Putting the medal in my pocket, I'd start having the biggest panic attack as Penny, and I headed into the house. I knew I couldn't just lie in the face of a Don from another family, but I knew I shouldn't have given away my identity like that. I'd been wondering what I would do when Father found out. I started trying to convince myself that maybe I was overreacting. I even went as far as to think I didn't have any other choice. With how the bodyguards looked, perhaps she would've killed me on the spot with magic had she thought I lied to her.
"Alex? Are you alright?" Shaking my head, I finally became aware of my surroundings amid my panic. I was hugged by a tall woman with long dark hair and crystal blue eyes, the same as mine. A wide smile was present on her face, and it was as warm as a campfire in a cave.
"J-Judith," I said, backing away out of surprise. "I'm sorry, Elder sister. I didn't mean to bump into you." Judith crossed her arms, and her smile turned into a frown. "Come now, Alex, you know to call me Jude. Like you've always done."
"R-Right... Sorry Jude," I said, "I was just lost in thought, that's all." I thought I'd be used to meeting with Father's associates by now. Queen Jeanne must've gotten to me in a way I couldn't figure out. "How're you, big sis?" I asked, dropping the formalities.
"I'm quite alright," Jude said, her radiant smile returning. "You must've bumped into Father's associate Queen Jeanne, no?"
Penny nodded, "She was gorgeous. I thought she would've had her goons give Alex a hard time." That was a plausible assumption to make. Most Dons wouldn't want to waste their time on a soldier like me. Which only made the significance of her interest a little more startling.
"Oh well, I'm sure it was fine," Jude said. She approached me, leaning close to my ear, "How's your little friend?"
"She's fine," I answered, "I'll tell her you send your best." Jude nodded and then turned away, heading for the stairs. "That's good," she said. "Now come. Father awaits."
I never kept Francis a secret from anyone in the family. Those who cared often asked about her well-being and wished her good health. Those who didn't ask about her. Being a Bastard has some perks, I guess. Following Jude up the stairs from the foyer, We'd come to the second floor, walking down three doors to the left. At the end of the hall was my Father's office. Before Jude knocked on the door, it opened. Out came a man who was Jude's height. His stark white suit jacket contrasted with the black collared shirt. He looked like one of those statues from the old country and was even pale to boot, and though he had my elder sister's face, he was her polar opposite.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his watch and opened it. "You're almost late, brother," he said as he narrowed his eyes. "You must be punctual to any meeting you are called to."
"Yes, Julius," I answered while nearly coming to attention. Even though he had Mother's silver hair, he certainly had our Father's eyes. While he wasn't freezing, they could freeze you in place on command. Julius, my elder brother, commanded such respect. Seeing that I absorbed his small lesson, he stepped aside for me. From where I stood, I could see a dark figure standing near the far wall with smoke rising to the ceiling. The man's long hair draped over his shoulders like a scarf, and his broad shoulders nearly seemed too wide to fit into his suit.
I reached the doorway, where I'd turned back to look at my siblings again. They all wished me good luck, then shut the door. From the other side of the room, I heard my Father take a long huff of his cigar, then saw the thick cloud of smoke as he exhaled it. Turning around, he faced me, his crimson eyes piercing deep into my soul.
"Alexander... My youngest son," he said as he held his hand out to the chair before his desk. "Sit." The word that seemed like an invitation felt like a command from someone of a higher power. I sat, being careful not to take my eyes off my Father. He'd also sit down, waving his hand as a signal. From the left side, a maid approached the desk. A curly redhead with lots of freckles. She seemed a bit too pretty to be some rich guy's Maid. Father pulled out a knife from his pocket, then pulled two small glasses from a drawer from his desk. Placing the glasses on the table, he used the knife to slit the girl's wrist, allowing the blood to pour into both cups.
"Alright... Go get some medical attention," he growled as he pushed my cup toward me. The Maid did as she was told without so much as a word. The strange behavior she exhibited possibly was Mother's handiwork.
"First, I'd like to congratulate you on your good work," Father said, his lips forming a smile. "If I had known you'd be that effective, I'd have sent you on better jobs much sooner."
"It was either that or be fed to the dogs. I remember you saying," I said, remembering the last time I was in this room. "After all, the family can't afford to look bad now."
"Come now, Alexander, that was the past. We must put that thinking behind us. The Queen was very pleased with your work." Father's gaze darted to the drink I hadn't touched on the table. The blood of people I didn't know wasn't tasty, and I'd already drunk my fill for the night. But to refuse a gift, especially from the boss, was a higher disrespect than spitting on his nice shoes. So I picked up the glass and drank its contents.
"Now... I wished all I had called you here for today to chat about your accomplishments," Father said, "But I have been approached twice now about this subject." As he spoke, Father withdrew two files from his desk. Both had names associated with each other, along with a picture. There were two women. One with short blonde hair and emerald eyes, almost identical to the Queen. The other was Asian, Japanese specifically, given the more elongated, oval-shaped face.
"Due to the success of your job and now our allies have become aware of you, it's time you fulfill your role as a son in this family." Father put out his cigar after taking one last puff, then took out another and cut the tip. "While they don't know you are my illegitimate son, I can not afford to have them find that out." Putting the cigar to his mouth, Father had his fingers at the end of it, a spark of black flames flickering a few times before the flame lit the cigar. Taking another puff, he blew another cloud of smoke and then tapped on the file of the Japanese woman.
"To strengthen our relations between the Isoarashi-gumi and the Rotterdam family, I will have you and your brother marry these women. This part is non-negotiable."
Hearing this caused me to act like an idiot. I sat in my seat, placing the glass back on Father's desk. My brow furrowed, and I could feel a vein readying to burst on my forehead. That was a big mistake. Not only had I shown my annoyance, but I did so in the face of an order. I expected Father to come from around the desk and yank me by the collar. But when he didn't, I began to have new worries.
"I'm sure you're worried about the little Shaman girl you've got living with you at that boarding house," Father said before taking another puff. "If you aren't going to live at the Estate, then you should know I'll always be watching you."
Of course, he had Dogland staked out. That meant he likely knew about Becca and the others. As that frightening nugget of information settled in my mind, something bigger loomed. If he knew about them and hadn't done anything, then that was arguably worse than him spying around.
Father sat back in his seat, his smile widening as if he'd caught a mouse in a trap. "There are only two women in that house. One is the Negro girl that snuck her way in here last night. The other rarely leaves. She mainly goes around dressed as a young man. Smart considering how dangerous this city is. But, normally, one wouldn't go out like that unless they could handle themselves should they be discovered."
I could feel my heartbeat race as my Father began piecing things together. I wanted to leave. I felt as though the room's atmosphere was constricting the air in my lungs.
"Then there was the Barkley job," Father continued, "a rune was found in little Mikey's hand. Queen Jeanne had her Shamans examine it, and they said they'd never seen a rune crafted so expertly. So, with that information, I did some digging."
I wanted to cut Father off before he could finish that thought. I tried to tell him no and refused to do any of this. But then I'd be getting in the way of the family business. I knew what Father did to those who crossed that line. Hell, I'd even handled it for him on certain occasions. I tried calming down, even sitting back in my chair to try and play it cool. But it was too late. I was an open book.
"I'm going to be honest with you," Father said, "My original intention with you marrying another was to drag you back to the estate. Your great-grandfather forever stained the honor of the Murcielago name by having relations with a Non-Paradigm. But in your case, the circumstances are rather special."
As Father mentioned his grandfather, I could hear the disdain in his voice. Great-Grandfather Issac was the reason for Father's clandestine quest to regain the family's honor. Issac was executed for getting a human pregnant without blooding her. The baby didn't survive, which was a separate but predictable tragedy. Mythics couldn't reproduce with humans. Our magic is too much for a new human life to take in. It's the reason one must blood a human if they plan on having children.
Growing impatient with Father's theatrics, I leaned forward again. "What's this have to do with Francis," I said, forgoing any notion to dance around the topic.
Father's smile finally faded. He turned to the left, putting his cigar out, and sighed. "As much as I wish for Beatrix to stay out of the business, I was surprised when she suggested something for your benefit."
At this point, I wasn't sure how much more insane this night was about to get. First, my Father wants to parade me around like his golden son, and now my evil stepmother cares about me. "What did she suggest?" I asked, attempting to humor this insanity.
"She said it'd be beneficial to keep such a skilled Shaman in our employ," Father explained. "Not many other families have access to Weird Magic, and even then, the skill is intermediate at best. Since your engagement is entirely political, a case could be made for you to have a concubine."
I bit my lip, desperately fighting back the urge to shout. It was one thing for the family to see me as a helpful tool, but Francis was another matter entirely.
"Look, son... I'm making you an offer that's too good to refuse. Last night, I met with Isoarashi-gumi's boss, Isoarashi Yasuo. He is the elder brother of your bride, Isoarashi Yayoi. They both are willing to overlook the Shaman, even welcoming her as a concubine so long as she knows her place. Agree, and I won't be forced to do my least favorite thing."
My Father was many things, but being a good person wasn't one. I knew I could count on him to stay true to his word in both circumstances. I began to think of Francis. I felt that if I agreed, she wouldn't take so kindly to this. Maybe she would leave thinking I was just like my Father, putting family before what we had. Then there was the thought of her being a pawn in my Father's schemes. She'd be put in harm's way. But I knew I couldn't refuse. I knew the alternative.
"Tell me about Ms. Isoarashi then," I said as I resigned myself to the consequences of shaking hands with the devil.
Father's smile returned, and then he opened the file. "Isoarashi Yayoi, better known as the March Storm. When the previous Isoarashi head died in an assassination, she and her brother took over. Many describe her as being on the more cutthroat side. Often opting to be her brother's enforcer. She also has a secret I'll reveal to you now."
A secret of the Isoarashi? They were rarely the type to allow such things to fall through the cracks. Or it wasn't an Isoarashi secret.
"Paradigms possess four distinct kinds of magic," Father stated. "Shadow, Madness, Curse, and Void, each of which a Paradigm normally has access to one in particular." As he came to the word "usually, " Father lingered on it as his narrowed gaze was fixated on me.
"However, as Pandora, the sorceress that created our kind by unleashing her unspeakable evils upon the Earth, she allowed one more magic to persist. Those who have it have what's called the Sin Factor." Father opened the folders of both women. I'd expected the files to contain information about them. However, there was something extra. A special symbol drawn on a blank page was the first page on each, and they were distinct.
"Those who possess the Sin Factor," Father continued, "Suffer from symptoms of Sanguine-Psychosis in exchange for their immense power. Although they do not lose their sanity like the detestable Vampyres, they can not live as long without it. But they are, without a doubt, the strongest Black magic wielders on the planet. Comparable to even the Archangel Acolytes and the Shaman Matriarchs."
While these Sin Factor guys were undoubtedly news to me, the Archangels were the stuff of legends. If you ask a John Doe Paradigm off the street about them, they will try to run away. As for the Matriarchs, I've heard Francis talk about them. You'd think she'd found God or something from how she spoke.
"I take it that these two are one of those Sin factors, then?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.
Father nodded, then closed the file. "Yes... and Yayoi will be your blushing bride. I'd figure her over, Lenore, since the two of you are effective killers. I'm sure the new upstart Capo of the Murcielago can handle the March Storm of Wrath."
I'd have been flattered if he hadn't slipped that last bit of information in there. "Wait? A Capo?"
Father leaned back in his chair, and a sly smile tugged his lips. "Yes... Since you earned the attention of the Queen of Pride, Jeanne Rotterdam herself. It's only natural you're rewarded."