My Little Ventrue Ch. 01

"No sunlight?"

"No." Julias grimaced with the word.

"Oh god... so that's... that's why I can't ever see my family again? My friends?" Jack fell to the couch with his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. He kept looking around, desperate for something to focus his mind on.

"Partially, but also... that pain in your gut. That's the blood lust, Jack."

"Blood. I have to drink blood. Fucking god I'm Dracula."

"Don't say that around the Prince if you want to keep your head... which losing will also kill you, by the way. But beyond that, you're not going to die. Bullet to the head won't even do it."

"Oh, that's actually pretty—wait, Prince?"

"Yes, Prince, a... you'll see. I wanted to turn you because you're my friend... but also because I need an ally, Jack." Julias came over to sit down next to Jack, bloody suit and all. The couch was likely ruined, but Jack figured Julias had enough money to ignore it. Or that the situation made it not worthy of note.

"So we're not just two blood suckers enjoying eternity, are we?" Jack said.

"No. There are others. I figure there's over three hundred Kindred here in Dolareido. And there's a structure to it."

Holy shit. Three hundred other vampires in the city, with their own structure? Were they all like Julias, with mobster painted on their forehead?

"How come I've never heard of this... any of this."

"Rule number one, is to preserve the Masquerade. If you tell people about vampires, the sheriff will leave you out for sunrise. You have to do everything you can to make sure people don't realize what you are. As my new childe, you're my responsibility, and I will help you as much as you need."

"Masquerade. Masquerade, got it. I... think I got it. Rules... so there's more than one rule." Jack turned his head from within his palms to catch Julias in the corner of his eye.

"I know that this all got dumped on you without warning, but it's not all bad." Julias got up and started to take off his jacket. "You're immortal."

"I... I guess."

"I have to shower, then I'll show you the clothes I've prepared for you." He winced. "Then we're going to meet Viktor."

"Viktor?"

"My sire."