Chapter 5

~~Julias~~

“The Carthians are rebels without a cause. They don’t do well taking orders from the older covenants, and work to try and establish more modern forms of government.”

Julias paced back and forth in his kitchen, glass of red in his hand and his childe at the counter.

“They don’t sound bad,” the boy said.

“They’re not ‘bad,’ but they’d tear down generations of structure, of heritage, of rules and dynasties just because it doesn’t have the flash of a modern government.” He gave a shrug and sipped his drink. “Props to them for wanting a more fair and just system, but they’re naive. Kindred are not just, fair creatures, Jack. They’re greedy, paranoid predators.”

“Then how do the Invictus do it?”

“Rules. We’re the foundation that a society of vampires can last with, harsh and strict and formal. The Carthians would collapse within a year of being in charge.”

“But ... I thought Antoinette was in charge?”

Julias quirked a brow. The boy said her name with an odd touch of softness. “She is. We ask her permission for anything she’d care about, and she almost always lets us do as we will.” He chuckled. “It drives the triumvirate mad though. What’s that dragon up to, they argue constantly.”

“How many Carthians are there?”

“As many as Invictus; the two covenants make up the bulk of Dolareido’s Kindred. Viktor, Maria, and Michael are older than Garry though, so the Prince lets the Invictus rule ... usually.”

“Right right. And Antoinette is a ... dragon?”

“The Ordo Dracul. A small covenant, concerned only with weird, pseudo-scientific pursuits of self growth. They guard their secrets well. Only Antoinette and Daniel are members of that covenant, here in this city, as far as we’re aware.”

“Ok...” Jack ran both of his hands back and forth over his buzzed head, and his eyes were darting back and forth at nothing. Processing.

Julias managed another chuckle and took another drink. The amount of information was massive, and there was still more to come. The covenants would be enough for today though.

“Antoinette banned the Lancea et Sanctum, so you don’t need to worry about them. Normally they’d be our partners; Invictus control while the Lancea et Sanctum record. They’re a very religious group.”

“Can’t believe she has the power to ... no, wait, yeah I can believe it.” The small Ventrue gave a shiver. Apparently his meeting with the Prince had left an impression on him.

“And then ... there’s the Circle of the Crone.” It was Julias’s turn to give a shiver. “Jacob is their leader. A Nosferatu. He ... well...” He scratched at the back of his neck, even as Jack raised his head to look at him with wide eyes. “Jacob is primal.”

“Primal?”

“Yes. Primal. Jacob would be deep underground with his nest, and I would not be surprised to see him chanting around a bowl of Kindred blood, mixed with the bones of animals and kine, and casting ... dark things.”

They stared at each other for a moment. So far, all talk of Kindred had been modern, of business men and slum lords and politics and money. The thought of the Circle and their ancient, primordial ways got under Julias’s skin, and under the skin of his childe too from the way Jack was looking at him.

“No one’s mentioned him ... I’m surprised Antoinette allows that, and not the Lancea et Sanctum.” Again, Jack’s voice said the Prince’s name with an odd inflection, and for a moment, Julias could swear the boy smiled.

“You have the Prince on your mind, Jack? What’s up?”

“I ... er, yeah.” The little man huddled in on himself until he practically reeked of shame. “I ... hung out with Antoinette last night.”

“ ... I’m sorry. What?”

“I uh ... had a lovely night with Antoinette.” Jack was scratching his head in that way he always did when he was nervous. Well, at least his childe was predicable. Or so he thought.

“The Prince.”

“The Prince.”

“You had a lovely night with ... the Prince ... of our city.”

“ ... yeah.”

Julias’s face was stuck in a permanent frown, but his childe apparently couldn’t contain his grin anymore. He refused to look Julias in the eye, and his were looking to the counter. Hell, even one of his fingers was tracing nothing into its surface.

“Ok, ok, you’re going to have to walk me through it.” With a groan of frustration, Julias took up his usual glass of blood and started to walk around. Soon he was in front of his window and looking out over the city. His childe had been talking to Antoinette?

“Well, I dropped by Bloodlust like you suggested. Which was a horrible idea, by the way. The music alone, my god. I mean-”

“The story, Jack.”

“Right, right. Well, I went up onto the second floor, thought maybe it would be nicer up there. And ... well Antoinette was there in the back.”

“The hell was the Prince doing at Bloodlust? She’s never been there before...” Julias scratched at his chin before taking another sip of his blood. A Prince wouldn’t just go walking around visiting new places. They are machines of decision and efficiency. Everything is done with a purpose.

“I have no idea, but when she saw me, she made me sit with her.”

Julias had to turn to look at Jack just to make sure the boy wasn’t joking. Nope, the small Ventrue was scratching his head in his usual way.

“You sat down at her booth.”

“Yeap.”

“And Daniel didn’t cut you into bits?” Julias made a sweeping gesture with his hand. Literal bits.

“Who?”

“Her sheriff.”

“Oh. I uh, didn’t see him. Only two of her ghouls.”

“You wouldn’t see him, he’s a Mekhet. He was there though, he’d have to be. Antoinette wouldn’t just go out alone.” The large Ventrue paced back and forth in front of the window. Viktor was not going to like this. Anything out of the ordinary was enough to make his master nervous, and that it had been this brand new childe who discovered it? Suspicious wouldn’t even describe his reaction.

“Well, I’m still in one piece, so I guess he didn’t. I sat down and Antoinette saw I was hungry.”

“You hadn’t fed?” This time he purposefully sounded judging.

“That’s why I went there! You know I’m no good at this sort of thing. Antoinette noticed right off the bat, so she...”

“She what?” Julias stopped pacing and stared at Jack. She couldn’t have.

“She um ... let me feed off of one of her ghouls.”

“Oh ... oh. Well.” His grip loosened on his drink, and he came back to the counter to sit across from his childe. “She didn’t give you any of her blood to drink, did she?”

“What? No, no ... vampires can drink other vampire blood?”

Julias ran his fingers through his hair in a way not too dissimilar to Jack.

“It’s ... just, don’t do it. Never do it. Ever. I can explain it in detail later, just know that it will ruin you. Ruin. You.” He could tell his words struck home, as Jack’s eyes opened wide. If he had to scare his childe to the extreme to get across his point, he’d do it. Jack was far too trusting and innocent to be making that risk.

“Ok ok, never drink another vamp’s blood. Got it. So I drank from her ghoul, which was amazing and insanely hot, by the way.”

“Which one?”

“The blonde, Ashley. Ballerina’s body you know? She got all snug with me and rubbed against me and stuff.”

“ ... damn that is pretty hot, so lean and bendy and – wait wait wait. She let you feed on one of her ghouls? Why?” Focus, Julias. Women later, the problem now.

“I guess ... to be nice?”

“She’s the Prince, Jack. She’s not going to do anything without a real motive.”

“I know, I know. But what exactly is she going to get out of controlling me, Julias? I’m not in a position of power, or influence, or even knowledge. And hey, I get that, I understand. So what’s the harm?”

“I ... don’t know. Vampires are patient, her more than most. She may be sewing a seed that will help her in decades to come.”

“Maybe, maybe, but ... I don’t know. She didn’t know I’d be coming - hell I didn’t know. She was ... she seemed like she ... wanted to experience the things I was only just experiencing.” The small Ventrue scratched at the beck of his neck, and Julias could only ponder.

“She is ancient, and a Daeva. She’ll chase after things like that, I guess. This is unheard of though, for Antoinette. If Tony knew...”

“The Daeva Primogen?”

“Yeah. If he knew, he’d rip you to bits, and I don’t think he’d worry about doing it secretly,” Julias said.

“Fuck ... fuck fuck fuck.”

Julias groaned and moved over to his couch. If Antoinette’s unknown games weren’t going to get Jack killed, then Tony’s jealousy would.

“Don’t ... just be careful. It’s not like you can just tell her no, if she asks you to do something innocent, even if it does piss Tony off. Maybe she’ll protect you if he finds out ... maybe?” The taller man swished his drink around in its glass. His eyes stared into it and his mind wandered. His new childe was already at the whim of the Prince herself, and her games were putting his new life at risk.

Jack came over to join him. Even with scared written on his face, Julias could see the small Ventrue was also smiling.

“ ... you like her!”

“What!? No I don’t.”

“Oh yes you do Jack. She has you wrapped around her finger and she’s making you dance.”

“I can’t dance.”

“You know what I mean Jack. She’s got you swooning over her like a typical man and a succubus.”

“She didn’t use her ... abilities, as far as I can tell. I mean I remember what it felt like when Rebecca had me, and Antoinette didn’t do anything like that. Or she’s really good at hiding it.”

“Well that’s good ... ish.” Julias couldn’t help but smirk at Jack. The little Ventrue was certainly biting off big fish, whether he had meant to or not. “So, what was she like?”

“What do you mean?”

“Her personality.”

“You don’t know?”

“No one talks to the Prince outside of meetings, Jack.” Julias took another sip of his drink and smirked at his childe. “You’re in the Danse Macabre now, if only by the strangest means possible.”

“Oh, wow. Well she was ... well, she was nice. Oddly insistent I call her ‘my Prince,’ but still really nice to me.”

“Nice?”

“Yeah, nice, like she legitimately wanted to have a nice night and talk to me, help me even.”

“You do know she’s ancient, right? She’s the oldest vampire in the city. Older than Viktor. Maybe even older than Jacob. She’s been around since the Italian War 1542. She has seen more death than any of us. She’s seen nations rise and fall. She’s one of the oldest members of the Ordo Dracul!”

“ ... I don’t know what to tell you dude. She seemed nice.” The childe squirmed a little. Some memory put a smile on his face. “And sexual.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, she ... she got really close, especially when I got to feed on Ashley. Got right up next to me, leaned into me, played with my ear a little.”

Even Julias found his interest peaked. This was the Prince? He knew she was Daeva, but damn.

“She was wearing this little black dress that left very, very little to hide. Just ... wow. And she was so close while I was feeding, it was ... and I mean...” Jack gestured to his chest with open palms. “They were huge.”

“I admit, Antoinette is gorgeous. Tall though. She’s got a foot on you.”

“And I am perfectly fine with that.” Jack grinned like a jackass, and Julias could only hope the man’s innocence wasn’t going to get him turned into ash.

“Please please please don’t try and hook up with Antoinette.”

“I would never!”

His feigned shock managed to make Julias laugh.

“Jack.” Julias forced himself to frown, reached over, and gave him a good slug in the arm. “I’m not ... I’m just ... you’re new to this. You’re picking it up very quickly but you’re still very new to this. You have to tread carefully. Not all Kindred are reasonable.”

“I’m picking this up quickly?”

“Yes.” Julias gave his friend a slow sigh before sipping his drink. “But if you draw too much attention before you’re able to protect yourself, depending on who you piss off, I won’t be able to protect you.” It was a bitter pill to swallow.

Jack was still smiling though.

Just when Julias was about to give him a tongue lashing for not taking things seriously, a call came in on his phone.

~Yo let me in.~

“Ah, Beatrice is here,” Julias said.

“Who?”

“A new acquaintance. I’m sure you’ll like her.” The older Ventrue hit OK on the apartment smartphone app, and a chime let him know the lobby door had been opened. The wonders of technology. It startled him sometimes, having been embraced early in the 20th century. Technology grew so fast as to make his head spin, and sometimes he could only imagine what it did to the elder Kindred.

“A girl? I should go then. This—hey, how often do you drink the women you bring here?”

“I don’t bring women here that often.”

“Oh hell yes you do man.” Jack just laughed, and Julias found himself frowning at the drink in his hand. Did he really? Beatrice was right then.

“ ... yes, I drink them. I don’t kill them.”

“Didn’t think you would man. You may be a playboy but you certainly don’t seem a—”

The door flew open with a crack, and both men almost jumped at the sudden sound. Beatrice walked in in her typical jeans, black army boots and a tank top, but she also had a box in her hands.

“Ok White Knight, pants off. I got a box of goodies and we are going to try some shit out!” Beatrice said, and she grinned maniacally with all her teeth on display. She must not have seen Jack yet. Julias raised a hand, but the Nosferatu threw the box to the floor where it landed with a loud thud. “And check these out!” With a shameless motion, Beatrice lifted her tanktop up to her neck and hooked it against her chest above her breasts. Her claws found her nipples, and they plucked at some rings that pierced them, rather than the bolts she had last time. “I brought lots of piercings and chains and shit we can try and see what looks hot.”

“Beatrice, um...” Julias said, and motioned to his childe on the couch. “Have you met Jack?”

Jack was a deer in headlights. Beatrice just humphed though, and lowered her shirt before turning to look at Julias’s friend.

“This is Jack? Dude is like, fucking ant sized.” She walked over to him and poked him in the forehead with a claw. “Hello little Ventrue. RAAR!” Her mouth opened wide, completely wide with her huge array of teeth on display, and Jack stumbled back on the couch at the shock of it. Julias grumbled, put his forehead in his palms, and put his elbows to the counter.

His childe was a child, and his lover was a punk.

“Um, I ... I should go,” Jack said.

“Yeah, buh-bye kid.”

Once Jack was off the couch, Beatrice hopped into it his spot and crossed her legs. Jack glanced to her, but she just smiled and waved her claws. Ok, so maybe Jack wouldn’t like her, but Julias was sure he’d figure out how to make them get along. Maybe.

Jack managed a slow, hesitant return wave, and mouthed ‘what the fuck’ before leaving.

“Aha, that is fucking adorable. You sired him? Fuck man. I’m surprised Viktor hasn’t eaten him. Literally. I don’t mean diablerie, I mean just eaten him whole like a fucking pickle.”

“Jack is actually over twenty years old, he just looks kinda young ... and acts it. He’s a friend though, and I sired him for good reasons.” Julias took another sip. He had to admit, seeing Beatrice walk through his door and with such a brazen attitude was such a change from the Invictus approach. Her crass behavior wasn’t irritating, despite how much he felt it should be, but was instead very refreshing. Usually.

“Hey, I ain’t judging his character, just his size.” She reached out and over to her dropped box, and slid it back to the foot of the couch where she sat. “So, seriously, check this out. I got some vibrators, some beads, some lube – of fucking course – and some rope. Oh, and a bunch of different piercings to try, and nipple chains. Fucking eh, nipple chains, right? Never tried em.”

“You think it’s that easy? You just show up and we fuck?”

Beatrice slowly raised her eyes from the box to him, utterly perplexed, before she burst into fits of laughter. “Yes. I do. Think I didn’t see how much you liked this piece of ass last time I was here?”

“ ... well, still, a little dialogue might be nice. What have you been up to?”

“Me? I have been up to absolutely fuck-all besides stealing sex toys and having a nice good feed before coming here.” Suddenly, she was topless, and her tank top was on the floor. She’d taken it off in such a carefree motion, Julias wasn’t sure he’d seen it. “How about you? I’m sure you must have a ghoul or two around to drink.”

“No ghoul.”

“No ghoul?”

“Nope.” He shook his head and took a sip of his drink. “Never felt comfortable with the idea.”

Try as he might to maintain normal conversation, he was in fact staring at the topless woman. She had the thick, toned legs of a fighter, but the leanness of a gymnast. He was almost jealous of her muscle definition along her flat stomach, but jealously quickly turned to arousal as he drank the sight of her handful breasts sitting on her strong torso. The tattoos and piercings and her casual sitting stance, as if everything was normal despite having taken her shirt off, painted the perfect picture of a badass woman.

He really liked it. When her dark hair covered her cheeks and left only her normal lips exposed, she seemed like a perfectly normal, albeit spunky woman. With snake eyes. And claws.

“I suppose you wouldn’t really need one, with girls lining up at your door. Ah man, you should invite me to one of your feedings sometime. We could turn the lights off so she can’t see my face, and do all sorts of dirty things to her in the dark.” The Nosferatu was grinning with her scary array of massive crocodile teeth, and started to dig into the box of goodies she’d brought.

“If it was a ghoul, I could leave the lights on,” he said, and walked over to join her on the couch after setting his drink down on the counter.

“Thinking about getting one then?”

“I’m not sure. Why not you?”

“Me? Shit Julias, I’ve only been a Kindred for 20 years. Turning some kine into my slave is heavy shit, not to mention a Nosferatu’s slave. Plus Garry says it can be a drain on you ... aha!” As if she’d found treasure, she pulled out of the box a small, black bag, the sort you’d keep jewelry in. She dumped the contents onto the nightstand and exposed an assortment of chains.

“See?” she said, grabbed one of the thin silver ones, and right in front of him as if trying on hats, hooked each end to her nipple rings. She was turned on the couch to face him now, with her knee pulled up onto the cushion, and one of her arms hooked along the back of the couch, so her other hand was free to pluck at the length of the chain.

Then she blushed. The blush of life brought color to her skin right in front of him, and to his delight, made her nipples swell slightly. She must have caught the lust in his eyes, cause she got up off the couch, and posed for him.

“You like?”

“What happened to the nasty, horrible monster who lived in the dark and hated everyone?”

“Hey! I never hated everyone, just ... the monster is on vacation. This is her vacation, unless you want me to—”

“No no, please continue.” He leaned back in his couch and put both his arms along its back. The blush of life went through him as well, and within moments colors had come back to his skin, saliva had joined his tongue, and arousal started to pump blood into his member.

“Ah, see, now I feel like a schoolgirl trying to make it in the movie business, so I agree to do an audition that gets dirty.” She just laughed. “How about this one?” She changed chains for a longer, thicker one that nearly reached her navel.

“Oh, I do like that one.”

“I know, right? It’s got heft. I can feel it pulling down on my tits.” The warrior walked up to him, put her hands down onto his knees, and leaned forward so the chain nestled against the bottom of his shirt.

“I can ... feel that.”

“That all you feel?” With a bit of roughness to her, she put her clawed hands against his crotch. “Come on, I don’t have all night here.”

“You don’t?”

“Well ... ok yeah, I do.” She started to rub against the growing erection in his pants. Just the fact she was so brazen about it was enough to bring him to full arousal within seconds. “That’s why I brought the box.” The Nosferatu pulled herself onto the couch and straddled him, then slid forward enough so her own crotch rested against his. One of her arms hooked around behind him, and the other rested its elbow on his shoulder so her claws could run through his hair.