~1910~
Over the course of that first decade of the 20th century, many more things began to change, including their relationships. Claire did eventually move back into she and Sean’s home, despite the fact that his duties still left him very little free time.
Though, Summer and Eliot both spent very little time at the estate either after Claire had moved back in. Claire wasn’t positive of exactly how Sean and Summer had actually left things, however, she was aware that the young woman had developed some kind of friendship with Lucian during those years and began spending quite a bit of time with him instead.
As for Eliot, he did still often spend time with Claire at the club or his home across the street when neither wanted to be surrounded by a crowd. Of course, the time they spent together was usually when Sean’s own time had been claimed by those never ending duties of his.
Despite all those changes to their interpersonal relationships, things still somehow seemed unsettled between all parties involved. That feeling soon began to chip away at Claire, as many things did. By 1910, she had come to the conclusion that she needed to completely reinvent who she had always been if she had any hope of finding that spark that made her actually want to engage with the wider world once more. She just had to figure out how to do that at all after being who she was for so long.
Sean was holding court, so to speak, when the two attractive young artistes that the Antitribu Marina had turned at the massacre a decade earlier came calling on their Prince that evening. Claire was once again seated at the edge of the main hall in the hopes of finding any new distraction she could to keep her mind from being her worst enemy, as it so often was.
Sean’s majesty easily taking the full attention of the two much younger Kindred, their eyes stayed locked on him as they approached, Daeran speaking first. “Good evening my Prince. I don’t know if you remember us, but I am Daeran W. Griffith, and this is my partner, Rion Enric. We’re among the newer members of your clan,” he added for weight.
“And what do you gentleman need this evening?” Sean spoke in a businesslike tone, though his eyes easily took in their auras as well as their attractiveness. Prince though he may be, he was still a Toreador as well.
“We’re planning a rather bold new creative endeavor, and boldness and creativity often still require a hefty bit of cash. Especially in this city,” Daeran began with a charming smile.
“So, you need a loan?” Sean raised a brow, deciding to curtail what may have turned into quite the lengthy conversation.
That was when Rion spoke up, “Or at least convincing enough documents for the humans to give us one,” he offered with a wry grin.
“What new creative endeavor?” Claire interrupted as she leaned forward from her seat at the edge of the room, causing all three men to turn in her direction.
“Miss Hughes?” Daeran and Rion greeted her in near unison, each gentleman’s eyes lighting up as they noted her presence there. Sean and Claire each gave them a look of surprise at that particular greeting.
“Hughes?” Claire repeated.
“That’s right, a servant did once tell us that it hadn’t been your real name, but that we still had a chance to meet you, after all these years,” Daeran gave her another smile filled with admiration.
“Never thought one performance would still be remembered by anyone. Especially anyone who hadn’t even been born until more than two centuries later,” she said as she looked down. Claire couldn’t help her mind immediately returning to the other time someone had seemed so affected by that particular moment of Claire’s past.
“A history making performance,” Daeran added as their eyes remained on her.
Trying to force down the urge to blush, which she couldn't even do anyway, Claire continued, “So what’s this endeavor you mentioned?”
Rion then chose to field the question, “In the time since attending that dreadfully unforgettable party, we've been trying start our own production company, but we still need more funds to do so. So, we've been running a playhouse instead. However, we’ve finally finished a script and found a location. We just need a little more in the way of finances to make it all happen.”
“You’re talking about the moving pictures?” Sean interjected, “A film?”
“Precisely,” Daeran replied, finally moving his light green eyes to look back at Sean from under his shoulder length blonde locks. “And, if it’s as successful as we hope, the production company of our own should come soon after.”
“Most films are made in New York though, where they already have established production companies, obviously. So wouldn’t that be a rather large risk?” Sean pointed out.
“As is anything worth doing,” Rion smiled, allowing his eyes to move over Sean once more. “Besides, with two Toreador at the helm, I’d say the risk is greatly reduced, wouldn’t you?” he added with a confident smirk.
“I think we should do it, and help them,” Claire stated with an attempt at matching Rion’s confidence. “It’s not like we don’t have the money to spare,” she added.
Sean sighed as he looked back at the two men, “As true as that is, I’m not sure this really is something to come to your Prince about. Films are part of the mortal world, not ours. I suppose I could attempt to help with those documents, just for the sake of the Masquerade, but...”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Fine, I’ll give them the money then,” Claire interrupted once more. “Films are very likely the future, which does make them part of our world, as we’re still going to be living in it for a long time. At least most of us,” she added more quietly.
Pushing past the last part of her statement, “Didn’t you just spend a rather outlandish amount of your own money not too long ago, on that house?” Sean asked, trying not to let any of his feelings about that color his tone just then.
“And I’ve made a rather outlandish amount from Raven’s Loft,” she told him plainly as Daeran and Rion looked between the two of them, waiting with a nervous hopefulness for them to reach a conclusion.
Sean shook his head, “I suppose, if you really want to throw away money on what might not even go anywhere at all...”
Claire narrowed her eyes at Sean before turning back to the other two men, “On one condition.”
“And what would that be?” Daeran asked her with a smile.
“I want to work on it with you. That’s all,” Claire stated simply as Sean quickly looked back her way.
“Make that three Toreador then,” Rion said with a satisfied grin.
“Including Margaret Hughes herself,” Daeran added, his smile widening then as well.
“I don’t know if I’m quite comfortable stepping in front of a camera, but I definitely have a few other ideas to help you get this movie made.” She then cast another knowing smile back toward the skeptical and surprised look Sean wore. “So, let’s get you that money then,” Claire smiled as she rose and crossed the room to lead them out of the hall with her.
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By March of that year, their seventeen minute long silent film was released to the public. The film underwent many changes from start to finish due to the combined work, creativity and money of the three Toreador. Claire’s input even led to their original script changing as they decided to tell a story that took place in the 1820s, since they had the input of a woman who actually had lived there at the time. The result of their work ended up coming to be known as the very first film that was entirely shot in a little village five miles from Los Angeles called Hollywood.
Upon the film’s release, the three who were the main creative force behind it were expected to attend the premiere and the party afterwards. Daeran and Rion were initially a bit wary of any sort of glitzy parties, considering the last they had attended. But due to the very nature of the Toreador, and their pride in their accomplishment, it didn’t take long to find the courage to attend this one as well.
As Sean had originally showed a lack of interest or confidence in the endeavor, Claire decided to invite Eliot to attend the premiere with her rather than feeling like a third wheel to her two co-filmmakers, considering she was one of the only people privy to the truth of their relationship.
As the party at The Loft following the premiere began, Eliot and Claire claimed seats at the table reserved for the filmmakers that night. Eliot took a sip of his champagne while they waited on Daeran and Rion to join them. As Eliot and Claire watched the two men basking in the praise heaped upon them from other attendees, Eliot looked down at her curiously, “Shouldn’t you be over there as well?”
“Me?” Claire asked as she looked up at where he sat close to her.
“I mean you were responsible for them changing the entire time period and setting for the script, weren’t you?” Eliot asked, having been told all about the project over the months she had spent helping the two men make the film. After all, she hadn’t really felt like Sean would be interested in hearing the details when he had so many other pressing matters to deal with on a nightly basis.
“I suppose I had some input--”
“Some?” Eliot looked down at her with a teasing smile.
“I’m more of a behind the scenes type of partner, considering,” Claire reminded.
“Shame that you have to hide your beautiful face from the world,” Eliot told her with a tinge of sadness as he gave her a small kiss on the cheek.
Claire looked down as though to blush, “But at least now I can still be part of this world, even if I’m not on the screen myself. And I have a feeling this world is going to get just more and more amazing.” She then turned her eyes to him with an expectant look.
Noting her watching him, he smiled, “You could be right,” he agreed.
“Could be, or will be?” she asked him in a whisper.
“What?” he gave her a questioning smile.
“Well you would know, wouldn’t you? I mean, really know,” she added in a pointed whisper.
Eliot narrowed his eyes, taking a moment to decipher her statement, “You know I made myself forget almost everything, Claire. Until I need to remember that most important thing,” he reminded her gently.
Claire sighed heavily, desperately wishing he could actually assure her that some part of her future would be bright. Or at least brighter than her own mind would ever let her imagine on most nights.
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The next evening, Lucian was making his way home from a visit to a patient of his. He thought nothing of the sound of footsteps behind him, despite the fact that it was almost midnight now. The city had, after all, grown to have quite the night life in recent years. Besides, there were very few threats that would truly be threats to him, in the strictest sense.
Then he heard a voice, which did force his attention to the one whose footsteps had easily grown closer, "That was quite the soirée last night, wasn't it?" She still spoke in the same sultry purr she had always spoken with, and which had always made him cringe at the mere sound of it.
Refusing to allow himself to give her any visible evidence of how strongly his hatred for her still burned, and likely always would, Lucian would not turn back to her, or even slow his pace. He simply continued moving forward, gritting his teeth to still his tongue from even affording her any sort of response just then.
Of course, this refusal of his to interact only amused her further, as she moved closer still. "Soirée? That's French, isn't it? Just like the royal bastard who was still at her side last night. You remember the one? He managed to get into her bed before you ever did, despite her having none of the parts he had ever been all that interested in."
"And I'm meant to believe you were actually at their party? Please, Awsha, you'd never even be allowed past the door of her club, and we both know it," Lucian replied coldly, though still did not turn to face her or slow his steps.
"Oh darling, I can go anywhere I want, I just have to leave this beautiful body behind, in certain locales," she smirked.
Lucian scoffed, "Still playing that game, are you? Stalking doesn't make you seem desperate at all, darling," he returned sarcastically.
She narrowed her dark eyes only a moment at that comment before continuing on, "I noticed you and your new paramour weren't there either. Were you too busy looking after that little human brat of yours? Or did the new love finally lose interest in you and go back to my beautiful brother's bed again?" she asked, reveling in showing him exactly how much information her 'stalking' had made her privy to over all these years, after all.