Vivienne

“Your problem with the Ripped is a region wide issue?”  Vivienne inquired and then tapped on the black glass of the room. “I assume this to be sunlight proof.”

“Astute, Doctor Moreau.”  Franco lightly chuckled. “On both observations.  We can meet here without fear of time.”  He and Patricia both shook their heads, “Yes, the Ripped are a huge problem across this part of the state.”  He punched in a code on the door and the glass doors slid open with a light hydraulic hiss. “After you, Doctor.”

 Shaking her long silky black hair behind her, Vivienne dropped the pleasant smile on her face and confidently entered the room.  It took her a few seconds to scan the room with her blazing blue eyes.  All of the leaders sat quietly around a circular bar-table made of the finest white marble.  Vivienne could tell from the setup that the center was made so a speaker could face any member and get their attention. “Very nice layout, Franco.”  Vivienne patted him on the shoulder. “I see my name plate there, thank you for…”

Interrupting the vampiress, a councilman at the far end of the table rudely commented, “Council-leader Tarsey, to you.”  He folded his arms and leaned back, “Proper titles are in order, Raven.”  He inflected his ‘R’ heavily.

Vivienne watched as Franco took his seat and Faye squeezed her arm, “Is that so?  Then I have quite a few that you should know as well.”  Vivienne stood calmly behind the seat that was labeled for her. “Currently that is Doctor Moreau.  I have a litany of royal titles, but you and this chamber could be here all night addressing them all.”  She held up a finger, “You did say the important one.”  Vivienne’s eyes shone hungrily, “Raven.”  Vivienne focused intently on every member until she saw them fidgeting, “Kindly tell me your name, since you were brave enough to say something first.”

Standing up as to prove a point, “Councilman George Wilmington.”  He flashed his fangs and sat back down. “Lynchburg representative.”  George looked at the closest vampires to him, nodding their heads and patting him on the back.

Vivienne pulled the chair back and waved for Faye to sit down. “I am not going to be part of this council.”  Vivienne smiled and raised one delicate eyebrow, “I…”  Vivienne licked her ancient fangs as they slowly dropped into place and their clicks echoed in the chamber. “..Made it known that I wouldn’t participate in any form of these beastly conventions.”  She patted her lover on the shoulder, “However, Councilwoman Faye Moreau..” Vivienne stopped and felt the old rush of planning a hunt pulse in her dead veins.  Taking a half second to assess the biggest dangers and a kill order, Vivienne’s eyes gleamed an inner fire she’d not felt in centuries. “...Will happily take my place.  She…Is my voice here.”  Vivienne scooted the chair up to the table and took a step back. 

Murmurs turned into talking that turned into squabbling and then into near yelling as the various vampires tried to get their points heard.  Faye’s HUD took in all the conversations at once, delivering the different concerns in an organized matter directly to her memory. -Kody…this is so cool-  Faye thought as the display kept targeting and bringing up the names of the speakers along with a quick synopsis of who, where and how many were in that leader's troupe.  Her catlike green eyes sped over the room and Faye quickly formed her own plan should she need a quick escape. Faye gently whistled as her lenses suggested and the room fell mostly silent. “Perhaps I should answer the most commonly asked question first.”  Feeling Vivienne’s hands slip back over her shoulders, Faye’s confidence soared. “Why trust, Vivienne?”  She looked at her lover and then back over the council. “I asked her to.”  Tapping on her small chest, Faye smiled. “I wanted to meet everyone and help Council-leader Taresy after he sent Vivienne the letter.”

“I would feel better if she weren’t here.”  A small woman a few seats down from George spoke up. “Irene Cambell, South Hill.”

Faye politely bowed to Irene, “Vivienne is going to explain what she knows, Councilwoman Cambell.”  Faye patted Vivienne’s hand, “We both will leave peacefully after she has done so.”  Faye turned her green eyes to look at her lover, “You’re right.  I see why you don’t want to be part of this.”  She looked back at Irene, “You all face something you cannot control and has been doing damage to your..families.. If it were me, I would listen to anything that could help.”  Faye leaned forward and looked at the table of vampires. “Vivienne and Casey are all the family I have, because of one of your shitty leaders.”

Irene and a few others sighed and said almost in unison, “Drake.”  Irene looked at George and lightly chuckled. “George, You always hated him anyway.  You were more than happy when Drake..ahem..volunteered to leave.”

Faye felt the chemistry change in the room and her lenses sent information to her showing the smiles crossing over the vampire's faces, with a little probability rating flashing of ninety percent. “Thank you Councilwoman Cambell.”  Faye once more respectfully bowed.

When the others around the room started clapping lightly, Vivienne mirrored her lover's bow and took a step back, “We thank you.”  She whispered to Faye, “See, I am being nice.”

Faye chucked and turned to give Vivienne a wink, when the door hissed open and a tall vampire with short blonde hair marched into the room.  Faye’s HUD captured the vampire's features and quickly threw up the information. -Issac Vogels.  Security.  Midnight’s Bite.-

“Come on human…”  The self proclaimed general dragged Raollet Mattson through the doors. “Esteemed council.”  He pushed the Ripped captain harder making him fall to the floor. “I have captured the leader of the Ripped.”  Picking the older man up like a rag doll, the militant leader made his way with his captive into the center. “I told you that DEDSEC would come through, we don’t need this murderous villain in this room.”  He looked brazenly at Vivienne. “You should have stayed gone, we’ve done without you for what, two hundred years?”  He threw Raollet to the floor with a thud. “Okay human, you wanted to speak, do it.”