Angelique

[kersen]

After the night of his trial, Kersen had texted Angelique to let her know that he was okay, but that she might not hear from him for a bit. He waited until he felt a little more under control, at least enough that he thought he could carry on a conversation without lapsing into a gooey pile of guilt.

When he got back in touch, he asked if she'd like to meet him somewhere, or if she'd like to come by the bar. She'd chosen the latter, and he was glad. There were multiple reasons why having the opportunity for privacy with her might be good. Not least of which being the conversation they were going to have to have, about vampires.

He was a little closer (though nowhere there yet) to his usual sparkly self tonight. Wearing leather trousers and a black shirt emblazoned with a swirling rose. He was behind the bar, mostly pouring wine.

Comments

[utterly_mysterious]

Angelique was so relieved to hear from Kersen again she almost cried. Well, she did cry, just a little, alone in her room at Jade's. Then she washed her face, put up her hair, put on a bit of mascara and a touch of lip tint, and made her way directly to Jazzmin.

She arrived not very long after Kersen had contacted her, dressed in a pair of wide-legged trousers and a white button-down man's shirt, looking a little less decidedly feminine and a bit more androgynous. Immediately, Angelique made her way to the bar. If Kersen didn't come out to meet her, she thought she was probably going to push her way behind the bar to hug him, she was so relieved to see him alive and well.

[kersen]

When Kersen saw how happy she looked to see him... he couldn't help but break into a wide smile as well, and he did indeed come from behind the bar to meet her, instinctively holding out his arms.

[utterly_mysterious]

With a burst of relief, Angelique practically flew at Kersen, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and squeezing him tight. "Thank god you're all right," she whispered, far more in danger of squishing the breath out of her own chest than out of Kersen, obviously. "I didn't know if I was going to find you missing a finger or an ear or a limb or something."

[kersen]

Kersen couldn't help but smile a little at that. "No, I'm glad to report that you will find me entirely intact. I'm sorry I took so long to get back in touch with you. It's been... not a good time."

[utterly_mysterious]

"I've been worried sick, but... I'm just glad to see you," Angelique told him, leaning back and placing both hands to either side of Kersen's face to get a good look at him. She'd never really understood the phrase 'a sight for sore eyes' before, but she did now. It was such a relief to see him well. "Is it... all over? All worked out?"

[kersen]

Kersen didn't want to lie to her. "Worked out, yes," he said. Which was true. It just hadn't worked out particularly well. "But it's complicated. I'll... tell you. Perhaps we should go downstairs? I could bring some wine."

[utterly_mysterious]

"That seems wise. Both of those thoughts seem wise," Angelique corrected herself, with a small wry smile. They had to talk in private, of course, but the wine would make it easier. "I'll listen. You know I will."

[kersen]

It also meant she trusted him. Which meant a lot, considering that the last time they'd spoken he had told her he was a vampire. He was glad that her time to think had not led her to other conclusions.

"Just a minute - " he said, and then nipped behind the bar to get a good bottle of red wine. Then he came back and took her hand to lead her down to the basement apartment.

[utterly_mysterious]

Angelique's hand was warm and tight in Kersen's cooler one, glad to have the chance to clasp it again. She followed him down, recalling the way from the delightful evening they had spent there together before. Tonight she was wearing much more sensible shoes. "You really spoil me," Angelique noted as they went. "I don't think I've ever paid for a drink here."

[kersen]

Kersen laughed, and it almost sounded confused. "It's nothing. But I'm happy to spoil you." And it really was nothing; money wasn't that important to him at this point.

He closed the door behind them, and then went to get glasses for the wine. "Make yourself comfortable."

[utterly_mysterious]

Angelique wondered what she'd said that was confusing, but whatever she needed to know, Kersen would tell her. He'd been honest so far... even when it hurt. "I suspect this is going to be one hell of a story," she observed, making her way over to the sofa and draping herself quite prettily just off center, so there was just the right amount of space for Kersen to sit beside her.

[kersen]

Kersen returned a few moments later with two glasses of wine, and handed one to her before sitting down beside her.

"It is," he said. "But I'm afraid it doesn't have an entirely happy ending."

[utterly_mysterious]

Angelique accepted the glass with a small, accepting smile. Judging solely on how cautious Kersen had been the last time they spoke, she'd sort of assumed not everything in the vampire world was rainbows and roses. "Tell me," she urged quietly, tilting her head to listen.

[kersen]

Kersen immediately looked a bit distressed, as if he didn't want to pull up the memories. But... he did.

"I was guilty," he said quietly, not quite looking at her. "There wasn't much point in arguing otherwise, it was just a matter of my sentence. The magister was apparently feeling... creative. Decided that rather than the typical five years underground, he though that appropriate restitution for taking a vampire life was to make another. They forced me to turn a girl. Against her will."

[utterly_mysterious]

Angelique's eyes widened, horrified, as much for Kersen as for the girl. They had both been forced, a terrible violation that Angelique couldn't even imagine. She rested a hand on Kersen's leg in quiet sympathy, unsure what could possibly be said. "That's... I don't think there's even a word for what that is. Oh, Kersen..."

[kersen]

Kersen looked down. "Oh Angelique, don't be kind to me. The girl, she's... she's the one who deserves your sympathy. I'm the one who killed her."

[utterly_mysterious]

Angelique was having none of that. "I already told you, I'll always be on your side. You were violated, too." She spoke quietly, but with great certainty. "And this girl, if she's your... well, I'm on her side, too."

[kersen]

Kersen knew that all of it was true, but he still had a difficult time climbing out of his own guilt. "Her name is Bonnie," he said. "And she's so traumatized that she barely even speaks to me. I basically have her locked in my house. And I have no idea what to do except to wait for her to... I don't know. Accept what's happened to her, I guess."

[utterly_mysterious]

Angelique didn't know much at all about vampires, but she did know about learning to accept certain aspects of one's body that one couldn't change. "Is there... that is, I'd like to help." For Kersen, not for the girl, naturally. "You and she are in this together, though that's going to be difficult to accept."

[kersen]

"That's very kind of you," Kersen said, and lay a hand lightly on her knee. Then he managed a little smile and said, "I might need character references, at least."

[utterly_mysterious]

"I would be delighted to explain to her what a kind man you are," Angelique promised him, laying her hand over his and squeezing gently. "Or anything else you need. You trusted me with this. I don't intend to sit idly by."

[kersen]

"You know, if I'd met you a few years ago, things would have been so much simpler," Kersen said. "I kept myself out of the way. It was when I started getting involved that my life went to hell. You know for a brief time I was basically the vampire queen of London."

[utterly_mysterious]

Had Kersen met her a few years ago, Angelique would have been hardly more than a child... but a child in dire need of someone like Kersen in his life. She smiled now, faintly, to think of it, but took care not to remind Kersen of the vast difference in their ages.

"I had no idea I was speaking to royalty," Angelique said warmly. "That sounds like something of a tale."

[kersen]

"Yes, that it is," Kersen said. "Some good parts... though honestly, mostly very bad parts."

He imagined Angelique's reaction if he told her some vampires had carved faggot into his chest. She was such a sweet soul, and that was exactly the kind of ugliness he should shield her from.

[utterly_mysterious]

"So then, you... abdicated?" Angelique ventured a guess. It must be so, since there was a different authority now, who had done this to Kersen.