[IC] The Rebel Vampire

[TShara]

Joseph nodded as he was addressed, and stared towards his master to let him know that he was listening carefully. But he merely nodded in response, as he did not see a need to respond verbally, nor was he entirely sure that he could. It was obvious that, for tonight at least, Lord Alexi did not want him to stand there, patiently waiting to fill his drink. Understanding the sentiment as a dismissal, he set down the two pitchers on their tray on the table, and bowed once more before leaving the room.

It was still four hours to midnight, and already Joseph dreaded the prospect of meeting the vampire rebel. The memories that this whole thing dredged up plagued him. Unwilling to sit still, he worked on some of his other chores for the time being, assisting with the work of cleaning up the kitchen, and dusting some of the lesser-used rooms in the house. There were times that he wished that Master Alexi had fewer slaves, just so that he could be more busy. Sometimes his sentence seemed almost luxurious, and right now he wanted anything he could do to keep his mind away from the impending encounter with his past.

After he had done all of the work he could justify as needing doing in the least bit, the head servant washed his hands and spent the final hour practicing the cello. He had begun playing the piano around the age of 200 or so, and the cello around the age of 250. Not that it mattered, but he was actually quite skilled. Slavery and servitude aside, there were definite advantages to the long lifespan of vampires, the ability to learn and practice many skills ranking high among them.

At exactly midnight, Joseph stood from his instrument and went to a closet to grab some cleaning supplies. He had resolved not to speak to the rebel leader more than was absolutely necessary, no matter how the prisoner tried to rile him. He was still far too afraid of .... well he was not sure what exactly, perhaps of seeing such suffering.

~*~*~

Erik focused on breathing deeply to keep his mind from racing with bloodlust and anxiety, but he finally had managed to calm himself to the point that his symptoms were almost … almost at a manageable level. He decided to let the human's conundrum out of his mind for a while, and to simply read one of the books that was within his reach. Stretching nearly as far out as the binding chains would let him, he grabbed a book called Dark and Light Elves: History and Culture, that was at least fifty years old. Though not illegal, books or other media that painted magicals as anything besides mindless slaves were generally frowned upon, and he was more than a little surprised to find something like this in this house of all places. But nonetheless, he began to read, if for no other reason than to distract himself from his increasing levels of anxiety.

[PopeAlessandros]

Aci double post!

[PopeAlessandros]

Alexi finishes his meal in silence, his thoughts occupied by a particularly spirited vampire among other important things. Once the meal is over he wings a bell and few of his kitchen staff come out to clean up his mess. Alexi watches them work for a while, offering smiles to those bold enough to look at him but most are returned by little jumps and hurried movements. Only a couple of the older slaves returns the smiles, but none address him. Alexi would not mind talking to them at this point, but they have so little in common that the master of the house finds them simply staring at him by the end of the conversation. A few of the younger ones, like his driver, would listen for hours however. Alexi would tell them tales about their races before the enslavement and they would stare at him, fascinated.

With a light huff the younger Vandros makes his way to his study, where true to his word, he stays until well after midnight. Once all of his work is done however he wanders out of his study a little dazed looking. Not sure what else to do he goes to the nearest window and just looks out over the lawns. Many of the night slaves are moving about here and there, clipping hedges and removing fallen sticks from the many trees dotting the back lawn. The gardeners are hard at work and once again Alexi realizes he'd never make it if he didn't have his slaves. Suddenly overtaken by the urge to see his brother the younger Vandros makes his way to the back door. Startling the gardeners a little he offers them a little wave so they know he's not there to see them before moving off towards Mois's little hut.

'Well, it looks like a hut to me, but I suppose it's a house. . .' Alexi shrugs, not really wanting to think about such things right now. Slipping inside he moves slowly through the dark until he finds his way into his brother's room. Mois, who had woken up at the sound of his front door opening, simply looks at him with only one eye open as the younger brother stares at him from the doorway. After a few seconds Alexi shuffles in and flops down on the bed beside his brother. Mois bops him lightly on the head before laying one arm across the limp form, falling quickly back to sleep. Alexi however does not sleep. He knows that if he doesn't get back to the house and actually sleep in his room with the vampire tonight, he will not be able to resist simply moving in with Mois for the extent of the breaking. 'If I flee now, I'll never be able to make my plan work' He doesn't leave just yet though. First, he just wants to spend some time with his family, as small as it is.

[TShara]

At thirty minutes after midnight, Joseph stood in front of the double doors to Master Alexi's room. It was fortunate that no one was there, for he would have not wanted anyone to see his fear or his hesitation. But alas, he knew he had to enter. It had been an order from his master after all. Resolving once more not to speak to the vampire prisoner, he finally stepped inside.

He noticed that the captive was reading, a book about elves no less. Good, perhaps he would learn not to hate Master Alexi so much if he saw the kind of reading material the human left around. Furthermore, it was good for him to be distracted. Any distraction was helpful to keep away from the awful symptoms that the vampire servant knew were just beginning to ravage his body.

Erik immediately heard the servant enter the room and looked up. Though he was physically weaker at the moment, he could still smell the other vampire. People of their own race had a distinct smell, as did humans, though the latter smell was stronger.

“Who the hell are you?” he demanded, with more than a touch of hostility in his voice. Taking a deep breath, the blood-starved vampire forced himself to remain calm. “I mean, are you one of the slaves here?” he asked somewhat more politely. But the head servant ignored him, and simply began with picking up a few things from the floor and organizing them the way that Master Alexi liked. There was not much there, so he was finished with the task quickly.

“You're like me, a vampire. Let me the hell out of here, please. Beings like us aren't meant to be caved up like this.” Erik was furious at the lack of response, but he was not ready to risk endangering his impression with a potential friend. He was not yet that far gone.

You have no idea how much I wish I could do just that, cousin, was the silent vampire's thought. But it is out of my hands. It's Master Alexi's decision, not mine. I must do as I'm told, regardless of how wrong it is. He quickly made up the Master's bed, and began the dusting, careful not to even make eye contact with the prisoner. Then he finished the room and everything in the master bathroom, returning both to a spotless state.

Erik, to his credit, remained quiet himself after only a bit more needling. It was clear he would win no quarter with this perfectly broken servant. The thought of seeing another sentient being wearing a collar and working as a slave made him feel even more sick, if that was even possible. But a few minutes later he was surprised by the slave's approach. Still without a word, Joseph handed the prisoner a bottle of cold water, and placed a lined bucket by the bed, for when the vomiting started, no doubt. And for just a moment, they shared a look that seemed to convey a mutual empathy. Then the other vampire picked up his supplies and was gone, and Erik was alone again.

Joseph took a deep breath as he left the room. It was done, finally. At least for now. He had not even had to care for the prisoner yet and already he knew that this was the most onerous task he had had in a long time. He would have rather been back cleaning the stables as he did four hundred years ago, than spending any time watching perspiration drip from that poor man's face, watching the pained bloodlust in his eyes, and knowing that it will only get worse until he gives in.

[PopeAlessandros]

Alexi does not stay in his brother's bed for too long, the weight of Mois's arm across his back all the comfort he needs before he sets out on the next part of his task. 'I need to be more brave in this. I have done the research, this should work just as I plan. Even if it doesn't, I must see it through' Sighing he rolls over, squeezes his brother's hand, then slides off the bed. Mois wakes up once more, watching his little brother leave. His hand curls and he slides it under his chest as the elder Vandros rolls on to his stomach. Alexi's trip back to the house is uneventful, stopping only once to sniff at the night blooms and look to the moon.

Once inside he makes his way determinedly to the stairs leading to the second floor, arriving in the hall leading to his room just as his head slave steps out. His stomach does a little flip flop, the distress coming off of Joseph in waves despite his usual professional mask being fully in place. 'I am so sorry, my dear Joseph' With a light sigh he makes his way down the hall. “Joseph, I'm glad. It seems you've just finished, or so one would assume.” He smiles at he stops next to the elder vampire. “Thank you again for doing this for me. I have one order I would like you to place tonight to the Styles for Slaves shop. I'm thinking something Roman to start with.” He smiles, reaching out to place a gentle hand on Joseph's shoulder. Leaning in close in case there are any servants nearby he whispers so softly that even the vampire would have to strain to hear him. “He deserves his dignity.”

With a light squeeze to his shoulder he lets the slave go and with a wave dismisses him. Opening the door to his room he slips inside and does his best to not look immediately to the chained male. 'He's not in a zoo, he's not a display. . .As much as that part of me loves to watch him, I really should respect his wishes to not be stared at, heh' He chuckles lightly to himself before making his way over to the hooks lining one wall that hold his housecoats. His pants shine in the overhead light before Alexi reaches over to turn it off. The only light left in the room is a small lamp next to his bed that he keeps on until he goes to sleep, and turns it on again every morning. Too many a nights did he come to his room exhausted for a stressful day of work, click of the overhead, and then promptly stub his toes and fall over everything between the switch and his bed on his way to the four poster.

His stomach flips around once again as he at last looks to the vampire chained in the corner of the room. Wandering over to his own bed he can feel shivers as the shadows cast from the single light source give the creature a new and more threatening look. 'So, beautiful. . .' He lets out a sigh as he pulls the covers back and climbs in. He notices the book missing from his shelf and his eyes immediately spot it's new location near the vampire. “I'm truly glad you found something to amuse yourself. If you'd like to continue reading I can leave the light on. I would like to get some sleep tonight, but if you feel the need to keep me awake, so be it. From the looks of you it will not be long before your first dose.” His eyes slide over the basin and water, a warm smile crossing his face.

“Joseph really does think ahead, the sweety. He raised my brother and I, one of the first ever hard broken slaves. He's got a lot of his free will back. However don't expect him to save you. Aside from the hard breaking, I would hazard to guess he actually likes me. I loath giving him the task of looking after you, knowing how it will hurt him, but there is no one on this earth I trust more with the task, not even my brother.” Shifting down into the sheets, the covers sliding against his body just like his silk pants, he lays back against the plush pillows with a sigh. He can already feel himself nodding off, but he manages to relay the last bit of information without his eyes falling closed. “I've ordered you some clothing, well, Joseph will do so tonight.”

He smiles at the thought of the vampire in the roman garb. “They should arrive soon. It will be up to you if you want help staying clean, and from whom if you do, or if you'd rather clean yourself that's just fine. I would not dream of forcing you to stay in the same clothes the whole time. From what I've heard, the perspiration itself will be offending your senses long before they begin to bother me. Anyways, good night. . .” For a moment he considers asking the vampire his name, but he stops himself. Such a thing he will wait for the bound male to offer up on his own.

[TShara]

Even though Joseph was pleased to hear the comment from his owner, he still could not prevent the thoughts that passed through his mind. If you truly thought he deserved his dignity, then you wouldn't torture him like this to begin with, Master Alexi. I love you and I have followed you for your entire life, but I cannot condone this. The only thing that damned potion can do is destroy another man, Joseph thought angrily, but his well-practiced visage remained almost completely impassive as he nodded gravely and, upon being dismissed, went back to his laptop in his small apartment to order something “Roman” from the Styles for Slaves shop.

Of course, the fashions were not historically accurate. “Roman-inspired” was not the same thing as truly in accordance with the tradition. If they had been accurate, slaves would have only been allowed to wear tunics. But Joseph knew a bit about Roman clothing, and chose a dignified-looking tunic and toga combination made out of a very light linen that would help the former rebel not to overheat. Though the fashions no longer had the representations they once had during the Roman Empire, the vampire made sure to choose a black toga, for the dark-colored garment had once been worn during times of mourning or protest. This situation certainly fit both.

That task completed, Joseph allowed himself a glass of wine and a few minutes to reflect on his frustration before continuing with his other chores. Now was not the time to feel sorry for himself, nor for circumstances he could not change. But forbidden thoughts nagged at him throughout the night as he worked.

~*~*~

Erik had debated whether or not to hide his water as Alexi entered, but decided against it. He wanted to see for himself if this human slaver was as kind and reformed as he tried to make himself out to be. So he could not help but be surprised when Alexi made it a point not to stare at him and also acknowledged the water without anger. More surprising was the offer to leave the light on, even if it meant keeping the human awake in his own room. They were, of course, only a couple of niceties in the middle of kidnapping and both blood and food starvation, but they were enough to disarm him into a nod that indicated Alexi could turn off the light.

“I can see in very low light anyway,” he volunteered, after listening to everything his captor had said. “Vampire eyes are much more adept at taking advantage of minor light than humans' are.” His voice turned somewhat more harsh after a slight pause. “Don't expect me to thank you for the clothes, though.”

The captive must have looked intimidating indeed. Though he was not openly attacking the damned human, his fangs were fully extended and his skin was more pale than ever. Though he was keeping his temper under control, his eyes glowed a bright red. All were clear signs of either immense emotion or bloodlust, which often went hand and hand for any vampire. Perspiration bathed the sheets, and Alexi was right, already his own smell was getting to him, counterintuitive as that was.

Even after the light was off, Erik continued reading, secretly terrified that if he went to sleep, he would wake up feeling even more sick than he already did.

[PopeAlessandros]

With a soft sigh Alexi takes in the sight before him one last time. The exposed fangs, the glowing eyes. Each little sign of his discomfort pulls at something deep inside the human but his resolve does not waver. No matter how his feelings try to sway him, Alexi has never allowed such things to steer him off course. True, it is his emotions themselves that put him on his path, but if he is to follow it to the end he can not let them take him back off. With a gentle nod Alexi reaches into his bedside stand an pulls out a small cylinder. Cracking it and shaking it gently he watches as the pale green glow becomes brighter little by little until at last it's at maximum brightness. Once he's sure it's set he tosses the small plastic toy over to the vampire's bed and clicks his bedside lamp off. Once settles into his pillows and covers Alexi can not directly see the light and is able to swiftly fall into an exhausted sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hours later, a few hours before sunrise, Mois wakes. At first he does not move. All the stresses of his mind hit him the moment he is fully conscious and the weight of it all keeps him from even shifting off his now sleeping arm. 'He's probably in there now, sleeping beside that guy. . .' Mois has no real distaste for the rebel leader, other than a basic disapproval of all the killings he's was directly involved in, but he still can no help but be on edge at the thought of it being so close to his precious little brother. It takes a full ten minutes before he at last manages to roll off his arm, a groan finding it's way out as the arm is beset by pins and needles, but despite the feeling he rolls right out of bed and on to his feet.

He gets ready for work, still an hour away, but Mois has always been one for arriving early. In fact there's a running joke that if Mois is ever on time, his coworkers will know the apocalypse is one it's way. He ignores their antics mostly, not one for socializing, much, but sometimes he wishes they would stop paying such close attention to his habits. Once ready for work he heads out to the main house, stopping by the private dining room to scoop up his usual morning fare. An sandwich made with scrambled eggs and cheese, bacon, spam, and slathered on one side with a whipped dressing. He makes short work of it, downing his glass of orange juice before heading towards the garage. He slows as he glances towards the main foyer, sorely tempted to check in on Alexi. However he pushes aside the idea, positive that Alexi will have already established that Mois is not allowed in the younger Vandros's room for now.

They use to be able to freely enter each other's rooms, and if it was not for the vampire currently chained up in there, Mois would be more than welcome, however Mois knows his brother well and does not even bother tempting fate. Instead he heads to the garage, nods as the few servants he sees in greeting, before hopping up into his own SUV and heading off to work.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When the sun finally rises Alexi wakes up automatically, his body trained to wake him when he tells it to. He rolls around a bit, stretching and groaning to work out all the kinks sleeping brings to his body. There aren't many, the expensive bed and fixings not just there for show after all. It is pitch black in his room save for the still glowing green light coming from somewhere past the foot of his bed and with a sigh the master of the house rolls over and clicks on his lamp. Sitting up he can feel his heart racing as he closes his eyes, once more trying to be polite. 'I am so glad he let me sleep. I was worried he's be too upset for that. But I guess reading must have done some good. . . .I so want to look at him, even in his distress he looks so beautiful. . .' However he keeps his eyes closed for a few more minutes as he pops a few more joints. Unable to take it any longer however he shifts on to his side, propping his head on on his hand, and looks over at his prize with a fond look in his eyes, a small smile on his lips. “And how are we this morning?” he asks, examining the vampire carefully as he can in the angled light.

[TShara]

Vampires were naturally nocturnal creatures; on the whole, their circadian rhythms were much more comfortable with sleeping through part of the day and staying up during the night. As such, both Joseph and Erik stayed up that night, Erik reading to avoid thinking about his discomfort and Joseph performing part of the nighttime cleaning. Though it was difficult to focus, the captive found himself about three-quarters of the way through the book when Alexi awoke. He had been thankful for the light, though he loathed to admit it, even to himself.

“How the fu-… How do you think I am?” he replied through gritted teeth, his eyes pointed towards the ceiling as he narrowly avoided cursing. Normally he would not take heed to that preference of the human's, but he preferred to start things off on a less antagonistic foot. “I vomited twice last night, though little would come up. I am dripping in sweat and aching all over, especially my head. And I am just barely holding my temper together in a, likely misguided, attempt to be civil to you, my dam- my kidnapper. I need blood, Alexi.” Erik sat up in the bed and looked over to Alexi, his tone mostly relaxed until the very end. Normally he might not have been so forthcoming, but some subconscious part of him began to truly believe in the younger Vandros' humanity in the previous night, all from those simple act of kindness of giving him a reading light and treating him with a slight bit of dignity. Additionally, the vampire was headstrong, but not stupid. He knew that it was in his best interest to be civil to his kidnapper, no matter how much his temper wanted to suggest otherwise.

If anything, the telltale signs of his hunger were worsened now, and though he hid the lust for the human's blood from his words, the hunger was evident in his eyes and his tone.

[PopeAlessandros]

His smile twitches for a moment the first time Erik keeps himself from swearing. 'That is nice. I am glad he has taken that to heart at least. Perhaps this will get better faster than I thought' His heart drops a bit when he hears that Erik had been vomiting. 'I know I heard something last night, I remember waking up once. That must have been when he. . .' He sighs softly. As he keeps talking Alexi slips out of bed and pulls the potion Joseph had left for out and slides it into his pocket. Kneeling down he slides a box out from under his bed. The lock is fingerprint activated so as he presses his thumb to it he looks over at Erik as he falls silent. “I am sorry you are so uncomfortable, but I am afraid you will be that way for a while. Also, I thank you for your efforts to stay civil, I really appreciate them. . .” His voice trails off as he pops open the safety box. When he'd picked up the potion from the night stand he had done so in such a way there there is no way Erik could have seen it. So when the box opens to reveal another potion, in an identical bottle, he looks to Erik to see his reaction.

Slowly he pick up the phial and holds in his hand gently. He closes the box with his foot, sliding it and the rest of it's contents back under his bed. Joseph knows not to look under his bed under any circumstances, that being Alexi's “Private Storage” and all. The potion glows a gentle purple and for a long moment the human just stares at it, a blank expression on his face. Eventually he slips it into the opposite pocket to the one he put the first phial in and gives Erik a sad look As he walks past the vampire's bed, well out of reach he murmurs, “I'll have Joseph extract some of my blood today and put it in cold storage until you are ready. I can only pray that your suffering is shorter than his was. However, somehow, I doubt it. You really are a strong and admirable individual.” With this being said Alexi moves quickly off to the bathroom, not really wanting to be around for the fallout should it come.

Once in the washroom he pulls out the first phial and dumps it's contents down the sink. He slips the bottle back into his pocket, knowing that he'll have to get rid of it somewhere away from the house. 'I can not risk any of the servants, especially Joseph,. Coming across it and wondering. The design of these bottles are unique' He whines softly to himself as he recalls the look of his acquisition. So much pain, so much suffering. Alexi's heart really goes out to him, but he steels his resolve as he bathes and when he's finally ready to re-enter the room he is in complete control of himself. Moving behind his wardrobe door once more he slips out of his pants and picks out what he wants to wear today. He has a few errands to run, which will give him plenty of opportunity to dump the phial, but he remains silent for now should Erik wish to speak. He knows there is most likely a very angry rant the vampire wishes to spill from what he said earlier so he gives Erik the chance to vent.

[TShara]

Erik's eyes narrowed in hatred of what he recognized as a phial of subjugation potion. He had not seen the human remove the phial from the nightstand, or had even known that the older one was there, but he did see when the new one was removed from the safety box. The truth was, he feared what that tiny bottle could do to him, the person he could become. But resistance leaders did not get to show fear, so it was all channeled into a barely controllable anger that was getting more and more difficult to suppress.

He stayed quiet and took deep breaths as he waited oh-so-patiently for Alexi to return, but when the lord of the manor did come back, the prisoner began to speak again.

“Your words, your tone, even your eyes have a lot of sympathy for seeing me like this. But how can I believe that it's not a lie when you are the one who has the power to free me? If you truly felt remorse, you would let me go. You and I both know you, or your servant anyway, made the restraints strong enough that I can never break out of them. But I'll die before I drink that da- that potion, and you should know that by now,” he asked coldly. His sunken eyes glowed a dangerous dark red, and it was clear that he was in agony. Surely Alexi would be able to read just how painful it was for the vampire to maintain any sort of civility. The smell of the human was intoxicating, and a vampire of yesteryear might have attacked the human on the spot had he been this hungry and free. But both the chains and, to an extent, Erik's morals, prevented that. “I've given up asking you why you want me here, you know. It's clear you won't tell me.”

Just as he finished speaking, the pain in his head hit one of its higher points and the vampire cried out briefly before stopping himself and looking back at Alexi. “I'll never take that potion. You'll have to get one of your minions to force it down my throat. Just hope that I dont bite their fingers off.”

[PopeAlessandros]

Alexi dresses silently as the chained male speaks. While his heart aches he can not help the little tugs at the corners of his mouth when the man keeps himself from swearing. He pauses as he's buttoning up his shirt as the pain evident in the bound man's voice strikes a nerve. He takes a few deep breaths, letting the last one his out from behind hid clenched teeth before he finishes getting dressed. 'You are right, you can not free yourself, and I have the power, but I can not. Not just yet my pet'He mentally berates himself for the 'pet' reference, but when at last he closes the wardrobe doors he looks once more as calm and collected as he always is.

He looks to the vampire just as a cry is torn from his body. Alexi steels himself as those beautiful red glowing eyes fall on him and the threat rips it's way out of the captive. 'I can hear the blood lust in his voice, he really is starving. I should caution Joseph to be careful when he comes in later with the clothing. Even if he can not survive off of it, I can see this one trying to drink from him out of desperation' He lets out a long sigh, true sympathy in his eyes though his voice remains strong. “I am sorry, but this is the only way. I shall have my blood drawn before I leave and when you are ready, it will be prepared for you.” He lowers his head slightly, his gaze dropping to the floor.

“I will not risk Joseph in this. When you are ready, I will administer the drink myself. I am sorry you are in such pain. . .” His voice tapers off as he turns and leaves the room. Closing the door softly behind him Alexi glances around for a servant before remembering that none of them are allowed in the hallway for now. “Right right. . .” he mutters to himself nodding. Making his way down to the foyer he calls over a servant and tells them to have Joseph bring his morning meal to his favorite study. As the small werewolf runs off Alexi makes his way up to the third floor and into the largest study in the house. When his father had been in charge, two of the three studies were rooms he used for business, stacked floor to ceiling with paperwork and file cabinets. However after his father died, Alexi had all that moved into another part of the house and had them organized, converting the business rooms into something more hospitable.

Making his way over to the large desk near the giant window facing the front yard of the estate he takes a seat to wait for his meal to be delivered. While he waits he thinks over his plan once more, every detail stretching this way and that as he tries to find any holes or shortcoming. 'as it is with all plans made contingent on other people's choices, there is always a margin of failure, and an even larger margin for roadblocks and faltering, but. . . .' The face of the male tied up in his room flashes across his minds eye once more and he lets out a long sigh. 'If there was another way that had as much potential success, without making you suffer, I would have implemented it. I swear. . .' He lets out a long sigh, his arms stretching out over the desk as his head sinks down, his forehead coming to rest on his dark finely finished surface. Behind him the morning light shines in through the window, but with a lazy motion he presses a button on the desk and all the curtains around the room slide closed so Joseph does not burst into flames when he comes in.

[TShara]

“What part of 'I will not drink the potion, I'll die first,' do you not understand, Alexi?” Erik muttered as the lord of the manor left and ignored him completely. I can't drink anything they give me except water, because even if they said it was normal blood, it could have the potion mixed in without my knowledge. On the other hand... if the human will get close enough to me to feed me the vial, this could work in my favor. Even in this state I am stronger than he is. I could kill him, or at least wound him and get a sip of that delicious blood.

Erik laid down back into the bed and considered the idea before trying to read again. The pain in his head was getting worse, making it even harder to focus on the book, and going to sleep felt impossible for the same reason. Finally he gave up and tried to think, but all he could think about was exactly how to trick the human into thinking he was ready to take the potion. There was a cruel irony in all of this, in the sense that before his capture, Erik had not been a vampire supremacist. He only wanted equality with humans, for magicals to be freed from slavery. He held a lot of respect for humans who did not participate in the slave trade. But gradually the bloodlust was causing his natural instincts to take over, gradually making him much more akin to his bloodthirsty ancestors. It was taking more and more concentration to remember that Alexi was a sentient human being, not a source of food. The fact that he personally hated the human for imprisoning him like this did not help matters in the slightest.

~*~*~

Vampires were not sensitive to light in general, just incredibly sensitive to UV radiation. So, though the curtains were closed, the room was brightened by several tasteful lighting fixtures, some of which Joseph had actually installed himself at the behest of previous masters.

Joseph knocked briefly before entering the room with a large tray containing eggs benedict, assorted fruit, orange juice, and milk. His face was completely impassive as he sat the tray down in front of the human before him and removed the plates and glasses, arranging them carefully on the desk. Then he bowed slightly and stood on the other side of the desk waiting to be addressed or dismissed. He silently dreaded the conversation, terrified that it would go back to more instructions regarding the vampire prisoner, who he would have liked to forget entirely.

[PopeAlessandros]

Alexi lay face down until at last he hears the door open. Sitting up with a huff he watches Joseph go about his task without a word. 'He is such a good slave. . . .I think if he wasn't a slave, he would make the best butler in the world. . . .As long as he had already broken out of his feeding habits. I recall the tale of why he was broken by my ancestor, and I must agree with him, what happened was terrible. But, he was just acting as he saw fit. He was doing what came naturally to him. I'm not sure if he was taking true pleasure in the acts, I would not even dream of asking him such things, however. . . I do often wonder what he was like before his breaking'

When at last his meal is laid out before him, his eyes having followed Joseph as he went about serving it, Alexi finally tears his eyes away and looks at what was brought. He smiles at the rather old fashioned meal and he chuckles happily. “Thank you Joseph, this is just what I need this morning.” He does not dismiss the male just yet, having a few things he'd like to say regarding the vampire chained up in his room, but his hunger prompts him to at least munch down a few mouthfuls before sitting back and looking at the waiting elder vampire.

“Since you ordered the clothing last night, they should arrive some time today. When they do I would like you to bring them to my chambers and place them in my closet. Also, could you ask him his preference? I am sure by now that he is beginning to get a little ripe, and I am also sure he does not want my help.” He looks to Joseph sympathetically. His usual lightly chipper tone is more subdued this morning, despite the fantastic meal his old mentor brought him, however he tries his best not to look down right depressed at how the whole thing is shaping up. He still has high hopes for the plan succeeding, however he also knows that the rebel leaders breaking is most likely going to take even longer than Joseph's, relatively speaking.

“Once he has made his decision, if he is ready to, bring him a basin for getting cleaned up and help him into his new clothing.” He takes another bite, sipping some juice to wash it down. “If he is not ready,” he murmurs, setting his glass down, “then just hang up all the clothes and do your cleaning. I am sorry, but I will be out most of the day. Today I have quite a bit of running to do, but tomorrow I should be able to sit down with you and address any house business that has cropped up in the past couple weeks.” He gives his head slave a warm honest smile, still a touch of sympathy in his gaze before his eyes fall once more to his meal and he dismisses the male with a wave. Once Joseph is out of the room he finishes his meal quickly and heads down to the garage. As soon as his driver is ready, Alexi heads out to complete his errands.

[TShara]

Joseph nodded respectfully at Master Alexi's words but did not reply. He felt that if he dared to speak, far too truthful words would emerge from his mouth. Besides, it was clear that his input was neither requested nor required in this case. When he was dismissed, he bowed and exited the room, knowing that he would follow these instructions to the letter. But until the delivery arrived, he worked on cleaning a few rooms, quickly checked in on the various teams, and counseled two slaves in a minor dispute. Sure, the elder vampire probably could have gotten away with delegating some of his usual work given the extra stress on him with the current situation, but he did not want to do anything to arouse suspicion as to what he and Master Alexi were up to. There was enough curiosity as it was. Besides, he preferred being busy. Idle hands meant an idle mind, and in Joseph's current state, that was rather dangerous.

In any case, it was about 2 o'clock when the package came, and Joseph walked it into the bedroom. But at the time, the prisoner was asleep, and the elder vampire did not have the heart to awaken him. He could still remember just how difficult it could be to sleep with the pain and illness, and he had no desire to make things even worse. For three hours, he left, completed a task, and then returned an hour later to check on Erik, but it was not until 5 o'clock that he found Erik awake, and currently retching into the basin.

“Good afternoon. My name is Joseph. We met yesterday,” he began, his tone level and diffusing some of the awkwardness of the wordchoice.

“Ahh, right. I thought you were the strong and silent type,” Erik joked sardonically, staring up at the ceiling.

“I speak when it is necessary, for example, now. Master Alexi has requested that I offer you a set of clothes we chose for you to wear. You'll find that the outfit breathes more easily than what you have on at the moment. I can also bring you the supplies to wash yourself, and assist if you desire. Of course, no one is going to force you to change or to wash, but you and I both know that the reek of bloodlust is difficult to withstand. To be perfectly honest, it is not easy for me to be in the same room as you right now, so I know how horrible it must be for you with your illness,” the vampire butler responded, sounding rather professionally detached, regardless of the deep emotion he held for the prisoner's predicament, and handing Erik a bottle of water.

Erik's first instinct was lash out and to refuse any help from the slave, and he opened his mouth to speak, before realizing that it would prove nothing. It was illogical to resist help, and at least it was from one of his own kind, someone who seemed just as trapped here as he was.

“Fine, bring me the damn supplies. I can bathe myself though,” the younger vampire finally muttered, glaring at the elder servant. Joseph merely nodded and bowed out of habit, before fetching a large basin full of warm water, some expensive, but unscented soap, and a large washcloth.

“Would you like to tell me your name?” Joseph asked calmly, as he set down the soap and cloth.

“Don't you already know it?”

“My master only informed me that you were one of the rebel leaders, but there are only about ten of those whose names people actually know, and we all know there are more cells than that. So what is your name?”

“Leader Erik Schumann,” the rebel replied with a certain pride as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He began removing his trousers with little complaint, and looked up to see Joseph returning with a pair of scissors.

“I have to cut your shirt off. But Lord Alexi will buy you an identical one if you want. I just can't take you out of the cuffs,” Joseph said calmly, only a hint of apology in his voice. Erik just closed his eyes for a second, and reminded himself that it was the price he had to pay to escape just this small part of his suffering.

“Fine. It's not like it's expensive anyway,” he finally responded, looking down at the filthy, threadbare piece as Joseph stood behind him and cut it off of his back. The basin was too shallow to act as a proper washtub, so he began to bathe himself with the sponge. Trying to give him some privacy and dignity, Joseph turned away and began work on cleaning the rest of the room.

But he kept a close enough eye on the prisoner just in case he tried anything. Not that there were many options, Joseph had made sure of that. So within thirty seconds of Erik seeming to be finished, he brought him a large towel and the black toga-like outfit.

“The color won't show the sweat-stains as much, and the material is opaque, but light enough to breathe,” Joseph muttered, as he began to assist him in the process of putting the clothes on, as the wrap-around design was rather complex. Erik just grunted, unhappy with being dressed up like a doll, and certainly not willing to thank his captors for anything.

“Why does he want me here,” the prisoner finally asked, red eyes glaring up into Joseph's calm blue ones.

“I haven't the faintest idea. He has merely told me bits and pieces, and he says he has some kind of plan.”

“Lovely, no more than I know then. How long have you been his slave?”

“Since his birth. I've been owned by the Vandros family for over five hundred years, since the Great Cull.” Erik took in a deep breath at that idea. It was well nown that a vampire could live that long, but he could count on one hand the number of vampries he had met who lived through that age.

“How does he treat his slaves?”

“Does it really matter how I answer? You'll think I have Stockholm syndrome either way. But he treats us well, better than any other slave owner I've had or heard of, and just about as well as can be expected under the law.” There was no hesitation or strange tone in Joseph's response, nothing to suggest that he was lying or stretching the truth in the slightest. But Erik had to admit that the elder vampire was right, he did suspect that the slave just had Stockholm syndrome and simply could not concieve of a better life. After a moment's pause, in which Erik's befuddled mind blanked on more questions or conversation, the elder vampire returned to his work.

It was about thirty minutes later when Joseph had finished changing the sheets on both beds, vacuuming the floor, and replacing the waste buckets, including those that Joseph had utilized, along with putting away a few loads of Master Alexi's laundry. Just as he gathered his supplies and turned to leave, Erik surprised him with another question.
“Are you happy here?” the former rebel asked tentatively, voice clearly shaking with the pain he was under. The head slave hesitated only a short moment before responding.

“As happy as I deserve to be,” he muttered, and strode out of the room, closing the door behind him.

[PopeAlessandros]

Mois slams the door to his vehicle, the nature of the garage making the sound echo and sound almost like a boom. The older slave, use to his after work frustrations, simply continue with their work, a pair coming over to service the vehicle, while the newer slaves jump and cower a bit at the sound. The watch with wide eyes as the elder Vandros storms by silently, the only expression of his frustration the knitted brow. While Mois is a very passionate person on the inside, he has always had a great distaste for showing it on the outside. However, the cause of his frustration today is enough to break his normally impassive visage he wears in public at all times.

'They should know better by now, but no! They have to come crashing in like madmen on a rampage and not escape before half their numbers are in pieces on the ground. I swear, these new cells are ridiculous. Alexi would be sick if I told him how many non-humans I had to kill today. They took out a dozen of our guys too, but. . . .' Mois lets out a long sigh, knowing that his brother is very much beginning to influence his thinking. He use to only really focus on the human losses in the clashes, however the shear number of dead on the other side of the struggle, mixed with his well hidden fondness for their own non-human population an the manor, has only served to sway him over his years in the service.

Having noted the absence of one of his brother's cars Mois decides to just see. To just try, and find out just what regulations his brother now has in place to protect his secret. 'I swear, a part of me just wants to talk to the guy and find out how to help these newbies pull their heads out of their proverbial asses' He lets out another sigh, his temper slowly simmering down as he climbs the steps to the next floor. His feet follow the familiar path to the hallway where his brother's room is located. Pausing he stares down the hall with a far away look in his eyes, not sure he wants to continue. He knows it's Joseph that will be in trouble if he actually succeeds to get anywhere near the door, and the last thing he wants to do right now is upset his brother.

However the decision is made for him moments later when the door opens and the elder vampire steps out into the hall. 'Speak of the devil. I guess he just got done doing the cleaning or what not. Well, now I can test my boundaries a bit' Holding up a hand in greeting he walks slowly forward until he's within earshot without having to raise his voice. “Joseph. Are you done with him, for today? I was hoping for an early dinner, and I'd like to speak with you while I dine.” He knows all he has to do is order the slave to join him, and often he has done just that. However, as there is no one around but the being who basically raised him, Mois feels comfortable and speaks to him like an equal. By now his anger is complete gone and he looks his usual impassive self, even if his body is still a little tense from being upset so long. Motioning for the slave to join him he walks back down the stairs and towards the dinning room.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Alexi stretches, covering his yawn with a sigh. Despite getting sleep last night, the strain of his actions kept him up late, and the sleep was not all that restful. His driver looks at him int the rear view mirror, but refrains from commenting despite his faint concern for his master. He knows Alexi would tell him if there was anything he could do to help. As the pull ingot the garage Alexi spots the slave still working on Mois's SUV and smiles. 'He must have gotten home recently for them to still be working. I wonder if I should join him for dinner. . . I should check on my guest first' He lets out a sift sigh, knowing how offended the vampire would be if he ever said that aloud. However, he can not help his stay thoughts and does not feel bad for long.

Giving Uwin a light pat Alexi makes his way quickly through the garage and into the house. He stops just inside, spotting Mois and Joseph vanishing into the dinning room. He tilts his head to the side curiously but shrugs and makes his way to the stairs. 'I know my dear brother will be doing all he can for some time to find out as much as he can, he's a detective guy after all. I should let them be. It is not as if Joseph can tell him anything. . .I should have Joseph draw my blood after dinner' Reaching his room he takes a calming breath before pushing the door open and slipping inside. As he did the day before he does not look immediately at the vampire.

However out of the corner of his eye he spots a different color on the bed and can not help but feel a little giddy to see how the ill male looks in his new garb. Humming gently he pulls the doors to his wardrobe open and strips out of his day clothes. Deciding on the smoking jacket and slick pajama pants look today he pulls on the red and brow top and drapes the black bottoms over his arm. Speaking softly he murmurs, “I will not ask how your day has been, the obvious answer of not good quite evident by your predicament, however I will ask if Joseph saw to you well?” He closes the wardrobe and finally looks to the bound man. His eye go first of course to the fine looking properly tied toga, and he smiles faintly, before looking up at the vampire's face itself, waiting for an answer before heading off to his bath.

[TShara]

Had Joseph been less disciplined in his training, and more willing to answer his Masters' requests in line with his own desires, he would have told Mois that he did not want to speak with him tonight. He had kept his normal full schedule since this ordeal began, and as such he still had several other chores to do. In any case, he was not in the mood for more clandestine discussions on the subject. He wanted to just do his job and forget anything else about Leader Erik Schumann, a name he recognized from the news all too well. He was one of the key rebel leaders, of the more organized “Xani” cell, one which was characterized as purely radical and dangerous. But the media sensationalized things, and tended to demonize the rebel magicals. Even though Joseph did not know it, Erik forbade practices such as needless killing and suicidal missions.

But Joseph would never refuse an order, or even a request, from one of his masters, and as such, calmly nodded and followed Mois to the dining room, a bucket carrying the cleaning supplies in tow. The dirty laundry, he had already shoved down the chute for some of the other slaves to handle.

“I shall return shortly with your meal. I'm sure the kitchen has nearly finished preparing supper,” he commented as he set down the cleaning supplies and pulled out a dining room chair for Mois. Bowing out of habit, he left before his master could object.

It was only about ten minutes later when he returned with a tray that held a small salad plate and some excellent homemade lasagna. When you had as many slaves as the Vandros family did, there was never a reason to eat the pre-made stuff.

Without being asked, as he knew from Mois' tone that he wanted to converse with him almost as an equal, the head slave sat down across from the elder brother at the small table, and waited to be addressed.

~*~*~

Erik wished he could get up and stretch his legs more, even do some exercising to keep himself busy, but the chains were just long enough for him to get out of the large bed and stand, not enough for him to do much else. He turned his head when Alexi entered, and spoke in a relatively polite tone.

“You have him well-trained,” the former rebel began. “He's... an annoyingly perfect slave. Sad, considering he could probably do a lot more with his life than this. They all could. But he treated me quite well, though I wasn't happy about losing my shirt. I expect you to pay for that by the way.” Erik was surprisingly civil at the moment, and there was even a hint of humor in his voice, but the agony he was in was still quite evident in his red eyes. How can I even be polite to this maniac that fucking imprisoned me? What the hell am I doing?! he thought angrily. But once again, a more rational voice in his head responded. Maniac or not, this damn human has complete control over your life now. It is best not to make him angry. You'll get more information about his intentions by being civil than by just pissing him off. And... well, if there's even a small chance that he's telling the truth, that this is all some part of a big plan to end this war, to bring equality, then he's worth listening to. I've been fighting for over two centuries now. At some point, enough is enough.

[PopeAlessandros]

Mois knows the vampire slave rather well, having grown up with him, so he knows how much the breaking of another vampire in the household the way he was broken must be bothering him greatly. He does not intend to keep Joseph long, and as he takes a seat at the table, watching the head slave move over to the kitchen door, he decides if he can just get one question answered, then he will be able to sleep and let him get back to his chores. 'If I can just know that, at least for now, he's safe as one could expect, then I'll be good'

As he waits he toys idly with the corner of his sleeve before unbuttoning it entirely. Placing his suit jacket on the back of the chair he undoes the other cuff of his shirt and rolls them both up to his forearms. Unlike his brother Mois bares the marks of his job. The skin of his arms bare a smattering of small scars and a few decent sized ones from his job wrangling magicals. Looking at his right arm he sighs a bit at the bandage wrapped around a spot just bellow his elbow. One of the magicals had got in a good swing and clipped him with their claws. The wound was shallow, and the beast not poisonous so all it needed was some antibiotics and gauze, but he still berates himself silently that he even let it get that close.

He doesn't have long to get down on himself as Joseph walks back into the room with his meal. He thanks him softly and waits for him to take a seat before taking a bite and sipping some wine that had already been laid out before the two had walked in. Setting the glass down he stares at the table for a few long seconds before bringing his gaze up to Joseph and looking into his eyes. “I know you don't really want to talk about it, so I just have one question for you.” His gaze drops back down, unsure of how to go about asking, so instead he brings up what happened at work today. He explains about the new cells filled with youngsters who seem to have no idea what they are doing, and are throwing life away almost as if they mean nothing. With a long sigh he at last manages to ask his question. “Is he smart? Not, is he intelligent, but, is he not trying to attack Alexi while in his right mind? I would feel so much better if you could just tell me the truth about how he seems to you as far as my brother's safety is concerned. . .” He looks to Joseph patiently, but with clear worry behind his eyes.

~*~*~*~*~

Those fierce red eyes behind that polite, slightly humored tone makes the younger Vandros shiver once again, however he listens to the man's response carefully and does not let his own fantasies lead his mind astray. He keeps his smile small and polite in the face of the suffering the vampire is obviously experiencing as he nods lightly. “I am glad he treated you well, however I can take no real credit for his training.” His eyes flick to his made bed then to the rest of his clean room. “As the one who raised me, he has naturally adapted himself to my wants an whims over the years. Though before I took over he was far more loose with his tongue than he is now, I have little need to order him about as one would expect of a master to the head slave.”

He chuckles lightly for a moment, unable to hide his amusement. “Forgive me, I just recalled when he use to whup me when I pulled some prank or another on father. He always use to come by my room later with something to sooth the pain.” His smiles falls into something of deep fondness. “Yes, he was far more likely to act secretly on his own will back then, but then again, my father was a monster to the slaves. . .” His voice trails off, not liking the memories the thoughts of his father bring up. Instead he shakes his head before bowing slightly. “If you will excuse me, we can continue this conversation in a short while. I really must bath real quick.” With that he moves off to the bathroom and does indeed take a very short bath.

Coming back into the room with a towel on his head, his pants now on his legs rather than over his arm, Alexi sits on the edge of his bed closest to the vampire. Looking to his bedside table he flops over and picks up a little remote before sitting back up and scooting further on to his bed. Fiddling with it for a moment there is a faint grinding noise and he looks up to watch the chains on the wall getting a bit longer. He only extends them a couple feet, enough for the bound man to be able to walk around his bed but still short enough that even if he stretched out as far as he could with his foot he would be unable to reach Alexi's bed.

“I am supposing that you will soon have to have you chains shortened even further than before if I wish to keep my bedroom intact, so for now I'll give you some more room to wander around.” He tosses the remote on to his bed near the pillows before stretching slightly. “You have been polite, not trying anything dangerous, so I think a little extension is warranted.” His arms drop to his sides. “After your first does, I'll put it back to this length, assuming you'll be back to being civil by then. Once your mind is in place, you'll be free to roam more of my room, however the chains only go so far. Joseph removed anything, other than those heavy books, that can be used as something to harm me, so I do believe I will allow you free reign when you are in your right mind.” He knows that the vampire could very likely kill him with those books, however he also has come to the conclusion that he is not that foolish as to not only destroy one of the only forms of amusement while he's alone in the room, but to attempt to kill his captor thus earning him a one way ticket to death via over protective brother.

[TShara]

Joseph thought for a few moments before responding to the Mois' question. Even when he spoke, he was hesitant, prefaced it quickly with a disclaimer.

“Keep in mind that I have only had one real conversation with him, Master. I am surmising from that, and from personal experiences with this... procedure,” the head slave began. He hesitated once more before continuing. “I think he is biding his time. He is furious, furious with you for capturing him, furious with Master Alexi for tormenting him, and furious with himself for getting caught. He's humiliated, and, even though he is not one to admit such things, he is frightened of what he will become after the hard breaking. He is playing it 'smart,' as you said, because he knows that acting on these emotions will only shorten his chains and make things worse for himself, so instead he is gathering information and trying to gain a little bit of freedom and trust. I also get the impression that he's rather... intrigued by your brother, for he expressed curiosity on how Master Alexi treated his slaves and such.

But he wants to escape, and he needs blood. A vampire's hunger for blood is stronger even than a human's thirst for water, and, though death takes more time, the side effects leading up to one's demise are more potent. Imagine if you were dying of thirst and hunger, and several gallons of water, along with a full plate of food were just in the room with you, taunting you where you could never reach. That's what Leader Schumann is feeling right now. The only problem, is that your brother's body is the food and water. Make no mistake, he is looking for a time to strike, either to escape this place entirely, or at least to get a drop of Master's blood, untainted by the potion.

Now, I think our friend is a normally a civilized man, and because of practicality, logic, and even some morality, he is holding himself together with the remains of that part of his mind. But the hunger will gradually erode that until he seems more feral than sentient. Soon enough, he will stop biding his time and become violent as the lack of blood turns him mad. It is taking unimaginable self control for him to keep himself civil for this long. One can see it in his eyes.

I apologize for the length explanation, Master Mois. But I assumed you would want all of the information I could provide, even if most of it is speculative.”

There were several ways that Master Alexi could have made this safer for himself. I do not understand why he had to keep him in his room. It's a recipe for disaster, the elder vampire thought worriedly, but he would never criticize his master's methods. He could not, and he certainly could do nothing to circumvent them.... as much as he wanted to.

~*~*~

Erik nodded as Alexi left, unwilling to think of anything useful to say to the human's reminiscing. He tried to avoid crying out as waves of pain seemed to radiate from his head, through his spine, and out to his limbs. He breathed in deeply, trying to smell the scent of the human's blood. He took one of the wet wipes from the bedside table that had been so kindly left by Joseph, and began to wipe off the perspiration that was already forming on his face again. The nausea and tremors he felt only added to his agony. The symptoms had been bad before, but they seemed to worsen with Alexi around.

When Alexi emerged and spoke again, Erik found it difficult to listen. All the vampire could think about was injecting his fangs into that lovely neck. But he caught enough of the words to understand what was going on, and suddenly flashed into barely suppressed anger.

How dare you think that you have the fucking right to dictate my freedoms, human! For you to dare treat an extra few feet of chain space as a fucking reward for good behavior? To dress me up as some kind of doll? To keep me here as a fucking pet and use my own biology against me? Oh, how I wish I could kill you where you stand, you goddamn monster. But he fumed in anger and humiliation only for a few seconds until the more rational part of his brain forced itself back into focus.

This is good. He's starting to trust you a little more. This is what you wanted. You cannot react with anger, or you'll lose this freedom. Now is not the time for lashing out. Be polite. You don't hate humans. What he's doing is wrong, but that's a personal choice, not his race. Humans are friends and equals, not food. It was another moment before he calmed down a little more, but there was still anger in his voice when the prisoner finally responded.

“Thank you,” he muttered. “But for your own safety, you'd be better off killing me or letting me go now. I'll die before I take the potion, so keeping me here is only prolonging the inevitable. This is... quite a painful way to murder someone, you know. The stories all say that I will lose my mind before I die, just as you alluded to yourself. I would have preferred you use a quicker method.” Where did that come from? he thought. Most humans wouldn't care about killing a vampire, except in the sense of losing an investment. Why should he? But deep down, perhaps Erik was appealing to the glimmer of hope that somehow, in some way, the rumors that Alexi was different, were true.

[PopeAlessandros]

As the elder Vandros listens he begins eating slowly. His attention remains on Joseph even as more and more of his meal disappears from his plate, the wine glass growing slowly more and more empty. 'I was sure that he is indeed angry over all of this, and I would expect nothing less from such a fine leader. Though he may be on the opposite side of me as far as my job goes, one can not help but admire him in his tactics. . .Will, as long as you have a head on your shoulders, and for the most part,t he idiots I work with don't even have eyes in what head they have left' He lets out a faint 'hmm' when Joseph mentions the vampire being interested in Alexi, but it is not a noise of questioning, just a faint not of interest on his part.

'Alexi is nothing if not lenient with the slaves in this household. Since I have not real standing here, and I see no reason to act otherwise, I too let the slaves here basically live their lives the way they will, however Alexi takes it one step further, letting them not only live their lives, but doing what he can to make the lives they are living, better' His eyebrow twitches slightly when the other male mentions the leaders name, recalling how Alexi had vehemently insisted that Mois not tell him the leader's name and he makes a mental note to let Joseph know this after they are done talking. His gaze becomes fixed on the table however when Joseph mentions the vampire wanting to take a bite out of his dear little brother, but he relaxes, knowing Alexi is not that stupid. He will not allow the vampire the opportunity.

Mois nods slowly as the head slave comes to the end of his assessment of the rebel leader. He remains silent for several minutes, eating slowly until at last his plate his clean, the last sip of that single glass of wine washing it down. Letting out a faint sigh he at last looks to his once mentor and nods his head respectfully. “I thank you for speaking on this matter Joseph, and I will keep your words in mind. Though this has done little to ease my worry, a little is all I was looking for. If you are right, and I trust your judgment, then I expect that Alexi will be safe for now.” Looking down at his now empty plate he huffs. Looking back to Joseph he smiles lightly. “Could you bring me a sandwich and something fruity to drink? I will wait here for Alexi to join me. After you bring them, you are free to go if you have things to do.”

~*~*~*~*~

It is clear even to his pitiful human eyes that the bound vampire is nothing less than enraged by his words, however Alexi does not shy way from the anger, knowing that it completely normal and understandable for him to be feeling that way. He watches with great fascination as the older male battle his way back to appearing at least slightly calm. 'He has great will power. That vicious thing inside him wanting nothing more than to tear into my flesh and drain be dry must be very difficult to control at this point, yet here he is, pulling himself together despite my being even closer to being within his grasp now'

When finally the suffering man manages to respond Alexi looks at him with a rather blank expression. Without a drop of doubt in his voice he states quite plainly, “You will not die because of anything eye do, and if you begin trying to kill yourself I must tell you I am ready to bind you in such a way as to make that impossible.” He keeps his voice even, despite the sick feeling in his stomach at the thought of the astounding creature in front of him ending his own life. “You are quite right, you will lose your rational mind in this, however having lost that, you will have no choice but to feed, and, if you insist, that will happen each time before I administer your doses. It will hurt, and you will want to die, but if you think that this alone will kill you, then you have not done enough research on the subject. Not a single magical has died from this procedure in it's very long history.”

He falls silent, not proud of what he had to say there. In fact, much of what he had to say sickened him and it shows now in his face as he looks to the floor sadly. Trying desperately to take his mind off things he looks once more to the outfit Joseph had purchased for the bound man and lets out a small sigh. “Leave it to Joseph to hit the nail on the head. . .He likes reading my old history books. That toga you are wearing? The color represents great mourning or protest. They were worn by royalty to tell the world of their pain, or to show the gods and people that they find something wrong with the world or a situation unacceptable. Commoners would wear them too, when they could afford it, but. . .” He lets out another sigh, then, as if recalling something he smiles softly. “Oh, and about your shirt, I will have a new one made for you. . .”

[TShara]

“Of course, Master Mois,” the head slave replied as he stood up from his chair. He went to the kitchen and personally constructed an egg salad sandwich from the stockpile kept in the massive fridge. At any one time, they had enough food and ingredients for twice the number of slaves that lived here, and that wasn't including all of the non-human delicacies that the slaves often ate.

He returned after five minutes with the sandwich and some fruit punch, and set them down in front of the human. He was about to turn and leave when he took another look at the worry and fatigue on Master Mois' face. He is no longer a child. I cannot protect him, or Master Alexi for that matter, as I once could. Why in hell did he have to choose such a dangerous profession? If one of the rebel magicals doesn't kill him, the stress will surely shorten his life. And that's already so short as a human.

Knowing his master well enough to know that he would not mind, Joseph stood behind him and began massaging his neck and shoulders.

“Your muscles are quite tense, Master. It is not healthy,” was all he said in explanation.

~*~*~

The rage within the vampire captive threatened to boil over again. Erik had struggled with anger management problems for his entire two and a half century long life, but now it was as though his emotions were tripled in intensity, and longed to rail at the human with the slightest provocation. He snarled at the human before regaining his composure once again.

“First of all, you're a liar. Thousands have died from the suicides related to this procedure. It might not be directly from the application of it, but it's as a direct result. Secondly, you cannot tell me that there is not a single magical that has managed to resist the temptations until the bloodlust, or the equivalent for their species, killed them,” he growled back, somehow managing to keep his voice level, though clearly angry. The truth was, he was terrified about the second point, terrified that that was exactly what this damn human was saying, that no one had managed to resist the urge to feed, even on the disgusting potion.

“Thirdly, even if you were completely telling the truth, and there had been no deaths. What hard breaking is, is worse than death. Would you want to completely relinquish your will to another? Do you honestly think your beloved Joseph is happy here, constantly putting your needs before his own? I doubt you are familiar with the illegal writings of the Underground, but a hundred and fifty years ago, there was a Night Elf named Feldora who wrote, 'It is better to die free than to live as a slave.' I have lived by those words since before she wrote them, and I will die by them if necessary.”

Erik did indeed make a mental note of the information on his toga. He found it mildly interesting, even touching, that Joseph had chosen such an appropriate piece. Nor had he cared about his shirt, not really. The indignity was worse than the loss of the old ratty thing. If anything, the idea of Alexi having one specifically made for him was laughable, given that the original was so cheap. But he did not bring those things up, for he would not give the human any opportunity to change the subject.