The Toils of Marconius
The door burst open, four Kindred on the other side of the threshold bearing teeth and claws. Earlier in the night, he’ d discovered one of the few Camarilla holdouts remaining in D. C. As a result, his elimination had become a priority for these agents of the Ivory Tower.
“ You gone done it now, licks.” As the vampires entered the bedroom, bedlam took its toll; the ward’ s effects penetrated the intruders’ minds. Three of them clutched their heads, stumbling like drunks as they fumbled for an exit they found impossible to locate.
Nathaniel’ s smugness faltered as he observed the ever impressive Tabitha Prester hanging back, leveling her shotgun at the Kiasyd.“ Your wards won’ t work on me, McCabe. I’ ll blow you to fucking kingdom come before you tell a soul about our haven.”
“ Such a dirty mouth, Tabitha. Your mama oughta wash it out.” Nathaniel slid forward with the child in one arm, three long fingers jammed in the boy’ s mouth to silence his crying.“ I reckon your trigger finger ain’ t so fast to save both these boys. Here’ s a conundrum, Gangrel; can you live with causing the death of one more innocent? Last time you liketa lost control entirely.”
With amusement, McCabe watched as Tabitha attempted to mouth an answer. Her eyes questioned, but her body would not move.“ I know all about you and your weaknesses, Tabby. I done read Vitel’ s old diaries pretty well. I might could be leavin’ with this boy, as insurance, you unnerstand? Don’ t pursue now. I’ ll hurt him bad, and it’ ll be all your fault. Just like last time.”
Even when pushing passed four stupefied Camarilla with a child in hand, Nathaniel McCabe never ran. One of the fiercest Gangrel in D. C. tried to form words, but instead, vitae just leaked from her eyes.
The Black Sheep
A wise Cainite once said;“ A truth that’ s told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent.”
I just lied. William Blake was never a Cainite, more’ s the pity. He’ d make a fine member of our bloodline. I daresay our falsehoods are believed more readily than any bona fide facts I could present, yet truths are requested, so truths you shall get.
Just don’ t blame me if you do not believe them.
You know the Kiasyd of tonight to be a bloodline of the Lasombra Clan, and are well-read enough to know also we are descended from Marconius, the founder of our kind. There are no Kiasyd outside that lineage.
Any theorized weakness we have or had due to connection with creatures known as“ fae” or“ changelings” is purely hypothetical. We’ re far more than mere Cainites, not less.
I did intimate you may not believe me. Wet your quill. Use the— heh— inkpot over there. The words you write shall be my testament. You’ d do well to refer to them before questioning others of our blood.
The Toils of Marconius
Marconius and his sister Hrotsuitha were magi.
I see your quill’ s already ceased scratching. You heard me correctly. Now, the Lasombra weren’ t known for their dabbling in thaumaturgic arts, but it’ s remiss to believe our august Clan hadn’ t Embraced some mortals familiar with the power of the Abyss.
Marconius and his sister were such scholars. They were consumed by the idea of creating the perfect being, possessed of vitae, the dreams of changelings, and the souls of magi. If an alchemical mixture comprised of such glorious components could be fed to a subject, the organism created would be perfection embodied, and elevate the creators to godhood, surely.
52 KIASYD