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Veto waved to a friend of his, a redheaded woman, dressed in a black leather jacket over chainmail tank top, who Arthur thought would be pretty if she ever learned how to carry herself, though as it was she was nothing notable in appearance. Couldn’t hold a candle to Silva, for example, the Gangrel who came over and sat on Veto’s lap for a while a few minutes later. Arthur stood up as the woman came over; she plopped herself down in the middle of the couch between him and Veto, and Arthur sat back down as well. Giving him a look, the woman stood back up. Arthur grinned at her and she snapped her fingers in feigned dismay before reseating herself.
They spent a few minutes chatting, and then Melisande walked in. Arthur smiled at her but did not remove himself from the comfortable social situation he was enjoying. Veto seemed surprised. "The geek a friend of yours, dude?" Arthur agreed aloud, but was Melisande his friend? He wanted her to be. He didn’t think she was willing to be a friend. She kept him much more distant than he desired. He couldn’t get close to her emotionally, her walls were so far, too high for him to scale. He felt intuitively that there was more inside her, but so far she had effortlessly kept him from more than the slightest glimpse. Veto and his friends seemed to doubt that anyone could be friends with Melisande. Privately, Arthur agreed. Melisande, alone at her table, overheard them talking about her and seemed mildly amused, but soon she was absorbed in her notebook and lost to the world around her.
Arthur still hadn’t caught the name of the woman sitting next to him. He asked her. "Genevieve Sharpe," she said, "Local whipping girl for the Dallas Camarilla." He knew the name immediately. Childe of Hans Wilcoxon, one of the Anarch leaders in Texas, one of the subjects of his research of late. His interest in her kicked up from idle to active.
"You're much nicer than I expected you'd be," he told her.
"Yeah, ya know...I don't bite and all that. Oh hell, yes I do," Genevieve said.
Bite. Arthur felt a rush of warmth, shifted to hide his immediate arousal. The very desire Melisande had denied him for so long -- he’d never even worked up the nerve to ask, sure she’d say no -- he knew instantly he might get this very night from Genevieve. But he couldn’t rush it. Had to flirt with her, get her firmly on his side if he could.
They flirted, then. No other word would describe it. She warned him that hanging out with her might get him in trouble. He assured her it was research. "Okay," Genevieve said, "but ya can’t start taking notes in the middle of a fucking club like that geekgirl over there." She meant Melisande. "I mean, it's a club. That's just not right."
"I won't take notes until after you're done biting. Believe me," Arthur told her.
"Oh, good good. Thinking just has its time and place, ya know. Too much of that disturbs my biting groove and all."
"Where would that be?"
"Definitely not at a cool, spanky club like the Church. Even if it is owned by a geek."
"What's your definition of geek?"
"Well, ya know...those zoot suit vamps that would sell out their own mothers to get ahead and read too much of Miss Manners and Robert's Rules of Order. I'd say that includes all of Tremere, all of Ventrue, half of Toreador, some Malkavians on alternate Thursdays, and a couple of Nos. We're dead...I think the need for formality and anal impalement with stakes are out the window by now."
"You're right, of course, and yet, I feel the sudden urge to go write down everything you said in a notebook."
A conversation about blues music and other personal interests started among Silva, Bast, Veto and Genevieve. Arthur felt he should go talk to Melisande; he did not want her to feel he was snubbing her. There was a vein of having to prove yet again to himself that he was justified in his flirtation with Genevieve by proving what he already knew -- that there was none of that with Melisande no matter what he did.
He told Veto he was going to go say hello to his "geeky friend" and took a seat next to Melisande. They exchanged quiet greetings, and Melisande showed him in her notebook some of what she called doodles -- speculative notes as to future paths for experimentation. He read them carefully -- she didn’t tolerate skimming or shallow thinking about anything she took seriously -- and told her his first thoughts. They exchanged some ideas, and he warmed as always to her quick and creative scientific mind. Affection for her washed over him in waves that both aroused and stung, from endless-seeming frustration. He could hear Veto asking Silva to dance, over at the sofa he’d left. He knew he couldn’t keep up the scientific exchange, not in this state and after two shots of vodka in one hour. He asked her to dance with him, knowing she wouldn’t, wanting the rejection to help him ease the guilt. She obliged, and he took his leave.
Veto and Silva had gone downstairs to the dance floor, and Genevieve had followed them. Arthur found her at the dance floor bar and asked her to dance. He felt a surge of feeling… what was it? Vindication. Yes.
At first, Arthur danced a bit stiffly, but soon he was following Genevieve’s every move and picking up the dance from her. It was not a style he’d danced in much, but it was not at all difficult. Her hands stroked along his arms as they danced, and his head swam with lust for her Kiss.
"Ya know, there's something different about you," Genevieve said between songs. "I can't place it." Well, he wasn’t Kindred, if that was what she meant. It might have been; they could hardly get specific here, with mortals all around.
"Is that going to work in my favor?" he asked.
"In your favor how?" In lieu of an answer, Arthur pulled her close for a moment, grinned at her as their faces drew close, then pulled back again.
"Man, ya tease with the best of them, Art." Genevieve playfully nipped at the tip of Art's nose.
"Yesssssssss," he sighed, or maybe more of a hiss, the sibilance trailing off gradually. Gene wrapped her arms around Arthur. "I'm not trying to get away, you know," he whispered.
"That's always a good thing to hear." Genevieve paused. "Ya sure yer not gonna get in trouble? I get this feeling that you're affiliated with the geeks. I doubt they'd like ya around me, ya know. Of course, the forbidden fruit is always a good lure." She placed her hands on Arthur's waist and moved him along with her as the music began again.
"Already told you. I'm authorized to do research. I'm a big boy, I can take care of my own self you know."
"Not around these fuckers, man. They're higher on the food chain."
She pressed her back against him, tugging his arms into position wrapped around her waist. They continued to sway to the music.
"They take things seriously that you do not, is all." The threat of difficulties over this seemed remote to Arthur. He really was researching this vampire’s sire, and all he was doing was dancing. At this point he could probably have rationalized anything he had to do to get what he wanted.
"Yeah, they take everything seriously. That's just not a great existence...which is why they have such a problem with everyone around them."
The music ended again. Genevieve laced her fingers through Arthur’s and led him off the dance floor. They sat down and talked to Veto and Silva for a while, then went back upstairs to the balcony. When Melisande noticed his return, she beckoned him over. He felt a surge of resentment -- anger, though he didn’t wish to name it that. He went anyway. She told him to sit, but he refused, until she said it would not take long. Arthur sat down, and she leaned close whispering to him. She wanted to know what he had been doing since she last saw him, and he told her what little he could. Joseph kept his cards very close to his chest. She had something more sensitive to discuss, and they set a time to meet the next night.
Veto had sprawled on the sofa, his head in Genevieve’s lap. Silva had apparently left. As Arthur walked back toward the two Brujah, Genevieve said to Veto, "Here he comes...make some room, fucker." She pushed him most of the way off the couch. Arthur grinned at her. "Thanks, Genevieve. Can I call you Jenny?"
Veto grumbled as Arthur sat down next to her. She shook her head and turned toward Arthur. "Sure, Jenny works." Veto got up and sat back down on Genevieve’s lap. She scowled and lifted him off her. "Damn, you’re a heavy little shit." Arthur watched her put Veto on the armrest.
"If you like, you can sit on me, then maybe he won’t do that. Though if he did I might be squashed. It’s a risk I’m willing to take." Arthur patted his lap.
"Watch out, he’ll do it." Genevieve shrugged and sat on Arthur’s lap.
"She’s right, I would," Veto said.
Arthur shook his head. "I wouldn’t risk it if I were you. We’re in an Elysium, so if you injured me…" he let the implications speak for themselves.
"Bah, damn geek trick, hiding behind the rules," Veto fumed.
Genevieve asked Arthur, "So, what's tbhe deal with the geek? She didn't like ya talking with us?"
"No, nothing to do with that. It was business stuff. I'm sort of her lab assistant you see."
Genevieve sat sideways on Arthur and leaned her side against his chest while she curled her legs up. "You poor freak." She shook her head in sincere sympathy.
Arthur ran his fingers through Genevieve's hair. "Not really. She does very interesting work."
"Awww... aren't you two so cute together," Veto said. "A Kodak moment. I wonder if someone downstairs has a camera." He stood, actually going to look for one.
"Just so ya know, I'm *almost* certain that he's not part Malk," Genevieve remarked as Veto left.
Arthur nodded. "You know, Jenny, we could remove ourselves to somewhere where Veto won't find us with his camera... if you like."
"Mmmm-hmm...and then what?"
Arthur struggled for a moment, but the time was not quite yet right to say it aloud. Instead he joked. "Then I can take my notes down without anyone seeing how geeky I am?"
Genevieve smirked. "Hmm...I'll go with ya, but no notetaking."
Perfect. "Deal."
They stood, waiting for Veto’s return. It was not long.
"Me and Art are gonna take off for a while," she told her clan-mate.
Veto feigned injury, falling to the floor. "Ouch, ditched for a quazi-geek."
"Nah...if I ditched ya, I wouldn't be waiting around to tell ya. So don't go getting crushed balls all of a sudden."
Arthur and Genevieve walked to one of the conference rooms, stepping over Veto as they went. He opened the door for her and they stepped inside. Arthur locked the door behind them. He couldn’t wait any longer. The fear that he would be embarrassing himself would not go away. She would not have come in here with him if… He put his mouth very close to her ear and said in a low voice, "You said earlier, that you do bite... and I'm asking as nicely as I can... if you would do me that honor, dear Jenny." Too many words, too geeky, he thought, still afraid of rejection.
"Ya sure ya wanna do that?" Genevieve turned her head to regard him critically. All he could manage was a nod.
Her mien changed, not subtly. Her eyes seemed to glow as she sauntered toward him. "What is it that you like most about the experience...?" Arthur’s fear of rejection evaporated, fear of acceptance taking its place, much more enjoyable. That look was a definite yes. He flushed, blood coming to his skin as he felt warm all over. He had hid his physical arousal earlier, he did not do so any longer. A calm inevitability came over him.
His clarity of thought returned, Arthur tried to answer her question. "The anticipation?" he ventured.
"You prefer the buildup to the actual act?"
No, that wasn’t quite it. He thought harder. "Maybe what I like most is that I can't think at all while it's happening." He added, working at being honest in this if nothing else, "And it lasts longer than an orgasm."
Genevieve said in a low, almost deadly-toned voice, "A lot of things can give you that feeling, and they're not all pleasant. Not at all." She pushed him back in his seat roughly. He believed both the words and the actions were intended to heighten his arousal -- and they did. "Watch the mirror." She gestured to the mirror on one side of them, its reflective surface revealing every move they might make.
As she turned Arthur's head gently toward the mirror, he asked, "Think it’s a one-way?" She shushed him, and he nodded slightly, his anticipation rising moment by moment. He exhaled slowly, his breath ragged as Genevieve licked the tip of her tongue up his neck. He watched in the mirror as her fangs unsheathed.
"You're into medicine, Art...you can appreciate my preference for arteries over veins."
"Oxygenated blood," he whispered.
Genevieve gently raked the points of her fangs along his skin, leaving little white lines of slightly broken skin that filled in with thin red scarring. She straddled him, making sure that her fangs were in full view in the mirror. Arthur drew a breath fast and sharp, the tiny lines of blood her teeth made stinging his skin. Slowly, her fangs punctured the flesh in Arthur's neck, and the chosen artery spurted red onto her tongue. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again to watch it happen, groaning as she bit in.
She held Arthur's hair back so he could watch as her mouth clamped onto his neck, causing a bruise around the edges as she sucked a little too forcefully. All his sharp mental acuity faded as it was overwhelmed by the irresistible bliss of the vampire's bite.
After a few seconds she withdrew and, quite easy for Arthur to see as he watched their reflection, licked the blood from his neck and sealed the tear. A bruise remained, vivid and dark against his lightly tanned skin.
Tearing his eyes from the mirror he leaned his head back and looked at her. She licked her lips and wiped her chin, then licked her fingers. Arthur gave her a slow languid smile
Genevieve said, "You should be careful. Sometimes, the taste of blood makes me go berserk and drink my fill. The smell of it - the sight of it - the taste of it. You're lucky I wasn't hungry when we were doing this."
"Why else do you think I chose an Elysium to make my request?" He had briefly contemplated taking her out of the Church altogether to ask, but he had not thrown quite all caution to the winds. He thought about how that sounded, and added, "I am very lucky, Jenny. Thank you."
"You're welcome...I think." She added, "The place wouldn't have had anything to do with the outcome."
He answered honestly. "Sure it would. If I had died, I would go knowing I'd be avenged."
"You'd put me in a rather pissy situation. Sometimes, vamps lose control and can't get it back." She slid off his lap and regarded him, her expression cooling slightly.
"How selfish of me. How can I make it up to you?" He wasn’t sure himself how sincere this was. He stood and took her hand in his.
"Umm...damn, I dunno."
"If you think of something, let me know."
"I was just trying to explain what being a vampire is," Genevieve said.
"I know what you are. I imagine it won't be long before I am one as well, if I don't make any significant errors in judgment."
"Ya don't actually wanna become one of the geeks, do ya? I mean...they never smile, they never laugh; I don't think they even farted when they were alive."
"I'll be the ungeeky geek. The exception to prove the rule. I can't see losing my sense of humor."
"They'll try." Genevieve nodded sadly. "You just wait."
Arthur pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. Her blood-drenched lips pulled up at the edges and she smiled. "That’s better," he said. Feeling he should compliment her in gratitude, he added, "You were... magnificent... terrifying and irresistable at the same time."
She looked surprised. "Err...really? Thanks. I guess I just like playing with my food sometimes." He laughed; she shrugged.
"And you do it so well."
"How did it look, anyway?" She glanced at the mirror. "I never actually saw the only time that someone was sucking on me."
"I could ask the Manager if he made a video," Arthur teased.
"Eh, no kidding. Maybe he'll market it into a goth porno."
"Veto will buy it and tweak us about it for centuries to come."
They both laughed as they walked out of the conference room. "With luck we'll get another dance, or something, soon... I unfortunately don't have much more time tonight off duty," Arthur told her as they walked back to the balcony lounge. "It’s a hard geek life."
"Ya don't have to be a geek, ya know," she said.
"I dont know, Jenny. I fake it well, maybe, but I think I was born a geek really." He left with a wave, not even looking at Melisande who was still at her table, still reading her notebook. He didn’t let himself wonder what she was thinking.