Multiple Settings N O L A (IC)

[jasmyn]

Welcome to New Orleans

xxx

S E T T I N G
Mid-October | Late Afternoon

Fifty years. That was the cause of the big celebration in the French Quarter today. Marking fifty long years since the vampire in New Orleans took over the city and set a curse in motion that kept their enemies from being able to overthrow them. Of course, they were still living amongst the humans and so this annual fall festival in the streets that they threw to mark the years remained disguised as a fun little party weekend.

Something was changing though. The existence of the moonstone had been revealed two years ago and ever since the supernatural had been in a race of sorts to retrieve it. No one knew where it was though but everyone wanted it each for their own reasonings. If the curse was lifted then the vampires would no longer have the upper hand. Everyone would have their advantages back and it could be the start of an all-out war.

The self-proclaimed king of New Orleans wouldn't admit it to many but he was starting to worry that his reign was coming to an end. He'd been sending his best men off to find the moonstone with no results so far. Still, he held his glass up high from the balcony of his home which sat in the center of the French Quarter, and called out to his fellow vampires. His words echoed as he disappeared into the shadows of his home to tend to business

"Laissez les bons temps rouler!"

On the other hand, the wolves were off in the bayou having their own little get-together courtesy of the Crescent pack. Every year the vampires celebrated their triumphant ruling over the Quarter and every year the wolves held their own bayou cookout. Sorta like an anti-curse thing, if you will. Wherever you choose to go just remember, war is slowly brewing and things are about to get pretty shaken up.
​

coded by natasha.

 

[jasmyn]

outfit

click here.

interactions

open.

mentions

open.

tags

none.

"Make sure that you check everything. Last year vampires took this as a chance to pluck off some of our people and we will not have a repeat of that," Nikolas told a few pack members who simply nodded and took off to check the perimeter like he'd told them to. They were just now getting their annual bayou barbecue kicked off, something they had been doing for about ten years now. His father had insisted that they start the tradition to cancel out the "curse parade" that the vampires held in the Quarter and cleverly masked as a fall festival. Nik didn't care much for it but he couldn't break a tradition his father had felt so strongly about which is why he continued it after the man's death.

The past two years had been hard on him Nik. First, he'd lost his father and had to immediately step up into his place as the alpha. It was a hard enough job without having to fill such big shoes. Not to mention the bitter-sweet part of it all since it was originally supposed to be Tristan's spot, not his. Sadly, in the wake of his brother's murder, which happened during the start of the vampire takeover, he had been the only son left to William Delphine. When the curse had been set in motion nobody expected it to last this long and yet here they were fifty years later still in the middle of the damn thing.

It seemed there was almost no hope for them to ever be free again and a lot of the pack members, himself included, missed their wolf forms and full abilities. They’d known of the elusive moonstone for as long as Nik has been alpha and still hadn’t turned up so much as a clue yet. It was getting increasingly frustrating and he could sense his pack was growing impatient. Some had proposed they just fight but Nik knew that would turn into a bloodbath and most of his members would be dead. He wouldn't lead them into a fight they had zero chance of winning if he could help it. His father had done that and it ended in the death of too many including himself. Nik knew he had to be smarter than that and so he'd wait until they actually had a plan or some leverage.

"If someone runs into my sister, let her know I am looking for her," Nik called out to no one in particular as he put some of the burgers on the barbecue pit. There was a radio playing music nearby and people scattered across the edge of the bayou. It was a peaceful afternoon in place of his often hectic ones and yet his sister, as usual, aimed to ruin that for him. He knew she didn't just go around trying to make things hard for him or cause drama but she damn well didn't avoid it either. Nik just worried about her getting herself into trouble or in with the wrong crowds as she had done too many times to count already.

Nikolas | Werewolf

code by fudgecakez

 

[Cosmo]

​

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daniel's worn brown boots fell heavily on the 'road', or at least, that is what he assumed the thin strip of packed dirt that snaked its way through dense trees and thigh high water was to be called, as he made his way from the last vestiges of civilization in the area, the bus stop that lay nearly three miles behind him now, towards the werewolf compound. His walk was accompanied by the buzzing of insects that made the waterlogged area their home and the scattered bird calls from the canopies of the strange trees that filled the bayou, but Daniel kept his striking blue eyes glued to the path least he make a wrong step and be thigh deep in the lovely mixture of murky water, silt and mud. He had been walking for sometime and he shivered as a bead of moisture rolled down his back, but he wasn't sure if it was sweat, as it was a mild day, or just moisture from the humidity that was so prevalent in the thrice blasted bayou. But it wasn't the worst, no, the worst was the smell. The abundant moisture and heat, the stagnant water that was a hive for bacteria and algae, the feces and corpses of the animals that lay out in the bayou, their bodies slowly rotting and decaying in the humid warmth... The smell was hard to really describe, his mind would jump from it being akin to a small morsel of rotten meat trapped in a bag with a lovely pair of sweaty socks to a cracked sewer pipe slowly dripping its contents out into a lawn, not overwhelming at first, but present and slowly growing with each gust of wind. For the people of the compound, Daniel doubted they noticed, having gone nose blind to the stench long ago in their exile, and Daniel, himself, would soon go nose blind to it, his mind just accepting the stench and ignoring it as he acclimated, but in his experience, that wouldn't be for another hour or so, and so he took long gasps of breath through his mouth as he hoped against hope that he wouldn't inhale yet another mosquito that veered too close in its search for a quick sip.

Was the BBQ going to be worth it? No. No, it was not. Only a handful of people there Daniel enjoyed talking to, and his patience already ran thing after his long shift at work, he wasn't sure he could endure talk about how, someday, the pact would 'rise again'. Get them some guns and they'd be nothing more then some crazy militia hiding out in the country waiting for the world to end so they could 'get theirs'. Even the food was iffy, it all depended on who cooked it, the last time Daniel went down to one of these gatherings, the person in charge of the grilling had one too many and so much of the food had been charred as they became more interested in talking and drinking then minding what they were doing, but maybe this was different because it was the BBQ. The pinnacle of 'the wolves will rise again' events... Well, whichever it turned out to be, Daniel just hoped he could snag some ribs that weren't charred. It had been so long since he had good food that even the memory of what it tasted like had gone dim. The last couple years had been... rough as he begged and scrounged to get by, but at least he had some level of stability now. At least, he wasn't a monster anymore, at least... At least he was human and so long as the blessing held, he would remain such and he'd do anything, including trudging through the backend of the bayou if it meant he'd wake up a man and not a beast.

Daniel ran his calloused fingers through his loose hair, his finger snagged on a tangle before it powered through, as he pushed the strands from his face. The beads of sweat that had dotted his forehead now stuck to his hand and, once again, Daniel wasn't sure if it was truly sweat or just the water in the air gathering on his skin, either way, he wiped it off on his worn jeans with a grimace, if there was one bad thing about the blessing, it was that they picked Louisiana to set it up at. He could only guess that the nicer states where a man could walk around and not be confused as to how he got damp were all taken. As the gravel crunched underfoot, a scent carried in the air, the scent of smoke. It was a weak scent, just barely making its way through the smell of bayou goop to make itself known, a scent that beckoned to him that his journey was almost over and, indeed, it was. Daniel could already see the bend in the path that would bring him to the compound and as he drew near, new scents and sounds joined as they managed to fight their way through the trees, the scent of meat and the murmur of multiple conversations that all blended into one incomprehensible buzz. Deep in his subconscious, Daniel had already donned his 'werewolf' mask. Bravado, confidence he did not feel or have any longer mixing with his actual desire to stay away to become the 'Daniel' they knew. The Daniel that didn't exist. The Daniel that had never existed.

He came to an abrupt stop as he spotted two figures outside the compound, a man and a woman, Daniel raised his hand to them in greeting, "Hey, not late am I? Would hate to miss it so long as you keep the liquor away from Parks, these are the only boots I got and I ain't having him puke on them," his voice was smooth with a slight rough edge to it.

"Oui, Daniel! Glad you made it!" The man said, larger of the two with a coarse beard across his chin and a single missing tooth that the larger man always insisted was lost in a scuffle with a bear and not because he hadn't seen a tooth brush in ten years.

"How could I miss out, Roger? What better way to spend my night then trudging through the delightful swamp and seeing your face?" Daniel said with a shrug as he put in the necessary aggression that so many werewolves seemed to enjoy.

As Roger chuckled and said something in the vein of Daniel going behind a nearby tree to get intimate with himself, the woman cut in, "Is it just you?" her green eyes narrowed slightly, her messy red hair nearly as wild as her green eyes, Monica, more guard dog then wolf.

"Yea, just me, its weird, I asked this girl to come with me as a date, but wouldn't you know it, seems girls aren't willing to follow someone that looks like a murder hobo out to the middle of the bayou, who woulda thought?" Daniel said as he rolled his eyes, "Why the question? Something happening tonight?"

"Nah, Nik ain't got nothing planned, just always worried, y'know? What with the blood suckers out there," Roger said oblivious to the glare Monica was shooting his way

"Wouldn't want that," Daniel said, "You know, be needing that blood and what not," he finished easily as Roger nodded as if Daniel had just said something truly wise or inspiration, "Aint that the truth."

"Look, can you piss off?" Monica said, "We got a job to do and you're in the way."

"Yes, Ma'am, wouldn't want to stop you from keeping out the mosquitoes and gators," Daniel said as he putted the needed gruff bravado in to sell it, "I'll bring you a beer later tonight Roger, with company like this, lord knows you'll need it," he finished and gave the larger man a heavy pat on the shoulder as the words 'preciate it' followed behind him as Monica already begin berating Roger for not being better at his job and that he would be big and stupid if he thought she was going to let him drink.

Daniel took one step, two steps... three steps and then it happened. The hard ground he expected to feel beneath his boot wasn't there, instead he was met with a slurp as his boot plunged into muddy water. His gaze fell down to his leg, as a frown stretched its way across his face, the brown water came up to his knee and already he could feel the silt and water rush in to fill his boot. He gave a soft tug to test it, but nothing. The mud sucked his boot in good and he was more likely to pull his foot out of the boot then get it out. "Fucking typical," Daniel muttered under his breath as he counted to three, curled his toes to get some grip and tried to wrench his foot out of the mud. There was a tug, a pull as Daniel fought to free it, strained against the mud that had sealed around him until with a sloop he was free to stumble a few feet forward into something soft, boney and very much a person with all the force a dislodged Daniel could muster.​

Mentioned: jasmyn

 

[MadiRaiCat]

Elektra Padmore

Location: In Town -> Bayou Barbeque

Interactions: Open

Mentions: None

Outfit: x | x

The tall brick walls on either side of the alley cast shadows on the ground below, just enough to give it a disconcerting atmosphere as the afternoon droned on. A couple of trash bags were carelessly thrown alongside a large metal dumpster, and a few puddles of dingy water had collected down the alley's center. A single light above one of the copper-colored doors flickered every so often, buzzing continuously. All was calm, at least for the moment. But that was cut short by one of the doors bursting open, slamming into the brick with a screeching thud. A man shot out into the alley, nearly tripping over his own feet as he ran. There was a mixture of fear and anger on his face, caused by something from inside the building that he was trying to get a way from. But he wouldn't succeed.

As the man ran, a brunette woman stepped out from the same doorway, glancing after him with a bored expression. "Why do they always run?" she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes. Elektra checked her hair and make up in the reflection of a nearby window before taking off down the alley after the man. Even though he had a distinct lead on her, it was easy to follow the scent trail of smoke and vodka he left behind. That combined with Elektra's agility and speed allowed her to cut the man off at a cross street only a block away. With one fluid motion, she grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt and slammed his face against the hood of the closest car. "You stupid bitch!" the man shouted, though it was slightly muffled by the metal of the car. Elektra smirked, keeping the man pressed against the car in a bit of a chokehold. Letting out a light laugh, the brunette werewolf replied, "That's rich coming from a man without an oar in the water."

Elektra reached into her back pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs, slapping them on to the man's wrists. He continued to rant with derogatory statements, but she ignored him. This was her second of three bounty hunts she had been sent after in that town, and it was just as uneventful as the first. A short walk and slightly longer drive later, Elektra shoved her captive through the front doors of the New Orleans police station, smirking slightly as he fell to the ground with a huff. The officer at the front desk looked up at Elektra with wide eyes, obviously confused on how a petite brunette dressed in a leather jacket, sneakers, and red lipstick could take down a buff, burly criminal. Ellie carefully stepped over the man and up to the desk, leaning on it with a smile. "I believe y'all have been looking for this here man," she began, her southern accent prevalent in her tone. "When you get the chance, I'll take my paycheck. Thanks, you're a doll."

Elektra left the police station a little bit richer, and a little less tense. Bounty hunting had been her career for over a century, tasked with hunting down the country's most despicable people for money. It was her form of attempting to make a difference in the world, to amend for the mistakes she had made in her past. Did it work? Not really. But she had to try anyway. Elektra pulled her mini notebook out from her purse, turning to the current page about half way through and crossing out the name of the man. She had filled a few notebooks over the years, and kept them to remind herself that she was doing some good in the world. Only one name remained on the page there, it being the major reason she went to New Orleans, as much as she would rather avoid it.

Ellie didn't know anything about him, hadn't found any information yet. She had no leads. But she had an idea of who she could ask, someone who had been in New Orleans for longer than she had been gone. As much as the brunette wolf wanted nothing more than to avoid the pack she had been forced to leave all that time ago, she really didn't have a choice in the matter. She needed information to do her job, that was the only reason she was going back. At least, that's what she told herself. Elektra cut the engine as she pulled into the bayou, staring out over the area. There were quite a few people crowded there, chatting happily as music filled the air. The smells of grilled meat filled his nostrils as Ellie stepped out of the car, her nerves sparking sharply. She walked up to the barbeque, hands shoved into her pockets and ignoring the stares that some shot in her direction. Well, time to face the music.

code by Stardust Galaxy​

 

[MadiRaiCat]

Dorian Dubois

Location: Mirage

Interactions: Open

Mentions: None

Outfit: x

A bell about the door to the art gallery jingled as Dorian stepped inside. The space was minimalistic, with wood floors and white walls fashionably lined with various pieces of art work. It was a full blown gallery where local New Orleans artists in the French Quarter could display their work for the general public to view and buy. Even Dorian himself had a few piece hung upon the walls. To those who were new to New Orleans or just relatively naïve, Mirage was just a standard art gallery. But for those who kept an ear to the magical grapevine, it was much more. Dorian inhaled deeply, looking around at a few of the art pieces for a moment before walking towards the reception desk against the adjacent wall. A young woman sat behind it, scrolling absentmindedly through whatever was on the computer screen. Dorian made a mental note to have a supervisor later speak with her about how to greet guests. After all, he was a businessman, and wanted to make sure his customers enjoyed their experience.

Without even stopping to talk to the girl, Dorian stepped to the right of the desk and walked directly through the floor-length mirror. The mirror was an illusion he had created, made up of several strips of reflective material enchanted to line up perfectly after every entrance and exit and warded against vampires. Dorian was nothing if not a bit excessive, a master of illusions and manipulation that loved to show off his craft. On the other side of the mirror was the real Mirage, a nightclub currently bathed in purple-toned light and filled with the pounding base of dance music. It was still fairly early, but a few people were already there enjoying drinks at the bar or lounging in the deep purple velvet cushions of the VIP area. Dorian inhaled deeply, grinning as he glanced around the night club and said, "It's good to be home."

The warlock made his way over to the VIP area, where a crescent-shaped purple velvet couch awaited him. It was his designated area, meaning that whenever Dorian was in the club, it was reserved for him. A lot of the time, Dorian ran more of the business side of things. He tended to the bar, performed on stage for entertainment, and even broke up fights every now and again. But that was his day off, and he was determined to enjoy himself and relax at all costs. Dorian lounged back into the plush velvet, a smirk playing on his lips as a waitress approached with a bottle of champagne and a chilled glass. "Why thank you, sweetheart," he said, grabbing both and pouring himself a full glass of the bubbly golden liquid. After working all week, it was finally his turn to enjoy himself. Taking a sip of the champagne, Dorian was determined to do just that, no matter the cost.

code by Stardust Galaxy​

 

[_amaranth_]

AryaGraham

Love me if you can but be prepared for the thorns

mood: . let's taste the freedom

location: . the street

outfit: . click

mentions: . Mason

interactions: . Aiden; Juliet

tags: . apolla ; jasmyn

“Jesus Christ, Aiden! I can take care of myself. You don’t have to run after me every time I go out!” Arya exclaimed and stormed out of the kitchen, heading upstairs to her room. There was this great celebration outside and her stupid brother was all about her going with him and Mason. Not that she didn’t appreciate the company, quite the contrary. But would it really hurt if Arya wanted to go somewhere without her security detail once in a while? “And don’t you dare to-“

She had no time to finish her answer as Aiden was already at the door, patronizing as ever. “You know why, Arya. I just want to know that-“

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. You always do. Look. It’s not like someone is after us. And trust me, I will be careful. I just want to enjoy myself finally. You have no idea how frustrating it was to only be able to go out at night, okay? Besides, aren’t you supposed to meet Mason already?” she dropped her last argument and slammed the door right in her brother’s face.

Ever since she became a vampire, Aiden was by her side. He was the one who turned her. Even back when they both were humans, Aiden was overprotective and always trying to make sure nothing happened to her. But now, as vamps, he could get extremely obnoxious. Arya knew he meant well but his ways of doing it were more than exhausting. And ever since he made that daylight ring happen for her…he was even worse.

Throwing an outfit together was not a problem. Arya was thinking about it for days now so she simply grabbed the pieces and put them on. Her face didn’t need a lot of work but she did spend quite a lot of time choosing the right lipstick. Going through the shades, she ended up with two. Orange Tangerine or Flamenco Red? Tough choice. Yeah, no. Not really. Flamenco red. It was much redder. And redder is better. Arya was ready to go.

Ever since the Graham siblings came to New Orleans, Arya was trying to build some kind of life for herself. Nothing big or too flashy or extravagant. She simply wanted to live. Before, her life was all about school and making something of herself. Her parents wanted her to be the best version of herself, to succeed, to get the greatest education possible. That was not an option now and that was exactly why the redhead decided it was time she learned to really live. And there was no better place for it than New Orleans. Especially with the curse up now.

Thinking about that, the girl slipped out of the house so fast that Aiden would never have any chance to react. For tonight, the girl was free and she disappeared in the crowd on the street, weaving through people, looking around with a big happy smile plastered on her face. She just walked and walked for god knows how long until she reached the end of the whole crowd heading the other way. Did she really want to stay and celebrate? Or did she want to dare and go further? To the bayou? No, Aiden would kill her if she dared. But the possibilities were endless at this point and Arya was starting to become overwhelmed by all of them.

Until she noticed a familiar face. Thank god. Having fun was always much better with a friend, right? “Juliet! Jules, hey!” she exclaimed and hopped in the girl’s direction. “Hi! I didn’t know you were coming! But boy am I glad! I was wondering what to do tonight and I even managed to get rid of my brother. You wanna get a drink or something? Maybe in Mirage?”

code by valen t.

 

[_amaranth_]

AidenGraham

If you're not gonna obsessed with me, give my number to your friend

mood: . whatever

location: . Mason's place

outfit: . click!

mentions: . Dorian

interactions: . Arya; Mason

tags: . MadiRaiCat ; apolla

“Jesus Christ, Aiden! I can take care of myself. You don’t have to run after me every time I go out!” Arya exclaimed and stormed out of the kitchen, heading upstairs to her room. Aiden rolled his eyes and let out a sharp exhale. That girl was going to be his demise and he knew it. Arya was always very strong-willed and becoming a vampire only heightened that. She was now more than stubborn and Aiden couldn’t make her understand that all he did was to protect her.

When he found out about her car accident, the fear and dread overwhelmed him so much he couldn’t even breath. And seeing her in hospital, all those machines beeping around her, his little sister barely alive, he never felt more helpless. Their parents were there every day and all Aiden did was bringing them coffee and hoping. Until he overheard a conversation between Arya’s doctors about her not having high chances. She was dying and there was nothing anyone could do. Except Aiden. He had one last option. He could save her. And so he did.

Ever since then, he never let her from his sight. The fact that she could only go out at night was an advantage. Sure, the girl was not excited but at least it kept her out of trouble. They were always on the move, texting their parents and sending various postcards from everywhere they went. Aiden convinced them to let Arya travel with him as a part of her recovery. Poor people had no idea who their children were and so they let it go. For now. And Aiden brought Arya to New Orleans. And even went as far as asking witches for a daylight ring for her. It took time but he finally managed to find one, Dorian Dubois, a good pal, to make a piece for her. Now Arya owed Dori a favor. But that was not really Aiden’s business. As long as Dorian didn’t ask for something way too extreme.

Aiden ran upstairs just in time and tried to reason with Arya again but all he got was door slammed in his face. Yet she made a one good point. He WAS supposed to meet Mason and since it was almost time, Aiden went to get a quick shower which proved to be a mistake. He was almost done when he heard the front door open and close. “Damn you, Arya.” he growled and stopped the water, reaching for the towel. She slipped right from his reach and Aiden should know better. After all, she only knew what he taught her.

It was only a short while later that he was ready to go. Grabbing his phone, he tucked it in the back pocket of his pants and ran down the stairs. There was no way he could catch up to his sister right now so he just let her roam on her own and headed straight to Mason’s, shooting him a text he was on his way.

The streets were already pretty full and so it took Aiden way longer to reach Mason’s place than usual but finally he was there. His balled fist banged on the door and made it sound like the thunderstorm hit at. “Mason, dude! Come on! You’re late already!” he snickered and hit the door again, making the poor piece of wood regret it ever existed.

code by valen t.

 

[nohbdy]

~ || ~​

Lucas hummed to himself as he picked up yet another book off the shelf to skim through the synopsis. His favourite bookstore in town was doing a sale on horror stories and he simply couldn’t resist. Was he stalling so he wouldn’t have to go back to the bayou and avoid the yearly barbeque? Maybe. But Lucas would vehemently deny it if asked. He just needed to finish his errands for today because he’s been putting them off for a while now. If he was slightly late to the party, oops. Time just slips on by when you get busy.

After narrowing down his selection from the massive stack that was growing on the table next to him, Lucas went to check out. He was glad he successfully avoided Nik this morning. No doubt he would have been dragged into helping set up otherwise. The barbeque was never his cup of tea despite understanding why William started the tradition. He just didn’t care to socialize much with people in the pack, save for a select few.

Lucas had also did his bet to avoid the annual ‘fall festival’ that was happening in town right now. He couldn’t believe it’s been half a century since this whole curse thing started. It was weird for him. Some days he was angry at the vampires who started it all. Other days, he didn’t mind not being able to turn anymore. Lucas always felt a little morose around this time of year anyways; the anniversary of him turning was coming up after all. It always put him in a mood when he remembered the events that led up to him becoming a werewolf. Usually, Lucas used to take a trip to visit her grave every year. But since the curse, he hasn’t been able to for a while which made him even more sullen. Though at this point, Lucas’s started to accept that he was going to be stuck here for a while.

Thanking the cashier, Lucas grabbed his books and headed back to his car. Figuring he’s stalled enough for the day, he made his way to the location of the barbeque. Seeing that the party had already started, Lucas stayed to the side and people watched like he normally would. Not seeing Edmée, he quickly sent her a ‘where are you?’ text. These gatherings were always more bearable if they struggled through them together.

As he was about to light a smoke, Lucas was suddenly blindsided by something, or rather someone, running into him. He was able to catch himself in time before his face violently kissed the ground. “Jesus,” Lucas cursed as he turned to help right the person who rammed into him. “Daniel, are you alright?” Pulling both of them up, Lucas glanced over the younger man. He could help but smile when he saw one of Daniel’s leg was covered in swamp water, putting two and two together. It’s happened to him more times than he could count. “You’ve got to watch where you’re stepping ‘round here.”

~ || ~​

Mentions: Edmée ( NanLia )
Interactions: Daniel ( Cosmo )

 

[NanLia]

Edmée

Edmée had arrived for the barbecue early as she had been taught to do. She helped Nic and Julie set up and start preparing for the celebration. She hadn't been to one of the packs family picnics previously, always avoiding them with excuses that the bar needed her. It wasn't a whole lie; today was a busy day in town and she could always use the extra cash but it had become more and more daunting over the past couple of years to smile and pretend while people celebrated without knowing the truth behind it.

While she'd been with the coven it hadn't bothered her, as much. She'd been young, nieve and had her whole life ahead of her. Since becoming a wolf the knowledge of the oppression by the vampires had become far more evident. At least, while she'd been a witch, she could use her magic, join in hexes and prayers but as a wolf? Well she was only a wolf in name, unable to turn, never having experienced it.

The pack had been welcoming, something deep in her core she needed in order to survive. She'd found some friendship, even strained relations, but she still felt … disconnected. Edmée had decided that it was going to change. This year would be different.

After helping Nic set up for the day she'd set out her offerings. Mother had been very clear, a guest was never to arrive at a party empty handed. While mother had last been adamant that the host gift was food related Edmée was never one to cook or bake. She was, however, one to drink. She set out her punch bowl, filled with her Milk Punch, piling red and blue solo cups alongside.

Not twenty minutes later Edmée felt overwhelmed with the sheer number of pack members that milled about and socialized. She smiled and pretended to be happy to be there, but ultimately made her way out of the crowd and to a secluded area to take a breath. She found herself a seat at the roots of a gnarled tree, arms resting on her knees as she watched the droplets of condensation roll down her cup and drip into the moist soil at her feet.

She was pulled from her thoughts as her phone went off. She set her cup down, fishing her phone from her pocket she immediately smirked at the sight of who had texted her. Hiding. Where are you?

Bayou BBQ • mention nohbdy • melancholy •

 

[Safton]

***​

The engine of the blue Civic whined in something akin to protest as the tiny sedan rambled down the long dirt driveway toward the plantation-style home looming in the distance. As it drew closer, more vehicles became visible -- all of them newer in make than the Honda -- parked in front of the manor, where the driveway looped around in a wide, lazy circle. Adelaide brought the car lurching to a halt, reaching for the gear shift.

The young witch climbed out, looking over the home for the first time in years. It looked much the same as she had left it: the paint was weathered and the wood paneling in places was in need of repair, albeit not distressingly so. The house showed its age without coming across as dilapidated. Some might even call it charming and say it added to the home's character. That was how Addy had always felt about it, anyway. There was never anything dingy or foreboding about this place. It would only ever be the home where she had been taken in as a child to start a new life, taught to master her gifts and introduced to a part of the world most didn't know existed... a part of the world she had turned her back on. Just like Noella.

Adelaide took a deep breath, shutting the door of the Civic before strutting toward the front door of the home. She was halfway across the drive when it opened, a middle-aged Creole woman appearing there with crossed arms: Beatrice, another member of the Coven. "Well, well. Look who it is," she remarked.

Addy gave the older woman a weary smile, "Hey, Auntie Bee. Where is she?"

Beatrice's face tightened further. "What do you care? You missed the ceremony."

Adelaide frowned. "I'm sorry, all right? I came as soon as I co--"

"You never should have left, ti kè. Your place was here, among your kind," Beatrice retorted.

"I didn't come here to argue with you, Bee. I came here to pay my respects. Now where the hell is she?" Addy paused cocking her head with wide eyes. "Did they already take her to the mausoleum?" She turned on her heel, stalking back toward her Civic when she heard Beatrice call out to her.

"Wait, Addy." Adelaide turned, looking back. The elder woman opened the door fully, standing aside. "Come in. She's in the parlor," she said, her voice low.

Addy nodded to her, walking slowly into the house, doing her best to ignore the eyes of the nearly dozen or so witches that fell on her as she crossed the threshold, not to mention the low murmurs of gossip filling the home. She made a beeline to the parlor where a white oak casket sat on a sawhorse in the center of the room. Adelaide took a deep breath before approaching the coffin, biting her lower lip as she saw her great aunt Noella resting peacefully inside. She hadn't been told the manner of the woman's death -- only that she had died in trying to stop the curse. In truth, she didn't want to know. There were no visible signs of trauma on her body, though Adelaide didn't look very hard. Already her eyes were welling up with tears at the sight of the woman who had become her second mother, who had taken her in and taught her so much.

"I'm sorry for everything, Auntie. I should have stayed here and been by your side. Maybe if I had been, you'd still be here." Addy held the side of the coffinin a white-knuckled grip, shaking her head as a tear rolled down her cheek, falling down into the open casket and soaking the satin interior. "I can't change that now. All I can do is say thank you for the life you gave me -- for taking me in, for teaching me what you did, even if it wasn't all good. I promise you that I'll finish what you started if it's the last thing I do on this Earth. I love you."

With that, Adelaide turned and departed from the room, wiping her tears away to head to the bathroom and clean herself up -- and wait for the other well-wishers to clear out. Once the home was a little less crowded, Addy snuck out into the living room. Her eyes fell onto the mantle of the fireplace where a framed picture sat. It was of Adelaide and her oldest friend Edmée when both were 16 years old. They were at the beach, standing in the surf with their arms around each other making silly faces at the camera. Addy smiled fondly at the memory. "The answer is no, in case you were wondering," Beatrice's voice behind Adelaide made her jump.

Addy nearly jumped out of her skin as she whirled around to face the woman. "Excuse me?"

"We haven't seen or heard from Edmée in the years since you've been gone. No one has. Not today or any other day. She's gone, ti kè. I'm sorry, I know you two were close," Beatrice said, genuine sympathy in her tone. Adelaide nodded slowly, but said nothing. "So, you've paid your respects. What now? Are you going back to Portland?"

Adelaide shook her head. "No. I'm staying. I'm finishing what Aunt Noella started."

Beatrice was silent for several moments and at first Addy feared that the woman might argue with her. Instead, she slowly smiled and nodded. "Good. In that case, she left some things for you."

***​

Mentions: Edmée ( NanLia )

 

[Abendrot]

Cormac

Location: Mirage

Interactions: MadiRaiCat (Dorian)

Cormac stared at the painting.

The colors on this one were muted, the style reminiscent of Monet. Each stroke had a smudging quality that rendered the image watery, like a reflection in a rippling pool. The scene was a street. "Berlin," he decided. "Weimar Era."

Mr. Guererro, the gallery curator, raised an appreciative eyebrow, and Cormac felt glad he'd gotten that right. Umbrella-bearing pedestrians walked about on the canvas, only vaguely represented by one or two smudges each, yet their shapes were obvious. They battled against wind and rain while black, boxy cars rumbled beside them. Here everything moved so randomly, pushing against one another, flowing, like water.'

"I know cityscapes are a little tired," Mr. Guererro said, "But-"
"I like it," Cormac said, cutting off the shorter man. "I like it a lot."

The two of them fell silent again. The painting really was quite pretty, with its flowing blues, grays and greens, painted in a way that gave a feeling of eeriness, of each person on the canvas being as insignificant as the individual raindrop.

Finally, Cormac turned, walking away from the painting. "I'm done looking at art for now." He paused a moment, then looked back. "Keep that one up though. Don't be so quick to sell it."

Mr. Guererro acknowledged the request with a nod. As Cormac made his way towards the true Mirage, he tried to regain some of his enthusiasm, though the memory of that strange scene stayed with him.

Not even that could really dampen his mood. Something felt different in New Orleans. Something that excited him, though he didn't know why.

He continued to the foyer. The gallery had just closed its doors to the public, and the windows were shuttered to hide from mortal eyes what Cormac was about to do. He selected a mirror from one of the walls, took a moment to straighten up his clothes and hair, then, slowly, he stepped into his own reflection.

An icy feeling surged through his body; stepping into a mirror-portal was like walking through a wall of cold water. But as soon as he emerged on the other side, warmth returned to his body in an instant. Mirage the nightclub was a large room, lit by dim, colored lights, giving everything a violet and black cast. Only a few people sat at the bar, but a dozen people was still a crowd at this hour. Cormac walked right past them though, moving briskly towards the VIP sections, and the bouncers did not move to stop him once they saw his face.

He walked along the wall, his eyes scanning over empty alcoves with plush, velvet seats, until he stopped and found a person inside one of them.

Dorian Dubois looked like he'd been there a while. He'd slouched quite far back into the seat, and there was a cockiness about his posture. A flute of champagne nestled comfortably in his hands, as it if it had become a permanent appendage there.

"Oh!" Cormac exclaimed, only half-surprised. "I didn't knew you'd be here so early, Dorian. Didn't mean to disturb."

code by Stardust Galaxy​

 

[deer]

click la rose & scrolls​

She ran. Barefoot through the cold hallways and garden. In a dream within a dream. She ran and ran. Until her heart pounded erratically against her chest. Breathless laughter and widened, coy smiles. All in her head, in her thoughts, consumed in her being. But, it was all hers, forever and ever, always, eternally. A never-ending cycle.

Diane!¹

It was her ghostly faded silhouette and tiny pitter-patter footsteps followed by shrill giggles in a game of cat and mouse with her brother James. How tiny the child was. So innocent, small, and without fear. Half the size of a stool yet so full of mischief and worldly curiosities.

"Mademoiselle Merchand?"

Out of her reverie, the songstress let out a soft sigh. Her stormy-grey blue eyes glanced towards the human. An odd creature, standing before her, almost skittish yet she could feel that the attention she gave him, even an ounce, allowed some semblance of confidence for the man. It was peculiar, amusing some days, the way he followed her like a puppy, wanting to stay on her better side. Regardless, his grievances was not her business and not one she cared to indulge in.

"James," her soft voice whispered his name, slipping smoothly against her tongue, "Is there something you seek?"

As if on command, he croaked, only to clear the frog from his throat to respond, "It's... My name.. it's Paul, Mademoiselle, not -"

With a sudden turn, she faced him, making sure to never break eye-contact. She would not show weakness nor thoughts through her eyes. As she stared, taking in the misshapen appearance of her current company, her forehead slightly creased, brows narrowing as realisation dawned on her. He was, indeed, not the curly, brown-haired boy.

A small "hm" escaped her lips, giving a small acknowledgement to her former slip.

Raising a small hand to keep him from speaking further, the golden-haired vampiress leaned in close, refusing to let distance seperate them. Her warm breath caused small goosebumps to trail up Paul's spine as a small smile crossed Lilith's lips.

"Don't be so tense, Paul." Her sultry voice called to him. "Ease up, a little. We have work to do, don't we?" She questioned, her fingers hovering near his chest as her hand gently trailed towards the front pocket of his shirt. With a pat, Lilith slipped a dollar bill between her fingers inside the pocket. "Come, now."

Without a word, Paul gulped back his nervous tendencies and nodded quickly, making his way out of the La Rouge, grabbing the rest of the liquor from his parked truck outside.

"Oh Lilith!" a high-pitched, singsongy voice echoed from behind the stairs.

"Diane -"

"Are we playing the name-game again?"

"Oh, no, darling."

A pause.

Lilith turned away from the front door, back facing Paul's departed silhouette to glance upon her next companion, a more feminine aura. From the dark. long locks to the woman's small quip, Lilith's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Ebony, you've finished putting up the lights in the courtyard?"

It was a well-suited name for the woman. Though Ebony came to her two years ago, Lilith took note of how the woman tried to familiarise herself quickly into her company. Lilith won't deny that she has been a good help and it comforted her slightly knowing the woman managed to earn her loyalty.

A small playful eye-roll came from Ebony as well as a small tsk slipped. However, Ebony’s exasperated expression only caused Lilith to let out a small laugh. The vampiress wanted freedom for the night so she allowed Ebony the ability to take the reign. But, before she could, Lilith had to make sure everything at her La Rouge was in refined condition.

“When and if Monsieur Barclay appears tonight, we must all be on our best. Afterall, a king must be treated with some respect."

"Yes, I know, dear." The female sighed, moving her wrist, swatting an invisible gnat. A bored look crossed her features as Lilith observed the woman's tendency to sluggishly move through the corridors of the bar. It didn't slip from Lilith's grasp knowing Ebony wasn't fond of lavishness, much less parties like the one being thrown tonight. Lilith didn't fault the woman since she too, had no interest in it. If there was, it was disdain.

Nevertheless, Ebony flited towards her before saddling up closely next to her in affection. The woman’s arm wrapped together in hers, entangling and attaching them together as she led her out of the bar. “Don’t worry your pretty little head. The girls are getting ready and will be finished in due time. We'’ve prepared for this since it was announced.”

Lilith could only nod, listening to Ebony’s soft reassurance to her before. As they made their way out, Paul moved inside in the opposite way, carrying the rest of the boxes and barrels of liquor. The crowd swarmed throughout the streets of the Quarter. The sound of jazz music playing in the distance and the smell of gumbo and crawfish in the other direction filled her nose. The city was truly alive and seeing small groups of people parading down the streets made her sigh softly. It was calming yet she knew a storm was brewing.

She met him, once, and saw him earlier. He stood tall and proud, glancing down below to his fellow vampires. Invitations were sent for tonight, welcoming all the vampires of the Quarters to La Rouge for some song, music, and drinks. Lilith placed a gentle hand over Ebony's, patting it softly to let her know she wanted to be left alone for now. At the tell, Ebony released her hold on her and made her way back inside.

The streets continued to fill as the intriguing creatures travelled their way around. She gave few looks to some here and there who caught her glance. But nonetheless, she observed.

"Laissez les bons temps rouler, indeed, Monsieur." Lilith whispered underneath her breath, ready for what the night would bring

1. Pronounced (dee-ann-nay)
RP Info; Location: La Rouge | Scenario: Preparing to open the bar for the night | Mentions: Zachariah Barclay

“𝗜𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗜 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲;
𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿.” - 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲

 

[apolla]

Seraphina

The Wicked Witch

Mood:

"Girl could use a drink."

Location:

Mirage

Outfit:

Click!

Tags:

no one yet

Seraphina Kuznetsov was used to the looks that people around the city of New Orleans gave her. Even if they didn't know that she was that witch, they just seemed to sense her aura and stay away. Sometimes people even crossed the street so they wouldn't have to walk past her. It wasn't because she was that threatening, at least not on the outside. On the outside, she was just a small framed female, dark hair and dark eyes. But it was her eyes that screamed stay away, along with that aura people seemed to sense. She wasn't complaininag, at least not one hundred percent. She preferred people stay away from her. Or at least... that's what she'd convinced herself.

With her ever present scowl on her face, Sera had left her little apartment that she shared with her little kitten Cuddles, to venture out into the afternoon. The sun hadn't quite set yet, but still, people were partying it up everywhere, it seemed. The town festival happened every year at this time, the humans completely unaware what they were actually celebrating. Sure, this time was fun for the humans who just wanted a reason to get out of their house and party, but Sera and the other supernatural of the town knew the truth. Today marked fifty years since the vampires took over the town, using a witch to create a curse that kept everyone locked here.

Of course, Sera wasn't fifty years old. In fact, the 19 year old was just that: still very much a young adult. Her mother had been the one who create the curse with the vampires, but she'd gone off the rails and disappeared into the night with her husband, leaving Sera behind. The curse had to be 'renewed' yearly, so to speak, which is where Sera came in. She'd been abandoned as a teenager by the people who were supposed to take care of her, and the town hated her. They burned her things, threw things at her, cursed her very name and the ground she walked on.

The vampire who'd come to her had offered her protection from that, and who was Sera to say no?

With a soft sigh, the brunette ventured down the streets of New Orleans, with no set destination in mind. When she ended up at the door of Mirage, she hesitated before entering. The interior was nice as always, but she wasn't interested in this side of things. Art was never her forte, no matter how hard she'd tried to be interested in it. The girl at the reception desk barely noticed her, which was fine with Sera. So the dark haired witch stepped up to the mirror illusion, pausing for a moment before she slipped through it and into the real Mirage. People were already enjoying themselves, but she made her way to the bar to order a double shot.

♡design by stardust galaxy, coded by uxie♡

 

[jasmyn]

species

werewolf

outfit

click to see

mentions

here

interactions

arya _amaranth_

Julietta Delphine was nothing short of a handful and of course, she knew it because Nik had told her a trillion times. He was always acting like he had to reign her in because he didn't think she was capable of making the right choices. Juliet was almost always annoyed by his need to hover over her like the over-bearing brother he was. It had been this way since they were kids and while she knew it was because they’d lost their brother to the war between species, that didn’t mean she had to live under his thumb.

Still, no matter how often she told him that she knew what she was doing he didn't let up. This is why the moment he'd been distracted by the barbecue, she had slipped out of the bayou area and made her way into the city. Was it dangerous? Sure. Jules was a werewolf who couldn't transform venturing into vampire territory. On top of that, she was a Delphine, an obvious heir to the Crescent Pack. People knew that.

What was she meant to do though? Hide in the bayou forever? Make sure a wolf bodyguard or her brother was with her before she went anywhere? No way. Besides, Juliet had wandered into the Quarter plenty, even made friends with some of the "killer vampires" and nothing bad had happened. She could handle herself, no matter what Nik thought. She wasn't some helpless or fragile thing that needed to be kept behind glass.

Jules could help but find the music and lights fascinating, even though she knew the wicked meaning behind their celebration. Suddenly a voice pulled her from her trance and she spun around to see Arya. If Nik was here to see her talking to the stunning vampire, he'd had lost it but luckily for her, he wasn't. "Hey!" she returned the greeting. "Sounds good to me! Somewhere Nik might not think to look for me," she laughed, motioning for her friend to walk with her. "Hopefully it's not a big deal when a vampire and a wolf walk in again," she laughed.

Juliet liked Mirage and even though it was mostly a witch headquarters sometimes, she was intrigued by the magic it held. The owner, Dorian, was the most interesting aspect of the place in her opinion. He had managed to create a space where magic could be done without detection and she knew that meant he had to be pretty strong. It made her very curious. They didn't have to go very far before they came up to the building that was so cleverly disguised and walked in, ready to have some fun.

Julietta Delphine

code by fudgecakez

 

[jasmyn]

outfit

click here.

interactions

elektra.

mentions

open.

tags

MadiRaiCat

Nikolas had sent the wolves on their way and told them to look out for his sister while they kept an eye on things but he knew that Juliet was likely long gone by now. It was just like Jules to disappear and go get herself into trouble so he wasn't surprised but still he wished she would give him a damn break. He couldn't lead a damn pack, look after her, and try to end this goddamn curse all at once. It was hard enough doing just one of those things. Yet here he was with no choice but to shoulder all the responsibility.

He watched as his pack members walked away and turned his attention to the guy manning the grill, nodding in approval. Before he could say anything his heightened sense of smell picked up the scent of someone new though they seemed familiar in some way. His eyes followed and when he saw her standing there he froze. It couldn't be. After all these years he recognized her immediately but he thought she had to be some figment of his imagination. There was no way that Elektra Padmore was actually here right now, right?

"Ellie? How? When did you come back?" Nik managed to get out, before looking around her for anyone else out of both instinct and curiosity. He nor the other wolves were exactly a fan of her father after what he'd pulled and while he'd never faulted her for it, she had still been raised by the man. "Are you alone?" he questioned. It was only when he was sure that she was that the alpha wolf raised his hand and waved everyone off so that they knew she was of no threat to them.

At least, he hoped she wasn't. Part of him was stuck in the nostalgia of her being back for the time being but it wouldn't last long. Nikolas' suspicious nature always beat out everything else and so with time he would begin to worry more about her reasons for coming back. "You shouldn't have come back. Haven't you heard about the curse on this place? You can't turn and you can't leave the city. The vampires took over years ago and we still haven't been able to break it yet," he told her honestly.

Nikolas | Werewolf

code by fudgecakez

 

[MadiRaiCat]

Elektra Padmore

Location: Bayou Barbeque

Interactions: Nikolas ( jasmyn )
Mentions: None

Outfit: x | x

If she had had her way, Elektra would have never returned to New Orleans. She would have avoided the city and the lackluster memories it held as long as she lived. But, she had a job to do, money to make, and justice to serve. She had to make up for the things she did, for the people her father and she had hurt throughout their lifetimes. The bounty hunter job was her way of doing that, of making up for all the shitty things she had done when she was younger. And for atoning for her father's transgressions as well. Being back in the Bayou gave her a sense of nostalgia, the familiar smells and sounds attempting to pull her down a path to thoughts of her childhood. It had been several decades, but she still remembered it all so clearly. As clearly as she remembered the look on her father's face when the life drained out of him. Out of nowhere, she heard his voice in her head, reminding her that one day he expected her do what he couldn't, to defect the Crescent Pack alpha and take over for herself. It had been a long time since she had even thought about that. But now, being back, she couldn't help but wonder who the current alpha was.

Shaking those thoughts away, Elektra decided to focus on the task at hand: finding the bounty she was sent to New Orleans to hunt. One of the good things about wolves is that they always had their ear to the grapevine. Someone at that barbeque knew something, she was sure of it. The brunette wolf approached a small group of men chatting around a case of beer, each with an open bottle in their hand. Elektra slipped her hands into her pocket, nodding them as she approached. "Hey there, I was hoping to-" she began to ask, but stopped when they all seemed to ignore her. Ellie bit her lip, wondering if they knew who she was. She didn't recognize any of them, but it was possible that they recognized her scent as similar to her father's. Though, she would have expected a much more adverse reaction if they had. Letting out a sigh, Elektra rolled her eyes and stepped away, scanning the rest of the area. And that's when it hit her.

The smell caught her off guard, eliciting memories of running around the bayou as a barefoot kid finding all different types of ways to get into trouble. It was familiar, though distantly. Standing on her own, her icy blue eyes trailed along unfamiliar faces until one she knew popped into view. He looked different, of course, older and more mature. But he was still the same kid she knew from all those years ago. Elektra took a few steps towards him. But a few of the others wolves noticed, and didn't seem very fond of that. She was an outsider, she knew, and Nikolas was an heir. However, it seemed like something more than that, something beyond just loyalty. It almost seemed like respect... of a leader. Was... was Nik the alpha?

Leaving the thought alone for a moment, Ellie lifted a hand in a half-hearted wave, letting Nik approach her. She didn't want to incite the rage of the whole pack. "Hey, Nik. Yeah, it's me. I'm back," the brunette wolf responded, shrugging her shoulders as nonchalantly as she could muster. It wasn't hard to tell that her sudden appearance had come as a surprise, and from the way Nik looked around, it wasn't exactly a welcome one either. "I just got into town today for work... By myself," she answered evenly. And then it hit her: the pack didn't know that her father was did, nor that she was the one to put him into that grave. Nik seemed rather relieved that she was alone, and only then waved off the rest of the pack that had taken an interest in their little reunion. But his next words sent a bit of a stab through her heart. "Well, glad to know you're happy to see me, Delphine," she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

Sarcasm lingered in her tone for a bit. But all that was erased when he mentioned a curse holding the supernatural in place. "What curse? No, I haven't heard of anything. But I also haven't been around other wolves in a while," she answered, eyes wide in surprise. "What do you mean, can't turn and can't leave? You mean to tell me you haven't been a wolf in years? What happened since I went away? Where's your father? Isn't he doing anything about this?" A bright rage boiled to the surface in the she-wolf, her eyes flashing a stormy indigo. She felt her inner wolf flare up. But it was weak, different than it use to be, distant, like her wolf was buried somewhere deep down. Her anger moved on to panic. She didn't want to be stuck in New Orleans, among a pack that didn't want her and vampires that probably wanted to kill her. Letting out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, she looked back up at Nik. "Well, this certainly wasn't the 'homecoming' I was expecting."

code by Stardust Galaxy​

 

[MadiRaiCat]

Dorian Dubois

Location: Mirage

Interactions: Cormac ( Abendrot )

Mentions: Seraphina ( apolla )

Outfit: x

Mirage had been Dorian's home for as long as he had been in New Orleans. He had built that place from the ground up, and when the vampires outlawed magic, he had hidden behind one of his expertly crafted illusions. It wasn't because he was afraid of what the vampires would do if they found out he was practicing magic. To be honest, he couldn't care less. While it might be naïve, Dorian wasn't that afraid of the vampires or their supposed power. He had done many a favor for them in the past, whether it was creating daylight jewelry or easing their thirst. In a way, he thought that it would make him untouchable. And so far, it had. Mirage wasn't as hidden as it originally was. While the first patrons were only warlocks and witches like himself, that crowd had since expanded to include beasts and creatures of all supernatural varieties. Though he never explicitly swore them to secrecy, the spell of the Mirage kept it safe.

"Oh!" The sound caught the dark-haired warlock by surprise, realizing he had been stuck in his own thoughts for a moment. Dorian lifted his hazel gaze to appraise the person in front of his booth, finding a familiar red-haired man standing there. There a bit of surprise on the man's face, which caused a easy smirk to curve the corners of Dorian's lips. From what he remembered, Cormac was an appreciator of the arts, interesting in seemingly quiet nature. He intrigued Dorian, made him curious to learn more. "Nonsense, you're not disturbing me. I'm always happy to have the company of a fellow witch," the club owner said, taking another sip from his champagne flute. "Tonight is my night off, my night to have a good time. So I plan to be here as long as possible. Would you like to take a seat, have a drink?"

At his words, Dorian waved his hand slightly, a swirl of lilac tinted fog crawling across the low table in front of him. In its wake, it left another champagne flute filled with the bubbling amber liquid. The volume of the music began to rise, the subtle base bringing the room alive. More people had begun to show up, like they did every night, seeking away to forget the outside world and just have fun. That night was a bit more special, with the beginning of the 50 year celebration the vampires were so proud of. Many supernaturals who sought to escape the festival would show up that night, and the club would no doubt be packed. Standing from his seat, Dorian paced over to the railing of the ledge, peering over the bar and dance floor below. A familiar brunette made her way towards the bar, no doubt needing a drink. He was surprised Seraphina would show her face at a witch bar, but he had to applaud her gall. With a grin, he finished off his glass, glancing back at Cormac. "Ready to have a good time?"

code by Stardust Galaxy​