Incest/Taboo Akeldama

"Sorry, Betty, he's been asleep for some time, so that's why no one's seen him," Mary stated, peering back when Conner was now noticing that hum to the floor.

"Yeah, I got that, but who is he, Mary? You know I simply can't let him in without a name," Betty responded with a flick of her hand over her log book.

"Then please, I don't wish to trouble you any further; please excuse my late introduction. I am, Conner Ambrose, of House Ambrose," Conner said, giving Betty a slight apologetic bow.

"Is he serious?" Betty asked, confused.

"Yes, Betty, he is, Conner; I'd like you to meet a friend of mine," Mary said, gesturing him over. Knowing by now those within hearing distance would know that a member of the ruling house was before them. The ruling class had their own form of nightclub if you could join a noble family, that was.

"Don't worry, it will wash off," Mary whispered when he looked confusingly down at the stamp on his hand. Her grip on his arm kept him from being too startled when Betty placed the same kind of stamp on Conner's right cheek. "Trust me, with what's going on in there, this helps with their head count. As long as you keep it uncovered when you're inside." Seeing Conner nodding along when she told him what the rules were while Betty applied the same stamps to her.

Smiling at her friend, knowing she would be calling her superior, like Adam was once hers, to inform them that not only there was a noble on site, but one from the House Ambrose. She knew Betty, while young in a vampire sense, she knew who the House of Ambrose was, even if she didn't know who Conner was due to her age, being turned in the twenties in a vampire's twisted sense of humor, given how her maker turned her on her birthday on midnight of New Year's when she just struck her twentieth birthday. "Relax and let yourself go, Conner; these places are safe zones; they take our exposure to the world of Man seriously. No one person can just walk in; they all get vetted."

"Yes, I like not to go through that again, thank you," Conner joked as he escorted Mary onward.

"Conner? Was it true, what she said, in the throne room?" Mary asked as the people operating the door opened the doors once they had verified that Conner was indeed the Prince of Darkness as some would label him as given who his mother was.

"Yes, it was the reason Lynn's family was made high borne in the noble houses," Conner said over the swooshing sound the automatic doors opening made. "Really? Doors that can open themselves?!" Noting how Mary was fighting back her chuckle when he gestured in awe of the sight of it.

"Mary, you have to tell me, did we do what Jules Verne wrote about in From the Earth to the Moon?" Conner asked, recounting how he would read it by the fire on long nights in 1867.

"We did, here, I'll show you," Mary said, keeping her smile from showing at how he looked at her in wonder as she led him towards where she and her friends normally met up. Noting how he was watching her intently from over her shoulder as she brought up a YouTube video of it. Letting him watch it as they continued on their trek.

"Mary!" Regan squealed in delight.

Conner watched on in befuddlement as Mary ran into her friend's arms. He was at a loss when the other two gathered around. The only true length of time a vampire from his age was to get to know the person was to turn them.

"Guys, I'd like for you to meet someone," Mary said, smiling at her dear friends. "Everyone, this is Conner Ambrose," even the donors knew who House Ambrose was given her friends slack jaws, "Conner, come meet my friends; this is Regan, Mathew, and Dole."

"You must be a master of the blood arts to operate such a device," Conner said, taking them all aback when he spoke those words.

"The what arts?!" Mary asked, wondering if she heard him wrong.

"Did you're maker not teach you this?" Conner asked, watching her pocketing her phone into her purse. "Interesting," he mused when Mary shook her head. "Ah, Regan, was it?" Conner uttered, laying on his vampiric charm, given that all three were dressed in the same style as Mary. "A pleasure," he spoke, noting how Regan's eyes were transfixed on his. How her hot blood raced to her cheeks, coloring them to a deep rue of red as his lips graced the back of Regan's hand. "Good evening, gentlemen," Conner greeted, offering out his hand to them.

"So, not to be rude or anything," Dole stated, giving Conner a once over. "Just what century are you from?"

"What year is it?" Conner asked, looking at the four of them. The memories he had gained from the two that he fed on to restore some part of his strength had long worked its way out of his system. Human memories were harder to hold onto than one from their own kind, given the years it would take for a vampire at a certain age to master the skill.

"June of 2000," Regan supplied; she's been around a lot of vampires, none seemed to move and feel like the man before her. Yes, they were fast, but the human eye was able to keep up with them even if their image was distorted. It seemed, at least to her, Conner was unlike the other vampires, Mary included, that she's ever met before.

"Sometime around the end of year 999, or so my mother claims," Conner mused after a moment of thought.

"Wait. You can't be that old?!" Mathew exclaimed before covering his mouth with his hands. Knowing it was taboo for a human in a vampire area to doubt a vampire's age.

"Why can't I be?" Conner asked; he was never doubted or questioned. It was an interesting experience.

"Because aren't Elders supposed to be, I don't know, creepy and bald looking?"

Mary turned her head when she heard Conner's chuckle at Mathew's statement. She was growing to like this side of him. Hoping that she could see more of it in the coming days.

"No, only turned become like that if they haven't fed as they should have at that age."

"Wait. What do you mean you aren't turned?" Regan asked, seeing how every vampire she's ever met was a turned.

"I did just say I was born in 999," Conner replied, arching an eyebrow. Wondering if mortals had slowed in their minds over the past century. "Have you all not met a pure blood as they refer to us as?" he asked, waving to the other immortals milling about. "I see," Conner hummed as the three of them shook their heads.

"No, they would never be seen in this part of town. It's too low born for them, Conner," Mary said, resting her hand on his arm.

"Hmm, then allow me the honor of being your first pure blood vampire," Conner bowed gracefully.

"You know chivalry is dead, right?" Dole teased, trying not to laugh at Conner's display.

"That so? Seems to me this age could use some refinement in their greetings. Especially with the ladies," Conner said in a sly flirt aimed at Regan. However, a curious scent caught his nose; its alluring scent tickled his nostril, pulling him away from Mary and her friend's side if it wasn't for Mary's touch.

"Never been to one of these before, have you?" Mathew asked with a cocky smile.

"No," regaining his composure, "the most human interaction I have had with your kind, except for a very few who were trying to kill me. Mary, is this a feeding den?" Conner asked, his eyes peering at the female vampire as she fed on her meal. His eyes zeroed in on that single drop of blood that escaped her lips and ran down the man's skin.

"Sort of, it's a mix of feeding den, club, and sleep chamber all rolled up into one," Mary stated factually.

"Fascinating, and you all willingly give your blood to us?" Conner asked, ignoring how their blood pulsated in his eyes.

"We do," Regan nodded, her right index finger pointed at the letter 'D' stamped onto her cheek.

"Oh, that reminds me, when you three leave here tonight, you need to update your donor cards to say that you are Lady Harland's donors," Mary said, seeing the shock playing off her friend's faces. Donors normally don't get turned unless a vampire, like her, took an interest in them. She, personally, didn't have to be their sire. If they could, she would tell them to become a part of a noble house. They knew what low-born life was like; they see it every day. Even the Nobles were turned; it was only their money they were seeing as one of the low born. Conner, however, was like no other kind of vampire. He was the true and only pure blood. Mary noted how Conner eyed them in a mixture of confusion and curiosity as the four of them danced around in joy. She might not need much money going forward; where she once lived is rent-controlled.

Something too she knew her friends needed. Not Mathew or Dole, no Regan needed it the most given her living situation. Mathew and Dole were roommates; their apartment wasn't large enough; their coding equipment and office setup didn't leave them much space. It was her hope they would move in with her to provide the security Regan will need to heal from what she has been going through. Slyly slipping her apartment key into Regan's hand, "Don't go home, crash at my place tonight, for however long you want, we'll talk more later," Mary whispered into Regan's left ear, who whispered her gratitude in her own. "Conner, what's wrong?" Her voice stilled her groups' merriment. Noting how his eyes were darting around as his body turned as if he knew on instinct. That was when she saw the look of recognition in his eyes. Wondering just who he was looking at as she peered around him, nevertheless, the crowd of bodies hid the person from her sight. "What or who were you just looking at?"

"Someone I thought I'd never see again, here of all places," Conner muttered softly, wondering if he was still alive if the other three were as well. If they were, would they be wise enough to understand it in the first place?

"Do you...?"

"No, no, that would be rude of me; we'll see each other in time. After all, Mathew, the good man was about to regale me on all man has advanced since my... slumber," Conner said in a guarded tone. He knew Mary noticed how Regan held herself even if her human friends hadn't. Fear. Not from them something else, what that was, he couldn't say.

"I am?!" Mathew squeaked.

"You are," Conner uttered sinfully.

"That's us," Mary spoke, confusing Conner, as she saw the number of their ticket number appear on the electronic display behind Regan.

"We like to eat after..." Rolling her hand, "How about I show you around afterward? I bet balls and such things were more your style than this place, huh?"

"True, it wasn't as fast-paced or arousing," Conner flirted to ease Regan's stress, seeing Mary and Regan blush.

"Wait, aren't you two like engaged or something?" Dole uttered, stopping in his tracks, pointing at Conner and Mary.

"May I, my Lord?" Mary asked, seeing how Conner was the highest-ranking House member. "Thank you, my Prince," she said in a teasing way when he gave his acceptance. "See, unlike in human marriages, sex isn't a factor for us given we might be together for centuries, so unless the couple has split apart for a century or two, it is known to happen," Mary stated, seeing Conner nodding along. "They are still man and wife. There is no divorce in vampiric marriages. Although I would have thought the seduction would have been played down a bit for our second date, your highness," Mary uttered in a feigned tsk-tsk voice. Her eyes held an impious light to them. "It's unbecoming of one of your age." Seeing that nobility that has been instilled into him for centuries kicking in.

"Then allow me to apologize if I have offended either of you two ladies on this evening?" Conner spoke in that Edwardian-era pose.

"So, Conner, tell me more about these blood arts you referred to," feeling his hot breath on her skin whispering to the point that she was the only one that could have heard it, "really? Everyone knew how to do that?"

"Oh, yes, I made it mandatory to learn even a newborn knew one or two skills before beginning their training on how to use blades or whatever we needed troops of at the time. When there's a drop of blood out of reach, and that one drop is the key of staying alive or dying,"

"What do you mean, you made it mandatory?" Mathew asked in confusion.

"I was the Commander of the vampiric army during the Unctuous War," Conner said; his eyes ran over the familiar sight as Regan had led him down into the lounging pit where they could feed and their victims or slaves at the time would be fed upon by the guests.

"Yo, man, you can't end it there; what's this Unctuous War? I've had a lot of history classes never heard of it once," Dole said, looking across the pit at Conner as Mary led him towards the cushions.

"Do you honestly want to hear about it?" Conner asked, genuinely surprised.

"Oh, yes, most in here are only two to three hundred years old. So, if they hadn't talked it to death about when it was such and such, then that means they haven't a clue what we're talking about. Please," Regan said in a sweet voice as she lowered him to the cushion.

"What you know as the Black Death, yes, it was around at the time, yet it wasn't that widespread. Little hotspots, that's about it. My mother used it as cover in her war with the Pope. That war wasn't won easily," Conner said darkly. His eyes were drawn to Regan's offered wrist. Her pulse throbbing before his eyes tempting him.

"Two times is my max, please, I won't mind, I promise," Regan said, reassuring him it was okay. "What is my wrist not..." Her voice stilled as the pad of Conner's fingertip pressed against her lips.

"Look, see," Conner said beneath his breath, using his blood arts to soothe her stress as his hand lightly caressed Regan's cheek,

"No, sex, but you... you can touch me," Regan said bashfully.

"I shall not impugn your honor too much, my lady," Conner whispered as he leaned in. Feeling her holding back her laughter, pondering on just what he had said that was humorous. Feeling her hands running along his back as her hot rich blood flowed into his mouth. Reminiscing all the other women he has done this to as his hand ran along the curvature of her left breast. The way her body moved beneath his touch told him one thing, she enjoyed the bite of a vampire. Her hand rested over his as he teased her covered mound as he drank down a pint of her blood.

"Wow, do you go around calling everyone 'my lady'," Regan said in a teasing manner as she rested while her body recovered while their food comes. The money she got from doing this kept her alive while her abusive meth addict boyfriend spent the money she earned at her normal job on more meth, sometimes crack when he couldn't find meth.

"When the etiquette warrants it," Conner nodded, flashing Regan a friendly smile. Looking around when the shrine maidens or that's what he took them as from the encounters he had with them in the past, filed along the walkways. Peering oddly at the woman, he's always wondered why they covered their faces above the tip of their noses. Wondering what the woman had beneath the covered food tray.

"Donor 36, your meal as requested, along with a gift on the house along with your compensation." Regan almost fainted on top of her cheesecake the club had gifted her when her eyes fell on the receipt all donors received for every pint they gave. She was not expecting it to be five thousand dollars for being Conner's donor.

"Prince Conner and Lady Harland, please accept this as our token and hope your stay is enjoyable," said a fourth woman after the three had delivered Regan's, Dole's, and Mathew's meals. "It's our very best red," she said in a kind tone, holding out the tray to him.

"So, how is it?" Regan asked, munching on her meatloaf. The donors could order whatever they wanted; they had the chefs that make about everything. To her, this was the only decent meal she got until she could return to the club.

"Not bad," Conner said, smacking his lips, tasting the AB blood within it. Noting how Regan got a simple meal of meatloaf and gravy, mash potatoes, with peas and a roll on the side. While he listened to Dole and Mathew fawning over what he couldn't tell was food or not. "Regan, what may I ask, is that?" he asked, pointing at her cheesecake.

"What, this?" Looking down when her fork pointed at it. "Oh, I guess you wouldn't know what cheesecake looks like," Regan said excitedly.

"What's a cheesecake?"

"Only one of the best desserts on the planet?! Regan said in a stern, serious voice.

"Oh?"

"Mmmhmm," Regan nodded her head in a vehement hum. "Here," cleaning her fork, "you have to try some," she offered, cupping her hand to keep the cheesecake from falling. "The club here has the best cheesecake in the city," Regan stated, noting how he actually enjoyed it. "So, what do I call you, Prince, Lord, your highness?" she asked, rolling her fork in her wrist before going back to her meal. Noting how Mary was quietly talking to Dole and Mathew.

"Conner, in this setting, will be fine; if you were a vampire, it would be the latter."

"So, Conner, how about we help you get acquainted with this era, and you can tell us more about this war that has these gossips here all ears," Regan spoke with a smile on her face as she waved to them. Glad to see him smiling instead of hiding that pain, she saw as he took a sip of his wine.

"Then maybe you can tell me why the floor is humming?" Conner inquired after trying to figure that out since he felt it.

"Oh, you so have to see them," Regan said, setting aside her tray. "They're pretty good; I'm going to steal your betrothed for a bit," she uttered, bouncing to her feet.

"As long as you return him in one piece," Mary said, encouraging him on.

"No promises, come on, let me show you," Regan said, holding out her hand to him.

"Aren't they great!" Regan loudly spoke as Oblivion's Defilers played the intro for their cover of 'Slept so long.' Watching how his body swayed to the hum of the speakers. Seeing how his eyes were adrift on memories of yore. Watching the stage lights firing off as Iyana walked down the stage. Smoke from the stage effects curled around her legs as her tight leather skirt hugged her hips.

"Walking, waiting." Iyana's voice was eerie on the air. Her long-dead eyes stared out onto the group, seeing many faces she knew and one she didn't. "Alone without a care. Hoping, and hating." Her fingers slowly, yet sensuously slid along her microphone; she might not have made it in Hollywood back in the '30s; after seventy years and thrown out as a rebel, she has finally hit it big, or at least that's what she thought. "Things that I can't bear," Iyana sang, her eyes falling on Conner. She knew a noble was in the club, of what House she couldn't say. She played off that she saw Regan standing beside the man. Regan was one of the few donors who offered their blood to a rebel. Sometimes payment wasn't always monetary. "Did you think it's cool to walk right up.

To take my life and fuck it up! Well did you? Well did you?" Her voice trailed off as those pale blue eyes never left her.

"I see Hell in your eyes. Taken in by surprise," Her body swayed to the hypnotic rhythm. "Touching you makes me feel alive. Touching you makes me die inside." The stage lights played along her brown hair that was held in a braided bun as her fingernails trailed down her chest alluringly.

"I told you, you would like it!" Regan said over the music as Iyana sang the chorus. "Here, move like this," she directed, showing him how to dance. She knew full well that vampires were excellent mimickers. "There you go," Regan encouraged with a mirth-filled smile when Conner joined her.

"It's rather... strange, but I think I like it," Conner mused when the song ended, answering Regan's question.

"Score?!" Regan said happily, knowing this would give her a way in to lure him away from those fancy balls. While yes, she was benefiting from it as well, however, her main purpose in showing Conner the lower ring where most low born not in good standing and the few rebels that have been cast out gathered. It was her hope that, seeing that he was the Prince, that maybe he could do something for her friends. Feeling a little embarrassed when Conner looked quizzically at her outburst. That was when she saw how suddenly he went on alert.

"Regan!" Iyana squealed in joy at the sight of her human friend. Knowing if it wasn't for her, there would have been deaths involved.

"Iyana! I love it when you do that song," Regan said, hugging her friend close. "Iyana, I'd like for you to meet my new friend, Prince Conner, Conner this is Iyana."

"Prince? When did we get a Prince?" Iyana whispered to Regan in a joking light. She knew all about the Queen; their blood ties her to the Queen; however weak her blood was, there was a connection. Not even her sire told her about there being a Prince of their people.

"You got turned in the mid-thirties, didn't you?" Regan inquired, looking at Iyana.

"Yes, you know that," Iyana stated, greeting Conner as she eyed him.

"Well, Conner here has been asleep for... how long were you asleep for?" Regan asked, knowing he hadn't spoken of the length he spent in his slumber.

"A hundred years," Conner stated factually.

"But... the longest my master has slept to leap frog through time was twenty years," Iyana said in startlement.

"It wasn't voluntary, I assure you," Conner replied in a dark tone.

Iyana was never a part of the kingdom. Her sire was a rebel which made her a rebel. There were no set boundaries between the two sides. To do so would invite human involvement, something they all took seriously. It was the reason the clubs were made. So that even rebel vampires could feed in safety without exposing their kind to the world of man.

"So, Prince, what do you think of this new world you've stepped into?" Iyana asked in a flirtatious tone as she smirked at him. It wasn't hard for her to sense the man's age. Her sire had taught her how to use her blood arts when he brought her into this life.

"Honestly, I prefer the gas lamps to the ones that line the roadways now. They were much easier on our eyes," Conner said in a friendly manner. Trying not to draw attention to the 'R' she had stamped on her left cheek.

"Hmm, have to agree, they are softer on our eyes. So I take it you have seen your fair share of centuries?" Iyana asked, getting in her question before she had to go back onto the stage.

"I've seen a few," Conner mused, sensing Giovani's blood within her. Noting how she peered back to the stage.

"I have to head back, Regan; you have to come back when you can, and bring your friend, I promise, I won't be performing then. It was nice to meet you, Prince Conner," Iyana said in a graceful bow.

"And you, lady Iyana, please do give my regards to Giovani," Conner stated, taking Iyana aback.

Iyana's tongue grew still as her mind couldn't fathom how her sire and Conner shared a connection. So lost, she had made her way through the crowd back to the stage without realizing it.

"Conner, just who is Giovani?" Regan asked; she had never seen her friend like that before.

"A very wise man I met in the sixteen hundreds," Conner stated with a friendly smile on his lips. "Now come walk with me and tell me about the contraption that had that moving screen of Mary's."

"You mean her Sidekick?" Regan asked, leading him off to a more quieter place to talk.

"Regan, I know I have no right or business asking this of you only meeting each other a little over an hour ago. Yet, I must. Are you alright?" Conner asked in a concerned voice. Watching how Regan leaned back against the circular sofa's center rest and pulled her feet up onto the cushion. Watching how the tips of her strawberry blonde hair teased her thighs when she did so.

"You sure you want to hear about my troubles? When you have your own?" Regan spoke, slyly telling him she could see it.

"Yes, even then," Conner nodded. "I see," he said in an even tone as his jaw muscles clenched when she told him what had been happening in her life.

"But that's all about to change?!" Regan said in determination.

"Oh?"

"Mmmhmm, Mary, she's the kindest vampire I know to us, donors, I mean. Mary took us on when I knew she didn't have to. Maybe she remembers what's it like to be human and not an all-powerful vampire," Regan sighed, pressing her right cheek on her thigh as she peered at him. "So, can I ask, what happened?"

"A story like that isn't fitting for a lady to hear when we're having a lovely evening," Conner stated as shadows of the past played along his face.

"Can't shake that 'lady' part, huh?" Regan teased. "Not that I mind, it's nice to be called that. Still, I'd like to hear it if you want to speak about it." She sat there horrified as he told her how he had been imprisoned for the past hundred years. "She sounded like she was a very special person," she said in a caring tone as she lightly laid a hand on his right forearm. "I do hope wherever they are, they have tasted the sun."

Conner could only smile wickedly at that. He couldn't divulge his plans to her, not with so many ears listening. No. What he was bringing to his mother's doorstep was something she couldn't see coming.

"Mary, would you mind diverting our evening just a tad bit to escort this charming lady home for the evening," Conner said, laying on the charm as he lightly stroked the back of Regan's left hand as he held it in his right.

"You don't have to," Regan stammered, getting very flushed in the face. She's never been so enamored in her entire life.

"But my dear, a gentleman always escorts the lady home," Conner said with the savoir faire of a man who has lived for countless years.

"That sounds wonderful, Conner," Mary said, lightly touching his left arm. So very pleased the two of them got along. While they were away, she used the time to lay out her plan to Mathew and Dole. She had known they were saving for a bigger apartment. With the space she had in her old one, she knew the three of them would have their own space and space for their work and provide a safe haven for Regan while she heals. They were shocked at first; of course, Regan hid what was happening to her quite well. So it wasn't a surprise to her that the two of them didn't know. Once they knew the extent of Regan's troubles, they didn't hesitate to jump in to help her.

"You're absolutely sure?" Regan asked in a mix of stunned and awed. Seeing the two of them nodding when her quivering eyes stared up at them. She has been so scared of walking to Mary's apartment. Not that she hasn't done so before, yet after her boyfriend's last trip, she was scared to be around him. Hence why she was so excited to finally be out from that money pit. There were only a few personal things she wanted from that apartment; if it only meant those were the only things she could get, then she would be happy with that. She could buy new clothes and everything else with the money she had been saving for the day she ran.

"I hope you two gentlemen have a safe trip..."

"Drive," Regan corrected when Conner spoke before departing.

"Home, I look forward to hearing about this 'computer code' you have spoken of. It sounds like a conversation I might find enlightening," Conner spoke in a friendly tone as he held out his hand.

"Sure, I don't mind," Dole said, sharing a shrug with Mathew as he shook Conner's offered hand.

"Now, Regan, tell me, what exactly is a Beanie baby?" Conner's voice trailed after them with Mary on his arm and Regan walking on his other side as they headed towards the exit.

"Now, all you have to do is worry about food; the utilities will always be paid, so you don't have to worry about power or water."

"Wait. You must pay for your own water?!" Conner gasped at the thought. Water was like blood to them. "This must be some fiendish plan of my mother's," he hissed when Mary nodded. Looking confusingly at the two of them when they giggled.

"Man, how weird is it that in only a hundred years, our language changed so much. Can you speak something say from the 11th century?" Regan asked in a pleading gesture. "What was that?!" she gasped, noting how Mary was stunned too.

"Old French, it died out in the 14th century about a decade before the war," Conner offered, noticing how Mary was looking at him to elaborate.

"How about I show you to your new bedroom," Mary said, running her hand down the back of Regan's arm. "I'll only be a moment, Conner," she whispered as she passed him.

"Take all the time you need, Lady Harland," Conner bowed slightly, slyly glancing at the molding of the door, knowing it was wide enough to impart a token of his thanks to her for her wisdom that night.

"Okay, has he been talking like that ever since he's been awake?" Regan asked, checking out the bed as Mary stood there watching her.

"More or less."

"He's cute, though," Regan said, smiling impishly at her friend. "If he keeps calling me a lady," posing in a dignified air, "I might just have to date him, if you strike out that is." Laughing as she dodged the pillow Mary threw at her head. She would always be grateful to Mary. Knowing she would have to flee town soon if Mary hadn't offered this to her. She was trying not to tear up at the joy of not having to leave her friends, human and vampire alike.

"Tomorrow. Do you want me to come with you or...?" Mary asked, sitting down next to her.

"I kind of wanted to do it during the day, so I know if he's tailing me or not, but..."

"Yeah, Mathew and Dole are good guys; just when it comes to this sort of thing, muscles are needed," Mary said to which Regan nodded along. "Wait?!

"What's wrong?" Regan asked worriedly, watching how frantic Mary was digging for her phone.

"Nothing, I just need to check something," Mary muttered, looking up when sun set was for tomorrow. Getting up from the bed, hearing Regan following after as she walked towards the door. "Conner..." Her words left her lips as she stared unblinkingly at the same molding of the door she has peered at for the past eighty years unchanged, until now. "Prince Conner, just what gave you the idea that you could deface my property without my permission?!" Mary snapped, seeing how that genuinely startled him.

"No, you're right, forgive my brashness, Lady Harland. I should have asked before defacing your home. That was unbecoming of me, as the elder here. May I explain myself, Lady Harland?"

Regan has never seen another vampire cross that line like Conner has done since she knew how obsessed they tend to get if there's a scratch on their coffins. However, from the look on Mary's face, she would guess it was a tad more serious than that.

"What could be so impromptus you would carve vampiric script into the molding of my door?" Mary huffed, crossing her arms beneath her 40B breasts.

"I do apologize for my actions, yet due to lady Regan's kindness she showed me tonight, I thought I leave her a token of my gratitude."

"Me?" Regan asked, very confused.

"I'm sure you can clarify what you mean by that, your highness," Mary said, staring Conner down.

"You remember when I told you about blood arts," seeing Mary nod, "well, in the war, our human cohorts would use that," pointing to the door, "to call for help if or when their homes were invaded. So since I can't be here every second, I thought if this was in place, it would offer her a measure of safety. Although it isn't complete, it's missing one ingredient," Conner said, looking right at Regan. "May I have your permission to continue?"

"You may, as your penance to me, you can teach me all about blood arts," Mary stated in a firm nod.

"Of course, Lady Harland. Please, I promise this won't hurt," Conner stated, holding out his hand to Regan.

"Me? But... I'm just me," Regan stammered in unease. Not used to any person dead or alive taking an interest in her that she didn't know well.

"And yet you are in need, and a gentleman never leaves a lady in duress," Conner said with a coy smile.

"Okay," Regan said bashfully as she slipped her hand into his.

"Now, you'll only feel a prick, nothing more than that, I assure you," Conner stated, trying to put her at ease. "Do you know the vampiric word for help?" he asked as he quickly jabbed his figure nail into the tip of Regan's index finger. "Speak it when or if something breaks in, and I will come," Conner stated when she nodded, smearing her bloody fingertip over the script that he had carved into the wood of the molding with his fingernails.

Regan tried not to grow moist as she stared into those pale blue eyes as she felt him sucking on her finger, nor was she going to show him how she trembled when he ran his tongue along the wound. Using his saliva to seal the wound, it acted as a glue until the body could heal it. It was the reason no one has ever found bite marks on victims of vampire attacks that the public mistakes for strange random homicides.

"And all I have to do is speak that word, and poof, you'll just appear?" Regan asked, using her hands to give depth to her words.

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Conner stated with a firm nod.

"Conner, before I got sidetracked, I was going to ask you; how long can you stand sunlight?" Mary asked, taking Regan by surprise.

"Wait, what?!" Regan stammered. "Is that possible?" she asked, looking between the two of them.

"It is if you live to be old enough, then the sun won't be away for the humans to kill you, only decapitation," Conner said, running his finger along his neck to mimic the act. "A few hours before and after the sun rises and sets. Why do you ask?" Looking curiously at Mary when he spoke those words.

"I was wondering if you would be so kind to escort Regan here, back to her old apartment so she can collect her belongings she has left behind. This way, I know she'll be safe if the man is still there when she goes over," Mary stated, resting her left hand on Regan's back.

"I see, then I shall be here at four o'clock on the 'morrow afternoon," Conner said with a bow. He might be in a new era. However, to his mind, it could use some grace, for lack of a better word, at least to him, he thought it did.

"But, won't that like kill you?" Regan asked; she didn't want anyone getting hurt because of her.

"No," Conner replied with a shake of his head. Turning when there came a knock on the door behind him, his eyes following Mary as she walked past him to answer it.

"Ah, Dole, glad that you came, now I won't worry about her being alone for the night," Mary spoke in a warm tone as she opened it further to let him in.

"Yeah, thought I could, you know, keep an eye out while Mathew moves in, then we'll swap," Dole said, a little embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his head as he crossed the threshold.

"Good, a gentleman, should stay with the innocent damsel and see that she's unmolested by fiends in the night," Conner said in a regal tone, causing Regan's face to burn brightly.

"Right, okay," Dole uttered in a trailing off voice, shooting Regan a look as if to say: 'Can you believe this guy?'

"Well, Conner and I should be going," hugging Regan then getting one in from Dole, "you keep her safe, you hear?" Mary whispered into Dole's left ear, feeling him nodding against her shoulder.

"Thank you again, Mary, Conner feel free to drop in whenever," Regan said with a warm smile before she shut the door.

"Dude, how in the world did you get here?!" Mathew exclaimed as Conner stood out in the hallway of Mary's old apartment building.

"I ran really, really fast," Conner replied in a smartass retort.

"But it's broad daylight?!"

"So? You think the sun affects me?" Conner intoned, tilting his head to the side. "Now, are you going to invite me in, or shall I go through this?" he asked, holding up Mathew's wallet. A wicked gleam danced in his eyes as Mathew patted his back pockets.

"How did you do that; you didn't even move?!" Mathew asked, his hands fumbling to catch his wallet that Conner tossed up into the air as he entered the apartment.

"I moved; you just didn't see," Conner stated matter-of-factly. "What... is that?" he asked, mystified at the sight of Mathew's laptop he and Regan had been using to watch some shows on due to there not being a TV in the apartment.

"This, my friend, is the modern age," Mathew said proudly of the computer he had built himself.

"Fascinating," Conner mused as he bent down to examine it. "Why is there a still image of what appears to be a woman of the cartoon variety on this..." Arching an eyebrow when it appeared that his fingertip made a ripple; like it was water, yet not. Conner was highly confused, to say the least.

"Don't, you'll ruin the screen," Mathew said, removing Conner's hand.

"My apologies," Conner said with a slight bow. "So, tell me, young Mathew, what exactly is this contraption?"

"This is my laptop, the computer that I built," Mathew supplied when he heard Regan moving around in her bedroom. "To what we are watching, it's anime, Japanese cartoons."

"Really, you know Japanese?" Conner asked in a curious tone.

"No... but it has English subtitles," Mathew stated, pointing at them.

"I see. May I partake in this... anime as you call it alongside you?" Conner asked in a polite tone.

"Sure, knock yourself out," Mathew said, gesturing to the spot next to him. "Although, you might find it insulting," he warned.

"Oh? How so?" Conner asked, watching how Mathew moved his finger around the touch pad.

"It's Hellsing. It's a show about vampires," Mathew offered.

"I see. Does Man still use us to scare you, humans?"

"No, the age of being scared to sleep by tales of the undead are long over," Mathew mused, leaning back after hitting the play button on his VLC player. Watching Conner's facial expressions as he watched the show. He did get a little worried when Conner got a rather wicked look on his face when it got to the blood part.

"Truly fascinating, and you write the language these..." waving to Mathew's laptop, "use?" Conner asked, peering over at the man.

"Dole and I work as offsite programmers, so we deal with a lot of computer code. Would offer to show you, but my station is still at the other place. It's going to take time breaking it down and moving it across the city," Mathew said, sighing as he rubbed the back of his neck. The only thing he hated about this was the move, especially in New York City.

"You must show me this code, when you're settled in, of course," Conner stated, turning his head towards Regan's bedroom as he heard her near the door itself.

"Sure," Mathew nodded.

"Thank you for the conversation, young Mathew," Conner said, getting to his feet when Regan stepped out of her room. "We must watch more of this... anime of yours."

"Don't you go getting him hooked on that tentacle hentai porn you watch?!" Regan intoned with a pointed look at her friend.

"Hentai? Porn?" Conner looked between the two as he tried to make sense of the words.

"I'll tell you on the way there; you sure you're okay with coming with me?" Regan asked as Conner walked out the front door.

"Of course, I gave you my word; I seldomly go back on it," Conner said, offering her his arm out of habit.

"You know no one does this anymore?" Regan spoke, yet it didn't stop her from looping her arm around his. It did make her feel kind of special, given how her love life has been like.

"Maybe it's time to bring back the old ways. From what I have read and listened to, the world has fallen apart compared to a hundred years ago."

"But wasn't it easier back then to be... well, you?" Regan asked as they stood in front of the elevator after pressing the call button.

"Heavens no, back then man was more closely knitted together. More observant if someone went missing or later found dead. Which, as you can imagine, led to the populous becoming mad with hysteria. It's why we have rules. Rules that protect us from you. I lived through one war with your kind; I'm not all that eager to do so again," Conner said as he and Regan stepped into the cab of the elevator. "Now, tell me, lady Regan, what does 'Dude' mean?" he asked, peering over at her as the doors rolled closed.​