Bragging Rights

[Trillian]

IT HAD BEEN A LONG while since Lazarus had ventured downstairs to the Chambers themselves.  He rode the elevator with a smirk, knowing that Kerr was on duty tonight.  He hadn\'t got around to telling him that he\'d experienced the satisfaction of Kerr\'s fledgling in bed.  He intended on making sure Kerr heard all the details of their sexual romps - one of which had involved the willingness of two mortals, which Ben hadn\'t been shy about getting intimate with either.  The young vampire had some kind of enlightening experience in New York, that was for sure.
 
He had perfect timing, for of course he\'d planned it for when Kerr normally took a break.  Things might\'ve run over of course, but otherwise his Oligarch for Vampires was a clockwork soul, reliable, dependable, and this was why Lazarus had selected him to work beneath him.  There was one thing about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer, but it was mostly because he knew the other wouldn\'t shirk the responsibility, allowing Lazarus the free time to party hard - with Kerr\'s fledgling no less.
 
Entering from the back double doors and seeing Kerr lounging in his chair, having a comfortable chat with one of his aides, Lazarus moved directly to him, catching Kerr\'s eye.
 
"Kerr, love, thought I might catch you up with current events," he began, grinning a sharkish grin and causing the aide to excuse himself and depart.

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr frowned, his mind instantly leaping to the Sabbat war he\'d participated in a little over a week before.  If anything, wouldn\'t it be he who was updating Lazarus on current events?  It wasn\'t as if the ancient had had any care in the action that had saved the city he \'ruled\', but he did deserve to know.

"Okayyy," the Irishman drawled uncertainly, spinning in his chair so that he was squarely facing the Luminary\'s throne.  He assumed Lazarus would strike some sort of gracious pose in it to impart his news.  "I should really tell you about the war and how well Jake McCloud did - well enough to deserve you not ripping off his head, by the way," he intoned, giving Lazarus a reprimanding look.

The blonde likely wouldn\'t remember nor even care who he was talking about, but Kerr thought it important to make known Jake\'s bravery and organisational skills.  He\'d done an exceptional job of things, after all, even if he did have a smartass mouth.

"But you go first," he finished politely, gesturing between them.

[Trillian]

Lazarus indeed did strike a pose on his throne-like chair, slinking his way over to it and draped upon it as sexily as possible.  He raised an eyebrow when told about the Sabbat rubbish Kerr had got himself involved in.  Really, if it had been up to Lazarus he\'d just have sent a bunch of fire demons via the Oligarchy and burnt the place down to the ground - why bother getting his hands dirty with up close and personal?
 
"Absolutely not, let\'s hear about this marvellous action McCloud performed," he said, not wanting Kerr\'s silly little story to steal the thunder of what news Lazarus was about to give.  "And why he deserves to remain intact."

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr got the feeling that Lazarus wasn\'t really listening to him - and he looked somewhat suspiciously at the Luminary - but he still attempted to sing Jake\'s organisational praises, describing the eclectic group of unusual vampires he collected to take down the Sabbat\'s city warehouse.  He admitted that his role was marginal, that he\'d had to learn to shoot a gun with some degree of accuracy for it and that the main success occurred thanks to those skilled with hand-to-hand weapons - Jake especially, but also Conner and Scott - and tried to stress how important a thing what they\'d done was.

"Without Jake\'s actions, the Oligarchy would\'ve been facing some very serious competition for control of the city very soon; his initiative has stopped them getting a foothold here and challenging your position," Kerr finished, with a pointed look at Lazarus.  It might\'ve been a bit much to tell the ancient that he should be grateful to Jake for what he\'d done, but gracious surely shouldn\'t be too much to ask.  "I know he was an arrogant upstart when he came here for help, but that\'s only because he\'s confident and passionate.  He\'s an excellent source of information and will be a valuable asset to the oligarchy in future."

It was Kerr\'s unsubtle way of saying, \'Don\'t kill him, we\'ll be able to use him\'.

[Trillian]

"Sounds like you\'re in love with the little fucker," Lazarus said, if only to sting Kerr a little because he knew the other would object to his statement.  He flapped a hand before Kerr could do so, waving away any comments the other might make.  "I won\'t kill him, as long as he either stays the fuck out of my way or grovels for my forgiveness."
 
He waited for Kerr to ask him what he\'d wanted to tell him.  With a little smile planted on his face, he wondered if Kerr was still keeping Ben at bay \'as a friend\' and how long that would last after finding out Lazarus had sampled him in many different and pleasurable ways.

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr merely glared at Lazarus for the \'in love\' remark.  "Don\'t be juvenile," he said huffily, shifting in his seat much as a bird whose had his feathers ruffled would.

Once settled again (and still frowning at his \'boss\', because he was already remembering all the reasons he didn\'t like the fucking asshole, lamenting the need to be in his presence this long), giving Lazarus a disdainful look.

"Anyway, what is it you wanted to tell me?" he demanded briskly, expecting it to be nothing of consequence (for no such thing ever exited the blonde\'s mouth, in his opinion) and then he could get on with his work.

Kerr\'s breaks never went for long and he fully expected one of the security demons to poke his head in before long, to see if he wanted the next case escorted in.  They always insisted on such formalities and he appreciated the effort greatly - often times there was need for a strong presence standing either side of the case he was reviewing, when he gave them news they didn\'t want to hear.

The strict allegiance to protocol was something insisted upon by the head of security, Bralik, who also happened to hold the title of Head of Clan for the Mimic Demons; he knew what it was to rule and he had much respect for Kerr, always taking the time to let him know he approved of the fairness of his actions in the cases he bore witness to (it humbled and impressed Kerr when Bralik stepped into the boardroom, for he was an imposing wall of a man, eloquent, intelligent and insightful, who was never too proud to do the work he insisted his men do; he led by example - something Lazarus would never understand).

[Trillian]

Lazarus\' smirk grew into a full blown grin as Kerr did as predicted.

"Your fledgling," he said, knowing those two words would perk Kerr\'s attention, "has been very forthcoming since returning from New York."  His gaze sparkled, and he continued while Kerr\'s expression changed before his eyes.  "I\'ve had the pleasure of his company a few times.  I must admit he\'s not the shy little flower he used to be.  There\'s no holding back our lovely Ben now, is there?  Whatever happened to him in New York was a great deal more groundbreaking than anything you used to do for him.  If I hadn\'t had so many lovers in my time, I think he would\'ve taught me a few tricks as well --"

He was going to say more, much more, but Kerr interrupted.

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr couldn\'t help himself; he was on his feet as soon as it began to sink in that Lazarus had slept with Ben, his body held rigid and hands fisted by his sides.  His face was a stony fortress, declaring that no more of this information should pass into his head.

"What happened to him in New York was that he was abused - sexually and physically - by an overbearing, fuckwit of an ancient who felt it was his right to twist and pound him into so much submission that he now doesn\'t know how to say no to every asshole that he should!"  His voice was raised noticeably by the end of his rabid speech; if he\'d been human, his face would certainly be read from lacking air by now also.

He bared his teeth as he loomed over Lazarus, hating him purely for taking advantage of Ben; hating that Ben had done it!  "Don\'t take it personally," the Irishman sneered as nastily as he could, "and don\'t expect it will happen again; we\'re back together and he\'s certainly raised his standards in doing so.  He doesn\'t need to go slumming it to feel some minor moments of self esteem any more!"

With no particular destination in mind, Kerr spun on his heel and started stalking away, feeling rather like he\'d been kicked somewhere low and sensitive.

[Trillian]

"He might have been slumming the first time, but he came to me for seconds, while I already had a couple of mortals in tow," he declared at Kerr\'s back.  "And when he told me all about the African Ancient he didn\'t seem like he\'d been long-term affected by the experience.  Did he tell you the other valued his chastity?"

Now that Kerr had stopped and whirled around to glare at him, Lazarus rose from his chair so he could leer at the younger vampire.

"Ben\'s a party-boy now, whether he\'s with you or not, and it\'ll take a lot more than your about-face relationship with him to stop him from fucking others behind your back.  Did you know he was here last week?  Upstairs with me and two mortals?  He was confident enough to boss them around, telling them to do to him what he liked.  That doesn\'t scream meek and abused victim, does it?"  Lazarus stalked over, talking over anything Kerr had to say, if he was saying anything at all.  "I doubt one cock will be enough to satisfy him, anymore.  He certainly seems to prefer more than one at a time."

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr\'s jaw literally gaped open and he blinked as if he\'d been punched by the crudity spewing out of Lazarus.  His nose wrinkled with disgust as he looked up at the blonde, made fearful by the words and not wanting to hear them.  His doubts about Ben were always there, lurking beneath the surface, and to have this asshole drag them into the light and fling them into his face was incomprehensible at that moment; he shut down.

"Get out," he snarled furiously, pointing an imperious finger at the boardroom door, behind which waited his work obligations - something he\'d preferred to be buried in right now.  "Get the fuck out of my boardroom!" He finished up screaming it, and it felt good.

[Trillian]

"Your boardroom?" Lazarus asked, both delighted with Kerr\'s obvious pain at hearing that Ben had serviced Lazarus several times and indignant that Kerr dared order him around.  "Last I checked, I was the Luminary," he spat, only partially aware of doors opening at the ruckus.  It would be such a good feeling to have the guards pull Kerr out of his face, now that Kerr had very obviously lost control.  He wondered if the other would have the courage to make a physical go at him, considering he couldn\'t cheat and strike a mental blow, thanks to Halen\'s ring on Lazarus\' finger.

[Existentially Odd]

"Well you don\'t fucking act like it!" he screamed back at Lazarus, getting flustered because he\'d realised belatedly that he\'d made the stupid mistake of calling the boardroom his - it wasn\'t his, he knew that! - in the heat of trying not to think about Ben and Lazarus fucking - what had it been?  Two mortals that Ben had ordered around? Gah!

"You spend your whole time flouncing around the city corrupting people and fucking them!" he vociferated, his jaw jutting and his chest puffing up.  His fists were still held at his sides because he knew it would be suicide to swing a punch at the ancient, but fuck he wanted to hit the cunt so badly that his arms were vibrating with the tension of being held in place.

He felt the presence of attention on him coming from his side and looked across the desk (for he\'d not managed to get anywhere near past the enormous desk on his stomping way to the door when Lazarus had irritated him to the point where he\'d spun around) at three demons.  The front one looked calmly at him when he met his gaze, smiling reassuringly, while the two at his back seemed more on edge, their gazes switching between the two vampires.

"Everything alright, Kerr?" Bralik asked in his deep, husky voice, the visage of a heavily-muscled, auburn-haired human intact except for the fact that he was six and a half feet tall, of course - but some things glamour couldn\'t hide.  His gaze flicked towards Lazarus every so briefly before resting back on Kerr, waiting to be told whether they should interfere or not.

For his part, the vampire Oligarch was thoroughly humiliated to have them walk in now and if he\'d had blood in his system, he would\'ve blushed.  He respected these men and the thought of them hearing him argue with someone who was his superior - over his love life no less! - thoroughly mortified them.  "Ah, Bralik.  With respect, no, I-" he stammered, not managing to respond in the correct formality under pressure but he knew his friend wouldn\'t hold it against him.

Fortunately, he didn\'t get any further, for Lazarus unceremoniously cut the pair of them off.

[Trillian]

Lazarus whirled on the demon that had made the mistake of deferring to Kerr.

"Why the fuck are you asking him, asshole?" he spat, looking at the demon in front of the other two and not giving a shit who he thought he was or what kind of influence he had.  "I\'m the one who killed Halen.  I\'m the one who took over this ridiculous fucking setup.  I\'m the one who rules this city!"  He looked back at Kerr now, grinning broadly though there was anger in his gaze now from not being recognised properly by his minions.  "I\'m the one responsible for Kerr even being here, because if it was up to him, he wouldn\'t have bothered."  He turned back to face the demon Kerr had addressed as Bralik - and with respect, no less!  "You will take Kerr to the whipping room and give him a couple of lashes for disrespecting me," he ordered.

Bralik, leader of the Mimic Demons and devoted follower of Halen (until the dragon master had died by the hand of the Ancient vampire Lazarus, causing Bralik and his clan to defer to him in recognition of what he\'d thought was obvious power and was now beginning to think was a lucky break) had never liked the fact Lazarus had despatched the true leader of the Oligarchy, and certainly didn\'t like being reminded of this fact while in the middle of being insulted.  He also didn\'t like the way Lazarus shirked his responsibility of being a real leader, nor the fact many of the other Oligarchs valued their own personal time over their responsibilities - unlike Kerr, who had shown that he was more of a leader by example, and someone Bralik deeply respected.

The order from Lazarus to punish Kerr for disrespect was dismissed in his mind as soon as it was given, but it certainly wasn\'t disregarded, for Lazarus had finally caused the confrontation that was due him.  Many of the Mimic Demons were unhappy with the vampire that their clan leader Bralik followed orders from (not that Lazarus had given many orders, but that wasn\'t the point).  Bralik saw the chance now, to rid the Oligarchy of the cancerous tumour at the head - without the kind of violence he\'d been fantasising about (unless Lazarus decided not to go quietly, then Bralik\'s vivid visions of setting the clan on the Ancient to tear him apart would likely come true).

"No."  The word wasn\'t shouted but was said with the kind of power that had both vampires looking his way as he approached.  He stood slightly behind Kerr, looking at Lazarus imperiously.

The Ancient stared back, even as the other demons shuffled forward to stand behind their leader.  Lazarus was wide-eyed with disbelief.  What the fuck was going on here?

"What the fuck is this? A mutiny?" he screeched, throwing his arms in the air and not believing that it really was such a thing - figuring that he must\'ve picked the demons that were Kerr\'s best fans and he could always boss a few others into doing the deed.

"Yes," Bralik said, and that was when Lazarus realised that he was in real trouble of losing his throne.

Again.

He stared at Kerr for a moment as this news sunk in, seeing the expression on the darker vampire\'s face and knowing that this wasn\'t a planned effort on Kerr\'s part at least.  Stupid fucker was getting the Oligarchy handed to him on a silver platter and he didn\'t have a fucking clue what was going on.

"Tell them you don\'t want to be the Luminary, Kerr," Lazarus said, his voice calm but still carrying authority.  "Tell them I\'m the Luminary, and the threat of a whipping was just a joke."

Surely Kerr wouldn\'t want to run the fucking Oligarchy when he didn\'t want to even be here in the first place?  Lazarus was counting on it, even as a niggle of doubt crossed his mind.

[Existentially Odd]

The first thing Kerr did was close his mouth, for his jaw had dropped when Bralik spoke.  He glanced slightly over his shoulder, hardly believing that the demon was defying Lazarus - in favour of him!  He knew he was respected by Bralik - and all the demons he worked with, for that matter - but were they actually nominating him Luminary?  It was outrageous!  Insane!  Why not take the power for themselves?  That wasn\'t how Mimic Demons worked, of course, but still... wasn\'t there anyone but him?

Looking back at Lazarus, he found those negative thoughts leaving his mind - especially when the part about whipping being a joke was mentioned.  They all knew he\'d been serious, and that was the problem with the asshole; he was a happy child until things didn\'t go his way, and then he struck out with the power of thunder to smite whatever and whomever displeased him.  He had the rationality of Sawyl in that sense.

The fearful thing about it, though, was what he might do after Kerr moved into the position of power he\'d more or less worked in for so long.  Lazarus knew that Ben was his weakness and the ancient had never been afraid to exploit that; if Kerr agreed with the demons and took control of the Oligarchy, what would Lazarus do to Ben?  Was it worth the risk?  He was sorely tempted to take the nominated promotion, if only to expel Lazarus from his life... but would that even work?

"You\'re the Luminary," the Irishman agreed thoughtfully, his eyes narrowed on his \'boss\'.  "In title, anyway - not in deed.  I don\'t actually think you do anything to deserve it, however, and although I may not want the position for myself, if it means you not having it, I\'d be willing to step in until a more appropriate replacement can be found."

Bralik placed a hand upon his shoulder, drawing his attention.  "You are the appropriate replacement," he assured him, then dropped his hand and looked back at Lazarus.

Kerr looked back at the ancient as well, his expression confused, hesitant.  "Well... maybe.  It\'s just - look, I didn\'t have anything to do with this," he argued, taking a step towards the blonde as he pleaded his case, "and I don\'t want you holding a grudge.  I especially don\'t want you threatening or having anything to do with Ben again, either, so if that\'s what I\'m risking, you can keep the Luminary position - it\'s not worth your anger and resentment."

Bralik was suddenly at Kerr\'s side, interrupting as diplomatically as he always did, sounding polite and deferential (towards Kerr) even as he gave a very obvious direct order.

"No, Kerr," he said gently, "he can\'t keep the position any longer.  He took it by force but you have earned it.  Lazarus has tonight to remove all of his personal belongings from the penthouse and then you will move yourself and Ben in at your leisure.  You will be safe here - and anywhere you choose to go in the city," he growled meaningfully, staring intently at Lazarus.  "If this man dares to lift a finger against you or resist these instructions, he will be set upon so swiftly he won\'t have time to speak a final word before he knows nothing but the endless monotony of eternity - and trust me," he confided in Lazarus with a wolfish grin, "I\'ve been there and you won\'t like it."

Kerr looked from Bralik to Lazarus in something of a daze, daring to imagine what it would be like to live without Lazarus\' whimsical authority hovering eternally over him - never knowing when he might grow bored and strike at he or Ben, just for the hell of it.  It would be wonderful.  Having Lazarus out of his life - not to mention out of the building, leaving the gorgeous topmost apartment for him to take if he so wished - would be a dream come true.  He still feared for his and Ben\'s safety for it to come about like this, but he couldn\'t pretend he was sorry that it had happened at all.

He didn\'t know how well he\'d do at being the Luminary... but the example set by his predecessor wouldn\'t be difficult to better.

[Trillian]

Lazarus\' top lip curled in an ugly sneer as he realised that his throne was well and truly gone, whether Kerr took it or not.  Fucking minions - these were the assholes he\'d set free several years ago, had allowed them to show themselves to the city in their true form (or so he believed, for the Mimic Demons had arrived with Halen and not before).  This was how they repaid him?  By putting some wussy fucker in charge instead of him?

There was a sinking feeling in his chest and gut when he realised there was nothing he could do or say.  Mentally he was protected with the ring, but he no longer had the physical advantage, because the demons could match his strength, and there were many more of them.  He knew enough about the spy network to know they would be able to know his every move, so he wouldn\'t be able to amass an army against them either.

Well, fuck.  Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck.

He glared at the two of them - the leader of the demons and Kerr - with very little to say.  The only thing left was his pride.

"Fine, I\'ll step down," Lazarus declared, standing ramrod straight and folding his arms across his chest, looking regal and unhappy as though he\'d been asked to retire for X good reasons and he\'d come around to their way of thinking instead of told that he was dismissed.  "But if your party-boy seeks me out, I\'m not going to turn him away and fuck you if you punish me for that.  He\'s come to me before, he\'ll come to me again."

Really, he couldn\'t give a shit whether Ben came to him or not, he didn\'t particularly want him, except that he was a nice thorn in Kerr\'s side should it happen.

"I\'ll be upstairs," he said coldly, unfolding his arms and stalking out, walking a little funny like he\'d just been kicked in the balls.  It felt a little like that too - the world looked as it did when he drank from an intoxicated donor.  Skewed, muted and colourless.