Past and Present {Lady Thorn}

[Trinity Keating]

She sat alone at the bar coddling the empty glass in her hands. She wanted another drink but if she had another the bartender would think something of her. She wasn't buzzed at all but she had had enough to drink to put a human to sleep. The sad fact about it was she wasn't human. Though she was in a bar she had a purpose. She was looking for someone. Someone she didn't even know existed. She thought he had died a long time ago or at least thats what her mother said. She placed her empty glass on the counter and got up from the bar and made her way through the tangle of bodies out on the dance floor. This wasn't only a bar it was a night club as well, but it wasn't as loud as the other ones this one was privately owned. No doubt one that Melissa owned. A sly grin crossed her face as she pushed her platinum blond hair off her shoulder and began moving with the humans.

She danced with them blending in like she had done for so long. She moved with the humans for a while before she made her way back to the bar and studied the club she was in. There were quite a bit of people for this being a privately owned club. She chuckled and sat down on a bar stool and ordered another drink. The bartender eyed her but she didn't care. Let him think of her as some freak. It didn't bother her. That's what she was a freak of nature. She picked up the glass and faced the crowd of people her black v neck shirt revealing way to much but she didn't care. She didn't care about a lot of things lately. Her life hasn't really been worth living. Maybe if she found this man she could ease this pain in her chest.

[Lady Thorn]

As he slipped into the bar, Fabian smiled to himself. All those beautiful people dancing. Heaven, for him. But he needed a drink before he joined in. He often found that a glass (or three) of gin and tonic loosened the limbs nicely for a night's partying. He smiled at the barman who brought his drink without a word... bigger than usual too. They knew him well here. It was always useful to be known as a good tipper and a generous drunk (though he rarely managed to get drunk among humans... they got worried at the amount of alcohol he could get down and stay standing).
As he casually tossed back his fourth drink, feeling little different than when he had entered, his eyes turned to inspect the people on the bar stools nearby. There were a few regulars, like himself, to whom he nodded a mutual recognition. They were already wobbling a little, showing distinct signs of drunkenness underneath the neat exteriors. Psh... humans.
But there were some faces he didn't know, too, which was always a plus. He liked new people. They never knew what to expect (or avoid) of him.
Running his eyes across them, his gaze was halted on a woman. Vampire, he corrected, after a moment's thought. For some reason he had the impression he knew her from somewhere, but his normally excellent memory for names and faces escaped him. Or perhaps it was something else. She was familiar, but not in the way of someone he knew.
Intrigued, he slid off his seat and sauntered over to her.
"Do I know you?" Not original, but worth a shot. He leaned against the bar, looking her up and down. His gaze was not interested, not like that, but perplexed. He liked an intellectual puzzle. "I feel sure I've seen you before..."

[Trinity Keating]

She was so lost in thought she didn't even notice the man that came up to her. His words pulled her from her taunting thoughts. "I'm sure you don't I'm not from around he-" She looked up at him and stopped talking. Her glass slipped out of her hand and shattered onto the floor. She knew this man. She couldn't forget his face. It was the picture her mother had given to her. Sub conciously she reached for a heart shaped necklace around her neck. She opened it while her eyes were still focused on the man. She took out a small picture and unfolded it. She broke her gaze on the man and looked at the picture in her hands. Then she looked back at the man. This man. This vampire in front of her was her father. The man she had been looking for all along. "Is your name Fabian?" She asked raising a pale eyebrow.

She didn't really know what to say. She was at a loss for words. What do you say to a man who left you and your mother so long ago? Hi dad I'm glad to see your doing well while my mother is dead and I'm a vampire. Oh yeah you definatly say that to him. The world began to spin and she was having second thoughts about all of those drinks. She gripped the counter for support. A bartender came over and cleaned up the mess on the floor and asked if she needed another drink. She waved him off and looked away from the man before her. What was she to do?

[Lady Thorn]

He started, frowning more deeply and staring at her. This didn't sound good... A photo of him, which he presumed was what was in her hands, boded even less well. He'd had enough problems when people came after him in the past to know that this moment was probably the best point at which to make a hasty exit... possibly to another country. But something held him back. He actually wanted to know who she was. But she knew his name... very worrying.
Alas, curiosity won out against his better judgement, but he did not relax. There was a tension to him now, a poised, fight or flight feel about him. If one looked closely, one would see his dilated pupils, his deeper breathing, hear his increased heartrate.
"How do you know that name?" His voice was very still, very calm. Thankfully it hadn't been his real name. Had she come out with that, curiosity or not he'd have been out of the city before she'd time to wonder where he'd gone. "And where did you get that picture?"
Still frowning, the lines on his forehead creasing his normally gorgeous face, he looked at her again, trying to pull some clue to her identity from her appearance. Her age was inscrutable, as a vampire, she could have been as old or older than him, though he sincerely doubted that. But there was nothing he could glean. He was now certain that he had never met her in the past, so that either meant she'd come on behalf of someone he'd wronged... which wasn't uncommon and was something he had ways and means of solving, or she'd found out about him somewhere, somehow... gods knew what for. That was more worrying.
"Where did you learn my name?" There was a sense of urgency in his tone... he was frightened.

[Trinity Keating]

His fear was what had her shaken. Why was this man afraid? Didn't he recoginize his own daughter. "My mother told it to me. She mentioned a Fabian once or twice but nothing more. She had a picture of him on the wall that she wouldn't let me look at even when I was a little girl. When I would ask who the man was she would say someone who will never come back. I didn't know what she meant back then but I do now. The picture on the wall was one of my father. Septimus Augustus Corvinus." She stated softly trying to calm herself. her own hadns began to shake and her heartrate had increased rapidly. More rapidly than his. She took a small breath to continue but no words came out. She waited a few moments trying to figure out what she would say and decided to be blunt. "Fabian, which I know isn't your real name, I am your daughter. Katsumiki Sumatsu."

She could feel the tears building up. She didn't know how he woud react but it was still emotional. Not having seen your father all your life then suddenly running into him? It's a little overwhelming. She had done her research. Most of the time she spent in her lab was trying to find out where she would find this man. She never had any luck trying to find Septimus, so she diecided to search possible cover names. She doubted he woudl have the same name as back then. She ran a shaking hand through her pale hair. She needed to calm down. Why was she so worked up? This was simple. She was just going to talk to him for a little while then be on her way. But why did that sound so hard? Why did it sound so difficult? That was an answer she did not know.

[Lady Thorn]

His first thought, before any higher brain functions could kick in, was simply:
Shit...
After a few moments, however, his thoughts rallied themselves into something more coherent. He wasn't in danger... and he had a daughter.
Of course, he'd always known that, somewhere in the trail of human wreckage he left in his wake, there'd be a child, or children, that were his. It had never bothered him much, beyond the worry that he'd never known them before they'd died, because he knew the odds were against them all still living. He'd been like this for too long for it not to be true. But the idea of meeting one of them was at the same time both terrifying and somewhat gratifying. He had a daughter. She was alive and real and right here in front of him.
He relaxed, and a tiny hint of a smile wandered across his lips.
"My... daughter..." he murmured, tasting the word and deciding he didn't dislike it too dreadfully. "It's... good, yes, it's good to meet you." He wondered what was the appropriate gesture at this point... a hug? Somehow he didn't think so. He settled for holding out his hand formally.
"But please, don't use my real name... I don't want the tax-men after me... again." He winced at the very thought.
He let his mind drift back, remembering her mother now, with the mention of the surname. Kaori Sumatsu... lovely woman as he recalled. Another one in a list of short encounters. He supposed he should have kept in touch with some of them, but he'd never got round to any of it.
Which brought his mind sharply back to the present. He sincerely hoped he wasn't about to be slapped for being an absent father, or whatever.
But he saw her hands were shaking.
"Are you alright?" he said, taking them in his without thinking. Automatic reaction, to offer comfort, however badly and pathetically.

[Trinity Keating]

She wasn't truly there. Physically she was there, but mentally she wasn't. Her mind was spinning out of control. Her heartrate increased. Her breathing became labored. She tried to calm herself but it was no use. Too many emotions had begun to grow inside her. Hate, anger, saddness, loneliness, betrayal, joy, happiness. Every emotion seemed to fill her and she didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to react. This was far to much for her. The realization of so much emotion hit her but only to late. She bent over the stool and began coughing, bone shaking horrid coughs. Soon she began coughing up blood and this wasn't a tiny bit of blood. This was a fairly large amount. One hand moved to pull her long hair back while the other dug in her pocket and pulled out a small syringe. The silver liquid that rested inside glinted lightly in the dim lighting. Still coughing she stabbed the syringe into her leg and injected the silver liquid. Almost as instantly as the coughing began it ceased and she sat up on her stool. Her black tang top didn't seemed fazed by the blood. She pulled out a lighter flicked it to life and dropped it in the puddle of blood that she had coughed up. The puddle burst into flames and soon burned away to nothing.

She pulled her long hair over her shoulder and flashed her father a smile like nothing had happened. "Please forgive me. I have an illness." She stated simply. She would give more detail if he asked but she didn't feel like explaining right now. She wanted to know about this man." I truly am sorry about that and I'm fine it just happens sometimes. It's just a little overwhelmming to meet someone you thought was dead. I didn't know that you even existed. My mother never spoke of you but she had many pictures of you in her room. I found them after-" She hesitated wondering if she should say anything but decided it was only best. "I found them in her room after she was killed. That was when I found out I had a father. Like I said before I didn't even know you existed." Her voice betrayed her. She tried to seem like this was no big deal but her voice held every ounce of happiness she had burning inside her. This was one of the happiest moments of her life.

[Lady Thorn]

"Not at all, not at all..." he murmured, frowning, worried about the woman in front of him. What kind of illness did that to a person? Alas that he was no physician, and he had no idea even if that sort of disease was even possible in vampires. But he barely knew her, and it would be unwise to press the point if she seemed so keen on hiding it. Still, it troubled him, and a line or two creased his pale forehead.
He supposed he ought to be more upset at Kaori's death. He remembered her, of course he did, like he remembered all of them, but... well... she'd been one among many, and so many years ago. He felt sad at the loss of human life, of course he did, but that was all. Just that dull empty feeling to which he had become accustomed. It was easily blocked out by drink and women. Far too easily, perhaps.
"Well... I'm glad you found me," he said, after a few moments of thought. "It's a strange feeling to know you're my daughter... I never knew you existed either, so..." he let the sentence trail off, smiling faintly and shrugging. What was he even meant to say? He had no idea. That he was distraught to hear of her mother's death and that he'd swear vengeance? That was unlikely. Vengeance tended to be violent and messy, both of which he avoided obsessively. He didn't want to end up stabbed, it'd put a real crimp in his social life, sure enough. And besides... vengeance was so... middle ages.
He shuffled his feet a little... lost.
"Look... um... would you like a drink?" he managed at last. It was lame, it was pathetic, but it was a start. Maybe with a bit more gin inside him, too, he could be a bit more useful.
At the sound of those words the barman was already there, attentive.
"A double gin and tonic for me," Fabian ordered, "and for you, Katsumiki?"

[Trinity Keating]

Oh how she wanted to be angry with him, but she couldn't. The anger wouldn't rise to the surface. She sighed "Rum and coke please." The bar tender eyed her but said nothing. She should be drunk but she wasn't. She had only drunk so much by human standards. She wasn't human but she wouldn't tell the nice man that. Clearly pleased with the reaction she caused she turned back to her father and studied him before she spoke. "So why didn't you stay with mom? She never talked about you but when I would go in her room she had some pictures of the two of you together. Oh I found this letter not long after she died." She fished around in her pocket and pulled out a weather wore faded yellow envelope. She set it on the counter. The envelope was already open. She had read it before and she didn't want to read it again. She didn't know her mother could be like that. She didn't know that she could be so kind and loving.

The bartender brought them the drinks and she picked up hers. She swirled it lightly then took a fairly large drink. She set down the glass and looked out at the dance floor. Her yellow dat eyes searched for something that was not there. She had so many questions to ask him but she would let him read the letter first. It was only polite. She may be rude with her friends but with her elders and especially her father she was polite as polite could be. A small smile pricked her face. She found her father. She found her father. Something she thought she would never be able to do. She was proud of herself.