Talking About the Weather (RP)

"I guess" Benji barely knew her, so he couldn't really count her among his friends. She appreciated the gesture, however, and tried forcing a smile to her lips: "- thank you"

Once out of the store, Emma hurried up and opened her umbrella. There was so much rainwater these days that the storm drains were overwhelmed. She carefully sidestepped a large poodle, realizing she might have been better off buying herself a nice pair of boots, than high heels

"Where is this party, anyways*? And what time should I show up?"

"Arundel Castle?!?" she blinked in surprise, but quickly composed herself. "Yes, sure. I’ll see you there, I guess"

She stood beside Bev as he turned to leave, her lips pressed together in thought, before she finally summoned the nerve to speak up and ask the questions nagging at her mind: "I hope this isn't too direct, but I have so many questions. Like; how do you feel about crucifixes? Do you count every grain of rice that spills? Do you cast a reflection? Are you hurt by silver?" She didn’t expect him to answer all at once, or even any of them. But he was the only other vampire she'd met, and the friendliest, so far. She couldn't let this opportunity slip out of her grasp: "I don’t suppose we could meet again, sometime?"

"Thank you" she was grateful for Benji answering her questions. She had many, many more swirling in her mind, but those would have to wait for some other time, when they weren't standing out in the rain.

"Elliot is sending a car for me, but save me a seat for the ride back" Ellliot was the the one who invited her to this exclusive party. He was the one who paid for her dress. She figured it was best not to show up in the company of any other vampire, less she offends the Vampire Lord's inflated ego.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you both there. "

Emma stepped back to admire her reflection in the mirror. Turning slightly, she tilted her head just so, adjusting her posture to emphasize her curves. She couldn’t help but admire her body – a moment of vanity she indulged in every so often. She knew the effect she would have this evening, and relished in how powerful, and daring, it made her feel.

Of course, she had no idea if vampires had the same ‘urges’ as mortal men (it was too soon to broach the subject of undead libido with Benji). But she was a ‘thirst trap’ for the vampires attending the party in more ways than one. She still had a pulse, and blood flowing through her veins. Her crimson-red dress was like a neon sign advertising a succulent meal. One way or another – she was going to get their attention.

It wasn’t particularly smart to put herself out there as bait. She didn’t know what she would do with a vampire either, if she did manage to get one to eat out of the palm of her hand (figuratively only, she hoped!). But it was a calculated risk. The conversation with Benji convinced her that Eliot was indeed a vampire of great importance. She was his guest at the party, and no one would dare to harm her while she was under his protection - which only made the prospect of teasing them that much more exciting!

Her eyes flicked over the details one last time; the suggestive red dress, the high heels that forced her calf muscles to tighten. A shade of red on her lips to pop against her pale skin, and the low-hanging silver necklace to add another touch of mischief to her attire. A final spritz of perfume, and she was walked out of the bedroom with a blend of sass and captivating allure, her heels clicking against the laminated floor of their apartment.

"Hi!" She stopped and smiled at her in-laws, and at her husband, without missing a beat. The trio were gathered around the dinner table, and by the looks of it, were not too keen on going back out into the heavy rain to make it on time to their dinner reservation "Sorry for not being here when you arrived. And for leaving so soon" she started with an apology – an earnest one "How was your trip? I heard they had to close down some of the railways due to the flooding"

"A gala at Arundel Castle" Emma knew her mother-in-law wasn’t going to like the answer to her question, but she would probably like the answer to ‘do you think you should cover up’ even less "It’s starting at eight, and it’s a long drive, so I better get going. My ride is waiting for me down at the street"

The rain was coming down in sheets outside. Lightning flickered in the distance, illuminating the dark sky in flashes of blue. Even though she was looking at the storm through the window, she discounted David's warnings, her mind too preoccupied with the party. It was easy to brush his concerns aside. She wasn't going to let a little rain stop her from meeting the 'shakers and movers' of the supernatural world.

"Sorry again for leaving in such a hurry. We’ll catch up tomorrow at noon; I got a whole day planned"

She usually parted from her husband with a kiss, but not wanting to smudge her lipstick she settled for placing her hand on his chest "I’ll be back late, so don’t wait up for me. And offer your parents some tea. You don’t need to wait for them to ask"

Emma settled into the plush leather seat in the back of the car after exchanging a terse ‘hello’ with the driver. She found the invitation card in short order, but waited for the car to roll away from her street and turn a corner before flipping it over to its other side to check whether anything else was written on it other than her name.

Emma gave up trying to make conversation with her driver five minutes in. His responses were laconic—when he could be made to reply at all. He seemed like a mindless drone, his sole function be transport her from point A to point B.

The long drive, stretched even longer due to the accident on the motorway, left her eager to engage with someone other than her phone. She waited inside the car for the driver to open the door for her, and shelter her with his umbrella, and was surprised to find out he didn’t have one. It didn’t rain in the castle ground. Not even a drizzle. Maybe there was a little lull in the storm – or maybe the weather wasn’t as bad as in London, but she still expected it to be windy, with some precipitation.

Odd.

"Thank you" she offered the driver-with-the-lifeless-eyes her gratitude when he offered his hand to help her out of the car. She took a moment to admire the castle grounds; the imposing walls and the towers bathed in soft, golden light. Dim uprights illuminated the pathways through the castle’s surrounding greenery as well. A nice stroll, without a constant barrage of rain, was a tempting idea, but it would have to wait for later. Eliot was probably already expecting her, and she didn’t want to keep him waiting.

Expecting someone familiar would show up to welcome her inside, she lingered at the entrance a couple of minutes longer to soak the scene, and to appraise the rest of the arriving guests.

"Oh no, my friend. You were kind enough to let me have your invitation, and I'll drive you to the entrance like a lord," says Jacob. "There's no way we're walking like soaked peasants in the rain. Don't worry, I'll find a place to leave my car".

Emma instinctively pressed her hand against her chest as a man stepped out of the shadows from BEHIND her. Why hadn’t he announced himself when she approached the castle!?? His cold, detached tone made her uneasy, and she quickly glanced around, to see if any of the other guests were nearby.

"The tour," she said softly, still catching her breath from the surprise "No, it’s fine. Just point me to the main hall where the party is at" The thought of wandering through the castle with this stranger made her skin crawl; she didn’t want to spend another moment in his company, let alone have him show her around.