Betrayal of the Blood

[Alexandrea]

Varo Ricci wasn’t one of the Quartermaine’s that Alexandrea knew very well. He was one of Kane’s childer, and Kane’s sire was Ripper so Alex didn’t feel the need to pry into what was going on with any of three of them very often. She smiled and waved when she saw Varo around, exchanged pleasantries when the occasion arose, and offered help when appropriate. For the most part, that is.

Awhile back, Razzlynn had given Alex the nickname of ‘Mama Bear.’ And the moniker fit Alex rather well. The usually gentle Allurist could turn violent at the drop of a hat if she felt any of her family were being mistreated… and there just wasn’t any possible justification for how just plain nosy the blonde could be when it came to her family and what she viewed as their best welfare. Their best welfare in Alexandrea’s opinion, that is.

But as Varo had become one of Alex’s regular customers at the QCC over the last year, passing through the shop a couple of times a week on average, Alexandrea had grown accustomed to seeing the younger vampire around. It was early February when Alex first noticed a change in him. And whatever it was, it made the hair on her arms stand up.

She began to watch him more closely, knowing that something was going on with him but as he hadn’t said anything about it… she didn’t approach him outright, only peeking at him with her mind’s eye every now and then to try and see what might be causing the odd ‘vibes’ for lack of a better word.

And then it happened.

Alex was busy at one of the workbenches in her shop when she felt rather than heard a customer coming in and turned to see if it was someone she knew. The ‘vibe’ was human but the scent was familiar so when her eyes recognised Varo, the Allurist was rendered speechless. She could hear a heartbeat, for crying out loud! An actual human type heartbeat, coming out of one of her own family! Her nostrils flared as she tested his scent and a low growl, too low for human ears, started deep in her throat. What was going on here????


Varo went on about his business and Alex let him, too shocked to confront him at the time. After he had gone, she watched over the security footage from her security cameras a hundred times, unable to believe what her eyes had seen. Varo… was HUMAN. She didn’t know what to think. Had someone done this to him against his will? Had he actually sought out to do this monstrous thing to himself? The blonde had nothing against humans, mind you. She had used to be one herself and as they say, some of her best friends were humans. But to go back from being a vampire to a measly human! Why would anyone in their right mind want to do that?

Her hands were shaking too much to type, so she used her Technokinesis to email Varo. And his sire Kane Lynch. And his Grandsire, Ripper. She was going to get to the bottom of this one way or another.

[Varo Ricci (DELETED 9075)]

Up until that chance, the moment he was given the option to be human again, Varo saw nothing but a promise of eternal living death. Hiding in the shadows away from people, never daring to do anything of use for fear it would get him killed. So once he'd heard of it, he took it gratefully. He'd wanted so much to be human that there was little else on his mind.

It was long and a very difficult route at times, making him feel blurry and drained, giving him nightmares, even going to the point he was seeing and hearing things. And at one part, one of those things being himself. But he was willing to endure it all, every second of it, and more if he'd have had to, just for the chance to become what he had no memory of ever even being.

And it finally happened, just the night before. He was so relieved his heart was filled with joy and he spent the day basking in the sun, and with what money he could spare, spending it on legitimate food. Not blood, he didn't feel appalled by blood, not at all, but the idea of eating food just seemed so appetizing. However this complete enjoyment would have a detour of sorts when he'd receive a message from Alexandrea.

He had responded with delight to share that he had willingly become human. The notion that she might have thought otherwise didn't even cross his mind. Or, for that matter, that anyone would think him wanting to become human again was somehow a bad thing. All he'd ever really hoped for was the chance to return to being a human, or at least, to not be a vampire. He knew it suited some, but he wasn't one of them.

Varo would be rather unpleasantly surprised however when he'd discover that the matter of just how Alexandria felt about the matter. He wanted to be able to keep in contact with them and stay on friendly terms with the Quartermines in spite of being human now, and short of becoming vampire again, was about ready to do anything so he didn't feel that he was guilty of some terrible sin.

[Alexandrea]

The Allurist spent the next several hours (it only seemed like hours) pacing back and forth muttering to herself under her breath while waiting for a reply email to arrive. Someone must have forced it on Varo, that had to be it. It was the only thing that made any sense.

Afterall, if he hadn't been happy as a vampire, wouldn't he have come to the family for help or at least comfort? Hadn't she done all that anyone could to provide a welcoming and safe place for the Quartermaines? No, she had. She knew she really had. So that couldn't be it.

If Varo hadn't been happy or something had been wrong, either she would have known or his sire or grandsire would have.

It never occurred to her that news as monumental as a member of the family turning human wouldn't have gotten back to her.

Driven half mad with wild speculations, Alexandrea's thoughts were mostly filled with violent fantasies of what she was going to do to whoever was responsible for something she that imagined being a horrific violation forced upon one of her own. The vivid daydreams grew more and more gruesome the longer that she waited for word from someone who could fill her in on what the f*ck was going on.

[Varo Ricci (DELETED 9075)]

When Varo Ricci read the email he almost happily responded to it with, No need to worry this was intentional. I've wanted to be human for so long and the chance presented itself. I've finally gotten to feel the sunlight and be able to walk around at day!! I'm overflowing with joy!

The idea of it being otherwise didn't come up in his mind at first, though since she did mention it, he realized perhaps it was unusual for him to have been able to choose to become human. After-all with as much as vampires had seemed to be hesitant about the very idea of a cure it sounded more like a combative thing that would be forced. Still, in his mind, he was very happy to have been made human.

[Kane Lynch]

Although Kane had not heard from Varo in a while, he was not bothered by it. His childer had the tendency to disappear off the face of the earth. The news that the Northern Irishman's progeny had turned human was something of a shock. Kane couldn't fathom why someone would turn their back on immortality and a slew of powers. While initially angered by this betrayal, he was not about to hunt Varo down.

Well, not unless he got hungry. The Killer did not hate humans, but he did view them as food. And now Varo had been added to Harper Rock's menu. Kane simply replied to Alex's email in his own brand of humour, stating that he would happily hunt Varo if he needed a snack.

[Ripper]

Ripper and Varro exchanged a flurry of emails. Both of them were shocked and dismayed on how wigged out the Matriarch Quartermaine seemed by this whole 'cure' thing scenario.

Hadn't just the other week he assured the grandchilder of his continued place in family lineage no matter the race---that man had been inducted by his own childer--and it had never occurred for either to run any of their combined quest past Alexandrea!

[Alexandrea]

As quickly as the blonde had become enraged, she cooled down. Now she was just sad. Apparently, Varo's decision to throw away his gift of immortality hadn't been a secret. Except to her. She stopped pouting long enough to reinstate Varo's membership on the family crownet board and reflected that at least it wasn't the family he had turned his back on. His message had made that clear.

With a shaky sigh, Alexandrea sent Varo a heartfelt apology. The last thing in the world she wanted was for the young man... the young human man, to feel unwelcome. It gave her shivers to even just think about what he had done to himself... she was almost sick to her stomach over it still, but family was family. She wouldn't turn her back on Varo. She just might not be able to look him square in the eye for awhile.

[Varo Ricci (DELETED 9075)]

Varo was glad that he was brought back into the crownet, however, he couldn't help but still feel a mixture of feelings about this whole event. He had tried to escape something he saw as pure torment...and been seen as a traitor for it, or something at least. It hurt, the only people he ever had any sustained contact with was his vampiric family, and even that was almost so miniscule. It was like being tossed out by the only people he had known for trying to use crutches.

But, nevertheless, he didn't want to go back to being a vampire. He didn't really want to make many more comments after all this, simply that he was glad he was brought back in. He wanted to explain the situation, but so much time had passed already that he wasn't sure it would really make much sense, he also wasn't quite sure yet about all of it's effects, the Shade was something that worried him.