[Giuliana] Nowhere to Hide (March 3, 2010 part 3)
As Samuel materializes out of the shadows in front of her, Giuliana freezes. His eyes fix directly on hers, and she realizes that he can see right through her Obfuscation. He frowns at the stricken look on her face, his hands casual at his sides, an obvious attempt to appear nonthreatening, "Have you lied to me? Or do you recognize that I am not to blame?"
"I... ah.... no..." she struggles to fight back the urge to run, knowing that he'll just catch up to her again, "I know you didn't do it..." She runs her hands through her hair haphazardly, obviously shaken, trying to dredge logic out of the insanity that had just descended on her.
He eyes her for a long moment, "Would you prefer not to see me in the future?"
The question catches her off guard, and she shakes her head emphatically, trying to make sense of the conflicting drives within her, revulsion for her Sire's killer, anger, fear that Samuel has been lying to her all this time, fear that he'll leave. She leans against the wall behind her, oblivious to her surroundings, "No... don't do that." She looks down, leaning forward and placing her hands on her knees, trying to find balance.
He nods quietly, saying nothing, and she squeezes her eyes closed tightly for a moment, her mind whirling, when all of a sudden there's a vibration in her pocket. Snapping her eyes open, she pulls the cell phone out of her pocket and presses a button. There's a text message from Monica:
Venatrix said that he won't hurt you, or else he'll have to answer to her.
Giuliana blinks, staring at the phone in consternation. Why does Venatrix show protectiveness over her?
"I am sorry," Samuel's voice is low, and she looks up at him, "I simply did not wish to maintain a secret from you."
Her voice is equally quiet, and she slips her phone back into her pocket, "I know."
He sighs, "I should have told you sooner. I simply did not know how."
She nods, "I understand."
"Forgive me?"
She wants to, and logic states that it isn't his fault. She looks at Samuel, "I do." Her voice is laden with sadness.
He extends a hand to her, and she looks at it for a moment, then takes it, standing up straight again and pushing
off the wall slowly. He steps close to her and places a chaste kiss on each of her cheeks. "I swear. We will make it right."
She relents, nodding silently, and he asks, "Would you like to see me, tonight? After this?" She nods again, and he returns the nod, "We will talk more?"
"Si."
"I am sorry. For who created me."
He looks at the ground, and Giuliana frowns slightly, "It isn't anything you had control over."
"And yet you fled."
"It was the last thing I ever expected to hear. I was shocked."
Samuel smiles weakly, "But... I am not a diablerist."
She smiles sincerely, "Bene. That would be worse."
After he sinks back into the shadows, Giuliana stares into the darkness for a long moment before going back inside. Natoli is going to be so mad...
"I... ah.... no..." she struggles to fight back the urge to run, knowing that he'll just catch up to her again, "I know you didn't do it..." She runs her hands through her hair haphazardly, obviously shaken, trying to dredge logic out of the insanity that had just descended on her.
He eyes her for a long moment, "Would you prefer not to see me in the future?"
The question catches her off guard, and she shakes her head emphatically, trying to make sense of the conflicting drives within her, revulsion for her Sire's killer, anger, fear that Samuel has been lying to her all this time, fear that he'll leave. She leans against the wall behind her, oblivious to her surroundings, "No... don't do that." She looks down, leaning forward and placing her hands on her knees, trying to find balance.
He nods quietly, saying nothing, and she squeezes her eyes closed tightly for a moment, her mind whirling, when all of a sudden there's a vibration in her pocket. Snapping her eyes open, she pulls the cell phone out of her pocket and presses a button. There's a text message from Monica:
Venatrix said that he won't hurt you, or else he'll have to answer to her.
Giuliana blinks, staring at the phone in consternation. Why does Venatrix show protectiveness over her?
"I am sorry," Samuel's voice is low, and she looks up at him, "I simply did not wish to maintain a secret from you."
Her voice is equally quiet, and she slips her phone back into her pocket, "I know."
He sighs, "I should have told you sooner. I simply did not know how."
She nods, "I understand."
"Forgive me?"
She wants to, and logic states that it isn't his fault. She looks at Samuel, "I do." Her voice is laden with sadness.
He extends a hand to her, and she looks at it for a moment, then takes it, standing up straight again and pushing
off the wall slowly. He steps close to her and places a chaste kiss on each of her cheeks. "I swear. We will make it right."
She relents, nodding silently, and he asks, "Would you like to see me, tonight? After this?" She nods again, and he returns the nod, "We will talk more?"
"Si."
"I am sorry. For who created me."
He looks at the ground, and Giuliana frowns slightly, "It isn't anything you had control over."
"And yet you fled."
"It was the last thing I ever expected to hear. I was shocked."
Samuel smiles weakly, "But... I am not a diablerist."
She smiles sincerely, "Bene. That would be worse."
After he sinks back into the shadows, Giuliana stares into the darkness for a long moment before going back inside. Natoli is going to be so mad...