08-19-2015, 11:43 AM
A few moments passed and Kailin guessed that Mathias would not be returning, as he had been stopped by several other elders. The music played slowly, and Kailin stepped out onto the dance floor, she had to show everyone that she wasn't afraid. Her mind replayed the words that Mathias had just spoken to her. If she was the guardian of everything, then how could she be afraid of what she was supposedly placed on this earth to protect.
Standing at the edge of the dance floor, her eyes found their way to Gabrielle. Her red-headed friend was dancing with a man shorter then her, but a Pyrrhonian elder. Kailin grinned when her friend gave her a smile, and gave her a thumbs up single. She rolled her eyes, and she watched her twirl around so that she was no longer facing her.
A large hand appeared before her, and Kailin's eyes wandered up the arm and to the face of the man offering her a dance. Khaldun grinned down at her, "May I have this dance?"
"No." Kailin said and then turned to look at the other's dancing.
At first he was hurt, but he merely nodded and bit his inner lip. "You are angry with me, and I can understand that. Mathias did the same to you, and yet you hold no grudge to him."
"Mathias had no choice."
Khaldun took a deep breath and let silence remain between them for a time. "Contrary to what you believe is no choice, death was not an option for me, either. There is much that I must do still, and I wasn't about to die because…"
"You don't need to say anymore. I know a coward when I see one, Khaldun. There was more exchanged between us then just blood, you know? You have always run from death, and you will always remain it's hostage." He looked over at Mathias, who was watching the entire proceedings between him and Kailin. "Is there truly anything wrong with waiting to live?"
"You don't want to live, you are just afraid of what awaits you when all you know is taken away. You are afraid of the unknown, and you are a Hallowed."
"I am a Norseman." He said, "We believe in battle and death."
Kailin didn't respond.
"I'm still young for an elder."
Her eyes went to look at him, his head was bowed and his eyes stared at his feet. "I'm still young for a fresh, and I am not afraid of death. I have a cause and I would die for it."
Khaldun's eyes seemed to charge her, "You are not my cause. The only reason I am even a part of this is because Mathias helped me long ago, when I was a fresh."
"Don't approach me again, Khaldun. I don't take lightly to cowards."
He clenched his jaw, "Very well." The words came through his teeth as he turned his back to her. He continued forward towards Tzion.
Mathias' form came to take the spot Khaldun had been standing in. "Rather unsympathetic of you."
"I would be more forgiving if he would confess that he only did it, because he was to afraid to die."
"Sounded like he did to me."
Kailin thought of the past moments, "He wasn't direct with it."
"He was born a leader back in the day of the Vikings, when they raided England. His massive size caused him to fall ill long before his time. If he hadn't been made a vampire by his bride, he wouldn't be here today."
"His first cowardly act towards death."
Mathias said no more, there would be no getting through to Kailin tonight. He hadn't forgiven Khaldun either, so what was the point in trying to get her to forgive him. He looked down at her, she had her eyes fixed on her dancing friend. Grinning he held out his hand, "I know you already turned down one big clumsy giant, but I thought I would try anyway."
Kailin grinned and placed her hand in his. The dance was a waltz, and Mathias proved himself not to be the clumsy giant he had announced himself to be. "I thought you said you couldn't dance."
"I never said that."
Kailin chuckled, and then fell silent. Her head was beginning to hurt from all the vampires in the room. "There are so many vampires here, my senses are tiring."
He gave a small nod, "Something not even the Ancients are strong enough to control."
The song changed to a slower beat, so their dance steps slowed. The music took her back to the days when she was a duchess, dancing in the arms of her beloved. Nathaniel always had a way to make her feel like she was the only person in the room that mattered. She would place her head on his chest and listen to the soft thumps of his heart. The beat seemed to dance along with every song, in those moments and only in those moments did she feel they connected. She felt like she had told him everything she felt for him without having to say a word, and Nathaniel was able to do to the same. But she wasn't in Nathaniel's arms, she was in this vampire's arms. Still she felt the urge as the song played on, and she gently placed her head on his chest. His arm reached around her waist, as the dance continued; there was no heartbeat.
His heart was silent, like an empty tomb. The gentle thumps of her memory remained there, and no heart danced along with them across the floor. Kailin felt disappointment. It was something she missed from her self as well, placing her hand over her heart and feeling the soft thumps. It was strange how something so simple would bring back the fondest and saddest of memories. Memories of when she was a human, perhaps it was because she was meant to be a vampire that she found heartbeats so fascinating. They had always soothed her. From her sister's gentle heart thumping as she cried afraid of the future, to Nathaniel's powerful heart as they danced across the floor. But not here; vampires were empty, vacant creatures. There would be no heartbeat to listen to in her life ever again, she was dead… they were all dead.
Mathias placed his cheek on the top of her head, "Just because it doesn't beat, does not mean it doesn't feel, Kailin."
Her head shot up and she looked into his eyes, a little angry that he had read her mind, but mostly
embarrassed of her thoughts. "Excuse me."
"I'm sorry, don't leave." He held out his hand to her, as she disappeared into the crowd of dancers.
He decided it would be best not to follow, Kailin didn't like to be pushed.
"I'm proud of the way you handled yourself, Lucas." Damon's voice came from behind him.
Turning around still on his hands and knees, he looked at the old man leaning against the cell door. "I think I understand why you do this, now."
Damon rose an eyebrow, waiting for the rest of what Lucas had to say.
"They were all once human, like me and you. All you are doing is freeing them from a prison they don't even understand they are in."
The old man's face wrinkled up with a smile, "That's partially it, and for the most part it does boil down to that. But there are some vampires out there, I just want to see dead."
Lucas dropped the sponge in the bucket full of water, and stood up. His knees were covered in blood. He grabbed his water bottle and took a few drinks before standing up.
"Kailin." Damon mumbled, "That wicked blood sucker has haunted my family line for generations. I can't let that sin go unpaid."
"She killed our family?"
He nodded, "Killed, tortured… My great grandfather locked her away in a coffin for a couple years. He wanted her to suffer, but mostly wanted to see if it was a successful way to kill vampires."
Lucas picked up the sponge from the soapy, luke-warm water, "Was it?" He asked as he kneeled down to continue cleaning the floor.
"Last thing he wrote in his journal was that she was thin, like a starving child." Damon coughed for a moment, and then made a hacking sound. "Not long after that he went to check again, my grandfather told me that somehow she had received blood. No doubt from that Pyrrhonian pet she keeps, and when he opened the coffin she tore him apart. Drain him of all his blood, and then killed him right there. My grandfather was only eleven years old, and he was powerless to do anything against her."
Lucas had stopped scrubbing the floors, and was looking up at Damon in horror. "But she left him alone?"
Damon nodded, "Guess that's the only good thing I can say about her. She isn't a child killer, even though she knew he would some day come after her. Before she ran off, she grinned at him, told him she would see him in a few years. My grandfather said, that it was the most evil grin he had ever seen, blood from his father still running down her cheeks."
Returning to scrubbing the floor, Lucas tried to pull the images of Damon's words about Kailin from his mind.
"I, also, think she is dumb. Had she killed my uncle, it all would of stopped. No one would be there to avenge their father's loss." The sound of a can crinkling, made Lucas look up at Damon. He was crushing a beer can at his side, his face full of anger. "She's playing a game with my kin. So many times that she could of killed me, and stopped the family blood line. She always let me go."
"You think, she is waiting for you to reproduce then?"
Damon nodded, "If I leave no children, who would she have to toy with then?"
"Well, me now."
The old man grinned again, "Indeed, you." It fell silent for a short moment before he spoke again, "Glad, I decided to trust you, Lucas. I've got a feeling that together we will finish this ones and for all."
"Think you could finish it on your own."
He shook his head, "Wish I could, but I've gotten just to old. Halloweds are strong, powerful adversaries." He grinned, "Get back to cleaning up this mess, I'll tell Alanna that you won't be up for a while."
Lucas gave a nod of agreement, and returned to the sounds of the sponge scratching against he cement floor. Somehow, he knew that Damon had probably let Kailin go many times as well. If it was a game, they were both playing. Who would Damon have to keep him going if he didn't have her to hate. They both only moved when each other pushed.
She found Gabrielle still flirting with the short elder. They had found their way over to the drinks, and we having what seemed to be a pleasant conversation. Kailin grinned, she was glad that at least one of them was enjoying themselves.
"She's doing it to make me jealous." Kristian's voice said.
Kailin looked directly in front of her, Kristian didn't look very pleased as he stared at Gabrielle across the room. Whenever someone got in his way of view, he would waiver back and forth, trying to see past them. "Most likely, or she could just be having a good time."
Kristian turned to look at Kailin, it wasn't until she noticed the scar still healing on his cheek that she remembered what had occurred.
"I'm sorry." Kailin said, the words were hard to choke out, but she knew she owed him that much.
"For attacking me or for the way Gabrielle is behaving."
Kailin looked over at her friend, "I apologize for no one but myself, and most of the time, not even then."
Kristian chuckled softly, and his eyes focused back on Gabrielle. "She just won't listen to me. I misspoke, and she thought I was saying… well, she thought I was spying on her."
Raising her eyebrow, she crossed her arms. "Spying on her?"
"Never mind that." He swallowed, "I do care for her."
Kailin frowned, "I have never known Gabrielle to become attached to someone in that way, Kristian. If you do feel for her, then you should leave her be."
His eyes shot over to her. "She cares for me!" He snapped, causing some of the elders to glare at him for his interruption of their party.
Kailin said no more, and hoped that he would do the same. After a few moments of his eyes watching her careful, he turned his head when Gabrielle kissed the elder on the cheek. "Tzion is looking for you." He said, then left her presence.
She wasn't sure if that meant she should look for Tzion or remain where she was. She stayed put, allowing Tzion to come to her.
It took no more then ten minutes of standing alone in the loud room, before Tzion found his way over to her. He gave the best greeting grin that he could, it was strange to see his lips part in such a friendly manner. Holding out his right hand, he walked over to her and placed his long fingers on her shoulder, pushing her forward. Kailin followed his lead, and his hand fell down to the middle of her back. They began to walk towards the stage that had been set up around his paintings.
"I see you were speaking to Mathias." His words were angry, but said calmly.
Kailin looked up at him out of the corner of her eye, "You can't forbid me from speaking with him."
Tzion careful thought over his next words, "That was not my intention, but I would assume by now that you would understand."
Kailin crossed her arms, but continued to walk with him. "Understand what?"
"That he does not take your well being to heart. Mathias only cares…"
"How about we let me make the decision on who is to be trusted, and who isn't." It wasn't a question, and Tzion knew it.
"I am merely giving you advice from an elder to a fresh."
She sighed, "I know what you are trying to do, but I have survived this long without the aid of a master, and I…"
"Assume nothing." Tzion interrupted her as another elder came towards them.
She looked at the short, balding man in a white tuxedo that came to a stop in front of her. The first thing that came to mind that he was quite old to have been turned, and then her thoughts turned to the human woman draping his arm. A young woman, older then Kailin when she was turned, with long curly brunette hair. Her lips a dark red matching her dress. She belonged here less then Kailin felt she did.
"Lady Caitlyn…" Tzion began, "this is Lord Vardon and his wife Lady Vardon."
The elder grinned showing his large teeth, "Please, call us Hamlin and Kornelia." Lord Vardon said. "I have looked forward to meeting you for sometime, Lady Bramwell."
"My name is Kailin now, I am no longer a Duchess." She smiled, and right away noticed the questioning looks the pair gave her and the irritated glare that Tzion presented.
"But you were born to royal blood, that is something that you can never take away. Memories nor experiences can stop you from being what you were born to be." He cut her off before she could correct him, "You will always be one to me, milady. Those who write the history books will always remember you as Lady Caitlyn Bramwell."
"Well if they do I'll be the one to edit them."
Lord Vardon looked over at Tzion for an answer.
"She is a history book editor, milord." Tzion told him.
Lord Vardon chuckled, "Oh yes, I sometimes forget that someone of your stature is forced to work."
"My stature?" Kailin questioned.
He smiled, "Forgive me, but I must meet with others. However, now that we are introduced, we should meet for a chat sometime. Share our experiences and learn from one another. I would love to know what you have found worthy in your time."
She was about to ask him a question, but he turned around, pulling his wife with him. Her eyes went to Tzion, who immediately felt he had to explain what had just occurred. Unfortunately, he thought she was curious about something else.
"Kornelia is a wicked woman, wanting nothing more then his wealth. However, he will out last her, and so she knows that she must have him killed. Wave after wave of bowery have attacked him, and he refuses to believe that she is the one sending them." Tzion's eyes were still on them.
"What did he mean?"
"About?" Tzion began to walk towards the stage.
"What I have found worthy in life? My stature?"
He stepped onto the platform, "Sometimes, he rambles on without thinking of what he is saying."
"That doesn't answer my question."
Tzion grinned again, "You'll find that a reoccurrence in your lifetime." Those were his last words, before he stood up and began to speak to the room.
Everyone fell silent including the band, and they turned their attentions to him. "Welcome to my home, friends of old and friends of new. It has been far too long since we have gathered, but in the last half century much has happened." He turned to one of his paintings and then stopped, turning back to everyone. "I forgot to introduce my special guest of the evening, Lady Caitlyn Bramwell joins us for the first time."
Kailin wanted to shrink down into nothing. She was standing facing everyone, the crowd stood expressionless as they followed the hand Tzion used to point to her. Her eyes wandered back and forth looking for a familiar face she could concentrate on. None could be found, but the door still called to her. Letting her know it was still a safe haven away from the eyes that were trying to pry into her soul.
When Tzion called back the attention to him, she made her way over to the door. Ready to settle in for the evening, the embarrassing moment had made her less curious about Tzion's paintings.
The room was hushed, and the crowd that had accumulated on the carpet stood without movement. Kailin looked at the stage while Tzion began to recheck his paintings with all eyes on him. She sighed and chuckled, it seemed like he was disorganized. Leaning back against the door, she thought she heard the distant sound of a crash. There was a moment of silence, then a light thumping sound was heard. Kailin turned her eyes to the door, waiting for another sound, but there was none. Her back pressed back up against the iron frame of the door.
In front of her, the group began to shift and then fall back together. Kailin's curiosity peaked until her red-headed friend appeared between two tall male vampires in dark suits. Gabrielle smiled up at them and continued towards Kailin.
"Hey!" She waved, and leaned against the wall with Kailin. "What's this about?" Gabrielle waved her hand at Tzion, who had pulled a painting to the front.
Kailin shrugged.
"Over the years many of my predictions have come to be." Tzion began, "However the past fifty years have been the most exciting. The times we have been waiting for…"
The thumping Kailin had heard earlier became louder. She looked over at Gabrielle, who had turned her head towards the racket that was coming from the hall behind the door.
"What is that?"
"I…" The door frame shook.
Kailin focused on Gabrielle for a moment, who had her eyes set on the door. They both began to step away from the iron framed door, as it shook violently. Looking behind her, the crowd had come to realize what was occurring. Within seconds, Tzion was standing beside her with one of the covers from his paintings in hand.
"What is…" Tzion's face dropped, "Mephis." He mumbled, but Kailin made the word out.
"But, how? I thought we were safe down here."
He swallowed, "If they get in here…" He continued to mumble until he wasn't speaking words at all. After the door shook twice more, he looked over to Kailin, "Some of the oldest elders of the Bowery and Pyrrhonian clans are in this room. They won't be able to fend them off."
"How do you know it's more then one?" Kailin asked, and then felt Mathias' presence behind her.
"It's an entire army." Mathias answered for his master.
There was a moment of silence, before Tzion respond confidently. "They can not enter."
"They managed to get past your other doors, what makes this one so special?" Kailin asked, pushing Gabrielle behind her, as some debris from around the door frame fell to the floor.
Gabrielle gave no argument, and left her friend's side, heading to the back of the room where she would be the safest.
"Is there no way out?" Kailin looked over at Tzion, she already knew the answer.
He shook his head, the fear that had once covered his eyes was now gone.
The whispers from the crowd behind them had been going on for some time, but she had ignored them. Some damned her, saying they wouldn't of come had she not been there. Other whispers commended her, saying they would be safe with her around. Turning around she faced the crowd, "When this door falls, we must fight." She told them, "All Halloweds step forward, and the rest find yourself a spot as far away from the door as possible."
The calm assembly soon became a swarm of terrified children, searching for the safest place they could find. Some of the Pyrrhonians and Bowery stood their ground, ready to fight the Mephis to the end. Kailin made no attempt to argue with them, it was their decision to protect their clan and possibly die.
Standing at the edge of the dance floor, her eyes found their way to Gabrielle. Her red-headed friend was dancing with a man shorter then her, but a Pyrrhonian elder. Kailin grinned when her friend gave her a smile, and gave her a thumbs up single. She rolled her eyes, and she watched her twirl around so that she was no longer facing her.
A large hand appeared before her, and Kailin's eyes wandered up the arm and to the face of the man offering her a dance. Khaldun grinned down at her, "May I have this dance?"
"No." Kailin said and then turned to look at the other's dancing.
At first he was hurt, but he merely nodded and bit his inner lip. "You are angry with me, and I can understand that. Mathias did the same to you, and yet you hold no grudge to him."
"Mathias had no choice."
Khaldun took a deep breath and let silence remain between them for a time. "Contrary to what you believe is no choice, death was not an option for me, either. There is much that I must do still, and I wasn't about to die because…"
"You don't need to say anymore. I know a coward when I see one, Khaldun. There was more exchanged between us then just blood, you know? You have always run from death, and you will always remain it's hostage." He looked over at Mathias, who was watching the entire proceedings between him and Kailin. "Is there truly anything wrong with waiting to live?"
"You don't want to live, you are just afraid of what awaits you when all you know is taken away. You are afraid of the unknown, and you are a Hallowed."
"I am a Norseman." He said, "We believe in battle and death."
Kailin didn't respond.
"I'm still young for an elder."
Her eyes went to look at him, his head was bowed and his eyes stared at his feet. "I'm still young for a fresh, and I am not afraid of death. I have a cause and I would die for it."
Khaldun's eyes seemed to charge her, "You are not my cause. The only reason I am even a part of this is because Mathias helped me long ago, when I was a fresh."
"Don't approach me again, Khaldun. I don't take lightly to cowards."
He clenched his jaw, "Very well." The words came through his teeth as he turned his back to her. He continued forward towards Tzion.
Mathias' form came to take the spot Khaldun had been standing in. "Rather unsympathetic of you."
"I would be more forgiving if he would confess that he only did it, because he was to afraid to die."
"Sounded like he did to me."
Kailin thought of the past moments, "He wasn't direct with it."
"He was born a leader back in the day of the Vikings, when they raided England. His massive size caused him to fall ill long before his time. If he hadn't been made a vampire by his bride, he wouldn't be here today."
"His first cowardly act towards death."
Mathias said no more, there would be no getting through to Kailin tonight. He hadn't forgiven Khaldun either, so what was the point in trying to get her to forgive him. He looked down at her, she had her eyes fixed on her dancing friend. Grinning he held out his hand, "I know you already turned down one big clumsy giant, but I thought I would try anyway."
Kailin grinned and placed her hand in his. The dance was a waltz, and Mathias proved himself not to be the clumsy giant he had announced himself to be. "I thought you said you couldn't dance."
"I never said that."
Kailin chuckled, and then fell silent. Her head was beginning to hurt from all the vampires in the room. "There are so many vampires here, my senses are tiring."
He gave a small nod, "Something not even the Ancients are strong enough to control."
The song changed to a slower beat, so their dance steps slowed. The music took her back to the days when she was a duchess, dancing in the arms of her beloved. Nathaniel always had a way to make her feel like she was the only person in the room that mattered. She would place her head on his chest and listen to the soft thumps of his heart. The beat seemed to dance along with every song, in those moments and only in those moments did she feel they connected. She felt like she had told him everything she felt for him without having to say a word, and Nathaniel was able to do to the same. But she wasn't in Nathaniel's arms, she was in this vampire's arms. Still she felt the urge as the song played on, and she gently placed her head on his chest. His arm reached around her waist, as the dance continued; there was no heartbeat.
His heart was silent, like an empty tomb. The gentle thumps of her memory remained there, and no heart danced along with them across the floor. Kailin felt disappointment. It was something she missed from her self as well, placing her hand over her heart and feeling the soft thumps. It was strange how something so simple would bring back the fondest and saddest of memories. Memories of when she was a human, perhaps it was because she was meant to be a vampire that she found heartbeats so fascinating. They had always soothed her. From her sister's gentle heart thumping as she cried afraid of the future, to Nathaniel's powerful heart as they danced across the floor. But not here; vampires were empty, vacant creatures. There would be no heartbeat to listen to in her life ever again, she was dead… they were all dead.
Mathias placed his cheek on the top of her head, "Just because it doesn't beat, does not mean it doesn't feel, Kailin."
Her head shot up and she looked into his eyes, a little angry that he had read her mind, but mostly
embarrassed of her thoughts. "Excuse me."
"I'm sorry, don't leave." He held out his hand to her, as she disappeared into the crowd of dancers.
He decided it would be best not to follow, Kailin didn't like to be pushed.
---***---
On his hands and knees Lucas carefully mopped up the blood with a sponge. Damon had killed several vampires that evening to the delight of his followers. He had wanted to look away, but his eyes refused. They watched him destroy them one by one, and even as the blood squirted onto his clothes and face, he kept a constant vigil. It was beautiful, the way they died. A moment of pain, and then nothing. Just a release from all the chains that had held them here. Years, decades, centuries of being locked in their dead corpses finally over. In those last moments, he saw peace in their eyes."I'm proud of the way you handled yourself, Lucas." Damon's voice came from behind him.
Turning around still on his hands and knees, he looked at the old man leaning against the cell door. "I think I understand why you do this, now."
Damon rose an eyebrow, waiting for the rest of what Lucas had to say.
"They were all once human, like me and you. All you are doing is freeing them from a prison they don't even understand they are in."
The old man's face wrinkled up with a smile, "That's partially it, and for the most part it does boil down to that. But there are some vampires out there, I just want to see dead."
Lucas dropped the sponge in the bucket full of water, and stood up. His knees were covered in blood. He grabbed his water bottle and took a few drinks before standing up.
"Kailin." Damon mumbled, "That wicked blood sucker has haunted my family line for generations. I can't let that sin go unpaid."
"She killed our family?"
He nodded, "Killed, tortured… My great grandfather locked her away in a coffin for a couple years. He wanted her to suffer, but mostly wanted to see if it was a successful way to kill vampires."
Lucas picked up the sponge from the soapy, luke-warm water, "Was it?" He asked as he kneeled down to continue cleaning the floor.
"Last thing he wrote in his journal was that she was thin, like a starving child." Damon coughed for a moment, and then made a hacking sound. "Not long after that he went to check again, my grandfather told me that somehow she had received blood. No doubt from that Pyrrhonian pet she keeps, and when he opened the coffin she tore him apart. Drain him of all his blood, and then killed him right there. My grandfather was only eleven years old, and he was powerless to do anything against her."
Lucas had stopped scrubbing the floors, and was looking up at Damon in horror. "But she left him alone?"
Damon nodded, "Guess that's the only good thing I can say about her. She isn't a child killer, even though she knew he would some day come after her. Before she ran off, she grinned at him, told him she would see him in a few years. My grandfather said, that it was the most evil grin he had ever seen, blood from his father still running down her cheeks."
Returning to scrubbing the floor, Lucas tried to pull the images of Damon's words about Kailin from his mind.
"I, also, think she is dumb. Had she killed my uncle, it all would of stopped. No one would be there to avenge their father's loss." The sound of a can crinkling, made Lucas look up at Damon. He was crushing a beer can at his side, his face full of anger. "She's playing a game with my kin. So many times that she could of killed me, and stopped the family blood line. She always let me go."
"You think, she is waiting for you to reproduce then?"
Damon nodded, "If I leave no children, who would she have to toy with then?"
"Well, me now."
The old man grinned again, "Indeed, you." It fell silent for a short moment before he spoke again, "Glad, I decided to trust you, Lucas. I've got a feeling that together we will finish this ones and for all."
"Think you could finish it on your own."
He shook his head, "Wish I could, but I've gotten just to old. Halloweds are strong, powerful adversaries." He grinned, "Get back to cleaning up this mess, I'll tell Alanna that you won't be up for a while."
Lucas gave a nod of agreement, and returned to the sounds of the sponge scratching against he cement floor. Somehow, he knew that Damon had probably let Kailin go many times as well. If it was a game, they were both playing. Who would Damon have to keep him going if he didn't have her to hate. They both only moved when each other pushed.
---***---
Finding her way to the entrance of the room, Kailin learned against the wall. She had had enough of this convention, and couldn't wait until the doors finally opened. Realizing she was close to the paintings, she glanced over at them. Wondering, what Tzion could possibly paint that could bring everyone together. For a moment, she thought about taking a peek, but decided against it. There were too many eyes in here.She found Gabrielle still flirting with the short elder. They had found their way over to the drinks, and we having what seemed to be a pleasant conversation. Kailin grinned, she was glad that at least one of them was enjoying themselves.
"She's doing it to make me jealous." Kristian's voice said.
Kailin looked directly in front of her, Kristian didn't look very pleased as he stared at Gabrielle across the room. Whenever someone got in his way of view, he would waiver back and forth, trying to see past them. "Most likely, or she could just be having a good time."
Kristian turned to look at Kailin, it wasn't until she noticed the scar still healing on his cheek that she remembered what had occurred.
"I'm sorry." Kailin said, the words were hard to choke out, but she knew she owed him that much.
"For attacking me or for the way Gabrielle is behaving."
Kailin looked over at her friend, "I apologize for no one but myself, and most of the time, not even then."
Kristian chuckled softly, and his eyes focused back on Gabrielle. "She just won't listen to me. I misspoke, and she thought I was saying… well, she thought I was spying on her."
Raising her eyebrow, she crossed her arms. "Spying on her?"
"Never mind that." He swallowed, "I do care for her."
Kailin frowned, "I have never known Gabrielle to become attached to someone in that way, Kristian. If you do feel for her, then you should leave her be."
His eyes shot over to her. "She cares for me!" He snapped, causing some of the elders to glare at him for his interruption of their party.
Kailin said no more, and hoped that he would do the same. After a few moments of his eyes watching her careful, he turned his head when Gabrielle kissed the elder on the cheek. "Tzion is looking for you." He said, then left her presence.
She wasn't sure if that meant she should look for Tzion or remain where she was. She stayed put, allowing Tzion to come to her.
It took no more then ten minutes of standing alone in the loud room, before Tzion found his way over to her. He gave the best greeting grin that he could, it was strange to see his lips part in such a friendly manner. Holding out his right hand, he walked over to her and placed his long fingers on her shoulder, pushing her forward. Kailin followed his lead, and his hand fell down to the middle of her back. They began to walk towards the stage that had been set up around his paintings.
"I see you were speaking to Mathias." His words were angry, but said calmly.
Kailin looked up at him out of the corner of her eye, "You can't forbid me from speaking with him."
Tzion careful thought over his next words, "That was not my intention, but I would assume by now that you would understand."
Kailin crossed her arms, but continued to walk with him. "Understand what?"
"That he does not take your well being to heart. Mathias only cares…"
"How about we let me make the decision on who is to be trusted, and who isn't." It wasn't a question, and Tzion knew it.
"I am merely giving you advice from an elder to a fresh."
She sighed, "I know what you are trying to do, but I have survived this long without the aid of a master, and I…"
"Assume nothing." Tzion interrupted her as another elder came towards them.
She looked at the short, balding man in a white tuxedo that came to a stop in front of her. The first thing that came to mind that he was quite old to have been turned, and then her thoughts turned to the human woman draping his arm. A young woman, older then Kailin when she was turned, with long curly brunette hair. Her lips a dark red matching her dress. She belonged here less then Kailin felt she did.
"Lady Caitlyn…" Tzion began, "this is Lord Vardon and his wife Lady Vardon."
The elder grinned showing his large teeth, "Please, call us Hamlin and Kornelia." Lord Vardon said. "I have looked forward to meeting you for sometime, Lady Bramwell."
"My name is Kailin now, I am no longer a Duchess." She smiled, and right away noticed the questioning looks the pair gave her and the irritated glare that Tzion presented.
"But you were born to royal blood, that is something that you can never take away. Memories nor experiences can stop you from being what you were born to be." He cut her off before she could correct him, "You will always be one to me, milady. Those who write the history books will always remember you as Lady Caitlyn Bramwell."
"Well if they do I'll be the one to edit them."
Lord Vardon looked over at Tzion for an answer.
"She is a history book editor, milord." Tzion told him.
Lord Vardon chuckled, "Oh yes, I sometimes forget that someone of your stature is forced to work."
"My stature?" Kailin questioned.
He smiled, "Forgive me, but I must meet with others. However, now that we are introduced, we should meet for a chat sometime. Share our experiences and learn from one another. I would love to know what you have found worthy in your time."
She was about to ask him a question, but he turned around, pulling his wife with him. Her eyes went to Tzion, who immediately felt he had to explain what had just occurred. Unfortunately, he thought she was curious about something else.
"Kornelia is a wicked woman, wanting nothing more then his wealth. However, he will out last her, and so she knows that she must have him killed. Wave after wave of bowery have attacked him, and he refuses to believe that she is the one sending them." Tzion's eyes were still on them.
"What did he mean?"
"About?" Tzion began to walk towards the stage.
"What I have found worthy in life? My stature?"
He stepped onto the platform, "Sometimes, he rambles on without thinking of what he is saying."
"That doesn't answer my question."
Tzion grinned again, "You'll find that a reoccurrence in your lifetime." Those were his last words, before he stood up and began to speak to the room.
Everyone fell silent including the band, and they turned their attentions to him. "Welcome to my home, friends of old and friends of new. It has been far too long since we have gathered, but in the last half century much has happened." He turned to one of his paintings and then stopped, turning back to everyone. "I forgot to introduce my special guest of the evening, Lady Caitlyn Bramwell joins us for the first time."
Kailin wanted to shrink down into nothing. She was standing facing everyone, the crowd stood expressionless as they followed the hand Tzion used to point to her. Her eyes wandered back and forth looking for a familiar face she could concentrate on. None could be found, but the door still called to her. Letting her know it was still a safe haven away from the eyes that were trying to pry into her soul.
When Tzion called back the attention to him, she made her way over to the door. Ready to settle in for the evening, the embarrassing moment had made her less curious about Tzion's paintings.
The room was hushed, and the crowd that had accumulated on the carpet stood without movement. Kailin looked at the stage while Tzion began to recheck his paintings with all eyes on him. She sighed and chuckled, it seemed like he was disorganized. Leaning back against the door, she thought she heard the distant sound of a crash. There was a moment of silence, then a light thumping sound was heard. Kailin turned her eyes to the door, waiting for another sound, but there was none. Her back pressed back up against the iron frame of the door.
In front of her, the group began to shift and then fall back together. Kailin's curiosity peaked until her red-headed friend appeared between two tall male vampires in dark suits. Gabrielle smiled up at them and continued towards Kailin.
"Hey!" She waved, and leaned against the wall with Kailin. "What's this about?" Gabrielle waved her hand at Tzion, who had pulled a painting to the front.
Kailin shrugged.
"Over the years many of my predictions have come to be." Tzion began, "However the past fifty years have been the most exciting. The times we have been waiting for…"
The thumping Kailin had heard earlier became louder. She looked over at Gabrielle, who had turned her head towards the racket that was coming from the hall behind the door.
"What is that?"
"I…" The door frame shook.
Kailin focused on Gabrielle for a moment, who had her eyes set on the door. They both began to step away from the iron framed door, as it shook violently. Looking behind her, the crowd had come to realize what was occurring. Within seconds, Tzion was standing beside her with one of the covers from his paintings in hand.
"What is…" Tzion's face dropped, "Mephis." He mumbled, but Kailin made the word out.
"But, how? I thought we were safe down here."
He swallowed, "If they get in here…" He continued to mumble until he wasn't speaking words at all. After the door shook twice more, he looked over to Kailin, "Some of the oldest elders of the Bowery and Pyrrhonian clans are in this room. They won't be able to fend them off."
"How do you know it's more then one?" Kailin asked, and then felt Mathias' presence behind her.
"It's an entire army." Mathias answered for his master.
There was a moment of silence, before Tzion respond confidently. "They can not enter."
"They managed to get past your other doors, what makes this one so special?" Kailin asked, pushing Gabrielle behind her, as some debris from around the door frame fell to the floor.
Gabrielle gave no argument, and left her friend's side, heading to the back of the room where she would be the safest.
"Is there no way out?" Kailin looked over at Tzion, she already knew the answer.
He shook his head, the fear that had once covered his eyes was now gone.
The whispers from the crowd behind them had been going on for some time, but she had ignored them. Some damned her, saying they wouldn't of come had she not been there. Other whispers commended her, saying they would be safe with her around. Turning around she faced the crowd, "When this door falls, we must fight." She told them, "All Halloweds step forward, and the rest find yourself a spot as far away from the door as possible."
The calm assembly soon became a swarm of terrified children, searching for the safest place they could find. Some of the Pyrrhonians and Bowery stood their ground, ready to fight the Mephis to the end. Kailin made no attempt to argue with them, it was their decision to protect their clan and possibly die.