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Demetri Santiago

0 · 2,949 views · located in Castillo de la Muerte

a character in “Castillo de la Muerte: Sorcery's Vengeance”, originally authored by Tales of the Wraith, as played by RolePlayGateway

So begins...

Demetri Santiago's Story

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Reiji Santiago Character Portrait: Anise Delopar Character Portrait: Ashlyn Locksley Character Portrait: Bishop  J.   Santiago Character Portrait: Jason Olivander Character Portrait: Demetri Santiago
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Bishop Santiago


Already enraged, Bishop became only more hostile as his sister rebuked him, spinning to face her with fury in his eyes. He had half a mind to strike her, though he knew he could never raise a hand against Mirabelle. He growled low in his throat at her words, snapping back with venom in his voice. "A little scared?! Surely your senses are no less than my own sister, for any fool can tell she is terrified of him! Regardless, we had a system set up, and this asshole thinks it's his place to disregard everything and change things as he pleases! She is more mine than anyone else's, and I don't see any of you sharing your servants!" Bishop bared his own fangs as his little sister threatened his life in turn, eyes narrowed in anger. "I dare you, sister. Try and stop me, you know there is only one person in this world who can stand up to me or make me reconsider."

It was at that moment that said person intervened, the familiar squeeze on his shoulder drawing his eyes away from his sister and the prick. Demetri spoke with a surprising calm, always acting as the peacekeeper amongst the family. Bishop didn't move as Demetri's hands covered his own to put away the knife with a smooth and discreet motion. Had anyone else dared to touch him in this state, he'd have torn off the hand that did so. As Demetri began to speak, Bishop furrowed his brow, trying to see where he was going with this. What was his twin up to? He better not side with Reiji...

A satisfying thud met his ears as his normally passive twin slugged the creep in the jaw, sending said creep to the ground. Bishop smirked, his mood momentarily lifted at the sight of an injured Reiji. Served the asshole right. He looked over in approval at Demetri, eager to join him should the household gentleman decide to continue the assault. Sadly, this didn't seem to be the case, and he dragged Reiji off for a more private confrontation. Reiji better not do anything to his twin, or he would kill the bastard.

As Ashlyn was pointed out by Demetri, Bishop glanced over as she approached Anise and offered to help. Despite her being revealed to him an hour or two prior, he hadn't expected to see her still in the castle. His scowl returned, glaring at her in distaste. The hell was she doing here? "And who are you to scold us Ashlyn? You don't even belong here."

Seeing Reiji return without any signs of blood or sign of a struggle between him and Demetri, Bishop felt a surge of relief. It looked like Reiji had simply been talked to, and was not particularly pleased with the conversation. As the older male spoke, the annoyed redhead simply continued to glare back, abruptly shrugging off Reiji's hand with more force than necessary. "Don't touch me." he snapped cooly, clearly not willing to forgive his estranged brother.

About to address Anise, he realized she had wandered off, but try as he might, her scent was nowhere in the room. He scanned the hall for her just to be sure, but cursed upon realizing she wasn't in the ballroom. About to search the rest of the castle, he heard what sounded like the front door creak open. He nearly dismissed the thought, but eventually decided to check it just in case.

As he turned to leave the hall, another young noblewoman approached him, smiling in a blatantly coquettish manner. "Signore, would you perhaps honor me with a dance?"

Bishop dropped the formalities, far too agitated to give a damn. "Mi'lady, don't you think if I had wanted to dance with you, I'd have asked already?" With this, he left the stunned woman in her tracks, storming out of the room to continue searching for Anise. He vaguely wondered about how his pathetic butler was doing and if he'd managed to even attend the festivities. Such thoughts were quickly forgotten as soon as he opened the door, his only focus to find Anise.

Stepping outside, Bishop paid no mind to the cold air and scanned the scenery in silence. As he thought, nothing was out here. He let out an irritated sigh, ready to go back inside and search the castle when something caught his eye in the grass. A pair of shoes. Not just any shoes, Anise's pumps for the ball.

A slight prickling of unease was added to his irritation, realizing she had taken of her shoes in order to easier walk or run. What on earth was that woman thinking?! Letting out a curse, Bishop approached the shoes, scanning the ground until he noticed the subtle changes in the environment. Slightly depressed grass and foliage. Snapped twigs but no animal tracks. He proceeded to follow, soon finding bloodied thorns as well to indicate her trail. A single strand of ebony hair was snagged by a low hanging branch.

After a few short minutes, the faint sound of her voice met his ears, angry words coming from the distance. Bishop arched a brow at her ranting, catching most of her words. She thought she was just a 'thing'? She hated his family? Then an even more unexpected word escaped his fair maid's lips. Bullshit? Bishop nearly let out a chuckle, amused that such a sweet thing could get upset enough to use vulgar language. 'So she can swear...an amusing little dove indeed.' he thought, making his way forward.

A sudden scream pierced the air, and he ran towards the source, fearing the worst for the human. Bishop bared his fangs, ready to intercept whatever had accosted his maid. Seconds later, he reached the edge of a cliff, and footprints not inches from it in the dirt. Dammit!

Bishop looked over the edge, and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding upon seeing Anise alive. She was hurt, but she was moving, and he could hear a faint whisper leave her lips.

"Who ever said you were a 'thing'?" Bishop swiftly jumped down, appraising Anise for injuries as he approached her, inwardly cursing at how badly she was injured. "The hell were you thinking? Running away at nighttime of all things? You trying to get yourself killed?" Bishop noticed she was shivering, though from cold or fear he couldn't tell. Before she could bolt away from him, the male carefully tugged her close, one arm around her waist, the other coming up from under her arm and up her back.




[[pose: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/23 ... 91c36c.jpg ]]


Tanzy McNeal


Tanzy took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself down, with minimal success. Heart hammering in her chest, she felt sick with worry for her friend, bitter that she couldn't protect said friend, and hurt that Reiji would so casually play with the servants of the house.

Like toys.

The thought made a bitter taste rise in her mouth, and the young woman feared she may lose what little food she had eaten. She managed to will the sensation away, gut churning in worry as her thoughts shifted to concern for Anise. Was she ok? Had someone come to her aid? She needed to go check on her ebony-haired companion...

Her inner debate was suddenly interrupted by none other than Reiji himself. She tensed immediately at the sound of his voice, certain he was angry with her. As he spoke, Tanzy felt almost sick to her stomach, trembling slightly as the image of him cornering Anise played over in her mind. She didn't realize her hands had clenched into fists on the balcony railing until they began to ache from the force of her grip. Hearing her own words relayed back to her earned a sinking guilt, followed by self-disgust. She cursed herself for not being even more specific, she had simply assumed he wouldn't feed on Anise either. A foolish mistake, she now realized. And it was too late to ammend the agreement.

Tanzy looked over just in time to see those cold crimson eyes staring at her, and she looked away abruptly, biting her lip as he continued. He wouldn't give her to Castiel, but he clearly didn't need her or care who was assigned to who. So why did it matter then? None of it made sense. She remained silent, until the words 'benevolent feedings' passed his lips, prompting an abrupt response to start forming on her lips before she could stop herself and think on her words lest she regret them. As he turned to head back inside, she stepped away from the railing to trail after him.

"J-just because you call it benevolent doesn't mean that's how it feels! S-she doesn't like being fed from, and she just got over being poisoned!" Tanzy swiftly began to close the distance between herself and her master, tears once more threatening to fall, but these ones were angry and defensive. "I don't understand! You insist on keeping me as your maid, but you don't want me to clean your quarters, you don't have me fetch you things, or even seem to need me in the slightest! And even when you need blood, it doesn't matter who you get it from, so why do you care who's service I'm in? If you needed blood, why didn't you just make me give you some? If everyone is yours to use as you please, why do you need me? What do you want from me that you made me your personal servant?"

Tanzy's hands balled into fists at her sides, shaking with raw emotion as she stepped closer to him, her normal tact and caution gone. "O-our agreement said nothing of feedings at all!" she all but spat, only to continue on a tirade that she had only ever dared imagined saying to him.

"Why do you do these things?! You act like you don't care, then the next minute you're teasing me or complimenting me out of the blue, even when you make it known we're beneath you! You say something nice, but then go on to say you'd love to see what it would take to break me. I-I may be nothing more than a servant, I may be nothing more than food to you. Whatever I am though, I'm not a toy!" Tanzy forced back tears, voice shaking slightly. "I'm not....I'm not a toy....I am anything but a toy..."

A few seconds passed and realization of what she had just said began to process fully in her mind. Dread mixed with her frustration, and the young woman could feel the color leave her face. He'd kill her for sure now.

Even so, his suggestion was met with a flush, knowing he was going to retract the statement in an instant. She may have waited for him to begin leaving to start talking back, but she knew he heard every word.

As it was, she supposed she might as well answer. Not like he could possibly become any angrier than he was sure to be. "Do you not think I would embarrass you sire? I have never been formally taught the art of dancing..." she murmured as she followed behind him. Maybe, just maybe her demise would be swift if she followed quietly. Besides, she did agree to serve and do as he instructed, even if he didn't outright order her to follow. She didn't have to like it, she just had to obey.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Reiji Santiago Character Portrait: Anise Delopar Character Portrait: Ashlyn Locksley Character Portrait: Bishop  J.   Santiago Character Portrait: Demetri Santiago
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ImageAshlyn looked Anise in the eyes with a small smile as she ignored the girl’s concern. ”Trust me, I know how to get the blood stains out very well. It’s a gift you develop when being surrounded by vampires, the Santiagos especially.” It was an easy task to fix the bite from Reiji. It wasn’t the first time she had fixed a vampire bite and it was probably not going to be the last. Ash didn’t mind so long as the next time it wasn’t done without permission. Ashlyn’s touch was gentle as she took off her gloves and held her hands to the girl’s neck, letting the magic flow through her fingers. It took longer than it would have normally due to her exhaustion, but it wasn’t a difficult task. A minute or so later, the wound was closed leaving a small smear of blood beneath where the wound would have been. ”There. Done,” was all Ashlyn said before replacing her gloves.

Ashlyn sighed as she watched Anise scamper off. What was it with the Santiagos sending girls running off? Couldn’t they just simply accept the fact love exists and cherish it rather than try to appear on top or more masculine? Perhaps listening a bit more wouldn’t harm them either


Ashlyn managed barely to stifle the gasp, laugh, and smirk that all were a reaction to Demetri hitting his brother. While she did truly care for Reiji, he was being enough of an ass to deserve it. She did allow herself to roll her eyes before she caught sight of Demetri looking at her. She gave him a smile, remembering the friendlier of the red headed twins. ”Demetri, it wasn’t the first time now was it?” Ash asked with a hint of mischief and reminiscing as she remembered a time where they would joke around often.

Ashlyn looked to Bishop coldly. ”Bishop, if you’d rather your familial issues out in the open, by all means, continue to attract attention so all of Spain knows of the Santiagos,” Ashlyn leaves out the part about how she was irritated that Bishop was so hot headed, he failed to think about all that was happening around him. She had kept Anise’s throat from closing while at the same time trying to keep peace with him. He would never be pleased and it was very clear to everyone.

As Demetri reached down to Reiji, Ash frowned slightly. ”Take care” Ash says simply, so softly only Demetri and Reiji were likely to hear it. She worried Reiji would lose his temper with his brother and then the entire party would be a mess. Or Demetri would be followed by a mass of young ladies and the brothers be caught still. They were horrible things, parties. Hardly intimate at some times while others you couldn’t gather a crowd at all.

Ashlyn replaced her gloves before moving away. Her head was beginning to throb as she moved to accept a glass of what looked to be water. Rubbing her head with her fingers briefly, she took a sip out of a glass only to find it to be more wine. She immediately replaced the glass on the tray as she moved towards a love seat in a corner unoccupied by anyone. She took a seat before she was joined by a young brunette vampire in appearance. He was probably closer to her actual age than his appearance indicated. Ashlyn looked away, towards the dancing crowd to avoid having to talk with the vampire though it seemed he was determined to keep her company.

He eventually asked for a dance and Ashlyn hesitated. She hardly wanted to do anything more than find an unoccupied room upstairs and sleep again. She accepted, knowing if she didn't it wouldn't be courteous. Accepting his hand, Ashlyn allowed herself to be helped up before he led her out onto the floor again. The dance was easy as she kept up with him. She tripped slightly as they did a turn but recovered quickly. She had a tendency to be unable to hold more than one drink and she felt the effect of the wine now adding to her headache. It was quite annoying.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Reiji Santiago Character Portrait: Anise Delopar Character Portrait: Bishop  J.   Santiago Character Portrait: Jason Olivander Character Portrait: Demetri Santiago Character Portrait: Tanzy  McNeal
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Bishop Santiago


Even a human would be able to notice the catch in Anise's breath, and Bishop glanced down at her to make sure she didn't look unwell. Scratched up and distressed, but she didn't seem to be in ill health. Nerves then. Her pounding heart confirmed his suspicions, allowing him to pay attention instead to her words and her voice. Bishop couldn't help but frown slightly as she admitted her thoughts. She apparently felt like she and her fellow servants were reminded daily of their meager position- of their servitude. Which, to her, apparently meant she was a thing. Stupid human, he'd simply have to correct her.

"I cannot speak for my family. However, you're not some mere object. An object can be replaced, so how on earth would that not automatically disqualify you from being classified an object?" he argued, shaking his head as if to dismiss such an absurd thought. Her next probing question was somehow harder to answer, though he dared not admit such a thing. "What are you? Well, human for starters. A servant. A maid. Food. A pet..." Bishop had a feeling she wouldn't exactly like such answers, but he didn't know what other words to use. She wasn't just a servant to him, but what was she? More than a pet, at least it seemed so. Though pet was a good start- pets were companionship and something you treasured and cared for- something that relied on you for survival. "So...you're not a thing to me, so wipe such a dumb idea from your mind...you're..well why the hell does it matter?! That's not important right now!" he snapped dismissively, deciding he didn't need to answer her now. There! He didn't need to answer, and he wouldn't!

Keeping her in his hold, he felt her begin to relax, her trembling slowing and finally stopping altogether. Good. Bishop patted her back almost absentmindedly to keep her soothed, listening quietly to her explanations. She just ran without thinking- not exactly a shock, but it made him shake his head at her impulsive decision making. He could feel her eyes growing moist as her voice grew soft and uncertain, and he met her violet eyes as she gazed up at him in confusion. He would have found her expression almost sickeningly cute were the situation different. As it were, her being out here in the wilderness and asking him why he wasn't angry- well, she had a point there. Why wasn't he angry? He was a little, but not necessarily at her. He was more annoyed and frustrated than anything else. He let out a sigh before answering Anise.

"Angry? Well, I am, but not so much at you. You vex me, annoy me, and quite frankly, frequently leave me thinking you make utterly no sense whatsoever with how quickly you bounce back and forth between emotions and expressions. But am I angry with you? No. Frustrated maybe, but not angry. You ran away without an ounce of concern for the danger, so yes, I'm annoyed. But you're safe for the most part, so I'll excuse it." he said, allowing his arms to relax their grip slightly. Seeing tears upon Anise's face as she further explained herself, he reached up with one hand to carefully wipe them away. So once she had gotten away and realized what she had done, she feared being faced with death for her actions. Understandable at least. But even so, where would she have run to?

"Don't cry. I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you, alright?" he muttered, finally letting Anise free from his hold, but watching her carefully lest she be injured or try to do anything rash. He scowled as she mentioned the prick, the thought of Reiji making him twitch in agitation. He didn't deserve to be called the head of the house. About to protest that it didn't matter what the prick said, Anise brought up his eldest brother. Bishop paused; she did have a point. Castiel wasn't an asshole, but he did not tolerate such blatant disrespect or disobedience. That, coupled with Anise's determination, wiped away his unspoken protests. He could hear the nervous thumping of her heart, and her uneasy sigh of resignation made him reluctant to see her go under any further stress. What kind of punishment could he get away with inflicting without stooping to Reiji's level?

"Fine. You'll be confined to your room and fed prison rations for a week. But for now, we're going back. I'm sure the idiot is worried about you, and I need to check up on Demetri." Bishop decided, taking Anise's hand and tugging her gently along to the base of the cliff. Scooping his maid up without a bat of an eye, he held her bridal style and jumped up, returning them to the top from where she fell.

Looking down at Anise, the redhead frowned, shaking his head and admonishing her softly. "More importantly though, you ran off before I requested a dance. That's just rude. Now you owe me one, regardless of if I ask you first or not." Bishop's frown was gone as quickly as it came, and he continued to walk back to the castle with Anise, careful not to let her brush against branches or other such foliage.


Tanzy McNeal


The mention of being gentle and releasing pheromones was of little comfort, the maid feeling rather unsettled at his words and his smirk. She bit her lip, wondering if Anise would be ok. So far his demeanor was unthreatening, but she felt her dread growing as she followed behind, only to stop as he did. With a smooth and suave grace, he leaned casually against the wall to face her once more.

The blood that had drained from her face in dread began to shoot back up into her cheeks with a vengeance, her eyes widening in shock at the words leaving Reiji's lips. He would agree to never feed from Anise in exchange for a kiss? Was he screwing with her? Tanzy froze, the silken voice making her painfully aware of her wretched mistake. She felt utterly foolish and despicable, cursing herself mentally. Of course it was her fault- he had even urged her to double check the contract before signing! And she so stupidly failed to heed his warning. Damn it all! But here he was, saying he'd add to the agreement if she gave him a kiss of her own volition.

A kiss...?

Tanzy had no chance to answer, her breath hitching in her throat as Reiji's fingers tilted her chin up so her eyes couldn't escape his ruby gaze. Expecting the worst, she closed her eyes, but all she felt was a gentle touch of his fingers brushing aside her tears, prompting her to look once more. Pet. He called her his pet. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that, but it was better than being seen as a toy, or a thing. But what was a pet to him?

Expecting anger and threats, the young woman was astonished to hear a calm voice answering her frustrated inquiries, and her eyes widened further at the revelations. He thought she was fascinating and beautiful? Her cheeks flushed even darker, her heart drumming inside her chest. As amazing as his compliments of her were, they paled in comparison to his other replies, feeling a gasp of disbelief escape her lips.

Keeps them safe? Was this vampire- this terrifying, cunning, breathtaking vampire, actually saying what she thought he was saying? Was his callous attitude a farce to shield herself and the others in the house from danger? As nobles and as vampires, it was no doubt the Santiagos had enemies, but could he actually be trying to detour said adversaries from targeting those associated with him? Could that possibly be true? If by some chance it was, what other things did she not understand about her master?

Upon feeling his hand encircle her wrist, the maid stiffened in anticipation, but he did nothing more than that. The pressure was minimal, just enough to actually be noticed. Tanzy knew of Reiji's strength, she had been at his mercy before. She had felt those very hands around her neck when she had angered him, and yet here he was simply keeping her in place. She felt no pain, nor immediate sense of peril, he was merely holding her still. Even so, she'd have been no less stuck if her hand was a fixture in stone.

The grip tightened slightly, and his voice was hard, but still he wasn't showing any sign of lashing out against her. If anything, he sounded almost berating. Tanzy had half a mind to interrupt, to say she knew there was no way in hell she could stand up to a vampire in combat. But the intensity in his words gave her pause. He didn't want her to get herself killed by forgetting her own limitations? But that meant he wasn't going to kill her...

The maid continued to stare in bewilderment at her master even as he released her wrist and tore his gaze away first. Her mind was swimming with his words, heart pounding as his actions and answers played themselves over and over in her head- with her trying to sort through them and comprehend it all. This was not what she was expecting at all.

Thankfully, she was snapped from her shocked trance as Reiji escorted her back to the ballroom, leading her swiftly into a dance and moving gracefully across the floor. With a slight squeak of surprise, Tanzy allowed herself to be led into a dance, doing her best to match his movements while trying to not think about how close they were. She tried to follow the tempo of the music as well as the pace of her partner, glad she had at least seen ballroom dancing before. She doubted she'd stand a chance otherwise.

Face flushed pink, Tanzy struggled with where to look, alternating from watching their footwork to glancing up at Reiji, then averting her gaze to his chest, too flustered to completely meet his eyes for more than a minute. She managed to keep up somehow- thankful that no matter how she was doing, she was at least not stepping on him- she doubted he'd like that.

"You...you aren't angry with me sire? For speaking so boldly?" she finally whispered tentatively, glancing up to see his reaction. She felt her heart begin to speed up from nerves, but she knew without asking she'd keep fretting about it. Besides...

"Would you really be willing to allow me to ask for such an addition to our agreement, for a kiss?" Unable to keep looking into his eyes, Tanzy stared at her hand on his shoulder, trying in vain to will away her steadily growing blush.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Anise Delopar Character Portrait: Bishop  J.   Santiago Character Portrait: Jane Christopher Character Portrait: Demetri Santiago
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"Touch her, and I'll chop off more than just your fingers when I find out, brother."

The fact that Reiji got defensive, just as Demetri had expected him to. With his suspicions now verified, Demetri couldn't help but smirk. Reading between the lines, he knew exactly how his older brother felt for Tanzy without him having to hear another word. He knew exactly what his brother was implying, but was too coward to dare speak aloud, or probably even admit to himself. He let Reiji leave first, following behind a few minutes later after he straightened out his suit. Touchy, touchy... He thought to himself in an amused manner, raising both hands to prove he was not a threat to his brother's romantic territory.

"I will admit that I was acting recklessly... However I meant what I said, sister... I do not wish to be the reason our family falls apart, so I've decided that we shall have a family meeting tomorrow night to discuss what our next moves as a family will be due to the incoming threat... I suppose we can call a truce until they are taken care of, considering we once again have a common enemy."

As he returned to the ballroom, Demetri overheard Reiji's apology, enjoying the struggle that his elder brother was going through. He smiled and waved to a few people he knew, particularly ex-lovers. Demetri's eyes settled on someone he was far less familiar with, someone who was not tucked away behind Mirabelle's skirts at the moment. That gave him the perfect opprotunity to slide in. As he casually strolled toward Jane, Demetri kept his focus on the discussion between his siblings.

"Don't touch me."

Without even looking even in his twin's general direction Demetri could perfectly picture the expression on Bishop's face when Reiji had the aduacity to make physical contact. He could see the cold glare perfectly in his mind. Demetri sighed to himself, wishing that the situation with his family had been in a better standing than this, but there was little that he could do given his circumstances. Instead, Demetri decided to focus on things he could change, like the fact that Jane was hiding herself away in a corner. Once the redhead was in proper speaking distance, he bowed cordially, then smirked up at her with a mischievous sparkle in his bright green eyes before standing straight, "It's a pity to waste away over here. Dance with me, Jane?" He asked, quirking a brow before extending his hand out in an offering manner. All of his previous amours pouted as he chose the maid standing before him instead of asking any of them to dance, but Demetri didn't even give them a glance as he waited for her answer. For the moment, she was the only girl that the womanizing vampire was paying attention to, as if she was the only female present, "You wouldn't leave a man hanging, would you?" He asked in a playful manner, hoping that his invitation would be well received. He wasn't exactly used to hearing the word no, and he would do anything in his power to make his attempt at charming her a success.






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"I cannot speak for my family. However, you're not some mere object. An object can be replaced, so how on earth would that not automatically disqualify you from being classified an object?"

Violet eyes darted in confusion as Bishop implied that she could not be replaced like a mere object. This immediately brought heat to her cheeks, making the ebony haired girl extremely flustered, but also happier than Bishop could ever imagine. To hear out loud that she was not so easy to discard was reassuring, but in the end it did not change her status in the family. To the rest of his family, Anise was merely a tool for norishment, one that was abundant in this world. At least someone deems me inexpendable..

"What are you? Well, human for starters. A servant. A maid. Food. A pet..."

"P-Pet!?" She replied in a surprised tone, blinking several times. She wasn't sure what he meant by that, but in her experience, when lords bought the poor as 'pets' it was usually not of an innocent nature. Also, from how Reiji treated Tanzy, that only verified to her that most of society saw 'pet' as more of a fetish than what Bishop probably meant. However, Anise being naive, immediately figured he meant the more common use, rather than the innocent 'you're like a pet rabbit' variation. I-I didn't realize Lord Bishop had such p-perversions... Is it a family thing..? Lord Demetri's room has made strange noises before... I believe he's had more than one girl in there at a time before...

"So...you're not a thing to me, so wipe such a dumb idea from your mind...you're..well why the hell does it matter?! That's not important right now!"

Anise jumped when he snapped, unsure of what she had done in particular, but assumed he was simply finally growing angry for her betrayal. Perhaps it was simply a late reaction? While she wasn't sure of his irritation's origins, she simply nodded and stopped asking questions, returning to her obediant nature. Her cussing went out the window the second she knew he was in her presence, and her frustration disipated. She completely lost her nerve.

"Angry? Well, I am, but not so much at you. You vex me, annoy me, and quite frankly, frequently leave me thinking you make utterly no sense whatsoever with how quickly you bounce back and forth between emotions and expressions. But am I angry with you? No. Frustrated maybe, but not angry. You ran away without an ounce of concern for the danger, so yes, I'm annoyed. But you're safe for the most part, so I'll excuse it."

It stung a little to hear that she annoyed him, but she did not interupt and listened to his explanations. Why was he being so lenient? The Bishop she had met a year ago would have been furious, had threatened her older twin on more ocassions than Anise was willing to count. The fact that he was so calm was confusing her to no end, but asking questions only seemed to frustrate him even more. Both of her eyes closed as he wiped away her tears, only opening and gazing up at him when he was done, "Most of the time I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel.. My mother sold me to a family full of vampires, my twin sister was mutilated and slaughtered by werewolves, and the head of house tried to kill me not long ago and turned around saving my life.. Only a year and a half ago my only major concern in life was declining Derrek's marriage proposals..." Immediately Anise realized that she had said something she should not have, especially since her letter the day before had been addressed to the very same person she was discussing with Bishop. The letter had been filled with half of the money she earned working at Castillo the entire year, and Bishop would have known that if he had peeked into the envelope.

"Don't cry. I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you, alright?"

Anise's blush deepened, and she nodded quickly, turning her gaze away, letting her long black hair conceal her embarrassment from him. She wasn't sure how to respond.. his protective words made her want to smile, but she just couldn't let herself be happy after everything this family had taken from her. While that wasn't Bishop's fault, every time she thought about her feelings for him, she was reminded of her sister. Her sister absolutely hated the vampires.

"Fine. You'll be confined to your room and fed prison rations for a week. But for now, we're going back. I'm sure the idiot is worried about you, and I need to check up on Demetri."

"Of course. Who are you referrign to as 'the idio-'? O-Oh my, M-Mi'lord!" Anise stopped midquestion and squeaked out when he picked her up so effortlessly. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt her entire face burning with embarrassment when she realized the new situation they were in. The way he was holding her, it was too much and Anise immediately hid her face in her right hand, completely flustered. Though the jump left her breathless. She was left in complete shock. She knew for a fact that the cliff was at least twelve feet and he managed to jump it while carrying her?

"More importantly though, you ran off before I requested a dance. That's just rude. Now you owe me one, regardless of if I ask you first or not."

"E-Eh?!" Her cheeks lit up a brilliant shade of red as he mentioned dancing together, and she gazed away for what felt like an eternity, her heart beating faster the more she thought about it. Even though his frown disappeared, it did little to soothe her nerves knowing he expected to dance with her, especially in the pitiful state she was currently in, "My dress...and my hair.. It would make people suspicious... I don't even know where my shoes are, mi'lord.." While mostly she was just trying to avoid dying of embarrassment, or perhaps dying from jealous ladies attempting to assassinate her for stealing Bishop from their ambitious clutches. Though in reality she was a mess. Her dress managed to avoid tears, but her feet, arms, and legs were scratched up, her dress saved from such abuse as she had to hold it up to run. Her hair even had twigs in it, Anise was fairly sure that the nobles would mistake her for someone raised in the wild.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Reiji Santiago Character Portrait: Anise Delopar Character Portrait: Bishop  J.   Santiago Character Portrait: Jane Christopher Character Portrait: Jason Olivander Character Portrait: Demetri Santiago
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Bishop Santiago


Anise's pink cheeks soothed his nerves, the vampire lord pleased he could so easily elicit such a reaction from the human in his hold. Even though he couldn't fathom why she would assume she was so easily replaced, he was glad she seemed to like the reassurance.
She did however surprise him with her lack of protest or response to his trying to categorize and label her. Her only reaction was to let out a startled noise, repeating his last word in what he almost thought sounded like mortification. Silly human, what was wrong with being a pet? There were worse things one could be after all. As it was, he merely quirked a brow at her.

When she first started speaking, the male was thinking little more than consoling the runaway maid and bringing her back with him. However, the mention of marriage and an unknown male who wasn't him made him stiffen even as he picked her up, her adorable squeak and half a question the only thing keeping his temper in check. Derrek? Who the hell was she talking about? He hadn't been aware of any past lovers, and Anise had never mentioned the male before. However, it did suddenly make sense why she had given him a letter to mail when they went into town. A letter he did not fail to notice was rather hefty in it's weight. Money then.

He ignored her question, deciding not to comment on 'the idiot' in question, knowing she wouldn't like what he'd have to say as a response. Instead, he walked in silence for a moment longer before letting out an annoyed huff, looking down at Anise with an irritable scowl. "So that's who you sent the letter and money to...hmph. Never told me you had a lover." he snapped, glancing back up and letting out another snort of disdain. Stupid human boy. He already didn't like him! And what the hell was her significant other doing all this time, not bothering to look for his novia? Nothing but a pathetic excuse for a man, obviously.

"Stupid git isn't doing a good job trying to find you. What kind of man doesn't go looking for his woman if she goes missing?" Bishop fumed, shaking his head in disgust at the thought of such a human. It was insulting that his competition was some lousy human male who couldn't be bothered to confront Anise's excuse for a mother to get clues. It was absurd!

Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he realized he was probably only upsetting Anise with his irritable ranting (at least he was fairly certain he was, judging by her body language). Seeing the lights from the castle appear on the horizon, he finally could look his maid in the eyes again, quirking a brow at her concerns and her fretting about her appearance. He rolled his eyes.

"Do I honestly look like I give a damn?" he asked pointedly, shaking his head before continuing. "Besides, if it's gonna bother you that much, a quick trip to the powder room will take care of wiping off any dirt or whatever. And just let your hair down naturally, it's fine as it is. And if you must, just borrow some shoes from your obsessive friend, who I'm sure is also anxious to see you."

Still upset about the casual mention of another male, Bishop decided to erase such thoughts from Anise's mind, finally smirking as his plans began to mollify him. Of course, just make all her flustered attention focus on him. Mind made up, he leaned closer to Anise, his eyes locking with hers as his voice took on an almost challenging tone.

"Why, are you trying to say I can't have a dance with the partner of my choice on Valentines day of all things?" Bishop all but purred, pulling back in satisfaction and acting as if walking with his maid to the castle was the most natural thing in the world, not releasing the young woman despite being almost upon the building in question.

Tanzy McNeal


Tanzy could practically feel the piercing stares of the crowd, the women's jealous and disbelieving glares especially evident. Just as they had out in the town, the vast majority of the females had their eyes glued to the Santiagos, especially considering the only two brothers currently among the dancing being her master and Demetri (who currently seemed on his way to sweeping Jane along as his next partner). Tanzy wondered if any of those swooning women knew the real Reiji.

Did she even know the real Reiji?

Just as it seemed she was managing to calm down and focus solely on the dance, Tanzy's thoughts were swiftly whisked aside as the male's breath sent shivers down her spine, a mortified squeak leaving her lips as her cheeks burned a bright pink. She nearly missed the step as his sultry voice teased her, managing to catch herself just in time for him to spin her- leaving their audience completely unaware of her near blunder. Her heart began racing anew, wondering if she'd ever get used to his surprise remarks. Her eyes looked up at his in shock before instantly searching for something else to focus on- namely her feet. "Ah! N-no sire! The suit is perfect." she stammered softly, silently hoping her poor nerves would have a break. He always got her worked up just when she thought he couldn't find any new way to startle her.

Her flushed cheeks and bashful expression were gone in seconds, his answer prompting a shudder of fear. She swallowed hard, realizing it was foolish to think he wasn't angry. Of course he was, he was just exceptionally good at hiding it. He was unreadable, and a master at keeping her unaware of his true intentions and emotions. It was this inability to figure him out that threw her so off course and frazzled her poor nerves.

Reiji was as terrifying as he was attractive. As mysterious as he was cunning. She could make neither heads nor tails of the male, and she trembled at the thought of how much anger he could possibly be hiding. She had seen how calm he could be on the outside, and the result then was not something she wished to repeat. "Of course sire... Pardon me for thinking you'd be otherwise..." she murmured quietly, nodding to convey her acknowledgement of his soft and subtle- yet no less frightful, warning. She marveled at how he could be so calm and appear so gentle while simultaneously saying things that made her nearly sick with anxiety.

Soon enough, his smirk was back, and Tanzy bit back another squeak when he finally spoke. Did he really think she'd be so bold as to kiss him in full view of everyone?! She couldn't fathom kissing him (or anyone for that matter) in public, much less an entire ballroom full of people! "O-of course! I wouldn't dare do such a thing in front of prying eyes! I couldn't!" she hurriedly rushed to explain, feeling the sudden need to correct him in thinking she would be so bold- and reckless- as to do anything so personal or intimate out in the open.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Reiji Santiago Character Portrait: Demetri Santiago Character Portrait: Mirabelle Santiago
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#, as written by MaeMae
When the ground suddenly fell from underneath her, Mirabelle flailed until she realized it was Rei who was holding her. It was his voice that calmed her, but it also made her eyebrows draw together in confusion.

Better?

She did however relax herself in his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck, one of her hands coming to behind his head. Her slender fingers laced into Julian’s hair, slowing playing with the soft locks. She was mesmerized for a moment because she could feel the way they felt on her finger tips. It was still a dull feeling, but her imagination took off. Instinctively, she shifted her weight against him and brought her face to his neck, touching her nose to his skin. Breath filled her lungs slowly while she played in his hair, waiting for his scent to invade her senses.

But it didn’t. There was no ache in her fangs, no lightness in her head. Nothing. The vampire drew back to look at his face and her fingers came around to touch his cheek. It was his face, but it wasn’t him. It couldn’t be.

What was it that she smoked? Maybe it was her body telling her to move on when he picked Tanzy


But then why was he here? How did he find


Angelo?!

The woods aren't safe.

Mirabelle squirmed in his arms, only to feel him tighten around her. Julian never left her down, but moved closer; close enough for Mirabelle to reach out and grasp at the shirt of the man claiming to be Angelo. She yanked him in close, slightly confused on how easily he came with her strength, but she was quickly distracted by the male. Her fingers came up to touch his face and then the tears started gathering in her eyes, blood collecting in the corners.

The woods aren't safe Mirabelle. You need to leave.

“Angelo
” She whispered in awe, trying to reach around to hug him, only to find that Julian side stepped and pulled her away from reach. She went to protest, only falling silent to listen to Rei talk again.

“Cassie was right in your nickname.. you really are an angel
” She murmured, resting her chin on Julian’s shoulder, staring past to gaze at Klaude. She began to hear sounds from other sources, but the drunk she was still feeling and the astonishment that she was starting at her late brother kept her distracted.

Mirabelle move! The woods aren't safe.
What?

“Rei!” She screamed as he left her grasp, reaching for him, only to see him move away from her and grasp her brother.

“Reiji! Stop it!! STOP IT!” She cried out, struggling against whatever it was that was holding her in place. With her mouth forced open, she screamed again, the screams quickly turning to gurgles and a coughing fit. Tears now flowed freely down her cheeks, staining her gown.

“Rei! Make them stop.. please .. make them stop.” Her words burned her throat as they fell on deaf ears. She struggled roughly against the chains, the stone scraping away her skin. She managed a strike at one of the males, his skin gathering under her nails as she clawed it away from his face. That was met with the tightening of the chain, her shoulder burning as tried to keep her arm in its socket.

These should break. I’m stronger than they are.. Why can’t I get out.. Rei?

Her struggling depleted her energy quickly, and she had no strength left by the time the woman touched her. Her body trembled uncontrollably and even through the pain that started with the ritual, it wasn’t until she saw Reiji drift away to be replaced by someone else when the uncontrollable sobs broke through her chest.

I’m alone. There’s no one here to save me.. No one ever is..

Mirabelle had no strength to fight any longer, no strength to scream from the pain. It was when the darkness started to drift into her vision when she found a new wave of energy, but even then there was nothing left.

“No, no, no, no
 Not again
 Please.. Rei, where are you? Deme.. anyone
” Her toes curled against the stone, her heels digging in as she pushed one last time against her restraints in a pathetic effort. The darkness came quicker now, her voice hoarse and silent. She grew still and wished death would come just a little bit quicker. Anything to keep her from the hell she grew up in.

I’m sorry Rei
 I’m sorry.


Nothing is more common on earth than to deceive and be deceived. —Johann G. Seume

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Reiji Santiago Character Portrait: Anise Delopar Character Portrait: Bishop  J.   Santiago Character Portrait: Demetri Santiago Character Portrait: Tanzy  McNeal
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Bishop Santiago


Bishop glanced down at the human in his arms, not expecting to hear such a vehement denial of being in any sort of meaningful relationship with the so called Derek fellow. While it was pleasing to hear her deny having feelings for the human, the vampire lord wondered if she wasn't just trying to protect him. Her nervous combing of her ebony locks, coupled with the soft voice explaining how she treated her childhood friend, made Bishop frown. Why was she so fidgety around him? Sure, some anxiety was amusing, and seeing his maid flustered was entertaining, but he hated the thought that she might actually fear him. How many times did he have to assure her she was safe with him? It was more than just mildly frustrating.

Not to mention, obviously his little Anise cared enough about this Derek fellow to send correspondence and money. Not exactly the actions of someone who hated another. That, coupled with her warm, thoughtful smile earned an agitated twitch. Whatever this feeling was, he didn't care for it. Jealousy began to burn, but it would be a cold day in hell before he'd acknowledge the feeling for what it was. Instead, he scowled at her even as she sighed, her nostalgia far more irksome than he'd like to admit. She should be looking at HIM with that warm smile. "Childhood friends huh? Still a pathetic excuse of a man to not be concerned about his friend enough to at least try to find out what happened. Besides, he obviously liked you more than a friend." he retorted a little harsher than he had intended. Bishop clenched his jaw tightly, feeling her anxiety as well as hearing her heartbeat fluctuate accordingly to said anxiety. He glanced away from her with what could only be properly categorized as a pout. An angry one, but a pout none the less.

What brought him from his bitter and brooding thoughts was Anise's revelation that she had never been with a man, nor had she even shared a first kiss. That got his attention.

Eyes fixing upon the young woman once more, the redhead's initial look of surprise soon morphed into a pleased and slightly mischievous smirk. Her realization of what she had just confessed nearly elicited a chuckle, her flushed cheeks a rewarding sight to behold. Cute. "Is that so...?" he mused thoughtfully, about to continue probing into this most interesting confession, only to be interrupted by her silly concerns. Was she really that afraid of social constructs, or did she dislike the idea of dancing with him that much? The only logical point she made was the reaction of the vampires in attendance.

"None of them would be stupid enough to reveal what they are in a room full of people, and only the prick is foolish enough to drink from someone who is clearly the human of another. Besides, it's easy enough to remedy your wounds. Take a drink of my blood, or I can wash you up in a more traditional sense..." Bishop reasoned, the sound of clapping reaching his sensitive ears. Someone was the center of attention on the dance floor it would seem- most likely Demetri with his charms and skillful dancing if he were to guess. His twin always got at least one ovation during these types of parties.

Bishop found himself scowling once more at the thought of dancing with the simpering idiots inside his home. None of those women wanted him for him. They wanted what he was, what he could offer them. They were bred to be pretty, poised, pleasing, and all of them were as fragile as they were entitled. "Again, do I give a damn? There is no rule that says I must dance with them. The norm may be to socialize, but I have no interest in dealing with simpering idiots all night. Our reputation will survive me not dancing with them. Angelo would usually hide from these events, at least I bother to attend." Bishop paused, going silent in a moment of remembrance for his elder sibling. The quiet brother would always have to be dragged out, and he would often be the one to help Demetri entice the older vampire out into the public. Those were good times...

Shaking away his nostalgia, Bishop huffed at the idea of dancing with the noble ladies once more. "They don't care about me, why the hell should I care about them?" he muttered irritably, only to reach the entrance of the castle. Debating a moment, he finally relented and gently placed Anise on her feet, but he made no move to let her go. One arm was laced around her middle, keeping her at his side. With his free hand, Bishop reached out, tilting Anise's chin up with his thumb and forefinger so she had to meet his gaze. "Why does it bother you so? Are you really that opposed to a single dance with me? Do you find me repulsive?" he asked, eyes boring intently into hers for a few long seconds before pulling back ever so slightly- still keeping her close and her chin in his hand.

It took a few deep breaths to calm him down, the vampire lord replaying her most interesting confession in his mind. That's right, he never did address that little gold nugget of information, did he? The corner of his lips twitched in the beginnings of an amused smirk.

"Back to your most intriguing revelation...you have never been with a man? Truly? None has touched these lips of yours..." Bishop's voice lowered to a sultry tone, releasing her chin and slowly tracing her lips with the pad of his finger. Looking down at his human, Bishop felt an increasing desire to drink from that pretty neck of hers. What else could he do to make her cheeks flush such a fair pink once more? What else would make her cling to him and allow herself to not resist his hold?

The redhead licked his lips, leaning close to her neck and allowing his breath to caress her skin from a mere inch away. Feeling rather bold and mischievous, he flicked his tongue out to taste her fair skin, right where the blood pulsed in her neck. A bit of a mistake, as his fangs only ached all the more, but he resisted the urge. "Tell me, how would you feel if I decided I wanted to have a taste of your lips? If I wanted to be the one to steal your first kiss?" he purred, eager to see how she'd respond.


Tanzy McNeal


Tanzy dared to glance up as her master continued to lead her in the dance, the music pleasing to her ears and not unduly difficult to move with. For a moment, Reiji seemed calm and peaceful, neither his smirk nor his teasing grin evident upon his features. She almost found herself lost in her own little world, just looking up at the contented look upon her usually intimidating master, surrounded by beautiful music and actually dancing like a noble lady. The applause further added to the fantastical feeling, amazed people would actually be clapping for her. Well, Reiji deserved most of the credit for being a perfect lead, but it was reassuring to know she wasn't screwing up too bad- that she was passing as at the very least an adequate partner.
She allowed her gaze to remain on the vampire's face, relaxing slightly as she marveled at his - dare she say- happy expression? It was a nice look on him to be sure...

Soon enough, he was grinning at her again, and Tanzy's heart began to pound furiously in embarrassment. She knew her cheeks were beginning to heat up again, nearly stumbling and letting out another squeak- though she caught it just in time. She never got a chance to reply to his teasing before she felt his skin just grazing her neck along with his breath. Her voice caught in her throat, cheeks burning a cherry red. This time she had to bite her lip to hold back a mortified squeak, suddenly remembering her utterly embarrassing situation the day before. Why oh why was she thinking about his looks?! "I-I never meant that m'lord!" she managed to say, shaking her head to emphasize she wasn't suggesting he was not the ideal specimen. Even though she was fairly certain he was still just screwing with her, she didn't want him to misunderstand her.

Tanzy got little chance to try and explain herself or avoid further abashment, Reiji releasing his hold slightly and letting out a sigh. She immediately stiffened slightly, wondering if she had crossed a line or upset him. Instead of a warning or a calm scolding as she expected, he urged her to not dwell on her mistakes of the evening, and he would let it go without incident. His only warning was that she might risk his fangs by stirring him up. Before she could sink into darker thoughts and mull over her friend's bite, her partner flashed her a wink, prompting her to go back to enjoying the music. Already flustered and swimming in a whirlwind of emotions, she simply nodded mutely. The sudden dip was less of a shock the second time around, but it was no less effective at making her cheeks heat up at the closeness, and the feel of him cradling her body with his arm.

Soon enough, Reiji's amused gaze was back on her, and Tanzy felt her heart skip at the sudden tickle of his breath on her ear, a perplexed look crossing her features. So he wanted a kiss, not in public, but would seek to improve her family's stations in exchange would she be bold enough to kiss him out in the open? She flushed at his chuckle, trying to ponder his intentions. His tone further messed with her, his sultry voice eliciting a shiver as it tickled her sensitive ear. The maid could practically feel the heat in her cheeks as he pulled her close once more. Tanzy glanced up at Reiji, searching for his meaning. "But you said...I mean, you don't want me to be brazen, surely? That would be too scandalous." she asked tentatively, tilting her head slightly in a question.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ashlyn Locksley Character Portrait: Jane Christopher Character Portrait: Jason Olivander Character Portrait: Demetri Santiago
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When his request to dance was intercepted, Demetri let out a groan. He knew exactly whom the hand belonged to just by her scent. Demetri frowned at Ashyln, peering at her over his shoulder. His expression was that of a child whom was kept from playing outside, a very annoyed pout. Demetri's favorite hobby was to spend time with women, but he did not quite deem Ash as such. She had once been involved with Reiji, therefore she was off limits in his eyes.

”Demetri, I’m sorry to interrupt. But we need to talk about
 About someone.”

Another groan escaped Demetri's lips. He knew who 'someone' was, there was only one someone that the Santiago family had in common with Ashlyn Locksley. The only woman he deemed as less female than Ashlyn. Luciana, Ashlyn's older sister. With a sigh of defeat, Demetri shot Jane an apologetic glance, "Save me a dance, okay dove? I won't be long." Demetri assured her, a smirk forming on his lips. He looked forward to showing her how a lady was to be treated, and hopefully, just hopefully he would be able to convince her to NEVER wear trousers again. He enjoyed her in dresses far more anyhow.

”I don’t think it can wait either.”

The pounding of Ashlyn's heart reminded Demetri of the urgency, so he lowered his head, ruffling his curly red locks of hair as he followed behind. He leaned against the wall next to Ashlyn when she choose a desolate corridor. Normally, under these circumstances Demetri would have felt rather excited and frisky, but this was Ash. He felt nothing amorous towards her. She was like family, sort of. Perhaps at one time that may have been true... but so much had happened that their bond had been severed many years ago. Just looking at her brought back so many painful memories he wished to forget.

”I only came back to your family because I care about them regardless of what Reiji says. My sister has something planned and she’ll be coming. I don’t know when though. The family needs to
 Needs to be prepared.”

Realizing she was feeling less than perfect, Demetri removed Ashlyn's hand from her head, kicking off from the wall so that he stood in front of her. He replaced her hand with her's, checking for a fever. He couldn't tell, given his hand was several degrees cooler than any human's, but at the worst the slight coldness of his skin might relieve whatever was ailing her? He was not sure, as Demetri had never taken care of a sick human before.

”Demetri, something is wrong. I have a bad feeling about what has been happening around Castillo de la Muerte. That maid
 Anise. She was poisoned by something very powerful that I have felt the effects of multiple
 My sister loved using poisons such as that. And who could have done it but someone from inside the household? I don’t mean to accuse, but it’s all becoming too serious with what is coming and I think you all need to be more cautious.”

Demetri cursed under his breath. It was obvious. How did the enemy manage to infiltrate without the Santiago family knowing? Witches had a distinctive taste to them, their blood was sweeter than human blood, and it gave exponentially stronger benefits to the vampire drinking it. It was preferred by many, but far more difficult to obtain as most witches could sense a vampire before they could get close and their magic was an excellent defense. One did not feed from a witch often.

”I feel odd..”

With a shake of his head, Demetri wasted no time in responding. The red head gently scooped Ashlyn into his arms, carrying her like a princess toward the drawing room. He kicked the door open, and effortlessly took her to the longest sofa, laying her down. He brushed strands of hair out of her face with a gentle smile, "I will check on the maids and butlers to see who is acting suspicious. Try to rest. After I handle the traitor, I will have Reiji whip you up a cure in no time. Sit tight, Ash. I'll see you soon." Demetri grinned, winking down at her in attempt to assure her that everything will be fine. However, in his gut, Demetri had a feeling that he was lying to her. Something terrible was going to happen, he just did not know what. The red head shut the door, giving Ashlyn much needed quiet and privacy, but he never would have guessed Ashlyn wouldn't be safe there for long.

He zoomed off, back to the ballroom noting that Jason just finished a dance. He knew that Camilla was sick in bed, Anise was out with his twin brother, Tanzy dancing with Reiji.. The only person unaccounted for was Jane and Mirabelle. Without and leads to go on, he decided to check the one place he knew that Jane loved, but first he approached Jason, "Keep an eye out. Something fishy is going on, and I swear I will rip apart whomever is responsible. Keep an eye out for the others if things go South." Demetri warned before letting out a feral growl as he continued on his way...

Once out of sight of any of the guests, Demetri slipped out of a window through the downstairs library, heading straight for the stables. As he grew close, he caught a faint whiff of blood. As it was far beyond the castle, near the woods you had to be right up on the building to sense it. Demetri stepped inside, only for his worst expectations to be proven correct. As he approached, his eyes landed on the blood stained letter. Demetri knelt down, reading it from his position. "Tell me you weren't involved in Anise's poisoning..." Demetri spoke in a broken tone, caressing Jane's cheek. At this point, he could not save her even with his blood. It would turn her into a vampire and he was unwilling to do such a thing. He would not create another like himself. He refused. While he did not have the same love for her as he had for Katerina, he had become quite attached to Jane. If she had been the traitor, he wasn't sure he would be able to keep his cool. He'd kill every one of their enemies if he had to. As the girl died, Demetri gently kissed her cheek. Though when he left Jane's body and made his way outside, he was attacked. He felt as though his brain was being contorted inside of his skull, and blood poured from his ears. He nearly fell to his knees from the pain, but Demetri managed to stumble forward and clasped his hand around the throat of one of the witches. Without warning, he squeezed the girl's neck within his hand, crushing her windpipe in the process. He dropped her as she struggled for air, dying on the ground. The other two managed to subdue him however, Demetri falling to his knees, eventually passing out from blood loss. ...I fucking hate witches... The two remaining witches dragged him off, thankfully they were both men or they wouldn't have gotten very far. They managed to avoid crossing paths with Bishop and Anise, the sound of the festivities cloaking the violence that took place.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ashlyn Locksley Character Portrait: Demetri Santiago
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Ashlyn realized how rude she was being too late. She felt bad for interrupting and couldn’t fathom why she had but brushed it off. Where was it that she had felt the same way before? She had and she knew it but she didn’t know when. Ashlyn hardly resisted when Demetri took her hand away to feel her forehead. Only when she felt the cool touch of his hand did she realize he was only providing her with the coolness since he wouldn’t be able to properly feel for a fever. Ashlyn nearly sank into Demetri but refrained. He was so familiar. He would be safe from whatever was causing Ash to feel as she was. She heard Demetri curse at her blunt accusation and allowed a small smile to grace her lips.

Ashlyn felt herself off her feet for a moment and tensed as Demetri touched her back. She relaxed as she realized he was only carrying her down the corridor somewhere. When he laid her down on the sofa she let herself relax, sinking into the comfort. She felt hair getting brushed aside, her eyes already closed. She barely heard what Reiji said as she slipped into a sleep. Just before she was out, she managed to tell him, ”Be careful.”

Ash found herself in the gardens of the Santiago household. She was in a blue dress from multiple decades ago that she had once cherished. Beside her was Reiji and she could feel the joy that she always felt with him. Their hands clasped, Ashlyn allowed herself to sink into his frame, her love for him leading her to be entirely trusting. She smiled at him and he smiled back before frowning at her. He looked hurt all of a sudden, as if something had happened and it was her fault. ”Reiji?” Ashlyn asked as she looked at the man she loved. He shook his head before running off leaving Ashlyn alone, her chest heavy as she wondered what had happened.

Ash suddenly saw a flash before a piece of cloth came over her head and into her mouth. Ashlyn attempted to scream, to tell Reiji she was in danger and that she needed him, but she couldn’t. She felt rough hands grabbing her and she felt weak. She struggled as her sister materialized from one of the bushes in the garden and fear clenched her gut. What had Luciana done to her? What had she done to the Santiagos? Was that why Reiji had run off without telling her?

While Ash rested within the drawing room, four Santiago witches stealthily made their way into the room. Quickly the band of witches surrounded the poisoned female witch, hoping to use the element of surprise to their advantage. One held a gag and rope, and the other three chanted a spell in order to prevent Ash from using her magic against them. Luciana had taught them well during her time tutoring the Santiago coven, and they were not taking any chances with her sister. In a fair fight, she was far older than any of them, and they would have had their asses handed to them. They preferred to fight dirty and survive another day.

Ashlyn woke from her nightmare suddenly, finding herself to be in a very similar situation. The nightmare had been all too real, extremely similar to that night so long ago that had brought her world crashing down once again. Ashlyn moved to push the one gagging her with her magic away but felt a sudden pain as the magic was stripped from her. Her headache was roaring though she was able to finally think clearly. She had been drugged, with the same drug that had kept her prisoner for years. Ashlyn struggled but the men were ruthless in their onslaught of magic and brute strength. Her skirt ripped as she attempted to flee before she was restrained with rope.


Once they had her fully subdued and restrained, the largest of the men threw her over his shoulder roughly, not caring if he hurt the ill witch. Her well being was not any concern of his. The brute peeked both ways down the corridor before the four of them made their escape with Ashlyn in tow, using the hidden corridors of the castle to remain unseen by the Santiago family's guests. They knew the castle almost as well as the family did, meaning this had been planned for quite some time. The huge one silently packed the girl through the woods without a problem, but if she thrashed about he did not mind tightening his grip on her to a painful degree.

Ashlyn groaned as her stomach dug into the rough bone of the man tasked with carrying her. The air was knocked from her lungs and she struggled to breathe as she was carried roughly. Ashlyn felt hope as they moved to leave the drawing room but it came crashing down when they took the hidden corridors. They knew the castle as well as she did it appeared. There was only one person she could think of who would be as prepared for her as this. Ashlyn struggled, her back flaring in imaginary pain as she relived one of the worst pains she had ever felt when her sister ordered her whipped. Ashlyn could only imagine what Luciana would want to do to her.

The three of normal height trailing behind them continued chanting, just in case Ashlyn's poisoning was not producing the desired effect. If she regained even a little control, they knew that they were all as good as dead, "Ready to see your sister again, Ashlyn? Oh, we've heard so much about you... You have no idea how much she’s missed you.” The large male taunted in a deep voice, laughing almost manically, well aware of her sister's reputation and what she would likely do to Ashlyn given the chance.

Ashlyn felt tears spring to her eyes as the man’s grip tightened on her waist harshly. She could hardly take in air now with the jarring motions he made and the tightness in which he squeezed her waste. She gasped into her blindfold as he made a particularly large movement that caused her ribs to hit his shoulder blade hard. Ashlyn’s headache seemed to increase but Ashlyn could feel her body attempting to reject the poison. It had never won before but it didn’t keep her body from trying.

Ashlyn ceased moving as she tried to conserve her strength. If she was to face who she thought was behind this, she would need to have as much strength as possible. She closed her eyes, attempting to concentrate as she relaxed as much as possible. She heard a voice asking about her sister and Ashlyn’s fears were confirmed. Luciana was the only one who could ever control Ashlyn. How her eldest sister had cherished the ability. Ashlyn groaned softly in pain as he moved and tried to relax more so the pain would be less sharp.

If the witches trailing them continued to chant, Ashlyn’s magic would not return for some time. If she could get even one of them to cease, she would have more of a chance. How she would do that though, Ashlyn had no idea.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Reiji Santiago Character Portrait: Anise Delopar Character Portrait: Bishop  J.   Santiago Character Portrait: Demetri Santiago Character Portrait: Tanzy  McNeal
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Bishop Santiago


Bishop nearly sighed, not yet able to enjoy playing with his maid when she was obviously so anxious and fretting over insignificant things. As Anise bit her lower lip and dared to think he wanted her gone, Bishop felt his agitation at the boy from her past grow. Like hell he wanted the little shit to come and take his Anise! And as far as why it mattered, he loathed the thought that she cared enough about someone else to send them a letter and money. Why wouldn't it matter?! "Of course you're needed! Don't think such nonsense!" he countered, letting out a huff. Why oh why did his little maid downplay herself? Why was she so flighty around him? Surely she could tell that he wasn't going to lash out at her like he would at anyone else?

Thankfully, her flushed cheeks were charming and adorable enough to bring his mind from his frustrations, looking upon her pink complexion with an amused half smile. He arched a brow as she nervously tried to insist that her experiences- or lack thereof, were unimportant and dull. He had half a mind to tell her he thought otherwise, but her expression swiftly changed again. Bishop had a moment to marvel at how smoothly and quickly her moods could shift from one moment to the next, even a few words enough to draw her mind into a different train of thought (or so it seemed anyway.) When she spoke again, Bishop noticed her voice became quiet once more, Anise's expression not one he liked. Aside from her usual quiet and careful demeanor, she almost seemed wary. No, more disquieted if anything. Her worries only confirmed his suspicions- and added on his own more somber thoughts. She was that concerned with being turned into a vampire? While the redhead could understand her desire and even felt sympathetic, he was more so affronted. He was selfish, and the thought of not having his twin or his maid to keep him company for the entirety of his existence was unbearable.

Shoving such thoughts aside, Bishop shook his head at the ebony haired young woman, deciding he may as well clarify. "While you do have to drink blood to become like me, it isn't quite so simple. You only turn if you are at death's door. If you are within death's grasp and you are given a drink from a vampire, then you will turn. It also works best when both feed from each other, but the main requirement is you'd have to be actively dying." Bishop watched Anise's face to see how she'd react to the information. Well, it wasn't important now at least, so if she wasn't ok with the idea, he'd discuss it later.

Fortunately, Anise soon took on a far more acceptable expression and demeanor as they strayed from the topic of vampirism. He nearly chuckled at her delayed response to his offer to clean her up, seriously contemplating making good on the offer. Before he could tease her more, a giggle met his sensitive ears, her soft voice not escaping him as she seemed to find his words amusing. Bishop quirked a brow, ready to ask why she was snickering at him when her eyes softened, her gaze slowly making it's way to his face, her own flustered.

As subtle as the movement was, Bishop noticed easily that she was once more becoming tense and on edge, her pink cheeks and nervous movements nearly enough to make him begin questioning her again. She answered him however, and he found an amused smile beginning to tug at the corner of his lips. It was swiftly replaced with a sigh as she continued, praising the rest of his family as well. And fretting about some stupid guests. "You could've stopped with saying I'm not repulsive..." he muttered, only half admitting it to her that he wanted to be her focus right now. It took considerable effort not to pout.

He was bemused at how quick she was to defend her honor, those rosy cheeks a pleasant color on her, even if indignation was part of the reason for becoming so flustered. Anise sputtered through her words, obviously insulted as well as embarrassed. Adorable. The red head smiled at her defensive retort, already knowing she was telling the truth before he heard her answer.

She was quiet as he touched her, his hands easily able to feel her body shiver at his finger upon her lips, his breath near her neck. He was pleased he could do that to her. Anise's hands clutched at him, nearly making him grumble and ask why she was so damn nervous, so scared at his movements.

He inwardly berated himself upon hearing her heart hammer in her chest, her cheeks a satisfying crimson as she looked upon him in bewilderment. It vexed him to think he hadn't realized she thought he was going to bite her (not that he wasn't tempted to, but still). He assuaged his inner folly by deciding he must have simply been in the process of reaching said conclusion- he had figured it out as she was speaking- so she interrupted his thought process. Yes, that was the answer he was going with...

Bishop arched a brow before rolling his emerald eyes at her fretting over her station. Really? That was her concern? "And? What's your point?" he asked, completely unfazed by the thought of being cozy with a common girl, -specifically, this one. He allowed her a chance to speak, noting with satisfaction how flustered and bewildered she seemed. Silly girl. Her fretting and innocent uncertainty were admittedly charming to see, though he quickly took on a more serious expression as she questioned his sincerity.

"Obviously. Why on earth wouldn't I be?" he questioned, shaking his head slightly before taking her hand in his own. "In any case, we may as well dance since Demetri went through all this trouble. Come, you owe me a dance, we can discuss this later." with this, the temperamental red head wasted no time in leading Anise inside, ignoring the stares of the noble ladies in attendance as they stopped in their tracks to try and get a dance from him. Surprisingly, he didn't see or smell Demetri anywhere in the vicinity. Odd for a party goer like him. But then again, Demetri was a fan of the ladies, and was known to flirt and canoodle with many a willing partner. Bishop dismissed his twin's absence for the time being. After all, it wouldn't be the first time the charmer had retreated midway through a party for personal time with a woman who caught his fancy. 'Found yourself a companion for the evening have you, brother?' he thought wryly, hoping his twin was at least enjoying himself. It had been a while since his vivacious brother had entertained female company- and it had almost been to the point of worry. Bishop was more than eager to see Demetri's usual enthusiasm and outgoing nature return to normal.

Tanzy McNeal


When the song ended, Tanzy took the cue from her master (and the other dancers around them) and dipped into a curtsy as he presented her with a bow. Thinking this was enough for Reiji and he'd be off attending to other guests, he surprised her by leading her off for refreshments- by the hand no less! Her cheeks burned a light pink, thanking him softly as he handed her a drink. The taste was better than she had anticipated, her particular preferences only favoring about half of the usual alcoholic beverages the family tended towards.

Reiji's unconcerned reply earned a look of surprise, the young woman tilting her head as he spoke. She had thought he'd care very much, so to hear him say otherwise was most unexpected. She wondered if that meant he wanted her to actually dare give him his request- a thought that further caused her cheeks to redden. Before she could ask, he finished his thoughts, telling her to forget such a notion and wait- though he almost sounded...disappointed? Perhaps she was imagining his sigh. Tanzy nodded to convey her attention to his words as well as her understanding, not wanting him to think she was ignoring him. "As you wish sire. So I'll...I'll give you a k-kiss later..." she whispered softly so as not to be overheard, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks as she said it.

As the next song began, people once more began to dance with their chosen partner, while others sought to find one. Tanzy glanced over at Reiji, remaining silent as he closed his eyes to listen. As hard as it was to read the vampire lord, she was at least clearly able to see he enjoyed music. The male looked most content when music was playing, and she kept as quiet as she could lest she interrupt him as he listened.
It wasn't long until he opened his eyes again, the ruby orbs landing on her no-longer flushed face.

The moment didn't last, her cheeks coloring a bright rosy red at his question- the situation more embarrassing due to his close proximity and the momentary feel of his voice on her ear before he pulled away. She noticed his smirk was back, and she wondered for what was surely the hundredth time if he was simply screwing with her head.

Tanzy bit her lip, daring to glance over at her master even though her face was bright pink. Why he cared to know what she thought of him she wasn't entirely sure, and while he had said she fascinated him, she still wondered. He called her pretty, beautiful even, but surely he didn't mean anything by it. And now he was amusing himself with asking for her opinion of his physical attributes. Surely he knew already how aesthetically pleasing he was? She had no doubt women told him readily, and frequently, that he was the perfect image of nobility and looks.

What part was her favorite? How was she to have a favorite? Why would she have a favorite? The maid managed to keep her gaze towards Reiji as she contemplated how to answer. What did he want to hear? What did he think she liked? What part of him stood out to her?
She knew the answer already, she never had to think about it. It was what she envisioned any time the opposing sex's looks were brought up.

"Your face, sire...your eyes, your hair..." the words slipped past her lips before she could stop or think about how to answer. But in the end, it was the truth. She felt the heat rise in her own face even more as she admitted to him being handsome. "Y-y-your face and it's features...are the best..." she confirmed, voice a soft, embarrassed squeak now. Unable to keep her eyes on him, Tanzy looked away to hide her cherry red face, hoping against hope to calm her nerves.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Reiji Santiago Character Portrait: Anise Delopar Character Portrait: Ashlyn Locksley Character Portrait: Bishop  J.   Santiago Character Portrait: Jason Olivander Character Portrait: Demetri Santiago
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Bishop Santiago


Bishop's eyes lingered on the ebony-haired maid as she contemplated his words, her anxiety all too easy to detect. Though why she was so nervous was beyond him, and it made any teasing far less enjoyable. He didn't want her to be so damn timid all the time. He had seen her resolve, seen her strength, so why did she insist on hiding it from him? He cared little for the current topic of conversation, resisting a frown at the thought of Elizabeth and Edward. Why did his little maid care one way or the other how a vampire was made? Despite not particularly enjoying the current path of conversation, he nodded in response to her question, shrugging indifferently. "Correct. We are one of the few pure blooded families."

He was more than glad to have changed the topic, her sudden surprise and renewed blush reviving his mood considerably. She reacted adorably as he complained, beginning to explain herself. Despite his words however, she once more didn't specify him as she admitted to being shy about giving compliments to someone in his station. Her nervous giggle, cute though it was- still hid some underlying worry. Bishop arched a brow, scrutinizing her even as he began to lead her towards the ballroom.

Her stunned expression did not escape his notice, the redhead noting how she all but sputtered in astonishment at his assurance he was serious. Silly human thought he was joking. Or was her station still making her fret unnecessarily? He would most assuredly have to remedy such thinking soon.

Even as he led her by the hand and bemoaned her current skittishness, Bishop was swiftly caught off guard by the sudden change in Anise's demeanor. The nervous drumming of her heart was still present, but she was asserting herself with what courage she could muster. Bishop stared in bewilderment as she insisted upon going and getting herself fixed up first. Pride as a woman?

She gave him no chance to argue or even respond before scurrying off to her quarters to change and freshen up. Shoving his hands into his coat pockets, Bishop followed her with a roll of his eyes. Women. So flustered by their own appearances. She didn't look that bad! He kept his complaints to himself, hovering outside her door and shaking his head. Since when did being disheveled and slightly bloody mean a lady was a royal whore? Her logic was eluding him, and it earned another roll of his eyes as he thought about it.

Bishop folded his arms across his chest, drumming his fingers along his upper arm as he waited, trying to keep from getting too impatient. He supposed her refreshing herself wasn't so bad an idea. After all, he didn't want the idiot butler being nosy (where was that idiot anyway?), nor did he want to receive some bullshit from the prick or admonishment from Ashlyn.

About ready to rap on the door and ask her how long she was going to keep him waiting, Bishop was met with the soft voice of his human, her stammering more adorable sounding than usual. The request was more than enough to shake any disapproval or impatience from his mind, an amused smirk forming upon his lips. This was turning out to be much better than he originally thought.

Glancing up at the creak of the door, the redhead stepped inside without hesitation, eyes scanning Anise from head to toe in silent approval. He liked color on her, but the white suited her just as well. Leading her to stand in front of her vanity, Bishop took the laces in his hands with a mock innocent tilt of his head. "Why, having some trouble with these?" Bishop began to lace them up, tugging them so they were snug, but being careful not to make them tight or constricting. Leaning closer, he rested his chin on her shoulder, letting his breath caress her ear as he worked.

"There, how's the fit?" he all but purred, flicking his tongue out to gently tease the back of her ear, nipping it lightly with a smile, making sure she could see it from the mirror. Hands going to her waist, Bishop tugged Anise so her back was pressed against him, simply holding her still for a few moments. "You're no whore, so erase such absurdity from your mind." he admonished with a frown, only to smile once more and raise a hand to her cheek, stroking it gently before playing with a lock of her hair. "Now, shall we go and enjoy a dance or two? Then...well, we'll see how the evening goes after that..." he invited in a silken and sultry tone, allowing her imagination to fill in the blanks with whatever thoughts (lascivious or otherwise,) might run through her mind.

Tanzy McNeal


Sipping at her wine in an attempt to seem calm and not completely out of place, Tanzy was brought to reality as the touch of her employer's gloved hand prompted her to look up at him. His touch elicited a slight blush and a questioning gaze, wondering what it was he was thinking. His smirk only deepened her blush, the sultry, teasing tone resounding in her mind as he spoke, once more using a term of endearment to further confuse her. He looked forward to the kiss, though she was nervous just contemplating it. If he didn't like it, he wouldn't amend the agreement!

A momentary silence met her reply, the maid now wondering if he was somehow unsatisfied with the answer. But it was the truth. His features truly were striking, and while his eyes were unusual, they commanded her attention all the same. His face was undoubtedly well shaped, the family's good looks not lost on him. And his dark hair looked silken and soft to the touch (not that she'd dare think to touch it and find out for herself). All in all, he was the epitome of a handsome Spanish gentleman. But surely he didn't need to hear it from her.

Before she could try and change the subject or look for an opportunity to politely let him go and mingle with his guests, Tanzy was greeted by his mischievous eyes and all too familiar smirk. Her pulse began to quicken ever so slightly as her cheeks flushed with color, this time more or less prepared for his teasing. Even so, she squeaked slightly in protest as he tugged her rosy cheeks, all but pouting at him as he did so. She wasn't a child! Though being called adorable certainly flustered her enough to silence any further objections. Why did he like messing with her so much?

Her cheeks burned brighter as he coaxed her chin, and consequently- her head, up so her eyes would meet his. Heart drumming just a bit faster, Tanzy was caught in that ruby gaze of his, and powerless to ignore the noble before her. His question earned a brief reprieve from her flustered state, her gaze uncertain for just a moment. Ashamed? Did she seem so? She didn't have a reason to be ashamed, did she?

"I'm not 'ashamed' sire..." she said softly, trying to think on her words before speaking them in haste. She had let her mouth run far too much this evening already. Being flustered did not help in her being calm and collected!
"I'm...embarrassed, I suppose. And, I cannot see why you are so intent on knowing my thoughts. I am not used to such attentions." Feeling her cheeks grow hotter, she managed to gently pull her chin away from his hold, staring down at her feet as if they would provide some miraculous insight. She only hoped she hadn't offended her master.

A young noblewoman finally approached the Santiago lord once he was no longer holding the chin of what was apparently his maid. Adjusting herself once more, she inched through the clusters of guests to stand before Reiji, smiling in a coquettish manner.

"Signore, it is an honor to be invited to your party. And may I say, you are far more remarkable in person." Tucking an errant strand of copper hair from her face, the more than just slightly buxom woman made an effort to appear demure and charming. "Forgive me signore, I- I don't mean to be so brash! I just had to meet you for myself. And..." Looking up at him with doe eyes, the noble lady cocked her head to ever so slightly avert her gaze in a show of shy innocence.
"I was wondering, if perhaps you might grant me a dance? Just a single dance with you would be an honor enough, signore."

Tanzy marveled at the lavish dress the noble woman was wearing, thinking the woman a rather fetching young thing. Probably had plenty of suitors of her own. Taking a step back from Reiji, the maid wondered if he would accept the offer. Not really much reason not to, and she was sure many a guest would jump at the chance to socialize with any of the Santiagos. No sense in interrupting him. She had almost felt like a noble herself for a brief time, but now reality was back. Tanzy felt a little dismayed, but shook it off; she had danced more than she ever had already. It was admittedly nice while it lasted. How many other common girls could say they ever got to experience dressing up and dancing at a ball? Even so, she found herself more than just a tad out of place and lonely. Tanzy glanced around, anxious and wondering where Anise was. Surely seeing her friend would soothe her and brighten her spirits. Besides, she had yet to make sure the ebony haired girl was alright (a fact she was once again internally berating herself for.)