Chapter 29: Epidemic 5-7

"Okay, stupid question incoming."

Jack chuckled. "What else is new, kiddo?"

Before I asked my question, I aimed my gun at the empty glass bottle a few feet ahead of me. I managed to hit it dead in the center, sending fragments of glass in all directions. After me was Nines, who quietly aimed his revolver at the bottle. He, of course, hit it dead on. I was convinced Nines could hit the head of a needle dead on from several yards.

"Psh. Thanks." I deadpanned. "My question is about disciplines.""Ah, this one should be easy." Jack said."What's the difference between Presence and Dominate?" I asked. "They seem to both have the same purpose. And I know - Dominate can only affect one person at a time, Presence is good for mass control. But is that really it?"

I heard Nines make a 'tsk' sound. Jack aimed his gun at the next bottle cap over, managing to hit it right at the tip. To my surprise, he wasn't that good of a shot. I wouldn't want to be in a fist fight with him though.

"What's the difference between being someone's master and their lover?" Nines asked, glancing over to me. "You ever been in love?""Yeah." I told him."Remember that feeling when they talk to you? I don't know about you, but it made me feel nervous." He explained. "I'd do anything to get their attention. To please them.""Not sure I'm getting it." I said."Presence is emotional manipulation, kid." Jack said. "Dominate is straight up puppeteering. You look 'em in the eyes, say a command, and they do it exactly like you tell 'em. Presence is a little different. You aren't controlling anyone. You're making them want to please you. Or you scare the hell out of 'em. With Dominate, you do what you're told because you're told. With Presence, you do it because they make you want to. And when someone questions you about it, you find a way to justify it. Shit, if they're really good at Presence, they can manipulate you without you knowing it. It could just be that you think they're a friend, or that you love them. That's some shit to look out for. It's why I don't really like those Ventrue fucks. Or the Toreador, for that matter."

As I aimed at the next object in the row - a teddy bear duct taped to a bottle of whisky - I thought about that. I was pretty decent at Dominate, decent enough to get what I wanted when I needed it, but it seemed like Presence was a lot scarier. What if I was being manipulated by LaCroix even though I didn't like him? He definitely had the balls to Dominate me a few nights back.

"So it's something to look out for." I concluded."Everything is, kiddo." Jack said. "But Presence? Watch yourself. Those capes sure love usin' it. Me? I prefer to just ask. Or hurt them until they do what I say."

I fired at the teddy bear, hitting it center mass. My plan was to get it in the head, but that didn't quite go as planned.

"Noted." I said.

The Empire Hotel was so fancy that it was sickening. As soon as I walked in I was treated to the sight of marble floors, exotic carpets, and furniture that didn't look like it was meant for sitting. Beside me was a greasy-looking security guard barely paying attention to everything. Upon closer inspection, I saw a strange, glazed-over look in his eyes. When I looked at him with Auspex, I saw the telltale signs of being affected by Presence: a gold-red aura around his head, quick breathing, slight fidgeting. It was as if someone had drugged him. A couple moved past me and out of the door, dressed to go clubbing even though the sun was damn near about to come up. They were affected by Presence too, according to my Auspex. I looked around and saw the gold-red auras surrounding the heads of pretty much everybody: the businessman doing a call in the corner, the woman sitting on the couch that was obviously a pricey escort, the sleazy-looking guy trying to flirt with her.

Everyone was affected by Presence.

Dear Lord.

"May I help you?" The receptionist asked. He was a pale man with neat, combed over hair, possibly gay.

"I'm Algernon Blake." I said. "Is there a guest here named Jezebel Locke?"

"Yes, Miss Locke is one of our more...popular guests. Why do you ask?"

"She should be expecting me." I said. "I got a note from her."

The receptionist's expression turned quizzical, like I'd just told him a marginally funny joke. "Right. I've heard that one before, sir. I can't let you up, it's against hotel policy."

I was about ready to tear his throat out. I didn't have much time. The sun would start rising in a few hours, and I wasn't going to leave Heather up there with that psychopath. What if she was already infected? I had half a mind to Dominate this guy, but between Jezebel's Presence and my Dominate, I didn't want to fry the guy's brain. I'd heard stories of kine that were controlled too much and they ended up going insane. That wasn't what I wanted, even if the guy was pissing me off.

So I resorted to intimidation. I moved so quickly that he didn't even have time to flinch, grabbing him by his expensive collar and pulling him halfway off the desk. Even though I was making a scene, everyone just watched me with that glazed over, docile look, as if they had just taken a shot of heroin. The receptionist, on the other hand, looked absolutely terrified.

"Give me a key to her fucking room." I growled. "Or I'll tear your tongue out. Got it?"

He nodded quickly, his eyes wide like a deer in headlights. I released him and he brushed himself off, took a deep breath, and walked to the back room. When he got back, he reluctantly handed me the keys.

"What room?" I asked.

"148, s-sir." The receptionist stammered.

I flashed him a wordless grin and left the lobby.

Once I exited the lobby, the effects of Jezebel's Presence became more obvious. It was as if I'd stepped out of my reality and into a new one, that new reality being Jeanette Voerman's wet dream. The doors were wide open with people having...er...relations in their rooms. There were at least fifty people fucking in the open, the sound of their wet flesh colliding only being dwarfed by the sound of their coughing. As I got deeper and deeper into the hotel, it became more disgusting and debaucherous. Some people were having sex with dead bodies, and some people were dying of whatever plague the Brotherhood was spreading right as they climaxed.

They all watched me as I passed, more animal than human. Their moans and growls were primal and lurid, and even though I was looking right at them, they continued onwards. The pungent smell of sweat, blood, and arousal filled the air, calling my Beast in ways I didn't really want to admit. I couldn't tell if this was the Beast's urges or the effect of Presence, but I had gotten the urge to participate in the debauchery, drain and fuck and kill whoever I wanted, whenever. What would stop me? They definitely couldn't. These halls were full of rich fucks that were too busy rolling around in their own cum to do anything about it.

I stopped, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. Mentally, I wrestled with my Beast, shoving it back into its cage. Doing this was getting a lot easier, but the Beast was getting more demanding. In the back of my head, I felt a tingling, nervous feeling. My body could sense the impending sunrise, and it was telling me to get the hell out of there and into the deepest hole I could find. I looked at my watch and saw that it was 3:54am. Summer was nearly over, but the sun was still going to rise fairly early. I reminded myself that every second I wasted standing still was another second I risked rotschreck.

Things had somehow gotten more wild as I went deeper into the halls. Paintings were torn down, people were going at it like animals. Men were pounding anything in sight, and women were openly masturbating. I awkwardly stepped over one of the women squirting on the floor and screaming like a banshee as I reached what had to be Jezebel's room. I grabbed my double-barrel shotgun out of my bag and unlocked the door, but for some reason it was still stuck. Activating Potence, I knocked on the door right off of its hinges, aiming the gun forward.

Jezebel was sitting in a chair, completely naked. Heather was on her knees in front of her, also naked, resting her head on her lap. Despite my noisy entrance, it didn't seem to disturb either of them. To say Jezebel was attractive was an understatement. I didn't know if she was Ventrue or Toreador, but she was more attractive than many members of the latter clan I'd seen. She looked like a painting, her skin pale and her short, wavy hair red as a ripe apple. Her eyes were a blue so deep and hypnotic that I found myself spacing out when I looked into them. Her figure was more full and curvaceous than Heather's, with well-defined muscle in the right places. Undoubtedly, she looked the best without clothes on.

As soon as I saw her, I lost the will to fight her. All of my urgency and anger had washed away as if taken by the ocean. Every part of me just wanted to crawl on all fours and lay my head on her lap like Heather. The only reason I didn't do that was because of that savage part of me - the Beast - urging me to decapitate her in a very glorious way for stealing Heather away from me. That savage call grounded me, prevented me from giving into whatever weird passions that Jezebel inspired within me. I gripped my shotgun tight.

"Oh yeah!" Jezebel spoke, gazing up at me with a smile that made me feel I needed a cold shower. Her voice was sultry and feminine and everything I wanted to hear. "I presume you'd gotten my note?"

Speaking took more effort than usual. "Of course. You have something of mine."

"Ah, yes…" She said, her gaze turning down to Heather. She began to pet her, and Heather released a moan that implied something more than petting was going on. The way Jezebel had her all docile pissed me - or rather, my Beast - off more than I could've imagined. "What a pretty little toy you have here. She has an excellent...mouth."

"Shut the fuck up." I snapped.

"Tell me...are you a believer, little morsel?" She asked, ignoring me. "Have you come wandering to my web, seeking the kind of enlightenment Jezebel can give you?"

What the fuck? Was she hit with Dementation or something?

"No." I said as firmly as I could manage. "I'm here for my pet. Let her go. We can settle whatever you want to settle tomorrow night. The sun is almost up."

She seemed entirely unconcerned with that. "I have such things to show you, Mr. Blake...such beautiful, dirty little things. Things I'd shown your dear Heather...won't you come to me?"

I wanted to. I really wanted to, but I knew I couldn't. It seemed that my Beast was the only thing keeping me sane here, ironically.

"Did you infect her?" I demanded, or at least try to. My voice didn't sound too authoritative.

"Ah, no...I would never do such a thing without you here." Jezebel said, her expression turning into a wicked smirk. "Heather herself said that she wants you here to experience it. Isn't that correct, dear?"

Suddenly, Heather was aware of her surroundings. She looked up at me, her face flushed, her eyes half-lidded. I wanted to take her right then and there, take her in every way you could possibly imagine.

"Come to us, please." She pleaded. "It feels so...nice. Her touch, and her voice...I don't know if I can live without her. It's like when I'm with you...please."

Before I gave into the urge, the Beast was stronger than ever, expressing itself in my mind vocally.

Tear the bitch apart.

It growled. Show her what happens when it takes what is yours.For once, I had to agree. But not yet. I needed to assess the situation, find out what Jezebel was capable of. I needed to find out why the Brotherhood of the 9th Circle decided to come to LA in the first place. They definitely weren't your average Sabbat. They were smart, deliberate, and very fucking hard to kill. The Sabbat were animals, these people were serial killers.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, distancing myself from Jezebel as much as I could. I'd noticed seconds ago that I was subconsciously moving towards her, so instead I moved to the furthest corner in the room. I kept my gun pointed at Jezebel in case she decided to do anything other than pet Heather.

"Our reasons are simple…" Jezebel said. "We wish to spread our death and disease so that we can ascend to the Ninth Circle of Hell. We are the enlightened, join us. Indulge in your animal instincts until you lie spent on the altar. Desire will be your truth, desire and the death that follows!"

She was absolutely demented. I narrowed my eyes and asked, "Who is leading you?"

"Our Bishop Vick." She told me. "And our Archbishop had given us the permission to spread our enlightenment in this city."

Archbishop. That's what the Sabbat equivalent of a Prince was. This entire time, both the Camarilla and the Anarchs alike assumed that the Sabbat weren't being directed by anyone. We assumed they were just loosely affiliated packs, banging their heads and beating their chest like complete morons. Now I knew that an intelligence was guiding them. This would be useful information.

"Who is your Archbishop?" I asked.

Jezebel smiled wordlessly. I could tell that she had no intention of telling me. She was smarter than she seemed. I noticed how her eyes became wider, her breathing more ragged. Her hunger shone in her eyes, but displayed upon her body like intense arousal. My desire turned into stress, suddenly. I was pushed into a fight-or-flight reaction. Evidently, Heather felt the same way, because she screamed, scrambling away from Jezebel as quickly as she possibly could, curling up on her blood-soaked bed. Jezebel Locke stood up from her chair, sultry and predatory like a black widow about to drain her mate.

"I cannot control my hunger any longer!" She wailed, her body hunching over like an animal. "Come! The truth will be shown to you as I drink the blood from your twice-lifeless body. Oh, it will be ecstasy - oh ecstasy, little morsel! Sweet ecstasy!"

Just like that, all semblance of calm in the situation was gone. Everything erupted into chaos. As she pounced at me, I could hear terrified cries and screams from the poor victims outside, as if they were scared and in pain. Jezebel grabbed a bloodied bowie knife from the stand by her chair and pounced at me. I was ready, but I felt distracted, unable to move in the sheer terror she provoked in me. She grabbed me by the collar and lifted me, slamming me down to the ground and straddling me. Like a python, she snapped forward and I barely managed to stop her with my shotgun. I used it to hold her back, but she was much stronger than she looked. She lifted her knife and bought it down on my chest, getting me right in my no longer beating heart. I screamed in pain, which seemed to bring Heather back to reality.

"A-Algernon?!" She asked, her voice faint and airy, as if she'd just woken up.

"Heather!" I called to her. "A little help!"

"No, stay there, little pet." Jezebel compelled her, her voice a low growl. "I merely wish to show your master true pleasure."

"That isn't what she wants to do at all!" I protested, attempting to kick Jezebel off of me. It felt like trying to kick a brick wall. God damn it, why does everyone have Fortitude?!

"A-Algernon...I can't…" Heather mumbled. "I'm...I'm confused…"

Jezebel was pretty skilled at Presence, but I had a blood bond with Heather. I could feel her at all times if I focused, and I knew she could feel me. She was drawn to me like a moth to a light. That had to be worth something. It had to be stronger than whatever Jezebel was doing. So I focused, focused on her, on our bond. I felt my vitae within her, felt her voice buried beneath Jezebel's web. I called out to her and she answered.

Heather pounced so quickly that it was inhuman. She was fast, just as fast as Jenna. Jezebel clearly wasn't expecting to be slammed against the wall by a ghoul all juiced up on Potence. I knew it would only last as long as Jezebel's surprise did, so I had to act quickly. I got up and Heather swung Jezebel by her hair towards me. Using my shotgun like a baseball bat, I sent Jezebel flying into a wall so hard that she bounced off of it. Blood poured out of her mouth, but she got up quickly, charging at Heather this time. Activating Celerity, I stepped in front of Heather before Jezebel even took her second step and shot her right in her midsection, sending her flying through the window.

The window shattered as she fell onto the balcony. Beams of early sunlight came through the window, forcing me to take cover. I wasn't quick enough and ended up getting burned on the arm, but I didn't get the worst of it. The one who got the worst of it was Jezebel herself, who screamed an ugly, blood-curdling cry as she was exposed to the sun. I saw Heather's terrified look, and the sight of Jezebel burning reflected on her glasses.

"NO!" She screamed. "NOT NOW! NOT YET!"

I almost felt sympathy as the sun burned her away, leaving her as nothing but ash. Staying in the shadows, I hid from the sun as best as I could, but the effects of rotschreck were beginning. I wanted to run, to hide, but I knew that if I left the building, I'd end up just like Jezebel. Heather ran towards me, embracing me. The feeling was strangely calming, comforting. It was like the assurance of getting back what was mine was soothing the Beast.

"Algernon…" She said, her voice breaking. "I'm so sorry. S-She just came and I-I...I opened the door for her and she was so…"

"We can talk about this later." I said quickly. "Just...stay here. Please."

"But-"

"Shh…" I said, caressing her cheek. "We're safe now. I need to sleep until the sun sets. Just stay."

"Okay…" Heather said meekly, resting her head on my shoulder.

This feeling was strange. Alien. It wasn't love - I don't know if I can feel love anymore - but it's like it. The feeling was like...regaining a piece of myself that I'd lost. An anchor to my humanity. For the first time that night, I didn't feel like a monster.