He could see the shop from the end of the street. The directions Rikky had given him were good ones. The various warnings Rikky gave him about the clear and obvious mortal peril he was blundering into were good too, he was sure.
He took a deep breath, even though he didn't need to, and merrily walked boldly into the proverbial lion's den. The shop bell jingled cheerfully.
It seemed a nice enough little building- but then Johann apparently didn't live here from what he'd heard.
"Hallo?"
He took a deep breath, even though he didn't need to, and merrily walked boldly into the proverbial lion's den. The shop bell jingled cheerfully.
It seemed a nice enough little building- but then Johann apparently didn't live here from what he'd heard.
"Hallo?"
"Oh, he-"
There was an older woman behind the counter who had been busy tapping away at a laptop until she head Brahm's entrance. On hearing a familiar voice and sensing a familiar presence entering her shop she'd launched into the overture of a warm greeting, but halted on truly seeing Brahm. The joy faded from her face, replaced weariness.
"Oh, Hell. I think I know who you are."
There was an older woman behind the counter who had been busy tapping away at a laptop until she head Brahm's entrance. On hearing a familiar voice and sensing a familiar presence entering her shop she'd launched into the overture of a warm greeting, but halted on truly seeing Brahm. The joy faded from her face, replaced weariness.
"Oh, Hell. I think I know who you are."
Brahm faltered at the door. He took off his hat and held it against his chest, almost like a little tattered shield. Her reaction did not inspire confidence. It inspired a good deal of regret- and a nagging fear in the back of his skull about all of the vampire slaying accoutrements that surely stocked every cupboard.
"I see my... reputation precedes me." He stepped forward with a wide smile and a slightly shaky confidence.
"If you think you know, I'll let you guess, ja? It has been a very long ride to get here."
"I see my... reputation precedes me." He stepped forward with a wide smile and a slightly shaky confidence.
"If you think you know, I'll let you guess, ja? It has been a very long ride to get here."
"Brahm. I'm afraid I don't remember your second name."
Ariadne was rarely overwhelmed by emotion, but this moment was starting to sink her. He didn't have any right to do that funny thing with his hat, or smile that strained smile, or speak with that particular intonation. Those were Johann's little foibles, not his. Except if he did them, he was the projenitor of them. And what did that make Johann?
"Why are you here?" she said, tired rather than accusing. "You're just going to upset Johann."
Ariadne was rarely overwhelmed by emotion, but this moment was starting to sink her. He didn't have any right to do that funny thing with his hat, or smile that strained smile, or speak with that particular intonation. Those were Johann's little foibles, not his. Except if he did them, he was the projenitor of them. And what did that make Johann?
"Why are you here?" she said, tired rather than accusing. "You're just going to upset Johann."
"It was out of concern for Johann that I showed up." He popped his hat deftly back onto his head. He felt more confident with it on.
"I have had the great fortune to reconnect to my long lost relatives. My great grandson Kerstan had very... concerning things to say about his uncle Johann, you know."
Brahm leaned on the counter and tried to maintain his affable energy despite the obvious tension.
"Said he's been living on the streets. Said he's mad. I know he doesn't like me much, but you must understand."
He gave her a sad glance. "If someone tells me my grandson raving homeless in the cold streets of a big city, I can't just leave him there. And what is more." He straightened himself up.
"Bridgeport itself sounds like the sort of place a vampire might vacation anyway. It's funny- there are people telling me there are coffee shops here I could have a drink in. I'd never HEARD of such a thing! America must really have everything."
He chuckled weakly. His signature charm he worried might not be sticking.
"I have had the great fortune to reconnect to my long lost relatives. My great grandson Kerstan had very... concerning things to say about his uncle Johann, you know."
Brahm leaned on the counter and tried to maintain his affable energy despite the obvious tension.
"Said he's been living on the streets. Said he's mad. I know he doesn't like me much, but you must understand."
He gave her a sad glance. "If someone tells me my grandson raving homeless in the cold streets of a big city, I can't just leave him there. And what is more." He straightened himself up.
"Bridgeport itself sounds like the sort of place a vampire might vacation anyway. It's funny- there are people telling me there are coffee shops here I could have a drink in. I'd never HEARD of such a thing! America must really have everything."
He chuckled weakly. His signature charm he worried might not be sticking.
It wasn't. Ariadne was struggling to loom at someone much taller than her, like a puffed up hissy cat.
"Well, this Kerstan didn't know what he was talking about, and had no right to spread gossip." she snapped with a wave of her hand, being incredibly careful not to look Brahm in the eye.
"He lives in the church, not in the streets, and he's certainly not mad. I'm sorry you've come so far, but..."
Before she finished her sentence a door from elsewhere in the building banged open and hulking figure jumped into the room ready for a fight, his glazed expression and pallid skin suggesting that he was somehow less alive than Brahm was.
"Well, this Kerstan didn't know what he was talking about, and had no right to spread gossip." she snapped with a wave of her hand, being incredibly careful not to look Brahm in the eye.
"He lives in the church, not in the streets, and he's certainly not mad. I'm sorry you've come so far, but..."
Before she finished her sentence a door from elsewhere in the building banged open and hulking figure jumped into the room ready for a fight, his glazed expression and pallid skin suggesting that he was somehow less alive than Brahm was.
Brahm stood frozen at the counter. He had been told that Bridgeport was a haven, yes. But he was under the impression the undead weren't welcome here.
Yet there he was. Looking rather unhappy to have a visitor.
"I, uh, ah." He stuttered. It was difficulty to turn the charisma back on after getting a stern talking to from a stranger and then being startled by another one.
"...Hallo?"
Yet there he was. Looking rather unhappy to have a visitor.
"I, uh, ah." He stuttered. It was difficulty to turn the charisma back on after getting a stern talking to from a stranger and then being startled by another one.
"...Hallo?"
"Who the blazes..." started Marko, finding his tongue again, panting through the prickling rage that had mysteriously been triggered by Ariadne's visitor.
"It's alright, Marko, stand down..." Ariadne said quickly, moving between the undead beings. The last thing she needed was a fight breaking out. With a reluctant sigh she turned back to Brahm and slowly, cautiously met his eyes. It was clear this wasn't going to end quickly or easily.
"Look, I've been telling Johann for months that perhaps you are a virtuous vampire, a good but unfortunate man. I suppose I should act like I believe that, especially if you do have Johann's welfare in mind. So. I am Ariadne Negrelli, this is my husband Marko. I think we might have a lot to talk about."
"It's alright, Marko, stand down..." Ariadne said quickly, moving between the undead beings. The last thing she needed was a fight breaking out. With a reluctant sigh she turned back to Brahm and slowly, cautiously met his eyes. It was clear this wasn't going to end quickly or easily.
"Look, I've been telling Johann for months that perhaps you are a virtuous vampire, a good but unfortunate man. I suppose I should act like I believe that, especially if you do have Johann's welfare in mind. So. I am Ariadne Negrelli, this is my husband Marko. I think we might have a lot to talk about."
"I believe you're right, Mrs. Negrelli." He stood facing Marko, stiffly. Nervously.
Optimism had made him so, so stupid, but it was only now he realized by how much.
"I am Brahm Visser. You would know me as Johann's maternal grandfather. I suppose if I were better prepared I could have come with a bundt cake."
Optimism had made him so, so stupid, but it was only now he realized by how much.
"I am Brahm Visser. You would know me as Johann's maternal grandfather. I suppose if I were better prepared I could have come with a bundt cake."
"The family resemblance is there, that's for sure", Marko said, growing calmer with every moment now that he knew Ariadne was in no immediate danger. "I've only met a handful of vampires, and they're all in the same little group. I suppose you're a different sort?"
While he spoke, Ariadne fetched a chair from elsewhere in the shop (there were enough of them after all), and invited Brahm to sit. She took her place at her desk, leaving Marko hovering over her protectively. A little awkward, but safer than inviting the vampire into her inner sanctum.
"The thing is, Mr Visser, Johann is deeply loved by my family. In every way that counts, I'd say he's part of my family. I know that he is a troubled person on a fundamental level, but slowly but surely he'd found... not peace, but some kind of balance. He was godfather to my grandson, he liked to garden, for the first time in decades he had a life outside of vampires. Since he discovered about you, I think that's become meaningless to him again. What good can you do, meeting him again?"
While he spoke, Ariadne fetched a chair from elsewhere in the shop (there were enough of them after all), and invited Brahm to sit. She took her place at her desk, leaving Marko hovering over her protectively. A little awkward, but safer than inviting the vampire into her inner sanctum.
"The thing is, Mr Visser, Johann is deeply loved by my family. In every way that counts, I'd say he's part of my family. I know that he is a troubled person on a fundamental level, but slowly but surely he'd found... not peace, but some kind of balance. He was godfather to my grandson, he liked to garden, for the first time in decades he had a life outside of vampires. Since he discovered about you, I think that's become meaningless to him again. What good can you do, meeting him again?"
Brahm gave Marko a warm smile. Marko clearly had... something wrong with him. Perhaps the shared state of undeath could grant a little common ground.
"I don't know much about groups. I've led a fairly solitary existence myself. Vampires seem to be more rare where I come from than they are here."
He lazed his tall frame over the chair, trying to look casual. Though the meeting was anything but- and this wasn't truly neutral ground.
"You know, I thought about that the whole way here, stuck in a box. What could I possibly do, when I got here? I have no money, and the man hates me, not for terrible reasons either."
He scratched his moustache thoughtfully. "But I pose this to you- you say his life has lost meaning since he learned the truth. Would denying I exist and refusing to face it help him? Has it so far?"
He spread his hands and shrugged. "Who better to cope with a monstrous nature than the monster responsible. And if he decides to take out his anger on me, I'd rather it be me than anyone else."
"I don't know much about groups. I've led a fairly solitary existence myself. Vampires seem to be more rare where I come from than they are here."
He lazed his tall frame over the chair, trying to look casual. Though the meeting was anything but- and this wasn't truly neutral ground.
"You know, I thought about that the whole way here, stuck in a box. What could I possibly do, when I got here? I have no money, and the man hates me, not for terrible reasons either."
He scratched his moustache thoughtfully. "But I pose this to you- you say his life has lost meaning since he learned the truth. Would denying I exist and refusing to face it help him? Has it so far?"
He spread his hands and shrugged. "Who better to cope with a monstrous nature than the monster responsible. And if he decides to take out his anger on me, I'd rather it be me than anyone else."
Ariadne considered Brahm's words carefully, tenting her fingers and leaning over her desk.
"You have a point. Now he knows, things can't go back to how they were before. Perhaps he does need to work through this, rather than ignore it. I'm just slightly afraid that'working through it' in Johann's world might become about removing you from existence. A fight he'd be unlikely to survive, mentally or physically."
"Look here," Marko chipped in, "I don't know anything about this compulsion Johann has surrounding vampires, but he's come to be my friend. If he can find it in him to befriend someone like me, I think he can find it in him to meet and talk with Brahm here."
"You have a point. Now he knows, things can't go back to how they were before. Perhaps he does need to work through this, rather than ignore it. I'm just slightly afraid that'working through it' in Johann's world might become about removing you from existence. A fight he'd be unlikely to survive, mentally or physically."
"Look here," Marko chipped in, "I don't know anything about this compulsion Johann has surrounding vampires, but he's come to be my friend. If he can find it in him to befriend someone like me, I think he can find it in him to meet and talk with Brahm here."
"That is the kind of optimism I'm banking on, dear sir!" He chirped at Marko.
"Everyone who knows him tells me the same thing, that he has wild compulsions yes, but that he has an excellent heart. I believe that heart can live again, I believe it can be in control. But it can't until he finds some type of... dare I call it peace?"
He looked solemnly down at his claws. "If he fights me, I don't believe I would fight back. I'm honestly more afraid of being disliked than I am of being physically hurt. There's very little this old corpse can't handle."
He patted his gut with a laugh.
"Everyone who knows him tells me the same thing, that he has wild compulsions yes, but that he has an excellent heart. I believe that heart can live again, I believe it can be in control. But it can't until he finds some type of... dare I call it peace?"
He looked solemnly down at his claws. "If he fights me, I don't believe I would fight back. I'm honestly more afraid of being disliked than I am of being physically hurt. There's very little this old corpse can't handle."
He patted his gut with a laugh.
"I know the feeling. I got hit by a train once - a train!" Marko grinned, leaving Ariadne looking between her guest and Marko with the horrible creeping feeling that her husband had just found a co-conspirator.
"What do you propose, then?" she asked Brahm, leaning back in her chair. "Do you want me to arrange a meeting with him? I think I'd prefer it if Marko and I were present for it. He does have a good heart, but it's been sorely tested."
"What do you propose, then?" she asked Brahm, leaning back in her chair. "Do you want me to arrange a meeting with him? I think I'd prefer it if Marko and I were present for it. He does have a good heart, but it's been sorely tested."
"A train! I should like to hear that story, sir. Do you enjoy scotch? I'm sure you and I could compare stories over cards..." he looked back at Ariadne and cleared his throat.
"Back to the matter at hand... if you are willing to facilitate a meeting I would be forever in your debt. I considered doing down to the church and knocking on the door with some oven mitts, ha! But you know him much better. Maybe he would listen to you."
"Back to the matter at hand... if you are willing to facilitate a meeting I would be forever in your debt. I considered doing down to the church and knocking on the door with some oven mitts, ha! But you know him much better. Maybe he would listen to you."
Marko was beaming, delighted to find someone who was likely to be able to give him some tips and pointers on his condition while providing some decent company to boot. Ariadne was more focused on the immanent dilemma.
"He may listen to me", Ariadne said slowly, weighing her options. "I would rather not delay in getting in touch with Johann. He's been kept in the dark about so many things lately. So here's what I propose: I will go and fetch him now, bring him here, and you can say whatever it is you need to say to each other. I know it is hardly neutral territory, but I have no desire for bloodshed in my house, believe me."
"He may listen to me", Ariadne said slowly, weighing her options. "I would rather not delay in getting in touch with Johann. He's been kept in the dark about so many things lately. So here's what I propose: I will go and fetch him now, bring him here, and you can say whatever it is you need to say to each other. I know it is hardly neutral territory, but I have no desire for bloodshed in my house, believe me."
"Capital idea. I don't intend to lurk in the shadows here. I want him to trust me." He nodded resolutely.
"I hope to see him back in his garden, tending to his family before I'm through with him. He has so little time left it really isn't proper to spend it moping."
"I hope to see him back in his garden, tending to his family before I'm through with him. He has so little time left it really isn't proper to spend it moping."
"Trusting you might take a minor miracle, but we can try. Marko, look after our guest. I'll be back soon,", Ariadne said, going to take a coat from a stand by the door and buttoning up against the cold. She glanced back as she left, hoping that when she returned both husband and vampire would still be in one piece.
***
The church was silent and dark but as usual the doors were always metaphorically open.
Ariadne stole inside quietly, treading lightly as she tried to find her way through the gloom. There was no reason to be silent, but the atmosphere seemed to demand it. When she reached the door to the room that was effectively Johann's bedroom, she wrapped on it quietly and hissed "Johann? It's Ariadne."
***
The church was silent and dark but as usual the doors were always metaphorically open.
Ariadne stole inside quietly, treading lightly as she tried to find her way through the gloom. There was no reason to be silent, but the atmosphere seemed to demand it. When she reached the door to the room that was effectively Johann's bedroom, she wrapped on it quietly and hissed "Johann? It's Ariadne."
Johann startled up from his desk. He was dressed, not quite ready for bed, but was none the less dozing.
"Ah? Ariadne?" He wiped his eyes and got up to greet her. "Wat is the matter?"
"Ah? Ariadne?" He wiped his eyes and got up to greet her. "Wat is the matter?"
Ariadne gave Johann an apologetic smile. There was no going back now, she was going to have to start this entire painful process. All she could do was hope that honesty really was the best policy.
"Brahm Visser..." she said, testing out the name, "...turned up at the shop this evening. He has come all the way from Holland ostensibly to see you. He says that he heard you were distressed and living on the streets, and is concerned for your well-being."
"Brahm Visser..." she said, testing out the name, "...turned up at the shop this evening. He has come all the way from Holland ostensibly to see you. He says that he heard you were distressed and living on the streets, and is concerned for your well-being."
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