Miss Gladstone Returns

Jenevieve walked along the cobblestone path in the courtyard. It was night out, the light of the stars and moon all that touched her skin. A few lanterns lit up the area, but not much.

The vampires eyes flickered in the darkness as she made her way to the fountain in the middle of the courtyard. She felt a few droplets of water grace upon her smooth cheeks before sitting down and running her hand elegantly through the cool water.

She let out a soft sigh as she looked around the mansion. It has been a few months since she'd been there. After she had become intimate with the mysterious vampire she now thought of as "B", she didn't know what to do with herself.

It had been a wonderful and intoxicating evening, only one other man able to make her body feel and react that way. And save for that one other man, Jenevieve had never let anyone live after letting them inside her like that. Both emotionally and physically.

She brought her fingers up and traced then along the spot on her neck where Smiley had sunk his fangs into before nearly sucking her blood dry. How exhilarating that moment had been.

Jenevieve knew she couldn't kill B. In a small sort of way she cared about him. And that frightened her greatly. So not sure what else to do with herself, she had fled from the mansion.

Every night that passed she thought of him, and it bothered her more to know that absence was making her cold heart grow fonder. He wasn't the only one on her mind though. She often thought of Taylor, the pact that they had made and how she was supposed to make Jenevieve a stronger fighter. She had ran from that too, and it shamed her to realize it.

She spent the months doing what she had done for most of her life. Traveling about the countryside and slaughtering men and women to feed her blood lust. To feel again the sweet taste of revenge she had against the human race.

And then one morning it struck her clearly. She wanted to go back. Not only was it what she needed to do, it was what she genuinely wanted. She wanted to return to the coven, to have the company of other creatures like herself. To let Taylor train and mentor her. To let herself get to know B better and possibly become closer to the strange but fascinating man.

So she slipped back in during the late hours of the night, or rather, the early hours of the morning. It wouldn't be much longer till the sun started to show it'self. Just like the first time that she arrived at this place.

She wondered if anyone had noticed she was gone. If anyone had even cared if they did notice. Quickly she diminished those thoughts, how petty and girlish they were. It didn't matter if anyone cared about her or not. She didn't need anyone to care about her... did she?

The vampire's brow furrowed as she thought, hoping that she'd be able to slip back into the coven unnoticed. Hoping that she'd still be welcomed here.

There was a fear of uncertainty inside her still, but at least she was back for the moment. Even if they rejected her presence for leaving once, she was reassured that she had done what she could to return.

The silver haired vampire slipped out of the mansion, another night and Aeker was still avoiding her, at least she knew he was alive, she had caught a glimpse of him in the ballroom playing the piano.

A sad tune, something about that warmed her slightly as she deluded herself into thinking that perhaps the tune was sad because of their falling out.

She had forgiven him though, and hopefully he would forgive her too.
Violence was not the answer to her problems any longer, now that she was free of Taylor's servitude she sought a new beginning away from the blood spill.

She had enough of having a large bounty on her head.

Alexis muttered softly to herself, when she had too much time to think the voices in her head began their horrible whispers again, but she knew how to quell them now.

Her heels clicked against the pavement as she walked into the courtyard and her golden eyes fell onto another.

"Good evening, young one."
She greeted, bowing her head slightly as she took a seat across from the woman.

"I do hope I am not interrupting, but you look...concerned."

Jenevieve sat up straight when she heard another woman's voice, her eyes widening a little. Usually she was able to tell if the presence of another was near. She must have been too deep in thought to register it.

She looked upon the other girl, another vampire such as herself she could tell. Possibly another pure blood if she wasn't mistaken. Jenevieve hadn't seen this woman in the coven before, so she assumed that she must have joined during her absence.

She found herself feeling a bit speechless as she gazed upon the other vampire. They were about the same height, and both had similar taste in how they presented themselves.

"No... nothing to interrupt. I was just contemplating some things is all. I tend to do that when I'm alone." She said softly. She wanted to smile at the other, but it felt like it had been so long she might not do it right. Like it would come across as fake or unnatural. So instead she merely gazed at Alexis with her red glowing eyes, a blank expression on her face.

Alexis chuckled softly and glanced over at the woman.
"It's a rarity that you're ever alone here, seems there is always someone lurking around somewhere close."

She smiled warmly and folded her hands neatly in her lap, she had not been here long but she already knew that much.

You thought you were alone and then someone would pop out of some unknown place.

"I don't believe we have met, my name is Alexis Rozen, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Jenevieve nodded her head, her white shiny hair catching some of the light from the lanterns.

"That's definitely true." She muttered, her voice a near whisper at Alexis words of never being alone here. With the powers the coven members possessed, they could be surrounded in this very moment. If she herself wanted to she could change into her bat form and hide anywhere she pleased. Were she the kind of woman, eavesdropping and spying would be very easy for her.

That wasn't really her style though. She didn't care about the affairs of others. From what she'd seen it was mostly grimy lustful occurrences, not exactly something she cared to witness.

She looked at Alexis in the eyes. This woman appeared to be kind, civil, and well mannered. Jenevieve liked this very much.

"I'm Jenevieve Gladstone, and likewise." She introduced herself in a soft and somewhat airy voice. It had been a while since she had conversation with someone.

"Jenevieve, such a pretty name, though I guess it is fitting."
She smiled at the young woman, she was indeed very pretty, feminine and refined.

A true rarity in someone so young, it seemed that modern society turned out more and more crass mannered people each day.

"Is this your first time here or am I right in assuming that you are in fact returning?"

She asked as she straightened out her hair which swept down well past her knees.

The young vampire was caught off guard by the compliment. She looked down, her cheeks getting a bit rosier from blush. She stared at the rippling reflection in the water, picking up mostly moonlight.

"Thank you." She said in a near whisper. She always appreciated compliments, and they meant even more to her when coming from someone who appeared to be dignified and proper, as Alexis did.

She looked up at Alexis's question and nodded her head gently.

"Yes, I moved in some time ago but took a short break to clear my head of some things. It's interesting you know, what happens when one meets other's of her own supernatural race. At least for me it is. Most my life I've only known humans, save for my parents. Now that I'm around others like myself, I find that I don't know exactly how to react." She confided, a little surprised that she did. Typically she was a woman of very few words.

"I don't think anyone will understand that more than I."
She admitted with a soft smile.

"Though I do hope your encounters here with other supernaturals were a bit more enjoyable than my own."

Of course Alexis' encounters were full of bloodshed, that was the entire reason for her coming here in the first place, to find and destroy Taylor.

Though she still had a deep hatred for the elf she had abandoned her thoughts of revenge, they were even now and she had no desire to have repeats of her enslavement.

"Oh well that all depends on what you define as being enjoyable." Jenevieve said, her posture straightening. Many people in the coven were very different then her. Most were so loud and crass, lecherous and insane. And those that weren't were not the one's that stood out in her memory.

Of course Jenevieve was insane in her own little way, though she'd never admit it. Partially because she didn't even realize it. In her own eyes she was presented as being perfectly normal, what people were supposed to be like.

"Any encounter that didn't end in the possibility of dying?"

Alexis chuckled softly and shook her head.
She could count her enjoyable encounters here using that criteria on one hand.

"Some one once told me that you can't live as long as we do and not run into unpleasant events, you just have to look past the bad and appreciate what ever good comes your way."

She sighed softly, Aodh, she had not seen him since the night they talked, but he had seemed so distant.

Jenevieve raised her brow at Alexis's words. Was she insinuating that other's wanted to harm her? Was it her place to inquire?

"Those are wise words." She agreed, nodding her head. Even as a young teenager she'd seen her fair share of hurt and anguish. She thought of her lost love's face, how even though it had been decades her heart still pined for him. How she still blamed herself for his untimely death.

And then there was the good as well. Finding this coven for example. She was yet to meet anyone she particularly disliked. Sure there were a few that grated her nerves or made her feel uncomfortable. But no one she wanted to harm or who had harmed her. Except for her pride. That had been damaged some thanks to B. Her heart skipped a beat once she thought of him. Realizing it had, she didn't know what to make of that.

Was meeting that strange man a good thing? Or was that going to end badly, yet another thing she'd have to overlook? Only time could really tell... but she wanted to find out. She really really did.

"They are, surprisingly from a not very wise man, but nonetheless quite valid."

She smiled warmly at the young vampire, she seemed trouble and struggling with an inner conflict, that much was evident by the look on her face.

"If I may put forward a piece of personal philosophy, there is no point living for an eternity if you deny yourself the simple pleasures in life.

Don't over think things and let others dictate what you want.
I can see it on your face that you are internally struggling with something.

I hope this isn't too bold of me for saying since we have just met, but, it had taken me nine hundred years to just enjoy life and I don't want to see others making my mistakes."

Jenevieve raised her brow at the other pure blood, a bit taken aback by her sudden piece of advice. This one must be an empath, if nothing else.

"That is bold of you." Jenevieve said in a low voice, a faint smile on her petal like lips.

"But I've never been one to dislike boldness, so long as a person is respectable about it. So thank you Alexis. I truly do appreciate it." She added, meaning what she said. She wasn't the type to say something unless she felt it.

"900 years? That would have to mean you were born the twelfth century." She mused, impressed to be in the presence of someone with so many years behind them. It was funny really, how everywhere else Miss Gladstone went, she was considered to be old. But here at Cacciatori di Sangue, why, she was one of the youngest there was.

"In that case I do apologise for my lack of tact."


She nodded softy as the wman thanked her, though she didn't feel like she deserved it since all she was doing was muttering her thoughts openly.

In all honesty her words were probably more for herself than anyone else.

"Your math is correct, Jenevieve. Twelfth century Germany to be exact."
She chuckled softly and gazed warmly at the woman, in appearance they looked about the same age but Alexis had been this age for a much longer period of time.

Jenevieve waved her hand dismissively.

"No need to apologize Alexis. I meant it as a compliment." She said with a somewhat kind expression. It was rare to see genuine kindness on this particular woman's face, her usual expressions were either apathetic or irritated at most times.

"I can only imagine what life would have been like then. I've chosen to stay reminiscent of the age in which I was born, if that wasn't obvious by my dress. There's something about that time I connect to most. Tell me Alexis, if you don't mind, what was twelfth century Germany like?" She asked, an intrigued looked about her. She loved hearing about any history from before the nineteen hundreds.

She gazed over at the woman and smiled.
"Try not to get too stuck in the past, dear.
The world changes for a reason and we must change with it if we want to integrate into human society. "

If she stayed in the age of her birth she would be camped up in some tower with slaves serving on her hand and foot.

"Cold, damp and dark."
She admitted softly.

"We were pretty cut off from the rest of civilization so I can not convey what the outside world was like.

I'll tell you this much, I am growing quite fond of electricity and indoor heating."

"If I'm to be honest, integrating with human society is something I'm not interested in doing. The world has always been vile, but at least in the time I was born and raised, people would pretend to have an ounce of dignity. In this day and age it's considered progressive for a woman to act as a man and a man to act as a woman. For people to lustfully loath about like impulsive animals, not caring about consequence or reason. I never want to integrate with that." The vampire said, an ounce of spite now in her voice. There was some sort of grudge on her shoulder in regards to this topic, something she clearly felt strongly about.

Deep in the relics of her mind she knew there was some hypocrisy to her words. She was a lustful woman herself, having laid with many a man she barely knew. And the most recent she had let live. He was somewhere out there at this moment in time. He could tear her apart for it if he wanted to. And knowing his character he probably did.

Oh how easy it would be for him to dissect her. Expose her fetid insides and show them to the others. To let them know she wasn't the prim and proper woman she claimed to be. To let them see she was not far from the people she so adamantly condemned and judged.

At this moment and time though she was safe. The considered grimy aspects of her actions and personality hidden far away inside herself.

“Try not to get left too far behind; the world will not wait for you.”
Alexis had learned that lesson easily enough after waking in her coffin, a hundred years had changed the world dramatically and she found herself having to relearn even the most simple tasks.

“Though I must agree with you on that point, the world has far less tact now and is degrading at an alarming rate.

Young people are terribly rude and I find the way people dress to be appalling.”
Granted Alexis was a fan of shorter skirts at least she still dressed in a feminine manner without exposing too much skin like most women nowadays.

Jenevieve took in a breath and let it out slowly and softly. She'd let herself get carried away in her tangent.

"I suppose it's my turn to apologize Miss Alexis. I let myself get carried away in my ramblings." She said in a softer tone. "And you're most likely right. You have more years of wisdom behind yourself then I. So thank you for sharing your advice. I don't mean to come off as ungrateful or dismissive." She explained.

Alexis had a way with words when it came to someone as particular as Jenevieve. Had she not remained calm and agreed with the younger vampire to an extent, this situation could have taken a very different turn.

"No need to apologize, seems you simply needed to get a few things off your chest, it's better than holding it all in."

She replied with a soft nod and she relaxed in her chair, crossing one leg over the other.

"I may be older, Jenevieve but I am by no means a wise woman, you'll find with age a lot of people become more foolish, there is only so long that you can keep hold onto your sense of shame and other such emotions.

Take one look at the lycan Beta Aodh and you will see exactly what I mean."
She muttered fondly with a slight chuckle.

Jenevieve nodded her head, having never really contemplated that before. Her own parents had been young vampires themselves, only about a hundred years older then she was. The people at this coven were certainty among the oldest she had encountered.

"I've yet to properly meet a lycan." She admitted at the mention of one. "I believe a few were here back when I was, but I didn't get myself acquainted with them."

“Though they are quite different from us they do make good company, though I fear you will not appreciate their affiliation for being naked.”

She chuckled softly and shook his head, werewolves were always bare but you could not really judge them on it, she understood that they tended to tear apart their clothes by accident.

“I think vampires do make the best companions though, our kind is more accustomed to socializing.”

Jenevieve couldn't help but let out a soft melodic laugh at Alexis's comment.

"I suppose that's not their fault though, always changing into those dreadful beasts they become." She said lightheartedly with a smile.

"Speaking of other vampires, Alexis, I hope you don't find this question odd, but there used to be a man that lived here when I did. Tall, dark hair. He always has an eerie grin about his face. He goes by Smiles or Smiley... you wouldn't happen to know if he's still here would you?" She asked, trying to sound nonchalant on her interest of this man. She didn't like anyone to know that she cared for him the way she did... even herself. But she truly did wondered and hoped that Alexis could shed some light on her curiosity.

Alexis giggled softly as gazed warmly at Jenevieve.
“I don’t think lycan are so dreadful, despite their violent nature if you get on their good side they are practically puppies. Just don’t cross them on the fullmoon, then they really are dreadful.”

She brought her dainty fingers to her lips, tapping her index finger to her bottom lip softly.

“Tall, dark hair..Smiles…

No I can’t say I have met this man before, granted a lot of my time here has been dedicated to my own affairs I haven’t had much time for socializing I’m afraid.”

Jenevieve nodded, taking note of how elegant and beautiful Alexis was. Everything from the words she used, her voice, how she carried herself, dressed, and behaved was so lady like and proper. How the young vampire enjoyed being in company like this. It reminded her of her parents and those good old days when they were all together.

Jenevieve thought how easily it would be for her and Alexis to have a sort of sisterly relationship. A thought she quickly dismissed as being somewhat silly. She had just met the woman after all.

"Well thank you anyway." She said softly, feeling a bit disappointed that Alexis had not heard or seen of him. There was still hope though, as the older vampire did admit she hadn't been the most social of people in her time here.