The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Seventeen

"The reason they left has to do with why Faye and Miranda are also gone. Some of you might know what happened...." He glanced briefly aside to Morpheus. "I'm just supposed to say: Athen had determined a punishment for Faye's attack on Blade, and Faye broke the rules, again, this time compelling and then killing one of our staff. In respect, most of them have been given several days leave. Faye is not welcome here until Athen says otherwise."

"What about Min?" Joy asked.

"Min broke no rules, but, so far as I know, she went with Faye by choice." Julien sighed. "Anyway, Shade didn't want any problems like we had with Blade- Angel. He and Athen have gone to some other Vampyres to, like, give them warning or let them know Faye may be acting against our interests."

"She wouldn't hurt others," Joy said, "That's why she was mad about Angel in the first place. Right Dolly? Faye had been in the Menagerie. It wasn't for long, but that water thing is torture for Vampyres, right?"

Dolores answered at a whisper, accent faintly French, "Most Salamielite Spawn won't even cross water. We physically can, but it takes will."

"There's a theory it goes back to Diluvian times," Steven said, "Shade's mentioned it, but Helen...it was part of her study: The origins of non-Human beings of folklore and why they had the talents and weaknesses described."

"If not for the Flood, there'd be a lot more than just three bloodlines, and a lot less Humans on Earth," Morpheus said, "But, I think we're getting off-topic."

"I like to hear about theorists and their claims," Julien admitted, "But, my point here is that there's a chance Faye will reach out to others for shelter and either she or they will consider coming here, knowing Shade and Athene are out."

"By others, I assume you mean Sarah," Dolores said. She took a gulp of blood from the glass Ganymede had poured for her.

"Shade did mention her to me," Julien agreed, "She has some old grievance with him, apparently."

"I don't know, however, my guess is they went back to New Orleans, as it would be familiar now, and they wouldn't have to travel overseas. I don't know Sarah, personally, only how they operate in general. My contact's been mainly with young Spawn that wander into Paris looking for whichever fictional vampire Vlad's reading lately."

"We know what happens to them if they disturb your cover or protections," Julien said flatly, likely meaning Dolores killed them and took their fangs as proof; the sundress exposed her necklace quite clearly.

"It's not like it is with your brood, all being related before you even have the blood."

"Most of us," Ganymede said.

"There are different types of relationship," Ardor said.

"Like that," Dolores said, looking up, yet wearing her glasses, "You turn others because you think you want them with you forever. You protect weak links rather than cull them."

Julien laughed humorlessly, "We're all weak links in our way, as Faye pointed out not long ago. So, that's why I'm asking: If a threat comes, who here fights to protect our sanctuary here, and who is in need of protection?"

"Depends who comes, if someone comes, right?" Spider asked, "Physically, I'm no match for a Vampyre, and my mental powers are pretty low-level."

"I don't know if I could hurt Faye, or Min," Joy said, "But, of course I'm going to fight with you, Julien."

He smiled. "I knew you would, Sweetie."

"Puts a bit of a glitch in my plans," Ganymede said, with slight inflection that might have made it mock-seriousness, "I wanted to go party in Glendale."