Brasenose College

“Wait shut up that was like so easy?”  Aubrey spins her phone around to show them what a quick google search had found. “Raziel “Rae” Andrews! Attends Keble and all!”  The excitement is palpable as she bounces in her seat, grinning to each of them before hopping up and over to Charlotte faster than they can even register before pulling the girl into a quick hug. “You’re literally the best ahh, I need to go but I owe you k thanks byeeee!”  And with that she’s on her way to her room. A quick stop there to shoot off some emails and have time to formulate whatever plan she was to undertake now. Was she to just run over to Keble and ask around? No probably too forward. Would Hera call her off now actually? Maybe this was all she wanted? Technically she hadn’t confirmed 100% this Raziel had done it but like? It all seemed to add up. The email to Hera comes quickly: Hey Professor!! Okay I was feeling kinda ughh at the end of our meeting right but what’d I tell you?  I found our friend! Got a name for her and everything it all seems purrfect ;) She’s not a cat I just think with the cats we both have that’s…  Anyway should I come back? I can tell you more over email but maybe you want to talk in person instead? Let me knowww :))))) Aubrey

Not long after Aubrey sends the email there is a knock at the door of her room.

Aubrey's eyes go wide and she jumps at the sudden rap at her door and she hesitates for a moment before making her way to it. She couldn't have gotten here that fast could she have...? A quick eye to the peephold confirms it. "Did you... run here?"  As she holds the door open for Hera, she can't tell if she's excited or scared at just how fast the woman arrived. 

Hera arches an eyebrow at Aubrey as she stroll inside, casting a look of mild disdain about the shabby student room. "I had reason to make haste. It's not as though we sweat, Artemis."

"I know but like... Hey! "  catching the look on her mentor's face, she clicks her tongue.  "Don't judge, it's not like I chose  this dingy little flat. Anyway welcome yeah? So like tell me — have you ever heard of a book called 'The Mortal Instruments'?" 

This time Hera rolls her eyes fully. "If you wrote to me just to recommend bad vampire erotica, then I'll be gone faster than I arrived. What does this have to do with your assignment?"

"How naughty professor!"  She scoffs in mock derision. "Have you no faith in your 'daughter'? Tsk.  I obviously don't need to recommend it if you already know what it is."  Through a grin, she plops onto her bed and swings her legs as the giddiness within threatens to bubble straight over. But teasing the woman now seemed so much more fun. "Of course if you are  familiar, then you should know already that besides vampires, it's also  got some — rather sexy of course — angels in it."

"What's her name , Aubrey?" Hera snaps, tapping her foot impatiently.

"I'm only teasing," the girl pouts, "It's not like you were in a rush to know it before, otherwise you wouldn't have like, assigned me to find her, yeah?"  Pulling her phone out, she opens Facebook and brings Rae's page back up to show to the Professor, her face flush with pride. "Raziel Andrews."

Hera glances down at Aubrey's phone and then back up at her face. "You're sure that this is the girl? The crúac showed you an angel from a young adult novel?" It's hard to tell if Hera is sceptical or amused.

“I mean I haven’t confronted her to confirm yet but like?”  She shrugs, “She matches the blur I saw in the video from the party, and descriptions some students gave. And how many people have a name like that that attend Keble?”

Hera purses her lips in thought. "Find her. Confirm she's kindred and determine her clan and covenant."

Aubrey stands and mock-salutes. “Sir yessir.” With a chuckle she falls back to her seat and sighs, “And then what by the way? Just report back or do I need to like scooby doo trap her for you?”

"That depends on how political this gets," Hera tells Aubrey with a shark-like smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

“Oohh!” That sounds… boring.”  She frowns. ‘Politics’ certainly didn’t match the kind of bloody resolution she’d expected. “Well whatever, did well, didn’t I? I’ll go see if I can’t introduce myself to our devilish lil angel friend, yes?”

Hera nods a little absently. "Yes... find her. Learn her routine. Make sure that you're ready for further orders... Good evening, Artemis." With that, the vampire departs as quickly as she came. 

And all at once Aubrey is alone once more, left to consider just how she was to go about finding and learning more on this girl. The whole run-up to learning her identity had given her the false impression that that was where the little mystery would start and stop. It made a certain kind of sense, to her at least. But learning her routine? Do people really do that? Just like, do the same thing every day? Didn't seem likely by any means, but she supposed not everyone knew how to live a fun life like her. "Got her name at least, yeah?"  She looks down to where Amun sits and holds a hand out for him as if expecting a high five. "Shouldn't be hard to find her now."  She watches the odd kitty closely, feeling oddly comforted to have the little fey... thing... here. Yes it was concerning to some degree all these cats were about, but it seemed no one she met was even remotely happy about a free cat. Not Liam, not Hera, not.. Ohh wait a second. "Hey this girl — Raziel — she's a vamp too, right? You happen to like, know the cat guarding her, Amun?"

Amun stares at Aubrey's hand for a moment and then stretches his front legs out in front of him lifting his tail into the air. "Mrowr," he replies, although it's impossible for Aubrey to tell if the sound is negative or affirmative.

"Amun dear we've been over this,"  she sighs, reaching forth to stroke the fur along his back as he stretches,  "a nod yes or no will suffice."

"Mrowr," Amun repeats, this time letting his teeth show a little more, before rolling over onto his back.

She leans in, giving his belly fervent scritches and pets as she smiles over him. “You know this cat, don’t you?”  

Amun stretches himself out long as Aubrey scratches his tummy and then goes entirely slack and begins to purr.

Aubrey rolls her eyes and indulge him for a while longer.

The rumbling purr and steady breathing quickly betrays that Amun has, in fact, fallen asleep.

Noticing his sleep, Aubrey jostles him awake with a heavy bit of petting and flares her majesty. “We were chatting, Amun.”

Amun stands and arches his back when Aubrey begins to make use of her awe. The fur along the cat's back stands up on end and his eyes flash gold. "Mrowr," he tells Aubrey with firm confidence.

Aubrey’s growing frustration shrinks rapidly as an aura of looming foreboding emanates from the cat, dwarfing her entirely, and she pulls back instinctively, her majesty fading to modesty as she huffs and turns away.  “Fine,”  she scowls, “ you little showoff. I’ve gone out of my way to like, be nice to you and spoil you, risked myself meeting a mage just to learn your proper name but noo  if I ask one simple yes/no question you can’t nod your head. You absolute butterball.” Pouting, she turns away from him, arms folded over her chest, all the while her mind stumbling over itself to think up some means to save face ー to prove whether to herself or him she was  as powerful as she believed herself to be.

A long moment passes where Aubrey half expects the cat to actually do something. A purr. A nuzzle. A scratch. Something to at least acknowledge her. Instead when she turns back, it's practically throat-deep on its own junk and she scowls. Standing abrutply, she grabs her things and makes for the quad, making sure to hit the lights on her way out and slam the door behind her. On the way, she sends a quick message to the first person that comes to mind — one she knows  won't turn her away or ignore her. One she knows  she can dominate. Hey meet me at Brasenose quad in 15  lets have a real party, just us, no fucking poser friends yeah? The message is off to Nora in moments and she is off to wait, fingers twitching with a buzz of barely-restrained energy just itching for release.

Nora's answer comes within seconds. I'll be there. Aubrey can smell her prey before she sees it. A cocktail of sweat, hastily applied deodorant and musk, all wrapped up in a racing pulse. Nora stands self-consciously just inside the walls. She tucks her hair behind one ear and offers a shy wave when she spots Aubrey approaching her.

A wave of relief washes over Aubrey as Nora comes into sight. Maybe it was her annoyance at Amun getting the best of her or maybe just the memory of the girl’s tantalizingly sweet blood, but she was already feeling intoxicated just thinking of the possibilities for what she could do with her. Perhaps just drain her? Here in the midst of the quad, what could ー let alone even would ー anyone do to stop Aubrey Knight  from taking every last drop of her scrumptious vitality.  But that’d be so wasteful, if delicious. She could drain any number of humans here if she really wanted. And obviously she like, would totally do that. Because she could. Obviously. She just didn’t want to. No, there was one central them at play since she’d gotten here, one central unifying truth to those who held any power: followers. Liam had that boy walking around with him. Hera and Camille had her. Fuck  even Amun had her, really. And she had no one here. Yet. ”Oh. My. God,”   she wraps her arms around the girl as she reaches her, pulling her into a tight but brief embrace. “You’re like, such a sight for sore eyes ugh. Had to deal with so much petty nonsense today I just...” She pinches the bridge of her nose. but quickly shakes her head and offers a smile instead. “ Do you like crêpes? We’re getting crêpes.”

"I love crêpes!" The words burst out of Nora almost before Aubrey has finished speaking them. "Where are we going?"

A smile spreads across Aubrey’s face. “Do you know G&D’s? Can get a scoop with your crêpe and all that.”  She doesn’t wait for much more of an answer, grabbing the girl’s hand and pulling her along in the direction google had given her when she’d searched it on the way here. They make their way, all the while Aubrey’s majesty radiating around her guest, and eventually reach the parlor. For her part, Aubrey gives Nora the royal treatment of any and every thing she could want ー money was no object, of course. And all the while she makes she has every person in the place hanging on her every word. It’s once they’re sat outside, at a small table out of earshot of any other guests, that Aubrey truly settles her attention on Nora. ”You saw the way they all fawn on me there. The way they try so adorably hard not to stare in awe and pretend to look away when I glance over.”  As if to prove her point a young couple just walking into the shop quickly avert their gaze as Aubrey’s eyes flash over to them and back.  ”Like at the party… you wish they did the same for you…”  She’s still got a hint of a smile on her face, but her eyes are cold and bore straight into her pawn’s own. “…don’t you, Nora?”

Nora's eyes widen at the sudden intensity of Aubrey's gaze. She seems like she's almost afraid, but also excited about being the focus of so much attention, especially from someone as beautiful and powerful as Aubrey. "I... I don't know," she stammers, her voice barely above a whisper. "I mean, it's nice to be noticed, I guess. I'm not sure that I could handle all that attention all the time though. It's overwhelming, you know?"

Aubrey chuckles but covers her mouth with a hand as she does so. “See that’s why I like you! You’re like, really cute when you’re being all nervous like that. But like here’s the thing Nor’, it’s not about them noticing you all the time ー you’re right, that gets to be a drag sometimes ー it’s about them noticing you when you want them too.” ”At that party you wanted that bitchy little ‘friend’ of yours, Clarice or Cloris or whatever, to notice you. How fun  would it be to simply think it and make it so.” She leans in, moving a hand across the table and placing it over hers, gently stroking, tickling the back of it delicately with her fingers. “I can give you that. That and so much more.”

Nora's face flushes at Aubrey's touch, but she can't help but be drawn in by her words. The idea of being able to control the attention of others is tantalising, especially when it comes to someone like Claire. "I... I don't know what to say," Nora says, her voice barely audible. "It sounds tempting, but I don't know if I'm ready for something like that. What exactly do you mean by 'so much more'?"

A devilish smile curls up at the edge of Aubrey’s lips, and she says nothing at first, only continuing to stare into her toy’s eyes as if promising the world itself. “You didn’t forget that moment together yet, did you?” Her eyes flit to her lips, then down to the nape of her neck, and she bites her lip. 

Nora's heart skips a beat at Aubrey's suggestive words and the way that she's looking at her. She knows that she should be careful, but the temptation is too great to resist. "I... I haven't forgotten," Nora admits, feeling a shiver run down her spine as she remembers the way that Aubrey had tasted her blood, "but I don't know if I'm ready for more of that kind of thing. It's just... it's all so new to me."

“Of course it’s new, you’ve never had any power before., have you?” She sighs and her tone shifts to one more sorrowful than seductive. “Tell me Nora, with your friends, with your family, with the world… have you ever actually, like, felt like you had any control?”

Nora takes a deep breath and looks down at her hands, considering Aubrey's words carefully. "No, I haven't," she quietly admits. "I've always felt like I'm just... going along with things, you know? Like I'm not really in control of anything. I just don't know if this is the right way to take back control, if that's even what I should be doing."

“God it’s like staring in a mirror,”  Aubrey blinks. “You probably wouldn’t believe this cause it sounds like a bloody cliche, but I was so much like you it like, hurts to look at now.” ”There is no way out from under that heel but the freedom only I  can offer you…”  Looking past the girl to the people still coming and going from the parlor, she stands and extends a hand to Nora to follow, “… and I’ll prove it to you. Come.” As they start to move away from the place and down the road, their hands interlocked, Aubrey smiles cheerfully at her. “If you could do something ー anything  ー right now regardless if consequence or punishment, what would it be?”

Nora hesitates for a moment, but then takes a deep breath and looks straight into Aubrey's eyes. "I would confront Claire," she says firmly. "I'm tired of her treating me like I'm beneath her. I want her to see me as an equal."

"Love it,"  she grins, yet quickly shakes her head.  "But that's what this is all about, yeah? You having the control to stand on your own two feet? If I come along and help you now, it'd defeat the purpose, luv."   "You want to make her see you as an equal? Prove to me you can make anyone  here see you at all." Gesturing to the myriad students and other folk moseying about late at night, she looks back to Nora with a glint in her eye. "Actually, shall we make it a little game? I'm going to stand here doing nothing but looking pretty. All you need to do is get just  one  person to like, take their eyes off me and give you attention? That's all. One person. Easy, yeah? Do that and I'll believe you don't need what I'm offering you."

Nora hesitates when she first hears Aubrey's challenge. However, the vampire's piercing gaze weighs upon the girl. She takes a deep breath before disentwining her fingers from Aubrey's and  taking a few steps away down the road. Initially, Nora's body language is as self-conscious as ever, but her confidence grows with each step. Slowly, but surely, she begins to walk with more purpose, holding her head high. Nora's first attempts to catch someone's attention fall flat. She smiles and makes eye contact with a few passers-by, but they quickly look away or continue past her.  However, as she continues down the street, Nora becomes more animated, throwing her hands up in the air and exclaiming loudly to herself. People begin to take notice, some of them stopping to look at her curiously.  Emboldened, Nora begins to dance, her movements growing more fluid and confident with each passing moment. A small crowd gathers around her, watching and cheering the girl on as she allows herself to become lost in the moment.

At first, the girl's awkward affectations and movements prompt a series of chuckles from Aubrey, who watches from the sidelines at first, happy to give her a fair chance with no use of majesty getting in the way. But as Nora gives into her own buried confidence and blossoms further into a growing limelight, a strange twitch gnaws at the peripherary of Aubrey's senses.  On the one hand, a twinge of genuine pride accompanies the sight of the wallflower putting herself in the spotlight. But a louder, nagging sensation forces a downwards curl over her lips as she realises she's not  the center of attention at the moment. Which, of course, was ridiculous. Ridiculous as a cat katowing her into submission. Her nails digging into the middle of her clenched palms, she flares her majesty, wider and farther than before, and stands with a smile as genuine as her complexion as she clears her throat loudly. "Wonderful show, luv, but oh! Look! I'm  here." Instantly, all eyes on the street fall on her. Where they belong . She basks in their awe, but locks eyes with Nora and raises a brow, saying nothing but speaking volumes. Keep trying.

A wave of embarrassment washes over Nora as Aubrey's majesty takes hold of the crowd and steals her spotlight. Her confident body language instantly crumples, leaving her looking  defeated and small in front of a crowd that now only has eyes for Aubrey.  As the people around Nora begin to disperse, she's left standing alone on the street feeling like a fool. Full of shame, she cannot even bring herself to meet Aubrey's eyes, instead trying to shrink away into the shadows, wishing that the ground would swallow her up.

For a moment, the satisfaction of winning overcomes Aubrey's senses, and she basks in the adoration the crowd throws upon her. They were hers to command, and she could ask of them anything. Her fans. Her followers. Her flock. But as they enveloped her, the sight of a traumatised, lonely girl tears her free from the feeling, and a new one takes its place: guilt. Fuck. There's only one thing she can ask the lot of them to do. " Leave me. "  She people instantly start to return to their business, presumably to be thoroughly confused by the whole thing later, but that wouldn't matter. Moving fast enough Nora could be convinced she may have teleported, Aubrey appears at her side, immediately pulling her around to look her in the eyes. " Hey."   Her voice is at once soft and comforting. "I'm... I'm sorry, I thought you'd..." she sighs, shaking her head. "Look into my eyes Nora, you did incredible there. You had them . You fucking killed  that."

Nora takes a deep breath to calm herself before responding to Aubrey. "I don't know what you were thinking," she says, her voice shaking slightly. "You made me look like a complete fool out there. I'm so embarrassed." She looks down at her feet, not wanting to meet Aubrey's eyes.

Aubrey clenches her jaw. " No ,"  Her voice is resolute, her hand cupping Nora's chin to pull her gaze back up. "You saw  the way they were watching you. The way you had all of them, like, totally salivating at your every movement? I know I saw it. I saw a girl finally free from her inhibitions. From fear and worry or whatever." "That was all you . The raw fucking sexiness, the uncaring freedom. All of it. "  She pauses, letting her honey-laced words seep in. "But it stopped for a second and you doubted and let it slip. Mh-mh. You need to go further . That feeling? That's what I'm trying to give you, Nor'. That feeling, all the bloody time, yeah? The way they all snapped their silly little necks around to ogle me. That's yours . You only need ask now. Or , you stay one of them — a wallflower meant to wonder and want but never have ." Pulling back, she shrugs and holds her palms out, head cocked to the side. "Your choice."

Tears come unbidden to Nora's eyes. "Aubrey, what do you fucking want from me?"

A frown cracks through Aubrey's facade and she hesitates. Why was she resisting? Her awe still radiated out from her, and she'd bitten her barely a day or so ago. She should be downright begging for whatever she was offering her.  " I want to be with you more. And I want to see you wipe the smug grin off Clarissa's face like you deserve to do."  She places a hand on Nora's shoulder and meets her gaze once more. " But to do that I need  you  to say you want that. I'm not forcing you. If you're going to do it, you need to make the choice for yourself. Be assertive . Will I be heartbroken if you say no? Of course, luv. But I believe in you."