Story - Embrace ch. 16

[maderr]

A/N: I'm playing loose and fast with blood. I know it. Call it poetic license, or whatever.

Bittersweet Nightshade

(chapter sixteen)

"Oh, my god," Aubrey cried as Stregoni and Gille stumbled in to the library. "What in the hell happened to the two of you?" He scrambled from his seat to help them to the sofa and chairs in one corner. "Your hand, Streg. What in god's name—"

"Brey," Sangre said sharply. "Brandy. Ruthven, ring for tea and food."

Aubrey immediately obeyed, though he was reluctant to leave his friend's side for a moment.

Gille did not look so great either – and wholly unlike himself, sitting quiet and meek on the long sofa. They both looked as though they'd been in a nasty fight, and Stregoni's hand.

He brought over the decanter of brandy and two snifters, pouring for both of them. Stregoni downed most of his in one gulp, almost choking – but Gille only shook his head.

"I've had my faculties disrupted more than enough for one day," Gille said. "I'm fine."

Sangre frowned.

Aubrey shrugged and drank the brandy himself. "So what happened to the two of you?"

"Lord George," Stregoni said, tossing back the rest of his brandy and setting the glass aside. "Could you have someone bring me bag to me? I’m afraid I did not have the energy to carry it in myself."

"Of course," Aubrey said, and the moment servants arrived with tea and food, he gave a request that the bag be fetched at once. "Why would Uncle George do this?" he asked, resuming his seat in an armchair near the sofa. Ruthven had decided to perch on the armrest, looking quiet and thoughtful as the rest of them talked. "Father?"

Sangre looked grimly at Gille's injured face, Stregoni's burned hand. "He has gone too far, and I sense he has been going too far for quite some time. I should have ended this matter a long time ago."

"He—" Gille started to speak, then pressed his lips together in a tight line. "I fear he will be coming after us, Uncle. I wanted to stay and placate him—"

"But I talked him out of that stupidity," Stregoni said sharply. He held up his burnt hand. "Lord Sangre, I mean no disrespect, but your brother is quite unstable. He lost his mind when he saw…Gille and I together, and at one point shoved my hand straight into the fire. He did worse besides. I believe he drugged Gille with laudanum, and he was taking something else himself."

Sangre glowered at their injuries. "Saying my brother is 'quite' unstable is a vast understatement. I thought we had him under control." He slid Gille a pensive look. "You did not tell me everything."

Gille said nothing, merely glared at the trays of food on the low table.

"I know you feel guilty, Gille," Sangre said, voice gentler than Aubrey had ever heard it. "Your father is not your fault – he was never the most stable person to begin with, I have tried to tell you this."

Stregoni lay a hand on Gille's thigh, stilling whatever protest he'd been about to make. Aubrey had never seen his cousin so…compliant. It was the strangest thing.

"Lord Sangre," Stregoni said, "you have no idea what your brother has been doing all these years."

Gille's face tightened. "I would really rather keep my personal business to myself, Carrot," he snarled.

"He tried to kill us," Stregoni replied. "I won't be able to use my hand properly for weeks, possibly months – and it's not your fault your mother is dead! I won't simply stand by and let you believe that."

"What?" Aubrey said, the same time as his father. "Your mother died in childbirth, didn't she, Gille?"

Gille said nothing, merely folded his arms across his chest and stared coldly at the table.

"So that is what he has been holding over you," Sangre said softly. "I should have thought of it, but it seems so stupid. Gille."

Slowly Gille looked up, anger and humiliation and fear in his face, and Aubrey had never seen his cousin so…fallen apart.

"Gille, that is not your fault. My brother was cruel to convince you of such. If anything, I sense he really blames himself. Your mother was weak in body, did you know that? She was not much stronger than Carmilla. A childhood illness nearly took her life, and she never completely recovered. She made up for it in spirit…but she was warned that having children would likely be the death of her. Your father knew that. They took the risk anyway. If anything, your mother killed herself. It was not your fault."

Silence fell as Sangre finished speaking, and he and Gille stared at each other for a long time.

Then, without a word, Gille stood up and slowly left the room.

Stregoni sighed softly. "I think you did more good than I ever could have," he said. "Thank you."

Sangre shook his head. "I cannot believe all this time…" He sighed. "My arrangement with my brother was simple – I would take Gille, assume control of all his finances and such, and in return I would keep him well supplied and cared for."

"Well supplied?" Aubrey asked. "Well supplied with what?"

"Whatever drug he was taking," Stregoni guessed.

Sangre nodded. "Coca powder, to put a name to it. I thought the arrangement would save Gille and keep my foolish brother from causing further harm. I did not know he was manipulating Gille is such horrid fashion. I should have." He bowed his head, heaving a long sigh.

"That's not all he was telling Gille," Stregoni said, and tersely explained all that had transpired when he went to find Gille.

When he finished, Aubrey could not think of a single thing to say. Suddenly his cousin's behavior made a lot more sense. "Poor Gille," he said finally. "At least you are both safe now."

"Unless he comes after us," Stregoni said, shivering.

"I will take care of my brother," Sangre said. "Like I should have done a long time ago. It seems I keep making mistakes."

Aubrey shook his head. "He's your brother, father. I would have tried to tuck him away too – and who would ever imagine a man could be so cruel to his own son? The worst you ever do is start shouting, or go all icy."

Sangre looked at him briefly in amusement, but the troubled look returned too soon to his face. "Be that as it may, George will now have to be more harshly dealt with – I will not tolerate him hurting my children, and Gille has long been more mine than his." He looked at Stregoni's hand. "The Benefici family has always been more an extension of our family than mere friends. So, yes, my brother will be dealt with, even if I must take the most extreme of measures. I—"

A knock at the door stopped him, and Sangre called for the knocker to enter.

The maid who entered curtsied, then said, "My lord, the mistress has woken."

"Thank you," Sangre said, then sighed softly as the maid vanished again. "One unhappy moment after another," he said tiredly. "Brey, if you would like to see your sister, do so. Then she and I must have a talk."

Aubrey frowned, confused, but did not argue. Instead, he nodded and stood. "Stregoni, you should get some rest before you fall over."

Stregoni smiled faintly. "I believe I will, unless you need me to tend to Milla?"

"No," Sangre said. "There is nothing you can do for her. Go find Gille, for I sense he needs you very much right now."

"All right. I'll treat my hand and then go find him. Go see your sister, Brey."

Aubrey clasped his shoulder briefly in comfort, then preceded his father to the door, leading the way up the stairs – and realized Ruthven had followed him.

Carmilla was sitting up in bed when they arrived, still looking pale and sickly, but the slightest bit better than she had only a little while ago. "Brey," she greeted with a weary, but warm, smile.

"Milla," Aubrey said quietly, lightly touching her hand. "I'm glad you're awake."

"Me too," Carmilla replied, laughing weakly, clasping his hand. "I'm sorry to have had you all so worried."

Aubrey shook his head. "It's not your fault."

She smiled again, and started to speak, but paused when another shadow fell across the bed. "Papa," she said softly.

"Milla," Sangre said. "I am happy to see you awake." He turned to Aubrey. "If you will excuse us briefly, Brey."

"No," Milla said, as Aubrey stood up and Sangre took his place, perching beside her on the bed. She reached out and took his hands, squeezing them. "It's okay, papa. Brey can stay. Easier to say it once, than twice."

Sangre looked at her. "You already know."

"There were little things," Carmilla said, smiling, but she was blinking away tears. "It did seem awfully strange, papa, that I got so sick at the same time as Francois, when no one else n the house was affected. Combined with all the other little things…"

"Oh, angel, I am sorry," Sangre said, voice thick and heavy, as though some great weight held him down. He lifted her hands and kissed the back of them.

"It's okay, papa," Carmilla said quietly. "I'm sorry you've had to worry so much about me all these years."

Aubrey stared at them, feeling stupid and confused. "What am I missing?"

Ruthven looked at him. "She is only your half-sister, master. Her mother was not yours, but…"

"Mina," Sangre said, reaching out to gently brush away a stray curl of Carmilla's hair, not taking his eyes off his daughter. "We left the city for two reasons – we were tired of the rumors chasing us all over. The three of us were unorthodox, to be certain, but we loved each other deeply and wanted only to be happy together. Out here in the country, we did not have to put up so much pretense. We could be ourselves, and live freely and all as equals.

"The other reason," he continued softly, "was that Mina began to show signs of being in a delicate way."

Aubrey gaped. "But—Pets are rendered incapable of breeding."

"Yes," Sangre said. "Apparently, Mina was missed or it simply did not work properly. We never knew. But shortly after you were born, Brey, Mina gave birth to Carmilla. You are actually only a few months apart in age."

Aubrey sat down on the bed. "Huh," was all he could manage.

"So what now, papa?" Carmilla asked, wiping away the tears that had fallen down her cheek. "I've gotten way too sick this time, that's the only reason you'd finally tell me."

"I'm sorry," Sangre said softly, reaching out to embrace her. "I wanted only for you to be happy, and for no one to cause you any harm. It has terrified me from the moment your were born that someone would discover your true nature, and take you from me, one way or another. Your mothers worried constantly about you, though they were ecstatic to have a little girl they could dress up and someday take shopping and all manner of things."

Carmilla nodded, though her face was still buried against his chest.

Aubrey frowned in thought. "So, we need to find her someone whose blood she can drink." He scowled. "I'm not letting my sister become anyone's Pet."

Ruthven looked at him in amusement. "I do not think, master, that your family is the kind who will ever be Pet to anyone."

"I guess you would know," Aubrey replied tartly, "seeing as you make a poor Pet yourself."

Chuckling, Ruthven bent down to kiss him briefly.

Aubrey flushed. "Not here, you damned troublemaker."

"Yes, master," Ruthven replied, and rose to his full height. "If you will permit me," he said after a moment, "I might be able to solve the problem, at least to some degree."

They all turned to look at him.

"What are you talking about Ruthven?" Aubrey asked. "Have you got another one of your odd tricks?"

Ruthven merely smirked, then sketched Lord Sangre and Carmilla a deep bow. "If you will permit me," he said again, "I can at least ensure she is not ever bound to one person."

"That's impossible," Lord Sangre said, not releasing his daughter.

"No," Ruthven said softly, "it is not. Please."

Aubrey thought his father would protest, but after a moment Sangre stood up and moved aside.

Ruthven took his place alongside Carmilla. "I am certain this is more than a little unsettling for you, my lady, but I promise all will be well. All right?"

Carmilla nodded slowly, but reached out to clasp her father's hand.

Smiling gently, Ruthven lifted his wrist to his own mouth and bit down sharply. Blood trailed down it, dripping over his arm to fall on the bed sheets. He held his bleeding wrist out. "Now drink, but slowly, my lady."

She hesitated, but at an encouraging look from Sangre, finally swallowed nervously and accepted Ruthven's wrist, covering the slight wound with her mouth. Her eyes widened in shock, then slowly slid closed.

"Good," Ruthven said softly. Aubrey looked over his shoulder, unable to look away from the sight of his sister feeding like a Pet.

His sister was half vampire. It left him reeling.

After a few minutes, Ruthven said, "enough," and pulled his wrist away, lapping at the wound until it sealed.

Carmilla blinked sleepily at them, then her eyes fell shut, and stayed that way. Ruthven moved away as Sangre stepped forward to settle her more comfortably, smoothing the blankets and her hair for several long, agonizing minutes.

"Will she be all right?" Aubrey asked, when he could no longer bear the silence.

"Quite all right," Ruthven said idly, idly lapping at the drying blood on his arm. "My blood was the best possible way for her to start. She has gone her entire life without feeding properly, so starting with vampire blood is good for her. My body has already processed the blood, and her body can now learn how to do it properly. In addition to that, my blood type can accept all blood types. So," he smiled, "she will never be anyone's Pet."

Aubrey glared at him. "What in the hell are you?"

Ruthven smiled, looking like a particularly lazy and satisfied cat. "Only yours, master."

"Blood types," Sangre said. "You just mentioned blood types. Is that actually true, and how the hell do you know such a thing?"

"Perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere," Ruthven said, "and let the lady sleep."

"My study, now," Sangre snapped, and did not wait for a reply, but stalked from the room.

Aubrey looked at his Pet, but only shook his head, and led the way from the room.

In his father's study, he took one of the chairs in front of the desk, motioning for Ruthven to take the other.

"So tell me," Sangre said, "what you are, and why you know so much."

"I am nothing," Ruthven said, "save a Pet who knows more than he should."

Sangre glared at him. "I do not buy that for a moment – not when I hear how you saved Gille's life, and not with all you have just said."

Ruthven shrugged. "Whatever I may have been, I am that no longer. I belong to Aubrey, that is all."

Aubrey spoke before his father lost his temper. "So what's this about blood types? You speak of them as though it is known fact, when only days ago my father said it was merely a highly contested theory."

"It is forgotten," Ruthven said softly. "Vampires are born, you might say, with a blank canvas, so far as blood is concerned. That is why we can survive on animal blood, though it keeps us in a weakened state. What we truly crave and require is human blood, but once the blood of a human is tasted, that blank canvas takes on the image, if you will, of that first taste. After that, only a matching blood will suffice – the body ceases being able to tolerate any other type. Except…"

"Except what?" Aubrey asked when Ruthven fell silent.

"There are two very special types of blood. One is what you might call a free feeder – meaning any vampire can drink it, no matter what his personal type might be. The other, my type, is a free drinker. It means I can feed upon whomever I want, without any sort of difficulty."

Aubrey frowned. "Wouldn't it make more sense, then, to ensure that all vampires are free drinkers?"

"That was how it was done, once," Ruthven said softly. "Problems arose."

Sangre looked at him. "What are you?"

"Aubrey's Pet," Ruthven replied. "That is all, and my answer will never change."

"Why?" Aubrey asked. "It's obvious you don't need me."

Ruthven smiled at him in a way that made Aubrey's heart speed up. "On the contrary, master, I need you quite badly."

Aubrey felt his cheeks heat, but said nothing, merely subsided into silence.

He was stirred from his reverie as Ruthven abruptly stood up.

"Where are you going?" Sangre demanded, as Ruthven headed for the door.

Ruthven bared his teeth in a feral smile. "Your daughter will wake soon," he said. "I am going to find her a proper meal. Shall I feed her William, or your brother? Or fetch them both, and let her decide?"

Aubrey shivered, to see Ruthven look so. If he had ever played at being mild and submissive, no sign of it remained. He stood up and moved toward Ruthven. "Why would you do all this?" he asked, staring up into Ruthven's dark eyes.

"Because I want to," Ruthven said, "and it has been a long time since I have wanted anything. Do you want to join me in the hunt? I think William would make a better meal, hmm?"

"You know where William is?" Aubrey asked.

Ruthven shook his head. "No, not exactly, but he will not be hard to find."

"Then let's go find him, though I think my sister deserves something better than that."

Ruthven smiled again, and Aubrey though of wild animals – wolves and feral cats, or a circling hawk. "Revenge, master, often has a sweet taste. I assure you, she will not complain." He turned and bowed to Sangre. "My lord."

Farewell given, he turned and strode out.

Waving at his father, wondering what the hell was going to happen next, Aubrey followed him out.

Comments

[dameange.livejournal.com]

ooooooooooooooooooh. {claps hands} as a biologist, everything in this story makes perfect sense. i also absolutely love the story!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_calex_/]

I wonder why Ruthven won't tell anyone about himself. Will we every find out what he is? Still, I do so love his attachment to Aubrey, and Aubrey's own attachment to him. Sangre getting all growly was fun, and Stregoni all fired up about George is wonderful. It's about time that Brey sees another side to Gille, though no doubt better circumstances would have been preferable to all. I really do love this story, it's definitely turning into one of my favourites of yours.

[vera-dicere.livejournal.com]

huh. didn't see that one coming. i was expecting milla to have some sort of blood disease that a transfusion of sorts would cure, definitely didn't expect the half vampire, until right as you were leading up to it.

i must admit that i am a little confused about why her latest bout of sickness was tied to francois...no doubt it's just something i'm not thinking about properly, but if you could point me in the right direction...?

also, love ruthven's adament claims that he is nothing more than brey's, even when there is obviously more to him. lovely as always and i can't wait to see more.

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Francois was poisoned -- Gille ate something that was harmless to himself, but was poisonous to Pets. Being half vampire, Carmilla was poisoned as well. Just not as badly, since she was half human and could resist it to some degree where Francois could not.

[vera-dicere.livejournal.com]

ahhhhhh. yea, i knew it was something to do with that, but i was having a blond moment and things just wouldn't fall into place. for some reason i kept thinking 'but francois got sick from drinking gille's blood and milla didn't drink anyone's, so why...?' but obviously she was eating with the humans. duh. ^^;;

[mordred-risika.livejournal.com]

Yeah I totally guessed Carmilla's "illness". Much ,love for all the characters. You have saved Gille from being someone I could hate, like I hoped you would. Now if only he can move past his hurt and be with Stregoni! ^_~ I can't wait for more I love this one so much!!

[sixpence1323.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh, I guessed right. O_O I thought Camilla was half-vampire, but then I was like, let's how Maderr plays it out. O____O

[maderr.livejournal.com]

No one paid her much attention at first, but I knew once the threesome thing came out, everyone would realize *shrug* I'm not terribly creative, in the end, but it was fun trying.

[sixpence1323.livejournal.com]

Oh, what I meant was back in like... chapter 11 I started making up all these crazy theories about what everyone's one role or secret was. Though the Gille being beat up for his mom's death still took me by surprise. *headdesk*

My train of thought was, "Well, she's sick all the time and mysterious sickness. If Gille sleeps with his Pet, then why not Sangre?" But I didn't know if he slept with Mina or not. Yeah. I'm confusing. O_O

Awesome story though! I mean it! (Did you like your songs, by the way? Or, really, did they work? I had to fiddle with them a bit...)

[dmlpacker.livejournal.com]

I hope Ruthven turns out to be a prince or a leader of some sort (perhaps the one Aubrey read about earlier?). Anywho, time for revenge. Muahaha

[mechante-fille.livejournal.com]

Woot!! Awesome chapter! I love that we got both the Gille and Stregoni homecoming and the Milla mystery solved all in one chapter. Very cool!!

Also, I shudder (and gag a little) at the thought of sweet Milla eating William, but I have no doubt that you will write it brilliantly. *grins*

*glomps* You are a writing machine of late! Go you!

[shattereternity.livejournal.com]

loves all the play on blood types and blood proteins ^_^ my geeky side gave a hooray :D

.....now something's been bothering me. aubrey was also eating the garlic filled food, right? so on the night francois got poisonef from gille, having to transfer the blood from brey to gille didn't affect ruthven at all?? (i'm assuming at the actual transfer is what tired ruthven out...) am i missing something?

[maderr.livejournal.com]

You're not missing anything. Ruthven is a bit stronger with that sort of thing, for one. He's better able to resist the effects, at least long enough to transfer blood as he needed, and then put himself to sleep before the poison could best him - plus, he didn't ingest that much, having taken the blood from one only to give it to the other.

[aqua-eyes.livejournal.com]

<3

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

*Big Toothy Smile* Carmilla needs food and the boys are going shopping. How nice.

[skylark97.livejournal.com]

*cheers and does a little dance* Milla is his half sister! Oh, man, what a tangled web his father was involved in. I feel so bad for him now, that he didn't get his HEA with his two lovely ladies. ;_;

I also love, love LOVE that Ruthven knows so much and yet stubbornly refuses to admit to being more than Aubrey's Pet, when it's completely obvious to everyone that he is way more than that. XD *glomps them* I also whole heartedly approve of his wanting to make William a meal for Milla. ^_____^ <333

Poor Stregoni and Gille! *snuggle hugs them* I love the explanation of the Coca powder. And I like that Sangre knew enough to know that he wanted to shield Gille, but not enough to know how bad it had gotten. I also like that Brey gets a look at this different side of Gille too. <3333

[saaski-moql.livejournal.com]

*punches air* YES. I guessed right about Camilla! And now I go speeding off to the next installment.