Try as Juliette might, with floor pacing and plotting, she could not seem to keep herself awake long enough to meet Jordan when he arrived home. Foolishly, she’d sat herself down on the sofa where she’d been promptly trapped by a purring feline and then she was swiftly out. Succumbed to exhaustion within moments.
She slept so deeply and without an alarm to wake her, that when she did start to rouse she was slow to wake. Grumbling a sigh and gently rubbing her forehead as she tilted to see if any sun was peering through Jordan’s heavy blackout curtains. At least she’d slept, well – like the dead even! Not that it was a good joking observation to make, she realized, remembering the mess of last night. If she had her way today, the dead were going to find themselves deader by the time she hunted them down and got her hands on them.
There was little time to waste on that front, so Juliette tossed her blankets aside to pull herself out of the comforts of bed. Tracking down Jordan would be her first priority, as she still no idea how the evening had ended on his front.
With some careful burning in the study’s fireplace of clothing that had no business being casually thrown into the wash for Elisa to lose her damn mind over! He had been wise to check in on Juliette before even going to start the former topic. Finding the woman stuck with the grinning silver beast that happily roosted in his purring delight. Squinting with delight that the likely impromptu napping on the chaise was because of Theix’s clever cuddling. Although the cat would have to be disturbed from his perch on the lady’s lap so she in turn could be brought to the bed. Relief mentally touching his thoughts that thankfully she had managed to sleep.
This night had gone to hell in a bloody hand basket. The only boon was Juliette was sleeping. Meaning there was no need to recount the evening and no requirement for him to explain his attire. Or the means of changing out to go back down to complete said burning process.
Myra had thankfully offered no defensive snapping to the idea of being told to sleep here. Merely giving him what he described as a frog like blink. Wink wonking eyes out of sync before she agreed with a smile. Pointing at the coffee she had brought him before stowing away like some fat little rat upstairs!
With the sun lifting in the sky beyond the panes of window and blotted curtains, he personally resided within the room. Not so much on the bed as he didn’t exactly want to sit there aimless while Juliette caught up on her much needed sleeps but left his side open for Theix to happily nest upon. In which was his alarm to the movement of dearest when the cat meowed at the fact he was suddenly buried in blankets.
Turning vision up from the portable screen of a laptop –checking sources for anything that might have been talking about the scene from the night prior- as he curiously blinked towards the side of the room hidden by the half wall. “Should you be up so soon?” he asked nonchalantly, “Not even the worms are up yet for the birds to get, Juliette.”
What a relief to hear Jordan’s voice nearby, removing the necessity for a quick dressing and a stomping search from the house. It was that moment she realized she never took herself to bed – she quite distinctly remembering snuggling a purring feline and not much else. The very one she was now having to uncover from her tossed blankets and giving a soft quiet apology too.
Which meant Jordan had come home to her sometime in the night and stayed, rightfully, where he belonged instead of prowling the streets committing murders.
Oh, there was bound to be some murder. She wouldn’t fool herself about that.
“I highly doubt it’s so early,” she responded, rising from the bed and testing her limbs. There was a bit of soreness, but that was more likely due to her swimming lesson than anything else. As she brushed her fingers over her neck, there wasn’t a single sign of being feasted on, nor a bruise to press. All things considered, she was in perfect condition.
Stroking her fingers then through her longs strands of hair to smooth it out, she floated around the corner with a surprising amount of ease considering the evening prior. There was a bit of a expecting look as her gaze looked him up and down – knowing it wouldn’t be likely to see him sitting there covered in blood, though still not being able to help searching anyway. He seemed to be in perfect physical condition himself.
“Are you alright?” she asked anyway. Because who could be well after such a blatant attack on his own people? He could have lost two to the whims of toothy bastards!
“Early enough from what you had slept from.” Tugging the screen closed to set the very technological item aside. Having no need for it to be present when they were to talk. If he needed to continue looking for any glaring odd tidbits that signaled out questionable acts the night prior, then he could do that later. Right now with her coming back to the realm of the living, she was the first priority. Waiting for her fair form to make its appearance from behind that in which separated their space.
Leaning elbow upon the top of rest so chin in turn could come to press upon rolled knuckles. Being shortly viewed as though she were searching for any evidence of what occurred prior. Not about to sit on the furniture to stain it with someone else’s vitals nor risk having his housekeeper fret about what happened at all!
“Me?” Call him surprised that was the first thing out of her mouth. Showing it plenty with a series of dull blinks. Repeating the phrase through a clustered head to come out the other side! Opening mouth to give that same rendering of I’m fine, only to halt himself from even purchasing the first letter. Reconsidering in a moment more before exhaling. “Physically yes. Emotionally, perhaps not. Mentally? Well that’s better to express I am best ripened like a irritated bull.” He glared at the floor like it had become the culprit. “And miserable in the state that I’ve caused duress to you and your friend. So perhaps not fine but suitable to handle it throughout the day.”
Jordan opened palm as a sort of invitation for her to come closer at her leisure. “And you, peristéri? Are you and Hannah alright?”
Juliette didn’t need to be convinced to accept his invitation. Taking it as her cue to completely invade his personal bubble in act of curling up on his lap and burying her face into his shoulder, immediately letting out a long slow breath until her entire body had gone as limp as a sleeping cat. As if she’d waited the entire night just for this one thing.
“Hannah is… doing okay? Better than I expected in the moment, but I fear it was all shock and not caught up to her yet. She’s fretting about Felix for the moment. Time will tell for the rest.”
“As for me,” she continued after a beat, quite content in the spot she nested into. “Physically, well. Emotionally, I wish to burn this entire city to the ground until I find every last still living culprit and then promptly bury them. Mentally… I cannot get things done if I fly off into a rampage, so for that purpose I am fine, as I need to be fine.”
She finally tilted her head back to get a better angle to see his face. Reaching up a finger to gently tap goateed chin.
“I’m furious with the world and glad that you’re home. Did your hunting provide you with useful answers?”
Her presence was welcomed. The shifting in to take over lap and to claim her nestled spot as hers and hers alone, there was little reason for him to pause. Adjusting so they weren’t at a cockeyed twist. Slipping grasp to twine about waist to merely appreciate the moment as it was. That she was safe. Aware of his own thoughts were lashing about like fabled kraken tentacles at an unwelcomed ship! Merely tempered right now with the presence that as much as this came out of seemingly nowhere, there was no fatalities upon their side.
Mental scarring, easily.
“Felix is alive. Took a few shots to the leg and to the shoulder but alive.” There was no telling what he would have personally done to find the man dead or on the verge of being turned. Not even his own mind could supply animated features! “He’s in general care now. But I am glad to hear she is better than one expected though you may likely be right about shock.” Teeth grazed lip then in thought, “If you need to tell her the truth, I won’t stop you. I’ll leave it all in your hands, Juliette.” It was better that way though if she did reveal what was really happening, there would have to be ground rules for the rambunctious novelist!
That could take a pin to hold onto for later. Idly looping finger in a circle upon back when she seemed to take his little verbal plot of expressing what was happening inside her being. Humming slowly and turning a pitch of ichor in his gut at the same nearby desire. To raze those responsible but it would do nothing besides cast more blood.
Humming to the tippy taps on chin, “Don’t be mad at the world love, it was not the populace that committed this. And I have no better place to be than here with you. It is my solace after all.” However he paused at the last ask. Frowning deeply, “Yes. Once Myra awakens, we will be making an appearance to Emery.” Turning stare to the corner of eye, it was a little difficult to repress his own ire. “It would seem, her second in command was the puppeteer behind this all. Those that were spared momentarily from being part of my de-stressing routine, gave his name like it was a prayer. I cannot say for sure how this came to be, but I intend to find out!”
It was difficult not to be mad at the world, when it often felt like the entire world was trying to ruin every tiny of bit of something good she managed to find. All she had wanted was a single day, and how had that turned out? Still, he was not wrong. Her ire needed to be directed where it was duly deserved.
Which, on his revelation of Emery Hart’s second in command being the one named, it gave her a momentary frown. Convenient to have a name so quickly. Perhaps having the very vampire king himself throwing bodies left and right was enough to draw out immediate traitorous spills, but Juliette found that it was… well. Too simple.
She hesitated a moment, but this was what he’d wanted, yes? For her to give her insight and a different point of view?
“If I were trying to topple a king – one that has quite firmly had a grip on his throne for centuries – I would not take a direct approach. I might instead let someone loud and distracting take the blame while I try something far more subtle. Emery is… she didn’t give a good impression, but she is old enough to know better, isn’t she? Even if one of hers acted on their own bad ideas to impress her. Maybe I give her too much credit, or not enough… But while you and Myra are making a show with Emery, you might think of who has been oddly quiet?”
This was exactly a reason why it was good for him to have someone aligned with him that wasn’t tempered by fear that speaking up would cause them to be in a world of hurt. That she could think outside the lines of his anger made box to come at the problem with a new perspective. One that may have eventually been seen by himself but certainly not with an expedite arrival as she was having.
He had gotten a name thrown out by the few fanged little peons that were happy after a few literal throws they had went on. They doled out Zephyr’s name truly like a mantra. Pleading not to slaughtered. Suddenly they were no longer the big bad when there was someone stronger, older and had already been infuriated past the point of reasonable listening, to spill their woes. Implying that Zephyr had orchestrated the whole event.
Her moment came to speak up. Drawing him to listen rather than to huff like this was the dumbest thing he had ever heard. Rather ears figuratively perked.
Waiting seconds after as she gave her opinion to where he could mull it over with due care. “I wouldn’t say she is old enough to know better. Old enough to be rooted like an oak tree in her ways which is loud and stupid.” Jordan growled at the reminder of the hag but Juliette was right. Even as loud as Emery could get, she wasn’t usually so brazen to just outright attack. Especially with inexperienced newly turned pawns. It was a messy associated plan in which he had missed. “You are right. Though if this is the case then we best play the parts still. Safely. It is still in my domain to go and see Zephyr. To discern if that weasel is up to something or being played like a poorly tuned fiddle.”
Tilting chin to nudge cheek into her own, out came a laborious sigh. “And here I thought my morning would be filled with stress relief. Not further riddles.”
Juliette softly laughed, shifting in his arms to raise her own and cup his face gently in her hands. A few brushes of her thumbs against cheeks before she leaned in for a brief kiss.
“You owe me several hours worth of spoiled pampering and I am quite tempted to collect right here and now so that you might have your stress relief. But indeed, those riddles need solving and I have hunting plans of my own.”
She hadn’t meant to make it sound mysterious or to not tell him what those plans were. Only that one light kiss did not seem to be enough to sooth away that stoic look on his face, so it was vitally important to lean in for a second kiss right and proper. A tender and sweet declaration, that she was right and fine. That she still wasn’t running fleeing from his collection of pointy-toothed minions.
“I need to get dressed,” she declared shortly after.
“Only several hours. And here I thought it would be demanded for days to make up for this colossal mess.” Colour him surprised that there wasn’t an expectation attached that she wanted to collect on the interruption and then some. However she was giving him limited information. About how there was riddles to be solved much to his own distaste but her own hunting.
Placing a stare on her that was doing its best to pry out such information. Earning a fond press that certainly filled in the cracks that were left wanting with the shortened pecking seconds previous. Softening sharpened edges poised for pricking. Denoted with the withdrawal that was a soft hum. Debating something unmentioned in one’s skull, “Do you now, well…” Adjustment of grasp moved to tighten in hold to lower back. Pulling her straddle close while he shuffled off that of cushion.
Taking them in tandem to stand while not entirely letting her feet drop, “Let me assist you back to your wardrobe then,” Refusing to release that of her being till at least returned to bed side. Eyeing the cat that was lounging there looking perfectly pleased with his mere existence. Chirruping in throat with the placement of queen to be on the surface. So he might actually release her. Sparing curled fingers to brush against cheek, having more than half a mind to just take added minutes to maybe give them a brief sampling of previously interrupted evening.
But resisted. “Be careful then when you are hunting. I don’t know what sort of eyes are around—” That caused pause with finger pointing into the air. “Actually, take Myra with you. She’d be better suited to being a good resource for you while not accompanying me. This way, it should at least look less official for the king to be stomping and kicking down doors. A little…” hands open with a loose flicker, “Suggestion that whomever is eyeing this all, may believe my senses have been lost.” So he was intending on baiting whomever was acting like a scheming twat. “Just be safe, that is all I ask.”
She’d not expected to have herself scooped up and whisked away to a direction quite opposite the wardrobe, in such a tease that made her ears burn and her lips pursed in a way that suggested she was about to grab him by the shirt and drag him into bed with her. In fact, she did dig her hands into that shirt, though she didn’t start with the pulling just yet.
Except he’d suggested she take Myra along for the day, prompting her immediately to scrunch up her nose – without meaning to of course! Only that, having Myra tag along wasn’t exactly part of her plans.
“She is going to completely ruin my image as a lone breathing dragon,” mumbled Juliette in protest. “I will take her for your sake, but I am not going to appear intimidating with a green goblin trailing behind me. I have every intention of being seen by every single little peeping scoundrel hoping to take a look.”
“I will leave her in the car?” she suggested with a hopeful lit. “With water and a new phone?”
Whatever it was that she was planning, the mention of Myra must have been a wrench. Because that look said it all. That her ideas were meant to be a solo endeavour. Alerting him that he was making the right choice by funneling over the spunky little spawn of Satan to be a tag-along. Which seemed to be the thing seeing as Juliette expressed that the green goblin was guna be not so intimidating for her.
He had a thought of just walking away but rather turned back to face her. Leaning down as she gave her hope that she could just stow Myra away like some child with a new phone and a beverage while big scary boss lady did her business.
Once more reaching to palm at cheek. Lingering before stealing in with maybe a little more personal of a harder press of kiss than he originally intended. Or maybe that was the plan! “As thrilling and absolutely inspiring that is to hear you say you have a war path cut out for you to stomp upon, I want you safe. That means the little green goblin will be the most unassuming one to have with you. Those you want to scare will only think she is just a pest. Not a force to follow after you that only takes a word to spin and create hell.” Okay so this was dangerous for him, flirting a teasing flicker as if it were to be the period to the end of a sentence.
“Put her in the car with the window down, just don’t be alone for long.” Jordan hummed, “You have no idea how petty of a man I can be. Nor how truly monstrous of a beast I can turn when those I care for are threatened. You are important to me Juliette and I only want you to be secure while you crush whomever is in your line of sight.” Eyes flickered down the comely features, “Surely it has been proven that razing a city or taking a few lives means nothing to me so long as those that matter to me are taken care of. Just think what I’m willing to do for someone that’s getting awfully close to my heart.” One more press and he withdrew, “Just don’t sick her to bite anyone’s ankles and you’ll be fine.”
“Hmn,” came out her reluctant agreement, a mix of soft humming and slight growl. Damning herself for starting this trend of kisses, finding that now that they’d gotten started it was so incredibly hard to stop. There were things that needed to be done, and they’d regretfully lost their window for personal flirtings!
Maybe if they were quick.
No! These were important things! She couldn’t be swayed by passionate kissing and words that sent her stomach flipping upside down.
In a bit of a frustrated huff, she pulled herself up from the bed. Juliette gave a perfectly non-flirty brush of her hands over his shirt to smooth out nonexistent wrinkles, a signal to herself that the gratuitous touching could be no more and from now on she would be focused.
“You give me some interesting ideas. A goblin at my heels might just be useful for an aesthetic after all,” she murmured, with that mysterious fae smile making it’s appearance again. She stepped a few paces backwards on her way to the wardrobes. How she presented herself today was going to be very important. The right outfit could sent a message just as well as any words.
“They want to see a Queen, so I intend to give them one. I’ll be safe, Jordan. I promise.”
All it would take was one second too long in lingering and he would easily have thrown out every restraint he had. To happily tumble back with a greedy need to pick up where they had left off the evening prior! Damn whomever was nearby! Likely to be stuck to the chamber of the room for length of time that would hinder them both.
Which would be problematic in the long run even if the gratification of the now would be greatly worth it.
Instead he stepped back. Feeling almost like he could be chased with teasing hands as they sought to smooth the fabric down. Assuring there no rogue crinkles to the button down while he mentally took this as not an silent allowance for them to get coquettish. “I figured you’d come to put her to use.” Smiling at the suggestion that Myra may prove to be far more useful to Juliette’s unspoken plan. So long as there was no more vampires attempting to kill his council, his friends and his future wife’s best friend. After all the wedding was not far away and he didn’t want her to be mourning anyone!
Yet she spoke then to suggest such an imagery that he felt a delightful chill run up his spine. “Talk like that and I will lose my motivation to be a terror today.” Speaking loud enough to leave the impression that he was highly interested, but he relented. Stepping close once more to adorned cheek with a chaste peck, “That is all I ask, my dove.” It was time to go, “Myra is sleeping in the last room on the hall. If you need to wrest her from bed, just click your tongue and repeat bacon a few times. I am sure she will come running.” As if she were just come common happy mutt.
“You, come along.” Pointing at Theix then to wrangle the silver little beast from his happy little perch, at least he could do was feed the gremlin before leaving. “Call me if you need absolutely anything. And I will let you know what I find out. I will be home soon.”
It didn’t take long for Juliette to put herself together. Though she was tempted to pull out some grand designer dress that made her appear the very opulent, severe sort of rich heiress with the kind of entitlement that could shame every royal dynasty on the planet – she opted for the classically casual with her hair loose around her shoulders. A creamy white off shoulder top and simple black trousers. Hinting that situation was nothing to her; another nuisance to deal with in her busy day with a bit of cheeky shoulder and skin practically daring them to think about a bite. Juliette was unafraid.
While she did check on Hannah, the girl understandably had decided to spend her own day hiding in her room. Taking meetings through her laptop and making phone calls when she wasn’t on the phone. She had some relief in the news about Felix, but seemed was plotting a new mission to either smother the man in baked goods or have him kidnapped to some sort of island vacation to heal. Juliette couldn’t be sure. Hopefully Felix would survive Hannah’s single-handed attempts to heal all his wounds through nonsense.
Rousing Myra turned out to not be as difficult as Jordan suggestion. All it took was the promises of fancy coffee and a free breakfast that Myra didn’t have to make. Wisely, Juliette waited until they were already out and about, with Myra well fed before she finally revealed her plan for the morning.
“I’d like you to take me to the Iron Dog next,” mentioned Juliette casually with a sip of her own coffee. “Or where ever we might find Augustus Steele. Though it works best for me if he’s there.”
So she was a little easy to bribe with delectable foods that didn’t have to be put together by her own hands, sue her!
While she was a surprised she had been moved over to attend to Juliette, she didn’t bother to ask why. Or whine about it. This may have just been better because she wasn’t particularly fond of dealing with Jordan when his mood was less about impish teasing but rather just straight murder! This by far was an improvement even if her gaze did a volley up and down the woman when she came knocking. Looking the part of business with a puckish flare. Or it was the way her neck was exposed in which seemed to be a flaunt if she ever seen one.
Still, no complaints.
Especially when coffee was in hand and food already gobbled down. Pausing her newest sip to peer at the other when she ever so casually expressed she wanted to go to the Iron Dog. Noticeably, Myra looked upwards into the sky. Checking if there was a ball of light up there before turning sights back on Juliette. Taking to narrowing hazel sights, “What are you planning?” She had better try to ask just in case this goes tits up and Jordan was shaking her by the neck as if she were Bart Simpson.
“I mean, he’s probably there. If not, then I can take you over to his place but you can imagine I won’t do that easily. So, guna have to give me some reason to be convinced.”
“Just to have a simple conversation and proper meeting with a coven leader to get acquainted, as any future queen should,” she answered, perfectly innocent in nature as if her cup of coffee was a more interesting thing. Of course, Juliette knew that answer wasn’t going to fly with Myra. The girl was too smart for that, and had enough experience with Jordan to not want to land into any trouble even by accident or association.
The tease was fun, though. Juliette quite like having that comfort of knowing she could be a little mischievous minx and not keep up the pretenses of being the stone cold heiress.
Besides, Myra did need to know her plans so she could help play the part.
“We can’t be certain if last night was to attack Jordan by removing two of his valuable people, or if it were to frighten me by taking one of mine.” she dropped all pretenses, setting her cup down on the table and clasping her hands together. This was all business now.
“Someone could be following me, true, but I do know Hannah was seen with me at the Iron Dog. Emery, loud and brash, makes a convenient and obvious scapegoat. Yet someone too could be casting shades of doubt on Augustus, using his place to pull the strings so that on deeper looks he comes under fire. Or perhaps he is sitting back biding his time to make moves of his own. Who is to know.”
Juliette rest her chin in her palm, watching how Myra absorbed the information.
“I am going to see where Augustus claims he lives on this chess board as Jordan rattles Emery’s chains. With full knowledge the club will have eyes and ears listening from all directions. Let them hear my intentions and run back with gossipy tongues to whomever their puppeteer may be.”
Lined brows begun to fall to express a deadpan look at the suggestion that Juliette wanted to just go and meet Augustus proper, “And I’m a little teapot, short and stout.” Of course she wasn’t buying the bull puck! If she really wanted to meet Augustus, then surely Juliette would have scheduled a meet and greet. Rather than drop in on the vampire that may or may not be present at his bar. Granted, it would be better if Augustus was. Seeing as the idea of taking Juliette to the man’s private abode felt as safe as standing in a lion’s den with bloody steaks dripping on her neck.
Had she been anyone else, maybe she might have taken that little jest as an omission that she should be brought back to the manor. Treated like a child that needed a swatting on butt for being unnecessarily mischievous! However, if Jordan wasn’t flying up a nearby tree like a spooked cat about Juliette being out and about, then she had faith the two of them weren’t planning things separately without some knowledge of the other.
Taking a refresher from cup, she waited. Grateful that when it was clear there wasn’t going to be a blanket throw over Juliette’s head to whisk her away; that she was willing to spill.
And to grow pleased no sooner with the reveal of information. “Okay, that I can handle. Rather than you playing innocent. Which by the way,” She shook a finger at her, “Don’t do that. You are so far from innocent that watching you act like it in a perfected manner gives me the willies.” Shuddering for effect, the green haired unlikely bodyguard stepped forward a few paces. “I can’t say whether or not Augustus will be there. After all,” One pointed upwards to the sky, “But he isn’t known to sleep that much. So he might be there counting cash or bottles of beer on the wall. Who the hell knows. But, is there anything you need me to do in this scheme of yours?”
Juliette’s immediate wicked smile at the finger wagging was completely unapologetic to Myra’s unsettled distress. Now that they were on the same page, though, they could get down to the details.
“Honestly, I had originally intended to walk in alone. Without a guardian there to protect me from the big bads. I’d like them to see me fearless and unexpectedly threatening.” she admitted with that slight frustrated sigh.
“However, I don’t wish to give Jordan any undue anxiety, and admittedly having you accompanying me will lend me extra credence. His right hand is now my right hand, and how you play that part is going to reveal what they should expect from me far better than all of Jordan’s threats and warnings. I am not a china doll protected in the King’s Tower – I am in fact the Queen and a power in my own right.”
“… and if Augustus isn’t there, well. Perhaps we’ll rough the place up in quite a classy lady like way until he shows up. I’m not above creating a scene.”
After all, Juliette was still itching to shoot someone for ruining yesterday’s evening.
“As powerful as that would have been, I still don’t like the idea of you being that ballsy to walk in solo.” She had faith in Juliette but there was nothing wrong with her personally investing a due care that wanted to see the woman remain alive! Not just for her own hide but because she genuinely liked Juliette.
So it was better to hear that she had been assigned to walk with the woman rather than her just casually sauntering in with guns ablazing. Unsure if that was figuratively or literally.
“This ought to send a message at least as you said.” Leading up to the car so they could properly gather into the vehicle for their next destination, Myra couldn’t resist chuckling at the nonchalance of saying they might need to mess up the Iron Dog to pull attention. Not even remotely surprised that this might even be something said at all!
Rather she pushed cup into the holder so fingers could give the key a sharp turn. “Then he had better hope he is there. Because I know Augustus thinks of that place like his baby. Though, what are you intending to squirrel out of Augustus. Like who was there or… something else? I know you’re looking for something specific while your maniacal betrothed goes and plays where’s the decapitated head with Zephyr.”
Imagining her maniacal betrothed out there now, treating feral bodies as volley balls to be pounded back and forth brought an interesting image to her mind. His method was to terrorize the lot of them until he killed enough to be confident he’d surely have gotten the culprit in the fray. Resolving last night’s incident with a tidy ending.
Juliette intended to root out the bigger pictures of things.
“Jordan’s kept his control on the covens here by sheer force of will, but his ambitions to fold in covens across the ocean it… it makes a new dynamic. He trusts his human council, but treats his vampires as vermin? Without a true vampire lead court of ones that are fiercely loyal – ones that he can trust, anyone will be able to undermine his authority. Those European vampires might decide Jordan is not the one to be King and someone else will take his place.”
Buckled in safely, Juliette pulled down the sunguard to quickly check her makeup in the mirror. She opted for a light look with strong cat-lined eyeliner and a very bright red lipstick, to which now she made sure hadn’t smeared during their morning meal. Everything she did in his vampire world would be a reflection of Jordan, and she was going to make damn sure it was a good one.
“He needs a court, so I will build him a court. Starting with his coven leaders to see who is actually loyal to Jordan and who is just playing games. I expect there to be quite a bit of lies and games. As Jordan will be busy with Emery today, Augustus is a natural first stop.”
“You’re not wrong. Though in the case of Jordan, I don’t have a particular knowledge to why he trusts us as humans more than his own type. There’s probably some deeper reason for that alongside why his coven is spilt into while employing the tactics of iron force.” There had to be a reason but it wasn’t as though the man was that open. All she knew personally was what she learnt in the years she had been both a child he thought little of; to a teen and adult that made more of an impression on him. Eden and Baldwin weren’t that much closer to understanding him either. Just that they had been employed in the council longer than her or Felix were.
They were generally friendly but of course they didn’t mingle with them as the other two of the four. Likely because they were older and had their own lives.
But in this moment once the vehicle was moving along, she could appreciate Juliette’s insight. That she wasn’t balking at all of this either yet there seemed like something missing to her as well. Something she couldn’t put her finger on.
“He has a court. It’s just broken since he took over. With the radical oldies that seem to still prefer the methods of the old ways. Aka Emery’s side. And then the new court that is a little more willing to blend into the modern world, meaning Augustus.” She knew how the two existed. New and old. Open minded and closed doors. Emery had been vocal in the past about wanting to be the queen of the entire thing but she didn’t have enough clout to win over Augustus side. Not to mention between them all, Jordan wasn’t like them entirely. Unsure if it came with his age or some other voodoo magic, but the man was the strongest vampire of them all. A rumour that went around even amongst the waggling tongues to theorize just how that was.
“But you aren’t wrong. If he wants to reach the other coven in Europe, then the broken parts here need to be managed. Just how you are guna build a court is going to be truly interesting.” Myra stole a glimpse at the passenger, “Well… you seem to be capable at that already. Considering you’ve already got him wrapped around your finger. A perfect chance to steal everything for yourself you know.” Waggling brows with a suggestion, Myra grinned playfully. “You could have a whole underworld under your control with taming the king.”
“To be honest, I am not sure how to mend their court either. I just know that in the present I need to find out who can actually be trusted and weed out the ones that’re liable to stab Jordan in the back. The rest will start to fall into place.”
Juliette could surmise very easily why Jordan preferred his human council to that of vampires, but that was quite personal and delicate information about her fiancé that she had no business discussing with anyone who wasn’t the man himself. She could see it in him and in his actions and words, how he hated what he was and the world he’d been literally kidnapped and enslaved to. Even with five hundred years past, he’d never healed himself from. It wouldn’t be such a far fetched idea to consider that maybe he hadn’t merged the covens together because he’d hope they’d continued to fracture until they were all wiped out.
And yet, he still had that deep rooted will to survive, and the ambition to do more than just survive, but make something better for himself and the vampires under his thumb. These things were so admirable and made him the sort of person Juliette wanted to be.
At Myra’s suggestion that Juliette could very well take over, she immediately laughed out right. Joyful and with good humor.
“I would be lying if I said I don’t think about it. Power gives a sense of control and security, truly. Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to enchant a man and take his throne whilst he’s too infatuated to notice.” Her expression shifted thought, something wistful and bit sentimental in the way she half smiled.
“But why tame him and keep him underfoot. He’s taken something wild and feral and has a dream for it. Who cares about power and control, when you can make something beautiful and long lasting. I’d like to see him have everything he’s been striving for.”
Now that was the question, “And if no one proves they can be trusted but rather desiring to whip around with a knife to stab away, then what?” She had been in this world since she could remember, and honestly? Well she could count on one hand maybe who she would say could be trusted. But that was face value. People tended to hide things like bloody squirrels. Tucking their little insane nuts away so no one could find them. Sometimes they forgot about them as well but she wasn’t about to say that was the case!
Of course even if this side of the split coven broke down to where they were slaughtered, there was always other vampires. It wasn’t a cycle that would simply end! Perhaps here but that was by no means a great dent in the world.
Not to mention she wouldn’t be surprised if Jordan was the one who even considered ending it all. With himself being that final note.
Naturally that tidbit was private. Rather deciding to question the means of control that Juliette had. Smiling like the fattest cat with a new mouse. Sure that this clever passenger knew she had a real chance of controlling the entire supernatural realm in her fingertips. To see Jordan listening to someone wasn’t unusual but the fact he was heeding the human woman. That was a feat. For conversation sake, to hear Juliette laugh with a suggestion that it had played across her mind; she did wonder why the girl didn’t just take it. What was being offered was by no means a small blue ribbon pig!
Yet there was that curiosity still hanging as Juliette said she wanted to achieve better things. Which maybe shouldn’t have prompted her mouth to open but it was too late, “And what do you get from this? Really.”
“Myra, you are fishing,” Juliette pointed out. True to her position, the girl was a weaselly little minx guiding Juliette through simple conversation and sliding in clever questions. Tactics she herself was planning to use on this day to see what tidbits of information she’d get out of Augustus Steele or any of his lurking vampires that come seeking a conversation.
At least it was a fair question. No one helps a man stay a king without wanting something in return. The question was, did Juliette give her the surface answer – that if she is going to be a queen, she’s going to do it right. Or give her the true and candid answer? The one Juliette wanted buried and forgotten about.
Well. If she intended to build a court, one should trust their first advisor.
“I care about him. The whole of him, vampire or king or whatever he wants to be. You think I have him around my finger, but I don’t. No, I am the one that’s been charmed. For all of the things he’s done for me, and all of the soft unexpected moments. I have him, I don’t need the world. But you can bet I am going to corral every last vampire in the world, if it means keeping him safe from some violent coup and losing him.”
“Maybe, I just haven’t caught anything.” Offering her own little sweet smile in hopes that the said queen wasn’t about to reach over and cuff her upside the head for said fishing! “I’m just being a good advisor that wants to assure the king and queen are getting equal parts. You can’t blame me for trying.” Brows rose up with emphasis to wiggle. “I’m just an innocent little helper. That is also not ashamed to get pouty if need be. I’ve got wicked puppy dog eyes too if need be.”
Yes she was digging while being true to her word. She wanted to make sure that Jordan and Juliette were in fact not trying to get the one up on another. Right now she could tell that said king was behaving outside his normality. Whatever it was that Juliette was managing on him it might as well have been magic. In turn, she just hoped that Juliette wasn’t about to over extend herself because a half a millennia old vampire was getting all goopy for her.
Granted maybe she shouldn’t worry cause it seemed they were gushy gross for another. Wrinkling up her nose, “Ick, okay you’re both just like a pair of mashed potatoes. All gunked up for another.” She asked, she got. Twas her own fault if one could believe that. “Just don’t overtax yourself in the end. The thing is the closer Jordan gets to you, the more likely he is to mastermind hell fire from the sky if anything happens. So let’s hope that Augustus is guna be a good boy today. I fear that even if you have a hangnail, the vampire lord will come stomping in to throw chairs or tables.”
“Innocent little helper indeed,” mused Juliette. Tempted throw back at her that Myra’s innocent act could give herself the shivers just as easily! There was no faulting the woman for a job well done, however. Now if she would just redirect her curious snooping towards the ones that actually needed to be snooped.
“Hmm, you give me interesting new ideas, however.” she pondered out loud, that air of being up to something becoming thick with pure mischief. Enough that Juliette didn’t even try to hide it from her features.
“I could act the wild and reckless queen, have them hopping to keep me contained and safe in one piece for fear of Jordan’s wrath. Take up skydiving, mountain climbing, bear wrestling… see if they band together in babysitting me for the good of all.”
A suggestion she’d never say to Jordan, even in jest! Juliette suspected he’d promptly lock her up in the library and never let her out again.
Lashes were bat for added effect. Living up to innocence with a capital I! Of course no one would ever believe she was capable of such things. Not even herself but one couldn’t hurt to try!
Although when it came to Juliette’s newest thoughts, she was not going to take any onus on that. The queen came up with it all herself and that was the story that was going to be stuck too. Needing none of that falling back into said lap. Granted, “I’d love to see which vampires offered their services to keep you from doing that honestly.” She couldn’t even come up with a singular name that would willing volunteer themselves. Or was it there would be too many volunteering themselves so she in turn couldn’t just name one.
Mhmm, worth a ponder as they came to turn upon the parking lot that was the Iron Dog. Looking all neatly closed up since it was a club venue that notably opened at night. When vampires and humans alike came to play.
Tucking the car into a stall with eyes peeking outside the windshield, she studied the modern sign first. Nothing remarkable at all before seemingly taking what should have been noticed first, second. Considering the other vehicle here that of course she knew. “Luck be on your side.” Myra pointed at the stylish thing. The only good thing she knew vampires did was hoard like bloody misers. Collecting wealth like they were eggs. “We’ll go through the backdoor since if he is anywhere, it’ll be in his little office in the kitchen. Don’t know if he is alone or what but so far my wonderments of where Augustus may be have proven to be in your favour.”
The woman pushed back a errant lock of green, “So what’s the plan to walk in. How can I please the lady of House Harrow with my performance this time.”
“Pretend you are Jordan. Stand there stoic and menacing and twitch slightly if Augustus makes a foul move.”
Juliette said it with such a straight face and deadpan voice, that it couldn’t be clear if that were a joke or not! Nor did she stay in the car long enough to give hint. Already climbing out in her ridiculously tall heels – vampire staking heels from the looks of them – tucking her little handbag purse under her arm as she lead the way towards the back.
“I want you to look around and see if there any familiar lurking faces skulking about, or unfamiliar too.” she finally answered truthfully from over her shoulder. “And if I say anything peculiar, try not to let it show all over your face.”
Unsure still herself how she planned to play things out, Juliette just knew she’d have to play it by ear. As long as Myra was observant and knew how to take cues, things would go smoothly.
“God damn it.” Maybe it was an accident. Maybe not! Just that this little lady was so dang on the theatrics that if she didn’t know any better, she might have believed that she was supposed to behave as Jordan. Which in itself was basically asking her to do the impossible. She could mock him, imitate him but for the purpose of this meeting. Naw!
Unless Juliette wanted a mockery, cause that was what she could do. Very well too.
With the queen leaving her all so mighty chariot causing driver to hasten her rump out of the seat; she promptly caught up to the other. Grateful that there was better instructions given with evident relief. And a thumbs up too. “That I can do.” Hopefully the woman didn’t just start rambling nonsense to prove whether or not she could keep her face under control. As that may be hard.
Reaching to tug open the back door so they could be greeted by the smell of floor cleaner, a head immediate pulled up at their entrance. A younger vampire that looked like they had been turned on the cusp of adulthood. Still speckled with spots of youth in the name of freckles while his gaze when from left to right. Straightening with mop in hand while foot gave a nudge to the bucket. “Myra and—” His tone was confused. Eyeing the spiffy looking lady with a mixture of concern and attempt to really figure this out.
“Where’s Augustus?” She spoke at least not about to really introduce Juliette because Philip didn’t know how to tell people apart from importance and not. Not that it mattered, the kid was raise his brows up to nearly disappear into hairline. Thumping the mop into bucket to point towards the little corner that had a door leading inwards. “Make yourself scarce, Phil.”
Dumbly he nodded. Stepping a few paces back only to look again before scurrying outwards into the way the kitchen lead into the main portion of the bar. The motion alone was enough to bring the taller man towards the door with obvious confusion knotting up his brows. Gaze flickering up and down as head gave a slight tilt. Then looked at his watch on his wrist. “Did I miss a memo or something? What pleasure do I owe the young lady and advisor?” Augustus asked making one step forward to fill his frame in the doorway. A sign he was nervous but not so bothered as to pardon them into his office.
The one Myra called Phil seemed far too young to be wrapped up in vampire business, causing Juliette to give the slightest of frowns. She wasn’t going to make any assumptions about it for now, and merely filed the thoughts away in her mind to pick at later.
Once Augustus made his appearance, she glanced him up and down in an obvious appraisal, but kept her tone and expression purely professional.
“My fiancé is currently, ah… having a meeting with miss Emery Hart over something most unfortunate last evening. I am here to lighten his burden by speaking with you myself.”
She gestured a hand conversationally towards Myra.
“This one, along with another, and my dearest friend were – How would they say it on the morning news? – Were nearly savaged in the public streets by fanged nightmares. Interrupted what was turning out to be a beautiful evening with Jordan, so naturally he’s furious. I’m furious. Dominic is conveniently missing.”
“You can see I have concerns,” she resumed after a pause. “Perhaps we could discuss them at the bar over a drink.”
Good thing for the warning cause had she not known how Juliette was going to handle this, she would have gotten whiplash from how this mischievous minx was all professional now! Not even a hint of accusation sitting in her tone which was truly a marvel. There was a reason she didn’t work in an office building because she wouldn’t be upset to go tell someone to go pound sand and how to do it.
The man however seemed to grow a little more curious about this. Taking another step outwards to listen. Saying nothing quite yet. So it was unsure if he was pleased by Juliette’s existence here or not. Rather he made a open motion that he kept the floor open for her to speak. Politely at that.
For two seconds. It wasn’t difficult to see the man’s features clench. Jaw tense and nose wrinkling but it wasn’t the means of showing distaste. More like he was sitting on something uncomfortable with a stinging realization that that discomfort was something actually biting him. Moving bright eyes across the queen till they widened. Alarm sparking and turning sour momentarily. “As do I, my lady.” Augustus spoke gingerly. Being thoughtful with his tone. “Typically my news source is quite up to date but as you said Dominic is missing. Or rather should I express that my man that usually is my fountain of information is also in a sort of dire straits.” He gave a glance to the swinging door leading out to the bar before he shook his head. “No, we should talk privately. There are others in the bar that I don’t believe need to be privy to what I have to say.”
She frowned which apparently was enough to encourage Augustus to exhale shortly. “Dominic was attacked last night as well. He is currently recovering from nearly having his heart torn out. So if you wouldn’t mind, my lady. May we please speak inside. I am not sure to trust my own establishment right now.”
This was quite the unexpected twist of information! What purpose was there to take out Dominic? Unless it was to ensure the mortal trio were without vampiric support. Her stoic features faltered a bit, though not without purpose. Her concern for Dominic was something useful for Augustus to see.
His own responses to her news as well as his revelation were curious as well. Biting gently into her lip, she finally nodded to agree for a private conversation. While she wanted a spectacle in his bar to start tongues wagging and rumors spread, to know that he himself suspected people within his own domain meant a private discussion was best.
Luckily, she had Myra.
“Go in there to lurk and menace,” she instructed Myra with a point of her finger towards the door. “Make a scene of it being fatally serious that I am here and make a note of who jumps and who gets curious.”
Perhaps a strange order to give directly in front of Augustus, but the man surely was wise enough to understand what she was up to within his potential den of traitors.
“By your lead, let us speak specifics.” she mumbled once turning to the man directly.
There was nothing quite like watching Myra’s glee sparkle as though she was a child that had been walked into a candy store with the allowance that she could pick whatever she wanted. The second the soon to be queen mentioned that the girl could go lurk as a menace, offering in total that she was welcome to make a total scene; he wondered just how bad his shop front might look after. It was practically unleashing a hoard of muddy boars into the room with a calm nonchalance.
“As you command!” Myra even gave a salute before whirling about to slap open that swinging door with a loud, “Yoo hoo!”
Even had he wanted to control his expression, it fell no less. Muttering off something that was maybe a prayer that the typhoon of a woman wouldn’t be too disastrous but returned focus to the would be crown.
Pressing fingers across his brow before stepping back to welcome the young woman inside. Waiting for her to become comfortable in the moderate space. Granted it wasn’t anything fancy to write home about. Just that he shut the door and leaned against it. Sighing expressively loud, “The sire is… dealing with Emery? Was it her people that attacked then? I must be able to repay what they have done to one of my own after all.”
Juliette might’ve underestimated just the type of menace Myra could be… but it was well too late to reign her back in now!
She entered Augustus’ office at his beckoning, taking a quick glance around to note what was in the space. After a beat she turned back around to face the man now leaning with exasperation against the door. Regarding him with unguarded curiosity behind those pools of ebony brown.
“His initial round of questions on bodies thrown and broken sang of her second. I myself find it questionable if she is directly involved.” she admitted readily just to see his opinions. “Would seem a foolish move to so directly attack someone of mine when she’d already made such a poor first impression. Worse yet wounding those valuable to Jordan in the process. A suicidal sort of endeavor.”
“Before knowing about Dominic, such a thing did make me wonder how your side of the fence might have been involved. Seeing as my friend and I were the main attraction some days ago. It’d be easy enough to cast blame on Emery Hart and watch as the king erases her coven.”
“Are you pulling strings, Augustus?” she dared to ask out right, earnestly even, as if she hadn’t just accused him of attempting to murder Jordan’s own people and blame it on someone else! “Do you aim to follow in Jordan’s footsteps and remove your sire from power?”
It was a ballsy question even for her. But Juliette hadn’t come here to be meek and polite.
Mouth stretched into a grimace to hear even vaguely to what happened with the king. Flinging people around was not something unfamiliar. But to hear that those tossed like a salad had spoken of Zephyr, he couldn’t honestly without a narrowing scowl. That turned to a empty laugh. “You’ve not been in this business long enough to know differently. Emery and Zephyr are… what you might address as double trouble.” Where Emery was loud, Zephyr wasn’t. He was quiet. Calculated and planned his motives with due care. Something the leader of the other coven required because they knew she wasn’t going to be that. At least not from first glance.
“She may have made a poor first impression but I doubt she was ever intending on making a good one. Her and the king have history after all. Maybe it may be better to say vendetta on Emery’s side. They were turned around the same time. Both under the former king and each pitted against another like one. This,” he motioned before himself, “Is not unusual. The change in tactics is in a sense. But not fully. Zephyr is very… deliberate. However, it does feel strange no less.” He tilted attention to listen to the door. Being cautious to tell if someone was creeping up with an intention of eavesdropping.
Nodding slowly to listen to her express about how she did not know about Dominic and how of course the lady before him and her friend had been quite the attraction here. “I see your point.” It would have been a convenient cover story, now wouldn’t it. Although he was rather surprised to hear come out in that very second to accuse him.
Unsure if he was impressed or insulted. But he didn’t reply in a stark jump of refusal. Rather he considered her words with due care. Showing he was thinking rather than merely reacting. “No.” Shaking his head lightly. “To be truthful, I may have had the desire when I was first turned but after seeing what sort of things the king deals with, I’d rather take a stake to my chest. The chaos, the bickering. The nonsense back and forth. There’s a reason he is as irritable as a bear with a sore bum. When it is easier dealing with humans than your own kind, that takes a toll on you. One I am not willing take on my shoulders.” Gaze filtered across the ground. “I merely want those that are my people to be taken care of.”
Augustus looked towards the walls then, “This.” Gesturing to the room, “Is what I enjoy. Running a club that is or was safe for our kind. Which has been perverted now. I’d sooner enjoy my immortality, my lady. Rather than sign my name on a death certificate. But if you need to test me or look about, then you are welcome too. I know talk is cheap.”
Everyone was always so quick to discount Emery as some wild bratty hellcat – mostly bark, a little bite, but ultimately one that could not seem to get things moving on her own. Juliette had used these sorts of assumptions about herself often, playing up the part to let people think what they wanted while she made moves around them. Was it possible, then, Emery was vastly beyond everyone else, simply biding her time and playing things fast and loose simply because she could get away with it?
Juliette brushed her fingers under her chin, considering Augustus’ words of Emery, but more importantly about himself and the role he wished to play in this world. No desires for a heavy crown, just a place to be able to exist as he was. It at least aligned with Jordan’s vision if it were true.
“It’d benefit the covens to be one people and not separated as they are. Why do you think this blending has not gone over well? Is it the holding on to old feuds and old ways?”
Colour him a little shocked that she wasn’t demanding to be shown proof or something. Rather merely asking him another series of questions for him to deliberate. Frowning then, “Picture it like this. In this human age, there are the older generation that have successfully instilled the rules that dictates the policies and procedures of the modern world. Even the rules that are evidently archaic that provide no actually benefit to the society. But if you attempt to change that with the new age mindset, the older ones grow furious. They kick and scream and try anything they can to keep things the way they are. Making it progressively difficult for the change to happen.” The man considered her a moment before continuing. “Emery’s side of it are the old ways. My side is the new ways. We clash because our ideals do not align. Where we want to make alterations for the benefit of the coven, their side want to employ old ideals that benefit themselves.”
“Previously they were treated by the old king as one would treat nobility of the old era. They had clout. They had people beneath them and humans were no more than slaves. Able to be purchased. Slaughtered. Made as pets and such. Other younger vampires were made the same way. They were inferior and treated like servants. Emery’s coven wants those things back. That vampire should flourish. Like a boiling plague. It isn’t outside their line of thought to take humans to make them no more than cattle. Breed them so they can be devoured.” He balled one hand and opened the other as if trying to mesh the two objects together . “The ones who are underneath me simply want to live. To exist in our own way without needing to vye for power. It’s a known fact that without humans, we cannot live. We haven’t given over our humanity to disregard the world. It’s difficult to shove those perspectives together.” The man sighed heavily then, “I know Emery’s court does not like the king’s choice of not using his own prowess to dominate.” He offered a eye to that of Juliette, “This isn’t the first time that he has had someone try to usurp his current placement. But that was well over a century ago and the result had been well… bloody. In the result of that, he has certainly become more intolerant to his own people. Likely because if he keeps his distance, then it isn’t as easy to target him. And now with him taking a human wife and having a human council he trusts more… you can imagine how those who would want to throw the balance would react. If they can’t kill the king, why not kill those who are closest and loyal to him.”
Feet shuffled so he could straight his lean against the door. “Dominic was selected to be your friend’s escort last night and he was targeted as well. It seems that whomever is orchestrating this, is aware of those who may be close to you or the king.”
Most of this knowledge were things she was already aware of, at least in terms of Emery Hart and her feral coven. None of those old ways should ever return – people as cattle and vampires as slaves – that was a wretched future. If Jordan had shown even a hint of leaning towards those sorts of things, she wouldn’t be here now. She might have turned to being a snake in his garden, doing what Myra suggested and stealing his crown out from under him.
But, luck was with her and Jordan’s dream was far more akin to what Augustus declared was his intentions with his own coven. To not just survive, but thrive free of bloody war from both outside hands on their own people. If Augustus spoke truth to her, the true struggle would be winning over Emery Hart. Giving her and her coven something to work for that made them feel that pomp and royal entitlement of the old days.
It would take more than a court then. There would have to be an entire new culture of tradition.
This was going to take so much more planning than she anticipated. For now, at least, she could work with present issues. Rome wasn’t built in a day, as they say.
“Can I trust you, Augustus?” she asked simply, dropping all pretense of superior behaviors and cool conniving demeanor in favor of asking the genuine question. “Can Jordan? As things get ruffled, and those that hate the direction of his rule start taking shots at him… Is he safe with you? He can’t rely on human council alone, he needs vampire council as well. Loyal people that are unafraid of the consequences of his ambitions.”
“If somethings happens, I can call you and you will be there?”
There was so much more to this broken coven that as he tried to explain in a relatable terms to the woman before him; thoughts puckered. Guessing that her asking outright was associated with the lack of knowing these things from the king. Needing no reason to guess why he might neglect such items. They weren’t married yet and there was always the prospect that the sire may avoid opening old doors because of their lengthy brutal history.
He merely hoped that personally the can of beans being slightly cracked wasn’t about to land him into significant trouble.
All one could do now was see which way she took this information. Currently he was trying to gingerly prove that at least himself and Dominic ought to be devoid of suspicion. Naturally there was going to be a private digging into his members to figure out if one was a backstabber. Plotting alongside the other half with gleeful giggles.
Once more she was forward. Just this time it didn’t seem so frosty. Asking forthright whether or not he could be trusted for her. For the king. To explain that the very bloody knuckle of a sire needed to be able to rely on those of his own. A new council… a new coven most likely. Expressing clearly that one had to be on their side while not fearing what sort of repercussions could fall. That in the end of this, they were a reliable source that if something went right or wrong, they.. he could be present.
Brows tensed with deep thought. Searching to check the facts of her wonderments before settling the steely blues across her. “Can we trust you?” It was to be asked. “It is not meant to be offensive but you are a human. Brand new to this existence. How can I be certain that you are not double teaming this effort. Staging the attacks and then acting as the Montague to our Capulet’s? Trust goes both ways after all. I too need to assure that my coven’s survivability is ensured.”
“That is a fair question,” she admitted, finding no insult in it as she herself was there to demand these same answers. Trust was not something easily won or given and she had no illusions to think that this entire conversation was going to end with them both feeling perfectly satisfied.
Juliette considered him carefully, debating how to best respond. Myra had earned her trust tenfold, so being completely honest with her wasn’t such a risk. She’d not flat out said I love your King, I will do anything for him, but she’d still confessed how deeply she cared for him and got the point across to the girl.
Augustus, even with his reasonable explanations and candid temperament, was still a stranger to Juliette. She didn’t quite feel comfortable baring the heart of her feelings.
“Myra asked me something similar – what am I to gain from this. To put it simply, Jordan has, just by the very nature of being himself, given me everything I’ve ever worked hard for. He has even given me things I never realized I needed. It could be self interest or something else, but he has earned my respect and care, so for that his ambitions are now also mine to share. If you trust Jordan, you can trust me as I will only ever act as he wishes.”
She paused then, giving a bit of a skeptical frown.
“…Perhaps not always as he wishes. Sometimes he is unreasonable and we’ve argued. I am supportive, but I have opinions of my own and won’t be swept up in something malicious. It is luck that we want the same things.”
It could have been very easy for her to scoff. To point out that she was to be the one standing beside the presiding royal and that his question was unfavourable. How she could had just taken what he said about even suggesting a finger pointed to her about arranging this attack the night prior as a distraction right to the very king. And, such things would have come tumbling down.
Instead she told him it was a fair question.
She truly was that of a business woman, was she not. Looking at him with concentration to debate her reply. How much to give so it would soothe his thoughts but not to pardon them completely. Honestly, he was unsure if she was a poisonous viper lying in the grass or if she was a sheep amongst wolves. Just that this sheep was a demon rather than wolf.
One could only imagine what the walls said about the woman. The king. His council of mortals.
They were waiting for what could have been a lifetime before she begun to speak. Declaring that the king had simply given her a respite to do what she needed without her knowledge of original comprehension. That there was respect and a desire to better things around them. That if he could trust the king, she by extension could as well.
Only to correct herself momentarily. Drawing a slight smirk on his face to find her not so blind to follow along. “You are already swept up in something malicious. You’re in the underworld, my lady. A place full of bloodsuckers.” He cared to point out but sighed no less. “Yes, I trust the king. Had I not, I would not comply with his decrees in my best behaviour. I have spurred his ire before and do not wish to again. Unlike some, I learn quickly.” Augustus exhaled somewhat before pressing lips into a line. “I have a list of people from that night you and your friend came here. With Dominic recuperating, I can go over the list of names with you. I know my coven but there will be names on there that are unfamiliar. As you know this establishment also entertains those who… enjoy being part of a vampire’s feast. Of course they assume it is fetish based rather than reality. So the list will not be conclusive to know everything but it is a step forward. Dominic is a better at keeping an eye on everyone but… your dog,” He pointed to the door that was a surefire reference to Myra, “May know the names of those who I don’t. It is part of the council’s expectation to know who is on either side of the split coven. Where Myra may not know, Eden would.”
If Juliette could trust her instincts, Augustus felt like someone who could be a solid and trustworthy part of an inner court. If only she could trust! She’d made a terrible mistake before in trusting David and now he was loose out there, potentially with full knowledge of vampire existence, with no predictability on how he might use that to his advantage.
Which made her wonder, could he be involved with last night? Seems impossible any vampire would trust a mortal man with their plottings. but then… if he had designs on becoming a vampire himself, and he being such a simple and easy wildcard, he was easy to use as a weapon to sow chaos and confusion.
Juliette hated Jordan’s inclinations to slaughter and murder all problems off the planet, but what would they do if things got out of control? Throw scores of people into underground dungeons? Farfetched!
“Until I myself come to know the people in both covens and beyond, the list will be wasted with me.” she admitted first and foremost. Juliette could stomp and demand all the facts she wanted, but without the context it was truly useless. To her and to all of them. It was best left to the people who knew how to use it.
“Keep it for yourself, Myra, and Dominic. You can bring it to Jordan or I when there is concrete information. I will be making efforts to get myself acquainted with the entire scope of Jordan’s present council.”
With that her posture changed to something a little more relaxed, and with a tilt of her head and a small gesture, she pointed to the door.
“For now, we ought to see if Myra’s menacing has successfully shaken up your lurkers. Time to let them know that the Queen has not come here to start setting fires.”
The arching of the brow was mostly involuntary to the fact she was saying not to bring the list to her. Taking a thought to consider this action but decided if she wasn’t that interested to learn the difference from her current assigned lackey then he wasn’t going to bulldoze her with insistence. Merely nodding to take her suggestion as a fact right now.
Instead he gave her a slow consideration at the mention that she was going to make efforts to familiarize herself with the human council. Begging the unspoken question, had she not met them all yet? Searching his own thoughts as if he ought to know where the four… three of them were. One was currently in his bar! “As you wish.” Relenting easily enough, he might have felt a little relief watching her posture shift.
Yet it was temporary. For his own tensed and sagged in quick succession. “You may not have but Myra may.” It seemed then and there very important to move! Stepping away from the door so it might be tugged open for them to exit. Himself making that first motion in a uncertainty that his front may in literal flames. Managing a glance back to the future queen before swinging through the door so he could lay eyes upon the view that was thankfully, kosher.
There weren’t that many of his coven here. Three, with Phil being the one most curious as he sat currently at the barside while Myra took up a lounging position. Elbows crooked over the polished bar top while two other vampires were currently seated at a nearby table. Each seemingly holding the same uncertainty about the human present that was an extension of the king. “Is everything alright?” Reda, an older vampiress took notice of him while making some dodgey looks to the human.
He held his hands out to motion calm, “All is well. You… did behave, Myra?”
“I always behave!”
“Hm, I am not sure about that,” murmured Juliette in response to Myra’s declaration with some amusement.
Keeping a reasonable distance from Augustus, as to not appear like a following puppy or a looming inspector, Juliette had taken up that imperious countenance again. Giving the open room a curious glance over. Being the start of the day, the lights weren’t dropped to their usual mood ambience. There wasn’t the loud pulsing of music, or the throngs of people tucked at all the tables.
The ones that were there, she could assume were part of Augustus’ coven.
Nothing appeared to be amiss as well, lending Juliette to wonder if Myra had even created any chaos or if just her mere presence lurking and smirking was enough!
“Augustus has graciously confirmed that things here will be comfortable for me when I need it,” she explained to Myra. “Jordan will be pleased to know that he can focus his full attention towards those that’ve recently stretched his tempestuous patience to it’s limits.”
She turned to Augustus with her brightest and best of charming smiles. Not for his sake, but rather for the ones watching in the room, or lurking about where she might not see.
“He wants me to focus my own attention on the wedding and developing my business in preparation for his own plans overseas. However, I do intend to divert some of my time in getting to know your coven – and the others – on a more personal basis.”
There was a impish squint back to the queen that Myra offered. Teasing on its edges but it seemed to hold just a little bit more than he could rightly examine. Merely that his few coven members in the room appeared to be rather well… startled with both human’s presence. Unsure if it was because of Myra or if it was because this was the queen yet to become in their vicinity. Only that he noticed how Philip stared and Reda lowered her eyes to merely steal glances at her counterpart, Fern. Shifting uncomfortably like they were waiting for a scolding of some sort.
Making him wonder just what sort of things had the advisor said. Potentially playing mind games over ones that resulted in barstools being toppled and bottles cracked!
“Ah, so you’re guna be a good egg then Augustus.” The one turned to sink her greenish brown eyes at him. Looking more like a pleased cat more than ever.
“I didn’t know I had warranted a bad egg bounty.” Momentarily they shared little more than a unspoken thought while the woman turned her focus back to the speaking queen. Mentioning how the king would be settled with the idea that he could direct his focus more so on those who warranted it. Something about that phrasing made them all uncomfortable. Noticeably twitching.
Where he found the queen looking to him with a broad smile. Having to withhold a frown that wanted to echo after. “I am sure we all could do well with learning who you are, my lady. Rather than theories and rumours.”
“Why?” Fern spoke up then. Turning in his seat to present the view of chocolate orbs at her. Squinting suspiciously as one might expect. “What is it you want from us when you’re not one of us?” Augustus sighed while Myra made a stern point at the man. Like that would cease his tongue. “So far, you’ve proven little that would suggest you even intend to be one way or the other to which ever coven you select with the king. So what purpose is it for you to know us on a personal basis?”
“I’ve been asked that question three times in the past twenty-four hours, and frankly I am growing tired of having to repeat myself.” she responded first, not giving off even a single ounce of frustration in her appearance, even if her tone was harsh.
That one got the full brunt of her stare right back, no balking, no squirmy. Just her full undivided attention.
“I suppose you thought Jordan Harrow was going to marry some halfwit mortal woman, take her for everything she was worth, then stash her up in his bedroom never to be seen or heard from again. How boring of a fate for a man that killed the former king, obliterated ancient rule, and became king himself. Married to a mouse in a tower.”
“I would not be here now if Jordan did not want me to be his Queen in every. single. sense. of the word.” she put it quite simply, with every emphasis. They could draw from that as they wanted! “I will get to know you as he knows you, perhaps even moreso, as I will be his council should he ask for it.”
“What Jordan wants is what I want. What I get would make your ears burn, so perhaps don’t ask a lady such personal questions.”
It was likely a good thing she was repeating herself because he could have said whatever in her absence, but for her to speak up to a few of his coven members? Well it meant the word would spread faster and with a creditability to it that this was what she meant. But even as she made it abundantly clear she was no wall flower to be held up in an ivory tower, not everyone was liable to wilt back after her words.
Perhaps he should have warned about Fern. For the man listened but he turned further amongst the chair to meet the eye of the human woman. Glaring purposefully at her. “I couldn’t care less if you were prostrated on your knees night and day servicing the king as if he were a new car running out of oil on a daily basis,”
“Fern—” Reda reached to pat his hand with no avail.
“You come trotting in here like you have any real command as of yet and bring a bulldog alongside with you.” His stare shot at Myra as if the suggestion she was a dog of some sort was meant to be insulting, but she merely grinned. Looking pleased. “But you know nothing of what we as people deal with. Your would be husband is no better. You speak of he killed the former, obliterated ancient rule to use your own words, but if you have not realized that things have become even more topsy turvy since you’ve come here. So yes, a mouse would be better. At least she would shut up and stay in her damn tower while the king acts like a fool while punishing the wrong side.”
He made a step forward with a hand pressing upon the air. “Settle Fern. The lady has not come to seek us out like foxes at a hunt. We all have grievances that will need to be brought to life but we must take this as a chapter of forward momentum.” Augustus sighed shortly kneading fingers upon brow.
“You’ve not really given a reason for Jordan to trust either side for the past while. Just saying.” The other spoke then looking between the group of souls, “Don’t sit there and pretend that the Steele Coven hasn’t been recently slapped for rebel fangs digging into human necks the previous years. Adding to your ranks.” Myra pointed out, “Maybe he handled it in a more aggressive way than you may have cared for but it isn’t as though you’ve instilled faith either.”
Fern’s face scowled but before it could open again, it was him that cut it off. “Don’t press what you won’t be able to handle, Fern. There is a time to voice your opinions but treating Juliette as if she is the scapegoat to your frustrations will not be met with success.” A light turn was made to the woman, “As you can see, there are some of us that are not so swift to feel the belief that our own king believes in us either.”
There it was, the raised hackles of an unsettled someone ready for a fight – and Juliette was more than willing to give it to them. They didn’t have to like the idea of her as their Queen, but no one got to speak to her like she was a cheap whore. No mortal, no vampire. That one – his name was Fern, she would remember – was going to understand that she was not one to be bullied with crass words.
She even took in a deep breath and softly squared her shoulders, with a stare like ice… but it seemed Augustus and Myra both were quicker to step in.
Maybe it was for the best. Allowing herself to be baited to insult wouldn’t do any of them any good.
“…it is fair to be frustrated and frightened by my sudden appearance and involvement,” she went with instead. Choosing the words carefully. “By the very nature of me existing, being here now, making the effort to reach out – that is a sign that the status quo is changing. That Jordan himself is seeking a change. Let it be for something constructive.”
It was apparently to likely everyone in the room that Fern was neither placated or even willing to believe what was being said. Offering his glowering expression to be full testimony to just that. Leaving him nothing more than to sigh and to offer an apologetic look to that of Juliette. By no means did he expect her to have to soothing words to give but in turn he didn’t believe she deserved to be snipped at because his own coven was restless with what was happening and what was not.
Leaving it to Reda to pat the man’s hand in a vague attempt to stop his mouth from opening in snarling rips once more. Whether it was working or not wasn’t obvious.
Phil had managed to just look as confused as always, giving a slight jump as Myra helped herself off the barstool. Brushing hands down her form for any nonexistent wrinkles, “Is there anything else you want to do here then Juliette?” Asked the advisor even though he could feel her gaze peering at him. “Let me know how Dominic is too by the way. I’d worry if he didn’t make a recovery.” Funnily he trusted those words.
Earning a tip of head to suggest he would do as so. “You know where we are my lady. If you wish to speak with the coven, you simply have but to ask. I just ask for a little bit of scheduling so I might be able to round up the fullness of my flock is all.”
“Thank you for your time, Augustus. I’ll be sure to give fair warning for my next visit,” she agreed easily. Nothing but politeness and respect for the coven leader. By the grace of her will, she did her best not to sneak Fern a squinting scowl.
She made her exit with Myra quickly, without any additional parting words, and without even speaking to Myra herself once they were outside. In fact, Juliette remained congenially quiet up until she plopped herself into the passenger’s side and slammed the door closed.
“The emblazoned crass little shit,” she cursed, resting her handbag on her knees so she could shake her fingers out and with it the simmering fury she’d been holding in. “Antagonistic cries of a keening child, rude, presumptuous..!”
She may have growled a few more curses under her breath, but at least the momentary rant gave her the release she needed to finally catch her breath. Of course she didn’t expect them to immediately trust and respect her, but she also was not about to let anyone talk to her as if she were worth nothing!
Jordan’s idea of throwing them from balconies sounded better and better!
“I might need several drinks to get me through future meetings,” she muttered darkly.
One’s rump had only touched the surface of the seat before head was jerking over to offer an long muted stare to the fiery scathing comments that readily flew out of the woman’s mouth. Tugging her own up to the corners with a slight amusement. Having expected Juliette to be barely out the Iron Dog’s doors cursing the sort of welcoming she had gotten from one of their members within. Honestly she had better hold of her tongue that one could give her credit for! Certain a talent that was deserving an applaud.
Waiting till the maid of heated fury calmed enough that Myra could actually let out a jubilant giggle. “Hey, one out of four isn’t bad. I thought you might have Reda also commenting but she kept herself hushed up.” Laying fingers out over the middle console of the car to drum upon, she leaned a bit closer with that wily smirk still imprinted upon lips. “Oh it wasn’t that bad. I’m sure you’ve had worse before. Fern’s just you know… what the hell do you call those dogs that posh women that have never worked a serious job in their life but married for money carry around in their purses. One of those. Yap yap yap. He’s all talk, very little bit. Funny for a vampire.” She clicked her tongue for measure, “Just give him a whap on the nose and he’ll shut up right quick.”
“He will get more than just a whap on the nose if he puts himself within range of my fist,” she warned.
Thankfully it was not Fern whose cooperation she needed most, but that of Augustus Steele. The man appeared to be open an willing to be on board with Jordan’s future plans. Juliette needed to know them, but she didn’t need to micromanage all the individuals. Augustus would manage his coven and be sure to have them fall in line.
She hoped, anyway.
“I dread an eventual meeting with Emery Hart and her minions. I fear I’ll have to attend covered in armor and carrying a beheaded skull just to make the impression.”
Giggling at the mere image of Juliette bopping Fern on his nose with a five finger clench, it was worth the snigger. Unable to suppress it even had she wanted too. Sure that the other would deserve it while knowing that a blackened nose would be getting off light by comparison. Certainly able to think of ways that had Jordan known about such a insult to his fiancée, just how Fern might want to be punched rather than anything the king decided.
But that would sort of only lead into the fact that Jordan wasn’t cordial with his own people. A thing Fern complained about!
“I mean you could do that anyways. I am sure it would give them something to talk about for sure. Give you the Juliette the Impaler vibe.” Motioning her hands in front of herself like some sort of framing shot for a camera. “Though I also don’t think Jordan would let you visit Emery without him. So that will be fun!” Hands came to rest on the steering wheel, “Any other stops or can I take you home now so Hannah doesn’t have to sit in her room making a investigation board together for her to explain what she knows and conspiracy theories to pop up?
Juliette was fairly certain Jordan would rather wrap up Emery in tape and bubble wrap to drop her off at Juliette’s feet, than to allow Juliette to walk into whatever debaucherous hellhole Emery Hart and her coven lurked in. Although, now that it was brought up in her mind, it did have her wondering all sorts of things about how Emery spends her days.
Things were stressful enough. Time could be made for that later.
Leaning back into her seat with a sigh and a snap of her seatbelt, Juliette nodded her head.
“I just need my dress for Jordan’s charity auction event to be picked up and then home is quite fine. Thankfully Hannah isn’t spinning conspiracies, she’s just wrapped up in what she’s going to do for Felix. If she finds out where he is, I fear she is going to show up there in a nurse’s scrubs and attempt to cheer him up with torrid bedtime stories.”
“Address for dress.” She asked then seeing as there would be a need for that less she was supposed to drive around for one now. Which could be fine, taking Juliette to places that were likely not her cup of tea. Rather her own. Surely the miss dame beside her could pull off some bright fashion colour with a hint of pastel goth for the charity auction.
Surely.
Actually scratch that. While she didn’t think Juliette couldn’t, she didn’t want to be killed later because her signature would be all over whatever was chosen.
Whew! A bad idea avoided.
“I mean that’s nice, but why she getting all up in arms about Felix? Sure he got shot but I am sure he’s had worse when he was working as an officer.” She said but she had no real idea. It wasn’t as if him and her sat over a tea kettle sharing such tea with another. “Granted now I’m kinda tempted to casually drop the line to where he is at just so she can go share torrid bedtime stories. Only cause I am sure Felix would try to make his hospital bed either roll out of the room or do that cartoon snap in half where he is stuck inside.”
With a slight turn of said wheel so they could leave the parking lot of the Iron Dog, Myra couldn’t resist a giggle herself. “Well maybe if she is focused on Felix’s recovery, she won’t be pressed to be eyeballing Augustus then.”
Juliette pulled her phone out of her handbag so she could recite off the address for Myra. She’d already gone through the fitting yesterday morning before her date with Jordan, so all that was necessary was stepping inside to retrieve the finished dress. It’d be no surprise to anyone that Juliette had all of her clothes tailored to fit perfectly. There likely wasn’t a single off-the-rack item in her entire wardrobe.
On the question of Hannah, Juliette herself looked just as astounded by the whole thing while, at the same time really wasn’t.
“He must have triggered her hunting instincts – matchmaking. Which means the poor fool must’ve or did something stoic and gloomy that pulled her little heart strings, and now she must scour the world finding his one true love. Conveniently being too busy to focus on her own dating life, which does hopefully mean she’ll no longer be so curious about Augustus.”
Having a soft laugh about it herself, it did remind her of her own budding love affair and Myra’s role within it.
“Amidst the chaos, I didn’t have the chance to thank you for your advice about Jordan. We did have an exquisite day and I’ll spare you the details… but the little things truly do make a difference. His auction event for Rosendrey is for business appearances, of course, yet I think those sorts of events might actually be fun moments for us to do the coupley things.”
“Good lord. I am not sure if I pity Felix if he did manage to do some sort of depressed conversational piece, or if I am in awe. Since he isn’t the sort to talk much about you know, personal things. Less you irritate the hell out of him.” Case and point, what she was really good at. Using the near like sibling behaviour to just get under ones skin where they were practically writhing to get her away. Anything to make sure she left! Even if that meant giving up the ghost to what she may have wanted to know. Although in this case to hear Felix might be chased by Hannah’s cupid’s bow and arrow, she did wonder. Was that a good thing?
It was for distracting her from Augustus but how much would Felix appreciate it.
One could only wait to see.
Between these thoughts came the gratitude from Juliette. Warranting a few bewildered blinks to remember just what she had said about Jordan that was useful. Shortly nodding and shrugging. “He acts all like I’m the terror of the night but the guy is still as human as the next person. I’m just glad it helped for you both. And thank you for sparing details. Hearing such things is akin to hearing your grandparent’s still do it.” A shudder ran her spine with pure disgust. Frowning in effect.
Yet curiosity still piqued. “Coupley things. At an business event. Goodness you do that Juliette and you’ll soon be on the front page of the newspaper cause they ain’t got nothing else to gossip about!”
Juliette laughed again, bright and jovial… now finding all the tenseness of the impromptu meeting was starting to melt away a bit. Things weren’t perfect, but neither were things out of control. Little progresses were getting her in the right directions.
There was a bit of a mischievous side glance to Myra’s direction, a flicker of eyes examining the green haired girl’s features. Myra oozed sibling energy towards just about everyone in her life – or at least as far as Juliette had seen. She herself didn’t have siblings, though Hannah gave her a sense of familiar comradery as teasing friends.
She couldn’t quite tease Jordan yet, without him taking things as serious wounds… but Myra was fair game!
“Oh yes, they’re going to write up all sorts of things if we’re particularly affectionate. Honestly, it’s the best thing for both of us, as the Byron name needs to sound like it’s flourishing. And for Rosendrey, well… they’ll need proof Jordan is starting a happy family, so the next time his doppelganger great grandchild appears, there won’t be any suspicions.”
Juliette gave a slight nod, seeming to now be considering it deeply.
“We’ll have to be especially handsy. Gratuitous kissing, of course. I suppose someone should catch us falling out of a closet somewhere as well… Goodness, perhaps Fern had some good suggestions for servicing a king.”
“Oh wow.” Dryly she rolled her eyes, “Such a newspaper that writes such tales must really be going under.” For added measure she stuck her finger close to her mouth. Gagging effectively on such nonsense. Even if it was likely for good measure that the two of them had such people wrapped around their little fingers. Better to keep them thinking about how to known mogul houses were coming together. Rather than the background noise that was far juicer.
Yet Juliette did that damn thing that while she was attempting to be her every so lovable self, the other made a perfect comment. Disturbing the means of being a bratty adoptive sibling that no one wanted in their right mind, to start laughing. Cackling actually. Due to the mention of Fern. “Yes, I am sure he might have some ideas. I think you should employ him as a love guru to offer you ideas on how best to serve the king. Because you know, that would keep your mouth full.”
Immediate regret was present. “Okay, now I may gag. I grossed myself out.”
“I imagine he must think about it a lot to have such colorful suggestions,” she responded with another laugh of her own. That vampire would be seething to know they were both cackling like teenage girls at his expense. Better yet still that Myra had icked herself out on top of it.
“I am so sorry, Myra. Will it help to know that I am certain your vampire king is as pure as any delicate maiden? That he is nothing but soft touches and sweet words, nary a single filthy, dirty though in his head.”
Oh, Juliette was sure that wasn’t true. Jordan knew how to slip out a comment here and there that gave her pause and made her flush. But she also felt that she herself was perhaps more than Jordan had bargained for! SHe’d have delightful good fun discovery things along the way.
She was kind enough to not mention those things to Myra.
“I’ll admit, though, that having Jordan as my date to all of these endless events will make them far more enjoyable. We will entertain each other.”
“It clearly weighs on his mind. I mean I was a surprised he was so expressive with his details as is. Surely he has some tricks up his sleeve.” Granted she didn’t need to expand on such thoughts because in mere seconds she said too much. Making herself feel slightly ill to the stomach with mind being too bold to present a mere image. Wishing she could wash that away! Just now it was going to haunt her until she went blind from the inside out!
Yet to hear Juliette speak, it surely wasn’t helping. “Um ew? Why would that help. Thinking about it at all is just nasty. Jordan may be the vampire king but he’s like a brother. And that’s things you don’t wanna think about. If I could drink bleach knowing it would fix the images in my head, I’d be guzzling it down by the liters.” Features scrunched and eyes tensed. Not sure she wanted ot hear anything about their sex life. Good, bad, in-between? No thank you!
“All that matters is you both make each other happy. I can live with that. And I would guess the two of you would be like two mischievous teenagers at these events. Talking low and making cracks at others expense. Granted I wanna see how long it takes before Jordan clams up and hermit’s himself away because these types of events are the things that makes him so socially undesirable.”
It was a difficult choice in deciding how far to test the limits of teasing with Myra, but wisely Juliette decided to let the poor girl be. More for Juliette’s own sake, as she suspected there would be retribution in the future should Myra ever discover all of the ways to get under her skin.
For the time being, she merely smiled, comfortable with the conversation and the company… with just a slight bit of missing Jordan, even thought it’d not even been half a day since she saw him that morning. If those feelings were starting now, what was she going to do when they both had to travel away for business! They couldn’t take every trip together, even if they wanted to!
“I honestly don’t blame him for being so moody and unsociable. I do love to plan events, and seeing them carried out… but the whole song and dance of attending is exhausting. Having to smile and posture, say exactly the right things to be both flattering and socially acceptable. And all of it can be ten times worse if there is someone there along with you that undermines you at every turn.”
“Come on now, there’s moody and unsociable and then Jordan is in his own league. At the way he goes I wouldn’t be surprised if he somehow learns to explode into a thousand bats like Dracula to evade such interactions.” Myra chuckled finding the whole idea highly entertaining. “Granted the way you are explaining it all, I feel myself withering away with the prospect of being that sociable.”
Naw, they could keep their business fronts to themselves. Yet out of the blue whilst she was making a turn so they might shorten this length to go and gather up the dress for said venue, the thought appeared. “I know all this stuff is messy and up in the air but… do you think your ex might be involved in some way with last night? I know, random thought.”
Somehow, it was far too easy to imagine Jordan being able to burst into a cloud of bats. Did that say more about her future fiancé or about Juliette herself? At least the telekinesis was something she could handle, shapeshifting into different creatures might’ve been a step too far!
The question of David came up, almost as if Myra had been spying into Juliette’s earlier thoughts, causing the women to give the girl a curious bit of side eye before she frowned and turned it over in her head again.
“At face value it seems unlikely. Something as blatant as a public scene on a city street isn’t his style. Moreso I couldn’t see any proud vampire sorts wanting to take direction from a human, even if it aligned with their goals. And yet…” Juliette paused, shifting idly in her seat as that frowned deepened.
“He knew about Jordan before I knew – I suspect even before my first meeting with Jordan. He could have easily had my father talking about events pertaining to me. Investigating Jordan enough to discover his secrets is possible. Worse, I can see him charming his way into a coven’s good graces to get himself turned. A vampire lifestyle – at least in those wretched old ways that’ve been described – would very much be to his whims.”
She’d warned Jordan already that if David were turned, he’d be a true problem. The secrecy, the games of chess with living people, blood and violence would be an intoxicating mix he couldn’t resist. And being someone who so enjoyed playing the long game, of getting others to do the dirty deeds for him, of manipulating things so fingers were never pointed in his direction… Street attacks were not his style, but creating discord and chaos from a distance absolutely was. To think David was somehow puppeteering vampires was a terrifying thought.
Honestly had she not been sent to pick up some information about said ex, she might not have even considered David on this short list. However, she was there with Felix. Getting some details on a man that was shadier than anything she could ever imagine. Dealings that most people wouldn’t have without a sense of guilt or at least in some sort of mafia ring. But he made it seem so nonchalant on paper.
With the mention that the man knew what Jordan was before Juliette, well… how could you just brush it off that he wasn’t some sort of culprit. Especially with a ugly little tidbit that the old ways of the vampires was very much to the man’s whims.
It only made her think. If that was the case, then Jordan would likely be a target to try and remove from his seat of power. Anyone associated with him would be a perfect candidate like worms for birds in the open. “I think this is all the more reason to suspect him. If he knew Jordan was a vampire before you potentially with the addition that your own best friend was nearly dog chow last night… the only vampires that new of Hannah were those at the bar. And from what I understand, the list was that of Augustus own. So far it seems Augustus is off the roster of party poopers. Would it be so unlikely that David might have found a partner willing to do what he wants without his hands getting dirty. You heard Fern. There are vampires who aren’t happen with how the coven is managed now, who is to say that there isn’t someone offering sweet nothings to those who feel Jordan is abandoning them for humans.”
“There is no shortage of suspects, that is for certain,” admitted Juliette. It was as easy to connect dots and place single blame on David as it was to Emery or her second. People who were all front and center, easy to see, and just as easy to take out should vengeance and fury be aimed in their direction. It might very well be true! A combination of all of the above, a messy, coincidental mash of everyone’s agenda to ruin Jordan – or herself – all collectively deciding to take them down at the same time.
That made the most sense to her, in the moment. Juliette finally found something worthwhile and was doing her damndest to hold onto it, so of course the universe would try to take it away.
“Time will tell at any rate. This problem of vampires feeling abandoned and neglected by their king is at least something I can help remedy in the here and now. Though, I suspect Jordan is not going to like it. The longer he tries to shield me from vampire business, the longer they have to brood and believe he’s given all his favors to human matters. We’ll have to show them that isn’t the case. To give them the same ridiculous pomp and theater we give these wealthy CEOs for their time and money.”
Oh, he was going to absolutely hate the idea, Juliette knew! These things were exhausting enough just with bored socialites and tired old men! Yet, if these vampires wanted to be treated as something quite special and get the attention they wanted from their king, well… that was something Juliette knew how to do.
“I like a good mystery like any other but the amount of suspects is too many. Acting like a murder mystery with a outrageous shitty plotline.” Scowling at the whole means of it. With so many suspects as Juliette said, there was likely just as many who weren’t and should be considered. Making this a rogue game of whose that ringleader.
Grunting no less at the suggestion that time would tell. Likely it would, who had more time in the world than the immortal bloodsuckers! Which in turn gave them plenty of time to be furiously upset about how Jordan seemed to be siding with those who were technically food.
Humans are friends, not food.
Moreover to hear this woman beside her express that she had a plot in mind that her near a half millennia old fiancé wasn’t going to like, she could only guess at the idea. Not really wanting to get anywhere near being right. “You know he’s shielding you because you might be the first real thing he gives a shit about, right? I’ve seen how he looks at you. It won’t be long before he starts getting all gooey in ways that would surely melt the earth.” Ick.
They turned once more into a new parking lot that would be the ostentatious frock shop that Juliette could pick up her newest selection, “Alright, let’s get your dress and don’t you get any ideas of playing Barbie with me in there, madam!”
Juliette was oh so tempted to asked Myra exactly how Jordan had been looking at her. She wished it was simply because having Myra agonized over explaining it would be good fun, but it seemed there was a twinging little butterfly in her stomach that truly just wanted to know.
Being a benevolent queen, she spared Myra the torment of thinking more on her brotherly figure. Instead, focusing instead on her other statement – which, now that Myra had put it in her mind – may not be a bad idea at all. Juliette climbed out of the car, frowning in Myra’s direction as she gazed the girl’s current attire up and down.
“…It would be a convenient moment to make sure you have something proper for the wedding. I can’t imagine Jordan has thought to dictate what you should be wearing as his Best Lady, and the least we could do is be sure you matched Hannah.”
Upon exit of said car, she could feel those eyes. Giving her the up and down, inviting her to scroll scowling scrunch of a stare back at said woman. Lingering in every second of it merely waiting for what sort of devilish delight fell out of mouth.
And it was truly horrible. “I’d be careful with how you go about this. Remember, that I could persuaded Hannah that we would absolutely adorable together in a pair of bright neon green buffalo plaid onesies, while we walk up the aisle. I’d even put my hair into a faux hawk like some metal head banger.” Would she do that, maybe? It all depended on just what this vixen of a woman thought on trying to get her to try. “If it has frills or beads, I’m out. No bright pastels,” Finger lifted with pointing suggestion, wiggling at its tip. “All Jordan said was I had to come in nice clean formal attire. Even specified the formal part, so gotta cut him some credit there!”
“Hannah likes the spectacle of romantic bridesmaid dresses, you wouldn’t win on that one.” Not that Juliette doubted in the slightest that Myra might attempt such a fate. Though she wondered if Myra knew how quickly Juliette would request Jordan to wiggle his fingers and send Myra’s unfashionable buffalo onesie with the girl still in it straight into the ocean for ruining the aesthetic of her wedding.
A wedding she was growing to care a great deal about, despite the fact the ceremony itself was nothing but a show for the world to see.
Juliette acquiesced with a sigh.
“If not pastels, as would’ve matched Hannah quite nicely, then at least make it a deep navy blue. Especially if Jordan chooses a suit in black or grey. That would balance things quite nicely and match my color scheming…”
Without doing any shopping for Myra, she might’ve had the girl wait outside in the car for how little time it took to walk inside and speak with the clerk. Though she suspected Myra might’ve insisted the escort, after the nonsense of last night. Her wedding dress itself hadn’t quite been finished in the tailoring (as expected), but the handoff of a black garment bag with her charity gown took mere moments. As tempted as Juliette was to micromanage the attire of Myra Castiel, there were too many things on Juliette’s agenda to be play dressup with the girl.
Today.
It was her turn to look at the other, “Your to be husband would unlikely dress in anything but black or grey. So I think you will be satisfied with me selecting something of colour even if it is muted.” She offered as maybe a sense of peace but not without a grin. And a pointing of finger, “Though don’t think I could try to win over Hannah. After all that’s happened, I have a feeling all I would have to do is mention irritating Jordan somehow and she might be on board with my schemes.” Maybe she was out on a ledge here to think that Hannah might have a strong distaste now for the vampire king.
After what happened, it might have been apt too. Considering Juliette has orchestrated a lie about him being some type of old royalty that was wrapped up in dangerous politics. With her best friend being wed into it.
Who would love that?
For now she would merely relent. Playing eyeballs while the transaction of getting garment bag was made and her to lend final stare. “Back to the manor now so you may rest and fantasize ways of revenge at your leisure?”
“You have learned my habits so quickly,” murmured Juliette in response to vengeance. After all, it was ever lurking there in the back of her mind, to snatch up everyone that was creating problems for her now and make sure they were so busy being tormented that they didn’t have time to show their face again. It was a mean, vicious little part of herself she allowed to fester for too long, and now that she was trying to distance herself from it the world was attempting to try her very patience!
If it were this difficult for her to battle darker inclinations, it must’ve been ten fold for Jordan who had lived battling his demons for centuries. What might have happened to them both if they’d ended up in the hands of other people?
Following Myra back to the car with her gown in tow, Juliette pushed all those thoughts aside to focus on present problems. Hannah being one of them, whether Juliette wanted to admit it or not. Though Jordan gave his permission to tell the girl the full truth about him, Juliette wasn’t so sure that was the safest course. Not for Jordan’s sake, but for Hannah herself who didn’t deserve to get dragged into this world she never asked for. It could mean cutting ties with Hannah, which made her heart ache at the thought. But what else was she to do? Assign the woman permanent guardians to follow her around the world as if she were some medieval princess?
Belted into her seat once again with dress stashed in the back, Juliette gave a grimace.
“…Maybe it’s for the best if she did decide to avoid our political dramas outright and declined future visits. Writing about drama is certainly not the same thing as living it. I’m honestly surprised she’s choosing to stay for the wedding and hasn’t already booked a flight home.”
Brows were given a playful wiggle at the surmising knowledge that said habits had been discovered and noted. Saying nothing to it seeing as she likely had seen far worse from other people and Jordan wasn’t even one of the top ten on that list. Surprisingly!
Humans were just as nasty if not worse than vampires in many ways. The worse type of monster after all was the one that was completely human. Because one could see themselves in that reflection so much easier.
However as they piled back into the car for the intention of returning to manor, Juliette said something that was maybe a bit odd to her. Merely pausing a second the start up of the car to look at said girl. “You aren’t giving your friend a lot of credit are you? Hannah’s a big girl contrary to what you might think. I think this is a better sign to show who is your true friend and who isn’t. One that bails so quickly may have never had your interest at heart, and yet Hannah is here. Amidst it all. You might wanna give that a strong consideration when it seems you are used to people tossing you away like trash when something awry happens.”
Leaning back in her seat, Juliette gave Myra a bit of examining side-eye for the council she most certainly did not ask for. On things that she very much wished Myra wasn’t so astute about. Either the woman was a quick study when it came to figuring people out, or Juliette herself had not been the sealed tight book of unreadability as she’d always thought.
“Her deciding to stay is exactly what I am concerned about,” confessed Juliette. “I am a terror and I’m quite comfortable in that role. Finding myself in a world of monsters was no shock to me, I may as well have been born for it.”
Honestly, the real shock was that she’d bolted from David at the thought of marrying him, and a future that was surely going to lead down the road to real and true vicious villainy. Only for her to want marry a vampire and now be plotting how best to wrangle and manage creatures that literally had people for dinner! How much irony was that!
“If she stays, it’s only a matter of time before she’s involved. She’ll get to choose to stay or not, and I’m so afraid that she might indeed stay! Then what am I to do? Crushes on Augustus, drinking with Dominic – good lord, matchmaking vampires. That is where it’ll lead! Kidnappings and matchmakings and I am not sure there are enough babysitters in the world to keep her out of trouble once she’s stepped into it.”
She could be side eyed all she wanted. It merely meant that she said something that struck its point. Lending her the chance to properly start up the car once more so she could be the diligent chauffeur once more. Avoiding smirking too much to prove that she was a fiendish little scouter that picked up far more than her appearance maybe suggested. In turn this gave Juliette plenty of time to think.
And to reply.
Surprisingly not interrupting as she might have originally thought too. Listening rather as the women in the passenger seat suggested she was quite comfortable in a role of a terror. She ought to be. Had she not been, Jordan likely would have put her in an ivory tower to play Rapunzel. To call her pretty little head off under song and furry critter friends. While the vampire king did what he wanted originally!
Now that Juliette was a good balance for said real beast, they were likely going to be a very dynamic and problematic duo. Just one could only hope they wouldn’t sit with their wine glasses behind closed doors cackling into hands with devious deeds done.
“Well, maybe this is a good thing. You might be comfortable being a terror but everyone needs that opposite to keep them grounded. Hannah is vicious in her own right and sweet in every aspect. Who knows, if she does matchmatching vampires, she might be more fearsome than you or Jordan.” Myra giggled at that, “Look, what I am saying here is it’s a good thing you have a good friend beside you Juliette. You don’t need to be a villain after all and Hannah will make sure of that.” That grin grew, “Is it truly such a burden that people care and love you for who you are, regardless of what you are getting too?”
“Myra Castiel, you are going to regret every word of that should Hannah turn her viciously sweet attentions to finding you your very own one true love. Now, not just with the mortal world at her fingertips, but of vampires and beyond to add to her pool of eligible singles.”
Would serve the girl right being such a wretched teasing thing. To have Hannah orchestrating her madness and blowing up Myra’s texts with every attractive person she met.
This conversation didn’t ease Juliette’s fretting at all – in fact now she was even more concerned! The world was in danger!
“I should have been careful for what I wished for. At this rate, I think I might be eternally grateful to be leaving for a honeymoon and away from all of this nonsense for a time. When we’ve returned there will no doubt be dozens of vampire weddings to attend.”
She giggled. A delightful girlish sound that had no business exiting her at all. But this was far too comical not too let such a slip happen. If she thought she was threatened by Hannah finding a match made for her, Juliette really didn’t know how much she would avoid the chance. Darting around it like some rogue sock on the floor! But she could certainly find it absolutely brilliant how the queen of the damned was getting as fluffed up as a chickadee.
“Oh come on now, maybe that’s a perfect little punishment to have in your back pocket. Should they not behave, Hannah Lucas will be unleashed upon them. Love matches everywhere!” Myra popped her fingers in a few directions imitating fireworks. “The ultimate way to get your future coven to behave to their queen. Unless a rascally human author with the nose for matchmaking. Or, or maybe you just leave Hannah to fuss over Felix and not stress that she might be making a list and checking it twice.”
Juliette did not appreciate Myra’s girlish amusement with the entire matter, though she did have to admit it would be an effective torment for just about anyone. Maybe it was Hannah who should be the vampire queen, uniting covens through true love and merriment! She may be a better balance for Jordan than Juliette herself! Knowing Jordan would pull a face of horror at the very thought had Juliette struggling not to crack a smile. After all, she couldn’t give Myra any sort of encouragement in this ridiculous conversation.
“How cruel of us to leave Hannah to Felix after he’s endured so much already. He’ll never get any rest.” Juliette trusted he was being well taken care of where ever he was currently being housed, but there was that awful instinct of wanting to suggest he be moved to the house where they might keep an eye on him. Which was ridiculous, as it’d just create more work for Elisa and leave poor Felix at the mercy of Hannah’s unskilled nursing!
Jordan may have to lock her in a tower after all, just to keep her from trying to micromanage every little detail of everyone’s lives around her. One would think she was busy enough with her business itself!
“You say that but I don’t know if you mean it.” Smirking all the more. Checking to see if her passenger was actually earnest about feeling as though Felix would be truly punished if Hannah was around to help his recovery. At the very least it would provide some entertainment value for them!
At least till Felix was up and about, then he might have more than a few choice words for them all. With gestures too.
Regardless, less she beat that topic like a dead horse; one was wise to move on. Selecting various other little conversational pieces till the car itself was once more coming to a nice stationary pause in the manor’s drive way. Settling near to the other that was the home’s owner. Unsure if that was a good thing that Jordan was already back or a bad thing. Something no one could tell just by looking at the parked vehicle. Or daring a glance at the front of the house.
But being who she was well, “So how you going to explain to Jordan all came forth? Guna mention Fern’s lovely conversational piece?” Myra gave her keys a shake, “Just wanna know if I should have a getaway vehicle ready.”
Juliette too found it curious that Jordan appeared to be home already, fully expecting him to spend the day squeezing everyone he got his hands on. Wondering now if it was a good thing – maybe things had gone well – or a bad thing, and he’d opted for a quick round of murder to resolve their present problems. There was, much to her annoyance, the slightest bit of concern for the fate of Emery Hart.
She told herself that it was because if anyone should get to strangle that wretched woman, Juliette wanted to do it herself.
“Perhaps we will let Fern escape unscathed for the time being,” Juliette muttered. “A Queen’s mercy might earn favors.” With that and a heavy sigh, she gathered up her things quickly to exit the car, pausing only long enough to offer Myra a wide smile.
“I’ll tell him what is useful and important, the details are unnecessary. Later, once you have scoured Augustus’ list of names for anything curious, I’ll want to know. Until then, thank you. …and please let Dominic know I wish him a speedy recovery.”
There was no real reason for Juliette to dread entering her own home. Though perhaps she was still worried Hannah was going to come to her senses and flee like a screaming banshee. Or Jordan himself might’ve realized this was all too much trouble, and that a wife was not worth being harassed by unknown fiends. Still, she kept a wary ear listening for signs of trouble as she entered the threshold with her garment bag in hand.
“And the benevolent queen shall reign. Fern should consider himself lucky.” Honestly she was glad that Juliette wasn’t actually going inside to tell the notorious feral king that one of his subjects had been… well… rude to his selected bride. While she might have no idea how Jordan would react, she didn’t think it would be positive. That he would chuckle with a casual wave of the hand through the air. After all, she hadn’t seen him this open with anyone that hadn’t been put through the grinder and quizzed every six months to prove their loyalty to him.
Strange things could happen but she severely doubted it.
Instead, head nodded. “I’m one call away if you need that high speed getaway car.” The offer stood even in jest, “But I’ll go through that list and you’ll be the first one to hear of any juicy deets. After I stop in on the bloodsucker to see if he has all his fangs left in his head.” Honestly, it was probably a good idea to check on Dominic. Not only to show he mattered but because she genuinely worried. Stupid leech, being all important and stuff! Ugh.