His face falls ever so slightly at the thought of his positive emotions being unpleasant for the vampire, however he is positive that by the time the second dose settles Erik will feel better about thing. With an open link, it will be easier to separate out his own feeling. He almost feels like pouting when suddenly Erik seems to whip himself into a frenzy. Alexi sits up carefully, trying to figure out what's wrong with the vampire. When it finally clicks however the young man can not stop a wide grin from forming on his lips. He waits patiently, slipping to the edge of the bed and wrapping one arm around the nearest poster at the foot. Settling his cheek against it his smile shifts from amused back into admiration. 'Such passion. I wish I could know. . .Though I suppose I will. Even though we will not reach the final dose, we should be linked enough by the fourth for me to be able to experience that drive. . .A final gift from a beloved vampire. . . .'

At last Erik backs away, seemingly done with his almost fearful rant, and Alexi stares at him. “Erik.” he says softly. Once he's sure he has the man's attention his smile shifts into a comforting one. “You have nothing to fear. This potion is designed to share the heart, no the head. The spirit, not the mind. I will never know any more about your fellows than you tell me, save for how you feel about them, and then only when you speak of them willingly.” He swings his feet gently, like a kid dangling from a swing. “I could never expect you to give up that information, and I would never dream of forcing it. If my words do not convince you, ask Joseph. This is not mind reading, it is soul sharing. . .I promise. . . .” His hand settles over his middle as another bout of pain laces through his system.

His eyes drop to the floor, the pain streaking through him and leaving him out of breath for a moment. Once it passes he takes a few steadying breaths before looking back to the vampire with a soft smile. He carefully puts his feet on the ground and looks longingly towards his bathroom. 'I need a bath. . . .' Looking back at Erik he tilts his head to the side. “I can deal with the pain, gladly Erik. However I can not deal with feeling so filthy. I would ask Joseph, but he is not here. I need a bath. I always feel so filthy after dealing with that man. . . .” He blinks his eyes cutely, though he knows that will likely be more detrimental to his request than helpful. “You give me a hand and keep me from drowning we'll count it towards you helping me deal with the pain, and I shall even throw in the bonus of telling you how I go a hold of you!” Despite his playful, cheery smile, it is clear that he's being totally serious.

The former Leader looked away, immediately embarrassed, and caught between his own paranoia and wanting to trust the human. Something about Alexi's voice, so concerned, so unlike it had been when he first arrived, even managed to touch a bit of unfiltered and unidentified emotion within him.

“I... I apologize, Alexi. I shouldn't have panicked so openly. I just... I was terrified that I had let my guard down for a second. Even though I will never be their Leader again, I wouldn't betray them for the world. I will do some more research on the subject and speak with Joseph before we take the next dose. If what I find checks out with your information, then it should not delay us at all. You'll forgive me for not just taking your word on the matter,” Erik replied, striding over and taking Alexi's hand in apparent assent to the idea of a bath, and apparently not noticing the strange way that the human blinked his eyes.

In actuality, the strategic mind within Erik could not resist the temptation of knowing just how he'd been taken, and ideally passing that information onto Nirale later, so that it never happened again to any of his former comrades. Besides, now that his hatred for the human was beginning to be replaced by inklings of trust, they could finally have a decent dialogue, and Erik enjoyed the idea of speaking with him on equal terms.

“Who is it you were dealing with? That made you feel so dirty? And why the fuck don't you have a shower in here?” he asked, stripping off his clothes and hanging them up with zero shame about revealing his birthday suit. There was not a lot of room for privacy in the camps; even Erik, as Leader, shared his bedroom with three others. Bathing, for men and women alike, was done in a communal underground lake, or a few communal showers. Though his skin was pale and laden with superficial scars, he was well-built and quite muscular, not as much as a body builder, but in a healthy manner. With a slight smirk, he lightly jumped into one of the shallower pools.

“Well, come in! Don't drown. I really don't want to be executed for your murder unless I actually committed it.”

Alexi's smile becomes warm as the other male seems to calm down and he nods slowly. “I can bring you my own research. I have a lot of it in the house, and I am sure Joseph will have done his own research by now, if only in his own memory, he is likely willing to share that as well. I would rather not take in any more mistrust, second guessing, and unease than I absolutely have to, so I have no problem sharing.” He takes the vampire's hand carefully, the first time really touching him while being able to actually pay attention to the sensation. He's touched vampire flesh before, Joseph's mostly, but like touching any being, every one of them feels different. Alexi may not be phobic about touching people, however it can be said he doesn't do it often save for hand shakes which mostly make him feel foul.

'It is cool, and tough. His grip is stronger than Joseph's, however that makes a lot of sense. Most magicals are tougher than humans, and Joseph has spent a long time around humans, learning to be delicate with them as almost a second nature' He smirks slightly. 'Do not be so sure that you will not lead them again Erik. I have gone to great lengths to make sure they have no idea where you are. Even if you do not lead as you once did, what I will give you at the end will at least earn you a high place in their eyes. You will help save them, those whom thought it never possible to be freed' He sighs lightly, stumbling only slightly as they make their way into the bathroom.

His smile falls however when Erik cracks off another of his seemly natural vulgarities, despite all of his other efforts to be cordial with the picky slave owner. Letting go of Erik's hand he stands near a wall, least he need to catch himself, and begins unbuttoning his shirt. For a moment he is so focused on the task it completely slips his mind that the vampire will be undressing as well. When he suddenly recalls his his eyes move slowly over to watch. Alexi is no pervert, nor is he a prude, however he's never had need to see someone in any state of undress other than his older brother, so for a few seconds he feels very much like a teenager seeing another naked for the first time.

'Well, I may not be a teen, but outside family, this is my first time. . .' He does not mean to stare, and he is careful not to do it openly, however by the time Erik hops in the water the human is faintly flushed and berating himself. Pressing a hand to the wall he pulls off his own shirt, watching his feet. “There is no shower because I was going for authenticity. The ancient Greeks did not use them. I like staying true to the times.” He glances at Erik, his joke amusing on a few levels, but as he slips his only bit of clothing he drops it to the floor with his eyes back on his feet. Climbing carefully into the water he takes a seat on the inner ledge carefully before looking at the other male.

'Despite she scaring, he is quite beautiful. I wonder where they all came from. . .Perhaps he will tell me?' Catching himself staring he coughs lightly and looks away. “This may sound foolish Erik, but I feel I must apologize if you catch me staring. I have not had cause for being around others in any state of undress, and I am finding the experience interesting to say the least.” He bows his head a little then looks up with his usual soft smile. “And about the one who makes me feel filthy, it is a man named Gidian Grunblak. You may have head of him? He owns, among other things, several breaking companies, and often contracts me to provide control devices.”

He looks away again, a slightly ill expression crossing his face. “He does not approve of things like your collar, thinking that all slaves need a broken spirit to work properly. Something about him just. . .It is highly unpleasant to be around him, especially since he sees me as a child who needs tutoring, thinking me too soft.” Slipping to the side slightly Alexi takes up a rough stone from a small submerged basket. Looking at it for a moment he whispers, “Breaking is a barbaric practice.” Settling back down he begins scrapping at his skin gently, removing all the dead flecks of it. Looking back up at the vampire he smiles. “Would you like to learn about your capture now, or would you rather wait for the soak?”

Alexi Vandros, you become stranger by the second. You had me in chains 24 hours ago. And STARING is what you're apologizing for? Why would I care if you look at me? Of all the things you've done to me in the last few days, staring at me naked is one of the least offensive.

The vampire found himself rolling his eyes at Alexi's explanation for the lack of a shower in the room. Though he appreciated the desire for authenticity, it seemed silly to him to value authenticity over efficiency and, in this case, safety. Nevertheless, he swam over across the pool and sat down next to the billionaire on the inner ledge. Despite his flippancy on the matter, he did intend to keep his promise of making sure that the man did not drown.

He looked up and met Alexi's eyes on his mention of Gidian Grunblak, unable to keep his own face from screwing up in equal disgust.

“God... he's worse than I thought,” he replied, sounding absolutely disgusted. "Amusing thing is, most of us lump you in with him, and the rest of the slave profiteers. And I'm still trying to figure out why I should change that perception, apart from your initial show of trust.” The vampire's tone was more relaxed and pensive now, but he tensed slightly as he changed back to the subject at hand.

“So how did you manage to capture me?” he asked, taking another stone and beginning to gently wash the man's back where it would be difficult for him to reach himself. It was a rather personal move, but it should not be mistaken for one of trust. Erik had merely decided that if Alexi was willing to open up, he might as well try and go all the way at putting him at ease. Even if he was a liar, a still distinct possibility for the owner of the only slave control device corporation in the world, the information gathered now could be crucial.

Furthermore, he did not see the action as very uncomfortable, as he had done similar things for men and women he had bathed with in the Resistance. Many species of magicals had a different perception of personal space than most humans did. Though vampires usually chose to remain clothed, certain othr species went naked all the time, and did not see touch as something quite so personal and reserved. Erik could not help it if after two centuries he had picked up some of their habits.

Alexi can feel his body tense slightly as Erik moves over to join him on the ledge, however as he continues talking he finds that keeping up a conversation helps him relax. 'He must be use to these kinds of things. I do not imagine that there is much privacy in their camps, such a thing being a luxury really. Even my dear brother bathes in public for his job. I really should not let it bother me. . .' When he hears Erik say that he and Grunback are viewed in the same boat by the rebellion he is both disgusted, but understanding. “Well, that makes sense. I know the majority of my family’s fortune came through control devices, and now I own them all. . . .” He sighs softly. “I can only offer you the truth Erik, and hope it will be enough for you.” he murmurs softly, moving on to his torso with the scraping stone.

Alexi's eyes widen as the vampire reaches around him and picks up one of the stones. The closeness makes him still, but he continues a moment later when Erik pulls back, only to completely freeze up when he feels the stone on his back. It is only for a moment and with his face turned away from the man he's unsure if he would even notice, however in short order he continues scrubbing, if much more slowly. He doesn't even have time to reason it out before the man's question forces it's way to the front of his mind and shuts down his other processes.

With a light cough he looks towards one of the walls for a moment before looking back down at the stone in his hand working over his chest. “It was not easy, by any means. Mois brought me the files on all the leaders, redacting the names of course, and after I made my selection Mois began setting up the sting.” As his hands slip further down to work on his legs he becomes immensely glad that the water is hot to explain away the flush. The last thing he wants is Erik knowing he's as innocent as an underage catholic school girl. “One of your members was zeroed in on. One you trusted that worked at one of my shops. I am sure you know who it was by now.”

He lets out a sigh, rolling his shoulders. After the initial shock the feeling of having his back washed by someone else makes the eccentric billionaire wonder why he's never asked anyone before this to do so. “Anyways, after he was captured, he was bound to one of my workers during a scheduled week long trip. After a few weeks when he went about his work as usual for both my company and your operations he was given the information to deliver to you guys, and once it was confirmed that you all were going to act on it Mois moved on to the next part of the plan.” Bringing his leg up so he can work on his lower leg Alexi glances over his shoulder before going on, his focus back on his cleaning.

“Now, mind you, I don't know all the details, but he convinced his boss to let him and a few others take the back way into the building.” He pauses, looking back at Erik with a gentle smile. “By the way, after the sting went down, the bound one was given the antidote. He knows nothing of the plan to capture you, and he had done what he needed to, so I had him set free. I told my people it was an experiment. Only a couple people who are sympathetic to the rebellion know about it, one of which was the man the magical was bound to. I know it doesn't make up for what happened, I just thought it may comfort you to know that he's free now. Well, as free as he can be. I am mot sure how your fellows will treat him. I do not see them trusting in the fact that he is no longer enslaved. . .”

Looking to the ceiling for a moment he lets out a soft sigh and begins working on the other leg. “Anyways, after that was I guess what you would call the easy part. Mois had the team ready to enter, you all charged in the way he thought you would, and he entered the building separate from the rest of the team. As team leader, it was his prerogative. He stalked you, knocked out you and the ones you were with, made sure no one was around, and took you out of there. I know you may find it hard to believe but my brother is one of if not the best at what he does. You should feel no shame that he took you down. He did his homework. I doubt anyone but my dear brother could have pulled it off, at least not without the rest of the team noticing.”

Rolling his shoulders he says softly. “Thank you for scrubbing my back Erik.” Finished with everywhere he'd care to wash in front of the man Alexi puts his stone away, taking the one from the vampire as well and putting it away. Stretching out in the water he smiles and stands. “On to the next one.” He says, pointing to another small bath nearby. He climbs carefully out of the tub, his shyness lost momentarily as another wave overcomes him. His head falls and a faint noise makes it's way out of his throat as he tenses with all but one leg out of the tub. The wave passes quickly however and he is able to conclude his story, flipping around so he's sitting with both of his lower legs dangling in the water rather than perched on his hands and knees.

“Anyways, after he had you and the others downed he carried you out the back way, loaded you into his personal vehicle, and brought you home. Because of his status at his job he was allowed to drive himself, and after that it was simply a matter of dropping you off, and heading back to work to explain himself to his boss. Mois is very clever, and even if they do not completely believe him, he will never slip the truth of the matter.” He smiles, hoping his next joke doesn't earn him a smack. “In short, mister leader, you were caught because I am a very rich man with an insanely devoted and exceptional brother who is determined to get me anything and everything I want. I can not say this for a fact, but I doubt anyone else could have pulled it off. At least not in the way I did.” With a half smile he finally manages to get his feet under him and wanders over to the next tub, slipping in carefully and just relaxing for a little while.

As Alexi told his story, Erik's mind went into overdrive, to the point that he was only absentmindedly scrubbing the human's back. Vinkta, Vin for short. He had a good future going for him. Could have been the next Leader one day. But you screwed that royal. Half of the officers probably think him a traitor now. Usually, breaking is so easy to notice that no one has ever tried to use it to turn one of our own into a spy. We've lost good people and good information because breaking was used as an interrogation tool, but we have never had someone return and act as one of us without noticing what was going on. I don't know how we could have figured it out. If he comes back to us after giving the antidote, it will be up to Nirale to decide what to do with him. Nirale is a good and fair man though. If he believes the story, he will likely allow him to stay, but keep him away from any sensitive information. He will be able to help, do chores, eat, and live, but he will be barred from serving as a Resistance fighter, and he will be watched. It's not going to be easy for him to go back, and I'm not sure that he will.

Though he was still thinking, he continued listening to Alexi's story. It was humiliating. The lord almost made it sound easy. Looking back on the moment the tranq dart had hit his back, the look of sheer surprise.... he'd been careful, but he had not expected the ambush. I should have been paying more attention. I should have been watching my own back a lot more carefully. It seemed like such an easy run. Hell, the slavers... their actors, were putting on a good show. One or two even seemed drunk. It's my fault. If I'd been less overconfident, if I'd been less willing to trust Vin's information.

He noticed the human tense up as he got out of the bath, looking like he was about to faint. Remembering his “job,” Erik grabbed his arm to steady him, until he seemed alright and able to walk on his own. The last thing either of them needed was for him to fall and break something. He even helped the other man sit down on the side of the pool, taking care to make sure that he did not slip.

It had taken all of his will to keep calm and let the eccentric billionaire finish his story, as he walked into the hot tub and submerged itself in the pleasantly warm water. He would never admit it, but he could get used to this life of luxury, even as a prisoner in a gilded cage. Now that they were in the hot tub, he finally got to speak. He did notice that Alexi had been trying to make him feel better about the whole thing. It was kind, if misguided, for him to try, so the vampire started there.

“Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Alexi. But nothing you say is going to change the fact that I'm here, with a collar around my neck, basically at your mercy. And, more importantly, nothing is going to change the fact that I failed them. What happened to the others? The ones who were captured besides me in that raid? Do you know the names of the people the police department sold them to? Many of them are probably being broken as we speak. All for your damn whims. And I've failed them as their leader and their comrade,” Erik began, his voice slowly rising with frustration.

“And why was all of this so important anyway?! There were other ways to distribute your antidote. Why do you want me bound to you so badly? Why did you choose me, of all the rebel leaders you apparently could have brought here?” he asked, breathing deeply to try and calm himself as his eyes already began to glow. Looking down, he unclenched his fists and tried to relax in the warm water. I have to stay calm. I cannot let my anger get the better of me, not now that I'm finally getting some goddamn answers.

Alexi lets the water calm his nerves, the story obviously having disturbed the other male, however by his very nature the human decides to wait until Erik speaks to try and begin conversing again. 'I know when I am upset I like taking a minute to compose myself before speaking. It helps keep me from emotional outbursts, and as he is a much more powerful man with a raging temper, I am glad he sees the wisdom in waiting' However as the vampire starts talking it becomes increasingly clear that he'd not waited quite long enough.

As Erik's voice grown in volume Alexi has to refrain from covering his ears and tucking his head into his chest. Images from his past flash before his eyes reminding him of a time he's much rather forget. His heart slides up into his throat and he fights the panic without moving a muscle other than the involuntary ones. His eyes never waver from a spot in the water, his gaze a million miles away, however as the echoes of his voice fade his thoughts begin becoming coherent once more His attention is caught for an instant by an odd colored gleam in the water and as he glances at it he realizes just how angry the rebel leader is and if he were not collared Alexi would be actually afraid for his life.

Falling back on his front of a calm collected man who doesn't let himself get ruffled he begins answering the questions and accusations in a soft hollow tone. “The others captured in the raid were put to work in one of my factories. Since I arranged the sting and financed it I was given every magical that was captured. None were killed, though a few are still recovering from near fatal wounds. It was one of my stipulations in aiding the strike that they try to preserve life. They were successful in that.” His breathing is shallow but he plows on, ignoring the slight waver in his voice every few sentences.

“None have been broken, and I have no plan of letting it happen. They have my top notch control devices, and as much as you hate them, you can not lie and tell me they are not more humane than breaking.” He shifts a little, moving ever so slightly away from Erik subconsciously. “As for the importance of this, as far as you are concerned there is no good reason, so it is pointless to share it with you.” His voice is still calm as he finally manages to look over at the larger male. “I am a selfish spoiled brat who is used to getting what he wants and has decided that what he wants is the end of all this foolish race idiocy with the money and means to do precisely that, or at least give your long down trodden fellows a chance to live their lives completely freely if not in complete happiness.”

Swallowing hard his voice falters a little bit as his emotions surge, mixing with the pain of Erik's hate and loathing driving like a dagger through his innards. “I have little interest in what you think of me, or have thought of me in the past, however whatever else I have done or will do in my life I ask you not forget that I have devoted my short existence to your cause, dealing with people I would rather see floating face first in a vat of excrement then have to even be in the same room with.” He can feel his tears welling up as the dagger in his guts twists. “The slaves will be freed, and by your own hand so many more will be given the chance to recover from the hell they have been put through at the hands of my race, so please forgive me if I do not completely hate my race and put a few of your precious soldiers through the hell of a good meal, warm beds, and no chance of getting killed in the few weeks before there will no longer be such a thing as slavery beyond those who I am asking you to help me save.”

The pain finally becomes too much. The mix of his own resurfaced horrors and Erik's hatred combining chokes off his words and his hand snaps over his mouth. Sanding up he manages to turn and lean forward over the tiles outside of the tub before his stomach turns inside out, painting the tiles with bile and whatever remnants of breakfast remains in his stomach. Once the bout passes he drops to his knees on the inner ledge, sobbing lightly. “Oh god Erik, this self loathing and hate. . . .How. . . .God. . . .” His hair falls into the upchuck as he curl up against the edge of the tub, his forehead resting against a clean spot on the floor. His hands cross over his middle as wave after wave of painful emotions besets him.

At first, Erik was relieved to hear that everyone was alright. He did not know how he would have dealt with it if he had lost someone's life again, especially from falling for a pointless trap. But as Alexi continued, he became incredibly confused by the billionaire's response. Maybe if you told me a reason, I would actually believe there was one. The reason I don't believe you is that you won't give me information, you insane fuck, he thought to himself. He noticed a certain fear in the human's eyes, even though he had been careful to stay away from the heights of his anger, and had really sounded more irritated and frustrated than truly furious. If he had to guess, he would say he had seen similar fear in former slaves that they had rescued. Fear of anger, of criticism. It had frustrated him at first, but now he had learned to just ignore it and try to remain calm.

For a moment, he was floored by the sincerity in Alexi's point. You... you really believe you can do it, don't you. Alexi Vandros... you are either the best liar in the world, or delusional. There's no way that one man can do this. Unless... you own all of the control... No. No way. That's impossible. It would take... years. Just as he was about ready to begin questioning the man again, he watched in horror and concern as the man began throwing up all over the floor.

When the vomiting was finished, the vampire jumped out of the pool to find a mop in the closet and began cleaning up the remains of the vomit.

“Alexi. You have no idea how much I want to believe you. But it is not so easy for me to trust a man whose name I despised only a week ago and who kidnapped me and put me through hell a few days ago. It will take time for me to trust you. Still, if it helps at all, know that I don't hate you as much as I did in the moment you took that damned potion. We will take the second dose as soon as possible. As far as my self-loathing... I... I don't know how to change that. I don't think I can. It helps to know that they are safe, but I still failed them,” he commented as he cleaned up the mess. When he was finished he took a bottle of shampoo and knelt behind Alexi, lifting and guiding him up into a sitting position.

“You got your hair dirty,” he muttered, wetting the man's hair and running the soap through it. “I did not mean to upset you so much. I still cannot truly understand why my emotions are so toxic to you. I feel fine most of the time, have very little problem with them. Either you're just a weakling or I'm a hundred times more screwed up than I ever thought,” he joked, still scrubbing the man's hair. “Are... are you alright now?” he inquired, laying a comforting hand on the eccentric human's shoulder.

The waves of pain fade back slowly like a retreating tide, and once more Alexi Vandros falls into his natural state of calm. Somewhere in the back of his mind he kind of misses the passion, but at the same time the vicious rending almost makes the passion not worth feeling. Almost. . . . Coughing lightly he spits a few times, trying to get the taste out of his mouth. 'I need to brush my teeth after this. I do no like this taste. I really should not let myself linger on things. It seems that thinking on bad things brings up his negative feelings and I end up attacking myself. . .How unpleasant' With a soft sigh he listens to Erik speak, a faint smile touching on his lips.

His eyes come up, free of the emotions that were there before. Now in their place is that soft little fondness that seems to confuse the vampire so much. “Ah, but you still hate me. . .” He looks to the now clean spot on the floor. “But that is okay. I am use to being hated. I am after all one of those evil slave owners you know. I help billions of people keep slaves in their place every day. . .I'm a bad man. . .” There is no hint of sarcasm in his voice as he says these things, his tone quite matter-of-fact. His eyes dart to the side to follow Erik's re-entry to the pool and when he feels the man close behind him he sits up a little straighter. The touch of finger on his hair is something he is a little more familiar with, Mois having a thing for petting his hair while he's trying to fall asleep on those nights Alexi doesn't feel like sleeping alone.

Carefully he sinks down on to his backside, his legs crossing comfortably beneath him and giving the vampire the access he needs to wet and scrub his hair. His head is only a few inches above the water as he hunches a little, wanting to cover himself up with water as much as he can. He stays silent as Erik works, just relaxing into the feeling. 'This is a nice little thing after all that. . .I should be careful not to upset him any more. I can not brush it off like I use to. . .His emotions have cracked my lock. . .' The hand on his shoulder makes him turn to look at it. He stares at it for a long moment before pulling away from Erik, turning around so he can face the man.

“I can not say this for sure, but if it would ease you, I will try and explain my thought on the matter.” He looks perfectly calm now, the only thing he is feeling is a need to try and help the man understand. “I have never failed. Any goal I have ever set I have achieved, even if it was not how I planned it. I have a reason for being so confident, for never second guessing myself, for my unwavering belief that I can not fail.” He laughs in a kind of sad way. “I know I am human, I know I am fallible. I know that I am capable of making mistakes, but I never have, so I do not have a god complex, I promise. I just do not see the point in doubting myself when my lack of doubt may very well be one of the reasons I have never failed.”

Reaching up he wipes away some suds that threaten to fall into his eyes before continuing. “So you can see how your feeling of failure, of such intense hate at not only yourself, but me as well. It is a completely foreign feeling to me. And you feel them, so, strongly. . .I have never felt passion. Never. I have set goals, had things I have wanted, however I have never felt anything stronger than my affection for my brother and Joseph. I care for all my slaves too, but that feeling is even duller. I do not have intense feelings, I just do not. I never have.” His eyes fall, “Except perhaps when I was. . .There was an incident, but I think that had more to do with how my mother and brother reacted.” He hangs his head a little. “That was not emotion. That was an unconscious reaction to my life being in danger. . .”

Looking back up at Erik he adds with a half smile, “That is actually the closest thing I can compare to the feelings you gave me. It is why I overreacted. The one time I have felt anything more than mildly was mortal terror.” His voice is even, his mind careful to keep the actual images at bay. Turning back around he settles down once more, just in case Erik wishes to continue washing. “Oh, and do not worry. I am feeling better now. With your feelings at rest I do not really feel anything but pleased with the hot water and content with the fact that I am getting cleaner. Also, the plan is set and even with this bonding changing my understanding of emotion nothing will change the freeing.”

Erik listened carefully to the human's words, continuing to scrub his hair, almost absentmindedly now. His eyes flashed once again at Alexi's mention of his job, but otherwise he kept himself calm. Whatever Alexi had done in the past, or was doing now, Erik had to operate under the belief that it truly was in an effort to end slavery. Otherwise, they would never get anywhere in this relationship. He could continue to hate, or he could try and work with the man and figure things out, if nothing else.

“I don't... I don't hate you anymore. Trust me, if I hated you, I would happily let you know. I just don't know what to think. You are... you are not the person I imagined, Alexi. You are not even the person that you seemed to be when I was first captured. As far as the rest of your explanation... you've told me this before. It's just, I still don't emotionally understand it. I've never lived a life without these emotions, without my fears. I don't know what it's like to do so. And so, I've learned to cope with them out of necessity. To see them making you physically ill bothers me,” Erik replied, finally taking his hands off of Alexi's hair so that the human could rinse himself off.

Alexi stays with his head back for several seconds, wondering if there is an easier way to explain it. A part of him thinks the vampire will never understand, however that idea doesn't really bother him. 'He does not need to understand it' he muses, but still tries one last time. “A flower born to the hot wet tropics wilts and dies if torn from it's home and placed in the cool dry tundra.” With that said he reaches up and holds his nose before letting himself fall back into the water. Careful to aim around Erik he kicks off the wall and drifts under water into the center of the small pool before coming up. Reaching up he begins working the soap out of his hair.

Erik could not help but at least begin to understand with that imagery, and he jumped back into the pool himself.

“Except, I think the flower is turning more into a weed that's destroying the tundra,” he muttered.

The human gives Erik a sad smile as he shifts to look at the man. “That would be what you feel is happening to you I am afraid. The flower, which is my unwavering confidence, is what has been thrown into the tundra of your negative feelings. Your emotions are harsh and forthright, while in the rainforest the only weather I have had is more rain, which helped me grow. Having your cold harsh emotions around me is like all of the nutrients suddenly ripped from me making me wilt.” He smiles more confidently, “However I am a hardy flower and will last as long as I need to.” He chuckles lightly, swimming towards the edge now that his hair is clean. “On to the next one.” he murmurs, climbing out slowly just in case he gets hit again.

“Well, I screwed that metaphor up royally, didn't I?” Erik muttered, climbing out into the other tub. “That being said, your confidence isn't destroying me. It's frustrating, in a way, because it makes me terribly envious of you for it. But I am still able to keep it separate from my own head. You know, you have to be wasting tons of water with these things. But, never mind that. You told me the strongest thing you had ever felt was mortal terror. What made a wealthy, pampered, spoiled brat like you so afraid?” Erik finally asked, the tone of his voice rather lighthearted as he followed Alexi into the next pool.

His smile takes on a mischievous hint as Erik explains what his feelings are doing to the vampire. Of course he doesn't say anything aloud but as he slips into the water of the third bath he does decide to answer the water wasting comment. “Actually I waste very little water. My estate is self sufficient. A long time ago one of my ancestors decided water from the main plant is too dangerous, seeing as it could be poisoned before piping in here, so we have our own water purification in the basement that is constantly working to keep the house water fresh and clean. I do however waste a lot of electricity, but oh well. The city squeezes at least that money out of me.”

He chuckles softly, letting the near boiling water do its magic before reaching towards the body wash and loofahs. He does not even skip a beat as Erik poses the question he knew was coming. “When my father's madness reached it's peak, he tried to kill me in the middle of the night.” Leaning back with the soap and loofah in his right hand his left comes up and points at a rather harsh scar that looks to run right over his heart. There are other smaller scars, mostly made by slaves he's taken in who were on the wild side, but this mark is the most well pronounced. Still smiling he turns around to show the much smaller exit scar where the tip of the blade had protruded out of his back. Despite the subject, Alexi doesn't seem to be bothered as he squeezes out the soap on to the loofah and begins scrubbing.

Erik was floored, and for a few moments, he just stood there, openly staring at Alexi with his mouth hanging open. The fear he had seen before made a lot more sense now. He'd seen a lot of danger, a lot of bloodshed, but the idea of anyone's own father trying to kill him was still horrific.

“What happened then? After he tried to kill you?” he asked quietly, treading water up to the other man.

It actually takes a little bit of effort not to laugh at the slack jawed stunned look on Erik's face when the human glances up at him. However in order to avoid just that he returns his focus to his scrubbing. 'I suppose with who I am and how I act, such a thing would never have crossed his mind. After all, I get what I want, and at age 19, getting dead is not something I longed for' His eyelids are at half mast as an almost fond look crosses his face at the question. “Mois and I have always had a habit of sleeping in the same bed for one reason or another since we were little. He does not like thunderstorms and that night he had crawled in with me some time after the storm started.”

Glancing up at Erik he adds, “Mois is older than I, however he has his more childish aspects despite his job. It is quite cute really.” looking back down at his body he begins scrubbing at his leg as he continues. “Anyways, after I was impaled he turned the weapon on father. No hesitation. It is the last thing I remember before passing out.” Alexi does his best to keep himself focused on the present, recalling how fantastic he brother looked in that moment, defending him. . .

Erik looked away, nodding slightly. He was unsure of what to say to that. He had other questions for Alexi, but he needed to let that sink in. He could feel just the slightest of painful ripples over it, beyond his own empathy, and he wondered if that was from the potion's influence. It was a few minutes before he spoke again.

“Did you and your brother inherit his madness?” he asked tentatively.

Alexi lets the silence settle about them, knowing that Erik will need time to go over the things he's just heard. 'It may not consciously bother me any more, however with just a touch of his passion in me I went so far as to lose my breakfast, so I can only imagine. . .Though it did not happen to him so. . .Anyways. . .' He is in the middle of cleaning between his toes when the next question comes. He focus does not waver. “Mois is blessedly free of the incurable imbalance that brings on the madness, however I have been confirmed to have it.” He smiles gently at Erik. “But as I said, no need to worry. You will be free of whatever happens in my mind. I promise you that.”

“Thanks for the reassurance, but I wasn't asking out of fear for my own mind. That's clearly screwed up all on its own. I was actually asking out of concern for you. Is there a cure now?”

Alexi's smile warms into a rather adorable glow when Erik says he's more worried about the human that the affect it will have on him. However as he washes off the last of the soap and climbs out, heading for the soak pool, which looks more like a swimming pool than a bath tub, he says gently, “No. The location of the cause is too far into the brain, and that is just the chemical side of things. I really am glad for your concern though. Thank you Erik. . .” Slipping into the soak tub Alexi rest on the ledge for a handful of seconds before striking out to paddle around the pool like a child.

“You have to admit, though. If you have to be crazy, it's better to be rich and crazy,” he pointed out jokingly. “I refuse to believe there's not a cure. All the magic, science, and technology available to you, enough money to build all of this, and you can't find a cure? Bullshit,” Erik pointed out as he gestured around to all of the pools. He followed Alexi into the final rinsing pool. Despite the man's tragic story, it still felt slightly ridiculous that the billionaire needed four pools to bathe in.

Alexi smiles and rolls on to his back. “I suppose. . .” he murmurs to the part about being rich and crazy. To the next comment he looks over at the vampire with a smirk. “Scientists have been working on the cure for vampirism for centuries, backed by most of the richest people in history, and still, a turned person is incurable. You would think with all that money, time, and resources they would have found a cure, no?” Alexi dives down them pops back up closer to Erik. “For all we know of it now, this madness is a natural evolution in my family's genes, and like vampirism, incurable. And it is not as if they have had very long to work on it. No one wanted to admit my father was ill, or grandfather before that. I am the first who would be willing, however I have no time to worry about it right now. So I would rather dissolve into madness knowing I did one great thing with my life, rather than watch the world go to hell in a hand basket just so I could maybe avoid an unpleasant life down the road.” He chuckles. “In short, I am too busy to entertain the possibility of a cure. I spent five years on it, but now. . .I have more important matters to attend to.”

“You really think you can do it, don't you... save all of us, I mean,” Erik began. It was not a question. “I've been working at this for over two centuries. What makes you think you can do it? Just because you own all of the control devices...” Erik stopped for a second, the wheels turning in his head and coming back to an earlier thought. 'If I wanted to end slavery, and I inherited a business that sold all of them... I would, somehow, design them so that they would break. I would put in a kill switch. But that would be... an insane undertaking. He would have to make sure he was the only seller, keep all of the other companies out of business. Then he would have to replace any old devices with his new models, to make sure anything used had the shutdown code. Then he'd have to hide the shutdown mechanism itself from the engineers and manufacturers. No one man could do all of that.' “There's no way. It's impossible.”

Floating in front of Erik, looking up at him with those clear, confident eyes, a half smile comes to his lips as he watches the man work. Like he can with almost anyone he meets, a part of him can almost see the tumblers falling into place behind the vampire's gaze. 'He may have just figured something out. . .' To the final declaration his smile widens only a fraction. “I will free all the slaves Erik.” There is not even the faintest traces of doubt in his eyes as his gaze remains locked on the rebel leader.

“The kind of planning it would take... even to someone born with your privilege. Your company has many policies for free or cheap upgrades for its devices. It used to make me sick. It looked like you were hurting your own bottom line just to keep the magicals downtrodden. But if you installed a kill switch... that would make perfect sense. You'd have to make sure everyone had it. Still, though. How would you hide that from your designers?” he asked, thinking more to himself than Alexi. Finally he looked up. “You have some kind of kill switch in them, don't you? All of them. Every slave will be free once their chains cease to function. Except the chemically controlled ones. Which is why you need me to help distribute the antidote, so that those who are the worst off can have their freedom as well.”

Alexi almost looks like he's ignoring Erik as he begins running down his thoughts on just what Alexi has done as he drifts back and forth in front of the vampire, playing with the water. 'He really is smart. Once you know me however it should not be that difficult to figure out how I planed this big grand thing of mine' It takes a moment to realize he's being addressed, however a glance up at Erik clues him in. Tilting his head tot he side he thinks about his answer for a moment. 'I can not tell him too much. I am sure he will tell Joseph, and he knows me better. He may figure out something I would rather he not find out until much later. . .'

“Once the vast majority of slaves are free, it will be up to the resistance to free those I could not with a single action.” He looks down at the water, his vision clouding over a bit. “All the devices will fail, and many humans will die. My factories will burn to the ground, the stores containing my devices will follow suit. Every, last, one. The alarm will give those working there ten minutes to vacate, but I am sure not all will escape. . .The magicals will. They will be freed twenty minutes before the count down begins. . .The surviving humans will have to escape then.”

“You set everything up to burn too? How the hell could you manage that? You would have to hide all of this stuff from countless designers, programmers, engineers, and the like. There's no way. And anyway, where is this kill switch of yours? How does it work?” Erik asked, stepping slightly closer to the human through the water. Despite his doubts, he was looking at Alexi with new eyes. A genuine respect and awe was shining through in his gaze. 'It could still be a lie, he reminded himself. But he had what he wanted. I would have taken the potion in a few more days anyway. He had nothing to gain by lying to me and trying to gain my trust. He didn't need it at that point.

Stretching out in the water Alexi hums contentedly. “The warding magic on the shops and factories have an underwriting in invisible script that will be activated at the end of the count down. There are multiple back up systems so that even in the first ignite fails, there are at least four more ready to go. Only a very unique signal will activate them. One of my slaves well versed in magic taught me about underwriting, invented it really, and since I inspect all the warding bands myself I confirm yearly that they are all still in place. The people who install the wards have no idea that the invisible script is there, since the bands are made right here on the grounds and they are shipped out.”

He runs his hand over the surface of the water. “The slave who made the designs thinks that the script is protection from having a factory taken over by the rebellion. In other words, if a factory is invaded and supposedly held hostage or something, the script could be activated to simply kill everyone inside.” He smiles softly. “Not a complete lie.” He looks back up at Erik. “Another slave is the one who invented the deactivation device. A brilliant mix of magic and machinery. There are a few different designs to cover all the types of devices, but they all will cause the device to no longer do it's job.” He chuckles. “I told her I wanted it so that if I saw someone misusing my devices or saw one on the fritz, I could deactivate it for repairs. It also makes them impossible to recreate because as soon as the device is tampered with, a spell makes it dissolve. Only she and I know what it does, and because I do not tolerate my employees destroying my product, they simply install them and that as they say is that.”

He points up at the ceiling. “The signal that will do all this will be transmitted world wide via my personal satellite system I established for my TV channel. It is only an infomercial for my control devices and other products, but it is popular enough for it not to be too suspicious that I made my own satellite system.” It is kind of a relief to tell Erik all of this, the faint change in the expression on the man's face very encouraging. A part of him thinks Erik may actually start to believe him.

“The work involved in this would take at least a decade,” Erik muttered, looking up at the human. “You're only thirty or so, if I remember correctly, you would have had to start working on this as a teenager, laying out the plan, getting the satellites up, designing and installing the kill switch... I … I am still not quite sure I believe it. The scope of that would be seemingly insurmountable!” There was a look of disbelieving awe on his face now. “Assuming for a moment I do believe you, when are you going to set it off? And how?”

He smiles warmly with a nod. “Good math. I am thirty-two, and I began planning at age nineteen when I took over the business. Well, actually, before I left the hospital.” The heat of the water begins making the human feel a little lightheaded so he drifts to the side to take a seat. Leaning his head back to looks at the glass dome ceiling in the middle of the room. “As for the detonator. . .That is my own little secret that I am sorry I must keep from you.” He chuckles softly and casts a glance at the other male. “Do not want you setting it off early or anything.” His chuckles die down as he relaxes against the side. "As for when. . .I would say it is only a matter of weeks. . .Not sure how many. . .Depends on certain factors. . .” That last part sounds almost like he is talking to himself.

Erik could not help but roll his eyes. “So, your dad tries to kill you and you decide to take down slavery. Well, that's certainly one method to deal with trauma. And you still won't tell me why I'm here or what your detonator is! You want to end this crap, but you are keeping me as a prisoner here and won't even explain why. Do you understand why it makes it difficult to trust you?”

Alexi blinks slowly, looking at the vampire with a curious expression. “You make me think of a man who can not appreciate what he is being given because no matter how good it is, it is simply not enough. You want more, you want everything. You can not simply take what I have given you, which is more than I have given any other, and let that settle and appreciate for a moment it because of those few little things I choose to keep to myself for the safety of the mission.” His tone is light, more fascinated than anything else. “You can not have everything you want, so what you have has little to no merit. . .I am not saying that is what you are thinking, however it is the impression you are giving. . .”

“However, it does not really matter. I can, on some level, understand why you do not trust me. I do not need your trust. Even if you think this is just some big joke I am playing on you. It is your prerogative and I respect your right to think that way. And you really are the only selfish part of all of this. In the grand scheme even without you the slaves would be freed. The distribution afterwords of the antidote would be more difficult, but not impossible. You are the one thing I am guilty of being truly selfish with. . .Though in truth freeing the slaves is also a selfish desire of mine, but at least the benefit is immediately evident. . .” Letting out a light groan Alexi stretches and starts climbing out of the pool.

Erik had been called a lot of things in his long life, but “greedy” had never been one of them. And even though that was not directly what Alexi said, the obvious implication still stung him as he too got out of the pool and began to dry himself off.

“I don't know what I think, Alexi. I have very little reason to doubt you, save the way you have me collared and imprisoned here, the way you acted when I first arrived, and these tidbits that you won't tell me. Logically, I know that you already had me. I would have taken the potion in a few days whether you had told me all of this or not. There would be no reason for you to lie and put up these theatrics. Ultimately, I don't know whether to believe you or not. I need time to think on it.

And you know what? Regardless of what you think of me, I won't apologize for wanting all of the information. You are asking me to believe the unbelievable. If this is true, then you might just be the most amazing man I've ever met. In ten years, you will have done the one thing that I've worked for for two centuries. I'm not ignoring that. I just want to know and understand more. Is there really so much harm in my curiosity?” he asked, as he started to put his clothes back on.

Slipping into one of his many robes Alexi looks over his shoulder and spots Erik getting ready to put back on his clothes from the night before. Quickly snatching up another robe he slides over to Erik. Tossing the robe over his shoulder he reaches out with his right hand and settles it on the taller male's shoulder. Looking up into his eyes he carefully takes the dirty clothes away with his free hand. “I do not fault you for your curiosity, and in truth I would love to tell you everything right now. However I have worked too long and too hard, and only have one shot at this. I can not let anything mess it up.”

He glances down for a moment as he says the next part, tossing the filthy clothes towards the pile of his own clothes a few feet away. “Ten years may not be long for someone who practically has forever, but it is a long time for me.” He looks back up, an earnest smile on his lips. “You will know every detail I know before the end. I promise. I will tell you everything, just not right now.” Slipping his hand from the vampire's shoulder he takes up the robe in both hands, holding it up like Joseph does when helping him into his clothes. His slightly bashful look returns as he lifts up the cloth and tries to ignore the fact that he is only a couple feet away from the naked man.

“Do you honestly think I would mess something like this up?! But... I will try and respect your decision. Thank you for the information you have already given me, Alexi,” the vampire replied, slipping the silk robe on. It was one of Alexi's longer robes, and on Erik it only went down to his knees, but it was quite comfortable. He turned and looked back at the eccentric billionaire. “I am not a man of tact. And I have surely treated this more as a debriefing than a heartfelt conversation. You've told me a lot about your life, and I am grateful for that. Would you like to know anything else about me, in return? Though, I figure you probably already know most of it.”

Alexi is quite pleased that Erik submits to the fact that he has shared a lot and accepts it for now. Once the robe is on Alexi averts his gaze as the vampire ties it to his liking. 'He looks pretty in that. . .Now that he is no longer going to be chained, I can buy some other clothes for him. . .Maybe something to. . .' His mind goes off making Erik into an imaginary dress-up doll until the man asks him what he wants to know about him. “Umm. . . .Oh, do not worry, you did not do anything wrong. . .” he murmurs, leading the way back into the room. Once inside he opens his wardrobe and picks up one of the outfits that Joseph had ordered for Erik and throws it to him.

“We shall get you something else to wear now that you are no longer chained. I will have Joseph see to it when he gets back. . . .” He glances at the clock. “Wow, three already. Long bath. . .” He chuckles and begins picking out what he wants to wear. Knowing that he will likely have to debrief a new group of slaves he laments that he can not put on his pajamas yet. Suddenly it hits him. Leaning to the side so he can see Erik past the wardrobe door he asks, “What kind of foods do you like?”

“I don't know really. I eat whatever is being served at the compound. There isn't a lot of choice. I like seafood a lot, because that's the primary meat we have there. And...” Erik looked almost embarrassed to admit it. “I love chocolate. But it's a luxury we really don't have very often.” Turning away, he changed into his new outfit, a simple robe with clips at the top, and hung up his robe in the bathroom.

Slipping into one of his velvet like suits, resistant to scratches and bites for the most part, a mischievous gleam shines in Alexi's eyes. 'Oh ho? Sounds like I am going to have some fun here. Chocolate aside, which of course has so many fun ways to be served, I think I want to show him how the upper crust does seafood. Though I do not want to be completely snooty, so a milder set-up. . .' His outfit is surprisingly simple for how flamboyantly bedecked he normally is, his underclothes made of tough but still comfortable material while the velvet deep purple suit feels warm and cuddly. Closing the wardrobe Alexi gives Erik a smile before wandering over to where he dropped his phone.

'I should give him a call to figure out how long I am going to be working with the new slaves, and let him know that I am feeling better. . . .In a way' Digging around in the folds of his clothing he finally locates the little handful of technology, plopping down on his bed as he flips it open.
-Hi Joseph. Feeling better. How many new ones today?-
Flipping it closed he slips it into his pocket before standing up. Looking over at his guest he tilts his head. “I am going to head down to the kitchen, see what is on the menu for dinner, then attend to a few house duties. Joseph should be back soon with some new slaves, and I will have to take care of that before coming back for the evening. It may take a while, but I promise to try and come back for dinner. I think it would be nice to share at least one meal a day.”

~*~*~*~*~

Sliding over to another member of the rescue team Mois lends a hand moving a particularly heavy bit of debris off the mangled body of one of the factory workers. 'This was a really well made bomb. Only a handful of survivors thus far, but there's still the basement. That's the shelter area. We should find a good number of slaves down there. . .' The elder Vandros reviews the scene with a kind of detachment that many of his fellows find enviable. He works hard, his hair sweat slicked and plastered across his forehead and neck, his jacket lost somewhere and his sleeves pushed up high.

When he had arrived at the sight he had taken a moment to simply look, to take it all in. The factory was completely destroyed. Not even a single support beam had survived the blast. At first he'd been confused. Alexi has excellent precautions in place against bombs, however as the techs began reconstructing the explosion it became clear that the bomb had come from the outside. 'An air strike, of all things. Where did they manage to get a hold of missiles? It's not like they're common or anything, and they haven't been used in a very long time. Even after finding them though, they would need a launcher. Those were even rarer. . .' His thoughts on the matter tumble over and over as he works beside the other police and rescuers.

Erik glanced out the window as he realized Alexi was leaving again. As conflicted as his feelings were about the man, he realized that he rather wished the eccentric human was not going anywhere. It was not so much that the vampire enjoyed his presence, as that he was a distraction from this irritating imprisonment. It was not in the vampire leader's nature to laze around and read all day. A Commander's life was incredibly busy, with meetings, planning, reading reports, and then trying to keep up with his own chores and training. While the break might have been relaxing, having nothing at all to work on was driving him mad.

Taking a deep breath, he stood and glanced over at the eccentric billionaire.

“Two more questions before you go. First, why buy more slaves if you are just going to free them all in a few weeks? And, on a more personal note, how much longer are you going to imprison me here? I'd like to at least be able to walk around the house. I'm going stir-crazy in here with nothing to work on and nothing to do besides reading and swimming. I can't even use the Internet! I'm used to being constantly busy, but here I'm completely useless.”

Alexi is at the door when Erik speaks up. In an almost choreographed motion Alexi spins on his heel and turns to face the vampire, his back settling on the door. His soft smile stays in place as he waves a hand before crossing his arms. “If I change my behavior all of a sudden, it would make those who keep tabs on my life, a surprising many I may add, very suspicious and I would rather not risk a more critical eye turned towards me at the moment. Do not need my side projects discovered.”

He lights up a little as he goes on. “As to your need to be doing something, I have been contemplating several ideas. Since I no longer have to pretend to be some evil overlord, I can provide you with other things to do than what I originally planned.” He smile becomes a little wicked. “How would you like the blueprints to all the homes with chemically broken slaves as well as maps of their locations, and secret caches of weapons the military have all over the city? I can also provide other information, however these are the ones I had on hand and ready for you once the plan reached it's climax, so they are easier to get to you.”

He waves a hand again. “I can also get you the news and my brother's private research into the cells current locations. Perhaps you are more knowledgeable in those matters, however for the time you are here things may change. You may see patterns Mois does not.” He tilts his head, tugging at his sleeve to make sure as much skin as possible is covered since many newcomers are less than enthusiastic to be added to the household.

The vampire nodded, for as much as he hated to admit it, Alexi's explanation made a lot of sense. 'Well, you certainly did a good job of acting evil. But... it's not – Why? Wait, if you'd been kind from the start, I would have never believed a word you said. I thought of you as a despicable, evil human being, and anything else would have seemed to be a lie. The only way you could have convinced me was to essentially do exactly what you did, to show me that you weren't that horrid with one tiny act at a time. Gorrammit Alexi, you've basically played me like a violin.'

As he continued to listen, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. The offer was nearly unbelievable. So much so that it took him a few seconds before answering.

“You'd give me that information? All of it? Seriously?! Alexi, I could kiss you!” he finally replied excitedly, his agape mouth turning into a grin. “I would need some notebooks and scratch paper as well, and preferably a cheap computer with Internet access, for ancillary research. You can disable all outgoing communication functions and track my activities, if you like.”

Though he was still grinning, the gravity of what he had just said dawned on him. 'Did I really just say that? Give him permission to track me and restrict my communication? I despise such privacy invasions. Apart from that, I'm even willing to avoid complaining about being trapped here, so long as I can be useful. God, I hope I'm not losing my mind. Raelani, Nirale, the other officers, even Pyrra... they would all kill me or throw me in a padded room if they could see the kind of trust I'm putting in the likes of Alexi Vandros.'

The look on Erik's face is priceless and Alexi take a moment to just drink it in. 'He is so adorably happy. It makes me feel good that I can bring a smile to his lips rather than all that frowning and anger' At the comment about kissing the man can't help but envision it, prompting a very light flush, however he looks down quickly to deflect his thoughts. “I shall get it all to you as soon as I can. . .As for the Internet access, I shall see what Elaria can come up with for you. The rest is easy. Joseph will bring it to you while I am dealing with the newcomers.”

He looks back up, a half smile on his face. “Once you have it however I must ask you restrict yourself to pencil and paper while I am sleeping the sound of a keyboard grates on my ears and is likely to keep me awake at night. Even madmen like myself need sleep.” He chuckles. Pushing off the door he rests one hand on the door handle. “Anything else? Perhaps a snack before dinner?” He sways back and forth a bit, still quite pleased with himself over dropping Erik's jaw.

Erik shook his head slightly. It was still difficult to believe that only four days ago the same man that had threatened him and treated him like a pet was now offering him the single greatest repository of information he had likely ever had access to.

“No thanks. I appreciate it, Alexi. Sorry for keeping you. Good luck,” he replied, nodding his head a little, and still grinning like an adolescent lover.

Alexi chuckles softly and nods. Slipping out of the room he wanders down the hall, feeling a lot lighter than he did before he entered. He can still feel the pain gnawing at him, however the long list of things to get done, and the prospect of new slaves to welcome home have him distracted enough to ignore the feeling. 'I shall check in with the cooks, ask for something with some fish, nothing too fancy, then wait in the windowless parlor for the incoming slaves. . .' Pulling out his phone he checks for a message from Joseph. Not seeing one yet he tucks it away and wonders what he'll need for them.

In the kitchens the slaves go into a mild panic at the sight of him, however after he drops his request they all calm a bit. “Yes sir Master Alexi. We can add a fish dish. We just got in some fresh trout from the hatchery. Would you like that sauce you enjoy along with it?” Alexi smiles at the aging dwarf lady and nods. She chuckles at his almost childish grin and waves as he leaves.

“Sauce ma'am?” one of the newer ones inquires.

She chuckles again. “It's just ketchup and miracle whip mixed together. Something simple and common, but I made it for my own son one day, and Master Alexi wanted to try it. Ever since he always has it with his fish.” The older kitchen staff let out light laughs while the newbies look to one another, wondering about this new master.
~*~*~

The beast flies around the back of the cage, hissing and snarling as the handlers move in closer and closer. Orion stands back with a disinterested expression. His attention is caught by a beep on his palm pal and after pulling it up he smiles wide. 'Very good boys. . .This will have the boobs upstairs drooling in no time' Signing off on the capture of a siren in one of the remote districts he looks up in time to see the M'Tinak his with a dart. After a few seconds it falls to the ground.

Though the sedative does its work properly the beast is still hissing and snapping. The men look out at Orion with questioning glances. With a smirk he responds, “The client likes them feisty, and with one as rare as this, anything more than minimal sedation would not be wise.” They nod, moving in and carefully binding the creatures hands behind him. Once he is properly bound the two pick him up and Orion leads the way to where he needs to be delivered. The beast keeps thrashing feebly, but the expert handlers are not bothered by the weak movements.

Joseph suffered his way through the auction, drinking a hot tea from the bar. He successfully ignored the usual stares, and even the few whispers of conversation he heard remarking on the “strange,” “offensive,” or “downright dangerous” presence of unaccompanied slaves at the auction. Of course, all of that was simple compared to the actual bidding itself, as he was forced to watch all of these beautiful creatures chained and led across the stage, to be sold as property.

Several times, he found himself checking his platinum pocket watch to see just how much longer this nightmare would last. The watch itself was ornately crafted, with an etching of a beautiful phoenix, flames emerging from its wings and tail. Inside the watch were his initials, JM. It had been a Christmas present from Master Alexi when he was merely twenty years old. Joseph had very nearly rejected the gift, on the grounds that he had not given his Master a present in return. But somehow the youth had convinced him to take it, citing some point about how it could not be returned with the personalized engraving.

Thanks to the vampire's centuries of training, and a few small miracles, he managed to keep his calm throughout the entire auction, and managed to make some fine deals on a few slaves. There were two terrified children, a male and a female, siblings nymphs, and no older than fifteen by their looks. Joseph had bought them both because he hated the idea of them being separated, especially with the war coming. He also purchased two more slaves, a female fae and a male of a species he did not recognize. The fae had a soft face and long flowing purple hair, matching her eyes. But what fascinated Joseph was the twinkle in those eyes as though she were simply laughing at the stupidity of all of these humans around her, almost as if she knew how pointless this auction was. The male looked completely human in this form, with deep brown skin, dark brown hair, and bright green eyes. He looked upon the proceedings with a dignified righteous anger, not openly violent, but almost regally disapproving, and almost as though he were waiting for the perfect moment to escape. Joseph resolved to keep an eye on him, as he would have to with all three of the others.

An hour later, Joseph strolled out to Alexi's car and greeted Elaria. He quickly gave her a run down of their new guests and warned her of the flight risks. It was then that he received the text from Master Alexi. Sighing, he responded as Elaria drove them to the pick up point, -Glad to hear that you are feeling better, Master Alexi. I found two nymph children who are siblings, a female fae who I suspect might have prophetic ability, and a male whose species is unknown and has not turned from his human form. I will make a full financial report within 24 hours."

The auction had sapped Joseph of his energy, and as such, he was quite thankful that none of the slaves put up a fuss getting into the car. Of course, that was because the M'Tinak was drugged, and the unknown creature appeared to have been dosed with something as well. All of them were bound, but the fae seemed not to care. The children were terrified, but too afraid of punishment to harm anyone. They all fit easily into the back of the car, and Joseph greeted the group.

“My name is Joseph Moreau, and I serve Master Alexi Vandros, CEO of EleCon Industries. I am the head slave to his household, and manage the day-to-day affairs. Provided you behave, you will be treated well, with comfortable living arrangements, good food, and some manner of choice in your chores. Master Vandros will greet all of you when we arrive, but afterwards, you will primarily report to me. Before all of you introduce yourselves, are there any questions?”

As soon as the big guys are no longer holding him the M'Tinak falls silent and begins looking around the best he can. Spotting the one from before, and feeling quite tired after all the drugged thrashing, he proceeds to fall asleep on the confident one's lap. He stretches a bit on Joseph's legs before passing out. The two children see this, and stare at the one who bought them wondering if he'll be mad at the action. The fae also seems a little curious, but the large male simply stares towards the driver seat with such concentration you could swear he recognizes Elaria. She however keeps all her attention on the road.

Joseph smiled slightly as the young M'Tinak fell asleep in his lap, placing a comforting hand on the child's shoulder. The nymph children seemed to relax after this, and the young female was the first to offer her name. “I am called Sayiph,” she replied, her voice sounding meek but determined. Her older brother chimed in as well, “I'm Enodai.” The fae also smiled, seeming to decide that she slightly approved of Joseph, “I am called Amithi. I am pleased to meet you, Joseph Moreau.”

Once everyone has given their names, all save for the dark skinned male, the fae looks at him curiously, and a moment later the children look up at him too. However, it's Elaria who speaks up first. “Joseph, that big guy's not gonna talk. In fact, he probably doesn't even know how to say his own name in English yet.” Glancing over he shoulder she says softly, “He's a drake, I can smell it, and a youth too. Just about ten years younger than me. I intimidate the hell out of him, and talking in front of me won't be possible for a while.” The fae raises an eyebrow at this, looking between the two drakes. The large male simply continues to watch her, not confirming or denying anything she said.

Joseph nodded, grateful for Elaria's knowledge, as he had been growing wary of the young man's silence. He would not have punished or scolded the drake for it, but it was good to have a reasoning.

“Thanks for the information, Elaria. Do you have any advice on how to communicate with him? Or how to proceed in general?” he asked curiously, knowing that he was clearly out of his element. The drakes were a highly secretive species, so despite all of his knowledge and experience, Joseph had no idea how to deal with them.

"Sure." Elaria calls over her shoulder. A few seconds later they stop at a red light and a click can be heard from the front seat. Suddenly Elarias face appears between the seats. Looking right at the younger drake she says quite clearly, "You do what he says." She points at Joseph and as soon as she does he nods and drops his gaze. She smiles and says, "There ya go hun." patting Joseph on the arm before slipping back into her seat just in time for the light to turn green.

'Well, that was simpler than expected', the vampire servant thought as he smiled graciously. “Thank you kindly, Elaria,” he responded. Though he did not ask the younger drake for his name, he was glad that the creature would not cause any problems.

After a few moments, Sayiph found the courage to ask a question. “What will Mr. Vandros have us do, sir?” she inquired, looking up at the vampire.

“That will depend on what jobs we have available, and on your own personal skill sets and preferences,” he answered, looking down into her eyes. Amithi merely smiled knowingly, looking out the window.

The ride passed without further incident, and Joseph exited the car and held the door for the others. The M'Tinak was still asleep, so he lifted him out of the car and carried him in his arms.

“Elaria, after you park, please come inside. I'm sure that Master Alexi will want to consult with you regarding the new drake.”

The drake in the front seat watches as the slaves exit, giving the little ones a small wave when they glance her way. She gives Joseph a nod and as soon as the door is closed she drives off towards the garage. 'They won't be slaves long, but I hope they are grateful for the kindness they receive here before they are freed. After all, if they know that humans can be kind, they will think twice before slaughtering innocents. . .' Her thoughts turn to the large male. 'Bronze, only a year or two into this stage of his life. . .This should be fun' Smiling she parks, tossing the keys to Uwin as he runs up. “Gotta go see Master Alexi. Check it out for me?” Uwin nods, understanding. With her naturally graceful swiftness she makes her way towards the house proper.

Joseph guided the new slaves into the house and through the foyer, hiding a smirk from his facial features. Leaving off the information about the M'Tinak had been quite intentional, as he wanted to see the look on his Master's face upon the surprise of such a rare and adorable creature. He guided the group into Alexi's drawing room and unbound their wrists, for he decided that no one was going to resist at this point.

The slaves all look around as they are lead into the smallish room, even the drake is curious now that he is no longer in the presence of the female. Alexi watches them from his place in the chair, a light smile on his lips. Spotting the unusual sight of Joseph carrying someone he eyes the figure closely and nearly jumps out of his skin in joy as he recognizes it. 'This must be what Orion said he would have for me that would have me crying in joy!' Careful not to express the collector's grade happiness he stands slowly and all eyes go to him. “Joseph, the box is by the door, please see to it.”

Before he can move away though Alexi gently takes the precious bundle in his arms and rests it on the high back chair. The creature makes small protest noises before curling up and settling. His smile warms and as he turns back to the new slaves they note the difference.

Naturally, Joseph saw to the work immediately, placing the electronic shackles on the male drake, and the suppression tiara on the fae, all the while wearing an expressionless face that hid his distaste at the actions. Though Master Alexi hid it well, he knew that the man was quite pleased with the new acquisitions, especially his surprise.

As Joseph goes about his work Alexi looks over the group, careful to keep his mind on the moment until the nymph is wearing her tiara. Before he can say anything however Elaria slips into the room and the large male's eyes go to her. Alexi notes this, but goes on with his intro. “Hello, I am Alexi Vandros, I am the lord of the manor. I am sure you already know that you will report mostly to Joseph, however I would like to learn a bit more about you before I place you in his capable hands.”

Moving slowly at so not startle them Alexi steps over to the children and drops to a knee. They flinch back slightly, the female dropping her hands from where she'd be tugging at her collar. He smiles at them and tilts his head towards the back yard. Though they can't see anything but wall the look anyways, then back to him as he starts speaking. “You two are water nymphs, right?” The boy nods, holding tighter to his sister. “We have a lovely pond out pack I am sure you two will find quite comfortable. There are a couple other nymphs and a water lizard who I am sure will make you feel at home.” They stare at him, unsure of his sincerity, but not willing to question it now.

He offers them a reassuring smile before moving on to the fae. Now that her tiara is on he feels more comfortable talking to her. “Welcome. I heard you may have some mental acuity there that can be put to good use. Sorry, I have to keep you out of my mind however.” She raises an eyebrow, staring at him for a moment, then rolls her eyes. 'Indeed, I like her, and the little ones are cute. But this guy. . .' As soon as he moves over to address the large man Elaria steps forward and speaks softly as not to frighten him further.

“Master Alexi, this one here is a very young drake, relatively speaking. He probably does not know how to say his name yet. If you like, I can take care of him until he learns the house rules at least. He's . . .” She looks at him with a faintly hungry expression. “Let's just say he's strong. . .”

It is easy to read her undertones, and a he glances at the five point restraints, wrist ankles and neck, he gives her a nod. “You are in charge of him.” Elaria nods and the drake male looks to the floor. Though his fear is not obvious, the fae can sense it and for a moment wonders what this female slave plans for the big guy.

Risking reprimand she asks the human, “So, what use do you have for us in this large manor. . .Master Alexi?” She almost doesn't add on the title, however she senses the vampire is very loyal and does not want to offend her new “Boss”.

Alexi smiles and motions towards Joseph. “He will fill you in on the specifics, however I know your kind enjoys the outdoors. The grounds are quite large, just got bigger in fact, I purchased the lot next to mine a few weeks ago. However, it is up to your skills and aptitude. I am sure you will find something to keep your mind occupied.” She nods, looking down at the children who seem to be relaxing ever so slightly at the soft voice of their new owner. Looking back to Joseph, Alexi motions towards the door. “Please, show them to their new accommodations.” Glancing at Elaria she adds, “You may house the drake with you if you like. I know he would likely seek you out anyways.” She nods and smiles. Looking back to Joseph he says softly, “And please lock the door behind you Joseph.” Looking at the sleeping boy the man's eyes almost seem to gleam, but in a kind way. “Leave this little one. I wish to speak with him. . .”

Joseph nodded simply and herded the water nymphs out to the pond. When they all reached it, he began to speak. “You may also use one of our family apartments, if you wish, but we do not have any of those with natural water sources. Master Alexi and I figured that you would probably be happier out here, where you can remain in your natural state, and among your own kind,” he explained.

“Thank you, sir. This will be fine,” the older male, Enodai, replied finally. He had been silent throughout most of the exchange, but now he seemed to decide that he could approve of his new masters.

“You will be given three days to become accustomed to your new surroundings, and meet your living mates and fellow slaves. Please report any dietary preferences or restrictions to the kitchens, and take some time to say hello. They like the company. Think about your skills and what you would like to work on. Ask around for any supervisors you find available, to see if they have any openings for jobs you might be interested in. At 3pm on Sunday, I'd like you to make your way to that drawing room to meet with me on your assignments. Is that alright?”

Both siblings looked shocked and perplexed that their new supervisor was giving them a choice in the matter. This arrangement seemed incredibly fair, for slavery at least. They had heard horror stories among the captured slaves, of cruel masters who would work them to the bone. But both Mr. Joseph and Master Alexi seemed completely reasonable to them. It was Sayiph who spoke up this time.

“That sounds fine, Mr. Joseph,” she replied, smiling brightly. With that, they both jumped into the water. Joseph watched them for a moment, a fond expression on his face. 'They will soon be truly free, and probably can find a place away from the danger. Master Alexi and I need to find safe houses. I wonder how much work he has already done on that? After he... he never told me how he's going to accomplish it. But I should have seen it sooner....' For a moment, he thought back to the last twelve years. 'It's obvious. How could I have not seen it? Even before he told me! The company policies, the devices themselves. He's spent years making sure that he was the only manufacturer, even when doing so cost him money. All he has to do is turn them off... and Erik... the perfect connections to distribute the breaking antidote. How could I have not seen it sooner! Damnit Master, I raised you, and you still managed to hide your true nature, even from me. I should have never doubted you. Even after he told me, it still took me four days... though, admittedly, I've been slightly stressed... I wonder what the kill mechanism is...' With a jolt, the vampire pulled himself back to the present, thankful for the tiara that the fae wore.

“I apologize, madam. I lost my train of thought for the moment. Perhaps I am getting a little old. Let us visit your quarters as well,” he commented. For Amithi's part, she did not seem to care one way or another, as she simply enjoyed the outdoors and being near the large pond, watching the water creatures play.

“I understand, Joseph. I would never interrupt your thoughts. The thoughts of any being are miracles that neither magic nor science can completely comprehend,” she replied brightly, flipping back her purple hair.

The vampire merely nodded and motioned for her to follow as he led the way to the main slaves' apartments. He found a lovely one bedroom on the side of the house, with several windows that looked out into the gardens.

“Will this be acceptable, Ms. Amathi?” he inquired, bowing slightly.

“Yes, of course. I'm not terribly picky. It's not for long, anyway,” the fae replied, grinning.

“What makes you say that?” Joseph asked, his tone turning serious, as his suspicions were confirmed. He had, after all, purchased the woman because he was curious to see how much she knew of Master Alexi's plans, and because he knew such power could be useful on their side.

“Nothing in particular. I just... sense a great change coming into the universe. It's much weaker now, with this tiara on, but I already Saw it before. There will be great chaos, and much bloodshed, but we will all be free. And is it not better to die free than to live as a slave?” she replied, looking back into Joseph's eyes.

“Do you know how?” he asked curiously, keeping the urgency from his voice.

“No, I do not. I know that it will happen quickly, and now that I am here I sense that this house is a focal point. But I cannot See beyond that, especially not while wearing this device.”

“I understand, and I apologize for the devices.”

“I do not mind terribly. Sometimes it is pleasant to take a break from the Sight,” she commented, sounding almost completely at peace. Joseph merely nodded,

“You will be given two days to acclimate yourself to the household and everything. I'll send you a Let the kitchens know about your dietary restrictions and preferences. Zinar will put them into the computer. I would also appreciate it if you would think about your skills and job preferences. I'll send you a list of our openings tonight. The children get a little more and flexibility time due to their age, but we try to accommodate everyone. No one, human or magical, who hates their job, will do a particularly good job at it. Can you report to me around 6pm on Saturday to discuss your work?” he asked, turning the conversation back to business.

“Certainly.”

“My apartment is just down the hall, and you're welcome to meet me in my office there. I wish you well, Ms. Amathi.” The vampire bowed slightly in respect and turned to leave, but the fae looked back at him.

“Just Amathi, if you don't mind. My clan despises titles.” She hesitated slightly. “And... you should know, you have been long cleansed of the filth you never should have carried.” The fae knew that Joseph would never believe her, not in this state, but she had felt such pain within him that she felt the need to try. The vampire turned back.

“What do you mean?”

“Your pain. There is no need for it.”

“There is, my friend, most certainly. But I appreciate the sentiment,” Joseph replied, turning and leaving. Amathi just sighed. The vampire's scars ran far too deep for her to solve. She prayed that he would one day come to know that her Sight was correct. 'The age old Seer's curse. Even those that know you have the Sight do not believe you if the Truth contradicts their own reality.'

~*~*~

Elaria snaps her finger, eying Alexi as he kneels down, looking at the sleeping boy like he's a kitten or something. As the drake male strides over to stand by her she muses, 'Careful Master Alexi, that kitten’s got fangs. . . .' before heading out. The male follows close behind her, too awed by her presence to do anything more than watch her move. Despite her current appearance he can see her true form and he has never seen such beauty before. Though drakes are naturally the wild cousins of dragons, far less intelligent than their larger cousins, they still have the capacity for learning and growing smarter than those who are too young to change their form. He'd listens to everything said, smelled the changes, used his instincts to make sense of it all, however with only her to focus on now he can feel his instincts coming to the fore.

Once in the shack for the garage staff his gaze falters, the close proximity of so many other bodies making him a little edgy. However with a soft snap she brings his attention back to her. The others in the shack watch the exchange, giggling a little. They like having Elaria housed with them. They feel safer with her around, and when she shows off her teeth it looks more cute to them than terrifying. Once at the hole in the back his eyes widens as she shifts into her natural form and slides down into it. He hesitates for only a moment before shifting and following her down. Soon the shack is empty as the staff decide to give the two of them privacy.

~*~*~*~*~

Once the door is locked, the sound of the bolt clicking into place, the M'Tinak stirs. 'That one is gone, but there is another. Why am I. . .?' The sedatives have worn off completely and when he opens his eyes to see a human so close the little critter lets out a shriek hiss and launches himself at Alexi. The man remains calm as the beast two thirds his size knocks him on his back and proceeds to sink his fangs into his cloth covered shoulder. He lets out a light gasp as those long fangs go right through the tough fabric, drawing blood. However instead of responding Alexi waits quietly for the beast to calm down.

Sensing nothing overtly hostile from the pinned human the M'Tinak pulls back. He snarls, his fangs still stained with Alexi's blood as he looks down at the pale face beneath him. He begins sniffing at the human, his wings fluttering lightly as he goes from angry to curious in the matter of seconds. He growls ever once in a while, but becomes far too interested in clawing at Alexi's clothes to be bothered with being upset. Once he’s sure the M'Tinak is distracted Alexi reaches up to touch the boys arm gently. In an instant the youth latches on to Alexi's arm, biting down hard. Once more Alexi can feel his blood flowing, however he is use to stuff like this so without complaining he sits up slowly, earning some yelping snarls from between those tightly clamped jaws.

With soft shushing noises Alexi reach up with his other hand and begins petting the little one's hair. It flinches, trying to shake the hand off, and in the process tearing at Alexi's flesh, however Alexi does not react, simply continues in his soft voice and gentle touches. Eventually it calms down a bit and on one pass of the hand atop his head he lets go of Alexi's arm to sniff at and examine the petting hand. Alexi chuckles and waits for the boy to speak first. He's done his research, he knows that M'Tinak learn to speak very young, many languages in fact, and that acting like animals is more a defense mechanism than anything else.

It isn't long before the boy lets his hand go and once more sniffs at Alexi's face. After a few more snarls and snaps he finally calms and sits cross legged between Alexi's bent legs, facing the man like a judge ready to lay down his verdict. “You. . .You collect things. You. . You like shiny things. Like a crow. You hoard.”

The little M'Tinak's voice is deep for his size, but still adorably cute and light. Alexi nods slowly, his warm smile still in place. “Yes, I collect things. I like rare and valuable thi-”

The boy interrupts. “I'm a shiny thing. You're collecting me!”

At this Alexi shakes his head. The boy raises an eyebrow disbelievingly. “You are not a thing, though I have collected you. I took you so no one else could have you, or hurt you.”

The M'Tinak looks very hard at him, wondering if he's lying. Reaching out he scratches Alexi's face. Not deep enough to scar with treatment, but enough to draw blood. Alexi flinches but otherwise doesn't respond. This seems to be enough to convince the boy for know, though his decision was made with factors the human can not even begin to comprehend. Like a large dog he licks Alexi's face clean before bouncing around the room looking for something to do. Alexi laughs and climbs to his feet, only to be knocked to a knee as the boy lands on his back and shoulder. Trying again Alexi uses a nearby shelf as leverage to pick both he and the boy up.

Once on his feet he looks over to see the youth chewing on his suit. His collector soul knows he can't leave the room without at the least a sleep collar on the boy so he flips open his phone and sends a text.

-Joseph, I need a sleep collar and a room prepared for the little one. One on my floor, make sure it has no ways out but the door. Also, I need a first aid kit, so maybe get the room ready after the collar delivery. Thanks.-

The critter reads what he wrote over his shoulder before he sends it and with a whine licks the cuts on his face a few more times before springing off his beck to scramble all over the desk, scattering things everywhere as he plays with the inkwell. Looking not unlike a large cat Alexi can't help but giggle at the boy as he settles back in his chair. He lets out a grunt as the youth lands on him and looks his straight in the eyes.

“What's my name? Your kind use names, and you can smell mine, so what is it?” Alexi blinks at the suddenness but without much thought he replies.

“I would say you are a Riley, since you like riling things up.” The boy thinks about it for a moment before nodding and lunching himself towards the ceiling where he vanishes.

~*~*~

Joseph stepped out of the apartment and looked down at his phone. 'Good grief. I can't leave him alone for five minutes! I thought he had the good sense to be careful around that M'Tinak! Taking a deep breath and rolling his eyes, he grabbed a first aid kit and a sleep collar and sprinted back to the drawing room. As he entered and looked over at the bleeding Master Alexi, and the creature who seemed to have disappeared, he stifled another groan. Noting that the eccentric human was mostly intact, he decided to focus on subduing the creature first.

“Did he disappear again?” he asked. Calling out to the M'Tinak, he said, “My friend, please show yourself.”
Alexi smiles and waves as Joseph enters, a little childishly happy to see the vampire worried about him. Glancing up at the ceiling he watches the faint movement at Joseph's request and after a moment a body comes falling down directly on to the vampire. Landing squarely on Joseph's head and shoulders Riley wraps around the head and looks the male in the eyes before scuttling around to his back to begin chewing on his hair. Alexi begins laughing, holding his wounds as the laughter jolts them every so often. Hearing the laughter Riley launches on to Alexi's lap and curls up like a tiger waiting for a meal. Alexi flinches at the sudden landing but continues laughing and patting Riley's back.

Joseph staggered and nearly fell to his hands and knees. Most humans would have, but the vampire was able to catch himself. He even smiled at the M'Tinak as the creature eyed him and then jumped back into Master Alexi's arms. Taking the collar out of its box, he inched towards the creature with slow and careful steps, trying not to frighten him.

Spotting the device the M'Tinak nearly launches himself off of Alexi again, wanting to flee from it. However Alexi once more begins shushing him and finds a really good spot near the base of his wings that causes him to go limp, growling only vaguely at the collar.

Thankfully, the head slave was able to place the device onto the creature without any problems.

“It's already synched into your household system,” he commented. The master knew that he could basically control all of these devices from his phone, for a while at least. “What did you decide to call him, Master?”

As soon as the collar snaps into place Riley's back legs come up all the way to his neck and he begins scratching and pulling at the device. Alexi lets him attack it all he wants while he answers Joseph's question. "His name is Riley, and thank you for settting the collar up." The newly names Riley flops over on the floor like a dead weight and with a chuckle Alexi reaches down and pats him gently before carfully removng his jacket. The left arm of his shirt is almost completely stained red as the shoulder wound combines with the actual arm wound.

With a little grin he waves the apendage, wincing at the motion a moment later. Rolling his eyes at himself he carefully begins removing his shirt so Joseph can treat him Meanwhile Riley regains his feet and begins bouncing around the room as if nothing has changed.

Joseph tensed slightly at the sight of the wounds, but began cleaning, disinfecting, and bandaging them.

“You really ought to be more careful, Master Alexi,” he commented as he worked.

"I know. I am sorry Joseph. I just did not want to do anything to endager such a rare find." He says softly. Riley stops and sniffs at this bot as he once more spots the ink well he decides it would look better in pieces. Alexi smiles at the little one's antics.

Once he was finished with Master Alexi's bandages, Joseph helped him put his slightly ripped shirt and jacket back on, and then walked over to the child M'Tinak.

“Time to show you where your room will be, Riley,” he remarked, lifting the creature up into his arms. Thankfully, Riley did not really struggle, and Joseph was able to bring him over to a large guest bedroom without too much difficulty. The room itself was only down the hall from the lord's, which worried Joseph slightly. But it could be locked from the outside, if necessary. Master Alexi followed along.

“I'll have the report as soon as I can, and I'll be sure to get someone to fix up the drawing room,” he said to the lord, preparing to leave and check on Erik just as soon as he was dismissed.

Alexi watches with a faint smile as his beloved mentor once more binds his wounds, his worry, though expertly hidden from all, is still quite evident to his life long admirer. True, Alexi may be the master of this house, however Joseph if far batter than him at many things Alexi could only dream of even understanding. 'I can not wait to see you free Joseph. I am sure you will want to keep serving me, but I will not be around to do so. You hate slavery, perhaps more than any I know, and you will continue my work even if I am not there to order it of you' His fond smile does not falter as Joseph helps him back into his clothes then goes to retrieve the little troublemaker.

Climbing carefully to his feet Alexi follows Joseph out of the room, watching Riley chew on the vampire's clothes like a dog with his favorite shoe. When the boy meets his eyes though all Alexi sees is the intelligence shining out. 'M'Tinak are fascinating creatures. It is not like the animal behavior is fake, that is how they are naturally, however it is not the whole truth. They are so connected with everything around them in nature. . . I am loth to think about those stuck in concrete cages. . . .Though, this cage will be more decorative, it will still be a cage. . .I need to get the wiring figured out so he can at least roam the halls during the day. . .'

As soon as Joseph announces that he's at his new room Riley springs out of the vampire's arms and begins racing around the room. Every once in a while he'll stop and scratch at something, declaring loudly that it's “Mine!”.

Meanwhile Alexi laughs softly. “Thanks you Joseph. Please, for now, keep him locked in here until I get all the wiring sorted out and set the collar to the house.” Looking over at the vampire he adds, “I will be taking dinner in my room tonight, and I think I would like to lay down for a bit before hand.” He is careful not to mention his “guest” in the hallway. “Also, you will find a large box in my main study behind the panels along the south wall. Please bring them to my room right away.” He knows Joseph may be curious about the order, but he will find out soon enough what's in the box. “I would like to speak to Elaria first thing tomorrow morning too, in the eastern sun room, please let he know. I know I could do it, but you know I hate texting. . .” He pouts a bit, for a moment making him look like a kid again.

Finding nothing remotely plant like he bounces back over to the door where Alexi and Joseph are talking. Latching on to Alexi's side like Velcro, making the human stumble a little, he looks up into the madman's face with wide eyes. Pawing at the bandage over Alexi cheek he whines, “Plant, plant! I want plants! Flowers. . . I like flowers. . . .”

Alexi holds out a steadying hand before looking down at the demanding little slave. “Plants. . .Yes, feel free to ask Joseph about redecorating your room.” Riley's head whips around to the vampire and a moment later he's clinging to Joseph instead, growling and snapping mixed in with his whining and demanding.

Erik turned away as Alexi left, unwilling to admit that some tiny part of him would miss the strange human's presence. The lord fascinated him on some level, for he was a man who would willingly spend years of his life and give up a life of luxury. His twelve years of business trickery could very well be more effective than two hundred years of saving slaves a few dozen at a time with the use of stealth and force. For a few minutes, the vampire rebel was excited at the thought of being given all of that information. It would take us countless man hours to get intelligence like this, and he's willing to just hand it over to me?! Clearly I should have been captured years ago... He smirked at his own joke, and for a moment wore a giddy grin.

But the joy and sense of victory soon passed. I'm insane. Sure, this will help us “win” but how many will die in the process? It's easy to forget that. Most of the police we kill don't even have slaves. Sometimes office workers or security guards are caught in the cross fire. There's no way to save them all. I long for the days when I could see them as a faceless enemy, before I had talked to many human Resistance fighters and understood that they aren't all evil. But I can't. All I can do is try to reduce casualties on both sides. All I can do is set this guilt aside and see things as logically as possible. And yes, I am often forced to dehumanize the enemy in the process. It is unavoidable. We are long past a peaceful solution. We always have been.

Trying to put his mind back to the present, Erik stood and changed into his new robes, looking down at them with disdain. The design itself was not so terrible, but he could not help but associate them with slavery. However, by the time Alexi entered the room, he was sitting on the couch, reading yet another of the many books in the man's room.

~*~*~

Joseph smiled weakly at Riley and placed him gently on the floor.

“I'll be sure to have some of the other servants deliver some plants. You should have them within a couple of days,” he consented, smiling a bit. But there was a deep exhaustion hidden just beneath his eyes, one that only someone who had known him for years could possibly notice. He had not been sleeping enough, and he had been under a lot of stress since Erik arrived. Thanks to the auction, he still had not even had time to start his usual chores for the day. And now, he had to care for the new M'Tinak as well. He feared he would be up all night working. But naturally, he would never complain.

“Master Alexi, I will go and check on supper, and have it delivered to your room, if you wish?” he asked, bowing low as usual.

As soon as he's back on the floor, the plants on the way as far as he's concerned, he lets out a long string of happy clicks and chitters in his native tongue. Watching the vampire bow he scrabbles about Joseph's feet and paws at his pant legs. Alexi watches this, the look in Joseph's eyes not missed by the human and after a moment he settles a hand on the vampire's shoulder and shifts him upright. Riley is now wrapped around one of Joseph's legs, staring up at the taller males. Looking deep into his once mentor's eyes Alexi offers a gentle smile. “I know I am asking a lot of you Joseph, and I know it is taking it's toll. Please, hold out just a little bit longer?”

Pressing a kiss to the taller male's head he squeezes his shoulders before waving to Riley and heading off towards his room. Riley whines but knows better than to follow. Instead he launches back into his room and begins shredding the curtains around his bed to give them a more natural feel. Alexi chuckles at the ripping noises and prays Riley doesn't cause too much trouble for his beloved Joseph. 'I have lost a lot of blood recently. . .Ah well, I will be fine. I still have a full day to recover. I will be fine by then' Smiling he hums lightly, checking the hall quickly before slipping into his room. Spotting Erik reading Alexi offers him a gentle look before heading over to his wardrobe, dropping clothes as he goes.

~*~*~*~*~

A hand on his shoulder makes him look up. Sharing a look with the other officer Mois stands slowly and gives her a nod. “Shift change?” The woman simply nods, looking out over the devastation before taking his place, kneeling beside one of the many dead bodies, trying to find the right way to get it moved off the field without it falling apart. Mois looks, just as she had, out across the rubble one last time before making his way over to the company buss heading back to the precinct. The ride is short, and quiet, each person lost in their thoughts. Mois does his best to focus on what he needs to grab before heading home, deciding to skip the shower and simply bath when he gets back to the estate.

Joseph looked down towards Alexi's neck and nodded, not meeting his eyes. I know, Master Alexi. I'm doing most of this to myself. It's what I deserve. I do lament that I cannot hide my fatigue from you as easily as I have from my other masters, he followed the human out of the room and locked the door behind him. Within a few minutes, he had already made the proper arrangements with some of the gardeners to have more plants sent to the M’Tinak’s room.

“Leave them outside the door and send me a text when they are there,” he requested to a couple of the wood elf slaves. “I will bring them inside personally. The creature is rather young, and he does not know his own strength. For now, I would rather deal with him myself.” The elves nodded their assent and hurried off, and Joseph left to grab the box from the drawing room, finding it exactly where Master Alexi had specified. For most humans, the box would have been rather heavy, but Joseph carried it with no difficulty.

Erik stood up as the lord of the manor entered, and could not help but notice the way he was bandaged. “What the hell happened to you?!” he demanded, rolling his eyes as he strode over to look closer.

With a chuckle Alexi drops his undershirt, opening the wardrobe and looking for some comfortable pants to wear for the evening. 'Now that all that is over, I can lounge about in my room. . .I think, I will tell Joseph to let Mois in here. After all, with Erik being so tame, it should be alright. . .' In a s lightly dreamy voice he responds. “New slaves today, and one was very rare. I think I earned his trust. . .He is just down the hall, and so, beautiful. . .” Realizing his “Collector spirit” is showing he turns back to Erik with an apologetic smile. “I am sorry, I just, I have only ever seen them in concrete cages with a glass show wall. Being able to at least give an M'Tinak a room, and having him stay there willingly is. . .It is a nice feeling.” He smiles gently, tilting his head to the side. “I am a collector, I can not help feeling excited to have something rare in my possession, even if it is only for a short time.”

Erik listened as Alexi explained himself. He gave a sharp intake of breath at hearing about the creature. They were so rare and secluded that even seeing one was a rare sight. But at Alexi's tone and explanation of his “Collector's mentality” he found himself frowning a little. “I cannot begrudge you your upbringing, not given what you plan to do for us. I am extremely glad that you can see past those instincts though. And, I imagine the M'Tinak is safer here than he is out there.”

Alexi suppresses a giggle at the sound of the gasp from the vampire. 'Do not expect he ever thought to be so near to one. I hear they avoid other magicals as well for safety reasons' He nods slowly, turning back to his wardrobe and stripping off the rest of his now slightly bloody clothing. Thinking for a long moment over what he wants to wear he murmurs, “That is sweet Erik. I can only hope others will be able to accept such sound thinking one day. . . .” Glancing over his shoulder he adds, “After all, I am one of a kind and if any humans plan to survive this, I can see it only due to the good graces of magicals being able to forgive people who never knew what they were doing was wrong. . .”

Turning back to the selection before him he grabs a simple pair of black silk pajama bottoms. As he slips them on he can not suppress the pained noises as his wounds are pulled in the process. Thankfully Joseph did a good job of bandaging him up and he doesn't think that they have torn open. Closing the door he turns around to face Erik. “It was really interesting. It was like talking to a rabid dog with the intelligence and wisdom of a dragon. . .” Alexi has no doubt that there are still dragons in the world, though during the war they were nearly hunted to extinction. No humans bothered even trying to tame them, they simply bombed their layers and harvested the bodies for useful body parts. Or so he's read in a few less credible sources. Elaria told him that most had been killed, though she's never met one personally.

Erik drank a glass of water and listened carefully to the human, finding his description quite interesting. He was not insulted by the description of the M'Tinak as a “rabid dog” because he understood from context that it was not intended as an insult.

“I'm not sure I still believe dragons exist. But, there was a time when humans found the existence of vampires equally unlikely, and it would not surprise me if there were still some of those creatures lurking about in the shadows, unwilling to make themselves known. The few drakes who work with us in the Resistance are incredibly powerful in their own right, though. I've never met a M'Tinak, myself. I don't even know much about them. And frankly, I'm glad. I don't blame them for wanting to stay out of this damn war,” he commented ruefully.

“As far as my forgiveness, I've finally met enough humans over the years that I realize most of them are just apathetic to our plight. They are told by the media that we are just non-sentient savages, and any other idiotic lies to make sure that we are the bogeymen that should be controlled. So many of them cannot help how they were raised, what they were taught. I wish more would help us, but my anger towards them is gone. I only truly enjoy the deaths of those who actively own slaves or fight against us out of hate. I despise killing civilians, but often it can't be helped. With those plans I will have a better chance of finding less deadly ways to reach our objectives, for both sides.”

Alexi smiles softly at the final sentiment, crawling on to his bed and rolling around a little until he's comfortable. In a gentle voice he stares at the wall and asks, “I owned my first slave when I was still in the age of innocence. Would you have hated me then for that?” He doesn't look at Erik, not really thinking seriously about the question, simply posing it to get a feel for the man.

“I would have hated the privilege you were born into, out of a fear that you would never know better, and that you would perpetuate this shitty system. And, being honest with myself, I'm still envious of this luxury. But no, I would not have hated you personally. I don't think I came to hate you personally until you came into the public eye as heir to your father's company, but even then, I hated for what you stood for. Or at least, what you stood for in my eyes. I never imagined that I would be so wrong about someone like you, Alexi Vandros,” Erik replied honestly, sitting up on the couch.

Turning his head slightly to see Erik out of the corner of one eye the human listens silently, suppressing his urge to ramble so that Erik would have a chance to talk. He knows how he works, running conversations, but if he is ever going to give the man the chance to be himself, he knows he needs to start by letting him express himself. 'Then perhaps I will better understand how he handles these intense emotions. . . .' He smiles softly at the mention of luxury. “Well, you should enjoy it while it exists. . .Though, you may live long enough to see the world settle a bit after the war and see such luxury, or at least a shadow of it, live again. . .” he murmurs softly, letting out a sigh. “I am glad you read me that way. It means I was doing things right to keep suspicious eyes away. . . .”

It was only a few minutes later when Joseph knocked softly on the door to the Master’s room and entered quietly, setting the box down on the desk and waiting to until Erik and Master Alexi were finished conversing.

“If I may ask, Alexi, what made you change your mind? Why did you decide to help all of us? I know you told me about your father, but that doesn't sound like enough to me. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I am curious. It takes a lot for humans to overcome their upbringing,” the vampire asked curiously.

“That is a fair question. . .” he replies softly, watching Joseph enter and go about his business. “One I do not have a singular answer to, however I can tell you a little bit of what I remember. Honestly, what got me started was all a blur. . .” Rolling on to his side so he can look at Erik he stretches his uninjured arm up and rests his head on it. He gives the seated vampire a half smile. “What I do remember is that I. . . I always knew what a horrible man my father was. Even if it was not for the slavery thing in general.” He glances at Joseph. “What I also knew, is that Joseph was a far better father to my brother and me than one could ever hope for.” He looks back at Erik with a warm smile.

“There were so many things Joseph could do that father was too foolish or too mad to even comprehend, and when I heard my father was dead and that I was not just seeing things, I thought what a horrible shame it is that the most amazing person I know had to serve that bit of filth, and never take any of the credit he deserves. . .” Letting out a soft sigh Alexi flashes Joseph a smile. “This one here is my real father. . .The one any man would be lucky to have, and in this world as it is he would never get the recognition he deserves. . .No matter how hard I try and beat it into his head how special he is to me.” He chuckles softly at the image of beating love into his mentor before looking back at Erik. “That is the most I can remember. There are other reasons, very vague and mostly lost, but they are still there, somewhere, driving me on. . .”

Joseph listened to Master Alexi, tensing up slightly at the sheer love he expressed for him. I have always wished that you and Mois could truly be my sons rather than my masters. But I never knew if you felt the same way before now. But … I can't... I cannot say that.

“I am glad that you feel that way, Master Alexi,” he replied, bowing low. “I have only tried to do my job and serve you, Master Mois, and this household to the best of my ability. You give me far more credit than I deserve.”

Erik merely stayed silent, floored by the gravity of what Alexi had said. But he felt like speaking now would be intruding on a family moment of which he was not a part, even though is question had been the catalyst.

Smiling up at the elder vampire in the room Alexi lets out a long sigh, realizing that he just laid a lot out there for Joseph to absorb, adding to the ever growing list of revelations the poor vampire has been hit with as of late. “You are amazing Joseph, and even you can't deny that. . .” He whispers before rolling and sitting up carefully. Looking over at Erik he suddenly remembers the younger vampire's request. Looking back to Joseph he adds, “Oh, before you go to bed tonight, could you bring in some notebooks and writing utensils for Erik? He says he will need them to deal with the stuff in the box.”

Slipping his legs over the edge of the bed he begins kicking his legs like a school kid on the bus. “You can open it now if you want Erik. It is all the information I have complied thus far. I planned on adding a bit more before the event, but I think this will keep you occupied for now. . .” His gaze returns to Joseph. “Also, I meant what I said about bed tonight. You need sleep to rest that overworked mind of yours.” His gaze drops down to his feet as they sway gently. “And Mois is now allowed up here, so if he asks. . .Tell him to just be careful. . .” Alexi gets lost in thought, the pain from his wounds meeting up with the pain inside, taking him for a excruciating ride he tries desperately to keep from the other two.

Joseph looked back to Master Alexi with a bit of a guilty look in his eyes. “I shall try to get some sleep tonight, Master. But I have not yet finished my usual chores. I will be sure to sleep once they are finished. If you'll excuse me, I will return with supper for both of you,” Joseph replied quickly, turning to leave the room.

Though Erik was not oblivious to the conversation, he quickly jumped over to look at his shiny new box, which he soon found was full of many of the materials Alexi had promised him. Floor plans, dossiers on prominent businessmen in the slave trade, enough to keep him busy for weeks, just analyzing it.

Lucky for Joseph, Alexi isn't quite there when he replies gets ready to and race out of the room. Instead his hand goes over his mouth and he takes a shuddering breath, trying to keep whatever is left in his stomach down. His glazed eyes drift up a bit on reflex, though he doesn't really see that's before him. There is pain behind the glaze, but he fights desperately not to let it overtake him again.

~*~*~*~*~

Stuffing the last of the folders of information he'll need for his report into his satchel Mois looks once more around the room, the blank staring faces doing nothing to lighten his mood. 'Hopefully, there won't be time for another horror like this to happen before Alexi's plan. . .Though, I think the horror afterwords will be far worse, at that time. . .' He doesn't let his thoughts finish, the truth of his and Alexi's future too much for him to handle. Slinging his bag strap across his chest the worn leather pouch settles against his right hip and without a word to anyone, Mois heads home for the day.

Joseph saw that Master Alexi was in pain, but he also knew that there was little that he could do for him. He returned within ten minutes from the kitchen, bringing soup for the lord of the house and a lovely fish supper for Erik. Setting both trays down on the table, he turned to his master.

“I had them replace your dinner with soup this time, Master. You looked like you should not eat anything solid right now,” he commented softly, handing the human his bowl on a wooden tray. “Please be more careful, my lord, at least while the bonding is in effect. How long is it until the next dose?”

Smiling, Erik grabbed his own tray, eating a few bites of the scrumptious food before continuing to look through the perfectly organized files.

As soon as Joseph is out of the room Alexi looks to the only other inhabitant. A part of him, deep down, wants Erik to notice and offer to help, the kindness shown by the male something that makes him smile. However always the independent male taking things in stride he simply sighs, laying own on his bed with his legs still dangling over the side. He spends the time in silence, once more going over his plan bit by bit, picking at it, looking for flaws, adding new thoughts and information, and as he finds it once more without fault he manages to push away the pain and recover himself by the time his head slave returns.

Sitting up he murmurs a soft thanks and begins eating slowly. “Day after tomorrow, early.” he relies, looking over to see Erik completely caught up in his research, likely not even noticing the food as he eats it. Letting out another small sigh he focuses on his soup, blowing gently on each bite like a child so he can eat it faster.

Joseph was not blind to Master Alexi's glances towards the younger vampire, but he said nothing, for he would never embarrass his master by mentioning the looks with Erik in the room. Instead, he sat down next to the young lord and put a tentative hand on his shoulder.

“I appreciate what you said about me, Master,” he commented quietly, looking straight ahead. “I am pleased to have served you adequately.”

Alexi smiles gently as his once mentor joins him on the bed, trying to be comforting and respectful at the same time. 'I swear, sometimes he is so awkward, it is funny, but mostly, it is just cute' With a faint hum he sets the bowl on his nightstand and simply leans so he is resting slightly against the vampire's arm. He feels the urge to tell the male that “ adequate” doesn't come anywhere near covering Joseph's service, but a part of him knows that Joseph would not accept the praise right now. Instead his gaze returns to the man on the floor pouring over the content of the box like it was some sort of buried treasure.

Joseph turned to his master for a moment, smirking slightly, and allowed himself a brief knowing glance. With that, he stood, strode over to the young vampire on the floor, and knelt down next to him.

“Erik, come on and eat your supper with us. There will be plenty of time to look over those papers in the next couple of weeks, and I will have your notebooks by tomorrow morning. Right now, your food is getting cold,” he requested warmly, meeting the younger vampire's eyes with the perfect comforting smile.

The rebel leader looked up, for a split second seeming annoyed with the interruption. But he listened, and even resisted the urge to argue. He's right. There's no urgency in this. I can be obsessed later. It's not worth fighting about.

“All right, all right, I'm coming,” he groused, standing and picking up his tray and pulling up a desk chair next to Alexi. “The food is good, and the intel is better,” he commented, in between bites, grinning. Joseph simply smiled knowingly.

“Ring me if you need anything else, Young Master,” the vampire servant said as he left, using the old title he had often used for Masters Mois and Alexi when they were children.

Sticking out his bottom lip as he's left alone moments later Alexi picks his bowl back up and continues eating. He listens to Joseph, looking over to see Erik irritated at the interruption. He chuckles silently, knowing how wrapped up in work one can get and how bothersome it is to be suddenly distracted. 'Aww, how sweet He sounds like he use to when trying to convince me to stop working myself into the ground as a child. He always managed to do that without sounding condescending. . .A very interesting and admirable skill' Eating quietly he watches as the younger vampire stands and makes his way over to sit with Alexi, despite it being clear that he doesn't want to.

Alexi still smiles as Erik seriously lays into the food, complimenting it, even if those files on the floor overshadow the finely prepared meal. The human doesn't blame him though. He is happy to see Erik excited for something at least, the smile making his chest feel light. His own smile widens as Joseph uses his old title, the sound of it making him feel a little younger. Glancing at Erik he doesn't bother asking about the papers and what he's going to do with them first, other than read them of course. 'By the time he is free to use the information, I will not be around, so I shall let him share if he wants. It will all be in his hands by then. . .' “I am glad you enjoy both. Do not forget the dipping sauce for the fish. The head cook makes it special for me out of simple ingredients. . .” He smiles warmly at the thought, a part of him wishing he could have some fish too just so he could eat some of the mixture.

Erik smiled, “Do you treat all your prisoners this well?” he asked jokingly. “The sauce is great. Tastes like Old Ben makes at home. Ketchup and mayo.” He paused for a moment. “Are you.. are you feeling all right? I'm used to seeing you sick, but you seem worse right now.”

~*~*~

Joseph was just about to switch gears to one of his usual chores when his phone beeped again. Gorrammit I hate this thing sometimes! he thought privately. The text was just Master Mois saying that he was home and wanted to speak with Master Alexi. Right after I get that … young Master to stop getting himself lacerated, I'm going to get him to start replying to texts from his own brother, the vampire thought, slightly annoyed, as he set his bucket down and walked out to the foyer to meet the elder brother.

“I am as kind as I can be, though not as kind as I wish I could be. . .” He murmurs, sipping at his soup. He waves a hand dismissively. “It is just my stomach. It seems after losing some more blood the physical pain and the pain on the inside have begun conspiring to make me catatonic.” He chuckles, eating a bit more soup while his insides burn happily from being worried over. 'This next dose should really help. If he really is as he seems now when it comes to his feelings about me, this pain should fade, replaced by his new emotions. . .'

~*~*~*~*~

Flipping his phone closed Mois makes his way into the house, not bothering to take off his shoes or jacket, the dirt and bits of rubble still clinging to his hair, skin, and clothing, faint trails of blood from the people he'd pulled out of the wreckage here and there over his upper body. Knowing how Alexi like immediate reports when one of his own buildings have been hit by the rebels he hopes the younger man will be available to talk right away so he can go take a shower afterwords.

Erik had meant the statement as a sarcastic rhetorical question, but he was surprised by Alexi's honest response. “I understand,” was all he said, before continuing to enjoy his meal in silence.

~*~

As Master Mois walked in, Joseph took one look at his disheveled state and greeted him with a bow and a worried look.

“Master... I … would you like some tea or coffee while you greet Master Alexi? And where would you like to eat your supper?” His voice was laced with a concern that he did not wish to show, and he thought that it would be rude to comment on the elder master's appearance.

Mois shakes his head. “Where is Alexi. I have something urgent to report right away.” His voice is soft and a little hollow

~*~*~*~*~

Alexi eats slowly, glancing at Erik every so often, wondering about the male, but also wanting to let him eat.

“Master Alexi is in his room.... with a guest,” Joseph replied, keeping his head bowed. He hated it when there was nothing he could do to help. Quickly, he led Mois to Alexi's room and held open the door, closing it behind the two of them after they entered.

Erik looked up at the new arrivals, and could not help but notice Mois' state. But he stayed silent for once, only standing up to take a closer look at the man.

Mois nods, moving swiftly towards the stairs leading to Alexi's floor, a bit curious as to why Joseph is not stopping him. Alexi wanted to keep him away from his room for a good reason, at least in his younger brother's eyes, and Mois is passingly curious, however the task at hand takes precedent. Following close behind Joseph he follows the vampire into his little brother's room, stepping to the side so Joseph can close the door. He glances briefly at Erik but his gaze does not linger, instead locking on to his less than stellar looking sibling. He can feel his worry rising but as Alexi's eyes narrow, looking over his disheveled appearance, he remains calm and focused.

Alexi is shocked to say the least, though this is not the first time he's seen his brother in such a state. Needing the facts quickly and in full, along with his brother's eyewitness account which of course will fade in clarity as time passes, Alexi has seen Mois like this more than a dozen times. However, in his weakened state he can not help how the the image to makes his stomach drop a bit. “Report.” He orders softly. And with a nod Mois complies.

“At approximately three fifteen this afternoon a rebel group attacked one of you factories located in the Shuba district.” His voice sounds cold, a simple reading of facts without any personal bias. “A missile, possibly more than one, was launched from an unknown location and completely destroyed the building down to it's foundation. The basement was intact and many slaves managed to survive the attack along with a handful of humans who had been down there at the time, however of the four-hundred and sixteen workers, magicals and humans, only twenty seven in total survived.”

Alexi keeps his eyes up, his expression impassive despite the news that over three-hundred lives were lost. “The survivors?” he asks, just as softly.

“Most did not sustain serious injury, however a few slaves attacked the humans out of fright, killing three of them, and the rest got out with a variety of minor to moderate wounds.” Despite his impassive face Mois can see the toll the report is taking on his brother. However, ever the good soldier, he waits until the report is over and he is relieved to do anything.

Alexi lets out a sigh, dropping his gaze to the floor as his soup threatens to climb back up his throat. “Shuba. . .That would be. . .The security system factory.” Glancing at Erik he murmurs, “The stuff in the walls and on the grounds to help make sure the devices on the grounds all do their jobs. . .” He lets out another sigh, looking back at his brother. “The paperwork?” Mois nods, pulling out all relevant files and hands them to Joseph. He is unsure if Alexi will let him approach the rebel leader so he plays it safe and let's Joseph deliver the files when it's time. With a soft smile Alexi carefully climbs to his feet, walking gingerly across the carpet until he's standing in front of his older sibling.

With a final sigh he wraps his arms around the filthy man's neck and lays his head in the crook of it. Mois does not move for a moment, then with his hands still in place behind his back he lowers his own head to rest on his little brother's shoulder. After a few seconds the moment passes and Alexi pulls back, Mois straitening up and dropping his hands to his side. Alexi gives his brother a strained smile, running his hands through Mois' hair, giving him a good view of Alexi's new bandages. Before he can comment however the younger male murmurs, “Use my bath tonight. You deserve it. . .” Mois nods, closing his eyes and rubbing them with the fingers of his right hand like a weary old man. With his smile still in place Alexi returns to the bed carefully and flops down on it, his legs danging over the edge while he tries to process the information. Mois finally looks to the vampire, the only expression in his eyes a staunch determination.

Erik listened to the story with a stern look on his face and his arms crossed. Though he listened to the exchange between Mois and Alexi with seemingly little emotion, there was a wild anger in his eyes, one that Alexi and Joseph would recognize from when he was first chained up. When Mois was finally finished, he turned his head away for a few moments.

“FUCK!” the vampire screamed, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. “I begged him not to! I told him not to use the bombs unless no one was in the facility! He said that it was for the greater good, and that not many slaves would die. FUCKING IDIOT!” He sank back down onto the bed, staring down at his knees, breathing deeply and just letting the pain and anger wash through him. He did not even notice that he had not introduced himself to the man who had taken him down. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” he muttered. He put his elbows on his knees and sank his head into his hands. “Bastard wouldn't listen to me.” Tehras is a fucking idiot. I've been at this forty years longer than he has and he still doesn't fucking listen! We are already the bad guys! Needless civilian loss, not to mention needless slave loss, just makes us look more like the criminals than we already do! When you have such powerful weapons at your disposal, you CANNOT act with such anger. You just can't. You must temper it with rationality. Fucking idiot...

Alexi had expected a strong reaction of of his “Guest” but still, he twitches and tenses when he begins screaming and yelling. Other than upset new slaves, sounds like this have not been heard in this manor in quite some time and the boys are both loath to hear them again. Mois tenses automatically but seeing Alexi simply settle back into the mattress a bit he relaxes and watches the angry vampire. A part of him hopes that Erik will give up some little hint as to who was responsible, or at least where the bastard is, however as his own anger boils at the idea of Erik knowing that this might happen and not saying anything despite his obviously more trusted state right now.

After seeing so much death his anger does not last long, overridden by his disgust and sorrow for all who lost their lives. He keeps his eyes on the rebel leader though. He trusts Alexi's judgment but no one knows what another will do under extreme emotions, and Erik is obviously beyond upset. Alexi on the other hand does his best to fight off his inner demons enough to actually move rather than lay there like a lump. Sitting up he looks vaguely confused, his gaze locked on the distraught vampire, unsure of how to handle his anger. When it came to his father, fleeing was the right answer. When it came to slaves, control devices and soft voices was normally the right way to go. However with Erik Alexi is at a bit of a loss.

Drawing on his memories of what Joseph would do for him Alexi reaches out carefully and places a hand in the middle of the vampire's back. “There are a lot of fools in the world, and when fools are given power, one can only expect them to act foolishly.” he murmurs softly, hoping the quote will help, or at the least make sense. “And you can't expect a fool to accept he is being foolish. It's not in their nature. . . .” Mois nods slowly, agreeing with what Alexi has to say, but a new wave of confusion passes through him as he sees how tenderly his brother is treating his newest acquisition. He's seen Alexi be tender with children or weak slaves, however Erik is neither.

The vampire felt the hand on his back, but did not lean into Alexi's side, but neither did he turn away. He just sat there, eyes closed, face torn up in pain the he still did not know how to hide as well as the others in the room. I could have stopped it. I could have challenged Tehras. Somehow. Ahh, fuck... that's fucking bullshit too and you know it. It doesn't matter how much power you have. There was no way to stop this, no way short of ratting out the whole cell.

“Fools shouldn't be given power. Whether that Leader was a fool... I can't answer that, and I knew him better than either of you,” he replied coldly.

Joseph looked upon the scene with interest, but he was detached enough to avoid the pain. His concern was for Masters Mois and Alexi, and to an extent, Erik. He did not know what to think, or what to say, so he just strode over and put his hand on Master Mois' shoulder.

“Sorry. . .” Alexi murmurs, taking the cold tone as one of offense, the stress of the day finally beginning to put his brain in shut down. Retracting his hand quickly he scoots away from Erik, drawing his knees up to his chest before falling on to his side, his head resting on his pillows. Mois recognizes Alexi going into shut down and wonders what else has put such a strain on his dear little brother. The touch of Joseph's hand is comforting but his worry over Alexi keeps him tense.

Getting the feeling that Alexi isn't quite thinking straight he calls out softly, “I don't think he was offended. . .” Though a good judge of character, Mois can not be completely sure so he glances at Erik to see how he responds.

Feeling too drained by the sudden shock, mixed with everything else that has happened, Alexi simply murmurs, “Whatever. . .” burying his face in his knees.

Erik reached out and put his hand back on Alexi's side. “I wasn't offended. I was just talking, thinking out loud,” he agreed awkwardly, looking at the poor human. Turning to the elder brother, he commented again.

“Sometime, not right now, I'd like to talk with you, Mois. Two sides of this shitty war. The man who took down the Great Leader and Commander Erik Schumann,” he said ruefully. “I'm curious to know the first person to capture me in two centuries.”

Alexi relaxes slightly at the touch, his face coming out of his knees and his hand coming up to scratch at his bandages. He can't help but chuckle lightly at Erik's words to his brother, the chuckle turning into a yawn after a couple seconds, his brain feeling like jelly. 'This. . . Really is not healthy. . .'

Noting the laugh Mois nods slowly. “It was not easy, but what Alexi wants he gets.” For some reason he wants his loyalty to his brother clear to the man who may very well take his brother's life a hand full of weeks from now. Turning to Joseph with a slightly softer look in his eyes he reaches out, squeezing the vampire's shoulder before making his way towards the bathroom. “Please grab me something to wear back to the hut.” he murmurs before vanishing from sight. Alexi groans, scratching at his bandages still, and from the open doorway Mois' voice echoes, “Alexi, you're only making it worse.”

Whining Alexi sticks out his tongue but tries to stop. “I know, but it itches. . .” There is a definite pout in his voice.

“Well, grow up and deal with it, you big baby,” Erik shot back teasingly. “Your only other option is to stop messing around with magicals that have claws.”

Joseph merely hastened off to grab some of Mois' house clothes from the laundry room and returned within a few minutes. Nodding briefly to Master Alexi, he strode into the bathroom with the pile and placed them down on the table.

“Do you need anything else, Master Mois? Supper will be delivered to your apartment and waiting on a hotplate by the time you get out.”

Alexi lets out a light groan, slowly burrowing his way under his covers before murmuring, “These are bites. . .'[/i] He hisses softly as one of the bandages catches on his covers and tugs his shoulder wound open a little. With a soft sight he presses his hand over the bandage, letting the gaze soak up the blood so his sheets are spared as mush blood as possible. With a murmured “Good night.” Alexi is one more pulled into a pain and weariness induced exhausted sleep.

~*~*~*~*~

Mois does not hear his brother's quiet reply and he knows that whatever it is Alexi would at least try to stop. Despite the younger brother being the head of the house and the one to normally give orders, he still listens to his older brother when he knows it's good for him. As he slowly peels off his layers his eyes land on the clothes piled on the floor, his eyes narrowing as he recognizes the black lump of cloth as the same thing Erik is wearing now. The addition of his brother's shirt tells the next part of the story, and when he spots a mop laying about the elder wonders if there is any way to get the story of what happened out of Alexi anytime soon.

He disrobes as he walks slowly towards the largest tub, knowing that it's against the traditions the room entails, but not really caring at the moment, just wanting to get clean. As he strips off the last bit, letting it drop to the near pristine floor, he glances over his shoulder at the tail of filth he left. 'Even at his filthiest, Alexi's never left such a mess in his life' He muses silently. Grabbing up a basket of soaps and hair cleansing products from the other tubs Mois slips into the big one and watches the ripples carry dust and blood out across the surface. 'But, that's what I'm here for. I'm here to take all the blood and grime, to be his knight' He lets out a single “Hah.” at that last thought and the images it conjures and relives that it's very true for the post part. 'Alexi would love the sentiment. . .' When Joseph enters and delivers his clothing Mois spares him a glance and a slightly sad look. “I'm fine Joseph, you can go. . .” he says before turning back and watching the scum half circle around him grow bigger and bigger.

The vampire servant nodded and turned to leave. I wish I could have been there to help them. For all the harm Master Mois does, his job does allow him to save lives too. I think my strength could have done some good there. But he would never say his thoughts.

“Goodnight, Master Mois,” he said warmly, and walked out, mentally adding scrubbing the bathroom to his ever growing to-do list.

Meanwhile, Erik turned away from the resting Alexi and put both trays on the table, deciding to get into bed himself. It had been a long day, and his mind had much to contemplate. He was unsure what to think now. In one day, he'd gone from furious at the eccentric billionaire to appreciating him. It was too much, too fast, and so he crawled back into his comfortable queen-sized bed, and fell asleep.

Mois doesn't bother to reply, knowing Joseph is busy and likely knows the sentiment is returned anyways. He takes his time bathing, his day off tomorrow letting him stay up as late as he likes. He thinks on a lot of things while bathing, but like the crud he's scrubbing off each subject seems to float away from him leaving him stuck on the same issue he's been stressing over since Alexi had told him the final stages of the plan. However, ever the dedicated sibling, he still can not bring himself to go beyond feeling sad for what is about to happen. Once clean he drags himself out of the tub, dries off, and slips into his clothing before heading back through his brother's room. Spotting both inhabitants asleep he sighs softly, noting that no one bothered to turn the lights off.

Going around the room he turns of all but Alexi's door side bedside table. Saving that one for last he carefully climbs on to the soft sheets. Leaning over Alexi he brushes a little of his hair back from his face before pressing a kiss to the younger male's forehead. “Good night, little brother. . .” He murmurs softly, casting a glance at Erik before sliding off the bed and turning off the lamp. Making his way out of the room and down the hall he glances back once, his mind in quite a muddle, but as he recalls the look on Alexi's face, that determination he'd had when he told Mois for the first time what he planned on doing the man lets his gaze drop to the floor and he leaves for his own abode without further delay.

Joseph left quickly and went to his apartment to begin some of his administrative duties. The North Wing can be left alone for tonight. I need to come up with some new ideas for where I'm going to fit the new ones in, he thought wearily. Maybe I can give some of my cleaning work to Natya. Master Alexi is going to drive me mad before he sets the others free.

Later that night he sneaked into the master's room to drop off Erik's notebooks, clean up the room and bathroom, and remove the trays. Even after ignoring the North Wing, it was still 6 hours later, approximately 3 AM by the time he fell asleep. He set his alarm for 7. One of the fouler inventions humans came up with, these things, the elder vampire thought as he fell asleep.

~*~*~

It was early the next morning when Erik awoke with a start. Fuck. I have to start looking at that paperwork. How could I have let myself fall asleep instead of doing it last night?! he thought as he jumped out of bed and walked over to the box, noticing the pens and notebooks. Impressive, Joseph. I have great hearing and I didn't even hear you. Noting the lack of light, he walked into the bathroom. The vampire closed the door, turned on the lights, and began working at a side table that held some towels. He was still pouring over the documents when Alexi woke up.

With a grumpy sound Alexi begins waking up, the toll on his body clear when even the expensive super comfortable bed did little during the light to ease his aches and pains. He tosses and turns beneath the covers and lets out small sounds of complaint. However after a few minutes of this his mind returns to full speed and he throws the covers back. 'I have a meeting this evening here at the manor for some of my accountants, a little rug-rat down the hall to spend some time with, the added bonus of the paperwork from the attack to go over, and I still need to manage to eat three solid meals and get in some exercise if I am going to be ready for tomorrow morning's dose. . .Oh, and I need to talk to Elaria about a laptop. . .'

Slipping out of bed he clicks on one of his lamps, glancing over to see Erik already up and nowhere to be seen. He doesn't panic however, trusting that Joseph set the system up right and the furthest the vampire could be would be the bathroom. Glancing at the closed door he smiles, wandering over to his wardrobe to pick out what he wants to wear for the morning before lunch. After lunch he'll change into something more formal, but for now he decides to be comfy. Slipping into some gray riding pants, a white poet's shirt with a simple black and gray vest over it he closes the wardrobe and decides to at least greet Erik before he heads out for another hectic day.

Grabbing up his own stack of paperwork Joseph left behind about the attack the master of the house slips into his bathroom, taking a few moments to let his eyes adjust to the sunlight before walking over to check on the rebel leader. His eyes glance over the papers, files, and folders scattered along the folding table and wonders what system Erik is using or if he's just trying to read them all first. He stops on the other side of the box, settled on the floor and containing only a fraction of what it once did. Crossing his arms over his middle he murmurs, “Good morning Erik. I trust you slept well?”

“You know, you dress like a man who's got more money than sense,” Erik muttered, taking a sip of his water and turning to his eccentric captor. “I slept okay. Can't wait for some blood with breakfast. Getting tired already. I don't even know what to do with half of this stuff. It's going to take me days and days of full time work to sort it out. I'm used to having some help with military plans, you know?”

“Well, despite the truth of that, I think though I have less sense than money I have enough money that I still have more sense than most people.” He murmurs in response to the clothes thing. He smiles softly. “Joseph will know what you need, and he should be in soon with your breakfast.” His voice becomes soft and he adds, “I do not know about military planning so much but you know I am good at planning in general. If there is anything you think I could help with. . .”

Erik chuckled, “Good point,” he muttered, smirking a bit. “I know. And thanks for the offer. I'm still trying to organize all of this in my head though, see what's available. There's enough information for about a dozen missions in here. Can't expect me to figure all of that out at once. I guess I can move to that nice desk now, though. Now that you're up.”

Sensing that Erik is in busy mode Alexi offers him a final smile and begins making his exit. He pauses in the doorway to his room. “I will have one of the headlamps the underground workers use brought up by tonight so you do not have to escape to the bathroom for light while I sleep.” With that said he slips into his room and puts on his slippers before shuffling out into the hall. Deciding to check on the youth down the hall first he lets out a sigh and tries to press back the unpleasantness of the night before, instead focusing on the tasks the day has laid out for him. 'I have too much to do to let this pain overwhelm me again. I can do it, if I just let it fall back. . .' He muses, unlocking Riley's door with a pass code, closing the door quickly before turning around to face the mess.

You know, you sure are pretty damn nice for a guy who compared me to a chained mutt when I first got here,” he muttered, but Alexi had already left. Sighing, he began to gather his papers into small piles and bring them all over to the desk in Alexi's room. “I hate paperwork,” he muttered, but secretly he was smiling. It felt really great to be doing something besides just reading again.

After only about five seconds Alexi is laid out on the floor with an excited Riley lapwing at his back, wondering if he's okay. Alexi takes a moment to regain his breath before rolling over, knocking Riley off who erupts in giggle growls. The mess is extensive and the human sits up more to get off of something sharp than any actual desire to. The M'Tinak crawls up to him, pushing on his chest and staring into his eyes as if trying to read his very soul. Alexi looks back with a smile and pats the little one on the head. After simply staring for a while Riley alms and sits back, a faint noise coming from his wigs as they vibrate gently.

“Room is bigger than cell, but still cell. No plants, all alone. I don't want here. . .” Despite missing several words in his sentences, sounding almost like a toddler, his speech is very clear and concise, unlike a toddler's. Alexi smiles.

“Yes, little one, it is a cell, bu-” Riley interrupts.

“Not little one, Riley! You said Riley my name, not little one!” He blinks rapidly, his gaze curious despite not actually asking a question.

Alexi's smile widens. “Yes, you name is Riley. I simply call most who look young to me little one because it is a fond way to refer to children.”

Riley looks to the ceiling, muttering if his own tongue for a few seconds before saying, “Fond, like, attracted to, affection. . .” He looks to Alexi. “You feel affection? For me? Because I am little, am young?”

Alexi nods. “I enjoy the company of children. I am glad they are not in a bad place and that I can help them not be so sad. . .” Riley once more takes to staring and Alexi settles in for the long haul.

Joseph had gotten up, spoken with the gardening crew, and had come up with a wide assortment of plants to bring to Riley's room, along with several other slaves to help bring them in. He knocked and entered the room with the others not five minutes after Master Alexi had arrived.

“I apologize for not having these sooner, Riley, Master Alexi. I was working on other tasks last night, and most of the gardening crews prefer early mornings and sunlight. It was too late to contact them,” Joseph explained, bowing low to the master of the house. “Do you want them in any particular places, Riley?” he asked. Most of the other slaves, knowing little of the M'Tinak or the situation, found the state of the room shocking. The interest Master Alexi and Joseph were taking in this creature, well beyond that of a “normal” slave, was even more so.

The knock startles them both and in a flash Riley is on a wall, blending in so that he can not be seen. Alexi manages to get to his feet before any of the gardening staff enter and he stands with a light smile at the sight of the plants. Anticipating Riley's next move he manages to turn around and catch the beast as he launches himself at them with a squeal. The garden staff look shocked, one young girl almost dropping the fern she's carrying however at the sight of Master Alexi cradling the clawing Riley carefully she calms down.

To answer Joseph's question Riley whines and stares at Alexi. He's not sure how but after a moment the master of the house seems to understand. With a smile he turns to the staff, “Just leave them here in this clear space, Riley will want to decorate his own room.” Looking to Joseph he looks a little confused and adds, “A climbing vine too, something that can cling to flat surfaces. . .I think. . .” He looks back to Riley, wondering why he can understand, and also amazed and excited at it.

Joseph turned to the gardeners. “Vatanen, you're in charge of that, and any other requests from Master Alexi or from Riley on this matter, all right?” the vampire ordered. “Permission to be dismissed, Master?” he asked, bowing once again, making sure to stay as formal as possible in front of the other slaves. The minor liberties he took with the master in private were not at all appropriate here.

“You are free to go.” He murmurs, watching the gardening staff shuffle out with slight bows after delivering their burdens. “Also, I would like to see Elaria in thirty minutes. My private study.” Riley claws the air trying to get to the plants but Alexi holds him until everyone is out and the door is closed. Once free the little guy runs over tot he ferns and small potted plants and races around them happily. Alexi watches with an amazed look as they all seem to grow a little bit, shivering like a soft breeze is passing through the room though the air is still.

It takes a few minutes for Riley to calm down, but by then there is a knock at his door which sends Riley again to the wall. Alexi takes the proffered pot with the small cutting and thanks the gnome quietly. Turning around he almost jumps out of his skin when Riley is standing right there. Without a word Riley takes the pot gently and moves to a back corner of the room, out of sight behind a pile of broken bed pieces.

Joseph nodded and left the room with the gardening staff, closing the door behind him. Taking an underground tunnel, he made his way to the garage, to check on Elaria, and of course, her new friend.

“Elaria, may I speak with you for a moment?” he called into the small hole in the floor. The gold drake slithered up and transformed into her human form, grinning mischievously, if still in a rather groggy state.

“Yes, Mr. Joseph?” she replied brightly, yawning contentedly.

“Hello Elaria. Would you be available within half an hour? Master Alexi would like for you to meet him in his study. He would like to discuss a private matter with you,” the vampire announced with little preamble.

Elaria's lazy satisfied grin slips into a serious line and she nods, vanishing back down her hole a moment later. She gives a few last minute orders to her new plaything about doing as he's told before slipping back out and rummaging around in the corner from something to wear out of the shed. The rest of the staff who sleep there toss stuff in a pile there every so often so it's there when she needs it. Since she hates the crisp clean look the rumpled up pile suits her nicely.

~*~*~*~*~

Staring at the spot Riley vanished Alexi waits silently, wondering what's about to happen. Then with a light gasp he watches as vines begin growing right up the wall, spreading across the ceiling a little bit before stopping. A few vines dangle down from the ceiling and as Riley bound back into sight they sprout little flowers. Alexi smiles wide at the little guy and over the next half an hour helps him set up his room. “Vine will grow more, cover ceiling, make all green and red and pink. Pretty. Safe.” Alexi nods, feeling like he can't wait to see the room when it's done.

“Thank you, Elaria,” Joseph replied. He had exited the room while the drake had changed, but now he walked with her through the underground passage to meet Master Alexi. “Is your new friend adjusting well?” he asked.

“He's young, obedient. I like him. He's definitely very enthusiastic, in a good way.” She smirks, adjusting her simple button up and cutoff jean shorts so the sit better on her slender frame.

You practically make him sound like a slave, Joseph thought, but he knew better than to insult the customs of a species that he could never understand. “I'm glad you are enjoying his company.” In truth, he was slightly envious. He could count on one hand the number of sexual encounters he'd had in his life. Hard breaking tended to remove non-ordered sexual desires, and since he'd been the head slave, he had decided that such relationships would be inappropriate. Not that he'd ever admit it, but he was a little lonely, even if it was by choice.

In the time she's been on the grounds Elaria has never had a partner, not for lack of drive, but because her kind can only have sex in their natural forms, and such a form would likely kill any but a drake during such activities. However, her first time as a thinking female was good and for a moment she wonders about the male at her side. 'I've never smelled sex on him, and I can smell that a mile away. I wonder. . . .He's attractive an all. . . Is he like Master Alexi? Just, no desire for it? That feels so odd since I know Vampires are quite passionate. . . .' She shrugs it off and keeps walking on in silence a few minutes. Once they enter the house proper she turns to Joseph, her eyes a little startled. “Why do I smell Mater Alexi's blood?!” She hisses quietly.

“Riley sliced him up a little bit. Nothing to worry about really. Master Alexi was just ...” Joseph stopped himself. One did not criticize the master aloud, at least not to other slaves, even ones as trusted as Elaria. “Riley is a child M'Tinak. I don't think he understands his own strength yet.”

Upon hearing that it was the M'Tinak who did it Elaria relaxes with a sigh. “No, no, those guys know their strength. . .Does Mater Alexi now have a cut on his face? Is the M'Tinak no longer upset?”

“I figured, Elaria. But he was scared and angry. I think he is warming up to Master Alexi, though. He still does not like us very much, but he is not violent,” Joseph replied as they walked. “And yes, he scratched the master's face. Does that mean something?”

Elaria nods, now smiling slightly. “Yeah, it does. Since they are only violent to outsiders, if he's calming down now that means Master Alexi did his research. The face scratch was basically a question. Like, 'Are you different from me?' or 'Do you separate yourself from me?'. If he's calming down, that means Master Alexi didn't respond and stayed calm. Think of it like a show of faith.” She glances at Joseph with a knowing smile. “I know we both hate him getting hurt, but in this case, it's a good thing Mr. Joseph.”

~*~*~*~*~

With everything now to Riley's liking Alexi bids the little one farewell, locking the door behind him as he heads out to go meet with Elaria. Making sure he can see the beast toying with his fern before he closes the door he smiles at the sight and gently pulls the door closed. 'He is so cute. . .' With such a pleasant happening Alexi does not even feel the pain for a while. However just outside his study on the top floor he recalls all he needs to do today and it begins throbbing at the back of his brain along with his brand new headache.

“Fascinating,” Joseph replied. “I'm glad he's seen that the master is trustworthy. I'd rather avoid having to send him to the hospital for more severe lacerations.”

They walked in silence the rest of the way, and Joseph bowed slightly to Elaria when they reached Master Alexi's office. “Good luck. You know how to reach me if necessary.”

Elaria returns the bow before heading into the study. Alexi is at the giant window, looking down on the yard, his gaze a million miles away. The drake recognizes the look and quietly takes a seat, waiting for him to return from his trip. When as last he turns around he does not look surprised at all to see her. “On time, as always.” he murmurs with a smile. She returns his smile with a half smile and points at his cheek.

“Little initiation there, huh Master Alexi?” He tone is casual, but respectful.

Alexi nods, chuckling. “Yes. Riley may not actively like me yet, however I am no longer an enemy.” She nods, looking him over with a critical eye. He recognizes the look and waves it off with a hand. “Yes, I know, I have other problems, but that is not why I asked you here.” She takes him at his word and sits up a little straighter. Lacing his fingers together atop the desk he turns to business mode. “I need you to write a program for a lap top that will allow my guest to find the information he needs, without getting traced, detected, and does not allow said guest to put any information out there, anywhere. This also needs to be able to get them around sites that require log ins.”

Elaria's eyes light up. “In other words, you need me to make a ghosting program?” She sounds excited and intrigued by the idea her fingers already itching at the idea.

Alexi nods and she slips out of her seat. He watches as she closes the curtains then comes over and gives him a half hug. As he returns the hug he murmurs, “Still do not want the newbies knowing how soft you are for a human, huh?” She lets out a faint growl before taking a knee to look up at Alexi.

“More like I don't wanna jeopardize your work by having some paparazzi catching sight of you being such a nice guy.” she murmurs, looking up at him with that curious expression once more. “How long?”

The simple question packs a lot of different emotions, not the least of which is sorrow, however it is overshadowed with pride. It's his turn to half smile and he touches her head gently. Despite how much respect he has for her, and how much older she is, he will always see her as a younger sister. “Not too long. My guest is a lot more persuasive than I thought and with the new arrangement it should only take a handful of weeks at most.” His voice softens, “Will you miss me Elaria?”

She nods, a gentle expression in her eyes before standing and looking down at him like an older sister berating her younger brother. “Though not as much as some you know. In all of this, it's the only part I disapprove of. You should. . .” He voice trials off as a flash of something she doesn't recognize crosses his features.

Alexi fights back the pain but she sees it anyways. It passes quickly and he's able to brush it off for now. “I am sure you will guess what that is, and as you know it will not ruin the plan. I will simply suffer a bit before, and even you must agree that it is not unjust?” She glowers a little but nods, giving him another half hug before heading off to do as he asked. Alexi sits in the dim room for several minutes before with a long sigh he gets up, ready to deal with the next thing on his list.

Joseph went about a rather uneventful morning. He served Erik his breakfast, a huge omelet with fresh salmon on the side, with his own jug of orange juice and a large glass of fresh blood. But the younger vampire was too distracted with his new work to do more than mutter “Thank you” and merely took the blood and orange juice to the desk with him, leaving the scrumptious dish.

“Don't work too hard. You're still in here for a few more weeks. When you're ready to eat, please take a break. It's better for your stress,” Joseph suggested calmly. “Also, I'll have some normal clothes for you by tomorrow.” Erik finally turned to the elder vampire.

“Thanks, I'll try to calm down. I really do appreciate all your help, Joseph. I'm just distracted at the moment,” he muttered, turning back to the detailed schematic he was trying to decipher. Joseph bowed and left the room, heading over to deliver the same breakfast to Master Alexi in his private dining room.

He knocked twice and entered, carrying the usual silver tray, bowed, and silently began setting up the food in front of Master Alexi. It was only when he was finished that he began speaking.

“Master, the auction report has been uploaded to your computer. I hope you'll find the deals I made acceptable.”

Walking into his private dining room Alexi lets out a sigh at seeing that breakfast has as of yet to be served. 'It means a have a few moments. . .' he muses, taking his seat and letting his head sink down onto his arms as he crosses them and lays them on the table. His thoughts stray this way and that, and he smiles every once in a while when his favorite people come to mind. His muted joy over the fact that they will be free one day is enough to relax his hurried thoughts. 'Even though Mois may not be a slave, right now he is bound to me. For all intents and purposes, he is a slave in his own way. I do not ask him to be this way, but I will not turn down his absolute devotion while I have it. . .'

~*~*~*~*~

Said devoted brother is just now making his way pout of his room, wearing simple sweats and a hoodie like he enjoys on his days off. Dressed in all black he looks a little like a modern age grim reaper, though Alexi has more of death's complexion. Deciding the best way to wake up is a little exersize he heads out, jugging across the lawn instead of walking, glancing at the slaves already hard at work and making his way inside throught he garden entrance rather than the garage entrance. He takes a few minutes to cool down, stretching just inside and looking out at the garden staff hard at work.

~*~*~*~*~

When at last his meal arrives Alexi sits up with a smile and takes in a deep breath, letting the smell of the food wake up his senses a bit more. “Looks delicious.” he murmurs, looking over the fine meal. Looking over at Joseph he nods, looking less dreamy and more business. “I will look it over after breakfast, and I am sure you did fine. After I am done I will look over the rest of the sales made and make a few more files for my guest's collection.” His voice is soft and he chuckles softly.

“Will Master Mois be joining you this morning?” Joseph asked innocously.

Alexi lets out a sigh, picking up his fork. “Should be. It is his day off today. He may be a little late though.” Poking at his omelet he murmurs, “Can you thank the staff for me? That always get frightened when I try to do it myself. . .”

Joseph nodded, quickly listening for footsteps and checking the room before he spoke. “Of course, Master. I'll tell them. You've done a good job of hiding your true nature from them. Even from me. Until you told me, I never had an inkling of what you were going to do. And it's so obvious now.”

Alexi nods in thanks, then shoots Joseph a sharp look. It is not angry, in fact it's more calculating and approving than anything else. In a soft voice he says, “It is not hard to grow up acting like a money grubbing piece of filth growing up around father and his friends.” Reaching out he touches Joseph's arm with a smile. “Lying to you was no treat Joseph. I am sorry.” He looks up with one of his childish smiles, one that seems to know that he's already forgiven, if only because it was done for a good reason.

“I never thought you were a money-grubbing piece of filth, Master Alexi. You've never been anything like your father. I feared that you were mildly selfish and apathetic, but not cruel. You have never been cruel to us,” he replied warmly. “I want to apologize for doubting you about your guest. I should have trusted you, Master. And I should have understood your plan long ago, or at least before it hit me yesterday evening.” He bowed low again.

“I appreciate that Joseph, thank you. . .” he murmurs. With a light chuckle he adds, “And I am selfish. Always have been. I do not fault you for your doubts.” Touching Joseph's shoulder he turns to look as Mois enters.

A look passes between he brothers bringing a smile to Mois' lips before he takes his seat opposite Alexi. “Good morning Joseph.” the newcomer says, still smiling lightly, stealing Alexi's spoon to carve out a bit of his omelet while he waits. For a moment it's almost as if they are pre-teens again as Alexi objects and pouts, waving a hand over his meal to keep Mois away. It has been many years since they have acted like this. In fact the last Mois can recall is before the incident with their father.

Damnit, I should have gotten Master Mois' plate instead of wasting Master Alexi's time, Joseph thought. But despite his concern, he could not help but smile at the was the two brothers could still joke like they had as children. He scurried out of the room to retrieve the elder brother's tray and returned in only a few minutes, along with a mug of coffee and a jug of orange juice.

Once Joseph is gone Mois finally manages to get a spoon full, bringing out Alexi's full pout mode, however a soft apologetic look from his brother is enough to bring him down from his pout. “So, what was that about anyways? He normally doesn't go that low when you two are alone.”

Alexi sighs gently. “He was just apologizing for misreading all these years, thinking me worse than I really am.” Alexi takes a bite, sipping his tea to wash it down. “Though I take it more as a compliment. Being able to trick him has to be one of my highest achievements since he has always managed to catch on to just about everything else I have ever hidden from him. It is amazing how a few well placed orders can keep such a big secret from one so observant. . .” His eyes go a little glassy as he adds, “Though, as I pointed it out to him, I am selfish. . .”

Mois nods, in no way able ti disagree. 'At least through your own eyes brother. No matter the amazingly selflessness of the act you are going to commit, in your own mind you are doing ti for selfish reasons' Mois lets out a sigh, turning to watch his breakfast come in with his usual inexpressive look when he's thinking. “Thank you Joseph.” he murmurs, setting into his breakfast quickly. Alexi is curious at this, but as it's Mois' day off he doesn't question it, especially after the day and night he had yesterday.

“Would either of you like anything else, Masters?” Joseph inquired, topping off the younger brother's orange juice.

Alexi thanks Joseph and shakes his head. Mois copies the action, already halfway through his meal. Eating a little more slowly Alexi indulges in telling Mois about how Riley has been redecorating his room, a faint twinkle in his eye as he speaks of the vines now growing across the ceiling. He suddenly pauses and asks, “Mois, can I join you this evening for exercise outside?”

While this is not a completely unheard of request, it has been some time since Alexi has wanted to do anything more than his normal workout every two weeks in his own room. 'I wonder if he's afraid of looking foolish in front of his “guest”. Would make sense. . .' “Sure. After dinner?” Alexi nods with a smile, launching back into talking about Riley.

~*~*~*~*~

The quiet in the computer room would be deafening if it wasn't for all the clickity clack of fingers and claws on keyboards. Elaria slips around the room quietly, looking at all the magicals working diligently on a mix of chores and personal projects. 'It's a wonder they all haven't caught on already. Maybe they're just so use to how well they are treated here that they've forgotten how bad it use to be. Master Alexi is a good actor, but I think he's gonna have a harder time now that he's. . .Well, he's willingly letting someone actually inside. He's been so distant from even the ones he loves for so long, I'm not sure how he'll survive this as long as he hopes to without slipping up. . .'

Elaria wandered to a closet in the back of the room where the extra laptops were kept and pulled out a sturdy but inexpensive model. If Master Alexi's guest only needed this for some kind of research, he did not need any powerful hardware. And her program worked at an OS and browser level anyway. On the way out, she stopped to speak with a few of her friends working in here, though she claimed she needed the computer for a small personal project she was working on, to avoid arousing suspicion.

Taking the laptop, she headed back to her office in the back of the garage and began working. Thankfully, she already had a similar program written, so it was just a matter of tweaking it for extra functionality. After she had been working for about half an hour, her new friend walked up in his human form, dressed in his clothes from the day before.

“You know, we'll need to find something in your size for your human form,” she commented blithely, smirking a bit. Though the younger drake did not understand human speech very well yet, she knew that speaking to him normally was the best way for him to start to catch on.

Without being asked, almost seemingly out of boredom, he began rubbing her back and neck as she worked. The rubbing was less like a human massage and more similar to their dragon form, but it was still lovely.

“Mmmmm,” she muttered, “Where were you when I was learning to code and trying to fix all those stupid bugs?”

~*~*~

Meanwhile, Joseph left and set about his work for the day. He finished drafting up the schedules and personally delivered lists of options with respective department heads' names for the new slaves, while taking the time to check up on them and answer their questions. Then, he set about cleaning the North Wing until lunchtime. Overall, it was a lovely day, and he was relieved to finally have some time to catch up on his work.

After breakfast Alexi spends his time until lunch locked in his study, pouring over everything from the attack the the previous day before moving on to the auction deals. He sighs at the sight of needing to arrange a meeting with Orion but smiles at the discount it got him. 'The more I save now the more I will have to donate' he muses with a faint smile, his slow typing interrupted by a knock at the door. “Come in.” He calls out, pressing the button on hi desk that unlocks the door. For a handful of seconds. An elderly female steps in, her name taking a moment to form before he smiles and gestures her closer. “Claudia, what do you need?” he asks the sprite gently.

The slightly jumpy female smiles a little, holding out a tray with a telegram on it. His eyes narrow a little, knowing only a handful of people who would send him such a low tech message. Taking it he dismisses her, waiting for the door to close behind her before reading it. If Alexi was a cursing man, he would be doing so as he reads the short message. Letting out a long sigh instead he tucks the sheet of paper into his pocket and races out to of the room. 'That weasel, he knows I hate meal meetings. He is so lying about forgetting about a prior arrangement for after lunch, he just wants to see me scramble. Well, jokes on him. My staff are masters of the last minute!'

Whipping out his phone he informs both Joseph and the kitchens that the lunch menu has to stretch to six people, and needs to consist of stuff that can be eaten while handling important documents. He sends a second message right after to both Joseph and the cleaning staff that the staff room needs to be outfitted for a meal and to open the windows a bit to let it air out. He'd planned on meeting them in his public hosting study but with the addition of his extra guest and a meal the staff room would be a better choice. 'I am so glad that Joseph set up those groups on my phone, making a lot less work for me when I have to text a lot of beings'

He pulls up to his room just as he presses send and darts inside. Without even a glance at anything else in the room his eyes lock on his wardrobe and in record time, he is naked. Muttering to himself he grabs one of him more conservative outfits. Raising his voice just a little he mutters, “I am going to look like a man in black in this, but what the who, it will be intimidating at the least. Maybe express how much this is not okay to do to me. . .” His voice is low, sounding slightly irritated. However as he goes on, an odd note comes to his voice. “They do not really care, doing stuff like this to me. They think it is funny, well it is not! They need to learn some respect. I sign their paychecks and they still think it is okay to go behind my back like this. . .” Realizing he rambling Alexi bites his lip and continues getting dressed.

Joseph's phone vibrated and he looked down from polishing a wood table to read the text. He knew full well that the lord of the house never texted unless it's a complete emergency. So he jumped up and ran to the kitchens to speak with the head chef and make sure they had everything worked out, though he smelled like cleaner and was wearing his cleaning outfit. Next, he sent a text message to Master Alexi, asking if he wanted him to work the meeting. Sometimes the master liked having him there, to hear what was going on with the business and even give advice afterwards, in private of course.

~*~*~

Erik looked up as the usually calm human ran into the room. He decided he could take a short break and turned to listen to the man's rambling. “Care to tell me what happened?” he asked curiously, crossing the room to stand near the other man. “Sounds like if you sign their paychecks, they should try not to irritate you so much.”

Alexi huffs. “It is Louis, one of father's old friends who knows I can not really replace him because much of his business only works because he is the one running ti. Old money, all the right connections . . .” Pulling up his phone only half dressed he texts back a quick -Yes- before tossing the phone on to the folded clothes on a shelf and pulling out one of his few plain white button-ups. 'Good, he can keep an eye out, impress them a little. Most have not met Joseph save in passing for tea and coffee. I know Joseph is a bit of a legend at this point, it should take away from the obvious shortcomings that are inevitable in situations like this' He silently thanks anyone who is listening for Joseph and expertly does up his tie in a fancy knot.

“I had a meeting today with my accountants for Gorgon International, and he slid himself into the schedule without checking, convinced them to move it to lunch for some selfish reason, and now. . .” He takes a breath, grabbing his phone and starts the transfer of all the notes he will need on to it while he pulls out his suit jacket. “This probably has to do with the attack yesterday, and I am sure everyone is on edge, having him take charge likely eased their nerves a bit.” He turns to Erik, straightening his tie. “See, he is a bit like me and my family. There was never a question of him spending his life rich and entitled, however unlike me, he takes it all for granted.”

As almost and afterthought he adds, “I am only sad that it will take a revolution for such living to bite him in the behind. . .” Shaking his head he smiles. “How do I look?”

~*~*~*~*~

Slipping into the kitchen for a snack before lunch Mois pauses as he notices everyone racing around. He is careful to stay out of the way until he can escape without his snack. Pulling out his cell he texts Joseph.
-What's going on?-

“Well, if one of my subordinates did something intentionally disrespectful to me, I would first discuss it privately with them to see if there was truly a good reason. If there wasn't, I'd demote the heck out of them, or have them scrubbing toilets for a week. But, clearly that's not an option here,” Erik replied, smirking a bit. “Though, it sounds like some toilet scrubbing would do this guy a world of good. I'm sure you'll be fine. And you look okay. Fix up your hair a little.”

~*~*~

Joseph got the reply as he was walking back to his apartment to change into his fanciest butler's uniform. He had already been sure that Master Alexi would want him there, even though he secretly despised being around the master's coworkers. Last minute meetings like this usually required a bit of personal oversight anyway.

At the image of Louis scrubbing toilets Alexi lets out a sharp laugh before reaching out an laying his palm on Erik's cheek gently. There is a faintly fond look in his eyes and he murmurs, “If only.” The moment is over an instant later and Alexi is sitting at his vanity, brushing out his hair, tying it in a low pony. “I will be back after lunch to change.” With a smile he stands, straightens everything one last time before waving and racing out of the room to check on everyone's progress before heading to the front door to await his guests.

Erik was surprised by the hand on his cheek and the look on Alexi's face at such a silly and mostly facetious comment, but he smiled and took it in stride. Unfortunately, there was not much to be done besides getting back to his paperwork, as he had eaten his breakfast earlier that morning. He would have almost been willing to scrub some toilets himself just to get away from it, but this had to be done. Otherwise, all of Alexi's research would be for naught.

~*~*~

Joseph changed quickly and checked back in on the kitchens, who had called in some more staff from their off hours and had done a wonderful job of getting everything up to speed. A simple four course meal was already planned, with salad, an appetizer, the main course, and dessert. He himself had even worn gold cufflinks and white gloves for the occasion. Though he did not personally care for them, it reflected well on Master Alexi for even his slaves to be dressed in gold. He had also managed to find three other slaves who were well-versed in the art of serving for fancy dinners to help him out. After the places were set in the dining room, he texted the master to let him know that everything was ready and that they were all in position. Given how much there was to do, it was only in the last second that Joseph remembered to reply to Mois, briefly explaining the situation.

Mois returns to his house after sending out the text, deciding to look through his own collection of duties Alexi needs him to do over the next few weeks. About half way through his closet in his hunt from some folders that had escaped his picket vibrates with Joseph's response. Reading it his expression darkens and a few choice words pass through his lips. He stays crouching, almost looking frozen for several minutes as he tries to think of anything he could do to help out his brother. With a final cuss he goes back to rummaging, hoping that Alexi won't go on one of his rants in front of the accountants.

~*~*~*~*~

Only stopping long enough to peek into the kitchen, not wanting to disturb them, Alexi is flits off to the staff room next and watches for a few seconds before adding a few extra instructions about the arrangement. As soon as the orders are out a gong sounds through the whole house and around the grounds letting everyone know that guests have arrived at the front gate. With a soft sigh Alexi makes his way to the front room, arriving just in time to open the door and watch the firs man step out of his car. The sleek new aged thing would normally make Alexi wrinkle his nose however in this case he is careful to remain presentable at all times.

Greeting each man he smiles that usual greasy smile that they've come to expect of men in Alexi's station. 'I wonder what Erik would think if he could see me like this. I my have pretended to be evil at first, but not sleazy like I have to around these men' Under normal circumstances for other men, this smile would not be an act, it would be real. In fact, Alexi is convinced that after attaining a certain station a human naturally becomes corrupt if they are not careful. 'Absolute power corrupts absolutely, right?' Keeping his thoughts to himself however he leads the way to the staff room, and is glad to see everything as it needs to be. Waiting for the rest to take their seats he takes his last and glances at Joseph. 'You know what to do'

At a small gesture from the vampire, Joseph's three helpers strode off in a line to the kitchen to retrieve the appetizer dish, while he himself began to take drink orders. Naturally, he kept a neutral expression around the guests, but he could not help but feel somewhat slimy inside speaking to these people, just like he had at the auction. Though he had been around snobs of different shades for five centuries, he had never completely gotten used to it. Maybe it was that he knew it would be over soon. Or maybe it was just that he hated seeing this persona in Master Alexi.

After he had taken all of the orders, he strode off to the kitchen and filled the drink orders, returning at the same time as the appetizers.

Without asking Louis immediately lights up a cigar as soon as Joseph is out of the room. After a few offhanded comments about the room, the staff, a bout being sorry to suddenly moving the meeting, the actual meeting gets under way. The time almost flies for Alexi as he focuses on the actual work. He eats a few bites here and there, sipping at his tea laced with brandy so it at least smells like the pure alcohol most of them are drinking, having some actual perfectly brewed hot tea with the main course. It isn't until it's time for dessert and once more Joseph is out of the room that Louis begins on his normal tirade about how Alexi needs to expand and create actual breaking devices.

With a sigh Alexi smiles at the man. “I have told you many times, I have my hands full with what I already have. I ca-”

Louis waves a hand dismissively. “That's nonsense and you know it lad.” Alexi refrains from replying, knowing that he has a further point to make. The others look to the now slightly intoxicated man, wondering if he's alright. “I have seen you build whole new businesses from the ground up, and with all the fine slaves you got working for free here, you could make more than your whole house is worth in two short years! The innovation you show when you put your mind to it!” Leaning in he look hard at Alexi. “And even that mess yesterday has hardly put you back. I heard from Souchez's legal department, you're barely out a few million.”

Alexi seriously has to fight back the urge to mention the lost lives that are worth more than any money one could begin to imagine. 'Men like this can put a price on life, and apparently it is a very low number. . .' With a sigh he smiles at the delicate dessert that gets served, giving him a few moment's reprieve before having to come up with an answer. “So, you have been talking to the legal department at Souchez?”

Lois nods. “Yeah. After the attack they were a bit worried, and since I have a hand in the paperwork that goes through there they were more than willing to give me a little sneak peek.”

The ice beneath Alexi thins, this poorly veiled show of power of Alexi's own something a lot of people would rise to challenge and providing a tempting target for the young rich kid. He is indeed young for having such a fortune at his fingertips, however it is in these cases that not being able to feel anything intensely comes in handy. Sure, the near threat upset him, but he simple smiles it off, raising his cup in salute. “A man who knows what he needs and how to get it. I am honored you are looking out for me Mr. Lanchester.” The rest of the room relaxes and Louis visibly bites his lip, clearly hoping Alexi would take the bait.

Instead of staying on the point however, he moves on to a new track. “I plan on sitting in on that meeting next week. I hear it's going to be riveting.”

At this Alexi stares at his cup, going over all the plans for the upcoming week and pinpointing what he's talking about. 'Well, I planned on skipping that one. It's a menial thing, however after the attack, the last thing I need is him alone in a room with those people. . .If he gets going on safety after the missile attack he could really mess things up. . .' “Oh really? You know, after the attack, I think I should show my face around a bit, inspire some confidence. I may own the places, but I would rather not simply be a ghost behind the machine, know what I mean?” The accountants laugh and Louis does a poor job of hiding a glower.

By the end of the 90 minute lunch, Joseph felt like he could use some brandy himself, or at least a long drought of blood. The sight of such annoying, sleazy men was frustrating to him, and worse was seeing his beloved Master playing along like he was truly one of them. It made his skin crawl. He did enjoy seeing the look on Mr. Lanchester's face, but it was a small consolation. Still, he and the other three slaves did their jobs perfectly, bringing the plates, refilling drinks, and otherwise standing and remaining silent and invisible.

Soon enough the dessert is gone and the last few bits of paperwork are sorted through. Ever the good host Alexi sees the men to the door, shaking their hands on the way out and standing in the doorway until they are all in their vehicles. As soon as the door is closed however Alexi looses his hair and slumps slightly. “Oh, I feel ill. . .” he murmurs and from a little ways away he hears a concerned noise. Looking up he spots Uwin, the haunted look on his face making Alexi wince on the inside. Motioning for the elf to follow he straightens up and leads the young man into a small room normally reserved for when an engineer needs to work away from others.

Once inside Alexi is a little confused as Uwin gives him a quick hug before stepping back and bowing. The elf is quick to explain. “I am sorry Master Alexi, I just, after spending time with other drivers, especially the one who cam with the bright silver car, I just felt so grateful, I just needed. . .” He glances up at Alexi who smiles and nods in understanding.

“I know what you mean Uwin, it is no bother.” Patting the elf on the head he shoos him back to work which he does happily. Feeling quite filthy despite the hug Alexi decides on a quick swim before his next bit if business. Sending Joseph, the cleaning staff, and the kitchen staff a text of thanks, along with a note for Joseph to thank those who helped serve, Alexi makes his way to his room. Once inside he lets out a soft groan and begins shedding his clothes like a python sheds his skin. “If I did not know of the waste it would be, I would have my clothes all burned after a meeting like that. . .” Glancing over at Erik as he reaches the doorway to the bathroom he asks, “Join me for a swim? You do not have to, but I thought I would offer.” He smiles softly, shedding off the last bit before making his way quickly across the tiles, diving into the tub carefully as to not hit the bottom. It is deep around the middle, but unlike some beings living in the house, he can't launch himself out that far even at a dead run.

Joseph could not have been more relieved when he meeting was adjourned. He took one or two compliments on the service and ignored the curious eyes, and finally, he was able to clean off the table in peace. When that was finished, he took off the gloves and the cuff-links and went up the stairs to give Erik his lunch.

~*~*~

To be honest, Erik was more than happy for a bit of time off from his studies, and immediately nodded. Without even considering it, he shed his clothes and climbed straight into the first tub, smiling contentedly.

“How did your meeting with the rich jerks go?” he asked Alexi sarcastically, treading water to sit next to him.

After popping up Alexi paddles around a little, flowing around atop the water with his eyes on the ceiling. At Erik's question he lets out a long sigh and actually settles down along the tub wall beside the vampire. Careful to keep his eyes forward he lets out a groan. “As it always is. Tiring, tedious, and has left me feeling like a man who crawled through sewage. . .” Glancing over at Erik he add sadly, “Uwin was so upset by having to hang around their drivers, a collection of quite misused slaves, that he came to see me after and needed a hug to feel better.” After all the rushing around he decides to actually bathe, grabbing up one of the scrubbing stones it suddenly hits him that Joseph is going to kill him for getting his bandages wet. In his rush, he'd entirely forgotten them. Looking at them now, the water directly around them turning red, he mutters “Drat. . .”

Erik listened to the human's answer, finding it rather interesting. But it was not long before he began to smell the blood.

“Goddamnit Alexi, I didn't notice either. Get out, and sit down on the bench. I'll wash you. I mean, if you want. Otherwise, you should just call Joseph to do it, but I think he'd kill us both for letting you get in the water without more help.”

Crawling out Alexi pouts. “I like my baths. . .” With a sigh he plops down on a bench with his back to Erik. “You can do it if you want. Joseph will be up soon with your lunch and you can trade off then if you feel like it. I need to get washed up quickly seeing as I still have a ton to get done today. . .And do not fret, I will tell him it was my own fault.” Pulling off the bandage on his cheek he runs his fingers over the scratches, looking at himself in the wall mirror in front of him.

Erik strode over to the closet and pulled out two large bath sponges and some liquid soup. Then, he filled a pail of water in a nearby sink and stood behind Alexi. Squirting the liquid into the sponge, he began washing the human's back. It was pretty easy as the vast majority of the cuts were on the front of Alexi's body.

“You're an idiot, you know that Alexi?” he commented sarcastically as he washed the back of the man's neck. “I mean, you're brilliant. But you're also a freakin' idiot.”

~*~*~

Joseph silently enter Master Alexi's room and looked around. It was not difficult for him to figure out that the two men were in the bath house, so he set the tray down and headed over there. Immediately, he smelled Master Alexi's blood in the water and looked down, and saw where Erik was washing the lord. He glared at his master.

“I know being around those... individuals... probably makes you feel horrid, Master Alexi. But did you really have to ruin your bandages?” he asked.

Alexi watches Erik work, flinching now and then as it's becomes quite clear that the vampire isn't use to dealing with such a delicate creature. He does his best to ignore the fact that Erik is nude, but after about a the third flinch he finally begins turning a little rosy “I know I can be foolish sometimes. However, I have always had someone around to clean up when I forget stuff. Case in point.” He points towards Joseph whom he'd caught sight of out of the corner of his eye. Cringing down into his shoulders he murmurs, “Sorry Joseph.” Normally he would have more to say, but at this moment he's simply proud that he hasn't actually moved beyond rosy into somewhere around beet.

Joseph just sighed and removed his butler's jacket so that he would not ruin it from the soapy water. Though his expression remained passive, he could not help but notice the color of Master Alexi's face. Well, that's worrisome. He would pick the absolute most illogical person here to be attracted to. But, that's a problem for another day. He walked over and took the soap out of Erik's hand and began gently scrubbing Master Alexi down himself. Even if his master might have secretly preferred the younger vampire's touch, he was afraid that Erik's roughness would aggravate the wounds.

“Master, these will be healed enough for you to swim within 36 hours,” he commented. “Until then, just please call me in to give you another bath, when you are ready.”

Meanwhile, Erik jumped back into the nearest pool, grinning brightly. He could not find it in himself to worry for Alexi when he brought half his injuries on himself. Besides, he adored swimming.

The sigh issuing from the vampire's lips makes Alexi feel like a child again, that sound reminiscent to all the times Joseph found him doing one fool thing or another. 'Or of all the times I would show up after the fool thing and needed patching up' He smiles happily at Joseph, knowing he only does it because he cares. With a sigh of his own he settles into the far gentler scrubbing, his eyes closing softly as he lets Joseph's kind hands do an amazing job of scraping off the dirty feeling from before.

~*~*~*~*~

Mois looks up at the faint knock at his door. Glancing at the clock he closes his laptop and calls out for whoever it is to enter. 'Must be lunch' He muses, wondering how the meeting with Alexi is going. 'Unless it's over already. I know some business people like eating early. . .' He nods at the young werewolf who delivers the meal, trying to not look as irritated as he feels. The work he's been doing has him quite on edge. Despite his efforts the youth still flees quickly, closing the door softly behind him. The smell of food helps him relax a bit and he wonders vaguely if the soon to be ex-slaves won't try and kill him on the spot after they are released. He knows Joseph will defend him, but. . .Joseph is only one vampire. . .

Joseph finished washing his master and gently dried him with one of the soft towels. Then, he began to re-bandage each of the wounds. Taking one of Master Alexi's robes from a hanger on the wall, he held it up to allow the human to put it on.

“Thank you for finding a way for him to trust you, Master. It is much better to see him like this than the way he was two days ago. I can see the pain it is causing you. But thank you for sparing him the deprivation.”

Erik spent the time swimming around the largest pool, eternally grateful for the excuse to take a break. It was around the time Joseph finished that he decided to get out and put on a robe of his own, though he had not paid attention to anything Joseph had said. He sat down next to the servant and his master, but did not say anything.

Having Joseph dry him as well really makes Alexi feel young and he just revels in the feeling for a time. Even the feeling of being patched up simply adds to the impression of being a child and he doesn't open his eyes, letting reality back in, until Joseph moves off to grab a robe. Standing slowly he moves over to Joseph. As he slips into the fuzzy green thing his movements slow slightly as he listens to the vampire's words, his eyes locked on the subject of Joseph's thanks.

He keeps watching as Erik approaches, tying his own robe with a soft look in his eyes. “I will suffer this gladly Joseph. I too am glad it is being done this way, though it may make some things more difficult. . .” Smiling warmly he kisses Joseph on the forehead and pats his shoulder. “I thank you for you assistance Joseph. Thank you for putting up with my foolishness all these years.” He chuckles, glancing at Erik, waiting to see if he has something to say about this.

Erik smiled slightly at the sight before him. “You two are really adorable,” was all he said, before standing up to grab himself his own fluffy robe. Then, without another word, he wandered back to the desk to change clothes and get back to work.

Joseph smiled and put his own coat back on. “Do you require anything else, Master Alexi?” he asked, bowing slightly and sounding exactly as he had the other thousands of times he had asked the same question

Alexi smiles at being called adorable and watches the younger of the two vampire return to their now shared room. 'Heh, I was sure he would say something to Joseph about my “foolishness”, but I guess he has more important things on his mind' “I am good for now Joseph. When you have time send me the security reports from Souchez and get me all my files and notes on 4118 Filing Co. I need them by the end of the week.”

“Of course,” Joseph muttered, striding off to get back to his own work.