561 CHPT 561: Layout Allegiance

"Hey, Rollan. I hope this message reaches you well. I've been talking to Ursula….. No, I've been hearing her thoughts. I'm glad she was able to write you in my absence. But I'm back now. Got thrown into an Islandian Elder Vampire's Island Experiment and had to kill a StoneApe WereWolf for my freedom…. And many other things. Thank you for taking care of Canis, Piet and Ma this whole time. When I come back I'll have more for you to look after. I'm only half joking. On a real note, we'll have to make some changes to a lot of things. I'm not coming home with the same mind I had before. For better or worse. I'll see you soon." Claude finished writing, observing the pen as he sat at a desk in his temporary room.

"[So much better than the quill…. So smooth. I've never wanted to be tangible so badly.]" Arne commented as Claude clicked the pen and watched the sharp tip shrink back into the metal black casing.

"I guess Vampires collecting rare items is an all encompassing fact. Either way, the Old World was… interesting." Claude set the pen down on the dark polished wood desk and folded up the letter.

He could hear the activity outside. The day felt like it was going twice as long with half his brain working to keep the Shifters in line with the Vampires. But no serious fights broke out, so it was worth it.

They had a reason to be there just as much as he did. Maybe it drove them just as much as him…. Or more. Hopefully more. He couldn't afford slip ups when something as slight as a muttered name could cause a world-wide threat to explode out of him and ruin everything.

"[Speaking of that, how do you feel? You haven't slept.]"

Claude touched the dark mirrored windows that swallowed sunlight, watching the endless miles of sanded land and the scarce Rail-Rider tracks etched within calmly. He leaned back in the chair, listening to the wood strain against his weight.

"I feel…. Like I should've saw that coming."

The sun was setting. Even if he didn't have a singular tinted window in his room he would've known from the nonstop bouncing of his feet and the growling of his stomach.

"[How in the gods many names could you have seen that coming? If you have a legitimate explanation, my role as guide crumbles even further.]"

Claude shook his head, "The Isle's of Indus….. Donna…. Chase. These are all perfect examples of how the gods can make things happen in the real world real fast despite their distance from us. Despite their investment in our world— they can end it on a whim. Or on even less…"

"[Thats a rather unfortunate way to put it— true, but unfortunate. But also you've got a fail safe.]"

"….. what?"

"[Next time an Elder Vampire tries to send you to WereWolf Gladiator Super Prison, say the name, get out of jail free card!]"

"How about end the world easy card."

"[Sounds like a Remian dream.]"

Knocks at the door had Claude out of his seat and heading out into the fray.

Adjua and Abina greeted him as he swung it open.

"Rupont requests your presence at this meeting."

"Right…" Claude was just ready to step outside when a HexBlade portal spun into existence behind him in the shadowy depths of his room.

HexBlade portals were different from Tangents. Too circular— and if you focused you could see the writings riding the edges of the shape as clear as day. Thousands of codes and words of power woven into this…. rift. Amazing.

Claude looked forward once more, past the twins to their adopted brother and underaged Elder waiting at the bar behind them. He waved him off as if he knew the event was going to happen before ever seeing it.

Claude shut the door.

Ursula, Maris, Isaac, Warren, Cassidy and Sloane stepped out into his room, suddenly making it feel cramped. When Loba and Frosty jumped in it entered a new dimension of the word.

They shoved everyone aside with heavy breaths and crashed into Claude.

He greeted them mentally as he did the same for everyone else more humanely.

"Hey… how are things on the outside?"

"Tense as always…. Everywhere." Ursula said, failing to hide the obvious undertone of that statement.

"What about here. How are things?" Isaac questioned.

Claude tapped his temple, "Keeping it under control."

"I know what that's like." Sloane commented as her beta's hung behind her.

"Yea…" Claude dryly laughed.

The awkward silence that had been looming over them went in for the kill.

Its greatest enemy and ally rose to the challenge.

"So uhhh…. Digging the hairstyle change. It's very uhhh… androgynous? You know… if you lost like forty pounds of muscle and some facial scarring of course!" Warren said from beside Ursula.

"Thanks…. I think."

Warren nodded before itching his head and looking at everyone.

Cassidy shook his head and chuckled.

"FUCK MAN!" Frosty growled and got a jump out of Warren, "Damn… my bad. But WHY! Are we still awkward!? What's the deal?? Maris don't hit me I'm making a very good point!"

"I won't hit you."

"Well….." Ursula started, "What you're doing in mind— you're also doing in body. Which I… I totally get."

He hadn't seen her stammer in ages it felt like. The sentiment must've been shared because everyone watched her.

"You went through some….. nasty stuff. But you've shared pieces with me— willingly. So I know you want to share something. Anything. You don't even have to speak it…. Or say anything for the next few days. But I think it's fair to say there's a disconnect because of that."

Claude pushed to his desk, "Good idea."

He picked up his pen— Ruponts rare collectible artifact from the Old World, and began writing, without looking. They could see through his eyes.

He was brief. Explanatory but withholding a many details. The reasoning was simple. He knew better than anyone how much he wanted to embrace them all and finally exhale.

But no.

"TSS tss— as much as I love my fellow Wolves, ya'll boys ain't pack. So avert your gazes, thank you kindly…" Cassidy addressed Sloane's Beta's.

They looked straight ahead, ignoring him.

"Right… formalities. Sloane, darling. Help a brother out?"

Sloane rolled her eyes in the darkness and snapped her fingers, turning around with them.

Claude thanked Cassidy and held out his hand.

They read the writing on his palm.

"If they see weakness they won't listen… they won't follow… they'll kill. Some will try regardless."

There was no point trying to understand who or what. It was simple.

Warren squinted in the darkness. "Man…. One of y'all bite me right now cause I can't see a damn thing."

Isaac snapped and a flame danced across his finger tips.

Suddenly Warren's eyes widened as he gasped, "That's so primitive…. And stressful. How long have your lats been flexed?"

Claude genuinely laughed. Such a niche and dorky question to just ask on the fly…. And then when you consider the state of their world. He bellowed… and he kept going for so long that the wind left his stomach and his eyes watered.

Ursula joined in. Isaac chuckled. Maris watched them with Sloane and the three other Beta's she made turn away.

"You guys need a therapist…. Badly."

Claude recovered with a hand over his face and sighed.

He wanted to say how much he missed Warren in that moment. He settled with a fist bump.

"How long have you two been in the know?"

Isaac answered for them both, "You opened the floodgates during the Tangent….. by the way, what level are you? Blowing a hole through a mountain is something… my dad would do. Is that power from becoming a Lupine? I still don't understand what that is fully."

"Yes. Tell it to us— explain how we may get it." Maris added enthusiastically.

"Another time. We have a meeting with our host…." Claude replied.

Maris grabbed him before he fully turned, "There's something we have to tel—"

"Come on then, ladies and gentlemen. My Vampires are patient, but your Silver Cursed are not."

They all turned to find Rupont leaning against the door.

Not a sound. Just suddenly there.

Last person Claude had seen do that was Rollan.

Less surprising this time.

"We were just leaving."

"You sure? Sounded like a laugh factory in here."

"Do you ever not tease?" Claude held his hands behind him as Isaac burned the handful of ice Ursula spawned over them.

He rubbed his palms in the water until the ink writing faded.

"No. Of course not. I'm a Blood-Balanced Vampire I play with my food for a living." Rupont opened the door.

They headed out.

"I'm not your food, Rupont."

No sly comment for that one.

The rooms inhabitants studied them in their unique ways.

The Silver Cursed swarmed Claude, sniffing and touching at his freshly shaven face and cleaned hair.

"Yea…. He looks sixteen again." Li whispered to his Tigers.

"Welcome back, Claude. I hope you slept well." Tom shook up with him as he approached the bar.

"We need to get out and move. We're not humans who can lounge around all day…" Tara said as he passed the Lions, while eyeing Isaac, Maris and Warren.

"We'll head out when the time is right. You'll make it because I need you to— but I won't force anything crazy." Tara turned away from him with the back of her neck exposed.

No progress there— but no resistance either. Unlike Marcel. He was trying to fade. But Claude couldn't not find him in every crowded event. He felt like he had to. There was an aura around him…. Even as he sat in Tara's shadow.

"Who is that?" Ursula asked.

"I'll introduce you later."

Ursula eyed him seriously as they sat at the bar, "Really?"

"No. Hell no." Claude rested a hand on the bar table and felt a glass of blood slide into his grip.

He brought it to his lips before hesitating. He could feel the eyes on him.

"Get a glass for everyone."

The Strigoi paled…. Somehow beyond its already white skin, "We do not have enough blood…. For a pack of Shifters to be satiated." Whiskers popped out of its face like beads of sweat.

"We'll refill your reserves when we go out tonight. Hungry Shifters are just as bad as hungry Vampires."

The Strigoi laughed as its eyes went cat-like, "Ohhhohoho…. I don't know about that, Lupine. But if you make a promise you must keep it. It's all an Alpha is good for I'm told."

Rupont clapped and grabbed everyone's attention as he stood on a table.

"[Stand.]"

A subtle fix that went a mile with appearances.

Claude rose up out of his chair. The more jumpy Silver Cursed physically relaxed.

Rupont grinned.

"To my Silver Cursed, I hope as hosts we have not been too swarmy or problematic. Your patience will be rewarded. Me and your Alpha have been in talks. But another factor must be considered."

Rupont hopped down off the table and hovered on purple red smoke all the way over to Maris' side.

"I'm the host now….. but a host I will not remain. For you are all in the presence of a Queen."

"More sixteen year olds…. Fuck! This is embarrassing." Li replied.

Rupont spun away from Maris and pointed at Li, "No! This is the next generation. This is both our futures— bound for the first time!" His eyes were wide as twin suns. Cheeks rosy. Jewelry shining under nonexistence light.

"Oh no… the Red Queen story…. Not for the three hundredth time." Warren put his face in his calloused hands.

"Don't worry. Story time is over." Rupont patted his head while also succumbing to the urge to briefly style his hair.

"Anyway. Our time together this fully is shrinking. When Ronin's son is slaughtered under the sun, our time under the moon will be no more…. At least for a while. So, Maris' Red Queen transformation will take place this upcoming Thursday. Or in five days."

"Wait hold on." Claude started.

"I've already decided." Maris announced.

"Oh I'm sure you have. But as someone who's changed people— we have to consider things. What's the success rate. Does your book tell you how to do it? How long is the transition…. Maris goes nowhere until we figure that out."

Rupont still had that evil grin.

"[What in the hell is he planning….]"

"Oh Claude…. Such a shining example of the Lupines of Romulus. You know your kind was our— for lack of a better word, disciplinary force. Vampiric Enforcers, if you will. If we stepped out of line a raid was imminent."

"[Damn right it was.]"

"Maybe that's a genetic urge." Rupont pondered as he stood beside him, "Don't worry. Red Queen's are the rarest of rare. You cannot fail to be a Red Queen. You either are, or you're just another girl. The transition rate follows that same concept. And all it takes is a bite…. From anyone. And she becomes the Queen of all joined by two. SkinWalker…. WereWolf…. Lupine."

He whispered the last part before walking away.

"Does that mean she becomes our Alpha if one of us bites her?" Tom asked while seated next to Sloane.

Rupont shook his head, "Red Queen's operate at a level over us. They're the gods of our kind the same way Zeus is the god of men kind."

"Why would we want a god over us…. A young girl as such for that matter?" Tara questioned.

Rupont shrugged, "Is that not obvious? Something that joins us is something that ultimately makes us stronger. We're all relatives under a Red Queen. We can grow and expand beyond stalking the night and chasing the moon. Something we'll need very soon."

The room went quiet. Many considered.

"But, before that happens. You all want your Elder on a pike, do you not?"

Attention regained, Rupont continued speaking.

"I can get you all into Sgt Bertrand's Base. How does that sound as compensation for joining us in the Red Queen's initiation ritual?"

"No." Claude announced.

A few of the Silver Cursed looked bothered.

Rupont smiled for a half second.

"We kill Sgt Bertrand first. Me and you both know he opposes this idea. I'm sure he's got eyes on us. If he intervened when Maris is down— she's defenseless. I can't be everywhere at once. I can't take that risk knowing I could gut him first."

"So…"

"You take us to Sgt Bertrand…. Then we bring the Red Queen back to earth."