(Dreamer, you're aware she's following all the vampires? If you want her to be alone with the vampires I'd recommend sending her upstairs to Philomen and Marcus where there aren't any...)

Erasmus Ambrogio

Erasmus noted the actions of his spacey friend on his arm. He wondered if she even knew what they were doing. She could walking like a lamb to slaughter and so do joyfully so long as the man escorting her was handsome. If inflamed his more... cruel tendencies. But now wasn't the time. For now she was safe from him.

In regards to Malice? Oh let her be that high and mighty feminist. Erasmus bet she felt all proud of herself ignoring his offer of escort. Like it made her stronger than him. It made his insides laugh hysterically and churn with disgust. He never understood this new movement of woman feeling they had to play act at being men instead of just being women and that in and of itself worthy of being called equals to men.
The only indication of his thoughts was a sarcastic little smile and a glimmer of contempt in his eyes. Otherwise he was much as he had been the moment before he offered his arm. Sarcastic and filled with contempt.

He shook his head and politely held up a hand to Malice. "Thank you, but no thank you. I prefer it warm. Flows smoother." He said, letting go of Thalia and indicating her to sit on one of the leather-back chairs. A test to see if she was the obedient little puppy she was playing at.

He himself leaned against the window. The sun would be up soon, but he held no fear. He often stayed up late, and the curtains were heavy enough cloth to keep the light from giving him a sunburn. He laughed at her comment. "Oh... I suppose it could be, depending on your favored genre.

"As for your other question: a break from my usual graces. I had a bit of an incident." He said with a mischievous grin.

"Strange that they never questioned. Is that because you slept with them all, little washer-woman? Because if I remember correctly women weren't allowed in any military up until very, very recently unless they were doing the laundry and the cooking." Pause "And other helpful chores." The emphasis indicated he was accusing her of whoring herself out. "Humans are lions, you know."

"And you mortal?"

Erasmus was surprised. Fraternizing with the lunch meat - Malice how thoughtful. He turned to Thalia, that little sarcastic grin on his face again. Was she paying attention this time? Could she answer the question? Ermo was very curious.

"And I believe you are mistaken, Malice. It is your turn. You asked me about my home, and then I asked you about the military, so now it is your turn again." He didn't mention that he was being as vague as possible in regards to answering her question. He'd tell her sure, but no harm in making the girl fight for it.

(Dude, why is it I keep making all the new pages? I got some serious skillz over here.)

Philomen Bellerose

"Woah, are you okay?" She asked, reaching out both hands to steady him. "You look like you're about to toss your cookies, just breathe okay, stay here."

She stood up, rummaging through the bathroom cabinet looking for a cup or something - trust vampires not to have one. Looks like it's time to brave the downstairs again. "Stay here, okay? I'm going to get you a glass of water." She gave him a don't-you-dare-move look before rushing out.

Down the hall. Down the stairs. The blood was still there. It was like a horror movie. She looked at the door longingly. She could leave if she wanted to. Malice and the other two were gone. She could easily take Marcus and run for it. But something held her back. For the sake of all that is good, something held her back. She shook her head, tears coming to her eyes. What was she doing here? Quickly she fetched a glass of water (and stole one of Thalia's fruits and a couple of slices of bread for Marcus) and stole back upstairs.

She found him standing up looking at the bathroom mirror. "I told you not to move." She scolded. "I really don't want there to be blood and vomit all over this house." She pointed emphatically to the toilet. A silent command for him to sit his butt back down.

She softened and smiled at him. "You're welcome. I got you some stuff you eat." She glanced behind her. Malice probably didn't give him a room... "Come on, why don't we go back to my room. You can lay down a while till the nausea passes."

Malice

Malice shrugged and carried Erasmus drink over to where she was sat, "Fine. Suit yourself, more for me."

"You know, you are the worst story teller I've ever met." she raised an eyebrow at him. "I've had more thrilling tales from socks. But I suppose I shall take your bait." She leaned back into the chair and gestured with her hands. "Oh mighty and unusual, Erasmus. Amaze me with you fantastical stories of how you once spilled a flower pot and the shit-fit you threw in it's wake." She smiled knowing that this reaction would give the desired effect in the very stuck in his ways vampire.

"Is that because you slept with them all, little washer-woman?"

"Oh now that stung." Malice answered he hand at her un-beating heart, feigning pain. "You should listen more Erasmus, I never said I was IN the military, that would be silly. Eventually they'd notice the never aging womanly looking person within their ranks, I'd also be a bloody Field Marshall now. I did however say I spent most of my life as a mercenary. So if you were hoping I'd either tell you that I disguised myself as a man then I shall have to let you down, no, I never hid my gender." She pulled a cigarette from her packet as she spoke, sparking one of the white sticks as she placed it in her mouth. "I was normally hired begrudgingly but when you prove that you can cut down ten men in heavy armour they tend to stop asking questions and start putting you in the front lines." She took a drag of her cigarette, the smoke leaving as she spoke. "As for your other conclusion, I'm gay Erasmus. I've told you this many times, you can hope all you want but I'm just not interested in you. So as for sex I didn't have very much whilst in battle. It's much easier to just be patient and wait."

Malice took a drag of her cigarette whilst she thought on her next question. "What brought you here? To this mansion, of all the places to stay? That and how were you turned? But please spare me if you're going to be vague and mysteries or anything. I really can't be bothered to ask twice every time."

Erasmus Ambrogio

Erasmus listened to her quietly, a brow arched in curiosity. Malice's little quip about his storytelling brought a grin to his face so big his dimples made an appearance. "I'll finish the story about my great shit0fit in a moment, I need to catch my breath." He said with a chuckle bordering on a burst of laughter that wouldn't stop if he let get past. She did have quite the sense of humor.

He shook his head though, still grinning broadly. "People die in the military quite often, La Pucelle, but I admire your techniques regardless." He said raising his hands to give her a little clap. A woman that could kick ass. He'd grown a special fondness for them over the years, even if he did grow up a misogynist.

"And as for the whole aging and being found out; I've known men that made it work." He tried it himself occasionally. "Especially in times of war, and given the fact it's only truly been peaceful the past... one hundred years? And even still not even. Humans can't go forty years without starting another war. It's a vile addiction for them."

He was sober once again. He shook his head ruefully, thinking about such horrid things as war and bloodshed. It was an interesting combination, a vampire that didn't like needless bloodshed but who was more than willing to spill it himself. And yet, he never gave off an air ripe with hypocrisy. Rather, it seemed that his views on bloodshed were far more complex than simply "good" and "bad."

Yet once again her humor brought a grin back to his face. In an instant he'd assumed a quite believable expression of despair and looked at Malice with such a look of sorrow that it would make Scrooge shed a tear. "Malice, you cut me to the core. I've waited all my life for a woman like you... please don't toss me aside so easily without more consideration."

Erasmus' air of depression faded as he watched Malice take a drag from her cigarette. He nibbled his lip in debate as he watched her. It didn't take long for him to settle his little inward argument. "May I have one?" He asked, nodding his head in her direction, obviously indicating he'd like a cigarette. "I'll front the bill for the next pack." He said. He'd mooched enough of them. He figured... well, there was no one to stop anymore. Least it was supposed to be that way... no harm in starting again.

"What brought you here? To this mansion, of all the places to stay? That and how were you turned? But please spare me if you're going to be vague and mysteries or anything. I really can't be bothered to ask twice every time."

He smiled a crooked, half-hearted smile. Alright. Might as well. "I came here because it seemed to be the best idea for me right now." He said, kicking at the rug with his toe. Malice was going to make fun of him for this. Ah, well. Nothing to be ashamed of, really. "I'm supposed to be around new people, help me move on and get off a girl I know." He continued, still not looking up at either of the women. His smile had run for the hills.
"I kind of... had a bit of a breakdown. Waited nearly seven hundred and fifty years for that woman to love me again and she's as unmovable as the mountains and as cold as Antartica." He did grin now though, it was devoid of humor. "I burnt the place the down." He chuckled a bit looking up at Malice. His eyes drifted back to the floor.
"I was told by... certain family members that it would better for my health if I... took a vacation." He spread his arms and gave a bit of a shrug, looking back up at Malice with a sad smile. "So here I am. Picked a beauty of a resort, didn't I?

"As for my Turning, well that's a bit of a happier story." He said humor and mirth slowly returning to his person again. "The year was twelve hundred and one, a mere year before the ruinous Fourth Crusade. I had been an apprentice to a rich and successful merchant in Venice. An old friend of my family. A knight. Spent every year with the man from the age of seven learning his craft as any boy in that time did - you know the drill. Apprentice, Journeyman and then you get to practice your craft on your own. Well I'd hit that age and shown considerable promise," the way in which Erasmus said it was somehow dark. As if he'd done something that made his master feel he was good and willing to become a murderous vampire in the first place. He left that detail up to the imagination. "and offered me his life. Well, who can pass up immortality? Humans have been searching for that for aeons. I would have been a fool if I didn't. And it's been one of the best decisions I've made in my entire life.

"And you, La Pucelle? How did you find immortality?"

(Historical Note: Malice, if she is older than 700, would certainly know the title of La Pucelle. It's what the French called Joan of Arc. "The Maid.")

Marcus

“I’m fine, really.” Marcus said to Philomen as he started inching towards the door. Maybe he could make an escape.

“Thanx for the water.” He mumbled as he opened the door. When Philomen asked him if he wanted to lie down, reality kicked in. He was exhausted and he probably looked like shit too.

Marcus nodded as he looked at Philomen again, but he looked at her with soft eyes. “Please...” He said. Even though he had a ‘room’ he wouldn’t dare sleep there alone.

Marcus stepped out of the bathroom with Philomen. He looked up and down the hallway to make sure no one was waiting for him.

Luke

Luke laughed at Summer as he paged through the small book. “No, no... Don’t feel silly. Everyone has to start somewhere.” He re assured her for the thousandth time.

Luke calmed his laughing and pointed at the big C on the page. “Let’s go through all of them, and then you can go through them on your own – tomorrow this time we can try something harder.” Luke smiled and looked at Summer for her approval.

His finger traced the big C. The C is quite a tricky one, but Summer can learn about ‘ck’ and ‘c’ later.
“Carrot... C is for carrot or camel.” Luke said to Summer as his finger traced the C again.
“D is for donkey and damson plum.” He continued with the letters. He looked at Summer again, to make sure she was keeping up.

“Can you write, Summer?” Luke asked with a bit of a frown on his forehead. “I mean, do you know how to hold a pen? Perhaps you can write the letters over as extra practice.” Luke said, thinking aloud.

(( Sorry for my crappy posts. I injured my finger pretty badly and it’s funny typing. ))

((Sorry for not posting as often))

Thalia went upstairs as the vampires went some where else. She two humans she believed were Philomen and Marcus from what she heard from the vampires. She made it up the stairs and walked down the hall to see if she could find them.

She didn't realize the house was so big. The hallway seemed really long and old, but it was very nice. She couldn't help, but admire them. She kept walking until she saw Marcus come out of a bathroom. She walked over to them calmly and bravely.

She took a deep breath. "Hi. I don't know you two that well, but do you mind if I stay around you?" She asked politely just incase they were evil people. She didn't believe they were, but there is no harm in being careful.

Malice Whateley

Malice listened intently as Ermo spoke, twirling the glass in her hand and taking occasional sips. "That tickle you then did it?" she asked, raising her eyebrow as he gave his little clap. 'La Pucelle? Where have I heard that name before?' she thought to herself a distant memory stirring but she shrugged it off as he continued.

"Especially in times of war, and given the fact it's only truly been peaceful the past... one hundred years? And even still not even. Humans can't go forty years without starting another war. It's a vile addiction for them."

"Oh yes, but I was occupied for the past seventy years so I got the big ones in before..." she trailed off slightly. "Though I did miss the good part of the second world war. Vietnam wasn't that interesting to me but I am gutted to have missed the Falklands war. Never really liked Argentinians." She picked her glass back up off the table and took a sip, noting his sudden sombre look at the mention of war. "Besides war is good for trade is it not?"

Malice raised her glass as Erasmus mentioned waiting for a woman like her. "Those are famous last words, Erasmus. Be careful." she warned smiling, finishing her drink and placing the glass back on to mahogany table between them. She tossed her packet over to Erasmus when he asked for one. "Sure and don't worry about it, I have my own method of obtaining them." she winked mysteriously, exhaling a plume of smoke.

'Oh good, here comes the good part of the story.' Malice thought to herself, leaning forward in the chair as he began. "You came here because of a break-up." Malice said deflated. "Really? That's it? No big exciting adventure?" Malice shook her head. "Sod her Ermo. She probably wasn't worth it anyway, it's not long you're getting old and decrepit is it? You'll find someone else." It was a kind gesture coming from Malice, she wasn't good at the touchier subjects. "Though admittedly burning the house down was a slight overkill. You know, most people just re-decorate." she added sarcastically. "But hey, look on the bright side. Had you not had your little break down then you'd never have met me." She winked at him again taking another drag of her cigarette.

"As for my Turning, well that's a bit of a happier story."

Malice listened just as intently, it was rare to find a vampire from her time and since they had only 16 years between them there wasn't much history between their births. He used that name again, La Pucelle. 'Why do I know that name?' she thought again, racking her mind where she knew it. "La Pucelle! Joan of Arc!" Malice finally clicked, remember why she knew that name. "I wouldn't have said there's a lot of similarities between us Ermo. She was a fine woman though, looked good in armour. Not entirely sure where the whole short hair thing came from though, she had long hair when I captured her." Malice winked flicking the ash from her cigarette into the tray on the table. "Those burgundians would have been bloody lost if it wasn't for me, I had a disagreement with the captain so he made me go with the French."

She leant back, placing her boots on the table. "I spent six months trying to convince her to defect to England but she wouldn't have it, couldn't betray France." Malice gestured with her hands as she did when mocking someone's decision. "We got on very well, though she was definately not as clean and humble as history makes her out to be." Malice winked at Erasmus. "I suppose it's that whole opposites attract." Malice swung her boots back off the table and sat forward again. "But in the end we were caught and she was burned for our... conduct, the King couldn't be found out by the Church for having a vampire in his ranks so it was covered to be a usual Church killing." Malice smiled to herself but it didn't hold her usual cruelty.

"Anyway, my own turning is sadly not that exciting. My village was under attack from a vampire, people had been disappearing for weeks me and a friend went to help the hunting party that was made up of pretty much everyone left, we were unlucky enough to come across the him first. He killed my friend and drank from me, due to the screams the rest of the villages found us, staking the man before I died. Unfortunately the process had begun, I was feverish and expected to die for a day or so before I fully turned and killed the remaining village in my blind bloodlust, without anyone there to show me how to deal with it I ran rampant across the country feeding on whomever I came across. Eventually I had attacked another vampire who took me under his wing, he was a soldier and helped me train myself to control the bloodlust as well as teaching me to use my now heightened abilities for something they were more then suited for. War. Now eight hundred and twenty years later, here I am."

Malice took a drag from her cigarette before speaking again, exhaling the long plume of smoke into the air around her. "I'm sitting here, waiting to continue to hunt down my captors talking to an only slightly younger vampire with three mortals running around within the house and it is your turn to ask a question."

Summer

Summer nodded at her master's suggestion. "Yes, that sounds like a good idea, sir. I think I can do that." She shifted herself slightly so as to see the page better. She looked up listening intently as her master explained the letters. Repeating them quietly as he read them out and copying the shape with her finger on the arm of the chair. "Sir, why are there two kuhs? One for king and one for carrot? They're the same aren't they?" she asked as they reached the end of the little book.

"I think I can write, sir." she answered smiling. "Well I just copy the shapes normally, I've had to do it in the past to keep stock of everything, I copy the things on the bottles and boxes then when I buy it I just looked for something that looks the same and has the same shapes on it." She was obviously proud of her well practiced system. "It's how I get your books, sir. I match the shapes on the front, that or ask." she giggled shyly, trying not to give the impression she wandered around aimlessly trying to find a book with matching letters.

"It's pretty much the same as drawing really sir and I've always been fond of that." She smiled at him, replacing the book in her pocket. "But I can practice it if you like sir? Or I could write something for you to see if I can do it right, would that work?"

"Your a good teacher, sir. Did you ever think of it doing it before you became a vampire? I... If you don't mind me asking of course sir." she looked up at him interested.


(( No worries Lita, you ok? ))

(Dude why did you do that too yourself?! D:)

Erasmus Ambrogio

Eramus shook his head as he pulled a cigarette from the pack. "Thanks." He said. He wondered what her methods were. Probably theft from cold bodies. Legitimate. Waste not, want not. It wasn't quite the brand he liked, he always preferred rolling his own, but it was better than nothing. Especially with such discussions as what they were having now. He remained silent as she talked, but didn't speak again until he'd had a good long drag. He blew the smoke out as he stared at a painting over the mantlepiece showing the tell-tale signs of aging: cracks at the seams. His brows knit together slightly.

"I don't think there was a good part of the Second World War. Or the First for that matter. War's changed now. It's bloodier. Harder to define the winners and the losers. Though I suppose it can be argued that no one wins in war." He shook his head slowly, his frown deepening. He took another drag on his cigarette and let it out slowly consumed in thought for a moment.

"It's too easy to kill. The beauty of it is gone. There's no savoring the kill, you hardly ever see their face. If you are going to kill someone you should remember them. Now you can simply mow men down without ever knowing them. It's highly impersonal, taking lives now-a-days."

"Besides war is good for trade is it not?"

A crooked grin spread across his face. There was that glimmer again in his eyes, though it was tinged with bitterness. "Yes, I suppose so. Always was. Always will be. I can be thankful for that." Good to look on the bright side of things, isn't it? He had slowly begun to lose that ability. He shook his head; a motion now used to shake off somber feelings rather than bemoan the modern world's conduct.

"You came here because of a break-up. Really?"

Erasmus chuckled and gave a sad sort of shrug. "Yeah. That's it. I'm not generally the person you ask for grand tales of adventure. Never was much taken with wanderlust. That was more a thing my siblings suffered from." He said with a bashful kick at the rug's tassels and a puff at the smokey little lifeline in his hand.

"Sod her Ermo."

He looked up, eyes blazing with anger. How dare she talk about her like that! It was unacceptable!
Even if she had a point.

"She probably wasn't worth it anyway, it's not long you're getting old and decrepit is it? You'll find someone else."

He looked back down, anger quenched. "Not a matter of will it's a matter of want. I chased that damned girl my entire life. Had her once. Always thought I might win her back." He sighed. Defeated. He still didn't look up. Still puffed away at his cigarette like an old locomotive.

"Overkill?" He replied, "I was hoping to catch her inside. Fire like that won't kill a vampire but it'll hurt like Hell. There's nothing overkill about that." He grinned. Maliciously. A not-so-rare glimpse of the deeper thoughts of an otherwise sensitive man. A poignant reminder that he was dangerous - and by humanity's standards - not at all right in the head.

But he was grateful for Malice's kindness regarding the issue. Quite grateful. He was expecting a far different reaction. Perhaps this too was an insight into her own mind: a woman playing at cold detachment but really just as pained and traumatized as another other person. They were vampires but that didn't mean they still didn't have the same thoughts and feelings as they did when they were human. It was particularly endearing to know that she just might also be struggling with the same sorts of problems.

Who was he kidding? Malice was a sociopath even by vampiric standards!

"Oh truly, you're right. Truly, you're the best thing since sliced bread!" He said, with a wide grin and big adoring eyes. It was uncanny how easily he put on a different emotion than what he was currently feeling. Uncanny and frightening. He had a vast array of masks at his disposal; enough to make one doubt which emotion was real and which was not.

He was further impressed by her attentiveness. Good woman that one - or at least interested in a good story. Despite being rough around the edges and most certainly in on this for her own enjoyment she was a handy and soothing salve. Erasmus wasn't sure if he hated her or adored the woman. Not that he'd admit outright to the latter. Okay he would, but only if he was absolutely certain he wouldn't miss her if he ever decided to kill her.

Her sudden outburst made him jump.
"La Pucelle! Joan of Arc!"
Erasmus couldn't help but chuckle softly. "You just now connected the dots?" He shook his head and clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "How could you forget such a name. She was the talk of the western world for a good long time."

Malice's words stopped him short. When she captured her? A grin spread across his face as he listened to her, most assuredly brought on by silent thoughts running through his head. A little joke he wasn't sharing. If his father ever found out. Whoo! He'd march himself over here in less than a heartbeat. Erasmus himself, having minimal ties with France, wasn't as affected by her claims. He simply grinned like a madman at her story.

"What is the that old saying? Well-behaved women rarely make history. I certainly believe it. Quite a temper that one had, or so I've heard. Never met her myself though. Little too boyish my my tastes." He said with a shrug and a final drag at his cigarette. He gazed down at the little yellow stub of a thing he had left and, with a slight crease in his forehead, wondered if it would be improper to have another one. Dirty chain-smoker.

He did notice her smile though. Sweet reminiscence. Ah, so he really did have her human parts left. Intriguing. A small grin played on his lips. How incredibly... adorable.

"You're own story isn't as exciting?" He balked. "If either of us has had an exciting life, it's you la Pucelle." He wondered briefly if she would object to the nickname after having known the woman. "And you can bet on that." He said inclining his head toward her ever so slightly.

To the rest of her story he gave a little shrug as he subtly pulled another cigarette from the pack. "Everyone's table manner's are horrid in the first few months. It's simply how it happens. Pity you didn't have a mentor to begin with though. Don't know what I would have done without mine. Probably would have been quickly staked and burred upside down with a brick in my mouth." He rubbed at his jaw as if imagining the pain that would bring.

"Oho? You never mentioned captors, my dear. When were you imprisoned? Who are they and what do you plan on doing with them?" He asked rubbing his hands together in anticipation of a bloody story. For a man who was earlier bemoaning the bloodiness of war he sure loved a story filled with gore.

"Also, for my official question, I'm going to jump back to our previous discussion - when did you first fall in love?"

Philomen Bellerose

Philomen gazed sorrowfully at Marcus. He was polite, but she could tell he wanted nothing more to do with her. It didn't hurt her necessarily, rather it evoked a strong sense of pity for the man. Like he had a serious illness but was refusing treatment for unfounded superstitions and fears of doctors and hospitals.

At the end of the day Philly wouldn't stop him. He was a grown man, capable of making his own decisions, even if those decisions weren't the best to be made. It was his health, not her own. His body, not hers. She really had no say in his treatment of it. So, instead of attempting to stop him or help him again she merely nodded, her hands folded in front of her and a soft frown on her face.

But she smiled when he accepted her offer. In a swift movement she took his hand gently in hers and led her to the room directly next to Luke's. On the way, they met Thalia. Philomen eyed her cautiously. Was she a vampire? She couldn't see any teeth apparent behind her lips, but she wasn't sure if they had retractable fangs like vipers or ones that stayed permanently displayed. Thalia seemed to look at them with as much caution as Philly displayed when she was looking her over. Both parties trying to decide if the other was dangerous.

Finally Philly backed down. Thalia was no threat to her or to Marcus. She smiled warmly and nodded. "Of course. We were just gonna lay down. You can stay with me in my room. We should be safe there." Luke was right next door. She heard Summer's voice behind the door as well as hers but didn't dare ask. Whatever happened tonight they'd be protected.

"I'm Philomen. You can call me Philly, though." She opened the door for the both of them and allowed them entrance. Soon though, her direct attention was centered on turning down the covers of the bed for Marcus before he passed out and slept on the floorboards.

Malice Whateley

Malice shook her head. “I didn’t mind the two wars, first was definitely more complicated; lots of death, far too many poor tactics. By the second however they finally seemed to pull their fingers out and just get on with it as opposed to just go over the trench get shot a few times, go back to the trench, lick your wounds and then repeat.” She took a drag of her own cigarette. “Getting shot with a machine gun is not much fun I can assure you.” She smiled to herself. “However I did scare the shit out of the man shooting when I got back up.”

“I wouldn’t have said remember them, It’d take me days to list the people I’ve killed in my life and that would just be through battle, never mind the others.” She blew a plume of smoke from her nose thinking on her next words and trying to remember the name of the last person she killed. “No it’s definitely not a worthwhile venture. A gun isn’t as personal as a sword but you can still have that little moment if your close enough. I personally never took much of a fancy to many of them but I obviously have some in my collection.” She pulled back her coat slightly to reveal the two Berettas in her belt as well as the many other smaller weapons she carried. “Couldn’t break the habit of eleven lifetimes now, could I?” She smiled darkly.

"I was hoping to catch her inside. Fire like that won't kill a vampire but it'll hurt like Hell. There's nothing overkill about that."

Malice couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh! I thought you just went mad! Now that really is good! Definitely the best break-up story I’ve ever heard.” Malice was always a fan of the more violent stories, eight hundred years spent as a soldier tended to push you that way, it was her torture that made her despise mortals and just want to cause pain. “Did she escape? Or did she burn with it?” she asked intrigued.

"Oh truly, you're right. Truly, you're the best thing since sliced bread!"

Malice laughed with him. ‘How unusual that he can slip between all of these emotions, either he’s more messed up then I originally thought or he’s less of an emotional sap then what he seems.’ Perhaps there was still more she could learn about this man and his many emotions.

“To be fair Erasmus it’s been a bloody long time since anyone was talking about Joan, she is literally history now. An uncertain history at that, from what I know I’m the only person in the entire planet who knows what she was actually like.” She retorted “And stop smiling like a gimp, my sex life is none of your concern.” She winked at him. “Oh she was definitely not well-behaved.” Malice rolled her head back, “Bad doesn’t cover it.” She laughed again, it still hung heavy with her naturally cold voice but much there was a hint of mirth within it. “Oh she wasn’t actually that boyish, quite womanly actually, I think she’s been bastardised over the years, the French king was an ass and obviously the English had a few things to cover up so gave as bad a description of her as possible. Plus everyone looks pretty androgynous in plate armour.

Malice closed her eyes; she could still picture the young French maiden. “She was actually quite beautiful, long brown hair. She used to keep it tied to stop it getting caught in the armour, which is probably where the short hair came from.” Malice smiled took another drag. “Though now she’s gone.” She added, her voice not betraying any kind of emotion.

She sat forward and stubbed her own cigarette in the ash tray, noting the little smile Erasmus was giving her. “Please stop looking at me like that. It’s not THAT outlandish for me to have emotions, I just prefer to ignore them, they get in the way in my lifestyle.” She took the packet of cigarettes from Erasmus once he’d drawn a second and took another for herself.

Pity you didn't have a mentor to begin with though.

“From what I’ve learnt of him since he was a wanker any way. Loved himself a bit too much.” She answered. “Though I narrowly avoided staking myself a few times, more luck then skill I think. A few times of mistaken identity helped too, odd when you think people suddenly become ok with killing their neighbours when they think that they’ve suddenly become a vampire without telling anyone. Who says the modern world is worse eh?” She laughed cruelly to herself, lighting her cigarette.

“No the man who mentored me was by far a better choice; he was older and knew his way around. He taught me how to kill and fight in more ways than one.” She smiled baring her fangs playfully at Erasmus.

Malice’s tone changed as he mentioned her capture, her entire demeanour changing almost pulling back in on itself and a great burning hatred forcing itself out in its place. “I was imprisoned from 1943 until 2011. I had been fighting against the Nazis from the inside for some time to aid the Allied standing when I was found out, ambushed and captured. They took me to a firing range to be made an example of. When they realised I wasn’t dead they tried again, after the second failure they realised I was worth keeping.”

She took a deep drag of her cigarette before speaking again. “They locked me away and tortured me for me the remainder of the war, starving me of blood and running tests to see what happens when certain things are used against vampires.” Malice’s eyes were still betrayed no emotion but it was obvious the thoughts were running through her head, fuelling her hate. “When the war was over the Americans took over what was left of the German experiments. I had hoped for freedom and at first it seemed they would until someone found my details.”

“They took everything from me, including my name. Projekt Bosheit they called me. Project Malice it translates too.” Malice looked up at Erasmus, a slight smile on her face. “The American’s continued to experiment on me until one of the men who brought my ration got to close, I successfully grabbed hold of him and killed him, with the first blood in decades I broke free. The entire complex was sent into lockdown. I killed every single one of them.” Her dark smile was back and her eyes changed colour as the story continued. “Now I’m hunting down the higher-uppers who knew about my existence and removing the remaining Germans. I will get revenge and I will tear every single one of them limb from limb.” Malice stood up forcefully, growling the last part of her story in anger, her fist clenched tight enough to draw blood once again.

After a moment she managed to calm herself down enough to sit back down again but she was still wrapped in an air of a dark cold. “You only get one question Ermo.” She answered eventually. “It’s my turn now.” She looked back up at him taking another drag of her cigarette. “You mentioned family, what of them?”



((OOC: Who was he kidding? Malice was a sociopath even by vampiric standards! I love this quote! xD ))

Erasmus Ambrogio

"I'll never like the things... even if the modern age forces me to use it." He shook his head, displeased. Oh how he hated the modern age. He took a drag at his cigarette, quietly thinking about how much he hated the world now. His thoughts, though not voiced were quite apparent on his face.

For now he was silent about her habits of carrying a gun. Though it was useful to know she was always armed. Crazy woman. Though since she'd spoken of being captured - well, he couldn't quite argue with it. Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome really messed with one's head and habits. He was in no position to criticize. If it made her feel better, so be it.

He listened intently, eyes never straying from her as she talked. It was a highly traumatic time in her life. It would be disrespectful to look away; if she was strong enough to go through it, than he was strong enough to stand with her when she retold her story.

"It's remarkable that they didn't use you to create a super army. World would have been screwed a dozen different ways if that happened. You're quite brave though, to withstand it." He said, quietly, blowing a small stream of smoke out in front of him. He watched it drift into nothingness before continuing.

"Be careful with revenge, Malice. It doesn't fix the wrongs that have been dealt to you. Think of the Count of Monte Cristo; when all his schemes were completed and he'd had his vengeance at the end of it all he had nothing left in his life. Don't let that happen to you or the revenge wouldn't have been worth it in the first place." His voice hadn't changed, and to match the caring words of caution he gave her the expression in his eyes matched. Perhaps he was playing at emotions again, perhaps he really was sincere. He certainly looked it.

"And I won't grant you that point. She's been a hero throughout time. She was sainted in the 1800's. Movie upon movie has been made about the girl. She's not a face or a personality that you can fit. No more than Charlemagne or Richard the Lionheart."
He let the rest slide. He was sure he knew a few others that would have something to say about the girl - but it wasn't his ideas. Therefore, it didn't matter. He did concede one point:
"Many people have been bastardized over the years. Richard the III of England being a humpback. Chatherine the Great dying under a horse." He waved his hand dismissively. "People always try to tarnish a hated man's reputation. Sometimes they succeed."

"And I will not stop looking at you like that." He said, that small little grin on his face again. "A little girl in love is far too cute to not smile at." He teased. She didn't let onto her emotions - she was quite stoically hiding them, but he knew they were there simply by where her pauses stayed, how she spoke of her. She wasn't the only vampire Erasmus knew who'd fallen for the heroine. He knew those signs all too well.

"And perhaps it is your lifestyle that is wrong, instead of the emotions, La Pucelle." Though asking the woman to be open and vulnerable was like asking her to lay her guns down and lay down on an operating table surrounded by scientists. It would be cruel of him.
So he wouldn't say it outright at least.

"I find that a human's tendency to destroy vampires on sight is quite an intelligent reaction. When a vampire is in the neighborhood humans are no longer the top of the food chain. It's a matter of self preservation, really. Humans are just more proactive at getting rid of threats than the animal world.

"As for my family... We're ah.. an interesting bunch." He smiled softly. "Vespasien is the head of the household - our father if you will, though now he goes by Ambrose, hence the surname Ambrogio." Son of Ambrose; at least in Italian. "Sens is the eldest of us all, about a hundred and...." He thought for a moment, gazing up at the ceiling. He tapped his chin with his finger, pulled at his cigarette as if that would spark some sort of recollection of her age. "...fifty? years older. I am the second oldest, in fourth is Magnus - scary s.o.b if I ever saw one. He wasn't right in the head even before he was a vampire. I think he gives even Vespasien the willies. Total god-complex and as twisted as Bluebeard. Then Jaques," it was obvious by how Ermo said the name that he was not fond of his youngest brother, "and Ester. Who is only about seventy now." There was a pause. He'd left the third child for last.

"Rohesia is the third child and for a time my lover. Till she decided I wasn't good enough for her. Course I got her back with aforementioned house burning. And yes, she was caught inside. She also escaped. It caused quite a scandal in our household." He said with a mischievous grin and a wink. Out of all of them Ermo was most prone to tricks and pranks and wild behavior such as that. He was quite proud to hold the title of the wild child.

He snapped as she shot down his question. That means he had two he wanted answered. "My turn is it? Or are you limiting me for the night then? If not," He held up a finger and then pointed it at her. "I am repeating my last question: Who was the person you first fell in love with? If I don't get another question: Who was the person you first fell in love with?"

Guess there was no limiting him for the night....

Malice Whateley

“I’ve carried a weapon since meeting my mentor. I shan’t change that fact now, the only reason I don’t still carry my sword is due to the fact it’s locked away in a museum.” Malice answered at Erasmus displeasure. “I have never had less than eight weapons on me at any given time, other then the obvious of course.”

Erasmus was obviously more of a pacifist, even if he did have his own gory tendencies. It was a lifestyle Malice had never particularly held much love for, the strong had power and power survives, there was no arguing against that, at least not to her.

She had to admit she was glad that he seemed almost understanding of her predicament; it was as much emotion as Malice could muster from her normally stoic black heart. She had expected some form of retort but it hadn’t come instead he seemed to be more understanding almost empathetic .

"It's remarkable that they didn't use you to create a super army.”

“What do you think they were trying to recreate with Crystal Meth?” Malice asked taking a drag from her cigarette. “They wanted to know every weakness we had so that they could improve upon it, a vampire point two; an unstoppable killing machine that couldn’t be harmed or killed. They had me turn a few volunteers but I never mentioned the bloodlust, I just left them to butcher, go mad and eventually die.” Malice smiled to herself blowing a plume of smoke. “I did my duty to King and country as it were.”

“It’s what they were trying to be rid of but with the technology available then they just couldn’t stop it, they couldn’t rid us of the allergy to silver or even to sunlight.” She looked at the thick curtains as she spoke knowing the painful death they faced if they were opened. “The American’s came close to getting something but I think they were at times more brutal then the Nazi’s. Have you ever been ah… Probed with silver Erasmus?” she asked rhetorically shuddering at the memory.

"Be careful with revenge, Malice.”

She looked up at him angrily. “Oh there will be worth left. I still have many things to do and see but I will make every single one of them pay. Until the files with details of my entire body are destroyed until every trace of me is removed from their cells I will continue to hunt them down. Somewhere on a computer there exists a detailed description of my anatomy, along with photographs! Do you know HOW I know that? Because I remember them doing it! Do you know what it feels like to have silver INSIDE of you?!” she growled at him. “No! I will make them pay! They will all suffer as I did.”

She calmed herself once more. Blowing another few plumes of smoke before she spoke again, it was not Malice’s calmest subject in fact being one she felt quite strongly about with understandable reason. “You know you’re the first person to hear that story since my escape?” She said returning to her cold demeanour.

"And I won't grant you that point. She's been a hero throughout time. She was sainted in the 1800's."

Malice shook her head laughing. “I think you misunderstand my meaning of bad, Ermo. I wouldn’t have taken you to be of the frigid sort. I mean she was fantastic in bed. She could do things that would make priests curse.” She smiled seductively. “And just because she has films now doesn’t mean that any of it’s true, to the mortals it’s all speculation.”

"And I will not stop looking at you like that. A little girl in love is far too cute to not smile at."

Malice smiled at this comment. “Little? Erasmus I’m older then you!” she laughed shaking her head. “I wouldn’t have called it love; we knew each other face to face for less than half a year, all of that she was behind a cell the time before it we were enemies on the battlefield. “It was more a mutual fascination. I have had loves, but Joan was not one of them. Perhaps it could have become one had she defected but her own stubbornness to stand by her cause cost us that chance.”

Malice listened intently as Erasmus described his family. “I see you have an order of favourites as well. That I assume holds some sort of story. To it, very well that can be my next question.” She smiled. “And you said that killing just wasn’t personal anymore?” she smiled playfully

"My turn is it? Or are you limiting me for the night then?"

“No by all means continue. As I have said I have another question for you already.” She laughed at his question. “I see, so my sex life is off limits so my love life is the next best thing?” she asked smiling. “Hmm, the first person I fell in love with…” Malice took a long drag of her cigarette blowing a long plume of smoke, watching as it danced through the air before her. “Properly would have to have been a girl named Eliza, she was a run away. She happened to be staying the woods I was travelling through, she attempted to rob me and I quickly tied her up and took her back to my camp. As I’ve said before, I used to only drink from my enemies and a girl of no older then seventeen trying to mug you with a slingshot and a stone is hardly an enemy. I took care of her for a few weeks whilst she got her strength back and recovered from sleeping rough and one thing led to another.” Malice stubbed her cigarette in the ash tray. “We were together for some years before she was staked by a hunter.”

Malice removed her coat from around her and leaned back in the chair once more resting one of her boots on the table in front of her. “I shall ask the question I had before. What is the story of your family then?”

(Good Lord, ALL of you have been waiting for me? I'm flatter but eesh, ditch me next time. I don't wanna slow everything up. D:)

Erasmus Ambrogio

Erasmus shook his head with a chuckle. "You put the over into overkill, Malice." However, he said no more. Malice was certainly set in her ways but he was amazed someone hadn't pulled her over to talk to her about that. 'Sorry, ma'am do you have a license to be carrying those firearms?' He imagined her reply would be something along the lines of 'No' and then blowing the copper's head off.

He grinned as she mentioned the allergy to sunlight. A secret only he knew and that he wouldn't divulge. Not at this time, but he found it oh so amusing judging by the smirk on his face and the shake of his shoulders suggesting he was either silently laughing or trying not to laugh. He took a slow drag on his cigarette and listened to her, that smirk never leaving his lips.

The conversation took a more... sober tone as she described her plans with the vehemence of a Disney villain. “No! I will make them pay! They will all suffer as I did.” for a moment, there was a flash in his eyes very like pity and sadness. But it faded quick. Pushed back and replaced with concerned care. When she was finished, he made the note to not bring up the subject again.

"Erasmus I’m older then you!”

"Only by a couple of decades give or take a year or two." He replied with a casual shrug of his shoulders and a dismissive wave of his hand, causing smoke to billow out around him. "In the grand scheme of things that hardly counts as anything worth while, we live far too long."

"As for my family... well," He took a ponderous drag of his cigarette "We're a perfect example of nineteen fifties nuclear home." He grinned devilishly. "Grandmother wants to kill her son and eat him, he is a diabolical crime lord with dysfunctional children ranging from a homicidal pacifist in love with his sister who is in love with... only heaven knows what. Plus two deranged sociopaths and crazy situation of unrequited love and gender confusion. Plus the pet of one deranged sociopath now becoming his sister... daughter... lover thing. We're quite the model of perfection, really."

Malice Whateley

He took a slow drag on his cigarette and listened to her, that smirk never leaving his lips.

"Oh? So what's so funny then?" Malice asked with a raised eyebrow. Erasmus was definately an unusual man, some of his actions very curious to say the least. "I don't see how the fact of us being able to be burned alive repeatedly is in any way amusing." She picked her glass up from the table and took another sip, swirling the red liquid around the glass.

She tipped her glass slightly towards him as he spoke of their age difference. "Yes, I suppose that's very true. 16 years out of 800 isn't a great deal, though still it's the principal of the thing." she added smiling.

Malice listened intently to his story of his family, "I can't say I've ever really had that sort of family, when I was a live my family were typical peasant types then my creator was killed so I have no idea who else is connected to me through him and I have not seen my mentor in centuries." She looked up at the ceiling where she was laying as though her life story were printed on it. "Though that never really bothered me, I prefer to travel alone. Far to complicated otherwise."

"Do you have another question for or shall we retire that game for the morning and perhaps talk about something else?" She asked finishing her glass. "I must admit actually, there are times that I miss the battles and the fights, it is difficult to join in these days, so much is done bureaucratically in the military that it would be difficult to go by unnoticed, added to the obvious fact that the biggest war on right now is in a bloody desert country, not exactly to go fighting when you have a severe allergy to sunlight."

"What about you Ermo, what have you done to occupy yourself for night on the past millennium?" Malice pulled a piece of paper from her coat pocket along with a plain looking black pen where she began to write, noting down everything she could think of about her sword and other items. She was almost certain that with Erasmus' prying mind he'd be interested as to why she wanted it back but she decided his questioning would be worth being returned her sword.

Marcus
Marcus stood in the doorway of Philomen’s room and looked at her bed. She wasn’t really expecting him to take a lady’s bed from her was she? He shook his head a little as he walked closer to her bed and pulled one of the pillows out from under the rest.

“You need to rest as well.” He said softly before he started looking around her room. His tired eyes soon spotted a single seat couch that fitted in with the theme of the room all to well. He slumped down in it and propped the pillow in under his head.

Marcus sat there, fully awake and aware, looking at the two girls and wondering what the rest of the people in the house was up to. His eyes fell to the floor before his heavy eyelids took over and his body realized how tired it actually was. His breathing slowed, his chest gently rising and falling to prove he was still alive.

Luke
Luke blinked as Summer mentioned him being a vampire. He was silent for a moment as he looked down at the book in his lap, his fingers folded together. Normal things, like teaching a ghost to read, would make him temporarily forget the state that he is sometimes in denial about.

“There are many things I had hoped to do with my life.” He answered as he got to his feet and placed the book he was reading on a side table.
“It would be good if you practiced, Summer. Keep going through your book.” He said with a small smile and a nod. Luke handed Summer her book back before walking over to a window that was covered with heavy drapery. He could feel the sun threatening to come out of its hiding place. Luke pulled the curtain away only an inch to look out at the already lit up world outside. His flesh burned as the light touched it, like he was pressing his face to a hot stove.
Luke pulled away quickly and walked over to the door as his burned skin was healing as fast as it could.

“That will be all till sunset.” He dismissed Summer and pulled the doors of the library open, then retreated to the safety of his room.

Summer

Summer closed her eyes as her master stood. 'Shit! Well done Summer!' she thought angrily to herself. "Forgive me, sir. I did not mean to be rude." She added quickly, standing herself; as was proper for a servant.

“There are many things I had hoped to do with my life.”

She watched his every step across the room, almost as though he would turn on her at any moment and shout. "I'm sorry, sir. I should have know better." but he didn't shout. He just quietly placed the book on the side and spoke almost dreamlike as he shifted the curtains slightly, causing her to shield her eyes at the sudden brightness but she could see and hear that it was doing much worse to her master.

“That will be all till sunset.”

She curtsied low as he dismissed her, "I really am sorry, master. I shall return to my duties." she said quietly. As he left she turned around tears forming in her eyes as she picked up her little book and placed it back in her apron.

Leaving quickly she phased through the walls between the library and her room to cry quietly on her bed, something she didn't do often but being of fragile mind could be easily brought on. Many a time had the mortal slaves of the vampires shunned her attempts at conversation and swore wickedly at her for being crazy or twisted, despite her protestations and attempts to make friends.

There was a slightly audible click in the air.

"Urgh! What the hell is going on? Why are my cheeks wet?" Winter felt her face, the tears of Summer still streaked her now make-up stained face. She stood up letting her tattered and blood-marked dress fall down to her feet, along with a small book from her torn apron. She eyed the small colourful book, "Reading for Children." She read aloud. "I do have some real crap, don't I?" she kicked the book over to a corner in the room before phasing herself downwards to torment the enslaved mortals.