No Autographs Either (private)
Evgeni turned when the door opened. He was not much interested in the reason; at least he hadn't been until he noticed that he was to have company.
"I am knowing you."
He came closer. It was the singer from Halloween. The kid slumped down on the bed, looking rather wane. It would appear that he had not been very well fed and if the blood on his clothes was any indication that their captor had been less than hospitable. Odd, aside from not being let out of the room, Evgeni had been treated with the utmost kindness. Amrit had requested that he tell him or the others if he needed anything.
It was a great deal better than being with Sophia. Evgeni suppressed a shudder at the unwanted memories that surfaced. Sorcha had spoken to him every night since Halloween. He kept this telepathic company a secret from everyone. He was still a prisoner, no matter how nice the cage and the keepers. Sorcha had spoken with a Christian and had gotten the use of a tracker. However they snuck into the place next to the shelter only to find him gone.
Now they had no other thing to track him with. Evgeni reached up to feel for the necklace that was no longer there. It was worth a try. It would have worked.
Returning his focus to the dark haired kid in front of him, Evgeni knelt beside him and slowly touched his arm.
A light touch on his arm startled him out of his wandering and thoroughly depressing thoughts. For someone who spent a lot of time feigning disinterest in life, Jan actually enjoyed it very much. He raised his gaze to get a better look at his fellow captive.
"You're..." Where had he seen this guy before? "the dancer." Now he remembered, perhaps all the talk of events during Halloween had helped him to place the blonde that he watched him from beneath the stage.
The man's eyes were different or perhaps he had been far enough away not to notice but it was impossible to escape the fact that he was staring into a pair of blood red eyes. Huh, don't see that every day. They were pretty cool looking; he had friends who had paid good money for contacts that didn't look half so good. Jan looked closely at the blonde's eyes. They appeared to be natural, well, not fake. He could see lighter veins of red in the iris within the deep red and the outer rim was ringed in a deep burgundy.
"What are we doing here? What does he want?" Jan flopped backwards on the bed. Aside from some cushions, a flimsy tv tray, and some books, the bed was the only furniture in the room.
The dark haired boy's eyes had closed but at the mention of Sofia's death they sprang back open. "It was..." Evgeni frowned not knowing how best to explain. "She deserved death."
He sighed, looking at the door and then at his hands in his lap. How had he become an object to be traded and treated as others pleased? Evgeni ruefully amended his thoughts to wonder how it had happened again. Being on his own after the death of his Creator and making a quiet life for himself had given him a false sense of security. He was beginning to think he was his own person and no one's pawn. Now he found that there were those more powerful than himself and he was somehow interesting to them.
Looking back at the singer, he said. "He has never been unkind to me. Was he...Did he hurt you?"
"Was she a vampire as well?"
Jan had been asked certain questions, maybe the blonde had been interrogated as well. Between the both of them perhaps they could find out what their captor wanted.
He looked at the blood on his clothes and then back up at his fellow cell mate. "All this." Jan gestured presenter style to his shirt."is mine. I liked it better on the inside." He grumbled and plucked at the light finely woven linen. "I really liked this shirt."
Sliding back down onto the bed, he rolled his head over toward the blonde. "I'm Jan, by the way."
Evgeni turned to the boy and smiled sadly. He couldn't even explain the worst of it. Sofia had used his own abilities against him. He had been bonded to her against his will. She tortured him and he felt her mix of hate and excitement while she did it. He felt the pain and loss of her death even though he hated her with every ounce of his being.
"She was vampire, yes." He narrowed his eyes at the kid, who might not be a kid at all. Taking in the blood stains on his shirt, the drained look of the boy, and his knowledge of the immortal race, Evgeni came to an obvious conclusion. "As are you."
"Evgeni Feodorovich Vasiliev"
The quiet explanation about being close to death, repeatedly, made him shudder slightly. Jan crossed his arms over his chest and held on tightly to repress the memories.
He nodded at the clever deduction.
"I'd say its a pleasure to meet you...but, I'd have preferred different circumstances." Jan raised one finger and pointed it in Evgeni's direction. "If this is all an just an elaborate scheme to get me into bed then I would like to say I am not amused so far." He quirked a half smile and muttered. "and it probably wouldn't have been necessary."
There seemed to be some amount of understanding in the green eyes. He wondered about that briefly but his own troubles left him too emotionally drained to delve into another's pain.
The playful remark about him putting all this together in order lure the kid into bed was appreciated. He had been alone with his grim thoughts for too long. Evgeni caught the muttered statement at the end and arched an eyebrow. "That is so?"
He got up from the bed and went to the door. Leaning out when it was opened, he spoke quietly to the person on the other side. The door shut again. Evgeni waited there until it opened once more and some clothes were handed to him.
Setting the bundle on the edge of the bed, he stood next to Jan. The boy's eyes were closed again. Pushing up the sleeve of his sweater, Evgeni regarded his own arm for a moment as if hesitant to go through with the impulse that brought him here to stand next to another vampire. Setting his jaw, he reached out and lightly touched Jan on the shoulder. Once the other man knew he was there, Evgeni sat down quietly behind him. He reached a hand out to help Jan move closer and then held his wrist out to him.
"I am fed. Drink."
Evgeni sat down behind him. He felt an arm slid beneath him and pull him close. Jan helped, scuttling closer with legs and elbows. He rested against the blonde; his eyes closed. This was comfortable. Evgeni held up his bared arm for him, the invitation clear without the words. He tilted his head back to look upward at the man behind him. Was he certain?
The arm in front of him pushed closer; he could tip his head down and touch it. Jan didn't have to further convinced. He brought his leaden hands up to rest on hand and elbow. They were there more to hold himself steady as he leaned forward than to hold Evgeni's arm in place. Fangs sank slowly into the tender underside of Evgeni's wrist. Sweet blood flowed. Jan's eyes closed once more. Not in fatigue, but bliss. He drank hungrily, strength returning with each swallow. After a time, he pulled back reluctantly. A vampire's blood was a rare pleasure; he wished he could have restrained himself. Ordinarily he would have savored it slowly. He licked the remnants from the wrist in front of him and then his mouth and fangs.
Leaning back against the solid support of Evgeni's chest, he sighed. He'd live to feign disinterest in life some more.
"Thank you."
The touch on his arm was disturbingly light. He wondered if he would need to hold Jan up. All concern fled when fangs entered his flesh. Jan's bite had been delicate,gentle. It did not prepare him for that first swallow, strong and fierce with need. Evgeni gasped. Wrapping his other arm around Jan's waist, he held him close, shuddering with each deep draught that was pulled from him. By the time Jan pulled away he was clinging to him, his head against the man's shoulder. His breathing was hard and he shook with desire ignited but not sated.
The light teasing touch of Jan's tongue gently licking the blood from his wrist was nearly too much to bear. Evgeni sat up and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. Jan was a pleasant weight against him. The man's clear voice broke the silence. Evgeni grunted a soft acknowledgment.
"Puzhalsta"
He was reluctant to move. This was nice. The physical contact reminded him that he was not alone. He had endured Sofia and her ever present malignance in his mind; it had made him feel lost, helpless. Now he was adrift, a prisoner still, treated kindly but neglected for long hours with nothing but his thoughts for entertainment. Jan's company was a life raft for his sanity.
Lifting an arm, he pointed to the clothes at the end of the bed. "They were bought for me. " He shrugged slightly. "Too big, but clean, yes?"
He was not aware that his eyes closed until the blonde spoke. Opening them, Jan searched the end of the bed and noticed the bundle of clothing that Evgeni had indicated. It called attention to his own attire. The dried blood itched and was making a flaking mess. Jan sighed softly and pushed himself upright.
"I think I am safely hidden from any adoring fans that might be outraged by my choice of clothing."
On the bed was a pair of grey jogging pants and a hoodie. If they had gone to buy clothes for Evgeni then it stood to reason that they would pick things that could be worn loose. It had the least margin of error. They would still dangle off him at the arms and legs but that could be dealt with.
Jan slid carefully to the foot of the bed. He dropped the ripped and stained pants, stepping out of them. Tugging on the jogging pants, he leaned down and adjusted the cuffs so he wouldn't trip. He carefully pulled the bloody, formally white, linen shirt over his head and set it on the floor. Jan stood and brushed a hand over his chest and arms and then ran both through his hair. Once he was as clean as he was likely to get, he pulled the grey hoodie over his head.
He turned to Evgeni, holding both arms out to the side, hands completely covered by the long sleeves. "Ta Da!" Grinning, Jan asked "How do I look? Should I start a new fashion trend?"
The singer turned around and presented himself, clothing dripping off both hands. Evgeni couldn't help but chuckle and smile with him. The impish grin was infectious.
"You are looking smashing. However, I think it difficult to play instrument like that."
He got up and went around to stand with Jan. Reaching out, Evgeni folded the sleeve back in neat little turns until the cloth rested around the man's wrist. He smiled when the other one was obligingly presented to him for a repeat of the process.
"Much better."
Now that he had functional clean clothing, Jan felt better. He moved his own to a pile near the door and stepped out of his shoes. At least the Converse would be easier to replace than the shirt. Returning to the bed, he sat down cross legged on the end.
"So, did he ask you questions?"
"He ask me questions about Sofia. Who I am belonging to. How she found me. Mostly though he leave me in here."
Sorcha spoke to him, he smiled while listening to her very proper sounding voice, even when she was using strange words she sounded so educated. He listened to her suggestion and turned to Jan.
"Are you a member of Clan? One of them?"
He would keep his own affiliation a secret for now. Some of the others did not consider Tacharan to be worthy of notice. That was changing but Evgeni still thought it was wise to be wary.
"So did he ask you about Command?"
It had been rather important when the man had been talking to him. The Indian had been sure that Jan had used the ability and then wanted to know if his Creator also possessed it.
He was pulled from his musing by Evgeni's question. Jan smiled.
"I am Tacharan." He stated, proudly.
Jan would have a problem with anyone who disapproved. He loved his Clan and he would claim it without hesitation. Let someone take exception and they were likely to have a fight on their hands.
Evgeni looked up at Jan when he proclaimed he was part of Tacharan. He had mixed feelings about this news. His hopes were now dashed that Sorcha could let a clan know that they were missing one of their own. She did not know any of the Tacharan here. Evgeni did not know many either. However, he was happy to find that Jan was a clan mate. Somehow it made him feel more like they were truly in this situation together.
"I am Tacharan also."
Perhaps when he knew Jan better he would tell him about the sendings from Sorcha. Maybe there would be someone in Tacharan who would want to rescue him.
Jan raised his eyebrows when Evgeni said he was Tacharan as well. "The best Clan, in my humble opinion."
He did not know what the Indian wanted but it obviously wasn't him. It was a case of mistaken identity, near as he could tell.
"Did this Sofia have command? Do you know?"
Jan knew he shouldn't be asking Evgeni these questions. It was obvious that the memories were painful. He scooted forward until his knees were lightly touching the side of the man's chest. He rested a hand lightly on Evgeni's shoulder and looked down into the exotic coloured eyes.
"I'm sorry. We can talk of other things."
((OOC: Someone mark down the date. I think that might be the first time those words were ever uttered by Jan. ))
He turned to look at the singer when he asked about Sofia. Before he could answer, Jan scooted forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. Evgeni glanced up into pale green eyes and gave him a small sad smile before turning his thoughts back to the question. Quietly he answered.
"Da, She have Command."
Evgeni closed his eyes and turned his head away.
"Other things would be good."
He looked down at the blonde and squeezed his shoulder slightly. Jan wondered if he could help ease his pain. He probably shouldn't; for all he knew Evgeni was several thousand years old. He could always find out a bit more first.
"So, other things.... well I am sixteen going on..five hundred and something." Jan shrugged. "My full name is Johannes. I took the name Jager from the man who found me and put me into the Vienna Boys Choir. My hobbies include singing, playing the keyboard, and taking long walks in the moonlight..." Jan looked over at the blonde to see if his attempt at humor was working. "I wear eyeliner and nail polish often and work with humans who think being undead would be awesome but for some reason also believe it would involve a cape and a love of velvet."
He turned to fix Jan with his blood red gaze. "I am tired, Jan. Can we sleep now?"
Evgeni hadn't slept well in days. The others did not always sleep here. When they didn't there was no one to dream with. His own sleep had been fraught with nightmares of Sofia. It seemed sometimes that there was an echo of her there in his soul, a taint that had not washed away with her death.
"Come, I promise to behave." He smiled crookedly at the dark haired man before climbing up towards the pillows on the bed.
When Evgeni asked to sleep, Jan nodded,concerned. The man did look tired but Jan didn't think he had taken that much out of him. Perhaps Evgeni was fed less than he let on.
Crawling up to lay down beside the blonde, he tilted his head back toward Evgeni just enough to add.
"You had better or else you won't get any sleep at all."
Jan saw the pieces in detail, the large meaty fist curled tightly in anger, the riding crop beating a furious tap against a thigh bigger than his waist, a barrel sized chest blocking the light from the hallway, the rage splotched skin, the sweat covered forehead and lastly, the dark menacing eyes boring into him. That look of unbridled menace was enough to make him back away.
He always did. Jan backed into the corner, knowing what was coming. The riding crop fell across his shoulders. Throwing up his arms, he ducked his head to protect his face. The beating went on forever. As if in a trance, Jan watched the floor come up to meet him.
Simon would be here soon to save him. That was the way this worked. In the beginning Jan had nightmares of this night and in those his Creator did not come and he was left to bleed on the floor. Over there years the dream changed because Simon continued to be there for him in the waking world and after a while even his nightmares seemed to understand that.
He looked up and was startled to see a different face; red eyes watched him with sympathy. A hand reached down to him and the tiny dark room disappeared. Jan looked around in wonder at the moonlit trail through a dark and timeless wood. The blonde's arm was around his waist, the concerned look still etched upon his features.
"Where are we?"
Evgeni smiled somewhat sadly, and answered. "It is where I go when things are so very bad."
*********************************************
Jan could see the blonde. He wished he couldn't.
Evgeni was manacled naked to a cold metal table. A dark haired woman was sitting astride him, a scalpel in her hand. She was cutting long slender slices deep into the man's chest. Evgeni grunted with the pain of each wound, his teeth clenched tight to keep from screaming.
That was not even the worst part of it. No, more horrible than the pain she was inflicting was the fact that she was riding him while she tortured him, taking a sadistic sensual pleasure from his pain. Jan frowned and moved closer.
"How can you possibly be...enjoying this?" He didn't realize he had asked the question out loud until the blonde turned to look at him, solemn eyes boring into his own. There was a a half crazed, helplessness about Evgeni. He laughed. The sound was short but manic; the knife cut a jagged line into his flesh with the shaking of his chest.
"I am bonded to her. I feel her pleasure and she enjoys my pain." The man turned away and finished quietly. "It excites her."
Jan realized that this was Sofia. The one they had spoke of before. He agreed with Evgeni; she deserved to die. She was dead.
He realized then. This was another dream.
Jan pushed with his mind, shoving the woman off the blonde's chest and slamming her into a wall. She crumbled to ash.
"Its over, Evgeni." He came to stand next to the man, willing to shackles to disappear and the cuts to heal. Reaching out a hand to touch Evgeni's shoulder, Jan said. "She can't hurt you like this ever again."
Red eyes turned to him and in their depths he saw a pain far deeper than this physical torture. "Nyett, there is always my dreams."
((OOC: Both Out ))