093. Blood Bond

Sophia attends the vampires' conclave, Elysium.

***"The first time I attended a vampire conclave, I was 17… But what happens when one with lots of fashion knowledge, but not much vampire knowledge, attends one?"***

Sophia is in the back of Veritas' limo, and while the seats are soft, the vampire's eyes are hard. She is to be introduced as his thrall, at which point she will be "offered" to Prince Jerric so that he can feed. Sophia understands that then she is play her part, turning her blood to fire so that she will kill the prince; Veritas, for his part, promises that the Prince's retinue will "look the other way" and that he will send in some backup. He knows she can "handle herself" at this kind of event, but cautions her of the one rule: Elysium must *not* be violated, under any circumstances. If any of her Garou "friends" were to show up… well, he won't be held responsible for what happens.

The vampire conclave is being held at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and Sophia is greeted quite regally by the other attendees. She is near perfect: graceful, beautiful, demure. She meets at least one vampire known as a Toreador, who Veritas explains will be completely transfixed by her beauty, but all Sophia can see is a room full of about 60 creatures, each of whom is at the top of the food chain: apex predators. She mentions to Veritas how sad she finds it that they surround themselves with beauty while being unable to feel: the Ventrue only smirks. Veritas brings her to meet a tall, thin man dressed in a sari in a separate office: Prince Jerric waves away Veritas and examines the sidhe closely. "Would you like to sit, Baroness?"

He explains that he makes it his business to know everything that goes on in *his* city and domain, including knowing all about its Kithain. He also knows, he idly tells Sophia, that Veritas is planning to kill him, and obviously she is to be the weapon. He also knows that the data Veritas believes was lost at Abford Pharma was, in fact, secretly saved and hidden away. Sophia demands to have access to it, given that his kind imprisoned and tortured Changelings like her: he proposes a possible arrangement. After all, Veritas can't be left alive….

Meanwhile, Patches is having dinner with her father, Malcolm at a local pub. He is excited to learn more about her Fae world, and that she too is a builder, somewhat like him. He wants to gift her the APEE, since it was originally intended for her, but Patches is skeptical: is it possible that it somehow "takes" its luck from another person instead of simply creating it? Malcolm tells her of a group of Mages that decided how the rest of humanity is "meant" to see the world, and he wants them to make their own path. Patches excuses herself when she gets a call from Incisor, who brings her up-to-date on Sophia's current situation.

Back at The Spark, Braum and Kyoko are together, shaking their heads at the events of the day. He agrees that he needs to be stronger still with those whom he loves, even if he feels he's hurting them, much as he was strong for Kay, otherwise Kyoko promises to make Claire disappear. Braum receives a strange call from Pasebakhaenniut, who is feeling off, "like something's going on". While the troll isn't quite sure what to make of it, he and Kyoko step out to investigate Heart's Light, at which point they get a call from Patches, speeding them to the Museum.

Over Prince Jerric's shoulder, dark timeline Hirgo appears (unbeknownst to the vampire), urging Sophia not to give in. Sophia, weighing her options, allows the vampire to start to take her blood. She is in ecstasy at first, but quickly snaps out of it, using her Arts to turn her blood to fire in his mouth. The elder vampire screams, tearing his teeth from her flesh. Sophia tries to race away, but is caught by the strength and speed of the monster, as well as hampered by his Banality. Sophia continues to try to invoke the Wyrd as the vampire slams her against a wall, using his mental power to force her to surrender. Just as Kyoko distracts the guard at the front door, allowing Braum inside, the wall in the office opens up, with a Wyrd-infused Patches stepping through it. Prince Jerric warns her: "Try anything, and I kill her." Patches pauses briefly, then fires her treasure rifle… right at Sophia!