A Scripta

Kalius was a little shocked. People kept coming all day, standing or sitting around in all corners of the house. It was like the humans were having their own little daylight party, drinking and eating, but taking care not to disturb the decorations, and quickly cleaning up after themselves. All of them were probably ghouls, or some sort of servant to a vampire. Billy brought him to the kitchen and fed him on hors d'oeuvres. He was introduced as "the old sheriff's boyfriend." One man said to him, "So the rumors are true."

"What rumors," Kalius asked, drinking a beer.

"The sheriff left because of you."

"I didn't ask him to. It was his decision."

"Is he going to be sheriff in Rhode Island?"

"No, he's retiring."

Another man snorted. "Nobody retires from the Camarilla."

"Maybe he won't be a Camarilla."

"You're Sabbat, Camarilla, or Caitiff. It's better to run in groups because you'll always need protection."

"He has protection," Kalius said, and drained his beer. "Excuse me." He glanced out the rear windows of the house, and there were cars parked all throughout the driveway and street, so he couldn't take the Mustang out. He sighed, went to his room and locked the door. He picked up a copy of the Iliad that he had found in Rowena's library. Although he had pretty much memorized it over the years, he never tired of its story.

Half an hour to sunset, he left his room to go to the vault. For once, a large guard that he remembered from downstairs stood at the upstairs entrance. He held an Uzi loosely in his hand. "Precautions?" Kalius asked.

"Trust no one," he said, and opened the door for Kalius. Kalius stood outside the vault door, and it opened just at sunset. Dmitrius smiled at Kalius and kissed him. "Good evening," Kalius said, slipping his arm around Dmitrius' waist.

"Rowena's still sleeping. What have I missed?"

"There are a lot of people upstairs."

"It doesn't officially start until eight. We have some time."

Kalius smiled. "Yes, yes, we do."


Dmitrius moaned at the knock on the door. Kalius chuckled, as Dmitrius cast his head back upon his pillow. "Yes," Dmitrius said wearily.

"The mistress hopes that you plan on coming down for the party."

"We thought we'd be fashionably late," Dmitrius said, as he ran his hand over Kalius' bare chest.

"I think you're fashionably late now, sir."

Dmitrius kissed his lover and they both rolled out of bed. "Give us ten minutes. Is the Prince here yet?"

"No, sir, he's not."

Dmitrius scowled. "All right. Thanks."

"Yes, sir." Dmitrius heard him walk away.

Kalius looked at the clock. "Time flies when you're having fun."

"I didn't even realize it." They finished getting dressed and walked out of his bedroom.

The foyer was full of people, vampires and humans, mingling among each other like normal dinner party guests. Dmitrius came down the stairs and someone walked right up to him. "Sheriff!"

Dmitrius sighed. "I am not sheriff anymore, Gavin."

Gavin said, "To me you always will be."

"Gavin, this is my fiance, Kalius."

Gavin looked down at Kalius. "Your WHAT?"

"Fiance," Kalius said coldly. "Have a problem with that?"

"I don't see a ring."

"We don't need one," Dmitrius replied.

Gavin folded his arms across his chest. "You're stooping pretty--"

Kalius punched him in the face. Dmitrius immediately stood between Gavin and Kalius. "Gavin, go away."

Gavin was holding his nose, a tiny bit of black blood oozing out of it. Gavin melted into the crowd. Dmitrius looked around, as if daring anyone to speak. Vampires and people turned away from the scene. Kalius flexed his hand, ignoring the pain of hitting a man. He might have had the strength to break his nose, but that didn't stop him from feeling pain. "Ex-lover?" Kalius asked.

"Please," Dmitrius said disgustedly. "Not for want of trying."

They found Rowena. She immediately brightened on seeing Dmitrius, and hugged him, and then kissed Kalius and hugged him, too. Dmitrius and Kalius introduced themselves as a couple, and most vampires thought that was at the very least odd, at the very most doomed.

Then the front door opened. Dmitrius happened to be looking in that direction, and squeezed Kalius' waist to get his attention. He bent to Kalius' ear and whispered, "The Prince is at the door."