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Vitale Main House 11:40 P.M.
Jarlath sighed as he walked over and wrapped his arms around Annabella, pulling her into a warm embrace he knew he owed her everytime she came back from one of her self-given missions. Truth be told, Jarlath would have rather not let Annabella step out of the mansion at all, keep her locked up behind the safeties of the Vitale Mansion walls- but the girl would never have agreed. It had seemed as if she could read Jarlath's mind as he had sat her down to propose the idea of her not putting herself in danger. The answer had been an immediate no before Jarlath could even open his mouth. Though it pained him and worried him endlessly, Jarlath had made a life promise to Annabella's father- his own father- that he would respect all of her choices and keep her safe. Jarlath knew that Annabella probably already knew that he sent his best spies each and every time she went off on her little missions, making sure that they made everything much more smooth and much less dangerous. That was all he could do when he was miles away from the reckless girl. Jarlath was left with the ability to only give Annabella a hug everytime she came back, checking if she was safe, making sure that everything was fine. It was more of a self-reassurance than anything else; Annabella was Jarlath's last link to the world that he currently lived. She was the only piece of sanity he felt was left in the world of the Cacciatori. "I have missed you, Annabella." He muttered, his chin on the top of her head as he patted her back with one hand, the other on the back of her head. "And we need to talk about some issues. That's why I have come to talk to you."
If it had been up to her, the hug would have ended a lot sooner. After months of being away from home, any physical contact had been strictly on business terms. The sudden closeness was anything but comfortable, despite the fact that the young girl had once been so used to and so fond of such nostalgic moments. Yet, at this moment, her gaze held none of the sentiments it once showed. If she had learned anything in France, it was that these moments are the links that could one day destroy her. Yet, as much as she wanted to, and as insistently as she was to remain away from Italy, from the one link that could ultimately be her fall, Annabella could not find herself breaking away from her brother. Thus, without so much as a movement in her motionless limbs, the girl remained still. "I have heard," The tone of her words did not reflect the complexity that ran through her mind, merely icy words that she used with her fellow members. "And the answer is no." Eyes glancing up only to meet the nape of his throat, something that seemed so vulnerable against those creatures that stalk the night. How frail the human life was. And how unready she was at losing or even endangering the one life that stood in front of her.
Jarlath narrowed his eyes at her reply, his grip on her tightening as he kept his lock around her. "Why?" He hissed out through clenched teeth, turning his head slightly so that his mouth was against her head, the fragrance of soft lillys entering his nostrils. "It is time, Annabella, why do you refuse to see it?" While the sudden increase in the tension he placed on her was noticed, the young woman remained as rigid as always. After all, it did not bother her. Instead, Annabella closed her eyes, locking her jaws just the same way as she did as a child, the one that symbolized that there was no talking her out of her decision. "You refuse to see sense, Jarlath," She would never admit her wrong, but at the moment, she could hardly see where he was coming from. After all, all she got was intelligence from the mouth of a fellow member, and she learned enough than to trust the words of others. "The clandestine operations protect us. For generations, it had served as our shield. Break it, and you will leave us in ruins." But her response only garnered an annoyed growl from Jarlath as he glared at a maid that had stumbled into the main hallway from one of the smaller halls. At the sight of the two siblings stuck in an embrace, the maid blushed a deep red and quickly rushed back into the corridor she had come from, the rumors of the more than special relationship between the siblings repeating again and again in her mind.
But Jarlath paid her absolutely no attention as he started to loosen his grip, his lower hand once again growing gentle as he felt the usual cues of stubbornness showing in her actions. "Annabella. We are strong enough- the coven and the werewolves have grown senile over time." He stroked his hand through her hair as he had done when she was younger, placing his cheek on her head as he did so. "We have grown in numbers, money and power. It is not as if the Cacciatori name has not been known by the world already- and if you are still worrying about the vampire from earlier I have already sent men to kill him. Skilled men. You need not worry."
Yet, just as his grip began to loosen, the young woman took the chance to make her point. "Perhaps," Not a hint of change was heard in her tone, the seemingly genuine consideration was made far too real by the natural-born actress. "Or perhaps not." This tone was much deeper, her hand moving toward the center of his chest before pushing back, the previous consideration only created to coax him into lowering his guard. Jarlath lifted his head and allowed her to push herself away, letting his hands fall back to his side once again. Then again, she did not expect him to have his guard raised in the first place. The movement was quick, far quicker than that of a human, for the next second she stepped forward, and rather than moving away, she held him close to the pristine white walls of the mansion. Jarlath made no attempt to resist her as he felt his back hit the wall behind him, a sigh exiting him as he looked directly down into Annabella's eyes. "Young members, both skilled and unskilled. Older members, those that are beginning to turn frail with age, because, brother, we are not immortal. We live and we die, but we die for a cause." She did not loosen her grip, the force of her hand far stronger than any he would use on her. "Believe what you want, but until you can prove so, take care with what you say."
His sigh echoed throughout the hallway once more as Jarlath looked down at Annabella, trying to calm the tumultous anger that was on the edge of spilling out. "I have yet to grow senile, Annabella. I know what I say with a clarity that I can assure you I still have." He snapped, moving his hands so that Annabella was gently pushed back away from him once again. Like him, she made no resistance at taking a step back away from him. The scene reminded Jarlath of so many memories that the two had shared back at his mansion beside the large lake, with no company besides the two of them with one another. He had braided her hair, made her food, watched over Annabella as she had slowly grown up into a fine young woman. A fine young woman with stubbornness issues. Jarlath huffed as he sighed once again. But what else can I expect from a Vitale. And rather than relenting, the blonde girl continued. "No, but you have grown ambitious," Raising her eyebrow ever so slightly, Annabella allowed that small, meek smile grow on the corner of her lips. "And crankier. Shall we always fight fire with fire, Jarlath?" Her sudden action had been brought on from the fire she could detect within the depths of his eyes. As patient as he can be with her, such fiery ambition and anger would be hard to disguise.
Turning from him, the young woman declared herself implicitly victorious, her hand lifting the hem of the dress slightly as she started down the familiar staircase. "Maybe you should be let out of the house more, rather than stare down those dull paperworks. Join me in Paris, you would be surprised what hides there." Her words implied far more than what they seemed, and the playful glance she had hid underneath that business countenance in the beginning was just now showing through those bright irises. But Jarlath only shook his head as he followed his little sister, a small smile tugging on the sides of his mouth as he descended the large stairs. "On the contrary- I have a good view on the entirety of the Cacciatori from every member to every single coin that flows through our bank account. I hope that our young Leader knows this as well?" Chuckling, Jarlath allowed his own long strides match Annabella's as he wrapped an arm around her waist, placing a light kiss on her head as their usual normal, laid-back air was back once more. "Oh, yes. A new restaurant opened up down the street. It's pretty good- let's go there for some late dinner." Waving his hand dismissively at the butler as they descended down into the lobby, Jarlath reached for the two coats that were offered and draped one around Annabella's shoulders as the large doors opened to reveal the cold night outside.