Bishop J. Santiago's Story

Anise woke up rather early, well early for her new schedule. Her life had been turned upside down since she first arrived at Castillo de la Muerte. She opened the window, watching the rain fall. The clouds engulfed the sky as lightning cracked down in the distance. She looked to the woods, her amethyst eyes softening. That was a year ago.. I remember Alice would always leap through there, covered in dirt and leaves.. It's been almost a year since I last felt my sister's warm embrace.. Right at the edge of the property, Alice's favorite spot in the area, stood a fairly taken care of headstone. It looked relatively new. It belonged to Alice Delopar. Her twin sister..

Anise could remember last year's werewolf attack as if it were yesterday.. She heard a knock at her door, and she quickly approached, opening the door without regards to the fact she was in her nightgown. There was a thin orange box with red ribbon tying it closed. She picked it up, noticing a card tied around the ribbon. Gingerly she turned the card and her eyes widened. From Demetri?? She was completely taken aback. She never got presents from Master Bishop's twin. Ever.

From: Demetri

"I'd like you to wear this from now on.. It's the new uniform. Embarrassed you for a second, didn't I, Dove?"

(OOC @ Butler & all Maids: For your message from Demetri, please send me a PM and I'll give each of you a personalized note from him to go with your uniform. Also, I tagged everyone to notify you that the RP has officially started!)

Anise could feel the blush burning her cheeks and she instantly frowned. She let out a small 'hmph', closing the door to her room quickly. Demetri and his games.. She thought a bit irritated, but a smile quickly formed on her lips. She let out a soft giggle, running to the bed to open her present. Her fingers gently untied the ribbon and placed it aside on her bed, lifting the lid and tossing it carelessly. Her eyes widened as she saw the outfit inside. Her eyes lit up as she reach inside, picking the outfit up and taking a proper look at the dress. It was sewn excellently.. professionally perhaps? For a moment she wondered if it even fit.. It looked too good to be true. Anise quickly scurried over to her wash bucket, placing the new dress in the nearby chair. She quickly poured some of the water into a bowl, splashing her face and washing her hands. She quickly dried off with the cloth she laid out the night before. After she was dry, she dabbed one end of the cloth into the water, cleaning her body off for work. A bath wasn't until before dinner, besides she'd just get dirty during her chores. It would be a lost cause to take one now.

Speaking of.. The new maids and butler would arrive soon. She supposed chores would end early today.. They always let the new maids and butlers have it easier the first week.. They probably wouldn't even reveal themselves as vampires yet.. But she wasn't entirely sure.. The new head of house might have changed this, like all the other rules. Castiel was in charge then.. It was happier here with Castiel in charge.. In fact.. I wonder if he's doing alright..? They haven't let us see him since the accident.. She wished to check on the blonde vampire, but she doubted Reiji would allow it. Then she got a clever idea. Reiji never woke at this hour. If she was very quiet.. and she didn't stay that long.. Maybe she could go visit him without getting caught. She doubted a stiff like Reiji changed the flowers in Castiel's vase.. Mirabelle was useful, but she wasn't a maid. There was a lot she assumed the siblings accidentally neglected. Tanzy had a family to worry about, she definitely wasn't about to break any rules here. Anise on the other hand, she was fresh out of familial ties. She quickly changed after washing up, putting her dirty clothes in a basket.

Aniselooked in the mirror as she buttoned her throat cuff, amazed by how well Demetri guessed her measurements, but also a little shaken by it. Putting it aside as one of the things that would always be strange about her job, Anise slipped her shoes on. She clicked the toes against the floor, about to walk out the door when she noticed the present box's lid was still in the floor. She ran over to pick it up, placing it back on the bed. Tanzy.. you're rubbing off on me..

She then exited her room, shutting the door as silently as possible. Looking around for signs that meant someone might be awake, Anise tiptoed through the halls. She kept quiet as possible the entire walk to Castiel's quarters. She didn't get nervous until she passed Bishop's and Reiji's rooms though. They were on the same wall with Demetri's room in between them. Then next to Reiji's room was Mirabelle. Thankfully Castiel's room has stayed in the same location through all of the madness.. His was at the far end of the hall, next to no one else. It was the 'dead end' of the corridor per se. She reach for the doorknob, confident that she'd succeeded when finally a calm, icy voice addressed her.

"Love, just where do you think you're going?"

It was Reiji's voice, and she spun around quickly. Her mouth was agape and her hands began to shake, despite her efforts to remain calm. Master Bishop is going to be so mad... She thought anxiously. Her eyes darted around the hall as she looked for an excuse, any excuse but all her anxiety brought her thoughts to little more than naught.

"I-I wanted to check on Master Santia- I mean.. Lord Castiel.. It would gladden my heart to know for myself that he's alright." She mentally cursed herself for what came out however. She knew she could have done better than that, but no one in the castle brought fear to her like Reiji. He was ruthless, and pointlessly so. Castiel didn't show cruelty without reasoning.. Nor did Bishop. Reiji simply enjoyed it and it brought her entire frame to a constant tremble. Shit.. I just addressed Castiel as head of house.. Reiji is going to be punish me for that..

Despite being up for more than twenty minutes, Bishop remained in his room, staring at the curtains shielding him from the sinking sun and the view outside his large window, a crack in the fabric allowing a thin sliver of light onto the window bench and the floor below. He could still remember the smell of wolf, the blood spilling in the halls, his brother's lifeless form. He remembered Anise's loss, and her impressive display of resilience and ability to strike down her foes should the time come. With a little help, she had avenged her sister's death, but he still noticed a slight change in his maid. She retained a gentle and innocent soul, but the outside had some callouses, some backbone.

Demetri appeared to be his usual creative, outgoing, energetic self. Bishop wasn't fooled, noticing slight changes in his twin's demeanor. He caught Demetri when he suffered from nightmares, saw him gaze out with bitterness and sorrow. He noticed how his fellow redhead took the attack, his spiraled control and his heart closing another part of itself. It was painful, maddenning to see Demetri sink into a depression, to become more bitter.

More like his siblings.

Bishop did not comment on it, knowing it would help no one. Demetri wasn't an empty shell, he was not lost to them, and that was enough. Demetri was still Demetri, albeit some of the warmth had been diminished, some of his fire smothered. It was unforgivable.

Then there was Castiel, the eldest brother, and a man Bishop could respect. Seeing his elder sibling lying in his room and plagued by restless nights, Bishop wondered what had happened during the night. What had happened to change his brother. IT was unnerving to see the proud, collected head of the house fall so far as to lose his very memories. Castiel had always been a strong and able leader, overseeing the manor with a skill and grace rarely seen now days. But now the blonde was but a shadow of the feared and respected vampire lord. He had reverted back into a time of purity, a time when he still had joy and humanity in his heart and mind, shown to the world. Bishop never wanted to deny his sibling any peace and content, but even so...it was disturbing, offsetting to see Castiel in such states, healing in body but still lost in a cloud of muddled and forgotten memories.

Bishop frowned then, sensing Reiji nearby. The prick. Reiji had appointed himself the next head of house, and it was all he could do to not attempt to rip out his sibling's throat. Castiel was tough, but he made sense. Reiji was an arrogant prick as far as Bishop was concerned, and it was with reluctance and annoyance that he tolerated Reiji being in charge. Not, that he didn't argue with the man about his changes, the redhead wondering if Reiji was just trying to piss him off. IT wouldn't surprise him in the least.

Bishop's musings were interrupted as he sensed Reiji moving about the halls, only to find another scent command his attention. Anise.

His maid was up early, and while being up was not frowned upon, he could tell she was taking care not to arouse any attention. Frowning, the vampire wondered what his maid was up to, her heartbeat thudding in her chest as she passed before his door.

He had enough, and deciding to see what his human was doing, Bishop no sooner donned his clothes when Anise's pleading cry met his sensitive ears. She was protestig something, fighting. Growing suspicion in his gut, Bishop snarled as he left, swiftly making his way into the hall as none other than the bastard himself was being separated from his maid by Castiel's body. His brother saved the maid? Certainly not like the intimidating Castiel he was used to.

His expression darkened upon seeing Reiji smirking, his brother clearly having tried to steal a taste of his human! Bastard.

"And what the hell do you think you're doing, trying to drink from my human? I have made it clear that no one touches what is mine!" Bishop snarled, taking Anise by her wrist and holding her behind him. He nodded to Castiel, giving his brother the respect he earned.

“That’s enough,”

Reiji practically growled when his brother removed him from Anise, allowing the lamb to escape the lion. All of their other siblings overlooked his behavior, but even with amnesia Castiel was still thwarting his every move. Crimson orbs narrowed at the blue ones before him, and he snarled. He honestly felt the urge to lunge at his brother then and there, but he supposed it would cause an unnecessary uproar. The new help had just arrived and he waited for each of them to pass out of earshot before continuing their... conversation. His eyes could not see Anise, but he had a good idea of her position behind Castiel so his eyes glared knives through that spot. He was going to have her, and he was fine with using whatever means necessary. Being the stubborn brat their mother raised him to be, Reiji felt enormous entitlement towards anything he deemed worth his attention. He wasn't about to let Castiel stand in the way, to obstruct him from seizing what was, as he deemed, rightfully his.

"Thank you... Lord Castiel.."

Her tone of voice disgusted him and Reiji let out a disgusted huff, making his displeasure known. The way Castiel spoke to him, looked to him. He couldn't remember anything but that voice. That horrible, condescending voice. Reiji hated it. Every time Castiel used it Reiji got an overwhelming urge to rip his brother's voice box clean from his throat, with his bare teeth if he must. The fact that Castiel was playing white knight at all proved that his brother was unwell. It wasn't that Reiji thought Castiel wouldn't protect the maid either way, it was just his methods that proved his brother's plague still haunted his mind. By now, if Castiel was truly the Castiel that he grew up despising, Reiji figured a lecture about not taking Bishop's prey would come spewing out of those obnoxious pale lips of his. Some rambling about punishment and a threat of banishment.. old Castiel was so predictable in that sense... Or perhaps it's simply that there are only so many threats you can give someone before it becomes redundant..

“What is the meaning of this?”

"She was being quite.. disrespectful and I was parched.. What other reasoning does a vampire need to feed from a human? She needs to be taught to hold her tongue." He retorted, unsure of why he was still putting up with this insolence from Castiel. Castiel was older no doubt, but with his illness taken into account, Reiji was the head of Castillo estate. The castle was his to command. Though as Tanzy approached the group, his irritating question was answered. For some reason people liked his pompous elder brother. His siblings would revolt against him if he laid a single finger on Castiel, especially after they'd nearly lost him once.

"M-master Castiel! You're awake sire, shall Anise or myself get you anything?"

"I-It was my fault.. I-I accidentally called you Master Santiago and upset the new Master of the house... I'm still not entirely used to the switch of position.. I apologize.."

It never truly was a 'switch of position, love. I was born for this job.. Castiel was simply a usurper. He never truly deserved to run this home.. Edward just wanted power, for his blood to continue to wreak fear in the hearts of others... Yet here I am sitting in the throne... Here I am.. on top. I wonder if he's writhing in hell. I hope he is trying to claw his way back to this world. I hope it is tormenting him in ways one could never even dream.

"Please.. Y-you're brothers.. I don't want to be the cause of trouble between you..."

Reiji smirked at this. Trouble wasn't caused by some mortal wench. There was bad blood between the two of them over a hundred years before this girl was thought of. Possibly longer. Reiji never was good at keeping track of time. His hatred, his goal, it was far older than this ebony haired servant. The fact she assumed she was the cause was arrogant and absurd. The more she spoke, the more he wanted to sink his fangs into her neck. He wanted her to fear him, to never part her lips in his presence again. For such an innocent girl... she had far too many assumptions. Reiji was growing to despise her as well.

"Master Reiji, I...I am available if you truly need sustenance...."

"Now that you mention it.." Reiji began, but then another idea popped into his head, an excellent idea. A idea so brilliant he wanted to kick himself for not thinking of it sooner. He wasn't sure why the thought hadn't crossed his mind before, but he was glad it did. Late is better than never I suppose.. Though before he was allowed to bring his plan to life, before a single word left his lips, they were joined by his hotheaded brother, Bishop.

"And what the hell do you think you're doing, trying to drink from my human? I have made it clear that no one touches what is mine!"

Bishop from what Reiji could tell, seemed to be just as furious as Reiji had been with Castiel prior to the redheaded man's arrival. The younger brother proceeded in snatching Anise from behind Castiel, and tugging her behind himself instead. Possessive dear brother..? Stinginess is an unbecoming trait for a young lord as yourself.. Allow me to remedy you of that unsightly trait.. He thought tauntingly, a mischievous grin forming on his features. Bishop seemed fairly angry about his rendezvous with Anise, which only caused Reiji to chuckle. His plan was going to be delicious.

"I've decided. As head of Castillo castle, I now place Anise in charge of Castiel's care. She was sneaking out to his bedroom anyhow when I seized her. She then proceeded to show quite a harsh level of disrespect. Obviously you've grown too attached and haven't disciplined her properly, little brother. Perhaps Castiel can teach her manners." He smiled to Bishop, making sure to keep a close eye on his response. Their home was growing rather boring.. This switch of maids would cause the uproar Reiji craved. He wanted his siblings and the help to entertain him, but apparently they needed a little push.. His eyes lingered on Bishop before finally turning to stare down at Tanzy, "You on the other hand, since you're so eager to serve me, are my personal maid from hence forth." He placed a hand on the pink haired woman's shoulder. It wasn't rough or taunting, just an acknowledging touch.

"Your new servant is Jason Olivander. I pray you handle him better than you have your insolent maid, Bishop.." He teased as he walked to his office, leaving the group where they stood. Then he turned as he reach the door, "Come, Tanzy. You can clean the office as we discuss the terms of this new arrangement." He opened the door, about to go inside, but looked out one final time to Castiel, Anise, and Bishop.

"Oh and Bishop.. if you defy me, I will not hesitate to kill her myself."

With that, Reiji entered his office. The dark haired man took a seat casually and closed his eyes, removing his glasses and placing them on the desk in front of him. It was great to be in charge.. He awaited for the maid to follow, knowing she would. He liked that about her. Dependability. It was a fine quality in his mind. She'd be a useful toy. He'd utilize that in the upcoming months.

Tanzy had been feeling hopeful, glad that two of the vampire brothers liked Anise or at the very least found her worth enough to protect. Perhaps Reiji could be placated and satisfied with a drink, and then Tanzy and her friend could be dismissed without much more hassle. Such hopes of a peaceful resolution were snatched away the more she listened to Reiji, the head of the house clearly upset and determined to make an example. The look in his eyes made her gut knot up in worry. What if she couldn't protect her friend, worse, what if he somehow overpowered Bishop and Castiel? Trying to squeeze herself more in between to add extra protection for Anise, Tanzy froze as Reiji declared a new arrangement.

Anise would serve Castiel? Tanzy wondered how the chores would be split up between them if Anise joined her in caring for Castiel. She doubted Bishop would accept the transfer so easily. The maid's concerns over the work were squashed instantly by Reiji's next change, the blood draining from her face almost instantaneously. She was being removed from Castiel's service? Why? Had she done something wrong? Had she not gone in to feed him and help him recover every day?

Reiji's smile did nothing to reassure the young woman, his hand on her shoulder earning a flinch. She almost felt like crying. Why was he doing this to her? She had done everything perfectly as she could, and now he thought she wanted to serve him! How had she made him think such things? And now she would no longer serve Castiel. If anyone was to serve him aside from her, she was glad it was Anise, but even so, Tanzy was crushed. She bit her lip, harder and harder, hearing the head of house continue, only to earn a gasp of horror as he threatened Anise should Bishop disobey him. She looked worriedly at the other vampires, silently pleading with them to not let Reiji follow through on the threat.

Seeing her new master dismiss himself for his study, she tried to give a weak smile to Anise, showing she'd be ok, though she knew her friend was probably just as worried. With a heavy heart and a growing sensation of dread, she followed Reiji into the room, eyes downcast.

Anise's eyes widened as Bishop arrived and she opened her mouth to explain that she was at fault, not Reiji but Bishop's sudden grasp on her wrist caused the girl to wince. She flinched and let out a pained gasp, her wrist attempting to free itself out of pure instinct. The purple bruises tender against his reckless and possessive grasp. Though it was Reiji's fault that Bishop's hold hurt in the first place.. Anise didn't want the brothers arguing..

"I-It was my fault... I accidentally addressed Lord Castiel as the head of Castillo..."

Bishop's eyes immediately went from the object of his disgust to Anise, suspicion on his eyes as she gasped in pain. He loosened his hold slightly as she tried to pull away, a mixture of annoyance and surprise in his features, and perhaps concern if someone like Demetri tried to look. IT was miniscule, however. Lifting her wrist to inspect it, he growled. Reiji left a bruise on his property! Outrage danced behind his eyes. "He put these bruises on you, didn't he?" Bishop demanded to know, though it was more a statement than a question. He didn't need confirmation, he already knew, already smelled his brother.

His attention once more riveted to Reiji, a feral look in his eyes. Forget tolerating the arrogant asshole as head of the house, Bishop wanted to see his blood paint the walls. "You marked what is mine? Surely you know that I kill for less...." his voice hissed out through clenched teeth, hands itching to grab and tear the man before him limb from limb. Not surprisingly, Reiji continued, all but ignoring his warnings only to completely screw with the arrangement Castiel himself had set up.

Bishop grit his teeth, glaring daggers at his elder sibling as the prick dared to assume he was not fit to be Anise's master. Fully convinced Reiji was doing it solely to piss him off, Bishop snarled back, emerald eyes practically glowing with rage.
"Until now, she has never needed discipline. I am more than capable of such things you miserable son of a bitch." Bishop retorted, taking a step forward to try and accost his brother, self proclaimed head of the house.

His fury grew, hearing Reiji dismiss him and declare a new servant for him out of nowhere. It was enough to make his blood boil. "Like hell I am going to have another servant. Castiel himself gave me that maid. You are foolish to try and take meat from a lion. I drink from Anise, and no one else will stop that. I don't give a damn if God himself declares otherwise. So you listen to me you piece of shit. Anise can clean and serve my brother, I am tidy enough myself. But I'll be damned if I let a creep like you think you can drink from her. I don't even share my meals with Demetri."

Bishop was hissing by now, livid and looking at Reiji with a burning hatred. The bastard. He was at his limit, when Reiji found a way to prove him wrong and enrage the older twin even further. Kill Anise? Bishop began to growl low in his throat, taking a step towards his brother as he released Anise's wrist. He'd kill the man if it was the last thing he did!

"Mark my words Reiji, I WILL kill you you worthless son of a bitch! An asshole like you will never survive being head of the house."

"She was being quite.. disrespectful and I was parched.. What other reasoning does a vampire need to feed from a human? She needs to be taught to hold her tongue."

Those words alone brought Anise's eyes wide. It was like a brick to the face. Reiji was right.. being fed on, she had no choice in it.. and there was nothing she could do to make it stop.. whether she was polite or rude.. The result would be the same, give or take. Alice understood that.. She pushed way too hard, to the point they'd rather dispose of her, but she understood good behavior meant little here... Why was she still behaving so courteously? Why was she still apologizing..? Why did she feel so damn guilty for causing this argument?

Anise's eyes widened as Bishop arrived and she opened her mouth to explain that she was at fault, not Reiji but Bishop's sudden grasp on her wrist caused the girl to wince. She flinched and let out a pained gasp, her wrist attempting to free itself out of pure instinct. The purple bruises tender against his reckless and possessive grasp. Though it was Reiji's fault that Bishop's hold hurt in the first place.. Anise didn't want the brothers arguing, "I-It was my fault... I accidentally addressed Lord Castiel as the head of Castillo..."

"He put these bruises on you, didn't he?"

Anise's mouth opened, but no words came out. She didn't like lying, but she didn't want this argument to escalate any further than it already had, "Well.. I-I.." She tried to come up with a plausible excuse, but her mind was shooting blanks. At least he didn't see all of the bruises, that much she was grateful. She merely lowered her gaze, tensing as she shouting continued. She really wouldn't have went if she knew something of this magnitude would result.

"You marked what is mine? Surely you know that I kill for less...."

Kill? Her thoughts returned to the night Alice died, and it could be seen in Anise's eyes that although she was standing there, she was not currently present. For a few moments she got flashbacks of the wolves, the death, the corpses.. She remembered burying the dead.. It was horrible..

"I've....Castillo.... now place Anise in charge of Castiel's care. She was sneaking...his bedroom...I seized her. She then proceeded to show quite a harsh level of disrespect. Obviously you've grown too attached and haven't disciplined her properly, little brother. Perhaps Castiel can teach her manners."

That was when Anise felt something in her subconscious crack. She returned to reality just in time to hear her new placement. She was being removed from Bishop because of this..? Castiel was less temperamental, but that was Tanzy's job.. She didn't want her friend's position. She opened her mouth to protest, but began chewing on her lip nervously. Her mouth is what got her in this situation, she decided not to make matters worse. Regardless of her intentions... Anise realized that she'd ruined everything.

"Until now, she has never needed discipline. I am more than capable of such things you miserable son of a bitch."

It felt like a compliment, though she wondered what Bishop would do if she was still his personal maid. He agreed that she was to be disciplined, so a tiny part of her was relieved to be in Castiel's service. Reiji terrified her, but Bishop could instill almost the same amount of fear in her when he tried. Her eyes shifted to Tanzy, apologetic for her mistake. She just wanted to know how Castiel was doing and now she got the two of them transferred from their year long positions...

"Your new servant is Jason Olivander. I pray you handle him better than you have your insolent maid, Bishop.. Come, Tanzy. You can clean the office as we discuss the terms of this new arrangement."

Air suddenly stopped reaching her lungs as she realized where Tanzy was placed as a result of the 'insulting behavior' Anise had displayed toward Reiji. It was all her fault.. Tanzy now had to serve that sadistic bastard. She felt frozen in place, her voice felt like it had been ripped from her throat. What have I done..? She thought in despair. She didn't want to fathom how Reiji would treat Tanzy for her mistake. Surely he'd punish her friend in order to get to her. Tanzy was one of the only living people that Anise felt close to.. of course Reiji would utilize that to it's full potential..

"Like hell I am going to have another servant. Castiel himself gave me that maid. You are foolish to try and take meat from a lion. I drink from Anise, and no one else will stop that. I don't give a damn if God himself declares otherwise. So you listen to me you piece of shit. Anise can clean and serve my brother, I am tidy enough myself. But I'll be damned if I let a creep like you think you can drink from her. I don't even share my meals with Demetri."

Anise smiled a bit, though it was faint. The fact Bishop didn't want to lose her, whether it was only for her blood or not, was a little reassuring. At least he didn't want her dead.. Though something about his tone shook her. He was refusing another servant.. and he was handling it far better than she'd expected. He wasn't even saying anything to Castiel or her about his possessiveness. Maybe he was changing more than she'd noticed? Though she wasn't sure what had changed in him since a year ago. He was always disappearing and keeping secrets.. but this Bishop was speaking everything on his mind.. He hadn't disappeared for days at a time in ages..

"Oh and Bishop.. if you defy me, I will not hesitate to kill her myself."

Anise's body nearly collapsed as the threat reach her ears. She saw Bishop taking a step towards Reiji, and she instantly reach forward, gently seizing the back of his shirt. She didn't want anyone fighting, she didn't want any more graves. The night of the attack was horrible and she remembered how glad she was to see Castiel return alive. She'd spent the entire day after crying of relief. She also mourned.. She mourned her sister, Katerina, Olivia.. and even Angelo. She didn't really know Olivia or Angelo as well as she did the others, but they were still good people. They didn't deserve to die.. She acted before she could think it through, mostly because she was afraid for Castiel and Bishop. Castiel was still recovering according to Tanzy and Bishop's emotions were...easily triggered. A calm collected man like Reiji could make quick work of Bishop in a one-on-one fight if he used Bishop's anger against him. The red haired man was already blinded by rage.. So she did the only thing she could in this situation. It worked on her mother at least, and it was the only thing she knew to do. Her uncle embraced her mother the day she scarred Anise's arm, it was probably the only thing that saved the young girl's life that night.. So she gave it a try. She didn't want to see the three of them fight any longer, despite her growing hate for Reiji.

"Mark my words Reiji, I WILL kill you you worthless son of a bitch! An asshole like you will never survive being head of the house."

Anise quickly lunged herself forward despite her anxiety. Despite her fear for her life, for Tanzy's life... She suddenly wrapped her arms around Bishop's stomach, arms tensing around him as she spoke. It looked a bit odd, considering their difference in height. Her face was buried against his mid back, and if Castiel and Bishop had human ears, her words would have been quite difficult to hear due to her being upset and Bishop's shirt muffling them further, "Please, no more dead bodies.. Haven't enough people died already..?"

Since Alice's death Anise became sort of a pacifist. She became terrified of death, namely the death of others. The mere thought of seeing a corpse made her skin crawl.

---

---

It’s a showdown. Brother against brother in a heated stare down. Castiel’s intensity never wanes as he shields the young woman with the length of his tall physique. He can see the waves of rage and hatred in the torrents of rubicund hues. He knows that they are supposed to be brothers, but he feels no connection to this being. In fact, he’s almost disgusted by him and judging by the look on his face, Castiel can tell that his sentiments are requited. He crouches, cautiously in case he ends up in the heat of battle. His jaw squares as knuckles turn white from clenching his fists. He’s practically daring Reiji to make a move he doesn’t like.

"She was being quite…disrespectful and I was parched.. What other reasoning does a vampire need to feed from a human? She needs to be taught to hold her tongue."

Castiel can think of quite a few reasons. One being that no one deserves to be subjected to brutality unless absolutely necessary and he can just tell by this vampire’s overzealousness and irrational sense of entitlement was the result of this debacle, not the maid’s supposed disrespect. He glances over at her, watching her tremble in pure unadulterated fear. She’s far too fragile to blatantly commit impertinence in the face of someone so unstable.

In short, Reiji is full of bullshit and Castiel is about to be the first one to tell him.

That is until another woman is thrown into the equation and stops him before he’s able to tell Reiji just how much of pretentious waste of space he is. "M-master Castiel! You're awake sire, shall Anise or myself get you anything?" Castiel narrows his eyes at her, not in anger, but in a vain attempt to remember her name. It’s utterly frustrating. All of these people know him, but he can’t reciprocate. They are emotionally invested in him, and yet he feels little to no affection. He’s thankful for them saving his life-…but aside from that, he feels no kinship. He’s not sure he ever will. He simply shakes his head at her, choosing not to directly address her lest he offend her with his lack of knowledge of who she actually is.

"I-It was my fault... I-I accidentally called you Master Santiago and upset the new Master of the house... I'm still not entirely used to the switch of position... I apologize…"

His attention is back to the young lady he had just defended. He looks down at her with cerulean orbs laden with understanding. That certainly explains the vampire’s entitlement complex. It’s news to him that of all the people to take his place as Master of Castillo, it would be someone like this. This actually makes him begin to question his former self. It scares him to think that he was anything like his younger brother; rash, cruel, sadistic. He certainly is a different man now. He’s a man of dignity, morality, and compassion and at the moment his heart goes out to the poor maids of his estate. He can only imagine the hardships they face surrounded by bloodthirsty supernatural beings that completely disregard their needs. As fragile as these women look, they were no doubt strong in will for lasting this long and sticking together. He holds a certain amount of respect for that, especially when the light haired maid offers herself to the maniac to defuse the situation.

Castiel sends her a look that is drenched in veneration and dripping in gratitude. He feels remorse on her behalf, but he’ll make sure that her bravery does not go unrecognized and unrewarded.

Once again, Castiel opens his mouth to speak, but it instantly interrupted…again. Fiery red locks come surging towards them all in a hurricane of angst and anger. Castiel can tell that their situation is about to get a lot worse, so he holds his tongue to avoid setting off the ticking time bomb coming their way. Protectively, he shifts his position to shield the young dark-haired maiden from the other vampire. He can’t be too careful. As expected, the red headed vampire is in a rage, staking his claim on the woman. Slowly, Castiel allows him to take her, seeing as she’s obviously his to care for. They share a look and Castiel sees the respect that the vampire has for him. He returns it with a silent nod of his own, backing out of the way and giving him the freedom he needs.

It isn’t until Reiji begins speaking again that Castiel narrows his eyes in sheer animosity once more. "I've decided. As head of Castillo castle, I now place Anise in charge of Castiel's care. She was sneaking out to his bedroom anyhow when I seized her. She then proceeded to show quite a harsh level of disrespect. Obviously you've grown too attached and haven't disciplined her properly, little brother. Perhaps Castiel can teach her manners."

His brow quirks as he glances over at the woman. So, her name is Anise. He savors the name, trying to use it to unlock something in his memory, but it does nothing to quell the questions it brings. Knowing her trespasses, however, provides him with some reassurance. If she felt the need to risk getting punished just to see him well then that must mean he may have done something good in his past to gain her concern. Were they friends? Lovers? He doesn’t know, but he’s fairly sure that he’ll get an answer now that she’s under his charge. Although he’s not opposed to the change of rules, he can see that his younger brother is fanning flames. The redhead instantly rebuttals, but it’s all for naught because it’s all final.

"Your new servant is Jason Olivander. I pray you handle him better than you have your insolent maid, Bishop.. Come, Tanzy. You can clean the office as we discuss the terms of this new arrangement."

Much like Anise, Bishop and Tanzy’s name does nothing to stir the contents of Castiel’s mind. He watches as his sadistic younger brother departs, but not without pushing Bishop’s buttons once more. "Oh and Bishop.. if you defy me, I will not hesitate to kill her myself." And then he’s gone. Bishop’s on a tangent, his maid trying to subdue his indignation with a muttered a plea.

A surge of pity grips Castiel’s undead heart and twists. She’s must have gone through so much to feel so compelled to beg for peace. He hasn’t gotten a word in edgewise, but now his deep resonant voice reaches out to her and his hotheaded brother. “I do not wish to hold any ill will towards you or your maid…” He tries to remember his name. “Bishop, is it? My apologies for not being familiar with who you are, but I’m under the impression that we are brothers, correct?” His voice still holds weight, but instead of ruthless conviction, it’s compassionate. “You have my word that I will not abuse my position as…erm…Anise?” He furrows his golden brows as he recollects her name before continuing. “As Anise’s superior. She’s in capable hands, brother. So please, fret not. Not only do I promise to handle her with care, but I will also make an effort to get my position of power back and fix the mistakes our brother has made.” His eyes narrow towards the office that was once his sanctuary. “And I will grant you the chance to acquire your vengeance the moment I knock that bastard’s arse off of his damned high horse. This, I swear to you…and you, Anise. I have a bitter feeling that he’s only going to make matters progressively worse for this family. In the meantime, we need to maintain peace lest he does something unspeakable in rebuttal. He's far too reckless and unpredictable, so we must tread lightly.” Castiel smirks, licking his bottom lip as a plan forms into his head. He walks up to Bishop, leaning over a tad to whisper in his ear to avoid Reiji tuning into their conversation. His voice is low enough for only Bishop to hear. “I say we let him think he's in control, so we can pull the power from right underneath him and watch him fall on his arse like the fool he is."

Bishop glared after his sadistic prick of a brother, eager for a fight when he was stopped by a sudden warm embrace around his abdomen. Looking down with the beginning of a hiss, he felt a burst of genuine surprise to see none other than gentle little Anise wrapping her arms around him, face buried in his back. He made out her muffled plea, annoyance and an ounce of respect meeting her request. No more bodies huh? As far as he was concerned, Reiji was well worth killing, but it seemed his human was far more touchy about life.

The fiery red head didn't get the chance to answer her, the calm, deep voice of his eldest brother reaching his ears at last. For a second, the tempermental twin felt an urge to ask what the hell had happened to the real Castiel, when he recalled for the thousandth time how the blonde haired male had been attacked, suffered for who knows how long, only to lose his memories. Besides, it wasn't completely new, just more reverted to the childhood Castiel, the kind, peaceful humans they once were. Even so, it's disconcerning to hear the proud Castiel fumble for something as simple as their names.

Nevertheless, Bishop nodded, rage gone from his eyes as he met the blue eyes of his brother. "Yes...You're the oldest Santiago. Demetri and I are twins, the youngest two Santiago sons. The youngest Santiago is our sister, Mirabelle." Bishop explained, regarding his brother calmly. Surprise showed for a moment in his emerald orbs, Castiel's assurances and concern for him and Anise both eerily unfamiliar but welcome. Bishop dared to relax. Aside from Demetri, he trusted no one in the world more than Castiel. He knew Anise would be safe with him, even if it pissed him off to not have her at his beck and call.

With a sigh, Bishop nodded, letting his brother see he could accept the situation if it were him. "Well, I know you will. Just keep the creep away from her will you? He likes taking what isn't his. Stupid prick." Bishop's face darkened, about to sink ino another tirade and let his anger stir up once more when Castiel continued with even more pleasing words than his assurance to take care of Anise.

At the whispered plottings in his ear, Bishop smirked, nodding as he felt his respect swell. THIS was why he respected Castiel so much. Even as a compassionate shell of the intimidating master of the house, he retained his strength of will, his cunning, and his ability to plan five steps ahead. Brilliant. Speaking softly so he could just be heard by Castiel, Bishop didn't even bother trying to hide the approval in his voice. "Excellent. It's not in my nature to play nice, but you speak the truth." Bishop lowered his voice even more, just enough to reach the blonde's ear. "Know this, I will stand behind you for all your days brother, and Demetri as well." Finally leaning back so as not to be caught in a conspiratorial whisper, Bishop looked down at Anise.

He took care not to grip her wrists as he disengaged her, rolling his eyes. "Fine, fine. I won't kill the bastard. But you're too damn nice." he retorted at last, wondering at how little sense humans made to him now.

In the distance, Bishop could hear his brother's voice, talking to someone. No, not just someone, the new help hired by the bastard Reiji himself. With an annoyed huff, Bishop realized they must have arrived not long ago. 'Always the gentleman, brother.' he thought, knowing his twin was giving a mini tour and welcoming the new help. Poor, clueless saps. Oh well, not that that was his concern.

Returning his attention to Anise and Castiel, he glanced in the direction of the stairs leading down to the first floor and it's components. The kitchen and dining room among the bottom floor layout would by now be prepped for a grand dinner to be led out.

"What did you two make tonight?" Bishop asked idly, deciding to try and give Anise something else to focus on.

(OOC: Will beautify after food. It was a pretty forced post, but it's finally here. Sorry for the delay..)

“I do not wish to hold any ill will towards you or your maid… Bishop, is it? My apologies for not being familiar with who you are, but I’m under the impression that we are brothers, correct?”

Anise removed herself from Bishop as she heard Castiel's voice. He..doesn't remember anything..? Castiel's amnesia was kept pretty lock and key, until now she wasn't even allowed ten feet near his room, let alone close enough to learn that the lord of the house lost all of his memories. Her violet eyes lingered on the blonde, wondering just how lonesome it had to be. If she could remember Alice.. her mom.. What would make her personality? What experiences would define her? Amnesia had to be quite scary.. She'd never come into contact with a person whom developed the sickness, but now that she had, she understood it's horrors... and it's dangers. Had anyone else found Castiel, or if no one had at all, he could have easily died that night...
Her fingers clenched at the bottom edges of her dress, trying not to think too hard on the subject. Aside from Castiel's behavior coming off as a bit creepy, perhaps the switch could be a good thing. He seemed quite a bit more friendly than Bishop..? Though she had little to go on. Perhaps the new Castiel had a dark side as well? Demetri surprised her. She thought he was so well behaved and in control of his hunger.. then he slaughtered an entire village.

“You have my word that I will not abuse my position as…erm…Anise? As Anise’s superior. She’s in capable hands, brother. So please, fret not. Not only do I promise to handle her with care, but I will also make an effort to get my position of power back and fix the mistakes our brother has made.”

His words brought a smile to her face. She wanted nothing more than Castiel to return to power. Standing here, listening to the two men converse, it reminded her of kings, and royalty. They were lords, but they weren't exactly princes or kings.. yet somehow they were still fighting over a figurative 'throne'. She wondered how much blood would be shed in Castiel's battle to return to the top of the house, but decided that they'd get to that bridge when they crossed it.

“And I will grant you the chance to acquire your vengeance the moment I knock that bastard’s arse off of his damned high horse. This, I swear to you…and you, Anise. I have a bitter feeling that he’s only going to make matters progressively worse for this family. In the meantime, we need to maintain peace lest he does something unspeakable in rebuttal. He's far too reckless and unpredictable, so we must tread lightly.”

"Well, I know you will. Just keep the creep away from her will you? He likes taking what isn't his. Stupid prick."

His strategical skills and wit made Anise tilt her head. Perhaps Castiel didn't lose as much as she was led to believe.. Sure, his memories were gone.. but the man standing before her was still intelligent, his presence practically screamed hierarchy.. He just seemed less cold, like something melted the ice around his heart. What exactly happened to you, Lord Castiel..? She thought in bewilderment, unable to keep that tragic night's events off her mind. She kept wracking her brain, wondering where Castiel could have run off to. Whom could have saved his life. A werewolf bite was incurable by all human and vampiric means. What kind of entity could have saved the blonde standing in front of her...and why?

"Excellent. It's not in my nature to play nice, but you speak the truth. Know this, I will stand behind you for all your days brother, and Demetri as well."

It sounds like war again.. I only hope we'll survive it again.. this time preferably unscathed. Her eyes switched to Reiji's office. Tanzy was the demon's maid now, regardless of how this fight ended, she was terrified that Tanzy would suffer at Reiji's hand. Her fists turned white as she gripped at her dress, and she was starting to tremble in a mixture of raw anger and fear. She understood her inferiority, but part of her wanted to kill Reiji on her own. She just couldn't watch brother killing brother..

"Fine, fine. I won't kill the bastard. But you're too damn nice."

"It gladdens my heart to hear you say that M-" She began, but stopped. Bishop wasn't the Santiago brother she served anymore.. She now served Castiel. Her eyes shifted nervously, unsure how she should address Bishop from here on out. He chose "Master Bishop" as his title long ago, but now Castiel was the man she served. It was up to him what he wished to be called. Lord Bishop..? Yes.. I think that is what's socially acceptable. She finally corrected herself after a couple moments of inner turmoil,
"Lord Bishop I mean.." She wasn't sure how the red haired man would accept it, but it was the facts.. He had a new servant and there was little that could be done.

"What did you two make tonight?"

Anise bowed to Castiel, "Speaking of food, I must check on that.. It should be done shortly.. Tanzy and myself really should get to preparing that.." Then she looked to Bishop, "If you'd follow me to the kitchens the two of you can sample some of tonight's dinner... I-I just have to make sure it isn't burnt... P-please excuse me, Master Castiel, Lord Bishop!"

She then made her way hastily down the stairs. She nearly tripped, but caught her balance and continued to run as gracefully as possible towards the kitchens. She looked to the chicken, pleased with it's nice and dark outcome, and was glad it didn't burn.. Then she removed the potatoes from where their pot was hanging and placed the container down carefully. She stirred the concoction and took in a wiff, smiling to herself. It smells so good~ Tanzy really does make the best Potato salad~

She watched the girl prepare them earlier that day.. but still Anise wasn't as skilled at the brew. Tanzy boiled a few dozen potatoes, and when they were done she peeled them with almost expert precision. She then sliced the hot potatoes into a deep dish and cut in very small pieces of onions and mixed them among the slices. Now it was Anise's turn. She had to season the food. Tanzy was better at setting the table anyhow.. The pink haired woman came in shortly before Camilla, whom Anise was entirely unfamiliar with. She gathered the materials she needed and distributed a little pepper and salt. She then approached the vinegar that she had placed to heat over the fire and pulled the pot of scalding hot vinegar off the hook it was on. She returned to the potato salad and poured it over the whole mixture. Done..

“Hey, whatcha making? Can I try some?”

"Tanzy, can you take your masterpiece and then the roasted chicken to the dining room? I still have a bit to do with the desserts.." She asked pleasantly, then noticed the small girl before her. The girl's behavior reminded her a bit of her late sister, which caused Anise to smile. She then took a small spoonful of the potato salad and blew on it until it was cool enough to eat and extended the spoon towards Camilla, "Of course you can, though we can't make a habit of this, Master Reiji might get angry. Professionalism is important here. I'm Anise, what's your name?"

She removed the cherry cakes from the oven first, then she retrieved the Apple cheese cakes. Anise did most of the baking, while Tanzy cooked most of the other foods.. it worked out pretty well. She decorated the cakes with cute designs of fruit as she waited to see if Castiel or Bishop accepted her offer, she wanted a few opinions on the dessert she'd made.

The temperamental redhead folded his arms across his chest, arching a brow as Anise expressed her happiness at his assurance he'd not kill the son of a bitch Reiji who dared to call himself head of the house. She was too nice. But still, he found her admission of pleasure wasn't necessarily unwelcome. He rolled his eyes, only to scowl as she hesitated again upon addressing him. Back to the little mouse huh? He felt himself twitch at her wavering, uncertain expression. After all this time, he couldn't believe she had failed to notice he wasn't going to hurt her for no reason. She never did anything to truly upset him, and she had many favorable qualities. It was exasperating.

"Dammit, stop looking at me like that!" Bishop snapped, shaking his head and tossing his arms up in frustration as he continued. "I'm not gonna just grab you and eat you! Calm down, save your self preservation for dealing with the prick." Bishop let out a huff, glancing over at Castiel with a 'what am I gonna do with her' expression before returning his gaze to the maid. "I still want a drink when you can give it, but I'm not some weakling vampire or a fledgeling that needs copious amounts of blood every day."

Sighing in exasperation, Bishop's tirade ended for the time being. Her answer earned a slight arch of his head, lips twitching as they threatened to smirk. Oh he could imagine the maids fretting over food. Poor Anise would be apologizing profusely,and Tanzy, well, he supposed she'd be trying to fix things. It had been a while since he had actually sat down to eat a full human meal. It didn't sustain them in any way, it was more for pleasure or to blend in. Food thankfully had taste. He never actually checked to see who did most of the cooking in the house. Was it his little Anise, or the obsessive clean freak? HE did assume both helped each other and combined chores, but he knew they each had to have their set tasks they were best at and designated in doing. He wondered which tasks Anise was in charge of in the kitchen?

"You left something in the oven?" Bishop asked, truthfully a bit surprised. Usually the humans were very good in their chores. It wasn't common practice, or at least as far as he knew, for a cook to leave cooking food unattended. Granted, ovens and the like took a while, but one would think they'd not leave the first floor where the kitchen and dining hall were located. He wasn't particularly upset, the stoney castle walls not liable to burn down. The only concern to him would be a lingering burnt smell should something perish in the oven or over the fire.
"Well then, best run along." Bishop mused even as Anise made her leave, scuttling down the stairs as quickly as she could. Glancing over at Castiel, Bishop allowed his older brother a friendly smirk, opting to follow downstairs and sample Anise's food. He had nothing better to do, and besides, dinner was to be served within the hour at latest.

The hot-heated male took his time to stalk down to the kitchen, arriving just after Tanzy and who he assumed was a new maid. He all but ignored Tanzy, hovering in the doorway as Anise offered the newcomer a bite of what looked to be potato salad. He noticed appetizers of tomato bisque, sides of deviled quail eggs, corn, and the potato salad. Chicken and some fresh dinner rolls, and then dessert. It was a generous spread, and he almost wondered if the girls had hidden any more up their sleeves.

Bishop looked skeptically at the girl asking for a sample, deeming her not worth his interest for the time being. He leaned over to inspect the simply but elegantly decorated cakes, inwardly admitting they did look quite appetizing and decadent. Kind of Like Anise's blood. He licked his lips at the thought, eyes with a hungry look in them for a second before he motioned to Anise.
"I believe you offered me a sample..." Bishop mused, leaning against the wall casually.

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Jane took a deep breath, then emerged from her room, tugging at the bottom of her dress. She didn't want to be wearing it if she was to be honest. At least to dinner where she would be meeting her employers and those that would be paying her salary for the next few months. They had made it for her, so it wouldn't be bad, but would she really be able to pass it off with the rest of the family if they hadn't seen it yet.

Taking a deep breath, she walked down the hall. She wondered if Mirabelle was waiting for her though she didn't know how she would possibly know how to find the seemingly younger girl. "Camilla? Mirabelle? Demetri? Jason?" Jane asked as she walked down the hall. She realized that she was going the wrong way too late as she happened upon men instead of the stairs. It was just like her to get lost on her first day when she only had two, three places show to her.

There was one tall blonde man and she couldn't help but be surprised. He didn't look all that much like Demetri if she remembered. Didn't Demetri mention a twin brother? This couldn't be him could it? Jane was about to ask where she was when she thought better of it. She turned to go back down the hall she had originally gone down, hoping she hadn't been noticed. She walked quickly and eventually found herself in somewhat familiar halls.

She managed to find the stairs without getting lost and upon doing so, went down them. She followed voices she heard until she happened upon another man and some girls that looked to be other maids. She even saw Camilla which made her smile. She walked into the kitchen and could smell what was food that had been cooked.

She saw the man lean over the cakes, this one looked a lot more like Demetri than that blonde upstairs did, they even had the same color hair. He licked his lips and said something to one of the other maids. Jane didn't quite catch it as she came in and looked around, unsure what else to do. "Camilla," Jane says as she approaches.

She nodded to the others and gave a small wave, unsure what else she should do. "Hi everyone, my name is Jane," Jane stated softly, not being a loud person. She looked to where the girl pushed the cart and followed her a dew feet as she looked in to see an exquisite meal laid out for the household to enjoy that night. She wondered if she and Camilla and Jason would sit at the table with the household and the other maids, or if they would just dine later and be introduced at dinner. She had no legitimate idea that would make sense other than what she had already listed though she didn't know why there would be a need for the new help to dine with the household since they were aristocracy.

Jane didn't even know which utensil was which and wondered if that would be a bad thing should she have to eat with the household. Would they still want her as a maid or would they just send her home and tell her to keep the uniform since it was made to fit her.

Jane noticed the other maids had on the same outfit and thought they looked new too. Maybe this uniform was just new altogether for the help. She wondered if Jason had a something as unusual as their outfit, but doubted it when she considered it. He was probably in a suit as most men are considering he is a butler for them after all...

"You flatter me Anise. I'll start placing the dishes out, the table is set already, so don't worry about it. We just need to bring out the food and drinks."

"Not at all.. I'll get to the drinks once I'm done perfecting dessert, if you don't beat me to it.." Anise replied with a teasing giggle to the blossom haired woman. They'd been around each other for about a year now, and Anise was growing quite accustomed to her presence, and was comfortable enough to laugh with her now. They even spent some of their free time talking about their previous lives... although Anise never dared mention Derek, even to Tanzy, she assumed it would come up eventually but she wished to keep him a secret. She didn't want to let on that she cared for anyone outside of the manor else they might suffer dire consequences if she screwed up. She clung to the trinket around her neck like a timid child gripping at their mother's skirt. It was pretty hideous, but it was the best that the farmer's son could afford. It was her own treasure of sorts.. The last remaining reminder that she once had a normal life.

She put her hair up quickly in high ponytail before placing the dirty dishes in the wash bucket. She returned to admiring her work, until she noticed someone else enter the room. The girl had dark brown hair, and it was rather short too..but it suited her face rather well. Anise smiled, albeit a bit shyly. She wasn't used to the newcomers yet, and having herself alone (or so she thought) with two of them made her feel relatively uneasy.

"Camilla." "Hi everyone, my name is Jane,"

The brunette spoke to the lighter haired girl between them. So the smaller girl is named Camilla.. I'll have to keep that in mind. Anise made a mental note. She didn't want to step on any toes with the new help.. Getting her name wrong would be a horrible start. They would be working together, and although she was unsure of how long the newcomers would last once the true nature of Castillo de la Muerte's was revealed to them she wished to be friendly towards them all the same. Anise bowed to the two of them, parting from their conversation and about to pick up the desserts when a familiar voice rang through her ears.

"I believe you offered me a sample..."

She spun around on her heel and nodded quickly, chewing on the inside of her cheek to get a grasp on her nervousness before it overwhelmed her. Every time Castiel, Reiji, or Bishop spoke, she felt different levels of anxiety crash over her. Though Castiel rescued her from Reiji.. and Bishop gave her the opportunity to enact her revenge.. Neither seemed nearly as horrible as Reiji. Although she knew better than to truly drop her guard around either. A vampire is still a vampire.. I cannot allow myself to be blinded by their recent behaviors.. They're not actually human despite how much their outer appearance suggests it.. No matter what.. I cannot slip up. I have to become a stronger person and live on, for Alice.. but yet.. No. Snap out of it. Your crush on Castiel died the night you mourned his death. He may still be alive.. but he's not human, neither is Bishop. Derek...Derek is human. I will see him again one day..I have to believe that.

It had been quite some time since Bishop first announced himself among the maids, and Anise didn't even seem to notice she had zoned out for a minute or two, until she found herself sort of...staring at Bishop. She wasn't actually STARING in the first place per se... but it certainly appeared to be the case to those who were paying attention the entire time. Anise was simply lost in her thoughts, but from any outside perspective she'd been staring at him an awkwardly long period of time. Once she came to, Anise immediately turned her back to him. I keep getting myself in these weird situations... Perhaps it will be different once I officially begin serving Castiel. I might be able to work without constantly being teased and toyed with.. Anise's eyes darted as she panicked, for a moment forgetting what she was supposed to be doing. Though it wasn't long before she zipped away to collect two clean spoonsand collected samples of both types of cake, hoping he wouldn't mention her mishap.

She returned to Bishop with both spoons, looking up at him before letting out a self-reassuring sigh, "Cherry or Apple Cheesecake?" She asked rather rushed, praying he didn't notice or would forget to mention her moment of..gawking? I wasn't gawking..but I suppose it really did look like it from his point of view...but what am I supposed to say I was doing!? I can't actually tell him I was reminding myself to never trust a vampire... That would be rude.. not to mention- The thought of his temper only quickened her nervous heartbeat and she tensed. The other two.. they don't.. but Camilla is just a child.. Fright and disgust instantly enveloped her and she closed her eyes tight. She didn't want to raise alarm. The worst thing she could possibly do is cause the other two to become scared already.. Their nightmare would begin soon enough..

"Which... would you prefer first... Lord Bishop..?" Her words were forced, seeing as her mind unfortunately flipped to worrying about the young girl she'd just met. Jane seemed to be closer to her own age so she felt less worried, she'd manage.. hopefully... but Camilla was so small.. She couldn't have been over sixteen.. What was Reiji thinking!? Hiring a child in a place like this.. It's.. unforgivable... The whole mess had her a nervous wreck.

She waited for him to take a bite before bowing, excusing herself with the trolley of cakes. She placed them among the large dining table accordingly, and smiled to Tanzy, "Finally done.. You did such a splendid job with the table as always. Go ahead and do your thing Tanzy to make sure I didn't miss anything, you know I don't mind. I'll ring the bell to announce everything is finished.." she let out an exhausted laugh and she scurried along to ring a small triangle hanging in the kitchens. Though she noticed Mirabelle leading Reiji along already towards the kitchens.

"Tonight's meal has already been set up in the dining room Lady Santiago, Lord Bishop..." Then her eyes drifted to Reiji and she felt like she could collapse where she stood. Which just so happened to be almost exactly where she stood a year ago as she had a breakdown when it was revealed to herself, Olivia, Tanzy, and Alice that the brothers were vampires. The thought tightened her muscles and she balanced herself, eyes determined as her amethyst eyes glared to Reiji, "..Master Santiago.." her voice wasn't necessarily rude, but the tone was quite different than the one she used with the other lords of Castillo and even Lady Mirabelle.

Anise did NOT like Reiji and she was finally ready to admit it. Now she just had to wait for Castiel and Demetri. Bishop, Reiji, and Mirabelle were already in her line of vision along with Jane and Camilla. Isn't there one more that was supposed to be brought on as help?

As the second of the new help came into the kitchen, Bishop turned to regard the brunette girl with a bored expression, silently appraising her before looking back at Anise. The new humans looked rather fragile, one of them looking no older than a child. Reiji truly was a sick bastard, not that he didn't already know that. But still, a child? Bishop didn't hate children, not that he wouldn't make one his dinner, but he didn't go out of his way to do so, nor did he particularly have any reason to dislike them. Only brats made him consider hating them. In any case, he doubted the one called 'Camilla' would last long. How would she be able to cope with being a handy snack and maid for a vampire? He could almost feel sorry for her, but she exited his mind as quickly as she had entered it, his human spinning around to face him at his reminder of her offer.

Watching his maid with a expression of suppressed bemusement, Bishop noticed her slip into her anxious, thoughtful staring episode. What on earth was his little human thinking so much about? He quirked a brow, looking at her offerings once she finally recovered enough to serve him. He pointed to the apple, always a save the best for last type of person. Cherry was a fruit he liked, so apple first, then end with a cherry cheesecake. He parted his lips slightly, allowing Anise to feed him.

The redhead was about to speak after being presented his sample, only to see his little dove push out the trolly to have the cakes ready to put down as soon as the main meal was consumed. The platters with the chicken and other entrees would be plucked up and the cakes would take their place at the proper time. Tea would accompany the desserts, as evident by the tea sets on a second trolley. He nearly sighed in annoyance. There she went again, looking at him with that flighty anxiety. She should be smart enough to realize he wasn't going to hurt her for no reason. After all, she did very little to upset him, and he found her welcome enough company. Silly human. He'd have to remedy that at some point.

He followed behind her at a distance, looking up to see Mirabelle and the prick come down the stairs. He nodded to his sister, but ignored his brother as he ignored the new help. Anise's dinner announcement was proper as always, but her tone was slightly off when she addressed Reiji. Not in any mood to see Reiji touching her again, he gripped her shoulder tightly, not only to keep her within reach, but so he could show the prick he was capable of being firm with her.

"Mind the tone. You'll get yourself into trouble, don't want to lose our heads...do we?" he warned her, looking ready to shoo her back towards Tanzy in the dining room. He pushed her with one strong hand on her back, leaning down to whisper into her ear with a smirk once their backs were to Reiji and Mirabelle. "I noticed you were lingering earlier....enjoy the view?" he teased in a whisper, finally letting her go.

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Tanzy couldn't help but smile as she was setting the table, hearing her friend tease her. Tanzy would have answered, but Bishop seemed to demand Anise's attention for the time being. Despite his rough and temperamental behavior, Tanzy felt Anise was safe enough around him, the male showing no signs of actual maliciousness towards her ebony haired friend.

She hummed as she made final adjustments, thinking to herself. 'I could make a thousand cakes and never once come out with one a perfected as yours Anise.' she thought, looking up as she heard footsteps behind her. First one of the new maids and then Anise with her cakes appeared behind her, earning a smile from the young woman. She glanced at the cakes, licking her lips without realizing it. Anise was the queen of baking in the Santiago house, and no amount of obsessive compulsiveness or fixing from Tanzy could bring her close.

Once more flushing at the praise, Tanzy waved a hand dismissively at her friend. "Don't sell yourself short Anise. I couldn't do all this without your help." she assured the younger female, watching her go to announce dinner before turning her attention to the young woman who followed her into the dining room. The female seemed to look at tad concerned about something, earning a sympathetic gaze.

"Everything all right? You can always ask us if you need something." Tanzy said, looking over the one who announced herself as Jane. A nice name. Realizing she had yet to introduce herself, Tanzy shook her head to somehow regain her wits and manners. "Forgive me, I was rude not to introduce myself as well. I'm Tanzy." Still smiling in what she hoped was a reassuring manner, the perfectionist glanced up to see Reiji and Mirabelle outside the dining room, coming down the stairs. Soon she would face him, and she swalowed hard, repeating what she needed to say to him. Perhaps if she was lucky she'd be able to catch Reiji before dinner and talk to him, ask him her request.

"Of course you can, though we can't make a habit of this, Master Reiji might get angry. Professionalism is important here. I'm Anise, what's your name?"

The girl with long black hair said as she offered her a spoonful of the potato salad she was making. Reiji? She assumed that Anise meant her sadistic employer. It seemed pretty like him to get angry over the lack of professionism , whatever that phrase meant. She took the spoon and popped it into her mouth, but she didn’t get the chance to give her name before another red head arrived, with almost the same appearance as the ‘Demetri’ person who first introduced them to the manor. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she dismissed that fact as soon as she noticed it. Twins, they were twins. She had seen some in her stay at the orphanage, though those were rare to come by, even on the streets. She held back the urge to glare back as he gave her a skeptical look, choosing to ignore it as if she hadn’t seen it being directed at her. He was technically her higher up, and she didn’t wish to do anything to offend them on her first day. Who knows what those so called nobles would do.

They were soon joined in the kitchen by a woman with pink hair, Tanzy, the other maid by Demetri’s introduction if she remembered correctly. She took the chicken and the some of the food out on the cart, toward where the dining table was. She and Anise seemed to get along well enough, and she hoped it will be that way in her stay there. Not finding anything better to do, Camilla almost breathed a sigh of relief as Jane came in, addressing her before greeting the others. “Hey, Jane.” She said, slipping behind her, trying to remain hidden. She had attracted enough attention for a day, and now that more people arrived, she didn’t feel like attracting any more. She was not going to deny the fact that she was nervous, that being her first time as working as a maid. She wasn’t even sure she could handle the delicate objects, but at least she remembered how to eat properly, having mimicked them in the orphanage just for fun. However, the urge to pocket some would probably be an internal struggle she would face for the whole of her stay there. But who can help themselves?

Peeking out behind Jane, she noticed that her employer, the sadistic bastard Reiji was descending along with the girl Mirabelle, Jane’s ‘master’. She couldn’t help but cover her smirk behind her hand at noticing Anise’s tone in addressing him. So she wasn’t the only one that thought of him badly, at least.

"Everything all right? You can always ask us if you need something." "Forgive me, I was rude not to introduce myself as well. I'm Tanzy."

Nothing she didn’t know from his introduction, but she was secretly proud about having identified them before they introduced themselves. Suddenly remembering the fact that she has not told them her name, she took the spoon out of her mouth and said to Tanzy “I’m Camilla, in case you didn’t know.”

"That's sounds like a wonderful idea,"

Demetri's eyes scan Jason for a moment before he closes them, an amused smile forming on his lips. Sitting with this human is quite relaxing... I have to say I enjoy his company.. I do envy you on this Bishop.. He thought to himself before reopening his emerald orbs. He said nothing for a moment, before continuing the conversation, "Yes, the manor is quite old and I wish for everyone to become quickly familiar with it. Anise got lost for nearly an entire day when she first began her duties here."

"Yes sir, I'm looking forward to meeting your brother too,"

This caused Demetri to chuckle. I suppose no one has mentioned my dear Bishop's temper to this poor young lad. He smiled afterward, and if they were physically closer he probably would have patted Jason on the shoulder, "We're quite different.. but so long as you keep your words and actions in line you typically won't meet Bishop's inner monster. You should get along fine." He reassured the boy, although he wasn't quite sure just how reassuring his words were. It sounded appropriate until he'd uttered the words aloud, which then made him doubt his abilities to put people at ease. I'm losing my touch I suppose... Ever since she died I haven't felt the same towards humans.. I can't...relate..

"No, no thank you. I prefer... avoiding alcohol as much as possible,"

"I understand entirely. It's not every man's choice of poison, I just find it helps me get through my day with minor inconvenience.. Though Scotch is Reiji's drink. I prefer fine wines.." Just the mention of the substance had Demetri holding his glass of liquor almost as if it were a wine glass, but he caught himself mid-daydream and corrected his grasp on the glass. He took a drink, secretly taking in every gesture, every fluctuation in Jason's heartbeat. This 'chat' was entirely meant to scope out their new butler. Demetri wanted a sense of whom was working in his home, and so far he was impressed. Jason hadn't lied once, though something about the offer of alcohol made his heartbeat rather... nervous. He could smell the anxiety. It practically poured from the man at that point. Bad experience with substance...? I'll ask another time. For now it's not my place to inquire about his previous life..I assume Reiji already handled that..

"Mr.Demetri, is that what I should call you and those around the house?"

He nearly choked on his liquor as Jason addressed him as Mr. Demetri. He found the incorrect term rather cute, but he knew Reiji would find immeasurable offense in such a mishap. He stood and dramatically waved his arm and gracefully ended the movement with his thumb pointed at himself, "I am what one as yourself would address as a lord. My older brother Reiji is 'Master Santiago' since he is enacting head of the household due to my eldest brother, Castiel's illness."

"I just wanted to thank you for the suit. It fits incredibly well and is very nice. The entire outfit is, extremely well done,"

Then Demetri blinked. The maids hardly appreciated his tastes, so it was quite refreshing to hear that someone admired his handiness with a needle and cloth. He nodded back, a bit of a grin on his face, "It's not common for men to develop skills in a trade like sewing, but it's not like I'm the type that runs into battle with gun in tow..." His eyes saddened a bit as he remembered a flash of the past. Himself and Bishop hiding inside a building, they were human at the time, barely eighteen at the time. They didn't have guns of course, but swords in their hands, "No that lifestyle never was for me.. My mother did send Bishop and myself to war however..We barely survived it."

He heard the ring of the bell and ushered for Jason to follow him, "Dinner is ready. It's time to meet the family." He mused, chugging the rest of his scotch and sitting the empty glass on one of the nearby end tables. He made his entrance with Jason in tow around the time Bishop was hurriedly shoving Anise from the scene, which he overheard but decided to keep his nose out of it.

"Sister... Reiji... shall we dine?" and he once again motioned for Jason to follow him. He didn't mean to lead the man around like a child, but he also didn't want to leave him in the company of Reiji, despite his determination to avoid all familial conflict. "You will be sitting at the right end of the table with the rest of the help while my siblings and myself will be at the right end. The red haired man leading the ebony haired maid is my twin brother, Bishop, in case you're curious.."

”Now?... Are you trying to tell me to stop waking you up in the middle of the day?”

"Well the lost hours of rest do add up.. but we really must be discrete.. we can't let anyone find out that you aren't on the reading level you're age would suggest. It would make our family look inadequate and it might even cause some commotion with the Vampire Counsel.." He didn't want to directly state the counsel would be concerned about her intelligence, but it was the truth. The counsel was very picky about whom they let become vampires. Intelligence was required or the counsel would eliminate the vampire.. They feared uneducated vampires would be the doom of their race and Reiji had little to say that objected to the claim.. but Mirabelle wasn't ignorant.. she was learning rather fast.. He just doubted the counsel would care. She was several hundred years old and was unable to read or write at an adult human's level. They would judge her before he even got a chance to argue in her defense. Secrecy was of the utmost importance. He couldn't lose her twice.

“Speaking of our guests… Brother, I’m so hungry. Please tell me we can tell them quickly so I can eat.."

He watched his sister's attention shift to the shelves, and he allowed her to pick at whichever books she liked, Tanzy would have the pleasure of rearranging them back to perfect order.. so what did he care? He allowed her to speak freely, his hand flicking around quickly as he placed his signature on document after document. It was becoming quite monotonous, almost mind-numbingly so.

"Anyway we can do it all at once and the easiest way possible?”

"I understand, but it is Castiel's custom that each of us reveal it to our own servant whenever we so wish... Or I announce it at a meeting in the drawing room after everyone agrees.. You may tell your maid tonight if you wish to feed, just be gentle and remind her to keep our secret to herself. I'm sure Bishop and Demetri have their own timeline planned.. They'll inform their servants at their own discretion."

His maroon eyes gazed over his sister, observing her behavior. She was obviously looking for a moment of weakness in him, and despite him having a soft spot for his sister, he kept himself firm. He couldn't show any weakness... He never knew who could be watching. The counsel had spies everywhere and not to mention he still hadn't figured out Castiel's miraculous recovery. Despite an obvious werewolf bite.. Castiel still lives. He researched for many months, book after book and found nothing on a cure. He gave up a few months ago, but the lingering question still bugged him. The fact he couldn't find the answer.. it was mentally clawing away at his sanity. His mentality was taking a major blow, not to mention his ginormous ego as well. Reiji was taking it harder than anyone else that it couldn't be explained. Mirabelle and Demetri were no doubt just grateful to have Castiel back, ready to dismiss all intentions of figuring out the reason behind his return. Reiji... couldn't. He had a sinking feeling that there was a purpose behind it. A very sinister reason. He couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible was going to happen in the upcoming months. He allowed his sister to tug him along, only hesitating to readjust his glasses to his face. He shut the door to his office behind them, hoping the new help would take it as a hint to keep out.

”Now is as good as time as any, right?”

"Mirabelle.. I know I gave you permission to go ahead and feed, but please try not to frighten the girl. She might attempt to flee and that could prove problematic for us all if she succeeds.." He replied with a sigh, putting a firm grip on her hand, stopping their progression down the hall for a moment, "I will have no choice but to torture the knowledge into her subconscious if she attempts to leave.. It's not a clean process.. forcing someone to break and lock away their memories.. To force them to make themselves forget.. It's bloody and the screams never leave your mind. You hear them every night before you fall asleep.. One of the loudest roll calls you can imagine.. Keep that in mind as you proceed.. That is all I ask." He then allowed her to continue leading him to the stairs and eventually into the main hall.

"Tonight's meal has already been set up in the dining room Lady Santiago, Lord Bishop..."

His crimson eyes lingered on the maid as she stopped the two of them, saving them from an unnecessary trip to the kitchens. Though she forgot to address him, entirely this time. He grit his teeth about to reprimand her for her ignorance, until she finally uttered his title. All the while she glared figurative daggers into to him, and he smirked at her.

"..Master Santiago.."

He once again went to speak, but was cut off by none other than Bishop. He glared to his brother, but forced a smile onto his features for Mirabelle's sake, "Ready to eat, baby brother?" He asked, subtly poking at his hot tempered brother, but attempting to keep his jabs at Bishop subtle enough to not alarm their little sister. Mirabelle wanted unity and Reiji would at least fake it for her sake... for now.

"Mind the tone. You'll get yourself into trouble, don't want to lose our heads...do we?"

I'd love for her to lose her head... quite literally.. Reiji licked his lips imagining the taste of Anise's blood on his lips as he ripped her head clean from her shoulders. He nearly shivered as his imagination almost got the best of him. He straightened out his coat, clearing his throat before looking to Mirabelle, quirking an eyebrow as he silently inquired if she was ready to proceed to the dining hall. Now that was a fantasy.. He thought, eyeing Anise through the corner of his eye as Bishop removed her. Such a pity..

He could hear a familiar heartbeat and his eyes instantly landed on Tanzy and two other women. Camilla and Jane.. they finally arrived. I thought Camilla was a bit older... though now that she's all cleaned up I doubt she's more than a child.. It doesn't matter.. as if none of us have fed from a child before..

"Tanzy, Camilla, Jane... it's time for dinner.. Please show them to their seats Tanzy." and he led Mirabelle to her seat, taking his own spot at the extravagant chair at the front of the table.

Hearing the second girl's name, Tanzy smiled at the two new maids as she committed their faces and names to memory. Looking at them though, she was surprised to see that Camilla was barely older than a child. A sick feeling began to mold in her stomach at the thought of someone so young signing their life away to a house of vampires. The girl would never see her family again, and it was all Tanzy could do to not fret over her and go implore Reiji to reconsider. She forced a smile, motioning to a seat where Camilla's name had been written on a small folded card. Each seat was labeled by a card written in fine script, the place settings formal and elegant.

"It's very nice to meet you. Camilla, you'll sit here for dinner. Jane, you are next to Camilla." Tanzy pulled out the seats, indicating the girls to their place cards and silently motioning that they sit. Going around the table, she pulled out chairs and indicated where everyone was going to sit, nodding at Reiji's instructions as he came in. "Yes sire." she said, pulling out his seat before attending to anyone else.

Once everyone, including Anise, was seated, Tanzy moved to stand beside Reiji's chair, heart rate increasing as she felt on edge around the man. Lifting the plate cover protecting his appetizer, Tanzy officially signaled the others could as well, now that the master's food was revealed. "Tonight, the appetizer is a creamy tomato bisque. For dinner, Anise and I have prepared deviled quail eggs, roast chicken, potato salad, fresh rolls, and corn on the cob. For dessert, Anise has created for you two rich cheesecakes, one apple, the other cherry. We have a chilled rosé wine for dinner, and for dessert we have a light chamomile tea." Tanzy announced, about to go to her seat when she remembered her need to speak with the head of the house. Lowering her voice to a whisper, she busied herself with placing his napkin on his lap as an excuse to linger just enough.

"Master Santiago, I know it is not my place, but might I speak with you after dinner for but a moment?" she whispered, bowing her head and retreating to her seat.

About to lift her own cover, she caught a glimpse of Castiel, the fair haired vampire earning a sympathetic look. But she then froze, face gong pale as she realized her mistake. Since his trauma, Tanzy had been giving Castiel some blood on a daily basis, often simply cutting into her palm and pouring it into a glass or into food so he needn't sit up or bite her. She fed him so he could regain his strength and not become ill again. She had added some blood to his soup as well tonight, but she realized with horror that for the first time, he wasn't taking his meal in his room, but out with the other vampires.

Tanzy swallowed hard, awaiting the repercussions with dread.

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"It's not common for men to develop skills in a trade like sewing, but it's not like I'm the type that runs into battle with gun in tow...No that lifestyle never was for me.. My mother did send Bishop and myself to war however..We barely survived it." Demetri said in an almost sad tone. Jason didn't let the sound change the attitude on his face as that probably wouldn't please the red haired man, sympathy and all that. It was war after all, a horrible nasty thing. Which war had Demetri and Bishop participated in anyway? A question for another day.

There was a bell and Jason heard Demetri speak once again, "Dinner is ready. It's time to meet the family." Demetri downed scotch making Jason's stomach twist slightly. He had done that at one point, though much worse and more than what the red haired man had just consumed. Jason followed Demetri and was rather surprised to see a red haired replica of Demetri, even if he had been warned. This must be Bishop. Jason took in the others in the room and found that he really only recognized Mirabelle, Jane, and Camilla. There were two other girls, the other maids Tanzy and Anise. He didn't quite catch a glimpse of one of their faces as she was moved away by Bishop, or Demetri, though Demetri was beside him, so he must be Bishop.

"Sister... Reiji... shall we dine?" Demetri motioned for Jason to follow and distracted, Jason did. Something about the girl, the one with the black hair, he hadn't even seen her face. Jason nodded curtly to those that gave him attention, offering a small smile for he didn't know what else to do in reality. "You will be sitting at the right end of the table with the rest of the help while my siblings and myself will be at the right end. The red haired man leading the ebony haired maid is my twin brother, Bishop, in case you're curious.."

Jason laughed slightly at that. "Heh, I'll be lucky to tell you two apart within a month," Jason says shaking his head in wonder as he looked between the twin brothers yet again. He then took his seat, one of the last ones to do so in fact. He looked before him at the setting of the dinner. It really did look magnificent, he wouldn't be hungry after this for sure. He would be more than full.

He looked up to see the girl with the pink hair lifting the cover from the mans, whom Jason assumed to be the master since he was at the head of the table, plate. "Tonight, the appetizer is a creamy tomato bisque. For dinner, Anise and I have prepared deviled quail eggs, roast chicken, potato salad, fresh rolls, and corn on the cob. For dessert, Anise has created for you two rich cheesecakes, one apple, the other cherry. We have a chilled rosé wine for dinner, and for dessert we have a light chamomile tea." This girl seemed to know what she was saying and had certainly cooked before.

Jason looked down the table to see others removing the covers from their food and following suit, taking the cue. Never had he dined in a place so elegantly done up. He felt in place there even though he wasn't used to such situations, the suit that Demetri had made certainly brought a more elegant feel to Jason. He knew for certain that he was carrying himself just a little taller now that he was in something that he felt was official.

Jason took a moment to look at those around him. There were the twins who he thought he could tell apart. A blonde man who looked like he was the oldest, the pink haired maid, the man at the head of the table with the glasses, Jane, Camilla, and the other maid. When his eyes finally reached her, Jason paused, not moving at all as he stared at her. He knew it could be thought to be rude, but he couldn't help it. He was really outright gaping at the sight of her. She looked just like Alice. Must be Alice. How could she be Alice? What was going on?

Jason didn't stop staring for a few more moments before he heard the clink of the dinnerware. He looked around, almost as if remembering where he was, then looked down at his food, then back up at the girl. She looked just like Alice. He had searched for the girl for years, had even ruined his life after loosing her, and finally worked to get it back only to find her here, alive and well. Did she recognize him? Did she even remember him at all? That would hurt if she didn't. He couldn't possibly handle it.

He wondered if he could speak up to talk to her, but wasn't sure that would be a good thing to do. He waited for others to start eating, copying their choices in the silverware well enough to pass it off. He started to bring food to his mouth when he just became wed all over again by this girl in front of him. Eventually, Jason composed himself enough to eat carefully as he watched the girl, hoping he wouldn't be thought weird or creepy. He was freaking out though, and it didn't help that she was only a few feet away from him.

Anise's eyes widened as she felt firm pressure on her shoulder, sort of waking her from her angry stare at Reiji. She peeked over her shoulder to see none other than Bishop standing behind her. She mentally cursed herself before smiling to Mirabelle and Reiji. The dark haired maid then closed her eyes and allowed herself to take a slow breath. Lately it was growing a bit harder to control her temper. Day by day it gradually added up like grains of sand inside an hourglass.

"Mind the tone. You'll get yourself into trouble, don't want to lose our heads...do we?"

She noticed that Reiji was about to give his inflated opinion, though thankfully Bishop's words silenced the dark haired demon. Reiji smiled, which sent a chill down Anise's spine. What is he putting on a face for? Then her eyes shifted toward Mirabelle. Of course.. He doesn't want to show his monstrous nature to his younger sister.. She's the only one in his corner right now..

"Ready to eat, baby brother?"

She looked to Bishop, but he merely responded by shoving her along. They came to a halt once inside the dining room and before she could scurry off towards her seat, Bishop leaned in and in a hushed tone taunted her about how she'd zoned out prior to her run in with Reiji.

"I noticed you were lingering earlier....enjoy the view?"

He let go after he had his fun, and Anise's eyes widened almost larger than the dinner plates as she spun around and shook her head, "I wasn't!" she protested, then she realized her reaction could have been taken entirely a different way, "I mean...you're not.. well.. but I don't see you... I only see you in a professional light, Lord Bishop.." Once she'd found the words she'd been looking for, Anise quickly bowed and took her seat between Jason and Castiel.

She sat there, cooling herself as she just stared down at the assortment in front of her. Bishop always twisted everything to put her in a compromising position, at least in the figurative realm. Everyone began to take their seats and Anise's head turned to those next to her. Castiel was to her left, and an unfamiliar face to her right. She assumed he was Jason, judging by his name card in front of him.

She noticed he was staring at her when her eyes raised to him, and she felt a bit of nervousness wash over her. She turned instantly, listening to Tanzy's announcement before Reiji ushered his hand. It was his signal that everyone could begin their meal. She looked over to Castiel, a weary smile on her face, "Are you certain that you're ready for such a large crowd...?" Her eyes lingered on him a bit, mostly out of concern, but also because it was the first time she'd seen him looking himself since his accident a year ago, "If you need any help with names, or otherwise, I can assist you. I hope you enjoy your meal, Lord Castiel." She gave another weak smile before returning to her food, taking a small bite and she checked everyone at the table out out after swallowing. She wasn't sure why the family chose to dine together, it wasn't common... aside from keeping the facade that they're human, having dinner together served no purpose. Do they really enjoy frightening humans this much? She was really starting to detest vampires..

After saying her piece, she bowed her head a bit and turned to Jason, who was finally beginning to eat, but still seemed to steal glances at her any chance he could. Eventually she drew up enough courage to introduce herself, "I'm Anise Delopar... It's a pleasure to meet you, ...Jason?" She asked, just in case the card was misleading. She took a sip of her wine, smiling a bit to Tanzy. Anise wasn't that familiar with alcohol still, she was glad her friend chose it. It tasted rather nice, so she took another small sip. Just enough to keep herself busy as she awaited Jason's response. She didn't wish to seem fidgety. Though honestly it was nerve wracking having him gawk at her for some unknown reason. Is something in my hair?