A Weekend Affair # 1 - The Great White Reception

[Wallflower]

Hellfire Mansion - Ava's Suite

Ava: "Your plan is bold and I appreciate that. But I will not let the European's see us as weak. I will not make my court and in turn the red and white courts look questionable. I want Cassandra cast out as you do, but I will not risk everything we've built for that girl."

The Black Knight was a calculating woman, but like most writers, she tended to want to make a mess of things, constantly looking for subject matter, and when it came to the topic of The Black Princess, perhaps she was more angry over the situation she would have liked to admit. It would have been foolish, and Ava was right, though it was painful. Amanda hated to show any sign of weakness in fron of The Black Queen. They needed to look stronger than ever. But Amanda knew in her heart of hearts that it would be near impossible with Cassandra walking around. She was too unpredictable. Ava reached for her hand.

Ava: "But that does NOT mean we won't come up with a plan that is sound, solid, and air tight. I will give you the title of my princess, Amanda. I WILL make you royalty. You have my word. But we must wait until the Europeans leave. Understood?"

She did, but she did not like it. Although The Black Knight trusted Ava, she had trusted the former Black Queen just as much, if not more so. Amanda was good at following the script, but there was a deep part of her that wondered if life with Ava Cassadine as The Black Queen would be any different. Cobra felt more independent, to do as she saw fit, but Hellfire was a game of chess. Sometimes you had to withdraw, and sometimes you had to sacrifice one of your own pieces to win..and it was always more preferable that sacrifice be a knight rather than a King or Queen. Despite there closeness, there was a line. All Amanda could do was either move two squares away horizontally and one square vertically, or two squares vertically and one square horizontally.

[in parsel tongue] "Understood my Queen."

Ava: "She may be a little trouble making cunt...but she's my princess. I will put my dislike and differences aside this weekend to show a united front not only for our court, but the entire American Branch. THAT is how far I am willing to go, Cobra. And THAT is exactly why Helena and Diana are dead now. They couldn't look beyond their own egos to know what was best for the entire club. I refuse to follow in their foot steps."

Amanda became pensive for a moment. The last part..about ego. She wondered how many kings and queens before Ava had said those very words before the rug had been swept out from under them. It was not a slight against Ava at all, but a genuine question.

"Then we shall not."

Ava: "With that being said...please keep an eye on her discretely. I want any issues that may arise to be nipped in the bud before they even happen."

"A recent and frequent annoying new duty of mine."

The Black Queen went back to her phone. Normally, Ava was very engaging. It was clear she was trying, but whatever had transpired between her and John had left her particularly disturbed it seemed.

Ava: "While I hate to cut this riveting conversation short, I have another appointment in ten minutes."

The two locked eyes as Ava began to rub her fingers down the snake necklace once more, before resting them down her chest. Amanda blushed.

Ava: "Wear the necklace tonight. It looks good."

"It really does. Thank You again, my queen."

They both rose from the couch.

Ava: "I'll see you in a few hours, my Knight."

Amanda bowed before letting herself out. As she stalked down the halls like ner namesake, she couldn't help but be a bit worried. Rebellions and wars seemed to happen quite frequently from a historical perspective, and there was something in the air with this visit. Amanda let out a deep sigh and centered herself. Ava was a fair Queen. She didn't play the same games as Talisman. And in that moment, as she exhaled, she let go of her doubt. She spent much of her working days crafting lofty scenarios, and waxing poetic about the use of good prose that sometimes she forgot the necessity to live in the moment, especially in a place like Hellfire. She decided that she shouldn't be looking this good and only be seen by the Queen, so she headed into the Black Parlour, to see Ben sitting at the bar, with a bottle of tequila. She clinged to the doorway, her body seeming to perfectly understand her own curves.

"The brooding antihero sits in a pool of his own doubt, slowly drowning himself in another pool...one of pristine white tequila."

She smiled as she sauntered over to him, propping her body onto the stool with ease before reaching over and grabbing a shot glass from the bar, pouring herself a shot without asking.

"What is it this time, Benjamin? Did you catch yourself in a mirror and decide that you didn't deserve your own looks? Cheer up, we're about to have a party."

One shot down. She lined up another.

 

[Black Widow]

The Hellfire Club - - Security Control Room

Zizi: What are you waiting for? I need those blown motherboards switched out five minutes ago. Clear out anything with scorch marks on it and bring me those spare hard drives!

The Head of Security didn't miss a beat, never had. All these little tech nerds working for her froze when Haleigh had turned up in the smoke, but York whipped them right back to business. Haleigh had a chance to see what she'd felt from afar. There was a lot of damage, truth be told.

Zizi: And get some ionic hepa filters in here to clean out this smoke. I want all systems up in five minutes or less and us back to business as usual, or you're all fired.

Haleigh didn't try to hide her smirk. Someday she'd have to pull Zizi aside and tell her that threats of death were a lot more effective than that of job loss. For now, she didn't bother correcting it. If the goal was reached, she didn't much care HOW.

Zizi: And find me the source of that power surge! I'm not having security going down again with guests in the mansion.

"Yeah.... about that."

Zizi: Six minutes ago we experienced a massive power surge that blew through all our usual safeguards and took out the mainframe. I've never seen anything like it. We'll have all systems up again in four minutes.

"I've no doubts. But you don't need to look to far for the source or the power surge. You see, I got a bit.... overwhelmed by the Red King."

She explained with a smirk, smoothing her hair back down.

"Whatever isn't salvageable, just upgrade. Get whatever's the best, and let me know when to fortify it."

She told her casually. The room was finally starting to clear of smoke. It still smelled strongly of burnt wires though, an odor she found revolting.

"I've been surveillance blind since the explosion. Did you re-route the feeds, or will we lose the footage during the outage? And was there any other damage than here?"

 

[Oracle]

Security Control Room

The White Queen was in the Control Room, but Elizabeth didn't have time to stop what she was doing, so she briefed the Queen as she worked, letting her know exactly when systems would be back up.

"I've no doubts. But you don't need to look to far for the source or the power surge. You see, I got a bit.... overwhelmed by the Red King."

Elizabeth glanced up at the Haleigh, then back down at her work. She murmured,

"Oh, my goodness."

The Inner Circle was another world, one that Elizabeth was not at all interested in being a part of. And she really didn't want to know the details of what the Red King had possibly done to the White Queen to make all this happen. But somehow, she suspected she was going to find out, because it was her job to make sure - all this - didn't happen again.

"Whatever isn't salvageable, just upgrade. Get whatever's the best, and let me know when to fortify it."

"We should install sensors keyed to your specific frequency to anticipate any feedback from your...physiology...so that if this happens again-"

Elizabeth cleared her throat.

"Everything will immediately shut down to prevent damage. And I want more liquid cooling trigger points, so if there is a problem we can cut off an arm to save the rest of the beast."

"I've been surveillance blind since the explosion. Did you re-route the feeds, or will we lose the footage during the outage? And was there any other damage than here?"

"Some of the cameras blew, but my people are already changing those out. And the secondary cameras automatically kick in in case of primary failure, with the feeds going to an offsite datacenter. It's intended to preserve intel in the case that the mansion becomes compromised and there is an intrusion into the security system. As soon as we are back up here - t minus 3 minutes - we will be able to access those feeds. Most of the damage is here - it's where the rubber met the road, so to speak. I have a team scrubbing the mansion, looking for any other blown circuits or things of that nature. But that damage there will be minimal, and easily fixed."

She grabbed a tech and handed him the fixed breaker panel, gesturing for him to reinstall it.

"Mrs. King, this isn't exactly the best time, but I don't think it should wait. Could I speak to you in my office for a moment about a matter that has come to my attention?"

She gestured with her arm, allowing Haleigh to enter first, then shutting the door behind her. Once they were alone and away from the ears of her techs, Elizabeth folded her hands in front of her.

"I don't know if you are aware, but earlier today, we had a visit from Cassandra Johnson. She asked us to burn some files from her phone to CD. Normally, that sort of request wouldn't be unusual - cat pictures and the like. But this was something else. Audio and video of Gia Nefaria. It made my Spidey Sense tingle, so of course I kept a copy on the mainframe so I could check it out further. And from what I saw?"

Elizabeth inhaled sharply.

"I believe people in your position use the word treason. Of course now the mainframe is..."

She gestured to the adjoining room, and the chaos still happening there.

"There's a chance I might be able to recover some of that data - but not a very good one, I'm afraid."

 

[Goliath]

Amanda: "The brooding antihero sits in a pool of his own doubt, slowly drowning himself in another pool...one of pristine white tequila."

"Ah piss."

He didn't look up. He knew such a long winded and sultry voice belonged to The Black Knight. While he was mostly a lone wolf, who kept to himself, Ben did try and have relationships with others in The Inner Circle, at the request of The Black Queen. He knew Cobra well, but she always treated him like a character in one of her novels. It was irritating.

"Eh, not your best one, love. But have a seat."

Ben had gone to the parlour to enjoy a few quiet moments before the weekend festivities as well as get his mind off of things. Cassandra was not the woman he remembered, and the people he had grown up with were now all kings and queens. He had always felt a division between himself, Cameron, Haleigh and Ava, but now more than ever it was clear to him that he might as well come with the mansion along with the marble countertops. He didn't do feelings particularly well, a biproduct of his ability. He tended to be as stoic and marble as the stone he could turn into it.

"God...I AM broody."

Amanda made herself at home right next to him as he somewhat scoffed at her when she grabbed the tequila bottle.

"Help yourself, won't you?"

She did before pouring herself a shot and lining up another one.

Amanda: "What is it this time, Benjamin? Did you catch yourself in a mirror and decide that you didn't deserve your own looks? Cheer up, we're about to have a party."

Ben furrowed his brow.

"I know you find yourself to be quite clever, Cobra, but you don't have everyone figured out. I'm not some poetic pansy in a giant's body."

Amanda: "Touche. So why are you drinking alone in the parlour instead of getting ready?"

"Because I can."

[grunting]

"Bloody blighter."

He tried to ignore Amanda as she filled his now empty glass from the bottle and did another shot herself. The two of them could definitely put them back. She also had a habit of being unable to mind her business when it came to him, and he hated how often she got him to give little hints of himself to her over the years.

"I'm...nervous."

Ben shook his head, annoyed that hew as about to confide in her.

"Fresh blood is what turned the courts on their head last time."

[taking a sip]

"Shit's bound to go down. Big shit."

Ben leaned back in his stool, stretching his giant arms out for a moment, before cracking his neck back forth. He kept going despite his own mind telling him not to.

"Guess I'm just..."

[taking another sip]

"Worried. Wondering where I stand. Contemplating life. Dusting off my Smashing Pumpkins records. All that."

The tequila was beginning to hit him, and it should have been, considering he had polished off a bottle in Cuba a few hours ago.

"Not to mention..I find myself at the exact age, in the exact position on the court, probably in the same bloody room at the same bloody time my Dad was when he died."

Ben eyed Cobra for a moment, wondering if he could trust her, knowing that he could. Cobra's blood ran black. There was nothing she wouldn't do for her court, no secrets she wouldn't keep as best she could given her position and relationship with the Queen.

"So I guess you could say I'm having a crisis of sorts. And our plonker of a princess isn't helping matters."

It felt good to say out loud, but it didn't make him feel like the big strong man he was. This time he reached for the bottle and took a long swig before glancing down at his watch. It was almost time to get ready.

"Have I satiated your appetite, Cobra? Do you have something to write about tonight? The man chasing ghosts?"

[smirking a bit somberly]

"Or would you like me to bleed? I can tell you right now, me spilling blood is about unlikely as me shedding a tear."

 

[Persephone]

The anger was rolling off John like ripples of heat and Ava should have been happy about it. And for a split second she was. But before John melted into his organic steeled state, Ava saw nothing but pain in his eyes, knowing that she had dug so deep he was willing to disobey his Queen to make sure someone like Maxim didn't disrespect her. It shouldn't have matter to her that he was hurt, because HE hurt HER first. But it did. John was one of her oldest friends - the one person she trusted above anyone else. And it pissed her off that even now, when she was angry at him, she felt guilty for hurting him.

"Stand down."

Ava said coldly.

"NOW, Steel."

And then John turned away from her, his body returning to normal.

Maxim: "Sorry, Johnny. Better luck next time."

Ava rolled her eyes shut, keeping them closed as Maxim rubbed salt into the wound she created. He was like the bully on the playground kicking a kid while he was down.

"For God sakes Max, just leave."

Her tone was even, fed up with the entire ordeal that had played out in front of her. She finally looked at Maxim who turned to her, grinning triumphantly.

Maxim: "And I'll see you tonight."

Ava didn't respond, instantly regretting inviting him. He was a good fuck, there was no doubt about that. But he was an asshole of epic proportions. She watched as Maxim strolled down the hallway until he disappeared around the corner and out of sight. Ava kept her eyes fixated down the hall, noticing from her peripheral vision that John had turned back around to face her finally. Her jaw tensed and eyes lowered.

John: "I have the bracelet options you wanted, my Queen."

She remained motionless and quiet for a moment until finally looking over at John. Their eyes met and Ava parted her lips to speak but stopped. Her arms wrapped tightly around her silk robed body, feeling more exposed in front of him in that moment than earlier when she was half naked changing into her gown. Ava turned away, not acknowledging the bracelets or John. She walked back into her chamber room and closed the door.

 

[Black Widow]

The Hellfire Club - - Security Control Room

Zizi: We should install sensors keyed to your specific frequency to anticipate any feedback from your...physiology...so that if this happens again-

"I so hope it does...."

She replied with a sly smirk of sexual satisfaction. The Head of Security cleared her throat.

Zizi: Everything will immediately shut down to prevent damage. And I want more liquid cooling trigger points, so if there is a problem we can cut off an arm to save the rest of the beast.

"Clever girl."

Haleigh said, increasing York's paygrade immediately, and then she told her that she'd been surveillance blind since the 'explosion', and asked about backup routing and if there was any other damage than what she saw here. She was pretty sure that there was, but she wanted confirmation that nothing would be overlooked during the repair process.

Zizi: Some of the cameras blew, but my people are already changing those out.

"Near the Gardens, I'll wager."

Zizi: And the secondary cameras automatically kick in in case of primary failure, with the feeds going to an offsite datacenter.

"Awesome, I do like to archive my favorite sex-tapes."

Zizi: It's intended to preserve intel in the case that the mansion becomes compromised and there is an intrusion into the security system.

"Sure, that too."

She replied, highly doubting there would ever be a successful breach of their network, as long as she was here.

Zizi: As soon as we are back up here - t minus 3 minutes - we will be able to access those feeds. Most of the damage is here - it's where the rubber met the road, so to speak. I have a team scrubbing the mansion, looking for any other blown circuits or things of that nature. But that damage will be minimal, and easily fixed.

"Just send me the bill when it's all said and done."

Zizi: Mrs. King, this isn't exactly the best time, but I don't think it should wait. Could I speak to you in my office for a moment about a matter that has come to my attention?

Haleigh raised an eyebrow, then gave a single nod, and followed York into the office. And then the woman told her about a visit from the Black Princess, and evidence implicating her own White Bishop.

Zizi: I believe people in your position use the word treason. Of course now the mainframe is...

"Orgasmed."

Haleigh offered dryly. If she didn't have a sense of humor about it, she'd have to be furious, and there were enough busted machines already. It seemed there was a recurring theme with Gia. There was never PROOF though. Gia must be the luckiest bitch alive, because in order to execute a member of her own court, Haleigh required proof. She'd told Zach as much, when he brought Gia's emotional turmoil to her attention. Of course, this toast in the Bordello today didn't look very good. But as soon as Zach had shown up, the girls had started saying it was a prank. So they were back at square one. Always the smoke, never the fire.

Zizi: There's a chance I might be able to recover some of that data - but not a very good one, I'm afraid.

"Keep me advised of what you recover. I need something more than cat photos to terminate my Bishop."

She intoned, and then she was gone.

She reappeared in her bedroom, 30 seconds late, with a wicked smile.

 

[Wallflower]

The Hellfire Mansion - Black Parlour

Benjamin Lewis was a tough nut to crack, but she kept a mental nutcracker in her pocket for situations like this. The truth was she often checked in with Ben because she worried about him, which was an unusual feeling for her. He was a quiet man, but she wasn't just making fun of him. Ben was deep. Enigmatic. A dynamic character whom Amanda had patterned many a character after. When he wasn't working out, he spent a lot of time at Arklay, tending to and riding the horses The Black Court housed there. She had seen him with those horses. A firm hand with a gentle touch. It had intrigued her. So Amanda made it somewhat of her mission to keep an eye on him.

Ben: "I'm...nervous. Fresh blood is what turned the courts on their head last time. Shit's bound to go down. Big shit. Guess Im just...worried. wondering where I stand. Contemplating life. Dusting off my Smashing Pumpkins records. All that."

Amanda smirked for a moment. She sang softly for a moment.

"And we don't know just where our bones will rest, to dust I guess, forgotten and absorbed into the earth below..."

[smiling]

"That's a great song," she said, trying to lighten the mood and give Ben a way out, should he need to take it. With such an important weekend coming up, Amanda didn't want to risk him becoming unhinged or nervous about where he stood. It could cause complications, and it was Amanda's job to defend the fortress, so to speak.

"For the life of me I've never understood this self loathing deal of yours, Ben. You are a fixture in these walls. A sense of quiet comfort for many. Even if they don't say it. I mean..in lay man's terms, who doesn't like the super tall hot bearded guy with a heart tattoo on his back? Which..."

She tugged at the collar of his shirt to reveal the small heart tattoo with an arrow on his back in black in.

"You never HAVE told me where and how you got that thing. I have my ideas of course.."

The Black Knight thought she had lightened the mood. She had not. This would require more tequila. She refilled their drinks properly, though this time Amanda grabbbed a half lime and squeezed it into her cup.

Ben: "Not to mention...I find myself at the exact age, in the exact position on the court, probably in the same bloody room at the same bloody time my Dad was when he died."

Amanda gave a look of empathy and concern. Cobra fancied herself a bit of a historian of Hellfire. She had read every file and journal in the library she could find, but the dissappearance of Ben's father was one of the more..."cloudy" bits of history. Finn Lewis was one of the original Black Bishop's of The Hellfire Club. Originally an operative of MysTech, when Helena, Kelly and Diana took over, Finn became her Bishop. The Sisterhood gave way to a sort of Belle Epoque - a Beautiful Period for the Hellfire Club. But suddenly..it appeared that Kelly King had turned on Finn, and not long after that he was dead from an apparent suicide. There was scandal throughout the mansion that Finn and Kelly were lovers and that he had slighted her by sleeping with Diana, or Helena. Even OFFICIAL Hellfire documents seemed to take on the tone of their writers. There was also the highly unusual circumstance of him being allowed to live in the mansion, essentially "raised" by nobody and regarded by few. Amanda put her hand on Ben's, it looking like a child's hand in comparison to hers.

"Ben.."

Ben: "So I guess you could say I'm having a crisis of sorts. And our plonker of a princess isn't helping matters."

The Black Bishop held his phone up to show Cobra a series of text messages from Cassandra, about trust issues and then asking him to escort her to the party that evening.

"Better you than me, Benny."

His relationship with Cassandra was yet another anomoly in the mysterious case of Ben Lewis. Before, in the days when Amanda considred Cassandra a close friend, the two had dated for some time. Ben seemed almost happy then, likely just glad that somebody was finally paying attention to him. Pursuing him even. This did not please Kelly. And Amanda never really understood why. All she knew was that soon after, Ben found himself a victim of The Body Shoppe, like Amanda herself, and his feelings for Cassandra were all but gone.

Ben: "Have I satiated your appetite, Cobra? Do you have something to write about tonight? The man chasing ghosts? Or would you like me to bleed? I can tell you right now, me spilling blood is about as unlikely as me shedding a tear."

Amanda feigned a laugh, both concerned and a bit confused as to how to proceed. She exhaled.

"Well..you've certainly given me more than you usually do, that's for sure. Are you ready for a little friendly advice?

Ben nodded.

"I don't swear often, so excuse me..but snap the fuck out of it, Ben. In all sincerity. From the bottom of my heart."

Amanda rose from her stool, her boots clicking on the floor as she tried to wrap her arms around him, but could not connect her fingers.

"You have seen members of The Inner Circle piss themselves. You've seen them with acne. You've smelled them before they realized they should be using deodorant. Why do you put yourself so below them?"

She turned his stool to face her as she leaned her back against a velvet couch a few feet away.

"You need to live your life Ben, but the Cinderella act..it's just not becoming of you. You're STRONG. Very perceptive, incredibly smart..and if you don't grow up inside these walls without learning a thing or two about power. If you wanted to make a play, if you wanted to sit at the same table as them. You COULD.."

[thinking]

"I mean it. You just let things happen, and you think you deserve it. And why? Because your Dad died? How many people have you seen die right in front of you Ben? How many people have you killed? You're not a victim. You're a predator. And it's time for you to act like it. Especially NOW. We have an entire court of outsiders about to arrive. This could be your opportunity. Do you want them to regard you as a floor lamp? Or as the incredibly sexy, passionate and intelligent Black Bishop of the most powerful incarnation of The Black Court this club has ever SEEN?"

Ben did not do emotions well, but he also didn't take compliments well either. She had never seen it before, but The Black Bishop was blushing, and it..well it kind of turned her on. But she liked to keep her sexual partners outside of Hellfire, or at the very least on other courts. Amanda looked at her watch.

"There is truly...nothing more than I would like to do than to spend the next several hours psychoanalyzing any number of your personality traits, but the moral of the story, Ben, is that this is your life. And it's a pretty incredible life. I've been where you are, but I refuse to let other people's decisions define who *I* am. This is rare air. And you grew up in this air. That means something. Just some food for thought. And now, we've got a party to get ready for."

Amanda walked over to him and gave him a soft and warm kiss on the lips. Nothing salacious, one of true regard for the man as she headed towards the doorway, lingering for a second before she turned around.

"And Ben?"

Their eyes met, her honey brown against his cobalt blue.

"Escort The Black Princess to the party. You are our only hope of keeping her occupied enough to be out of everybody's hair..."

[thinking]

"And..get drunk or something. Have FUN. Engage...LIVE."

The Black Knight gave The Black Bishop an air kiss as she headed towards her quarters to prepare for what was sure to be an eventful weekend.

 

[Seer]

The Night Moves On...

<< An eventful day in the Hellfire Mansion was sure to be an even more memorable night. Tonight, members of The European Hellfire Club were beginning to arrive, accompanied by the white bishop and rook. The weekend would host a number of events representative of each of the courts. Tonight belonged to The White Court. Once the guests were settled into their respective wings to relax and pamper themselves with a number of spa treatments and beauty services. As the sun descended and the full moon rose, The Hellfire Mansion was alive with a vibrant and pulsating energy. Music could be heard throughout each of the halls and corridors, specifically The White Wing as guests dined on a luxurious and decadent feast of the finest food and spirits that New York City had to offer in the beautifully decorated Crystal Quartz Dining Hall. >>

<< As dinner was finished, The Inner Circle and it's guests were allowed to return to their quarters and put on their finest couture. From the outside, The Hellfire Mansion looked like any old historic brownstone on Park Avenue, but the inside was a different story. It was a tesseract - able to contain any amount of space that it needed which offered the leaders of each court the opportunity to remodel and expand as they saw fit. If the mind could see it, the mansion could create it, and the main space of The White Court's party was to take place in The White Wing's newest addition - The Aquarius Lounge. >>

<< The White Court represented the synergy of the body and mind. The White King was the most powerful telepath on Earth as well as a world class empath and titan of industry. His prowess in business and his passion to keep old world traditions of power alive and well made him a most formidable King. The White Queen was a woman engineered to destroy, her body meticulously crafted by the most gifted minds in science. She was the first of her generation, and as of yet, the only of her generation. Her mother was one of the most gifted and cunning women of all time, and it was clear she took after her mother. The White Rook, Zach Armani was a diplomat and incredibly gifted Empath who used his power to expand The White Court's influence in many different arenas of government. The White Knight, Heidi Scarborough was a woman who's incredible control over her ability left many awestruck as it was noted that there was not much that she couldn't do. Rounding out the court was the daughter of one of the biggest Mafia Bosses of all time. Gia was a sadistic and enigmatic beauty who held an empire in her hands. >>

<< They were people with a pedigree and skill that was only matched by few others in The Inner Circle, and the fact that it's King and Queen were two legacy members made them all the more appealing. Tonight, underground of The Hellfire Mansion, the King and Queen had remodeled many of the once drab and depressing catacomb levels that had gone unused in recent years, next to The Aqua Ring. It was a veritable den of inequity. Holding cells became lush and modern all white VIP rooms where guests could use the tools once used for interrogation and torture to their own invention. The cells and various lounge areas led to an a main room that cornered the Aqua Ring, with aquarium like windows that gave guests a sneak peak at what might lie beneath in the deep blue sea (of course the truly dangerous creatures were kept away from guests ). It was a beautiful and aquatic adventure that was representative of the Old Hellfire mixed with the New, which was a true manifestation of Cameron and Haleigh's reign together. >>

<< As the guest filtered into the room, being announced by title and rank, the drinks began to flow, and the music began to play. And from the safety of the eyes in the sky, we watch. >>

 

[Persephone]

Ava had a couple hours to calm down before she had to prepare for the evening's festivities, which she desperately needed. The last thing she wanted was to be present in front of the other court members - especially the European Branch - looking distressed or upset. She had an unwavering mask that she could put into place, but she actually wanted to enjoy the evening. So as hair and makeup finished and Ava changed into her dinner dress, she felt like a renewed woman ready to play Queen and see what the story was with the Euro trash. As Ava was leaving her room, upon opening the door, her eye caught the glimmer of something shiny. Looking down at the door handle she saw a beautiful black diamond bracelet hanging there, and all emotions she had suppressed came bubbling back to the top.

"Damn you, John..."

She whispered, her fingers taking the delicate bracelet off the door and holding it in her hand to look at. It was perfect. Gripping the bracelet within her hand tightly, Ava sighed and stepped back into her room, placing the piece of jewelry onto the table near her new gown that was hanging up and ready for the mixer later in the evening. Shrugging her shoulders up and cracking her neck from side to side, Ava put on her game face and headed to dinner.

Everything went as smoothly as expected. The White Queen was a disgusting vampire so she let the white court deal with her. The Red Queen was quite boring. But the Black Queen? Oh, she was a toddler playing dress up in her mommy's clothes. The girl was green and unimpressive. She screamed entitlement and only cared about herself and what would benefited herself. The only thing she had going for her was her power, which was impressive. Aside from that, Ava could barely stomach a conversation with her, and lucky for her, Brienne didn't care to have one either. Dinner ended pretty quickly, everyone disbursed to change before heading down to the new Aquarius Lounge that Haleigh and Cameron had newly built.

Ava was the first of the American Queens to arrive, wearing a gorgeous black sheer gown with black diamond embellishments strategically placed on the mid portion of the gown. It was the complete opposite of the dress she had chosen earlier from the now dearly departed stylist. She went with something daring, beautiful, and classic; all traits that represented her. Her hair and makeup were sleek and simple, emphasizing her natural beauty but with a pop of color on her lips. And of course, adorned on her left wrist was the black diamond bracelet that John had picked out for her, the only piece of jewelry she opted to wear that evening. Ava had texted Maxim to meet her at the Aquarius Lounge, deciding that she'd rather show up without him on her arm and meet with him once the mixer began. As expected, he didn't care.

Announcer: "Ladies and Gentleman, the Black Queen of the American Branch: Ava Cassadine."

The patrons began to clap as photographers snapped her picture. She posed perfectly, showing off her beautifully tailored dress that clung to her curves. After a few moments of basking in the spotlight, Ava was ready to drink and mingle.

Looking around the beautiful lounge, Haleigh and Cameron had certainly outdone themselves. It was fresh and new - definitely unique compared to anything else within the Hellfire Club. Running her tongue along her lips, the music was pumping loudly and cocktail waitresses were walking around handing out cold drinks. Taking a flute of hemlock that passed by, Ava took a sip of the poison as she made her way deeper into the lounge and over to one of the large glass windows that gave view to the Aqua Ring, waiting for the others to arrive.

 

[Avalanche]

Welcome to New York

Normally, Archer loved flying private. He loved looking out the windows, pretending he could fly. A god amongst the clouds. However, his current company had prevented him from fully feeling the sunlight on his skin. He was not nervous in the slightest to meet with the American court. In fact, he was looking forward to it. There was power that was ripe for the picking, and if these Americans knew their stuff, they'd put all their money on black. Archer and Juliette were the catalyst for the uprising in Hellfire Europe. They were the only ones who saw the club for what it could be, and were not content for continuing to operate the way they had in the past, especially after the death of Evelyn Pierce. He had avenged his Queen and taken hold of The Black Court. And he was ready to make moves. Those who underestimated his acumen would miss out, and he had little concern for those who would relegate him as some kind of bottom feeder who had wrangled the ultimate power. Archer was richer than all of them. But that's not to say that Archer wasn't goinng to have some fun on this trip either. In fact, he was already high on a number of uppers and downers, up to and including his drug of choice, cocaine. So while The White Queen was busy shielding herself from the sun, Archer spent the flight snorting another white substance up his nose with his Black Queen, Brienne Shaw.

The two of them had an alliance of convenience, and while normally people had to make excuses and cover for HIM, with regards to his Queen, he protected her fiercely. She had NOT wanted to come to America. Brienne felt like she was above it. Her blood was more bluer than anybody he had every met, except for perhaps Heidi Scarborough. He had known her for years. They had gone through the drinking and fucking each other phase, when he was the Rook and she was the Princess. But when they found themselves at the helm of an entire court, their relationship took a different approach. She was aloof, cold, uncaring and practically uninterested, but that didn't stop Archer. Brienne Shaw was a cold blooded killer of a woman who's social connections were as vast as the day was long. She became the Michelle Pfieffer to his Scarface, and the two of them dedicated themselves to becoming the most powerful, most profitable court in the history of Hellfire Europe. And now they were on a plane to New York City, ready to hob knob with the American court. Brienne would not take the lead in this, because she simply didn't care, so Archer knew it fell on his shoulders to move The Black Court forward.

Surprisingly, they were greeted by The White Court at the private airspace as as they made their way to The Hellfire Mansion, Archer and Brienne made sure to get as high as possible, if only to try and meet the upturned noses they were surely about to meet. The accommodations were lux, but they were nowhere near to the The Hellfire Estate in London. This was a brownstone in the armpit of the East Coast, not a sprawling estate in the English Countryside, but Archer would survive. Archer had initially wanted an alliance with the american black court. He had stolen and sold enough of their merchandise over the years, but it was clear that Ava was somebody who was as equally unimpressed with things, almost as much as Brienne. Dinner was tense to say the least.

In The Black Wing, Archer and Brienne got ready in the same suite. While their sexual relationship was on again off again, with Brienne normally leading towards members of her own sex, they both found comfort in being together. They were the only people who had each other's backs. Archer adjusted his black tuxedo jacket, as he looked at himself in the mirror below him, which had several white lines on it. Snorting two of them fiercely, he inhaled deeply, letting the cocaine flow through his body like candy. He called out to Brienne.

"Boy this lot of yankees certainly have sticks up their asses, don't they?"

Archer laid down on the bed, his chest heaving in the air, falling into a nice haze of happy.

"And we thought the Brits were snobs."

Leaning up, he could see Brienne in the bathroom, putting the finishing touches on her outfit.

"That being said..it wouldn't kill you to be a LITTLE friendly. You may not care, but the king's gotta earn his paycheck."

Archer rose from his bed with a surge of adrenaline and drugs coursing through his body as he caught Brienne's reflection in the mirror. She was the perfect Queen. Beautiful. Deadly. Annoyed.

"Okay, okay. Maybe just pretend you AREN'T plotting their deaths. I still haven't decided what court we need to align with. You look fucking radiating by the way, lass."

The Black King grabbed The Black Queen's ass in a cheeky manner.

"My GOD we're the most attractive people here. What wil they do with us, Brienne?"

He extended his arm for her to cling on to.

"I guess we shall see."

She grabbed his arm as they made their way down many flights of stairs via elevators. As they moved beneath the floors, Archer laughed.

"I think this is the floor they kill us on. Are you ready..my Queen?"

Archer popped the false bottom out of his cross necklace as the two of them took a bump and made their way down the hall. An attendant announced their arrival.

Attendant: "Ladies and Gentleman, The Black King and Queen of Hellfire Europe. Archer Fairchild and Brienne Shaw!"

Archer gripped Brienne's hand as they made their way down the hall of admirers. Brienne knew how to take a photo and they posed for a few shots. He whispered in her ear.

"It's all for us, darlin'. Breathe it in.."

The only person of note that was there, was Ava Cassadine. She was not Brienne's favorite person. He turned to his Queen.

"Why don't you get us a drink. I'm going to make nice with the Queen over there."

Archer sauntered over to Ava and bowed in a ridiculous way.

"Oh my Queen! I BOW in your reverence!"

[laughing]

"So...are we hunting me and my people? Or are we coming to our senses and playing nice tonight?"

 

[Hex]

America. Never was there a place she least liked to go. Shit people. Shit fashion. Shit drugs. Shit Hellfire Branch. Archer convinced her to go despite wanting to stay behind. Asshole. The flight was uneventful and dark - fucking vamps. She was tempted to stake her own chest in hopes the dead bitch would finally fry. Thank God for coke.

They arrived in New York and it was as bleak as she remembered. Bonus, the American White Bishop was hot. Obnoxious, but hot. She could gag her and have a little fun. They were all finally escorted to the American's Club which was laughable. This was such a waste of fucking time. After a quick tour - emphasis on quick - they all gathered for dinner. The American Black Queen Ava Cassadine was a cunt. Old a fucking dirt, literally. She had duel membership with their branch because she was Greek; thank God she never actually used it. Aside from that the White Queen was a fuck load more interesting than Juliette, and the Red Queen looked like a man. Both full of themselves. Both trying very hard to impress them in an effort to gain allies.

Brienne opted for a liquid dinner, needing to get sloshed in order to deal with the level of shit she was currently swimming in. But finally they were all dismissed to change for the White Court's mixer. Standing in the bathroom, Archer was taking lines of coke in the living room.

Archer: "Boy this lot of yankees certainly have sticks up their asses, don't they? And we thought the Brits were snobs. That being said..it wouldn't kill you to be a LITTLE friendly. You may not care, but the king's gotta earn his paycheck."

Brienne looked up, glaring at him.

"Fuck off."

It was a formal mixer but Brienne didn't care. Dressed in a black velvet jumpsuit, she applied some grey lipstick as Archer approached her from behind and squeezed her ass. She rolled her eyes.

Archer: "Okay, okay. Maybe just pretend you AREN'T plotting their deaths. I still haven't decided what court we need to align with. You look fucking radiating by the way, lass."

"It would be easier to kill them all and burn this shit hole to the ground, but I digress. [turning around] And I know."

She smirked in reference to his compliment.

Archer: "My GOD we're the most attractive people here. What will they do with us, Brienne? I guess we shall see.""

Brienne cocked up a brow, he was hype as fuck for this wasn't he?

"How much coke have you had, Jesus."

He extended his arm out for her and she linked hers with his, walking with him down a bunch of stairs to an elevator then taking it to the bottom floor. They were having a mixer in the basement? For fuck sakes the last time she was in an underground rave she was 14. This was going to be a long fucking night.

Archer: "I think this is the floor they kill us on. Are you ready..my Queen?"

[deadpan] "Hopefully it's quick. [sigh] Lets get this over with, my King."

Brienne smirked, taking a bump of coke from Archer before finally entering the lounge. Brienne's eyebrows went up as she scoffed out a laugh, her icy blue eyes taking in the scene.

"You've got to me kidding me. We just entered Sea World, right?"

A man announced their arrival and sure as fuck they were in the right place. Taking a step forward Brienne posed, working the camera like the model that she was. Archer leaned in to whisper in her ear, the cameras capturing the candid moment.

Archer: "It's all for us, darlin'. Breathe it in.."

Yeah, and it smelled like fish. But regardless, Brienne did enjoy the spotlight and thrived off it. Once they were done she spotted Ava Cassadine standing by one of the windows. She cracked a smile.

"I was right. There's Shamu."

This was too fucking good to be reality. Brienne just laughed, snatching a flute of hemlock from a waitress passing by that looked like a damn mermaid.

Archer: "Why don't you get us a drink. I'm going to make nice with the Queen over there."

Brienne lifted her flute in a cheers fashion as he made his way over to Ava. Downing the glass of hemlock in one gulp, she headed over to the bar in hopes of getting drunk before Archer returned.

 

[Valkyrie]

The Red Queen's Suite

The dinner had been uneventful, other than the fact that the White King from London was hot and completely not as she'd expected. An alliance with him would not be a sacrifice, that was for sure. She also noted their Black Queen, but Ashley had heard what a head case she was, so probably was not worth the aggravation. Still...

They had made it through dinner and returned to their rooms to dress for the night.

"I need a red ribbon for my hair - I can't find one the right shade."

Ashley came through the door between her and Alek's adjoining rooms, an arrangement that had made sense when they took over as King and Queen but had never been changed when their relationship had. She was wearing a short red robe which might as well have been transparent for as much as it hid, and nothing else.

Alek: "In the drawer."

"I remember."

She started to root around in what in a female's bedroom would have been called a vanity, but in Alek's case looked like a small dresser with a chair and mirror. She found what she was looking for, then sat down and began to weave it into the complicated updo which featured tiny braids on the sides and larger ones in the back, all swept up off her neck in something reminiscent of her Norse heritage. Ashley didn't wear much makeup, but she took her time on her hair, when she wanted to.

"I spoke to the boys. They'll be dressed to impress and ready to go if anything happens, no mercy. I think we should focus on the White King tonight."

Alek: "Agreed."

"And maybe his Queen. But then you should be used to charming white queens. Or trying to."

He let that comment slide - he was still reeling off the fact he'd caused Haleigh to blow something that wasn't his dick. Though that would have been cause for celebration also. Not to mention the kiss...

Alek: "We should vet the others as well, see if any stand out as useful. We don't want to let our guard down."

She stole a glance at him in the mirror in his shirtsleeves and suit slacks, putting on his cufflinks. He was going for his usual shade of blood red that was nearly black, and of course, no tie. Ashley knew it was because he liked for people to see the scar that had brought him his power. Plus he just found ties damn uncomfortable and refused to wear them.

He saw her looking and smirked.

Alek: "Did you get your fill of your boy toys today, or are you planning on jumping someone in the middle of the party tonight?"

Her eyes went back to her own reflection, but her lips pressed together. Somehow the two of them had stayed allies in the court, but the venom came out in their personal interactions.

"Why, you looking to join us? I always suspected you liked dick."

Alek: "Pass."

He came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

Alek: "But bring Ava along and we'll talk."

It was Ashley's turn to scoff.

"She hates your guts. And you hate hers too, if I recall correctly."

Alek: "Yeah, but she's hot."

Ashley shrugged out of his grasp, and stood up. She turned to look up at him. He was looking at her with that predatory half smile that used to make her weak in the knees.

"How did we get like this?"

Alek's face changed, and he groaned and turned away.

Alek: "Ashley...don't start."

"We were partners, once."

Alek: "We still are."

"You know what I mean. We were going to take over the world together."

Her voice was even, but his was damn near nonchalant.

Alek: "We don't have to do this Ash - there's no big reason. I just outgrew you. I wanted a lover who did more than fuck and fight."

"Like Haleigh, you mean."

Alek: "Yeah, maybe I do. Or even Ava. Face it, Ash, you are the weakest link. But it's not your fault. Some women are just meant for more."

Alek turned back around, taking his suit jacket off the hanger. His words felt like he'd punched her, but she kept it off her face. Instead, her eyes narrowed at him.

Alek: "And maybe I got tired of being compared to a fucking ghost."

"That's not fair. Or true."

Alek: "Isn't it?"

He fixed his cuffs, then took a step towards her.

Alek: "Your poor precious dead lover? You got him dead so you can't love anyone else. It's been twelve hundred years, get the fuck over it."

She slapped him. Hard. But he just grinned. She turned to leave.

Alek: "You know, fucking a Valkyrie was interesting in the beginning, but the novelty's worn off. Helena might have been an old bag, but she wasn't sad."

She didn't look back.

"I loved you once, but for the life of me, I can't fucking remember why."

She stepped through the door to her own suite, slamming it behind her then going back to turn the lock. Not that he was following her. The same way he had known just what to say to make her fall in love with him all those years ago, to conspire with him to take over the Court, now he knew exactly how to hurt her. And he enjoyed doing it just as much. He couldn't help himself. A mansion full of guests they wanted to impress and he couldn't play nice behind the scenes for one evening. But he knew she would enter the party as if nothing had happened, charm the guests he wanted her to and project one, unified Red Court.

Weakest link, my ass.

She picked up her phone from her own dressing table, and sent the text without thinking about it, without considering why she was doing it.

To: Savage
>>> When you've finished dressing can you come to my suite?

She set the phone down, and slumped into the chair. She stared into her reflection and wondered if any of this was worth it.

 

[Persephone]

Ava watched the creatures within the water swim while drinking her flute of hemlock, wondering if she should have taken her time getting dressed. She hated being the first to arrive, but considering the Black Court didn't have a King, she had to play duel roles and make up for it in presents.

Attendant: "Ladies and Gentleman, The Black King and Queen of Hellfire Europe. Archer Fairchild and Brienne Shaw!"

Ava rolled her eyes, lifting her champagne flute to her mouth and taking a long drawn out sip of hemlock as she finally glanced over at the European Black King and Queen. They both posed for the camera, soaking up the limelight while Ava turned her attention back on the tank. It was far more interesting than the circus going on at the entrance. Finishing off her hemlock, she placed the empty flute on the table beside her and began to absentmindedly play with her bracelet. That was when she heard his voice.

Archer: "Oh my Queen! I BOW in your reverence!"

She resisted the urge to sneer, her mask firmly in place.

Archer: "So...are we hunting me and my people? Or are we coming to our senses and playing nice tonight?"

Coming to our sense? She eased herself, her eyes smiling before her lips upturned into one. Turning to look at Archer, Ava plucked a flute of champagne from a server's tray.

"I never play nice, Archer. That's how I became Queen."

Sipping her champagne, he was an arrogant fool who put all his eggs in one basket. He may have been rich and powerful, but she was richer and more powerful; hence the reason he was stealing from her. But she would play nice with him because she needed to, at least for now. And her biggest trump card was the fact that he didn't know how much him stealing from her company upset her. And how much she wanted to rip his head clear off his shoulders because of it.

"If you wanted nukes, darling? All you had to do was ask. We may be from different Branches, but we're still Black royalty. Whatever benefits you benefits me."

Lifting her flute to her lips, Ava stopped, wrinkling her nose a bit.

"And sorry about your men in Cuba. My Bishop got a little trigger happy while gathering intel. I hope my gift made up for it?"

She had gifted him a vintage bottle of Louis XIII cognac, leaving it in his suite with a note. She may not have been able to stomach Brienne, but she could definitely navigate Archer and see where the path took them.

 

[Steel]

The Aquarius Lounge

Steel knew Ava was pissed. And not only because she had invited Maxim as her escort to the party. She didn't summon him to ask how she looked, walk her to dinner, or strategize before the party, or even talk to him once he arrived. Ever the pragmatist, however, Ava was wearing the bracelet he'd picked out for her. Maxim was nowhere to be found, thankfully. Maybe he wouldn't show. Or maybe Ava had realized what the hell she was doing and told him not to come.

He could hear the tosser's smug voice in his head.

I already came.

Steel angrily banished the image from his mind. He'd been watching her since she arrived. She was not wearing the dress he'd seen her in earlier - this one was much bolder, much sexier. And it was driving him out of his mind. The European Black King approached Ava, but he knew she could handle herself. If she didn't get angry and kill him on the spot, that is. He glanced around him. He was uncomfortable with the decor. Though he knew each Court was handling an event, it seemed to him as if the first night should have been a joint effort. And everything was so white and...aquatic. He wanted Ava's voice in his ear, making some off color sarcastic remark about it that would make him have to fight not to laugh.

Everyone was being genial, so far, but not everyone had arrived yet, so there was still time for an attack to come. So for now, he watched. And the kick in the bollucks he got for watching came in the form of Maxim, sauntering into the Lounge like he owned the place and heading to the bar. He was going to embarass Ava, he knew it. This couldn't be allowed to continue. And since Ava was starting to get annoyed with Archer, anyway, Steel walked over to her and interrupted.

"Excuse me. My Queen, may I speak to you for a moment?"

 

[Bishop]

Some Stupid Fucking Fish Room

He might have blown this party thing off if it was just Ava, but now that he had a chance to really piss off the Man of Steel? There's no way he would miss it. So he put on a suit - his ownership of which would surprise many of the ladies he'd so successfully charmed over the years - and headed back to Hellfire. And now he was standing in a room that looked like a giant fish bowl. How much money did these people have that they could throw it away on something so stupid? He was going to have to up his rates.

Ava was talking to some douchebag when he got there, and he did not want to have to listen to their chatter. He was here for a) free booze b) to piss off rich mutants and c) get laid. He had no interest in pretending to be Ava's "boyfriend". He went to the bar and ordered a double whiskey, making sure the guy gave him the good stuff. Then he turned and, leaning against the bar, surveyed the room. He waved at Ava's henchman from earlier, and got a tremendous scowl form him in return, which made him grin broadly. It was clear that not everyone had arrived, which pissed him off, because he could have stayed home watching Project Runway and not gotten here so early. But there was one suicidally hot chick other than Ava, and she happened to be walking towards him. Maybe he'd expand his horizons, have a little international dessert.

 

[Savage]

The Hellfire Club - - Red Knight's Den

He had more time to spend on the car after She left, so he crawled back under with the right sockets and removed the whole clutch assembly. A cursory inspection of the flywheel made him decide he wanted to get it machined, so he pulled that off too, and this would be where he stopped for the day. He left the tools and parts exactly where they were, and took the flywheel out to hand to the nearest underling, telling the boy which shop to send it to. For some reason, the boy acted like it was heavy.

AJ made his way back to the Red Wing, and washed his hands for dinner, pulling on a t-shirt that wasn't dirty. The meal was mostly uneventful. He fought his instincts to growl at the Vampire Queen, and for once he didn't eat like an animal, but that was only because he could barely eat. The European White Queen made the whole place smell like a morgue, and it zapped his appetite.

After Dinner he took a long, hot shower. There was a lot of scrubbing necessary to get the black grease off his skin and out from under his fingernails, but he didn't mind. His Queen wanted him clean, and so he took his time. When he was clean, and dry, he eased himself into his suit, a red velvet ensemble that was the shade of merlot wine.

It was cut well, or so the tailor assured him. And he knew he looked good in a suit, because all the ladies reacted that way. But he hated it, truly. It felt constricting and he worried about ripping the fabric. Plus it just felt so damned unnatural ever since his first turning. Wolves were not meant to wear suits. Or clothes, really, but he'd gotten used to jeans and t-shirts again, which were much more comfortable. Still, he put it on, and would pretend he liked it, because She wanted him to wear it for the party.

He was scarfing down a rare porterhouse in his room, careful not to get anything on his tie, when the little device he was supposed to keep in his pocket all the time buzzed on the dresser. He wiped his hands on a picked it up in one hand, using his index finger to poke at it until the message came up, his brow furrowed and his mouth twisted into a grimace. This stupid contraption. Why was everyone always so attached to theirs?

From Ash>>> When you've finished dressing can you come to my suite?

His face changed when he saw who had sent him the message, and he read what it said. He smiled to himself. She wanted to meet before the party? Did she want him to escort her? He didn’t reply to the message, he could remember how to get to the little keyboard. He shoved his feet into shiny shoes quickly, cinched up his necktie, and was soon at her door. He remembered to knock this time. His knuckles rapped lightly on the thick wood, and he leaned in to speak through the door.

“My Queen?”

 

[Valkyrie]

The Red Queen's Suite

Her dress was laid out on the bed, but she made no move to put it on. The very last thing she wanted to do right now was wear a fancy dress and be around people she didn't want to be around. She just kept watching her reflection in the mirror. She'd always thought Alek respected her, even if he didn't love her. He was the spymaster and she ran the muscle, and that was the basis of their Court. She had known he wanted to be more than just the Red King, she'd always known that. But she hadn't realized that he didn't think she was good enough to stand by his side while he did it. She would have ran tank for him gladly, proudly, even though SHE was the Queen. But he hadn't even wanted her to. And that he'd rather sleep with someone he despised than her? And that he'd risk the White King's displeasure for someone who would never choose him, rather than staying with her? She had thought his love for her would never wane, and now it became clear just how long ago it had been extinguished. And now she was stuck with him.

There was a knock at the door, and Savage's voice came through the door.

“My Queen?”

"Come in."

She rose from the vanity, still only wearing the short, see-through red robe. She hadn't known what she wanted when she'd texted him. But seeing Savage, she crossed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his chest and closing her eyes.

"I'm so glad you're here."

Alek might have hated her. Jack might have respected her. But AJ adored her.

 

[Juliette De Lacroix]

The Hellfire Club - - White Wing

It had seemed like a very long time, sitting in the jet, waiting for the sun to set. Most of her companions made it seem much longer, with their complaints. They were frustrated that the couldn’t look out the windows on the flight over, as if they’d have been able to see anything at all but the sky and the ocean and the sun. And how did they think Juliette felt about it? They whined when they could see the sun for a few hours. Juliette had not been able to see the sun for over two hundred years.

In truth, they could have opened the blinds on their windows. Juliette was wearing long sleeves, a hooded cape, and even gloves. Indirect sunlight made her look like a corpse, but it wouldn’t hurt her. She had planned on sitting in the back of the jet, and just covering a window or two to keep the direct rays of light off her. But Liam, in his overly protective way, wanted all the windows closed. Juliette decided not to correct him when the rest of the group had pitched a fit and started pouting.

When they finally disembarked their jet, a handsome man and a pretty girl were there to greet them. They introduced themselves as emissaries of the American White Court, and ushered them into a limousine to chauffeur them off to the Hellfire Mansion. Juliette watched the city lights fly by on the ride from the airport, as the rest of the group small talked their way through it. The White Rook was cordial and offered them all wine and spirits. When Juliette declined, he charmingly offered a vein. She considered it, for a moment, but no.... she did mention that she might be thirsty later, though. Then, at dinner, he served her a meal, a young red-headed girl that she didn’t even have to enthrall. He led the meal by the hand, already smitten and aroused, right to Juliette at the table. The White Rook smiled at her, taking his seat as Juliette took a sip from the girl’s wrist. And all throughout dinner, even as the girl got close to death, the Rook had kept her calm, so Juliette could feed with ease.

“Somedzing special, isn’t ‘e?”

She’d said to her companion. Liam stopped making eyes at the American Queens just long enough to grumble that the Rook was ‘trying to bloody hard’. But Juliette appreciated the effort. She had expected she would just have to make do with a glass of blood, which wasn’t appetizing but would keep her alive. It nice to actually eat with everyone else. There was nothing but small talk, and the sizing up of each other, but drinking from a warm source definitely improved her spirits.

Then they’d all dispersed, to get ready for the White party. She changed from the protective wear of the journey into to an evening gown, and after a touch up of her hair and makeup, joined Liam in the hall to walk down to where the party was held.

 

[Liam Forbes]

The Hellfire Club - - White Wing

Liam had worn something comfortable for the flight, and didn’t bother changing for dinner. He stayed relatively quiet during the meal. He spent most of it thinking about work, still. Juliette was the one who did the majority of the socializing. Every now and then, he looked around though. Just to assess the room and the people in it. Most of the American women were gorgeous, the one in Red especially. He liked to catch her eye and smile, but the savage sitting next to her always had a scowl waiting for him. Liam’s smirk turned sardonic then, and then he’d look somewhere else. One of the few people he did speak with was the scientist of the Red Court. Their fields of expertise didn’t exactly line up, but at least it was interesting to talk trade.

After that they were given a short tour and shown to their rooms. It was nice to take a shower and freshen up after the ordeal of not just traveling, but also getting everyone and everything in order for their departure from London. He felt like their father sometimes, guiding all the children to school. The only one at Hellfire Europe that was older than him was Juliette, and it was half the reason they got along so well. That, and she was a far superior Queen to the one who preceded her. Liam pulled on the white tuxedo that Julie had picked out for him, leaving the top button of his shirt undone and his tie a little loose. He wasn’t going to spend all night half asphyxiated for these people. He worried too much about how he looked anyway. If somebody didn’t like it, they could piss off, as far as he was concerned. He stepped out into the corridor to wait for Julie.

“Which one is the dog again?”

He asked curiously. Julie had told him there was a werewolf here at court, a fact she was none too happy about. He needed to know which one of the men he was supposed to scowl at. Julie grimaced as she took his arm. Liam’s footfall was audible as they moved, but she didn’t make a noise.

Julie: Dze beeg von, vit dze long ‘air.

“Pony-tail boy?”

He guessed, trying to remember them all from dinner.

Julie: No, no. Dze odzer von.

“Oh, the one that looks like a vagrant?”

Juliette smiled and said yes.

“Wanker was glaring at me all through dinner.”

Julie: Hmm. I vonder vy.

“Who cares, he’s just a dumb brute, right? But that Dr. Chondrich, he’s an interesting fellow. And all the Queens are lovely.”

Julie: Dzere ees certainly no shor-tage of attracteeve peopel ‘ere. But are dzere any enemies or allies to be ‘ad?

“We’ll find out soon enough—whoa.”

They’d walked into the Lounge where the mixer was supposed to be.

“Ve are ‘aving dze Party een ‘eidi’s bed chambears?”

She asked, but he couldn’t answer, because they were being announced, and then there was fanfare. Juliette was used to Court theatrics, and smiled for the spotlight, but Liam rarely bothered. It was all feigned, anyway, and pointless. Why should they be cheered for just walking through the bloody door? Liam took a cursory glance around the room to take stock of who was here. Some of the Black Courts were here, and that was it.

“Americans aren’t very prompt on average, I take it?”

Julie: Eet vould not ah-pear so.

“Alright, let’s get a table then, they can come to us.”

 

[Savage]

The Hellfire Club - - Red Queen’s Suite

She told him to come in, so he twisted the knob and opened the door. He heard Her move before he’d spotted Her, and his head swiveled to find She was walking towards him. She might as well not having been wearing Her dress. He felt the mating instincts again. Then she was in his arms.

Ash: I’m so glad you’re here.

He smiled, wrapping her in a tight hug. He was careful not to muss Her intricately braided hair when his hand cradled Her head against his chest.

“I’ll always come when you call, My Queen.”

He replied warmly. It felt nice, to hold Her, and to have Her hugging him back, so he was in no hurry to let go. Yet he could see the back of Her in the mirror. He was not bothered by Her dress. She seemed to be as allergic to clothing as he was most of the time, and he rather liked it. He’d never presume to tell her what to wear, especially when he didn’t see why she should be wearing anything at all if she didn’t want to. Still, there was a little problem with Her selection.

“You look stunning, as always. I’ll be clawing out men’s eyes for the way they’ll look at You. And tearing out their tongues for the things they’ll say.”

And probably also ripping off men’s heads for the things they’d be thinking, even if they wouldn’t say. Or maybe She’d get cold and want to wear his coat. The thought refreshed his smile.

“Might I have the honor of escorting My Queen to the party?”

He asked hopefully.