Path of the Vampire forum

Location
Built over the Halcyon Springs, the lodge is nestled away from the city traffic and deadly zombies that plague Harper Rock. We have twenty suites with their own adjacent bathrooms, beautiful mahogany flooring and a comfortable sitting room.

Known for its finest cuisine and geothermal run grid, we pride ourselves on the inviting warm of the crystal clear waters said once to hold healing abilities. We hope you enjoy your stay!
The lounge sitting area opens up into the spring area.

Noah
Noah was not typically known for group chats or massive chain text messages. He preferred personal, one-on-one interactions. But when the situation called for it, he begrudgingly did so. A single message was sent to every member of the family:

Mandatory family meeting at Halcyon Springs ASAP. It's urgent.

Now all that was left to do was wait. The family had been here for less than two days, but he had already settled in and was about to upend their world. His fingers played over the amulet hanging from his neck in idle consideration at how they all might react. Despite the short span of time, Noah was more than comfortable with his new life (such as it was) as a vampire. He had found a spear and though he had scoffed initially at the thought of using such a primitive weapon at first, it had more than proven its effectiveness. Between it and the rifle that Every, his... grandsire? He found he was more than equipped to handle whatever the city threw at him. A short jaunt to the tunnels beneath the Clocktower had also proven fruitful, the amulet dangling from his neck more evidence of that particular fact.

He had also gained swift control of his powers, finding himself now able to magically confuse or intimidate his foes. He could only wonder at what other powers awaited his mastery over the self as he leaned back in his seat and sipped from a glass of whiskey - more habit than anything, as he had been told most vampires could not consume human food, but he had grown accustomed to the taste over the years.

Caligrace
It had been less than two days and she hadn’t told a soul outside of Every.

Luca, Amalea, Jayden, Bjorn -- they were all left in the dark, going about their everyday lives without a clue as to what she had done, or what she had risked.

Two days since she had met Noah. Two days since she had gone against everything she stood for. Two days since she had created a monster. No, that wasn’t fair. He wasn’t a monster. They weren’t monsters. She had proven that time and time again. Releasing a quiet sigh, she brushed her hands through her hair as she paced the stair’s landing, out of sight, but not out of mind. Oh, no, she was definitely the main character in someone’s thoughts.

Caligrace. Do you understand how bad this would have been years ago?
What were you thinking?
Do we need to see Chadwick?

Though quiet, Every’s voice in her mind was enough to cause her to flinch, fingers curling tight within her hair. It’s okay. It’s going to be fine. We’re going to be fine. I did a good thing, she repeated, and while not totally speaking to her adopted sire and partner in crime, she knew the other would hear. She always heard. She was always just… there. It was as comforting as it was maddening sometimes, and in this instance, she wasn’t quite sure which. “It’s going to be fine,” she said aloud, her head tilting as she listened for the soft sound of footsteps against tile.
She had known he was there already, his emotions, though still unknown to her, a subtle pull. It was getting easier to control her empathy, but she had to admit, the stress of the last few nights had made her forget the most basic of her lessons. Even now, she found herself trying to pick apart what he felt. Was he angry? Disappointed? Elated? What would his family think? Would they try to harm her? Every? Would she have to subdue them? Could she subdue them? Physically, yes. Mentally? No. No, she couldn’t. “Get a grip, Caligrace.”

With that final statement, the redhead pushed herself from her secluded space and made her way towards Noah, her attention drifting to the amulet around his neck. It was similar to the bracelet she wore, and a proud and soft smile graced her youthful features. “I see you’ve been busy, doll,” she said by way of greeting, fingers drifting into the pocket of her jeans to curl about the well used tin that was always hidden there.

Every
Caligrace siring hadn’t surprised her, the young woman was affluent, charming and friendly. She fit the description of a vampire, bringing the path allurist full circle. She hadn’t even really been surprised that the man named Noah had requested for it to happen - Every had been asked twice, cornered by one childe. Things happened. Their kind had become an international notice, bringing in the strange and curious. Tourism had always been something she noticed Harper Rock had, their species only brought another sort of interest. Every didn’t mind that Noah had been turned, brought into their own fold. She was concerned about the meeting she had been asked to attend. The meeting that Noah’s family would attend. She was concerned about her best friend, her childe and the bubbly allurist she frequently had to track because she got lost regularly.

And, she let Caligrace know it.

Every
“I hope it is, girlie.”

A glance to the clock on the wall acknowledged the time was near and she stood up. She pushed her sleeves up her forearms, entering the room that had been booked for the meeting. Chadwick had been busy earlier, setting up a table of snacks and drinks for those that could partake in consumption. “Caligrace,” She greeted first before hazel eyes took in the man that had joined their little family. “Noah, finding everything alright?” She asked, and then, “My thrall is waiting at the desk to direct your family to the lounge area here.”
She glanced around the room, making sure everything remained in order. She didn’t like disorganization, not in her business. “If they have any requests, or if you do, we’ll get them sorted. It’s the off season so no one will overhear anything.”

Elodie
Her next mark was handsome, dark haired with striking blue eyes. An interesting scar marred one thick eyebrow. Elodie blinked slow at him, a taunting little smirk spreading over maroon tinted lips. "You have not one, but two yachts? That I have to see," she laughed merrily into her fourth glass of brandy. At her elbow, the phone made a bzzzt and dark eyes flicked down.

A look of confusion and then worry filled her features. That was one thing you could always count on with Elodie. Her face would always betray her feelings. The mark was ignored with a finger pushed up into the air that silently screamed, 'shutup and wait your turn.' The text message from her father was odd to say the least.

After abandoning whatever his name was, only two yachts instead of three, Elodie made her way quickly toward Halcyon Springs. On the way, she texted Noah back. Nearly there. As hard as she could be on the outside at times, the younger of the Levesque twins had a soft heart when it came to her family. Fast little clicks of her high heels announced her arrival at the desk. "My father Noah Levesque--" Before she could finish her sentence, a man approached her.

Sculpted eyebrows dove down into a look of annoyance but regardless, she let him lead her onward. She may or may not have checked out his backside as she meandered behind. Once she caught side of her father, and two women she didn't recognize, Elodie made a path around the male and to Noah. The look of annoyance shifted to concern for her father before eyes swept toward both Caligrace and Everly. "Hello." She left the greeting hanging between them politely a moment before she shifted her frame to look more squarely at her father and the concern rose just a smidge. "Is everything okay?"

Eloise
With the hustle and bustle of Harper Rock passing her by, Eloise had done far too much adventuring with having to mow down some zombies. Thoughts of the mysterious redhead (her name was Caligrace, right?) crossed her mind, thinking of last night when she had helped her out of that abandoned building, even giving her better weapons to fight off the supernatural creatures.

Her hand rose away from her book on her lap, absently looking at the white scar along her palm just as she heard her cell phone chime go off. Those light brown eyes lingered down to the screen as she snatched it up to read the message. Her 'brows creased. "What could be happening already after two days," the twin murmured to herself while getting up to get more properly dressed for the public.

----

Her black heels clicked along the pristine floor of the springs, her gaze lingered here and there before moving to the front desk; however, she was blocked by a mysterious man. "This way," he drawled before walking off towards the side. "You don't even know who I am," Eloise said while staying put. "You look like just your sister. You're a Levesque, right?" He sounded like he was having to heave about heavy bags of sand instead of chatting to a stranger. With her lips pressed into a thin line, the woman begrudgingly sauntered alongside instead of behind.

Once inside the room, there was...something in the air that just felt different. It was almost similar to last night when she saw--- "Oh! It's you," she said to Caligrace as her 'brows shot up in surprise. Her feet carried her over to Elodie, looking between Noah and the other two oddly ethereal beauties. "It's nice to see you again, but...who are you," she asked politely of Every after the former was addressed to the redhead, then glanced to their father. "You seem...different," she said boldly.

Alex
Halcyon Springs.

He got a weird feeling about the urgent text he had received from his boss. Family meeting, huh? After five years, Alex felt he could be considered family- at least as far as Noah was concerned, right? He still had to win over some of the kids, it seemed, one of said kids being a colleague of his, a partner in crime, a creature called Eloise. Nerves settled in his stomach, but it wasn’t about his place in the Levesque clan- that was secured- nor was he obvious with his discomfort. He kept his calm, polite disposition as he made his way to the location given, looking like a man of pride, like he had his **** together.

The man approached the front desk, his lips parting to speak, when the other male gestured for him to follow. Rude. His brow bunched together to convey his offense, but it was brief and quickly dropped. He would follow, but he wasn’t going to like it.
Once he was led to the room and promptly forgotten, Alex stepped in, his gaze flitting between the faces already present. There were two he didn’t recognize. “Hello,” he greeted, keeping his unease concealed. His feet carried him over to Noah, where he stood by, as if waiting for the patriarch to give his next order.

He did break from his ‘business mode’ to wiggle his fingers at Eloise, though.

Anastasia
Halcyon Springs

The message alone had been enough to leave Anastasia with a pit in her stomach. Not one for large groups (even if it was her family.) Annie grabbed her vape from her pocket and pulled the oversized cardigan even tighter around her thin frame. The girl drifted across the room to the desk to wait only a moment before being lead to the lounge area.

Blue eyes shifted around for a moment, touching on the faces of her family and the two others who she didn't recognize. Her brows pinched together for the span of a heartbeat before the brunette tried to hide in her sweater just behind Elodie. Annie's shield of sorts when forced into uncomfortable situations. Tight lips tipped into a smile, a digit wiggled hello in greeting.

Junebug
Junebug had been having a great ******* time exploring the city, ducking in and out of office buildings and houses and plucking wallets and phones and contraband from passing pockets. This place was great! He was just about ready to catch a break and buy up some poutine when Noah's text plinked onto his phone.

"Now, just what in the Hell could be so urgent?" he asked the screen around a mouthful of Heaven, as if it could possibly have an answer for him, and stuffed the device back in his pocket. Licking his fingers, he climbed up into the driver's seat of his Jeep and headed off for the rendezvous point.

Upon arrival, he was really most interested in finding a trashcan for the plastic fork, napkin, and gravy-smothered paper basket when some dude appeared, looking rather tight-lipped and unimpressed as he pointed to the trash bin tucked neatly into a corner behind some very tall and healthy-looking plant placed there to give the sense of some exotic home-away-from-home vibe. With the trash finding its new home in the bin, Junebug followed along after the unamused gentleman, his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. It was his favorite and galaxy-themed with rainbow kitten heads overlayed into the brilliant colors of the Orion Nebula.

The rather short 28 year-old whistled as he looked around, entering the room where his family had gathered. He scanned over the lot of them before his gaze landed on the two ladies he didn't know. Cute. One eyebrow perked as his lips curled into a smile, his head giving a nod in greeting.

"Howdy, strangers."

Aubrey
She and Pezza had just finished their round of jumps and were trotting around the paddock to cool down. Aubrey was leaning forward and affectionately patting Pezza's neck when she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket, but she didn't change up her actions in favor of answering it. No, instead, she ignored it and finished her cool down with Pezza, slowing him to a walk, and then to a stop so she could slide off the stallions back, taking the reins over his head and into her hand so they could walk to the barn. Once there, the groom tried to take the reins, but Aubrey shook her head as she unbuckled her helmet and traded him for the brush instead.

After Pezza was groomed and in his stall with some feed, she was walking towards the house and remembered the phone. Pulling it from her pocket, she read the text and grinned. She'd been feeling sorry for herself since yesterday, when her birthday had come and gone, and was completely ignored. And, if she was truthful, she'd been a bit angry, at first. She definitely had that all-about-me teenage attitude, despite her efforts to become a young, responsible adult. But the anger had faded and she'd gone into a nice state of melancholy that only Pezza and jumping could draw her out of; and it had. Add to that an urgent family meeting text message, and that bouncy spring was back in her step.

Her melancholy was a thing of the past as she thought of all the things that she just new awaited her once she arrived at this Halycon Springs place. After all, it wasn't every day that a girl turned 18. And her father and family had obviously planned out this whole surprise birthday party thing just for her; that had been the reason for them acting like it had been just another day. It was all part of the ruse, she was sure of it. She'd debated on changing into one of her best dresses, but had instead kept on her riding habit to aid in the whole surprise factor.
She practically rushed into the lobby, and had to make herself slow down several times, to keep from running. A glance around the lobby and she was a little confused; but obviously they couldn't have the party right there in the lobby. Don't jump to conclusions. Calm down, Aubrey. she cautioned herself, as she approached the front desk, and as she was explaining to the concierge, "Hello. I'm Aubrey Levesque, here to meet my fa...." She turned as she continued speaking as that man approached and gestured to her that she should follow him. "....ther, Noah" Something didn't feel celebratory about this situation.

Following along with the brusque man, she straightened her back and shoulders as riding boots announced every step she took upon that beautifully tiled floor. As he held the door open for her, she stepped past him and into the room, a careless glance over her shoulder to him as she saw him close the door behind her. Most everyone was already there, a few she noticed weren't. She looked for Soloman at first, then saw the twins, and tried to lighten up the obvious mood in the room by asking, "I take it that's not the new bartender for Crapplebees?" with a gesture of her hand over her shoulder, her thumb pointing the door that was just closed behind her.

Aubrey
With a shrug, she went to her father and kissed his cheek in greeting, wondering exactly what was going on with this meeting, and filing away the fact that again, this was not her birthday party. That's when she noticed the two women there, and her thoughts were racing with questions that she didn't ask yet.

Solomon
"Get out the way you moron!" A loud crash quickly followed the sound of a slightly accented shout. He did not have time for this ****. Solomon got up, grabbed the controller that had only recently flown out of his hands. "Yeah? That's what your mum said last night." He growled down the mic before signing out of Mario Kart.

Today was suppose to be his 'day off'so he had thought he would game a little, course he had not expected all the sweat. Shaking his head he picked up his phone and checked his messages.

Mandatory family meeting at Halcyon Springs ASAP. It's urgent.

Well, that was unexpected - they didn't have anything planned at the moment (he knew that cause he had access to pretty much everyone planner) so he knew it wasn't about a job. Oh well, best go find out what boss man wants. Shrugging on his leather jacket and pocketing his bike keys Solomon left the flat without bothering to turn off the laptop that was still blinking green.

The ride over was smooth on the back of his Harley, it was also pretty short. Parking the bike he headed into the building and sort out his brother-in-law. If he also planted a few bugs around, well...only he would know that.

"You rang, master?" He said as he walked into the room. To everyone else he smiled nice a big, to Aubrey he threw a wink and then sat next to her. "Looking good, Princess," he pressed a kiss to the girls cheek and then turned a serious face to Noah.

Clio
The past two days had been a whirlwind.

Clio was never one to take things at an easy-going pace, but even she was finding herself a little overwhelmed with everything that had to be done in the move to Harper Rock. Her heart still ached for Montreal, but when a place is tired, it’s tired. Things hadn’t been as lucrative as the family would have liked which had led to the decision she, Noah and the family had made to move. Now she was standing in the middle of a bare-bones floor in a high-rise, boxes piled higher than her head all around her. She’d been elbow deep in one of the boxes of confidential paperwork when her phone had buzzed inside the left strap of her bra.

“Crisse, qu’est que ce passe?” she’d cursed, pulling it out of her shirt and squinting at the screen.

Mandatory family meeting at Halcyon Springs ASAP. It's urgent.

Noah didn’t do large-scale family meetings on the regular. Clio set the papers back in the box and nodded towards it to signal to the guard she had brought over from Montreal that he was to stay and keep an eye on it. The burly man with five-o-clock shadow nodded, otherwise not moving a muscle, and she grabbed her purse, heels clicking on the marble tile floor on her way out.

A sleek black cab brought her to the lodge her husband had indicated. It was refreshing that there was no bustling traffic or sidewalk full of people to navigate through. In time she’d come to think of them as humans, something other than her...but for now she was still one of them. Someone was waiting at the door to lead her in and she offered them a sleek, upraised eyebrow as they offered to take her arm.

“I can manage,” she said, her voice clipped but not entirely harsh.
Soon she entered the room where her family was waiting, and a quick glance about with her deceiving, chocolate brown doe-eyes told her she was almost the last one there. Oh well, a queen was never late - everyone else was simply early. She crossed the room, nodding to her J-bug, her brother, the twins, Aubrey, Alex and Ana before coming to stand at Noah’s side.

The other women earned a glance, and then her focus was on her husband - waiting with subtle impatience to hear what this was all about.

Salem
Salem, of course, was the last to answer.

There would have been any number of reasons for this. Being the black sheep half-breed of the family gave "family meetings" a much, much more ambiguous definition, for one. Was it just Noah and his army of kids? Was it the anyone strictly initiated into the crime family? Or was it everyone, fringe fence-straddlers included? Valid questions, all.

Maybe it was because Salem was never particularly known for their attendance record. Maybe because they could have been the inspiration for showing up fifteen minutes late with Starbucks, a hangover, and yesterday's clothes; maybe they spent an extra hour choosing the perfect hue of wig, honing the sharpest eyeliner wing, and color-coordinating down to their nail polish. Maybe they were tangled up -- in sheets, in rehearsals, or in mischief.

Whatever the reason, there was one thing fundamental about them: the rules did not apply to Salem the same way they did for everyone else. The world would wait as long as they wanted, and audiences would still scream themselves hoarse in applause whenever they finally did appear, and nobody would care about why or how long they were kept waiting. It was always, always worth it in the end.

Salem
Only this time, their arrival wasn't the kind that warranted a standing ovation. Instead, it was heralded by Noah's phone buzz, buzz, buzzing.
INCOMING FACETIME: SALEM LEVESQUE.

The screen turned back. As the connection loaded, the phone acted as a portal into a sea of purple and pink light. A pale, bony shoulder covered in bruises and bite marks. The rustling of fabric. Sheets? Clothing? Finally, the camera focused on an angular face, a head of tangled, wild lilac hair. Smeared dark lipstick and long fake eyelashes.

"Now, when you say mandatory.." Their voice was hushed, but nevertheless full of a teasing drawl. "Does that have to include me? Since when do you ever text me for anything important? Because, quite frankly, I'm in the middle of a few somethings of my own." An arm -- more tanned, more muscled -- came across the screen briefly to curl presumably around Salem's body, followed by heavy snoring. Sharp eyes pierced through the lens to study Noah, but it was softened by the sly, crooked grin on their face. "But if you do need me, I want to hear you say it. Purely for my own entertainment, but also as a fee for getting me to put clothes on."

Noah
"I stay busy," he replied with an easy smile to Caligrace. "Idle hands are the Devil's playthings."

Every wandered in a few minutes later and Noah paused to consider both of the women carefully. These two had seen to it that he was comfortable and welcome in this new city. Would they extend the same courtesy to his family, such as it was? Noah knew that the assorted menagerie of his loved ones could be a lot for anyone to handle, even himself sometimes. As much as he adored them all, they were sometimes an unpredictable bunch. But, he thought, they were also full of love and loyalty. And so the next question came: would they have room in their hearts for more additions to their considerable family?

There was only one way to find out.

As the family began to filter in, Noah rose from his seat to greet each of them with a smile, a hug, or a kiss. His affection lingered on Clio for a moment longer than absolutely necessary, lips sealed to hers with a content grin spread across his face.

It was just as he broke this kiss that his phone buzzed. He put Salem on speaker, holding the phone at arm's length so that anyone in the room who might want to could obtain a view.
Noah's normally polite features creased as Salem answered, a beleaguered sigh escaping him. Despite his best efforts since meeting them, Salem had proven slow to warm to the collective that was Levesque and their deeds. And while asking who might be considered family would normally be a fair question, he had thought the answer might be found in the simple solution of if you received a text, you were included. Apparently not.

"I need you here, Salem," he answered in an even voice. "There's already a car waiting for you outside." He had known of course that they would be the most reluctant to come when called, and so he had made plans for that exact scenario already. Without another word, his thumb swiped over the end call button and his phone was slipped back into a pocket.

Noah looked up to the rest of the family with a small smile.

"Well while we wait, why not start with some introductions?" He offered, gesturing between them all.

Caligrace
“I’ve heard that before,” she responded to the man, her gaze sweeping over him once more - and lingering, perhaps longer than necessary. It was clear by the calculation in her gaze that it was for nothing more than assessment. Once appeased by whatever it was that she found, she shifted her attention towards Every as the shadow made her way inside, her smile softening - until the brunette mentioned her thrall. It was nearly instant, the way her nose crinkled, and she had to swallow the sound of distaste that threatened to escape, however there was no controlling the remark that rolled like turpentine from her tongue. “Oh, goodie, he needs the exercise. Just make sure he gets his mid-shift bottle or he might throw a tantrum.”

There was a soft grunt in response, and she flashed the thrall her favorite saccharine smile with a wiggle of her fingers before he disappeared back around the corner to fetch the next guest. Whatever she might have said after that was forgotten as the first arrived, her attention drawn to the girl with a hum of curiosity. Showtime, she thought, bracing herself for the first wave of emotion as it danced lazily across her skin. It would only get worse from here, but she chose to focus on the way the girl approached Noah instead of the unknown emotion that she refused to look too deeply into. “Hello,” she responded, lip caught between her teeth. “How a--”
Her question was cut short as another figure appeared, and this time, one with a familiarity that had the redhead chuckling. “And it’s you,” she greeted, amusement brightening her eyes as Eloise turned her attention to Every. Brave. Bold. Interesting, she mused to herself as Every answered, only to focus on the rest as they entered one by one. Each face was filed away, and though she had yet to learn their names, she wasn’t concerned. Eidetic memory had its perks as well as its downfalls, after all. Brushing her fingers through her hair, she began to fidget as the room grew crowded, and without realizing it, slid the metal tin from her jean pocket.

Caligrace
Her thumb brushed across the white rabbit decal, and the soft click, click as she opened and closed it echoed quietly through the room. It didn’t hold what it used to - but god, if there was any time she needed a hefty dose of drugs, it was now. Just as she was about to speak, another woman entered, this one earning a kiss from her new childe. There was a subtle lift of her brow as she took note of the affection before focusing more on his… wife. Yes, wife. She was stunning - though, if she were honest, the entirety of his family was. She also held herself with a certain… grace… that she found truly befitting of the man she’d only known for a short time. In fact, all of them seemed to ebb and sway together in a way that sparked joy.
This was a true family, much like the one she was planning to welcome them into.

Caught up as she was in her thoughts, she nearly missed the flash of the phone screen, and gave a quiet laugh at the antics from the video call before it ended. “There’s always one,” she teased, fingers clutched tight around her pill tin as she began to bounce on her heels.

“Introductions? Do you want me to start? I’ll start anyway,” the allurist smiled, “I’m Caligrace Signe. It’s nice to meet -- well, all of you. Noah speaks of you fondly.” She left out what she was to the man, in case it was some mystery he wished to unveil himself.

Every
“Not tonight, Caligrace.”

Every’s voice was soft, but her tone was clear that she didn’t want to hear the fight between the psychiatrist and her childe. It happened often enough that she knew what it could escalate to, and that evening already had enough potential for high tensions. As it was, as she shifted her focus into her thrall’s mind, Chadwick had made it clear that he wasn’t going to make it easy. Out of any she’d dealt with overtime, he was probably the strongest to argue and he did it because he knew Every was familiar to him. They didn’t have to wait long. The first to arrive had Every saying, “And, it begins” before she left his mind and found a comfortable position between a set of bookshelves, resting against a window seal. The question asked by Noah’s child had her lifting an eyebrow as she considered that it would certainly appear to be a matter of perspective.

When the twin arrived and stated that the man was different, Every felt her lips twitch in amusement.

“You’ll see.”

“A little bit of feistiness, always appreciated.”

The telepathic message was brief in Caligrace’s mind before fading away.
“You’ll see.” She winked, to the dark haired bold one and turned her attention to those that continued to arrive, her hand lifting to acknowledge the hello and nod, not wanting to be rude. Still, with every arrival, Every’s concern mounted. It would have been a massive deal, in the past. She kept reminding herself that Harper Rock present was no longer like the Harper Rock of her past. She still didn’t understand why Noah and his kin had even moved to the zombie infested town, where things had begun to diminish overtime as the rift stretched and expanded slowly. Although she reminded herself, it hadn’t stretched in over three years. “The bartender would probably have better people skills.” The comment slipped out before she could stop herself, watching as the family interacted and memorizing their faces as they all did so.

With each body that arrived, Every also glanced to Caligrace once. She watched her toy with the tin and reached over, pinching the fleshy underside of her arm to bring her back. “You have a beautiful family,” Every spoke to Noah, falling quiet as she leaned back comfortably into her spot once more. Family, for Every, had differing tones. She had built her own over periods, and she hoped that the collective would be willing to ease into it. Listening to the phone call only halfway, her hazel eyes swept over the family once more and then back to her childe. In the reception area, she heard a phone ring before it continued to ring until one of her employees picked up. Introductions. How little, and how much? She wondered before she offered a smile and said, “I’m Every Signe, it’s a pleasure to meet all of you. Welcome to Halcyon Springs, - and to my understanding, Harper Rock.” Her connection to her sire still remained, his bloodline and name still relevant to her life, but a step forward was necessary to acknowledge her line.

Eloise
With Caligrace acknowledging their brief encounter and the elusive answer the other woman gave made the older twin all the more inquisitive about the situation at hand. Whatever was about to happen, it was big. She wasn't one to like being kept in the dark for too long, but her patience held on as slowly and surely, all of her family members began to migrate through the door.

Upon seeing Alex the first to follow right after her, those light brown eyes rolled at his little wave before murmuring, "good evening, Mr. Greenberg" as her response. He always seemed to be so pleasant with her and at times, it made her want to hurl. Even after five years of having to work at his side, sometimes his stupid, goofy face made her want to shove him into some mud.

Eloise
Glancing back at Annie, her hand reached to lightly brush her fingers along her hair as a tiny reassurance. "Hello, Mouse." Then her brother appeared, a tiny smile appearing that broke her resting ***** face. "June, hey." She'd greet Aubrey the same way, and murmur that this had nothing to do with that tacky restaurant before squeezing her shoulder.

Soon after, her baby uncle arrived and she gave a small nod to him, then to Clio as well once they had arrived oh so fashionably late. That just left....

When Noah's phone rang, she didn't even have to look at the screen to know it was Salem. Hearing their voice and partially seeing what was happening, her head turned away to hide the smirk, thankful for her long hair. Their pibling was something else, but still just as much a treasure like the rest of them.

Then it was time for the good ol' introductions. Her focus went back to the two women now, hearing them actually say it made the situation sink in more. Something had occurred between...the redhead and their father. Taking the first initiative since she was the oldest of the 'kiddos,' the Levesque stepped up to the plate.

"My name is Eloise. Pleasure to meet you both."

Alex
At least Eloise felt something.

Alex stood by, ever patient and observant, only giving Noah a thoughtful smile as he greeted him. The man didn’t have to treat him as family, but he did. He had tried to spy on the Levesque years ago, tried to gather intel for his previous employer, so it surprised him when the patriarch didn’t have him killed when he was caught, but instead offered better pay- a better life. Sure, the Rudaski had provided for his every physical need- a place to lay his head, money for food, a car- but mentally and emotionally? Alex suffered. He wasn’t able to grow or be himself. He had been suppressed and cut down for every idea, every opinion he dared to utter. ”You’re paid to work. Not talk.” He was lucky he wasn’t disposed of sooner, though the threat lingered in the back of his mind. Five years. Igor Rudaski was known to hold grudges for longer.
But with Noah, he felt understood, he felt accepted for more than his skill set. You see, beneath the cold façade lied a man of honesty and determination, a man of respect and loyalty, with his own vulnerabilities and God-given talents. He held true value as a human being; it was the reason why he turned to crime, because the people in his life couldn’t realize that. Look how often he had to hide himself and put on this front, how he struggled to make ends meet- why not join a Polish crime family? That seemed like the most logical choice at the time. He was desperate. He thought it would be better, that he could feel useful for once, that he could make something of himself, but it just turned him into an anxious murder melon.

Sigh. Better late than never, though. He was glad to be rid of them.
Alex clasped his hands behind his back and glanced to the two women being introduced. They were indeed beautiful- almost eerily so, like fog settling in a dark forest. His chest rose and fell with a deep breath. Would their personalities be just as alluring? They seemed polite enough, but this was just their first time meeting the family. Time would tell.

“Nice to meet you both. I’m Alex Greenberg.”

Elodie
As her twin trickled in soon after her, Elodie's manner from reserved and perhaps even a touch icy, shifted entirely. A warm, bright smile lit up her features. She was like a star in the blanket of black sky. An offer of a hand to touch fingertips once Eloise was within range. Neither girls were inclined to physical affection on most days, but each had their differences of who and when. Elodie watched each family member be guided in by the dark haired male who she assumed worked for one of the strangers at her father's side.

As Annie, her beastie, best friend, slid behind her, Elodie even laughed. Her head fell back to bump lightly to the other's in a genial fashion. Annie kept to herself quite a bit, so a family meeting must be a bit overloading for her friend. Elodie was more than happy to be her shieldmaiden, as it were. Junie was also offered a grin - the twins and their wayward brother went way back in their... shenanigans. The younger twin admired his oddities and nature. The others, besides Pibling Salem had all arrived in a fairly timely manner, perhaps with a trailing Clio as well.

A quirk of dark red lips to the side and a deep eye roll was given silently at their pibling's antics. Her signature sigh soon followed, a gusty breath that came from what could presumably be her toes. The openness Elodie had shown with her family's arrival stifled slightly as introductions were slowly being made. Caligrace and Every... Lovely names. But what do they want? Her first thought went to more waywards and refugees that her loving father took into the family. Elodie could get behind that, with time. But something felt off. Different. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other but finally spoke up.

"A pleasant evening to you both. I'm Elodie Levesque, no relation," she inclined her head to her twin with a smirk shared between them.

Junebug
Junebug had popped into the back of the frame where Noah was speaking to Salem long before the introductions had began. A sharp gaze picked out that shiny forehead just over Noah’s shoulder. He motioned with his hand, thumb and pinkie extended ear to mouth, and practically the moment Noah had hung up, Junebug already had his facetime pulled up and dialing LEMMY :raccoon:.

Somewhere, in a distant luxury hotel room, the hallways immediately filled with the muffled sound of a full-volume NEEAAAARRRRR, FAAAAARRR, WHEREEEEEEEEEEVER YOU-OU AAAAARE—-

Call connecting...

The moment the screen pulled up, Junebug was grinning until his eyes scrunched into little squinting lines and his smile took up his face. And on the other end, the fluorescence of the bathroom only made Salem appear more pale than they actually were. They were a canvas of ink and hickies, and they only had on a pair of black, over-sized silk boxers and a rich velvet purple robe. Instantly,

“LEMMY! Wassup!” His voice squeaked only to drop into a whisper, holding the phone closer to his face, his eyes wide in their deep set sockets. “Oh **** okay so we’re doing like introductions and there are these smoking hot babes involved. Is this the family orgy of our wet dreams, yes or no?”

“MY LOVEBUGGY, I KNEW YOU WOULDN’T HANG UP ON ME LIKE THAT ACTUAL DICKHEAD.” Joy on Salem’s face lit up those eyes into childish glee, and they scrambled to get a good look through JB’s camera, trying to ogle the people in question. “Introductions? To whom? Wait. WAIT. THERE’S GOING TO BE AN ORGY WITHOUT ME? WHAT THE— Lemme see, Buggy, flipthegoddamncameraaroundwhatthefu—“
The squealing voice was enough to send Junebug stepping back a few paces so he could turn and tap the volume key down a few notches. He let his sisters introduce themselves while he flipped the camera around and zoomed in from across the room. He zoomed in too close until Every’s face, the image wavering as he was clearly walking rather blindly to find himself a place to sit. The view dropped as he slid onto a chair and the camera darted over to Every’s.

“Are they gonna be Daddy’s new kids, you think? New moms? What’s the story?” He whispered to the screen, the video zooming in with each new plot line, “What drama will unfold?!”

His voice cleared when he realized the attention had flipped onto him and he smiled wide, his free hand waving through the air. “Hi, hello! I’m Junebug, I’m a Taurus sun, Aquarius moon and rising~ love long walks on the beach and this here is Salem! Salem say Hiii!” He said, flipping the phone screen for the family to see better.

Aubrey
Kind of melted into Soloman when he sat next to her. They shared a special bond, being closer in age than the rest of the family and were the babies of each side of the family. If she admitted it, and she had to Soloman, that she was kind of jealous of him when Noah and Clio first married, but all of that had worked out and they'd formed that insperable bond.

When Clio got there, she wiggled her brows at the woman and smiled, before her attention was drawn to the phone and Salem. Ah Salem, how she loved that Pibling. Afterall, that's how Aubrey was able to get a way with so much mischief. When she was away at boarding school in Switzerland it was easier because there weren't as many watchful eyes, and not nearly as many people around that knew her type of michief. But here at home, in Canada, Salem drew those prying eyes towards them, leaving Aubrey pretty much free to do as she pleased. And she enjoyed every moment of that freedom to the fullest extent possible.

Aubrey craned her neck to get a peek at Salem and their background, trying to see who it was with them, and where they were, but Noah turned off the phone too fast.
As the introductions began, Aubrey kind of tried to make herself a part of the background. She wasn't shy, but one of her strenghts was to sit back and watch, take it all in, and try and feel out the situation. As soon as she could do that, she could see best how she could fit herself in, and where she would fit in best. You're at home, Bo, with family. Stop trying to work the room, she reminded herself. But she kept quiet as she listened to the two unknown women introduct themselves, watching each of them with open curiosity. Who were they? What did they mean to the family? Why were they included in an urgent family meeting? And why were they like drop dead gorgeous? Aubrey hadn't exprimented with same sex relationships, but these two made her blush. Stupid hormones. She looked at Alex, and smiled again.

She sucked in a breath and turned to look at Junebug and Salem, again, on the phone and this time, laughed. All out cackled and quickly smacked a hand over her own mouth to try and stop it. "Dude! Who didn't see that one comin?" Blurted out before giggling.

Salem
It was a scene straight out of The Incredibles, only if Disney actually did proper queer representation. The family’s Edna Mode squinted at the screen, trying to get a good look at everyone present while JB introduced himself.

TweedleDee and TweedleSi were easy enough to spot. The mad cackling was most definitely Aubrey. They caught a hint of the tall, muscular skulker that was Alex, and Solo was naturally at Aubrey’s hip. Anastasia was doing her best to stay out of sight, but those keen eyes caught just enough wisps of her hair on screen for her to be noticeable. And, of course, Noah and Clio, ever the dynamic twosome, plain in the center of frame.

“First of all,” Salem said, holding a finger up visibly on the screen. “Don’t you ever hang up on me like that again, especially when you’re asking me to be nice for you. Second, I was told there were strangers that are either going to be adopted, boned, or both. In which case, hello, I’m your Pibling Salem. You’ll address me as they-slash-them, Your Highness, Your Majesty, or just.. not at all, because you don’t seem like the Noah-adoptee type.”

The momentum of their words shifted, and the world on the other side of the screen twisted around in a blur before Salem’s head of lilac hair and pale face took up the whole view. The camera shook; they were clearly walking now out of the building. “Who the **** are you. Is this finally a ‘killing people’ meeting? Is that what’s so urgent? Cause my Capricorn Mercury is in retrograde, and while you’re, like, really pretty, this is my family, and I will cut you.”

Anastasia
Annie peered over Elodie's shoulder after their brief head bump taking in the force known only as the Levesque. Truth be told the beastie known affectionately as Elodie was her anchor in these types of meetings. A soft smile was offered to her family, Alex, as well as the two newcomers as she focused on breathing. Inhale and exhaled slowly over a span of two heartbeats. Thoughts on why the meeting had been called wormed and nagged in the back of her head while Annie sized Caligrace and Every up.

Stepping around as Eloise greeted her by way of Mouse. Slender hands and fingers worked to wiggle in a silent greeting. The overwhelming anxiety robbing her of voice. Her saving grace was Junie and Salem drawing the attention and thriving in it.

Clio
Clio wasn't so much bothered with the why they were there, figuring all of that would come out in time.

As the various family members and the two newcomers introduced themselves she watched, chuckling as personalities shone through even with the subtlest mannerisms. Some were shy, some on their best behaviours and others throwing all fucks to the wind. She returned wiggled fingers, smiles, and even made a scolding finger gesture towards the chaos that was Salem.

Clio remained in true form - guarded, slightly aloof and very observant. She was much like the felines she coveted so much. As it naturally came around to her turn the woman extended a hand first to Caligrace and then to Every.

My name is Clio, and I'm Noah's wife," she said, though it was quite apparent already.

Solomon
It wasn't until Clio arrived that Solomon took the time to actually pay attention to everyone else. His shoulders relaxed and he slipped his arm around Aubrey, in this position he watched the rest of the room introduce themselves.

Always watching and waiting, Solomon was the last to introduce himself. "My name is Solomon, I am the brother of Clio." Only Noah and Clio knew the true extent of his role within the family - most only new him as the tech kid.
Princess08/23/2020
Noah released an exasperated sigh at Junebug's and Salem's antics, but even he couldn't help but to grin a little at the pair. And while he had wanted Salem to be here in person, he supposed this would have to do.

"JB, make sure that video isn't recording," he said as he pushed himself up to stand with a groan, more out of habit now than an actual ache. Funny, that. How his bones didn't ache anymore.

He glanced across the room, making eye contact with each of them as he considered how to tell them. Well, why not come right out and say it? He supposed that method worked about as well as any other.

"I'm a vampire now." He stated plainly, then swept his arm towards Caligrace. "This is the woman who turned me. My... sire, I believe the term is. And Every here," he continued, gesturing at her. "Is her sire."

Caligrace
Every name was catalogued along with the brief glimpse of their personalities through the small actions they made. Shy, confused, worried, but none appeared rude or dangerous. Tapping her nails against her arm, her gaze bounced from face to face, before focusing on Every. It was a quick glance, but it said all that she needed to say. She hadn’t known what to expect, but something told her she could handle this. Even as her stomach twisted in knots and it felt as if a thousand currents continued to pulse along her skin from the heightened emotions in the room, she could handle this. “Well, that’s one way to break the ice,” she laughed, amusement warring with wariness in her eyes as Noah quite literally dropped the bomb that would change their lives for eternity. “She’s my adopted sire, yes, as well as my best friend. My actual sire fled a few years ago,” she shrugged, and didn’t offer any other explanation than that.

“It’s nice to meet all of you, and if you have any questions, we will be more than happy to answer them. I figure you have a ton.” Running her fingers through her hair, she adjusted her position just slightly, her gaze unwavering as she waited for whatever was to happen next.

[For_Peace]
Every
With each introduction, she listened to their voices and studied their features, listening to their voices and their heartbeats. She had looked into what she could of the family through hacking, Every found juvenile records for Noah and Alex - she wasn’t worried about criminal pasts, she nor Caligrace were innocent. Hell, the two women controlled the docks, didn’t they, with their crew? She folded her arms in front of her chest after briefly taking Clio’s hand, not one for contact over long periods of time.

It was only when she heard the voice over the phone, her hazel eyes flashing in amusement when she lifted her hand to twist her pinky in her ear briefly as if something itched. Instead, she was listening to the whispers. Their family was full of varying personalities, surely. “It’s a pleasure.” To all of them, and to Salem’s warning, Every’s lips twitched as she looked towards the device, “I’m sure you would.” When Noah groaned, Every glanced towards him and considered the habit. Habits made them appear human, she encouraged them to blend in, and she looked towards Caligrace, then the family once again. The announcement made it real, both to the girls, but also to Noah, his wife, and his family. She ran her thumb over the relic on her finger, waiting for their reactions.

“There’s a mirror tucked behind the chair, to demonstrate your - er - allurist nature, Noah.”

Her smile, though small, was genuine as she was prepared. Although, she shifted again - more so to get out of the line of the mirror. Every didn’t want to deal with Mercy, there was enough going on. Her hands gripped the window seal beneath her, prepared to move if necessary. “And, to cut to the chase, no, he is not out of his mind. Vampires are real, the rumors about Harper Rock are real. No, we do not sparkle in the sun. Yes, we drink blood.”

Elodie
She was unsure of how she felt about two new strangers thrown into the mix of their familial life, especially so soon after arriving to this new city. But, Elodie knew her father had a big heart. Her thoughts and assumptions of who Caligrace and Every were to him were suddenly shattered.

Vampire.

Her eyes widened as she looked between the three of them; Noah, Caligrace and Every. At first, she laughed. A pause, then more laughter. It cut short as sculpted eyebrows furrowed together, staring over the short distance to her father. One hand lifted to gesture vaguely. The few moments of disbelief shifted as she stared at him. He could probably see the wheels turning. She of course heard Every make a Twilight joke and Elodie smirked at her twin. "You're totally Alice." Her gaze then shifted to the only mother figure she had ever truly known, Clio. "And that would make you Bella. I'm sorry." Elodie snorted, good natured teasing humor. Her emotion shifted again, easy as could be. Elodie was ever-changing. "Papa, what prompted this? I cannot even fathom how this came to pass."

She was still struggling with believing the truth.

Eloise
That one word, those three syllables hanging in the air as she wondered if she was dreaming or not. It really was all true, her Intel correct on finding out about the supernatural creatures and now her father had become one; by the looks of it, he did this willingly. Of course he would. Noah needed to gain more and by integrating with vampires and the like, it would potentially span their Robin Hood-esque shenanigans further.

Ever the jokester, Elodie lightened the mood a touch and her own lips quirked before disappearing back into a neutral line, deciding that silence was fine for the time being.

Aubrey
Blinked, one of those slow blinks that made her look like she was trying to decide if what she was seeing was real. Her father had just announced that he was a vampire, and Elodie had just cracked the Twilight jokes, well, right after Every started them anyways. But if they weren't like Twilight vampires and didn't sparkle in the sun, she had to wonder if they were like The Vampire Diaries vampires, or Dracula, or the Anne Rice ones, or Laurel K. Hamilton, or.......****, she had questions, like way more questions than she had ever had before, and out they came.

"Do we get daylight rings? Or super mind powers? Or can we turn into animals? Like you know, bats and wolves and ****?" Gasped as she thought of yet more questions.

"Does anyone around here look like Bones and have that cool English accent and kick *** like he does?" Might have had a crush on a literary vampire and gave her father a don't you judge me, you just got yourself turned into a vampire, look .

"Like you don't even know what I would do......" Stopped herself and felt the heat rising to her cheeks and turning them bright red.

"Wait, I get to be one too, right? That's why we're all here, yeah?"

Stopped herself again and took a couple of deep breaths. "I mean, there's good things to being a vampire, or you wouldn't have gotten yourself turned into one. What are the good things? And, what are the bad things? What do I have to know about this before.....you know.....does it hurt? Did it hurt?" Those last questions were focused on Noah before she turned and looked at Caligrace and asked. "Did you hurt my dad?"[/For_Peace]