Roaring 20's!

[Amalea]

Somedays it really pays to frequent the same shops, thought the redhead as she checked her appearance in the mirror. When Every had contacted her about this mysterious party, she had wondered just how she was going to find a suitable outfit until she decided to just call her usual shop. Phoenix had recommended it to her ages ago when she needed a dress for their wedding and she had been using it since as the proprietor was a miracle worker. Adding the blackfeather clip and silver heels completed the blood thief’s preparations for the evening ahead. Phone and purse in hand, she headed for the door while texting Flynn to remind him of the party; she just hoped he’d be able to pin down her brother to drag along.

Following the map Eve had sent her brought her to a crypt in a graveyard which earned an eyebrow raise from the human. Apparently either their host for the evening was a vampire or a human with an odd sense of humour. Neither would surprise her, unlike the talking gargoyle with its riddle; clearly someone had spent no expense for the evening. Without hesitation, she gave the answer sought and could only watch as the other statue of the pair aided opening the entryway. Mumbling a soft word of thanks, Amalea descended the stairs, cringing at the sound of the door closing behind her.

The sounds of jazz reached her ears several moments before her eyes were able to discern the source. That it was a live band was a pleasant treat. What really captured her attention, though, was the walls and the perpetual motion of what looked to be fire. It added a rather nice ambiance to the gathering without resorting to have tons of lighting strategically placed throughout. The way it glittered off anything sparkly drew a smile to the redhead’s lips as the thought that her silver modern take on a flapper dress was a perfect choice for the evening crossed her mind briefly. It certainly might give new meaning to ‘girl on fire’, she decided, which would be a change from normal. Idly, she wondered if the effect could be duplicated elsewhere as it’d be perfect for a venture that came to mind. That would have to wait for later as tonight was supposed to be for relaxing.

Her inspection of the room was halted as one of the employees gave a welcoming speech that raised an eyebrow. What is it with people holding events and then not bothering to show up for them? she wondered as her eyes roved over the already gathered masses. Bancroft had done the same thing with his balls which would raise the question of whether or not he was behind this though she was fairly certain that was not the case. He seemed to prefer flashier and more public showings. The fact this “Dealer” wanted to restore Harper Rock was a point in their favor as far as she was concerned. The human knew that the Masquerade returning was a next to impossible pipedream despite those that wished it so. Fighting for equal rights was a more worthy cause in her opinion.

Finally spotted Eve, Lea picked her way through the crowd taking care not to bump into anyone if she could help it. A well aimed glare turned away the few that dared approach, likely to offer drinks or ask for a dance. Later, perhaps, she would entertain the idea, but her goal at the moment was the shadow and the small crowd gathered around her. Lips tugged into a smile as she recognized all but one of the faces in the group. What really amused her was that most had seemingly gone for the gangster or business look while the pair of redheads had gone the flapper router. ”Boo,” she whispered softly as she passed behind Eve knowing the vampire’s keen senses would hear it despite the noise. Finding a place between people, she slid in with a slight wave, ”Evening, everyone. Looks like the mafia’s coming to town over here, in a good way of course.”

[Myk]

There was a small voice in his ear that reminded him of a songbird. It sat near his ear and played the sweetest melody as the jazz music thumped out on stage and firelight dazzled a rainbow of crystals around him. Myk inclined his head to listen to the soft sound, though his cat-like eyes were still glued to the dancefloor. He found himself smiling, the corner of his rose-painted lips lifted to kiss a dimpled cheek, though he hadn’t the foggiest clue as to why. He was devilishly amused more than happy or content or pleased, yet the cherubin smile he wore suggested something all the more innocent and cute than the wicked delight he felt squirming in his gut from the little prank he’d pulled on Claude. Even his eyes portrayed something far less vicious than the debauchery he was capable of as he looked to his left, transforming the songbird into a man, into a man he knew as Chance. And then all at once that sweet melody replayed in his head as words and he remembered just what the man-bird had spoken to him.

“Oh, don’t blame yourself, sweetie,” the Telepath replied. He patted the man’s breast lightly, feeling the fabric barely even compress beneath his feather-like touch. “It’s not all that often that we as a species can put aside our differences and partake in such events. Though, I do so adore it when we can. I’ve never been one for pointless bickering myself.”

His voice held a certain scathing to it, even though it flowed as delicate as silk. Pewter eyes searched the dancefloor again and then the bar, distracted. He saw people flooding in - some he was aware of and some he didn’t know at all. Every happened to wave at him, and so he waved in kind - a Queenly wave - before he returned a look to Chance. He eyed the man up and down, from his wingtip shoes to the black of his vest, his silver tie, to the drink in his hand, and then settled on those lovely brown eyes. Myk smiled again, his own pewter orbs glittering with mirth.

“Say, shall we play a game?” he asked, though he didn’t expect Chance to deny him, so he carried on. “First, let’s get me a drink and I’ll tell you all about it.”

[Game Master]

As more and more entered, the man at the center of the room watched in amusement. Humans and vampires alike, there was nothing better than a good party to bring them all together. Dealer had said as much. The bartender was handed a few credit cards only to gruffly point at the sign after the third time, eventually shouting out, “Aye, Mikey! You said these people could read! No credit cards!” ‘Mikey’ gave the man a look, a blush swiping his cheeks as his voice pitched higher with an indignant, “I wrote it as large as I could! Just ignore him, folks.” Soft laughter scattered from those that had been there the longest, the regulars amongst the crowd. Mikey rubbed at his temples for a brief moment before turning his attention back to the gathered vampires and humans alike.

“On an added note - you all look fantastic. Very festive.”[/b]

A wink was passed along to the pretty blonde woman dressed in black and red, and then to the woman in red and gold. As an added note to the dark haired woman wearing a mask, he grinned. “Alright gals and gangsters, although the time period is off by about twenty years,” The man glanced over his shoulder at the band where they lifted their instruments, “Let’s all try to clear the dance floor and get to dancing! A big round to our musicians.” He bowed out, stepping backwards off his podium. With his movement, a woman dressed head to toe in a blue flapper get up took the stage with a grin.

When the music started, the woman began to bounce along with the song, a steady movement followed before she and the man named Mikey began to sing.

It Don't Mean a Thing

[Elizabeth Constance]

More and more began to appear to the party. It was a good mix of both vampires and humans but this was a good event to enjoy. Walking through the room, taking a sip from her glass. Some she knew and others she didn't but this would be a good time to as any to make some new friends. Lizzie would admit that the city had changed quite a bit and those that she used to know and spend time with were long gone. Smiling as she circled the room and saw Nimmy come in but he rushed over to a blonde. She wished she had gummy bears on her but she wondered if he even remembered her. Watching for a moment before she decided not to interrupt the group.

As the man in the center of the room addressed the bar tender that shouted out about people not being able to read. If she could blush, she would have then as she was one that tried to give her credit card to a waiter for her drinks before she just passed her bank account information. Hopefully no one knew that she was one of the people that failed to read any of the signage as she was just excited for getting out of work of once. Who was she kidding, no one noticed other than the staff. Lizzie knew that she stayed away from the city long enough that she hoped that they would forget about her and the antics that her ex-husband had gotten her into. Finishing her drink quickly, she made her way towards the bar.

Crossing through the room, she watched as more began to mingle while others remained in groups with people that they knew. There was one woman that had looked her way when she entered but Lizzie didn't recognize her but as a kiss was blow, she followed the direction and froze as she had laid eyes upon Karina. The woman was in Tytonidae and one that was around for many of Robert's deaths. She hadn't seen the woman around when she was killed but then again, there had been so many people that she wasn't sure who was who as she fought against another visit to the Realm of Shadows. Making a mental note to keep her distance from that woman. The other woman that had received the wink, she had seen around Worthington but most of that family had written her off even though they were her family of choice. If they wanted to talk to her, they knew where to find her.

As she reached the bar, she placed her glass on the bar. "Another glass of blood please. Maybe a large one if you have it. I'll pay extra." Lizzie nodded towards the man that was sitting alone drinking whiskey from what she could smell. "Another whiskey for the gentleman here, top shelf please." Lizzie smiled at Henry as she leaned back against the bar as she let her eyes dance across the room. People were starting to dance and the party was coming to life. Everyone looked beautiful and yet she wondered if it was a mistake to have attended as she had a lot of work back at the gallery. No...this was a work free evening, she was going to try and enjoy the evening as there were still possibilities.

[Henry Craven]

There was a sudden announcement that drew Henry’s attention from his whiskey. Voices stretched back and forth from the bar and the podium as the merry men of the establishment shared their critiques regarding their guests for the evening. Henry regarded the sign again: No card? No problem! which, in his eyes, made no mention of the fact that people couldn’t pay with a card, just that there would be alternatives for people who didn’t come carrying the plastic. Not that it bothered him either way as he’d come with cash - he always carried cash to these types of venues and mysterious events. It was the Brazilian’s opinion that he’d rather have a couple of hundred bucks stolen out of his pockets than lose a bank card or give away his bank details that he’d then have to go through the trouble of rectifying in the morning. Frankly, the Vampire had better things to do with his time.

Henry’s eyes were on the crowd when the bartender knocked his elbow and put a glass of whiskey down in front of him. “From the lady,” he said, a bob of his head gestured to the blonde who was smiling at him. The Brazilian accepted the drink and then tipped his head to show his appreciation. In the moment they shared a glance, he wore a broad smile that extended to his jade eyes and down the depths of his soul. The look was all but snatched away from him, however, when the blonde swiftly withdrew her focus to look back at the dancefloor, watching the movers and the shakers. Their flapper dresses moved with the swish of pendulums, casting spells of rainbow light around the room. It was a beautiful performance under the volley of pitch-perfect serenading, though Henry wondered whether it was truly this spell of light and music that had enchanted the blonde.

With his drink in hand, Henry closed the space between himself and the lady, settling onto the stool beside her. The young woman had a shy look about her, but it wasn’t morose. On her porcelain skin was the red apple-glow of blusher, the kohl made her blue eyes sparkle brighter, and her lips were as red as a 1950's movie star. Fortunately, she had dressed in an appropriate black satin and gold sequin dress, so she wasn’t outed by the speaker for not being in the right period of attire. Henry had made to roll his eyes at the little dig until he’d been distracted by her gesture of charity. Now he sat inches away from her, his body inclined ever-so-slightly in her favour so that his voice could compete over the music.

“Ola,” he said, scanning her from head to toe. His voice was soft and deeply resonant, despite the volume of it, and his Brazilian accent coated his words in a thick layer like chocolate enveloped fudge. “Thank you for the drink, miss…” he paused to let her fill in the gap with her own name. “My name’s Henry. Are you here on your own too? Terribly boring to just people-watch all night, don’t you think?” Henry paced his questions so that she wasn’t overwhelmed or put off. “Do you mind if I sit and talk with you?”

[Elizabeth Constance]

Lizzie glanced over when she saw out of the corner of her eye that the bartender delivered the drink to Henry. As he tipped his head in appreciation, she smiled at him all the more. The methods she had seen in the larger cities that men would do to get a woman's attention before they made their move actually worked. He was cute but as their eyes met, if she could breathe, it would have caught in her throat for just a moment. Lizzie had to force her attention away so she looked back at the dancers as she didn't want to fear scaring him away because he thought she was staring. Bringing her glass to her lips as she saw the dancers nearly float across the floor. It was nearly spell-bounding.

It was when he closed the gap between them that there were near butterflies in her stomach, fluttering in a frenzy that made it hard for her to focus. She had this feeling before but it had been awhile. Placing her free hand on her stomach for just a moment as she tried to calm the butterflies. Turning her head towards him so that he didn't think that she was rude. Her eyes danced over his pale yet tanned skin and with further inspection, he was indeed a vampire. A vampire that could drink alcohol, that was only one path that she was aware of unless they were a fortune few that could drink outside of their traditional path restrictions. He had to be an Allurist or that would be her first guess. Chuckling inwardly to herself so that he couldn't hear and take it the wrong way. Of course he was an Allurist...it was oddly the only path she was attracted to.

"Hello." His voice was soft as silk as it resonated through her ears. His accent was exotic with a sort of Spanish twist but she couldn't pin point exactly the location. Smiling with a soft nod. "Elizabeth and you are quite welcome, it was my pleasure." He was grateful for the drink so it wasn't the worst choice to make. Her soft English accent soothed out as she kindly filled in the gaps and kindly answered his questions. "It is very nice to meet you, Henry and yes, I am here alone as well." A slight shrug of her shoulder as he mentioned that it was boring just being a spectator. "It can be, yes but you never know who or what you might find when you accept an invitation." Passing him a playful wink before she smiled and nodded at his final question. "I would love if you joined me. How are you on this fair evening?"

[Flynn]

WEARING

Everything felt like too much, just a little too much. Too much like the floor would collapse beneath him until all that surrounded him was an oppressive darkness and endless silence. The sort of environment he felt most at peace within. The pressure set against his shoulders urged him to his knees, to accept what that darkness had to offer. A chill settled within the room, triggering a memory of a cool touch stealing the warmth from his skin. The tracing of fingertips that brought goosebumps to the surface. These glimpses of memories past were like breath in his lungs after being submerged for too long, feeding that desperate place within him that begged for more. While his body sought to relax at the peace they offered, his very blood felt caustic within his veins. Burning, boiling. But if he just kept pushing...reaching…

As every time before, his focus crashed into a mental barrier that carried the presence of steel, preventing him the chance to experience more. That desperate thing within wailed in dismay, knowing exactly what was beyond, just out of reach. His heart raced, pounding like a drum. Flynn sighed through the moment as he always did, straightening up to his full height. Shoulders back. Chin up. The weight of the room around him lifted and the subtle sounds of the house filtered through the space. His eyes opened to the full length mirror before him and met the slightly haunted gaze that stared back. One accompanied by the final product of his time and effort going through their combined closets for this little event he’d been invited to.

Don’t leave them waiting, handsome.”The word we’re like a whisper of a memory all on their own, echoed back in a different voice. Rewarded with a small smile, Flynn could almost picture the head of dark hair resting against his shoulder, locking him into an embrace that he wouldn’t have even attempted to pull away from. It felt wrong...going to an event on his own. And dammit if he really didn’t want to go, but he’d given his word and he intended to keep it. Not to mention the fact that Lea would likely come seek him out if he never made it. She really could be quite intimidating when she wanted to be.

A sudden explosion of noise and movement sounded throughout the house, his attention ripped from the mirror and with it, all previous signs of his grief melted away in an expression of surprise. The deep rumbling of Ares’ playful growth vibrated between the walls, quickly followed by the higher pitched yapping of his sister, Athena. And underneath the clack of their nails and barking, the thundering of feet against the floor as they ran full speed. Flynn exited the bedroom only to meet the youthful form of his younger brother, of whom Flynn had gained full custody of in the previous year. The 9-year old let out an ‘oof’ as he stumbled backwards, only managing not to fall by the grace of the paladin’s quick reflexes. ”The next time you decide to run in the house, I let you fall backwards,” Flynn admonished softly, giving the boy a stern look that only brought a sheepish grin so alike his own to Liam’s face.

“Sorry, Flynnly. I just wanted to give you a hug before you left for the night. Ms. Mericelliot said that I could come over so long as I came right back,” the boy explained with a shrug, his smile melting away the ire from a moment before. The paladin sighed, crouching down to wrap the boy in a tight embrace. ”You’ll have fun, won’t you? Our dragon wouldn’t want you to be a mope at a party, you know…”

Flynn moved back, looking on at the boy’s expression and the knowledge he possessed in the critical way he appraised his older counterpart. It was the sort of look he’d seen on the said dragon’s face each time he was presented with a puzzle, something he was determined to figure out. One that he’d directed at Flynn more than once early on. Seeing it on Liam’s face was like salt to a wound that he could no longer see, lying beneath the surface of his skin. ”With Aunt Lea there, I doubt I could mope if I tried. And I’ve seen her do crazy things to people who disagree with her...” he countered, earning a chuckle from the boy before him.

A head of soft fur nudged between them and Liam’s attention was effectively taken. The boy’s hands wrapped tightly around the Siberian Husky, his voice taking on a conspiratorial whisper as he addressed her, “What do you think, Athena, a sleepover with our friends tonight?” Liam’s blonde head lifted as he glanced toward the massive Caucasian Shepard lingering nearby. “Sorry, Ares, but Ms. Mercelliot said you weren’t allowed at sleepovers. Not after the fruit punch fiasco.” Flynn inwardly sighed as he stood at the mention of that particular incident. What a mess that had been. He’d received glares from the orphanage director for a good week afterwards, and nothing he’d said had soothed her ruffled feathers.

Ares, the mutt, didn’t seem to mind her cold shoulder a bit.

”He’ll be fine here alone while I’m gone. We’ll walk over to get you in the morning. Come on, I’ll take you and Athena over before I head out for the ferry.” he stated, gently prodding the boy to begin moving toward the front door. His hand dropped to run over Athena’s head. Liam had developed a strong relationship with the husky, and with Flynn’s constant awareness of the dangers that Harper Rock posed, he never pushed the issue. Athena would protect Liam with her life, of that he was certain. It’s how she was trained.

The walk to the orphanage took only a few minutes. The goodbyes were brief and Ms. Mericelliot assured him that Liam would be well looked after with the other children. The paladin had little doubt, of course, but he thanked her all the same. A glance down at his watch told of his impending lateness. A moment of hesitation was dedicated to considering his alternative to the ferry if he wished to be there even close to on time; teleportation. His nose wrinkled at the thought, his latest experience with such a thing having landed him in the water surrounding the island. He’d spent the afternoon wet as he followed along with Amalea, viewing her “small project” with the eye of a man who had no idea his own house was in the process.

Taking a deep breath of preparation, Flynn closed his eyes and tried to focus on the city and the closest corner to his destination. ”If only you had someone to summon you there…” The quiet voice bringing up the age old argument made him wince. ”Well you aren’t here right now, are you?” he answered aloud, no longer caring where he ended up. And for all the luck that had been denied him in his life, his eyes opened to the corner he’d intended, now only a couple of blocks from the graveyard entrance. His stomach still lurched, threatening an upheaval but he took a deep breath in through his nose and let it pass before he set off for the crypt he’d been directed to.

[color=]”Creepy…”[/color] he muttered of the two gargoyles, not sparing them a second glance on his way past. As he entered the space in which the crowd had gathered, he paused. This was...so not his thing. One would think he’d gotten better about in time, but perhaps that was wishful thinking. Amalea’s signature red hair saved him too much trouble of looking for her, thankful enough to spot Every among the crowd that had gathered in the area.

After navigating his way over to the group, he settled in next to Amalea’s shoulder and leaned over, setting a quick kiss to her cheek in greeting. ”You look lovely. Like a woman with something to prove.” She offered her a small smile before shifting his attention to Every, to whom he nodded. ”And you look like one I wouldn’t want to piss off…” His words trailed off at the end, the corner of his lips twitching. They’d have something to hackle each other about by the end of the night, of that he was certain.

[Luca]

Luca arched a brow at the man that approached them first, the less than chummy air between him and the redhead at his side was painfully obvious, her irritation at his arrival almost palpable , the look, though subtle, was a powerful one. He nodded his head to the man as he was introduced, lifting his glass in a sort of salute. “Sergeant König, RCMP O Division. Keep your nose clean and I won’t have to make a scene. So very glad to make your acquaintance, though.” He gave the man a smile, then, and drained the glass with a twist of his features, shaking his head and sitting it down again. “I am never going to get used to that,” he muttered, flagging the bartender for another.

When he turned back, they had been joined by Eve, who he greeted with a nod as well. At her question, he took the fresh drink from the bartender and pulled it close, giving Sullivan a nonchalant salute and watching as the other redhead in their little collective made her way behind his sire, before she announced herself with a quiet ‘boo,’ and slid into a spot in the group. He gave Lea a half smile and took his glass with him as he pushed himself free from the bar counter. “I think mingling may be a good idea. We are beginning to make quite the clump. And Grace, you need to study sarcasm a little more closely. The surprise is nonexistent.” He rubbed at his cheek and gave her a nod before he lifted the blood for another sip, a smaller one this time, and took another chip off the edge of his appetite.

Quietly clearing his throat, he let himself look around the room, taking inventory of the other patrons of the little speakeasy, almost all faces he either knew not at all, or only knew in passing. There was a definite and palpable criminal feel to a lot of those gathered, though he felt that way often in a crowded room of new faces, ever suspicious, ever critical of details. He flexed his fingers at his side, unable to not take note of the absence of the weight that usually hung from his belt in the form of knife or pistol. He had other means of keeping safe, but with the vibes he got from many of the faces, and knowing exactly the sorts of trouble Eve liked to drag him into, he couldn’t help but feel their exclusion for the evening.

He turned to the little brunette woman and offered a tip of his head. “Any suggestions on where we’re supposed to start, or should I insert myself into a complete stranger’s evening with all the charm and wit of a razor wire wearing orangutan?” He gave a little nonchalant flutter of his hand toward the room. “Because frankly, I can do either. Just need someone to hold my beer.” He gave a light scoff at his own humor and ran his thumbnail over the lip of his glass.

[Chance]

Out of reflex he turned and watched as Myk waved at a woman across the room, he didn’t recognize her of course but he hadn’t really expected to. After all Myk was absolutely correct and this was a party after all, he smiled casually as he turned his own attention from across the room back to the conversation at hand. “Looks like it is really a shame on our parts, this one could have potential.” He included himself in the remark as it was now his species too and he still enjoyed the excitement of that simple fact.

He almost snickered at the mention of a game, especially in this kind of crowd but his curiosity quickly bested his judgement and now he wanted to find out more about it. He tipped his own glass back for good measure before tapping the top of the now emptied glass with a single finger “That sounds like a great idea, think I will join you and get another one for myself.” He turned and headed for the bar himself, the announcer for the night on stage again making jokes and calling for dancing where it seemed that everyone was mingling. He wondered if or how long it would take the guy to move enough of the crowd for a big dance floor.

Catching the attention of the barkeep, he lifted his glass with two fingers above it. “I’ll get the first round to start the night out right.” A friendly gesture or so he figured anyway, he set enough cash on the bar with enough extra for a tip before he set the glass on top and pushed it towards the back of the bar. “Of course if you prefer something else, you can order whatever and I’ll have a glass for each hand.” Although he finished the comment with a little sarcasm but the grin was real enough.

Doubting that pressure would sway the telepath at all and unwilling to try, he instead listened to the singers on stage wondering who actually knew how to swing dance anyway. “Didn’t you come in with a friend, did you lose him somewhere?”

[Henry Craven]

“Elizabeth,” he parroted back at her softly, testing every syllable and smiling at how the name rolled like taffy over his tongue. He could almost taste the strawberry-sweetness of her.

Henry marvelled over her name, was familiar with it, and was pleased that she hadn’t shortened it when she’d introduced herself. Her accent and posture gave further indications to a respectable upbringing that made the Allurist all but salivate. The English girls were always so much fun. Before his father had passed, Henry had visited the land every summer in order to visit his father’s side of the family. He’d probably known a few hundred Lizs and Lizzies in his life, but they couldn’t compare to the half-dozen Elizabeths he’d met. And even though this one was a Vampire, much like himself, he was far too excited at the idea of getting beneath the skin of her to consider the ramifications of his folly.

“I am well, Elizabeth, thank you for asking. Though, I admit I am a bit confused,” he said when she asked him how he was. “How can such a beautiful woman like you be here alone? Do you have no husband, or boyfriend, or... lover?”

It was, perhaps, a predictable line, but the classics worked. Henry was confident and grinning brightly beside her, his green eyes holding her captive like prey - even if she were his elder. The Brazilian was convinced that, even on the rare occasion that the old lines failed, he could just play dumb and pretend that it was a cultural misunderstanding. Western women were often appeased by that, they always wanted to appear humble and sympathetic - charitable to the less fortunate. Henry assumed it was because they empathised with such positions and it put them at this disadvantage, made them easy targets for his abuse. They wanted to people-please and he wanted to be pleased by people. Henry saw it as a natural exchange of services and happily glossed over the lying and the cheating that was involved to procure such things.