The Lémartes Manor

[Vincent Lémartes]

The Limo pulled up to the metal gate that bore the Lémartes family crest, it hardly had to stop before the gate was opened. The limo continued up the drive to front door where a valet came up and opened the door of the limo for Vincent.

Vincent stepped out and straightened his jacket before walking up the steps to his five story mansion. It wasn't the biggest or the most grand that he owned. Personally he longed for his families French castle. But no matter this would do for now.

The doors were opened and the doorman took his jacket. "Good day sir" he said. Vincent nodded and walked towards his personal study. He stopped one of the servant. "Yes sir?" she asked.

"Get my tailor, have him make me something in the usual, with a difference" Vincent told her.

"... difference Mr Lémartes?"

"Surprise me"

"Y-yes sir" She stammered.

"You my go now" As soon as Vincent said this she almost ran down the corridor. Vincent smirked and continued towards his study. As soon as he got their he found that the fire had been lit and his seat warmed. He sat in his usual chair and rang the bell. A servant entered.

"Sir?"

"Sherry" Vincent said, "Bring the bottle"

"Certainly sir" He said leaving the room returning afew moments later with a silver platter with a small glass and an unopened bottle of sherry.

The servant poured some into the glass and handed it to Vincent. "Excellent" He said. The Servant bowed and left the room closing the double doors behind him.

Vincent sat for a while pouring through a copy of old forgotten lore. He did not know how long he sat there for. But their came a light tap at the door. "Come" Shouted Vincent. The Servant came back in with an antique telephone on the silver platter.

"Excuse me sir but your tailor has arrived, and you have a telephone call. The gentleman did not give his name" The servant placed the platter on the table and for politeness sake left the room. Although Vincent knew that he just stood outside listening for when Vincent finished his phone call.

Vincent lifted the receiver. "Yes" He said.
"Mr Lémartes I have found Joseph" He coughed uncomfortably, "...Joey Risk"

"Thank you Mr Green" Vincent said.

Their were a few seconds of silence. "...Thank you sir"

" Do not intercept him. You have done everything I need of you. Your account will be credited to the sum of £50,000." Vincent then hung up the phone.

He then lifted the receiver and dialed Belle's number.

[Belle Thorne]

Seconds later and several miles away, Belle's phone was ringing. She found her it and pressed the answer key
"Hello?"

[Vincent Lémartes]

"Thorne I have a little job for you. Collect my brother and then go to the south railway station. Our friend Joey Risk is waiting for us" Vincent paused considering his options. "Bring him to me here. Alive."

[Belle Thorne]

Thorne smiled maliciously
"Can do Vincent, I'll get on it right away"

[Vincent Lémartes]

Vincent hung up. The Serving man came back in and took the phone away. Vincent then left walking to his dressing room. His tailor was waiting for him their. "Ah Mr Lémartes wonderful to see you!" Said the smartly dress vampire.

"Hugo" Vincent nodded. "Lets see it then" he said looking at a neatly folded package on the table.

Hugo smiled, "Well when I heard you wanted the usual I got one out I had previously made. Exactly the same as the other one you had last week. But when I heard you wanted it with a flair I thought 'Finally! He's listening to my advice!'."

Usually Vincent would not tolerate comments like that. But Hugo Marillision was the most sort after tailor in most countries of the world and if Vincent were to kill him then he'd probably start a small civil war.

"I see" Vincent said dryly.

Hugo uncovered the suit. "Ta-da!" he almost squealed. "I can say with no lie that this... Masterpiece! Is my finest work!" Hugo made a habit of saying that. Everything that Hugo made just happened to be his finest work. Vincent judged that he told every customer that what he made was his finest work, just to make the customer fell superior and special.

What was uncovered was Vincent's Blue suit with a black shirt. Vincent could see no real difference to it.

"So?" Ask Hugo, "What do you think?... ..."
Vincent inspected the suit looking for any difference. Their was none that he could see.

"I knew it you hate it! It's terrible! I'm sorry for offending you with the sigh of this Vincent darling" Hugo screamed sobbing into a handkerchief.

"I don't see any real difference to it" Vincent said, not caring that the man was crying.

"No real difference! NO REAL DIFFERENCE!!! The stitching darling! The stitching!"
Vincent looked at the stitching."Its gold stitching darling!"

"Its acceptable." he said.

"Acceptable!" Hugo wailed running from the room sobbing and screaming.

"Goodbye Hugo" Vincent said after he had left, getting changed into the new suit. It was... acceptable. Their wasn't any real difference. But no matter. Vincent pulled a chain in the corner of the room. A servant entered, "Sir?"

"Credit Hugo's account. That will be all"
"Certainly sir" He said leaving the room.

Vincent's phone rang."Yes?

"Monsieur Lémartes, sa Mlle Loella Beauchene ici"
(Mister Lémartes, Its Miss Loella Beauchene here)

"Loella mon cher, ce qui est l'ennui ?" Vincent asked.
(Loella my dear, what's the trouble?)

"Monsieur I sonne pour vous informer que que la brasserie de Lémartes est complète, les premiers groupes sera distribué lundi prochain."
(Sir I am ringing to inform you that the Lémartes brewery is complete, the first batches will be distributed next Monday.)

"Loella bien cuit"
(Well done Loella)

"Merci Monsieur Lémartes"
(Thank you Mister Lémartes)

Vincent hung up. Excellent, everything was finally falling into place. First this, soon, everything!

[Vincent Lémartes]

Vincent left the dressing room and walked down one of the corridors. He pulled a key out of his pocket and opened the lock on one of the doors. He went in locking the door behind him.

He crossed the room. It just seemed like a large library. He went to one of the bookcase's and pulled one of the books out of the way. He wormed him hand behind panel at the back of the case and pulled it off. Behind that was a number pad. He keyed in the code, there came a conformation beep, Vincent replaced the panel and the book.

While he did that one of the bookcases on the opposite side of the room lifted up. Underneath it there was a lift. The doors opened with a bong sound. Vincent crossed the room and entered the lift. He pressed the only button that was inside.

The doors closed and the lift when back down. A few moments later the doors opened again, this time silently. Vincent stepped out. He was in a pure white corridor with glass walls either side. He looked into one of these windows. Inside men garbed in hazardous chemical suits were performing experiments.

Vincent casually continued down to one of the other rooms. He entered as one of the scientists came towards him. "Mr Lémartes, how nice to see you. We weren't expecting you."

"That much is obvious" Vincent said looking around the room. "How did the test go?"

"We had some complications Sir. Prototype number 3368 didn't work. We thought we had it, the subject showed signs of improvement. His muscle mass doubled and his brain functions increased by nearly 67%. It was too much, the subjects brainwaves became erratic Sir. His immune system fort the virus. The test subject didn't survive it." The scientist paused. "But we have greater hopes for number 3369" he said happily.

"Good. Keep me informed" Vincent was desperate to find the secret to making the perfect Vampyre. He longed to have the power like that vampyres of old. He was so close now he could feel it. Soon it would all be his. Everything.

He quickly left having found out what he wanted. Again he had been so close to victory and again it had been taken from him. He emerged once again in the library and as soon as he had got out of the lift the doors closed and it descended. He left the library locking the door behind him.

Vincent walked back to his private study. Once he was back there he went over to the intercom and switched it to one of the many channels. "Mr Lémartes?" said the voice on the other end.

"Have the torture chamber made ready. We will soon be having a guest. Lay out both my brothers and Thorne's favourite devices. Have my cushioned chair ready for me also. They shall be arriving soon."

"Yes Sir." Said the vampire on the other end.

Vincent sat back in his chair, if nothing else he was looking forward to seeing Joey Risk die.

[Romayne Nikolayev]

((I'm aware that Russia isn't in the town, but I wasn't sure where else to put this post... If its in the wrong place, just let me know ))

Romayne Nikolayev waited impatiently for her servant to return. She sat in a large red velvet-covered armchair in her drawing room. As usual, there was a roaring fire in the fireplace - living in a castle was exceedingly cold at times. She tossed her raven hair over her shoulder and tapped her leather-encased foot in annoyance. She wore a gown made entirely of blood-red velvet, trimmed in gold, with gold at her throat and wrists. Stood behind her was a tall, dark haired woman, dressed in a rich black velvet dress, trimmed with silver lace. Her face was blank but her green eyes shone with devotion.

Just then a black and grey clad servant entered the room through the large mahogany door, bearing an antique silver-trimmed telephone. She removed the phone from the tray and waved the servant away with a crimson-nailed hand. The servant bowed respectfully and backed out through the door, closing it behind him.

Removing the reciever, Romayne dialed a number. After two rings, somebody on the other end picked up. "Lémartes Manor, how can I help you?"

"I wish to speak to Mr. Vincent Lémartes." Stated Romayne in a thick Russian accent.

"May I ask who is calling and what it is regarding?" said the voice.

"Tell him that Ms Nikolayev wishes to speak to him. He will know what it is regarding."

"One moment please." Said the voice.

Romayne turned to the woman stood behind her.

"Inessa, напомните, что я имею слова с Винсент о его штате телефона."
("Inessa, remind me to have words with Vincent about his telephone staff.")

Inessa nodded sincerly, her facial expression unchanged.

[Austin]

((you're calling Vincent, so this location is fine by me )

[Vincent Lémartes]

Moments later their came a knock once again on the door.
"Yes?" Vincent called. Today seemed to be all about interruptions.
The serving man entered once again holding the telephone on the silver tray. "Telephone call for you sir. It is Romayne Nikolayeu."

Vincent sat down in his leather chair and the serving man deposited the tray and phone on the table next to him. Vincent sighed, straightened himself up then lifted the receiver.

" Romayne мое дорогое! Симпатично услышать от вас! Я доверяю что все совсем право? " Vincent asked nervously.
("Romayne my dear! Lovely to hear from you! I trust everything is all right?")

[Romayne Nikolayev]

Romayne laughed.

"Ah Винсент, оно греет мое сердце для того чтобы услышать, что вы поговорили мой родной язык настолько красивейше."
("Ah Vincent, it warms my heart to hear you speak my mother tongue so beautifully.")

She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger idily.

"Peut-être je peux renvoyer la faveur?" She asked, switching to French.
("Perhaps I can return the favour?")

"Tout est bien. J'appelais simplement pour te dire que je prévois un petit voyage à votre ville avec du charme. Je me suis demandé si vous pourriez peut-être me proposer quelque part pourriez rester?"
("All is well. I was simply calling to tell you that I am planning a little trip to your charming town. I wondered if you could perhaps suggest somewhere I could stay?")

She smiled to herself and let her strand of hair drop from her fingers.

[Vincent Lémartes]

"I see those French lessons I got you were wasted. Let us stop butchering each others languages." Vincent paused considering the places to stay in the town.

If he suggested any other than his own home he knew that he'd probably have to deal with Romayne sulking and pouting the whole time she was here and still one hundred years later.

Also more than likely she'd try and convince some of the other Vampyres out there that it was high time to try and assassinate Vincent, and that was something he could do without. Don't get him wrong he liked Romayne, maybe even... no. But he could do without having to have her killed. She was entertainment if nothing more, just like her deceased brother.

"May I suggest my home to you?" He said at some length. Regretting it almost instantly.

[Romayne Nikolayev]

Romayne laughed gaily.
"Of course, my dear. We shall indeed refrain from further butchery!"
She made a small hand signal to Inessa, who left her post to step into the hall. A moment later, she returned to stand once again behind Romayne, who twirled her hair around one finger once again.

"Your home? Why Vincent, darling! What generosity! Of course I shall take your wonderful offer! It would be a delight to stay at your charming home!"
She smiled broadly, the smile of a woman who has just been given exactly what she was hinting at.

At that moment, the door to the room opened once more, and a wirey blond young man with a face not unlike a weasle entered, bearing another silver tray with a crystal wine decanter and goblet. Unlike the last servant, he was not clad in black, but a deep crimson that complimented Romayne's own gown perfectly. He poured a glass of the wine and offered it to Romayne, who dropped her hair again and took it, sipping daintily.

"Of course..." She said, watching the weasle-faced man with a faint smile as he restoppered the decanter and placed the tray on a table. "I will be wanting to bring a few... playthings. Will that be alright?" She asked, adopting a coy tone, almost like that of a small girl trying to be sweet to win favour with her father.

[Vincent Lémartes]

Vincent listened to Romayne shaking his head as she talked. "No you may not!" He said in a firm tone. "Romayne my dear you may only bring what I tell you, you can bring. Anything else that you bring that has not be confirmed with me, including any of your personnel will be disposed of. Understood?" Vincent snapped at her.

"...I will however allow that filthy half-blood lap dog of yours here as long as you keep her on a short lead. Remember Cornelius is security here not your filth!" Vincent growled. "And Romayne my love" He said at length. "Do not under any circumstances disobey me! Remember what happened to your brother? Do you want what happened to him to be your fate also?"

[Romayne Nikolayev]

Romayne blanched at Vincent's strict tone and laid the wine glass down on a small table next to her.

"But Vincent... darling..." She said, pouting. "I get so lonely sometimes, when you are working. Can I not bring maybe... two more... friends?" She smiled flirtily at the weasel-faced boy, who bowed low and returned her smile.

"Inessa will be good, my darling... I promise..." She said, pouting again. She chewed distractedly on a strand of hair. "I wouldn't dream of disobeying you, Vincent. But can't I bring just two? Please?" She batted her eyelashed, even though Vincent couldn't see.

[Vincent Lémartes]

"I never knew you were one for... friends." Vincent almost spat the foreign word. "You have grown weak Romayne. Weak like your brother." Vincent paused.

"Now Romayne my private jet will be at Moscow international airport in three days I suggest you are on it, it wont be returning again if you aren't. You may bring Inessa and no others, if you insisted on bringing others I hope you have spent some of your wealth teaching them to fly. Goodbye Romayne." Vincent said hanging up the phone.

The servant came in and collected the phone and quickly left the room. Vincent got up and walked to the window. The conversation with Romayne had put him in a very bad mood.