The Talamasca Motherhouse

[XCandy and LunacyX]

Her eyes flickered up at Vikteren's arrival, her lips curving into an involuntary smile. Lighten up, mon cher. "Someone broke into Mayfair Manor," she admitted grudgingly to Rynn, "He stole some of my books." When Nicolae's voice echoed after her up the hall, she flinched. "You better have brought Khayman with you!" she threatened, spinning around to face the stairwell until he stood over her. Of course she knew he hadn't. "You're useless, big brother," she chided him with a sigh, "Honestly!"

 

[.David Talbot.]

He had never much liked dramatic entrances, so when he stalked through the gaudy doors he was silent. His feet made no sound as he crossed the rooms and halls he had never set eyes on before. When he reached the small gathering at the top of the stairs he did little more than lay two cold fingers on Antha's arm to alert her of his presence. Khayman knew she would have a heart attack if she knew she had wasted any of her time in his company. "Darling Antha," he greeted her softly, a warm smile to his lips for when she turned to him, "You called me, correct?"
Nicolae turned the moment he heard his voice, his impish nature as intact as ever but there was an aire of reverence around him. David went into rigid shock, having never set eyes upon any one of the coven masters of his city. Only Singe seemed unaffected, watching carelessly as he dragged out a cigarette and offered one to Antha, vying secretly for her attention.

 

[Rynn Calais]

.David Talbot.

He had never much liked dramatic entrances, so when he stalked through the gaudy doors he was silent. His feet made no sound as he crossed the rooms and halls he had never set eyes on before. When he reached the small gathering at the top of the stairs he did little more than lay two cold fingers on Antha's arm to alert her of his presence. Khayman knew she would have a heart attack if she knew she had wasted any of her time in his company. "Darling Antha," he greeted her softly, a warm smile to his lips for when she turned to him, "You called me, correct?"
Nicolae turned the moment he heard his voice, his impish nature as intact as ever but there was an aire of reverence around him. David went into rigid shock, having never set eyes upon any one of the coven masters of his city. Only Singe seemed unaffected, watching carelessly as he dragged out a cigarette and offered one to Antha, vying secretly for her attention.

One of the covenmasters. Rynn had never bothered much with the politics of the Osiris City nightlife, but this vampire couldn't have been anything else. From the reactions he commanded of Nicolae, David, and Antha...well.
Rynn glanced towards Singe, and lowered his mental guard enough to ask, This would be the 'Khayman' she spoke of, I assume?  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

Antha knew him by the electric current he presented throughout the air when he came near and so she stopped, breathless, when it hit her. It wasn't but seconds later that she felt Khayman's cold touch on her skin and she turned in an instant, eyes wide and expectant. She wasn't let down. "Khayman," she breathed reverently, a strange, detached smile forming on her face of vague emotion. Somewhere in her mind it registered that Singe had made a motion, some little grab for her attention, but she cast the thought of him aside and stepped forward to Khayman---tall, dark, quiet, thoughtful, beautiful, chalk white Khayman. "You came," she noted in a whisper as she looked up at him, the smile slowly spreading, becoming dazzling, as gently she clasped her hands to his upper arms.

 

[.David Talbot.]

With a quiet smile Khayman opened his arms to accept her. "I came," he agreed before pressing his lips to her forehead in a kind of affection that he imagined few other people even knew of. "I am at your disposal, princess. Always."
Singe hated the natural way Khayman called her princess when he himself used it to tease her. The affection again and the familiarity that swallowed up the room, just like when Nicolae was lingering around her, but with him it was stronger. It made him sick. All he could do was press the cigarette between his lips and light it up angrily before answering Rynn. "Who else?" he grumbled, too low for the others to hear probably. There's only one person walking the earth Antha Evelyn Mayfair reveres, just one person who commands every bit of respect she's capable of. When you've found that one being--- He nudged Rynn faintly and cast a loaded glance at Khayman, all wrapped up in his warm moment with Antha, and back. ---You've found the coven master Khayman.

 

[Vikteren]

Vikteren, in the meanwhile, stepped a little back behind Antha, fading into the shadows. His eyes were fixed on the newcomer, gauging Antha's reaction, and the strength behind the vampire's eyes.
He hissed, jumping away, and his nails drew blood in corpse-pale skin. Blood that carved wards in the air, runes that hissed and spat with the raw, untutored power they contained--
Or at least, that was what he would have done. But Vikteren had learned control over the years, and instead he did nothing more than lower his eyes in recognition of a master vampire, and let the shadows veil his own gaze.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

Things were registering in her mind again, things outside of the bubble around Khayman. She knew that Singe was conversing secretly with Rynn---bitter as ever---and Vikteren had reacted to his presence tensely, drawing away. She thought to turn and observe one of them for a moment, out of courtesy if nothing else, but her eyes only flickered carefully in Vikteren's direction for a moment, able to muster no more. Antha had all the time in the world for Vikteren and Singe; Khayman had been apart from her for a year, ever since Nicolae had been admitted to his coven, and when he departed next she might be left without him even longer.
Absolute hell, she admitted to him in a haze, drawing closer so that she pressed to his stone chest, the material of his shirt caught in her fingers. It was relayed to him in a careful flood of images and voices, Antha's most recent experiences. The graveyard the day before and meeting Vikteren; Rynn's dilemma and Singe's blatant aggravation, jealousy even; most important was Sleet, mulling about in his crypt, planning his attack upon her, angry that his stolen treasure had been returned to her hands. He'll come after me, she assured him. The very moment Vikteren leaves. She paused only to bury her face against his shoulder. I want him, she admitted gently, It's terribly frustrating. I'm not sure how long I can put up with this.

 

[.David Talbot.]

His arms closed around her as she worked her way closer and he watched the memories flooding from her without a word. Listening to her assurances and confessions drove him to lay another kiss in her mass of hair and turn his eyes to Vikteren, assessing him, giving him some hint that she spoke of him now. "Lead the way, my dear," he prompted her, taking her hand and gesturing to the stairs. "Priorities, of course." Over her head he smiled kindly at Rynn, avoiding Singe so as not to provoke his anger. His gaze only grazed David with a bit of a smile and he touched Nicolae's shoulder briefly to acknowledge him.

 

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"Of course." Her words blew out in a gentle breath, her eyes moving from the image of him only grudgingly as she turned to face the stairs, her gaze spinning and passing over Rynn, Singe, David, and Nicolae, all too dazed or angry or frightened to pay her any attention, surely. The spell broken for the moment, she flashed her eyes meaningfully at Vikteren, stopping where she had meant to descend the stairs quickly, and reached out to beckon for him, her expression concerned. Come to me, mon cher, she bid him softly. Please?

 

[Rynn Calais]

.David Talbot.

With a quiet smile Khayman opened his arms to accept her. "I came," he agreed before pressing his lips to her forehead in a kind of affection that he imagined few other people even knew of. "I am at your disposal, princess. Always."
Singe hated the natural way Khayman called her princess when he himself used it to tease her. The affection again and the familiarity that swallowed up the room, just like when Nicolae was lingering around her, but with him it was stronger. It made him sick. All he could do was press the cigarette between his lips and light it up angrily before answering Rynn. "Who else?" he grumbled, too low for the others to hear probably. There's only one person walking the earth Antha Evelyn Mayfair reveres, just one person who commands every bit of respect she's capable of. When you've found that one being--- He nudged Rynn faintly and cast a loaded glance at Khayman, all wrapped up in his warm moment with Antha, and back. ---You've found the coven master Khayman.

Rynn noted the sour note in Singe’s voice, and spared a sideways glance and a smile for him before following Antha and Khayman. He’s only here to help with the ritual, though, am I right? Then it shouldn’t take long.
He almost had to wonder whether Antha had called him for ‘backup’. After all, with the current company, it wasn’t as though they were in need of any extra assistance. It was likely that Rynn could have performed the ritual himself, would they only give him the information he needed.
The thought made him frown slightly. Rynn hated it when things didn’t go according to plan. But it didn’t matter. There’d be time enough for that later.
Right now he just wanted to see Liesse again. His longing was almost a physical ache in his chest, and unconsciously he put his hand to his breastbone, as though he could stifle it with his fist.  

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"Of course." Her words blew out in a gentle breath, her eyes moving from the image of him only grudgingly as she turned to face the stairs, her gaze spinning and passing over Rynn, Singe, David, and Nicolae, all too dazed or angry or frightened to pay her any attention, surely. The spell broken for the moment, she flashed her eyes meaningfully at Vikteren, stopping where she had meant to descend the stairs quickly, and reached out to beckon for him, her expression concerned. Come to me, mon cher, she bid him softly. Please?

Of course, Antha.
He wouldn't have been left behind, even if she hadn't asked him to follow. Singe's spite, Rynn's uncertain motives, and the arrival of the covenmaster all combined to form what looked to turn into a volatile mix. Vikteren padded in silence after Antha, staying two steps behind her, just to give her and the covenmaster room. It was something that his sire had drilled into him from his turning.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

Antha smiled gently, a faint giggle emitted from her lips, and very quickly took his hand before dashing off down the stairs and through the hallways. The dungeon was very far below ground, on the same level as the very last vaults, and her breath was a thick cloud before her when she exhaled. "Aaron," she called gently into the dark, damp room, stepping forward with great care to avoid scuffing any of Aaron's work. She was surprised to hear David mention that he had taken on this duty himself---she didn't want to discourage him if she could help it. "Are you ready yet?" She sighed, stopping and crossing her arms. "It's almost midnight, you know. What's left to be done?"

 

[.David Talbot.]

Aaron coughed for just a minute, the damp, moldy air and chalk residue caught in his lungs. "Just the signatures," he answered with a hand to his mouth, the other hand fumbling around in his pocket and eventually drawing out a small knife. "You should probably go first, Antha. Pretense, you know." His eyes were careful not to stray over to Khayman, not to acknowledge him at all.
However, David was very careful not to take his eyes off of him for a moment. He wanted the clearest possible picture of the coven master stored in his mind. Everything about how he moved and spoke had to be ingrained in his mind.
"Who's signing it?" Singe asked suddenly, voice wavering just a bit. He stepped forward to offer himself without actually having to mention that he was volunteering, his eyes wandering over their group to see who it would be. Rynn couldn't sign or it would ruin everything. Antha was the obvious one, and Atticus next to her when he showed up, so he counted two. Aaron and David seemed unlikely as participants. Both would want to watch carefully and record the whole thing, plus neither had any experience. Vikteren...well, he wasn't counting on Vikteren for anything. Khayman and Nicolae, last but not least, didn't even know what the hell was going on so he counted them out. Who was left but himself?
Finally, Atticus crept down the stairs following the group, watching warily, and slinking his way up to Aaron and Antha. "I'll go second," he conceded with a little nod, his eyes straying for a moment to Singe, accepting his own nomination.

 

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"Pretense," she agreed with a vague nod of her head, grabbing the knife smoothly and stepping forward into the web of runes. Of the three symmetrical stars on the floor, she chose the one nearest her, stepping up to stand in the center of it with the knife dangling boredly in her right hand. Her left hand she held before her, grinning wickedly as she watched the careful movement of her fingers before finally she descended upon it with the knife, slashing her palm twice to form an 'X' and pricking each of her fingers. Quickly she came to her knees, setting the knife down with a soft clatter and pressing her left hand to the cold, stained stones of the floor. She let it linger for a moment, making a scarlet imprint, before running the index finger of her right hand over the bleeding incisions and running it over the space below the vague picture of her hand. When she stood a few moments later, the name 'Antha Evelyn Mayfair' was traced in looping print. "A~tti~cus!" she sang as she twirled back to the gathering, stopping before him and dropping the knife in his hand, "Your turn, mon cheri. Singe should be last."

 

[.David Talbot.]

Atticus was quiet when he stepped forward to the next star and stood over it, eyes intense. He wasn't thrilled about this part of the spell, but it was the best way. Quietly he knelt and slashed his own hand in various places, putting it down quickly so it wouldn't heal before he made the imprint. He pretty much stabbed the tips of his middle and index finger to write his name, 'Atticus Thornton', in slim print. They were only dripping when he came to stand beside Antha again, handing the knife to Singe, and he sucked at the wounds while he waited for them to heal.
In the meantime, Singe had drawn closer to Antha, touching her arm gently and running his hand down to take hers. With his teeth he cut the tip of his tongue and kissed every cut in turn, dabbing at the wounds with his own blood and finally licking hers off of his lips when given the chance.