The Talamasca Motherhouse

[.David Talbot.]

Aaron almost breathed a sigh of relief. Vikteren had misunderstood his thoughts, which worked well for him. He didn't mind anyone thinking him prudish. "I don't know what Antha and her cousins do up there. No one does. But..." He stopped, not wanting to pass by Singe's room while he was speaking of Antha's secrets. "I've studied the Mayfair family since the time of Mary Beth, Antha's mother, so I know more than anyone, yet I can only speculate. What I do know is that when Antha became part of the family, many strange things happened. Bizarre drawings started appearing in the attic of Mayfair Manor, all in red crayon. Little scraps of old paper and crudely made books started popping up everywhere as well, all in the same childish drawings of red crayon. The thing is...there was one thing that kept showing up, a red crayon rose. It became famous within the family when half-Mayfair children began disappearing and the rose would show up on the front door to their house, proving they weren't to be seen again. No one knows if Antha herself has anything to do with it because it's always been a scandalous family surrounded by a million rumors of murder and such. All I will say for certain is that the children of the family at the time of her entrance changed almost as soon as they were exposed to her."

 

[Vikteren]

.David Talbot.

Aaron almost breathed a sigh of relief. Vikteren had misunderstood his thoughts, which worked well for him. He didn't mind anyone thinking him prudish. "I don't know what Antha and her cousins do up there. No one does. But..." He stopped, not wanting to pass by Singe's room while he was speaking of Antha's secrets. "I've studied the Mayfair family since the time of Mary Beth, Antha's mother, so I know more than anyone, yet I can only speculate. What I do know is that when Antha became part of the family, many strange things happened. Bizarre drawings started appearing in the attic of Mayfair Manor, all in red crayon. Little scraps of old paper and crudely made books started popping up everywhere as well, all in the same childish drawings of red crayon. The thing is...there was one thing that kept showing up, a red crayon rose. It became famous within the family when half-Mayfair children began disappearing and the rose would show up on the front door to their house, proving they weren't to be seen again. No one knows if Antha herself has anything to do with it because it's always been a scandalous family surrounded by a million rumors of murder and such. All I will say for certain is that the children of the family at the time of her entrance changed almost as soon as they were exposed to her."

"Mm." he murmured, noncommitally. "But only the children. Then you believe that the half-Mayfairs are being eliminated? By Antha, or...whatever the red roses signify?" The vampire glanced absently in the direction that she had disappeared, as he spoke her name. Somehow, it did not seem out-of-character for the unusually precocious witch to have created such a--the word game rose to mind immediately. A child's game, vicious as only children could be.  

[.David Talbot.]

"Antha should have lost her entire grip on sanity," he confided softly, moving in a step closer like he was afraid that Antha would pop up and drag him off for punishment. "She's been through too much. Somehow or another she's suppressed the rage and despair and even the insanity itself. Something has to have happened to those feelings. At some point they had to have been unleashed. And Antha...she doesn't carry such a rigid moral structure as most do these days. But for all I know, her cousins could be the culprits. Bored little Mayfair brats are just as likely to drag off the undesirables and do away with them as Antha is."

 

[Vikteren]

.David Talbot.

"Antha should have lost her entire grip on sanity," he confided softly, moving in a step closer like he was afraid that Antha would pop up and drag him off for punishment. "She's been through too much. Somehow or another she's suppressed the rage and despair and even the insanity itself. Something has to have happened to those feelings. At some point they had to have been unleashed. And Antha...she doesn't carry such a rigid moral structure as most do these days. But for all I know, her cousins could be the culprits. Bored little Mayfair brats are just as likely to drag off the undesirables and do away with them as Antha is."

"But these disappearances, they began to occur at the same time that Antha entered family life, correct? It would be too much of a coincidence to assume that one did not have something to do with the other." Vikteren said, shaking his head twice, as if bothered by his own suppositions. "Have not investigations been filed by the children's parents, in any case?"  

[.David Talbot.]

"I'm sure. The best guesses are either that Antha took up some demented little game with these children or that her influence, her insanity in particular, infected the other Mayfair children and they are the ones toying with 'undesirable' lives. And as far as investigations go, well, the Mayfair family prefers to keep well away from the law. The first few times there were reports but the investigations turned up no leads and when the red rose began to show up they stopped involving the police. After all, a family of so many mysteries could come undone if but one secret was discovered." This high in the tower, the windows were all barred and boarded up. Yet still Aaron could tell that dawn had broken out beyond. "I think it best we all go to sleep now. We'll need it." When they reached it, he paused at Singe's door and looked quickly inside. Just knowing that Antha and Singe were locked quietly in the coffin, he felt he could sleep easy. "This will be your room, Vikteren," he said, opening to door to the left of Singe's room. "And this one here," he continued, moving to the room to the right of Singe's, "And this will be yours, Rynn." He himself took the one next to Rynn's room, a large dungeon furnished with a bed, desk, and boarded windows just like the other two. "Lock yourselves in for the night, just to be safe. You may count on Antha to wake you at sunset. Until then, good night to you both."

 

[Vikteren]

.David Talbot.

"I'm sure. The best guesses are either that Antha took up some demented little game with these children or that her influence, her insanity in particular, infected the other Mayfair children and they are the ones toying with 'undesirable' lives. And as far as investigations go, well, the Mayfair family prefers to keep well away from the law. The first few times there were reports but the investigations turned up no leads and when the red rose began to show up they stopped involving the police. After all, a family of so many mysteries could come undone if but one secret was discovered." This high in the tower, the windows were all barred and boarded up. Yet still Aaron could tell that dawn had broken out beyond. "I think it best we all go to sleep now. We'll need it." When they reached it, he paused at Singe's door and looked quickly inside. Just knowing that Antha and Singe were locked quietly in the coffin, he felt he could sleep easy. "This will be your room, Vikteren," he said, opening to door to the left of Singe's room. "And this one here," he continued, moving to the room to the right of Singe's, "And this will be yours, Rynn." He himself took the one next to Rynn's room, a large dungeon furnished with a bed, desk, and boarded windows just like the other two. "Lock yourselves in for the night, just to be safe. You may count on Antha to wake you at sunset. Until then, good night to you both."

Vikteren nodded briefly towards Aaron.
"And the same to you." he said simply, stepping into the room.
'The same as Aaron's'. A desk and a bed were the only furniture, panels across the window not letting a speck of the dawn's light in.
Idly, he crossed to the desk, opening the drawers. A stack of paper in the upper right-hand drawer, a pen lying over the top sheet. He removed both and closed the drawer back.
It was a matter of little time to scribe the wards he had been taught. Normally, Vikteren's writing was fluid and elegant; the script of an aristocrat. These runes were angular and harsh, pressed deep into the thick paper, like his sire had shown him. A ward for those who intended to do him harm, old and strong.
He tacked the paper above the wall and closed the door, but did not lock it. If anyone truly wished him ill, a simple metal clasp would not impede any progress they might make.
Then he stretched out upon the white sheet, closed his eyes, and slept.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

When Antha awoke the next evening, the magic of the umbra coursed through her as if her heart and blood were made of it. During the daylight hours they had opened themselves up and given everything to her, connecting entirely with her flesh and blood. It was a glorious feeling---she felt somewhat like a god. The metal bolts on the lid slid open at her touch and soundlessly, skilled enough not to wake Singe, she slipped out of the coffin and from the room. Still barefoot, she was able to glide along without the faintest noise until she came to the room near David's office that had so long ago been made hers. It took her only fifteen minutes to shower and change into a new dress, then another five to stand again before Vikteren's door. She felt along the edge of the doorway, puzzled to find the bolt untouched, and quite simply slipped inside. There was a minor wave that emitted from the umbra, protectively, and they gathered to her as if to bar her from harm. Antha only waved them away and sat down quietly on the edge of the vampire's bed, her hand extended so that the tips of her fingers pressed quite gently to his forehead. It's evening. She did not know if he dreamt, but the words would invade his mind regardless, soft and clear. The sun has already fallen. But will you wake?

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

When Antha awoke the next evening, the magic of the umbra coursed through her as if her heart and blood were made of it. During the daylight hours they had opened themselves up and given everything to her, connecting entirely with her flesh and blood. It was a glorious feeling---she felt somewhat like a god. The metal bolts on the lid slid open at her touch and soundlessly, skilled enough not to wake Singe, she slipped out of the coffin and from the room. Still barefoot, she was able to glide along without the faintest noise until she came to the room near David's office that had so long ago been made hers. It took her only fifteen minutes to shower and change into a new dress, then another five to stand again before Vikteren's door. She felt along the edge of the doorway, puzzled to find the bolt untouched, and quite simply slipped inside. There was a minor wave that emitted from the umbra, protectively, and they gathered to her as if to bar her from harm. Antha only waved them away and sat down quietly on the edge of the vampire's bed, her hand extended so that the tips of her fingers pressed quite gently to his forehead. It's evening. She did not know if he dreamt, but the words would invade his mind regardless, soft and clear. The sun has already fallen. But will you wake?

A familiar voice in his mind, the soothing black emptiness that had replaced his dreams.
He stirred in his sleep, his fingers slowly unclenching from where the white sheets had been knotted in his hands, and opened his eyes.
They were clouded with blood.
As he propped himself up on his elbows to better look at her, twin crimson droplets spilled over his dark lashes and slid down his pale cheeks--scarlet on white, like a harlequin's mask. "Antha?" he asked questioningly. Momentarily, he blinked--another tear followed the first, and only now realizing that his cheeks were wet, he brought both hands to his face and tried to wipe them away.
"Damn it," he murmured, at the red smears on his palms.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"Good evening," was all she said, an easy smile to her lips. Very carefully she crooked her finger and touched it to his cheek, halting the small drop of red. "Atticus, Singe, and I will be leaving soon," she began softly, wishing to distract him, "And they thought to take you along. Or at least they will if you so wish." The umbra, given adamant time to roam freely throughout his mind, came rushing to her in feverish excitement, relaying to her the words which Aaron had spoken. The grin was too hard to suppress, and so it flickered across her face and her eyes flashed something wicked with amusement. "But if you prefer, I'm certain David would not mind you taking a look around the castle," she continued simply, silently shushing the umbra.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"Good evening," was all she said, an easy smile to her lips. Very carefully she crooked her finger and touched it to his cheek, halting the small drop of red. "Atticus, Singe, and I will be leaving soon," she began softly, wishing to distract him, "And they thought to take you along. Or at least they will if you so wish." The umbra, given adamant time to roam freely throughout his mind, came rushing to her in feverish excitement, relaying to her the words which Aaron had spoken. The grin was too hard to suppress, and so it flickered across her face and her eyes flashed something wicked with amusement. "But if you prefer, I'm certain David would not mind you taking a look around the castle," she continued simply, silently shushing the umbra.

The vampire sat fully up, swinging his long legs gracefully off the bed to better face her. Automatically, he glanced towards the ward that hung above the doorframe; undisturbed. Only then did he risk a nod. He had not been so imperturbed by Aaron's accusations of insanity as he had outwardly appeared. "I would be glad to join you, of course." he said, not catching the gleam in her eyes in his brief moment of distraction.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"Lovely." The girl smiled, taking his hands to urge him up and after her. Not even watching to see if he would indeed follow, she slipped back inside Singe's room and, careful of the hem of her skirt, sat down on the edge of the coffin. "Wake up," she commanded the sleeping vampire, leaning forward to shake his shoulder. "The sun has already set, Mikael, and you promised to take me hunting with you tonight."

 

[.David Talbot.]

Singe was never a very sensible person when he woke. Never. He was groggy, thirsty, and dazed. Antha's blood, as she certainly had to know, was too strong and enticing a scent to ignore. "You want me to wake?" he asked quietly, sitting up to grab her wrist and pull her closer, "You know exactly what it'll take to drag me from this room." Rash to a dangerous extent, he put a hand to the back of her neck and drew her in more, enough to push aside her soft crimson hair and let his lips touch her neck, barely restraining himself.

 

[Vikteren]

.David Talbot.

Singe was never a very sensible person when he woke. Never. He was groggy, thirsty, and dazed. Antha's blood, as she certainly had to know, was too strong and enticing a scent to ignore. "You want me to wake?" he asked quietly, sitting up to grab her wrist and pull her closer, "You know exactly what it'll take to drag me from this room." Rash to a dangerous extent, he put a hand to the back of her neck and drew her in more, enough to push aside her soft crimson hair and let his lips touch her neck, barely restraining himself.

And then a slim, pale hand slid between them, between Singe's lips and Antha's throat, and Vikteren was standing behind Antha, giving the boy a cold, faint smile. Again, the resemblance to a mask was remarkable. And the glitter in those blindingly emerald eyes said, as plainly as if the words had been spoken aloud, You will not touch her.
Then he offered Antha his upturned palm, to assist her in standing.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

Antha paused, grinning wildly, and gave a shake of her head. Vikteren had known Antha for only a day and therefore he had not realized that slipping into the world of vampires, even for a moment, made her ecstatic. It had ever since she was a child. Given this fact, she leaned forward as if in offering to the boy vampire, lifting her hair away from her neck so that only the thick silver chain of the Mayfair emerald shone against her pale flesh.