[color=c8b189]He studied and listened to the group and he couldn’t help but let his own thoughts rise from beneath his conditioning. In his experience with his employer, these beings seemed infantile and savage. They didn’t inspire the reverence and faith that his employer had. He took in the female thrall with him, wondering if she had bothered to have her own thoughts. She took a moment out of her trance like boredom to offer him a shrug. He looked back towards the group and sighed. He was expecting the questions, that was not the problem, but it was difficult for him to listen to the collection speak of his employer in such irreverence. He had to remind himself that they were blind in all of this. His breathing became noticeably controlled, like a soothing exercise he had been taught in AA to dissipate anger before it took it hold. It faded and he was back to his awkward ‘game show host’ personality. He cleared his throat and once again addressed the room.

“There are never enough guarantees in life or undeath. The request for such seems presumptuous, though, anticipated. I shall help clarify what I can.” His gaze had attempted to follow those speaking in front of him and now returned to Alban. “My ‘master’, let us call him X, wants to help you help them. This is not charity, and we do not wish to disguise it as such. Kindness plays no part in this.” The thrall eyes flickered to Willa for a moment as he continued speaking, and then he looked over each of them. “X chose you all very carefully, mostly due to your unhappiness and a perceived drive to be more, but also because you have something beneficial to X and X believes they can benefit you; a sort of symbiosis. And of course, as I stated previously, your lack of reputation makes you, well, inconsequential to the targets, thus invisible. I feel like it should be mentioned that X’s capacity to find, locate and contact each of you should inspire at least some faith in X’s reach.”

“I have been informed of the peril and intricacies in your political environment,” His eyes drifted towards Peter. “There are no assurances that your sire won't turn you to ash this very night, just because. In fact, the only real assurance we are ever provided is the still aching mortality this world will never allow you to shed. Assurances are overrated and really, a debt that my employer as of yet does not owe to you. What assurances do we have that you will not revert to your subservient nature? Attempt to foil a well thought out plan because you are short sighted? Basically, we have no solid assurances to offer you, but you have none to offer us and I am exceedingly aware there are none outside of that door.” He gestured towards the door and beyond.

He looked to Michael. “No one was [i]promised[/i] advancement. It must be earned. X is offering an opportunity. I will get back to the issue of payment in just a moment.” He wasted no time in finding the eyes of Louise. “I don’t know what would keep you from turning one another in. Hopefully the camaraderie that each of you can help each other. I doubt any of you are sitting on an abundance of allies; specifically any with real power. Your kind has never been good at trust though, which is why we suggest a blood pact be established, even if it is simply to keep you from talking about this collective to those outside of it. Something simple really. A fresh blood pact with vampires of similar age should override the majority of abilities and separate blood pacts in play to bring this meeting to light. Since trust seems to be out of the question, the blood pact must be your safest ally.” 

“In regards to the Blood Seer, well, I do not deny that there are risks, but what would he see? Why would he be looking? There is absolutely nothing that connects this group, or this dock, to anything nefarious. We can bring a disco ball to the next function and call it a party?” Possibly another attempt at a joke, though the thrall did not pause and chuckle this time. He continued on.

“There are mechanisms in work, I am not at liberty to discuss the specifics, but X will benefit more if you are undead. At this point your final death would change nothing, a waste of your eclectic and unique talents. Alas, X has seen a higher purpose for you. Shall we continue to the true purpose? I’m sure some, if not all of you, are still ill at ease, but as of yet you are unaware of what is even being asked of you.”

The woman thrall had continued to seem bored. She checked her nails and smoothed out her skirt, barely glancing at the other occupants of the room until the male thrall glanced in her direction with a purposeful gaze. She stood, and let her gaze settle on the group, though it seemed to be looking beyond them somehow, lacking focus. Her voice was soft, but purposeful in a way that may or may not have been expected.

“I am here to provide you with some information, a few details that will help you create a rift. We were unsure as to how many, and whom, would show so there may be some deviations from the original laid plan. No bother, it was already loosely placed as my proprietor seems to believe that you will be able to fill in the gaps and holes with your specific knowledge and abilities. In fact, they trust that you will be able to expand the plan and the targets with your own knowledge and they would like me to notate any ideas you may have.”

“It would be beneficial to isolate the Barons, cause them to distrust one another. Sew seeds of distrust and malice in the higher ups and it will trickle down. The Baron of John’s Island, Orthrus, has few friends among the Barons after an unfortunate incident involving the late Baroness of Folly Beach. I’m sure some of you know the details, but perhaps you did not know that the Baroness of James Island, Lyssa, was quite fond of the Baroness of Folly Beach. Lyssa has many reasons to dislike Orthrus, a less discussed being her affection towards the mentally unstable humans she houses on her Island. Orthrus progeny went through a phase of tormenting these unfortunate souls until Lyssa caught one of Orthrus’ ilk and left them for the sun. If Orthrus once again allowed those under his baronship to cross the border and instigate violence, repercussions would be imminent. So, that is the intention.”

“As of now, we foresee that the most difficult target will be Lenore, the Raven. She is powerful and watchful and her weakness’ are few and far between. She has many enemies, though only one that is open in her dislike of the Baroness; the Frisian. Their distaste for one another is widely known among the Barons, though, like most discord, is kept private from any lower subsequent ranks. Luckily the Frisian has a very distinct calling card upon her kills; a savagery rarely exhibited by others. Lenore has a shipment coming in, an exceedingly relevant one and all you need to do is steal it and make it look like as if it was the Frisian. This will take a little more planning, because while the Raven doesn’t know anyone is coming, she always suspects it. It is likely the shipment will be guarded.”

The female remained standing, but seemed to be done with her part in this. The male thrall jumped in quickly. “So that is pretty much it. Any quest…” The female thrall cleared her throat and the male turned towards her, and then a light flashed behind his eyes, “Oooh, yes. Make the call.”

The female thrall already had a phone to her ear, but she wasn’t saying anything. Even with incredible hearing it was impossible to make out anything from the other end, but the male thrall filled the silence. “What you get in return is the tools required. We have the ability to make you stronger than you can imagine, when the time comes.” He nodded towards the female and into the phone she gave some affirmation. The man looked impatient and giddy all at once, like a child waiting on Christmas morning.

It was subtle at first, a heavy pressing in the air that tingled and nipped about the vampires. A taste like burnt caramel began to linger as if it had been here the whole time and then it surged within them. It could be imagined that this is what a poltergeist or another inhuman inhabitant would feel like, clawing down your throat, into your mind. For seconds it felt as if the body might be destroyed from the pressure within; but then the body began to accept it and take it in. The uncomfortable pain and otherness subsided as the power within them escalated at an impossible rate.[/color]

Fiona released a sickly gurgle as the initial feeling hit her. She doubled over and grabbed at her stomach, unable to correctly diagnose the location of the feeling that seemed everywhere and nowhere. Her stomach seemed an apt place to start; probably a human reflex seeing as the stomach provided little discomfort in undeath. Then her eyes flashed wide open and stared at the male thrall as she had been most of the night; bating, hungry, angry and then more clearly. She could smell that he was not afraid now. She could feel that she could make him afraid. She wanted him afraid. Her mind and senses felt as if they were stretching, recalculating, and she sniffed at the air and could see a nightmare, could feel and possess the demonic monster of dreams, one that clawed at the window of a young boy on a snowy night. She knew that boy was the male thrall, though he felt and appeared entirely different. She could feel her own form taking in the nightmares, welcoming the tension and ferocity. Her lips had just begun to curl into a devious smile when it all just dissipated. She felt normal, as if nothing had happened. She glanced at the others to gauge their reactions, to be sure she wasn't hallucinating as a soft "the fuck" slipped from those falling lips.  

[color=c8b189]As quickly as it had come, it ended. The thralls were unaffected, but the man seemed to know the wave had passed and he concluded his speech, “We will give you the tools to take back control of your immortal life that has been denied to you. Any questions?”[/color]