R2 SE3: Reunion
She laughed gleefully, the sound escaping her many inhuman mouths as screeches and shrieks. Count on Recal and Leona to make the booms of the century and get her out of a sticky situation. She'd have to give them both hugs the next time she saw them. But first, to meet with Kaiin.
She and Kaiin went back many years. In fact, the wolf was one of the first to join her cause. He was one of the best spies she had, and a great fighter, as well. His dedication and skills made him her second-in-command. Should anything happen to her, he would make sure the fight would continue on.
One of her noses caught his scent and she changed her collective course toward it. A cold wind nearly knocked a few of her selves out of the air, but she regained control and continued her flight.
It wasn't long before she was over the Twilight District, the one place in Prague even the IFPE steered clear of. She disliked a great majority of the vampires living there--little more than violent leeches, killing for the love of it, with no morals or sense of honor to speak of--but they got the job done, whether that job was distracting the Templars or scaring away the IFPE. Some who saw from their windows tipped their heads respectfully, others whooped and cheered, assuming (quite correctly) that she was the cause of the current panic among the Slayers. Kaiin's scent was quite strong, but he wouldn't remain among this rabble. He'd find somewhere quieter.
Sure enough, she found him in one of several rundown buildings on the outskirts of the district. Thanking the powers that be it was deserted, she guided her many selves into one of the upper windows. Kaiin was leaning against the wall on the far side of the room, but he stepped forward once all of her selves were inside. His blue eyes glinted with mild amusement at seeing his old friend in the form of dozens of shivering, dripping wet bats.
"'Bout time you got here. I was starting to think the IFPE was actually giving you trouble for once. And I'm about to catch a chill in this weak human skin, what with the rain and the wind."
She focused on gathering her consciousness back into a single mass, and she unceremoniously transformed back into a humanoid form. While her transformation wasn't the best, at least her landing was graceful enough. The duffel bag, her prize, was in her right hand.
Kaiin arched an eyebrow. "It all fit in one?"
"Tsey put it all in $100,00 notes," she said with a shrug. "Security was a joke. Made it too easy to get into tse Slayers vault and pack up tse money."
"What took you so long, then, hmm?"
"I got a bit...Distracted. Kozyar was tsere."
"At the Dancing House? What luck. Did you finish her?"
Ileina scowled. "No. A team of Shock Troopers showed up. Likely tse 21st Division. Someone called tse police, as well. Almost got detained. But tsen tsey were tse ones distracted."
"The explosions? Recal and Leona's handiwork, I presume?"
The scowl turned into a smile. "Indeed. Did you doubt tsem?"
"Not for a moment. But...You know we can't use the money, right?"
"Of course not. Tse intention wasn't to use it in tse first place. Tse money was a secondary tsing. Can you imagine tse apoplectic fit tse High Slayer must be having now?"
He grinned wolfishly at the image. "I see what you mean. So, did you get what you were really after, then?"
She unzipped the bag and pulled out the small lock-box that had been sitting on top of the many monetary notes. It was simple, just a steel box with a lock on it. To free her hands, she gave the bag to Kaiin. The lock was no match for her prying fingers, and it gave way with a simple tug. Inside was a piece of parchment, yellowed and wrinkled with age. Being careful to not damage the old document, she removed it from the container and unfolded it.
In the upper left corner, she saw a few magic runes. The first one was a spell of binding, a common rune placed on official documents. Another was a spell of anti-aging, which explained how the parchment existed at all. The final one wasn't so much a spell but the signature of the one who put the runes there, a technique that fell out of practice centuries ago.
She scanned the rest of it. The document was in archaic French, penned in a beautiful script that was likely written with a quill. It spoke of the sale of a large amount of land and the rebuilding of an 'ancient bastion', as it was referred to, and to whom the castle and land would go. At the bottom were a few extravagant signatures, none of which she recognized except for one:
Laurent Baptise. No Roman numerals.
Kaiin had been reading over her shoulder. "I may not know French, but...I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say that this is very old, very official, and has no business in IFPE hands."
"And you'd be right." She could barely speak out of sheer joy. Master's great-grandfather...Master's family's ancestral home...!
"What is it, anyway?"
"Sometsing tsat is going to make Master very, very pleased." She slowly put the deed back into the box and closed the lid. "Now, about tse money...Tsink you can put it back?"
Kaiin's eyebrow arched again. "After all that trouble, we're just going to let them have it back?"
"Why not? We already established tsat we cannot use it. By now, tsey have all kinds of traces on it, so we cannot give it away. Besides..." She grinned, her fangs glistening a little. "Mr. High Slayer would have another fit."
"What gives you that idea?"
"I know him a little better tsan you do. He's angry for me succeeding. He'll be furious once I give it back without getting caught. He'll simply go off tse deep end once he realizes tsat it was all just a game."
Kaiin laughed, the sound somewhat like a few barks. "Ah, your logic never fails...But won't Prewitt miss the lock-box?"
"It's not like he actually intended to give tse contents away to begin with. You know how tse Slayers work. And once he realizes I have it..." She could just picture High Slayer Prewitt's face once he learned that she gave all the money back but kept the other prize. Now it was her turn to laugh.
"...You just love pissing him off, don't you?"
"It's fun to piss him off. You should try it some time."
"That's one game I'm gonna have to pass up on. So...when do you want me to put it back in the vault?"
"Whenever it's convenient for you, old friend. Just as long as it's before tseir little tournament ends."
"I'll go ahead and deal with it tonight, then. The longer I have it, the more likely they are to find me with it."
"In tsat case, good luck. Security must've more tsan tripled by now."
"All the more fun for me. See you around, Ileina."
The air around him shimmered, and in a moment he was gone, replaced by a black wolf. It padded over to one of the few unbroken windows. Blue eyes squinted, examining the reflection. After a moment, it grunted in disapproval.
Ileina said, by way of encouragement, "It's so dark, most would mistake you for a large dog. Do not worry so much."
Kaiin seemed satisfied with her statement. He returned to where the duffel bag lay and picked it up, gripping the cut strap in his teeth. He looked back at Ileina once before he stalked out of the room without a sound.
Once he was gone, she hugged the lock-box to her chest. She allowed her mind to wander a little...Imagining her Master's approval of her schemes, the praise he would have for her, the look in his eyes when she gave him this wonderful gift...
She missed him something terrible. It had been more than a month since she'd seen him last, and it was beginning to take it's toll on her. Something deep within was telling her that she shouldn't be so worried after only a month, but...
Absently, she lifted a hand and pushed away the covering scarf to touch the scar on her neck. His mark...His bite, the thing that connected them through space and time. It brought back memories of her death, her dark rebirth, and the beginning of her un-life with him. Closing her eyes, she let them all come back...
"Tiiiiime to dieeee, little giiiiirrrllll..."
The cold, snowy night so long ago. Walking home from the cathedral, alone, being suddenly tackled to the ground. The unkempt, unwashed, crazed man, his hands squeezing the life out of her throat. The feeling of something cracking, shattering. The pain, the spreading of numb. The fear of death...
"Do not worry, my angel...I shall take your pain away..."
Master appearing out of nowhere. The whispered promise. The ecstasy of his bite, both her first and last kiss. The slow fade to darkness...
"You're no daughter of mine anymore...You're a monster now. The Church commands that all monsters like you must die!"
Awakening, the light far too bright. The taste of blood and raw meat in her mouth. The terrified altar boy. The hatred and disappointment in her father's eyes...
"Your parishioners dare to call you 'Father'...When you have forgotten how to be one!"
Master appearing again. The scuffle between priest and vampire. Being in Master's arms, carried out of the cathedral and away from her old life...
Other memories came back, as well. The first hunt. Her first night as a bat. The first human kill (although accidental). Every time, Master was right there, either at her side or watching her back. He was always keeping her safe, always protecting her, always looking out for her...
It was no surprise to her that the memory of Master's first real kiss came next.
Her blood slowly began to run. She sighed the sigh of a lovestruck schoolgirl and leaned against the wall. Just the thought of his touch, his scent, his kisses drove her wild.
And yet, somewhere in the darkest recesses of her hind, a voice screamed in fury and disgust. She always silenced this strange inner protest, not knowing why it even existed. There may be something wrong, there may be a reason to be angry or sickened...But she didn't care. It made her happy to be with him. Perhaps it made him happy too. And wasn't that the most important thing?
She opened her eyes, imagining that he was there in front of her. "...Master..." she whispered longingly.
Suddenly, she felt a tugging from deep within. A part of her, the part that held the bond to her Master, was nearly singing with delight and lighting up with joy. He was here. He was close enough that she was nearly being pulled toward him.
Through the rain and darkness, she felt more than heard "Ileina...I'm here. I'm coming."
"Master!" she called back mentally. Of course there was no reply, but the fact that he'd called to her at all was enough. She moved back to the window to watch for him.
He's coming...Master is coming to me...!
She hugged the lock-box tighter to her chest, and she could feel her heart pounding in excitement.
***
With his bloodlust sated, Vladimir moved quickly, even as a shadow. He slipped around corners and along the streets at a breakneck pace, guided by the pull of their bond. At this pace, he'd be at her side in minutes. He'd be near his Dark Child. His little angel, Ileina.
It wasn't long before he found himself in the Twilight District. Every vampire he passed gave little shudders or moved away from him. Those that noticed him made faces of disgust or, in the age-old gesture of warding, held up two fingers in the shape of a cross. He did his best to steer clear of these more observant ones.
Although he shouldn't be bothered by the opinions of the peons of the vampire world, their scorn still wounded him. But what did he expect for breaking several of the Laws, besides their hatred? He mentally counted them off in his head, not even bothering to try for the number of times each one was broken:
All vampires are to be informed of the Laws as soon as they are old enough to understand them. For born vampires, this shall be no older than 12 years. For turned vampires, this shall be no more than 120 days after turning.
A vampire has one mate, and that vampire shall remain faithful to that mate for always and eternity.
Should a vampire's mate experience true death, it is only natural and just that the vampire experience true death soon after, for if they truly loved their mate, it would not even be an option.
The relationship between a turned vampire and its sire shall be the relationship between a child and parent, and yet also a servant and master. Support, guidance, discipline, teaching, protection, and restraint shall be the hallmarks of the Master/Dark Child relationship.
Once a child has reached the rank known as 'vampire', they are to be allowed to leave the family home. Once a Dark Child has reached this same rank, they are to be 'freed' from the Master/Dark Child relationship.
While he had been thinking of the Laws, the unwritten codes that vampires (at least at one time) lived by, he had arrived at the outskirts of the Twilight District, looking up at one of the rundown buildings. His bond was pulling his gaze to a window on the third floor.
There she was, staring out into the night, watching and waiting for him. She was holding something close to her, but at that distance in the rain, he couldn't tell what. Something seemed off about her clothing, but he couldn't put his finger on what.
She'd matured a little since the last time he'd seen her. She'd grown so much in only a month, more than in the previous five years they'd been in training, when she became a 'master' in her own right...and so much more than in the near-century they'd been together. Even as far away as he was, he could still tell she gave off an air of leadership, confidence and cunning that was new to her...And he liked it.
My Dark Child, all grown up...And still bound to me, he thought. On a whim, he decided to surprise her. He went in through the front door (pausing to thank the stars that the building was abandoned) and drifted up to the third floor. Now that he was behind her, he treated her much like his earlier meal, slowly enveloping her while her senses were occupied. But their bond was too strong; she wheeled around and gasped, "Master!"
He pulled away from her and solidified. For a moment, neither of them spoke. His fingers twitched with the urge to touch her, perhaps brush the wet hair out of her face or remove that infernal scarf to bare that beautiful neck. Their bond told him that she was mentally straining from the effort to not fling herself into his arms.
Such was the way things were supposed to be. Restrained affection. Mutual respect of the others boundaries. Guidance and support, with occasional discipline. They were to be as a parent and a child. Breaking down that inner barrier had been damn near impossible the first time, and while it was easier each time after, it would never be effortless, even after all these years.
She was the first to speak, because she noticed his torn sleeve and ripped-open coat side. "You were hurt?"
"Scratches. I met our friend Tex and his little Asian plaything on the train in," he explained. He now realized what was wrong with her outfit: it was riddled with little holes and tears. "And you?"
"IFPE Shock Troopers. Tsey had a lot of guns. But tsey were normal guns, not like Tex's. I'm fine now."
"I'm glad for that," he said honestly.
Another silence. He broke it this time. "I've been keeping my ear to the ground. Quite a stir you and the others have caused here. You've done a lot to distract the Slayers, and its making the other nonhuman resistances get more ballsy. Apparently, you're ruining everything for the IFPE. Well done."
She was blushing a little under his praise. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something. "Oh! I got something for you, Master."
Vladimir blinked. "For...me? What is it?"
Without explaining anything, she handed him the lock-box, and watched him expectantly. So much like a puppy, willing to do anything to please it's owner. He mentally kicked himself for such imagery, and instead focused on the object that had been shoved into his hands. There was nothing special about it, as far as he could see, so he decided to open the lid.
A little gasp escaped his mouth as soon as he realized what the item was. "Ileina, this..." With shaking hands, he lifted the document out of the lock-box, which he put into one of his coat pockets for the moment. He read the document to himself, eyes growing wider line by line.
"This...its the deed to my great-grandfather's land in France...Castle Baptiste! You...you stole this from the IFPE...?"
"Yes, Master," she admitted with pride. "I had some help, but...yes. I figured tse IFPE wasn't using it anyway, so..."
A lot of emotions came to him at once. Pride--his little angel pulled off this kind of heist. Gratitude--this was an amazing gift. Perhaps even love--how else could he explain his feelings for this woman?
But then came sadness. Poor, poor girl...didn't she realize that this piece of paper was useless? Baptiste vampires hadn't even set foot in France for centuries; they wouldn't dare. They had no rights, so having the deed meant nothing.
"Ileina...What is this?" he asked again.
She smiled a little and said, "A promise, Master."
Vladimir was taken aback by her answer. "A...promise?"
"My oath tsat we will succeed, no matter what tse costs are. Perhaps not here in Prague, perhaps not during tsis tournament...but tse groundwork will be laid here. Someday, tsat piece of paper will have meaning. Someday, you can use it to go to your true home. And someday, everyone, human and nonhuman, will recognize tsat it IS your true home, your birthright. Tsat deed is my promise to stick wits tse cause, with you and all of the otsers, until we have won."
Tears welled up in his eyes. She had sensed what had been depressing him...The issue of his grandfather's death, his succession of the Baptiste family, and the higher-ups who doubted his worthiness. With the deed to wave in their faces, even the loudest and most obnoxious would let him speak. With her words, he could rally the rest of the family to finally back him. Whether he was half Slav or half Martian, and whether he'd broken all the Laws or none of them, they weren't going to argue if he had the deed and a good speech.
But there was still the issue of what the family would think of her. Would they assume that she was at fault for the broken Laws, or would they do the 'right thing' and tell her he was? Would they mention Selinia, and how he was desecrating her memory by being with her, by being 'alive' at all? Would they tell her that she could leave him at any time now, according to the Laws?
He decided to not worry about it. His blood was still running from earlier, and he could hear her heart beating. He wasn't going to let such an opportunity go to waste, especially when it had been a month sense the last time their blood ran together.
Vladimir retrieved the lock-box and carefully put the deed back into it before returning it to the same pocket. He then removed his sunglasses and put them in the same pocket. Outstretching his hand, he said, "Come here, Ileina."
She ignored the hand and wrapped her arms around his neck. Smiling a little, he wrapped his own arms around her, breathing deeply in her scent. "I missed you, Master," she whispered as she nuzzled into his chest.
"And I you, my angel." He lifted her face to his, their lips meeting. It was only a light kiss, but it was enough to drive him nearly insane, every part of him screaming for more. It had been too long. According to their bond, she was just as hungry as he was for what would come next. And that was just as he wanted it.
After breaking the kiss, he shrugged off his coat. Gently, he pushed her against the nearby wall. "Bare your neck for me."
He felt her heart begin racing as she reached up and removed the scarf, which joined his coat on the floor. After looking into his eyes with the utmost trust, she tilted her head to the side to give him full access to her throat. His bite was still visible after all these years...
She was still his, fully and completely. To hell with the Laws. Tonight, he would reaffirm his ownership of her. Tonight, she was all that mattered.
Tomorrow night, perhaps, they would work out their next move. But that was tomorrow.
