North American Vampire Council & Past Calling (Hypernaturals 12 & 13)

Combat Rules

We have not had to fight in the Hall for a while, but it seemed at the same time as if we do this all the time. There have been three big fights here we were part of. The one in the Bulgarian Hall does not count, as that was an ambush by us for Human Supremacists.

No Siren from here was there to see it, and while Songs of that day have echoed around the world, the reason Larry is getting no support is the three conflicts that happened here. Siren's learned in bodily injury kinds of ways not to fight Vampires.

Jessica and I opened up some space for the two of them shoving tables and chairs out of the way to make an open space.

As we worked Jessica leaned over to me and said in a low but audible voice: "This seems familiar."

"Familiar and also not. We have not done it in a while, and for once, it is not me in the middle. I'm the dungeon master, not the gladiator." I replied.

"Vera is going to have to try hard to not kill Larry. She is pissed off." Jessica noted.

"She should be. I have no idea what the hell was going through his head. She may be a Succubus, but that is not the same thing as being easy and available to anyone." Our conversation is easily audible to Leslie, Larry, and others nearby in the hall. Not even counting Vampire hearing.

"True that. Is it wrong I am going to enjoy this so much?" Jessica asked with an air of innocence, and a glance at Vera.

Vera looks thrilled to be about to do this. She lit up even more hearing this conversation.

"You yell at her for going on a zipline. You put her in a fight." Jessica pointed out the obvious inconsistency.

"You were just as unhappy as I was about the zipline, and you know the difference, my love." I replied as we finished up our work.

"She put herself in danger, trusting she would not drop fifteen meters. Larry is getting nowhere near the baby. Larry, as a Siren, is programmed to not hurt babies." Jessica said.

"Exactly. His strike zones are limited. He'll go for her face. Her arms and legs. No lower than her breasts in front or shoulder blades in back. He hits a breast at his peril. They are tender and he already violated them once. He goes there again, she'll destroy him. Stop this if you are worried, Doctor Love of mine." I offered.

"No. I'm OK with this too." Jessica said.

Morgan helped Larry up from his chair with a happy and helpful tug that about dislocated his shoulder. Morgan kept her even expression, but I saw the glee. Her longtime friend (she was the first to accept Vera) is about to take apart someone she does not like at all. One has to work really hard to be someone Morgan does not like, but Larry is the perfect example of a man she has no use for. Larry might grow up someday.

Assuming Vera does not kill him before that.

Jessica made a show of opening up her bag and sorting through its medical contents, pulling out things like a sling and elastic bandages.

Jessica announced loudly, "Vera, honey: I can't really do a full arm cast with this bag." She wiggled a plastic thing. "I just have this splint. I should have brought the big bag. A better assortment of Siren repair gear in that one. Could you be a love and just dislocate things?"

There is not actually a bigger bag. All part of the charade. My family...

"Sure." Vera said, with a long pull to empty the beer bottle. She made a show of studying Larry from head to toe.

Jessica pulled out a syringe with a long needle in a plastic sheath and made a show of examining it. She waved it "Still sterile" she announced. "Good to go!"

A cardiac needle, but I doubt Larry knows that. His eyes had white all the way around. If Jessica has to restart his heart because Vera gives him a Vampire powered chest thump, he'll be glad she has that. She may not be full female Vamp powered, but she could hit him that hard if she wanted to.

That would give away not being a Siren anymore though, so I assume she won't.

Morgan pushed the resisting Larry out into the opening between the tables. "I can't fight a pregnant girl. Not even just a girl! It just isn't done!" He more or less whined. Not exactly whining as there was also righteous indignation mixed in.

Larry is not wrong. A male Siren fighting a female Siren by Siren rules isn't a thing that happens, as far as I know, in the Siren landscape. Why I asked Vera to wait, so we could set this precedent. Women are to be conquered. Seduced. Not fought in traditional eye-for-an-eye combat.

As long as I have been coming here, I have seen that the female Sirens run things via less overt means. They let male Sirens think they rule the roost when they don't. Male Sirens are like Male Lions. The females do all the work; the males laze about in the sun and go take a catch from a female when they are hungry. The ladies tolerate them. They don't have to. The 'boys will be boys' thing they have going here is like male Vampire probation to me. A tradition from a bygone era. It needs to die.

Also: I am tired of ladies I like, such as Leslie and Kitty having to put up with this bullshit. We gave them jobs at our bar in part to get them out of this one and all the boorish behavior here.

"Larry: You know Vera lives with me. Right?" I asked in an offhanded manner.

"Yes." Larry said, peevishly. A Siren woman that lives with Vampires is a cultural sore point. Ninovan really gets up their noses: Siren women tired of Siren culture in hiding and happy in their alternative world.

How to know Larry is a dumb-ass: If you are going to grope a Siren girl, one that lives with Vampires?

"I remind you what I said when we drank a beer in here to Vera's promotion: Vera has been learning to fight from the same woman that trained me. Jessica."

Larry looked at Vera slightly unsure what to say to that. Vera moved into the opening we had created and stood there relaxed. Smiling.

I asked the room, "I have twenty on Vera. Anyone want a piece of that action?"

I never gamble, but this is to make a point.

When many did want some of that action, I asked Leslie to hold the money.

"Got it, Vampire honey bunny." Leslie said.

"Vera: we are about to make a lot of money off you." I said.

"As long as I get to hurt Larry." Vera replied, sounding a little bored.

"Yes: You do indeed. Ready to get hurt, Larry?" I asked.

"No! This ain't right." Larry persisted. He still thought he could hurt her. If this were Leslie, and Jessica trained her, Larry would have no chance. Vampire and trained by Jessica?

"Larry. I am about to say 'go'. When I do, Vera will have permission to tear you to pieces. You may want to get ready. If you don't.. Well, it will be a brief fight either way. Shorter if you just stand there. Your choice."

"You... Fuck." Larry saw me raise my hand like I am about to start a car race. He set himself into a boxing stance. I am not sure why. Perhaps he thought he could hit her in the face?

I dropped my hand and said, "Go!".