Path of the Vampire forum

“I got nowhere to go and all the time in the world to get there.”

The sounds of a song in the making increased as the scent of fresh lemon filled the space beneath her hands. The paring knife in her hand sank slowly leaving a precise and clean divide. The invasion of citrus tickled her nose as she waited for the rest of the tune to follow with the accompaniment of cooling air around her. It wasn't a true drop in the temperature but it was disrupted. Much like it had been suddenly stirred by something other than her own body. Iris’s eye lifted from the tea tray that she had been preparing and discovered what she had guessed to be the source. Mea Culpa. A reach for the kitchen hand towel had the pale length of her classically trained digits writhing in a slow fashion with the cloth skirting around them in their fluid, purposeful movements.

“Do I need to remind you that this is not the time to arrive without being summoned.” The directness even in the softness of her voice was unmistakable just as intended.
“Awww, You having a party and you didn’t invite me?” A click and hiss of a tongue dancing in a talented mouth followed the response. “Chill, Mistress. I am not going to crash your thing you got going on. We know how wild you get when tea is involved.”

Iris could not miss the glide of glorious and abundantly curved mocha skin stepping around her and hopping up to sit on the counter beside the tray. A timeless woman’s body bounced in the most distracting ways then settled as would be expected. The constant nudity of her wraith had long lost it’s original shock value for the cornflower blue orbs that took notice. Mea Culpa was a dead ringer for the sixties songbird and novelist Marsha Hunt in her prime. Iris would be challenged to place the uncanny likeness between the two. Then again the telepath immersed herself in the works of Anais Nin and Henry Miller than the lesser known writings of Hunt.

“Your distraction is not needed.” Iris brushed her hand through the visual space that Mea Culpa occupied. It was as if dusting the surface of the counter beneath her could do away with the wraith’s existence altogether. “I will call for you when I need you.”

The tray was secured in the grip of each of Iris’s hands as she stepped away from the kitchen and took leave of the room in favor of the stairs that would guide her back to her guests. That was the signal that Mea Culpa was dismissed. If only Mea took such a hint, which she did not. She saw such as invitations for her curiosity which knew no natural or otherwise limits.

“Oh she is beggin’ for me to join."

Mea Culpa hopped down and took a few steps before giving up on the physical display of her body moving for no one in the room to witness. Like a cool confusing shadow she was on the end of the skirting of Iris’s dress and riding up the narrow steps as the young woman climbed with the proper set victorian tea tray in hand.

With all the polished manner and grace that would be expected in royal court the tea was set up. The silence that went with it left only the sounds of hot fluid pouring ceremoniously from the spout releasing the first signs of the offering to her unexpected guests. A deep inhale was not needed to appreciate the richness. It was a cloud forming and eventually enveloping the space around the small party in attendance.The finest Camellia sinensis leaves had been roasted over local pine logs capturing the woody, earth undertones that currently seeped into the air from the surface of the cups of tea presented to each guest. Lapsang Souchong. It would be worth remembering even if it never touched any of their lips.

“I employed her for a reason.” Cornflower pools full of awareness set on Hannah purposefully then drifted back to Lancaster as she adjusted her wealth of layered skirting and finally took a seat. A natural shaped golden brow lifted briefly. “It is you that is in her hands. If you feel safe then that is what is of importance.” She dipped her head towards them, eyes fixed on their cups. “Allow the warmth to find you even if the taste must be appreciated through other means.”

A casual sweep of the telepaths fingertip caught the heat embodied in the fine bone china. Like a taunting string to a kitten it managed to summon Mea Culpa to move behind her and accept her station watchful over her mistress. This was not an end to the wraiths possible antics. If anything it was a sign they had only just begun.

“Well, well, well…” The sound of Mea speaking had the delicate, pale finger retracting so that a set of ritualist hands folded calmly in the skirted lap beneath them. “About time you mix and mingle, Mary Poppins. Zo momma would be proud.”

Iris visibly changed little in her stone expression or seated position as Mea Culpa was pretty much discovered and outed by the two she offered tea. It was not the first time it happened. Wraiths were generally under the control of their summoner but there were cases where a slight defiant streak was known to possibly reside within them. Mea Culpa was no one’s ***** and she gave the von Drol’s over the years numerous reasons as to why some would be better off without the second set of eyes a thrall, such as she, could provide.

It had been one of those things that those welcomed few who came into her presence were often treated to quick examples if the mood was calling for it. Despite the fact that a reserved and proper victorian minded young telepath pulled her from a restrictive existence and set her free, under certain conditions, she still fell out of line now and then. The conditions of release were clear between them but this evening in particular it would seem that Mea was once again in rare form and a tad forgetful.

Iris did not turn to redirect the bare wraith behind her. To do so would give the unwanted presence more attention that it currently deserved. Had she been free to do so she would have stood and quietly delivered the usual punishment that Mea was all too familiar with. Banishment to where she was summoned from until a length of time fitting for the offending actions was met. Being that Hannah was seated with a view of what would transpire she refrained from moving at all. Instead she focused on the two she had for company and the business at hand.

“You are correct.”

She gave a single nod of her head with the intention of taking the discussion a step further. It was that or Mea would be tempted to railroad it down some dark dismal place she was known to discuss with great detail since she had been there far more than she found acceptable. As much as the one suffering sudden memory loss was comfortable discussing things with Hannah present she was not forgetting her own sire’s strict warnings on the way the world could repeat its actions if they as a species were negligent with the power and position that vampires currently had.

“I trust you are not being subjected to her visual display.” Iris’ wide cornflower blues bounced between the two who appeared far more settled than they would be if they had. “No, of course not.”