Vivienne

When the last vestiges of the sun’s rays had turned the sky from a bright blue to crimson on the horizon, Vivienne and her guests stepped out of Ravenstead manor.  Vivienne stood mesmerized by the slowly fading purple haze for a few seconds, “Faye, mon amour.”  She turned around and saw the other three vampires standing safely inside the door as the light faded away. “There are times that I have missed our sun.”  She shrugged and half-laughed when the other three started moving when the first of the twinkling stars began pulsing gently in the sky. “Franco, I find it difficult to believe that you are afraid of the light after dusk.”  Vivienne grabbed Faye’s hand. “Mon amour.  Perhaps I wasn’t clear before.”  Vivienne kissed her partner's cheek. “You know that sense of the sun being down?”  Vivienne smiled when Faye nodded slowly, “Well, that means you are safe my love.  You can in fact come outside and witness the coming darkness.”

Franco chimed in, “Doctor Moreau.”  He strode confidently to the limousine waiting to carry the small group to Phantasmagoria. “I would rather not risk it for a few seconds of pretty lights.” His four blood bunnies laughed in unison. “You four…”  Franco opened the door for the girls, “...Keep right on laughing, I will keep right on avoiding anything to do with the sun.”  He bowed once to Vivienne after his gang were safely seated and climbed in the car.

Vivienne carefully watched Sylvie and Casey when the two passed by her without saying a word, oblivious to the world around them. “Faye, I do believe we have lost our Casey to another lady.”  She winked and helped Faye into the automobile.

“Such a lady.”  Faye laughed and sat down before yanking Vivienne inside.

Acting as though she were awkward and unbalanced, Vivienne playfully tumbled into the seat beside her lover and somehow managed to close the door. “Look at that, mon amour.”  Vivienne sat playfully in Faye’s lap for a few seconds. “You look absolutely radiant.”  Vivienne planted a long and sultry kiss on her partner, only stopping when the others in the small compartment either cleared their throats or giggled quietly.  Crawling from atop of her partner, Vivienne seamlessly took her seat and resumed her stoic visage. “I apologize if that made anyone uncomfortable.”  Vivienne gently wiped the blood lip print from Faye’s cheek. “All clean, mon amour.”

Faye rolled her tongue over her lips and laughed, “I didn’t know you bit me.” A realization dawned on Faye, “Hey, you didn’t share.”

“Yes, I did.”  Vivienne pointed to Faye’s cheek. “I left you a visible gift rather than a tasteful one.”  Vivienne blinked her innocent blue eyes when Faye waved her hand then turned to Franco. “Mister Tarsey, kindly advise the driver where we are headed.

“Oh, I told him while you were…occupied.”  Franco mentioned after taking blood liberty with two of his ladies. “I believe that I should inform you that a few of the leaders are not exactly anxious to meet you.”  Franco paused and gulped, “They are more scared than anything else.”

Sylvie seemed to come out of the talking trance she had with Casey, “Scared?”  Her twin moon irises focused on Vivienne, “Petrified is the better word.”  She tapped on her lip for a moment, “All but Issac that is.  He’s obsessed with making you face judgment for your past actions.”

Vivienne raised one of her long elegant eyebrows, “Perhaps one of you should go in and see if you can speak reason to him.”  Her playful nature disappeared quickly. “I am not beyond making a second example, if necessary.”  She looked over to Faye, then back to the other vampires. “Since you are what I consider friends now, it would be unfortunate if I were forced to take action.”

Faye reached over and turned Vivienne’s head, “Viv.”  Faye smiled, “Be nice.”  Faye slipped an errant piece of hair behind Vivienne’s ear. “Let’s not mess up the great mood, okay?”  She leaned over and kissed Vivienne softly, “You have nothing to prove.”

Turning and looking out of the tinted windows, Vivienne watched the various twinkle lights of the holiday season pass by.  “You are wiser than me, mon amour.”  Vivienne admired the cozy look of icicle lights flickering against the real icicles hanging from the gutters and windows of the homes they passed. “Peace is hard for me to fathom.”  Vivienne looked at her two new friends, “I apologize.”

Franco poured himself an infused drink of bourbon and swished it in his small glass. “Issac is just one of us.”  He sipped his drink, “I do believe that if you show the same courtesy to them as you did for Sylvie and myself, the others will come around.”

Once more Vivienne looked blankly out of the buildings passing by, watching the smoke from chimneys and the warm steam from the street. “I had forgotten how quiet this town could be.”  She pointed to a few closed storefronts that were encircled with red and white lights. “Franco, what did the people around here think about Ravenstead?”  Vivienne asked curiously.

“Most of them thought it was a closed museum, a revolutionary one.”  Franco finished his drink and poured himself another. “The area has always been one for history.”  Pouring another drink, he handed the glass to Vivienne. “Your plan to keep the little village open at the base of Ravenstead was a stroke of genius.”  When Vivienne declined the drink, Franco handed it willingly to Faye. “It allowed people to see the manor close even if they couldn’t go in.”  He shrugged, “The Hasselberry group even sold fishing licenses for your ponds. It made them a fortune in the long run.”  Franco shook his head and sipped his drink. “I wouldn’t have guessed they were part of the Ripped.”  Franco looked at his watch, “This is taking a bit longer than I expected.”

Vivienne pointed out of her window, “We have had a few detours.”  She pointed to a crew working on the road. “It would appear that they are having some kind of problem this evening.  I have seen three crews so far.”

“Probably utility work or a water main break.”  Sylvie chimed in quickly. “The city has major problems with both.”

Franco snorted, “With as much money as we have donated to the city, you’d think they would have fixed them all by now.”

Faye caught the glimpse of lights and pointed to a three story building. “Is that what I think it is?”  

Franco clapped, “It is about time.”  He swallowed his drink in one fluid motion, “Welcome to our little jewel, Phantasmagoria.”

When the limousine stopped, Vivienne looked at the building before her.  Taking up the better part of a city block, the three levels appeared stagger stepped and covered with tinted windows.  White brick made up the majority of the structure, backed with gleaming stainless steel beams on the corners of the structure.  The top of the building had a gaudy and flashing sign pronouncing its name. “A tiny Las Vegas right here in Petersburg.”  Vivienne commented softly.

Faye downed her drink and set the glass down. “Exciting.”  She bounced happily in the seat, “I don’t think I have ever been to Vegas.”  She paused, “Or I can’t recall if I have.”

“That was part of the idea, young Faye.”  Franco said as he reached for the door handle, “Shall we go inside and you meet everyone?”  He pushed the door open and stepped out. “Come on ladies, I am sure your fellow blood bunnies have missed you.”  Franco took the time to make sure all four exited the vehicle with his help. “You all get to gossip that you have been in the manor.”  Giggling to themselves for a few seconds, the four women bowed to Franco and took off, heading for the front entrance.

Sylvie exited the plush car next, “Casey, it was wonderful to have met you.  Do stop by when you get the chance. We are on the second floor.  The only fortune tellers.”

“Same here, Luna.”  Casey quickly looked at the twin vampires smirking at her. “Hey, She was being friendly.  She asked all about my mom and dad.” Covering her heart, Casey added, “I promise.  All she did was ask me questions.”

Opening her hand and waving to the open door, Vivienne gave her ward a thin smile. “Last time I saw that much interest, it came from my lovely Faye here.”

“Ha, Ha.”  Faye flatly stated and followed Casey out of the car. “You act like I was the only one standing there frozen in place.”