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 Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 6:14 pm
The first level host a living room, game room, a small library, and fully-equipped kitchen. Towards the back of the mansion leads down to the in-door pool. Connected to the pool area is a gym. Exiting the pool area, leads to a spacious garden landscape that leads out into the forest beyond. It is here where Balthazar's key live-in staff takes residence in the guest house off to the side of the property.
The second floor of the mansion contains the master bedroom, private study, and six guest rooms that each have their own private bathrooms.
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 12:44 pm
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As they walked out of the store, it felt like she was in a dream. She had never been able to buy anything like this, ever, and to have so much...Rowena wondered what sort of Master he was, if he was always like this, or if this was to get her guard down. Part of her felt guilty for being so suspicious of him, but she had heard too many stories about what happened to human slaves in this sort of world. So she looked up at him, a bit wary, and more than a little confused at all his kindness. It just didn't make sense to her, at all.
Seeing another person there was a relief, in all honesty, and she gave the man a small smile as they approached him. Philip...she guessed he was a butler or driver or something like that. Balthazar seemed at ease with him - polite, but not curt or overly-formal like she had expected him to treat servants. Hearing that her other bags had already been picked up, she blinked and watched her new Master quickly get into the car. Was he sensitive to sunlight, she wondered, reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ear. When the young woman realized the butler was speaking to her, she looked up at him, snapped out of her thoughts.
"Oh! Oh, um, yes please," Rowena agreed shyly, letting the man take the two bags she was carrying. Before he walked away with them to put them in the trunk, she quickly dug out a sketchpad and some pencils, wanting to do something with her fingers on the ride to her new home. Especially since she didn't know how long it would be or how chatty Balthazar was. "Thank you," she murmured in embarrassment, hardly used to someone doing things for her. Holding her new things tightly, the young woman got into the car and sat next to the man, carefully keeping distance between them.
The ride home was silent, save for the sound of pencil on paper as she drew. Some of it was just absent things, some were sketches of the Master beside her and the new man driving. She drew what came to mind and ocassionally glanced over at Balthazar, but he seemed tired and not in the least inclined to talk to her. So Rowena remained silent and absorbed herself in her drawing, not even noticing how long the ride was.
She did notice when they began to slow down and she looked up, eyes going wide when they pulled down a long drive and she saw the home they were headed to. "It's beautiful!" the young woman exclaimed in shock. All the trees around it made it much more welcoming and though it was grand, she was more than eager to get to go explore it. Some of her shyness fell away at the idea of seeing everything in there, drawing it out and putting it down on paper to keep forever.
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x"...to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength."
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 2:54 pm
The ride home was quiet and peaceful. As he suspected, Rowena was able to amuse herself with little chatter between them. It was for the best. He did not usually stay up all day but it was the only convenient time for him to browse the slave market. His nights were usually spent at his desk under a pile of paperwork. Balthazar sighed as he massaged his temples. He could feel a migraine coming on. Partly from his need for rest and because of his hunger.
Thankfully years of controlling his bloodlust prevented him from giving in to feed from his new pet. He had realized too late, that he had not warn her of what he was and of his position as head of his clan. Balthazar made a mental note to talk this over with Rowena after he was of sound mind to do so.
As they the limo pulled into the driveway, all Balthazar could feel was relief. By then the sun had set during the long drive home and Balthazar was able to exit the vehicle unattended. His mind was so focused on locating Mia that he almost did not register Rowena's surprise and excitement over his home. "The house is yours to venture through as long as you don't leave the grounds. Phillip and the rest of the staff are here to aid you so wish it." Out of the corner of his eyes, Balthazar saw Mia appear before him.
"I was told you have need of me mi'Lord," came Mia's soft reply.
Nodding, Balthazar motioned for Mia to follow him, it was best he made an exit now. Turning back to Rowena he said, "If you need me I'll be in my study. Excuse me." The need for blood was calling to him. Rowena seemed like the squeamish sort. He did not want to cause her discomfort by watching him feed. Balthazar liked to be catered to during his meals. Blood packets were good for emergencies, but Balthazar always did prefer to drink from the source when given a chance. It was a common practice for him to feed from his staff, but only if they were comfortable with serving as his meal. Mia was one of a few he drank from regularly.
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:11 pm
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Looking around in amazement, unable to hide it at such a beautiful place, Rowena's attention was only diverted when the man finally spoke to her. At his words, she went to thank him for giving her permission to go explore when a pretty young woman came over to him and he left. Blinking, Rowena looked after them for a moment and then down at her feet. Part of her had begun to think of herself as a person again. But she was just a pet, and not even a very attractive one, she reminded herself cruelly, repeating the words she had been told plenty of times - even before she was a slave.
Shrugging to herself, she turned when she heard the trunk open and saw two of the servants beginning to take her bags. "Oh! Please, let me help, it's all my stuff anyway," Rowena protested in embarrassment, hurrying over. One of the pair, a younger man a little older than her, turned and grinned down at her, shaking his head.
"It's not a problem, miss," he replied. "Besides, I'm sure we can lift more than you can and get it all done in one trip," he added, sounding almost as if he were teasing her. Rowena looked up at him blankly and then reached out, grabbing one of the bags anyway. She looked a bit defiant, but nervous as well, as if expecting a scolding. Instead the older woman snorted and shook her head, peering over at the Master's slave. He had never had one, after all, and they all knew his brother had bullied him into getting one. This one seemed a bit timid and meek and not very suited for this place at all, in her opinion.
But Rowena stubbornly followed them into the house and up the stairs, lingering a bit and staring as she walked. "I can give you a tour once we're done, miss," the man suggested to her over his shoulder, seeing her dawdling with her bag in hand. That snapped her out of it and she nodded, hurrying to catch up as they walked up the stairs.
"Yes, please! That would be nice," she said agreeably. The more she saw, the more she felt like she didn't suit this place at all. She was ugly and plain and not like anything here. His brother had made him get someone, Rowena recalled him saying, so she guessed he had picked the first one that seemed easy enough. Sighing a little, the young woman followed them into a large room, grander than any bedroom she had ever seen. Eyes wide, she paused at the doorway and looked around, biting her lip nervously. Her bags were being put next to a dresser and out of the corner of her eye she saw a door leading to a bathroom. "This...this isn't mine, is it?" she asked nervously
Turning to look at the girl as she straightened, the maid looked at her curiously. "Is it not to your liking, miss?" she asked curiously.
Taken aback by the question, Rowena shook her head emphatically, blushing in embarrassment. "Wh-what? No, no, it's beautiful. I just...I didn't expect this," she admitted shyly. The maid chuckled a bit and nodded.
"This is yours, unless you don't like it," she explained. Rowena couldn't keep her eyes from going wide and looked around again, unable to believe it was hers. She started when the man came over and gently took the bag from her grip, setting it down near the bed for her.
"I'm Rowan, miss. I can give you a tour - and are you hungry?" he asked her, smiling down at her. Rowena thought for a moment, having to get her mind back in order, and slowly nodded.
"I am, actually," she admitted. He smiled and gestured for her to follow him, while the maid began to put the clothing away.
"All right. We'll do a short tour and then get you some dinner," he said cheerfully, beginning to show her around. Rowena followed him eagerly, inspecting everything and surprised that no one scolded her for touching or even being here at all.
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x"...to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength."
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:32 pm
Now away from prying eyes, Balthazar was able to feed to his hearts content. He never took more than he needed, it would have been wasteful of him to be constantly re-hiring and training new staff if he drained them all dry.
Within the privacy of one of empty guest rooms Mia laid on the bed with Balthazar on top of her, feeding from her neck. With each suck he would draw a moan from the maid before him. A vampire's bite was capable of bring it's victim either pleasure or pain. Considering he had a willing participant, he strived to make it as comfortable for her as he could. Her blood tasted heavenly as he continued to ravish her neck. It had been awhile since his last meal, he had a nasty habit of putting off meals in order to get more work done. It was usually under his staff's insistence that he would finally feed.
Pulling away from the maid, Balthazar went about the task of tending and bandaging her neck. It was the least he could do after drinking so much. "Rest my dear, you have done well today," he whispered softly in her ear. Mia nodded meekly as she drifted off into unconsciousness. It was common for those he fed from to feel light headed and dizzy. It was why so often he would take his meals in bed. It made it easier for his staff to rest and recuperate afterwards. He made a mental note to let Mia have the next few days off to recover and to have one of the others send up a meal for her when she wakes up.
Once certain that maid was fine, Balthazar left the room to return to his. The front of his shirt was partly stained in blood, he needed a change of clothes. Now able to think more clearly, he wondered if Rowena was enjoying her tour of her new home. His staff were more than capable of assisting her that he was not worried of her getting lost. It was starting to get late enough that he was sure dinner was being prepare for his new pet. Perhaps if time permitted he would join her. But first, duty called. Donning on a new black button on shirt, Balthazar made his way to his private study that connected to his bedroom. There was some paperwork he needed to go over and there were those nasty rumors he had to look into. He had heard a rival clan was pushing their luck and edging closer to his territory. That would not do. But he would have to make certain such accusations were true. A war between clans were messy affairs and he doubted his new pet Rowena could handle such bloodbath.
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:46 pm
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The tour was pleasant enough, she guessed. Rowan was really nice, showing her what felt like every public room in the mansion, and explaining to her some rules about the staff. Rowena listened and nodded when appropriate, but stayed quiet for the most part. She was more than a little overwhelmed with everything going on in the last few days and part of her just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for a while. But it wasn't even time for dinner, though she was getting hungry, and the young woman didn't complain as they toured the floors and he made sure she knew what she was doing and how to get here and there before heading downstairs and showing her that area as well. It seemed like so much for one person, as Rowan explained the staff lived in a separate building, but she supposed there was at least a lot of privacy in such a big house by yourself.
"Um...am I able to get dinner?" she finally asked, sounding hesitant at interrupting the man's recitation. He was clearly enjoying having someone new to show the house off to and blinked at the realization that she hadn't even eaten yet. Taking her arm in his, he grinned down at her, not above flirting with a new pretty girl.
"Of course! I'm sorry, I got too excited having someone new here. The kitchen is this way..."
And so the tour continued, though one of the other staff rescued the young woman and brought her into the kitchen for her dinner. There she was asked what foods she did and didn't like, if she was allergic to anything - everything the cook would need to know. She replied dutifully, as if visiting a doctor's office, and felt much the same. Nervous, awkward and out of place in this sort of world. Being catered to was alien for her and she looked around, almost desperate to find something to do. But they kept her there, serving her a pasta and chicken dish that made her stomach growl in anticipation once she smelled it.
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x"...to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength."
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 5:21 pm
It was not long after settling into his work, that Balthazar was disrupted by a usual visitor. "And as usual I find you here, work yourself to death," a male voice sighed dramatically. A small twitch of the lip was the only response Balthazar gave the intruder.
"Really brother dear and here I thought you took my suggestion and got yourself a pet," the man pouted childishly.
Rolling his eyes Balthazar responded while never taking his eyes of his paperwork "Rowan is currently giving her a tour of the house. I'm sure she can keep herself occupied until I am finished here." Rowan was an enthusiastic man, no doubt he was giving Rowena the full experience tour. He had plenty of time to finish his work before they retired to the kitchen for dinner.
"Ah so you did purchase a slave?!" Gregory exclaimed in excitement. "What did you get? What is she like? You did get a she right? Because I could hardly seeing you get a male to-" Tossing his
"Gregory!!" he didn't mena to raise his voice but it was the only way to get his brother's attention. Clearing his throat, Balthazar tried to reign in his temper and speak calmly to his brother, "If you're so interesting in meeting her, she is downstairs. Go see her for yourself."
Gregory stared at Balthazar blankly before cheering up instantly. "That is a marvelous idea darling! Lets go!" Without warning Gregory grabbed ahold of Balthazar's arm and proceeded to pull him out of his office. Resigned to not getting any work done, Balthazar sighed, "And just where are you taking me?"
"Downstairs. You said she's down there right? Point her out to me, I want to make sure you got your money's worth," Gregory said gleefully. "SHe must be interesting if she convinced you to buy her~"
As he continued to let his brother lead him around, Balthazar couldn't help but hope that Rowena was able to withstand his whirlwind of a brother.
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 5:48 pm
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While she ate, Rowena listened to the staff chat. Every once in a while they would speak to her, explaining some comment or reference they made, but for the most part they let her eat in peace. It was nice to have a bit to calm herself down and adjust, even just a little bit, and the young woman appreciated the food. It was delicious and she had missed good meals - in all honesty, she had never much had them at all and this was by far the best thing she had ever eaten, without exaggeration. To go from how she had been living to a place like this...it was overwhelming and she felt as if she were going to be swept away. She also felt a bit stupid, feeling like a tourist with her staring and gawking, and did her best to just keep her head down and focus on her meal.
She figured out easily that it was something new, for Balthazar to bring home someone new to the home. Especially someone who wasn't staff - but she wasn't really in charge, either. Rowena was fully aware she was in some sort of odd state of existence in this place, not being allowed to help out and being served, but not really having much freedom either. When it came down to it, she was at Balthazar's beck and call and she wasn't sure of her place in this beautiful mansion.
The thought was a bit depressing and she looked down at her plate, finishing it up. No sooner had she cleaned her plate of the thick white sauce than it was whisked away and another put in it's place, this time holding a thick brownie with vanilla bean ice cream on it. She looked up in surprise and got a smile from the girl who had exchanged out her plates. "You look like you could do with some sweets," she said. "I'm Anna. We've never had a slave here before, so be sure to tell us if we can help you out," she continued earnestly. The staff wasn't very big and living together in the small estate home made them more like family than anything else. A welcoming family was not something Rowena knew how to react to and she gave the girl a shy smile before beginning to work on her brownie.
It was delicious, more like a cake than anything else, and the chocolate certainly relaxed her nerves some. Looking up at the few people gathered in the kitchen, talking, she realized how nice it was that they were so informal and relaxed, friendly. Almost like a family.
And then someone burst into the kitchen and put her nerves right on edge again. Turning in her stool, Rowena looked at the strange man with wide eyes, seeing Balthazar behind him. "H-hello," she stammered out in confusion.
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x"...to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength."
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 1:40 pm
In usual fashion, Gregory made a dramatic entrance. Balthazar wouldn't expect any less from his brother. His staff were already use to his brother's antics and barely reacted. Rowena on the other hand looked frazzled. Sighing Balthazar could feel another headache coming on. He had wanted to ease her into his lifestyle and let her get comfortable before introducing her to his brother.
"Oh! A human, how interesting." Gregory had practically squealed in delight as he invaded Rowena's space, examining her from top to bottom. "Well isn't she a cutie," he cooed as he embraced the girl, petting her hair. Glancing back at his brother Gregory mildly quipped, "Getting some new blood I see." It was very subtle but despite his carefree manner, there was predatory glint to Gregory's gaze. "Mind if I borrow her brother mine?" he purred. Rowena couldn't see it, but Balthazar saw the flash of red faze through his brother's eyes.
"Gregory..." Balthazar said in a warning tone. "Back..Off..Now.." He had yet to sit down with the girl to explain his nature to her. If he brother didn't shut up soon, his new pet would with out a doubt freak out.
With a careless shrug, Gregory did as his brother asked. Once he did, he saw how shaken the girl was. He was only playing, but it seemed his brother's new play thing was a skittish thing. "I was just teasing," he pouted. "After all you were never big on sharing," Gregory said giving Balthazar a knowing wink. "Well. I'm off! Ta darlings, I'll come by soon~" he said as he blew farewell kisses to everyone in the room.
Gregory's departure was met with a few goodbyes from the staff, but Balthazar's focus was on Rowena. He did give her a warning about his brother at the slave shop but nothing ever did prepare anyone to experiencing the full force of his brother's attentions. "I apologize for that," he sighed. "I didn't mean for my brother to make you feel uncomfortable, especially on your first night here." It was rare for Balthazar to apologize to anyone, but he felt one was needed considering how little warning she was given. "Are you alright?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 2:01 pm
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When the man came over and suddenly hugged her, petting her hair, Rowena suddenly felt very much like a pet - like a cat or rabbit someone would pick up and cuddle. And it wasn't nearly as awful as she had feared, he didn't do anything lecherous to her and wasn't terrifying. Just...just very overwhelming, considering the day she'd had. When he asked to borrow her, she blinked, wondering what he meant for. Balthazar had bought her for company - and his brother was very...weird. What did he want, entertainment?
Looking between the two men, the young woman tucked some hair behind her ears and bit her lip. She was certainly growing a bit nervous, mostly due to the hostility in Balthazar's tone and the odd tension between the two brothers. Squirming a bit, she wondered if she was doing something wrong, if she should talk more, or be more excited or cheerful. Peppy, someone had suggested. But Balthazar knew what sort of person she was, if he wanted someone different...well, he already had someone different, she reminded herself, thinking of the girl that he'd walked away with as soon as they had gotten home.
The girl sighed a bit as the man left and she blinked when Balthazar turned to her and actually apologized. It seemed that it was a strange thing for him to do, judging by some of the staff's expressions as they looked at him, hearing those words. She ducked her head and nodded, not wanting to cause problems for him. After all, his brother hadn't even done anything - just startled her. He hadn't done anything bad. "I'm fine," she told him, glancing back up to him with a faint smile. "He was...interesting." Trying to find a word that described the man and failing, she settled for something that hopefully wouldn't be quite as insulting as some of the other things that came to mind.
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x"...to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength." `KikayGirl808 ooc // gah! Sorry for the shitty post.
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 6:56 pm
With his brother's departure, Balthazar felt the tension leave his body. He knew Gregory was just trying to get a rise out of him, but still he didn't find the humor in his brother's games.
Despite his worries, Rowena didn't seem as traumatize as he thought. But considering her bewildered look, she was most likely not aware of how close she was of becoming her brother's next meal. It was a fair assumption on his brother's part that he had purchased a blood slave, especially since Rowena was human. It was a common practice among the nobles of his status.
While a part of him wouldn't mind feeding from Rowena, he would not without her consent. Also her file did not state if whether or not if she was willing to do such a task. He could order her or force her to be a blood slave, but Balthazar preferred willing donors. It was not necessary anyways, his staff was more than willing to cater to his need for blood.
At Rowena's comment about his brother being 'interesting' Balthazar couldn't help but snort. "Well that's one way of putting it," he said wryly. "He's unfortunately a common nuisance around here." It seemed like a harsh way to describe one's brother, but there was a mix of fondness in his tone although he looked visibly annoyed. "Nonetheless I assume you're tired after all this excitement. Shall I escort you to your room?"
Balthazar still needed to have a talk with Rowena about his vampire nature and among other things, but he could table that discussion for another time. He was not sure as to what type of reaction he would get from her.
Most humans considered vampires as mere fantasy and myth. They did not believe vampires walked among them, secretly integrating themselves among the human populace. Balthazar's family in fact ran a few successful high-end resorts that catered to both the supernatural and the humans. But that was more of Gregory's responsibility than his. His brother loved to jet-set and interact with people. He loved to handle being the 'face' of the company. Balthazar was more than content with working behind the scenes on his brother's business ventures. His first priority was always clan relations and keeping his clan members in check.
Color Me Fubar OOC: Nah it's ok. I was grasping at straws when I was making my posts yesterday.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 11:34 am
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Although his words were a bit caustic, his tone held amusement that one only had speaking of another family member. It was sort of nice, to see he had some sort of attachment to his brother - especially if the man was going to be there all the time as he just told her. Rowena wasn't sure how much she would like that, but it wasn't as if she had a say in anything anymore. She wasn't a person, she was a possession, and it had been drilled into her that it didn't matter what she wanted to do or not do. That was a depressing truth of her new life and she did her best not to dwell on it that much, otherwise she wouldn't even see the point in getting out of bed.
She certainly hadn't the faintest clue that he was a vampire.
Although he said he was assuming she was tired, it seemed more like a backhanded order to go to her room and stay there. Quite honestly, she would have wanted to explore more, but Rowena wasn't about to correct or argue with him, especially when he already looked annoyed. So she just meekly nodded and got to her feet, thanking the cook quietly again for her meal before following her Master out of the kitchen and down the hall. She still looked around, curious about the place and unable to believe she lived somewhere like this. It almost made up for being a slave.
"Um, you don't need to show me to my room, if you're busy," she said quietly, looking down at her feet while she walked behind him. "I remember where it is." That was a bit of a lie, as she was sure she'd get confused, but all she had to do was ask someone where it was, she reasoned. None of the staff seemed to mind her asking questions and seemed almost amused at her presence, as if there was a joke she wasn't allowed in on just yet. It was actually a little frustrating, being treated like a child and a piece of furniture at the same time, but there wasn't anything Rowena could do about it, so she simply did her best to take it all with a smile.
Her footsteps were swallowed up by the thick carpet and it made her feel as if her presence was even more insignificant than before.
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x"...to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength."
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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 1:07 pm
As he started to lead Rowena back to her room, his pet had ask to retire to her room unaccompanied. Her reason was sound and if Balthazar was honest with himself, he did have a lot of work to catch up on. "If you insist," he said with a small nod. "Goodnight Rowena."
Balthazar stayed and watched his new pet walked out of his sight before he turned to head back to his study. As he entered the room, a tingle ran down his spine. It was just a feeling, but something felt off. Although he was suspicious, Balthazar did not let that show on his face. Walking over to his desk, he saw all his papers were as he left them and nothing in his study was disturbed. I could have sworn...
Within an instant Balthazar caught movement behind him. He managed to dodge most of the attack and suffer only a deep slash on his bicep. From the shadows a figured emerged, a dagger was was firmly gripped in his hand. "Who sent you?" Balthazar snarled.
The figure remained silent as he lunged forward, with his weapon drawn. Balthazar went on the defense, deflecting his attacks or dodging them. He noted the man's attacks were precise and had every attempt to inflict severe damage to his person. But his movement was slow and did not have as much strength to it compared to what he would expect from any assassins from a rival clan. Tired of this cat and mouse game, Balthazar went on the offensive and made quick work of detaining his assailant.
"You should have killed me when you had the chance. I am not an easy prey to kill when I can see you coming," his tone was cold and monotone as twisted the man's arm behind his back. The man let out a grunt of pain as Balthazar slammed him into the wall. "Now talk. Which clan had the nerve to go against me?"
The man glared back at Balthazar, a deep hatred in his eyes as he spat out, "I'm not telling you anything, vampire scum!"
Balthazar's eyes narrowed as he processed the man's statement. Leaning forward, he took a whiff of the man's scent and discovered his attacker was human. Why would a clan send a human assassin? Balthazar was broken from his train of thought as one of his servants hurried into his study. No doubt the fight had drawn attention of any passersby.
"My lord are you alright?!"
"I am fine, it is merely a flesh wound." The slash on his arm would heal in a few hours. It was not life threatening, but still impressive for a human to be able to wound him. The man must have been a professional. "Send for my brother, I'll be needing his expertise in dealing with this matter." This hired assassin was human. Either his rivals were getting desperate to make such a pitiful attempt as his life or they were dealing with a more serious matter. Despite his carefree and frivolous ways, Gregory was good at collecting information. Balthazar needed to know what he was dealing with before he could act.
"And what should I do about the um..."
"Leave him. I'll handle disposing of this trash." The clan and his brother would always be his first priority, but his staff were like his second family. It annoyed Balthazar greatly that someone was able to slip into his home unnoticed. The man could have possibly hurt people he cared about. The would-be assassin, while battered and bruised, was still very much alive. He wouldn't be for long, but Balthazar needed a few things from him before he ended his life. Turning the man to face him, Balthazar seized him by the throat, clenching very hard as the man struggled to breathe. Balthazar's eyes were bleeding red and his fangs were out as he stared down his prey. "I was already not in the best of moods before you came human, so I'd suggest you'd cooperate before I decide to take out my frustrations on you in a slow and very painful way."
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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 2:47 pm
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It was a relief to be left to return to her room on her own and the girl murmured a 'goodnight' in return as she walked down the hall. She could almost feel him watching her and was surprised that he had let her go and wander around the place on her own. Most masters would expect her to escape, wouldn't they? Not that Rowena was really the escaping sort, she knew, grimacing a bit. That was a bit embarrassing to admit to herself, but she had learned at an early age not to lie to herself and to be honest. It was the only way she'd be able to figure out what she could and couldn't do without making stupid mistakes.
Heading into her room, she was completely unaware of the trouble that had occurred in the hallway after she had left. It had happened quickly and quietly, and she was hardly straining to hear the sounds of someone fighting. Going into the bathroom, she washed her face and brushed her teeth like she always did, seeing that everything had been put away for her already. That made her feel a little bad as she rearranged things to how she liked them, but made a mental note to thank the staff tomorrow for it. For now she was too tired from the overwhelming events of the day and yawned as she dried her face off.
Rowena took a few minutes to find out where her pajamas had been put, pulling on a shirt and plaid pants. There was a robe hanging on the bathroom door for her, for when she wanted to walk around in her pajamas she supposed, and the small gesture made her smile a bit. It was something so commonplace that she had never really thought about before.
Another yawn made her tear up and she turned off the light, heading to her bed. Before she could even pull aside the drape of the canopy that hung around it, there was something sharp pressed to her throat, drawing a drop of blood as it pricked her. Gasping, she froze, her eyes going wide in an effort to see who it was. It couldn't be one of the staff, she knew that much, but other than that - well, nothing came to mind. "Don't move," a voice hissed. That was a good order, she thought numbly, as she wasn't planning on doing any such thing at the moment. Without giving her further direction, the person stayed behind her as she was turned towards the door and guided to it, her steps uneven and uncertain.
The hand not holding the knife to her throat reached around her to open the door, enough for her to see the light of the hallway. "Call your master over here," he whispered in her ear, sending a frightened shiver down her spine. Rowena bit her lip, not wanting to do that - she wasn't that much of a coward - but gasped in pain when the knife went deeper into her throat. "A little more and I'll cut the artery," he warned her. Realizing she would most likely die, she tried not to swallow, the blade still in her skin.
"Ba-Balthazar?" she called out hesitantly, her voice shaking just a touch. "Um, are you there?" Oh, please let him hear her, she thought desperately.
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x"...to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength."
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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:33 pm
It had always amused Balthazar how strong-willed humans could be. His would-be intruder had yet to crack under his interrogation tactics. Balthazar had beaten the man into a bloody pulp. His face was swollen with black and blue bruises. He was fairly certain he had cracked one of the man's ribs and dislocated his shoulder. The man cried out in pain as Balthazar stepped on his injured shoulder. "Still not talking? It seems I am losing my touch." Before he could continue one with his torture, a familiar voice rang out in the hallway loud and clear.
"Darling I'm baaaack~ You must have missed me terribly to call me so back so soon!"
Perfect timing. Mind games were more of Gregory's expertise, Balthazar preferred beating his opponents into submission until they caved. But it seemed such ministrations were ineffective on this human. "I'm in my study Gregory."
Unlike last time, Gregory entered in a calm and relaxed manner. Although he appeared jovial and giggly, there was a stiffness in his posture that said his demeanor at the moment was forced. If there was one way to incur the wrath of the usually carefree man, it was to mess with his brother. "Ah~ So this is the naughty little boy who tried to end my brother's life," he cooed. Taking in all the man's injuries, Gregory couldn't help but sigh. "My, my, brother you've certainly did a number on him. You started the fun without me," he pouted.
"I'll make it up to you by letting you have him all to yourself," Balthazar replied in a bored tone. "His cries, no longer amuses me." Without further discussion, Balthazar exited the room to let his brother do his work.
Once Balthazar exited and closed the door, Gregory's smile dropped. His face was devoid of any emotion as he walked up to the battered prisoner. "Now it's just you and me pet~" a wicked smile appeared on his face as he leaned in close to the man's face. "Shall we begin?"
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It was not long after that Gregory had emerged from the study. Unlike Balthazar he was not covered in blood, but he had a satisfied look on his face. Hopefully that meant good news. "Well?"
"Merely a hired-hand," Gregory shrugged. "He could not tell me much due to being a mere grunt, but he did offer up a name." Looking up to his brother Gregory frowned as he processed what he was told earlier. "It seems he works for an organization called the Electus."
Balthazar frowned, the name did not ring a bell. "I have never heard of them."
"Neither have I. But I could only assume they're made of a bunch of miscreants who view us as unworthy to breathe the same air as them," Gregory said with a dramatic sigh. "Nonetheless this seems like a matter you'll have to take up to the vampire council brother mine. I doubt we are the first nor the last clan to be attacked by such men."
The brothers continued their discussion. They were in the middle of coming up with a game plan when Balthazar heard a shaky voice call out to him.
"Ba-Balthazar? Um, are you there?"
Balthazar froze at the sound of Rowena's voice. Had she overheard them talking? Before he could respond to her, his brother was trying to silently get his attention by grabbing his shoulder. He placed his forefinger to his lips to motion for Balthazar to remain silent. Raising an eyebrow, his expression said it all What are you doing? Gregory then tapped his nose. Skeptical, Balthazar did as his brother requested and inhaled deeply. It was faint but he could smell it. Blood. And it was coming from Rowena's room.
Someone had hurt Rowena. Balthazar could feel his brother's grip tighten around his shoulder. Right, he couldn't lose his cool. At least not yet... Gritting his teeth, it took all he had to respond in a calm if not slightly cold demeanor. "Yes Rowena, what is it?" He wanted to go over there and rip the door open to see if she was alright, but Gregory would not let him rush in so foolishly. Gregory held his brother firmly in place. To him, his brother's life was more important than that of a slave he had just met a few hours ago.
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