Satis House

[XCandy and LunacyX]

It was almost 5 o'clock when the phone rang. Before she was even conscious, she was standing up---swaying slightly---and reaching for the phone on the table by the window. "Bonjour?" she asked softly, disoriented, only waking when Nicolae's rapid flow of words informed her that it was nearly dusk and Sleet had not returned to his crypt. They had lost track of him in the forest, he said, and no one could find him. Not even Antha, powerful as she was and linked to him by common blood, could pick up his trail when she closed her eyes and went searching.
She hung up the phone carefully, lost in thought, the chills forming on her skin despite the lingering warmth of the sun, and before she really knew what was happening, she was in her room, pausing to let Amadeo in before she closed the door, and then she was on the floor, curled up a few feet away from Vikteren, the cat wriggling into her arms as she fell back into sleep, waiting for nightfall.

 

[Vikteren]

When he awoke, the first thing his eyes fell upon was Antha, and for a split second he wondered whether he was dreaming.
She was beautiful, her face gentled by sleep, and for once her appearance matched her age.
The cat watched him through slitted eyes, prepared to scratch if he ventured too closely--animals did not care much for the undead. In his dreams, he was mortal, and he knew then that this was no dream. And so he stood instead, and ventured out into the hallway, the sullen, creaky boards silent beneath his feet. He would wake for her to awake before he left to hunt.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

Antha was not one for dreaming. She saw things, true, but it had never meant nothing. She had never seen something in her sleep that had not been set by fate.
That was what puzzled her, in the back of her mind while she lay unconscious, about the fact that she was on the ground, too weak to move, and there was a vampire she did not know hovering above her, cloaked in darkness as if he were made of it, master of it. She saw only the burn of crimson eyes and glint of menacing ivory canines as he descended upon her, her umbra helpless in the distance, Antha helpless as she had not been since she was a small child. And she did not recognize the breaking of her skin over the artery in her neck until it was done and the blood was escaping her, spilling down her neck in a messy manner that no one she knew would allow. Nor did the taste of blood in her mouth spark the sense of familiarity that it did in reality. Yet the only thing perfectly implacable was the feeling that took over when the blood did not allow her body to die.
She awoke already crying out Khayman's name as if he might hear her, screaming a name she did not know---'Nero', she heard herself say---and her eyes already wide with panic.
Only Amadeo was calm, watching her carefully from a few feet before her, and when she calmed just enough to search for Vikteren, when she reached for him, looked for him, and could not find him, she pressed herself back against the wall in something quite kin to terror, her breath hardly coming to her and then only ragged, and pulled her legs up to her chest, pressing her forehead to her knees and shutting her eyes as tightly as possible, fearing what she could not see in the darkness.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

Antha was not one for dreaming. She saw things, true, but it had never meant nothing. She had never seen something in her sleep that had not been set by fate.
That was what puzzled her, in the back of her mind while she lay unconscious, about the fact that she was on the ground, too weak to move, and there was a vampire she did not know hovering above her, cloaked in darkness as if he were made of it, master of it. She saw only the burn of crimson eyes and glint of menacing ivory canines as he descended upon her, her umbra helpless in the distance, Antha helpless as she had not been since she was a small child. And she did not recognize the breaking of her skin over the artery in her neck until it was done and the blood was escaping her, spilling down her neck in a messy manner that no one she knew would allow. Nor did the taste of blood in her mouth spark the sense of familiarity that it did in reality. Yet the only thing perfectly implacable was the feeling that took over when the blood did not allow her body to die.
She awoke already crying out Khayman's name as if he might hear her, screaming a name she did not know---'Nero', she heard herself say---and her eyes already wide with panic.
Only Amadeo was calm, watching her carefully from a few feet before her, and when she calmed just enough to search for Vikteren, when she reached for him, looked for him, and could not find him, she pressed herself back against the wall in something quite kin to terror, her breath hardly coming to her and then only ragged, and pulled her legs up to her chest, pressing her forehead to her knees and shutting her eyes as tightly as possible, fearing what she could not see in the darkness.

He heard her voice, and responded to it instinctively before it could have possibly registered--even with a vampire's reflexes.
Antha
and he turned, nearly went down when he took the stairs two at a time, three at a time, losing grace for the sake of speed, and halted short, his breath-that-was-not-breath hitching brutally in his throat.
Antha, he repeated, this time specifically to her instead of the wordless cry that had escaped his mind moments before. What happened?  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

I saw things, she replied softly, and she was crying in her head, I saw the ending. Her nails were biting into her skin, unnoticed, and the darkness enveloping her seemed menacing enough to frighten her. But she did not dare reach for the curtains, nor call out loud enough to draw her spirits and command them. She hid like the child who, over ten years ago, had heard the key scrape in the lock to the attic and knew her father was on the other side, his contempt for her bubbling over the surface.
Finally she built up the strength to speak and instantly she was calling Vikteren's name, voice trembling, afraid to move, still locked in the aftershock of the vision.
Nero.
She had called him Nero, and that was all she knew.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

I saw things, she replied softly, and she was crying in her head, I saw the ending. Her nails were biting into her skin, unnoticed, and the darkness enveloping her seemed menacing enough to frighten her. But she did not dare reach for the curtains, nor call out loud enough to draw her spirits and command them. She hid like the child who, over ten years ago, had heard the key scrape in the lock to the attic and knew her father was on the other side, his contempt for her bubbling over the surface.
Finally she built up the strength to speak and instantly she was calling Vikteren's name, voice trembling, afraid to move, still locked in the aftershock of the vision.
Nero.
She had called him Nero, and that was all she knew.

He did not know what to do.
But he wanted to comfort her.
He remembered that his sister, once, had woken from nightmares like these--things of blood and awful terror, and she trembled and would not speak of them to him, the closest person in all the world to her.
Vikteren went to her, knelt beside her, and slid his arms--hesitantly at first--around her. For once, he did not try to disguise his nature. Perhaps he forgot to--perhaps he no longer cared--perhaps it was only that he did not remember his nature.
His cheek was cool against hers, and he drew her into his arms like he would his beloved. They fit together like puzzle pieces, despite the difference in stature, and in the dim light, the skin of the vampire and the witch-princess could have been mistaken for a single piece of flawless white marble.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

The shock of his actions did not hit her for several minutes. She was too shaken, frightened, and she merely clutched at him with trembling fingers, holding very tight to him, and eventually her breath evened out and finally she dared open her eyes to the darkness.
Whatever light did exist in the room she could see reflected from the perfect white of his skin, as if it collected there, and that was when the small shock of his sudden change in nature hit her. It didn't last long.
"I don't know who he was," she murmured softly, eyes looking desperately up to him for a moment before she hid her face against his shoulder, desperate for the comfort of contact, "I think I heard his name, or said it---I'm not sure. But I couldn't see him, couldn't break him like I can the others. I think I even---" She stopped cold, fingers tightening and eyes narrowing. She couldn't believe she was about to admit that one of them would truly terrify her one day, that there was a vampire in existence that she could not face and be certain not to lose against. Since the day she had run from Sleet's chambers, the fledglings bursting into flames all down the hall, she had made a point of never fearing a vampire---of never having to.
Stronger than any fantasy God and older than written history. Where had she heard that?
"Don't leave me," she begged suddenly, the panic seeping into her voice and her eyes going wide with it, and she was talking of tonight and she was talking of the next week and she was talking of the next month. She was talking of all the time up until that one day when she would do something to drive him hastily and permanently away.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

The shock of his actions did not hit her for several minutes. She was too shaken, frightened, and she merely clutched at him with trembling fingers, holding very tight to him, and eventually her breath evened out and finally she dared open her eyes to the darkness.
Whatever light did exist in the room she could see reflected from the perfect white of his skin, as if it collected there, and that was when the small shock of his sudden change in nature hit her. It didn't last long.
"I don't know who he was," she murmured softly, eyes looking desperately up to him for a moment before she hid her face against his shoulder, desperate for the comfort of contact, "I think I heard his name, or said it---I'm not sure. But I couldn't see him, couldn't break him like I can the others. I think I even---" She stopped cold, fingers tightening and eyes narrowing. She couldn't believe she was about to admit that one of them would truly terrify her one day, that there was a vampire in existence that she could not face and be certain not to lose against. Since the day she had run from Sleet's chambers, the fledglings bursting into flames all down the hall, she had made a point of never fearing a vampire---of never having to.
Stronger than any fantasy God and older than written history. Where had she heard that?
"Don't leave me," she begged suddenly, the panic seeping into her voice and her eyes going wide with it, and she was talking of tonight and she was talking of the next week and she was talking of the next month. She was talking of all the time up until that one day when she would do something to drive him hastily and permanently away.

His cool fingers touched her lips, halting the flow of nervous words.
"I will not." he answered her, and his fingers left her mouth, and clasped her hand gently, because she needed something desperately to hold on to. "I will be here for you, Antha."
I will always be here.
His sharp eyes were softened by the dim light, such that it might have been merely a trick of the light, or genuine care that was found within. But it was hard to believe that he could have so effortlessly faked the care it required to hold her as he did, the note of panic that his mental voice had found when she had awoke.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

For another moment, Antha marveled at his sudden change, that he wasn't as cold as so often he acted. When she allowed herself to dwell on it, it did not matter if it was genuine, if he really did care that much. Because at the very least, he cared enough to pretend. For her, that was enough.
"Thank you," she said softly, sighing with relief, before she leaned over to kiss his cheek gratefully and rose to her feet, flitting to her closet in the darkness and plucking a dress blindly from it.
Amadeo followed her faithfully into the hallway and all the way down it into the bathroom, sitting on the sink while she stepped in the shower and then changed into the dress. "Black...fits my mood perfectly, don't you think?" she asked the kitten gently, scratching under his chin while she smoothed down the wide skirt swaying around her knees.
She carried him to the library, the one nearest her room, and sat him down on the table before she picked up the phone. "Bonjour, mon frère," she greeted Malakai quickly when he answered, "Have you heard anything?" She listened for a moment, tapping her fingers impatiently on the table, before she gave a little sigh and said goodbye to him.
Nothing good, nothing bad. All she could do, staring off into space, was settle down into her chair by the window and bid the haze in her mind to clear.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

For another moment, Antha marveled at his sudden change, that he wasn't as cold as so often he acted. When she allowed herself to dwell on it, it did not matter if it was genuine, if he really did care that much. Because at the very least, he cared enough to pretend. For her, that was enough.
"Thank you," she said softly, sighing with relief, before she leaned over to kiss his cheek gratefully and rose to her feet, flitting to her closet in the darkness and plucking a dress blindly from it.
Amadeo followed her faithfully into the hallway and all the way down it into the bathroom, sitting on the sink while she stepped in the shower and then changed into the dress. "Black...fits my mood perfectly, don't you think?" she asked the kitten gently, scratching under his chin while she smoothed down the wide skirt swaying around her knees.
She carried him to the library, the one nearest her room, and sat him down on the table before she picked up the phone. "Bonjour, mon frère," she greeted Malakai quickly when he answered, "Have you heard anything?" She listened for a moment, tapping her fingers impatiently on the table, before she gave a little sigh and said goodbye to him.
Nothing good, nothing bad. All she could do, staring off into space, was settle down into her chair by the window and bid the haze in her mind to clear.

He watched her, leaning on the door frame with his arms folded, his right foot hooked around the ankle of his left.
When she had finished speaking, Vikteren went to her side.
"Your scent is fear," he told her. It wasn't made clear whether this was good or bad, but he leaned over the back of her chair, and so obviously it was at least, not repulsive.
It was a very common thing for a vampire to smell, after all.
"What will you do tonight?"  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

The witch girl sat quietly for a moment, contemplating, her mind only half working. "I'm not sure," she said softly, musingly, "After all, in the past 24 hours I've seen nearly everyone of importance. There's nowhere left." Granted, she had skipped a few cousins and aunts and uncles, maybe a few Talamascans who worshipped the ground she walked on, but it was of little consequence.
Quietly, little Amadeo made his way over to her, hopping up into her lap to have his back stroked a few times, finding his way to her shoulder to lick her cheek affectionately, and finally jumping right back down to the floor.
It was that little action that gave her an idea, putting that wicked, cunning little grin on her face and the odd glimmer in her eyes. "Feel like going to the circus, Vikteren?"

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

The witch girl sat quietly for a moment, contemplating, her mind only half working. "I'm not sure," she said softly, musingly, "After all, in the past 24 hours I've seen nearly everyone of importance. There's nowhere left." Granted, she had skipped a few cousins and aunts and uncles, maybe a few Talamascans who worshipped the ground she walked on, but it was of little consequence.
Quietly, little Amadeo made his way over to her, hopping up into her lap to have his back stroked a few times, finding his way to her shoulder to lick her cheek affectionately, and finally jumping right back down to the floor.
It was that little action that gave her an idea, putting that wicked, cunning little grin on her face and the odd glimmer in her eyes. "Feel like going to the circus, Vikteren?"

He quirked an eyebrow skeptically. "The circus? I wasn't aware that there was one in town."

Now that she had mentioned it, he was faintly curious. The last circus he'd been to had been more of a traveling freak show, in the last gasps of the nineteenth century. The practice had been more than a little revolting; the reaction it garnered, even more so.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"They've been here for a while," she answered with a shrug, motioning with a twirl of her fingers for him to follow her back to her room, "I think they set up shop a year or two ago. Le Cirque du Graal Rouge. You might like it. After all, I'm sure it's unlike anything you've ever seen." From her closet she plucked out a frock coat, one Nicholas had purchased back when he was human---sometime in the 1800's, he wasn't sure--- and given to her as a birthday gift. "Besides, Klaus hears a lot of gossip floating around backstage. I want to see if he knows anything about Sleet."
While she slid on the coat, she found herself wondering if Vikteren would actually like the show. Humans did of course, but only because the movements of the performers were like magic to them. Zero did because he thought every aspect of life was astonishing, and Antha liked to watch because she was a visual prodigy. What would Vikteren think of the thick make-up and the intricate costumes, the wild lights and props and smoke and glitter suspended in the air? "Did I mention all of the performers are vampires?" she asked passively, giving a mildly curious glance at him over her shoulder as she started down the hall towards the stairs.
If nothing else, it was interesting.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"They've been here for a while," she answered with a shrug, motioning with a twirl of her fingers for him to follow her back to her room, "I think they set up shop a year or two ago. Le Cirque du Graal Rouge. You might like it. After all, I'm sure it's unlike anything you've ever seen." From her closet she plucked out a frock coat, one Nicholas had purchased back when he was human---sometime in the 1800's, he wasn't sure--- and given to her as a birthday gift. "Besides, Klaus hears a lot of gossip floating around backstage. I want to see if he knows anything about Sleet."
While she slid on the coat, she found herself wondering if Vikteren would actually like the show. Humans did of course, but only because the movements of the performers were like magic to them. Zero did because he thought every aspect of life was astonishing, and Antha liked to watch because she was a visual prodigy. What would Vikteren think of the thick make-up and the intricate costumes, the wild lights and props and smoke and glitter suspended in the air? "Did I mention all of the performers are vampires?" she asked passively, giving a mildly curious glance at him over her shoulder as she started down the hall towards the stairs.
If nothing else, it was interesting.

"No, you did not. Did I mention that I do not get along well with my own kind?" He didn't follow her into her bedroom; he stopped at the doorway and leaned an arm against it. It seemed to be a quirk of his, that he rarely entered a room unless specifically invited into it.
This was Antha's room. It would have been an exception even had that not been one of his traits.
"Who is Klaus, by the way?"  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"Don't worry, they're all very nice. The reason Nicholas began the circus, and why all of the others joined, is because they wanted to make some use of what they've become. Because they wanted something different than what Sleet or Persephone or any other coven masters like them could offer." She took a moment to look at herself in the mirror, smoothing down the coat, and then started down the hallway. "Klaus is the first one who joined when Nicholas began it. He performs on the trapeze, mostly. I think he used to be an actor too, actually, but he told me once that he didn't like it. He said it felt like hiding from something." Out through the kitchen and to her car, the grin stretching across her face when she slid into the driver's seat. "Are you going to ride again, or would you prefer to run there?" she asked mischievously, "Just to warn you, I'll be speeding more than usual. The first act starts in half an hour and it's on the other side of town."