The Internship (Lucius)

[jared]

It was his first week of work as an intern at Zane Corp. He'd begun work as a back up receptionist at the lobby desk and had found that not too much of a challenge given that he was working so late in the day. The only highlight of that experience had been catching a glimpse of his boss, the one and only Lucius Erif, as the man crossed the lobby that night off to some glamorous event or another. The man was stunning, even better looking than his pictures. It had been difficult for Jarrett to take his eyes off the man, only propriety had forced him to finally glance away when the phone rang.

When he looked up again he'd only seen the man's back as he slipped into the car out front. His shift had ended before he'd come back and Jarrett went home surprised at how disappointed he was at not having seen the man again. There was something about him that Jarrett couldn't put a finger on. He chalked it up to the fact that he hadn't met many billionaires or gazillionaires or whatever Mister Erif was in his lifetime. He smiled at the memory though. He didn't know if he'd ever see the man again but he was hopeful. Not that he expected anything out of it, he'd just felt drawn to the man for whatever reason.

The next few afternoons and evenings were spent moving from one section of the building to another as he was tested in different areas to see where he might fit best. He'd spent a shift watching the evening news being taped and everything that went into that. It was enjoyable and had him considering broadcasting for all of ten minutes. When he'd mentioned to someone that he was interested in history, he'd been sent down to the dungeons to work on cataloging some of the archival manuscripts. Of all the things he'd done so far, he found it the most interesting. And when he'd done well his first night, even working over by a few hours to get some of the backlog caught up he was asked to return to the task the following night.

And to come in at sundown.

Jarrett found that request odd, but he complied. He liked the work here and after all Zane Corp had done for him, was doing for him, with his education it was the least he could do. He'd have enough for tuition and books and room and board and in exchange he was interning here to pay back some of that aide. Someone here had even pulled a few strings and gotten him accepted into the city's university for the current semester. He hadn't had the opportunity to pick his classes, but he was in school, and when he told his parents they would be pleased no doubt to hear that he wasn't throwing his life away on parties and jet setting.

His paycheck would be his education, his food, his home. It was a fair trade, besides when the occasional modeling job came up he'd been told that wouldn't be a problem. It was a winning situation for him, to say the least. More than that he had no idea how close he was to his latest and most personal goal. He had no idea that Lucius Erif was a Vampire, and a very powerful one to boot. He was listing one of the dust covered volumes, it was in an ancient language but based on his knowledge of Latin he could guess at its subject.

Of course the pictures helped. One of the pages had a handsome man depicted, a man with fangs. Jarrett hadn't realized he was staring down at it until he heard the voice. It was male, clear, confident. He lifted his chin and offered with a smile, "Hello sir. My name is Jarrett Beaumont. I've just started here this week." He felt bad about being caught reading, but it was interesting, besides he'd been told that knowing something of the books he was helping to organize would be beneficial, "This volume is particularly engrossing. I apologize, for not hearing you come in. I hope you haven't been waiting too long."

[lucius]

It was not unusual for ZaneCorp to sponsor promising young scholars and future leaders in their studies, in exchange for some work. It helped ensure two things primarily. The first was that ZaneCorp remained in a positive light to the public as a community-helping entity. The second was so that the media and telecommunications company could ensure that it kept a tap on some of the brightest young people in the city in order to perhaps employ them later on. Lucius Erif demanded the best when it come to his business, so they sought to train and employ the best.

One new student in particular stood out as the photographically-memorizing mind of the vampire elder who ran ZaneCorp perused the files of the latest batch of interns. He decided he would keep tabs on this promising young men, Beaumont, and watch his progress. Perhaps he was the prize student that the company needed for future employment. After a few days, Lucius decided to meet the promising young man, finding out where he was stationed. Archives. Perfect.

The vaults below the skyscraper held rooms and rooms full of documents, books, pieces of art, ancient artifacts, mystical items, weapons, and scores of other objects that Lucius had acquired over the past two thousand years. An avid art collector and scholar, he actively sought out whatever he could to store in the dungeons beneath his home for safekeeping. The security around the vaults was obnoxiously high, transforming it into one of the most secure places in the city. Thus, sometimes when others wanted to protect something valuable, they would come to him for safekeeping for a little while.

Making his way to the vaults, Lucius Erif darkened the doorway of a cataloguing room, his blue eyes falling on the boy as he poured over one of the many ancient books in the collection. Lucius had read and memorized them all, and his eyes quickly recognized the book that Jarrett now perused. It was a history book, written in Latin of course, about a coven that Lucius was a large part of in Rome some one thousand years ago, under the papacy of sorcerer Sylvester the Second. The vampire elder was mildly amused by the fact that the picture the boy looked had held quite a resemblance to Lucius with longer hair.

"Oh, no need to apologize. I like a love of learning in people. It's a good character trait," said Lucius, stepping out of the shadow he stood in and standing before Jarrett, a pleasant smile on his face. He extended a hand towards the intern. "I am Lucius Erif. It is a pleasure to meet one of our most promising interns, Mr. Beaumont."

[jared]

He was well aware of where he was. The opportunity being presented to him by one of the world's leading companies was one not to be passed up, or so he'd been told a few weeks before. The meeting had happened late one night after the second night time fashion show he'd walked for had ended. He'd been backstage, getting out of his designer duds when he'd been approached by an elderly man. The man's hand had felt like parchment and the touch had been enough to make him truly wish that he'd never grow old. That man had made him an offer, given him a business card.

One with the name of an employee of Zane Corp. He knew who owned the corporation and probably several others as well that Jarrett wasn't aware of. He'd seen the elusive Mister Erif at the first fashion show, almost tripped at the end of the runway because of the way the man's eyes had seemed to look right through him at the time. While he didn't think he'd fallen in love in that moment, he'd sure been captivated by what he saw. He'd first noticed the man a few years back.

He'd been sitting on the couch in his parent's living room fresh from basketball practice. He'd been reclining there with the basketball propped up on his knee as he watched one of those shows that depicted the life and times of the world's elite. Funny, the man didn't seem much older now, if at all. Funnier still that Jarrett still hadn't made the connection in his mind yet as to why something like that might be possible. And when he looked up from the page in the book, the ancient portrait staring him right in the face, he didn't make that connection either. Not immediately, anyway. Nor would he until after this moment had passed.

He was still finding himself affected by the man in front of him, it was strange almost like his life had brought him here to this place to this point in time. Just to spend hour after hour archiving old books. Books containing the reoccurring portraits of a very handsome man. It was to Lucius credit that he had managed to alter his appearance each time so as not to be immediately recognizable. The men in the books could be his ancestors for all that anyone looking at them knew. He reminded himself that he had yet to speak again, "Thank you for not firing me, sir. Its just that these manuscripts, these works of art, they're fascinating. To read about the lives within them...I could spend hours doing so but it would only feel like minutes." He smiled, enjoying the older man's company, "Don't worry, I'll work later so that I still get everything done."

The man offered his hand and Jarrett gladly accepted it into his own. He didn't notice anything odd about the skin or its temperature, in fact if felt really good, "Pleasure to meet you as well. I'm honored to meet you. I hope I won't let you down." He blushed slightly, his cheeks darkening with the increased flow of blood, his own innocence coming to the fore, "I am glad to have the opportunity to thank you face to face for all your company is doing for me." He indicated the books, the artifacts surrounding him and smiled, "Its like the best of both worlds. I'm going to get to go to school and still experience all of this."

[lucius]

As Lucius shook the hand of the younger man, his empathetic skills pulled whatever feelings they good from Jarrett. It was something that Lucius did regularly when trying to get a read on people, just to set facts straight. From what Lucius could tell, the boy was sincere in what he said and truly was grateful. There was something more there, too, but Lucius decided not to pursue it. Not now, anyways.

Already in just so short a time, combined with his other knowledge of the intern, he had decided that Jarrett was probably the most promising student to come across ZanCorp's radar in some time. His intelligence and aptitude appeared to be unmatched by others, and his enthusiasm was just as strong. Combined with his good looks and modeling career, he was set to succeed in life and go far, Lucius was sure. Now, he would go far with the backing, and indebtedness, of ZaneCorp. It was a highly mutually beneficial relationship; the boy got what was practically a free ride through the next few years of his life, and Lucius had the opportunity to cultivate a great mind and, depending on things went, a potential protege one day.

The blue eyes of the vampire elder scanned the room, taking in some of the various things in this particular chamber that Jarrett was archiving for him. Much of it had to do with the history of vampires and some other creatures, a great deal of it in particular with many of the exploits that Lucius himself had been involved in up until the French Revolution, for after that the vampire retreated into his poor private, covert life of pulling strings through his various business fronts rather than playing games directly with the humans or becoming embroiled in the war between the races. "I am glad that you view these manuscripts with such vitality. That is rare in young men your age," said Lucius approvingly. "And I will not discourage it at all. Read and learn all you want; take your time. Savor it."

The blush in the cheek's of the model and intern was noticeable immediately to the ancient vampire, and he resisted an urge to chuckle. No, he just allowed a friendly smile to remain on his handsome face as he gazed at the boy. "I am glad to offer you this opportunity. People of your skill and talent should be cultivated to the best of their ability," said Lucius, smiling again as he took a seat. "I am curious to know more about you, though. Tell me about yourself."

[jared]

In the time of the early Greeks and Roman it was not uncommon for an established man to take on a boy and help shape and guide him toward a more positive future. Other practices were common as well but Jarrett didn't want to focus on those ideas right now, not with the man so close to him. He was having enough trouble concentrating as it was. He'd managed to avoid giving in to lust and other explorations most teenagers gloried at so far. He wanted more from life than that. He wanted to be sure when he gave himself over that it was to someone he truly admired and perhaps even loved. Not that he was necessarily thinking of any of that right now, he told himself quite forcefully. It was hardly respectful of the man with him, after all.

He knew that he would owe Erif and ZaneCorp a lot when he graduated. He'd already decided that he would be willing to work for the man if asked. He would have thought it strange to think such a thing of an eighteen year old college student, but it was something working its way through his mind. Already he wanted to please this man, to do all that he could to not disappoint. He'd read that many powerful men were capable of that, inspiring loyalty from their followers, friends, lovers, countrymen just by their mere presence. He wondered for a moment if this man was someone like Alexander, or one of the great Kings or Pharoahs, if Lucius Erif would have been able to command ten thousand men in a battle like Chaeronea.

Looking at the man he didn't doubt it. It was fun to think in terms of those ancient times, of actually having the chance to speak with someone who may have lived them. Foolish to think something like that was possible, but it was an alluring prospect just the same. He smiled, warm, more relaxed now, "Then I will, sir. I'll read all of them. Though doing so may take me quite a while." He looked around the room. He was aware that this was only one room of many. There were so many amazing things here, he could only imagine what was contained on the other side of these walls, "I don't know if there is enough time for that, but I'll sure do my best."

Jarrett enjoyed the compliment, "Coming from someone like you, someone so incredibly accomplished, that means a great deal." He'd worked hard for all he had learned and accomplished so far, "I'm sure that no matter how hard I've worked, you've worked harder." He watched as the man sat, such perfect grace and poise, something only he could aspire to. The man was curious to know more about him? He was flattered, if not surprised. Still, he enjoyed the attention while he had it, "I grew up in suburbia, the Midwest, nothing like this city. Its all something of a culture shock. But I love it here, I'm happy I came here instead of going to Yale.' He didn't know how much the man really wanted to know about him specifically, so he chose to keep the conversation light, not that he didn't doubt that the man probably knew more about him than he himself did.

"I might never have gotten the chance to read about this man, Cornelianus, back in second century Rome." He reached for the book and opened it to a page he'd read earlier, "Listen to this, And so the young Cornelianus left his post at the Senate and went to battle. Always opposed to tyranny and those who sought to rebel against the ways of the civilized world and the mores of society, young Cornelianus fought valiantly among his fellows. The legions of the esteemed Emperor Severus defeated the traitorous Albinus within the boundaries of Gaul. Because of the sacrifice made by young heroes like the young Senator, the foundations of modern civiliation was saved. Protected for all posterity."

Taking a breath, closing the book and replacing it carefully upon the shelf, Jarrett said, "Imagine, the chance to fight for something you believe in. To become a hero like that. Wars today don't seem so important somehow." He smiled, though it was obvious there was some envy in his eyes for those lost times, "I'm sorry, I just die a little when I think of how much we don't know about the people who have come before us. How much time and history have been lost." He laughed at himself, "I'm a history geek. My mother always said that if the SATs had been on history I would have gotten a perfect score. I think I did alright with those tests, but part of the reason I'm not at Yale is because I think there is more to be learned from life than what can be shown from a standardized test." He backed off emotionally a little, he was getting on his soapbox.

"So, what about you?" he'd felt bad for monopolizing the conversation, not only that but this was a chance to get to know a bit more about the man seated before him, "Did you like school?" Conscious of the fact that he was meant to be working, Jarrett looked down at the book in front of him and sighed. He wanted to read more of it later, but it was rude to not be engaged with the other party when conversing. He may not know everything but he knew that much at least. Besides, he had no idea when, if ever he would get the chance to speak with Erif again.

[lucius]

It was with great amusement and pleasure that Lucius listened to the boy recant his own personal history, all the way back to his earliest years when he was still a mortal. The Battle of Lugundum; the largest internal clash the Romans had ever engaged in, and he had certainly played a part in it. The two days of bloodshed had been quite severe, and resulted in the perceived perishing of Senator Lucius Cornelianus, hero of Rome. Severus and Albinus had both been rather brutish humans, but Albinus considerably moreso than the emperor. Cruel and treacherous, Albinus had been too much of a treacherous man to be allowed to rule Rome, threatening to destabilize the entire empire. Lucius had gladly taken part in his undoing, and almost paid the ultimate price, if not for his sire, Magnus, arriving to change--and greatly extend--the life of the young aristocrat forever.

The vampire elder smiled down at Jarrett, nodding his head. "Yes, Cornelianus did what he had to do defeat a traitor. Men who betray their word and their allies are destined to suffer eternally, and Cornelianus saw to it that such man suffered in such a way," said Lucius. "One reason I preserve all of this down here is to protect it. I hoard art, treasure, artifacts, and books to ensure their protection from the evils of the world for posterity to always cherish and learn from. I am happy to provide you the opportunity to take advantage of this work."

As the boy continued to speak, Lucius continued to grow pleased with him. He, too, thought these standardized tests that had been developed in the 20th century were a silly invention by the humans to measure things. In his centuries of life, he had learned that the measures of men could not be adequately judged by how they performed on paper. That was why, when someone seemed promising, he took a special interest in them and came down to personally investigate and judge things for himself.

"It is good to be focused on history. Too few men realize anything about those who came before them and the lessons they have to offer," said Lucius. Huma history was all a cycle in his eyes, as was the feud between other races. Everything tended to happen just as they did before. Maybe if people were blessed with the type of memory and hindsight he had, things would be a little bit better.

The question of his own schooling caused Lucius to pause momentarily. Despite learning so much on his own, he did attend university's now and again (sometimes just to fill the time), and had earned several advanced degrees. Of course, some of these degrees were far outdated and could not be displayed-- seeing a doctorate from Oxford from the 16th century on his wall would no doubt cause confusion among people. He needed to tread carefully here. "Much of what I know was self taught, but I did tour through several schools to earn my degrees and get education. All the schools I have attended, though, I enjoyed. There is more to learning than just reading things. Discussion, arguing, and the like are to surround learning, and that is what schools offer." Of course, nowadays, Lucius did not bother with such things. He had read already everything most schools taught, and suffered nearly all conversations they had. It generally was not worth his time anymore.

[jared]

Lucius seemed just as interested in history as he was. It emboldened the boy and made him feel more welcomed here. And that he was in the right place for him and making the right choices, for that matter. He smiled, seeing the inner fires that sparked through the man's eyes when he spoke of that long lost Senator. It was not only impressive but if he'd wanted to admit it, Jarrett found the passion very attractive. Yes, he'd decided that Lucius Erif was hot. The heat rose to his cheeks again as he tried to focus once more on anything but his new boss. It wasn't appropriate to think about a boss that way, was it? He didn't think so.

"You speak of Cornelianus as if your were there." Jarrett interjected as the man spoke, "All of the teachers I've had could learn something from you, sir." It was true, with many of the people he'd tried to learn from they sounded as if were merely repeating either their own boring notes or worse those that belonged to someone else. He smiled, listening to the man tell him more of the collection amassed herein. The more he came to know this man the more impressed he was, "Based on what I've seen so far, I'd say you've done a remarkable job of preserving the past. I don't know how I'd ever have the time, but if possible I'd like to see more." In truth he'd like to experience all of it, but he was sure that there were some things down here he wouldn't be allowed to see. He smiled sheepishly, boyishly, "I'd like it more if someone like you helped put things into context."

It was honest, not an assertion based solely on his attraction for the man but a feeling sparked by all of this, all of his experience with this man and his company. He was quite sure Lucius Erif would prove to be the most interesting man he'd ever met, once he got to know him. So far Jarrett was already getting the impression that the man had much more to offer than he knew. He agreed with everything the man was saying so far, that in itself was unusual. Usually he found something to annoy him about most people, not so thus far with this man, "I think its important too, if you don't know the past you are doomed to repeat it, or so they say." It was a cliche, he knew, but more often than not there was wisdom to be found there.

The older man seemed to be taken aback by his question. Jarrett wondered if he'd overstepped some boundary or another. He thought about it and decided that this was probably more like a job interview than a conversation between friends. He really wanted to know more about this man, he was so intriguing, but he would save that curiosity for another time. If his questions made the man uncomfortable that was counter to his reasons for asking them. He would comment on what the man had said though, "I think you've done well for yourself, obviously. Not that you need to hear that from me to know that." He thought for a moment, before adding, "But I don't think you should discount whatever you've learned. Using my own limited experience, I know that I've learned more from life than I have in a classroom."

He thought of something the man had said earlier, something directly tied to the task set for him. He'd change the subject back to something work related, unless the man redirected the topic himself, "You said something before, something about protecting these treasures from the evils in the world. I've heard things, do you think a person needs to be protected from evil too?" Alright so maybe it wasn't entirely work related but it was close. He'd been reading about Vampires here in this room, and he was sure he'd seen them once or twice, but he wasn't sure that he considered them evil. Not all of them anyway. A blanket statement like that would be unfair, just as saying all humans were one way or another would be.

[lucius]

A chuckle escaped from the lips of the vampire elder at the young student/model's comment. If only he knew who Lucius really was, fighting on that ancient battle field so many hundreds of years ago, and plenty more since then. He had dined with Severus, Diocletian, Constantine, Baldwin and Saladin, Charlemagne, Isabella and Ferdinand, Machiavelli and Da Vinci, various Medici lords, Henry V and Henry VIII, the great bard Shakespeare, Wanli and Qianlong, the Tokugawa Lord, Moctezuma, Washington and Jefferson, Voltaire and Talleyrand, Napoleon and Santa Anna, Bismarck and Garibaldi. When great men arose, Lucius had throughout history gone to see first hand if they were always what they were made out to be. Yes, he had been there indeed, and could certainly teach a lot to the poor fools now educating the humans and thus prolonging their worthlessness and ignorance to the greater chain of things. Yes, Lucius Erif had seen an learned much in his life.

His blue gaze focused on Jarrett once more, and the vampire elder nodded his head. "Feel free to come and study whenever you wish or have the time to do so. If you have questions, I am more than happy to help explain things," said Lucius, not so worried about treading carefully. No doubt this boy would stumble across some revelations through his studies. There were also many dangerous, rare, and even legendary artifacts deep within the vaults, stored away safely. Again, though, there was no cause for concern. Either the boy would not recognize something in plain sight, or would just not have the clearance to access certain files and treasuries located in the dungeon floors of ZaneCorp Tower.

Ah, the misleadingly-not-so-old cliche of why it is important to know the history of things. Lucius chuckle again, his gaze shifting around to the manuscripts and some works of art around this particular room. "History will always repeat itself. What happened in the past will happen again in the future. With some knowledge of the past though, we can make historia--an inquiry--into the condition of existence to make the outcomes of things a little bit better each time they happen," said Lucius, running a finger along a dusty book. "Civilizations rise and fall, and they always will. There is no permanence in life. History lets us see this, prepare for this, and learn how to best move on afterwards, and to make the cycles less violent and more productive. We need to know how we got to where we are in order to go further."

Though, Lucius knew some things were permanent, like himself. It was what he worked hard to ensure. He had seen emperors, kings, princes, and presidents come and go; cities and countries rise to greatness and then collapse into ruin. Covens and clans come to dominate an area, only to eventually disintegrate into nothingness. Through it all, he remained. "No, people do not need so much protection from evil. From harm, yes, but every person has some little bit of evil within them. Every person has a line--and a thin one at that--separating within them good and evil. Within the most good of men, there is a shadow of evil. And, even within the most evil of villains, there is a glimmer of good. It is impossible to expel evil," said Lucius, meandering--almost thinking out loud--on a subject he had long thought of, questioning his own existence as either a villain or hero in the dark world that he only helped to darken, seeking advice from the pillars of the Western theologians and philosophers to those exotic ones of the Far East. His gaze refocused once more on Jarrett, realizing her was starting on a tangent, and stopped himself. "People need to be protected from the actions of others at times. Evil, though, is a point of view, changing from each person. The evil do not think themselves to be evil; many think what they do is good, while the so-called good may perceive evil to be whatever is not in line with their thoughts. No, good and evil are inseparable and unstoppable because they are unknowable. I protect these artifacts from the disasters and destructions that the evil actions of men, good and evil, threaten them with."

[jared]

Jarrett smiled, huge, wide, boyish, eager, all of those things as Lucius said he could come here and read whenever he wanted, "Thank you. The house I live in is only a few miles from here, in the garment district. And my college is only just on the other side of the park, but you know that. I'm going to be finding my own place soon, something closer to campus, but I'll try to find something close to here as well so that I can...sorry I lost control of my tongue there for a moment." He smiled and almost winked, it was something his mother used to say when he'd get excited and start running at the mouth. He didn't want to make any assumptions, though things seemed to be going well for him so far, he may not even have a job here next month. There was no real way to know. He knew all too well how things could change.

Even so, the prospect of being able to spend as much time here as he wanted and being able to call on Lucius Erif again was thrilling. He thought his heart was going to pound right out of his chest. He wore that same silly smile as he pretended to work a little while the older man spoke. At the man's commentary on the cycle of repetition in history, Jarret asked, "Do you think its truly possible for anyone to break the cycle? To rise above the petty mistakes of man? Or do you think that such an act is or should be reserved for god, or gods, depending on perspective?" He took a breath and continued, "I'd like to think that such a thing is possible, sir. I find that idea hopeful, though maybe I am just being idealistic." He watched as the handsome man moved about the room. He was captivated by even the small things, the way the elegant finger ran along the leather bound surface of the book, leaving its mark.

"But wouldn't someone need to remain somehow aloof, separated from the very humanity he was trying to protect in order to better know and watch those cycles of violence as they rose and fell?" Jarrett asked as he looked up at the older man. He wasn't trying to sound opinionated, he was just curious about what the man would think. It was rare to find anyone as intelligent as this man, more often than not he was disappointed and bored. Neither of those things had occurred here today. He did want to add, his own voice taking on a tinge of sadness, or maybe it was loneliness, he couldn't say for sure, "It certainly seems a noble cause, an honorable one, but it strikes me as incredibly lonely. For someone to have to do that."

The subject shifted then and Jarrett rode it out, nodding when Lucius began to speak of evil. He listened, still acutely aware of everything the man said and every minute action he made. He'd never felt so attracted to anyone. He liked the way the man's mind worked. He might have been as attracted to the intelligence he was getting a glimpse of as much as anything. Jarret said finally after thinking about what the man said, "I agree that there is good and evil in everyone. I do. I also think that good people can want what others might consider evil. Do you think that is possible, sir? For someone to want something that may be evil and still be good?" He was speaking of himself now, his desire to seek out the Vampires and in turn become one himself, "Or do you think that to embrace evil obliterates the good?"

[lucius]

Breaking the cycle. It was what all the great men had promised to do in the past, in one way or another. Some promised to guide society above the the petty problems and differences and end the cycle that way. Others merely promised to just destroy the other side in order to allow for permanent peace and prosperity from the cycle of things. Lucius had been that ambitious once several hundred years ago, helping lead a coven to near-domination of parts of Europe, the human aristocracies and kings bowing to the vampire lords, only to have it all blow up and come tumbling down in his face. That was the fate of those who tried to alter the cycles of things. Jesus of Nazareth was crucified. Niccolo Machiavelli was branded as a Satan on earth. Caesar, Lincoln, Gandhi all fell to assassins. Despite all their whining and clinging to things, people did not want to really break the cycle. There was comfort in it; they embraced it.

Thus, when Lucius became enlightened of this, he chose to do things differently. The cycle could not be ended, but it could be manipulated and controlled, and he could keep an eye on it to salvage whatever he so chose to salvage. It appeared that the young man now sitting before him seemed to understood how one could do that, too, which surprised Lucius. Such enlightenment was uncommon, especially in those so young. The vampire elder resisted an urge to grin ironically at the mention of God. The creatures of the underworld may have had the powers of gods, but none of them were god, and men certainly did not have anything remotely close to it. "There are those with promise throughout history to rise above the system, yes," said Lucius, considering himself to be one such person. "Such figures are rare, though, and rarely last very long..."

As Jarrett continued, he kept hitting the nail right on the end, impressing Lucius even more as he went on and on. There was promise in this boy. A lot of it, and Lucius resolved that he would need to take a particularly special interest in him. He had the potential to be very valuable to Lucius, even outside of the public works of ZaneCorp and its enterprises. He turned his back to Jarrett to conceal his face, looking down at a small globe in a corner of the room, running his finger along it and spinning it slowly, some dust particles flying from it. "Yes, I suppose they would have to remove themselves somehow from the affairs of things," said Lucius. He indeed had to, cutting all emotional contacts with the feuding races and toying with things from outside of the system. "I am sure that if anyone were in that position, loneliness would not be a big concern for them."

As the question of good and evil continued on, Lucius tilted his head curiously to the side, still not yet facing the intern. He sensed a peculiar feeling coming from the boy; a confused longing of some sort, all wrapped up in the question he posed to Lucius. It was curious. Crossing his hands behind his back, Lucius turned around and faced Jarrett again, casually stepping back in his direction. "Like I said, good and evil are points of view. There is only power and interest. But, could someone who is perceivably good desire something that is perceivably evil? I suppose. But why do they seek it? Most likely for power and interest. It is not evil to pursue one's interests and try to acquire power, for only with power can we truly make choices and live well. Only the powerful have the luxury of doing perceivably good things. If you need to do some evil things along the way, well, so be it," said Lucius.

[jared]

"People like Lincoln, Socrates, Kublai Khan or maybe even someone like Samuel Clemons, who wrote as Mark Twain," Jarrett thought aloud in the wake of such wise words. He was beginning to feel as if he might be able to learn quite a lot from this man. It was rare to find anyone who inspired him and already Lucius had in a very short time. His mind kept searching through what he'd read in the past, "Or Mozart, Michelangelo or even someone one might not immediately think of, someone who made a difference but was doomed to remain faceless to most, someone like the Senator Cornelianus." He thought of the book and then the one before him on the table, the answer staring him in the face, even as the man now standing with him turned his back.

There was something sad about the idea of someone doing something so noble and yet being forced to divide themselves from everything, from everyone. His eyes traveled to Erif's back and he wondered where this feeling was coming from. He looked back down at the book, looking at the man with fangs once again. He had no idea why he wanted that for himself. Well, he did but he wasn't ready to admit it to himself. Not yet. He said, still thinking aloud, "I hope a person like that would have someone there for them, even if they didn't think they needed it."

He began to think more along those lines. As he listened to the words falling upon his ears he focused on the questions posed. Why would someone good seek evil, or perceived evil, as the case may be. Jarrett thought of his life, the past, the present. There was nothing remarkable about him or where he had come from. His parents enjoyed martinis or gin and tonics at the same time every day, no matter where they were. To Jarrett they were simply sleep walking through their lives, not ever really accomplishing anything he viewed as worthwhile.

He could see them getting older, year by year. He could hear their complaints about each moment moving faster than the last. He didn't want that, not for himself. He didn't truly want power either it was more that he wanted more time to learn, to experience things first hand. He wanted to not be forced to watch his body decay each time he passed a mirror. It was one of the reasons he took such good care of himself. He wanted to be ready if the chance ever came to him for something he was only now beginning to take seriously. He had the feeling that there was more truth in this one room than all of Christendom. He placed his fingers upon the page in front of him, lightly, carefully tracing the outline of the drawing there, the man's strong jaw. He answered Lucius question, "Why do they seek it? Maybe they seek the power that only more time can offer."

[lucius]

The boy certainly understood what Lucius was saying; that was quite apparent. It was also quite approvable to the vampire elder. Surprise after surprise came from the intelligence, understanding, and curiosity of the student intern. He chuckled softly. "Sometimes it is easier for someone to accomplish more by remaining faceless. Hiding in plain sight. It allows a certain element of safety and power. Though, if met with an untimely end and the forces of history, as the senator, it can certainly affect how one is remembered," he said. Hardly anyone knew of his past life, but that was a curse of being a vampire. Outside of their little underworld, the exploits of the vampires were generally unknown to the public. It was a price that came with their power and immortality.

"In my experience, everyone has someone they can turn to every now and then," said Lucius. He had several he could turn to in the past. His sire, originally, before the even more ancient vampire vanished. Two or three true loves over the years, all meeting untimely ends while he survived, like he was good at doing. Each loss amplifying a hatred within him that he took decades to settle. "Though, even if they lack people to totally confide in, there is always a way out. Many of these aforementioned men turned to writing or art, or studying and learning what they could about the world. By remaining detached not just from societies but from individuals, they keep themselves totally aloof and safe."

It was connected that, as Lucius stopped dealing directly in covens, he also tended to avoid an seriously entangling relationships. Lovers and friends he had, but he never grew overly connected on emotional grounds. There were some he was pledged to protect and look over, sometimes not even out of self-interest, but none he would ever completely confide in. None could be so trusted as that.

Finally, in response to the question posed by the vampire elder, the young model seemed to hit the nail right on the head. Perfection as immortality. Timelessness. "Right you are. Time. The world's most precious and yet most wasted commodity, more valuable than anything and entirely irreplaceable," even for immortals. Despite having more of it, many immortals tended to waste their time just as much as their mortal counterparts. He gazed around the room again at the books. "Only with time, and a lot of it, could someone ever begin to tap the great knowledge of the past, and pay attention to how things in the world work. But, it is fleeting... So I suggest, Mr. Beaumont, if you learn one overall lesson, it is to cherish and use the time you have while you can."

[jared]

"I can see the merit in that certainly, but somehow I don't think I'd really want to be faceless. I like mine too much," Jarrett joked, though really he'd spent twenty three minutes in front of a mirror before coming to work today to make sure his look was perfect. Just in case he happened to see Lucius Erif in passing again. He'd never imagined that he would be having such a great conversation with the man. The student smiled at the mention of hiding in plain sight. That he definitely understood. He'd been doing that all along. All of his life really or at least the part he could remember since he'd known he was gay.

He wasn't one of those people who thought his life experience had made him that way. He'd been five and playing house with another boy in a sandbox when he'd first realized he was different. Since that time life had been about finding a way to not only blend in but also to be better than everyone else. It was why he'd worked so hard to excel not only in academics but also in the sport of basketball. Of course it helped that he loved the sport.

"In my experience, everyone has someone they can turn to every now and then."

"I hope so because without that life would get lonely," Jarrett mused. He was not really directing his statement toward Lucius now but rather simply making a comment. He thought about his own situation, the fact that he was still a virgin. It had never bothered him before., why was he thinking about it now? Maybe it was being alone in a new city, away from his family and everything he had ever known. It was difficult not to feel lonely. He was doing his best to not let it get to him. He wondered how the people Lucius spoke of had managed.

Some days it was more difficult than others. Today was a good day. He was really enjoying his discussion with his new boss. He was beginning to harbor the hope that the man could become a sort of mentor to him as well. The fact that he was incredible attractive, impeccably dressed and intelligent didn't harm that desire.

"My mother is worried that I already spend too much time reading and studying as it is." Jarrett offered with a shrug. He didn't personally mind. He liked learning as much as anything else he'd ever tried. He grinned then as he admitted, "Its why my parents made me try out for the basketball team when I was a kid." He laughed thinking of a memory, "I'd never played, but I ended up picking it up quickly. Now I love it. My old basketball, the first one I ever got, is the one thing I brought with me from home. Along with my clothes and some music. Oh, and a copy of ULYSSES by James Joyce. I like looking for the puzzles. Its my favorite novel." He was prideful, speaking of the things he loved, talking about making the move, and being on his own.

He was glad he'd done it in spite of almost running out of money a few times in so many weeks. He was going to get paid soon for his latest modeling assignment. That would help. He thought about the last of Lucius' comments, responding thus, "I'm not sure that anyone can ever be completely cut off from the rest of the world around them, or being completely safe. Part of the joy of living, for me anyway, is seeing where the day takes you. You know, what kind of new adventure is in store." Jarrett was young but even though he'd been called an old soul by some, he was still idealistic and naive about the dangers that life could present. Dangers someone like Lucius would know all too well.

"I want to experience as much as I can. For as long as I can," he said finally. It was his main aspiration, his main goal for his own life in a nut shell. Those simple words summed up what he wanted from life, for his life. To live fully. To live well.

[lucius]

Facelessness. Loneliness. It was the curse of the immortals, especially the ones like Lucius, one of the ancients, of which only a handful remained in the world. Of all the damned, they bore the greatest burdens of guiding their race and its leaders to ensure their continued success and safety. For long the majority of the elders tried to keep the race of vampires and their other underworld friends secret from humanity, and tried to keep humanity safe from extinction or dominance by vampire-kind or others. The world was changing, though. It was becoming harder, and those of the underworld more bold and brazen with their actions. Younger vampires felt an urge to be in the spotlight and a lack of unwillingness to keep their kind secret. It led to all sorts of dangers that Lucius tried to keep hidden.

That is why he exercised the power ZaneCorp had the way he did. His control of the media helped downplay anything to reveal issues between the vampires, lycans, and others to the human public. From people like Jarrett, here. Though, the boy showed a certain promise. Potential to one day have all of the details laid before him, and to perhaps even become part of the secret. Lucius felt a need to groom that potential as best as he could.

"Too much time reading and studying? Oh, no, it is only too much time if it is all of your time, and your deep thoughts are not influencing grander actions," said Lucius. He had spent much time studying, reading through entire libraries and almost every decent book written by mankind. Of course, by the modern era, books had become far less interesting or meaningful to the antiquated tastes of the ancient vampire, but he would pick some up now and again anyways, his thirst for knowledge almost as great as his thirsts for blood and the comforting flesh of another at his side. "Athletics are good to be involved in. Training of the body and the mind, competitiveness of spirit. All useful," continued the vampire elder. He himself took often to fencing and swordplay, sometimes shifting to archery, horseback riding, and occasionally some modern sports, but otherwise he was more of a thinker of late, his body not so much requiring the physical activity as it once did when he was younger and mortal. Some more benefits of being of the damned.

The pride that Jarrett took in the things important to him was good. It showed confidence, a trait that Lucius admired, but only if tempered with some humility, of which there was potential in the intern. The idealism and explorative nature that the young model offered were also quite appealing. Naive, though. Lucius had throughout his life explored all of the world, from the tallest mountains to the lowest valleys. It was majestic, adventurous, and wonderful, yes; but laden with all sorts of extraordinary and dark dangers.

Nevertheless, he did enjoy it. He like the beauty of the world, having taken to be an artist for nearly a century once, painting the beauty he saw. "Yes, there is much to be seen around the world, and much to explore. Just be careful in your explorations and pursuit of knowledge. You are likely to calm across terrible, dangerous, frightening things mixed in behind the enjoyable and beautiful ones. Tread carefully, Mr. Beaumont, and I am sure that you will find for yourself a suitable and fulfilling existence," offered Lucius.

[jared]

Jarrett smiled, saying, "That's what I thought, sir." The young man didn't find anything wrong with learning as much as he could. It was nice to hear confirmation of that, to hear the same sort of thought coming from such a prominent man. he did have to ponder the idea of just what Mister Erif meant by grander actions. He wondered what he himself could accomplish as a young man barely reaching adulthood and just out of high school. He would have liked to entertain the line of thought that suggested he might be capable of anything he set his mind to. He would have liked to think that the sky were indeed the limit for him. He wasn't quite that naive. No matter how much he could dream of reaching great heights, he knew his own resources were limited at best. This was especially true for him since he was no longer planning on attending Yale, or at least not anytime soon. With Zane Corp's help he was going to be able to follow a different path.

Jarrett was at the age where he felt it his duty, his job, to learn and study and prepare himself as well as he could for the future, for the rest of his life. He personally loved learning, to learn more. This job, this internship was perfect in that regard. His mother would have complained that he was already spending too much time underground, too much time even in the past few days, away from the sun. She would have been even more worried to learn that her son was here now speaking so casually to a creature she would have most certainly described as a monster. She would have been horrified to know that her precious son wanted to become like him.

Jarrett felt the appraising eyes of the elder upon him as they spoke of athletics and training. More conscious of his own posture, the boy's back straightened slightly. He sat up a little straighter. For whatever reason, he didn't want this man to find any fault with him. He wanted to please him, strangely more than he'd ever wanted to please anyone. He was completely unaware of any supernatural gifts the man may possess and in truth he likely would have been just as eager without the influence of them. Without them, Lucius incredible magnetism and obvious power for example, the outcome would not have been any different. He would have wanted to do well irregardless.

He looked up at Lucius now, thinking about what he'd said, "I'll be careful, sir." Jarrett thought a bit more and continued on, "You speak so incredibly well. It makes me feel as if there is nothing you could not teach me, in time." He paused, not wanting to cross any boundaries or get too personal, thought he wanted Lucius to know how highly he was thought of even in such a short time, "I can only hope that by the time I am your age that I know as much, have experienced as much." He grinned then, still looking up at the man with admiration, though his tone was more playful, "It appears I must get busy, you are only a few years older than I am." He sighed, Lucius was the most handsome and intelligent man he had ever seen, ever met, ever talked to for that matter. If Jarrett wasn't careful he'd be swooning any moment now.