Kleines

Bloody Mary's Bar

Given to irony, Bloody Mary's Bar is decorated primarily in black and varying shades of red. From the black bench seats and chairs, black tables, black walls with chilling red blood flowing down them in a continuous manner, it's quite obvious why this bar has the name it does. Deep red mahogany makes up the floor and bar. Dangling red star lights illuminate the bar, lending to it's somewhat creepy look.


Night has fallen over the city. The storm clouds are well on their way, and the lightning dances from cloud to cloud, followed by great thunder claps. The rain does not yet fall, however. Yet.
Mary's is in full swing now; the drinks are flowing, the live are mixing with the "living impaired" with whispered promises of 'more to come' once conditions are met. Those 'conditions' could be a number of things, of course…
New to the city, Marius has found himself a table in which he can sit and watch. Cliche, certainly, but at the moment, he's in the mood for bloody diversion, which is precisely why he's off to the side. The 'meeting of his needs' will come, but the foolishness and the triteness of the flouncing fangbangers he doesn't care for in the least.
Before him, a bottle of the synthetic stuff. Crap. It's enough to keep the edges dulled, but not by much. Nothing beats a good feed. It's an orgasmic whole body experience, and one that is rarely quite as good for the donor.
Dressed smartly in a black, collarless suit jacket with a white, cotton shirt beneath, and black trousers, Marius is leaning forward, his hands loosely cupping the bottom of the bottle, cold blue eyes watching the scenes before him.

No one notices when Chloe Cornett slips into Mary's. Though she has become a known figure around these parts, the majority of people now know that leaving her alone means a more peaceful evening for them. She is not wandering to the back booth as per usual, as it is empty. Instead, she stops one of the waitresses for a brief conversation.

"Mellie in tonight?"

"Nope. Haven't seen her."

"Damn it," Chloe says, yanking her cell phone out. "Mellie, it's your sister. Thought you were working tonight, guess you're not. Call me." Not that she expects a call back, but she does what she can to try to keep things decent between them these days.

Her eyes flit about the establishment, looking to see if Will is in residence. Instead, her eyes fall upon Marius — someone she's never seen before, and she stares openly at him for a moment. Trying to read him, but only picking up on the lack of brainwaves.

Marius' gaze lifts and moves, watching those in attendance. The clinginess of the breathers amuses him, though the softness, the laughter in some of the faces of the vampires disgusts him on a deeper level. There's no feeling of.. age. Since the Great Hunt was called off, why are some of these creatures trying to rejoin humanity?
The staring of one, noticed from the corner of his eye, garners a little more of his attention. Tilting his head seemingly quizzically, he shakes his head ever so slightly; a first 'warning her off', as it were. Still, he's decided that no harm will come to the chattel this evening… until much later. Even if she did approach, she'd be safe. For the moment.
Depending upon his whim.

Chloe would be safe regardless. By vampire law, she is protected by the highest order. Either way, she watches the man curiously for a moment longer. Then she makes her way toward him, holding up two fingers to the bartender then curving one into a circle-like 'O'.

"You're new in the city," she says to Marius, though she's not yet taken a seat nearby. "I'm in here often enough to know that." A gin and tonic is placed before her, and a bottle of O positive set before the man. She may as well make nice until she finds out if Will knows that a new person is in the city.

The amusing thing is that she seems so unafraid, and is nothing like the fangbangers that are filling many of the seats in the establishment.

A dead neutral expression is granted as Marius watches her progress at the bar. The alchol is a stench to his nose, though.. a bottle of O positive?
"You are." A statement rather than a question. Slowly, the breath of a smile traces his lips, though it's not a kindly or welcoming one. "I am."
Then, there's a switch that seems to have been flipped, and there's just a touch of animation in the face, though the crystalline eyes still hold.. nothing. Shifting the bottle of crap synthetic over, Marius looks at the O again. "They have this in their private collection?"

A grin spreads over her face. "Mary keeps quite a bit in her private collection, though generally she reserves it for special patrons." That someone like Chloe knows so much about the establishment should say quite a bit. Either she works here, knows someone who does, or frequents as a 'special guest'.

"Generally though, you should be able to order the Royal Blood. That's a synthetic that's infused with blood from the British Royal family, if I'm not mistaken. Difficult to get, and quite expensive, but there always seems to be a case or two around here."

"And you know this, how," Marius prompts, his gaze on the girl unwavering. Even as he takes the first taste of 'O', his eyes don't leave her. After the first tentative taste, the bottle is upended, and half is gone in one shot.
Thumping it back onto the table before him, he manages to get some blood on his lips, and a a few drops on his chin. Wiping it away brusquely, his hands hold the stain of blood. "Royal Blood." That, he's never heard of either. "I simply prefer it.. from its source, regardless of how it is acquired." The hint of the smile returns and he nods slowly, "Interesting, however. The English crown now supports us." In fact, he finds that quite amusing.

"I make it my business to know these things," Chloe says evenly. A very small sip of her G&T is taken and she eyes him curiously again.

"Unlike the fangbangers that would willingly offer, I doubt that you would like it from this source." Another sip taken from her drink, and she decides to seat herself comfortably beside him. "The King wouldn't like it, and since he has a claim on me he might get irate if someone else tasted without his express permission." Hence the reason why she has very little fear of chatting up a strange vampire in a public locale. Should anything happen, Will would know about it immediately.

"Though if you really want it from the source, the Hotel Carmilla has clean, willing donors, I believe. I've only been there once though."

Marius laughs, the sound.. soft and amused. "Protected by the King?" His voice runs low, sibilant even in the harshness of his accent, "He is my brother in arms."
Amusement runs dry soon after as Marius continues, "We are evenly matched, he and I. Though, for Valentinus' sake, I will rend any who seek advantage."
The added information, however, is greeted with a single nod of his head. "And no one cares of these breathers?" Could it be true? Easy food, on the hoof. Though, while it would go further to satisfy the physical hunger, there would still be something missing, and he knows it. The thrill of death. Narrowing his eyes darkly, he poses, "Or is this simply a place to taste of the delights and leave before full comfort is reached?"

A nod is given at his question. "He is mine too," Chloe says firmly, "and I will protect him with my life if need be." As she has on several occasions already. "So he is aware you are here," she queries cautiously, not wishing to step on toes of one that Will may know.

"Well, of course someone cares for them. They aren't to be killed, though they are available for a price. They're part of the service menu at the Hotel Carmilla. I read that somewhere. Room service for vampires." She tilts her head curiously. "I don't really know their rulings on how much you are able to feed from, though I suppose as long as you don't kill the donors, and they are fine with a long feeding, then the hotel won't mind."

A studied stare is given to the girl beside him, and the laughter begins anew in the thought that the trifle could possibly be of some protection. Willingly?
Ha!
Taking the bottle of 'O' once again, Marius finishes the drink in the second quaff, and slams it down on the table once more. This time, he allows the blood to trickle from once side of his lip. "Even the freshest blood from a donor pales in comparison," is whispered. "The fear of life, and the fear of death tastes… divine. The question of whether a final draw of breath will be taken, or if there is the chance to live for another day… nectar."
Marius shakes his head and pushes the bottle further to the center of the table.
"And I imagine that most here," he gestures with a simple inclination of his head, "will never take issue with your Hotel Carmilla."

"You laugh," Chloe says, but eyes him with a steely gaze. "But you ask him what happened after the parade. Who saved his life then. And you ask him who rescued him from that warehouse." These are moments that the little telepath is quite proud of. "I may not be old, or strong, but I'm stubborn as a bull on some things, and I protect what's mine." Hmph.

As though just remembering that she has a drink in her hand, she lifts the gin and tonic to her lips, sipping at it daintily, for nothing else than to shut herself up before she becomes shrill in front of one of Will's friends.

"I honestly wouldn't know, as I don't yet feel the need to drink blood." There is no emphasis on yet, but there is the implication that she may someday share that thought. "Most here would prefer a fangbanger, I'm sure. They're free and easy."

"Silence, breather," and to accent it, he slams his hand on the table, his words coming harsh. Marius' eyes are cold, deep.. and sharp. "You speak of the konig." His voice lowers to a whisper, and there bubbles beneath the words a hotness that is being held. "The one who rules over this land should appear before his vassels as strong, and yet you easily recount when a.. slip aided him in his life? How do you think that shapes his worth in others' eyes?
"Weakness. Frailty."
His expression is dead, devoid of humanity, "Remember this, breather. You claim you are under his protection. Be grateful in that and cease speaking of how you have kept him alive. His enemies can hear your boast, just as half of this room can hear your pride and use it against him. You are not his equal, nor should you presume to be his protector."
Marius sits back from his lecture, given only because the trifle is under his sword brother's care. If it had been anyone else claiming such, he'd have torn their throats out and left them to die.. even if it was the truth. No need for weaknesses to be broadcasted.
"Yet." Marius chuckles softly again, devoid of anything. "Valentinus will turn you?"

"His vassals as you call them, also aided in this. It is far from hidden knowledge." Chloe clicks her tongue once and exhales a sigh. The unfinished drink is set upon the top of the bar, and she frowns. "He is far from weak, I know that more than anyone here can claim to know. I recount these things to show you that not every human is so weak that they do not have the fortitude to live among you and become stronger for it." Thus, she's not arguing his point at all. Merely agreeing with him on a different level.

"Though I will definitely agree that I am weak and frail in comparison to a warrior like the King, or you yourself presumably." Brothers in arms? She's certain that means a warrior of sorts.

"That is the plan, yes," she says, very slowly with only the slightest hint of trepidation.

"And they still live?" One of the things Marius truly believes in is 'leave no witnesses to weakness'. "Tell me who they are." It has served him well through the ages and he doesn't see any reason to cease doing so now.
"Should you be graced with undying life, kleines kind, you will learn that you are nothing. The wisp of wind that blows and rustles the trees, giving noise but nothing more."
The very idea of this proud, boastful infant joining the ranks brings laughter once again. "Tell me, kleines kind, what is it that you do to deserve it? Are you a distraction? Can you sew? Dance? Sing sweetly? Cause men to fall where they stand in desire for you? And why, why would you wish to join us when you are obviously so able as you claim to be now? Where is the benefit?"

"They are those that are most loyal to him, I should suppose, though I know only the name of two." Of his vassals that is. She knows two others who aided her end of things. Chloe pauses, considering whether she should give him the names or not. "But for the names, it will be best to discuss it with him. It is not my place to offer the names of those who have helped."

"Kleines? That's Germanic, I think? Though I've no idea what the word means." Trivia she has, languages she does not. Especially not when she has no ability to draw it from his head.

"As to what I do to deserve such a thing, also something that you had best discuss with him." Were she able to pry into his mind, he would know already. But she will not make her claim so publicly. "Or we can discuss it in a more private location, such as the estate. Will knows the benefits and the reasons, and those will remain between us."

"I will speak to him." Oh, about many, many things. Marius looks at the empty bottle of O, and of the crap he'd pushed aside. It was looking as if he'll be heading south for some good and proper food before settling in for the evening. "Though I find it interesting what you claim your place to be. You are willing to boast of your aid, and his weakness, though you are in no position to name others?"
He has to speak to Valentinus, and soon. If Isobel is having a difficult time with respect, he is beginning to truly understand why, and it has to stop. Now. No wonder his brother had begun to consider his need for a sword arm, one who revels in his duty.
"It is Germanic. Hoche Deutsch. Not too different from my native tongue. It means, 'little child'. Kleines kind."
There is a name that rises, Will. Marius pauses for a flutter of a heartbeats time before his nods his head slowly. "A name he has since taken. Yes. I will ask Valentinus as to the benefits and rewards.. and we will discuss your education." After all, he's positive that there will be accord. Vampires are not human.. nor should they try to be. And humans will never, ever be their equal.
As for the Estate? Marius .. neglects to mention that it is where he will be sleeping. After all, what vampire in his right mind tells a human where they sleep? "We can discuss it at great length, after you are certain of the reasons. For that, you should speak to Valentinus yet again, and in great length."

"Until I am absolutely that you are a friend as you say you are, that is correct. I'm not at liberty to provide names." Chloe, being stubborn. "If you are whom you say that you are, then he will gladly give you that which you seek."

"Little child? I like that. It is a far better name than some use." There is a small smile that lasts only briefly. "A name that he has been using for a while, yes. One that most know him by in these parts." And things are fine for her, until…

"You will have no part in my education, unless Will decrees it," she says extremely stubbornly. Wouldn't it kill him to know that she spends most nights, and days off at the Estate, likely not far from his own resting place? It is something he will learn soon enough, but for the moment, she slaps a few bills on the counter. Then she slips off the stool, and starts for the door. Only to pause, and hold up a finger, then make the 'O' again, pointing at the man. That one can go on Will's tab, but if it saves someone at the Carmilla from being drained to death, it is enough to keep the little telepath happy.

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