Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

December 24th, 1685, Unknown county in Austria, just off the Carpathian Mountains.

Count Falco Karnstien was not a good man by any definition.

By some definitions, he would have been a great man, just not as great as he would have preferred something greater. He was the Count, and by all rights, he ruled a county in the name of an empire. But a better description of him is a very, very naughty boy.

The son of a Duke, Karnstien wished for a little more in life. He believed his life should be one of luxury and power, but nothing in life could prepare him for the responsibilities that power should grant him.

His irresponsibility can be best documented at age sixteen, where he impregnated Jana Hoffman, the daughter of a neighboring Duke on his birthday. This was something he saw as his right. To salvage what they could of the scandal to their families, their parents had the two married.

Each day, Falco would leave the duties of tending to Jana to his family, while he attended a chapel, and prayed. As far as the people were concerned he was praying for repentance, and the health of his wife and child.

In fact, he was asking for freedom.

Then the day came; one winter night, with a soft snow fall, Jana went into labor. She was being tended to by her sister, the midwives, a few servants, and even Falco's own mother and father oversaw her in the birthing bed.

"Where is he ?" Jana pants out, sweat and tears clouding her vision and marring her hair. She was on her bed that Falco had her sleep in for the past nine months.

"Don't worry about him, think for yourself" Her sister Eska said wiping Jana's forehead with a towel. Doing her best not to bring attention to the amount of blood her sister was producing across the bed sheets. She didn't need Jana afraid.

What was especially concerning was the small amount of blood coming from Jana's nose. Eska wasn't confident her sister will live through this, but she couldn't let Jana herself know this, for her own sake and that of the child.

If there was a sliver of a chance that Jana could live through this, she must take it. It was another half hour of crying and screaming bloody murder, a newborn child was cradled by her aunt and mother.

The child's grandfather sent a steward to the chapel to retrieve his son. Falco reluctantly returned home to the birthing room, first making note of the disgusting mess formed on the bed before he paid any heed of his weakening wife, and newborn daughter.

"So...she lives." Falco says stoically.

"Boy..." Falco's father warns before his wife places a hand on his shoulder "Your daughter awaits."

"Daughter." Falco sighs "Of course."

Eska watches on as Jana seems to use whats left of her strength and will to silently sing and coo to her child, simply laying the baby on her chest.

"Mircalla" Jana weakly whispers, "Her name is Mircalla Karnstien."

"Karnstien." Falco thinks to himself. His name. The child has his name, a reminder of his mistakes, and a reminder that this child is not a bastard...not something the can just wash his hands of and dispose of. Something both his parents made clear, was his responsibility; he was going to be saddled with this child, a reminder of weakness, and not someone he could use as an heir. At best, he can give her to some other lord, count or baron when she comes of age.

Those are going to be the longest years of his life.

"Am I expected to hold her ?" Falco turns to his parents.

"Let her have this, son." His father Lucius reprimands him silently.

Jana holds Mircalla to her chest, whispering something in the child's ear.

The child's head is placed right on Jana's heart, listening to it beat. "I heard this one in a dream little one. Perhaps you heard it with me," If she was speaking a little more loudly, it would be heard that Jana was singing even as her breathes faltered.

"Still, still, still
One can hear the falling snow
For all is hushed
The world is sleeping
Holy Star it's vigil keeping
Still, still, still
One can hear the falling snow
Sleep, sleep, sleep
'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth
The night is peaceful all around you
Close your eyes
Let sleep surround you
Sleep, sleep, sleep..."

Jana's voice stopped with the sound of her heart. The only other sound in the room was the cry of the infant, a contrast to Eska's quiet weeping.

After a moment of hesitance, Falco's mother Lena takes Mircalla from her mothers arms. Luckily her body hasn't gone cold. The child was taken to be tended too in a nursing room the Karnstien's set up. Eska takes her sisters hand and weeps into her chest, and Lucius took Falco by the shoulder, preparing to lecture him for...Falco lost count of how much he was lectured about responsibility, both as a future Baron and as a father. It was just background noise.

All Falco could think was, how much would this girl be worth to him, if she were to hinder his life and dreams like this ? What could this child hope to measure up too as she grows ? What would he measure up to as he himself grows ? He was hardly a man yet, and the burden of being a father at a young age was thrown upon his shoulders. And by order of his family, he was to carry that burden for the foreseeable future.

He wanted more in life, and he wasn't going to let this little stick in the mud stand in the way of it.

----

1692

Seven year old Mircalla has grown into a rather rambunctious child. Having spent the better part of her days with her grandparents, aunts and servants, she had a relatively healthy first few years all things considered.

As soon as she started talking, she could never stop. And when she started vocalizing, she tried to learn how to sing. It was rare that anyone could have hear this child singing some random tune to herself, that their heart doesn't immediately get tickled. Her father was the obvious exception.

While her father spent the lot of his time in a study he set up, Mircalla likewise started spending her time in their families library. She was taught to read by her grandmother, who used to read to her many books. Castle Karnstien's library was full of texts from different ages, telling legends from different lands and cultures. If there was one thing her family was proud of, it was the stories her grandfather collected in his youth, which shared enthusiastically with his lover turned wife; they shared them with their son, and now passed them onto their granddaughter.

Sure, she liked stories about princesses, but what intrigued her especially was stories of war and warriors; reading of them filled her with a greater sense of power than stories of damsels in distress, of princesses waiting for their prince; of great heroes such as Beowulf, Arthur and Hercules; she especially liked stories of Amazons, Brunhilda; brave, warrior princesses; Mircalla's personal favorite story was of the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan.

"It's funny that one is your favorite Mircalla," her grandmother, Lena Karnstien, would muse "Your father was always annoyed by her stories. When he was younger, he would try to tell his own version of the story, with Hua Mulan was a man. He never managed to finish it."

Mircalla paid little heed to stories of her fathers failings and embarrassments. She would usually emerge herself into the realm of fantasy or myth, while her fathers use for these books where to disappear into a realm where myth and history blend.

The bulk of Falco's and Mircalla interactions was when they would pass eachother in and out of the library.

Though there was one incident Mircalla would never forget. It was during her fourth birthday; while a small celebration was held to honor the event, Falco would lean to Mircalla and whisper "This is the anniversary of your mother's death, you know. I hope it is a happy day for you little one."

That was the first time he said it, and every so often, Falco would bring up Mircalla's role in Jana's death; especially when he knew the child could hear him.

Time passed and by the time Mircalla was five, so did both her grandfather, effectively leaving Falco as Count over their county, and Mircalla's only real guardian; her aunt Eska was no longer in the picture, with her family marrying her off to a foreign prince. This only served for Mircalla to further isolate herself and delve further into the realm of fantasy.

This was all well and good for Falco, as this would mean he had more time to focus on his own dreams and ambitions...and occasionally his actual duties as a count.

Curiously, there was a point in time these duties had an actual impact of Mircalla's life; one day on Mircalla's seventh year, she heard the crying of an infant from down her bedroom hall. She saw one of the servant girls tending to a baby boy with dirty blonde hair in what was once her nursery.

"Is that a baby ?" Mircalla asks, catching the servants attention.

''Oh, good morning Mircalla." The servant girl Sophia answers with a sunny smile "This must be a surprise for you; meet Elias Karnstien."

Sophia picks little Elias up to present the newborn to the new sister.

"Where did he come from ?" Mircalla asks, nearly at a loss for words. She was one who isolated herself for the most part for the past two years, and even before that she had little to no interaction with any other children. This was all new to her, and for all of it to be just thrown at her at once was quite a rush. She was feeling so much at once, she could barely feel anything at all.

"He came with your father."

"I have a brother ?" Mircalla asks.

"You have a brother."

Mircalla stared at the boy for the bulk of the day, unsure of what to make of him. She was never a baby person, never had that much interaction with other children. The highlights of childhood were spent disappearing into a world of imagination, and as much as she's a quick thinker, she couldn't think of a way to take care her brother.

After looking down at Elias for several minutes, she finally came up with an idea. Running as fast as her little feet could take her, she scampered to the library, and brought back with her a book that seemed to call to her.

She returned to notice her nanny wasn't attending to her still crying brother, which gave her all the time and space in the world to take Elias into her own.

So far it seemed to be working, as she lifted the book up over the child's crib, and noticed he stopped crying to look at her curiously. "Hi-i-i-i-i-i," Mircalla says quietly "I'm your sister."

Mircalla reaches down at Elias, who reaches up with both hands to take hold of Micralla's only hand.

"This is a book!" Mircalla says proudly "They tell you stories, like I'm about to now." Mircalla sits at the side of the crib and begins reading allowed to her quiet and seemingly awestruck brother. "I will proclaim to the world the deeds of Gilgamesh. This was the man to whom all things were known; this was the king who knew the countries of the world. He was wise, he saw mysteries and knew secret things, he brought us a tale of the days before the flood. He went on a long journey, was weary, worn-out with labour, returning he rested, he engraved on a stone the whole story..."

----

January 21st, 2021, Toronto, Canada, (months after The Carmilla Movie)

"You're really going through with this Chloe ?"

"It's for a good cause." Chloe Beale nods to her girlfriend. They seated together at a doctors office in Toronto; New Dyad, they're calling it. They were to meet their new clients there. Or rather Chloe was; Beca was more reluctant, but Chloe needed support.

"It's more of a benign cause, but Chloe, babe" Beca starts "This is going to be one of the biggest decisions of your life."

"I know. Which is why I'm making it." Chloe turns to look Beca in the eye.

It has been about two or three years after the USO show. Life hasn't exactly taken the Bella's to new places, but it didn't take them that far away from eachother. They had Bella Conrad to thank for that. The daughter to Stacie Conrad proved to be a new kind of glue that kept the Bella's together. Aubrey has been talking to Stacie about becoming a doula and wanted the practice and experience of working with new mothers and newborns and moved in with Stacie for what was intended to be several months, but soon they became life partners.

Every now and then, Bella's other aunts and the occasional uncle would step in. Between them, Aunts Beca and Chloe were the most frequent. This in part had to do with, for lack of a better word, tension that has occurred between the four women; but that was another story for another day. This started what can be described as an on and off polyamorous hookup between Beca, Chloe, as well as Aubrey and Stacie. From such, Beca and Chloe became less Aunts to Bella, and occasionally another set of moms.

When Chloe spent enough time with Bella, combined with Stacie describing the experiences she had during her own pregnancy being largely positive, as well as helping Aubrey do research on being a doula, it awoke a craving in her that could only be satiated by one thing; she wanted to have a baby, but at the same time wasn't sure if she was ready to be a mother on her own. After all the house already was full of five; wait till Bella becomes a more outgoing school girl, at least.

And to be honest, her baby craving had more to do with wanting to know what pregnancy was like.

On the flip side, Chloe observing what Aubrey was researching and what it meant to help parents and newborns, inspired a solution for Chloe's predicament; she wanted to be a surrogate, to help a couple who otherwise couldn't have a child achieve that goal.

It took about a year of planning and thinking, with the cautious support of her three girlfriends that Chloe found the right couple. And while you may call her selfish, Chloe wanted the child to be special; not that any baby isn't special, but she wanted to deliver something more than just a baby, to bring someone and something new into the world and think "Yeah, I helped did that."

And so the right couple entered the room, following behind a blonde doctor who would be overseeing the women and the procedure. One of the women was a little on the short side, had dirty blonde hair and pale tan skin, and was dressed a little more professionally than her partner. One of the women following was tall, pale, wearing darker clothes to match her black hair; it was clear she has a thing for leather.

"...That was still rather rude, honey", the tinier, dirty blonde woman says to her taller partner.

"If I had to wait in a line she has to wait too." The ravenette answers.

"But you didn't have to scare her kid."

"The kid had that woman for a mother, I'd be very surprised if he wasn't already mortified." The taller woman says as she and her partner take their seats opposite of Beca and Chloe "I mean who causes that much drama over a numb foot."

"I saw you cheating and scaring your way through a drivers test by road raging, don't you be taking the high ground here." The smaller woman reprimands her girlfriend, waggling her finger like a stern school teacher. Said girlfriend playfully bites at her finger, before the two notice Beca and Chloe looking at them expectantly.

"Allow me to break the ice," the doctor named Cormier, says. She has a noticeable french accent. "I take it this is the first time we've been in a room together." She gestures to one couple "Chloe Beale, Beca Mitchell" she gestures to the other "Laura Hollis and Carmilla Karnstein. I'll just be going over your tests, and let you get acquainted in the meantime."

Dr. Cormier took her seat at her desk and began reading her notes and the test results as the four other girls spoke among themselves.

"Sorry, my girlfriend insisted on giving a haircut to one of the moms in the waiting room." Laura explains sheepishly.

"In my defense, she was asking for it. Maybe not with those specific words, but that tone of voice." Carmilla waves dismissively.

Chloe reaches her hands to shake both girls hands. "Chloe Beale, we spoke on the computer."

"Yes, we've seen your playlist too." Laura nods.

"Oh no, that was Beca's playlist, I'm just giving her some free promotion." Chloe gestures to Beca who grins sheepishly.

"I see." Laura starts, looking over to Carmilla knowing she's dreading the next question "And I take it you've caught up on my vlog ?"

"Laura, not this again."

"We're caught up," Chloe nods enthusiastically "A lot of people didn't think it was real. But I did."

The year 2016 was considered a big year for a multitude of reasons.

One of them being the year that the world acknowledged the supernatural presence within. Had it been the jut the vlog of Laura Hollis showcasing the happenings at Silas, many would had dismissed Silas as an ARG with no more legitimacy or factual evidence behind it than that of Slenderman blogs.

In this case, it was also the year werewolves vampires, and other supernaturals made their presence known in rather public ways. Ironically this was considered one of the smaller changes to the world, and not that big an issue to press. It was pretty much amounted to "Ah, so monsters exist. Okay then."

For the most part, there hasn't been Kaiju level incidents (emphasis on, "for the most part") so its not like there was an ever present threat to the world at hand.

At most, there have been debates with the societal implications of the supernatural living among us and discussions of prejudice, but save for a few country's they haven't gotten any thing like True Blood.

In some areas, groups of self declared hunters - "Human Safety Activists" rose to stand up to the vampire/werewolf menace, and are mostly seen as another Hate Group akin to the Klu Klux Klan, the Nazi Party or Westboro Baptist; same noise, different banner, same reception by modern society; hence their nickname "The Skinboys".

Of course, such noise was relegated to the states; they were no more a problem in Canada than those aforementioned groups.

One thing that didn't go unnoticed was the threat of Hell on Earth posed by the Summurian Goddess Inanna; especially when the world was saved from said fate by a pair of girlfriends, one of whom being a vampire - said incident was caught on a live broadcast over the internet.

This did a lot to grant the supernatural a positive public image, and further marred the reputation of their detractors. Notably, there was a debacle in 2017-2018 were blog/podcast/broadcast asked if it was worth living in a world, if it meant the world was saved by a vampire - a lesbian one at that. Many of their followers agreed Hell on Earth was preferable. Yeah, it was those kind of controversies.

Despite Carmilla and Laura being considered public heroes for this, they do quickly settled for the quiet and more obscure life, already having a mass following on Twitter as it is.

Their last notable adventure was a few months back involving the ghosts of Inanna's previous sacrifice victims, including Carmilla's former lover Elle Sheridan. Not as grand scale as their previous escapades, but every now and then Laura would ask others if they saw her vlog; more often than not, this would cause fangirls to freak out upon meeting their hero.

"And what of you small-fry ?" Carmilla asks, glancing at Beca, who was otherwise quiet the whole discussion and staring at Carmilla herself in uncertainty.

"O-oh, well," Beca shook her head to clear her thoughts "It's like Chloe says; she always knew your show was real, before 2016, and the lot of us thought she was just being a-"

"Our friends Jessica and Ashley told me I was being a crazy fangirl." Chloe finished for her.

Beca chuckles and shows a little more of her snark "And yet those two used to fight all the time as to whether or not Laura here should be with Carmilla here, or...what was her name ?"

Laura smiles and answers "Danny, and we'd get that a lot. Not to say it isn't welcome, but at least she's not getting death threats or anything like that anymore."

"Of course not, that titanic body, mixed with vampire powers, I'd say anyone who threatened her are now backing down and apologizing profusely." Carmilla says "I've seen a few call her Mommy so take from that what you will."

This got the four girls to laugh a moment before Laura caught her breath "So, you got me curious. How is it you knew it was all real."

Chloe caught her breath and sighed "I've known for years that the supernatural was real. You see, I was born in Canada and raised here until I turned twelve. Not here as in Toronto," Chloe gestures out the window, noting the city skyline "But this neighboring town called Bailey Downs."

"Ah, that's funny. My girlfriend has a sister who lives in Bailey Downs," Cormier notes, overhearing their discussion. She notices the girls glancing at her before smiling sheepishly "Sorry, go on."

"Anyways," Chloe continues "Until then I've had these neighbors. I never really interacted with them extensively; although I do remember this one make up job their daughters did on me when I was little; they said it was for an art project. I used to watch their oldest daughter when she was in their pool, or sunbathing in their yard. That's how I had my, um, realization by the way."

"Was she a supernatural ?" Carmilla asks inquisitively "I've heard urban legends about that town, especially regarding werewolves."

"I heard those stories too," Chloe nods "And I knew they were real too; after my parents moved to the states, I've been looking at some childhood photos of mine, and sure enough I saw something in the background in one of them, that wasn't a regular wolf. I thought back to those girls disappearing around the same time as animal attacks became prevalent, and it didn't take long for me to put two and two together."

Carmilla makes another glance at Beca, who still stared at her uneasily "And what of you, DJ ? Did you always believe in the supernatural too, or where you a skeptic ?"

Beca shrugs trying to seem casual, although her voice was still uneasy "Let's just say when I found out vampires existed, it put my world in a bit of a spin. I'm sorry, I think I'm still trying to adjust." Beca becomes a little flustered as she laughs "And, uh, let's just say I didn't expect to actually be meeting, you two of all people!"

Laura smiles sweetly "Well, don't worry, you don't have to be so starstruck around us. I mean we did meet through mutual friends."

As it happens, it wasn't that big of a coincidence that Chloe Beale was to reach out to the Hollis Karnstein family (who while had the paper work, haven't gotten to hosting a proper ceremony yet; they had a connection of two of their friends knowing eachother.

About a year after the dust settled in Silas, Wilson Kirsch went on an off the road and spent the summer reconnecting with his family.

During his travels, he's had a few encounters with one Stacie Conrad. At the time, there was one in three chances that Kirsch may be Bella's biological father...although it later turned out there was no actual sex between them. Didn't stop him and Stacie from being friends.

Stacie narrowed arrow it down to this guy from another university, who she later found out was cheating on his girlfriend with her, and had a few crimes under his belt that she will not tarnish Bella by associating with him.

Point is, when Stacie reached out to Kirsch, even if he's not Bella's father, Kirsch would keep occasional contact with her to catch up. They spoke few weeks, during which they spoke over a mutual issue both Chloe and Laura.

It all started during a Hollis family reunion months back, shortly after the fiasco with Elle; during Laura was re-introduced to her cousins, nieces, nephews, and even new babies in the family.

The children especially were awestruck by their favorite aunt and how Aunt Carm was best aunt by virtue of being a vampire. Laura had her hands full and was pro all things considered - contrast this to Carmilla, who was mostly a nervous wreck around the kids. It wasn't until they got a chance to hold the newest addition to the Hollis family; Laura's new nephew Junior, named after his father and grandfather.

The description of Carmilla holding and fawning over holding a newborn, and the feeling going through her, is one that can't exactly be put into words.

In the end, Laura's mantra started "Carmilla, I want a baby."

It went on like this for two weeks, and it was clear; Laura had the baby blues. Day in, day out Laura would bring the subject up to Carmilla, who would do her best to dodge the issue. That all said, as the days went by, Laura's puppy dog eyes, moping over baby pictures weared down Carmilla's resolve. It wasn't until that night Carmilla dreamed of holding a baby, and the feeling came back to her, did Carmilla finally agree that she wanted a child of her own too.

Although in retrospect, considering Laura's cheek eating grin when Carmilla woke up the next morning, she'd wager that Laura was whispering in her ear in her sleep. But even then, there was something about holding a newborn, that awoke in the vampire something she thought was dead and buried for centuries.

Point is, they were in this in the long run; they learned of a Doctor - Cormier - who has been working on medical experiments to combat sterility, intermixed with same sex reproduction. While they haven't been able to fix the kinks in the fertility issues, they've figured a way to successfully combine two ovum's to produce an embryo.

It was simply a matter of finding volunteers and surrogates; when Laura first heard this, she of course signed her and Carmilla up for procedures, but there was the need to find a surrogate to help carry the baby, on account of "health issues" Laura may have.

It was around that time, Kirsch and Stacie talked to eachother regarding Laura and Chloe's baby blues; and in turn, got Chloe in contact with the couple. From such, the four women where to meet in Toronto, Canada for the proceedings.

Dr. Cormier looks up from the papers as the four other women finish their discussion "And it looks like everything checks out, we can start the operation tomorrow as soon as everything is ready."

"Thank you doctor!" Chloe and Laura say at the same time at the top of their voice, getting up from their seats, barely able to contain their excitement.

Beca wanted to say something along the lines "there's no going back from this," or "are you sure about this" but she couldn't say no to Chloe when she was this far ahead. Besides, she was here to support her girlfriend, so she could only stay by her side, and not let her own fears and concerns get in the way. So instead, she only gets up and hugs Chloe from behind.

"I'm so happy for you babe, I really am." Beca says, adding a kiss to Chloe's cheek.

Laura takes both of Chloe's hands into her own "I can not tell you how thankful I am for you doing this Miss Beale. I don't think there are words I can use-"

"Firstly, you can just call me Chloe, secondly you can just say thank you." Chloe answers her.

Carmilla and Beca exchange another look, letting their more enthusiastic and bubbly girlfriends speak for them.

"I think this'll be the most memorable nine months in our lives."

-----

The next day, same hospital, different wing.

The operation was done under the direction of Dr. Cormier, and recent medial graduate (as well as Cormier's girlfriend) Dr. Niehaus. Over all it took seven hours and they were the longest hours of Beca's life as she sat by Chole's side, holding her hand nervously and tightly as if she were an expectant parent herself.

The first hour was putting both Carmilla, Laura and Chloe under, and harvesting eggs from Carmilla and Laura; the next five hours were spent carefully splicing the eggs together and creating an embryo. It took seven minutes to place said embryo into Chloe, and another two hours for the three girls to wake up from the surgery and physically recover from being put under.

They made the most of their time discussing their plans on how to go about the pregnancy; specifically the living conditions Carmilla and Laura already live in Toronto, and for the most part, Beca, Chloe and their people are living across California.

"That shouldn't be an issue," Chloe explains from "Our...family unit, is pretty rich ever since Bella-Bo, came into the picture." Chloe says, mentioning Bella by her nickname.

"Courtesy of Aunt Amy," Beca adds in "With how big her trust fund is, she tossed in a few mil for Bella. We're able to buy some places to stay."

"Anywhere close to here ?" Carmilla asks.

"Stacie bought a high end house and a guest house in the Bailey Downs Hills." Chloe nods "In fact, Stacie and Aubrey are taking Bella with them for the time being, just to make sure we get the extra help."

"This Bella, she has to be two, three years old ?" Carmilla says curiously and a little teasingly "She does know what's supposed to be living in those woods, does she ? You sure she's going to be safe ?" She gives a teasing smirk.

Beca doesn't find it amusing, before Carmilla rectifies.

"I mean, Cupcake and I will be checking in on you every now all the time. That should be all the protection your own little one needs."

It didn't make Beca feels that much better or quell her concerns, but she accepted it.

Morning sickness was something Carmilla could recover from quickly, considering what she is, but Laura and Chloe where scarcely used to the experience. As such they had to rely of Beca and Carmilla's assistance to stand and walk when they eventually had to leave the hospital.

The two couples parted ways in the parking lot, Chloe invited them for dinner that night, but Laura insisted they wait until the other three arrive. In the meantime, the two couples decided to make a double date for the night; Laura couldn't wait to show them this restaurant owned by Mark Walberg's brother in the city.

That was an offer Chloe accepted enthusiastically. While Beca wasn't as happy, she did note that Chloe was among the happiest she has ever been; Chloe was like a kid in a candy shop, achieving the prize she's been looking for; she would be the first known surrogate mother to a dampir, for a couple of like minded young women.

Right at this moment, things were looking up.

----

Febuary 4th, 2021, Unknown detention centre, Europe.

Theo Straka was not a very happy young man to say the least.

It was one thing to loose his power among the Zeta Omega Mu, but he pretty much lost everything after Silas. He took as many opportunities as he could to make sure he was on top, and now his opportunities brought him down to the bottom.

Simply put, siding with Baron Vordenberg, and the goddess Inanna in their respective conquests, the latter of which posed the threat of Hell on Earth. With well documented evidence of his guilt and compliance with these two, he was the only one alive who could answer for them.

Of course Danny Lawrence got off; sure, the media and investigations show her circumstances gave her room to reform herself, but Theo himself knew the real truth - she was a woman, she can be just as guilty as he is and would only get a little sentence.

"She was also white." Theo thought to himself; that might have given her an edge. Never mind everything the documentation caught. That - as far as Theo himself was concerned - is why he's here and she's out there.

He remembers the humiliation of being receiving the blame before an international court, charging him with "Crimes against humanity" of all things. Look, the world may have almost been consumed by Hell, and maybe he took the side of a goddess to get himself a comfy seat, but those charges are a little much, aren't they ?

If being relegated to a detention center prisoner wasn't enough, he got himself into solitary confinement after he got a little too touchy feely when a female guard had her own guard down.

"Women," Theo thought to himself, "Don't know what they really need and if you give it to them, it's groin attacks and bear spray." It's been so long for Theo too, he couldn't really blame himself for trying.

Theo lost count of how long he was in confinement, which he guesses is pretty much the point. All he had was an annoying light that kept him from sleeping through it, and an annoying silence...

Or so he thought, as he was caught off guard by the sound of an alarm. A security alarm, and gunfire.

Outside his holding cell, the halls and walls were filled with smoke and marked by blood.

Dozens of figures, humanoid and dressed heavy black clothes, and skull like masks, were marching through and opening fire upon the guards. The guards would fire back quickly, and were being put down at faster succession.

Radio towers stood aflame, and their occupants lie dead and broken on the ground.

One figure in particular, also dressed in black, complete with a hood-like mask, obscuring its face. Unlike its goons, the figure was dressed less to accommodate the weather and gunfire, and more to show it's extravagance.

Noticeably, it didn't seem to need weapons or armor, fighting its way through the centre nearly unarmed. It was making it's way to Theo's cell, and left dozens of guards in it's wake - not all of them were dead.

Any one who would get close to this figure would suffer the fate of getting their head or limbs ripped off; throats or eyes bitten out; guts spilling out onto the ground; before they were tossed aside.

Just as it made his way to the cell door, one particularly large and brave guard charges this figure down, firing his assault rifle and emptying dozens upon dozens of shells into the figure's head. It collapses to the ground, and the guard stands over it's body, preparing to shoot more until he's sure it's dead.

The figure reaches up and grabs the rifle's business end and pulls it aside. In the process, he rips the guards arm off, with a splintering snap and scream. As it gets up, it grabs hold of the guards body, and continues to make his way to the cell door, and begins slamming the still conscious guard's body repeatedly into said door.

Theo could hear the commotion from inside and backs towards the wall, utterly terrified. His fear ramps up as the the door breaks off its hinges and collapses, along with the larger mans bloody and broken body.

"This was almost too easy boys," the figure says glancing over its shoulder, possibly addressing the mooks committing the bloodbath around him. His voice has a notable Austrian accent. It turns its attention to Theo himself "Theo Straka ?"

It takes Theo about a minute to find his voice "Speaking..."

"Your new opportunity at life awaits. My little organization here, is looking for someone with your experience and possible know how." The man in black says, taking off his hood/mask, revealing a face that left Theo speechless "You've seen my face, which means I pretty much own you at this point".

The man's face was, for lack of a better description, Orlok or Voldemort esque. It was as if he suffered a disfiguring injury that hasn't really healed, although not for the lack of trying. His eyes were milky, and his nose crooked and broken, with few traces of hair upon his head. He was a thing from a child's nightmare

"You were there for digging of Silas, you stood by Inanna's side." The disfigured man starts, before Theo interrupts him.

"Look man, I wasn't exactly the brains behind the operation so-"

"But you were quite observant and had the second hand knowledge of how to find the gates. The Skinboys, as common folk call them, could use your assistance in finding them." The man says circling Theo "In return, we can get you the status and power you wished for, and perhaps more."

Theo takes under a minute to think this over before saying "Done, just were are we going first ?"

"Canada, I need a certain someone to know what's coming." The man takes Theo by the shoulder and leads him to the exists, giving orders to his masked followers "Finish off the guards and the other prisoners! We can't afford any witnesses!"

He notices something on the floor; guard reaching for his gun. The man crouches down towards said gun, and aims it towards the guards head and pulling the trigger.

"Such heroic nonsense."

----

The man leads Theo into the detention centers yard. The atmosphere is heavy with rain and lightning, and the sky is pitch black.

"Our ride" the man says, pointing towards an advancing helicopter. As the helicopter lands, Theo and the man board.

As it takes off, Theo looks over his shoulder at the detention center, now aflame.

Theo turns back to face the man and says "I didn't get your name."

"You may call me Count Karnstien, and I have a vendetta of my own, you see." The count answers flatly, staring out the window and into the night sky.

The count says silently to himself "Enjoy your world, Mircalla. When you think you're safe and at ease, I will bathe it in the blood of all who know and love you."

Chapter Text

Karnstien Estate, April 4th, 1696
"Faster Mircalla, faster!" A four year old boy laughs. His older sister can't help but laugh along side him.

"Nope, sorry you little kitten, I think Moonlight's legs are going to give out." Mircalla says as she slows their Nonius horse, aptly named Moonlight to a halt. Mircalla thinks back to her grandmothers lesson on horses, and if you break their legs they tend not to heal and would have to be put down.

They have been riding Moonlight for the better part of three hours. From the age of eight, Mircalla has grown accustomed to the animals her family raised, and had a particular liking to riding horseback.

She thought when she turned ten she would have practiced enough to not require a partner to ride with. Normally, she embraces a challenge, but that challenge came when her curious brother developed that same fascination with horses, that Mircalla found herself teaching Elias the same lessons she was taught twice his age.

Mircalla let Moonlight gently trot to a grassy spot in their fields, allowing him to graze as she helped Elias off their steed and took their spot under a tree.

"Can you finish that story you were telling me ?" Elias asks.

"Which one ?" Mircalla asks, having read so much books and came up with her own stories. Why she even found obscure books and telling of more famous stories, such as a take of the Sleeping Beauty story told from the witches perspective, Elias was the first one she told.

She would also tell Elias stories she made up on her own, some mixed up other fairy tales; specifically, her new stories was about an ogre who saved and fell in love with a princess. Needless to say Mircalla was a rather animated story teller, giving her characters voices and mannerisms, that kept Elias entertained for hours.

"...but what was standing in the giant gingerbread man's way, was the kings royal guard. But he wasn't going to let that stop them, because he knew that she needed a hero."

Mircalla and Elias always made the best out of their fathers trips. The more Count Falco took his expeditions out of county, the better; especially his recent expeditions to Greece.

They think back at the occasions of their life that their father was unfortunately a part of; notably the death of their grandmother the year before, where Elijah made a show of his grief at her funeral and was slapped for it by the Count, who just seemed to want the affair to be over with ("It is unmanlike to have these emotions" the Count would say).

Because of that one instance, Mircalla spent a week at his side trying to console him, telling him her first "original" story; basically Hamlet as told by animals in Africa.

Mircalla spent the day telling Elias an additional three stories of the ogre, promising to save one more for Christmas. As usual, Mircalla likes to add songs to go with her stories - "I cannot help that I am a thespian" she'd say dramatically. By the time Mircalla was finished, the sky was starting to darken, and their servants would seek them out.

Mircalla calls back Moonlight, a puckered out Elias on horseback and rides back to their manor.

What didn't please Mircalla was their father awaiting them. Having Elias taken to his bedroom, he has Mircalla sat down at their dining table to give her some news.

-----

"You've returned home early." Mircalla notes.

"Don't sound so disappointed."

Mircalla prepares to make a snarky comeback "I wasn't trying to sou-" before Falco glares at her. Falco takes his seat at the head of the table and gestures Mircalla to take her seat beside his "What is it you want of me father ?"

"I want nothing of you daughter, but rather what I need." Falco states, preparing himself a glass of wine before offering his own to Mircalla "Are you aware of the Count Gruber and his family ?"

"I haven't been following word of the other nobles, no ?" Mircalla shakes her head.

"Their son Augustus, is to have his thirteenth birthday in a fortnight. I am sure you're not aware, but the Gruber's own a trading company that has set up land in Mesopotania." Falco explains "I'm planning a business partnership with the Gruber's, something that can get me expeditions to Sumer's remains. So much for me to unearth, so many small steps in my way."

There's a moment of silence before Mircalla breaks it with an awkward "You're aware that I'm not exactly a treasure hunter, right ?"

"No, but you are a bargaining prize." Falco replies flatly. Mircalla was silent, and could not believe what she was hearing as he went on "Their nest is nearly empty, and now only their son Augustus and daughter Luisa remain. I have promised the Gruber's a temporary ward in exchange for their business, and access to their Mesoptainon land."

"So you're sending me and Elias-" Mircalla starts to ask.

"No, I am sending you. Elias shall accompany me to Mesopatania, under my protection and mentorship." Falco explains.

"Father, he's only four. He hasn't been out of the county, let alone out of the country. He won't make it without me." Mircalla begins to beg.

"On the contrary, I believe he will thrive. I find he needs more of a masculine influence in his life, and who better than his father?" Mircalla began to think of over a dozen such influences (a few of them from her books and stories) before Falco says "Besides, we can't have him distract your from your duties."

It takes Mircalla about a minute to realize what he's insinuating "You can't expect me too-"

"Do what is expected of you ? What one such as you is expected to do ?" Falco interrupts "I trust you to at the very least fulfill you're duty. It's the least you owe me for allowing you here for this long. I'd say my debt to your mother has been more than paid, it's only fair that your debt to me is to be paid."

Mircalla was struck silent as Falco sighs and walks around her chair

"So just to be clear, for the sake of your family, including that of your brother's, you will live the Gruber's until such a time that our little arrangement can be finalized."

With giving a final word or look, Falco circles the table and disappears into the hallway, leaving Mircalla frozen like a deer in the headlights. Mircalla sits alone, before burying her face into her hands, and later succumbing to sleep.

-----

Hollis-Karnstein, Residence, January 24th, 2021, Toronto, Canada.

"Carm ? Carm ?" Laura's voice snaps Carmilla out of her train of thought.

The two were lying on their couch at their living room, early in the morning. Laura was already going through baby magazines.

"How do you feel about this swing set ?" Laura asks pointing at a Canadian tire build swing set.

"I feel like it's a little early thinking about that ? The tyke is just an embryo at this point, let him grow for a few years before we risk getting him in trouble." Carmilla notes.

"I'm sorry honey, I'm just so excited," Laura puts the magazine aside "It's just-"

"We're going to be moms!" Laura started to say excitedly, with Carmilla joining in, mimicking Laura's giddy excitement. Although Laura had no reason to suspect that Carmilla was sarcastically imitating her.

"- I know, it's just a lot for me to take in at the moment." Carmilla says with a small chuckle, "It's just, this is new territory for the both of us. It's been, centuries since I've extensively been around kids. I might be a little out of practice."

Laura get's a little curious. While Carmilla has spoken openly about her past with her, it was just enough to give Laura a picture of her life. There were many instances that Carmilla hasn't spoken off, that Laura simply listed as "The Dark Box"; bits of Carmilla's past she hasn't elaborated on, nor would Laura push her too, by virtue of "Mircalla is dead".

Laura heard this from a movie but "Let the past die, kill it if you must". Although she, Carmilla and their friends would argue extensively as to if that was supposed to be the message of the movie, but the fact remains, it was a part of Carmilla's past that she would prefer to stay buried. But whatever Carmilla's past experience with kids peaked her interest.

"Were they the better parts of you life ?" Laura asks, hoping not to press any buttons.

"There was one who was the greatest thing to happen to me at the time." Carmilla gives a sad smile "It was before Inanna you see, and it was some of the happiest moments of my life..." Carmilla sighs "Which is why it hurts me so much to think about."

Laura quickly pulls Carm into a hug, resting the vampires head on her shoulder and kissing her on the temple "We don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to."

Carmilla smiles a little less sad "It's just, this whole baby news...I'm a little out of practice with kids, especially this day and age."

"Beca and Chloe's other girls are on their way tomorrow. We've been invited to their house in the hills." Laura notes "They're bringing their little girl."

"Ah yes, a cabin in the woods type of deal. A woods supposedly inhabited by werewolves." Carmilla nods, with a bit of deadpan in her voice.

"I mean, even if that's the case, clearly the people living in the area aren't too bothered by them." Laura adds, before their phone goes off. Checking their messages, they see they're getting a skype call.

Answering their call, they see they are greeted by Lola Perry and LaFontaine "Howdy, partners!" LaFontaine answers, a little buzzed "I- I've heard the good news! A little resentful that you two didn't go to me first, but you made us aunts!"

"You'll have to excuse them," Perry jabs her thumb "They're still celebrating."

"I've been happy drinking all night," LaFontaine nods "I've been saving the good stuff for a good enough cause...I just wish we were the ones who'd help make it happen."

"Laf, we've been over this-"

"All I'm saying is you would have been a great surrogate," LaFontaine cheekily grins.

"I'm sorry, but I just don't have the patience to carry a baby." Lola dismisses for what had to be the twelfth time that day.

"You fought off a fey queen and survived being possessed by a Babylonian god."

"Summarian." Lola, Laura, and Carmilla correct at the same time, in a deadpan tone.

"All I'm saying is that motherhood is only slightly less scary."

"And the fairy queen alone was too much for me. Besides isn't carrying a damphir a little risk-" Lola stops herself before turning towards Carmilla and Laura "Sooo, what's she like ? The surrogate I mean."

"Miss Beale is just," Laura thinks to herself "She's just the cutest. Real angel, really."

"Her girlfriends not to bad, but I think she was afraid of me." Carmilla teases.

"Don't take it personally, a lot of people still aren't used to vampires." Lafontaine adds.

"Maybe she's just starstruck herself." Laura nods "Speaking of girlfriends, Chloe and Beca have another set. They'll be in the country by tonight, they've got this house in the Bailey Downs hills, and they'll be bringing their little girl with them. Carmilla and I may be staying with them, just to get the experiance."

"Oh, that's so sweet. Isn't she the one-?" Lola starts to ask.

"No, Kirsh's isn't the father, totally different guy- it's not that important." Laura shakes her head "But, they're, y'know, friends, with Kirsh I mean."

"Ah, well, wish we could be there with you guys," LaFontaine starts "But something came up at work. Our Ottawa offices you see, so we may be out of your hair for a while."

Lola perks up "We'll try to be there by the next weekend. Until then, we'll skype call you and I want to see whatever pics or videos you make of Carmilla with their little one."

Carmilla gasps in exasperation, getting a laugh from Laura "Goddammit! I keep telling you three that's a one time thing! I don't act that way around babies!"

"Right. Well, we'll put that to the test when we visit their house." Laura teases before turning their attention to their friends "Well talk to you later. Love you!" Laura waves as she's about to turn off the call.

Lola and LaFontaine wave with a friendly "Love you too!" before the call ends.

Laura then looks at Carmilla rather cheerfully.

"What ?" The vampire asks in exasperation.

"A trip to Marine Land says you won't make it to midnight without so much as a coo towards the baby." Laura pokes Carmilla on the nose.

"I don't know what spell you're niece put on me, but I am not like that." Carmilla crosses her arms with a mock puff.

"Right, and I'm sure you will refrains from trying to eat her feet." Laura gets into Carmilla's face with another coy smile.

"That's not me. That was that little witch." Carmilla vehemently insists "I may get a little motherly now and then, but I will never go goo goo gaga, so long as this is working right" Carmilla says poking her cranium "You forget, life was full of partying, rebelling against an evil mother. Decades ago, I got into a little bit of magic and mischief, and when I was feeling especially self indulgent...I may have had a role in a few orgies."

This caught Laura off guard "Orgies ?"

"Relax, cupcake. That wasn't since '98." Carmilla gives a coy smile and wink of her own " My point is, if it's going to take nine months for me to get in any other mood, don't expect and instant change. Now, about that swing set you were looking at..."

-----

Later in the afternoon.

In the Greater Toronto Area, a White SUV makes it way down a highway. Two women, Stacie Conrad and Aubrey Posen, are in the front seat, Aubrey at the drivers wheel.

In the back seat, sits a three year old girl with shoulder length light bruntette hair. She wears a white dress under a little denim coat, and purple sandles on her feet.

This is Bella Conrad. She is kicking the hair playfully, while she plays on her iPad. She was one who usually watches Forzen or Tangled, but at the moment she was having a skype call with Beca Mitchell.

"Can you see the tower from there, Bella ?" Beca coos from her end "It's literally one of the tallest in the world!"

"Is it a castle?" Bella asks, remembering how the city would host an Expo, and the pictures her mom's shown her of Princess Cosplayers.

"Uh, no." Beca laughs a little "But we probably should go when its expo time. We can go in our DC Girls outfits- Oh, that remind me, did you bring your Raven outfit ?"

Bella nods. Stacie looks over her seat and addresses her daughter "Ask about the vampire."

"Did you see the vampire ?" Bella asks "The bat woman" this time waving her hand around, making little screech noises, which causes Aubrey and Stacie to smiles and faun from the front seat.

Beca flushes a little "Uh, no, her girlfriend says she's a cat."

Bella starts petting her hair making little (and very convincing) "meow" noises, already making up her mind for what she'll do when she meets the vampire lady.

"How's Chloe ?" Aubrey asks from the driver's seat, loud enough for Beca to hear.

"Well, we went out for a bite last night-" Beca starts, before Bella interrupts.

"She bites ? Did you see her vampire teeth ?" Bella asks, pulling a lip back to show her own teeth.

"No, it's not like that." Beca answers "Okay, first thing you need to know is that Mark Walberg's family has a restaurant in the city. We went there last night, kind of as a double date, and now Chloe-"

Before Beca can finish her sentence, she is interrupted by the loud noise of Chole's morning sickness from the other room.

"-I don't think the food is agreeing with her at the moment." Beca cautiously gets up, and walks towards the bathroom and flinches away at the sight "Yeah, you may need to use the upstairs bathroom for a while."

"Keep the camera off me! I'm not in my makeup!" Chloe says from off camera.

"Okay, I gotta tend to Chloe to a while, we'll see you when you get here!" Beca waves at Bella "Bye, hugs and kisses!"

"Hugs and kisses!" Stacie and Aubrey shout from the front seat, making sure Beca and Chloe could hear them.

"Huggie kissie!" Bella said cutely, kissing the screen of her tablet.

"Hugs and k-BLAA-" Chloe could be heard shouting off camera before she starting retching, just as Beca ends her call.

"So you excited for Mama Chloe ?" Stacie asks Bella from the front seat "She's going to be having a baby too."

Bella is barely paying attention, turning on a FNAF game on her tablet "No, I wanna go McDonalds."

Stacie rolls her eyes at this; she was the health freak of the four, and would make a point to avoid eating fast food or too many sugary treats if she could help it. And out of them was the chef of their families unit; sometimes Aubrey or Chloe would try to cook, but Stacie had this artistic eye for details the others lacked, developing something of a passion for the craft. Chances are if Bella was going to eat fast food, they'd be reworked and re-prepared through Stacie's techniques at home.

"I'll fix you up something when we get to the house." Stacie nods.

"A baby, Bella!" Aubrey said in a faux enthusiastic tone, clearly trying to get her excited "Chloe's going to have a baby for another couple, and we're going to be taking care of her. It'll be like you're a big sister!"

Bella looks up from the tablet, still barely paying attention "I'm a big sista? I'm I big girl!"

"You're getting to be a big girl, but you're still growing." Stacie nods.

"Mommy, can we go McDonalds ?" Bella says changing the subject.

"Uh, no honey. We'll be having supper when we get to the house."

"You're not going to be scared of the vampire lady are you ?" Aubrey asks uneasily.

Bella shakes her head, getting bac to playing with her tablet "No, I'm scared of animal robots...and purple people...and, and, and, I'm hungry."

"I know Bella, we're almost there." Stacie reassures. Stacie reaches forward to turn on the radio "In the meantime, let's see if we can pass the time faster."

Stacie adjusts the radios settings, putting on the family's "Roadtrip Mix". Usually Beca and Chloe would be providing back up vocals when these songs came on, but for now Stacie and Aubrey would have to make due, as Bella tries to sing along with them (something that she has been trying to do since before she could form actual words).

Stacie and Aubrey began to sing softly, building up memento along with the voice playing from the mix. It was a remix made by Beca for their phones; it was of Tracy Chapman and Elizabeth Gilles singing the same song.

It was of course, Fast Cars, which Bella of course, had trouble singing along with.

Both Stacie and Aubrey had to maintain their composure as Bella began kicking the air and swinging her head to the beat. Aubrey noticed the GPS telling her she had to hang a left into Bailey Downs County.

At that point they have reached a forested area. No traffic to worry about, but they ironically had to pull slower as they road on the trail. Specifically Aubrey noted the signs to keep an eye out for black bears.

While Aubrey was occupied with the driving, Stacie turned to look over her seat to sing with her daughter, who has all but discarded her tablet.

Aubrey turned up the trail, towards a road on a hill. As they drove higher, they could see the trees clearing, and could see the skyline two large towns in the distance to the east, and Toronto farther in the South East.

Reaching a clear area, Aubrey saw their destination and pulled forward, joining in on the last chorus.

-----
Pulling up to the gated residents, one could see that the Beale-Conrad-Mitchell-Posen house is not a cheap buy. Paid for by the "Bella Conrad trust fund" to accommodate the families travel and living conditions.

The Hills was something of a gated community, consisting of otherwise isolated houses and cabins in the wooded areas. You could go days without having to interact with the neighbors here.

Their residence was a twenty seven acre spot of land, it came with a panoramic view of the Bailey Downs County, with Toronto an hour a half drive away, just barely viable over the horizon.

The house itself was a high end house, built in the style of Spanish Renaissance with a twelve foot protective wall around the property; a two floor building, and a terrace outside which connects the driveway, garage, and the backyard deck, with a built in swimming pool and sauna.

At the edge of the property is a smaller, one story building, with it's own deck and slide in doors. This is their guest house, a staple of the poly group's living conditions, usually for the purposes of private time.

The three enter the house, taking in the sight.

"No expenses paid I see," Aubrey notes.

"Nothing but the best for my four favorite girls." Stacie replies

The interior has a large living area with a kitchen/dining room to the west and stairs to the bedrooms to the east. Up the stairs, there is three bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs, however, and one downstairs.

Bella immediately took off at the sight of Beca and Chloe cuddling on the couch.

"Beca-Chloe!" Bella tried to say their name together as she climbed up on the couch, immediately being pulled into Beca's bear hug.

"There she is, the little star of the hour."

Bella released from Beca and climbed onto Chloe for an even bigger bear hug.

"Easy now, still a little queezy from this morning." Chloe groans at how strong Bella's grip is. Chloe sits Bella down on the couch and puts Bella's hand on her stomach "Bella, do you know what's in here ?"

"Uhhh...guts ?" Bella replies.

"No...it's a baby." Chloe laughs. The other three couldn't help but beam at Bella's look of realization.

"No. Babies are bumps. Babies-babies make you fat!" Bella says, spreading her arms wide to empathize her point.

This gets a laugh from the four of them, before Stacie mockingly admonishes her daughter "Bella, what did I teach you about body shaming ?"

"But- but mommy, she's not big!" Bella looks between the other women, confused as to why their smiling at her.

"Well, it's going to take time for the baby to grow. It's like you have to wait a while between Halloween." Chloe explains "And guess what, the babies has two mommies of it's own."

"You and Beca ?" Bella asks.

"No," Chloe shakes her head "See the babies other mommy's can't carry it on their own. So they asked me to help the. They're going to be staying with us to help."

"Like..." Bella couldn't finish her question, so she just pointed at the other women in the room.

"Exactly. Now, you should probably know that one of them is a vampire-" Beca starts.

"Bluh bluh bluh!" Bella imitates a cartoons "vampire noises" while showing her teeth.

"I don't think she's going to get scared." Aubrey says reassuringly.

Beca quickly realizes something "By the way Bella-Bo, we got something to show you upstairs!"

Beca quickly scoops Bella up, as the four girls walk her towards and up the stairs. Bella would cutely count each step they went up.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms, and one bathroom in the immediate hallway. Beca and Chloe led them to one bedroom in particular.

"So Belles..." Chloe asks as she opens a bedroom door "How'd you like it ?"

Bella Conrad's bedroom is a twelve by twelves space, including a walk in closet; clothes drawer, a toy chest and two different stands; one stand has a small TV, and a DVD player with a built in VCR; the other was a book shelf.

On the south side of the bedroom, Bella had a large window, giving a clear view over the horizon; she could see the Toronto city lights from this distance late into the night. On the east side, there was a mini fridge.

The walls were painted a dark violet blue, and the bed was a casual size with white sheets and blanket. When Bella was put down, she immediately ran towards the bed and collapsed onto it, laughing happily as she rolled back in forth over the covers.

"I think she likes it," Stacie remarks.

"I have my own fridge!" Bella exclaims.

"Yeah, see, ?" Becca answers, going up to the mini fridge and opening it "It's so that you don't have to hide your sneak treats under the pillow..." Beca teasingly whispers.

"Speaking of," Aubrey starts "What have we got downstairs ?"

Beca and Chloe glance at eachother in realization.

"Uh...we didn't pick anything up today. We'd thought we take the day to relax and settle in after the night before, especially with you on the way and all?" Chloe meekly explains.

"What ?!" Aubrey and Stacie reply at the same time.

"Well, we didn't expect you to show up until later tonight," Beca starts "I thought we'd go shopping together tomorrow."

"We're going to have guests tonight!" Aubrey says in exasperation.

"Well, we picked up snacks, just need Stacie's eye for cooking details to-"

"What did you pick up exactly ?" Stacie eyed suspiciously.

Chloe bashfully frowns "We stocked up on frozen pizza and McDonalds in the fridge. We didn't know how long you'd be, so we thought Why not ?"

Upon hearing this, Bella's ears and head perks up "McDonalds!" Something she's been having a craving for the whole car ride. FNAF games made her hungry, and instilled a taste for Pizza and Fast Food whenever she'd play them, and now her two other mommies just picked up both.

Stacie rolls her eyes at her daughters enthusiasm "Very well, I'll see what I can salvage from this," She walks up to Bella and picks her up "But for now, we have to relax. We had a long day on the road."

-----
It was at 5:50 PM when Carmilla and Laura's black honda, made it's way up the Bailey Downs Hill.

The wooded era was thic, and had it not been for the trail, they could easily get lost and end up at the wrong house. In fact, it's happened twice already.
Carmilla was quietly singing to herself, as she looked around the woods, keeping her eyes out for black bears "...I see earthquakes and lightning/I see, bad times today,"

Laura in the meantime was on the speaker phone, talking to Beca as she followed her directions.

By the time they saw the girls house, they noticed Beca standing outside the gate waving them forward. As they pull up, Laura rolls their window down to address Beca.

"It's about time you got here. Mosquitos are really acting up." Beca starts, scratching her arm to empathize her point.

"Sorry, we aren't that used to the area." Laura sheepishly blushes.

After parking the honda, the three girls ae their way to the front door. A mosquito lands on Beca's neck, prompting her to swats it with an annoyed "Fucking little bloodsuckers!"
With that Carmilla stops in her tracks and stares daggers at Beca "What did you say ?"

Laura sensed Carmilla was about to blow a gasket as Beca looks nervously at the vampire.

"Was it something I said?" Beca asks nervously.

"You think that just because I'm technically not alive, I cannot feel ?" Carmilla says dramatically "That because of my past, that I'm not exactly proud of, that you can use that word all willy nilly ?" Carmilla looks more angry as she advances on Beca backing her into the wall "Words have meaning, and that meaning is to dehumanize my people. It's 2020, I thought we were past this!"

Beca and Laura both look absolutely mortified, and while Laura knew what Carmilla was pulling, Beca was somewhere between scared and a little turned on by how Carmilla looked when angry "Kind of like Katerina" she thinks to herself.

Suddenly a smirk forms on Carmilla's and the vampire burst into uncontrollable laughter "I really got you didn't I ?" Carmilla playfully punches Beca on the arm "Relax, that word doesn't mean nothing. No more than dyke; we embrace it."

"Yup, just like Katerina," Beca mutters.

"What was that ?" Laura asks.

"Uh, nothing. Nothing." Beca shook her head "The uh, the girls are waiting for us inside."

"Well, I suggest we don't keep em waiting." Laura nods, following Beca's lead.

Carmilla continues to smirk "Right, I'm so hungry that I could eat a whole moose. Might just do that later tonight."

-----

Beca opens the door and leads them in "Honies, we're home!"

They were first greeted with the sound of Stacie's voice calling back "Honey, I'm in the kitchen!" Stacie walks out from around the corner and to the doorway, greeting Beca with a kiss on both cheeks "The other are in the living room, I just got to check the pizzas."

"Pizza ?" Laura raises and eyebrow.

"It's all we could pick up today besides McDonalds." Beca shrugs "We gotta make do with what we got."

Stacie finally addresses the other two women "And you must be the lucky expectant pair." She greets Laura and Carmilla with a handshake "Name's Stacie Conrad, I think we talked once on the phone."

"Kirsche's ex, right ?" Laura questions.

Stacie confidently shrugs "I mean, I've had like three Wilson's in the past, but he's the only one who stayed in contact." She then has a look of realization "Oh, will he be coming too ?"

"Not tonight." Laura shakes her head "Something came up at work...in Ottawa. He and our friend Danny will have their hands full for a few days. They should be stopping in later in the week."

Stacie nods and smiles "Well then, we can't keep the others waiting."

Stacie and Beca lead the other two to the living room, were they find Chloe and Aubrey snuggled on a couch with Bella. Bella was preoccupied with talking to the baby in Chloe's tummy.

Upon seeing them, Chloe gently waves them over "Hey there! Bella's just getting acquainted with her new friend."

"Aw," Laura beams "I can already tell they're going to be great friends."

Carmilla exchanges a look with Laura, telling her that "no" she isn't going to lose her composure around Bella and that the toddler will not have the same affect on her as a newborn. Laura's look says "You wanna bet on it ?"

Laura is the first to walk up to Bella and crouch down to her "Hello Bella. My name is Laura! Do you know who I am ?"

"You just say Laura." The three year old mumbled, prompting a laugh from the other six girls.

"I guess I did. I- I mean, we are the ladies who Miss Chloe is having a baby for. We just wanted to stop in, thank her, and your family for helping us."

"You welcome." Bella replies, smiling cutely.

"Bella, these nice ladies are going to be staying with us for a while." Chloe introduces "Since we're helping them with their baby, they're going to be helping us around the house."

"How'd you like that Belles ?" Aubrey coos "We're going to have friends living with us while we stay here!"

Bella glances at Carmilla and asks the first thing that comes to mind "Are you the vampire ?"

Carmilla is flustered by how innocently she asked and chuckles a little "As a matter of fact, I am." She answers as she walks up to and crouches down to look Bella in the eye "I take it this is the first time you've seen...someone like me ?"

"No, I've seen hundreds of girls." Bella shakes her head.

Carmilla glances over her shoulder. Stacie looked trusting and friendly, surprisingly enough, but Beca had a bit of cautious paranoia in her, and was holding herself back from something.

Carmilla had a sneaking suspicion that these were Mama Bear types, and would learn more about it over their later discussions that night. There was an instance a while back that Bella was chased up a jungle gym at a park by an angry dog; said dog learned just how scary an angry Military Brat like Aubrey could be.

Caught off guard, Carmilla froze as she felt Bella's little hands and fingers brush through her long dark hair.

"So," Bella starts "Chloe say you like a giant black kitty." Bella continues petting Carmilla's hair and cautiously asks "You like ?"

"I...normally don't let others just do that," Carmilla says awkwardly.

"You ticklish ?" Bella asks.

Suddenly it was the other four girls turn to get flustered; way back when, they found out Bella overheard chit chat about two of them being ticklish. Since then Bella has made numerous attempts to tickle the four to get a rise out of them. It started out cute and funny, but after a while it became annoying.

Laura was in a more humorous mood, and lined up next to Bella to guide her hair "She likes it when you brush the hair out of her eyes. But you have to understand, she isn't a kitty all the time."

Laura joined Bella in stroking the hair of a flustered and nervous Carmilla, who kept looking at the other girls for help. Unfortunately, everyone else found this cute and wondered where this was going.

"Oh no," Carmilla thought to herself "Once again, a witch has me under a spell! I can't be feeling the warm fuzzies just yet. Even worse, I'm outnumbered!"

Carmilla was internally panicking, mortified at the prospect of gushing and fawning over a toddler in front of this many people. Outwardly, Carmilla was starting to flush and struggled not to smile.

And unfortunately, all the vampire strength in the world could not stop her from purring.

And that noise only made Bella giggle, as she dug her hands into Carmilla's hair and really went to town on her; ruffing her hair up, tickling her ears and giggling up a storm.

Bella stopped when she noticed Carmilla was shaking, blushing like a tomato while wriggling about a bit like she was tickled. “S-sorry! I heard you purring and couldn’t help myself.” she apologized cutely, putting her hands behind her back and hanging her head in embarrassment.

“That’s fine cuti- I mean kiddo. I'm alright, and it's just I don't often get this kind of reaction from kids.” She explained, taking a seat in a cross legged position in front of Bella, keeping a friendly smile on her face.

Bella circled the vampire around, looking at her curiously. This was the longest Carmilla had to interact with a child.

So far Bella is having an effect on her, the distinct urge to grab her little body and nuzzle her like she were a kitten. Smother her with hugs and kisses, with the resilience of a python. She simply found this girl far too adorable to not want to do that.

But Carmilla had to restrain herself. She was a calm, aloof, stoic, dark vampriess and the rebellious adoptive daughter of Inanna. She doesn't do cute, even if she is an expectant mother. She was not going to loose control around babies, if it meant Laura wouldn't take pictures of this incident.

Bella finally looked at Carmilla in the eyes like she couldn't believe she was asking this.

“H-hey, since you're a vampire and my name is B-Bella, I've been wanting to read this vampire book about a girl named Bella. If you're going to stay with us, and if we can be friends, c-can you read the book with me for beddy time…?” The toddler asked so innocently and full of child-like curiosity that Carmilla stares blankly for a few long awkward seconds.

Slowly, not taking her eyes off the toddler, Carmilla rose to her feet. As she did so, she reached out to Bella and picked her up by the waist. She lifted Bella up to eye level and made the Conrad girl face her.

A beat red color was quickly forming on Carmilla's face, and at the last second, her calm smile gave way to a gushing squee.

"THAT TEARS IT! COME HERE YOU LITTLE KITTEN!" Carmilla squeals, pulling an Bella into her chest as she hugged the toddler like she would die without her.

Bella in the meantime, was flustered and found herself mumbling incoherently, kicking her little legs in the air while she struggled to breath.

“YOU! ARE!! SO!!! CUUUUTE!!!!~” Carmilla squealed loudly and blushed up a storm while hugging Bella's squirming little form into her chest. Carmilla keep swaying back and forth muttering incoherent words (mostly variations of "kitty" or "kitten").

Eventually Carmilla dropped onto her back, rolling back in forth as she pretty much lost all sense of dignity with Bella, stopped struggling and just accepted her place in the vampires bear hug, that is until Carmilla finally pulled her off allowing her to shakily stand on her feet once she was freed.

“H-Hey! I’m not cute! I’m a big girl!” Bella crossed her arms with an annoyed glare, puffing out her chest "Just not big enough yet."

"Don't worry, she was like that with my niece too." Laura says sweetly, having recorded this instance on her phone. Carmilla was still coming down from her overload, only then realized what she just did, and flushed down to the floor, burying her face in total embarrassment.

"So it looks like someone passed the Bella test," Stacie walks up to Bella and pick her up "See, she wasn't so scary was she ?"

"Are you alright honey ?" Beca says, after momentarily blacking out at what she has just witnessed, taking Bella from Stacie's arms.

"Yeah, I have to go potty." Bella mumbles. Beca chuckles softly at this.

"Alrighty, well we can't have you go in front of our guests." Beca sets Bella down and holds her hand as she walks her up the hall.

-----

Later that same evening, the dining room table was sat upon by seven girls, dining on a dish Stacie conducted from freshly cooked pizzas and re-heated McDonald's leftovers.

As usual, Stacie somehow made it work.

The evening was spent with the four Fromer Barden Bellas getting acquainted with Carm and Laura.

Chloe elaborated more on her childhood in the area and urban legends she grew up with; Stacie talked at length of how she's planning on getting back into school when Bella starts going to school; Aubrey about her past as a military brat and her studies in working with children; Beca was mostly quiet, eyeing Carmilla cautiously as she was reminded of that french girl she met in high school...and how that turned out.

Carmilla and Laura didn't know exactly what to talk about, after all these girls have seen Laura's uploaded videos.

Really it was a matter of catching up on what they've been up to the past few years; and example of this would be the scientific research LaFontaine has been getting up to; or Danny's working for goverment agencies looking into matters of the supernatural. Krisch would often work with Danny as a freelance agent.

Of course this meant narrowly avoiding the details of why Kirsch, and Danny won't be with them that evening.

To keep things short, Danny has been running an operation in Ottawa for the past few months. She has been working with an agency investigating "Inanna Loyalists"; a list of people, students and staff of Silas who threw their lot in with Inanna during her attempts to open the gates of Hell.

As two people who worked directly with Inanna (albeit against their actual will), Danny and Kirsch were involved in the investigation, for their in depth knowledge of what Inanna has done and who her loyalists are.

The Inanna Loyalists also include members of Corvae, which not so coincidentally are in the midst of a corporate warfare with Lola and LaFontaine's businesses; which most likely have had to do with the fact Danny gave them a USB drive to take care of.

As of the night before there has been a cyber attack on their computers, and now it's a matter of data retrevial; especially when said drive contains the names and information of the loyalists, the criminal groups they have since become involved with, and forged documents regarding missing weapons shipments by the Corvae Coperation.

Laura has been following the story and is planning on reporting it on her blog, but only when she gets as much information as possible.

Simply put, it's not something to be brought up at the dinner table, unless you like your lives being thrown into a political thriller.

Eventually, Beca was the one to break the awkwardness "So Fan-Expo huh, you guys ever been ?"

"Not in a while, but we're looking forward to it." Laura says.

"It's not for a few months." Carmilla adds.

"I like to plan ahead. Looking for things to do in this city, places to visit, y'know ?" Beca takes a drink.

"Our lifes aren't exactly normal..." Carmilla notes "Just a few months ago, we had to clear out Lopphi's offspring."

This caused the girls to pause and stare at her.

"You had to have been there, but you probably wouldn't want to be." Carmilla adds rather sheepishly.

"So, back to the Fan-Expo" Beca starts to once again break the awkwardness "Have you've ever gone cosplaying ?"

"As a matter of fact, we have; I go as a snarky sullen vampire with a buried heart of gold; Laura is the tiny blonde gay with a heart the size of the universe." Carmilla answers.

"Ah, that sounds interesting," Aubrey nods "We're thinking of going as DC Girls ourselves."

"Beca here, will be going as Lena Luthor," Chloe jabs a thumb at Beca "Since she's the one whose running a business of her own."

"Lena ? That's funny, that was my grandmothers name." Carmilla says.

"Your grandma is Lena ?" Bella pipes up "You a Luthor ?"

"Are you trying to be absurdly cute on purpose ?" Carmilla asks Bella back.

Bella form a comically large smile on her face and gives an exaggerated "Yes!"

Now it's Laura's turn to address Carmilla "Lena, huh ? This is the first I'm hearing about it."

"Well," Carmilla shrugs "My human life and family is something I put in my buried past."

-----

Later on, Chloe's sickness started acting up again, and she excused herself to the bathroom. Since Beca was the designated "bathroom buddy", she found herself rubbing Chloe's back, while the latter was hugging a toilet, a bottle of water at the ready.

"Becs ?"

"Yes, hon ?"

"You think surrogates are allowed to suggest names ?" Chloe asks.

"I think they'd have to run it by the parents. Why ?"

"I had this name on my mind lately; I think you had it too, I heard you mumbling it last night." Chloe says.

"What is it ?" Beca asks a little uneasy.

"I've been thinking of Katrina all day," Chloe nods.

This causes Beca to freeze like a deer in the headlights, as Chloe continues.

"You've been saying it all of last night. Does is mean anything to you ?"

Chapter Text

Haddonfield High, September 14th, 2009

"Excuse me ? Excuse me."

It's happened again.

Beca Mitchell fell asleep in class, and looking at the clock, before class even started!

That's gotta be a record.

Though who could blame her ? Haddonfield, Illinois has been getting really rainy and dreary; maybe it has something to do with the time of year.

On top of her parents divorce being finalized earlier this year, and and at sixteen, Beca spent the lot of her time trying to keep herself busy. She worked weekends as a waitress at a local diner, which also covered her summer job.

For the most part, she was staying in Haddonfield, while her dad was out of town. He was off work after the divorce and was planning a transfer which may entail moving, but as he says "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

To keep things short, lately she's been slowing down, losing focus. And the weather didn't help.

At the moment, someone had her attention.

This girl, could best be described as those manic pixie dreamgirls you see in movies; short cut hair, a cute round little face, dressed like she was raised in a jazz club. Her hair was platinum blonde. She was otherwise pale, save for the blue/purplish makeup she wore on her eyes, the blush on her cheeks and lipstick.

"Are you gonna keep gawking at me ? Or do you have a voice little belle ?" A French or Belgian sounding voice asks her.

To her embarrassment Bcca noticed a small amount of drool going down her chin, which she quickly wipes off. "It's Beca, actually."

"Katrina, although you sure look like a Belle to me." The girl introduces "I was going to ask if anyone's taking the seat beside you ?"

"Uhh...no, the usual student Carlos has been out of class for a few days."

"Well, good thing this Carlos is not here." Katrina flutters her eyes as she takes her seat.

"His grandma passed over the weekend, and he's taking some time off." Becca states.

Katerina's smile doesn't fade, but the look in her eyes read "Oh, fuck my life."

"That's awkward..." She says "You must excuse me, I'm new."

From then class resumed, as their teacher entered, took attendance and started todays lesson on the Civil War.

----

Becca Mitchell spent the day going through her normal schedule. History first, chemistry second.

She normally tended to spend lunch hour alone, just disappear in the "isolated" world of her MP3. She's yet to get a phone, but it's on her Christmas list. Unfortunately, thoughts of Christmas brought thoughts of...something else.

She found herself trying to pay attention to Fireflies by Owl City, but found herself distracted; sitting clear across from her from the other side of the café, was non other than Katrina.

"Don't pay her no mind, Becs" she thinks to herself, trying to focus on her hamburger for lunch. "She's just a new girl, trying to go about her day, the same as you."

And yet that girl was smiling her intensely, and Beca could have sworn she saw Katrina wink at her, when Beca tried to low key wave, just to make sure she wasn't the object of attention.

The next class after that was English. They were to read and analyze Pride and Prejudice, but Beca herself lost her train of thought, filled throughout the whole class of Katrina.

Beca couldn't exactly put her finger on it, but there was a certain...magnetism about her. Is it because she was new ? Foreign ? The colors she wore, or was it that smile ?

Or maybe Beca was trying to get her mind off her parents divorce.

Either way, it was like her head was invaded.

Gym didn't make it easier. They had to do a track run today, and as usual, she'd wear her headphones as she ran.

Low and behold, Katrina was in this class too, and remarkably quickly found herself ahead of the other girls by several yards. She was spectacularly fit for someone her size range.

Well it was around this time Beca's attempts to distract herself caught up to her.

For lack of a better word, she found herself tripping over her own to feet, and had a major whip out onto the dirt road of the track, rolling and tumbling to a grinding halt. And it hurt like a bitch: aside from the glaring sting of skin tearing up her shin, and even on her thigh.

There was even a few red marks on the track.

Naturally, the other girls, and the coach in class cluttered around her. Each of them asking if she was alright. Of course she wasn't. She was pretty sure her shin was broken, and if she wasn't afraid to look, she'd wager her ankle is twisted. She wasn't one who cries in public, but in this case, Beca makes an exception and lets a few tears fall.

Needless to say, Beca had to sit this one out, and out of all the girls in all the gym classes in all the world, it had to be Katrina who picked her up and volunteered to take her to the nurse's office.

Katrina stood Beca up, and walked/hopped her toward the nurses station, but peculiarly, once they where out of viewpoint, Katrina scooped Beca up and carried her in a bridal like fashion towards the doors.

This threw Beca off, and the pain she was in was all but forgotten.

"It's to keep it easy on your ankle." Katrina explains.

Making it to the news station, Katrina insisted on staying by Beca's side while she was looked over.

"Looks like it smarts," the nurse said with a cringe looking over the wounds.

"Feels that way too," Beca nods.

"But other than a few cuts and bruises, the damage isn't too bad looks like your ankle isn't broken. Although it looks like you pulled a muscle." The nurse explains "You may have to go see the doctors up town. I suggest at the very least staying off that leg for a few days, maybe a week. I'm also going to have to call your parents."

"They won't be home." Beca shakes with a wince "Mom's out of town, and my dad is at work."

"Which is ?"

"Out of town. Like three hours away."

"I'll still have to call them." The nurse says.

"It's okay," Katrina explains "I can take it from here." Katrina turns to Beca when the nurse excuses herself "Do you have a lift ?"

Beca shakes her head "My house is a little ways down the block, just turn the corner."

"Then it's a good thing I brought my car then."

----

Upon reaching Beca's house, they have gotten to know eachother a little more.

"So...Mitchell, do you have any one else staying with you or...?" Katerina asks.

"No, not really. My dad's been staying out of town with this girl, and my mom-" Beca starts before she winces.

"Is there anything I can help you with ?" Katerina asks, pulling into the drive way.

"I just need walked to my bed. Besides, don't you got a place to stay yourself ?"

Katrina gets out of the car, before helping Beca out the front seat "Hm, I do, but I prefer travel when I can. I spend more days in the woods than my apartment anyways."

Beca wasn't a social person, but she does understand that Katerina is just trying to be nice. Besides, she's new. What harm can she do ?

"I mean if you don't mind, I could use someone around here." Beca nods. The house did feel rather empty lately.

"Sleepover it is then!" Katrina beams.

Beca couldn't help but chuckle a little "I guess, but I'm someone who generally likes my space." She notices Katerina frown a little "B-but, I can call you up when I need you."

Katrina helps Beca into the house and up the stairs, as they make their way up to her bedroom, the former tries to make conversation with her "So what is it like in Haddonfield ?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm new to the neighborhood, and don't have much to do besides travel, but no one to hang out with. Plus, I want to get to know the place a little." She explains, setting Beca onto her bed.

"Oh, I don't know." Beca explains "There's the movies, the mall. I think you've been to the park. I used to go to a camp there as a kid, but, y'know it's not around anymore due to these pranks these knuckle heads keep pulling. Parents were to scared to send their kids there anymore."

Katrina glances at a picture of a nine year old Beca at a camp sign reading "Camp Old Willow"; Beca looked remarkably different then, with the girly ponytails she was wearing, as well as the freckles and glasses she had. She looked cute then...and now she looked delicious.

"What can you tell me about the town itself ? Anything exciting happen recently ?"

"Not...recently." Beca says after thinking a moment.

There wasn't that much to talk about regarding the towns history.

Beca recalls how back in the 70's, this guy went on a killing spree on Halloween night. She wasn't sure what of to believe of the whole story of it as it always changes. Even locals couldn't tell you what was fact or what was the subject of urban legend, and whatever was documented from this said different things.

The long version ?

Depending on who you ask around town, some say the girl that the killer was after was his sister. Some say he went after her daughter a decade later, along with stories of cult activity in the 90's. Others say that twenty years later, he went after his sister again after tracking her to California.

There was also an incident in 2002, but she's pretty sure that was a publicity stunt for a crappy reality show that never got a chance to air. And finally, there were some that said the killer was simply arrested after his initial rampage and placed back in the sanitarium were he remains to this day.

So the most notable thing in this towns history was this killing spree that no one really seems to know what actually happened. And it's not like Beca had that much interest in unearthing the truth.

The two of them spent the evening just talking. Only taking a break to order pizza, and to answer calls from Mr. Mitchell and the former Mrs. Mitchell respectively.

Beca would talk about her childhood and her no existent social life; Katerina would talk about the places she travelled and her fascination with history, as well as her own lack of a social life. Things just sort of clicked between them.

While waiting, for pizza, Katerina spent a significant amount of time in the kitchen preparing shakes. Unbeknownst to Beca, Katrina added her own little ingredient in her drink; something Katrina spilled from her own wrist.

"You know what we should do ? You and I, we could go to that park you've been talking about." Katrina suggests.

"I'm...a little inconvenienced at the moment." Beca gestures to her leg.

"I mean when you are on your feet."

"I think that may be a while." Beca shrugs.

"In my own experience, stranger things have happened." Katrina shrugs, gesturing to the shakes, "Drink up, I put a lot of work into yours."

Beca raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but drank it down with caution. Later in the evening, Beca found herself drifting off while watching Coraline.

----

Beca awakens the next morning in a daze. Katrina was still in bed with her.

To Beca's curiosity and astonishment, the bruises and cuts on her leg were cleared, but her ankle, while not as bad as the day before, was still sore. Katerina was sleeping above the sheets, and both of them were clothed. As far as Beca could tell, she wasn't taken advantage of.

Out of caution and instinct, Beca gets up over the side of her bed and puts her feet on the ground. She feels a small sting in her ankle, and the wince she makes it loud enough to rouse Katrina awake.

"Mmmmm, did I miss something ?" Katrina asks, with a yawn and a stretch, before noticing Beca's leg "Oh, I see someone's feeling better." With no hesitation on her part, Katerina reaches forward and strokes Beca's leg up and down with her fingers; "Looks good too."

Beca freezes at the touch, and her eyes flicker between Katrina's eyes and her hand. Katrina flushes in embarrassment, before pulling her hand away.
"Sorry. Where I come from, people were pretty touchy feely."

"I mean. It's cool," Beca says not trying to sound rude to this naïve seeming girl "It's just here we have a little thing called restrictions."

"I know of them, but no one in my life got the memo before I got her." Katrina chuckles "Anyways, how you feeling now ?"

Beca looks down and experimentally steps on the floor around her "It stings a bit. I may have to rest for another day or so."

"Then I've got more shakes to make." Katrina gets back up, but before she takes her leave, she asks "So, assuming you're all better. Say, in a day or so, how you for a hike in the woods."

Beca scoffs/chuckles at this "I mean, if my leg's better, I have to run it by the school."

"Or better yet, if you don't run it by the school..." Katrina starts with a grin "Then I just bought you a free week off. How's that for a new friend ?"

----

February  12th, 2021, Ottawa, Ontario

Danny Lawrence has just finished her fourth cigarette. She normally doesn't smoke, but this was a particularly stressful time with her investigation.

Over the past two years, Danny has worked for a "Classified Agency", involved in investigating those involved in Inanna's operations. This was her way of making up for her own part in Inanna's plans.

Danny's testimony alone exposed many big name big wigs in the Corvae Corp, and members of Silas secret government as it were.

Although with the sheer number of Inanna's followers dying, ultimately, the only one who ended up going to jail was her killer, Theo Straka.

Unfortunately, with the rise of "Human Safety Activists" - or as the media dubs them "The Skin Boys"" - the information of those involved, as well as witnesses and victim - put in danger.

For a safety precaution, Danny kept what information she could gather on a hard-drive, and had to make sure her own files where not at risk, she entrusted them on a computer she was sure wouldn't be targeted; the Ottawa offices of LaFerry Industries.

Which...unfortunately suffered a cyber attack, which left Danny, LaFontaine, and Perry spending the better part of six days salvaging the damage and seeing what exactly was stolen. No one else was supposed to know it was there

Or to put it more accurately, LaFontaine was putting all their technical know how in looking over what is left on the companies computers; so far nothing about the hard-drive. This could either mean its info was still intact, or completely whipped out.

It got so bad, the Danny finds herself smoking on the companies roof, and LaFontaine has taken up a bit of a drinking habit to get through recovery. In retrospect, burying the hard-drives information under all those files may not have been the best strategy.

"So...do you want me to check on them ?" Kirsch asked.

Kirsch was there as well, mostly to provide support, although he was working along with her for some time. After all, he too was a slave of Inanna's operations, and for a while, was Danny's plaything in her early days as a vampire.

"Nah, just give Laf their space." Danny says "We kept it under the I files. It should be another few hours."

Danny offers Kirsch a cigarette, but he refuses.

"You get the news on Carm and Laura ?"

"Em, they got a surrogate." Danny nods "Laura called me about it last night."

"Think we should see them ?" Kirsch asks awkwardly "Or at least call in ?"

"Give it a few more hours, and we call it a day."

Danny was the first one Laura called the night before, about how Dr. Cormier, and how the insemination was successful; sure enough, Danny was going to be the aunt of a damphir. She wished she could share the enthusiasm, but she had too much on her plate as it is.

Kirsch, was pretty enthusiastic about being an uncle the second time around. And by second time, it was that he considered himself the uncle to this girls baby. Danny has only met this woman, Stacie, once in 2017, but apparently she was someone Krisch ostensibly hooked up with after Silas.

Ostensibly, is the key word, because Kirsch had to clarify that nothing sexual actually happened despite what Stacie thought.

It's true that he met Stacie shortly after the Silas party, and yes, they attended the same spring break parties and became fast friends over their time there, at no point did Kirsch actually have sex with Stacie, which precluded him from being Bella's father.

The actual father was this prick from another campus cheating on his girlfriend at the time. Still Stacie had Kirsch in her list of suspects, and she'd admit she was a little disappointed, because he seemed like a decent guy. It didn't stop Kirsch from becoming a follower and friend of hers over social media at the time of the DNA test.

----

On September 27, of 2018, Danny was there as Kirsch's support, and even when it was clarified there was no real sexual encounter between him and Stacie, he wanted to make sure she was alright.

She remembers the one time Stacie spoke to her; they were both on bathroom break and made small talk while washing hands. Stacie was under the impression that Danny was his girlfriend.

"Uh, no." Danny had to clarify "Just here as a friend. I'm his support buddy."

"Ah, that's how me and 'Brey started out." Stacie nods "By the way, anyone tell you you're a little shorter than those videos made you out to be ?"

Danny rolls her eyes "I get that a lot. Always nice to meet a fan."

"I know it's not my place to ask, but...how you holding up ?" Stacie asks "Are you and that tiny girl close ?"

Danny nods "She and Carmilla are taking a year off from the city. They're on a vacation this year."

Stacie looks up and down Danny "I know it's further awkward for me to say, but when I thought that show of yours wasn't real...a lot of us were rooting for you."

"As in ?"

"The lot of us were real upset when you were murdered, and were happy to see you back. My friend Chloe cried like a baby about it."

Danny smiles at this "I...I get that a lot."

"Is everything okay with you ? Aside from Laura and the others ?" Stacie asks.

Danny thinks about how her life outside of Silas has adjusted. Her death was broadcasted over the internet, as was her vampire resurrection...and servitude with Inanna. Needless to say when Danny did return home, it was an awkward time for her family to adjust.

"Laura and the gang, we're doing okay. It's the others you speak of that gets complicated." Danny answers.

Stacie has a look of realization "Oh! Oh, my god I didn't mean to get personal-"

"It's cool," Danny says "I meet fans all the time. It's nothing I haven't heard before."

Later in the day, Stacie found out to her chagrin who Bella's father was and decided she wanted him to have nothing to do with Bella. Kirsch and Stacie did echange emails, and that was that as far as Danny could tell.

----

Danny was pulled from her train of thought by Perry's voice "Are you two busy ?"

Danny and Kirsch turn their heads to see Perry standing behind them.

"Laf has covered about anything, just need to you take a look at something."

When they made their way to LaFontaine's offices, it was a simple matter of going over the data.

"So as far as I can tell, none of our employees information has been stolen, nor was our planned products for next year." LaFontaine says "So at the very least we know this wasn't an attack on our company."

"But, what's actually missing ?" Danny asks.

"Other than a couple of hundred dollars in bit coin, nothing." LaFontaine explains.

"Which means ?" Perry asks.

"The cyber attack was a decoy." Danny says.

"Or it would be, but for the most part your hard-drive is untouched." LaFontaine says with as if it was an accomplishment "Like I said, no one touches the companies firewall without being scorched. Do I know how to make them, or do I know how to make them ?"

"What does mostly mean ?"

"Kinda but not really ?" Kirsch quips, before the other three look at him "Well, that's what it means."

"It's nothing," LaFontaine says "But someone was looking at one of your files." They click on a file that reads "Crimson List".

The Crimson List was the aptly dubbed document Danny made for the organizations ongoing investigation. It consists of members of Corvae, and those within the Silas Community that willingly, took part in Inanna's schemes by signing a blood contract with Inanna herself.

It was a key requirement to open each gate to Hell. Because Inanna died before the contract was expired, they were still on the loose and yet to answer for their involvement.

Except for Theo Straka.

"Alright, that should about cover everything." Danny nods "I'll give the bosses a call and update."

As Danny excuses herself from the room, the other three take the discussion elsewhere.

"So, about Carm and Laura ?" Perry starts.

"I know! Can you believe it ?" Kirsch adds with a bit of a gush.

"They're staying with the surrogate, right ?" Perry asks.

"And their other two girlfriends." LaFontaine notes "They do know the risks, right ?"

This caught the other two off guard.

"What risks ?"

"This is the first documented instance of a dhampir pregnancy, in recent history." LaFontaine notes "Laura and I have been talking things over for a while now about the science behind it."

"Okay then, can you make it simple ?" Kirsch asks.

"Well, all I was saying is that dhampirs - if they existed before - were rare. Especially when a human mother is the carrier." LaFontaine explains "Laura went to me to talk about health risks, and admittedly there was some stuff I left out so she wouldn't worry."

"Oh my god," Perry realizes "Do you think that's why Laura wanted-"

"No!" Kirsch shook his head "She wouldn't do that or put someone else in danger like that." He gestures to LaF "Didn't you say she had health issues herself ?"

LaFontaine nods "I did. And that Dr. Cormier is a genius when it comes to fertility treatments. I'm sure she got around to working out the kinks and all that. I just want to be absolutely sure they know what they're getting into."

"It's like you said hun," Perry says, putting a hand on LaFontaine's shoulder "Motherhood is only slightly less scary."

"Do we know where they're staying ?"

"Bailey Downs County," LaFontaine nods "It's home to werewolves, but for the most part they let the people be nowadays. We have special customers there."

Their discussion is interrupted by Danny as she re-enters the room.

"I, uh, got some news."

----

Bailey Downs, County

A week and a half in the stay of Casa Del Bella's, as Stacie dubbed it.

Thus far, Chloe has shown no abnormalities, aside from an extensive taste for meat.

For the most part, it threw Beca back to a time when she and the other Bella's lived under the same roof, with little toddler Bella thrown into the mix.

Laura and Carmilla both grew accustomed to having the little tyke playing around the house, and Carmilla admits at times that Bella is making her feel like a Mama already.

Needles to say, playful Carmilla was a rare sight outside the bedroom, and Bella is bringing it out just about every time she talks to her. Notably, their game of face paint, in which Bella made Carmilla - naturally - a kitty, while Carmilla painted her like a tiger.

...and then the other women in the house made them wash it off.

That being said, in was generally agreed upon that Carmilla and Bella's "kitty kisses" goodnight routine was among the cutest things in the house, even if Carmilla vehemently insists that they don't take pictures or videos of it.

Neither Laura nor Beca have left Chloe's side, both being cautiously protective of her, especially when she takes morning walks on the local trail. One can not be too careful with the local wildlife in the area, what with all the wolf sightings and all.

Recent sightings of a black panther prowling the woods may or may not have helped but at least there were times Laura and Chloe felt safe under the watchful eye of a protective predator.

"So," Laura starts one conversation, on the first of once such walk "Have you've been feeling nostalgic being back in your home town ?"

"I mean, we haven't really gone back into town, and the few times we did, everything's changed." Chloe says "A lot of the kids that grew up here have probably moved, and aside from my neighbors, who probably aren't there anymore."

"I take it there wasn't a mall there when you were a kid ?"

"Not this close to town. What can I say ? A whole lot changes in two decades."

"A whole lot changes in one." Beca says catching up to them "When I was a kid, if you told me someone would invent a phone, MP3 and computer combination in nine years, I'd call you crazy."

"And if you told me I'd be marrying a vampire before Silas, I'd say pinch me I'm dreaming." Laura nods in agreement "Although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't picturing Alice Cullen."

The three laugh as they heard the resentful snarl of a panther in the distance behind them.

"But to answer your first question, this trail here is nostalgic." Chloe starts "My grandma used to live up here, and she'd take me on walks to this spot when I was little." She then add "Of course, that was before the whole Beast of Bailey Downs incidents back in the day."

"Does she-" Laura starts to ask before realizing it might be a touchy subject.

"Nah," Chloe shakes her head "She passed before Barden and I don't think her house is up here anymore. Even if it is, some other family probably moved in and changed everything about it. I don't think this spot remembers me as much as I remember it."

Chloe stops them as they hear the sound of rushing water a short distance away.

"Waterfall." Chloe nods following the sound "Kids also used to come out by this swimming hole back in the day, but I never got to go myself. It was kind of a big kids thing, but me and G-ma used to watch them have their fun."

They soon reach a clearing, and in a short distance could hear the loud sound of running water. They stop at a railing, and see a ravine.

At the bottom there was a sure enough at small river, and a waterhole at the base of a forty foot waterfall. There was even a gate connected to metal flights of stairs leading to the bottom of the ravine.

They felt the presence of a fourth person behind them, and sure enough, Carmilla walks up from behind and wraps her arms around Laura's waist, putting a chin on her shoulder. Beca was taken a little aback by her abruptness, but Chloe was unfazed.

"Think people still come down here ?" Carmilla asks.

"Not as far as I know," Chloe states "There's been an increase in the local wildlife, so it can't be polluted."

"Hmm, Stacie has talking about taking Bella out, been asking around about what she might like."

"We're thinking of taken her to see a movie." Beca answers.

"We see movies every night." Laura says.

"At the theatre I mean. After quarantine last year, we've been meaning to get the little tyke out to more events." Beca explains.

"The expo is supposed to be in a few months." Laura starts "Carm and I don't usually go in costume, but with your DC thing going on-" Laura in interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing "I- I've got to take this hold on."

Laura walks a distance to make sure she could hear the water running over her phone. She puts it on speakers anyways.

"Tiny's Pizza, Lucy speaking!" Laura answers.

"Big Smoke, calling in to make an order." Danny's voice replies with a bit of a laugh.

"There she is, have been trying to reach you all week." Laura says.

"Yeah, sorry. Something came up. Again." Danny sighs.

"How bad is it ?"

"Someone sprang Theo out the pen." Danny says "There's already a manhunt, but..." Danny stops before changing the course of discussion "You know, enough about me ? How's things on your end."

"Have you seen the videos I've been sharing ?" Laura asks.

"No, I was busy with work."

"Ah, well, check out my Facebook when you can. You might never see Carmilla the same way again." Laura smiles.

"You mean...like when she held your niece ?" Danny asks.

"Times ten!" Laura holds the phone away to avoid how loud Danny's squee is.

"I wish I could be there, but like I said, I got a lot on my plate." Danny explains.

"Well, Chloe and her girls are inviting some friends over for a baby shower in a few weeks."

"Isn't it a little early for that ?" Danny asks.

Laura shrugs "It's more of an excuse for them to have a get together. Their little girl has a birthday coming up in a few months and we don't want to distract from that. I mean, you should be done with work by then, right ? I mean, I don't want to guilt you or anything, but it would mean a lot for me for you to be there."

"How about I promise on my life ?" Danny asks.

"Please don't."

"Too late!" Danny states "Besides, it's just a little manhunt. Ain't nothing I haven't gotten involved with before."

"It won't be too much trouble ?" Laura asks hesitantly.

"It's just for one guy." Danny tries to reassure her.

"Alright, I'll see you then I guess."

With that the two hung up.

----

Back in Ottawa, Danny hangs up her phone before getting back to the others at LaFerry's offices.

"What news ?" LaFontaine asks.

"They're already planning a baby shower, so we have a few weeks to fix this little problem." Danny says, taking a seat at the offices table. Across the table a map of Europe, with several marks on different key locations.

"All this for one jock ?" Perry asks.

"That one jock has the information that is critical in our investigation," Danny says.

"And a bone to pick with all of us." LaFontaine adds.

"And killed Danny." Kirsch finishes under his breath.

"Did you tell Laura all the details ?" LaFontaine asks.

"I didn't want her to worry. Besides, she's got enough protection with her." Danny nods.

"Okay, but mathematically, two vampires are better than one." Perry says before noticing Danny glancing at her "Sorry. But do we know where we are going ?"

"Our prison center was set up in the Carpathian Mountains," Danny points to the location on the map "Storms and cloudy weather have been acting up lately. Doesn't leave that much places to fly too. He's likely still in the Mountains, so that's the first stop. Any questions or comments ?"

"Your prison was attacked like a week ago ? He's probably out of the country by now." Perry says.

"Probably, but people have been seeing more and more of the skinboys in the Mountains. Our best bet is they have something set up there. Any other questions or comments ?"

Kirsch raises his hand "Can't say this is how I expected our next trip to Europe...but this one I've been looking forward too."

Danny nods in agreement "Same."

----

February  18th, 2021, Just off the Carpathian Mountains.

Theo Straka wanders aimlessly through what appears to be a tent city or trailer park.

He needed three things at the moment, a hot meal, a shower and a girl to be his bedmate. In the past few days, he didn't so much as have the privacy to take a piss or shit, save for an outhouse.

He's found a spot by a lakeside he made his own, and where he more often than thought finds himself crashing for drinking time. This was one such instance.

Theo finds himself as cold and bitter as the weather. It's been raining non stop, and he ends up having to sleep in a tent with three other guys, and if that wasn't enough, it storms at night. Really, he could almost choke the next bitch who speaks to him if he had it in him.

But alas, he didn't have it in him.

As far as he could tell there was one place warm, that had electricity, space and running water. And more importantly, were all these folks women slept in.

It was the manor of one Count Karnstein, and from what little has been said, he gained favor with these good people; Skinboys as the media names them and has offered them the chance of a lifetime.

Of course, they had to live under him in Tent City, and Theo was no exception.

If there was one constant with these guys, is they hated the supernatural, but the fact the Count was a vampire, and apparently related to a public vampire "hero", didn't bother them too much.

Of course, he knew not why, these people were not very talkative.

Which is why he felt his day was taking a turn, when two approached him and said "Boss man wants to talk to you."

"Tell him he can come here himself." Theo says with a spit.

"He wasn't asking." Was his only warning before they took Theo by the shoulders and dragged him out of the woods and towards the lodge. That's what he gets for choosing the hard way.

----

Theo found himself being forced down at a dinner table.

The interior had a real extravagant design; there were women, walking around the place, each dressed in white form fitting dresses; at the head of the table sat Count Karnstein himself.

One again, still marred and disfigured; the image of Count Orlok and Lord Voldemort.

While the good Count was dining his way through roast beef, chicken, grapes and even an apple, Theo was treated with a small dish of veggies and a glass of milk.

"I take it your new comrades weren't so welcoming, during your stay ?" The Count starts.

"I thought we were going to Canada."

"We will in due time," The Count wipes off his mouth "We just needed to clear things up first. Not the least of which is teaching you some humility."

"I'm not sure you if you've been following my history, but me and humility don't mix." Theo crosses his arms.

"Hence why you need a lesson, especially since I don't know if you're willing to play ball."

"What do you have in mind ?" Theo asks.

"I'm sure you have your gripes against the heroes of Silas as do I." The Count gets up from his seat and walks around the table towards Theo "I have my own vendetta against the harlot Karnstein."

"I can guess," Theo nods "In fact, let me guess; she's what, your cousin, mother, sist-"

"She is nothing!" The Count hisses, gesturing up to his face "I was once beautiful, before that life sucking succubus got her talons into me. For centuries, it has been my goal in life to tear hers asunder, and only now do I have the chance. I'll break her worse than she broke me..." The Count stares into the distance.

"Geeze sorry I asked," Theo waves dismissively "But what does this have to do with me?"

"You have your vendetta, and I need a proxy. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours." The Count says, in fact scratching Theo's back to emphasize his point.

Theo impulsively moves away from the Counts touch but musters up the words to say "What's the catch ?"

"Temporary house arrest, under my watch and direction. Will you accept these terms ?"

Theo reaches out to shake the Count's hand "I need a few things."

"Food, water, shelter, oxygen and clothing; anything else is a want." The Count says.

"Okay, I want a shower then." Theo says.

"One of my dolls will see to your needs." The Count snaps his finger to one of the women, a smaller one with a perky demeanor and light red hair "Tara, be a good dear and see that Mr. Straka here is bathed."

The woman walks up to Theo and takes him by the arm. As she leads Theo out of the room the Count addresses him once more.

"And Mr. Straka, I would really recommend you not touch my toys; it may cost you an arm, a leg or that thing in between them."

Tara giggles as she lead Theo up the lodges stairs before whispering to him "You can touch me, so long as the Count doesn't know."

Theo smirks "Is that so ?"

Making sure no one's looking, Theo impulsively reaches towards one of her breasts, but Tara catches him by the wrist "Hmmm, no."

She then guides Theo's hand towards her ass, having him give her a squeeze on one of her cheeks.

"Well, that was underwhelming." Theo says disappointedly.

"But aren't you glad you did it ? Might be all you get for a long time." Tara winks with another giggle.

----

Later in the evening, the Count is sitting in his office. Specifically, on his desktop, going over information that has been downloaded and sent to his computer. It was of course the diamond in the ruff he's been looking for.

The Crimson List; and all the names on it.

Chapter Text

The Gruber Manor, April 1696

Mircalla Karnstien sat at a desk in her bedroom, writing or trying to write her thoughts in her newly gifted diary.

The problem is, she was bored out of her fucking skull.

Mircalla has spent the better part of the last few weeks staring at the blank pages of her diary, and only ever wrote three pages thus far. 

Ever get that feeling where you feel the need to write something down but when you have a pen and paper in front of you, but the words just don't come ? Maybe you are sitting around waiting for the ideas. Maybe you have too many thoughts going through your head at once. That was what was the case with Mircalla for the past near month.

She's at the point where she just feels like writing "Blah Blah Blah. La La La. The end."

When she wasn't cooped up in her room, Mircalla spent her time in a library trying to find new books to read.

Other times, she would take long walks on the fields on the Gruber property; under the watchful eye of Count Gruber - now named a Duke due to recent events with the other nobles.

Mircalla wasn't one for politics, and at times she had to be corrected when she kept calling her host "Count".

Ferdinand Gruber wasn't a bad man, per say, but rather a serious one from the few times he crossed paths with Mircalla; a very business oriented type, whose focus was getting his family higher on the political ladder, much like Falco Karnstien. Unlike Falco, Gruber was clearly more successful.

The presence of children at the Gruber household was severely lacking; there was their daughter Luisa, seven years old, who wasn't exactly a talkative type, and was shy when it came to meeting new people. Mircalla must have crossed paths with her four times in the weeks she stayed at the manor. 

Augustus, a thirteen year old who was also the silent and reserved type, had more, albeit fleeting interactions with Mircalla. From what little she saw of Augustus, he was what Falco would describe as "weak and unmanly".

One memorable encounter with him in a Library for example, showed he had an interest in Greek Mythology. He was a timid and shy type, and while Mircalla was under the impression that her father wanted to make her a suitor for this boy...he seemed to have the same kind of aversion for her as she did for him.

Pushing herself away from the desk, Mircalla steps out of her room, wanting to soak in the sun and clear her head of the annoying and intrusive thoughts.

She intended to spend the day outside, but as she made her way to the main hall of the Gruber Manor, she was greeted with the sight of Lady Josaphine Gruber, introducing little Luisa to a woman, who crouched down to speak with the seven year old.

"She is to be your tutor and caretaker, Luisa, for when Madam Greta pulls through for her illness." Countess Gruber could be heard.

Luisa, as usual, says nothing, but looks away from the woman.

The woman had dark skin, with matching hair and a dress; a captivating and exotic sight to Mircalla's young eyes. There was an underlying sense of danger in her presence...and yet, there was something that attracted Mircalla to her. She was undeniably beautiful, Mircalla would give her that.

If Mircalla's heart stopped at the sight of the woman, she felt a jarring jolt when this woman looked at her, even if it was a brief glance.

"It's okay little one," The woman says with an accented voice "I was a shy girl myself, but I think you and I are going to be good friends in no time!"

Luisa lets out a little whimpering sound as she buries her face in her mother's dress.

"I'm sorry," Lady Gruber says, rubbing Luisa on the back "She's not used to new people."

As the woman looks towards Mircalla once again, Lady Gruber does the same.

"I was told you had one daughter here." The new woman says.

"Oh, this is our ward," Lady Gruber say "Mircalla Karnstien. She's in our temporary custody as per a deal we made with her father."

"I see, and what can you tell me of the Karnstien's ?" She says.

"Count Falco. His father helped my husband acquire much of his wealth, while Falco himself became rather." Lady Gruber starts before whispering in the woman's ear when she notices Mircalla still watching "Insignificant. My husband has been trying to help him and his children out of a bad spot, quite frankly."
Mircalla winces a little when she hears this, but she feels herself freeze up again when the woman makes her way towards her.

"It sounds to me like you're in a bit of a lonely spot. If I may be so bold ?"

Mircalla timidly nods.

"Are you and the Gruber children close ?"

Mircalla speaks for the first time all day.

"Not particularly, no." She shakes her head.

"Don't be foolish." Lady Gruber adds in "You and Augustus spend the lot of your time in a library."

"But not together." Mircalla answers her.

"I see." Lady Gruber says "Well, we're going to have to do something about that."

The Lady of the house notices the woman in black, and figures while she's here, she might as well make a proper introduction between them.
"Lady Mircalla, may I be the one to introduce you too, Madame-"

"Madam Matska," The younger woman says, approaching Mircalla, taking the timid girl by the hand and kissing her wrist.

Just about every woman in the room didn't know what to make of it, but Lady Gruber chalked it up to some kind of foreign eccentricity.

"I look forward to the time I will be spending with you," Matska says, turning her head to Lady Gruber and Luisa "And the rest of your house of course."
Matska turns her attention back to Luisa.

"And of course, I look forward to being your friend."

The following conversation took a bit of a turn, but the short of it was that Mircalla's plan to take a walk took a turn when she joined Matska on her tour of the Gruber household. In the hours that followed, she noticed how Luisa seemed to warm up to the woman, especially when the latter would whisper something unheard to her.

----

Matksa has made herself at home with the Gruber's, though spent most of her time with Luisa. The little girl would never talk still, but a lot of the time, Matska would do or say something that would make her laugh.

Three days into her stay however, things took a bit of a turn, as Matska took Luisa on a stroll off their manor grounds. Unbeknownst to either of them, there were instances of a brown bear on the loose, picking off livestock, evading hunters and having eaten at least one farm boy, thus giving it a taste for human blood.

Said bear happened upon the two on their stroll, whereupon Matska did something to the bear that Luisa certainly isn't going to be talking about. Luisa spent the last few days in her room with only Matska or Lady Gruber as her company.

On the upside, Matska was able to claim the reward and price on the bears head.

About a week later, Lady Gruber's insistence (read: nagging), the time came for Mircalla and Gruber to have a sit down in the families library. They were tasked with, of course, reading books and summarizing  them to each other. Lady Gruber's hope was the two would at least get to know each other.

They were joined by Matska and Luisa, the latter having stepped out of the room for the day, and were looking to collect fairy tale books once the older children were done with them.

To their credit, it started to work around the time Mircalla was finished reading Sleeping Beauty.

"You seemed bored with that one." Augustus would note "I take it you've read it before ?"

"I read a different version. From the fairy's perspective you see." Mircalla answers.

"Ah," Augustus nods "Are you familiar with the one with the Prince's mother, turning out to be a monster ?"

"Mmmhmm, came from the same book no less." Mircalla says.

"See, fairy tales never really intrigued me as they used to; nowadays, I've had more interest in classic mythology."

"Greek stuff ?" Mircalla asks.

"Exactly. My father plans on starting a museum, you know. Sometimes he brings me copies and translations of these old texts. Helped me nurse a hobby of mine."

"So you mean to say you're into heroes ? Hercules, Odysseus, Perseus, Theseus- ?" Mircalla starts to ask.

"It occurs to me now that there are a lot of Eus's, but no. I am more interested in this poet." Augustus starts "Are you familiar with Sappho of Lesbos ?"
This honestly took Mircalla by surprise.

"I wouldn't think that the son of a duke would-"

"I know, it's weird and unmanly of me to think this way." Augustus says, honestly looking a little embarrassed "It's just, for some reason, I am just absolutely fixated on stories with women. I find myself more often than not, empathizing with female protagonists and heroes than male ones."

Augustus averts his gaze from Mircalla as he continues.

"With Sappho, I am drawn to her for her poetry. Supposedly, very few of her poems still exist. Even more dubiously, what I have here." He says, lifting his book up for Mircalla to see "Is supposed to be a rough translation to her ode to Aphrodite."

"Aphrodite, huh ?" Mircalla says "I hear all these different things about her. The library back at home has all these different versions of different stories, I never quite knew what to stick with."

"Like that Sleeping Beauty story ?"

"Exactly. Whenever I went to the Library, it - and this is going to sound childish and stupid as all Hell - but it was like I step into another world. Sometimes it seems bigger there than the rest of my family's manor. Whenever I was looking for something new, it would always give me a new version of an old story. When I looked for a book no one else seemed to have read, suddenly one would appear to me on the shelf."

Mircalla shrugs a bit as she says this.

"It was like it knew," she says "Does that make sense ?"

"Is that so ?" They hear Matska ask from across the room "Please, don't stop on our account. I just couldn't help but overhear."

Augustus pauses before he speaks again.

"Books no one else has read...can you give me an example ?"

Mircalla sighs trying to think of where to start.

"So, you know Hercules right ?" She asks, continuing when she nods "Well, what I find may or may not be canon to the original myths, but what I found are these stories of all his untold legendary journeys. And along with that, there were tales of a warrior Princess, who if she existed, her name disappeared from time..."

Mircalla spends the next hour or so, going over some of the same stories she both read, and told Elias when they lived at home. Augustus for his part became rather engrossed in her story telling method. As usual, this could be chalked up in the rather animated performance Mircalla gives in these stories.

Part way through, Luisa made her way to the table to take a seat at her brother's side. Matska for her part made her way to the table, but sat at the far end.
After the tale of the warrior princess and Hercules were over, Mircalla correctly guessed that he wanted more. So she moved to a tale that she found in what she thought were books of myth or a long since obscured history.

"But what is myth but another's history!" Augustus interrupts her with a boyish enthusiasm that makes Mircalla guffaw.

"That sounded a lot better in your head, didn't it ?" Mircalla says, causing Augustus to shrug with a blushing smile.

But now it was time to start the next set of stories.

"Okay, so there was this Kingdom - actually no there were seven kingdoms, and each of these kingdoms were governed by these ruling families..." Mircalla starts.

Because Luisa was sitting right there, Mircalla had to heavily tone down, and skip through the story at some of the more extreme bits, much like how she had to do when she told these stories to Elias.

Regardless, over the course of two hours, the Gruber children, and even Matska seemed to listen rather intently. By the time Mircalla reaches the part where "The Dragon Queen'' reached those kingdoms, she finds herself stopping into a bit of a stutter.

"...from there, it gets kind of murky. I try reading the follow up books, but different versions say different things."

"So you mean to say," Matska starts “That was the one you heard ?”

“You mean you know others ?” Mircalla asks.

“When your...family has been around as long as mine has, you tend to see things actually unfold, and how they change over time.” Matska says before eying Augustus “What was it you said ? - What is myth but another's history!” she says mimicking Augustus’ declaration from earlier, causing the boy to flush.

Luisa got off her seat and walked up to Matska, climbing into her lap. With the seven year old girl looking up at her expectedly, Matska smiled a bit before she composed herself.

“The truth of the matter is, all myths, legends, what have ya; they have some basis behind them. Those Warrior Princess stories you tell ? Riddled with anachronisms. There are some broad strokes between that and what I like to think of as the true story.” Matska explains.

For the rest of the day, Matska would re-cover the very same stories Mircalla told - with her “corrections” here and there. From the tales of the Warrior Princess to the stories of the Seven Kingdoms. She had a more classy, dignified way of story telling than Mircalla did, and had the confidence and assurance of someone who had to be alive at the time.

----

Mespotanian Country Side, 1696

It has been weeks since Elias Karnstien left his home behind.

Forced to accompany his father Count Falco on his latest expedition, Elias was isolated for weeks on end from his sister, the stories she used to tell, and the games they used to play.

For the most part Elias spent his time alone in his room with his thoughts.

His favorite time of the day was when he was asleep. At least then he could be with Mircalla.

Being four years old, Elias knew not what his father sought to gain from this journey. 

He could never understand the deal Falco made with the Gruber's, to allow him to use their trading company and mercenary army as part of an expedition to this spot of land they own in what was once the city of Sumer. All he knew or cared about was that his Mircalla wasn't here.

Elias knew of the city from the stories Mircalla told him, but his heart would sink a little when he saw the city wasn't the prosperous kingdom his sister told him about.

So he resigned himself to his tent when the party set up a large camp for their stay.

Falco stayed in a tent of his own as well, considerably more pampered than that of his sons, but he spent most of his time going over the bits of the city he was allowed too; this covered three religious temples, a series of tombs and the former homes of nobles, and three different counties. Many of which were looked over by explorers of old, not that it stopped Falco and his wagon train.

They were joined by a group of locals as part of their caravan; their de-facto leader being a young Eastern man by the name of Irra, who day in day out would lecture Count Falco about the historical and even mythological significance of the temples they'd visit.

Irra was the son of a formerly rich family, that like Falco, made a deal with the Grubers trading company to get themselves out of a bad spot.

Falco, for his part, would become increasingly annoyed at how he would have to split the treasure between him and the locals. It was eventually agreed upon that it was a forty/sixty split - should anyone die on their journey, their share would be added to the equation.

Elias only traveled when the rest of the caravan did. When he did, he would find himself drifting off to sleep during wagon rides into different regions and counties. Their guides seemed friendly enough, even though Elias never knew their language.

Three days into their journey, Elias started to notice something; trailing behind their wagon train, was a woman in a white robe and veil. At first he made nothing of it; probably just a member of the camp straggling behind.

The closer she'd get to their wagons, the more Elias felt his attention drawn to her, despite the fact everyone else seemed oblivious or indifferent to her presence. She would walk up to the side of whatever wagon Elias was sitting in, and just stare at the boy.

Sometimes he'd see her in dreams too, that is, if he could tell when he was dreaming.

One evening, he awoke to see her sitting at the foot of his bed. As usual, he couldn't tell if he were dreaming or awake, so he sat his head back on the pillow.
Elias never met this woman face to face until one morning, during the camp's breakfast.

Count Falco, as usual, was frustrated with the lack of findings on their journey, and how much he already had to give back to the locals. And as usual, he'd vent his frustrations in the middle of breakfast, a drink on one side, and a bag of coins on the other.

"I don't see why you always have to make a mountain out of a molehill." Irra would say.

"Maybe I've been in a mole hill for too long," Falco says "Maybe I don't want to feel like a mole at all!"

"You really oughta learn to recognize your place in the world." Irra answers "Me ? I don't have any aspirations beyond this business with Gruber, and putting food on my families table. I would think someone like you would learn to appreciate the small stuff."

"What's to appreciate ?" Falco says.

"What was that ?"

"I said what's to appreciate ?" Falco shouts more indignantly, nearly spilling his drink.

"How about the fact you were born into a noble family, with a bit of power." Irra says, annoyed at Falco's tone "My grandfather, he squandered my family's fortune; left me and my family to rely on foreign businessmen like Lord Gruber to keep a foot hold. I have but one village to go home too. You ? You have a whole county."

"My county ?" Falco glares "Why do you think I go on these ventures ? That spit of land is nothing, and this treasure I bring back to it less than nothing! The Gruber's own three counties alone, married their oldest daughter to a prince."

As Falco says this, he places several of the coins in his hand and tosses them aside with a scowl.

"A man is only as big as the legacy he leaves, and how much he rules," Falco starts again "My father gave up so much for other nobles to have a stepping stone! And only I have but a thousand acres to show for it! So excuse me, if I believe that a few barrels of gold is little to make up for it!"

This is overlooking the fact that their expedition has uncovered enough treasure to fund an army and stage a small coup; forty seven percent of it would remain in Falco's pocket once he had to pay off his workers.

Still, Falco is beside himself in disappointment.

"My county ? I hear them snickering behind my back!" Falco says as he starts seething "The other nobles, they laugh at me for having such a tiny, insignificant c-"

"Cock-A-Doodle-Doo!" Falco's rant is interrupted by a rooster calling out in the distance. 

A few of the people laughed but it quickly calmed down when Falco sunk back into his seat.

"What do you hope to gain from this journey ? Really ?" Irra asks as Falco calms down.

Falco sighs "The Gruber's cleared out a spot of land, hoping to open a museum where their old manor once housed them; which they bought off from my father. It neighbors my land, and while he is collecting from Greece, he would profit off of my people leaving me with little to gain. I have been offered a stake in his claim, in return, I bring Mesopotamia to Austria. Tell them tales of a more unfamiliar Kingdom."

As Falco says this, he slurs a little, looking down his bottle. Clearly nursing a morning headache.

"Your people trade in and out of my country all the time." Irra says "I'm sure there is plenty of familiarity between us."

"What of your gods ?" Falco says.

"What of them ?"

As this conversation is happening, little Elias puts his breakfast aside to wander the camp. He makes it to the camp's edge to see a massive temple on a hillside a short distance away.

From across the camp, Elias can hear Falco and Irra's conversation escalating into an argument. He had no curiosity or care what the argument was about. He was just staring at another three story temple with a wall or gate surrounding it.

He was so focused on the temple, he didn't notice when someone walked up behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

Elias nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned around to see her; the woman in the white dress. Her veil was off, revealing her wide smile, dark eyes and long black hair.

She was far older, somewhere in her mid thirties, but in his four year old, heatstroked mind, one name came to mind.

"Mircalla ?"

"Who ?" The woman asks, giggling a little as she crouches down to eye level.

"My sistah." Elias says, mumbling a little in his words "She's smaller but, pretty still. Like you."

The woman visibly flushes at that innocent little wording from the lad, and reaches to take him by the hand.

"Quite a way with words, little one." The woman leans in to his face, stopping at a comfortable distance "Do you have a name ?"

"Elias Karnstien, mam." Elias takes her hand to shake it "I'm four, and I am from Austria."

"And what is a four year old like you doing so far from home ?"

"My daddy took me out here." Elias shrugs.

"What for ?"

"Boring grown up stuff." Elias says with a sigh "My sister is still at home. Wish she was here though." Elias crosses his hands behind his back looking down at his feet "He wants to look at old buildings and treasure, taking statues; Mircalla used to tell me stories."

The woman stood up and smiled down at Elias, reaching down to take him by the hand, and Elias, not knowing what else to do, obliges.

"And what kind of stories does she tell you ?" She says, walking up to a tree, sitting with Elias under the shade.

The woman keeps a smile on her face, even though internally she's probably kicking herself at Elias's little motormouth going on and on about the stories Mircalla tells; from the basic fairy tales, the stories about lions, about ogres, and princesses.

Elias tried his hardest to emulate the animated way Mircalla tells her stories, and sing the songs she came up with to go with them.

After Elias finishes the version of Rapunzel he was told, the woman lightly claps with a mirthful smirk "Mmmm, fantastic little one." She says with a clapping applause "You really seem to carry a piece of Mircalla with you wherever you go."

This confused Elias as he looked at his hands, up and over his body. The woman rolls her eyes at his literal minded reaction.

"It is an expression little one." She says "It means she's still in your heart, even when she's not here."

Elias looks down sadly "But I wish I was with her. At home."

"Hmm," the woman says, placing a finger under her chin "And have you ever told her stories ?"

Elias shakes his head "I don't know how to come up with some."

"I see," The woman says, thinking for a moment "Have you ever been told stories of the gods of old ?"

Elias shakes his head again.

"I see, so you know not of the ones who ruled the Greek world ? Of heroes, and monsters from a bygone era ? Of Hercules and Xe-" The woman starts.

"I know those ones!" Elias happily nods "Mircalla told me all about the Warrior Princess and the other guy!"

"I see, and what about the Summarians ?"

Elias nods again "She told me about Gigamesh."

"Has she ever told you about the god's of this land ?" The woman says.

"I don't know." Elias says. He knew not of the gods aside from what Mircalla told them, usually limiting them to the stories, and their roles within.

The woman leaned back into the tree truck and sighs wistfully.

"Well, I have a story to tell you, Elias."

And so she told him about the King in Yellow; Hastur; the Unspeakable one; He Who is Not to Be Named-

"But you just named him." Elias says.

"Do you want to hear the story or not ?...I thought so."  The woman answers.

She told Elias of different gods of different worlds and pantheons. And in forbidden times, they would cross worlds - not unlike the stories Mircalla read of with the warrior princes - this leaves Elias wondering if they too will be purged like the gods of Greece.

"What happened ?" Elias asks.

The woman bashes a little as she rolls her eyes "Hastur did nothing in particular; spread his image here, corrupt a few wayward souls there; interspersed throughout he'd tell a cursed story and have his followers speak a forbidden oath...but hey, nobody's perfect."

"He sounds neat." Elias says innocently.

"He was neat, has this way of getting in your head, and into your heart. Oh, you should have been there, see the masses he has gathered. He even won the heart of the greatest of all." The woman says looking up.

"Who was she ?"

"How'd you know it was a she ?" The woman says, raising an eyebrow.

"Mircalla says it's always a she." Elias shrugs.

"This Mircalla sounds like a very peculiar girl. I may have to seek her out." The woman says offhandedly "Anyways, this woman was named Inanna - although you may call her Ishtar; the supreme queen of love, justice, and Heaven."

"She sounds pretty."

"She was pretty." She says with a light blush and a fling of her black hair "Among the most beautiful of the Goddesses; gave Aphrodite a run for her money, and those who challenged her paid the ultimate price." She adds with a sigh "Things...didn't work between her and her husband, Dumuzid, and when Hastur heard her cry, he came to her." The woman starts to slowly beam as she continues. "He would have given her the world; specifically she wanted the Underworld, to settle an old score with her sister, Ereshkigal."

Elias gasps "What happened ?"

The woman waves her hand dismissively "Ah nothing...just some nonsense about Ereshkigal's hubby, Gugalana. Inanna would have blown his literal goddamn mind." She adds under her breath, before she continues with her story. "As it turns out, Inanna and Hastur had quite a lot in common; Hastur also had problems with his half brother, his name escapes me. It's part of how they bonded."

She went on to describe how the two god's fell in love, how they came together in ways she couldn't describe; they acquired an army, followers, cities to their name. Oh, they were going to spread far and wide, but they did start out small.

Sure, there was the many forms of slavery that would be practiced in their religion and culture, but that was only temporary; give them a few million years, and they would be the most prosperous kingdom in this world, and others. 

Then the revolts happened; gods and heroes alike fought against them from many different worlds and cultures.

And in the chaos, in the war, Hastur was struck down by a mortal "hero" (or "monster" as she put it). Inanna knew what she must do, and was willing to do so; she started a campaign of her own...or she would have had the other god's not interfered and stripped her of her original power...

"And then what happened ?" Elias asks.

The woman shrugs "I...don't want to talk about it."

The two stopped their discussion to see a couple of dozen of Falco's workers making their way towards the temple on the hill; Falco paid his son a passing glance, probably figuring the woman was with the party and would keep Elias safe, occupied, and out of his hair.

"Where are they going ?" Elias asks.

"That is a temple of protection." The woman answers nodding at the thought "It was built to keep people safe."

"How ?"

"By keeping her locked in." The woman said with a grin.

"Can we go there ?" Elias asks, already taking a few steps forward before the woman puts her hand on his shoulder.

"I wouldn't, little one, I can assure you. I can protect you more so than the charms and trinkets buried within that temple." The woman says, silently musing to herself that said charms and trinkets would be removed.

"Come now," she said, taking Elias by the hand "You have so much more to tell me. Your sister, where is she now ?"

She led Elias towards a tent she herself set up on a ridge ten acres of land away from the rest of the camp. She assured him his father wouldn't even know he's gone.

----

"What of this ?" Falco asks, gesturing to the symbols marked on the temple's entrance, as he and his party lit their torches.

"I recall my grandmother's story describing this place as a tomb; people left family heirlooms, and idols of gold blessed by the gods here. Whomever was buried in this place, they must be someone of power and importance." Irra says looking around as he and the crew were enveloped in the darkness.

"Must not be of that much importance anymore, now that they are bones." Falco says with a chuckle.

"Lamashtu," one of the crew says.

"Gazuntite," Falco says in a dry, snarky way.

"That was the name on this tomb; the crypt of Lamashtu." The man answers.

"Is he anyone important ?" Falco asks Irra as they venture deeper and deeper into the tombs chambers.

"I recall the name," Irra says thinking it over "Don't remember who for. I was raised Christian and haven't heard the tales my grandmother told me since I was seven. You may pardon me if the details are sketchy."

"What of them ?" Falco asks gesturing towards the others "What do they know of her ?"

As if one cue, four members of this party started backing away to the tomb's entrance. They were muttering and stuttering as they did so, and Irra picked up on some of what they said.

"Noise about her being this goddess or demon." Irra says, noticing how several others follow the men who fled "They think this place is cursed."

"It's a tomb," Falco says "Whatever is in here is probably dead."

Another man in the group speaks up to Falco and Irra.

"She is the wicked daughter of Anu. She is a murderer of children, and pregnant women."

"Well, that's fine and dandy. Surely, she won't be missing her treasure." Falco says making his way forward to a chest on the other end of the chamber.

"If the people here gave and enchanted their riches for this tomb, it was no doubt an attempt to bind her." The man warns Falco, taking him by the arm.
Falco rolls his eyes, and turns his attention to Irra "You do not believe these ramblings, do you ?"

"Raised Christian, remember ?" Irra says "But what I believe isn't important. What's important is morale,"

Irra gestures to the last of the crew as they make their way out.

"Some of these people still believe the tales to be true. If they refuse to touch anything to do with Lamashtu, then there is nothing I can do to force them."

"You can't be serious!" Falco scoffs.

"Count Karnstien, consider this; we have collected enough treasure to raise poor and downgraded community to a comfortable prosperity; we have collected idols and texts that represent and can teach of Sumer's history and myths." Irra starts "Sometimes we need to know when to quit while we're ahead. I'm sure Gruber will be satisfied with what we have."

Falco grits his teeth; any other moment, he would be livid, shouting to the top of his lungs about how these people were a lazy, superstitious lot. Unfortunately he was outnumbered, and when the chips are down, they work for Gruber, not himself.

"Very well, but I shall look into the tomb myself, you can go and flee from your boogeyman." Falco scoffs.

"Your funeral, good Count." Irra shrugs as he and the last of the party took their leave.

Within minutes, Falco was alone in the tomb, with nothing but a torch to keep him company.

He wasn't stupid by any stretch through; taking his machete from his sheath, be stuck the tip into the wall, and drew a long mark across the wall as he walked through the halls. In the event his torch dies out, he could make his way to the entrance by touch alone.

Deeper and deeper he went into the tombs halls, before reaching a chamber.

No doubt this was the main chamber of the tomb, as a stone casket sat in the middle, surrounded only by small statues, no bigger than dolls a child would play with. He couldn't bother with the names of these gods and monsters the idols represented, although one in particular stood out...

It was a humanoid figure, with a pair of wings and a lion like head...and endowed to a rather comical extreme.

He picked the statue up and held it to his face.

There were dozens like that; his team picked up three of these, one made from copper in lieu of stone.

For no particular reason, aside from bitterness that he would only get a fraction from this expedition, Falco snarled and tossed the idol to a wall, whereupon it fell into four pieces.

Falco was about to turn around and make his way out from this crypt, when he hears something that catches him off guard.

The sound of a woman's muffled weeping.

In any other circumstances, Falco would decide this business is not his own, but ultimately curiosity won out over indifference.

"Who's there ?"

"Please...help me..." A meek woman's voice answers.

"Who am I helping and why should I oblige ?"

The woman's weeping continues.

"Very well," Falco turns to make his leave. "Enjoy the darkness, you'll be here for-"

"Please! My father is important to these people. I was buried here- I know not for how long! I was betrayed what had to have been days ago; if you release me now you shall be rewarded." She says.

"Rewarded. Okay, you have my attention." Falco says "What is it you offer ?"

"Release me, and name your price."

Count Falco has certainly heard worse deals. It was one such deal that got him into this mess.

Crouching down, Falco places a machete in the slit of the casket. Logically, he should have run out to get the other men to help, but Falco was more often than not a man of instinct, not logic.

What threw him off was how light the casket's lid was; he was a little shocked that this woman couldn't have broken herself out.
But that shock gave way to a mild ease when he saw her.

Laying in a fetal position was a woman, wearing a black robe, that was almost transparent in revealing her nude form beneath it. She appeared to be somewhere in her early to mid twenties, and had long bright red hair.

She instantly turned around to reveal her pale face, and wide, giddy smile. Falco saw paler skin in the locals, but her's was the shade of a cloud.

She quickly rose from her crypt, and with her, every other torch in the temple was a bright flame. She could be seen in a better light, revealing multiple braids in her hair, as she looked to Falco with striking blue eyes.

Falco was at a loss of words, a feeling that could be best described as a mixture of awe and terror filled him, and he dropped to his knees in near reflex.

As she stood up and out of her coffin, she smiled a full set of plump, black lips and made her way towards him. She placed a finger under his chin and forced his eyes to face hers.

"Now as for that reward ?"

Falco found his voice.

"I...have a request."

----

As the sun began to set, Elias Karnstien sat at a campfire, as the woman he befriended earlier (whose name he didn't get) kept telling him story after story.

After feeding on the meal of chicken and a salad she prepared for him, Elias was in his words "Stuffed like a doll."

It was a stupid compliment from an ignorantly little child, but this woman blushed at his words. Even she has a limit at how much someone can be cute around her without her gushing slightly.

Elias had the familiar dreary feeling of sleep slowly but surely catching up to him, as he lies down on the woman's lap.

She talked the days away with stories of Inanna; it mattered little what the subject was.

In fact, the story she was currently telling of when Inanna traveled to a far off land of Ancient Greece, happening upon the druids and witches of the time, many of whom turned to her for learning and guidance.

Her favorite student was a young lad named Silas, and the source of his power and secrets came from Inanna herself; she taught them how to achieve the "gift" of the immortals; from which some of the first vampires were born.

Unfortunately, Silas, his lover Amara, both screwed over a third witch who loved Silas, but Inanna wasn't around for that.

It was how Inanna herself regained her immortality. The only setback was of course becoming an undead creature that needs to feed on the blood of the living to survive.

But that was only a setback if you allowed it to be one.

She wasn't sure he was even listening to the story by the time the sun disappeared over the horizon. Nope, he was just snoozing away, dead to the world.
She had no idea what came over her, when she picked the lad up, and placed him on a bed, and kissed him on the cheek.

There was the rare instance where she had the maternal strings of her broken heart. Sure, there were times over the centuries she could consider herself a mother figure, but it's been centuries since she had a small one so close to her.

Still, she looked over her shoulder as she left the tent with a warm smile... and a stare that turned cold as she felt a familiar presence behind her.

"Lamashtu." She says, already knowing who it is.

"Ishtar." The woman from the tomb answers "I assume that little one is under your protection ?"

"He's lucky he's cute." Inanna answers stoically.

"As you can see, they have released me." Lamasthu says.

"Of that I can," Inanna nods "I would think these adventurers wouldn't have been stupid enough to disturb the bed I made for you. Once again, my faith in humanity was unfounded."

"Pity." Lamasthu says, sitting down by the fire "I assume our own deal isn't broken ? Another has come up, and seeing as you were the one who taught the people of old to bind me, I would assume you'd make an attempt to stop me."

"I already held my end. Once Hastur is free, you can have the eternal freedom you so crave." Inanna says "But don't push your luck, little devil girl; I don't need an army of worshipers to bind you again. Even so, don't assume I am not fair."

Inanna sits down so she is at eye level with the demon.

"What are the terms of your new deal ?"

"The man leading this party, Count Falco; he wants me to allow him the riches he and his men collected - the lot of it went to the families of those in the expedition. There is only one way he can get an extra share of the treasure." Lamasthu says.

"When there is no one else to share it with."

"You can read me like a book." The demoness smirks.

"Three days," Inanna says "That is all I can allow."

"Three days is all I need." Lamasthu says again, getting up and disappearing like a shadow in the night.

Inanna looked back to the tent, checking to see if little Elias was still sleeping.

He was, and the sight of his small snoozing form is doing something to her heart that she really doesn't like.

Her attention was caught by the sound of screaming.

It was men; grown men, screaming and crying as if they were baby boys, calling out for a mother that couldn't save them.

Elias didn't seem the least bothered by the sound of screaming, just nuzzling his head down into the soft pillow.

It was a big enough bed, and as if she were the boy's own mother, Inanna climbed in after him, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close.
Inanna was still awake through, and her ears could pick up the sounds of towns and villages set up miles away. 

It was in these very towns, that housed the families of those on the expedition. The same people who would get a cut in the event of their father/son/brother/husband's death.

One by one, they screamed. And one by one, they were snuffed out.

Inanna felt the urge to cover her ears at the sound of babies crying, before they too were snuffed out. Now all that remained was the wailing of mothers.

This was going to be a long three days.

----

Casa Del Bella's, March 10th, 2021

Seven weeks into Chloe's pregnancy.

Beca Mitchell was roused from sleep, from a very familiar dream.

Of course, she couldn’t remember exactly what it was when she felt something crawl into bed. Years ago, something like this would have made Beca think a cat was trying to climb up on top of her, but you spend enough time with Bella Conrad, you know what to expect.

Waking up from her bed, feeling groggy, Beca barely paid attention to the seemingly sleeping Chloe and how Bella was already making her way into their bed. Looking at the clock, Beca can see that it is 10:15 PM.

It has been a month and few weeks since Carmilla and Laura settled in. Chloe was starting to show the smallest bump. Given Beca’s limited experience with pregnant women, she didn’t know for sure if that was normal or if the baby was growing at an unusual rate.

Or that Twilight was right in regards to vampire pregnancies, in which case...

“What’s the matter, Bells ?” A groggy Beca asks, taking Bella up into her arms and laying down with the toddler on her chest “Bad dream ?”

“No dream.” Bella says “Just want snuggles.”

“Of course you do.” Beca says, sighing contently as she kisses Bella on the temple.

Their brief talk caused Chloe to stir over. She doesn’t say anything, but smiles as she wraps one of her arms over two of her favorite girls in the multiverse. This happens quite a bit when the four girls first formed their family unit. Bella would often enter their bedrooms for different reasons to get a cuddle from her four moms.

Of course it was usually Stacie, but really it depends on what mood Bella is in.

Considering Chloe’s current state, Bella really wanted to be a close as she could to the new baby.

“Momma Bec ?” Bella asks, causing Beca to mentally clutch her heart. 

Even after all this time, she wasn’t quite used to being considered a mom to the girl. It felt good, it really did, but the feeling was still near alien to Beca. She never considered herself being a mother when Bella was first born; sure, she and Chloe were more than happy to be aunts, things tend to happen. And as they happen, things also change.

This was Beca’s life now, and she wasn’t backing down from this for the world.

“What is it, sweetheart?” Beca asks, still in disbelief she uses “sweetheart".

"Are you scared of Carma ?” Bella says, using the word she used when she tries to say Carmilla’s name.

Beca was a little taken aback by the question.

“No, sweetie.” Beca says “I’m not.”

“When we play, you’re always looking at her.” Bella says, her voice getting Chloe up to look at her.

“It’s nothing Bella, she’s just watching you.” Chloe says “Just like me. And your other mommies.”

Bella turns towards Chloe and says “But she always has that look on her face.”

Bella tries to empathize her point by making the concerned, and cautious look she sometimes see’s on Beca whenever Carmilla plays with, holds, or sits down next to her.

"It's just..." Beca starts trying to find the right words "Mommy feelings, you know ? This is all new to me." She says hoping this three year old will understand.

"What she's saying Bella," Chloe chimes in, "It's just something that mommy's feel sometimes. She hasn't been around a lot of vampires before Carmilla."

"Mommy isn't scared of her." Bella says, referring to Stacie. She'd always have names to go with her other mothers.

"She's just the bravest of us." Beca shrugs "In general, not a lot of things scare her."

Bella pauses and smiles to herself when an idea pops in her head. The two women notice her smile before they smile themselves as they ask.

"Bella, what are you thinking about ?"

Bella giggles and puts her finger to her lips in a shushing motion, as she nuzzles her head down to Beca's neck.

The three were about to go back to sleep before Bella asks "Momma Chloe ? Do you feel kicks ?"

Chloe nearly laughs at how casual Bella's question was.

"No," Chloe shakes her head "Not yet ? The baby isn't growing it's legs yet."

"Is it growing it's teeth ?" Bella says, opening her mouth and lining her finger up and down her teeth.

"Uh, I don't know ?" Chloe says, but the inflection in her voice makes it sound like she's asking a question.

Bella crawls off of Beca and down to Chloe resting her head on the redhead's slightly round stomach."Wh-what are you doing ?" Chloe says.

"Listening to it grow." Bella answers plainly "Does it have a heart yet ?"

Chloe and Beca both beam at this.

"Yes, it's heart already grew in." Chloe nods.

"I can hear it beating!" Bella says excitedly.

The two women blush as they look to each other.

Beca wraps one of her arms and legs up and around Chloe, nuzzling into the redhead's neck, while Bella nuzzles into her stomach, whispering barely audible words to the baby. The three of them soon went right back to sleep.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Bella's dream wasn't a happy one.

In Bella's dreams, a woman stood at the foot of her bed - she was pretty, but there was something about her that scared Bella. She has a black, but pretty transparent, shroud and robe, revealing her silhouetted form.

Bella says nothing, as she is unable to say anything as the woman lifts the shroud to reveal a pale white face, with bright red hair and equally bright blue eyes.

Bella shakes and quivered, instinctively clutching her little arms around Chloe's waist for protection.

The woman gives an unsettling smile towards Bella, as she reaches forward, and places one of her hands on Bella's back.

"Will you protect the child, little one ?" She said with a Middle Eastern accent.

Bella shakes and buries her face into Chloe's stomach, hoping she would go away.

"You are but a baby yourself, little one. But I will humor you." The woman climbs onto the bed, Beca and Chloe both seemingly oblivious to her presence "I will be watching you. I will always be around the corner; me and my...friends. I will let air fill this child's lungs before I snuff it out."

"You're not real." Bella manages to whimper out "You are a bad dream."

The woman slinks off the bed, looking between Beca and Chloe "If you say so, but you know what they say about dreams ?" She says as they lean down to Bella's ear "If you believe hard enough, they come true."

----

The next morning, Bella was in a uncharacteristically downer mood. When asked what was wrong Bella said nothing.

Before anyone made anything about it, Bella's mood was back to square one when Laura was on pancake duty. Laura was entertaining the other four girls with this story of these tapes she and Carmilla found in Silas' basement.

"Seriously, looking back, I'm pretty sure the whole thing was an elaborate tampon commercial." Laura says.

"Mother always did have this for corporate sponsors. When she considered making an American Campus, she wanted Fox news to be her sponsor for the grand reveal for Hastur." Carmilla says.

"What happened then ?" Chloe asks.

"Ah, she found them too pricey and demanding. Besides, they were on this other Elder god's paylist; would have been more trouble than it's worth." Carmilla waves her hand dismissively "I personally think she should stick to Youtube sponsors."

With a fresh stack of pancakes prepared by Laura, Stacie couldn't help but feel jealous at how decorative Hollis got with preparing them. She would always make them with faces, using syrup, whip cream, and chocolate chips.

All of these had Bella's mouth watering.

They went over breakfast as usual, talking about general things. What Carmilla and Laura did "between seasons", what they plan to do when restrictions are significantly lifted, life before Chloe decided she wanted to give pregnancy a try.

Of course, there was some subjects that could be saved for another day; such as the exact story of how the five girls became this family unit.

The plans for a baby shower would have to wait; international travel wasn't advisable at this point yet, and Danny was still leading the rest of team Silas on a job overseas, for a reason neither Carmilla or Laura are really able to talk about.

"Uh oh," Aubrey says playfully "Looks like someone made a mess!" as she picked up a napkin to wipe off Bella's face.

The aforementioned toddler, made a mess of her face by licking the cream off her pancake pieces, and licking the syrup off it's plate. Some of it even got it to her hair.

"Bella!" Stacie scolds "What did I tell you about table manners ?"

Bella shrugs and answers "Don't act at the table like you wouldn't in a restaurant."

"Look at you hair," Stacie scoffs, taking the syrup drenched locks of Bella's hair. Bella slumps her head down in shame, almost looking like she's about to cry. Stacie rolls her eyes as she felt her heart tug, taking her daughter by the chin with one of her fingers, and gently making Bella face her "Hey, we don't do that at the table. I don't want you making a mess like before the day even starts."

"Sorry mommy." Bella says in a whimpering, mumbling tone.

Stacie crouches down and gives Bella a reassuring hug "It's alright, where's just going to have to give you a bath is all."

"Come on, sweetheart." Aubrey says, picking Bella up, and leading her out the room "Let's get this mess of yours cleaned up."

"Okay, with that out of the way." Carmilla says, catching her breath "Laura, I think the kid likes your cooking."

Laura shrugs and smiles "I just hope the baby will too. Kirsch used to show me how to work with little kids."

"I think the kid already does," Chloe says, patting her stomach "Been a while since I had something that agreed with me like this. Y'know, that wasn't meaty."

Laura moves towards Chloe, putting her own hand on Chloe's stomach "I can already tell he's going to be a happy little guy."

"Guy ?" Carmilla adds.

"A mom knows." Laura says with a shrug "You should know this stuff by now."

Carmilla gets from her seat, to Chloe's side, looking at the latter's stomach, before casually putting her hand on it. Almost instantly, Carmilla flinches her hand back.

"What's wrong ?" Chloe asks.

"I felt it's heart beating." Carmilla says, her voice taking an uneasy infliction.

"What ?"

"Vampire sense," Carmilla says "I can feel it's...heart through your body."

The other four girls didn't know what to say, but Laura beams as she leans her head down on Chloe's stomach.

"Can you hear it too ?" Laura asks.

"I...don't know-" Carmilla says, as she too lies her head on Chloe, pausing when she could in fact hear the sound of little beats. Carmilla's voice takes a mutedly high pitch, and her eyes start to water as she mouths out  "Oh my God..." 

There is a pause in the room as the vampire seems to drift into a whole other world.

There was hardly a dry eye in the room, as Carmilla was suddenly beside herself, muttering semi coherent words along the lines of "Mommy's here, mommy's right here."

A few moments of this pass, before Laura speaks "I think he likes us already."

----

Later in the day, Laura, Chloe and Aubrey went for a drive;  not exactly shopping unless you count just picking up groceress.

They were also to check out the neighborhoods, and see where to go. Bella and Stacie stayed behind for this trip, as restrictions where not lifted in certain stores yet, and if Bella saw a store she liked, she would want to go shopping.

Besides Bailey Downs itself, they where also going to check out this neighboring town called Whitechapel. It also had a supernatural history to it, being to vampires to what Bailey Downs is to werewolves.

Supposedly there's some obscured history between the two, but it was only recently that vampires became public. In any case, Laura thought it might be worth visiting.

In the meantime, Carmilla had to stay behind as there was something Bella wanted to show her, and Beca of course had to stay behind because she also got Bella's invite.

Bella was in her room all morning preparing something, and had Stacie help her set something up.

When Beca and Carmilla made their way to the bedroom, Stacie opens wearing a black outfit; Beca has seen the expression on  Stacie's face enough times to know that she was playing a role.

"Good evening," Stacie says with an accented voice "We have been expecting you."

"It's 11:55 AM and Bella told us to come here." Carmilla says, deadpan.

"Yes, our lady Bella has requested your presence this lunch hour. It's best to not keep her waiting." Stacie says, ushering them in.

Letting them in the room, the other girls where taken a little aback at how the place was decorated; blue and red blankets lay across the window, causing a bit of a transparent glow from the sunlight. 

A black picnic blanket of sorts was laid across the floor, as a Victorian style tea set was set up. Her easy bake oven was set to the side, having been used to make a small batch of cupcakes, and a plate of dough gods (made by Stacie), and a dish of peanut butter crackers.

In the middle of the room to greet them was little Bella Conrad, dressed in black, princess like costume, that brought to mind something like Lily Munster or Morticia Addams.

"We are pleased to see you." Bella says in attempt to mimic the manners of a gracious host, but her high pitched little voice made it hard to take seriously, which got all three older women beaming at her.

"Belles," Beca starts "What is this ?"

"Vampire tea party." Bella says, putting her hands behind her back in a way that implies she's trying to be cute on purpose.

Carmilla blushes at the sight and is the first to take a seat, next to Bella, which prompts Beca to sit closer to her daughter, in an instinctive, protective manner.

"Bella's been working on this all day today." Stacie says sounding a little proud of her daughter.

"Mommy wouldn't show me how to use the stove." Bella says, looking down.

"Well, you're still too little for that." Carmilla says, playfully stroking Bella's hair.

"I'm not little, I'm a big girl." Bella said, crossing her arms in an annoyed tone.

"But you're still growing." Beca says, instinctively kissing Bella on the cheek "So what got you to set this up, Belles ?"

"You, momma Beca." Bella says, pointing up at Beca, "So you won't be scared of Carmalla." She says mispronouncing Carmilla's name.

There was a pause in the room as Carmilla's face dropped when she heard this. She glances at Beca who looks embarrassed and a little taken aback.

"I'm not, scared." Beca says, calmly but defensively "It's just...new is all."

"Hmm," Carmilla says "Still not used to vampires I see ? After how many weeks now ?"

"Seven," Beca  says, scratching the back of her neck and remembering that time in high school "But being a new mom." She looks back down at Bella "It does things to me."

Stacie nods in understanding before speaking up "You should have seen her when Bella got a fever. I thought Beca here was going to work herself into a panic attack."

Carmilla nods before smirking at Beca "Then I see you're a great mom already. I really hope I can be the same...it's new to me too." She finishes with a frown.

Beca looks at Carmilla with an understanding expression "I mean, we seen your track record. It's like going into a new world, especially what happened with Bella's-"

Stacie glances at Beca with a raised eyebrow, and uncharacteristically stern expression.

"Sorry." Beca says.

"Anyways, let's get to lunch." Stacie says, setting the dishes and the tea set "What's to drink, Lady Bella ?"

"Juice and soda." Bella says, like the toddler she is.

"Pretend blood." Stacie whispers to the other two women, before realizing what she just said in front of an actual vampire "Oh I mean-"

Carmilla smiles sweetly and shrugs.

"It's okay, the recent panther sightings should tell you all that I've been good and fed in that department.

"The three women, and the little lady spent the next hour or so sharing drinks and tasty treats; Carmilla didn't feel the need to share her already familiar story, so Beca and Stacie took turns going over their Barden days.

Carmilla in the meantime, having attended quite a few banquets in her day, took the time to teach Bella how to eat and drink like a proper lady, and instill a bit of proper, tea party etiquette into the toddler....all for not as Bella's face ended up covered up with icing from the treats.

Even so, it was eventually Carmilla's turn when Bella asks.

"Do you have any stories ? Vampire stories ?"

"I don't know which ones to tell ya, Bell-ster." Carmilla adds with a playful poke on Bella's nose.

"What about, where vampires come from ?" Stacie asks.

Carmilla takes a bite from the last of her dough god before answering "Mmm, bit of a tall order there." She says, licking the icing off her lips and fingers "Mythologies complicated."

"I'm sure you can humor us." Beca shrugs.

Carmilla takes a moment to think before she starts.

"Well, the short of it is the vampire curse existed at least as far back as far as when the world was young. Vampires as we know them today, are considered a recent edition, created by my mother, and even then that was the BC era. I've been told very first werewolves and vampires of that time, were vastly different from the ones we have today."

"Can you give us the short of it ?" Beca asks.

Carmilla sighs before continuing.

"There really isn't a short of it. The original, human vampires, can allegedly be traced back to Ancient Greece. The first one was named Silas, and he was one of my mother's favorite protege's, so much so that she named her campus after him. He and his lover, create dthe strain of vampires from which I come from."

"Wow." Bella says, simply, and cutely, although it's up in the air if the young girl can actually understand what Carmilla's talking about.

"Then you got the other more common vampires, who can be traced back to a family of Nordics. Whether or not you believe them as the true original vampires, I know they existed as I met them." Carmilla finishes "Their history is a little more complicated, but the Mikaelson's are another story."

"So," Stacie starts "Do you know what else is out there ? You know, myth wise ?"

Carmilla whistles a bit before answer.

"From my experience, there is a little bit of everything. I know Sumerian myths were based in part on reality, but the Silas library mentions Greek, Norse, Celtic and Egyptian gods. You name it. And I could guess that Lovecraft or Derleth were onto something." Carmilla shrugs "But they also said Tolkien may have been onto something, at which point I closed the book." 

"What about Twilight ?" Bella asks. Still, it's unclear if she can actually understand what Carmilla is saying, or just wants to hear a Twilight type story.

"I don't know about that one." Carmilla shakes her head, with a snarky smile "But it looks like you need some cleaning up to do." She says, playfully wiping a bit of icining off Bella's cheek.

"Looks like we all need cleaning up." Beca nods, looking at the finished dishes before them.

"Look mommy," Bella says, lifting her hair "No sticky in my hair!"

Stacie smiles "Yeah, but you still got a face to clean off."

"I got this." Beca says, lifting Bella up and taking her towards the bathroom "You two can handle the dishes."

Carmilla and Stacie glance at each other, before resigning themselves for dish duty.

As Carmilla was stacking the plates, Stacie was handling the tea set.

"You know, it's occuring to me-" Carmilla starts.

"What is it ?" Stacie asks looking up.

"I've  been wearing my past on my sleeve, but I couldn't help but notice you never really talk about how the four of you...ended up like this." Carmilla says, crossing her arms "What's the story there ?"

Stacie finishes the last of the dishes and begins putting them away. As she does so, Stacie's expression takes an uncharacteristically grim and somber tone.

"I thought you wanted to avoid an uncomfortable subject." Stacie says.

"I just figured, you guys haven't talked about-" Carmilla starts before Stacie interrupts.

"It involves Bella's father, and I'm not ready to talk about it in front of her." She says before sighing "Look, her father was a bad man. I'm pretty sure you've seen real monsters, right ?  Well, you'll know the worse ones are people.

Stacie sets the dishes aside, looking back at Carmilla with a somber expression.

"At the time, I thought the worst of it was him cheating on his girlfriend, but that is small potatoes compared to the other stuff he did."

Carmilla has a look of realization on her face before she cautiously steps forward and hugs Stacie.

Stacie didn't know how to respond to this at first, before she hugged back.

"I'm sorry," Carmilla whispers "I didn't know-"

"Oh no," Stacie shakes her head "I wasn't ra-...you know. At least not in my mind." It doesn't stop her from wiping a tear "I didn't know at the time, but after I found out, I made a decision; Bella will never be his. She is mine, she is Aubrey's, she is Beca's and she is Chloe's. If Bella is ever going to find out the truth, it won't be for years." 

When Stacie breaks away from Carmilla's hug, she takes a few second to compose herself.

"It doesn't matter how me and the girls got to this point. What matters is we are here now. And I am thankful, every day for that." Stacie says, wiping her eye again "I'm not sure if I really want to talk about it, even to you. But y'know, you can read up on what happened in Darlington, and Lakewood. You'll should have a good idea of what happened."

Before the conversation goes on any further, Beca makes her way into the kitchen, with Bella Conrad in her arms, her face freshly cleaned.

"Look who's ready for movie time!" Beca announces in a playful voice.

Like a light switch, Stacie's slightly more somber mood changes to that playful, motherly one she's been proudly displaying not an hour ago.

"Alright Bells, what's todays movie ?" Stacie says, picking her daughter up from Beca's arms.

"Uh, can we watch two ?" Bella asks.

Stacie shrugs "I don't see why not. What do you have in mind ?"

----

The three women and the toddler spent the better part of the afternoon watching The Incredibles. Midway through the movie, the other three ladies of the house shown up from their sight seeing tour of Bailey Downs and it's neighboring towns.

They joined the homebodies for the rest of the movie before putting on The Incredibles 2 at Bella, Laura, and Chloe's insistence, with Carmilla being the deciding vote.

After dinner, Laura spent the evening showing Bella pictures of places they are planning to visit, mainly malls, movie theatres and a clothing store that hasn't been registered to any other mall. Needless to say, Bella couldn't wait until restrictions were lifted.

When night blanketed the Bailey Downs area, a black panther was on the prowl. It had done her usual hunting routine; go into the thick parts of the forested areas; seek out animals as a predator does. Usually, she'd take out a deer ("Sorry Bambi." she'd often think to herself) or a moose. In a rare instance, she even took on a bear or two.

As for the "wolves" that would prowl at night ? Well, let's just say she has an understanding with them.
After another successful hunting trip, the panther bounds over the outer wall of Casa del Bella's.

Casually making her way to the walls of the estate, she shifted into her human, albeit nude, form and climbed her way to her and Laura's bedroom window.
Crawling inside, neither Carmilla or Laura were fazed or shy of the formers's nakedness. This is something of a bi-weekly trend with Carmilla.

"Good hunting, my love ?" Laura asks, not even taking her eyes from her phone. She was told what Carmilla was told hours ago by Stacie, and looking into what happened in those two towns she mentioned.

"As usual." Carmilla nods, making her way to their bedrooms bathroom. She was still covered in dirt and a bit of blood from her hunting trip "Two bull moose tonight. Too busy crashing their heads together, they didn't see me coming. Didn't stand a chance."

"Hmmm." Laura says, setting the phone aside "You think the baby will be like that ? Shape shifting I mean."

"Hmm ? Oh, I never really thought of that. Why ?" Carmilla asks, walking out the bathroom to sit on their bed.

"It's just, you hear how damphirs; in most stories they have their vampire parents powers, and none of their weaknesses." Laura says "You think that our baby is going to be able to do half of what you do ?"

Carmilla nods while thinking about it "Maybe. If he or she has to drink blood, that'd be a given. But to shape shift ? Keep in mind, it took me a while to master that. Most vampires of our kind don't even develop the extra powers until like fifty years of practice. And even then it's not like they learn how to use them."

"Ah, so our baby wouldn't turn into a kitten." Laura looks down, almost looking disappointed at the thought.

"Unlikely." Carmilla answer patting Laura on the head.

Not caring that there was still a bit of blood and dirt on her lover's finger nails, Laura takes Carmila's hand into hers, looking up and down her body suggestively.

"There is a part of me that's scared, you know." Carmilla says "If the kid turns out like me, in my...early days. You know, the whole dark, murderous, had an unlife of misery."

Laura pulls Carmilla into a hug, resting her own head on the vampire's shoulder "That's not you okay. That's not who you really are."

"I am not proud of the things I did as Mircalla, even if I left her behind for centuries." Carmilla shakes her head "I don't want our child to be a repeat of that old life."

"Your past won't define his future." Laura says, rubbing her hand up and down Carmilla's bare back "It won't be Mircalla who rears him, it will be you, Carmilla. The worst I can see happening is another generation of that heroic vampire crap." She finishes with a giggle.

"Knowing you, that's a given." Carmilla says with mirthful smirk of her own.

The two share a laugh, and with nothing else to say, they kiss.

When the part, their foreheads still press together, and Laura has to lick her dry lips, smacking a couple of times when she has the slight taste of blood from Carmilla's mouth; something she is all to used too.

Looking up and down Carmilla's still nude form, Laura manages to mutter "Do you...want to..?"

Carmilla lightly scoffs "Can't you see I need a shower ?"

"Okay," Laura says, getting up and taking Carmilla by the hand "I could use one too."

Carmilla rolls her eyes and smiles as she follows Laura's lead.

It's been a while since they had "alone" time - about three weeks - what with the kid in the house, and with how they had their hands full with her.

And they were gonna make up for lost time.

----

After their stepping out the bathroom, and redressing, Carm and Laura climbed into bed, ready to hit the hay...

Only to hear a knocking on the bedroom door. Quickly glancing at the clock they see it is 11:20 PM.

The knocking is light and small, so it could only be one person.

Opening the door, they see Bella wearing her pajamas, holding a small blanket to herself.

"Bella ? Wh-what's the matter sweetie ?" Laura says crouching down to the toddler at eye level.

"Bad dream." Bella says "Can I sleep in your bed ?"

The two expectant mothers glance at each other, but Laura ultimately nods.

"Of course, honey." Laura says picking Bella up and walking to their bed. Tucking the girl in so that she'd sleeping between them.

They thought it was a little off that Bella would come to them as opposed to one of her moms' bedrooms. But as expectant mothers, they supposed they could expect nights like these in the foreseeable future. And practice does make perfect; that's the reason they are staying here.

Her instincts already kicking in, Laura asks "What was your dream about sweetie ?"

"Scary woman following me around the house. She was dressed in black." Bella says "She wouldn't follow me here."

"What did she look like ?" Carmilla asks.

"Blue eyes. White skin. Red hair. Smoke was following her" Bella says.

Carmilla took this description in; this ruled out Mattie - she for all of Mattie's faults, she loved kids. Whenever Mattie was alone or thought she was alone with a baby, she would get all cutesy and cuddly with the kid - baby talk, raspberries, tickles,  you name it (of course, whenever she was caught she would vehemently deny everything).

Plus even if this was Mattie, that would be bad news. A visit from her spectral sister was a bad omen; that was a condition of when she would visit. It would either mean they are in for some shit, or knee deep in the shit.

"Did she say anything to you ?" Carmilla say.

Bella shakes her head, but the upset look on her face indicated she didn't want to talk about it, as opposed to this woman not saying anything to her.

"Okay, well she won't be getting you here. Or anywhere." Carmilla says, taken a little off guard when Bella hugs her. Didn't stop Carmilla from gently returning the hug.

Laura places a hand on Bella's shoulder "Do you want to me to get you something ?"

Bella takes a minute before she asks.

"Can you tell me a story ?"

Laura smiles softly before answering.

"I mean, I have a lot of stories." Laura shrugs "I don't know where to start."

"I might have one." Carmilla says, as she and Laura settle into the bed, with Bella safely snug between them.

Carmilla takes a breath to ready herself. Something in the back of her head is acting up. Like something from her Mircalla days, before everything went wrong. Back when Elias was still around.

"This will be a long one, so I won't blame you if you go to sleep through this." Carmilla says before she starts "There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Ilúvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before aught else was made. And he spoke to them, propounding to them themes of music; and they sang before him, and he was glad..."

Already, Bella was snuggling her head to Laura, who wraps her arms around the toddler's little form.

Chapter Text

Haddonfield, Illinois - October 1st, 2009

Bedside's getting a new friend, nothing too exciting happened in Beca's life. Even her seventeenth birthday came and went with no fanfare. But during the past week her new buddy Katerina, she finally talked Beca into joining her for a hike.

It wasn't too far out of town, just a little place called Water Road Walk; a 4.5 mile, moderately trafficked loop trail; mostly known for when the high, or middle schools would take field trips. Practically a regional park.

Beca never considered herself a goody girl; she had no issues of playing hooky or playing sick before. That said, there was something particularly daring seeing as it was a Friday. That day, this one class at their school would be going on this hike while the weather was still warm. 

Being caught skipping school, while she was still supposed to be nursing a leg injury, was something she could do without. Especially since she kept calling in sick.

Besides, she hasn't been out this way in four years. Not since the family camping trip.

By the time the two reached a peak, and a clearing with a pretty view of Haddonfield, the two stopped at the side of a tree.

"Marvelous, isn't it ?" Katerina asks.

"I don't know." Beca shrugs "I see views like this a lot."

"I thought you didn't go out much."

"I mean," Beca thinks a minute "I used to come up here with my parents, I even recognize this spot. You see one distant view of a township, you see them all."

"If you say so." Katerina crosses her arms and leans on the tree "You said, you visited this spot ? See anything you recognize."

Beca shrugs "I remember going on a walk with my mom, and when we came back, I saw my dad peeing on that tree you're leaning on."

Katerina yelps and jumps away from the tree, shuddering comically to Beca's amusement, before she trips onto the ground.

 When Beca looks down at her in concern. Katerina gives Beca a look, and chuckles back.

"Were you guys close ?" She asks.

Beca crouches the ground, cross legged on a patch of grass, while she thinks of her answer.

"Not anymore; not since the divorce, and I think things were falling apart beforehand. My dad, he's been seeing his current girlfriend before the divorce, and my mom had at least two boyfriends and a girlfriend." Beca says, with a bit of bitterness in her voice.

"Was it that bad ?"

"Last year, I had Thanksgiving to myself. I knew where my mom was, being the more social type, but my dad told me he was running late; he's one of those work oriented guys. He got me a Wii for Christmas, to make up for it, so that was something." Beca starts.

"That's nice of him."

"Yeah, then I found out the reason he was working double shift was because of his co-worker, Jolene." Beca says "I don't know. Whenever I talk to him, it seems like he wants to do right by me, but at the same time, it's like he doesn't know when to quit."

There is an awkward silence for a moment or two, as Beca thinks back on that day; and how over the months, whenever her parents talk to her, they try to avoid the issue. And when they talk to each other, it was nothing but vitriolic screaming that increased with each month. And that was when Beca noticed she was becoming a wallflower.

Beca felt for her eyes, noticing they were starting to water. "Please no," she thought, "Not in front of the new girl."

Speaking of, Beca feels something flick on her forehead, snapping her out of her train of thought.

"Hey there, no one likes a crybaby." Katerina says playfully, taking Beca by the hand and standing her up.

"...what ?"

"I'm saying that you are far from the only person to go through something like this, and if you let it weigh you down...well, no one likes a victim. Or a crybaby. They all bitch and whine." Katerina explains "Take this one girl, Elena, at my last school- her parents get into this car accident, right ? Turns out she was in that accident too, and it's a miracle she's alive."

Beca takes a moment to take this all in before stating "That's terrible."

"For her at least, but mark my words, she's going to be one of those victims who let their issues define her; I saw it once, I've seen it a thousand times. Suddenly, everyone is going to coddle her when she's all sad eyes. If you ask me, she cries too much."

"Yeah, but her parents just died." Beca.

"And who doesn't go through something like that ?" Katerina shrugs "We all become orphans eventually, some some sooner than others. We can't let these incidents hold us back in life, or least we become sour pusses. Or just sour. Me, I went through some real shit back in the day, I didn't let it break me." 

As Katerina explains this, she pulls her shirt collar down and leaning her head back, revealing a long line going across her neck; a scar going up one jugular, across her throat and down the other jugular.

Beca was at a loss for words at such a grizzly sight, and taken aback at how she didn't notice it before.

With nothing else to say, Beca simply replies "It looks like it hurts."

Katerina shrugs "Sometimes, if you touch it, but I don't let it hold me back from making the best in life. So, what I'm saying is you shouldn't let your parents hold you back in that regard."

Beca takes a moment, staring blankly at the scar before nodding.

"I guess so." To change the uncomfortable subject, essentially telling herself to buck up, Beca asks "How'd you get them ?"

Katerina hesitates before she answers "Someone tried to kill me back in 94."

Once again Beca is at a loss for words, but manages to say "You were..."

"I'm eighteen, so you do the math." Katerina states, before circling Beca as she continues.  "I was never from Europe. True, I never returned to the states until last year, but before I backpacked across Europe, I first was born in Lakewood, Louisiana. I got this on Halloween night, so it's something you folk at Haddonfield should be used too." 

"Jeez..."

Katerina stops, before once again she shrugs.

"Like I said, I don't let it bother me."

Beca takes in a deep breath before she says "So, I suppose you don't want me to say I'm sorry for you or anything ?"

"Coddling is for babies. And I haven't been a baby in a long, long time." Katrina says plainly.

They both turn their heads when they hear something coming. It's the other class, the one that was supposed to take their trip that day, by the sounds of it, just turning the corner away from catching them.

Beca was frozen like a deer in the headlights. Katerina on the other hand, takes hold of Beca's arm, and in what seemed like a matter of seconds, they were a tree, about a dozen yards away. Beca didn't really question it, figured she was a little out of it when Katrina pulled her, and the two settled on a sturdy enough branch about twelve feet off the ground.

The two sat in cautious silence watching as fourteen high school students, and two adult supervisors, one of whom Beca recognized as a science teacher, were talking among themselves during what appeared to be a lunch break.

She couldn't tell what all the rabbling was about, but from what little she heard, these students caught sight of a deer shedding it's velvet just down the way, which was apparently, hair clenchingly horrifying to look at. Beca has seen nature videos of this too, and yeah, the thought of it still makes her shudder.

Beca turns her head when she notices Katerina place her feet up on the branch in a crouching position. Katrina looks at Beca, mouthing "Follow my lead" to her.
Beca see's why as she sees a student she recognizes make his way to the tree. 

Specifically, Grady Collins - think Beavis and Butthead, mixed from Hal from Megamind and you'll get a good idea of what kind of boy he is.

A boy barely in his late teens, hormones isn't exactly kind to this guy; as he was the kind of guy who'd get caught playing peeping tom, get a "boys will be boys" smack on the wrist, and still think he's god's gift to women. 

With a ratlike face, shaggy red hair, and his penchant for edgy rock band shirts, Beca sometimes wondered if he was some cartoon stereotype who escaped into the real world. And now, he was answering nature's call at the very tree Beca was hiding in.

Beca follows suit to Katerina, placing both her feet onto the branch, averting her eyes when Grady unzips his pants.

He was humming and whistling this little tune, as Beca tries to keep her balance. Unlike Katrina, Beca was shaking, taking hold of the branch beneath her. She notices Katerina glancing down at the boy, looking completely stone faced, forming a smile when she notices Beca looking at her. 

"God almighty, someone get me out of here..." Beca thinks to herself.

The blood was rushing to Beca's head at once, and she could have sworn that Grady was done by now, but for some reason, he was still there. Looking down, Beca saw Grady pull out and light a cigarette, leaning back on the tree while the other students had their lunch break.

Beca doesn't like smoking at the best of times - sure she stress smoked like twice before, but she knew Grady was one of those kids who did it because he thought it was cool. And even more annoyingly, he was humming that damn Low Shoulder song.

Was Through the Trees a good song ? Yeah, but annoyingly catchy.

The smoke quickly rose, and while Katerina inhaled the fumes deeply, it was quickly getting to Beca. Katrina notices, and reaches for Beca's mouth, covering said mouth and nose before a cough could get out.

It was too much all at once, and Beca nearly slipped off the branch. Katerina takes hold of Beca's back, holding her in place with a seemingly unnatural firmness. Not that it stopped Beca's leg from slipping.

What neither accounted for was that Beca's shoe got loose, and as Beca pulled her leg onto the branch, the shoe landed on the ground behind Grady. The boy turns around, sees the shoe, and looks up to see the source.

While time once again seemed to slow for Beca, Katerina was quick to drop from the tree on her feet, taking Grady by the wrist and pulling him to the tree trunk.

"That belongs to a friend of mine. Will you be so kind as to give it back ?"

A little taken aback by what's happening, Grady nods and hands back the shoe. Katrina looks up at Beca.

"You can come down now, my Belle." Katerina says with a cheeky smile.

Beca doesn't know what to do or say, but this...look in Katerina's eyes seems to compel her to slide off the tree. Beca falls into Katrina, who despite the weight and impact, barely seems phased by the girl collapsing into her.

Katerina ushers Beca to her feet and hands her back her shoe. The two glance at Grady, who finally breaks his silence.

"Mitchell ? Aren't you supposed to be sick ?" He asks.

"Aren't you supposed to be with the rest of your class ?" Katerina answers for Beca.

"Hey, I'm not judging!" Grady holds his arms up defensively "I'm just a little concerned what Mr. Winston back there will think about you playing hockey when you missed out a week on him."

"First off, it's pronounced hooky." Katerina corrects him "Secondly, I just happen to know you won't say a peep about this."

Beca looks on, not saying a thing, partially due to her confusion, but as well as her mortification. Especially at the way Grady is looking between the two.
"And what makes you so sure of that ?" Grady asks, crossing his arms confidently.

"What will your silence take ?" Katerina asks, raising an eyebrow, but her tone is otherwise bemused. Grady looks back at the class, making sure they were a safe distance away.

"What did you see ?" Grady asks "In that branch I mean."

Katerina chuckles "Enough to know that your journey to manhood isn't a kind one. Most don't make it through alive."

"And what about yours ?"

"What ?" Beca asks flatly, not believing what he's suggesting.

"What I'm saying is, I gotta be sure we are even if you saw my-"

"Not her." Katerina says "You saw her foot. Surely that's enough skin to accommodate on her part ?" she finishes, fluttering her eyes. 

There was something about her eyes that made Grady nod, and give him a slight headache. They had the same effect on Beca, in a way she couldn't put her hand on.

"Just down the road." Katerina nods "Beca, will you join us."

All rational thought told Beca "No." This is ridiculous, horrifying and she would grin and bear a black mark on her school record should it mean not having to flash some entitled prick. Even if it was a friend doing the flashing.

Despite this, the look in Katerina's eyes made Beca nod.

The three made their way down the trail, until they were a safe enough distance that they could barely hear the class talking among themselves.

They reach a clearing, behind another massive tree, that Grady leans back on, as Katerina hands her hoodie to Beca, who stands off to the side.

Beca glares at Grady as he takes out his phone "Does he really need to record this ?"

"Relax, I'll keep her face out of it." Grady says.

"Yeah, relax Beca." Katerina flutters her eyes at her, and licks her lips at Grady "I know exactly what I'm doing..."

Katerina looks towards Grady with a predatory smile.

"Ready ?"

Grady nods.

"Good, so am I..." 

And with a blink of the eye, Katerina steps forward, with one hand holding Grady's neck as she lifts him into the air. Beca was absolutely floored by the abruptness.

"You thought I was the sweet, naïve, submissive type, didn't you ?" Katerina licks her lips "Didn't think that there was a reason why I'd take you out here ?"
Grady chokes, and Beca finds her voice.

"Kat, what are you-?"

"He's a creeper, Beca; don't tell me you're defending him!" Katrina rolls her eyes at the younger girl.

Beca can't find the words, but she just shakes her head. Really, any other time, Beca would be relieved this kid is being put in his place. Hell, in the right mood, she'd be taking an absurd amount of joy in Grady looking like he's about to cry. Problem was, she wasn't in the right mood.

"Now let me see; what to do with you ?" Katerina asks Grady, holding him with one hand, tapping her chin with the other hand's finger "You are just some pervert, yes. You probably will waste the life that you have playing Mr. Peeper with some other poor girl. But, if I killed every brat who gave me trouble, I'd be on the FBI's Shoot To Kill list. But I can't let you off with a smack on the wrist, now can I ?"

Katerina turns to face Beca.

"What say you Becs ?"

Beca barely managed to find the words letting out "Look, Katerina...we scared the shit out of him, he's learned his lesson, let's go!"

"I mean if I do he might rat you out and-" Katerina continues before noticing his leg shaking. Grady was wearing a grey set of pants, making the stain appearing on his crotch and down his leg very visible.

Beca gasps at the view and looks away, while Katrina drops him on the forest floor.

"Tabernac!" Katrina exclaims and flinches back "I suddenly just lost my appetite."

Katerina pauses to think for a minute before she gets an idea.

"You're not going to say a peep about this."

Katerina picks Grady up by his collar and forces him to face her. As he looked the young woman in the eyes, he noticed the way her pupils would grow and shrink with every word, as his thoughts were filled only with her voice.

"You will go back to your class; when they ask you where you were...you'll tell them you were watching a snake eat a live squirrel or something, and tried to film it. If you try to say you saw Beca and I, you will take off your pants and expose that tiny, insignificant cock to the whole class, and will never under any circumstance tell anyone why, even if they go Jack Bauer on you. Does that sound like a deal ?"

Grady stares blankly, despite his dropped jaw and wet eyes, before he weakly nods.

"Good, now get out of here." Katerina drops Grady to the ground, waving him off before he wordlessly walks back to the rest of the class.

Beca stares silently at what she just witnessed. Katerina looks at her innocently, cocking an eyebrow.

"What ?"

"What was that ?" Beca asks.

"A little something I picked up way back when." Katerina shrugs "Perhaps one day soon I will teach it to you..." Katrina winks.

Beca says nothing, prompting Katerina to roll her eyes.

Katerina walks up to Beca, puts her hands on Beca's shoulders, forcing the girl to face her. Once again, her pupils shift with every word.

"There is nothing weird about this; nothing to worry about, nothing to be scared of. Just a couple of us taking a stroll through the woods. Completely innocent. You get it, Beca ?"

Beca couldn't explain it to save her life. She felt a cold, crisp chill run up and down her body, and let out an involuntary shiver; against her own power, she felt her fear and resolve disappear like it was never there to begin with. She never could understand why, and any attempt to do so would lead to more forgetfulness. And so, Beca nods.

"Good girl." Katerina smiles, taking her hoodie from Beca's arms and putting it back on "Now, I recall crossing paths with a swimming hole a few miles back. I say we check it out while Fall is still warm..."

----

Said watering hole was nicknamed "The Hot Spot" by local teenagers.

It was one of many party going ventures by Haddonfield's youth - once a standard acre length pond.

It was off the reservation, and over time the kids of Haddonfield from made it their own personal swimming pool, some going as far as to put salt bags and chlorine into the pond. They effectively polluted the area so that no animal in or out to the pond would want anything to do with it.

One one hand, it took the natural appeal of the spot; one the other hand, do you really want water snakes invading your party or skinny dipping session ? Thought not.

In this case Katerina wanted to check the spot out, while she and Beca had all the privacy in the world.

Beca had her reservations and all, but there was something about the way Katrina would look at her that kept her from saying no.

The closest Beca got to saying any objection was "But I didn't bring a swimsuit."

Katerina smirks "We make do with what we got then ? Besides, swimsuits, bras, panties ? Function all the same."

Beca wanted to object further, but Katerina still had that look in her eye she couldn't resist despite her better judgement.

So the two of them were shed only down to their bra and panties, laying their clothes as makeshift beach towels on the pond's edge.

Katerina was the first to go, diving under the surface, with Beca taking not so confident steps in after her. Katrina pops back out the water splashing at Beca, who despite herself, laughed at the playful gesture.

Katerina flips back into the water, disappearing back under the murky surface. Beca has waded out up to her knees, looking down to see the pool was murky enough that she couldn't see her own feet. As she takes another step, she notices Katerina still hasn't resurfaced.

Another step in, and Beca yelps, as she is pulled under the water by something strong...

It pulls her down, deep into the pond, so much so that she could barely see the sunlight on the surface above her. The water was oddly warm, but something cooler and jarring wrapped around Beca's waist, and lifted her upwards.

Breaking the surface, Beca lets out a loud gasp and a cough. 

Stuttering and sputtering, Beca's eyes take a moment to adjust as she sees Katrina floating in front of her. With that same coy grin.

Beca wasn't usually one to get angry at this point in time. Annoyed indignant, perhaps, but nothing vitriolic. In this case, she was about ready to Hulk out.

"You...you..." Beca said through gritted teeth.

Before she could make any sort of attack on Katerina, the platinum blonde flutters her eyes, leans in to kiss Beca, and knocks the wind out of her sails.

Beca couldn't put her finger on it, but there had to be something about Katrina's eyes that had some sort over her.

"You took too long." Katerina smirks and shrugs "Had to take drastic measures."

"...sorry." Beca says, unsure of where the apology really came from.

"Come." Katerina says "We are here to have fun. I can think of a lot of things we could be doing here, besides floating and doing nothing."

With that, Katerina flips her hair and backflips into the water, and despite what just happened, Beca found herself doing the same.

They spent the next hour or so, frollicking in the pond. The two made a game of diving it, finding something at the pond's bottom, and taking it back to the shore.

After a while, they have saved seven lost bracelets, twelve empty cans and bottles and twenty seven pieces of loose change (making a total of eight dollars) from a muddy, watery grave.

After that, the two found their skin getting a little wrinkly for their tastes and made their way back to shore.

Due to a lack of towels, they had to make due with the sunlight to dry and warm up. Since Katerina learned all she could of Beca and her life, she figured she could spend the time talking about the other places she visited.

"Well, after I left Europe." Katerina starts, reclining back on the set of clothes she laid down "I was backpacking across the country. Nothing special, just looking for a place with significance."

"Significance how ?" Beca asks, laying on her side, on her own set of clothes.

Katerina shrugs "It depends on its history. Lakewood ? Well that screwed me up six ways to Friday. I always wanted to visit this one other town in California...but that one was wiped off the map. Beacon Hills ? Didn't get a good reception there. Springwood ? Now there's a place I recommend living. For a while now I stayed in Mystic Falls, but there was too much drama going on there for me to stay behind. I sometimes look into what's happening there, and from what I see, the shit has hit the fan."

"I see..." Beca says, looking down. Clearly, her mind was in another place.

Beca found herself staring at Katerina's neck, specifically the scars on it. It made her want to talk more, but she knew she shouldn't press the matter further. She had to have got them when she was like two, it's unlikely she would even want to talk about it. And, so Beca's eyes started to drift downwards...towards Katerina's bikini.

This didn't avoid the blonde's own gaze, as she smirked and stretched out her back, puffing her breasts forward.

"Mmm, your mind is somewhere else, isn't it ?"

Beca blinks "Wh-what ?"

"That little encounter earlier...it's got you thinking about something you missed." Katerina says, wiggling her eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

Beca hastily shakes her head, the words scrambling out "No; that was just creepy! I- I mean-"

Katerina smirks and places a finger on Beca's lips, effectively shushing her.

"I do find they need to breathe at times." Katrina says, looking down at her chest and back to Beca "Do you want to see them ?" she asked with the casualness of asking for a cup of coffee.

"I- uh- what ?" Beca says, completely flustered.

Katerina's smirk takes Cheshire cat proportions.

"I don't hear a no. So I'll take it as a yes."

Katerina reaches behind her back, and starts unhooking the snaps of her bra. 

One the straps are down, Beca's eyes were glued to the older girl's chest as she held the item up with one arm.

"You're cute when you freeze like that." Katerina laughs wistfully, releasing her arm and letting her bra, exposing her B plus size breasts.

Beca felt her jaw slack, her mouth dry and the blood rushing from her head and down southwards. 

This is far from the first time Beca has seen a naked girl, let alone up close.

In school, there was a thing called locker rooms one must use, but when Beca used them, she was pretty shy. She wasn't as developed as the other girls when she started going and was worried and nervous every time she saw another girl with her clothes off.

When Beca changes, she'd find a small corner to hide in to undress,  hoping to avoid gawking eyes or intrusive thoughts. Puberty was not kind to Beca Mitchell.
Katerina literally snaps Beca out from her trance with a snap of her things.

When Beca's eyes come back into focus, Katerina playfully wiggles her toro, watching Beca's eyes as her breasts shake.

"Well, how'd you like them ?"

"I.." Beca starts before stopping. The words just won't come out. 

Something in the back of her mind was telling Beca this was wrong; this was supposed to be a friendly hike in the woods. She was sixteen, and has been avoiding intimate relationships as a wallflower. She only knew Katerina for like a week, and she's old enough to be a college girl at least.

"It's amazing how you can say so little, Mitchell." Katerina remarks, squeezing one of her nipples "I assume you are a girl of action...so how about you touch them ?"

Beca glanced up from Katerina's breasts and to her eyes.

"Touch them ?" she asks.

"Let your hands speak for you."

Beca reaches forward hesitantly before stopping herself.

"No- I can't. This isn't right. I-I just-" Beca starts to stutter, before she notices the way Katerina's eyes are moving.

As if the world froze around her, Katerina takes Beca's wrist and guides it to her breast.

Beca felt her heart stop at the immediate contact. She couldn't quite find the words to describe it; like holding a balloon full of hamburger meat or something. Beca bit her lip at the intensity, and tried to move her hand away, but Katerina kept a firm hold.

"You're scared aren't you, Mitchell ?" Katerina crocks and eyebrow "I take it this is the first time you felt a woman like this."

As she says this, Katerina moves her hand, guiding Beca's touch.

"Don't they feel good ? It's little wonder to me, why boys get so goo goo over them." Katerina lays her head back and moans at the feeling.

It took a while for Beca to realize when Katerina was no longer holding her wrist. When she does so, Beca releases Katerina's breast and climbs back away.

"I can't believe I just did that." Beca says, covering her mouth.

"Believe it." Katerina winks "I normally don't put out like this on the first outing."

Beca looks away, a thousand thoughts going through her head at once, when Katerina places a finger under Beca's chin.

"You didn't like it, did you ?"

"No, I did- I-" Beca tries to say before covering her mouth again, exhaling deeply "I'm a virgin."

This put a pause in Katerina, whose face fell flat. As if she was trying to process how to respond, Katerina settled for something looking like a concerned frown.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to take advantage like that, and I overstepped my boundary." Katerina says, sounding rather monotone. Like someone trying to sound apologetic when they had no such experience.

Beca sits up in a crouching position, looking away into the dirt.

"I-I mean it's cool." Beca says with a shake "I just...didn't see my day turning out like this."

"I mean, if you prefer having a first experience at a more preferable date - a special occasion -  far be it from me to take that from you." Katrina says, hugging Beca, who was barely fazed at the half naked woman's body pressing against her own.

"I'd-I'd like that." Beca says after thinking for a minute.

"It's just, I've had people try to take advantage of me before." Katerina shrugs "Did a number on my own boundaries."

Beca looks to Katerina "I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say."

"Tried was the key word." Katerina says "Like I said, no one likes a wet blanket."

Beca doesn't know how else to respond, and only nods "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am." Katerina says "Now, tell you what. You close your eyes, breath for a few minutes, and relax. In a bit, you can easily forget about what just happened."

"I guess." Beca says, still sounding unsure of herself.

Katerina climbs in front of Beca, making her look her in the eyes, her pupils once again shifting "Breath in...breath out.."

Out of control of her own impulses, Beca does so, her breathing matching the beat of the way the blonde's pupils shrink and grow.

"That's a good girl..." Katerina whispers, rubbing a hand up and down Beca's back. Another off putting feeling started to overtake Beca; it was uncomfortably comfortable. Sleepy basically, the kind of sleepy you get when you really don't want to miss a movie you're watching late at night, but the audio is just too soothing.

"K-Kat, what are you doing ?"

"Shhhh, it's okay Belle." Katrina says, placing a kiss on the temple "Do you know what a blood pact is ?"

Beca doesn't answer, letting out a combination of a moan and a whine as she felt Katerina practically rocking her.

"It's a promise between friends, one you have to keep. I think we should do something special for Halloween this year, if you're up for it ?" Katerina says, lowering her head to whisper to Beca "But where I come from, there's an STD risk in making such a pact. I prefer keeping it relatively clean."

"Kat I-" Beca tries to say before Katerina pulls back, and looks in her eyes; once again her pupils appear to shift "I...what do you need me to do ?"

Katerina licks her lips, lowering her head down to kiss Beca on the mouth, her cheek, down her neck, and reaching that spot where the shoulder meets the neck, and gently nips down.

Suddenly, Beca feels the pull of sleep too overwhelming.

-----

Casa Del Bella, March 18, 2021

Beca awakes with a yawn and stretches. Subconsciously, she places two fingers on the spot where her shoulder meets her neck.

She looks around her bedroom to see Chloe missing from their bed. It takes a minute for her mind and ears to adjust. The shower was running in their bathroom, and Chloe's voice can be heard singing "Nine to Five".

Beca looks around, and sees that she's naked; she remembers the night before that Chloe and Beca have taken to sleeping in the nude, and cuddling.

At this point in the pregnancy, Chloe wasn't in the mood for sex as she used to, mostly for physical comfort reasons, but cuddles is what she settled for. Especially since Bella has spent less and less time going into their room, and more times going into Carmilla and Laura's.

Climbing out of bed, Beca picks up some fresh clothes from the drawer and makes her way to her bathroom.

"They just/Use your mind/ and they never give you credit-" Chloe sings as Beca steps in.

Setting the clothes on the counter to their sink, next to Chloe's own set of clothes, Beca makes her way to the shower curtain, and steps in with Chloe.
"-It's enough to drive you/crazy if you let it!" Beca adds, wrapping her arms around Chloe's torso and kissing her on the mouth.

"You don't think I woke anyone, did you ?" Chloe asks.

"Nah," Beca shakes her head, "I heard Stace and Brey heading downstairs about an hour ago, almost woke me up."

Chloe, having spent the last two minutes soaking under the shower stream, steps out to let Beca soak herself, taking a loofah and lathering it with soap.
"You know what day it is ?" Chloe asks.

"Thursday." Beca replies.

"Synder Day." Chloe nods "Aubrey and Laura want us up bright and early. We're going to meet that couple we told you about."

Beca nods, taking the loofa from Chloe, and lathering up her torso. Chloe of course refers to a couple Laura, Chloe and Aubrey met in the Whitechapel area; one who had a dhampir baby of their own, who agreed to let them know what they were in for in both pregnancy and child rearing.

As it turns out, they were also planning to see the same movie as they.

Beca's really starting to notice this now, but Chloe has been looking rather pale lately. She saw signs of it, but the pregnancy has been making Chloe a little sluggish by the looks of it. She's always be either sleepy, or hungry.

Stacie and Aubrey explained that cravings were normal when carrying a baby, but Stacie couldn't recall any excessive drowsiness when she carried Bella.

Looking over Chloe's otherwise beaming and glowing features...she does look like she could use a bit of sun. There's also dark patches around Chloe's eyes, which don't make sense as she's been sleeping like a baby.

"Anyways, I've been told this one is going to have an intermission. You know they originally were going to release it as a miniseries." Chloe notes, now taking her turn to lather Beca.

"Hmm, I heard that." Beca nods, pouring a cap full of shampoo into one hand and brushing it through her wet hair. Chloe helps her out, and washes her hands through Beca's hair.

"Really looking forward to seeing Darksied. Hope he's done more justice here than in Smallville." Chloe adds, before letting out a groan. Beca turns around to see Chloe placing a hand over her small, newly formed, baby bump.

"What's wrong ?" Beca asks.

"Nothing, kid's getting hungry; he's about to get his first taste of popcorn today, so he should be." Chloe says, lovingly rubbing a hand across her belly.

Beca gives an "Okay, then." looking smile, before the two finish up their shower.

----

Once Beca and Chloe redress, the two join the other five girls downstairs, and after a small breakfast they are ready for their first big trip out of the house in two long months.

This was one that Bella and her mothers where looking forward to especially; back when it was just Stacie, Bella and Aubrey, the three made a point to catch the premiere of every Marvel or DC movie they could.

When Beca and Chloe first joined them, their first date was to see the premiere of Venom in 2018 - Into The Spider Verse was the first one they took Bella too, as their first family outing.

The only time they let restrictions get in the way was for Wonder Woman 1984, leaving Birds of Prey to be the last film they saw in theatres. 

Until today that is.

Whitechapel, Ontario was a neighboring town to Bailey Downs, and unlike it's neighbor had a pretty big variety of supernatural instances. By all accounts, vampires got Whitechapel, while werewolves got Bailey Downs. Cross town competitive sports became especially competitive in that regard.

Ontario weather has been getting disproportionately warm. While this allowed the girls to dress lighter, it is a little concerning for the environmentalist in one.
Stacie and Aubrey were just finished dressing Bella up for the trip.

Compared to the more plain clothes the adult women were wearing, Bella was a little more extravagant and stylish; a small jean jacket, a small toque, white leggings and dress, and set of booties.

"It occurs to me now, that Wandavison and Wonder Woman 84 were the same story." Aubrey notes.

"How so ?" Stacie asks.

"Think about it; two superheroines, using magic and wish fulfillment to resurrect a dead boyfriend - at the expense of enslaving someone else at that - a male and female villain, the latter of whom is or pretends to be a friend of the protagonists." Aubrey says, making gestures with each comparison.

"I think you're putting too much thought into it-" Carmilla starts before Laura interrupts her.

"Hey! There's no such thing as too much thought in comics analysis." Laura pitches in.

Chloe steps in, having redressed in a more stylish top and jacket that had her pregnancy bump especially noticeable "Alrighty, is that everything ?" she asks.

"I'd say so." Stacie nods "No one needs to use the bathroom ?"

"Can we just go ?" Chloe says, sounding a little impatient, her voice raised a little "I hate it when people tell you to hurry up, when they're the ones taking their time!"

The other girls stare at Chloe, who takes a second to compose herself.

"Sorry," Chloe breaths out "I think the mood swings are already kicking in."

The girls nodded before they finally took their leave from the house.

On the way to their vehicles, Beca takes Laura by the arm and whispers to them.

"Who did you say those people are ? The ones were supposed to meet ?"

"Oh, just a few locals who recognized me. Turns out Carm and I have fans in the vampire community as well." Laura explains.

"So we're seeing other vampires ?" Beca asks.

"Is that alright ?"

Beca hesitantly nods "I guess, I mean if anyone understands how vampire pregnancies work, best go to the source for advice."

"But you're nervous." Laura says.

"I mean, I try not to be." Beca shrugs "But when it comes to vampires asking you for lunch or dinner, I can't help but think of a euphemism."

"Understandable." Laura nods "I heard there was a vampire restaurant in Whitechapel back in the day for taking human dates for dinner. But last I checked it was closed down."

"And ?" Beca asks.

"It was a euphemism."

-----

Whitechapel, Ontario (Previous Week)

On their previous visit, they stopped at a coffee shop to take a breather, and a lunch break. Their meal consisted of hot chocolate, dough gods, muffins and ginger snap cookies.

Laura recalls Aubrey and Chloe bringing up instances of how they got together in conversations between the two, only to dance around the subject when they noticed Laura was there.

At the coffee shop, Laura would bring up this one time she and Carm visited Roswell. Specifically, Laura was talking about how she was doing a report on a man who claimed to assemble an authentic space ship from parts he found.

"There we were at this presentation, right ?" Laura starts "And the guy kept telling all these different stories of how he was abducted six times."

"And people bought it ?" Aubrey asks.

"I mean, I started to buy it. You don't go through what I went through and expect not to have an open mind." Laura says "Anyways, he tells the crowd that the aliens have been putting instructions in his head, right ? Telling him to build a miniature spacecraft for them to collect."

"And what did he build ?" Chloe asks.

"At the presentation ? It looked like one of those flying cars." Laura says "You know, the kind you see on The Jetsons or Futurama. And I was like 'Whoa Carm, are you seeing this ?' and she's like 'You do know this guy has a history of doing peyote ?'"

"And ?"

"He gets in, and gives the crowd a demonstration and by God, it starts flying." Laura says, picking a dough god off her plate and motions it to fly around "And after like sixteen seconds it drops."

"Well, was he okay ?"

"He popped one of his shoulders but was otherwise fine. And after the demonstration, these guys from this organization-" 

"Did they have this ?" Aubrey asks, taking a pen from her purse and putting a napkin on the table in front of them. She draws a symbol resembling a sideways hourglass, or an X with two horizontal lines on the side.

"I say that sign somewhere," Laura adds looking down at the drawing "But no it wasn't them. Why do you ask ?"

Aubrey shrugs with a small but knowing smile on her face "Dad's got these connects you know ? Someone has to keep an eye on the bigger monsters. That's about all I can tell you-"

As they were having this conversation, they noticed two girls about college age looking at them from another table across from them.

One looked to be one of those high school popular girl stereotypes, with long, platinum blonde hair and a stylish leather jacket and pants.

The other was a black girl, who looked pretty for sure, but dressed more plainly, like she didn't want to stick out; something she put empathizes on by looking into a book, but still glancing at their direction.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help but overhear." The blonde girl says.

"Pretty sure I was whispering." Laura notes.

"Erica, don't bother them please." The blonde's friend tries to talk this Erica girl down.

"You're here, aren't you ?" This girl, Erica says, pointing at Laura, getting up from her table, making her way to the other three.

"I am a her, yes." Laura nods. Aubrey and Chloe glance at each other awkwardly.

"Laura Hollis." Erica says "I'm sorry, it's just Sarah and I were fans of your vlog back in the day." 

Erica gestures to her friend, still sitting at their table, trying to look away, but waving with an apologetic smile on her face.

"You're kind of famous in the vampire community. You and Carmilla." Erica adds, flashing her fangs, which cause Aubrey and Chloe to flinch back.

"I get that a lot." Laura nods.

The other girl, Sarah get's up from her seat and takes Erica by the arm.

"Erica, come on. They're out with their friends, and don't need us bothering them." Sarah says, before regarding the other three "Sorry about my friend, she's still not used to the fact she's still a teenager only a technicality."

Erica scoffs and glances at Sarah "Aren't you the one who had a panic attack when you saw Kristen Stewart last year."

"I didn't expect to actually see her!" Sarah says, putting her hands on her waist.

"What was she like ?" Chloe asks, getting the other two's attention. 

They also notice the small baby bump on Chloe's belly...and a scent coming off her.

"Is that what I think it is ?" Erica mutters under her breath.

"Uh," Chloe says looking at her own shirt "Why yes, it's white flannel. Thanks for noticing."

"She's..." Sarah starts, before addressing Laura "Sorry, we'll be out of your hair."

Erica ignores her friend and points to Chloe "It's a vampire, isn't it."

Laura glances at Erica, takes her wrist and pulls it down "Dhampir actually. And she's doing it for me and-"

They are interrupted by the shrill gasp, as Erica covers her mouth "You and Carm ?"

"Yes, and we'd appreciate it if you kept on the downlow." Laura says, gritting her teeth.

"I mean." Erica shrugs "It's a bit of a coincidence this is happening again."

"Again ?" Aubrey and Chloe ask at the same time.

"It's just my friend here, and her boy toy." Erica starts, causing Sarah to glance at her in annoyance "They have a little monster of their own you see."
This has Laura's attention "Come again ?"

Sarah sighs before reluctantly stepping into the conversation "What she's saying is dhampir pregnancies are rare. So it's a little weird to come across two in one lifetime."

"Have you ever," Erica starts, glancing between the other three "Looked up the risks ?"

As Erica asks this, Laura looks away with an almost guilty expression, but Chloe answers for her.

"I mean, every pregnancy has risks." Chloe shrugs "Laura had health issues, so that's why she needed a surrogate."

"It's nothing too bad," Laura says sheepishly "Just my doctor was a little concerned."

"But have you considered what raising the kid would be like ?" Sarah asks "There's a few things about dhampirs they don't teach you in parenting class."

"Is that so ?" Chloe asks.

The conversation went on for a few minutes, but the short of it was the black girl, Sarah Fox Morgan, handing Laura her number if she had any questions. As it turned out, Sarah's friends were planning on catching a theatrical release of the Snyder Cut the following week, much like Chloe and her girlfriends. 

They agreed to meet at the mall before the premiere. 

-----

Whitechapel, Ontario, March 18

The first actual stop was in the Whitechapel Station Mall. 

There were other places Laura wanted to visit there when it was her, Chloe and Aubrey, but alas restrictions were still in place. Plus, this was supposed to be where they meet the dhampir kid.

Anything to see what they were in for.

Arriving at the mall, they were told to meet at the food court. The place wasn't exactly packed, with about eighty or sixty customers here at the time.

Aubrey and Stacie took Bella for a walk to check out the stores, while Carmilla, Laura, Chloe and Beca sat at an isolated table on the east end of the court.

Laura notices Carmilla fidgeting a little.

"Nervous ?" She asks her girlfriend.

Carmilla looks at Laura "No, just a draft." She says with her eyes darting.

"Is that them now ?" Beca asks, gesturing to the doorway, as five people make their way to their table.
 
It was four college age seeming young adults, two boys and two girls. Chloe and Laura recognize Sarah and Erica immediately, but the two white boys were new; they were a little on the lanky side and both had brunette hair, and were dressed in more plain clothes than their female counterparts.

They'd be soon introduced as Benny Weir and Ethan Morgan.

At Ethan's side was a little boy, holding both his and Sarah's hands; he resembled what one would expect a seven year old version of Ethan to look like, but had Sarah's dark skin - albeit, with a slightly lighter complexion - and short, matted black hair.

Out of this group, once the blonde girl, Erica, laid eyes on Carmilla, she quickened her pace, and without caring that she was in a public place, dashed to their table at super speed.

Curiously, no one raised an eye, save for one customer nearly spilling their drink as she passed by.

"Oh my god..." Erica says, clearly star struck at seeing both Carmilla and Laura at the same time "You're here! You're actually here!"

"I mean," Carmilla looks around with a modest smile on her face, looking around the food court "Nothing gets past you."

"I'm sorry, my partners and I are fans of you and-" Erica starts before Carmilla raises her hand to stop her from making a public scene of a geek-out.

"I get that a lot." Carmilla says "Laura tells me we're celebrities of the vampire scene around here."

Before Erica can reply, her other three partners make their way to the table. Out of them, Benny walks up to Erica, while Ethan and Sarah can be seen crouching down and whispering to their son, who buries his head at Sarah's leg, clearly shy.

"As a matter of fact you are." Benny says for Erica, putting an arm over the blonde's shoulder (which he removes as she glares at him) "I mean, after someone like Horace Black, the vampires around here could use the good publicity."

"Wait, this is Horace's community ?" Carmilla asks, getting a look from the other three girls at her table.

"Friend of yours ?" Laura asks.

"Kinda, sorta, not really ?" Carmilla answers, but her inflection makes it sound like she's asking a question "It was from my Mircalla days. Didn't think he was still around."

"He's not." says Ethan as he and Sarah step up to the table, with Ethan carrying the boy "It's a long story."

As the women at the table take notice of the boy, Chloe waves at the kid with a gentle smile "Hi guy," she says with a friendly tone "This your first time seeing a celebrity ?"

The boy shakes his head, speaking in a timid voice "Last year, my momma and I saw Kristen Stewart."

"Ah, really ? What was she like ?" Chloe asks.

"When I saw her, she was friendly." Beca said, noting a chance encounter the two had a couple years back at a party.

"Come on now, don't be shy." Laura says, trying to sound gentle "Why don't you introduce yourself ?"

The seven year old steps forward after seeing an encouraging nod from Sarah.

"My name Junior." 

"Junior as in ?" Laura starts.

"Ethan Benjamin Morgan Junior." Sarah says, putting her hands on her son's shoulder.

This get's a look from Beca and Chloe, the former of whom points between Benny and Ethan "So he's...are you two-?"

"It's a little complicated, and not something we are exactly public about..." Ethan says, as he, his partners and their son take their seats across from the four women "It's the four of us actually."

This actually gets a smile from the four women, who exchange a glance.

"No way!" Chloe says in genuine astonishment.

"Look, I know it's not traditional." Ethan starts "But the four of us - and our friend Rory - we been through a lot together and when Junior came along-"

"No, it's just." Beca says biting back a little giggle "Me and Chloe here, are in the same kind of unit."

"No shit," Erica smiles, before covering her mouth in realization she cursed in front of Junior. Sarah lightly smacks Erica on he arm.

"Yeah, actually." Chloe starts "Our other girlfriends, you just missed them. You two," she says pointing the Sarah and Erica "You saw Aubrey the other day. She and Stacie are shopping with our daughter Bella, they should be back in half an hour."

"We're in a bit of a hurry." Laura says "Got a show to catch in about an hour."

"Snyder Cut ?" Erica and Benny ask at the same time.

"Snyder Cut." Laura, Carmilla, Beca and Chloe answer at the same time.

After a pause, Chloe decides to change the subject to the matter at hand.

"So, we're told your son here is special." She says, turning her attention to the seven year old at hand "What can you tell us about yourself ?"

The boy looks away, shyly, which prompts Erica and Sarah to rub his back soothingly, while Ethan explains for him.

"He's a nervous one. He's not good with crowds or meeting new people." Ethan says "I won't bore you with the details, but he's..."

"Scared of biting people." Benny finishes for Ethan, patting him on the back.

Nodding in understanding, Chloe gets up from her seat and walks around the travel, crouching down to Junior's eye level "It's okay sweetie. I used to be scared of meeting new people too."

Junior says nothing, but nods. Chloe continues.

"When I was about your age, I had these two neighbors. They were sisters, and a lot of people found them odd. Same way, people around here might seem odd." Chloe says "Anyways, one summer, they had to keep an eye on me three or four times. They mostly sat me down in front of the TV, but once they wanted to do a makeup job on me for a photoshoot."

"What happened ?" Junior asks.

"The older one ? She's got a bit of a dark side, but they both showed me that weird people can be cool too. The older sister even taught me how to be more confident like she is." Chloe answers "The point is, you don't have to be scared or nervous just because some people find you a bit odd."

"I know." Junior nods "My parents try teaching me that."

"And ?"

"I think they are a little scared of me." He answers.

This causes a noticeable stir in both Ethan and Sarah, the latter of whom steps forward and says "That's not true. It's other people who scare us."

"She says." Junior says under his breath.

To change an uncomfortable subject Sarah speaks up yet again.

"So, we understand you're expecting...someone like Junior, yourself." As Sarah says this, she and Ethan take seats at the table, with Sarah taking Junior and placing him on her lap "Have you been having issues lately ?"

"I had cravings." Chloe nods going back in her seat "And been feeling sleepy lately, but I'm pretty sure that's normal...and feeling a little flushed."
Carmilla notices the way Junior is looking at her, as the kid averts his eyes when she looks at him.

"Is he okay ?" Carmilla asks.

Junior looks away again, this time looking over his mothers shoulder.

"He's fine." Ethan says "He's just not used to other va- Like I said, he's not used to meeting new people, especially vampires."

Carmilla smiles, leaning slightly over the table at the kid, "It's alright, I won't bite."

Junior looks unamused as he says "Momma Erica uses that all the time."

Erica notably blushes when she hears this.

"Ah, well comedy isn't my forte." Carmilla nods "But we came here to find out more about you - it's for my baby, you see. We want to know what to expect from a child who has what you have."

Junior looks confused as he looks to his mother, who smiles at him encouragingly, mouthing "Go on."

After Junior takes a moment to find the words, he speaks them "When I play with the other kids, I have to be careful because sometimes I don't know my own strength."

"Is that so ?" Laura asks playfully, "How strong are you ?"

"When I was five I could beat Uncle Rory in an arm wrestling contest." Junior says proudly.

"Is that so ? What else ?"

"There's a tetherball at school, and when I played it once, I broke it off it's chain." Junior says with a little giggle.

"And...how do you eat ?" Beca starts trying to ask around an uncomfortable subject.

"I bite, I chew and I swallow." Junior says in a deadpan voice.

"No but, do you...drink from people or animals ?" Beca asks with a little more caution.

Junior shakes his head "Not anymore. My parents have me take these red pills - they taste bad but it's better than needles. My favorite food is toast with peanut butter and Nutella - it's like Recces but for breakfast."

As soon as he says this, Sarah realizes it's time to talk a little more about personal and not so appropriate stuff, so she ushers her son off her laps "Okay kid, it's grownup talk time now." She looks to Benny and Erica who nod and take Junior by the hand.

"Come on kiddo, let's see what's on sale." Benny says, as he and Erica walk the seven year old away from the food court.

"Remember we're on a time limit." Ethan calls after them, before focusing his attention on the women at the table.

The next few minutes was Ethan and Sarah going over their histories, along with the other four women.

Of how in addition to vampires, Benny was a spellmaster, and Ethan was a seer who could glimpse the past, future and truth of a supernatural presence by physical contact.

They also covered the chaos the town was thrown in when the Lucifractor exploded - it's quite a bit of a story to get through but the short of it was the family the Whitechapel gang formed, and that their friend Rory now has a high seat in the vampire council. 

But that's a story for another day.

They briefly mention Sarah's old boyfriend Horace "Jesse" Black, but in a way that made it seem like they were dancing around the subject.

Given Sarah's reluctance to talk about it, and Carmilla's apparent familiarity with the guy, it couldn't have been a good relationship. It brought to Beca's mind, more memories of Katerina, and in turn made her shudder unconsciously. 

"So what about you ?" Ethan gestures to Beca, "You and your friends got a story of your own ?"

"Me personally ? Before Barden ?" Beca asks "No, not really." she lies through her teeth "I mean, I grew up in Haddonfield, but I spent the last few years of high school in Mysti-" she says a little more truthfully before being interrupted.

"Wait, that Haddonfield ?" Sarah asks "The one that was on Buzzfeed last Halloween ?"

"Yes. That one." Beca sighs "I never seen him if that's what you're asking. But my past isn't what we're here to talk about."

"So about that." Ethan says a little more seriously "Raising a dhampir and the risks that come with it."

"I mean, every kid can be a handful, right ?" Laura asks with an innocent smile, but guilty looking eyes.

"Yeah but when you put vampires into the mix, it becomes an Indiana Jones adventure."  Sarah says.

"How so ?" Beca and Laura ask at the same time.

"Well, we already have to keep Junior's strength in check. We have to feed him blood capsuls-"

"So the kid will be drinking blood ?" Beca asks, making sure she's heard correctly.

"I mean, you can get it in pill form." Sarah says "But only when they are ready; me ? I had to do it while breastfeeding."

As she says this, Carmilla, Beca, and Laura cross their arms over their chests defensively.

"That's reassuring." Chloe says with a cheeky smile. Jury's out on if she was being sarcastic or using Gallows Humor.

"Look, that's beside the point." Ethan says "The point is, we are able to raise Junior in a relatively normal way. We take him to school, have family movie nights, summer vacations, the whole nine yards."

"What he's saying is what kind of kid he is, depends on how you raise him." Sarah says "Which is true for all parenting. Sure the kid being a dhampir caused a few small setbacks, but that fact remains."

After a moment of silence, Ethan asks "So, uh, was there a donor or-?"

"No," Laura says shaking her head "It's an experimental procedure. Our Doctors - Niehaus and Cormier -have been working on a procedure to combine two women's eggs to make an embryo."

Laura then gestures to Chloe.

"As you can see, so far it's been a success." Laura says.

"Okay then." Sarah nods "This is new."

Chloe smiles and places a hand on her stomach "I wanted to do something special - be the first to bring a child into the world, mother by two women ? One of them being a vampire ? It was the chance of a lifetime."

"And a pretty risky one." Ethan says "When Sarah was pregnant, she was scarier than usual - even made Erica cry a few times."

"Okay but that was because she was a vampire, right ?" Laura asks "Human's wouldn't be so needlessly aggressive, over the slightest hiccup, right ?"

There is a brief pause, before all six burst into laughing.

After quickly reserving themselves, Beca wipes one of her eyes to ask "So how common are vampire human children anyway ? All we want to know is how to make things easier. What should we expect ?"

"Mood swings will be a nightmare." Ethan says, counting one finger "You're also going to be excessively sleepy and hungry, so make sure you keep eating. Those two are connected by the way." He says to Chloe.

"What ?" Laura and Chloe ask at the same time.

"From what we experienced, dhampirs also need to drink blood." Sarah says "They can survive on regular food, but blood is what get's them charged up. It's like drinking boost. This includes in utero, so you may become excessively hungry - but if it doesn't get blood, it will feed a little off the mother."

"But you said there's blood pills, right ?" Carmilla asks "It should work, right ?" as she asks this, she looks around the table, briefly noting Beca glancing between Laura and Chloe.

"Yeah, there's pills for that." Ethan says assuringly, sensing the rising tension "But even without the, it most likely won't cause Chloe any serious harm, just make her drowsier every now and then. As long as she keeps eating it should be a non issue."

This calms Beca considerably, but she noticeable shivers as she forces her concerns into the back of her mind. Chloe notices this and places a calming hand on Beca's own.

"Do we know of any other damphirs ?" Chloe asks, keeping her otherwise cheerful demeanor.

"Depends on the strain." Sarah shrugs "We're of the Silas strain, and while we don't know much of hybrids, we know Jess- Horace Black, was the first hereditary vampire of Silas' bloodline. So we can expect more of the same from your kid." She says pointing between Carmilla and Laura.

"Hereditary vampires ?" Chloe says "So he'll grow ? He'll age ?"

"Till he reaches early adulthood, yes." Carmilla answers her.

As they're conversation finishes they see they see Aubrey, Stacie and Bella making their way back to the food  court, two backs in Stacie and Aubrey's respective hands, while Bella held heir free hands.

"Guess what Bella picked up at the book store." Aubrey says as she takes an unoccupied seat.

"A Leprechaun playing the blues ?" Carmilla asks jokingly.

"Frozen books!" Bella says enthusiastically, stepping away from Stacie and Aubrey, climbing onto Carmilla's lap. Bella reaches for a bag in Stacie's hand, pulling out two respective copies of A Forest of Shadows and Dangerous Secrets.

"Bella, sweetie, I'd like you to meet Ethan and Sarah Morgan." Chloe says as her daughter gets settled in. Sarah gives Bella a friendly wave "Sarah here is a lot like Carmilla."

"Can she turn into a kitty too ?" Bella asks, earning a small laugh from the other vampire at the table.

"Can't say that I can," Sarah says with a friendly smile "But I can fly."

Bella turns to Carmilla "Can you fly too ?"

"I tried; heights scare me." Carmilla says, deadpan despite her smile.

Right as she says this, Benny and Erica make their way back to the food court, with Junior at their side. He too was carrying a bag.

"Take a look at what we got Junior!" Benny says a little proud at Junior's find. When they take their seat at the table, Junior takes three books out from the bag, consisting of three Star Wars Books; Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Final Command.

"Papa Benny and Momma Erica want to the check out the old Star Wars stuff." Junior explains, showing off Heir.

"Is Rey in those books ? Or Finn ? Or Kylo Ren ?" Bella asks innocently, earning a flat 'Are you serious ?' look from Benny and Erica.

"I don't know," Junior answers "But maybe Ezra is; they have Thrawn at least."

Bella slides off of Carmilla's lap, taking her books, as she and Junior move to their respective corners of the table, talking about Star Wars and Frozen, while the relatively young adults look on at how the seem to make fast friends.

As the parents looked on, they continued talking among themselves; aside from Erica and Laura leaving the table to make food orders, the two groups talked about their respective lives and family unit's together.

In recent times, the Morgan/Fox/Weir/Jones clan have been having Star Wars marathon with Junior, and Erica (leaning more to being a Legends fangirl) wanted to get her son to have a look at Legends to expand his horizons on Star Wars.

This has been a small point of contention, as Sarah is into the new Canon, and knows little of what Erica is talking about half the time.

Canon vs Legends arguments can be vitriolic between the two, but the angry/make-up sex is fantastic.

At some point in the discussion, Beca asks Ethan "So you say you're a seer, right ?"

"I mean, my powers have changed a little over the years, but yeah." Ethan nods.

"So you can see other people's future ?" Chloe asks.

"I mean, there's restrictions." Ethan starts to explain "First off, someone has to be supernatural or related to the supernatural; I can only see glimpses, and not all of them are cut and dry."

"Well..." Chloe starts "Can you give me a shot ?"

"What ?"

"For the baby ?" Chloe says, placing a hand on her stomach "I just want to know if...he'll be okay."

Ethan looks at her questioningly, before looking back and forth between his own partners and Chloe's - Beca looks the most cautious - before he nods.

"Sure, I- I can give it a shot." Ethan nods.

He  steps out from his seat, around the table and towards Chloe, putting a tentative hand on her stomach while she silently encourages him.

There was an underlining tension between the two groups, as Ethan pauses, and fidgets a little as his eyes flash a milky white.

Ethan pulls his hand away, and takes a moment for his head to resettle itself before he nods with an unsure expression "I...yeah, I'm pretty sure he'll be okay." he says with a smile.

"And Chloe ?" Beca asks.

"I didn't see her, but I think I saw the baby; he wasn't quite a baby anymore in what I seen." Ethan says, looking to Carmilla and Laura.

"What exactly did you see ?" Laura asks, and before Ethan can answer she says "On second thought, no! Don't spoil it!"

"Are you sure ?"

"Positive." Laura smiles "Life's boring without surprises."

"If you say so." Ethan says, sitting back in his sweat, placing a hand on his forehead.

"What's wrong ?" Chloe asks.

"Nothing." Ethan waves dismissively, "I just get headaches from these from time to time."

As he says this, he tries to banish these visions from his head.

The first vision was of a boy at five years old, hugging a woman with black  hair (presumably Carmilla). For some reason the kid was crying. They were in a hospital room.

The second vision had an older version of the boy - probably in his teens, most certainly at Ethan's own age when he first discovered vampires - in a more apocalyptic setting. Ash, lighting and darkness filled the sky, as the unearthly call of a massive, unseen presence echoes through the air. The boy was heading towards that presence with a determined look on his face. He was carrying what appeared to be a sword over his shoulder.

The third vision was from another's perspective. Presumably the child's own vison; all that could be heard was the sound of a baby crying, and all that could be seen was a woman's mouth...a woman's fanged mouth, as it smiles at him, with blood running down from her lower lip. Aside from her mouth, her face cannot be seen.

"Oh fudge, it's getting to be around that time." Stacie's voice says, snapping Ethan out of his haze.

"Snyder time ?" Bella asks from across the table.

"Snyder time, Belles." Stacie says "In about forty minutes."

----

The two respective groups reached the same theatre in about twenty minutes; it became something of a "double family outing". Not since the Bella's caught the Endgame premiere have they been in such a packed theatre.

Thus far, they found the movie not only an improvement over the Wheadon version, feeling like it was the first "true blue" DC movie they had in a while.

In the Bellas group, Bella Conrad was a better sport when it came to the Darksied sequences than Junior was - the little tyke could endure Endgame, she could endure this.

One thing they felt the movie could do without was the excessive slow motion.

It eventually came time for the intermission. While Stacie, Aubrey, and Carmilla were saving their seats, Beca and Laura went to the concession stand to get more snacks whilst Chloe took Bella to the bathroom.

On their way to the  concession stand, Beca manages to bring up a subject she's been otherwise dodging the whole day. In fact, the past two months.

"So, those medical issues ?" Beca says "You never told us what they are."

"Hm?" Laura answers before saying "Oh that ? It's just a little risky for me and my family; my mom had a miscarriage years before she had me, and another when I was two. And my grandma before her lost three in pregnancy, and only managed to have two children."

She says this with a nervous twinge, possibly due to the uncomfortable subject, but also like she's hiding something.

Beca nods "Sorry to hear that. I didn't mean to pry, it's just..."

"You're worried about Chloe ?" Laura nods in a more understanding tone "No, I get it, but there's I think there's something else to it."

"There is," Beca says, sounding unintentionally sounding standoffish, stopping when she and Laura reach the line.

"Look, I almost." Beca hesitates before she sighs "I almost lost Chloe before."

"You mean...?"

"I almost lost lost Chloe." Beca clarifies, quieting down a little to not draw attention from the movie goers "Look, my family ? It kind of fell apart in high school, I won't bore you with the details. When it became me, Chloe, Brey and Stace-"

"You got your family back ?" Laura says.

"And then some." Beca nods "And when we became a family, I didn't want to lose it again. Again, I won't bore you with the details, but...Chloe was in the hospital. I didn't think she'd make it. It's one of the reasons we don't talk about how we became a family."

As Beca says this, she shudders a little, and even wipes one of her eyes.

Laura places an arm around Beca's shoulder and pulls her into what can only be described as a half hug; nothing to clingy or something that can draw attention; just a comforting hand on Beca's shoulder.

"Beca, I know you worry but I promise, Carm and I wouldn't have aske Chloe to do this for use if we knew she'd be in any serious danger." Laura says, practically whispering in reassurance in Beca's ear.

Beca nods again, managing to reserve herself.

"There's something else." Beca says.

"What is it ?"

"I knew that...the supernatural was real for a while now." Beca answers plainly "And I don't mean that in a 'Oh, I knew we were never alone' kind of way either...there was a girl in my high school, who had this effect on me. And she was toxic. I put her in the back of my mind for years now, but when vampires became public, it all came back to me."

Laura pauses, not knowing what to say before she finds the words.

"How bad was it ?"

"Katerina ?" Beca says "Remember when Sarah was talking about her old boyfriend ? She was my Jesse." She then clarifies "I also had a boyfriend named Jesse back in the day, but that's neither here nor there. It's just when I looked at Carmilla, it's like I can feel Katrina is there, coming back to me."

Laura faces Beca and places a hand on her cheek "But Carmilla isn't Katerina, Beca."

"I know that," Beca says "It's just like with vampires back in my life, it's like I'm stepping into another world. One I narrowly avoided years ago. I just thought of myself living a more mundane life, you know ?"

"Says the girl with three live-in girlfriends." Laura says, raising an eyebrow.

Beca shrugs and rolls her eyes with an 'Well, you got me there' expression.

"But seriously," Laura continues "When Carm and I started this life together...I was afraid of normality. I kind of feel like a bitch for saying it, but there's a small part of me that's glad Carmilla's a vampire again. I found it brought out a side in her that couldn't really come out when she was human."

"Is that so ?" 

"When we first got together, it was like stepping into a whole other world. Like I said, normality - it wasn't for me. I didn't think I was meant to be this vanilla girl, y'know ? I couldn't settle down for a white picket fence in the suburbs, or anything like that. It wasn't just vampires either. I wanted to be the kind of girl who gets to travel the world, see what can be seen; I wanted to answer the call to adventures embrace the weird around me. And I keep hearing all these stories of Carmilla and her life, that I find myself wanting more and more to be part of her world." 

Laura sighs wistfully before she continues.

"You ? You're far from normal Beca Mitchell. You get to be a successful DJ, record producer, and three beautiful girlfriends. You'd make me a little envious at what you have. Hell, we never had a third person in bed-" Laura covers her mouth, blushing furiously at the Freudian Slip she let out.

This causes Beca to smirk and chuckle under her breath, placing her hands on her hips "Well, I can see where you're coming from. And I can see where Chloe is coming from too; I mean she grew up with this stuff, I guess I should know what I'm getting myself into."

By this point, they reach the stand, and get their orders of drinks, snacks and popcorn.

As they made their way back to the theatre, Beca eyes Laura with a sly smirk, like she thought of something funny, and one that Laura notices and returns.
"What is it ?"

"About that third person in bed thing...?"

Laura let's out what could be a described as combination of a laugh and a scoff as she lightly smacks Beca's arm.

"I'm kidding!" Beca says with a mischievous smile.

Laura stops to take out her phone "Just checking something, you go on."

Beca nods and takes her leave. As she does so, she and Laura both pause, as the same thought goes through their heads - 'Still...I mean they are kind of cute together. Maybe I should talk to...Nah, Carmilla might be to much for her/me.'

Beca let's out a shaky breath at the thought as she once again made comparisons to Carmilla and Katrina, her memory coming back to their hiking trip.
Albeit with a new context in mind.

As Beca goes back into the theatre, Laura checks back to her phone.

In the past couple of months, Laura has been corresponding regularly with the old Silas Gang. As of those weeks, Danny has been leading an investigation and manhunt into what is known as the Crimson List; an operation that has been taking her, Perry, Laf and Kirsch to Europe.

Laura would check in on them three times a week on their progress; thus far, Danny has been responsible for the arrest of two names on the list in Belgium and one arrest in Paris. Now they are putting their focus on Austria, where several names have been tracked, as was the source of a cyber attack on LaFerry Industries.

The last Laura heard, their investigations took them to Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, which was about a week ago.

Since then, not a peep.

Laura checks her notifications for about a minute, only to find more of the same.

"Well then...I can always check in tomorrow." Laura thinks to herself, as she gets back into the theatre herself.

----

Elsewhere, in the lady's room, Chloe was hunched over a toilet; it was another false alarm; she's been having a lot of those lately, but she could have sworn that she had something this kid wasn't agreeing with.

"I know, I know." Chloe whispers, patting herself on the stomach "It's bugging me too."

In the toilet stall next to her, Bella can be heard saying "Momma, I'm done."

"Kay kay, sweetie." Chloe says shakily "I'm right out here."

Chloe steps out of her stall to wash her hands, and as she does so, places some water on her hands to splash her face. That drowsy feeling was coming back.
Looking at the sink's mirror, she can certainly see it too.

She looks like she hasn't had a good nap in a week. Once they get home, Chloe's gonna run herself the warmest, sudsiest bath she can, and hit the hay early. She might as well have dinner in bed while she's at it.

Once, her hands are washed, Chloe goes to the dryers and groans in frustration when they won't work when she puts her hands under them. Must be out of order.

Going to a paper towel dispenser, she can clearly see through the transparent plastic that they're almost out of towels too, but she's have to make do.

Bella walks out of her stall towards the sink, and much like at home, tries to hop/climb onto the sink despite her small size ("I can do it, I'm a big girl!" Bella would often say. "But not big enough." One of her mothers would say as they'd help her up).

Chloe smiles and reaches down to Bella's waist, lifting her to better reach the soap and faucet. As she washes her hands, Bella hums and partially sings the Drunken Sailor tune, causing Chloe to beam harder.

"You've got a ways to go, but you have it in you to be an Aca Girl." Chloe says.

"Nah, I'm gonna be warrior queen, like Xena or Lúthien." Bella says innocently.

"Lúthien wasn't a warrior, sweetie." Chloe corrects her "She was a powerful singer, though."

"I'm still gonna be like her." Bella says, with a giddy enthusiasm.

Chloe rolls her eyes, while Bella finishes up. Although considering how Stacie tried to "grow Bella's brain" by having her listen to Heather Dale songs and acapella Sabaton songs they recorded, time will tell if Crashing Down or Carolus Rex will be a positive or negative influence on Bella in the years to come.

"Ready to dry ?" Chloe ask.

Bella nods.

"Okay. Air dryers aren't working, let's get you some paper towels."

"Can I do it ? I'm a big girl." Bella says.

"Not big enough." Chloe adds, carrying Bella to the dispenser.

Holding her hands out, very let of the paper towel get's dispensed. In fact, some of it's still stuck, probably got crumbled in the machine. Still, Bella pulls harder on the paper, trying to loosen it.

"Let me," Chloe says, reaching forward by Bella smacks her hand away.

"I can do it; I'm a big girl!" As Bella says this, she reaches a little to far in trying to unjam the paper, and in the process, her finger get's pinched by the dispenser.
Bella pauses with wide eyes and a wider mouth; her eyes are watery and time seems to pause for Chloe as she sets her daughter down.

Then the noises come as Bella starts to sob, holding one hand in the other.

Chloe crouches down in front of Bella, pulling her into a hug, shushing her as Bella verges onto wailing. Chloe for her part, just rocks the toddler back in forth humming a small tune.

Chloe's a little thankful that this bathroom is empty at the moment, but the sound of Bella crying may either bring passerby's in or put them off - who wants to go into a room with a crying toddler ?

"It's okay, Belles, it's okay." Chloe whispers "Momma's here, momma's got you. Does it hurt ?"

Bella tearfully shakes her head, her lip trembles a little with a quiet "No."

"Here, lemme see." Chloe says, taking Bella's hand in her own. She gasps a little to see a small cut on Bella's pinky, and a broken nail.

"Is it bad ?" Bella asks.

Chloe smiles reassuringly, looking Bella in the face and wiping her tears.

"Nah, it just needs a band aid. Mommy's got them packed in her purse." Chloe says tenderly rubbing Bella's hand "Want me to kiss it better ?"

Bella snakingly nods, her sobbing having now reduced to sniffles.

Chloe leers down and kisses Bella's cut.

Then something on the back of Chloe's mind told her to do it again.

And again.

She peppers Bella's finger with kisses, taking in the metallic taste of her cut onto their tongue; Bella's blood, mixing into her saliva, which she swallows down.

Chloe's not sure what's coming over her, but something literally in the pit of her stomach wants more.

She gives another kiss on Bella's finger before she realizes what she's doing. She stops and looks Bella in the eye, who stares back, now considerably calm.

"Feeling better ?" 

Bella nods.

"That's a good girl." Chloe says, booping Bella on the nose "Now, Intermission's almost over - how about we get you a band aid, and enjoy the rest of the movie ?"

Bella gives a more happy nod, as Chloe stands up, takes her by the hand and walks her back to the theatre.

As she does so, Chloe feels her stomach, noticing the ache she's been feeling was now considerably soothed. She unconsciously licks her gums and swallows the last bit of taste from Bella's blood from her mouth.

It tastes uncomfortably right, like it was something she needed to take. It didn't sit right with her...but even then, felt like something this baby needs.

She shakes her head to banish the thought, and rejoins her group to watch the remainder of Zack Snyder's vision be fulfilled.

----

Bailey Downs Hills, that same evening

"And that about covers everything, any other questions ?" 

In the past few weeks, Theo Straka's trip was a bit of a clusterfuck. Much of his time was spent underground. He's a international fugitive, going by a fake name. Growing out a beard and cutting his hair down to a buzz, having to wear more baggy clothes.

Theo's face was seen all over the internet, but if he can look common enough, he shouldn't draw too much attention. He hasn't eaten right in weeks, giving him a more lanky appearance.

Day in day out he was on the road from Austria to Canada. He was a motivated guy when it comes to revenge, but so amount of determination can keep him consistently awake.

Even now, he's basically drowning out the guy's voice as he and Tara unpack their things.

"That should be about it," Tara says to the property owner, as she carries in two suit cases in both hands and a hockey bag over her back. For her part, she has gotten out of her white, form fitting clothes in favor of a more mundane and baggy design.

Somehow, Theo notices this outfit empathizing her small, perky, pixie-like demeanor.

Theo was still leaning over his car, taking in the sun as he head the guy talk about how he and his associates brought out these different properties in the region - half of them belong to an ex - and was renting it out to different families in the area.

In this case, Theo and Tara arrived with the cover story of being a couple renting out a cabin for a vacation. The property owner they were talking to seemed chill, but shady; he seemed like he was hiding something and was pretty insistent on them ignoring wolf sightings in the area ("They'll leave you alone if you leave them alone.")

"-I forgot to mention, there's been reports of a- get this - a black panther in the area. Bu-u-u-ut I wouldn't worry about it." The property owner, McCardy he's called, shrugs "Didn't cause any more problem than the wolves did."

"That's good to know." Theo follows them into the cabin, hands in his pockets and not once helping Tara with the bags still in their car.

Count Karnstien previously sent Theo to this region, having tracked the location that Carm and Laura were staying. With the mention of a black panther in the area, that sealed the deal. They were to monitor the girls...and give Carmilla a surprise when the time is right.

On the upside, at least Tara was insistent on accompanying Theo, which the good count didn't object too. On the other hand, Tara was the undisputed queen of giving you the blue ball treatment. Once or twice she'd let Theo touch her...but only that.

"So there's no hunting in this region ?" Tara asks, the pixie looking redhead takes a seat at the cabins dining table.

"Not exactly." McCardy says "Too many families with kids playing in these woods. Personally I think there should be a curfew, but there's not a lot of rangers in this region, so what are you gonna do ?"

"And the parents think it's safe ?" Theo asks, disbelieving that kids would just go out and about in a forest where predators are apparently running rampant.

"Animals keep to themselves mostly." McCardy shrugs "Worse they'll do is chase you off."

McCary takes a seat at the table, and pulls a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, silently asking the two if they mind.

Theo gives McCardy a look along the lines of "Go for it, it's your property."

"Few of my friends live up here." McCardy notes "Might step in and keep and eye on things. Pretty neighborly place."

"Can they not ?" Theo says "People's business is their own."

"I don't need you wrecking the joint if that's what you're insinuating." McCardy says a little more agitated and stern "What you two could do here ? Comes out of my pocket."

"We'll be gentle. Like handling a baby." Tara says, her eyes fluttering a little as she glances at Theo "Right baby ?"

McCardy nods, calming a little as he drops his cigarette and crushes it under his boot.

"We'll with that said. It'll just be checking in on the property; we don't own everything here, you know. This one family bought out a bit of property a little up the ways - we keep out of their hair I suggest you do the same for them."

McCardy get's up from his seat, regarding her with a nod as he makes his way to the door. As he does so, Theo addresses him.

"Look I get that you're trying to be euphemistic and all, but vamps and werewolves have been public for a while now." Theo says bluntly "I think we're well past hiding behind cover stories."

"The truth brings unwanted attention." McCardy says in an equally blunt voice, glaring at Theo "We wouldn't want any of that now, would we ?" Theo could have sworn he seen McCardy's eyes turn yellow, and wolf-like in that glare before he turns and takes his leave.

"We'll keep that in mind." Tara says with a fluttery voice, and a beaming smile.

"Maybe she is a pixie." Theo thinks to himself.

Once the two were alone, Theo takes a deep breath as Tara goes to unpack their bags.

"You ever stop working ?" He asks, placing a hand on his forehead. Excessive travel for so long can be a headache.

"Only when I'm hungry." Tara perks up.

"I never see you eat." Theo remarks sardonically.

"Exactly." Tara says, turning to Theo with an uncanny force and a smile that's more off-putting than endearing.

Theo rolls his eyes. The reward he's gonna get working for the Count better be worth his time. He glanced out the window to see the sun was about set.
"I'm gonna be hitting the hay." Theo says "You wanna come with or-"

Tara scoffs as she get's up "You can do better than that."

"At least I tried."

"Do or do not. There is no try." Tara says, cartoonishly deepening her voice "Besides you can use a shower." Tara says in a more normal voice.

Theo lets out a deep exhale and nods, heading up to their cabins stairway, picking up a suitcase along the way. As he does so, he pauses "And where are you going ?"

"Going on a snack run." Tara says, heading to their door "Don't wait up!"

Theo once again, rolls his eyes and makes his way up the stairs.

In his bed room, with Tara's down the hall, Theo flops down onto the bed, emptying out his suitcase and taking a present wrapped by the Count. It was to go to Carmilla when the time was right.

On it was a note; "To: Mircalla Karnstien. From: One you long forgotten."

Chapter Text

The Gruber Manor, June 8th 1696

Today was a good day, Mircalla thought to herself, lying on her bed, finishing up her weekly diary read through.
 
The other day, Ferdinand Gruber's company delivered the good news that the expedition they were funding was coming to an end.

And the less good news that many of the first group's company men sent to oversee the expedition were killed on the journey, and that Count Falco requested more company men to substitute the loss.

What Mircalla didn't learn was that not only did the initial group die off, but their families at home were reported to have died the same night.

If one were to read the report, the older victims were described as if a rapidly decaying disease took them; the younger victims, infants to early adolescents were killed in a different manner, and described as if a lion and pack of wolves fought each other over their remains.

None of these reached Mircalla's ears. What she'd know was Elias would be coming home in the coming weeks. That was enough to brighten her day considerably.

It wasn't that she didn't appreciate what she'd had, but three weeks ago, Augustus had been spending more and more time with a servant boy Tobias, who was about a year or two older than Augustus, but the two were thick as thieves.

Mircalla has spent some time with Luisa, who still wasn't talkative, and her caretaker Matska. Matska was talkative, but it wasn't the same as when Mircalla would try to tell stories. When Mircalla spent time with Matska, she was taken aback in two senses of the word.

On one hand, Mircalla was impressed and enthralled by how savvy and knowledgeable Matska was of old tales and myths. For a servant of her background, Matska was undoubtedly a confident and cultured young woman. On the other hand, these very aspects intimidated, which made Mircalla magnetized to this woman.

Speaking of, as Mircalla set her diary aside, she could overhear Matska in Luisa's room, next to her own. Matska was telling the young girl a story. It was one Mircalla herself never heard before, but it sounded so familiar that she could have sworn she heard it somewhere...

"Qetsiyah did it. She did what no witch could, and created a new world - a world where all like her would go upon death. When it came to Silas and Amara, she thought she won."

Her curiosity getting the best of her, Mircalla climbed out of bed and made her way down the hall, towards the open door of Luisa's bedroom. She leans to the wall's edge, listening in.

"But as fate would have it, Qetsiyah would not have the last word. For all Qetsiyah fought and struggled for, Silas himself inspired his own band of loyalists. For it was Silas their goddess taught the secrets of immortality; it was Silas who she taught the ways of conquering death; it was Silas she showed empathy too, for she lost someone herself."

Mircalla risked it and took a peek inside; the room was lit by a dimming candle, and by the looks of it, Luisa was already asleep. By the way Matska was staring out the window and the night sky, it would seem she was talking to herself.

"And so Qetsiyah sought the one Traveler called mother. She sought to learn what she knew; what she taught Silas. There was nothing Qetsiyah wouldn't sacrifice or..." Matska hesitates "Abandon."

With that, Matska turns her head, catching Mircalla from behind the corner.

"Of course, things have a way of working out in the long run."

Mircalla was frozen, like a deer in the one-day-to-be-invented-headlights. Still she had enough in her to feign confidence.

"Is that usually the kind of story you'd tell a child ?" Mircalla asks, stepping into the room.

"She's usually asleep when Silas and Amara find immortality." Matska shrugs "I just like to reminisce at times."

"Reminisce ?"

"It's a story my mother told me as a girl." Matska nods "Before she..."

Matska shakes her head to banish the thought.

"Enough about me; I overheard your discussion with Ferinand."

"You'd address other nobles by their first names ?" Mircalla asks.

"Oh I can assure you, I recognize authority...only when it's above me." Matska says with another shrug "It occurs to me your family will be returning from Mesopotamia."

"My brother Elijah, yes." Mircalla nods, stepping into the room, debating if she too should sit on the bed and disturbed Luisa's sleep.

"I know it's not my place to pry but I am curious as to what your father uncovers in his expedition ?" Matska asks, taking Mircalla by the wrist and having her sit beside her on the bed's edge.

Mircalla cautiously does so, looking to make sure that the much younger girl is still asleep.

"I don't mind the prying; Augustus and Tobias have been occupied lately, you and Luisa have been taking walks along the river. The library has gotten to be a lonelier and lonelier place." Mircalla notes "In any case, my father wants to make a name for himself uncovering Mesopotamian artifacts. Count Gruber has been planning to make a Museum of culture and myth, my father wanted to invest. With Gruber's affinity for Greek culture, I think my father wishes to bring something new to the equation."

"Do you look forward to seeing them ?"

"My brother ? Of course." Mircalla answers.

"I take it your father's another story ? Surely there's something of worth he will bring with him from the expedition ?"

"Perhaps." Mircalla nods "But it won't make the man worth anything. Not to me."

Mircalla sighs dejectedly. Matska sensing her unease, places a hand on her shoulder "If you do not wish to talk about it, we can discuss it more tomorrow. You said the libraries are becoming a lonely place - the river bank will be much, much less lonely."

Mircalla smiles at the gesture and nods.

"It's not like I have a lot to do to pass the time anyways." Mircalla get's up from her bed "Have a good evening, Miss Matska."

"And may you have a better one, Mircalla Karnstein."

-----

As promised, Mircalla met with Matska the next day.

It was during one of Luisa's daily walks, and by the time they reached the riverbank, the manor was a safe distance away. Seeing as Luisa wasn't the talkative type, Mircalla and Matska were chatting the whole way.

An excerpt of their conversation goes as such.

"If you don't mind me asking, how is it you know so much of ancient myths and culture ?" Mircalla asks.

"Beg pardon ?"

"It's just, I grew up hearing my father speaking of people in your background ?" Mircalla hesitantly says "You know ? The poor and uneducated."

"It seems your father never met that many poor people before. Or people like me," Matska clarifies "Yes, I'm a servant girl now,  but my old work had me travel here and there; beyond the mountains and beyond the sea. I am the product of different cultures, and grew up with their myths and legends. The same way you grew up with your story books."

"Where did you come from ?"

"I was born in Greece, but my birth mother was Beta Israel. My adoptive mother, well" Matksa starts before hesitating "Let's just say she's of a Mesopotamian background, but she's been here and there. In fact a little birdie tells me she'll be here again soon."

"The way you say that, tells me you're being ominous on purpose." Mircalla notes.

Matska shrugs "I try. I already told this little tyke so much of my life," she regards Lusia who silently looks on, holding Matska's hand "But at least she won't be telling anyone, isn't that right ?"

Luisa looks up at Matksa with a small smile.

By the time they reach the riverbank, they see something that gives the three a pause.

Lying on the blanket of sorts on the riverbed, was Augustus and Tobias, soaked to the bone and wearing nothing but trunks.

The three girls could barely make out their conversation, but it would seem that the boys are talking about the clouds; specifically one shaped as a whale ramming another that resembles a boat.

That's when Augustus notices them and pales in panic.

"Lulu," Augustus says, trying to reserve himself, addressing his younger sister "We didn't think you'd be out this early..."

"We didn't think that you'd go out this far. We usually see you two at the stables." Matska addresses them.

"It seemed like today was a good day to swim." Augustus shrugs.

"I see," Matska notes "We'd join you, but it would seem we are quite overdressed."

"That's quite alright," Tobias  says getting up "We were just leaving."

"So I see," Matska once again says, "We wouldn't want the Gruber's to know their son, fraternizing with the help, is getting in the way of their work..."

"Yes Miss, Tobias nods as he and Augustus make their way back to the manor.

Once the two were out of earshot, Mircalla finally asks "They won't get in trouble, right ?"

Matska waves dismissively "If they do, I can talk the Gruber's out of any punishment. I have a way with words, but the truth is, it's all in the eyes."

Undeterred by what she just saw, Luisa makes her way to the river's edge, playing a game of skipping rocks. Mircalla and Matksa, on the other hand, took their spot under a nearby tree to keep an eye on the little girl.

"Is there anything else you can tell of your past ?" Mircalla asks.

"My past ? Isn't all that interesting. What is interesting is that of my family."

"But is your family not the past ?"

"You have a remarkable way with words," Matska notes "Very well, I can't tell you the whole story, but as I said my mother is of Beta Israel, while I was born in Greece. I lived in a group of nomads in my early childhood, but my birth mother and I were not particularly close. I was, how you say, adopted into another group in my adolescents, as were my own chil-"

"Wait," Mircalla double takes "You had children ?"

"Had, yes." Matska adds, seething a little at a memory "I was pretty young, but I made due. They too, became raised by others, but I gave them what I could. I guess you can say my time with Luisa is me making up for lost time."

As Matska says this, she looks towards Luisa with a nostalgic smile.

"But that was ancient history." Matksa waves off, and she quickly decides to change the subject "What of your brother ?"

"Elias ?" Mircalla asks "Miss him like there's a hole in my heart. Before this business with the Gruber's it was just me and him."

"What'd you two do ?"

"Read, play in the fields, ride our horses." Mircalla shrugs "We had a lot of time to ourselves."

"I see," Matska thinks for a minute. "You know, my own family has considerable influence, despite my appearance; I speak the right words, I can make things happen. I was thinking when the time comes, I could make Luisa a woman of the world, such as I; but the more I hear of you and your brother, the more I see the potential of the two of you."

"You mean ?"

"I see a couple of coped up little doves. My mother was in the habit of freeing those in cages." Matska says "From doves to dragons." she adds under her breath.

"You're asking quite a bit from me at once." Mircalla says with a chuckle "Am I to believe she is a Fairy Godmother of sorts ?"

"Of sorts ?" Matska says "In fact, a little birdie tells me she is much closer to you, your family and the Gruber clan than you realize."

There is a pause in the air. The silence was though thick Excalibur could break, cutting it.

By all logic, Mircalla has no reason to believe what Matska says of her past, let alone what she is proposing. And yet there was clearly more to Matska than she lets others see.

Maybe Mircalla is being naïve, maybe she's being a little girl who wishes for more in life than the mundane expectations of a young woman of her status. Maybe-

"EEAAAHHH!!!"

Mircalla's train of thought is interrupted when Luisa lets out a whining scream, and trips into a riverbank.

To both Matska and Mircalla's surprise and horror, with a certain animal attached to her wrist.

It would seem as the girl was skipping rocks, she unwittingly happened upon a common European viper, and provoked it's ire. It let her know this by biting into her wrist.

In panic, there are two ways one can respond. In Mircalla's case it was to scream and stand frozen in mortification.

In Matska's case, it was too rushed to the girl's aid at a speed too quick for a woman in a dress; take the viper by the nape of its neck; it's mouth to release Luisa's wrist, and toss the serpent across the river.

Matska indignantly wipes her hand off on her dress, before directing her attention to the sobbing girl on the ground.
"Lemme see," Matska says, crouching down to Luisa's level.

Luisa whimpers as she hesitantly holds out her wrist; there was blood coming from the bite. Matska takes Luisa's wrist and looks her in the eye.

"May I ?"

Luisa tearfully nods, as Matska opens her mouth and leans in. Luisa isn't fazed with seeing Matska's fangs as she used to be. Luisa winces a little as she feels Matska "cleaning out" her wound, but relaxes after a moment.

Mircalla on the other hand looks on in confusion, not sure what to make of what she's seeing.

Matksa must be trying to drink out the venom, Mircalla thinks to herself. That's how you treat snake wounds when there's no leeches around, right ?

After a minute, Matska releases Luisa's wrist, giving the cut a small kiss before smiling back at her "Better ?"

Luisa tearfully smiles and nods. She then wraps her little arms around Matska's neck, burying and nuzzling into her nanny's shoulder.

It is then Matska notices the way Mircalla's staring at her.

"What's wrong ?"

"Blood." Mircalla says, gesturing to her lower lip.

Matska feels around, noticing there is in fact blood on her lower lip. With a shrug, Matska licks it up like it was nothing.

"It is better out than in, I can assure you."

-----

After Matska took Luisa back to the manor, Mircalla was suddenly thrust back to the same boring routine as what came the previous days. While Matska and her life story gave her something to think over, there was so much that could be done to satiate her boredom.

By the time the sun was setting, Mircalla overheard what Augustus and Tobias' punishment was to be for skipping out on their respective duties. From what she's been told, Matksa talked the Gruber's into giving Augustus stable duty for the evening.

When Mircalla was alone that evening, she thought back to her time at the Karnstein stables; how one upside to her father's negligence was the time Mircalla and Elias would spend among the animals. Not being very social children, their only real friend at the time was their horse, Moonlight.

Mircalla used to teach Elias how to feed the horse, how to comb his; how to be gentle with the foals and calves. Had Elias been physically strong enough, Mircalla would have shown him how to make a fort from hay bales.

Mircalla wasn't the most rational of girls, in fact she was more often a person of impulse; and after a few days, boredom can get the best of anyone. So, on a nostalgic whim, Mircalla made a decision.

-----

"You're lifting with your back," Tobias says, having stacked seven bails in the hay loft.

Augustus, out of his formal wear and dressed to accommodate his new work load strains, places the bail down, and checks his hand for blisters. At their side was a wagon, large enough to carry ten bundles of straw, twenty if you stack them. The job being to take the straw bales and move them from the storage to the pasture.

"Was I supposed to ?" Augustus asks.

"Nah, it's in the shoulders." Tobias says, picking one bail up by one hand, and another by the other.

Tobias then notices Augustus' hands.

"And you really should be wearing gloves."

"They're tight and uncomfortable." Augustus answers.

"That's the point," Mircalla says, stepping in the stables. She's now wearing a more loose dress, befitting of a servant girl.

"Lady Karnstein," Augustus greets "You uh," he hesitates "Aren't you a little out of your element ?"

"I've been out of my element for a while now." Mircalla smirks as she makes her way to the wagon "Furthermore, lifting with your shoulders is lifting with your back."

Mircalla picks up a stack and hoists it over her shoulder, staggering a little from the effort. She manages to fit her stack on top of the others.

"I see," Augustus notes "You do farm work a lot ?"

"I had too much time to myself and my brother back home. We used to work as a form of play."

"That's how I used to think of it," Tobias states.

"If you ask me, that's the only way to think of it." Mircalla says "And around here, there's not a lot to play with."

Augustus rolls his eyes "I'd hate to think what bores you two."

Mircalla turns her attention to Tobias "If I may be so bold; do you have a story ?"

Tobias shrugs "Not much too tell; my father was a soldier for a King, my older brothers followed suit, while my sister got to work as a seamstress for the prince's wife - I won't bore you with the details, but I ended up here for Lord Gruber. What of you ?"

"My father is going on a wild expedition for the Gruber's museum; the Lord wants to help our family out of a bad spot, and is keeping me as a ward."

"And yet you find chores to be a game ?" Tobias chuckles.

"The only limit's your imagination." Mircalla answers.

-----

In the three hours that passed, the three managed to get not just twenty bundles out to pasture, but Mircalla was able to get five more to fit on the wagon.

Next was cleaning out the stables and the chicken coop.

It was shitty work, but someone's gotta do it.

At the time the chores were done, the three would catch a breather, leaning on the pastures fence. And at that time, they were making small talk about the stars.

"I'm telling you." Tobias says "Those two are supposed to be bears."

"I don't see it.' Mircalla shakes her head.

"No see, the big one and the small one are a mother and cub." Tobias points out at the stars.

"Looks more like spoons to me," Augustus says.

"Nah, they are called Usa Major and Minor." Tobias says "Ursa is Greek for bear, you know."

"How do you know this stuff ?" Augustus asks.

"My sister used to tell me about these things all the time."

Mircalla looks up and smirks at a nostalgic thought "I used to tell my brothers stories like this too. Things get pretty boring without someone to share things with, you know ?" She turns her attention to Augustus "Your sister's nanny, she certainly elevates the boredom."

Augustus nods with a cut huff "I hear some of the stories she tells Luisa. It's a wonder she doesn't get nightmares."

As if he were reminded of something Tobias steps away "If it pleases you, may I take my leave now ? I figure with the work behind us, there's little reason for us to still be out here."

Augustus nods, waving Tobias off.

As the servant boy takes his leave, Augustus leans back on the fence and sighs "You've been speaking to Matska, I see."

"Is that a problem ?" Mircalla asks "What do you know of her ?"

"She's from here and there." Augustus says waving his hand back and forth to demonstrate "Been told her families from Greece, Ethiopia and Mesopotamia. Personally, she's not one I'd trust with a girl such as Luisa."

As they speak, Augustus and Mircalla make their way to the manor.

"But...?" Mircalla says, expecting a follow up.

"But my family is in debate with hers. My father's company unearthed treasure off of her mother's land. I can't recall the details, but what I overheard was that Matska was sent as part of their deal. Personally I think she was the acceptable ward for her..." Augustus hesitates "Appearance."

"I find her a rather wordly girl." Mircalla nods "I've been told she plans on educating Luisa, with your fathers consent of course."

"And sell Luisa off as a ward ?" Agustus chuckles "I don't see that happening for a while now; she's not of age as you are."

"Neither is my brother."

"I don't think the standards that apply to daughters apply to sons."

"Matska made the same offer to me; depending on how wealthy her mother is, I may just take up her offer." Mircalla says.

"Would your father allow it ?"

"He'd welcome it. I'd be out of his hair, he'd be out of my life, and I'd take Elijah too." Mircalla says "It's not like my father ever wanted him."

"But would he allow you to take his heir ?"

Mircalla pauses, thinking of what to say.

"I'd face the devil for my brother. If he wasn't there, my father would be a decent substitute."

"What is it that he did to provoke such ire from you ? Besides taking your brother ?" Augustus asks.

"He killed my mother."

This get's a pause from the two. Mircalla continues. The way she says it sounds not like someone with a broken heart, but someone holding in vengeful feelings for far too long.

"Everything was always everyone's fault but his own. My grandmother told me of how my mother died bringing me into this world, how he was the one who put me in her and yet, my father blames me for ruining his life."

Mircalla stops as they reach the manor's front door.

"When my grandmother passed the year before, I was left alone to tend to her, while he would tend to his own wants and needs. And when Elijah cried at her funeral, he struck him. Have you ever had to spend a week consoling a sobbing child ?" Mircalla asks.

"I can't imagine-"

"But can you imagine this; if my father resents me for ruining his life ? Had I been granted the power to do so, I would ruin him further - till he's more rat than man." Mircalla says. When she realizes what she had just said, she quickly reserves herself. "But of course, these are just the fantasies of a little girl. How foolish of me to-"

"Ahem."

Augustus and Mircalla look up to see Matska staring at them from the manor's open door.

"Don't worry," Matska says with a knowing smile "I won't speak a word of this to the Gruber's; in fact I'll put in a good word for you."
It takes a second for Augustus to nod and find his voice.

"O-of course." Augustus says "I suppose it is time for a bath." He stutters further upon realizing what he just said "N-not with you of course. I may...take my leave..."

Without another word Augustus takes his leave, as Matska places her arm in a link with Mircalla's, and starts to lead her to her own sleeping quarters.

"Um, about what I said there-" Mircalla says before Matska interrupts.

"Think nothing of it; it is within the realm of normality to wish for more than what we have. It's in the realm of fantasy where our wishes come true." Matska says wistfully "Tis a realm that is well within my family's reach."

"You have an affinity for cracking jokes, do you ?"

"It makes it easier to talk to people," Matska says "Though I am pleased to hear that you are already considering my offer."
"I'll consider anything to keep myself out of my father's influence." Mircalla says.

"Well luckily, you won't have to do much, besides wait." Matska answers "They should be here in a month as I recall. I do look forward to your meeting with my mother...but first and foremost."

"What ?"

"We need to get you out of those clothes and into a bath; can't have you tainting your bedroom with the scent of a barn."

----- 

Uncharted Island, off the coast of Mesopotamia, June 6th 1696

Four months.

It has been four months since Elias Karnstein left his home, but it felt to him as if it were a year.

If Elias were to think about it years later, he really would question why his father would take a boy his age on such a trip.

If Count Falco wanted his son to become more dependent, well that clearly didn't work. If the purpose was for him to have less feminine influence in his life, he failed at flying colors.

In the days that followed Elias meeting his new friend "Lilita", numerous men in Falco's expedition have turned up dead, as well as their families back at home. The expedition would have been considered a bust had Falco not already sent for another group to pick up where the previous left off.

At that time, two women joined the caravan.

There was the aforementioned Lilita, that middle aged woman in white, who slipped in undetected. She had this bizarre presence about her, being dominant and commanding one instance, and fluffy and maternal when it came to Elijah himself.

The other woman by "Adeen".

Despite seeming to be slightly older than Mircalla, Adeen was closer to Count Falco, to the point of becoming a de-facto guide. She was fiery, harder to control than most of the company men. In fact, there were a few instances in which Adeen would show more authority and control than even Falco himself.

In one such instance, the party happened upon a young man and a young woman. With enough room to spare the company men agreed to house them - albeit at Falco's reluctance. Adeen eagerly agreed to play nurse maid when the woman's due date would come.

When the woman went into labor, there was a period in which it was just Adeen alone with the expectant mother. Despite the woman supposedly being healthy, the child was a stillbirth, and the mother was a catatonic wreck who attempted to immolate herself days after the fact.

After this, Lilita made Adeen wear a necklace she couldn't take off.

In the meantime, Lilita instilled herself as something of a nanny to Elias, keeping him in the dark of the more dark and gritty aspects of their journey; Elias would be aware that some of the company men would disappear, but Lilita would keep him isolated enough that the boy wouldn't pay that much attention or care to these losses.

Instead, Lilita would keep Elias entertained and distracted from the rest of the caravan with tales of ancient myth and history. Her favorite stories to tell were of the lost goddess Inanna, and her love for "The Forbidden God" Hastur, and the efforts Inanna would take to bring him back to this world.

There came a day when the expedition took them to this village in the south east regions. It all started when one of the company men found ancient coins and sigils on them that none of the locals recognized.

The sigil depicted three golden serpents consuming the world, it's name scratched out.

That said, Adeen was the one who pointed out a land mass where a city once stood; a long but obscured myth told of how sorcerers both from Mesopotamia, Greece and beyond would gather.

Lilita told this story as the wagon train made its way to the city's borders.

"They would gather" Lilita would say "Because they heard her wail."

"They wanted to help her ?" Elias asked.

"Among other things. Humanity was a fickle bunch, but even they knew that a goddess had her place in the world, and being among the slaves was not one of them." Lilita said "But, it would be one thing if empathy was what called them. Humans learning to use the power of the gods was enough to get their attention, but a trapped goddess with many secrets to tell ? Can you imagine such a catch ? It would make the very treasure your father seeks to be tiny and insignificant like his-"

Lilita's story was interrupted by the sound of a rooster cawing in the distance.

"...in any case, they had something to offer her and she had something to offer them."

"Is this the Silas story ?" Elias asks.

"That's how it started," Lilita says "What you don't know is who and what they practiced with."

"And what was that ?"

"Now, you don't want me giving any more nightmares, do you ?" Lilita says, playfully booping Elias on the nose.

Elias giggles a little and shakes his head "no".

----

When the wagon train made camp one morning, Falco was notably giddy at what they discovered; the prospect of an obscured myth and a forgotten god being rediscovered ? Falco would make a name for himself for sure.

...and he quickly made Adeen annoyed by his enthusiasm.

"Many nobles of my homeland make names for themselves winning some battles or marrying into the nobles. But who among them can make a claim to fame in uncovering a lost god." Falco sapys, pacing around his tent, while "Adeen" lays, tracing patterns in the palm of her hand with a bored and annoyed expression on her face.

"Yes, yes, how mesmerizing. You did it, you've earned yourself a treat." Adeen says sardonically.

"What are you going on about ?" Falco says.

"I am not going on about anything." Adeen sits up before pointing at Falco "You're the one running your mouth like you're bigger than you actually are."

Falco turns with an annoyed expression on his face.

"Do you not know who you are speaking to ?"

"First of all, don't use double negatives, it makes you look illiterate." Adeen says getting up from her bed "Secondly..."

She then takes Falco by the neck and lifts him above her head. On instinct, she squeezes his esophagus between her forefinger and thumb, listening to his wheezing.

"You don't forget who you are speaking to." Adeen says, her eyes changing from bright blue to black.

"Ahck!" Falco coughs out.

"That' what they all say." With that she lets a coughing and sputter Falco drop to the ground..

The Count gasps and wheezes as he tries to collect himself.

"You also forget that I give you not what you desire, without getting something in return."

"I...saved you." Falco says between coughs "I could have left you in that tomb."

"And return to Austria with nothing to your name."  Adeen says getting to her knees, pretty much back to being Lamashtu "Then this whole expedition would have been another failure in the colossal one that is your life. It would do you good to remember whose hands your legacy will be in."

Falco tries to get up to his feet, but watching Lamashtu stand before him, he felt himself shrink back a little. For a considerably small woman, Lamashtu struck an imposing figure.

He figures it may be from the whiplash of seeing her sweet innocent persona. It both fascinated and mortified him at the same time.

"My legacy, and my life." Falco nods.

"Yes, I could easily turn your whole company into a feast of corpses, but my half sister will allow me very little." Lamashtu sighs, sitting back onto the bed "I suppose I do need you as much as you need me; but more importantly, my half sister needs the both of us."

"This sister of yours; if what you say is true and Istar does walk among us, why send someone like you to guide us ?" Falco says, finally staggering to his feet clutching his throat to make sure he was still breathing right.

Lamasthu chuckles "You think you are worth her personal time ? She has more important people she is keeping her eye on."

As Lamashtu is saying this, her half-sister, going by Lilita, is letting Elias braid her hair with flowers at a nearby riverbed.

"And of course, even the fallen princess has to show the family mutt her place," Lamashtu sighs sullenly "Which leaves me...with you."

"Well," Falco himself sighs, making his way to his tent's entrance "What can you tell me about this city ? This new god I am to uncover."

Lamasthu shrugs, laying back on the bed and whistling wistfully before she says "You should pay more heed to your son's nan."
"What was that ?"

"Her tales can be quite informative."

-----

At the river bank, "Lilita" looks at her reflection in the water.

Elias managed to find a series of flowers in four different colors; red, white, yellow and blue, braiding a line in Lilita's long hair. One for each color.

"Remarkable, have you done this before ?"

"No," Elias shakes his head, running his hand through his nanny's black hair to make sure he got it right. "I wanted to try it with my sister before father took me away."

"That, I do not believe," Lilita says, taking a lock of her hair to observe the work "Surely you had practice."

"I tried on my horse, Moonlight." Elias shrugs.

"There is no try." Lilita says "Do or do not."

"Boy!" Falco's voice calls out.

Elias and Lilita stare up the bank to see Falco's approach.

"What ?" Elias answers, earning a raised eyebrow from his father.

"The correct word is 'pardon'." Falco says with a glare.

"Pardon, Count." Elias nods, correcting himself.

 "Your presence is required in your tent. I require a word with her," Falco points to Lilita.

"I'm not tired." Elias shakes his head "I just got up."

"If you prefer to stay by the riverbank, you can stay here when the time comes for the company to leave." Falco sneers at the boy "Your new family can be the beasts and savages of this land, that is if they'll have you."

Elias's eyes water a little as he hastily nods, and without a word makes his way back to his tent.

As Falco turns his attention back to Lilita, he is startled to see how close the woman is standing to him. And how tall she was in comparison.

She stared with a stoic expression on her face, with her eyes telling him "I am far more than you can imagine. If you are knowingly hosting a demon that other demons are invoked to pray against, what the hell do you think I could be ?"

Instead, what comes out of Lilita's mouth is "And how may I be of service ?"

Falco takes a moment before he finds his voice.

"I have been made aware you've been filling the boy's head with ancient fantasies."

"Someone has too," Lilita answers, nonchalantly playing with a flower braided lock in her hair "But I'm sure the word you'd use is educating. Despite my appearance, I am rather worldly."

"What business did you have following us ?"

Lilita smirks and begins circling the Count "Business is the right word. Do you know why the Gruber's agreed to this expedition in particular ?"

"It was due to my request."

"It was due to a debt they entered into with my family. One of their crews happened upon a tomb that is of great importance to my family. We allowed them to explore this territory. and I allowed them to ward one of my children, much as you have. Of course, they are expected to pay off their debt when the time comes." Lilita looks over at the direction of Elias's tent "Speaking of, what has possessed you to bring a boy that age to a trip this dangerous ?"

"How I raise the boy is my own business," Falco crosses his arms. "He is to learn the trials and tribulations of what it takes to be a man. I do what I can to keep him from anyone who would influence him otherwise."

"At four." Lilita adds.

"I had my responsibilities forced upon me at fifteen." Falco sneers "Why should he be any different ?"

"If you say so," Lilita sighs "But the least you could do is educate him on the culture you seek to study, or the secrets you hope to unearth. At the very least, he could feel like he is wanted."

"He was never wanted. I needed a male heir, and he fell into my lap." Falco shrugs.

Lilita stares blankly for a few second, and in that short time span, thought of a million ways to torture, slaughter and mutilate the count where he stands.

Instead she breathes deeply. She has of course done and said worse of her own children, even if hypocrisy was far from Inanna's worst qualities.

"Need him, yes. Like we need this expedition."

"Excuse me, who do you think is leading this-" Falco starts, but Lilita interrupts him.

"Someone who can easily be replaced in the event of your death, Falco." Lilita leers in, her dark eyes taking a more red color; when she smiles her teeth seem sharper than Falco noticed before. It was enough to scare any retort the disgruntled Count had in mind.

"I-" Falco starts, trying to compose himself "Very well, but allow me to ask this of you."

Falco reaches into the breast pocket of his vest, pulling from it a token.

"What can you tell me of this god ?"

Lilita takes a hold of the token and looks it over; as she expected, it was the Three Golden Serpents.

"Hastur," she whispers, before looking back at the Count "It would seem you have no one else to tell you about the obscured god. In my time many worshipers of the old gods would live in fear of him. The priests and priestesses of old would cut their tongues out when they said his name too much, and the older ones would stop their hearts at the sight of this image. He was largely buried in time." Lilita hands him back the token. "But you cannot bury what's not truly dead."

Lilita attempts to walk past Falco, who grabs her by the shoulder.

"You know, Adeen, despite her guidance, is a little more button lipped on this issue than you." Falco starts, "I could use someone who not only knows more of what she speaks, but has the willingness to speak of it."

Lilita smirks at the thought; who better to guide a tour of this city than the goddess who guided it's original inhabitants ?

"Of that you have a deal." Lilita takes the Counts hand and shakes it "Though it is best you be mindful of the company you keep. Who knows what you'd get by letting the devil into your bed ?"

Falco pauses and notices Lilita looking over his shoulder.

There "Adeen" could be seen leaning on a tree at the river's edge. She had her arms crossed and a knowing smile on her face.

It is then Lilita takes her leave, leaving Falco at the rivers bank, letting him disappear in his own thoughts; Karnstein, the name of the one who unearthed a god.

As Inanna walks past Lamashtu, the latter follows behind.

"You seem pretty pleased with yourself, for one who will yet again be disappointed." The demoness says to the goddess.

"And you seem to be proud of yourself, for someone who has yet again learned her place." Inanna sneers at her half-sister.

Lamashtu tugs uncomfortably at her necklace. Any attempt to take it off would only make it tighter or cut her fingers.

"Yes, yes. What is a dog without its collar." Lamashtu sighs sullenly "But one who can still bark."

"You underestimate what lengths one would go for love, what sacrifices they'd make. As one who lacks it yourself."

Lamasthu nods in acknowledgement "Yes, it's little wonder I got so well along with your King in Yellow. I was promised the world by him too, but at least he knew I had no heart to tamper with."

"You were promised a bloodbath, I was promised an eternal empire. My desires are a little beyond your scope." Inanna chuckles.

"What is it you expect when he awakens ?" Lamashtu asks "That he'd embrace you like his world would be torn asunder without you. As if you wouldn't be torn asunder as well ?"

Inanna shakes her head, huffing in frustration "Mind your next words, lest your next seal be on your tongue."

Inanna departs from her sister, no doubt to find that Karnstein boy and hug her frustrations away. But as Lamashtu looked on, her pride was unshaken.

She knew she was able to rattle a broken heart, and on a slow day like that day, it was more than enough.

-----

The next day, it took twelve hours to look over the city's ruins.

Lilita knew where to lead the crew, what statues to collect and tablets to translate.

Elias didn't join the exploration, but was kept under the watch of Adeen, who simply put wasn't the best babysitter.

Literally all she'd do was sit there in his tent, staring at the boy with a blank expression on her face, saying "No" when he'd ask for something like a game to play, if they'd go for a walk, or if she'd tell him a story.

"Can we at least eat something ?" Elijah would ask.

"Trust me, there is much I would love to feast upon, but..." Adeen says, running a finger over her necklace "I've been advised to keep my hunger in check."

"You're no fun." Elias sighs.

"Life isn't fun, child, but when you get bored, you have to make do with what you got." Adeen says playing with her hair.

"What did you do ?"

"Play with my toys until they break."  Adeen sighs "Then daddy took them away, so I made friends who would get them back."

"Is that why you're friends with my-" Elias stops before he calls the Count his father "Him ?"

"For as long as we get what we need, yes." Adeen says before leaning down to whisper at Elias "Between you and me ? I just need someone to do a little heavy lifting."

"Heavy lifting ?"

"Give someone like your father the right motivation, and he will dig straight into Hell." Adeen shrugs.

"I hope he does." Elias says, sounding a little angry.

This caught Adeen by surprise, albeit a pleasant surprise.

"The mouth on you!" Adeen laughs "So we can at least  agree your father's a twat."

"He's always mean, angry and scary!" Elias says, punching a post in the middle of his tent "He took me away from Mircalla!! I know he hates me, I just know it; I hope he dies on this trip!!!" Elias says with an angry shout that echoes across the all but empty campsite.

Adeen laughs at this, wiping a tear from her eye as she says "If only other children could be like you, I could have more to do with them."

Elias says nothing, only getting up to pace back and forth between his tent growling a little. Out of frustration, Elias walks back to the post and kicks it a little.

"Well, you aren't gonna get your wish by kicking that poor little pole." Adeen laughs "But seeing as your nan is guiding your father's group, it's only fair I guide you as well."

"Guide me ?" Elias asks, looking up in confusion.

"It occurs to me that, much like my sister, I could use as many hands as I can get, to do some heavy lifting." Adeen says.

"How so ?" Elias asks.

"Here's a hint..." Adeen says.

She kicks the post, snapping it at the bottom and the center of the tent begins to collapse.

Elias screams and instinctively takes hold of the post, putting everything he can in his little body to hold it up.

Adeen takes hold of the top of the post with one hand "Come on, you can do better than that."

"I'm trying!" Elias screams.

"There is no try, do or do not." Adeen rolls her eyes, releasing the post.

Elias strains and screams as he alone was holding the post up.

Adeen steps out of the tent to stretch her legs "Just remember; think about what I can give you, and you'll be surprised of what you're capable of..."

And so, Elias was left to hold out as long as he could.

-----

By the time the company returned, they found Elias's tent collapsed, with Elijah barely managing to make it out of the material.

Count Falco's reaction was mainly annoyance that his son got his tent wrecked, but a look from Lilita was enough to keep him from exploding at the boy completely.

But with their findings in the city ruins, Falco considered the expedition a grand success, having collected just what he hoped to find; evidence of the Forgotten God; texts were there; statues; artistic depictions.

It marked the first time Elias got to see what his father was collecting, as the Count and his colleagues would look over them.

Elias already knew the stories from what Lilita told him; the god of another world; monsters from across the world; a goddess who fell from grace with a broken heart. How she called people from all over the world to teach them magic, and found a son of sorts in one of her students; and how that son created the curse of immortality and undeath.

What confused Elias was how these beings in the texts were depicted. Sure there were monsters in her stories, but Lilita described them as being like people.

When asked, Lilita would answer "It's a hyperbolic depiction. In many cases, animals and monsters were used as a symbol of what these god's represent. For Inanna, they use a star or lions; in Hastur's case, you have the golden serpents; or with Lamashtu, they'd use this."

As Lilita shows the following totem, she is glaring at an unamused Adeen; the totem, being a figure with a donkey's body, teeth and ears, the head of a lion, nursing a pig and a wolf.

Adeen scoffs and rolls her eyes at her ancient depiction.

Aside from ancient artifacts of the Greek and Mesopotamian cultures coming together, there were also signs of different cultures within these texts, transcripts and artifacts. There were allusions to Nordic and Celtic myths and languages, as well as Hebrew and Zoroastrianism.

There were even descriptions of lands and cultures thus far unexplored by the company, such as India, Japan, China and those of the new world.

Just how far did this forgotten god reach ?

Falco took to hosting a drinking party that evening, celebrating how his name will be associated with such a discovery.

When Elias was allowed to sleep in Lilita's tent that night, he was awoken by his nanny.

"Are you ready to see your sister again ?"

Elias says nothing, but nods.

"You know, with all you told me of her, I look forward to meeting her myself." Lilita sighs wistfully "I think your family and mine will be close for a while."

Lilita leans in and kisses the boy on his cheek.

"Rest easy, little one, the journey home will be as long and tedious as the journey here..."

------

March 15, 2021, Commercial Airflight

The initial flight to Austria was by and large uneventful.

It gave Danny Lawrence plenty of time to read up. Thanks to her contacts, six names in connection to the Crimson List and the Skin Boys have been arrested by her agency and are awaiting interrogation.

At Danny's side was Kirsch, who was enjoying the in-flight movie of The Avengers. Whatever keeps him busy, it gave Danny all the quiet time she needed.

As for LaF and Perry, these kind of investigations were not their forte (partially because they had a business to salvage, partially because the last her agency let LaFontaine "improve" on their tech it nearly resulted in a provincial power outage).

Besides, LaPerry insisted that they wouldn't pay the expectant mothers any visit without the other two, so it's not like Danny and Kirsch would be missing anything.

At the moment, Danny was looking over her papers, and the list of names of recent arrests; Grida Mayes, Richard Johnson, Alistar Head, Nella and Neath Greenberg, another ten names.

Fourteen on a list of fifty nine, all of them having something in common - the Crimson List consisted of the names of alumni, investors and big wigs within the Silas community or it's university.

A lot of them were in on Inanna's plans hoping to find a seat of power in Hell on Earth, and out of fifty nine names on the initial list, six were arrested in the years that followed Innna's fall.

A lot of them disappeared from the world, thanks to the rise in the Skin Boys as they were called. In the past few months, seven others have disappeared; one was found dead.

The world was in for a rude awakening with the discovery that monsters exist; from both the small monsters living among us; to the bigger monsters that exist below the sea and the earth, and far off into space.

And with that, came the reactionaries. The Skin Boys were named as such as they were another incarnation of political extremists, coming out of the woodwork when things like vampires, witches and werewolves became another minority whose right to exist was debated.

While they were mostly a problem in the states, a few big names fled to Europe around the time of early January when their group was labeled a terrorist organization.

As of late, the people Danny were working with were very interested in connections between members of the Skin Boys and the names on the Crimson List.

"Dan, ?" She hears Kirsch ask, apparently his movie was over.

"Hmm ?" Danny turns her head to Kirsch.

"Something's on your mind ?"

"Just work, the usual." Danny answers "You don't need to worry."

"I'm just worried about your pen. I don't know what you got against it, but it doesn't deserve to get chewed up like that."

It was then Danny noticed, she was in fact, chewing on the end of her pen. When she's on the edge like this and has a lot on her mind, her teeth take a mind of their own. As a vampire, it's a lot more noticeable, especially that one incident involving a hamster she bought.

"Oh that, just thinking is all." Danny looks back at her papers "All these people bend their knee to the mad goddess herself, and yet these are the ones the Skin Boys are willing to work with."

"What do you know ? Some people are assholes." Kirsch says with an unusually sardonic tone.

This was an observation and curse that was so out of character for Kirsch that Danny laughs.

"Did your mother give you that potty mouth ?"

"Nah, it was my grandma." Kirsch answers "But you know it's like that show where vampires became public, and all the racists were going after them ?"

"I'm just taken aback by how many there seems to be; look at this." Danny starts taking a page and handing it to Kirsch. "February 2nd, 2017, six kids in Texas were beaten and shot by these people, because of an online rumor that one was a vampire. July 7th, 2017, a fourteen year old was open about being a practicing white witch, was kidnapped from school, and drowned in a river. September 24, 2017 , a botched shooting at schools in Beacon Hills for their open embrace of the supernatural. What does it tell you ?"

Danny puts the papers aside and breathes.

"I thought all my work over the years would help make a difference, you know ? I thought five years after Silas, the world was gonna progress for the better."

"World's only as good as the people in it. You're helping bring these people down, that's something right ?" Kirsch adds.

"I guess, but it never feels like it's going anywhere." Dany puts a hand on her forehead "And with a child on the way, I feel like I'm on a time limit. You wouldn't want your nephew growing up in a world full of Vordenbergs and Theos, would you ?"

"There's always gonna be a Vordenberg and Theo. They're always gonna be big people out there making the world suck a lot, with smaller people following behind. And then you've the big folk and little folk out there trying to make it suck a lot less. And you Dan, are one of the biggest people I know."

Danny chuckles and rolls her eyes "That sounded a lot better in your head, didn't it ?"

To be fair, Kirsch was more of those "talk from the heart" kind of guys, and while Danny appreciates his optimism, she's sometimes surprised at how insightful he can be.

After all, besides the agency Danny works for are among those trying to do something about these people; hell, Danny herself involved in the arrest and dismantling of one of their bigger operations after the Beacon Hills incident.

"I think they're scared." Danny notes, looking back at her notes "A cornered animal always lashes out when it knows it's dying."

"Yeah, that." Kirsch nods "In five years the world will forget they existed."

"I like to think that, but that's exactly what I thought," Danny answers "Five years ago."

"So." Kirsch says trying to change the subject "Who are we looking into this run ?"

"Annabelle Lang," Danny answers, showing Kirsch the pages covering her, "A Silas alumnus, former head of their Beta Iota Gamma sorority."

"I think I remember them," Kirsch says "They're the babes who let the Zeta's look out for them but wouldn't-"

"Yes, Kirsch," Danny interrupts with a roll of her eyes. "Sister Lang is largely to thank for that; she used to run the house as a Purity Culture thing, and during her three year stay, would accept the hush money for the Dean when her girls would disappear. I guess over time she found out the Dean's secret. Lang would show up every now and then as a Legacy, and get her and five others to make a blood pact with the Dean."

"Well, that doesn't sound so pure."

"They rarely ever are."

----

When the two arrived in Dornbirn, things went by pretty quickly.

Danny didn't really have time to settle in the apartment, as there was business to take care of. Kirsch and Danny had a cab sent to take them to her agency's current headquarters.

Her agency was still relatively underground, and wasn't officially recognized in certain states or provinces, but Donbrin is where one of their facilities was held.

It was here Lang was currently in holding, along with Mayes, Johnson, Head and Greenberg. They were awaiting interrogation, and of course, Danny was the one to extract information.

She was walked down a hall by a nondescript superior filling in on the details; "We picked Head up in Lochau, and he folded pretty quickly as to the locations of the other five."

"And they were all in the same area at the same time ?" Danny asks.

"Head mentioned someone called them all here, but wouldn't say who. There were reports of noted Skinboy members in the area too, so it is believed they want something from the list you compiled. Now we already have agents talking to the others, but we reserved Lang for you."

"Is that all ?"

"Affirmative."

Danny was led to a room. It was the classic interrogation room, the kind you see in movies, shows and the like complete with a fake mirror.

Sitting at it's table was a woman in her estimated mid to late thirties.

A well dressed, upper class looking brunette with short cut hair, Lang brought to mind the "Minister's Wife" stereotype, and had a faux humble/innocent expression on her face. The kind that says 'Oh sure, we are all sinners, but all the other ones are greater sinners than I'.

"Oh, they sent you." Lang says with a roll of her eyes. She had a 'Bless Your Heart' southern drawl in her voice.

"Yeah, they sent me." Danny replies, as she takes her seat "And since you know who I am, you will find it is in your best interest to answer our questions."

Lang rolls her eyes and scoffs.

"And you know, I look you the right way in the eyes, and there's no way you can lie to me. So we can do this the easy way or the hard way." Danny places an envelope onto the table, opening to pull out her files "We got a fat one on you Mrs. Lang."

"Even Paul was the Chief among sinners." Lang nods her head modestly.

"Calvinistic background; father wrote a book on forgiving others for their misdeeds; led an abstinence group in high school, and attended Silas University  as a legacy student. Even made a legacy for yourself. Married to a Reverend and had four kids; currently running a Christian family blog speaking out against other female bloggers of the type." Danny puts the notes down on the table "Other than, you know, making a blood oath with a Summarian goddess, you really are a dime a dozen."

Lang looks down and sighs "They said we'd be persecuted in the last days."

"Ah yes, how terrible being held accountable for their part in a mass blood sacrifice." Danny asks dryly and sarcastically.

"If the Dean was to have her way anyways, I see no issue in taking the winning side." Lang shrugs "Plus, if she'd fail, God would forgive me anyways."

"Like Judas, only you weren't even offered a single piece of silver."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you also serve under the Dean during her little dig ?"

Danny scoffs with a cynical chuckle "Let's see; a young woman murdered, resurrected and brainwashed by an evil goddess," Danny says jabbing her thumb to herself "What's your excuse ?"

"I just wanted to provide a good future for my children in the world to come." Lang shrugged, "What's wrong with that ?"

Once again, Danny cynically chuckles.

"Oh gee, thanks mommy! A world full of Hellfire, demons and the undead, ushered in by a vain fallen goddess! Praise be to our new gods as they slaughter and enslave humanity." Danny says sarcastically, mimicking a child's voice.

"Oh, like the world would be any better for the children your lot would bring into it!" Lang said with a bitter scowl.

That one hit a nerve, but Danny takes a breath to reserve herself.

"As for your contacts." Danny takes out more notes "Your contacts; we know you and five others on the Dean's blood oath were gathered back in Austria. In the past two months, seven others went missing. What are you holding from us ?"

Lang sighs and rolls her eyes "If you must know, a lot of us have been keeping under the radar until the Silas and Beacon Hills incidents wore off."

"You kept a high profile though."

"I have an image to maintain." Lang scoffs "Anyways, quite a few of them follow my blog. After everything blew over we regularly met up."

"Hmm, selling the world out to Hell on Earth; that's quite a thing to have reunions over." Danny remarks.

"Months ago, one of us, Jeremy Jones, took a trip to Lienz, where he was found in his shower, castrated and flayed alive."

"We investigated that one," Danny nods. "At the time we couldn't make explicit connections, but when we looked into it we kept running into dead ends."

"Well, I guess you got your answer detective." Lang snarks "As you've said, seven others went missing, but one of them contacted me and five others with their identity. We were told the contract we signed was still binding, and there was a way to nullify it if we all met at Silas."

"And at no point did you consider this could be a trap ?"

'We didn't think that the Dean had any loyalists...except for...her." As Lang says this, she looks off as if she's lost in thought and staring into space.

This quickly irritated Danny.

"Quite being vague and spit it out already! Whoever this her is, I'm sure you're partner's already told us more tha-"

The sound of a loud explosion caught them off guard.

----

Outside the agency's headquarters, three black vans pulled to a gate; behind them, what appeared to be a prison bus of sorts. At the gate's sides were several guards; two of them made their way to the front van, both armed with rifles.

One taps on the van's window. It would seem these vans were expected, but at least there was an air of caution among the guards.

"Lizenz und Autorisierung." ("License and authorization.") 

The driver rolls down their window; it is apparent this is an officer for the agency, but he looks a little out of it. This doesn't phase the guards, who are apparently too used to long nights with little to no sleep. If they paid close enough attention, they'd notice the smallest cut on the driver's neck.

"What business is this ?" The guard asks, jabbing a thumb to the bus.

"Wir haben Verhaftungen vorgenommen. Dies ist ein Gefangenentransfer." ("We have made arrests. This is a prisoner transfer.")

There's something up with the way the driver speaks - the slur in his voice, the fact he sounds like he's completely out of it. 

The fact there were no other transfers scheduled that day.

The two guards exchange a cautious glance; one signals the other to bring a superior down here, while several other guards make their way to the buses, guns at the ready.

"We have no transfers here." The one guard says "Nothing scheduled."

"This was last minute." The driver absentmindedly mumbles "We caught a fugitive outside of city limits. He claims to seek an Agent Lawrence."

"Why the bus ?"

"Too dangerous." The driver looks like he's about to pass out.

The way he leans his head to the side, let's the guard see the two small wounds in his neck.

The guard readies his gun "Step out of the van! Now!"

"Important delivery..."

As the other guards check the other vans, they too notice their drivers and occupants all have small bloody wounds on their necks.

They all collectively realized they had been Trojen Horse'd.

But as they realized this, a beeping sound from the vans could be heard.

It took a minute for the smoke to clear, but as it did so, the prison bus barrels through the front gate. Already the alarms blare, as a couple of dozen armed men and women step out from the bus.

A firefight is already taking place as someone emerges from the bus's back door. Dressed in a black jacket, shirt and jeans, his outfit looks rather out of place on his slim body, and disfigured face.

It matters not to Count Karnstein, as while his followers make for a great distraction/human shields from the guards, vampiric speed makes a great asset in getting things done fast.

"Karnstein," one of the gunmen asks him, as the two make their advancements to the building "Is this not too close to the city ? Such noise will draw attention."

"It is as we planned; it is as she said, the next sacrifices will be here." The Count barely regards his crony "If we draw attention to ourselves, we will be doing something right...."

----

It takes the Count about five minutes to find the interrogation rooms; five minutes and eighteen dead personnel. At his back, are two other followers, executing those they managed to overpower.

The Count in the meantime, is following a specific scent in the air; that of another vampire.

"She is here."

He pauses as he reaches Lang's interrogation room, and after taking a moment to build up his resolve, kicks the door off its hinges.

He ignores Lang screaming and backing into a corner. He looks left, and right, seeing no one else in the room.

Had he looked up, he would have seen Danny on the room's roof as she jumped down to tackle him.

Initial impact caught the Count off guard, and as he staggered back to his feet, Danny took hold of his ankle and swung him into the wall around them.

The Count quickly gets up and sneers at Danny; he was so used to being on top of most of his fights, ripping his victims apart like tissue paper that he has yet to face someone who could put up a fight.

Danny takes off her work jacket and reveals a form fitting black tank top beneath it. It does more to show her muscles.

"I was hoping my first true adversary would be a very different woman. But, you will do." The Count says, baring his teeth as he circles the room.

"A friend of Carmilla's, I see."

"Mircalla is nothing. As will you be."

The two charge each other, the Count biting into Danny's shoulder and neck.

Danny wraps her arms around the Count's waist, lifting him and pile driving him into the concrete floor. As the Count tries to get up, Danny stomps his head in once, twice - if vampires can get concussions, Danny's third strike would be the answer.

Danny lifts the Count by the scruff of the neck and tosses him onto the interrogation table.

The Count rolls off with a groan, still hissing as he gets to his feet. He charges, jumps and tackles Danny into the wall.

He manages to strike her in the stomach, the neck and knees her between the legs. Danny groans and doubles over, allowing the Count to take hold of her hair, and swing her into the fake mirror.

When it shatters, Danny staggers to her knees, taking a few seconds to compose herself as the Count walks up to her, takes a large, broken piece of glass, and holds it to her throat.

"This may not kill, but I am always one who prefers to inflict pain rather than dea-" Count Karnstein starts to monologue.

Before he finishes his sentence, Danny takes hold of another big enough piece of glass and slashes it upwards into the Count's groin.

The Count yelps and doubles over, allowing Danny to take the glass from his hand, and stab it into his eye. Danny lifts her attacker up by the neck and tosses him to the wall.

Before Count Karnstein can recover, Danny lifts one of the chairs, breaks off a leg and sticks it into the Count's guts, embedding him into the wall.

Danny looks up at the door to see the Count's two gunmen taken aback by what they just witnessed.

"You know, you must be pretty inept to let the boss does the heavy lifting." Danny smirks.

They aim their guns at Danny, and she's ready for another fight...which is interrupted when Kirsch emerges from another room behind the gunmen, and breaks a chair across both their heads. The two drop with a thud. 

"Holy shit, Kirsch!" Danny exclaims.

"Sorry, I'd use a gun but never learned how." Kirsch shrugs.

Kirsch enters the room, ignoring Lang as the Count tries futilely to pull the chair leg from his stomach.

"You think you've won this, don't you ?" The Count snarls, blood coming the the corner of his mouth.

"I mean, all I have to do is reach into your chest, pull out your heart or pull your head off - and then it'll all be over. So yeah, I think I won." Danny crouches down at the Count's eye level "So if I were you, I'd suggest you start running that mouth of yours."

Danny and the Count turned their heads to the side as they could hear something neither Kirsch nor Lang could.

Reinforcements have arrived.

"You clearly didn't think things through when you came here." Danny says, looking back at the Count "The least you can do is say your name."

"Karnstein." The Count bitterly answers.

"Like...as in Carmilla ?" Kirsch asks.

"That's what that harlot goes by these days, yes." The Count nods "She took from me more than you can know, I only wish to return the favor."

Danny sighs, partially to collect her breath, partially out of exasperation "Great, another villainous figure from Carmilla's past out for revenge. Welcome to the club buddy. Just know they don't have a great winning track record." 

Danny jokingly pats the Count on the shoulder, while the latter looks on with a stoic expression.

"Like I said, you could have at least thought things through before attacking an investigative agency such as ours." Danny rolls her eyes "Clearly you're either not the head of all this, or you carry a hollow head on your shoulders."

"Well, it is as they say; two heads are better than one."

Once again, Danny and Kirsh exchange a glance while the Count chuckles to himself.

"You've got the King on his throne; the one all eyes are on. And then you got the power behind that throne..."

Right as the Count says this, every light in the building flickers on and off, and something unearthly fills the room; a bright blue light, and a light whispery voice fills the air.

One by one, every door in the facility opens up; and one by one a scream comes from each room. Eventually, Lang herself screams and catches Danny and Kirsch's attention.

Standing behind Lang is a seemingly smaller woman, dressed in a black shrouded dress; Her face is obscured, but bright blue eyes can be seen through the shroud.

The smaller woman has Lang lifted off the ground, her hand going into Lang's back and out her chest. The older woman's heart is already much before the shrouded woman lets Lang drop to the ground.

"I bet you thought your investigations could stop this." The woman says, her voice is ethereal, but there is a Greek or Middle Eastern cadence in it.

The woman lifts her shroud revealing a...surprisingly cute face, with an unsettling expression. She's a little on the pale side, and her hair has sunset orange, with a few black streaks.

Danny doesn't say a word. Instead she tries to let her actions speak for her.  She lunges at the smaller redhead, but where there should have been an impact, Danny falls to the floor. 

Danny looks up to see the strange woman looking down at her waving her fingers in a mocking fashion. She snarls, gets back to her feet and charges, intending to take the woman by the waist, piledrive her into submission.

It takes Danny a few seconds to realize she literally walked though this woman as if she wasn't there.

"I see you are not getting a grasp on this. Allow me."

In a second, the shrouded woman takes Danny by her hair, and reaches forward. Danny can feel the sting, the invasiveness in her chest. She can feel a cold and clawed hand clutching her heart, and when she looks at this smaller woman's eyes, she can see something that is plainly more inhuman than the Count.

Despite her resolve, Danny finds herself collapsing to her knees when the woman releases her. It takes a few seconds for Danny to realize whatever happened to her, had her nose bleeding.

"You may be feeling a slight drowsiness. But fret not-" the woman says "If I wished you dead, it would be more gruesome and painful."

As she says this, Danny's vision and hearing does in fact, become more faded. The last thing she sees before everything goes black is the woman turning her attention to Kirsch, no doubt to do the same to him.

----

March 17, 2021

When Danny comes too, it takes a minute or so for her vision to clear and that ringing in her ear to stop.

Once she gets the sensation in her legs back, she realizes she's sore. Her eyes adjust and she sees she's in a dark concrete room.
The smell of mold assaulted her nose, but through it all, she caught the scent of blood.

A combination of hunger, confusion and instinct she made her way toward the scent, her tongue taking a mind of its own as it seeks out a source.

The blood was on the floor, and coming from someone; a body laying several feet from her against a wall.

Normally, Danny wouldn't think about, contemplate even considering doing such a thing - being a vampire who keeps her hunger in check, waits for the blood bags like a good girl. But this wasn't normal Danny; this was blood starved, confused and sore Danny - a Danny the world seldom sees.

Danny crawls to her body, her eyes white and her fangs peeking out, she takes hold on his shin; there's a deep gash going up and down his femur. With little to consider, Danny bites down and begins drinking.

It was like taking two tylenols after nursing a migraine for a whole day. A whole day of people intentionally pressing your buttons. At the risk of being too lewd, it was like the first climax after going two weeks without pleasuring oneself.

As that annoying, hungry pain in her stomach and the back of her head began to clear, Danny's thoughts became more lucid. Lucid enough to start to remember or care what she was supposed to be doing, where she was supposed to be, and the only person who could possibly be in this room with her.

When Kirsch groaned loud enough, Danny retracts her fangs and pulls away.

"Kirsch ?"

Kirsch groans in response. He might have tried to say something, but his voice was slurred.

"I'm gonna help you up." Danny says, getting up to Kirsch's ear. Kirsch mumbles something as Danny hoists him up.

As Danny makes a brief note about how considerably lighter Kirsch is compared to her strength, Danny notices Kirsch's pant leg is ripped and there is a discarded knife embedded in the wall between them.

Someone really wanted Danny to have a snack when she woke up.

And that's when Danny noticed an aftertaste in Kirsch's blood. Fish paralyzer, and a hint of LSD; something the Dean used to put in Kirsch to keep her docile.

It's also when she notices Kirsch himself starting to stir.

"Dan...?" Kirsch sluggishly looks around "Oh, we didn't make it out yet."

"Looks like it." Danny breaths out "You know where we are ?"

"Uh...a basement ?"

"Close enough. Come on we gotta figure ou-" Before Danny can finish the sentence, she hears a door open.

At the room's entrance were four men; three of them white and one black. Two of them were on the more burley side.

"Oh, look who's up; the soy boy and the world's biggest mosquito."

"Fuck off!" Kirsch manages to cough out.

"Why us ?" One of the men says "It's you creatures that are out terrorizing the world. Someone has to do something about it."

"You do know you're working for a vampire, right ?" Danny manages to say, feeling the effects of the fish paralyzer kicking in.

That is when the Count's voice could be heard.

"Even the Christian God uses sinners Miss Lawrence."

The Count's shadow creeps over the room, an image straight out of Nosferatu (Danny and Kirsch would almost think it was a deliberate reference on the Count's part). The Count himself appears through the four at the door, no doubt trying to drive the reference home.

"My god's are a little different."

----

Danny and Kirsch find themselves being walked down a dark hallway. The four men can be heard sniggering and making quiet jokes at Danny's expense.

The Count was leading the group towards a doorway, and Danny couldn't help but notice the small limp in his movements. No doubt she did a number on him in their previous fight.

Danny would do more, but the fish paralyzer is starting to kick in. It takes all her strength to remain as coherent as she is.

"Alright, what is this ?" Danny asks

"A manor." The Count deadpans "Not extravagant to be a castle, but beggars can't be choosers."

"No I mean, why the Skinboys ?" Danny asks.

"We prefer human safety activists." One of them says.

"What, should I take a course on the correct pronouns of bigots ?" Danny sneers at the men.

One of them raises his hand to strike Danny but is silently talked down by a raise of the Count's hand.

Dany continues.

"Just find it curious that a noble such as yourself would reduce himself to having borderline neo nazi's as his base of followers."

"Humans are a fickle bunch, Miss Lawrence." The Count says "I learned that as a human myself."

When they reach a corridor, the Count waves his hand as a door opens. The four men holding Danny and Kirsch nod, before they walk away. Danny does what she can to lift Kirsch and keep him standing.

They were now in an outdoor area. It was dusk.

The area was heavily forested, but there is a clear path heading from the manor, down towards the lake. On the lakeshore there is a vast table that numerous men in black form fitting robes sit upon.

Sitting behind the head of the table is a statue of a bestial creature, obscured by the darkness.

The Count ushers them to follow him, and seeing as they have little choice in the matter, Danny and Kirsch do so.

"You're treating us like guests ? Are you trying to be a Bond villain or something; you're gonna reveal your endgame goal ?"

"Matter of fact, I am." The Count says "Least I can do to get you to understand me."

The Count leads them to the table, and ushers them to take their seats. When they do, the Count takes his place at the head of the table and continues to speak. As he does so, other people enter the scene; young women in white form fitting dresses.

"Now despite my appearance, I do consider myself a gentleman."

"Is that why you have the servant girls ?" Kirsch finally finds his voice "Let me guess, you're one of those people who thinks being a Nice Guy equals being a Harem Master ?"

"No, these are her girls." The Count gestures to a statue, now seen more clearly; the body was humanoid in appearance, but it was clearly hybrid in design; the head of a lion; ears and teeth of a donkey; feet of a bird with sharp talons. In it's hands are two snakes, and at it's breasts, a pig and a dog.

The Count continues "They serve out her needs and desires, the same as I."

"Lamashtu." Danny nods.

"Ah, you know about her ?"

"I did my research." Danny shrugs "I take it she was the shrouded woman at the Agency ?"

"You catch on pretty quick." The Count nods "What is happening here, goes a little beyond Mircalla Karnstein."

"I get that, but that doesn't explain why these people are in on it." Danny states.

"Oh, the skin boys." The Count nods "Reactionary bunch, they are. And contrarian. The minute vampires and werewolves became the heroes, and the hunters became the villains, it just became another example of the other being outed. The world gets saved from an evil god by two of...those people ? Well, then that god must be this world's true savior."

"You can't be seriou-"

"Have you seen what happened back in January ? All these people need is an authority figure who tells them what they want to hear, and they'd sell out the world for candy and a pat on the head." The Count snaps his fingers towards one of the men sitting at his tables "Mister Jones here ? Told him the King in Yellow wants him to slash his daughters throat to bless his house. How's that blessing coming, Mr. Jones ?"

The man, apparently Mr. Jones, answers meekly "It's coming, I just know it."

"Of course, it is." The Count chuckles.

"I don't believe it," Danny shakes her head "You assholes know what you're doing right ? Every time Inanna spoke of what she and Hastur would do, the chances of your survival in the world are slim."

"Small price to pay for the smiting of one's enemies." Mr. Jones says.

"And a small price for prosperity." Another says.

Danny and Kirsch looked at each other in disbelief, but at the same time realized. These are the kind of people Danny has been tracking and arresting for the past six years.

The people who murder a girl for trying to become a white witch; to shooting up those "traitorous" schools at Beacon Hills. Of course they'd side with the King in Yellow if it meant sticking it to someone like Carmilla, even if it meant the destruction of the world they live on.

"Ah," The Count looks up at the manor "Our other guests have arrived."

In single file, the women in white were dragging people down the pathway towards the lake shore; multiple middle aged men and women - thirty seven of them in fact - all half naked or fully nude, bound at the wrists, with bruises interspersed throughout their bodies.

Before Danny and Kirsch could process what was happening, the moonlight was peeking up over the lakeshore and table; as it eclipsed the statue of Lamashtu, the statues shadow overtook the table, and a fog started to overtake the lake shore.

Instincts told Danny and Kirsch to get up, either to flee or fight, but the sleep paralyzer denied them this action.

Once the statue's shadow completely eclipsed the table a figure started to form from the darkness. Standing up from the shadow itself was the woman in the shroud. Once again, her face is obscured by the shroud itself, but glowing blue eyes can be plainly seen, as is her orange/red hair.

"As promised...they are all here." She says, her voice having an echoing whisper reverb across the area.

"Not all of them." The Count and several of his men get up from their seats "There remains how many more ?"

"Not too many, but we can't risk awakening him yet..." Lamashtu says "And deny you your personal vengeance ?"

The Count pauses and nods, as the sacrifices are lined up before him.

"You all know why you are here." the Count says "You are here for one commonality; your blood contract with the goddess, Inanna."

One of them, a platinum blonde woman in her middle age screams out "There shouldn't even be a contract! That bitch is dead! We didn't thin-"

The Count steps towards the woman, reaches to her neck and a splatter and snap sound could be heard.

"One is dead. The other sleeps." The Count says circling, turning his attention back to Danny "They truly believe that something like death can contain the God of the Void ? No, he demands what is owed to him."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Lamashtu says turning her attention to Danny and Kirsch as well "Of course it is better to be cautious while testing the waters. Especially when a child is one the way."

This one catches the Count, Danny and Kirsch off guard.

"What is it you speak of ?" The Count asks.

"Oh, You didn't get the news ?" Lamasthu asks before turning her attention to Danny and Kirsch "Tell him."

Kirsch nearly speaks, but hesitates.

Sensing his reluctance, Lamashtu crouches and reaches down, her fingernail/claws breaking the skin around Danny's throat.

"Speak now, or forever will her blood remain on your hands!" Lamashtu hisses.

"Carm and Laura are having a baby!" Kirsch screams out, fighting through his drugged haze.

The Count's eyes widen and his pupils shrink.

"A child ?...Mircalla is to bring a child into this world ?" The Count mutters, placing a hand across his mouth.

Several of his lackies start talking among themselves.

"Those two ? As parents ? We're better off killing them!"

"It's for the best really. I mean what they did wasn't enough, but now they have to bring a child into it ?"

"I mean, what kind of life would that kid have ? Really, we'd be doing them, and the world a favor by just cutting it out the womb."

Through all this, the Count raises his hand to silence them before nodding.

"It would seem this does put a small change in plans." The Count nods "I swore I would take all Mircalla knows and loves from her, the same as she took from me! This...abomination she brings into the world, is but another equation."

"No!" Kirsch says, trying and failing to stand up from his seat.

This action and falter causes Lamashtu to laugh and clap "Oh, you get an A for effort; I'd like to see how better you'd fair in your prime."

Lamashtu stares at the girls in white and waves them over; eight of them take their captives by the shoulder.

Many of them try to beg, many of them take to sobbing, some are just in utter shocked silence. They are placed onto the table, and it's then Danny starts to notice some engraved markings on the table itself.

And then...Lamashtu starts to snap her fingers.

One by one, each of the sacrifices is mutilated in a way best not described. Throats slit, chests and breasts torn open, stomachs slashed and groins- It was too much for Danny to witness; luckily Kirsch was on the floor, and even if he wasn't still doped out of lucidly, he tries to look away into the ground beneath him.

All the while, the figure of Lamashtu stands on the table and claps, laughing like a hyena. And no, that wasn't hyperbole - her laugh was nigh indistinguishable to that of a hyena's; just barely filtered from sounding human.

Before them, the blood pours into the table cracks and marks, forming an image; it looked like an octopus or a man at first, but the more it spread, the more Danny came to recognize the image of Cthulhu, who if Danny recalls correctly, was the brother of Hastur.

And that only covered the first half of the table.

When it reaches the center, a new image is formed; that of the Earth, surrounded and fed upon by three serpents heads. Danny barely recognized it as the Yellow Sign. Hastur's Sigil.

Suddenly, Danny feels herself being pushed down onto the table, by an unseen force, something just starting to pierce her neck too.

Lamashtu crouches down and sneers at the taller girl "You know...I recall your name being on the list; albeit, you were exonerated by the agency ? As you can imagine...I'm not too big on redemption."

Before she could finish her sentence, the blood flow reached Danny's lips; the blood of the eight that was sacrificed, mingled as one. Danny's vampiric instincts got the better of her, and her tongue reached out to taste.

Unseen to anyone else, Danny's pupils expand; and so everyone was caught off guard when Danny lunged over the table.

----

What follows is a blur of fangs, screams and blood shed.

When Danny becomes lucid enough the body count was somewhere in the "helluva lot" department.

It takes her a minute to catch her breath, and for her immediate memory to click back together; she tried to have a go at the demoness, but seeing as she was fighting a ghostly projection of Lamashtu, it didn't seem to do any good. If anything, it amused and entertained the demon.

Instead, Danny turned her attention to those who had bodies to harm; Karnstein himself, and his followers. Clearly, they were ill prepared for a vampire to actually fight back against them, especially one as strong as Danny.

They had no real weapons on their person that could harm her, and stood no chance from being killed at best, or absolutely molly-whopped at worst. Many of them just cut their losses and fled into the woods around them. Others ended up bitten, and let's just say Danny didn't care too much about potentially infecting them.

Danny recalls the ghostly figure of Lamashtu laughing at the massacre like a giddy school girl, but somewhere in the mayhem, she disappeared. It may have had something to do with her statue now lying on the floor in three pieces.

That left Count Karnstein; the only one who Danny could beatdown and could believably fight back.

The short of it is, he didn't fare any better than the last time. In fact, it was Kirsch striking him on the back of the head with a chair that snapped Danny out of her frenzy.

Speaking of Kirsch, he had both hands on Danny's shoulder, trying to talk her back down to earth.

"Danny! Dan!" Kirsch says "Are you still with me ?"

"I...I-" Danny tries to say, as she looks around. She hears a groan on the ground; the Count was on the ground, bleeding heavily from his shoulder and neck. His nose and lower lip were also a broken mess, and he had a knife in his eye.

The hell did Danny do to him ?

"Did I do this ?" Danny asks, noticing the fog dispersed.

"Yeah, but I knew you wouldn't hur-" Kirsch starts before Danny starts walking up and down the area.

"Did anyone get away ?"

"Just a few people and what's her name." Kirsch nods.

Before any of them could speak further, they noticed a couple of lights in the distance. Some in the sky, and others on the ground.

In minutes, three helicopters landed on the lake shore, and eight heavily armored black vans carrying SWAT teams filled the manor grounds.

Danny and Kirsch quickly recognized them as the Agency, as they filled the area. Out from one helicopter were two familiar faces; Lola and Lafontaine.

Once Lola and Laf made landfall, they rushed to Danny and Kirsch giving them hugs while they were talking over each other over how they tracked them down.

"See we-" Laf starts.

"They." Perry corrects.

"I may have bugged your laptop...and your phone..." Laf explains.

"The Agency contacted us as soon as their headquarters was attacked." Lola nods "It was just a matter of tracing.'

"Of course, a supernatural fog overcoming a manor and lake that was abandoned for decades, that just happens to narrow in on your phone signal; we kinda put two and two together." Laf adds.

"Ah, well for once, I'm glad to have my privacy invaded." Danny nods.

"So, did you find them ?" Lola asks "You know, the people on the list ?"

"Most of them." Danny nods "In fact, they're all around us." she adds gesturing to the bodies, some dead, some unconscious and some just beaten to the point they can't move.

"Oh dear," Lola winces "Well, I guess that counts for something."

"Speaking of Counts..." Kirsch says looking over to see eight of the SWAT officers surrounding the still wounded and barely standing Count Karnstien.

The Count had pulled the knife from his eye, and at the risk of being shot or wounded further, dropped the knife. He could do little more than glare at the four friends with a menacing sneer. He reluctantly holds his wrists, allowing himself to be cuffed, as a muzzle like mask is also placed on him.

"So...is Orlok here anyone important ?" Laf asks.

"He's Carmilla's..." Danny starts, but realizes she and Kirsch never learned the exact relation between Carmilla and Count Karnstein "He's someone from Carmilla's past and-"

Then Danny realizes something.

"Shit!" she exclaims, turning to Lola and Laf "Carm and Laura; do they know ?"

"Know what ?" Lola asks.

"No, the Agency kind of rushed us, wanting to keep things quiet. We didn't really have time to reach out to call them." Laf shakes her head "What's wrong ?"

"There's more going on here than Carmilla and her...whoever he is." Danny gestures to the Count as he's being led to a van "I'll explain on the way, but I think they're in danger."

"Think or know ?" Lamashtu's voice whispers in Danny's ear. Unheard by anyone else.

Know, Danny thinks to herself. Definitely know.

----

Casa Del Bella's, March 18, 2021

The sun had all but set by the time the Bellas, and their Bella returned home. Along with their two guests of course.

Being an impressionable three year old, Bella finds herself moving and talking in slow motion after seeing the new Justice League. It was cute, but it would probably be cuter if it weren't late in the evening.

They ate on the way home, and when they got back to the house - aside from unloading what they picked up from shopping - was to take a nice long shower.

Or to accommodate their current living conditions,  two would take turns in the showers - Carmilla had her own - while two others would end up looking after Bella. This case, it fell to Beca and Laura, who were running a bath for the toddler.

"No Bellster," Beca sighs, scrubbing the girls hair "No More Tears is false advertising; we've been over this four times."

"Yeah, it has nothing to do with Ozzy Osbourne." Laura chimes in.

This perks up Bella's head "Mama Becs, can you sing Crazy Train tonight ?"

"I would, but it's a three person job." Becca giggles "Kay, now out we go..."

Beca lifts her daughter out the tub while Laura preps a towel for her. While Laura is busy drying the girl off, Beca has a set of purple footie pajamas set up for the toddler.

"Are you brave enough to sleep in your own bed ?" Laura asks as Beca starts dressing Bella "Or has Carm not scared away all the nightmares ?"

"I...I think I'm good." Bella nods "Am I allowed to change my mind ?"

"No kid of mine is having nightmares under my watch." Beca says, playfully booping Bella on the nose.

While Bella goes to the sink to brush her teeth, Beca mouths to Laura "Do you think it's serious ?"

Laura shrugs and also mouths "I don't know, I haven't heard anything yet."

"We're not gonna be up to our necks in ghost shit are we ?"

"Like I said, I don't know."

Bella spits in the sink and turns to the other two.

"I think I can sleep in my own bed." The three year old says with a confident smile.

----

Later that same evening, Bella was nestled down in her bed, with the six other women in her house taking turns saying good night and kissing her on the head.

Notably, Carmilla told the girl "Remember, my room is always open. Which means you can always change your mind."

"I'll be fine Miss Carm." Bella beamed up as she pulled her covers over her.

"Also, be sure to let any boogeyman know that if they give you nightmares, you have a vampire aunt down the hall ready to rip it's head off and stomp it under her boot." Carmilla adds in a playfully friendly tone.

Bella giggles and nods "I will!"

Before Carmilla could leave the little girls room, she noticed how Bella would eye a window just beside her bed.

"What's wrong ?"

"It's scarier at night than the day." Bella says quietly.

Carmilla is quick to pick up what the girl is putting down, and nods "I see. And in your dreams, is that where you see...her ?"

Bella nods timidly.

Carmilla smirks and steps towards the window "Cover your ears."

Bella does so as Carmilla gently opens the window, leans out before inhaling deeply.

At first the forested area was alive with the sounds of the usual wild life; but all that was interrupted with the rumbling roar of a wild cat echoed over the Bailey Downs area, like a lion was reclaiming it's throne.

Not a cricket could be heard for miles.

Carmilla sighs, leans back inside, and closes the window.

"I think everything out there knows what to be scared off now."

"Thank's Carm." Bella says sweetly, as the vampire leans down to kiss her on the cheek.

"Sweet dreams, kiddo." Carmilla says, twirling the toddler's hair before she leaves.

With the last of her goodnights taken care of, Bella Conrad settles into sleep.

----

Unbeknownst to them, someone is walking outside the properties gate, staring up at the window where Bella's bedroom is located.

It is Tara - Theo Straka's partner and housemate - headphones in ear, out for her nightly walks. She whistles Let It Ride by BTO as she makes her stop.

Her blue eyes are so bright, you could swear they glow, she runs a hand through her orange/red hair as she whispers out, her Americanized accent slipping back to her natural one.

"I'll be seeing you again, little one."

----

In Bella's room, she has her lullaby recorder at the ready as she sleeps. Considering mothers wish to "grow her brain" so to speak, the songs they record are acapella covers, which include the likes of Carolus Rex; which is the exact song Bella is currently listening to.

As to what the Conrad girl is dreaming of ? Well...she isn't sure what to make of them. The girl had but the cloudiest memory of what was happening in these dreams.

They are of a city she has never seen or heard of. Of god's she has no business knowing of and in particular a figure she would probably call the King in Yellow.

He really didn't look like a king or god she'd care to know of; in fact, she couldn't quite tell what he looked like with that blinding yellow light surrounding him.

Even so his presence filled the girl with something she couldn't describe. Dread comes the closest.

In this dream, Bella isn't sure if the King in Yellow can see her, but whenever she tries to hide from him, the King would redirect it's gaze in her direction.

At one point in her dream, Bella would hesitantly raise and lower her hand when the King's focus was on her; the King would raise one of his own hands, and lower it in tandem with Bella's.

It marked one of the few times Bella could recall trying to run.

What happened to Bella from that point, she couldn't tell for sure. Everything was just a yellow haze.

When it started to clear, Bella once again found herself at the edge of the city, and a sea surrounding it. She'd look around, call out to any of her mom's, for Aunt Carm to come for her, but not a voice or person comes out.

She looks to the city, to see that yellow, glowing, haze enveloping the place; she sees the faintest image in that haze; the closest Bella could describe it as, is a dragon made of lightning. Bella sensed a very angry and hateful feeling coming from the yellow light, and it was directed towards the sea.

When Bella herself turns towards the sea, she sees a blue glow just beneath the surface of the water, a small distance from the city. As it grew brighter and brighter, Bella saw a large shape below the surface.

Bella flinches and looks away as this shape breaks the surface, that blue glow somehow more overwhelming than the yellow. She didn't get a good look at the thing in the water, but she could have sworn it was looking at her, before redirecting it's gaze at the King in Yellow.

Bella could feel the Earth around her tremble, and she quickly realizes it's coming from the sea monster as it makes it's way to the shore.

When the monster let out it's roar, Bella woke up.

----

When Bella woke, she felt something sitting on the bed beside her.

Bella didn't know what to make of the feeling inside her - not scared or sick, just icky. "Cold sweat" certainly wasn't something normal for the girl.

She rolled over to see Stacie, looking down with a smile but a concerned look in her eyes.

"Hey there sweetie, troubles in dream land ?"

Bella shakes her head "No."

"We heard you singing in your sleep. Didn't know whether to wake you up." Stacie says, brushing a hand through Bella's hair.

Considering the song list Stacie picked out for Bella, she figured it was a matter of time before her daughter started singing about being chosen by heaven, and how all should say her name when they pray to the sky.

Bella looks out the door to see it is daylight.

"It's Momma Beca's turn to cook," Stacie rubs Bella's back "Bacon and eggs. You like that."

Bella manages to smile and nods to her mother.

"Let's get you dressed first."

----

When mother and daughter Conrad joined the other six in the dining room, Bella was met by good mornings, and questions if she's had a better time sleeping.

Bella shakes her with an "I don't know."

The breakfast went on as normal; the six girls talking about general things, that Bella herself paid little attention to.

Some noise about getting the other Barden Bellas acquainted with their two house guests, get caught up with what they missed.

Laura mentioned something about wanting to get the Silas gang here too, to get them caught up as well. The problem being that Laura hasn't heard from her friends at Silas in days.

Eventually, Aubrey chipped in on setting a date for them to come together for a baby shower. The other five agreed with the idea, but couldn't pick the right date.

It was all background noise for Bella Conrad. Her mind was a million miles away thinking about that dream, and what she thought she saw in the yellow haze.

She recalls the King in Yellow saying something to her, but all Bella could register was that song she was apparently singing.

When Bella was finished eating, she excused herself from the living room, with Chloe following behind to rest.

As Chloe rests on the couch, Bella takes out her coloring paper and crayons, as she tries to draw what she dreamt of; whatever she can remember. In the background, Bella could hear Laura answering her phone, talking from the dining room.

"Hey Danny...sorry, I had a busy day yesterday and really had to crash in for the night...no, we didn't get into any trouble, actually we we're just talking about having a little get together-...Oh my god, is it that bad...o-okay, but you are coming right ?" Laura could be heard saying.

"What's wrong ?" Stacie can be heard asking.

"Yeah, Carm's here." Laura says, apparently handing Carmilla the phone.

"Yea Lawrence, what is it ?" Carmilla asks, followed by an extendedly long pause.

One could hear the slightest stifle in Carmilla's breathing as Danny talks to her over the phone about what she experienced, what she saw...and who she met.

"No, it- it can't be." Carmilla says, her voice stifling "Are you- is he still locked up ?" Another long pause before Carmilla says "Well, where are you now ?...okay, I'll see what I can do, but I need to think about this..."

Carmilla hangs up the phone and steps away from the table.

"Carm, honey, are you okay ?" Laura asks.

"I- I'm fine." Carmilla briefly stutters "I just need to take a walk."

"Well can I-?" Laura starts before Carmilla interrupts her.

"No! No..." Carmilla shakes her head "I just need some space."

Laura sighs and nods "Okay, if that's what you need, take all the time you can get."

Bella can hear Carmilla walk towards the front door, and out it.

She's too wrapped up in her drawings to pay that much attention, when she feels a presence creep up behind her, and gently place a hand on her back.

Bella turns around to see Aubrey smiling down at her.

"Didn't mean to spook you. What are you drawing ?"

Bella lifts up one of her drawings; it's of the dragon made of lightning she saw.

Aubrey exhales out a whistle at the picture "You see this anywhere ?"

"I dreamt of it," Bella nods "He's the King in Yellow."

"I see," Aubrey says as she crouches down.

"I'm not done drawing him through." Bella says.

"Where'd you see him ?"

"In last night's dream." Bella answers.

"That's uh...quite the imagination there kiddo." Aubrey says.

Chloe can be heard getting up from the couch "What's wrong with Carm ?"

Aubrey turns to Chloe and says "I don't know, I think something came up."

Aurbey looks back at Bella and notices another drawing.

"And what's that ?" she asks.

It was a circle, with three yellow serpentine marks coming at it/from it at different angles. In Bella's dream, they were the heads and necks of serpents.

"They called it the Yellow Sign." Bella says plainly.

Aubrey smiles, clearly scared of asking who 'They' are.

"I see," Aubrey says taking that drawing "Can I show the others, I'm sure Miss Laura and Miss Carm would be interested in-"

Before Aubrey can finish her sentence, a loud, wailing cry can be heard a short distance from the house.

It sounded like Carm...

Chapter Text

March 19, 2021, Casa Del Bellas

"It can't be him." Carmilla thinks to herself.

As far as anyone can tell, she was still on the property line, but her mind was a million miles, and the world around her spun and shook.

"Not him, not now. Not after everything, not when I'm having a child of my own! Not when things are starting to get back on track!!"

Too many thoughts were going through Carm's head at once, and even one such as Carmilla.

As time seemed to slow, as her heart seemed to stop, Carmilla couldn't let herself stop from letting out a long mournful wail.

Her anguish passes description. It's the kind only seen when a memory you'd prefer to forget comes crashing back, when all you had was the world to look forward to.

The closest one could see to this kind of grief was when her sister was lost.

All of it came to a stop, when Carmilla felt two arms wrap around her from behind.

She turns to see it is Laura, hushing and whispering to the vampire until her breathing comes back to normal.

"It was that bad news, was it ?" Laura asks.

Carmilla realizes where she is, at the fence line, foyer of the casa. All she can do is sniff and nod.

"Let me guess; it's something you buried with Mircalla ?" Laura asks, rolling a strand of Carmilla's black hair in her fingers, as she rubs her girlfriend's back.

"How'd you-" Carmilla starts.

"Your other half, remember ?" Laura says with a kiss on her forehead.

Carmilla nods again in understanding. You don't wake up your girlfriend, crying from nightmares and bad memories for six years without her knowing when somethings up.

"I..." Carmila wipes her eyes "I think I have something important to tell you." Carmilla turns her head to see Beca, Chloe, Aubrey and Stacie, standing at the doorway, with concerned expressions on their faces. "And you; you'll need to hear this, if what I think is happening...is happening."

"Is it bad ?" Beca asks.

"Worse," Carmilla sighs, she notices Bella peeking from behind her mothers "I don't think she should hear this."

Chloe looks down, and nods, picking Bella up and carrying her inside.

-----

Minutes later, Chloe takes a seat beside Beca, and Aubrey, with Stacie sitting on the arm of the couch, keeping one of her arms on it's back to keep balance, Laura sits on a chair on the left end of the couch. Carmilla paces back and forth in front of the TV, trying to collect her thoughts.

"Bella should be busy," Chloe says as she takes her seat, "I gave her crayons, paper and put Finding Nemo on for her."

"Give it to us straight, Carm." Laura says "I mean take your time, but what are we in for ?"

Carmilla hesitates before asking "How much do you already know of my past ?"

"I mean, you told your backstory on her vlog." Aubrey jabs her thumb at Laura "But I doubt this is gonna involve a puppet show."

Carmilla chuckles and rolls her eyes "Yeah, you can consider that the censored version of my history. The truth is really in the nitty and gritty side of things." She briefly paces back and forth before saying "When I died - when I first died - I was a very different woman than I am now. What you see here is a woman who has gone through centuries of change, trauma and attempts to heal. But the thing about scars is they never heal..."

While Laura is listening intently, the other four glance at each other, unsure if they should comment on Carmilla's dramatic wording. They silently agree it would be insensitive to do so.

"As you may know, I was born Mircalla Karnstein. I was the granddaughter of a Duke, Lucius Karnstein, and his wife Lena; my mother was Jana Hoffman, a seventeen year old girl of noble, but lesser, blood. I put emphasis on my mother and my parental grandparents, which should indicate how high of a regard I hold my male progenitor." Carmilla crosses her arms, glancing at Laura "His name was Falco, and once upon a time, I was glad you would never have to know your in-laws, cupcake."

"I take it he was like...your other mother ?" Laura hesitates to ask.

"Dare I say, Darth Vader would be preferable to Falco Karnstein. He was sixteen when he was able to talk his way into putting me inside my mother. A birthday gift he thought he was owed, but didn't want to pay the price for. Had he just been a douchey, irresponsible teenager, who got a girl pregnant, that would be one thing." Carmilla sighs again like she was lifting a heavy weight off her chest, trying to keep her eyes from watering. "My mother, she didn't make it, bringing me into this world." 

As Carmilla says this, Chloe and Beca's eyes perk up, and Beca places a hand on Chloe's round stomach, but Chloe puts a reassuring hand on Beca's and gives her a reassuring smile.

"Count Karnstein would blame me; not just for ruining his life, but once in a while, I would hear him refer to my birthday as the anniversary of my mother's death. He would do it while he knew I was in earshot. As I grew older, I knew the truth, but do you have any idea what that does to a child ?"

Aubrey in particular grits her teeth and the thought and says out loud "I'm really glad Bella's out of the room. We can't have her hear me say your father is a cunt."

Carmilla chuckles "Funny, I do recall upon turning into a vampire, how I'd take the O out of his Count Title. The name stuck for a while" She then reserves herself "But before that, he was a neglectful prick at best, and an emotionally abusive asshole at worst. The only good thing that ever came from Falco Karnstein was Elias Karnstein."

Laura perks her head up "And you." she says firmly, getting a quiet look from Carmilla, before Laura brings up the other name that was mentioned "You never told me you-"

Carmilla raises her hand to politely silence her girlfriend "He was my half brother, and a part of Mircalla Karnstein I chose to keep buried. There was just no room for him in the thing that I had become, and the new life I had to live."

Carmilla finds her legs tiring and leans up on the TV Stand, sitting down slightly on the edge.

"When I was twelve, my brother and I were separated. The then Count Karnstein wanted to make a name for himself as an explorer. He sent me off to board with a noble family, and took my brother with him to Sumar. It was this that brought me into the line of sight of my adopted family..."

-----

June 28th, 1696, The Black Sea

In the days that followed Falco's discovery, the Gruber fleet made their way from the Greek shores, to Istanbul, to Varna.

It was at their Varna docks that Ferdinand Gruber was to meet Falco to inquire on his company's findings. In the meantime, curiosity took hold of the crews of this expedition.

To many sailors, they've been told stories of the lands they'd visit, and when they aren't talking or wondering about what lives they are getting back to (or what life they escaped), trading stories made for a decent pastime. 

So when the word of a newly discovered "Forbidden God" reached their ears, curiosity got the better of the few brave enough to take a peek at the tablets, and texts, were treated to paintings and stories muddled by the mixes of Greek, Summurian, and Norse.

The most notable of these paintings was of a figure on a throne, adorned in a gold cloak which obscured his face; surrounding the King in Yellow was the image of three golden dragon or serpent like heads, circling him as if they were his shadow.

Due to the mix up of languages, even the more educated among them had trouble understanding what the story of this figure was; all they knew for sure was a recurring name - Hastur.

The name was spoken by whispers among the crew, but the wind carried it to a particular pair of ears.

On Karnstein's own ship, there were two guests picked up from the expedition. 

One was Ardeen, the red headed girl supposedly of noble birth. She was secretive, and kept to herself mostly, especially in her cabin. Due to her closeness with Count Falco, an affair was rumored to be occurring between them.

This didn't raise too many eyebrows, seeing as Ardeen appeared to be twenty four years old, whilst Falco was currently twenty seven.

The other was another woman claiming to be of Iranian nobility.

The name she went by was "Lilita", and supposedly, the Gruber family was indebted to her family. Many found a curious resemblance between her and the woman who spent a lot of her time with Falco's son; she still had some flowers in her hair, but a shroud she wore obscured them.

On the days on the Black Sea, she would spend most of her time on deck, ostensibly with Elias Karnstein as her side, and he would speak for hours about her sister. Lilita on the other hand, had her mind a million miles away.

Lilita would listen to the wind, here the whispers of the curious sailors and crewmen speaking amongst themselves of her lost love's name.

"Hastur," She silently mused, "Speak his name, draw him to you..."

Among those on board were a few translators trying to piece the tale of Hastur together; for the most part it was the same story told of Inanna, and her fall from grace.

From what else they could gather, Hastur's name could roughly be translated as "God of the Void". Unfortunately for them, so many names could be accurately translated. One of the perks of being a "Forbidden God" - not many people are willing to speak or write of them.

She'd roll her eyes in amusement, they didn't know what they were in for. Should the curators or scholars of the new world learn the belief he was behind the myths of Zaharak or Apep, they'd be in for a field day.

From the serpent of Genesis to the dragon of Revelation, her lover left his mark on history and mythology whether mankind knew it or not. So much so that the cosmological implications would be staggering.

The only other two names they could find that couldn't be attributed to any known pantheon was Cthulhu, who was identified as a half brother and rival of the King, and High Priest of the Old God's; and Ithaqua, the King's son who haunted the new world. And finally, Nyarlathotep...no one knew who or what that name refers to.

On this evening in particular, as the sun disappeared  Elias Karnstein stood by the side of his "nanny", overlooking the sea as they looked over the railing.

"Little Karnstein," she'd say "There was something I haven't told you." She said, looking into the water. She has a look and expression of dread on her face.

"What is it ?" Elias asked, for once distracted from his thoughts of seeing Mircalla.

"Did I not tell you how Inanna's king fell ?"

Elias shook his head. All he could recall was her telling of how Hastur and his half brother would come to Earth, and the two hated eachother - not like he and his sister. Hastur wanted to make the world his Kingdom, and how he and the Queen of Heaven fell in love.

How he died wasn't elaborated on beyond some so-called "hero" facing him.

"You should fear the sea, little one. It's where the biggest monsters lurk." She picked Elias up, and carried him towards his cabin. A goddess in disguise or not, a nanny's duty calls.

Hearing there were monsters in the water, the boy buried his face into his "nanny's" neck and shoulder. She chuckled, despite or because of the subject matter.

"Fret not; they are far too big and you're far too small for you to be of any dietary interest to them." Lilita twirls Elias' hair "It's the smaller monsters you have to worry about; the larger ones prefer cities. Do you know of Hastur's enemies ?"

"His brother," Elias nods hesitantly, "Khlûl′-hloo." he adds, pronouncing the name she spoke to him.

"The King in Yellow had more enemies than he did lovers; his most famous being his half brother. Both of them are sons of another world, looking to take the same one. One became the high priest of his kin, ruling in the sea. The other wanted to rule and manipulate the world through art." Lilita says, walking Elias to his cabin.

Lilita shudders slightly, remembering how the sea boiled, and how her and her lover's city burned.

"It was said," Lilita says, opening the door to Elias' bedroom "That a war between brothers would occur when they were ready to take the world. Who would destroy humanity, or who would lead it into a new image. What they didn't anticipate was this sibling rivalry would draw attention; in the same way Hastur won the heart of Inanna, he and his brother earned the ire of gods, spirits, and even monsters from one side of this world to another. All eyes were on the two, so much so that the world didn't expect any...interference."

Lilita continues, placing Elias' on his bed.

"Many of them took sides, others didn't." Lilita says.

As she went on, she could remember every vivid detail, and in one form or another, humanity remembered as well. It was a war fought around the world after all. But she could see it in Elias' eyes that he was picturing it too.

But stories couldn't do the war justice; one simply had to have been there, to see the sky light in a golden storm. How the sea glowed and boiled with a blue flame; the ungodly roar of the sea dwelling adversary as he emerged...

Lilita shudders at the memory.

"There will come a time, when such monsters will walk the earth again. If you are lucky, you will not live to see it."

"When will they be back ?" Elias asks.

Lilita smirks.

"Oh my dear," she chuckles "They never left. These gods and monsters ? They still live and walk among us. And should you live to see a new war among the gods, whose side will you be on ?"

Elias shakes his head "I don't know. I don't like this story."

Lilita smirks again, "How about a lullaby ?"

Elias nods.

"Very well," Lilita says preparing herself. It was a song originally sung by her lover, to the children whose heads he'd reach too. Try as the boy might, Elijah cannot escape the reach of the King In Yellow. She began to sing in a gentle voice.

"Say a prayer, little One/Don't forget, my son/To include everyone..." 

----

Gruber Manor, Mircalla's bedroom.

Mircalla spent the night the process of picking out dresses for the forthcoming trip. 

She was told by Matska that Luisa Gruber would be joining her father on his visit to their Varna estate; it would be there that Ferdinand Gruber would finalize his deal with both Count Falco, as well as the mysterious head of Matska's family.

Word is the Gruber's agreed to send Luisa off to be a ward for the next year or so, as per Ferdinand's deal with Matksa's mother.

Mircalla, for her part, has been flipping the coin on whether or not she should join Matska and Luisa, or if Mircalla would be rejoining Elias. 

There was a third option she considered.

Mircalla spent the evening talking things over with Matska after Luisa was put to sleep; they finished putting dresses, books, and other belongings in their cases, before both girls sat on Mircalla's bed in exhaustion.

"How much will you think he changed ?" Mircalla asked.

"Beg pardon ?"

"My brother. I've been told you don't go on these kinds of ventures without being changed in some way." Mircalla explains "You learn new things, experience new things, and become a new thing."

"And where, pray tell, did you hear that ?"

"I read it in a book." Mircalla shrugs "Just waiting to see how much of it is true."

"How old is your brother ?" Matska asks.

"He had to have turned five a month back. Not that there was much of a celebration where he was, let alone under my father." Mircalla sighs.

"Five years old ?" Matska shakes her head with a tsk, "The children I grew up with, we too traveled far and wide; my mother, family and community where one of education; once in a blue moon, we were taken to a place not unlike Mesopotamia, and those of us who-" she stops herself so as to not upset the younger girl "They became hardened; a lot of the time it seemed their innocence was lost, but after a while, I see it slip through the cracks."

"And you said you had children of your own ?"

"Three," Matska nods, a sad smile forms as she keeps talking "Ayana, Yonatan, and Zoya. But I had little hand in raising them; all three were taken to new families, as per my community's traditions; the longest one stayed with me was seven, but I checked in on her every now and then."

Unbeknownst to Mircalla, Matska was stretching the truth; "checking in on her children" could euphemistically be counted as "looking into her daughter's descendants over the centuries".

"The less said the better, but know this Mircalla, I know the fear you have for your brother very well. It isn't too far off from my own fears." Matska finishes.

Mircalla looks at the older woman inquisitively; she was gonna ask how Matska had three children, one of whom was at least seven, at her age...but figured that would be rude and uncomfortable, so instead she asks.

"How'd you get over those fears ?"

"I know they were protected. My mother watches out for them, and others in her family. My first daughter lives in the Americas, in a state called Massachusetts, under my family." Matska explains, once again leaving out the details of her daughters descendants living out in Salem "My family's influence and power, reaches beyond your peoples crowns; there is a reason the Gruber's found it in their best interests to turn their daughter to us...and perhaps, your father will feel the same of you."

"What about my brother ?"

"What about him ?" Matska asks.

"Do you think Elias could join us ?" Mircalla asks hesitantly, looking down as she fumbles her thumbs "If we could convince your mother ?"

"I wouldn't get your hopes up just yet." Matska says "She has her eyes on you both, you know ?"

"What ?" Mircalla looks at Marska, as if she couldn't believe what she just heard.

"My family's reach is far." Matksa shrugs nonchalantly "My mother needs people looking as far as she can reach; even if it's her children. I let her know of you, if you do not mind me doing so, and I promise she is looking forward to seeing you."

Matska gets off the bed, making her way to Mircalla's door.

"Until then, I would recommend keeping your questions behind tight lips." Matska turns around with a smirk "Where my mother has eyes, others have ears."

And like that, Matska closed the door.

-----

2021

As Carmilla continues her story, she stretches her legs, feeling her rear getting sore from leaning on the TV stand. She places a short circle to get the feeling in her legs back.

"And you didn't find this sketchy ?" Chloe asks.

"I was like, eleven. I wasn't as worldly or experienced as my ventures into reading made it seem." Carmilla shrugs "I may have seen the red flags, but kid me never really thought of them. If anything they attracted me to her and her family."

"You said Mattie has kids ?" Laura adds.

"She had kids, grandkids, great great great grandkids! And they had great great grandkids of their own. A whole line of them going on for centuries." Carmilla shrugs nonchalantly, leaning back against the wall "It was through Mattie I knew vampires like us could have children. Before you ask, I never met my nieces or nephews, though I've been told Mattie's descendants ended up becoming a powerful bloodline of witches."

"But that's another story ?"

"But that's another story." Carm nods.

"Wait, so," Stacie raises her hand "If that other family knew Mattie was a noble, why'd they use her as a servant ?"

"I think that was Mattie's decision; whenever she'd join me in visiting other families, and there were small children, she'd jump into the nanny role immediately." Carmilla muses "I think she was trying to fill a void, much like I. Albeit a different one."

"And what about your brother ?" Laura asks.

Carmilla hesitates for a second before she continues.

"It was a week long journey, before we reached Varna; it would be there Ferdinand Gruber would finalize his deal, and I would have a long awaited reunion."

------

1696

The sight seeing was nothing spectacular, Mircalla thought as her weeks-long travel came to an end. She had no one to talk to - Matska and Luisa traveled by wagon trains and, and carriages, while Mircalla was on her own.

The days of mind boggling boredom and writer's block when it came to her journal, felt as if it dragged on for months. This must have been how Elias felt on his own caravan.

She spent the lot of her time in her own carriage, only interacting with a young woman Rada, an apparent servant who was to see to her needs; she only entered Mircalla's tent when she'd have to, but she seemed friendly enough.

Had Mircalla had the same understanding of her feelings then as she did now, she'd admit to having something of a crush on this woman. Though considering their significant age gap, and minimal actual interaction, and Mircalla's naivety, no romance occurred on this journey.

When Mircalla slept, she'd have this same dream of a voice calling her closer and closer as the ship made its way to Varna. She could recall little of what exactly these dreams were about, but the few things but the constant was a yellow haze, and a small presence by her side; a small innocent presence, she would associate with Elias.

The first dream, Mircalla was on a ship, much like her brother would be.

She could see a city in the distance, but it wasn't Varna; it was as if it were made of gold; as if it belonged in another world, as if the city was built in heaven. In the back of her mind, she knew this is where the voice was coming from, but she could scarcely tell what it was saying.

There was no doubt in her mind this is where this yellow presence was coming from. But there was something else, waiting beneath the waves, moving below them. It was as if the ship was being followed.

The dream that followed, Mircalla was standing directly in this golden mist.

----

There was something in that haze that filled Mircalla with dread and curiosity at the same time. She couldn't see the face of her companion, but she felt who had to be Elias burying himself defensively behind her.

 Mircalla was confused, but behind her fear was a feeling of courage filling her heart, as she'd picked the child up when the presence in the haze stood before them. Mircalla never seen such eyes. They stood out behind what had to be a mask; in fact, she'd wager this human-like shape was a mask in on itself.

It looked at her, and at something else...another presence Mircalla also couldn't see, and yet it spoke as if there was someone else standing before them.

"Blessed, is the fruit of your womb." It reaches out, placing a hand on something, as if he was touching the stomach of an unseen woman.

And then it turns its attention to Mircalla, reaching forward as if he was trying to touch her stomach.

"And yours ? Yours will-" 

What he (or it ?) was going to say was silenced by Mircalla awakening with a scream, looking down to notice blood in her sheets....Between her legs.

Mircalla took several deep breaths to calm down. She's had them the past few months, it was just part of becoming a woman as Lady Gruber helped her understand.

----

The last of these dreams occurred when the caravan was just reaching Varna; fittingly, the last dream was of Mircalla standing at the edge of a city. And before a vast ocean; the docks and ships were unfamiliar, and looked as if they belonged to a long bygone time.

Mircalla was holding this small, childish presence close to her chest, protecting what had to be Elias...but she could hear sobbing, like that of a little girl.

When she looks at the city, and the sea, she can see it. The sky was lit with lightning and a golden storm.

In the sea, Mircalla could see a more bluish color from beneath the waves as a shape made its way to the shoreline. Mircalla couldn't get a good look at the thing in the sea, it's head obscured by the storm, but if she had to estimate its size, the biggest man she'd know would be but a spider to this leviathan.

And when Mircalla turns to the city, she can barely register another presence; it too was massive, and while she couldn't quite make out what it was through the storm, what little she could see was both divine and monstrous at the same time.

When Mircalla awakes that time, it was in a cold sweat, the water beasts roar echoing in her ears....

-----

Casa Gruber, the Varna Estate - July 12th, 1696

When the Caravan reached the Gruber family's Varna estate, Mircalla was more winded from the trip to take in any of the sights. It can be said if you see one manor, you've seen them all.

When Mircalla's things were unpacked, and she settled in her guest room, the first thing she did was flop down onto her bed and just look around the plain white room.

Her head was spinning, her stomach coiling and her heart pounding; Elias would be here soon, as would Matska's mysterious mother. She would be offered to be taken in as a ward, and she knew her father would jump at the chance to be rid of her (feelings mutual), it was just a matter of selling her on the idea of taking Elijah with them.

About an hour or so later, she hears a knocking on her door.

"Mircalla Karnstein ?" A young woman's voice asks.

"Who does it concern ?" Mircalla sullenly groans, placing a hand on her forehead.

"I come bearing news, regarding your brother and your father."

This gets Mircalla to perk her head up, before sitting up right on her bed.

"Come in."

The door opens to reveal a young woman, in her early twenties; she was pale, but had a notable eastern accent as she spoke; she had blood red hair, cut down to shoulder length, and bright blue eyes. She wore a bright blue dress, something that invoked the image of wealth, but no power; a head servant perhaps.

"My name is Adeen Kurt, and I am a representative of your father's."

Mircalla sighs and rolls her eyes "Figures my father would send a proxy to seek me out."

"Your father didn't send me. Another Karnstein did."

Now that had Mircalla's attention.

"He's waiting for you." Adeen gestures to the girl to follow her.

-----

This Adeen carried a cautious air about her. Mircalla was not one to judge by appearance or the like, but there was something that felt off of Adeen she couldn't put her finger on.

Maybe it had to do with how aggressively cheerful and friendly she was acting, it almost came off as...fake.

"I'm sure word hasn't reached you of your father's findings. If not, you must be oh so proud." Adeen says, wrapping an arm down Mircalla's shoulder, leading her down the new and unfamiliar manors halls.

"I can assure you," Mircalla says, brushing Adeen's arm aside "There's a very few things my father could do that would make me proud. One is physically impossible; the other is condemned by the Ten Commandments."

This gets a laugh from Ardeen "I can assure you, Lady Karnstein, I have thought much of the same...still, you may hear rumors of him finding things of another time, another world. But that's not what you're here for, are you ?"

Adeen opens a door at the end of the hall, revealing a playroom for children; two toy chests, three rocking horses, a toy castle and other such things. Sitting in the middle of the spacious room was Luisa Gruber, playing with a doll, Matska, laying beside her, playing with a doll of her own despite her new, more formal wear.

And at the window, at the far end of the room, sitting alone in the chair was...

"Elias ?"

The boy turns around with wide eyes and a wide smile "Mircalla!"

The boy hops off the bench, darts across the room with the speed of what will one day be called track cars, wrapping his arms around Mircalla's legs and waist with such an impact, his sister nearly doubles over.

This catches the attention of Luisa and Matska, the latter of whom smiles, while Adeen makes a "gag" motion behind the Karnstein's backs.

When Matska notices "Adeen" with them, she glares daggers, holding out an arm protectively in front of Luisa; when "Adeen" notices this, she gives Matska a friendly, tooth filled smile, fluttering her fingers at her as a wave.

None of this is noticed by either of the Karnstein siblings; Elias' little mouth is going a mile a minute, telling Mircalla about all the sights he saw, the people he met, such as Adeen and Lady Lilita.

"Now she's calling herself Lilith." Elias adds.

Elias had no way of knowing this, but he was speaking of Matska's adoptive mother, the illustrious Lilith Morrigan. When their ship initially made port, Elias' nanny disappeared, but not before making him promise not to tell anyone of her identity.

The next day, a noble woman of mixed descent made her name known as the mysterious, but powerful head of the family; Lilith Morrigan, a widow, handed the key to her deceased husband's "kingdom".

On Mircalla's account, her mind was miles and miles away; a thousand thoughts went through her head at once as Elias went on and one about how much he missed her, how long and boring his travels themselves were, but also about how the stories he was told made up for it.

All Mircalla could think of was how a new future was ahead for her - and Elias. She could free herself and her brother from their father permanently. It took a moment for Mircalla to be sure this wasn't a dream before she hugged back.

"Wow, you've gotten strong!" Mircalla giggles, getting down on her knees to wrap her arms around the toddler's shoulder "You've been eating your fruits and vegetables, have you ?"

Elias nods proudly, stepping back to pat himself on the stomach "Lilita made sure of it."

"I'll have to thank her, should we meet." Mircalla smirks, before the smile drops "As for...him, how has he treated you ?"

Elias hesitates.

"Has he hurt you ?" Mircalla asks again.

"He pretends I wasn't there." Elias nods sadly.

"Is he still here ?" Mircalla asks grimly.

Elias shakes his head "He's at the docks, with Adeen's mistress." he says, pointing at the redhead in question, leaning at the edge of the door.

"This is the most he's talked, you know." Matska says, getting up from her feet, taking a step towards the siblings with Luisa following behind "I hear so much of this famous Elias, and yet when Luisa and I meet the lad himself, we are yet to hear a word from him."

"Yeah, he's not a very sociable child." Mircalla nods.

"We're going to have to change that." Matska says, ostensibly smiling at the siblings, but giving "Adeen" a look that says 'You so much as brush the hair behind Luisa's ear, I will rip your head off and shove it up one of them holes of yours'. 

Matska picks Luisa up and holds the little girl close to her.

"Tis rare the little one has others her age to be her friends, and after hearing so much of Elias, I'm sure she as eager to get to know him as I. I'd say the four of us-" Matska's eyes "Adeen" intensely as she says 'four' "For a little walk while the days still clear. Get the little ones to know eachother a little more."

Both Mircalla and Elias let out the same groan of indignant frustration.

"Can we not ?" Mircalla asks "We've been travelling for the better part of the month, give us a day at least." 

Matska huffs a little before rolling her eyes "Well then, you two take as long as you need. Louisa here will help me get better acquainted with this new estate. Won't you, darling ?" she says, teasingly pulling the mute girl's cheek.

As Matska takes her leave, Adeen follows closely behind her. So close in fact, she inhales Luisa's scent as she passes them.

"I thought I smelled a distinct lack of fear from this one." the redhead notes, her blue eyes seem to glow "Tell me, what does she know ?"

"She knows enough." Matska says, noticing the "necklace" the redhead's wearing and forming a smirk "I see mother has the good sense to keep her dog on a leash."

"Don't get your hopes up; this is only until she has what she needs." Lamashtu grins, "One of the perks of knowing your mothers secrets is the patience that comes with it. I can play the waiting game with the best of them. You will be looking behind every corner in the event I start chewing on your ankle. It's not a matter of if, but when."

"You forget, Lamashtu," Mattie says, flashing her fangs at the demoness, still holding Luisa close to her, "I can bite back now."

"So I see." Lamashtu muses "Well then, I'll be having to keep my eyes on you as well." She points to Luisa "And you." and jabs her thumb over her shoulder to the room they left the siblings in "And them."

Lamashtu takes several steps ahead of them, turning to face Matska and Luisa as she walks backwards.

"In the meantime, you will be seeing little of me. While the little ones look to be part of your mothers set of ducklings, I have a deal of my own going on. Much like you, I feel like I will be close to the Karnstein's for some time..."

-----

Elsewhere at Gruber's Trade Harbors.

Count Falco Karnstein had crushed this third cigar watching the workers unload the artifacts, taking them to storage. It was high noon by the time Lord Ferdinand Gruber showed up, on the station's main balcony.

Ferdinand was as about a mix of a man as his reputation. You ask one person, he was a generous, if eccentric lord with a sweet tooth for foreign cultures and myths; you ask another, he was a serious, business minded man, with short patience. The truth of the matter was, it really depends on what his mood of the day was.

So when a seven foot giant of a man, top and bottom heavy, makes his way up a balcony you were standing alone at, now surrounded by armed guards, dressed in a colorful mashup of bright blue, pink and bright orange ? It's a little easy to get distracted from the stone face, dark eyes and bushy brown beard and eyebrows.

It was a jarring contrast to Falco's considerably smaller build, and more dark and dreary clothing.

"Took you long enough." Falco coughs.

"I've had to pay off a few employees." Lord Gruber says, his voice gruff and gravelly, he looks around as if he were expecting someone else "Are we to expect Lady Morrigan ?"

"She elected to see the boy off at your estate." Falco waves dismissively "Her fixation on my son is a bigger mystery than other items we uncovered."

"And she would appreciate not being spoken of as if she wasn't there." A woman's voice says, catching both men and the eight guards by surprise.

Ascending the stairs was a woman dressed in white, formal wear, her black hair stylized to accommodate the new culture she has visited.

"Lady Morrigan," Falco eyes the woman he knew as his son's nanny, now presenting herself as a noblewoman, advancing towards them "We were not expecting you so soon."

"And how, Count Karnstein, did you hope to educate our entourage ?" Lilith Morrigan asks with a coy smile.

"If it makes it any easier, my company has reached out to a consultant." Gruber explains "But your presence here is a blessing, Lady Morrigan."

"Of that I am sure." She says, holding her hand out, allowing Ferdinand to take it and kiss her on the wrist "Now, let's make this quick, I've been told it is going to storm, and I have just gotten this dress. You've been speaking to a consultant of yours ?"

"Yes," Ferdinand said "And eccentric fellow - it would seem our minds think alike. Word reached my company of the city the expedition uncovered, and an..." he hesitates to say the word "Historian, of my acquaintance showed a particular interest. Wanted to be sure of their authenticity."

"What's to be sure of ?" Falco asks as he and the newly gathered party descend the stairway to the Harbors storage areas "We found a city untouched for two thousand years, at the very least, filled with artifacts, texts and depictions of gods, monsters and tales that even the locals are unfamiliar with."

"Better safe than sorry when it comes to hoaxes." Ferdinand explains "One of my grandfather's greatest blunders was the uncovery of what he thought was the tomb of Arthur Pendragon - a false grave, put there for centuries."

In the storage space, the workers had the twenty four artifacts taken out for their old containers and placed into new ones. They were expecting the consultant to arrive any day now, and in the meantime we're getting them sorted out.

As the Count, Lord and Lady made their way in, Count Falco drowned out all the noise of Lady Morrigan going on and on about who or what this statue represents, what this name means, what this illustration depicts, etc. 

It was all yammering to the Count; he heard this story recounted to the expedition, and to his son, that all it became was inane rambling; there was nothing new to hear; gods of different cultures in a war; gods from another world making its home here; Hastur this, Cthulhu that. 

Making it worse was this was supposed to be his expedition - that he would get the glory and the notoriety for this discovery. And along comes this wench, who as Falco suspect, might not entirely be human, with all the knowledge, influence and power to take the attention away from him.

After uncovering that demon bitch, it wouldn't surprise him. At times it felt as if the gods of his world and others were just not on his side.

After a while of Lady Morrigan's exposition, the main doors of the storage house opened, with two horses hauling a large item by wagon into the building. It was covered by a dark grey cloth.

"...And of course, there is the story's seeming end." Lady Morrigan says, gesturing to the door.

"Care to explain ?" Ferdinand asks, drawing his attention to the item in question.

"I intend to, yes." The Lady nods.

In a few minutes, the fabric was removed, and it took sixteen men to lift and prop up the item against the wagon, presenting the nobles with a view. Now this had Falco's attention.

Falco didn't have much regard for the item when the expedition initially found it; it was obscured in mud and rock, but at Lady Morrigan's insistence, the large piece of stone was taken back to the ships and cleaned off over time.

Said item was a twenty foot piece of obsidian. It appeared broken on the top, meaning they could only see half of what the engraved mural was depicting; it was a city on the edge of the sea, that much was for certain.

The city was made using gold, the water was pieced together by sapphire diamonds, and breaking from the water's surface was something  made using emerald gems.

It appeared to be a monster of sorts, but what it was exactly couldn't be said for sure. The top half of this creature was broken off by the murals crack; what can be ascertained was it was bipedal, but dragon-like in appearance, as it's two legs, tail and lower torso indicates. 

"Káfsi Thálassa," Lady Morrigan said, her eyes going dark, unseen to the others around her "The Burning Sea. This is where the climax of the battle occurred. Where few gods and monsters bend the knee to one brother or the other, many tried to fight against them with varying success. Others fought for their own world, their own lands and seas. Eventually, it came down to these two."

Ferdinand glances up and down the half depicted monster in the mural; "This is him, isn't it ? The brother ? The one from the sea ? Cth...how do you pronounce his name ?"

Lady Morrigan doesn't  answer, only stares as if she were deep in memory. When she finally speaks it was of a different subject.

"After the smoke settled, the seas calmed, the skies cleared and the surviving Gods and Titans returned to their posts, the world tried to forget." She places her hand on the mural looking up at the city it depicts, like it was something she lost a long long time ago "They wouldn't speak of the King, except for hushed whispers, often referring to him by a bygone name another culture gave him. His sea dwelling slayer was attributed to a pretty boy, demigod or hero of sorts. As Khlûl′-hloo sleeps dead beneath the waves, Hastur was entombed in this world and beyond. And so, those who remain were to keep his name alive."

Falco hums a little, as to empathize his disinterest "Well then, this forgotten god has us to thank if his name will see the new century. I'm sure we'll be rewarded greatly, in this world or the next."

With both Morrigan and Gruber's eyes on him, Falco continues.

"Speaking of," Falco says as he fastens his shirt collar "I believe there's the matter of payment to discuss."

"In due time." Lady Morrigan narrows her eyes at the Count "But I'm sure our good Lord Gruber still has much to learn of what's on his hands."

"There is still the matter of my historian friend." Gruber adds "He too has spent quite a bit of time in that region, and has expressed an enthusiastic interest in affirming these items' authenticity."

"Is my word not enough, Lord Gruber ?"  Lady Morrigan flutters her eyes at the large man "My family owned that land for centuries."

"I have no reason to doubt you're being truthful, no more a liar than those who claimed Arthur's tomb on my grandfather's property; my acquaintance, Mikaelson," Gruber hesitates "I have my reasons to take his word on these matters."

Lady Morrigan pauses, a look of familiarity dawns on her face.

"The Mikaelson's, you say ?"

"I take it you're familiar with him ?"

"That family and I ?" The Lady says "We go back centuries..."

-----

That evening, at the Gruber Estate.

Mircalla and Elias spent the better part of their day, in the former's bedroom, the latter going on and on about what stories he heard, how he made a new friend in one nice lady, and another not so nice lady, who Mircalla met earlier that day.

Even still, Mircalla's mind was a thousand miles away as her little brother kept yammering. She was still thinking of Matska's offer.

"...but she never told me the monster's name." Elias finishes "She also told me I shouldn't fear him, since it's not likely I am to face him. Maybe I can when I'm older, show everyone how brave I am!" The boy says enthusiastically.

Mircalla finally remembers that her brother was talking to her, getting her train of thought back.

"Oh, well by the sound of it, you've got quite a ways to go before you can do that." She says, trying to sound enthusiastic and encouraging.

"Adeen says with her help, I could be halfway there by your age." Elias says proudly.

"And you're already less than half way there!" Mircalla says, playfully grabbing Elijah on the nose, causing the boy to giggle.

"Ah, still ticklish I see." Mircalla grins wickedly.

Elias flops back on the bed as his sister digs her fingers on his belly and ribs, showing no mercy as she tickles Elias to a giggling, blushing mess of a boy.

She was really too far into this game of tickles, so much so she barely heard the knocking on the bedroom door.

"Lady and laddie Karnstein." Matksa's voice calls "The Master of the Manor requests your presence at the dining hall."

Mircalla stops long enough for Elias to catch his breath.

"In a few!" Mircalla answers back, before looking back down at Elias.

"I'll...get you...for that..." Elias says between deep breaths.

"And I'll hold you to that." Mircalla says, poking Elias on the nose.

The two got off the bed and made their way to the door.

Once they settled in the dining hall, Mircalla found herself glaring beyond her control as her father entered the hall as well. It was a glare that Falco returned.

Sitting at one end of a long table was Lord Gruber himself. Sitting at the side next to him was Luisa, and at the seat beside her was Matska, now in a black dress more befitting of a daughter of someone in power.

At the other side of the table, sat Count Falco, Elias beside him, and Mircalla beside Elijah. 

Neither father or daughter exchanged any words, a direct contrast to Ferdinand leaning down to whisper something at Luisa. Whatever it was, it got the little girl to smile.

Shortly thereafter, two more people entered the room. There was Adeen, of whom Mircalla met earlier that day, and Lady Morrigan, of whom Mircalla heard so much of from Matska.

Adeen took her place at the corner of the room no more visible or relevant than the servants stepping in to serve these nobles their dishes and drinks. Lady Morrigan took her seat at the far end of the table, giving Elias a friendly smile as she sat down...and Mircalla a lingering stare.

"Well, oh well." Lady Morrigan said "I had hoped for a more lively gathering for the occasion."

"And I hoped for a higher pay." Falco says under his breath "There's little room for extravagance when it comes to business."

"And there is little explanation for what happened with my initial crew." Ferdinand answers Falco "Forty nine dead on the journey-"

"They were in the wilderness, exposed to the elements. They knew the risks." Falco dismisses, as he begins to cut up the beef he was served.

"All on the same night ?" Ferdinand asks "As their families no less ? That is a hundred and eighty bodies. Regardless, each man you lost on the expedition, is a dock on your pay. Had it not been for Lady Morrigan's untimely arrival, generosity and knowledge, I would have called the whole thing off."

As "Adeen" thinks back to that night, she silently licks her teeth, thinking back to that one mother's scream as she saw her, and the red mess she made in her infant's crib.

Can't blame a starving demoness for being gluttonous, right ?

"But in the end, we succeeded in our mission. We found those artifacts." Falco corrects "One cannot dig for gold without getting their hands dirty. You think back to the Pharaohs of Egypt, and the work they put the Hebrews through, and you make yourself a dynasty." Falco says, wiping his mouth as he swallows down a piece of meat "Your family of all people should know that one man's body is another's stepping stone."

Mircalla looked away, covering her mouth. Her father spoke rather callously at home too, though it was rare he was so open about how little the lives of others matter.

"And what happens when all those bodies are just that ?" Ferdinand asks "A living empire or company needs the living to run it. What are the powerful without the powerless ?"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen." Lady Morrigan stands to her feet "These circumstances brought us together in the long run. Through me, you two made a discovery and brought it back to share with Europe. Those that can afford to be shared with, of course. Should this not be a cause of celebration ?"

"Celebrations will begin when Mikaelson confirms these are what you claim they are." Ferdinand waves dismissively "And once the Museum is complete, of course. Which could take years."

One could hear a pin drop, as Falco pressed his thumb so hard against his silver fork, that it nearly bends in half, and his teeth grind behind his lips.

Mircalla finds herself smirking at her father's frustration, but is silenced by a glare from him. Instead, she turns her attention to Elias, who made a mess of himself stuffing potatoes in his face, taking it upon herself to wipe it clean.

"In which case, if I may be so bold." Lady Morrigan chimes in "I'd go as far as to say our expedition is far from over. And should this Mikaelson be satisfied with our findings, I'm sure I have more that will be of both your interest."

She gestures to both Ferdinand and Falco before she continues.

"Of course, the two of us can talk business later. Tonight marks the first time the three of our families have come under the same roof. I'd say we take this time to get to know eachother a little more." As Lady Morrigan says this, she looks to Luisa "And what of you little one ? I've heard a great deal about you."

"Luisa doesn't speak, I'm afraid. Born mute. She can read and write decently for someone her age." Ferdinand says before gesturing to Matksa, who has spent this time barely touching her dish, and silently sipping her drink "As your foreigner daughter can attest, she is quite expressive in spite of her limitations."

Matska looks off from her drink and smiles "What she lacks in words she makes up for in imagination and such. I can see a remarkable artist in her future."

Ferdinand gives a humble grin, contrasting Luisa's more embarrassed one "Well, I do try to give her the best in education."

"And I happen to provide it." Lady Morrigan grins "I always did see myself as one who'd educate the masses, who can lead young and remarkable girls to their future."

Then, Lady Morrigan turns to Mircalla.

"And what of you girl ? I can assume you can speak at least ?"

"Yes, Mircalla. There's not much of val-" Falco says sternly, only to be interrupted when Lady Morrigan raises a finger to silence him.

"I wasn't speaking of you, Count Falco." Lady Morrigan's smile doesn't falter, but her voice becomes more icy, as do her eyes as she turns her head slowly to Falco. Turning her attention back to Mircalla, she continues "What can you tell me about yourself ?"

Mircalla looks around, all eyes on her, before looking down at her dish "What's to tell ?"

Matska very audibly scoffs "Oh come off it, in the time we spent together, you have shown much of the same remarkableness as Luisa Gruber, as well as the same curiosity. Under my mother's education, we could make a real woman of the world out of her."

Falco scoffs "Not everyone should shoot so high. The insects of the world walk below our feet for a reason. All have their place; it is best they stay in that place."

"So you'd have it that she'd be hooked to you for the rest of your life ? From what little you said of her, you surely carry the burden or Atlas on your shoulders, should you wish to keep that tether." Lady Morrigan says, looking back to Mircalla "If you don't wish to speak further, here, would you prefer that we spoke, privately ?"

Mircalla hesitates, timidly looking at Lady Morrigan and nods.

-----

Later that night, Matska led Mircalla to Lady Morrigan's bedroom chambers. Mircalla was asked to speak with the Lady alone, prompting Matksa to wish her luck as she took her leave.

Entering the bedroom, Mircalla the first thing she saw was Adeen, sitting before a chair in a candle lit room. An empty chair sits a few feet before it.

At the other end of the room was an ajar door, no doubt a bathing room as the steam coming from it indicates.

"You know." Adeen says "The two of us haven't been properly acquainted."

"If you'll forgive me, madam." Mircalla says suddenly feeling more shy than she usually does "Matska never told me of you."

"Of course not." Adeen tsks "Was never a favorite of the family, you know ? You break a few toys as a child, you get seen as destructive well into adulthood."

"Had you served out your timeout like you were supposed to, at the very least we'd take it as a sign of maturity." Lady Morrigan's voice calls out from the bathing room.

The sound of water splashing and dripping could be heard, no doubt Lady Morrigan getting out of a bathtub. 

Embarrassed, Mircalla averts her eyes from the ajar door, blushing a little when she sees the knowing smirk from Adeen.

"The way your brother talked about you, I was expecting...more." Adeen says, an air of disappointment in her voice.

"Expecting what exactly ?"

"I don't know. From where I'm standing, there's little difference between you and the other girls my half sister took in."

"Which is why," Lady Morrigan's voice interrupts, "She has all the requirements of the ward I am looking for."

Lady Morrigan caught Mircalla by surprise, her dark hair wet from the bath water, wearing a red silk house coat over her body, and a white towel in her arms.

"Lady Lilith Morrigan," she extends her hand to shake Mircalla's "At your service."

"Mircalla Karnstein." The Karnstein girl introduces herself "Matska told me a great deal of you."

"And Elias, you." Matska's mother says, glancing back at Adeen and giving her a "skedaddle" look and motion.

"Please," The Lady says, gesturing to Mircalla to take her seat, as Adeen stands up and makes her way out "I have sent the help for tea, should be here momentarily. In the meantime, take your time to relax."

Thank you m'aam." Mircalla nods, taking her seat "You've spoken to my brother."

"Quite a bit on your father's expediton...he had nothing but the world to say of you." The Lady says, circling Mircalla and taking a seat in the chair ahead of her.

Mircalla tries to look away as the Lady leans in, observing Mircalla.

"You have a familiar air about you," the woman says "Tell me, would you happen to have Petrova's in your family ?"

Mircalla, once again a little flustered shakes her head "I wouldn't know. I read a lot, but I never looked into my lineage."

The Lady nods, figuring she could look into it. By the looks of things, Mircalla has a Petrova in her grandmother's family at least.

It is then the Lady notices her dripping hair making a wet mess on the chair she's in.

"Oh, mercy me. The way the mind wanders." The woman says, standing up from her chair making her way back to the bathing room, but not before first taking a white night gown from her wardrobe.

Despite her nervousness, Mircalla's eyes couldn't help but follow Lady Morrigan as she stepped into the bathing room. 

The Lady stepped out of sight but left the door open, leaving the candle light to show her shadow as the Lady dropped her bathrobe, and put her towel to work on her hair. While only a shadow, Mircalla saw the woman struck a rather intimidating, but beautiful figure.  Realizing her thoughts, Mircalla hastily before looks away, towards a window.

Once Lady Morrigan was done, she placed on her night gown and stepped out.

"As I was saying, your brother talked a great deal about you. Made you out to be a worldly girl; or having the potential to be one." She says, once again taking a seat across from Mircalla, "Your father, well to be honest-"

"He doesn't think the world of me." Mircalla nods sadly "He holds my mothers passing against me, but I didn't ask to be born."

The Lady gives an incredulous look, before nodding in understanding.

"I see," The Lady answers "My family is full of cunts too. In fact, you met the biggest one of the lot."

This caught Mircalla by surprise, causing her to chuckle nervously as the older woman continues.

"Pardon my French, of course." The Lady finishes "In any case, your father underestimates you, and between him and your brother, the expedition taught me whose judgment I trust more."

She once again leans in to Mircalla.

"I'm gonna cut to the chase. I have already agreed to take Luisa as a ward, educate her until such a time as she becomes a woman; it is the deal I have with Ferdinand. Your father on the other hand, we have a different deal. Already we are discussing an investment of ours we will be opening on your families land. I won't bore you with the details, but my half sister agreed to go with your father, and being free from her presence aside, I get nothing out of the deal."

"And you want...to take me as a ward ?" Mircalla says.

"So we are on the same page. Good." 

Mircalla lets out a heavy sigh as if a great weight was lifted off her shoulders.

"I thank you for your offer. I just..."

"You just ?" The Lady raises an eyebrow.

"If it's not too much to ask, I-"

"Wish to bring your brother with us." The Lady says with a knowing smile "There's little you can pull over my eyes, Lady Karnstein. Your brother told me of your affinity to read; I'm in the habit of reading things myself."

"So you can bring Elias with us ?" Mircalla asks, wincing a little at how hopeful she sounded.

"I can pull a string or two. Your father's failure and my interference gives me more power over our business than even Lord Gruber. At this point, how much fame or wealth your father gets out of this is entirely dependent on if he stays on my good side." The Lady leans forward, placing a hand on Mircalla's shoulder "You can be as powerful a woman as I, even more so, with the right guiding hand. From a teacher, a governess, to...a mother ?"

The Lady has to resist letting her smirk become more smug as she watches the change in Mircalla's eyes and facial expression.

"I am curious though." The Lady says, brushing Mircalla's dark hair between her pale fingers, her eyes never leaving Mircalla's "Your brother, Elias, talked so much of you, your home life. How neither of you grew up with your respective mothers. I understand your grandmother Lena passed some time ago, and for that you have my sincerest condolences. Though I would prefer to hear of your home life from the source. I would expect you to hold nothing back from me."

The look in the Lady's eyes was too much for Mircalla. There was something about her that was weakening the girls normally built up resolve.

Maybe it was the way the Lady's pupils seem to shift in size with every word she says...

Mircalla could hold nothing back, even if she wanted to; of how her mother died bringing her into the world; of how Count Falco made it no secret that he resented Mircalla's very existence, the few times he was part of her life; of how she had few bright spots in her childhood, Elias being one of them and how Falco would separate them, take Elias to a place where he would surely have died.

"Of course, I had my eye on the boy. It's a wonder you two lasted so long under Count Karnstein himself."

Mircalla stares at the Lady as if her words where taken from her, but the woman in question simply gestured to her to continue.

And on Mircalla continues; she'd talk about the time she spent at the Gruber manor being the first time she was happy in a while; it gave her a sense of freedom, especially when he fraternized with Augustus.

This time with Matksa, aroused a curiosity in her, one that her former life of escapism couldn't satisfy; all of this despite the undercurrent fears for Elias' safety or how their father would influence the boy. She remembered that with the undercurrent, there was a sense of dread, having to return to life under Falco.

As she did so, the Lady would reach out to Mircalla; touching her shoulder, brushing her hair aside; stroking her cheek, even twirling her hair in her fingers.

Mircalla didn't know what to make of these motions, but there was the look in this Lady's eyes that made her just not question it. Despite how uneasy it felt, it brought Mircalla something alien to her; like the subconscious memory of someone who was in her life for a moment at a time Mircalla herself couldn't recall.

As the minutes gone by, these motions, and Mircalla's recounts of her life, caused the girl to falter bit by bit.

Every memory of her deceased grandparents, especially the happy ones; every time Count Falco reminded her of how her birth killed her mother and ruined his life; everytime she'd dream of being held by an unseen faceless mother, bit by bit, Mircalla found her resolve breaking.

It got to the point that Mircalla herself broke.

She didn't know what came over her when the Lady wrapped her strong but slender arms around Mircalla, holding the girl to her chest, those pale hands keeping hold in Mircalla's dark hair. Mircalla's face was a mess of tears and bloodshot eyes, among other things as she buried it into the woman's shoulder.

Lady Morrigan smiled contently, having the Karnstein girl right where she wants her; just barley able to hide the smug sense of pride, as she whispered and murmured affectionate and comforting words to the now sobbing girl.

In minutes, Mircalla's weeps and sobs where reduced to mere sniffles and the occasional hiccup.

It's only then did Mircalla hear what the Lady was saying...or rather, singing.

"Come to me, when you're lonely/Come to me, when you need something/Come to me, when you're restless/Cause I got something just for you/Just for you..."

There is a pause when they woman stops singing, but keeps brushing Mircalla's hair.

"Better ?" The Lady asks.

Mircalla says nothing.

"Oh the song ? Just a little something my better half me wrote down. My husband was an artist you know ? He mentored artists, poets, musicians. It's part of what drew me to him...perhaps you'll hear or read his words in one form or another."

Again, Mircalla says nothing.

"But by the sounds of it, you are in greater need than you know." The woman says, twirling Mircalla's hair around her finger, silently empathizing Mircala's place in her hands "But rest easy child; as I said, I am the deciding factor, over your father, if you'll be my ward. I say the right words, pull the right strings, and you and your brother shall be in my care until such a time as my business with your father and Gruber is satisfied."

The Lady takes Mircalla by the chin and directs the girls gaze to her.

"By then, I will make you a true woman of the world, same as I. The people in your life, such as your father, they are but coal, part of your life that will burn away. And you, Mircalla Karnstein, will remain as a diamond above the rest. How does that sound ?"

Mircalla didn't know what to say, but she was so overwhelmed, all she could do was give a tearful smile, pulling the Lady by the waist and into a bigger hug, one that the the woman reciprocated.

The Lady smiles warmly. But behind that warmth, was something cold and calculated.

The next several years may prove quite fulfilling.

-----

2021

"Well, clearly this story won't have a happy ending, or else I wouldn't be here." Carmilla says.

Laura wanted to chime in, something along the lines "You're with me, and I'm with you. I'd say we're doing good so far." But she didn't want to jinx it or annoy Carmilla.

"I take it you didn't see the red flags with your..." Beca hesitates "With your mother ?"

"She wasn't my mother then, and no I didn't. Again, I was eleven when she pulled me to her room, when she talked my father into handing me and Elias over as her wards." Carmilla says, thinking back to those years "I wasn't too far off from where you are, honey." She gestures to Laura "To me, Lady Lilith Morrigan - Inanna, whatever you want to call her - she was someone who'd take me into a new world and a new life."

Carmilla quickly flashes her fangs at her audience.

"Guess how that turned out ?"

"But Elias. What happened to your brother ?" Laura asks.

"I'm getting to that." Carmilla sighs "It's a lot to take in at once, let alone let out...."

Chapter Text

March 19th, 2021, Casa Del Bellas

Right as Carmilla got to the part where she first met her "mother", she paused for a moment, so engrossed in thought.

"Well, clearly this story won't have a happy ending, or else I wouldn't be here." Carmilla says.

Laura wanted to chime in, something along the lines "You're with me, and I'm with you. I'd say we're doing good so far." But she didn't want to jinx it or annoy Carmilla.

"I take it you didn't see the red flags with your..." Beca hesitates "With your mother ?"

"She wasn't my mother then, and no I didn't. Again, I was eleven when she pulled me to her room, when she talked my father into handing me and Elias over as her wards." Carmilla says, thinking back to those years "I wasn't too far off from where you are, honey." She gestures to Laura "To me, Lady Lilith Morrigan - Inanna, whatever you want to call her - she was someone who'd take me into a new world and a new life."

Carmilla quickly flashes her fangs at her audience.

"Guess how that turned out ?"

"But Elias. What happened to your brother ?" Laura asks.

"I'm getting to that." Carmilla sighs "It's a lot to take in at once, let alone let out..."

-----

In the years between 1696 and 1701, Mircalla and Elias Karnstein thought they had it made.

For the next four years, their home was in a vast manor in the community of what was known at the time as Ruthyn.

In the months since her initial appearance in Austria, Lady Morrigan as she was then known, inherited the land from being the last of her known family there. She made a name for herself in buying out the lands, properties and even noble families living in the county of Ruthyn.

Twenty seven sons and daughters were taken under her wing. So vast and spacious were the spots of and the good Lady owned, one would qualify it as a college or school.

Mircalla Karnstein would spend a lot of her time with Matska, who in the Lady's absences, became something of a sister to her. Being the sheltered children they were, in many cases, Marska would rather competitively challenge Mircalla and Elias with knowledge of what they learned of other cultures.

After the first year, Mircalla started to become more and more worldly; she would attend banquets, stage performances, wedding and baptism ceremonies on Lady Morrigan's land. Elias, being a less social child, confined himself to his bedrooms, and despite efforts to get him to socialize with other children, only seemed to want to interact with Mircalla or the often absent Lady Morrigan.

On Mircalla's end, her bond grew more and more with Matksa, Luisa and other noble children the Lady would take as her wards.

The third year, they were joined by Augustus Gruber and his confidant Tobias - whose family gained a little more influence on account of one of his brothers rising through enough ranks in the King's army; just enough to get him a higher education.

Regardless, the two boys spent the lot of their time lollygagging, and among the other children where the two Mircalla became the closest with.

Every once and a blue moon, Mircalla would discreetly sneak from her sleeping chambers to venture into the wooded area surrounding Ruthyn, where they'd play games of mischief, adventures of the imagination, and on bolder nights, waste themselves on whatever alcoholic beverage that either Augustus or Tobias could get their hands on.

There was one night in particular, where they could swear they saw the fair folk in the trees.

From what Mircalla heard from her father, his business in expeditions continued within the remains of "Silas' kingdom"; for having been once ruled by a warlock named Silas, according to local folklore.

There was quite a reverse effect with Mircalla and Elias' relationship over the years.  Despite having just about everything they can hope for, the two found themselves drifting apart, bit by bit.  

Where Mircalla would find herself becoming more and more sisterly with Matska, or even the Gruber children, Elias would keep to himself.

When he wouldn't stay in his bedroom, he'd often venture to the library, trying to find out what he can about the gods and monsters his "nanny" spoke of; unfortunately no writer will write of them for a long, long time.

When Elias couldn't find what he was looking for in the library, he would seek out Lady Morrigan herself to steal a moment of her time, but much like Mircalla, the lady would show less and less interest in the Karnstein boy, and more in his sister.

Speaking of sisters, Lady Morrigan's mysterious sister Adeen made a comfortable life for herself in Karnstein's county. Word is, at the advice of Lady Morrigan, Count Falco opened an orphanage in his county; wherein children of the poor, downtrodden, and those in their society wouldn't notice if something happened to them, or miss them should they find out.

Lady Adeen Kurt was made the governess of said orphanage, though what she does behind the orphanages closed doors was her little secret secret (curiously, a child's graveyard was founded not too long afterwards). She'd often send letter after letter to her sister...and Elias.

The more letters Elias would receive, the more the boy would act out.

In one such instance, in late 1700 - one of the few instances Elias would socialize with others - the children were to attend a masquerade banquet Matska was hosting for All Hallows Eve. Ironically, Mircalla herself was sick in bed that night.

Seven year old Elias would attend wearing a costume of black and yellow, and a mask of an unknown making. He led the other in a song as they gathered around them. The beat and lyrics were not of this world, and by the time the chant was done, many children found their noses bleeding.

When the confusion cleared, Elias would take his mask off, rendered silent by what happened. He'd scarcely leave his room for months after the fact...

-----

February 12th, 1701

Fifteen year old Mircalla makes her way down a hall and knocks on Elias' door.

"Elias ? It's me." 

She planned this for a while. For the past few months now, Elias has been ducking and dodging her like the plague, even well after Mircalla's cold cleared. He wasn't there for Christmas, he barley stepped out in Januarary, it was nearly as if Elias was hiding from someone or something.

"Elias ?"

"No one's home." Elias answers her.

Mircalla takes that as a cue to open his door. She sees her brother, barely dressed, pale and thin from starving himself. He was curled up in a fetal position, a nondescript book laying at the bedside.

Curious, Mircalla picks it up, rolling her eyes to see it was the same drivel written of gods and beings with nigh unpronounceable names. She paid little attention to these stories as they were of now interest to her. They reminded her of bad dreams, and at Matska's advice, bad dreams were something to move past; they were best to be buried.

She sets the book aside and shakes Elias by the shoulder.

"Elias, you really must get out of bed."

"I'm trying to sleep."

"Which is why you're so wide eyed ?"

Elias turns over, before reluctantly saying "I hear them when I sleep."

"Who ?"

Elias points to the book.

"I see." Mircalla turns Elias to face him, forcing him to sit up as she sits down on his bed "I really should keep an eye on your reading material."

"But Mircy, they tell me things." Elias mumbles.

"If you listen to voices in your dreams, then I'm afraid you don't have the most reliable thing to follow. I mean, in my dreams-" Mircalla stops before leaning down to Elias' ear to whisper "That I was married...to a woman!" 

She whispers and giggles, ruffling Elias' dark hair.

"Silly, isn't it ?"

"What's so silly about that ?" Elias asks, sounding genuinely confused and raising an eyebrow.

Mircalla was a little taken aback by the question before she answers "W-well, it's not-"

"You read Sapho; your favorite story is of the Warrior Princess, and it's always the girls you dance with at parties."

Mircalla is a little flustered, shaking her head as she says "W-well, it's not proper for a lady such as I to be dan-"

"It doesn't stop the other girls." Elias says, logically.

"Anyways!" Micalla says to change the subject "I've been missing you a lot."

"No you haven't."

"Elias I-"

"Everyone's scared of me." Elias says, "Because I know things; they told me that my destiny-"

Mircalla wraps her arms around her brother and kisses him on the temple.

"That'll be enough of that now!" Mircalla says, brushing her brother's hair.

It is here Mircalla notices sheets of paper on Elias' nightstand. She grabs hold of these notes and reads them; a lot of what's written down matches up to the things Elias was saying to her; about his existence being a mistake, how everyone in the right mind should fear and revile him as he grows old; how his father regrets making his mother payout taxes with her body...

All of these were signed by Adeen Curt.

Mircalla grits her teeth and seethes a little, crumpling up the paper and tossing it aside.

"You shouldn't believe the words they tell you, know know." Micralla says "We escaped him together. He no longer has that hold."

"It's not him I worry about. He's obsolete."

Mircalla raises an eyebrow, initially wondering how an eight year old knows these words, but brushing it off in favor of "And what makes him obsolete ?"

Elias points to the books, and Mircalla finds herself rolling her eyes.

"Elias, I like to escape from reality into fantasy as much as the next child, but at the end of the day, they're just stories."

Mircalla picks up the opened book, reading only a few paragraphs; it was apparently a story about a man in black who'd go from town to town, spreading wonders to the people, and madness in his wake. 

She was oddly transfixed on this story, as if it wanted her to read more. But even when she closes it shut and tosses it across the room, there was that annoying, niggling feeling on the back of her head. As if an unheard voice was saying "Oh come now, baby girl. You already got a look. How long do you think you can run ?"

"You shouldn't pay any mind to what they say. Mattie says cynicism is of little value."

"Matska ?" Elias asks, raising an eyebrow.

"She says her friends call her Mattie. And she would very much like to be your friend..." Mircalla pats Elias on the back.

She thinks for a minute, before an idea comes to her.

"You know ?" She says in a teasing tone "Augustus and Tobias found something in their room; I think you'll find it to your liking." 

-----

Nights later, the last of the sun disappeared over the hills, there was nothing outside these manors but snowstorms and darkness.

Elias agreed to participate in a game that Augustus Gruber uncovered under his bed. He and Tobias wanted to keep it a secret; every now and then, one of the children  would uncover such things in any room in the manor (bedrooms, dining hall, etc) Lady Morrigan would simply take it to her own quarters or in some cases, seal the room off.

In one instance, a room housing four young girls, a painting was found when one of them accidentally fell through a wall. The painting in question was a mess of colors, and obscured writing that only the girls could see. Lady Morrigan sealed off the bedroom and isolated the girls until she got her answers. What those girls saw/said was forever a mystery, as what exactly happened to them.

In this case, Augustus and Tobias found this particular item; Mircalla only knew because she walked in on them trying to hide it; Luisa was the only other one who knew, and it's not like she was telling anyone.

Mircalla and Elias made their way through the dark hallways by candle light, careful to avoid alerting any of the help. At best they would think the candle light seen disappearing around the corner was another one of them.

Looking out the windows, the snow storm was so thick and fierce, the stars and moon were near invisible. The night sky was more white than black. Passing a particularly spacious window, Elias looked out to see the blizzard, wondering if he's seeing who/what he thinks he's seeing.

"Elias, what is it ?" Mircalla asks.

"Nothing." Elias shakes his head. He at least hopes it's nothing.

Reaching Augustus and Tobias' room, the latter opens the door, holding his finger to his lips in a hush motion, gesturing the two inside. The room is lit with candles, but despite this, Elias and Mircalla both could swear they felt something cold on their backs. Like they were outside and their clothes were damped in cold water.

On the bed, sat Luisa looking over the item in question; on surface level, it looked to be a chessboard. It's colorization was gold and silver; there were these little chess pieces of sorts, resembling owls, lions, bulls, and serpents. What they were supposed to represent, the youth didn't know.

If that wasn't enough, there was a pack of cards - that was, they thought they were cards, but there was nothing but a number to indicate any markings. When Tobias and Augustus initially uncovered the box, it came with a series of needles, which they set aside.

Next was the corners of the "board", which resembled maps of sorts, but have been largely obscured by the board itself.
"What the heck is that ?" Mircalla says.

"Toby fancies it a game." Augutus says, taking his seat on the bed "How to play it we do not know ?"

Mircalla gets on the bed, with Elias following suit "Maybe it's a chess game ?"

"That's what I thought, but we wouldn't know what pieces are which." Tobias narrows his eyes "Then you've got the map formations."

While the teenagers spent the next few minutes or two talking amongst themselves of what game it is, or it's purpose, Elias and Luisa silently looked over the cards. It was as if their minds were worlds away. Reaching to one of the needles, Elias and Lusia look at eachother and silently nod.

"But who in their right minds would hide a map like that ?" Augustus asks.

"Unless it was to hide something-" Mircalla started to say before they noticed their younger siblings.

Elias stuck the business end of the needle into the tip of his finger, blood already running down his finger, as does Luisa.

"Luisa!"

"Elias!" Mircalla rushes to take hold of Elias' wrist "What has gotten into you-?"

Elias simply breaks out of her grasps, holding his bloody finger with a shush. Some of it smears on his lips, before he points that same finger at Luisa. Luisa simply drew her own bleeding finger across the card, spelling out her name. As she does so, the candlelight grows brighter.

Elias hands a needle to Mircalla and Tobias "This is how we play."

Mircalla looks at the board again; to her astonishment, the pieces are lined up, on three sides of the board, rather than the usual two. To demonstrate further, Elias writes his own name on a blank card, he and Luisa hand three others out to the adolescents, looking at them expectantly.

Mircalla hesitates before she says "Well, suppose we aren't gonna find out by sitting here, twiddling our thumbs."

And so, as expected, Mircalla and the other two draw their names out in blood on their respective cards. Following their example, they place a card on the four corners, with Elias placing his fifth card on the very center.

To be honest, the older ones were a little scared and confused about this "game", but weighing their options (and getting aught up in the moment). The players were divided into three teams; Mircalla and Elias took one side of the board; Augustus and Luisa another. And finally Tobias, he played solo.

As the candles grew brighter, the blizzard outside became more intense. The snow storm grew thicker and thicker, anyone who was paying attention would fear the windows breaking. Despite the power and ferocity of the storm, the noise of the wind was quiet, timid and lonely. It was more like a whistle than anything.

But to them, it was like the wind was talking. To two of them specifically; "Ka-a-a-a-a-a-r-r-r-n-n-n-s-t-i-e-e-e-e-n-n."

"Anyone else hear that ?" Augustus asks.

"It was probably the wind."

"Well, obviously, but did you hear what it said ?" Augustus says.

Looking with an annoyed glare, Elias shushes him, effectively shutting up any further conversation.

Despite the rather dreadful atmosphere, the five became too engrossed in their game. It took a while, but they got the hang of it. Aside from taking at least three players, it felt as if they were playing a standard chess game.

It was a simple matter of taking turns and moving a piece across the board. If one paid attention, they'd probably notice that bit by bit, the more they covered the board...the more the board became uncovered.

All the while, the wind would whistle louder and louder. 

"Yo-o-o-o--o-u, li-i-i-i-ittle o-o-o-o-ne. I s-e-e-e-e-e yo-o-o-ou. He w-a-a-a-a-n-t-s y-o-o-o-u..."

"Does anyone else hear that ?" Mircalla asks.

"Does anyone else see that ?" Augustus asks, just now noticing the board was stripped away. 

In its place was a map.

"Was that always there ?" Tobias asks.

"He-e-e-e-e-e w-a-a-a-a-n-n-t-s he-e-e-e-r. A-a-a-a-and the s-s-s-s-o-n."

Four of the players perk their heads up, but Elias looks on with an expectant expression; it's then they notice how hot and bright the candles were burning, and yet, the cold from outside seemed to overpower the room's temperature.

"What is this ?" Mircalla asks.

Elias places a hand on Mircalla's shoulder with a smile "You hear them too ?"

Mircalla looks at Elias with wide eyes and a slack jaw "E-Elias, do you know what they are ?"

Elias says nothing, simply looking at the map forming before their eyes. There's really no way he can explain it, having the Great Old Ones reach out to you like this. Besides, if he talks now, he might miss out on one of their more important messages.

"Yo-o-o-ur b-l-ll-o-o-o-o-d h-a-a-a-s p-o-o-o-ow-w-wer..." Mircalla feels something touch her hair.

Mircalla turns around towards the window. She and the others see red glowing eyes outside the bedroom window. Whatever it was, it was obscured by the snowstorm outside, but it looked humanoid in shape. 

They didn't get a good look at it, and it disappeared as soon as it appeared, but they saw enough to scream.

----

Moments later the five of them sat across the bed with mortified looks on their faces, save for Elias, who had a bored and dejected expression. Matska paced back and forth.

"All of this ? Over a board game." Matska asks, placing two fingers on her temple.

"In our defense, we didn't know what it was-" Tobias starts to say, but a look from Matska shuts him up.

"And yet you played with it as if it were a toy; have you not forgotten my mother's rules ?"

Four of them looked sullen, though Elias simply traced patterns in the palm of his hand.

"You find something you don't know, you bring it to Lady Morrigan." Mircalla nods "It won't happen again."

"Of that, I'll make sure of." Matska grins "Now what possessed you to use such a device without knowing what it is, let alone what it does ?"

Elias hesitates before he says "S-sorry, their names are hard to pronounce."

"And you say you heard spirits ?" Another voice says, now standing at the bedroom door, was Lady Morrigan dressed as if it were still daylight hours.

Matska stepped back. It was clear now the Lady of the House had the seat, so to speak. Her presence alone commanded respect and dread. Matska at least was someone who can be talked to, and reasoned with. Lady Morrigan had this way of telling one to jump, only for them to ask how high, against their actual will.

"In the wind, yes." Augustus says "They were saying-"

"Karnstien." Elias interrupts "It was saying Karnstein."

The Lady turns her attention to the youngest boy, that sweet motherly expression once again overtaking her face. It was more unsettling than when she was angry or stoic.

"Is that so, little one ?" She ruffles Elias' hair "In that case, I wouldn't let them bother you. Our ears can trick us as much as our eyes; just as we see things that are not there, and hear things that are not there."

"Can more than one person see or hear the same thing that's not there ?" Mircalla asks skeptically.

"Allow me to rephrase." The Lady says "Whatever you saw, or think you saw, is but a shadow, an echo, a reflection. At most you saw a bird, heard the wind or the house settling in, and just let your imaginations run wild."

Feeling it was best not to argue further, the children nodded at the Lady.

"Excellent. Now clearly we had more than enough excitement for the night; off to your sleeping quarters now."

Matska steps forward, taking Luisa's hand as she leads her out, while the Lady gestures to the Karnsteins to follow her.
On the way to their bedrooms, the Lady speaks a final time.

"I expect you two at my study tomorrow. We have much, much to discuss."

-----

Elsewhere, off the coast of Ogasawara Islands.

On a trading vessel's cabin, Falco sits at a desk, trying and failing to compose a letter, staring down his latest artifact. It was a silver horn-like item, roughly the size of a wagon's wheel and swirled several times; at the very end was a snake or lizard-like head bearing its teeth, and spikes going down it's "back". 

"Yobidashi-gawa", or "The Caller" it was called.

Falco sat at his desk, planning on writing a letter of accomplishment, but unable to find the words, due to intrusive thoughts pouring into his head. The most he could sum them up with was dread, he could have and should have been more careful; even if it was a small island, unlike his initial bargain with Lamashtu, there was virtually no way this couldn't be traced back to him.

Sighing wistfully and stepping out of the cabin, Falco looked back to the island he and his crew barely escaped from...it was alright in flames, with many fishing boats, trying and failing to escape the destruction left behind.

Normally, Falco would get a feeling of pride from being able to do something like this. And yet those feelings gave way to an overwhelming sensation of fear. There was no way he couldn't get away with this.

All this to make a name for himself, he really hoped this would be the be all, end all to that goal. He gained a modest notoriety for his previous expeditions.

They have taken him everywhere from Ethiopia, to Palestine; Greece, to here. At times, it felt as if Falco was running a fool's errand; the more he and Lord Gruber looked into these names of lost gods and cities, the more Falco especially felt he couldn't give up now.

Despite his own ambitions, when Lady Morrigan entered the picture, it felt as if Falco was losing more power. In fact this woman seemed to have more control of these ventures than even Ferdinand Gruber. By then the museum plans became an afterthought.

In the past few years, she would always know where to go next, what item to collect. Whenever either Count Falco or Lord Gruber hit a snag on their expeditions, Lady Morrigan would always turn up with a new map, or piece of information that would push both nobles deeper and deeper into their search.

Falco would see these names, over, and over, and over again. These names would appear even as he slept, as if to urge him onwards.  

And so, in spite of it all, Falco persisted with his partners.

Years before, Lord Gruber's historical consultant, Mikaelson, met with them; that was all it took for him to clarify the artifacts they uncovered were the real deal, and promptly warned Ferdinand to leave the expedition. These pleas fell onto deaf ears.

It was believed they found three books in the ruins of an abandoned castle, whose land was bought by Ferdinand. It was said these books contained knowledge of other worlds, as well as prophecies, funerary incantations, and demonic resurrection passages. They were believed to have been written by an Arab scholar, but how it ended up in England is anyone's guess.

At Mikaelson's suggestion, Ferdinand and his crew were told to abandon their search, but were refused. 

The next day Ferdinand's crew were found dead, massacred, and drained of blood. Ferdinand himself was found bludgeoned and left for dead, only recovered so as to give Lady Morrigan the bad news that these books will not be collected.

While Ferdinand was recovering, Falco was doing considerably better.  At Lady Morrigan's suggestion, Falco was sent on another expedition, seeking out the Odo Island, off the coast of Japan; an island Lady Morrigan attempted to infiltrate in the past, in search of "Yobidashi-gawa".

In spite of previous attempts of her own, Lady Morrigan has been unable to make landfall on this island. She would claim that her enemies on and off the island would know she was there, and intercept her; any fight would be too costly.

Falco didn't ask for details, all he knew was this was an item she desired, and was willing to give him the highest pay and the opportunity to outshine Ferdinand.

It was said that "The Caller" was one of many devices lost to time; said to be used to call upon the "Old Gods", which was heavily guarded on Odo's inland. For an island that mostly consisted of fishing villages and farming communities, the temple itself was rather vast and extravagant.

Supposedly, it was a tribute to a sea dragon of the island's mythology.  

It was under the watch of Bugyō Yamane, a secretive man who was protective of The Caller; luckily for Falco, there has been a drought going on at these islands, which made them desperate for trade. The higher ups of Japan considered Odo too much trouble for little reward, and so the people of Odo often had to rely on international trades to survive.

So when the generous Count Falco - with his connections made in different trading companies - started dealings with Odo's people, he was given plenty of access to their island in exchange for food shipments, spices, tobacco, among other "goods".

Unknown to them, with the help of "Adeen Kurt", Falco made sure that these goods were laced with something that if taken too much, induces blood loss, malfunctions of bodily functions, malnourishment, miscarriages and stillbirths.

Four months of unwittingly ingesting this product, and very few were left healthy or strong enough to do anything when Falco and his "hired crew" made their way to the temple and retrive The Caller. Of course, a few dozen throats had to get slit on the way.

Of course, starting a few fires, which happened to spread throughout the fishing villages and forests,  might have sounded like a good way of covering his tracks at the time; now all Falco could think of was what would happen should word of this spread ?

Falco was interrupted by the sound of clapping, turning around to see "Lady Adeen", or Lamashtu as it were, standing with a chipper expression.

"Well done, good Count!" she beams "You've been talking big for years now, but I didn't think you'd have it in you!"
"Wha-? How did-?" Falco starts to sputter.

"You really underestimate how far I can reach, especially with the scent of blood in the water." She inhales deeply to emphasize her point "Really, a man after my own heart, and seeing what's been happening in the Americas, I'm starting to think mankind isn't worth destroying...yet."

"Tis always been that way." Falco scoffs "While you were sleeping in that crypt of yours, one man was building a kingdom on the corpses of thousands."

"Been that way since I was a little girl." Lamashtu nods, leaning over the railing alongside Falco "Of course, you have my hand in this too."

Lamashtu chuckles, turning around to lean backwards, giving the young Count an innocent look.

"I mean, without my touch, the Bugyō probably would have had you bound by the arms, and legs and tossed to that dragon these people are afraid of." Lamashtu says, standing upright with a stretch of her arms with a groan "Speaking of, may I see it ?"

Falco simply huffs, and gestures to Lamashtu to his cabin. Once inside, Lamashtu made a beeline towards the Caller.

"This is it, isn't it." With one hand, Lamashtu picks the Caller up without breaking a sweat, a feat that Falco notes took four men to carry it inside. It kind of annoys him when she carries it out effortlessly.

"Do you know why it's called the Caller ?" she asks.

"Because it sounds catchy ?" Falco suggests with a snarky tone.

"It was said this could be used as a beacon, a tool for the people of old to communicate with the  Titans of old. Some say, it was a way for them to call upon their aid. To some they were saviors, to others, destroyers." She holds the Caller out over the ship's rail, looking back at Falco "Who would they be to us, should we blow this horn ?"

Falco raises an eyebrow, but doesn't say a thing. He's more annoyed by how cryptic and childish she's being.

Amused, Lamashtu holds the Caller to her mouth and prepares to blow...only to pull it away.

"Then again, we wouldn't want to draw their attention further." She says with a shrug, before tossing the Caller overboard.
Falco's eyes widen and he rushes to the ship's edge.

"What have you done ? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ?!" Falco snarls, turning an enraged glare at the demoness, who crosses her arms with an annoyed expression.

"Tied a loose end. My sister's been wanting this item destroyed or disposed of, lest it be used against her, as it was with others."

"What others ?" Falco asks exasperated "Do you know how many people had to die for this ?"

"Relax, a hundred or so might pull through." Lamashtu rolls her eyes "Besides, she might pay you double with that thing out of the way."

"If that thing can do what you say it can, I-we could have used it!" Falco exclaims.

Lamashtu chuckles and shakes her head.

"No, you would have tried." She says plainly "You would have used the horn, called upon some monster from a bygone era, tried to weaponize it, wipe out your enemies, conquer known...and it would end with you being crushed, burned alive or eaten. You are far from the first person to have thought of that, and you sure as shit won't be the last. If anything, I saved you a lot more trouble."

Falco puts both hands on the rail and sighs heavily "What now ?"

"Now ? We make you disappear." 

"Beg Pardon ?"

"We can't have you in Japan when word gets out about what happened here." Lamashtu says with a coy smirk.

"And how do you propose you do that ? My crew are witnesses and-"

Not breaking her smile, and rolling her eyes, Lamashtu holds out her hand.

Taking the hint, Falco grabs hold.

What happens next has Falco in a literal spin; a quick, but misty flash, Falco finds himself staggering and stumbling...onto his bed ? In Castle Karnstein ?

Falco's head was spinning as he tried to adjust to his surroundings. He looks out the window to see the heavily snow covered grounds.

"What...what is this ?" Falco says between breaths.

He turns to see Lamashtu, still in her "Adeen" getup standing at her bedroom door.

"You can't be off the coast of Japan, and at your manor at the same time. There will be contrary reports of you, but when there's reputable reports that you never left your home, and were part of the crew that ransacked Odo Island." Lamashtu grins as she approaches the bed "Rather, you were bedridden for weeks, on account of a broken leg."

With that, Lamashtu raises a foot and brings it down onto Falco's kneecap. His wheezing, strangled cry was muffled by the demoness' hand, as she continued.

"No one can take the word of a hired mercenary, and it's not like the survivors saw your face or knew your name." She explains, releasing a groaning Falco once he's calmed down "In other news, it has come to my attention, that your children."

"What of them, woman ?" Falco asks, through gritted teeth.

"It would seem you're bloodline is of great interest to my mother; tell me, what was your mothers maiden name."

"Petrova, why does that matter ?" Falco scoffs/snarls "All I know of the Petrova's came from the poor and downtrodden. She was of no value until she took the name Karnstein."

"Very well," Lamashtu says, getting up from the bed and making her way to the door "Now in the months to come, I suggest you rest easy. My sister is planning yet another venture in the coming week. You will be attending, as will your children."

She turns and blows the Count a kiss and a friendly wave.

"Till then I suggest resting easy."

-----

In the weeks that followed, the Karnstien's yet again found themselves on the road. Or rather, the sea.

Point was, for the first time in years have the three been in each other's presence; and even then Falco was on a separate ship than his children.

It was days ago the good Lady Morrigan told Mircalla and Elias what was to come. They have been invited to the Lady's estate in what would one day become New Orleans. At this point in time, the Good Lady owned another manor in French Louisiana, as a vacation home. And if what Elias  told the Lady was true, the Karnstein siblings' presence was required.

That same little birdie said Falco had to be there too; on account of Lord Gruber's illness, Count Falco yet again had to lead another expedition in his stead.

As far as Mircalla was concerned, this was another step in her journey. It would mark her first visit to the America's and the furthest she traveled to a new world, as Matska told her. Matska wouldn't be accompanying them on this journey, being tasked to hold down the fort in her mother's stead. 

Even so, Mircalla would think back to Matska going over the stories of her time in the New World, what other cultures stories and lessons there were to hear and learn. Matska told of the previous two times she visited the Americas; she made the experience sound rather romantic and magical, that Mircalla swore she had to have been exaggerating.

The one that stood out was Matska's romance with a lover called Memengwaa, a young Ojibwe woman she became star crossed with in her time with settlers in Ontario. The reason it stood out of course was how casual Matksa was when it came to courting a woman, as well as speaking openly of it. It made Mircalla and her own feelings feel a lot less weird.

Matksa would talk about how they had a "special spot" by this waterfall; how Matska saved the woman's mother from a grave illness; they'd planned on traveling together back to Europe, as she'd tell Memengwaa the same stories of her world wide travels, putting the same thoughts in her head as she did Mircalla and Luisa.

Mircalla would think back to how Matska would suddenly look solemn towards the end of her story "But it was never meant to be." Matska would say.

"Why ? What happened ?"

"Nothing. Nothing had a chance to happen." Matska would sigh "She, um, she couldn't accept me. The minute she found out what I was, she rejected me."

"What were you ?"

"It doesn't matter now. She wished me to no longer be part of her life and world, and I granted her wish." Matska shakes her head. 

Of course, she's leaving out the details that include the increasing number of bodies drained of blood among both the settlers and the indigenous, what Matksa's mother was actually doing in Ontario, and the unholy name Memegwaa would call Matksa to denounce her. 

It's been about eighty years, but it still hurts.

To better her mood, Matska smiles to Mircalla; "But don't let my experiences filter your expectations; you still have a lifetime and a literal new world ahead of you; besides, for any girl to reject a little dove like you, they'd have to be truly heartless feind." Matska says with a brush to Mircalla's hair.

If Mircalla wasn't flustered by the gesture, she was by Matska's words "D-don't you mean 'boy' ?"

"I know what I said." Matska smiles coyly.

And so, here Mircalla was. On another step in her journey. She isn't sure how much she'll fair, being under Count Falco's shadow, but word has it he's under Lady Morrigan's shadow as well. This put her at ease.

What else had her at ease was Elias' presence; contrast to the journey their father took the boy years prior, Mircalla felt a little more that she didn't have to worry; he wasn't going to this unknown land, in a potentially unstable environment, at a vulnerable age of three. Who takes a three year old on these kinds of expeditions anyways ? 

In any case, this was a new chapter in Mircalla's life. And one she'd prefer to get over with and move on to the next.

-----

2021

Carmilla stops her story as another memory gets to her. She notably blushes at the thought, one that doesn't escape her audience's notice.

"What is it ?" Laura asks.

"Nothing," Carmilla chuckles "It's just that, it was the trip I met my first..." She trails off a little before she shakes her head "It's nothing really."

Stacie smirks with a raised eyebrow, a knowing look on her face "You met your first girlfriend on that trip, didn't you ?"

Carmilla blushes, in a rare instance of her being made flustered in front of an audience. Aubrey, Stacie and Chloe exchange knowing glances, Beca looked second hand flustered for the vampire, and Laura just had a bashful smile.

"You mean, Elle ?" Laura asks for her.

"Elle was the one I thought...was the one." Carmilla shakes her head, "But no. Lady Mikaelson was more of a friend, a crush and my-"

Carmilla stops herself again, covering her mouth this time.

Laura shakes her head with an understanding nod "Carm, you don't need to be embarrassed; you told me about your past lo-"

"Cupcake, that was pillow talk."

"Our current housemates include these two." Laura says, jabbing one thumb at Chloe and the other at Stacie, both having modest/not-so-modest expressions "So long as Bella can't overhear, I think we're good."

"Maybe she doesn't want to talk about her heartbreak." Beca says, trying to talk them out of a potentially uncomfortable situation.

"It wasn't a heartbreak, it was a fling with a friend." Carmilla shrugs.

"I'm not the jealous type. You know that." Laura says, innocently.

Carmilla once again gives a flushed smile, before taking a deep breath and sighing.

"If you won't make a big deal out of it, I won't make a big deal out of it." Carmilla says.

"You talked about your exes before. I think this is the first I'm hearing of a Lady Mikaelson." Laura shrugs.

Though that name sounds familiar, but Laura can't put her finger on it.... 

Carmilla takes another step back, staring out the window as she yet again goes over her past.

"We arrived in what would be known as New Orleans; our first two years were uneventful. I initially lived with who would become my mother in her own estate just off the Mississippi. My father made his home in an under the books brothel, keeping his vices in check while paradoxically giving him the space to work. He had plans to take the expedition to Ontario Canada, but only Lord Gruber owned land there, and he had to wait until such a time where he had permission to travel. This did not stop Mother from paying a visit in advance."

"And your brother ?"

Carmilla gives a sad smile "My brother ? Elias was another story."

-----

Mississippi River, January 12th, 1702

It is a dark night, off the river bank, not a chirp from the crickets or frogs could be heard. Scarcely a star in the sky, and so sign of the moon. Which given the wolf attacks and sightings that happen to coincide with the full moon, was a blessing for several opportunistic and disgruntled dock merchants, looking to make a little extra money.

Two such merchants can be seen observing an abandoned ship left on the water.

"What do you make of that?"

"No banner; no flag. Floated in out of nowhere. A miracle ship."

"Why is it just sitting out there ?"

"Suppose we ought to find out."

Not an hour later, these two men gathered several others, having snuck aboard the ship in the dead of night. They enter the lower deck, down a ladder one by one holding up lanterns for light.

The ship is empty, dark and wet even on the inside, with no signs of life. Not even rats.

"Where in hell is everyone ?" One of the merchants asks.

"Deserted." The apparent leader answers "Which makes everything in the hold legally forfeit. Take what suits you."

"What do you make of that ?"

They shine their lights on some of the "cargo", which is quickly revealed to be two coffins. Both have a golden emblem on them.

"Open it up."

One of the other merchants hesitates at first, but opens the coffin; in it is the body of a young, dark haired pale man, about twenty or so years of age. In his chest there is a dagger.

"What the hell ?!" One of the thieves exclaims.

Suddenly a door is heard swinging open. One by one, each one of the thieves is pulled into the darkness, barely having the time to scream, let alone start regretting their life choices that led them to this.

In under a minute, it is down to one unfortunate thief. The leader of the group looks back at the last man left, attempting to flee up the ladder, only to be pulled up by an unseen presence.

The last of the thieves quickly turns around to shine a light at whatever is attacking him. Standing before him is an attractive, blonde girl in her late teens to mid twenties, dressed in the clothes of the noble. She has on her mouth the smallest bit of blood.

"Hello." She says as she wipes the blood off with a handkerchief. "Lovely to see such a handsome face after a long journey." She then looks into a dark corner of the room "Can I eat him, brother ?"

"I'd rather you didn't." A deeper voice answers. The thief turns around to see the corner, as the previously unseen brother steps out from the darkness. An older dark haired man, probably his mid to late twenties, like his siblings, dressed pretty sharply.

He quickly steps towards the thief before the latter can get a word out.

"There's no need to be afraid. And do exactly as I say." As he says this, the older brother's pupils start shifting in size, holding the thief's gaze "You will remember nothing."

"I will remember nothing." The thief obediently repeats.

"We've had a very long journey, wherein which, unfortunately, we lost all of our crew. Therefore, I will ask you kindly to transport our belongings to the shore." The eldest brother explains and requests.

"What kind of hell demons are you ?" The thief asks in disbelief.

"We're vampires, darling. The Original vampires." The sister answers, gesturing to herself first "Rebekah," She gestures to her brother "Elijah," and then the coffins "Our brothers Kol and Finn. May they rest in peace."

"Are we saving the best for last ?" A third voice, a male's asks from above the ladder.

Rebekah practically rolls her eyes as she introduces the best-for-last "And our half-brother, Niklaus."

Looking up the ladder, a man in his late twenties, Niklaus, holds the leader of this band of thieves in his arms. He has dirty blonde hair and the smallest amount of facial hair, blood allover his mouth; he was dressed for nobility as well, but said clothes where ragged and matted, giving him a slightly more bestial appearance. 

"Ignore him; he's a beast." Rebekah deadpans.

Niklaus chuckles at Rebekah's remark, tossing the body into the lower deck with a thud "We fled Europe and survived the seas. Would you rather I arrive hungry on the shores of our new homeland ?" 

"Niklaus, your manners are, as always, without equal." The older brother remarks, before addressing the thief "Sir, would you be so good as to tell us where it is that we have landed ?"

"The French colony of Louisiana, off the shores of a town they have named New Orleans." The thief was compelled to answer.

"Thank you so much." The eldest brother says "Oh, I do recommend that you find yourself further assistance for the luggage. My sincere apologies."

With that, the three siblings took their leave, leaving the poor sap in a cargo hold full of a bloody mess that was once a band of thieves.

----

Sixteen Year Old Mircalla Karnstein was roused from sleep by one of the help (Darla she thinks her name is, though Lady Morrigan advised her not to fraternize with the "lessers") opening the curtains, letting in the sunlight.

"Hate to disturb you Lady Karnstein," She says "But the Madam has requested your presence in the dining hall, and her patience is wearing thin."

"What time is it ?" Mircalla, her hair ragged from bedhead, and her mouth smacking with morning breath, wiping sleep from her eyes.

"Been daylight for an hour."

Mircalla reluctantly gets up from her bed as Darla picks out a morning gown.

"Is he there too ?" Mircalla asks.

"Elias ? He told you not to wait up."

"When did he get back ?"

"Not as far as I know." Darla shakes her head.

Mircalla couldn't get her dress on fast enough. As soon as her morning gown was passibly adjusted on her, she was at the dining hall in a minute, with no regard for how unlady-like she looked darting down the halls.

There, only an expectant Lady Morrigan sat, having barely touched her dish, with Mircalla's dish waiting at her seat.

"Ah, so she lives." Lady Morrigan says "I was worried. Thought I'd have to bring out my spell book, and awake you from the netherworld." She jokingly adds, wiggling her fingers for dramatic effect.

"My apologies." Mircalla says  "But Darla tells me that Elias hasn't turned up-"

"I wouldn't worry about him, my dear." The Lady smiles coyly "This is far from the first time he spent the night in the swamps. And I can guarantee it won't be the last. If you've been there, seen the tree forts set up, you'd know he'd have a safe night's rest."

Mircalla sighs and nods reluctantly as she takes her seat "It's not right, he's twelve. He can't-"

"I assure you, your brother is remarkable." The Lady "Had you taken the same studies as him, you'd see he has developed a skill in reading languages all but a few have forgotten; drawing maps from memory, and has the skills that'd more daring survivalists smirk with pride."

"I don't understa-"

"Of course, of course." The Lady muses and nods "It would seem the world has put you and your brother on two paths; such is the way of the world. Man goes on one path, forges a destiny for himself, while a woman's destiny is chosen by another." She emphasizes her point by tracing a pattern around the rim of her glass.

Mircalla can only eye the Lady in stunned silence, with the Lady regarding her with a cheeky smile.

"You're not eating."

With that, Mircalla hesitantly begins to eat, while Lady Morrigan continues talking.

"Are you aware, we are to host guests ?" The Lady asks changing the subject. Again, Mircalla says nothing and only silently shakes her head "A couple of nights ago, a ship made port, with three passengers on board being of my acquaintance. They are to stay here for the time being, until they can find their footing."

"Are they anyone I should know ?"

"What do you know about the Mikaelson's ?"

Mircalla pauses to think about it "Would they be from Germany ? I think I heard the name from-"

"So you wouldn't know them. Good, it'll give you reason to get to know eachother."

Right as The Lady says this, a twelve year old boy, steps out of the hallway, covered from head to toe in mud, his clothes utterly ruined by dirt and water. He was only recognizable when he spoke nonchalantly, lifting an item up with both hands. It was obscured by mud and flith.

"Lady Morrigan, I found another one!" Elias says enthusiastically.

"That is marvelous, dear. But may I ask, why'd you choose to present yourself like this ?"

Elias looks up and down his body, before he says "You told me to go straight to you if I found something."

"Hmm, well, for future reference, I prefer good news brought to me with a little more dignity." The Lady says "Present your findings after your bath."

Mircalla gets up from her seat, walking up to Elias and takes him by the shoulders "Elias, what the devil have you've been up to ?"

"Treasure hunting." Elias says as if he's being asked about the weather, and not being interrogated by a confused and concerned sister "Father's been sleeping in his own misery for a while, and Lady Morrigan told me what's in the swamps."

Mircalla glares at the Lady, who innocently sips from her drink, before turning back to Elias.

"You know what else is back there ? Alligators, wolves. The leeches alone would kill you." Mircalla says "Christ alive, Elias, you could have been-"

"Oh don't worry about the gators." Elias smiles simply "They're all dead."

Mircalla can't believe what she just heard, and it takes a few seconds to find her words.

"W-what ?"

"I have to take a bath now." Elias says nonchalantly, before once again lifting the mud covered item "Gotta wash this off too."

With that, Elias walks down the hall, leaving Mircalla absolutely gob smacked.

The Lady of the house gets up from her seat.  She walks to Mircalla and places a hand on her shoulder, ushering the younger, soon to be woman to face her.

"What did you put in his head ?" Mircalla glares at her.

"Nothing you need to worry about. I simply told him about this place's history, and gave him a safe place to explore. The rest is on him."

"Safe place ? Are you aware of the gators ?" Mircalla exclaims indignantly, spreading out her arms as if to emphasize her point.

"And as you just heard, they're all dead." The Lady coos, brushing Mircalla's hair to the side "Have some faith in me. Do you really think I'd put you in a spot where if I didn't know you'd make it. After six, seven years now ?"

She continues brushing her fingers through Mircalla's hair, noticing how Mircalla seemed to relax under her touch. That's good, it's right where she wants her; she's getting Mircalla used to her touch, getting her to associate it with ease, relaxation. Affection even. It'll make Mircalla want more, and in doing so, will get her to listen.

"I hoped in those years, you'd come to see me more than just the Madam who took you from your belligerent father. Perhaps you'd see me as...someone you can trust." She takes Mircalla by the chin and directs the girl to her gaze "Do you trust in me, Mircalla Karnstein ?"

Mircalla hesitantly nods, and the Lady smiles.

"That's a good girl. Which brings us to our next order of business." The Lady takes Mircalla by the hand, leading her back to the table as they both take their seats "There will come a time, we're I must go where you nor Elias can't follow. It'll be at least a year, but-"

"You're returning us to our father ?" Mircalla asks for her, already having a bad feeling of what would happen if she were made to stay in his "home". A young lady, nearing womanhood, in an establishment like that ? She wasn't as naïve as everyone thought she was, she had some idea of how he'd make money off her.

Lady Morrigan chuckles and shakes her head, placing a reassuring hand on Mircalla's "On the contrary, I am bringing him with me. I have loose ends to tie in Ontario, along with your father and Lord Gruber. But the Mikaelson's ? We have history; they are to be guests in my absence. Can I trust you, to be a gracious host ?"

Mircalla sighs before nodding "To the best of my ability."

"Atta girl!" The Lady says before getting up from her seat "Now, we have a full day ahead to prepare their arrival. I suggest you take that time to make yourself a little more presentable."

-----

Late in the afternoon, the three Mikaelson siblings arrived at the Lady's manor by horse carriage, with Lady Morrigan, Mircalla and Elias waiting expectantly, along with a few servants. Both Karnstien's dressed to look like good and proper children, with Mircalla keeping a modest front.

Elias on the other hand, looks on to the west of the manor, out to the swamp where he longs to seek more "treasure".

Stepping out of the carriage first, was Elijah Mikaelson, dressed in the dark blue clothes of a nobleman. He gives a courteous tip to the carriage driver, but looks at Lady Morrigan with a subdued glare, but is tranquil enough to keep himself looking presentable.

Following Elijah, was Nikklaus, who much like his brother, was dressed as a gentleman, but looked a little out of his element. He too glares at the Lady of the house, but is a lot less subdued about it. He regards the two Karnstein's, but doesn't seem to think much of them.

Following her brothers' lead, steps Rebekah Mikaelson, dressed in the black and white dress, and wore her hair in a short bun, and two white bows.

Mircalla wasn't paying attention to the way Rebekah gave a passing glance at the Lady of the house. In fact Rebekah quickly gave Mircalla a friendly smile.

Quickly may be the wrong word, as the world seemed to slow down to Mircalla, as all she could focus on was the blonde and beautiful Lady Mikaelson, as she hooks arms with both brothers and walks her up the manor's front steps.

If this were a movie, some ballad would have been playing in Mircalla's head ("I've gotta take a little time/A little time to think things over/I better read between the lines/In case I need it when I'm older").

She only snaps out of it when one of the brothers finally speaks.

"Lady...Lilita Morrigan. Did you marry into that name as well ?" Niklaus was the first to break the ice.

"Manners, Niklaus." Elijah raises a finger to silence his brother "With the years that passed between us, I'd think by now we'd have a little more room for courtesy."

"I assure you." The Lady chuckles "I have grown all too used to your brother's antics to feel any sort of offense. Speaking of, may I ask of Kol ? Will he be joining us."

"He's taking a rest." Rebekah answers quickly before noticing the two Karnstein's "He had a little too much excitement for his own good. It is his regret that he won't be joining us in the meantime."

Niklaus chuckles under his breath. "Kol" goes together with "remorse" a lot less than he does.

"Tis a shame." The Lady notes "What with the way my business has been turning up, I could have used someone of his expertise."

The Lady turns to note the two Karnstein's standing silently beside her.

"Oh, where are my manners ?"

"Behind us." Elias Karnstein says in a deadpan voice, pointing manor with a jab of his thumb.

This garnles a chuckle from both Niklaus and Rebekah, and even the ghost of a smile from Elijah Mikaelson.

"May I introduce you to two of my wards ?" The Lady starts, putting a hand on Elias' shoulder "Elias," she then gestures to Mircalla "and Mircalla Karnstein."

Elias stepped forward first, shaking Elijah's hand, before Klaus. They both regard the boy with a small nod, seemingly seeing him as little more than a nobleman's son. Nothing too remarkable of him.

When Elias turns his attention to Rebekah, she regards him with a small smile as he takes her hand and kisses it.

"Lady Morrigan has spoken of you quite a bit." Elias starts. Mircalla turns her head to her brother; she heard little to nothing of the Mikaelson's before today, but apparently the Lady of the house is closer to Elias than she thought. Perhaps even closer than she is. Elias continues "We've been looking forward to your visit for some time."

Klaus and Elijah glance at the Lady as if to silently ask "How much does he know ?" To which Lady Morrigan gives them a knowing smile.

"Is that so ?" Rebekah asks, not breaking her demeanor "Well, I think I can speak for my brothers when I say, we look forward to getting to know this new home." As she speaks she eyes back and forth between Elias and a shy looking Mircalla "As well as it's residents."

Mircalla looks at the curious way the Mikaelson's are looking at her. Hastily, she modestly bows her head to the two brothers. Niklaus steps forward first, and like a gentleman, takes Mircalla's hand and kisses her on the wrist. As does Elijah.

Both the brothers seem to treat it as a mere formality, as does Mircalla.

When Mircalla turns her attention to Rebekah, the latter steps forward; seemingly preparing for a greeting as simple as a bow of the head, which she gives Mircalla.

So when Mircalla takes Rebekah's hand, kissing her on the wrist, it takes her a few seconds to realize what she just did. Her face becomes beat red as she looks at the faces around her.

Rebekah herself has a look of cheeky amusement; her brothers have a "Well, that was...something." look.

Elias has a "Smooth move, sis." expression.

Lady Morrigan breaks the silence  "Well, with our introductions out of the way, I say it's high time we allow you to unwind." She turns to lead her wards and guests outside, while the servants are left to tend to the baggage.

All the while, Mircalla was blushing beyond her control, thinking to herself "Why'dIDoThat ? Why'dIDoThat ? Why'dIDoThat ?"

-----

The dinner that evening was short and uneventful.

Lady Morrgian and the Mikaelson brothers did most of the talking; mainly about what the settlers were doing so far, how it affected the locals, as well as local gossip. There wasn't much for Mircalla to pay attention to, especially with the way Rebekah looks at her.

After the dinner, Mircalla retired to her room, hoping to escape her embarrassment at her friendly greeting.

The Lady took the Mikaelson's to her study to discuss their new living arrangements.

"The children," Klaus is the first to speak "How much do they know ?"

"Mircalla ? She's in the dark about a lot of it. Though give her a few years, and she'd be no more a child than your lovely sister."
The Lady answers, taking a seat at her desk "The boy is another matter."

"And what does he know ?" Elijah asks, as he and his sibling take three respective seats before the desk.

"Not too much. I let him see what his sister can't. He knows enough, for which I believe a proper introduction is in order."

As if on cue, Elias enters the room with an item in hand, wrapped in cloth and burlap. Wordlessly, he walks past the Mikaelson's and places the item on the desk, standing beside the Lady as he bows his head to the Mikaelson's.

"Good evening. I apologize for not speaking at dinner, I was distracted."

The Lady wraps her arm around the boy's shoulder "This one has developed quite a hobby during his stay; when he heard tales of treasure on this land, he began growing a collection of what to find."

"Is that so ?" Niklaus asks, clearly trying to put in front of 'Oh, I'm a big brooding, horrifying beast of a man, but I'm good with kids'. Klaus steps towards Elias and crouches down to eye level "And have you found out there ?"

"Well, this statue for one." Elias says, stepping towards the item he placed on the desk. He removes the clothes and burlap revealing a statue. It was the size of what a football would be, depicting a being sitting on a pillar. 

The being resembled a monster of vaguely humanoid body, but with an octopus-like head. Its face is a mass of tentacles, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, with long and narrow wings on its back.

Klaus furrows his brow at the sight, and Elijah steps forward with a curious expression. Rebekah looks uncomfortable at the sight of it, like it was something from a nightmare she'd prefer forgetting. The Lady looks completely disdainful of the idol, but doesn't let her apprehension be shown to the boy.

"Found it in the swamps. There's a lot waiting to be found out there." Elias says, admiring his find "I think this is an idol of Khlûl′-hloo."

Klaus, still trying to present a 'friendly big brother' demeanor, regards the boy with a teasing grin.

"Is that so ? You know what else is out there ?" He leans in to whisper in Elias' ear, in a 'playfully menacing' sounding tone "Things that want to find you."

Rebekah scoffs, apparently hearing what Klaus has said "Oh come now, Nik! Despite your pastime, can you not give the boy nightmares ?"

Elias reassuringly shakes his head, before facing Rebekah "Please don't worry, milady; all the gators around here are dead."

There is a moment of silence, before the Lady of the house breaks it with a fake cough. She notices the way Rebekah is looking away from the Khlûl′-hloo statue, and gently nudges Elias towards her.

"Y'know, Elias ? I think we've yet to show our guests around the manor. Why don't you take Lady Mikaelson 'round the quarters ? Get her acquainted with her new living space. The men and I will continue with the arrangements."

Elias looks at Rebekah, who gives him a friendly enough smile, before he nods "Of course, Lady Morrigan." He steps towards Rebekah "May I, Lady Mikaelson ?"

Rebekah chuckles and links her arm with Elias, letting the boy escort her out of the room. As they leave, Rebekah can be heard asking Elias about his sister.

Now that it was just Klaus, Elijah and The Lady of the House, the three could speak a little more honestly.

"With that out of the way - Lilita..." Klaus starts before the Lady interrupts.

"Oh, come now Klaus." Lilita says "After everything I'd say we're about even. After all, the last time I checked, you owe me more so than the other way around."

"You must understand." Elijah speaks on his brother's behalf "With Niklaus and the enemies he's made over the centuries, one must come accustomed to his version of a friendly greeting."

"Of that, I am very accustomed too." Lilita says "It's the least I can expect after saving your sister..." As she says this, she glances at the Khlûl′-hloo statue, lifts it in one hand and grimaces "Tell me does she still have nightmares ? Does she still think of those who weren't saved ?"

"Enough personal formalities." Elijah steps towards Lilita, backing her to the wall. As calm as his tone was, his raised voice and the expression in his eyes were more than enough for Lilita to get the message "I don't suppose it is a coincidence you're one of the first people we discover here; that and a Gruber trading vessel. Are we to assume that it was you who funded his expeditions ?"

Lilita shrugs "Am I to assume you were the one responsible for that mess in England ? Lord Ferdinand trusted you as a reliable source of information. I doubt he appreciated you bludgeoning him and draining his crew. Tell me, what is it that provoked such a reaction from such a noble Stag ?"

"None of those people had to die." Klaus steps up beside Elijah "But an example had to be made of those who chase such flights of fancy. You chase monsters, sometimes those monsters have to do something about it."

Lilita smirks, leans towards Klaus and crosses her arms "And what were those monsters scared of ?" She steps away from the wall and makes her way back to her desk, taking a seat "I won't feign ignorance. You knew what they were looking for and what could happen in the wrong hands. You were a witness to the book's power. I bet you'd have nightmares from it."

Both Klaus and Elijah are silent for a moment; they think back to centuries ago, of how they and their siblings were on the run from Mikael. 

They previously ended up in England, hiding among the peasants until things blew over. In those times, they head among the peasants. They heard rumors of undead creatures, and a "hero" who fell from the sky. The Mikaelson's weren't believers until the Army of Darkness swept across the land. Since then, they (Elijah) made it a point to try to cover up the incident; through a series of murders, compulsion, anything that will keep the horrors of that book dead and buried. 

Which only led to more unwanted attention.

"Funny how things work, you know ? How everything just comes together, like a string of fate. I dare say, its providence." Lilita gets up from her seat and claps her hands together "Speaking of the plot thickening, you asked of the Karnstein children in my care...there is something that may be of interest. Especially Mircalla."

"Well speak." Klaus sneers "I tire of ones crypticy."

"Their grandmother's name is Lena Petrova."

This gets another pause from the brothers. Klaus' eyes light up a little before he says "But the young lady, she's not a-"

"No, but she's liable to continue the Petrova line."

Klaus takes a minute to think, but Elijah speaks up for him "Do not tease him. We've come to this land to avoid the troubles of Mikael, we have no need to draw his attention."

"Of course, of course." Lilita nods "All I'm saying is with what your family owes me, on top of my generous offer, my only other wish is to carry an additional burden until such a time another child bearing Tatia's face comes into the world. Be it decades or centuries, I promise that it'll be worth the wait."

Lilita takes hold of the Khlûl′-hloo statue, turns it over to face her with a grimace.

"There will come such a time, where I am to leave fo Ontario. More business with the Gruber's, and the Karnstein's father. In my absence, I request you look after my manor; it'll be your home to do with as you please. The only burden to shoulder is the protection of the Petrova bloodline. It's really more for your interest than it is mine."

"I feel there's more you're not telling us." Elijah says, taking his own seat before Lilita's desk.

"You may recall those cultists we ran afoul of way back when." Lilita starts, before turning the idol to face the Mikaelson's "In another bygone age, they made a home here. It's why I built my home here. I have had Elias seek out their tomes as a game. Anything bearing the name or image of their high priest I have disposed of. Should Elias present you with such items..." Lilita squeezes the statue harder, and harder, and finally, it breaks in her grasp. She releases it as it crumbles to dust on the floor beneath her.

The two brothers exchange a glance, before looking at Lilita. Klaus is the one to speak.

"Is there anything else we should know ?"

-----

The next morning, Mircalla awoke just before daybreak. When she got up, she opened the bedroom door to take in the air and admire the sunrise.

After a moment of admiring the view, someone caught her attention.

"Oh hello there." Rebekah Mikaelson calls down from the Manor's ground. From the looks of it, she was on a morning stroll. Before day break no less.

"Uh...good day mam." Mircalla hesitantly waves "I- I didn't expect to see you out so early."

"Would you prefer I see you up there ?" Rebekah asks.

"Oh, that's not necessary." Mircalla chuckles "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday."

"You're sorry that you kissed me ? Is there something undesirable about me ?" Rebekah asks in a faux offended tone, but her sarcasm seems to have flown over the younger girl's head.

"Oh no! I didn't mean anything by that Lady Mikaelson- I-I-I only meant tha-" Mircalla starts to stutter, before she notices Rebekah's cheeky and amused expression.

"Oh, there is nothing to worry about, Lady Karnstein. If anything, I'd be more offended if you found me anything less than desirable." Rebekah adds "And please, Lady Mikaelson is for formalities."

"I'm...sorry. It's been years since I-"

"Had a friend ? I know the feeling." Rebekah says "I don't want us to wake anyone up. May I join you upstairs ?"

Mircalla doesn't know what to say for a second, but she quickly nods "J-just let me get dressed."

Mircalla made her way to the wardrobe, hastily picking out some day clothes. She was halfway done taking off her nightgown when she heard a knocking on the door.

"I'll be a moment." Mircalla says.

"That's okay, I learned to be patient." Rebekah's voice can be heard from outside the door.

Wasn't she on the Manor's grounds not ten seconds ago ?

Mircalla shook her head. She must have been slower than she thought.

Once she got her dress on, Mircalla opened the door and let Rebekah step in.

"You know, I missed you last night. For the better part, of the evening, your brother spoke the world of you, and I figured I must see for myself if he speaks the truth." Rebekah says, stepping into Mircalla's bedroom, and sitting on her bed.

"Wh-what does he say about me ?"

Rebekah shrugs before counting her fingers "You two were thick as thieves when you were young, like Nik and I. You had a less than desirable father, though he's currently under the thumb of Lady Morrigan, so I guess that evens things out. And finally, you have another element about you that you prefer to keep private."

Mircalla pauses, walking up to the bed when she notices Rebekah pat the empty space beside her. As Mircalla takes her seat, she shakes her head "I- I wouldn't say that. I prefer to be a realist. Sure I may escape to the realm of fantasy, but I know better to mind the difference."

"Elias tells me you prefer the life of a farmer, an adventurer, and huntsman. Not normally what I see a proper lady fantasize over." Rebekah says, placing a hand on Mircalla's, rubbing it gently.

Mircalla chuckles and shakes her head. She told Elias that in confidence "Well, I also dreamt I could turn into an animal. I'm sure you have such fantasies yourself. That's all there are, right ? Dreams, fantasies, nothing worth pursuing."

Rebekah gives a sad smile, before saying "Sorry to disappoint, but what I dream of is a little more mundane."

"Sounds boring."

"When you lead the life I have, there are times where you'd settle for boring."

"What sort of life do you lead ?" Mircalla tilts her head in curiosity.

Rebekah just shakes her head.

"I'm sorry. It's a long, dreadful story. Does it really matter how we get here ?"

"Maybe I want to get to know you a little more."

Rebekah smiles, and brushes a strand of hair behind Mircalla's hair "All in due time, sweet girl. But this meeting isn't about me, it's about you."

Mircalla feels a shiver at Rebekah's touch. It was different from Lady Morrigan's touch; it relaxed her, but it also did something else to her. It brought this tingly sensation in her chest...and down between her-

"Well, then Lady Karnstein. Tell us your story." Rebekah says.

Mircalla couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about the look in her eyes that made her tell pretty much her life story at this point.

How she was born just after midnight on Christmas night. How her parents were but teenagers, and the whole reason she was conceived was due to her father thinking he was owed a little more on his own birthday.

How her mother bled out upon her birth, how she had little in the way of friends besides the servants (whom she was advised not to fraternize with) and her brother; whom despite spending the past few years with, seems to have drifted further and further apart.

She talked about how despite being reared up as the prim and proper lady of her time, she'd rather spend her time out in the woods, out in the fields. A more "free" life, but as she says, that's all for fantasy.

It went on for a while before Mircalla realized she knows next to nothing about Rebekah before she asks "So what about you ?"

"Pardon me ?"

"You and the Lady. What is your history ? Or even your story ?" Mircalla asks again.

Rebekah bites her lip trying to think up something. She doesn't want to lay too much on this girl, but she hasn't had the time to think up a good enough cover story.

"Not much to say." Rebekah shakes her head "My family are nomads you see. My father was far from a saint himself, and my mother passed in circumstances I'd rather not talk about. For better or worse, it's me and my brothers."

"For better or worse." Mircalla repeats her with a nod.

"We too, have history with Gruber family, but I doubt business is something you wish to speak of." Rebekah adds.

"Please don't," Mircalla says with a chuckle "If I have to sit through one more lecture about trade and how they work, I'd scream to God to end it all."

"Been there, done that." Rebekah says with her own chuckle "As for Lady Morrigan. There's not much to say. We were in a bind, she helped us out."

Rebekah of course leaves out the part where she witnessed atrocities being committed to young women such as her by a (hopefully) extinct cult, four odd centuries ago, and how she and her brothers were only "lucky" due to the cult not knowing what they had on their hands.

"You know, my brothers and I barely had time to look over the region since we settled in. It's been a busy few days. How often do you go out ?"

"Usually not by myself, but I've been sight seeing every once and a blue moon. Why ?"

"Well your brother spent so much time last night showing me around the estate, I figure you showing me around the village would balance things out. May even give my brothers space to settle in." Rebekah says before hesitating "Niklaus, he...he likes having room to stretch his legs himself, and given his track record, I feel I'm in safer hands with a young woman as my guide, than a man."

As she says this, Rebekah gently brushes her hand up Mircalla's arm, causing the girl to shudder a little.

"What say you, Lady Karnstein ?" Rebekah asks.

"I'd..." Mircalla gulps, before taking a deep breath "I'd love to. How does this afternoon sound ? I can run it by Lady Morrigan."

Rebekah smiles, getting off the bed, but taking Mircalla by the hand and kissing her wrist.

"It's a date."

With that, Rebekah leaves the room with a wave of her fingers. 

Mircalla just sits there, on her bed, waiting for the blush in her face to fade.

  ----

2021

"W-wait." Laura places two thumbs on the bridge of her nose "They were those Mikaelson's ?"

"Y-eah." Carmilla bites in her lower lip with a nod "But I didn't know who or what they were at the time."

"Wait, what do you mean by 'those Mikaelson's' ?" Beca asks, using her fingers to sign quotes.

"Oh, they're the original vampires." Laura answers. 

This earns Laura a "whut" look from the four Bellas, before she continues.

"Every now and then there's ancient vampires claiming to be the first, but most bloodlines narrow it down to the Mikaelson's. After Silas, I was offered this interview in Mystic...you know what ? That's a long story itself." Laura says, before looking at Carmilla "Please continue, honey."

"Very, well..." Carmilla sighs.

----

1702 to 1703 

In the two years that passed, the Lady of the house made her presence less and less. It took several months before she departed for Ontario.

Every so often, Mircalla would get letters from Matska informing her of what's happening overseas in her absence. As expected of Matksa, she took the role of Ruthyn's mistress. Word reached Mircalla that the Gruber family was hit by a hefty scandal; Augustus Gruber was caught with Tobias in a bathhouse.

The two boys were sent overseas, to the Gruber's settlement in Ontario, no doubt joining the up and coming expedition. This scandal, on top of Ferdinand's increasingly failing health, effectively shot down his aspirations to create a museum...but these mattered little at this point. 

By then, the search for forgotten relics was more Lady Morrigan's operation than anything else, and it is what allowed Count Falco to try to buy the Gruber's out of trouble.

This effectively meant the Gruber's were now in Karnstein's debt. While Mircalla's face to face encounters with her father were few and far between, word is that Falco made a bit of an ass of himself at Gruber's expense.

Soon enough, Falco joined the Ontario expedition, having de facto control of the operation. 

Mircalla knew not what they sought; she heard here and there the mentions of old and forgotten gods, but didn't care to look into them herself. Every now and then she'd walk past Elias' bedroom, hearing him mutter something about Ithaqua.

That name popped up here and there, but whenever Mircalla heard it, she felt the room/halls getting colder and colder. It brought back those memories of when she and the other children saw those eyes in the snow storm. The thought alone was more than enough to cause Mircalla to turn away and not look further herself.

And that's just the way the new house guests like it.

True to their deal with the Lady of the House, the Mikaelson's did what they could to keep the Karnstein daughter distracted.

They were otherwise competent in taking care of the manor; sure, once and a blue moon, there've been a few "blood loss" incidents among servants, staff and the residents in the township, but only two deaths as the result.

(Sometimes, you'd overhear Elijah commending Rebekah and Klaus on their restraint.) 

Mircalla had little interaction with the Mikaelson brothers over the years; between Klaus and Elijah, she thinks she must have spoken less than a hundred times over the two years in their stay.

Rebekah on the other hand, fits in like she was trying to be this big sisterly presence that Mircalla didn't think she needed in her life. Like she was no Matska, but Mircalla didn't feel like Rebekah was trying to be a sibling to her, but she otherwise fit like a glove. 

Even if she also inspired not so sibling-like feelings in Mircalla.

It started out small; the first year consisted of Mircalla doing the usual; having a reading companion for the library, going out into the township of New Orleans with Rebekah, running errands here and there.

Towards the end of the year, Rebekah would talk about how when she and her brothers found themselves lost between their travels; they'd make camp and make due, living off the land for days, sometimes weeks.

There were times that Rebekah would make camp just for the fun of it, and she suggested to Mircalla eventually taking her on one such trip, give a taste of adventure she so craved. But they had to take "baby steps" first. 

Day in, and day out, Rebekah would take Mircalla outside, slowly helping her step out of her shell. It was no longer enough for Mircalla to sit and read, or even write in her diary; Rebekah did her best to try to awaken something in Mircalla, and it was something Mircalla wanted more of. 

Something she craved as much as her touch.

In the summer of 1703, she'd take Mircalla out riding horses, an activity Mircalla hasn't done since she was a child. At first it was a gentle ride; slow, timid, careful. The first few rides were nothing to write home about. For the majority of the year it was a monthly occurrence, and something Mircalla looked forward to as she neared her 18th year.

At Noon, they'd go half way to the border, along the Mississippi before turning back, returning home by the evening. But after a while, Rebekah would take Mircalla on more exciting rides. On one horse, instead of the usual two, with Rebekah sitting behind her, holding her in a protective embrace.

"We can't have you fall off like this, now can we ? What would your brother say ?" Rebekah says, as she first climbs up behind the younger woman, holding her close.

Their bronco would dash up the usual distance in an hour, which got Mircalla do do something she hasn't done in a long, long time - give a full hearted, guffaw, laughing uncontrollably as Rebekah pressed her body to Mircalla's, feeling the beast run and gallope beneath them.

Rebekah would also laugh, albeit she was a little subdued about it. She was a little more bemused at feeling Mircalla's rapid heart beating through the mere touch of Mircalla's body against hers. She wagers that it was the most fun Mircalla had in years. Albeit, a much shorter time than Rebekah had this much fun.

While Rebekah was in charge of keeping Mircalla in the dark, she has grown a sense of fondness for the girl. It's rare that she'd find one, who jumps at the opportunity for adventurous escapism. To her, this escapism was everyday life, and thus she could give it to this girl freely.

It was far from the only thing that Rebekah could give freely.

On one such ride, Mircalla was starting to get used to the feeling of Rebekah holding her in place, and Rebekah was getting too used to the scent of Mircalla's skin and hair. As well as having her neck so close to her mouth.

Without even thinking about it, Rebekah would put her lips on Mircalla. Right where the neck meets the shoulder, silently debating as to whether or not she should sink her teeth in. 

All signs pointed to "No."

Mircalla was a Petrova by blood, and because of that blood, her family line could see the birth of another doppelganger, something that Nik warned her of a month into her stay. It wasn't that Rebekah particularly cared about Nik's plans for the Petrova's (frankly, he was enough of a beast already), but she could do without being daggered.

But even more importantly, she was reminded of "Lady Lilita's" instructions; Mircalla was her property and they were at best babysitters. One of the conditions of staying in her manor was to keep Mircalla in the dark. If Mircalla were to have a "life changing accident", it would be on the Lady's terms.

Even so, as much as Rebekah was bringing Mircalla out of her shell, even if it was a little step, Mircalla was bringing out a side of Rebekah she rarely indulged in. Rebekah had her flings and relationships mostly with men, but every now and then a woman would be the object of her desires and affections. 

Unlike Rebekah's male lovers, the overprotective Niklaus was a little more lenient to her female ones. After all, a woman was less likely to parade Rebekah around like she was some sort of conquest.

All that said, the minute Mircalla felt Rebekah's lips against her neck - giving her little kisses, nibbles, breathing her in - Mircalla's heart all but stopped and her body still. Her brain nearly short circuits and while her blood rushed to her face, everything else went south.

And feeling it's rider suddenly stop, feeling her rear back, their horse pulled to a stop and rear back as well. In turn Mircalla slipped off the beast, Rebekah along with her.

So dizzy was Mircalla and in shock, she didn't register she was in pain until she tried to stand. To add insult to injury (if you'd pardon the pun) it looked as if Rebekah was otherwise unaffected, sitting and standing up as if she merely tripped over but was otherwise okay.

Mircalla would try to stand, but that only brought a near numbing pain in both her legs; one in her left ankle, the other going up her ankle to her knees. All she could register was the sound of Rebekah's muffled voice, asking if she's okay, trying to encourage her to stand. 

All Mircalla could say was a semi coherent whine and  a pained sob.

While she could barely register what was happening, she felt someone pick her up with a pair of arms, whistling to the horse. Mircalla didn't think that much of it; her eyes could have been welded shut, and her brain throbs all but drowning out all other noise.

----

At some point Mircalla fell asleep on the ride back home.

When she awoke, she was in her bedroom.

The sun was still out, just starting to set. Her legs bandaged, and she was lying on a bed, with Rebekah seated at her side, holding her hand.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Rebekah greets, rubbing her hand over Mircalla's.

"Where am I ?"

"Back at the manor. You had a nasty fall out there." Rebekah answers with a shrug "It fell to me to go to your rescue. You're welcome by the way."

Mircalla looks down her body to see a tray with soup, crackers and tea on a dish for her. As Mircalla's senses adjusted she noticed a coppery taste in her mouth, and a more relaxed sensation in her legs.

"You just missed the physician right away." Rebekah says "He told me you'd sleep it off, and would check in by morning."

"Sleep it off ?" Mircalla mutters, barely able to make out what Rebekah was saying. She doesn't get it; during her stay with the Gruber's she broke her ankle when she slipped off the stairs once, and had to be bed ridden for a week; and another two weeks before she could walk normally again.

Then again, Mircalla notices the numbness in her leg has faded. There was no pain; if anything just mild irritation from the bandages.

Her attention was taken by Rebekah as she sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing a cautious hand up and down Mircalla's shin.

"How you feeling ?" Rebekah asks.

"Sore." Mircalla says uncertainty. She winces a little at the touch, but there is no sting from her injuries. It was as if nothing happened at all. She then adds "But I think I'm all right."

"I'm glad. Our family may have fallen in and out of hard times, but-"

They are interrupted by the sound of a door knocking. 

Standing there was Niklaus, entering the room like he owned the place.

"I hope you're not keeping her awake, little sister." He says, walking to the side of the bed, looking up and down Mircalla "The good doctor may not know what he had on his hands, but doctors orders are doctors orders."

"Of course." Rebekah nods "Though it wasn't the Doctor who carried her back here. I just wish to keep an eye on her."

"Well, as much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but young Karnstein requests privacy with his sister."

As if on cue, thirteen year old Elias Karnstein steps in. For the first time in a while, he's dressed half way presentably, but more importantly, he looks genuinely happy to see his sister's alright. At his side is a yellow book.

"I'd ask if you're okay, but I already overheard your discussion." Elias says, as Rebekah steps out of her seat, letting him take her seat.

He looks at both Mikaelsons expectantly, and Niklaus regards him with a nod.

"I'd say it's best if we give them some space. Come along now, Beks." Niklaus says, taking Rebekah by the wrist, hastily leading her out the door. In seconds, he took her far enough so that the Karnsteins wouldn't hear his lecture about how she nearly blew his plans for a future Petrova.

With just Elias and Mircalla, the former began to speak.

"When was the last time we were alone together Mircy ?"

Mircalla shrugs "I don't know. Feels like we haven't talked in forever."

Elias nods "I think we're running out of excuses; when we first reunited, we said it would be you and us now that he was out of the picture. I guess we can't make promises you can't keep."

Mircalla chuckles "When you'd get so eloquent ?"

"Spend enough time with Mister Elijah, he rubs off on you. Same as the Lady." Elias chuckles back. He sighs, his boyish demeanor slipping back to the gentlemanly one as he continues "Mircy ?"

"Hm ?"

"Have you ever...questioned why you're here ?" Elias asks after hesitating.

"We're here because-" Mircalla starts to say, before Elias shakes his head.

"Not like that. Like why are we born ?"

Mircalla tilts her head in confusion, still not sure she understands him. Which she immediately voices.

"I'm not following you."

"I think I found out why we are here Mircy. And I don't know if I like it."

Mircalla closes her eyes, inhales and exhales.

"I do not know what you're insinuating. Have you've been corresponding with father ? I don't know what he tells you but you're more than what he made you. It's what grandmother Lena told us; it's our choices that make us who we are, we can't blame everything on fate." Mircalla says, reaching off the bed to place both hands on Elias' shoulders.

In the process, she felt her legs move a little. Once again, there was no pain. Unknown to her, Rebekah put a little something in her food and medicine to speed her recovery; she'll be walking in a week.

"In fact, take grandmother Lena for example." Mircalla says, keeping a reassuring expression and tone on her face "Her family was poor; not much to say of the Petrova's other than her grandfather was a soldier for some lord, before going back to farmers. And yet, she found herself in our grandfather's heart and his family."

"Sounds to me like it was grandfather's choices that pulled her out of poverty."

"Well, maybe she just needed a little push in the right direction." Mircalla says with a smile and shrug.

"A push in the right direction." Elias nods. It seems like that's what he could use right about now. "But enough about that. Take a look at what I found!"

He lifts up the Yellow Book.

"I figured since it's been a while since we sat down and read together, I figured this could help you through a speedy recovery."

Mirclla smiles with a shrug "That was when we were children."

"Right. And I haven't been a child since I was three years old." Elias says with a grim expression, one that he holds for a few seconds before he goes back to his more brotherly tone "It's called the King in Yellow."

"What's it about ? Who wrote it ?"

Elias shrugs. It certainly wasn't from Lady Lilita's library. In fact it showed up on his bed that morning, not unlike those books that appear and disappear from the Karnstein's library. "I don't know. It's a lot of short stories, but they are a little hard to follow."

"Try me." Mircalla raises an eyebrow.

And like that, Elias sat and read from the first short story; it was of this young man, being swept up in this conspiracy to take over the new world in a distant future, under the belief he was a destined king. It ended with the man's ruination as he turned against a close family member.

True to what Elias says, the story was pretty hard for Mircalla to follow. Juries out if she was even listening, or just letting Elias' voice lull her to sleep. But by the time he was done, the sun disappeared from the sky and night fell upon Louisiana.

Closing the book, and giving a kiss to Mircalla's forehead, Elias silently said goodnight as he made his way to the door.

-----

Elias closes his own bedroom door with an exasperated sigh.

It's getting harder and harder to hold on like this. The more he digs into the Old Gods, the more the grip on everything he was starts to loosen.

Elias wasn't a stupid kid. He learned a lot since he met Lady Lilita, especially the truth about her, and her half sister. He was a "good boy" all things considered, kept himself quiet on the matter as he promised Ishtar. 

Unfortunately, when you learn as much as he did at such a young age, and have to keep it bottled up within ? Well that's expecting a lot for a boy of his age. There are tales he told of grown men being driven to madness the more and more they explored.

One can only imagine what the knowledge of being a product of rape did to Elias. Let alone the knowledge of the Great Old Ones, and the Outer Gods. It made it harder and harder to keep hold of Mircalla and how she anchored him.

As stated earlier, it felt as if whatever bond they had in their early childhood wore thinner and thinner. Elias just tried to maintain a connection, and all that did was put her to sleep.

Not helping was that Mircalla's own heart was drifting. Elias often saw the way she looked at other women; she was to be engaged to another noble, married off to a stranger. Fulfill her duties to the Karnstein Bloodline, while Elias played the part of the heir to Count Falco.

"But you could always be more than that." Elias remembers. He can't tell which voice said it, but it rang true. 

Every now and then, Elias would hear from Adeen Curt - or Lamashtu now that he's learned the truth, talking to him about Count Falco, Falco's goals, and the truth of the Petrova Bloodline. Every now and then, Elias would try to bring it up to one of the Mikaelson's, they'd dodge the subject.

If this was something his older sister shouldn't know, they'd refuse to let the boy know more than he does already.

On the other hand, there was the "cold" voice; the one that made the hottest summer day of Louisiana feel like the coldest night of the Arctic.

Ithaqua, the son and emissary of Hastur; the one who appeared to him, Mircalla and their friends in Austria the night of the board game. Ithaqua no longer had any foothold in this Earth, instead can only whisper from another, but that was more than enough to draw Elias in.

And like that, Elias would seek out more and more about the Old Gods, pushing out that innocence he held onto in his early childhood, and now mixed with the angst of a growing teenager.

The more Elias thinks about it, the more he questions if Lilita actually cares about him. Who sends a boy out to the swamp to collect artifacts for an extinct cult ? He did as told, brought them to the Mikaelson's, who would then dispose of them. By then, any remnants of the Cult of Cthulhu were non-existent on these lands.

With the exception of a wood steel mural Elias decided to keep hidden in his "secret shack".

It was a hand carved depiction of what resembled Cthulhu fighting something that was supposed to be a sea dragon (though Elias thought it looked like a bipedal crocodile). It was breathing a blue flame, and above them was a picture of two earths, overlapping with each other. The text above reads in a long extinct language, but Elias knew what it said "The Earths Split".

"But it'll be worth it, Elias. Good things come to those who wait." He tells himself as he undresses down to his knickers and climbs into bed. While dear old dad is pursuing his own ambitions, seeking out treasures of a god that no longer exists, slashing throats and burning villages for Lady Lilita to cover up, Elias will become something else.

He will become everything his father wished he'd be. And he would have his sister at his side. They can have the life they always deserved.

"But your sister is the one holding you back, boy." One of the voices said.

Frustrated, Elias puts his pillow over his face and coils under the covers. Not tonight voices. Whoever you are now is the time to sleep.

A familiar presence was suddenly in the room; Elias didn't see it, or hear it, but he felt it walking up beside his bed. It felt like Lamashtu. Had to be her, playing those tricks when her half sister is busy. But when Elias sat up, she wasn't there. Instead on his nightstand was another book.

Of course.

Despite his frustration, the temptation was nigh on irresistible. Elias simply sat up and read through it. It was another collection of short stories, telling of a promised paradise.

It is told of a King being tempted by an entity (the Snake), promising godhood and prosperity; turning to an undead monster and leading his people to ruin. As usual, it was pulling him down a rabbit hole.

The part that stuck with him was how the King would sacrifice his son. After all, why does a god need an heir ? Why does a god need a family ?

"That's different." Elias tells himself "Mircalla is special. She's not the one holding me back. It was always Falco. He holds us both back. Once we serve him, it'll be just us."

"And tell me, my boy." Elias heard Lamashtu's voice in the back of his head "Who's to say you aren't holding the Count back ?"

Elias once again turns over in his bed, shaking his head. 

When the time comes, he guesses, then they'll know who is Hastur's chosen.

----

December 24th, 1704

The time came for the nineteenth anniversary of Mircalla's existence. That was always how she put it at least.

Every year she was with him, Count Falco would remind Mircalla that her birth mother died bringing her into the world, and that by celebrating her life, she was celebrating her mothers death. As such, Mircalla didn't often celebrate or appreciate her birthday.

Besides the fact she was born on Christmas Eve, Mircalla decided that any celebration on that day would take a back seat to Christmas celebrations. She could precariously celebrate though these festivities and keep her problems to herself.

At this point, only about twenty people knew when her birthday was, and usually didn't keep it beyond simple well wishes, which she usually takes with a smile.

But when word got to Rebekah, a simple well wish wouldn't cut it.

The past few years, there was a tradition where one of the more powerful families would host a feast on Christmas Eve, and this year it fell to the Mikaelson's. Which was hectic as all hell as unlike the other twelve day celebrations, it made it harder for Mircalla to blend in.

The twenty fourth of December, Mircalla awoke to see Rebekah Mikaelson, in a festive green dress, adorned in silver jewelry, looking over her with an enthusiastic smile.

"Good morning," The blonde says sweetly "You know what day it is ?"

"The day that ends in Y ?" A sleepy Mircalla replies.

"I thought that was yesterday." Rebekah says in a playfully snarky voice before she says "I got you a little something for the next twelve days."

Mircalla reluctantly sits up to see her present at the foot of her bed.

Deciding she had little choice in the matter, Mircalla opens the present, revealing a red dress, matching Rebekah's green, with golden jewelry in lieu of silver to adorn it.

"What do you think ?" Rebekah asks.

"It looks beautiful." Mircalla says, lifting the dress up by the shoulders.

"It'll look prettier on you." Rebekah says, sitting on the bed expectantly, "Well then, try it on."

Mircalla, her hair still a mess from sleep, glances at Rebekah with a look that speaks for her; "Ummmm can I have a little privacy ?"

Rebekah quickly catches on and chuckles "Oh sorry. I'll give you a moment."

Rebekah hastily gets off the bed, and steps out of the room. With her share of male and female lovers over the years/decades/centuries, she was a little more casual about other people's nakedness than most were of the time.

Mircalla stands up from the bed and lays the red dress out, and sighs. Well, best get the day started; it'll end sooner.

Moments later, Rebekah was called back to Mircalla's bedroom, seeing the young woman looking herself over in her bedroom mirror.

"Told you you'd look beautiful." Rebekah says, walking up behind Mircalla and noting her hair "May I."

Mircalla nods and allows Rebekah to seat her at the desk, taking a comb and brushing Mircalla's dark hair, trying to get it beyond presentable and as close to perfection as humanly possible. To add a little festivity, Rebekah starts to place a piece of ivy in the nineteen year olds hair.

"How you feeling today ?" The blonde asks, trying to make conversation.

Mircalla shrugs "The usual. I guess I'm looking forward to the next twelve days."

"But your birthday ? What about it ?"

"What's there to celebrate ?" Mircalla sighs.

"Nineteen years of growth, coming out of your shell, becoming the woman you 're meant to be ?"

"You really don't let up on fantasies, do you ?"

"What can I say ? They're my reality." Rebekah says as she finally fixes Mircalla's hair "There we are."

"My father tells me my birthday isn't worth celebrating. The anniversary of my mothers death, how God blessed him with a burden, and-"

"That'll be enough of that." Rebekah says in an admonishing tone "Since when did you care so much about that man's opinion ? The way you speak of him tells me he's worth less to you than the dirt you walk on."

"It's the one instance where he's right I guess." Mircalla turns around to face Rebekah "Nineteen years I'm alive. Nineteen years Jana Hoffman is dead."

"I know it's not my place to say," Rebekah says "But I doubt she'd want to see you miserable on the holidays."

"I have no doubt about that. It's the being alive part I think she would want more."

"I suppose your holidays are always this bittersweet ?" Rebekah asks.

Mircalla shrugs "Depends. I usually just get through my birthday, and immerse myself in the festivities."

"Is that your plan for today ?"

Mircalla looks at Rebekah with a skeptical expression.

"It's just, I hope your birthday blues don't get in the way of Elias' plans." Rebekah continues "He's been talking about your gift for some time."

"What is it ?" Mircalla asks.

Rebekah gives her an impish grin, booping her on the nose "Can't spoil that, now can we ?"

Despite her mood, Mircalla can only smirk, rolling her eyes with a huffed chuckle.

"If that's how it's gotta be..."

With that, Mircalla gets up from her seat, takes Rebekah by the hand, and lets her lead her outside.

-----

The day was a mix of quiet and festive. The Mikaelson's insisted on hosting a feast for Christmas Eve. At the time Christmas would be the first of twelve days, but they were starting celebrations early on account of Mircalla's birthday. Of course few knew the occasion.

It was one of those rare days Elias didn't isolate himself, having an active role in decorating the manor with ivies and hollies, and presenting himself in a festive white suit. Mircalla and Rebekah once again went about New Orleans, taking in the sites, observing the township and their decorations, even getting a few eyes from their dresses.

The day itself was uneventful until nightfall covered the city.

Hundreds of guests, consisting of rich and poor families, gathered at the manor for the first feast of twelve, and gathered around the yule log, decorated for the hearth.

Those who knew of Mircalla's birthday simply gave her their well wishes. While she wasn't used to having this much attention on her birthday, she accepted them with a nod, a smile and a few pleasant words of her own. It was still relatively easier to blend in, it's not like she'd become the Lady of Misrule.

The evening was otherwise filled with guests of both classes feasting, joking, talking of general things and carolers. It made Mircalla feel a little at ease. She even took part in a few carols throughout the day, even nearly talked Elias into going along with her.

A little known tradition in the modern era, but one of the Christmas traditions at the time was to tell ghost stories. It was believed that December 24th, was a time when the barrier between the mortal world and the netherworld thinned. Much like Halloween and such holidays.

In this tradition, one of Mircalla's favorite stories was that of the Yule Cat. But as of now Niklaus Mikaelson had the floor, and the story he told this tale of the first white settlers.

It was this tale of the children of this Viking and witch; how they grew up on what would become the state of Georgia; how they lived among werewolves; how one son didn't belong and would be beaten mercilessly by his father.

How they would grow up to be monsters, and spend the past few centuries on the run of a greater monster. Perhaps they live among these good people.

Mircalla didn't pay much attention. She thinks she heard it before, either in a book she read long ago, or with Rebekah in the library. But as Nikklaus got to the part where the youngest son was killed by werewolves, she felt someone tug her sleeve. She turns around to see it's Elias, who gestures to her to follow him.

Deciding no one would miss her, Mircalla slinks away with Elias outside of the manor's front door.

"Pretty night isn't it ?" Elias says looking up at the sky "Can't hear any of the beasts or nothing."

"Yes." Mircalla remarks with a nod, "Tis a silent night."

"I think we can skip the pleasantries for now." Elias says, taking a flat present out from under his jacket "I've been holding onto this for a while, and I'd say now is about the time you have it for yourself."

Mircalla almost rolled her eyes already knowing what it was.

Books were about her only source of entertainment growing up and what she and Elias used to bond over. Plus, given their current age, it's not like any toy of sorts would be of interest.

At the same time, she's read so much over the years that very little could interest her at this point, and it's not like any of Elias' horror stories of monsters and gods had her interest in the first place.

And yet, as Mircalla opens it, she sees a peculiar title; Memoirs From a Mother to her Child.

And when she sees the author's name, her heart all but stops; Jana Hoffman.

"I...I" Mircalla tries to say, but she's at a loss for words.

"Had to do quite a bit of correspondence to track this down." Elias says proudly "Did you know she was a poet ? She has pretty big aspirations for someone her age."

Mircalla says nothing. Her age ? Jana Hoffman's age ? To think, she is older now than her mother was when she gave birth. And died in the process.

"This...This is-" Mircalla stutters out, wiping her eye.

"I figured you'd like it." Elias says "Had to reach out to a few families. You'd be surprised at what Lady Lilita can piece together. Or even her sister."

Mircalla opens the book, and sees its series of poems and short stories, all of which are written in Germanic. Not reading them herself, she sees a note from the author, written in dedication on the book's interior.

"Zu meinem kleinen Geschichtenerzähler. Welches Schicksal Sie auch immer im Leben erwartet, mögen meine Worte Sie leiten, wie die Worte anderer mich geleitet haben." Singed Jana Hoffmann von Karnstein, August 14th, 1685.

Translation: "To my little storyteller. Whatever fate awaits you in life, may my words guide you as the words of others have guided me."

Mircalla just stands there, almost catatonic, as Elias speaks to her.

"She um, had pretty high hopes. For you of course." Elias nods as he circles his sister "She wrote poetry in her youth and as her passtime. She uh, she wrote it for you."

Mircalla trembles a little as she lets these thoughts soak in.

"The Hoffmans, they...asked about you, you know. Wanted to know who and what their grandchild grew up to be. I was thinking that after father and the Lady return from Ontario-"

"Father ?" Mircalla finally says.

"Right, right, the Count I mean." Elias says "When they return, we are to go back to Austria. I was thinking the two of us could look into- Elias says "I know what you may think of him, sister. Every now and then, I think of my own mother and how I know little to nothing of her. I just thought-"

Mircalla keeps wiping her eyes trying to keep a calm façade, while a hurricane of emotions filled her head and swelled her chest.

"Elias." Mircalla starts to say after finding her voice. Elias continues talking.

"I wonder what my mother would think of me, and what I'd make myself into. Have you ever wondered the same of yours ?"
 
"Elias-"

"And I think we can be more. The Count holds us back, Mircalla, but he's blinded by his own hubris. You and me ? We can make the Karnstein name mean something. We can be everything he wishes he could be." Elias continues, getting a little ahead of himself "See I've been-"

"Elias!" Mircalla raises her voice a little, causing Elias to pause. As she calms she says "I...don't have the words to say, about my mother I mean. I don't know what she'd wish for me, but she wouldn't want me to reach for the stars. I can't imagine yours would be the same."

"But Mircalla-"

"I love escaping into fantasy as much as the next lady," Mircalla shakes her head and wipes her eyes, trying to keep herself stoic "But I'm not foolish enough to bring it to reality. I'd expect the same of you."

Elias just stands in stares with a stoic, unreadable, expression, his eye twitches a little before he sighs.

"Of course." He says plainly, "I overspoke." He shakes his head "En- Enjoy the evening, sister. Don't let me hold you back."

With that, Elias silently walks off, back to the rest of the party, leaving Mircalla with her thoughts.

Mircalla thinks for a second about calling out after him, or rejoining the party, but she decides against it. Instead, she just leans back against the wall, looking over the book.

A million thoughts were going through her head at once; about her mother, about how she wrote this for her; what sort of life Jana would have had if she made it past bringing Mircalla to the world.

The thoughts alone, intrusive. It was almost a godsend when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I take it you had too much of the party scene ?" Rebekah Mikaelson asks, causing Mircalla to startle a little "Sorry. I find the Yule Log to be a little crowded myself. Felt the need to get some air. Care to join me ?"

Unable to form the words, but needing anything to clear her head, Mircalla nods.

----

They strode about the manors garden and the forested areas surrounding the fields, just out of reach of the Bayou.

Any other night, Mircalla would worry about the wild life, but something about Rebekah makes her feel safe. Especially when the blonde links her arms with her.

Rebekah doesn't just make her feel safe, she makes her feel comfortable. With little prompting from the older woman, Mircalla talked quite a bit of her mothers book, about what Elias said and apparently did to get his hands on it.

"...It's just - I don't know. I carry a lot on my shoulders with this day." Mircalla says as she and Rebekah walk on a small bridge over a pond in the garden. The two stop in the middle, looking at the moon as they lean on the bridge's rails "I think I could do without a reminder of why I'm here."

Rebekah nods in understanding, squeezing her hand lightly "I don't want to tell you how to feel, Mircalla, but I'd think that whatever Jana Hoffman wanted in life, it wouldn't be for you to be miserable."

"She'd want to be alive."

"If she wrote a poetry book for you, I think she'd want you to be happy." Rebekah says "Have you given any of it a read ?"

Mircalla shakes her head "Whatever she wants from me, I know I can never live up to it." She sighs sadly before shaking her head "Can we not talk about it ?"
Rebekah nods, wrapping her arm around Mircalla's waist and pulling her in.

"You know, my own mother and I, things were complicated towards the end of her life. There's a whole lot I wish I could reconcile with her, but I know I'll never get the chance." Rebekah says in an empathetic tone "You ? You have the chance to do something I never could. I can't say I've been where you are, but if I were, I'd take that chance."

Mircalla chuckles, a little beside herself with how Rebekah is making her flip flop. Maybe it's the way the older woman's holding her and looking at her.

Noticing Mircalla's blush, almost sensing her thoughts, Rebekah giggles as well.

"Will you at least consider my advice ?" She asks.

"Maybe." Mircalla hesitantly says, her emotions still flip flopping " I just- I could use a distraction." Mircalla says sheepishly, as she steps away from Rebekah's embrace, casually leaning on the railing.

"I know what you've been saying about fantasy and escapism these days." Rebekah says, walking her fingers along the railing, and up Mircalla's arm, a knowing smile forming on her face "This time of year, is said to be when this world and netherworld thins; fantasy, reality, they tend to blur. I guess that's why miracles happen."

Right as Rebekah says this, she presses her lips to Mircalla's cheek. The young woman's face turned beat red, and right as her mind and heart stopped, she felt herself lean back, and slip over the rail. By the time she realizes what happened, she's sputtering, stuttering and shaking as she sits up.
 
Mercifully, the spot she fell in wasn't that deep. It was up to Rebekah's knees as the blonde climbs and jumps in after her, uncaring of how unlady-like it looks. Rebekah giggles as she takes the shaking girl by the arms, and hoists her to her feet.

Beside herself, and the angst from moments before all but forgotten, Mircalla decides to give into a little fantasy.

She takes Rebekah by the cheeks, and pulls her into an open mouth kiss. It was her first kiss. With a woman. That she initiated no less. Mircalla couldn't believe it, her heart was pounding like an earthquake, she felt like she couldn't breathe.

Once again, it was like this ballad would be playing in her head ("Take Me Home Tonight/I Don't Wanna Let You Go Til You See The Light/Take Me Home Tonight/Just Like Ronnie Said/Be My Little Baby")

It was then she noticed she was maintaining the kiss for a full minute, and she released Rebekah with a shaking gasp.

“Fick mich,” Mircalla whispers in her native tongue.

“Gerne~,” Rebekah says in kind, her voice a husky purr, her smile sultry.
 
Mircalla's eyes widen and she shudders, both from the sound of her voice, and the coldness of the water. Mircalla was at a loss for words, and all she could form was a nervous chuckle. On one hand, she wanted this. On the other hand, this was happening so fast that she needed a minute to wrap her mind around it.

In a sudden show of strength, Rebekah hoists Mircalla up in a bridal motion, and before Mircalla could take notice or comment on it, she lifted Mircalla onto the bridge, before climbing back up after her. Mircalla barely gives the older woman time to adjust, before she pulls Rebekah on top of her, into another kiss.

That's when Rebekah stops her "Not here."

"Not here ?"

"Not here." Rebekah says before kissing her again "Not in this mess."

Rebekah stands up, taking Mircalla by the hand as the younger woman also stands.

"Bedroom." Rebekah says plainly, before pulling on Mircalla's wet, cold and dirty dress "We need to clean you up first."

Mircalla says nothing, all too caught up in the heat of the moment. Quickly deciding she could use a little escapism, she just nods.

As Rebekah takes her by the hand, and leads her to the manor, it dons on Mircalla that she was going to lose her virginity in the coming hours - to a woman no less - which had her both excited and scared at the same time.

But first things first, they both needed a bath, and Rebekah needed to "convince" the workers and party goers not to interrupt them for the evening...

-----

2021

Right before Carmilla could tell the next part, she blushed furiously.

It took her a moment until she saw the expressions on her audiences faces

"Anywatys, Carmilla awkwardly fakes a cough before she continues "Whatever relationship I had with Rebekah wasn't as long or passionate as I would have liked. By then I accepted the inevitable. Even so, the Mikaelson's were a presence in the time leading up to my mortal death. The time came for me, my family, and the woman who would become my mother would return-"

Carmilla is interrupted by the sound of banging on the front door, and Laura stands up "I got this."

As Laura gets up, so does Stacie, heading up the stairs to check on her daughter.

Laura quickly makes her way to the front door, opening it to see a young woman. She was no older than the other girls, had bright red hair and striking blue eyes. She was dressed for the unusually warm March weather, in a spring jacket and turtleneck, with jeans, with an uncanny pixie like demeanor. Especially with that little smile.

"Can I help you ?" Laura asks.

"Hi-i-i-i-i, my name's Tara Vaughan." The woman reaches Laura's hand to shake. It's here Laura notices she had a dog leash in her hand.

"Laura Hollis." Laura says, shaking the woman's hand "And uh, what can I help you with ?"

"You haven't seen a dog around her ? Chocolate lab puppy ?" Tara asks, reaching into her coat pocket, pulling out a photograph of such a dog running in a park "His name's Baxter. Me and my boyfriend moved in the other day, and heard about what happens to strays in Bailey Downs."

As Tara says this, her unsettling perky demeanor fades to one of more distress. Like a pet owner in fear. Her eyes water a little and her voice warbles. Somehow it's more unsettling than when she was preppy.

"It's just- I heard about the wolves and the panther seen around here - if anything happened to my baby, I just wouldn't know what to do!"

"What's this about a dog ?" Aubrey asks as she and Beca walk up from behind Laura.

"She says her dog's missing." Laura says, before turning back to Tara "Mamé, I'm sorry, but we haven't seen anything." She says empathetically.

"Oh, but last night I heard a terrible noise." Tara timidly fidgets "It's like a tigers roar, and a half hour ago, I could hear someone screaming from my cabin. I thought someone must have seen something, and I fear the worst!"

Beca, Laura and Aubrey glance at eachother. She was referring to Carmilla's scream, but a half hour ? That's how long Carm was telling her story. Felt longer for some reason.

"Well, if we see anything, we'll let you know." Beca says.

"Can I have your number, just in case ?"

Tara nods, taking her smartphone out of her jacket's breast pocket. She opens her phone app, revealing her number.

Beca takes her own phone out and writes the number in her notes.

"We'll keep an eye out, but no, we haven't seen your dog."

Tara's distressed and saddened demeanor changes with a simple smile and nod "If you don't mind me asking, what got one of you so upset ? I'm sure the other neighbors could hear that scream."

"Just a bit of bad news in the family is all." Laura says with a shrug "You don't need to worry about it."

"Hopefully it isn't so awful to warrant a cry like that ?" Tara turns to take her leave, before looking back at the other girls "You girls be careful now. And uh, keep an eye out for me, will you ?"

"Well do," Laura nods "And good luck."

"Thanks, I could use it." Tara says, with a quick wink.

As Stacie heads down the stairs, she glances at the girls at the door and asks "Who was it ?"

"Just a neighbor, looking for her dog." Aubrey looks up at Stacie, along with the other two. They look back out the door, "I'm sorry, what was your name-?"

Right as Aubrey says this, Tara is completely out of sight. And given the space between the front door and the front gate was about thirty feet, it didn't add up.

Wait a minute ? Wasn't the front gate supposed to be locked ? And isn't the gate, and surrounding wall/fence like fifteen feet in the air ?

This really doesn't add up.

Before they could think too much about it, Laura notices the papers Stacie's holding.

"What are those ?"

"Oh," Stacie answers "Just a little something Bella's been working on."

There were three papers each, handing them to the other girls; one of them depicted a drawing of a yellow dragon-like creature in a burning city, obscured by clouds and lightning. If it wasn't so grim looking, it wasn't bad for a three year old's drawing.

The second was a more clear picture of the dragon, this time fighting something coming out of the water. The picture was half drawn, but Bella gave it to Stacie anyway; whatever the other monster was, it looked like the dragon had three, unfinished heads.

The third and last picture was a crudely drawn picture of the Earth, being coiled up by three golden snake-like heads. Two of the heads had two horns, but the third, the one in the middle, had three prominent horns that stood out like a crown.

"That's...unsettling." Beca says.

"She was drawing one of those this morning." Aubrey nods. The other girls look at her "She called it the King In Yellow this morning."

Laura double takes when she hears this, as does Beca and Stacie.

"The- The King in Yellow ?"

"Like...what Carm was just talking about ?" Stacie asks.

"Like what I was talking about ?" Carmilla asks, with Chloe following her out of the living room.

"Bella...Bella's been drawing these." Laura says, taking the drawings and handing them to Carmilla.

"Look familiar ?" Aubrey asks.

Carmilla's eyes answered for her. While her familiarity with Hastur himself was as broad as Laura and the rest of the Silas Gang, the pictures look familiar (if crude). Be it in the imagery that surrounded her family towards the end of her life, and most recently, the temples where she uncovered the Blade of Hastur.

This "god" has been dead for ten thousand years at least, and Carmilla only really heard his name a handful of times in recent years. And already it was slipping back into her life; hers, Laura's, and that of the Conrad-Mitchel-Beale-Posen family.

"I need to talk to Bella." Carmilla says, turning to Stacie to silently ask her permission. Stacie nods, and leads Carmilla up the stairs.

The other four followed behind them.

----

In her room, Bella sits innocently on the bed, between Carmilla and Stacie. The other four stood by the bedroom door.

"Am I in trouble ?" Bella asks, a little unsure of her situation

"No, sweetie." Carmilla says "We just want to know if you've been having bad dreams again."

Bella places a hand on her stomach "My tummy's sore."

"You've been eating too much sweets and popcorn yesterday have you." Stacie says affectionately, booping Bella on the nose. Her daughter nods "That's a recipe for bad dreams. Especially with what you've been having lately.'

"Have you seen this anywhere before ?" Carmilla asks, holding up one of the dragon pictures.

Bella shrugs "I don't know. Why ?"

"Well..." Carmilla hesitates.

Sensing her girlfriend's reluctance, Laura steps forward.

"It's just we want to know what's been bothering you, Bella." Laura says reassuringly, crouching down before the toddler, and taking Bella's hand in hers "You know, to help you with your bad dreams, is all."

Bella nods.

"Now you sure you've never seen this thing before ?" Laura asks, taking one of the dragon picture "In a movie or-"

Bella shakes her head "I only dreamed about the scary lady."

Laura nods with an understanding expression.

"Can you...draw her ?" Laura hesitantly asks.

Bella shakes her head "I don't wanna think about her."

Stacie leans down and kisses Bella on the temple.

"That's okay sweetie." Stacie says sweetly "Just remember, bad dreams are just that. They can't hurt you in the real world."

Bella nods when she hears that "I know mommy, I know."

"Tell you what," Stacie says rubbing Bella's back "We've been meaning to do some shopping, and springs around the corner." She tugs her daughter's shirt a little "Thinking about picking up some baby clothes, and getting you something for the spring. How's that sound ?"

Bella nods a little, at ease at the suggestion that her dreams were just that.

This time, it's Chloe who steps forward "You sure you're not sick or anything ?"

Bella nods again. Again, still apparently at ease.

"Alrighty then." Chloe takes Bella's hands "Lets get your boots on."

With that, Bella climbs off the bed, one hand holding Chloe's, the other Stacie's as two of her moms lead her to the hallway and down the stairs.

With just Beca, Aubrey, Laura and Carm in the room, Beca asks up.

"So, is it bad ? Like...that bad ?"

"I don't know." Carmilla shakes her head "With what little experience I had with these gods, it looked like a slow process; my brother was a toddler himself when he first contacted them. And it was years before he..."

Carmilla sighs as an uncomfortable memory settles in.

"I've only seen this once before. And even then I didn't know until after the fact. I just can't be sure..." Carmilla turns to the other women before saying "The less Bella herself knows the better, it'll keep her from going down the rabbit hole. If what Danny told me is true..."
"Then what ?" Laura asks.

"Then I gotta take a trip to Ottawa." Carmilla says "Seems something I buried with Mircalla has unearthed itself."

----

March 21st, 2021, The "Ottawa Offices"

It would only be a few days, and it would give the Bellas some breathing room, and a chance to catch up.

Before she and Laura left, Carmilla advised Bella's mothers to not let her know too much, and if what she thinks is happening, is happening. The less Bella tries to dig into it, the better. Besides, in the coming days, the Bellas are to invite some friends over for a baby shower. That should keep them busy.

Upon their arrival at the agency, Carm and Laura were greeted by Perry and Laf at the agency's entrance.

Quick hugs and "Hellos" were exchanged, and when Carmilla asked if he was there, it was clear business came first, friendly meetups were for later.

They walked the young couple to a room. Before they entered, Laf and Perry gave them a "shush" motion.

It looked to be the inside of a one way mirror, with the lights turned off. There sat Danny Lawrence, sitting at a chair at a table, waiting for an unseen subject to do or say anything. Wilson Kirsch sat on a chair on the opposite end. He looks excited enough to see them, but has to keep quiet.

When Danny saw Laura and Carm step in, she stood up quietly but quickly, lifting Laura into a bear hug, before Carmilla did the same to her. This is followed up by Laura giving Kirsch a more gentle hug.

"Are we allowed in here ?" Laura asks in a whisper "I thought they'd have us wait in a boardroom or something."

"Nah, I got enough pull here, that you shouldn't be any trouble." Danny answers as the girl takes their seats.

"Is he here ?" Carmilla asks, pointing at the blackened window "The Count, I mean ?"

Danny gives a hush motion, before pressing a button on the device in the center of the table.

"Still think you're a tough guy, ain't ya ?" A voice says, apparently in the darkened room around them. Carm and Laura guess it's another agent doing their interrogations "Yeah, take away the wackos and Dracula flare, and what are you ? What have you got ?"

An haggard, croaky, Austrian voice answer "Exactly as you say. A tough guy."

"Agent Lawrence ?" The agent says.

"Yes Gordon." Danny nods before flicking another switch. The one way mirror lights out; a bright purplish white, bright enough and powerful enough that the others had to flinch. They saw a vaguely human shape standing in the middle, but the spots in their eyes made it hard to make him out.

"What's this ?" The Austrian voice asks, strained by the light show "Another one of us ?"

"Agent Lawrence is in one of these rooms, yes." The Agent, apparently Gordon says "Would you like for her to play good cop ? I bet you're dying for round three."

"Please do." The Count says in exasperation "It'll alleviate the boredom. You keep asking me the same questions, and I keep giving the same answers. I'm frankly insulted that you keep using the same techniques. Do you not know what the definition of insanity is ?"

The lights in the interrogation room dim a little, giving Carm and Laura  a more clear view of the Count.

Formally dressed in an image of power and intimidation, this Count Karnstein now wore a white jumpsuit, with a number on it, 28/10/14. He also wore a mask-like-muzzle, giving him a "Hannibal Lecter" like appearance, and a set of cuffs bound together by a chain, showing only his balding head and long strands of black hair hanging off the back.

As if he didn't look obviously evil enough, he had a patch over his right eye. As Carm and Laura would later learn, this was from an injury Danny inflicted on him in their arresting fight. A closer look at his wrists showed they were bleeding; his cuffs were made with these little blades that would cut into him the more he pulled.

The room he was sitting in was surrounded by other one way mirrors, no doubt filled with other interrogators.

Finally, the Count speaks again "If this is all you are planning to do to me, I'm afraid I'm sorely disappointed. It's not like you'll let me leave here alive if I say anything. And even if you kill me here, then all my secrets go to the grave with me."

"H-how long has he been like this ?" Carmilla asks.

"Five days since we captured him."

"Isn't that a little much ?" Laura asks, wincing at the sight of the Count's wrists.

"Precautions." Danny answers quietly "He's killed about eighty people in the days we arrested him, and had the audacity to attack one of our bases."

Carmilla says nothing, only walking to the mirror window, squinting her eyes at the sight of the former Count. She isn't sure what to make of this creature.

This was someone she knew a long enough time ago, she - as she'd always put it - buried him with Mircalla. And yet, here he stands in an unrecognizable form, like a ghoul that crawled out of the grave, and now bears no resemblance to the man he once was.

She wouldn't be surprised if the one thing he had in common with his former life was his name.

And in the bottom of her heart to the pit of her stomach, Carmilla felt something that only Elle Sheridan inspired months ago.

A combination of fear, and the pain of unearthing a past she preferred to forget, and yet this is something she had to be strong for. She's been preparing for this for two days now. Besides, she had her friends. If there was ever a time to have them, it was now.

Carmilla suddenly looked at Danny, silently asking her something.

Danny nods, before pressing another button, apparently to address the other agents and her superiors.

"She wants to speak to him. Our guest and witness. Permission for allowance ?" Danny asks into a speaker.

"Granted. It may get some answers out of him" Agent Gordon's voice says, followed likewise by eight other voices saying "Granted."

Danny backs up a little, pressing another button and gestures to Carmilla to speak into the speaker. "Floors yours Karnstein."

As Danny says this, they notice the Count perks his head up, staring at the mirror/window the Silas Gang now occupied.

"Karnstein..." The Count says. For a face covered by a muzzle and a patch, it was oddly expressive "Mircalla ?"

Carmilla hesitates, looking at her friends who give her mixed looks, but all seem to encourage and reassure her. She finally speaks to him; her accent has changed over the centuries, no longer with her Germanic cadence, but the Count's eyes light up in recognition upon hearing it.

"Yes...It's me."

Chapter Text

October 14th, 2009, Haddonfield, Illinois

For a lot of her high school career, Beca Mitchell wasn't the most social girl. She was more of the blend-in in the crowd thing, but the number of friends she made in middle school and high school put together can be counted in a single hand. The people she kept in touch with past a month can be counted in less.

Then the new, pixie dream girl of her life, Katerina, entered Haddonfield High, and grew close and comfortable enough to Beca that the two all but have a blood pact to have sex on Halloween night.

And now, here is Beca Mitchell, sitting in Katerina's apartment's living room, watching movies, surrounded by two other girls, adorned in sleeping bags and pajamas.  

It would seem that Beca wasn't the only girl Katerina magnetized. Turns out having parents cheating and going through a divorce, Beca wasn't the only one with such problems. Over the past two weeks, Beca was introduced to two girls that Katrina brought to her circle.

----

The first was Ashley. She was a tomboyish type, had anger issues due to her fathers passing the year before and her mother quickly marrying someone else; Ashley would claim her stepfather abuses her, but no one takes her accusations seriously, and due to her rep as a delinquent. Some would say, she brought her "discipline" on herself.

Not helping is that Ashley's stepfather was an Iraq vet, who "paid his dues in the war". This left Ashley with severe anger issues, and a rebellious streak, causing her to lash out at others.  

Like Beca before her, when Katerina approached Ashley, Katrina's silver tongue and what Beca calls "The Look" pulled her over. Her way of words were enough to break down Ashley's defenses.

The next girl was named Kylie. She wasn't as tomboyish as Ashley, but she came from a wealthy family and had this "rebellious princess" streak about her. Like Beca, there's drama going on in her family life. Her mom was a drug addict, and Kylie has suspicions that her dad was cheating on her mother while she was in rehab.

There might be more details, but Beca never heard them. Whatever they are, Kylie kept everyone in the dark about it, and seems to be enough for Kylie to take on a rebellious streak.

Of course, when Katerina brought up her own trauma, she'd use it time and again to remind her friends that other people have problems too. What else can you say about someone who was nearly murdered as a baby ? There's not a lot you can call them out on to dismiss something like that.

It was...comfortable for Beca. She was still just going through the motions in a new friends group. She probably has said twenty things to both Kylie and Ashley, and considering their home lives, they're pretty chill when they're alone.

Beca has thought there was a thing between the two - her suspicions seemingly confirmed four days prior, when she stumbled on the other three in the shower skipping gym class.

Beca...didn't know what to feel. But when Katerina talked to her about it in the locker room, with that silver tongue of hers, Beca found herself lulled in and worse, unable to respond. Maybe it was the look in her eyes. Maybe it was the fact Katrina hasn't bothered to redress, nor the apologetic looking Ashley and Kylie.

"You thought I was cheating on you, didn't you ?" Katerina would ask with a sultry grin.

"..."

Katerina giggles "You thought we were girlfriends ?"

"I- I mean-"

"We made that pact as friends you know," Katerina would say, taking Beca by the hands, rubbing it gingerly. Despite Beca's best efforts she couldn't avert her gaze "I don't recall us going on an actual date."

"I...I" Beca mindlessly says.

Katerina only smirks, taking Beca by the hand and guiding it to one of her breasts. Whatever Beca was about to say was lost to time. All that was there was the look in the blondes eye, and the feel of her flesh in Beca's hand.

"It's alright you know. If I can make a sex pact with a friend, I can extend that same curtesy to the other girls, no ?" Katerina flutters her eyes.

Not quite knowing what to make of this, Beca nods.

"As for my other friends." Katerina turns to face two apologetic looking Ashley and Kylie "I only wished to help them come out of their shells. I thought I could just get something out of it too, no ?"

"Yeah, Beca." An apprehensive looking Ashley says, trying to discreetly cover herself "If we know you two had a thing we wouldn't-"
Katerina raises a finger at them.

"There'll be no need to apologize." Katerina says with a tsk "You all ? You're my girls. My friends. My circle. All the same to me, and all special to me."

Realizing she was still touching Katerina, Beca breaks contact, not knowing what came over her. It was as if Katerina's own wants and desires clouded Beca's mind and better judgement.

And with that, Beca gives a shaky nod "R-right...I'm sorry."

"No, no, no. You have nothing to apologize for Beca. You just stepped into new and unfamiliar territory; I ought to guide you properly, let you take your baby steps."

Beca gives a hesitant smile "Right. Sure, I- I didn't."

Katerina places a finger on Beca's cheek and shushes her "Just head back to gym, and don't worry about it."

----

And so here Beca was, in Katerina's apartment three days later.

They had a pirated copy of The Hangover on.

It wasn't awkward or nothing, but it was something Katerina insisted on, to help Beca get to know Kylie and Ashley. Besides, after seeing them nude, and sandwiching in the shower with her own not-girlfriend(?), it's not like anything could get any weirder than that.
To be fair, pot helps.

Beca doesn't smoke the stuff at the best of times. She tried it three or four times since freshman year; it wasn't good, bad it just wasn't her thing. It probably helps that Beca considers herself a lightweight. She wasn't high or tripping, just buzzed, but by god did it give her a clear head, and made her feel a little more comfortable with Kylie and Ashely.

At the time, Katerina was sitting at her kitchen table, staring longingly at the stars in the night sky. Beca would look over the couch and in her direction, she wanted to get up and get her to join the movie watch.

Maybe it was the grass talking, but there was a cold shiver going up her back telling her "Tread lightly Becs. The best you can do tonight is pretend you're sick. You don't need to be here, and this Katerina is-"

"What did you say ?" Beca asks, momentarily distracted by her inner thoughts.

"I said, 'Can you pass the pretzels ?" Ashley says, poking Beca on the hip before pointing at the pretzel bag laying opposite of Beca.

"Oh, sure." Beca says, smacking her lips. She started her blunt shortly into the movie, and they were at the part they were luring a tiger out of the bathroom. Apparently Beca was baked enough to have the munchies.

She watches as Ashley lies across the couch, apparently with no regard for Beca. Not that Beca herself cared that much. Ashley rests her legs on Beca's lap, the pretzel bag on her stomach and her head on Kylie's lap.

Kylie just lovingly strokes Ashley's hair and Beca just watches as they share a few kisses. At one point Ashley puts a pretzel in her mouth, having Kylie lean down and bite it out of her mouth. The two share a giggle as Kylie chews and swallows it down.

After which the two girls could be heard whispering and giggling.

"You know Mike Tyson was on coke when they were filming, right ?" Kylie could be heard whispering.

Beca fakes a cough, figuring they were no longer paying attention to the movie.

"So, um, you two ?" Beca says, getting a look from the two "You're a thing right ?"

"Is- is that a problem ?" Ashley mumbles as she tries to sit up.

"No-no it's just." Beca shrugs "This is new is all- to me at least."

"You gay too ?" Kylie asks, a little less defensive, seeming that Ashley.

"Bi." Beca nods and answers confidently. Maybe it's the grass giving her confidence, she tries recalling her past "I used to be into Backstreet and Nsync as a kid. Then when I was twelve, I was re-watching some old Britney videos. It, uh, made me realize things."
 
Beca doesn't know why she's talking about it. She usually isn't that open about it even with her closest friends. She came out to her parents, they otherwise supported her but advised her to take baby steps. When she came out to a friend when she was in middle school, said friend freaked out, which in turn freaked Beca out about it. It was like she had cooties or something.

"Ah," Kylie nods "So you're among friends."

"You know," Ashley says, her mood a little better as Kylie gently rubs her hand "We've been meaning to apologize. About the locker room ?"

"Yeah we didn't know." Kylie says before Beca waves her hand, shakes her hand.

"Nah, nah. I get it." Beca says "It's normal...apparently."

"But it's not for everyone." Kylie says truthfully "It's still something I'm taking baby steps on myself. But you know, we're walking on the wild side."

"I get it." Beca says, raising a fist to the air in a mock pose "Rebels! Fuck the parents am I right ?"

"Hey!" Ashely glances up with an angry scowl.

"A sensitive subject for some." Kylie says, putting two hands on her girlfriend's shoulders.

"Sorry, I didn't mea-" Beca says, before Ashely raises her hand to quiet her.

"It's cool." Ashley says "Just be careful what you say, you know ?"

"So..." Beca says, trying to change the subject "How'd you two meet ?"

"Hooky," Kylie says "Ashley and I go to the same art class, but when we started taking extended lunch breaks, one thing turned to another."

"DA's rebellious daughter, and the town vandal." Ashley says "A real Jack and Rose if I must say."

"Wait, Jack and Rose weren't real ?" Kylie asks, no doubt a little buzzed herself.

This prompts an high induced uncontrollable laugh from Ashley, followed by Beca, which too infected Kylie.

When the three calmed down, Ashley continued talking "Anyways, my mom wouldn't let me put a lock on my door, so Kylie lets me spend a week or so away from the step douche."

"My dad wasn't any better, but fuck him." Kylie says "We ended up crashing with Kat."

"What about you too ?" Ashley says, gesturing between Beca and Katerina, who was still ideally staring out her kitchen window, only paying the girls a passing glance "What's the story between you too ?"

Beca shrugs "Not much; I scraped my knee in gym, and she took me home."

"How did the pact happen ?" Kylie asks "If you don't mind ?"

"Oh that ? I...uh-" Beca tries to think it over, before shrugging again "I dunno. Just sort of happened."

"And you're okay with that ?" Ashley asks.

"What do you mean okay ?"

"Doesn't something like that feel like-"

"Feel like what ?" Katerina asks, now suddenly leaning on the side of the couch, her chin on Beca's shoulder. This catches the other three off guard with a whelp "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. What are you talking about ?"

"Just- just how you hooked up is all." Kylie says nervously as she finds her voice.

"Hooked up implies that the Belle and I are an item." Katerina sits on the arm of the couch, twirling Beca's hair around her finger as she says Beca's nickname. Beca herself is unsure of how to respond to this gesture.

"All I was saying is I scraped my leg," Beca says, scooting away from the blonde pixie girl "And we skipped school a few days."

"Exactly." Katerina says "It ain't that deep."

Kylie interrupts with a coughing fit. No doubt the smoke's getting to her "Ain't that deep. Ain't that much of a high either."

"Beg pardon ?" Katerina asks politely.

"Not much of a high." Kylie says, holding out her blunt "You know, Monty Elam ? That guy knows what floats the boat."

"Are my products not up to snuff ?" Katerina asks in a faux offended tone.

"You call these products ? These are samples!" Ashley asks, lifting her own "Elam's stuff can make you see a hummingbird's wings flap."

"I see," Katerina says in a modest, not so modest tone "I just wanted to be sure you guys were prepared for my more spicy material." She winks as she gets up from her seat, and saunters off to her bedroom, as she does so she says "You take enough of this, you can see beyond the veil." 

She, Ashley and Kylie stare at each other in confusion for a moment, before Katerina saunters back. It appears she's carrying a set with her. Two bottles of ground of "grass" in different shades of green, and bottles of mixed pills; clonazepam, trazodone, and benadryl.

"What is the most fucked up you seen while under the influence ?" Katerina says.

"My reflection blink." Kylie answers, quickly and simply.

"What's with the pills ?" Ashley asks.

"Oh these ? Just in case you need an extra trip. I use these as a sleeping aid, but if used right ? You can see the waking world in and the land of dreams, blending into one and the same." Katerina explains putting the set on the table "You know, I used to experiment with this before moving here. Hang out with wannabe witches or two, here and there, you learn stuff."

"What is this ?" Beca asks, suspiciously, sitting back up. She notices on Katerina's tray, there is a list; it's all written in French. Beca's couldn't quite tell what the words were given her mild high.

"This, my Belle, is a little instruction manual of mine; How To See Beyond The Veil." Katerina says proudly, holding up the list in question "The Ancients called it seeing the Great God of the Abyss. Think of it as an old school Bloody Mary."

Like that, Kylie tried to get up.

"Oh Hell no!" She tries to stand up, but her knees are sore and wobbly instead, Kylie settles for sitting up, wagging her finger in theatrical motions, empathizing her panic "I did that shit once when I was twelve; I saw my reflection blink and never wanted to see that again."

Ashley finds herself chuckling and even snorts out a laugh with a "Sorry" when Kylie glares down at her.

"You don't have to if you wish not to. I only present the opportunity." Katerina says, taking her seat and presenting her two bottles of grass "A few puffs of this, and you'll be tripping out before you can say," She pauses to think of the right word.

"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."

Katerina then lifts the list.

"But with this ? You can glimpse what many aspiring witches sought to see over the centuries. With varying success."

Once again, Beca finds her voice "What, are you a witch or something ?"

"Or something." Katerina shrugs "Certainly have you under my spell, don't I, moi Belle." She adds this with a boop of Beca's nose.

When Beca gives an annoyed glare, the look of Katerina's eyes once again holds her stare. Seemingly of its own accord, Beca's head nods.

"Atta girl." Katerina giggles "You know, when people try to lift the veil; they would use it to find the right way to guide their lives. Often, it was, who they would marry, fall in love with; others, it would be who or what would kill them." Katerina's eyes fixate on Beca "Would you like to give it a try, Belle ?"

Again, against her own actual accord, Beca nods.

"Is this ?" Ashley starts to say, raising her hand "Is this like a two player thing ?"

Ashley hesitates, now that all eyes are on her. Even so, she continues with a nervous gulp. She nervously fidgets and grasps her arm.

"I- I don't feel safe at home. No one wants to help me out, and I just want to know if there's any way I can-" Before Ashley can finish, Katerina raises her arm.

"Say no more, say no more."

"You're not buying into this, are you Ash ?" Kylie asks, placing a hand on her girlfriend's shoulders "Ashley, I know people who can help-"

"Your people are already on his side!" Ashley says, almost snapping like someone stepped on her foot. After seeing Kylie flinch back, Ashley breathes in and sighs "Sorry, I just- I need something to...something to believe."

As Ashley wipes her eye, Katerina places a reassuring hand on the punk girl's shoulder.

"And so you will," Katerina says confidently "For tonight, you will see a world many wish they could glimpse. You will know the name of a god who many so feared, and yet seek his power and wisdom. So obscure is he, few know his true name to this day."

As if they were waiting for an unprompted cue, Beca and Ashley lean in for the blonde to whisper this name

"His name is _ _ _ _ _ _ _"

Beca recalls not what Katerina said; even as it was whispered to her, it seemed as if her mind was blocking it out. Like this was a name she wasn't supposed to know. And yet the mention of that name sends a snake-like chill going up her back; she instinctively reflexes, touching her lower back as if she felt a snake wiggling around in her shirt.

Katerina simply giggles, rubbing her hand up and down Beca's back, as she looks between the three girls.

"So...where do we start ?"

----

And so the stage was set, so to speak.

As per Katerina's instructions, they gathered in her apartment's (pretty spacious, all things considered) bathroom; Katerina had herself and Kylie wearing a pair of medical masks to keep the smoke inhalation light.

As per further requirements; the "subjects" of this experiment had to strip (down to their underwear to make Beca feel comfortable).

The bathtub was filled to the bottom of the overflow plate with cold water. The lights were off, and the bathroom was lit with candles. To compensate for the cold, heaters were turned on at their highest setting, giving the room a warm toasty feeling to contrast with the cold water of the tub.

"It's to dull your senses," Katerina would explain as Beca and Ashley undressed "To see past the veil, you'll need to loosen your senses to this world. Your sight, sound," Katerina brushes her hand down Beca's back, causing her to shudder "Touch. Everything must be dulled, for your mind to be lifted."

To make sure her girlfriend feels comfortable, Kylie kisses Ashley and presses her forehead to her's.

"Ashley I-"

"Don't." Ashley says "You're the one trying to get me into new experiences."

"Yeah, but there's a fine line between a country club party and seeing the netherworld."

"Yeah, I think I'll take my chances with the netherworld." Ashley chuckles.

Beca looks to Katerina, expecting some encouragement or reassurance from her friend. While her already mild high is giving Beca a shot of confidence, all Katerina does is give her an expectant grin.

Katerina presents glasses of milk on the bathroom sink, at their sides on napkins is two quarters of a trazodone pill, one for each girl, as well as two benadryl and clonazepam pills. Again, two for each.

"It's to get your mind good and drowsy." Katerina would explain again "It shouldn't knock you out, but the more you reach the realm of sleep, the more open your mind will be."

Beca and Ashley hesitantly look at eachother, before nodding and taking their glasses.

"Are you 100% sure about this ?" Beca asks, showing a little more restraint towards Katerina than she normally does. Again, something she attributes to her high.

"I know." Katerina says confidently "I speak from experience."

As Katerina says this, she brushes her hand down her neck; emphasizing the scars on her jugular.

Beca clutches her own throat, wincing at the mere thought of the person who tried to kill Katerina. Who does that to a baby ?

Beca sighs and nods, deciding that if the worst happens, Kylie at least will help them out if things go south...Right ?

Together, she and Ashley take their pills, and when Katerina presents them with the grass, they are given small doses in the blunts she rolls up.

The two girls giggle despite themselves. Katerina wasn't kidding, this was strong stuff. Beca could feel her throat getting numb already; her head was tingling, the same way it did the first time she had a beer.

They were still just lucid enough to understand and follow Katerina's instructions.

"Now." Katerina gestures to the mirror, "Think of it like a game of Bloody Mary. The mirror can be used as a gateway to the otherworld. Unlike those immature freshmen types you see calling upon Mary Tudor, your minds are now susceptible to receive messages from the other world. You just need to call upon them."

At Katerina's motions, both Beca and Ashley place their hands upon the mirror. As does Kylie, but she's a little more reluctant about it than Beca and Ashley. As for Beca and Ashley themselves ? There was still an air of hesitation about them, but under this kind of influence, it felt as if they had little to no agency of their own at this point.

Together, the four girls read the incantation Katerina prepared, speaking the name of the so-called god they seek. And despite saying the name out loud alongside four other girls, the name seemed to be censored from Beca's mind. It was as if Beca didn't want to remember.

 "_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, Lord of the Abyss; God of the Void. Hear us. Show us your glory. Show us your power!" Katerina begins, the girls echoing her mantra "We call upon you, as your gate wears thin, speak to those who will hear you!"

Beca could swear she feels something. There was something looking back at her, even if she can't see anything beyond their reflections.

 "To _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The Great God of the Deep, show yourself to those who will see. We pray of thee, we pray of thee!" Katerina says "We invoke thee!! We invoke thee!! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, Father of Shadows, come to us! Show us you are here!"

With that, the candles blow out. Kylie lets out a yelp, Ashley lets out a disbelieving chuckle, and Beca swears she felt her heart stop. As soon as they blew out, the candles lit again. The flames were white, and hotter than the mild orange flames they were before.

Beca half expected to see something in the room with her; be it something physically present or in the reflection.

"He is here." Katerina whispers. In her mind, she tries to sound creepy and theatrical, but her giddy and excited laughter causes her to fall flat.

Beca and Ashley look around the room nervously, their hearts pounding in their heads. Every few seconds they swear they see something in the shadows.

On instinct, Kylie takes Ashley's cheeks into her hands, and tries to tell her something reassuring, but whatever she's saying, Ashley's not hearing.

Beca gasps when she feels something touch her shoulders. It was Katerina, who simply smiles coyly, as she guides the nervously fretting brunette to the bathtub. Against her actual will, Beca steps in and sits down. She's near oblivious to how cold the water is.

She spots Katerina walking up to Ashley to do the same. Kylie tries to tell Katerina off, but a look from Katerina's eyes causes her to back down.

Ashley sits into the tub with Beca, the two girls sitting back to back.

Despite how terrified she was, Beca couldn't help but internally chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. She thinks back to how the last time she was in the tub with someone had to have been when she was three or four. Regardless, all Beca and Ashley could hear at this point was Katerina's whisper.

"You two may not have a chance to do this again. Ask him what you desire." Katerina whispers, brushing a hand through Beca's hair "Have him reveal a glimpse of your destiny - just don't...endear him. I've seen things get ugly."

Ashely quickly, unhesitantly begins to speak. Despite this, her voice was yawnish, drowsy, like she was being lulled into a deep, deep sleep "How do I ?...How do I escape from...him ?"

Beca feels her heart pounding erratically. Like it was gonna explode. There was something in Beca's head to close her eyes shut, as she felt a hand pressing down onto her chest, just over her heart, like it was trying to keep it from bursting.

"You're heart's running, Beca ? You must feel overwhelmed." Katerina says plainly "Who or what does it beat for ?"

There was a teasing tone to Katerina's voice. It didn't feel like the friendly kind of teasing either.

After all, if someone gets you to pledge your virginity to them, and yet treats your relationship like you're her pet ? Can you really call this friendly ?

"Come on, Beca." A voice in the back of her head tells her "She got you with her pretty words and pretty eyes, but you have to see the red flags."

"But she-" Beca says internally.

"Dolls you up, unapologetically belittles your trauma."

"My parents have been cheating and going through a divorce." Beca internally says "I could use a bit of escapism."

"You're looking for love. You're looking for friendship even. And you're so desperate, you're trying to date a girl who thinks she's owed your V card."

Just as Beca was reaching a realization, she felt Ashley stirring behind her.

As Katerina and Kylie look on, they see Ashley is all but asleep, and she's fidgeting nervously.

"N-no. No..." Ashley mumbles "I don't-I don't-"

"Ashley," Kylie reaches out, but Katerina holds out a finger in front of her face, tsking her to not interfere. Instead, Katerina slinks towards Beca, leaning in her ear to whisper.

"Tell us Beca; Who. Does. Your. Heart ? Beat. For ?"

Katerina's voice shuts up whatever internal argument Beca was having with herself.

"Who does..." Beca starts to mumble, the drowsiness and the high getting the better of her "My heart...beat for ?"

And like that, Beca feels something. It was as if someone was clutching her and was forced to open her eyes.

It was as if the bathroom was a dream Beca awakened from.

There was nothing there, but a vast darkness. It was as if Beca was sitting in the middle of a great typhoon. As far as Beca could ascertain, she was still sitting in water, but the more she looked around, the more she adjusted to it.

It's only when Beca looks up and above her does she see.

Or rather, she tried to see, but she knew what was there.

This figure, this unfathomably massive figure, that couldn't possibly fit in an apartment complex - let alone a bathroom - stood before her. It was covered, but though the black storm clouds and flashes of lighting, Beca catches glimpses.

"Those wings are enormous..." Beca thinks to herself, the only coherent thought she could muster "And those horns...it's like a crown..."

The image Beca manages to glimpse, almost brings her back to when she was twelve and going through a Tolkien phase.

It was from when she read The Silmarillion; she recalls reading the description of Morgoth as "a mountain that wades in the sea and has its head above the clouds and is clad in ice and crowned with smoke and fire" Whose light of the eyes "was like a flame that withers with heat and pierces with a deadly cold."

But now Beca wasn't lucid enough to consider the images resemblance to anyone or anywhere. All she was trying to do was wake up and hope it goes away.

He leans down towards her, the rapid beating of Beca's heart comes to a sudden and mortifying stop. It was as if someone or something unseen reached into her chest and clutched her heart to keep it still.

Every few seconds - or minutes, Beca couldn't tell - her heart manages a beat.

With each beat, he says and says three names; and in the waking world, the bathroom mirror suddenly breaks.

----

Boomerang Theatre, Los Angeles

A small concert was being thrown at Boomerang Theater, and it had a Halloween aesthetic.

It was the second of such parties that week. The first one was at the school of Hollywood Arts, where a pre-Barden Stacie Conrad attended. It was standard for a Halloween party, though the school went all out in the Halloween decorations.

They even got the band too; the same one performing tonight, They showed up at school looking to make an entourage and offered to play for the school as a show of support.

Currently, eighteen year old Stacie Conrad was washing her face in the girls room. At her side is her drink of some pink lemonade, which she drinks down when the face washing was of no use. She wished she could be in the swing of things, having just now come out of her shell after years of being a Hollywood Arts wallflower.

But the night before, she may have bitten off more than she can chew.
 
The night before, Stacie lost her virginity to a member of the band, Low Shoulder, after a chance encounter at the Hollywood Arts party. The lead singer in fact. So when the dashing devil of a singer, Nikolai Wolf, kept giving her these knowing looks when he spotted her in the crowd, Stacie felt a little overwhelmed.

Not in the hot and flustered kind of way, in fact there was something about him that made her feel overwhelmingly cold.

As far as Stacie could tell, she wasn't raped. At least she doesn't think so. She just wasn't 100% sure when she was taken to his van. Nor was she sure after the fact. Even so, she said she'll be there.

And yet here Stacie was, trying to escape the cold feeling he was giving her. Besides, Stacie said she would show up at tonight's show after the sex, even if there was something about the band that made her uncomfortable.
 
It wasn't even the sex that was bad - matter of fact, she felt some liberation from the act and wanted to experiment a little more. All those years of reading smut fics ? No way she was gonna pass up an exploration of the world of human sexuality.

It's just there was something in the back of her head saying "C'mon Stacie, you can do better."

She needed space to clear her head.

The place was otherwise isolated, and no one really spoke to her except this blonde girl in a grey hoodie. She didn't say much to her, but she said enough to send Stacie to the bathroom.

Probably another "stalker/fan" type, nothing Low Shoulder's security team can't handle anyways. Nothing for Stacie to be sure of; she didn't even pay Stacie anymore than a passing glance.

After five minutes, Stacie heard the door open, turning to see three girls enter. Stacie recognizes them from school; some of Sikowitz's apparently favorite students (despite one being a new student for like a month); Vega, West and Valentine. The former two were indignant over something, as Valentine made a beeline towards the toilet stalls.

"Tact Cat!" The goth girl, West exclaims. From the pink mess on her shirt and the retching noises coming from the toilet stalls, Stacie can ascertain what has happened.

"No, no tacts, Jade. Just cotton cand-REEEEEEGHHHH!!!"

The other girl, Vega, steps into the bathroom stalls, rubbing her friends back.

"Just let it all out-" Vega says before being interrupted by another retch from Cat "-Like that."

The goth girl stands at the sink, running a paper towel under the water, before using it to wipe the pink mess off her chest. Being a wallflower, Stacie can ascertain that this was the result of Cat trying cotton candy for her usual snack and dessert for the past week. Something about "hiding her brother's evidence". Stacie's guessing that now it backfired.

After about a minute, Jade glares at Stacie but continues wiping off her chest.

"See something you like, toots ? Take a picture." Jade deadpans,

"I wouldn't consent to fast. You might regret it." Stacie says, trying to look at herself in the mirror. She looks over at the way Jade is staring at her "What ? I'm new to this."

"That much is obvious." Jade remarks "Did I see you somewhere ?"

"I go to Hollywood Arts same as you." Stacie says, shrugging and jerking her head to the side "Just sort of hung around the background."

Tori walks out of the stall, holding Cat by the shoulders, turning on a sink, and letting the girl wash out her mouth.

"Good news and bad news," Tori says "Cat's not coming to Northridge."

"Is that the good news or the bad news ?" Jade asks.

"Good news is, she's not going with the entourage either."

"Oh no, those creepy hipsters won't take advantage of our friend." Jade says sarcastically, fixing up her hair. She takes off her shirt revealing a black bra beneath and tries to dry her shirt off under the dryer "Whatever shall we do ?"

"They're not like that!" Cat says, trying to sound mature, but her high pitched voice and the fact Tori's still wiping out her mouth makes her sound more childish than she intended.

"Cat, the lead asked your name...then he asked your address. And the key to your apartment." Tori says "My dad tells me to look out for stuff like that."

"And you threw up on him!" Jade adds indignantly "With collateral damage."

"If that's not a sign from above, I don't know what is." Tori shrugs.

"But he's such a nice guy!" Cat complains, standing back up "He saved all those people in-"

"Listen to your friends, Cat, you dodged a bullet." Stacie says getting the other three girls attention.

"But he didn't have a gun." Cat says simply. He was showing off a pretty looking knife though.

"What's it to you ?" Jade says.

"You might do something you regret." Stacie says in a plain and simple tone "Or he might do something you regret letting him."

"Exactly. Exactly." Tori says, before turning her attention to Stacie "Hey, don't I know you-"

"Stacie Conrad. We see each other around school." Stacie shakes Tori's hand "We kinda made out a little as part of a rehearsal- y'know, when she was sick." Stacie jabs a thumb at Jade.

"Wicked, I remember. Sorry, I didn't know what came over me." Tori recalls, looking up and down Stacie, and the glare Jade often wore "Oh, uh, we're going to this Northridge party after the concert. - it's another Halloween one, but you know ? If you don't wanna meet and greet or have any other plans..."

"Is she trying to flirt with me ?" Stacie asks internally, before glancing at Jade, waving her shirt in front of the mirror, making sure it's good and dry. 

Yet again, Jade notices the way Stacie is looking at her "I told you, take a picture it'll last longer."

Stacie didn't know what came over her. It was a spur of the moment, but she did in fact take out her phone, turn on her camera app and zoomed in on Jade's chest, snapping a picture.

The three girls gawk at her with what Stacie just did. Even Stacie herself was taken aback by her audacity. And with that snarky smile forming on Jade's face as she puts her shirt back on, Stacie felt like she was in some kind of trouble. What kind, she doesn't know.

"Stacie Conrad, huh ?" Jade says with an expression indicating she's getting ideas "I'll see you around."

With that, Jade reaches forward, grabbing Cat by the wrist.

"C'mon, Vega. Gotta get this one home before Northridge."

"But I'm not that sick-" Cat starts to say before clutching her stomach and rushing back to the toilet stalls.

"Oh for crying out-" Jade says, walking behind Cat to make sure she doesn't get any of the pink menace in her hair.

Tori turns to Stacie with a considerably friendlier smile "So, I guess we'll be-AHH!!!"

Tori suddenly yelps, thinking she saw something in the mirror behind Stacie.

Stacie jumps and turns around, seeing nothing but her and Tori's reflection.

"What is it ?" Stacie asks.

"N-nothing." Tori shakes her head, trying to brush off what she saw with a smile "I think that light show's just getting to me. I think the girls and I'll be heading out early. Show's almost over anyways."

After that, Stacie watched as three of Sikowitz's favorites walked out the door. When it was just her, Stacie leaned her back against the sink, crossing her arms and mulling over her thoughts. It felt like two voices in her head arguing on her next course of action.

"Come on Conrad. You told Nikolai you'll be there, and you know what he promised you if you show up at the Meet and Greet. He gave you an invite; he can take you places, he can get you connections. Besides, after what you two did last night, don't you wanna try something a little more ?"

"And how many girls has he said that too, Stacie ? You know how this game is played ? Hell, didn't his looks make you feel sick ? You just heard he tried pulling the same tricks on Valentine. Besides, you know you can do better right ?"'

Stacie thought about it for a minute. Sure she was a little overwhelmed at meeting the lead singer, but a whole day after the fact, she's starting to realize she might have aimed higher than she can reach-

Her train of thought is interrupted when the sound of glass breaking is heard behind her. Stacie turns around and sees several cracks in the mirror behind her. If she looked at it a few more seconds, she would have noticed the malformed hand print shape in these cracks.

Well, if that wasn't a sign, Stacie doesn't know what is.

When she finally walked out the bathroom, she saw the crowd was already rushing towards the exits. Looks like the show's over.

The band was out front, stopping for a few picks and tit signings as they made their way to their limo. Stacie herself tried to stay in the back of the crowd, trying not to be noticed, but somehow the lead of the band saw her in the crowd and gave her another knowing look and a wink.

Stacie just shakes her head.

Sorry Nikolai, but Stacie Conrad has a little more high standards for herself.

Stacie ended up going to the Northridge party that night. True to what Jade said, Jade did see Stacie around. Both Jade and Tori in fact.  

As a matter of fact, they ended up in the same bed that night.

Doubly lucky for Stacie (and Cat as it were) that she wasn't there when Low Shoulder were found in their suite, and a suspicious blonde in a hoodie was caught on camera, fleeing the scene. 

But that is a story for another day.

 ----

Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.

Twenty year old Aubrey Posen flopped down onto her bed in her nightgown. Having had a long day on campus, and long after hours for rehearsals, she took a long shower to compensate, not even bothering to eat.

As someone who played second fiddle to her schools "mean girls" clique, Aubrey could have had better days. Sure she has a leading role in her school's performance in Carrie: The Musical, but that was kind of the problem.

The irony was not lost on the character she was playing, considering that she hung out with the type who helped her "practice" for the role by splashing cranberry juice all over her.

She knew her friends meant well ("in their own way" Aubrey tells herself), though at the same time, there are moments she questions why she's trying to impress another group of girls she is gonna leave behind anyways.

Ever since Aubrey was ten, it was rare for her and her family to stay in the same place for more than a year. Two tops.

A few years back, her mom moved to Evanston while her dad was overseas again. Her dad, Aubrey can get, but why her mother requires constant travelling she can never tell. Sometimes she wonders why she has to go along with them, considering she spends about 80% of her time by herself.

It was going to be Aubrey's last year here before transferring to Georgia, and she wanted to make a better lasting impression than her previous schools.

Schools were she infamously; took part in a wrestling class, where daddy issues got the best of her and she ended up breaking one of her opponent's arms; had "emptied her lunch" during a Christmas concert (the one show of hers her dad managed to attend).

In Aubrey's mind, she was in strike three, so hopefully she doesn't blow it.

Though considering how neurotic she can be, maybe she is cut out to play Carrie White. She has the singing, and Carrie's breakdown part down to a T.

The problem is the stage fright. Sure, she can do a pitch perfect performance during rehearsals, but the thought of all those eyes on her brings back uncomfortable memories of past performances dating all the way back when she was seven. 

The most help her parents gave her was when her dad told her "If you can't shoot higher than you reach, don't bother aiming."

Sighing in frustration of her inability to rest and relax, Aubrey sat up from her bed and made her way to her computer. She opened her Facebook to see she had a message.

It was from her friend Regina, one of the more stable parts of her circle of friends. Of course, she wasn't in Aubrey's actual circle, she wasn't even a student. 

Regina was Aubrey's phys ed tutor from when she finished high school. She kind of a big sister (or something) who she sees every weekend and gives considerably better advice than her father.

"Hey" The message reads "It's me."

"I can see that." Aubrey types her reply "What's up ?"

"Just checking in. The girls and I are gonna catch a movie if you're up for it. Heard about the juice spill today; thought you could use something to clear your head."

Aubrey sighed in frustration "That's what I'm trying to do!!!!" she types. She then added "Sorry" with a : (.

Aubrey knows she can be a handful. The whole reason she tried phys ed was at her counselors advice; it was a means to help Aubrey vent her frustration and she had a go at sports like rugby and hockey. 

Unfortunately, as Aubrey's frustrations and competitive streak would demonstrate, maybe sports wasn't a healthy outlet for her.

When opposing teams are hesitant to play against you for fear of their safety, and you earn the nickname "Tooth Fairy'' ? That is a problem.

Ironically, it was Regina's advice that Aubrey should try to pursue her passions, which helped Aubrey a lot more than using sports to vent. Not everyone has the same outlet after all. In Aubrey's case it was singing, and stage performances.

Now Aubrey is the theatre kid equivalent to a competitive, high school jock. No one's sure if that's better or worse.

"It's cool. I've been there before." Aubrey's tutor types.

"You've had cranberry juice slashed all over you, soaking into your clothes and hair, right after taking a shower ?" Aubrey replies.

"Maybe not THERE, but something like that. lol."

Aubrey rolls her eyes "At least they didn't reenact Plug It Up."

Aubrey pauses before typing.

"But they're my friends, they're just helping me prepare for the role, that's all."

"Out of curiosity, are any of them playing Chris ?"

"No. I'm the only theatre kid in my squad."

"Ah. Well, I don't think they'd know thing one about method acting." Regina types "Anyways, movie offer's still on the table. It's not showing for an hour, so if you're up for it, we can swing by in twenty."

Aubrey pauses to think for a moment before she types. It was nigh on impossible for her to rest and relax at this point. Besides what one outing gonna do ?

"Gimmie a bit to freshen up."

Aubrey made her way to her bathroom, having laid out a fresh pair of clothes on her bed. All she had to do was dry her hair which usually took her like three minutes.

Those three minutes turned to seven the more Aubrey looked in her mirror; her singing voice came out without even meaning too.

With no regard to how much power she was consuming, Aubrey was too caught up in the windy look it gave her and the dramatic effect it gave. She holds the dryer in front of her mouth, singing loudly into it, thinking no one can possibly hear her.

"They'll make fun of you/They will break your heart/Then they'll laugh at you watching you fall apart/Doesn't anybody ever get it ri-i-i-i-ight?/ Doesn't anybody think that I he-e-e-e-ar?"

Aubrey briefly pauses, feeling a sudden cold chill in the bathroom, despite what was supposed to be hot air blowing in her face. In fact, she's pretty sure she heard someone say her name, and touch the back of her neck.

Otherwise undeterred, Aubrey continues. Had she not dramatically closed her eyes, she would have seen something standing in the mirror. Something that certainly wasn't her.

"God has seen your si-i-i-i-i-inning/Just begi-i-i-i-i-inning/Pray for your salva-a-a-a-a-ation/From Damna-a-a-a-ation/Pray or/He-e-e-e-e w-i-i-i-ill bu-u-u-u-rn you/He-e-e-e Wi-i-i-ill-"

Like that, the lights suddenly go off, and Aubrey yelps. She feels her heart stop as she drops the blow dryer to the floor.

In a matter of seconds, the light flickers on as Aubrey blinks. She looks up and around to see seemingly nothing out of order...except for her mirror, which has several notable cracks in it. If Aubrey looked closer at it, she could have sworn she saw a handprint form in the cracks.

"Oh, fuck me." Aubrey breathes out "That's seven years."

Aubrey looks around the bathroom as she tries to calm down.

"Keep your cool, Bree," She thinks to herself "You don't have any powers; you're not Carrie White for real, you're just playing her."

Usually, Aubrey didn't have to tell herself that. Though when her dad was more at home, he'd always have these stories to tell her about monsters he, his platoon and the military encountered. 

From a squad that supposedly encountered vampires and werewolves, to the story of a giant sea monster topsiding her father's vessel, Papa Posen put a lot in Aubrey's head as a kid. He even told her a story of D.E.B.S, a clandestine spy academy for girls, only to say it doesn't exist "anymore".

Bottom line, Aubrey knows she doesn't have any psychic powers of anything. Such people are no more likely to exist than vampires or succubi, or witches. She may have fallen for The Blair Witch Project as a kid, but she knows for sure that all she did was cause a small power outage, overusing the hair dryer, and broke her mirror in a panic.

"But there's no blood on me." Aubrey thinks, looking over her head.

She must have thrown the dryer into it.

"But I dropped it on the floor." Aubrey thinks.

She must have blacked out when the lights did. Maybe she was out of it for more than a few seconds. Yeah, sure.

That's it.

Deciding she's freshed up, and she should quit while she's ahead, Aubrey steps out of her bathroom to get dressed. 

She's got a movie to catch.

----

Bailey Downs, Ontario

Nineteen year old Chloe Beale never got out of bed.

Work was a chore enough as it is, and for the past month or so now, she's been glummier than usual.

Having gone back and forth between Georgia and California the past six years, Chloe guesses she's just used to a different climate. But even with the friends she made, and experiences she had out of the country, she felt a little out of her element. Visits to her hometown were few and far between.

When she was a kid, Chloe Beale liked to think of herself as the quirky, eccentric girl of her class. The cute, sanguine red head, in contrast to her more infamous teenage neighbors - "The Sisters" Chloe likes to call them. (and Chloe likes to think she won even them over).

When she first moved, Chloe tried to keep the act up, but as she grew older, her "ray of sunshine" image became more of just that. Whenever she had trouble of any sort, it was easier to brush it off or say she brushed it off.

Oh that cute, nice guy she met in chemistry just wanted a chance to see and/or touch her tits ? What an excuse to sing P!nk to call him out ("Just you and your hand tonight!")

What's that ? Chloe's leg is broken from a ski trip gone wrong ? Well, she needed the rest anyway.

When she was a kid, and she got the role of Ariel in a school play ? Her voice started to give out, but she was able to throw it in with her performance.

Bottom line, it takes a lot to bring Chloe Beale down...or so she thought.

Then her grandma passed away last month ? Well Chloe didn't immediately go down in the dumps. She just felt...numb. It was like something inside her just shut down. It became harder and harder to play Genki Girl - let alone putting up a front. Being the first major loss in Chloe's life, she didn't quite know how to process it.

The past couple weeks Chloe and her family have been staying in their hometown (albeit, not the same house). Something about settlements, though Chloe isn't a real estate agent or lawyer, so she didn't quite get the legal speak.

At her parents' suggestion, Chloe was given a little too much space. Supposedly, it was to help her adjust, give her room to breathe. In practice it did next to nothing to help.

A lot of Chloe's girlhood friends have moved since Chloe herself moved, and the ones that don't are nigh unrecognizable and no more interested in reconnecting with her. Bailey Downs was gentrified to hell and back in the past five years. Movie theatre was shut down years ago and moved to a newly built mall (though construction was still ongoing).

Since Chloe's family usually visited for a few days over the spring, winter and summer holidays, Chloe hasn't really noticed these changes until recently. She spent last week going up and down the Bailey Downs area, taking in the sights, checking out the changes, trying and failing to ignite that spark.

Simply put, a nostalgia trip this was not.

The past few days, Chloe was playing sick. Her parents were too wrapped up in their own worries and work to really notice that much. As night rolled in, Chloe sat up, staring out her bedroom window.

The most nostalgic she felt on this trip, and the closest she got to igniting her spark.

She remembers how when she was a kid, she'd often hear howling in the woods outside her house. Not the natural howls of a wolf or coyote, but a long droning sound. She'd think back to how when she was a kid, she'd visit the library, and - in an attempt to show herself off as a "big girl", she'd read books on local legends and folklore of Canada.

One of them told how loup garou haunted the Bailey Downs area as far back as the early settlers and First Nations. Only notable story of them was of two sisters, but even that story was murky as all hell.

Anyways, when Chloe was little, when she first read those stories, heard those howls, and witnessed the scare the Beast of Bailey Downs put the community through, Chloe put two and two together almost immediately.

Of course, an ten year old girl going up and down saying that a werewolf or werewolves, going around killing the neighborhood dogs, not many people were inclined to believe her. In fact, she thinks back to that night she almost got proof.

Chloe remembers back in October of 2000, she once had the audacity to sneak out of her bedroom while her parents were asleep.

---

When Chloe was ten, she heard the droning howls again, and this time, stepped outside with a camera, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Beast.

There was a clear view of the park from her living room window by day, and a few street lights at night, which only showed a passing glimpse of the park.

Chloe Beale wasn't usually a logical thinker, especially a ten years old. In fact, she was the kind of girl who liked to flex her bravery and confidence. So of course she got the bright idea to step outside her front porch, camera in hand, wincing as the motion light turns on.

The younger Beale would slink behind some tables, hoping not to be caught. She pauses and hitches her breath, when she hears something else breathing...beneath her deck.

On surface level, it sounded like the heavy breathing of a dog, but the way it exhales, it sounded almost human, as it was moving beneath the deck.
Chloe would feel like her heart was going to stop, as she could hear it moving just beneath her. Sniffing the spot she sat on.

It took Chloe all her strength not to start screaming as she felt something scratching underneath her spot.

She heard it moving again, towards the steps, snarling quietly, as if it was trying to creep her out on purpose, or trying not to be heard. Maybe both at the same time.

Cautiously, Chloe looks towards the steps, and lets out a barely audible yelp as she sees what appears to be a hand reaching between the stairs, taking hold of one of the steps. It looked...humanish, if it weren't for the claws and hair.

Chloe was about to call it quits, dash back into her house, but the more bravery (or foolish side) told her to take her shot. Her camera at the ready, Chloe slinked back towards her door, when something caught her attention.

And the beast's attention as well.

In the park behind her house, Chloe could hear two voices. They were distant, barely within earshot, but Chloe could swear she could make out their words. When she looked in their direction, she almost immediately recognized them as her neighbors, and former occasional babysitters.

It was the sisters, Ginger and Brigitte. They were standing by the jungle gym, and by the looks of it they were preparing one of their "death shoots" with this fake dog. At least, that's what Chloe thought at the time.

"B..." The older sister, Ginger says "I just got the curse."

"Eww." says Brigitte, the younger sister.

"Well it's not contagious!"

"I know that."

Chloe was at an impasse. She could try to get their attention, call for help. But in a rare moment of logical thinking, she remembers the Beast of Bailey Downs is beneath her. That would do her no good.

"God!" The Ginger says "You kill yourself to be different, and your own body screws you! But if I start sitting around tampon dispensers, moaning about PMS, just shoot me, okay ?"

As the older sister says this, Chloe caught something on the corner of her eye. She didn't get a good look at how quickly, but quietly it was moving, but she saw it moving on all fours.

It was so quick and fast, it barely made a noise as it dashed through and under the chain link fence, separating her property from the park. It's then Chloe noticed a hole under the base of the fence, no doubt where it previously dug it's way through.

It almost caught the sisters' attention too. They didn't notice it moving until it passed a rocking horse.

"Let's get out of here." The younger says quietly, and right as she and her older sister turned around, the Beast pounced.

Chloe couldn't believe her eyes, as the Beast of Bailey Downs took hold of Ginger by the hip and dragged her into the forested parts of the woods. It happened in a matter of seconds.

Chloe was watching with a stunned silence, but Ginger's screams could be heard across the park, Chloe wondered how no one could hear them.

"Ginger!" Brigitte calls out after a pause "Ginger!" She calls out again, this time running into the woods.

Echoing the sound of a droning howl, was that of Ginger screaming, and Brigitte calling out her name. It's only then that a few lights turned on.

"Chloe ?" Chloe hears her mother say, looking up to see a tired, annoyed and worried looking Anna Beale glaring down at her "What are you doing up ?"

Chloe points to the woods.

"I saw it mom!" Chloe says scared and excited at the same time  "The Beast! It was right under our-"

"Chloe, it's 10:30 and a school night." Her mother says, pressing two fingers on her temple "Look at you, you're getting your PJ's dirty."

"But mom! It was just here!" Chloe says insistently.

"Chloe-"

"The Fitzgeralds were here too! I think Ging-"

"The Fitzgeralds ?" Mrs. Beale asks and rolls her eyes "Chlo, what have I told you about getting involved in their...projects ?"

She's of course referring to last Halloween, where Chloe wanted to go as a ghost girl; when that caught the sisters attention, Ginger insisted on giving Chloe a "makeup job" that ended up being two effective. It disqualified her from her school's costume contest.

"But mom!"

"No buts Chloe!" Mrs. Beale says "You're lucky your dad's too tired to get up and I don't wanna put him in a mood. Now off to bed!"

"No mom, Ginger is-"

"She'll be fine." Mrs. Beale insists "Look, Henry and I have a shift at LCBO tomorrow. If you want I can run it by him, find out what his girls are up to. But now you have to go. To. Sleep."

Chloe sighs sullenly, nodding in defeat, as she walks back inside and to her bedroom.

Chloe wasn't able to convince anyone of what she saw, neither did she didn't get her answers that night or the next day.

Not only did the girls seem to get out of the scrap alive,  but apparently Mr. Fitzgerald told Mrs. Beale that his girls were fine and as far as he knows didn't go out that night.

Chloe eventually saw both sisters at the pharmacy over the weekend.

Chloe tried talking to them as they left, but Ginger didn't seem to be in that much of a mood to talk, and Brigitte simply took Chloe by the shoulders and told her she was probably having a nightmare, or sleep walking.

Brigitte also tried to tell Chloe that she and Ginger were fine, though she didn't sound so convinced herself.

Ever since, Chloe tried not to push the issue, and tried to keep to herself. That was until the sisters disappeared on Halloween night.

But that's a whole other story.

----

As soon as Chloe was out of memory lane, she decided "fuck it" and just go for a walk for real. Her parents were out, and seeing as she was only playing sick, it would make no difference. She doesn't even notice something in the mirror when she leaves her room.
 
Of course, the house the Beale's were staying at was not the same Chloe grew up in. That has since been taken up by the new family. Even so, Chloe knew the Bailey Downs township like the back of her hand.

Throwing on her jacket and a warm pair of boots, Chloe went down the same familiar streets and the same familiar neighborhood. She just knew what the next turn was before she even reached said turn, and was borderline autopilot as her own mind was a thousand lightyears away.

It wasn't that late in the evening. It was like 9:15. So there were still a few people out minding her own business. Or at least that's what Chloe thought. She just couldn't shake that chilly feeling going up her spine.

Every few seconds, Chloe would turn around, swearing that she felt someone breathing down her neck. But everytime she looks, no one is there.

As such she tries to ignore that weird feeling of someone trying to touch the back of her neck, and invisible hand tracing its way down her back, stopping just short of her caboose.

Right as Chloe felt that, all the way in her room, her mirror started to crack.

Chloe stops and turns around when she thinks she hears someone say her name. This time, she swears she sees someone's shadow just behind her. Again, nothing there.

Even so, she's not 100% sure she's not being followed, and makes her way down a familiar park.

Same one near her childhood home. Same one she saw the sisters get attacked. It's one of the few places not gentrified, even Chloe's girlhood home has been through changes.

Nobody really comes here, except for preschoolers, their parents/babysitters on weekends. A few teens may sneak away after school to see what base they can catch, as evidenced by the used condom Chloe saw at the sandbox. She considers removing it herself, but...ew. No.

Instead, Chloe sits at a bench, not far off from the jungle gym. Decides she's gonna clear her head, take in the sites and head back when she is satisfied, just turn around and head back.

As she looks around, she sees the formerly chain link fence was now a standard stake fence. The rocking horse was gone. The formerly red and yellow twirl slide on the jungle gym, was now blue. There used to be a tire swing just in the bushes (the same bushes one Ginger Fitzgerald was dragged off too about nine years ago).

When Chloe looks into those bushes, and shudders. 

She has the eerie feeling that something is looking back at her. Lulling her in, waiting for her to look away. Almost scared Chloe out of turning around and leaving.

She knows what's out there, or at least she has a hunch. 

She knows the Sisters escaped the Beast, but mutilated bodies were still found. Not just of dogs, but people too. 

Two in the school.

Even after the Sister's disappeared, Chloe would hear stories of people seeing a mad dog on the loose; and more bodies left in its wake. Some (younger) people just bit the bullet and outright said they saw a werewolf or two.

She did what she often did when she's nervous, whistling and singing under her breath. 

Worldwide taboo of whistling at night be damned.

What was she doing ? She was down in the dumps for a while now, but was that really a reason to put her neck on the line ?

What did Chloe expect to find going out here ? What, was she supposed to see a werewolf or something ? And if she did, what would she do ?

What does she do now ? Keep up a staring contest with dark and spooky woods ? Or turn around and provoke whatever's in there to chase her down ?

And if there's nothing in these woods, then Chloe is getting worked up over nothing.

Even so, if Chloe would narrow her eyes a little, she could swear she could catch a glimpse of something staring at her from the darkness. Something that...may have horns.

After a minute of whistling, something finally responds to Chloe. This time, singing to the words she's whistling.

"Oh-oh, here she comes/Watch out, boy/She'll chew you up/Oh-oh, here she comes/She's a maneater-"

Chloe turns around, opposite from the woods, and it's like a ghost from her past was brought before her. 

What she was seeing was not a werewolf but...her. One of the sisters. One of her girlhood neighbors.

"Hi." The older woman gives a friendly wave "Someone's out past her bedtime."

Chloe squints her eyes, as if trying to make her out, to which the woman nods.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Ri-right. Fitzgerald." Chloe says, finding her voice "I'm sorry, which one were you again ?"

The Fitzgerald sister gives Chloe an annoyed glare, lifting a lock of her red hair to non verbally answer.

"Right, sorry." Chloe says nervously, looking away "I don't know if you remember me but-"

"Chloe. You're the neighbor girl. Ex neighbor I mean. Ran into your parents the other day." Fitzgerald says, taking a seat beside Chloe on the bench, looking her over "By the Morrigan, you have gotten big."

"I get that a lot." Chloe sighs.

"Back to the first point; what got you out in this ungodly hour ?"

Chloe shrugs, "Thought I'd clear my head."

"Thought you clear your head." Fitzgerald nods "Look, the whole comfort thing, isn't really my style, but for what it's worth, I am sorry to hear about your Grandma. She's one of the few good ones. But other than that, how are things ?"

Chloe shrugs again, this time shaking her head "I haven't been feeling like me lately."

Fitzgerald glances up at the sky before asking "I uh, and what are you, lately ?"

"You know ? More of the same." Chole says "But I've been...pretty down lately. It's like everything that makes me...me, just got sucked out. You know what I mean ?"

"Chloe, you're talking to someone who hasn't been happy or optimistic since I was twelve." Fitzgerald says "Maybe you're just five years late to the game. I hear the crash down is harder as you get older."

"How'd you get over it ?" Chloe asks.

"Get over it ? Nah, it just gets easier as it goes on." Fitzgerald says "Everyone's got something to distract them, if not they find it. Of course, making a pack helps."

"A what ?" Chloe asks.

"Nothing." Fitzgerald sighs and shakes her head, once again glancing at the sky "Just a little euphemistic way of saying friends group."

"I see." Chloe nods "You've gotten into Twilight."

Fitzgerald's eyes widen and narrow as she slowly turns her head to Chloe in a menacing matter.

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that."

There is a brief pause, before girls share a sudden laugh.

"Tell you what." Fitzgerald gets up from the bench "Girl like you shouldn't be out on the town this time of day, especially with the monsters and weirdos walking the streets. Now I'm out for a bite, and don't feel like going alone."

Chloe chuckles nervously, "What, like a date ?"

"Chloe, I knew you when you were a little kid. What do you take me for ?" Fitzgerald asks, narrowing her eyes "Nah, just a hang out. Don't need to make things weird."

"Right. Right." Chloe nods "Sure why not ?"

"C'mon." Fitzgerald jerks her head, motioning Chloe to follow her "Doe and Stag's closes in an hour."

Forming a smile, Chloe gets up and follows Fitzgerald.

For some reason, this encounter brought a little spark to her otherwise mucky mood. Not enough to bring her back to her usual speed, but something.

As Chloe and Fitzgerald make their way out of the park, the latter brings up.

"You know, that's not a bad singing voice. You should use it more often."

----

Haddonfield, Illinois

It hit Beca. 

Literally.

A light but fierce smack to the face caused Beca to jolt awake.

The lights in Katerina's bathroom were on, and it took Beca a few seconds to adjust, when she saw Katerina herself glaring at her.
Once Beca's head stopped spinning, she silently gasps and freezes when she sees it; blood in the water. 

Her heart all but stops as she sees the blood at the side of the tub and on the floor. Katerina's eyes follow Beca's with an expression of annoyed indifference, as Beca's eyes follow the small but messy trail.

All but naked, Beca sees Ashley huddled up in the corner of the bathroom, her body shaking as if she were in a seizure of some sort, with Kylie holding her close in a towel, rocking her back and forth. 

Notably, Ashley was bleeding heavily from the nose, with some red spots at her tear ducts, and eyes absolutely bloodshot.

Kylie was saying something to calm her down or reassure her, but it was overshadowed by what Ashley was screaming.

Even if Beca was in the right frame of mind, didn't understand a word Ashley was saying. She didn't know the language, or at least didn't know the words. Maybe it was Greek, or Latin.

Thing was, as far as Beca knew, Ashley didn't know a lick of Greek either.

"Thamoús, Pan ho mégas téthnēke! Thamous panmégas téthnēke! Thamoús, Pan ho mégas téthnēke! Thamous panmégas téthnēke!" Ashley says in a loud and hysteric voice. 

It was coarse, and ragged, like she just cried her eyes out, and sobbed till her throat was raw, and yet the mantra continues.

"Thamoús, Pan ho mégas téthnēke! Thamous panmégas téthnēke! Thamoús, Pan ho mégas téthnēke! Thamous panmégas téthnēke...

As soon as Beca was lucid enough, she started to stand, and try to make her way towards Ashley. As she staggers, Katerina holds her shoulders in place, as she gently, not so gently, pushes her to the wall.

"Easy now, you just had a bad trip." Katerina says, half heartedly.

"Wh-what the hell was that ?" Beca stutters, finding her voice.

"Did you see him ?" Katerina asks "Did you see _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ?"

"I..." Beca suddenly feels her head ache at the mere mention of that name. Her brain was throbbing and her heart was pounding. She can barely muster a whisper "I don't know."

Katerina narrows her eyes and looks over Beca's face. There was a spot of blood coming from Beca's left nostril.

"So you did see him ?" She says, before looking back at the still convulsing and chanting Ashley "But you didn't get as good a look as she did, obviously."

Katerina then turns back to Beca.

"So, tell me, Moi Belle ? What did he show you ?"

Beca felt her head spin still. 

She muttered something, trying to remember the four names that thing in the Void said to her. The thing of being pulled into such an experience, and suddenly being pulled out of it, it was still a lot to take in.

"My heart..." Beca says, clutching her heart, making sure it was still beating. She's so out of it, she doesn't quite know what she's saying "It...it beats for-"

The drowsiness still had her, and as Beca managed to step away from the wall and passed Katerina, she staggered and collapsed into a heap.

At the corner of the bathroom, Ashley can be heard speaking before she goes into unconsciousness.

"Kylie...Don't let him come for me. Keep him out of my bedroom..."

Without even knowing what she herself was saying, Beca says the following as she too drifts off.

"Bellas. Bella. Bellas. Bella. Bellas. Bella..."

----

When Beca awoke next, she was in the hospital. She was told her heart stopped four times. When her dad stopped in to check on her, Katerina immediately charmed him with her concerned, caring, best friend act.

Beca was told she would have to rest east for a week or two after her experience. Katerina would tell everyone that it was Ashley's idea, and that they just got really high at Ashley's request. 

Despite Kylie's attempts to deny this, that ended up being the official story. Whenever Kylie stopped by Beca's hospital room to check up on her, she could overhear Kylie arguing with her father, Patrick about Ashley being a bad influence; how Kylie is gonna go down a destructive path; that Ashley's just a delinquent from a broken home, who will at best leech off her.

Ashley, reportedly, had to be sedated several times, alternating between her mantra, and "Keep him out of my bedroom". When her parents, including her stepfather Don eventually came to pick her up, Ashley had a full blown panic attack at the mere sight of Don. This is what led to her constant sedation. 

After four days, Ashley would have to be released from the hospital, put into the care of her parents; mainly Don himself, as her mother was a real workaholic, and her daughters "near overdose" wasn't enough to deter her from that. If anything, her mother would double down on her work load to "keep her mind off it".

The day Ashley was discharged, she was all but asleep as she was carted out. Even so, Beca could hear her mutterings as she passed her room.

"Thamoús, Pan ho mégas téthnēke. Thamous panmégas téthnēke. Thamoús, Pan ho mégas téthnēke. Thamous panmégas téthnēke. Thamoús, Pan ho mégas téthnēke. Thamous panmégas téthnēke. Thamoús Pan ho mégas téthnēk..."

----

March 21st, 2021, The "Ottawa Offices"

It would only be a few days, and it would give the Bellas some breathing room, and a chance to catch up.

Before she and Laura left, Carmilla advised Bella's mothers to not let her know too much, and if what she thinks is happening, is happening. The less Bella tries to dig into it, the better. Besides, in the coming days, the Bellas are to invite some friends over for a baby shower. That should keep them busy.

Upon their arrival at the agency, Carm and Laura were greeted by Perry and Laf at the agency's entrance.

Quick hugs and "Hellos" were exchanged, and when Carmilla asked if he was there, it was clear business came first, friendly meetups were for later.

They walked the young couple to a room. Before they entered, Laf and Perry gave them a "shush" motion.

It looked to be the inside of a one way mirror, with the lights turned off. There sat Danny Lawrence, sitting at a chair at a table, waiting for an unseen subject to do or say anything. Wilson Kirsch sat on a chair on the opposite end. He looks excited enough to see them, but has to keep quiet.

When Danny saw Laura and Carm step in, she stood up quietly but quickly, lifting Laura into a bear hug, before Carmilla did the same to her. This is followed up by Laura giving Kirsch a more gentle hug.

"Are we allowed in here ?" Laura asks in a whisper "I thought they'd have us wait in a boardroom or something."

"Nah, I got enough pull here, that you shouldn't be any trouble." Danny answers as the girl takes their seats.

"Is he here ?" Carmilla asks, pointing at the blackened window "The Count, I mean ?"

Danny gives a hush motion, before pressing a button on the device in the center of the table.

"Still think you're a tough guy, ain't ya ?" A voice says, apparently in the darkened room around them. Carm and Laura guess it's another agent doing their interrogations "Yeah, take away the wackos and Dracula flare, and what are you ? What have you got ?"

An haggard, croaky, Austrian voice answer "Exactly as you say. A tough guy."

"Agent Lawrence ?" The agent says.

"Yes Gordon." Danny nods before flicking another switch. The one way mirror lights out; a bright purplish white, bright enough and powerful enough that the others had to flinch. They saw a vaguely human shape standing in the middle, but the spots in their eyes made it hard to make him out.

"What's this ?" The Austrian voice asks, strained by the light show "Another one of us ?"

"Agent Lawrence is in one of these rooms, yes." The Agent, apparently Gordon says "Would you like for her to play good cop ? I bet you're dying for round three."

"Please do." The Count says in exasperation "It'll alleviate the boredom. You keep asking me the same questions, and I keep giving the same answers. I'm frankly insulted that you keep using the same techniques. Do you not know what the definition of insanity is ?"

The lights in the interrogation room dim a little, giving Carm and Laura  a more clear view of the Count.

Formally dressed in an image of power and intimidation, this Count Karnstein now wore a white jumpsuit, with a number on it, 28/10/14. He also wore a mask-like-muzzle, giving him a "Hannibal Lecter" like appearance, and a set of cuffs bound together by a chain, showing only his balding head and long strands of black hair hanging off the back.

As if he didn't look obviously evil enough, he had a patch over his right eye. As Carm and Laura would later learn, this was from an injury Danny inflicted on him in their arresting fight. A closer look at his wrists showed they were bleeding; his cuffs were made with these little blades that would cut into him the more he pulled.

The room he was sitting in was surrounded by other one way mirrors, no doubt filled with other interrogators.

Finally, the Count speaks again "If this is all you are planning to do to me, I'm afraid I'm sorely disappointed. It's not like you'll let me leave here alive if I say anything. And even if you kill me here, then all my secrets go to the grave with me."

"H-how long has he been like this ?" Carmilla asks.

"Five days since we captured him."

"Isn't that a little much ?" Laura asks, wincing at the sight of the Count's wrists.

"Precautions." Danny answers quietly "He's killed about eighty people in the days we arrested him, and had the audacity to attack one of our bases."

Carmilla says nothing, only walking to the mirror window, squinting her eyes at the sight of the former Count. She isn't sure what to make of this creature. This was someone she knew a long enough time ago, she - as she'd always put it - buried him with Mircalla. And yet, here he stands in an unrecognizable form, like a ghoul that crawled out of the grave, and now bears no resemblance to the man he once was.

She wouldn't be surprised if the one thing he had in common with his former life was his name.

And in the bottom of her heart to the pit of her stomach, Carmilla felt something that only Elle Sheridan inspired months ago. A combination of fear, and the pain of unearthing a past she preferred to forget, and yet this is something she had to be strong for. She's been preparing for this for two days now. Besides, she had her friends. If there was ever a time to have them, it was now.

Carmilla suddenly looked at Danny, silently asking her something.

Danny nods, before pressing another button, apparently to address the other agents and her superiors.

"She wants to speak to him. Our guest and witness. Permission for allowance ?" Danny asks into a speaker.

"Granted. It may get some answers out of him." Agent Gordon's voice says, followed likewise by eight other voices saying "Granted."

Danny backs up a little, pressing another button and gestures to Carmilla to speak into the speaker. "Floors yours Karnstein."

As Danny says this, they notice the Count perks his head up, staring at the mirror/window the Silas Gang now occupied.

"Karnstein..." The Count says. For a face covered by a muzzle and a patch, it was oddly expressive "Mircalla ?"

Carmilla hesitates, looking at her friends who give her mixed looks, but all seem to encourage and reassure her. She finally speaks to him; her accent has changed over the centuries, no longer with her Germanic cadence, but the Count's eyes light up in recognition upon hearing it.

"Yes...It's me."

The Counts eyes light up with familiarity and a dreadful fury.

"After all these years, decades, centuries even, you finally come to me, Mircalla." The Count says in a tranquil tone "You would have ran for millennia to escape me, would you ?"

Carmilla says nothing. She just stares with an unreadable expression.

"What is the matter ? Big black cat caught your tongue ? I made a funny." The Count chuckles, "You know, behind that heroic vampire crap you present online, I know what you really are, Mircalla."

Despite not being able to walk that very far in his bindings, the Count steps towards the window he knows Carmilla is behind.

"You were always a victim; no matter how much you fight, how much you kill, how many-"

"Can you get on with it ?" LaFontaine's voice asks.

The Count sighs with a glare.

"You and I both knew this was coming, Mircalla," The Count says "You knew, in the back of your mind I would return from the past you buried me in. Maybe you liked to pretend I was dead and buried. That the world moved on. That you changed with a changing world but-"

"I haven't been that girl since I was nineteen years old." Carmilla says, shakily.

Her friends notice Carmilla's eyes start to water, the way her body twitches, the way she tries to look away.

This is so unlike Carmilla. For all the past foes they faced, for all the abuse and trauma that came to light, they could never recall moments where Carmilla would just stop, and lose her words.

"Then why do you feel the need to hide behind glass ?" The Count asks "I won't bite, know. I can't." He leans his head back as if to put emphasis on his mask.

Suddenly someone else is on the speakers.

This time it's the voice Laura Hollis.

 "Y'know." Laura says as if trying not to snap "I'm hearing a lot of bark for someone with no bite. Lemme guess, you could turn into a big dog or something ?"

The Count chuckles.

"Frau Hollis." He greets "I've been looking forward to meeting you. How's that journalist stint going ? Or the baby, by the way ?"

Laura looks taken aback, as does her friends as they look between eachother.

"Your friend Kirsch, here ? Had loose lips." The Count clarifies "Tell me, which lucky victim carries your burdens ?"

Laura says nothing. Danny steps in to speak for her.

"You're never gonna find them you know."

"I might, but you know as well as I do that I don't work alone. My friends, they have ways of finding what doesn't want to be found."

The Count tried to circle the room, but had very limited mobility "When a blood pact must be paid, it will be paid."

Once again, Danny takes the speaker.

"You think we aren't prepared for that ?"

"Your agency ? You may be able to protect the innocent from fallible men; a demoness regarded by many to be a demigoddess, isn't what I'd call a fallible man."

Yet again, the Silas gang exchange a glance.

"A what ?" Laura asks.

"Must be terrible to be expecting at this time." The Count smirks "Infants and pregnant women are practically catnip to Lamashtu."

There is a notable pause in the room.

The Count stares expectantly.

"Anything to say, Mircalla ?"

Without any warning, the window breaks into dozens of pieces. The Count flinches back as a chair barely misses him.

He turns towards the window to see a very furious Laura Hollis making her way towards the Count.

Everyone was caught off guard. Especially the agency men; those windows were supposed to be unbreakable.

Without saying a word, Laura makes her way towards the Count and introduces her left foot to the Count's stomach by way of a Heel Kick. The Count drops to his knees with a groan, and before he can react, Laura sticks her thumb underneath his eyepatch and twists it.

The Count lets out a barely human sounding cry of pain that snaps Laura's friends out of their shock.

Danny and Kirsch climb through the window and walk up to Laura. 

They barely touch her shoulders when Laura picks up a broken piece of the window up from the floor, lifts it into the air, and into the Counts jugular.

The Count's coughing gets Perry and LaF to step in as well. Laura's stabbing and hacking the subdued Counts neck as the alarm is going off.

Without going into the gory details, Laura has cut all the bone, before LaF takes hold of Laura' wrist, and lifts it away.

"Hollis, that's enough!" They exclaim.

Barley heeding their words, Laura lands a punch to the Counts face. Once, twice, four times, before her other wrist is taken by Perry.

"Laura, stop, this isn't gonna help!" Perry says.

It takes four of her friends pulling Laura to the wall before she starts to calm.

As she does so, Laura's mind comes to the realization of what she just did.

There was Count Karnstein. Carmilla's...Laura doesn't think she got their exact relation, but he was on the ground, on his knees. He was trying to reach that gash in his neck, though his wrist bindings were restricting him, and his eye was once again bleeding.

"He- he threatened our baby! I wasn't gonna..." Laura says, still in disbelief at what came over her.

"Any other time, I would have done the same as you," Perry says "But we still need answers from him, and we can't have him going into shock."

"I mean, we we're just torturing him for the past five days." LaFontaine adds.

"He said a name; what was that name ?" Laura asks as she tries to catch her breath.

"Lamashtu." Danny nods "We have files on her mythology. She was also an accomplice of him in his attack on our base."

"Nasty babe too; think the Dean." Kirsch adds.

"Okay." Laura nods "So well stop her."

Her friends look at her.

"We stopped the Dean, we stopped Vordenberg, and we stopped Elle." Laura says "This Lamashtu, she-"

"Kirsch and I saw her action," Danny says "We even tried to fight her. Tried." Danny clarifies.

"Well, it's not like we were winning round one before." Laura says "What- what do we have on her so far ?"

Danny looks up at the security monitor, nodding as one of the agents signals to her.

"You'll be on a need to know basis. I already took too big a risk bringing you here directly, and after things went south like that ?" Danny gestures to the exhausted looking Count, who simply crouches on the floor, not even caring that he was starting to lose consciousness "We can't have any more risks ?"

"But we do know how to fight her, right ?" Laura asks "Lamashtu ? You have files on her myths, right ? Any weaknesses ?"

Danny pauses with a reluctant expression, as she pats Laura on the shoulder.

"You'll know if we find anything."

As this was happening, the otherwise quiet and hesitant Carmilla steps into the room as well, walking towards the Count, who looks up at her with an expression of disdain and disgust.

"It's going to be a boy, right ?" The Count asks.

Carmilla says nothing. But it seems to answer his question.

"I thought so." The Count chuckles.

He sounds a little weary from his rapid blood loss. In all likelihood, he is gonna pass out for his body to heal, at which point, it will be right back to interrogations. 

"You can protect him from me, but you can't protect him from destiny. The next male Karnstein - the next contender." The Count sighs "What I'd do to him would be a mercy compared to the life he'd lead with you. You did have an unfortunate habit of dragging those around you down. That's the curse of your existence. Just look at what you've done to me, and my existence."

Carmilla closes her eyes, inhales deeply, before exhaling through her nose.

"I am not responsible for your choices, Count." Carmilla says simply " It's 'bout time the monsters I allegedly help create own up to that."

She looks to Laura and the rest of the Silas gang, waiting at the doorway with a security escort of eight. As she makes her way towards them.

"And the surrogate ?" The Count asks "What of her ?"

Carmilla pauses. She only wipes her eyes as she feels them start to water, before rejoining her friends.

The Count chuckles as twelve other security officers enter the room to surround him. He lays on his back, ready to pass out.

"That's what I thought."

----

March 22nd, 2021, Casa Del Bella's

For the past few days, life at the Beale-Posen-Mithcell-Conrad residence was...steady. Wasn't quite normal, and there was still an undercurrent that something was going on that they didn't know.

As far as they could tell, Bella wasn't having any more dreams of this Hastur, nor did she draw any pictures. That said, Bella was pretty untalkative the past few days. She must have said like twelve things the past three alone.

Other than going out shopping for baby clothes, or coming down to eat, Bella would spend a lot of her time in her bedroom, just watching her movies, playing with her toys.

Any attempts by any of her mothers to socialize with her would cause Bella to walk out of the room.

Reactions varied. Beca had this mild concern for her daughter, but wasn't as vocal about it as Aubrey. Stacie, the more confident mother of the bunch, thought Bella just needed some space, and that they shouldn't try to hound her and escalate her worries, but give her just what she needs.

Chloe...she was a little distracted.

At nine weeks into her pregnancy, Chloe has overwhelming moments of fatigue and morning sickness. A sickness that would come up especially whenever she eats.

Anything that wasn't undercooked meat that was. She had a special taste for red meat.

As such, it fell to Beca, Aubrey and Stacie to take turns. One would be tending to Chloe, while the other two looked after Bella.

Every day, their new neighbor, Tara would stop by their house, still in search of her dog. Which has yet to be found.

She seemed like a sweet, if uncanny girl, but came off as generally harmless.

Even though whenever she was on the property, Bella would immediately hide in her bedroom, the bathroom, and if that wasn't extreme enough, the closet.

Given what Bella was going through, her mothers figured this was just part of her post nightmare routines.

On the other hand, whenever Chloe would catch a glimpse of Tara, she would immediately start to throw up, even when she hasn't eaten. She wouldn't even wait to get into the bathroom; it was as if the mere scent of this woman caused Chloe's sickness to start acting up.

In either case, Tara would be forced to excuse herself.

----

It was currently late in the evening; it was Aubrey's turn to look after Chloe for the next couple of hours, while it was almost Bella's bedtime, but there was just the matter of a surprise skype call from Aunt Amy.

Beca and Stacie would look on from the bedroom door as Bella would sit on her bed, talking with Aunt Amy on her iPad.

It was the most Bella's been talking the past few days.

"-And I was this close to giving him a squeeze, but I was too chickensh-" Amy stops herself from cursing in front of Bella, almost sensing the glare Stacie and Beca were giving her off camera "Chicken to try my luck. Consider it a lost opportunity."

Amy was telling Bella this story of a chance encounter she had with Ryan Reynolds at an airport. Or at least, it would be an encounter if Reynolds turned around.

Beca and Stacie were not sure if they'd believe this story; there's no way Amy wouldn't try to draw attention to herself in this case.
"Then Bumper gets in his face and starts making a fool out of us-"

"She's lying! She went in for the squeeze and I called her out!" Bumper can be heard shouting off camera.

Apparently Bumper and Amy were back on for the sixth time. It never stops with these two.

"I saw a mosquito on the back of his neck and-" Amy says before making a popping gesture with her forefinger and thumb, shrugging trying to sound chill and nonchalant "I was doing him a favor! And only cuz he told me."

This time, Bumper leans in front of the camera, addressing Bella directly.

"Speaking of, how's the bloodsuckers treating ya ?" Bumper asks.

"They're fine," Stacie says, climbing onto Bella's bed and leaning in for the camera "And bloodsuckers are derogatory!"

"Is it ?" Amy and Bumper ask at the same time.

"I dunno," Stacie shrugs. "Just something I hear on Twitter."

"Carmilla can turn to a kitty!" Bella says enthusiastically.

"I heard!" Amy says "Does she have a..." She makes hand gestures like a cat playing with a ball.

Bella shakes her head in confusion and her mother winces.

"Carmilla doesn't like cat puns," Stacie says "Says it gets annoying after a while."

"Are they ?" Amy starts "Are they here ? When can we see them ?"

"When we have the baby shower." Beca can be heard from off camera.

"And when's that ?"

Beca and Stacie look at each other before Stacie says.

"They got shi- spit to figure out." Beca says, stopping herself from cursing in front of Bella.

"Just something they gotta take care of back in Ottawa." Stacie nods "No biggie."

"Been having bad dreams." Bella nods.

"Is that so ? What about ?" Amy asks.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." Bumper offers "Mine is me and Santa Claus being chased through a snowstorm by the Abominable Snowman."

Amy glances at Bumper.

"I thought you got over that."

"Nah, I was putting on a brave face." Bumper says, looking off in the distance with a genuinely traumatized expression.

He can still hear the elves screaming.

"Oh nothing," Stacie answers for Bella "Just some nonsense about dragons."

Deciding to finish the call, Stacie looks at the clock and says.

"Well, we're well past this one's bedtime. Afraid we have to hit the hay."

"Aw well," Amy sighs, before giving Bella a friendly wave "I'll be seeing you soon little dove."

"Nighties." Bella waves with her mother, before the latter turns off skype.

After a pause, Stacie asks "You sure you don't need to sleep in mommy's bed ?"

"No," Bella shakes her head and crosses her arms "I'm a big girl. And I'm not tired."

"Really ? Well, hope you're not too big for Disney!" Stacie teases.

It was something they do when Bella is far from sleeping past 9:00. A movie usually tuckers her out when her mixtape doesn't.

Stacie turns on Bella's notepad, clicks on the Disney+ app and puts on The Lion King. She's usually out by the time of I Just Can't Wait To Be King.

Beca and Stacie give Bella a simultaneous kiss on the forehead, but she's too engrossed in the movie to notice or care.

As Beca and Stacie exit the bedroom, closing the door behind them, Beca notices the way Stacie looks at her with crossed arms.

"What ?"

"Something's eating you."

"Like it's not the same for you ?" Beca asks.

"You know, it doesn't have to be this unspeakable taboo between us; I get it, you're scared for Chloe, you're scared for Bella."

"And you aren't ?"

"I don't get scared. Not anymore, not like that." Stacie says "But I trust them. And whatever this is ? It's nothing Carm and her friends dealt with before."

"And Chloe ?"

"Admittedly I've only been pregnant once," Stacie shrugs "But the fatigue, morning sickness, that's just part of the ride."

"And the blood thirst ? Chloe doesn't even like red meat!" Beca says, crossing her own arms.

"It's something she can adjust to. I had a chocolate craving with Bella, and I never touch that stuff." Stacie says, before putting a hand on Beca's shoulder, "Something else is bothering you, isn't it ?"

"It's just, Carmilla's story got me thinking; about her brother; about those-"

Stacie interrupts Beca with a kiss.

"We can talk about it in bed." Stacie says, rubbing her nose to Beca's, gently brushing some hair behind Beca's ear "Sounds like it's been a while since you unwinded."

Beca silently nods. It has been a while since she had sex, or even touched herself with what's been going on lately.

This was something Stacie would do; her way of playing therapist. It helps her girlfriends unwind mentally and physically, while helping them connect and open up to eachother.

Maybe that's why Stacie and Aubrey were considerably easy going despite everything.

"I'd...I'd like that." Beca nods.

Aubrey had Chloe for the night, or at least the next hour or so. She and Stacie would make it quick, and check up on Bella (who would be asleep by then).

Stacie takes Beca by the hand, and leads them to her bedroom.

----

After bringing Beca to climax, Stacie rests her head on Beca's shoulder as they catch their breaths.

After a moment, Stacie looks up at Beca's and captures her lips in their seventh kiss this session. Breaking the kiss, Stacie brushes her hand through Beca's sweaty hair, and rubs her nose to Beca's

"Now...why don't you tell me about it ?" Stacie whispers, licking Beca's lips.

Beca hesitates, before taking another breath.

"Have I told you about Katerina ?"

"Name," Stacie says between another kiss "Rings. A. Bell."

Stacie looks down at Beca, brushing her hair across her forehead.

"First girlfriend ?" Stacie asks.

"Not really." Beca shakes her head.

"Considering how you don't talk about her, I'm guessing she was abusive ?"

Stacie could feel the way Beca's muscles tensed under her body, answering her question.

"We don't have to talk about her-"

"No, no," Beca shakes her head "I want to."

Stacie smiles and nods, gently inching her hand between the bed and Beca's lower back, rubbing in slow, relaxing circles

Beca groans as her muscle loosen,

"Back then, I didn't know something was off with her. I didn't see the red flags then," Beca says, her breathing becoming heavier as she felt he tensed muscles start to relax "But looking back, I had my suspicions that she...."

After hesitating for a second, Beca takes another deep breath and says.

"...I think she was a vampire."

Stacie leans up a little, thinking for a moment, before nodding with an understanding expression.

"And when Carmilla came into the picture, it reminded you of her ?" Stacie guesses.

"Kinda, maybe, I don't know." Beca nods, putting a hand on her forehead as she thinks it over. "If Carm was just a vampire, that would be one thing."

"But ?"

"You know, Carmilla bringing up these ancient evil god's. And suddenly they have this emergency, and Bella's dreaming about this Hastur guy...It can't be a coincidence, right ?"

Stacie shrugs, but leans back down so she's at eye level with Beca.

"They're investigating it." Stacie says brushing her hand through Beca's hair, "Beca, they know what they're doing."

Stacie positions herself between Beca's legs, kissing both her inner thighs. She reaches up to Beca's labia, spreading her open.

"But we don't don't know what's going on-" Beca shakes her head, with a sigh "We don't know what we are getting into. And when I was a kid-"

Beca hesitates again. She thinks back to the night of that slumber party.

She looks up to notice Stacie looking down at her, patient but concerned.

With another sigh, Beca continues.

"When I was a kid, I was playing this game at a sleepover; it was a lot like Bloody Mary, you know ? I thought it was a bad trip or a nightmare, you know ? But with the dreams Bella's been having, I'm not so sure myself."

"Was it with this Katerina ?" Stacie asks.

"Yeah." Beca says with another sigh, sitting up a little to once again at Stacie's eye level "And it's like, it can't be a coincidence right ? I mean it feels like I'm stepping back into that world again."

"What did you see ?"

"I don't remember, really." Beca says honestly "I don't even remember its name; it's like my head keeps it blocked out. I think I repressed it or something."

"But ?"

"Bella's dreams...they're bringing things back for me." Beca says "Things I would prefer not remembering."

"When she found me, when I saw it, my parents were going through a really bad divorce." Beca feels her eyes water a little, wiping them before any tears fall "And with you I got that family back. I don't want to lose you girls."

Suddenly, Beca gasps, her world spins as  Stacie rolls over, and has Beca laying on her body. Stacie holds on hand on Beca's lower back, and the other to rub her cheek, leaning in to kiss Beca on the mouth.

As they kiss, Stacie slides her hand up Beca's back, stopping at her neck.

"You never will, I promise..." Stacie says, pulling Beca forward to press their forehead's together.

As Beca shudders, as she lets a relaxed sigh wash over her, and she rests her head on Stacie's chest. Just above her love pillows.

"So, you've really been seeing things ? As a kid ?" Stacie asks.

Beca nods.

"Only once, but even so." Beca breaths out, "And with Bella seeing the same things-"

Stacie silences Beca with a kiss.

"I trust what Carm and Laura say; so long as she thinks these are just dreams, so long as she doesn't think about them, we should be in the clear." Stacie says, affectionately stroking Beca's cheek.

"How can you be so confident about this ?"

"You don't think I'm scared ?" Stacie asks, raising an eyebrow "Our baby girl saw glimpses of this monster, and we have to wait until we can do anything about it!"

"Then how are you not freaking out ?"

Stacie looks up and down her and Beca's bodies, giving her a non verbal answer.

"Right." Beca nods.

"I have trust them." Stacie says "We saw their flogs; if anyone can beat what's after our girl, it's Carm and Laura. They beat that one god twice, and taken out that anglerfish."

"Yeah, but they didn't exactly-"

"Bottom line." Stacie says, insistently "We can't put all our thoughts into worrying. Gotta find hope where we can find it."

Beca and Stacie pause, both staring at eachother affectionately, before they remember something.

"So um," Beca says "We should be checking on Bella."

"Right, right," Stacie says with a nod "But we shower first."

Stacie climbs off the bed, leading Beca with her to one of their four bathrooms.

----

Elsewhere in the house, in another bathroom, the other ladies of the house are taking a relaxing bath of their own.

It was something Chloe picked up the past few weeks; a shower in the morning and a bath in the evening, especially when she'd take walks.

There was a trial going up and around the area. Going from Casa Del Bellas, and back again took about an hour and a half on a good day, and it was something Chloe took as a form of exercise. Especially with the others.

As Chloe neared her first trimester, she really felt the effect of carrying this little guy that she couldn't feel in the first nine weeks.

A former veterinarian, Chloe found herself put off by red meat at the best of times, especially raw. But for the past few days, Chloe would almost sleep walk to their fridge in the dead of night, taking a piece of raw beef, and just suck the juices from the meat, and throw it back up.

Guess there was something about it Junior didn't agree with.

Of course there was the matter of those pills that were recommended. Little protein and iron pills given to "weaning vampires" as a blood substitute. For now, they were hard to come by.

Even so, Chloe can't stop thinking of her cravings; she can't get that taste out of her mouth.

How Bella accidentally cut her finger...and how Mama Chloe...kissed it better.

That salty, metallic taste still linge-

No Chloe! Snap out of it!

"Chloe ?" Aubrey's voice says.

"Hmm ?" Chloe groans, remembering where she was.

It was Aubrey's turn to look after her, in this case, share the tub. Ever since she was first inseminated, she was usually not in the mood for actual sex, though having a shower and bath buddy - a role usually reserved for Beca - helped her relax a little more and satisfy her want to intimacy.

"I was asking if you'd like your hair washed ?" Aubrey says, rubbing up and down Chloe's arms.

"Oh, sure."

Aubrey runs her hands up into Chloe's head, soaking it significantly as she pours two shots of two different shampoo bottles into her hands, rubbing them together.

"Close your eyes."

Chloe chuckles as she does so "I know how to shampoo, Brey."

Aubrey begins massaging her hands into Chloe's hair, overflowing it with shampoo suds.

"Is it just me," Aubrey asks "But haven't you been getting sun lately ?"

"What do you mean ?" Chloe asks.

"Your tan is fading."

Chloe shrugs, "Must be the weather."

"It's a pretty warm March." Aubrey says "You want me to rinse or-?"

"I got this." Chloe says, eyes still closed and taking a breath.

She goes just underneath the water. There's little room, so Chloe rests her head onto Aubrey's lap. Her red hair cascades around Aubrey's hips.

After a few seconds, Chloe emerges. She shakes her head a little, getting a laugh from her and Aubrey at such a dog-like motion. Some of Chloe's long hair unintentionally whiplashes Aubrey in the face.

"Sorry!" Chloe laughs.

"Ah! I got some in my eye." Aubrey half groans, half chuckles.

"Irony be a cruel mistress."

"She's not Bella material that's for sure." Aubrey agrees.

Chloe leans back, resting the back of her head on Aubrey's neck and shoulder.

The two share a few kisses, as Aubrey runs her hands up and down Chloe's body.

At nine weeks, the small swell of her stomach was beginning to show, and it would seem her breasts were starting to swell a bit too. Despite the complaints Aubrey used to hear about things like stretchmarks and the like, Chloe made pregnancy look beautiful.

"You want me to wash you ?" Chloe asks.

"Just gimme a few, I just like this." Aubrey sighs "Just...holding you here."

They huddle together in the tub for another moment or two, and as those moments go by, Chloe can swear she feels and hears something; Aubrey's beating heart.

It's something she shouldn't find peculiar. She has heard Aubrey's heart before, but it was usually when she was laying her head directly on her chest after sex or something. She shouldn't be able to hear, let alone feel it, from laying her head on Aubrey's shoulder.

What else was being so close to Aubrey's neck...she could...feel her pulse.

Her pulse, and that crimson gold running through her jugular.

"Okay," Aubrey says "I think I'm ready."

It takes some fumble, but the two switch positions, with Aubrey now leaning against Chloe.

"Pass me the loofah ?" Chloe asks.

Aubrey does so, and Chloe suds it up with a bar of soap and two shots of body wash.

Chloe begins washing along Aubrey's back, neck and shoulder blades.

"They feel harder than I remember." Chloe notes.

Aubrey looks soft and nimble, but her actual muscles can be rock hard. Must be the perks of being a military brat.

"Yeah, it's been a while, has it."

Chloe inhales deeply. To Aubrey, she was just making deep breaths of relaxation; unknown to Aubrey, Chloe was sniffing, and catching a coppery, metallic scent from her neck.

It was filling Chloe, clouding her mind, testing her tasters. All she could think of was.

"A-a little gentle, Chloe." Aubrey says, and Chloe notices that she was rubbing Aubrey's chest a little hard with the loofah.

"Oh, sorry." Chloe says sheepishly "Forgot you were ticklish."

After a moment or two of washing everywhere she could reach, she instinctively knew to ready the shampoo.

"Your eyes closed ?" She asks.

"Yes ma'am." Aubrey closes her eyes, letting Chloe's fingers run through her hair and over her scalp.

As it comes time for Chloe to rinse out Brey's hair, the last of the suds is washed away. They take another moment to huddle and relax in each other's embrace.

Chloe kisses Aubrey on the cheek.

It seemed harmless and innocent.

Chloe kisses her again.

And again.

Aubrey groans pleasantly, laying her head down on Chloe's neck and shoulder.

"Almost don't want to get out of here." Aubrey sighs "But our skins gonna wrinkle eventually."

Chloe can barely register what Aubrey is saying.

All she could focus on was the sound of Aubrey's pulse.

Chloe kisses Aubrey on the neck. On the jugular.

Aubrey groans obliviously, simply relaxing into the sensation of Chloe's mouth on her neck.

Chloe could feel it, practically taste the blood flow through Aubrey's skin.

It calls to her. It calls to the child she's carrying.

He doesn't want it, he needs it. And Chloe is feeling this need.

Her teeth are right on the pulse point. All she has to do is sink her teeth and-

Aubrey reluctantly pulls away, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Sorry it was getting a little sore." Aubrey groans "It's about time we hit the hay anyways."

Aubrey stands up and climbs out of the tub.

Chloe just sits there with a look of disbelief on her face. Something Aubrey herself doesn't notice as she towels off.

"Coming with or-?" Aubrey asks.

"Ye- yeah." Chloe nods with her usual beaming smile "I'm just gonna freshen up a little, and catch up."

Chloe gets out of the tub herself as Aubrey puts her bathrobe on.

"I'll keep the bed warm." Aubrey teases as she takes her leave.

Chloe gives a friendly smile, and when Aubrey's out of the room, puts on a sad puppy look.

After she towels herself off, she wipes the condensation off the mirror and looks at herself.

She doesn't feel as pretty as she looks. Her eyes start to water, and she stifles her mouth so that her sobs can't be heard. Breathing heavily, she places her hand on her stomach.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." Chloe silently says "I don't know what to do."

She can almost feel the child moving, even if his bones were just starting to develop. It almost felt like an apology. She wasn't sure if he could do that; she was told that his brain would have just developed. Even so, Chloe pats her stomach and says

"I know...I know." Chloe sighs "We'll find a way...even if it won't be pretty."

As she places her own bathrobe on, Chloe notices at the far end of the bathroom sink. The razor.

Breathing heavily, the back of Chloe's mind couldn't believe she was doing this.

She takes the blades off the razor. She winces and gasps as she sticks the blade into her thumb.

Chloe breathes heavily, trying hard not to be heard as her blood flows from her thumb. No worse than a paper cut, and stings just as bad.

Her eye's water heavily, but all her senses were focused on the red coppery smell and taste in the air. She places her bleeding thumb into her mouth, and gives in.

She drinks up all she can, licking her thumb like it's a lollipop.

It tastes sick. It tastes metallic. But it was giving the baby what he needed. And to Chloe, that was what's important.

Thumb still in her mouth, a minute or two passes before Chloe feels as rejuvenated as she has in days.

She releases her thumb with a sickeningly satisfied "Ah", licking the last of the crimson droplets from her lips.

It doesn't even hurt anymore but the cut was still noticeable.

Sighing contentedly, Chloe makes her way to the kitchen. Both to pick up a band aid from the cabinet, and so that when she says she was putting silverware away, she wouldn't be lying.

Chapter Text

March 28th, 2021, Ottawa, Ontario

The past week or so has been busier than it seemed to be, with how slow things were for Carmilla.

The past few days, Count Karnstein was in "The Agency's" medical lab. It would seem that Laura did a bigger number on the "good" Count than she thought; where a regular vampire would take about a day or so to heal from such a vicious injury, this clearly wasn't the case for this Count.

He hasn't even regained consciousness the past week.

As for Carmilla ? She's been eerily silent lately. She probably said less than thirty things since Laura attacked the Count.

More often than not, Carmilla would stay in the Agency's hospital, and just watch through a window the Count as he rests, albeit heavily monitored. During these hours, Carmilla's expression was completely unreadable. 

At first Laura would stand by Carmilla's side, a few times with one of their friends. When Carmilla's silence would get to them, and they'd be tempted to ask exactly who he was to her in life, but they didn't want to risk provoking anything from her.

So, they'd just let her have her space.

In the meantime, Laura, Danny and the rest of the old Silas Gang were back to investigating, looking into something or someone in particular.

The demoness Lamashtu, and just what she brings to the table. They would gather what they can, and go over it in LaFontaine and Perry's office.

Of course they'd have the files on her, from her basic history as the daughter of the Sky God Anu; to the fact she was the archetypal Boogeyman (and thensome) inspiring the likes of the Greek Lamina, and depictions of Lilith. How she was considered a goddess or demigoddess in her own right.

They'd spend days going over Lamashtu, finding out what they can, but other than depictions of an animalistic creature, nursing a dog and a pig; how other demons were invoked to ward her off; there were no concrete stories about her. No real or lasting weaknesses, with her connection to the Hastur cult as murky as her half sister's.

Whatever they couldn't find of this demoness, what they could find wasn't that promising; how she spreads death, nightmares and disease like, well, a disease. How she'd infect rivers and lakes, and foliage; how she'd eat the flesh of humans and drink their blood.

And of course, the one that really catches their attention; Lamashtu's sweet tooth for children, the unborn, the newborn, and their mothers; especially the expectant ones.

Upon hearing this, Laura's first instinct was to try to contact the Bellas', but Danny talked her out of it right as Laura reached the phone.

"Laura, I understand you're upset, but you have to think this through." Danny would say, taking her wrist in a gentle grip.

"Think this through ?" Laura would ask with an annoyed glare, though the inflection in her voice shows she's not feeling as tough as the act she's putting on "What's not to think ? Carm's...I don't know who he is, but he's an accomplice to a baby killing demon."

"Do they know where you're staying ?" Danny asks.

Laura hesitates before shaking her head "They know we're having a baby. Don't you think that might be something worth bringing up to the woman carrying our baby ?" Laura finishes with a heavy inflection on the last three words, driving the point home.

"Oh we thought of that." LaFontaine chimes in, with Perry nodding in agreement.

"We find it's better to let them in slowly." Perry says "Do you really think word of a demon out to kill babies isn't gonna cause you're surrogate any stress ?"

"Carm and I already dragged them into this." Laura tries to argue "They're our responsibility."

"We're just saying maybe it's best to keep them on a need to know basis-" Danny puts a hand on Laura's shoulder.

"This is something they need to know!" Laura nearly shouts.

"We just have to find out her weakness, and then we can let them in." Danny puts both hands on Laura's shoulders to calm her down.

It's around here, something dawns on Laura; "Oh shit..." She says as the realization settles in.

"What is it ?"

"Their girl, Bella." Laura starts, putting a hand on her forehead "She's been having dreams about Hastur, and if that wasn't enough..."

Laura takes a deep breath.

"Earlier this month, Bella came into our room wanting to sleep with us after a bad dream."

"And...?" Danny asks.

"She was having dreams about this scary woman." Laura says with a shaky nod "She'd follow her around the house, but never into Carm and I's bedroom."

She looks back at Danny.

"And you're sure your facility's cameras didn't catch her ?"

"Yeah." Danny nods, rubbing the back of her neck as the same realization as Laura dawns on her "She was completely intangible; all they could get was her heat signature. But Kirsch and I saw her with our own two eyes."

"What did she look like ?" Laura says.

"Cute face. Pixie like. Really pale, with red hair. Her eyes glowed blue." Danny says "We've been over this already."

Laura pales, before she continues, staring off into space.

"Blue eyes. White skin. Red hair." Laura says, quoting word for word how Bella Conrad described the scary lady as "Said she had smoke following her."

Laura looks back at Danny "She knows where we're staying. Danny, she's been in their house! She's been with Bella and-!"

Danny pulls Laura into a reassuring hug.

"Laura, it's okay. We're gonna figure this out." Danny tries to sound reassuring.

"No we won't." LaFontaine says, catching their attention.

"What did you say ?"

"We're not gonna find anything on Lamashtu's weaknesses..." LaFontaine walks up to Laura and Danny, placing a hand on both of their shoulders "Because we already found something."

"What, when ?" Laura asks in disbelief.

"Around the time you started freaking out. Thought it'd be rude to interrupt. LaFontaine says, before leading Laura and Danny to their desk. 

On it are translations of Mesopotamian texts the Agency collected; these ones telling of one entity in particular. 

"May I present, Pazuzu ?" LaFontaine.

Laura looks over the translations.

"Pazuzu ?" Laura asks.

"You want to bring another demon in on this ?" Danny adds, looking at LaFontaine.

"I mean, has fighting her directly worked for you ?" LaFontaine asks.

Danny doesn't say anything, but her narrowed eyes answer for her.

"So, here's what Laf and I were able to find out last night." Perry says, laying her own papers on the table.

"Now at first, I thought we give her another shot of Nitroglycerin, Portable MRI's and injectable nanobots." Laf starts.

Laura and Danny look at them incredulously. This was the same trick they tried to pull on Inanna when she was possessing Perry.

"If she has a physical form, she has a brain. And where there's a brain there's neurons." LaFontaine says going over their papers.

"Cuz that worked so well the first time." Laura says.

"To her credit, I still get small headaches from high frequency noises." Perry chimes in, as the other three look at her "They leave a mark is what I'm saying."

"Plus it worked the other three times." Laf starts again "...but then we found out about the whole 'intangible body' thing. So unless we can find a way to force her into physical form, we have to look back at how folk used to deal with her back then."

"Enter, Pazuzu." Perry says, placing a polished, golden statue of Pazuzu on the desk "Something our people picked up while looking over the Count's 'palace'."

"Kept them locked away in a bunker." LaFontaine adds "When some of their boys were interrogated, we found out they were trying to destroy them."

Laura picks up the statue, eyeing it curiously.

"And how does Pazuzu factor into this ?"

LaFontaine jokingly scoffs and rolls their eyes "Honestly, Hollis ? After all that time in the library and after the Dean ? I'd think you would have look a little more into her mythology."

"As for Pazuzu ?" Perry chimes in "Turns out he and our resident child hunting demoness have a history."

"Exes." LaFontaine says as they pretend to cough.

"But more importantly, back in the day, Pazuzu was invoked against Lamashtu." Perry explains "Specifically, as protection for pregnant women and newborn infants."

"He was her counter, and if you ask me, we could use one." LaFontaine adds "You know, once you get past the whole plague of locusts thing, and that he's the King of Wind Demons."

"Better the devil you know." Perry nods.

"So what you're saying is," Danny says, taking a look at the statue "We call upon this Pazuzu character, and what, he takes care of the Lamashtu problem ?"

LaFontaine and Perry look at each other before both shrug.

"Seemed to work in the olden days." LaFontaine says.

"Plus, if he's a protector of pregnant women and children," Perry adds "Then it sounds like something the Bellas' could use in their house.

This time, Laura and Danny glance at each other, before Laura nods to herself.

"I guess, it's something to think about." Laura says, before making her way to the door "I just gotta run it by my better half."

----

In the facility's medical wing, a stone-faced and sleep deprived Carmilla Karnstein stands behind a one way window, looking into the Count's hospital room.

In all her years, decades, centuries even, for everyone who sought revenge against her for any slight, perceived or otherwise, no one really got under her skin like the ghoulish creature laying hospitalized and bound to the bed before her.

She can barely close her eyes after looking at him. Every time she so much as blinks, she is taken back to that time where she was human, innocent...naïve and vulnerable. 

But out of everything, it brought her back to her death; something you'd think she'd be over by now, but something like being murdered and betrayed in such a cold blooded manner, sticks with you, even in the back of your mind.

After the first couple of days, that gnarly slash Laura did to the Count healed up. But the past few days afterwards, the Count seemingly hasn't regained consciousness. He still had to wear a muzzle though.

He'd just lay there in his bed, muttering and whispering, snarling and groaning. Carmilla, or any other observer couldn't make a coherent sentence of what he was saying. Every so often he'd say the name of a recognized god, spirit or monster, but the three times he spoke the name "Mircalla", his voice was full of venom and rage.

Carmilla was pulled from her train of thought when someone put a hand on her shoulder.

"Carm," Laura says, getting her attention.

"Cupcake." Carmilla regards her, though she keeps looking back at the unconscious Count.

"Has...anything changed on your end ?"

Carmilla shakes her head.

"Same as yesterday...and the day before." Carmilla shrugs with an absentminded tone "You ?"

"Laf and Perry think they found something." Laura says, though her eyes are also on the restring Count.

Unsettled, Laura puts a hand on her own neck, still a little unnerved that she could inflict something like that.

"Well, don't leave me hanging."

"Right," Laura says, shaking her head "They think we should summon a demon."

Carmilla glances at Laura, seemingly snapped out of her previous stoicism.

"I know, it's not ideal." Laura raises both hands "I'm still thinking over it myself, and wanted to run it by you. But this demoness, Lamashtu, we think she's already onto the girls."

Carmilla's eyes widen, and her jaw drops.

"What ?"

"And the only solution is to call upon a demon." Laura adds "Apparently it's how they'd ward her off in the olden days."

Carmilla places a hand on her forehead as several thoughts pass through her head.

"She was in their house - Bella was dreaming about her. Of course!" Carmilla grits her teeth "Have you checked in on-?"

"Yes." Laura says "I called them on the way down. I haven't told them everything; Danny says they're on a need to know basis."

"Sounds like something they need to know."

"That's what I told Danny, but she says we can't have them worrying about something until they know how to deal with it."

"And you sure Pazuzu is the way to go ?" Carmilla asks, crossing her arms.

"How'd you know it was-?"

"When you talk about summoning a demon to ward off Lamashtu, you can kind of put two and two together." Carmilla lightly taps her temple to emphasize her point "I read too you know."

Laura nods, as she looks towards the window "It's just a matter of finding out how-"

Laura stops as she looks into the hospital room, Carmilla follows her gaze to see the Count sitting up in the hospital bed, staring with a glare.

"This is a one way window, he shouldn't see us-" Laura whispers under her breath.

"My ears can pick up what my eyes cannot, Hollis." The Count groans. He tries to sit further up, but finds himself restrained. On his wrist and ankles are a set of modified cuffs, cutting into his skin the harder he pulls "Is this a surgery room or a torture chamber ?"

There's a pause before he says.

"Ah, what's the difference ?" 

The Count looks towards where Carmilla and Laura are standing behind the window.

"For someone who wishes to leave me in a forgotten past, Mircalla, you can't seem to bear to leave my side. What is it that pulls you to me ?"

Carmilla hesitates before speaking.

"I'm just making sure you can't hurt me anymore."

"Ha!" The Count scoffs loudly "I seem to recall you being the reason I'm in this mess!"

"Actually, if you want to be technical, I was the one who hospitalized you." Laura chimes in.

"Schweigen, fotze!" The Count snaps, all but lunging from the bed "I will be glad to have a second match, if you wish to test me further! See how things go then!"

The Count stares at the spot he can tell Carmilla is behind the mirror/window.

"I am only the monster you created, Mircalla; whatever harm I do, is on you!" The Count growls, not paying attention to the monitoring security guards making their way in the room.

"I am sick," Carmilla seethes, showing a rage that Laura hasn't seen since Mattie's death. Notably, Carmilla's voice was shifting to a more natural Austrian accent "I am sick of you people not taking responsibility; I have many a great shame in my past; but I am not responsible for your choices."

"My choices ?" The Count sneers "What choice did you give me ?"'

"I was a child!"

"You were nineteen!"

"I had my life taken from me-"

"You weren't the only one!" The Count says "I could have lived like a king, had it not been for you, and what you stole from me-"

Yet again, a window breaks interrupting the Count. This time, it is Carmilla, not Laura, who climbs through and makes her way towards the restrained Count.

Rather than attack him, Carmilla simply grabs the Count by the neck, and gets in his face.

"I am not responsible." Carmilla says, her 'Mircalla' voice still speaking "I wasn't responsible for Vordenberg, I wasn't responsible for Elle, and I am not responsible for you."

The Count says nothing, only stares daggers, breathing heavily as he takes in what Carmilla's saying in.

"If you want to be a monster, fine!" Carmilla says releasing him as several guards make their way to the bed "But you do not get to use me as an excuse anymore!"

Something in the Count's eyes changed; like the light faded from his eyes. No longer was there that burning anger and fury that filled them moments ago; just cold hatred and disdain.

"Fine." The Count says "You want a monster. You'll get a monster."

The Count leans his head back with a cold gaze, exhaling deeply through his nose.

After a pause, his lips curve into a slight smirk.

"But what of Lamashtu ? Do you wish her to be a monster you face ?" He asks, licking his teeth "She is one of the worst, after all."

The Count directs his gaze to Laura.

"Of course, you know what Nietzsche says about fighting monsters." The Count says "If I heard correctly, you intend on bringing another demon into this; is risking the life of an innocent woman and her family not enough ?"

"You'll never understand." Laura says "You don't have what we have, and probably never had."

The Count narrows his eyes in a hateful glare towards Laura, and the latter continues.

"You have no idea how low I'm willing to sink; for Carm, the baby-"

"And what about your selfless surrogate ?" The Count asks.

"If there's a way, I'll find it." Laura says with an affirmative nod.

The Count rolls his good eye and chuckles dryly.

"Oh Mircalla, you sure know how to pick an in-law." The Count darts his eye between Laura and Carmilla "Careful now, Lamashtu's a handful."

And with that, the Count leans his head forward, before slamming it back. Hard against the head of the hospital bed. Hard enough to hear a wince inducing snap.

With his neck broken, the Count's head hangs off the side of the bed, having rendered himself unconscious.

Carmilla stands and stares as several guards and orderlies rush in to tend to the Count. 

Figuring she shouldn't be in this room longer than she needs to (or even wants to), Carmilla turns to Laura, making her way to the broken window.

"You say they found something ?" Carmilla asks.

Laura nods.

Carmilla looks back at the Count with an unreadable expression.

"Well, we best get to it, lest we cause any more property damage."

----

Over the next couple of hours, Laf and Perry gave Carm, Laura and Danny the rundown on Pazuzu, in their office.

Pazuzu was the King of the Wind Demons and son of Hanbi, lord of all evil deeds. As such, Pazuzu was not a benevolent demon by any stretch of the imagination, but against Lamashtu, he was often invoked as protection for pregnant women and their children.

The matter at hand was, if they should call upon him, and if they did, how do they know it would be effective.

"That's what we found out on our own." LaFontaine starts "Perry and I got permission to test out an interrogation technique on the Counts followers we managed to wrangle up."

Laura, Carm and Danny's eyes widen, the expression on their faces read "Well, that's concerning."

"I know what you're wondering and it's not like that," LaF clarifies "It's just a little mind game. The CIA have been experimenting with it for decades."

"Is that supposed to make it sound better ?" Carmilla asks.

"Back to the point at hand," Perry interrupts, "When the spots cleared out from their eyes, and they spoke coherent words, one of the Count's lackies spilled the beans."

"This statue," Laf says, raising the gold statue of Pazuzu "Is one of eight of its kind; a relic of the demon that was genuinely marked by Pazuzu himself."

"These relics had a special power over the average idol; they'd use material taken from someone of power - in this case, the King's gold." Perry starts.

"And would baptize it in the blood of a wind demon." LaFontaine finishes.

There is a pause in the air before Laf speaks again.

"No one said getting a demon's protection would be pretty." LaF says.

"Kirsch and Mel are lending a hand excavating the Count's manor; it turns out he's been collecting quite a bit of these relics, and trying to destroy them." Perry explains.

"Trying being the key word." LaFontaine once again finishes "So the Count just decided to bury them in his basement. Out of sight. Out of mind."

"Matter of fact, we were thinking of overseeing the last part of the excavation." Perry says "It's our understanding that it was..."

Carmilla stops and looks at them, noticing Perry hesitate.

"It was the...manor you were-" Perry tries to finish, but Carmilla nods as it dawns on her.

"If you don't mind a trip back-"

"It's cool. It's cool." Carmilla sighs before lightly kicking her foot onto the ground "Guess there's no end to confronting my demons, is there, cupcake ?"

There is another pause in the room, before Carmilla takes hold of the statue, looking it over.

"And you are sure this is the right idea ?"

"Might not be the right one, but it's the only one we got." LaFontaine explains.

"And these idols," Laura starts "They'll be enough to ward her off ?"

"Eh." LaF shrugs "It's potent enough that the Count wants them destroyed."

"Or if you need a plan B, I think a total invocation might just do the trick." Perry nods.

"You two are really prepared to bring another demon into this ?" Danny asks, raising an eyebrow and Laf and Perry.

"When life gives you lemons." Perry shrugs.

"Plus, it's said if you invoke him, we will not extend his wrath to those who summon him," LaFontaine adds "Plus, by all accounts, he and Lamashtu hate eachother on a very personal level; if we get to summoning him, and he catches a whiff of her, we probably won't even need to ask."

Laura takes hold of the statue, eyeing it carefully.

"Maybe it's better we take our baby steps."

----

Casa Del Bellas, March 29th, 2021

It was decently quiet in Bailey Downs, especially for the Bella's.

Other than a few phone calls and emails, they barely heard from either Carm or Laura, so they tried to keep things in the "business as usual" department. It helped that Chloe's bits of morning sickness and fatigue seemed to fade over the passing weeks.

It may have had something to do with her new diet; a few nights back, Beca and Aubrey caught Chloe going through the fridge, taking a bit of beef and sucking the red juices dry. She was pretty pale that night, her eyes dark and sunken in; and in the span of a few seconds, she'd go right back to her usual, more sunny disposition.

Chloe, like Bella, spent a lot of time in bed or the bathtub, since Carm and Laura departed. Through the past three days, she became a little more active. As of late, Chloe would go out for long walks around the area, usually with Beca, Stacie or Aubrey in too. Much like she did in her early pregnancy.

On these walks, they would rarely talk, just enjoying the usual quiet in the Bailey Downs area.

Of course, the few things to talk about were not something you'd want to talk about.

Unfortunately, their new neighbor Tara didn't find her dog; in fact three others went missing the past week, but given Bailey Downs' history, this kind of thing wasn't unheard of.

What was unheard of was that four days ago, at Bailey Downs Daycare Services; the kids were suddenly all scared back into their school during recess; they said they saw a bloody woman with red hair, dressed in black watching them from a tree line, carrying a dead cat. 

Coincidently, it was that same week Stacie was considering setting Bella up for daycare. Well, that shot that plan in the foot.

Two days ago, Bailey Downs resident Darlene Campbell, and her two year old son Lucas were reported missing by the Campbell's father and husband. Police stopped by the Bellas' house, as well as their neighbors to ask if they saw anything. As it so happened, Darlene was seven months pregnant.

At that point onwards, whenever Chloe would go out for her walks, Aubrey would insist that she or her partner would carry a gun with them. They don't want a repeat of the Darlington/Lakewood incident.

These walks were otherwise uneventful, but whenever they went on them, they couldn't shake the feeling that someone was following them.

It was when Beca and Chloe got home from one of their walks, they saw a package waiting for them in the mailbox. Neither Aubrey, Stacie or Bella were home, so they figured they were out getting groceries.

When Chloe and Beca saw it was from Carmilla and Laura, they decided to wait until the other three got back home, setting it on the table. When they did, Bella was the first to make a beeline towards the package, while Stacie and Aubrey were busy putting groceries away.

"Mamas, what is that ?" Bella asks, looking over it curiously.

"It's-" Beca says, placing her daughter on her lap "It's from Carm and Laura."

"A present ?" Bella asks, picking the package up in her own two hands, grunting a little at how heavy it was "Whose it for ?"

"It says it's for the Bellas," Chloe says "I guess it's for all of us."

"What's this ?" Aubrey asks once the last of the groceries were put away "Someone got us a present ?"

"It's from Carm and Laura." Beca clarifies "Sounds important."

"Can I open it ?" Bella asks innocently, putting on a cute pleading look towards her four moms.

"Tell you what," Stacie says, taking a seat at the table along with Aubrey "If it's for all five of us, we can take turns opening it. How's that sound ?"

Bella simply nods with an eager smile on her face as her answer.

One by one, each of them takes a turn tearing a small piece of the paper off, revealing the box behind it. In it is a note that Beca picks up and reads.

"Keep this in the hall for safe keeping. Not sure when we'll be back. Hopefully in a week."

Beca raises an eyebrow, wondering why Laura didn't just call or send an email, but was distracted from these thoughts when Chloe was the one who opens the box.

Inside was a statue, no bigger than a football; it was rather grotesque looking; it had the wings, the animalistic face, and...and endowment between the legs that prompted Beca to cover Bella's eyes.

"What is...?" Aubrey asks curiously, but she trails off before finishing her question.

She picks the statue up, and she and the other girls look over it curiously.

Bella manages to sneak a peek, and looking at the statue with a surprising look for familiarity says one word.

"Zuzu."

This prompts the other four to glance at her.

"Pardon ?" Stacie asks.

"Zuzu," Bella says "I saw him in a book."

"What books have you been looking at that have this in it, sweetie ?" Stacie asks her daughter with a suspicious glance.

Bella shrugs, as an unseen, unheard presence whispers to her.

"Miss Laura saw me in her room looking at her things." Bella says, pausing to let the presence whisper further "Saw this picture, and she told me it's name."

The girls look at eachother, before accepting that as a reasonable explanation.

"And what...what did she say about it ?" Aubrey asks, prying her daughter further.

There is a pause as Bella listens to another whisper.

"I couldn't say..."

Another whisper.

"She said it would give me nightmares."

Again, the four Bellas look at eachother, before deciding this was an acceptable answer.

"Tell you what." Beca says, "The day's still young and it's gonna rain. Who's up for a WandaVision marathon ?"

Bella excitedly raises her hand, immediately squirming her way off of Beca's lap and making her way to the living room, with Chloe following after.

"Easy sweetie, mommy's walking for two..." Chloe says as she follows after Bella.

The otherwise chipper mood dampers a little as Beca, Aubrey and Stacie look over the statue.

"Somethings going down, is it ?" Aubrey says.

"Has to be." Beca says with a sigh "First Carmilla tells us about her family; Bella starts having these dreams; they send us this, and Bella knows its name. Not all of this can be a coincidence."

"Think we should reach out ?" Stacie asks.

"I think they're not letting us in on something." Beca says "I'd say that we better."

"Hmm," Stacie remarks before picking the statue up "Well, if they know what they're talking about, I'd say it's best we do what they say."

"Stacie-"

"Beca, we've been over this." Stacie says confidently as she makes her way to the stairs "I trust them. I trust that they know what they're doing. They have the experience and everything. If we ask, I'm sure they won't hide anything from us. But for now, maybe it's best we play ball."

"Stace, maybe she's right." Aubrey gets up after her "We don't know what this is, and if Carm is worried about something-"

"She would make sure we have the right protection." Stacie says, as Beca and Aubrey follow her up the stairs "Besides, what's the worse that can-"

"Don't jinx it!" Beca says insistently "Asking those kind of questions are what triggers things into going wrong."

Stacie turns around with a sigh and a shake of her head.

"Tell you what ? We reach out to Carm and Laura tonight, have them explain themselves." Stacie says calmly and logically "Until then, we can put it in their room and see what they'll do with it. Til then, it'll be out of site, out of mind."

Hesitantly, Aubrey and Beca glance at each other, but nod in agreement.

With that, Stacie simply goes into Carmilla and Laura's bedroom, and places the Pazuzu statue on their bed, playfully booping it where it's nose would be, before turning back to her girlfriends.

"See ? No harm. No fowl."

There is a pause but when nothing of note happens, Beca and Aubrey reluctantly nod before following Stacie down the hall and join the rest of their family. 

As they reached the stairs, Beca suddenly stopped, feeling a sudden chill run up upper back, followed by a warm wave. It was a feeling she hasn't felt since...

Beca shakes her head, chalking it up to nothing but a sudden breeze. She can do her detective work this evening, and have a facetime Carm and Laura tonight and get her answers then. 

For now it was family time. 

----

Elsewhere, about a mile away in the Bailey Downs Hills, in a cabin rented out by one Theo Straka and "Tara Vaughan"...the latter had a sudden sickness rushing over her while the latter was trying to watch TV in their cabin's living room.

There was fuck all on. But for now, Theo was stuck in here. 

Tara wouldn't let him leave, claiming that everyone would see and recognize his face if he's out too much. 

Plus with Carmilla seemingly out there, does Theo really want to take his chances with a pissed off vampire who has all the reason in the world to hate him and want him dead ?

No. Didn't think so.

So Theo was reduced to her cabin's couch potato, while cute innocent looking Tara went around, getting to know the neighbors and good people of Bailey Downs, picking up supplies when needed. Although lately she was  more concerned with her own food than Theo's.

About a week before, Tara paid a visit to the Greene family, renting a cabin a little down the way. Had a cute little dog too; a chocolate lab puppy that Tara took a liking too...so much so that she took the first chance she got to squeeze the life out of him and just gobble him up.

She kept the leash and collar too; helped her play the part of a distressed owner of a missing pet.

Of course, there's the matter of silencing the terrified family; nothing a few slit throats, four days of dismemberment, partial cannibalism and boiling in chemicals couldn't fix. Along with burying the spilled out remains under the basement floor. 

All the usual for Tara.

Plus it was more than enough to satisfy her usual bloodlust for the week, but it would seem she's getting as bored as Theo.

Which is why when Darlene Campbell, and her two year old son Lucas suddenly car broke down just off the cabin trail, and Tara was strolling about to lend a hand, and offered to have them over for lunch while they waited for the tow truck.

Of course there were days where Tara got cocky; one outing she picked up a stray cat to satisfy her cravings...but the sound of children at the local daycare caught her attention. She was sure she could lure at least one of the little rugrats out - even if the school had cameras, her image never appears on them anyways.

...then one of those brats saw the cat, and now she has to lay low. Though she could just use her usual power to skip town (or the province, or continent) cut her hair slightly and throw Theo under the bus.

But where's the fun in that ? That's not worth losing two children she had her eyes on for a while now.

So when Theo was watching TV or the computer, looking over anything that could lead them to more names on the Crimson List...Tara had a sudden sickness wash over her, and she found herself in their cabin's bathroom; leaning over, coughing, spitting and even regurgitating into the toilet.

Some of it was even coming out of her nose.

She hasn't felt that way in about centuries; when she last saw him. When he was last called upon.

When she thought she had bested her rival and left him to drown in a sea of his blood. Of course, big sister Inanna was there to clean up her mess, and make sure her nasty little sister had her time out.

It was only fitting that she would come back to the Karnstein's, when the good Count Falco freed her in the first place.

She was busy, enjoying a good lunch she picked out for herself, when suddenly it was in the air; the cold chill, the rotting stench, and not in a good way.

And now here she was, futilely cleaning up the red mess she was making into the toilet, wiping its ridge and her face clean with the multiple rolls of toilet paper, which she swiftly plops into the toilet bowl. By then it was red and overflowing.

It was probably gonna clog considering her meal wasn't properly digested, but you don't spend four hundred years or so maintaining your record of the Boogeyman without learning how to flush things down. The easy way or the hard way.

She spent the last several minutes catching her breath, before she looked at the blood spilled around the toilet, a lot of it smearing into her shirt.

With a sullen sigh, she began to undress. A long shower is just what she needed to clear her head, and hopefully was away from the stink of Pazuzu.

----

Once her shower was over, a dejected looking "Tara Vaughan" descended down the stairs in a bright pink bathrobe.

Theo was still on the computer, in their living room.

"Heads up, the john's clogged." She says making her way downstairs.

"I could hear that." Theo says with an annoyed tone "Was it something you ate ?"

"Nah; I don't like cats and dogs at the best of times, but they never get me like that." She shakes her head, making her way to the sink to pour herself a glass of water "But there was something in the air."

She drinks her glass down, putting it aside, before heading to Theo and leaning over his shoulder.

"Any news ?"

"We got four names on the Crimson List coming up in Ontario; a married couple in Sudbury. A Silas graduate in North Bay, and another in Saint Catharines."

"I'll get them this afternoon; could use a little break from Bailey Downs."

"And me ?" Theo asks.

"You gotta hold down the fort, Straka. Who else is gonna clean the bathroom ?" Tara says with a cheeky smile.

"You know," Theo says getting up from his seat "Their house is like an hour walk from here; I don't see what good the waiting game is gonna do. I could just drive up to their driveway and shoot them, and that would be that."

"Then you will expose yourself, and Miss Danny Lawrence will more than likely seek you out herself. If not, Mircalla Karnstein herself. If not them, then the OPP will be on you like hungry demoness on a baby." 

Tara playfully taps Theo on the cheek, to empathies her point.

"Besides, you don't spend centuries upon centuries being a parent and child's worst nightmare without picking up a thing or too." 

Tara giggles innocently, leaning back against the wall, while thinking whimsically of the sound of an infant's cry juxtaposed with that of the mothers.

"Do you know when the fruit of the womb is the ripest for picking ?" Tara licks her lips, keeping herself from salivating.

Theo shakes his head, often getting creeped out when she talks like this. Especially when her "natural" voice and accent slips through the cracks.

"Third trimester. Around their time they're all but fully formed. The time they can survive outside the womb - with medical equipment of course. Their hearts beating, their limbs moving, the neurons in their brains trying to process the way they work. I take that, and rip it away; I make sure the only existence they know is pain and death. That is what I wish for the young dhampir."

Theo is a little mortified at her words. He could certainly see why the Dean had this one locked away. But he shakes his head to get those icky feelings of standards out of his head.

"And the other kid ?" Theo asks "Belle, whatever he name is ?"

"Oh her ?" Tara giggles "When it comes to being a mothers worst nightmare, I have more creative things in mind than death..."

Tara takes another sniff into the air and shudders.

"Speaking of which, I'll be out. Apparently I have to go around Ontario, and I can't be doing that on an empty stomach."

----

"Tara" opens the cabin's back door, making her way to the shack in its backyard.

Inside was mother and son, Darlene and Lucas Campbell, broken, physically, mentally and already knowing there is no chance for them to get out alive. They still had plenty to go around, and their captor didn't take enough from them to kill them so easily.

They don't even try to comfort each other anymore. There's just no point in it.

Lamashtu grins a Cheshire smile, her bright blue eyes gleaming in excitement.

"W...why ?" Darlene could just muster. Her larynx was previously crushed; her mind trying to hold itself together, after everything this creature, passing herself off as a human, did to her and her son for how many days now.

Lamashtu tilts her head in an exaggerated manner, licking her lips and clicking her animal-like fangs that both Campbell's have become very accustomed to.

She takes a couple steps towards Darlene, crouching down to eye level and leans into her ear.

"Because."

Lamashtu puts her hand on Darlene's pregnant stomach, and shakes her head with a tsk.

"Not ripe enough yet. But I'm sure it'll do by now." Lamashtu continues to tsk, before turning her eyes to Lucas "You ? You still have some meat on your bones. Best not let it go to waste."

She grins maliciously, leaning in to take a bite.

----

After her latest meal, Lamashtu steps out of the shake with an exhilarated sigh, as she lets her bathrobe drop.

Sure the stench of Pazuzu's blood was still in the air, but they had quite a ways to go before having any kind of foothold over her.
But at the same time, why not let them have their fun ? Why not let them think they're safe ?

She could use a little time out of Bailey Downs county anyways. There are some on the Crimson List who still need to pay their dues. 

Why not make it a vacation ?

A pair of angel-like wings spread from her shoulders, and Lamashtu takes flight.

----

That evening, in Casa Del Bellas, Beca spent most of the afternoon on her computer. 

She went over the statue and what it represented, which was as simple as a google search, and various sites to get what she needed. Needless to say, she was momentarily mortified, but figured she could get answers straight from the source.

Once the sun set, and Bella was put to bed, Beca gathered her girlfriends to tell them about her concerns, and they quickly decided to talk to the Silas gang via skype to get their side.

Beca hoped their answer would be satisfactory.

That night, Beca had her girls gathered at the living room couch, laptop on the coffee table before them.

Laura was quick to answer, dressed in a white bathrobe as she sat on her and Carm's bed.

"The sky, the stars, the sun, the roof and the moon. You know, the usual." Chloe shrugs.

"What she means is," Beca says  "We were wondering what that statue was about ?"

Stacie leans in to interject "Not that we don't appreciate a gift and all, it's just-"

Beca interrupts "What we're getting at is we know what the statue is of and what it's about."

Aubrey jabs a thumb at Beca "She does at least."

"Bella, saying the name Zuzu, says he's from one of you and Carm's mythology books." Beca counts her fingers "We have the internet you know."

Laura's face blushes in embarrassment and puts her face in both hands.

"We're gonna tell you when we have the full details." Laura says, she looks off camera and the door can be heated opening in the background. 

Stepping into the camera frame is Carmilla wearing her pajama top and bottoms.

"They figured it out did they ?"

"Pretty much." Laura nods.

"You sent us a statue of Pazuzu." Beca starts to question "And if my research is correct, the correlation between Pazuzu, children and pregnant women is a demoness is after someone in the house."

Upon hearing this Chloe defensively puts her hand on her stomach.

Carmilla sighs and nods.

"We have reason to believe that...the demoness Lamashtu is in the Bailey Downs area." Carmilla says plainly and truthfully.

"Lamashtu ?" Aubrey questions.

"Think of her as an early proto vampire." Carmilla answers.

"Apparently she's also where they got Lilith and Lamina from." Laura adds.

"And that she preys on pregnant women and children." Beca says.

As soon as she says this, the other three girls' eyes noticeably bulge in concern. Chloe once again wraps an arm protectively around her stomach, while Aubrey puts her hands on Chloe's shoulder's reassuringly, while Stacie looks up towards the stairs with a terrified expression.

"But," Beca adds, immediately noticing her girlfriends' reactions "Pazuzu is supposed to ward her off."

"Someone's done her research." Carmilla nods with an unreadable expression.

"We just want to know why ?" Aubrey says "If this...Lama Stew girl is after us, is there anything to look out for ?"

Laura pauses to think for a moment before answering.

"A while back, Bella told us about these bad dreams she's been having of a scary lady following her around the house." Laura says "Then we've been getting messages, and find out Danny and her crew have been hunting this woman for a while now."

"What does she say the woman looked like ?" Beca asks.

"Bright red hair, bright blue eyes, pale skin." Carmilla answers.

"Danny says it matches the description of the spirit her agency is chasing." Laura says, before remembering "Actually, now that I mention it, has anything else suspicious been going on since we left ?"

The Bellas' pause to think, and both Carm and Laura see the realization dawn on their faces.

That woman showed up at the daycare with a dead cat. 

A pregnant woman and her young son went missing days ago. 

And how whenever their new neighbor Tara - with pale skin, bright red hair, and bright blue eyes - would pay them a visit, Chloe would start throwing up, and Bella would always leave the room, adamantly refusing to get out of her own.

"Oh my god." The four speak at the same time.

"I thought so." Laura says "The agency permitted us to send you that idol due to its potency."

"Potency, as in ?" Chloe starts to act.

"It's made from real gold, belonging to the Akkadian Empire, and..." Laura hesitates.

"And ?" The four Bellas' lean in and ask at the same time.

"It was baptized, more or less, in Pazuzu's actual blood. Not only is that idol in particular of significant value, but it was literally marked by, and linked to, Pazuzu himself."

The flat, pale and freaked out expressions on the four girls' faces, was almost priceless. Almost, given the circumstances.

"So," Beca pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs "You're idea of warding off a demon stalking us, our baby, and your baby...is to bring another demon into this ?"

"Well," Laura shrugs, "When in Rome....or in this case Mesopotamia."

"Also," Carmilla chimes in "If it doesn't tickle your fancy, there is one other who was invoked Lamashtu; in fact, she was the one who imprisoned her centuries ago."

"Then why don't you get her in on this ?" Beca crosses her arms.

"Because she was my groomer, abuser, buried me alive in a coffin of blood; tried to kill me and Laura repeatedly, and has been practicing human sacrifice to a Deep One to bring about Hell on Earth." Carmilla says bluntly.

After a pause, Laura chimes in again.

"She also possessed one of our best friends. Bottom line, Nana Inanna is off the table."

"...But you're still calling upon a demon." Beca says.

"If it makes you feel better, unlike Abrahamic demons, demons in Mesopotamia folklore were servants of the God's, both good and bad." Carmilla says, raising one hand and another to empathize her point "As far as this example is concerned, we might as well be calling upon an angel."

"Okay, but what if Bella's head starts spinning and she starts vomiting out green soup-?" Aubrey starts to ask before Carmilla raises her hand to silence her.

"The Exorcist ? Really ?" Carmilla asks "Look, Pazuzu may be an evil spirit, but as far as we've learned, he's at least protective of those who invoke him."

The four Bellas' glance at each other, but Beca nods. Based on her own research, that's right on the money.

"I mean the worst that can happen is a famine and drought upon the land." Laura adds "But we're taking it in baby steps; the idol we gave only has his essence. We aren't actually thinking of summoning him entirely. This is only for temporary reasons, you know ?"

"Until ?" Stacie asks.

"Until we find a more permanent solution." Carmilla says, before clapping her hands together "Look, Laura and I...and the gang ? We're joining an investigation; you should know that what's happening has to do with the past I told you of. We're gonna oversee the excavation of...my home."

There is a pause, as Carmilla looks so lost and thought, wiping her eyes and brushing a hand through her dark hair.

"It should take about a day or too, but...we're gonna have to postpone the baby shower. Again."

Stacie nods with an understanding expression "Look, you gotta do you. We trust you know what you're doing, right guys ?"

All nod, though Beca hesitates first.

"We'll keep you on a need to know basis." Laura says "We're gonna do everything within our power to keep you six safe. I promise you - on my life."

"We appreciate it, but-" Aubrey starts to say, before Chloe interrupts.

"We'll give Bella a big hug for you tomorrow." Chloe says "Goodnight."

"Night-" Both Carm and Laura say at the same time before the feed cuts off.

After a moment of confusion, and trying to turn the computer back on, they see its battery ran out of juice.

"So what now ?" Aubrey asks.

Stacie shrugs "Wait I guess; I mean so far that statue hasn't caused us any trouble."

"And it's just his essence, right ? Not the real deal." Chloe says with a nod "Sounds like the best course of action is to wait for more answers."

Noticing the way Beca is looking off in the distance, she fidgets a little, Chloe puts a reassuring hand on Beca's.

"And we'll know who to look out for if this...Lama Stew girl is after us." Chloe continues "We'll know what to do."

Stacie has a look of realization, and face palms.

"Tara! She was in our house." Stacie realizes "She was looking for our Bella, and-"

Stacie gets up from the couch, taking Aubrey by the hand. 

"Brey, come. Where do you keep the gun ?"

Chloe stands up from the couch after them.

"I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet." Chloe says "I mean, a lot of people have red hair and blue eyes."

Chloe briefly tugs her red hair, and points to her own blue eyes to mark her point.

"Okay, but whenever Tara shows up-" Stacie starts to argue.

"I know, I know." Chloe raises both hands in a reassuring manner "Look, a lot of the properties here are rented out. You may recall when we bought this property, I know the land owners...they have...connections."

"What are you saying ?" Beca asks.

"I'm saying, just give me tomorrow to make a few appointments."

----

March 31st, 2021, Austria. Just off the Carpathian Mountains. 

As Carm and Laura said they would, they accompanied Danny, Laf and Perry by plane back to Austria. 
Back to where the Count was arrested.

And a place Carmilla never thought she'd go back too. But if a past must unbury itself, she figures she must have to kill it again.

On the ride there, Laura would place a hand on Carmilla's as the plane lands. She was gonna ask if she's nervous, but she has been with her for six years now. 

You don't share a bed with someone for six years and not tell when they're nervous, and she can see as plain as day that Carmilla Karnstein was mortified. She nary said a word the whole ride here, nor did she have too.

But Carmilla was nothing if not courageous. If this was something she had to see through, she would.

They arrived at the Manor's grounds by way of the Agency's escort. It was only when they stepped onto the grounds with the manor in view, did Carmilla finally speak.

"Well, guys...this is my place."

The four made their way up the Manor's massive driveway with Laura holding her hand and Danny giving the rundown.

"At the time we were here, the place was covered by a fog; we reasoned it to be supernaturally induced. It was only after the sacrifice did it clear."

"Sacrifice..." Carmilla says under her breath. She looks around the manor's grounds, shuddering as not so nostalgic feelings wash over her.

"Now in our initial excavations, we found out only about forty percent of the manor has been renovated for the modern era." Danny continues "The other sixty present was kept intact. It's there where we found most of his collection."

"Anything in particular ?" Carmilla asks with an unreadable tone.

"Bedrooms mostly." Danny says "He updated the servants quarters for comfortable living conditions, but the most he did with renovating was give the manor electricity, internet access and cable. Just what he needs to keep up with the modern world."

"What was with that tent city by the lake ?" Laura asks.

"It's where he'd keep the men serving under him." Danny answers.

Both Laura and Carmilla double take, before the former asks "What about the girls ?"

"Free room and board." Danny says "And no, they weren't sex slaves or anything; by his own admission, and those we interrogated, they belonged to Lamashtu."

"...So she was living here too ?" Carmilla asks.

"The story varies between her being the head house servant, to even the Count's master." Danny says "They'd say she'd hide among them, so no one knew which one she was. But those that did, identified her with the same description."

"Small perky, and pixie-like. Bright red hair, and bright blue eyes." Perry adds.

"Just like our neighbor." Laura says with a little fidget.

"It's like we said, the blood of Pazuzu should be a-" LaFontaine says, trying to reassure her.

"Should be." Laura adds "But if he's been collecting them here, and she's been living here, what good are they to us ? You don't think she'll find a way around that ?"

Laura sighs and throws up her hands in frustration.

"One of us should have stayed with them." Laura says, shaking her head.

When they finally reach the manor, the doors open; inside there are at least twelve agency men and women excavating the place; looking over various items, art pieces, furniture, etc.

In the doorway itself stands Mel and Kirsche.

"Took you guys long enough." Mel says "Hope you didn't mind going through your stuff, but-"

"Save the snark. You'll never beat me in that department." Carmilla says, being the first to walk past the two.

Carmilla a moment looking over the interior, looking so lost in thought of memory lane, ignoring the people working around her.

No one thinks to say anything or interrupt her, but they do note how heavy her breathing is getting, before she uncontrollably chokes back a sob.

Laura steps up to Carm, putting one hand on her shoulder and the other on her arm.

"Carm..."

"This place should have been burnt years ago." Carmilla says with a deep inhale, wiping her eyes. Noticeably, the next thing she says is in her natural Austrian accent "Nothing but bad memories. Even the happy ones get sad."

Laura pulls Carmilla into a hug, shushing her gently as she brushes her hair.

Carm doesn't cry, but she's clearly barely holding herself together. She turns towards her friends before asking in her Americanized accent "Your report says the bedrooms are untouched."

"Yes and no." Mel says, her snarky demeanor gone, "There was a girls bedroom in one of the upstairs halls...it certainly looks like it's from the fifteenth century, but someone's been keeping it clean."

"We didn't take anything from it, you know in case-" Kirsch starts to say, before Carmilla is already making her way to the manor's stairway.

Laura hesitates, looking back at her friends, before deciding to follow Carm up the stairs.

She follows Carmilla up the hallway on the second floor, before they reach another flight of stairs. 

They take a right on the third floor; clearly Carmilla was going by muscle memory, before she stops in front of the second door. 

Above it is a wooden plaque: "Niemandsland."

Carmilla gives a sad chuckle, before opening the door. She hesitates before looking back at Laura with a snarky smile.

"So, you wanna check out my room ?"

Laura gives a more friendly smile, before nodding her head and giving a casual shrug.

As they step in, they see the room is spacious, and befitting of a noble girl of the fifteenth century.

On one side of the room was a bed Carm used to think was a lot bigger when she was a kid; on the second side was a shelf of books, and a wardrobe beside it; on the third side, a chest of sorts and shelf full of dolls. On the fourth wall there was a glass door leading to a balcony.

Still, as if she were a teenage girl coming home from a stressful day at school, she walks up to and plops herself down on the bed. Arms outstretched, eyes to the roof, and head so far down memory lane, Laura didn't want to break her train of thought.

Laura spent a moment or so looking around Mircalla's room, checking out her things. It was almost enough to forget this manor was being excavated and investigated.

All the while, Carmilla could be heard singing in a silent, hushed, muttering tone. She was doing it in her Austrian tongue, which Laura was a little behind on, but she recognized the tune of being "The Old Apartment" by The Barenaked Ladies.

After a moment or so, Laura decides she's done checking the room out, making her way to and climbing into bed with Carmilla who takes her in her arms.

At which point, Carmilla starts singing in English.

"I know we don't live here anymore/We bought an old house on the Danforth/She loves me and her body keeps me warm..."

Carm doesn't finish the last bit, simply lays there, stroking Laura's hair.

"So...this is where you used to live ?"

"Where I lived." Carmilla starts "And where I..."

Again, she trails off instead of finishing the sentence.

Laura simply wraps her arm around Carmilla's neck and kisses her on the temple, while rubbing her back.

"You don't have to talk about it."

"Yes I do." Carmilla nods "We all have to face the music eventually."

With that, Carmilla gets up from the bed and walks towards the glass door. Opening it, she steps out onto the balcony, turning around and gesturing to Laura to follow.

As Laura steps onto the balcony, and wraps her arms around Carmilla's waist while standing behind her, putting her chin on Carm's shoulder.

Together, they overlook the courtyard, just at the lakeside. There were a few agency men looking over the area, examining the animalistic statue of Lamashtu, and the tablet/table depicting the great old ones; a macabre reflection of a night that brought too many bitter memories. 

"Down there's the spot you know." Carmilla says "Where Danny and Kirsch arrested him. Where he killed all those people...It wouldn't be the first time that happened."

"What happened ? That he got arrested or-?"

"This is where the Ball was held, cupcake." Carmilla says, turning her head to face Laura, "You know...that Ball ?"
----

The Karnstein Manor, 1705

After four years in Louisiana, it was time to go home.

Or at least what was home to her until she was ten.
 
A near decade away from home, and what she returned to scarcely changed.

She could easily chalk this up to her father, Falco, also spending a near decade away from the manor, at best coming home for a few months every few years, while the servants and help tend to the maintenance and such.

For the first part in Mircalla's nineteenth year, she would say she had it the best, with her illicit affair with one noble woman, Rebekah Mikaelson.

After giving her virginity to her, the "friendship" between the two was at an all time high; they'd dine together, travel and camp together, spend their time telling each other stories, staring up at the stars in the night sky.

And of course, gave Mircalla ample opportunity to explore her sexual interests; giving and receiving cunnilingus was something the formally innocent and naïve noble woman grew fond of, and she quickly worked out tribadism to be one of her favorite positions.

There was the matter of Rebekah's brothers that had Mircalla worried. As far as she could tell, they were the only ones who knew of the affair, but did an effective job with keeping it from reaching the public. Mircalla wasn't sure of what kind of power the three Mikaelson's had, but she wanted it.

Rebekah would often describe Niklaus and his protectiveness of his baby sister, especially when her other lovers were involved. Men usually got the worst of it, but when it came to her females, Klaus was said to be a little more lenient.

Key word being lenient - he was normally sure that a female lover of Rebekah's wouldn't use her like a male would, but once and a blue moon, they'd break her heart and Klaus would have to pick up the pieces.

The times Mircalla and Klaus personally spoke to each other were few and far between. But notably, she recalls Klaus telling her of an older married woman who won Rebekah's affections...only for her to accuse Rebekah of being a whore when they were caught in bed, and ordering her husband to beat and whip her to make an example out of Rebekah. 

Klaus didn't verify what he and Rebekah did to make an example of those nobles ("Consider it me sparing you what's left of your innocence" he would say) but the message was clear; "Don't go breaking her heart."

In any case, Mircalla's affair with the Mikaelson sister seemed to have come to an end. As of the month of July, the last of Count Falco's expeditions were complete. Mircalla heard little of the details, but she overheard enough; he was seeking artifacts in Ontario, pertaining to this figure called "Ithaqua" and his extinct cult within the region.

When Count Falco found what he was looking for, his search was satisfied. With The Gruber family's aspirations for a museum were all but shot in the foot - on account of Gruber's son, Augustus, being discovered with a servant boy in the bath house - Falco was making a name for himself for the findings, over his business partner.

As such, Falco had arranged a ball to be held in celebration of his findings the coming September.

From this, the Karnstein children would return to their childhood manor.

The first couple of months were quiet, and uneventful.
 
After the six months of escapades and sexcapades with Rebekah Mikaelson, and nine years of considerable freedom, Mircalla found herself back to square one. Once again, playing the role of a Count's innocent and naïve daughter, reduced to staying in her room, writing her memories and fantasies into her diary, and reading the memoirs her mother left behind.

Her mother, Jana Hoffman; whose death was the reason Mircalla was here in the first place.

Even so, with Rebekah's previous encouragement, Mircalla read what Jana wrote down.

As it turned out Jana Hoffman was a poet with big dreams and quite the imagination.

She told tales of lovers of loss. She had an affinity for using animals and the animal kingdom as analogies to humans and society. She was also one having high hopes for her daughter, which confirmed to Mircalla that her mother had quite the imagination. 

Even at her most imaginative, even at her most escapist, Mircalla knew she couldn't live up to what Jana built up for her. Even her brief affair with Rebekah, her taste on the wild side, was just that.

When brought back to her childhood home, all Mircalla had was the mundane, humdrum experience expected of her.

She wasn't the only Karnstein who was adjusting to the new changes.

When one looked at Count Falco before his trip to Ontario, you'd see a passively handsome man; not exactly a rugged Prince Charming, but still far from plain. It made it easy for someone to overlook his more unsavory qualities (or make them stand out more).

Post his Ontario expedition, there was a small but remarkable difference in his appearance. His eyes were sunken, his skin paler, almost yellow, his dark hair starting to fall out. He'd often keep biting his lips, sometimes to the point of drawing blood, and would eat rather excessively during meals. Sometimes he'd be seen chewing on his fingernails. 

You'd scarcely believe he was thirty four at that point in time.

Anyone who was there for Falco's expedition would note this change occurred after he uncovered the artifacts attributed to Ithaqua. Over the past couple months, Falco would often isolate himself in his rooms, where he stored his latest findings on Hastur and Ithaqua's artifacts.

Some servants could swear they heard him muttering to an unseen presence. The things he could be heard saying, they'd prefer forgetting. Whatever he saw, did or witnessed in Ontario, it was letting him show a side few survived to see.

Meanwhile, the now thirteen year old Elias Karnstein - who notably wasn't part of the expedition, and a paler complexion was also considerably more pale, with contrasting sunken dark eyes. Though it didn't stand out as much. Unlike his father, his change and behavior wasn't as noticeable.

As he did in New Orleans, Elias would isolate himself. In the same library that Mircalla spent her early childhood, with nothing but his thoughts and the "cold voice" as he called it to keep him company. He maintained the appearance and role of a quiet, seldom seen son of a nobleman.

The most outings he would take were when he'd take strolls at night, whistling out to the darkness; and the wind would always respond.

And as it was in New Orleans, whenever Elias would hear that voice, the more he would learn, the more he felt his boyhood innocence would be a husk of its former self. And the bond he has with Mircalla was a specter.

"No," Elias would think whenever those feelings crept up on him. "Mircalla knows her place. In the back of her mind she knows our destiny is with each other. We will grow beyond this. Beyond him. We will make the Karnstein family mean something."

But every time Elias would think about that, his memory would go back to the story of the King who tried to become a god; specifically, how the King would sacrifice his son in his attempt to "ascend".

Once again, why does a god need an heir ? Why does a god need a family; be it a son, a father...or a sister ?

Then came September.

----

The Karnstein Manor, September 1st, 1705.

It was the busiest Karnstein manor has been in a while. For the past few days, and the next few, preparations were being done for the upcoming ball. It was also the most active Count Falco has been, being the man who'd oversee this ball.

At the insistence of some of the servants, Elias was to take a stroll along the manors grounds. They thought he should get fresh air and sunlight.

What little good it did him, Elias thought he could pacify their concerns. It didn't matter; the hottest day in the summer now felt like the coldest night of the winter; a perk from having the Wind Walker on your shoulder for five years or so. He doesn't even feel the cold anymore.

It was no different than his nightly strolls, going about an hour and a half around the fields and forested areas of his family's property. Just him and his usual thoughts.

It was only when he returned to the castle grounds, did he spot the horse rider making his way up to the manor; Elias was quick to catch the stranger's attention.

"May I help you ?" Elias asks.

The rider in question was clearly a merchant of sorts, and without saying a word yet, would open his satchel, revealing an envelope.

"Postal Service. Would you be a member of the Karnstein house ?"

"That, good sir, I am." Elias asks.

The merchant hands Elias the envelope; it was addressed to Mircalla, and written by one Rebekah Mikaelson.

Elias' expression is unreadable, but he regards the rider with a nod, taking four silver coins from his breast pocket and hands them to the man.

"For your troubles and the road. Spend it wisely." Elias sends the postal man off and makes his way in the manor.

----

Moments later, Elias is knocking on Mircalla's bedroom window.

"You may enter." Mircalla answers back.

Elias enters, seeing Mircalla reading her mother's memoirs.

"I come bearing gifts." He says, holding the envelope up.

Mircalla gets out from her seat to take the mail, seeing it's from Rebekah. Its date was written back in late July.

Her heart fluttering smile made Elias' stomach coil.

"To my dearest friend, Mircalla Karnstein, while it is with great regret that our dalliance has been cut short by circumstances, I wish you to know your place in my heart remains. Your presence and company was invaluable to me over the past months, and words alone cannot express the gratitude it was to have you in my life. 

While our time may be short, it has come to our attention that your family is to host a ball in celebration of your fathers success. While my family's own success is growing in New Orleans, circumstances require us to vacation to Europe. We will be attending with Lady Lilith Morrigan, your father's benefactor, among other reasons. I look forward to reuniting with you in the coming venture, however brief it may be.

There is much I wish to tell you, and show you. But it is preferable we do so in person. My brothers and I will be arriving in Austria this coming September. Hopefully, in time for your father's ball.

Yours truly, Lady Rebekah Mikaelson."

There is a noticeable smudge of lipstick as if that part of the picture has been kissed. How the hell it stayed intact whilst smudged for months in an envelope is anyone's guess.

Even so, the beaming, loving smile on Mircalla's face was palpable. She all but squealed like a little girl as she held the letter to her chest, collapsing backwards onto the bed.

It even brought an amused smile to Elias' face, but in the back of his mind, a raging pang of jealousy filled him, quickly reaching his heart.

"I'll...I'll leave you to your plans, dear sister." Elias says, preparing to take his leave "I have mine of my own."

"Wait." Mircalla says, getting off the bed. She stops Elias long enough to walk up to him and give him a hug.

Elias is a little taken aback by the gesture, but returns it.

"You know I love you, right Elias ?" Mircalla says.

Does she ? He thinks to himself. All this feels like the manifestation of a specter.

"And you know, it's rare these days I get such a little light in my life." Mircalla continues.

A little ?

"I know, there's so much we can do with our standing, nor do I expect the escapist dream we've had for a while." Mircalla says.
She's still calling it an escapist dream. Like it's not something within both their reach.

"I guess what I'm saying is, maybe we should take these little moments, while we can ? We only have one lifetime; I'd say we'd make the most of it, when we can." Mircalla says, almost having an air of whimsy in her voice. 

She stops to look down at Elias to brush her hand through his dirty blonde hair.

"You know, I've been getting ideas lately and this news..." Mircalla starts before stopping herself "Well, I guess we don't want to spoil the surprise, can we ?"

Elias manages a smile and shakes his head.

"No. No we can't."

"Tell you what ? You go back to your planning, do whatever you need to do." Mircalla says, looking back down at her letter "I got some thinking of my one to do."

Released from his sister's embrace, Elias steps out of the room with a nod.

"Of course, sister." Elias nods "I'll get right to that..."

----

As the sun started to set, Elias reached the courtyard, just by the lakeshore. Ironically it was within view from Mircalla's bedroom balcony.

As Elias approached his father, the latter was overseeing the preparations of a table for an outdoor feast. Before the table, there was a massive stone plaque standing as a centerpiece. An engraved, marble carving depicting the images, names and sigils of the Great Old Ones.

Almost none of the help questioned and the few who did got the simple answer from Count Falco; it was merely part of the festivities.
Even so, Falco could be heard sighing before Elias made his presence known.

"Spit it out boy." Falco says without turning around.

"Postman stopped by a moment ago." Elias says, matter of factly.

"And ?" Falco asks, turning around.

"It was a letter for Mircalla."

Falco scoffs and rolls his eyes.

"So, you come here to waste my time with matters concerning your sister." Falco narrows his eyes and crosses his arms.

"I'm sure it will be worth your while, Falco." Elias says, putting emphasis on his father's name.

His father's eyes widened, seeing this as a brazen show of disrespect he had never seen from the boy. But before he could so much as open his mouth or raise his hand, Elias continued.

"What do you know about the Mikaelson family ?" Elias asks, circling his father.

"I've heard of them here and there; they are quite prominent in the new world."

"And you'll recall their eldest brother, Elijah, was Ferdinand Gruber's historical consultant." Elias says "I know this, as they were Mircalla and I's caretaker's for the past three years."

Falco says nothing, only eyeing his boy suspiciously. He never knew the lad to be the confident type, and scarcely believed he would pass as a possible heir. Still, there was something, deep, deep within himself that admired the backbone he was showing, so he let him speak.

"They are to be attendants of the ball." Elias says.

"And this concerns Mircalla how ?"

"Because one of them is in love with her."

Falco says nothing, shakes his head, before chuckling in disbelief.

"And tell me boy, who, in their right mind would have any affection for that girl ?" Falco cheekily taps Elias on the shoulder "She's a parasite you know. Has been my whole life; I had to throw my whole adolescence away as per my father's sense of duty, and she killed her mother coming out of her."

Elias twitches upon hearing this. No doubt whatever flicker of affection he had for his sister started to flare upon hearing that description.

"I'm sure the same kind of person, who'd feel affection for a parasite like you." Elias says with casualness as if he was talking about the weather.

Again, he was pushing his fathers buttons hard. Right about now the only reason Falco doesn't beat or kill the boy right then and there, or in the days to come, was for the negative attention that'll bring. Oh, but the blood he spilled to reach this status, it felt like he was resisting second nature.

"In any case, Mircalla has been fucking one of them a good long while. They intend to reunite at the Ball."

Falco scoffs but says nothing. While he may not have seen Mircalla in a way of being worthy of love or affection, he won't deny (as a few dreams he'd be embarrassed to think about) she has grown into a remarkably attractive young woman, not unlike her mother. He does recall considering selling her as a "pleasure woman" when his financial woes were getting the best of him. It really is little wonder she'd throw her virtue away so easily.
 
Of course, there was the pragmatic side of him thinking; he wanted to gain wealth and status from his ventures. What better way to expand your influence than to marry someone off. Whatever the Mikaelson's see in Mircalla, at the very least that parasite will be out of his hair.

"The plot thickens, Falco." Elias says, once again using his father's name to get his attention "Do you know what happened during the Gruber's expedition to England ?"

Falco was about to answer how they were slain, before Elias answered.

"Elijah Mikaelson happened. It would seem, they came across something they shouldn't have. Something the Mikaelson's prefer to keep dead and buried." Elias says, an increasingly smug and cocky look forming on his face "You found quite a bit of it yourself; do you really believe Mircalla's lovers are coming to celebrate your accomplishments ?"

Elias lets out a laugh that a thirteen year old shouldn't be making. It sent a familiar shiver up Falco's spine, the same kind he'd get when he was in the presence of Lamashtu.

"They will tear down everything you have built; everything you searched for, paid for, killed for, will be for nought. And when it's over, no one will remember your name, and Mircalla would have started a new life."

Falco glances at Elias with a look of stunned disbelief.

"How can you-"

"You are not the only one who got into bed with the devil, Falco." Elias says "She sat down with me, talked to me, introduced me to her friends."

"Lady Morrigan." Falco says bitterly as he starts to realize it.

"Lady Morrigan, Adeen Kurt," Elias shrugs "You may know the latter as Lamashtu."

Falco freezes, the expression on his face getting Elias to chuckle.

"She told me a lot. I assume she informed you of what both Lady Morrigan and the Mikaelson's are ?"  Elias asks "The drained bodies, stories of the dead rising and feasting on the blood of the living ?"

Falco suddenly starts to chuckle in disbelief, sounding oddly prepared.

"Well then, you've figured out quite a bit from our mutual friends then." Falco says with amusement "Then you know what the true purpose behind the ball is."

"I am as prepared for it as you, Falco." Elias says, looking over the engraved tablets "I'm sure sacrificing for a higher status is a second nature too you. I'm sure we will find a commonality."

"And I'm sure all we have in common is our blood and name." Falco says "Whatever knowledge they passed is wasted on you. I know what the Wind Walker speaks; I know the price to pay. Are you boy, willing to make that sacrifice ?"

"I guess we'll see," Elias says, before leaning towards Falco's ear "And as the Yellow King's chosen, Mircalla and I will do the Karnstein name proud."

Elias turns to make his leave back to the Manor, his father staring daggers at him as he did so. Falco shook his head; the Mikaelson's will be no different than the other guests; than the others who stood in his way. Of that he can be sure of.

During that moment, the sun sank behind the horizon of the lake. The last of the sunlight sunlight was caught on the sigil of Hastur, and the sigil of Ithaqua, reflecting off the marble engraved into the plaque, briefly flashing over both Falco and Elias.

And so, their stage was set.  

----

The Karnstein Manor, March 31st, 2021

Carmilla has been pretty silent as she stares down at the courtyard.

Laura, trying to be the good and understanding girlfriend she is, tries not to interrupt or push the matter.

"You know ?" Carmilla sighs "It kind of feels like it's come full circle for me."

Laura nods, again not saying anything to break her silence.

"This is where it started. It's only fitting this is where I-"

At this point Laura speaks. She turns Carmilla around and places a hand on her cheek. 

"Carm, don't say that. It's not gonna end here." Laura says "It didn't end with the Dean, it didn't end Vordenberg, and it won't end with him."

Carmilla fidgets a little, looking aside with an unsure expression, before she can say anything, they her a knocking on Mircalla's bedroom door.

"Hey, I know this door says No Man's Land, but Mel and I found something you might want to see." Kirsch's voice says from behind the door.

----

As it so happened, while Carmilla was going on some uncomfortable nostalgia trip, the investigators have been trying to cut through the door to the fifth floor/the attic, which had been sealed off by a vault door. No doubt an installment of the Count's.

"Took us six days to find a strong enough drill, and three days to cut it through," Mel says "This Count of yours really likes his privacy."

The attic was spacious in design, and has been converted into a study; there was a large desk on the far back, and a large flat screen TV on the other two walls there was a bookshelf and a shelf of tapes respectively, and a series of Charlie Kelly/Pepe Sivlia style charts strung across the walls and even some over the roof.

The kind of chart you make when you stumble on a major company conspiracy.

Many of them depicted a series of names and photographs and locations of different individuals.

"Well, he's certainly been busy..." Laura remarks.

"We believe these are people who are on the Crimson List; fifty nine people who signed a blood oath with the Dean and Hastur." Danny explains looking over the charts "Of course as of the count's arrest, eight are left. The ones we arrested were killed by Lamashtu, and the twenty four the Count captured were slaughtered the night of his arrest."

"Which leaves us with eight." Mel adds with a solemn nod.

As the rest were looking over the charts, LaFontaine was trying to get access to the Count's desktop. Which was pretty easy, seeing as it was a 98' build.

"No password protection, no firewall," LaFontaine mutters beneath their breath "Does this guy know computers have advanced since the 90's ?"

"He did kind of strike me as a boomer." Perry nods, stepping in behind LaFontaine and nodding in agreement "Oh."

This gets the rest's attention.

"Oh ? What oh ? Oh usually means something." Laura says as she, Carm, Danny, Mel and Kirsh made their way to the computer as well.

"He's got a 98' era Microsoft Word doc on his finding." Laf says "For someone who needs to get with the times, he sure has been keeping up with them."

"Guess it was better than keeping it all in a journal." Laura says.

"What does he get ?" Danny.

"Oh you know, the usual stuff a plotting madman would write down and keep on an insecure device." LaF rolls their eyes "This might tickle your fancy."

LaF holds the cursor over one document in particular "My search for the Parasite Woman."

"Not every creative with titles, is he ?" Mel remarks.

"It's probably about his search for me." Carmilla, looking down sullenly, crossing her arms "Who else would parasite refer to ?"

Carmilla takes the mouse from LaFontaine's hand and clicks on it to see just what The Count's search entailed.

Remarkably, the document had little mention of Mircalla at all.

It was all about Lamashtu.

The five took a few moments to read over what they could on the demoness.

As it turns out, she was present among the Karnstein's at the time of Falco's exhibitions. She was both a governess for Count Falco during his absence from the county, and owned an orphanage on the land.

An orphanage that closed down shortly after "The Ball" incident.

"Adeen Kurt." Carmilla crosses her arms "She went then by Adeen Kurt."

"You know her ?" Danny asks, glancing up at the older vampire.

"Well I didn't know what she was at the time, nor did I really put two and two together at the time. We must have met four times in the years leading up to my death." Carmilla explains, before putting a hand on her forehead as realization dawns on her "She was there too."

"On the chance we need visual identification, wouldn't there be any pictures or portraits of her ?" Perry asks.

Mel snaps her fingers as she remembers something.

"There were these paintings we found in one of the sealed off rooms," Mel says, before looking at Carmilla "We figured it we'd keep them in case we need to identify any-"

Carmilla nods, before looking back at the word doc.

As they went over it, it was learned that Adeen Kurt disappeared in the events following The Ball, after which the deeds she did running the orphanage were investigated and uncovered. She was made a scapegoat, by those who didn't know the full story, and that was that. 

At the time, it would have put "Adeen Kurt" on some list of obscure female serial killers. But as this doc specifies, the Count sought her out for years after the fact.

After all, she had the power and knowledge he needed. He could go virtually nowhere without her, and in many ways, she is who made him into the man he his today.

"Of course," Kirsch remarks "He's doing the Djnago Unchained thing."

This causes the girls to glance at him. At which point, Kirsch has to clarify.

"He can't run things himself, so he needs the head house servant to-"

Mel interrupts "We know what you meant, we're just surprised it was something you thought up."

"I have more than air in my head, you know." Kirsch crosses his arms with a proud smile.

The girls glance at each other and shrug, a little proud and impressed at Kirsch for making that connection.

As the doc goes on, the Count searched for her until the mid 18th century, where he narrowed her down to two locations and two aliases.

To the people of Leicestershire, England, where she went by "Black Annis", living somewhere in the Dane Hills, but there was no serious historical documentation of the woman; all they had to go on was local superstition and hearsay.

To the people of Glengariff, Ireland, she would take the name "Elly Kedward" before immigrating to the America's in 1769; apparently she aroused local suspicion in that she never seemed to physically age beyond her early twenties, despite supposedly being forty at the time.

From there, whatever encounters the Count had with Lamashtu were few and far between. She was rather elusive, and in the Counts' own words she was “Roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

It wasn't until the late 90's and early 2000's did he find her again, narrowing her down to the Black Hills in Maryland, following this killing spree of several tourists, and the arrest of another group she supposedly influenced.

"Okay, so not only is she hard to find." Danny crosses her arms adding everything together "And can't be fought directly."

"And by the sounds of it, she's more important to the Count's plans than the Count himself is." Mel adds.

"But luckily," Perry adds "We live in a world of social media, amber alerts and police look outs."

"And the Agency's resources." Danny says.

"We get her face on social media, she could go from Canada to Australia, and there'd be nowhere to hide." Carmilla says.

"We could start the biggest supernatural manhunt to track her down." Laura says as realization dawns on her "We can narrow her down." Laura claps her hands together as she remembers "We have other connections too; Mystic Falls, Beacon Hills, the Mikaelsons-"

"There'd be little she can hide." LaFontaine finishes.

There is a brief feeling of triumph around the Silas gang before Danny remembers.

"But how do we stop her ? We couldn't physically hurt her; we don't know how to contain her; we don't even know if the Pazuzu relic will be strong enough." Danny starts looking over her friends "We still haven't found all the member of the Crimson List; if she gets to them before we do-"

"Well, that's what we have your agency for." Mel says "And like Carm said, we just gotta get her face out there. And like I said, we got some portraits that need verification."

----

Moments later, the group had Carmilla looking over these portraits, all laid out to be examined in another room in the house.

Back when she was human, it was apparently a Karnstein tradition for a young Karnstein to have their portrait painted, every five years as a show of growth.

The first painting they looked at was of a five year old Mircalla Karnstein, sitting on an armchair in front of a fireplace dressed in a magenta dress. She looked uncomfortable in the painting, with Carmilla remembering how she used to be so rambunctious and energetic as a child, and yet had to sit still like that for three hours.

The next one was of a five year old Falco Karnstein; dark hair, remarkable resemblance to the younger Mircalla. He was sitting in a garden with the sun out, indicating that the painting started as soon as the sunrise.

This Falco looked so timid and innocent that Carmilla had a hard time reconciling this little boy for the man she knew her father was. She almost didn't want to know what turned him into such a hateful monster he grew into. In fact she didn't care the more she thought about it; it didn't matter to her then and it doesn't matter now.

The fourth was a ten year old boy, looking more calm and collected. He had dirty blonde hair and was dressed as a gentleman, standing before a river bank in a confident stance. Mircalla recognized him; Elias Karnstein. 

She remembers back when he too was as innocent as she was, when he was a little boy she'd read bedtime stories too or take horseback riding or the like.

She doesn't like thinking about how things turned out.

She spent a good while going over some family portraits; trying not to let the happier nostalgic memories of her grandmother Lena get to her, when she looked over her paintings.

And finally, some of the servants' portraits.

Where one in particular stood out; sitting in a seat before a bookshelf, arms folded neatly in her larm, wearing a green dress and a ghost of a smile, was Adeen Kurt; former governess of Karnstein Manor, and the Saint Amara's orphanage. 

Fiery red hair, bright sapphire blue eyes, and a cute, fey like face, looking just as she did when she shown up at Casa Del Bela, as a distressed neighbor looking for her puppy; the same face, Danny and Kirsch glimpsed when they first encountered Lamashtu.

"That's her ?" Mel asks.

"That's her." Danny nods "Now what ?"

"Now we got a face to put to the monster." Laura says "I say we put it out there."

 ----

The Doe and Stag, Bailey Downs, April 3rd, 2021

On a surface level, it would seem like another family outing for the Four Bellas and their little Bella.

Under the surface, Chloe wanted to make good on some connections she made.

The Silas Gang got onto Skype shortly after their findings; already they were working on a "digital composite sketch" to put out there; and of course, there was the matter of reaching out to their allies in the states; see if they can get their connections to keep their eyes out for Lamashtu.

And of course, Chloe Beale had a few connections to reach out too of her own.

While Aubrey and Stacie took Bella for a walk around the playground, just down the stree was a dine-in/grill house, The Doe and Stag, where the Bellas said they'd be having lunch.

That and meeting an old acquaintance of Chloe's.

Seated  beside each other at their table, while the other three were out, Beca and Chloe were making small talk after making their order - a simple poutine dish. They were in the grills corner, so as to not draw too much attention.

"So you really tried getting a picture of the Beast ?" Beca asks, as Chloe was going over the story of her near encounter with Bailey Downs most infamous monster.

"I was right on top of him too..." Chloe says before realizing what she said and correcting herself "Not like that, but he was under my deck, and right when he was coming out, I heard the sisters from across the park."

Beca chuckles and rolls her head.

"You know, when I grew up in Haddonfield," Beca starts "Almost every Halloween some douchebag would dress as our local boogeyman - sometimes to take a picture. When I was a kid, I must have gotten four pics of him. But, you know, it was all fake then."

Chloe rolls her eyes with a friendly giggle.

"I mean your boogeyman was real, right ?" Chloe says "I mean, he went missing but he was real-"

"Yeah but I'm saying, kids in my school were up to Scooby Doo pranks. You were onto the real deal; now I'm onto the real deal. And we are onto the real-"

Beca starts going off, before Chloe interrupts her with a kiss to the cheek.

"Sorry," Beca says embarrassed "It just feels like we're going down a rabbit hole."

Chloe nods in understanding, wrapping an arm around Beca's shoulders to reassure her.

"I know." Chloe says, making Beca face her, pressing her forehead to Beca's "Stacie said you had an abuser. She didn't say much but you know Carmilla is not-"

"I know that." Beca nods "But did Stacie tell you the other thing ?"

"What other thing ?"

Beca sighs, readying herself for what she only told Stacie. Pillow talk was sacred, and this memory was something she'd prefer to forget; even if it did creep up on her every now and then (like say, their time in Lakewood or Darlington).

"Back when me and Katerina were...a thing I guess, we played this game." Beca starts "It was like Bloody Mary - I don't remember the name, but I didn't think it would work."

Chloe places a hand on Beca's, noticing that it's starting to fidget and shake.

"I was supposed to see something that night, and when I did-" Beca stops herself, shaking her head "I remember being in the dark, but it's like...my brain doesn't want to remember it. But I saw it with my own two eyes, and with what Bella has been seeing..."

Beca pauses, so lost in thought; she remembers the mad chanting she heard that night;  Thamoús, Pan ho mégas téthnēke! Thamous panmégas téthnēke! Thamoús, Pan ho mégas téthnēke! Thamous panmégas téthnēke!

Chloe notices Beca's eyes are starting to water. She takes a napkin and is quick to wipe Beca's eyes.

"It's okay. It's gonna be okay." Chloe says, stroking Beca's cheek "Look at you, you grew up to be a successful, relatively well adjusted woman, surrounded by people who love you."

Beca half chuckles, half sobs at Chloe's remark.

Again, Chloe strokes Beca's cheek, and wipes another tear from Beca's eye.

"And that was without the help of experienced professionals." Chloe says "We've been through a lot. We'll probably be through a lot more. And we'll pull through, just like we did with Darlington, as we did with that Ghostface. As we'll pull through this."

With this, Chloe leans in and takes Beca's lips into her own. Both of them hope to God that no one is watching this rather emotional display of affection.

When they part, the two briefly share a smile before Beca asks "What ?"

"I can smell cherry on you." Chloe says, leaning in to briefly smell Beca's hair.

Beca chuckles "I haven't showered since last night."

"Could have fooled me..."

Beca leans her head back, keeping one eye open to be sure none of the other patrons where watching. Chloe just buries her face into her neck and shoulder, ostensibly sniff her hair, and kissing her girlfriends neck.

Kissing, and nibbling her teeth along Beca's neck.

"Chloe," Beca says, still a little caught up in her passion, but lucid enough to sense something was off "Chloe what are you..."

Chloe isn't paying attention; her teeth nibble around the pulse point; teasing, threatening to break the skin.

And over the smell of cherry flavor Beca's shampoo, the scent of blood was overpowering Chloe's senses.

The baby was getting hungry, and poutine was not cutting it.

"Ahem." A woman's voice interrupts them.

They look up and see someone from Chloe's past. Someone she spent the past few days trying to reach out to.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I ?" Fitzgerald says, before taking her seat opposite from the two Bella's.

Both Beca and Chloe were flustered, much to Fitzgerald's amusement.

"Chloe Beale, it's been what ?" Fitzgerald asks, casually taking a few fries from their dish.

"Six years." Chloe says "Vacationed here after graduating Barden."

Fitzgerald gives a flat smile, her eyes flicker towards Beca.

"And this must be the famous Beca Mitchell." Fitzgerald says "Chloe would go on, and on about you the last time she was here."

"You told her about me ?" Beca turns to face Chloe.

"Well, my girlfriends heard that Snoop Dogg album you did." Fitzgerald grits her teeth at the mention "Wouldn't stop playing it every Christmas."

"Girlfriends. Plural ?" Beca asks.

"Two girls who I like to think of as my better third, and my marginally better third." Fitzgerald says proudly, leaning back in her chair "And if what Chloe here tells me is correct, you've got two other girls in your little collection, and a little rugrat as well."

Fitzgerald looks over the table, and onto Chloe's budding stomach.

"And another on the way."

Chloe puts her hand on her stomach "It's like I told you over the phone, I'm a surrogate."

"Oh right," Fitzgerald nods "Carmilla Karnstein."

"You know her too ?"

"Well, she is an internet celebrity, saved the world from a mad god, and helped put heroic monsters on the map." Fitzgerald says counting her fingers "But also, yeah, I met her back in 2004. Small world, I know. I'm guessing that Hollis brought out the best in her."

"So she was even more broody back then ?" Beca asks.

"We got along as thick as thieves. Let's just leave it at that." Fitzgerald says "So besides that, I take it you didn't call me all the way down from Minnesota to have a friendly chat ?"

"Well...It's like this." Chloe starts.

She and Beca lay their cards on the table; Chloe wanted to be a surrogate for one of the first artificially conceived child between two women's eggs ("You know, there were such pregnancies that resulted from nature bending magic right ? I personally know of two." Fitzgerald briefly interrupts) and how Chloe wanted to take it a step further by having a child from a human mother and a vampire mother.

To help Chloe throughout the pregnancy; and to help Carmilla and Laura prepare for motherhood, they stay with the Bellas in their place in Bailey Downs; how the first few months were pretty uneventful...that was until Bella Conrad started having dream dreams of monsters - not just any monster; big ones the kind that come from the sea.

"Like that one who wrecked San Francisco ?" Fitzgerald asks.

"Yes, but not really." Chloe says, before leaning in "Does the name Hastur ring any bells ?"

Fitzgerald doesn't say anything, but her expression answers for her.

Chloe and Beca continue; they tell of how Bella started having these dreams right as Carmilla and Laura started getting involved in their friends' investigations. They still don't have the full story, but Carmilla told them extensively about her past, her father, her brother - "And how she lost her virginity to one of the Original vampires." Choe says nonchalantly. 

"A detail that didn't need to be included, but go on." Fitzgerald replies, completely deadpan.

"The bottom line is we think Carmilla's past is coming back to haunt her. Again." Beca says "And this time, we're getting caught in the crossfire."

"And on top of that,'' Chloe adds "Have you ever heard of Pazuzu ?"

"Which one ?" Fitzgerald asks "Cuz you know The Exorcist version was bullshit, right ?"

"Well, Carm, Laura and their friends think it would be a bright idea to call upon him." Beca says.

Fitzgerald pauses with an Awkward White Person smile, before exhaling.

"And they think that's a good idea, why ?"

"Apparently, he can help with Lamashtu." Beca says.

"Besides Silas' Dean," Chloe adds "Who y'know, is dead."

Fitzgerald pauses, as she thinks this over for a moment.

"Lamashtu, eh ?"

"You're familiar ?"

"Reading mythology was part of what got me and my sister into being what we are." Fitzgerald answered "Her name showed up in a few books of ours. I'm guessing she's in on this too ?"

Neither Beca or Chloe answer, but Fitzgerald knows from their expressions.

"You know, I normally don't get too involved around these things anymore," Fitzgerald starts "My people here hold down the fort, and me and my girls only ever stop in for vacations or visits...but I can see what I can do to help. Feeling a little more heroic lately than usual. Just tell me what to look out for, and I'll get the pack to help if I can."

Fitzgerald reaches over and places her hand on Chloe's.

"Think of it as me making up for not being there during the whole Darlington Ghostface fiasco." Fitzgerald says "Yeah, I caught up on what you all were up to."

Chloe smiles sweetly.

"You don't have to apologize for that. You weren't there."

"No but if me and my girls were, the mess would have been over in days." Fitzgerald says firmly "And how about this bonus; one of my new family is a succubus, so if you're looking for a little extra protection-"

Beca shakes her hand dismissively.

"Nah, nah." Beca says "We don't wanna pull any more demons than we need too."

"Very well, then all I'll need to know is, who am I looking for ?" Fitzgerald asks.

"We think her name is Tara Vaughan. New neighbor of ours." Beca says "Renting out property in the Hills."

Fitzgerald nods "My family owns that land, and we've already got eyes there. Anything else ?"

"We think it's connected, but a woman and her young son went missing in the area." Chloe says "There's also one of the neighbors; the Greene family. Word is they just finished their vacation, but their car and such is still on the property. We don't know if it's connected or anything but-"

Fitzgerald raises her hand to silence her.

"I'll have my people look into it." Fitzgerald says "We wolves tend to pick up scents police hounds never could; sixty present of cold cases in the area were opened because of us."

Fitzgerald gets up from her seat.

"And with that, I bid you a good day."

"Wait, you're not gonna stop and meet the rest of us ?"

"Nah." Fitzgerald says, shaking her head "If I see that little girl of yours, it'll bring out a side to me only four or five others have seen. I want to keep my dignity to all these people." 

She gestures to the other patrons around her, minding their own business, to emphasize her point, before turning to make her leave.

"Ciao Chlo, Mitchell. Give my regards to Carm."

----

Theo and "Tara's" Hideout, Bailey Downs Hills, April 7th, 2021

This house arrest thing was really getting to Theo.

He hasn't seen, nor heard from neither "Tara" nor the Count since the former left. He tried taking walks, but every time he did so, he would always see or hear the "wolves" watching from a distance.

Sure, he considered getting a gun, but with what ? "Tara" did all the buying during their stay, anything he buy's can easily be traced back to him.  He could bring a knife, but if he got into a one on one fight with one of the werewolves...he's sure to lose.

That ruled out one of his early plans - sneaking into the Bellas' house in the dead of night and just cutting anything and anyone with a pulse, leaving a "surprise" for Carm and Laura when they'd get home - off the table. 

Besides, he got word that Aubrey Posen owns a gun.

And so, Theo sits alone in his bed, with nothing better to do than keep the generation going, whack off to internet porn, and try to sleep while the howls of wolves seem to get progressively louder and louder around his house.

One evening, he was going to throw out a filled bag of trash, before he spotted four pairs of eyes off the property. He scrambled to get back in, lock the door, go up the stairs, and lock the door of his own room.

The howling never stopped.

At this point in time, Theo hasn't slept in three days. 

He'd resort to just sitting in his room, with the one thing that can occupy his time; this gift the Count sent, insisting that it be given to Carmilla, when the time is right.

Theo, being the casual prick it was, opened it to see a small, obsidian jar of sorts; no bigger than a baseball. He was expressly warned not to open it, unless he wants to pay "Mircalla's price".

During their stay, "Tara" elaborated further.

"Just something the Count wanted to pay Mircalla back with, for what she did to him; it is to be opened at a specific point in time. 

What the Count wants for her is to lose everything before he inflicts a fate worse than death upon her; and when should this jar be opened before hand...then the Count's work will have been for nothing, and he will have every non vital body part and organ cut removed from Theo and flushed down to the sewers, leaving him as a formerly human husk.

("His words, not mine," Tara would say.)

When the morning of April 7th came by, an annoyed and exhausted Theo could hear his front door banging.

"Miss Vaughan ? Theo Wilson ?" A voice he recognized as his landlord, McCardy calls out.

"Wilson ? Right, fake last name." Theo remembers, clumsily making his way downstairs.

Opening the door, Theo sees his landlord, McCardy standing with two other men. It brought to mind the kind of visits you see from mob enforcers on TV.

"The fuck do you want ?" Theo asks.

"Pretty rude way to greet your landlord." McCardy tsks "We've been getting noise complaints-"

"I'll say; wolves have been keeping me up all week." Theo says as McCardy and his two buddies barge in past him.

"Oh, that ?" McCardy asks "Just wildlife. Everyone's learned to sleep through it."

"If you ask me, they should be culled." Theo says sullenly as McCardy begins looking over the place.

"Nope, can't do that. Bailey Downs wolves are a protected species." McCardy tsks as he looks out the back window "Probably looking for something anyways."

McCardy looks back at Theo.

"You know we got an odor complaint too ?"

Theo tries to play himself cool, and shrugs "I- I wouldn't know. I mean, animals shit in the woods and such."

"You don't smell that ?" McCardy asks, opening the back door and inhaling deeply " That's the chemical combination you smell in either a meth lab...or if you're trying to hide a body."

Theo's eyes widen, which coincides with a knowing smirk on McCardy's face.

"Mind if we have a look-? Who am I kidding ? It's our property." McCardy says.

With that, Theo bolts...or tries too; one of McCardy's buddies grab him by the shoulder, but Theo headbutts him on the nose, managing to slip just long enough for McCardy's other friend to trip him, and stomp Theo on the shin, hard enough for him to hear a snap.

McCardy simply made his way to the shed, seeing it's locked. Simply yanking the lock off the door with his sheer lycanthrope strength, he manages to open the door.

Now, McCardy...he was used to gore and death. Being a werewolf for the past twenty years or so - and spending much of your adolescence admiring the Fitzgerald sister's "death" projects - you'd think he would be desensitized to what he saw in this shack...

Nope. He simply freezes up for a moment, and when the horror finally settles in, he collapses to his knees and retches up something ugly.

"Jason, buddy!" One of his friends can be heard saying, as he too steps out the back door, making his way towards McCardy.

"Stay the fuck inside!" McCardy shout, spitting a couple times to get that retched taste out his mouth, wiping his mouth on his sleeve "Just don't fucking look!"

"How bad is it ?"

"Just call in Fitz, call the cops, or something- Jesus fucking Christ..." McCardy says, staggering back to his feet, and wiping his eyes as they start to water.

That was a woman. That pregnant woman and her young son. "Was" being the key word.

"Goddammit..." McCardy says, before making his way back towards the cabin.

"Jason, what did you see-" One of his friends tried to ask before being shoved out of the way.

A collapsed Theo simply looks up at Jason, who looks like he's holding himself back from letting his inner wolf out.

"You motherless son of a-" Jason starts, before lifting his foot up, and stomping it into Theo's face, absolutely knocking his lights out.

----

April 11th, 2021

When Theo came too, he found himself in an all too familiar setting.

An interrogation room.

"Oh, goddammit," Theo groans in frustration.

His mood wasn't any better when an agent or inspector of sorts steps into the room. A woman with short blonde hair, dressed in a bright blue suit.

"You know, when our agency picked you up, it took quite a bit of convincing to not let those wolf boys not to kill you." The woman says.

She had a surprisingly bubbly and adorable demeanor, given her profession and this circumstance. Theo figured she was playing Good Cop

"We almost lost you three times in the past four days while resuscitating you. Ain't that a kick to the head ? But alas you need answering to do before we cut the hook on you-"

"I want a lawyer." Theo says.

"And I want a toilet made of solid gold." The blonde shrugs "But you can't always get what you want, can you ?"

"I have a legal right to a lawyer."

"And said lawyer gave us permission for this sit-down. When the people in Bailey Downs got hold of the Agency, we came as fast as we could." The bubbly seeming agent says "And a fair warning, a premature ejaculation joke will put you even further in contempt in our investigation."

"Can I at least know who you people are ?" Theo asks in exasperation.

The woman shrugs "You wouldn't believe us if we told you; but your acquaintances, and those who know of us may refer to us as the Agency. We're more of a Bureau really."

The woman drops some documents on the desk before Theo.

"Are you aware of the Greene family ? Bailey Downs residents. You were practically neighbors."

Theo shakes his head "Can't say that I am ? What about them ?"

"Oh they disappeared about a week or so ago; along with their chocolate lab puppy, Baxter." The woman says "Luckily, we found them! Would you like to know where ?"

Theo says nothing, simply trying to look sober and exhausted.

"Why in a drum of course; buried in a basement." The woman says, her bubbly demeanor seems to falter to a more grim tone "A family of five...reduced to a human soup, left to rot under their house."

The woman shakes her head, recalling that report.

"The wolves spent some time trying to sniff them out, and four hours trying to dig them out."

"I'm sure the claws gave them trouble." Theo snarks.

"Yes, well, pick-axes and hammers did them wonders." The woman shrugs.

The woman leans in closer to Theo.

"We've also been over your computer history; it would seem that you're searching for certain people. Our associate, Agent Lawrence told us about the Crimson List. And about how you and your bosses are tracking the names on that list.."

"There's eight left, I'm afraid." Theo says, unapologetically.

"Correction, four." The woman says "Or was it three ? I'm sure you can explain the other bodies we found ?"

She flips through the documents to go over another note "Darlene and Lucas Campbell; sound familiar ?"

Theo says nothing and bitterly looks away.

"I'll take that as a No, even though they were found in the cabin you and your girl were renting out." The woman says, pushing to doc towards Theo "You want to know what was found ?"

Theo says nothing, but looks over the paper; apparently there was scarcely anything left of the kid to bury, or even burn. And his mother ? The gory details are best left undescribed.

Pushing the paper away Theo says in an angry tone "What do you want me to do ? Go down on my knees, blubbering about how sowwy I am ? I wasn't even the one who killed them!"

"No, but you had to have known who you were working with and what she was doing." The woman says leaning back in her chair "Look, clearly playing the good cop is doing nothing; we have enough on you to know you're not the remorseful type. Maybe it's best we put a more familiar face in front of you. It'll make you more inclined to open up. I'm sure you were looking forward to seeing her."

Theo says nothing, but he raises his eyebrow in confusion.

As the woman gets up and leaves, someone else enters.

Theo's face pales as the last person he wanted to be face to face with was...well, face to face with him.

"Hey there," Danny Lawrence says stoically, taking her seat "It's been a while, hasn't it ?"

----

Thus far it has been a fun week for a certain, ancient demoness.

Four more taken off the Crimson List, four more to go.

First spent a few days in Sudbury, tailing a married couple who graduated from Silas, along with their kid. 

She did her usual routine, posing as an innocent seeming college girl, fabricate some backstory of moving into the neighborhood. Unlike with the Bellas, she didn't have to keep the charade up for long; by the time their remains were found the next morning, "Tara" was having lunch in Tobermory.

Lamashtu then made two more stops in North Bay, and Saint Catherines, leaving two attacks that would be mistaken for that of a wild animal (with forensics wondering if it was a bear, mountain lion or wolverine that did the deed).

This left four more, but the Count wanted the last sacrifices to occur at "just the right time". Lamashtu is nothing if not patient; what's another six or four months ? Besides it's not like that cocky Straka guy was gonna cause her any trouble; why not take some time to herself.

Currently Lamashtu, still going by "Tara Vaughan" was in this dance club at Niagara Falls, scouting the scene for more of her usual prey.

There was a party being held at this particular club; a bachelorette party, and as it so happens someone in the group was expecting. 

So "Tara" would do what she could; play the part of a clumsy party goer, act all sheepish and apologetic when she "accidentally" spilled her drink on one of the bridesmaids, make conversation with them post apology, and mingle her way into the party.

At the bar, "Tara" had her prey corner, making smalltalk with the bride's sister, Kelly.

"-Now me, I never really had it in me to go down the aisle," Lamashtu would say as part of her "shy party girl" act, "All those eyes on me, making that big of a commitment."

"Well, Mara's got it down; guts of steel that one." Kelly says "You know, last year, she wanted to go kayaking on the falls, and when we all talked her out of it she did it behind our backs. She got out with two broken ankles but she's a real daredevil."

"Well, to be fair, that sounds slightly less scary than marriage." Lamashtu says, looking over at the other bridesmaids, cheering the bride-to-be Mara to a game of shots "Of course, I'm guessing Mara here is the kind who drinks her courage. I can only imagine how she'd hold her own at the reception."

"Oh, they're having theirs at a country club," Kelly says "Her groom Don works at this country club, and is close enough to the owner to-"

"That's nice," Lamashtu "What's he like ?"

Unseen to either girls, these men, dressed in detective/government agent garb were talking to the club's bouncers and security. One of these agents pulls out a phone and shows an image to one of the security officers, who nods and points out to the bar "Tara" was sitting at.

"Oh, you know, stand up sort of guy. Ex delinquent before he-" Kelly starts before pausing. Reluctantly, she leans in to whisper into "Tara's" ear "Well, he kind of started going back and forth between me and Mara throughout high school. And college."

"Like Betty, Archie and Veronica." The disguised demoness nods "Guess she won out between you two."

"Well, between us, Don and Mara went through more together. In fact after their last breakup, they wanted to seal the deal for real." Kelly explains.

"I'm guessing there's more to the story than that."

Kelly chuckles and tries to get up from the bar stool "I'm...I'm sorry. I'm talking to this stranger about my sister and her personal shit, and-"

"Well, it's not like we're going to be running into each other, or I'm gonna be blabbing my mouth or anything." Lamashtu says, taking Kelly by the wrist "Come on, I'm on the road a lot, so we aren't likely to see each other after tonight."

Kelly sighs before reluctantly getting back into her seat. She leans back into "Tara's" ear and whispers.

"Okay, we don't like bringing it up, but Mara was pregnant four months ago...was." Kelly says "She and Don had this big fight over it and when he rebounded."

"He slept with you..." Lamashtu says, looking over Kelly as she put it together "But then he and Mara got back together, decided to tie to knot anyways, before..." she then leans into Kelly's ear "He left you a bun in the oven."

Kelly was taken aback, flinching away a little at "Tara", before opening her mouth to muster.

"How did you-?" Kelly starts before being interrupted.

"Tell tales signs are there; throughout the party you avoid alcohol, you keep looking guiltily at your sister; and you keep touching your stomach. Look, you're doing it now."

Kelly looks down and sees, her hand is in fact on her stomach.

"How far along ?" Lamashtu asks.

"Two months." Kelly admits reluctantly.

"Hmm," the demoness remarks "I've seen girls in your situation before." She starts before looking around the club to see everyone still going about their business, and not noticing these detective types making their way towards her "Tell you what, we can talk more about it in the bathroom or outside. We don't want to be cramp-"

"Miss Tara Vaughan ?"

"Tara" turns around to see four detectives, three men and a woman. Of the four, it is the woman addressing her.

"Yeah, is something the matter ?" Lamashtu asks, trying to play it cool.

"We have questions for you, if you don't mind us asking." The detective says.

"Is this about Theo ?" Lamashtu asks, feigning a confused, frightened, and passive demeanor "Oh no! What did he do now ?"

"We find it would be better for you to step out and come with us," The female detective says "This could take a while."

"Oh-okay, just let me know what this is about." Lamashtu asks timidly.

The detectives glance at Kelly, ushering her to step aside. Kelly quickly gets up, and makes her way to the shots party.

'There goes dinner' Lamashtu thinks internally, while still keeping an innocent expression to the detectives.

"Care to tell us about your whereabouts in Sudbury this week ?" The female detective asks "And how you were seen an hour later in Tobermory ?"

"Or your business North Bay ?" One of the male detectives adds.

"And Saint Catharines." Says another.

"Tara" pauses like a deer in the headlights, but maintains her innocent and confused composure.

"I was paying visits to some friends."

"I see." Says one of the male detectives "Care to explain how those houses you were seen visiting had their residents turn up dead ?"

Lamashtu pauses, but musters a confused "What ?"

"We think it'd be better for you to come with us." The female detective says.

"Tara" lets out a deep and heavy sigh.

Whelp, if she's been found out anyways, she might as well...

It happened so fast. 

In under twelve seconds one detective had her entrails spill out onto the bars floor. Another got his throat slashed out by a set of claws. A third got his throat bitten out by a pair of fangs forensics would mistake for that a hyena or wolverine. The fourth and final one got his eyes gouged in until they popped, before being left screaming and bleeding on the floor.

It took a few seconds for the surrounding party goers to realize what's going on; the screaming started, many were dashing out of the club; others where huddled and looking for a place to hide. 

All the while Aqua's Barbie Girl was still playing over the speakers.

In the confusion, Lamashtu spotted sisters, Kelly and Mara trying to make their way out the door. In a flash she makes her way towards them. Both scream when they see the demoness standing not two feet in front of them.

"Stay away from her, or I'll swear to go-" Mara says, defensively putting her.

"Shhh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh," The demoness puts a clawed finger in front of Mara's lips, before leaning in to whisper in her ear "I thought I'd let you know your sister's pregnant with Don's kid."

"What ?" Mara says, both taken aback and confused.

"Best of luck, you two!" Lamashtu simply gives Mara a friendly pat on the cheek "Catch you later!"

And with that, a pair of wings spread from Lamashtu, as she began to take flight, breaking a hole in the club's roof as she took off.

----

About an hour or so later, in a heavily forested area of Ontario, Lamashtu was pacing back and forth, seething, kicking the forest floor, and taking her anger out on the trees around her, and any unfortunate animals she was able to catch up to. 

By the time she calmed down, she was glaring up at the night sky to consider her situation.

During her few stops in her escape, Lamashtu learned that "Tara Vaughan" is now wanted in connected to the murders that occured in Sudbury, Bailey Downs, North Bay and Saint Catharines. 

Theo was taken by the Agency, no doubt did he snitch on her. Not only that, but she caught wind of a "digital composite sketch" the Agency made of her face, putting her out there for some wanted posters.

She tried calling out to other spirits; whispers in the wind told her that Hollis, Karnstein and those meddling kids have been reaching out to allies for any help they can get; though the Mikaelson's were currently distracted on account of the Hollow's activity in New Orleans.

She may have to have eyes kept on Beacon Hills and Mystic Falls to play it safe. Not only that, but this Chloe Beale girl had "connections" of her own in Bailey Downs that got Theo found out and taken in by the Agency.

Lamashtu simply weighed her options.

Fighting or confronting her head on would do fuck all; she's still only semi corporeal, unlike her half-sister. Stabbing her might as well be poking her with a toothpick. Try shooting her ? It'd be like using plastic ring caps.

Pazuzu lingers in Bailey Downs. Yet, is not fully present, which means she still has a foothold over this situation; The King has his eyes on Bella Conrad...and there were still more of those "Human Safety Activists"/Skinboys on the Count's payroll, and thus hers.

Bottomline, Lamashtu was not out of these woods yet...and neither were they.

What's another manhunt gonna do ? Let the Bellas, let the Silas gang think they have an edge on her. Give them months of rest and relaxation. Lamashtu's nothing if not patient.

And with that, Lamashtu began to cackle in both amusement and excitement.

They wanted to bring her to war ? She'll take them there herself.

Chapter Text

Casa del Bellas, April 9th, 2021

The past few days were a shit show. 

The Bella's got word of the arrest, and the bodies (or what passed as bodies) buried in a shack about a quarter mile from the house.

Bailey Downs was no stranger to mayhem and murder, but a lot of the time things were pretty hush hush and everything was nice and quiet for about five years. But this was more publicized, brutal, and involved a small boy with a pregnant mother. 

On top of that, the man arrested was Theo Straka, and given his fugitive status, news coverage went all out on the Bailey Downs area. As of now, his accomplice "Tara Vaughan" was on the run.

Luckily for the Bella's neither the police nor the media gave them much trouble; the fact that Chloe was carrying Carmilla and Laura's baby wasn't all that public knowledge, nor was Carm and Laura's presence in the area.

Bottom line, other than an officer stopping by for questions the day before, the Bellas otherwise had no bother.

In so far as you can "have no bother", when dealing with the underlying anxiety that - a demoness has been living close to your house; knows where you live; has actively killed at least two or three people over her stay; and now you're relying on another demon's power to keep her at bay.

So, with all that said, the Bella's needed some answers. Luckily, once Theo was arrested, Carm and Laura were ready and willing to lay their cards on the table.

The Bella's were on a need to know basis.

----

It was late in the evening, when Bella Conrad was supposed to be asleep, when Beca, Chloe, Stacie and Aubrey set up the skype call in their living room.

When the skype turns on, Laura, Carmilla, and two others they recognized from the vlog as Perry and LaFontaine were watching the monitor expectantly. They were sitting at a kitchen table at what looks to be an apartment.

"So...what news ?" Beca asks.

"We heard Theo was arrested two days ago." Laura says "How are you holding up ?"

"Oh you know, as good as you can get when your cozy cabin getaway is slowly being caught up in a murder investigation." Aubrey says counting one finger "Having a child killing demoness down the road; having to call in the demon from The Exorcist as backup-"

"Technically, The Exorcist was a pretty weak take on the real deal." LaFontaine interrupts, before everyone glares at them "I'm just saying they went for style over-"

"But you haven't been getting in any trouble, right ?" Perry asks, before realizing she and LaF haven't been introduced to the Bellas "Oh by the way, I'm Lola Perry and this is my partner-"

"Yeah, we know who you are ?" Stacie says raising her hand to interrupt her "We watched the vlogs."

"Back to my question." Laura says, briefly glaring at LaF and Perry out of annoyance of her interruption, before looking back at the women on her screen "Have you been experiencing, seeing or hearing anything on your end ?"

"Well Bella's doing fine." Stacie says "I don't think she even knows about the investigation; I want to keep it that way, you understand."

"Of course." Carmilla says "But what about the Pazuzu statue, is it doing you any good ?"

"I mean, so far no Paranormal Activity shit's going down." Beca says with a shrug "It gets a little windy at night though, even when the forecast says otherwise."

"Makes sense." LaFontaine nods "He's the King of the Wind Demons; if he was gonna let anyone know he's here-"

"But will it be enough to keep that other demon away ?" Chloe asks "I mean, that girl-"

"Lamashtu." LaFontaine clarifies.

"Lamashtu, right." Chloe says, putting a protective hand on her stomach "She fucking walked right up too our door; she knows where we are; knows about Bella; knows about ou- your baby. What I'm getting at is, I don't think a gust of wind is gonna be enough."

"I mean she's on the run, isn't she ?" Laura says.

"Maybe. Or maybe she could be in hiding, biding her time for the charm to wear off or something." Beca says "Fuck, I mean, we don't know how this shit works, you know ?"

LaFontaine raises their hands defensively "Well, we have a plan B if that's the case..."

"Which is ?" All four Bella's ask at the same time.

The Silas girls (and non binary) glance at each other with a hesitant look, before Carmilla speaks.

"If it comes to that...we may have to summon Pazuzu himself into our world."

There is a pause, as the former Barden Bellas take this information in, before Stacie raises two fingers to make sure she got it right.

"Is...is that even possible ?"

"Or the right call ?" Beca asks.

"I mean so far it's the only option we got." Laura says "Unless you can find another way to smite a demon goddess. In my experience, the Dean was dumb luck on my part; I mean I didn't even know she was a goddess-"

"I might have some ideas." Carmilla says, having been keeping herself mild through this conversation.

"Well...we're all ears." Aubrey says.

"I never told you all about the night I...became what I am." Carmilla said "The past week or so, we have been looking over this manor in the Carpathian Mountains"

"It was your childhood home ?" Chloe asks, immediately picking up what Carmilla was putting down.

"How'd you-?"

"Lucky guess." Chloe shrugs, "I can pick things up like that."

"Well, we've been excavating the place." Carmilla says "Finding out what the Count...what he has been digging up."

Carmilla glances at Laf and Perry, silently asking for some space. The two nod, quite literally giving Carm and Laura the table.

Carmilla takes a deep breath in preparation. Laura has a supportive hand on Carmilla's shoulder to give her some support.

"Remember when I was telling you my story ? The extended, uncensored version of my story ?"

"Pretty vividly, considering you described your first-" Stacie almost says, before faking a cough when she notices her girlfriends are looking at her.

Carmilla chuckles in brief amusement, before a sad smile forms on her face.

"I never got to the part where I...became what I am today. What better time like the present ?" Carmilla says in a shaky voice "You know, when you try to put your past behind you for three hundred years ? You tend to blank out a lot."

"Sounds like a pretty big box to unpack," Chloe says in an understanding tone.

"Yeah, very big." Carmilla nods, wiping an eye "Lately, with everything that's been happening ? I've been having dreams. Though looking back, I think it was my memory trying to fill the blanks. Among the blanks filled was that, Lamashtu was there the night of my mortal death."

Carmilla trembles a little just thinking about it.

"There was so much I was in the dark about, especially what my father and brother had planned for the night." Carmilla starts "What I didn't know was that others had my family and home in their sights."

----

The Karnstein estate, September 5th, 1705

The day was here, the night the Karnstein's have been preparing for nearly six months.

The last of the treasures Count Falco sought were found, and with the Gruber's still not recovering from their scandal, Falco had word spread of "his" accomplishments. He was to hold a ball, in celebration of "his" achievements.

Of course, Falco invited the Gruber's among hundreds of others to bear witness to his success (and Ferdinand Gruber's failure). This would be the achievement that puts Falco Karnstein on the map. An achievement higher than those he thought possible in his boyhood.

Before he sired a daughter, before his father forced responsibility onto him, Falco would have settled for being a baron. Before Mircalla was born, Falco never deluded himself as going anywhere beyond the court of the Holy Roman Emperor, and even then it was a dream he never thought he could achieve.

And now, in his hands he had the means to ascend; to become like the King in Yellow. A name and fable that plagued his mind for centuries, and now he knew they told of his destiny; he even reached out to his consultant, "Adeen Curt" so as to prepare for ascension.

Unfortunately, it came to Falco's attention that he wasn't the only one with these bright ideas. He knew not what Elias knew, but he knew that his son was up to something. No doubt, planning to usurp him.

But with what Falco has in store...whatever Elias plots is trivial.

And so blissfully unaware, was Mircalla Karnstein; her head and her heart so full of dreams and wonder. She knew her friend, her beloved Rebekah Mikaelson, would come for her. 

She knew the Mikaelson's had power, she knew they had influence, and she knew with them, she had more freedom than she knew a girl like her could have. And...she found what she thought of as love with Rebekah Mikaelson.

It shouldn't be too hard to convince them to accept her hand in marriage, and take her away. Take her back to the life of freedom she so craved.

And it shouldn't be too hard to convince Elias to come along either.

On the morning of September 5th, Mircalla was up bright and early, surveying the courtyard where the celebration would be held.

During which, she would look at the artifacts that her father collected; so many bizarre names, and languages, in all her time spent in the library she couldn't recall seeing any instances of these words.

Yog Sothoth; Nyarlathotep; R'lyeh; Cthulhu Fhtagn; Carcosa. Mircalla feels like she heard these before, but couldn't put her finger on it. And there were the statues placed on each corner of the courtyard; there were many things Mircalla questioned about her father, but she'd think he'd have more of a sense of decoration.

Mircalla's train of thought was interrupted when she felt a tapping on her shoulder. She turns to see her brother, Elias, already dressed for the occasion.

"Admiring the artwork, dear sister ?" Elias asks, innocently.

"I am." Mircalla says, before correcting herself  "If you can call it that. I guess, I'm trying to make sense of what these are."

"If you paid attention to the stories I tried telling you, you'd know there's little sense of it all."

"Try me."

Elias looks over the plaque himself, pointing out the sigil of Cthulhu and Hastur.

"These two ?" Elais starts "I don't know how else to describe them, but for a lack of a better word, they are god's."

"From which culture ?" Mircalla asks "Are they Greek, Norse-?"

"They're not from this Earth sister. In fact, they're not part of our world." Elias shakes his head. He gestures to a dark spot in the center of the plaque "In almost  every culture, there is something that came before us. That will more than likely be here, after us."

Elias continues, slowly processing and releasing everything he's ever learned from "Lilith Morrigan", from "Adeen Curt", and the voices.

"In the beginning there was Darkness. And in that darkness, monsters were born." Elias explains "The Greeks called it Chaos, there are those who call it the Void. Those who know of it have a different name for it. And then there are the monsters of this world, born from the fires of creation. The world tries to comprehend them; Leviathan, Behemoth, Tiamut, Lôtān-"

Mircalla chuckles at her brother's flowey words, interrupting him. "I'm sorry. That's a pretty speech, were you rehearsing that ?"

"It's been on my mind for a while now." Elias nods to his sister, a ghost of a smile on his face.

He looks back at the plaque, as if it held him in a trance.

"From the Void, two brothers, for lack of a better word, emerged. Wishing for a spot to rule on this world, the two were rivals, fighting for their claim. It was believed the gods, monsters and titans of this world were insignificant to the beings of the void; so many bowed to them, taking sides." Elias starts "But from the sea, there emerges one that-"

"Admiring the artwork, children ?" A familiar voice interrupts them.

They turn around to see none other than Lady Lilita Morrigan, their guardian of the past eight years, in both her estate in Styria, and New Orleans. Who became something of a mother figure in their father's absence. In fact, both of the Karnstein siblings were of the opinion that she was more family to them than the Count.

At her side were two familiar faces; Matska Belmonde, and Adeen Curt, both of whom were dressed for the occasion, though not exactly with the extravagance of the Lady.

"Milady!" Mircalla exclaims, stepping forward to give the Lady a welcome hug, something of which the Lady herself was taken aback by, but returned unceasingly. Mircalla also gives Matska a hug, who was considerably more receptive than her mother.

Adeen rolls her eyes at the display of affection, and does a gagging motion when she thinks no one is looking. 

"M'ladies." Elias gives a more simply curtsey, tipping an invisible hat "I was just telling my dear sister the story behind these idols and artifacts. It's an annoying habit really, how she's interrupted by the-"

"That's nice my dear," Lady Morrigan interrupts Elias, "But do you really want to spoil the surprise ?"

"Surprise ?" Mircalla looks back and forth between her brother and the Lady "What surprise ?"

"Oh, I said too much already." Lady Morrigan feigns disappointment "But while we're here, Mircalla, darling, why don't we take what time we have to catch up."

Again, looking back and forth between her brother and the noblewomen, Mircalla nods to the Lady.

"Of-of course, milady."

And with that, Lady Morrigan hooks an arm around one of Mircalla's, while Matska takes the other, and the two lead Mircalla out of the courtyard and to the Garden.

With only Adeen Curt present, the redheaded noble steps forward towards Elias.

"I know what you desire with her, and let me tell you; it's not gonna go the way you're hoping." She says, wrapping her arm around the boy's shoulder.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do." Curt says, her true voice, Lamashtu's voice, slipping out "You think you will make the ultimate sacrifice; that you and your sister will slay your father, as he plans to sacrifice you for his own glory. You're the easiest book to read, Elias Karnstein. It's little wonder why your sister grows bored of you."

"She-"

"Spent two years fraternizing and fucking Lady Mikaelson, that she all but forgot you exist. You try to pull her into your world, and she pulls away." Lamashtu shakes her head "You know she's planning on leaving you, right ? Right when the word got to her that the Mikaelson's are coming."

Elias looks to the demoness in disguise and she walks him down the lake shore.

"That's not-" Elias says, but Lamashtu interrupts her.

"Your father pulled you apart for a year; you isolated yourself for four years, and two years after that you drifted further apart. If you ask me, it sounds like you haven't been close since you were a toddler." Lamashtu lists out, before pausing as she remembers something "Do you remember the story of the Hanged King ?"

"The man who sacrificed everything he had to become a god." Elias nods.

"As your father wishes much the same. He too was touched by the Great Old Ones, just not the same way as you were. And not the same as Mircalla." Lamashtu explains "What god needs a family ? What god needs an heir...or a sister ?"

"You have a sister." Elias points out "You have a father and-"

"And that's supposed to mean anything to me ?" Lamashtu narrows her eyes "They treat and paint me like a mad dog, and over what ? Some dead babies, and a few diseases ? Zuzu made a name for himself spreading a plague of locusts, and they make him out to be a guardian angel for new mothers and babies!"

Lamashtu shrugs and breathes out heavily, as if she's holding herself back from going on a rant.

"In any case, family is bullshit. You won't be losing much by leaving Mircalla behind. In fact, you'd benefit in your goal in life by casting her out all together." Lamashtu explains, giving the most fake "sympathetic" frown she could muster "In fact, she's planning on casting you out all together as well."

"She wouldn't-"

"As we speak...she is talking to my sister and her ward about their plans for her; she is to leave with them. To start another life." Lamashtu puts a hand on Elias' shoulder and uses her other to tilt Elias' face to hers "And in that life, you will be a memory. A bitter memory, that she will bury in a box. Because her past as Mircalla Karnstein will be dead to her."

Elias says nothing. As he tries to think or form the words, his eyes water a little and he shakes her head.
Lamashtu tilts her head with a coy smile.

"There is...one solution though." Lamashtu says, fluttering her eyes "If you're up for it..."

----

In the garden, Mircalla sat with Matska and her mother at the bench. Mircalla was flustered at what they were talking about.

"You're not fooling me are you ?" Mircalla asks "You really wish for me to be your permanent ward ?"

"I could think of no one better!" The Lady says "Besides Luisa Gruber, you are on the top of my list for a good long while."

The Lady leans in to whisper to Mircalla.

"Between you and me, Luisa is more for Matska's benefit; she still thinks of the girl like she was her own. And someone has to step in and rescue her from her family's scandal."

"But I thought our previous arrangement was only-" Mircalla starts to say before The Lady puts her finger to Mircalla's lips.

"Shhh," She whispers "Think nothing of it. It would seem that your father...he's growing out of reasons to keep you around, more than likely to marry you off."

Mircalla takes this in for a moment before shaking her head "Well, for once we agree on something."

"Also, a little birdie told us that you're seeking another life, yourself." The Lady says, looking over Mircalla "We caught word of our esteemed guests the Mikaelson's will be arriving for the ball."

The Lady runs her fingers through Mircalla's hair, as if to drive the point home.

"Rebekah Mikaelson has nothing but good things to say of you, and has spoken concerns for your safety."

"My safety ?" Mircalla double takes "What about my safety, what do I have to fea-"

"Surely you aren't that naïve to the world ? Do you not believe your father's success would make him very bitter enemies ? Enemies that no doubt wouldn't hesitate to take revenge by proxy on your father ?" Matksa chimes in.

"Revenge ? Wh- what for ?"

"If you are unaware how low Count Falco will sink in order to ascend, I will spare you the last of your innocence." The Lady says, putting her hand over Mircalla's heart, before tilting her head to the side with a cheeky smile "For as long as I can of course."

 Mircalla nods as she takes this in.

"Will I return to New Orleans ?" She asks.

"New Orleans, Paris, Rome; the sights your brother and father have seen will be minimal to what you behold." The Lady says, once again stroking the girls hair, almost like she was petting her "What say you, Mircalla Karnstein ?"

Mircalla freezes and almost feels her heart stop at the motherly woman's touch. As usual.

"We'll need my father's permission, won't we ?"

"Come tonight, and what your father wants won't matter." The Lady says "He'll have his hour of fame and esteem, but it'll pass with the rising of the sun. He'll have to send you off; if only to lighten the load."

Mircalla bites her lip as she thinks it over, but the look in her eyes says she's still undecided.

"Can I have an hour to think about it ?"

"You can have all day!" The Lady says cheerfully "In fact, I am confident that the decision will make itself come the sunrise tomorrow!"

"If it pleases you, may I take a walk, milady ? I don't want to feel pressured." Mircalla says with an uneasy voice.

"Of course," The Lady says with a cooing smile "Far be it from me to be too controlling over my wards."

And with that, Matska gets up from the bench after Mircalla.

"Then you wouldn't mind, if I accompanied her, would you mother ?" Matska asks, turning to her mother, instinctively linking her arm with Mircalla "We do have so much to catch up on."

"Of course, daughter." The Lady says "I could do without your presence for a moment."

"Hmm, glad we agree." Matska says with a chipper smile, while she leads Mircalla from the garden "So, Lady Karnstein, I've been told you had an exceptional birthday and Christmas gift last year..."

As the two soon to be sisters, headed towards the manor itself, the Lady's chipper smile turns to a scowl as she feels the cold but familiar presence of Lamashtu standing behind her. 

"Sister." Lamashtu says.

"Mad dog." Inanna replies.

"Like I haven't heard that one before." Lamashtu says, taking a seat beside her sister "Aren't you the one who made father step down from the throne ? Aren't you the one who threatens to raise the dead to feed upon the living, when daddy or some gatekeeper doesn't give you what you want ?"

"The Hyena calls the Lion a predator."

"At least the hyena is honest." Lamashtu shrugs, "At least the hyena looks past the mask and doesn't fall for a pair of pretty blue eyes."

"Oh, will you stop that ?" Inanna says, turning to her sister with an irritated scowl "I know love isn't something within your comprehension, but what Hastur showed me is true!"

"What he showed me was true." The demoness grins "You're not the only one he made promises too."

"Yes, well not all of us have a simplistic thirst for blood as you do."

"Sure they do. They just need an excuse to push them over the edge, and then suddenly the most perfect angel in Heaven turns to the devil himself. Or herself in this case." Lamashtu says, "affectionately" putting an arm around her sister's shoulder.

Inanna recoils from Lamashtu's touch, causing the latter to giggle for amusement.

"Once again, at least the hyena is honest." Lamashtu says with a malicious grin "But I take it my presence isn't the only thing that's got your dander up."

"The Count." Inanna nods "Motherless sod has proven the past year he's good at two things; Mircalla and Elias." Inanna lets out a lion-like growl just thinking about it; "It's because of him, we only have one chance to use that plaque."

"Oooh," Lamashtu gets up from her seat "That explains why he's starting to look soo...ghoulish. He stuck his hands where they don't belong, did he ?"

"And then some." Inanna scowls, thinking back to that trip to Ontario.

----

Ontario, January/February, 1705

Earlier that year Falco had led his expedition to Ontario, in a colony founded by Lord's Clarence Bailey and Rupert Downs, three decades earlier. 

The two had the whole county named after them. And there was a region believed to be unreachable by the locals and the colonists.

Notably, it would be the first venture since Mesopotamia that "Lady Lilith Morrigan" would directly aid him in. It was through the convincing of Lady Morrigan did Bailey and Downs allow Falco to explore the region's forests for their secrets. 

The Lady, having her eye on one prize in particular.

The region was different nicknames, but according to the now English speaking Ojibwe, it was roughly translated at "The Great Pit"

Many of the First Nations were unaware of what lies beyond it, and the oldest among them mostly refused to elaborate; the few that did could only recall vague stories of a people that were once there, but lived no longer.

At this point in time, 75% of the Ojibwe that lived in the area were mostly converted to Christianity, and didn't grow up with the oral traditions of their people. The 35% that stayed connected with their roots, were of no help. Many of them didn't know about "The Great Pit"; they knew that generations of Cree, Ojibwe, and

Algonquin people avoid those woods at all cost; that nothing of value was to be found in their exploration.

When asked to elaborate further, they got the same answer. It was just something they weren't allowed to talk about for thousands of years. So much so that even the generations that have forgotten would know to avoid that land out of instinct. It was that ingrained into their thinking.

When the Lady said the name "Ithaqua", the oldest among them glanced her way.

They would ask what she meant by that name, as they themselves heard it from their parents, and grandparents, but not even they knew its meaning. As far as the First settlers were concerned, that place was simply not a place they were to visit.

The only one who had real knowledge about these parts was a fifty nine year old man, Mikom, who was so serious about keeping what waits in "The Great Pit" a secret, he cut his tongue out after one venture there as a young man, so as to avoid speaking of what he learned. 

And even then he would wake up screaming from the nightmares almost every night. Though what Mikom lacked in speaking, he made up for in writing, and understanding four other languages; French, Swedish, Gaelic, and luckily for Falco, Austrian.

So of course, Falco was gonna force communication from this man; among the expedition's crew, of their sixty man band, was four converted Ojibwe, including Mikom's converted nephew, Joshua. 

On the night before their ventures, Falco met Mikom in his sleeping quarters, told them that regardless of his or his people's concerns, they were going to seek out "The Great Pit", and that it would do Joshua good that he just tells them what he knows. 

Mikom answered Falco with a simple note in the Austrian tongue.

"Du hast auf dieser Reise bereits das Schicksal meines Neffen und dein eigenes besiegelt. Was ich sage, ändert nichts. Wenn Sie die Geschichten kannten, die der Große Alte inspirierte, wenn Sie die Arbeit seiner Anhänger gesehen haben, wenn Sie seine Stimme gehört haben, sind Zerstörung und Wahnsinn die einzigen Pfade vor Ihnen. Wenn Sie sich auf eine solche Reise begeben, sind Sie vielleicht bereits ein Verrückter."

Translation: "You have already sealed my nephew's fate and your own on this journey. What I say doesn't change anything. If you knew the stories the Ancient One inspired, when you've seen the work of his followers, when you've heard his voice, the only paths ahead are destruction and madness. If you embark on such a journey, you may already be a madman."

Falco would look stoically at this note, before glancing at Mikom.

"Ist das alles, was du zu sagen hast, alter Mann ? (Is that all you have to say, old man ?)" Falco asks. 

Mikom simply stares stoically.

Falco stands up, preparing to unsheathe a knife from under his jacket.

"Du triffst eine schlechte Wahl der letzten Worte. (You make a poor choice of last words.)" Falco says, but is interrupted when the door knocks.

Both men turn to see Joshua at the door.

"Count Karnstein," The young man says "The last of the supplies are in; we can either leave tonight or tomorrow morning."

Falco seethes, releasing his grip on the knife.

"Inform Lady Morrigan." Falco sighs, making his way to the door "And prepare the horses while you're at it, boy."

Before leaving the sleeping quarters, Falco speaks to Mikom again.

"BefSüße Träume, Mikom. Was auch immer der Große Alte dir gewährt (Sweet dreams, Mikom. Whatever the Ancient One grants you)." Falco says, taking his leave.

---- 

The actual journey took four days before they reached that dreaded spot of land. But on February 2nd of that year.

Or more accurately, they found the trees, standing hundreds of feet high. There was a thick and deep underbrush of trees, with vast branches that seemed to interlock with each other, forming a makeshift wall.

Whatever gods or spirits were out there, really didn't want people venturing out there.

Even so, the expedition made camp, the plan being to have these trees cut down, however long it takes, to venture into these woods...though those plans were nipped in the bud, when the accompanying lady presses her hand to one of the trees; six of them fell on the spot, each just missing the party members.

While they were all in shock at what just occurred, the Lady turned to the party and said in a voice that seemed to echo to them.

"When you hear the wind. Pay it no heed."

And so, that night they ventured for forty minutes more, before they made camp.

There was nothing spectacular of the settlement they found. It was at the ridge of a mountain. On the surface, it resembles a long since abandoned village; given its use of cave structures, the village may have dated back thousands of years, before even the oldest among them were even born.

It was certainly easy to see why the locals - save for Mikom - having no real memory of this place.

There was a small but spacious spot that the crew could make camp, and true to the Lady's advice, their crew did their best to ignore the sounds of the wind. 

They were there for one reason; there was a plaque there; a tribute to Ithaqua, as Lady Morrigan put it, that much like Yobidashi-gawa, was a communications device that would allow for communication with the old god's. 

All it requires is a teeny, tiny blood sacrifice.

In the dead of night, while the rest of the crew slept in their tents, trying to keep warm in the growing snowfall; and from his considerably more comfortable and pampered tent, Falco was called out by a whistle.

When he went out to investigate, he'd see The Lady, holding a torch with a white hot flame, gesturing him to follow her; it was cold as the ninth circle, but nothing the Count hadn't endured before.

The woman led Falco to a cave system at the very bottom of the mountain, during which she and Falco made conversation.

"You've been asking around, what the Indians know of this place." The Lady asks.

"How observant." Falco says sarcastically, following the Lady's lead "And I am to assume you know more than the locals ?"

"This spot is...ancient, dating before the locals made this land their home." The woman explains, her white torch growing brighter and brighter the deeper they went into the caves "In fact, this spot was uninhabited for five thousand years."

As the descended deeper and deeper, Falco took notices of cave paintings, depicting people traveling by boats; an ocean of red... and people eating eachother.

"The one known as Ithaqua, was the spawn of Hastur; born 14,000 years ago to the Paleo Siberian people. He was the mediator between mankind and the King in Yellow, and gained a following in his mortal life."

"You say that like you were there." Falco remarks, noticing a large cave painting of a white humanoid figure towering over the world; it held out its arms in a crucified like manner. From its arms, snow was falling.

"You say that like I wasn't. A fallen goddess tends to wander, you know." She replies "Ithaqua's following was vast. With its roots in Siberia, they spread. For four thousand years, they lived among the people who made the Americas and East Asia their home." 

The Lady turns around with a coy smile.

"There are two plaques of its kind; one here...and one buried in the Himalayas." The Lady says, a teasing, knowing tone in her voice "But to seek that one, we risk awakening the demon dragon Bagan. You wouldn't want to be responsible for another demon to be loose on the world."

"So long as it puts my name out there...I'd awaken the devil itself." Falco says without a hint of remorse or emotion.

"Of that, I am aware. You and Lamashtu certainly get along famously; you've worked s-o-o-o- well." The Lady circles the Count as they reach a chamber "But even so, the other plaque would take centuries at best to uncover. This trip should take us four days tops..."

The Lady tosses her torch into the middle of the chamber; the white flame doesn't go out, but instead illuminates the whole of the chamber. 

Standing in it's center was the plaque; depicting the images including Cthulhu and Hastur - the latter being represented by three, golden, serpent-like-creatures, each wearing a set of horns. It would be the same plaque the Count would use as the centerpiece of his ball.

"Ithaqua's tribute to his father." The Lady explains "In his absence, he would have his people speak to the Old Ones, primarily through this. All it would take is the spilling of blood."

"His absence ?"

"There's a reason why Ithaqua and his followers were forgotten by the world." The Lady explains as she circles the plaque "On his own, his influence spread like a snow storm; from the Great Lakes regions; to Siberia, Nepal and Tibet; to even parts of China and India, the spawn of Hastur taught mankind an atrocity committed to this day; to take one's land, to persecute it's people, and build his kingdom on the bones of another."

Falco chuckles, and shrugs "I don't know what to tell you milady, sounds like human nature to me."

The Lady nods in agreement.

"And he taught them how to better utilize it. In the same way Hastur was once seen as a corruption and decadence, Ithaqua practiced after his father; as his religious practice, every man, woman and child in their following would commit the taboos of their culture. Most infamously, cannibalism. He taught them that they could ascend as he had - to be one of the Great Old Ones, as his father was - all they would do was give up their humanity."

It was here, Lady Morrigan directed Falco's attention to a cave painting behind the plaque.

It depicted a giant white humanoid figure, similar to the one seen in the previous paintings; this time, blood was raining down onto the masses, who were as small as insects in comparison to their god. The people beneath him, appeared to be devouring each other.

"...All it did was warp them into abominations in Ithaqua's own image." The Lady says with a grim tone before turning her attention back to Falco "Ten thousand years ago, when the gods, monsters and Titans of this world fought against the Great Old Ones, Ithaqua was among the casualties. Not dead, in the way we know it; he was casted from one Earth to another."

One Earth to another ? Falco looks at her with a puzzled expression. Whatever could that mean ?

Even so, the Lady continues.

"His followers ? Killed off by the people they persecuted, and erased from memory. So much so that it was obscured into different legends in the lands they inhabited; to the people of Tibet, the Yachê; to the Siberians, the Chuchuna; and to the Great Lakes, they were known as the Wītikō." The Lady turns back towards the plaque "But even with his banishment, Ithaqua's spirit can still see and talk across worlds. He left his mark on both, and so he will never truly leave."

Falco takes a few steps towards the plaque, staring up at the pale image of the King in Yellow's son.

"And he was able to ascend ?" He asks.

"Higher than any mortal dreamed off...his followers were not so lucky."

"And they needed blood sacrifices ?" Falco asks.

The Lady looks at the Count, with an expression of feigned ignorance.

"It depends; spilling blood on this plaque is said to open the gate just enough for communication. Of course there are limitations too how many times it every few centuries-"

That's all Falco needed to hear.

Quickly unsheathing his blade from under his jacket, Falco slashes the palm of his hand and pressing it against the plaque; directly onto the image of Cthulhu.

"No!" The Lady exclaims, her natural "Inanna" voice shining through.

Everything disappeared around the Count.

----

No longer was Falco in the cave chamber, instead in a void of darkness. As his eyes slowly adjusted, he noticed he was surrounded by a fog. And within the fog itself...was a swirl of a snow storm.

A snow storm that seemed to approach him; and in the middle of the swirling snow...he saw something that looked human in shape. It was tall for sure. It estimated eight to ten feet in height, with long arms that almost seemed to reach the ground. 

It's actual features were dark and obscured, but what stood out was the red in its eyes. It spoke as if it's voice was the wind.

You call upon me

It leers down, noticing Falco's bleeding hand. It inhales deeply.

Karnstein

"You know my name ?"

I know your blood

A flash of snow obscures Falco's vision, forcing the Count to close his eyes, as he feels a boney, leathery hand take hold of his wrist, and press his hand into its mouth. 

Falco uncontrollably shudders, feeling the long and slick tongue of the Great Old One, licking up the cut in his hand with relish.

He spoke your name

The Count was unable to open his eyes, partially due to the snow blowing in his face, and partially because he was afraid of what he'd see when he opens them.

And the Karnstein name, he spoke, and the Petrova Blood calls to him

As soon as Falco was sure it was leaning away from him, did he flutter his eyes open; the blizzard still obscured his vision, but he could still see the shape circling him, and the red eyes peering down at him.

"My blood son ?" Falco manages to put together "Why ?"

The blood of Petrova. The blood of curses

Falco thinks for a moment. Of course! His peasant mother, Petrova ? Her blood supposedly has power, and it is a Karnstein the Great Old Ones seek. It was only when she married into a blood blooded family, did her blood have any actual meaning.

As if it were reading his mind, the thing in the snow storm spoke again.

I spoke to your son. For years he shown promise.

"Elias ? Promise ?" Falco manages to stand up from the snow "I sired him as I needed a male heir. If I follow the path your father laid out before me-"

He will be every thing you wish you where. And more

Falco "But I can be more! I can prove myself to you and your father, I can-"

Other's tried. Died trying. Or worse

"Elias is worth nothing, he's worth less than Mircalla at this point." Falco tries to insist.

Whaever is spawned from her womb will have more value than you

This puts Falco in a pause.

"She's ? Pregnant ?"

I see it through her time. And I see her child

"What does that mean ?"

It says nothing, but Falco could almost hear it laughing at his expense.

"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ?" Falco grabs at the Great Old One's wrist. Suddenly enveloped by the fog that surrounded him.

The fog made his world spin, giving him the feeling of suddenly waking up and being pulled from the world of sleep.

As his eyes adjusted, he was still holding onto Ithaqua's hand, but the latter was staring towards a cabin in the middle of a dark winters night...it wasn't a cabin from any time period Falco has ever seen. In fact, it was from the year 2015. 

Before his eyes and mind could truly adjust to what he's seeing, a woman dressed down in what had to be the time's equivalent of knickers stepped out the front door. 

The woman was young, about nineteen years old, blonde and left little to the imagination. But her anger was apparent, distracting Falco from whatever attraction her appearance could muster. While he was sure this woman couldn't see them, she was certainly shouting out into the darkness of woods like she knew they was there.

"HEY! YEAH! PRICKS! THAT MEANS YOU! I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE! The FUCK are you trying to do? You wanna ruin our fun THAT BAD ? Well GUESS WHAT? You can't! You can't ruin our good time! Because Michael and I are gonna FUCK! That's right! We're gonna have SEX! And it's gonna be HOT! So ENJOY IT! Because I know WE'RE GOING TO!"

Before Falco could make sense of what he's seeing or hearing, the fog envelops him. While what had to be the physical manifestation of Ithaqua advances to the cabin, the spirit was still in that darkness and void it previously held the Count.

You seen too much mortal. Know this, your purpose is neearly fufiiled. You are part of the past old man

The thing in the snow leers over him, grabbing him by the throat and began to squeeze.

Your place in  history and legend, is in a box, buried in the past.

Falco tries to gasp as he futilely tries to grab it's hand, trying to pry his fingers open, but he sees the light draining in his vision.

Rot in it.

And with a snap, Falco opens his eyes... 

----

When Falco came too, he was no longer in the caves chamber...in fact he was no longer in the woods...he was on his ship, in his bed.

It hurt him to sit up, but he felt around his neck, almost as if Ithaqua was still holding it.

He got up off the bed, looking towards the window, to see the crew loading something in the docking bay - it was the plaque.

"What...what is ?"

"Oh, good, you're up." A sarcastic sounding Lady Morrigan said, catching Falco's attention. She was in his bedroom doorway, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed. "I was so worried that you wouldn't make it, and that I would have to take guardianship of your two children. And you used the plaque, which gives us one other chance to use it this century. Good on you, good Count."

"What...where...?" Falco tried to say, but he couldn't finish his sentence.

"You were passed out for four days, but under my direction, we were able to take you and the artifact back to the ship safely." She says, making her way to the Count "You're welcome by the way."

"I...I saw him."

"Yes, and look where it got you." The Lady says, rolling her eyes.

"It told me...it said to me that..." Falco says, making his way back to the bed, sitting down with a forehead in his hand "There was this fog and-"

"You saw the Fog of Worlds ?" The Lady asks, her eyes bulging in genuine shock and wonder "No one was supposed to reach that far."

"Fog of Worlds ?"

"Forget it." The Lady shakes her head "Just know that you glimpsed the world he was cast into. Not just that, you saw through time in that world. It's no wonder your nose was bleeding so much."

Falco clutches his nose in confusion, just now noticing the coppery smell in his nostrils.

"Get me...get me a mirror." Falco says.

"'Get me a mirror' what ?"

"GET ME A MIRROR RIGHT FUCKING NOW YOU CUNT!!!" Falco snaps.

The Lady's eyes and nostrils flare. She has the slightest growl in her voice as she speaks, like that of a lion.

"The only reason I don't strike you dead now, is that it would be a kindness you are not owed." The Lady says.

Regardless, she walks to the mirror on the far side of the room, picking up a two foot mirror and making her way towards the Count.

Falco's scream was caught in his throat as he took in the sight.

He knew he wasn't exactly prince charming, but he did think of himself as a handsome man. And yet staring back at him in the reflection was a days old corpse, left to rot in the snow. No doubt the crew thought he was sick or dead when they hauled him back to the ship.

Falco was now a thinner, paler man, whose complexion borders onto yellow. His black hair has become greasy and loose, his skin withered and leathery, and eyes were dark and sunken in.

"What...what is this ?" Falco says touching his own face as disbelief washes over him.

The Lady couldn't help but smirk.

"Did you know ? The people of the Great Lakes, told a story of what happens when you give into your greed and your vices ? Of what happens when you give up your own humanity for your own selfishness. That is the real meaning of the Wītikō..." The Lady explains, with a calm and collected voice, amused at the horror the Count was seeing "It is more than just a monster the locals tell tales off...it is a state of being."

The Lady puts the mirror aside as the mortified Count feels around his new, malformed face.

"Let's see, vices ? On your fifteenth birthday, you coerced sex out of an older woman - a supposed friend of yours - because you couldn't accept the gift of a poetry book." The Lady says counting fingers "And you spend her pregnancy praying for her and the child's death to avoid responsibility. Wish partially granted, am I correct ?"

Falco says nothing, just picking up and looking at the mirror.

"You raped the daughter of a family living under you in lieu of tax payments, and kept the son around because you needed a male heir." The Lady says counting another finger "Greed and selfishness; when you started your treasure hunting, you made a bargain with a demon, resulting in the deaths of a hundred and eighty men, women and children, so that you could take your crew's cut of their findings, as well as what would compensate their families."

The Lady counts another finger.

"Odo Island. Another collaboration with Lamashtu, that saw two hundred stillbirths and miscarriages across the island, followed by a massacre that left six hundred dead. All for a single artifact." The Lady chuckles "You've followed the very example of Ithaqua's cult without even knowing it. The very deeds that turn man into abominations in his own image."

The Lady laughs with realization.

"I suppose the Wind Walker thought if you were gonna behave like his followers, you might as well look the part." The Lady sneers, "I'd say it suits you."

With a snarl, Falco tosses the mirror across the room, shattering it upon impact.

"Leave. Now." Falco sneers.

"As you wish, your majesty." The Lady sarcastically chuckles before leaving.

Falco sits at the edge of his bed, clutching the back of his his, seething and snarling to himself like he was some animal.

It's just as Lady Morrigan said; an abomination in Ithaqua's own image. Everything he prayed for, struggled for, killed for, and he was rewarded with a disfigurement.

It was almost enough to make him sob. He was no different than those nameless lowlifes that let themselves be turned into monsters, in pursuit of their god.

And the...whatever agony filled Falco's mind...was soon replaced by realization.

They were low-lives. They were nobodies.

What was it Ithaqua said in that haze ? A male Karnstein is being sought; that Karnstein blood has power. That blood comes from his mother, a Petrova, but since she married into the Karnstein name, now she was actually worth something.

That's what Falco had. Karnstein blood. On top of that, he was a male Karnstein, which is apparently what the Great Old Ones are seeking out. To see anything in Elias was foolish ? And Mircalla ? Whatever fruit will grow from her womb ? Falco hasn't heard that good of a joke in years!

Those who followed Ithaqua ? They became what they did because they were nobodies. They didn't belong to any family or bloodline ? His blood ? Karnstein blood ? He has what it takes to ascend where they fell ?

Already the plans were forming in his head. A ball, yes! He will gather nobles, near and far to witness what he uncovered...and if the Great Old Ones needed more blueblood on their altar, whose Falco to deny them ?

He'll show them they picked the wrong male Karnstein...and Mircalla ? He won't let her stand in the way of his destiny. 

Ever again.

----

September 5th, 1705

Back in Austria, three siblings had spent the morning preparing for the coming ball.

Having caught wind of what was to come months ago, and have been plotting out this quick trip for a good long while.

Two days before, they settled by a house on a seashore, and were quick to pick out a set of clothes for the night.

Out of them, Niklaus Mikaelson was dressed mildly less extravagantly than his brother and sister; while Rebekah was dressed in a mixture of black and white, as if she was preparing for both a wedding and a funeral; Elijah went for his usual buckskin "gentlemanly" attire; Klaus settled for a pair of riding booths, breaches, and a simple shirt and nightcoat.

As it took Klaus the shortest time to dress himself, he found himself watching Rebekah dolling herself up with makeup, sitting in a chair before her bedroom mirror.

"Really, sister ?" Klaus says, leaning at the side of her bedroom door "Of all nights tonight you go for the dramatics ?"

"Says the men planning a massacre." Rebekah says with a sullen and sarcastic tone.

"Correction." Klaus says stepping towards his sister "We only plan to kill a few. How things escalate is entirely dependent on-"

"But we are planning on keeping one alive." Rebekah asks, looking up at her brother.

"Bex..." Klaus starts, putting his hands on his sisters shoulders "We can't have you grow too attached to another one of your pets, can we ?"

"You really think that little of her ?" Rebekah asks, getting up from her seat.

Klaus shrugs "How much have you thought of her, sister ? Do you feel for her the same you felt for Walter, Vanessa, or Caledon, Everly, or Stanley or-"

"Do you have a point to this, Nik ? Or are you shamming me ?"

"My point, Bex, is what makes Mircalla Karnstein any different from any other lad or lady, you let into your heart ?" Klaus asks "Or your bed ? Will she not be a fleeting memory ? Will you even remember the name of Mircalla Karnstein in ten years ?"

Rebekah doesn't respond at first, taking a second before she says.

"Petrova." Rebekah says "That's what makes her important...to you isn't it ?"

Klaus says nothing, which Rebekah takes as her cue to continue.

"We lose Mircalla, you lose her family line. You lose the key to your so-called true potential." Rebekah says "That alone is enough to spare her in your eyes, correct ?"

Klaus grimaces, and crosses his arms.

"That, and nothing needs to happen unless it needs to happen." Klaus says, before shrugging "Assuming our brother can reign us in; the only blood that needs spilt is that of the Count, Gruber, and everyone else that has dug too deep."

Klaus then places a hand on Rebekah's shoulder.

"But you know her use in the grand scheme of things. It comes from something you cannot give her sister." Klaus explains "So tell me, what future do you offer her."

Rebekah hesitates before answering "I have no future to offer her. Only a present we can enjoy."

Klaus chuckles before making his way out of the room. They can hear a horse carriage pulling in, and Elijah is currently speaking to the coachman.

"And what about the boy ?" Rebekah continues momentarily stopping him "He knows much more than his father does. What are we to do about him ?"

Klaus hesitates for a moment, before he turns to face his sister.

"I don't enjoy taking the life of a child at the best of times." Klaus says, grimacing as he thinks back to the few times it came to that "But the last we stood ideally by when mankind reached too deep, what did we witness ? An army of the dead, and an oaffish hero falling from the sky. And need I say more about the Deep Ones, Bex ?"

Rebekah winces and unconsciously shudders at the memory of the Deep Ones.

"The truth is Rebekah, we are not here to rekindle a fleeting love; nor are we here to enjoy the festivities. We are here so that the world doesn't know there are greater monsters than us." Klaus says "And I'm sure you'd agree after glimpsing the bigger picture yourself."

----

April 9th, 2021

Back at the skype call, Beca decides to chime in when Carmilla pauses at this part of the story.

"So you're saying the Mikaelsons...they were the ones who-?" Beca asks.

"No no." Carmilla shakes her head "If anything I think they tried to save my life."

"That doesn't sound like the Klaus Mikaelson we heard off." Perry says off camera.

"I mean, you weren't there for the interview." Laura says "Maybe being a dad mellowed him out ?"

"Regardless." Carmilla continues "The Mikaelsons ? They were monsters true; but the thing is they were greater monsters out there than even Klaus Mikaelson. I guess maybe he didn't like the competition." She adds jokingly.

----

September 5th, 1705

That evening, the carriage pulled up to the Karnstein Manor; the sky turned a dark orange as the sun disappeared over the horizon.

Seventy four guests were present, with a 100 or so servants at the ready, and a string quartet playing; couples were being led to the courtyard as the festivities were about to begin. Sitting at the head of a grand table, Count Falco Karnstein was waiting for one guest in particular.

And when he arrives, Falco couldn't be any happier. The smile that formed on his face would be uncanny if one saw him up close. Even so, he waves this particular guest over to his table.

"As I live and breath." Falco says with elation as Duke Ferdinand Gruber approaches him at his table. Beside him is his wife, Lady Josephine Gruber and their now sixteen year old daughter, Luisa "It is fortunate that you were able to come given the scandal."

Ferdinand looked like he had seen better days.

Given the controversy of his son being caught with that boy - both of whom are waiting in Gruber's estate in Alberta for the scandal to blow over - and having to pay off the families of those slain on his expeditions, the good Duke considered the past year or so to be very, very humbling.

Even so, he kept a dignified appearance when he was expected.

"Well, this was my expedition." Ferdinand nods "Tis only fair that I see it to the end."

Falco nods, picking up a wine glass, which he looks down into as he swirls it "Well, it's only fitting that we go full circle. My father was very generous in helping you out of a bad way; it's only fair you pay a steep price in helping me out of mine."

Ferdinand grimaces.

"A steep price. Yes." Ferdinand says, with guilt in his voice "A crew of sixty, slaughtered in England. Another crew slaughtered in your first expedition. It is a blessing from above that you and your son survived that first massacre."

"Tis." Falco nods, with a faux modest expression and tone "I guess the blood of hundreds, thousands, is too steep a price for reaching too high."

Falco chuckles, but disguises it with a fake cough before leaning forward to Ferdinand.

"Take my advice. Don't aim for what you can't reach." Falco says "You will only crash and burn."

"Glad you agree." The voice of Lady Morrigan takes the Gruber's by surprise. At her side is Adeen Curt "But in the end, it will be worth it. After all, we bought a piece of an old and forgotten world, to show and teach future generations."

With a dramatic flare, the Lady gestures to the various artifacts, the statues, the tablets, on display in the courtyard; the guests looking over them in curiosity, and the rest mingle around themselves.

"It was a team effort between the three of us, and it culminates tonight." The Lady says patting Ferdinand on the shoulder "Tonight is about celebrating our successes, not lamenting our failures."

"Hear, hear." Falco raises his glass, before drinking it down "For there is much to celebrate tonight, and I want us to savor every moment of it!"

The Lady looks between Gruber and Falco with a knowing smirk before, glancing at Luisa Gruber, and leaning to whisper to her "If you're curious, Matska is within the manor, helping Mircalla prepare for the night's events. If you wish to catch up with old friends."

With a modest smile, Luisa nods, before looking at her parents, silently asking if she may be an excuse.

"If it pleases the Count." Lady Josephine says, glancing at the Count.

"Of course." The Count shrugs "It's not like she'll be going anywhere."

"If it pleases you, Duke and Lady Gruber ?" Adeen Curt says "If I may escort Luisa around the manor ? So she doesn't get lost."

"Of course. It's our understanding you're the Count's confidant. And if he trusts you, so do we." Josephine nods, not noticing her daughter practically freeze in terror as she recognizes Lady Kurt.

"Curt" takes hold of Luisa's lower back and walks her away from her family. At the same time, Falco get's Ferdinand and Josephine's attention.

"Gruber's, please sit." Falco gestures to two seats beside him "You are among our guests of honor, and it seems you two need a rest after hours of travel."

Seeing no harm in this, the Gruber's exchange a glance, before circling the table, and taking their seats at Falco's left side, while Lady Morrigan takes her seat on the right.

As "Adeen Curt" leads Luisa out of the courtyard, she makes a one sided conversation with the girl.

"So, its is my understanding, you are not the talkative type." Lamashtu inquires, speaking in her natural voice "That's good to know. Good for keeping secrets. So you won't tell a soul of what's to come tonight..."

Right as she says this, Lamashtu and Luisa walk past three other guests, the Mikaelson siblings. As she does so, the Mikaelson's feel an unnatural chill run through them. They turn their heads in Lamashtu's direction, who regards the three with a friendly wave, as she and Luisa make their way to the mansion.

Out of an inborn instinct, Rebekah departs from her brothers, giving them a look to tell them to go about their business.

"I'd dare say Niklaus," Elijah says, looking over the festivities "It would seem we are needed sooner, rather than later."

"Better late than never." Klaus shrugs, also taking in the sights.

"I suppose we should make this quick." Elijah says, holding up a hand before Klaus can take a step "But subtle."

"Hmm," Klaus chuckles "When has subtly ever been my strong suit."

"Very well. How's this for a request ?" Elijah takes Klaus' shoulder and looks him in the eye "Try not to have too much fun."

Klaus smirks, patting Elijah on the shoulder.

"Have a little more faith in me, brother. I did promise Bex at least one dance."

----

As Lamashtu reaches the manor with Luisa, she has finished whispering all manners of horrible things to the girl.

"...But enough about me," Lamashtu says "Tell us about you..."

Luisa, not being the talkative type, says nothing. She is remarkably pale though, taking in all the horror that the demoness just told her.

"Yeah, I've been told I have that effect on people." Lamashtu says "But hey, I'm a very curious woman. When I was younger, I would often take people and animals apart. See how they worked. Surely, I shouldn't have to do the same to you ?"

Luisa says nothing, but a tear wells up in her eye. A tear the demoness notices, wipes with her finger before licking it up.

"I've been told I also had that effect on people." Lamasthu smiles, looking left and right. When she is sure there are no other witnesses for her to put down, Lamashtu puts her hand on Luisa's mouth and forces her to the wall.

Lamashtu puts her face into the crock of the terrified girl's neck, inhaling deeply, and exhales with a shuddering giggle.

"You know what I am curious about ?" Lamashtu asks, brushing twirling a lock of Luisa's hair around her finger "Your voice. I would very much love to hear you scream..."

Before Lamashtu could do anything, a flash of black, white and yellow darts through the room. The demoness' head snaps 190 degrees, as she drops to the ground. Standing over her is Rebekah Mikaelson, who shushes Luisa, and puts both hands on her shoulders.

"It's gonna be alright." Rebekah says, looking Luisa in the eye. Their pupils shift in size as Rebekah compels the young girl "You saw and heard nothing from that wretched creature. You will put your trust in me, to take you where you need to go."

The compulsion seems to work, as the fear and terror that filled them seconds ago, completely dissipates.

Rebekah inhales, this time smelling the air, sensing Mircalla. She was with someone else, another woman. She can faintly hear a sisterly conversation between the two. She thinks she recognizes the voice.

"You were to visit Mircalla ?" Rebekah asks.

Luisa shakes her head.

"Matska Belmonde ?" 

Luisa nods, with Rebekah putting two and two together.

"You see her as a sister, do you ? Well, she has that effect on those she likes."

Luisa smiles, feeling reassured by Rebekah's words.

"Consider yourself one of the lucky ones." Rebekah says jokingly "She doesn't like a lot of people."

Luisa smiles and rolls her eyes in disbelief.

Matska ? Not liking someone ? Get out of town!

By the time Rebekah turned around to lead Luisa upstairs, Lamashtu's body had already disappeared. She was loose, somewhere in the house.

While Rebekah kept a calm and reserved demeanor, internally, she was in fight or flight mode.

----

"And that Mircalla, is the tale of how I brought one house to ruin, while bringing another into power." Matska says as she finishes fastening Mircalla's red dress, which contrasts with Matska's own black dress. 

Both took hours to put on and fasten up, with them spending the lot of the day catching up on what they missed out together.

"I'm aware of that." Mircalla chuckles, as she fastens the last of her laces "You told me that story six times."

Matska tilts her head "I did ?"

"First time was at the Gruber Manor." Mircalla adds.

"Oh right."

There was a knock at the door.

"Come on in. We're decent." Mircalla calls out.

"I should hope so. I bring with me innocent eyes." Rebekah's voice.

The door opens, and there stands Rebekah Mikaelson, and Luisa Gruber.

"Rebekah." Mircalla says, her eyes lighting up.

"Mircalla. Matska." Rebekah says with a beaming and familiar smile.

Luisa raises her hand as if to silently say "And Luisa!"

"Do my eyes deceive me ?" Matska says, noticing the Gruber girl she helped nanny for years "Little Luisa Gruber; what has it been, four years now ?"

Matksa makes her way to the now teenaged noble girl, pulling her into a bear hug that one wouldn't expect from a woman of her status.

"I was beginning to fear you've forgotten me." Matska says.

Luisa, with a comedic, embarrassed blush, pushes Matska away. Luisa has an expression that says "Maaatskaaa, you're embarrassing me in front of all these people!"

"And look how you've grown. I'm sure many a young suiter had their hearts broken trying to win yours." Matska says teasingly.

Matska wrapped an arm around Luisa's shoulder, before turning back to Mircalla.

"It has been lovely catching up with you, but if it's no bother, the not so little one and I have much to catch up on." Matska says, her eyes darting back and forth between Mircalla and Rebekah  "You two keep it decent now! It took all evening getting that dress on, and I rather it wouldn't be for naught."

"Oh, we'll be good." Rebekah says with a friendly smile and wave, before she takes a dire expression and tone "Just...do keep an eye out for Adeen Curt, if you would."

Matska's eyes briefly widen and terror, but she puts on a brave face and nods.

"Of course. And you two have a wonderful evening as well!" Matska says with a beaming smile, before turning to Luisa as she leads her out "So...a little birdie told me how you made that Vordenberg boy cry. Give us some details..."

Now that it was just Mircalla and Rebekah in the room, they stare silently at each other for a moment before Mircalla breaks the silence.

"You're here."

"I said I would be." Rebekah nods.

"I just..I had this whole- I was preparing-" Mircalla says, before she begins to stutter, before Rebekah steps forward and shushes her.

"I was looking forward to seeing you too..." Rebekah says.

Mircalla tries to find the words to say, but simply could. With nothing else holding her back, she kisses Rebekah.

Rebekah reciprocates the kiss, letting the centuries younger woman show her eagerness and enthusiasm. Through a moment of this, Mircalla seems to physically overpower Rebekah, directing and leading her to her bed.

Rebekah was taken by surprise as Mircalla backs her up to the bed, and collapses on it. Already, her hands were exploring Rebekah's body, despite the clothes' in the way, before Rebekah put a hand on Mircalla's shoulder.

"So you really did miss me ?"

"I dreamt about seeing you again for so long." Mircalla breathes against Rebekah's lips "The time we spent together felt like a dream in itself."

Rebekah smiles and brushes Mircalla's dark hair.

"And yet it's only been months." Rebekah says with another kiss "It must have felt like years for you..."

And then, Rebekah pushes Mircalla to sit up, before doing so herself.

"But good things come to those who wait." Rebekah says, taking Mircalla's hand and standing her up "For now, we have a ball to attend. One you apparently spent hours preparing for..."

Mircalla nods letting Rebekah lead her out her bedroom door.

"There's so much I want to talk about-" Mircalla starts.

"We can talk there." Rebekah says "Come now. My brother promised us at least one dance."

The two young women share a laugh as they make their way down the hall.

----

As Mircalla and Rebekah exit the manor's front door, Elias Karnstein watches from down another hall. His expression is stoic for a thirteen year old, but he's breathing heavily.

Behind him, Lamashtu creeps up, and touches him on the shoulder.

"Do you not see how her heart wanders ?" Lamashtu says "She knows not what's to come. It's best you rid yourself of her now, while she's still holding you back."

Elias shakes his head.

"No. I will give her a chance - she has to open her eyes-"

"If she sees what you saw, and hears what you heard, she will push you away." Lamashtu explains, turning the boy around to face her "You've but an hour to make the choice before the choice is taken away from you. One way or another, this night will end with blood. And for monsters like us, there's just no room for love."

She leans down to whisper in Elias' ear.

"It's what blinds my sister, you know." Lamashtu says "It will lead to her ruin. She pursues a King, for the pretty mask he wears. Me and you ? We seek the real deal."

Lamashtu gives him a pat on his shoulder, before she leaves back to the party.

"The life you seek ? Has no room for Mircalla. And the life she seeks has no room for you. Accept this now while you still can."

And so, Elias Karnstien stood alone, still breathing heavily. He steps forward, watching the festivities. 

As the guests mingle about, Mircalla was among them, getting awfully chatty with Niklaus and Rebekah Mikaelson. Blissfully unaware of why they were here. And at the table, sat Count high off of life with his own plans for both him and his sister.

Say what you will about Lamashtu, Elias knew she was right about how little time they had left. Elias could only hope now that in that short time, Elias could convince Mircalla of his way of thinking.

And so, wiping a tear from his eye, Elias joins the party.

----

With the sun having disappeared over the lake, the ball was in full swing; a quartet of violinists and a piano player brought life to what was a dull courtyard just days before.

The festivities were alight with candles, colored lanterns and the servants were so busy, rushing from one guest to another, you'd almost mistake them for being in the swing of things themselves.

Mircalla found herself seated at the far end of Falco's table, with Niklaus and Rebekah Mikaelson beside her. The two siblings were trading stories of what they've been developing in New Orleans in the Karnstein siblings absence. Though leaving out the details that entail the murder, bloodletting, and intimidation of their rivals.

At this point in time, Klaus has finished telling the tale of how he got a farmer out of trouble with an abusive landlord, and now that farm is one of the primary food providers for the Mikaelson's and their growing enterprises. And how the landlord's body was found in the docs in the weeks that followed.

"-Poor lad's death was blamed on by gators." Klaus says with a chuckle "Of course, the gators had more class." Klaus finishes his story by downing a glass of wine.

"But..what exactly was he doing in the docks ?" Mircalla asks "I mean, you said he lived in the farmlands; what business would he have-"

"It doesn't matter." Klaus says with a dismissive wave "What matters is a new small investment, tis but another brick in the castle we aim to build."

"And they say Elijah has a way with words." Rebekah rolls her eyes, drinking down a glass of her own.

"What can I say, I love telling a good story." Klaus says, glancing down the table to see Falco laughing, while an annoyed looking Elijah, and a despondent Baron and Lady Gruber stare into their dishes "As speaking of, it would seem that your father finds himself amused with Elijah's flights of fancy."

Mircalla glances in that direction as well. It was...alien to see a smile on Count Falco's face, that was for sure.

"Perhaps he finds stories of gator mauling's amusing as well." Mircalla tries to guess.

"Nah, Elijah's tales usually have more tact." Rebekah says.

"You know, perhaps I should have a little chat with the Count myself." Klaus says, nearly getting up from his seat, glancing down at Mircalla "I hear nothing but good things about the man, and would like to know more about his discoveries."

"W-well, he's to give a speech about them, later tonight." Mircalla says innocently "Patience is a virtue."

"Well, I'm not exactly famous for my virtues." Klaus says, getting up from his seat "I'll be a few."

As he takes his leave, he pats Mircalla and Rebekah on the shoulders.

"You two enjoy yourselves." Klaus says "I did promise you two a dance."

And with that, Klaus Mikaelson makes his way down the table, towards the Count. 

Rebekah turns to Mircalla, who blushes as it was now just her and her first lover, together at just a crowded event.

"It would seem the floors' ours." Rebekah says, taking Mircalla by the hand, and leads the heavily breathing girl to the dance floor.
 
At this point in time, the pianist and the quartet begin playing a certain tune, based on notes provided by Lady Morrigan. If a modern viewer were to hear this music, they would find it to be sounds suspiciously like the beat of Katy Perry's E.T.

Mircalla's heart was pounding, and her face was blushing. There were seventeen couples on the dance floor, and Mircalla hoped they wouldn't be noticed. But she was the Count's daughter, already going through the motions of a waltz, with the sister of a prominent growing family in New Orleans.

Biting her lip, Mircalla looks away from the beautiful blonde, leading her in the dance. So far, she sees a few passing glances, and the world seems to slow as her father could be seen glaring at her, just as Niklaus introduces himself.

"What is it ?" Rebekah asks, whispering in Mircalla's ear.

"This is...new." Mircalla says with a blush.

"After everything we did, this is what bothers you ?" Rebekah asks, with a chuckle.

"They're watching us."

"They are watching two friendly girls dancing as a joke." Rebekah says, glancing and fluttering her eyes at a group of young men as she and Mircalla spin past them "My brothers sometimes danced with men...as jokes ostensibly. And I danced with men and women alike. Even the daughters of royalty."

If Mircalla wasn't flustered then, she sure is now.

"Tis just a joke among nobles, you see ?" Rebekah says in a reassuring tone.

A joke. Right. Just playful, non verbal banter between friends.

"You know ?" Mircalla asks, whispering in Rebekah's ear "I dreamt of escaping."

"Escaping what ?" Rebekah asks, though she already knows the answer.

"Life under the Count." Mircalla says "I know he'd trade me away in a heartbeat, and under him, I am constantly reminded my existence is a mistake."

Rebekah nods with an understanding expression.

"Nik got quite a bit of that from our father." Rebekah says "His whole life in fact. Helped make him into the man he is today. That's why we escaped too."

"You never told me-"

"We don't like talking of our past at the best of times. Even to those we find love with." Rebekah says, leaning Mircalla down as part of their waltz "Bottom line, we've been where you are. And with Lady Luck on your side, you can be where we are now."

As Rebekah says this, Lady Morrigan's eyes watch the two girls spin and dance about. 

"Can you take me there...?" Mircalla asks hesitantly "If I were to ask you and your brothers, could you-"

"What would you be willing to give up ?" Rebekah asks "I can see why you wish for my life, but if you knew what was to be sacrificed to attain it-"

"I'd throw it away. In an instant." Mircalla says bluntly "The life of a noble girl, is not one for me. I should know better than to view life through the lenses of a fairy tale. But here, I feel as if I am a princess in a tower, waiting to be tossed away when my father makes himself a better deal..."

"You know, it is within my power to take you away from here." Rebekah starts with a sad smile "Well, my brothers' power actually. But...I can't give you the future you desire."

Mircalla nods with a sad smile of her own.

"Then can I at least enjoy the present. For however long it lasts..." Mircalla says "Months. A couple of years. So long as I have a fond memory to look back upon."

Rebekah gives a softer smile, and presses her forehead to Mircalla's; at least it is a socially acceptable alternative to a kiss.

"That ? I can give you."

----

As the two girls dance, Klaus takes his place, in a seat alongside Elijah, speaking to Count Falco, the Gruber's, and Lady Morrigan.

Klaus, simply put, made a mild ass of himself, comparing his achievements (helping build a city for the past few years) to those of Count Falco's - collecting artifacts of civilizations and cultures no one has even heard of in over ten thousand years.

"I mean." Klaus says, patting Falco on the back as they watch over the dance floor "If you think about it, some men strive to build something grand; something that will leave a permanent mark on this world. Some are to pick up the pieces of a dead one."

Falco gives a subdued chuckle, before he grits his teeth "Well, every grand city was built upon the bones of another. Who knows, two hundred years from now, will what you've done for New Orleans even matter ? Will the name Mikaelson appear in the history books."

There is a tense few seconds before Elijah breaks the silence. 

"It would appear the drink is getting the better of us." Elijah says, glaring daggers at Klaus.

"Nonsense." Falco scoffs "Tonight the Karnstein name has something to celebrate! I'd say we make the most of it."

"Making the most of it ?" Klaus muses, before shaking his head with a joking expression "Usually, something someone says when the Angel of Death taps upon their door."

"I think what Sir Mikaelson is trying to say is," Ferdinand Gruber says chiming in "Perhaps it would do us good to take a few for a breather."

"Quite right." Elijah says getting up from his seat, gesturing to the Gruber's to follow "Perhaps, a walk along the Lakeshore, will freshen our heads. Keep things from escalating more than they need too."

"Of course." Ferdinand Gruber says, getting up from his seat "Count Falco, would you care to join-"

"If it's all the same to you, I do my best thinking in my study." Falco says dismissively.

"Perhaps I may join you." Klaus says, a predatory smile forming "We can continue our discussion there."

"If you must, I'll join you too." Lady Morrigan says "Between the two of you loughts, someone has to keep the peace."

"And if it's all the same to you, Sir Mikaelson." Lady Josephine says, glancing across the courtyard to spot Matska and Luisa mingling among the guests. Matska at least being the one doing the talking "I think I'll check in on my daughter."

"Of course." Elijah says with a soft smile "Whatever tickles your fancy, milady."

And with that, Lady Josephine takes her leave across the courtyard. 

As does Elijah and Ferdinand to the lakeshore.

And Klaus, Falco, and Lady Morrigan make their way to the manor.

----

Along the lakeshore, Elijah is the first to speak once he and Ferdinand were a safe distance away.

"You should have told your wife you love her." Elijah says as he and Ferdinand take to a stop "Embrace her a final time, kiss her a final time. Even shared a dance."

"She's a smart woman." Ferdinand says, staring out over the lake "She knows how I feel already. And she would also know what is to happen with these final grand gestures you suggest."

Elijah pauses, standing beside Ferdinand, he too looks over the lake.

"You know ?" Elijah asks.

Ferdinand only replies with a sad smile and a sad sigh.

"I had my suspicions for a while." Ferdinand says, putting his hands in pants pockets "When my crew in England had their blood drained; how my crew in Mesopotamia were-" He can't bring himself to finish the sentence as he recalls the gory details.

Ferdinand turns to Elijah.

"And here you are, my favorite teacher in my boyhood and adolescence. And yet, when I reach out to you after twenty five years, neither you, your brother or sister aged a day. I put the blood drained bodies together with your appearance and I just knew." Ferdinand says, looking like he's given up on everything "You three didn't even claim to be juniors."

Elijah simply nods before replying.

"Know this. What happened in Mesopotamia wasn't the work of me or my siblings." Elijah says firmly "There are things out there. Things of a dead world. Monsters worse than I. They should remain buried beneath the mud and the clay. And yet you and the Count unearthing them, forced our hands tonight."

"And Lady Morrigan ? What do you know of her ?" Ferdinand asks "I try to look into her, and can find nothing beyond her first encounters with Falco. Is she one of-"

"The one you know as Lilith Morrigan, is but another name taken by a woman my family knew little of in her first encounters." Elijah says "For every encounter with her, she remains a mystery, even after centuries. But so long as our ideals align, we were able to work on and off with her."

"I take it this is no longer the case."

"You and your people dug for something that is to remain dead." Elijah says "And brought your family to an altar of sacrifice."

This causes Ferdinand to perk up, showing genuine sorrow and terror in the first time since he walked out here.

"Promise me." Ferdinand starts "My wife and daughter; you will take them from here-"

Elijah holds up his hand "On my honor, I will do everything within my power to see to it they see the sun rise tomorrow."

Ferdinand sighs in relief as a tear rolls down his face.

"No one else needs to die tonight. Just you, the Count and the others who have dug too deep." Elijah says grimly "With luck, what happens tonight will be but a fleeting memory."

Ferdinand takes several deep breaths as he goes back to looking over the lake.

"I just wanted to do some good in this world."

"I know." Elijah says.

"It is a beautiful view." Ferdinand says "I can see why you picked it."

"If it makes you feel any better, I will try to remember you as the wide eyed young lad, who wanted to do and be something special." Elijah says "My family doesn't get a lot of those."

Ferdinand nods, taking a shaky breath.

"Es war eine ziemliche Erfahrung''. (It has been quite the experience)." Ferdinand says "Make it qui-" 

----

In the manor, as Falco closes the door to his study behind him, he turns to face an expectant Klaus and Lady Morrigan.

"I think here is as good a place as any to drop formalities." Falco says, as he calmly approaches his guests.

"Glad you agree." Klaus says, taking a step forward himself, but is held back by the hand of a calm and collected Lady Morrigan.

"I have heard a great deal about you, Nikklaus Mikaelson. And I mean beyond what you and your family are doing in Louisiana." Falco asks, feeling a little more at ease as the Lady holds Klaus in place.

Falco begins to circle the room as he continues.

"Vampires. You know when I was a lad, there was so much I was willing to believe, but I considered the things that go bump in the night to be pure quatsch. But with everything I have seen and learned over the past decade, such a thing barely phases me."

"How fitting it is then, that you die at the hands of something you see as small and insignificant ?" Klaus says with an amused grin.

Falco lets out an unsettling loud cackle.

"The past nine years, I was surrounded by people who wished to put me down, or put me in the grave. I'm not folly to the way they think and whisper of me behind their backs." Falco says "You ? Are no different in that regard, Mikaelson! I am the one who decides who dies tonight! This is a night nine years in the making and I won't have it squandered by some nameless, bottom feeding parasites, who in a hundred years no one will know or care about!"

Klaus tilts his head with a curious expression, glancing at Lady Morrigan as if he's silently asking if Falco knows just what he has on his hands.

The Lady gives a modest smile and shrugs.

"I've been following their call for nine years." Falco says making his way to a case of brandy, pouring himself a glass "Only in recent years did it become clear. A male Karnstein, and heir to the King in Yellow."

Klaus chuckles and shakes his head with amusement.

"Good gods above," Klaus says "You're one of those men, aren't you ?"

Falco eyes Klaus curiously, as he drinks down his glass.

"You're one of those people who forget their place in the world. There are many who build their foundation on the bones of a dead world; you're either a builder, those who live under their foundation, and those who died beneath it." Klaus says, gestures back and forth between himself and Falco "And with what you tried to unearth, that puts you among the dead-"

"You say that as a living corpse." Falco says, once again circling Klaus "You say that as one of many who are insignificant to this uncaring world."

"Your son told me you were a pompous one, in his stay in New Orleans." Klaus says, putting his hands in his pockets, barely phased by Falco's arrogance "Never told me you were one for theatrics, but from what he told me, you remind me a great deal of the man I called father."

Falco eyes Klaus curiously, as the original vampire before him continues.

"Which alone is reason to end your life."

"You forget, Mikaelson." The Lady says, still holding Klaus back, with what was once a gentle hand, now in a vice grip "You're not the one who decides tonight's outcome."

Klaus glares at the Lady, and rolls his eyes.

In a blink of an eye, Klaus breaks free from her grip, twists her arm, and bites down onto her jugular. With a snap of her neck, she collapses to the floor.

Falco, eyes widened and panic stricken, takes several steps back.

"And now," Klaus says with a bloody smile "It is time you join the world you unearthed."

Klaus's eyes seem to shift in color, dark veins forming around his eyes. He takes but one step towards Falco, before another quick flash blurs across the room.

In another blink of the eye, Klaus Mikaelson now lays upon the floor, his neck broken and his eyes closed.

"Same old, Nik." Lady Morrigan says, her neck wounds seem to have disappeared, and other than her disheveled clothes and hair, looks none the worse for wear.

"Thank goodness." Falco sighs in relief "I was almost worried that my hard work would have been for nothing."

The Lady gives a bemused "Hmph" before pulling something from her sleeve; a wooden stake.

"This should keep him down for a while." The Lady says, lying through her teeth, handing the stake over to Falco.

Klaus begins to groan but the Lady keeps him from getting up by placing a foot onto his neck.

"I really wish it didn't have to end this way, Niklaus." The Lady sighs with mock sympathy "Had you and your siblings not had their loose - loose morals getting in the way, I really could have used children like you. Perhaps then you would have had a parent who actually loved you."

Klaus' eyes glare daggers at the Lady, as Falco takes the stake and crouches over Klaus' chest.

"Rest easy little wolf." The Lady says "Hopefully you will wake up to-"

Falco lifts the stake up and drives it into Niklaus's heart.

Klaus' body goes limp, and still for a few seconds.

"Is it done ?"  Falco asks.

With a heavy sigh, the Lady lifts her foot, before stopping it down onto Klaus' neck, hearing a snap. She then takes the stake and pushes it in deeper, until she's sure the sharp end is embedded into the floor.

"It should be done for now." The Lady says, before turning to Falco "But enough procrastination. If I recall correctly, you had a little speech prepared for tonight; I'd say we get to that while the night is still young."

"Of course, of course." Falco nods "A lot of good people showed up tonight; I'd say it's time we let them know why they're here."

And with that, Count Falco and Lady Morrigan take their leave.

About a moment later, Klaus' eyes open. He tries to move but finds himself stuck. He looks down his chest to see the stake embedding him to the floor.

Okay. If they want this the hard way, they'll get it the hard way.

Klaus takes several deep breaths, begins the pull and jerks himself off the floor, feeling the stake rip and tug through him one inch at a time. It was gonna get worse before it gets better, but considering every injury Klaus himself has endured, feeling his heart nearly getting ripped out of place was inconsequential.

----

Back at the festivities, Mircalla has since stopped her dance with Rebekah. 

The two now mingle with Lady Josephine and Luisa Gruber, along with Matksa; they go over a story of how Luisa broke the heart and made a fool out of Erich Vordenberg on her sixteenth birthday, and share laughs at the young man's expenses.

The short version was the boy tried to get a little too handsy with Luisa as they danced...and Luisa, with less than a single word was able to put him in his place. The poor fool felt so emasculated, he made a mess of himself before the other nobles.

All the while, the seventeen year old Lord in question was sneering at the women from across the Courtyard, incidentally finding himself speaking to another young man - thirteen year old boy that is - about the girls.

"You know, maybe we've given them too much freedom." Erich Vordenberg voices his opinion, while looking into his glass.

"Beg pardon ?" Elias Karnstein says, looking up at the stars, barely paying attention to his and Amon's one sided conversation.

"Die Frauen," Vordenberg answers "You give them too much of an inch and they trample you into the ground."

"You squeezed something Luisa didn't want you too, and she squeezed back ever harder until you cried." Elias says in a deadpan tone "It seems to me what goes around comes around."

"I'm just saying maybe they should be restricted on their liquid courage." Vordenberg shrugs.

"Maybe they intimidate you." Elias says, giving Vordenberg a glare "If a young man such as you can be put in his place by a girl such as Luisa, what does that say about your Männlichkeit. I can only imagine how you'd fair against my sister."

"Your sister ?" Vordenberg chuckles "You say that as if she differs from the others-"

"If only you knew what was in the heart of Mircalla Karnstein." Elias says with a glare, before staring back out at the stars "She'd tame the heart of a monster, and humble pride of an angel. This world ? This life ? It's not enough for her; Mircalla just needs a little push- to spread her wings and fly. And the Karnstein name would soar above the heights of the heavens..."

Vordenberg was taken aback by that flowery description the boy just gave his sister, and shakes his head.

"You make her sound like she was a goddess in the flesh."

"Yes, well...I suppose our true selves are in prison in our own flesh." Elias nods, looking back at  "Perhaps we'll all be free of it tonight."

Unsettled, Vordenberg steps away from Elias "Weeeell, it's been good catching up with you, Master Karnstein...I think-I think I'll take a little walk along the lakeside if it pleases you."

"Oh, it would very much please me to be away from your presence." Elias smiles "So long as you don't miss the festivities."

And with that, Vordenberg departs the courtyard and the party, walking down the same path that Elijah Mikaelson took Lord Gruber several minutes beforehand.

Now that he was (ostensibly) alone, Elias makes his way towards the plaque; the centerpiece towards the table. He looks left and right; whilst the guests and the help were busy with the festivities, Elias slipped a dagger under his sleeve.

Once he's sure no one is looking, Elias grits his teeth, sticking the tip of the dagger into the palm of his hand, and lets out a shaky gasp as he slashes across his palm.

Elias locates the sigil of Ithaqua and rests his hand upon it.

"Call them to me...open their eyes." Elias whispers to whatever is listening.

A winter cold breeze blows through the courtyard, but only two people feel/notice it; Elias Karnstein himself, and Mircalla.

Mircalla suddenly shivers, in such a way that it catches the other ladies' notice.

"Lady Karnstein, what's wrong ?" Josephine Gruber asks politely.

"Oh nothing." Mircalla says, "Just a sudden breeze is all."

Mircalla looks in the direction the wind supposedly blew, and notices Elias wiping his hand on his pants.

"If you will excuse me ladies." Mircalla excuses herself, making her away across the Courtyard.

Once she reaches Elias, she catches the boy's attention as he whispers to himself.

"Elias ?" Mircalla asks, causing Elias to perk his head up.

"Mircalla..."

"What are you doing ?"

"Oh," Elias looks at his hand "Knife fell from my grip; grabbed it at the wrong time."

"I can see that." Mircalla says, taking Elias by the wrist "Let me see."

Mircalla winces a little at seeing the cut, but otherwise calmly examines it.

"Doesn't look too bad..." She says "May need a little cleaning up."

And with that, Mircalla takes Elias by the wrist, and leads him to the manor. As they reach the front door, they come across Count Falco and Lady Morrigan as they exit.

"Ah, leaving the festivities already are you ?" Falco asks, with an uncharacteristic enthusiasm that was utterly alien to Mircalla "We were just getting ready for the main event!"

"Uh, um," Mircalla says, a little taken aback by Falco's smile "Elias cut his hand; just getting it checked up."

"Is that so ?" Falco says with a glance at his son "Well, best tend to the boy quickly then. I do not want you to miss this, Mircalla."

As Falco says this, he puts his fingers under Mircalla's chin to direct her gaze to his. This "affectionate" gesture unsettles Mircalla even more than the cut on her brother's hand.

"Why, you were practically born for this." Falco muses, before waving his children off "Go on now. We'll try to postbones the main event for your arrival."

"Yes...Count." Mircalla says, as she leads her brother through the door.

----

In Elias' bedroom, Mircalla has the boy sitting on a bed, wiping his cut clean with a wet cloth. Once she was satisfied it was clean, she bandaged it with a fresher, dryer piece of cloth.

"There we go." Mircalla says "It should hold for now."

Elias holds his hand up, having a ghost of a smile on his face as he looks at it.

"You barely seem phased." Mircalla notes "It used to be that you'd wail for an hour when you so much as stubbed your toe."

"That was when I was a child." Elias says, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"I mean...you still are."

"Thirteen, Mircalla." Elias says "At a couple of years older, the Count had to step up and be a man."

"But you're not Count Falco." Mircalla says, putting her hand on Elias' shoulder.

"No...we can be better than he is." Elias says "Be everything he wishes he could be."

"What, like another Count or Countess ?" Mircalla asks, trying to put in a sisterly playfulness in her voice.

"More." Elias says, taking Mircalla's hand off his shoulder and into his hands "We can be something that earthly titles have any meaning too."

Mircalla chuckles, with a mild amusement coming into her.

"And you say you're not a child."

"I mean it, Mircalla." Elias says "I know you're planning to escape this place. Planning to run away with the Mikaelson's...if only you knew what you let in on our doorstep."

Mircalla, a little flustered, shakes her head.

"Elias, what- what are you talking about ?"

"Don't think that I didn't notice; how you get all bright eyed on Lady Mikaelson ? How you didn't spend the better part of this winter and spring fraternizing and fucking her." Elias says in an almost emotionless voice.

If Mircalla wasn't flustered then, she certainly was now.

"E-Elias, you shouldn't really-"

"I know you plan to run away with them, and then what ? What possible future do you have with them ?" Elias asks "You'd spend at beat five years with them, before they leave you behind like you'd leave me-"

"Elias-"

"What future can you offer her ? Do you really think a marriage with Rebekah Mikaelson is in the question ? Perhaps you marry her brothers, and have a dalliance with her behind the scenes; but the Mikaelson's can't have children, Mircalla; which is about the only worth you have to them!"

"Elias!"

Ignoring his sister, Elias gets up from the bed "B-but these stories I'm told, the voices I hear. They can show us the way, show you the way-"

"Elias!" Mircalla raises her voice, puts her hands on both Elias' shoulders "Elias, you have your head in the clouds. You reach to high, you'll lose your grip here on Earth."

Elias says nothing, but looks away from Mircalla.

"I know I can't expect to spend my life with the Mikaelson's. But with them, I have the opportunity to be something else; something else than a Count's daughter. They're building a city; we can be part of that, Elias. You and me. But we just can't go chasing our fantasies. We'd be chasing nothing then."

"And what does that make you ?" Elias asks "Some whore of the heart ?"

Smack!

Mircalla didn't know what came over her, and she didn't realize what she did when Elias recoiled back, a red bruise across his cheek.

There is a pause as the two Karnstein's look at eachother with aghast expressions, Elias' eyes starting to water, as does Mircalla's.

"Elias I-" Mircalla starts to say as she steps towards her brother.

"Don't touch me!" Elias says bitterly "You made your point quite clear, sister."

Mircalla nods sadly, "We'll talk more about this later."

"Of course we will." Elias says, sitting back down on his bed "Humor me; when you start to see yellow in the courtyard, be sure to hide in the library."

"What-?" Mircalla starts to ask, but is stopped when Elias holds up a finger.

"Just give me my space!" Elias says with a glare and a hiss.

Still shook by what she just did and what Elias has said to her, Mircalla nods meekly.

"Of course." Mirclla nods.

And with that, Mircalla gets up and leaves Elias' room.

Once Elias was alone, the kid just broke down.

She wanted him to be part of that life, but that life will lead him nowhere. If he gives up now after all this waiting and preparation, it will all be for not, even if Mircalla isn't with him.

But it was as Lamashtu said; the hour was coming to an end, and the decision has made itself.

When Elias looks up, he wipes his tears from his eyes to see  Lamashtu standing before him with an expectant smile.

----

As a tearful Mircalla makes her way down the hall, she is pulled to a stop when she notices someone limping down the corner.

Niklaus Mikaelson, looked a little worse for wear as he clutches his chest. It was here Mircalla notices blood on his clothes where he's clutching his chest.

"Niklaus!" Mircalla exclaims, hastily making her way to the seemingly wounded nobleman "Good lord, what has happened to you ?"

"The man you call father ? A gracious host, he was not." Klaus says, through gritted teeth. Though it is up in the air if he's really that wounded, or if he's putting on an act.

Mircalla takes Klaus by the arm to help stand him up.

"Wh-what did he do to you ?" A mortified Mircalla asks.

"We had a disagreement." Klaus says, adding a fib "Regarding you of course."

"Wh-what was it about ?"

"Take me to the nearest bed." Klaus wheezes out "I think I'm gonna pass out!"

"Okay. Okay, come with me."

Mircalla leads Klaus to the nearest bedroom, her own, overlooking the courtyard and the ball.

"That son of a whore took a stab at me!" Klaus grits his teeth, as Mircalla ushers him to her bed "No offense to your grandmother..."

"Should I send for help ?"

"That won't be necessary." Klaus feigns a groan "Just stay clear of the Court Yard; your father is plotting something awful - there's no one here but us Mikaelson's who can protect you."

Hesitantly, Mircalla nods in agreement.

"How can you protect me ? You're injured."

"Oh, young Karnstein." Klaus says, the pain in his voice quickly wavering to a calm and collected tone "I only need but a drink."

Klaus rears right up, taking Mircalla by her shoulders, and makes her look into his eyes as his pupils shift.

"I will not cause any permanent damage." Klaus says, holding her gaze "You're close to my sister's heart and more importantly a key to my true power. For your safety, you will not rejoin the ball."

"Of course." Mircalla says, as Klaus compels her.

"...But your blood is needed for more immediate assistance. You will hold still. You will not scream."

Mircalla nods against her actual will.

With that, Klaus links his fingers into Mircalla's dress, right around her shoulder. He pulls it downwards, revealing Mircalla's shoulder, and quickly, but not so gently, bite down.

Micralla opens her mouth, but as per her compulsion, she cannot scream; she feels Klaus beginning to drain her. Klaus hasn't fed in days and it shows, and whatever boost of strength he needed from the damage Lady Morrigan inflicted on him, he got back in a moment.

By the time Klaus releases her, Mircalla was on the verge of sleep, her eyes fluttering shut.

Klaus switches positions, and lays Mircalla down onto the bed, wiping his mouth. Sensing her presence already, Klaus greets his sister without turning around.

"Bex."

"Nik, what have you done ?!" An irate Rebekah asks as she walks up behind her brother.

"I put the poor girl to sleep. It's for the best that she not be awake for what's to come."

Rebekah glares skeptically at Klaus, before crouching down at Mircalla's bedside, and resting her head over Mircalla's chest.

Satisfied when she hears six beats of Mircalla's heart, she turns back to Klaus.

"What now ?"

"Our brother hasn't returned with Gruber." Klaus shrugs "No doubt mourning his student, lamenting his lost potential. But our immediate concern is Count Falco."

"And the Lady ?"

"I don't know what else we can do about her ? Except perhaps, interfere with her machinations." Klaus says "But with the Count, it seems we're gonna have to do this the messy way."

Rebekah nods, getting up to her feet and facing her brother.

"There's one other problem."

"What's that ?" Niklaus asks.

"Lady Adeen Curt is here as well." Rebekah says "The one calling herself Lamashtu."

And, in a rare moment of Niklaus Mikaelson's centuries long existence, a wave of panic washed over him.

"Oh, fick mich." Klaus mutters in the Austrian tongue.

----

April 9th, 2021

During the skype call, Carmilla clutches her neck and shoulder, recalling the memory.

"I mean, we know you're not from the Mikaelson strain." Laura says "So I doubt it was the bite that turned you."

"No." Carmilla says "But for whatever good putting me to sleep did ? Clearly fate...or someone else had other things in store. After all, I'm right here, aren't I ?"

Carmilla looks back at the Bellas.

"Are you sure you want to hear this part ?"

"I-I mean, we're on a need to know basis. This is something we need to know." Aubrey says, before glancing at her girlfriends "Right ?"

The other three Bellas nod, all of them pretty engrossed in Carmilla's story.

Carmilla takes a deep breath.

"Well, as you can imagine, there was nothing in Heaven and Earth that could stop what came that night." Carmilla sighs "Try as they might..."

Chapter Text

April 9th, 2021

During the skype call, Carmilla clutches her neck and shoulder, recalling the memory.

"I mean, we know you're not from the Mikaelson strain." Laura says "So I doubt it was the bite that turned you."

"No." Carmilla says "But for whatever good putting me to sleep did ? Clearly fate...or someone else had other things in store. After all, I'm right here, aren't I ?"

Carmilla looks back at the Bellas.

"Are you sure you want to hear this part ?"

"I-I mean, we're on a need to know basis. This is something we need to know." Aubrey says, before glancing at her girlfriends "Right ?"

The other three Bellas nod, all of them pretty engrossed in Carmilla's story.

Carmilla takes a deep breath.

"Well, as you can imagine, there was nothing in Heaven and Earth that could stop what came that night." Carmilla sighs "Try as they might..."

----

Karnstein Estate, September 5th, 1705

On the lakeshore, one Erich Vordenberg makes his way a safe distance from the party, when he notices something peculiar in the tree line. It took him a few seconds to see it was a man, carrying another man's body towards the trees.

It took him another few seconds for him to realize the body was that of Ferdinand Gruber, and that the man with him was laying his body against a tree in a comfortable sitting position...and that man spotted Vordenberg.

"Gütiger Gott!" Vordenberg exclaims before turning and trying to run, but in a second, Elijah Mikaelson takes him by the shoulders and forces Amon to face him.

"What did you see ?" Elijah asks, making Amon look him in the eye, as his pupils shift.

"I saw you with the body and-"

"Did you see this man's death ?" Elijah asks, putting a hand around Vordenberg's neck.

"Nein."

"What you saw was another guest, happening upon Baron Gruber's body on the shore." Elijah says with a calm voice but a menacing glare "Do you understand ?"

Against his will, Erich nods.

"In fact, we both are going to head back to the Ball, and inform the guests of our discovery." Elijah starts to say, before looking up as he feels something in the air "Actually, it would be better for your safety if you were to stay here. When you awake, you will remember nothing of this encounter."

And with a light tap on the head, Vordenberg falls unconscious.

In a moment, Elijah drags his body to the same tree he laid Gruber down at. It'll cause the young lad no shortage of confusion and terror when he comes too, but Elijah has done much worse to silence people.

And as of now, Elijah had more important matters that needed attending.

Little does he know, it has already begun.

-----

At the ball itself, Count Falco stands before the Plaque, tapping a wine glass with a fork in a bid to get his guests attention. At his side is Lady Morrigan, who rolls her eyes and gives a simple whistle.

The whistle draws the crowd's attention.

"I believe it is our host's time to speak." Lady Morrigan says, as all eyes were on her and the Count.

"Thank you, milady." Falco regards the Lady with a nod and a smile "Ladies and gentleman. Damen und Herren. I simply cannot thank you enough to come to my abode and to share in the discoveries we uncovered in the past nine years."

As Falco gives his speech, his eyes scan the crowd, seeking if that hack Ferdinand Gruber is among them. The man himself was nowhere in sight, but his wife and daughter could be seen watching from the back.

"I would like to thank the Gruber's in particular." Falco gestures to the mother and daughter in the back, who despite Ferdinand himself no being present "It was through Ferdinand's company and expeditions we are able to have this celebration, and for the Gruber's to show themselves in the wake of their son's...scandal, is nothing short of courageous, and commendable."

With all eyes on them, Luisa and Josephine modestly wave as the crowd claps for them.

Falco leans down to Lady Morrigan's ear and whispers "Where is the Baron ?" 

"He went with one of the Mikaelsons'." She whispers back "He was not as lucky as you or I."

Falco grimaces, but tries not to let his irritation show. If he can't be the one who ends Ferdinand, he'll make due with the other two.

"As some of you may know, what started as a simple venture to collect and explore civilizations that have passed for centuries, we had no idea how far we would reach." Falco says, as he gestures to the statues and idols that were placed around the courtyard "We did not expect to find relics of those lost to time and memory."

Falco proudly claps Lady Morrigan on the back.

"And it was with the aid of Lady Lilith Morrigan, that we were able to learn the secrets of this civilization over the years."

The Lady gives a modest, no so modest smile, before she steps forward to address the crowd.

"I am aware of my reputation of secrecy; no doubt, when my name spread, you lot were immediately suspicious of me. And you were correct; there are a lot of secrets to me, and my family, many of which you will go to the grave not knowing." The Lady says. 

Her eyes scan over the crowd, when she notices Niklaus and Rebekah Mikaelson emerging from the manors door way. She can smell the blood on Klaus' breath from here.

Still keeping her composure, the Lady continues.

"But in the growing interests of your society, I feel it's safe to let little secrets slip." 

The Lady turns around, dramatically beholding the Plaque.

"The Plaque of Ithaqua. For some a mere stone and relic of a forgotten past; to others, it was the vessel in which mankind would communicate with the Great Old Ones."

As she says this, a cold gust of which slowly breezes its way through the crowd.

"It was believe-" The Lady starts, before Falco interrupts, taking the floor again.

"It was believed, by the cults of the Great Old Ones, that this world never belonged to us; that mankind was but parasites living on a world belonging to gods, monsters and titans of bygone age. Some were born to follow, others to die." Falco says, glancing up and down the plaque "The Cult of Ithaqua believed differently; it believed mankind could ascend; be like the so-called gods that lorded over them. All it would take was the sacrifice of blood, and their humanity..."

There is an eerie silence over the crowd, so Falco takes it as his cue to continue. As he does so, the air around them grows colder and colder.

Quickly making note of this, Matska takes Lady Josephine and Luisa by the wrists and starts to lead them out of the courtyard and to the manor. 

"Lady Matska, what's gotten into-"

A look from Matska shuts Lady Josephine up, as Matska continues to lead mother and daughter to the safety of the manor. However safe they will be from what's coming.

"In their attempts to do so, they created this plaque, and idol of communication with mankind, and those who spawned Ithaqua." Falco says, chuckling back to a memory of his from February "Why if you reached far enough, you could breach a whole other world!"

Out of the crowd, one young man raises his hand.

"How did they know this would work ?"

"They couldn't." An older man answers "We are talking about an extinct people from a more savage age; they'd probably think the sun was an object of worship as well."

As this older man says this, the air grows especially cold around him.

"As a matter of fact, I have seen this item's power." Falco says "I myself experimented with it earlier this year."

The crowd is mostly silent (and cold), though a few laughs could be heard. Falco didn't scowl at this. In fact, he chuckled a bit himself.

"Perhaps a demonstration is in order." Falco says, nodding towards Lility Morrigan.

"Perhaps indeed..." The Lady muses, as she notices Klaus and Rebekah are hastily making their way towards the courtyard.

Pulling a knife from a holder on Falco's belt, Lady Morrigan cuts into the palm of her hand. The crowd was taken off guard by this sudden display.

Before they could grasp what was happening, the Lady reached up to the Plaque, having to go up onto her toes.

"All this..." The Lady thinks to herself "Just to glimpse him; just to hear his voice again."

The Lady places her bleeding hand onto the sigil of Hastur; the serpents circling the world.

Upon touching it, the bitter cold air was replaced by a sudden wave of warmth in the air, one that caught even the Mikaelson's off guard. 

By the time Elijah Mikaelson reaches the courtyard, he's pulled to a sudden stop, as the Lady turns her head; locking her eyes with him, with Niklaus and Rebekah, as they too are pulled to a stop against their actual will.

"Lost. And more than lost. First among the dead." Lady Morrigan says as if she's been preparing for this moment for centuries "For you, I have cast off my crown and lived in chains. For you I have shed my blood and surrendered to time. For you I will walk barefoot into Hell!"

Suddenly the warmth in the air recedes to one particular spot, in the middle of the courtyard. The crowd turns to view this spot. It was as if something or someone was standing there, even when there was literally nothing but hot air in that space.

"Hastur. Arramu Titaan." The Lady, a tear forming in her eyes, says "Beloved. Show yourself. Show me that you're still out there. That you await me on the other side. Even if it's just a glimpse..."

At the manors doorway, just as Matska leads the Gruber women through the front door, they wordlessly pass Lady Adeen Curt, who smiles back at them as they pass.

Adeen - Lamashtu, makes her way onto the front porch, smiling at her sister's expense. She crosses her arms and leans back against the doorway.

"Come now, King. Give us a glimpse of your real face."

And with another gust of warmth, the Lady lets out a shriek; blood pours from her nose, her ears, and tear ducts, and she collapses to the ground taking everyone aback.

As that warmth spreads out, each Mikaelson sibling also collapses to the ground, bleeding in the same manner. At the same time, Matska also collapses, to the confusion and horror of the Gruber's....

And suddenly, as if he was already standing there....the King in Yellow looks around the crowd.

A mixture of wonder, astonishment and horror is expressed on the faces of the crowd. The shrouded figure takes a step towards the table, and the crowd slowly parts to let him make his way.

The King looks over, eyes scanning the crowd as he makes his way to the table. As he does so, he passes the Plaque, not regarding the unconscious Lady Morrigan a single glance.

Utterly overwhelmed, Count Falco couldn't form the words to speak, but takes a shaky step toward the King in Yellow. In the process, he steps over Lady Morrigan's body, and approaches the King as he reaches for a wine glass...

Or tries too; as he tries to touch it, the King in Yellow's hand phases through the glass.

"What...is...this...?" He says, in a voice that he clearly hasn't used in over millennia. There was a clicking reverb in his voice. It sounded like hundreds of frogs, singing in the night.

"This is your altar!" Falco says, getting the King to look at him "The altar of sacrifice."

The King glances at Falco at back at the crowd, and back at Falco.

"Who...are...you ?"

"Count Falco Karnstein...I've heard your call and that of your kin." Falco says, trying to show a humble demeanor as he presents himself "I have sought you, as surely as you sought me."

The King stares at Falco, and then looks towards the manor; towards Mircalla's bedroom window, before looking back at Falco.

"You're not the one."

"What ?" Falco says flatly.

"Petrova Blood, you are not the one I seek." The King tries to touch Falco's shoulder to shove him away, but his hand phases through Falco "Depart."

"My lord," Another voice - Lamashtu's - speaks out. The King turns around to see the demoness standing before him, giving him a curtsey "I apologize this wasn't who you were expecting. But we put a lot of work so that the world may glimpse you again."

"Indeed ?"

"Indeed." Lamashtu says "I know you're not a fool...and only a fool would waste such a sacrifice."

The King in Yellow looks over the crowd, still frozen in silent terror and wonder at his presence.

"Then perhaps you haven't completely wasted your time." Hastur says to the Count.

Turning towards the crowd, but not taking a step towards them, The King in Yellow spreads his arms.

From his shadow...the shape of three serpent-or-dragon-like heads spread.

The crowd couldn't run, couldn't scream - despite their best efforts, the King's hold on them was firm. As the three serpents made their way to each of the present guests, their jaws would open as if preparing to bite down.

One by one, guests and servants alike began to fall; throats slit; ankles slashed; stomachs cut open; sometimes a head would fall. With each corpse, the clouds would begin to form in a circular manner above the Karnstein's estate.
 
As the storm clouds formed, so did the wind blow. Not strong enough to cause a whirlwind, but still strong enough that the wind and the storm clouds began to form. And within those clouds, the King's Shadow grew.

Anyone looking up into the storm clouds would notice a massive shape or shadow within them; to keep it simple, it resembled a dragon. Specifically it resembles a giant "Zmei" dragon of Slavic Mythology. It would seem the Slavic's had to get that image from somewhere.

On the ground beneath the storm, the King in Yellow's golden glow grew brighter and brighter. Within minutes, blinding, golden bolts of lightning emitted from his body. It was as if the sun itself was just outside the manor with how bright it was.

----

Within Mircalla Karnstein's bedroom, the young woman's eyes flutter open. She manages to sit back up when she notices the storm, and the blinding light, flashing outside her window.

Despite a few seconds of confusion, she remembers what Elias told her earlier; if she sees a yellow light, flee to the library.
Acting on muscle memory and instinct, Mircalla clambers out of bed and races to her door.

----

In the courtyard, the King turns his shrouded face towards Mircalla's bedroom, and takes a step forward.

"Wha- where are you going ?" Falco asks, shaking off his initial paralysis over what he had just witnessed.

"The Petrova blood...it calls to me." The thing in the yellow shroud says.