bitten_notshy | De Ulloa-Priest Residence, London, Thursday Afternoon

Jack looked tired and pale as he shepherded the others into the living room to share the results of their investigations. He didn't have much fresh information of his own, and it wore at him.

"There was no magic there, but we couldn't rule a vampire out from the room alone," he said, crisply as he could manage. "We followed David for a bit -- Sebastien, don't pull that face, of course we were careful -- but there's nothing. His hotel is fine. He went to a club. No one else was watching him, and he doesn't seem to have a court of his own. Pray tell me the rest of you have something worth knowing."

<

Emma Grace Frost	"According to our experts, it's very unlikely a vampire killed those boys," Emma answered him crisply. "Too much blood and sadism, not enough sampling the buffet." WHAT? It was the cliff notes version. "They were, however, all in rather compromising positions just prior - and during - their demise."
Kate Gregson	Kate winced and made a face, because in this company she didn't feel like she had to suppress either reaction. "Well, my investigation turned up the name of this rich guy, Michael Penfold?" she said, still wrinkling her nose a bit. "Apparently, he was a client of both of the dead guys, and he likes to... play rough."
Karla, Queen of Glacia	Interesting. That was a suspect who wasn't David. "Sounds at least slightly promising. Any idea about possible motive?" There was playing rough and then there was straight up murder. But someone who already had the inclination and then was pushed over the line...?
Kate	Kate shook her head, lips twisting a bit. "None that our friend Mr. Abernathy provided me with," she said. "So... I'm just gonna go with him being a psycho?" Hey, that was better than nothing.
Karla	"Well, it matches up with what we saw of the room," Karla admitted wryly.
Jack	"Does it matter?" Jack asked. "He might hate himself. He might hate rentboys. He might have some grudge against someone he's trying to frame. He might think he's God, or a wampyr, or something else entirely. Either way, we need to talk to him to find out."
Kate	"Yeah, but how?" Kate wondered. "It sounded like he's some rich brat, I don't think we'll be able to just waltz up to him or anything."
Sebastien de Ulloa	Sebastien gave her a speculative look. "Miss Chouchou might make an introduction," he suggested. "I'll ask her. Did you think she'd be amenable?" He'd owe the courtesan a favor, but such things kept the world turning.
Kate	Kate gave an uneasy little shrug. "I don't know, she didn't exactly seem too keen to get involved, at least not too publicly." And Kate really couldn't blame her. "But, I guess it could be worth a shot."

Jack	During a break in the discussion, Jack wandered into the front hall and, finding a morning newspaper on the porch, took it to the group. Actually, to Sebastien, who promptly unfolded it and read even as Jack spoke. "And matters improve," Jack said. "You're famous." The front page article melodramatically recounted the murders and hinted that a known vampire had been seen in the neighborhood. It was illustrated with fuzzy portraits of the victims and what seemed to be an attempt at a sketch of Sebastien. "It doesn't look anything like me," Sebastien said accurately, grateful at least for that much. Grateful no camera could capture him. "You should all go home and I'll move on."
Mitchell	"It doesn't really look like anything," Mitchell said, peering on over. "Who drew this? Honestly. Look at the--" Sure, let's stay on the topic, why don't we? "--Sorry. I'm starting to get very concerned I've been spending too much time with my housemate."
Karla	"Bullshit," Karla said, with her usual amount of tact and delicacy. "I didn't spend all yesterday experiencing the emotions of a murder victim so we could cut and run at a bit of bad art and sensationalism." She glanced at the picture of 'Sebastien' and rolled her eyes. Really? Did they have a four year old on staff? "If we all run now, it just means the killer can keep killing, because we're probably the most competent detectives on the case."
Jack	Jack wavered for a moment, then -- "She's right," he said so softly it was clearly meant for Sebastien. "Right now we have resources and time and the picture barely looks human, let alone like you. We should at least try this time." Unlike all of the times when Sebastien had gotten discouraged or sad or annoyed or too close to discovery and they'd moved on, he meant. Unlike when he'd come to Fandom to start with.
Emma	"Besides, This? Makes it personal," Emma added, tapping the paper. "I am not letting a bunch of incompetent fools use the easiest - and wrong - answer while people keep dying, especially not when we can end this quickly. This isn't just my pride being stung, you went and made this our responsibility when we joined the investigation." "I say bring in your David." Emma, that smile is not reassuring anyone. "Karla and I will have the truth from him whether he chooses to cooperate or no."
Karla	"Emma, stop hoping he doesn't cooperate," Karla said, biting back a smile. "You should at least meet him before you decide he's fun to torment."
Emma	"I haven't found anyone yet who wasn't fun to poke at," Emma pointed out cheerfully. "At the very least, we can give him a 'hint,'" by which she meant 'telepathic command,' thank you. "-to stop skulking around."
Kate	Kate rolled her eyes. A hint, sure, Emma. "Yeah, I don't see a reason to run, either," she said, eyeing the tabloid. "And since I'm the least powered person here, I think that's saying something."

Epaphras "David" Bull	David made his way from a cab to the door of the townhouse under an umbrella and in some haste, and he leaned as far as he could manage into the protected shade of the house. For a moment he stared at Sebastien wordlessly across the open threshold. "I have answered your summons in good faith," the younger wampyr said breathlessly, "so can you please allow me to enter? I can't imagine you've changed your mind about protecting me, so there must be some manner in which I can assist you."
Sebastien	"We can talk in the shed, if you'd like," Sebastien said, folding his arms. He knew the young ladies would have to talk to Epaphras -- David -- soon, but he still didn't relish giving his creation a license to enter his home.
Jack	Jack shot an irritated look at both of them. "No, no, come in and talk," he said quickly, and followed it with a muttered, "Better to get this over with." He was running out of patience with what seemed to him like court games
David	David was through the door before Sebastien could protest, and bowed to the assembled group impeccably before speaking to Sebastien again. "Your need must be great," he said. "Forgive me if I enjoy the reversal of power a little overmuch."
Sebastien	Sebastien shut the door behind him just a bit harder than he needed to. "Must you be a prat?"
David	David looked up. "No," he said. "I don't suppose I must. Very well, Sebastien, how may I be of assistance to you? And if I do owe you fealty, as the summons would seem to suggest, does that mean you owe me in return the protection I asked of you before?"
Jack	"I would like to know what you're running from, but I suppose that particular story can wait," Sebastien said. "You know young men are being murdered. My fear is that you're involved -- either as the perpetrator, or as a possible target. Some of my guests could clear you, if you'd be willing."
David	David lit a cigarette without asking permission. "I suppose," he said. "I'm nothing to do with it, though, no matter what my former profession was." Current profession, but Sebastien didn't offer the correction. "As for what I'm fleeing ... let us say the family of the young man I've been seeing were less than enamored of their son's choice of lover. Threats were made. And I missed you." From his smirk, Sebastien knew that was less than the whole truth.
Emma	"You are so utterly full of shit that it isn't even funny," Emma drawled from her seat on one of the couches, not even looking up from her paper. "Really, darling, at least try to make this a little harder for us. This is barely even sporting, and not at all entertaining. I'm quite disappointed."
David	David raised an eyebrow, but addressed his next statement entirely to Sebastien. "I see you've given up even pretending to teach your pets some manners. It has been a long time, hasn't it?"
Karla	"Refer to us as pets again, and it won't matter that you're innocent," Karla said, her tone conversational. "Behave yourself, puppy. You're insulting your sire."
Emma	"Now now...I think someone has deep-seated problems with women and authority," Emma murmured to Karla and Kate, sotto voce. "Careful, ladies; if we look at him funny he might get stuck by lightning."
Kate	"Don't mock the vampire, Emma," Kate admonished with a drawl from her spot on the couch. "It's tacky." She glanced at David, unimpressed. "But then so is insulting people you know nothing about." Not that she thought there was much to know about her, specifically. But Emma and Karla? Poor guy.
Emma	"I wasn't mocking!" She was wounded, Kate! Wounded! Such unfounded accusations, it was enough to drive a girl to pouting. "I was just seeing if he had the -- what is the phrase, Karla? - 'sass and balls?' to be worth this fuss." "Sadly, he seems to be lacking in both. He didn't even put art or effort into lying just now. It's dull." The entire time she had been speaking, Emma was weaving a complicated telepathic snare; each of her little barbs anchoring smoothly into David's subconscious to create handy little back doors in case he declined to be cleared, or decided to bolt.
Karla	"Balls and sass," Karla corrected, a slight blue shimmer in the air behind David where she was weaving a few protections of her own. "But maybe we just surprised him. You could let him try again and see if he's any better at it this time?"
Jack	Jack's muscles tensed even as he leaned back against the wall. The pose looked casual; it also put him in position to grab whoever threw the first blow. He'd put money on Emma, at this rate, especially given that David was feebly attempting to hold on to his sneer. "The truth shall set you free," he quoted. "Explain why you're here -- honestly this time -- and things will be much calmer."
David	David glanced to Sebastien for some support, but found none. Sebastien was enjoying the show, and was confident enough in the girls to fear his own input would only muddle things. "I told Sebastien the truth, my first night in the city," he said, with some painful dignity. "I missed him. I wanted to start over. He called it a lie then, too."
Emma	"He is still not telling us the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," Emma sighed. "Oh, you want a new start, that much I believe, but you're leaving a great deal out."
Karla	Karla had told Jack that vampirism was a subtle thing to detect in psychic scents and that was true. But emotions--those were volatile and rose to the surface much more easily. This time when Karla spoke, her voice was gentle. "It would be easier, wouldn't it? For him to take you back, I mean. If you needed him. Or seemed to."
Sebastien	Sebastien didn't read psychic scents, but he knew his creation. Pity cracked his heart and he spoke at last. He'd given David a few extra centuries. He'd also helped to forge the rage, the lies, the jealousy and sorrow. "Beloved," he said, emotion bringing the old nickname to his lips. "I'm sorry."
David	"I know you are," David said, after a long, silent stare that made them the only two people in the room. "And I did lie. Not about missing you, but -- the rest of it."
Sebastien	"It's your nature," Sebastien said. "Is there any danger from a former lover or his family?"
David	David shook his head briefly. "He's real, and his parents certainly didn't like me," he said. "But there's almost no chance anyone would follow me. And" -- and here he glanced to Karla and Emma at last -- "I had nothing to do with those young men's deaths. I didn't do it, and I don't know who did." He took another, shaken drag on his cigarette, clearly trying to recover his composure. "Do you need any further truths?"
Emma	"Give the boy a cookie," Emma sighed, leaning back and closing her eyes. Vampire brains just felt weird and the multitasking of digging into his subconscious to find all the tell-tale gossip had worn her out. "He's so heartfelt and sincere, I feel a migraine coming on." "He's not our murderer." She cracked one eye at Karla. "I want to be Good Cop next time. Bad Cop is no fun if I'm not allowed to actually traumatize them."
Karla	"We'll draw straw next time," Karla promised, before looking back at David again. "You say had nothing to do with their deaths and we believe you. But do you know anything that could be helpful in our search?"
Sebastien	"Or about Michael Penfold?" Sebastien slipped in. "He's a person of some interest."
David	David shook his head. "I've met him, but little more. Chouchou shooed me away. You think that he...?"
Sebastien	"He's someone we should arrange an interview with," Sebastien said. "No more. Would you help us get to him?"
John Mitchell	Mitchell had been off dealing with something over the phone-- what, he wasn't going to fill anyone in about-- but he'd snuck back in a minute ago, listening. He shot David a wary look. "I take it he's not in the phone book."
David	"My impression is that if you want to talk to his assistant or his housekeeper he is," David said, letting himself feel important for a moment. "It would take in introduction to actually talk to him in the flesh. Chouchou could help more than I could, but I will do what I can."