Crime and Punishment

Part 9

"This is great!" You say in excitement, gazing at the vampire chained to a chair, a black bag over his head to make sure he can't see. "I can't believe he's still alive, now I can try the potion out!"

You were of course worried when Cerulli called and told you to leave Vinny at your house with Claudette, but to come to the compound. It made you a little nervous boldly so walking up the driveway and feeling all those beady eyes on you. No one bothered you, just held the manor doors open for you to go inside, but they all look so distrusting.

"I thought you would appreciate his living status," Cerulli replies, looking bored as he checks the time on his watch. "Your charm worked as well, although the blast halfway destroyed my office."

"Oh." Did you make it that strong? Your eyes go to the arm he holds out, seeing the dried out threads curling around his wrist. You probably put a little too much powder in it, but at least you know it did well! "It worked though, didn't it? Although I'm not sure how the vampire managed to use any magic around you. Did he try to throw some pixie dust or something?"

The king rolls his eyes; at some point he's sure his eyes are going to get stuck at the tilt point. "He tried to scratch me, which I assume means he was going to curse me."

"And so the charm protected you against the curse, which is harmful magic." That makes sense. You reach over thoughtlessly, tapping the bracelet with your finger. The threads immediately crumble, turning into dust before they hit the stone floor. "Here," you tug on the one you wear, which has black and silver threads braided together in a much neater way, you weren't in such a hurry with this one. "I can make another one easily, but since you're the target of choice right now."

He plucks it from your palm, inspecting the colors before slipping it back on his wrist. 

He's not going to argue, he appreciated the fact it saved his life. He's not going to tell you that of course, not that he would have been infected if it hadn't been for your magic. He doesn't want it to go to your head, plus it would make him look weak, having to rely on you to stay safe.

"So... does someone want to explain what your intentions are here?"

You look over, suddenly noticing the vampire standing a few feet away looking like he's ready to chomp through stone. He looks a little bedraggled, black curls falling around his face, some of them quite limp. He's covered in the same dust that Cerulli is, so you wonder if he was there during the blast. Did it knock him off his feet? You hope it was that good. 

Cerulli glances over. "You don't have to remain here, Devin, you can leave."

"Leave while you have my boy in a mess like this? Someone is sending assassins after you and he's right in the middle of it!" The other vampire fusses, and what a high and mighty tone he has! Your brows rise in surprise as Cerulli lets the retort go without even an ill look. 

His boy?

"Are you Vinny's maker or something?" You ask curiously, seeing Cerulli's chagrined look as the other vampire suddenly looks you over head to toe, as if weighing if he should bother answering you. You look like you crawled out of a fashion disaster, your dirty jeans tucked into scuffed up boots, a sweater that has seen better days --- or maybe those holes are premade, anything goes these days. 

"I fathered him, yes." Sola finally replies, his arms crossed as he doesn't bother to look at you anymore. "You're the witch who's getting him in danger."

Wow, what a bitchass.

"Well, I'm the witch who's trying to keep him from being a zombie, yes." You reply, and turn away. "Cerulli, where are we going to put this guy? He can't stay here." You say, gesturing at the vampire chained to the chair, deciding it's going to be in this "Devin's" best interest to ignore him.