Dominique glanced with some caution out the window as the car came to a rolling stop. The Moon Dormitory seemed to glitter in the distance, all its windows lit by gold in the rapidly descending night. The Tepes siblings had arrived in the evening, a more comfortable time for both them and the Night Class. The sun did not glare so harshly against their fair skin, did not blind their sensitive eyes. The light of the moon was far more gentle. Dominique could not imagine why humans so preferred daylight.

The chauffeur swung out of the car and opened Dominique's door. Dominique stepped out with a soft clicking of heels, stretched with relief. The drive had been long, without breaks for rest. Dominique was tired. He did not want to think what the driver must be feeling. Silently, the pureblood boy prayed that the headmaster here would allow the chauffeur to sleep the night before sending him on his way. Dominique would have driven himself, were that permitted. Sadly, it was not.

"When do we meet them?" he asked in a low, level tone which was signature to him. No matter how furious he became, Dominique almost never raised his voice.

"They wait for you within, my Lord," the chauffeur answered, bowing deeply. The man's eyes glittered scarlet, just briefly. Dominique nodded in understanding. Now that it had been pointed out to him, he could see a cluster of silhouettes through the windows on the lowest level of the dorm. The students waited to greet their new dorm head. The Tepes. Dominique felt no nervousness at this. He had been assured that the vampires here remained loyal to the overwhelming power and authority of the purebloods, no matter what their parents thought.

Turning on one heel, Dominique ducked back and reached into the car. He offered one hand out to the little girl curled up inside.
"Are you ready, Rachelle?"

Rachelle paid no attention whatsoever to what lay outside the windows, she was busy petting and cuddling the snow white creatures that were curled up in her lap. The last gift she had from her parents..and she adored the sugar gliders..as only one could expect. A glance of blue eyes told her that they had finally arrived, slipping the small fuzzies into their pouch silently. "So this is the esteemed Cross Academy? At least its pretty..." She spoke softly, most likely due to the fact that she didn't want the chauffeur to overhear. Needless to say, she wasn't happy about the fact that suddenly the nobles had decided they needed to be here for their safety. A lot of lying idiots..thats all they had proved to be to her.

She clearly paused a moment, glancing over to her brother with a roll of the eyes. She wouldn't be surprised if the other students were puppets of the nobles..why else would they be sent here? It made no sense to send them to those loyal to the purebloods. Although she had no doubts that the others would take to her brothers rule..everyone did eventually. Glancing quickly to the door as it was opened, scooting to the edge of the seat once her brother had gotten out, taking his hand the moment it was offered, getting out of the car and stretching a bit herself. "I'm ready..so this place is supposed to be our home now? Or just another stop along the way?"

"Our new home, yes," Dominique agreed softly, gazing off into the distance, towards the Moon Dorm. "We must make the most of it, Rachelle. Perhaps... we can find allies among the students...?" He trailed off, gave his head a slight shake and her hand a light squeeze. "Come. You must be tired."

Silently, he lead his little sister away, through the gates. The guardian there paid neither of them any mind - easy enough for a man of his vision to realize what they were. And he, unlike those wine-sodden, power-drunk nobles, was smart enough to realize that angering a Tepes would be a terrible idea. He kept silent while Dominique led his sister through. The two Tepes ascended the path in silence, accompanied by no one, standing together with all the power of a pureblood family. It was all the power either of them would ever need. All the power Dominique would need to rule this school. It would take a few days, at most, to turn the loyalties of this Night Class, and then his real work could begin...

Dominique drew them both to a halt outside the doors of the Moon Dorm. It was much larger up close, like something out of a fairytale. A veritable palace. He took a deep breath and waited... his servant was in there, somewhere. His first contact within this school, a scout and a slave and his sister's caretaker all in one. A human turned vampire - someday, if he did not serve Dominique well, a Level E. It was this vampire, this monster, who would sense his master's presence. Who would announce the arrival of the Tepes.
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(OOC: Feel free to create a random Night Class character. We need several. You can have them approach Haku or Sansa for a short conversation before Dominique and Rachelle are admitted?)

Haku stood perfectly still amongst his fellow Night Class students, arms crossed over his chest, staring in silence a glittering chandelier overhead. He felt out of place in the Night Class's white, should have worn the butler's black. That was what he was accustomed to, back at the Tepes manor, before he'd been sent here to scout ahead for Dominique. Two months he had lived amongst these noble vampires. Taunted, teased, mocked, even beaten for his human birth. It was all for a good cause. This school would be a good place for Dominique. There were vampires here still loyal to the pureblood lines, and the others could be swayed to follow Dominique on a basis of trust. This place was the beginning of the Tepes army.

He glanced nervously amongst the other students, gathered about in the lobby to await the arrival of their new pureblood. None of them knew, yet, that he served Dominique. They would regret treating him so badly, when they found out. His eyes fell on one noble in particular. A member of the ancient Blythe family - as old as the Tepes, perhaps, but ten times less pure. the Blythes had polluted their bloodstreams too many times for any historian to count. Nevertheless, they were proud of their age, as a whole. Sansa Blythe was no different. Passionate, fiery, and more than a little arrogant, he had made a difficult enemy for Haku in the last couple of months. He would make a good general for Dominique.

"I think they should be easy enough to win over..they haven't had the time to really be set in their ways, especially if they have been here for a while..I heard this place is pretty well removed from society." She spoke with a soft smile on her lips, it was hard to believe that a girl her age would see so deeply into things around her. The joys of watching, and not talking. "Actually..I'm not tired at all..I'm eager to see what all this is about.." Squeezing his hand in turn, before stepping forward to place one pale hand upon the marble of the building. "If they aren't already on our side, I'm sure you'll win them over..no contest!"

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Sophie lounged on a nearby sofa, tapping one perfectly manicured fingernail against painted lips. "Honestly..what do we know about these two? Besides the fact that they are purebloods and are our esteemed leaders..yadda..yadda yadda.." Circling her wrist even as she spoke, obviously bored with the whole situation..she was reserving her personal opinion for after she met them,though her father certainly had plenty of hatred for the two. If she'd heard his rant once, she'd heard it a million times. Too powerful, too prone to madness..it was to the point where she didn't even mention the subject. "Come on Sansa..surely you have been able to rat out something. Your family has a pretty good idea or whats what."

Dominique's lips twisted into a gentle smile. He reached out, laid his long hand against Rachelle's cheek. How he loved this little girl, this tiny, willfull pureblood. She was so deeply dear to him, imagining a world without her simply was not possible. That was one of the reasons he had agreed to com here. This place was safe for Rachelle. A place where she could be sheltered while he became his restoration of the pureblood lines.

"Haku will let us in soon enough," he whispered, glancing up at the great doors.
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Sansa cast Sophie a chilled look, then shrugged. "I know them as much as any pureblood family can be known," he answered flatly. "Powerful. Super-powerful. And arrogant. Bloody bastards, the lot of them. I met their parents - I'm glad they're gone. Caused all sorts of problems for my father."

"You should not speak so," Haku scolded quietly, then flinched as attention turned to him. Sansa swung his legs off of the couch and drew himself up to his full six-feet. His eyes burned.

"And why not, Level E?" he hissed. The air around him seemed to crackle, alive with static energy. Haku swallowed tightly and dropped his eyes to the floor.

"Lord Tepes is here," Haku answered. He moved quickly, seizing the door and heaving it open to reveal Dominique and his little sister.

For once, her smile wasn't reserved, it was a smile she would have given before their parents death. Arms wrapped around his waist for a brief moment in a tight hug before she quickly returned to her more reserved self. "It'll be nice to see him again, I've missed having him around. Even Blanche and Joce missed him." Referring to the two white gliders that were currently curled up in the pouch she carried over her shoulder. Thankfully they were something she never let out of her sight, so not many people even knew they existed.

Blue eyes stared forward, allowing herself to become the perfect little pureblood child she was expected to be. Calm, powerful and in charge of the situation..even though she was scared of what was to come.
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Sophie just grinned, green eyes looking between Haku and Sansa. "Chill out kids..unless your willing to take it outside the gates...if so, I'll bring the popcorn." A little giggle escaping her lips as she spoke. This was all entertainment to her..nothing more nothing less. "Aww..little Haku comes to a heel before his master..what a good little doggie!" A menacing smile crossing over her lips even as she rose to her feet, smoothing that white skirt even though it was already perfect.

"Here comes the circus.." Spoken under her breath, before putting on that mask of a smile to meet the Tepes siblings.

Dominique's ears were sharp - such things were expected in an undiluted line. He caught Sophie's words as the door swung open. They did not please him, but he chose to let it slide. For now. She would be won over, eventually... or she would be disciplined into submission. There could be no disloyalty here - not if his revolution was to be a success.

He swept the room with gray eyes empty of emotion, unreadable, like a blank slate. He had learned early on to turn his face into a mask, conceal his heart and soul from all the eyes around him. All except his family. Family, he could trust - so his parents had said. Dominique was of the belief that there were also those outside a family who could be trusted. Those he called friends.

Right now, there were not very many people in the world he could call 'friends.'

As such, Dominique catologued every face he found there. Every noble who watched them enter. He recognized most of their faces, from parties or histories he had read to familiarize himself with the various noble families who might prove a threat to himself, and to Rachelle. They, too, wore emotionless masks, but Dominique knew what they would be feeling. Apprehension over what this new leadership would bring, fear of his power, even anger at the assumption that he could lord over them. All was as he had expected. He was prepared for this, his heart hardened by his parents' deaths.

"My Lord," Haku whispered, bowing as he approached. He moved immediately into place behind Rachelle's left shoulder. She was his first concern, as ordered by Dominique.

Dominique nodded, but otherwise ignored the 'dog', as Sophie had put it. He glanced around the room once more before tipping his chin up and announcing himself.

"I am Dominique Tepes," he told the vampires clustered around him, all dressed elegantly in the white Night Class uniform. Same as him. "Your new Dorm Head."

She had no problem playing her role, going to plop down on a couch quite unceremoniously..like she owned the place. Although she sat like a perfect little lady, the pouch placed neatly in the lap, ankles crossed prettily. Her movements were as smooth as the best of ballet dancers, long pale hair drifting in her wake. This was just how she played the game. "And I'm Rachelle Tepes..I'm just here for the games." All in all..she knew the pecking order would be established this evening for the most part..Dominique would know who was trouble and who would be pliable.

"So..who was it that called you a level-E again? I might have to have a word with them on that." Spoken casually of course, though she couldn't stand to have those she was close to hurt for any reason. Haku had become a part of her world by default..but that didn't make him any less dear to her. Perhaps it was her age that she could bring herself to protect someone who served her brother and herself, although to her it was a given..if she watched out for him as well, the better he would be able to help her out. "Haku..would you mind terribly taking these two up to my room so they can get some fresh air?" A little hand holding out the little velvet pouch that contained the gliders. That statement in itself was highly unusual..she never had let them out of her sight before. But then again..the stakes had never quite been this high. Before, she could act like a child, but she didn't have that option now..it was time to grow up and act like a Tepes. Hopping up from her seat the moment Haku took the pouch...whether or not he took them upstairs was no matter to her..she couldn't cling to the remains of her old life. To show weakness was to be defeated before the fight even began.

"Of course, my Lady," Haku whispered, taking the shivering pouch full of gliders into his hands. He glanced once at Dominique, who nodded his permission, before leaving the room. Dominique watched him go quietly. Better that the human-turned-vampire not be present for this. He was too servile, too delicate and submissive to handle the mental contest which would come to pass tonight. He would try to defend Dominique from the potentially cruel words of his dissenters. He would get himself hurt.

Slowly, Dominique turned his flat eyes on the rest of the room.
"If everyone would please come forward and introduce themselves," Dominique called with immense politeness. He was so cordial about it, the listeners almost missed the fact that it was actually a command. "I would like to get to know you better."

The vampires in the room shifted, whispered warily, but one by one they came forwards to bow before him, kiss his hand and call him Lord Tepes. Dominique hardly stirred, watching those who did not join the greeting throng. They were the ones he would have to look out for the most - Sansa, for instance - and the rest he could judge by the sincerity of their kiss.

She was quick to stand back beside her brother, although a bit behind him. Blue eyes looked from face to face carefully, trying to read what she could from the other students. Two sets of eyes were better than just one...even if they were eyes of a child. There were those that avoided her gaze, and those that of course thought they might intimidate her..those cold stares were met with nothing but a slight smile, a raise of the brow. If they wanted to play that game, she would more than happily beat them to a sorry pulp. Noting the half dozen or so that moved with reluctance, or let others get before them in line. She didn't expect them to acknowledge her..it wasn't that unusual simply because of her age..she'd yet to do anything of note, or even prove that she was who she said she was through her gifts. She doubted most knew of her existence before her parents death. It didn't make sense to advertise that a young pureblood existed before they could really hold their own in the world...it just invited trouble.

Though she was all too soon finding herself wandering among the others, appearing quite suddenly at Sansa's side, hands going to grasp one of his, a little tug toward where Dominique was. "Come on..you don't want to miss out on an opportunity like this...right?"

Sansa jerked at Rachelle's touch and pulled his hand sharply away, scoffing at her. "Get off of me," he muttered, flopping back onto the couch. "I've already met him." He returned to staring straight ahead, disinterested.

Standing on the other side of the room, surrounded by noble vampires, Dominique did not miss the exchange. He chose to ignore it, however. If Sansa tried to make a move... his strike would never land. Dominique was confident enough in his abilities to be able to say that. He simply continued with the greetings in silence... until one young vampiress approached him.

She was different from the others - taller, stronger, surer. She met Dominique's eyes straight on, even as she knelt to press a kiss to the back of his hand. She was unafraid. Even better... she was not angry. There was sincerity to the touch of her lips. A loyal vampire.

"I am Maura Sanoka," she told him in a voice which seemed too deep for her feminine body. Strong and sure, a warrior's tone. "It is good to meet you, my Lord."

"And you, Sanoka-san," Dominique replied steadily. She smiled, rose, the moonlight catching in her flaming red hair. Rather than simply moving away as the others had all done, she turned and approached little Rachelle.

"Be gentle, Sansa," Maura called, stepping up to Rachelle. Her tone brimmed with gentle rebuke. "She is a Pureblood."
Sansa scoffed, and Maura shrugged. She turned her attention to Rachelle.

"My name is Maura Sanoka," she introduced herself again. The only vampire to introduce herself to the little sister.

(OOC: Shouldn't Sophie approached Dominique, too?)

She didn't seem all that surprised when Sansa jerked away, a little giggle escaping her lips. "Your scared of him, aren't you?" Yeah..she found Sansa's temper tantrum funny. Wandering back over toward her brother, twirling that pale hair around one finger. If that was a nervous gesture, she gave no other sign of it. Weaving in and about the others as they finished greeting Dominique, a bit puzzled when Maura approached her. Clasping her hands behind her back with a grin, shifting her weight to the balls of her feet. "Hello Maura..I like your hair! It's pretty." A hand reaching out to try and catch a bit of Maura's fiery hair in her grasp. Of course she wanted to see how soft it was..it was only natural.

Sophie kept her distance at first, before stepping forward herself with a smile. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you Lord Tepes. I am Sophia Merle. My father actually was one of the nobles who assisted you and your sister after your parents unfortunate demise." She seemed genuine enough, although knowing who her father was..she was more likely to steer toward her family's wishes than her own. Certainly a follower..not a leader.