After Arundel (RP)

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Jan 7, 2025 1:04 pm
- Emma -

It is raining outside, forcing Henry to squeeze in close so both of you can stay under the awning. You can see the writing circle and your parents-in-law watching you through the frosted glass of the door —some of the writers titillated, the in-laws concerned.

"I have been trying to get hold of you for ages!" Henry says, impatient that you would make his life hard. "Have you changed your number?" (or are you just ignoring his calls?)

"You need to be careful. That 'Elliot Parry' you have been hanging out with is bad news." How he knows that you have been spending time with Elliot you can only guess. "You are in danger." He says, echoing the words from last night. "The people he hangs out with have a tendency to disappear.

"I have people who can protect you." He says boastfully —you can see he probably believes this, but how likely is he to actually 'have' people who can do anything? How could he even know anything about Elliot's nature?

What do you do?
Jan 7, 2025 2:14 pm
Henry was so full of himself that he couldn’t imagine her blocking his number ages ago. She didn’t want anything to do with him, after the emotional scars he inflicted upon her from their turbulent relationship. On the outside, though, she wore a smile, her voice calm and soothing as she spoke to him.

"I’m sorry, I had to get a new number after my book was published" she lied with a straight face.
The fact that Henry knew about Eliot Perry caught her off guard. As far as she knew, Eliot didn’t legally exist. Having been turned into a vampire decades ago, he had created a new identity to stay off the radar. But Henry, of all people, knew. Worse, he knew she had been seeing him.

How?

There were so many questions, but now wasn’t the time to probe for answers. Not with her in-laws and the rest of the group watching them.

"Maybe we can talk about it some other time?" she posed it as a question, knowing how it stroked his ego. Henry always wanted to be the one who made every decision in their relationship "We can meet tomorrow. I make my own hours, so I’m free just about anytime"
Jan 7, 2025 2:20 pm
- Emma -

"Brunch." Henry says forcefully. Maybe does not want to leave this any later than absolutely necessary and the is earliest reasonable time tomorrow, or maybe he wants to capitalise on the implied romantic associations with 'brunch'?

"Give me your new number." He says, reasonably, taking out his phone and preparing to enter it. "In case something comes up. You still have mine?"

What do you do?
Jan 7, 2025 2:35 pm
"Brunch" she repeated after him

When he asked for her new number, her lips twisted into a smile. He caught her red handed telling a lie, but she wasn't in the least bit disturbed by it. She called out the digits - the same ones he already had, only now she made sure to take her own phone out of her purse and unblock his number.

"Send me the address and the time. I'll see you there"
Jan 7, 2025 2:39 pm
- Emma -

Henry enters the 'new' number without (yet) noticing that it is the same as the one he already has. "I'll make the arrangements." He says, liking being in charge of such things. "See you tomorrow. And stay away from Elliot Parry."

What do you do?
Jan 7, 2025 9:05 pm
Those were one of his finest pairs of Italian shoes, so Jacob began to grumble when he had to step the mud to bypass the drawbridge. However, there was no other alternative, right? It was a pity that Crowley was not wearing Hali's disguise anymore, it would have been amusing to see him walking the mud on high heels.
OOC:
Hi there! Back from holidays and into routine again, so I should be able to go back to normal posting rates :)
Jan 8, 2025 1:51 am
Benji is more than happy to buy Lizabeth breakfast, although he doesn’t have very much money at his disposal right now after paying for Emma’s dress yesterday. Fortunately, Lizabeth does not have expensive taste.

She takes Benji to the McDonald’s on the Strand, and orders hash browns and pancakes with extra syrup off the breakfast menu. They sit down at a slightly sticky table and Benji waits patiently while Lizabeth eats, absent-mindedly chewing on a paper straw while he takes in all the fascinating smells and sounds of the fast food restaurant.

Benji’s heard some vampires claim that the food a human eats can alter the taste of their blood, although, personally, he thinks those other vampires are just being a bit pretentious, keeping humans fed on gourmet food and fancy wine just so they can brag about how refined they are. Benji doesn’t care much what Lizabeth chooses to eat. The nuances of flavour are almost entirely lost on him when he’s feeding anyway.

The little packets of pancake syrup Lizabeth was given smell intriguing, almost appetizing, but Benji knows better than to ask to try some. He has tasted human food, on occasion, out of curiosity, but it’s always a bit like biting into a bar of soap. Completely unpalatable, no matter how nice it smells.
Jan 8, 2025 6:52 am
"I will"

It was easy to promise him she would stay away from Eliot, considering it was the vampire that has gone missing. Though she would have likely lied either way. She didn’t feel like she owed him anything after their breakup, not even the truth.

"Thanks for dropping by, and looking out for me" she gave him a not-so-subtle hint, before turning away and walking back inside.
Jan 8, 2025 5:19 pm
- Jacob -

Crowley has the advantage that people —other than yourself, and possibly some other demons— see him as he wants and not as he is. He therefore does not need to worry about fancy and uncomfortable clothes, and is dressed in a well-worn track-suit and trainers. It seems his fitness may be flagging and he has been using his layers of disguise to make himself look trim, something about this place has stripped away all his illusions, even the small ones that —apparently— do (or did) work on you, he struggles a bit with the climb.

Inside, the castle looks very much like it did before, though without the 'tourist tat' and with more of the sort of stuff one would expect in a real, lived-in, castle. What it lacks is any signs of life. It is creepily quiet and appears empty.

What do you do?
Jan 8, 2025 5:20 pm
- Benji -

Happily sugared-up, Lizabeth still wants to go home, but agrees to go back to your place again. She clearly does not intend to stay very long, since she does not suggest grocery shopping to fill the empty (for her purposes) fridge.

Once you are settled she flicks her hair aside and offers you her neck. Once you are done feeding she sleeps.

What do you do?
Jan 8, 2025 5:20 pm
- Emma -

"Who was that?" Evelyn asks suspiciously. The writers' circle look equally interested to know why such a dandy man would track you down here.

What do you do?
Jan 8, 2025 8:45 pm
"An old friend" Emma brushes the question with a smile, and quickly changes the subject before anyone else can ask another

"So, who's reading next?"
Jan 8, 2025 8:47 pm
- Emma -

"You are, dear. It's been ages since we heard any of your stuff." Rhonda says.

What do you do?
Jan 9, 2025 8:42 am
With a playful glint in her eye Emma took her phone out

"This is still all work in progress" she offered a half-apologetic smile "It’s from my the first chapter of my upcoming book"

She sat back in her chair and waited for make sure she had everyone’s attention (her mother in law included) before starting to read. The protagonist of her story, a beautiful blonde named ‘Emma’, was an obvious self-insert. Just like herself, the ‘fictional’ Emma was an author of erotic horror novels. Just life herself, she was a bit too smart and too curious for her own good.

The chapter itself starts with the heroine sitting to interview a vampire lord – a creature dressed like a cut-throat businessman, but the part Emma selects to read for them pick-up from when the totally fictional protagonist, desiring to experience the sensation of being bitten, entices the vampire to feed on her. Not on her neck, she insists (she doesn’t want any visible marks, especially not for her husband to see), but on the inner part of her thigh.
[ +- ] Description of Vampire feeding that might be too intense
Emma looks up from her phone to capture her audience’s reaction, ever thirsty for adulation, just like the vampire in her story’s thirst for blood. "Still needs some polish, but it's nearly there. What do you think?"
Jan 9, 2025 10:49 am
Leaving Lizabeth dozing on the couch, Benji changes into a fresh set of clothes, exchanging his damp ‘special occasions’ coat for his normal tattered tailcoat, and puts his shoes upside down on top of the radiator to try to dry them out a bit while he makes a few phone calls.

He suspects it was probably Shelyna trying to call him earlier and he would like to call her back. He texts Mark, asking for Shelyna’s phone number, and while he waits for a response, decides he probably ought to call Amira as well, like he promised he would. He dials the number she gave him and hums a little tune to himself while he waits for her to pick up.
Jan 9, 2025 3:38 pm
- Emma -

"Self-inserts are soo hot right now." Rhonda exclaims. "I must send you a link..." and apparently she must, and she does [youtube - Jill Bearup - Just Stab Me Now: When Your Fantasy Heroine Rebels (Complete Series Plus Novel Excerpts)]. "... but do you really think...?"

What part she intends to question is lost from an unexpected quarter. "Why did you describe it like that?" This question is unusual, not just for its accusatory tone, but mainly because the asker almost never speaks and this is the most confrontational sentence you have ever heard them say. • Who is it from?

What do you do?
Jan 9, 2025 3:39 pm
- Benji -

"Benji." Amira says by way of greeting. Somehow she knew it was you.

What do you do?
Jan 9, 2025 4:44 pm
Because that's the way it happened

Emma was about to say the first thing that came to mind, a joke that would have passed for a harmless jest. No one would believe that vampires existed if she just told them that they did, right? But then a warning bell went off in her head.

She didn’t remember Sarah ever talking in their group. The young woman with short black hair and glasses appeared so much smaller than usual, swallowed whole by her oversized grey sweater. She was sitting with her knees pulled tightly to her chest, her arms wrapped around them defensively.

Why did you describe it like that?

The way she asked the question. Almost defensive. As if she knew more then she was letting on
Maybe lying about her reasons would be safer, until she had the chance to suss the young woman.

"Well, I wanted to make it more terrifying and visceral, you know? Something different from the usual cliché of vampires as charming seducers of innocent maidens. I wanted to evoke the feeling of helplessness. Of being utterly overpowered. To capture what it’s like to be prey in the jaws of a predator."

She spoke directly to Sarah, trying to read something in her posture, her expression, the way she sat so guarded.
Or in her eyes, when she posed her own question:
"Why do you ask?"
Jan 9, 2025 5:40 pm
- Emma -

Sarah becomes more and more withdrawn as you speak about the feeling of helplessness. To the point where you decide you need to stop. She has not been bothered by some of the horrific stories bandied about in this group —not even the worst of Jonathan's scenes.

She pulls in even smaller and will not meet your gaze when you ask her your question. The rest of the group are watching the exchange in puzzlement.

Your mother-in-law looks very uncomfortable with what you read as well as with your explanation about why, it looks like she wants to get up and possibly go over and give Sarah a hug, but she feels like an outsider and hovers an inch above her seat.

What do you do?
Jan 10, 2025 4:05 am
"Amira! Good morning!" he responds, brightly. "How are you? I didn’t get a chance to say hello to you at the party."
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