When we move we camouflage ourselves
We stand in the shadows waiting
We live for this and nothing more
We are what you created.
“What is it, Mr. Jarvous, that you truly desire above all else?”
The thin, light brown skinned young man furrowed his brow, adjusting his glasses as he was clearly a little unnerved in the low lit and very private interior. “What kind of question is that?”
“A perfectly legitimate question I assure you.” The other grinned, his bright cobalt eyes a stark contrast to skin tone void of much color, if any.
The Ventrue “Nicolaus” sat comfortably against the soft, tanned leather seats at the rear of the limousine as it cruised through the brightly lit city streets, an arm outstretched along the top of the backrest and the other holding a glass of red wine. His dark blue slacks and blazer tailored to accentuate a lean, muscular frame, hiding the massive amount of upper body tattoos that covered his chest and arms, save for the interesting
Nordic design around his neck that peeked up just above his opened collar. At either side, sitting cross-legged, were two exquisitely beautiful women dressed to the nines in what could only be considered evening wear for a night out on the town. To his right, a twenty-something platinum blonde with wide hazel eyes, hair elaborately done up like a movie star, and wearing an emerald green and black lace cocktail dress. To his left, an older exotic beauty with olive-skin, long jet black hair draped over one shoulder, and dressed in a deep purple evening gown with a low v-neck cut. Her deadpan expression seemed rather less inviting to the man sitting across from the trio, feeling the chill of uneasiness on his first meet with a man he’d only spoken with over the phone for the last couple of months. A man so hauntingly beautiful in presence as well as appearance that he both feared and respected even more so in person.
“I-eh, suppose I want what every person in my position would want:
power and respect” The young man finally said, responding to the initial question and taking another long sip of his favourite bourbon, a small and not-so-coincidental token from his acquaintance. “The power to make real change in California's most influential city, that's frankly gone to hell in a hand basket.”
“As is most of the world I'm afraid, Mr. Jarvous.” Nicolaus interjected without missing a beat. “On the surface, Los Angeles can be a wondrous city of glitz, glamour, and the typical bullshit that turns even the most stand-up individual into a raving lunatic. Yet, I believe the ‘power and respect’
you crave-” Nicolaus paused for a moment, setting down his wineglass and placing his free hand on the knee of the platinum blonde, running it up along her smooth leg and exposed thigh -causing her to fidget slightly while she kept her hazel eyes on the young man across from her- until he stopped just short of the warmth and excitement of that which resided between her thighs. “...Lies just below the superficial layers, to the true core of desire and control.”
Nico paused for a moment, smiling and watching the twenty-nine year old
L.A. City Manager’s nervous and unsure expression with much intrigue as he nodded in agreement to the vampire’s words, drinking down the last of the amber liquid sitting at the bottom of his glass, and placing it on the small center table in anticipation of another. Steven Jarvous, the young California-bred golden child who had been fighting tooth and nail in the political arena since his days in high school debate, putting the “people first” as he tended to quote himself often and striving to make a name in a world full of his kind. Of course, which “people” he was referring to was anyone’s guess as his tactics and focus shifted with the coastal breezes, one day helping the poor and needy, and the next lining the pockets of the wealthy with more of what they already had. Nicolaus couldn’t quite tell if the kid was corruptible or simply of the mindset that you must “go along to get along”, but one thing was for certain, Jarvous was persistent enough not to stop until he got what he wanted.
Through renewed courage by way of an overly stimulated thirty minute limo ride, vampiric persuasion, and a tall glass of sixty year old
Old Forester bourbon, he locked eyes with the dark haired woman, as deep seated fantasies surfaced of just what he'd love to do with her and a craving for what lay underneath her gown. The kid leaned forward, ready to open his mouth to say something he'd most likely regret later, but to his surprise the woman cut him off at the pass by answering the unasked question.
“No.” She said flatly, her plum shaded lips forming a slight smirk. “And before you protest, just realize that I have no issues throwing you from this car while it's still in motion.”
The kid’s sudden flustered appearance said more than enough, and doing his best to hold back any laughter, Nicolaus casually intervened, knowing that Elizabeth’s short temper and low tolerance for the sleazy political types wore thin very quickly. “Mr Jarvous.” He said, leaning forward to pour him another glass. “You’d fare much better with Lucy here.” He motioned to the blonde with the cherry colored lips and fair skin, who smiled as she moved to sit next to the young man, proceeding to run her well manicured matching nails through his thick hair, causing a brief yet wonderful chill to run up his spine and a smile across his face.
“There is an old saying in my tongue.” Nicolaus continued, sitting back once again, and placing an arm around the dark haired woman who appeared more at ease now. “Man kann nicht mit den Adlern fliegen, wenn man mit den Tauben arbeiten muss!”. The vampire’s German surprised the kid momentarily, further impressing his young mind as he had no idea of his new friend’s ethnic ties. “In other words, Mr Jarvous, ‘You can’t fly with the eagles if you work with pigeons’, and this city is full of pigeons.”
“W-what are you proposing Mr. Strøm?” The City Manager’s voice cracked a bit, clearly enjoying the attention of the young and willing lady sitting close and snug at his side, playing with hair that had once been perfectly combed and set with hair care products as he did every morning, but now disheveled and less professional looking.
Nicolaus gazed out through the tinted side window as he noticed the limo turning onto the main drag where the
Sunset Lounge was located, allowing his mind to wander as they passed the many businesses along the way, some stand alone, others part of a strip of stores lining the beautifully paved sidewalk. Los Angeles wouldn’t have been his first choice of cities to reside in had it not been for the hospitable and equally substantial offers that his kinsman and associated coterie essentially handed him on a silver platter. He knew they needed the numbers, strength, and knowledge of old, as Elders lost control of the city long ago to the “Anarch Movements” and progressive uprisings that allowed the younger generations to thrive virtually unchecked. Sure, they owned this city, but Nico knew as well as any Elder that the patient bide their time well until the day of conspiring and hiding in the shadows was over, and swift, brutal action was finally taken.
“Perhaps another time, Mr Jarvous...” The vampire returned his attention to the young man, just as the vehicle pulled curbside to the front of the lounge. “As I’m afraid this is where we part ways, but I will reach out to you in the next few days to continue our discussion, as I feel it will benefit us both.” He bowed his head slightly, as the driver came around to open the door for the couple. “Jorge here will take you wherever you want, and in the meantime, enjoy what Lucy has to offer you tonight…”
The tall, sharp dressed Ventrue reached for the dark wooden “walking stick” as he stepped from the vehicle, extending a hand to help his lovely companion out, as they both strolled toward the grand entrance, noticing the infamous
Caitlyn Monroe exiting the lounge ase a few dozen of the city’s Elders began to file in per their normal evening business.
“Damn it, Nico.” Elizabeth scolded under her breath as she interlocked a delicate elbow with his rigid and muscular one. “Why do you insist on playing childish games with these young upstarts, knowing this
kid is nothing but a lowly tool of the State Senators -a nobody as far as I can tell- and yet you continue to drag things out...”
“Sometimes that’s what it’s about,
fräulein” He said, stopping just outside the doors. “A ‘give and take’ relationship of sorts. I give him what he thinks he wants, and he takes it, enough so that he continues to come back for more. And they
always want more, my love.”
The woman rolled her eyes at the vampire, a gesture she found herself doing more often than not at her companion’s vivid imagination and wiles. “But what is it you hope to gain?”
“Loyalty.” Nico said with a charismatic smile. “It is a slow burn, Liz, as any good strategy is.”
Nico opened the door to the Sunset, allowing the atmosphere that escaped to abruptly wash over them both, as they entered into neutral zone.
Fuzzybootz
Heat
