The soft, light whimsical notes of a string section floated between the leaves and flowers of the many plants in the mansions conservatory. Vivaldi’s four seasons married the sounds of birds chirping, who had woken up long past their rest due to the lights and sounds.

Victoria walked along one of the several paths in the beautiful glass and steel structure letting the sounds wash over her. Lately she found a need to relax and relive some tensions, especially on Saturdays, she was beginning to develop a dislike for them. Too many memories associated with the day, memories that she wished forgotten.

The music usually helped, but tonight it just served to irritate her further, like everything around her; that rose was just the wrong shade of red and that daisy wasn’t perky or bright enough. When she reached the fountain near the center of the structure she sat down on the stone lip and ran her fingers through the cool water and played with one of the nearby lily pads.

“Fish,” she said out loud as if something monumental had been decided. “That’s what this place could use, some nice colorful fish.”

Several long minutes passed and she heard the door open and quickly close. A few more moments and she heard footsteps approaching on the path broad casting the fact that the person was very close now.

“Do you require anything mistress?” A pretty young woman asked with a bowed head only to be met with silence. Finally coming even closer the servant waited several seconds before speaking again. “Mistress? Do you wish to be left alone?”

Suddenly and unexpectedly the beautiful Ventrue spoke startling the poor woman.

“Tell me Miss Lopez, what do you think is missing here?” she asked rhetorically of the woman without looking at her.

“It’s Saturday evening that means Master Von S…”

The woman paused in horror as she caught the slip while Victoria spun around in a rage. Before she could plead the servant found herself suddenly on the ground clutching the side of her face, the loud smack causing the birds to squawk and take flight. The young woman cowered looking up while the deadly beauty looked down on her with murderous intent.

“You are never to mention his name in my presence again!” she said coldly.

The servant only nodded tears welling up in her eyes when it dawned on Victoria just what she had just done. She had only meant to ask the woman about some of the nearby flowers and the fool girl had made assumptions on her own.

“Stay there and do not move,” she commanded adding the strength of her blood into the words. The young woman froze like a frog locked in the gaze of a snake, or in this instance, a wasp.

Victoria knelt down and ran her finger across the woman’s cheek. Ms Lopez shuddered silently in fear as the fingers trailed down her neck and pulled the collar of her uniform down. Leaning in slowly, Victoria kept her eyes locked on their target as sank her fangs into the flesh on the woman’s neck. The servant’s shudders of fear rapidly changed to the quivering of unbelievable bliss. Then when she was finished, Victoria pulled away dabbing at her lips with a handkerchief.

While the woman sat dazed, the venture dove into her mind like an open book shifting and tearing away at the pages of memories as she saw fit. Finally after what seemed like an eternity she was finished and the servant regained awareness. She looked up to her employer with a confused look on her face and wondering why she was on the ground.

“Miss Lopez, are you alright? It looks like you got dizzy and fainted. I’m afraid you struck your head as you fell, but you don’t appear to have a concussion. Regardless, you should take it easy and get some rest. You have the rest of the night and tomorrow off. So that will be all.”

“Of course Mistress. Thank you Mistress,” she finished while standing, and then silently made her way to the exit.

Victoria frowned to herself as she watched the woman depart.

No Vivaldi just isn’t going to cut it this evening. Perhaps the Asylum will prove a suitable distraction given my mood…