These Streaks of Blood

30

The three vampires just stare at Nelye in silence. Cecille's gaze is filled with hostility and contempt, Olivia's with shock, Galador's with apprehension. Nelye snorts softly. Everyone is so easily affected by her presence, one way or another.  

Finally, Galador speaks. "Nelye... what are you doing here?" 

Nelye strokes her bottom lip with a single finger, knowing that such a small movement will not catch anyone's notice but Galador's. He licks his lip as he watches her, his tongue mimicking the motion of her finger. She feels her mouth curl up at the edges. This man is putty in her hands, whether he is suddenly reunited with his long-lost wife or not.

"I just thought I'd pay my darling a visit," she responds, her voice directed more towards Cecille than Galador. The woman scowls darkly, and Nelye wonders how she has such restraint; she never was one to hold herself back before.

Nelye briefly fears that she has lost her touch, but instantly sets the thought aside; Galador's face is flushing, and he is glancing back and forth between the women once more, looking like a lost puppy.

 "Oh. Well... I'm sort of busy right now, Nelye--"

"Too busy even for me?" Nelye casts a dramatic pout in his direction. He flushes even darker.

Cecille steps forward, blocking Galador, her eyes glaring at Nelye like laserbeams. "Yes, he's too busy for you. He's also too married for you. Get out of here."

Nelye simply raises her eyebrows. "Galador is a big boy, Cecille. He can make his own decisions - and if I am not mistaken, he did make that decision quite a long time ago, when he chose to be with me rather than be faithful to you," she says, and when Cecille begins to interrupt, she speaks over her: "As to that second part, this is the council chamber, and I have just as much right to be here as any other vampire under the code, so you have no right to banish me. Only the Head can do that, and I have a feeling the Head wants to hear what I have to say to him."

She walks forward until she is close to Cecille, but closer to Galador. She leans over the table towards him, knowing that he can't resist her, can't abate his now-flaming curiosity.

Cecille crosses her arms and cocks her hip to the side, irritated. "You know what? I think I have just become rather interested in what you came to tell my husband, Nelye. I'll stay, as well," she states.

Nelye tries to hide her scowl, instead flashing the woman an artificial smile. "Excellent. And since there are four convenient chairs here... Olivia, why don't you come over and take a seat as well?"

Galador and Cecille look surprised; they both clearly forgot about the newborn. Nelye doesn't blame them; Olivia has been hiding against the wall, hoping not to be seen, probably intending to sneak out when the first opportunity to do so presented itself. But Nelye can't allow that - she needs to know what the girl is doing here, and she is well aware that the two of them have some unfinished business.

Galador is clearly suspicious. "And how do you and Olivia know each other, Nelye?" he asks.

Nelye gives him her most charming smile. "You sent me to check on Ryffin, remember? She was his servant at the time. We had some interesting conversations, didn't we, dear?"

Olivia doesn't respond, but her face fills with dread. Nelye almost laughs. Had the girl thought that she had forgotten her? Forgotten that they had made a deal? She would never.

"Sit, sit," demands Nelye, and Olivia eventually does, but it is a reluctant movement. Nelye narrows her eyes. So, Olivia has changed. She doesn't trust her anymore. Understandable, but still curious.