Fantasy 𝕧𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕤

[electric]

It was just past nine o'clock at night on the brisk fall day of Thursday, October 29th. In New York City, the streets were never really quiet, but now that rush hour had passed and commuters had returned to the outer communities they had trekked in from, things were just a tad bit calmer than they had been during the day. Even in the city that never sleeps, things typically felt less chaotic as night set in. Locals would get a bite to eat, run some errands, and get ready for bed. Most locals would, that is. A tiny, tiny, tiny subset of the city thrived when the sun set in ways that simple human night owls couldn't understand. Vampires. There were enough lapis lazuli gemstones by now in most of the clans to allow many of the members to exist in sunlight among the mortals, but even those protected those sacred stones could still appreciate the natural comfort that came with nightfall. Tonight, comfort wasn't on the agenda.

With the passing of Marcos, the Lucinius clan leader, things had been anything but comfortable among the remaining vampires over the past month. The death of a vampire was quite rare, and one as powerful and respected as Marcos made it all the more difficult to fathom. A month had passed since he was laid to rest, and things still hadn't returned to the way they were before his death. Even in the other two clans, something still felt... off. As a new year sets in for the head of the Ventari clan, maybe it will mark the start of a new push forward for all of the vampires.

Our story begins here, at the 2000th birthday celebration for Selene, the head of the Ventari clan. Considering that the Lucinius clan hasn't been seen or heard from in a month, no one expects that they'll show up tonight, but a good surprise only makes a party more exciting, isn't that right?
BurningBridges cure A_Writer Girl2Fine2 starstruck sprouhtt diwa Razvi-sama Unrlstic Pepsionne ​

 

[electric]

"Darling, fetch me my necklace, would you?" Dorothea stood in front of the full length mirror at the back of her closet... a closet large enough to be a studio apartment, at least by New York standards. Jack sat on the couch in the closet, watching in what would appear to be an intent way as Dorothea got dressed. He was already dressed--something that took a fraction of the amount of time it took for Dory to get ready. Having been together for so long, he was used to it by now. Besides, no matter how many times he had seen her body before, it was beautiful enough to look at that it never got old. He wasn't in a rush to get to this party anyway, and she knew that. Jack didn't mind a good party, nor did he mind one hosted by Ventari, but he knew that the Abarra clan would be there. He was certain that one of their members had killed Marcos, and now he was going to be expected to break bread with them? He had promised Dorothea that he would behave, but he knew that all it was going to take was one wrong look from one of those scumbags for him to pounce, and Jack only ever fought with one intention: to kill.

On top of not wanting to see the Abarra clan, going to a party so soon after Marcos' death just felt... wrong. Dorothea rationalized it by insisting that at some point, they had to get back to normal, and that it was important to show their faces to remind the world how resilient their clan was. Marcos was an integral part of the clan, but he was not the clan. They were still strong and superior, even without him. Jack understood that, but ... it still just felt weird and inappropriate. Not even just them attending, but the party happening in itself. It felt like a slap in the face by Ventari, the clan that he felt was supposed to be their ally. How many times had Lucinius acted politely, allowed Abarra to get away with literal murder after the Ventari clan begged them not to respond with equal rashness? How many times had Marcos specifically come to their aid? Helped them? Met them half way? And now, just a month after his death, here was Selene, showering herself with attention? It made Jack sick to his stomach. Again, Dorothea had insisted to him that perhaps it wasn't as personal as they felt it was, and how Selene wasn't the brightest of the bunch anyway. Of course if the roles had been reversed, the Lucinius clan never would have insulted the Ventari clan in such a vile way, but what could they expect from a clan that simply wasn't as elite as theirs?

Jack got up from his seat to retrieve the diamond necklace that rested on the counter top beside him, and he carefully fastened the jewelry around her neck. "You look beautiful as always," he said, kissing her on the neck before pulling away as a smirk formed on his face. "Though, when it takes you half a lifetime to get ready, I suppose that should be a given," he teased.

"It's been a minute since my fans have been graced with my presence," Dory answered, half-teasing herself as she wasn't that full of herself (at least not outwardly). "It would just be cruel to disappoint them by looking anything less than impeccable." She looked herself over for a long moment, before turning away, and heading out of the closet with Jack close behind. Tonight was going to be interesting, but it was going to go well, she thought. It was about time that the other clans were reminded who was on top, and as her first public appearance as 'leader' (unofficial or not), she wanted this to go well. It would be a statement piece. As they made their way downstairs to greet the others, she smiled at the clan members who were already down there and ready. "Everyone looks lovely," she beamed, and it was a genuine compliment because had she felt any differently, she would have demanded that the offending party go change. "Still waiting on a few, but that's okay. The party won't really begin until we get there anyway."

BurningBridges cure Razvi-sama diwa

 

[sprouhtt]

Location: Her sleeping chambers
Mention: Unrlstic Pepsionne
Interaction: Unrlstic
Mood: Anxious

Selene stared at the woman in her mirror and thought about how lucky and cursed she is to live another day. It felt like just the other day she was mourning over the death of her child before she decided that she wanted to end it all, and that was the night that changed her forever. It took Selene years, if not centuries to mourn the death of her child since that was the only happiness that was going to be brought into her dark world. Selene made sure to give her ex-husband a sufferable death and make him feel every ounce of pain he has ever inflicted on her. Though a part of her felt guilty for the monster that she had become during the time, especially when she watched her late husband wither beneath her. Selene found herself as a new woman, she was no longer someone that was going to be taken advantage of and anyone who came in her way would suffer her wrath. Over the years, she has learned to turn down her cynical and merciless side when she found a new purpose; being a leader for her clan.

Selene loved every second of being a leader and it's moldered her into who she is now. Selene never knew she could end up caring for anyone, but there was still some kind of hope still left in her. That is when she found room in her heart for Lynn and Theo, who she sees as a family to her. Yes, the clan is like the family she never had, but the bond that she shares with Theo and Lynn is interesting and many are oftentimes shocked to see the queen of ice's heart-melting.

Speaking of Lynn, Selene could hear the metal of the hangers sliding to meet another hanger as Lynn frantically rummaged through her closet to look for something to wear. It has been a while since the Venturi held any formal gatherings, especially for Selene's birthday. Though the timing was terrible because the death of Lucinius's leader had passed on. Selene sent her condolences to them, though hardly any response. She felt hesitant about sending out an invitation to them since they just had lost an important figure in their life, but Selene thought it would be rude not to send them anything. She did wonder whether they would show up or not, possibly not since it was still a sensitive time in their life, so Selene didn't blame them. Selene couldn't possibly imagine leaving her clan behind, she wouldn't be able to rest easy in her tomb.

Everyone had spent months planning for the party and it was to be a grand celebration, she invited every clan in New York and even international clans were invited to celebrate with her. She was excited to see others that she had visited during her travels, before settling in New York. It would be the first time in ages that she has seen them, and a part of her missed the old days, not her theatrical days.

"Lynn, you have been in there for what seems like ages, I should know..." Selene said the last part softly, it had a somewhat sad tone to it.

Was she afraid of getting old? Or should we say older than what she is? Often times Selene wished that she could get old and die in her sleep like every other human. But she could not, she was in a neverending cycle that allowed her to replay her memories throughout the years over and over again.

"Plus Theo said that he was stopping by to escort me and you down," Selene added.

Selene looked at herself once more in the mirror and watched as the golden beaded dress captures her figure. The dress took months to be made and tailored to her liking, it had cuffs that weren't too big, puff sleeves that only got bigger towards her hands, and a very defined V-shape that exposed her chest to the rest of the world. She looked stunning and her lips were stained red with a bright color lipstick, and only a touch of blush was seen on her cheeks to make her look somewhat alive. Selene didn't use a ton of makeup like she sees so many young women wearing, she saw no need for it. Selene's hair was in a never-ending battle of curls and waves that fought to be seen. Her hair cascaded past her shoulders and touched her exposed back, where her tattoo was; concealing the artwork from being seen by others.

Spoiler: Her Birthday Dress

 

[Razvi-sama]

Location: Main Entry Hall to the Lucinius Mansion
Mention: diwa
Interaction: electric
Mood: Nostalgic, excited.

Mizuki dragged the tips of her fingers over the stained glass window that adorned the entrance, a shuddered breath escaping her lips momentarily.

How did it all come down to this? Weren't vampires supposed to invincible...immortal? She never fathomed that in her long life, she would ever bare witness to any of her brethren being ripped away by the gods of death themselves. What was the point of being...these creatures of the night...if they were just as vulnerable as the humans?
Mizuki scoffed softly to herself and pushed herself away from the glass, allowing her feet to guide her to the nearest vase. A beautiful centerpiece, with delicate and perfumed roses. Enchanting to the gaze, deadly to the touch. She should de-thorn them, now that she thought about it. It would keep her hands preoccupied while she waited for the rest of her clan to join her downstairs in the main entrance.

It was a large and extravagant home that she had been blessed with having the honor to reside in one of its many luxurious bedrooms. Even being gifted a private bedroom for her to develop photographs...allowing her to indulge in what was now her career. She lived under the same roof with people she has grown very fond of over the decades, she had grown to call "family". It housed many of their little family of oddities, despite how much they tried to paint themselves as graceful and enchanting, they all had their own quirks to work through. She knew she did, Marcos...did.
How was it possible that such a home, filled with a great handful of their kind...became so desolate and lonely after the loss of their leader? A man she owed her very life to, a man she would gladly...switch places with. It was as if winter had already come, even before the leaves started to change their color...

Mizuki had to admit she spent quite a long time locked in her bedroom or burrowed in Gisella's. And, oh...how she mourned. How the lump in her chest ached at the thought of her never again turning around a corner to see him, returning his smile...sharing an intelligent conversation. She smiled weakly at the memory, albeit a little wobbly, as she stared down at the crimson roses...what...was the point of being given a second life, a stronger body? She desperately prayed to the moon goddess herself, asking for guidance, for some sort of answer so that they could put their sorrows to rest...this uncertainty...this fear. At this point, Mizuki felt like she had to constantly look over her shoulder, fearing that one day she would lose someone else in their make-believe family. She barely slept. She barely...breathed with the weight on her chest. Her eyes slowly travelled down to her gloved hands which discreetly hid the bandages wrapped tightly around her fingers. It wasn't a bandage to hide any gashes thanks to her regenerative abilities, it was to keep her from inflicting any further damage over her poor, abused fingers. Nasty habit she had grown to have over her many years. The bandages were unsightly, so she decided to wear black, satin gloves that cropped off mid-palm.

To honor her fallen leader, Mizuki wore black for the rest of the month, not knowing if she could bring herself to wear anything else. She currently wore a simple, black satin gown with spaghetti straps while the skirt was parted down the middle. She wore black heels, despite her despising having to wear anything so uncomfortable.
Earlier in the evening, Mizuki had hesitantly knocked over Dorothea's door and asked the woman if she could possibly borrow a necklace from her. Her chest would be too lonely without anything to decorate it with, and she was never one to invest in such lavish jewelry. She felt embarrassed to be asking for such a favor, but when the woman obliged...revealing a decadent diamond necklace with earrings to match. Could she really? Bowing her head lowly to the woman, she scurried away giddily.
Finally, Mizuki held in one hand a black clutch, a thin gift bag, and a black mask for the masquerade. She wondered if she looked okay for the party...a party she honestly thought...was necessary.

They needed to leave these walls, they needed...at least she needed, to simply not be at home with every little thing a constant reminder of him and their loss. She needed to be around others of their kind, a reminder of solidarity and union. To hell with the clans, she wanted to be with others of her kind. She wanted to feel safe, again...She didn't think there was anything wrong with Selene celebrating her birthday. Just because one life ended, it didn't mean they could not celebrate another. Two-thousand years was a feat to celebrate, Mizuki thought...and was actually very happy for the woman, for the Ventari. Maybe she could even dance a little, sway to the music...Maybe see a certain someone. She smiled a little better at that thought as her gaze grew warm with affection.

Mizuki was broken out of her reverie when she heard the smooth, silken tone of her leader, flicking her eyes towards Dorothea...my, she was breathtaking, wasn't she? And, standing dutifully by her side was Jack. She nodded her head in acknowledgement to the man before she peeked back to the woman, trying her best to offer her a smile. Her lips were painted a dark crimson, eyes dusted in a red shadow, a black liner, and cheeks holding a light blush, "That's quite the compliment when you look as if you had just stepped out of a painting, Dorothea", she complimented kindly in return, smiling lightly at the woman's teasing, "Ah, you know what they say...we're not late, everyone else is just early...", she grinned cheekily, winking to the woman as she waited for others to flood in, specifically looking for her moon sister.

Spoiler: Dress + Details

 

[Pepsionne]

Location: Reading Room, Selene's chambers
Mood: Excited, playful
Interacts: sprouhtt Selene Unrlstic Lynn

Spoiler: Attire

Theodore laid dramatically on a chaise lounge in one of the many reading rooms in the Ventari mansion, listening to the incessant ticking of his watch as it wore on with the march of time. He brought his wrist up towards his face, eyes locking onto the leather bound watch to glean the hour. There was still fifteen minutes to go. He let his arm fall with dramatic exasperation, the action reverberating a softened thump as it hit the plush lounge beneath him.

It didn’t take him long to get ready, yet his anxious demeanor for beginning the party got the better of him. Before he knew it, he was ready and left waiting for an hour, accompanied by nothing but the ticking of his watch. A few more seconds passed audibly by before Theo hoisted himself up from the chaise lounge. The thought of waiting even another second was unbearable to him. He straightened his suit as he stood, smoothing the rich black fabric from any wrinkles that may have incurred during the time spent lazing in the reading room like a damsel in distress.

His footsteps were impossibly silent against the high end porcelain tile, each step drawing him closer to the muffled sounds of the party occurring behind the closed doors of their grand ballroom. A part of him itched to enter and join those already celebrating. He knew that Selene had invited the Lucinius to the party, he had witnessed her agonizing over whether it was best to invite them, or let them mourn. What he didn’t know was whether they would show. He hadn’t seen any of them in the past month. Even Mizuki and Gisella were absent from the places he knew they frequented. It was as if any semblance of the Lucinius clan had disappeared with Marcos.

The idea of Marcos’ death didn’t hit him as hard as the others. He understood the need to grieve and come to terms with their leader’s absence, but the blow that came with the end of what was once thought to be an impossible life to take, it missed him. Theodore was still getting acquainted with the idea of his long lifespan. After all, most of the people he grew up with were still alive and well. Marcos’ death to him was--ordinary, to say the least. He viewed it the same as he would the death of a human, but he masked that feeling from travelling any further than within his own self.

Theodore hesitated once outside Selene’s door. He began messing with his suit, carefully pulling and straightening things into impeccable shape. His hair was straightened from its normal wavy, poofy appearance. He ran a hand through it once more to ensure it was tousled in the exact perfect way to appear messy and unkempt. He knocked on the door lightly, the ring on his thumb glinting in the dim hallway light. Before waiting for an answer, Theodore opened the door and peered in. Selene was standing by her mirror, making the final touches to her outfit. Her long hair looked rich and smooth as it tumbled down her exposed back, the golden dress shimmering brilliantly in the soft lighting of the room. Lynn was undressed, her long, elegant limbs igniting a playful spark in Theo’s eyes.

He slipped fully into the room, moving silently up behind Selene. He placed a hand on her shoulder, looking at the two of them in the mirror. “ ‘For I never saw true beauty till this night,’ “ He said, his voice soft. He gave Selene’s shoulder a light squeeze before backing away, his figure dipping off into shadow to leave only her in the reflection once more.

Theodore glanced over at Lynn, who was still rummaging through the closet of dresses, and decided to take a seat on one of the couches in the room. He watched her expectantly. “You know, Lynn,” he began, “there is a whole party of people out there gathered for our guest of honor. How long do you anticipate to keep them waiting?”

 

[starstruck]

It was Selene's birthday, a special day in the Ventari circle. On top of it just being her birthday, it was a big birthday: 2,000. The start of a new millennium of a life. Leon was happy for her, as she had accomplished so much in her 2,000 years, and she did deserve a night of fun to celebrate all of the life she had lived. At the same time, Leon would have been lying if he claimed that he was incredibly comfortable with the idea of a huge birthday bash right now. Marcos, the head of the Lucinius clan (and basically the most respected vampire to ever walk the earth) had been murdered just weeks ago. The murder of someone important could be shocking to anyone, but when it came to the vampire world, a death was all the more noteworthy. Immortality meant that death only showed its face when foul play was involved, and to consider that someone had managed to murder the most powerful vampire in the world was frightening. Leo was a protector at heart, and he was comfortable with the idea of being able to fend for himself, but if Marcos of all vampires was susceptible to being murdered, then none of them were safe. Absolutely none of them. No matter how big and bad you wanted to act, if the most powerful vampire in the world could be offed, so could you. Leon tried to find solace in the idea that Marcos's murder had to have been premeditated. He had been a specific target; it wasn't like a madman was out on the lose killing everyone. Even if Leon wanted to believe that though, there was really no telling whether that was the truth or not. The easy conclusion to come to was that a member of the Abarra clan was the murderer, but considering Marcos's place in the world, it really could have been anyone. As someone who had a power-focused mind himself, Leon had a feeling that even if the murder was specifically chosen, it may not have been one conducted out of vengeance, or pure evil like the Abarra's would be pinned for doing. If you wanted a rise to power, the biggest person standing in your way was Marcos. With him gone, the seat at the top was now fair game. Whoever inherited the Lucinius throne would probably claim it by default, but if there was any time to make a move for power, it would be now. While Leon was concerned about the murderer still being on the loose, he was also considering that this was the perfect moment for Ventari to claim what should have always been theirs.

Selene's birthday party was hopefully going to prove to be a nice distraction from the chaotic past few weeks, and an opportunity for Leon to finally relax. He didn't think it was well timed, and he did think that it was callous to be celebrating after an event so tragic that it rocked all of the vampire world, but at least it was Selene's name on the birthday cake and not his. By default the clan as a whole would have their reputation impacted by this if the Lucinius clan was offended (which Leon wouldn't have blamed him for), but if Selene didn't care, then Leon wasn't going to become overly bothered by it. Not to a point where he was going to attempt to stop the party from happening, at least.

It was a good thing that he hadn't attempted to persuade Selene to put off a big celebration this year, because the party was already off to a great start. Leon spent the beginning of it mingling with old friends, vampires that he hadn't seen in decades, even centuries. It was always nice catching up with the other Ventari members, the ones who didn't live in New York. There was no doubt after talking to them that the Ventari really was the top clan. They were all so well educated, kind, had integrity. That was something that vampires from the other two clans never seemed to have. "You think you'll ever make it to 2,000?" he pondered, his eyes roving over the beautiful girl standing beside him at the bar. Catherine Streller was an interesting vampire, interesting for sure. His earlier statement about other clans lacking integrity still rang true, but if all she was was a fun time, then integrity didn't really matter. He knew what he was dealing with when it came to Catherine... or at least he liked to think he did. She was predictably unpredictable, and yet her allure was still enticing enough to somehow draw Leon in time after time. "Or will you end up with a hit taken out on you too? Who do you have to piss off in that crazy little clan of yours to make that a reality?" He didn't think that Catherine would actually tell him which Abarra member killed Marcos, if that was the case, but then again, liquor the girl up enough and... well, nothing was impossible.​

 

[A_Writer]

Catherine Streller

Overview

Mentioned:	starstruck Pepsionne
Dialogue: #e75480

What a night for a party! The air felt clean and crisp, the darkness of nightfall more comforting than usual, and maybe it was because she had just fed earlier in the afternoon, but Catherine was feeling overly energized and ready for whatever trouble the night brought. A birthday party might not have led to the word "trouble" coming to mind for most, but to Catherine, a party wasn't a party unless there was a little mischief sprinkled in to make things fun. While Catherine was excited nonetheless, it wasn't like the Ventari were exactly known for being fun... They weren't Lucinius in terms of being total buzzkills, but then again, maybe they were just as bad, since they seemed complacent in the Lucinius' quest to squash every ounce of amusement and joy that the Abarra clan attempted to have. Life wasn't easy when the other clans were so jealous of your lifestyle that they actively tried to forbid it in a childish "if I can't have fun, you can't either" manner, but somehow the Abarra clan managed to keep pushing. Although Catherine didn't have any plans for trouble of her own up her sleeve, she wasn't opposed to improvising if things got boring. She owed it to Selene, after all. The least she could do was ensure that her party was entertaining after she had helped herself to a few of the gifts that had been left for the woman, finding a diamond bracelet in one that she gleefully adorned as she made her way back into the ballroom.

She made her way to one of the bar areas, ordering a glass of Absinthe neat. At nearly 90% alcohol content and 180 proof, it was one of the few liquors that didn't take forever to illicit any sort of effect on the girl. It would still take a while and many more drinks to kick in, but that was fine. The night was still young. Catherine hadn't even seen the Ventari leader who the party was being hosted for yet. She considered texting Theo to see where he was and what he was up to, but Leon caught her attention before she had a chance to. She enjoyed speaking with him; he was a decent conversationalist. Despite having been intimate with him on more than a few occasions, Cat never felt awkward seeing him in a neutral setting. Sex wasn't a big deal for her, and she often found herself being the person in situations who was insisting on a friends with benefits situation over an actual relationship. That wasn't the case with Leon, as they both seemed to be on the same page with that, but just in general, Cat had an alluring air to her when it came to men. Human men were the easiest to enchant and coincidentally, she also received more pleasure in overfeeding on them and "accidentally" killing them from time to time.

"You say that as if I've never been in that position before," Catherine said, offering a coquettish smile. Being an Abarra member for nearly six hundred years meant that you were bound to make an enemy or two at some point. Luckily, most of Catherine's had been humans: poor, mortal souls that just had no way of knowing who they were going up against. "Though I don't think someone like you would even need to do something to get a bullseye put out on your head. I could probably find someone willing to hunt you just for sport, if you're looking for a fun way to join Marcos," she offered playfully, though the excitement in her smile would have one wondering whether she really was joking or not. "I'm sure Satan wouldn't mind another play toy... especially not a pretty one like you."

 

[diwa]

.Gisella Lázár.

​

interactions: Dory , Jack [ electric ] , Mizuki [ Razvi-sama ]
mood:
wearing: dress ; daylightring ; accessories ; hairdo

It was a busy morning for Gisella. Her day started with a breakfast meeting at the Rózsa along with her investors followed by a virtual meeting with her potential business partners abroad. She was planning on expanding her hotel ventures and acquiring some new projects. Early on a business, Gisella wanted to be as hands on as she can, then it is the CEO’s task to attend such meetings and update her. Disbelief was often the first impression she always garners from her new partners due to her young features but as soon as she starts her spiel, Gisella can command the room and earn the respect that she well deserves. After she explained that it was a family business passed down from generation after generation, that she is the next hotel heiress that has been toss in the game earlier than her usual peers and after proving the legitimacy of her business and the money it earns her and her investors, the follow up questions stops altogether. Besides, she had the coven name to protect her from nosy inquirers and a handful of people in the higher ups under her payroll to keep them at bay. At lunch, she did her monthly survey of her hotel in incognito. If she wanted something changed or updated after her thorough inspection, her hotel manager is the one giving the orders. For an immortal like her, she made sure that she had an ample business to keep her occupied and well-endowed for the future. But of course, she does things with all cautiousness.

It probably is a good thing that she has her job to occupy herself, not because of the money but because the menial task is distracting her from the harsh reality her coven just experienced. She's still in mourning, after all her father figure for centuries was gone. The person who taught and nurture her capabilities, the one who protected her. Murdered, according to whispers, by some lowlife and despicable member of another coven. But some whispers, although few, believed that it was an attack from the inside. A vicious and stupid notion, Gisella figured but there's an inkling of possibility playing in her mind that it could be correct. After all, her coven, although peaceful and harmonious, experienced some tiffs and disagreements. They haven't really talked about it; each vampire is grieving ang mourning in their own pace and Gisella can’t bring herself to enjoy that she immersed her thoughts in her business. No parties and no hooks up. Aside from her hotel, she cooped herself up in the family mansion along with others. Most night she's alone and sometimes she is clinging to Mizuki for comfort.

Now she wasn't sure if this is a good idea. She was standing in front of her bed wearing nothing but her undergarments while staring absently on her chosen evening gown and jewelries. Her heart was not really into it that picking up her outfit for the night took quicker than her usual half a day preparation. Before, she had to move a day’s worth of business errands just so she can look and try on different dresses, hair styles and accessories. It may be vanity, but she has got a sufficient time on her hands.

She understood why Dory wanted to go and make a notable attendance. Out of respect, yes and it has been a month since they’ve withdrawn from the society but the society must know that they are still there, as strong and as intact as ever. That’s despite the loss of a great leader, the clan still thrives with the support of each other, of course. The whole thing is an appearance and they’re making a perfect one, attending the birthday party of leader of the Ventari clan. Vampires local and overseas were invited just to celebrate Selene’s two millennia of existence.

And thus, with a long sigh she snatched her dress on the bed and decided to show everyone its elegance and beauty tonight. Her ombre outfit is the same shade as her beautiful roses in the garden. She only applied light makeup but didn’t held back on her lip. The redness of it accentuated her porcelain skin. Gisella wore her hair up in a messy bun, showcasing her long slender neck in the process. Aside from her a little outdated daylight ring, she wore a raindrop pearl and diamond earrings set with a bracelet. Glancing for the last time in her floor length mirror, Gisella practices her carefree smile. Her reflection is perfect but it didn’t match what she’s feeling inside. As soon as she is convinced that she can wore the smile all night long, even just for a pretense, she left her room.

When she arrived downstairs, the others were already waiting patiently. “Dory,” Gisella gracefully bowed her head to Dorothea, silently admiring her radiance and beauty. She then eyed at the man beside her, “Why, Jack. You look absolutely dashing. You will be the most gorgeous man in the room.” a teasing smile played on her lips. Her hand then reaches for Mizuki’s, fingers intwining with each other casually. The same smile was drawn on her face as she eyes the dark-haired girl. “Someone looks all dolled up, who is the fortunate the man if I may ask?” Gisella giggled at Mizuki then added with a loving smile, “you look perfectly splendid, love.” Seeing and being with them Gisella felt a little more certain about the night.

 

[Unrlstic]

scroll me!

mood

impatient, annoyed, anxious

place

inside selene's room

tags

sprouhtt Pepsionne

Lynn Carver

VENTARI CLAN

outfit / boots
After having been turned, Lynette Carver noticed a lot of things about her change. At first, it was the most obvious things; her diet, the speed of her reflexes, her strength, and dramatically improved health. Eventually, Lynn noticed that becoming a vampire made her more patient of a person. Whereas before, her avidity to get things done would sometimes impede the effectiveness on whatever she needed to get done, now she could wait all day. Literally. Her newfound thought process was something that inevitably came with the blessing of immortality--she had all the time in the world. But in this moment, Lynn found herself feeling more impatient than ever.

The tomboy had been restlessly scrounging through her sire's closet for what seemed like half an hour now. Another trait that remained fixed about her was her reluctance to wear dresses. Usually to parties, Lynn would stick to wearing her fancy leather jeans and maybe a tank top. But this wasn't just any party--this was Selene's birthday celebration. It was the matriarch's second millennium here on this earth and despite the unfortunate events of the late leader of Lucinius and the talk that it spurred in the vampire community, Selene still decided to celebrate. As she should, Lynn thought to herself when Selene had announced that she still planned to commemorate 2,000th year around the sun. The brunette didn't really involve herself much in the drama of the clans. She didn't care much about it. She'd been around long enough to know how the clans worked though, and one thing she did know, the Lucinius clan was obnoxious. Whatever that Marco guy did to get murdered, he had probably deserved it. Yet even so, Lynette would never admit the initial wave of shock mixed with underlying uneasiness that washed over her after finding out about the leader's death. He was around the same age as Selene and a well known guy. Even she couldn't deny how powerful he was. Like everyone else, Lynette wondered, who was it that was strong and bold enough to actually take him on and win? It subtly raised all the hairs on her body.

"Lynn, you have been in there for what seems like ages, I should know..."
"Plus Theo said that he was stopping by to escort me and you down,"

Lynnette snapped back into reality. She had been in Selene's closet for awhile. To be fair, it wasn't her fault. At least not entirely. If Selene would have just let her wear her pants, she'd have been down already. Well, Selene probably would let her. She always allowed Lynette be herself and never attempted to mold her into anyone else--something that she greatly treasured about Selene and would forever be grateful to her for, among many other things. Lynette wanted to make Selene happy. Especially on her day. And wearing a dress would make Selene happy, even if it made the gamine want to rip her hair out a little bit. Anyways, the issue wasn't so much that she couldn't find a dress--the Ventari mistress had enough to clothe an all girl's school--it was that Lynette couldn't find one that was nice on her. Selene possessed the curves of a goddess. The type of body that men lost all their control over. The type of body that would make Aphrodite herself jealous and tempted even the highest of angels. Meanwhile, Lynette was all skin, bones, with the curves comparable to that of a refrigerator. And with the gown that Selene was wearing tonight, it wouldn't have mattered if the vampire was naked, they still wouldn't notice her next to Selene's grace.

"You know when you turned me I was only 23. Technically I had just begun my years of womanhood. I didn't have enough time to grow my curves out like yours so it'll take me some time to find a dress. Plus, Theo can wait!" Lynette teased back. She continued to fumble through what became the avalanche of clothes on the closet floor. Fuck me, this is gonna be a headache to clean up, the gamine said to herself.

Sure enough, 10 minutes later, Lynette heard Theo walk in. She poked her head out of the closet to see her clan mate in his suit and tie. His hair was slicked back eloquently and there was not a single wrinkle on his attire. His shoes were shined to perfection. He was beyond reproach. It wasn't a surprise though. Given how he'd grown up and what he was used to, being fashionable was nothing foreign for Theo. Paired with his natural features, Theo's looks could genuinely kill. He greeted both women with a charming smile and a compliment and then sat on the lounge couch.

“You know, Lynn, there is a whole party of people out there gathered for our guest of honor. How long do you anticipate to keep them waiting?”

Lynn chuckled. "I'm almost done! I think I found the perfect one." Which wasn't a lie. Indeed, she had found a dress. Hiding behind a plethora of other gowns, she caught glimpse of an ultramarine dress. It was dark; not too bold, not too bright, and tight enough to show what little figure she had. It was long, but thankfully she was tall. When Lynette slipped it on, it enveloped her frame. Shit, maybe I'll keep this one. Shyly, she stepped out of the closet and faced Theo and Selene. "So? What do you guys think? Am I okay?" She asked innocently. Then remembering, she shot a quick glare at Theo. "And you better not laugh or I'll kill you before this party even starts". Sure, maybe Theo had seen every inch of her. It was silly to get nervous in front of him. But in all the decades of her knowing him, he'd never once seen her dress in anything this fancy. She was comfortable around him, their relationship was playful and lenient, but if she was still alive with blood circulation, without her doubt her cheeks would be flushed crimson red.

After getting their okay, Lynn shuffled over to the body mirror where she placed her boots. Yes, boots. She'd compromise the makeup, the dress, but never her boots. Heels made her feet hurt and Selene's parties usually went on for hours. The dress was long, her feet wouldn't be seen and she could at least remain comfortable. She waved them in front of her comrades and smirked before sliding them on her feet. Perfect. Then the brunette strobed over to the door where she turned around and offered both of her hands for each of them to take.

"Alright, let's go. We're already late enough as it is. You don't want everyone to think that you're dead too, do you?"

♡design by neon reverie, coded by uxie♡

 

[BurningBridges]

The past few weeks had been some of the hardest that Lex had lived through. Marcos was gone, leaving Lex in total shock. Lucinius vampires dying was nearly an unheard of thing, at least in modern times, when the clans had grown to live at least mostly peacefully among each other. The death of a vampire was so different than the death of a human, because it wasn't something that was expected to happen at some point. There were no natural causes, or incurable diseases, or freak accidents. There was murder and suicide: two options that were startling and grim, no matter how they were spun. To their clan, Marcos' death had been heartbreaking, but Lex had been especially close with the man. He had seen him as a leader just as the rest had, but also as a mentor and father-figure. He was the smartest man that Lex had ever encountered: capable of doing anything better than any other vampire. His intellect and wit went unmatched, his strength supreme, and his character without flaw. It probably sounded like Lex idolized him, and that was because he absolutely did. Marcos was a great leader and a great friend, and his absence had created an unavoidable void in Lex's life.

In addition to how shocking the death had been, it had been so long since Lex had experienced loss and grief, that the feelings were all the more difficult for him to process. He was distressed enough that one would have expected him to be outwardly emotional, but he his grief had put him into a numb and stoic, shell-shocked like place, mentally. This wasn't like losing a parent you had known for seventy years, it was like losing one you had known for hundreds of years. It was a lot to process, and apparently, it was more than Lex was able to process right away, as he refused to really acknowledge all of the emotions that he was truly feeling. He had always heard that things grew easier with time, and he wanted to believe that would be true. He felt like the others in the clan were doing better than he was, and it made him feel even more compelled to hide how distraught he was. While it had initially felt impossible, he had found a little bit of success in doing so by distracting himself. Reading, watching films, being out of the house as much as possible... whatever could take his mind off of things had proved to offer him at least a bit of respite from where his mind currently was. It was the only reason why he wasn't as venomously opposed to attending Selene's birthday party now as he had originally been. Although he felt like it was a blatant act of disrespect for any one, nonetheless a fellow clan leader, to be celebrating so soon after the death of another clan leader, nonetheless the highest regarded one, he was going to join his clan in making an appearance. As Dory had told him, at some point they were going to need to carry on with life, and the last thing that Marcos would want them to do was to hide away mourning, while allowing the other clans to lead the vampire world in an unjust direction. Lex may have felt more comfortable playing recluse for a few more months had the Ventari expressed any solidarity, or just enough to allow the Lucinius clan to feel like they would be able to handle maintaining order for a little while. This party's existence alone proved that it wasn't something that could be expected of them, so the Lucinius clan needed to do what it needed to do, and that meant stepping out of mourning earlier than Lex felt prepared to do.

He was still trying to convince himself that he would be able to spend time at the party without going at the Ventari members for being so callous and classless as he made his way downstairs. It looked like everyone was already there, though the general chatter that filled the room suggested that he wasn't arriving dramatically later than any of the others. He straightened his suit jacket after approaching the others and taking a stand beside Mara. "I still can't believe we're doing this," he announced, his tone not accusatory, but leaning towards being guilt-inducing. "Or more so, I still can't believe they're doing this," he corrected himself. "None of us can drop our guards tonight. If the Ventari clan lacks the basic principles of respect to a point where they think this is an appropriate time to be celebrating, I don't think we should put anything past them. Wolves in sheeps' clothing."

electric cure Razvi-sama diwa ​

 

[Razvi-sama]

Location: Main Entry Hall to the Lucinius Mansion
Interaction: diwa ; BurningBridges
Mood: Nostalgic, affectionate, self-concious.

And, where had Mizuki been in the last month since their leader's passing?

While she spent a copious amount of time holed up in her room, rubbing at her eyes until they were raw...she decided to do something a little bit more productive, especially when Gisella was keeping herself occupied with busy work involving her luxurious hotel. And, Lex was out and about trying to do...whatever it is he needed to do. To mourn, to process...she thought.
Mizuki wouldn't be seen at her usual little spots. Not burrowed in a corner at her favorite cafe, sketching away strangers that caught her eye for a new photographic piece. Not buzzing around the city accepting freelance work left and right. Not joining any of the new, up-and-coming art galleries...No. She was busy freezing time, capturing a moment through over-exposure. She disappeared, even from the Lucinius home, only informing Gisella and Dorothea of her whereabouts in case of an emergency. Other than that, she was experimenting with one of the earliest forms of photography: The Camera Obscura. But, more specifically, the Pinhole Method.

Everything was a celebration for Mizuki. Everything has a purpose, had a meaning. Everyone should take a moment to just...pause and look at the world around them, which was one of the many perks of the body she was gifted. And, what did she see around her? She saw the vast city of New York, a city Marcos had allowed her to reside in, to call home. She had been thinking of ways of how to repay him, thinking of ways of how she could express her gratitude towards him. She asked him if he could be the subject of her experiments with the Camera Obscura she built with a can of paint. The surprise on anyone's face when she expressed that her camera was a can of paint was always one that caused the vampire to laugh joyfully. But, it worked...and she salvaged her little experiments in an old cigar box she had stored away under her bed. Multiple pictures of the leader...posing...breathing.

Mizuki would shake that thought away as she'd go to a tiny loft she had bought for herself years prior to joining the clan officially. She had only ever showed Gisella her tiny loft, a space she had converted into one...large...camera. She arrived to New York in the early 1990s and inherited the lease on a commercial loft on Eighth Avenue from a German couple. From the twenty-seventh floor, she had a breathtaking view of the busy Garment District center, which looked very different then than it does now, and of course the top of the Empire State Building rose above everything else. The loft faced east and the morning sun would shine in, an incredible golden red glow that would wake her up thanks to the ring gifted to her by her mistress. New York was absolutely new to her, and she was profoundly inspired by it all. Something magical happened to her when she came to New York...and Marcos invested in that magic. In her.

Why not make a series dedicated to New York and everything that it meant to her? New York was, for her, exciting...with its absolutely breathtaking mix of people and culture at ground level. The general energy, the light, and the ways the city presents itself inspired her and her extended observations of the city. She made it a ritual to be home at midnight to watch the lights on the Empire State Building switch off. She'd make little bets with herself on which colors would be lit on different nights...a little bet and a little ritual she had taught Gisella...It was that spirit of novelty and observation that inspired her to capture the experience within a photographic image.

So, she went to work for a couple of days. She turned the loft into the space where her artworks were made. She turned the loft itself...into a camera. Light entered through a little pinhole installed on the window that she had blacked out; the window became the seeing eye. Light came in and reached the light sensitive photographic paper she had tacked up on the opposite wall to receive all the information that streamed in. Each photograph was exposed for over six hours, creating beautiful negatives of the city that never slept. She...she had never slept...Even if she had spent a handful of moments working on her passion projects, she still had six hours of doing nothing...laying on the soft mattress and staring up at the ceiling asking why?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It didn't matter anymore. She gave up after the last week and had come home.

Mizuki looked up the moment Gisella's sweet melodious voice filled the room and it seemed to awaken the vampire, her gaze lighting up at the sight of her. She was utterly...breathtaking. Honestly, it shouldn't be a surprise at this point, and it wasn't...Simply, Mizuki was always enraptured by the woman's general beauty and winning personality. She felt at ease at her presence, she felt like she could crumble just a little bit and her friend would be there for her to lean on...and vice versa. When Gisella walked into the room, all eyes turned and with good reason. She came in with her graceful nods and calculated movements, not a single hair misplaced on her head. Gisella made Mizuki naturally smile, especially since the woman was coming her way. Settling beside her.

Gisella reaching for her hand felt natural, it felt right. Mizuki instinctively returned the warm gesture as she laced her fingers together with her friend. For a moment, she allowed her gaze to drift down to their intwined hands and her smile only seemed to stretch as adoration for the woman began to bubble in her chest. Though, when she peeked back up to face Gisella...she saw a teasing glint in her eyes and Mizuki could not help but giggle, shaking her head. She gingerly bumped hips with the woman, "If I tell you that the fortunate man is myself, would that be an answer to suffice your curiosities, love?", she grinned back, "I dress for myself", she said cheekily, gracefully avoiding Gisella's jest. Mizuki soon settled as she leaned up to her tip toes to offer a soft peck to the woman's cheek, "...thank you, I honestly wasn't too sure...but hearing you say that is a boost to my confidence. You are...Gisella, there are no words to describe how heavenly you look", she said sweetly.

Yet, the tone shifted for Mizuki the moment Alexandre entered the room, looking up to the vampire and looking to him with a softened expression. She hadn't seen him in quite a while and had been hoping to check up on the vampire. Though, as she assumed, he wasn't too pleased about the party, and she didn't blame him.

Mizuki rubbed the back of her neck, "...I don't know, I understand what you mean, but...the whole world cannot mourn along with us. Time will continue on...She's a cruel woman, after all", she'd hum a little whimsically, her finger toying delicately over one of the rose petals, "...why don't we try to...salvage this? I know we all have our own thoughts about this party, and I respect everyone's feelings. Everyone has the right to feel what they need to, but...why don't we put our own twist to this party? While we should absolutely congratulate Selene, be happy for her...we could also look at this as a celebration of life. M-...Marcos' life...Do you think he would have wanted our precious home to be flooded with tears and shadowed by deep frowns?", she laughed softly, sighing contently at the memory, "...for him, let's...celebrate for him. We can toast in his honor, even...but, I have hope that this will be a positive thing for all of us...one way or another", she said optimistically, maybe too optimistically as she looked around the room...She was aware of how silly she was probably sounding. But, this was her home and this was her family. She knew she was in a safe space to speak her mind, no matter how airy it all sounded.

In the end, Mizuki shrugged, a soft breathless chortle escaping her as if seeming a little lost. A little uncomfortable, "...we'll be fine, we've had one of the best mentors possible, and we're strong...we'll get through this", she assured to no one in particular, leaning into Gisella's side ever so slightly to feel the woman's touch and company.

Spoiler: Mizuki's Pictures

 

[starstruck]

Leon Wulff

Clan: Ventari
Location: Ballroom | Selene's Party
Outfit: x
Mentions: sprouhtt electric
Interacting with: A_Writer
Dialogue color: Bolded black​

Leon chuckled at Catherine's predictably snide retort to his question. He didn't doubt that her "family" was sick enough to hunt other vampires for sport. They seemed to recruit the most crass, beast-like vampires that existed and yet could pretend to be civilized just enough to avoid warranting an execution on the grounds of being rogue. Some of them, like Catherine for instance, and maybe the majority of the Abarra clan based in New York, were grounded enough that you could interact with them without them popping off, but Leon did believe that they were all loose cannons at the end of the day. Some could be trusted more than others, if only because Leon believed that they inherently posed less of a threat than others, like the one in front of him. He didn't doubt that Catherine was capable of doing evil things, but then again, they all were. The difference between Catherine and whoever Marcos's killer was, was that Catherine did things for fun. She wasn't a meticulous planner, and had she killed Marcos, she would have bragged about it enough that the entire community would have known by now. The other Abarras were sloppy too, but Leon felt like some more than others were capable of killing with a deeper intent. Ojore was one of them. He was stoic and level headed on the outside, a perfect face to mask a heinous crime inspired by a deep desire for power. Was it Ojore who had done it? Leon wouldn't have put it past him, though he suspected that if he had done it, he hadn't told his entire clan. Not Catherine, at least. Perhaps Leon was giving himself too much credit, but he felt like he was good at reading people, and he felt that he would have seen the "I've got a secret" look on Cat's face the moment he walked up to her, had that been true.

The interesting thing about tonight was that somewhere in this crowded room, Marcos's killer likely stood. Dancing, eating, drinking, indulging in conversation with old friends. The person who had shaken the vampire world unlike any scandal before would be among them, on Ventari territory. Leon was going to make sure that tonight was fun for Selene because she did deserve it, but that still meant that he had to stay on alert, just in case. "I'll pass on that offer," he said with a smirk, as he held his nearly empty glass out in front of him and shook it gently, watching as the liquid circled inside of the glass. As his eyes returned to Catherine, he added, "Wouldn't have pegged you as a believer of heaven and hell, though." Her reference to Satan didn't necessarily mean that she believed that the dark spiritual figure actually existed, but he was curious to hear her thoughts on it. If Hell was a real place, it was interesting that she (an Abarra, of all people) thought that Marcos would end up there. Even if Leon wasn't Marcos's biggest fan, there were few things that he could criticize about the late leader when it came to his character. Maybe Catherine knew of old grudges that he hadn't been aware of. "What makes you think that's where he'd end up?"

 

[Girl2Fine2]

i am a diamond and diamonds are forever...

While Leah does not attempt to give the memory of her father the time of day, she can't help but consider tonight just another one of those moments where, had he been afforded the opportunity to live forever, it would probably be now that he'd hunch over and die from heart failure at the sight of her. Or, at the very least, pass out like the dramatic ass that he had been simply because Leah was showing a little skin.

Granted, by seventeenth century standards, what she wore on a regular basis was scandalous enough considering the lack of layers and refusal to hide silly things like collar bones and ankles. Now, however, the silk gown which adorned her luscious curvature left little to the imagination with high slits which rose all the way up to her hips, leaving her creamy legs - made seemingly longer by the stilettos she'd bought months ago but had nowhere she wanted to show them off at - on full display. It wasn't the most obscene of her gowns; Leah had considered several of her lace concoctions she'd had tailor-made with just enough class to not put all of her goods on full display. She'd chosen this one, nevertheless. It felt like a dream against her skin and though there was a part of her who knew she could do worse - that wanted to do worse - she refrained. Leah knew some restraint, after all.

Leah had not meant to arrive to the party as early as it felt that she had. Crimson Kisses was up and running, being manned by one of her favorite little humans who had such a mommy kink that it made Leah cruel in her teasing panderings, but Leah was a business woman now. At least, she tried to be. And just because she had to be here amidst the rest of the vampire population of New York, it did not mean that her club could not remain open. As the saying goes, "the show must go on" and in truth, Leah liked the money she'd acquired over the years. Also, if she was still tasked with being honest, she wouldn't have missed tonight even if she wanted to ignore the fact that this was a tradition and that this wasn't something Ojore would want them all to miss. Her own clan leader aside, Leah wouldn't have wanted to miss this for anything. After all, it was a nice of partaking in alcohol that was not her own, interacting with (and probably antagonizing) some of the other clans, and well, how was Leah supposed to deny herself the scintillating pleasure of admiring the birthday girl on her special night?

Giggling to herself behind the wine glass she'd procured earlier after two shots to get her night started at the thought, Leah allowed her summer sky eyes to scan the palatial venue, noting the almost...somber tones? Leah herself did not grieve the loss of the former clan leader. In fact, she was almost...thrilled by it, for lack of better words. There weren't any Lucinius present (and from what she'd heard, there might not be any coming at all, all things considered), so there was no cause to feel guilty for the thought, but Leah was interested. It was a mystery and mysteries could be fun, riveting even. It had everyone on edge, hackles raised and muscles coiled as if ready to strike should the killer wear a neon sign blazing their guilt. It made Leah lick her lips, even as she pushed herself away from the column she'd been propped against since one of the little humans who had been invited tried interacting with her, the soft susurrus of her skirts billowing behind her as she walked, her eyes having eventually landed upon her clan leader and another one of her members. It caught attention, she knew, the way her gown moved, the way it revealed and yet did not, and Leah preened even as her eyes brightened once she was closer to Ojore, pouting. "See, I'm here...like the good little girl that I am and I'm already bored," she complained, a salacious hint of mirth tugging the left corner of her painted mouth. She cast Angel a long-suffering eye roll, adding, "Can you believe he wants me to behave? It's half dead in here and the birthday girl hasn't arrived yet. It's like someone wants me to cause a scene and I didn't even get to see my eye candy yet. This is highly unfair, sugar plum."

Leah Pérez

MOOD: playful

LOCATION: ballroom | selene's Party

OUTFIT: evening gown, daylight ring, accessories, mask & hair

INTERACTIONS: Angel [starstruck] and Ojore [electric]

code by valen t.

 

[sprouhtt]

Location: Her sleeping chambers
Mention: N/A
Interaction: Unrlstic Pepsionne
Mood: "Ready to get this show on the road..."

One could say that Selene was vain and knew her beauty was her greatest weapon, though that was far from the truth. She struggled many years with accepting herself, due to the number of times her late-husband would dehumanize her. Selene would also blame her body for the loss of her daughter, though after she took her late-husbands life with her own hands, she realized that it was all part of his act to destroy her and he loved watching her feed into his lies. Though this new millennium that she has entered is not just to celebrate her time of cheating death, but to congratulate herself on how much she has accomplished. Parts of her are thankful for her newfound life, and other parts of her are often times tired, though now she has responsibilities and people she cares for that she cannot abandon.

Speaking of people who she cares for, in walks Theo. Theo has been nothing but kind and loyal to her. Selene found Theo in his own pool of blood and saved his life that day, though he still doesn't know that it was she who finished the transformation. He feels the bond of the sire, from Selene and slightly from Celeste; which is what explains his still dire need to see Celeste whether it be for revenge or love. However, Selene doesn't know whether she wants to reveal that night to Theo just yet. She feels as though he is not ready to handle the emotions that come with it, especially given the fact that he was clouded by his emotions and was sent to a crazed lust for blood. Selene felt Theo's presence behind her and a slight smile rose from his lips, as she watched his reflection in the mirror. "Why thank you, Theodore, I would compliment you as well, but words could not describe how handsome you look this evening," Selene spoke as she brought her hand up to Theo's, and gave it a gentle squeeze before she turned her body and gave him a slight kiss on the cheek.

Selene walked past Theo, thus releasing her hand that once cupped his, ever so slowly. "You know how Lynn is Theo...." Selene said in a hushed voice as she took her perfume from the vanity and lightly sprayed herself once more, just to make sure that the scent would stay a little longer on her.

Selene shook her head slightly when she heard Lynn respond back to what Theo had said, and before Selene knew it, Lynn was already walking out of the closet beautifully dress. Of course, she had to look beautiful in the dress, the owner of the dress had great taste in what she wore. That dress was the first dress Selene wore when she finally took the seat of the Venturi Clan's rightful leader. It was a dress that held great sentiment, and Selene was a bit glad to see Lynn wearing it. Someday, who knows, when Selene is gone, Lynn might be the one to take her place. Though Lynn had some great improvement to do, and through time and patience, she will.

Selene nodded at Lynn's suggestion to go and Selene couldn't agree more. She waited by the door with Theo, with Lynn by her side.

 

[electric]

Ojore had high expectations for the night, as he was certain that Selene wouldn't let them down on such an important birthday. She was an elegant women with good taste in most things, so Ojore was sure that he and his clan would enjoy the evening. It wouldn't be as entertaining as an Abarra-sponsored party, but Selene couldn't be blamed for that, as he felt his clan set that bar so high that it would just be unfair to attempt to compare the other clans' events to theirs. That was alright anyway though, because a change of pace seemed refreshing right about now. Selene's birthday party would be more contained and structured than the unchecked madness that the Abarra clan got into, but a little bit of lowkey relaxation was well deserved. The past few weeks had been tense, to say the least. While the majority of his clan had been far from remorseful at the news of Marcos' death, Ojore was the leader of the clan. He had more responsibilities than the others in relation to how he needed to interact with the other clans. While Ojore didn't put on an act or sugarcoat anything, he had learned to be civil with at least the leaders of the other two clans. Their members in some cases proved to be a different story, but for many years, he had managed to work with Marcos and Selene on issues that plagued the vampire world. They clashed often, Ojore and Marcos more than any other pairing, but they managed to coexist and that meant... something. Even if Ojore wasn't going to necessarily miss Marcos as a person, there was still something somber about the passing of someone you worked with for so long.

Any minor feelings of sadness that had existed had washed through his system pretty quickly, because as he should have expected, it took only hours of the news reaching the ears of vampires across the world before his clan became the easy scapegoat. The day had started off normally and ended in other vampires somehow concluding that an Abarra from New York must have taken Marcos out. They claimed that it only made sense that if anyone was going to do it, it would be one of them. Understandably, that pissed Ojore off. If he or someone in his clan had enough beef with a member of another clan and killed them, Ojore was the type of person who would be straight up about it. 'Yeah, I did kill him. What the fuck are you going to do about it?' kind of attitude. If you crossed Abarra the wrong way to a point where murder seemed like the only appropriate remedy to the disrespect, then you, your mama, and your mama's mama were going to know to never cross his clan again like that. There was no hiding in the shadows, moving in silence, guessing game type of shit... none of that. While some people probably felt like that kind of warfare was 'smarter' or more calculated, Ojore wasn't the kind of leader who typically felt the need to hide behind premeditated acts like that. If he had a problem with you, you would know that moment. Having his clan be accused of the murder was insulting for the obvious reason, but also because of that, that Ojore felt like murdering someone in a manner such as that was a bitch move, like a sucker punch. He didn't doubt that anyone in his clan was incapable of killing another vampire (and that was something that he was proud of), but he felt insulted by others suggesting that they would be scared of the repercussions enough to do it without taking credit. If Marcos had insulted his clan in a way that warranted death, they'd all have known about it with his body as a statement piece.

Ojore couldn't imagine the Lucinius clan showing up to this party, so it wasn't something that was weighing heavily on his mind as he mingled about with the other party guests. it seemed like the rest of the vampire world wanted to put the drama behind them, if only for one night, too, because the energy of the room was high, and it seemed like everyone was having a good time. Ojore hadn't seen Selene yet, and he wasn't sure if she was just busy with her many guests, or hadn't made her grand entrance yet. He caught up with Angel after a little while, grabbing drinks with her and shifting to the side of the room where they weren't in the way. Leah joined them too, her playful nature shining through as brightly as always. Ojore couldn't help but to roll his eyes at her, though he did chuckle at her words. "As long as you aren't going to need me to clean up your mess, cause trouble to your heart's content," he offered teasingly. He wasn't really lying, though. There was an expectation, he supposed, that the clan was a bit chiller tonight, but it wasn't really one imposed by him and more so just the ambiance of the party. That didn't mean that he expected them all to be angels though; it just wasn't in their nature and besides, he agreed with them all that sometimes mischief was necessary to keep things light and fun. Hell, if Ojore ran into the loud mouth from Ventari's London clan who he had heard through the grapevine was claiming Ojore, himself, killed Marcos, then he was going to create his fair share of trouble too. "Oh, Selene's not even here yet?" he questioned, now that Leah had confirmed that she hadn't seen her either. "You think she's just running late, or was she our Mystery Murderer's next victim? Because if they find her head rolling down the hall from the room her body's in, I know these people are gonna try to pin the blame on me as the last one standing." He smirked at the thought of it, before tossing back the rest of his drink. "And on god, if they try that shit tonight, I'm gonna fuck some people's shit up," he laughed. The fact that he was drinking so freely and kidding about the whole thing spoke to how the idea of Lucinius showing up wasn't even on his radar. He felt like they had nothing to worry about tonight, and he was ready to kick back and enjoy himself.

starstruck Girl2Fine2

 

[cure]

Mara couldn't say she was looking forward to tonight, but it would have been just as inaccurate to say she was dreading it. Did she think holding the party was in poor taste? Sure. But she wasn't really upset about it. It paled in comparison to everything else she was trying to sort through. It was also more challenging to really be bothered by it when she was looking forward to solidifying the hope in her mind that she was as settled as she was trying to convince herself. If she could handle a little party so soon after Marcos' death, then she could tell herself she was more in control than she felt. This had also become larger than Marcos, for her at least. It unearthed a lot of emotions and memories she thought she had buried, if at least fully conquered. She wasn't even two hundred years old yet. Selene's own celebration was a reminder of how short her time on this other side of life was in the grand scheme of things. Still, it wasn't comforting knowing that it would take multiple lifetimes to recover from the past. Her time with the Lucinius wasn't as long as some of the others, but she had been with them long enough to feel a part of the clan. It had taken some time for her to fully let her guard down and convince herself that she could be at ease for once. Granted, that was decades ago, but the completely unexpected turn of events shattered any sense of time that she hardly felt anymore to begin with thanks to this immortality.

Her reality was only as big as her mind, and she was nearing capacity on how much she could fool herself into believing she was as okay as she was acting. The party was a good distraction to get her out of her mind. After all, there was only so many so many cakes she could bake and new recipes to cook. If she tried watering the plants anymore, they were definitely going to drown, and keeping something alive held more weight for her right now. If she didn't get out of the house right now, she was going to clean the kitchen for the hundredth time. She smoothed her blue satin dress as the others began to appear. Dory was right anyway. This was truly their party. While she didn't have the energy to be offended or slighted, if they really thought they could just get away with throwing grand celebrations in their absence, then they were sorely mistaken and needed to be promptly reminded who was in charge. She placed a hand on Lex's back. How she felt was incomparable to whatever was going through Lex's mind. "This isn't about celebration," she said, looking between him and Mizuki. "It's politics. We don't show our faces: what message does that send them? I'm not saying we should feel unmoved by people's apparent comfortability during these times." She adjusted the strap of her dress for a second before swooping her hair behind her shoulder. "But I am saying they need to be reminded that they're only as comfortable as we allow them to be. Like Dory said, it's our party. It begins and ends with us." She looked around the room, noting that everyone was accounted for. She passed behind Lex, giving his arm a final squeeze as she headed for the car. "Besides, if they are wolves, they're just howling for the moon's attention." Mara shrugged as nonchalantly as her grin was mischievous. "So let's give it to them." ​

 

[Pepsionne]

Interactions:
Mentions: A_Writer Catherine
Interacts: sprouhtt Selene, Unrlstic Lynn
Mood: Exhilirated, worried

Spoiler: mask

Theo put his hands up in a mock surrender to Lynn’s biting comment. His eyes traveled down the waterfall of blue fabric hanging from her frame, his gaze lingering on the areas that the dress hugged a little tighter.

“You look great, Lynn, you always do,” Theo said sincerely. He turned his eyes towards Selene, letting out a drawn out breath as he refocused his attention to the coming events before them. He stood from his lounged position and took the hand that was offered to him by Lynn, positioning himself in the center to escort them both down the long, grand hallways.

Theodore’s blue eyes began to sparkle as they neared the ballroom. The muffled noise of mingling people leaked under the grand double doors and wrapped itself around his brain with an alluring sound. He hid the growing grin on his face, a hint of his fangs illuminating in the rich light of the hallway. If he was escorting Selene, he ought to be serious.

He let go of both women’s arms as they arrived towards the entryway. Theo hesitated a brief second before he pushed both doors open simultaneously, releasing the pent up noise from inside to flood into the hallway with a magnificent splendor. Elegant, attractive bodies moved around in expensive clothing. The light from the chandeliers above glinted off priceless jewels and fine materials. Theodore felt like a kid at Christmas, awakening to see a large pile of gifts under the tree, all promising greatness within. Notice of the double doors swooshing dramatically open and the regal figure, her curves dripping gold in the elegant dress, emerging from them began to set in, until almost every eye was turned towards them.

Theo stepped to the side to allow Selene to emerge in all her splendor, watching her bask in the widely drawn attention pinpointed her way. After an appropriate amount of time, he returned to her side once more and offered his arm to lead her down into the room. As they began walking, Theodore’s eyes scanned the crowd for familiar faces, a difficult task given the masks that nearly everyone had donned. Regardless, he had a knack for remembering body language and mannerisms, making more well known companions easier to spot. Many Ventari members from around the globe had made it to pay their respects to Selene. Theo caught several Abarra figures among the crowd, recognizing only those he had the most contact with. Some of them, he was happier to see than others. The familiar figure of Catherine caused his gaze to hesitate along its journey. She was chatting with Leon, already sipping on something by the bar. A small smile tugged at his lips. He would have to play catch up if she’d already started drinking.

Through all the bodies mingling through the grand room, there was not one belonging to a Lucinius member. He was sure of it. A pit of worry began to dig itself inside of his chest. Were they cutting all ties with the clans after Marcos’ death? Were they angry at Selene for holding a party? It was already hard enough for him to get through to Dorothea, now with everything that had happened, it almost guaranteed it to be a fruitless ordeal. Out of habit, Theodore glanced over at his leader’s face, her gaze placed outwards towards the crowd. She’s guided him this far in his new life. No matter what happened with the Lucinius or even the Abarra, he’d ensure that he would stay by her side.

Theo grabbed a drink from the tray of one of the roaming waiters, taking a long sip of the sweet tasting liquid. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

 

[electric]

Soon after Dory and Jack made it downstairs, the rest of the group trickled in. Dorothea smiled in delight, her eyes scouring the group as she silently did a roll call. It was strange to think about how much had changed over the past few weeks, and yet somehow, at the same time, things didn't feel drastically different. It probably spoke to Marcos' leadership style more than anything else. He was heavily involved in the clan and its daily operations, but he wasn't one who led with an authoritarian style. He encouraged independence, people sharing their ideas, and no one within the clan was treated as being more important than another. Perhaps it was because of his leadership style that even before he was killed, Dory had adopted some leader-like qualities herself. Things like making sure that everyone was present at meetings, that everyone was okay and taken care of, and so on, were actions that came to her naturally by now.

She smiled in appreciation at Mizuki, who was kind as always, and rolled her eyes playfully at Gisella's comment to Jack, knowing that he was the last one here who needed his ego boosted. "Ya hear that? 'Absolutely dashing' and it only took me five minutes of getting ready to win that compliment. Take notes!" he said, nudging Dorothea teasingly.

When Lex spoke up, Dory's smile didn't falter, not even a bit, but internally she was frowning. She understood his concerns; she understood them well. Yet, she wished that he would just trust her on this. Clearly Mizuki and Mara did, and she could only assume that the others were okay with going too, as she hand't received any push back from them. Dorothea wasn't offended by Selene celebrating her birthday. To be offended, she would have had to have valued and respected Selene as a leader, which she did not. She was an absolutely pleasant woman--there was nothing wrong with her on the surface, but Dorothea simply never saw her as being the kind of person with the depth to play politics with the big boys. That was okay, though. There was nothing wrong with that. Ventari was the perfect clan for a leader like that, she believed, because that was the kind of energy they were all about. They weren't bold enough to be so righteous that it went against the grain, nor were they bold enough to be so devilish that it disrupted things either. A leader throwing a party in a time like this could easily be seen as a sign of blatant disrespect, but Dorothea didn't see it that way. She truly felt like Selene was just looking to celebrate herself on her birthday, which in itself, was perfectly fair. She wasn't trying to make a political statement of dissonance or anything of the sorts.

The only people who needed to be making a political statement right now were the Lucinius members, after all. Marcos' death had been devastating in countless ways, but in Dory's mind, the biggest thing that needed to be repaired right now was their reputation. While outsiders were probably wondering how the bereaved were coping, and whether there was an investigation underway for the murderer, Dory was currently concerned with how their image looked moving forward, away from this murder. Their leader, the most powerful vampire on the planet, had been killed. What did that have to say for the strength of their clan? She didn't need the other clans getting any ideas, wondering whether their reputation had been a sham all along, and seeing this as an opportunity to step in and attempt to gain more political sway themselves. As Mara had said, they needed to show their faces to remind the others not to get too comfortable, and to remind them that their clan was nothing if not resilient. Unlike some of the less civilized vampires out there, they weren't going to respond to this with a full fledged war. Not yet, at least. Just because they weren't going to behead anyone that they felt might even be remotely linked to the killing couldn't be mistaken for weakness, though. Dorothea was a believer in the idea that silence held a strength that few people could cope with. The true testament to how dangerous someone was lied in how well they were able to hold their anger inside of themselves silently, with a smile painted on their faces.

With that in mind, Dorothea didn't plan on the poised smile that remained on her face now, to slip away from her expression for even a moment tonight. "I don't disagree that everyone needs to look after themselves tonight," Dorothea began carefully, though her tone bordered on being gleeful to a point where it was clear that she wasn't worried about any threats tonight. "But I think you're giving them too much credit, Lex," she continued as the group left the home and headed down to the cars that were waiting for them. "Selene isn't stupid. She knows better than to attempt to make this anything more than a nice celebration for herself, and that's exactly what it will be. We may have been more tactful about the situation, had roles been reversed, but the Selene and her clan have no reason to act towards us with malice, and we can give them the benefit of the doubt here, can't we?" Of course the party was more than just a nice celebration. As Mara had said, it wold serve an important purpose for their clan's image too, but Dorothea didn't feel compelled to drill that more self-serving point in now that it had already been addressed.

"I'm with you," Jack muttered to Lex as they piled into the cars before pulling off. He wasn't going to trust a damn soul tonight. For all they knew, Selene was orchestrating this party to get the clan in one room to kill the rest of them off. The idea of Marcos being killed was so outlandish that it was hard to brush anything off as being too bizarre or extreme at this point. Jack wasn't going to vocalize that because he knew that Dorothea would be annoyed at him for trying to rile up the others, but even if the others planned on actually attempting to treat this like a real birthday party, you weren't going to catch Jack slipping. Whoever this killer was had caught Marcos off guard, and that had probably boosted their confidence level. When they struck again though (and Jack was convinced they would), they were going to be met with a very different kind of opponent. One that would make them wish they were given a death as quick as Marcos' had probably been, at least in comparison to the hell Jack planned on putting them through. "Someone's planning something, but it's time to bring out the big guns. They don't know who they're messing with now, and it's time we take them head on." Jack had always been the least Lucinius-like of the clan, mostly because he had an aggressive personality when it involved fighting. He was always ready for a fight, and he was the type who would rather die by his post than surrender. Marcos had forced him to suppress that urge but ironically, despite how distressing his death had been, its positive side was that it was allowing Jack to embody that previously suppressed side of himself, all in the name of vengeance.

 

[Razvi-sama]

Location: Main Entry Hall to the Lucinius Mansion; On the way to Selene's Party.
Mentions: electric ; Pepsionne ; cure ; diwa
Mood: Pensive, anxious, excited.

Mizuki looked to Mara with a cool passiveness that masked her unease as she swallowed back her own nerves and emotions. She didn't agree, but she understood. And, she also seemed to understand that she simply...was outnumbered, and that too was okay. As Mara spoke firmly and confidently, all Mizuki could do was observe the woman with a gaze that slowly seemed to widen. It's politics. Did it always have to be so black and white, though? Mizuki's gaze fell back down to the roses, quite sure they were pretty annoyed from her picking at them. She silently apologized to the flowers and allowed her hand to fall back to her side, flexing her fingers anxiously as she had the urge to pick at something, while the other thankfully was secured within Gisella's grasp. These were the moments she relied heavily on the opinions of her family, and of Dorothea. No, especially Dorothea. Dorothea who had been a constant reassuring and strong foundation. She was incredibly nurturing and Mizuki always found herself leaning towards that. She wasn't emotionally equip to handle these matters so calmly and so reasonably as Mara and Dorothea were, who were only thinking of their image. Their reputation. She viewed things with a bias, maybe even with an innocence, and that was something she was trying to learn from and trying to change day by day. So, while she didn't understand, she wanted to. At first, her thoughts on the matter was simply...so what? So what if they viewed them as weak? So what if they saw them as the "gods fallen children"? So...what...? Wasn't it better that way...to have the enemy underestimate them...? Try and bring them down only for them to wish they had never dared touch a single hair on Marco's head? Have them beg and cry for mercy? This was why Mizuki wasn't a leader, she was a follower and a pretty good one at that. She wasn't so naive as to be pushed around and stepped on, but...she was loyal to a fault and knew when to speak...

Mara's tone began to shift and Mizuki found herself smiling a little, she had to admit. It was Dorothea's input and wise words that encouraged her lips to stretch out a little more, feeling a little more at ease by her reassurance. The women who surrounded her daily were all so amazingly confident, Mizuki was almost a little star-struck by them all. One day she too would speak with such eloquence and confidence. One day...she would rip off the rose-colored glasses fixated over her gaze...

Plus, she agreed with Dorothea. She never thought that Selene was doing something to intentionally harm them. From what she had picked up from Theo--Theodore, over the years here and there, she could imagine the woman pacing back and forth wondering if even sending them the invitation was considerate or distasteful. And, while this was the Lucinius way of responding to their month of absence, while this was their way of responding to such an invite...she too...like the roses...silently apologized to Selene. She hoped her gift would bring a smile to her lips, at least. Then again, knowing Selene...she wouldn't allow them to steal the spotlight from her for very long, and she hoped that would be the case. She really didn't want to make it about politics tonight, she just wanted everyone...everyone to have a fun time. That included all of the clans. She didn't join the Lucinius, specifically, because she wanted to be segregated from the other clans. It was because of her mistress and because...well, her views aligned with the clan's a little more compared to the others. That of peace...and that's what she hoped for tonight. Peace. Ah, but why did something keep tugging at her...whispering to her that that might not be the case, hm? She anxiously peeked over to Gisella and offered the woman's hand a light squeeze.

For now, she didn't reply back to Mara's response, feeling like it was an understandable and righteous stance, and any more retaliation might come off as aggressive on her part. Maybe even tiring for others. And, as part of the clan, even if she didn't agree completely...they could always count with her full support in anything and everything that they did. She was a Lucinius and her priorities were her family. So, she nodded in acknowledgement towards Mara and then another to Dorothea. Though...Mizuki seemed to chuckle, amused by Mara's last comment, encouraged by Dorothea's enlightenment. She...could play the moon for one night, right? Enchanting, ethereal, unattainable. Powerful. Mizuki turned around to follow after her clan, having already picked up on the humming of a car engine just stationed outside. Well, then...what else was there to lose...right?

Mizuki gently tugged Gisella towards the others, kindly guiding her out of the Main Entry Hall and stepping outside after a week of being hidden under her covers. She took in the fresh air, allowing it to fill her lungs, before her shoulders seemed to slump a little once she let out her breath. She peeked down to the mask in her hand, actually a little glad this was a masquerade. Actually glad that she didn't have to fully face the community tonight. While the thought of being around others of her kind was comforting, she was now wondering...if the killer--No. No, she wouldn't think that way. It wasn't productive. She steeled her nerves and pursed her brows together as if she was ready to confront some imaginary enemy. Determined.

As they slid into the car, one by one, Mizuki couldn't help but overhear a few mutterings, peeking over to her side discretely. Someone's planning something, but it's time to bring out the big guns. They don't know who they're messing with now, and it's time we take them head on. And, as much as she wished she could hold hands with everyone and sing kumbaya...she too was mentally prepared for something, anything to happen tonight. She would make sure...even if it meant staining her hands once more...that no one else from her family was going to be ripped away from her. She would make sure...Sure, she hoped for peace, but knew in reality that others didn't always wish the same.

The car ride towards the party, towards the Ventari, Mizuki didn't say much. They could go on about with their speculations, their paranoia, their worries, and calculated strategies...but none of it mattered. Tonight...whatever needed to happen will happen. They were to move in as a united front. At least, thankfully...she wasn't doing this alone. She didn't think she would have the guts to arrive to the party alone, now that she thought about it. So, as they were all piled into the vehicle, she smiled at them. Warm, content...pleased to have them by her side and she hoped she too inspired such feelings from the others. She leaned against the car's window, peering out of it as New York's nightlife passed them by. She peeked up to the moon, momentarily, "I wonder if they would be more displeased than anything once they see us strolling in", she chuckled softly, "...I bet so many of them believe we will not show up, maybe even hoping", she scoffed weakly, looking back to her clan, pushing herself upright. They have been traveling for quite some time, and considering their surroundings...they might be arriving soon, "Ah, I'm pretty nervous, though...I hope I'm not the only one?", she laughed weakly, pressing a hand to her stomach as she felt the butterflies flutter inside of her as she reviewed the others. But, she wouldn't show it. Something she did learn from the other Lucinius women...was to swallow back her emotions. Just tilt your chin up a little, shoulders back...and get ready.

 

[BurningBridges]

Mizuki, Mara, and Dorothea's explanations for why they were going to this stupid party weren't sufficient for Alexandre, but he didn't protest. He wasn't going to argue about it, not when they were already walking out the door to attend it. Lex was usually up for a debate, but if he knew that he was already on the losing end of something, he wasn't willingly going to try to assert himself just to be shot down. This situation was important and near to his heart; it wasn't something that he could just brush off and not be bothered with that easily, but at least Jack was on his side. He felt more inclined to accept Jack's response, if only because it felt like he was meeting him halfway. Yes, they were going to attend the party, but yes too, they were going to be on high alert because Lex wasn't crazy for thinking that this was inappropriate and potentially dangerous. Sure, the world had to keep spinning with or without Marcos, but did all of those vampires in the other clans truly feel safe congregating together, knowing that the killer was likely standing among them? He couldn't fathom having that level of comfortability even if it was Ojore or Selene who had been murdered. The only explanation that made sense in his mind, was that one (or both) of the other clan leaders knew who the killer was (or was the killer themselves) and that's why they felt comfortable with their clans partying with no cares in the world. It was the only thing that made sense to him, outside of the possibility that they felt like the killer wasn't a serial killer, and specifically only wanted Marcos dead for some reason. Entrusting that theory was a risky one, one that Lex wouldn't and didn't feel comfortable trusting with no evidence to back it up.

Still, here he was, sliding into the car with the rest of them. He didn't respond to anyone, not even Jack, only nodding in agreement to what the other male had to say. He leaned his head back against the headrest of his seat and closed his eyes as the car began to move. He wasn't tired, he just didn't feel like chatting with anyone. His disinterest didn't stem from anger towards any of them. It had just been the mood of the... well, of the past month. He knew that he had to move on eventually, and part of him truly wanted to move on and start putting the pieces of life back together, but it was hard. It felt disrespectful, with disrespectful probably being his word of the night, tonight. While he knew that Marcos wouldn't want them to mourn for months and months, mourning in itself was still new enough to Lex that he didn't know when it was appropriate to start doing "normal" things again without doing them explicitly as a distraction method. He wasn't like some of the others who had suffered tragic losses in their human lives. Even if they had occurred hundreds of years ago, they likely still remembered the events. Remembered the pain. Remembered what it took to keep living after something that felt so gruesome and horrific that they didn't want to keep living. Lex hadn't experienced the death of anyone close to him ever up until this point. His parents were obviously dead by now, but once he had been turned, he never returned to the town they lived in. He had felt guilty over that for a bit, but the transition into the vampire world was so new and life-changing that he had so much more to worry about at that point than his parents, who were, as far as he knew, doing fine in their normal lives. They had likely died of reasonable causes at some point, which was sad, but it wasn't shocking or earth shattering in the way that Marcos' death had been for him. Had he experienced any sort of loss before this, maybe it wouldn't have hit him as hard, but he hadn't.​

 

[A_Writer]

Catherine Streller

Overview

Mentioned:	starstruck Pepsionne sprouhtt
Dialogue: #e75480

Catherine wasn't a religious person; she never had been. She liked certain aspects of religion, like the artwork and the architecture that came with it, but other than that, she had never been intrigued by it. When you were immortal, it was hard to believe that gods existed because there was no need to believe that they existed. Cat felt like it was within human inclination to want to believe that there was a higher power, partially to explain certain phenomenons that occurred on Earth, but also for reassurance. Please your god while you're on earth, and once you die, you'll end up in a paradise-like place. It had to be comforting believing that you would go somewhere nice and peaceful once you died. Catherine didn't necessarily not believe in it, it was just that she had no reason to practice or care about religion when she had no plans of leaving this planet any time soon. Her comment about Hell had really only been a playful one with no real meaning behind it, but if she were thinking about it more seriously, maybe that would be the afterlife she would place him in. She had been a part of the vampire world for long enough that she knew Marcos. She had interacted with him and all of that. She didn't hate him, not personally at least, but she did think that he was evil. Even if he hadn't personally wronged her, his decisions, beliefs, and actions had personally wronged her vampire family enough that she felt comfortable taking a personal stance against him too.

"I think that's where all men end up," she offered through a small smile. Again, she was mostly teasing, but behaving in this manner was typical of Catherine. Some of the things that she said were bizarre, others vulgar, or inappropriate. She was quirky and maybe a bit spacey, but she wasn't stupid. She liked saying things that she knew were a bit off and watching how people reacted. When you were the 'crazy' one, you were in control. You were the one making the moves, leaving the other person in a position where they could only react, and not initiate their own craziness.

"Ooooh, it's the birthday girl!" she exclaimed, turning slightly to watch as Selene emerged in the distance. They weren't the only ones who turned to take notice of the older vampire. Most of the other people in their vicinity had too, with some oohing and aahing at how beautiful she looked. Selene was beautiful on an average day, but today she looked even more spectacular and Catherine would happily tell her that. She didn't have any personal issues with Selene. She felt like she was kind of lame, and that Theo would have more fun as an Abarra, but Selene was better than even the best of the Lucinius clan, so she deserved credit there at least. Some of the other Ventari vampires were with Selene, but the only one who caught Catherine's eye was Theo. "B-R-B!" she said, squeezing Leon's arm before gliding away and over to Theo. She placed her empty glass on a waiter's tray in passing, and grabbed a fresh one from the waiter by Theo. "Look at you, all dolled up and fancy," she teased with a smile. "Is that why it took you so long to get down here?" She looked back towards Selene then, assuming that they were really only just a little late in order to make a statement with that grand entrance. If that was the case, well played, because it certainly drew everyone's attention to her. "Regardless, you look cute, and hi!"

 

[starstruck]

Not every party was a party worth going to. It had nothing to do with Selene, who Angel felt fairly indifferent about, but just the setting. Formal events weren't her thing... no, not in the slightest. She didn't like getting dressed up, having to put on a dress, and heels, and all of that. It clearly wasn't a clan thing, because the others were able to do it just fine. Leah and Cat, for example, could go from crazy bitch to pretty princess with ease. It wasn't something that Angel felt insecure about on a normal day, and even right now, insecure probably wasn't the word for it, but she just felt uncomfortable and out of place... like there were a million and one places that she would have preferred to be. She had purposely overfed earlier in the day to ensure that her patience level was as high as it could possibly be, because when Angel felt uncomfortable, she tended to be more irritable too. At the very least, she was aware of this flaw of hers and did what she could to avoid it affecting others, but it was still there. She was a pretty blunt person already, so when she was in a mood, it tended to make her mean and off-putting. Sometimes she didn't mind creating this image for herself, but most of the time she didn't purposely go out of her way to come across as a bully. Being a bully meant that she would have to go out of her way to instigate issues and confrontations, and that wasn't typically what she was interested in doing. She wasn't one to back down from trouble if someone else created it, but frankly, she didn't care about most people enough to put the energy into starting it. Even the Lucinius clan, who she despised, weren't people that she would go out of her way to cause problems with. At least... that could be said for most of them. Angel had personal vendettas against a handful of them, but they were exceptions.

The good thing about this party was that there was a lot of alcohol. Considering the number of vampires here, it was a mere necessity, but even so, Angel appreciated it, and indulged in a new glass every time a waiter passed by. She smiled slightly at Leah as the girl approached them, teasing Ojore, who insisted that he wasn't going to keep anyone on a leash. Truth be told, even if he wanted them to behave, their clan was a clan that was hard to be tamed. Because Ojore was so chill in nature, they all respected him enough to keep within boundaries (most of the time), but they were a clan that valued freedom. Feeling caged or controlled would have most of them purposely acting a fool just to spite the person attempting to force that on them, and Ojore was a great leader because he recognized that and respected it. It wasn't like he was a saint either, so there was that too. "It looks like you're safe for now," Angel commented to Ojore, nodding towards the entryway where Selene had just appeared from. The woman of the hour captured the attention of many as she entered her party, looking glamorous and elegant. "And it looks like you've gotten your fix, too," she offered to Leah, before reaching out to grab a drink from a passing waiter. "Everyone wins." With a drink in hand, Angel would count that as as much of a win as she would be able to get at a party like this. "You should hit up your little Lucinius boy toy," she said, looking to Leah again. She was referring to Lex, who she didn't actually think to be Leah's fling, but who showed up at her club enough that she associated him with her (and with Cat, who she hadn't seen in a bit). "See if he and his crew plan on showing up. That'll make things exciting; I could use some entertainment tonight." ​

 

[Pepsionne]

Interactions: sprouhtt Selene, A_Writer Catherine
Mood: Devious, amused, relieved

Theo’s attention was stolen off to the side as the sound of Catherine’s voice hit him. He turned to look at her as she approached, a feeling of relief crashing through his chest like a wave tumbling against a rocky shore.

“Ah, well,” He started, a subtle smirk beginning to line his features, “You can’t rush perfection.”

He raised his glass to hers and clinked the rims together, the action emanating a light, jovial ring. Theodore downed the rest of his drink, waving down one of the roaming waiters to take his glass before grabbing another. “Although I’m sure you know that, you’re damn near drawing everyone’s eye in here each time you walk.” He shot her a sly wink.

Little by little, the worry that had begun to build itself up in his chest faded away. No matter what would happen with the Lucinius, whether they showed or stayed away, whether they cut off the clans in cold blood or started a war, at least he knew he wouldn’t face it alone. He knew that he would always have the Ventari and Selene, but he couldn’t rely solely on them alone. Catherine was a good reminder of that. There were many times he found comfort in confiding in her, she was the first person besides Selene who he wanted to run to when faced with unbearable news. He wouldn’t consider the Abarra as a whole to be the most loyal of allies, but Catherine was his one exception.

After having secured his second drink, Theo turned to Selene and gently picked up her hand. He laid a light kiss on top of it as a respectful parting. As much as he’d like to stay by her side all night, Theodore was sure she needed to do her rounds with the other Ventari clan members and important guests that had come to celebrate her. He linked his arm with Catherine’s and began to lead them both back through the crowd.

“So,” He said, his eyes surveying the mingling figures as he took frequent sips of his drink, “Do you think The Lucinius will show?” A devious gleam flickered in his blue eyes, which were already beginning to glass over from the alcohol. “Let’s make a bet. I don’t think they will. I think they'll be classy and send a gift for Selene, but still spend a respectful time grieving their late leader. Let's say whoever's wrong has to down a bottle?”

 

[diwa]

.Gisella Lázár.

​

interactions: lucinius clan - open
mood: pensive with the hint of excitement
wearing: dress ; daylight ring ; accessories ; lips ; eyes


Gisella is not certain if she ought to feel more anxious after hearing out loud the concerns of her brothers and sisters. Though, if she were to dig a little deeper and think with more veracity, she was glad she was not the only one who is thinking that everything that is going to happen tonight might be a ruse or some kind of an elaborate plan against them. Maybe they were being too much and it was all paranoia but one can't be too careful after they suffered such ordeal. Nonetheless, whatever might happen tonight, she is very much certain that they can handle it. Lucinius wasn't designated as the imposer of the rules just because of their proficiency in the field of business, laws and arts. They were placed in that position because they understand the values of vampires coexisting with humans. That they are vital to their survival. Lucinius clan was taught to be just and fair but ruthless if need be. They should be able to pass fair judgement and as hard as it is sometimes, they should be able to deliver the punishment. They were maybe few in New York at the moment but if something were to happen, fiercer and harsher others will just take their place and do the task. The death of the leader warranted an investigation, but the death of the entire chapter meant swift decision.

Gisella let Mizuki led her way out of the house and into their car without much of hesitation. Mizuki was too giddy and excited that a natural smile was drawn on her face as she got inside and sat comfortably in the lush and comfortable interior of their ride. Her excitement was too contagious and the worry briefly diminished from Gisella's mind. After what it seems like a moment, their car stopped in front of a lavish looking property. Luxurious cars all lined up, dropping attendees in pairs if not one by one and all dress to impress. If it wasn't for the rules, it is a scary time for the residents of New York City. Dozens upon dozens of vampires are prowling in the city tonight.

~

The news of their arrival spread like wildfire being helped by the wind, Gisella could feel the eyes embedded in their direction as soon as they stepped inside the property, it was as if the crowd were waiting for something to happened. She could only hear the sweet playing of the orchestra somewhere inside. There was a brief pause but babble went on after a few seconds of surprise. Some chatter was about them, some about the weather, politics and fashion. Gisella even heard someone wagered about them attending the party and losing the said wager for betting against them. Just the trivial things.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," Gisella looked at her company, a wicked smile was on her lips. "I have a date with certain gentlemen. Strictly named Jim, Jack and Jose. I’ll see you later." she curtly nodded her head before scanning the crowd for the open bar. It is only right to greet the celebrant but she reckons that she will be needing a much more powerful booze than the liquids inside the crystal flutes circulating around. Besides, Selene will be busy exchanging pleasantries with everyone in the room. Gisella walked away gracefully from her coven and headed straight towards the corner of the room with a heart full hope that they were serving the things that she needed. Her head held high, conveniently ignoring the whispers and stairs around her as she passes by. Finally arriving at the booth, Gisella signaled the barkeep with a charming smile who in return handed her a crystal with an amber liquid inside which she gladly took. This is going to be a long night, Gisella thought as she took another swig of her drink.

 

[Razvi-sama]

Location: Selene's Party.
Mentions: Pepsionne ; diwa ; sprouhtt ; BurningBridges ; A_Writer
Tries to interact with: sprouhtt
Mood: Nervous, giddy, out of place.

As the night dragged on, the car ride extending out for what seemed to be another century, Mizuki occasionally would flick her gaze over towards Alexandre with a quiet and warm empathetic gaze. She noted his silence, and silently fretted that what she had said could possibly be considered insensitive. She was aware of the close, paternal relationship he seemed to have with Marcos and she could only imagine how incredibly torn up he was about the situation, even if he didn't entirely express it outwardly...His expression and features were calm and collected, yet his gaze...held a deep melancholy that seemed to resonate with Mizuki. She watched him close his eyes, a silently indication that he wanted to be left alone for a moment, and she respected that. She chastised herself for not having checked up on him more during this month, but then again it was a little impossible as he always seemed to be fluttering about the city, keeping himself busy and away. Maybe tonight she would have the opportunity to pull him aside and simply...talk to him. She wasn't here to talk about who's feelings were right or wrong, she just wanted to check up on him and see if there was anything she could do. Maybe even offer him her loft so that he could spend a quiet night with himself, away from the empty residence they called home...maybe even offer him a little memento...A smile kicked up against her lips as she peered out the window.

It was almost refreshing, though, Mizuki had to admit...to see someone still view death as something...permanent and crushing, if that made sense. It seemed like a lot of their community had become desensitized with death as a whole. Whether it be because they were the ones who brought death to those around them, or...because time was never-ending and death was inevitable to all. But, she supposed she could lock away such thoughts for the night. It was a party, after all, and she needed to focus on calming the fluttering in her stomach. Her hands shook ever so slightly without her consent, all the while feeling a chill run down her spine.

But...she had Gisella. With her collected, yet warm smiles that seemed to wash relief over the vampire. Mizuki smiled and leaned into the woman's side, momentarily resting her head against her shoulder and finding reassurance in her presence, her touch, her fragrant perfume. She focused on the humming of the car, it's soothing melody as they passed by New York City.

Mizuki's slid open the moment she realized they had arrived, motioning to straighten herself up as she peered out into the impressive home of the Ventari. Oh, it seems they paid double for the light's, this year. The décor was grand, yet tasteful, and for a moment...she allowed her child-like wonder to bubble inside her chest. Maybe...maybe it was all going to be alright, and this would be the moment where things could finally go back to normal. Mizuki tied her simple, matte black mask over her eyes before she slid out of the vehicle, extending her hand out towards Gisella to help the woman step out without a single misstep.

The Lucinius filed out of the car, their gaze sharp, chin upward, backs straight, and followed by a confident yet eloquent stride. The valet who was in charge of the guest list, who was to look over and control the masses of vampires, and the occasional human, was rather distracted at first as they looked down upon the list...upon seeing Dorothea, Gisella, and the rest of the Lucinius clan they nearly dropped their list all together...eyes wide, flabbergasted! What were they doing here?

It seemed that was the general reaction as the Lucinius clan moved together, almost as if they were walking on air. Their steps silent, their movements calculated. No wonder the crowds had fallen into a hush the moment they laid eyes upon such a deadly and handsome group. It wasn't long for the word to spread like wildfire. Mizuki noticed, as they passed by couples and cliques of people, that they would fall into a soft whisper when they passed them by and the moment they continued forward it seemed like the conversation behind them had erupted into that of shock and wonder. Everyone was trying to be discrete, everyone was trying to be collected in the presence of the Lucinius, but...their curiosity was plastered over their face.

Mizuki had kept up a successful poker face as they strolled inside, her skirt flowing behind her, heels clacking in a light echo. She was nervous, despite her calm exterior. She was nauseous, despite the light smile she graced others as she nodded courteously their way. She was known to be a little odd, a little too cheery for their community. They never understood what was there to be so goddamn happy about, all the time. But, it was her only way of confronting the world around her.

As they stepped into the extravagant ballroom, the chandelier lights twinkling above them beautifully as if the stars themselves had graced them with their presence, Mizuki was...a little in awe. Selene had done a wonderful job. Lost in thought, she hardly registered Gisella's absence until she heard her little sing-song voice trail away. Wait. Wait! Mizuki snapped her eyes over to the retreating woman's back, not quite ready to be left to mingle. O-Oh okay, okay, this was fine. Yes, perfectly fine. She was sure the others had their own agendas, and she didn't want to beg anyone to keep her company until her lungs remembered their basic function of breathing.

So. What to do...? Mizuki waved to her clan, "If you need me, I'll just be wandering about. Anything happens, though, I'll leave my phone on with volume", she assured kindly, bowing lowly to them before she straightened up. She supposed she could do a bit of damage control and show the rest of the world that the Lucinius clan was just as strong and as collected as ever. Just...small talk. She could do small talk. Her eyes first landed on the gift table and she smiled. Okay, first thing she could do was give Selene her gift. She strolled through the grand ballroom with its intricate details and lovely décor, not being able to help but notice the eyes that roved over her and the whispers that followed. She peered at them from the corner of her eyes, as she reached the table filled with plentiful gifts of all kind. She settled her own down, as it was a bit of a tradition, at this point...that she bring Selene a bottle of wine, and one of the best known in the world.

Mizuki's gift bag was sleek and elongated in a tasteful black, the thin tissue a soft golden hue. She would get the woman a decadent dessert wine. A Chateau d'Yquem, imported from Sauternes, France. It always took her a bit of saving, but she thought it was always worth it. She smiled down to the bag, giving it a light pat for good luck before she turned around...roving the crowds for a familiar face...and who did she find?

Theodore...Off in the distance speaking to Catherine. The two were known to be close and Mizuki smiled, hoping they were having a nice time...wondering if she should...a-ah. No, no...The very thought nearly knocked away at her air and she was already having trouble getting a full breath within the crowds. She giggled nervously to herself, calling herself silly, before she whisked away in search for Selene, wanting to congratulate the woman and thank her for inviting them. It was the kind thing to do, after all. She searched through the crowds, weaving through twirling and enchanting couples who were dancing the night away. Mizuki was able to scoop up a champagne flute from a nearby waiter as she continued on her adventure, seeing Selene golden and glittering gown under the warm lights. She was truly a sight to behold. She waived to the vampire from a distance, hoping to catch her attention. After her interaction with the birthday girl, she didn't really have a Plan B, kind of already making plans to lean against a pillar and sketch away the beautiful masses...
Off to the side was the Abarra Clan who were all clustered together, and for a moment she had caught sight of Leah. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she waived to the woman eagerly before venturing forward towards Selene. It was nice to see so many familiar faces, even though it was to be expected. It made he feel a lot more comfortable, though.