The Dark Gift

[Callie]

Blaise

"Shall we go then?" Vladimir asked with a slight smile. Him and his episodes.
"I'm ready," I said simply.
The girl was staring at me like she was trying to fit the pieces of a puzzle together. "I'll get her," I told Vladimir as we walked for the door.
He arched an eyebrow and opened his mouth to say something, but then shut it and instead pressed his lips to my forehead, dropping the girl's arm. I gestured for her to follow me, and she did - cautiously. "Come along, sweetheart," I said kindly. "And don't try to run - it'll make things hurt a lot more than they really need to," I told her softly, as if I were speaking to a child.

Vlad

I lagged behind Blaise and the girl, shaking my head at myself. I should've known this would happen. After we'd gotten closer once I'd changed her, Blaise had admitted she hated me for changing her. Mostly because she'd been pregnant. It was going to be a girl, and she wanted that baby more than anything. Even more than she'd wanted the father, apparently. According to her, he'd left after she told him he was pregnant. She hardly seemed fazed even as she told me the story.
It seemed like Blaise had gotten it into her head that this girl was the closest thing to a daughter she had. Ugh. What was going to happen when I had to kill little miss Romanov?

Abel

I nodded slowly. "As you wish, Your Majesty." I half expected him to freak out on me again, but instead he smirked.
"Thank you, jester," he said sarcastically, holding his hand out for a fist-bump. I met his fist in the middle, and Blade nodded. Well, I got an apology and a... well, that could be called making up, for the two of us... what more did I want?

[alex]

Ivan

"You know we need her," I told Ivan quietly. "Blaise knows it, too. She has a smart strategy." I shrugged, realizing how out of characer I sounded. "I think we all want the plan to run as smoothly as possible and threatening doesn't seem to work."

Truda

I smiled, walking back in to my room. It must be nice to have a family, despite how dysfuntional your relationship was with them. Someone who was like you, in blood.

[Callie]

Vlad

"She thinks the girl's her daughter," I muttered, though I didn't expect him to understand.

Blade

I paused. "I'm gonna go talk to Truda," I said, feeling different. Like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders or something. It felt good to know that Abel didn't blame me for our parents' deaths. Huh. Well, I hadn't expected that one.
I knocked on Truda's door, even though it was open. "Can I come in?"

[alex]

Ivan

I paused for a second, not knowing exactly what to say. She thought of the girl as her daughter?
"Will you have killed the girl by the end of all this?"

Truda

I turned around and smiled at him. "Of course."

[Callie]

Vlad

"Yes," I said bluntly, nodding. I couldn't keep her alive. If we wanted power, we had to get her ties to the Romanovs established, and then have her give me the power to make decisions for her, at which point I'd make Ivan the dictator of Germany. So the girl had to be dead, otherwise she'd just be a nuisance, a loose end.

Blade

I walked in and sat down on the edge of her bed, searching for something to say. "I'm sorry about... all of that. I'm an ass to my little brother, as you might've noticed."

[alex]

Ivan

I nodded. "Then she'll be dead long before Blaise will realize what you're planning. Until then, act like nothing," I told him seriously, wondering why I wasn't feeling super excited to be apart in something so big. I blinked, deciding that it was just the exhaustion from not having a drink in a while.

Truda

I bit my lip, sitting down on the bed next to him. "I don't believe in people changing," I told him bluntly. "I just think you're not the ass you're portraying to be."

[Callie]

Blade

I looked at her curiously. "What do you mean, changing? Have I changed?" I glanced down at myself and shook my head. "Nope. I'm still wearing the clothes I was before." I smirked a bit at her, since we both knew that wasn't what she meant.

Vlad

And then I'd have to kill Blaise so she wouldn't kill me. Oh God, this was a mess... I just nodded like I thought it would work, though. "Thanks," I said. "You know, Ivan, I don't think I'll mind having you around," I said with a laugh.

[alex]

Truda

I laughed and nudged him playfully. "Idiot." I rolled my eyes. "But I suppose we did find a good place to stay, after all."

Ivan

"I don't think I'll mind being around, either," I said before adding, "You go along, I just need a minute."

[Callie]

Blade

"You know you love me." I grinned at her, then let it fade into a regular smile. "Yeah. I guess we did. We probably would've gotten a more pleasant welcome if I'd told the truth a long time ago, though."

Vlad

I shrugged and walked ahead. "Okay," I said as I caught up with Blaise. I just needed to calm down. Let her think she could control whether I killed the girl or not and be on my best behavior. I couldn't afford to lose Blaise's trust right now.

[alex]

Truda

"If you're gonna live forever, learn to put things behind you," I told him with a sigh. "You did good today."

Ivan

As soon as he left I reached down under the couch and grabbed the blood bag. My fangs were burning terribly now and I wasted no time. I felt the plastic bursting from the sharpness of my teeth. The taste of finally quenching my thirst sent goosebumps down my spine.

[Callie]

Blade

I stood up and pretended to pick up a broom and brush something away behind me. "Okay, it's behind me," I told her seriously. "And thanks."

[alex]

Ivan

I took one last look in the mirror, wiping off the blood around my mouth, before walking out to where Vlad, Blaise and the girl were.

Truda

I leaned back on my bed. "Okay, Mr. Funny man, what's your plan for keeping us from killing ourselves out of boredom since we have to stay low-key for a while?"

[Callie]

Blaise

"Thought we lost you," Vladimir said with a smirk. I had to hold back one of my own, since I knew exactly what he was doing. "Did you forget something?"
"Sweetheart, we should really get a move-on," I told him.
"Right." With that, Vladimir headed off in front of me to call the elevator up to our floor. The girl was still looking at me, bewildered.

Blade

I shrugged. "No idea." I thought for a few moments. "A neverending game of Scrabble? ... Never mind, that might make us kill ourselves quicker. How long is a while, again?" I asked her.

[alex]

Truda

"Until we figure out how to get on their good side," I told him. "Or disappear from their radar."

Ivan

I was just about to tell him some bullshit excuse, but Blaise distracted him. I shot her a thankful glance.
"Let's do this," I said as I stepped in to the elevator.

[Callie]

Blade

I let out a groan and flopped down on the bed next to her. "This is going to take forever."

Vlad

"Couldn't've said it better myself," I remarked as Blaise stepped in with the girl and the doors shut behind us. The elevator slowly went down, and I noticed Blaise had her eyes closed again.
"I hate elevators," she muttered.

[alex]

Truda

"Thank God we're not getting any older," I said and snickered.

Ivan

"It's not like it'd kill you," I reminded her, smiling slightly. I didn't really think vampires were scared of anything. But maybe that was just me.

[Callie]

Blade

"Who's the funny one now?" I asked with a laugh, poking her in the arm.

Blaise

"I know. But they're all... small and confined and... creepy." I scowled, then shot a look at Vladimir when I noticed him laughing as quietly as he possibly could.
"Sorry, dear," he said, still laughing while he held his hands up innocently.

[alex]

Truda

"Ow," I said automatically before laughing out loud. "What am I doing, that didn't even hurt."

Ivan

I held back a grin as we finally hit the bottom floor and the elevator doors opened. "Freedom, Blaise!"

[Callie]

Blade

I couldn't help but laugh, too. I rolled over to face her, then raised my eyebrows. "Your hair smells good," I told her, grinning.

Blaise

"Woo!" I exclaimed, running out of the elevator. Then I walked calmly back to them with a straight face. "Our chauffeur should be waiting outside," I informed them, gently taking hold of the girl's arm. "If he's not, I'm paying him too much."

[alex]

Truda

I raised an eyebrow myself, smelling my own hair. "It's gross, I need to wash it," I replied. "But thanks."

Ivan

I nodded, following her outside. I looked around me curiously, finally seeing Russia for real. The people were walking around, filled with stuff from their own lives; not knowing what we were going to do.

[Callie]

Blade

"You so don't need to wash it," I told her solemnly. "It's not gross."

Blaise

The driver opened the door for us to reveal...
"Hanley," Vladimir said, obviously annoyed. "What are you doing in Blaise's limo?"
He grinned and climbed out, kissing my hand quickly. "You look gorgeous, as usual, Blaise. Vlad, you look... well, the same as usual." Hanley pretended to shudder, then raised an eyebrow at Ivan. "And who are you? And who is this?" By now, he was eyeing the girl. He shot Vladimir a wink. "Just kidding, I'm not as stupid as you think I am. Anyway! I'm here for the ride. And to keep all of you company. Especially the new girl," he remarked, tilting her chin up with a single finger.
I watched in amazement as she jerked away and slapped him across the face. It was the first time I'd seen her actually do anything. Hanley seemed to look quite stunned, too. But then he laughed. "She's got spunk! I like her!"
I shook my head at him and got into the limo with Vlad, who only got in after ushering the girl into the very back. We were sitting right behind the driver. And Hanley, apparently, because he'd claimed shotgun.

[alex]

Truda

"All right then," I said and looked at him with a grin. "This whole fight has made you as harmless as a kitten," I teased.

Ivan

Wow, this new guy talked... a lot. I could barely get a word in, not even to tell him my name. That's why I couldn't help but smirk as the girl slapped him across the face. I was the last to get in the car and somehow I ended up getting the spot next to the girl.

[Callie]

SPOILER: Click to show

Name: Hanley Dashkov
Age: 1593 (turned at 19)
Race: Vampire
Personality: [Later.]
Bio: [Later.]
Picture:
Other: None.

Blade

"Oh, but I am a kitten. You might just have to pet me and everything." Then I quirked an eyebrow. "... And I swear I didn't mean that to sound as wrong as it does now that I look back on it."

Vlad

"Why are you here other than to keep us company, Hanley?" I asked him seriously.
He laughed. "I've got business with the higher-ups, too, old buddy."

[alex]

Truda

I laughed. "Oh yeah, I'm sure," I said sarcastically as I grinned and playfully pushed him in the chest. Then again, I may have pushed a little too hard as Blade suddenly was on the floor. "Umm... oops?"

Ivan

"And who are you, exactly?" I asked, looking at him seriously. I wasn't so sure I liked this guy, he was too cheerful.

[Callie]

Blade

"Oww!" I exclaimed from the floor. I laid there for a moment before I decided I shouldn't be the only one laying on the ground, so I sat up, grabbed Truda by the arm, and pulled her off the bed. Thankfully, I cushioned her landing.

Hanley

"Hanley Dashkov, at your service," I said with a grin. It was a good thing I'd used to be an actor. Those skills seemed to come in handy a lot lately.

[alex]

OOC: BAM. New secret character that I have a few different ideas about

SPOILER: Click to show

Name: Xavier Paradis
Age: (turned at 17)
Race: Vampire
Personality: [Later]
Bio: [Later]
Picture:
Other: -

Truda

I shrieked as I fell, down right to his lap. "Well played," I said with a grin. If I could blush, I probably would have by now.

Ivan

"Yes," I said with a nod as I continued, "But what makes you so important?" I realized how I sounded, but I didn't care.

[Callie]

OOC: O: Alex has been plotting without me!

Blade

"Ah... that wasn't supposed to happen." I smiled slightly. "Not that I'm not happy with the results, but, y'know..."

Hanley

I shrugged. "Nothing, really. I'm not. I just have some private matters to attend to."

[alex]

OOC: Mohahahha!

Truda

"I'm sure you are, " I said and rolled my eyes, getting up and grabbing his hand and pulled him up, too.

Ivan

"All right," I said, dropping the subject. I just found it all so weird, that he just showed up.

[Callie]

Blade

I chuckled as I let her pull me up. "Ouch, rejected," I said, like it was no big deal. Never mind I'd actually been being serious. Ah well.

[alex]

Truda

"I never said that," I told with as I walked toward the door. "I'm starving, though."

Ivan

I looked out the window as we rushed past the city.
"We don't have food for you, so for your sake I hope you don't get hungry," I said and then looked at the girl.