what he knew. “Just call me Amenset.”


“What that means is,” Lucius continued Amenset’s thoughts as the door opened, allowing the group to step in. Dawn pressed the button for the proper floor, “the leadership of the UK is in question. Aidan Hesperus represented us abroad in the council.” Then, with a heavy sigh, he offered his hand to Nell, “We’ve met before, but in case you’ve forgotten, I’m Antonius,” still Roman. Only those close to him were allowed to call him Lucius.


He would then gesture to Dawn and say, “That is Lord Hesperus’s true daughter,” there was a time when he had considered himself Aidan’s son, because Aidan had sired him, but then Dawn came into the picture. It was strange to most how there was no rivalry between the two. So few understood Antonius’s true ambitions. “Dawn Hesperus, a dhampir,” just in case he didn’t know.


He did receive a look for saying as much, though, but Dawn didn’t add on anything to her glare. She then looked back at the doors, clearly nervous, though not half as anxious as this Nell. She had reason to be, though.


“And do call Viktor ‘Lord Belun’. No King business, that’s just what we say behind his back.” Amenset noted.


~***~


Downstairs, Kichiro took a glance towards the human left on her own. He waved to her, then said, “If you need anything, do let me know,” he took a glance around. He wanted to ask more, but didn’t know how to go about it here. He was curious about the woman’s authority in her relationship with the vampire who left to join the others upstairs, but he had no idea how to even phrase his question.

 

[phantompierrot]

"Ah, y-yes, I did hear as much." Charlotte hadn't needed to tell him about that. Even he who was so detached from the world knew about it, and how it had shaken the world of vampires and humans alike. Nell accepted the hand of Lucius and gave it a shake (or rather, allowed his hand to be shaken and just barely moved his hand in response). "Have we met before, A-Antonius?" Nell wanted to say there was a familiarity in the man's face, but then at the same time, he wasn't quite sure. "P-Perhaps it's been t-too long for me to remember." He then addressed Dawn, expressing his condolences (albeit in an even more skittish manner, for the intensity of her gaze and presence quite intimidated him). "U-Um, this Lord Belun fellow, what is he like, exactly? I've never met him before."


~*~


Charlotte smiled at the young man at the front desk, and decided it wouldn't hurt to strike up a conversation, with little else to do with the rest of her time. Rising, she rearranged her skirts and smoothed them, gliding quietly across the floor to the front desk.


"I hope you won't mind my asking," she said, a little sheepishly, "but are you human, or a vampire? Everyone looks all the same to me - on the outside, at least. Oh, and I'm very sorry for my friend's impoliteness. He doesn't mean, honestly, he's just... odd," Charlotte added with a nervous laugh. Oh, odd doesn't even begin to describe how he is.

 

[Lucyfer]

Dawn accepted the condolences with a mere nod of her head. She’d received so many in letters and from visits that it was now just getting…tedious. She knew that Nell meant well.


Lucius noted, “It was a century or two ago. I don’t forget a face,” he added to answer Nell’s query about whether or not they had met. “As for Belun….”


“It’s better to just meet him,” Amenset said. There weren’t polite words to describe Viktor, but no one doubted his capability. Ruthless, cold, unforgiving—he was Russia incarnate in Amenset’s most unhumble of opinions.


The doors of the elevator opened, and it was then that Lucius offered his arm to Dawn. She accepted it, and the two walked ahead of Amenset and Nell and into the room where a few other vampires were gathered, already talking amongst one another but clearly in an informal way. Viktor Belun sat at the head of the long oval table, observing them all with a bored expression on his face. Someone sat to his left and was chattering away, but he wasn’t hearing a single word said.


“…wasn’t the rebels but one of those wendigoes since the flesh of Aidan was—oh!” The chattering vampire stopped suddenly at the approach of Lucius and Dawn. Viktor noticed the silence and glanced to the chatterbox, then to those who stood in his light and cast a shadow on him.


“Lord Belun,” Dawn greeted and inclined her head.


He stood, white fur cascading around him. He hadn’t taken off his coat. Lucius also bowed his head, but didn’t speak. “You are Dawn Hesperus, are you not?” His voice was accented, the hiss of a ‘v’ in his ‘r’s, and his ‘s’s sounded more like ‘z’s.


“I am,” she answered, and found his hand extended to her. She took it, trying not to jump at how cold it was. Lucius’s grip was cold, but not that cold—it was like his heart wasn’t even pumping blood through his veins.


“My condolences for your loss,” but there was no sorrow on his face whatsoever. In fact, “Is there a reason for your presence here?”


Her back stiffened. Before Lucius could speak, she said, “I am here to make it known I wish to hold my father’s seat in the council.”


Amenset did not bring Nell over to Viktor, but paused near the doorway, “The man in white is Lord Belun,” she spoke in a whisper, allowing Lucius and Dawn to go ahead to speak with him. “He’s older than me, and I knew Alexander the Great. I think he’s older than everyone in this room,” she let her eyes move over the other guests from across the world. She knew, or knew of, most of them.


~***~


At the question, Kichiro laughed. He always found it easy to figure out who was vampire and who was human. There were little tells, and as a rebel, he’d forced himself to learn them all so that he wouldn’t make an error. “I’m human. Do you really think a vampire would work here? I’m not even sure they’d hire one….” A vampire who had to work such a demeaning job would be looked down upon.


This was, clearly, human work. Vampires belonged elsewhere. “And it’s all right. I’m used to it,” he wouldn’t have called Nell impolite. He’d dealt with true impoliteness from the holier-than-thou vampires who saw him as beneath him. “I was sorta wondering, actually,” he crossed his arms on the counter, “What’s the deal with him? I’ve never seen a vampire that…jumpy before.”

 

[phantompierrot]

Nell had to abstain from pressing closer to Amenset from the trepidation that started up just by looking at Lord Belun in that moment. His face was set with seriousness, his voice as cold as the Russian tundra. I don't think I really want to meet him very badly, Nell thought. He pulled his eyes away from him, fearing a moment of mistaken eye contact and glanced over the rest of the attendants. There were faces that appeared vaguely familiar, none he knew personally. Nell was not of a particularly powerful or well-known family, not like any of these people. Just a nobody with money, he thought again. I do not belong here at all.


~*~


"I see," Charlotte noted. "Well, in regards to my friend, Nell..." without thinking she lowered her voice, as though she were afraid of being overheard, despite the lack of ears to overhear. "... he's... a bit complicated. He's seen some rather gruesome days, and they've disturbed him a bit." I wonder how much I'm really safe to say, she thought, pausing. "He can't accept that he's a vampire, even now. When he turned, he denied it and refused to feed properly because he really hates to hurt people, but in doing so, he's hurt a lot more people than he's had to, in much, much worse ways. Vampires can't just starve, you know. They go a little cuckoo, and well, you can figure the rest. He'd caught himself in that cycle and inadvertently done some very bad things, and each time it's made him regress in his acceptance. He's afraid of being around humans because of what he might do and I think he fears vampires because he doesn't want to think he fits in with them. It's.. very difficult and convoluted to explain shortly, but he's really not a bad person. He's just... troubled. But, considering the way he was when I had first met him, I believe he's made a lot of progress. I just want him to be able to live at peace. He's seen a lot of bad, awful things, and I think he deserves that much."


Charlotte stopped herself, blinked, and laughed a little wryly. "I'm sorry, I must sound out of my mind to you, and I'm sure I'm being a bore, talking so much. Surely you aren't so interested."

 

[Lucyfer]

“He scares most people,” Amenset said.


To her surprise, and confusion, Viktor laughed. In fact, it startled most of the room, since it was a sound no one expected to hear. “Oh sweet Ra.”


Dawn’s eyes had narrowed on Viktor as he composed himself, “My apologies, moya solnishka,” he did not mean it as a compliment, and everyone around knew it when it slipped his lips, “The council is made for vampires, not dhampirs. You may have been raised by a vampire, but you cannot speak to our issues.”


Amenset took a breath, patted Nell on the shoulder, “Good luck,” she told him before she let him go and walked forward, “Hold on there, Belun,” she neglected the Lord. She always did. It bothered him to no end, “The dhampir seems to know quite a bit about our issues. She needs blood like us, and the sun is annoying to her.”


“You want to support her, da?”


Amenset nodded.


“She has offered to be your experiment then,” he concluded, causing color to paint Dawn’s cheeks. Amenset didn’t deny it, of course.


“She would help us immensely in this way, if we could learn how dhampir can also subsist on human food and survive under the sun’s rays.”


Viktor wouldn’t deny that. He glanced towards some of the others in the room, and gave a polite, but clearly false, smile, “Who else wants to lead the UK?”


~***~


Kichiro listened to the explanation, his face expressive so that he didn’t need to interject with words. He was surprised that the vampire had seen so many horrors that it rendered him to be a jumpy thing. He almost would have thought it the norm for vampires—after all, he understood that most had lost plenty of loved ones. He knew that not all were turned into vampires willingly. Amenset, he knew, was one of those.


Viktor, supposedly, had not been turned according to his own will, either. “I see,” he said, more to himself as he tried to wrap his head around it. "It's okay, you're not a bore," he glanced up, “You know, it really might not have been good to push him up there,” he said, hesitated, then looked down at her, “The ones up there are...well, the foulest of the bunch. Have you heard of Viktor Belun?”


He figured most had, and he hoped the name would make her realize what she’d just sent Nell into.


Understanding and empathetic vampires were not in that room.

 

[phantompierrot]

Nell stood there, still in the doorway, contemplating his options. Perhaps I am mostly unnoticed. I could slip away before anyone can say a word, run back down, and - his thought stopped right there. Charlotte would certainly notice that he had chickened out. He did not have any particular desire to be reprimanded by her, ridiculous though it seemed. I'm such a big baby. But really, I don't belong here. They don't know me, I don't really know them. This is trouble waiting to happen. I could leave and hide somewhere until enough time passes, and then see Lottie. She won't know a thing. He liked that idea. But perhaps he spent too much time thinking and not enough time doing while he stood there, in plain sight.


~*~


Of course Charlotte knew of Lord Belun. Anyone know who he was, vampires and humans both, surely. A cold, ruthless, perhaps borderline demonic being, that not too many people seemed to favor. Yes, she knew, but by a certain naivety or ignorance, she was sure that nothing that bad could happen, could it?


"I trust that a council can handle things in a civil manner," she offered. Yes, that made sense - well, to her, at least. "What could possibly happen that could be so bad? Nell's made some acquaintances (if it's really right for me to call them so), so surely he'd be alright." It seemed that Nell Heartwood's obstinacy was contagious, for Charlotte had come down strongly with it.

 

[Lucyfer]

A lazy hand rose from a vampire who had been spending most of his time in the States, dyed blue hair and piercing blue eyes. Curiously, Lord Trevor was the only other vampire who seemed to want the position, and Trevor wasn’t Viktor’s favorite person either. His eyes skimmed the room before coming to rest on the one in the doorway.


“Who are you?” He didn’t know him. For as indifferent as Viktor usually appeared, he knew the names of most vampires, and could recognize them by face if not name.


Lucius answered, “That is Nell Heartwood, a local who was interested in the politics. Victorian era,” he noted.


Viktor just seemed perturbed by the detail he didn’t know him, when he’d been alive at least 300 years. “Then he is in the running as well,” Viktor deduced. The fear of the other was actually the entire reason, “Maybe he would know to listen to the advice of others.” Trevor bristled at the words clearly directed at him.


“ONE TIME!”


“One time got an entire city overrun by so many filthy rebels that I had to come in.” Viktor then motioned to the table, the chairs, “Now, sit. It seems we are already beginning.” And he had the candidates for the position.


~***~


Kichiro’s smile was strained at her hopefulness. “You…er…really don’t know much about how they work, do you?” He thumbed up. He supposed he didn’t know much either, but he had heard talk that sometimes these meetings turned towards violence. Egos flared. That’s what happened with a bunch of really old people with superiority complexes, though. “Well, I’ll hope it doesn’t get bad. I don’t want to be cleaning up any blood.”


He wouldn’t mind that. One less vampire was usually a good thing, and there weren’t too many in there that he thought should live. Most were of Viktor’s mindset about humans, and he was going to put one of them in charge of the UK.

 

[phantompierrot]

"Y-Yes," Nell stammered, thankful that Lucius had spoken for him. Slowly, as though he expected some sort of trap, he crept into the room and took a seat, placing himself beside a stern-looking man that grumbled as Nell sat.


His eyes scanned over the room again. So far, so good, it seemed. Aside from curious glances that wondered who the stranger was, no one appeared particularly malicious, or at least, not toward Nell. He folded his hands in his lap, urging himself to stop slouching so hard. He thought he should at least try to appear somewhat confident, partially respectable, though he himself wasn't so sure.


~*~


Charlotte frowned. "I suppose I know very little. I have only been here for so long, truthfully, and have not learned a terribly large amount. Perhaps you would be kind enough to indulge me?"

 

[Lucyfer]

The gathered vampires sat down, with Viktor at the head of the table. Amenset took a seat near him, with Lucius and then Dawn near her. Trevor dared to sit next to Viktor himself, not at all wanting to show fear—not that he felt he needed to worry.


‘If my competition is a dhampir and this…idiot, I should be fine.’ He glanced once at Nell and determined he was no real threat, despite what Viktor said.


“As we all know, Aidan Hesperus was killed the other day by rebels.”


“It might not have been rebels!” The chatterbox of earlier tried to insist. “Before the sun got to his body and ashed it, his flesh looked like it had been eaten or attacked by wild animals.”


“Are you trying to say werewolves exist, William?” Viktor asked in a bored tone.


“No, Wendigo.”


Viktor rolled his eyes. “Moving on,” he ignored the idea. Wendigo had once meant a monstrous cannibal among humans. The more common term was much simpler—“eaters”. In this context, then, Wendigo usually meant a vampire who had decided that vampires, rather than humans, were the best source of nutrition. “The issue of leadership here in the UK is not our only matter. We need to reconsider the position of humans as well. It seems the freedoms that even the good ones have been allowed is not enough. They do not fear the punishments. We must change the system.”


“You’re going to say slavery, aren’t you?” Lucius asked in a dull voice.


“Something of the sort.”


“It doesn’t work,” he knew that all too well. He’d seen Rome’s dependence on it, seen America and the Civil War, Haiti, and so many other places, “One as old as you should know that.”


“That is why I said something of the sort, Antonius, but this matter shall be handled when leadership is decided, likely at the next meeting.”


~***~


“I guess being with him would prevent that,” Kichiro noted, then sighed and shrugged, “Well, what I’ve witnessed is that a lot of vampires have egos. When they come together like this, it ends up being a,” he tried to think of a decent word that wasn’t crude. “a…competition. As I understand it, Lord Hesperus’s position is up for grabs, and there’s a few vampires who would want it.”


Then he shrugged his shoulders, “I’m also pretty sure the issue of the rebels is gonna come up, and human sympathizers will probably be shot down. Maybe arrested before all is said and done.” He had heard of it happening. Belun clearly wanted things to change. He thought they were all being too ‘soft’ on humans. “Then executed for treason against the council.” The thought was sickening.


More than that, though, it was lessening the allies that the rebels had. Aidan Hesperus had been a powerful one. Though he wasn’t formally executed, he knew Belun was likely going to use his death to champion his cause, to prove his point that the rebels didn’t care—they just wanted to see all vampires burn.

 

[phantompierrot]

Nell's stomach twisted. He thought of Charlotte downstairs, the consequences that might affect her. Slavery? He didn't like it, he didn't like it at all. What would happen to Lottie? Would she be safe with me, or does he have something diabolical up his sleeve? The thought of his dear friend being put in danger made him sick. She hadn't done anything to deserve whatever Lord Belun planned. I don't know... Maybe his attendance would be beneficial, after all. In a dangerous case, he might be able to keep dear Lottie safe with new information. Though, Nell wasn't so sure he wanted to learn it.


~*~


Charlotte fought to suppress her worry. She didn't want to let Kichiro know that he might be right about Nell being in a bad position - the affect of being a child still, and unwilling to admit a wrong.


"In any case," she began, "I'm sure he can keep himself out of trouble. As long as he just doesn't mention sympathizing." She wasn't so sure. Kichiro's harrowing expression didn't reassure her, either.


"Actually, speaking of sympathizing," Charlotte looked up suddenly, tilting her head to one side, "where do you stand, if you don't mind my asking?"

 

[Lucyfer]

The meeting moved back to the topic at hand, of who would take over the United Kingdom. Lucius and Amenset were staunch defenders of Dawn, and a few other vampires who had liked Aidan also chose to back her.


However, just as many let their support move towards Trevor, who had a reputation for being harsher in his dealings with rebels, despite the one slip where Viktor had to intervene. Nell was soon no longer considered, not even by Viktor. He would need someone constantly behind him to tell him what to do, and Viktor didn’t have the time to waste on such an individual.


Now and then, a human would come in to check on things, and fetch blood if it was required.


No decisions were made regarding leadership by the end of it. Viktor suggested they all think on it, and be prepared to vote, before dismissing them. Dawn thought to stay, to talk to Viktor, but Lucius guided her out.


“Trevor is making a mistake in waiting. Viktor will not be kind to have his peace disturbed,” Lucius spoke in a whisper, though it didn’t seem to appease Dawn as she glanced back and saw Trevor waiting for others to leave so he could talk with Viktor on his own.


Amenset walked alongside them, “Just talk to the people here, have them see you are more vampire than human,” she advised, “You are, after all.” Amenset certainly believed it. Time changed a person.


~***~


Kichiro conversed for a while with Charlotte. He had laughed at her query about where he stood, but had only answered with, “I’m human, isn’t it obvious?”. All humans, in theory, sympathized with humans. He wasn’t about to say he took that a step further.


Periodically, people would come down to check in with him and slip him a message. He didn’t read any of them there, but slipped them into his pocket and sent the people back to their duties. The meeting then came to an end, and vampires began to exit the hotel. The night was still young, after all, so even the guests of the hotel wanted to go enjoy the night and not be cooped up.

 

[phantompierrot]

Nell was more than relieved by the end of the meeting. He was brushed aside like nothing and from then mostly ignored, left alone while the others set on their work. He was happy when it ended, and happier still when he could be downstairs and stand beside Charlotte, someone familiar. She smiled pleasantly over her shoulder as she watched him approach, shrugging off his coat and daintily folding it over an arm.


"How was it?" she asked.


"I-It was well enough," Nell replied, trying (and failing) to appear a little confident. He hadn't done anything the entire time, just sat and listened and worried a little. Charlotte didn't need to know that he wasn't involved, though. At least I attended. That should be something, I think. "I hope you weren't bored during the time, or bothered by anyone?"


"Not at all, I've had good company during the time." Standing, she threaded her free arm through one of his and asked, "so, what now? Surely you aren't going to complain of going home now." Nell laughed nervously. Well, there goes that, I suppose. "Come now, you've made at the very least, acquaintances, yes? Maybe you should make them friends." Lord knows you need those. He didn't need her to say it out loud to know she was thinking it. He looked to the other vampires, thought for a moment, hesitated.


"U-Um," he started, almost too quietly to be heard, "I-I hope it wouldn't be a trouble for any of you, but.. if you would like, perhaps we could have a get-together of sorts?" he fiddled with the buttons of his vest, his eyes habitually staring at his hands. "I-I think that you are all q-quite pleasant company - er, very knowledgeable as well." Charlotte had to fight the urge to giggle. Oh, well, he really is trying. She was proud of him. With only a tiny human for a friend, Nell was a rather lonesome sort, and perhaps that would be soon to change.

 

[Lucyfer]

Viktor was not pleased when the room began to clear, and the overly ambitious Trevor remained. Viktor rose, “It isn’t me you need to impress.”


“You want her dead.”


Viktor had expected begging. Pleading. What he heard interested him. His fingertips lingered on the top of the table, “If you cared about Amenset’s experiments, you would have backed them a long time ago. You don’t want a dhampir ruling here. You know they don’t share your sentiments.”


“And you, ah, do?”


“Yes.”


Viktor doubted he shared them all, but he supposed Trevor might be easier to control. Trevor owed him a debt, and Trevor knew what he was capable of. He reconsidered the blue-haired vampire. “Very well. Kill her. Don’t link it back to me. I don’t care how you do it.” With that, Viktor walked to the door to exit, and Trevor was smart enough not to follow after him too quickly.


~***~


“No one died?” Kichiro forgot, for just a moment, he was in the presence of vampires. Lucius shot him a withering look, and Kichiro shrunk back into his little corner of the world.


“He does have a point,” Amenset noted, “Seems none of these meetings end so peacefully.”


“Next time won’t be,” Lucius could feel it. Trevor wouldn’t let go of that position so easily. The trio would have left to consider how to ensure the other vampires preferred Dawn to Trevor, but they were stopped by Nell speaking to them. Amenset listened to him with a growing smile on her lips.


“Aww!” She finally broke out and said when he finished his stammering. She walked right over to Nell and would pull him into an embrace if he didn’t move away, “He’s just so adorable. Can I keep him, too, Dawn? I’ll take care of him!”


Dawn slapped her forehead, “He has a home. He can keep himself.”


Lucius stifled a laugh at Amenset’s reaction, but answered Nell, “We weren’t really planning much of anything this evening,” he glanced to Lottie, “Perhaps you know of some things to do in town?” Lucius knew the town, but his idea of fun wasn’t typically to go out and wander it, unless some of his friends from Rome were around. He wasn't about to let Dawn know of those nights carousing and singing, drunk off blood, though. Not yet, anyway.

 

[phantompierrot]

Nell turned into a statue the moment Amenset latched onto him, his eyes connecting with Charlotte's over the woman's shoulder. He saw something in her tight smile - was it jealousy? Or was she fighting the urge to laugh? His face burned, glowing bright pink in bashful embarrassment. He was thankful when she finally released, and laughed an awkward laugh.


"Um," he murmured, mostly to himself, "there are lots of museums to visit in London, perhaps..."


"You're not taking them on a date, you goose!" Charlotte whispered teasingly. "Come now, you can think better than that! What about Hyde park?"


"It's wet, there's nothing to do there!" he whispered back.


"A pub?"


"No, no, I don't like that. You know I don't like that, Lottie!"


"Nell, it's about the company, not you! How about the Globe? We could visit a play - there's never a bad time for that. And I've never been to a play before." Her eyes glittered excitedly, and she looked like a small child begging to go into a confectioner's shop. There's too many people in a theatre, he wanted to say. Instead, he said, loud enough for all to hear, "how about the Globe Theatre? M-My dear - I mean, Lottie is quite right, th-there's never a bad time for a play."

 

[Lucyfer]

‘What are they to each other?’ Dawn wondered as her eyes drifted from Charlotte to Nell while the man stammered to figure out what to do. Lucius seemed amused, since he had brought this onto Nell’s shoulders. Charlotte was clearly trying to socialize Nell, but to what end? That, Dawn couldn’t guess.


“The Globe should be fun,” Dawn had always been a fan of the theater. A wicked grin came to her lips, though, “Perhaps Antony and Cleopatra is showing!”


The looks of absolute hatred from both Amenset and Lucius were priceless. “What, don’t you like that?” She knew the answer. They despised that play, almost as much as they despised Marc Antony and Cleopatra.


“Or perhaps,” Lucius slipped an arm around the dhampir’s shoulders and pulled her to him, “They’re showing Julius Caesar.”


“You did always want to be Brutus, didn’t you?” The smirk still played on her lips, understanding the joke the Roman was making. “Well, we shall have to go see what is on the agenda.” Viktor walked by then, without Trevor, and walked out without so much as an acknowledgment, “Shall we get on our way?”


“Oh, if we must,” this put a damper on Amenset’s plans to start her experiments, but she supposed it could wait. Nell was amusing enough for such things to wait. She had a lifetime, after all.