A New Vampire's Night Out (Part 3)

JP with Lily and Cindy

Once Quinn left, Lilly spoke up. "Is there anything else you want to know? There are more vampires you could meet if you're up to it."

"I would not mind meeting some other vampires," She said.

Lílly began to look around and then said, "I'll be right back, then."

She thought the Ventrue should meet Jackson because everyone knew him but that might be easier to do if they moved to the bar. So, that could wait.

Instead, Lilly came back with two vampires both with dark hair. An attractive woman and a rather large man.

Lilly introduced everyone, "Angelica and Guiseppi Giovanni this is Aurora, Childe of Mr. Williams."

"It's nice to meet you," Angelica said.

Guiseppi just said hello and stood there with his arms crossed.

Angelica sighed, "Guiseppi, please. You'd intimidate a tiger. Go watch us from over there." Pointing to a different table.

Guiseppi didn't look happy about this, "Mario said, I protect."

Angelica rolled her eyes, "Yes, I know but we're at Gomarrah. It's fine, you can protect me from a distance."

Giorgio came over and saved the day by saying he needed Guiseppi's help with something that wasn't important but he made it sound important.

The two men wandered away.

Angelica turned to Aurora, "Sorry, about my cousin, Guiseppi, he's really just doing his job and can be very sweet. It just gets annoying having a bodyguard with me all the time."

Aurora stayed silent until Guiseppi walked away. "I'm usually supposed to have a bodyguard to those I kinda left without telling them where I was going," She said with a slightly mischievous grin.

Angelica smiled. "That sounds like fun. I don't really have that option but sometimes I wish I did."

The Giovanni didn't know if she should explain anything about that. Instead she changed the subject.

"So, Lilly said you're new. Any questions you'd like me to answer?"

" What clan are you from?" She asked.

"The Giovanni's," Angelica had a bit of pride in her voice when she said the name. "Giorgio, Guiseppi and I are all part of the same clan."

Aurora looked at her curiously. "Umm can you tell me more about your clan?" She asked.

Where to start on that? Angelica thought for a moment.

"We are the only clan that are all part of the same mortal family. We are also one of the newer clans, we've been around for a few centuries but still considered new by most." Angelica responded .

Astra nodded wondering how that worked but not willing to ask. " That's interesting. I'll bet having family makes it easier to get used to being a vampire." She smiled and thought.

" So, what do you like to do other than hang out here?" She asked.

"It can but also makes our clan notoriously smaller than the others."

Angelica just spoke honestly, it wasn't as if that was a secret anyway.

"I am second to my Primogen and Sire, Mario. I deal with most of the business contacts and a portion of the running of the various businesses we have." Angelica paused, "As for fun. I mostly come here. I don't have the freedom to go many places."

Angelica's fun was really her work but she doubted that's what Aurora wanted to hear

"I see that must be hard unless you enjoy your work" she said.

"I loved my work too, it was everything to me" She said.

"Yeah, I can't live with nothing to do I spent an upwards of 18 hours a day on the ice practicing. I will actually go insane. I understand Alexander is Busy but still I..I anything even if its just being a shadow is better then nothing," Aurora said.

"That's hard but if it helps, we've all been new. It's never easy." Angelica said. "Maybe you can convince Mr. Williams to buy you an ice skating rink."

" Yes, what was it like for you?" She asked with a smile.

"I wasn't allowed to go anywhere or do anything for several months but, unlike most embraces, I did have family around me. I was taught about my abilities, any weaknesses, my clan and vampire society."

Angelica made it sound like a cage but not unpleasant. She left out what Mario did to his new progenies. She had learned to obey him and became blood bonded but that wasn't to share.

"That sounds frustrating, I'm glad it was only a few months," She said.

"It is better than some Sire's. You know some Sire's embrace then leave their Childe to fend for themselves. The Childe can become sort of wild sometimes when that happens.'

Angelica commented and while she knew about it, of course, it was difficult to imagine how ones like that got on.

" Seriously who would do that?" She said wide-eyed.

"I don't know but it sounds awful. Fortunately, it's not that common. I hear it happens sometimes with the Brujah but other times it's just random it seems."

Angelica responded.

Lilly knew about Quinn's Sire but wasn't going to mention it.

"So, anything else you want to know about the Giovanni?"

Angelica rarely got asked about her clan.

"I would love to hear anything you would like to tell me about your clan," She said. She could not think of anything specific at the moment.

Angelica grinned slightly, "Perhaps you'd like to know our special gift?"

Lílly's face almost fell but she hide her actual reaction instead spoke to Angelica, "Are you sure? I mean some don't excately have the best reaction to it."

"She's going to find out sooner or later." Angelica said.

"What is it?" she asked excitedly.

"We are the ones that can walk among the dead." Angelica shook her head, "Sounds creepy, huh? We have Necromancy as a displine. Giorgio can speak to the dead that haven't crossed over. I can cross into the shadow realms. And Guiseppi can raise the dead but he's not that adept at it.'

" You mean like make Zombies. That's a thing?" She said her eyes going wide.

"Sort of. They don't eat brains or anything like that, but those with a high enough skill can raise armys of them. Guiseppi can make the bodies move, and get some parts to raise but he's not skilled enough, yet to raise a person." Angelica paused. "Still, it's kind of interesting to witness it."

"That a relief and you can actually travel to the land of the dead?" Aurora asked.

"Yes, I have to go into a trance and sometimes I run into - let's say - less than pleasant spirits but it's usually not so bad."

It was a difficult thing to explain to others, and Angelica didn't know how it would be taken to say sometimes the spirits wants to keep her there.

" That sounds terrifying, I have no clue what my vampire powers are." She said thoughtfully.

"You probably have the same powers as your sire, they would just be not very powerful right now." Lílly commented. "You'll likely be tested at some point."

"You can learn others but its difficult." Angelica interjected."You need find a vampire with that ability willing to not only teach you but let you bite them."

" What? You can? Wow." Was all Aurora managed it was clear her mind was blown. She took a few deep breaths.

" I never needed Vampire powers in the past I currently don't need them now. I can still captive an advanced in a way one else can without vampire powers." She said with a grin. Showing clear confidence in her skating ability. Though she had spent a lifetime perfecting it and the confidence was well earned. Anyone who had seen her skate would know that.

Angelica and Lilly both shook their heads at the girl. She didn't get it. Newly minted vampires came in many forms. Some embraced their gifts as if they were born to them, some took longer. It was clear Aurora was of the longer crew and that meant her road to acceptance was going to be harder.

Lilly made a very Toredor statement. "You might have been able to captivate an audience before but there is nothing you could do as a mortal that you can't do better as a vampire using your powers."

"It's not just that but look around. The vampires in here are just a fraction of the ones in New Orleans. Which is a fraction of the ones in this state. And the ones in this state are just a speck compared to the number of vampires all over the world. All of them have powers Not all of them are friendly. Powers aren't just for show, they are how we survive." Angelica's voice had turned a bit more serious but then she lightened up again. "Next time you get to go on the ice try one move that no one has been able to accomplish before. Try skating faster than what is normal. See how it feels. Those are abilities afforded to almost all vampires so it won't take much to do them."

"I know not all vampires are friendly. Something has been going on something that has Alexander. I'm not sure what though. Every time Leon has come to speak to him I get sent away I do know he does a lot of investigation-type work. " She said in a bar diaper.

"As for skating, Alex did take me recently for a few hours. I can go for as long as I want without getting tired, winded, or my heart racing, I took a few really nasty falls that would gave typically left buses but they didn't. It was strange" She said.

Lilly and Angelica both knew the "something" was probably the Butcher business but neither of them was going to be the one to mention that.

"Yes, that's some perks we have." Lilly stated, "We don't become winded because we don't breathe and our hearts don't beat, normally. Even with those with the ability to do such things; it's not for survival, just show. We rarely get injured. Even if we do the wounds, for the most part, heal quickly provided your aren't hunger."

" Why don't our hearts beat? Also, I still breathe, that never stopped " she said in clear confusion written on her face.

Angelica tried to figure out how to answer the question. "Our hearts don't usually beat because we aren't alive there is no need for it. If your heartbeats and you can breath, it's because you have a added gift. It's not surprising as you also have a glow of life about you. As I understand it, as long as you have some food in you you can make your heartbeat. It would be my guess yours is still beating because you expect it to, like muscle memory. You can stop it from doing so, as well."

" What? I'm Dead! You're dead! " Absolute panic crossed her face. So that bit of vampire fiction was true. She took a few deep breaths trying to calm down.

" I can stop me...why on Earth would I do that. Are you crazy," she said confused.

Lilly and Angelica were both surprised by Aurora's reaction. It was like nothing had been explained to her and the two older vampires were starting to wonder about the Prince's ability at being a Sire.

"We're undead. Dead refers to spirits and the like. It might not seem like a big deal but it, kind of, is. No one said you had to stop your heartbeating but you can. Some don't like the feel of the heartbeat. It likely will stop beating occasionally on its own anyway." Angelica paused. You'll get used to all these things in time."

"Undead so that part of the fiction is real. I just that knight I barely remember it. Alexander has been so busy not having much in the way of vampire lessons. I have the information on this but reading only gets me so far," She said shaking her head and showing them her tablet

That explaination made sense. Lilly thought for a moment.

"Well, then you might need a tudor. Someone to teach you. Reading about being a vampire isn't going to work and you are significantly less knowledgeable about the subject than you should be even for being new." Lilly commented. "I would suggest greatly you bring that idea up with Mr. Williams."

"I believe we are the only two of our clan in the area at the moment, I think Lia was exposed to teach me as well but she is usually busy right along with him," She said quietly more as her thinking out loud then actually talking to someone.

"At one point he wanted me to shadow..." She started then stopped midsentence knowing that Lilly had issues with the Nosferatu clan. " Again that primigrin is normally busy at the moment to. I suppose bringing the issue up to him is not a bad idea." She said.

Lílly got distracted for a moment, and said, "Oh, there is someone over there I need to speak with before they leave. I will return shortly."

The Toredor got up from the table, apparently, whatever it was was important, at least to Lilly.

Angelica watched her go and then turned back to Aurora.

"It doesn't have to be a Ventrue. What you need is someone who is old enough to be knowledgeable in being a vampire, knows all about the different clans and despite any clan to clan issues can remain impartial in their teachings. I can really only think of two that might qualify. Leon and Colette. Leon doesn't have the time. I know Colette is away right now but maybe after she gets back. The things that only a Ventrue can teach you, Mr. Williams should but Lia isn't a Ventrue so certainly anything she was going to teach you, about being a vampire Colette could."

Aurora blinked, feeling a bit anxious as Lilly left. She smiled at Angelica. "I see that's a good thing. I should probably bring it up to him. Though you should probably know I have only been a vampire for about two days," She said.

Angelica smiled, "Most of us were taught some of the things you don't know by day two. And it's understandable the Prince might not have a lot of time to teach you the way many Sire's would."

Aurora nodded. "I was supposed to shadow the prince today but after a visit from Leon, he left me at the hotel, with no explanation," Aurora shrugged.

"That might happen a lot when Leon shows up." Angelica commented. "There are just things you can't know about."

The Giovanni's cell vibrated. "Excuse me a moment. It's a text from Mario."

Reading the text her face fell, the Butcher business was bad but that bad? Her eyes scanned the room watching others get texts as well. Some went back about their business, others seemed upset at the news. Then there were the ones who rolled their eyes. Angelica looked at the young Ventrue. Nope, telling her isn't on me.

Aurora looked around. " Ummm... Is there something going on?" She asked. Noting the change in people's demeanor and the fact that there seemed to be some kind of mass text sent out.

Before Angelica could respond, Giorgio and Guiseppi came back over.

Angelica sighed. "I know Mario wants me home."

She didn't want to leave Aurora by herself, fortunately, Lilly came back just in time.

"It was nice meeting you, Aurora." Angelica smiled.

Giorgio said goodbye but it was rushed and not in his usual flourish.

Guiseppi just waved.

The three left the club.

Lílly have Aurora a soft look, "I think Mr. Williams meeting is probably over."

"Good-bye it was nice to meet you too," she said

She turned to look at Lilly, "It probably is.I should probably call him. Do you know what is going on?" She asked.

"I do but it might be better if Mr. Williams explains it to you."

How does one broach the subject of werewolves with someone still coming to terms with being a vampire? It wasn't a question Lilly had a good answer for.

Aurora nodded retrieving her phone. " I'll give him a call really quickly," She said and dialed Alexander's number.