JENELLA
Instead of accepting the car offered in the invitation, Jenella Vadim arranged for a driver to use her own silver Mercedes-Maybach saloon, and had made sure to arrive fashionably late. It saved her from having to wait in the queue. Tyres crunching over gravel, her car glided forward with smooth assurance, akin to the woman it held inside. Peering out the window as she pulled up, she saw her tiny family cluster, adjusting their clothes and turning their heads to her car.
Fingers linked together; cool, graceful and feminine with thick, hot and masculine, forming an odd little yin-yang parody that amused her. She smiled at her mortal man - a handsome extravagance in a long line of temporary distractions - and he brought her hand predictably to his lips. When the car stopped, she watched as he hurried out the car and around the boot to collect her door. Darling.
Her
dress was a beautiful, shimmering affair designed to capture hearts, minds and desires.
Atelier-Versace, of course. She'd flown in from the Ligurian riviera last night in order to attend this soiree, abandoning her art-inspired holiday. The invitation had arrived for her in the mail even though it had no postage stamp. A neat little trick. The car door opened and she swung her legs out first, showing off her silver strappy heels before she stood. Her first glance was to Pierre where it lingered the briefest of touches, the next swept past and through Damien disappointed Rachel had not come, before offering her hand to the man whose arm she would be on for tonight only. He was getting attached – she no longer wanted his captured attention.
Jenella moved lithely up the stairs, a tiny pull on her companion's arm impressing on him the direction she wished to go. Once the couple arrived, Jenella moved to lightly press a kiss upon each of Pierre's cheeks before turning to greet Damien in the same manner. Appropriately Euro.
"It is wonderful to be back in your presence," she said, immediately slipping into French as she knew they all preferred, though it felt strange on her tongue after immersing herself in Italy. "This is Ricardo," she introduced, and he bowed and offered his hand for the shaking, even though he didn't properly know French, enough words would be similar to offer him some insight into their conversation.
BEN
Ben smiled at Murphy's perception - even a tiny detail like a person's scent wasn't lost on him, it was what made him a fantastic journalist. Ben supposed that you got used to a person's smell as well - Murphy still smelled and felt like Murphy, even under the classy suit. He wondered if Sacramentum had started buying him gifts.
Ben replied to the easiest question first; "Kerr's around, I can feel him. Maybe not on the property yet, I don't know. Close." Then he addressed the problematic part. "Jake... I'm, uh, on a kind of diplomatic exchange program." He shrugged, hoping Murphy wouldn't pursue that line of questioning. When Jake's mental demand came for him to
bring his friend came, Ben coughed politely into his fist.
"Fucktard."
Childish, certainly, but he didn't like putting Murphy into the thick of things... even though that moment had already come and gone thanks to a certain demonic article.
"Jake wants to meet you," Ben said. He held his tongue on further warnings, worried that it might make things unnatural and therefore worse for Murphy. "He just, uh, told me," he said, pointing at his temple. "Come on." He grabbed a blood martini off a passing waiter's tray and skolled it before stepping towards where Jake and his cluster had nested for the night, with Murphy at his side.
He dared to send a thought outwards, towards the blood connection he could feel:
Kerr, where are you?CHARON
Charon was surprisingly in demand. Many of their guests had made an effort to supplicate to him tonight - either physically with deep bows and curtseys, or mentally with acknowledgements of honour and respect. Very few recoiled in horror, and both were mortal staff unprepared for him. He didn't miss the way everyone steeled themselves first, though. Nobody looked at him with wonder; and once again he was filled with sorrow for his lost fledges.
He asked many questions, took many expressions of interest. He expected Jake to come to him. He knew the other was busy conversing with interested parties wanting to know about the move to the West... but Charon was more important that any of them so he would give Jake time to seek him out. Perhaps later in the night they would have their chat.
Jake had blindsided him, and that didn't happen anymore - certainly not when a kiss was involved. Charon had been respectful enough to take the most shallow look when the offer of openness and trust had come his way. He hadn't realised that Jake had relied on that to trick him. Taking the West without discussion was a bold move on the heels of a freshly made alliance. It had been very bad form to keep it a secret when alliances were built on sharing knowledge and resources. He wanted to know the other's motivation. Or his excuses.
He wanted to know if Jake was still interested in an alliance, or if they were just pretty words to keep the Sacramentum happy while he circulated an unguarded district. Charon moved through his milling guests, playing dim to not be disturbed until he saw Saint Sabrina standing with a golden adonis. Curious, he moved to them.