FIC: Catalyst (part 54) (Harry Sinclair, Karl Urban, Orlando Bloom, Dave Wenham)
Title: "Catalyst" (Part Fifty-Four)
Authors: Brenda (azewewish) & Jo (idiosyncratic)
Series: Claimed Universe
Notes: Click here for full disclaimers and pairings.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven | Part Twelve | Part Thirteen | Part Fourteen | Part Fifteen | Part Sixteen | Part Seventeen | Part Eighteen | Part Nineteen | Part Twenty | Part Twenty-One | Part Twenty-Two | Part Twenty-Three | Part Twenty-Four | Part Twenty-Five | Part Twenty-Six | Part Twenty-Seven | Part Twenty-Eight | Part Twenty-Nine | Part Thirty | Part Thirty-One | Part Thirty-Two | Part Thirty-Three | Part Thirty-Four | Part Thirty-Five | Part Thirty-Six | Part Thirty-Seven | Part Thirty-Eight | Part Thirty-Nine | Part Forty | Part Forty-One | Part Forty-Two | Part Forty-Three | Part Forty-Four | Part Forty-Five | Part Forty-Seven | Part Forty-Seven | Part Forty-Eight | Part Forty-Nine | Part Fifty | Part Fifty-One | Part Fifty-Two | Part Fifty-Three
"Why are we doing this again?" Elijah whispered, seconds before the door opened and an attractive man beckoned them into the living room of the sumptuous Peninsula Suite at the Peninsula Hotel. Orlando thought he recognized the young man from Turkey, but he wasn't sure.
"Because you don't refuse an invitation from the Elder," Dom whispered in response.
Orlando just made a silencing gesture as Liv came into the room, eclipsing even the decadent surroundings. Her dress flowed with every move, the light blue material swirling around her calves with each step, clung to her body like a second skin. He had to admit that she looked stunning. "We've arrived at your command, m'lady," he said, bowing slightly.
"Aren't you the gentleman," she said, with a smile, coming towards them and holding out her hands. Her smile widened when Orlando took her hands and pressed a light kiss to the back of them.
"Show off," Josh muttered, but he smiled and stepped forward to repeat the gesture. "It's an honor to make your acquaintance again."
Orlando elbowed Josh lightly in the ribs. "Call me a showoff."
"Shut up."
Liv, Orlando noticed, just nodded her head at Josh and moved towards Dom. "And you must be Sean's."
"Must I?"
"Oh yes," Liv smiled, taking Dom's chin in her hand to study his face. "Definitely his, through and through. I'm not entirely sure which one of you is luckier."
"I am," Dom said, quietly, all trace of bravado gone. Orlando hid his smile by looking around the room. The suite had an actual baby grand piano. He wondered if Liv was at all musically inclined, or if she just liked the idea of having a piano at her disposal. Maybe one of her numerous young men liked to play.
"I think it's equal," Liv countered with a smile, then released his chin. Then her eyes fell on Elijah. "And that must make you the mortal best friend."
"I...um, yes." Elijah stood there, eyes wide, transfixed as he stared at Liv.
Her hands settled on his shoulders, and Liv turned that blinding smile on him. "You're a very extraordinary person, then," she said, "to have gained young Orlando's trust."
"I, uh, well, yes, thank you," Elijah stammered, and Orlando stared at him, nudging Dom who stood there with his mouth open.
"I'm thinking true love," Josh sing-songed out of the corner of his mouth. Orlando just nodded. It was always amusing to see Elijah trip over himself over a beautiful woman. Not that Liv was just another woman, but still. The principal was the same.
"And very pretty, too," Liv continued, with another slight smile. "Karl tells me you work for him?"
"Y-yes. I, uh, I mean, yes, ma'am," Elijah managed. His face was bright pink. "I'm a lawyer. Corporate law. I, um, I work in corporate law. For Karl."
"Technically, he works for Orlando," Dom added, cheeky grin firmly in place again. "Karl just signs his paycheck."
"With Orlando," Elijah retorted. He frowned at Dom, and Orlando had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. It was an old argument.
"It's a little of both," Orlando finally said before they could fall into their usual bickering. He smiled when they looked at him, and had to immediately swallow another laugh when Elijah's eyes snapped back to Liv. "Elijah is my legal counsel."
"An excellent choice." Liv gestured towards the open area behind her and smiled at them. "Come. We'll talk and have drinks before dinner."
"Dude, I thought Lij was going to murder Dom," Josh murmured to Orlando as they followed Liv into the equally spacious sitting room. Orlando noted a fire had been lit in the fireplace, and remembered Karl saying the Liv was fond of things done a certain way. He supposed if anyone had earned the right to be treated like royalty, it would be her.
"I think if Dom threatens Lij's chances with Liv, he will," Orlando replied, with a clap to Josh's back. He couldn't remember the last time Elijah had been so gone over a woman. Not even Pamela had made him blush like that, and they'd been engaged before calling it off three months before the wedding was to take place.
Another stunning young man, this one dressed impeccably in black, bowed from behind his place at the bar. "May I offer you gentlemen anything to drink?"
"Do you have Stoli Elit?" Josh asked.
"Certainly."
"I'll have that, chilled and neat, please."
"I appreciate a man that likes good vodka," Liv said, with a lift of a perfectly manicured eyebrow.
Josh grinned as he took his drink from the bartender. "I appreciate your appreciation."
"Smart and knows how to flatter. And Karl had the intelligence to claim you?" The eyebrow went up again, but her sweet smile took the sting out of it. Still, Orlando found himself focusing on the drink being passed to him as he heard muffled laughter from Dom and Elijah. "I suppose I'll have to congratulate him. Speaking of congratulations..."
When she paused, Orlando looked up, hoping he looked less tense than he felt. "Yes?"
"I understand that congratulations are in order for both of you," she said, stepping in close to take a glass of white wine. The light, floral scent of her perfume filled Orlando's nostrils and he found himself leaning a little closer to get a better whiff. "Josh, for bonding to Karl, and you for finally realizing what was wrong with your bond with Harry."
"You mean my lack of a bond with Harry."
"Lack of a complete bond," Liv corrected, tapping her glass to Orlando's. "You were already mostly there."
"It's still like night and day," Orlando replied.
Josh just grinned around his glass. "I still don't see how vampires ever let their pets out of bed, man."
"Mate, who says it's the vampires keeping the pets in bed and not the other way around?" Dom asked, taking his own glass.
"A very good point."
"It's not..." Elijah frowned, clutching his own glass so tight that his knuckles were white. "It's not that much better. Is it?"
"Lij," Orlando said, "you have no idea."
"No idea at all," Josh agreed. Dom just laughed.
"Perhaps one day he'll find out." Liv flashed a mysterious smile that had Elijah's eyes widening again.
Orlando almost choked on his drink. He'd seen Elijah with girls before, but this was something completely different. And with Elijah's reaction to Liv, Orlando was going to be hard pressed to save his teasing until later. "Perhaps he will," Orlando muttered, not quite under his breath, and Dom snorted.
"Sit," Liv said, with a look for Orlando that let him know she'd heard him. "No need to be uncomfortable. Dinner will be ready soon."
Orlando sank onto one of the plush sofas. Josh took the seat next to him, and Dom and Elijah made themselves at home on the other sofa. "This is beginning to feel a little like a first date," he observed, watching Liv's progress across the room.
Liv flashed him a warm smile. "In some ways it is. This is a first for all of you. And something I haven't done in centuries." She sank gracefully onto a nearby chair, toying with the stem of her wineglass. "Would you prefer another drink before you ask the questions I can tell you're dying to ask?"
"No, thank you," Orlando answered, returning the smile. He was more relaxed around her this time, even though Harry and Karl weren't there, and wondered if it was another effect of the completed bond or simply because he was getting used to Liv's considerable effect on everyone around her. "My main question is if there is going to be any danger to them. Because if there is, I won't do it."
"Minimal. No more danger than they would be in if they were to donate blood at a hospital."
Orlando nodded, relieved. "Good." He could only imagine what his expression was like when he looked back up at Liv. "And just how much danger am I going to be in? Truthfully."
To her considerable credit, she answered almost immediately. "Truthfully, people have died. That doesn't mean that you will, and your bonds to Harry and Karl and your strength will be factors, but there is a risk that your body will reject the procedure."
Dom scooted forward, glass forgotten in his hands. "What exactly is the procedure? Something about a blood transfusion, right?"
"Almost," Liv replied. "It's slightly more complicated than that. But, luckily, technology has caught up with us, so it won't be as bad for Orlando as it would have been in centuries past."
"Slightly more complicated?" Josh asked. Orlando also noticed that Elijah no longer looked dazed, and his eyes were sharp as he watched Liv.
"How much more complicated?" Elijah asked. "And is there any paperwork that he'll need to sign?"
Orlando hid his smile behind his glass. Leave it to Elijah to think of a legal angle. Liv just turned that blinding smile on him. "No paperwork. All that is needed is his consent in front of witnesses. As for how much more complicated..."
One shoulder lifted in a delicate shrug, and Orlando felt a little uneasy. "Simply put, he must be drained completely and new, mortal blood introduced into his body. The procedure will be done at a blood bank, just in case the three of you aren't enough. And it will take several hours."
Several... Orlando wondered if he was as pale as he felt.
"The length of time is necessary for your recovery and for your donors to also recover," she continued. "If we drain you too fast or you get the new blood too fast, it could kill you."
"But why?" Dom asked. "I mean, we're all healthy. So, what's the danger?"
"It's poison," Josh slowly said, and nodded when Liv smiled at him to continue. "I mean, just like when a mortal gets the Gift, the blood's tainted. So, it's like the mortal blood is tainted in reverse, right?"
"Very good. Vampires need mortal blood to survive, but it's a small amount. Introducing a large amount into our system would do great damage."
"Tricky," Dom murmured, looking thoughtful. "I take it this is done in stages?"
Liv nodded. "As I said, it's necessary for all of you to recover somewhat between each stage." Then she looked at Orlando. "The last stage will be the worst. It's in your nature now to fight any threat to your survival. Your body will be fighting me and fighting the new blood. That is when your bond to Harry and Karl will be most important, and why I'll be on hand to make sure the bonds don't waver."
"Fighting..." For a few seconds, Orlando thought he might be sick.
"It's why the recovery time is so long afterwards," she said, with a gentle smile. "And why your activities will be monitored closely. Your body will be a very intense battleground during and after the procedure."
"Great." He was certain his voice was as weak as he felt. Just the idea of having to fight his own body...
"We don't do this on a whim. Just as we don't give the Gift to anyone who asks, we don't take that Gift away without a compelling reason. And we've never done it after the first year of a mortal being turned."
"Breaking rules again," Elijah noted, but there was no mirth in the joke.
"You don't have to do this," Liv said. "You're already bonded to Harry and Dave's already ceded your training to Harry and Karl. The need to have Harry as your Sire isn't as great as it once was."
"I..." Orlando swallowed, took a deep breath. He let himself sink into the bond for just a moment, gaining strength from the love that wrapped around him. "He should have been my Sire."
"Yes," Liv said, simply. Her gaze never wavered from his. "But there is a price. It's one you need to be aware of before we start, because there is no turning back then, and this will be painful enough with your full acceptance."
Orlando took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. He'd come this far. "I think I need to discuss it with them again," he said, surprised at how steady his voice was. "Just to make absolutely sure."
"Fair enough. Although the ultimate decision should be yours, and yours alone."
"I understand." He glanced at Dom and Elijah and Josh, reassured when they all looked back at him with acceptance. It was his decision, yes. But he wouldn't be alone.
"Good." She smiled, and stood just as another uniformed man glided into the room to inform them that dinner was ready. "What say we enjoy the rest of our evening together, then? My chef's assured me he's prepared something special tonight."
"I think that's a fantastic idea," Orlando said. He stood and offered his arm, smiling when she grinned at him. "Shall we?"
Liv slid her arm through his, and Orlando caught the look Elijah gave him. Once again, he had to swallow the urge to laugh, especially when Dom offered his arm and winked at Elijah. "Looks like I'm escorting you."
"Like hell," Elijah said, smacking at Dom's arm, then smiling when Liv glanced back at them.
"Come along, boys."
(To Be Continued)
Authors: Brenda (azewewish) & Jo (idiosyncratic)
Series: Claimed Universe
Notes: Click here for full disclaimers and pairings.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven | Part Twelve | Part Thirteen | Part Fourteen | Part Fifteen | Part Sixteen | Part Seventeen | Part Eighteen | Part Nineteen | Part Twenty | Part Twenty-One | Part Twenty-Two | Part Twenty-Three | Part Twenty-Four | Part Twenty-Five | Part Twenty-Six | Part Twenty-Seven | Part Twenty-Eight | Part Twenty-Nine | Part Thirty | Part Thirty-One | Part Thirty-Two | Part Thirty-Three | Part Thirty-Four | Part Thirty-Five | Part Thirty-Six | Part Thirty-Seven | Part Thirty-Eight | Part Thirty-Nine | Part Forty | Part Forty-One | Part Forty-Two | Part Forty-Three | Part Forty-Four | Part Forty-Five | Part Forty-Seven | Part Forty-Seven | Part Forty-Eight | Part Forty-Nine | Part Fifty | Part Fifty-One | Part Fifty-Two | Part Fifty-Three
"Why are we doing this again?" Elijah whispered, seconds before the door opened and an attractive man beckoned them into the living room of the sumptuous Peninsula Suite at the Peninsula Hotel. Orlando thought he recognized the young man from Turkey, but he wasn't sure.
"Because you don't refuse an invitation from the Elder," Dom whispered in response.
Orlando just made a silencing gesture as Liv came into the room, eclipsing even the decadent surroundings. Her dress flowed with every move, the light blue material swirling around her calves with each step, clung to her body like a second skin. He had to admit that she looked stunning. "We've arrived at your command, m'lady," he said, bowing slightly.
"Aren't you the gentleman," she said, with a smile, coming towards them and holding out her hands. Her smile widened when Orlando took her hands and pressed a light kiss to the back of them.
"Show off," Josh muttered, but he smiled and stepped forward to repeat the gesture. "It's an honor to make your acquaintance again."
Orlando elbowed Josh lightly in the ribs. "Call me a showoff."
"Shut up."
Liv, Orlando noticed, just nodded her head at Josh and moved towards Dom. "And you must be Sean's."
"Must I?"
"Oh yes," Liv smiled, taking Dom's chin in her hand to study his face. "Definitely his, through and through. I'm not entirely sure which one of you is luckier."
"I am," Dom said, quietly, all trace of bravado gone. Orlando hid his smile by looking around the room. The suite had an actual baby grand piano. He wondered if Liv was at all musically inclined, or if she just liked the idea of having a piano at her disposal. Maybe one of her numerous young men liked to play.
"I think it's equal," Liv countered with a smile, then released his chin. Then her eyes fell on Elijah. "And that must make you the mortal best friend."
"I...um, yes." Elijah stood there, eyes wide, transfixed as he stared at Liv.
Her hands settled on his shoulders, and Liv turned that blinding smile on him. "You're a very extraordinary person, then," she said, "to have gained young Orlando's trust."
"I, uh, well, yes, thank you," Elijah stammered, and Orlando stared at him, nudging Dom who stood there with his mouth open.
"I'm thinking true love," Josh sing-songed out of the corner of his mouth. Orlando just nodded. It was always amusing to see Elijah trip over himself over a beautiful woman. Not that Liv was just another woman, but still. The principal was the same.
"And very pretty, too," Liv continued, with another slight smile. "Karl tells me you work for him?"
"Y-yes. I, uh, I mean, yes, ma'am," Elijah managed. His face was bright pink. "I'm a lawyer. Corporate law. I, um, I work in corporate law. For Karl."
"Technically, he works for Orlando," Dom added, cheeky grin firmly in place again. "Karl just signs his paycheck."
"With Orlando," Elijah retorted. He frowned at Dom, and Orlando had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. It was an old argument.
"It's a little of both," Orlando finally said before they could fall into their usual bickering. He smiled when they looked at him, and had to immediately swallow another laugh when Elijah's eyes snapped back to Liv. "Elijah is my legal counsel."
"An excellent choice." Liv gestured towards the open area behind her and smiled at them. "Come. We'll talk and have drinks before dinner."
"Dude, I thought Lij was going to murder Dom," Josh murmured to Orlando as they followed Liv into the equally spacious sitting room. Orlando noted a fire had been lit in the fireplace, and remembered Karl saying the Liv was fond of things done a certain way. He supposed if anyone had earned the right to be treated like royalty, it would be her.
"I think if Dom threatens Lij's chances with Liv, he will," Orlando replied, with a clap to Josh's back. He couldn't remember the last time Elijah had been so gone over a woman. Not even Pamela had made him blush like that, and they'd been engaged before calling it off three months before the wedding was to take place.
Another stunning young man, this one dressed impeccably in black, bowed from behind his place at the bar. "May I offer you gentlemen anything to drink?"
"Do you have Stoli Elit?" Josh asked.
"Certainly."
"I'll have that, chilled and neat, please."
"I appreciate a man that likes good vodka," Liv said, with a lift of a perfectly manicured eyebrow.
Josh grinned as he took his drink from the bartender. "I appreciate your appreciation."
"Smart and knows how to flatter. And Karl had the intelligence to claim you?" The eyebrow went up again, but her sweet smile took the sting out of it. Still, Orlando found himself focusing on the drink being passed to him as he heard muffled laughter from Dom and Elijah. "I suppose I'll have to congratulate him. Speaking of congratulations..."
When she paused, Orlando looked up, hoping he looked less tense than he felt. "Yes?"
"I understand that congratulations are in order for both of you," she said, stepping in close to take a glass of white wine. The light, floral scent of her perfume filled Orlando's nostrils and he found himself leaning a little closer to get a better whiff. "Josh, for bonding to Karl, and you for finally realizing what was wrong with your bond with Harry."
"You mean my lack of a bond with Harry."
"Lack of a complete bond," Liv corrected, tapping her glass to Orlando's. "You were already mostly there."
"It's still like night and day," Orlando replied.
Josh just grinned around his glass. "I still don't see how vampires ever let their pets out of bed, man."
"Mate, who says it's the vampires keeping the pets in bed and not the other way around?" Dom asked, taking his own glass.
"A very good point."
"It's not..." Elijah frowned, clutching his own glass so tight that his knuckles were white. "It's not that much better. Is it?"
"Lij," Orlando said, "you have no idea."
"No idea at all," Josh agreed. Dom just laughed.
"Perhaps one day he'll find out." Liv flashed a mysterious smile that had Elijah's eyes widening again.
Orlando almost choked on his drink. He'd seen Elijah with girls before, but this was something completely different. And with Elijah's reaction to Liv, Orlando was going to be hard pressed to save his teasing until later. "Perhaps he will," Orlando muttered, not quite under his breath, and Dom snorted.
"Sit," Liv said, with a look for Orlando that let him know she'd heard him. "No need to be uncomfortable. Dinner will be ready soon."
Orlando sank onto one of the plush sofas. Josh took the seat next to him, and Dom and Elijah made themselves at home on the other sofa. "This is beginning to feel a little like a first date," he observed, watching Liv's progress across the room.
Liv flashed him a warm smile. "In some ways it is. This is a first for all of you. And something I haven't done in centuries." She sank gracefully onto a nearby chair, toying with the stem of her wineglass. "Would you prefer another drink before you ask the questions I can tell you're dying to ask?"
"No, thank you," Orlando answered, returning the smile. He was more relaxed around her this time, even though Harry and Karl weren't there, and wondered if it was another effect of the completed bond or simply because he was getting used to Liv's considerable effect on everyone around her. "My main question is if there is going to be any danger to them. Because if there is, I won't do it."
"Minimal. No more danger than they would be in if they were to donate blood at a hospital."
Orlando nodded, relieved. "Good." He could only imagine what his expression was like when he looked back up at Liv. "And just how much danger am I going to be in? Truthfully."
To her considerable credit, she answered almost immediately. "Truthfully, people have died. That doesn't mean that you will, and your bonds to Harry and Karl and your strength will be factors, but there is a risk that your body will reject the procedure."
Dom scooted forward, glass forgotten in his hands. "What exactly is the procedure? Something about a blood transfusion, right?"
"Almost," Liv replied. "It's slightly more complicated than that. But, luckily, technology has caught up with us, so it won't be as bad for Orlando as it would have been in centuries past."
"Slightly more complicated?" Josh asked. Orlando also noticed that Elijah no longer looked dazed, and his eyes were sharp as he watched Liv.
"How much more complicated?" Elijah asked. "And is there any paperwork that he'll need to sign?"
Orlando hid his smile behind his glass. Leave it to Elijah to think of a legal angle. Liv just turned that blinding smile on him. "No paperwork. All that is needed is his consent in front of witnesses. As for how much more complicated..."
One shoulder lifted in a delicate shrug, and Orlando felt a little uneasy. "Simply put, he must be drained completely and new, mortal blood introduced into his body. The procedure will be done at a blood bank, just in case the three of you aren't enough. And it will take several hours."
Several... Orlando wondered if he was as pale as he felt.
"The length of time is necessary for your recovery and for your donors to also recover," she continued. "If we drain you too fast or you get the new blood too fast, it could kill you."
"But why?" Dom asked. "I mean, we're all healthy. So, what's the danger?"
"It's poison," Josh slowly said, and nodded when Liv smiled at him to continue. "I mean, just like when a mortal gets the Gift, the blood's tainted. So, it's like the mortal blood is tainted in reverse, right?"
"Very good. Vampires need mortal blood to survive, but it's a small amount. Introducing a large amount into our system would do great damage."
"Tricky," Dom murmured, looking thoughtful. "I take it this is done in stages?"
Liv nodded. "As I said, it's necessary for all of you to recover somewhat between each stage." Then she looked at Orlando. "The last stage will be the worst. It's in your nature now to fight any threat to your survival. Your body will be fighting me and fighting the new blood. That is when your bond to Harry and Karl will be most important, and why I'll be on hand to make sure the bonds don't waver."
"Fighting..." For a few seconds, Orlando thought he might be sick.
"It's why the recovery time is so long afterwards," she said, with a gentle smile. "And why your activities will be monitored closely. Your body will be a very intense battleground during and after the procedure."
"Great." He was certain his voice was as weak as he felt. Just the idea of having to fight his own body...
"We don't do this on a whim. Just as we don't give the Gift to anyone who asks, we don't take that Gift away without a compelling reason. And we've never done it after the first year of a mortal being turned."
"Breaking rules again," Elijah noted, but there was no mirth in the joke.
"You don't have to do this," Liv said. "You're already bonded to Harry and Dave's already ceded your training to Harry and Karl. The need to have Harry as your Sire isn't as great as it once was."
"I..." Orlando swallowed, took a deep breath. He let himself sink into the bond for just a moment, gaining strength from the love that wrapped around him. "He should have been my Sire."
"Yes," Liv said, simply. Her gaze never wavered from his. "But there is a price. It's one you need to be aware of before we start, because there is no turning back then, and this will be painful enough with your full acceptance."
Orlando took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. He'd come this far. "I think I need to discuss it with them again," he said, surprised at how steady his voice was. "Just to make absolutely sure."
"Fair enough. Although the ultimate decision should be yours, and yours alone."
"I understand." He glanced at Dom and Elijah and Josh, reassured when they all looked back at him with acceptance. It was his decision, yes. But he wouldn't be alone.
"Good." She smiled, and stood just as another uniformed man glided into the room to inform them that dinner was ready. "What say we enjoy the rest of our evening together, then? My chef's assured me he's prepared something special tonight."
"I think that's a fantastic idea," Orlando said. He stood and offered his arm, smiling when she grinned at him. "Shall we?"
Liv slid her arm through his, and Orlando caught the look Elijah gave him. Once again, he had to swallow the urge to laugh, especially when Dom offered his arm and winked at Elijah. "Looks like I'm escorting you."
"Like hell," Elijah said, smacking at Dom's arm, then smiling when Liv glanced back at them.
"Come along, boys."
(To Be Continued)