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

After the 'Battle'

I touched Vera's elbow before she went to help serve drinks. She looked up; I nodded at Larry. The show not over yet. Vera ack'ed my nod with one of her own. We went and stood over Larry's prone and pained looking form.

"Larry. This is MY woman. That will never change. I don't catch and release the way Siren men usually do. If I claim, I am saying mine. Not mine for a little while. You touch her again, she'll do that again, and not wait for Jessica to get here to fix you up. Got me?" Asshole, possessive me... I hate this persona. Oddly, slightly easier given her pregnancy. I still have some ancient programming.

Larry nodded from his prone position.

"I won't either." Vera assured him. "Touch me again. Try it. Next time I take you apart right then and there. Leslie will be dialing emergency services before I am even done. No limits on the damage: it will just depend on how angry I am. You leave in an ambulance. Good thing a lot of Sirens are ambulance drivers. Good response time. if you really piss me off? You are going to be a soprano for the rest of your days. Siren's to not grow back their balls, you know."

Larry believed that too.

I sighed dramatically. "Oh, well: It's not like we could win another bet pitting you against him and we all get free drinks, anyway."

Morgan tossed an ice bag to Jessica. "You have the gloved hands. I'm not touching that."

The underpants went up to act as a sling for the bag of ice, and then the pants went up loosely. No zipper. Belt used to tie them closed above the injury.

Jessica and I carried Larry to his favorite chair, set him down.

He winced. Sitting is going to hurt for a while.

Leslie handed him a beer. "Here, Larry. Ya need this."

Larry was both grateful for the beer and irritated at Leslie's glee about his situation. I waved Vera to sit with me opposite Larry. That did not make him happy either, having to look face-on at the woman that just made it look like he was never in the fight.

He wasn't ever in the fight.

Vera never used speed. Never used strength. She used the moves Jessica taught her. Sure, Vampire reaction time is much faster, so Vera knew exactly where not to be. That is nothing that showed to the crowd. Just made Vera look graceful and Larry look inept.

She is graceful. She knows how to deal with her current center of gravity.

"Larry: I made Vera the Liaison. That is a position of respect, and you disrespected her. If she had killed you and then called me, I would have supported her, and there would be NO consequences up the line. Feel free to call the Assembly and tell them what happened here today. You will find you have no support from them. The difference between you and me, Larry? I'm Council, and I know who is on the Assembly. You don't. We played, as we always do when we are here, by Siren rules, and if you think about it, the rules never specified gender. You all assumed that a lady Siren would never do what just happened. There will be no rule changes after this either, just because Siren's never thought about it. You following me so far?"

Larry nodded mutely.

"You are going to respect Vera, not only because she is claimed, as per the rules, but because of her position. Liaison. That or do I need to talk to the Assembly about replacing you as Head of this Hall? Technically, that is not gender-specific either. Only assumed." I asked.

I changed the tone of my voice on that question to take out the threat, but to insert command confidence. My version of Jessica's Doctor's voice. Morgan's Cop voice. Denise has one that I have tagged as her 'Crew Lead' voice, but I think it predates that. I think her voice of authority goes back to when she ran her three houses of pleasure and came from Denise telling the customers what the rules of the house are. Disrespect her staff at your peril. Her first kill was a guy that broke the rules.

The irony is I despise the concept of positional respect. Just because someone is a preacher does not mean they are not a child molester. However, most people think that someone's position is important, and I am not above using that to my advantage.

Larry shook 'no'.

"Larry: Verbal response that, please? Do I need to get a new Siren counterpart in this Hall for Vera? She stays. You do not have to." I asked, firmly.

"No." Larry said. He sounded a little better than I would have expected.

"The humans shake and makeup after a conflict, Larry. Your right hand is still good. Shake on that with Vera, in front of witnesses, and that is the last I ever bring this up." I required.

Larry stuck out his hand, and Vera took it, and they gave it one up/down.

"Then it is done unless you fuck up." I pronounced in my CouncilCritter voice. Still needs work. Not my natural style at all.

I stood up and looked around the room. Many are enjoying their beverages, especially the ones that had not taken the bet, and are getting free drinks.

I raised my voice to the room. "Folks: Most of you know me. I am here tonight as Councilman in charge of the Siren relationship for the North American Vampire Council."

When I had the attention of the room, I place a hand on the still sitting Vera's shoulder. "Vera Sagan is the Liaison between our people, and she and Larry have shaken on the end of the conflict. It is over and done. There will be no further repercussions, either against Vera OR Larry. Both have the support and backing of my people, and as I am also the Council Secretary of the Cleanup Crew, I can enforce their agreement."

The expression on the Siren faces registered their comprehension of Crew. My team's abilities are well understood. Another useful claim in this room: Crew is Denise and Anne's. Here, in this circumstance, it is mine.

"Vera is mine, but Larry is also now under my protection and that of my teams. Enjoy your drinks, but keep this in mind. I will NOT tolerate you treating anyone who is mine with anything less than your full respect. Thank you for your attention in this matter and enjoy your drinks. Leslie: Open bar all night. Send me the tab after that cash runs out. Take away keys from anyone that is over-served. No one gives you shit about that. Vera can club anyone that does."

Leslie nodded, said: "Done, boss!" then she said to the room. "Just so you all know, I'm his too. I just haven't told him yet. Hands off. Come up to the bar and Vera and I will take care of you."

I did NOT look at Jessica or Morgan at that unexpected and undiscussed declaration. I am willing to extend my protection to Leslie. She works for Morgan and me at Holly's, so even the 'Boss' part is technically accurate. It is also not as if we won't offer her a chance to turn, a century or so from now when she is older.

She and I are not going to be a thing anytime soon.

I walked over to where Jessica and Morgan are standing having their beer. I said "Go ahead. Get it out of your system" in undervoice.

"Horndog." Jessica said

"Just what you need. Another woman." Morgan added.

"Done?" I asked.

"For now. Dad." Morgan said, her tone promising further harassment later.

Angel came over to us. "This Leslie thing better not interfere with my time with you." in a whisper. Not undervoice, but the room is loud and happy with all the free drinks flowing. No one heard it but us.

"There is no Leslie thing. One Siren in my life is enough." I said very resolutely.

I went over to Vera, kissed her good night, said "See you at home" then I went back to Jessica, Morgan, and Angel standing in a cluster.

"Let's go home. Drunk Sirens are not my thing." I said, and we left. Vera glared at us, making our escape and soon to be one of the few sober people in the room.

Hey: She's Siren Liaison. This is her gig. Not mine.