Mistaken Identity - Chapters 2-4
Title: Mistaken Identity
Rating: M to be safe
Tags: Miranda/Andy and a slight Blade crossover
Pairings: Miranda and Andy/ Others later but really just implied
Length/Word Count: 29 Chapters/33,069 words
Status: Complete
Disclaimer: I own nothing of these characters. The DWP characters belong to Twentieth Century Fox and Lauren Weisberger. Blade belongs to New Line Cinema and David Goyer. The rest belong to me
Summary: AU. Andy does walk away but just to clear her mind. On her way back she is attacked and believes the person behind the attack is Miranda.
A/N: So first really long fiction. I love our sad, impossible Miranda and always want her to ultimately find happiness. I want to thank my unintended BETA. My great friend Elizabeth in Canada who just wanted to read and ended up acting as my BETA.
A/N: So this is complete with a Prologue, 27 Chapters and an Epilogue. I plan to post once a day until finished.
A/N: In response to the plea for more than one chapter I decided to go with multiple chapters with each posting.
Previous Chapters:
Prologue and Chapter 1: Prologue and Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Two Years Later
Her maker had been wrong. She had survived. The first few months were a nightmare. She wandered the back alleys of Paris, scavenging clothes, fighting the urge to hunt, hating it that when her hunger won out her survival ended in the death of another. She hated herself and what she had become, she hated the monster that had turned her, and she hated MIRANDA PRIESTLY. He had called her his mistress. So that must mean Miranda was a vampire as well.
No big surprise there. If she thought about it, all the tell tale signs were there. The woman was heartless; she used people and then discarded them like trash. Much as she had done with Andy. The difference this time though was instead of being escorted out of the building by security, Miranda had literally killed her. And all because I walked off. The bitch didn’t even give me a chance to explain. But what Andy hated most of all was that she had fallen in love with the woman. That was why she walked away that day. Her conflicting emotions of love and disgust sent her running for cover. She had known, even as she walked away, she would return. She had no choice. Like the moth to the flame she would always return to Miranda.
It got easier though and the first time she was able to control the hunger and not kill was the turning point for her. She learned much that first year. She learned all the myths were just that - myths. She could walk about during the day, but her reactions were slowed and she was a bit languid while the sun was up. Churches and hallowed ground did not cause pain. The myth about eating and drinking was, unfortunately, true. So were the myths about increased strength, improved hearing and eye sight, increased mental abilities and she could move so quickly that no one could see her.
Once she learned to master her strengths and overcome her weaknesses she developed a routine and began to carve out a life. She decided to blend in to the city. She discovered she could easily master new languages. She managed to gain employment working on a small local newspaper. Always careful to avoid calling any attention to herself she took the mundane assignments. Between the small salary and her nightly rovings she managed to put away quite a nice sum. She rented a small, but cleaner room and as time passed she began to formulate her plan for revenge. It might get her killed - for good this time - but she was not going to sit by and let Miranda get away with destroying her life.
She used the resources of the paper to keep tabs on the Editor. Page Six was easily accessed via the internet and so Andy took to reading it every day. Strangely enough, though, Miranda appeared infrequently in the gossip columns and when she did, the articles were just fillers. Small captions about this event or another. Nothing to indicate anything personal about Miranda. The article on the divorce from Stephen was a bit harsh but after that it seemed Miranda had become something of a recluse. Strange.
She needed better information and the only way to get that was to go to New York. It was risky, especially if Miranda had more vampire minions roaming the city but it was a chance Andy would have to take. She needed to see exactly what she was up against. So with that in mind, Andy stepped up her nightly hunting, careful to leave her prey alive but usually minus anything valuable. She moved to a better part of town and picked a better class of prey. Almost two years to the day, Andy quit her job and bought a ticket to New York.
Chapter 3
Her first few weeks in New York were uneventful. She kept out of sight, trying to learn as much as she could about Miranda’s comings and goings. One night, as she was hunting, she sensed something close. She could feel eyes on her. Her senses kicked in and soon she came face to face with one of her own. She had never met another vampire in Paris. She began to think that maybe there actually weren’t that many of her kind. But here she was, face to face with a tall, red headed female vampire. After a little bit of sizing each other up, the red head decided to try a peaceful approach.
“I can tell you are a youngling. Two maybe three years old? Because of your youth I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you did not realize you were in my territory.”
“Two and a few months and as you say, I am new to this. I didn’t realize we had territories. I don’t want any trouble so how about I just move along. Tell me where I shouldn’t be hunting and I will make sure to stay clear. Deal?”
The red head laughed and then became quite still. “Who turned you? Whoever they were they did a shoddy job of training you. Of course we have territories, just like other predators and we don’t much care for interlopers.”
“I was turned in Europe, Paris to be exact. He stayed with me long enough to teach me to hunt then disappeared one night while I rested. Apparently his job did not entail the finer lessons in being a vampire. As I said I had no idea. I’m just trying to survive.”
The red head continued to just stare at her. As if she were making her mind up. Finally she said, “Ok. I get that. I knew someone was prowling my territory but I didn’t expect you. The fact that you haven’t out right killed anyone is a point in your favor. The only point. No bodies means no cops and no undo interest in the area. However, we have all be younglings once in our lives and the fact that your maker apparently failed in his responsibility to you can’t be held against you. I can help you find a hunting ground of your own if you like. But if you had one in Paris why come to New York?”
“Long story.”
“I’ve got eternity. Start talking.”
Several hours later.
“Wow! Can’t say I’ve ever heard of a Master Vampire going to such lengths to punish a mortal for quitting their job. That is one vindictive bitch! But for as long as I’ve been in this city, and that is a very long time, I’ve never heard that Miranda Priestly was one of us. I mean she could be the most cautious Master Vampire ever but it’s fairly hard to reach that status and not have anyone know of you. And believe me what you described is no less than a Master Vampire.”
Andy shook her head. “I know it sounds a bit over the top, but that’s what he said. ‘I angered the wrong woman.’ What’s really messed up is that I spent all that morning trying to warn her that her boss and the editor from French Runway were trying to oust her. I went to great lengths to try and help her. So I needed a few minutes to recover from her total annihilation of her enemies by tossing aside her oldest friend. Who wouldn’t need some time to digest that?”
“I get the feeling more was going on than you being upset about this Nigel fellow. Am I right?”
Andy looked away, apparently needing another minute to compose herself. “Well that fact that I was in love with her didn’t help my emotional state of mind that morning.”
“I thought so. It’s written all over your face by the way. Was in love? I think still in love is a more apt description. Yes?”
Andy remained silent.
“Okay. I get the revenge thing. I do. It took me three decades before I stopped looking for Samuel, my maker. But eventually I did stop. What’s done is done. Why not try to make the most of your current situation. From what you say you have always wanted to be a journalist and you seem to have had some success back in Paris. Why not try the same thing here? Might not be a smart move to use your real name but freelancers have been known to make a decent living if they are any good. You are obviously not averse to picking a few pockets until you get on your feet, so we find you a good hunting ground and set you up someplace you can lay low and you try your hand at journalism here in New York. Meanwhile I can see what I can find out about Priestly. You obviously can’t afford to be seen. If she is what you say, you wouldn’t last a week.”
Andy just looked at her. “Why are you helping me? Why do you care?”
“Like I said. I was a youngling once and someone helped me. You were left on your own way too soon so I’m just returning the favor. Besides, if there is an unknown Master Vampire in town it makes sense the rest of us need to know about her. Come on, I think I know a nice quiet out of the way spot you can use as your hunting ground. You can stay with me until we find you a safe place to rest in. By the way, I’m Claire, but everyone calls me Red. And don’t say it.”
Chapter 4
“I don’t want excuses. I hired you to find her and I expect you to fulfill your contract. This is your job. You assured me you were the best money could buy. Your little resume implied you have never failed. Let us hope this does not turn out to be your first time or you will never have another client on this or any other continent again. Do I make myself clear? You have all you need to find her. She cannot have just up and disappeared from the face of the planet. I know it’s been over two years but someone must have seen her. My God, she’s tall, brunette, beautiful. Someone in that onerous city has to have seen her the day she disappeared. Do your job! That’s All!”
Miranda let her head hit the back of the seat in the rear of the Mercedes. Where are you Andrea? What in all that is holy could have happened to you? No one has seen or heard from you in over two years. My heart tells me you did not just disappear because of what I said, what I did. Something has happened to you, something very bad I fear and it is my entire fault. I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut. I had to try to persuade you that what I did was acceptable when we both knew it was not. Talk about rationalization. I should have won an Oscar for my performance that day in the car. Please Andrea, please come back. Come back to me. If only I had said what I really wanted to say. That I needed you to stay with me, to stay by my side. That I barely made it through that awful week and you were the reason, the only reason.
The silver Mercedes pulled up to the curb in front of the Elias-Clarke building. Roy jumped out and quickly made his way to open the door for his boss. She was in her usual foul temper. The privacy window had been up but he could clearly see she was upset. Whomever she was speaking to on her cell had obviously made her angry. But then he couldn’t remember a single day in over two years when she wasn’t angry. Well, maybe not when she was with the twins. The few times he had seen the three of them together he could tell she was trying her best to act interested in what they were saying or excited about where they were doing. But he knew as did the rest of the Runway staff it was all a façade. Ever since that damn trip to Paris two years ago Miranda Priestly had become more the Dragon Lady than anyone on record could remember. And Roy knew why. So, he guessed, did Nigel and Emily but they refused to speak about it - about HER. No one would speak about HER.
Miranda swept out of the car, into the building and not breaking her stride until she was well inside the elevator. As usual, no one even looked in the direction of the car she occupied. Roy texted she was on her way up and then got back in and went to wait until he was needed again. He hoped the schedule was right and that it didn’t change. If he was lucky, he would not see her again until after 7pm tonight.
§
“Bloody Hell! Let the games begin. You, what’s your name, that coffee better be so hot it will melt lead.” Emily immediately hit her speed dial and let the phone ring once. She and Nigel had worked out a system. One ring and the dragon was on her way up. Two - she was delayed. She then sprinted for the elevator banks so she could begin yet another day in hell. All because that simpleton had seen fit to abandon Miranda in Paris and then had literally dropped off the face of the earth. It had taken Serena to point out to both Emily and Nigel that Miranda’s mood was in direct correlation to Andrea’s disappearance. Said mood getting darker by the day as the days stretched into weeks, then months and now over two years. Inquiries had been made but so far no one had seen her. Discreet inquiries back in Ohio revealed very anxious parents and weeks of badgering both Doug and Lily revealed that no one in Andrea’s life had any idea where she was.
When the elevator doors opened Emily was met with a stone faced Miranda who said not one word. She threw her coat and purse at the desk where the new second assistant sat and headed into her office. She suddenly stopped, turned around and looked the second assistant straight in the eyes. Emily closed her eyes and waited. The poor second assistant was quickly reviewing everything she had done over the last 24 hours but came up empty. She knew she was about to be fired, but had no idea why.
“Is that a Cerulean blue blouse you have on?” Miranda asked in voice so low Emily had to lean forward to hear the question.
“Uh I don’t know, yes, maybe, if you want it to be?” stammered the poor girl.
OH SHIT - thought Emily. That damn sweater. Will we never hear the last of it? I wonder if I can find a way to have that color permanently banned from every fashion house in existence.
“YOU. ARE. FIRED. Get that abomination and yourself out of my sight. NOW!”
As the girl quickly gathered her things, sniffling and wiping her eyes as she went, Emily proceeded into the dragon’s den. This should be fun. She thought. After what seemed like hours of instructions and rantings Emily was finally dismissed and told to close the door.
§
“That’s right, she told me to close the door. Nigel, I have no idea how much longer any of us can take this? She is getting worse with each passing day. I thought you said that detective was the best in the business. He’s had four months and nothing. When we do find that cow I am going to kill her myself.”
“Emily, calm down. I just got off the phone with a friend whose wife works at a little rag over in Brooklyn. His wife claims she saw a girl very much resembling Six last week. She was apparently looking at an apartment in the same neighborhood as the paper and the woman claims she thinks Six may have submitted a resume for freelancing with same paper. I thought I might do a little reconnaissance there tomorrow night. Miranda has that gallery opening to go to and as it starts at 7, we might be able to get there and back before she returns. Up to a little black ops?”
“Nigel, if this is some type of joke, Andrea won’t be the only one I kill. Roy is picking her up at 645 and has orders to drop her off at 7 and return at 715. She’s got some school thing at 730 but plans on being back here by 815. We bloody well better be back here when she returns.”
“We will be. My friend has his wife keeping a look out for her and I have the building address. If we have to, we can engage Serena’s help in this. Now go eat a piece of cheese and keep your head low.”
TBC