13 Griffin Way, Sunday Night

[tyler_gone]

The taste of the priest's blood still sang in Louis' mouth as he ran back to the home whose keys had been among the belongings in the apartment where he woke up with that same priest the morning before.

He was the most vile of all sinners, and he knew it, damned even among those doomed to walk as vampires. The fact he knew Lestat would take pride in what he'd done made it sting even more.

He wondered, dimly, where Lestat and Claudia had gotten to; he hadn't seen them since the tavern the night before. With that thought on his mind, he started exploring the house, searching for signs of any residents living, dead, or otherwise.

[OOC: For the other vampeers and the housemates.]

Comments

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Miss Elizabeth Bennet had failed to discover any blasphemous undead, on her evening's patrol. She did not know whether she should find herself relieved, or concerned that perhaps the creatures had become stealthier and more able to hide.

She carried the axe along the hallway, as she investigated the nooks and crannies of the rooms in turn. Surely there must be a sign, somewhere, to explain to her the events of the last day.

This was clearly her room: she would kneel, here, and investigate the items in her own luggage. Clothing, and a great deal of books. Miss Caroline Bingley would have a great deal to say about that.

She did not hear the approaching footfalls. Zombies tread quite heavily, and her ears were not listening for anything so light.

[tyler_gone]

Louis spotted the young woman through the doorway and stopped just outside. "Madame," he said by way of greeting, inclining his head in a half-bow.

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"Sir." Miss Bennet started at his voice, dropping the gown she had been admiring. A flush came to her cheeks. Shame on her for being so easy to surprise. Such inattention to her surroundings might prove dangerous.

Ridiculous. He was no unholy creature from beyond the grave. He had not the look of those shambling, misbegotten wretches.

And yet, her heart did race.

[tyler_gone]

Her heart was perhaps smarter than the rest of her, then.

"Forgive me," he said, at her start. "I had reason to believe I might be staying here. Is this your home?"

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Her cheeks were decidedly crimson. "I confess I do not know," she admitted. "I was intent upon asking you that same question. There is a woman here who knows me, and speaks as though we are old acquaintance of long intimacy, but I have no name to assign her face."

She raised herself to standing, slowly, and offered him a curtsy. "Perhaps our memories have been harmed. I can think of no other logical explanation."

[tyler_gone]

"Perhaps; I was in New Orleans most recently and I am quite certain I'm now nowhere near there," Louis offered. "I'm called Louis du Pont du Lac, madame. I regret this is not a more proper introduction."

He peered at her with predator's eyes. He wasn't hungry, and yet ...

And yet.

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet," she said, bowing her head slightly. "Recently of Longbourn, Hertfordshire. There has been a devastating illness plaguing Meryton, a neighboring village, of late. I was hoping to investigate further, only to find myself here."

That was all true, so far as it went, and it was perhaps more polite than telling him of the unspeakable atrocities at first blush.

The hair on the back of her neck seemed to be standing up. There was something almost unnerving, in his glance.

[tyler_gone]

"Well met, Miss Bennet," Louis frowned. "What sort of illness?" he wanted to know. "I've seen the horrors and devastation of plague, myself."

He had also caused more than a few deaths blamed on the plague.

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"A pleasure to meet you, however unfortunate these circumstances might be." And yet, her fingers were curling around the axe again. How terrible her nerves were. A polite gentleman whose hospitality she may well have imposed upon, and here she was suspecting him of ill-defined malfeasance.

She smiled, wistfully. "Those who fall ill are soon deceased, and I wish I could say that was the worst of the matter, but I fear that is where the horror begins."

[tyler_gone]

"Oh?" Louis' cold flesh got even colder. "If it is not indelicate to ask for details, may I ask what comes next?"

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Miss Bennet drew one careful breath to steady herself. "They ... walk," she said carefully. "They climb from their graves, as wretched, unholy abominations which blaspheme Our Lord. They feast upon the innocent. I ... I have not words, for how terrible the scene is."

[tyler_gone]

Oh.

At the same time, Louis was intrigued by the concept -- a plague of his kind in England, living, walking, feasting. He wondered if this were one of the things Lestat had not told him, either because he did not know himself or because he wished to keep his children helpless.

"It sounds horrific," he said. "I'm sorry to make you talk of such unpleasant things."

As he stepped further into the room, the lamplight might reveal how very pale he was.

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Terribly pale. She wondered, then, if perhaps he had been ill, himself. There was something almost sickly, in his appearance. Her left hand flew to the small garnet cross around her neck, as her right hand tightened around the axe-handle.

She breathed in, once more, and told herself to relax her grip. He was offering condolences. He had seen terrible things.

"It is far better to discuss them than to fall prey to them," she offered, trying to sound lighter than she felt. "Perhaps we should not speak on such things."

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

Claudia knew where her father was and she sought him out after her walk.

"Louis!" She was full and content with that, but she was not happy about the other. She wanted a mother!

[tyler_gone]

"Claudia!" he called, after the incident with Eliza met what was almost certain to be a messy end. "Darling one. How went your hunting?"

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

"My hunting is not satisfying at all, Louis," she replied, flouncing in her skirts only to pace back and forth. "I demand you give me a mother!"

[tyler_gone]

"Patience, my little one, patience," Louis told his daughter. "When we're home again, you may pick any mother you like. Until then, are not two devoted papas enough?"

He had made this promise before.

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

"You will give me what I seek, Louis!" Tiny fists pounded against her thighs, her movements frustrated yet graceful. "I tire of this promise you never fulfill! You took me from my maman! Now you give me what I seek! What I crave! I need a maman, Louis, for one day you will leave me! And I cannot do it; I have not the strength and well you know it!"

[tyler_gone]

"I will never, ever leave you," Louis promised, reaching a hand out to rest on Claudia's shoulder. "You have me until I am dust, and one day you will have a maman as well. I can hardly conjure up a woman fitting to be mother to a princess such as yourself."

His mind went to the young woman he had so recently taken just to the brink of death. Miss Bennet, who lay bleeding out the last of her life in a small bedroom. She'd been small, and no great beauty, but strong. Perhaps...

The dying woman groaned, then, probably loudly enough for Claudia to hear.

[OOC: Eliza modded with permission.]

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

She was in a rare fit and while his words cautioned her against further argument, because she loved him so, the groan she heard captured and held her attention instantly.

"What have you done, Louis? Who is that?" And she started forward, towards the noise she heard.

[tyler_gone]

"Nothing of any significance," Louis said, frowning in the direction of the groan. "A young Englishwoman who is as lost in this place as we are served as my supper, and I'm leaving her to heal."

Or to die. Same thing.

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

Claudia rounded on him. "Give her to me! I beg you. Give her to me, Louis, my love, my true father. I want her and if she is as lost as you say, then there is nothing else for her. You will give her to me because you love me! Do this for me, Louis. Show me you love me and I'll never ask you for anything."

[shiroi_tiger]

"Oh, yes, Louis. Show her you love her." Lestat raised his eyebrows, stepping out from the shadows in the corner of the room which he'd been all to happy to watch the entire proceedings from. Louis, taking that woman by the throat... Well, that certainly gave the Brat Prince something to smile about.

"Or can you?" He knelt down, inspecting the woman who was growing progressively cold before him. Reaching out his hand, pressing the back of his fingers tenderly against her cheek. "She is quite a find. She has fight in her, Claudia. I wouldn't put Dear Louis in such a position. It would hardly be kind."

[tyler_gone]

"I do love you, chére Claudia," Louis insisted, uneasily leading her toward Lestat and the woman. "Would you really have us do that to Miss Bennet -- take her life and make her what we are? It is not a thing we can do lightly."

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

"But it is a thing you can do!" she snapped, and in the next instant her face softened, grew tender and full of love for Louis as she sought to hold his hand, bring it to her cheek. "Do this for me, I beg you. If you've ever loved me, Louis, you will give her to me for I need her. I need her and if you will not," her eyes cut over to Lestat, "then I will ask my dark prince, my love, to give her to me and he will do it."