Work Text:
THE TREASURE AT THE HEART OF THE LABYRINTH
[Alternative ending to Eva and Jasper’s conversation at S05 – E09 – Valediction]
- You know I love you, right?
Jasper looked at Eva with suspicion showing in his face, surprised. When your partner starts the conversation with that kind of phrase, next words usually lead to something unpleasant, maybe even a breakup. Eva had already left three times, but she’d always come back to him.
- Yeah. Mpf. I… I love you. – He knew he had to say something, but the tumble of his heart, just when he thought this meeting was meant to continue their relationship, after Eva’s return to the Camarilla to find a way to destroy Strauss, didn’t let him think clearly, and he had to force the words through his throat.
- Lately I feel like… loving you is turning me in… turning me into… the person I hate the most.
Jasper understood that. When he met her, Eva was calm, almost dreamy, she smiled frequently. She kept her calm even in the midst of danger. Since they started their strange relationship, Eva was more and more agitated, and each time Jasper was in danger she turned into pure rage.
- Okay. – What more could he say?
- The things I would do for you… I… I wish I wouldn’t.
- Yeah. – A snort. – Yeah. That makes sense. – He fell silent, searching for better words than the nonsense he was throwing away. Eva seemed about to speak, but she couldn’t, so he tried again. – Hmm. It’s not like I hadn’t noticed you acting differently.
- I just… I don’t think I can survive if I keep doing this. – A soft, sad, self-pitying chuckle – I don’t know if I can survive even if I don’t.
- I… - The sound came out as a sigh. He started again. – I’d rather have you… umm... I’d rather have you be able to live with yourself then.
Eva flashed a smile tinged with sadness.
- We’re past that.
Jasper couldn’t avoid a soft chuckle, just out of nervousness.
- Yeah, I guess.
Pieces started to fit in his brain. This was no reunion after their fight for survival, not even a conversation intended for Eva to wrap her head around what she’d had been forced to do, what she had suffered through. This was no breakup, either.
This was farewell. This time, Eva wouldn’t leave for a time, to clear her head, to think. She was going to leave forever. Finally. Leave the world itself. What did she think she’d done that was unforgivable? What did she think she couldn’t forgive herself for? What did she think she’d done that Jasper would found so horrifying as to never want to see her again? Oh, maybe…
- You don’t need me, either.
Those words sent Jasper’s thoughts out of track. He looked at her, completely expressionless, so astonished he was. Was she that blind?
- You’re… not often wrong, but I think you are this time.
- I’ve… dug myself into a hole… I don’t think there’s any getting back up. I don’t want to take you with me. – She said that looking down at the floor, but she lifted her eyes again to look at his face. – I do love you. I promise. – She looked away again, it looked as if she couldn’t stand the pain showing in his face. – I’m only going to hurt us both.
- Okay. I don’t know. Makes sense.
No, nothing made sense, Jasper was just saying random words, his mind was still putting the puzzle pieces together, a puzzle which was beginning to be framed quickly. Of course, she had told him herself, she’d explained the effects of the potion she was researching to vanquish Strauss.
- I’m sorry. – She seemed to be preparing her final words.
- You’ve been collaborating with them. – Jasper wasn’t looking at her, his eyes looked to the horizon, but his sight was focused on his puzzle, assembling the last pieces quickly, now that he had been able to determine its shape. – That’s why X is in Torpor, that inquisitor had taken the potion you’ve given him. – He listened Eva moan, likely repressing tears, but he was still focused on the mystery, cracking the enigma. – They attacked Victor and the Prince’s meeting, just after you left.
- I didn’t… didn’t want you to be hurt, none of you, especially you, Jasper. – Eva sounded heartbroken and her words flowed faster than usual. – I gave them information on the Camarilla, mainly on the Tremere, on Strauss, hoping they’d destroy him, hoping they’d destroy them all. – Her voice was getting weaker with each word. – But they must have watched them, followed the thread, starting to associate them, Victor with Thomas, you with Victor…
The torrent of words shook Jasper from his stupor and made him turn his head. Eva hid her face in her hands, but blood was overflowing, she was crying disconsolately. She was the reason X was in Torpor, that they’d almost killed Victor, Nelli, Annabelle, Chloe, even himself.
None of that was important. He hugged her without a doubt, and comforted her in his arms. He wished he could caress her hair, but she was wearing a mantilla which covered it completely. He settled for caressing the cloth, as he held her and whispered consoling words, empty ones, as he kept thinking about what this all meant. For her, for him, for their people, and for Kindred in general.
Now he understood why she wanted to end her life and disappear. What she’d done was an unforgivable crime, and when it was discovered, Eva’s head would have such a high price that Kindred from the other side of the world would come looking for it.
He thought about asking Nelli or Victor for help to protect her. No, that would be impossible, even if they were willing to, that is. They had some affection for her, maybe as much as to consider her a friend, but they had suffered because of her. They’d been close to death, their people had died because of her, Campbell, Lavender. No, he was the only one willing to forgive her.
Not that he had any other option. As he’d told her, she was wrong if she thought he could carry on without her. Before he met her, he was a self-hating, callous being, someone who hated everyone. That way, he could carry on, without feeling, as a rational being only interested in knowledge and enigmas.
Now, after feeling her love, the feel of being loved, the warmth of her affection, all the callousness had gone soft, he was vulnerable again, and he wouldn’t be able to keep on living without her love, without feeling his heart beat again, without breathing the same air as her, smelling her perfume, seeing her smile, feeling her skin.
No, that would be impossible. He may hate himself for that, maybe he had also suffered and lost friends, but she was part of him now, and he couldn’t let her go any more than he could rip his own heart out of his chest.
In time, Eva calmed herself enough to listen, though she was seemingly incapable of uttering a single word, still.
- It’s alright, I understand you. – That was true. – I think we’re a plague, too, and that our kind should fade from the Earth. If I haven’t done anything like you’ve done, that’s because I’m a coward. – He had always bee, in life as well as in death. – I don’t begrudge you for what you’ve done, except for one thing. – She didn’t want to look at him, she feared what she could see in his eyes, Jasper guessed, but he forced her to do that, so that she could see that the only thing in his eyes was tenderness. – You should have told me.
She denied with her head, but couldn’t do anything more than muttering nonsense. He thought he knew what crossed her mind. If she had told him, she’d have turned him into his accomplice, she’d have forced him to help her, and he’d be in the same trouble she found herself in.
- Don’t worry, we’re together in this, I won’t forsake you.
- No. – She could finally gather strength enough to speak, though with a strangled voice. – No, let me go, I’ll vanish and I won’t hurt you anymore.
- No. – He said that with a chuckle, which lingered in his voice as he spoke. – You’re wrong again, Eva, what you intend to do would hurt me more than anything else which could happen.
- Only for a while. – She gathered her will to look him in the eye, then looked away, then back again, agitated. – Your spirit is strong, bright, you’ll get over it and carry on. If you don’t let me go, you’ll die. – She clenched her hands to her chest, turned into fists, bent on herself. – I can’t allow that.
- I feel the same about you. – She was still huddled, and shook her head in denial, or maybe just in desperation. – I can’t abandon you to your fate any more than you could abandon me.
- But there’s no salvation for me. – Her voice was weak, Jasper had to tilt his head towards her to listen. – You don’t need to share my fate.
- My fate is tied to yours, now and forever. If you disappear, so do I. Furthermore, – an amused laughter, the first one since they’ve met today – our relationship is well known. Kyoko has probably written that fanfic she had in mind, and it’s probably going all around the city. Do you think they’d go for you, and leave me in peace?
At those words, Eva started sobbing again, heartbroken. He’d never seen her like that, she was so tranquil and mysterious, always controlling her feelings, that it was a surprise, terror-inspiring, to see her like that. He’d only seen her out of control as she unleashed her rage on those who wanted to hurt him, but he’s never seen her so helpless.
- I don’t know what to do, how to fix this.
Tears run over her face again. He had only tasted her blood once, and the desire to do it again was overwhelming, so he kissed her cheeks and lips, licking those bloody tears. She answered his kisses and finally got ahold of herself.
- I thought that, if I vanished forever, you’d be safe. I hadn’t told you anything, you knew nothing, so no one could accuse you.
Another brief laughter, caused by such a naïve thought, which she very well knew wasn’t like that.
- Both our experience prove that this isn’t true, don’t you think? – She lowered her gaze again, and shook her head. – You know you don’t need to be guilty to be sentenced, and I’d be a good scapegoat and would serve as an example, if you weren’t around, at least to pretend that whatever they consider a crime doesn’t go unpunished.
- That’s true. – She had stopped, but she kept her head lowered. – Then, there is no exit, not only have I condemned myself, but I’ve dragged you with me, as well. – Eva grabbed his hoodie and sunk her head into his chest, tearless this time.
- You haven’t dragged me. – He hugged her, trying to comfort her. – I’ve followed you of my own free will. – He chuckled softly. – You know I’m slightly fearless. – She didn’t react to his joke, she was really inconsolable. – Don’t worry, we’ll get out of this.
- How? – Eva raised her head, staring at his face, for the first time not looking away every few seconds.
- You’ll disappear, and everyone will think you dead. I’ll retire into the Labyrinth and nobody will see me leave. We’ll vanish and be forgotten. It’s something I’m good at.
He smiled and, though she didn’t smile back, looked as if recovering a little bit of her lost hope.
- Good, – Jasper started outlining a plan in his head – when were you going to… vanish?
- In three nights, Annabelle is leaving, and I wanted to… say goodbye.
- What was your plan? – Jasper forced himself to utter the question, sounding professional, though the thought of Eva’s death turned his chest to molten lead.
- I’m meeting with Drew Handler, Greg’s former boss, – Eva lowered her head again, she was incapable of looking at his face as she talked about her plans to betray their kind, and then let herself die – to give him some more information and more potions like that one… – her voice wilted, and she had to force herself to go on – and then I’d just stay there, waiting… waiting for the sun to come up.
- I see. – It was impossible not to envision the scene, Eva’s skin full of burns, burning as the light of the sun touched her. After a moment, he made the effort to push that thought away and forced himself to sound professional and sure of himself. – Well, go on with your plans, but make sure you have enough time to get to my Haven before sunrise. Hide yourself, of course, try to remain unseen.
- I can do that, but then, what?
- In the following days, I’ll go to your Haven, with the Wards no one should be able to get inside, except another Tremere, and I’ll make sure I’m seen there. – Yes, he knew his kind would be lured by their curiosity, and they’d try to uncover his secrets. – Let everything you want to give to the others be ready, as if you were preparing your final will. – Eva nodded, understanding. – I’ll bring whatever you want to keep. The rest, leave it as if you didn’t care, and destroy everything you don’t want anyone else to find.
- I don’t want to force you out of your home, Jasper, your Labyrinth, your Library, everything you own.
- Don’t worry, leave the details to me, I’ll tell you the rest when we’re safe.
XXX
Three days later, with Eva safe and sound at his Haven, he told her the rest of the plan. She didn’t like it a bit, she argued, begged, and got angry, but Jasper knew that this was the best course of action and that they had time to carry it out.
In the end, Eva accepted, with a requirement that surprised Jasper, and which he argued against, begged her to reconsider, and finally accepted, whether he wanted or not.
XXX
More than a week had passed since Eva’s disappearance. Jasper was surprised that they’d taken so long to interrogate him about it. He was surprised that they’d do it together, too, especially because of the place where he’d been summoned.
Jasper approached Hollywood Baron’s office with a weird sensation. He’d done that countless times, when Abrams was the one to welcome him under the huge mahogany desk, but never before since Nelli was in charge.
When the guards opened the doors, after passing through several rooms and security posts, he saw Victor and Nelli sitting, apparently relaxed, but with signs of tension, obvious to those who knew them well.
She was sitting on a wide couch, arms extended over the back, right leg over her left, moving it slightly. She was facing the door, Greg standing behind the sofa, stiff.
Victor settled on a studded leather armchair, comfortable and elegant, with his right ankle resting on his left knee, a gesture of relaxed wait. He was sitting to Nelli’s left, his own left side to the door.
None of them were talking, silence was tense and oppressive, and none of them was looking at the other, Nelli stared at the door and Victor was looking at his front, though he turned to him when he entered the room.
- Jasper, dear, welcome. – Nelli stood up with an elegant move and pointed at him to sit, on a two-person couch in front of her own.
- What’s up, man? – Victor nodded but didn’t get up.
When Jasper looked at him, Greg nodded in greeting, but said nothing. He walked to the couch he’d been pointed at and sat down uneasily, and Nelli reassumed her relaxed pose. He snarled.
- So, what’s so important that two of the city Barons have summoned me to their presence?
- Well, I can see you’re still charming as ever. – Victor tried to soften the tension with irony, as usual. It didn’t tend to work, he didn’t know why he kept doing it.
- Jasper, out of consideration to you, I’ll cut the crap. – It was funny, Nelli tended to be more direct than Victor, though Ventrue were the ones supposed to cut into business. – Eva has vanished. It’s been more than a week since anyone has seen her. – She uncrossed her legs with elegance and leaned forward. – Do you know anything?
- Indeed I do. – So, this was the key moment. – Eva’s dead. – He said that with the most deadpan tone and expressionless face he could.
He hoped a revelation like that, with that tone, impressed them enough to avoid them from digging too much. Before they had time to react, as they were still processing the words, he took the backpack he’d left beside him, on the couch, and opened it, taking two small packages out.
- She left these for you. – He settled the packages on the small table separating the couches, one in front of Nelli and the other at Victor’s side. – I’d thank you if you didn’t open them while I’m here.
The idea was that he was so affected that he didn’t want to show any emotion, nor see anything which reminded him of Eva. In some way, it was true, his pain was very real, now that Eva shared no more nights with him, but it wasn’t as deep as when he thought he was losing her forever.
It took a while for them to recover. The impression left by what he said, the packages, and the sudden request not to open them, had left them confused. Nelli caressed the cord tying hers, pensive, and Victor had taken his, feeling it with his hands.
He knew what they contained, sure, books and some personal belongings, as well as a letter for each of them. Jasper hadn’t want to know the contents, in part, so that he wouldn’t reveal his knowledge accidentally, and in part because he wanted Eva to have privacy and wouldn’t inhibit herself in the expression of her feelings, in those farewells.
- How? – Nelli could barely speak, her face showed real pain.
- After… what happened, she told me she couldn’t live with herself, because the things she’d done to protect me… – he sighed, the things he was speaking of were too real and too personal, and he had difficulty controlling his feelings. – So, I didn’t understand then, but when I heard she hadn’t been seen in the Park for several nights, I feared the worst…
He bowed his head, actually, it was hard to tell that lie, not only because he was deceiving his former partners, but because he was picturing what could have happened, what had been about to happen, and the outcome of what he had done, and his throat closed up.
Nelli made a soft sound, half a sob and half of condolence. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her intent to rise, but Victor stopped her with a gesture of his hand. Both knew quite well that the Nosferatu didn’t like the shows of affection.
- I’m the only one who can enter her Haven, at least until the Wards run out of power, in time. – Jasper forced himself to carry on, but kept his eyes on his hands, resting on his knees. – I found that everything had been tidied up, these packages, and others for me. – He raised his eyes to look at Nelli. – Could you give the Sisters access, when it’s safe? I left some packages for them there, I couldn’t stand to tell them face to face. – Actually, though that part was true, mainly he wanted to avoid interrogation with one of those Spells which told them if he was lying.
- Jasper, I’m sorry. – Nelli wasn’t crying, she was too tough to do that, but he realized she was on the verge of tears, and she repressed them with great effort. – I’m so sorry, so very sorry…
- I’m happy I met her. – Victor kept his eyes on the package. – She wasn’t meant for this world of ours. – He shook his head. – She didn’t deserve partaking on this world of ours.
- The lady had b… – Greg shut up suddenly, and then changed his usual throaty tone for a softer one. – She was brave. And very professional. I’ll miss her.
Jasper was on the verge of tears. Why? He knew Eva wasn’t dead. What if he could talk to her no more? What if he could kiss her lips, touch her skin, share her bed no more? What if he was never again going to share a night with her reading in agreeable silence, both of them sharing the library? She was safe, he’d keep her safe, that was the only thing that mattered.
He stood up, looking down at the floor. He felt himself incapable of looking at any of their faces, sad as they were, seeing his own pain reflected on them would be unbearable, and could make him lose his composure completely.
- If you need nothing else…
Nelli and Victor stood up, too.
- Jasper, if you need anything…
- Whatever you need, man…
- The only thing I need is to be left in peace, as much as possible. – He looked towards Nelli, avoiding her face, his head lowered. – I’ll keep my deals and responsibilities, but I beg of you to leave me alone… with my pain. – He raised his head, not looking at them directly, but staring at a point among them, at the void. – Anyone who tries to disturb the peace in my Territory, be ready to face the consequences. – He said that with as much hardness as he could put on her voice, which was far less than usual.
- Your Territory is inside my Dominion, Jasper, and I protect my tenants. – Nelli had true steel on her voice, indeed.
- You can count on me for whatever it is, Jasper. – Victor took one step towards him and raised his hand a bit, to comfort him, but he finally let it fall, not touching him.
Jasper nodded, muttered his gratitude, and left.
XXX
For the next several years, the legend of the Curse of Griffith Park grew. Not ever, a business had prospered in the land of the Park, and there were areas which had been abandoned based on rumors of penitent souls and strange phenomena.
For some years, however, any development plan, private or public initiative, grant or license, or even historical investigation, was met with legal obstacles, revoked permits, bad press, and foul play.
Furthermore, there were rumors that the Curse also affected the lives or health of those who tried to dig the secrets of the Park up. More than one real estate agent, or Public Patrimony investigator, had suffered accidents, most non-lethal, and some of them had vanished completely, or had been found dead in strange circumstances.
Rumors were more concrete among the supernatural community. Gossip was that under the Park there was a network of tunnels, and that, if one was careless, or was looking for it with too much eagerness, they could end up in the Labyrinth.
Few people declared that they’d been inside the Labyrinth and had been back to tell the tale. Those few were lucky, as they’d trespassed by accident and had found the exit almost immediately. Those lost in the Labyrinth, never got out. And no one could spend the night there, and live to tell.
Among Werewolves, there was talk of a bloodthirsty monster dwelling in the tunnels, devouring anyone stupid enough to defy it. Through the years, a few youngsters had decided to show their courage finding the Labyrinth and facing its Guardian. The luckiest ones had been unable to find the entrance. No one knew of the rest of them.
Among Kindred, gossip was that the Hollywood Baron sent there those who annoyed her, to vanish without trace, and they were right, in a way. Some of those who spent their nights there, not all of them, would come back, much more docile.
There had always been rumors about a Treasure, buried in the depths of the Earth, under the Park. Rumors of something magical, a metaphysical treasure, incalculable riches, secrets to change History forever, as we know it.
The truth is that there was a Treasure, which was valuable only to one person. That person guarded it ferociously, but also with tenderness. Jasper had come to the Ley lines Nexus with tools and had flattened the slab of stone, first smashing the torso of the Gargoyle who had died there, trying to hide inside the stone, and the sanding the surface until it was perfectly even and soft.
Then, though he knew the person who was going to lay there wouldn’t be uncomfortable on the stone during her sleep, he covered it with a slim futon, stainless white, and added a small pillow, covered in white silk.
A few nights after her disappearance, Jasper accompanied Eva to the slab of stone, and helped her lay on it. There was nothing more to say, they’d done that before coming to the Labyrinth. They’d made love for the last time, hugged for the last time, and professed their love for the last time.
Now, Jasper just covered her with a white silk sheet, kissed her lips softly, muttered “I love you”, which Eva answered in kind, with a radiant smile, and left. She’d told him she wouldn’t be able to go into Torpor if he was there, that she wouldn’t be able to abandon him if she saw his face, or noticed his presence nearby.
Although she had never tried, all Kindred are able to enter into a voluntary Torpor, which can last for decades or centuries, if they are tired, or injured, enough. Eva was tired, for sure, mental and emotionally exhausted. Jasper understood her, and felt that he could lay beside her and sleep with her for centuries, embracing her body.
But he couldn’t. He had to keep his side of the deal. She’d sleep, and he’d guard her. And he’d try to make their world a better place, a place where she could stay at his side without the need for violence, without falling into the claws of the Beast. A place where they could be together without having to lose themselves.
The condition that Eva had established was that he had to feed on her when he needed to. As they’ve confirmed when Jasper found Zelios laying on this same slab, the Ley lines fed the Kindred who was sleeping there, and she wanted him to be safe, that he didn’t have to get out hunting other vampires to feed, as he refused to drink the blood of human beings.
He didn’t know how that would affect her, if it would prolong the time in Torpor, or hurt her in any way, but he agreed, and decided to test it carefully, bit by bit, very slowly. Anyway, he came to see her every few days, to watch her, and make sure she was alright.
He also told her about novelties, what he was doing to better things, to become a better person himself, he even looked for good news in the midst of the misery that surrounded him, only to bring her beautiful stories to cheer her up in her sleep.
He told her about gossip from the people they knew, he told her about music, architecture, art, about the arcane knowledge he got, the secrets he unveiled about things past, or about the present, the advances of Humanity.
Sometimes, he touched his lips to her forehead, or caressed her cheek, and sometimes he cried bloody tears, begging her to open her eyes and hold him in her arms, sometimes he past his days curled at her feet, pressed against the stone, and woke up longing her embrace.
But always, always, he got out again, he went out to the Labyrinth, the tunnels, the world outside, to fulfill his promise, and to wait the night in which all his efforts were enough, and she’d woke up to join him, the night they could again carry on with their existences, and be happy together.
But, until that night, he’d keep on guarding his Treasure, as he’d promised, the legendary Treasure at the Heart of the Labyrinth, more valuable than riches, than magic, than all of the secrets in the world.