Already starting to get jostled, Amelia was relieved when Galtem gestured to the VIP rooms that were located on the first floor. With glass partitions, that separated the rooms from the main dance floor area. This was to be a place where the special guests could get some sizzling entertainment from the dancers, a lap dance or two, or enjoy a quiet drink with a loved one. Amelia shrugged her shoulders, and went on up the stairs, eager to see how the other half lived.

The interior of the VIP lounge, already had a few patrons, enjoying the delights of the hostesses, that bumped and grinded on their laps. Amelia smirked, cause this was a hell of a lot more raunchy than the dance floor. Galtem offered her a drink, and Amelia’s attention was regained. “Sure…scotch and dry. Thanks. Amelia lent against the bar, and stared back through the glass partitions, wondering when the real party started. Like when folk realized Galtem was back in town. The fact he was now guardian of a wild teen. It was going to get really interesting.

<3>

Seph managed to slide her way through the dance floor mostly untouched, though some ass decided that because she wasn’t dancing, it was okay to touch her ass without so much as a greeting. She made her way to the bar, at first without an actual person she was going to talk to, but she quickly locked eyes on Jennifer. She wasn’t exactly close to the other female wolf, but they knew each other, and at the moment, that was good enough for her. Seph and Circe had gotten in a fight that morning. Seph had called Circe a slut when her sister announced she had officially lost her virginity to a wizard. Circe had proceeded to accuse Seph of being jealous of her because, word for word, ‘I fit in here, and you don’t’. Seph wasn’t the type of girl to lash out when someone insulted her, but Circe was a different chapter in that story. She lashed out if her sister so much as looked at her the wrong way. The two were not just sisters – they were best friends. In Pretoria, they had been inseparable, but something about America had turned their relationship a love/hate, on/off, complicated hot mess that neither of them really understood.

As soon as she reached Jennifer, she brushed some hair out of her eyes and the smile became a little nervous. “Uh, hey. I don’t really know anyone here, so do you mind if I…?” It was an open ended question because Seph didn’t know what to ask. Do you mind if I stand here and make it look like we’re having a conversation? Do you mind if we have an actual conversation? Nothing seemed socially acceptable, and even if it did, Seph didn’t know if her definition of the term was up to anyone else’s standards.

Galtem nodded when he heard Amelia telling him what she wanted to drink, and that’s what he order from the bartender. Of course, for him it was just a glass of whiskey, he never changed much from the alcohol he drank, beers, wine and whiskey, nothing more than that. Of course tonight they could try out some shots, and make things get more interesting, but the night is still young. The bartender placed their drinks right in front of them, and Galtem just picked up his glass, as he turned around and faced Amelia.
“Cheers that you let go off your job and left your snake at home, for the first time!”
He joked with her, and hit his glass slightly against hers. This was true, she was always so focus on work, and whenever she was done with it, she would go back home and spend her time with her snake. She’s different on her own way, but that doesn’t make her less than others. After hitting his glass against hers, he brought the glass up to his lips, and took a long sip from his whiskey, hell, he even drank it all. Placing the glass back down, he huffed out from the lovely burning feeling down into his throat.
“Another one.”
Galtem told to the bartender, as he just nodded his head and started to pour more whiskey in his glass. He was going to drink, and a lot, he really needed something to distract his mind, especially now that he had a teenager under his arm, to take care about, it won’t be easy, hell, it will be extremely hard, and Galtem shouldn’t drink too much because he needs to keep an eye on Caleb, but he still wants to see how far and how reckless that kid can be, so he will just watch stuff happen.

Galtem stared at her from the corner of his eye when she began to play around him doing that bet with the teen. He just winked at her and smirked. He doesn’t like when his pride is questioned, or when is his abilities, if people tell him he can’t do something, he will do it, just for rub on their faces. That’s why he done that bet with Caleb, even tho that will only make the teenager get worse and try his best to make Galtem send him away so he will get boozed whenever he wants to and have his car, but lets see who will win.
“There’s Commitment-Free Sex.”
Galtem told her with a shrug, when she began to talk about why she keeps a snake and not man, since they cant walk away or talk back. He turned his head around, and noticed the bartender pouring more drink in his glass, he picked it up and started to drink. He almost chocked with Amelia’s words.
“Yeaah, but snakes cant really give you everything back, now can they?”
He just told his opinion, he wasn’t that much fan of animals. He had one, one he just bought because of River, a small puppy, but on the very next day, he had already give it to another family, it would only be a small memory inside his house, that would make him remember about River, so why keep it?
It seemed tonight Amelia would get drunk with Galtem as well, that would be the first time since the two of them was drinking so much ,but it would only be fun.
“Remember me, to call a cab.”
Galtem joked a bit as he drank the rest of his whiskey, then he order for something else, he order a few shots, to be placed in front of them, then they would have to drink as much as they could quickly, and see who wins.

Amelia felt the warmth starting to spread through her, the more she drank. A rosy shine coming to her cheeks, and you could see she was already starting to slouch, leaning against the bar. When Galtem said that snakes can’t really give you everything back, she shrugged her shoulders lightly. He was right, animals and reptiles couldn’t give back the love and attention that you put into them, not always.

Downing her drink, she slid the empty glass and then watched as Galtem ordered a row of shot glasses. “Remember me, to call a cab.” Smirking, Amelia picked up a shot glass and tapped it to the side of Galtem’s glass.Only if you remember to order me a body bag…I may not make it out of this night….alive.” With that she threw back the shot, downing it in one go. Amelia placed down the empty glass upside down, and reached for another.

<3>

Galtem waited for the bartender start placing the shoots on their front , it was ten, five for each one. Lets see if they even make it to the third. He picked up one shot, and looked at her, hearing her talking about some body bag, because she wasn’t sure if she would make it out of this night alive.
“Stay strong.”
He joked around, and whenever she started drinking, he would do the same, trying his best to be quick as possible, and make it less than three gulps. With this one done, he placed the empty glass upside down over the table, and reached for another, he keep doing this, till he reached the five, but he didn’t even drink it, he was still swallowing the rest from the fourth. Its always more harder drink such strong things so quickly, sometimes its like the liquid is going up in your throat, wanting you to throw up, but Galtem was finally able to swallow it, and finally drank the last one, but more slow than before.
“Done!”
He said, as he placed the last glass over the counter. He stared around, and saw some men getting lap dances on chairs or couches, or booth, or whatever. He found some empty couch, and that’s what he just needed, sit down.
“I’m going sit down. Hey, don’t forget to bring more whiskey.”
Galtem told the sitting down part to Amelia, and the whiskey part to the bartender, so he would start preparing everything and bring it to him. He walked slowly to the couch, and passed a hand through his hair, before let his body call over the couch, then he just put him in some sitting position, so Amelia could sit as well. It was on that moment a dancer was coming towards him to give a lap dance, and he frowned slightly, moving his hand in a way like he was scooting some animal away.
“I don’t want a lap dance. Shooo.”
Trying his best to leave the womanizer life behind, and also because he was with Amelia, and he didn’t wanted to make her feel uncomfortable. 

Galtem’s declaration he was done, was followed by a glance over at some of the male patrons getting lap dances. Was he keen to get one? Amelia had to wonder. She had to admit, it would be kinda funny to sit with him while he got one. Course, he was trying to change his image, and when he did take a seat, he shewed one girl away, clearly not interested. Amelia had to admit she was impressed. Taking a seat besides Galtem, she eased back, and watched the other men enjoying the hostesses favor. She then wondered how Caleb was getting on. “You know, I can’t help but say this, but that kid, Caleb..he is the spitting image of you. Have you noticed?” She also wondered if anyone else at the party might pick up on that. NH wasn’t that big a place you could hide from your past.

<3>

“We just got in a stupid fight, so I came by myself. Figured she’d need Aunt M to calm her down more than I would.” Seph sat as she spoke, shooting a small smile at William. “Plus, I don’t exactly need two angry Mills on my ass tonight. I kinda… took a day.” She hadn’t gone to school because of the fight, and that would be easy to infer, but she didn’t want to say it out loud. It felt like losing, like she was letting Circe win by letting it get to her. She didn’t give a shit if she “fit in” or not, what she hated was being accused of being jealous of the person she loved most in the world. “So, how’re… things?” Her smile grew a little bit. “Did you hear about the newcomers? It’s like the first time that people have moved to Derry at the same time, that weren’t related, in like… what was it, thirty years?” She knew that the new chem teacher and the new student probably had nothing to do with each other or anything that had ever happened in the town, but it was a nice conversation topic, at least in her mind. Better than talking about school or their jobs, or her sister.

Galtem leaned his back against the couch and dropped his arm over the arm of the couch, as he tilted his head to the side and watched Amelia getting closer and sit down next to him as well. When she open her mouth, he thuoght she was going to talk about drinks or something, but the subject was about that kid, Caleb. She was telling him he is the spitting image of him, oh god, really?
“Are you kidding me?”
He said in a tone, like he couldn’t believe what she was saying. Having a teenager like him, that isn’t really needed, at this moment. But now he wondered if she only meant that his father died and his mother send him away to another person, now that part he would understand, but he didn’t wanted to admit that the kid looked like him when he was a teen, and that his personality was alike his as well. That would just be weird.
“Ugh, don’t even make me think about that, that’s gross.”
He told her, as he shook his head and saw the bartender placing his whiskey on the table. He picked up his glass and took a small sip from his drink. He didn’t wanted people to start think he had a son, because that isn’t really on Galtem’s wishes, he never wanted to have a child, he never thought about it nor getting married. Of course, he already got married before, but that’s only because his girlfriend on that time brought it up, and he done it to please her, but the marriage just ruined their bond.

Amelia held her hands up in an effort to surrender, cause she truly didn’t want to get on Galtem’s bad side, especially after a few drinks. “Okay okay…I’m sorry I brought it up.” Amelia said quickly, feeling bad about the situation now. Nervously, she got up to stand, and she wasn’t steady on her feet, having to place her hand quickly on the guy beside her’s head. “I’m just going to…go find..the bathroom. I think…I’m going to be sick.” She drew back her hand from the guy’s head and mouthed “sorry”, before staggering clumsily through the crowd, in a dash to reach the bathroom.

<3>

She was adamant about one thing though. Caleb. Amelia wasn’t stupid, and she knew Galtem’s rep in town, which wasn’t that crash hot with the likes of say Jennifer, especially after River’s funeral all that time ago. How on earth would she react to seeing Caleb there? Galtem was in serious denial of the truth of the matter, and though Amelia couldn’t cope sitting there, as he let rip that the idea was preposterous, she knew that this was going to rustle some folks feathers. Amelia there and then made up her mind. If Galtem was not going to keep an eye on things, she might as well. The kid was young and about to be fed to the wolves, so to speak. Amelia gave her reflection a firm nod, and headed out of the toilets, after washing her hands, and went to look for Caleb, since she knew that Galtem was probably entertaining someone else by now.

Seeing Caleb at the end of the bar, she pushed her way through the crowd, and came up to sit in an empty seat next to him.“Just water.” Amelia asked of the bar tender, before looking across at Caleb. “Great place, huh?” Amelia said, trying to just make idle conversation, since he would really only know her or Galtem.

<3>

“Oh that girl? I think her name is Rosalie, can’t tell you her last name though.” Amelia offered, at least trying to help the kid out if she was someone from his school. Rather than cramp his style, having helped out at least with the name, she took up her drink and gave his shoulder a pat. “She looks like she could use someone to bounce off. Have a good night, kid.”Amelia then made her way through the crowd.

<3>

Eric was finally at the party, after school, he went home, and of course, his father began to bother him again about go to the gym and train some muay thai, so of course, he went, with his father, and the both of them had to fight, and train together. Which, for Eric was always worse that way, not only because he faces a bit of his father strength, but also because the training is more tough, and there’s barely no breaks, when he goes alone to the personal trainer, his father hired, its better, since he takes things slow and doesn’t spend the whole time pushing him into his limits. If Eric didn’t told his father about the party tonight, he was going with somebody, they would’ve spent there almost the all night, so he just ran home, took a shower, and got himself ready. He is wearing, some black t-shirt, with a leather jacket, dark blue jeans, and some kickers. His dirty blonde hair was messy but with style. He even put on some cologne, and also healed the wounds he had on his eyebrow and lip, he just wanted to look decent for this party. This was like the first impression, and he didn’t wanted to ruin it.
To get here, he used his fathers car, Eric was actually thinking about walking, but his father told him to take his car and have fun. He was just glad that his son was finally creating bonds and doing stuff a normal teenager at his age should be doing, having fun. He parked his car on the first empty space he found, then he locked the car, making sure every door was well locked, and also checked if he had his wallet with him. Now yes, he was ready.
He walked up to the building, but he did not get inside, he stayed outside, waiting for Maha. He told her that he would wait for her outside, and if he wasn’t there, meant he would be late, and since she isn’t around here, means she still didn’t arrived, so he will just wait.

He looked the stunning woman over slowly before smiling his greasy smile “The place is hoppin’, baby.”

She shimmied up to him and placed a kiss on his cheek with one foot in the air. Tweaking that same cheek, she cooed “Keep an eye out for me, Bubba. I don’t like the gropers.” He grunted a gruff response, crossing his arms possessively as Jacque flounced into the joint.

Looking around, Jacqueline watched the young people dancing so close together she thought someone was filming a more modern Dirty Dancing. Rolling her eyes, she shimmied her way to the crowd until she saw her boss sitting on a couch in the midst of all the fun. Dropping her flirty routine, she stuck a more professional yet friendly smile on her face and nodded her head towards Galtem in greeting. She never talked to him much, only when was necessary. Jacque knew he had a reputation, and though she enjoyed the pleasure of the hunt as well, something about him screamed ‘danger, don’t touch’.

Shifting her attention away from her boss, she looked towards the stage that seemed to be beckoning her name. The DJ was off to the side and was playing popular club music that had the place indeeed ‘boppin’. Smirking, she shook her head and walked over to the booth. After a few brief words, the DJ chuckled and switched gears. Climbing onto the stage with the help of the house band, she nodded to them as they started to play Titanium by David Guetta. The DJ spun along with a few of his own tricks, keeping that beat ready for the dancing patrons. Stepping up to the mic, Jacque began to sing and swayed her hips along to the rhythm.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Rosalie had looked over in time to see Caleb staring at her briefly. Smiling shyly, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and ducked her head with embarrassment. Turning away from him as he spoke to Amelia about who knew what, she watched the singer that had just arrived. Finishing her soda, she placed the empty glass on the bar and gestured to the bartender that she didn’t want anymore. Eyes fixated on the beautiful blonde singer, she found her hips strangely start to sway to the beat. Smiling slightly, she stepped away from the bar and shimmied her way into the crowd of dancing teens. Lifting her hands above her head, she began to sway and shimmy her hips as she got lost into the song. It was one of her favorites, and Jacque was doing it some serious justice in the disco. Laughing softly as she gave into dancing, Rosalie closed her eyes and just felt the beat.

One that was famous for his late nights in the D.A’s office, was none other than Shane Williamson. He came to NH from Chicago well before River’s funeral, and after a few good wins for his law firm he was approached to stand for the position of the cities D.A’s office. Course, a job like that has its perks, and one of which was to have a sensual blonde name Louisa who served him faithfully, soon becoming his blood doll for his need to feed, as well as other added niceties. After enjoying a good romp on one well worn oak desk in Shane’s office, the D.A decided that he would put in an appearance at the local bar, since he heard that Galtem, his former partner was back in town and throwing a party. With his VIP invitation safely tucked into his coat pocket, he sneered lewdly at his secretary as she slowly put her clothes back on. “If I could have you work like this….all the time, it would make my job all the less stressful.” Louisa winked at her boss, before sashaying over with the hem of her skirt up so high, he could see a flash of her knickers. “You only need to buzz me, Boss.” She playfully wiggled her brow, before turning round to leave, at which he gave her backside a slap, and then spun around in his chair.

“Party time.”

The Disco

Rather than take his secretary to the party, Shane decided he might find something else tantalizing to take home to feast on later. Course, when he entered the crush of the nightclub entrance, the first person he spotted, that he knew was Amelia. Leaning against a wall, and sucking on a straw. Was that…water? Shane thought to himself. Though he was a vampire, he had come to respect Amelia, for her vast knowledge of crime scene investigations, forensics and how to solve a murder through picking up tiny traces of evidence from the bodies or the murder location. She was like a sniffer dog to a criminal’s trail. Her methods were as unorthodox as her attire, but that was just another one of the things he liked about her. Amelia stood out in the crowd. Smirking, he cut through the dancers, that were bumping and grinding with their sweaty bodies to the beat of the music, till he came to stand in front of her, a curl to the right side of his lips.

“And you say you have no social life. What you doing here? And…water? Seriously?” Shane teased, cocking his head to the right. Amelia let the straw go from her lips and sighed. Great, another hunky guy she could never see herself with.“Already had…six…seven…drinks, and one trip to the loo to basically find out what I ate for breakfast. It was colourful.” Amelia quipped, bopping her head in time to the music. Shane laughed and patted her shoulder. “Always heavy on the details. Gotta love that. So…where is Silver tongue? The man of the hour.” Shane knew that Amelia and Galtem went way back, and hoped she might be able to point out where to find him. “Last I saw he was shooing away lap dancers. Say…why don’t you go up to the VIP lounge, that is the best place to start looking.” Shane gave Amelia a small salute, then headed up to the VIP section.

<3>

Seeing Amos storm past, Ezekiel’s brows lifted and he grinned. Whatever the man was angry about, he did not want to encounter him at the moment… though by the sounds of it, Juliette had done something. Though he’d never met the girl, Ezekiel knew that she wasn’t the… favored child. Wandering away from Az, the demon walked over to a bookshelf and began looking through the various materials there, content to wait until Amos calmed down a bit.

Latecia climbed the stairs quickly, her large bust bouncing around as she did, and turned the corner to meet her sight with the petite and beautiful form of Elvira. A bright smile covered her face as she looked upon the girl’s attire, and saw Edward dressed and ready to go behind her. So her hunch was right, and in that case, it was a good thing she brought him a mask after all. “Elvira! Bambina you look simply ravishing mi amore!” She spoke in an excited tone. “I hate to be the men at this fiesta. They have no idea the surprise that awaits them should they find themselves in your arms.” As she reached her, she nudged her arm gently, feeling comfortable enough to do so given she adores the girl. As the girl continued on, Lahty came to Edward, and pinned him to the wall, her eyes full of a seriousness that could not be detoured as she lifted the mask in her hand as her other forearm held him by the chest. “You leave me, and I will kill you Sparky.” She then planted a kiss upon his lips full of passion, then placed the mask over his face, walking on as if nothing had happened.

Edward was confused, and slightly dazed at Lahty’s actions, but none the less, he was pleased to have a friend such as her. Not only for her body but her thoughtfullness. He quickly caught up with Elvira, and continued on.

“You may want to avoid Father until he leaves for the ball. He’s in a right temper and has already killed a few of you in his rage and it so hard to find good help these days.” she passed on the warning as she walked through. The servants looked at each other in fright.

She did not look back to see if Edward was following her, she continued through the gardens until she reached the front of the house where one of the family carriages awaited her. The footman opened the door and escorted her in while waiting for Edward to join her.

Elvira stared from the window, wondering if her mysterious benefactor would be in attendance, and what he or she wanted with her. She was deeply intrigued.

She had this strange feeling that tonight was going to go down in history as the most exciting night ever experienced.

—————Thread Change to the Ballroom—————

He pulled away just enough for his eyes to meet hers, and the wearyness, the worry fell over him again. He could not shake the feeling in his gut. “I feel as though something is going to go terribly wrong tonight. I need you with me, Bess.”

He gently pulled away from the kiss, his eyes embracing hers as he pulled himself, and his member, away from her. He chuckled as he turned to dress himself in the clothing Lahty had set out for him. “Were we not limited in time, my love…if only were we not limited in time…” He winked at her, and chuckled softly, sliding his trousers over his lower half and pulling on a pair of black, knee high socks. Grabbing the fluffed shirt and greatly designed vest, he slid them both on, and grabbed his matching pants and boots, pulling those on as well. Fixing his hair, in as quick a matter as possible, he grabbed his mask, slid it on, and moved to his wife, kissing her gently once more. He held out his elbow. “Shall we go then, my wife?”

When she took his arm, he’d lead her through the house, and to the maids who would escort them through the rain to their carriage, which then took them to the ballroom, of the Count’s event.

(Thread Change: Ballroom)

The light was blinding, even for Bess. The fire seared through her skin, though it didn’t burn her. The sudden shift in temperature made her wince however. As the fire was replaced by rain Bess was forced to return to her human skin. The red of her demon form seemed to run away with the water, she shrunk and contorted until Bess stood in her vessel once more. Turning she watched with wide eyed horror as Amos sunk to the floor, she dropped with him “My love get up, we must get you inside” she said, tugging at his thick arm and hoping it would make some sort of impact. When nothing happened, Bess removed her hands from his body…but they were coated in his thick purple blood. Gasping her eyes flickered to his face “Amos…” she begged, her eyes brimming over…but it was hard to tell what was rain and what was tears. Bess was soaked through but she didn’t care…hell, she didn’t care about anything right now except the state that her husband was in.
As that dreaded dogs name was uttered, Bess glanced up and sure enough…there he stood, grinning and half mad as per usual. Bess stood with a snarl, she drew a hand back and with a half crazed charge of fury, she lunged at him, reading to tear his eyes out…but he smartly side stepped the assault and delivered a bone crunching back hand to the side of Bess’ face. She saw stars as she was propelled through the sky. Her back met the thick concrete of a stone pillar and with a grunt she dropped to the floor, moaning in pain. “Amos…” she mumbled, her vision blurring as she tried to stand and reach her husband again…it didn’t work and as Bess tried to pick herself up for a second time she felt the world shift below her “Mother…” she breathed, Bess tried to get up again. She tried to crawl toward her husband even though she knew she would be more of a hindrance than a help. Suddenly she felt stiff, stiffer than before. Like her arms and legs were made of stone.
A cruel laugh echoed through the courtyard as Bess was forced to lay on the dirt and scream for her mother to let her go…get Lilith was not listening.

Out of no where she appeared, there was no gapping hole nor pillars of fire…it was simply…out of nothing. Lillian crossed the stone cobbles of the courtyard, grinning and fur clad, although she to was soaked through. “Amos….” she said, as if she were a mother scolding her child “I expected you to know better…you were always smarter than your brothers”. Her voice seemed to be coming from everywhere, every corner and cranny, every stone and every pane of glass in the house. Lillian strode forward, ignoring the screams of her daughter, whom she had bound to a stone pillar so she could not interfere. “I had such high hopes for Bess….and for you….but then you found each other and…well…i had to let those plans go.” Lillian suddenly appeared beside where Amos had flung Agares too, the dog lay groaning on the cobbles but grinned as soon as he saw Lillian. She kept walking however, smirking like a cat who had just gotten the cream “That is not why i’m here though….i’m here for an entirely new reason…one that i didn’t think even you, would try to go through with” Lillian said, stopping behind Amos’ heaved form. She ran a cold hand across the taunt leather of his wings, although they were cold her fingers singed the skin slightly. She began to circle him then, like a shark would its prey. Lillian then stopped in front of him and knelt, cupping his chin in her hand. Whilst her mouth was set in a grim line of what looked like sorrow…those horrible ice coloured eyes burned with Malice and smugness. “What a shame…to loose such a powerful being…” Lillian said with a tisk, her hand gripping his chin tighter as the blood from the wound in his back oozed and mingled with the rain.

LadyBelz

Re: (RP) The Roxburg Family Manor.

August 31, 2013 08:58PM

Elvira held on to her father for all she was worth until in flash of flame, they returned to earth, landing in the mud in front of their home. Her father stumbled away, various wounds seeping sluggishly, coughing up blood that was nearly black in the darkness of the night. Rain soaked them to the bone, but she felt none of it, intent on reaching her father. She fell to her knees at his side, pressing a hand to one of the wounds that didn’t seem to want to stop bleeding. “Father!” she murmured, tears in her eyes.But her father was grinning, almost maniacally as Agares appeared before them. Elvira wanted to stay with her father as he stumbled to his feet, prepared to battle once again but she knew he would be against it. His next words confirmed this thought. “Go inside. All of you. Do not think I will take no for an answer either. I will handle this.” Elvira really wanted to argue that he could not be strong enough for this, but his word was law. She grabbed up her skirts and ran for the front door, seeing it thrown open and the staff waving her inside.

Clashes of metal rang out behind her as she crossed the threshhold and she stood in the open doorway to watch her father battle for his life and the lives of his family. And though his was mortally wounded, her father put up one hell of a fight and she never felt more proud than to be a Roxburg at that moment…until Agares slipped a sword into her father’s undefended back. “NO!” Elvira screamed, reading herself to run out to help. It was not to be as Lurch appeared from nowhere and effortlessly held her in his strong grip. She struggled, crying out for her father, begging to be let go, but Lurch knew he was to protect the eldest daughter with everything in him.

Things only got worse when her grandmother arrived. Elvira watched her mother tossed away and pinned to a pillar of stone before moving to her father. She couldn’t hear the words spoken between mother and son, but the look on Lillian’s face spoke volumes.

“Father, no! Please!” Elvira begged, wishing with all her might for her father to fight back, to yell, scream, stab the evil witch, anything to push her away. “Daddy!” she breathed, falling to her knees as she felt the familial bond she had with her father slowly start to fade away…

CharlotteCarrendar

842

Re: (RP) The Roxburg Family Manor.

August 31, 2013 09:39PM

Bartholomew and Fanny landed heavily on the front lawn, the mud spraying up on touch down. Both were smouldering, and drenched from the torrential downpour. They made it out of that horror fest, and though both demon, it was more than either of them could stomach. Fanny gripped Bartholomew’s face, her own a look of relief. So glad to have been whisked back to the safety of the Roxburg manor. She could hardly wait to go inside, and kissed a startled looking Bart’s lips.“As soon as I get inside, I’m having a bath.” Fanny chortled, wiggling her nose up to Bart’s playfully. The rain was still falling though, even though she wanted to get wet inside. Their joy was to be cut short, when Bart turned back to see if his father was okay, only to see Agares appear. His father and Elvira were on the ground, and his father was already bleeding profusely.

“STAY AWAY FROM HIM!” Bart cried out, his demon side coming to the fore, as his voice took on a strange double sound. LIke the hell demon within was craving to be released. Fanny gasped, recognizing Agares from the ball. “Why can’t you leave us alone?” Fanny yelled, ready to use her purse to whack him with. Both Fanny and Bart were side by side, when Amos screamed at them all to get inside. Bart shook his head fiercely. “Dad…I’m not leaving you!” He was getting ready to withdraw his sword, when Fanny saw Lurch throw open the door to the Manor.

Fanny could see that this was not a fight for her Bart, and she yanked on his arm. “At the very least, take me inside!” Bart rounded on his Kitten, and looked at her like she was mad. “I have to protect my father.” Fanny groaned, and picked up her muddy skirts, trying to run as Amos had said, only to trip and fall as she made her way to the door. Torn between helping his Father and rescuing his Kitten, he did what a man in love does, and ran to her side, helping her to her feet. Together, they tried to run, but Fanny must have twisted her ankle, so the going was slower.

On reaching the door, Lurch was holding back Elvira who was screaming ; “No!” Bart more or less pushed Fanny inside only to turn and see his Father with a sword stuck in his back. “DAD!” The roar of the younger Roxburg could be heard far across the ground, as Lurch placed a free hand on Bart’s shoulder, trying to hold him back as well. Bart’s eyes were filled with the horror of seeing his Father being murdered right before his eyes. Fanny had collapsed in a chair in the foyer, and started to weep, that in her effort to get inside, she prevented Bart from saving his Father….the guilt was overwhelming.

<3>

EricHeymour

Re: (RP) The Roxburg Family Manor.

September 01, 2013 08:37PM

The sound of the woman’s voice phased hi not. He knew this all boiled down to her, and possibly even his brother, so to have her here, at this moment, was no surprise at all. Lillith. The succubus wife of Lucifer, one of them at least, had now entered the fray, taking advantage of his weakened state. That’s when the hate rose up within him, and empowered his will even further, which everyone knows, is what keeps dead men going, the will for…something. In this case, a man protecting all that he held so dear to his heart…his family.A smirk fell upon his lips as she spoke, his wing twitching at the gentle heat, that Amos’ tough body had become quite durable to since his fall. He held his eyes down as she bent before him, grabbing his chin and forcing his face up, though he refused to have his eyes meet such curr. It would not be long before she even went so far as to take over Brother’s rule, and Amos would be damned if he wasn’t there when Lucifer did something about it.

The way she spoke to him, like a mother scorning a disobedient child, made him feel disgusted. This woman has yet to change in so many years, thinking she was above him ever since they first met. His eyes held to the floor, even as he spoke. “Lillith….you come…and betray the brother of your husband, husband to your daughter, as if it was something that would not be expected. You come, and you now speak as if you have won, as if you are truly above me for the first time we met thousands of years ago….well I’ll let you in on a secret…wretched whore of a woman.” Amos’ right hand reached up and weakly took to her wrist, holding it to his face as if he was on his last breath. “Do you so easily forget WHO I am…Lillith?” His eyes fell to his downed wife, and then to her right, his youngest of children. His beautiful Alice. She’d finally returned, and at the WORST possible time. His eyes swelled with tears as they held her in their embrace, though his face was strong as ever. He stretched his mind to hers, and once finished, played images of the months she’s missed, and his emotions, on how happy he was to see her home, to know she was alive. His eyes then rise to Lillith and the grip on her wrist tightens as suddenly as his brow furrowed.

“I am Amos. One of the Original Arch Angels of God’s army. King of Hell and General to all it’s armies. I am death, I am life, I am power. You are a decent fuck when Lucifer get’s bored.” He slowly began to rise as he spoke, squeezing even tighter on her wrist as he slowly brought it from his face, and keeping it in his grip no matter how she may struggle. “You are, and always have been, below me. You are an accident. I am perfect. You are weakness, I am strength. You are honorless, and I am honorbound. You are loveless, and I have a family who loves me to the fullest as I them. You are NOTHING at my heel, and it is THERE where you belong!” He was now towering above her, as Agares rose and rushed the scene. Amos simply lifted his arm to the side, and caught Agares’ neck within it, squeezing tightly and lifting him off the ground. His eyes never left Lillith, however.

“Beneath my HEEL.” Amos lifted his large hooved foot, and was about to bring it down flat onto Lillith, when Juliette entered his vision. His heart softened, his eyes hardened and his lips tightened. He threw Agares away and with one leap left Lillith and took his daughter into his arms. Holding her tightly to him, his partially healed wounds still bleeding, loosed their purple liquid upon her. “I was worried for your safety Juliette. After seeing Edward attacked…I feared….no matter, you are home, and that is what matters.” He didn’t ehar her words, notice the look in her eyes. He was simply overjoyed to have her home and okay.

LadyBelz

Re: (RP) The Roxburg Family Manor.

September 01, 2013 09:10PM

Doorway of Roxburg Manor

As if things weren’t bleak enough, Juliette finally decided to show her wretched self. Elvira watched on as her sister taunted their father while he was down in the mud, bleeding to death, their grandmother standing over him triumphantly. “Ah…so the mighty hath fallen. My my, what a long fall that must be off your pedestal, father.” Juliette could be heard snickering.“Mmmmh…that really looks painful, Daddy. Perhaps just a little taste before we send you on your way?” She had the nerve to throw Elvira a wink where she stood in the manor door.

Elvira literally saw red.

The demon within came forth, igniting her clothing in a ball of flame. Her wings ripped from her back in a splatter of blood and gore as she ripped herself from Lurch’s tight grasp and out into the rain, the cold water sizzling upon her overheated skin.

She took no notice of Amos rising to his feet and taking on both Agares and Lillith. She saw nothing as he once again tossed Agares away as if he were yesterday’s garbage. She did not hear his words as he took Juliette into his arms.

Her rage was all-encompassing. Talons extended she made straight for her sister, whom after this day was done, would no longer hold such a title with Elvira ever again…if she did at all. Seeing her in their father’s arms, completly snapped her mind.

“YOU SELFISH, WRETCHED, EVIL, LITTLE, TWAT-FACED BITCH!!” Elvira screeched as she used her wings to propel herself at inhuman speeds toward Juliette, determined to rip the woman from the arms of her father. She did not deserve to be there!

Elvira had waited years for this moment. She was finally going to get a chance to lay hand and talon on “Little Miss Perfect”.

CharlotteCarrendar

842

Re: (RP) The Roxburg Family Manor.

September 01, 2013 10:04PM

Bart was beyond the ability to put into words how he felt. To each of those that were on the scene, they were all supposed to be family. His father had done his best to save his Son, his wife and daughter, and look at what that bitch of a Grandmother, and whore like skank of a sister were doing to his body as he lay dying. Lurch kept a firm hand upon Bart’s shoulder, and managed to hold him back, even though he was trapped in the house by the wards that were placed. In behind him, Fanny was curled up on the velvet love seat, her legs drawn up into her skirts, and her face buried in a soft cushion, to muffle out her pitiful sobs. Bart looked like a bull at a gate, and then jerked his shoulder free from Lurch’s grip.“I may not be able to bitch slap that foul piece of pig excrement…but I have something that will give her a good pounding!” Bart stormed over to Fanny and held out his hand. “GIVE ME YOUR PURSE! He bellowed, not about to take no for an answer. Fanny looked up from her cushion, which was now stained with her running mascara and makeup “Daaaahling…it has my precious things in it.” Bart seized tufts of his own hair, and pulled on them frantically. “I don’t care if the Queen’s jewels are in there…HAND IT OVER! Reluctantly, Fanny gave Bart her purse up to him, which he snatched from her hand. Marching towards the door, he then started to do a shot put like manouvre, and pegged it far out the door aimed for Lillian’s head.

If it hit her in the face, he would whistle innocently and point back to Lurch.

<3>

Selene sat in her chair at the vanity silently, watching her maidservants pull at her long blonde locks. Her stormy green eyes stared at her reflection as she stroked a dove in her hand. A small smirk curved her lips as she watched one of the maidservants struggled to keep a red rose in her hair. Flicking her gaze down to her dove as she spoke in a deadly calm voice, spelling trouble for the woman. “Magda…do you remember the last time you did not do my hair as was requested?” There was a small smile on her face as she asked the question as though they were speaking of the weather. “I wasn’t very happy, was I?” Her gaze then flicked to Magda. “And you couldn’t sit for a week, couldn’t you?”

Magda’s hands trembled as she tried not to pull the princess’s hair any further. “Y-yes, your majesty…I remember.” Looking down at the floor, she tried not to cry and bit her lip.

Selene watched her with a raised eyebrow, her fingers clenching the bird tighter in her hand. It began to struggle in her grip, but she did not relent. With her free hand, she swatted Magda’s hand away and stood up from her chair slowly. Her eyes looked at Magda in the reflection, and her voice grew even softer. “Look at me.” Magda’s shoulders shook with the force of her fear but she raised her eyes to meet the princess’s. Selene smiled still and tilted her head slightly “That’s a good girl. Stand in front of me.” Magda let out a whimper but nodded, walking in front of Selene as though she were walking to her death. Selene leaned and in caressed Magda’s cheek as she murmured against her neck “If I didn’t have to meet my husband for breakfast so soon, I would feast on your heart…”

Magda let out a squeal of fear and looked to the side, trying not to gag at the princess’s closeness. “Y-yes…your grace…”

The princess then stepped away from Magda, her eyes blinking as she looked down at the bird in her hand. Confusion flooded her face as she slowly lessened her grip. Turning to look at Magda, she frowned sadly and walked up to her. Reaching up with a hand to touch her shoulder with concern, Magda flinched. Selene just stared at her for a moment before whispering “Please get me my white slippers…” Magda nodded quickly and rushed over to the vanity. Picking up the princess’s desired slippers, she hurried back to her and helped them on. Once Selene was fully dressed, she walked as though she were in a daze to the door. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled gently as her angelic aura surrounded her once more “Do try to rest, dear…” Magda nodded weakly and watched Selene walk out of the room. When she was sure she was alone, Magda collapsed against the vanity and began to sob.

Selene nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the warlock, clutching her chest as her eyes flashed an angry red. When she recognized the man who became the closest father figure to her proximity, she smiled and threw her arms around him“Desmond, you frightened me!”

He chuckled and patted her back lightly before he stroked her hair “I noticed…” As he took in her appearance, he nodded appreciatively and searched her face “I assume you have not seen your husband yet? Though I imagine the blood-curdling scream the whole kingdom heard has him quite preoccupied.”

The princess immediately frowned and began to walk again “He must be doting on Tempest again…honestly, if he keeps this behavior up, she will only get worse.”

Desmond quickly fell into step with his mistress and chuckled affectionately “Spoken like a true mother…Come now, dearest, you know Joffrey is just trying his best to be the greatest father he can be.”

As they walked towards the dining hall, Selene smiled gently and nodded. The familiar adoration and love brightened her face as she thought of her demon prince, and just picturing him with their daughter made her aura glow brighter. “He really is so good with her, isn’t he…If only he could shed some light on how to allow me to be closer with her as well.”

The warlock smiled knowingly before patted her arm “In time, dove. She is so young, so rambunctious. Tempest will always be a daddy’s girl, this is true. But there is always time to bond with your off-spring.” With that, they were in front of the dining hall and he took her hand. “Well, I shall go see what is taking them so long to find you, dearest. You go in an unwind. You look like the devil.”

Selene shot him a playful look and swatted him “I will have your head for that, sir…”

As she turned around and walked into the dining hall, a maidservant slipped out with a bruised face. Selene passed by her and the girl froze in fear until the princess was a safe distance. Desmond leaned against the doorway and murmured “Better my head than my soul…” Nodding distractedly, he turned around in a flourish of his cape and set off to find the prince and the ‘precious’ child.

Having raided the kitchens after coming indoors, Tempest was wandering around munching on a cookie she had swiped out from under Cook’s nose. She was staring at the portraits of her ancestors that hung for all to see, trying to guess what the portrait’s subject may have been doing at the time.

This was her favorite section in the entire castle. It was here that she let her imagination run wild, making up stories to herself about the people in them and the clothes they wore.

She was especially fond of the portrait of her Grandmother. She looked so beautiful and regal in her crown and dress. She sat down on a bench opposite the portraits, cookie forgotten in her hand as she stared at the portrait.

“I want to be like her someday.” she often mumured to herself.

It had been a long walk back up to the Castle, and by the time Joffrey had arrived, he hadn’t been able to catch sight of his young minx of a daughter; Tempest. Well, least he wasn’t hearing her screaming the Castle down that something had either, bitten, fallen, or gotten in her way. He still had the matter of the white pony to sort out, after going to great lengths to have her gift ready by Noon. Maybe he should have just reached into Nanny’s bag of holdings, to find a white pony. Least he knew he could stuff it back in there if Tempest didn’t want it.

As he walked along the halls, he would soon come across the Hall of Ancestors, that had paintings of all their relatives, even the ones that Joffrey despised. The one painting that truly gave him the creeps, was Selene’s mother’s portrait. Metia. Ugh, that woman. He was so close to blowing her off the edge of that mountain the day she chased him up the hillside to see what he had done to her daughter. Not the nicest of meetings. Half of him wished his mother Rose had managed to take a bite out of the woman before she left the Throne room that day.

It was as he came towards that awful picture, that he heard the voice of his daughter, Tempest.

“I want to be like her someday.”

“Ack…no..no, Sweetheart, wouldn’t it be better to be like Mummy? Mummy is soooo much nicer. Nanna’s got saggy bosoms.” Joffrey said, then suddenly imagined Metia topless and threw up in his mouth a little. He sat down beside his daughter and placed his arm around her. “Sweet pea. Sometimes cause something looks pretty on the outside…erm…doesn’t mean they are pretty inside.” He knew this for a fact.

<3>

“Ack…no..no, Sweetheart, wouldn’t it be better to be like Mummy? Mummy is soooo much nicer. Nanna’s got saggy bosoms. Sweet pea. Sometimes cause something looks pretty on the outside…erm…doesn’t mean they are pretty inside.”

Tempest thought about that for a few moments, her childish brain processing that information. She turned her gaze back to the portrait, her little head cocked to one side as her eyes poured over her grandmother’s features.

“I don’t want to be like Mummy. She’s mean to me sometimes. I want to be like her.” she stated stubbornly, pointing at her Grandmother. Then in the ways of children everywhere, her attention was snagged by something else. “What are bosoms?” Tempest wondered, looking up at her father.

“Do they hurt? I heard Maid speaking to Cook about her bosoms were sore after one of the horsemen squeezed them too hard. Why did that man do that, daddy? I don’t think I like him. He should be killed for hurting Maid.”

Ever said something and then wished to the heavens that you hadn’t? Well, that is exactly what Joffrey was feeling at this very moment, for ever mentioning Nanna and Bosoms in the same sentence. Tempest, the little darling had her sights set on being like Nanna, cause she thought her mother was mean to her. Tempest really needed a wake up call on that one. Joffrey had seen Metia when she was angry, and let’s just say, that there was less fire in hell that day.

“I don’t want to be like Mummy. She’s mean to me sometimes. I want to be like her.”

“Trust me, Sweet pea. Mummy is one hundred times nicer than Nanna. But you might need to spend some time at Nanna’s with your aunt Clarice, to see what I mean.” Joffrey said with a strained voice. The very idea of Clarice and Tempest having sleep overs, was unsettling. But the worst was to come, when an inquisitive child asks the big question, and this one, was going to be damn hard to answer.

“What are bosoms?”

“Bosoms? Oh…err…they are….”

“Do they hurt? I heard Maid speaking to Cook about her bosoms were sore after one of the horsemen squeezed them too hard. Why did that man do that, daddy? I don’t think I like him. He should be killed for hurting Maid.”

What a mouthful. She had been eavesdropping on the help, and learning of the manhandling ways of the horseman. Groping the maid. Half of his mind wanted to know which one, cause he probably had a good job at touching up her boobs too, if it was the one he thought. Coughing loudly, he pulled on shirt collar, and then tried to explain what “bosoms” were.

“You see…when a girl gets to a certain age….she…she..uhm…gets…STUNG..that’s it, by the …the..Milk and Honey fairy Bee. Yes..Milk and Honey. So, she gets stung on her…chest and they swell up….and…you end up with…bosoms. So yes it hurts, just like a big…really big bee sting, when they are squeezed. Like…when the naughty bee stung you today. See? Only..that was a bee and not the Milk and Honey fairy bee…cause…..you are…too little…yes..and not ready for that…yet. Soo…why don’t we go find Mummy, and you can show her your…blue elephant?”

<3>

Twirling in a circle, she skipped off toward the family dining room, wondering what deliciousness Cook had thought of for their meal, again leaving behind a father who was probably wondering what he’d gotten himself into.

Selene had made her way into the hall, but she was not sitting at the table like Desmond had expected her to. Instead, she was sitting in a chair surrounded by a group of lords and ladies, a baby lamb she had rescued from the kitchen laying in her lap. As she stroked his head and cooed to it softly as though she were his mother, the crowd swooned. Though her smile was gentle and tender as her expression, her blue eyes held the threat of an impending storm. Sitting back in her seat, she leaned down to kiss the lamb’s head before throwing the crowd a dazzling smile. They all ‘awed’ in response as their hearts seemed to melt. Laughing softly, she nuzzled into the lamb before speaking to one of her maidservants. “See to it this poor creature makes it to my chambers tonight. He is my new pet and I expect him to get the same royal treatment as his mummy.” As the lamb was then taken from her grasp, she sent him a dainty grin as her new love was carried off. Sighing softly, she then crossed her legs and arms as she looked around the dining hall. “What is keeping my husband and child?”

“She’s just so…charming.” Joffrey blinked a moment and replied “If you mean Queen Metia, I’d have to give you a long lesson in how not to judge a book by their cover. BUT if you mean my daughter Tempest, then yes…she is charming…to a degree.” The Prince wasn’t stupid, he knew that Tempest had a bit of a reputation for being needy at times. But that was all the charm you get from a child that is part demon. Turning away from the paintings, he faced Desmond head on, and then listened to his enquiry about Selene. “Your majesty, the princess is waiting for you in the dining hall. I would say she has had a trying morning.” ~SHE’S HAD A TIRING MORNING?~ Joffrey thought to himself, his eyes practically rolling up into the back of his head. Joffrey had spent much of the morning tending to their daughter, so his wife could have a lie in. Finding his composure, the Prince slapped Desmond’s arm and then said with a voice rich in sarcasm. “What would my wife do without you seeking me out to go and entertain her, hmm?” It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Desmond would be in the silks with Selene in the blink of an eye, if Joffrey was not around. Course that damned man had a retort lined up. “I trust your morning has been going well for you and your princess, then?” Well that was a loaded question, which was said off the cuff, as he turned and walked away, leaving Joffrey to sing out in his wake;

“Oh yes…she learnt about the birds, the bees, and…bosoms. Simply bloody marvelous.” With sneaky pants out of sight, Joffrey marched on down to the dining hall, to see if there was anything left to eat, after his whirlwind of a daughter had had her share.

Dining hall

The first thing that Joffrey heard as he entered the dining hall was the sound of a lamb baaing. He raised an eyebrow, to see his beloved Selene handing over a lamb to one of her ladies in waiting, and her orders left him slightly dumbfounded. See to it this poor creature makes it to my chambers tonight. He is my new pet and I expect him to get the same royal treatment as his mummy.” Did he hear right? Did she just adopt a lamb and seek to have it live in her chambers? What…the hell was going on? Tilting his head slightly as the lady walked off with the lamb, Joffrey held up a finger and he had a stutter when he asked; “Since when were livestock considered children, dear? I have no intent on sleeping next to a cow, anytime soon.” Perhaps this is part of the post child syndrome or a new fashion trend that he was unaware of. “I thought lambs were for…dining on, not keeping in one’s bed chambers.” You had to admit, this was a strange situation.

<3>

“Since now, lovey. You dote on our precious little daughter, I figure I need a lamb of my own to slaughter. Er, love.”

“Now now, my Love. You do know that I give our daughter the love she needs, there is nothing to say you can’t snaffle her away to love and cuddle at your leisure. Besides, she is less smelly and better toilet trained than a lamb.”

The crowd of the court parted as Selene made her cat like strides towards him, and put on her seductive charm, her body oozing with sexuality. Talk about fickle. One minute discussing lambs and love, the next she wanted to be the one with the apple in her mouth. Forcefully, she placed a hand on his chin, and brought him down for a kiss, which he didn’t mind at all, until he heard the voice of Sneaky pants Desmond.

“Your grace, I have heard the most absurd rumor.”

“And…right on cue..” Joffrey sighed, taking a step back and crossing his arms in front of him. This should be joyous. Wonder who the git has been spying on now. But by the looks of things, he had plans to tell some tale about Joffrey. Ah, lovely, sow the seeds of doubt in the Mrs.

“Really, Desmond. So listening to the staff gossip is now more than a passing fancy? How..exciting it must be for you. Let me guess, the cook is shagging the butcher for a better cut of rump?” Joffrey said dryly, before turning his attention back to his adoring wife. She…was now all over his neck, arms like snakes, and he was half thinking the term “afternoon delight” was going to have her on the menu.

“Hmm?”

“Darling, don’t you think it’s about time Tempest met her grandparents. I am feeling terribly homesick…”

“What? Oh…them. Well…I guess, but…I don’t think your parents like me very much, especially after the whole…Great war, cause we ran off and eloped. Pretty sure your father still has a bee in his bonnet about that.” Of this, Joffrey was certain. He had no desire to meet with her parents, point blank.

<3>

The handmaidens stepped back and made room for her to leave the table. As she walked a few steps, guilt began to nag at her. She was too harsh. Turning around once more, she frowned sadly and walked over to Tempest. Crouching down in front of her, she looked at her daughter with the rare signs of love in her eyes. Touching there foreheads together, she exhaled softly and placed a hand on her cheek. “You are my greatest joy, Tempest. I just want what is best for you.” Kissing her on the cheek, she then pulled herself away from her daughter and strode out of the dining hall without another look back at her family.

Desmond, who had taken a seat near the royal family, watched with silent glee at how Selene chastised the little princess. Such nasty things, children were. As the princess left the room, his eyes flicked to Joffrey “She will be taking a little vacation and will be traveling alone to the Vaas Plains. Perhaps some distance would be good for her.” With that, he stood up and gave the demon prince a cocky wink before turning to follow Selene.

As Selene stood before her bed looking over her clothes to break, Magda was brushing her hair and trying to calm the princess down. “Surely she did not mean it, your grace…”

The princess said nothing as she stared at the bed, her rage replaced by despair and sadness that her child was not able to see past her darkness to the angel that was beneath her hard exterior. Time had changed Selene for the worst, it seemed, as well as her relationship with her daughter. She could remember a time when she had played with Tempest, chasing her about the castle and cooing to others about how proud she was of the child she had created with her demon prince out of love. Now it seemed that as she was unable to control the powers growing with herself, Selene was severing bonds between herself and her family. Selene felt that Joffrey would soon grow to loathe her and take Tempest away for her protection, and that Tempest would never meet the true angel that her mother was.

As the princess struggled with her internal conflicts, Desmond stepped into her room. Seeing that she was distraught pained him, regardless of the fact that he knew it was because she was afraid of losing her husband and child. Though he wished he could have Selene to himself, he knew she would never be truly happy unless she was with Joffrey. He was the light of her world, despite being a demon. There was nothing he could do to break them apart, but lord knew he tried. Stepping up to Selene, he pulled her away from the bed and into his arms. She fought him at first but then sank into the comfort of his arms. Her world felt like it was spinning out of control, and she knew nothing of Desmond’s true feelings. Desmond tilted his chin down on her head and began to stroke her hair. “There there…it will be all right. I can tell just by looking at you that there are tears threatening to fall.”

Selene pulled back to look up at him, smiling weakly but her chin lifted in defiance. “I don’t cry anymore.”

The warlock quirked an eyebrow and looked down at her. “Everyone cries. But do not fear, you will not have to fear losing control when you are finally away from your family.”

As Desmond spoke of her leaving, she looked towards her bed at the clothes laid out. Sighing softly, she didn’t look at Desmond as she murmured “I plan on bringing Tempest with me, and Joffrey, if he can stand it. I can’t bear to be away from Joffrey, not when my heart feels split like this. I need him, Desmond.” Allowing her eyes to meet Desmond, she shrugged with a weak smile “And I love Tempest. There is such a rift between us that I fear it will have to be me to make things right. Though things are strained between us, she is my daughter, and I love her. Simple as that.”

Selene then walked towards the bed and began to pack her clothes, Desmond standing near the door looking like he was ready to explode. He was so close! She was almost alone with him, and he wanted to prove to her parents that it was Desmond she should be with. Only Desmond could hone her dark magic in for the purpose of good, to show Selene what true power looked like. And she still spoke of Joffrey after he constantly abandoned her to be with that brat! Wiping his scowl off of his face, he crossed his arms and stared the princess down as she packed “I will be there for you every step of the way…” Selene only nodded distractedly, focusing more on how she would try to convince her family to go with her.

Just as Leon was about to speak, he felt a familiar presence, one all too familiar, and looked to his sight when she reached him. He watched her flash that sarcastic smile of hers, and shove the harlot away. When she looked to him, he caught her blue eyes deeply within hers. He smiled softly, and chuckled when the woman simply walked away at her words. Placing his back to the wall, so his front was now facing Regina, he sighed, sizing her with a cocky grin. “Well that was most uncalled for Pup.” He chuckled at the pet name. “If you’d have rather it be you in her place…” He leaned in close to her, taunting her with the sensual sound of his voice and look in his eyes. “..all you have to do is ask.”

Leaning against the wall again, he laughed. though his words were anything BUT a joke in truth, he played them off as such. After all, they were warriors, not lovers. romancing women for anything but crazy sex was not a strong point for Leon, despite the silver tongue he’d gained not long after the war. His words never seemed to work on Regina. If they did, she hid it pretty damned well. He looked to the woman as she tauntingly stared at him while caressing another man. “You know, a man has needs Regina. You can’t go pushing ever harlot away because you’re jealous.” His eyes fell on hers, and he spoke again.”I know it’s hard to see me getting all the attention these days.” He chuckled and shrugged. “You may just have to get used to it.” He pushed himself off the wall, and turned toward his tent site, walking powerfully towards it. He assumed Regina would follow, if only to get some sarcastic remarks of her own in, and he’d gladly offer his own puns to keep the conversation going, if only just for that.

Joffrey was searching in nearly every room for his young daughter, Tempest who had run off after another altercation with her Mother. This seemed to be a weekly occurrence, and it did bother Joffrey somewhat that the pair just simply couldn’t get on. Selene was hot and cold to her daughter, fluctuating between her angelic self and that of her darker side. Course, he might well be to blame for this, for he was the one that got her pregnant with his demon spawn in the first place. But that didn’t matter now, what mattered was finding his daughter and consoling her.

Nanny’s heels clattered along the stone floors of the halls, peeking in rooms, and even checking cupboards, behind tapestries, even sticking her head into a suit of armor. Tempest was an excellent player of hide and seek. For her size meant she was able to burrow her way into any opening. One thing that worried her, the child’s hair was aflame when she ran from the dining hall, so there was a strong possibility that she might set some drapes alight.

“Tempest? Tempest dear…where are you?” Nanny sung out, becoming frantic with worry.

<3>

The Prince was now frantic. He had much of the staff now hunting the grounds for his precious daughter, Tempest. Nanny could be heard, her voice booming as she was looking in cupboards, the kitchen, the cellars, even the dungeons, where some of the imprisoned were even shrugging their shoulders, while shackled up and the executioner made a clueless expression, just before chopping off a thief’s hands.

“Not…seen ‘er, Nanny.” The executioner stuttered as the thief was letting out a blood curdling scream. “Oh shut up, you. Tis a scratch.”

Stables

Joffrey had a bright idea that Tempest might be hiding in the stables. She did have a thing about ponies, even if she did prefer the blue elephant to the white pony he had organised. Running into the stables, he started searching in every lot, the sound of the gates being opened and closed, with large handfuls of hay being tossed in the air, as Joffrey tried to find his missing daughter. Seated outside the stall that had the white pony waiting, was none other than Minerva. She had been waiting hours for this, and was a bit surprised to see the Prince look so frazzled.

“If you be looking for the white pony, he is just in here, M’lord.” Minerva purred, rising to her feet, and smoothing out her gown with her slender digits.

“What? What are you on about, woman?” The Prince said, poking his head out of a stall, hay now caught up in his disheveled locks.

“The…white pony you ordered. It’s right in here.” The witch said with a sing song voice and a sweeping gesture like you would get from a game show model. Minerva obviously didn’t get what was going on.

“I haven’t go time for that now! My daughter is missing! Screw the pony.” The Prince said, running past and taking a quick look at it. “Hells bells, it is white. Ugh. Get rid of it. and with that, the Prince ran out of the stables, and headed out to the courtyard, screaming for Nanny.

The witch froze, her face strained as she couldn’t believe what she just heard. “But…I…” The horse whined, and then raised its tail and dropped some dung upon the floor. The Witch snapped her fingers and the horse changed back to black. With curled fists, she stomped out of the stable, and went to chase after the Prince.

<3>

Selene finished organizing her clothes and turned to pat Magda on the shoulder “My clothes are all set, but please start gathering up Joffrey and Tempest’s things.”Magda nodded silently, not wanting to say anything that would get her hurt. The princess then looked to Desmond with a slight smile “Stop looking so mopey, I expect you to come and keep me sane.” Walking up to him, she placed her hand on his arm and squeezed it encouragingly.

Desmond wrinkled his nose playfully and said “Me? Worried? Impossible. Come now, we ought to go and tell your family you would like to leave soon.”

Selene nodded and stepped out into the hallway. With a sigh, she stopped a servant that was walking by. “Where is my husband?”

The servant looked at her fearfully and said “I ‘eard he was seen down by tha’ stables, your grace.”

The princess nodded and waved her off, giving Desmond a hard look “He is spoiling her again, I swear…” With that, she spun on her heels and walked down the hallway and out of the castle with Desmond close at her heels.

Castle Grounds

Just as soon as Selene stepped out of the castle, she felt something was wrong. Call it mother’s intuition. Walking towards the stables, she felt her heart grow heavy as she called out “Joffrey! Tempest! Where are you, my darlings?” Not seeing them in the stables, she rushed out and looked around nervously. “Desmond, I can’t find them.” Turning to a stable boy, she demanded if he had seen her. He mumbled that he had seen the prince heading towards the courtyard, and Selene rushed out of the stables before he could say anything else. Desmond gave the lad a smile and a gold piece before following the princess out.

Selene picked up her skirts and began to run, her long blonde hair whipping behind her. Desmond merely walked, knowing he would catch up with her and where she would be. The princess began to shout more as she neared the courtyard “Joffrey! Tempest! Where are you?”

By now, the Prince was frantic. He had looked everywhere, all her favorite places to hide, and turned up empty handed. This was no longer a game for Joffrey. He couldn’t understand how a seven year old could just vanish without a trace? Still sporting hay in his hair, from searching the stables, he was now running out of options. Nanny finally emerged from the castle, and she too had come up empty handed. Spotting the Prince, she picked up her skirts and made her way down to the lower grounds, where Joffrey was practically pulling his hair out. Reaching him, Nanny looked tearful

“She’s no where to be found in the castle. Unless you have some secret trap doors, or walls I don’t know about.” the Nanny asked him with a glare. Joffrey shook his head.“Trust me, Nanny…they would have been the first places I would have looked. She’s not on the grounds. Not anywhere I could see. Oh hell…what am I going to tell her Mother?”

Just then..Nanny and Joffrey heard a familiar voice;

“Joffrey! Tempest! Where are you?”

The pair looked at each other in shock. “SELENE! Panic set in. What would her reaction be to find Tempest was missing? Joffrey made a weird squeal sound, like he was going to have his balls ripped off, if Selene lost her temper over it.

“Help….” Joffrey whined, and Nanny slapped him across the face. “Get a grip. Tell her the truth…she has a right to know. And to be honest, wasn’t it Selene that set the girl off in the first place?” Joffrey was gripping his cheek, looking like he was the one getting in trouble. “Alright alright…I’ll tell her. But…if she kills me..I want on my tomb stone. Here Lies Prince Joffrey Brax…he never stood a chance”

That said, he sung out. “Over here, Sweetheart…er….Darling…about Tempest…” 

<3>

Selene perked up at the sound of her husband and went rushing towards him. Smiling brightly, she flung herself into his arms and breathed a huge sigh of relief against his chest. Lifting her head, she batted her eyelashes and cooed softly “Oh my love, I was just so worried! You mustn’t do that, it will be the very death of me!” Turning her cheek against Joffrey’s chest, she began to purr again and looked at Nanny “Hello there.”Snuggling into her husband, she sighed contently and murmured “Yes, about Tempest…I was just so awful to her at breakfast, I can hardly stand to look at myself.” Lifting her head again she rested her chin on his chest while she looked into his eyes. “It’s just that my mother was so hard on me herself, I just don’t know how to get my point across without being so foul and mean. It’s not just an excuse, I will try harder. I do love our little princess and just want what’s best for her. Surely she knows I love her?”Realizing her daughter wasn’t with her husband, she pulled back in his arms and looked around him “Um…where is she?” A though dawned on her and she dropped her arms to swat him playfully “You’ve spoiled her again with another pony, haven’t you! Oh Joffrey, how loving you are…” Reaching up to tweak his cheek, she cooed “You really are the best daddy…” Withdrawing her hand, Selene then looked around as her eyebrows knitted together. Turning to Nanny, she asked“She just off riding, isn’t she?”

Selene smiled and nuzzled more into her husband’s chest as he apologized “Oh you are so very sweet, my love. I am just so lucky to have a husband like you who cares for our daughter so dearly.” An impish grin crossed her face as she began to squirm and wiggle against her husband “I want another…”

She heard Nanny huff but assumed it was from the lovey dovey display of affection the prince and princess were doing. Pulling back, she laughed softly and waved a hand nonchalantly “I’m so sorry, Nanny, I just can’t get enough of this man.”

The princess turned her head to look at a woman she wasn’t very familiar with. Tilting her head to study her, her eyes roamed over her form before returning to the witch’s hues. Another smile broke out as she explained where her daughter was. Looking back at her husband, she laughed “Oh thank goodness! Joffrey, why didn’t you just say so, you goose!” Throwing her arms around him once more, she hopped up off the ground so her feet dangled as her arms were around the demon’s neck.“That gives us plenty of time to go knock the bed around and make me another child!” Glancing at Minerva, she smiled and nodded her head “Thank you for the whereabouts of my daughter.” As she faced her husband once more, she began to plant kisses along his neck and nibbled his ear, immediately disregarding everyone that was around them.

As Selene began to maul her husband, it was then that Desmond finally showed up. Watching the princess like that made him want to vomit, so he turned his eyes to Minerva. Raising an eyebrow, he stepped forward and held his hand out to shake. On his extended arm there was a tattoo of a rune on his wrist, one that displayed his vast knowledge of the more earth elemental magic. Smiling slightly, he murmured “I don’t believe we have had the honor of meeting…I am Desmond, the princess’s personal adviser.”

“Another?” Joffrey’s eyes widened, while his wife was squirming and practically wrapping herself around the Prince. Under the current circumstances the idea of another that was anywhere near the work of their daughter Tempest, had him all tied up in knots. Currently their daughter was “missing”, accept that the witch Minerva had the Princess fooled into thinking otherwise. As much as the thought of a romp in the sheets would be a wonderful stress reliever, part of him recoiled at the thought of making another baby. Hell, he really didn’t even put much effort into the time when Tempest was conceived.

Nanny actually slapped the side of her own cheek, watching this unfold. The Princess was like a cat that had caught the canary, and was positively gushing at the fact that she simply could not get enough of her husband. Selene was oozing charm, wit and sex appeal, dangling from his neck, her feet wiggling. It was so much like the early days, when they were first courting, and it became clear, that Selene wanted Joffrey….right there, right then. The Princesses kisses, and the nibbling on his ear, had him practically turning into mush. You could see his eyes rolling back. She was like a hypnotic drug to his fancy, and when she was like this…so full on and practically eating him up. Selene had won. Joffrey found he had a lopsided grin, and swept her up in his arms, dismissing Nanny and Minerva with a light wave of the hand.

“Terribly sorry…off to bed my wife. Please make sure Tempest is..washed up for dinner later.” Joffrey carried Selene off, humming and nipping at her neck as he did so, leaving Nanny standing there. Nanny gave the witch a sly look and folded her arms.

“Since YOU said she is off riding, YOU bring her up to the house when she is done.” Nanny stormed back off to the Castle, where she was probably going to lay down, and count her blessings that the child’s care was now in the hands of the witch.

Minerva shrugged her shoulders and pouted deliciously, not really caring what happened to the Prince’s daughter. Course, she had company now, and knew that this sneaky devil was one that had his eyes on the Princess. She glanced at his runes, and smirked. “So…you’re the pup that has been sniffing at the Princess’s skirts, hmm? Really wish you would go a bit further. Might give me half a chance to spend time with the Prince.” The witch didn’t care if the Warlock heard her schemes, she knew that he would be able to read her like a book. Rounding on him, she brought a finger up under his chin playfully. “Minerva…is my name. Dark witch of the Night lands, and future Queen…if I get my way.”

<3>

Philippe stared down at the young girl wrapped securely in his wing and couldn’t help but feel a kindred spirit within her heart. He, himself, had been unloved by his own mother and like Tempest, ran away from home as a young dragonling. He had sensed the special magic of this particular valley and had settled here, content to be alone. When Tempest had stumbled upon his lair, he was surprised to feel somewhat pleased at her offer of friendship. He had been alone so long, he’d forgotten what it was like to have friends.

It was her gift to him, her friendship, that allowed him to manipulate the magic surrounding his home to do what he did while she slept.

“Your mother has done you a great disservice, my darling girl. I will correct this so that you will have the weapons to return her words back on her.” he murmured, pulling her closer to his body. He bent his head down until a puff of air from his large nostrils blew gently across her face. As he backed away, a glow surrounded her body, pure white in its intensity with flecks of red, black and gold swirling around. He kept his eyes on Tempest, even when the glow became as bright as the sun. He watched the changes that she underwent, wanting to be sure she felt no pain during the transformation.

Her body elongated and became more feminine, curves growing where they should have. Her face became more elegant, taking on more of her father’s features than her mother’s. Her hair softened to a honey wheat color, growing longer until it draped low to her hips and over her shoulders in a silk-like cascade. Her lips became more lush and full, pouty but just slightly appealing. On a gasp, her eyes flew open, going from their original sky blue color to a brown so light they were nearly red. Wings, black at their base and spreading out to red at their tips sprouted from her back, shredding the top of her dress until it fell to her hips in tatters. He looked upon her new form, pleased, as the glow began to fade.

Tempest, for her part, was panting heavily, as if she had just run from one end of the gardens to the other. She looked at Philippe, awe and shock all over her face.

“What did you do to me?” she wondered.

“I aged you. You are now a young woman of fifteen.” he replied, truth coloring his words. She stared down at herself running her hands along her face and arms, her new and mature breasts, even reaching back to touch her wings.

“What am I?” she whispered.

“You are a mixture of both your mother and father. The same…but different. A Dark Angel, with all the powers and abilities of light angels, such as your mother and that of demons, like your father.” She was truly amazed at this for it was more than she expected when she entered this realm. Philippe had simply done what she had secretly longed for. She felt wonderful. Taking up the tattered remains of her dress, she covered herself and slowly got to her feet. She wobbled a bit as her center of gravity tried to reassert itself do to her new appendages. Philippe steadied her with a wing until she felt secure enough to walk on her own.

“Why do I not feel conflicted?”

“Because your very soul, that which makes you who you are, has always had the best and worst of both your parents. You have a balance within you, two worlds, one soul. Yin and Yang. Listen to that balance and It will guide you wisely.”

She raised a shaky hand to her face, a small smile upon her lips. “Why would you do this for me?”

“First, to thank you for giving me your friendship these last few years. I never realized just how lonely I was until you stumbled upon me. The second reason was to aid you. Your mother wishes to speak to you as if you were an adult and not the young and curious child you started out to be and belittling you when you do not perform according to her plans. I have sensed this from you many times over in the past. I have simply given you the means to fight back, as it were. But if you do not wish to remain in this form, at this age, I am able to return you to your previous form.”

“No!” she exclaimed quickly, blushing in embarrassment. She laughed, a joyous sound. “No, Philippe. I dare not squander such a gift.” She stared down at herself once more, blushing as she held her ruined dress to herself. Philippe spared her further shame by directing her to a copse of trees that would conjure up whatever she wished. So saying, she immediately got herself a new dress, pleased to find their were slits to comfortably fit her wings when they made an appearance. Once dressed, and under Philippe’s watchful eye, she took the time to learn to control her wings, making them disappear and reappear at will, even getting flying lessons from her friend. She took to it all like a newborn duck to water and she couldn’t help but thank the large dragon over and over again with hugs and kisses to whatever part of his face she could reach. His deep chuckle was music to her ears as he gently wrapped his wings around her in his own version of a hug.

It was late that evening when she curled up to his side again. “I should probably return to them soon. My father must be so worried.”

“Never fear, my Tempest Storm.” he began, catching her smile at the nickname he bestowed upon her some time ago. “Though a week will have passed here with us, you shall only be gone two days in your realm.” Philippe told her. She nodded, pressing a hand to her mouth to stifle her yawn. “Sleep, darling. For you shall need your energy to face what is to come.”

She nodded, yawning once more. “Thank you for being my friend, Philippe.” she murmured as she drifted off to sleep. “The pleasure is all mine.” Philippe whispered fondly, laying his head at her feet and drifting to sleep himself.

As Joffrey carried his princess off, she smiled gleefully at getting her way. She purred louder as he nibbled her neck, her feet kicking happily. Raising hand to cover her face, she giggled with embarrassment as servant after servant stared after the happy couple when they entered the castle. Snuggling closer, she cooed “You really are such a good daddy…but I think you’re an even better lover…” With that she laughed loudly down the hallways as he carried her off.

Desmond looked at the ground before facing Minerva with a slight shrug “Woof.” With a smirk, he watched the way she brushed the nanny off, he himself not caring in the slightest if the child even returned. He was, however, quite intrigued by the princess’s request for another child. He knew she longed for a son to dote on, just as Joffrey doted on Tempest. This could work in his favor.

As Minerva placed a finger to his chin, he crossed his arms and gave her an assessing look as she revealed her plans.He chuckled “I must say, I am impressed by your ambition. As for the princess’s skirts, she hardly lets me touch just the hem of her gown.” He frowned at this and stared her down “If you get your way, I get mine…” Stepping away from her, he began to pace with his hands behind her back “You and I could do wonders, I think…” Glancing at her, his smile turned sinister.

center]Selene thoroughly enjoyed the dark delicious sound of her husband’s chuckle, her pulse racing as he placed her gently on the bed. As her husband teased her with his little dance, her own face was serious and calculating, a huntress ready to attack her prey. A small smile curved her lips as her eyes darkened with lust. Pulling her dress down to her stomach, she leaned back on her hands as her blonde hair fell around her bare skin. Licking her lips slowly, she tilted her head and purred “If you can catch my bottom, by all means…” Leaning forward, she lifted the rest of his shirt up to nip at his hip bone. Looking up at him, she smirked and quickly crawled away on the bed. “Come and get me, demon.” She rolled over onto all fours and began to crawl as fast as she could, her hips wiggling her ass enticingly towards him.[/center]

Castle Grounds

As the witch boldly proclaimed his desires to be in the princess’s skirts, his eyes flashed as he grabbed her chin. Leaning forward, he smiled coldly “If I were you, I would not be spreading that around much further. I am her…adviser. A close friend. A better man than that fool of a prince will ever be towards her.” His eyes were still dark as he let her go, but his charming smile returned to his face. Folding his hands over his chest, he began to pace around her. It was something he had never thought of doing himself as he didn’t see how he could stoop so low to get the princess’s favor.

However…her plan did have some advantages. If the prince discovered that Selene was unfaithful, despite the fact that she was under the presumption it was Joffrey, he would surely cast her to the side. The princess would then be left vulnerable and prey to what pretty words Desmond always had to offer. He could convince her that Joffrey never even loved her to begin with and that he was just a selfish demon only capable of loving himself. He clearly didn’t love Selene enough to believe her over anyone else. Perhaps he would even go so far as to convince her that the prince was just using Selene to procreate. It would crush her and it would leave the princess to him. He would then take her back to her parent’s castle while Joffrey hopefully decided to try for a divorce. Her parents would surely back Selene up and Desmond would be there to raise his own child while slowly allowing Selene to love him in her own time. The plan was genius.

Turning towards Minerva, he nodded and held his hand out to shake on their agreement “You have my word, woman.” 

“Don’t ..EVER grab my face again!” Minerva growled in anger, clearly not afraid of the Warlock, since she had a few tricks up her own sleeves. Surely he had to agree that she was about to provide him with opportunity to do what he may well have dreamed of. She shook her head, and you could hear her cracking her neck. “Hmmph…this is why they say don’t ever work with men. All grabby hands, and thinking with their dicks.”

Course, Desmond finally had the time to think about this plan, and he struck his hand out, for them to shake on the agreement. Sure, they didn’t like the other, but for what it was worth, they needed each other to pull this off. The handshake done, and she cracked her knuckles. “Just…follow my lead.” From here, she brought her hands together, and then started chanting, as in a nearby paddock was the black pony. Its coat started to turn white, and she grinned slyly as she strode on over, and placed a saddle on its back, that was resting on the fence railing. Tying it off, she then undid the gate for the paddock so the pony could canter out, riderless. Seeing this, she laughed and then spun fast on the spot before vanishing, and appearing in a window at the Castle, just two doors from the marital suite. She waved down to Desmond, that that was his cue, to do the glamour transformation into Joffrey, as she planned to lure Joffrey away.

Joffrey and Selene’s Chambers

Selene was being provocative on the bed, much to the delight of Joffrey, who had been keeping up his sexy dance routine, even sliding up and down the bed banister pole, as she watched him with hungry eyes. He pawed at her, throwing back his head, and then letting out a howl, much like a wolf does, when looking to the moon. “Hey…little Miss Riding Hood…you sure are looking good….you’re just about everything a big bad wolf could want…….Oooooooo!”

Selene was enticing him being on all fours and her hips wiggling, showing off that gorgeous rump of hers. He wanted to do more than smack it….he wanted too…

“PRINCE!…M’LORD!….it’s the Princess…she has fallen from her pony and lays in a field. Please hurry! Minerva stood outside the marital chambers and then chuckled silently, before going back to looking stricken. Joffrey stopped mid prowl and heard the witch’s cries. “Tempest?!” His fatherly instinct kicked in, and he dived off the bed, reaching for his shirt, backtracking as he begged his wife.

“Don’t move…I’ll be right back to shag you rotten, my Petal.”

He exited the room quickly and was met face to face by Minerva, who grabbed the Prince’s arm and tried to get him to follow her.

“Hurry my Prince…she needs you.”

<3>

Crossing his arms, he watched the witch disappear. Closing his eyes, he felt the earth shake beneath his feet as Desmond called on the earth’s vibrations to decipher her next location. Looking up to the window, he raised an eyebrow and nodded. Clapping his hands together once, he appeared at the nearest corner in the hallway to the marital suite. Placing his hands on the wall, he watched hungrily for the prince to exit with Minerva.

Selene and Joffrey’s Room

Selene laughed wildly as her husband teased her by calling her red riding hood (hardy har har…xD). Flopping onto her back, she opened her legs enticingly while watching him dance on the banister. “Get over here y-” She was then cut off by the intervening Minerva. Sitting up immediately, she tugged their fur blanket over her naked body as she stared at her husband in horror. The witch’s words sank in and she gasped “Tempest!”” But just as she spoke her husband’s name, he was already dressing.

Climbing off the bed slowly, her maternal instincts set in and she rushed towards the door with the blanket wrapped loosely around her. “Should I come look with you?” Worry and fear crossed her beautiful face as she stared at her husband pleadingly. The thought of her daughter hurt weakened her and all she could do was reach out feebly. With a soft whisper, she spoke after him “Please find her, my love…”

How enticing Joffrey’s Selene was, as she presented herself to him in a fashion that few men could refuse. But when the voice of the witch called to say Tempest was in danger, or hurt, Joffrey’s parental side took over, and he had to leave his beloved in a state of undress. Joffrey was in the mood for some shenanigans, but as soon as he left the Chambers, he had a stern look upon his face.

“Come, we go to the stables, and get horses and ride out to this field and fetch Tempest.” Joffrey was in no mood for waiting, and already started to walk briskly, with Minerva taking one look behind her, to see if Desmond was ready to take Joffrey’s place. Minerva gripped the edges of her black skirts, and trotted on after the prince, pretending to care for the little one known as Tempest.

Stables

The gnome seemed surprised to see the Prince enter the stables and immediately shuffled over to the lot where the Prince’s prized stallion was kept. He unlocked the gate, and hobbled in, bringing out the horse, as other stable hands got it ready with the saddle and reigns. The witch was quick to follow, and the gnome gave her a filthy look. So, whatever the Prince was up too, had something to do with the witch. Another horse was prepared for her, as she grinned slyly at the gnome.

“We are off to find my daughter on that blasted white pony you arranged for her.” The Prince said with a face of fury, getting on the back of his mount, as the Witch followed suit. The gnome looked bewildered, and was about to say that he had not followed through, when the Witch made a gripping motion with her hand, that was like she was trying to wring someone’s neck. The gnome spluttered and staggered about, his eyes widening, before falling to his knees in a heap. The Witch changed the expression on her face to one of innocence and concern, uttering;

“Poor fellow…cat got your tongue?” It wasn’t a cat that had it…it was the witch. The Prince had no time for games, and kicked the flank of his horse, cantering out of the stables, with the witch right behind, and together they rode out to the plains of the Night lands, in search of Tempest and her white pony.

<3>

And so, as the week had gone by in the Secret Garden with Philippe, two days passed in the real world and it was time for Tempest to return home.

She stood upon the path that would lead her to home before turning to Philippe.

“I don’t want to go back. So much has changed.” she murmured.

“Including yourself.” Philippe nodded.

“Yes.”

“But you know you must return. I fear there is great danger about to befall your family.”

At that, Tempest looked at him, eyes wide.

“What? What sort of danger?” she demanded. Philippe got a faroff look in his eyes and was quiet for a few moments before he shook his head.

“I cannot see it. The way is blocked for me. You must go now and protect what is rightfully yours. You know your destiny, now you must embrace it.”

She took his words to heart, knowing he had never steered her incorrectly before. She drew the hood of her cloak up over her head. “I will come and visit you often, as much as I am able.” she asserted. He gave a deep chuckle and stared at her with fondness in his eyes.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, my child. Now go. Face your destiny.” Nodding, she turned and stepped through the foliage. Stopping at the point where this world and her own met, she took a deep breath before she stepped through.

She stared about the gardens with a small smile, spotting the places she would play when she was a young girl. Hard to believe that was two short days ago. It was leaning toward dusk and the castle windows were lit with dozens of candles, giving it an unearthly glow.

A horse whinnied nearby and she turned to see her father’s horse cantering toward her…without her father in his saddle. “Ranger! Where’s father?” she demanded. Ranger recognized his master’s little foal by her smell, even though she was in a new form and shook his head, stomping his hoof into the ground. She climbed into his saddle. “Take me to him, quick as you can.” she ordered.

Ranger took off at a fast gallop, leaving the castle grounds and heading out toward the Night Lands…

Picking their way carefully through the dense foliage, they almost trampled right over Joffrey. It was Tempest’s quick thinking in pulling on Ranger’s lead that kept the horse from stomping upon her father’s head. “Father!” Tempest gasped, sliding to the ground. She moved to his side, kneeling beside him. A loud snore greeted her and she felt considerably more calmer. Shaking her head, she shook him. “Father, wake up.” Another snore and a murmured reply. Sighing, she knelt closer until she was right at his ear. “FATHER! WAKE UP!” she shouted.

Tempest laughed, drawing her hood from her head so she could look him fully in the eye.

“I once asked you for a white pony and you went out of your way to make sure I had one. But I changed my mind and wanted a blue elephant instead. And you gave me one. It is a memory I will always cherish.” she smiled, brushing her hand across his cheek. “It is me, Father. Your little Tempest.” she chuckled, looking down at herself. “Well…not so little anymore, but it is me.”

The Prince sat with his face riddled with confusion. His last memories of his daughter were of her asking what the maid was up to, bosoms, and …the painting of Queen Metia in the hall of Ancestors. Tempest..was seven years old, not this teenager that knelt beside him. She spoke fondly of how he had tried to get her a white pony, and instead she wanted a blue elephant. Then he remembers he was about to have sex with his wife, for she wanted another child. Minerva, the witch led him to this very field to find his daughter. The witch was gone, Tempest was all grown up, and yet he had been asleep two days?

Rising to standing, the Prince held his head and looked down at his daughter thoughtfully.“Don’t worry about me…I’m clearly going mad.” What could possibly happen next?

“My my, it seems there has been all kinds of new developments while you all slept…” Desmond appeared. That vile weasel of a man that was always up his wife’s skirts. How Joffrey despised the slimy codfish of a fellow.

“If you mean my daughter….I am still trying to come to grips with that, and for the love of all that is evil, I don’t think I can take another shock today.”

Seems like Desmond was about to deliver the next shock, in spades.

“Your grace, I have come to inform you that your wife has just given birth to your expected son and wishes for you and Tempest to come and greet the royal prince.” 

“The what?’ The Prince’s face simply was aghast. Did he just say…his wife gave birth?

“No…no..no see, that’s not possible. Heh, I would…I would remember laying with my wife. And…I know…I KNOW..I didn’t. She can’t be pregnant…and…WAIT…HAD A BABY?” Poor Joffrey. He looked at his fifteen year old daughter, then back at Desmond and suddenly felt very sick.

“I was asleep….TWO DAYS…..not…nine months…not..eight years.’ The Prince’s mind simply couldn’t cope with all this. It was too much. “She….I…we weren’t expecting ANYTHING. She asked me to …to….and I would have, but I had to go find Tempest..” He then pointed to Tempest. “You…yes…and …why…is this so confusing?”

He fell to his knees, and started to sob.

“This is a nightmare….I want to wake up!” And with that he started to beat his head on the ground.

<3>

Taking no notice of others who might be in the park, Elvira led Jezzie into the woods to her private place. Once there, she let Jezzie off her lead to roam about as she wished while she sat among the broken stones, reflecting on how her life had changed in the last few hours.

Sitting on a low section of stone that safely held her weight, she leaned her head against the rough texture, staring off at nothing, trying not to think, trying not to feel. A lone tear escaped from her eye, quickly swept away with a gloved hand.

She thought of her mother, her littlest sister, her brother…poor Bart, thrust into the role of leader of their family. Elvira knew he was not going to take their father’s passing well. She would have to see about him when she got back to the manor.

She sighed, a picture of misery and lost dreams.

With a sixth sense and the ability to smell the scent of his mysterious beauty, the Count decided to venture out, long after his household slumbered. He felt no need to change into the form of a wolf, not yet. His goal was simple. Catch sight of the beauty, before the cock crowed and the sun’s rays illuminated the earth. The Count was still angered that the ball did not go to plan. His desire to take Elvira and treat her to a night of unforgettable passion and madness, was thwarted by that dog, Agares, loyal flunky to Lillian. Oh how he hated that bitch. The only real triumph was slapping her hard, as she tried to stand over him. An Alpha…and not just any, but one of Bavarian lineage.

So through the park he walked, till he came to an abrupt stop, and raised his head. The mix of all the different scents, there was one that stood out. HERS. She was in the park, away from the watchful gaze of her family. Stealth fully, he moved through the wooded area of the park, only to hear the soft sighs of Elvira. Sitting within the dilapidated walls of a once glorious building. This was no place for a woman of her standing. And yet the wave of sorrow, hit him suddenly. Why would she be upset? Unless of course the wound to Amos…was fatal. It was never his intent, to destroy the head of the Roxburg, no, that was Lillian’s plan.

The Count stayed in the shadow, and watched her silently. Drinking in her beauty. Inhaling her scent. Formulating plans in his mind…how one day…she would belong, to him.

<3>

Although Elvira was alone in a wooded area, with not another soul around for miles, she was very aware of her surroundings.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she raised her head up. She didn’t turn around to look but she sensed someone was watching her.

“I know you’re there.” she murmured. “You may as well show yourself.”

Silence greeted her, but she was a somewhat patient person.

The Count, no longer had reason to hide, and so he simply stepped out of the shadows, and cast his gaze down on Elvira as she sat upon the stone. Clearly she had been weeping, and was lost in the sea of her own thoughts.

“You looked, exquisite tonight. I would have danced with you, but alas you had that…man hanging off you.” Coming closer, the Count inhaled sharply becoming intoxicated off her scent. So strong…so potent. He had planned the entire evening, for a simple dance, and yet it was not to be.

“He’s dead..isn’t he?” the Count now spoke of Amos, Elvira’s father. Why else would she have taken the journey here after the blood bath of a ball. “It was not supposed to have been like this. How was I to know….your own family sought to destroy the head….when…all I wanted was you.” The Count reached out to touch her cheek, a sign that the wolf was keeping his desires on a leash. Would she lash out? And who could blame her if she did.

<3>

There was a rustle of leaves and a snapping of twigs behind her, and she still had yet to see who her visitor was.

“You looked exquisite tonight. I would have danced with you, but alas you had that…man hanging off you.”

That voice! I recognize that voice! Elvira screamed in her head. So saying, she turned a little on her makeshift bench and came face to face with her kissing bandit. Despite what she’d gone through the night before, his words got a dark chuckle from her.

“Hmm…yes…a former relative’s…lover.” Elvira snarled, voice gone cold as she thought of Juliette. She turned her back on him, watching Jezebel munching away on some tasty moss she’d found. “But your…friends…did more damage than I ever could to that relationship.” she snorted, tangling her fingers into her lap.

There was silence between them for a moment before his next words stopped her cold.

“He’s dead..isn’t he?” Not knowing how he knew, she nodded, struggling against the urge to cry once more. She thought she had no more tears left. “It was not supposed to have been like this. How was I to know….your own family sought to destroy the head….when…all I wanted was you.” At that, Elvira’s head snapped up and around, just as he was about to touch her cheek. She quickly stood and backed away from him, wary and a little bit confused.

“What do you mean by that, sir?” she demanded, surprised to feel any emotions other than the grief that nearly crippled her hours before. “It wasn’t supposed to be like what? You know something, or you had something planned and I demand to know what it was.” she scowled, her anger threatening to ignite everything around her. As if to put truth to the thought, the ground beneath her feet began to smoulder.

“It was I that attacked your…former relative’s lover, the one that was on your arm. Right after your father was attacked by Agares. Yes, I watched it all. As I said….this was never my will. That was your Grandmother’s.” The Count stepped in closer to her, looking down with his presence much stronger within her personal space.

“Can you not smell the blood of your dance partner on me?” The Count asked, looking at her with eyes that were almost hypnotic. “I did my best to avenge your father….but, that fool got in my way. Sad to say…he didn’t taste very good.”

The Count then waited for her response.

<3>

He stepped into her personal space, making her very aware that she was alone, in a secluded area, with an Alpha Werewolf. “Can you not smell the blood of your dance partner on me?” he asked her, catching her gaze with her own. His eyes were nearly hypnotic in a way, and if she were anyone else, she probably would have fallen under his spell. But she was Elvira Roxburg, daughter of Amos, and she bowed to the will of no man.

She stood to her full height, which was still a few feet beneath his own and glared at the man. “I’d prefer not to smell you at all if I can help it.” she snapped, pressing a finger to her nose. He didn’t smell all that repulsive actually…sort of a mix between earth, grass after a summer storm and smoked sandalwood, if her sense of smell was correct. But she wasn’t about to let him know that.

“I did my best to avenge your father….but, that fool got in my way. Sad to say…he didn’t taste very good.”

“Fools rush in where angels fear to tread1.” Elvira snarled. “You really have the nerve to speak to me of plans and maschinations when this information comes way too late? How dare you, sir!” Her hand flashed out, intent upon wiping the arrogant smirk off the man’s face…

1quote attributed to Alexander Pope, an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. Famous for his use of the heroic couplet, he is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson.

“I don’t think you understand. I never knew about the intent of your…family to end its own. That was totally unexpected. Had I known this plan, I would never have invited Lillian. Only reason I did, was I wanted all to see….how I felt about you.”

The Count backed away from her slowly, to give her room to breathe. He instead leaned against one of the stone walls, and folded his arms. “I let my pack, finish what the Roxburgs started….simple as that.”

<3>

“I don’t think you understand. I never knew about the intent of your…family to end its own. That was totally unexpected. Had I known this plan, I would never have invited Lillian. Only reason I did, was I wanted all to see….how I felt about you.” he stated, backing away from her to lean against a piece of the stone wall, arms crossed. “I let my pack, finish what the Roxburgs started….simple as that.”

Elvira was surprised to say the least. She could sense the truth of his words and she had to admit, even to herself, that none of the wolves came close to touching her or her family…except Lillith and he lived to tell the tale. But then what he’d said before that finally registered in her brain and her mouth dropped open in surprise.

“How can you have feelings for me, when you just met me? I don’t even know you. You don’t even know me!” she replied, voice calm. Now that her anger was assuaged, the ground was no longer smoking and smouldering. She moved to sit on a downed tree nearby and where she had stood, the ground was charred black.

She stared at him. “Just who the hell are you anyway? I’ve seen you three times now, and don’t even know your name.”

*Nods to X-Men’s Wolverine

“Permit me, to introduce myself. I am Count Virgo Marulo, second son of the King of Bavaria.” There was no lie about this, he had sent out the invitations marked with the seal of his family, and was known to the Queen of England, who allowed him to set up residence in the country on the large Estate known as Baxter Hall.

Now, for the tricky part. How he knew her. Placing his hands behind his back, he walked with a dignified air, and kept his chin up high, not at all beast like in appearance, but how deceiving looks can be. He didn’t even bother to stop his walk as he answered her next question.

“Five hundred years ago, I fell in love with the most beautiful woman, her name Katarina Adelzhausen. Such beauty, one cannot imagine. Cruelly, she was taken from me. Lead to believe I had died in battle, she took her life and on my return, her body lay in the chapel…dead. I swore…on her grave that I would see her again.” At this point, he took out a locket, and handed it to to Elvira. If she were to open it, the picture within….was of her. Well, her likeness.

Any fool could see then…he believed Elvira to be her reincarnation…the new vessel of Katarina.

“Astonishing…the likeness.”

<3>

His arms went behind his back and he began to pace back and forth as he gave her his explination. “Five hundred years ago, I fell in love with the most beautiful woman, her name Katarina Adelzhausen. Such beauty, one cannot imagine. Cruelly, she was taken from me. Lead to believe I had died in battle, she took her life and on my return, her body lay in the chapel…dead. I swore…on her grave that I would see her again.” He stepped closer to her, pulling a locket from his cloak and passing it to her. Curious, Elvira opened it to see a young woman staring back at her. The resemblance to herself was uncanny.

“Astonishing…the likeness.” He stated.

Shaking her head, she closed the locket and passed it back to him. “I’m sorry, Lord Marulo. But I cannot be the reincarnation of your dead lover. Tis simply impossible.” She stood up as well. “She sounds like one of His Angels.” she emphasised, glaning upward at the canopy of trees and gloomy skies over their heads. “I am but a creature of Hell. Demon, devil, succubus. Whatever you wish to call me. Born from the fires of my father and grandfather, Lord Lucifer himself. There is no goodness and light within me. I am but of the Dark. The Sin of Lust that binds mortal man to his every whim. I feed upon their very souls as sex is my playground.” She stood tall and proud, chin jutted out only so far. “So…I cannot be what you so wish. For that is a fool’s errand you seek…and I do not think you are such a fool.”

So saying, she turned on her heel and started to reach for Jezzie’s reins, intent on leaving.

“So you go on…being the succubus…feast on men and yet…never know love. Tis your choice, my dear.”

He did not move to follow her.

<3>

Her hand, inches from grabbing up Jezzie’s lead, paused. Eyes tightening in anger, she clenched her fist and whirled back around.

“What would I know of love? Useless human emotions! Bah!” she scowled, spitting, unladylike, at his feet. “All it brings is pain and heartache and I’ve had enough of both to last me ten lifetimes!” she snapped, hissing and spitting like an angry cat as she bravely marched up to him. “You would need a heart to know love! You would need to feel…something for someone…to know love! I have neither since they were both so cruelly taken from me! So don’t you DARE give me that tripe!” she shouted, poking him in his shoulder with a talon she hadn’t even known she had transformed.

Throwing up her hands in disgust, at herself, at him, at the whole damn situation, she turned and stomped away, going as far as the treeline skirting the edge of the old building she’d once claimed as her sanctuary.

Doesn’t feel much like a place of safety anymore with people intruding upon my solitude all the bloody time! she snorted, crossing her arms. After a moment, she sighed, shoulders slumped and staring off into the distance once more. His words tumbled through her brain like a tornado and she felt adrift in a sea of uncertainty. “Fine! You win! I have a heart! Big bleeding deal!” she finally ground out, not bothering to look at him. “Shall I rip it from my chest and lay it at your feet as a sacrifice? Would that make you happy?” she snarled, whirling to face him, eyes as black as night. Using her talons, she shredded her dress, ripping it from her body and standing before him naked, her aura flaring high. She pointed to where her heart was. “Go ahead. Rip my heart out if there’s anything left of the fecking thing! I don’t want it anymore!”

On the ground where he had stood, was the locket. It was opened, and the picture of Katarina was staring up at the sky, a soft smile upon her face. Was this done on purpose, and why did the Count chose to leave her, when she had finally caved in to his constant questions. He knew her a lot more…than she even knew herself.

<3>

(thread change)

She snarled in anger.

“BASTARD!” she shouted at nothing. Grabbing up the tattered remains of her dress, she fashioned a makeshift top, not caring in the least it left her arms bare.

There would be some tongues wagging through the gossips of the city when they caught sight of her riding through town in such a way, but she wasn’t an exhibitionist for nothing.

But…despite it all…he had managed to do something that even surprised her…

For a short time…she had gotten beyond her grief.

And she knew then, things were going to get better.

A beam of sunlight that had been fighting to get through the morning clouds paused her attention on something shiny in the dirt. She went to it, picking it up and discovering it was the Count’s treasured locket. She glanced back up to wear the count had disappeared through the trees.

Coming to a decision, she whistled for Jezzie, climbing into the saddle as her friend came near. Turning the lead toward town, she needed to get a new dress before she could make her way to the Count’s estate.

But first she needed to *find* his estate.

—thread change—-

Eric just keep on walking through the crowd, moving some people out of his way, this was the only problem from this places too many people. All off sudden he felt a grip on his arm, he turned his head and noticed it was Maha holding his arm, he couldn’t help but to smile and let a chuckle escape from his lips.
“No problem.”
He told her, since he didn’t minded on having her holding his arm, even tho she wouldn’t be able to hear his words, reading his lips would be enough for make her understand. They still didn’t had destination, and he began to wonder what should they do, he didn’t wanted to sound a boring guy, and he wasn’t here for be bored, he was here for have some fun, so of course, he would do what he wasn’t used to do. Drink and go to the floor dance. Of course Eric already tasted alcohol before, but only a small glass in special occasions, or a beer per week, nothing that would leave him drunk.
He tilted his head down and leaned in closer to her ear.
“Let’s go get some drinks first, then dance floor.”
He answered, and just started to walk, not yanking his arm away, since he figured out it was better having her holding his arm so she would always be on his sight. Reaching the bar, he began to wonder what would he get for himself, not a beer, that would be way too soft, but he didn’t wanted to start off too strong either, not yet. Well, the only thing that come in his mind was some cocktail, and the bartender was already making it, in front of them, waiting for Maha order her drink so he could prepare it as well.

Caleb hadn’t gone to school that afternoon, so he didn’t know any of these Girls names, but he could feel them watching him. He should have been flattered, but he got the feeling that any New Faces got plenty of attention in this Small Town. He felt the need to get drunk again. He slipped out the flask he had snatched from Galtem’s liquor cabinet before they left, and drank it as inconspicuously as he could. He was going to make the best of the night.

Entering, he began to scan the club for Rosa, his tigress, yet could not find her. Even with his greatly enhanced vision and sense of smell, the sweat of others mixed with alcohol and food pulled her specific scent from his nostrils. Thus, he assumed she hadn’t made it yet. He had suggested her riding with him, but she insisted to go alone, and so, he let it be. and now she’s late. This thought made him grin as he made his way to the bar. He may be eighteen by law, but he could easily pass for 22 any day. Waving the bartender over, he spoke when the woman got to him. “Leme get a beer and a burger baby. Medium rare.” With a wink and the flash of his white smile, the woman winked back and nodded with a shy grin of her own. She handed him the beer and went in the kitchen to deliver the order. Alec popped it open easily with his thumb and turned in his seat to the dance floor, drinking the beer.

That’s when his eyes took hold of the woman entering from the side door. she was a sight to behold, and quickly became an interest to Alec. Though, she seemed the not so girly type, so he couldn’t just approach and flash his smile with cute words. no. those types were difficult, and so he waited, for the right moment, or for another man to walk up to her. He’d prefer that situation after all. So, as he stared on, as discretely as possible, he held a light grin over his lips.

Tess looked up when she felt eyes on her, and bright blue met brown when she found who it was. She knew who he was through Jace. His name was Alec Thomsomething, and he was bad news. Pretty powerful, and very troubled in the past department. However, there was no way she could let him know she knew this, so she just returned his grin with a demure (and possibly flirtatious) smile. However, then another vampire came up to her, leaning down to whisper something in her ear, and her eyes turned to him. The tone of her laughter was soft but it carried, just barely mixing in with the rest of the noises in the club. She wasn’t necessarily laughing at his dumb, flirty joke, but at how stupid some of the vampires in Derry had turned out to be. Mostly the males.

She laid a hand on his upper arm and tilted her head to the bar, her mouth opening slightly with her smile. He nodded and looked almost determined, and grabbed her hand a little harder than necessary to lead her to it. She rolled her eyes when he wasn’t looking at her, and the blue irises once again found Alec. Standing next to him was someone she didn’t recognize, which meant she was probably unimportant or human. Not that the two were all that different. She smiled at her a bit nicer than she had at anyone else other than Mark that night, her hand coming up in a small wave. Even if the girl thought it was nice, it was sort of a mocking gesture. A few other wolves looking at them noticed and sniggered as she turned to order a drink, but she was stopped by the vampire, who ordered her something along the lines of blood wine. She shot a confused glare at him, pressing her bracelet against his wrist. The barbed end of her whip extended, piercing him softly. He looked at her with wide eyes, then took both glasses and walked off to a vampire girl, who wasn’t half as attractive as Tess was. Her usual expression returned after that as she ordered one of those pretty cocktails that usually lasted far too long through the night. It was a bar, for heaven’s sake – she needed to drink something.

Galtem stretched out his hand for Shane shake it, and whenever they finished their handshake, he just placed his palms over his lap again, turning his head so his eyes could follow Shane sitting besides him.
“I only go for the talented ones.”
Galtem said with grin when Shane commented about the dancers he had in here that are going to give lap dances, and some give even more, it always depends on how much they are offering their body. Most of the times that part he has nothing to do with it, that’s only the extra they will get, if they want more money than Galtem pays them, they shall offer more of their body, so then they will get their own money. Not all in here does this, but most does.
Galtem picked up his glass, and took a sip from his whiskey, he listen to his friend talking about Amelia, he almost choked on his drink when he told him that some guy must have been buying her drinks and she threw up everything. Oh god, now he felt sorry for her, he thought she could handle it, but he was glad that she was still looking good, that left him more relieved, it would be weird deal with a sick drunk Amelia, that had never happen before, so he really couldn’t picture it in his mind.
Now the subject was about him getting back into law. He knew Galtem was one of the bests lawyers out there, and he was always on competition with Shane to see who will get a better case.
“I don’t think its the money. Well, maybe it plays its part as well, but yeah, I’m trying to change everything around me. Even let go of the party and womanizer life. So maybe that’s why I bought this place, I didn’t wanted to let go 100% of that life.”
Galtem explained with a shrug. He just said what came in his mind at the moment. But he thought that might be the reason, even though later on, he will have to change everything again. Because for some odd reason, he has a bad feeling about this try on starting a new life.

“Not for you, they’re not. Keep your brain on,” Bones said gruffly. He looked down at her sassy look and shook his head at her. Circe drove him crazy sometimes but he cared a lot about her and didn’t want her getting into too much trouble. Not only for her sake but if she did then he’d never here the end of it from Mills. “Good, if you’re using the excuse that Mills and I are here then you can check in with us every so often.” He folded his arms across his chest and looked down at her, knowing she would not enjoy that. “And don’t call my Bonesy,” he added as he took her by the shoulders and steered her back to Mills. “Let’s go,” he said to Mills and led the ladies into the club. It was a loud environment but Bones was good at blocking it all out so that’s what he did. He watched Circe carefully as they walked in, but turned to Mills and nodded to the bar since it was pointless saying anything out loud.

Bar

Maha nodded eagerly when he said they should get drinks first and then go to the dance floor. This night was going to be absolutely perfect. He started walking to the bar and she held on tighter to his arm, but let one of her arms fall to the side so that she was just holding it with one of her hands now. It seemed very elegant to her and she smiled softly to herself as she felt like he was escorting her. But they were at a disco not a ball, so they made their way to the bar and sat down.
Lizzy noticed younger people at the bar and recognized Maha. Someone was about to take their orders, but she stopped them saying she’d get this one. She didn’t want them to decide these two were too young on not take them since in reality they could be hundreds of years old. The boy was a werewolf, which she had no problem with and she knew that Maha was a hybrid. Something that intrigued her but wasn’t enough to make her want to talk to the girl. But she didn’t want to deny either kid their fun for the night so she asked, “What can I get you two?”
“Can I get a strawberry daiquiri, please?” Maha asked Lizzy who she recognized from being here for parties before. She turned to look at Eric. “Don’t judge me, I like my drinks girly,” she said with a laugh.

Eric noticed that the bartender that was going to make their drinks, got dismissed by a barmaid, he doesn’t know her, but by the smell she’s a vampire. He doesn’t have problems with them, hell, his father told him that when he was just a baby a vampire held him, Selene to be more exact, its like she was somewhat his aunt for short time. He got amazed that his uncle decided to go after a vampire, but he wouldn’t judge him, he just found it more interesting how in hell their bond works, but oh well. His mother wasn’t a werewolf either, she was a harpy, and Maha is a hybird, it seems the Manzenli doesn’t fancy their own race on that way.
He kept a smile upon his face, and watched Lizzy asking them what they wanted, he just left Maha pick her drink first, wondering what in hell she would get. Whenever she mentioned a strawberry daiquiri, he thought why not? He could drink the same, but not strawberry, tho. It’s not a flavor that he likes that much.
“Not judging you.”
He told her with a smile.
“For me it can be a classic daiquiri.”
The lime flavor was more of his liking than the strawberry one.

William stayed besides Jennifer, he didn’t interrupt her conversation with Seph, but he did gave her a greeting mile just letting her known that he wasn’t ignoring her. Since that wasn’t his intentions. His eyes was scanning around the dance floor, and he noticed even if he tried to smell somebody’s scent in here for see if he knew somebody, that would be impossible, so much smells mixed leaves any werewolf confused. However, he didn’t had to search for friends, it seems one of them had already found him. It was one of his friends from work, and before he could say or do anything, he was already being dragged away from Jennifer. All he could do was just give her an apologizing look, and followed his friend, it seems he wanted to do those challenges with drinks, who drank more, well, somebody was going to lose, William was a werewolf so it will take him longer to get drunk, and this guy was a human, so everything would be easier. Now that William was here, he decided to have some fun. He just joined this challenge, and it was only matter of time that he won this guy, and everybody began to get excited, they told him to do another challenge so they could gain more free drinks, and that’s what William did.

Mills didn’t need anything other than the nod as an excuse to go straight to the bar. By the time she found an empty space, she was standing on the other side of a brunette in a gorgeous white dress who was facing the other way. She only just caught sight of Seph before she was gone again, though probably still sitting where she was. Circe, however, just stuck her tongue out at Bones before patting his arm and practically dashing for the dance floor, disappearing into it when she reached the edge. Mills sighed and ordered a double shot of whiskey, her anger simmering down to exasperation at the twins’ behavior. The girl next to her had the prettiest, girliest drink she’d ever seen, and she almost asked what it was, but decided against it because she hadn’t made eye contact with her yet. Rule numero uno of bars, never talk to anyone you don’t know unless you’ve made eye contact and decided they won’t punch you. Unless you really want to get punched.

Once her drink came, Mills shot a look at Bones, raising a wary eyebrow as she reached for the glass. “You know she’s not going to check in with us even once unless she needs money, right?”

Rosalie was enjoying her time with her best friend when she felt someone watching her. Looking towards the other end of the bar, her eyes locked on Tess just in time to see her smiling flirtatiously in their direction. Glancing at Alec, she looked at him questioningly. “Uh, is she a friend of yours?” Her tone wasn’t exactly jealous, it was more put-out at the fact that he had another friend that he had never introduced her to. Frowning, she looked back at Tess and watched her wave with a smile. Smiling hesitantly, she waved back before staring at Alec again “Apparently she thinks she knows us or really just wants to talk to you. If I were you, I wouldn’t keep a girl who can look both dangerous and pretty like that waiting.”

Not waiting for a response from him, she grabbed her soda and walked towards the side of the bar that Caleb was sitting at, He seemed more interested in listening to his music and sneaking drinks than talking to anyone and that suited Rosalie just fine. She was getting uncomfortable with that the sexual tension that was floating around the disco and she just wanted to make it through the night unscathed. Sitting next to him, she smiled at him gently before turning her attention to her coke. Lifting it to her lips, she finished it and set the empty glass on the bar. Resting her elbow on the surface, she placed her chin in her hand and tapped her free hand distractedly.

Alec watched the events unfold with the woman and her new suitor. His scent was that of a bloodsucker, and it made him laugh. How in the name of all that was logical could a Vampire not smell the wolf on her? He could from this distance as his nose toughened against the other random smells. Yet this blood sucker who was only a few inches from her could not. It made him feel dumbfounded. Her flirtatious smile brought one from him in reply, gentle and only slightly noticeable. His eyes held her, even though his mind had been focusing on Rosalie as she came to him. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world Tigress.” He set his glass down and his arms found her in a hug, his eyes meeting hers as he pulled away and took in her look. “And might your most FABULOUS of best friends say, you look simply rrrrAVISHIN Dahling. You simply MUST tell me who designed this for you!” his voice was simulating what he believed a more feminine homosexual man would sound like, his hand motions and facial expressions did the same, all recalling their previous conversation this morning.

When she took notice of the female he’d been watching, his eyes met her incredibly….sensual form once more. He watched her deal with the Vampire rather expertly, and smiled softly as the blood sucker moved on rather hastily. “Wonder what she did to scare him off.” The words were more so to himself than to Rosa, and when she spoke her final words before departing, he watched her walk to the other guy she had pointed out previously. “Don’t get drunk! Or raped! I’d have to sign sooooo much paperwork for killing the kid!” he smiled and chuckled as his sight returned to Tess. He wasted no time then in taking up his drink and gulping it down. The burn in his throat more settling than aggitating to him.

Reaching her side, he placed his glass on the bar, and spoke to the Bar Tender. The woman winking. “Another one baby girl. And a water for the lady here. Wouldn’t want her getting too dangerous.” The Bar Tender laughed as Alec winked and she set to his drink and her water. Alec turned, leaning on an elbow that was set on the bar, his front to Tess. “So, mind my asking the occasion? You only drink like that when your celebrating something or trying to forget something. Either or, should be an interesting story.” The drinks came and he took up his glass, raising it to his lips and tilting the fluid into his mouth. He took his cup from his lips and held it in the hand that rested on the bar, the smile from earlier returning to his lips.

Jennifer smiled apologetically when Seph said they’d get over it, her head remained resting in her hand the whole time. She really didn’t have any family around to fight with, but she knew that whenever she and William weren’t getting along her life was a living hell. Of course it didn’t last very long because neither of them could stand being angry with each other so even when it was something serious they were forced to drop it. Jennifer looked back to where the kid was that she was talking about. She just couldn’t shake it. There was something about him. Seph didn’t seem to know who he was so he must have been knew since he must have been around her age. It was in the way he gestured. Or perhaps lack thereof. The look he was giving. It freaked her out. It gave her the feeling that she had had when she woke up that morning after a strange dream. Having strong emotions about it, but unsure why. “Weird,” she muttered out loud shaking it off and turning back to Seph. William was being dragged away at that point by one of his friends.

She dropped her hand off the table and looked up at him as he walked away. “You bring him back in one piece!” she called, but knew William could very much hold his own. She smiled after them and laughed, glad that William was going to have some fun tonight. She finished off her own drink and set it on the counter to be refilled. “Boys and parties,” Jennifer told Seph in exasperation with a roll of her eyes and shake of her head.

Making her way back upstairs, Amelia had already felt like Miss Parent 2013 by trying to keep an eye out for Caleb, which he told her didn’t suit her at all. Dancing in the crush of bodies downstairs left her feeling claustrophobic, and really the only place that had the music muted to an extent was the VIP lounge, which she had already been in…a bit earlier.

When she got inside, she saw that Shane had already found his old business partner and ex colleague, and the two were deep in conversation. Amelia figured that Shane would have some tempting lass on his lap, but seemed he was happier to talk shop and the good old days. Course Galtem was explaining how he thought that buying into this business was going to curb his ways, but in her mind, that is like an alcoholic opening a bar. Come to think of it…he did drink an awful lot. Half of the time she wondered if he did this to forget. But who would want to live in a permanent state of haze? Getting a drink of juice from the bar, she sauntered over and overheard Galtem;

.
“I don’t think its the money. Well, maybe it plays its part as well, but yeah, I’m trying to change everything around me. Even let go of the party and womanizer life. So maybe that’s why I bought this place, I didn’t wanted to let go 100% of that life.”

“He’s kidding, right?” Amelia said, to a beaming Shane, who patted the seat beside him. “Let the man dream. Who knows, maybe this is just what Galtem needs. I sure as hell don’t mind. This place rocks.” He gave Amelia a knowing smile as she took a seat and then looked at her drink. “Juice?’ Amelia nodded. “I would like to remember this night…thanks.”Shane gave her a playful nudge. Why was it both these guys saw her as non threatening…a buddy almost, considering she was in fact a witch. Probably cause she never sent out signals, was full on about her career, and pretty much didn’t gossip or try to act like something she wasn’t. It must get lonely though. Amelia wanted to bring up the fact she checked up on Caleb, but after Galtem’s reaction earlier, she thought better of it.

<3>

After a bit of dancing, Circe made her way off the floor, ignoring the people she’d just been dancing pretty provocatively with. She came to rest when she reached Jennifer and her sister, a kind of smug smile on her face that slipped away when she met her sister’s eyes. For a moment, the two looked like they would start yelling at each other after which a fist fight would ensue. The moment seemed to last for ages, until Seph leaned down and kissed Circe’s temple, and then everything was okay. A public display of affection like that was as close as either of them came to an apology, and that was okay. At least, for them it was. Circe smiled at Jennifer and Seph scooted over on her stool to accommodate her twin. She tilted her head to the side as she spoke to the woman. “Sup?”

“We were just talking about that guy over there. The one that thinks he’s being so sneaky with that flask.” She turned to look at who she had yet to find out was Caleb then looked back to her sister and jerked her head towards him. Circe’s gaze lingered and a small smirk appeared on her lips. “That, I believe, is Caleb Manzenli. He was supposed to be in our chemistry class, but he didn’t show. Neither did the teach, for that matter. He’s hot.” Seph didn’t yet know the name Manzenli, so she just shrugged and reached for the glass of water the bartender had been nice enough to place down for her.

Oh, she had been somewhat excited when he had begun to approach her. Then he ordered her a water and the excitement fizzled out. She looked at him in a similar way she had looked at the vampire, but at least he hadn’t ordered her fucking BLOOD. “Actually, I just wanted something pretty. Nothing to celebrate or forget.” Well, there was, but she wasn’t going to use alcohol to do it. She was nursing the beautiful drink, taking small sips every now and then. “Then again, I’m a free girl now, and I don’t have many mortal friends, so there’s not much to anything at all.” At a friendly nudge from the woman beside her, she quieted her voice a little more. They had smelled wolf on each other and decided to be polite. Normally if anyone touched her, Tess would have them pinned or bleeding in seconds, but the woman gave off a trustworthy vibe, and Tess hadn’t even seen her face. “But maybe that’ll change soon.” She smiled once more, raising her glass slightly as one would for a toast before taking another sip. And even through the conversation, she knew he would notice she hadn’t touched the water.

Caleb was stuffing his face with bar peanuts and listening to his music when someone sat next to him. His Wolf sense of smell picked up her scent and caused his eyes to involuntarily roll back in his head, then he quickly shook that off. He spun around to look at her with a mouthful of peanuts and gave the goofiest smile. He screamed inside his head, but didn’t budge outside. Mghgmmm….(swallows)…um…hi…sorry. He swallowed his mouthful and turned back embarrassed, then returned to look at her again. Why not? She was here with the Roid Rager, but he seemed to be occupied with some other Hot Girl. I’m Caleb….not that you….asked. He shut his mouth and stared at the bar. Great first impression. Cool Guy, that he always planned on when he was new somewhere, sort of decided to go out the window when he wasn’t looking apparently. After he mustered his second wind confidence, he finally looked at her again. Sorry, I know you didn’t come over here to get hit on….that’s not what this is.. He was trying to talk loud over the music. I mean not that I wouldn’t; I mean you’re gorgeous….I mean, that sounded like a line….um can we start again? He pantomimed a rewind hand gesture, then stuck his out to shake hers. Caleb….Manzenli. The slightly goofy smirky smile returned to the corner of his mouth.

The twins looked at each other as Jennifer walked away, then back to Jennifer, then back to each other. After a few seconds, their tone matched each others as they spoke. “That was your fault.” 

“Good,” Maha laughed when he assured her he was not judging her. “Cause if you were I’d have to do something about it,” she added making the most intimidating face that she could but it didn’t work very well and she ended up just laughing about it instead.
“Alrighty then,” Lizzy said and with that she went to go make their drinks.
“Thanks!” Maha told her brightly and turned back to Eric. “So, how was school today?” she asked with a light laugh. It was funny to her to sit at the bar and talk about school. Or talking about school at all. But it wasn’t a filler question. She honestly was curious. His bruises were gone and she had noticed. It was a good sign to her. Maybe today he hadn’t gotten picked on. It still amazed her that he of all people got bullied at school. It didn’t surprise her that he didn’t fight back. He could take them on any day, but he was too sweet. But why they would pick on a Manzenli boy was a mystery to her.
Lizzy came back with their drinks. “Strawberry… Regular…” she said as she set them down in front of them. “Enjoy!” she said in a sing song voice before going to the next customers.
Maha smiled her thanks and took a drink of her strawberry daiquiri before setting it back down in front of her, much more interested in Eric than she was her drink.

Bar

Bones paid no attention to anyone but Mills now. If Circe was going to do something, she would do it and there wasn’t much he could do to stop it. But he would be bad to not try, right? The girl made her way over to her sister, but not before sticking her tongue out at Bones, to which he merely raised his eyebrows. “Make that two,” Bones said when Mills ordered her whiskey. Just because he was sober most of the time didn’t mean he didn’t still enjoy getting drunk. Tonight seemed like a good night. He looked at Mills and held up a shot in a “cheers” kind of way before downing his. When she spoke to him he shook his head and set the glass on the table before pulling out something from his pocket. “That’s going to be sooner rather than later. Miss Forgetful forgot her wallet in the car,” he said, waving it around for a moment before pocketing it. Ok so she had set it down in the car and he had swiped it, but what difference did it make? He was allowed to be worried right?

Eric stared a bit speechless at Maha when she said she would have to do something about it if he judged her, he was still trying to understand what she truly meant, but in the end he just chuckled along with her. So far, this was being the best night of his live, he doesn’t have an interesting life, so anything can get more interesting than his daily routine, but he was definitely glad that he was with Maha in this party, she was really a wonderful person to be with, and the fewest that isn’t judging him just because he isn’t like his father or uncle. People tend to compare him a lot with them, his father due the muscles, and his uncle due the womanizer reputation. He was different from them.
“Thank you.”
Eric thanked Lizzy when she finally made their drinks. He picked up his glass, and took a small sip from his drink, actually enjoying the way it felt. After that he just placed his drink back down, and heard Maha’s question, about how was school. He thought she didn’t wanted to talk about that because it could be boring for her, but since she’s asking, why not answer her? Its not like he had other subjects to talk about.
“It was good, I guess.”
Today nobody had bullied him, well, the jokes some say while he’s passing by, or the looks, its not something that he cares, he was more glad that they didn’t started to hit him or destroy his stuff again. He did not wanted to be always buying the same book, since they keep on stealing it and destroying it. But today was more calm, and he really felt like something good was going to happen.
“It was more calm than usual, I really feel like I’m having the best day of my life.”
Eric told her with a shrug and a smile. He was being total honest with his words. Today wasn’t the best day of his life It because the day was more calm, it was also because he was here with somebody that actually was interested on him, friends or not.

Rosalie couldn’t believe how embarrassing Alec was acting by shouting after her not to be raped or drunk. She was drinking a coke! She looked over her shoulder huffily at her best friend, but he was already talking to that girl. Rolling her eyes, she swiveled back in her seat and offered the bartender a shy smile “Another coke, please?” He just chuckled and nodded, grabbing her glass to refill it. Rosalie began to play with the napkin in front of her when she saw Caleb move in the corner of her eye.When she looked over, he was giving her the goofiest smile that she thought was adorable. No, adorable was for puppies. It was more breath-taking. He tried to speak to her but clearly had his mouth full. By the time he had swallowed, the bartender had placed her drink in her hand. Turning her head slightly, she nodded her head in thanks but then her eyes flitted back to Caleb’s face. His contagious smile had hers growing into an amused grin. With a small laugh, she shook her head “No, I didn’t, but I was silently wondering who you were. You look familiar, I think we might be in some of the same classes together?”He looked away from her and Rosalie could feel his nerves from her seat next to him. Tilting her head, she wondered what had him so flustered. With his good looks and charming smile, it was a mystery anyone or anything could make him unsettled. When he looked back at her, he began to trip over his words in a way that could have been misconstrued as insults but she could tell he was having hell of a time just trying to make conversation. She began to giggle when he called her gorgeous and struggled over not trying to deliver a line. Raising an eyebrow, she reached out and took his hand to shake it lightly “No, I was really hoping I wouldn’t get hit on since that beast of a teenager over there would probably just ruin my evening.”Rolling her eyes, she didn’t remove her hand as she shrugged. A friendly smile curved her lips once more as she continued “I’m Rosalie Draven. Manzenli sounds familiar but I’m not sure from where…” Seeing his handsome smile again, she blushed and looked away to stare at her drink “So, are you new in town?”

Galtem’s eyes laid on Amelia, she had finally showed up, and she did looked better than before. Now Shane and her was messing around with him due his choices on wanting to leave the womanizer life, did they really thought so bad of him?
“I’m not joking, it will happen.”
He told them with a grin, as he shook his head slightly. He knew it wouldn’t be an easy task, but he was going to make it happen, he wanted to change, and he was going to do it. It was a challenge, and we all know, Galtem loves challenges, and he will do anything to surpass them and show the others that he was able to do it. Its definitely questions of pride, but also he wants to start a new life, he’s tired of having such troublesome life, he’s getting old for that thing, so its time to change.
Galtem chuckled when Shane mentioned the word Juice whenever he saw Amelia’s drink, those all shots for her was probably way too much for somebody who rarely drink, so of course now, she’d rather stay stuck to the juice.
He didn’t said much, he just allowed the two of them talk, while he leaned his back against the couch and took a sip from his whiskey. He was able to listen their conversation about the collar Amelia had around her neck, Galtem sometimes got curious about it as well, but he started to get too used on seeing her with it, that he stopped caring. Then the conversation was about his secretary, oh those times when a Lawyer has a good secretary.

When the night seemed to be perfect and full of joy, something unpredictable happen.
Galtem was laughing at his friends comments while staring down at his glass, whenever he rose his head to stare around the VIP lounge, he saw Jennifer, rushing upstairs and into the restroom. His smile slowly disappeared and his expression turned into a nervous and worried one. Hell, he didn’t even knew what to feel whenever he saw her. With so many places out there, she had to show up here? Of course he knew this was the only disco in this town, but damn. He wasn’t that focus on what Shane was saying, but it wasn’t definitely something that good.
“Don’t go, don’t go. What are you doing, no pick up the glass again, ugh, stop” His mind was telling him to not move, but he was already standing up.
“With so many places out there, she had to show up here.”
Galtem said, as he just walked to the ladies restroom, he could careless if he shouldn’t be there. Stepping inside, he grabbed on some arm from a female that was there, and removed her from the restroom.
“There’s other bathrooms downstairs.”
He told to the poor woman, and closed the door. This restrooms was huge, and he had to take few steps to finally spot Jennifer, and the first reaction he got, was quickly roll his eyes and turn his head. Why? Because of her dress, it was way too up.
“Oh god, your dress.”
He mumbled with a huff. Now he was here, and he couldn’t go back. Maybe if he didn’t acted so awkward and just made this meeting be only about her, everything would be ok.
“Are you ok? Do you need something?”
He asked her, perking up an eyebrow. Trying his best to remain calm, while inside he was extremely nervous, and just wanted to get out of here, but his body moved against his will.

Jennifer stumbled into the bathroom. If people even noticed her awkward entrance, she didn’t notice them. She went straight to the back stall and sat down on the disgusting floor. Something she would have never done in a million years had she been in her right mind. To her surprise, the feeling that she was going to throw up disappeared and she ended up just covering her face and letting the dizziness pass. Galtem had a son. Galtem has a son. Galtem had a son with another woman. Of course she knew that he slept around but it was the fact that he had settled down with one of them. She found herself wondering if he was married. If he was, what the hell was he doing back here? To torture her? She was too lost in thought to even notice him when he grabbed the woman and took her out of the bathroom. She did not look up until he spoke to her. When she saw him her breathing quickened and she thought she was going to have a panic attack right there in front of him. But then something clicked in her brain. No. She would not give him that satisfaction. She was not some weak little girl. If that was how he remembered her then he would be sadly mistaken. She took a deep breath and stood up; adjusting her dress that she was embarrassed was showing all but her underwear. “I’m fine,” she growled at him, fixing her hair so it wasn’t a complete mess. She glanced in the mirror and was pleased to see that she did look fine. All traces of panic had left her face to be replaced with something else. She looked fierce.

“But if you’re offering, I wouldn’t mind some information. Why the hell are you here? Wait, wait. Don’t answer that, I have a better question. Why the hell is there a boy who looks exactly like you with your last name downstairs? No, wait. Even better. Who the hell would let Galtem Manzenli get them pregnant?!” she was shouting at him and it felt good. With every sentence she moved a little closer to him. She was still in shock that he was there but the anger she had felt towards him that she had pushed down and gotten over in the past one hundred years just came flooding back to her. Finally she just slapped him. She’d never gotten to hit him for being with Selene. She’d never gotten the confrontation she wanted. So she decided that one counted for that. Jennifer slapped him again deciding that one was for the kid downstairs. Then she just realized that she was enjoying it and raised her hand to strike a third time.