There was much to do when I awoke that night. The kitchen was a mess, and I’d promised the children that I’d tell one of my ‘famous’ stories before putting them to bed. Then, there was paperwork to do, for the orphanage was a non-profit organization, and in order not to pay income tax as a business, I had nearly ten forms to fill out. Nancy wasn’t getting home until 7:30, so Josie, Catherine, and Jack Lupus went ahead to court, and I would show up late.
As the older children were sitting down to dinner, the younger ones having been fed, bathed, and put to bed, the phone rang. In the middle of spooning the green beans into a serving dish, I grabbed the phone.
"Hello, Eternus speaking."
"Eternus? It’s Josie, and you’d better get your ass over here!" My daughter sounded upset, and I’d not often heard her swear, only when there was something very wrong.
I hurriedly threw the rolls into a basket and set them on the table, telling the older children that everything was fine, and it had only been a tele-marketer on the phone. Luckily, Nancy walked through the door five tense minutes later. I told her that there was an emergency at work, and I had to leave early. Thus, the children safe with someone, I made my way to Prince William Blair’s house.
Searched for weapons on my way in by Kyle and Chris, I ran into the front room, being careful to keep my eyes from the mirrored wall. Josie was sitting on the couch.
"Kid, what’s wrong? Are you OK?"
She jumped up when I came in. "Eternus, it’s Sally!"
"Sally?"
"Yeah, come on," Josie said and lead me into the back meeting room. Prince William was there, and Kyle and Chris followed us.
"Your wolf friend, Sally, she’s in trouble."
"You mean Surrey?" I asked, realizing that Josie might not have heard my friend correctly, for my Garou friend had a cleft lip and palette. She nodded.
Yes, Eternus," Prince William cut in, "she suddenly shifted into a big, slavering, man-wolf. Chris managed to get a punch in, but that only served to make her even more enraged. Then, suddenly, she froze, and Kyle was able to stab her in the back with two silver butter knives."
"Please, tell me you didn’t kill her," I said softly.
"Naw," Chris said and pointed out the window to the dark back-yard, "we tied her up in the shed."
I ran out and opened the tool-shed. Surrey was propped against one of the walls, still in full form, hands and feet bound. I shook her shoulder, and she groaned, shifting back to human form and falling to the floor. My friend looked terrible; she was cut and bruised, incredibly weak from the damage she’d taken from the silver.
"W-wha?" she asked, confused and in pain.
"Shh, just rest. I’ll take care of everything, OK?"
Surrey fell back into stupor, and I untied her. This was not good. I didn’t know who attacked her or why, but now her cover was blown and she’d have to leave the city. Even worse, she was a high-ranking member of Midnight Crimson, the supernatural level of the ACM. It did not bode well that she’d been assaulted.
Back inside, I asked Marita, the Toredor Ghoul, what had happened. She said that she’d been talking to Surrey, who turned to talk to Josie, then just suddenly changed to full form. Marita had fled with Celerity, then Chris had attacked. He had hit her in the face, then, strangely, the enraged Garou had frozen. Kyle, using his speed, had gotten Surrey in the back with two silver knives, which incapacitated her.
They were going to kill her, but Josie had protested, so they decided to tie her up in the shed. I thanked Marita, and started to question the people who had been in the room at the time. One of them was an Irish man, Darby O’Reilly. He seemed like a nice man, but hadn’t really seen what’d happened. Another was a man wearing goth make-up, sitting silently on the couch. I introduced myself and asked if he had seen anything.
"Bastian, that’s my name. Yeah, the girl with the speech impediment just reared up into this monster. The big guy attacked, then Josie sang at her and she froze. Then that kid stabbed her with silver, and that was it."
"But did she seem upset or angry before-hand?"
"Not really," Bastian said and went back to writing.
Perplexed, I retreated to my favorite place to sit and think when at the house of William Blair; the stairs. Flanking the front room and directly across from the front door, they provide an opportune place to both be over-looked and to observe. As I was mulling over when I’d learned, Josie wandered past, singing.
"Josie? Can I talk to you for a minute?" My daughter nodded and sat down on the stairs. "You saw what happened with my friend Surrey, right?"
"Yeah, that girl was walking across the room, and she was saying something to me, then she got all big and hairy. Chris ran in and hit her in the face, but the cuts just healed themselves. She stopped for a bit, and Kyle hit her in the back with silver. Eternus, they were gonna kill her, but I asked the Prince if he could tie her up instead. That’s when I called you," Josie said.
"Hmm. This is indeed very confusing, for Surrey comes from a peaceful clan of Garou, and she would know better then to shift to full form in front of a room full of Kindred. I am also not pleased that she was beaten into unconsciousness."
"Well, you can’t reason with a werewolf when they’re like that," she commented rather matter-of-factly.
"What makes you say that? Have you ever seen a Garou ‘like that’?"
Josie got suddenly quiet, and I realized that once again I’d slammed into some hidden memory or forgotten darkness. "Yeah, but I can’t tell you."
"All right," spoke I gently, not wanting to pressure her into something she might not want to remember. It seemed to me that more and more had been coming back to Josie in the past few weeks, and I wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing.
"Well, I can tell you, Eternus. See," and she lowered her voice, "the packs used to hunt them sometimes. I didn’t, but I was kind of along for the ride."
I nodded. "Did Surrey seem angry or upset before she changed?"
"Um, I don’t think so, but she didn’t like that guy in black, or his Ghoul. You know what? I don’t like them either, they give me chills," then my daughter stood and walked after her gray kitten, who’d just scampered past.
I busied myself speaking with Catherine, who’d just arrived, having stopped off at a local bookstore to pick up a few texts she’d ordered. Alexandria, the Tzimice antitribu, was out of torpor; Lady Meredith had later explained to me that she’d been Blood Bound to Lord Ian, and her being in Horrid Form had been in frenzy, not an aggressive action.
There was a commotion at the door, and I made my way over to see what was wrong. Prince William, looking pale and drained, was shouting through the door. Kyle and Chris stood by.
"And I don’t want him in my house for the remainder of the evening!"
Chris went back into the front room, "OK, everybody, don’t let the Tremere, Martin Oliver back in the house. He used some kind of spell to steal vitae from the Prince."
I nodded in agreement, and made the mental note to stay away from doors or windows, for Martin might thus try to gain access. Everyone was a bit upset by this, and I was uneasy, for Lady Meredith had not yet arrived, and I had always trusted her to keep a tight reign on the two deceptive members of her clan.
"Oh! My master’s so upset!" whined a Ghoul in a pink shirt, "Mr. Lupus, maybe you could talk to him, calm him down or something."
"Sure," Jack said, flashing the genial smile that had endeared him to many of the children at the orphanage.
They carefully slipped out, and I realized that the guy in the pink shirt was the Ghoul of Martin Oliver. Prince William strode angrily back into the front room, fuming over the fact that a Tremere had tried to pull some kind of trick in the very estate of the Prince. Kyle reassured the man, saying that Martin Oliver was outdoors, and had no way of getting back in.
"What about his Ghoul?" Josie spoke up from the couch, "I bet he’s going to let that guy back in."
"He went outside to calm his master, I saw. He took Jack Lupus with him," I replied.
Josie jumped up and ran out the front door. I rose to follow her, but rationalized that Jack was out there, he’d look after her, and besides, that Tremere had gotten in a good bit of trouble tonight, he wouldn’t want to further risk his place in the city. She’ll be fine, stop worrying so much, I told myself.
Turning my mind back to the event at hand, I walked into the kitchen, looking for Catherine, for I knew that it had been Surrey’s mission to find out as much as she could about her. She was not there, but I ran into Darby, quite hard in fact; the man was running around in panic, but he didn’t seem to be in frenzy. Grabbing him by the shoulder, I forced him into the small side room set off between the front room and the kitchen. He collapsed in the corner.
"Hey, it’s all right, settle down. What wrong?"
Darby was out-of-breath from his hysteria, a fact that alerted me to the fact that he was either a mortal or a Ghoul. He tried several times to speak, but could only get out bits of phrases. I saw the Prince walk by and called out to him.
"Yes, Eternus?" he asked, and by the look he gave me, I knew he was in no mood to deal with whatever the problem was.
But I didn’t even have to say anything, for Darby started up again, saying that there was terror and horror, and he would rather die than see something like that again. I was beginning to suspect that he’d seen someone break the Masquerade, and if so, then it was indeed a matter for the Prince to be involved in.
Shouts came from the back room, and with an exhausted expression, Prince William turned to go. I followed, and I assume Darby ran off in the other direction. As I walked into the back room a step behind the Prince, I was greeted with a sight that I hope never to set eyes on again.
Alexandria came through the back door, carrying the unconscious body of my daughter. Josie’s face was burned, and there was a large, bloody hole in her chest; a hole left by a stake. My chest constricted in guilt and pain, again I’d let her be hurt, again I’d failed her. Speechless, I followed Alexandria as she bore Josie to the front room and lay her on the couch.
I knelt by her side, not knowing what could be done to restore her life, rather, unlife. The tears blurred my vision, and I apologized, admonishing myself for not being wary of danger, not protecting her. Alexandria, speaking softly, told me that it was OK, and that Josie was going to be fine.
She put her hands on the incapacitated form of my daughter, and seemed to play with the burned flesh around the hole as if it was as malleable as clay. Her fingers closed the wound and it healed before my eyes, leaving only a pink scar. Running her hands over Josie’s scorched face, Alexandria fixed the charred skin, leaving her face looking as it had when she’d left the orphanage after dusk.
"Sao-kan, I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault! I should have gone with you, I should have…"
"Eternus! I’m fine!" Josie snapped as she sat up, "I’ve got to find Kyle, he’s got to know!"
As she ran to the kitchen, I turned, and saw what was occurring on the other side of the room. Catherine was kneeling by the bloody, scalded body of Jack Lupus, which was lying on the other couch. He was silent, and did not move.
"I-is he dead, Final Dead?" I asked, the words barely coming out. Catherine nodded.
As I looked down, every moment I’d known him came rushing back to me…meeting him at Lord William’s house in this very room…he and Lady Meredith calming me from frenzy…him teaching Lord Pierce to meditate…how he lovingly took care of the children whenever he could…Jack bravely going back into the house to attack Archie…his face, his smile…how he listened, and reassured me that he’d never let Wen Fu hurt Josie or myself again…I looked down, and realized that I’d loved him.
Chaos was all around me, and my thoughts returned to the present. Bastian passed me on his way to the back room, and motioned that I follow. Josie and Kyle ran in from the kitchen, she heading towards Catherine, he heading for the front door.
"What’s going on?" I asked desperately.
"Our old pal Archie’s back," the young Caitiff commented as drew his Wolfclaws.
The very real threat of danger penetrated my thick haze of grief and pain, and instantly I snapped into crisis-mode, as Dominic like to call it. "Everyone get to the back room," I said, loud enough for all to hear me.
"No! I’ve got to fight him, I’ve got to save you all!" shouted Catherine as Josie and I herded her through the doorway.
"Catherine, listen to me! If Kyle and Chris can defeat him without you risking yourself, then it’s for the better."
As we milled nervously in the back room, there came several explosions from the other end of the house, and Prince William moved towards the front room. "Please, Lord Prince, for your own safety, stay here. Keep by the back door in case he manages to…"
Kyle ran in with Celerity, and was attacked by Martin Oliver, whom had been in Obfuscate by the wall. From the other end of the room, Prince William shot at the Tremere, but I didn’t see if he hit, for there were other problems. A column of flame strode into the back room. Terror overcame me, and I tried to back up, but was trapped betwixt the Demon and the high side of the couch; caught between a wall and a hot place.
He stuck out his arm, and a hand of lambent fire gripped my face and burned deep. The pain exploded wildly in me, and I buried my head in my arms as I sunk to my knees. Archie moved past me to confront Catherine. Nearly blind, I rose, leaning on the couch, and searched the room for Josie. She was watching the battle from the protection of Bastian’s arms; good, she was safe.
"You really think that you can win, don’t you?" Archie chuckled darkly, "Look around, they don’t want you here anymore! See, they’re fighting even now," and he gestured towards Kyle, who was trying to subdue Martin Oliver. "They fight, they kill mortals, they even kill each other. Do you really think that you can actually change anything? Ah, here’s my quarry!"
I turned, and saw that Lady Meredith had chosen in inopportune moment to join the party. Archie re-formed in his physical manifestation, and ran towards her, holding the petite Tremere by the throat and burning her forehead. She crumpled to the floor. Rage, a feeling that I did not often experience, boiled within me.
"You stole souls, burned hearts, and corrupted innocents! That even, I could forgive, but you staked my daughter and killed my best friend! Now, you dare to threaten my Prince and my city?"
Purblind with fury, I drew the Wolfclaws of my right hand and slashed at the malevolent creature. Archie caught my wrist and slammed me into the stone wall, then tossed me across the room. Reeling, I sunk to the floor, my energy spent, my will sapped.
"Eternus, take this! It’s holy water!" Catherine shouted, thrusting some kind of vial at me.
"Are you crazy? I’m a vampire, it will harm me!" I spoke harshly, for my throat was seared from the enchanted fire.
Archie dissolved into black smoke, and Catherine began to glow, the light blurring her form. They circled each other, neither willing to make the first move, but both refusing to back down. The glare became too bright, and I had to look down, but when I again raised my head, the two were entwined, the air around them shaking. They merged, becoming one. The blast and flash were overwhelming, then the angel and the demon were gone, leaving only a scorched mark on the floor.
There was silence for a moment, then Josie fell forward on floor, sobbing. The Prince and Kyle ran out the back door, looking for Martin Oliver, who’d been blown through the wall by the explosion. Lady Meredith was coming to, and where Archie had touched her forehead, there was an open, ice blue eye.
This was all too much. Darby, frantic, ran into the room and put his hands on the burned place, and it seemed he was trying to absorb energy from it, but was unsuccessful. Josie was still lying on the floor, crying fitfully. I put my hand on her should, not knowing how to reassure her that things were going to be OK, when I knew that they weren’t.
"Shhh, it’s all right, kid. She’s not gone forever, she can’t be…"
"Why does everybody always leave me?!? Go away! Soon you’re going to leave me too!" she wailed.
I had no more words, knew not what else could be done. Everyone spoke softly, afraid and unsure. Everything was coming undone at once, Jack was dead, Catherine was gone, nothing seemed real or right. I, with the rest who had been in the back room, relocated to the front of the house. Yet, I could not sit, could not think, just wandered. Reentering the back room, I found Colin, the young Malkavian, peering out the window.
Prince William, Kyle, Chris, and a weakened Lady Meredith, had Martin Oliver cornered in the backyard. Guns were out, and it appeared as if the Tremere was living his last moments, but at that point, I could care less, and went back to the front room. Josie was holding a piece of sheet music, still weeping.
"Josie, I’m sorry you got staked, I’m sorry for all of this…"
"Eternus! That’s not important, she’s gone!" my daughter shouted and ran off.
I found no response. The little gray kitten was sitting on the couch, and I Called it over. It rubbed against me, then curled up in my lap, purring. I stroked its soft fur, lost in my own thoughts. What hope was there for the rest of us? Catherine had been Kindred, but had changed, evolved into something new and special. Would I ever see anything like that again?
"Eternus, I’m sorry I snapped at you," Josie said, creeping back into the room.
I nodded, "I understand, but try not to take it so hard. She wouldn’t want that. Perhaps, that’s what Catherine was here to do, perhaps that was the only way she could have defeated Archie, by losing herself, creating balance."
"Everyone keeps saying that, but she’s still gone."
The kitten stretched, got up, and gamboled off through the room. I also rose, and went to my sanctuary, the stairs. Shaking, I wanted to calm down, wanted to meditate, but was in shock. The charred skin on my face was healing, but I felt burned out, like a wasteland, rotted by acid until only a carbonized shell remained of what was me. Unable to deal with feeling so vulnerable, I curled up against the wall.
After a few minutes, I felt a presence near-by. Opening my eyes, I saw Bastian sitting on the stair below me, staring. "Yes?" I asked.
"You’re upset," he stated.
"Well, it’s been a long night. My friend was severely beaten, my daughter staked, the angel gone, and a man that I loved, killed. Just when things start to equalize, when everything is fine, then all death and damnation returns."
"But he’s gone back to the Circle, and maybe you’ll see him again."
"Yeah, the whole reincarnation thing. Great Dragon, I don’t even know what I believe anymore! All I know is that Jack’s gone, and even if his essence returns, how will I know that it’s him?" I asked hopelessly.
"Your soul will know," Bastian replied.
"I know, but now Catherine’s gone, and we never really figured out what she actually was or how she became an angel. And Josie, my daughter, burned and staked by that monster, did you see what he did to Lady Meredith?"
"Things will even out again, just as they upset themselves, you’ll see. Perhaps all that has happened has done so because that is the way it should."
I shrugged, and as I did, someone came around the corner. The woman was taller than I, dressed in a black business jacket/skirt. Her left arm was twice the size and girth of the right, and she bore a curious scar on her neck. The new-comer was breathing, and fixed her eyes toward me. As she moved in, Bastian slipped away.
"Hello, Eternus Hyperion of Gangrel," she said softly, like a predator.
"G-greetings," I replied, unconsciously moving away. Who was this person, and how did she know my name? She could be a fellow ACM agent, but Zythe had sent no word of someone else coming to Swarthmore besides Surrey. Indeed, if they did send anyone, it would be a Midnight Crimson agent, not a mortal. Certainly not a mortal who knew about clans, unless she was a Ghoul.
"I am Opal, and I’ve heard a great deal about you."
"Oh, you must know my sire then."
"Your sire? Ah yes, a Gangrel. Perhaps we might speak, but not here, there are too many…open ears," Opal remarked, "let us go outside."
I nodded, and followed her out into the yard. By the big tree in the front, she stopped, and turned to face me. "I know quite a bit about you, Eternus Hyperion."
"Indeed?"
"Yes, but do tell me about yourself, about Josie."
Opal had a tone that I didn’t favor; one of a superior who knows exactly who you are and what you’ve done, but wants to trick you into telling them. I was sure she knew a great deal about Kindred, but then, if she was a Ghoul, that might make sense. Still, she had no right to address me as she had been, and I would soon rectify that.
"I came to this city about four months ago looking for my sister…"
"Hmm, Ta’jid Nox Miradies, yes," she interrupted.
"…only to discover that she’d been killed in a Sabbat attack. When I relayed this to my sire, he asked me to stay in Swarthmore for a while and tie off any loose ends that might have remained after my sister’s death. Since then, I have become quite involved with the people here, and will probably stay as long as I wish."
"But what about Josie?"
"She’s my daughter."
"I see, one of your childer?"
This had definitely begun to anger me. The woman obviously knew something about Josie, how much I did know, and was trying to goad me into betraying her past. That however, would not happen even if Caine himself were to awaken and ask me personally.
"No. But even though she’s not of my blood, nor my mortal family, she is still my daughter all the same," I replied.
"And her tour of Europe?"
"She told me that she had been singing there, but in as much as she’s a Toredor, I would expect that."
"You’re lying to me, she’s a Daughter of Cacophony and you know it," Opal pressed. Undaunted, I shrugged. "You’re also not telling me about her past."
"I know that she was molested as a child, and that scarred her, making her past hard to remember."
"But don’t you want to tell me about her, about who she used to be?"
"That’s all I know!" I exploded, "I know that she’s as lost as a Malkavian, but that’s not her fault. A lot of bad things have happened to her…a month ago she was raped by an enemy, so I don’t expect her to be clear on anything!"
"I know that she had a quite different ‘identity’, perhaps a Sabbat identity…" Opal purred, smiling.
"Woman, leave me in peace! She’s my daughter, that’s all I know! And if you try to harm her, I will not hesitate to hold your master responsible." I shouted, close to the edge.
She laughed, "My masters are the Inner Circle, the world leaders of the seven Camerilla clans, go ahead, hold them responsible. You will soon tell me what I want to know, or I will find out in other ways from other people."
"I have told you all I know," I repeated, and stormed back towards the house, under the influence of the emotion that I despise the most, anger. Standing in the foyer, I took a moment to calm down; Opal was just a Ghoul, and she was bluffing, she didn’t really know anything about Josie, and besides, she was obviously lying about being in the service of the Inner Circle. Why would they be interested in Swarthmore?
In the front room, Bastian was sitting alone on the couch, writing. I walked over and sat down next to him. For a moment he looked up, then continued scribbling words on the worn legal pad.
"Have you yet met Opal?" I asked.
"Not personally."
"She seems to know everything about everyone."
"Well, she doesn’t know anything about me, at least, I don’t think she does," he replied.
"Bastian, may I ask a favor of you? If I’m not around, could you keep an eye on Josie. I-I don’t want anything to happen to her."
"I’d be glad to. Eternus, you’re a Gangrel, right?" I nodded. "Well, have you ever met any other Gangrel who can attack with their tongues, you know, like a snake?"
I thought about that. Some elders of my clan had perfected Protean to the point where they could shift their form to an animal other than a wolf or bat, but I’d never heard of what the Caitiff described. Wait, I did remember my early days of learning about the clans and bloodlines; my sire telling me about snakes, about a clan of snakes…The Followers of Set, Eternus, are mostly evil, in fact, it is their mission to corrupt all things, some have the eyes of a serpent, others, the snake’s forked tongue. My childe, beware of the Setties.
"Well," I began, looking at the innocent face of the man, waiting earnestly for my response, "I…" Then, a strange feeling came over me, I felt a whispering in the back of my mind, a strange voice in my ears, "Don’t tell him."
"Actually, Bastian, I do not recall ever hearing of that type of power, but then again, it IS a magical power, so really anything could be possible. Why, can you do that?"
"Yeah."
"My friend, I doubt that you are a Gangrel, but I shall look into this, for what you describe could be quite useful," I said, tactfully.
True, I had not told him the truth, but did he really need to know? As long as Bastian thought himself to be Caitiff, what was the harm of it? Perhaps he could even be taught to go against his clan and believe in good. I admit, it might have been quite optimistic of me, but I needed a bit of brightness to lift my heart; the night had been extremely trying.
"Eternity, can I talk to you?" asked Marita, a Toredor Ghoul with a heavy New York accent. She was the servant of Sasha, the Kindred who’d arranged the wedding of Prince William and Yvonne.
"Of course," I replied as she pulled me into the foyer.
"I was standing right there when your wolf friend got all big and everything."
"Did you see exactly what happened?"
"Yeah, she was walking over to talk with Josie, then I saw Mike, Martin Oliver’s Ghoul, lean over and whisper to his master. I knew Mike, he never whispered. Then, they both stared at Sally, and her eyes went wild and she changed," Marita said.
"Hmm, I thought it had something to do with the Tremere. Surrey just doesn’t shift forms for no reason, nor would she have suddenly frenzied. By the way, do you know anything about Opal?"
Marita sucked in a quick breath, "She’s bad news. Trust me, Eternity, stay far, far away from her if you want to stay out of trouble."
I was about to comment when the door-bell rang. Marita opened it, and standing there was Slavo and a well-dressed woman that I’d never seen. We moved aside so they could enter, and held the door for a gaunt man dressed in the staple all-black. Two new-comers, this might not be a good thing.
I turned to address them. "Greetings, I am Eternus Hyperion, and you are?"
"Daedalys of Toredor," the man said, bowing quite elegantly.
"Yes, and I am Lady Allissa of Toredor, former Prince of this city," the woman stated.
I nodded in respect, and showed them to the back room where the Prince was. Though I had not yet been in the city, I did know of Lady Allissa. Ta’jid had been in Swarthmore when she seized power from the Ventrue Prince, Lady Mae. However, one of her advisors was a Gangrel Antitribu, and betrayed her, bringing in the Sabbat invasion in which my sister died for her city. Lady Allissa was in Europe during the fighting.
The atmosphere in the house was heavy, depressing, full of the hopelessness and anguish of the deaths of Catherine and Jack. I had to get out, had to forget. Sitting on the front step was Darby, so I took the place next to him. For a bit, neither of us spoke, and I reveled in the simple silence.
"Were you all right before, you had me pretty worried," I finally asked.
Darby sighed. "It’s been hard for everyone tonight, I guess that rubbed off on me."
"Is there anything that I can do?"
"Not really."
He went on talking, but for some reason, I can’t remember anything about the conversation, even though I know that I spoke as well. All I could recall was sitting there on the stone stairs, looking at the twig I was twisting and playing with. All around the two of us was a feeling of peace, of ancient secrets and goodness, of a light that I remember, but can neither categorize nor describe.
There seemed to be a great commotion a bit down the block, so went around to the backyard to speak with Surrey. She was conscious, and told me that she remembered meeting the eyes of a man in a pink shirt, then giving in to the wild frenzy, one which she couldn’t understand having. When I told Surrey about her attack and being subdued, she became upset, and kept asking me if she’d hurt anyone.
While I assured her that everyone was fine, she begged me to give her apologies to the Prince and to the girl she scared. I promised her that I would, and suggested that she return to the near-by caern. Before my eyes, Surrey shifted her shape to that of a wolf, and ran off through the warm night. Coming around to the front yard, I was met with a strange sight; Darby and Josie were peering at the sky and talking, but not to each other.
"Oh, OK. You’ve danced for us, now we’ll perform for you," the man said to nothing.
"Do you want me to sing?" Josie asked the same void.
"Um, Josie, who are you talking to?" I asked.’
"The fairies," she replied, not even meeting my eyes. Then, the two of them started singing what I could best call an Irish drinking song, and capered off to the backyard, seemingly entranced with things that I could not see. Curious and concerned, I followed. In the tress, grass, in fact, all over, Josie claimed to see pixies, satyrs, and all sorts of other things which were clearly not there.
The two Ravnos of the city were not present, so I knew that they were not involved, however, Darby might himself posses the ability to create illusions. The fact that he was mortal did not preclude him being a sorcerer. Perhaps this new sight was a power of Auspex that I’d just never seen before, or even, he was under the effects of alcohol or some kind of hallucinogenic substance, and Josie had fed from him. Whatever the case, what was going on was not normal, and I had to do something.
"Josie, how about you come inside now?"
"No, that’s OK, Eternus. I want to stay out here with Darby and the fairies."
"Darby, what have you done to my daughter?"
The man stopped jumping around and walked over to where I was standing. "Well, I don’t know how to explain this, but I made her able to see things."
"That’s quite obvious. Is she intoxicated?"
Darby hesitated, almost unsure as to what to say, "Well, enchanted is more like it, but don’t worry, it won’t harm her, and neither will I," and he danced off into the shadows with Josie.
Quite at a loss, I returned to the house. A loud argument was coming from the back room, so I once again sat down next to Bastian, who never seemed to move form his spot on the couch. A few moments later, Josie wandered through the room, her eyes on things that only she could see. There was nothing I could do to negate whatever power had been used on her, and besides, she seemed so happy, more cheerful than she’d been in a while. Still, seeing her like that deeply concerned me.
"I saw what you meant about Opal," Bastian said quietly.
"She’s dangerous to have in the city, for she revealed that she is a Ghoul of the Inner Circle, and what interest would they have in Swarthmore?" I spoke, almost to myself.
"I believe that it unsettles her that she knows nothing of me."
I nodded. "It would be best to get her out of the city as soon as possible, although she should not be killed,"
"Yes, I agree," replied Bastian.
"Perhaps if she were accused of some kind of crime…" I trailed off, and fell to watching Josie talk with what seemed to be invisible beings on the ceiling. "Do you know has happened to her?"
"It appears that she is under some kind of magic spell, or something roughly akin."
"This ‘enchantment’ has made her so happy, but it is a false happiness, and yet,"
"But is it really helping for her to be driven further back into insanity. Doubtless, she can hide there from the horrors she knew, but that just isn’t healthy," Bastian interrupted.
"Then there’s Darby, I’m just not sure about him," I put in.
"I don’t think he belongs here, and it’s best that he also leave the city as well."
"Hmm, I had a protracted conversation with him earlier, but I can’t seem to remember anything of what either he or I said."
"Maybe next time you should write it down," he suggested.
Antonine, one of the Caitiff in the city, came striding quickly through the room, carrying a bag dripping blood, one who’s shape strongly hinted that it contained a human head. I rose, put on edge.
"Pardon, Antonine, who’s head is that?" I asked, my calm voice masking my inner fear and anxiety.
"Fritz Von Steuben, a Caitiff, he broke the Masquerade and attacked the Prince, so the Sheriff killed him. They gave me the head for experimentation," he said almost cheerfully, sounding like a child given an unexpected present.
Curious, I went into the back room. Lady Meredith was unconscious in a chair, and Otto, another Tremere, was lying on the floor in a pool of blood. The hole from the stake was still bleeding. Prince William, Kyle, Chris, and Opal were in the process of interrogating him, while Lady Allissa and Daedalys sat on the couch, seemingly trying to ignore the unpleasantness going on at the other end of the room.
"What happened?" I inquired of the poet.
"I think that guy tried to kill Lady Meredith. It didn’t work though, and they’re probably going to execute him soon."
Antonine came back into the room, bubbling over the idea that since Garou can regenerate their wounds, their livers could be removed and donated, while the werewolf would need to rest for a few days, then grow a new organ and be fine. While it seemed a good notion in theory, I doubt that many Garou would line up for the procedure.
I regressed to the front room, joined by Antonine, Lady Allissa, and Daedalys. Slavo had taken a seat on the couch next to Bastian, and the rest of us found places to be comfortable, and soon an interesting and useful conversation sprang up.
The large Caitiff stated that he was intrigued by the physiological change that Nosferatu underwent as part of their Embrace. He said that he’d like to see a CAT scan of the nasal and cranial cavities of such a Kindred. Bastian contributed that all Nosferatu were different, each having been affected by their blood in a different way.
At that point, Slavo spoke up, and offered to lower his Mask so that Antonine might have a first hand view of his visage. The two Toredor in the room hastily went to the kitchen, loathe to see something that they did not deem ‘beauty’. Slavo showed us his true face, severely misshapen and deformed, and as he reassumed the one he’d worn before, I was struck with sudden inspiration.
"If you wish, could you appear to be anyone?"
He mused for a moment. "I don’t see why not, just so long as I’ve seen them before."
There indeed was an idea. If a Nosferatu with a Mask could do such, then the possibilities were endless. Perhaps Opal could be accused of a crime, one that she might not have committed, but one that a great deal of people saw her perform. Should I play this right, and plan correctly, the power Ghoul would cease to be a problem for me and the city.
From the back room, there came a burst of excitement, to which Antonine went to investigate, only to emerge several minutes later carrying another bag, which like its predecessor, was also dripping blood. It seemed that Otto the Tremere had ceased to walk undead.
While this was occurring, a sly-looking man had entered the front room, but I did not recall seeing him before; either at the party, or in the city. He watched Josie closely for a few minutes, seemingly amazed with her behavior.
"By the way, kid, your sire says hello," he finally said to her.
"No, Sara’s dead," Josie replied, her eyes still on the ceiling.
The man chuckled bitterly, "I assure you, she’s very much alive, and quite interested in how you’ve been getting along."
"Pardon, sir," I said, approaching him, "Eternus Hyperion, and you are?"
"Michael Morbious, and Josie’s sire also knows about you. Do yourself a favor and stay away from the young one, all right?"
Wanting to reply in some quick and acerbic manner, I refrained, and once more sought solace on the stairs. Unfortunately, such sanctuary was not to be had easily that night.
"Eternus, you cannot hide forever, soon I will know what you do," Opal oozed, having just entered the room, "I will know everything about Josie and her past."
"Woman, if you so much as touch her, you will have me, my Ghoul, and my sire, among others, to deal with, so I would advise you to consider if that is indeed worth it!"
Fuming, I stormed past her and into the kitchen, where Prince William and Chris were holding council. I held up my hands in apology and backed out into the hall. Josie came up behind me. Though I wanted her to be safe in Swarthmore, I had now begun to doubt if that would ever be possible. Yet, why was in the Inner Circle so interested in a crazy Daughter of Cacophony Antitribu antitribu? Was my daughter really that important?
"Kid, Opal knows everything," I stated sadly.
"Calm down, Eternus, I don’t think she can hurt me, and maybe she’s just saying that she knows," Josie responded.
I shrugged and crossed the front room on my way through to the back one. Lady Allissa was on her way out.
"Pardon, but did you have a fellow clan member in this city a while ago?" she asked.
"Yes, Ta’jid Noviev."
"Oh, the one who lost her hand."
"Lady Allissa, might I inquire how exactly that happened?"
"Of course," she answered, "This Gangrel, in an argument, drew her Wolfclaws at a party where a mortal was present. Though she then killed the girl, the damage was still done, the Masquerade still broken. My Enforcer, Tyler Nightshade, meted out the punishment, and took off the hand that’d slashed the throat of the mortal. He was lenient, the savage Gangrel should have been executed."
"Is that what you believe?"
She thought for a moment, "No, but that’s what your Prince William would have done, so I assume that’s how Swarthmore had been being run in my absence."
About to reply, I saw Josie and Mike out of the corner of my eye, arguing at the far end of the room. Excusing myself from the conversation, I left Lady Allissa to her devices, and came a few steps closer the two fighting Kindred. Mike had a devious grin on his face, one that I desperately longed to wipe off.
"For the last time, my sire is dead, she’s been destroyed!" Josie shouted.
"OK, if that’s what you want to believe…" he said, and started to walk towards her.
"If you take another step, I swear I’ll hurt you."
The man smirked, and deliberately kept walking. Josie sang. The note was one so high that I probably could not reproduce it, and I doubt any instrument shy of a piccolo could either. Mike clutched the sides of his head and sank to his knees. Silence ensued, and when he rose, blood flowed out of his ears. He opened his mouth to speak, but just grimaced and walked away.
A lot of people had left the party by then, so we who remained all flocked to the back room. Lady Meredith was once again awake, and everyone was, though they tried to hide it, frightfully conscious of the scorch and blood stain on the carpet, and the beautifully calm third eye of the Tremere. It had indeed been a long and trying night, I and for one would be glad to see its end.
Antonine prattled on with more of his theories, but not many people were still listening. Fatigue tore at me, and I knew that I would soon have to feed, for I was quite hungry after having healed myself. Fortunately, I did not need to make excuses for having to leave early.
"Attention everyone, it is a few hours before dawn, and I want you all out of my house in five minutes," Prince William declared. We all rose and said the parting pleasantries.
"Josie, I’m not going directly back to the orphanage, I have some business to take care of. What do you want to tell Nancy and the children about Catherine a-and Jack?" I asked, and even the saying of their names brought back all the fear, grief, and pain.
"I don’t know, I’ll think of something."
"Perhaps a car accident…" I suggested, and she shrugged sadly.
Bastian and Kyle both escorted her to the door, a fact that I found both interesting and heartening. "I’ll see you back home, Eternus," Josie said as they left.
I stepped into the shadows and became my wolf self as soon as I was outside. Thus, I ran through the dim streets of Swarthmore, finally finding a way-ward deer who’s blood, though not as satisfying as that of a human, would have to do for the night. The sun was beginning to crest the horizon by the time I reached the orphanage, so I slipped in and went to my closet, grateful for rest, but fearing for whom the midnight bells might toll the next night.