The new familiar. - Addison (private)
This time Simon draped Addison's arm over his shoulder and half dragged, half lifted him into the main lobby of the Domicile. He checked his neck and a purplish hickey was forming nicely where the fang punctures had been. Carol walked just behind him and he turned to look back at her, only to find her staring at him.
'Your place?' The deer in the headlights look on her face struck him as hilarious and he laughed out loud. 'I'm sorry, where are we dropping him off? Did you assign him a place already?'
Adorable Carol. She was acting so odd tonight. Her arms were wrapped around her chest and she was doing her best to stay out of direct line of sight with Simon. Her shyness was perplexing. He wondered what brought it on so suddenly. Maybe he intruded with her and Addison? He looked at the red head again. Carol flirted with most everyone, maybe this one was special? He adored the pixie psycho, so he'd give her as much slack as she wants.
What was wrong with her? What's with this sudden crush thing with Simon of all people. The way he walked, the way his shirt clung to his biceps and his hair dusted in front of his hazel eyes that just gleamed with...OH DEAR GOD WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?? Carol screamed in her head. She had known Simon her entire 3 year stint here at Tacharan and never once did she feel a need to flirt with him...or even the desire to. She belonged to Ellis.
Oh god Ellis. If she found out...Carol suddenly felt sick.
'Um, yeah he has a place, it's programmed into the elevator if you want to take him there. Lemme change,' she looked down at her dress and blushed again, 'I'll catch up.'
With that she scurried away to her office located on the main floor.
Addison tried to move his legs in some sort of pantomime of actually walking. Be he knew that it was impossible for him to effectively hold up his own weight. He might if he locked his knees and propped just right, but that would be propping...not walking.
His arm was stretched up over the taller fella, the one currently keeping him moving along....or, until they stopped.
Lifting his head, Addison looked around what appeared to be a lobby ish place. Well...there were chairs and coffee tables. He tried that leg locking thing, but not letting go of Simon just yet.
'I'm sorry, where are we dropping him off? Did you assign him a place already?'
"Assign a...place?" Addison looked up, confused. A place for the night, right?
Looking up, Simon called out the destination. 'Addison...uh...what's your last name?'
Ellis hadn't told him about Addison, at least not much more than gaining a new human. She had her eye on this one because of his brain. He was suppose to be very skilled with numbers, although she failed to mention anything else, especially his name.
And he broke into giggles. And he was trying to concentrate...honest, but it was hard. "But I'm an accountaaant. Just...hired today..." His voice trailed off into a sigh as he thought over what was just explained. So Dubine was just a front? Did that mean his "job" as familiar was more important that the job of accountant at Dubine?
'Addison...uh...what's your last name?'
"It's Monroe. Addison Monroe..." He doubted Simon had heard of him outside what he'd just learned today. His name was only big in certain financial circles.
Simon let Addison lean up against the elevator. The sigh sounded like disappointment more than fatigue. 'Believe me, she wouldn't have chosen you if she didn't think you'd be useful. We're all useful, the trick is to stay useful.'
Simon looked away and closed his eyes. He didn't want to think about what Ellis would do this human when his luck ran out. He had found his share of dried up corpses in her quarters. Simon decided not to mention that part.
'You have a place here, in the Domicile. You may come and go as you please, but never speak of it to anyone. Family, friends...fellow...accountants.' He hoped the joke cheered up the mesh wrapped human. He didn't know why he was trying to help Monroe. He saw Carol in the hallway and was worried, seeing her sitting there alone. He saw Ellis leave finally and away from the direction of where he saw Carol. Didn't hurt to check things out. Lo' and behold, he finds another plaything of Ellis. He grew tired of being her companion when it was obvious he never was anything but 'useful'.
The elevator door dinged softly and opened. 'Ok, let's go.' He grabbed Addison softly and put his arm back around his shoulders. They walked about 50 feet down a long hallway and approached one of the many identical doors in the corridor. Simon put his hand on the computer panel next to the door. The lights flickered on.
Simon pulled his hand away and looked at Addison, waiting for him to follow suit.
Addison looked over his elevator-mate and studied the man while his eyes were closed. Where did Simon fit in? He was the XO of Tach...tacha...the clan, but he was a vampire, right? Companion though? Did that mean familiar too? He skootched closer to the solid body that was the sole reason he was currently upright. The man was...built. The red head eyed Simon again. If he had the blood to spare, he'd prolly blush.
'You have a place here, in the Domicile. You may come and go as you please, but never speak of it to anyone. Family, friends...fellow...accountants.'
"But...so not everyone at Dubine knows that it's a front?" The idea cheered him a bit. He was afraid he'd been hired merely as a front to be lunch. He truly enjoyed his job...the accounting one as well as the new one, but primarily, he was a numbers man.
'Ok, let's go.'
"Lesss goo...I feel kinda...drunk-like..." It was disorienting. But the queasy stomach was gone. Thank goodness for small favors. The limbs were far from steady, though, and he leaned heavily on Simon as they headed down the hall and eventually stopped in front of a door. HIS door....it would seem. Addison mimicked Simon's movement, amazed at the technology for a mere room.
It was bare bones now, but very impressive nonetheless. Addison looked inside, blinked, and took a step, before realizing his legs were still shaky and falling back against Simon again. "Sorry, Sssimon." Teehee...that was kinda funny. Sssssimon.
He grabbed some orange juice from the double sized refrigerator and opened up a cupboard to find some chocolate chip cookies. Finding a plate, he set the cookies on it and walked back to the red head.
Playing nursemaid to a human, boy I thought I'd never see the day. Simon laughed to himself as he handed Addison the plate and orange juice. 'Eat a little, it'll help.' He walked over to the stairs and peered up. 'Your bedroom, office and probably a spare bedroom is up there. Uh, just let Carol know what you'd like and she'll make sure it gets decorated. I think...I'm pretty sure she does that, I don't normally have this much to do with the familiars.'
Simon cleared his throat and tried not to feel ackward.
She started to look through the 4 rows of clothes that lined the 500 square foot closet. It was a large square with a vanity in the middle that was made of ebony. Her million pairs of shoes were lined down the middle, from floor to ceiling. She had 4 stepping stools to accommodate her shortness.
'Sheer, see through, sheer...sheer...god, I'm such a slut...sheer, see through...OH!' She came across a soft red velvet number. 'I forgot about this,' which was easy, considering how often she shopped and horded her clothes. 'Oh I have some ankle straps that'll look oh oh oh, yeah!' She pulled the dress out and held it up against her. Carol walked to her wall full length mirror and slipped it on.
It looked dressy but Carol's taste was usually 'inappropriate was perfect', so to speak. She ran her hands over the red velvet and smoothed out the skirt. It was a tank style top that dipped extremely low in the back, showing just a hint of her creamy buttocks. She turned and looked at it and purred. She slipped on the ankle strapped open toed heels and brushed her hair quickly.
'What the hell am I doing?' She said out loud as she touched up her makeup, but just enough to look fresh, not like she did it on purpose, which of course she was. 'Bah,' she mumbled and with a final look, ran out to the elevator.
She walked in as graceful as possible and saw Addison on the couch, Simon standing off to the side with his arms crossed looking uncomfortable. 'Aww, you brought him cookies? Simon, you've never brought me cookies.'
God did that sounds stupid? Fuck fuck fuck.
She walked over and ran her hand through Addison's red hair. 'How ya doing, pookie?'
'The quarters are pretty spacious and actually all fairly unique.'
"Mmmm...." He just wanted his office to be efficient and well organized...the rest of the quarters he may not see a whole lot. He tended to spend 70% of his free time doing work in his office anyway. Sleep...when it happened, was usually brief and the only reason he spent any time in his bedroom.
The accountant rocked back and forth on the couch, testing it's durability. It was nice, and as Simon re-entered the room, he had a very brief mental image of a whole 'nother type of durability test on the couch. His cheeks instantly turned the same color as his hair and he mumbled a 'thank you' as he took the offered cookies and orange juice. The former, he set down next to him on the couch before lifting the cup of orange liquid to his lips and drinking rapidly.
...I'm pretty sure she does that, I don't normally have this much to do with the familiars.'
At this, Addison swallowed and set the glass on the coffee table, feeling a mite more refreshed. There went the idea that he was a familiar to Ellis too. "You don't...have your own familiars too?"
'Aww, you brought him cookies? Simon, you've never brought me cookies.'
'Woah...when had Carol arrived?!?' Addison's eyes widened as he turned and saw Carol in the quarters. The door was quiet it seemed...or his attention had been focused too much on Simon for him to notice anything else.
'How ya doing, pookie?'
"...Better. Would you like a cookie? They were in the kitchen." He supposed he shouldn't be too rude. It seemed this was his new place and he was being a lousy host. "That's a nice dress. Color goes well on you..." That was an understatement. Carol was smoking in that dress. Addison leaned into the hand that was running through his hair. Kind of relaxing, that was.
He ignored Addison's question and he watched Carol saunter up to Addison on the couch and run her hand through his hair. He felt the distinct twinge of ... jealousy?
'How ya doing, pookie?'
His eyes dropped to her feet and he spied the ankle straps. My, my, he thought. His eyes made the slow trek up her dancer shaped legs, the curved calves and muscular thighs to where the dress started. It was short, much like many of Carol's dresses but this one...it was different. Was she wearing it for Addison?
His eyes continued up and Carol graciously turned to the side and he caught the scooped back. Carol was 20 when she came to the clan, extremely young for him but in the three years that he's known her, he now realized that she had grown up. Simon's gaze came up across her shoulders that were being caressed by her honey dew hair, till finally he looked up into her face.
Much to his embarrassment, she was watching him, watch her. Their eyes locked for a moment and, again to his dismay, he gave her a soft grin. 'No, Addison,' he finally replied, 'I do not have any familiars. Not like Ellis. I have a contact in the police morgue but no, I don't feed on her.' He held his gaze into Carol's clear blue eyes when he said, 'I mostly just visit her...for private reasons.'
Did he just say that? Simon broke his gaze from Carol and looked at Addison. 'So, no, I choose not to have any.' He steadfastly refused to look at Carol and continued on, 'Now that you're here, did you have any questions for us? You've went through quite a lifestyle change.' He would try and keep his attention focused on Addison, now that his sudden attraction for Carol seemed to be really distracting him. The red head's color started to come back, probably from the orange juice. Hate to have the little guy die on his first night.
'I mostly just visit her...for private reasons.'
'Oh...he's got a girl in every port' was the expression that came to mind as Simon's baritone broke into his concentration on Carol. The blonde really did look amazing in red. But what was Simon talking about? Oh yes...familiars.
He shifted on the couch, eyeing the cookies with some interest. He wasn't hungry really, but it was chocolate and sugar and that would help his energy levels...temporarily, at least.
'Now that you're here, did you have any questions for us? You've went through quite a lifestyle change.'
*munch munch* Questions...questions. He'd had so many to ask the boss, but then she'd snacked and snuck off... If one could describe it like that. Cookie done, he discreetly made sure that he wasn't leaving any crumbs on his lips before talking again. That would be mortifying in front of the boss' sexy..um...consort?
"Well, I will live here, right? I guess most of my questions are for Carol...like Familiar meetings? And...um...when will I be expected to...perform again?" His cheeks tinged pink again. He'd liked that a little too much, but it might be a little while before he could do that again. "And what sort of...interaction are we allowed with the other members of the clan?"
Ok, so right now, he had one person in particular in mind, but was curious all the same.
Carol looked down at Addison as he asked his questions.
"Well, I will live here, right? I guess most of my questions are for Carol...like Familiar meetings? And...um...when will I be expected to...perform again? And what sort of...interaction are we allowed with the other members of the clan?"
'You have a place here, but you're still expected to have your daylight life. There's no reason for you to completely hide yourself away, it would only bring questions. The Domicile's capcity is enormous, enough to cover our vampire members as well as the few familiars so hence the dual living quarters for most familiars. Every vampire doesn't have one, it's a right for mostly older members. It requires abilities only gotten through a very long life to maintain the relationship.'
'And no, we don't have meetings' She laughed at that question. 'Ellis only has the two of us right now. Simon, as he said, doesn't have any. There are a few scattered with some of the older members but Tacharan isn't a very old clan so,' she shrugged. 'As far as interaction,' she started.
She looked back at Simon who was still watching her. His arms had crossed again and was giving her a peculiar look. There was a hint of a smile on his face and Carol, again, couldn't help but blush. She looked down and took a deep breath, 'We are off limits to other vampires. We may have our human relationships, but not vampires. Take Simon and I,' she looked back at him and his eyebrows came up. 'It would be an act of betrayal on his part if he were to have any type of physical relationship with me.' Carol wasn't certain how that made her feel, she wondered if she showed on her face. 'I belong to Ellis. Period.' She looked back at Addison and smiled.
'That make sense?'
But he'd have to have an apartment or something near Dubine for show. That might not be too hard, but he'd have to remember to go there on occasion. Once he got a place to live, he liked to stick to it. "How...how many people will have clearance into my ..erm...quarters?" He was assuming Ellis and Carol, but other big wigs of the clan as well? He needed to be prepared if someone just walks in.
He looked back and forth between Carol and Simon curiously. Something was going on that he wasn't quite getting. But then again, he was drowsy...he could be imagining the tension. But no physical contact with the other clan members...that worked way against the wee crush he had at the moment. Ah well...
'That make sense?'
"Gotcha."
She hoped that the tone of her statement was enough to get the point across. There has been a lot of newer vampires roaming the city and the Domicile and even more humans sniffing around. Something was about to happen in Nachton and she had a feeling it wasn't going to be good.
Any trace of smile left Simon's face. He did not mince words or speak lightly when it came to the Clan and the vampire existence. This was one thing he'd gladly kill for.
'Just understand that if I found out anyone had betrayed us, human or vampire, their death would be swift. But if Ellis found out...she'd make that kind of pain last forever.'
That was the whole point of the Beast, he wagered. Her need to control things around her and inflict pain on those who stand in her way. He wondered what type of human she was before being turned. If maybe Ellis being human would be far worse than her vampire self. He could not imagine.
Simon looked over at Carol and softly said, 'Carol, will you be needing me any further tonight?'
"Yes, Simon here just stressed that importance as well." A smile, but a serious one. "It is understood. If I wish to be social with outside humans, I will have an apartment dedicated to that purpose."
'Our kind has existed for longer than you can imagine. We're the biggest secret out there and the trick to staying a secret was because we chose people who could keep one.'
'Perhaps not the biggest...' Certainly if they were the best kept secret, books like "Interview with the Vampire' and "Dracula" would not have been made...rumors are started from crumbs of truth. But Addison kept that to himself. Didn't want to piss off the big, bad, sexy vamp right hand of his new boss-lady.
Carol, will you be needing me any further tonight?'
The red-headed accountant huffed slightly. He had just been cut out of it. But he was on a comfy couch. ..and slowly sliding to one side in the cushion. It took more effort that should have to move the plate of cookies back to the table so that there wasn't any chance he'd fall sleep on them.
It would just be too easy to let the two of them talk and drift off here. "Question...are there a couple of different ways to enter and exit the...domicile, so that it doesn't look fishy for me to be entering Dubine the same way every day?"
Looking back at Simon, something peculiar happened. The usually need to be crass and obnoxious deflated inside her. Instead she smiled prettily and did the unthinkable.
She gave him a downward glance, coupled with a blush. 'Thank you for asking Simon. I appreciate you help, but we'll be ok from here.'
She mentally kicked herself. If that wasn't a huge fucking clue that something was up. She sighed quietly at her sudden idiocy.
Right now he had things to do before meeting Ellis later tonight.
((OOC simon out))
The accountant looked over and watched Simon go, worrying his lip between his teeth. "Was it something I said?" Ah well...he didn't want to piss off Simon as his opinion was sure to mean something to Ellis which in turn would matter to his life here in the Domicile and Dubine in general.
"So....how long have you been with Ellis?"