Escape is Not An Option

Date unspecified....

The tour so far had been a success. Not a rousing success, but made more money than it cost to transport the band from spot to spot. Memphis had been a trial, and Nashville got bad reviews, but so far, Texas had been a godsend. Mason thought to himself, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Galveston... so far so good. I'll get Caroline from the airport, and we can go straight to the show.

The show in Houston was a special booking; the entire club bought out by some rich, eccentric Elvis fan. Dollar signs danced in Mason's eyes as he pulled into the parking deck at the airport and headed to baggage claim to claim his bride. With enough money, sell the house, and convince Caroline he knew what was best for her, they could 'travel' for Christmas, and never set foot in the madhouse Natchez had become again.

A flight was always a pain in the butt. Caroline was allowed to travel with Maggie under the seat, but the poor dog just hated it. She was fully capable of dealing with the headaches that came from being deaf in the normal world by now. She was glad, though, that there was a direct flight to Houston -- dealing with connections was quite honestly one of those things she hated doing. She couldn't hear if they changed the gate.

Baggage claim was a piece of cake, though -- all she had was a carry-on bag and a purse. She walked through the area and picked a spot, holding tightly to her phone. She wasn't sure if he'd come inside or just text her. She looked for all the world like a calm, cool traveler even though she was uneasily scanning the passers-by.

Mason spotted Caroline coming down the gangway and yelled out before he could stop himself. "Caroline! Darlin' you are a sight for sore eyes!" He started jumping and waving his arms, ignoring the looks from the other passengers and the folks who'd come to pick them up. He ran and swept her up in his arms, swinging her around in dizzy circles, kissing her as her feet cartwheeled around the circle they were making in the crowd. He set her down, and hugged her tight to his chest, kissing her, his relief that no ghasts or ghouls from haunted Natchez, like her suddenly creepy cousin, had made the trip as well. "Welcome to Houston, darlin'. Your car awaits, Ms. Thibideaux."

Caroline was laughing as she spotted him acting like a fool in the middle of everything. When he swept her off her feet, her arms wrapped around him tightly. "Mason, you're a crazy man," she told him, thoroughly amused though she was blushing at the looks they were getting. "I'm lookin' forward to seein' the group perform. Is it goin' well?" she asked, her eyes seeking his face as they walked. It was a little complicated to walk and talk at the same time, but she could manage.

Mason kept his face turned to hers as he took the carryon, and wrapped her arm around his, walking to the car. "Well, Elvis country not so much; Tennessee and Mississippi are full of angry purists. Texans seem to like a little fun, though. Got a full house tonight. You want Italian or Tex-Mex for dinner? I figure we'll just pitch the bags in the trunk, and go to the show right after dinner. The band never, ever shows up on time. Always after dark before they make it to the venue... but I guess you know all about that, don't ya?" Realizing his tone was getting bitter, he stopped and smiled at her. "We're out of that, 'cept for turns out musicians are a little crazy, like usual. I got us the bridal suite at the Carlton Cattleman's in the center of downtown, for tonight. Jacuzzi in each bathroom, and three beds we can test for comfort!"

She followed his words easily enough. The bitterness wasn't lost on her in spite of not being able to actually hear it. It reflected in his eyes as well, and she could see the moment he realized it. Caroline's arm around his waist tightened and she kept pace with him easily. "The Carlton. Good Lord, Mason, there was no need to go all-out for that," she objected mildly. She'd always wondered if her money was an issue between them, and it was a fine line to walk. "I'd have been just as thrilled at the Holiday Inn or somethin', sugar." Three beds in a bridal suite? What were those hotel people thinkin'??

As they got in the car, Mason leaned over and kissed her deeply as he turned the key. "You still didn't answer. What's for dinner? The world is your oyster tonight, but... let's not have oysters. Still don't trust seafood outta the Gulf." He drove along, heading towards downtown and the ritzier restaurants.

Caroline kissed him heatedly, and then she laughed. "Tex-Mex, then. It's always better out here, or so I'm told. Either that, or a steak. I could go for either, sugar." She settled into the seat and looked around at the scenery, glancing at him occasionally as they drove. "It's not quite as flat as I was expecting," she admitted.

At dinner, Mason reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. "I know you've already accepted the ring, but I wanted to know if you'd accept this." He pulled open the box with a house key on a velvet pillow. "Not much, but it will allow you to sneak in and have dinner ready when I get home, those sort of things I know you like to do."

Caroline's relaxed -- a little more mellow even than usual after being cajoled into a strawberry margarita. It was good! -- and she looks startled at the box. And then at its contents. "Well, sugar, not that I mind a key to your place and all, but... maybe we should just consider moving in together now and gettin' it over with," she says on a grin, reaching out to take the key. "Long as you don't think you're keepin' the little woman barefoot and pregnant and in the kitchen cookin' you dinner and all." Her tone is teasing.

"Nah, darlin', you should always wear house slippers. Don't want you gettin' pnuemonia." He half stood, leaning across the table to kiss her. "It's like a weight is lifted, being away from those creepy things. Caroline... can we never go back? I'll sell the house, you sell the brownstone, we'll follow the Elvi across the country and the ones who aren't dead can come visit us, in LA, or New York... anywhere they ain't?"

Propping her elbows on the table, Caroline returns the kiss softly and when he asks, she studies him quietly. "I'm not going to lie to you, Mason. The thought's crossed my mind. But .... here's the thing. Evangaline said something the night that it all started. And I've been thinkin' it through for a time now. She said she'd been waiting for someone of my bloodline." She pauses. "I'm not convinced she'd just let me go. Are you?"

Mason sat down, and ruffled his napkin. "Guess you're right. So, let's finish up here and get to the show. Big money, want to make sure the sound check goes well."

Without being able to hear his tone, Caroline was unsure of exactly how to take that acquiescence. It's one of the few major impacts that being deaf has -- we use tone and facial expression so much and she can't use that cue. Instead she studies his expression, studiously bland as it is at this moment, for clues. How serious was he? Was he floating the idea just for conversation, or ....? Given his feelings, she had to take him seriously. "If you think we can get out, Mason, I'll go," she told him quietly. "But not if they'll kill you to make me stay."

Mason was quiet for the rest of dinner, and seemed solemn on the way to the theatre where the show would be that night. The sound check went fine, the stage was set... as he became absorbed in the job, setting the instruments up, checking sound, he brightened, and would often sneak a kiss from Caroline. Hours passed, and the band finally showed. The front of house was starting to fill, and a sense of fun and excitement started to fill the air. Peeking through the curtains, Mason surveyed the crowd, and brought Caroline over for a peek. "Hipster douchebags, got to love 'em. That's our bread and butter darlin'!"

The crowd outside were all well dressed, mostly younger, some older business types. All of them seemed overdressed for an Elvi concert, and they were all pale and looked well heeled, and well cared for. The conversation was subdued in the crowd, and none of them seemed to be drinking.

Caroline studied the crowd and in spite of the warmth of the evening a chill snaked up her spine. Focusing her eyes on two well-dressed pale types, she ‘eavesropped’ shamelessly. They were talking about a “surprise” that the boss has waiting and how they were looking forward to the “real” show starting after the clowns were on stage.

She grabbed Mason's arm and pulled him to one side, drawing him close for a kiss and what looked to anyone else backstage to be an affectionate nuzzle. In reality, it was a very very soft set of words in his ear. "It's a court gathering out there or something. Is this a private party, Mason?" Caroline drew back to look up at him worriedly.

As Felvi took center stage, with blond Elvis on one side, real fat Elvis on the other, Mason started nudging Caroline off stage right, towards the stairs and down into the crowd. "Yep, some rich Elvis fan wanted a private show for his hipster buddies. Garaunteed sell-out crowd, and looks like he came through. I think that's the direction we need to go with this band. Special events band."

Caroline smacks his shoulder and makes him look at her. "Did you hear me? Court gathering, Mason. I'm damn certain that almost everyone in the front two rows was vamp," she hissed. "And they're talkin' about how the real show's going to get started when the boss gets here!"

As Mason pulled Caroline along with him into the audience, several of the taller, more professional-looking audience members started moving around the sides of the stage. The curtains opened, and the Elvi started the set. "Blue Suede Shoes" rang out in the hall as a very serious looking man in a tuxedo entered the room and strode purposefully towards the sound system.

"Court? Yeah, they look like lawyers... VAMPS? What the... why the…” Mason looked more than a little stunned, stammering, “Dial 911, I’m gettin' us the hell out of here!"

Caroline found herself being tugged along, and she definitely had no desire to be caught in the middle of this. She pointed toward the back of backstage -- there was a fire door back there that might allow them an out. Because something was telling her that they did NOT want to be here for whatever the fun was going to be. Her heart was pounding really hard in her chest and Caroline's ears were buzzing. Which.... brought her up a bit short, making her stumble as he hustled her along with a confused expression. Her ... ears were buzzing? She lifted a hand to one of them experimentally, tugging on it a bit, uncertain that she wasn't just .... well 'hearing things.'

The backstage door opened with a crash, rough looking cowboys blocking the door, red eyes glaring and extending long claws from their fingers. The tuxedoed man pulled the sound on the band, and switched audio to the sound board. Picking up a mic, he announced, "I declare a blood hunt, for diablori, on these Malkavians. Because of the chance of obsfucation, I waive the right to lead. My children, destroy them."

The crowd of some hundred or so vampires, and the apparently very obedient ghouls in the several hundred rushed the stage. Fat Elvis bit one of the muscular vampires with the extended claws, blood rushing into him as the monster ripped with both hands, great swaths of flesh ripping off in all directions. Felvis leapt from the stage, and clawed at the well-dressed crowd that kept her from reaching the man in the tuxedo. "Death to all critics! You never gave my movies a chance!" she cried, as she was swallowed up in a sea of limbs.

Blond Elvis disappeared, as the space where he had been standing was encircled with bright eyed vampires, all holding wooden stakes and stabbing into empty air. A few seconds later, he reappeared, lying on the ground, stone still.

"JESUS!" cried Mason, and pulled his gun, holding Caroline tight to his chest with his free hand.

With no idea exactly what the hell is happening around them, Caroline .... did what any woman worth her salt would do. She stifled the scream she wanted to make against a fist, and the reached up to yank Mason's gun hand down. "Whatevah happens now, don't get in the middle." She shoved him hard against the wall next to the door and quite literally cowered in the curve of his body, her eyes turned back toward the stage in horror. What the hell did they get into??

As the few seconds of furious violence died down to a sedate clean up, the tuxedoed gentleman spoke into the mic. "And so, as will always be, justice is more immortal then the Wyrm. Mr. McAllistar, my apologies, and best wishes from Ms. Beauchamps. When you return to Natchez, a bonus for your efforts will be deposited in your account." From somewhere else, the sound system switched to playing piped-in classical music. "Your discretion is appreciated. Please have the bill for your room forwarded to me. And so, my children, good night."

The crowd moved towards the exits, as large garbage bags were filled with the remains of the Elvi. With polite waves, and a few half-hearted, "Good show, congratulations," in the direction of Caroline and Mason, the vampires and their minions left the club.

"Mary and Joseph, they're everywhere. We ain't never gonna escape, Caroline," Mason said, not looking at her, not realizing she couldn't hear him, certain she felt as defeated and powerless as himself. "It's the end times. I should have paid better attention in vacation bible school."

Blue eyes stared at the group as they .... pick up pieces of the Elvii. She couldn't hear the announcements, didn't see the person talking. All she sees is carnage. And now calm vamps took away body parts. And congratulated them. She got a death grip on his shirt and she looked up at him to whisper, "What the hell just happened?" She looked very pale!

Coming to himself, realizing what they had witnessed, and realizing that Caroline could not have understood any of it, Mason held her tighter, his muscles clenching as he held her, and held his water after all they had witnessed. Turning his head down to hers, he whispered, his lips moving clearly, "You are theirs, and they wanted to show me that. I get to be yours as long as we say thank you and go back to Natchez."

Her skin blanched even paler. The proof that there really was no 'out' was crystal clear. She met his eyes and says softly, "You can still go, Mason." She never loosened her grip on his shirt. "I love you more than life... but if you want out, you need to say it now. I can get you out now. We go any further, and there isn't any out for you either. They were showing you.... what they showed me a couple weeks ago. It's a deadly place to be." Caroline watched him, her eyes sad. "I should never have come home."

Mason stared down into Caroline's eyes, his own as filled with sorrow. "Zadie is one of 'em, and I'm as much hers now as you are Evangaline's. Ain't no 'out' for either of us. Not with what we know, not with where we been, what we seen. The only thing we got, baby, is each other. Ain't nothing else that ain't dead and wrong."

Alone in the empty room, the show truly over, Mason took Caroline's chin in his hand. "Let's go to the hotel. We are alive, baby girl. There ain't nothing we can do but live, and I aim to keep livin' until I can't no more. The one thing we got is the thing they threw away; we can live, we can love. I love you, and it's time. Come on. We're going home."

"I'm so sorry I got you into this mess," Caroline whispered, her head lowering to rest against his chin. She sucked in a deep breath and held on tight, struggling not to cry. When he brought her chin up, she watched his words and she said softly, "You're a crazy man. You're my crazy man, but you're still a crazy man." She sighed softly.

Mason lifted Caroline into his arms, and kicked open the rear stage door, carrying her down the rickety fire escape to the street, and the car below. Outside, it was night. But the room would be well lit, the warmth of her skin was warmer than the air, and in the hotel, they could hold onto each other and to what was sane and real. They could ignore the world outside for the one they could create together behind closed doors, where no horrors invaded.