Valentin Devereux (ex_playmygam650) wrote in light_of_may, @ 2010-09-12 21:51:00 |
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Entry tags: | 2009-07-26, domina |
we understand each other well
Who: Val and Domina
Where: Ad Gustum
When: Night
Having left the sword-welding vampire in the foyer, Val was ready to speak with someone who had some sense. He'd not intended to meet the madam in the bad mood, though, and did his best to shake it off prior to requesting her presence at the front desk. As this was a vampire brothel, he expected she would be in at this hour, but he could be wrong. She didn't need to oversee every single second of the operations, especially if Lex was there to manage security. He couldn't imagine anything getting past the vampire, at least in the evening hours.
Domina was still seething from earlier events. She'd sent Lex and Tanith out to do their respective duties, and set Ancilla to the task of finding her decent references for a blood witch for hire. Oh, no, she would not let Tanith have the satisfaction of that job. Tanith was perfectly qualified - overqualified, she was damn near a master. Yet Domina refused.
She was about ten seconds away from going downstairs and strangling something, but Hades was doing her best to calm her down. Hades was rational while she was not. You don't know how many Lex will be able to round up tonight. You can't kill the precious few slaves you still have when you don't know if you'll need them in the immediate future. The familiar had good advice. So Domina did her best to calm herself. She was about to send for a shot of vampire blood when she was told a client wanted to see her. The blood would have to wait. Domina took a deep, cleansing sigh and sat herself behind her desk. Hades took his standard perch just behind her and to the right, and she rang for him to be sent in.
When Val stepped into Domina's office, his eyes wanted to wander, but once his sights were set on the madam they never got the chance. A sense of shock rattled in his mind, though his smile never faltered. Could Lex not have warned him that the madam was so young? Her heart beat, so she must be human, lest a siren was running the place. Only that would make sense, otherwise there was a child sitting before him. It amazed him what poor decisions humans made. "Good evening, madam," Val said with a little bow of his head. "Thank you for taking some time out of your schedule to see me this evening. My name is Valentin Deveroux."
Domina smiled pleasantly. Thankfully, her background had prepared her to put on a good public face when she secretly wanted to strangle someone. She had given up the strangling idea for now, anyway. "Please, call me Domina. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Deveroux. Won't you have a seat?" Hades made a pleased sound, something heard in Domina's mind alone. Her owl familiar didn't have to speak much. Often she understood sounds and tones just as well as anything else. It was amazing she had ever gone without him - he felt like half of herself. His presence was a great comfort to her.
While her age might be suspect, her manners were pleasing, and Val took a seat with a smile. "Thank you. And feel free to call me Val." He cast a quick glance at the owl, deciding it must be her familiar. An owl was too unusual a pet for it not to be. Domina was fortunate the owl was unobtrusive, as he'd heard of others getting much less desirable familiars. "I was wondering if you could tell me a little about your setup here at Ad Gustum and how you go about marketing your business. I take it you rely mostly upon word of mouth?" He had been very fortunate in stumbling upon it differently, as any vampire that saw him as the law might not want to point him this direction. It also meant they didn't know Val in the least.
"Of course, I'd be happy to," she agreed immediately. "Ad Gustum caters to the needs, desires, and tastes of vampires - and rarely others, with exceptions occasionally given for the truly notable. We recognize that modern society has yet to truly make suitable public places catered to your interests, and we fill that gap." Domina did not count Heme. Heme was for the tourists and pussy vampires. "As weres, my family understands that the instincts and needs of vampires are not that of humans - and it is a great injustice to impose human political correctness on them. You should not have to curb your appetites and indulge only in the dark, and yet until society learns to make room for you you are forced to. So Ad Gustum offers many things to your kind. We have entertainment, several bars and lounges, fine company, and of course, an extensive stock for any taste you could have. I daresay you'd be hard pressed to find a desire we couldn't see fulfilled for you," she finished with a smile. "As for advertising..." Domina offered a sort of smile, and a 'what are you gonna do' sort of shrug. "As what we offer isn't legal, what you say is mostly what we need to rely on. The paid company and donors-" -IE: WHOOOORES- "Often use their better judgment in mentioning it to vampires they happen to meet, but you understand we have to be very careful."
"Oh, most certainly," Val agreed with a nod. She might be young, but Domina seemed to know her stuff, and that definitely won points with Val. "I was fortunate enough to meet up with your lovely siren Geisha, otherwise who knows how long I might have gone without finding Ad Gustum. For my part, I've come to town to... I hate to use the word police, since I'm not what you'd call the most law abiding citizen myself, but for lack of a better terms, I'm here to police the vampires who can't abide by one simple rule: to keep our reputation clean." He didn't understand why it as so fucking difficult when they'd been able to do it for centuries up till now. You didn't drain a body and throw it in a dumpster. You just didn't. That garnered the type of attention that drew in hunters, and those had been around long before the Light of May. "I'm hoping bring an end to the vampire related crime in the area, or at least minimize it, and have the feeling I may run across a number of my kind who would embrace a place like this whole-heartedly. Would you be opposed to me sending them your way? Lexington can vouch for me, should you need a reference of some sort."
Domina smirked faintly. "You're here to round up the silly little children that failed Predators 101?" She shrugged again. "Good," she added. Something certainly needed to be done. She would just assume destroy them all, but if Val wanted to try polite suggestions first, she supposed it was good for business. Lexington? Oh. Lex. She'd forgotten he had such a silly name. "Please, feel free. But be warned, if they can't play by big-kid rules and kill members of my staff or go running their mouths off about the place, I will see them destroyed." And just like that, Domina's expression turned into something fully capable, and fresh out of give-a-fucks for baby vampires that didn't know their limits. "Anyone who crosses the line with my staff or my business will never see the outside world again."
"And I would willingly help you tear them to pieces one inch at a time," Val said, his smile sharp and his eyes hard. Anyone that damaged his reputation would regret it instantly, as he would not only take them out, but he'd torture them first. His favorite methods involved fire and silver and most often drove his victims mad before they met their end. "I don't appreciate having my name tarnished. But rest assured that I would not mention Ad Gustum to someone that could not keep their mouth shut." Families helped with that, and prior knowledge. Some could be trusted, while others could not.
Domina smiled brightly at his response. "Then we understand each other well," she replied, pleased as could be on a day like this. Pleased with him, anyway. He was a keeper. She would have to give Liliya a ring one of these days. "Speaking of your good name, do you require any help in your endeavors? I know a lot of vampires, a few of which that may be able to offer their services, one way or another. And should the need for violence arise, I would be happy to loan you Lex for the night. I have a good blood witch in my services as well, and she isn't shy about dishing out punishment." To put it mildly.
"It has been too long since Lex and I have had the opportunity to hunt together," Val grinned. "I would be thrilled to take him off your hands for a night of fun. As for the blood witch, I would like to meet her. I'm sure she could find some value in a kill that the two of us can not." Well, besides the enjoyment of it. A blood witch could use it for a spell, though if he remembered correctly Lex had issues with magic. No matter, he would just have to deal with it. He was old enough to put his issues aside for one night, at least in Val's opinion.
If there was any better than solving a nagging problem, it was finding other people to do it for you. This made Domina's day suck significantly less. "Just name a night, and they're yours. I'll let a few others know someone's in town that wants to get proactive, without mentioning how I know you, of course." Discretion was key, and something many of her clients took very seriously. "In the meantime... why don't you enjoy a girl? Or a boy, if that's your thing. My treat." Freebies weren't common in Ad Gustum, but if he took care of the stupid vampires, she wanted him on her side.
Val understood discretion. His world couldn't operate without it and he was glad to see that Domina had an appreciation for it as well. "Thank you," he said, extremely pleased by the offer. "I think I will take you up on that. I promise to repay your generousity in blood." She seemed like the sort that might truly enjoy the gift of a vampires fangs. While she should probably not display them here, they were a fine trophy to possess. He could see them beautifully strung up on a silver necklace. Yes, she would definitely be getting a gift when the time came.