Chapter Text
Scott has been around for a long time.
He has seen empires rise and fall. Countries monopolize and lose. He has seen countless famous people wither away and die. The difference between the time he was turned and now is stark. Blood ran the streets red and fearless creatures of the night roamed uncontested. Humans learned the way of silver and the holy word and now the covens that ran rampant were gone.
Scott thought he knew humans well. They had feared him, as they should. Scott is not a very kind or understanding man. Life had left him calloused and the afterlife even more so.
He kept them fed and safe and happy. What more could they ever want? The repayment was just a human every now and then. Enough to keep him satiated and to clean the dirty streets once again.
It apparently wasn't enough for these people as they rose against him. When they found he could not die by stake or silver they cast him to eternal slumber.
Scott will not make the same mistakes again.
His coven both hated and revered him. He didn't bother to bridge that relationship. In the end when he had needed their help they scrambled to grab the crown he had reigned with for centuries.
No. Scott could not allow that again. His coven will be devoted in a way that steeps into their blood not allowing them to leave his tangled webs.
He didn't have much of an idea when he was first interacting with the new humans of Oakhurst. Scott saw that each and every one of them came from different walks of life. There were doctors and soldiers and even nobles. There was a lumberjack and a scholar and a vampire hunter. There was even a woman who came there to hunt down Bigfoot whoever that actually was.
When Scott met Owen he feared that the young vampire would ruin things yet he conformed nicely when Scott pushed. Pyro was never intended to be his first fledgling but he could be innovative with what he was given.
Shelby was a wonderful addition. Her love and want for family was contagious. In the end it was his roommate who inspired the manipulative scheme. He whispered into the ear of every vampire that came near him the same thing.
Scott wanted Pyro to be completely devoted to him and in some way he was. Yet there was a fear that had sunk deep into the little flame. That was the same fear that had driven his old coven to turn against him. When Scott caught whiff of Pyro's scheme he had to nip it in the bud. It was his first attempt yet it ended so nicely. Pyro was hooked on the coven's safety and was carefully reigning himself in every time he thought he could endanger it. Scott was satisfied.
When Scott had come across Shelby he was at first worried she had taken to the gift as well as he had first thought. Yet, oh how sweet, she was worried for dear Apo. It was cute. Her fierce loyalty and undying love was perfect. She cared so much for the coven that Scott already knew she would do anything to keep it from falling apart. When he left he knew he was leaving the coven in good hands.
Apo was difficult. She already had a lover outside of these walls. Scott could tell that Apo was at her breaking point./ He could have left her alone in the woods and she would eventually snap and come running back, begging.
But that wouldn't do. There will always be hostility between the two if he lets her fester. Scott picked her up and with soothing words convinced her to give this family a try. Her anger was cute but that look of hope was starting to grow on him too.
Scott had gotten carried away with Drift, he will admit. He hadn't meant to turn her but there was something in her that reminded him of Shelby. He couldn't leave her at the bottom of that dusty tower to die. Ugh, feelings.
And yes, he had made another stupid mistake. He had let Cleo and Drift fester in that little town of theirs. When they showed up they had every right to be angry. He needed to fix the bridge immediately and he started with Drift. Her excitement about the wonders of their gift was adorable. Scott found himself smiling at her.
He knew this plan was going to work, he knew.
Cleo was the most difficult. She never knew family, from the hints he had gathered about her past. She knew a distant mother and a life of hard work. She didn't care for anyone other than Pearl and so that was what Scott gifted her. With time, she will come around. Pearl will only weaken her.
Owen was hurting from a pain that had lasted over two hundred years. The loss of his sire. The loss of his loved one.
He had his revenge but hatred and hurt like that cannot be so easily forgiven. Scott allowed himself to be weak to Owen. To give him the respect Owen felt he deserved. He could tell Owen did care for the others but it was not more than his need for revenge. So he switched it up. He gave Owen a different path to follow that was not just destruction and eventual death but a new life to grow.
Avid so desperately wanted somewhere to belong yet Scott knew the man was naturally skeptical. There didn't need to be tricks in the end he just gave him a cordial invite to the coven. Avid took it with desperate and needy hands.
His coven was completed and completely bound to him.
Yet… Scott felt like there was something missing.
Cleo and Pearl left as soon as it was over. Owen immediately got to his new projects and Avid and Pyro left to go help him. Apo had left to go join her lover. Sausage was never a part of them, never actually wanted to be. He left immediately and out of the blue. Scott was glad for that. Now it just left him with Shelby and Drift.
Scott was staring at the long table. A couple of weeks ago every single chair was full. Now they were empty and dust was steadily growing on most.
Scott has never felt this way before. It felt like he was being held down by dirt and packed into a hole with a shovel. He felt heavy. Tired. He felt like he was mourning something but what?
His ears picked up the sound of footsteps coming from the yard with giggling accompanying it. Shelby and Drift.
The two girls walk into the room. They looked happy. That was good. His manipulations seemed to have worked at least. They are content with the narrative he created and don't seem like they want to rewrite everything.
“How are you doing Scott?” Drift asks.
They neared the table the Scott was sitting at, head in hands.
Scott lifted his head and did his best to smooth out his hair. Lately he hasn't felt the need to perfect it. That was odd. He hasn't done that in hundreds of years.
“I’m fine little bats. How has your project been going along? Made any progress on that book of yours?” Scott tried not to wince at his own voice. It was rough and jagged. His voice didn't even sound that bad after his forced nap.
“Scott, are you okay? You don't look very good,” Shelby asked with concern.
Scott shrugged it off with a scoff. “I always look good.”
Shelby crossed her arms with silent judgement. “When was the last time that you had rested?”
Drift looked between Shelby and Scott.
Scott slowly stood up from his chair waving Shelby off. “Vampires don't need sleep, you know this.”
“I didn't mean sleep. When was the last time you had laid down and took time for yourself? You've been running around helping Owen rebuild while giving Pyro interview after interview. You've been proof reading my essays and running through evidence with Drift. When was the last time you laid back, got into something more comfy, and actually rested?”
“Oh please Shelby, I know my limits and I have not begun to reach them. I am near tiring of this conversation. If you need me for anything of importance I will be out gathering resources for Oakhurst.”
Scott began to make his way to the entrance. What had he been thinking? Sitting there and-and sulking out in the open? That was not like him. No, he cannot allow weakness to show again. Not… not in front of them.
Shelby shifted into a bat and raced to the front door to get there before Scott. There the swarm of bats merged into her full being.
Shelby was glaring at him. “Anything you're going to do today can wait for tomorrow or so help me I will drag you to your coffin and lock you in there. You, Me, Drift. We’re going to go put some pajamas on, grab a couple of bottles of blood, then have a sleepover. I will not be taking no for an answer.”
Drift saluted Shelby. “Yes ma’am.” Then she shuffled out of the room to presumably follow Shelby’s orders.
Scott wanted to scoff at Shelby's audacity. Who did she think she was bossing Scott around like he was a young fledgling? But… He couldn't deny the thought that getting out of his clothes and into something softer was definitely appealing. Being in the same room as a part of his coven was even more so.
Scott sighed. “If I do this will you leave me alone the rest of this week?”
“Deal!” Shelby smiled.
It was almost as if she wasn't trying to threaten him a moment ago.
Scott and Shelby walked to the crypt and separated to go to their own rooms. Scott spent a few minutes looking through his wardrobe for something suitable to wear. He didn't own much in the way of sleepwear. He didn't need to sleep and never much liked the look of them so he stayed clear.
There were older clothes stuck in the back. An old shirt and loose fitting pants. Scott wouldn't be caught dead wearing something so minimal but it did look comfortable.
It took a moment to get out of his day clothes with all the accessories he enjoys wearing. He folded them neatly and set them aside to be cleaned later on. He threw the pants and shirt on. It was… extremely comfortable. He took his hand and eased the gel out of his hair. It never looked good if he lounged with gel in his hair. He even slipped on slippers instead of his usual boots. He really was going all out.
Scott knocked on Shelby's door and walked in.
The place was as vibrant as ever with the tapestries covering the stone walls and a fluffy rug that was rolled out onto the wooden floors.
Scott eyes the empty bedframe. The mattress was dragged to the floor with all of its sheets, blanket, and pillows. Shelby had quite a few that she had made herself. They were arranged on the mattress in a circle. Kind of like a nest. Shelby and Drift were already inside of it. Bottles of blood were placed safely outside of the pillow circle.
Shelby brightened at the sight of him. “You look so cozy Scott! Come on, come on!”
Scott allowed himself to take a step into the circle and get comfortable.
They exchanged stories and gossip. Scott had plenty due to the countless scandals he himself had been in and the many he had watched from afar.
“She wouldn't have!” Drift gasped.
“Oh, yes.” Scott smiled mischievously. “She poisoned her arranged husband's goblet of wine that night. Everyone knew it was her but they ended up blaming it on the servant.”
Shelby shook her head as she sipped on her bottle of blood. “The poor servant.”
Scott bit his tongue. All servants were poor. That was why they were servants.
No sleeping was actually done. It was still nice to lounge and not have to worry about creasing his clothes. It was nice to just converse with no ulterior motive. It was just nice to be with his family even if it was just for the day.
When the moon rises they will set out and do their own things and Scott was fine with that.
It might take decades for this fuzzy warm feeling to leave his heart.
Shelby leaned over and gave him a hug. Drift excitedly popped up from her seat and tackled Scott. They laid in a pile of soft laughter.
Shelby rolled off of him first and laid with her elbows propping herself up. “Its nice to be a family. I would have never been able to do this with my old one.”
“Me neither!” Drift easily agreed. Her smile reached her ears.
“Yeah,” Scott smiled fondly at his coven. “It really is.”