Post by RomulusGloriosus on Sept 10, 2015 11:25:08 GMT -8
Jim Baron sat alone in the den as yet another episode of Charles in Charge played on the television. The studio audience laughed uproariously as hunky Scott Baio once again found himself in a comedic situation. With these brand new ‘streaming’ programs, Jim didn’t have to sit through commercials or check the TV Guide to see when his old shows would be playing on the ‘late night sitcom’ blocks. He could watch all of the episodes of all the shows he used to love straight through without any interruptions now, and that was certainly something he wished he had when he was still breathing. Back in those days, he used to have a little television hooked up at the gas station where he worked the graveyard shift which had terrible reception but would play for him old black-and-white episodes of I Love Lucy and Bewitched while he waited for hours on end for a single customer. These nights, Jim didn’t have all the time he had then to just sit and let his mind fly away – ironic, considering Jim was now immortal.
No, these nights he was the Hound, searching for trouble up and down the coast, or Mr. White, hanging out at cigar clubs feeling his Beast twitch and growl at the smoke while he mingled with high society. There were precious few hours on certain nights where he could be here in the den, alone, enjoying the antics of Scott Baio or Lucille Ball or Elizabeth Montgomery, so he valued them highly.
Too bad all of the comedy was flying right over Jim’s head tonight.
His Beast was stirring within him. Elder Cucullati planned on seizing Bellevue for the Prince, and he had paid a boon to Joleen to come with him. He had neglected to make the same offer to Jim, and Jim could not understand why. Jim was the better fighter – Joleen knew how to use her claws, sure, but she didn’t have the decades of practice that Jim had of actually dodging, parrying, and hitting targets. She had struggled with a frenzied Ruby once and had nearly been brought to the point of no return. Jim, on the other hand, had gotten the shit beaten out of him more times than he could count and came out better and fitter and ready for more. Joleen was a hunter and a tracker, but Jim was a fighter. They needed to be together – he needed to protect her. Maybe Cucullati – being an Elder and more adept at the political game – knew this, and knew that by buying Joleen he would get Jim for free. Jim didn’t care at this point what kind of payment he’d receive…he just needed to know that he was in a position to protect his broodmate.
If she went, alone, and didn’t return, Jim would…his eyes widened as his Beast lashed out against him. He didn’t want to think what he would do. Probably something stupid.
He didn’t want to lose it and frenzy here in his own home, right in front of James Callahan, over a thought. He would go. If anybody tried to stop him, he’d make it clear that the two of them go together or not at all. That was how this worked, and nothing – not status, not boons, nothing – would change that.
Nothing.
He turned off the TV and went out back to the patio where Oberon often sat and took his seat. Jim doubted he’d mind terribly. He stared out at the mountains in the distance and brought his hands up to his mouth thoughtfully. The past couple weeks had been rough. He could only imagine the next few weeks would be just as rough. Was there ever such a thing as a light at the end of the tunnel, though, when you were Kindred? Maybe once he got that business up and running and had enough money of his own, he’d buy a nuclear bunker in the middle of…Utah, get one of those streaming devices, and just watch everything on it for a hundred years.
He’d have to make it there, first.
No, these nights he was the Hound, searching for trouble up and down the coast, or Mr. White, hanging out at cigar clubs feeling his Beast twitch and growl at the smoke while he mingled with high society. There were precious few hours on certain nights where he could be here in the den, alone, enjoying the antics of Scott Baio or Lucille Ball or Elizabeth Montgomery, so he valued them highly.
Too bad all of the comedy was flying right over Jim’s head tonight.
His Beast was stirring within him. Elder Cucullati planned on seizing Bellevue for the Prince, and he had paid a boon to Joleen to come with him. He had neglected to make the same offer to Jim, and Jim could not understand why. Jim was the better fighter – Joleen knew how to use her claws, sure, but she didn’t have the decades of practice that Jim had of actually dodging, parrying, and hitting targets. She had struggled with a frenzied Ruby once and had nearly been brought to the point of no return. Jim, on the other hand, had gotten the shit beaten out of him more times than he could count and came out better and fitter and ready for more. Joleen was a hunter and a tracker, but Jim was a fighter. They needed to be together – he needed to protect her. Maybe Cucullati – being an Elder and more adept at the political game – knew this, and knew that by buying Joleen he would get Jim for free. Jim didn’t care at this point what kind of payment he’d receive…he just needed to know that he was in a position to protect his broodmate.
If she went, alone, and didn’t return, Jim would…his eyes widened as his Beast lashed out against him. He didn’t want to think what he would do. Probably something stupid.
He didn’t want to lose it and frenzy here in his own home, right in front of James Callahan, over a thought. He would go. If anybody tried to stop him, he’d make it clear that the two of them go together or not at all. That was how this worked, and nothing – not status, not boons, nothing – would change that.
Nothing.
He turned off the TV and went out back to the patio where Oberon often sat and took his seat. Jim doubted he’d mind terribly. He stared out at the mountains in the distance and brought his hands up to his mouth thoughtfully. The past couple weeks had been rough. He could only imagine the next few weeks would be just as rough. Was there ever such a thing as a light at the end of the tunnel, though, when you were Kindred? Maybe once he got that business up and running and had enough money of his own, he’d buy a nuclear bunker in the middle of…Utah, get one of those streaming devices, and just watch everything on it for a hundred years.
He’d have to make it there, first.