"Where
have you been and why did you-" Loeki's rant was cut
short as Raynee entered with the small baby in her arms.
She smirked at him gently, pulling the blanket away so that
he could view the tiny face behind it. He walked slowly
towards her, his hand reaching out to stroke her dark hair
and soft skin. He took her slowly from Raynee's arms, holding
her tightly against his chest as her small eyes opened slightly.
"Annalena," Loeki spoke, rocking the baby back
and forth, his lips pursing as he made small sounds at her.
Raynee arched a brow, nodding slowly, "Annalena is
a good name. Annalena Elise Schneider," she spoke slowly,
rolling the words through her mind a moment, "Yes,
I like that. If you don't mind, I think I will go have a
bath now." Loeki waved her off as his attention stayed
focused on his daughter. She climbed the stairs slowly,
looking over her shoulder once with a small smile before
entering her bedroom. She pulled off her clothes, tossing
them aside as she entered the large bathroom and began to
run hot water into the dark tub. She poured in a few liquids,
pinning her hair atop her head, the mirror reflecting the
dark blood staining her pale thighs. Turning off the water,
Raynee slid carefully into the bath and sat back, closing
her eyes as she began to feel her body relax. Large hands
rubbed her shoulders gently as she smiled, leaning further
back. "You like that," a voice spoke from behind,
Raynee turning quickly to stare in horror at who had been
touching her, "I knew you would." Epic grinned
from his position atop the back of the tub, his knee drawn
to his chest as his arm dangled across it. "What the
hell are you doing here?!" Raynee yelled, trying quickly
to calm her voice, "You know Loeki will kill us both!"
"He's busy at
the moment with that...thing," he replied, patting
his pockets for a cigarette, "Which by the way, looks
like I'm not a daddy again." "I could have told
you that," she snapped, staring at him a moment, "You're
drunk." "And you're naked. I would say that balances
out perfectly," he grinned at her again, lighting the
cigarette as he looked her over. "Hand me a towel!"
Raynee demanded, sinking further into the curtain of bubbles
that filled the bath. Epic stood, taking a long drag of
his cigarette as he tossed a towel at the bath tub. Raynee
glared at him, grabbing the towel as she stood and wrapped
it around her. "Since when have you become shy?"
"Since you aired our affair to half of this city,"
she replied, stepping from the tub and standing just in
front of him, "Ok, what do you want? Sex? Money? Access
to my liquor cabinet?" "No... I just need your
help. I need to know...God... " he shook his head as
he turned away from her, rubbing his free hand just under
the dark glasses, "What do women want in men?"
Raynee stared at him hard, almost shocked at the words that
had escaped his lips, "Well...being a drunk German
is definitely out, unless you're looking for a prostitute."
"I'm serious, Raynee. I really screwed up with Ana..."
he turned to face her again, leaning on the door frame as
he took another long drag from the cigarette, "I pushed
her into the affair and-" "Whoa..what affair?"
Raynee asked quickly, cutting him off. He looked down, knowing
full well that she would not help him if she learned the
truth, but also knowing that if the truth were not spoken
here and now, she would become more vindictive towards Ana
and himself. Shaking his head, he looked back up at her,
"What's the baby's name?" Raynee stared at him
in shock, "What does it matter? What is this about
an affair?!" "Raynee, just tell me the baby's
name."
Raynee sighed, rolling
her eyes as she spoke, "Annalena, but I don't see what
that has to do with..." she trailed off, everything
beginning to make sense suddenly. She closed her eyes slowly
as Epic nodded, pushing himself off the door frame and walking
towards her. His large hand laid gently against her shoulder,
"Exactly. I shouldn't have been the one to bring that
to light for you, but obviously no one else was," he
said, staring down at her with pity in his eyes, "Loeki
is my cousin, but I'm not even that bold." "I
knew what was going on, I just turned my head every time
I got the urge to ask him about it," she began softly,
her heart sinking faster by the minute, "How could
they?" "How could they not? We're not exactly
the best mates in the world and frankly, if Loeki treats
you anything like I treat Ana, then I am surprised you haven't
thrown him out yet." "You don't just toss people
that you love out onto the street," she replied, shrugging
his hand from her shoulder as she pushed past him and walked
into the dark bedroom. Her body shivered slightly from the
cold and from repulsion. "Look... Raynee...I'm sorry.
Maybe it's my fault that I pushed them together, but I'm
trying to make so much right in such a short amount of time,"
Epic began, turning and walking into the room with her.
His hands ran along her bare arms, smoothing the chills
that had began to form, "Help me. Help yourself."
"How? How can I help you get back the woman that has
hurt us all? It doesn't work that way, Epic. Nothing is
right now and I can't help you make it better." "Yes
you can," he replied, turning her gently to face him
as he bowed his head to look into her eyes, "If I can
win Ana back, then we can get married and she will be out
of your life forever. Loeki has to care about you Ray, he
would have left anyone else." "He doesn't care
about me or about anyone else except for himself. He wants
my money and that's the only reason he even comes home at
night."
"If he wanted
your money, he would have just killed you and taken it.
What about when Eilian was born? Any other man would have
just walked away and told you to go to hell, but he stayed."
Raynee turned away from him again, his hands releasing her
from their grasp as she walked towards the large balcony.
"Let me think about it, Epic," she said finally,
her silence painful to them both. He nodded his head slowly
and walked from the room, shutting the door quietly behind
him.
She sat in the middle
of the floor, her hands laying motionless in her lap as
she stared at the clothing spread around her. She sighed
heavily, running a hand over her eyes as she pushed everything
aside and laid back onto her elbows. "Going somewhere?"
Epic asked, his hands thrust in his pockets as he stood
against the large door just behind Ana. She nodded slowly,
not bothering to face him as she pushed herself to a stand.
Her long crimson hair fell down her back, covering the bruises
above her eyes and cheeks. "I spoke to Raynee tonight,"
he began, pushing away from the door as he stepped closer
to her, "I know I'm not a father at least." "That's....nice,"
her eyes did not meet his as she bent and began to pick
up the mess of clothing scattered along the floor. "Ana..."
"Just don't, Epic. I'm tired of the back and forth
between us. I'm tired of hiding truths so you won't be hurt
or beat me again. Let's just not do this and say we did,
ok?" Epic stared at Ana a long time, his eyes masking
their painful stare behind the dark glasses. She went back
to her gathering, pulling the clothing into her arms before
shoving them into a duffle bag. "I know about your
affair with Loeki, Ana...as does Raynee," he finally
spoke, drifting back into the security of the shadowed doorway.
Ana hid her shock,
her eyes never drifting upwards to gaze upon his face, "That's
nice. I assume you also know how he beat me and that is
where the bruises have come from." Epic nodded slowly,
not really knowing it was the truth, but accepting it all
the same. He stepped forward once again, clearing his throat
as he lit a cigarette, "Why?" he asked softly,
trying not give away the painful hurt he felt deep inside,
"Why Loeki? Why the affair in general?" Ana stopped
packing, sighing heavily as she sat back onto the couch,
looking up at him finally, "What do you want me to
tell you? Do you want me to say it was all my fault, that
I was just such a restless spirit I couldn't be tied down?
I honestly don't know why I did it, Epic....I just did."
"That's not good enough. If you loved me, then there
had to be something I was doing to drive you to him."
"What didn't you do to drive me to someone else?! You
beat me, raped me, demeaned me! I grew tired of it Epic,
I grew weary of this lifestyle and I needed a change!"
her voice raised with his, her emotions capturing him as
she spoke. "So...you went to my cousin who is even
more violent than I am? That makes no sense to me."
Ana turned away, her face filled with the shame she had
hidden for so long just beneath her pale surface. "Loeki
knew how to touch me, how to speak to me without making
me feel as though I was lesser, not an equal." "What
else have you not told me, Ana? What else is there that
I should know of before I commit my heart to you?"
Ana ran a hand along her forehead nervously, thinking of
the night with Chupa and if all had been real or a mere
glimpse of her memories haunting her. She shook her head
slowly, rising as she spoke, "Nothing....nothing at
all." Epic watched as she walked past him, climbing
the stairs slowly. His cigarette fell to the floor, the
toe of his boot grinding it out as he made his way through
the house and to the bar. He grabbed the bottle of rum,
holding it shakily in his hand.
His eyes glared hard
at the clear liquid before his hand raised and smashed the
bottle into the wall.
Loeki's hands moved
along Raynee's skin gently, his fingertips smoothing the
chills that had taken her as his lips caressed her neck
gently. Their bodies lay naked beneath the black satin sheets,
her hands motionless against his back as his body pressed
against hers. She did not share in his bliss, finding his
embrace only painful as the images of Ana sharing their
lives now ran rampantly through her troubled mind. Loeki
pulled her close to him, embracing her tightly as his lips
pressed against her own. His tongue pushed into her mouth,
his hips rotating beneath the silk, hands pressing against
the soft flesh of her tattooed shoulders. He moaned softly,
biting at her neck gently as his eyes glanced momentarily
at her solemn face. "What's wrong?" he asked,
kissing her neck once more. Raynee sighed, not wanting to
confront everything at this very moment, but knowing in
her heart she had no other chance. "Many things are
bothering me, just questions and such," she replied.
Loeki kissed her lips gently, his lips moving slowly along
her cheek bones as he spoke, "Am I not pleasing you
tonight?" Not able to take anymore, she ran a hand
along her face, closing her eyes tightly as she replied,
"It's not that...I...I just want to know why our daughter
is named Anna." Loeki sighed hard, raising onto one
hand as he stared into her eyes, "Her name is Annalena,
it's German, I'm German and could we not do this right now?
We're in the middle of something....important that I thought
you would be enjoying." "I can't enjoy it when
all these questions are flooding my mind and consuming every
waking thought I have." "What questions?"
he asked, arching a brow as she laid still beneath him,
"Better yet, who have you been talking to?"
"What makes you
think I have spoken to anyone?" the hurt began to rise
in her voice, her eyes paling as she pushed herself onto
her elbows, "Why don't you think I can figure things
out on my own?" "Raynee..." Loeki began,
shaking his head with a slight chuckle, "You know I
love you, but sometimes you read too much into things. I
blame it on boredom." "You blame everything on
someone or something else, don't you Loeki?" She pulled
the sheet away from them as she pushed Loeki away and stood
from the bed, wrapping it around herself. "Oh hell,
Raynee! Why does everything have to be this way with you?"
he yelled, pulling his boxers back around his waist, "Why
can't you just leave things as they are, no questions, no
injuries about shit you shouldn't know?!" "Why
can't you just keep it in your pants and not creep around
town with every hooker to walk the streets?!" she yelled
back, her anger and hurt rising faster. Loeki stared at
her a long time before speaking, his words trying to sooth
her before the conversation began towards Anallee, "Raynee....I
don't see other women. I come home to you because I love
you," he began, propping his arms under his head as
he laid back against the pillows, "Now, why don't we
just forget this happened and finish what we started?"
Her mouth dropped in shock at his words, her temper boiling
beneath her skin, "Go to hell, Loeki!" she yelled,
storming towards the door. "What the hell am I supposed
to do with this?!" Loeki yelled after her, laying his
hand over his groin. "Use it on Anallee, I'm sure she
would appreciate the gesture." Raynee slammed the door
hard behind her, storming down the stairs and into the kitchen.
Darkness surrounded her, glasses breaking as she threw anything
and everything within reach to the floor. Her back pressed
against a wall, sobs escaped her as she slid to the floor
in a tiny pile.
"You'd think they would have a wedding by now,"
Keeria sighed, cracking her neck loudly as she paced around
the sitting room of the mansion. Alucard glanced up at her,
watching as she walked back and forth with his piercing
red eyes. His white hair fell into his eyes, his head shaking
gently as a small chuckle escaped his lips, "Keeria,
you worry too much, meid." "I worry because what
if our plan fails or we don't achieve our goal? What if
Epic marries that whore and they go riding off into the
sunset together?!" "Then they will die a painful
death due to their ignorance at not waiting until night
fell," he smirked, enjoying her scowls. Keeria finally
sat hard in a large wing back chair, her hands tapping along
her slender knees, "I can't take this waiting!"
she groaned, staring at the grandfather clock against a
large wall. "Patience, Meid... all things come in time.
Besides, would you rather ruin your plan by gloating as
you always do?" "Screw you, Alucard," she
snapped, standing once more to pace. He chuckled, shaking
his head once again as he went back to reading the book
laying across his lap, "I could pay for better prostitutes,
Keeria." Pulling her sword from across her back, she
sat once again and began to run her hands along the blade.
"That thing is so barbaric, when are you going to learn
true fighting skills?" Alucard asked, his eyes never
leaving the pages as he read. "This sword has won more
fights than your magic and it does not weaken me as badly,"
she replied, staring at the blade, "It does need some
work though...all those be headings have really done a number
on it through the years." Alucard smirked at her interest
in the weapon, knowing inside the womanly shell she bore,
her heart still beat as a simple child's. Sheathing the
blade behind her, Keeria stood once again and stared at
the dark, Victorian style room. Her eyes met with portraits
of Alucard as a child with his family, and of his own wife
and child.
She stared a moment
longer before sighing lightly and walking slowly towards
a long hallway that led to the grand front entrance. "Where
are you off to?" Alucard called, his eyes glancing
up only momentarily as he watched her leave the room. "To
do my usual," she replied, her emotions growing cold
yet again. Alucard could merely shake his head in disapproval,
knowing that she would not be stopped by words alone. He
watched as she exited, the door closing quietly behind her
tall frame. The darkness filled the quiet house, loneliness
almost setting in for the elderly vampire as he did enjoy
her company to an extent. He stood now, his long raven robes
falling loosely around him as he too exited the home. His
eyes peered along the brilliant night sky, clouds beginning
to form as the smell of a fall shower drifted along his
nose causing his nostrils to flare gently. Alucard walked
along the darkened streets slowly, empty of the mortal day
traffic as those who knew better did not tread the surface
at night. Out of fear or respect, he could not say. But,
he was grateful for the solitude for once. He walked the
short path to the harbor, his eyes meeting with the tall
figure that lay shadowed in the fog just ahead. His smile
broadened slightly as he approached, his pale hand gripping
the young man along his toned shoulder as he spoke, "You
come here so often, your mother and I are beginning to worry."
Eilian turned his head only slightly to peer at his adopted
father, then returned his gaze to the darkened waters, "I
feel serene here...something about this place." Alucard
sighed gently, removing his hand as he spoke, "Your
birth mother...Raynee...she would come to the waters while
pregnant with you. She traveled across them once to escape
your father, nearly drowning. But that is all in the past
now and we should discuss it no longer." Eilian's long
raven hair lay flowing down his back, billowing gently in
the cool wind that blew past them. His face bore a striking
resemblance to Loeki's, his eyes as pale as Raynee's.
Alucard smiled slightly
at him, knowing that he sought only closure to his young,
tormented past. "If you wish to see your parents, then
go. But first, I have a task for you." Eilian turned
to gaze at him once more, his brow arched in curiosity,
"What task would you ask of me?" "I need
you to retrieve your sister from London. Someone has to
talk some sense into your mother before she gets us all
killed," he replied calmly, his hand brushing through
the mess of white hair as he spoke, "I have scheduled
you to leave tonight, but Darvian's return shall remain
our secret." Eilian nodded slowly, not fully understanding
his father but never allowing himself to ask too many questions.
The two men turned, walking away from the harbor as the
night sky cloaked them in darkness for their journey.
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