feellikeibelong | VtM: A Fatal Desire

Entry tags:

!vampire the masquerade psl

VtM: A Fatal Desire

Things had been going well. Helena had thought she'd finally found someone she could potentially be with. He hadn't minded the fact she'd had a child out of wedlock. That was rare for men in these times. However, things had gone horribly wrong a few nights prior. Helena had found her beloved daughter, Christina, had been murdered. It had effectively killed her, and she'd spent the past few days planning a funeral she never thought she would have to plan. On top of that, she'd tried to contact Dorian, to reach out to him, but she hadn't been able to find him.

As she stood at her daughter's grave, her heart was in shreds. She'd spent a lot of time the past few days crying that she couldn't cry anymore now. As she watched the dirt fill in the grave, Helena was determined to find out who had killed her daughter, and she was going to find Dorian one way or the other.

That determination led her into traveling through the darker, seedier parts of the city. She would go to whatever lengths to find vengeance for her daughter. The grief she was bearing was too great, and she instead focused on doing what she felt needed to be done, which was looking for Dorian as well as learning who killed her daughter. Of course, a woman should not be alone in that part of the city at night, but she didn't care. She was armed, she wasn't defenseless by any means.

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A few years. Helena didn't know if she was strong enough to endure that long. She knew if Dorian left her, she wouldn't have the strength to carry on. Even knowing what he was, and having questions as to whether he actually cared for her or if it had all been a lie as well, he was all she had now. She didn't know if she could put her life back together yet again. Last time her life had fallen apart, she'd had Christina that she needed to provide for, so she'd pulled herself together and managed to survive. This time around, what did she have? Christina was gone. She had no family. She obviously couldn't be with her friends ever again. Dorian was it, and if he left, what reason did she have to pull her life back together?

She nodded a bit, acknowledging his words. She wasn't entirely certain if he would be fine, but they'd pulled up to the cemetery, and she drew in a deep breath. "You may come if you wish to say goodbye to Christina," she said. She knew Christina had liked him, and she wouldn't deny him the goodbye if he wanted it.

Helena opened the door of the carriage and got out. She had been there hours earlier burying her daughter. It was far colder and harsher now, but she at least could let Christina know that her killer had been brought to justice. She made her way to where Christina's grave was. It was obvious it was still a freshly filled-in grave. She knelt down beside the headstone. She reached out and ran a hand over the carved letters on the stone that bore her daughter's name: Christina Alice Wells. Below her name were the dates of her birth and death: May 16, 1838 - July 14, 1846. Below that was the simple inscription of "Beloved Daughter."

"Christina, mummy's here. I want you to know that the one responsible for your death will never hurt anyone else again. I wish I could say I would come visit you often, but I must leave this place, never to return. It is just as well, this will be home again without you here. You know I am not one to pray or even one to believe in God, but I hope that wherever you are, you are at peace. I love you more than anything, and I will always keep you close to my heart. You were the greatest gift I could have ever asked for." She sniffed lightly, her resolve against holding her emotions at bay starting to crack, and she felt tears stinging the backs of her eyes. "Don't worry about me, Alexander will be helping me. Or I should say Dorian, as is his true name. Perhaps one day you and I will be reunited, love. Until then, I will keep you in my heart and my memories." Helena leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the gravestone. She knelt there for several more moments in silent reflection. Her emotions were starting to threaten to spill over, but she was still trying to fight them, to keep them inside. She wouldn't break. Couldn't break. Not until they were safe.

Dorian knew already that by the end of this night she would be his companion or a corpse. He had no plan to turn her yet but maybe just keep her alive awhile. He needed a princes' blessing before he could embrace. So, he needed to assure she was not going to kill herself before risking that. Despite feeling like his body was trying to destroy him for the sin he just committed he wanted to be there for her.

Despite the pain Dorian slipped out after a minute or two, snatching some flowers off other graves as he made his way over, kneeling beside Helena A hand placed on her shoulder as he looked at the tombstone. He never saw his families tombstone... "Hello Princess." He had jokingly called her that once and it just kind of stuck, he would play lowly servant to make her laugh whenever she was awake while he was around. She had been one of those rare lights. He tightened his grip on her shoulder. "I will keep your mother safe Christina, and when it is safe to return I will see to it that you are visited every year." Even if he killed her mother he would still come back.

Dorian stood silently looking down at the stone, just days ago the girl was so lively, and now she was dead. The least he could do was keep her mother safe.

Feeling Dorian's hand on her shoulder, she drew in a slow breath, trying to keep herself under control. It wasn't easy whatsoever, but she would keep herself together for the meantime. She looked over at him at hearing his promise to keep her safe, and also to ensure Christina was visited every year. Even if she couldn't return, as long as she was alive Helena would find a way to send flowers anonymously to Christina's grave each year.

Though Helena couldn't help but have the question in the back of her mind about wondering if Dorian truly cared about her. All the things he'd said and done in the time they'd known each other, had that been part of his lies? It was something she would ask about eventually. But for now, she wasn't going to turn him away from her. She did need him, even if he was now mostly a stranger to her.

After he stood up, Helena took some more moments to silently reflect on things. She knew they couldn't linger much longer, however, so she reached out and gently ran her fingers over the stone. "Mummy needs to go now, but when I am able, I will return to visit. I love you, Christina, and you will always be in my heart." Drawing in a deep, steadying breath, Helena finally stood up, looking down at the fresh grave one last time before looking to Dorian. "I am ready," she said finally. For she knew if she stayed any longer, she would not leave.

Though he had lied about his feelings at first part of why he had left was because they started to become true, and Matthew had won the game by sleeping with one of Helena's friends. The rules stated they had to run before someone asked of Marriage. Though Dorian was offically a widower twice over he couldn't shed a tear for his second wife. He had been demented into saying yes when she had them married. He had hated Phoebe with every bit of himself.

when she stood he looked back to the tombstone and muttered something in... dutch. A promise to make her mother happy again ot to have her laid beside her. As he lead her toward the carriage. "One last stop and then we can leave this place. I am sorry for the life you are about to enter. But you have seen into my world, the choices for you are slim, my dear. And I would rather keep you well then the alternatives."

Opening the carriage door for her he waited for her to enter before giving the address to the driver. They were going to Phoebe's townhouse. Where the money and other things were hidden.

Helena didn't understand what he muttered in Dutch. That was a language she didn't speak, but she wasn't going to ask for a translation. It was clearly something between him and Christina and no one else. Had he wished her to understand, he would have said it in English. As they returned to the carriage, Helena looked at him. The fact there were alternatives plural surprised.

"What else is an alternative other than death?" Because that one she was fairly certain was one of the alternatives. And so okay, the fact he seemed to not want to kill her was a good thing. Perhaps it meant he did truly feel something for her. Or perhaps it meant absolutely nothing other than he didn't want to kill her. For the moment, she would put her money on the fact he just didn't want to kill her. To expect anything else was no doubt going to set her up for more pain, and more pain was the very last thing she needed right now.

She climbed into the carriage again, and drew in a long breath. She glanced out the window towards Christina's grave on the off-chance it would be the last time she would see it.

She had been right. had he wanted her to know he would have said it in English. Growing up he had learned Dutch along with English. he spoke both fluently, though he would loose the Dutch over the next century from lack of use.

When the carriage rolled off he leaned in whispering close to her ear. Becuase, ya know dangers all around. "You can either become my companion until such a time as you choose to go or it is safe, or I could embrace you, but to be embraced I have to have a prince's blessing which means we have to move and get in good with a prince. For now, you will be my retainer, a human who guards over a cainite while they rest and provide blood. Granted..." He sat back so he didn't have to whisper so close to her ear anymore. "You mean more then that to me." That at least was not a lie. The carriage rolled on pulling into a nice neighborhood.

When he whispered to her of the other options, she was a bit surprised by the turning her one. Not only had it not occurred to her (especially considering she'd only known of his vampiric state for the past hour or so), but now that he'd said it, she hadn't really expected him to make the offer. Though given he needed a prince's blessing to turn her, it just seemed like too much trouble to go through, and right now she didn't think she was worth the trouble.

"I will watch over you and do what I can to help you." Not that she felt she could do much given she was only human. But she could at least ensure he was safe during the day, and she would let him drink from her if he needed.

Helena looked at him, slightly surprised that she actually did mean something to him. It answered the niggling question in her mind. It meant a lot to her that he felt that way, and it reinforced the fact she'd made the right decision when she had gone to track him down.

"I am happy I tracked you down tonight." Otherwise she probably would be dead by her own hand by dawn. At least knowing he cared for her would stay such action from her. At least for the time being. Once she actually let herself feel her grief and express it, that could change drastically. But for now, she was more than willing to at least try and see where they went and settle into a new life.

He felt a little guilty as easily as she agreed with the idea of being his retainer. He nodded some, carefully reaching over and grasping one of her hands in his. he could still remember sitting in the dark cell knowing everyone he loved was dead and having no one to help him. He wanted her to know he was here to help her, she was not alone. Lacing their fingers, for once his hand felt cold, he was not hiding what he was anymore, not from her. He was pale and his features seemed a bit sharper.

"Thank you." He finally responded to the agreement before looking out the window as they rolled on. "I wish you have come for me sooner, or that I had come to see you. Mayhaps things would be different." Maybe Christina would have been alive. When the carriage stopped again he pulled her hand with him, urging her to follow.

"Come with me. Anything you want inside is yours." It was a lovely town house the inside lit up. Strange to know it was where he had been living when not hiding in the slums. he had never showed her where he lived of course moving for the door he already had the keys out.

Perhaps she had agreed too quickly, but at this moment in time, she had two options. One was to stay with him, and the other was to be alone and either homeless or living in less-than-savory parts of some city. And frankly, she'd rather stay with Dorian now. As he took her hand and laced their fingers, she held onto his hand, using it as a means to ground herself. It was odd to feel his hand being cold, but she didn't dwell on it now that she knew what he was.

"Perhaps," she responded simply. Though she doubted much would have changed. And she wasn't exactly going to say she'd spent the first couple days waiting to hear from him and trying to contact him to no avail. Right now she wanted to try and focus on anything other than the pain and grief, not get into more pain and sorrow.

As he pulled her hand, she followed after him, looking at the town house. It was certainly quite the lovely place. She nodded a bit at his words, her gaze moving over the place as he pulled the keys out to open the door. Helena didn't stray from his side. He'd said they were in danger, and she wanted to stay close to him in the event something did happen. While she could defend herself, she wasn't certain she could truly defend herself against vampires just yet.

He nodded at her words as he lead her inside of the house, it was breath taking inside. Clearly a woman's touch and above the fireplace. was a portrait it was the only reason Dorian knew what he looked like anymore. Himself, Phoebe, Maria and Matt The boys standing behind the girls who were both seated on chairs. A lot of money went into that portrait. He kissed the back of her hand and moved to pull open the closet door closest to them, three trunks sat inside and he pulled all three out caling for the carriage driver.

"All three of these please. And we will be out directly." He spoke. "As I said Helena. Anything you want in here is yours. We wont be able to return and I doubt my companions will come here when they realize what has happened." he spoke as he moved to the fireplace pulling, ys pulling the frame straight down.

"Run upstairs two rooms up here have jewelry boxes full of jewels." Money, he was stealing what he could from his sire. both of the rooms he sent her too had lovely gowns hanging up and such pretty things cause these vamp women lived lavish.

The house was certainly extravagant. It reminded Helena of her parents' home in London. It gave a further pang of hate and resentment. This place reminded her of the life she'd been born into, then cast out of simply because she'd become pregnant outside of marriage. She resented her family for that, and felt she'd managed to make something of her life. At least up until four nights earlier when Christina had been killed.

Helena nodded a bit at his words. She wasn't certain what she would want from this place, but she would certainly take something. At the very least she could sell whatever she took in order to have some money for themselves. She did pause to look up at the portrait over the fireplace. She felt the burning pang of hate and anger run through at seeing Phoebe and she quickly turned her face away.

At the mention of where the jewelry was, Helena went upstairs. Jewelry she could sell easily. Moving to the first room, she found the first jewelry box easily enough. Grabbing it, she moved it over by the door, and then she went to the closet, grabbing several of the gowns there. She took them and the jewelry box, then moved to the second room and pilfered the jewelry box and some more of the gowns. She then brought them all downstairs, moving carefully so she wouldn't trip and fall down the stairs. Even if she had suicidal thoughts, falling down the stairs and breaking her neck was not the way she wanted to die.

By the time she came down two more trunks were downstairs and a rolled up canvous in his hands as he held the door for her. He knew Matthew would return soon enough and everything else would safe until then. Despite what he had said. As he lead them abck to the carriage everything was loaded and soon they would be rolling again.

"We are heading to Carolina." he spoke looking to her. "We will not make it before dawn so there will be a stop at an inn or two. I hope it will not make you uncomfortable to room with me but I would feel better if we did stay together. Of course our names must be shed."

Heading out the door, she moved to the carriage, helping to load what she'd carried out before she got into the carriage. She didn't pay the house any further attention once she'd exited it. She wanted nothing further to do with what had been Phoebe's. She and Dorian had exacted their vengeance on her, and even if that put their lives in jeopardy, Helena was glad the bitch was dead, as it were.

Looking to Dorian, she gave a nod about going to Carolina. "No, that would not make me uncomfortable. On the contrary, it would be a comfort." Helena didn't precisely want to be alone, especially when they needed to relocate. And then there came the subject of needing an alias. She didn't need overly much time to think of an alias for herself, not when she knew as much literature as she did. "Ophelia. Are we going to appear as a couple or siblings?" She figured it was a worthwhile question to ask as it would affect how they acted around each other when in public.

"I tire of claiming sibblings I do not have. We will buy you a ring somewhere and claim you are my wife. None will question us rooming together that way." He spoke as he leaned back against the seat of the carriage more. That pain returning. It would come and go until it got bad and he has a break down. After that he will be fine.

"Shall I be Hamlet then? Fitting." He chuckled. "No, I will keep the name I bare, it is my middle name after all. Is there a last name you fancy, Miss Ophelia?" he spoke as he crossed his arms over his ribs closing his eyes. Finally admitting. "Destorying ones sire after being trapped in a blood spell brings a horrid pain. Do not fret if I start to react badly."

Helena nodded. It certainly would make plenty of sense for them to pose as husband and wife. And it would perhaps be easier than attempting to pose as siblings.

She shrugged a bit. "Jones is fine enough with me." She was a bit low on creativity at the moment for understandable reasons. "Unless you have a better one at hand?" She figured she'd ask, anyway. Perhaps he had a better surname in mind they could use. Though when he explained the pain he was feeling, she looked at him, feeling concern for him, of course. "Is there anything that can be done to ease the pain?" She had no idea, thus why she asked about it in the first place.

He didn't mind it in the least, if she choose to crash beside him in the hotel it meant he had a nice warm body to keep him warm and he was fond of her.

"Jones is fine, the only other I can think of is Daniels. and that just, feels unnecessary." He shook his head some then. "Alas no, there is nothing that can be done aside waiting it out. If anyone offers to call a doctor tell them I am fine. Premit no one in the room where I rest in the day and most importantly, no sunlight can enter the room." He couldn't stress that one enough.

At this juncture, Helena wasn't entirely certain if she could sleep. Sooner or later, exhaustion would force her to sleep, but she had nightmares, reliving finding her daughter's body, and she did not sleep for long when she did. Perhaps having Dorian in the same room would serve to give her some amount of comfort. She just hoped that if she woke with a start from a nightmare that she wouldn't disturb him in his slumber.

"I do not like Daniels," she said with a slight wrinkle of her nose. She nodded a bit, hearing out his explanation. "I understand, no doctors. I will ensure the curtains are thick and drawn before the sun rises and that they will stay that way until the sun sets." Perhaps it was odd how well she was taking the revelation he was a vampire, but the truth was she was still in shock given everything that had happened since Christina had died. Once she began to calm, it would no doubt truly set in what her life would be like from this point forward. But for now, she was simply going with it because it meant she wasn't alone.

And she was fond of Dorian and wanted to be around him.

Dorian would try to get her too, or to at least lay down with him so he could have a nice human heater. He quite enjoyed those. He would not make a move of course because shes is in mourning and it is unnecessary. If her nightmares got too bad he would certainly wake and wake her. He knows how much those suck.

"Very good, and Jones it is." He spoke as he watched things roll by. "I thank you much for your consideration and acceptance of what I am Helena. You must know that me telling you is punishable by death for both me and you. So no one can know you know. I will have to bite you once we are in the hotel in case there are any Kindred are about the bite will heal up right away of course but it will be almost like a silent brand to keep them away from you." Not that it worked that way, but he figured if he had at elast fed from her he could reasonably say she was his retainer.

Making a move would not be the best idea for the foreseeable future. As much as she had grown fond of Dorian, she wasn't currently in the mindset to pursue anything. And there was also the fact she had only just learned his real name and what he was. She certainly had questions of just how much he had told her before tonight had been true.

She looked over at him. "Your secret is safe with me." She certainly had no intention on telling anyone that he was a vampire or letting on that she even knew he was a vampire. Helena was actually quite calm about the fact knowing this was punishable by death for them both. If it happened, it happened. "By bite me, do you mean drink from me?" Helena highly doubted he would just bite her without taking some blood from her. If it helped him and would keep other vampires away from her, she was inclined to allow it.

At least he was wise enough and understanding enough to understand certain members of his family would question it, where as Dorian would not. He had had a fine wife who had hounded such ideas out of his head after one very painful broken nose.

"That is exactly what I mean, it just seems less of a fright to some to leave that detail out. We tend to call it the vampires kiss." He explained a hand resting on his temples as the agony moved through his body despite how he tried to hide it. "And on the bright side, I may be able to help you sleep, if you are as I was. Sleep will not come easily but us kindred have ablities and one of mine should help you. If i can focus enough to preform ." Of course that doesn't sound bad at all.

"I appreciate the sentiment, though I do not frighten easily." Which the night's events could attest to. If Helena frightened easily, she would not have even attempted to find Dorian in the bad part of the city in the first place. Nor would she have stayed with Dorian after finding out what he was. Which would have resulted in her being killed, no doubt.

"If it is too much strain at the present moment, do not trouble yourself. I can manage. Sleep will come eventually, even if it will not stay for long." Helena was still new to having nightmares to the extent she currently was, but she always kept a stiff upper lip despite everything. It was her innate stubborn English upbringing.

"As I am learning, You, I must admit, are one of the most remarkable women I have met in ages." He spoke a glimpse that he does not easily make connects at this point. Not after losing everyone.

Dorian side eyed her some. "Stubborn, but respectable." He meant about her saying she would sleep enough. He nodded some and sat back it was going to be a long ride. Which it totally was. This is an awesome time jump.

-----

When the carriage came to a stop Dorian's pain had gotten worse but he stepped out all the same trying to mask it. He made his way inside to get a room while the couchman brought down their bags. Just minutes later he walked out and collected the two, The old inn keep waiting for them to follow.

Of course it was a nice room, one faced away from the sun since of course weary travelers need to be away from the windows. "Thank you sir, and we will see you this evening as well." He added the last bit to the couchman as he smiled weakly to Helena having taken the bags to from the couchman once inside and sat them aside.

Helena caught that glimpse of Dorian not being able to make connections easily. And at this current moment in time, she didn't really see how she was remarkable, but there were extenuating circumstances in that regard. Clearly she could be forgiven for not thinking highly of herself in any fashion at the current moment.

After they arrived at the hotel, Helena got out of the carriage and waited until he came back out. She followed Dorian to their room, then gave the coachman her thanks as well before moving into the room. She glanced around the room briefly, then turned back to Dorian. Helena was tired, but she wasn't yet ready to sleep.

"Will we be able to reach where we are going tomorrow?" Obviously meaning by sunrise the next day.

he moved across the room dropping the trunks he had taken from the coach man and dropped them on the floor near the bed. Slipping the heavy coat off and draped it over.

"We should arrive by dawn tomorrow. I know a house that sits open under the ownership of my uncle. He doesn't always pay attention to his assets, that is where I come in. I am more or less his accountant. he is the only one of them I truly trusted." He explained undoing his shirt halfway and moved yanking off the riding boots. Clearly about to head to bed.

Helena nodded a bit as she took her own coat off and set it aside along with her gloves. She watched as he undid his shirt halfway. Unlike most ladies of the day, she didn't avert her gaze. She wasn't staring at him, merely taking note of what he was doing, and clearly he was going to go to sleep. She moved to ensure the curtains were tightly shut. Helena went so far as to prop a chair against them to ensure they remained closed once the sun rose.

"What will happen if he finds out we are in the house? Or more to the point, that I am with you?" Helena may not have much will to live at the moment, but she doesn't want to die at a vampire's hand without her consent being given in the matter. And she didn't precisely want Dorian's uncle to suddenly just snap her neck or drain her dry or whatever. She sat down and began undoing her long raven hair from it's up-do. Once it was free, it's full length was revealed to Dorian, hanging most of the way down her back. Without much pause, she began to weave it into a braid, tending to prefer the braid to sleep in.

Though really, she doubted she'd be sleeping much, if at all, that night. She knew Dorian had offered to help her in that, but given he was in a state of pain, she wasn't going to ask him to do it. She could survive.

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somepartsbroken - 2014-06-14 15:06 (UTC) - Expand

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