Exclusivity 2.0 Chapter 5 (PG-13)

[librarian_7]

Disclaimer: The characters from Moonlight are copyrighted by CBS, and no infringement is intended. The characters from the WFS do not bear any resemblance to their online counterparts.

A/N: This work follows the events of "Within the Empty Reaches of the Night," and you might want to read that one first, if you haven't. If you’ve read this elsewhere, this is Version 2.0. The story originally reference events taking place in an RP long ago and far away, on another site. I’ve tried to rewrite to make it more my own. I hope you enjoy it…this is the last of my old stories to be reposted here. It originally appeared on MLL back in December 2007/January 2008.

Exclusivity

Chapter 5

Lucky had passed such a restless night she was almost glad to be awakened by the sound of her phone. The sight of Josef so angry had frightened her. She wasn’t sure what Julian had done, but it seemed clear she was the cause of Josef’s displeasure. All night Lucky’s dreams had been haunted by the cold face of the vampire.

Lucky had been afraid of the monsters, even as a small child. Especially as a small child, she had known the monsters—the vampires—were going to get her. She feared sleeping with the closet door open, because she been certain something horrible was lurking within. Now, she knew the vampires were real, and somehow the knowledge had made her feel safer. She had to smile at the thought of Mick, always so gentle with women and children, or urbane Josef, the consummate businessman, hiding in a closet to frighten a child. It simply was not in their nature. She supposed she was doing what any sensible creature would do—as a smaller, weaker part of the herd, she was attaching herself to the biggest, baddest predator she could find, in hopes of gaining some protection. Maybe. Maybe she was just putting herself out as the next sacrifice.

At any rate, when she grabbed for her phone, blinking the grit of sleep from her eyes, it turned out to be a wrong number. Still, after a moment’s thought, she decided she’d better get over to Belinda’s place. If, as seemed obvious, Julian had been caught in the arms of another vamp, all the freshies might be needed to try and avert violence. She showered, dressed, and made up in record time.

Thank goodness, there was always coffee on at Belinda’s condo. She reflected wryly it was a good thing the vamps seemed to like the aroma. She was daily amazed Belinda hadn’t tossed the whole kit and caboodle of them out long since, with all the noise and drama, although she supposed Josef’s financial backing was a good reason to keep the salon going. After getting a mug of coffee, she smiled greetings to Melody and Felicity, taking up her usual seat by the bookcase. She found the bookcase comforting. The leather chair there was like being enfolded in a warm embrace, and she always felt calmest near books. Belinda—or possibly Josef—had accumulated a nice collection. He told her he’d gotten rid of far more books than he’d kept, and after centuries as a vampire, she didn’t doubt that he’d spent his share of long nights reading. Lucky picked out a book and began to browse through it, not knowing exactly what she was waiting for, but waiting nonetheless. She thought she sensed the same wariness in Felicity and Melody. None of the other freshies were in evidence this morning, and she wondered where Cinda had gotten to. That little bird flew to her own song, and no one ever knew when she’d alight with the others. Belinda also seemed to have made herself scarce, which surprised Lucky. It wasn’t like her to be absent when there was potential drama in the air.

They were each immersed in their own activities, Melody on the staircase scratching away in her ever-present notebook, Lucky with her book, and Felicity busy on her laptop. Once Felicity’s phone rang, with a text from Ivoire.

“Ivy wants us to let her know when—if—Julian turns up here. Josef wants to speak to her, but he won’t call her. He was ranting to Ivoire all night, she told me earlier.”

“I’d think he’d just have Ivy call her and tell her to come to his office,” Melody commented, then shrugged. “I guess that’s just Josef for you.”

“It’s hard to figure him sometimes,” Lucky agreed. She was thinking that he probably didn’t want Julian anywhere near any of his places at this point. But who knew?

Felicity grimaced. “I guess we just wait.”

Time passed. The room stayed very quiet.

Then Julian arrived.

She was dressed with her usual style, in an elegant white dress, subtly accented with gold jewelry. Lucky smiled inwardly, thinking she looked like an innocent, virginal bride. If the long sleeves and high neckline were a little different from the usual freshie mode, they suited her, accentuating Julian’s perfect tan and blonde beauty. “Morning all,” she said breezily, depositing a bakery box on the kitchen island. “I brought croissants. Lovely day out, isn’t it?”

Melody smiled back, but it was forced. “Yes, it is nice, Julian,” she said. “Coffee’s on, if you like.”

“Umm, thanks.”

Lucky cast a look over at Felicity, but the other girl was busily texting, head down. Julian had never brought treats before, unlike, well, everyone else. She was being suspiciously friendly, in Lucky’s opinion. Her suspicions were not much allayed when Belinda floated down the stairs a few minutes later, looking more cheerful than she usually did in the mornings. Looking like she expected trouble, in Lucky’s opinion. Cinda arrived a few moments later. Greetings were exchanged all around, and some lightly brittle conversation, but it wasn’t long before Felicity looked down at her phone, and over at Lucky, and nodded very slightly. Ivoire must’ve texted back, and Felicity had been smart enough to set her ringer on silent.

Then the door opened, and Josef walked in, followed by Ivoire. Julian, who was standing near the fireplace, turned and flashed him her most brilliant smile. “Josef—“ she started.

He cut her off with a gesture. “Did you think,” he said, and his voice was hard enough to cut diamonds, “did you think I wouldn’t know, Julian?”

Her smile faltered. “I don’t understand, Josef.”

“Roll up your sleeve,” he said, crossing his arms.

“What?” Julian looked outraged; Lucky had to admit she was a good actress, a great one if she pulled this off.

“Roll up your sleeve.” Josef was relentless, speaking quietly. Lucky thought screaming would be less frightening than this dead flat tone.

“Fine.” Julian started to roll up her right sleeve, thrusting out an unmarked arm.

Josef shook his head. “The left one, Julian. Don’t play these games with me.”

Julian closed her eyes. “How—“

“I can smell him on you, you ignorant—“ Josef mastered himself with an effort. “All those promises of devotion, forgotten.” He snapped his fingers. “Like that.” He smiled, and Lucky thought she had never seen a more poisonous expression.

Julian’s façade was starting to crumble. She’d lost her smile, and somehow looked shorter, less confident, less like herself. “Josef, I can explain—“

In answer he snarled, and took a step forward. Everyone in the place came to their feet. Ivoire darted forward, trying to block Josef’s progress, knowing it was completely hopeless. Belinda was instantly in between them, and Cinda with her. “Back off, Josef,” Belinda ordered. “No violence. By God, you promised me…” Julian had gone as white as her blouse.

Josef looked down at Ivoire, gallantly trying to hold him back, and his expression completely altered. “It’s all right, doll,” he said, gently. Then he looked up at Belinda. “You mistake me,” he said. “I have no intention of laying a hand on the fair Julian—ever again.” He shifted his gaze to Julian. “I already talked with your little boyfriend. Apparently you neglected to tell him you were supposed to be an exclusive. He was—disappointed—to hear it. I suspect, my dear, you’ll find no vamp is interested in a blatant oathbreaker. After all, it’s not as though you were attacked. You made your choice. Now you can live with it. Alone.”

Julian burst into tears, sinking to the floor. “You can’t mean that—you can’t,” she wailed.

Josef shook his head, looking more saddened than angry. “I do, Julian, I do.” His voice took on a more formal tone. “From this time forth, I will not touch you, I will not speak to you, I will not see you. You no longer exist to me.” A chill enveloped the room, and Lucky felt sure she was not the only one to shiver at his words. Josef turned to leave, and Ivoire caught his arm. He smiled down at her again, tight-lipped. “Not now, Ivy,” he said softly. “I need some time. I’ll call you later.” And with that, he walked out, leaving the room silent except for Julian’s moans.

Cinda knelt by her side, trying to comfort her, but not knowing what to say. It had all sounded so final, and Josef was known to be unforgiving when his anger was aroused.

Ivoire groped her way blindly to the couch, as unnerved as any of them, and collapsed on it. She dropped her face in her hands. “I thought he was going to kill her,” she said. “I really thought he was going to kill her.”

At that, Julian raised a face haggard with grief. “I wish he had,” she grated out. “He might as well have.” Cinda kept her arms tight around Julian, and the pair rocked back and forth. Lucky could almost felt the waves of pain radiating from the woman—she’d started to think, the other freshie, but Julian wasn’t a freshie anymore, and that realization was sinking in all around the room. Lucky felt her own heart constricting with the knowledge that it could all end so quickly for any of them. Between one heartbeat and the next, for a real or perceived fault, they could be dismissed. Julian was holding out her wrist, staring at the marks of the last vampire bite she would ever receive. The marks looked rough, red against her tanned skin, and Lucky felt her hand go unconsciously to her own wrist, to the ghosts of the precise marks where Josef had last fed from her. Perhaps Julian had sought a wilder passion, perhaps she had needed a less practiced bite to bring her the sensations she wanted. Whatever the reason, she had risked everything, and she had lost. She had nothing left. Nothing but the memories. When she was able to stand up, when had she pulled herself together enough to leave the pitying stares of the rest of the women around the room, she would have to walk out the door. And once that happened, as far as they were concerned, as far as the vamps were concerned, she would have fallen off the edge of the earth. She would cease to exist for them, and no one would even speak of her again. She looked at the bite marks on her arm, imagining she could feel them burn, along with the other fresh marks on her neck and thigh. It had all seemed so euphoric at the time. How could she have thought it worthwhile? She couldn’t bear it, she simply could not endure it.

She staggered to her feet, throwing off Cinda’s steadying hand. “I need some air.”

As Julian headed for the terrace, Belinda looked around at the other freshies. “Someone ought to go with her.”

Felicity moved forward, walked out in Julian’s wake. She was barely through the door when they heard running footsteps and a loud scream of “Julian, Julian—noooooooo!”

As they rushed through the door, Lucky first saw Felicity, collapsed by the parapet like an unstrung puppet, staring blankly ahead. There was no one else on the terrace.

When Lucky gathered the courage to look down, far below she saw a still, white-clad figure, framed with angel wings etched in red, red blood.

[tucutecats]

OH poor foolish girl. when your on a pedistal you have much farther to fall.

[allegrita]

Oh my goodness--I'm a little shocked at myself, because I don't feel very sorry for Julian. She knew what she had, she knew what she was doing, and she was arrogant enough to believe that she could have it all. And she was astonished that Josef banished her for what she'd done. Well... that's what arrogance will get you in the freshie world.

The ones I really feel for are the freshies who remain...especially Lucky.

[francis]

I don't really know what to think. Julian was too arrogant for her status. If she didn't want to be exclusive, she should just have stayed freelance. On the other hand, her suicide shows that there was something deeper, a need she had to be connected, and she probably was just the wrong person to ask that oath from. I'm not sure I like your Josef, he's making blatant errors in judgement, with Lucky and with Julian. He could have known more about her. On the other hand, he's not supposed to be a tame vampire to cuddle, and I don't want him to be one. I'm confused at my reaction, maybe as much as Lucky is about the situation.

[mitzie]

I'm really trying to find some sympathy for Julian, but I can't find any!! She treated everyone with disrespect including the vamps. She really did believe herself to be above anyone else on the face of the planet. I feel a lot of sympathy for the freshies that are left. They will be the ones shouldering the emotional consequences of Julian's actions. I love this story and can't wait to read more...


mitzie

[darkstarrising]

You present a view of being a freshie that isn't initially apparent. There are rules, yes, that much is known, but how one is dealt with when the rules are broken is what's so chilling here. Josef cuts her off in a heartless manner

“From this time forth, I will not touch you, I will not speak to you, I will not see you. You no longer exist to me.”

Julian was foolish. Knowing Josef for who and what he was, her dalliance with another vamp was tempting fate. She did. She lost.

wonderful update!

[Phoenix]

When Lucky gathered the courage to look down, far below she saw a still, white-clad figure, framed with angel wings etched in red, red blood.

Hell of a price to pay for being young, stupid, and terribly arrogant...

[moonlight_vixen]

As much as I try, I still can't find any sympathy for Julian. Young, foolish and trivial...

[susieb]

When Lucky gathered the courage to look down, far below she saw a still, white-clad figure, framed with angel wings etched in red, red blood.

Hell of a price to pay for being young, stupid, and terribly arrogant...

ITA

[jen]

I was well on the way to mentally constructing a backstory on Julian that would have had her a victim of an attack similar to Lucky's and Josef was taking care of her, too. She was just farther along the healing process and had become adept at putting up walls and keeping people at a distance.

Shows how wrong I can be. You were all correct. She was precisely as shallow and vapid as her behavior indicated.

Sad. It cost her dearly.

This is wonderful!

Thanks

Jenna

[jen]

How tragic.

Julian proved that she was ultimately unable to live with the consequences of her own actions.

Lucky found a way to move forward after the horror of that experience with Lunos, and her healing is far from complete yet, but at least she is trying to work her way through it.

[maggatha3]

It seems that Josef's reaction was more a lesson to the other girls, than a punishment for Julian. I really don't feel he cared enough to punish her..

But, she committed suicide? Really? Was her life that empty and meaningless? NOW, I feel for her! It does seem though that the freshies consider their being in a vampire's world as their greatest accomplishment. It was so obvious at the club ,too! They consider themselves so special and they feel the others think so too!