Sanctuary: Vampir Srce Prologue 1/2
Title: Vampir Srce (Serbian: Vampire Heart)
Fandom: Sanctuary
Genre: Sci-fi, Family, Mystery, Slash (??)
Warning: Bit of gore and violence... sort of
Word Count of Prologue: 6’872 words 0.O
Characters: Will Zimmerman, Helen Magnus, John Druitt, Nikola Tesla, Kate Freelander, Henry Foss, ‘Big Guy’, Kathryn Magnasa
Summary: When Nikola Tesla gets his Vampiric powers back, he has a girl to thank for it. A girl who has a lot of ties to the Sanctuary and the Five, in so many different ways. Whilst on the trail of a dangerous abnormal they must deal with the ramifications of such ties.
A/N: Well, this is the longest prologue that I’ve EVER written for a fic and I must say that this was the most challenging one too... I’ve never really written a real Sanctuary fic before in my life so this is pretty new for me; which basically means that the characters aren’t coming to me as easily as other characters from other fandom’s do. Incredibly annoying I can assure you. Anyway, this is kind of like a set-up for an actual - current-time - hunt that they’re going to be going on as well as a review of what’s led up to these events. It’s one of those “it’s kind of got the end at the beginning kind of fics”... sort of... :/
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and please comment!!
Kasey xx
“The burning desire to live and roam free,
It shines in the dark,
And it grows within me,
You’re holding my hand but you don't understand,
So where I am going, you won't be in the end.” - Utopia, Within Temptation
Prologue
Sometimes, it seems that life is full of dramatic irony, and not the sort that you want to come across and spend plenty of time in the company of. The type of dramatic irony that normally incites terrified or suspense-filled gasps from spectators during a tragedy when the unlikely hero undergoes something so traumatising and survives it that it’s a better adrenaline rush than running through the tunnels of Old City chasing after a deranged abnormal that has a penchant for chomping down young children.
But dramatic irony for some is something that they live for; indeed some strive on it and perform some of the best and most unimaginable feats whilst living up to the drama. What is so dramatically ironic about what has happened previously is the fact that, the main protagonist in this whole affair, was not someone that was universally liked - but he was accepted and tolerated... well, mostly - yet, when it was his time to go into the night, none of them wanted to see him go even though he had suddenly come to terms with his demise - several decades overdue. The ultimate irony is, whilst he was so desperate to continue to live on throughout the ages, the one time he has the opportunity to do so - after the first one was so very unceremoniously taken away from him by a twisted and possessively stupid fledgling - is the one time when he can’t fix it, when he personally cannot save himself. The irony is that someone else had to do what he could not when he finally acquiesced to the demands of time.
As it was, as he strolled along the decorated and tasteful corridors - humming a little tune that was most definitely an undiscovered masterpiece of one of the many classical composers - Nikola Tesla was indeed in absolute admiration of living, of being something more again. He needed this part of him; he needed the piece of his spirit that was so different yet so much the same that it was neither normal nor abnormal for him, in order to be able to survive. And he had a girl to thank for giving him a second chance, a girl that he’d initially only been interested in because of her DNA but now - after everything that had happened - he could safely say that if any harm came to her then there would be hell to pay. Someone so young had saved someone so old simply by being a fresh pair of eyes and a keen, observant mind. He was never going to live that one down was he? Hell no!
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“Nikola. How nice of you to finally arrive.” Helen Magnus - the head of the Sanctuary Network that spanned the entire globe and sought out those who were genetic advancements, abnormals, in a bid to both help and understand them and the rest of humanity - a woman to whom Tesla’s heart would forever belong to, said sarcastically as Tesla entered her study to find that he was the first one there.
He looked around himself and pouted before turning to look at Magnus and smile as he replied. “Helen, did you tell me the wrong time so that you could have me all to yourself?” He grinned cheekily and he swore he saw the woman blush - though he knew she blushed because he could smell the blood in her cheeks.
“Hardly Nikola, if I hadn’t have given you the wrong time you would have been purposefully late.” Magnus shot back as she stood up and moved out from behind her desk. She walked over to stand in front of Tesla who put on a wounded expression.
“Moi? I would never purposefully be late Helen. There was a good reason for me not being here on time.” Tesla remarked as he took a slight, but noticeable, step back away from Magnus which caught her attention. He saw that she noticed when she smiled sadly at him.
“Of course. I should have recalled.” Magnus said softly as Tesla looked away from her and off out of the window - it was sunny day with the sun shining down on Old City with a sort of benevolent feel as people went about their daily lives and the such... and Tesla wanted to go out and kill every last one of them.
“Nonsense Helen, I’m the Vampire here, I should have remembered what happened the first time.” Tesla countered as he snapped his gaze back onto the brilliant woman standing opposite him. “Considering I’m a genius this was a poor oversight on my part.”
Magnus stared into Tesla’s face intently, trying to see if there was anything else he was hiding about his newly returned vampiric powers but he seemed to be on the level so she smiled and nodded. “Alright. But I’ll want to run a few tests and see if we can find a blood substitute that will mix with you.”
Tesla groaned dramatically and Magnus smiled wider. “Oh great, now I get to be the vampire pin cushion for the best doctor around. This is a real honour.”
“Yes, yes it is Nikola.” Magnus retorted as she moved off towards her desk and sat down. She looked up at him and asked seriously. “Will you be alright with the others in the room or shall I open a window?”
Tesla glared at her and answered softly. “I’ll be fine, though I doubt opening a window will do any good Helen.” He raised an eyebrow as she inclined her head in agreement before continuing. “Besides, they’re about to come in here and I will not be shown up by a fledgling that’s over one-hundred years younger than me.”
Magnus laughed softly just as the door opened and the core of the Sanctuary in Old City came waltzing through the door. Will Zimmerman, the young protégé that seemed to have some very tasty blood running through his veins - the type of blood Tesla doubted there was a lot of in the world nowadays - frowned slightly as he noticed that Magnus was laughing and that Tesla was in the room already. Always suspicious, much like dear old James, but never overly obvious about it.
Henry Foss, the fur of the gang, walked into the room almost shadowing Will - in much the same way that a predator stalks their prey, though the young werewolf in Nikola’s opinion didn’t seem aware he was stalking his own friend like he was a tasty meal. Kate Freelander sauntered in, looking for all the world like she didn’t want to be here but Tesla knew better, and he’d smelt better too - there was something about her scent that always made him queasy, though he’d never noticed it when he was human for a short time but now it was almost overpowering. He guessed it had something to do with the fur but he wasn’t positive about it.
The air in the room seemed to become oddly charged when the next person walked into the room and Tesla felt a jolt in his heart where that little coil of pure electricity that he relished feeling again sparked. As the girl glided into the room because, honestly, the way she entered could not be considered as being walking or anything of the sort. Even for Tesla’s re-vamped, if you’ll pardon the pun, senses he couldn’t hear any of her footsteps on the carpeted ground. Still, that was to be expected of a fledgling who was a bloody disconcertingly fast learner - she even upstaged Tesla’s quick mind on occasion, and he was pointedly ignoring the occasion that had saved his life and brought him back to his former power and glory... well, if you exclude the fact that he’d got a few more wrinkles when he’d been human, and a grey hair!
Last but not least, although in Tesla’s opinion last place wasn’t far enough away from this old friend, John Druitt; A.K.A Jack the bloody Ripper, almost levitated into the room because of that silly looking leather coat of his - though Tesla couldn’t say anything really about leather and such because he could distinctly recall what he did in the early 90s.
“Nikola. How unpleasant a surprise it is to see you walking unimpaired.” Druitt said, his politely British voice softer than its usual tone wherein the man - or the monster as it had been for a number of years in Nikola’s opinion - would mock him with words and tear into his heart, and though he tried to contest it Tesla did indeed have a heart that was capable of great emotion. Very great. Too great for a Vampire really. Too much for a normal man even.
“Well, even the greatest must be given a reprieve from their misfortune, perhaps you’ll get that when you become great one day John... though probably not.” Tesla shot back before Helen could interrupt and stop their verbal sparring - it was either a duel with words or a duel with claws and fists... to some degree Nikola preferred the latter because that would mean there’d be plenty of blood all over the place and no-one would notice if he lapped it up, sucked his saturated neck-tie because they’d be so busy trying to save John that little old Tesla would fade into the background...
But he couldn’t think like that and he forcibly clenched his fists, his nails elongating slightly but they were sharp enough to dig into his toughened flesh, and used the pain to control his urge. He could not give into it, he’d made a promise all those years ago and he’d be damned if he’d break a promise - especially when it was to someone who he held in his heart with absolute reverence.
“What’s up Magnus?” Will asked as he leaned against the couch which Henry and Kate were slouched on, looking at his mentor with a calculating but also politely intrusive stare which Magnus either didn’t notice or didn’t respond to.
“Yeah doc. What’s so important that you had to have this thing drag me away from my baby’s?” Henry asked jerking his head in Kate’s direction who punched his arm making him wince.
Magnus raised an eyebrow at Henry who pouted, before answering both of their questions. “I thought it would be prudent if everyone was informed that there will be no lasting side-effects from Nikola’s second-transformation as well as the fact that I’ve received a call from a contact who is requesting our assistance... with a particularly powerful abnormal.” Magnus looked pointedly at Nikola and John. “Including you two I’m afraid.”
“Well, I’m sure you’d adore having me along, what for my dashing looks and genius but I’ll have to take a rain check m’dear. You’ll cover the expenses though won’t you?” Tesla smirked as Helen glared at him and Will rolled his eyes at his childish behaviour; what did he care what the young protégé thought of him and his behaviour, he didn’t care... not one bit.
“Nikola...” John damn near growled as the man stepped closer towards him, his hands curled lightly into fists and his shoulders hunched slightly to try and make him seem more imposing - which didn’t really work on a Vampire because size was irrelevant. But, that being said, Tesla had been human for a while before his second transformation so he instinctively took a step back and raised his eyebrows in surprise - more at his own silly following of a stupid instinct that applied to normal, dull humans.
“John.” Magnus said sharply, the steel in her voice automatically bringing John to a dead stop, still standing in front of Nikola with his hands curled lightly, and he turned to look at her slowly.
He gave her a soft, disarming smile that seemed to say - I-wasn’t-going-to-do-permanent-damage-honest - but Magnus shook her head and said sharply. “Nikola will be coming with us regardless of his personal thoughts on this. The abnormal has been infected, much like those centipedes in the mountain ranges, so someone with vampiric abilities would be useful - and since Nikola is quite experienced with how to fight without the use of handguns, he’ll be an asset.” Magnus’ eyes snapped onto Nikola’s face and he saw, deep in her eyes, a slight softening of her heart - as though she was doing this to help him and was trying to convey that to him; he wasn’t going to thank her for this, not one bit - and said firmly. “No arguments Nikola.”
Now that he had his silly, human-instincts under control Nikola smirked humourlessly and waved a hand airily. “Oh Helen... you shouldn’t take everything I say to heart; you might get the wrong idea about my feelings towards you.” He tilted his head slightly and grinned a little wider, knowing full-well that he was annoying John and Helen at the same time - but it’s so much fun to antagonise those that know you best; they’re the ones who won’t take everything you say to heart... well, almost everything.
Shaking her head at Nikola’s antics and wondering why she was putting herself through this agony, Magnus said to the room at large. “Make sure you’re all packed and ready for six-thirty tomorrow morning; and before you say anything, it has to be that early because of the time zone differences.” Looking around at the all she saw varying degrees of reluctance; Kate at having to get up so early no doubt, concern; for his computers of course, Henry was always concerned about his computers, and slight confusion; which would naturally be over who would be incharge of the Sanctuary whilst they were all away - she could always trust Will to be the one to think of such things first, so very much like dear old James that it was sometimes painful just to be around him, but that was no reason to avoid him; indeed, since he was so very much like James it was a reason to be around him, he could see things she couldn’t. Just like James could. Had. Used to.
“Whilst we are away, Declan will be heading the Sanctuary as well as several others who are willing and able to be here for however long we are away. I suggest you all get an early night - even if you don’t sleep - so that we can leave on the dot.” Magnus smiled and sat down at her desk again, which was her cue for their dismissal.
All but the girl trudged out of the room, though Nikola was weary of leaving Magnus alone with the girl - as was John if the look on his face was anything to go by - but since Magnus had dismissed them and they had no other real reason to stay behind they had to leave. However, they didn’t go far. Paranoia was a side-effect of a long life Tesla supposed as he and John blended into the shadows of the corridor less than twenty-feet from the door to Magnus’ office door - though the corridor was well lit by the afternoon sun the two of them still managed to fade away into the woodwork, afterall, they were both hunters of much the same calibre.
Back in Magnus’ office Helen Magnus watched the only remaining person with well-concealed weariness. She did have a justified reason for being weary; the girl was a fledgling, young and inexperienced, control was hard for her to find and maintain though she expressed the air that it was almost too easy to control her more... dangerous side. Magnus studied the girl for a long time, wondering, not for the first time, whether she should have told her and Nikola what she had recently discovered herself. She didn’t have any real right to keep the information private and though it hurt her to think of it to be true, she knew the science wasn’t lying - especially since she had redone the test two dozen times before finally conceding to the truth of the matter. There wasn’t any real reason for her to deny it, no real reason for her to hide it, except... except for John’s reaction. John would be so angry, angered beyond reason, and she was so very, very aware of how tenuous a grasp John held on his anger nowadays. She could not, would not, do or say anything about this that could potentially cause John to lose his temper and attack them. Any of them; including Nikola. Actually, especially Nikola since it would only be natural of John to blame Nikola; the Vampire was the easiest one to blame for anything going wrong, anything being done that is untoward a person, because Nikola wouldn’t bother denying it whether or not he was responsible. His ego was just that big.
Just as Magnus opened her mouth to speak Kathryn beat her to it, her soft but subtly demanding voice echoing around the room in contrast to how her footsteps did not. “Why is it that you have included me in this Doctor Magnus? If I am correct in assuming so, I am not a member of your staff, nor am I officially one of your patients. Therefore I do not understand the reason for my attendance of this meeting, or the subsequent accompaniment of you all in search of this dangerous abnormal.”
How very odd it was for Helen to hear another female British voice in her office, in her home, after having grown used to being surrounded by Americans. The girl’s accent was a mixture between that of an Oxfordshire born-and-bred person along with the less than politically correct tinge that most in the North seemed to have that made certain sounds lilt and become more Irish in origin. It ultimately gave the girl a more enigmatic feel to her, not that she wasn’t enigmatic enough of course, but the accent certainly helped. That being said, the fact that the girl had never attended a preparatory establishment, having instead attended public school, Magnus was quite surprised by the Oxfordshire tinge to the girl’s speech; it was quite uncommon, but it seemed to be a part of the girls personality and Helen wasn’t going to begrudge the girl for being who she was - Heaven knows the girl had already had enough of that whilst growing up being so different to the majority and never truly understanding why or in what way.
“You’re a Vampire, the only other vampire in existence besides Nikola.” Magnus responded, raising an eyebrow as the girl stared back at her with a raised eyebrow - if one had been in the room at the time then they would have sworn that they were seeing mirror-reflections of the same person with twenty-plus years between one image and the other, it was so very uncanny that it would have made even the most unobservant pause in consideration.
“Irrelevant and you know it.” The girl shot back, quick as lightning as she crossed her arms and stared expectantly at Magnus. “My being a vampire has absolutely nothing to do with your decision to let me ‘tag along’, in fact we both know that you hadn’t even considered my vampiric abilities when you decided to bring me along, so therefore there must be other criteria which you’ve judged me by and thought it prudent to have me join your little excursion. So therefore, if it isn’t too much trouble for you Doctor Magnus, could you please skip the pointless excuse and simply tell me why I’m coming?” Though Kathryn was fast-speaking and forceful in her wording of sentences, she spoke with such a polite tone of voice that it put Helen off her game a little - it was like someone using your best move against you in a fight, it kind of knocked you for six.
“I-” Magnus blinked profusely as she tried to get her bearings back, and the girl just watched and waited for her to reassert her control. “Alright. The real reason is because I recently discovered some ah.... sensitive information pertaining to yourself and I thought it would be safer if you came with us so that I could ensure your continued safety.” Magnus let out a slow breath and stared at the girl.
“That’s part of it but not the whole story.” Kathryn stated simply as she shrugged. “And I know that because your heart beat just sped up by an average of two beats per minute which only ever happens when you’re lying. So, what’s the rest? Is it something to do with the serum I made? Or is it something to do with the fact that Nikola’s still trying to handle being a vampire again and is finding it difficult to control himself? You want someone there who you know can hold him off when he’s in a blood rage?”
Damn the girl was quick. Too bloody quick for Helen right now, her lie was being pulled apart and steadfastly stomped into the ground by a girl who, by all rights, shouldn’t have even picked up on the fact that Helen was lying. Though, that being said, Ashley was always remarkably good at telling when Helen was fibbing, it seemed that that was no different with Kathryn Magnasa either.
Before Helen could say or do anything Kathryn had covered the distance of the office, from where she’d been standing close to the door right up to Helen’s side as she sat at her desk, in less than a heart beat causing her to jump and reflexively reach towards her draw which housed her gun. “You’re not going to tell me the truth of the matter are you?” Kathryn said softly, standing close enough to Helen to make Helen’s natural instincts stir and make her aware that there was a very dangerous predator less than a foot away from her. “No, you won’t because you think that whatever reason you’ve got for not divulging such sensitive information is a justifiable reason. So, I won’t press you anymore, in fact I won’t bring it up again and if, when you feel like such sensitive information isn’t as classified as you obviously think it currently is, I’ll be waiting for you.”
The slight whistle of the air as Kathryn flitted across the room to the door was all that Magnus heard before her eyes picked out the girls form standing by the door, her hand on the door handle. “Have a good day Doctor Magnus and be sure to get some decent rest yourself, immortality doesn’t include the lack of needing sleep you know?” And with those parting words Kathryn opened the door and slipped out into the corridor, the door clicking shut behind her as she disappeared down the corridors of the Sanctuary, leaving Magnus alone with her thoughts and secret fears.
The girl was right - and now she could appreciate Nikola’s annoyance whenever Katrine won an argument with him; she never bragged about winning an argument, but she exuded an air that seemed to scream at you; I’m-right-you’re-wrong-glad-we-cleared-that-one-up-moving-on?
Helen sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose tiredly as she logged onto her account on the Sanctuary network and began typing up lists of what needed to be done whilst she was away on the hunt. The work of a leader is never really done though because she knew, without a doubt, that she would still be giving out orders to people whilst on this expedition. Sometimes she longed for a nice, long, event-free holiday where she could just relax in the sun and not have to order someone about beyond getting another beverage. It would be so very nice. But she was a realist and such a holiday was neither practical nor possible with her line of work.
Still, she wouldn’t give it up for the life of her. It was in her blood. Literally.
To Part Two of Prologue: kaseykcnew.livejournal.com/15705.html
Fandom: Sanctuary
Genre: Sci-fi, Family, Mystery, Slash (??)
Warning: Bit of gore and violence... sort of
Word Count of Prologue: 6’872 words 0.O
Characters: Will Zimmerman, Helen Magnus, John Druitt, Nikola Tesla, Kate Freelander, Henry Foss, ‘Big Guy’, Kathryn Magnasa
Summary: When Nikola Tesla gets his Vampiric powers back, he has a girl to thank for it. A girl who has a lot of ties to the Sanctuary and the Five, in so many different ways. Whilst on the trail of a dangerous abnormal they must deal with the ramifications of such ties.
A/N: Well, this is the longest prologue that I’ve EVER written for a fic and I must say that this was the most challenging one too... I’ve never really written a real Sanctuary fic before in my life so this is pretty new for me; which basically means that the characters aren’t coming to me as easily as other characters from other fandom’s do. Incredibly annoying I can assure you. Anyway, this is kind of like a set-up for an actual - current-time - hunt that they’re going to be going on as well as a review of what’s led up to these events. It’s one of those “it’s kind of got the end at the beginning kind of fics”... sort of... :/
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and please comment!!
Kasey xx
“The burning desire to live and roam free,
It shines in the dark,
And it grows within me,
You’re holding my hand but you don't understand,
So where I am going, you won't be in the end.” - Utopia, Within Temptation
Prologue
Sometimes, it seems that life is full of dramatic irony, and not the sort that you want to come across and spend plenty of time in the company of. The type of dramatic irony that normally incites terrified or suspense-filled gasps from spectators during a tragedy when the unlikely hero undergoes something so traumatising and survives it that it’s a better adrenaline rush than running through the tunnels of Old City chasing after a deranged abnormal that has a penchant for chomping down young children.
But dramatic irony for some is something that they live for; indeed some strive on it and perform some of the best and most unimaginable feats whilst living up to the drama. What is so dramatically ironic about what has happened previously is the fact that, the main protagonist in this whole affair, was not someone that was universally liked - but he was accepted and tolerated... well, mostly - yet, when it was his time to go into the night, none of them wanted to see him go even though he had suddenly come to terms with his demise - several decades overdue. The ultimate irony is, whilst he was so desperate to continue to live on throughout the ages, the one time he has the opportunity to do so - after the first one was so very unceremoniously taken away from him by a twisted and possessively stupid fledgling - is the one time when he can’t fix it, when he personally cannot save himself. The irony is that someone else had to do what he could not when he finally acquiesced to the demands of time.
As it was, as he strolled along the decorated and tasteful corridors - humming a little tune that was most definitely an undiscovered masterpiece of one of the many classical composers - Nikola Tesla was indeed in absolute admiration of living, of being something more again. He needed this part of him; he needed the piece of his spirit that was so different yet so much the same that it was neither normal nor abnormal for him, in order to be able to survive. And he had a girl to thank for giving him a second chance, a girl that he’d initially only been interested in because of her DNA but now - after everything that had happened - he could safely say that if any harm came to her then there would be hell to pay. Someone so young had saved someone so old simply by being a fresh pair of eyes and a keen, observant mind. He was never going to live that one down was he? Hell no!
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“Nikola. How nice of you to finally arrive.” Helen Magnus - the head of the Sanctuary Network that spanned the entire globe and sought out those who were genetic advancements, abnormals, in a bid to both help and understand them and the rest of humanity - a woman to whom Tesla’s heart would forever belong to, said sarcastically as Tesla entered her study to find that he was the first one there.
He looked around himself and pouted before turning to look at Magnus and smile as he replied. “Helen, did you tell me the wrong time so that you could have me all to yourself?” He grinned cheekily and he swore he saw the woman blush - though he knew she blushed because he could smell the blood in her cheeks.
“Hardly Nikola, if I hadn’t have given you the wrong time you would have been purposefully late.” Magnus shot back as she stood up and moved out from behind her desk. She walked over to stand in front of Tesla who put on a wounded expression.
“Moi? I would never purposefully be late Helen. There was a good reason for me not being here on time.” Tesla remarked as he took a slight, but noticeable, step back away from Magnus which caught her attention. He saw that she noticed when she smiled sadly at him.
“Of course. I should have recalled.” Magnus said softly as Tesla looked away from her and off out of the window - it was sunny day with the sun shining down on Old City with a sort of benevolent feel as people went about their daily lives and the such... and Tesla wanted to go out and kill every last one of them.
“Nonsense Helen, I’m the Vampire here, I should have remembered what happened the first time.” Tesla countered as he snapped his gaze back onto the brilliant woman standing opposite him. “Considering I’m a genius this was a poor oversight on my part.”
Magnus stared into Tesla’s face intently, trying to see if there was anything else he was hiding about his newly returned vampiric powers but he seemed to be on the level so she smiled and nodded. “Alright. But I’ll want to run a few tests and see if we can find a blood substitute that will mix with you.”
Tesla groaned dramatically and Magnus smiled wider. “Oh great, now I get to be the vampire pin cushion for the best doctor around. This is a real honour.”
“Yes, yes it is Nikola.” Magnus retorted as she moved off towards her desk and sat down. She looked up at him and asked seriously. “Will you be alright with the others in the room or shall I open a window?”
Tesla glared at her and answered softly. “I’ll be fine, though I doubt opening a window will do any good Helen.” He raised an eyebrow as she inclined her head in agreement before continuing. “Besides, they’re about to come in here and I will not be shown up by a fledgling that’s over one-hundred years younger than me.”
Magnus laughed softly just as the door opened and the core of the Sanctuary in Old City came waltzing through the door. Will Zimmerman, the young protégé that seemed to have some very tasty blood running through his veins - the type of blood Tesla doubted there was a lot of in the world nowadays - frowned slightly as he noticed that Magnus was laughing and that Tesla was in the room already. Always suspicious, much like dear old James, but never overly obvious about it.
Henry Foss, the fur of the gang, walked into the room almost shadowing Will - in much the same way that a predator stalks their prey, though the young werewolf in Nikola’s opinion didn’t seem aware he was stalking his own friend like he was a tasty meal. Kate Freelander sauntered in, looking for all the world like she didn’t want to be here but Tesla knew better, and he’d smelt better too - there was something about her scent that always made him queasy, though he’d never noticed it when he was human for a short time but now it was almost overpowering. He guessed it had something to do with the fur but he wasn’t positive about it.
The air in the room seemed to become oddly charged when the next person walked into the room and Tesla felt a jolt in his heart where that little coil of pure electricity that he relished feeling again sparked. As the girl glided into the room because, honestly, the way she entered could not be considered as being walking or anything of the sort. Even for Tesla’s re-vamped, if you’ll pardon the pun, senses he couldn’t hear any of her footsteps on the carpeted ground. Still, that was to be expected of a fledgling who was a bloody disconcertingly fast learner - she even upstaged Tesla’s quick mind on occasion, and he was pointedly ignoring the occasion that had saved his life and brought him back to his former power and glory... well, if you exclude the fact that he’d got a few more wrinkles when he’d been human, and a grey hair!
Last but not least, although in Tesla’s opinion last place wasn’t far enough away from this old friend, John Druitt; A.K.A Jack the bloody Ripper, almost levitated into the room because of that silly looking leather coat of his - though Tesla couldn’t say anything really about leather and such because he could distinctly recall what he did in the early 90s.
“Nikola. How unpleasant a surprise it is to see you walking unimpaired.” Druitt said, his politely British voice softer than its usual tone wherein the man - or the monster as it had been for a number of years in Nikola’s opinion - would mock him with words and tear into his heart, and though he tried to contest it Tesla did indeed have a heart that was capable of great emotion. Very great. Too great for a Vampire really. Too much for a normal man even.
“Well, even the greatest must be given a reprieve from their misfortune, perhaps you’ll get that when you become great one day John... though probably not.” Tesla shot back before Helen could interrupt and stop their verbal sparring - it was either a duel with words or a duel with claws and fists... to some degree Nikola preferred the latter because that would mean there’d be plenty of blood all over the place and no-one would notice if he lapped it up, sucked his saturated neck-tie because they’d be so busy trying to save John that little old Tesla would fade into the background...
But he couldn’t think like that and he forcibly clenched his fists, his nails elongating slightly but they were sharp enough to dig into his toughened flesh, and used the pain to control his urge. He could not give into it, he’d made a promise all those years ago and he’d be damned if he’d break a promise - especially when it was to someone who he held in his heart with absolute reverence.
“What’s up Magnus?” Will asked as he leaned against the couch which Henry and Kate were slouched on, looking at his mentor with a calculating but also politely intrusive stare which Magnus either didn’t notice or didn’t respond to.
“Yeah doc. What’s so important that you had to have this thing drag me away from my baby’s?” Henry asked jerking his head in Kate’s direction who punched his arm making him wince.
Magnus raised an eyebrow at Henry who pouted, before answering both of their questions. “I thought it would be prudent if everyone was informed that there will be no lasting side-effects from Nikola’s second-transformation as well as the fact that I’ve received a call from a contact who is requesting our assistance... with a particularly powerful abnormal.” Magnus looked pointedly at Nikola and John. “Including you two I’m afraid.”
“Well, I’m sure you’d adore having me along, what for my dashing looks and genius but I’ll have to take a rain check m’dear. You’ll cover the expenses though won’t you?” Tesla smirked as Helen glared at him and Will rolled his eyes at his childish behaviour; what did he care what the young protégé thought of him and his behaviour, he didn’t care... not one bit.
“Nikola...” John damn near growled as the man stepped closer towards him, his hands curled lightly into fists and his shoulders hunched slightly to try and make him seem more imposing - which didn’t really work on a Vampire because size was irrelevant. But, that being said, Tesla had been human for a while before his second transformation so he instinctively took a step back and raised his eyebrows in surprise - more at his own silly following of a stupid instinct that applied to normal, dull humans.
“John.” Magnus said sharply, the steel in her voice automatically bringing John to a dead stop, still standing in front of Nikola with his hands curled lightly, and he turned to look at her slowly.
He gave her a soft, disarming smile that seemed to say - I-wasn’t-going-to-do-permanent-damage-honest - but Magnus shook her head and said sharply. “Nikola will be coming with us regardless of his personal thoughts on this. The abnormal has been infected, much like those centipedes in the mountain ranges, so someone with vampiric abilities would be useful - and since Nikola is quite experienced with how to fight without the use of handguns, he’ll be an asset.” Magnus’ eyes snapped onto Nikola’s face and he saw, deep in her eyes, a slight softening of her heart - as though she was doing this to help him and was trying to convey that to him; he wasn’t going to thank her for this, not one bit - and said firmly. “No arguments Nikola.”
Now that he had his silly, human-instincts under control Nikola smirked humourlessly and waved a hand airily. “Oh Helen... you shouldn’t take everything I say to heart; you might get the wrong idea about my feelings towards you.” He tilted his head slightly and grinned a little wider, knowing full-well that he was annoying John and Helen at the same time - but it’s so much fun to antagonise those that know you best; they’re the ones who won’t take everything you say to heart... well, almost everything.
Shaking her head at Nikola’s antics and wondering why she was putting herself through this agony, Magnus said to the room at large. “Make sure you’re all packed and ready for six-thirty tomorrow morning; and before you say anything, it has to be that early because of the time zone differences.” Looking around at the all she saw varying degrees of reluctance; Kate at having to get up so early no doubt, concern; for his computers of course, Henry was always concerned about his computers, and slight confusion; which would naturally be over who would be incharge of the Sanctuary whilst they were all away - she could always trust Will to be the one to think of such things first, so very much like dear old James that it was sometimes painful just to be around him, but that was no reason to avoid him; indeed, since he was so very much like James it was a reason to be around him, he could see things she couldn’t. Just like James could. Had. Used to.
“Whilst we are away, Declan will be heading the Sanctuary as well as several others who are willing and able to be here for however long we are away. I suggest you all get an early night - even if you don’t sleep - so that we can leave on the dot.” Magnus smiled and sat down at her desk again, which was her cue for their dismissal.
All but the girl trudged out of the room, though Nikola was weary of leaving Magnus alone with the girl - as was John if the look on his face was anything to go by - but since Magnus had dismissed them and they had no other real reason to stay behind they had to leave. However, they didn’t go far. Paranoia was a side-effect of a long life Tesla supposed as he and John blended into the shadows of the corridor less than twenty-feet from the door to Magnus’ office door - though the corridor was well lit by the afternoon sun the two of them still managed to fade away into the woodwork, afterall, they were both hunters of much the same calibre.
Back in Magnus’ office Helen Magnus watched the only remaining person with well-concealed weariness. She did have a justified reason for being weary; the girl was a fledgling, young and inexperienced, control was hard for her to find and maintain though she expressed the air that it was almost too easy to control her more... dangerous side. Magnus studied the girl for a long time, wondering, not for the first time, whether she should have told her and Nikola what she had recently discovered herself. She didn’t have any real right to keep the information private and though it hurt her to think of it to be true, she knew the science wasn’t lying - especially since she had redone the test two dozen times before finally conceding to the truth of the matter. There wasn’t any real reason for her to deny it, no real reason for her to hide it, except... except for John’s reaction. John would be so angry, angered beyond reason, and she was so very, very aware of how tenuous a grasp John held on his anger nowadays. She could not, would not, do or say anything about this that could potentially cause John to lose his temper and attack them. Any of them; including Nikola. Actually, especially Nikola since it would only be natural of John to blame Nikola; the Vampire was the easiest one to blame for anything going wrong, anything being done that is untoward a person, because Nikola wouldn’t bother denying it whether or not he was responsible. His ego was just that big.
Just as Magnus opened her mouth to speak Kathryn beat her to it, her soft but subtly demanding voice echoing around the room in contrast to how her footsteps did not. “Why is it that you have included me in this Doctor Magnus? If I am correct in assuming so, I am not a member of your staff, nor am I officially one of your patients. Therefore I do not understand the reason for my attendance of this meeting, or the subsequent accompaniment of you all in search of this dangerous abnormal.”
How very odd it was for Helen to hear another female British voice in her office, in her home, after having grown used to being surrounded by Americans. The girl’s accent was a mixture between that of an Oxfordshire born-and-bred person along with the less than politically correct tinge that most in the North seemed to have that made certain sounds lilt and become more Irish in origin. It ultimately gave the girl a more enigmatic feel to her, not that she wasn’t enigmatic enough of course, but the accent certainly helped. That being said, the fact that the girl had never attended a preparatory establishment, having instead attended public school, Magnus was quite surprised by the Oxfordshire tinge to the girl’s speech; it was quite uncommon, but it seemed to be a part of the girls personality and Helen wasn’t going to begrudge the girl for being who she was - Heaven knows the girl had already had enough of that whilst growing up being so different to the majority and never truly understanding why or in what way.
“You’re a Vampire, the only other vampire in existence besides Nikola.” Magnus responded, raising an eyebrow as the girl stared back at her with a raised eyebrow - if one had been in the room at the time then they would have sworn that they were seeing mirror-reflections of the same person with twenty-plus years between one image and the other, it was so very uncanny that it would have made even the most unobservant pause in consideration.
“Irrelevant and you know it.” The girl shot back, quick as lightning as she crossed her arms and stared expectantly at Magnus. “My being a vampire has absolutely nothing to do with your decision to let me ‘tag along’, in fact we both know that you hadn’t even considered my vampiric abilities when you decided to bring me along, so therefore there must be other criteria which you’ve judged me by and thought it prudent to have me join your little excursion. So therefore, if it isn’t too much trouble for you Doctor Magnus, could you please skip the pointless excuse and simply tell me why I’m coming?” Though Kathryn was fast-speaking and forceful in her wording of sentences, she spoke with such a polite tone of voice that it put Helen off her game a little - it was like someone using your best move against you in a fight, it kind of knocked you for six.
“I-” Magnus blinked profusely as she tried to get her bearings back, and the girl just watched and waited for her to reassert her control. “Alright. The real reason is because I recently discovered some ah.... sensitive information pertaining to yourself and I thought it would be safer if you came with us so that I could ensure your continued safety.” Magnus let out a slow breath and stared at the girl.
“That’s part of it but not the whole story.” Kathryn stated simply as she shrugged. “And I know that because your heart beat just sped up by an average of two beats per minute which only ever happens when you’re lying. So, what’s the rest? Is it something to do with the serum I made? Or is it something to do with the fact that Nikola’s still trying to handle being a vampire again and is finding it difficult to control himself? You want someone there who you know can hold him off when he’s in a blood rage?”
Damn the girl was quick. Too bloody quick for Helen right now, her lie was being pulled apart and steadfastly stomped into the ground by a girl who, by all rights, shouldn’t have even picked up on the fact that Helen was lying. Though, that being said, Ashley was always remarkably good at telling when Helen was fibbing, it seemed that that was no different with Kathryn Magnasa either.
Before Helen could say or do anything Kathryn had covered the distance of the office, from where she’d been standing close to the door right up to Helen’s side as she sat at her desk, in less than a heart beat causing her to jump and reflexively reach towards her draw which housed her gun. “You’re not going to tell me the truth of the matter are you?” Kathryn said softly, standing close enough to Helen to make Helen’s natural instincts stir and make her aware that there was a very dangerous predator less than a foot away from her. “No, you won’t because you think that whatever reason you’ve got for not divulging such sensitive information is a justifiable reason. So, I won’t press you anymore, in fact I won’t bring it up again and if, when you feel like such sensitive information isn’t as classified as you obviously think it currently is, I’ll be waiting for you.”
The slight whistle of the air as Kathryn flitted across the room to the door was all that Magnus heard before her eyes picked out the girls form standing by the door, her hand on the door handle. “Have a good day Doctor Magnus and be sure to get some decent rest yourself, immortality doesn’t include the lack of needing sleep you know?” And with those parting words Kathryn opened the door and slipped out into the corridor, the door clicking shut behind her as she disappeared down the corridors of the Sanctuary, leaving Magnus alone with her thoughts and secret fears.
The girl was right - and now she could appreciate Nikola’s annoyance whenever Katrine won an argument with him; she never bragged about winning an argument, but she exuded an air that seemed to scream at you; I’m-right-you’re-wrong-glad-we-cleared-that-one-up-moving-on?
Helen sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose tiredly as she logged onto her account on the Sanctuary network and began typing up lists of what needed to be done whilst she was away on the hunt. The work of a leader is never really done though because she knew, without a doubt, that she would still be giving out orders to people whilst on this expedition. Sometimes she longed for a nice, long, event-free holiday where she could just relax in the sun and not have to order someone about beyond getting another beverage. It would be so very nice. But she was a realist and such a holiday was neither practical nor possible with her line of work.
Still, she wouldn’t give it up for the life of her. It was in her blood. Literally.
To Part Two of Prologue: kaseykcnew.livejournal.com/15705.html