Immortal Estates can be considered the second generation of SIMs City.  Many of the same characters show up, but there are only one of each.  Victoria lived in the city for a few months.  It's still not very clear about why she left -- then again, is anything that this wacky girl does very normal?  Victoria and her friend Laurana Thompson blew in, wrecked havoc, and then left with a blur.  'Nuff said.  *grin*

Immortal Estates Homepage

Disclaimer:  Too complicated to go into here.  If you've been reading the rest of the stories on this site, you know which characters are mine (so ask before touching!) and which are not (I'm not making any money off of them!  Don't sue!).  Enjoy!

Night House
Victoria DiThon Kestral and Laurana Thompson, roommates

Night House is early American colonial style with red brick front and white pillars on the porch.  Downstairs contains the formal living and dining rooms, family room, eat-in kitchen, and Victoria's personal suite of rooms (bedroom, bath, and office).  Upstairs has Laurana's suite (bedroom, bath, and small sitting room), the library, a guestroom, and another bathroom.  The attic contains a small dojo.  There are windows everywhere, and skylights in the attic.

There is a sliding glass door in the kitchen, which leads out onto a small patio and back yard.  Beyond the back yard is the small barn for housing four horses, and beyond that is the large paddock.  Woods littered with trails leading to the neighbors' houses surround the entire estate.

The Horses:

Victoria's:    Anastasia, female Thoroughbred - caramel with black hair
                   Dale, gelding American Paint - black and white with white hair
Laurana's:    Northern Dancer, female Quarter horse - all black with white socks
                   Southern Star, gelding Thoroughbred - all white with black star

IMMORTAL ESTATES I: A Request Fulfilled
By Johanna/Victoria DiThon Kestral

Mid June, 2000

When the doorbell rang, Victoria DiThon Kestral had been expecting anybody other than the person who actually stood there.  Her student Kane Nalamas' girlfriend, somebody out for her head, a carpet salesman, *anybody*!  Not Laurana Thompson, fellow vampire-Immortal.  Of course, it wouldn't be the first time she had shown up somewhere unannounced.

"I thought you were in Florida!"

"Nice to see you, too," Laurana replied as she breezed past Victoria into the house.  She pulled off her mirrored sunglasses and blinked rapidly a few times until the sun-induced glow disappeared from her eyes.  "What, a girl can't get bored and come see one of her best friends?"

Victoria grinned.  "Come on in.  I was just surprised to see you here.  Last I heard of you was that frantic phone call from Armand around Halloween."

"Yeah, when Twilight and Angel tried to drain us," Laurana said.  "Absolutely no respect whatsoever.  And they didn't even invite us along for the fun!"

"Fun, right," her friend answered.  "There was no way in the nine circles of hell that I was going to get within a hundred miles of that sorceress after what she did to me.  It's been almost a year, and my back is *still* scarred."

Laurana studied her silently for a moment, and then shook her head.  "Got a beer anywhere around here?"

Victoria laughed at her friend's constantly non-serious demeanor and led her into the kitchen.  "For once, yes," she said.  "My beloved teacher visited last weekend and brought his own beverages.  He was waxing eloquent about his new home, some place called Immortal Estates."  She reached into the fridge and pulled out two bottles -- a beer for Laurana and a hard cider for herself.

Accepting one, Laurana leaned against the corner and opened it absently.  She took a sip and stared at Victoria.  "Really."

"Don't look at me like that, 'Rana," Victoria said.  "Spill.  What's up?"

"Well, Immortal Estates happens to be why I wanted to talk to you," she replied slowly.  A pause.  "That's weird.  Adam Pierson lives there?"

She nodded, reminding herself that Laurana did not know that the legend of Methos was true.  "Yeah, with his new wife.  Some chica named Rory.  She sounds nice enough."  Victoria and Laurana stared at each other for a few moments, a habit they had when each had something to say but didn't know how to word it.  Victoria went first.  "I feel set up somehow.  This is beginning to feel like when Kenny asked me to move to SIMs City with him last summer."

"Oh, I remember that.  You weren't there for very long, were you?"

"No, just about a month.  Something came up and I had to leave," Victoria replied.  "You know how it is."  She had had to rescue her best friend Justin Le Faye from a group of renegade werehyenas that had been terrorizing their Australian ranch.  Justin hadn't wanted his former teacher Laurana to know about the slightly embarrassing incident.

"Well, you're right.  I just bought a house there and was wondering who would be willing to live with me for a few months," Laurana explained.  "You came to mind."

Victoria took a sip of beer and stared out the kitchen window into the backyard, thinking.  From her conversation with Methos, Immortal Estates had sounded like a cool enough place.  Aloud, she said, "This house doesn't even belong to me, the owners have been letting me and Kane live here for the year, and so it wouldn't be that hard to leave.  I want to finish high school, but I can do that easily enough from Immortal Estates - I just have one more year.  Kane has been hinting at spending the summer in Los Angeles with Pallas Minerva like he did last year, so he'll be happy enough to leave Seacouver."  Victoria looked at Laurana with a grin on her face.  "Sure, why not?"

Laurana gave a mental sigh of relief.  That had been much easier than she'd expected.  "Great.  You busy for the next couple weeks?"

"Nope.  School got out last week.  I am now a woman of leisure for the next two and a half months."

"So hitting Europe for furniture and your ranch in Australia for some horses shouldn't be a problem, then."

"What?"

Early July, 2000

After a one-day stop in Immortal Estates to see Laurana's aptly named, considering its occupants, Night House, the two apparent teenagers had left on a two-week trip.  First to London to get some furniture from Victoria's townhouse, then they had headed for Paris, to one of Laurana's houses for the same reason.  Sending the furniture ahead to Seacouver, they had then traveled to Australia's Northern Territory.

"You know, Justin's not going to be to happy about this," Victoria warned Laurana, as they pulled up at the ranch house in their rented truck.  "He has this thing about the horses leaving the ranch without his knowing about it."

Laurana shrugged.  "They're your horses, too, right?"  Victoria nodded slowly.  "So there's your excuse."

"You're missing the point, 'Rana," Victoria groused.  The two walked up the porch steps, and Laurana waited patiently while Victoria punched in the code to disarm the alarm and then unlocked the door, since no one seemed to be home.  Usually someone would have been waiting at the porch, having been alerted that there were visitors by the cameras at the front gate.

"I didn't know there was a point," Laurana replied amiably.  She gestured to the small white board just inside the door that contained the names of all people currently living at Full Circle Ranch.  Only the caretaker and four hired workers' names were written there.  "Justin's not even in residence."

"Why do I even put up with you?" Victoria asked, rolling her eyes at the ceiling.

"Because you love me, of course," Laurana immediately replied as she added their names to the list on the white board.  They would be spending four days at the ranch.

"Yeah, whatever."  But Victoria was smiling as she said it.

Later that evening, the two Immortals and Violet, the young caretaker, sat in the living room together.  "So," Violet said.  "What are you two planning to do in that place…Immortal Estates?  Odd name."  She was rather young, and had only been the official caretaker for two years.  Her parents had died in a car accident before she took over, and her younger brother hadn't wanted any part of the job.

"I've been emailing a few people who already live there," Laurana replied, toying with her glass of wine.  "The local medical clinic is run by a vampire and…I think the lady I talked to said a ghoul - I'm thinking of applying as a general assistant.  I have picked up some in the past three hundred plus years, so I can do emergency house calls during the daylight hours."  She grinned.  "Seeing as how I can stand the sun and all."  Laurana's mortal death had been the crossover into the realm of the vampires.  She had ended up with aspects of both Immortality and vampirism.

"Sounds good," Violet answered, nodding.  "How 'bout you, Toria?"

The other Immortal thought for a moment.  "I've been thinking about this for awhile, actually.  You two remember my book 'Arthur and Avalon,' right?"  Both nodded.  "I think it's time for…not a sequel, but a companion piece, written by Vicki Kest's daughter or something."  Victoria paused to take a sip of her wine.  "So, tomorrow we'll figure out which horses we want to bring, since you say that Immortal Estates is practically made for horseback riding."

"Trust me, babe, it is."  Laurana hastily blocked the pillow that was thrown at her.

To: Luka Cieryca and Thomas Kensington
From: Laurana (de Brabant) Thompson
RE: Job application

Mr. Cieryca and Mr. Kensington:

I would like to apply for any position at your medical clinic that you need fulfilled.  I can act as a manager/receptionist and do any required bookkeeping.  I also know basic first aid, having been around for almost four hundred years, and can make emergency house calls during daylight hours.

I would not question your diet at all for I am partly on it myself.  While I am an Immortal, my first death was being turned into a vampire at the age of fifteen.  I can stand the sun, though my eyes have this pesky habit of glowing, and fly.  I also have to live on a diet of water, normal food, and blood, preferably human.  I have it shipped to me already bottled by a source in Canada.  Just thought you would like this information while you consider hiring me.

I live with my friend Victoria DiThon Kestral at the newly built Night House.  If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me there.

Thank you,
Laurana Thompson

Mid July, 2000

Laurana's new house at Immortal Estates was…interesting.

"Oh my gods," Victoria said as she got out of the car.  "It's suburban America."

"Do shut up," Laurana replied.  "And you know as well as I do that it's colonial style."  Victoria followed her up to the house and studied it as Laurana unlocked the door.  It was fronted with red brick, and had a small porch painted white.  When they walked in, Laurana headed for the kitchen to check for phone messages, and Victoria began to explore the house more thoroughly than she had been able to two weeks before.

To her right was the formal dining room and to the left were the stairs to the second floor and formal living room.  Down a small hallway were the (from left to right) family room and eat-in kitchen.  Instead of a garage, Laurana had designed a living suite, with bedroom, bathroom, and small sitting room.  Victoria had commandeered these and transformed the extra room into an office.

Upstairs contained Laurana's suite of personal rooms, a small library, and guestroom with separate bath.  The attic was one large room that was perfect for sparring with sword or staff - Laurana had had them in mind when she designed it.  She was determined to teach Victoria the quarterstaff once and for all.

Despite the name "Night House," the entire place was filled with windows to let in the sun.  Victoria left the house by the sliding door in the kitchen and headed across the lawn.  She needed to check on the stables, since the horses would be coming the next day.  Then it was to bed - jetlag was killing her.

Ms. Thompson,

I see from your boldness that you've already met Ms. Bergeron. She has a habit of being less circumspect about our habits than we are. What she obviously failed to mention is that we have no problem with daylight either.

We are in need of a receptionist/bookkeeper or what Ms. Bergeron would call a Girl Friday. Hiring one that could also act as a medical assistant is a great boon. Having an associate who can actually take advantage of all the lunch and dinner offers from the pharmaceutical salesmen would also be beneficial.

If you aren't adverse to tainted human blood, we can offer a steady supply as an added benefit. One of Dr. Cieryca's holdings is a biohazard disposal company specializing in the disposal of human blood.

Your email didn't mention where you are coming from. Seeing that you addressed us as Mr. I can only assume you are most recently from Britain. In the US all medical doctors are addressed as Dr.

As soon as you are settled in IE please stop by and we can discuss the particulars of your employment.
L. Cieryca, MD
T. Kensington, MD

Dr. Ciercya and Dr. Kensington,

About my boldness...you'll have to excuse me as I'm moving here from Miami, Florida, and more specifically the resort known as Night Island.  When one is used to living with only vampires and other Immortals, one has a tendency to forget her manners...  And the reason I didn't address both of you as "Dr." in my first letter was because I was typing it in while Victoria and I were in London and sent it before reviewing it again once I got here.  I have a tendency to slip into cultural roles automatically and without thinking about it.

"Girl Friday" huh?  I remember those.  I would be very pleased to accept the job offer in whatever capacity I'm needed.  I don't know *a lot*, but I do known general first aid.  I hope I may be of a least some help there.  And about lunch and dinner offers, I would be happy to.  I've learned diplomacy from the best.

Thank you for the offer of a blood supply, but one of my other occupations is that of a mercenary, and my current supply comes as payment for being "on-call" for jobs needed by a group of vampires in Toronto.  But don't worry - they know that I can't now just disappear without warning, so that won't be a problem.

I'm pretty much settled in, so when would be a good time to stop by the office?

Laurana Thompson

"So, how do you like the place?"  Victoria and Laurana were sitting on the porch and enjoying the sunset.  They had been in Immortal Estates for three days, but now they were finished settling in.  Laurana had been accepted at the clinic, and Victoria was halfway through a working outline for her second novel.  Life was good, and the weather was better.

Victoria thought for a moment.  "I like it.  It's relaxing, and you don't know how much I've needed this.  What about you?  Glad you moved here?"

Nodding, Laurana replied.  "I'm beginning to understand how Kenny talked you into moving to SIMs City.  The only other place I can totally be myself is with the Armand and the others on Night Island in Florida, and even then we still have to play nice around the tourists.  This place is great."

At that, the two long-time friends stared towards the horizon until the sun disappeared.  They didn't say anything.  Then again, when you've been friends for almost two hundred years, you don't need to.

IMMORTAL ESTATES II: Plan....Well, Almost the End of the Mess
By Johanna, Cyn, and Lex

Laurana, you and Victoria wrote:

<< I hope that everything is handled without my or Toria's services being needed, also.  Though I must confess that that one hundred grand does look tempting...j/k >>

Unfortunately, it looks as though we'll need your services.  No harm to the girl.  Payment of $100,000 to be in cash for return of the tape.  No payment if no tape is delivered.

My stipulations are this: No harm to her or to Richie, no permanent property damage, though trashing the house while looking for the tape is fine, and you must somehow let her know, without using my name, why this happened to her…that she should have cooperated, she should have listened to her Laird, that my brother and I will not put up with insolence and stupidity, and that you have the money she could have had.

Agreed?

Good luck.

Connor

Connor~

Agreed.  We've talked it over and we have a plan.  It should be carried out tomorrow night unless any snags pop up.

Should we deliver the tape once we have it, regardless of the time?  Or do you want to wait until daylight?

~Victoria and Laurana

Laurana let out a yell of excitement.  "We have the go ahead!"  She and Victoria slapped hands.

"One hundred grand in the hole, baby," Victoria retorted, a happy grin on her face.  She sobered slightly.  "You do know that I haven't done anything like this in a few years, don't you?"

Her roommate nodded.  "Don't worry.  I have a plan…"

The job offer had been for Victoria and Laurana to steal a video for Connor MacLeod.  He was worried about the tape being used for blackmail purposes and had asked them to get it back from its "owner."  They had been happy to oblige, especially when the first two attempts had failed.

Victoria nodded, working over variables in her head.  "Sounds good to me.  Let me get started on the first part."

Lex~

May I call you Lex?  My name is Victoria DiThon Kestral and I'm just emailing to introduce myself and get to know some of the other residents.  Feel free to call me Victoria or Toria, if you prefer.

Anyway, I live at Night House with my friend Laurana Thompson.  I'm working on a novel this summer, but I don't really have much else going on.  Where do you work, just out of curiosity?  Just trying to become familiar with the town, and all that.

My roommate Laurana said to say hi, too.  You can email both of us at this address.  Nice to meet you!

~Victoria DiThon Kestral

Dear Toria,
It's nice to meet you too...I think.  Please excuse my rudeness and let me explain.  As I'm sure you've heard, there has been a little...disagreement...between Connor and myself, and as such I am quite wary of strangers.  I'm sure in time, say a few hundred years, this shall pass, but for now I hope you don't mind if I remain at a distance.  I'm sure you can understand.

Again, apologies for my rudeness.
~Lex~

Victoria was sitting at her desk, trying to clean up the outline for her novel some more.  It was stubbornly refusing to go the way she wanted it.  Finally she sighed, and switched off the computer.  Tomorrow was another day.  Besides, she needed to go make sure that all of her equipment was together for the job that night.

An hour later, the phone rang.  Victoria was busy at the stove cooking dinner, so she ignored it.  A few minutes later, Laurana came rushing down the stairs and out the back door.  "Change of plans!" she called as she dashed into the backyard.  Victoria immediately turned off the stove and hurried to get the rest of her equipment.  She left the house and ran towards the stables, into which Laurana had disappeared.

Just as she reached the door, Laurana came out leading two of the horses.  "Here," she said, thrusting both sets of reins at her.  "Lex did…something.  Connor was too furious to tell me much.  But we're no longer trashing the house.  Now we need to find Lex - she's somewhere in the woods.  I'll scout, and you start heading towards her house."  Without waiting for a response, she rose into the air and sped towards Lex and Richie's house.

Victoria settled herself onto her Anastasia, and tied 'Rana's Southern Star to the back of her saddle.  It was time for the hunt.

Ten minutes later, Laurana descended to the ground a few feet in front of Victoria's horse.  Suddenly, Victoria had her hands full calming the skittish Anastasia, and then she turned to Laurana, who had already mounted Star.  "Next time warn me before you do that," Victoria snapped to her roommate.

Laurana shrugged.  "I've found Lex; she's about two miles away.  This path connects to another that'll lead us right to her."

"So let's go!" Victoria called, spurring Anastasia into a canter.  Laurana followed close behind.

They broke out of the underbrush into a large meadow and stopped.  The sun had nearly set, but both could clearly see Lex on the other side of the field.  "We're just pleasure riding," Laurana warned Victoria.

The other Immortal nodded. "Of course."  At that, they headed towards the younger Immortal.  "Hey!" Victoria called in a cheerful voice.

Lex looked up in surprise, but then relaxed.  It wasn't Connor.  "Hi!" she called back, but not making any move to detour towards the horses.

When they reached Lex in the center of the field, Victoria jumped off her horse and ground-tethered her.  "I'm Victoria DiThon Kestral, and this is my roommate Laurana Thompson.  We just moved into Night House."  The two shook hands and Lex waved to Laurana.

Laurana knew better than to dismount, even though Victoria had.  If Lex ran, she wouldn't get far before Southern Star would catch her.  Thoroughbreds were handy for that.  "Nice to meet you," she said, fingering the gun at the side of her saddle.  She'd wait for Victoria to make the first move.

"Yeah, I got an email from you," Lex said slowly to Victoria.  "Nice to meet you, too."  She muffled a cry of surprise when Victoria suddenly drew a gun from behind her back.  "Or not?"

"Sorry, Lex," Victoria said with a half-grin.  "But I'm afraid you're going to have to come with us."

She feigned confusion.  "Did someone put you up to this?"

"Yeah," Laurana said calmly, also drawing her gun.  "I gather Toria didn't tell you we were mercenaries?  No?  Well, Connor MacLeod put us up to this."

Lex immediately took off running, but Laurana gave chase and Victoria fired a few warning shots above the younger Immortal's head.  It wasn't long before Laurana had stopped the girl and was herding her back towards Victoria.  Within a few minutes, Lex was tied up and on Star's back, and Laurana had taken to the air again, speeding towards Connor MacLeod.

"I cannot believe this," Lex groused, straining against the bonds that held her wrists.  "I was going to give the damn tape back if he hadn't made such a big deal about it.  What do you two get out of this mess?"

Victoria glanced over her shoulder at the younger Immortal.  "Sorry," she shrugged with another grin.  "Nothing personal.  But one hundred thousand dollars is just too much to resist."

Laurana zeroed in on Connor MacLeod's position with her excellent night vision and did her "descent from the heavens" routine, as Victoria was fond of calling it.  "Hey, MacLeod!"  She landed lightly on her feet directly ahead of him on the path.

Jumping slightly in surprise, Connor said, "Bloody hell, 'Rana!  You just about took a hundred years off me life, there."

She shrugged.  "Sorry," she answered insincerely.

He glared at her.  "You should be more careful about doing things like that around my brother and I, love.  Especially when we're armed."

This time Laurana grinned.  "Okay, *dear*."  Though she would never tell the elder Highlander it, he amused her when in this mood.

"Well?" he asked, pausing on the path to light a cigarette.  Muttering to himself, he added, "When I get my hands on that petulant child…"

"Who, Toria?  She's a couple minutes up the trail on horseback," Laurana answered.  At Connor's look, she smiled sweetly.  "Oh, you mean the other one.  Yeah, we've got her."  Connor immediately started walking, and Laurana trailed after him without comment.

Suddenly, she grabbed his arm and pulled him to a halt.  From around a curve in the path came two horses.  "Hey, hey, hey!" Victoria called cheerily as she waved.

Lex noticed the harsh look on Connor's face and whispered, "Oh, crap…"

She and Connor tried to stare each other down as Victoria dismounted and gestured Laurana to her side.  Quietly, she said, "We did it!"  Laurana squeezed the other girl’s shoulder and nodded with a wink.

"I'll ask you once, girl," Connor all but growled at Alexa.  "Who are you working for?"

Her jaw dropped.  "You didn't read your email!" she exclaimed.

"Of course not," Connor replied icily.  "I grabbed my broadsword and headed out after you when I saw what was on TV.  That was the national news, girl!"

"You think I would be that stupid?" Lex cried.  "I spliced your cable line and ran a wire to my VCR!  No one else saw it but you!"  Connor glanced at the two mercenaries, but Victoria and Laurana shrugged in confusion.

"So are we just going to stand here all night?" Victoria volunteered after a few moments of silence.

Connor shook his head.  "I need to decide whether I should just challenge her and wait until she leaves Holy Ground to take her head."  By this time it sounded like he was just thinking aloud, so Laurana mounted Southern Star to ride pillion behind the bound Alexa, and Victoria remounted Anastasia.

"C'mon, Mac," Victoria called calmly to Connor.  "We'll get there faster if we ride."  With a sigh, Connor gracefully climbed onto Anastasia to sit behind her saddle.  It was now fairly dark, so Victoria gave the horse her head to follow the trail back to Connor's home.

"So did you find out who she was working for?" Connor whispered to Victoria.  He immediately felt her stiffen since his hands were clasped loosely on her waist.

"I told you I don't do torture," Victoria replied coldly.  Laurana heard the short conversation with her vampiric senses and winced at the memory of the scars on Victoria's back.

"And I told you that I didn't want any permanent harm to her.  I don't go back on my word."  But she refused to say anything more, so Connor let the matter drop for the moment.

Once they reached Connor's house, Laurana dismounted and untied the "prisoner."  Connor let them in, keeping a close eye on Lex while Victoria followed behind with the bag Lex had been carrying and an empty saddlebag for the mercenaries' payment.  Gesturing towards the living room, Connor headed for the safe to retrieve the money.  Lex pulled a video out of her bag and waited patiently for Connor to return.  Shawn walked in the living room to see them, then turned around without batting an eye to call Richie.

"Payment for services rendered," Connor said when he returned, handing the money to Victoria to put in the saddlebag.  "Fifty grand for each of you, which equals one hundred thousand."  He turned to Lex, who turned over the tape silently.  He immediately threw it into the fireplace without comment and turned back to the two mercenaries.  "You might want to get some more information on my brother and I, so you know whom you are working for if we ever call upon you again."

Victoria shrugged.  "I know who Kronos is -- been an aquaintance for awhile.  One of the other Horsemen was my teacher.  Do I have permission to tell Laurana about his past?"

"Well, call him and ask if you can tell her, but you still might want to learn who we are *now,*" Connor pressed.  He walked them back to the door.  "And I'll try to figure out who the girl is working for."

Giving him a hard glance, Victoria reminded Connor, "You said no lasting damage.  You don't go back on your word."  At that, she left the house.

Connor stared after her, wondering where he had gone wrong with the apparent teen merc.  He looked at Laurana in slight confusion.

She sighed, and glanced out the door at her partner.  "She's not mad at you, and she does believe that you won't hurt Alexa.  Try to get the story out of her, and once she feels more comfortable around you, she *might* show you her back.  But it's not a pretty sight.  And at this point I don't recommend even a phone call - talk to her over Instant Messenger or something."  Laurana shrugged and added, "If you ever need us for anything, you know where to find us."  She too left the house, and they disappeared into the night.

IMMORTAL ESTATES III: A Night Out
By Johanna and Cyn

This section is rated Adult.  Johanna doesn't do slash, but Cyn does!  However, there is nothing graphic beyond a kiss or two.

Victoria had just finished checking her email when the Instant Messaging thing made a sound.  Laurana had just loaded it the other day, and Victoria still wasn't sure how to use it.  So she clicked on the button to make the "Buddy List" pop up and studied it for a few moments.  A name was listed as "online" - KiltBoy1.  Who the heck was that…wait!  That was Connor MacLeod's email address, too.  It had to be him.

LadyNmare: Connor?

KiltBoy1: Yes, love?  Connor, here, who is this…'Rana or Toria?

LadyNmare: It's Toria.  'Sup?

KiltBoy1: not much, just finishing up mail so Alex and I can go out.

LadyNmare: cool...I was doing some writing, but now I'm just randomly surfing

KiltBoy1: we've been working at the bloody comp all day, time for a break and a drink or three

KiltBoy1: you okay?  you weren't too thrilled with me last we spoke, love

LadyNmare: just...old memories.  Actually, not too recent when you consider how old I am

KiltBoy1: ahhhhh, then I do apologize for causing them to surface, my brother and I know dearly how much living long lives costs us of our peace of mind

LadyNmare: I understand completely.  And I'm nowhere near as old as...what does he prefer to be called now, Alex or Kronos?

KiltBoy1: Look, love, we really were about to go out…would you care to join Alex and I for a few drinks…there's this bar…not your normal bar for these parts, but one my brother and I frequent whenever we are sans wives…  Kronos in private, my dear, Alex in public

KiltBoy1: We have nothing to hide, if you've asked around about the two of us

LadyNmare: Alex it is, then, 'cause otherwise I'll probably forget *g*  Either that or it'll be Mal.  Ask him what name he was going under when we met.

LadyNmare: I don't know...if you haven't forgotten, 'Rana and I don't exactly look like adults.

KiltBoy1: Good choice, I never use his name.  What does your identification say?

LadyNmare: My Australian driver's license says I'm 17.  I don't have one for the US.

KiltBoy1: We might be able to get you in, but you need better identification.  We're well known at this bar, it's the only one like it for miles, and very off the beaten path

KiltBoy1: We can work on your ID another night, though.  Are you game to go out?  Maybe if we discussed this over drinks…

LadyNmare: Oh!  I know, I think I do have something that'll work.

LadyNmare: A drink sounds wonderful.  And I've been in the house all day, so going out sounds good too.  Should I ask 'Rana if she wants to come?

KiltBoy1: I thought 'Rana coming was a given…You can come here and we'll go in one car, it's hard to find…unless trust is still an issue, then you can follow us, we can take our bikes <g>

LadyNmare: nah, I trust you enough to drive with you.  We'll be over in about fifteen minutes.

KiltBoy1: <sigh>  no bikes, brother <g>  Fine, see you then LOL

LadyNmare: See ya!  And 'Rana just said that she wants to go

LadyNmare: So, *poof*

Laurana and Victoria walked out of the woods from where Laurana had landed with Toria wrapped in her arms.  She had decided not to merely land in the front yard after the way Connor had snapped at her a few nights before.  They saw the two men standing by a car and headed over to them, then Victoria noticed the "bikes."  Harleys.  *Big* Harleys.  Big *Shiny* Harleys.

"Cool!" she said, her eyes widening.  "I changed my mind.  We can take the bikes if you want."

Kronos cocked an eyebrow at her and grinned, and Connor nodded.  He said, "Let's go."  They climbed onto the nearby bikes and moved them forward so the girls could climb on.  Victoria claimed the back of Connor's, and Laurana just grinned and climbed on behind Kronos.

The boys took off, heading down the drive and onto the highway.  They didn't tear off, but cruised carefully at a comfortable speed.  Finally they turned off onto a dirt road that led to a bar.  There were lots of bikes out front and classic rock was blaring out the open doors.  The people out front were mostly in leather and jeans, but there were some suits.

Laurana and Victoria glanced over the place, looked at each other, and then back at the bar.  The only two other women they saw were quite obviously together.  "Laurana," Victoria began, as the two began laughing.  "I do believe my virtue has just been insulted."

Connor smirked slightly, and Kronos gave them a bemused expression.  The two female Immortals seemed to calm down slightly, but made the mistake of looking at the guys.  They burst out laughing again.  "Problem?" Kronos asked pseudo-politely.  That prompted Victoria and Laurana to control their laughter, but they kept looking at each other and giggling as they headed for the door.  The four were let in easily enough and they headed for a back table.

As they sat, Laurana caught her breath and said, "I think you guys have the wrong idea about us, for starters."  Before she could continue, the barman came over with a bottle of scotch and two glasses.

"Branching out?" the man asked Connor and Kronos with a pointed look at the two young women who were most definitely *not* their wives.  To the girls, he added, "Pick your poison, *ladies.*"

"Not bloody likely," Connor responded.  "These women are merely neighbors and friends.  We have things to discuss and Alex and I were headed this way tonight."

Victoria grinned at him, then glanced at the bottle of scotch.  "I'll just have a glass and share their bottle," she replied.

"I'll take a glass of red wine," Laurana added.

The barman nodded, then seemed to look at them more closely.  "You two legal?"

Connor cleared his throat.  "They came with us, didn't they?"

Laurana smiled at the barman sweetly.  "Of course we are."  Her eyes seemed to flash gold for an instant.  The man nodded and left.

"I thought Nathan said you couldn't hypnotize," Connor said, a curious look on his face.

She shrugged.  "Depends on the person - I wouldn't have been able to play mind games with Alexa because she's an Immortal.  Humans are a peice of cake.  Anyway, where was I?  Oh yeah, you two definitely have the wrong idea about Tor and I."

"What idea are you referring to?" Kronos asked, studying them carefully.

Victoria laughed.  "We're not together, my friend - at least, not in the way that you thought."  Laurana gave her a speculative look.

"Would you like to go somewhere else, then?" Connor asked, trying to mask his disappointment.  Kronos put down his drink and sighed.

"Nah, this is fine," Laurana answered with a wave of her hand.  "Hell, I've tried seducing her before, but Justin always seems to be there giving us dejected looks."  She laughed.

Victoria rolled her eyes affectionately at Laurana, then turned back to the two men.  "Justin has been my closest friend in the world since I was seven years old.  He was also Laurana's student.  Not a good combination."  She grinned.

"Are you sure?" Connor pressed.  "We don't mind, do we brother?"  Kronos snorted, but shook his head as the barman returned with Laurana's wine and a glass for Victoria.

Connor poured some scotch for Victoria as she shook her head.  "*I* don't care.  I'd lost about every prejudice I ever had by the time I hit thirty.  This is nothing."

Laurana grinned in agreement.  "I remember virtually none of my mortal life, so you could say I was raised by vampires.  We don't have much of a sense of propriety.  Sit, Alex.  Drink.  That's what we're here for, is it not?"  Both of the men nodded, and Kronos relaxed back into his seat.

Once things were settled with the drinks, Kronos and Connor moved closer, sitting thigh to thigh.  Connor dropped his hand to Kronos' thigh, leaning over to whisper something that made Kronos smile.  The Horseman picked up his brother's hand containing the lit cigarette and lit one of his own, dropping his own hand close to Connor's crotch.  Both men relaxed back and sipped their drinks and the women could see the hard looks the men usually wore in front of strangers slip away in the charged atmosphere.

After a second round of drinks had been ordered and some small talk was out of the way, Connor asked, "So, is it safe to assume that you two asked around about us?"

With an evil grin at Victoria, Laurana replied, "Of course."  She slipped an arm around Victoria's shoulders and handed her the glass of wine so she could steal a sip.  Then Victoria began playing with a lock of Laurana's waist length blonde hair.

Connor chuckled at them, then leaned across the table towards Laurana.  Whispering loud enough for both Kronos and Victoria to hear, he said, "Seduction is a good thing, no?"

In response, she batted her eyes at him and said, "Why, MacLeod!  Is that an offer?"

Choking on his drink, Connor said, "Sorry, love, my bed is always full."  Laurana pretended to pout, then leaned over and gave Victoria a peck on the cheek.

Kronos said, "Just out of curiosity, what did you two find out?"

Victoria ignored the antics of her roommate and replied, "Well, we traded a few emails with Lucien LaCroix, and we know that you two have histories dealing with the dark side of life - but then again, so have we.  And we know that you want to keep Immortal Estates safe, and we're definitely in on that."

"And that's much appreciated, love," Connor said with a nod.  "Really, it is.  What else did you find out?"

"Lucien is a good friend…to us both," Kronos added.

Victoria glanced at Kronos. "Actually, I already know some stuff about you beyond what I know from meeting you back in the Twenties.  Adam Pierson was my teacher, and he told me about his Horseman days.  Do I have your permission to give 'Rana the basic facts?"

She immediately looked interested.  "I wouldn't let her tell me anything until we got your permission," Laurana explained.

Laughing, Victoria corrected her.  "Silly, *I* wouldn't tell you anything until we got permission."

Kronos nodded.  "If you feel it would help the situation, though that is not the man I am today…"

"I know," Victoria replied with a grin.  "If I were the same as I was two hundred years ago, the world would be a sorrier place.  And the gods know what hell we'd be going through if 'Rana was."  Both girls laughed.

"Actually, I'd prefer to tell who I am myself, if you don't mind," Kronos interjected.  Victoria shrugged, and poured herself another drink as Laurana paid the older Immortal her utmost attention.  He accepted another drink from Victoria, then lit another cigarette.  "During the Bronze Age," Kronos began, his voice low and steady, "I was the leader of a band called the Four Horsemen, later immortalized as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  I was the leader; I *was* the end of time.  We were feared - we ran rampant over three continents for over a thousand years.  We raped, pillaged, tortured, stole, and set ourselves up as gods…and lived as we wished."  He took a sip of scotch.  "Then one of our members left and we broke up, drifting through the ages until the last decade."

Laurana studied him intently, then leaned back her seat.  "Sounds like how a lot of vampires I know live.  Only a tad less flashy."

"Don't you take anything serious, 'Rana?" Victoria asked with a sigh.

"Yes, well…"  Kronos frowned at her quip, not thrilled.  Connor placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed to calm him down.

"Sorry," she said after taking a closer look at Kronos' face.  "But I've done some stuff in my life that I'm not too proud of either.  Probably not to the extent that you have, but then again, I'm only one person."

Kronos snorted.  "I'm only one person as well.  However, I have forty-five hundred years of history."  Connor whispered something to him in Aramaic, and Kronos softened his expression.

Victoria sighed animatedly, trying to diffuse the tension.  "Why do I suddenly feel young?"

"Because you are, child," Kronos immediately replied.  He smiled a small smile when Victoria grinned and flipped him off.

Connor cleared his throat, trying to find a safe topic to which he could change the conversation.  "So, Toria, care to tell me what I did that set you off the other night?"

She closed her eyes briefly, then gave a smile that was more like a grimace.  "Connor, it wasn't your fault.  Just a minor psychosis I picked up about a year ago that centers around the word and/or concept of torture."  She waved her hand, trying to dismiss the problem as insignificant.  Laurana gave her a hard look, but did not argue.

"Torture is never a game, Toria," Kronos said, his eyes narrowing.

Victoria clenched her jaw for a moment.  "Don't you think I know that, Alex?"

Kronos favored Victoria with a hard look.  "Your tone and flippant manner suggest that you might have thought that.  But you're right, you *do* know…lot more than you're admitting."

Trying to defend himself, Connor said, "I wasn't advocating torture!  My God, she's family!"

"I know, Connor, and I'm sorry," Victoria answered.  "I never meant to imply that you would seriously hurt her."  On a whim, she held out her hand to Connor, staring at him steadily.

"I tried to explain to you then, but you were not willing to listen.  I wasna trying to offend you."  Connor took her hand hesitantly, trying to smile but feeling like an idiot.

Victoria gently pulled his hand down and placed it on her side at her waist so that his fingertips could feel the scar tissue that covered her back.  He ran his hand across the scars and paled, mumbling something to Kronos, who immediately got his "Horseman" look.  Victoria grabbed Laurana's hand for support, and tried to smile at Connor.

"See why I won't let Laurana's seduction attempts get to me?" she asked softly.

"I'm sorry," Connor said slowly.  "No one should have scars like this.  Especially not one like oursleves.."

She sighed.  "I know.  They're fading, but slowly.  Happens when a sorceress is the one to do it to you."  Connor nodded and swallowed his drink in one gulp, then poured another.  Kronos did the same.

"We do have some connections…" Connor began slowly.

Victoria shook her head as she took another sip of scotch.  "Don't worry about it, guys.  Some friends took care of the bitch back around Halloween.  She's gone."  Kronos grunted, but Connor merely nodded.

The four fell silent again, alone with their thoughts as they sipped their drinks.  Finally, Kronos stretched and Connor grinned at him.  Returning his grin, the former Horseman asked, "Pool, anyone?"

Laurana glanced at Victoria, who nodded.  "Sure, Alex," the older girl said.  "We'll play."

They played men against the women and both girls noticed that Connor and Kronos watched each other intently during the game, lust building in their eyes.  This was obviously foreplay for the men as they took turns leaning back against the other and stealing one another's cigarettes.

Finally, when the game grew to a close and the men had won, Laurana and Victoria were talking about the game and who should have done what.  Both women looked over at the two men and found them locked in a rather passionate kiss.  It broke just as Laurana began to smirk, and Victoria was laughing.  Her laughter was cut off when Laurana grabbed her for a huge kiss.  The men saw them and laughed themselves, hurrying the women out of the bar so they could get home.

The ride home was tortuous to the men, so much need coursing through their bodies, but the bodies on the backs of their bikes were not the ones they wanted . . .nay, needed at that time.  Quick farewells were said, and the two men disappeared into the house.

IMMORTAL ESTATES IV: Disembodied Conversations
By Johanna

Victoria had desperately needed a change of scenery, so she headed for Tranquility Cove to do some shopping.  When that paled, she located the nearest coffee shop, ordered a tall mocha, and settled at an outside table to do some writing, since she had “borrowed” Laurana’s laptop.  The computer was extremely high tech, and Laurana would not reveal where she had gotten it, but Victoria did know that it was able to get onto the net using what ‘Rana called a “built-in cell phone.”  So she logged onto her instant messaging service just in case anyone tried to get hold of her.

She had been typing merrily away for about fifteen minutes when a message popped up on the screen.  It was Laurana, who had finally given Victoria the screen name they’d both been using and set one up for herself.

SunDescending: Hey, babe.  I’m bored.

LadyNmare: ?

SunDescending: I did all the work I have for the moment.

LadyNmare: *shrug* I was typing.

LadyNmare: I borrowed your laptop, btw.

SunDescending: I don’t care.  Just don’t erase anything.

LadyNmare: I’ll take a break.  What do you want to talk about?

SunDescending: let’s be inane

LadyNmare: ‘kay

SunDescending: BBMak or Savage Garden?

This was a game they played, throwing similar objects at each other and choosing one or the other.  It usually ended up in an argument, but it was all in good fun.

LadyNmare: Savage Garden of course.  You know I love Crash and Burn.  ‘Nsync or Backstreet?

SunDescending: *gag* to both…’Nsync if I have to choose.  Russell Crowe or Mel Gibson?

LadyNmare: Can I have both? *g*

SunDescending: Only if I can share!

LadyNmare: Deal.  Um…Twilight Mists or Night Island?

The Twilight Mists was a dance club in LA owned by Laurana’s childe Jenna “Twilight” Moonshadow, but Night Island was where Laurana lived part time, and where Armand, her off and on lover lived.

SunDescending: Not fair!  Not a good comparison!  You know how possessive both Jenna and Armand are!

LadyNmare: :-P

SunDescending: Connor or Kronos?

For this one, Victoria had to think for a moment.  She took a sip of her mocha as she wondering what had prompted Laurana to ask this.  One never knew, with her.

LadyNmare: um…darlin’?  Both of them are married, besides the shield-brother thing.  Don’t tempt me.

SunDescending:  Aha!  So…which one?

LadyNmare: you really *are* bored….uh….Connor.

SunDescending:  good.  Kronos is the hottie *eg*

LadyNmare: not!  Connor is equally a hottie.  You just always go for the evil type.  Not just bad…evil!

SunDescending: should’ve figured.  You always did like the boyscout type.

LadyNmare: *snort* Let’s look at Tor’s track record on relationships…Justin, *you*, random flings, Erik (who dies), Von (who’s getting married to someone else this winter), more random flings, more Justin…no boyscouts

SunDescending: *eg*

LadyNmare: Yeah, whatever, shut up.  Anyway, what prompted you to ask that?  You’re not gonna try anything, are you?

SunDescending: gotta go, someone just walked in

And at that, Laurana signed off.  Victoria sighed and went back to her writing, but couldn’t concentrate.  She was worried about Laurana – she knew how the older girl could be.  Packing up the laptop, she headed back home.

To: KiltBoy1@aol.com
From: LadyNmare@hotmail.com
Subject: small warning (FYEO Connor)

Connor~

I just had a vaguely interesting IM conversation with Laurana (she’s at work right now), and she might (very small might) have a crush on Kronos.  I don’t know, and she brushed me off when I tried to dig.  Hopefully she won’t try anything, but I needed to tell *someone*.  Tell Kronos only if you’re sure he won’t try to kill her or something drastic like that *g*.  But please, please, please don’t tell your wives.  I don’t want to embarrass ‘Rana.

Thanks, my friend.
~Toria

To: LadyNmare@hotmail.com
From: KiltBoy1@aol.com
Subject: RE: small warning (FYEO Connor)

Toria,

Thank you very much for the heads up.  Our wives don't need to know as nothing has happened.  However, if she does pull something, she not only won't like my brother's response, but our wives’ responses may very well make his pale in comparison.  He has been forwarded your letter and is well advised.  *My* advise to you is to suggest that she not try anything at all, it really is in her best interests.  Remind her, please, that we are very happily married…*very* happily, we both have lovers that we care about very, very much, and he even has a slave in his lover.  That's not even considering the relationship he and I have together.

Thanks for your warning and, in advance, for warning your friend from any foolish actions where my brother is concerned.

Connor Mac

To: KiltBoy1@aol.com
From: LadyNmare@hotmail.com
Subject: oops…(FYEO Connor and Kronos)

Buenos Dias, guys!

I do believe I owe both of you a small apology.  Last night my dear friend Victoria chewed me out rather nicely about the fact that I should not get involved with either of you.  She’s right, and I knew that all along.  I was bored at the time that I put the thought of me having a crush on Kronos into Victoria’s head (*not* that you’re not an incredible hottie…*g*).  When I’m bored, I have a tendency to screw with my friends’ heads.  *Only* my close friends, that is, and you can’t get mad at me because Victoria does the same thing!

So (getting to the point) I did not know that she sent a frantic email out to Connor.  I am touched about her concern for my health, but she did not have a right to do that.  I am now severely tempted to string Toria along in payback and make her think that something might actually happen between us, Kronos.  Care to help?  Rest assured, while I do think you’re cute, I will in not try to seduce you in any way, shape, or form.  I promise, and I don’t take promises lightly.  If Shawn and Devon have any doubts, tell them to call me and I’ll ride over to your house and reassure them.

But in any case, I’m getting payback on Victoria.  Want in on the action, either of you? *eg*

Chow, Laurana

What happened after all that?  Well, no one was seriously injured in the aftermath, but many laughs ensued by Laurana's pranks upon her poor unsuspecting roommate.  Then Victoria moved back in with Kane to get set for her last year of high school.  The next two stories, however, still take place within Immortal Estates.  I hope you liked it!

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This page was last updated: 2.18.5 ~jlg~