|
Post by Behax on Nov 30, 2019 22:21:15 GMT
Lucien considered what Victor had to safe carefully, though it seemed that Barnaby had no intention of letting him properly process the facts. Lucien wasn't fast enough to stop Barnaby, he was too weak to do so. But even centuries of imprisonment were not enough to slow Laurent. The blood of both angels and demons ran through him, giving him a strength that only Barnaby and Lucien's two other familiars could even begin the grasp. When Barnaby managed lunged past Lucien, Laurent in turn lunged at him. This time not going to hurt Barnaby but merely hold him down. The pole of Lauren't spear hit Barnaby in the throat, and the half-breed used it to pin him to the floor.
Lucien sighed. He could feel a head ache coming on. He wish he'd known how Garrett had put up with Barnaby and his self important temperament.
"Barnaby, do you not think your anger is bettered served, levelled at Walter, rather than at the people caught up in his cruelty....." He made no comment about the hurtful things Barnaby had just said to him. After all the demon had never really liked him that much. "Don't make me have to give you orders....." Lucien knew if he gave a proper order Barnaby would have to follow it, but he hated doing it, he'd never once actually given Eleri or Errol an order outside of ones necessary to stop them from getting hurt. It took away their free choice in a way, and Lucien hated that.
"I'm not asking you to like Victor, I'm not even asking you to like me. But some gratitude for releasing that curse would be nice." He sighed again. "Its not even that I don't understand where you are coming from. Walter is Victor's sire so your fears are perfectly reasonable. But Victor didn't choose this, just as much as you didn't choose to to be beholden to me. So you can wait until he actually goes to stab me in the back before you eviscerate him, and I will listen to all your angry 'I told you so' then." He really wasn't sure what he was supposed to do with Barnaby, how had Garrett kept him under control all that time?
|
|
|
Post by Grimm on Dec 1, 2019 15:55:16 GMT
After being stopped by a strike to the throat, Barnaby found himself on the ground restrained by the half-breed Victor had just released. And Lucien’s reasoning only made him feel more betrayed but he was realizing it was futile to keep struggling. He knew all to well what kind of unfathomable power the being was holding him down had and if he continued with this action it could spell doom for him and Lucien. He could feel his former master chastising him for his behavior and after an extensive internal monolog Barnaby gave up. “Have it your way.” Barnaby growled his displeasure loudly. His weapon dissipated, the cat demon grumbling under his breath in Egyptian tongue and stared angrily at no one in particular.
“I’m sorry, I know what it must look like,” Victor rubbed a sore spot where Barnaby had hit him. “but I’m telling the truth.” He grimaced at Lucien knowing he should have every right to believe Barnaby, he did look most suspicious of plotting. He turned his pale green eyes to Laurent. “Lord Lucien Bastista and his familiars are my guests…our guests,” he corrected himself. “You are not to harm them.” The tone in which he delivered the line with little confidence that it had any authority to it.
|
|
|
Post by Behax on Dec 1, 2019 17:36:31 GMT
Lucien let out a resigned and tired sigh when Barnaby finally relented. Honestly the demon needed a better way to let out his frustrations. He was a ball of 50 year old pent up anger, and Lucien wasn't sure how to remedy that. With Barnaby finally relenting, and Lucien knew it was to do with how effortlessly Laurent had pinned him to the floor over anything else. He turned his attention to Victor.
Laurent looked up at Victor and then looked back down at Barnaby. It was clear he was thinking. However he made no argument or retort. Whether that was because he was still gagged, or because he decided not to it was unclear. However after a prolonged moment he relented. He still considered Barnaby dangerous, but he had to listen to what his master said, otherwise he'd be punished. It didn't matter that Victor didn't have confidence in this particular case, because his ancestors had already shattered Laurent's will. There was very little ego there that Victor had to contend with, unlike between Barnaby and Lucien where Barnaby's ego was wild and out of control.
He sat back and removed the spear pole from Barnaby's neck, and then stood up. The weapon didn't dissipate. Laurent was waiting to see if Barnaby would take the opportunity to attack again.
"Well.....Now that that is....out of the way." Lucien turned back to Victor. "So you are saying that this man here, is beholden to your family?" Lucien had to wonder at that point for how long that had been true. Since they were only a minor noble family when Lucien had been growing up, if they had in fact been monster hunters like the Bastista's it had been long before Lucien had been born. He was weary and it showed on his face.
|
|
|
Post by Grimm on Dec 1, 2019 18:33:43 GMT
“Ye-Yes,” Victor didn’t have a pleasant look on his face, “they used him as a tool,” that word felt sharp across Victor’s tongue. “..until they didn’t want him anymore and then he was forgotten.” Victor felt sick. Of all the few happy times he had in this house, to think that this man had been locked below it all. The newling approached Laurent and hesitantly reached for the gag in his mouth. Fear and guilt again making his hands tremble as he removed the gag. The vision had been so vidid he felt as if he had lived it himself - centuries packed into moments.
“I’m sorry…for what they did.” It was enough for Victor to begin to tear up. His heart felt like it was going to explode.
“Sounds like a screwed up Dardariel thing to do.” Barnaby was on his feet, fixing his clothing and jewelry. “Well at least he doesn’t have long until he’s free of his loser Master.” He gave Lucien a dirty glare. If he couldn’t sink his claws into them at least he could hurl insults, his tail swishing with arrogant defiance.
|
|
|
Post by Behax on Dec 5, 2019 17:00:11 GMT
Lucien frowned at Victor’s further explanation. He supposed he shouldn;t be surprised. Half-breeds like this ordinarily shouldn’t exist and were beyond rare. If Barnaby though Human-Angel Nephilim were unstable, what did that make Laurent? A ticking time bomb? But he’d allegedly been here a long time.
Laurent blinked surprised at the apology.Very few in Victor’s family had ever done that. Usually it was the ones from the lower family that did, or the ones most likely to be used and tossed aside themselves. Many in Victor’s family had not cared about how they used others, even their own family, even those meant to be on equal footing to them. The half-breed look uncomfortable, he didn’t know what to do with this. Victor was now his primary master, the only Darariel left for Launrent to take orders from. The ultimate authority in his world at that moment. He didn’t know how to react to Victor’s apology, so he did nothing.
After a while Lucien let out a sigh and shifted. He made to walk back up the stairs. He had a headache coming on. It had just been one thing after the other since he’d awoken.
“Barnaby, a word if you will,” he said as he walked up the stairs. It wasn’t a command, but something about Lucien’s tone suggested it could be made into one. Even Barnaby would know Lucien’s demeanor was all over the place. In just a handful of days he’d rapidly cycled through anger, grife and lust, and the first two were constantly below the surface at the moment. Lucien could be a little too understanding at times, but he could be formidable when pressed.
As Lucien walked up the stairs leaving Victor and Laurent behind, Errol took to slight and landed on Lucien’s shoulder.
|
|
|
Post by Grimm on Dec 6, 2019 14:31:39 GMT
Barnaby stuck his tongue out at Laurent as the cat-demon followed Lucien up the stairs arrogantly feeling that he won this round. His nose was turned up and a black tail flicking back and forth.
Victor looked a bit hurt when Laurent didn’t reply to him, his green eyes falling away to the floor at a loss for what say. The painter’s social skills were best left standing in the corner of large social gatherings and often took a raincheck when he was invited anywhere. What do you say to a being that had been used, abused and then tossed aside for centuries? The vampire took a deep breath in, squared his shoulders, and extended his hand, green eyes returning to the mismatched pair looking back at him. “Thank you. I’m Victor Leo Dardariel, the last Dardariel.”
|
|
|
Post by Behax on Dec 8, 2019 23:58:27 GMT
If Barnaby was trying to get a rise out of Laurent, it didn’t work. Aside from being weary he might attack his master again, Laurent largely ignored Barnaby.
The gesture Victor made was met with confusion. Laurent didn’t know what to do with Victor’s offered hand. No one had ever shaken Laurent’s hand before, he didn’t understand what this gesture meant. He also seemed surprised that he was being thanked. It wasn’t as if previous masters hadn’t sometimes thanked him, they hadn’t all be horrible. Still he wasn’t used to it, and wasn’t sure what he had done that required gratitude.
He seemed to consider what to do for a while, before eventually deciding that asking what Victor wanted was not likely to result in him being punished. Though some previous heads of the family had hated questions, and not only from Laurent.
“I’m s-sorry, master, but I...I don’t understand what this gesture m-means,” he confessed, indicating to Victor’s still outstretched hand. Despite how Laurent had acted without hesitance against Barnaby, while speaking it was clear Laurent was rather timid, and probably reluctant to talk at all.
-----
Lucien lead the way upstairs, and kept walking. Wanting to be far from Victor and Laurent. He didn’t exactly want to chastise Barnaby in front of others. He wasn’t exactly one for humiliating his servants in front of others. (Though Errol was still there, perched now on his master’s shoulder.)
Lucien sighed and he took a breath when he finally came to a stop, in one of the lounge rooms with the liquor cabinet in. He went to one of the cabinets and took out a bottle and two glasses. He couldn’t remember is Barnaby drank, but thought it polite to offer.
“Look I know you are unhappy with this arrangement, but Garrett must have had a reason for transferring your contract to me…..It wasn’t something we had discussed together.” He didn’t understand why Garrett hadn’t ransfered it to Luka. Out of him and the werewolf, Barbny had as far as Lucien was aware, approved of Luka more. He supposed that might not still hold true however, since the werewolf was missing, Lucien doubted he was dead. Walter would have made that fact obvious.
“And I know you think me a fool for staying here, and trusting that child. And maybe you are right to. But as it stands.” He poured himself a drink. “Walter now knows without a doubt that I am awake, and that I am here, where his sire is. And he could very well come here himself to try and claim me, and it could all be a horrible trap like you think it is, but we both know how Walter likes to play games. He won’t come himself, and he’ll probably leave Victor to torture himself a while longer.” Lucien paused.
“He’s going to wait for me to come to him. He’s banking on my anger, and he’ll probably send some disposable sire of his to provoke me before long, and no, I don’t think it’ll be Victor,” Lucien added that last part before Barnaby could protest. “Victor has some gift, I don’t think his foresight is fake, and that will make him valuable to Walter. No doubt he didn’t just turn the poor child into a vampire just to send him after me……”
Lucien was convinced Walter wanted Victor to be part of his collection. Rare and valuable pets he liked to keep…...That thought left a bad taste in his mouth.
“I need two things from you Barnaby, and I would rather ask for them, than compel you to behave. I want you to watch my back, but don’t go starting any fights with Victor just because you’re angry and grieving. Tell me or Errol or Elarie of anything suspicious. We’ll keep an eye on Victor for now. Secondly, try to avoid provoking that pet of his. You aren’t powerful enough right now to give Laurent a challenge,” this was not said in spite, it was something Lucien was deadly serious about. “I know hearing that hurts your pride, but your life is worth more than your ego.”
He knocked back the drink he’d poured. Alcohol had always been Lucien’s vice, but even Barnaby would be aware he was drinking a lot of it.
|
|
|
Post by Grimm on Dec 9, 2019 6:26:35 GMT
Victor’s slender black brows knitted in surprise when he heard Laurent spoke. “Of…of course.” For a moment it looked as if Victor was going to let his hand retreat but as the last of his family he felt a strong sense of responsibility in getting Laurent ready to be on his own in the world. Victor had no intention of leaving his grave empty for long.
“Um, well it’s a gesture one does when they exchange names. They exchange what is called a handshake.” With a little bit of timidness himself Victor reached for Laurent’s hand, gentle with both his grip and shake before letting go of his hand quickly. Victor’s hand had some warmth to it, which had surprised a little, Lucien’s blood was still providing him some relief having fed on the dharmpire not all that long ago. But it felt like it was starting too fade fast since the vision that lead him to this place.
“Let’s get you out of here. Please follow me…” Victor turned and started to walk up the stairs, explaining the predicament he had gotten himself into being turned into a vampire and how Lucien and his familiars came to be their guests now. “Are you hungry? Thirsty? I’m sorry….I’m all so new at this. What do you eat? Would you like to?” By now he had made his way to the kitchen.
——
Barnaby seamed pretty proud with himself by the time Lucien poured him a drink and he took the drink that Lucien provided. The look on his face smug as he merely sniffed at the drink at first while Lucien explained what Walter would probably do. The cat-demon might not have approved of the Vampire Hunter, but he was good at what he did.
His ears laid back flat with annoyance when his new Master threatened him with compliance. Barnaby took his drink in one swoop and demandingly set the glass down in front of Lucien for another drink. The look on his face one of determination and irritation. He would drink for as long as Lucien would pour.
“Master was on edge a few days before Walter appeared…he wouldn’t tell me what was making him restless. Around that time he made me swear to serve you if anything should happen to him, it was that important to him so I did and here we are.” Now that Barnaby had someone to talk to it was if all the grief he wasn’t able to express alone while he recovered from his wounds, hiding in the dark catacomb afraid to go to Lucien’s tomb to fear of leading Walter to him. “My minions detected someone on the very edge of the estate property. Of course I went to find out, but it turned out to be Walter. He had a trap waiting.” His tail twitched with irritation at his own failing. Luka never came back to help, so as far as Barnaby was concerned he had been killed elsewhere and he just didn’t know it.
|
|
|
Post by Behax on Jan 5, 2020 0:39:44 GMT
Laurent listened intently as Victor explained what a handshake was, and demonstrated. It was a weird experience for Laurent. Even more so the fact that he was in this situation at all. He understood how it had happened, but it was still odd. His master was now one of the very creatures he’d once been charged with destroying.
He followed Victor out of the basment…..His prison for so many years Laurent couldn’t even tell how many had passed.
He blinked in surprise when asked if he was hungry or thirsty. Clearly he didn’t need those things to survive.
“Um….well….W-would it be possible to um....Do something about this first?” He asked tentatively pointing to his hair, which had grown so long it was almost touching the floor as he walked.
----
Lucien simply poured Barnaby another drink, before then pouring himself another one.
Guilt was etched onto Lucien’s face as Barnaby explained what had happened. He wondered why Garrette hadn’t woken him, he would have understood. He could have done something. He threw his new drink back and poured another.
“I have a horrible feeling that we’ll find Luka wherever Walter is,” he said voice quite. “He left Garrette somewhere he knew I would find, so I would know it was him…..He’d do the same with Luka….”
|
|
|
Post by Grimm on Jan 6, 2020 0:50:13 GMT
Victor laughed nervously when he realized how lost he was in the new realm of beings he found himself in company of. He stopped in the doorway of the kitchen. “Of course, I’m sorry…I’m not use to all of this.”
“Victor! I mean Lord Dardariel.” The voice called out and a hand touched Victor’s shoulder. It startled the young vampire, his lustrous green eyes turned red in an instant ready to strike at the threat. But instead Victor stopped, turning to Laurent instead and gripping onto the half-breed’s shoulders.
“Sasha! God in heaven you scared me!” Victor laughed off his fright, hiding his red eyes from his surprise visitor.
“Sorry, I saw the lights on and I was worried about you. You ran us off so suddenly after Lord D’Glace departed. You were acting so strangely.” Sasha wore the clothing of a young man from the town and had every other feature of a woman with a voice to match. They crossed their arms and a long golden braid draped over one shoulder, a smug of dirt on their cheek. Baby blue eyes questioning the odd man that Victor was clutching.
“I thought that maybe I’d prepare you some fresh meat, but I saw that you already butchered one of the pigs. Or…someone did.” Sasha kept talking. “Victor are you alright?” They question.
“Yes.” Victor released his tight grip on Laurent and turned back around, his eyes no longer red, but back to the green they usually were. “You gave me such a fright…you know my health..” Victor clutched his chest. “Laurent, this is Sasha - I’ve known them since I was little - their father tended to the estates supplies, their mother cooked for us. Sasha, this is my cousin.”
Sasha held out a hand to Laurent. “I’m Sasha Novlent.”
-----
“What good would it have done to wake you up? Hmm? You’d be Walters little pin cushion. Master gave everything to keep you safe from that psycho…made me promise to keep you safe too.” Barnaby threw back another drink, until he was pouring himself more. “I don’t know what good I’ll be, I couldn’t safe Garrett…don’t know why he’s think I’d be able to save you…oh great Lord Lucien Bastista!” He held up the glass in a toast and gulped it down.
|
|
|
Post by Behax on Mar 6, 2020 15:54:27 GMT
It was honestly astounding how quickly Laurent reacted given his centuries of imprisonment. He was able to recognise that who had startled Victor as human in an instant, and just as quickly a glamour overtook his appearance. He didn’t know if it was fast enough for the human not to realise what he’d seen, but humans had a habit of overwriting their own cognition, convincing themselves quickly that they must have mis-seen something.
To Victor Laurent still looked like the cross between the damned and the divine, he was still in a state of undress, with long neglected hair, strange feathered ears and horns. But to Sasha his hair was cut much shorter though it covered his eyes messily, and he was dressed in a loose white shirt, high waisted trousers and knee high boots. His tail, horns and broken halo nowhere to be seen.
“Laurent Castermear,” Laurent introduced himself hesitating a little before shaking Sasha’s hand. It was still odd to him.
----
Lucien frowned when Barnaby called him ‘great lord’ knowing that the demon likely didn’t mean a word of it sincerely. His attention however strayed from Barnaby and he held up a hand for the demon to be quiet.
“I think….we’re both losing our touch……There is a human here…”
He was loath to admit it but if a human had managed to wander all the way into the estate without either of them noticing until now, maybe they really were in trouble. Lucien had only noticed because he could smell them, now they were so close.
He put his glass down and stood to go and investigate.
|
|
|
Post by Grimm on Jun 10, 2020 21:58:26 GMT
Barnaby’s ears went flat when Lucien held up his hand to be quiet, he was about to protest when he too realized that there was a human in the house. “I knew that, I was just seeing how long it took you…” Barnaby deflected put in a bad mood by his interrupted reminiscing. Instead of following he finished his glass and then finished what was left in Lucien’s glass, before gulping down the rest of the bottle. Master could handle a human, besides there was something more dangerous than a human here. His face went sour with distain at the thought of the half-breed.
— Indeed Sasha was human. The warmth of his handshake, his scent, the steady beat of his pulse. Undoubtedly human, but for those that could sense his aura would realized that Sasha’s friendliness wasn’t all that it seemed to be. There was a disruption in his spirit like a shadow in a fog. “Well, I brought some fresh flowers too…to liven up the place. I’m sure Master Laurent would appreciate it.” Sasha had already turned back to the kitchen and began to cut the stems from the flowers he had brought when the smell of blood stained the air. Sasha yelped clutching his hand in the sink. “So clumsy of me. Nicked my hand.” Sasha confessed turning to Victor with the bleeding appendage wrapped up in a napkin. The smell of blood tightened his craving, reminding him of his terrible thirst. The visions that had lead him to Laurent had burned through all that Lucien had given him.
“What’s wrong with your eyes?” Sasha said suddenly startled at the sight of Victor’s lushes green eyes now a fiery red.
Victor turned away in panic, he was doing everything in his power to abstain, which was little more than biting down on his own lip to focus on something else besides the hunger.
“What’s wrong with him?” Sasha questioned again, looking to Laurent for some answers.
|
|
|
Post by Behax on May 26, 2021 16:20:03 GMT
Laurent was tired. He’d been locked away down there for centuries, the abrupt change in his circumstances. Followed by one event after the other had his wearied. He wasn’t sure if it was that...Or something else, but something about this ‘Sasha’ seemed off to him, though he didn’t know how to convey that to his master.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“He’s not very well right now, it’s been a long day.” It wasn’t Laurent that answered, but Lucien.
The dhampire stood, leaning against the door frame of another entrance into the kitchen. He had a pleasant smile, and a calm demeanour on the surface, but inside he was mistrustful. A lot of things were happening at once, and this person standing...Bleeding in Victor’s kitchen had Lucien’s heckles raised. It was too....Coincidental.
“But why don’t we take care of that cut first? Laurent-”
Laurent turned to Lucien, giving his head a curious tilt.
“Why don’t you take Victor back to his room, I’ll make sure his guest is looked after.”
Usually Laurent wouldn’t take orders or suggestions from someone other than his master. However he could tell Victor was in a state of compromise. So he nodded his understanding, carefully taking Victor by the arm and leading him from the room. He got to the bottom of the stairs before he realised...He knew the manor like the back of his own hand, but he did not know where Victor would keep his room.
“Ummm...Sorry, Master I don’t...I d-don’t actually know which room is yours…”
-----
Even now, drained as he was from Victor drinking from him, the events of the day and his...above usual alcohol consumption, Lucien was still able to keep his own blood lust in check.
“I’m sorry I must have missed your entrance, I’m Lucien Bastista,” he introduced himself as he stepped towards Sasha. “Victor has asked me to help him with a small problem, might I ask what you are doing here?” He enquired with a soft smile, holding his hand out for Sasha’s own so he could inspect the cut.
|
|
|
Post by Grimm on Jun 9, 2021 16:37:34 GMT
“I’m Sasha.” He said pleasantly, holding out his cut hand to show Lucien. “My family works...worked here until Master Victor sent us away after his friend came to stay. I came to check on Master Victor after I saw the lights were on.” Sasha was friendly and talkative. “Truth be told I was worried when Master Walter decided to stay at the town’s inn instead of here. And then the weird stuff started happening in town...” Sasha seemed innocent enough although something was just under the surface, something sinister and dark.
Victor let Laurent lead him away, his hands trembling clutching his arm as they stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “The one at the end.” Victor conversed through teeth clamped shut. The hunger was overwhelming and for such a small cut, all he wanted to do was to feed. The smell faded as they drew nearer to the room but the need did not. His grip grew tighter and tighter on Laurent’s arm, practically feeling the pulse through their touch.
Victor felt cold and sick, like death was slowly crawling up his back to pull him to the grave. Victor pulled himself to Laurent’s chest, the warmth was driving him there, his pulse was calling him. His fangs began to bare wanting to pierce the flesh closest to him.
|
|
|
Post by Behax on Jun 9, 2021 18:47:25 GMT
Lucien took Sasha’s hand, inspecting the cut.
“Oh? Weird, how exactly?” Lucien asked, in a tone that suggested polite curiosity. He was fishing for information, but he didn’t want to appear desperate or concerned for it. Just...Politely continuing the conversation. He didn’t like the feeling he was getting from Sasha, but he didn’t know what was wrong, and just turfing him out onto the street...Or worse would probably tip his own hand more than he wanted.
He pulled Sasha towards the sink to wash out the cut. It wasn’t that deep, but it sure would bleed, and just a small amount would be enough to set Victor on edge, even on a good day. He was too inexperienced.
---
Laurent nodded before leading Victor up the stairs. He could feel the man’s grip tighten on his arm and could feel the way he trembled, but he paid it little mind. He could tell Victor was fighting that urge, that need to feed.
Laurent, while trying to be careful and gentle, got Victor to his room as quickly as possible, guiding him to sit and then lay on his bed. He was sure what to do at that point, so he sat on the edge.
He was silent for a while before eventually speaking. “It’s okay...To drink from me if you want to.”
He was tired and frail from years of imprisonment, but it would still take a lot for Victor to drain him enough to kill him.
|
|