Realistic or Modern Wages of Sin [Closed]

[cleopat]

Seraphina could hear the heartbeat of the driver. Her hunger was nearly driving her crazy. Would this be her for now on? She didn’t know if she could live like that.

She was used to bloodshed, but actually craving blood because she was a creature of stories? Maybe she would wake up tomorrow and discover this was all just some weird dream.

Blood at the house. She conjured a mental image of a fridge full of bags of blood. At least she hoped it was something like that, and that she didn’t have to bite anyone. Seraphina has easily killed people in the past, but for some reason, that just felt…different.

“Would I be able to return to my job? After I figure all this out.” While Matteo looked out the window, Seraphina used that to study his features for a few seconds. She would admit he was pretty, but she had a strong feeling they both would be aggravating each other often. He seemed that he didn’t even want her around or to help her in her new vampire form. Then why even bother changing her?

~~~

Astrid rose her brows in surprise at Tamar’s story. She honestly wasn’t surprised at the betrayal by that religious extremist, they always lie for their own agenda.

Those who betrayed their agreement deserved to be taken care of, and Astrid always enjoyed watching someone who deserved it to die a slow, torturous death.

“Pets?” she scoffed. “I’m assuming you entertained the idea because she offered to pay well?” She may also entertain the offer if that paycheck was high enough. The last van Helsing had enough money to guarantee that, if she was willing to give them that money.

“Or maybe you just find her pretty, and you couldn’t say no to a pretty face,” she said with a smirk.

 

[Lucyfer]

“That depends on if your job would have you back. You couldn’t go out in daylight any longer,” Matteo was not sure if his abilities would pass on to her. They were unique to his connection with the demon, but blood was strange. She may grow into it. He’d never made a childe to find out if such was possible.

He suspected it was, but she’d have to embrace the change.

“That is a discussion for you and them,” he supposed Evangeline could smooth it over with her influence, though, and he sighed, adding, “Lady van Helsing may be able to make it easier for you. Considering she feels responsible for this. But don’t think that will mean much.” She was still ruthless.

If this guard offended her, she would likely make her life that much harder.

Soon enough, though, they were pulling up to the Helsing manse, and Matteo opened the door. He waited for the guard to step out. He wouldn’t pick her up, but he would wrap a hand around her wrist to keep her in check until he could get her to a blood bag. Those didn’t really count as drinking.

Not by the standards that empowered a vampire, anyways.

The blood was dead of memories, dead of power. It kept one alive, but that was about all it did.

~***~

Tamar shook her head with a grin on her lips at Astrid continued with the idea it was all for a pretty face. It was all in good fun, “Now now, I've said no to your pretty face plenty of times,” she reminded, “but money? That I do not say no to, and she did indeed offer to pay a full salary for everyone.”

A tall order, something that had a few people glancing at one another.

“It is something to consider, non? No moving around. No constantly shopping around for a new mark. We may like it. It may be utterly boring. I will not make this decision alone, and it need not be made today, either.”

Sure, she ran the group, but mercenaries were independent by nature. She didn't have a crew if they all chose to leave, and she rather enjoyed having a crew. “I'll inform the others, but some of you just come with me to meet the Lady Monster for official business and join the first job.”

She'd see what van Helsing would want with the rest of her crew. Perhaps just house guards.

Droll.

“I think you should join me,” she singled out Astrid with a point, “you are obsessed with the Lady Helsing’s looks, mon cœur,” she teased, “I will play wing-woman, for a price.”

 

[cleopat]

You couldn’t go out in daylight any longer.

Out of all of the vampire myths, why did that one have to be correct? She wouldn’t be able to see the sun again. “...but I’m Italian,” she said softly with sadness seeping in. As if that was the worst of her problems!

She didn’t know if she would be able to keep her job. It required being able to work any time of the day. And there was the issue of, can she explain to her boss that she was now some blood sucking creature thought to be myth?

Maybe Lady van Helsing could help her out with that regard.

They pulled up to the Helsing residence, and while fortunately Matteo didn’t pick her up again like she was some invalid, he still grabbed her wrist as she slid out.

Evangeline was standing near the front door, waiting for them, and Seraphina subconsciously pulled on her wrist as the need to satisfy her ravenous hunger grew. Well, she supposed she couldn’t fault Matteo for keeping her in his grasp if this is how she reacted to needing to eat. The sensation was going to drive her insane.

Evangeline looked over Seraphina. “There’s a room prepared for you that you can stay in. It’s near Matteo’s.” Naturally the new vampire would need to be close to him to just case. “There are some clothes on the bed. I imagine you would want to change into something more comfortable and…clean.” She gave a look at the blood stained dress. Such a shame, it was a pretty dress.

“We’ll discuss more later.” There was a discussion to be had with a mercenary first.

~~~

A full salary did sound nice, and for reasons that Tamar listed. No more living out of a suitcase. She could actually enjoy the city she was in. She hadn’t spent too much time in any one city since she left her home of Stockholm when she was sixteen.

Astrid scoffed and rolled her eyes playfully at Tamar’s tease. “I will join you, but not for that reason. I would like to meet the woman crazy enough to offer a job to the person who just tried to kill her.” And it just wasn’t a good idea to send one person to van Helsing alone, not with that pet of hers.

It almost sounded like some ridiculous romance plot.

“And somebody needs to make sure you don’t say anything too crazy to her.” Nah, Astrid wouldn’t stop that. It’ll be hilarious.

 

[Lucyfer]

Matteo could only laugh at her comment about being Italian. She was going to hate what happened to her when she tried to eat garlic. Or smell it. But he'd let her find that one or and he'd get a kick out of it.

He kept a firm hold when they arrived, and a steady frown as Evangeline noted the business with the guard would wait until after her business with the mercenaries. They weren't even here yet!

“Fine,” he could show her to her room. He needed to know where she was born so they could get soil, if Evangeline hadn't already figured it out.

He pulled the guard into the home and took a turn towards the west wing, and then down into the basement. Best not to run the risk of sunlight, after all.

He opened the door across the hall from his own, not even needing to ask, and saw the room already a bit more presentable, with blood bags on the table.

He let her go.

“Drink. Get yourself together. I'll be outside when you're ready to talk,” she would want to change, he supposed.

~***~

Tamar laughed at that, “And you are the one to keep me from crazy talk? Ha!” Hardly! That was the German, who looked already too tired when Tamar looked at him, “You as well, Schaeffer. Astrid will need all the help she can get seducing the Lady Monster.”

“Her?” Schaeffer arched a brow.

Tamar threw up her hands in mock exasperation, “Oui, her! Are you not on my side? Do you not have my back?”

“Yes…which is why I question it,” he couldn't help the lazy grin, “no offense, Captain, but this is also quite unlike you. You are a vampire hunter. You don't work alongside them. Must be more than money.”

“Fine, stay and rot,” she scoffed, but obviously, he was still coming along and he knew it, “everyone dismissed for now, we will have more information soon~.”

Tamar would remove the bullet from the vest before leaving, but otherwise, she kept things the same.

 

[cleopat]

Seraphina went into the room without a word and closed the door behind her. Lack of windows, for obvious reasons, was expected, and it didn’t mean the room was entirely unpleasant by default. She’s slept in much worse conditions

The blood bags caught her attention first. She went over and picked one up, frowning at the red liquid inside. ‘Just think of it as a thick punch.’ But she didn’t have to think too hard about distracting her mind, for as soon as she opened the bag and got a whiff of the coppery tang, she downed the bags as if it was the most delicious treat ever found.

Seraphina still refused to think too much about her current situation. That she just drank blood. That for a split second, back at the ballroom, she thought about what it would be like to sink her teeth into someone’s neck. She knew that if she did think too hard, she may just have a breakdown.

Everything was so fucked up.

At least she felt better. The ravenous hunger was going away.

Next her sights set on the clothes provided for her. She removed her heels and the dress. When she looked down, there was no mark on her stomach. No indicator that she was shot.

Everything still felt like a weird dream.

She pulled on the clothes, noting to herself that the shirt seemed a little snug up top, but she couldn’t find any shoes, and there was no way the heels were going back on her feet. So with a sigh, and pushing back the emotions that threatened her sanity, she opened the door to see Matteo.

~~~

Astrid scoffed. “I need no help. I can look at a man, and he falls at my feet.” She heard a scoff from somewhere in the room, but she paid no heed to that.

Instead she smiled at Schaeffer’s observation. “See? He understands there’s something more to all of this.” She turned to Schaeffer. “Imagine her with a politician. It’s almost like a romantic movie in the making.”

She wouldn’t tease Tamar forever about it though. But if there was flirting tonight, well, then it was open season.

Already dressed to go out, Astrid followed Tamar out the room. “I am curious though, did you actually shoot at her? And if so, how did you miss? That’s not like you, unless you’re losing your edge.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Matteo stayed out in the hallway, but he could hear everything. He heard the ravenously drunk blood. He heard the changing of clothing. He heard the steps back, sans heels, and turned as the guard stepped out into the hallway.

Dressed down.

He doubted more comfortable, but certainly in a better state of mind to listen, now that her mind wouldn’t be running with hunger. He nodded, noting the way the top did hug her a bit too tightly. Well, he could hardly expect Evangeline to have anything with that sort of room. “In a day or two, we can return to your home and gather your things for the time you’ll be here with us.”

Maybe that night. He didn’t know.

“You’ll need to drink at least one blood bag a day, but I’ll tell you now – that’s just survival. If you want to grow strong, you’ll want to start taking living blood. This sterilized shit is,” he rolled his eyes as his nose wrinkled, “like eating stale bread and water. You’ll live, but that’s it.” And he did it plenty.

But he preferred living blood, and did take it at any opportunity.

“You won’t die of starvation, but the hunger will overwhelm you. And then you’ll kill people you don’t want to kill. So you’re going to have to get used to it. You can still eat and drink other things, but they won’t sustain you.”

There. Some questions she likely had, answered.

He would wait for her to vocalize others.

~***~

Schaeffer shook his head at the idea of a romantic movie. Politicians didn’t make for good romances. Perhaps a horror, though. They were on their way back out, though, and Astrid was still asking questions.

“I did shoot at her. My aim was perfect, but her Vampyr – well, there is more to Matteo, as rumors suggest,” and there, she frowned, brows furrowing together. “He pushed her out of the way. He pushed many out of the way. Telekinetic, I think.”

They were outside, and Schaeffer led back to his car, “But that is not too unusual, non? The unusual – I shredded him. I do not mean just an arm, just a leg – his full body. No vampire recovers from that,” she’d done it countless times to others. To werewolves! Beheading, staking, those were all ways to kill a vampire, but shredding killed pretty much everything.

Not him.

“Very few things survive that.”

“I thought nothing survived that.” Schaeffer stated.

“Non, non, there are things,” they slipped into the vehicle, and she continued once they were all in, “Demons,” she said, as it was the first thing to come to mind, “they do not have a true corporeal form, you see,” she said, “they are truly only incorporeal. Killing them is très difficile, but not impossible.”

“Demons…are real.”

“Oui, angels, demons, jinni, golems – real, real, real,” she confirmed, like ticking off a list, “all incorporeal naturally. Their physical bodies mean nothing. And so I wonder – perhaps Matteo is a demon?” She leaned back, folding her arms over her chest as she looked at the car ceiling. “Faustian deal with the Helsing family? But non, why impersonate a Vampyr?”

“Are you going to try and kill him like a demon?”

She shrugged, “C'est possible.”

 

[cleopat]

Seraphina crossed her arms and leaned against the wall as Matteo began to talk, explaining the whole blood situation. She made a face at the thought of taking live blood from someone. Well, taking any blood didn’t sit well with her.

Some would make a comment about the nature of her job and taking blood. She would insist that this was different. Cause it was. It had to be!

Seraphina looked down the hallway in her silent contemplation. The sounds of footsteps above them could be heard. The dripping of water. A low cough.

The overwhelming sensation was beginning to grow again.

“Why?” she asked, still looking down the hallway at nothing in particular, “why am I a vampire?”

~~~

Astrid made an impressed noise, “Telekinetic? Nej, not too unusual, but surviving being shredded by those silver wires of yours? Now that is something exciting.” She would hate to be on the receiving end of those shredders, and the thought of anything surviving being eviscerated by those is quite terrifying.

There was the theory of being a demon, which Astrid mused over as she slid into the car. She didn’t feel as if that was the answer, unless Evangeline van Helsing was being really on the nose about being a politician with a demon and selling her soul.

That would be hilarious.

“Do all vampires have the same powers?” Astrid wondered. “Or does it vary between vampires?” While she knew about the existence of all sorts of creatures, large part thanks to Tamar, she still knew very little about the creatures themselves.

She did know a random amount about trolls.

 

[Lucyfer]

It was obvious that the dark-haired woman was not thrilled about this. Few were. He’d taken to it rather easily, infuriated as he was by God, he was quite willing to drink the blood of others and raise havoc. It’d taken some getting used to so far as method, but…well, fury drove him to atrocities. He’d mellowed over the years.

He hadn’t forgotten how overwhelming it all was, though.

And he’d had no teacher.

“Evangeline told me to change you,” he stated, “there are some things I have no control over. There are direct orders I can ignore,” such as with his clothing, or menial things, “but orders regarding life and death, I cannot.” That had been written very clear into the fabric of the contract held between him and the van Helsing bloodline. “You owe her your life, not me. I was only the vehicle by which it was granted.”

He would have left her to die without the order. It was hardly the first time he’d killed an innocent in the line of duty. He certainly would again. Evangeline had never had him revive any of them before, though, she usually wasn’t on the scene. Still, he couldn’t figure why this was different than any of the others, unless she really was trying to collect guards for something.

Did she have that damnable van Helsing intuition about danger?

~***~

“Non, but the variances are never so extreme as this. They all share common weaknesses, though some have additions. It is a bloodline thing – or that is the theory. Only one origin vampire was ever known and that was Dracula. The van Helsings dealt with him ages ago,” he didn’t still walk among them, “don’t trust the pretty story by Stoker – he was not killed so easily as they suggest – but his bloodline is known for carrying along hypnotism, mind fuckery. Nuisances.”

Tamar clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, “Telekinetics have been seen. Vampiric powers seem to thrive in the mind-over-matter talents,” she wiggled her fingers in the air, “even altering shape – mind over matter, in a way, non?”

Schaeffer shrugged, not sure if he bought that one.

“Eh. Regardless, there is not one that should survive shredding. They are corporeal, undead. To bring the body together after….”

“Mind over matter, no?” Schaeffer teased.

Tamar shot him a dirty look for that. “That is extreme. And the Vampyr suggested I would have to kill him, ah, what was it…22,162 more times. An impossibility, but I do not think he was lying.”

“How does any of that get you to demon?”

“Legion.” But it was all a theory, as they were able to pull into the van Helsing drive, and allowed to park, “but I shall test and prod it. After all, we work for the Lady Monster, or we find a way to put her out of commission – and then her little Vampyr. Even if it must a battle of 22,162 deaths.”

 

[cleopat]

Seraphina frowned and looked back at Matteo. “No control?” The van Helsing ordered him to save her…and he couldn’t refuse? That kind of control wasn’t in any of the vampire stories she ever recalled reading about growing up.

And why would the Lady van Helsing decide to save her? Seraphina doubted it was for her skillset.

“So she can control you? Does this happen to all vampires? Does this mean she can control me?” She would not like that in the least, even if the woman did save her from death, in a way. Seraphine preferred being a free woman, and often fought anything that threatened that freedom.

“What else can I do and not do as a vampire?” What if she couldn’t use a mirror anymore? How was she supposed to put on makeup?

~~~

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Lady van Helsing?”

“When am I not sure of anything, Percival?” Evangeline fired back. She stood next to the front door with her trusty butler, Percival, waiting for the arrival of her new little friend she acquired that evening. Her dress had been traded out for something less elegant, but she still dressed as if she was about to head to work.

“You know I can answer that with at least five example.”

Evangeline elected to not respond to him as she watched an unfamiliar car pull up her drive and park. Her new sniper friend, or frenemy. That remained to be seen.


“I wonder if that’s how many people he’s killed,” Astrid mused as they pulled up in van Helsin’s drive. The lady in question was there waiting for them, with a middle aged man standing behind her. He hardly looked like he could even deliver a punch. “Tamar, I have a feeling you just pulled us into something very interesting.”

They exited the car, and Evangeline spoke first. “So glad of you to join me this evening with some of your,” Evangeline gave Schaeffer and Astrid a glance, “mercenaries. If you’d follow me, we can head to my office to discuss further.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Matteo scoffed at the idea of other vampires. Oh, they were out there. Other bloodlines, other origins. None had power quite like him. “No, this does not happen to other vampires,” there was disdain in speaking of them. Inferior whelps.

But they had their freedom.

He couldn’t claim that while the van Helsing bloodline lived on.

“I don’t know if she’ll be able to control you, or if it will be more of a…sympathetic bond, such as you’ll have towards me for a while,” he said, “wherein, you are free to make your own decisions, but going against her – or my – commands will plague you with guilt and a host of other negative emotions most prefer to avoid.”

So she’d be coerced by the sympathetic bond.

“I’ve never made a childe before. I don’t know if the bond is as complete as it is with me,” and so there would be some answers he didn’t have for her. Like…any answer to that question. He snorted, “But you’re still going to have to be less vague about that question. You drink blood, you don’t go out in sunlight, garlic is poison, ah,” he frowned, leaning back against the wall and rolling his eyes up, “silver is bad, blessings are bad, decapitation is bad, stake through the heart is bad – anything that fully punctures the heart is bad. Bullet is fine, but a sword, not so much.”

Stake wasn’t really a necessity in form. It was about fully puncturing the heart. A bullet could tear a hole through it, but it didn’t hold the hole open.

~***~

It was something that Tamar wondered, as well. Not only by the number, but the way he spoke of adding her to his collection. Tamar had plenty of questions about Matteo, and working closely with Lady van Helsing may be the best way to answer them – and kill him, once and for all. There were many opportunities in this partnership, not all of them good for the Lady Monster, but Tamar would keep an open mind.

After all, it could lead to a long-term partnership, the Le Petite Mort working permanently with the van Helsing family. Presuming Evangeline wasn’t the last.

A smile bloomed on Tamar’s lips as Evangeline was waiting outside for them, with only a doddering old man that Tamar knew too well was definitely not that at all. It was still insulting, though. If she could keep up with Matteo, did she think Percival was going to be a match? “But of course, Lady Monster, I would never keep you waiting long. These are Schaeffer – German, prefers to go by his surname, good luck getting his first. He was my spotter, did well, I think,” she gestured to the blond, and then to the woman with her, “and Astrid, who has a darling little crush on you, so do forgive any strange behavior – she simply cannot help that you make her lose her senses. It is why I could not bring her as spotter.”

Jokes!

But Tamar was nothing if not forward herself, and she didn’t stop where polite on stepping up to Lady Evangeline while she talked on about Schaeffer and Astrid. “But is this dear Percy? I am not sure if I ought to be offended or honored that you brought him, and only him, when this could all be a ruse,” and she intended to test where the lady’s fear points were. If she didn’t flinch, or if no one intercepted her, she did intended to get close enough to reach for her chin and grasp it.

To step in so close plenty at a distance might wonder.

“Do you trust so easily, Lady Monster?” but at least her smile would be winningly innocent.

 

[cleopat]

Seraphina noted the way Matteo reacted to the question of other vampires. Did he have some issue with other vampires? Maybe it was the fact that they had the freedom he didn’t. That would make her a little bitter towards them. Like now how normal humans can walk out in the sun, and you can’t.

But she may suffer from the same set of parameters that Matteo did. Being forced to obey the commands of the van Helsing, and maybe Matteo’s. She made a face at that. “Oh that will be fun.” Hopefully that…bond would go away soon, if she didn’t leave them in the near future.

If she did leave, where would she go? At least here, Seraphina would be with people who know what she is, and someone who could continue to help her figure things out, if he was willing.

She still couldn’t figure out Matteo.

A vampire who had never made another vampire before, so he didn’t know the exacts of her question. Great. At least he knew what would kill her, but…

“No garlic?” Seraphina moaned, sliding down the wall she leaned against until she was sitting on the floor. “Being a vampire feels very anti-Italian.” She knew she sounded crazy. She knew it was ridiculous. But it was her way of dealing with everything to a degree.

“What about reflections in mirrors?” She looked back at Matteo. “And, oh what was it vampires in those books had to do…Do I have to have permission to enter a home?” There needs to be some fucking ‘So You’re Now a Vampire’ brochure.

~~~

Evangeline acknowledged each of them with a polite nod of her head. Astrid rolled her eyes at Tamar’s introduction. “Oh please, she’s only projecting. You should’ve heard the way she gushed about you when she came back.”

Tamar stepped close, and Percival was quick to intercept her hand with a firm grasp. “I’d suggest you to not touch Lady van Helsing,” he advised before letting her go.

“Percival here may be my trusted butler since I was a little girl, but he is accustomed to completing many tasks around the manor no matter how menial, including on occasion, taking out the trash.” Evangeline gave Tamar a friendly smile. “And I trust as much as is needed.”

Maybe she did trust too much to allow three barely-known mercenaries into her home.

Astrid snickered quietly. “Denied,” she whispered.

“Now,” Evangeline started, “if we are done with introductions, let us continue on.” She turned on her heels and led them to her office, hoping there would be no more interruptions.

Why were the mercenary types always the ones who joked around the most?

 

[Lucyfer]

Matteo snorted at her complaint with her lack of garlic. “Because it was designed to specifically fuck me, and I'm Italian.” Years before her, obviously, but he was pretty sure the garlic thing was done by his demon in particular. He knew others who could still eat garlic.

He could now, but it still made his stomach upset.

“We have reflections. We don't need to ask permission to enter anywhere,” That'd be annoying, “you can paint your face and break into homes all you like. Running water isn't an issue, either.”

He tried to think of other popular ones, then rolled his eyes, “You won't start to sparkle.” Twilight! How did it ever get popular? “And animal blood does nothing. It has to be human. No vegetarian vampires.” He hated that.

The rule was made to make it difficult to live, after all. He had to eat that which he once was.

~***~

Tamar didn't seem bothered when her hand was caught, nor did she make any attempt to free it prematurely. She just looked amused with the catch. “I'm familiar with his reputation,” she said, not looking away from him, “after all, there is very little you dirty your own hands with.” Only then she looked away from the butler, as her hand was released.

She may be trash – but she'd rather be that than hide behind others. She earned her dirty hands.

Still, she did not offer additional interruptions. She followed, as did Schaeffer, though interruptions were hardly expected from him. Tamar did glance around at the scenery, of course, though she wasn't expecting to discern much from anything on public display.

She did wonder where Matteo lived, though.

And how Evangeline planned to ‘keep’ the mercenaries.

The group reached the office without seeing Matteo, or other threats, for that matter. It truly was poorly defended, if one didn't consider Matteo likely had an awareness of the entire home. No wonder she wanted mercenaries!

On reaching the office, Tamar clapped her hands together, “So! Do we get refreshments? Or will this be a stiff, no nonsense discussion at the,” she gestured over to it, “desk,” she said the word was if it were a threat.

 

[cleopat]

Matteo intrigued Seraphina with his answer. The garlic thing was a response to him, who also was Italian. It made her wonder how old exactly Matteo was, if some of the vampire lore came about because of him.

They have reflections, she didn’t need permission to enter anywhere. Okay, good. At least that much she could work with. She snorted at the sparkle comment. She personally never saw the movies, but she remembered friends obsessed with those vampires and how they sparkled. How bizarre! How very…not scary in the least.

She sat on the hard floor, not even acknowledging the cold on her bare feet, for a few seconds as her mind shuffled through everything. What was the proper way to respond to everything that happened? Was she allowed to have a little mental breakdown, as a treat? Or did she just accept and move on?

“How old are you?” Seraphina wondered.

~~~

Evangeline led them into her office. It wasn’t her main one where she did most of her work and research - that was reserved to the library. But this one was suitable for smaller meetings and conference calls. There was her desk with a phone and computer, several bookshelves lined one wall, and the two towering windows offered a spectacular view of the moonlit garden.

She moved to the other side of the desk, allowing the chunk of wood to separate herself from the mercenaries, and Percival stood to its side, looking utterly bored by the entire situation.

“I’m afraid this will be more of a no nonsense discussion,” Evangeline answered, clasping her hands behind her back. Astrid opted to sit in one of the chairs in front of the desk, getting comfortable as she swung one leg over the arm.

“First thing’s first, I want all of the information you know about your employer for this evening.”

 

[Lucyfer]

How old was he? They didn’t tell time the same way back then. AD wasn’t in effect until a century or two after he’d been turned, and he wasn’t in that part of the world any longer. He hummed, “Somewhere over 1800 years, I think,” he mused, “I was from the Time of Martyrs, so AD wasn’t in use yet.”

And fuck if he was going to remember, or bother, translating what that meant.

“Oh yeah, I should mention – God’s real. Blessed items are going to hurt. Not just your standard run-of-the-mill, Made in China, plastic cross. No one in their right mind considers that blessed or holy,” he scoffed at the mere idea of some hobby story trinket being a divine object that could cause him harm.

“Just about any object can be blessed, though. And touching it will burn. But you’ll get a sense for it, the way animals get a sense for danger. Probably after you get burned a few times.” He didn’t quite know when or how he figured it out.

Well, it was somewhat obvious since he pacted with a demon that God’s things would now hurt him, but recognizing when a mundane object was blessed? That took skill.

~***~

There was actually still a wired phone. Tamar almost laughed at the sight of it, but could only sigh instead as Evangeline insisted on sitting at the desk and doing things properly. “Fine, fine,” Tamar waved her hand dismissively in the air, but did not take a seat at a chair. She sat on the desk, on the side Percival was on, legs dangling over the side.

Schaeffer opted to take the other chair, and he sat, properly. Stone-faced compared to his two companions.

Tamar’s fingers itched again to smoke, but she didn’t see an ashtray. She had some standards, and so she pulled the silver threads around her fingers to toy with that as she answered Evangeline, “We were hired by Andrew Yael for the job, but he insisted it had to be at this event, and by sniper, which isn’t my typical method when someone like Matteo is involved,” no, she would have rather pulled Evangeline aside and finished it up close and personal.

Better odds of success.

“I figured it was for privacy and secrecy reasons, and the money was good enough not to ask too many questions. I was aware of Yael’s affiliation with the,” she snorted, “Church of the Fathers that Father Donnigan was a part of. Offshoot of the Catholic church. They think they’re the true church – who doesn’t? – because they allow their priests to marry, which is what God wanted,” she twirled the silver thread up, “their blessings work, so who am I to argue? God’s apparently not too picky, though.”

Proper Catholic blessings also worked, after all.

“I’m guessing religious motivations, given who you are, the monster in your employ, and because everything is religious for these people. I don’t think Yael funded us alone, but Yael was the only face we saw.”

 

[cleopat]

Seraphina stared at Matteo for a second as if he just spontaneously grew a second head. Maybe it would’ve been more believable than his nearly being two millennia old! “Fuck.” From a complete curiosity perspective, she would enjoy listening to any historical stories he may have or remembered from his life. “You…look good for your age.”

Smooth.

She stood back up. “If God’s real, then I suppose I owe my mother an apology.” Her mother was already getting on her nerves when Seraphina stopped attending church upon starting university, but when she admitted she stopped believing in some benevolent deity?

Seraphina might as well have slapped her mother in the face.

They reconciled eventually, but she still suffered from the occasional ‘you need to meet a nice Catholic Italian man’ comment whenever she visited.

“My name is Seraphina, by the way.”

~~~

Evangeline didn’t sit down like the mercenaries did. It wasn’t quite an authority thing, but she did prefer to have a certain vantage point of those she was talking to. It helped her think better, and allowed herself to be prepared for any unexpected interruptions. She gave Tamar a look though as the woman decided to make her desk a seat, but she said nothing about it.

It was clear Percival greatly wanted to say something.

At least one of them was somewhat normal, though the Germans were always the more serious kind.

The silver thread caught Evangeline’s attention as Tamar told her of Andrew Yael. Oh yes, she knew the name. She knew his affiliation. She never really did like him, and now she had greater reason to not tolerate his presence.

“I’ve seen Andrew Yael around in the British noble circles. He’s not exactly one who stands out, though now I’m wondering if that’s due to his own desire or not. I do recall a few of his opinions being quite out there, but never really thought much of him.” Perhaps her own oversight.

The Church of the Fathers took her a further second to think about, and even then, nothing much came to mind about them. She shook her head, “The Church isn’t one I’m too familiar about, though I think I’ve heard it here and there. Some small group attempting to spread their word however they want.”

Looks like one way included an attempted public assassination.

“Last I recall, Lord Yael was a noble in title only, and his family’s fortune had taken a turn for the worst,” Percival spoke up.

 

[Lucyfer]

Matteo snorted at her comment on his looks, and finally giving him a name, “So all it took was my age to get your name?” he knew he could have had it earlier if he’d just introduced himself, but why would he ever be cooperative? “But yes. You owe your mom an apology. If you want her aware you’re alive.”

That was something she had to think of now.

“Faking your death in all that won’t be hard, if you prefer,” she could vanish. Never have to explain what happened to her parents.

Nor see them again, or any other family she had. Some preferred that, though. They’d rather their loved ones not know. Especially when it was a choice not made in a sane state of mind, and Seraphina definitely wasn’t in that, even if she still asked to live. Dying wasn’t a sane state of mind for anyone.

It hadn’t been for him.

~***~

“Isn’t that all a lord really is, someone with a fancy title from a fancy bloodline?” Tamar had no reason to take noble bloodlines seriously. That sort of nonsense didn’t exist in France anymore, after all. Anyone claiming it was usually pointedly reminded of the revolution and why it was nothing to brag about.

But, ah, the UK still had its oddities with titles over merit.

“The Church is nothing special,” as Tamar said it, she pressed one heel into the desk and fell back so she was lying on it, still playing with the thread. She didn’t hit anything on the way down; she’d made sure to check it out of the corner of her eye.

Schaeffer palmed his face and muttered something in German that was definitely a complaint about being embarrassed. Tamar paid it no heed.

“Well, I suppose if they are funding your death, that may be special to you. I was not aware dear Andrew was in dire straits. That would make the Church more interesting, non? I am certain it would not be difficult to find out, people keep receipts, bank accounts are not so difficile to hack.”

 

[cleopat]

Seraphina rolled her eyes. “More of, you’ve been helping me and answering my questions.” It was one thing she could offer him, even though he never asked for it.

How many names has the vampire heard over the centuries? How many people he knew and died in a blink of an eye for him? The entire life sounded so isolating and alone. She was already used to such a life, to an extent.

And she may have to get used to it even more.

Seraphina frowned and turned away from Matteo in an attempt to hide the emotions flickering across her face. Could she do that? Never see her parents again, unable to watch her nieces and nephews grow up, never hug her nonna again.

She understood the reason, but it still pained her to think about it.

“I’ll have to think about it.” She looked down the hallway, wishing the right answer would pop out of the walls. “I know I don’t have much time to decide, but I’ll try and have one soon.”

~~~

“Some just have that fancy title by sheer luck of being born in the right bloodline, but many families still have their associated wealth.” Evangeline looked down at Tamar as she just decided to make her desk into a bed. She…didn’t quite know what to do. The mercenary was a wild card, and she didn’t know if she could use that to her advantage or not.

It certainly brought an image to her head of Tamar being forced to obey in…certain situations.

Astrid shook her head in amusement. And Tamar said she had no crush on the van Helsing…ha! She was practically laying underneath the woman!

“It is interesting that the Church would fund an assassination in this day and age, and at such an illustrious party. They certainly wanted to make a statement and make themselves well known.” Evangeline wondered what the news would look like in the morning.

‘Attempt on van Helsing’s Life by Crazed Christian Sect!’

Evangeline nodded at Tamar. “And that would most likely be your first task.” She directed her statement towards all the mercenaries. “Find out that information. The exact financial situation of Andrew Yael, information about this Church and a location, and those affiliated by this Church.” Otherwise she had nothing else to go on yet.

 

[Lucyfer]

Despite being helpful, it was evident that Matteo’s current statement about her future options was still not terribly appreciated. He could tell it was troubling, and he knew it would be. Most didn’t get a choice in when their parents learned they were dead. It just happened. And they were actually dead.

For all intents and purposes, Sera was dead.

Only she got to decide if that was what her parents knew, or if they knew the full story. Matteo shook his head, “I’m not telling you decide now. But you will need to. Soon. I can’t tell you what would be easier. My parents were already dead.” And he was fairly isolated from anyone he’d call a friend.

He had followers.

He’d also turned on most of them immediately for not helping him when he was imprisoned. He’d turned on just about everyone, back then, though. That was what happened when you got angry enough to turn against God, though, and not go become a martyr as He commanded. Matteo still had no plans on walking that back, though.

He wasn’t sorry.

“And things were…significantly different on the communication front.”

No instant gratification there. No cell phones or internet.

~***~

Of course, Tamar felt the eyes on her, though she continued to feign fascination with the designs she wove into the threads. The only way she stayed good at it was constant practice, after all. But, she was aware. And she was very amused that the Lady Monster hadn’t snapped, yet. How much would it take? Dealing with someone like Matteo may have made it quite the task.

She’d find it, though.

But, not just then.

They had their marching orders, and were already well on their way to figuring out much about it. After all, Tamar did tend to start investigating her employers, just in case they attempted to stiff her. “Ha! Not a very good statement, I wager. Even if they had been victorious. They may have been deluded, perhaps.”

They could killed the Lady van Helsing where the catholic church could not? Was that how the logic functioned? Who knew.

With the order given, she tucked the threads away and sat back upright, “Very well. I will have some hack his accounts. Trace where his money has been coming in from. I already know many in the church, but I shall see if there is a list I can acquire. I do use them to bless my weapons when a proper Catholic isn’t available.”

“Won’t they have seen you with Lady van Helsing?”

“And?” Tamar arched an eyebrow. His question was obvious – she was suspicious. They had no reason to trust her. “Ma choucroute, they trust in Him. Do you know how many trust He lets me keep living? Come, come, they know how much I hate the Lady Monster – no offense, ma chérie – I can convince them I am still with them."

 

[cleopat]

Seraphina snickered with his mention of different communication. No doubt there was! Messages were at the mercy of the elements and ongoing conflicts. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what life was like when Matteo was actually alive. The empires that were long gone. The changes that the world was seeing.

But she had to get through this heartache first.

“My family didn’t even know what I did for a living. They just thought I was working some boring customer service job at a call center.” Her mother would have had a fit if she knew the truth. Her father would have had a heart attack after thinking too hard about exactly which dangers Seraphina put herself through nearly daily.

She felt pressure beginning to build behind her eyes. Tears. When was the last time she cried? A finger quickly wiped away a tear that threatened to make itself known. Okay so you can cry as a vampire, and it looks normal. No blood likes the stories.

She ultimately turned back around. “Does it ever get…lonely?”

~~~

With the mention of the need to hack and trace accounts, Astrid pulled out her phone to start the job. “I’ll get started on tracing his money.” She needed her computer to complete the job, but more than enough could be done from that office. Maybe even find all the information they needed, but that would take longer.

Evangeline nodded, “Good. As long as there is no double-crossing on your end, then you may hate me all you want. I only care about results, and loyalty where important.” Percival gave her a soft look.

Her oldest, most loyal friend. Matteo…she didn’t quite know where Matteo fell, but she trusted him enough when it mattered.

“You will be given a generous deposit for this task, and once sufficient information has been collected, I will give you the rest. After that, we can discuss further employment, if you want.” Evangeline wanted to see how fast they could work, though no doubt she would get that information very soon.

“Unless you wish to discuss future employment now?” she asked with a raised brow. “All on hypotheticals, of course, until we have that information.”

 

[Lucyfer]

“Why didn’t you tell them? Was your job sworn by some secret organization rules?” Matteo honestly had no idea how it worked. He wasn’t familiar with whether or not MI6 needed people to be unknown, or if she just didn’t want her parents to know she was risking her life for a non-Italian government.

It seemed to be tearing her up though. He sighed at the tears.

He didn’t need to deal with this.

And that question!

The honest answer was, of course, yes.

He hadn’t noticed that until he was forced to stay in one place. Until he was forever trapped at the side of the van Helsings. Before then, he’d never noticed. His anger drove him. He’d never been alone with that feeling, but now, he was constantly alone, and his anger could only seethe. He couldn’t act on it.

“What kind of question is that?” He asked her, “that’s life. If you were lonely as a human, you’ll be lonely as an vampire. Vampirism does not change how feel like that. You still have human emotions.”

And loneliness was a common that everyone dealt with.

He knew that wasn’t what she was asking. He just didn’t want to answer.

~***~

“Truly, a woman of immense pragmatism. It is no wonder so many dislike you,” Tamar laughed as Evangeline noted she didn’t care if Tamar hated her or not – she just wanted results. Tamar was loyal where there was money, and Evangeline would certainly pay. Of that, she didn’t doubt. “Ah, but non, non, non. No point discussing the future if there is not one. I am not the sort of girl to start planning a marriage and children’s names on the first date, ma chérie.” She winked, before turning to Schaeffer and Astrid, fingertips on the desk.

“We’ll need to return to our locale to continue the work, and I will need to check in with the Church of the Fathers to get you what you need. I imagine I will be contacting you in a day or two, and we can go from there.”

She stepped from the desk, fingertips trailing away, to go to Schaeffer’s side, “Unless, either of you have questions for the Lady?”

“No,” Schaeffer shook his head, though he shot Astrid a glance, curious as to whether or not she’d have none, or if she’d make things…more difficult.

 

[cleopat]

Seraphina shook her head. He wasn’t far off. “In a way, you’re right. When you become a member of MI6, your identity must be protected, as you deal with classified and delicate information, and missions commonly include espionage. A cover story helps with the possibility of accidental leaks or blows of covers that could put my or my family’s lives at risk. It’s hard for my mother to ramble on about my job to her friends if she doesn’t know the truth.”

So she was just a boring customer service agent at a call center. Not much to brag about, which was good for her.

Seraphina flinched at the answer Matteo provided. It was too real, too close to her life already. She was lonely. It was easier to not have many friends, though there were the few, and it had been forever since she was last in a relationship. The occasional stress relief through various one night stands? Sure.

But she did find herself wanting someone by her side. Someone to come home to, someone to curl up with after a long day.

Now she would never get that, unless she ended up with another vampire, or whatever other immortal creatures there were out there.

It seemed to be a sensitive subject for Matteo, which Seraphina noticed with ease. She would drop that question, and try to change the subject.

She brushed away the last of her tears as she forced those emotions away. “We talked enough about what I can’t do, but what are some things that I can do as a vampire? Greater strength? Speed? Mind manipulation?” The last one was a bit of a joke.

~~~

Evangeline looked unamused at Tamar’s observation, even if she was very much amused by Tamar’s antics. She knew many disliked her, and she hardly cared. She only cared about who did their damn jobs, and who delivered results.

Those who actually liked her were often those who excelled at those two things.

Astrid smirked at Tamar and Evangeline, a knowing look in her eye. But she said nothing about that. With Schaeffer’s look, she answered, “No questions from me. I have all the answers I need for now.”

She put her feet back on the floor and stood up. “You’ll find that we work fast, especially when it comes to gathering intel.”

“Good, then I suspect this will be easy for all of you,” Evangeline nodded. Percival, who remained largely quiet during the meeting, looked more than ready to escort them off the property.

“Some of us like to impress the pretty ones~” Astrid said in a sing-song voice to Tamar.

 

[Lucyfer]

There was a flinch at loneliness, but Matteo was hardly in a position to comment on it. It was a topic he didn't want to continue, after all. Better it was dropped. Harshly.

Loneliness was to be expected if she was lying to everyone, though. At least she was accustomed to that. He didn't know what Evangeline would ask of her, if Seraphina chose to remain.

It was a new situation for all of them.

He snorted as she tried to be positive after all of that. “Some can. We can't.” He didn't know if his ability to take souls and use them would pass on. It seemed as likely as unlikely.

“You are stronger. Faster. You'll heal from any non fatal wound perfectly. You may get telekinesis. I'm not sure of the rest,” he relaxed his posture, and held a hand in front of him, stretched out to draw attention to it as a black-and-red miasma swirled around it, making the appearance of his hand questionable.

Fluid.

“I can store souls once I've drunk them,” he never had incentive to change others for that reason alone. “I don't know if you'll inherit that. It lets you have more than one life. So to speak. It also lets you summon them forth as pawns in battle.”

~***~

Tamar chuckled at the sing-song and patted Astrid’s shoulder, “We know, Astrid, we know,” as if it was her who was trying to impress Evangeline. “You shouldn't make it so obvious, mon coeur, you're coming off as desperate.. Announcing you do faster work like that in front of her. Just call her pretty – she is.”

But she wouldn't tease it further than that.. She'd given Astrid some of what she wanted, after all, by stating that Evangeline was pretty. So she lifted her hand off her shoulder and turned back to Evangeline.

“And if you need us, ma chérie, you can find me at the Barlow Hotel, room 532~, there will be a key with your name on it, of course,” and there would be, though she was only expecting a business visit.

She did have work to do, after all.

Schaeffer rose, prepared to leave with no further comments. His area wasn't hacking but he had his own jobs to do.

 

[cleopat]

Stronger. Faster. She could work with that. Possible telekinesis? She wouldn’t even know how to practice that, if she did have it. But it sounded neat. Useful. And there was the rejuvenation, as if she was some weird comic book antihero.

Matteo demonstrated one of his abilities, and Seraphina stared in amazement at the illusion. She stepped closer, and one hand reached out to the miasma, but stopped just before where it swirled. “That’s fascinating.”

If one had told her just that morning if any of this was possible, she would’ve deemed them crazy!

“Souls?” she gave Matteo a questioning look. “I’m assuming you don’t have my soul…right?” Seraphina didn’t know what she thought about the soul thing. That…was something to think more about later, when she had the chance to process more. “Is that how you were able to regenerate after that silver wire shredded you into nothing?”

The idea of having pawns in battle sounded pretty badass.

~~~

“Even if that were all true, does it make you jealous?” Astrid teased. She would stop the teasing there for now, until came another time where Tamar and Evangeline were in the same room again. It was all just too much fun.

And she wouldn’t tease Tamar for giving Evangeline her exact room number at the hotel. It would be all too easy.

Ignoring the antics between Tamar and Astrid, Evangeline nodded at Tamar. She suspected that the mercenary would reach out first, but she kept the information in her mind just in case. “Then I bid you all adieu. It was nice meeting each of you.” Except for Tamar, though their earlier meeting was a bit more unusual.

It wasn’t often that a near assassination attempt led to business partners meetings.

“Percival will show you three the way out.” Evangeline doubted they needed to be shown where the entrance to her manor was, but having Percival escort them was more for her safety. She still didn’t trust them. She would be foolish to do so.

There was still a discussion that needed to be had between her and her two vampires. She sighed, watching as Percival led them out of her office. Once the office door closed, Evangeline sat back down in her office chair. “Matteo,” she called out to the emptiness of her office.

 

[Lucyfer]

Matteo did let a grin creep onto his lips, even if he felt a pang of anger at the fact he couldn’t go much further than what he showed Seraphina. The locks on his power prevented what he could do with the souls that inhabited his body. The souls he’d earned. Evangeline didn’t often let him take in new souls, either.

It was maddening.

“You are alive, so, no,” he confirmed, “I would show you, but I cannot,” he didn’t elaborate – he heard Evangeline call for him and he let out a long-suffering sigh, “Come. She’s done with our…guests.” He rolled his eyes at the word, but would lead Seraphina up from the basement, and straight to where Evangeline waited.

Nowhere private.

The mercenaries hadn’t earned that.

He was terribly familiar with the setup of her office.

“She’s fed, so she can listen now,” Matteo said as he walked in, noting Percival wasn’t around. Shame. He liked Percival. “Are we done with the mercenaries?” he sounded oh-so hopeful about something he knew was not the case. He just wanted it clear he didn’t like this idea.

~***~

The Lady Monster was certainly right to send the butler. Tamar would have taken off in any direction to explore without him, but as it was, she was kept on path and out the door, back to Schaeffer’s little car where she slid back into the passenger’s seat.

“So—” Schaeffer meant to ask a question, but paused as Tamar had her phone at her ear. He quickly shut up.

Schaeffer couldn’t hear the voice on the other line, but he could hear Tamar’s. “No, really? Is she? I had no idea,” it was a business call. Not the good kind. There was another pause, before Tamar continued.

“Do you know I was shot? Do you know I was captured by her little hellhound? Did you know that you breached our fucking contract, Yael?” Well, that answered who she was speaking to. “I had little choice but to go with the bitch and play her game. Thankfully, I only had to give up Father Donnigan, but she’s only letting me off the hook if I find out if the whole Church of the Fathers is behind this or not.”

The voice on the other side sounded sharp, annoyed, but Schaeffer could not make it out.

“I’m calling you because you owe me money, and,” her voice lifted, evidently to stifle an argument, “because I am sure you still want her dead, oui?” a touch of dangerous play returned to her voice, “The bitch wants to use me. It lets me get close to her, the way I wanted to do this before. Since you seem to want to make a spectacle of the damn thing, I thought it might be prudent to call you so we can work out the details, and this time, you can keep me in the loop of your extravaganza.”

Andrew had apparently grown softer in tone. Schaeffer could barely hear him through this pause. “But of course. Take all night to think. We can speak again in the morning and renegotiate the, ah, finer details of our deal, oui?”

Likely, agreement.

“Oui! Bonsoir, Yael~.”

When Tamar hung up, the persona was gone. She was completely stone faced.

 

[cleopat]

Seraphina had several more questions she wanted to ask him. Why couldn’t he show her? Did he have to consume souls, or is it something he just enjoyed doing? Is it something she will have to do eventually?

Consuming a soul didn’t…sound very nice.

Unfortunately she didn’t get to voice her questions and learn more. Matteo was called, something Seraphina heard as well, which meant she was to come as well. She followed him up from the basement and to Evangeline’s office.

The van Helsing was waiting for them there, sitting behind her desk. She gestured to the seats in front of the desk, and Seraphina sat down. The sound of Evangeline’s heartbeat had grown quieter for Seraphina. The presence of her blood was not as noticeable, which she guessed was due to drinking from the blood bags, as Matteo mentioned.

Evangeline shook her head at Matteo. “Not yet. They’re doing one little task for me, and after that is done, we’ll proceed from there. I don’t trust them in the least yet, but I’m curious to see how things play out with them, or if I need to start sleeping with a gun underneath my pillow again.” There was a slight smile on her face.

~~~

Upon sliding into the car, Astrid pulled her cellphone back out, continuing her search for financial information of Andrew Yael, or delegating certain tasks to those she knew could do the job immediately.

She listened in to Tamar’s conversation as much as she could, but she could hardly hear the voice on the other line. Eventually she learned it was Yael, that damned bastard.

She was a little shocked to hear that Tamar was entertaining the notion of finishing the job he hired her for, after the chaos of the gala and her nearly getting killed. And if Lady van Helsing was willing to hire them as a group permanently, it meant she had money. Most likely, more money than Yael.

“Do you think you can trust him to not betray you again?” Astrid questioned, not once looking up from her phone. “He’s such a weasel.”