Red Rebirth (pm to join)

[slippedhalo]

Vivian was relieved at the sight of the glass. She didn't think she could stomach putting her lips against the cheap blonde anyplace on her thin body. So, she took the glass and sniffed, pretending it actually was the wine it resembled. It tasted less enticing and addictive than Jianova's own personal brand. She supposed she'd always compare tastes with her maker's. After a few sips the wine grew tepid to her lip which curled in disgust and an instinct for self preservation. She set the cooling glass of now useless blood on the table, motioning to a waitress for a fresh one.

 

[JadeKnight]

He took his glass in one straight drink, deciding not to let it cool. He placed the goblet on the table as he watched Vivian sip the blood for a few sips before finding it not to her liking. He laughed softly for a moment.

"Drinking cooled blood is an acquired taste Angel. If you watch as the others drink, they're had their goblets for awhile, still sipping. I can't stomach it chilled either, but some can."

He smiled for a moment as he could feel the warmth of the blood in his belly. The thought fo her practicing entered his mind. He didn't feel comfortable to let her feed on others yet, but he could control her with him.

"Come closer Angel. You can get your first feeding now."

He motioned for her to come by him, holding out the wrist he had always cut to fill her goblet.

"Try not to be too greedy, But I will stop you if you do get greedy."

 

[slippedhalo]

Vivian saw eyes upon her around the place and felt extremely self conscious. "No thank you." She said with a demure dip of her head. "I'll wait fot now." Publicly sharing her first live blood feeding felt tantamount to the brief erotic scene Kitty had playing in her head, to Vivian at this point. True to her Victorian values, she was not an exhibitionist. Not at this point, anyway.

Unsure of why her mood felt so murcurial, she rose from the table and moved through the dancing (and feeding, she noticed some of them now) crowd on the dance floor to get a closer look at the band playing while sorting through her thoughts and conflicting emotions.

Roderigo, a tall, dark skinned vampire with his long, black, glossy hair tied in a ribbon of red at the nape of his neck, sidled up beside Vivian. He spoke with a heavy Spanish accent as he murmured, "This time and place must feel very alien to you, new fledgling. I can tell you come from a very reserved culture. My apologies if our nonchalance with the nature of what he are seems shocking. We've had so many more decades, some of us centuries, to adapt...I am Roderigo. You are?"

Vivian turned slightly to regard this soft spoken man. He looked as if he might have been handsome even before his change. She recognized him as the other vampire from Kitty's erotic memory. "Vivian...Or, Sister Catherine...I don't really know why..."

He put a long finger to his lips and shhed. "It is alright, lovely lady. May I call you Vivian?"

She nodded.

"No one will force you to do a thing. We are all friends here. We vampires without clans try to help one another when need arises. I am at your service if ever Jianova becomes...monotonous..."

Vivian took the business card he handed her (his name and address, and it said he was a drummer) but she barely looked at him. Was he suggesting she leave her mentor? Why would she ever do that?

 

[JadeKnight]

Jianova did watch her as she left to wander the room, just making sure she wouldn't get into trouble. He gave a little laugh seeing who she had wondered into, Roderigo the self-proclaimed ladies' man. Wanting to make sure he wasn't trying to do anything too drastic to his flegling, Jianova made his way over to them. He did arrive just into to hear Roderigo talking about him being monotonous.

He chuckled softly as he laid his hands gently on Vivian's shoulder for a moment.

"I hope this one isn't bothering you too much angel. He has a tendency to try and woo every lady he meets."

Roderigo just smiled and gave a mock bow.

"It's all in good fun Jianova."

Jianova laughed softly before turning Vivan back towards the crowd.

"There's a couple of vampires I thought you might like to meet. They run the theater up the street in the evenings."

He guided her to a pair of female vampires who looked exactly the same. They smiled seeing the two coming there way. It seemed the only way to tell them about was one wore a small pair of gold earings while the other did not. They were dressed in black dresses very similar to what Vivian had on.

"This is Maxine and Brinda Flosine. Ladies, this is Vivian."

Maxine, the one with earrings smiled as she reached out and took Vivian's right hand while Brinda took Vivian's left hand.

"Come, dance and talk with us."

 

[slippedhalo]

"I'm not really a very good dancer..." protested Vivian weakly as the pair pulled her with them toward the undulating crowd of various styles of dance and costumes, a mixture of cultures, races, time periods, living and supernaturally alive, all finding their own unique sameness as they moved to the music together.

Strangely, after a few awkward minutes, Vivian found a somewhat fun balance between something old and the newer styles she was seeing around her, learning quickly as she mimicked the twins in their movements and the trio complementary to one another as their movements synchronized. This went on for two songs before Brinda whispered to Maxine and Maxine pulled Vivian by the hand to join them on the fringe of the crowded floor. "Vivian, we're seeking our next play's faerie queen, Queen Eleai. You fit the idea we had in our minds for her look so well...The right coloring and body type...You can learn to dance. Do you sing?"

Vivian hadn't been expecting this at all. She colored and shrugged her shoulders. "I, um...I can sing I guess, but I don't know if it's good or not. I've only ever sung church hymns and children's rhymes." She admitted.

"After you've fed would you come to our theatre tomorrow night?" Both twins asked in unison.

Vivian had to smile at the unplanned natural unity of the sister's minds. She was no twin but as a girl she'd been very close with her sister Beth, senior by a year and five months. The twins reminded her of the lost sisterly bond by their closeness with one another. She found herself shrugging once more, "If Jianova approves I see no reason not to. But why?"

"We'd like you to audition for a part in our new play."

Vivian sighed, "I'm not really...I have always avoided too much attention. Attention means trouble... This would put me on display..."

"Yes, in the spotlight. Center stage. Right where a beaty such as yourself truly belongs!" Exclaimed Maxine, putting an arm around Vivian's shoulders as the twins described the play about faeries and elves and a pair of human star-crossed lovers they'd written and were now busy producing and directing. "Shyness gets true beauties nowhere. Own your loveliness, Vivian. Use it to be our star! Our theatre produces one play per season for select human audiences. We give just two performances per sesson. One at midnight on a full moon and one at 2am when the moon wanes. The audience pays for their exclusive seats in blood sacrifice. Literally, they'll feed the performers and producers a little blood each. A full house is especially wanted because it's much safer for the patrons that way. They're highly encouraged to bring guests to the performance. We reserve the right to turn bad blood away at the door. It happens rarely but some humans just give off bad juju, that's what we call bad blood. We don't drink from those whose minds are closed to our telepathy or who are telepathic themselves. It's just unpleasant that way, otherwise...Anyway, if you get the part and we like your performance you'll get to join our theatre company. We're all 'The Moonlit Players'. Not a one less than a decade undead. You'd make a fabulous addition. We could use a real ginger."

Jianova approached and picked up the end of Maxine's speech. Vivian watched the flirtatious, knowing smiles they shared and wondered if they had also been lovers before. They seemed like old friends now as they discussed the theatre which he apparently knew very well but preferred to enjoy from the audience more than from the stage. Although, he had designed and painted some of their sets before.

"They want me to audition for a part in their play." Said Vivian. "The faerie queen."

 

[JadeKnight]

When Vivian was taken by the sisters onto the dance floor, Jianova had decided to talk with the bartender. He had found the idea of storing blood intriguing and wanted to know more about it. After all, humans couldn't exactly be feed from everyday nonstop. They needed time to replenish themselves between each feeding.

It turned out that much like the sale of alcohol, the blood trade was an underground trade as well. With the ability to preseve blood for emergencies for the humans, the ability to bypass having to go straight to the source was becoming a privalige for the more well-off vampires. Without needing to go hunting every night, they were able to persue their more earthly pleasures they had once enjoyed as a normal human. However obtaining the preserved blood did come with it's own risks by those who stole it from the hospitals and storage facilities.

Jianova had finished haggling over a wine bottle of recently obtained blood, only a couple of days old, by the time the sisters had solicited Vivian for the play. Though the blood was supposed to remain chilled before drinking it, it could be warmed up by fire to the temperture he liked. He took the bottle and carried it with him to see what the ladies were doing. He just smiled as he caught the tail-end of the discussion and then the request from Vivian.

The sisters held their hands out to Jianova, who took each one and kissing the back of their hands before letting go. He had thought of encourging vivian of doing something to make herself a little more cultured and showing her off. He didn't think her beauty should be couped up at the house.

"I do believe it would be a wonderful idea for you Angel. The stage would be a wonderful medium for you to shine. There is no reason for you to stay sheltered at the house."

The sisters smiled brightly at his words before gasping softly as they looked towards the clock near the club's enterence. Both ladies gave a curtsy for a moment before Maxine smiled.

"Please bring her by the theater tomorrow evening Jianova."

The two hurried out of the club as Jianova looked to the clock as well. He sighed softly for a moment.

"It's only two o'clock, but I think we have time. Would you care to go to the docks and see the rest of the family angel? I also have to see if I can work my last night there on another night."

He held his free hand out to Vivian.

 

[slippedhalo]

She took his hand and followed, glad for his sturdy, steady frame to lean on as she was beginning to feel a bit light headed and suspected her thirst would win over her shyness soon enough. He led her into the duskier than earlier night and she wondered what business he could have at the docks.

 

[JadeKnight]

As they walked along, Jianova gently pulled her closer to him. He slid his arm around her slender waist, his hand resting on her outer hip. However he he didn't have a tight hold, so she could have pulled from him if she so desired.

The walk to the docks took about twenty minutes, passing through the heart of the city. They did pass through a couple of alleyways, which stank of a few homeless that were asleep among the garbage. The docks were well-light and reasonable busy for the wee morning hours. A couple of the onsite security guards nodded hello to them as they passed, as well as some of the dock workers.

Most of the warehouses were non-descript, but the one they headed to read Bruls Co. & Family. The main loading doors were wide open as a pair of workers carted large crates in and out of the building. He led her inside and to the back office. Unlike the other warehouses, the second floor was made into a living area for the Bruls family. In the office was an older man in his late forties going through the books. He looked up from the desk before smiling at seeing Jianova.

"What brings you in tonight Jianova? I wasn't expecting you back anytime soon. And who is this lovely woman with you?"

Jianova blinked for a moment hearing he didn't need to work, just chuckling. He smiled for a moment before introducing Vivian.

"This is Vivian, Uncle Jerome. Uncle Jerome, Vivian."

 

[slippedhalo]

Vivian stared, wide eyed, as the man stepped forward and took her hand in a brief greeting, with a chivalrous kiss on the knuckle. He looked around the same age as Jianova, perhaps younger, even. How could this be his uncle? "Are you also...a...like us?" She asked with uncertainty.

 

[JadeKnight]

Jerome laughed for a moment at her question, smiling.

"No, no. I'm human, just like the rest of my little family. They are all upstairs asleep, or I would have brought them down to meet you. Jianova started calling me Uncle soon after I married, and it just kinda stuck. Have you been with him long?"

Jerome moved back to his desk, getting a few papers re-organized as he listened to Vivian. Once he was finished, he moved back to them with a smile.

 

[slippedhalo]

Vivian looked shyly up at Jianova and they shared a smile before he headed to a desk of papers and appeared to be organizing them. "Well, I've been in his care for thirty years but was badly burnt when he found and began the changes in me. It took that long for me to fully change whilst healing. I've only been, as I am now, fully conscious and fully changed, for a couple of nights. I'm still learning very many things." She explained.

"Sir? I see the dawn approaching. Shouldn't we be on our way home soon?" She asked her mentor, feeling a slightly uncomfortable prickling heat from the glimmer of lightening skies through the window glass.

She was also famished and wondered if she'd be able to make it much longer without taking to blood.

 

[JadeKnight]

Jerome grinned for a moment.

"Speaking of home, I got that problem fixed for you."

He led the two over to a large tarp-covered object sitting in the middle of the warehouse.

"It was just a matter of replacing the spring. She is back in working codition for you. Feel free to take her back home."

The old man grabbed a corner of the blight brown tarp and pulled it away to reveal a black-coloredBuick Marque. Jianova smiled for a moment.

"Beautiful. Not that we'll be using it much, but it's nice to have back. And am ready to go when you are, Angel."

He went to the passenger side and held the open open for her. The interior was decorated out in brown leather over the seats. The windows had pull down shades on them to protect from the sun, for such moments incase they were caught out longer than they needed to be.

 

[slippedhalo]

Vivian carefully stepped into the vehicle sitting in the seat as she ran hr hand over the polished interior. It sputtered to life as Jianova began to drive them home.

"Sir, I feel...weak. is it because I haven't drunk or because it's nearly daytime?" She asked over the noise of the engine, thankfully, near to the graveyard within mere minutes.

 

[JadeKnight]

He reached over and patted her thigh gently for a moment as he pulled the car up in front of the house. He smiled for a moment.

"It could be either of those things, or you could just be really tired at the moment. This is only your second day at being out of the coffin after all."

He shut the engine off before climbing out of the car and moving around to open the door for her. He took her hand gently as he helped her out and into the house.

"Now let's get you to bed Angel. Once you get into a routine and stronger, you won't feel so weak."

 

[slippedhalo]

The next night Vivian awoke with nothing but her parched tgroat and incredibly strong thirst on her mind. She could barely knock for her freedom from the coffin before feeling dizzy from the effort it took to get Jianova's attention. The sight of him flushed with blood running through his undead body as he slid the lid from her coffin was too much to bear. She roughly grabbed hold of his forearm and sank her teeth into the flesh where his wrist pulsed, swooning with the swell of pure, luscious, crimson life passing through her lips fastened to him like a suction cup, drunk from the first swig.

 

[JadeKnight]

When he opened the coffin, he wasn't expecting to be caught off-guard by her. He did plan on feeding her like that, but wanted to take it slower. However, he didn't stop her yet. He just gave a little smirk for a moment, watching and feeling her feed from him.

He made a fist with the hand of the arm she fed from, allowing her to get more. He shivered a little at the pleasure of her feeding from him, trying to let it overwhelm too much. Feeling the almost death-like grip she had with her hands, he put his free hand on her head, gathering a handful of her hair.

"That's enough."

He winced a little as he forcefully pulled her from his wrist. Seeing some blood dribble from the corner of her lips, he leaned close. He licked the blood from her skin for a moment before lifting up, licking his wrist closed.

 

[slippedhalo]

"I'm so sorry!" Vivian murmured woozily in embarrassment, looking around her in confusion as she was helped to sit up. She felt warm and soon the rush from the blood was energizing her once more. "I don't know what came over me, it was as if all I could think about was thirst!"

 

[JadeKnight]

"That happens when a vampire gets very thirsty Angel. No need to apologize."

He smiled for a moment before helping her out of her coffin.

"The twins will be expecting you at the theater in a bit. Perhaps you should freshen up before we leave. I shall wait for you in the drawing room."

He gave her a kiss on the back of her hand before heading upstairs himself.

 

[slippedhalo]

Vivian wondered what it would be like to be not just in the audience but actually on the stage in a real live theater performance! As she dressed and left with Jianova for the twin's theatre she worked hard to quash her nervousness.

Both hostesses were gracious as they entered backstage and were greeted bybthe twins. There were so many vampires and humans who seemed emotionally attached to the creatures of the night with passion she couldn't comprehend, Vivian's head swam with nee names she couldn't possibly remember.

 

[JadeKnight]

The twins were overjoyed seeing Vivian actually come to the theater. They had planned on having her join the little troupe, so they went through the motions of introducing her to all of the cast members. Seeing that his fledging was in good hands, Jianova went out to the seating area. He sat down in the front row to watch all the rehearsal.

Wanting to hear her sing, the twins gave Vivian a copy of the scirpt music before ushering her out to the center of the stage.

"Please, try out some of the music and let us know what you think."

Once vivi had the music, they went to join Jianova in the seats on either side of him.

 

[slippedhalo]

Vivian was shy at first but began to feel more comfortable as the rehearsal went on. The lines they gave her were not difficult to memorize. In this play she wasn't the main character but was starting off slowly, as "Tavern Girl", who had only two scenes in the play, just seven lines in the whole production, and one solo line in a song, but harmony as well in that song and two more group harmonies in later parts of the play. The sound of her voice now perfected by vampiric perfect pitch quality pleased her and those listening as she attempted her parts and nailed them on the first attempt. They practiced her biggest scene three times before moving on to the next.

She grew more confident she could handle this first role although grew nervous again when the twins explained the demeanor and costume for "Tavern Girl". She'd definitely have to act a bit. This character was quite...confident in ways Vivian had no knowledge of...She'd have to pretend to be flirtatious and a bit greedy for the coin. She hoped she'd be able to pull it off.

 

[JadeKnight]

Jianova smiled as he remained in his seat, watching the whole time. He didn't really offer any input, letting the twins take the lead. Both women were pleased with how well Vivian was fitting into the part they chose for her.

As the twins directed how things went on stage, one of them would offer suggestions to Jianova on how he could help her. The suggestions were helpful, but he would have to think up the best way to implement them. It was just after midnight when Maxine called for everyone to take a break.

"Everyone is doing well, very well. We should be ready for the play to go in five days, but time for a break."

Jianova went behind stage to visit Vivian to make sure she was good.

"Are you thirsty Angel?"

He offered a wrist to her, in case she was ready.

 

[slippedhalo]

Vivian looked furtively around to check nobody was watching before she took hold of the warm offering and drank with deep thirst. She had felt strange urges and ease in her inhibitions every time she drank and it wa growing stronger now. She realized, with some shock, that she was feeling somewhat aroused...Was it this loose woman role she'd been practicing on the stage or was it the blood? Regardless, her eyes took in the handsome face and body of her mentor and she found herself focused on his lips...How would it feel to kiss them? Would he be insulted if she admitted her attraction to him?

 

[JadeKnight]

He smiled as he watched his fledgling drink from his wrist. It was a strange feeling, but an intimate one for him as he felt her suck his blood from him. He was gauging how much for her to drink, so she wouldn't overindulge herself.

He had almost determined the time when the twins came into view.

"She looks so cute doing that."

He laughed for a moment as he glanced towards the two, carefully pulling his wrist from Vivian's mouth.

"You two are going to embarrass her."

They grinned for a moment before clapping their hands.

"Come now dear. Practice is almost done for the evening."