8311/Vampy's first feeding

Vampy's first feeding
Date of Scene:	19 October 2021
Location:	Medbay
Synopsis:	Lydia feeds off a human for the first time, and Mystique is the volunteer. Azazel pops in for a surprise visit, and once he's left, Lydia, Mystique and Clarice go off to get a drink. (This is a long one, folks!)
Cast of Characters:	Lydia Dietrich, Clarice Ferguson, Raven Darkholme, Azazel

---

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
It's time. Lydia was feeling hungry and she needed to feed. She put it off for as long as she reasonably could until her body went from 'kinda peckish' to 'you probably should feed now before I make you want to eat people'. So she gathered Mystique, Clarice, and Doctor Hathaway into a private room in the Medbay. Mystique because she insisted on being the first, and Clarice and Hathaway just in case something goes wrong. Lydia doesn't feel like it would but you never know.

Mystique gets a kiss when she arrives, Clarice a hug. Hathaway gets a nod and a smile and a, "I hope we won't need you today." She takes a step back and stands awkwardly, nervously waiting as people get settled.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice returns the hug readily, giving Lydia a reassuring smile when the pair pull apart. "It's going to be fine," she says encouragingly. She thinks so. Or at the very least... she very much hopes so.
    She'd feel a little better if the elder vampire were there to supervise as well - but she wasn't going to argue the point and cause strife. Hathaway was here - and she hooks up a little monitoring equipment, it would show if Mystique were under any sort of distress. Right?
    That's the logic she'll be sticking to, anyways.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Based on what Lydia had explained to Mystique, the cobalt mutant was expecting the need to come up pretty damn soon. It wasn't something she pestered Lydia about, because it was still a little nag at the back of her mind about it all being her fault, when she knew it wasn't... self abuse, she was an expert at it.

Heading to the medbay, she offered Lydia a kiss, and Clarice got a hug. Hathaway for a nod, which the woman was used to.

"I don't suspect it will be an issue," Hathaway offers, already charging herself up to become enough of a sedative to knock out a rampaging elephant. Her hope was it would work, but it was untested, and if it didn't work, she had her baton ready to beat the snot out of Lydia if needed.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Neither do I," Lydia says. "If my experience with Hatshepsut was any indication of what to expect this should go pretty smoothly." Of course she's still a bundle of nerves. Being hungry like this has made her senses super aware of the heartbeats around her. Usually those little lub dubs are a quiet background murmur but now they've come front and center. She's also sharply aware of the scents of prey- no, her friends around her, and damn if she couldn't actually /see/ the arteries pulsing with life.

She anxiously steps up to Mystique. This is her first time feeding. This is probably what she should have felt during the first time she had sex, but that had come so naturally to her that she never bothered to get nervous about it. This, too, should come naturally.

"Neck or wrist?" she asks. When she speaks the others in the room can tell that her fangs have extended from their sheathes in anticipation.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice returns Mystique's hug as well - her hand lingering on the woman's arm a moment, before she'll step away, to give both Lydia and Mystique their space. She wears a calm, neutral expression to hide her own anxiety over what was about to take place - something that she was neither entirely comfortable witnessing, nor was she willing to avoid it, when she could be an important safety net. She lapses into silence for the moment as she lets Mystique and Lydia work out the finer details, her arms hanging loosely at her side.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique wasn't nervous at all. Perhaps she should be, but she didn't think she needed to be... she trusted her lover. There were so many other things going on in her head that there just plain wasn't time to be worried about Lydia feeding on her. For the most part she had locked it all back up, it had to be locked down so she could function and do her work.

"Which would you prefer?" She asks, offering up her wrist and turning her head to offer the neck as well. "It's all the same to me really, its important you feel comfortable with the location."

Hathaway steps in a little closer, a bit like a vulture hovering really. "Neck is likely your best choice for a first time, blood flow is much stronger and more even there. Wrists are effected by temperature, could be a slow bleed." Doctor advice... to a vampire... this was her life now.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice can't help but interject with a quiet word of caution. "Might not a slower bleed be safer for a first feed? I mean- well. Not like I have any expertise on vampires, or medicine, but..."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia nods to Doctor Hathaway. "I was thinking neck as well." She looks over the Clarice and says, "I think I'd rather have a steady flow. A slow feed could draw it out and if it... if it's painful, then we don't want to draw it out." With that she nods and says, "Okay. Here we go."

She steps up to Mystique, and gives her a quick peck on the lips and whispers, "Thank you. I'm glad that my first time was with you." She then embraces her lover and turns her attention to her neck, the butterflies in her stomach going wild. Whether that's through sheer nervousness or hunger it's hard to tell.

She wonders for a moment how and where to bite, when her instincts kick in. Her vision sharpens, and she swears she can see the veins and arteries running along Mystique's neck. There. That's the one she should use. Without hesitation she leans forward and quickly, but gently, sinks her fangs into Mystique's flesh.

She, of course, has tasted blood before she was Embraced. The coppery tang pales in comparison to what she's tasting now. It's not any one of the five basic tastes that humans have. It's a sixth, and it's /delicious/.

But, oh, the rush that comes when she finally swallows a mouthful of it. It's a kind of pleasure that defies description. It's not sexual, but sensual. It's a dizzying high. It's a kind of peace and /connection/ with her partner unlike one that she's ever had. It's /amazing/ and she can easily see why so many vampires overfeed.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique expected pain, even if just a little, and that's what she got... a little. There may have been more but hell if she noticed because the pleasure that hit her damn near knocked her off her feet. Just as she was about to wrap her arms around Lydia, offer something back, she lost all will to do anything more than stand there like a ragdoll and sink deeper and deeper into this new, unique, wonderful sensation.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    The fangs were unavoidably apparent now - and for a moment, Clarice couldn't help the flicker of discomfort and anxiety that crosses her features. It was still strange and wrong to see her gentle sister this way - but she quickly reins that in, and simply offers a nods in response to Lydia's words. "Of course," she answers. What could she do? The decision had been made.
    Subtly, she shifts her right hand behind her back as Lydia and Mystique embrace, and one of her javelins appears in her hand, hidden from sight. She keeps it there as she watches - her anxiety only increasing as she watches Mystique go so uncharacteristically passive under Lydia's influence. If it could do this to //her,// then...

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia catches and supports Mystique, to make sure that she doesn't swoon and fall over. It's all part of the process. She feeds for what seems forever, but in reality only lasts a minute or two, until her body tells her that she's taken enough. She doesn't /want/ to stop, though. She wants this to go on forever, to take just a little extra.

This is enough to shake her out of her blood haze and she disengages, feeling an amount of loss when the high starts to fade. Instinctually, she licks at the wounds, both to coax them to close and to clean up any leftover blood.

If she were mortal, she'd be panting by now, but instead she just leans her forehead against that of Mystiques. She waits for her lover to regain her senses and she looks into her eyes with concern. "Are you okay?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
There is no question that was worth it. Mystique would swear by that to anyone, but not with her lover. The very moment Lydia draws away, the cobalt mutant's head starts to clear and she able to stand on her own two feet without assistance, but she accepts it still.

"I'm... I'm fine," she breaths, followed quickly by. "Holy shit that's amazing..." she looks over at Clarice. "Seriously. It's like being pricked by a needle and then... no words describe. It's like floating in clouds and sinking through them into waves if pleasure, even that doesn't do it justice."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    When Clarice's eyes weren't locked onto Lydia, they were shifting towards Doctor Hathaway, watching her reactions for any signs of alarm or concern. When the pair finally part, the javelin simply vanishes, leaving Clarice's empty hand to fall back down to her side once more. She forces a smile and nod for Mystique - before she abruptly closes the distance to wrap both Lydia and her boss into an abrupt hug.
    She didn't like how anxious and uncomfortable what she'd just witnessed had made her - and she'd rather that Lydia and Mystique didn't notice at all. She thought it rather unlikely that Mystique would overlook it, though.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Hathaway just watched from her perch of way too close to the two. She hadn't expected Mystique to basically melt like an ice cube in the desert, but Lydia handled it and handled the whole situation perfectly. No issues at all, just like she expected. No, she doesn't know a lot about vampires, but she trusts that Lydia has been getting Vampire education 101 at least.

Azazel has posed:
    Suddenly, there is a *BAMF* sound and the scent of brimstone wafts through the medbay. The usual suspect in these situations is blue, but upon anyone looking over, suddenly there is a rather, well, devilishly handsome person standing where empty air was a moment ago. Red skin, black hair and a Van Dyke, as well as a finely tailored black suit with red tie probably bring a rather unsettling image to mind. At least he doesn't have horns, but the barb tipped tail may make up for that.

    Looking around he spots Mystique and a slight grin appears on his lips, followed by a simple, "Raven, there you are. It's been a little while, hasn't it?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia nods, still looking lovingly in Mystique's eyes. "If only I could feed from you every day." Her cheeks are actually flushed with color and she gives her lover a kiss. "Really," she says turning to Clarice. "There /are/ no words for it."

The sudden hug from Clarice catches her by surprise, but it's not an unwanted one. She worms an arm out to embrace her as well. "I know you were anxious about the whole affair," she tells her. "I'm glad everything went smoothly."

Azazel's sudden appearance causes an immediate reaction. She breaks away from the group hug and turns towards the intruder with a startled hiss, fangs still out. She quickly manages to regain some decorum, and she puts her fangs away, and straightens out her blouse with an apologetic cough.

Her eyes dart between Mystique and the newcomer as he announces his familiarity with her lover. "Hi," she says. "We haven't met. I'm Lydia, and you are....?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    As much as Clarice would like to linger in that hug, and try to hide her reaction to everything that just transpired - she's not given that opportunity. There's a bamf, and a smell of brimstone, and she has to wonder how Kurt managed to get up to the Asteroid and why he would dare to blind-port into the Medbay. The voice, however, lacks any hint of Kurt's german lilt, and so she turns abruptly, frowning at the red skinned man - and surprisingly, fighting a momentary urge to interpose herself between him and Mystique.
    She forces herself to do the opposite, taking a small step away from Mystique so she can get to the man more easily if she wished, while her gaze flicks between him, and her boss, leaping to what seems to her to be the obvious conclusion.
    Huh. Unexpected...

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique had just finished her recovering from the sensation when *bamph* the only mutant man she ever truly loved just pops right back into her life. She knew that smell, the brimstone and ash as well as she knew him. Her instinct isn't like Lydia's however, just the scent alone and she knew who it was.

Turning her amber eyes from Lydia to Azazel, she crosses the room and slaps the man hard enough the sound echoes through the small room, and then she hugs him. "You son of a bitch," she greets with the hug, then steps back to just look at him... not one damn thing had changed.

"You know you deserved that, and you know why," she then states, keeping any real emotion to herself. "Lydia, Clarice... allow me to introduce Azazel," she indicates the red skinned man. "Azazel, this is Clarice and my girlfriend, Lydia."

Azazel has posed:
    Unmoved by the slap, he returns the hug while shaking his head, "Now dear, whatever did I do to deserve that? And after I saved our boy from that well you dropped him into, too. But then, you always have been a little complex."

    He looks over to the other two women and inclines his head politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you." One manicured brow does twitch upwards when Lydia is introduced as Raven's girlfriend, but otherwise there is no overt reaction to the introduction. A brilliant smile reveals that Lydia is not the only person in the room with fangs, though hers may be a bit more impressive.

    "Raven, you always have kept the most interesting company. I see you're keeping up that tradition. I lost track of you for some time, you have been a busy one lately, haven't you?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia's eyes go wide. Of all the things that she thought was going to happen today, the arrival of Mystique's ex-lover and father to Kurt was not one of them. She can't help but feel a pang of jealousy, and a bit of possessiveness as she steps closer to Mystique. *Mine* a little inner voice tells her. She shakes her head as if to clear it. Where did that come from?

Instead she stuffs her feelings down to unpack later. "The pleasure is all mine," she says politely enough, though the shifting of the fat black flakes of ectoplasm belies her agitation. "What brings you by the Asteroid?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    There's a snort from Clarice at the slap and- well, honestly? The situation serves to the break the tension she'd been feeling. If she's lucky, this will be all Mystique and Lydia really remember about this - aside from the feeding itself. As she's introduced, however, she offers a nod of greeting to the man. "A pleasure," she agrees with Lydia. "And we do try to keep busy. Life's more interesting that way."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
First it's like a punch in the gut, then it's the confirmation Mystique has been seeking for twenty-six years. One step and she hugs Azazel again, far more tightly then she had the first time.

"Thank you for saving him," she whispers, still trying to keep the rest of the emotions from flooding out. Now was not the time, she would deal with those later.

Breaking the hug she steps back again, just staring at him before she goes to slap him again with a, "Why didn't you save me!" This time however, he wasn't there to slap.

Bamph, Bamph....

Azazel has posed:
    The teleport this time took him just a few inches to the side, just enough to make her miss. Holding up one finger, he waggles it at her saying "You only get one of those, my dear. I only had enough time to get him and bring him somewhere safe before I got dragged back. There were very good reasons for what I did, as always. Besides, I was fairly certain you could manage, so I used my time to get him away from the mob."

    With a tilt of his head, he glances over to the other two, "I do apologize for the intrusion ladies, but it seemed like a good time to look in on Raven." He shrugs a bit, continuing "I've been elsewhere for some time now, but I think I've fixed that problem." He chuckles and looks back to Raven, "It still amazes me how weak these humans are. They give up so much for something as simple as wealth or power, as if their soul doesn't actually mean anything." He shrugs, "All the better for me, I suppose. Do you know, I convinced a few to summon me with no restrictions?" The smile turns a bit wicked and he finishes, "Which of course means I get to stay here now. This is going to be fun, I barely know where to start."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia just /stares/ at Azazel. "You're a /devil/?" She flails at the man, "I mean /obviously/ but Raven said you were a mutant." She turns back to Mystique for a kind of explanation.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Define 'here'?" Clarice asks bluntly - unsure if the man merely meant 'this plain of existance' or, well... //Here.// On the Asteroid. The later has potential to be disruptively dramatic, as if their lives didn't have enough of that already. She flashes Lydia a brief look at her question, then looks curiously to Raven, and their unexpected visitor. Mythology and legend really is another blindspot for Clarice - she knows so little about it, and can offer little to no commentary on it.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Now that Mystique was done being completely shocked, taken off guard, and getting in a good slap for the past, she steps back over and slips her arm around Lydia's waist. Did she want to pounce Azazel and hug him some more, yes she did, but she's not an animal and she's with Lydia.

Sighing a little, she eyes the red mutant then looks to between Lydia and Clarice. "He's a mutant and a little devlish at the same time," she explains. "At least that is the impression I've been given, it's really hard to explain without giving details that aren't mine to give... so I stick to the basics, he's a mutant."

Now she looks back to him, "So that's what happened then, you got trapped. I have to admit, I wondered why you just disappeared. Assumed something happened, but I didn't think it was that."

Azazel has posed:
    His smile widens a bit at Lydia's reaction and he winks at her, saying "The lines were a little blurry a few thousand years ago. People were more worried about what you could do, not so much what you were." He waves his hand as if wafting the question aside. "Honestly, I'm not even sure where I fit in if you start getting all scientific about it. I was born on this world, yet I can collect souls and was banished to another dimension, so take it how you might."

    He looks back to Mystique, "I do hope you don't mind my popping in now and then. I'll try not to make a nuisance of myself, but I found myself missing you quite a bit in the past twenty or so years. Still, there's too much to see out there to stay in one place too long."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
That inner beast in Lydia that's been wanting to take Mystique and hide her behind her back, snarling, 'Mine!' is mollified when Mystique winds an arm around her. She suppresses another urge to just kiss her lover in front of her ex, but that would petty, she rationalizes. She can't wait for her emotions to calm down to where she wouldn't have to fight these feelings so much.

"Hunh," Lydia says at Azazel's explanation. "I suppose if I can be a mutant and a witch *and* a vampire, you can be a mutant and a devil," she reasons. She also can't help but feel a little relief when the man mentions that he doesn't have intentions to stay. Just to pop in from time to time. She can handle that.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice feels much the same when the man answers her question, as she offers a nod in response. It doesn't seem like they could stop the man - even if they wanted to. "Thousands of years?" she repeats. He makes Mister Creed and Mystique look like pups, then. "Well. This is meant to be a haven for all mutant, so... We have a cafeteria, a bar, a beautiful garden... You should try the apple fritters. They're always a particular favorite."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
A part of Mystique is sad to hear it is a passing visit, but he never was one to stick around for long, it was the nature of what he was.

"You're welcome to come by any time Azazel," she offers, grinning as Clarice catches what he said. "Perhaps not right into the room I'm in next time, that might cause troubles if I happen to be in a meeting with Erik, or having sex with Lydia." She glances to Lydia as she says that, then leans over and kisses her cheek. Sometimes, body language is all that's needed to realize your girlfriend was having an internal freak out.

"But Clarice is right, the Asteroid is a haven for all mutants, so if you need a place to escape to, or just relax for a night, you're welcome here. Wouldn't mind a chance to catch up with you some time, when you can manage."

Azazel has posed:
    "Well, I suppose that could be a touch awkward, yes. But since all I had to work with was wanting to see you, I didn't really have another option this time. I'll take a little tour of the place before I leave so I can find a better place to pop in to." He smiles as she kisses Lydia's cheek, "And as I think I was interrupting something, I will let you get back to it." He pauses a second, then snaps his fingers. "One sec, I know what will make this easier."

    *BAMF*

    *BAMF*

    He blinks out for merely a second or two, but returns holding a cel phone. "I suppose I should get used to carrying these things." He taps the screen, bringing up his number and shows it to Mystique. "There, now we can keep in touch more easily."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia grins, and would blush if she could, at the thought of this man walking in on them during one of their lovemaking sessions. "I *ahem* yes. It was good to meet you, Azazel," she says politely. "Clarice is right. The apple fritters /are/ good. We also have a waffle bar if that's to your preference."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    There's a several thousand year old mutant devil with a cellphone in the Medbay. Amusement quirks at the corners of Clarice's lips - before she finally can't help but laugh. Whatever tension she'd been feeling about their purpose for coming here, or the appearance of Mystique's ex-lover - it's completely vanished by now. "Our lives are ridiculous. I think I want a drink." And a nice long nap afterwards.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique looks at the screen, instantly memorizes the number and offers Azazel a nod. "I'll call you soon, and you're phone will be left at home until you get used to carrying it. Honestly, it should be in your pocket at all times." She offers him a soft smile, eyes searching over his body one last time, even as she pulls Lydia a little closer. "You'll get used to it."

Tearing eyes off Azazel, she looks to Clarice, "Our lives are, yes, I'm so glad you figured that out. My former lover is a devil, my current girlfriend is a vampire, and thus far all of my children hate me.... I could use a drink, and as we know Lydia just had hers," this makes her wiggle her brows at Lydia and grins even broader. "So, let's go get drunk."

Azazel has posed:
    He nods and shrugs, "I don't quite understand the way people seem to need the things glued to their hands, but I'll at least keep it in a pocket. For me, of course, the nice thing is that if I do forget it, it's only a second or so away from me."

    He bows slightly to Clarice and Lydia, "It was a pleasure meeting you. Perhaps I'll take you up on those apple fritters at some point, but for the moment it's time for me to get a few things done. All of you, have a good night." He blows a kiss to Mystique, then with a *BAMF* he's gone, leaving just a hint of brimstone in the air.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    As Azazel prepares to leave, Clarice responds instead to Mystique without any actual thought. "I don-" As soon as her brain catches up with her mouth, she stops mid-word, a stunned look on her features that utterly distracts her from the man's departure. She abruptly levels at finger at Mystique and Lydia adding, "Don't start," before turns to start striding from the room. "I'm getting that drink."
    Holy shit - where did //that// come from?!

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
In order to get closer to Mystique, Lydia wraps her arm around Mystique's waist so they're now twinned together. She laughs at the brow wiggle, and gives her a squeeze. "I know I can't get drunk, but this'll be the first time seeing if I can drink. Hattie said I could. It'll be interesting."

She gives Azazel a nod in parting and then he vanishes. "Where did /that/ come from?" she says as soon as she's sure he's gone before quickly clarifying, "Not him, me. The whole time he was here I was insanely jealous and just wanted to put myself between him and you, Raven, and just /hiss/ at him, 'Mine!'"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Once Azazel has popped out, something she is used to already, Mystique wraps her other arm around Lydia. Her eyes follow Clarice for a moment... she didn't miss it, and it actually felt really good to /almost/ hear it.

"I noticed the change in your body language my love," she offers to Lydia, before shifting to having her arm around Lydia's waist again, so they can walk to the bar. "If you were a man, you would have just peed all over me while growling. We'll talk about it in detail another time however, because I think I know why but I'm not certain and right now, I'm still on a high from that bite." And having seen Azazel again, he hadn't changed, at all... that was both good and bad.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice, naturally, beats Lydia and Mystique to the bar - and casually starts preparing everyone's favorite drinks. Well - hers and Mystique's. She doesn't have the first notion how to make a Manhattan, instead she asks the bartender to make the drink. In short order she has the whiskey and grenadine in place for Mystique - and for herself? A shot of scotch, and a glass of her cognac to sip afterwards. She picks up both her glasses in one hand - and her bottle of cognac in the other - before heading to one of the tables and sitting down without a word.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia can't help but chuckle at the thought of her 'marking' her territory if she were a man. As they walk through the hallways of the Asteroid to the bar she says, "It just threw me for a loop, that's all." She gives Mystique something of a knowing grin, "And that bite sure was something, wasn't it."

"So yeah. It's good to know that I can do it without hurting anybody. I was afraid of that, to be honest," she admits. "Ever since I met Blake I had wondered what it would be like to be bit by a vampire. Almost let her do it once, but that felt too much like cheating." She scowls darkly. "I'm upset that what /that bitch/ did to me was the only time I get to experience it."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Along the walk, Mystique keeps her arm around Lydia, but her mind is wandering a little. Can you blame her really? So much has happened in the past week and now Azazel.

"Have Hatshepsut bite you," she states plainly. "Then you will know the sensation yourself, and what it is that you cause when you feed from someone. You really should know, gods you should really know." She phews softly with a grin. "I have to admit, I'm not sure how comfortable I am with the idea of that happening with others, but at the same time I realize there's no real choice, it's what happens. So long as others realize it's not an invitation into your pants, I think it's all good."

Once to the bar, she offers the tender (who really needs a name) a nod, then guides Lydia to the table Clarice sat at. Even before they get there, the tender in need of a name brings Lydia's drink over and sets it down.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice knocks back the scotch, then starts to sip at her cognac, offering a smile to the two women as they join her. She has a lot on her mind as well - though she's trying not to reflect too deeply on any of it. "So... That went well, thankfully," she remarks. And Mystique does genuinely seem to be fully recovered from what happened. "And we have... what, a day before we need to repeat it? Do we have the donor lined up?" she asks rather bluntly, looking between the two.
    Not, she was sure, that Mystique and Lydia weren't already on top of making sure all of that was ironed out and working like clockwork...

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia gives Mystique a nod, "If I had the choice I'd only drink from you, you know." She slides into the chair next to her lovers and gives the bartender (who now has a name) a nod. "Thank you Sascha." She takes a sip from the Manhattan and closes her eyes. "Mm. Good. I'm able to pick apart the whiskey from the vermouth and the bitters. Interesting."

"Typically 24 hours between feedings," Lydia says to Clarice. "Depends on how active I've been according to Hatshepsut. I'll be especially hungry for the first couple of weeks, but that should die down as my body gets used to its new condition."

She looks to Mystique as far as the question of the next donor comes. "Have we figured out what we're going to tell people? I've been keeping myself scarce in public places because I don't want to start any rumors, but now that I'm out in the open... people are going to talk."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique sits back in the chair and there is something a bit angry in the way she looks at Clarice. She gets that the woman is concerned, not only about her, but about Lydia, but there was something about how Clarice speaks that really ticked her off. Taking a large drink from her glass, she takes a moment to settle that anger. She doesn't know if it's over this or something else, so no sense in letting it out.

"I have arranged a few who are willing," she states almost harshly while staring at Clarice. "Those I know I can trust to keep their mouths shut." Now she takes her eyes off Clarice and looks to Lydia. "The choices remain the truth and an experiment gone wrong, the final decision is yours to make Lydia, which you would prefer. And if someone wants to doubt the second choice, they can deal with me."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice has come to know Mystique's moods almost as well as anybody can - and the look she's getting catches her a little off guard. She's puzzled by it, and frankly, a little annoyed as her hand tightens around her glass. "Fine. It's none of my business," apparently, "so I'll let you both handle it." Lifting her glass to her lips, she takes a deeper drink, her gaze shifting briefy towards the door.
    Maybe she'd be better served just getting back to her work.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Mystique's anger surprises Lydia and she looks at her lover quizzically. She doesn't say anything but the look clearly asks, 'what is /that/ about?' She reaches across the table as soon as Clarice looks like she's about to bolt, and takes her hand and gives her what she hopes to be a calming smile.

"I'm reluctant to lie," she tells Mystique. "I don't think we need to put out an all points bulletin on the subject." She turns thoughtful, "I think we should take a none-of-your-business stand, but if pressed tell the truth." She shakes her head, "I don't want this to turn into a torches and pitchforks situation, but I think doing it this way is less likely to produce one. Lying to the Brotherhood sets a bad precedent, in my book, and if they find out you're lying about /this/... well..."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Casting her eyes to the table for a moment, Mystique mentally kicks herself then she looks back to Clarice. "I'm sorry," she offers first. "I'm just having a hard time dealing with what part of this is private, what part isn't, and want to over protect every aspect of it. So it goes spinning in my head and then I get the impression you think I'm going to be stupid or something, because it's Lydia, and not use logic. The look on your face, the bluntness, do you honestly think I'd be so stupid as to be the only donor?"

She looks back to Lydia, "None of the donors are this point are Victor, you said you weren't comfortable with that." Then she shifts to the other topic, "It's going to come up Lydia, you aren't green any more. People won't press me, they won't press you or Clarice, but they will start whispering in the background and then we'll have to deal with the rumor mill and damage control. Not sure if that would be much better then just stating the truth to begin with, again, not an announcement over the intercom, but when faced with someone new giving the 'what the fuck' look, and you're going to get those looks."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I wasn't saying that at all," Clarice says with mild exasperation, even as she gives Lydia's hand a gentle squeeze, grateful for that touch. They were all a bit raw and on edge still - and was it any wonder? "I more meant- I mean..." She lets out a quiet sigh. "When should I expect a turn? It'd be silly not to put me in on the rotation, since I already know, and..."
    She doesn't add any comments when it comes to the talk of what stories to spin to the other members of the Brotherhood, however.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"How do we let people know without making some kind of announcement?" Lydia asks. It's an honest question. She's never had to disseminate information like this across an organization and she's at a loss for how to proceed. "How do we get people to know what I am, and that it's okay and I'm not a monster? Also, how do we keep that information within the Brotherhood?"

She shakes her head. "I can see why all the other vampires live in secret. It just makes life that much simpler." She stares at her Manhattan for a while, eventually taking another sip. "I don't know. Lying seems the sensible thing to do but it feels /wrong/ and it could backfire spectacularly. If things are going to backfire I'd rather it be up front."

She looks up helplessly. "I don't know what to /do/. It just seems like we're in a lose/lose situation here. The last thing I want to come out of all of this is to undermine your authority. I don't want people thinking 'she's slipped,' or 'went nuts' or something like that because your girlfriend became a vampire."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique shifts her eyes back to Clarice, "You aren't on the list Clarice. You've been exceedingly uncomfortable about the entire prospect from the beginning, so I didn't include you or the boys."

Taking another drink from her glass, she sits back to consider now, tapping her finger lightly against the glass. "How about this..." she finally says slowly. "If anyone asks, we just say that you're going through some changes, it's nothing they need to worry about and beyond that, it's none of their business. That's not a lie, but it's also not the truth. We cover both problems in this way. As for those who have agreed to offer blood, even they don't know it about feeding a vampire, what they know is that fresh blood is required, at a moments notice, and not in the usual 'blood donation' way. There are some witches and magic users who use blood to power their magic, obviously their is vampires, and a few others blood consuming/using individuals out there."

Looking over to Lydia she offers a smile, "I wasn't giving away your information, and that's my right as the leader as well. I don't have to tell these people shit if I don't want to, and they know it. You think Erik explains every order he gives? So we have five people more than willing to bleed into a beaker without asking questions."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice frowns at Mystique's response, taking a sip of her cognac, while allowing the two a moment to discuss what story they want to spin in regards to Lydia's obvious changes. Finally, though, she interjects, "We're family - and we take care of each other. Just because some of this has made me uneasy and has taken some time for me to accept, doesn't mean I don't want to support my sister. Put me on the list," she says flatly.
    Finishing off her cognac, she pushes herself to her feet adding, "I have to catch up on my studies - I've let myself fall behind. You guys stay and talk." After a nod to each, she turns to leave the room.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Are you sure?" Lydia asks Clarice but she seems sure enough. "Okay. I'll... I'll give you the option to bleed in a beaker." She didn't want to deny Clarice the chance at feeling what Mystique just felt, but it might be more comfortable for her to do. "And Clarice.... no matter /what/ the boys say they do /not/ go on that list." She thinks that's something they all can agree on.

When Clarice mentions her studies she lets out a chuckle. "That's right. I told you you had a book report due by now. I'll forgive your tardiness.... this time. Take care."

She looks sadly at Clarice as she goes. "She's so freaked out by this," she tells Mystique. "I can't blame her. If it was happening to one of you two I'd freak out too."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
There are hundreds of things Mystique should say but the only thing she can think to say is followed by a nod. "If that's what you want Clarice, didn't want you to feel obligated. Family doesn't mean having to do shit you don't want to, or feel you can't."

She looks back to the table now, focusing on the smooth metal with her eyes and attempting once again to find some kind of calm, any kind of calm, it just wasn't there to be found. There's nothing else she can say, once again she fucked up which seemed to be the norm for her lately.

"I can understand her being freaked out," she offers once Clarice has departed. "And I'm not making it any better. She's worried about you, she's worried about me, about her brothers, about everything and thinks she has to shoulder it alone because we're both sort of in a crazy place as well... but there's more to family, she needs to learn no matter what, she can talk to us."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia can sense the turmoil in Mystique. It's not a superpower. Not really. She's just been around the woman enough to read her mood even when she's masking it. She scoots her chair over to Mystique and tucks her arm through hers, and lays her head on her shoulder.

"She keeps having fights with Theo," she says. "That's not helping either. She's trying to be a sister, but she has no idea how to do that so she ends up mothering him, which he doesn't want." She leans over to kiss Mystique on the underside of her jaw. "To be fair, I don't know how to be a sister, too."

"I was hoping that having her see how I... ate would help ease her worry some but..." she's silent for a moment letting that word hang there. "It didn't. It didn't make her worse but I don't think it made it any better."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique lays her head against Lydia's, closing her eyes for a moment, letting herself finally start to relax a little.

"I'd heard about the fights," she admits. "Not because I was being nosy, but because Theo talked to Bruin about them, and Bruin talked to me. I've got no idea how Theo managed to get past Bruin's shyness, but he did, and Bruin has always enjoyed talking to me, from behind, while hiding in a bush..." she snorts a little laugh at that.

Picking up the glass she opens her eyes and takes a small sip, then lays her head back against Lydia's. "I realize Clarice didn't ask, or that I'm supposed to know, but I think I'll talk to Theo and see if I can help a little." Another nuzzle and finally Mystique achieves her normal 'I'm in public' relaxed, which is of course is not her in private relaxed.

"I'd rather keep Clarice at the end of the list," she finally says. "I know she wants to do her part, help her family, all that... but maybe we can convince her to be an emergency back up?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Once she senses that Mystique has relaxed she lifts her head off the shoulder and gives her cheek a little kiss. "Honestly, I'm leaving it up to her," she says straightening up a little so she can sip her Manhattan. "If you put her in the back or make her be emergency only, you'll only piss her off," she points out.

"Besides, I'm thinking I want all my volunteers to be ready to be drunk from directly," she muses. "If something happens and we find ourselves in a pickle and I need to /feed/ we may not have the luxury of being able to bleed in a beaker." She purses her lips. "I want them to know what to expect so it doesn't catch them off guard."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
And there it was, the thing Mystique really didn't want but had no right to even have an opinion on. Lifting her head, she takes another sip of her drink and takes a moment to shove aside her personal feelings aside to look at it logically. She's failed to do that too many times this last week, so now she's making herself do it.

"Alright," she starts quietly, her tone more one of debating than regret or anything of that nature. "That might change things up a little, as those I've talked to will need to be told what you are. I honestly think you should consider Victor, I know he'd have no issues with you being a vampire, but again, your choice. If you aren't comfortable with that, I'll accept, but the others will need to know."

Turning her head more to look at Lydia, she places a kiss on her cheek. "I'll add Clarice to the full list, but that sensation, the pleasure? It's going to change how she feels about you, about the whole thing, it's going to freak her out in ways I can't even begin to fathom."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia is silent for a while, contemplative. "I'll think about it." A little more silence before concluding, "Okay, put him on the backup list for now. You /have/ to understand. I've had nightmares about him." She looks a little pained at that confession. She knows how much that man means to Clarice and Mystique.

She scowls, however. "That sensation. I don't know if it's going to be the same for the others, if I'm to be honest." She lets out a chuckle, "I was so worried that I'd hurt you, I put every thought into making it as pleasurable as possible." She gives her a sly grin, "I might have overdone it."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique laughs softly. "Is that how it works? You decide how it will feel and bam, that's how it feels?"

She wraps her arm back around Lydia, "I know he's a scary bastard Lydia, I'm sorry you had to see him in full on action. That's something Clarice should have thought of and kept you at the back, away from the carnage that is Victor. If you knew his story though, you might understand better why he is the way he is. I'll put him on the back up, and if you never want to deal with it, you don't have to."

She places a soft kiss on Lydia's forehead, then her lips. "I'm sorry about Azazel just popping in like that though. If I read what he said right, he /just/ got out of banishment and back on this plane, so I'm sort of touched his first action was to come to me."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Hatshepsut said that I could make it feel as good or as painful as I wanted it to be," Lydia says with a chuckle. "And for you, only the best." She heaves a contemplative sigh. "I'm not sure exactly /how/ it works, if I'm to be honest. I think it's mostly just intention. Tomorrow I'm going to try for 'warm fuzzies' instead of 'nigh orgasm.'"

"I'm sure," she says of Victor. "After all, you remember what my opinion of /you/ was when we first actually met." She entwines her fingers with Mystiques, "But then I got to talking to you, and started to see the logic behind it, no matter how misguided was, and the pain that drove it. It was your /conviction/ to do better... to /be/ better is what led me into your arms."

She makes a happy noise when she's kissed. "It's okay. We had just got done ... doing /that/ .. and he was the last thing that I expected. My reaction still kind of confuses me. I never figured myself to be the possessive, jealous type."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Another kiss, light, gentle, and loving is placed on Lydia's lips. "You my love," Mystique whispers. "Are a predator now. Your reaction is one of a predator. It's not a conscious thing, obviously, just a part of what you are now. A part of me is thrilled by the idea of you being so protective, a part me wants is all 'I don't belong to anyone, fuck off', and the other part of me is upset that I can't feel that way about you. I'd kill anyone who tried to hurt you, or even looked side ways at you in a negative way, but if you found another that you loved and wanted to be with, I don't think I could get jealous."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
She is a predator now. Lydia lets that sit in. Being a predator is so antithetical to who she is that it just feels alien to her. But Mystique is right. She /is/ a predator now. She runs a tongue across the edge of her teeth feeling how sharp her canines have become. She pushes that odd new muscle that distends them into fangs, feeling that odd groove in the back of them that helps funnel the blood back into her mouth.

Retracting her fangs she says, "I don't know whether to be sad or glad that it's not in you to be jealous. It's romantic to think that we'll be together forever and always, but the reality is that you, or I, or both of us will want to go our separate ways sooner or later." She closes her eyes and sighs before initiating the kiss this time. "Let's not think about that. Come on. You've got work to do and I want to give American Ninja Warrior season 4 a try."