just Give Me that Wide Smile [Marina + Adley]

[Grayson Wyatt]

Grayson’s thumb moved over the screen of his phone, slowly dragging images upwards into his view. He was going through some of the pictures of famed celebrities taken at the Met Gala, and pouring over the comments like someone who was addicted to having their opinions confirmed, or who just loved picking up on terrible gossip. Against his side, he felt the familiar and solid presence of his sire, the two of them lying on an 8’ lovesac, heads angled the same direction but one of them cast on his back and the other flopped abdomen first onto the fluffy soft material. When he’d first seen the piece of furniture, he had been pretty sure it was just a really big bean bag chair. That was the furthest thing from the truth. The stuffing was yielding and soft, and had the quality of cradling a person’s body near perfectly. In fact, even with the two men almost dead center on it, the bag hadn’t fanned out to either side, but instead curled close around their sides. It was the sort of place that was immediately comfortable, and made more so by the body next to the Allurist’s.

He occasionally nudged against the other man’s side with his elbow - just enough to get Adley’s attention. This happened periodically as he went through his Facebook, or as he found a clip of something he found particularly funny that he wanted to share directly with the Necromancer. It was one of those calm quiet starts to the evening, when Grayson wasn’t really even fully awake. One of those nights when there was nothing to be done, when he could just be lazy and relax without having to turn his brain on. The quiet sound of Moments Passed the Mike Dean Remix played so low that it it was barely audible.

Right as his thumb was about to move again, sliding from top down to the bottom, an alarm sounded, and an image splashed across his screen. His gaze narrowed for a moment. When had he set the-- OH **** ****!

A few weeks prior, a friend of his from New York had texted him the date for an appearance of hers in Harper Rock, at one of the local clubs. Mari and he had originally met while doing a modeling job back when he’d been in high school. It hadn’t taken all that much for them to be immediately inseparable. He’d known for ages that she had a beautiful voice, and that she wanted to break into the music industry. Over the years, they had kept in touch through FB and instagram mostly, so he’d been tracking her progress on that front. He’d always said to her, after he moved to Canada, that if she ever came through on tour (he assumed she would hit it big) that he wanted free tickets to whatever show she was doing.

Well she hadn’t quite sold out an arena or anything like that, but Marina was gifted, and when she’d mentioned the place, Gray had immediately noted it and set an alarm.

And then, in classic Grayson fashion he had gotten distracted, busy. Life was filled to the brim with opportunity lately. Forgetting had not been malicious, just the result of a mind that sometimes got so wrapped up in details and color and shape and form that it just blanked.

Thankfully, the earlier him had the foresight to set an alarm in advance of the show, giving just enough time to get some clothes on and get across town. So Grayson dismissed the alarm and effectively flopped onto Adley's form. "Alas, our night of snuggling must be delayed. I promised a friend I'd go see her sing. Wanna join?" He asked before he dragged himself up to stand, lips passing over the Necromancer's shoulder in passing before he went to go find an outfit.

Time to get dressed!

WEARING

[Adley Reed]

It wasn’t often that Adley read a book, but every now and again one would catch his eye. Most of the time it was non-fiction – something enlightening about life, the universe, and everything. Books that belonged solidly in the ‘Mind, Health, Spirit’ section of the bookshops or the libraries. The one he’d picked up this time, however, was fiction, but it was based in ecology and philosophy. The book was thick as a brick but it had Adley hooked, regardless. It was called The Overstory by Richard Powers; it was about trees that could communicate not just with each other, but with humankind. It was about the people who were attuned to the language, who were then summoned and recruited to save the last of the trees when the rest had been chopped down.

It struck at the greed of humanity, the way they’d lay waste to forests with no thought to what lived within them, to how it might affect our large but delicate planet. Adley had been a vegan when human, and perhaps it was part of the reason why he now only drank the blood of vampires. Though he’d never really had any issue with the death of humanity; they were part of the issue. They were the reason the earth was dying.

He held the book up to read it, his arms only getting sore every now and again; whenever he got a nudge from Grayson at his side he’d rest his arms for a bit. He’d have happily stayed there all night, given half the opportunity. Until Grayson’s demeanour tensed, changed—the book had already been shifted to the side before Grayson landed on top of him, Adley wanting to hold him there just a few minutes longer.

It was just the kind of spontaneous adventure that Adley craved. Who’d have thought that when he’d accepted that job so many weeks ago – or had it been longer? – that he’d have ended up with a childe so similar in temperament to him? It was as if the universe had dropped exactly what he needed right in Adley’s lap. But, that was the kind of thing Adley believed in, too.

He rolled out of the huge plush ball of comfort and sauntered after Grayson, following him to the bedroom and the wide selection of available clothing. A few pointed questions were asked – where, and what kind of music? – in order to decide what kind of outfit would suit best. Though Adley took full advantage of the bared slope of Grayson’s neck, just for a minute or five, the Necromancer’s touch dancing over the planes of the Allurist’s chest and backside to heal him of whatever was taken, plus some. They would both be fed and satisfied, at least, before they left the premises.

They both had to remind the other that they had somewhere to be, that they were in a rush, that they could not get distracted. Eventually, both were dressed and ready to go.

”Car? Or transit?” Adley asked. Depending on the place, parking might be an issue. Transit just might be easier.

WEARING

[Marina]

S O U N D T R A C K

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes. The sum total of minutes in a year as proclaimed by the popular song Seasons of Love from Rent that was currently blaring through the speakers in the rented flat. The slowed version would likely be unfamiliar to most unless they were acquainted with the music of the flat’s occupant whom was currently belting out the lyrics as she made some lunch. The song was her prefered opening number but Gerald, her manager, had axed that possibility early on in the discussions of this performance. He declared there simply wasn’t enough time to coordinate with a local choir as she had done in so many other cities.

The reality of the decision, she knew, had more to do with the fact he was still pissed she refused to do ‘real’ concerts or tour Europe. Neither really appealed to the brunette woman. She prefered the more intimate setting that smaller venues provided. She had, and still did, enough modeling in Europe that shows there held no interest to her. Marina wanted people to come for the music not to see her due to her modeling.

The show in Canada had been her idea; it was something she’d been waiting to do for the past two years. Her father had been set against it as had her manager; one controlled her schedule while the other controlled her assets, including her passport. The only reason she put up with it was that her father also was the director of the trust he had set up for her when she started modelling over a decade ago. It wasn’t well known that the man kept fifty percent of what his daughter earned for himself with the other fifty split between a college fund, a trust and a carefully controlled bank account for her day to day use.

She was patiently counting down the days until she turned twenty-three and gained full control of the trust fund. That day would be the last she would spend under the thumb of both men; something she eagerly awaited. Marina was beyond ready to take full control of her life and career. Sing what she wanted to sing where she wanted to sing it. Live where ever struck her fancy. She just had to survive the next several weeks to be able to do so.

The shift in music to the selection from Macklemore that was currently the bane of the singer’s musical existence drew a groan from the woman. She loved the song but no matter how much she tried she couldn’t come up with a rendition in her style that did justice to the original; she just couldn’t cope with fast pace of certain sections of the number. It was an annoyance but it didn’t lessen her love of the song, hence its blaring from the sound system.

Her watch vibrating against her wrist indicated she had a mere hour before she had to head to the club she’d be performing at tonight. Everything from her equipment to her outfits had been set up earlier in the day so all the singer had left to do was shower before departing. Clothes were discarded as she made her way to the bathroom; she’d pick them up later if the maid service didn’t get to it first. Entering the room, she flipped on the waterproof Bluetooth speaker she tended to travel with given most hotels and apartments neglected to wire sound into the bathrooms. Satisfied with the volume of the song emitting from the small but powerful speaker, she turned her attention to the shower itself.

As she lathered up her hair, she couldn’t help but reflect on how she’d gotten here. As soon as her father and manager had agreed to a Canadian show, she had immediately insisted on Harper Rock as the city. She had been ready to compromise on the type of venue if it was necessary; the city was set in stone in her mind. There was a very specific reason for the choice, or rather, a specific person. It had been nearly six years since she had last seen Grayson though they had kept in touch via the world wide web. It just wasn’t the same, though, and she had always promised if she was in the area he’d have tickets to come see the show.

The dark-haired woman barely registered the change in music from pop to metal as the rain head flushed the shampoo from her hair. It had been torture to keep the fact she might be in town from her friend each time they talked while the details had been worked out. It had been a surprise when Gerald had sent her the information for the show. She had been expecting an arena show given it was her international debut performance. It had been a pleasant discovery when she had read the venue was actually to be a small to medium sized local club called The Lounge. It had been then she had informed Gray she’d be performing along with all the details; she had been beyond pleased when his reply indicated he’d be there.

There was that annoying vibration against her wrist again breaking from her memories to remind her she needed to finish up soon. A soft sigh was barely heard above the streaming music as the singer quickly washed up and shut off the water. The towel was soon wrapped around her lithe frame before bare feet carried it to the bedroom. There she dried off and pulled on a pair of tight jeans and a cute short-sleeved top. Nothing fancy was needed since she’d only be changing as soon as the final sound check was complete. Her feet found their way into a strappy pair of slip on sandals before retracing steps back to the bathroom where her hair was combed out.

Her wrist beeping signaled that she was due outside the building in two minutes so the car could whisk her away to the club. Slipping her phone in her pocket, she locked up and headed down. Once they were on their way, she sent a message off to Gerald to confirm, for at least the seventh time, that Grayson and his plus one had been added to the VIP list and been reserved the best seats in the house. If the man had been surprised that she had made such a request, he hid it well; it was the first time Marina had ever taken advantage of her ability to hand out VIP passes. It’d be the last time as well, but he hadn’t needed to know that information.

All too soon, she was heading into the club for the first of two sound checks. Her shows were always split into two parts. The first half was the more traditional singer accompanied by a band portion of the show. The second half, the acoustic variation, was her favorite part of any show. She’d prefer an acapella portion, but she didn’t have enough range to be successful at it on her own nor did had she ever found the right mix of people to work with. The sound checks were successfully completed in record time leaving the dark-haired musician plenty of time to get ready for her special night.

[Grayson Wyatt]

He had probably been a little annoying at first. Grayson was not naturally a reader of books, which was probably the fault of his youth. He had always been an extremely active child. Even when placed in an exclusive, private, pre-kindergarten, he’d been more attracted to the idea of smearing paint all over everything with his hands than he had been in learning his letters. He’d actually learned how to read a little later than normal (for his class), which was mostly because he didn’t like to go through a whole sentence or word. He would often start off just fine, and then make up words as he went. Usually by the end of a line, he’d totally just told his own story without bothering to figure out what was really supposed to be on a page. Then he’d gotten into sports and art classes, and he’d never quite caught up to everyone else. He wasn’t dumb, by any means. He just took longer to read than everyone else, because he had to go over every word carefully. One at a time. He was a little self-conscious about it, but he never let it show.

So when he’d seen that Adley was moving through a book, he’d had to ask all about it. What was the story about? What were the characters like? He would probably never actually pick the text up himself, but he liked to show an interest.

The act of getting ready took time, because the two men weren’t just putting clothes on. There was a whole ceremony involved. Grayson could easily lose himself in the addictive feel of soft lips against where his pulse should have been. And then there was the bite which always followed. The sensation of sharp fangs piercing right into him should have been alarming, and it did raise gooseflesh all over Gray, but not in any way that might have been considered unpleasant. When hands moved over him, he never wanted to leave. He wanted to stay behind and enjoy every languid second. He wanted to to feel all of the Necromancer. And taste him. And lose hours of their time together until he wasn’t even sure when or where they were.

Was it possible to get strung out on a person? On attention? An experience?

Indeed, it was a very good thing that Gray’s past self had thought ahead enough to give plenty of time, because by the time they were ready - they needed to go. But their existence itself was a promise that they would return to those moments together - when time felt as if it had slowed, and yet the Allurist could never quite get enough. “Car is probably best. The Lounge is blocks from any station, so we’d be hoofing it to get there.” Hopefully there would be ample parking, or they’d end up with a walk regardless. In truth, Gray felt a little more secure going via car anyway, especially with the recent string of muggings for transit-goers. Sure. He and Adley were vampires. They could take care of themselves, but why invite trouble? And his sire’s Jeep was perfect because it wasn’t fancy enough for someone to waste their time trying to steal it.

Thankfully, it didn’t actually take them much time to get to The Lounge. Traffic at night had picked up after vampires had come out, but not enough to be bothersome on intelligently designed streets. It wasn’t very long at all before Gray was flashing the specialty VIP passes to the bouncers at the front door so that he and Adley could avoid the line. There was even a nice section set up for a group of no more than about five people. Close enough to the stage that they could see everything, where the acoustics were great, and they could comfortably watch the performance. The whole thing was very intimate, and Gray could see why Marina liked to do shows like that - so that she could sing directly to people. Appealing to a broad audience was one thing, but really digging into the hearts of one’s fans? That was real magic.

[Adley Reed]

Grayson had mentioned Marina before. Of course, Adley had at first wondered if he was referring to the Marina of Marina and the Diamonds. But it was a different Marina, he had discovered. And now he was going to see her live; the venue was not a stadium, but it was big enough to pack in a fair few fans and curious onlookers. It was intimate, too – the kind of venue that if revealed under house lights in the middle of a bright, sunny day, it would look old and dingy and in dire need of a good clean and fixer upper. At night, however, in the shape of the darkness, it promised the kind of high that lifted one’s heart, that sent one home, eventually, wanting nothing more than to go back the next night, and the one after that. It depended on the performance, of course.

The security surrounding the venue was thicker than usual, given the creatures that lurked the streets and the newfound dangers to the living. People didn’t linger outside as much as they used to; they crowded the foyer and the bar, drinking before the performance would start. Adley and Grayson had arrived just in time, however; they’d shuffled through to the VIP section, neither detected as a vampire that might somehow cause issues for the living crowd, or the living performer.

And while they watched, while losing himself in the melody and the genuineness of the performer that was Marina, Adley found himself mesmerised. He often let himself go like this, as if he’d gone back in time and had only just been turned. His senses heightened beyond imagining. Sounds had once been so flat, he realised. His human hearing had picked up resonances as a single sound, though as a vampire those single sounds were revealed to be comprised of many contributing melodies, all strung together to crate one perfect note.

And as a vampire it was easier to pick out the flaws. Every discordant trip on a piano or a slip of a finger on a sweat-slippery guitar were right there. But they didn’t hinder the performance nor make it any less wonderful. A perfect performance with zero mistakes would be boring, formulaic, even. A true show, a genuine performance should be riddled with the slip-ups that should often occur when one is driven by the passion of their art.

And he could see the sweat on the performer’s brow, the way every muscle moved, the body itself an instrument, strung with invisible strings and cut through with chords of brilliance and creativity. Of course Grayson would be friends with someone so genuine, and Adley immediately wanted to know her. Which he guessed was the meaning of his presence.

There was nowhere else he’d rather be, in that moment. And when the performance finally ended, he would wait for Grayson to take the lead.

[Marina]

S O U N D T R A C K ♮ W E A R I N G

The sound checks had gone without a glitch allowing the dark-haired singer extra time to get ready. She didn’t really need it given she had showered before coming to the venue; pulling on the black dress she had chosen for the first set took no time at all. The idea of wearing a dress for the first half of her shows hadn’t been Marina’s idea. It was something her father and manager had come up with in the beginning. The menfolk were convinced it would project the ‘right vibe’ though the young woman still wasn’t sure what it was. All of the images on the promotional materials and her website were of her in a dress; something she planned to change as soon as she gained control of her trust and thus, her freedom.

Vibrations against her wrist were her signal to slip her shoes on and make her way towards the stage. The guests were starting to arrive and she was on a mission. Hiding in the shadows behind the curtain, the dark-haired woman stood waiting the crowd as they filtered in. Her focus was on a specific seating section as she waited to see if her special guest would make appearance. There was little doubt in the female’s mind that Grayson would show; he had never before broken his word to her. It was one of the things she appreciated about him. Such was a rare trait among the people in her life.

Quiet murmurs running through the crowd drew a smile from the hidden Marina. They were a sure sign that Grayson and his guest, if he brought one, had arrived. It was a typical reaction to his presence which was something she had learned early on in their friendship. Females, and some males as well, couldn’t help but stare at the fine male specimen of the human race. As the pair came into view, she gasped quietly. It had been years since she had seen Gray in person so she knew he wouldn’t look the same as she remembered but even his recent pictures didn’t do him justice. No wonder the crowd was worked up; it wasn’t everyday one saw the personification of a Greek Adonis wander into a low-key club - nevermind a pair of them.

“Two minutes, Marina!” The shout from one of the band members drew the woman from the curtain. She would have to wait till after the show to learn how the two men knew each other though knowing Grayson, it was bound to be an intriguing story. For now, her focus had to be on her music. The audience had come for a performance and she was determined to deliver an experience they’d love. ”Two minutes heard,” she called back as checked her appearance one last time. ”Places, guys. We got some entertaining to do! First round after the show’s on me since I dragged you guys out this way.” She laughed softly at the band’s protests that they were happy to be here as she took her position behind the microphone.

Being hidden behind a curtain on the stage was a new experience; none of the other venues that she had ever played had had such niceties. She supposed that made The Lounge a higher class establishment than her usual fare though it didn’t matter much to her. As long as the venue was cozy, clean and reputable, that was enough for the young woman. She loved her intimate gigs but wouldn’t dream of sacrificing her fan’s safety for them. There were some that thought she refused to perform in an arena or stadium due to safety concerns. They never seemed to understand that even if those concerns were addressed, she still wouldn’t do such shows as they were too impersonal for her taste. Hearing the event manager introducing her as ‘Marina from New York City’, she cringed slightly before nodding at the drummer who was also the lead band member.

As the curtain was parting, the opening keyboard-driven notes of Rachel Platten’s Fight Song filled the club. It was only a couple seconds before her sweet voice joined the musical accompaniment to provide the words that wanted to be heard. Any of her fans who had been at previous shows would have recognized the deviation from her usual opening where she would talk for a minute or so before the first song. This was a special night though and each song had been carefully chosen by Marina as had the format for the show. An astute listener would likely catch on to the fact that there was a theme to each of the songs in the initial half of her performance. Each note of this opening song was perfectly hit by the dark-haired woman and all too soon, it came to an end.

”Good evening, Harper Rock,” she smiled as she gave the crowd a small wave. ”I’m excited to be here for my first international performance! “ She couldn’t help but chuckle at the cheering that erupted from that statement as she waited for the noise level to drop again. ”I know! It’s been a long time coming! I’m so glad you could all be here tonight for it. She paused for a moment as a smattering of applause and cheers broke out. ”For the fans that have been to a show or two before, you’ve likely noticed there’s a break from the usual format. There will still be two parts to the show, like usual, but the second part will be longer than the first. I wanted to do something a bit different in celebration of this being the first international performance! The next song is something I think you’ll all enjoy, so off we go!”

Marina swayed gently behind the microphone as the opening of Imagine Dragon’s Radioactive was played by her band. It had a different sort of feel from her first song of the night given it was more of a sober pop song. She liked it both for the message and for its delivery; though sober, it still had sort of an upbeat musical vibe. It was a lovely juxtaposition that wasn’t found much in music. Her own voice lent a haunting quality to the lyrics as they mixed with the musical accompaniment.

She found herself lost in the performance and the music as one song flowed into another with no pause for commentary or explanation. Rarely did she like to interrupt the natural rhythm to offer spoken words to the audience; at least, not in the first half. The second half was more personal and interactive so there the dialogue made sense. As the last notes of Breakaway faded away, she seemed to come back to herself. A smile tugged at her lips as she looked over the crowd seeing the signs that they were enjoying the show thus fair. ”We’re going to take about a 10 minute break now to get things set up for the second half. As a special treat, we’ve got some special tracks that’ll play during the break for your enjoyment!”

The curtain closed as the first notes of the Misty Mountains Cold track began to play over the club’s PA system. ”Everyone doing ok so far?” she quietly asked her group. It was only after receiving a chorus of ‘yes’ from everyone that she returned to her dressing room to get out of the inferno dress and into an outfit of her choosing. Marina had nothing against dresses; she just felt most were too formal to fit with the vibe she wanted for her shows. The initial strains of the Pirates of the Caribbean theme reached her ears as she wandered back to the stage area, half-full water bottle in hand. ”Places everyone,” she called softly. With a smile, she gratefully swapped the bottle for the guitar the stage hand offered her. Just before the curtain opened, she took a seat on the stool that had been placed behind the microphone.

”I hope everyone enjoyed the music over the break. We’re pleased to announce that those tracks along with a couple others will be available digitally at the beginning of July.” The singer was forced to pause by excited cheering from the crowd. As it was the first commercial release of her acoustic tracks, she could understand the reaction. She laughed gently as she finally continued, ”I’m looking forward to it myself! Be sure to keep an eye on the website for a release date. For now though, you’ll just have to enjoy it live.”

As a hush fell over the crowd, Marina adjusted her guitar to begin playing the opening of It’s Time. To her it was a song about new beginnings and staying true to oneself despite the changes. The last time, which had also been the first time, she had sang this very song had been on a beach just around the time of their high school graduations. It just felt rather appropriate to play it tonight; it was her last show before her birthday which would herald in some major changes as she took control of her life.

There was barely any pause between songs as she moved on to Secrets. This part of her show tended to be an eclectic mix of genres and styles. It was her favorite time as she was able to let who she really was as a musician to shine. Sometimes there was a theme but often it was just a compilation of songs that spoke to her for that time and place. Tonight’s selections had a rough theme if one cared to look deep enough into them though they seemed to be quite random. It wasn’t always immediately evident as she didn’t always interpret a song the way the original artist intended.

The next couple songs were played in succession without any introductions or commentary. After the final chords of Decode faded away, Marina smiled at the crowd. ”I bet most of you know the next song. Sing along if you like!” She was fairly certain the majority knew the song and would join in. Her fans didn’t tend to shy away when she invited them to sing along which is something she loved about them. The sounds of glee coming from pockets of the audience as Going Under began to play caused the musician to chuckle though she recovered in time to pick up the vocals. She loved this song in its original form but she really enjoyed putting her own mark on it.

The dying notes of the song faded away along with the noise from the crowd. It was a touch eerie how that occurred without planning. ”Most of you are likely familiar with this next song as well which was originally done by Simon and Garfunkel. My inspiration, though, comes from the Disturbed version which I personally find hauntingly beautiful. So I hope you enjoy,” she smiled as she gently strummed the opening chords for The Sound of Silence on the guitar. After the intro, her voice joined with the music in her own rendition of the song that had a bit slower feel than the inspiration piece. All too soon it was over and the last notes faded away. There was a quiet moment or two before the opening of the next song, Cups began.

With the catchy song ending, Marina glanced over the crowd. ”We got a couple more songs for you tonight though we’re veering away from our usual closers. I think you guys will enjoy these though.” She swayed gently in time with the notes floating from the keyboard as the beginning of Your Song began to play. She had a love of Elton John that most people were unaware of as she didn’t tend to talk about it much; most of her fans preferred the newer music. She didn’t mind some of the new tracks being released in recent years in all honesty. It was just her preference to mix the two and pick the best songs for a show regardless of age. There was only the briefest of pauses between the ending notes of the song and the opening one of Tiny Dancer. She didn’t tend to do back to back songs by the same artist, but this was a special occasion and she found them to be perfect to close the show.

Marina smiled at the crowd as they applauded and cheered as the song ended. She always loved to see fans happy and excited about a show. Slipping off the stool, she leaned the guitar against it. ”Sadly, our time tonight is at an end. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. You’ve been fantastic and I’ve had a blast. Be sure to watch the website for the official release date for those tracks! Thank you all for coming and making my international debut amazing. Have a great night!” The tracks from the intermission began playing over the sound system as the curtains closed. The musician spent a few minutes with the band chatting about the shop and thanking them yet again for being here tonight. After a reminder that the first round was on her, she excused herself.

The dark-haired woman slipped off to freshen up a bit in her dressing room though she didn’t bother taking the time to change. She was far too eager to see Grayson to delay longer than necessary. Slipping her phone into her wristlet, she headed out towards the floor pausing only long enough to let her on-site lead know she was heading out and that she’d find her own way back to her leased apartment. The only response had been an odd stare but he was used to her antics so not a word was said as the musician made a beeline for the door that led to the floor. Miraculously, she made it to the VIP area without being stopped by a fan.

Entering the cordoned off section, she attempted to quietly make her way to the sole occupied table. A shout of her name from a nearby fan laid waste to that; she waved politely before continuing on. It was only a moment later she was standing behind the man she hadn’t seen in years. Leaning down, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, squeezing lightly in greeting. She released him almost instantly; it had been brief but held the promise of a much better hug to be had later. Stepping into view, she gave a little, shy wave, ”It is sooo good to see you again, Gray. I’m really glad you were able to come and that you brought a friend along.” She gave his companion a soft smile, as she extended her hand in greeting, ”I’m glad you came tonight. Please excuse my lack of manners. It’s been years since I’ve seen him. Hi, I’m Marina.”

[Grayson Wyatt]

Grayson didn’t even notice the eyes on him and Adley as he made his way through the club, and yet there were a number who wondered if perhaps he held some sort of celebrity status. His, they assumed, was a face that belonged to a movie star, or a model, or a musician. The easy way his smile formed when he glanced over to his sire only served to add to the intrigue, because his expression was not only sterling, but he also had obvious fangs. He was a vampire, and he was one of the undead who made people believe that maybe, just maybe vampires weren’t all monsters. That some of them were beautiful and alluring, that there was not a gaping chasm between life and death. Rather, all it took to reach out and touch the face of the supernatural was to extend one’s arm. He looked more angelic than monstrous, and that caught the attention of people in the club as well.

He wasn’t rude, he just didn’t give anyone a whole lot of attention. He wasn’t there to be sociable, or to make friends, but because he wanted to see Marina in concert. A few people tried to approach before he and Adley got into the VIP section, and he was more than happy to offer a greeting, a smile. There was even one person who seemed particularly excited to see him for no real reason, and they got a hug.

When they were finally in their seats, Gray slumped a little bit. He considered offering Adley an apology. Gray didn’t mind people all that much, but it seemed almost intrusive to make the Necromancer go through the process of waiting around for him. He didn’t though, because it wasn’t that uncommon an experience, and people usually caught sight of the fangs shared between both of them, and assumed correctly they were there together. It was fascinating in the way a pair of white tigers on stage were. Something dangerous and rare, and beautiful tamed. Thus far, Adley had never complained at the spotlight which seemed to follow Gray, and the Allurist had to think that was, at least in part, because of his connections to other vampires of the same path as Grayson.

When the concert began, Gray hadn’t really been sure what to expect. He’d always known Marina to be beautiful, but seeing her performing was something else entirely. She wasn’t the girl he remembered, but a woman, a woman with a strong and alluring voice that made his heart feel lighter in his chest. He reached over and let his hand slide over Adley’s wrist at one point, for two reasons. One, he was totally smitten, and was worried he was going to float up and away. He was just so pleased to see how far Mari had come. He was undeniably happy because of the beauty which came from her mouth, and the music. The entire experience was just this very powerful moment Grayson knew he was never going to forget. The best part was that he got to share it with the Necromancer, got to show his sire a little bit of the wonderful in his world. And that made all the difference. It wasn’t about him, it was about the people he loved.

His fingers wove together with his sire’s through most of the remainder of the show, the numerous songs, the outfit change, the intermission. The whole thing seemed to slip by as if time were a cool, strong breeze. It seemed like one moment they were moving to sit down, and the next they were being joined by Mari, who announced herself by throwing her arms around Gray’s shoulders. He immediately pressed a little closer, but it wasn’t until she’d straightened, and was offering Adley a greeting that he reached and curled his arms around her middle. Suddenly, Mari had been yanked right into his lap, so he could squeeze her close. “This is Adley. He’s everything, and he’s wonderful, and Mari here needs no introduction after that show.”

[Adley Reed]

Adley isn’t oblivious to the stares and mutterings that the two vampires draw; he has ego enough to believe that a third of it is him. A third of it was Grayson, and the last third was just the pair of them together. They could both claim two thirds of the attention was their own doing. It appeared that Grayson was the only one getting hugs, though; he was the only one being treated like he was someone famous. Adley couldn’t say that he was not used to it, after walking around with Kaspar. But Kaspar was actually famous, and had the numerous albums to prove it. For someone with an ego as big as Adley’s, he’d be lying if he said it didn’t bother him at least a little.

But he didn’t say anything about it. He couldn’t. He continued to tell himself that though he couldn’t take credit for the DNA that combined at Grayson’s core that made him look like something right out of mythology, he could at least take credit for the immortality that clung to him like a glowing veil of a beatific miracle.

They eventually made it to their seats, Adley’s arm thrown over the back of Grayson’s chair. They set there with their heads inclined toward each other while they waited for the show to begin, and when it finally did they were not disappointed. Adley spent the majority of the time watching Marina with an artist’s eye and with all the curiosity that had formed after all the stories Grayson had told. There was a version of Marina that Adley held in his head and now that he could see her in person, he was inserting her into all of those stories. Not just her face, but her leonine grace, her voice, the sparkle in her eye. At times they were up on their feet and dancing, at others they were mellow and seated, singing along.

There were plenty of songs that Adley knew. They were covers, and he knew later he’d ask Grayson about that. He was already scheming some way for Marina to meet Kaspar, as if they were all already the best of friends – and Marina wasn’t going to be jetting off to continue her tour. As if Harper Rock were home to her, though of course it wasn’t.

The show was over, soon enough, and Adley and Grayson waited around in their little area. The venue emptied until only a smattering of people were left over, still drinking and conversing, still living on a high. Adley was about to ask whether they should try get backstage to see Grayson’s friend, when said friend suddenly appeared. For all her shyness she wasted no time introducing herself – though that in itself was not a requirement. Of course Adley knew who she was. He offered a beaming smile, and hesitated as she offered her hand. A sideways glance was offered to Grayson before he shrugged, gave a subtle wink, and took the offered appendage.

Adley’s touch was either discomfiting or provided a weird kind of high. If he touched a plant or a flower it immediately withered. If he got close to bugs or small animals, they were sapped of all their energy and died. Humans were much larger and though the touch was still an ill-effect, it would take much longer and a greater, prolonged exposure for his presence to become fatal. That first touch, though, had been compared to an instant relaxant. It could take tension out of muscles and limbs and, the longer it lasted the more ‘drunk’ a person could become.

Not wanting to cause any kind of scene, Adley’s cold yet firm grasp didn’t last.

And there’d be no modesty, either. He was introduced as ‘everything’ and as ‘wonderful’ and he didn’t deny it—even if he himself was not yet aware of the changes his own visage had undertaken, and deep down he knew that he’d be eclipsed by the two beauties he was accompanied by. He Just grinned a little wider, sharpened canines on full display. ”Of course she needs no introduction,” Adley repeated. ”It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Marina. I’ve heard many things,” he added, now speaking directly to the woman of the hour. ”How long have you got to stick around?” he asked, wary of the fans that still lingered, wondering if they should get out somewhere. Somewhere she wouldn’t be so recognisable, so she could relax a little.

[Marina]

The hesitation didn’t escape the singer’s notice. She wondered if she was committing some sort of cultural faux pas by offering her hand. It was never her intention to do so; it was just inevitable, it seemed, in the world these days. Just as she was about to withdraw her hand and apologize, he took it. Though Mari couldn’t help but squeak with surprise as she ended up in Gray’s lap at his instance, she was secretly thankful for his actions as she suddenly felt somewhat weak in the knees. It was a weird sensation that she had only experienced after a decent massage when she was so relaxed everything felt like jelly. Happily, she settled into the familiar position.

An eyebrow quirked slightly at her friend’s declarations; the dark-haired woman understood the underlying meaning of the few words. She was beyond thrilled that he seemed to be happy though she wouldn’t lay stakes on whether that was due to the life he had built here, the man beside him, or both. Her suspicion, though, was it was due to the newly introduced Adley. Little heed was paid to the man’s canines despite her mild curiosity. It wasn’t the first oddity she had seen at one of her shows. ”Nice to meet you, as well, Adley,” she commented with a smile. A soft laugh escaped her lips, ”I’m afraid to know what sorts of tales this one,” she elbowed Gray lightly, ”has been telling. I might have to return the favor.”

The question caught her off guard. It was one she expected, eventually, though from Gray rather than Adley. Marina hadn’t even hinted a whisper about planning to remain into the city to her friend when they had spoken about her visit and show. Rather, she intended to surprise him with the news this evening with Adley handing her the perfect opportunity. Glancing around to ensure her crew had left and none of her fans were in earshot, she smiled at the pair. ”Quite some time,” she laughed gently, ”I’m hoping to relocate to the city. If Gray can deal with seeing me around more, that is.”