After Arundel (RP)

"Thanks, that’s really kind of you" her gratitude was not just for the tea, but for his words about making it 'for his friends’. Adding just a dash of milk, she stirred gently before taking a slow sip, letting the warmth comfort her for a moment.

"Yes; I need to talk to you about someone" her expression changed once she began to talk, a shadow crossing her face "Her name’s Sarah. She’s... a friend."

She paused.

Friend? She only known Sarah from her author's circle. She saw her once a week for a few hours, and the young woman barely talked at all. She was an acquaintance, at best. Still, she was now a part of her life, in the sense that she took some responsibility over her wellbeing.

"I’m not sure if you have a name for situations like this. There was a vampire, or maybe even several of them…keeping her like some sort of livestock. Feeding on her when it suits him" Emma’s fingers gripped the edge of her teacup "I don’t know how long it has been going on. A while, I think. She’s young, and vulnerable. She doesn’t want to talk about. She doesn’t want to go back to her apartment"

Her voice wavered slightly "I invited her to stay with me. I—I couldn’t just turn her away. But I’m scared. I’m scared that he’s going to come after her, come after me or David, for taking what’s his." She bit her lip, her gaze dropping briefly to her hands holding the cup

"I want to help her, I need to get her out of this situation, but I don’t know what to do"

She paused, taking a breath, before looking into Benji’s eyes. This wasn’t only about Sarah anymore. It was about her own survival, and that of the people she cared about.

"I need your help. I need to know if you’ve heard of this vampire, or if you know someone who can help me figure out what to do. If there is some arrangement or deal we can make with him, to give her up and leave us alone"

Saying it sounded ‘very scary’ probably wasn’t the best way to calm Emma’s nerves, but somehow, she didn’t seem to lose her composure. Maybe it was the way the quirky little apartment made her feel oddly at ease, or maybe it was from being in the presence of Benji himself. Whatever it was, the weight of the danger seemed distant for now.

"I’ll try to get more details from her" It was time to press Sarah for the truth, even if it made her uncomfortable. She couldn’t afford to remain ignorant of the full extent of the threat. She took another sip of her tea, before glancing up at Benji with a raised eyebrow when he mentioned a vampire hunter.

A vampire hunter... The idea of someone actively hunting vampires sparked a surge of curiosity in her mind. And the thought of a vampire hunter and a vampire having a friendship sounded odd, even by supernatural standards. She was sure there was another good story in there. Benji was a font for inspiration for her novel - even better than Eliot!!

"A vampire hunter" she murmured, her mind already spinning with possibilities "I would have loved to meet her even under normal circumstances" She gave him a small, appreciative smile "I’ll be in your debt if you can arrange it"

"I’ve already got something else lined up for tonight. Maybe" she was expecting to hear from Henry any moment now. He was supposed to arrange a meeting with his contacts later that evening, and she couldn't back out of it. She doubted there would be a chance to reschedule. "But I'm free tomorrow. At any time" she met his gaze with a slight apologetic smile

"Any word about Eliot?" she segued into another subject that had been bothering her once she started thinking about Henry, and his and Eliot's shared business associates. There was a hint of concern in her voice, though it was more for what the implications of his absence meant for her, than any interest to the vampire-lord's wellbeing "It seemed like he dropped off the face of the earth"

Emma wasn’t blind to the gravity of the situation. She had sought Benji’s help exactly for that reason. But his words landed harder than she’d expected, the urgency in his tone heightening her sense of unease

"Later tonight then, if it doesn’t inconvenience you too much" She had already made plans to go out that evening, and if David wasn’t going to wait up for her, she might as well return late.

"He was my benefactor. He... looked after me." she objected meekly. She wasn't involved in the politics of the vampire world, but even she recognized Eliot for the authoritarian tyrant that he was. Still, his absence was making her life infinitely more complicated. "I guess... maybe you’re right" she sighed, conceding reluctantly "It's just that if he were here, I wouldn’t have to worry about this vampire hunting Sarah down, or about the Administrator, you know.." She trailed off in frustration

Benji isn’t so sure about all that. "…Perhaps," he says, doubtfully. "I mean, you would have been better protected, certainly, but Elliot’s protection did not necessarily extend to your friends and family. If you’d asked him to help you protect Sarah, it would have cost you and, even then, you may not have liked what that protection looked like. I’m sure it must feel intimidating, navigating this strange new world all on your own, but you’re not really on your own. You have friends. Allies you can trust. You don’t need a ‘benefactor’ to look after you. Especially not one like Elliot."

"I get what you're saying" her voice was tinged with frustration. "But Elliot... he kept the world at arm's length. I didn’t have to worry about certain things because I knew he'd handle them. It wasn’t perfect, but I felt secure."

She sighed, her fingers tracing the rim of her now-empty tea cup "Just look at what happened in Arundel. I ended up getting dragged into the heist with Lady Halifax and Jacob, and now the Administrator has taken an issue with me" She didn’t put any blame on Benji; he had been the one constant in the mess, the only one who tried to deflect the blame away from her. But it didn’t change the fact that she was still caught in the aftermath. "Had Elliot been around, he would’ve stopped me from making those mistakes. He would’ve kept me from walking into situations with people I didn’t know." And he would've introduced her to all the interesting people, the very reason she agreed to go to that party in the first place.

"It’s just harder now. I honestly don’t know who I can rely on anymore" Her voice softened "But maybe you're right. Maybe being involved with Elliot wasn’t the smartest thing, in the long run."

She placed her empty tea cup on the table and stood, her movements a bit stiff as she straightened
"I really appreciate you trying to help me. I just... I hate feeling like a burden"

A small weight lifted off Emma’s shoulders as she stepped out the door. For the first time in a while, someone hadn’t asked for something in return. No price to pay, no favor to owe, no hidden agenda behind their kindness. She smiled at Benji, who somehow felt more compassionate than most people she met these days, mortals included. With a sudden impulse, she leaned in and kissed him lightly on the cheek "Thank you" she said softly. "I’ll see you later tonight." and with another parting smile, she opened her umbrella and stepped into the rain

*******
She slowed her pace after a few blocks, ducking into a narrow alcove to escape the rain. Benji’s warning had unsettled her more than she wanted to admit, and though he was very kind offering to help, she didn’t know if she could rely on a retried vampire hunter to protect her.

She hesitated for a moment, fingers hovering over her phone. Texting felt too impersonal. Henry would just love it if she called him. Make him feel important, like she depended on him for help. With a deep breath, she dialed his number, leaning against the wall as she waited for the line to pick up. "hi" she forced some cheerfulness into her voice when he picked up " I thought I’d check on you. We’re still on for tonight, right?" The words slipped out as if she’d said them a hundred times before – because she did. It wasn’t the first time she called him inquiring about their date, and wasn’t the first time he would assure her he would pick her up. But then he would flake on her for no other reason than to rattle her nerves and destroy her confidence. The mind games, the missed plans, they were all part of his routine, and she hated how it made her second-guess everything. Hopefully, this time would be different.

The sound of genuine laughter greeting her when she stepped inside was unanticipated, though not unwelcomed. It was a huge relief to hear Sarah was finally starting to come out of her shell, and she couldn’t help but feel grateful that David was relaxing too, after his tension from last night over his promotion.

Though she wasn’t suspecting anything was going on between the two, it was best to set the record straight. Walking inside the bedroom, without missing a beat, she crossed over to David and kissed him, slow, deliberate, passionate kiss, making sure Sarah saw it. It was firm, and possessive kiss. Just to make sure there was no mistake.

"Hey, you," she murmurs as she pulls away, a teasing glint in her eye "How have you been?"|

Emma’s eyes fall on the black club dress draped across the bedstead. She picks it up, and holds it in front of her as she glances at David. "Looks like you two have been busy," she says with a teasing smile before tossing the dress over her shoulder.

"I’m going to take a quick shower; I’m heading out later tonight." Her gaze shifts back to the bed, taking in the disarray. "You’ve got lots of work to do while I’m gone, huh?"

With a playful wink, she disappears into the bathroom. When she emerges a long while later, already dressed in the black mini dress, that rides dangerously up her thighs, hugs her frame like a second skin. Her hair is already styled to perfection, and she applied just a touch of makeup to accentuate her eyes and lips. As she steps into the bedroom, her gaze looks between David and Sarah, her playful smile daring them to say something. She knows the effect she has, and she’s not shy about letting it show.

"It’s more work than fun, really" she doesn’t offer any more details, letting him assume it is yet another writing assignment for the Independent "Don’t wait up for me; It’s just one of those nights"

She takes one last glance at her reflection in the bedroom mirror, checking her profile and admiring the way the dress flatters her figure. She tilts her head, checking the angles, savoring the way the dress molds to her curves.

"Take good care of Sarah while I’m gone, alright?" her voice sounded a bit detached as her gaze was still focused on her reflection. Running her hand over her hair, her lips curving into a satisfied smile before finally turning to her husband "How do I look?"