Tricky Tensions

In the bubbling festivities that resounded in the lounge, you began to cycle through those who had answered your Summoning.

Vicky and Diana were still jamming, their music escalating in scale as more of the Nox arrived. One narrow-looking girl with dark piercings and punk apparel had brought an electric guitar to replace Diana's acoustic. Another carried two heavy-looking amps, transforming the lounge’s sing-song into a pseudo-concert.

As the music stirred the still air of the lounge, you exchanged banter with a group gathered around the hearth. The warm fire flickered oddly, casting jagged shadows across the room, as though even the flames danced to some hidden rhythm.

“Nope, no way, I’m calling bullshit right now!” you insisted, grinning at Octavia, the punk-styled girl, who waved you off with a scoff.

“Don’t cross her on this, boss. Octavia knows her stuff,” said Claus, his tone as smooth as silk yet laced with that faint Austrian clip.

You hadn’t spoken much with Claus before tonight, but his steady, analytical demeanor intrigued you. His eyes, pale and reflective, seemed to study more than just the words exchanged, as though he looked for something deeper in every conversation.

“Damn, my dad never used to shut up about those guys,” you said with a laugh, leaning back against the mantle. “Might as well have been gods’ gift in his eyes. I remember waking up every morning to Helter Skelter blaring from his office. He said there’s something timeless about true artistry.”

Octavia and Claus exchanged a glance. Their expressions sharpened, though they both smiled faintly.

“You miss him?” Octavia asked, her voice softer now.

Your smile wavered, and you shrugged, glancing into the fire. “I guess. He used to say the past always finds its way back to you.”

Claus tilted his head. “A curious thought, that. I wonder... do you believe in prophecy?”

The question caught you off guard. “Prophecy?” you echoed.

He smiled faintly as if savouring a private joke. “Nothing, just an idle thought. Sometimes the past doesn’t just find us—it shapes us in ways we cannot yet comprehend. Perhaps you’ve felt it... a stirring, faint but persistent?”

You found yourself giggling at that "You mean apart from the recurring urge to rip out people's throats?" You said, a little out of pocket.

Claus and Octavia shared a look of deep knowing, something sinister was hidden behind Claus' question. However, the booze cleansed you of your worries and distracted you from the details.

Suddenly, a tall lanky figure thrust himself into the conversation, nearly knocking Octavia over in the process. Claus never even budged remaining still as a mannequin, not even a single droplet of the brandy had tipped from the crystal tumbler in his smooth hands.

The boisterous undead who had tumbled into the conversation was almost alive with youth and vigor. He was a gaunt lad with slick brown hair and a heavy leather overcoat. Upon brief inspection, you spotted the brand of black and yellow stripes across the sleeve, the mark of Belle’s gang of vagabonds.

“Look at these two! babushka i dedushka! - Full Metal!" He cried gazing over Octavia's many piercings as her lip curled in disgust "...outside the Rattle? does Matka know you're off the clock, oh what am I saying, you must have accrued 700 years of holiday pay with the amount of time you spend in that shit-heap - and... Clausie-boy, damn is that you? shiiiiiit, to be honest, I thought you were an actual statue when I first saw you, good to see you've still got some partying in ya Grandpa!” He was obviously piss drunk but Octavia and Claus seemed mildly put upon if anything.

“I already told you, not to call me Full Metal, Alexei. Plus, didn’t your Queen Bee specifically tell you to lay off the sauce?

If you can't control yourself in front of our new guest then you should have just stayed in your coffin” Octavia grumbled as the young man swung around on his feet, forcing you and Claus to slip in to break his fall.

"You nearly spilled my Courvoisier, Alexei. This is a fine vintage, I do not want it to go to waste." Claus warned the youthful Vampire cordially who had seemingly already forgotten your presence in his dope-filled tangent.

“Oooh I'm so sorry." He didn't seem very sorry, just extremely sarcastic "Whoo, my head is spinning, you’d think that’d j-just go away after becoming a vampire but damn if sixteen bottles of Russian Standard doesn't do the trick. Shit!”

You pulled the Russian mafioso back up into an upright position, as Claus dexterously plucked the cup of neat Vodka from his hands “H-Hey! That’s miiiine! Ya fucking Sauerkraut, I spill my heart out to you and this is how you treat me - I... I ought to... *Hiccup* whop yo ass.”

Claus merely sighed, sniffing deep into the crystal clear white spirit in Alexei’s red dixy cup “Neat vodka? So crude, you have yet to develop even the most basics of palates and are thus unworthy of any brew in my presence."

"W-Wuh? What the fuck are you saying now you ancient bastard, it's not like we can even taste anyway! - Just give me my drink back already."

Claus let a disappointed sigh slip from his narrow lips "Aren’t you able to at least resemble something dignified, especially in front of our Lord?”

A light switch seemed to flick on in Alexei’s vodka-drowned mind. His hazy eyes turned up to look at your amused face.

Straightening up, he stiffened like a bat ready to swing. “Сукин сын! B-Boss? shit, I didn’t realise that was you!

Oh god, boss, I’m a mess, I-I didn’t mean any offence, please don’t kill me again.

W-wasn’t the last time flashy enough, nobody's ever gonna call you Michael Jackson, especially not me I swear!! -“ his eyes bulged in a sudden, frightening revelation “…DONT TELL MATKA ABOUT THIS!!”

You chuckled, feeling a strange kind of familiarity with the Russian/American Vampire “Hey, easy there bud. We all get a little too rinsed every so often, you’re secret is safe with me-“

But your kindness had come a little too late.

The air wrenched as if offended, the weight of a war hammer blow that could cut through a tree trunk hurtled out of nowhere as a roar of rage erupted from behind you “CYKA BLYAT!!!!!”

An open palm hard as steel, tipped with long finely manicured pink-yellow nails; crushed into Alexei’s jaw, folding him into the ground with a horrendous crack.

Heads immediately turned at the violent sight. You quickly put yourself between the gaze of Vicky and the other party-goers who gazed over. "Nothing to see here, guys, please continue!"

Vicky swivelled her head looking curious only for a moment, before Diana nudged her back into her ballad. Thank god for that woman.

You turned to the huge monstrous presence which had appeared to deliver the punishing slap… Its shadow was tall and looming, it jerked forward towards you and… placed a sweet kiss on your lips, the red gloss leaving flavours of strawberries and peppermint behind.

“Heyyyy Master!” Belle said, her beautiful visage smiling sweetly at you in a Supreme brand full-body slip-on. Stacked high on her left shoulder was a full-sized drum set, bass drums high hats and all, not even wobbling in her steady grip.

“Look who it is! You finally decided to come” you chuckled, unable to bring to mind any time when you were unhappy to see her face.

She curled her lips temptously “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Just one moment pretty please.” She said as the radiance of her joy began to melt away into a beastly wrath. She stood over the dazed Alexei the depths of her disappointment seemingly boundless.

She pointed one of her yellow talons at him

“Сколько раз я тебе говорил о том, чтобы бросить чертову пьянку, Алексей." She said in fluid Russian "How many times do I have to slap some sense into you until it sticks in that empty head of yours? Twice, three times, four times!?" She raised her hand making Alexei cower in fright, but Belle only hardened more as she looked between you, Claus and Octavia "… and in front of the Master.” Her voice was deep and threatening as her eyes burned “...And there I was begging Lord Nox to give you guys a second chance, I ought to have left you to rot! Totally. Not. fabulous, Alexei.”

The words seemed like a **** sentence to Alexei who pleaded childishly "Matka... please, I didn't mean to offend anyone, it was just a few harmless drinks!" Alexei moaned cupping his jaw.

"Oh yes, A few harmless bottles of Russian standard... or sixteen was it?" Octavia mused cruelly as Belle nigh-on boiled over.

"SIX-TEEN? Fuck Alexei!"

"Hey-Belle no need to freak out" You moved between them, trying to coax Belle's **** side back up to the surface. Dipping down you snatched the wobbling Alexei up and brushed off his arms "What's sixteen bottles to us eh? Like two beers, tops. You're practically sober right buddy?"

You shot him a pressing gaze, but Alexei was still caressing his cracked jaw "So that's what teeth taste like."

"See, he deserves at least one more chance?" you prodded lightheartedly

"-The hell he does!" Belle growled.

You slapped Alexei on the back, sending him careening off into the crowded lounge. "And away he goes, how he will be missed. Goodbye, sweet prince!" You chuckled to yourself.

"Oh no, no no no. He's not getting off easy this time!" Belle went to rush off after him, but you caught her arm dexterously, twirling her back to your side. The sudden jolt made the drum set tip dangerously off Belle's shoulders, in the slow motion of the following seconds... you locked eyes with Octavia, then Claus, flashing them both a coy wink.

You clicked immediately, a sly grin forming across the glinting piercings on Octavia's pout lips and heavy brows. In a flurry of blinding movement, Claus plucked the falling drum set from the air, curling the bits and pieces amongst his narrow biceps.

Belle's chest pushed into yours as you held her close, the sparkle in her dark eyes, the wrathful ire melting away like butter as she devoted her entire focus on you and only you.

"Octavia," you spoke.

And as if she needn't hear anything else, the undead with her piercings and punk-rock leathers, hoisted up her half of the drumkit without notice, rushing off to join the festivities.

Claus lingered, however peering at you speculatively for a moment before ushering you and Belle a courteous bow, balancing the shiny bronze symbol with one hand "Good evening to you both." in a blink, he too vanished.

You retook Belle's gaze, blazing a rapturous red, radiating admiration "You should have let me punish, Alexei." She said lowly.

Enchanted by that look in her eye, you shrugged "Maybe I just can't stand to see you angry?"

She tutted "Pft that wasn't even close to angry, that was irritated, maybe miffed at best."

"Is that so? Maybe it is worth seeing, after all, I don't suppose you'd be up for a little show and tell later?" You whispered, gentle but enticing.

Belle leant in, her hands trailing down your waist making a cool chill spring up your spine "Alexei isn't the only one who had a little too much tonight huh? you've seen me out of control plenty already, Master. You remember, in my back room at the Rattle?" Her mouth opened, allowing her tongue to trail up your ear, the grip of her powerful fingers digging wantonly into your sides.

Images of a creature stirring in the darkness hovered from the pits of your memory, Sharp of claw and slack jawed; hungry for blood, unable to restrain her desire as she desperately pulled the blood from your veins. The thought was intoxicating despite still twinging on the edge of unsettling "Only too well." You answered.

"Mmmm." a satisfied purr escaped her full red lips, you could sense that if not for the occasion she would have dragged you off to rut like animals right there. But Belle had improved on controlling her impulses, she stepped back and nudged you knowingly "You know better than anyone that I'd climb your beanstalk right now, given the opportunity..." She paused and with that pause came a grave sort of finality in her otherwise blemish-less expression "...You know that we can't hold out like this for long right, it's bold at the best of times to bring a human around this many undead, let alone to throw a sudden American-pie style house party with all of us teetering on the edge."

You absorbed her words but said nothing, feeling the gentle sway of a tipsy high whisk away your usual insightfulness. Deep down you knew she was right, but quickly realized that there was nothing deep down about what you were feeling: it was all a bubbling chorus of yowling hunger cresting directly at the surface.

In the milliseconds that passed... (and damn were you amazed that you could even read each of those swift moments so clearly) - whether it be out of the subconscious desire to validate your own feelings of veraciousness or drunken curiosity, you felt your sharp ears broaden their range, so that that background noise of the room became focused whispers, telling their tales directly into your ears.

A small group of four Noxium lounged over by the Stained glass window, north of you. Consisting of a pair of pale girls - almost twins, so bone white of complexion that they resembled ghosts. A stumpy undead man chewed loudly on gum with his nervous looking youthful companion: a sharply dressed boy, with a Chelsea smile slashed across his boyish face. "I can't hold on for much longer..." the Undead with the Chelsea smile grunted in a guttural - monstrous tone. His back was turned to you and Vicky so that neither of you could see his twisted crimson eyes. His small but stocky friend rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on kid, it's not all that bad. Just think of burgers, just like I taught you- big juicy succulent burgers packed with grease and soft plastic cheese spilling out from every side of its fluffy bun." the stubby Nox said.

"*Blech* Jesus Eustis that sounds gross." The Chelsea Nox said, almost snapping out of his hunger-induced trance.

One of the identical ghostly women folded her arms, smiling curtly "As disgusting as it sounds, it seems to have done the trick." she whispered gently.

"Damn, thinking of human food staves off the hunger? that's a useful little trick that, thanks man- EUGH!!!" The Undead with the Chelsea smile was pulled from his temporary reprieve by a stifled yet beastly wretch.

The Stumpy Nox: Eustis, patted the clearly young vampire with the savage facial scar as the identical female vampires drew in - shielding him from sight. It was remarkable how unassuming they were from your angle. If not for your increased perception, you'd have never even suspected that there was a Newblood on the verge of breaking a short ways away from you.

"It doesn't last for long, Danila me-boy, but try and keep it locked in your head. Even the thought of human food will quell your appetite if only for a little while. just do us all a favor and make sure that you aren't stupid enough to actually eat any of it, you'll be spewing like a broken fire-hydrant just long enough for the sun to skip up in the blue sky and roast you to cinders." Eustis said, trying to comfort the newblood with the Chelsea smile: Danila.

The Identical Pale Undead Women moved in closer, clearly shivering with an otherworldly anticipation "Gods, I cannot keep this up for much longer..." one said "- How long does master expect us to hold out for. I could just devour that delicious mortal right here!" the other agreed.

"Hush. Even if Charlie hasn't explicitly said it, we don't go off on one without orders. Just hold on a little longer, we'll get our reward in kind." Said Eustis reassuringly to the group.

Even if you weren't the only one who felt the call for blood, you were the shield that protected Vicky from them all, however frail a shield that might be.

Belle seemed slightly more troubled by her hunger than usual herself, and picking up the queue broadcasted from your unsteady gaze, she mercifully changed the subject.

"It's good to see you having fun with everybody like this. -And with Full Metal and Grandpa-Claus nonetheless, those sort of guys usually keep their heads down around you."

"Is that so?" Curious that those two be dodging you, you actually got along with them very well. Hell who were you kidding, it was obvious that most of the Noxium kept their distance, you hadn't exactly been the most forthcoming with your so-called 'family'.

…Still, there was time to change that and you said so to Belle with an optimistic tone. substitute Lord or no, Nox left them in your care, tethered you to them.

"Ever since you walked into my club, this shadow has loomed over you. About what we are, and what we must do..." She leaned in and whispered, "It was only days ago that the thought of us terrified you."

The images of your visions with Morgan in the Interstice beyond the veil flashed vividly in your mind, that of a girl with deep crimson hair, sobbing over the garden of corpses that were once her family; in the bog that was once her home.

With what little lingered in your mind after that sanity-devouring vision, you recall distinctly, foreswearing Morrigan's fate, determined not to mirror her mistakes.

"Anyway, all this serious talk is killing my vibe, this is not anywhere near my usually fabulous fung shui. At least this college girl of yours seems to be having fun for now"

Your relaxed grin slid back across your red lips "Exactly... and - this isn't my pity party, this is for you, all of you. Come on let's go get a drink!" You threw an arm around her before she could respond pulling her along into the dancing crowd.

Despite your cheery demeanor, a single sentence uttered by Belle stuck at the forefront of your thoughts in your mind pin on a board "At least the college girl seems to be having fun for now..."

Together with Belle close at your side, you let yourself flow into the Nox who rejoiced in Vicky and Diana's song. Stepping dexterously too and fro, you twirled Belle graciously; your undead companion a sight to behold as she gladly followed your lead.

"If you liked that you ice-cold bastards, you're gonna love this!" Diana called, clearly drowning in half a dozen whiskeys but having no less of a good time for it.

As she strummed the electric guitar to a familiar tune, Cleo on the grand piano, Clause on the drum set Belle had so kindly provided and somehow Octavia hoisting up a gleaming long-necked 4-stringed Bass connected to a pair of monstrous amps behind them. Your people were nothing if not resourceful.

Swaying and beat red with feverish joy, Vicky was buzzing with the **** flowing through her veins but it did nothing to stop her from exploding into song once again.

"Darken the city, night is a wire

Steam in the subway, earth is afire....."

The voices of the Nox rose in unison at Vicky's command.

"DO-DO-DO-DO-DO-DO-DO-DOOO!!" they all roared one and all throwing gestures of rocking approval.

"Woman, you want me, give me a sign

...And catch my breathing even closer behind (do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do)!

In touch with the ground

I'm on the hunt, I'm after you

~Smell like I sound, I'm lost in a crowd

And I'm hungry like the wolf!!!

...Straddle the line, in discord and rhyme

I'm on the hunt, I'm after you

...Mouth is alive, with juices like wine

...And I'm hungry like the wolf!!!"

This was it.

You had all the joy you could ever need. Dancing with your girls, bunking off class, surrounded by those most loyal and submitting... and yet still, something buried in the deepest reaches of your core struggled to wrench free.

The mood boiled down as the evening oozed in. A blueberry hue grew vast through the stained window panes of the lounge and your hunger had only swollen further with the wash of **** drowning your thoughts. "WAAAAAAAEH!" Huginn cried, hoisting his sister upon his shoulder at the heart of the dense crowd.

Vicky had passed through her songbird phase, waving off any of the Noxium who begged her for another song

“give us another one, girly!” another Nox cried.

Everyone cheered and laughed as Victoria gushed red, but something was floating around the positive ambience of the room, something that Vicky would never have caught with her senses dulled by drink.

Tucked behind that plentiful air, was a deep sinister hunger reverberating through every Nox that had clustered into small groups. From an outside perspective, the crowd seemed to be reeling down from an entertainment high, eager to hear Victoria's angelic voice once again. Although you didn't doubt that this was true to some degree, you noticed the sinister way that the Nox traced Vicky's body with their eyes, glinting in the fireplace's gentle orange glow. The air was thick and the room seemed to grow darker despite the last light of the cloudy sunset seeping into the glamourous space.

An awkward silence, sudden and uncomfortable began to overpower the frivolous, the intense overshadowed the festive... as hunger began to outweigh reason.