The Talamasca Motherhouse

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

Between the pain of her bruised flesh, blindingly brilliant when she put herself in the right mindset, and the ecstasy of the blood transfer, Antha's mind was far too excited. It was almost too much to handle, really, though not quite so. Yet she was glad to have him pull away, to see Vikteren's presence and know Singe wasn't attached to her. You'll change your mind. She paused to smile, her head turning to face Vikteren in a daze. I'm only the brat princess to you now, am I not? But eventually something will repulse you and you'll come to detest me all the same. Her smile was bitter, though her eyes glittered ecstatically.
"Spiteful..." She didn't feel like prying open either of their minds for the moment, so she played the helplessly clueless girl when she heard him speak. "What has Singe done?" She sounded mildly curious, her eyes widened a little as she strained to push herself away from the wall.

"Acted for no reason other than pettiness." he answered aloud, giving her the same kind of smile that had once reassured his younger sister. Vikteren withdrew his hand and stepped back, giving them both a good deal of room. Perhaps. I am not yet familiar with all your bad habits. It is a possibility, however unlikely.
His years with his sire had given him a curious immunity to what most would consider 'repulsive'. And a curious distaste for other acts, of course. Otherwise would be unnatural, even more so that could already be said.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

It flashed onto her face for several moments, that look of utter frustration, complete anger, a look that had once led her to set her brother on fire. She just didn't understand how she couldn't get the idea across to him, make him see anything she meant him to. But she let it go, however grudgingly, and cast her eyes bitterly at the hard, snowy ground. She could feel it coming on strongly, so powerful even her mind couldn't hold it back, and so she only let her eyes flicker to Singe, whispering his name softly as if it were an instruction, before the blankness of mind from the pain and frustration overtook her mind and she silently collapsed. Antha never really minded when this happened, for it was a frequent enough occurrence with a creature that had as much mental trauma as herself that was so prone to hysteria, and yet she was upset all the same that it should happen this once.

 

[.David Talbot.]

He caught her quick, not letting her head hit the ground, and gathered her protectively in his arms. "What am I supposed to do?" he hissed over his shoulder at Vikteren, "She tries so hard for your attention. She gets jealous because of you. What am I supposed to do, fall into the shadows? She might as well be screaming for you to look at her, to give her your undivided attention. She gets so caught up she won't even look at me twice." His eyes narrowed at him. As long as Antha was safely unconscious he could say whatever he wanted or act however he wanted. If she punished him later he would relish it. "One day soon she'll realize you're just another guardian and she'll toss you out and I'll be another planet again, revolving around her sun." It was hard to tell if he was really talking to Vikteren or just mumbling to himself to reassure himself of this.

 

[Vikteren]

.David Talbot.

He caught her quick, not letting her head hit the ground, and gathered her protectively in his arms. "What am I supposed to do?" he hissed over his shoulder at Vikteren, "She tries so hard for your attention. She gets jealous because of you. What am I supposed to do, fall into the shadows? She might as well be screaming for you to look at her, to give her your undivided attention. She gets so caught up she won't even look at me twice." His eyes narrowed at him. As long as Antha was safely unconscious he could say whatever he wanted or act however he wanted. If she punished him later he would relish it. "One day soon she'll realize you're just another guardian and she'll toss you out and I'll be another planet again, revolving around her sun." It was hard to tell if he was really talking to Vikteren or just mumbling to himself to reassure himself of this.

Although the vampire remained impassive outwardly, those accusations were enough to make him flinch. "Yes. I am a guardian, in repayment for her actions. And I should be nothing more to her."
Vikteren shuddered a little, although not from the cold, and then made a quick little pushing away gesture, too fast for the human eye to catch. "You'll have her when she tires of me."  

[.David Talbot.]

He stopped short, glaring at him. He stood this way for a few minutes before speaking. "Go away." The cold anger was clear in his voice and sharp eyes. "You want to do her a service? Leave and stay away. Antha's a spoiled brat princess. If she doesn't get what she wants she'll be crushed." He crushed the frail girl to his chest as carefully as he could without hurting her, delighted as always by her warmth and delicacy. Antha was a splendid little thing. "You can't help her. She deludes herself. Be gone." He vanished immediately, at the castle in two minutes. He sat on the stairs like a sulking child, holding Antha so he could bury his face in her hair. Mortal boys infuriated him, Antha's cousins who begged their way into her bed. The once she had let Singe sleep with her he was too drugged on questionable blood to relish it as he should have. He still accused her of using it to tease him. "I know you can hear me," he whispered in her ear between kissing her cheek, "Let's see if he comes. Don't chase him, Antha."

 

[Vikteren]

.David Talbot.

He stopped short, glaring at him. He stood this way for a few minutes before speaking. "Go away." The cold anger was clear in his voice and sharp eyes. "You want to do her a service? Leave and stay away. Antha's a spoiled brat princess. If she doesn't get what she wants she'll be crushed." He crushed the frail girl to his chest as carefully as he could without hurting her, delighted as always by her warmth and delicacy. Antha was a splendid little thing. "You can't help her. She deludes herself. Be gone." He vanished immediately, at the castle in two minutes. He sat on the stairs like a sulking child, holding Antha so he could bury his face in her hair. Mortal boys infuriated him, Antha's cousins who begged their way into her bed. The once she had let Singe sleep with her he was too drugged on questionable blood to relish it as he should have. He still accused her of using it to tease him. "I know you can hear me," he whispered in her ear between kissing her cheek, "Let's see if he comes. Don't chase him, Antha."

The vampire stood there, more than a little...shell-shocked was one word for it.
It might be true. It was more than likely true, and the vampire's first impulse was to do as Singe commanded. Go away. Just walk down the street and disappear from their lives, both of them.
But he couldn't. His debt had not been paid.
The vampire returned to the castle, only a little slower than Singe--he had more on his mind--and opened the door to find Singe on the steps, cradling Antha.
Vikteren slipped through and closed the door soundlessly behind him.
Looking up towards Singe, he explained. "If I went away, Singe, you'd be stuck drawing the sigils. And I did volunteer." More quietly, "It would be terribly irresponsible to back out now."
Of course, what did Singe know of responsibility?  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"Be quiet, Singe," she whispered dreamily before he could utter a single word. A very soft sigh emitted from her as she rose, detangling herself from his arms yet still sitting quietly in his lap. One hand grasped the side of his face, turning it to her so that she could touch her forehead to his cheek. Beneath her nails there emitted the slow leak of blood from small, rounded cuts in his skin. Do you crave your punishments? And then, all too quickly, she dropped her hand, abandoned him, rising calmly to her feet, and finally every bit of attention she possessed was turned on Vikteren. When she took him by the wrists her grip was weak as always, yet inescapable as the umbra chained him to her. There was no malice in her expression, not even frustration, merely a soft, dreamy quality to her features as she leaned up, cheek pressed very gently to his. "If you should run from me," she whispered, a subtle hurt in her voice, "I might hunt you down. Leave if you wish, but to simply run at Singe's request would not be fitting of you. Furthermore," she smiled just a little, forcing the umbra to cast him, render him immobile, so that very quickly she could kiss his cheek, "I don't suggest invoking my jealousy." And just like with Singe, she let him go all at once, giving a gentle little sigh and stepping back just slightly.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"Be quiet, Singe," she whispered dreamily before he could utter a single word. A very soft sigh emitted from her as she rose, detangling herself from his arms yet still sitting quietly in his lap. One hand grasped the side of his face, turning it to her so that she could touch her forehead to his cheek. Beneath her nails there emitted the slow leak of blood from small, rounded cuts in his skin. Do you crave your punishments? And then, all too quickly, she dropped her hand, abandoned him, rising calmly to her feet, and finally every bit of attention she possessed was turned on Vikteren. When she took him by the wrists her grip was weak as always, yet inescapable as the umbra chained him to her. There was no malice in her expression, not even frustration, merely a soft, dreamy quality to her features as she leaned up, cheek pressed very gently to his. "If you should run from me," she whispered, a subtle hurt in her voice, "I might hunt you down. Leave if you wish, but to simply run at Singe's request would not be fitting of you. Furthermore," she smiled just a little, forcing the umbra to cast him, render him immobile, so that very quickly she could kiss his cheek, "I don't suggest invoking my jealousy." And just like with Singe, she let him go all at once, giving a gentle little sigh and stepping back just slightly.

The compulsion clamped down around him, and he felt himself twitch back away from it, uselessly. Instinct told him to hit it with all he could muster, to slam every ounce of power into the hold the umbra had taken upon him.
But he didn't, because they were Antha's. And what kept him immobile was Antha's working, and because it would not have been useless. Vikteren had been taught, very early in his education, to realize when one was facing a greater enemy than oneself.
When to give up.
When she did release him, he did not move at all, or give any sort of sign that he had been under compulsion while she spoke. He watched her, very steadily, through eyes like green glass.
"If it ever becomes your wish, I will leave you. But not by any other's word."  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"You considered it just now." The faint pout came to her face and her head tilted slowly to the side as if curious. "You thought about leaving me." Again the subtle hurt was just visible, faint in every feature. She was careful about approaching him now, her grip on his wrists slackening to let him pull away should he choose as she stepped forward again. Behind them, she invaded Singe's mind as violently as she could, focusing on the blood and straining it just enough that he would slump over, unconscious. She didn't want to deal with his jealousy. "It's a sad thought, don't you think? That you've bound yourself to me this way? I want you to leave if you so wish, Vikteren. Otherwise, I wouldn't be happy. I don't want you forced into my company."

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"You considered it just now." The faint pout came to her face and her head tilted slowly to the side as if curious. "You thought about leaving me." Again the subtle hurt was just visible, faint in every feature. She was careful about approaching him now, her grip on his wrists slackening to let him pull away should he choose as she stepped forward again. Behind them, she invaded Singe's mind as violently as she could, focusing ont he blood and straining it just ehough that he would slump over, unconscious. She didn't want to deal with his jealousy. "It's a sad thought, don't you think? That you've bound yourself to me this way? I want you to leave if you so wish, Vikteren. Otherwise, I wouldn't be happy. I don't want you forced into my company."

Her blatant honesty was unnerving, to say the least, but Vikteren did not look away. "I considered it." he answered. "I do not deny that. But Singe has no say on whether I remain at your side or not. And I think that I would..." The vampire trailed off for a moment, his eyes growing distant and unseeing. Then he shook his head, bringing himself back to the matter at hand. "I think I would prefer to stay with you."
And then he noticed Singe, half-fallen on the stairs like a discarded rag doll.
"Was that necessary?" he asked, jerking his head in the boy's direction.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

A small giggle came from her and a sweet little smile spread across her face. It wasn't hard at all to please Antha. "Quite necessary, I'm afraid." She inched forward, her grasp on him as strong as ever. "Singe is quite nearly in love with me, you know." She sighed just slightly, giving a slight shake of her head. "Once he walked in when one of my little playtoys decided to kiss me. I didn't care much for him, so Singe ripped him apart." She looked unsettled for a moment, pouted again, but it all cleared up soon enough. "He tends to look at all of my companions like my playthings now." Finally she just shook her head and sighed again. "But tell me something. Why should you be only a guardian to me? I have enough guardians." Antha was so used to calling people ducky that she strained not to use the term.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

A small giggle came from her and a sweet little smile spread across her face. It wasn't hard at all to please Antha. "Quite necessary, I'm afraid." She inched forward, her grasp on him as strong as ever. "Singe is quite nearly in love with me, you know." She sighed just slightly, giving a slight shake of her head. "Once he walked in when one of my little playtoys decided to kiss me. I didn't care much for him, so Singe ripped him apart." She looked unsettled for a moment, pouted again, but it all cleared up soon enough. "He tends to look at all of my companions like my playthings now." Finally she just shook her head and sighed again. "But tell me something. Why should you be only a guardian to me? I have enough guardians." Antha was so used to calling people ducky that she strained not to use the term.

"Is there a reason I should be anything more?" he asked quietly. Vikteren didn't attempt to free his hands, although, to be truthful, the death grip she had on his wrists was beginning to concern him slightly. What would you have me be, if not your guardian?  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"Perhaps." Again her head tilted curiously to the side, emerald eyes studying his features. She released his hands with an almost inaudible sigh, expression never changing, but still hovered quite close to him. "Who's to say what will happen in the future? It changes every moment, every time someone changes their mind." And with that she was grinning suddenly in her trademark wicked fashion, as if she was just dying to drive him to some edge. "What if I decided one day that I wanted you? Better yet, what if it wasn't such a terrible idea?"

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"Perhaps." Again her head tilted curiously to the side, emerald eyes studying his features. She released his hands with an almost inaudible sigh, expression never changing, but still hovered quite close to him. "Who's to say what will happen in the future? It changes every moment, every time someone changes their mind." And with that she was grinning suddenly in her trademark wicked fashion, as if she was just dying to drive him to some edge. "What if I decided one day that I wanted you? Better yet, what if it wasn't such a terrible idea?"

"However, because it is a terrible idea..." he said, letting his tone speak for itself.
"...I would deny you. Because--I shall attempt to be frank--you are human, Antha. And no matter the extent of your skills, you will one day die. And I will not. And it would be a very poor choice on my part to desire you. And on your part as well, if you did allow it."
Vikteren shut his mouth for a moment, then, and stared past her at the slumped form of Singe. "I do not think that I would end up quite as possessive as that poor creature. But I would mourn you when you died, for a very long time, I think. Even now, I do not wish to lose you." Returning his gaze to Antha, he said, very simply. "You might understand why that would constitute as something of a hindrance to any immortal."  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

She stared at him for one moment, shocked apparently, before the laughing settled in. She almost doubled over, hardly able to stand it. "It's been a long time since I've heard someone say something like that to me," she choked out when her laughter finally died down. "I don't get to be mortal, ducky. There are dozens of vampires in this city watching me, waiting for that moment when I come close to death, close enough that they can grab me and fashion me a new being from their own blood. As Sleet and Khayman would tell you, I was born to be immortal, and everyone wants to be the one to commit the deed. The idea that I'll truely die one day is nothing more than a distant, ridiculous idea." She had to breathe deeply when she was done speaking, though only for a moment. The grin never left her face. "Sleet wants it now. He wants to drain me and fill me with his blood this very night, or the very first that he can lay his hands on me, so that he can chain me up in the crypts again like he did when I was 11 until I'm strong enough to destroy his entire coven. Sleet wants me for a queen." Still grinning, she sighed, a wispy, whimsical sound. "He's such a ridiculous being."