Blood-Lines

Part 4

They cleaned up the maps and secured the bullets along with the weapons before Poe sent word that he wanted to see Pandora.

Her mood upon arrival quickly changed from bright and sunny, at least as newly turned vampires could be, to dark and distrustful once she'd met Abby and they proceeded to lay out what they wanted her to know and hope to learn from.

"You both are plum crazy. There is absolutely no way that they would have done this to me ... no way." She seethed.

They waited patiently for her theatrics to pass; Poe calmly smoking his pipe at his desk while Abby leaned back against the gun rack to observe.

Poe had warned her of his past interactions with the newly turned vampire and what they might have to expect. Abby had in turn mused that mortal temperament often carried over long after a supplicant had been turned; yet another reason she'd explained that prospects were studied and prepared properly before that final step was taken.

Pandora had done little to prove either of them wrong.

"Besides, what could the likes of her know about either Leviticus or Natalia ... she's not even dressed proper and seems far more likely to have been part of this than they could possibly have been."

Abby casually pushed off and walked with purpose over to face Pandora. Taller then the younger woman, Abby was imposing without having to do anything but be herself.

"Do you even know anything about Leviticus LaRouchette other than his being your ... whore-master?"

Pandora was fast, but Abby proved faster, grabbing her wrist as the fresh turn moved to slap her.

Abby yanked Pandora's wrist down to her side and moved almost nose to nose with her, eyes flashed yellow-red for emphasis.

"From what the likes of me knows, Leviticus LaRouchette started his life as a Roman General quartered in the highlands of Scotland. He was also personally responsible for many brutal massacres of the locals on behalf of his superiors in Rome."

She watched pointedly as her words sunk in.

"When they could not defeat them, the local tribes banded together in a federation of sorts to make a deal with their devil. Because of such treachery Leviticus himself was turned to commit treason against his own kind which, in turn, led to his release from his master in short order."

Pandora seemed to have lost a bit of her starch but clearly remained dubious.

"Those Picts that he and his men had abused found that the enemy of their enemy was a friend when they were conveniently in need and had little or no choice in the matter."

Abby's words had been soft but hard as steel.

Even Poe was taken aback by what she hadn't shared about LaRouchette and how she'd managed to share it now.

He made plans to follow up with her when this was all over.

"You ... are making ... that ... up ..." Pandora seethed, " ... now ... let me go!"

Abby gave no indication that she planned to do anything that Pandora asked. "The only favor that he did for you was to let his companion turn you. Unlike him and I, she appears to have thought that you might learn something from having been left on your own."

Disgust was clear as she looked down on the fresh turn.

"Clearly there is something of which you were not aware. This Sheriff believes that he can save you from yourself ... if you were to ask me, I'd not be as sure."

Having released her wrist with a quick shove, Abby backed away to lean against the gun rack, her hand casually resting upon the butt of a pistol at her side. "If I were you, I'd work with him, or you will be killed and not one of us will rue your passing."

Pandora silently rubbed her wrist as she tried but failed to stare Abby down. It was clear that she remained uncertain if what she'd heard was true. She ground her jaws as she seemed to come to some sort of conclusion.

"Let's just say ... for the moment that if I were to agree that you were right about any of this and believe you me I'm not saying that you are ... then what's in it for me to help you."

Poe was the only one who smiled at the comment, Pandora having shown her true colors as an opportunist, clearly something that Abby openly detested.

"Has anyone approached you with an offer to carry something west for them?" Poe offered before either woman had a chance to cause any more problems.

Pandora seemed caught in confusion while she tried to figure out a possible plot or an angle that might benefit her most as she looked at him.

"Like what?" she finally asked.

"Like ... anything." Abby replied evenly.

Pandora smiled. "No, they most certainly have not. I told you this is not what you are clearly thinking that it is. And there you have it."

"Not quite." Poe said. "But we will in two days time."

"Why, what happens then?" Pandora asked, her look of confidence having shifted back to one of wary and confusion.

Poe started to reply when Abby raised a hand to silence him as she smiled; a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"That's when you will be leaving us for good." She informed her with feigned amusement.

"Whether you're ready to, or not."