The Undercity
Those who do business here keep their eyes averted and faces covered, whether by clothing or magical glamour. There is a sense of eyes following you and of oppressive secrecy that lingers in the air. What few lights there are, are dim and barely chase the shadows away from the doorsteps of plain, unmarked doorways or dark, nondescript tents.
This area is the black market of the Undercity, and the things sold here are not advertised in plain sight. If it's illegal, hard to find, or simply unethical to procure, somewhere in one of these unmarked buildings or tents, it can be found. For a price.
Characters
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| Brooke Bishop | Rhett Harper |
Three days have passed since she remembered, or realized what Kieran is. Three days, and she's still not been courageous enough to contact Regina. Brooke has promised herself that she will do it tomorrow morning, just to get it out of the way. The problem is that for three days, she's been considering what her sister said. Wondering if a soulless bloodsucking demon could actually care about someone.
Every time she gets to a place where she's thinking about that, she distracts herself with work, and with not contacting Regina. Brooke knows that she's not going to get it to go away, but she can at least stop thinking about it which is what she needs.
Now that she is a little calmer, she's taken herself to the Undercity.
Not just the Undercity, but the black market. The place that will have what she's looking for, or at least being able to find someone who knows where to find what she wants.
**
Rhett isn't in the Undercity for any particular reason. He's not seeking a potion, or a spell or a charm. He's not seeking knowledge or contacts. Sometimes, he just winds up here, perusing the wares on the off-chance that he'll see something worth purchasing.
All right, he's also going to check with a few of his contacts to find out what his son has been getting up to when he comes down here. Rhett's glad that Chance is confident and comfortable enough to venture here alone, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have things set to keep an eye on him. The boy has no idea that Rhett knew about Chance's meeting with Siobhan and Jenna before he even came forward to admit it, or that he knows Chance took them to Ansalem. Which could have blown up in all their faces, but didn't.
It's not a matter of distrust, it's a matter of wanting to keep his boy safe. Now more than before, especially in the wake of what happened on the Fourth of July. It also means he's added a bit of additional 'watching' - to keep an eye out for his nephew, who is still in the City, and to keep an eye for Robert's daughter.
He stops at a stall, this one filled with trinkets to boost power, supposedly. Nothing he needs, but they are pretty gemstones.
**
Thanks to Bridget she has a temporary anti-glamour spell, but Brooke is looking for something a little more… permanent. Turning away from one vendor with a sigh, she spots the sorcerer. Using a blur spell, she makes her way across the market until she's standing beside him before she dispels it and allows herself to be seen again.
"Howdy, Texas," she says quietly. "I seem to be running into you again. How was your Fourth?"
She knows how his son's was, simply because she had to ensure that the video was removed from Youtube, and any other sites that had copied the video. That's a pain in the ass job, but she knows that it had to be done to protect everyone aboard that boat.
**
Rhett is good. He's not always this good or on his game, but today he is. Though he might be startled by the suddenness of the familiar voice by his side, nothing in his demeanor gives it away. He turns slowly, with a slow smile turning up his lips. "Well, well, well. Fancy meeting you here. What's a nice dame like you doing in a place like this?" Rhett winks at the witch.
There's a beat and he laughs. "Is that a bit of subtle inquiry into my family's shenanigans or just wanting to know how the in-laws fared?"
Beat.
"They had a lovely time at the park, and then we watched the fireworks from the rooftop of the Aerotek building. I didn't believe it until I saw it for myself, but it was a darn pretty view."
**
"The in-laws, actually. Who do you think got the video removed from YouTube?" Brooke winks at him and then oohs. "Atop the Aerotek building? I bet that was amazing. We enjoyed the nice cruise around the Hudson." Her parents did. Brooke would rather have stayed home thanks to the extreme heat, but the fact that her family was here for the holiday meant a lot to her.
"Looking for a few items, actually. Rare. Hard to find. Maybe not exactly on the up and up. The typical reasons someone would come around to this area."
Beat.
"More specifically, I'm looking for a necklace with a permanent anti-glamouring spell, along with a few… offensive spells that they don't generally want witches knowing."
**
"I suppose I should thank you then, on behalf of my son and my naricissitic spoiled nephew who doesn't know when to shut his mouth and leave well enough alone." Rhett seems almost amused by the thought. He's assuming that the Coven had her taking care of it for Robert's daughter, so that goes without mentioning. "Though, he has been rather tight-lipped about the whole affair. Apparently being bested by a girl is terrible for the ego."
Yes, the sorcerer is definitely amused.
Beat.
"Anti-glamour." He considers Brooke for a long moment. "Vampire troubles?" He did see her with Celine, correction Serafine, though he can't imagine that she would be giving the witch trouble. From his recollections, Serafine is quite charming and human, and that hadn't seemed to change in the last decade.
**
"No need to. It is what I do for a living." Public Relations. Damage control. Cleaning up issues that should have never been issues to begin with. Brooke is good at her job. "Good. It serves him right. Though honestly, I'm quite proud that she was able to channel the energy into the water as she did. Otherwise those kids would likely have been in a lot more trouble than getting wet."
Beat.
"Of a sort, yes. A safety precaution, honestly. One can't be too sure these days."
**
"It does serve him right. No one should be disrepected the way he did that young lady, and Chance's friends. I'm rather impressed that Chance didn't throw a punch and toss him overboard." Rhett shakes his head and sighs, lowering his voice. "This is why I am proud to be the bastard son. It gives me great pleasure to announce the I'm only a half-relation to that part of my family."
"That was quite a feat. Though Chance says that she's quite the remarkable, powerful little thing." The video may have been pulled, but it got attention. Even the Reynards and the Nashes murmured about it. It's one of the few times a witch has drawn any notice, and it's a good thing she has the Coven - and the Knightley name, no matter what her father's status - protecting her.
"I could either say you're paranoid, or very pragmatic. I like you, so I'm going to go with pragmatic." Rhett senses there's more to her words, but he's not going to pry. "Would you care for some advice about where you might find such a thing?"
**
"I do believe that there were several aboard that had the thought. It did look like one or two moved in for it." Brooke laughs quietly. "Yes, well I wouldn't want to admit to being a full relation to that piece of work, honestly. You're better off."
A nod is given in regards to Siobhan, and she grins. "She is. Though she does have the right heritage for it." Two magical parents, and an overabundance of energy. It is something that she's going to work on with the young woman when they've got another session.
"A little of both. For one, my sister's ex is back in the city and let's just say he hasn't aged a day in twelve years." She can easily admit to her suspicions about Gabriel. It's Kieran that she's having trouble with.
"God yes. I'd really rather not spend all evening down here."
**
Rhett gives a quiet, understanding nod. "So, you're thinking that he's either got a great plastic surgeon or got a little bit of unnatural, beyond the normal help in that range because you didn't detect any magic?"
Down here, in this area, using the word magic doesn't tend to get any reactions beyond what talk of the weather would up above.
"Was he the bad sort? Your sister's ex. Twelve years ago, I mean." Rhett turns away from the stall where they're standing and motions for her to fall into step beside him as he begins to walk way. If he's a young vampire, he could be far closer to his humanity, perhaps even still very attached to his human life, from Rhett understands. For some, that's a good thing. For others …
"I only ask because I've met a few of them. Not all of them are the terrible evil kind that we've been told horror stories about."
Beat.
"That's not to say that all of them are good either."
**
"Was thinking that. That is the excuse he's using. Plastic surgery. But I'm still thinking that it's rather stupid for a twenty-something to get plastic surgery to stay exactly the same as they are."
Brooke makes a face, then shakes her head. "No. Which would've been more believable, considering he was a witch." Was. "Bad enough. Got into quite a bit of the darker sorcerer magic, and his mother saw that he was excommunicated from the Coven."
Walking with him, she sighs. "No? So they're not all soulless bloodsucking fiends? Because let me tell you…" She stops and then shakes her head. "… Gabriel Howe is stalking my sister."
Not what she was going to say, but she's not sure if she wants to out Kieran or not.
**
"No, it doesn't seem likely," Rhett remarks in agreement. "Maybe for an old guy like me, but not for a young, strapping twenty-something."
Rhett's quiet for a moment. "I can see where that might have raised some issues." He's more than a little familiar with the sorts of magic that are considered 'darker.'
He slows his steps to glance at her, then begins walking again, lightly resting his hand at the small of her back to steer her where they're going. If she balks, he'll back off as he's not trying to 'get fresh' with her. "Are you certain he's stalking her? Has she mentioned it to Ms. Young?" Rhett isn't overly familiar with the Coven ins and outs, only what Robert has shared with him (there are lines Dawna won't cross), which isn't a great deal. What he does understand is that the witches have the same agreement with the vampires as the sorcerers do: you stay out of our way and don't harm ours, and we'll do the same.
"I don't think she would sit idle and if he's threatening the truce between witches and vampires, something should be done about it."
Beat.
"But no, they're not all blood sucking fiends. I knew one who was . . . quite charming and rather sweet. Quite the pleasure to spend time with, as a matter of fact. I never worried that she was trying to manipulate me, and I was never worried that she would harm me, not without good reason." With good reason Rhett is certain even the most timid and moral will and can cause harm.
**
"You're hardly old, Texas. I wouldn't recommend plastic surgery for you anyhow. You're hot." Brooke feels no qualms telling him that at all. At least she's well aware of what he is, and she's not going to find out he's a vampire later on.
"Positive. She has, and I have no clue what the verdict on that is, but he's already in trouble with the Coven for being back in the city regardless. The only reason they've not done anything so far is that he's here taking care of his mother's estate." Since she was murdered.
Rather than balk at the touch, she leans into it and smiles at him. "Yes, but how can you tell? Let's assume one decides to hide that facet of themselves for you, portraying that they're purely human and you find out otherwise?"
**
Rhett chuckles. "Why thank you, ma'am. I do say that's a compliment coming from someone as young and vibrant as yourself." He's never been the sort to balk at a compliment.
"Isn't that their MO?" Rhett asks Brooke seriously. "They don't typically identify themselves upon first introductions any more than we do to people we meet on the streets or even engage with on a daily basis."
Rhett shrugs. "If they're very good and old, more than a century? You probably can't tell. They've learned to blend in." He glances at her, and suspects that she's not inquiring about Gabriel Howe. "The woman I knew, Celine, I found out when she chose to reveal herself to me. I was … initially a bit shocked, but I also knew that I wasn't in danger. She hadn't hurt me and she was choosing to reveal herself."
Steering her along a narrow path, Rhett gives another roll of his shoulders. "They're not all like Celine, however."
Beat.
"I'm going to guess that you've had a vampire reveal themselves? Someone you thought was purely human and that we're not talking about Gabriel Howe?"
**
"It's the truth, plain and simple. I would definitely not toss you out of my bed for eating crackers." Winking at him, Brooke grins. It's brief though, because the reality is, he's right. It is their MO.
"Sometimes, I do think the world would be better off if we did tell people upfront. It would make for a lot less angst." Less anger. Less confusion. Perhaps she should get out of the PR business and set herself up as a supernatural 'matchmaker'.
"Let's just say, hypothetically, yes." Shocked. Angry. Hurt. Mistrusting. Brooke's been through all of that in the last several days.
**
"I'm not so certain that your boyfriend would approve of that," Rhett says with a laugh. "How did he handle the tabloid article, anyway? Did you reassure him that I left your virtue intact?"
Rhett studies her as they walk. "Would it? When the first reaction of most is to attack, kill or distrust? We're animals at our root. What we don't understand, we fear. What we fear, we hate."
Possibly too simple of a philosophy, but Rhett doesn't believe so.
"And you're upset about the revelation." Rhett slows, and looks around then guides her toward a stall that looks not unlike a multicolored harem tent. "Let me rephrase: are you upset about the revelation or are you upset that you didn't figure it out?"
**
"He handled it fine, though at the moment, we're taking a break." Brooke rolls her shoulders, and keeps walking. "If the entire world was aware that supernaturals existed, have existed with them for thousands of years without any major issues, I'd like to think that after they got over the fear, they'd be a bit more accepting."
Beat.
"Hell, I'd settle for the ages-old witch and sorcerer feud to just end. It's ridiculous."
Brooke is obviously just as readable as a book, and it causes her to frown. "Yes." Sighing, she adds, "To both."
**
"Really?" Rhett asks. "He looked to be smarter than that. I can't imagine what would make a man willing to take a break from you."
Beat.
"I dare say that a vampire revealing her or himself to a witch isn't looking to make trouble," Rhett points out quietly. "What reason were you given?" Rhett truly suspects that Celine, er, Serafine, has chosen to reveal herself to the witch and knowing her as he did, it's equally difficult for him to imagine that she had any nefarious purposes in mind. He is not, however, going to supply a name, just in case the witch has crossed paths with a different vampire; he doesn't wish to out the authoress.
**
"I took a break from him," Brooke replies. Glancing around, she reaches for Rhett's hand and pulls him toward the nearest alcove. It's small, but it will suffice for a quick privacy spell that she won't have to continually concentrate on while they're walking.
Once it's cast, she looks up into the man's eyes and exhales a sigh.
"And I was willing to do it, because he's a goddamned vampire."
**
"Kieran Collins is a vampire?" Rhett blinks at the woman a moment. A few things slide and cement into place, though he is glad that he didn't out Serafine.
"I can understand why that would be upsetting." He did tell her that he'd been there before.
The sorcerer frowns. "Is he stalking you? Has he tried to sway you back with a glamour?" That would certainly explain her reason for being in the Undercity and looking for what she is. "Earlier … you were referring to Collins and not Howe?"
**
"Unfortunately, yes. I'm only telling you now because I hate lying, especially to people I happen to like." Brooke tosses him a grim smile, and then rubs a hand over her face.
"No, he hasn't. If he were, I can easily handle him. My sister, on the other hand, was in love with Gabriel Howe before he was turned, and I would like to ensure that she's not caught in the same damned mess I am right now."
Beat.
"Gabriel Howe has been stalking her."
**
"Your sister can't handle Howe?" Rhett inquires quietly. It seems like she should be able to do such a thing if Brooke feels she can handle Collins. No assumptions made, but Collins fooled him - though again, it does explain the closeness and camaraderie he seemed to sense between Collins and Serafine during the short time that he was present for their interaction at both the Shakespeare in the Park Gala and the Ball. If Kieran is that good at passing for human, so much so that he has a public facade, he's no spring chicken of a vampire.
"I'd rather not have known that, to be frank," Rhett admits. Knowing who the vampires are doesn't always bode well depending on the vampire. He hadn't planned on meeting up with Serafine, but apparently he will have to do so now. "However, I'll hold my tongue and pretend that I don't know."
Beat.
"You do understand that outing him might be a very bad thing?"
Beat.
"Is there a reason that you think Ms. Young and the Elders are not moving on Gabriel Howe?"
**
"She was in love with him twelve years ago, so no. I think that she'll be completely biased where Gabriel Howe is concerned, and to be frank? I don't trust him." Amusingly, she trusts Kieran more. Not much more, but Brooke can trust that he won't hurt her. Howe on the other hand is a complete wild card.
"You and me both," she points out. "I would've been quite happy not to have ever known that Kieran Collins is a vampire. Unfortunately, I woke up on Sunday with the knowledge in my head and it's kind of difficult to erase it."
Beat.
"Yes, well I do happen to trust you won't run through the city telling everyone that you know."
Reaching a hand up, she touches his cheek and smiles at him. "I do hope I'm not misplacing that trust, Texas." Pausing, she shakes her head. "I have no idea. I know that Regina was among the few that fought the previous Matriarch on the banning of Gabriel Howe. I know that he's here to take care of his mother's estate. But that was well over a month ago, and he should be gone by now."
**
"You … just woke up and knew?" The sorcerer is pretty certain that he is missing some of the finer details of the story. That isn't the sort of knowledge you just randomly wake up to one morning.
"I told you, I knew a vampire once. Still do." Rhett catches her hand and gives it a squeeze. "I've not outted her, have I?"
He doesn't mention that if the vampire is stalking her sister, maybe that's the reason that he's still in the City. He also doubly notes that he is going to have to break the silence between he and Serafine. Solely for the sake of the witch standing before him. At least to find out what, if anything, the vampiress knows about Gabriel Howe and to put word out that he may well be stalking a Coven witch. As far as Rhett knows, that sort of thing is frowned upon.
**
"Yes. I just woke up and knew. Do you know what it's like to wake up next to someone and realize that they're not at all who you thought they were?" Is it any wonder that Brooke is upset by it all?
"No, you haven't. I know not a whole lot of sorcerers are trustworthy, but you seem to be." Besides the only other one who knows is Bridget, and she knows her sister won't say anything.
Brooke stares at him for a long moment and leans back into the alcove. "I know that he won't bother harassing me, but next time I may not get so lucky. Hence the desire for the spells and charms."
Beat.
"Do you mind if I ask you something that may be a bit personal?"
**
Rhett shakes his head. "No, I can't say as I do."
He ruffles his fingers through his hair. "I try to be better than most of our lot. I might be involved in the business end of things, Brooke, but I don't subscribe to all of their beliefs." Clearly. He wouldn't be here talking to a witch if he did. He wouldn't be supporting and encouraging his son to work with Siobhan Knight or be a friend of Robert and Dawna if he did.
"Personal?" Rhett repeats, lifting his brow. "Why not? So long as I reserve the right to plead the fifth?"
**
"It's not exactly fun. It's like waking up and realizing the person you're next to is a mass murderer." Which isn't exactly far from the truth when one thinks about it. Vampires are old, so they likely do kill a lot of people. "A 399-year-old mass murderer."
Brooke watches him ruffle the fingers through his hair, and grins. He looks handsome like that. Reaching up she sweeps a bit of hair off his forehead and winks at him.
"I promise this question has nothing to do with vampires."
Beat.
"Do sorcerers have this… thing where when expending a lot of magical energy, or casting certain heavy-duty spells, they get… randy?"
**
As she ruffles her fingers through his hair, Rhett smirks at her. "Miss Bishop, I'm starting to get the feeling that you're getting a bit close and flirty with me."
Beat.
Safe to say that's not the question he was expecting. Rhett opens his mouth, closes it and tries again. It takes a lot to put him off and his ears may just turn a little pink. Fortunately, his hair hides that.
"Sometimes … on very rare occasions … and it has to be a particularly powerful spell."
**
"I may be. Though, really that strand was coming dangerously close to covering your eye." Well that, and Brooke wanted to touch him to see if he'd flinch.
"I take it that wasn't the question you were expecting?" Brooke, bites her lip and grins at him. "Consider it an idle curiosity. I know someone who was… surprised by the way a spell caused them to feel and I was curious if it was tied to sorcerer magic, or sorcerers themselves."
**
No, he didn't flinch. He's bedded a vampire. Voluntarily. The closeness and touch of a witch isn't going to cause him to draw back in disgust or wariness or horror.
"I assume this friend is a witch?" From his emphasis, it's clear that Rhett is assuming the friend in question is actually Brooke's way of asking a question about herself. "My experience is that it happens on occasion. Typically, however, it is more likely to happen if a witch and sorcerer are casting a sorcerer spell together and there's been a bit of a build up of energy. I suppose it could happen with witch spells as well, but I've never experienced that."
**
"Technically, she wouldn't be a sorcerer," Brooke teases with a laugh. Technically, Siobhan could very well be a sorcerer, but she's not about to out the girl via her question.
"More likely to happen if they cast together. I see." Frowning, she sweeps her own hair off her forehead and sighs. "That's going to be troublesome."
Beat.
"Have you told your son about that possibility?"
Beat.
"It doesn't happen with witch magic. I can tell you that without a doubt."
**
Brooke may not want to out Siobhan with her question, but her follow up regarding Chance does just that. Rhett blinks at her for a moment, puts the pieces together and gives a soft good old Texan cursing.
He rubs his forehead and rakes a hand through his hair. "No I have not. I didn't think that they were doing anything advanced enough or drawing enough power to have to worry about such a thing."
Rhett makes a note to talk to Chance. He'd like to think that his son hasn't felt any such ill effects, but he is well aware that Chance isn't exactly Mr. Monogamy. That could be problematic if the pair aren't careful, because the sorcerer is certain that Robert's girl is seeing the Donovan boy and Chance has something of a crush on the Donovan girl even if he won't admit it.
**
"They may not be, but she does have the possibility of having a lot more power than anyone can even guess at." It's the double bloodline thing, Brooke is sure of it.
Waggling her eyebrows playfully, she grins. "Granted, we could always see just how much power is necessary to have to worry about such a thing."
**
Rhett stares at the witch a moment and then laughs. Taking her hands, he raises them both to his lips and kisses the backs of them. "Why don't we find you what you came down here to find first and then worry about using magic to scratch an itch." He's teasing her of course. He hardly thinks that she's serious.
