A hellava week (Iris von Drol)

[Zodiac]

The door slammed as the girl flopped back against it.

”Good goddess. What a week!”

A large bag filled with unique treasures was dropped to the floor and a few seconds later the gypsy finally stood up straight and began to make her way across the room. It had been madness. She wasn’t sure what exactly had happened, but suddenly everyone was in a frenzy to kill any creature that was not a vampire. What had caused this sudden burst of actions among her kind she could not say.

It was all fun for a time. She felt super charged as if some benevolent spirit was feeding them the energy to continue far more than normal. It was a rush and she had been swept up into it like a leaf in a storm. But, as always, all good things come to an end and she found herself dragging herself home once all the bloodshed and gun smoke had finally began to clear away. She was tired. ‘Bone tired’ as her grandfather would say.

Various ideas and possibilities as to what caused this filled her head as she progressed. Bits of clothing being discarded with every step. She was exhausted and felt dirty. Her body was screaming for a bath. Her clothes and exposed skin was caked with dried blood and gore. She finally sat on the edge of the tub yanking her boots and stocking off while the tub filled with blissful hot water.

After draining the tub twice and scrubbing herself raw, she finally felt clean again. Now she could think and feel. A pair of shorts, her hair wrapped in a towel, and a oversized t-shirt covered her as she flopped in a recliner and flipped through her viewing options via a Roku device.

”For being an all powerful person from the Planet Krypton, Supergirl is a whiney little ***** when things don’t go her way,” Zodiac fumed as she backed out of the episode and searched for something else mindless to vegetate in. She settled on Agents of SHIELD for background noise and closed her eyes.

Did vampires follow impulses? Like animals who just ‘know’ its time to migrate or reproduce? It had happened a few times that she could recall. All of them following some impulse they could not explain for periods of time. Others she had not seen in ages were suddenly active and out. What it a natural instinct to periodically go out and ‘cull the herds’ of other creatures not human? Possibly. Perhaps one of the originals might have some insight, but good luck finding one of them willing to talk or even be seen. She swore she saw Elizabeth out, but that could have been a trick of the light in the place she chose to go crazy in. She was too focused on slaughter to talk to most of them. Someone else mentioned that Miss Drake was seen out of hiding elsewhere, but she thought that highly unlikely.

She opened her eyes and smirked at the sight on the screen. Phil Coulson teaming up with the Ghost Rider? Wicked. She’d have to actually watch this episode when she felt more focused.

Her thoughts turned to her childers now. Well, the 2 of them that actually still existed. Karema was probably working at her ranch and hadn’t even noticed something was going on, but Iris was another matter entirely. She was too sensitive in her telepathy not to notice something had the night feeders all in a twist. The gypsy took a deep, unneeded breath and focused her thoughts to reach out.

”Hello, Creeping Iris. Were you caught up in the madness this past week? “ her thoughts whispered softly. ”If so, I hope you are feeling better. Stop by and visit if you have the energy. I am at home. And bring bloodwine, please.”

She broke the connection and reached down. Pulling the lever that extended the chair to support her legs. ”Lots and lots of bloodwine,” she sighed to herself as she got comfortable and focused on the television again. She wondered if it would be possible to make the ‘Burning Touch’ flow down a length of chain like Ghost Rider’s powers allowed him to do.

It would be a hellava visual effect. Hurt like a *****, too.

[Iris von Drol]

S h a k e s p e a r e
A t t i r e

The rattling of full wine bottles provided a subtle balance to the heavy pounding of hooves landing on the ground beneath. Instead of the large wheels of a fine Victorian travel carriage holding the telepath it was the saddle created specifically for her in the iron and leather shop bearing the family name. Equine speed carried her with a power and grace that could only be found in the majestic Friesian beneath her. In tow without a leash to lead was the far more spirited Demitri. The massive creature could sense his mistress was not far and took to clearing the first of several well known sizeable shrub hurdles taking the lead. The weight of each horse went airborne and landed with a surprisingly light impact that left clumps of the earth beneath kicking up.

“Demetri!” Iris called out with a tone of firm disapproval.

As if he ever listened to her to begin with. The leather gloves over her hands felt the tightening of the reins as she delivered a directive tension to Shakespeare’s bit. A snort and slowing of pace had the horse up ahead ultimately coming to a trot as if to walk out it’s warm muscles beneath the cooling air instead of being in compliance. It certainly would not be to fall into some sort of expected line or direction. The horse had a mind much like his owner’s. Which gave it the extra allowance it had from those caring for it at von Drol Farm and stables. Some required a special approach and direction. The one and only monster of a Belgian cross fit into such a category.

“Zurück!” She called him to ride back. This only had him slowing a little at best. She reached over as Shakespeare trotted up and passed Demitri. A black glove surrendered control of the reins to her left hand while waving down and back. “Einfach.”

Cornflower blue eyes sparkled beneath the limited street lighting while the chorus of heavy, ground rattling claps of well shoed hooves followed them. It had been an exhausting week of excessive energy all around. The city seemed to have something in the water and the blood that spread its increase to all those within reach. Even the two creatures in her charge seemed to still be winding down from it all. The clicking of her tongue popping from the suction and release against the roof of her mouth had both once again falling into the expected formation. Demitri wore his mistress’ saddle and the reins were loosely tied to the horn. He impressed Iris in the end of the ride with his ability to stay within expectations. Perhaps he was better without a lead when riderless. Time would tell. For the moment it was time to summon the one he missed nearly as much as Iris did. A reach of her thoughts found the connection to her beloved sire and gave the typical countdown.

“Zehn, neun, acht, sieben, sechs, fünf, vier, drei, zwei, eins.”

As she counted down she slid from the towering black beast of beauty that had carried her safely from the outskirts stables into town. Her gloves were pulled slowly from each hand followed by a gentle tug backward that had her riding hat dangling at the middle of her back. Waiting for the sire to arrive with the summon she delivered a downward caress at the withers to each Friesian and finished with a firm pat of bare palm to the shoulder. Perhaps her mystic sire was not well versed with the adopted Germanic tongue she had mastered courtesy of years spent with the German born Hagen von Drol. Iris could not help but tempt Zodiac to pick it up with such use to summon her. It was more often than not a motivator. It certainly performed wonders with Iris.

[Zodiac]

”What the hell?” her face scrunched up as a countdown in German began to sound off in her head. It had to be Iris. Anyone else she knew that spoke the language was long gone from her life. She sent out a mental feeler and frowned when she managed to locate her child.

”I said I was at home,” she muttered to herself as she got up. ” Haben Sie ein wenig verloren gehen?” her telepathy sent out to Iris as she began to get dressed. She went simple. Jeans, a top, and track shoes. She finished toweling her hair and ran a brush through it, then tied it back. None of her customary colors or make ups. ”Making me leave my house when I don’t want to? Suffer with the view.”

Grabbing her purse, a couple things she had collected as a gift, and tossing a few apples in a bag for Iris’ horses, she headed out.

***

Zodiac stopped short of emerging from the shadows into the lights behind the shop and smiled. What had possessed Iris to bring Dimitri along? She aimed a thought at the black beast. Dimitri’s head snapped in the direction she hid and came running. Such a thing would make Iris panic and the idea made Zo smile even more.

Suddenly the horse’s head filled her vision and she wrapped her arms around it. ”Hey you big moose,” her thoughts laughed as she rubbed. Dimitri snorted and nudged her. It had been a couple weeks since she visited him at Iris’ stable. ”You miss me that much?”

Dimitri’s nose quickly found the bag she had brought and began to push insistently. ”Ah, so it’s not me then you miss. Typical male.” She pulled one from the bag and gave it to him. She then grabbed onto his bridle and emerged from the shadows with the black horse in tow.

”And was your week as crazy as mine, dear one?” She walked Dimitri back to stand next to Iris’ horse and gave Shakespeare an apple as well.

[Iris von Drol]

Rarely heard laughter passed from the telepaths unpainted lips. Soft, unintrusive in its delivery just as the air that it found. She waited between the two massive creatures getting the warmth of both settling over her. Wide eyes settled on the empty spot where she expected her siress to arrive. Brilliant pools of blue watched the darkness and were rewarded for the rise of anticipation that filled her. The connection was there just as always. Unchanged, strong as ever and with it a grin found her face that reminded her she missed more than she thought. Her chin lifted just enough to feel the hat behind her back shift between her shoulders. Dimitri had the ground vibrating beneath her feet as he stepped forward to greet the one who held claim to him.

“Clearly he misses you.” More reasons to smile in observation came from the two interacting as if they had been separated for years, which they had not. “And your gifts.” Of course it was apples to Dimitri and the familiar scent Zo offered. But for Iris it was so much more.

She had lost track of time. With the realization she felt a pang of neglect and shared responsibility. Nothing shattering but still what quite possibly could happen to anyone living or nearly but not quite dead. Given enough distraction in the endless state of immortal existence they were sentenced to their worlds inevitably expanded instead of shrank. Distance. Time. It was unavoidable. So was the error in watching those who mattered most drift too far. The clicks of soles connecting with the surface beneath echoed as she closed her share of the distance between them.

“I have as well.” The gloves in her hands were combined into a single grip as she lifted her arms and wrapped them around the dark beauty who she owed everything to. Curve to generous curve she hugged her, arms pulling her in tight. Affection and physical contact limited to two as a general rule for the victorian proper ritualist meant her actions were not out of her adhered to lines for interaction. “I hope you do not mind.” She kissed the cheek that her own brushed free of. “They are always waiting to run.”

[Zodiac]

From the first time she ever laid eyes on the girl, she felt an inner glow of affection when Iris was near. It had no sexual tones to it at all. She never could put a label on it, but the girl who became her childer felt so perfect in her arms. She remembered sitting in anticipation every moment Iris laid in that state between life and true death waiting to see if she did indeed turn. The thought that it might not work ate at her nerves like acid and once she saw those blue eyes open again she finally relaxed. It was like something rare and beautiful had landed in her life, and the thought of loosing it chilled her to the core.

”I miss you more than I care to admit, Creeping one,” she returned the kiss as they separated. Part of her still wished that little girl still worked in her shop, but she was blessed to see what she had grown into as well. ”You know what we need to do one night? Sleep over. You, me, Jenn. Just chill out and be total silly. Wear PJ’s, watch bad TV and tell bad jokes and laugh. A lot!”

She handed her the small sack of items she had collected during the blitz. ”Not sure if you got the same goodies as I did wherever you ended up, but as everyone says around here– you never know if they will be useful for something.” her child was just as skilled a ritualist as she was, so in time the items might have a purpose or else she could sell them off.

Dimitri snorted as if impatient to do more than just stand around in a back alley by a loading dock. He nudged them both and pawed a the ground. ”As tired and frazzled as I am right now, the thought of a wild ride actually sounds good.” Zodiac allowed her levitation to lift her up enough to get her foot into the stirrup and swung up onto the horse’s back.

”STOP!” her mental command echoed in the normally free spirited horse’s thoughts. Dimitri was a half a second away from bolting off into the darkness with his owner clinging for dear life on his back. ”Not tonight, big guy.” She patted his neck lovingly as he held his place reluctantly. The whole scene reminded the gypsy of a Bugs Bunny cartoon when the cowboy (Yosemite Sam) had to get rather forceful to make his mount behave. She didn’t enjoy ‘yelling’ at the animal, but-sadly-it was the only thing she found so far that worked.

”So, you ignored my question, love. How much fun did you have this past week?” she turned the animal in the direction Iris had come from. She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth as her heels nudged Dimitir’s flanks. The horse erupted and shot off into the darkness just as Zodiac tapped Iris on the shoulder.

”You’re it!” she laughed in her childe’s thoughts.

[Iris von Drol]

Iris no more than turned to catch the tap at her shoulder and witness the backend of Dimitri shrinking due to increasing distance between them. The telepath took to the challenge with all the determination she was known to possess. Her hand nudged the hat between her shoulders and checked the tie that held it in place while her button up ankle boot lifted from the ground. Despite being petite she had the grace to move with consideration of her dress as she pulled her body into the saddle. A last adjustment of the multiple layers of material secured anything from being compromised should the impending race get rough. Which, more often than not, it usually would.

One by one her gloves formed like well fitted second skins over each hand. A last strap was tightened to hold the sack of gifted items in the leather saddle bag. Cornflower blue orbs sparkled beneath the streetlight’s glow while she smiled at the fading thunder left in Dimitri’s sudden escape. Patience and discipline Iris had an abundance of and she never failed to use it to her advantage. Once her hands had the reins where she was comfortable a gentle prompting was all that was required for Shakespeare to take to the race like the starting gate had been removed. Like a well trained jockey she was down low and ready to command the Friesian rocket taking off beneath her.

“Challenge accepted.” Confirmation that she and Shakespeare were shoe ins for the midnight run was sent.

Instantly the street became a trail blazing with the eruption of ground rattling claps of hooves picking up with noticeable rhythm. The riding hat lifted and took to hovering on the back draft. Her heels needed to only tap once and it was as if Shakespeare had been inspired to double his breakneck speed. The intersection ahead produced unexpected beams of light and her body lifted slightly leaving her upper curves to nestle against the majestic beast below her. Trust bonded them and never failed to have them working together as one. As the vehicle turned and entered their path the massive beast responded accordingly sharply changing direction. A sudden lift had the victorian garbed rider and horse airborne and shooting forward. The flight over a streetside hedge was brief and the landing flawless.

The scent of a horse in full sprint was easy enough to track in the moist night air. Shakespeare was on Dimitri’s trail with gain of an open stretch of what once was unused land. A flash of a wooden sign on the right announced what was coming soon. The rise of unexpected obstacles competed for their immediate attention. A massive outdoor gathering full of flames, the pulsing of music and the unmistakable scent of human energy found them as Shakespeare did nothing to alter his speed of travel. As if the earth was shivering beneath those on the outer reaches of the massive bonfire bodies and heads turned while the legs responsible for holding them up started stumbling to get out of the way.

“Good evening!” Iris called out to the eyes that she pinned so briefly that she was left greeting several disturbed clusters of party goers at once. “Pardon!” Her fingers gripped the reins as the line of not so distant motor cycles shimmered as a solid barrier for where her trusted steed was aiming for. Heads bobbed and necks twisted . “Good eve!”

“W-O-A-H!”

The command called out by the first one to reach the bikes had a set of gathering arms flapping up and down following the lead. Others nearby dropped their bottles and ran for the same direction like drunken ducks summoned towards the closest pond. Piercing whistles and shouts filled the air but proved to be no deterrent for the challenge issued Friesian. A clean, smooth jump cleared the bikes but disturbed one of the owners who was trying to foot pedal his bike away. Losing balance and wobbling back and forth the lack of coordination took effect and down the bike and title holder went as well as the half dozen bikes neatly lined up next to it.

Shots quickly firing in succession behind her provided the inspiration for her to ask more of Shakespeare. Sharp prompting nudges of her heels at his walls of working muscle to increase his speed were obeyed. She could hold back the rise of the rumbling engines coming back to life. Her abilities certainly could deal with a crowd or two, possibly even more than that. But the idea that she would be riding in to meet her sire with a procession of angry cycle enthusiasts said there was more fun to be had.

[Zodiac]

She laughed as she heard Iris accepting the challenge. Dimitri was barely out of first gear and was hitting his stride. Iris was gonna have to push Shakespeare hard to catch up. The horse knew where he was going. Side streets and such. Making a direct line to the open areas to the North. Zodiac only turned him once to avoid a more populated area of city street. There was some kind of party going on this eve, so Jennifer had mentioned. A biker gathering, so a slight adjustment to avoid the thick of it, then turning back to a more direct path.

Much like another ride she took earlier in the week, she relaxed. The movement and rhythm of Dimitri in motion was soothing. Unlike the motorcycle she had been on, there was more of an organic feel to the trip. She had zero issues riding ***** on the back of a bike being controlled by experienced hands, but comparing the cycle to the horse was apples and oranges. Both were fast and dependable and looked sweet, and then the differences began.

”Just do your own thing, big guy. Try not to step on anyone in the process.” her thoughts like a silky caress in the horse’s mind. All she was doing was keeping herself in the saddle. The rest was his idea. She saw the fence line of someone’s property coming up fast. ”Some me what you got,” she encouraged Dimitri.

For a moment, all feeling of motion stopped as both rider and horse were airborn. In the rush of air passing around her she closed her eyes and savored the moment. This was bliss. Something sorely lacking in her life in recent times. Instinctively she braced herself as Dimitri’s hooves found the ground again. A sudden jolt quickly erased as the feeling of motion took over again.

”I should enter your *** in the Olympics or something.” she laughed. First vampire jockey in a professional sporting event? Maybe someday some one would, but not her. Once you took away the simple joy of something and turned it into a do on demand deal, the magic was lost forever. It was hers and no one else’s. The pair of them could probably win a lot of races, but it would simply be work. ”I work hard enough for the both of us already,”

She sent a mental feeler back to see what progress Iris was making, but what she found confused her. ”Slow down,” she yanked the reigns, causing Dimitri to drop from warp factor 5 to warp 4. She strained her hearing and picked up the sounds of a bunch of motorcycles being gunned into life. She didn’t!

”Tell me you didn’t just crash that party just now.” she taunted while kicking Dimitri back into full throttle. ”If you caused any of their bikes to be damage, they won’t care how polite, how much you apologize or how Victorian you are, baby girl. They are simply gonna be pissed. At you. Yes, You! Ride faster.”

[Iris von Drol]

Iris’s cornflower blues were nearly glowing with the brewing excitement beneath her pale skin. Especially now that her sire’s words reached her despite the distance. With their minds connected she confirmed as much as she tapped her heels of her soles at the warm sides of the horse racing beneath her. A smile found her natural lips as she felt Shakespeare increase his efforts to close the distance between them. Clearly there was a few noticeable hiccups in the roaring engines behind her plowing through the soft overgrown grass beneath the Friesians pounding hooves. She was no mechanic but something off in the rhythm of the inner workings of the engines in pursuit of her signaled damage had been done even if only minor.

“That is why I will take the lead.” Her giggle rarely heard erupted as her cheeks balled up to amused peaks and dimples simultaneously appeared as a result. With a burst of speed, or an shift of equestrian gears, she flew past Dimitri and the gypsy in the saddle strapped to him. “You are so much better at calming the storms that rise.”

Zodiac was one of those rare few who could truly teach the world about bridging their differences and embrace what it was and likely would be. She held the company of those who would otherwise tend to set flames to the immortals as a whole. Something about her just soothed the monsters that held residence in each and every being. She read the palms of the well to do and delivered her visions with equal honesty to the down and out. Her wisdom was not restricted to those she held in special favor. She offered what she was, whatever she was willing to give to those who gave her the respect she was entitled to expect. If she was shorted then those who took too much found the consequences of doing so swift and memorable. The group behind her shredding through the night would be a minor challenge at best.

“They can’t run on a limited tank of gas forever!” Her cousin proved that while giving her a ride on the back of his thirsty Vespa to the bus station that got her from there to Harper Rock several years back. She shook the memory free from her eternal mind. She didn't look back. Not then or now.”Race you to the pond.” Hopefully Shakespeare and Dimitri would be far more behaved than the last time they visited the naturally hidden watering hole.

[Zodiac]

”Huh? What the hell are you talking about, woman?” She blinked in confusion.

Shakespeare darted past the pair as Iris’ words began to clarify. ”Oh no you don’t. I am many things, but I am not your maid. Clean up your own mess.”

The gypsy hunkered down and gave the black beast her heels. Dimitri kicked into another gear as she adjusted their course. ”There is more than one way to get to the pond.” she thought to herself. Dimitri vaulted another fence with ease as she guided him along a path that cut across other people’s properties. It was late enough to sneak a bit of trespassing, besides the horse had not had a chance to run like this in ages.

”We will take the short cut and let Iris and her biker admirers go their own way.” she smirked. On any other night she probably would have tried to do what her child suggested, but after the week she had just endured she simply did not have the patience for something on that scale. She was tired and her vision of kicking back and enjoying a glass of bloodwine had been replaced with a rocket ride in the night thanks to Iris. Was she complaining? No, but she was glad the horse was doing all the work.

”Oh come on, big guy. Is this the best you got?” she teased. Mentally she placed an image of two perfect apples in the horse’s thoughts. Dimitri had been hers long enough to understand the picture game. Two beautiful and tasty prizes waited for him when he reached the water. They began to cross more developed areas of the farm land now. More fences to jump. If Iris was taking the direct path she would be finding them as well, but the flat land would allow her new friends to close the gap on her. If it came to a potential of out and out violence, Zodiac would be in the thick of it. Not much brought the monster out in her anymore, but threatening her kids was still in the top 3 reasons to get insane.

She was still not satisfied with Dimitir’s progress. Iris was no longer in sight so she could not judge how far ahead (or behind) she was without giving her own place in the race away.

”Did I say two apples? My bad.” She projected again, this time the image changed from 2 red beauties to five. ”All for you.”

She felt the surge beneath her as the animal was properly inspired. There were few constants in the universe Zodiac accepted as fact and one of them was Dimitri loved apples. He would gorge himself on them if she allowed it. Many times she had tried to make a ‘Dimitri Proof Apple barrel’ with no success at all. If the horse turned down an apple, he was at death’s door (and even then it was iffy)

She saw the trees in the distance that marked where the pond was. The foliage hid it from the road so once there the angry bikers could prowl the roads all they wanted and discover no sign of them. ”I no see you. Do you see me.” she called out to her child. Win or loose, this was exactly what she needed. The only thing that would destroy the moment is if Iris had not brought the wine she requested. But if she didn't, it would be fine.

She could always toss her in the pond. The memory of Iris being launched from Dimitri's saddle and into the icy water still made her laugh.