Please send all comments to the author: Kamala.
The most of the characters in this story are based on the show Kindred: the Embraced and are property of Spelling Entertainment and Fox. I have borrowed them for a bit and will return them as soon as I am done with them. Some of the ideas and chants are from the movie The Craft, I am using them to aid in story development. They too will be returned. I would like to thank some very special ppl: Val for all your help and constantly having story ideas bounced off you. Amy for much of the same. To all my friends on the IRC who have put up with me while this process has been going on. To everyone who has read and given me feedback on the story. To Titus Welliver for being gorgeous and providing inspiration. The STORY IS RATED NC-17 it gets pretty graphic and sexual in areas. Please enter at your own risk.
Bloodlines: The Dark Secret
Copyrighted 1996 Prologue- 1856- California Fear and terror coursed through her body. something was wrong with her mother. Her body was screaming it. She grabbed her robe and shoved her feet onto her boot and went running from the cabin. Her steps slowed as she entered the clearing where the circle sat. In the center of the circle was a bon fire and tied to the stake in the center was her mother. She was being burned alive. "No, Moth...," she started to scream but a hand came over her mouth before the words could leave. "There is nothing you can do for now. If they catch you, you too will die," a heavily accented voice said, "Do you understand?" She nodded and the hand moved away from her mouth. "Come on we had better go before they sense our presence," the man said pulling her way from the scene in front of her. "But my mother," she whispered. "She would want you to live. There is nothing you can do for her." She turned and ran after the mysterious man. They slowed to a walk after they had entered the forest. Soon they entered someone's vineyards. She stopped to catch her breath, the man turned to look at her and her breath was caught in her throat. There was nothing extraordinary about the man except for the air in which he carried himself and those stunning emerald green eyes. "I want to thank you for saving me. I'm Famke LaTorriette," she told him. "You are welcome. I am Archon Raine. Don't worry we are on a good friend's of mine property. We will be safe here." Three Nights Later: She heard Julian come in to her room, she looked up from a book of her mother's she was reading. "Famke, Archon's been injured. I need you to go to Steve''s home and get help. There are fresh horses in the barn." She looked at Julian and he looked like he had been through a bar room brawl. "Julian, Are you okey?" "Just go, Get Help Famke." She left with Julian , as they neared the library a man exited. "Julian, he is fading fast. He needs mortal blood." That statement stopped her in her tracks. All the pieces that she had been wondering about snapped into place. Her mother had warned the coven of dark forces in the area. That the dead now walked among them. But everyone had put if off to her mother just trying to hold her position in the coven. Now everyone in the coven was dead except for her. No matter how much she wanted to hate Archon and Julian at that point, she could not. They had been so kind to her and helped her get her life together in these few short days. She looked past the man standing there talking to Julian at Archon. Archon had become like the father she had never known and now he laid dying. "Manon, give me the strength to do what needs to be done," she whispered and bolted to Archon's side before anyone could stop her. As she passed the desk, she grabbed a letter knife and slit her wrist. Blood began to flow from the cut, she dropped to her knees and pressed her wrist to Archon's lips. She winced as he sunk his teeth into her arm and began to take the life's blood she was offering. Julian stood at the door in shock. Archon had told him that Famke had a sense of humanity that he had never encountered before. Julian had not believed him thinking of her as a flighty creature. Julian moved to Famke's side to control Archon's feeding for in his state he could kill Famke without even knowing it. Julian watched as she passed out from sudden the sudden loss of blood. She woke up in her own bed, the next night. She slowly sat up the loss of blood had made her feel really woozy. Archon sat in a chair near her bed. "How can you be healed? Your injuries were so serious," Famke asked leaning back against the pillows. "Your blood helped heal me. Thank you for saving my life," Archon said moving to sit on the side of the bed. "You saved my life that night, it was the right thing to do." Archon proceed to tell her about his kind, "Now you know everything, you possess very dangerous information about my kind." "I won't hunt you. My mother's family has been hunted for centuries for their beliefs." "I want to make you one of us. Famke, I want you to be part of my brood. That is why I am telling you all this." She just stared at him, "I want to be one of you." Archon moved to her side and tilted her neck sideways. He sunk his fangs into her neck and slowly drained her of most of her blood. Before she lost consciousness, he slit his wrist and held it to her mouth. "Drink and become one of my children." Blood filled her mouth, a salty foreign taste. Then her remaining blood began to burn. Her senses expanded and a new world opened to her. The feelings threatened to overwhelm her... "Miss Miss" She came awake suddenly. "I am sorry but we are about to land and I need you to return your chair to it's normal upright position for landing." She shook off the lingering feeling of sleepiness she still had. She would have be fully alert for her upcoming meeting with Archon. Little did she know that this would be the last time she would see him alive. Chapter 1 Prodigal Childe Famke stood watching the burial from a distance. Archon had asked her to come back to San Francisco, so that they could talk while Julian was away. Their time together had been very brief and she knew she would honor his last request. Like Julian, Archon was her sire and he had asked for her to be Primogen of the Ventrue. Archon had known he was going to die and had told her that there was nothing she or anyone could do it was fate. "Famke, you understand fate better than most of us. You know there is very little you can do to change destiny once it is decided., " Archon told her. "Sire, that might be true but I believe that things can change. Let me face this person. I am just as responsible as you are in this matter," Famke responded. "No, I was responsible for the massacre and I will take responsibility for it," he informed her. "Cameron is not going to stop till he has become the Prince of the City," Famke said looking out over the Bay. "How do you know its Cameron?" Archon knew Cameron was Primogen of the Brujah but did not understand the connection to the events of ten years ago. "Because he is the only person who escaped injury or death that night. He was the Brujah, I was seeing. When you told me what was going to happen, I made sure he was with me that night," Famke said staring at her Sire. "I understand, I only wish that I did not let anger guide my actions ten years ago. You were so young when I embraced you, but yet so old. Sixteen is an unusually young age to embrace someone," Archon told her. "Yes, but my world had been destroyed. My mother burned at the stake for her beliefs by the Tremere. She was a threat, they could not deal with her powers. The practice of the craft is a tradition that has been carried down though the generations on the matriarchal side," she said, " If you had not saved me, they would have burned me too." "The Tremere are the only ones of the Kindred who practice some from of Magic. So they had a lot to fear from you. And I was glad I saved you. Even though you were embraced you retain much of your humanity. You were the balance the Ventrue needed," Archon said putting a hand on her shoulder. "You know I started practicing the craft after that night. Three worshippers of Manon saved me letting me feed off them. I joined their circle. Taking my right full place as the Watch Tower of the North. And I later embraced them to make the circle eternal." The rain continued to pour and Famke stood watching the burial from behind a near by monument. Tears of blood where streaming down her face as she watched Julian place Archon's remains in his casket. The Primogen from the other clans were there. Julian's grief was beyond what one would expect. Most childe were happy to be free of their Sires at some point. She knew the day she was told to leave was the best and the worse say in her life. She was now her own person. A sound of movement caught her ear. She turned and saw a man behind a tree watching the tableau in front of them. He did not seem to see her. The Cop was all she could think of. Slowly the figures dissolved into the night, after the body was buried. She stood till all had left. "Father, your death will not be in vain. You asked me to watch and assist Julian in his quest to protect the masquerade and I will honor that wish," Famke said, placing a blood red rose on the grave. She stepped away and turned her back to the man who now lied in a grave a man who gave her, her greatest wish and the man who condemned her soul at the same time. On her way out of the cemetery she passed a grown over grave, she pushed the weeds and wild flowers to the side. There was her name, date of birth and date of death, she took a deep breath it still took ones breath away looking at ones own grave. She paused and then left to head to her house over looking the Pacific Ocean. Chapter 2 - The Game Famke was waiting for them outside the Haven. She had called them at the Cove House and told them to meet her at the Haven. Amy and her had a private discussion and now Amy looked like Famke but with hazel eyes. And Famke looked like the way Amy normal looked. They entered the club and found a table at the center of the room. They all took a seat and placed an order for some wine. The waiter tried to card them but Val put a thought in the man's head that he had done it and they were all of age. "No use in drawing attention to the fact certain people here look nothing like their ID's," Val said when Amy raised an eyebrow at her. Famke was not paying attention to them, she was staring at Cameron and Julian coming down the stairs. Her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of Cameron. Memories of their time together came flooding back. She tore her eyes away from him and took a deep breath. The others followed her where her gaze had been. "Which one is Cameron?" Jessa asked. "The one on the right. The one with the serious sideburns," Famke said looking at the men, "Julian is by default the man on the left. looking better than ever." They watched as the men went in there separate directions. Julian stopped at table and got some blond and headed out the door. No matter. their quarry was Cameron tonight. They watched as he sat down next to some Brujah. A woman came and wrapped her arms around Cameron's neck from the back. He reached around and grabbed her pulling her into his lap. The woman had a frown on her face. "Looks like she is upset," Jessa said. "Not as upset as Famke here," Val said looking at Famke' face. "A Brujah slut now that is a rare sight," Famke hissed watching Cameron kiss the woman. One of the near by Brujah heard the sound and looked right at Amy. He appeared to be in shock and made a strangling sound. "Show time Amy," Val said smiling. Cameron looked over to where Gregor was staring and a cold chill went down his back, the woman sitting a couple tables over looked exactly like Famke. He pushed Danni off his lap, he had been getting tired of her constant whining and trouble making anyway. He got up and headed to the bar, where the woman had moved to. "Can I get another bottle of wine please, Old Mission if you have any," the vision said. Cameron froze for a second, "Excuse me, Famke?" Cameron asked. The woman turned around, looked him over, like he was naked, and informed him," No but you can call me that if you want." Cameron was disappointed, the woman was not Famke her eye were not the pools of crystal aqua that Famke's were. He closed his eyes for the briefest of seconds and when he opened them. Staring at him were those aqua eyes he had loved for so long. The woman blinked and he saw the hazel brown again. His mind must have been playing tricks on him. "Are you alright?" the woman asked. "Yes, Sorry to have bothered you," Cameron said turning to return to his table. A sly smile crossed Amy' s lips as she pick up the bottle of wine and headed back to the table, the other Brujah's eyes following her all the way. "Amy, that was perfect. I swear I thought he was going to fall over when you changed your eye color and then blinked it back," Famke said a smile on her face, as she opened the new bottle of wine and poured it for them. "Amy, It was cruel," Val forever the romantic, "You could have given the man a seizure there. He almost fell over when see saw those aqua eyes." "Chill Val, he's okey," Jessa said putting a hand on Val's arm. They quickly finished the bottle. Famke smiled, "I want to play, Bathroom Time." Jessa the voice of reason within the group, "Why do you always want to play?" "What can I say, it's hard not to play when there are SO MANY toys," Famke got up and headed to the rest rooms. "I going back to my normal looks. I want to visit with Cameron," Famke said and shook her head, the spell dissipated and she was left with her normal looks. She walked over the full length mirror. She pulled her black mini even shorter and took off the emerald short velvet smoking robe she was wearing. Famke looked at herself in the mirror and proceeded to peel off her black t-shirt. "Val be a dear and shove this in your bag." Famke asked tossing the shirt to her and putting the robe back on tying it loosely so that some cleavage was exposed. "Seduce and conquers wins all the time," Val smirked shoving the shirt in her hand bag, she knew she was going to enjoy what happened next. "Famke, are you sure about this? Julian does not even know you are in the city. And this is not the way he should find you are," Jessa told her. "Is it my fault that he was not at the house when I came looking for him. Look Jessa he will get over it," Famke said fixing her hip length black tresses. Amy and Jessa just looked at each other by the doors. "He will just have to get over it," Val said coming to stand behind Famke, "You need more eyeliner and lipstick." "Show Time." Famke said heading towards the doors, Jessa pulled the door open and Famke walked through it, dropping the spell that had masked that they were Kindred from everyone. Val and Amy took up their positions is the front with Famke just behind them between the two. Jessa was slightly behind Famke's left side. They walked out into the main area of the club. Most of the Kindred of the city were present, except for the Nosferatu. The only Primogen's present were Cash and Cameron. By sunrise, rumors would have spread through out the city that someone looking like Famke had been seen with three other Kindred within the city limits. The song "I have the Touch" was throbbing through the club. "What a fitting song," Amy said smiling. "If I did not know better I would say Famke had this orchestrated," Val answered, as all eyes turned towards them. They walked towards where Cameron was sitting, Danni was on his lap but she was being ignored They stopped in front of his table and Famke leaded over, "You know Cameron I always thought you had better taste than this," Famke looked Danni up and down. "Famke..." Cameron managed to get out. "Surprise!" she answered, "If I were you I would be careful who knows what you could catch from her." With that she headed towards the door, she suddenly stopped and looked at Cameron and blew him a kiss. "May I suggest you purchase large sums of Bactine. You might need it." And with that she left the Haven and got into the waiting limo. Chapter 3- The Fine Line between Love and Hate Next Night at the Haven Famke entered Haven through the back entrance and made her way up to Lillie's private quarters. If she wanted to find out what Julian had been up to these last ten years Lillie was the one to talk to. Famke knew that she did not rank high on Lillie's list but she figured that time changes may things. She had also heard rumors that Lillie and Julian were no longer a couple, so Lillie might be more willing to talk to her. Lillie was standing staring out over her club, from an one-way mirror. " Hello Lillie," Famke said as she approached her. "Famke," Lillie said in shock, "When did you get back into town?" "I have been here off and on for the past couple days. Taking care of some things before I present myself to Julian." "You know about Archon of course," Lillie said somberly. "Yes, I know," Famke walked towards where Lillie was standing, "Who's Julian with?" "Julian's new play thing. He fell for her about three months ago," Lillie said staring at the pair. "I am sorry Lillie to hear that. Julian and you have had a thing going for a long time. I know he has had other mortal women and Kindred ones too. But he has always come back to you." Lillie looked at Famke, " This one is different, Famke. She has captured a part of him. That one part of him that still longs to be human. And now I am left in the cold." Famke looked over to where Julian and Caitlin were sitting; she saw the love radiating from their eyes towards each other. She understood what it was like to love and then lose someone. "Lillie, you have to go and find someone who will appreciate you for you. Not because you are Primogen of the Toreador Clan but because you are Lillie Langtry. You seduced Princes and Royalty when you were mortal, you still have that power in you Lillie. Find someone who loves you like you have always desired to be loved. You deserve better." "Famke when does this feeling of loss go away? Every time I see him I want to be with him," Lillie said looking at Famke. "Lillie, it doesn't ever truly go away when love is involved. No matter what we'd like to think we can't just turn on and off our emotions. We maybe dead but we still feel." "I hate this longing. I have tried seeing other men but it is not the same. Every time I am with them, I think this should be Julian," Lillie said turning back to the window. Famke looked at Julian and Caitlyn sitting in a booth. Discussing something important from the looks on their faces. She saw Cameron enter the club and she visibly tensed up, "What is Cameron doing in the city?" "You know Cameron?" Lillie said in shock, Fame just nodded her head," He is the new Brujah Primogen after Eddie's untimely death." "Why am I not surprised, Cameron was always ambitious," Famke said staring at the man she had loved and lost, "I heard about Eddie and how you lopped off his head." "How both Julian and Cyrus wanted that kept quite," Lillie said in amazement. Everyone who had been present that night was sworn to secrecy. "I have my sources. Cameron Brujah Primogen," Famke said wistfully. "Cameron and I have gone out a couple times. He never mentioned he knew you," Lillie said looking at Cameron. Cameron was sitting in Julian's line of sight surrounded by his clan. One of the female members came up to him and placed a rather passionate kiss on his lips. "It never goes away Lillie. The need the desire its is always there. I loved him with all my heart and when he turned his back to me, I almost died. A little piece of me died that night," Famke said staring at Cameron, "When I see him, all I can think of is his caress and what we had. Almost ten years have gone by and my feelings have not lessened one bit and I hate it." "How do you live with it?" Lillie was some what in shock that Famke was begin so open with her. Then again Famke was always different. Too wise for her years. Famke turned and looked at Lillie, a single blood tear cascaded down her cheek,"I live with it cause it tells me I am not a beast. That a part of me is still human and wants unconditional love." "Look at us. Are we pathetic or what?" Lillie said trying to lighten mood. "Yeah, we are," Famke said wiping away the tear before it got on her shirt. Lillie looked at what Famke was wearing for the first time since she entered the room, "Nice outfit, Famke." Famke looked down at what she was wearing, black see-through shirt, her lace black bra accentuating her breasts. Black leather pants and knee length boots hugged her figured. She had dropped her motorcycle jacket on the chair, " Thanks Lillie coming from the ever fashion conscious Toreador Clan that says a lot." "Does Julian know you're back?" "No, not yet. I have a few hours before I am required to make my presence known. Right now there are only rumors saying I am back. Cause of the stunt I did last night here with my friends. I wanted to find out how things were," Famke informed Lillie. She looked over to where Julian was, "You know she is not what I would expect Julian to fall for after you." "I know, she is not the type Julian usually goes for. She is so... so...," Lillie was at a loss of words to describe Caitlin. "So Normal, So NICE," Famke filled in for her," She has a lot in common with Evelyn then. Maybe that's the attraction." "What was she like?" Lillie had wondered what Evelyn had been like, since Julian first told her about his deceased wife. "Evelyn?" Famke asked and Lillie nodded, "She was ever the lady. Always prim and proper. She was ...well...Nice. She was nice to everyone ad nauseam. She was the perfect woman for a mortal Julian. But for what he is now, she would have bored him to death." "Caitlin is very much like Evelyn then. And everything I am not." "She reminds him of what he once was what he has lost. What it is like to be the mortal Julian again, " Famke answered. "How utterly boring," Lillie said with a careless wave of her arm. Lillie then looked at Cameron and Danni who was all over him," What was Cameron like?" "Cameron was very different than he is now. The past has hardened him. We met when he was still mortal. We were seeing each other when the Brujah discovered our relationship. And he became a tool to be used against Archon, so he was embraced. Afterwards, he changed a little bit but he was pretty much the same as when he was mortal. But the night of the enforcement Julian did changed Cameron forever. Anger and desire for revenge rule him now. But he is smart, he will play by Julian's rules, just with in the boundaries of the traditions. Always testing but never breaking them." "He is a lot like you then. You always tested Julian and Archon's patience." "You maybe right. I was too young when I was embraced, but yet too worldly in many respects." "You know Julian always told me Archon said you were is greatest creation." "And his biggest disappointment. He was able to mold me somewhat but not to the extent of Julian. Julian was his star pupil." "Why did you leave, Famke?" Lillie asked, the one question that had been on every Kindred's lips ten years ago. Famke had been there one day and as if in a cloud of smoke gone the next. "Eleven years ago, I fell in love with Cameron. I loved him so much I could not embrace him and condemn him to my world of darkness. But someone didn't have the same feeling, Cameron was a weapon to be used and exploited. Turning my love for him against my clan, Archon and lastly me." "But you were together after he was embraced." "Cameron was in love and that over rode what his blood was telling him. That we were enemies. But things change and people change. After what happened at the Old Mission, he could not deal with the fact that I was Archon's childe. I hid the fact that some of them survived. But it got out I was involved with the Brujah, though no one knew exactly who. I was ban from the area and clan contact because of it." "Then why are you back?" Lillie asked. "Archon asked me to return to the city. He knew he was going to die. He wants me to be Primogen in his place and the clan supports his last wish," Famke told Lillie. "Julian is not going to like this," Lillie said. Famke and Julian has a past together, while not romantic in nature a past that almost destroyed both of them at one point. "Julian has little to say in the matter; He may be Prince but the clan's decide the Primogen and the Ventrue have chosen to honor Archon's last wish, me," Famke said then drained her glass. She stood and walked to the mirror that showed what was going on in the club." What Archon did to is Cameron's clan is unforgivable but in many ways to some it was just. I only wish I had been strong enough to stop it before it happened" "Famke, how could you know about what Archon was planning on doing?" Lillie asked looking at her. Famke turned from the window, " I was also one of his enforcers, Lillie. I knew what was going to happen that night. I could not save Cameron's clan but I could save him." "He has a lot to be angry about Famke." "And I don't. Ten years ago, I made a gamble for a life and I lost. I was striped of everything important to me. My life was almost forfeited. I don't want anyone's death for what happened to me. A mistake happened, I choose a love for a man over my own Sire's desires and I paid the price. And the scary thing is I would do it again in a heart beat Lillie," Famke finished. Famke and Lillie were standing at the window over looking the club when another group of Brujah entered. Sasha was following in the middle of the group. "What is Sasha doing with them?" Famke asked looking at Julian's Great granddaughter Sasha. "Sasha was embraced by one of Eddie's clan about 3 months ago in an attempt to get Julian to call out Eddie," Lillie informed her. "Great. Sasha the Luna Family's wild child is now Brujah," Famke said shaking her head. "Oh it gets better. She is attracted to Cash, Primogen of the Gangrels," Lillie told her. Famke just shook her head. Things were heating up in the club, tensions were running high. "I think its time to add fuel to the fire," Famke said draining her glass of wine. She put down her glass and grabbed her jacket. As she headed towards the door that lead down to the main floor, Lillie called out, "Are you sure you want to do this now?" "He is not going to be happy whether I do it here or at the house. You planning on joining me?" "I wouldn't miss this for the world. Let me go down first and tell him someone wants to see him," Lillie said with a demonic grin, "Wait a second. There is a Primogen meeting tonight I say make your presence known then. The Ventrue said they would present their new Primogen tonight." Famke smiled, "Do you have a phone? I want to call downstairs and tell Julian I am in the city at least and I came here looking for him last night, when I was told he might be here." Lillie handed her a portable phone and watched her dial a number. "Julian Luna please, I will hold," Famke stood there staring out the one way mirror watching a young man go to Julian. Julian did not look happy about having his meeting with Caitlyn disturbed. "Julian, here." "Hello, Julian it's Famke. I just wanted to let you know I was in the city and wondered If I could come see you to get your permission to be in the city." "Famke, is that really you?" "Yes, it is. I tried to find you last night but you were out your people said. I am in the city with three of my childe and need permission to be here." "Famke you and your childe are welcome here as long as you follow the rules." "Thank you, Julian. Maybe we can have dinner tonight Catch up on old times and such." "That would be good, I have a meeting tonight but after that I will make myself free for you." "Till tonight," Famke hung up the phone and looked at Lillie, " or maybe sooner."
