Blood of The Rose

Chapter 27: The Lion's Den

La Croix Building, LA

They'd passed a rather gothic-looking building, surrounded by a fence that was topped by giant, looming gargoyles, before reaching the more modernistic La Croix building. Stepping through the double glass doors, Ruby grimaced at how out of place she looked in the cold, pristine office lobby with her disheveled hair and dirty clothes. No help for that now…

She plastered a smile on her face as she approached the portly guard sitting behind the receptionist desk. "Hi, there!"

"Well hey, there," he greeted her amicably. "You here to see someone, missy?"

"Yes, please," she chirped. "I need to see Mr. La Croix."

"Uh-huh," he replied, nonplussed. "And would that be Sebastian La Croix of the La Croix Foundation or Dwayne La Croix of Insurrection Baby Formula Company?"

Ruby snorted softly, but Weiss smoothly stepped up to her side. "Sebastian La Croix, please," she stated firmly. "Penthouse level."

"Uh, okay, then." He nodded towards Ruby, jowls bouncing as he did so. "Mr. La Croix, he told me to expect someone fitting the description of you sometime tonight. You can both go right on up."

"Thank you," Weiss replied levelly.

He seemed intent on continuing the conversation, though. "Yeah, uh, you have a good power meetin' or, uh, whatever it is you types do up there. You need any security, why, you just ring the front desk here and ask for Officer Chunk. That's me, case you were wondering."

Ruby snorted once more, this time covering her mouth with her hand before she could recover. "Did you say Chunk?"

"Ah, yeah, I get that all the time," he chuckled, obese frame jiggling. "The name goes back to my football days. Uh, actually my fantasy football days… at the stadium… Stationarium - that was this office supply outlet mall I used to watch. Hey, you kids, no skating in the parking lot! That was me, heh."

Ruby gaped at the uniformed man, transfixed by the absurdity of it all, until Weiss grabbed her by the elbow and began to tow her past the desk. "Thank you for your time," the platinum-haired Kindred gritted out.

"If he was told to expect me," Ruby giggled softly as they walked up the steps to where six elevator doors faced each other in two sets of three. "Then why did he ask?"

"I try not to tax my brain overmuch on the workings of such people," Weiss sighed, pressing the call button. A pair of doors slid open and the two fledglings entered, riding it all the way up to the tenth, penthouse, level.

Directly across from the opening elevator was a set of ornate double doors, slightly ajar. A hallway stretched off in either direction, but it was fairly obvious from the sound of the Prince's cultured voice that he was therein.

The pair of fledglings eased their way inside, stopping respectfully across the room to wait to be noticed. In the meantime, Ruby's eyes roamed around the incredibly opulent space.

The ceiling was easily another story in height, with old-looking, and expensive, paintings lining the upper walls that were covered in a patterned blue wallpaper. The lower walls were covered with intricate gold and ivory paneling, with a very fancy wood floor lining the entire ballroom-length office.

On either side were upholstered red leather chairs and couches, with antique endtables hosting even more antique lit candelabras. And past the furniture was a blazing fireplace, mirrored on each side.

Finally, her eyes fell upon the far end where a long, ornate table sat, used as a desk by the Prince. The man himself sat behind it, posture erect, as he addressed a raven-haired woman in a slinky red dress with gold trimmings. Behind them both loomed the enormous figure of the Sheriff, La Croix's personal enforcer.

"So, you're the new kid, huh?" a voice spoke up from behind.

Ruby turned to spot a grey-haired man leaning against the wall next to the door. His face, though, was youthful, and from the easy, fanged grin he flashed them, undeniably another vampire. He was dressed in a black and grey tracksuit, though with dark combat boots.

"Um, yeah, that's me," she chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck. "Ruby Rose, at your service."

"Hmm." He gazed at her, looking up and down before ending with a smirk. "Don't see what all the fuss is about."

"No need to be rude, Mercury," her partner admonished quietly.

"Oh, and hello again, Ice Queen," he said, smirk widening. "So they paired you up on the loser team, huh?"

Ruby frowned at his attitude. She'd met many before like him, bullies who were assured of their own place in the hierarchy of things. Well, she might not be the most socially adept, but this kind of situation she'd dealt with plenty of times.

The brunette stepped forward, putting as much confidence and superiority into her stare as she could. "Mercury, was it?"

"You got it, babe," he grinned. "Mercury Black, remember the name."

She let her gaze slide from head to toe before returning to his face once more. "I don't think I'll need to," she retorted disdainfully. "Not impressed."

With that, she turned her back on him and took a few more steps into the room, coming to a halt.

Weiss soon joined her, looking worried. "He is not someone you want as an enemy," she murmured, barely audible. "Personal bodyguard to Miss Fall, there, who in turn is the advisor to the Prince himself."

"If he can't take the heat," she retorted, not bothering to lower her voice past where it would reach back to him. "Then he shouldn't have stepped up."

She heard a snort of laughter before the rustling of cloth, booted steps receding into the hallway. "Well, Red," he murmured just at the edge of her hearing, "you just made this way more interesting."

"Ruby," her friend implored quietly.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna start anything," she reassured her. "But I'm also not gonna let him push me around and talk shit about us to my face."

Weiss let out a soft sigh. "Very well," she whispered.

Ruby focused in on the conversation ahead of them, which was beginning to wind down.

"Of course, I don't mind serving as a liaison," the woman was saying, her voice rich and smooth, someone who knew how to gain and keep the attention of a person with just a few well-placed words. "It would be my honor, as always."

"Well, it's not as if I can meet with them in person," the Prince stated flatly. "But yes, your assistance in this would be most gratifying."

"I live to serve," she returned without a trace of sarcasm.

"Indeed. If there is nothing else?"

"No, my Prince, not tonight. I shall attend to you upon the next sunset and report my success."

"Very well, then. Good evening, Cinder."

"Goodnight, my Prince."

She turned and sashayed past the pair of fledglings, her glass heels rapping out a sharp staccato. She paused momentarily to sweep her amber eyes across the pair before continuing on without comment.

"There you are," the Prince spoke up, gesturing Ruby forward imperiously. "I was informed of your presence in the building, as well as that of Miss Schnee here. I was not aware of Primogen Ozpin's involvement in my orders?"

"Prince La Croix," the platinum-haired fledgling greeted him with a respectful curtsey. "Primogen Ozpin sends his regards. He had instructed me merely to serve as Miss Rose's mentor in the ways of our clan and to assist where possible. All of the trials performed, however, were at the direct control and direction of Miss Rose herself."

He sat back in his chair slightly, the soured look on his face indicating he was clearly not pleased with this development. His silence on the matter, however, indicated just as clearly that there was little at this time he could do about it.

"Very well," he finally snapped, directing his icy glare upon the brunette. "Since you're here, then, I'll take the liberty of assuming you've destroyed the warehouse… This is correct, yes?"

"Yessir," she chirped confidently. "I-"

"Most excellent," he interrupted, plainly uninterested in whatever she had to say. "I had no doubt you'd prove my decision a prudent one. I trust you encountered no… impediments to your progress on account of my personnel?"

Aside from having to pull Mercurio's bacon out of the fire, and finding out the two top vamps in Santa Monica were the same person? "No, sir, none at all," she reported dutifully.

"That is the answer I like to hear," he replied with satisfaction. "You've done well, circumstances being that they were. I will admit, not many in your… position would have overcome such a trial. But don't misunderstand me, it was no fool's errand."

His fingers drummed upon the table as he eyed Ruby consideringly, his gaze flickering over towards Weiss for just a moment. "You may yet prove to be a genuine asset. It's a bit disturbing, the lack of talent within this organization as of late." Weiss stirred slightly by her side, and she could practically feel the indignant energy flowing from her. "Tell me," he continued blithely, "what would you say to doing a bit of reconnaissance for me?"

Her immediate reaction was to retort, Not only no, but hell no… But then she recalled the conversation with Weiss regarding her status right now. She was at the bottom of the ladder, and if she wanted to be her own person at any point, she'd need to work her way up a few rungs first.

Starting with making the man in front of her at least somewhat happy with what she could accomplish.

So, instead, she gave him a slight, though admittedly unenthusiastic, nod. "What exactly do I have to do?"

Prince La Croix steepled his fingers in front of his face. "There have been whispers, rumors spreading around the Kindred community concerning the Elizabeth Dane, the cargo ship that was towed into port recently. Have you heard of it?"

"No, can't say I have…"

"The Dane was found out at sea. The reports say it was without crew, but they have yet to report a fate of said crew." The dark blond man leveled his pale gaze upon her intently. "The police are investigating the Dane as we speak. Even the Nosferatu have little information on what's been found. However, the reason the ship has caused such speculation is because it was transporting an object called the Ankaran Sarcophagus."

Ruby glanced aside at Weiss, who gave her a shrug to indicate she'd not heard of such an item, either.

"Now," the Prince continued, "I'm not one to predicate a decision based on conjecture, so what I need is fact. And, more importantly, I need evidence that the occurrences on the Dane were not supernatural in nature, and in no way related to this Ankaran Sarcophagus."

"Right," the brunette interjected. "So, I need to get to the boat to check things out. What do you need me to do on there?"

"You have three objectives. One - I want you to examine the sarcophagus for anything unusual; you may sense something peculiar about the sarcophagus. In fact, many Kindred in the city have reported an uneasiness in the air since the Dane's arrival."

Ruby fidgeted slightly as she recalled the conversation earlier that same evening with Beckett. Maybe that's what he was looking for, we should try and contact Blake soon to let him know!

"Do not, under any circumstances, open the Ankaran Sarcophagus," the Prince warned before continuing on. "Secondly - the police have begun their investigation; find out what they have concluded so far. Thirdly - take the cargo manifest for the ship. I want to find out what else it was carrying."

He placed his hands flat upon the desk's surface in order to lean forward slightly. "The last thing we want is police aware of our existence, so… be careful of what you do in front of them. And unlike the warehouse, you cannot wholesale slaughter a ship full of lawmen without consequences. Is this understood?"

"Yessir!" Ruby replied with as much deference as she could muster. The facade she was putting up was becoming a bit more of a strain as she had to keep on acting like a proper little minion. Mom always said I had a problem with authority figures, she thought glumly. Really, though, it's just the ones acting like giant dicks. Kinda like Napoleon here...

The Prince nodded, seemingly about to dismiss the pair of fledglings, when he stopped himself with a sly smile. "Oh, and it has come to my attention that you had an encounter with Nines Rodriguez earlier. The man so does love to throw that cretinous charm of his brashly about. What exactly did Mister Rodriquez say?"

How the fuck does he know everything that happens to me? she thought with considerable chagrin. Out loud, she kept her voice even and respectful. "He just asked me to meet with him at the Last Round."

"Hmm." La Croix gazed at her once more, this time with a calculating edge to the stare. "Consider this another lesson, then. You see, we Ventrue sometimes must take it upon ourselves to patronize the rabble and hear them out with a look of genuine concern, no matter how ridiculous their notions may be."

"Oh, well, okay… Um, I'll go see him right away, then."

He nodded to her, this time in clear dismissal. "Give the Anarch community my regards."

Downtown LA

The pair of fledglings trudged down the sidewalk, Weiss taking the lead as she guided them towards the Anarch hangout. Ruby had her hands stuffed in her pockets, glancing around as they walked. Passing the Hallowbrook Hotel, she edged a little closer to her companion and gave her shoulder a gentle bump. "You okay, Weiss?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, I am fine. I have adequately recovered from our earlier encounter."

"That's not what I meant."

"I am… fine, Ruby."

"Weiss…" The brunette sighed softly. "I think you've done an awesome job with me, by the way. I know I'm not the easiest subject."

She grinned as her friend let out a soft, humorous snort at that. The brunette glanced up as they crossed the street, across from a tall townhouse with a seemingly glowing pink orb at the peak of the roof and another abandoned structure, walled-up and with various graffiti lining the walls. One, in particular, caught her eye, that of a skull surrounded by a red, eight-pointed star.

"And I don't know what the Prince thought he was goin' on about," she continued. "I think you're way more talented than any other Kindred we've come across."

Weiss' smile grew as she glanced at the brunette out of the corner of her eye. "Stop trying to make me feel better, dolt," she admonished, though with considerable warmth. "I told you, I am fine."

"'Course you are," she agreed cheekily. "That's 'cause you have me by your side."

Her partner laughed softly at that, shaking her head. "Such a dolt," she murmured.

Ruby giggled as they strolled along, a bit more of a bounce in their step. She slowed as she noticed a pair of individuals in blue hazmat suits standing on a street corner, surrounding what looked to be a body lying under a tarp. "Huh. What do you suppose that's all about?"

"No idea. I suppose we could ask around about it."

"Yeah, guess so. Maybe Nines has a clue."

The side street they were traveling along made another turn before they were faced with a dead-end. Up ahead was an overpass, cars whizzing by on the freeway overhead past the street. Under the bridge was a cluster of oil drum fires, with people huddled around them dressed in the rags of the homeless and downtrodden.

On the left, though, was a two-story building with the windows boarded up. Atop the single green door was a sign that read The Last Round with a stylized revolver emblazoned across the top of the letters.

"Okay," Ruby muttered. "So, here we go, then… Um, you sure you wanna come in with me?"

"Of course I am," Weiss retorted evenly. "You are still in my charge, after all."

"And my partner?"

"Yes, Ruby, and your partner."

"Also my bestie, right, Weiss?"

"...Don't push your luck."

They opened the door to reveal a long, low room. The electric beat of Lecher Bitch by Genitorturers rang out in a muted background hum. Across the left side was a bar with swiveling stools fastened into the ground at their base. A Kindred tended the bar, only giving them a glance before he returned to sorting through the bottles lining the shelves behind him. A single person, human from what Ruby could tell, sat at the bar, nursing a drink, while another leaned against the bar at the far end, dark-skinned and bald but his gaze pinning the pair in place.

Along the right was a raised platform with booths, red leather that had been reupholstered likely so many times that the original color was long forgotten. Unless, of course, it had been a Kindred-run bar since it opened, in which case the same Kindred were likely still around. Battered and scarred table surfaces wore a bright sheen of lacquer to cover up the blemishes. Several other figures could dimly be seen clustered around a couple of the booths in deep conversation, ignoring the fledglings' presence.

At the far end, directly across from the door, was a pinball machine, at which another human was diligently working towards a high score. To the right of that was an alcove with a dartboard, and on the other side, a staircase leading upwards. The brunette could just barely make out what seemed to be a storage room on the other side of the bar, though it was blocked by the dark-skinned Kindred who was now stalking towards them.

"Well, if it ain't the talk of the town," the man stated with a sneer, his visage contorted into one of derision and hostility. "Poster child for Camarilla benevolence. What does the Prince have his little bitches doin' today?"

Well, if this ain't the most unfriendly greeting ever… "Yeah, haha, very funny," Ruby replied levelly, unwilling to let the vampire get a rise out of her and desperately willing for Weiss to remain calm as well. "Is Nines Rodriguez around here? He asked us to stop by."

"Yeah, yeah, Nines is expecting you, alright." He shot them both a scowl. "Have some manners and don't wear out your welcome. I'm Skelter. Act up and I'll be the one showing your ashes to the door."

"Okaaayyy," the brunette drawled uncertainly. "So, yeah, like I said, just here to see Nines…"

"So, then, go on up and see him." He shrugged and stepped out from their path, gesturing towards the staircase behind him. "You're free to do as you please here."

Including acting like a total ass, she snorted to herself humorously, heading for the stairs in the rear with Weiss at her side.

As the fledglings headed up the rickety staircase, Ruby out in front, she first spied Nines lounging against a wall while a pair of female vampires laughed loudly nearby. The brunette could only see one of the boisterous Kindred, about her height with bright orange hair and mirthful turquoise eyes that lit up with malicious glee when Weiss spoke up from behind her shoulder.

"Oh, wonderful," the platinum-haired fledgling sighed. "Those two."

"Aww, did the Ice Queen hop down from her throne to visit us lowly Anarch peons?" an unseen voice called out, full of humor. Ruby almost stopped in her tracks, knowing who it was that had spoken before she'd even gotten a glimpse of her, but then raced up the last few steps to skid to a halt at the top. The other occupant of the table directly by the stairs turned, her luxurious blonde mane of hair whipping to the side. She had on olive green cargoes and a tight yellow tee shirt that exposed her midriff but drew attention to her ample bosom. The brunette knew those lilac eyes that suddenly widened in shock, knew them as well as her own.

"Yang?" she whispered through suddenly numb lips.

The blonde leapt to her feet, chair crashing to the floor behind her. "Ruby?" she exclaimed breathlessly as she took a hesitant step forward.

CRACK!

The sound was loud as a gunshot, Ruby's hand shooting out to smack the blonde vampire's cheek hard enough to send her staggering off to the side. Her orange-haired companion was on her feet instantly, and both Nines and Weiss were standing by with the air of people prepared to jump into a fight, whether to stop it or finish it was still up for debate.

"Two. Years." Ruby's voice was harsh and low, all the louder for the absence of the music that had cut off from downstairs. Pounding sounded on the stairs behind her, but Yang frantically waved off whoever was approaching while she held a hand up to her injured jaw.

"No, it's… It's okay… I'm just… Ruby, what the hell…?"

"TWO FUCKING YEARS, YANG!" she bellowed, startling everyone in her vision enough that they all took a sudden step back, even Nines. The brunette fledgling knew her cheeks were wet, but she didn't care, everything she'd been through suddenly came crashing down on her, the rage and frustration and guilt and helplessness…

"Ruby, I know, I…" Yang tried to defend herself weakly, but she was having none of it.

"Do you have any idea the shit I've been through since you left me?" the brunette screamed, her fists clenched and trembling at her sides. "All the… All the pain?" She inhaled a shuddering breath, knowing it wasn't necessary but it helped to ground her somewhat all the same. "Why did you leave me?" she finally asked, pleaded, really. "How could you leave me?"

"Um, I don't wanna interrupt, really," the orange-haired vampire broke in quietly. "But who is this, Yang?"

"This is my sister, Ruby," the blonde explained, her eyes remaining riveted on the shaking brunette. "And, Rubes, I'm so sorry, I just… You know why I had to go, to find… Well, you had dad and Uncle Qrow…"

"Uncle Qrow left," she spat viciously in return. "He's on the East Coast somewhere, couldn't be bothered to leave a forwarding address. And dad, he fucking drank himself to death a month ago! Lost himself in a bottle right after you took off! So you left me all alone, Yang! You were all I ever had, ever since mom died!"

"Dad's… dead?" The blonde's lilac eyes were wide and incredulous, one hand outstretched hesitantly. It was all it took for Ruby's resolve to finally break down completely, and she hurled herself into her sister's arms, grasping her shirt as she buried her face into the blonde's chest.

"All I wanted was to find you!" she bawled. "And… and now I'm some kinda fucking monster, and now I find out you are too… and I just… God, Yang, I've done terrible things, and seen things, and… and… I'm like the worst vampire ever, I can't seem to get anything right… I just… I dunno what the hell I'm even doing anymore..."

"Shhh, it's okay," Yang's choked voice murmured brokenly, her hand stroking her hair like she always did to dispel the nightmares after her mom had died. "It's okay, I'm here, we're here together now, okay? And I'm not gonna leave you again…" The two of them sagged to their knees on the floor, Yang keeping Ruby firm in her embrace the whole while. She cleared her throat and raised her voice somewhat. "Um, guys? Can we… have a moment, please? Nines, Nora, can you wait downstairs?"

"Yeah, sure thing, blondie," the other female vampire replied subduedly. "C'mon, Ice Queen, let's give 'em space…"

"Ruby is in my charge," Weiss retorted with some heat. "And my… friend. I wish to make sure she's well."

"We ain't going anywhere, Ice Queen," Yang replied evenly. "Just wait downstairs already."

Ruby heard the platinum-haired vampire let out an irritable huff as her boots receded down the staircase, and she could also hear her muttering as she went. "I do have a name, you know."

Once they were alone, Ruby released one of her hands to punch her sister lightly in the shoulder. "You be nice to her," she mumbled, her words muffled by the soaking wet tee shirt in her face. "She's been one of the few friends I've had, and I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for her."

"No kiddin'?" the blonde laughed lightly. "Well, okay then, guess I'll have to make nice."

"You better," she sighed, sitting up and scrubbing her face with her hands. "Ugh, I'm so embarrassed to just fall apart like that and all, especially in front of Nines…"

"Don't worry about it, I'll explain stuff…" Yang trailed off as she noticed her sister looking between her hands and Yang's shirt with horror. "Um, what's wrong?"

"Oh my fucking God," the brunette breathed, holding her red-stained hands up. "Are my tears blood now?"

"Ah heh, yeah," Yang chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. Her yellow tee shirt looked like she'd had her throat slashed. "It's okay, I guess with all you've been through… Wait, how long ago were you Embraced?"

"Just a few nights ago, I dunno," she shrugged in return, looking around for something to wipe her bloody hands on. "I lost track."

"Wait, wait, wait," the blonde exclaimed, taking Ruby by the shoulders. "Holy shit, the fledgling whose Sire got offed, the one Nines told us about, that was you?"

"Yeah," she smiled halfheartedly. "That was me."

"Oh, Ruby," she choked out, pulling her little sister into another embrace. "Fuck, you've had a shitty time of it, then, haven't ya?"

"You have no idea," Ruby sniffled.

They stayed like that for a good five minutes or so before Ruby spoke up again.

"Yang?"

"Yeah, Rubes?"

"I really do suck at being a vampire."

Yang burst out into a loud, humorous laugh. It was a sound so familiar, so uplifting to the brunette's spirits that she couldn't help but smile as well.

"Oh, Ruby… we'll just have to work on that together, huh?"

"Yeah… sounds good."

A/N: Oh my freaking Oum, finally! I've been so waiting to get to this point, the reunion with Yang and Ruby's breakdown (though the aftereffects from that might linger for awhile), it's been a long time coming. And this finally got me to the point I wanted to be at before the holidays, so now I can work in the Yule special! RWBY: Days of Yule starts up next week, leading up to Christmas day. Each chapter will feature a story or series within RWBY that I've done, chronologically by initial post date. And yes, the last chapter features the gang from Blood.

One last note regarding schedule. I'm going to put Blood on a temporary hiatus, perhaps just a month or so, while I work on another project titled RWBY: Renegades. I'll post that once it's done, already part of the way through it. And then back to these adorkable girls!

Many thanks to my wonderful Beta and collaborator, Live to anger the World, and much love to all of you spectacular readers and reviewers! Sharkdude5, JimmyHall24, TacoKing23, kaiju62, kinigget, Blacsparrow, noone297, Reaper Whisper, Nicodemus Cain, and a Guest (here's your Yang!), cheers to you all!

Stay shiny!