Finally "home"

[Dane]

"Not now, I need assure that my invasion force is set off properly. Rules and regulations must be addressed my dear." He gently pushed her hand holding the key away from him. "It's not that I don't trust Ahmad," Dane continued to walk besides Lucia. "Everything must go according to plan. Tomorrow is the night I knock your mother off her high horse, war provides few second chances." They began climbing the stairs leading out of the basement. "Tonight and maybe even tomorrow night prior to the battle, we have a slew of prisoners in the basement. I'm sure you'll find one to your liking, it may not provide the same thrill as hunting, but sometimes convenience is more important than entertainment."

Dane smirked; of course she wanted to be there. What he had plan was considerable different than interrogation. "He is a wolf man and you have him in the equivalent of a cage." The vampire wasn't sure if Lucia was joking or not, she did feed him cat. A common out pet, it must have been emasculating for a twelve foot lycan to stoop so low. "He's not our first lycan prisoner; there are slabs of meat in the freezer. With that being said..." They stepped into the mansion's floor and quickly began heading up the next set of stairs. "You may come along if you wish. However, don't expect too much chit chat; I have other things in mind. If he won't talk to you, I doubt he'll want to talk to me. Neither of you have been here very long; I don't imagine you've had any time for small talk." He paused, smiled and began stroking his chin. "I've never been friends with any of my prisoners. Though I'm sure I treat them far less kindly than you." The vampire king lead Lucia to the door of her room. She seemed to appreciate any form of attention thrown her. With the lycans she was just another dog, but he knew that to be far from the truth. "I'll be back in an hour or two. Remember I need him in one mostly whole piece."

[Ahmad]

Thoughts rushing through seemed to be going light speed through his mind as he was hurrying about trying to prepare the invasion force Dane wanted to his exact specifications. His scout came up to him to hand him some paperwork confirming what he had gathered for him. "Good work, now make sure each one is armed and ready to go, and prepare for war." He looked over the forms his scouts handed him as vampires were scurrying about gathering all the necessary equipment to get ready to go." Make sure we do everything according to this exactly, Dane's orders." He handed another sheet to another vampire.

He decided to retreat to a near by room he was using as his strategy planning room. He looked over the map and the invasion routes they would take and what teams would go where. He pondered everything on the table and everything that was about to happen. Everything seemed to be ready according to what Dane wanted it to be "The pieces are set, let the game begin."

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

"Of course I'll leave him in one piece," Lucia smiled coyly, not knowing Dane had watched her feed from the Werewolf. She looked on as the Vampire king took his leave and entered her room, locking the door behind her. Resting against the door, the Hybrid put a hand to her head, feeling the full brunt of Dane's last punch. Sparring with the Vampire had taken more out of the girl than she wanted to admit, but all things considered she felt she was holding up well. Her face was paler than usual, however, and the red in her eyes stood out more prominently than normal. The hunger and her headache was growing, but Lucia forced herself to wait to feed. Just a little longer. She'd go down and look at the other prisoners for her fix tonight, as Dane suggested. It disturbed her that she'd forgotten about the other prisoners, as well as the freezer full of meat. She'd lived her for over 6 years and had been with her father as he dealt with the Werewolf prisoners before, yet their existence had entirely escaped her mind. How many other things had she forgotten while being away?

Patting down her hair and dusting herself off, Lucia went over to the cell door, unlocking it, and letting herself in. Right away the smell of dried blood overcame the girl and she stopped in the doorway, her eyes closed for the briefest of moments. Satan, it smells like food in here... No. She wouldn't do it again. Yet. Lucia had already broken her first rule for new pets: don't drink from them within the first month. She had to get back on track. Regaining her physical composure, Lucia approached Pablo with a small smile, noting that the cat had been recieved well and eaten. She knelt beside the young man, watching him with interest. "How are you feeling? I just got back from sparring with Dane. He is a quick one, but I suppose you know that now." Lucia shifted her seat slightly, still smiling in a friendly manner, "I haven't long till I should go feed, but tell me, what do you think of my mother? Would you defend her with your life?"

[Pablo]

Voices... outside the door. Hurriedly Pablo shoved the makeshift lock picks into his pocket. He had ended up making a few, in the case of one breaking, and judging by their quality that was very likely. Pablo lifted his head to look through the barred window of his cell. Lucia... at least it's not the vampire. He though begrudgingly before letting his slump back down. The chains were starting to wear on him, he could feel them continue to slowly drain his strength away. Keeping his head up required more energy than he was willing to spare, which said more than enough of his ability to stand. The skin around the manacles had either flaked off or a dark brown hue. If Pablo had to guess it was either dead or rotting.

Still slumped over, he glanced lazily at Lucia as she knelt beside him. Pablo's found Lucia's smile to be unsettling, but it did not show in his demeanor, instead he cracked one back. "Like a million bucks." Dreadfully tired and lacking any power would have been a more accurate response. It was becoming evident to the lycan, that if he waited until sunrise to escape he might not have the energy to pick the locks. No, that was a risk he wasn't willing to take, his escape would come at the first opportunity. Did he need to be reminded how bad Dane kicked his ass? The vampire's name alone frustrated him. "Sparring is an interesting thing to call it; you must have found his quickness disappointing." Quips, that's all he was good for right now.

Her question hit a nerve, more than she could imagine. Wasn't the answer to that question evident? Not three days ago he thought he was defending Lucia with his life. "I would die for Alena a hundred times over." His devotion and loyalty to Alena was no secret; she was the closest thing he had to a mother. Perrin may have been the lycan that turned him, but it was the pack mother that taught him about lycan life. "Now let me ask you a question." He said, a sly smile on his lips. "I've spent countless hours besides Alena, and she's only ever mentioned you to me once, and it was in passing. Why is that?"

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

"His quickness was exciting!" Sure, it had gotten the best of her, but it also gave her something to aspire to; and the girl knew she would get to that level. It was only a matter of time and training. However, the sooner, the better. Lucia wanted Victor dead already.

Watching Pablo as he spoke was a little disheartening. He was definitely not in the best condition of his life, and it showed. Lucia wasn't quite sure what she'd been expecting, but what she got was not it. The silver chains were really doing a number on the Werewolf, and it certainly didn't help that the man had been near death when he'd been shackled up. At least his mind was still working; that he was responding to her made the Hybrid happy and his response to her question did some to ease her worries about the upcoming night. Knowing Pablo would be there to help defend her mother from Dane, and well, herself was a comfort, even if at the moment the young man was only a shell of what he used to be. As often as the two disagreed, Alena was still her mother, and Lucia didn't exactly want her to die. The girl was not pleased that her mother would come all the way to London to ruin her happiness and take away her new pet, but that didn't yet constitute death. All she wanted was for her mother to pay a little bit, to feel a little bit of defeat; but she knew Dane wouldn't stop there, and that's why she had hoped Pablo would be on her side.

Lucia's smile grew brighter as Pablo began his question. Maybe he'll finally open up to me. She froze as he finished, her jaw clenching ever so slightly. In a moment she was up on her feet with Pablo pinned against the wall, being held by his neck. "Pablo," she said pleasantly, though rage filled her hungry eyes, "I was trying to have a nice conversation with you, yet here you go telling me lies." Alena had mentioned Pablo to her on countless occasions, yet somehow she could believe Pablo's words and it struck a painful chord with the girl. It all resonated back to her discussion with her mother about looking after the den in Rome, how Lucia had to fight for even that brief honor. It was given to her, but it still felt like she was being tossed sloppy seconds. Why wouldn't her mother have talked about her more to the Werewolves she trusted? "If you aren't going to be nice, I can change my tune just as fast. Perhaps find your friends and make them pay for your incivility. Or do I have to make you beg for your life again?" The urge to hit him was overwhelming, but somehow Lucia managed to curb her desires and let go of the man's neck, watching him drop back to the floor.

[Pablo]

There wasn't much he could to avoid Lucia's chokehold, one second Pablo was smirking from the satisfaction of his question hitting home, the next he was up against the wall having the life choked out of him. Nice conversation? Maybe Pablo gave the hybrid too much credit, he was under the impression she was trying to frustrate him. However, now it became evident to him that Lucia was only a lonely and scorned child. There was... a moment of pity, but it disappeared as soon as she threatened him and then his friends. Begging for his life would never be an option again; it frustrated him but not so much as the threat towards his friends. Despite being choked and as his face turned blue Pablo glared at his captor. He was about to make a move; an attempt to wrap the chains around her arms. Silver hurt vampires and lycans, did it hurt hybrids more or less? He was about to find out until she dropped him.

He hit the ground with a thud, coughed and then gasped for air. Rubbing his throat lightly, he took a minute to recuperate before finally speaking again. “Fine, no lying...." He sat there wondering, how many times had Lucia overheard Alena mention his name? Tempted to ask he saved the question for later. "But.. and wait until I finish before hitting me... That statement was far closer to the truth than you'd cared to admit and I know your mother hasn't showed you much affection," He held up an open palm as he continued to speak. It became clear that if he didn't play nice he may not make it out of the cell alive. "BUT, what you need to understand or rather remember about Alena; is that every time she sees you, thinks of you, or speaks your name you remind her of Raven; of what she has lost and is never getting back again. Does that make sense?" Truth be told, Pablo didn't know that was the case, but he did know how to fill in the blanks.

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

Angry thoughts bubbled up, all of them fighting for the right to have the most attention. What did this Wolf know about any attention she'd recieved from her mother? Furthermore, even if what Pablo said had an inkling of truth to it, that didn't mean her mother was allowed to drop Lucia amonst a pack of wolves and tell her to fend for herself. There was no excuse for Alena. "Don't you think I know he isn't coming back?" The Hybrid spoke her words carefully so as not to yell, "He was my father. He did a better job raising me while killing Mother's 'pups' than Alena has done Not killing the Vampire that murdered her beloved." Even as the words came out, she knew Pablo had hit truth, though she was still sore about it. Every time the girl looked in the mirror, she could see Raven in her eyes. It was heartwrenching for her, there was no way it could be easy for her mother to see every day. Yet wouldn't that make her want to embrace the girl, not turn her away?

Remember to breathe. Lucia could hear her father's voice in her mind and the girl remembered the careful composure she'd worked for years to master. Why was she arguing this to Pablo anyway? It wasn't going to help anything and it wasn't making her feel any better. What was said couldn't be unsaid, but she could stop and think about what she spoke next. The girl had no right to question this Werewolf's loyalty any more, he was defending even her parenting skills. Lucia knelt back down, folding her hands over her lap; she envied her mother this Werewolf. Taking a breathe, the anger began to subside, and Lucia calmed herself, "Yes," she said finally, "It does does make sense. I suppose you know my mother better than I." Adding after a moment's pause, "Now you may know me better than my mother does as well."

[Pablo]

Pablo kept on an eye as they spoke, though his words were quite fair; he expected retaliation. Not that he could avoid or brace for an attack in these circumstances; he simply liked knowing if he was about to get punched in the face. Despite some early minor setbacks Lucia managed to stay calm and not snap. That was good. "I'm not trying to justify her behavior." He explained, that was far from the truth, it did not surprise him that Alena was a terrible mother. "Understanding why somebody is mistreating you helps to make it... bearable. Like, right now I may be in silver chains, but I understand you may have mommy issues...." He said with another weak smile. "Heck you're not the only one, most lycans are usually the lone survivors of an attack by their turner, and I bet it's the same with vampires." Most of them were orphans, Pablo included, all though he liked believing he didn't have any parental issues. No, he lost the majority of his family at a very young age; he had few memories of his parents. Time bemoaning over some people he barely remembered was time wasted.

"Maybe, but I am pretty insightful. You probably know her a lot better than you think." She was warming up to him, that much he could tell, maybe talking his way out of the chains was a possibility, maybe not, either way Pablo was going for it. "You and Alena are very similar, it's real easy to make both of you angry, you look like her, and she has way more insecurities than she's willing to let on. When in doubt she makes a mean face, you should try it to; you'd probably get far in life." He said and then sighed. Now he spoke, with a slight hint of disappointment in his voice. "I'm sure eventually you two would have gotten along. It may be too late now, all things considered."

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

Lucia smiled outwardly, showing her teeth at Pablo's example of mistreatment. It was cute that he thought that was the reason he was in chains. She really wanted to trust him, and it was nice they were talking calmly now, but there was no way the Hybrid was going to let this man free so early. It was rule two.

The girl shook her head a little, offering up politely, "Vampires exude more control than Werewolves." If they felt like it. Unless of course they were frenzying. Thos were unimportant facts Lucia didn't feel needed to be said. She did appreciate Pablo's words, however.

"I don't want to be like my mother," but the Hybrid laughed anyway at what the wolf had to say about Alena. There were even more similarities, but Lucia didn't care to offer them. Looking at Pablo thoughtfully, the girl considered what he said about it being too late to get along with her mother. Hope was not entirely lost, she felt, as long as he mother learned to mind her own business and respect Lucia's decisions. She didn't need or want Szandor's constant supervision, she wanted to be free to make her own choices. Her mother didn't pay much attention to her anyway except to tell her what to do. "Does my mother send babysitters after you, Pablo?"

[Pablo]

"Right, vampires only slaughter by choice." Maybe the loss of his family didn't damage him permanently, but he understandably still resented the blood suckers. It was also in a lycan's nature to hate vampires, they were natural enemies. He wondered; did that mean both races instinctively disliked Lucia? She probably didn't have many friends, or was the hybrid capable of disguising her dual ancestry? Pablo had not noticed Lucia was part vampire until around the point she had her teeth in his neck. Though considering the circumstances, he probably should have noticed far sooner. "If you don't mind me asking, what is like... to be both?"

"You don't really have much say in the matter." It didn't seem like Lucia was going to let him out, then again why would she? He was a prisoner, it was never that easy. He wouldn’t push for it to hard and risk the operation, the bone picks were still probably his best shot. "If I did I don't think I would be in these chains, I'm usually the one doing the baby sitting." Pablo admitted, "Mostly my friends, they had no idea what it means to be a lycan." He said fondly. "But, I showed them the ropes and now after some years they don't need me anymore. Like how one day I'm sure you won't need Szandor, but it's not like the two of us are comparable; you're her own living flesh and have handsome vampires trying to whisk you away." He looked around the cell quite nervously, Lucia did say she had to feed? Teeth in his throat were not worth this conversation. "You should uh probably go feed, I'm not going anywhere."

*****

Dane wasted no time, after Lucia locked her door he went straight to his room. Sitting right in front of his many monitors he observed Pablo's cell via hidden camera. He sat patiently, noting their behavior and actions. Though things started off a bit rough, Lucia and Pablo seemed to be getting along. "Probably Stockholm Syndrome." He muttered under his breath. It was far less interesting than last time around, something he could catch up on later. Speaking to Ahmad was a more pressing matter. Flicking through the different cameras, Dane searched until he found his second in command. He was sitting in a room a few floors down. In a matter of seconds the vampire king was at the door of said room, opening and stepping into it. Holding up his head haughtily the vampire stepped by Ahmad's side and studied the papers across the table. "Good, everything looks according to plan." He placed a hand on his second in command's shoulder. "I've granting you permission to take more men, a force of up 200 to secure the city after you've eliminated the majority of the lycans. Ahmad I trust you will not disappoint me. This is the turning point of the war, if you take the city, all our waiting will have been worth it." He removed his hand and made his way to the opposite side of the table. "Out of all my vampire's I've chosen you. I hope you truly understand what that means.. and remember, you take the city and its yours.... and I know it's been killing you, but when you return I'll let you in on the rest of my plans."