To begin again.... (open)

The waiter arrived promptly with her champagne and set it before her. Sipping it, she continued her scan of the room, relaxing into the cushion of the seat. There was no need to rush in her selection.

There were patrons she recognized from the ball and she ran over the list in her mind, recalling the tidbits of information Sorin had shared with her. Idly she wondered which would be worth cultivating contacts with and the best way to approach each. For the moment she ignored those on the dance floor, though her mind automatically recognized the advantages to its setup. Instead she focused on those men clustered around talking, noting the manner of interaction. Those with power were being approached by those who wanted it and the resulting interplay was educational. Her observations were added to the ever expanding web in the back of her mind.

From the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a newcomer crossing the room. She turned a bit, following his movements. He seemed familiar and she assumed she had met him at the ball, but that didn't feel right. A small frown crossed her lips and she tapped a nail against the foot of her glass trying to place him.

(OOC - yes, she sees Simon, but never having actually met him... *grin*)

Simon's eyes were moving over the crowd when a waiter stepped out in front of him.

'Take your coat, Mr. Huntington?'

Moving smoothly past him, but slowing down to answer, Simon politely declined just when his eyes fell on a woman watching him. Stopping he looked fully at her. Immediately he remembered her, she was Sorin's date at the ball. His eyes flicked around looking for the rank son of the bitch, but he was no where to be seen. With a slight shrug, more for himself, he turned in her direction and walked up to her table. Her hair was a unique color - deep copper with a white streak and she looked high born and he just assumed she was a vampire, having been with Sorin. No one else has piqued his curiosity so he stopped at her table and gave her a slight bow.

'Excuse me. I thought I'd introduce myself, I'm Simon Huntington. You were at the Mayor's ball...correct?'

Well, well, Fiona thought to herself as the newcomer turned to cross the room. She still couldn't quite place him, which annoyed her. It also meant she wasn't certain where he stood in the ebb and flow of power in this city. Or for that matter, which aspect he might wield. It was certainly possible he was like herself - his movements were a bit more graceful than the average man, though that was no real test. Sighing softly to herself, she nodded her head in acknowledgement of his slight bow. Something akin to old world manners. How refreshing in this modern world.

"Charmé, Monsieur. I am Fiona Gerard."Â?

His name meant nothing to her, though confirmation he had been at the ball was something of a relief. Had Sorin not introduced them from lack of opportunity or was there some other reason?

"Oui, I did attend the Ball, though circumstances took me out of town shortly after and I had not heard yet if any conclusions had been reached about that evening's rather... exciting events."Â?

She studied him for a moment, curious who and what he might be. With a mental shrug, she let the curiosity guide her actions and gestured at the empty booth. If nothing else, he might make for an interesting meal.

"S'il vous plaît, Monsieur. I would be glad of the company if you the time to spare?"Â?

Simon nodded and slid into the booth with Miss Gerard. He reached out with his perception, giving the surrounding area a cursory glance, so to speak. Something told him to be cautious with this one, he wasn't sure why. Any date of Sorin was either too pretty to know better or someone to watch his back with and by the appraisal she gave him as he approached her table, he felt the latter was in order.

'All the time in the world.'

He felt something of an assassins tango beginning with Miss Gerard. Resting his arms on the table, he waved away their waiter, not quite feeling up to a drink at the moment. Instead, Simon felt like getting to the point.

'I would imagine the ball was quite interesting on the arm of Sorin Lazarovici.' Simon took a moment to give her the smallest of smiles, not that he meant it. With recent events being what they were, it would bode well for him to find out more of what Sorin was doing with himself lately. He would glean all that he could from the woman. 'I hear he's quite the date.'

Pleased that he had accepted her invitation, she watched as he settled himself comfortably, smiling prettily at him. Attempting to charm males was simply part of who she was - she didn't even realize that she did it any more. Men were so much easier to control when they were distracted and Fiona knew full well she could be distracting.

Taking a sip of her drink, she considered how to respond to that statement. It did not appear he was fishing to see if she and Sorin were a couple with an eye toward pursuing her himself, though she could swear there was something akin to jealousy in the statement. No, she got the distinct impression there was something more here and once again she wished someone in this town would simply explain the local politics without all the game playing. Though that brought her back to wondering just who Simon Huntington was. If he was a human business rival or perhaps looking to make connections in the human arena, her treatment of him would have to be very careful so as not reveal the reality of the situation. If he was clan though... which meant figuring out which clan as well. If Anantya, he might not approve of an Elder being in any way involved with an Evenhet. If Evenhet... well, the same could apply, she supposed. Though that was assuming he knew she was Evenhet... Fiona felt a headache coming on. There were enough potential twists and turns and more places to trip than she cared to think about. Facing the gullouitine had to have been less stressful.

Well, when unsure which way to go, stick with the truth. It was easier to remember in the long run.

"It was a most memorable evening. Sorin was kind to have invited me."Â? Fiona cocked her head a bit, trying to place Simon. It bothered her more than she liked that the association was eluding her. There was no doubt Sorin had not introduced her to the man across the table... so why did he look so damn familiar?

"I trust you were not seriously hurt that night?"Â? She herself had escaped serious damage only because Sorin had protected her during the explosion. The bruises, while spectacular had healed fairly quickly.


(OOC - Fiona's observations regarding Simon's "jealousy"Â? entirely her own - can edit if needed!)

'I've had worse nights.'

His injuries were minor from the Ball having been standing away from flying debris, but then it helped to be a vampire as well. Simon steered the conversation back to Miss Gerard, interested in just what circles she traveled in. She didn't recognize him, he decided. Either that or she was sizing him up - maybe a little of both. Then the thought occurred to him that she might be considering him for a meal, to which he covered his mouth with his hand and coughed out a small chuckle.

'So what brought you across the Atlantic and to our fair city, Miss Gerard?'

“Worse nights than that?” Fiona stared at him, her amazement only partially feigned. That level of non-chalance increased the chances he was Clan. Or that he was crazy. Or suicidal. She doubted there was a vampire alive who had not had worst nights. Except maybe Colin, but he was an extreme rarity in their world.

Odd, Sorin had asked her almost the same thing. The results of that conversation had been most gratifying. Logic told her that using a similar tact might work again to learn what she needed to know about Monsieur Huntington.

“I came looking for… family. I was lucky enough to have found them fairly quickly.” She gave a small shrug. “Sorin was most helpful in that area.”

Sorin helpful. Yeah.

Simon tried hard not to roll his eyes. Instead he focused on Fiona's mention of family. 'Family? Really, that's good to hear. Anyone in particular?'

He was cutting all the corners and niceities tonight. To hear that Sorin was even helpful to a stranger made him more curious and suspicious.

Now she had to be more careful. Toying with the stem of her glass she quickly considered her options. Too much truth could cause problems... then she recalled something she had heard at the ball. Alfarinn appeared to be using an alias in public. Searching her memory she quickly recalled it.

"Arin Bjorn, though the relation is quite distant."Â?

Distant enough to be non-existent, but the use of the name would answer with some degree of certainty which side of the fence Simon would come down on. Well, whether she liked it or not, Alfarinn was her Clan Elder and possessed the information she truly wanted. She was sure he'd have a thing or two to say about claiming any relationship, though she was fairly certain he'd understand her attempt at discretion. He hadn't struck her as being entirely unreasonable.

Simon's eyebrows went up at the mention of Alfarinn's public nickname. Nodding he gave her a little bit more of a smile.

'Alfarinn, yes. So...Evenhet, are you? I'm a Tacharan.'

Simon was never one for subtley, but then he was never one for being sociable either. With having taken over the clan, he found it more a necessity more than ever. Odd though - Sorin catering to an Evenhet. She was beautiful, but he wasn't going to pretend he understood what went on in that head of his. If anything, Sorin was the male version of Ellis, only a thousand times more powerful. Simon wondered if Miss Gerard new that.

Well, damn. Fiona leaned back, amazed at the change in the man across from her. It would not surprise her in the least to find this was the first honest reaction he'd had since sitting down. Answering one question, though, had brought up about a thousand more. He was Clan. Which simplified things a bit, though she was surprised to realize she had been hoping he was Evenhet. At least that would have allowed her some freedom in her speech.

And what the hell was a Tacharan. She had meant to ask Sorin about that after the ball, but had not gotten around to it. Now it just might bite her in the ass. Literally. Damn.

But wait, he had used Alfarinn's real name. Her eyes narrowed in thought and she glanced away. Yes, she was going to earn a headache tonight. Especially since she suspected that playing straight would get her a lot farther with Simon than trying to play games would. And that went against every fiber of her being. Wonderful. Right.

"Yes, I am Evenhet. Forgive me, but I do not know what Tacharan is."Â?

'Tacharan is gaelic for 'Orphans'. We're the cast aside children of an ancient that was created by an Evenhet.' Boy that was one way of putting it, he thought. 'We're not a recognized clan and very small.' Simon was still very surprised she hadn't heard of the them. For what it was worth, they were the third most powerful clan in the vampire nation - granted there are only three clans. Anonymity had its advantages though.

'I'm their clan leader, but not the ancient I just spoke of. We're killers, hired assassins and guns for hire.' More specifically they did what others were afraid to do, which came in handy and kept them alive.

'Alfarinn is also a very good friend.'

Yes, the headache tonight would be spectacular.

Simon was the Tacharan Clan leader. A clan full of mercenaries. For the first time in her long life, Fiona was clueless how to deal with someone. She could accept offering a degree of respect to another Clan's elders. That was simple preservation. But her mind balked at the thought of doing so to what amounted to hired thugs. Though, now that she thought about it, being on their good side had its advantages. One never knew when circumstances might warrant something being taken care of that she was not suited to do herself. And having the point of contact be the clan leader... that was even better.

But it wasn't until he mentioned being good friends with Alfarinn that she recognized him.

"You're the gentleman Alfarinn met with just before the explosion."Â?

Her mind spun through the information she had. Alfarinn and Sorin did not get along. At all. Simon and Alfarinn were friends. She would be willing to bet quite a bit that Simon and Sorin did not like each other.

Which meant she was dancing at the edge of quicksand.

"Pardon my saying so, but you would have to be more than that for Alfarinn to claim you as a friend. He does not strike me as the type to appreciate random slaughter."Â? Sorin might - but only if it served his purpose.

(OOC - Alfarinn's views based on Fiona's limited assessment of his personality...)

Why were Alfarinn and he friends? They just were and had always been friends. He wasn't sure how to explain it to Fiona or if he even cared to. Simon settled for the truth, 'Alafrinn has a knack for being the voice of reason in an otherwise troubled crowd of voices. Plus we both enjoy a good dark pint.' His hand turned over and he shrugged not bothering to explain further.

'And yes, Sorin and I know each other and no, our paths do not cross often, but when they do,' Simon closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly. Again, not bothering to explain further.

Fiona just shook her head, confused. Either he was playing by a completely different set of rules or he simply preferred not to play. Whoever Simon had been in the past, she doubted it included dealing with the nobility as an equal. The tendency he was showing toward honesty would have gotten him killed a dozen times over already. Which made her wonder how in the names of all the known gods he had managed to become clan leader at all.

While she wasn't surprised that he and Sorin did not care for each other, she didn't understand why he had all but admitted it. The only logical conclusion she could come to was that he thought she was watching Sorin for Alfarinn, a thought she was certain Sorin had had as well. It wasn't true, but did make a practical kind of sense. Had Alfarinn asked Simon to feel her out for the same reasons? To confirm her loyalties before meeting with her himself? But Simon hadn't known she was Evenhet... or had he? And if he had, was the interest shown because of Sorin?

Her respect for him went up a notch at the thought. Maybe he wasn't being quite as honest as he appeared to be.

"That would be why Sorin did not introduce us the evening of the ball. Let me guess, Anantya does not acknowledge Tacharan, but Evenhet does?"Â? Oh, she doubted anything was that simple, but his answer might give her some clues into the relationships between the clans.

'No one recognizes Tacharan.'

Simon's smile, if you could call it that, faded from his face. Political talk, even it was just chit chat, was boring to him. If the Council recognized Tacharan or not - it mattered very little. He had no desire to sit at the Council as an Elder and Tacharan's survival did not rest on those types of laurels. No, the clan would go on - with or without approval...with or without Ellis.

And as for Sorin not introducing them - again Simon never bothered with formal introductions. He'd much rather see to his own clan than meet the upper crust of the nation. He wondered why he was even bothering meeting Fiona tonight. Bored he supposed, but she was charming which no doubt came from her european back ground. Very high bred, he decided probably much like Ellis was.

'The political going ons of the clans are quite boring and as you have probably noticed, quite complicated. Tacharan has an agreement with the other clans and coexists accordingly.' Granted that agreement was null and void after what Ellis had done at Hillman's Compound, but the repercussions of that were yet to be really felt. That would happen with the Council meeting.

Fiona watched the smile fade and wondered just how far out of line she'd stepped. This was not a game for him, that much was obvious. She tried to understand the stance he appeared to be taking and simply could not grasp why he ignored the political ramifications of the situation. Sighing she leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. He had given her enough to think about regarding the clans for one night. It was possible that her association with Sorin was going to work against her, but she found herself liking this man, for his honesty if nothing else. In a way, it was refreshing.

"From what I've seen, complicated is perhaps the understatement of the century."Â? She offered him an honest smile, letting all the game playing go. Never one to fight the inevitable, she simply gave in and met him openly. "So, tell me, are you always this honest?"Â?

Lacing his fingers together on the table top, he pursed his lips together in thought. 'I've no reason to exaggerate, I suppose.' Simon touched the tips of his thumbs and looked around the room. Not a talker by nature, he felt the conversation had gone beyond him.

'Well, if you don't mind, Miss Gerard, this is where I bid you farewell. It was a pleasure meeting you.' Simon stood and gave her a stiff bow. He had enjoyed talking with her, he was just tuckered out from all the socializing.

((ooc simon out - pending response))

"And I hope you are able to continue in this way. It is a rare gift."Â?

Fiona was surprised to feel disappointed when he stood to leave. She had come here to feed, not to make friends. Especially ones that the calculating part of her knew would be trouble. But there was something different about Simon, something beyond the honesty. Mentally shrugging it off for the time being, she smiled and nodded in acknowledgement of his bow.

"As it was you, Monsieur Huntington. I wish you luck in your Clan."Â?

She settled back and watched as he walked away, thoughtful. No matter what else might happen over the next few months, she hoped to never find herself on the wrong side of Simon. Anyone who led a Clan of mercenaries was not someone to trifled with, but more than that, he had seemed decent. Part of her hoped to one day call him friend, but the practical side of her knew that was not likely to happen. People like her rarely had friends. Allies, yes. But friends were a dangerous commodity. Sighing, she picked up her glass and sipped the champagne.

(OOC - will leave open for a bit - anyone else is welcome to come along!)

Christian opted for a navy Armani suit that he fastened just once at the waist. The crisp blue dress shirt was made more casual by being open at the collar and left untucked; the occasional piece of it showing when he reached for something.

...Like the door to Club Eternity to allow his lovely child to enter the building first. The doorman who would have normally performed such a function smoothly stepped out of the way for him. He was obviously used to men trying to make a good impression with some basic manners. Christian nodded a slight acknowledgment and stepped inside.

The place was crowded as to be expected. They could have their choice of a wide variety of prey. Automatically he began scanning the room for what normally appealed to him. His tastes were not as specific as some but a search of the room gave him some favorites to choose from and from those he could narrow it down to the likeliest target.

Leaning down to Aishe, he smiled while still searching the room.

"See anything you like?"Â?

His eyes fell on a redhead at one of the booths. She was a good choice but something in her manner suggested she wasn't an easy mark. More hunter than prey, though that kind of woman could be fun to tangle with when he had the time. Christian's eyes moved on and then came back to the woman. She was... she was... the memory would come to him eventually.

For now though, he debated the benefits of alcohol. Deciding it would be for the best and would help them fit in, Christian moved closer to Aishe again.

"What would you care to drink?...from the bar."Â?

((OOC: Christian isn't suggesting that he thinks fiona is a vampire. He believes from her gaze and manner that she less of a passive follower type that might be easily lured. However, it might eventually click to the chief of security where in the several places that he has seen her or a description before. we'll get there eventually...somehow. And our humble apologies to the other Club E thread but you guys had more people in yours so we came here.))

Aishe hadn't had occasion to dress this nicely in some time. She couldn't fault either MARI or Christian's taste either. The beige evening gown she'd found waiting for her made her feel nothing short of elegant, and seemed to fit in with the rest of the crowd at the upscale nightclub.

She thanked Chris as he held the door for her, smiled almost shyly at the doorman, and made her way into the club, looking around slowly. Chris' voice next to hear ear was comforting. She certainly wasn't going to forget the reason she was here, and while she wasn't exactly nervous, there was a certain sense of anticipation involved.

Aishe shook her head slightly, then changed her mind when she saw a group of young men in a semi-private partially-walled-off table across the room. Young money, she thought, having seen plenty of it in the circles her parents had wanted her to travel in in her early 20s. They were looking at her, and while coy wasn't her usual method, she did manage to glance over at them and then lower her eyelids demurely. "Perhaps," she murmured to Chris.

Aishe, not normally a drinker at all, didn't want to draw too much attention to herself by not having one at hand. She looked up at Chris, black hair falling away from her face, and said, "Chris... I don't drink." It was said with some slight worry. "Maybe a glass of wine?" Something she could hold and sip on without drinking too deply of. He would know what was appropriate, she was sure.

(ooc: Aishe's gown))

The waiter had returned and Fiona had absently accepted the offer of another drink. A few moments later it was delivered, the waiter taking advantage of her seeming preoccupation with the crowd to check her out. Used to such scrutiny, she knew it was happening and turned her eyes up to him, raising an eyebrow. Embarrassed, he blushed and left quickly. Shaking her head she returned to picking out her prey.

There was one gentleman not too far away who looked promising and she studied him for a few moments. He seemed to be without a date, which meant she could take her time and play for awhile without the annoyance of dealing with a female. If not handled properly, a scene could result that was not in Fiona's best interests. She found she wished Sorin was here to hunt with. While she did not know or care exactly what he done with his half of their meal, the results had been highly entertaining.

She was debating her options in approaching her choice when she gave the room one last scan. Another couple had entered and she truly did wish Sorin was here to help. An elegant pair, though the man was shorter than she preferred. The woman was a beauty, with her tanned skin and dark hair set off very well by the light dress. Fiona felt a tendril of jealousy stir and dismissed her previous choice from her mind. This would be more difficult, but much more rewarding. She settled back with her drink and debated her options.

(OOC - forgot to note it earlier, but she's wearing her typical black silk pants suit with a blood red lace vneck blouse under it - see the piazza thread!)

Christian turned his gaze toward the section that Aishe had just been eyeing. The small group of young men were a wise choice. They were quite probably looking for a fun evening and were not interested in finding 'true love in a night club' that would lead to complications.

He raised his eyebrows at her confession. It was not unheard of for someone in these times to not drink but he wondered why she did not. If she were willing to take a glass of wine then it did not seem to be a religious prohibition against the substance.

Making himself noticed the bartender was made easier with a mental nudge. Once the man turned to look around, Christian raised a hand just above the bar to indicate he was ready to order.

"Two glasses of Fontodi Chianti Classico."Â?

Leaning towards Aishe, he said.

"At least if you're going to tote a glass around, let it be something worth toting."Â?

Smiling at her, he considered their next move. The familiarity of the redhead was still bothering him but first things first. Christian sent to Aishe.

[Perhaps you and I should part ways on the pretense of the powder room. Stroll past your friends there and see if any seem more than passingly interested. From there you can plan your next move.]

He waited for her to answer before moving off himself, lest she have other ideas. Glancing back at the woman in the booth, Christian wondered if she would object to company.

Aishe nodded with acqiescense as Chris ordered for them both, grateful for his understanding of the matter. It wouldn't do her any harm to sip all night long; she didn't dislike wine.

[From the looks of them, they appear to all be around twenty-one or so,] she responded to Chris, flicking her green eyes up to him with the faintest hint of a wry smile. [I think by definition they're all more than passingly interested. I'll see what I can do. Let me know if it works?] It was delivered with all the maturity of her lofty twenty-eight years, but the slight smile on her lips remained and her eyes danced with laughter nonetheless. If nothing else, Aishe was quickly learning not to take herself too seriously.

She glanced around at the crowded room, located the hall into the back, and took herself off in that direction. Hooray for ettiquette and deportment, she thought, otherwise she'd have made an idiot out of herself already by tripping over the flowy gown or twisting an ankle on the pretty shoes beneath. As it was she managed to pass right by what she was beginning to think of as her buffet table.

She offered up another glance through half-lidded eyes as she passed, tipping her head away just a bit and brushing her hair back behind her ear in a slightly self-conscious way. One, two, three, four... five guys. One in particular was watching her as she passed, and she took note of his appearance in case their positions shifted, then continued along on her way to the ladies' room.

Once there, she flopped down on one of the cute little chairs in the entry, trying not to tear anything, and gave a little sigh. It had been a long night, exciting, and eventful, true, but bound to get even longer still. Her hunting lesson did not bother her in the least; Aishe had considered this quite seriously over the last few months, and she knew when push came to shove she'd be able to do what was necessary. What worried her slightly was how Kem would react.

She could still feel his presence, and she had to chuckle at the great deal of restraint she felt there as well. Soon enough now, she thought, resting her head against the back of the chair. She closed her eyes briefly, glad for the minor respite, and hoped Chris would keep her informed. She wasn't exactly sure how long, exactly, a trip to the powder room was supposed to take under these circumstances. Somehow, her slight education in such things had neglected these very basic tasks.

Christian nodded to Aishe and then turned away. He watched he progress while seeming to be paying attention to something else nearby. Chuckling inwardly at her correct assessment of young men, he cut his eyes back their way just as she passed in order to check their auras.

[They are all quite smitten, my dear. You will be interested to note that the blonde appears to most obviously taken with you...and is likely to make a move if given an opportunity. The taller dark haired young man is actually the most interested despite his calmer exterior.]

It was at these times when an empath's true hunting skills came into play. Christian felt a great sense of relief knowing that Aishe had inherited it. Despite its seeming like a nuisance at the moment.

[You could choose either and get your wish. However, I would personally suggest letting the blonde come to you. The other might actually want more than you are interested in letting him have.]

Even the young yearn for something secure. The small group had still been one of the better marks for someone's first time and he was proud that she had the good sense to pick them out herself.

Turning his attention towards his own situation, Christian wondered whether he should chance the redhead who was still claiming his thoughts or try for something quick and easy as well.

Alas, he was rarely one for the easy road. Sighing slightly, he was not surprised to find himself headed towards the redhead before the decision had solidly formed in his mind. Standing to one side of the booth so as not to be too boldly crass and intruding, Christian smiled and turned up the accent that he normally carefully hid.

"Your pardon, but I was wondering if I could ask someone who appears to be a person of fine taste, if they could recommend a restaurant?"Â?

Aishe stayed where she was, head tipped back against the chair, one foot tapping slightly under her gown. Chris' words brought a smile to her face. Smitten, hmm? She chuckled. The blond had been the one whose face she'd noticed as being the most interested. It was good to know Chris agreed with her, but now what did she do with him? This feeding thing could be tougher than she'd expected.

Strike that, no. She'd known it would be something like this, she'd just obviously never had the chance to engage in such games herself. Aishe's usual manner was not flirtatious and coy. She tended to be wall-flowerish until she had a goal in mind, and then bulls in china shops generally had nothing on her. That wouldn't do here. She'd have to remain coy and cute.

[Thank you, Chris,] she sent back when he informed her of both men. [Considering I'm not interested in letting either of them have much of anything, it sounds like I've got a target. You?]

She stayed where she was for a few moments more. She'd just been busy trying to get herself noticed before, when she'd walked past the partially hidden table. Now, it seemed, she should most likely focus her efforts on the one young man in particular.

After what she figured was probably an appropriate amount of time, Aishe gathered up her gown and stood, then let the length of fabric fall again. Checking to make sure everything was arranged properly, she made her way back out into the club. Chris, she noticed, had moved to stand beside the booth of a rather striking red-head. She smiled at him quickly and headed to the bar, where the drink he'd ordered for her was waiting. It gave her a good opportunity to locate her buffet table again and, this time, meet the eyes of the blond man for one brief, bold instant before dropping hers down once more and sipping demurely at her wine.

Fiona was still musing over her options when the decision was taken completely out of her hands. A moment's confusion was hidden behind a demure smile as she gathered her scattered thoughts. There was no surprise at having been approached, though she couldn't help but wonder if she had inadvertently cast a glamour before she was ready. It seemed entirely too coincidental that the mark she had singled out would approach her so boldly.

Well, not boldly. He was being completely respectful of her personal space - close enough for casual conversation but not so lose as to be intruding. She placed the accent easily and found she could relax a bit. Time in New York had made her a bit wary of dealing with Americans - she generally found herself gritting her teeth in annoyance if she spent too long in their company. Nachton apparently attracted it's share of Europeans, another reason to take up residence here. The possibility of civilized conversation was a definite draw.

A thoughtful frown crossed her lips as she considered his question. While she didn't have to eat, she did enjoy a good meal and had found a few restaurants in the area that allowed her to indulge while still maintain her exacting standards. Tapping a nail against her lower lip she met his blue eyes with seeming shyness. Mentally stepping onto the playing field, she couldn't help but be amused at the difference between this game and the one she had played with Sorin. This game held it's own charm and often could be used as a stepping stone to the other. She let her own accent expand slightly as she gave him a light and suggestive answer.

"That would depend upon your tastes, Monsieur, not to mention your mood."Â?

The part of her that had reacted with jealousy to the man's date was tempted to suggest something that would be more appropriate for the masses, but she reigned that in, curious to see what was going on here. They had entered together, but had then split apart, each appearing to flirt with someone else. The exotic woman had returned, but ignored her escort, returning to the bar to retrieve her drink. She did not come to claim her man away though, a move Fiona was accustomed to seeing under these circumstances. What was going on here that there was no defending of territory? Her fun was being stolen away and she hadn't a clue how it had happened.

Determined to salvage this situation, she glanced down at the table, pretending she had no idea he had come in with someone else.

"Would you care to join me?"Â?

Christian waited politely while the redhead paused for thought. His mind was working furiously on another matter entirely. This close to her and now he was certain he had seen her before. It was hard to mistake someone of such timeless grace..

Timeless....

A vampire. Images of the mayor's dinner flashed before his eyes starting with the chaotic conclusion and then moving backward to the beginning of the evening. She had come in with Sorin Lazarovici of Anantya. There was a good chance that she was one of that clan but he was fairly certain...reasonably certain, that he was dealing with one of his own kind. Would an Anantya elder be seen with a human? He thought it was safe to say no.

Well that gave the situation a different twist he was not expecting. He wondered what fine line he might be treading here shortly. If she was an Anantya then he would do better to keep Aishe away from her. It was never a good idea to let an enemy, or at least a non friendly, know that there was someone untried on the battlefield.

Grinning at her answer, Christian looked down a moment before looking back up to meet her gaze.

"Ah, my tastes are healthy I believe. I do enjoy that which is fine but it most certainly must be well made. As to my mood...."Â?

At this he tilted his head to the side and considered the question.

" I would say that I am in the mood for something quiet and elegant."Â?

He look surprised at her offer for a seat. Turning to nod at Aishe, he then returned his gaze to the woman in front of him.

"I would be delighted to keep you company, if you will have me. My sister seems to have found her own interests for the evening."Â?

Sliding into the seat, he set down his wine and made a slight bow with one hand to his chest.

" My name is Christian Bern. Thank you for your hospitality."Â?

Having further secured her interest with the rather attractive blond, Aishe turned, thinking she would rejoin Chris and let the younger man dangle a bit. Then, realizing that Chris was now engaged in conversation with the redhead and had moved to sit with her, she checked herself. If that was to be Chris' own target tonight, she would probably just be in the way if she butted in now.

She fretted slightly as she turned away again, wishing she had the ability to contact Chris herself and double-check, but she had to wait until he spoke to her before she could respond. She sipped at her wine a bit more, as much for something to do as anything else, but she didn't forget her own goal.

Aishe checked to make sure the young blond was still watching her, which he was, and that he noticed her interest in him as well, which he did. Remarkable restraint for someone who was still ruled by hormones, she thought with a little internal sniff of self-consciousness. She wondered how long it would take him to actually approach her. She felt certain she could handle things from that point on, or at least until the moment of truth came.

Fiona lowered her eyes when he expressed what he was in the mood for. She used a light touch of glamour on herself, making it appear she was blushing, before looking back up at him. The glamour faded slowly, returning her skin to its usual tones. She much preferred using her talents like this to the times she'd needed it to hide. Few things irritated her more than to be forced into invisibility.

"I think I can come up with something quiet and elegant."Â?

Her spurt of triumph as he accepted her invitation was flattened by his next statement. Involuntarily she looked across the room at the other woman. His sister? Did he honestly think that story would fly with anyone how could see 2 inches beyond their nose? She returned her gaze to him and raised an eyebrow slightly inviting an explanation, but not willing to outright ask for one. It would have been unforgivably rude.

"Enchante, Monsieur Bern. Fiona Gerard."Â? She smiled and returned his nod. "I would love to keep you company until your sister returns."Â?

This was proving to be one of the odder evenings she'd had lately. First she accidently stumbles over the Clan leader - and it just occurred to her how strange it was he hadn't used the term Elder - then she manages to choose a mark that isn't the game she had anticipated. Sighing softly to herself, she set her glass down and met Christian's eyes. He was handsome enough and charming. And it was nice to hear a voice that didn't set her teeth on edge like many around her could. This might prove to be a pleasant diversion.

Christian smiled and seeing the expression of curiosity and doubt, which honestly was to be expected from the statement he just made, he went on to explain. Chuckling softly, he said.

"Adopted. It is a large family with all of us children being from rather diverse backgrounds."Â?

She had said that she could think of somewhere quiet and elegant. Was she considering him a target in the same way that he had considered her? Two vampires hunting for a meal and ending up finding each other, it wasn't unheard of. Or she could just be answering his question and he was reading more into it than actually existed now that he figured her for one of his own.

" Merci Mademoiselle Gerard, you are most kind."Â?

The name was familiar. Christian blinked once or twice trying to capture the stray strands of thought and memory and make them take hold. Reaching for his glass, he took a sip to give him enough time to pull it all together.

Fiona Gerard. Fiona was not a common name at all and he had seen it recently. She was definitely the redhead at the Mayor's dinner and likely one of his own kind but her name was familiar and he knew very few Anantya.

Of course!, Christian leaned back quickly as the pieces finally fit together. Checking his suit, he was relieved to know that he had not spilled his wine in the hasty movement.

"Ah, but you are family too. Are you not, Mlle. Gerard? From the towers, here in Nachton?"Â?

She was not Anantya, but Evenhet. Her name was familiar because she was a newer arrival to the city and MARI sent him her file so that he would know of her. Having constant access to the computer's memory would be nice at times like these.

Christian relaxed back into the booth. He was dealing with a clan mate; that was so much better than trying to figure out the motives of an unknown Anantya. What was she doing with Sorin? It was not his place, even as Evenhet Security, to ask and so he put that thought aside for the moment.

Fiona was pleased that he’d picked up on the unspoken question. It as much more entertaining to converse with someone who was intelligent. And adoption did explain the seemingly false statement. Fiona found it perfectly natural that the woman might have wanted an unattached escort for the evening. It allowed her a measure of protection against those who might wish to harm her, but the freedom to spend her time as she chose.

But his claim that she was also family made her frown slightly. To the best of her knowledge, she had never seen either of these people in her long life. Her mind took a few moments to link his claim of a large, diverse family with the reference to towers. She used his momentary distraction with his clothing to cover her surprise.

So, Christian was another member of Evenhet. Presumably, so was his “sister”. But he did not know who she was until she gave him her name…

Alfarinn. Or Maeve. But she’d be willing to bet that Alfarinn had asked that an eye be kept out for her, especially as she hadn’t yet bothered to put in an appearance at the Towers. Damn, she wasn’t ready for this conversation, hadn’t planned out how to approach the Evenhet, especially in light of the talks she’d had with Sorin. She knew damn well that appearing at the ball on his arm had put her in a precarious position. No one, not even Sorin, knew exactly where her loyalties lay at the moment. To be honest, Fiona wasn’t entirely certain where they lay. And until she did, she was not willing to tip the balance in either direction.

So she got to play nice with her “brother”. And here she had been ready to relax and enjoy the company of a fellow European stuck in the wilds of the New World. She let that thought settle in and decided that she could still do that. She just had to keep in mind that anything she said would end up back with Alfarinn. That was doable.

She nodded slowly, amusement evident in her eyes. “Yes, I am given to understand that I have family living there. I haven’t had the time to visit them yet, business having called me away again until recently. I believe that my dear friend Maeve is staying there now though.”

Christian waited for her answer. Letting her sort out the subtle clue as to what he and Aishe were. The 'vampire dance' was an old one; a dance that could only be moved to by two of their kind. If she had been human then it would have been an awkward but harmless moment. She was not.

The dance continued.

Fiona explained that she was called away on business and that explained her reasons for not yet making a visit to the Towers. It was an answer that could be accepted. He did not believe that was the full of it but such a thing was minor at this point.

His thoughts turned to Aishe and his gaze moved out over the nightclub until it found his child.

[Fiona here is Evenhet. Would you care to sit down for a bit or are you more interested in moving things along with your choice.]

Turning back to his clan mate next to him, Christian smiled.

"Ah yes, that she is. Its not for everyone but I call it home as well."Â?

There were those, Kem among them, that did not find the Towers to be to their liking. It could be the modern nature of it, which despite Evenhet's forward thinking there were some members who did not embrace the technology of the now, or the communal living with so many people, or the constant movement of the inner city, or some other reason entirely. There were many.

Aishe was relieved to hear Chris' voice in her head once more. Having sipped at her wine and made the appropriate cute faces at the young blond, she was watching out of the corner of her eye as his friends obviously tried to psych him up for something. Hopefully, a dance. Or something of that nature. God knew if she kept up with the faces and the eyelash-batting and the shyness for much longer, she was going to have to return to the ladies' room and vomit.

[I would love to come join you,] she sent back. [I didn't want to interrupt if you were onto something yourself, and it seems mine needs a little moral support before he plucks up the courage. Maybe I need to be a bit more obvious.]

Considering she'd been beating around Nachton with all the subtlety of a tapdancing hippo lately, it was amusing to her that now she was being too subtle. She moed away from the bar, caught the man's eye once again, and gave him a slow, soft smile. Indicating with her eyes the direction she was going, she added a very small nod of her head in invitation, should he decide he actually had the courage to come over after all. With that, she went to join Chris and the redhead... Fiona.

Approaching the table she smiled at them and said, mostly to the woman, "Good evening, I hope I'm not interrupting." She didn't want to give away the fact that Chris had been sending to her, so she stopped there. Anything else she could have thought of to say would have given away either the fact that she'd been talking to Chris very quietly, or that she didn't know what, if anything, Chris had said about their relationship thus far.

It was something of a relief that it didn’t seem to be expected that she take up residence at the Towers. She couldn’t imagine living in that massive steel structure for any length of time, but she had come to the conclusion she did want a home here in Nachton. Taking Maeve along home shopping would be a good idea – and it would give them a chance to clear the air between them.

While it wasn’t really needed at this point, his knowing Maeve confirmed they were having the same conversation. She nodded and gave a slight grimace. “I fear I am one who it would not suit. I must admit I prefer a more traditional setting for my treasures.”

The arrival of Christian’s “sister” caused the spurt of jealousy to flare again. Refusing to acknowledge it, she smiled graciously at the exotic woman. “And to you. I do not believe you are interrupting. Please, join us.”

(OOC - sorry bout the shortness - it's been one of those days at work.... she'll make up for it on the noext go round!)

Christian nodded in understanding. So that was her problem with the place. It was a common one among the immortals; adjusting from age to age happened at various rates. Some vampires did very well with keeping up with the times and others did not; many simply had preferences that related to the past.

"My creator would agree with you. He does live in the Towers but he has made his home something of an anachronism within the modern."Â?

He smiled thinking of Grisha.

"Of course, its quite possible that he gets away with such eccentricity because he's a grumpy old goat. "

Aishe did walk over to join them and Christian slid over to give her room at the booth.

"Aishe Nevrat this is Fiona Gerard, also of Evenhet."Â?

((OOC: I'm kind of sleepy so mine is short also ))

Aishe nodded to the redhead. "A pleasure to meet you, Fiona," she said as she slid as gracefully as she could into the booth next to Chris. Holding her hand out to Fiona, she made sure her wineglass was set upon the table well away from any flailing elbows. It wouldn't do to ruin her gown, which, she had to admit, she liked more than just a little.

Turning to Chris with a wry smile, she said, "I couldn't exactly help overhearing, but as is always the case, I didn't hear enough. Who, exactly, is the old goat in question?"

It was the first time she'd ever heard Chris use such a colorful description. "It can't possibly be me. I've always considered myself more of a, oh... I don't know," she shrugged one shoulder. "Something without facial hair."

She offered up her most innocent expression, taking a small sip of her wine and replacing it delicately back on the table.

Fiona's eyes widened in feigned shock at Christian's... colorful description of his maker. His companion's arrival had saved her from having to come up with an appropriate reply and she gladly accepted the hand offered.

But Aishe's comeback was so completely unexpected, that Fiona let out a pretty laugh. Surprised at herself, she actually did blush a little. She waved a hand delicately, as if shooing away her bad manners. "I'm sorry, I was not laughing at you, truly. It is just..."Â?

Fiona shook her head, unsure how to explain her reaction. Years of dealing in the courts followed by even more years of dealing with the nobility had left her with few defenses against this particular pair. She was completely unaccustomed to those who simply spoke their minds. Even Maeve took some care when dealing with her, which Fiona could honestly admit was her own fault. Not that she'd admit it. Honesty between them tended to be of the harsher variety.

Her eyes still sparkling with suppressed humor, Fiona returned Aishe's innocent look with one of her own.

"It is a pleasure, Mlle. Nevrat. Please, call me Fiona, both of you. It would not do to address to family with such formality, I think?"Â?

Christian looked and smiled as Aishe introduced herself and sat down. He shrugged slightly at her question concerning his earlier statement. It would seem that she had only heard the end of it.

He raised his eyebrows at her remark. Bringing a hand to his chin, he scratched it thoughtfully and peered closely at her. Pretending to consider the matter for a moment, Christian finally said.

"No, not a goat. A monkey perhaps but not a goat."Â?

He winked at her slightly and waited to be hit. Christian did, however, answer her question.

"The owner of the bookstore Ex Libris. It is in the Towers. Have you been there?"Â?

He was pleasantly surprised to hear the laughter from Fiona. It would seem that they might have made a good choice in coming here tonight. It was almost always pleasant to meet with clan mates and become acquainted with someone you could quite probably trust.

Turning to include them both, Christian explained for the benefit of Fiona who had mentioned not being in the Towers at all.

"The Ex Libris looks as though it were straight out Victorian times for the most part. Grisha has a large variety of books and they are stacked full on the shelves. He keeps his computer hidden so that it does not ruin the view and I rigged up a very old cashier's drawer casing around a more modern component. So, all of the modern without the look. "

He sat back and took a sip of his wine, before adding.

"Grisha likes the modern conveniences. He just happens to feel that... how did he put it? Ah, everything today looked so ridiculously cheap and plastic. People have forgotten how to make fine quality things that didn't break within a year. And more grumbling along those lines."Â?

Christian smiled thinking about the grumbling and muttering that his creator did. Grisha would probably grumble about being quoted though only to say that Christian got it wrong.

Aishe shook Fiona's hand gently when hers was accepted, trying not to stare at the little shapes that appeared around her when Fiona spoke again, their handshake almost, but not quite, released. Dark forest green swirls mingled with clear red triangles... it was like a Christmas tree. She pulled her eyes away, careful not to yank her hand away as well.

She did give Chris an exaggerated, aggrieved sigh. "At least I'm a throwback to my ancestors," she said. "There are worse mammals you could have chosen to base a comparison on." She flashed a little grin, hoping at least she was more on the 'cute lemur' side and a little less on the 'hairy baboon with a pink butt' side of the equation.

"I have been to Ex Libris, as a matter of fact," she said. "Once or twice."

She listened to Chris' description of the store, nodding along with it, smiling at the kindness of her creator, at his ingenuity and thoughtfulness. Clever, to be able to maintain the quaint, antique appearance of the bookstore while having it remain modern as well.

"He does have a point. Things today do look plastic, I suppose, although you can still find good workmanship. You just need to look harder for it now than a few years ago."

Aishe caught herself before she began to ramble on about old cultures and the evolution of trades and crafts. In some other circles, she would have felt free to go on and on, but perhaps not in this setting, not now at any rate.


((ooc: Permission to use empathy))

Fiona found the interplay between the two to be rather fascinating. If one were listening to this conversation without seeing it, you would think the two truly were siblings. Content to listen for the moment - she had not been in the shop they described, thus had little to add at this point - she sipped her drink, comfortable.

She, too, had a dislike for the plasticity of many modern conviences. Granted, she wouldn't know what to do without others - modern plumbing for instance - but she wondered sometimes that mankind didn't seem to realize that they were losing touch with true artistry in their drive to "improve" everything.

"His shop sounds perfect. I will have to make a point of visiting in the near future. I may even have a few things that he would possibly trade for - things gathered while traveling he might find of interest."

Which turned her mind once again to the need for a more permanent residence... shaking her head slightly at the thought - tomorrow night was soon enough for that - she caught back up with the conversation.

"It is harder to find true pieces of beauty. Even many of the reproductions I have seen do not have a fraction of the craft in them. And so many originals not properly cared for." That was something she found annoying - furniture and artwork that had taken weeks if not months to produce treated so shabbily. She, herself, still possessed peices that were hundreds of years old and as good as the day they were made. One of the first things her staff learned was how to properly care for her furniture and art. and the consequences of not doing so... "I must agree with your Grisha, though it is the coldness that I do not like. There is nothing quite like the warmth of polished wood and rich fabrics to relax into."

Christian smiled at Aishe, glad that she did not take offense at being compared to a monkey. His thought at the time had been that they were inquisitive and intelligent and like their descendants, if Darwin was to be believed, they had a knack for creative solutions. He wondered briefly what kind of animal their new acquaintance most resembled.

Aishe had been to the Ex Libris and it would seem that she shared Grisha's opinion on how modern plastic things. It would amuse his creator to know that he was a topic of conversation over something so minor as his opinion over artifical materials.

After finishing his description, Christian took a sip of wine and listened to Fiona's point of view.

"Today's environment is a disposable world. Even expensive things are not build to last and so much is easily replaced that care is not taken with it."Â?

With a grin towards Aishe, he gave an example that he felt Fiona might agree with.

"For instance the fashion today changes so often that clothes need to be changed almost every year in order to keep with the times. Much of it is not sewn to last but I remember times when you kept garments for years and treated your fine clothing with great care. It was expensive to replace but it was made to endure."Â?

Casting a glance around the room, he noticed the fast moving modern world in motion. The trendy girl on her cell phone near the entrance would probably upgrade the device when a newer more 'chic' model came out that was smaller, had more options, or was simply the 'in' thing. It did not matter that there was nothing wrong with the phone that she had and that it might continue to faithfully serve the purpose of helping her communicate with others for several more years before she needed a new one.

Turning back to his group, he shrugged. To Fiona, he said.

"Grisha's apartments are also decorated in the warmth of wood and fabric that you describe. It is his other sanctuary. I do believe he is totally unconcerned with being an oddity in a modern environment. Somehow that works very well for him. Should you choose rooms at the Towers then you can do decorate them as you like."Â?

Christian wondered now about his child. Aishe was staying at Liefde but he did not know if she considered it a permanent home. He supposed that it would depend on her relationship with Kem.

"If you have not had a chance to personalize your home then understand that you are certainly allowed. Even in blazing neon if you absolutely must."Â?

Aishe was content to listen to the conversation for the moment. Fiona's words reminded her of Kem, the good-natured art snob, who had explained to her on occasion his tastes in decoration, insofar as he had any. He had admitted to her on more than one occasion that his idea of fashion or decoration was hardly trendy, but she did know that everything he owned was perfectly authentic. Like Fiona, he was not a fan of poor reproductions.

Chris' voice brought her more fully back to the present, as he talked of a disposable world. "That seems to be largely a trait of certain countries," she added. "My childhood was much, much different. Growing up in Egypt wasn't anything like my life after I moved here to the US. It raises the question of whether culture drives the industry, or if it's industry influencing our culture."

She did, indeed, recall when she had had several outfits that had to last her for a year, possibly two. And her family had been exceptionally well-off. Things had changed drastically though, with their relocation to the US. Her parents had always poured themselves into her, as if she were the focal point of their existence. But after they'd moved it intensified. Aishe had to follow every trend, had to have new clothing as often as it became popular.

"I lived in your disposable world for a while," she said to Chris. "It made me... sad." Aishe didn't have a better word for it. She didn't consider herself a terrible pack rat, but she liked to see things last.

The idea of a home decorated in blazing neon brought another smile to her lips. She thought of her own stark little set of apartments, completely undecorated, waiting to find out what would happen next as she had waited. She was close to getting her answers, and then perhaps she would know what to do with her living space.

Fiona grinned at Christian's complaints about clothing. It was true that clothing was not made to last these days, though her own favorites were made the "old fashioned"Â? way. Trends were the problem, though. And having spent so much time in court circles, it was a concept she understood.

"You should have Maeve design you something - she still holds with the old values, though she has modernized the styles of course. I still have garments she made for me decades ago, though we've adapted the styles to match the times. It would not do to stand out in such a way!"Â?

Fiona was surprised that Aishe found the modern world "sad"Â? - somehow she had gotten the impression that she was very young, and those with youth behind them tended to adapt to change much more smoothly she had found. Automatically, Fiona adjusted her thinking and responses to the other woman.

"No, I do not think that blazing neon would suit, not even in color."Â? She considered Aishe thoughtfully, and let her mind wander over various styles she had seen or used over the years. "Something soothing and warm, I think. With unexpected splashes of color and energy."Â?

Fiona nodded slowly, picturing Aishe in such an environment. Her own style would not suit, that was obvious - this one was not from the same type of formal background. From what she had seen so far, there was a level of seriousness to this one, but there was also a sense of playfulness that Fiona had lost centuries ago, if she had ever truly had it. She shrugged, a bit apologetically.

"I do not mean offense, truly. I am accustomed to one's environment being a type of display, showing what one is. There is much that one can learn by seeing how another person lives."Â?

Christian nodded to Aishe but somewhat disagreed with the philosophy, or at least felt that it was contrary to what they had been discussing. It was, in many ways, the technology and the need for instant things whether it was food,software or answers, that made people wasteful and impatient. Countries that were not on the cutting edge of technology for the majority of its members generally did have a different ethic but where there was modern living with things built not to last longer than its warranty then there was waste. Japan had a rich traditional culture and its people were just as wasteful, perhaps even more so, than the Americans when it came to shiny new electronic toys. By the same token rural America still had the waste not want not attitude that went hand in hand with growing and making much of the things you ate and used.

"It is human nature."Â? Christian paused and amended. "In most cases, to want to advance. It builds and grows and brings the loss of the old along with it. Something new always replaces it but it is not always something the older generation consider worth while."Â?

Taking a sip of his drink, he added. "I must say that I do not understand the appeal of Country music."Â?

Nodding, to Fiona, Christian looked thoughtful. "I will have to ask her if she has the time to make a few things. Perhaps she should set up a shop in the Towers. I believe she would have a tidy bit of business amongst our kind."Â?

Turning to catch a glance about the club, Christian's eyes fell on a brunette who smiled and tipped her drink at him. She was alone at the bar and was scanning the crowd in a bored fashion. His empathy told him she was lonely and willing, if a bit jaded. He could fix that for a short time.

He smiled at his two companions, and stood up.

"If you two ladies will excuse me. I believe there is someone requesting my attention. I will be just a moment."Â?

It would be best if he could get his hunting done and be quick about it so that he was strong and fed once more. He should be ready to handle anything that might go wrong with Aishe's hunt. It would not be good for there to be blood and high emotion involved while he and his child was hungry.

((OOC: Christian temporarily out. Heading to Birmingham. Chat amongst yourselves. I don't want to hold up the thread any more. I may or may not have a lot of access while I'm there but I won't have as much time as usual. ))

Aishe smiled at Fiona, shaking her head as if to brush off the other woman's apology. "No offense taken," she said. "You're right, a person's environment should say something about themselves." Fiona definitely had a knack for visualization; she couldn't help but smile at the description presented.

"I think if I were to decorate my own place, you'd have nailed it right there. Earthy tones for me, I think, maybe some blues and greens mixed in."

She fell silent again after that, thinking about her suite at Liefde once more while Chris spoke. What did it say about her, now, that she'd been living in a blank white canvas for the past few months? Aishe hadn't really considered it as anything more then a temporary stopping point, but she'd already come to the decision that whatever happened, she wanted to stay here in Nachton.

She stood for a moment, letting Chris out of the booth when he excused himself, and then slid back in and crossed her arms in front of her on the table.

"I don't suppose you'd be interested in helping me do a little decorating?" she asked Fiona. "It seems I've been a bit negligent regarding my own living space."

Even as she spoke, she watched Chris out of the corner of her eyes. Maybe she could get some tips. She'd been glancing back at her own target now and then, and she knew the interest was still there. In a few minutes she guessed he would approach, but if not she would do it herself. Meanwhile, she would observe Chris if she could, and continue chatting with Fiona, who seemed like a lot of fun so far.

Fiona smiled at the thought of Maeve setting up shop here in Nachton. That would appeal to her need to keep busy and would give her a reason to be here more often. Fiona doubted the Highlander would take up permanent residence - her heart was most definitely in Scotland.

"I think it would be good to offer this to Maeve. She also holds to the old truths of industrialness!"Â?

Noting Christian's glance around the club, Fiona hid a smile behind her drink. If she had entertained any doubts about what Christian was, this would have ended them. She was not the only one here to do a bit of hunting tonight, though she was finding the company to be more than worth the wait.

"Enjoy yourself, monsieur."Â?

She waited for Aishe to resettle herself before answering her question. It was not a simple thing to decorate for someone else, though she had done so in the past. Mostly for Philipe, who preferred to leave that to others to tend to. It had simply fallen to her as the woman of the house and she had enjoyed it immensely, as much for the impression given as for his pleasure in the results. Her impulse was to say no - she owed this woman nothing and could see no immediate gain to be had in helping her. But there was more to it, and it left her feeling a bit confused. She found herself liking these two which placed them into a category similar to the one that Maeve and Colin fell into.

"I think that can be done. I will need to do some shopping for odds and ends once I find my own place. Perhaps you would like to join me and see what things speak to you?"Â?

Aishe smiled warmly at Fiona, nodding her head enthusiastically. "That would be wonderful. I've never been much of a decorator myself. Having someone along to help me avoid anything truly awful might be wise."

She picked up her wineglass, swirled the liquid about a little, and said, "When I first arrived here I wasn't sure if I'd be staying. I didn't decorate at all because I wasn't sure what my future held. But now it seems that even if I'm not in the same apartment, I should at least try to make it home for the time being."

She cast yet another glance at her would-be suitor, gratified to see that he was at least standing now. Maybe she should have picked a more outgoing target for her first meal, but she wasn't going to change her mind at this point.

Looking over at Chris, Aishe hoped for some hint about what to do. She was certain that right there on the dance floor woudn't have been acceptable. Or would it? There were plenty of couples dancing more closely than propriety would normally allow, and some of those positions were downright questionable.

The whole situation raised plenty of questions for her.. but rather than let them get out of control she thought back to what Chris had said about trying different things and finding out what worked best for her.. So, tonight was style number one apparently. She was going to have to study.

Fiona couldn't help but smile at Aishe's enthusiasm. "Well, then, I will let you know when I have found a place to decorate myself. Then we can plan a grand expedition!"Â?

Her eyebrows raised slightly at Aishe's next comments. It was similar to her own situation, though she doubted that the woman in front of her had had a similar life. She looked into her glass for a moment, speaking slowly, thoughtfully. "Â?I had not planned to stay either. But I find the atmosphere here a vast improvement over New York. And there is a sort of freedom I hadn't expected to not be constantly hiding what I am."Â?

Her eyes raised and she shrugged. "But here we are now, non?"Â?

Aishe was still watching a particular young man - Fiona wondered idly how Aishe would approach what seemed to be her choice of meal. She thought there was some hesitation in the woman's manner, but not nervousness. Maybe curiosity would be closer. Though Fiona was honestly confused why she would be curious about this.

"I think you've caught the young monsieur's attention. Would you like a bit of privacy to enjoy his company?"Â?

(ooc - permission to extrapolate Aishe's feelings...)

Aishe nodded to Fiona, in agreement with both the plan and the sentiment. "It is different here than anywhere else I've ever been. There's a life and an energy in Nachton that makes it stand out. I didn't expect to enoy it, but enjoy it I do so indeed, here we are."

She raised her glass in a little facsimilie of a toast and took a delicate sip. Glancing around, she noted Chris' absence and hoped it meant he at least was able to feed. She turned her attention once more to her would-be suitor, whom Fiona was now pointing out.

The young man was proving to be more reluctant to make the first move than she'd anticipated, and she suspected it was about time for her to step up to the plate if she wanted to be fed any time soon. She declined Fiona's offer with a smile and a small dismissive gesture. "That's kind of you, but I'm sure Chris will be back soon. I believe I should see about entertaining said monsieur out on the dance floor for a bit."

She stood, smoothed her gown out a bit, and winked at Fiona. "I don't want to scare him off, after all. He seems the shy type."

Hoping Chris would, indeed, be back in soon, she headed for the table of guys, shedding the demure attitude she'd had as she went. It wasn't that she lacked faith in herself, but it would be her first time and... well, what if something went wrong? Aishe would feel more comfortable with Chris present, but she was sure he knew that. In the meantime she could at least make some progress.

Fiona returned Aishe's toast, surprised again to find herself warming to the exotic woman across the table. "Yes, there is an energy here...

Fiona smiled as Aishe stood. "Yes he does, though I doubt it will take you much effort to convince him to join you!"Â?

The young man in question did seem to be more than a little hesitant to approach Aishe, though that could have been attributable to a number of factors, not the least of which was that Aishe did appear to have a date for the evening. Overcoming that obstacle, though not present, would take a fair amount of courage on the part of Aishe's target. Fiona could almost feel sorry for the young man and idly thought of throwing a bit of glamour over him to help... but that would have been terribly rude, to interfere in someone else's hunt. If Aishe had indicated such would be welcome, well, she hadn't so that was that.

Scanning the room, she kept part of her attention on Aishe's progress, curious to see how she handled her young man. Another part of her looked for Christian, though she imagined he was enjoying his own meal. Again, not a thing to be interfered with. The rest of her mind tried to decide if she just wanted a meal or a conquest of some time. Meals were easy - but there were still contacts to be made, networks to build. It was practical to mix the two whenever possible, as long as it was done carefully.

A vaguely familiar face crossed her line of sight and it took her a moment to place him. Ah, yes. One of the gentleman from the ball. Upper executive from one of the more prominent businesses here in Nachton, though at the moment she could not remember which one. Something about technologies... there had been a number of those. He appeared to be alone, relaxing. A few people approached him, but none stayed for more than a few minutes conversation. He was making his way slowly across the room, mingling as it were, but not joining. On his present course, he would come within a reasonable distance of her table... that would work fine. She settled in to wait for him to approach her, which he would do whether he knew it now or not.

Straightening his jacket, Christian crossed the room and headed back towards the table. Fiona was sitting there alone; he frowned slightly. Had Aishe decided to try her hand at feeding without him? Overconfidence was a common trait in young vampires. Sucking blood from a non consenting person seemed all academic until you tried to do it. Faced with a living breathing human for the first time meant anything could happen.

He scanned the room for her automatically as he continued weaving his way through the nightclub and found her headed towards her intended target. Good, she had not gone on without him. Christian sighed and breathed a little easier. His empathy was a visual ability which sometimes had advantages but it meant that he would not have seen any problems with Aishe unless he was there. He sent her a quiet message.

[ I am back. Have you got a plan for this portion?]

Sliding into the booth, he smiled at Fiona and picked up his drink.

“So are we cramping your style tonight or was this simply a social evening?”

Aishe considered herself halfway successful, insofar as having made her way to the table full of young men and convincing hers to come out to the dance floor. It hadn't taken much. The only problem she could foresee, though, was that she was starting to like him. Was that supposed to happen? She had been hoping for something like professional detachment.

His name was Adam, and although it had taken him a few drinks to actually agree to dance with her, he wasn't incapable of polite, and even intelligent, conversation. He was in his third year of undergrad work, studying to be a doctor. Aishe wasn't too surprised to find his words colored (literally) with a bright, clear red, and she would have had to be completely dense not to at least get a notion of the meaning of that color by the lack of any sort of space between them as they danced. Adam's hand was warm on her back and it would have been easy to rest her head against his chest and then follow from there to the inevitable.

That brought up all kinds of questions though, and Chris' sending saved her from committing any sort of faux pas.

[Well. I don't know,] she responded quickly. [What am I supposed to do now? Take him into the back? Take him outside? Do it... right here? And Chris... he's nice. I don't want to hurt him.]

Aishe had been bitten and had recovered fine with no ill effects on several occasions, but it was a little different now that the tables were turned. She knew she had to trust in herself, and in Chris, but there was still a little nervousness there that hadn't quite been present before she'd actually reached this point.

She was more than ready, and plenty hungry, but the mechanics of this part were slightly mystifying. Aishe was grateful, once again, to have Chris there.

Signaling the waiter to refresh her drink, Fiona focused her attention on the dance floor. The music wasn't bad and she did enjoy dancing. It occured to her that it might be a good way to spend the evening, if an appropriate partner was available. Dancing could lead to other things, though she would have to wait and see exactly what she might want from this aprticular prey.

Christian's return interupted her train of thought and she smiled at him, caught off guard by his question. She rarely did anything without a purpose and thought for a moment before answering.

"I suppose it is a social evening, though I had not exactly planned it that way." She cocked her head a bit, returning his smile. "And no, neither of you are 'cramping my style', as it were. Many times good things can be had when the unexpected happens."

She thought of Simon Huntington and wondered if that would turn out to be a good thing or not. It was odd that she had felt more comfortable with him than she had with Alfarinn, given that she had no doubt Simon was the more dangerous of the two. Though neither man came close to Sorin's presence. Well, she rather doubted she'd find either of them had been Emperor's or even kings in the past. That did rather tend to leave one's mark, she supposed.

Fiona glanced over at Aishe and her smile widened a bit to see that progress had been made. She decided that her own progress could wait for awhile. Feeding was only one part of the evening's entertainment, after all.

"No, this has turned out to be a much more relaxing evening than I would have had other wise. For that I must thank you and your companion."

The waiter returned and smoothly switched out her empty glass for a fresh one, pausing to ask Christian if he would care for a refill as well.

Christian nodded at Fiona's reply and drunk the last of his wine.

“While a plan is a good thing, especially in my line of work, the ability to adapt to the situation is even more key.”

Smiling at her, he then turned to look for Aishe and found her bringing her target out onto the dance floor. Good move, it would get him away from his friends in a harmless way that would suggest he would be back shortly if he was not 'lucky' enough to convince her to go anywhere with him.

He turned back to Fiona and replied.

“Our evening has been far more calm thanks to your presence as well. It is good for Aishe to meet more members of the family. One cannot spend eternity with a grumpy old mentor without getting lonely.”

Considering Aishe, he noticed that she seemed less certain now that the time was getting closer. He was not surprised; if she had been easily able to make this first feeding with no qualms then he would have been more worried about her conscience.

[Dance the one dance and then tell him you would like to go outside and get some air. Take a short walk and find a reasonably shadowed alley. I will follow you and remain unseen unless you need help.]

The waiter asked after his glass and Christian requested another as he waited.

Christian watched Aishe head outside with her choice of prey and then turned to Fiona.

“I must take my leave. Happy hunting, Sister.”

[i] He gave the redhead a wink at the family title and slid out of the booth. His second glass of wine returned just as Christian straightened his coat. Taking the glass from the tray, he drained its contents and then set it on the table. It was certainly a waste not to savor the wine but it would have been an even bigger crime to have left it undrunk. Placing a fifty dollar bill on the waiter's tray, Christian nodded at the man, and headed for the door.

((OOC: Christian and Aishe Out, Other section moved to 'Curbside Snack'. ))