Vanessa's eyes open suddenly, flick to look beside her on the bed, and then quickly scan the room. She sighs in disappointment. He's never there when she wakes up-- and that's to be expected-- but she still feels down.
She sits up, pulls back the covers, and gets out of bed. Standing, she stretches, and gazes at her reflection in the mirror. Armande always tells her how beautiful she is in such glowing terms that she almost expects to see some radiant goddess whenever she looks in the mirror naked! Well, she's radiant, anyway! She smiles and gets herself ready for the evening.
Emerging from their room a while later, she walks to the kitchen. No sign of Armande...Carter must have him running errands somewhere. She signs again, and calls for a cab. Walking to the entryway to wait for it, she pulls a mirror from her purse and glances into it. She's pulled her hair up into a classy French-twist, and is wearing a nice burgundy suit-jacket, white blouse, and short burgundy skirt with black nylons and heels. She's trying to present an image of someone who's all-business to keep from reminding a certain person of the seduction that resulted in the death of his brother. Maybe this appearance will help her cause.
She concentrates on her reflection, and a moment later it appears as though she has short, dark blonde hair and blue eyes. The cab honks, and she puts her mirror away and hurries outside.
A while later the cab pulls up to the Ravenscar Mental Institution, and the "new" Vanessa steps out after paying the cab driver. She looks up at the building, takes a deep breath, and walks up the steps and inside. She walks up to the main reception desk with her back held straight and a confident look on her face, and then activates her blood to make her give off an aura of extreme likeability.
The receptionist looks up from her phone and holds up a finger. She shifts the phone to her other shoulder and flips through a file.
"No no, we aren't accepting any more patients, we're full up and the moment. I hear that John and Marys are accepting...ok...ok." She hangs up the phone and sighs.
"How may I help you, miss?"
Vanessa smiles winningly and affects her best British accent.
"Hello! I'm John Constantine's cousin-- my name is Victoria." Vanessa leans in conspiratorially. "I know it's technically after visiting-hours, but I just got out of the office after putting in overtime-- you must know how that can go...busy place like this-- and John's new to the hospital and far from home. I just get the feeling that he could use a visit from someone in the family to cheer him up, and I live in Toronto. The family back in London is absolutely SICK with worry! If I could just pop up to see him? I promise I won't be very long."
Vanessa smiles again, and adds a look of hope to her eyes-- opening them wide and blinking as if holding back tears.
The receptionist leans back and gives Vanessa a good looking over. She nods and leans in.
"Wellll I'm really not supposed to do this but...go ahead, but don't take too long," she says buzzing her in.
"Room 137 dear..."
Vanessa smiles with obvious relief and clasps her hands together in front of her.
"Oh thank you...THANK you! I promise I won't be long!" She practically skips through the door.
An elderly security guard is waiting for Vanessa, and closes the door behind her-- making sure it locks securely.
"Room 137-- John Constantine." Vanessa says cheerfully, and the security guard also gives her a good looking-over before nodding and leading the way. The two walk for a time before finally coming to the door 137 and stopping. The security guard knocks on the door and slides a small window open.
"John Constantine-- you have a visitor." He turns to face Vanessa. "I heard you say you're his cousin, but if he gets rough with you or scares you in any way, just knock on the door and I'll let you out. Naturally, I have to lock the door once you're in."
Vanessa nods. "Thank you, sir-- hopefully I won't have to do that, but if John's as bad as they say..." She hangs her head sadly, and the security guard pats her on the shoulder.
He opens the door and lets Vanessa in. The room stinks slightly of sweat. John sits in the corner, a straightjacket binds his arms closed. His barefeet look cold on the matted floor. He turns to look at the orderly.
"Allo me old china come to crack me again? Or is it time for the daily buggering?"
The orderly sighs and gives a nervous chuckle, "See what we have to put up with?" he says and closes the door.
John looks at Vanessa and gives her the once over.
"And who are you?"
Vanessa watches John warily as he speaks, and then when he asks who she is, she bursts into melodramatic tears.
"I was so afraid after hearing that you'd gone insane that you wouldn't recognize me!" she says covering her face with her hands and keeping her back to the orderly. When she takes her hands away, her face has changed back to its original appearance.
"Don't you recognize your own cousin, John?" she asks in an emotional voice, but with a little smile on her face."
John looks her over and smiles, "You know lady, I might be in this mental institution, but I am not crazy. Besides I only have one cousin and *he* doesn't look as nice as you eh?" He sits up a bit straighter.
"Now who are you really love?"
Vanessa changes her face back to that of the "cousin" and turns, nodding at the security guard. "It's all right, I'm still staying."
The security guard nods-- a look of sympathy on his face-- and shuts the door, locking it. Vanessa watches him slide the window closed, and once the window's closed, she turns back to John and her face and hair are her own.
"Recognize me yet?" she asks in a quiet voice, visually gauging the distance between she and John warily.
John's eyes narrow and he pushes his back against the wall. He stands and looks at her.
"What do you want, sunshine?"
Vanessa raises an eyebrow at the ironic nickname, and clears her throat. "Two things. First, I wanted to thank you for helping us...for doing that ceremony. I don't know what went wrong, and I don't know why you're in here, but you saved the entire city...maybe a lot more than just the city. I don't know what you've heard about...my kind, but there are many types. We are demon-hunters. Does that surprise you to hear? You probably think we fornicate with demons." Vanessa laughs a bitter laugh.
John looks at her again and relaxes a moment.
"Got a fag? They won't let me have any fags in here..."
Vanessa senses John relax, and feels some relief. She smiles a naughty smile. "I have more than that, if you like." She reaches into her purse and pulls out a pack of cigarettes that she keeps in there in case Armande runs out, taps one out, and then also pulls out the compact she took from the girl at the club.
"You want a snort, too?" she asks, studying John-- wary to try one of her surface-thought-reading-tricks on a mage.
John reaches out his hand and takes the cigarette. Vanessa watches as the straightjacket falls to the ground. He takes the lighter and lights the cigarette and takes a deep drag.
"Not bad, cheers. You can keep the blow, not my thing, right."
Vanessa takes an unconscious step back as the straightjacket falls off, and tries to keep a calm look on her face.
"S-sure..." she says, putting the compact away and taking the lighter back when he's done with it.
"You seem sane enough. Why are you in here?" she asks, folding her arms and studying John's eyes for any signs of madness.
John shrugs, "They won't let me out...they say I'm suffering from delusions," he says taking another drag and blowing the smoke out towards Vanessa.
"I know what happened to my brother...now why don't you give me your side of the story..."
Vanessa clears her throat again-- not used to having conversation-topics changed so rapidly on her, and having hoped to put off this subject a little longer.
Vanessa looks at the floor for a moment, gathering her thoughts, and then looks back at John through the cloud of smoke.
"I didn't mean for that to happen. Please-- use whatever mage-powers you have to see if I'm lying. I didn't kill your brother. I knew from the moment I saw the two of you that we'd need your help with the demon, and the last thing I wanted was to piss you off, or have anything happen to either of you. I chose your brother over you because he looked more innocent...I could tell he was...inexperienced. I thrive on giving people their fantasies and drinking in their reactions, not drinking their blood. I wanted to give your brother his fantasy, and I did. He died a man." Vanessa pauses and begins to pace the room.
"I took him home, and a vampire more powerful than me took an interest in him-- I had no idea the vampire was into males! He..." Vanessa pauses again, carefully chosing her words. "Your brother died very quickly and in great ecstasy. The one who took his life isn't in my pack." Vanessa watches John, her body tensed to spring if need be.
John takes a drag and takes a step closer. He blows the smoke to the side.
"Right-o then. You're all innocent eh? Is that what you're sayin?"
Vanessa bites her bottom lip, and then gives a quick laugh. "Innocent? I don't think that word could ever have been used to describe me, sorcero!" Her face turns serious again. "All right-- you want the rest of the story. The reason I brought him home was because we were having a contest to see who could find the most...delicious blood." Vanessa feels herself growing more and more tense. Maybe she shouldn't have come alone.
"The powerful vampire decided to judge this by drinking a little from each contestant. Your brother was last. I was relieved-- I thought the vampire would be full by the time he got to your brother. He didn't harm any of the other contestants-- they all lived. Again-- I had no idea the vampire was gay! I was horrified what he did! Ask anyone in my pack! It's been haunting me...I-- I'm sorry, John! I really am! If I could take it all back, I would-- trust me. I got nothing out of his death but paranoia!"
Vanessa takes another step back, clenching her hands together tightly.
John takes another step and takes a drag. He blows the smoke out to the side of his mouth. He gives her a cocky smile.
"I believe you right enough...but you're going to pay, love. Next time I see my grandfather I'll stear him away from you, but you owe me. You owe me big for this. I'm not sure how you're going to help, but I will...in time and when I come callin you had best remember our little conversation. We got that me old china?" He takes a good hard look at her, his cigarette dangling from his mouth.
Vanessa blinks, unconsciously leaning backwards a little more and more as John speaks. She can feel the power of his aura eminating from him, and he's pissed and thinking hard.
'His grandfather??' she thinks to herself with a tinge of worry. 'How many people...?' she starts, and then stops herself. She discovers she's leaning back, and quickly straightens up and tightens her mouth.
"I WANT to pay for what I've done-- I do-- but I will not do anything that goes against the Sabbat...my pack...my people. You think of something that fits those perimeters, I will do it. If I lost someone I cared about..." Vanessa quickly shields her mind. "...I would stop at nothing to get revenge, and my fury would be unrestrained..." Vanessa's teeth clench as she pictures the Giovanni's face in her mind, and her shield slips slightly. After a second she realizes she's grinding her teeth, and she quickly clears her throat. "I thank you for your mercy." she says quietly.
John chuckles, "Oh it's not mercy, sunshine. It's usefulness, and I'll pretend I didn't hear you give me conditions."
He takes another drag and blows the smoke in her face.
"Stay by the phone sunshine, I'll be callin..." he says turning and putting on the straight jacket and sitting down.
"Don't kill anyone's brother on the way out eh?"
Vanessa growls and takes a step foreward. "You're young, John, so I'll forgive how arrogantly you're speaking to me, but NEVER overstep your bounds again! I was stupid enough to humble myself to you, but never again! I will remember my promise to help you, and YOU will remember my conditions! Do we understand one another?" Vanessa fills her personage with malice and horror, and her face takes on snake-like features-- scales flickering across her skin.
John looks at the scales running across her skin and nods appreciatively.
"I don't scare so easily love. But you can relax your knickers, I won't ask you to do anything against your psychopathic friends." He says with a smile. He looks at her again.
"So you can turn into a snake eh? That could be useful, what else do you do love?"
"I do what's needed." she says evenly, her voice resuming a calm, yet icy tone. "You've seen my little costume-changes...there's more where that came from...things that could be very useful to you," she continues. Folding her arms again, she leans on one leg and stares at him.
"How are they treating you here, John? Are they really as bad as you make them sound, or were you just bluffing." Vanessa watches John without blinking.
John shrugs, "Ah they treat me well enough, I suppose. It's not the Ritz," he says looking around the walls. He turns his gaze back to her.
"So you do what's needed eh?" he says giving her a dirty smile.
Vanessa ignores him. "Things could get a lot worse for you here, John. A LOT worse. This asylum falls under the jurisdiction of a member of my pack. Unfortunately, he's as insane as the inmates, and keeps friends of his living here, if you know what I mean. I came here to offer you a more pleasant stay...perhaps a quick release...in exchange for your cooperation. I'm being very generous by agreeing to help you-- some would call it weakness, but I call it an emerging conscience." Vanessa shrugs. "And if you want to fuck me, I'm afraid that's not up to me." Vanessa smiles and raises an eyebrow.
John smiles at her and drops the straightjacket.
"You ain't telling me anything I don't already know. I saw your little friend while I was in the rec room. Oh and those three crazy buggers down the hall? I know about them too. What, you think I don't listen in on the orderlies? Or take little trips during the night?" He takes a drag and looks at her again.
"Don't underestimate me sunshine," he says with a smile.
Vanessa grits her teeth at hearing that nickname again. "Good. Then you know I'm not lying, chico." Vanessa puts a hand to her forehead and paces a little.
"Look...I didn't come here to exchange threats. If it were my choice, my path would never cross with another mage, werewolf, faery-- whatever-- again. But I heard you-- you said you'd honor my conditions, and you heard me-- I said I'd help you. Are we good with that, or is there anything else we need to iron out? And DON'T get any ideas." she says, folding her arms.
John smiles a lion's grin, "We're good with that," he says and then takes the last drag and stamps out the cigarette. He turns around and walks back to the corner.
"Oh and don't worry, love. I wouldn't ask you to violate your strong personal ethics with sex anyway. I mean it'd make Jeeves the orderly jealous to think I cheated on him now wouldn't it?"
Vanessa continues staring at John for a few seconds-- trying not to smile-- but finally snickers. "If only you knew, John. I could've turned your world upside down with pleasure to the point where you would beg to lick my boot and call me 'mistress.'" Vanessa smiles and winks, reaches into her purse and takes out the lighter and pack of cigarettes, and tosses them to John.
"Wouldn't want to see someone deprived of their addiction..." She grins a grin full of hidden secrets, and as she does, her face and hair shift back to that of the "cousin."
"If you need anything, just tell any of my contacts that you wish your cousin Victoria would come back for another visit."
"Done and done, now get going-- it's dinnertime and tonight is chocolate pudding night. The only thing you Yanks got right so far. The porridge here is shit worse than me mums." He says sitting in the corner.
Vanessa laughs loudly, walks over to the door, and knocks a few times. Almost before she's finished knocking, the locks start clicking, and then the door quickly swings open. The security guard stands there with his hand on his baton and scans the room like some ancient knight hunting a dragon.
"No, no, I'm fine. We're done with our visit." Vanessa says quickly, putting her hand on the security guard's arm. "It went well." She offers the security guard a relieved smile, and he takes his hand off his baton and returns the smile.
"Glad to hear it, glad to hear it..." he says, waiting until she's exited the room, and then he fixes a disapproving look on John. "Dinner's coming up, so don't give the orderlies any trouble, right John?"
John looks up from the corner at the orderly. The straightjacket groans a little.
"Choco puddin guv'nor? Choco puddin? Could I please ave some more?"
Vanessa claps her hands across her mouth to stifle the sounds as she laughs hard, and when the security guard glances at her, she quickly shifts her facial expression to one of grief so the tears collecting in the corners of her eyes look like tears of sadness.
"Oh John...what's happened to you..." she sniffles, and hurries away from the door towards the reception-area as she gives a loud sob that echoes through the corridor. She has to exert all her willpower to keep the sob from turning into hysterical laughter.
The security guard furrows his brows, looks from John to Vanessa, and then quickly shuts and locks the door and hurries after Vanessa.