L.008
Lhexa stared down at the man, trying to decide how to handle this situation. Clearly he was mistaken. She wasn't whoever he thought she was. The question was, who did he think she was? Someone important, obviously. A mafioso? A vampire? The one she killed? Or someone else?
"How'd you find me?"
"... is that not obvious, my Lord?"
As long as she was pretending to be someone in charge, she shouldn't accept that answer. Lhexa put on a mask of indifferent superiority.
"Don't sass me. Answer the question."
"My apologies. The enchantment that binds me to you led me to you. Your form has changed, but your power is self-evident as always."
She paused for another second to think. Well, time to play the questioning teacher and see how far that goes. But first, a change of venue. The last thing she needed was Ronnie coming out and interrupting. She made sure Pickle was comfortable and then addressed the man again.
"Follow me."
Lhexa started walking, she stopped herself from looking to make sure the man was obeying. If he really thought she was this 'Lord' she would be certain to act like it. Yes, this character was arrogant beyond belief if he had a servant trained to act like this. Off onto the street, she started down the strip. What else? Body language. Stand tall but relaxed. Don't bother dodging strangers on the street. Get more information.
"Has anyone else noticed my transformation?"
"Not to my knowledge, My Lord."
"Good. I am keeping a low profile. Do what you can to aid me in that. What is being said of the events of the other night?"
"The local lords are in a panic. They believe you were slain by the girl brought to be your meal. Opinions are divided on whether she was an assassin from the start, or if something completely unexpected happened. Some are arguing that they ought to take credit for your death and appeal to your enemies. Others are saying that honesty will be the only path that doesn't lead to destruction. One has fled entirely."
"Fled? Who fled?"
Keep calm. Take it in. This man definitely believed she was the vampire she had killed. That was fine. If he was this obedient she could kill him off if he became a problem. But no one else seemed to know. Should she just make a reappearance as him? Claim to be him? How hard would that be to pull off? Well, if she could fool this man…
"Baron Leseth is gone, along with his entire household. The vultures are already picking over what is left of his estate."
"Hah! That pathetic sniveling coward. I should have known."
She had no idea who that was. But, it seemed like an easy assumption to make. Her mind was racing. She didn't really want to pick up this skeezy vampire's life, but she would probably be safer than being actively hunted as his murderer. Plus, he probably lived the high life.
But the first thing she needed to figure out was how far she could trust this servant. Was he loyal? Was his obedience enforced in some way, or did he act out of love? Was he a slave, or a willing subject?
Crap, this really complicated matters. At least Pickle was not causing her problems. The cat had fallen asleep in her arms within a minute of her starting her walk. She'd expected to have to struggle to keep him still, but the scarred old tom did love Marie. He was lightly purring… It was good he couldn't tell that she wasn't Marie. Although, was she Marie? Or was she this Lord? Or was she Lhexa?
She took a deep breath. No use stressing over it right now. She'd figure it out as long as she kept it in the back of her mind. But for right now… How was she going to find out more about this? Did she take him back to Faye's place? She didn't want Faye involved in this. The older woman was so kind, she didn't deserve another night time problem.
What would this character do? Obviously, make it the servant's problem. Duh, she felt like an idiot for even considering taking him somewhere inconvenient for her. Stupid mistake. She needed to get into character. Mistakes were unacceptable.
"Take me somewhere safe and quiet for us to talk."
She stopped and turned to him, and flinched. He was absolutely coated in magic. Those… imprints. Red, black, and something deeper. They poured out of him almost like blood. He'd left a trail. She carefully trained her face. What was that? Despair. Hatred. And a hint of relief? That was her guess. That's what looking at the imprint made her feel. She reached out, and grabbed it. He gave her an odd look, and she returned it, challenging him to say a thing about it.
The man bowed, and then started walking. She followed, calming her heart. Were these imprints just everywhere? No, they hadn't been on everyone she'd encountered. The times they'd formed around her had been when she'd been overflowing with emotions. So… It required a certain strength? Could she cultivate the ones she wanted?
For now, this was an answer about the man, even if it wasn't an answer that would work well for her. Maybe she could even turn it into a positive. Although, she wasn't about to come out and say that she had murdered his former master yet. Not until she knew the intricacies of that relationship well enough to know he wouldn't instantly turn on her.
Until then, she'd observe and play her role.
It was a grody motel. Not at all surprising, actually. What was surprising was how confidently the servant walked into the front office and proclaimed that he and his wife needed a room for the night. Lhexa watched his actions carefully. He did a good job of playing the part.
His body language had shifted, and his accent as well. Rather than sounding vaguely foreign, he now sounded like he was from the east coast. His body language had changed from that of a servant to that of an arrogant out of towner, sure he was here to make it big. As a fellow performer, she had to admire his clear skill. Although, for now it just meant she should be more cautious of him.
He further surprised her when he pulled out a money clip absolutely stuffed with bills. He handed over clearly more than the room was worth, and implied to the man behind the counter that it was to avoid interruptions to his 'activities' with his wife. The cashier looked over at Marie, and she did her part by blushing and looking away.
She internally laughed. Here she was, Lhexa pretending to be Marie, pretending to be this Lord, pretending to be a demure wife. How many layers was she going to have to put on? Well, it was exciting in its own way.
"And the cat…?"
Her servant paused, and then shrugged.
"My wife is very attached to the mangy thing. If it's a problem by the time we leave, I'll pay you double."
The man seemed satisfied with that, and took the bribe.
In less than a minute, they were in their room. It was on the second floor, and instantly brought back some foul memories from her arrival in this world. But, this servant had done just what she'd asked. Really, he'd done an exemplary job of it. Competent, skilled actor, obedient, and hated her guts. Well, it was something she could work with.
She kicked off her shoes and flopped down on the bed, making herself instantly comfortable. Her character believed this man was nothing more than furniture. One doesn't put on a show around furniture. Think of him as a chair, or a table, until speaking to him.
Pickle climbed out of her arms and found a comfy spot on the pillow nearby. He seemed annoyed, and that was fair. But, she'd have him back home as soon as she could. Apart from a slightly musty smell that emanated from it, it was quite cosy. Although, Lhexa reflected that she was mostly comparing it to a prison bed.
By the time she sat up, the man was on his knees again. Well, whatever. He could act how he pleased, as long as she could get some answers out of him. If it turned out that he was going to be a problem for her long term, she'd just have to kill him in this room.
For now, back to the performance. She sneered down at him.
"Do you always flash around so much money? Isn't it going to be a bother if someone comes looking for some easy cash?"
"I am following previous instructions, Lord."
Lhexa rolled her eyes. This was going to be annoying.
"I am testing you. Pretend that I don't remember anything prior to my transformation. Explain."
She almost winced as that came out. That was the wrong thing to say. Her character would have been less flustered, and wouldn't have bothered explaining himself. She bit back her frustration at herself. Mistakes were unacceptable.
Her teeth were still aching so badly… It was distracting. Distracting? That was hardly an excuse. She'd felt pain far beyond this, and for longer too. She realized she was digging her nails into her palms, and forced herself to relax. Her character wouldn't be tense. No more mistakes.
At least she'd get some short term results for her failure.
"You instructed me to be open with what I carry, and to make sure that others see it. If anyone comes to steal from me, they are to be a meal."
"Of course. How much do you have on you?"
The man didn't even look.
"Seven thousand, two hundred sixty three dollars, and some change."
Marie choked, coughing on her own spit. That was more money than she'd made in her entire life up till this point. You could buy a house with that! He was giving her a look. Shit.
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"My Lord…?"
Fuck, he was breaching etiquette. Up till now he'd been in the same kneeling position staring at the floor. The same as in the alley. Her character wouldn't let this slide, and it conveniently gave her a distraction.
"Who do you think you're looking at? Eyes on the floor before I pluck them from your skull."
He immediately lowered his gaze.
"My apologies, Lord."
She sighed dramatically, and lay back. For a moment she just rested, and pet Pickle. He let out a loud mrowl sound as he yawned. And her heart eased. Marie's heart?
"You don't like me very much, do you?"
"I am your loyal servant, Lord."
Lhexa laughed out loud. He didn't even try to argue, huh? Yeah that makes sense. There's no way that his Lord wasn't aware. Which means that enchantment was probably compelling obedience in some way. The question really was, what would he do if she admitted to having killed him? Would he be relieved? Would he be compelled by that enchantment to take revenge? Well, she might be able to just ask.
"If that girl really had assassinated me, what would you have done?"
"Done, my Lord?"
"Yes. What would your next actions have been?"
"I would be dead, Lord. When you die, I will die as well."
That stopped her in her tracks for a moment. Unexpected, but certainly an added incentive for compliance. A servant who literally can not live without you, huh?
"This is a hypothetical. If you had lived, but I had not, what would you have done?"
"Nothing, Lord."
"Nothing?"
"I exist to serve you, Lord. I would do nothing."
She hazarded a glance at him. Dripping with desperate longing. The emotion poured off of him in waves. What a good liar, she'd never have guessed from his tone. She'd collect that imprint later, but for now…
"You're annoying me. This isn't a test of your obedience. Engage in my hypothetical, and be honest."
"I would go far away, and learn to live my life."
"That's all?"
"That is all."
She smiled. It felt a little strange still, feeling her sharp canines against her lower lip as she did. Well, it seemed she had all the answers. If she did have to put this man down, the enchantment on him would likely make it easy. So, why not just go for the grand reveal? Time to drop the character. Well, one of them at least.
Marie stood up on the mattress and looked down at him.
"That's good. 'Cause I killed him. Your Lord is dead, and you still live. So, what'll you do now?"
She could swear he stopped breathing. He was holding as still as a statue. Another wave of emotion came off him. And then… it stopped.
"I see. Another test, Lord?"
"It's not. I'm not that guy. He tried to eat me, but I ate him instead. And here I am. If your senses tell you that I'm him, it's 'cause I slurped him up like the tall glass of grease he was."
He didn't respond, so she continued.
"I took his tooth. It was the only thing left when I was done. Then I broke out of whatever that place was. It was a mess! Although looking back on it I'm not sure the people there ever really stood a chance."
He continued holding still, staring at the floor.
"What? C'mon, say something."
"You do not have to test me, My Lord. I am your loyal servant."
This was getting annoying. She sat back down on the edge of the bed, and pushed him back with a foot on his shoulder so he'd be looking up at her. That action felt properly domineering. She should have adopted more of this during her initial act.
"I'm not your Lord. I'm just me. Little ol' Marie."
He averted his gaze right away.
"I am your loyal servant, Lord."
Marie rolled her eyes and scoffed.
"Fine. Don't believe me. It's whatever. I'm not such a saint that I'll turn down the help. I'll put you to work if you're sticking around, but you're free to go whenever."
He was silent. Irritating.
"Whatever. What's your name anyway?"
"You call me Helot, Lord."
"I call you that, or it's your name?"
Silence.
"I asked what your name is."
"I am your Helot."
She pushed him with her foot again.
"Stop that. Your name. What is it?"
"Is this a test, Lord?"
Lhexa gritted her teeth till they creaked. Pickle yawned again, breaking the silence as it stretched on. Finally, Lhexa tried again.
"I'm not your lord, I'm not testing you, I just want to know your damn name so I know what to call you. So, what is it?"
"Trechus, Lord."
"Geez. Was that so hard? Alright, Trechus then. As long as you're listening to me, I'm going to have you help me figure out what to do next."
"You… are not my Lord. Are you?"
Lhexa glared at him from atop the bed.
"THAT'S what did it!?"
Lhexa sat up. The gentle lapping of the ocean greeted her from a distance. For a dizzying second she wasn't sure where she was. Then she laid back down.
"Back to the resort, huh?"
Well, that was fine. It'd give her some time to reflect and breathe. Marie's world was… interesting. It was exciting, and fun. But, what did she actually want to do there?
If she wanted to, she didn't even have to go back. She could probably cast a spell again like before and get an entirely new start. Although, it wasn't as if she disliked being Marie. But, wasn't it kinda… over?
Marie could slink off and live a quiet life now. She'd be taken care of by this Helot. She had her cat back, and Faye if the older woman still wanted to be a part of things. If she left Vegas and didn't go back, she could just live. So, wasn't that best for Marie?
The thought left a sour taste in Lhexa's mouth. Marie wouldn't get her revenge doing things that way, but she'd have a quiet and comfortable life of wealth. Isn't that good? Wasn't that enough? If she stopped interfering the story was over wasn't it?
Sure, there were a lot of points that didn't get wrapped up. But for Marie as a person, wasn't this ending kind of ideal? Lhexa could stop in every once in a while and enjoy some relaxation as part of the high life. Get the life experiences of living that sort of eternally laying low, and that was… it. That's all that would have to happen.
Marie had wanted to kill Freddy, and that was unresolved. But, Lhexa was ageless, and presumably Marie was too. That 'Freddy' would live the life of a mayfly compared to her. So, wasn't that fine…?
So why did the thought fill her with such discontentment? Was it not enough to just get a positive ending? It was imperfect, sure. But it was good enough, and that instance of… whoever that was now would be happy enough. So, why?
She raised a hand up to the ceiling, and stared through her fingers. Chipped nail polish. Imperfections. Was it just her drive for perfection making her feel unhappy with that? Was it worth risking Marie's happiness for more? Who was that person anyway?
"I don't want to stop."
It was the truth. She was having fun. Was her fun worth risking someone's happiness? Was she risking someone's happiness, or only her own? She still didn't understand who 'Marie' in that world was.
Hah, she'd told that girl in the casino that she wouldn't be caught dead gambling. But here she was. Gambling with the fate of this… person?
What would Marie say…? She put the girl on like a mask.
"You're gonna give up? We haven't even finished yet! You promised we'd kill Freddy!"
Lhexa replied right back.
"It's what's best for you, even if it's boring. Get out of Vegas. Live the life I won for you."
It wasn't hard. Playing two characters in one show.
"That's lame and you know it. Aren't you all about not being bored?"
"I won't be bored. I can simply move on to the next game."
"And leave me, just like that? Doesn't it bother you?"
Lhexa scoffed.
"Of course it bothers me! I'm just trying to be mature and do the right thing for whatever is left of YOU. You were a pretty ordinary girl, and now we have an out. You can just go live the life of a pampered vampire princess. So, why not do that?"
"'Cause it's a total bummer! You are a total bummer! Don't pretend you are so above revenge. Remember why you went to prison in the first place?"
Marie folded her arms, and huffed.
"Yeah. And it felt great. But I only risked myself for it. Now there's you."
"Don't be stupid. There's no me, and no you. Only us."
"It's not that simple. You have your own body. Even if it's not your own mind."
"Then let me do what I want with it. I want to continue! You want to continue! Let's go back. I want to go back!"
Lhexa laughed. Yeah. okay. That made sense. She made a good point. Even if she was just Lhexa.
"Go back and do what? I'm not going to live a quiet life you know. I'm not that girl."
"You think I want that?"
"Guess not. So. What do you want?"
"I want to kill Freddy. I want to do something nice for Faye. And then… I want to have fun."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
Lhexa sighed in relief. That was what she wanted too, after all. Was this just an exercise in self reassurance? Did it matter? Was she Lhexa, or Marie, or both, or neither?
"I don't intend to lay low."
"Me neither."
They shared a grin.
"Okay, then what's next?"
Marie paused for a second before answering.
"Gotta figure out how to stay safe first, right?"
"So, we pretend to be this guy and smooth things over with the other factions, right?"
It was the logical choice. They'd have far more resources doing it that way than trying to figure things out from the bottom up. Marie asked the obvious question.
"What about all his servants? Won't they notice something is up?"
"We'll get coaching from Trechus."
"And then?"
"And then, we'll weed out the problems as quickly as possible, of course."
Lhexa smiled. Marie wasn't totally sold though.
"Kill 'em off? Won't they get suspicious when we start doin' that?"
"Hmm… I think I have some ideas."
So, first priority was to secure her rule over this vampire's estate. Time to do some gardening.