Dante's Prayer
Aug. 21st, 2020 01:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
subtenebrisAlessandro stood on the deck of the Spectre, staring out at the dark waves. They were hours from shore, far enough that not even the lights of the city remained to spoil the beauty of the stars high above. Alessandro leaned on the railing and stared up at them. The constellations were different from when he was a child, but they still made him gaze up in wonder. Their twinkling lights, each the sun of a far off world like this one, were enough to make even the millennia-old vampire feel small. How long? How long had Edmund been pulling the strings behind the scenes?
He turned from the waves to the evidence stacked on the table nearby. Notes, bank receipts, testimony from his own men who'd turned on him! A hundred different accounts of the Malkavian subtly manipulating Alessandro, turning him into little more than a puppet. Alessandro paused on one such testimony. Nicholas, the nosferatu, had given it shortly before Alessandro ended his life. Nicholas had been spying upon Alessandro for months. He knew, Edmund knew, about Onida, about Alessandro's feelings for her, and they both knew about what Alessandro planned next. He clenched a fist. Despite his rage at the betrayal, still some part of him wanted to go back, wanted to find Edmund and find solace in his old friend's embrace.
But he knew well how to hold out against the Blood. That was not Alessandro's want, it was the Blood and the bond they shared. He would not give in. Already he could feel it loosening its hold on him, enough that he could think past it more clearly than he had in months. It wouldn't be any clearer before the Fae conducted their ritual, but it should be enough. Enough for him to maintain his course. He reached for another paper, this one detailing what Edmund had asked of his fledgling, Daniel. Oh, Alessandro had punished Daniel for it, punished him far more than he ever had, but he'd let the fledgling live. Though Daniel had skirted the lines several times, he hadn't betrayed Alessandro, not even when Edmund manipulated his mind. Daniel lay downstairs now, locked in his room, healing slowly, the thirst burning in his throat. Alessandro would let him stay there until he had use for him. There were still others who had yet escaped his wrath. Mortals in his employ that Edmund owned now more surely than he owned the hospital. It would be useless to fight him for them. Far simpler just to kill the traitors and find more to take their place. When Daniel next fed, it would be as an agent of Alessandro's wrath. Their blood was meaningless to Alessandro's hunger.
He got up and moved closer to a nosferatu chained to the deck of the ship. He tapped the creature's head with the toe of his shoe. "How many more of you stalk the halls of my building? How many of you spy upon me for Edmund? Tell me!"
The nosferatu shook his head. He wouldn't! He refused! He screamed as a Shadowy sword impaled his stomach. He still refused to talk.
Alessandro knelt and grabbed the vampire by his hair. He stared into the pitiful wretch's eyes, and commanded, this time with power behind his voice, "Tell me how many others spy upon me."
"Just...just our band. Nicholas's crew. A dozen of us, at most. We're....we're there most nights. Edmund said..said you were planning something. Something soon. He wanted more details. Wanted to know when it happened." The vampire screamed as the Shadow blade disappeared. Its absence hurt almost as much as its entry did, as tissue tried in vain to heal.
In vain, because in the next instant, Alessandro jerked hard on the vampire's neck and bit savagely into it. Most of the time, he tried to make his feeding something pleasurable, but this time there was only pain. Agony. The nosferatu screamed as Alessandro fed and fed, until he was too weak to scream. And still Alessandro fed. The elder vampire fed until there was no more blood, until he'd consumed even the soul. The body dissolved to dust on the deck, and was blown away on the wind. Alessandro stood, feeling mostly sated for the first time in a very long time. And there would be more. At least ten more. He licked his lips. One last hunt sounded marvelous to him.
He pulled out his phone and texted Oni. I realize you're probably still recovering, but I wanted to send a warning anyway. Do not visit my home until I tell you it's safe. Edmund has been plotting against me, and it will be a bit before I'm confident that everyone in the building is loyal to me. To Nasir, whose phone number he honestly shouldn't have had, he texted, Tell Dr. Nuttal to avoid the Lenox Hill Hospital. If you want to go hunting there, I will not tell you no, I will only tell you to be cautious. An old friend of mine has been spying on me, betrayed my trust quite badly, and he claims the hospital as his domain. I am handling the problem, but as ever dealing with him, innocent people may get caught on the wrong side of his temper. Finally, to Han, another phone number he shouldn't have had but had lifted during one of his encounters with the wolves, he texted, It is Alessandro. Calm down, I mean you no harm. I will be stopping by on Sunday, during the daytime. I would appreciate a warm meal, if you don't mind.
And then finally, he turned and gathered the papers and the laptop on the table, bringing them inside to his study. When he passed a sailor on his way, he said sharply, "Give the order to return to shore, and make sure everyone is armed. I suspect Dr. Deyncourt will be waiting at the dock for us. He is not to board the ship under any circumstances, is that understood?"
The sailor, one of Daniel's ghouls, nodded. "Yes, Master, I'll give the order."
"Good." Alessandro reached his study and closed the door. Ye gods. This was spiraling away from him. He didn't enjoy the politics of it, it was all too clandestine for his sense of honor. He set the evidence in his hand down on his desk and reached for another paper. This one detailed where certain items were that the Fae were hunting, along with the locations of the men who took them. Men. Vampires, to a man. Nicolo's men. Nicolo was dead, but the others remained, and the Fae trinkets were in Sabbat hands. For now. A private plane was scheduled to leave JFK soon, to take Alessandro back to Italy, and from there he would see about gathering everything the Fae wanted. From there, they would go directly to Killarney, to the Fae's home, and there he would meet with their lord and return what was theirs. He had confirmed with Jordan that Saturday would be a good time to meet with him. He went over the locations that had been scouted out for him. It wouldn't take long.
He felt the ship leave the open ocean, felt the waves lessen as it entered the harbor, and he left his study. He took the stairs two at a time and reached the deck just as they were pulling into the dock. As he'd expected, Edmund waited below. Several crewmembers stood on the deck, pointing rifles at the elder Malkavian. Alessandro waved them off and moved to the railing to stare across at Edmund. So close, and yet so far. "Edmund."
"Alex, that's a bit warmer welcome than usual..." Edmund ran a hand through his hair, mussing it. He was playing a part tonight, the part of the aggrieved yet innocent mad friend. Alessandro could see it, see the slight tics that Edmund only had when he was lying.
Alessandro laughed softly. "You don't have to pretend anymore, Edmund. I know. I know everything. Nicholas is dead and the rest of his people will be joining him shortly, just before I catch my plane to Italy." At Edmund's look, Alessandro laughed again. "You didn't know? The trinkets the Fae wanted, the ones I'm using to barter with them, were taken by Nicolo back to Italy. They and the men that stole them still haunt his old estate in Sicily. I'm going to retrieve them." He leaned over the railing, smiling at Edmund. "I'm telling you this, Edmund, because I want to be very clear. You will not get in my way. You will not lift so much as a finger to stop me. If you do, I will kill you myself. I haven't killed you yet because, despite your betrayal, the city needs leadership or it will fall to chaos. Your temperament is better suited for it than mine. But cross me, in any way, and I will stake you out for the sun. Do I make myself clear?"
"Alex, I..."
Edmund didn't get very far before Alessandro silenced him. "Enough. No excuses, Edmund. You spied on me. You turned my own people against me. Did you think I wouldn't find out? Well. I'm cleaning house, Edmund. One last little bloodbath before I go fulfill my promise to the Fae. Do not get in my way, and never cross me again, or I will end you. Is that clear?"
Edmund tried to speak, failed, then nodded. "Abundantly. Goodbye Alex."
"Goodbye Edmund." Alessandro waved to the crew, who moved forward to again point rifles at Edmund until he left. Alessandro paced back to the other side of the ship, where he could just see the waves out on the sea outside the harbor. Cast your eyes on the ocean. Cast your soul to the sea. When the dark night seems endless, please remember me. The hurt flared in him briefly, but he choked it back, remembering why he was doing this. It would be worth it. Ye gods, he couldn't wait to see her face by daylight.
He turned from the waves to the evidence stacked on the table nearby. Notes, bank receipts, testimony from his own men who'd turned on him! A hundred different accounts of the Malkavian subtly manipulating Alessandro, turning him into little more than a puppet. Alessandro paused on one such testimony. Nicholas, the nosferatu, had given it shortly before Alessandro ended his life. Nicholas had been spying upon Alessandro for months. He knew, Edmund knew, about Onida, about Alessandro's feelings for her, and they both knew about what Alessandro planned next. He clenched a fist. Despite his rage at the betrayal, still some part of him wanted to go back, wanted to find Edmund and find solace in his old friend's embrace.
But he knew well how to hold out against the Blood. That was not Alessandro's want, it was the Blood and the bond they shared. He would not give in. Already he could feel it loosening its hold on him, enough that he could think past it more clearly than he had in months. It wouldn't be any clearer before the Fae conducted their ritual, but it should be enough. Enough for him to maintain his course. He reached for another paper, this one detailing what Edmund had asked of his fledgling, Daniel. Oh, Alessandro had punished Daniel for it, punished him far more than he ever had, but he'd let the fledgling live. Though Daniel had skirted the lines several times, he hadn't betrayed Alessandro, not even when Edmund manipulated his mind. Daniel lay downstairs now, locked in his room, healing slowly, the thirst burning in his throat. Alessandro would let him stay there until he had use for him. There were still others who had yet escaped his wrath. Mortals in his employ that Edmund owned now more surely than he owned the hospital. It would be useless to fight him for them. Far simpler just to kill the traitors and find more to take their place. When Daniel next fed, it would be as an agent of Alessandro's wrath. Their blood was meaningless to Alessandro's hunger.
He got up and moved closer to a nosferatu chained to the deck of the ship. He tapped the creature's head with the toe of his shoe. "How many more of you stalk the halls of my building? How many of you spy upon me for Edmund? Tell me!"
The nosferatu shook his head. He wouldn't! He refused! He screamed as a Shadowy sword impaled his stomach. He still refused to talk.
Alessandro knelt and grabbed the vampire by his hair. He stared into the pitiful wretch's eyes, and commanded, this time with power behind his voice, "Tell me how many others spy upon me."
"Just...just our band. Nicholas's crew. A dozen of us, at most. We're....we're there most nights. Edmund said..said you were planning something. Something soon. He wanted more details. Wanted to know when it happened." The vampire screamed as the Shadow blade disappeared. Its absence hurt almost as much as its entry did, as tissue tried in vain to heal.
In vain, because in the next instant, Alessandro jerked hard on the vampire's neck and bit savagely into it. Most of the time, he tried to make his feeding something pleasurable, but this time there was only pain. Agony. The nosferatu screamed as Alessandro fed and fed, until he was too weak to scream. And still Alessandro fed. The elder vampire fed until there was no more blood, until he'd consumed even the soul. The body dissolved to dust on the deck, and was blown away on the wind. Alessandro stood, feeling mostly sated for the first time in a very long time. And there would be more. At least ten more. He licked his lips. One last hunt sounded marvelous to him.
He pulled out his phone and texted Oni. I realize you're probably still recovering, but I wanted to send a warning anyway. Do not visit my home until I tell you it's safe. Edmund has been plotting against me, and it will be a bit before I'm confident that everyone in the building is loyal to me. To Nasir, whose phone number he honestly shouldn't have had, he texted, Tell Dr. Nuttal to avoid the Lenox Hill Hospital. If you want to go hunting there, I will not tell you no, I will only tell you to be cautious. An old friend of mine has been spying on me, betrayed my trust quite badly, and he claims the hospital as his domain. I am handling the problem, but as ever dealing with him, innocent people may get caught on the wrong side of his temper. Finally, to Han, another phone number he shouldn't have had but had lifted during one of his encounters with the wolves, he texted, It is Alessandro. Calm down, I mean you no harm. I will be stopping by on Sunday, during the daytime. I would appreciate a warm meal, if you don't mind.
And then finally, he turned and gathered the papers and the laptop on the table, bringing them inside to his study. When he passed a sailor on his way, he said sharply, "Give the order to return to shore, and make sure everyone is armed. I suspect Dr. Deyncourt will be waiting at the dock for us. He is not to board the ship under any circumstances, is that understood?"
The sailor, one of Daniel's ghouls, nodded. "Yes, Master, I'll give the order."
"Good." Alessandro reached his study and closed the door. Ye gods. This was spiraling away from him. He didn't enjoy the politics of it, it was all too clandestine for his sense of honor. He set the evidence in his hand down on his desk and reached for another paper. This one detailed where certain items were that the Fae were hunting, along with the locations of the men who took them. Men. Vampires, to a man. Nicolo's men. Nicolo was dead, but the others remained, and the Fae trinkets were in Sabbat hands. For now. A private plane was scheduled to leave JFK soon, to take Alessandro back to Italy, and from there he would see about gathering everything the Fae wanted. From there, they would go directly to Killarney, to the Fae's home, and there he would meet with their lord and return what was theirs. He had confirmed with Jordan that Saturday would be a good time to meet with him. He went over the locations that had been scouted out for him. It wouldn't take long.
He felt the ship leave the open ocean, felt the waves lessen as it entered the harbor, and he left his study. He took the stairs two at a time and reached the deck just as they were pulling into the dock. As he'd expected, Edmund waited below. Several crewmembers stood on the deck, pointing rifles at the elder Malkavian. Alessandro waved them off and moved to the railing to stare across at Edmund. So close, and yet so far. "Edmund."
"Alex, that's a bit warmer welcome than usual..." Edmund ran a hand through his hair, mussing it. He was playing a part tonight, the part of the aggrieved yet innocent mad friend. Alessandro could see it, see the slight tics that Edmund only had when he was lying.
Alessandro laughed softly. "You don't have to pretend anymore, Edmund. I know. I know everything. Nicholas is dead and the rest of his people will be joining him shortly, just before I catch my plane to Italy." At Edmund's look, Alessandro laughed again. "You didn't know? The trinkets the Fae wanted, the ones I'm using to barter with them, were taken by Nicolo back to Italy. They and the men that stole them still haunt his old estate in Sicily. I'm going to retrieve them." He leaned over the railing, smiling at Edmund. "I'm telling you this, Edmund, because I want to be very clear. You will not get in my way. You will not lift so much as a finger to stop me. If you do, I will kill you myself. I haven't killed you yet because, despite your betrayal, the city needs leadership or it will fall to chaos. Your temperament is better suited for it than mine. But cross me, in any way, and I will stake you out for the sun. Do I make myself clear?"
"Alex, I..."
Edmund didn't get very far before Alessandro silenced him. "Enough. No excuses, Edmund. You spied on me. You turned my own people against me. Did you think I wouldn't find out? Well. I'm cleaning house, Edmund. One last little bloodbath before I go fulfill my promise to the Fae. Do not get in my way, and never cross me again, or I will end you. Is that clear?"
Edmund tried to speak, failed, then nodded. "Abundantly. Goodbye Alex."
"Goodbye Edmund." Alessandro waved to the crew, who moved forward to again point rifles at Edmund until he left. Alessandro paced back to the other side of the ship, where he could just see the waves out on the sea outside the harbor. Cast your eyes on the ocean. Cast your soul to the sea. When the dark night seems endless, please remember me. The hurt flared in him briefly, but he choked it back, remembering why he was doing this. It would be worth it. Ye gods, he couldn't wait to see her face by daylight.
