The Main Hall

All guests must pass through here to enter the house. Make your grand entrance here~!

Growing pretty much antsy outside at the front gate the man had wandered onside and took a look around. The place was enormous on the inside even, and just as creepy he felt. Seeing the people standing down the way some he grinned a little and headed towards them. What sort of liberties were allowed to be expressed in this party anyway? The invitation seemed odd enough and a gathering of so many different personalities and backgrounds was interesting. There was a vampire, a fairy, himself a murderer, and probably countless other unlikely guests. Flexing his hand a little he could feel himself itching to get down to something more interesting and fun than a party. Still he was asked pacifically not to kill anyone ....yet at least. The dark haired man knew that he could only bide his time until perhaps he was given an out, or an okay. Spotting the book and the woman by the book he placed his hands in his pocket and casually made his way over.
"Weird crowd we have isn't it?" He inquired and took his hand out of the pocket grabbing the pen once she was finished. Eyeing the names on the pages he found an empty space under her name and signed; Sadiq Adnan. Placing the pen back down he let his eyes focus on her through the holes in his eye mask. Quite the beauty. Extending his hand towards her he gave an almost charming smile.
"The name's Sadiq." He said simply.

The queen wasn't there to mingle. The owner of the home and host of the party was what interested her. He was quite mysterious and obviously important. She vaguely remembers her father mentioning to her, long ago, that the home was strange and they did not deal with the people who lived there. The reason was never fully explained. Perhaps he didn't even know; all he'd said was his father had warned him and his father before him. However, it was her chance; an invitation in. The man evidently wanted her in, otherwise, she would not have been invited. And due to this, she felt completely obligated to attend the party.

She'd entered quietly, dressed magnificently in clothing fit for no one other than a queen as herself. The two that were there before did not interest her much; there was something strange about them, a different sort of strange from both, but she could not put her finger on either. She quietly ducked around them, making it a point to keep her head high as she signed her name, thinking, "Perhaps the owner will see I'm here. He'll search for me, rather than the other way around." Something about searching seemed just too childish and petty. In her neat, refined hand, she signed.

Trưng Trắc Lan

Belarus wrote:

She took a step back from the man, ice blue eyes taking in his appearance. Her other senses zoned in o the dark aura around him, one that often clung to those with blood on their hands. With an air of indifference, she stared at the hand he offered, ignoring the slight flutter of heat that sprang up at his smile. She kept her expression cool, and collected, calm, as always.

Her eyes darted towards the door for a moment, a bit annoyed because she was waiting for her sister, who seemed to be taking her time. Resting her gloved hand in the masked man's hand, she arched a slender brow, "Natalya."

Sadiq took note of how the woman seemed calculating, calm, and cool. Those types were always difficult and yet so much more interesting. Their silence and lack of open behavior made them much more interesting conversationalists once a topic was touched upon. You never knew what they were thinking therefore anything they said would be a surprise.
"Pleasure to meet you miss Natalya, very beautiful name." His voice was like smooth honey as he spoke, and lifted her hand gently to kiss it like a gentlemen. Letting go he took another look around the room before walking past the beautiful woman but, he looked over his shoulder some as he walked away.
"Hope to see you later on tonight." Sadiq said with a small grin before continuing on his way.

He gave the host a courtesy nod as he passed through the gate. An acknowledgement of his hospitality. This strange man, this puzzle in human guise. Arthur sensed the malevolence beneath and he had good enough reason to trust those senses. The Frenchman’s intentions for throwing such a gala with this assortment of guests were a cause for suspicion. Perhaps if he got the man alone, he would reveal more. All in good time, of course.

The newest among them did not go unnoticed. Arthur could hardly miss him, not with that face of his. The resemblance was uncanny and were he not already set on keeping his face free of revealing emotions, the surprise and pain would have been quite evident. This boy looked so like him, the son who’s name Arthur didn’t even like to think. But with a closer look, Arthur saw that this new guest was not who he initially expected. This boy was mousey, timid, and seemed to approach the house with trepidation. Not like the boy Arthur had known. The lack of recognition provided more evidence, for while the boy would have grown into a man, Arthur had not changed physically at all.

And there was something else about this young blond. Again, Arthur couldn’t quite place it, which frustrated him. It wasn’t human, though. That much he knew. He already had a growing dislike for the boy, though very little of it actually had to do with him.

He caught the faintest whiff of the fae’s magic at the door, but he quickly dismissed it as a lingering trace of her presence from when she passed earlier. He still did not wish to draw attention to her with Gilbert right there. She reminded Arthur favorably of a more innocent time in his life, and while he would not go out of his way to help her, he still did not want to taste her blood in his lover’s kiss.

He stepped through the large front doors with the Vampire at his side, arm around his shoulder in that possessive manner Gilbert often adopted in public. It used to bother Arthur, but he had grown to accept it, even embrace it. He knew what their relationship was, and cared not for how others interpreted it and the gathering tonight was no exception. Let others think what they pleased.

There were already a few individuals there in the hall. He caught a glimpse of the stranger they’d seen before just leaving as they entered, still as cavalier as he had been before. There were a couple of young women as well. One, as Arthur was instantly able to sense, was a magic user such as himself, though her magic of course had a different feel than his own. She was as cold in appearance as she was pretty, which was to say quite a bit. The other young woman was Asian and rather pretty as well. Her lavish clothing and her air of superiority made it clear that she was a noble or perhaps even a royal. Not that this impressed Arthur particularly. He’d done a few jobs for the nobility and he’d frankly found them to be rather spoiled in his experience. Thinking that their money and their status meant they were entitled to whatever they wished. It bought them no loyalty from the wizard.

He stepped up to the guestbook and the unimpressive collection of signatures there. Either they were still early, or some guests had not signed in. There was only a black smudge and three signatures, one of which seemed familiar to him. That name, Natalya Arlovskaya, sounded familiar. If she was the Witch who stood with them in that room, then perhaps Arthur had done business with her in the past, although never face to face of course.

Being rather infamous, he had long given up on trying to keep his name private while in a setting away from normal humans. There seemed to be little point to it here; half the guests he’d met knew him prior to the party. The host quite obviously knew who he was as well, so why bother with pseudonyms? He picked up the pen and cleanly sprawled his name under the others in large script.

Arthur Kirkland

He set the pen down next to Gilbert, giving him the option of doing the same, and then turned to face the room at large once more, deciding whether it would be prudent to linger and speak with his fellow magic user about her interpretation of this event or perhaps speak with the host himself, or if it would be best to press on and explore the rest of this mansion, probing at whatever secrets it may hold.

Lan studied the people around her. The man there before left without introducing himself, or even acknowledging her. A bit miffed at that, she instead looked over the other woman in the room, figuring he wasn't worth her time in the first place. The woman was apparently named Natalya, as she had overheard...and she still gave Lan a strange feeling. She began to approach the blonde woman, a bit curious, before holding herself back. She wouldn't know how to word what she really wanted to ask the other woman, and besides, it was probably a far too imposing question to ask as it was. "What is that about you that's so strange? Are you even a real person?" She would have ordered the person out of her sight. Or perhaps removed them herself. It sounded rude and strange even in her head. She met the other woman's gaze, smoothing her skit without turning her gaze away.

Lan only looked away as the two others entered after. The two of them made the hairs on her neck stand up and sent a chill down her back. The blond man gave her the same strange feeling as the other woman in the room, but the albino man...he appeared to be dead. And rather possessive of the other man...

She silently decided it would be best to investigate them as well, but perhaps a bit later.

Arthur contemplated his next move as Gilbert signed the guestbook. The host was taking his time outside and there was no sense in waiting for his dragon and the thief to enter since violence against them wasn’t in the cards at the moment. He did wish to speak to his fellow magic user and the noble woman might be worth sharing words with on the off chance it could bring him some business in the future. But that could all wait. He was sensing something… Something beyond that of the witch that stood a few yards from him. Something in the room ahead. Something…familiar…

He was pulled from his thoughts by Gilbert’s nudge. The Vampire gestured in the direction of the room with which Arthur had been preoccupied. Seemed he was ready to go onward. The Wizard said nothing and only gave a slight nod. Yes, they would move on into the main room. He had an inkling he would find a familiar face in there. For what he sensed, slight though it may be under the compounding supernatural forces surrounding them, was a magic so similar to his own that it could only be someone of the same blood.

His youngest son was among those in attendance…

It had been some time since he’d seen the boy. He’d had a tendency to wander off on his own for days at a time. And then on one occasion he simply did not return. Arthur had not been surprised. He’d known it was coming long before it did. Father and son had grown distant, no longer saw eye to eye. And with that example set by the eldest…well it was only a matter of time before the boy would reject where he came from as well. Run away without so much as a note and leave Arthur on his own, just like his brother before him. But Arthur had been unable to mourn the second son as he had the first. He’d had nothing left to mourn with. Only bitterness and resentment remained.

Arthur had taken on an attitude of indifference with regard to his sons. He didn’t have any more need of them then they had of him. But that indifference was much more difficult to maintain when his offspring, his flesh and blood, one of the happily smiling faces from the pictures that no longer adorned on his wall… was within the same building as he once again. He was conflicted and discouraged and above all, irritated. The night had been going well and then this happened to spoil it for him. And yet there was something stirring deep within him that might have been happy at the estranged boy’s presence. That wanted to see that he was alive and well. This tiny voice bothered him most of all. He stifled it and buried it within himself again, determined not to let it get a foothold but his mood was already soured. His magic flared with his annoyance, the wizard not bothering to real it in as he normally would.

He gave real thought to heading off to explore the rest of the house first, but that felt too much like running away for his tastes. Besides…this might well prove entertaining. He really should see how his boy was getting along and how he’d managed to secure an invitation to this prestigious event. A slow smile spread across his face and his hand sought out Gilbert’s arm, caressing it lightly as he stepped forward towards the main room, beckoning his lover to follow.

Look alive, Peter… Daddy’s here.

Raimundo, not at all sensing the tension that happened outside, walked right past the commotion and wait straight in, into the main hall. He whistled, very much impressed at how fancy it looked. ..And now he was uninterested. The Brazilian was known to never stay put in a specific place for a very long time. Perhaps it was his instincts kicking in every now and then or maybe his love of adventure and nagging notion that there is something going on elsewhere. He wasn’t entirely sure.

He looked at the other guests and smiled to himself. He can smell the trouble brewing in the air and he had no intention of escaping it. Such interesting group of people he might add. Maybe it was worth to stay a while? Maybe. The hunter wasn’t wearing anything too eye-catching so he can slink in the background and eavesdrop without getting caught. Plus, fancy clothes can’t possibly hide the little friends he brought with him. That was the best part.

The young man casually made his way towards the guest list. ‘Ah, here are a couple of beautiful ladies.’ He thought to himself as he glanced at them just a bit, careful not to think too much about how breathtaking they looked. For in this crowd, who knew who can read minds? And the last thing he wanted was to get kicked out in the only possible brood where he can get a taste of a daring escapade just because of a pretty face. Well, two pretty faces for that matter. He shook his head and wrote down his name, not a bit suspicious.

Raimundo Da Costa

No one else knew him yet. Which was good. Maybe he would like to keep it that way? Maybe.

The manor appeared to already be full of activity when he entered passing the other two outside. Looking around the ornate interior he wasn't very impressed. A gaudy sense of style and obstinate design never did much to actually impress Ludwig. No, his reasons for coming here were less for a party and more for information. There was a person he needed to find, and he had made it a point to look everywhere he could. Removing his black gloves he pocketed them into his long black coat. Upon the table he saw a book opened up with a quill setting off to the side of it. Taking a few steps forward the blonde haired man casually flipped the pages back some to look over the name. Some of them were written in languages he did not know, and some were written with simple English lettering. Running his index fingers down the list he began to peer closer at the scribble on the worn paper. No names jumped out at him on the first go, and he turned the page in an annoyed manner. Again his blue eyes looked at every name trying to catch anything that looked familiar, and again nothing on that page. Maybe he was mistaken in coming here? At last he turned towards the second to the last page and looked down the list. Suddenly his finger stopped on a name and he stood there feeling as if he were suddenly enveloped in silence.

Gilbert Beilschmidt.

Gilbert? Were his eyes playing tricks on him or was that the name he saw here? Gilbert was here! Quickly h scribbled his name on the next page, and then hurried past the table towards the sound of voices and music coming from down the long corridor. Could years of wonder and worry really have finally paid off at this very moment?

Getting out of the ball room without bloodshed was more than Angelique could have asked for. She was nearly trembling, the wolf was so close to the surface she could feel her skin itch with the need to change. Her eyes had turned a blazing gold, and everything around was muted in color, but the smells, scents of people that had come and passed through were impossible to miss. Sounds in the house echoed in her ears, and made her dizzy. She'd gone through so much effort to quell the wolf inside, but it had been for nothing, as she rushed, swaying lightly. Her arms wrapped tight around herself, clutching at her sides.

She didn't see the blond man until she'd run right into him. Literally. Stumbling back, and almost falling right back into the room she'd just left, she just barely caught her balance, but was so far gone under the wolf's control she couldn't stop the snarled growl that left her, vibrating in her chest and throat, as she lifted her gaze to the man's.

There was something about him that set her senses off. Something not quite right, he was human surely, but there was still something off. The scent that came off him was similar to the dead-thing in the other room, if the leech had been living, she would have equated to them being related, but since the lingering scent of death was vivid in her mind, she couldn't make that association, even with their similar facial features.

She glared at him, challengingly, the wolf howling inside her for bloodshed, craving it now. Her fingers clutched harder at her sides, the soft fabric of her pretty blue dress not holding against the onslaught of her lengthening claws.

Ludwig had been going over every possibility in his mind as to why Gilbert was here. Years of searching culminated to this moment, and he wasn't sure how to feel. Should the man be glad or pessimistic? The years had not been kind to Ludwig's behavioral traits, nor to his psyche in general. Their parents though always showering him with praise had not done right. The young man had always felt they had a blatant disregard for Gilbert, and that they were the ones who drove him away. Gilbert was also the one who he always looked up to for guidance, direction. With his older brother gone though Ludwig had not a clue where to turn to in his life, and how to go about certain points. His sensibility had stayed intact for the most part, but there was a part of him that had snapped. Perhaps it started when he had heard a conversation between his parents that he should not have heard.

How glad they were that Gilbert was not there to corrupt Ludwig. How glad they were that he was out of the house period. All of this disregard for their first born child, and it caused the blonde haired man so much internal grief. The issue was Ludwig had never been good in letting out his concerns and deepest feelings. Too straight-laced for that, and he felt that becoming sad in front of others was a weakness. Turning around he noticed this dark haired girl suddenly coming towards him, and before he could move she had smacked right into him. Stumbling back on a step he watched as she fell headlong onto the floor.


Lofting a brow he noticed the way she was looking at him. What was even her problem? It was not as if he intentionally sent her flying onto the floor like that. Besides she would do well to watch where she was even going. His blue eyes looked at her coolly as he thus began to speak, "Are you all right?" The man made the inquiry in some small attempt to avoid a conflict right here and now. There was a sense prevailing in the air that told his senses that he must be on high-alert. Especially with the way this girl was staring at him, and his gaze then caught the sight of the claws. In a challenging way of his own accord he stood there without showing an ounce of fear. He was here on a mission, an important endeavor to him and he would not be chased away by this ...what was she? A thing.

Ivan walked in, humming a tune as the marbled floor projected his footsteps through the empty hall. Glancing around with violet eyes, he saw lush crimson curtains posed at either side of a series of alcoves in the smooth stone walls which housed smooth, white statues of a Greek origin. Up a head looked like a polished wooden podium with an aged guest book atop it, with a quill and inkwell beside it.

An elegant but old crystal chandelier above the podium hung from the high ceiling, its light radiating into the hallway and casting a brilliant yet eerie glow over all.

This place was extremely opulent, something which Ivan had not seen in a long time, yet it unnerved him. He felt unseen eyes watching him, and this feeling penetrated through his skin into his very soul. Though many would brush this off, Ivan couldn't help but feel this was a warning of some notable importance. That he may have made a grave mistake coming here. That maybe this was the last place he'd ever see.

A chill ran down Ivan's back as he approached the podium. Lifting the quill from its resting place, he dipped it into the ink and signed his name into the guestbook. And instantly he felt something dark creep into him, like he'd just signed a contract with the Devil himself.

Ivan forced himself to calm down and take in his surroundings, glancing around for others.

This man didn't back away, he stood up to her, and it set the wolf off worse. She couldn't be sure if his lack of fear was good or bad. If he'd run, she surely would have given chase, but as he stood there, the wolf howled, and pushed for control. Demanded she take this one, at least. She could hear the other person who'd entered the room, but they were not her concern for this moment. Her eyes, now a vibrant golden yellow, were locked on the human before her.

Prey. Her senses told her. Kill it, They screamed.

If he spoke, it didn't reach through the blood red haze of her mind. Taking a seat in the back of her mind, Angelique burried herself in her own mind, hiding from what she knew was to come.

The wolf in control was far more dangerous. Angelique's form shifted, bones crunching, breaking and healing at a rapid rate as her body began to change. The dress couldn't handle the new form making itself clear, and ripped away, as she swiped at the human with a mishappen arm, claws sharp as they lashed at him. Her mouth, not yet a muzzle, but no longer capable of human sounds, opened to show off sharp teeth and let out a gruttal shriek, as she lurched forward to attack.