Sheriff's Estate - Will's Suite
Every night for the last month, Chloe has been checking in at the estate before heading out to do her own thing. While she's aware that the King of Texas will contact her if he needs anything done, she also knows that there's been daily check-ins with the Sheriff and his daytime go-to-girl Erica. So just like every other night since Will's been gone, she's stopping in.
The guard that lets her in actually smiles, and while she can't read the minds of vampires, that smile is enough to tell her something's up.
Except the estate feels deserted. There is no sign of Erica, which Chloe is quite happy about really, and there's very little sign of anyone else. So it is that she slips through the vault, making her way downstairs to immerse herself in Will's history while she's got the time to do so.
The suite that has been so deathly quiet for some time is little different. A place for everything, and everything in its place. Everything except the slender figure reclined on his bed, that is. Dressed in his usual black, snugly fitting clothing, William Grant is in gentle repose, eyes closed as he listens to the incoming girl, nostrils scenting a familar scent. Everything else unchanged, though boots are showing signs of much travelling in the past few weeks.
He is not actually moving.
Within the dark room, the form on the bed isn't readily noted. A tour of the room happens first, a stop at each piece, a gentle touch to the chainmail in the corner, before Chloe decides to lay upon the bed. When she does, she's in for a bit of a surprise. In fact, she shrieks. Clamboring off the bed, she falls on her rear end on the floor and peers upward.
A gentle 'tch' sounds from Will's lips, though he still does not move. "I had thought perhaps you had learnt to be a tad more observant by now," he says, threading a gentle tease into a low and easy tone.
"Will!" In an instant, she's up off the floor and pouncing onto the bed. "When did you get in? Oh, that's a silly question, it must have been late last night." Chloe is all over the snuggling bit, just resting her head on his chest to listen to the hollowness. "It's been over a week since your last call, I was getting worried, though I figured that if anything happened I would have felt it through the bond. You've been up to something though. I could feel it. You were further away than before…"
"Indeed I was," Will says, by way of deflective explanation. Finally a hand does move, to rest gently against Chloe's hair, a delicate touch. "How have things been with you?"
"Better now that you're here," Chloe says, feeling much like a schoolgirl that's just returned from a long vacation. "How long are you here for, Will? Just a stopover?" She makes a face. "You have a new fledgling in the house, I think. I saw him with the Sheriff in passing…" Get the good news out of the way first, and then she'll bring up the ribbon.
"I assume you mean a man of my approximate height and built, who could perchance even be mistaken as me in poor light?" Will queries, dispassionately. "I am glad he has chosen a path that will lead him to eternal light." His finger start to trace the barest hint of a line down through Chloe's hair to her neck. "It is good to be with you again."
"Yes, I don't know his name but that sounds about right." Except that she didn't feel the pull of the bond with him, so he was obviously not Will. The touch causes her to shiver a bit, and press against him. "I need your help with something," she says swiftly, but very quietly. "I've got Ivan working on it as well, but the stupid thing itches and I need it off, and you're the only one I trust to do it."
"Elliot Hartigan," Will tells her, as he listens to the rest. "What," he queries, "have you done to yourself that you would go to such an untrustworthy, manipulative individual to assist with?" Ivan is not in good books, it seems, though his tone still lacks feature or emotion. Too much time spent with other old vampires over the past few weeks, most likely. Either that or he's been on a killing spree and isn't letting it show. "I will assist you in any way I am able."
Now comes the explanation. One Chloe was really hoping to not have to make until well after a welcome home could be established. Taking in a deep breath, she exhales it slowly, and lifts her wrist to reveal a red ribbon. "It's a very long story, so I need you to promise not to laugh at me." There is a pause, as though she's waiting for the promise, then she begins. "Do you remember your Valentine's Day gift? Right before you were taken by Kegan's thugs?"
The vampire raises his head to look at her, probingly. "I do," he says, levelly. No other movement. He simply waits.
"Okay, well… remember there was a ribbon around my thigh? Only, that was really just a ribbon, and this woman at the Ogham had sold me these other ribbons…" Chloe buries her face against his chest and mumbles, "Love ribbons." Peeking back up at him she squeaks, "I accidentally grabbed one and wrapped a present with it, and Ivan says it could take up to six months to wear off, and the person I gave the gift to tied it around my wrist and I'm afraid of undoing it…"
"To whom is this ribbon linked, other than yourself?" Will questions, levelly. "Perhaps more pressingly, is it currently functioning?"
"Mischa," Chloe says with a groan. Peering up at her beau, she nibbles on her lip. "He's got the whole infatuation thing going, and I'm trying to get Ivan to get me a spell to break it. He's going to talk to some other witches." Looking down at the ribbon, she shrugs. "I don't know if it's a one time deal, or if it works on multiple uses, but I didn't want to chance it without having you be the one to remove it."
The vampire meets her eyes, his fingers still tracing a possessive line along her neck. "Perhaps the death of the creator would suffice, if it does not cease to function when removed? I shall take it from you now, if you wish." His tongue slips between lips, running briefly across one side of his upper lip. "I would be ill-amused if there is a punishment curse also attached."
Funny story about that too…
"I've been trying to get in touch with the person that sold it to me to find that out, but she's disappeared, the shop closed, and no way for me to find out anything other than what I was told." Chloe is obviously not all that up on magic. She will be soon though, she's gotten the books and all. "Just bear in mind that it may cause you to become even more infatuated with me than you may have already been, and…" The fingers tracing along her neck cause her to draw her hair behind her shoulder and tilt her neck in an inviting manner.
The king's lips purse slightly; a distinct sign of disapproval. "I had thought you perhaps possessing of more sense. Infatuation is outside my emotional makeup, it should prove relatively safe." His eyes draw to her neck now, a gleam of hunger in his eyes.
"Be that as it may, it's magic…" So there's not telling how it will cause him to react. Though so long as he doesn't drain her dry, Chloe will be most happy to get the ribbon off her wrist. It's beginning to chafe. Said wrist is held up at neck level for him to see it, and remove the ribbon. "Though I doubt it will affect me any, as I already care deeply for you."
Deftly, the vampire's fingers and short nails flick at the ribbon, untying it with alacrity. "As such things go, I am growing accustomed to your presence." Slowly, he draws it off her, tossing it aside with a contemptuous flick of the wrist. His eyes do not move from her neck. "There is something else of which you need to be made aware," he tells her, apparently ignoring the previously conversation.
With the ribbon finally off, Chloe breathes a sigh of relief. There is one less thing for her to worry about, and it seems to have no ill-effects on him. The spell will still need to be broken, but the dreaded ribbon is now out of the equation. Twisting her hair around to the other side of her neck, the red-head sets her eyes upon his face. "Something else?"
Will drags his eyes from the pulse in her neck, audible and visible as it is to him. He rests clear blue instead on her own. "Through careful politicking, I have reduced the required numbers of vampires I must create to a single one." His head moves a fraction to the side, and the beginning hint of a smile touches at his lips. "If you wish, it shall be you."
"I…" Chloe catches the smile, the blood rushing up into her cheeks. "Yes, of course, though I do have a favor to ask of you…" She clears her throat a little, and then tries to calm her heart rate so as not to push him over the edge with her pulse. "My brother will be getting married in August, and I would really like to attend the ceremony. The issue is that it will be held during daylight hours because his fiance has an abject fear of your kind. With your permission, I will attend the wedding, and then later that night I will allow the turn." Though that is still three months off, she's hoping it will be alright. She would hate to miss her brother's wedding.
The vampire pauses, lips pursing slightly once more, as the hint of smile fades from his face. "It should not prove an impossibility," he tells her, though calculation tips into his eyes. "To whom is Robert being married?"
"Hope Tyler," Chloe replies. She's not going to lie to the man she loves. She sees no reason in keeping secrets from him at this stage in the game. "Which means he may disown his family, all things considered… so I'd really like to be there and be supportive one last time until he's settled."
A slow nod meets that. "Perhaps she will in time come to understand how twisted her views are," Will allows, levelly. "I shall ensure this is acceptable to those with whom I have negotiated. This will prove an entertaining diversion to our usual humdrum lives, do you not think?"
"Humdrum?" Chloe just peers at him, eyes extremely wide. "I hardly think my life has been at all boring since I met you. Attacks, and shootings, and kidnappings. Rescues, and ribbons… if that is the typical day in your life…" She remains silent a moment, then asks, "When you turn me, what does that make me? Right now, I'm a powerfully protected woman, but if you turn me, I'm just like any other fledgling…"
"Such activity is well within the usual remit of the past hundred years or so," Will repies, with a gentle amusement filtering through his tone. "You will be my child, and under my protection in another way, but will be fair target for intrigue and plot, and subject to the laws and protections offered by your new status as one of the immortal."
"But I won't be yours," Chloe says, voice full of lament. Flopping back on the bed, so that she can stare upward, she contemplates this silently for a while. They've had the discussion, but still, it's just hitting home now. "So I wouldn't have to worry about helping you run Texas. What about money?" See, upset, but still practical, she needs to know what she'll have to do to earn a living and/or her keep.
Will lets his eyes drift to the ceiling, where they lock on a long-watched and minute imperfection. "You will, in an entirely different way," he tells her, studying that tiny dip in the ceiling with impassive but implacable concentration. "You may be of assistance in running the state, once you are established within society. Money is no issue, you may work or not as you see fit."
There are quite a few things Chloe wants to ask, but being socially inept as she is, she has no tactful way to broach them. Instead, she rolls back toward him, once more resting her head on his chest. "Will you allow it to still be like this?" Perhaps the most gracious way she can put that particular question at the moment. "I can't expect you to take care of my expenses forever, but I will accept it for the first year or so until I'm able to keep from feeling the hunger so much…"
"Define 'like this'," Will returns, still staring at the ceiling. He shifts his hand again, this time starting to trace distracted lines up from Chloe's shoulder. "If your database plan comes to fruition, then it would be money well spent. I do have a number of employees, you realise."
"Employees… right." Chloe frowns at this, but with him staring at the ceiling it will be felt more than seen. "If it does, then I'd rather fund it myself. Hardly fair to ask an employer to front me money on something that stands a chance of failing."
The vampire's head tilts slightly at that. "Why would you wish to self-fund such a venture? Meaningless pride, if I am any judge. The amount of funds involved is negligible for me, mighty for you. Therefore, it is only sensible for you to be funded by me." The tracing continues, fingers resting finally on Chloe's neck, where Will leaves them, just in a place where the pulse throbs.
"Did it ever occur to you, Mister Grant, that I don't wish to be just another 'employee' to you?" Her words sound as though she's hurt, though she makes no move to stop him from toying with her neck. "I have emotions invested in this as well, and while they're not the only reason for my decision, they do play a part in it."
"Employee was merely a word, Chloe, not a contracted obligation or a true description of the intention." Will remains impassive. "Consider it a partnership, if you will. A backer to your venture, however you wish it. Even a gift." This is obviously a non-issue for him. "Our relationship would not allow you to ever be just an employee; a fact you know well."
Whether he speaks the truth or not, the words seem to calm her shrillness a little. Chloe relaxes against him, and nods. "Just making sure," she says meekly. "You have been gone a while." A kiss is placed on his chest and she smiles. "So shall I welcome you home properly, or do you need to head off and take care of more business?"
"You even managed to become offended without the usual tendency to the shrill," Will comments, allowing a mild reproval, though teasing, to enter his tone. There is a sudden blur of movement, as he moves at speed, around and over, his body and face over hers, though still supporting her head with a careful hand. "I have a spare evening," he murmurs, with the hint of a heated smile touching his lips. "I cannot imagine a better way to spend it."
