![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
subtenebrisIt was close to midnight in Lazarus Corporation's Manhattan offices, and a vampire talked to a Fae lord.
"So, Mr. Romero, or should I say, Prince Alexandros? What can I do for you?" Jordan Curran, the Fae Lord Ruaidhrí Ó Corraidhín, stood before Alessandro in a neat suit, his bright red hair almost glowing in the soft light of Alessandro's office. The stag motif he favored was obvious, from the necklace around his neck to the buttons of his suit. His Irish accent was strong, but he was careful to make sure his English could be understood. He didn't seem to be at all nervous to be in the heart of a vampire's domain, and from what Alessandro sensed from him, his confidence was well-earned. This was not a being that Alessandro wanted to cross.
"Just Alexandros is fine, please." Alessandro walked out from behind his desk and indicated the couch and a chair nearby. He settled himself down on the chair as Jordan sat down on the couch. "I didn't invite you here as Prince of the City or as the vampire CEO of this company. I had something more personal in mind. An exchange of favors, if you will."
Jordan gave Alessandro a raised eyebrow and an interested smile. "Oh? Do go on."
Alessandro leaned forward and said softly, "I admit, I heard months ago about why you and your people were here. The attack on your people and its aftermath. Upon learning that your suspects were Italian, my main concern was making sure no one in either of my organizations, the legal and the illegal, were behind that cowardly attack on your people. When I determined that my holdings were blameless, I set it from my mind, but...recently I've had some reason to pick the puzzle back up. I made discreet inquiries. One lead was particularly promising." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a medallion shaped like the Celtic tree of life and handed it over to Jordan. "I know where the rest of the treasure they stole from your people is, and where those who were physically present for the raid can be found. For that information, though, I have a...favor of a personal nature to ask of you."
Jordan reached out to take the medallion. He turned it over in his hand, inspecting it. The curse on the thing was obvious to Alessandro, and placing it in his pocket to surprise the Fae lord with was the most he'd dared to handle it. Jordan nodded and looked up at Alessandro, his gaze more calculating now. "If I may be so bold, what could possibly be worth so much to a vampire that he willingly does this kind of footwork with no guarantee of a reward? If I weren't the honest sort, I could take you back with me and question you for that information at my leisure, no payment required."
That had been a definite worry. But when it came down to it, did he actually have a choice? No. "I was turned in the year before my planned retirement from the Roman legion. I had a wife and several children waiting for me in Britannia, and we planned on settling down in my allotted land from the Emperor. With my retirement stipend, we would have lived a comfortable life farming in Britannia. My eldest son entered the legion that year. I was called away to the eastern front, but all indications were that it wouldn't be a very dangerous post, and I would be back home before midwinter." He looked down at his hands. "Then I received word. My wife and youngest children were killed. Some sort of wild animal attack. A few weeks later, I learned that my eldest son died in one of his first battles, in Germania." He ran a hand through his hair. Jordan's eyes were sharp, focused. Though Alessandro hadn't gotten to the point yet, he could almost see the Fae lord working through why human family would matter to a millennia-old vampire. "When that didn't break me, the mind games started. Things missing. Orders changed. Little things, but I thought for a while I was losing my mind. It came to a head when I was framed for treason. I maintained my innocence but there were witnesses. The eve before my execution, my sire took me from where I was being held. He gave me no choice. I was reminded that there was nothing for me in Rome anymore, that my only future was this. When I found out he was behind everything, I destroyed him so utterly that no one even remembers his name."
Alessandro got up to pace. The shadows in the office shifted strangely, not moving as they should. It was as if there were several beings there that shouldn't have been, all moving restlessly as Alessandro did. "For a while I was a monster, reveling in the blood. And even when I turned my back on that, embraced a more honorable path, in part because I recognized that I was losing bits of myself in every kill, still I had been alive so long by that point that I didn't remember what it was like to be human." He turned back to Jordan. "Do you know the bitter irony in finding someone who awakens a part of you that you thought long dead, makes you strive to be a better person than you ever thought you could be, only for them to be the one person in the entire world you may never openly love, for fear it will destroy you both?"
The Fae being on the couch had long since abandoned his human glamour. White hooves almost glowed against the dark carpet. His mane of white hair was wild. Antlers were covered in a fine coating of velvet. He watched Alessandro with naked interest. "I can't make you human again, no matter who this person is. Your humanity is gone. You're a predator. A genteel one, but a predator nonetheless."
Alessandro shook his head. "I'm not asking that. I wouldn't know how to be human again. But werewolves revile vampires with a violent zeal that cannot often be reasoned with. Vampires often return the favor. If I am to court Oni openly, with no fear of destroying us both in the process, I cannot be what I am now. You cannot make me human and I wouldn't be able to adjust even if you could. But is there something you can do to replace the corruption in my veins? Some predator that the werewolves do not revile as much as vampires?"
The Fae lord sat back with a laugh and gave Alessandro an amused look. "You're definitely neck deep in it, lad, if you're willin' to give up what you have here for an unknown chance at love. But. Turns out you hold somethin' of vital interest to my people. And if you can deliver the stolen treasures and the people who were there when our queen mother was killed...I know a ritual that could help. The magic of my people, it's strongly tied to death and the hunt. I can't tell you how you'll end up, because it's different for all of us, and you'll be one of my people, subject to my rule. But. The werewolves don't seem to mind us too much. You should be free to court your lass. And lad? With that one, good luck." His amused stare confused Alessandro, but more important to him was what else had been said. There was a way! A way to change the game completely.
Alessandro nodded sharply, suddenly eager to get back on the hunt. But he had more preparations to make, didn't he? After all, one didn't leave a power vacuum like he would do if he just left. It would be chaos. "Give me a fortnight. I will send word when I have everything for you."
Jordan nodded, his glamour suddenly appearing as if it had always been there. He rose to shake Alessandro's hand. "Very well. That will give me time to make preparations of my own. I look forward to hearing from you."
"So, Mr. Romero, or should I say, Prince Alexandros? What can I do for you?" Jordan Curran, the Fae Lord Ruaidhrí Ó Corraidhín, stood before Alessandro in a neat suit, his bright red hair almost glowing in the soft light of Alessandro's office. The stag motif he favored was obvious, from the necklace around his neck to the buttons of his suit. His Irish accent was strong, but he was careful to make sure his English could be understood. He didn't seem to be at all nervous to be in the heart of a vampire's domain, and from what Alessandro sensed from him, his confidence was well-earned. This was not a being that Alessandro wanted to cross.
"Just Alexandros is fine, please." Alessandro walked out from behind his desk and indicated the couch and a chair nearby. He settled himself down on the chair as Jordan sat down on the couch. "I didn't invite you here as Prince of the City or as the vampire CEO of this company. I had something more personal in mind. An exchange of favors, if you will."
Jordan gave Alessandro a raised eyebrow and an interested smile. "Oh? Do go on."
Alessandro leaned forward and said softly, "I admit, I heard months ago about why you and your people were here. The attack on your people and its aftermath. Upon learning that your suspects were Italian, my main concern was making sure no one in either of my organizations, the legal and the illegal, were behind that cowardly attack on your people. When I determined that my holdings were blameless, I set it from my mind, but...recently I've had some reason to pick the puzzle back up. I made discreet inquiries. One lead was particularly promising." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a medallion shaped like the Celtic tree of life and handed it over to Jordan. "I know where the rest of the treasure they stole from your people is, and where those who were physically present for the raid can be found. For that information, though, I have a...favor of a personal nature to ask of you."
Jordan reached out to take the medallion. He turned it over in his hand, inspecting it. The curse on the thing was obvious to Alessandro, and placing it in his pocket to surprise the Fae lord with was the most he'd dared to handle it. Jordan nodded and looked up at Alessandro, his gaze more calculating now. "If I may be so bold, what could possibly be worth so much to a vampire that he willingly does this kind of footwork with no guarantee of a reward? If I weren't the honest sort, I could take you back with me and question you for that information at my leisure, no payment required."
That had been a definite worry. But when it came down to it, did he actually have a choice? No. "I was turned in the year before my planned retirement from the Roman legion. I had a wife and several children waiting for me in Britannia, and we planned on settling down in my allotted land from the Emperor. With my retirement stipend, we would have lived a comfortable life farming in Britannia. My eldest son entered the legion that year. I was called away to the eastern front, but all indications were that it wouldn't be a very dangerous post, and I would be back home before midwinter." He looked down at his hands. "Then I received word. My wife and youngest children were killed. Some sort of wild animal attack. A few weeks later, I learned that my eldest son died in one of his first battles, in Germania." He ran a hand through his hair. Jordan's eyes were sharp, focused. Though Alessandro hadn't gotten to the point yet, he could almost see the Fae lord working through why human family would matter to a millennia-old vampire. "When that didn't break me, the mind games started. Things missing. Orders changed. Little things, but I thought for a while I was losing my mind. It came to a head when I was framed for treason. I maintained my innocence but there were witnesses. The eve before my execution, my sire took me from where I was being held. He gave me no choice. I was reminded that there was nothing for me in Rome anymore, that my only future was this. When I found out he was behind everything, I destroyed him so utterly that no one even remembers his name."
Alessandro got up to pace. The shadows in the office shifted strangely, not moving as they should. It was as if there were several beings there that shouldn't have been, all moving restlessly as Alessandro did. "For a while I was a monster, reveling in the blood. And even when I turned my back on that, embraced a more honorable path, in part because I recognized that I was losing bits of myself in every kill, still I had been alive so long by that point that I didn't remember what it was like to be human." He turned back to Jordan. "Do you know the bitter irony in finding someone who awakens a part of you that you thought long dead, makes you strive to be a better person than you ever thought you could be, only for them to be the one person in the entire world you may never openly love, for fear it will destroy you both?"
The Fae being on the couch had long since abandoned his human glamour. White hooves almost glowed against the dark carpet. His mane of white hair was wild. Antlers were covered in a fine coating of velvet. He watched Alessandro with naked interest. "I can't make you human again, no matter who this person is. Your humanity is gone. You're a predator. A genteel one, but a predator nonetheless."
Alessandro shook his head. "I'm not asking that. I wouldn't know how to be human again. But werewolves revile vampires with a violent zeal that cannot often be reasoned with. Vampires often return the favor. If I am to court Oni openly, with no fear of destroying us both in the process, I cannot be what I am now. You cannot make me human and I wouldn't be able to adjust even if you could. But is there something you can do to replace the corruption in my veins? Some predator that the werewolves do not revile as much as vampires?"
The Fae lord sat back with a laugh and gave Alessandro an amused look. "You're definitely neck deep in it, lad, if you're willin' to give up what you have here for an unknown chance at love. But. Turns out you hold somethin' of vital interest to my people. And if you can deliver the stolen treasures and the people who were there when our queen mother was killed...I know a ritual that could help. The magic of my people, it's strongly tied to death and the hunt. I can't tell you how you'll end up, because it's different for all of us, and you'll be one of my people, subject to my rule. But. The werewolves don't seem to mind us too much. You should be free to court your lass. And lad? With that one, good luck." His amused stare confused Alessandro, but more important to him was what else had been said. There was a way! A way to change the game completely.
Alessandro nodded sharply, suddenly eager to get back on the hunt. But he had more preparations to make, didn't he? After all, one didn't leave a power vacuum like he would do if he just left. It would be chaos. "Give me a fortnight. I will send word when I have everything for you."
Jordan nodded, his glamour suddenly appearing as if it had always been there. He rose to shake Alessandro's hand. "Very well. That will give me time to make preparations of my own. I look forward to hearing from you."
