Eternal Night

(III) Chapter 25: Return to Budapest

Francesca entered the front door of Carmen's on Vlad's right, the couple flanked by the Dracul Sânge. As they filed into the front room, their chatter died into silence when they happened upon the sets of eyes staring back at them, taking in their return. Lyra and Carmen were seated at the bar, Vesper situated on a stool between them. Frankie had gone notably still once her eyes had fallen upon the young dhampir, her heart caught in her throat as her vision blurred quickly with unshed tears.

Vesper never uttered a word as she slid out of her seat. The teenager crossed the distance between her and Frankie at a run as she leapt up to wrap arms and legs around the woman in a tight hug that would have made a python proud. Frankie laughed in spite of herself, squeezing the girl back as she whispered into her hair, "I thought I had lost you."

"Apparently everyone thought they had lost you," Vesper replied rather emphatically, pulling back to look at the woman's face. "I've never seen them all make such a fuss before – not since you went into stasis."

"Get off of her, V – you're getting too big to go jumping on people like that, anyway," Carmen called out affectionately. She began to make her way over, though her gaze shifted nervously between the pair and the silently observing posse still crowding near the door. Frankie reached out and took her hand, squeezing it so she could bring the Spaniard's attention back to her. "She's right, though. I'm glad you're all right. You had us worried."

"I'm more than all right," Frankie insisted. Her eyes briefly flicked to Lyra, noting how the redhead had taken to standing but was still over by the bar, evidently struggling to keep from stealing glances at a certain set of blondes situated behind Dracula. Frankie smiled knowingly but said nothing. "How's Rémy?"

"Your brother is in the back with Jake. He's still... well," Carmen's voice trailed off as she glanced briefly at Vlad before looking back at Frankie. "He'll be glad to see you, I think. He hasn't been especially talkative since the whole thing came out."

"He insists he's not pissed with the rest of us for knowing," Lyra finally chimed in. "But you know how he is."

Francesca turned her attention to Dracula, sighing once as she felt a small wave of guilt come down from his side of the blood-bond. She sent a reassuring caress back his way, offering him a gentle smile.

Let me talk to him – see if I can't soften him up a bit.

Vlad rested his hand at the nape of her neck and gently brought her toward him, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

I'd appreciate that.

"Let Antón know we made it safely back into the city," she told him aloud so the others could hear. "Zeke – could you see if Tristan is available for a meeting before sunrise? I'd like to touch bases with him and Isabella – there's a lot of work we need to do."

"Of course."

"And I'm not sure if the rest of you are very acquainted with the place," she added, looking to the others, "but Carmen and Lyra, could you see to our guests while I go talk to my brother? Unless all of you would like to head back to Vilkova for the evening?"

"I don't mind sticking around," Jack announced casually.

"Neither do I," Louise agreed.

The others offered a few other noises of assent, all trying to ignore the obvious tension between Jack, Lyra, and Louise, even as Vlad sent the three of them his best warning look.

As Frankie made her way toward the back hall, she called out over her shoulder at the tense little trio – "Behave yourselves!"

"You heard what she said. Behave," Tempest teased, smacking her brother and sister on the backs before making her way between them. The two blondes flashed a bit of fang, communicating just what they thought of her cheek, but the youngest Dracul ignored them. "It's Vesper, right? Could you point me in the direction of a decent hairbrush? The flight over completely messed up my braid."