Jane Christopher's Story

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

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

From: Demetri

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Jason sat up quickly in the dead of night. He could feel the mattress beneath him soaked in sweat. He looked around at the ground around him, littered with other mattresses that held his siblings. He looked out the small window the apartment's room held. Jason tried to calm his breathing rapidly as he listened to his brothers' even breathing. They had all already said goodbye. Looking at the sun, Jason saw it setting. He had been curious about why the carriage with the horse was coming so late, but didn't ask. He didn't even ask why his employers preferred a carriage with horses when they could probably easily afford a car if they so pleased.

Jason stood, knowing it was time to get ready to leave. He carefully made his way over the crooked and warped wood of the room and made his way to the kitchen. He slipped his shirt on as he walked in, closing the door behind him only to turn around, faced with his mother. She smiled sadly up at him. "You don't have to go," His mother says, soft and tired, sad that he was leaving. Jason shakes his head as he approaches his mother. "You know I have to," He says softly, holding her in a tight hug as she cried. She didn't want him to go, but he needed to. If he didn't, well, the family couldn't possibly last much longer what with his siblings needing school and all. "I love you," She sobs, "I love you so much." Jason breaths deeply, running his hand over her back in the comforting way she always did for him. "I love you too. So so much," Jason says softly.

When his mother left, going to bed as she needed to in order to wake early the next morning, Jason began to collect his case. He gathered his writing materials and what he was working on into the family suitcase which he would take with him. He looked around at his house, or apartment rather, with sorrow in his eyes. He looked at the door of his sisters' and mother's room, that of his brothers' room, the small room they spent their spare time in. Everything seemed so small now, for whatever reason, he couldn't tell why. He walked towards the door, wondering how he would possibly bare to be so far away from them for so long. He slipped a note onto the table, one he had written days ago, not being able to cope with the other option. Write often and work hard, I love you all. ~Jason

Jason read it over once, then slipped on his jacket, and left. He walked down the steps of the apartment's and onto the cobbled path. He walked past the wrought iron fence that surrounded the property and towards the carriage. He wondered yet again why he was being transported by horse and buggy, or carriage rather, but wouldn't judge his new employers. If they liked it, he wouldn't hesitate to abide by it. He rather liked the curious animals anyway. Jason climbed into the carriage, setting his case at his feet, ready to go.

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Jane looked down at her sleeping brother. He was exhausted and his fever was running yet again, It was as if his body was getting worse so she wouldn't want to go to her new job. She didn't at this point, but she didn't have any other choice really. She stared down at him, willing him to open his eyes, even if it was just for a moment. Just to say goodbye, but he didn't. She couldn't wake him when he was so beaten from trying to work when he clearly shouldn't. That was why she was going away, no other reason. She needed to.

Jane stood from where she had knelt beside the bed. She made sure the sheet covering him was as far up as it could be. She made sure he had water at his bedside, that he had a basin to put a cool cloth in should he need it for his forehead, and even a small loaf of bread should he get hungry. She didn't want him out of bed and didn't want him to possibly worsen his condition when he needed to really get better.

Jane quietly left the room and grabbed her bag, looking inside once more to make sure everything she would need was in there. It wasn't much. It was two dresses, a few spare coins, and a few small trinkets to be there for comfort. She would need them when she was going to a strange place with strange people to do strange work she had never done before. How could she be a maid? Why did she take this job? She didn't know the first thing about caring for a persons every need. Unless, of course, they needed it. Even then she didn't know if she was doing more harm than help or what.

As Jane slipped out of the house, she began to go up the dirt path leading to the main road. Her house sat on a small hill in the middle of rolling farmland, a tree standing over it to provide shade. She had sat under the very tree so many times growing up. She had climbed it, read in it's shade, and even fallen from it, but the childhood memories came back of her suddenly in a strange way. Maybe it was because she was leaving and wouldn't see it for a while. That must be it

She crested a hill and saw in the distance a carriage that was drawn by two horses. They both reminded her of those she had grown up with and smiled, her steps more joyous as she found herself attracted to the enchanting animals. She smiled at them as she walked up, running her hand over their nose as she came closer. The beautiful and majestic creature stared at her with it's eyes of endless knowledge that only it had access to. With an inward sigh, she resigned herself to get in the carriage, it would, after all, be her first step to a new life that would be more beneficial than anything else she had ever done before.

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In the carriage

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Jason looked at the girl sitting across from him in the carriage. He wasn't entirely sure what to say, so he figured introducing himself wouldn't hurt. "My name is Jason..." Jason says with a smile, breaking the silence. He stops before realizing he might want to continue. "What do you two go by?" Jason asks.

Jane looks up at Jason and smiles slightly. He was trying to make things not so quite, well, quiet. Jane looks at the girl beside her. She too had brown hair though hers was long compared to Jane's own short hair. "I go by Jane," Jane says softly. When Jason offered her his hand to shake, she was surprised, but took it. "Nice to meet you Jane," Jason says gently, as if Jane was somewhat unnerved by him. She was slightly, but she didn't think it was that obvious.

Jason's attention turned to the other girl in the carraige, the one with the longer, and lighter, hair. "I'm Camie, just Camie." she said, picking up a strand of her hand and twirling it around in her fingers, in a slightly nervous gesture. Jason nodded, smiling at her and shaking her hand as well. He didn't know what else to say. He didn't think the others would want to share why they were going, it would, or could, be personal. Some people just weren't as friendly or open as he was at times. "A pleasure," Jason commented as he shook her hand.

When they arrived, Jason climbed out quickly, offering a hand for the ladies. He grabbed his suitcase and began walking towards the gate. "Do we just go in?" Jane asked staring up at the gate. Jason frowned and shook his head slightly. "I don't know," He says with a curious note. He pushed gently against the gate and found it to open. Walking through it, he shrugged inwardly. Why not?

The house was huge, easily a manor that could fit any royal for some occasion. "I suppose we should knock however," He says as he approaches the door and knocks on it as he would his house should he be coming home late.

“It realy came, huh?” Camilla muttered to herself quietly as she saw the horse carriage stop at the assigned meeting point. A horse carriage? Those nobles do have weird taste when they could have cars. It seemed a little too old fashioned and made her slightly uneasy. She had felt the same thing when she met her employer, and for a moment every cell in her body was telling her to run. And her instincts were quite accurate, in fact, she could have sworn that he was not breathing… She shook her head slightly to ignore the feeling of impending doom that was creeping upon her. Nothing could go wrong. Ok, so maybe they had a few odd tastes and fetishes, but she wasn’t the one to judge.

She clambered into the carriage, pouting slightly at its height, as she studied the other occupants in it. There was a girl with short, brown hair and a man with black, and she gave them one of her fleeting rare smiles. They were in the same situation, and she hoped that they could be friends that hopefully will last longer this time round. She settled next to the girl, playing with her hair out of habit as the whole carriage filled with silence. Brilliant, the first day of her job and things were already going smoothly. Her mouth twisted into a small scowl as she stared out of the window, the carriage bouncing on the cobblestones. There was a storm boiling outside, and she hoped they got there soon. She didn’t particulary love the wet weather, it brought back unpleasant memories of trying to find shelter as the icy droup kept falling on her skin, soaking her clothes, and the hopelessness she felt. Was anyone going to say something? She fidgeted slightly, uncomfortable in the silence.

She opened her mouth, about to speak when the man beat her to it."My name is Jason... What do you two go by?" The girl sitting next to her, with short, brown hair, slightly darker than her, spoke first, saying that her name was Jane. She simply listened quietly as they spoke, and she was almost a little startled when he addressed her. Knowing that he was probably expecting a reply, she said the first thing that came to her mind. “I’m Camie, just Camie.” She said, picking up a strand of her light, hazel hair and toying with it again, feeling the softness and silkiness of it, before shaking the hand that was offered to her, feeling slightly embarrassed as she did so. It was all very new to her, like she was seeing and hearing for the first time. As the carriage was submerged into silence again, she regarded the two people before her, wondering what their personalities were and toying with their nicknames. In fact, she was debating on a few tempting ones when the carriage screeched to a stop, stopping before a huge mansion that almost took her breath away. The ‘big wigs’ or so the children had called them, sure were rich. Which comes to the question why they didn’t buy a car in the first place…

Hesitantly taking the hand of Jason, who clambered out first, she hopped off the carriage and landed on both feet, doing a playful pose before she looked up at the iron gates, both awed and intimidated at the same time. At Jane’s suggestion to go in, she instinctively reached for the hairclips she hid in her hair, planning to pick the lock if it was locked. She didn’t want to get stuck out in the storm, but before she could do something drastic, Jason was a step before her for the second time in the day and pushed against the iron-wrought gates and they swung apart, allowing the three of them to get in. Now, when they stood outside of yet another set of doors, she felt the sense of impatience eating away at her, as she pulled out one of her hairclips out when Jason finished knocking.“I can pick it open if they don’t answer it?” she offered, taking a closer look at the designs on the lock. “I could make short work on this one.”

Demetri woke by falling out of bed. His dreams tormented him each night. Angelo's corpse, the wolves.. He couldn't sleep through any of it. He sat up, rubbing his head and letting out a few choice curse words all the while. His emerald eyes shifted to the curtains, which reminded him. Today the new help arrives.. He stood, going over to his closet and tossing off his night clothes. He grabbed the first suit he could find. He first put on his pants first, and gladly so. Just as he finished, his sister entered the room.the outfit He quickly buttoned his shirt, frowning a bit.

”Deme! You meanie! You make new dresses for the girls, for our guests, and I don’t get one?"

"Belle, doors exist for a reason. We're not children anymore.." His cheeks were slightly flushed, a mixture of moderate irritation and embarrassment adorning his cheeks. He ran a hand through his wavy locks before placing his hand on her shoulder, a serious look on the man's face, "Those outfits are definitely not appropriate for my sister. I apologize." He smiled a bit at her laughter before ruffling Mirabelle's hair, mostly to annoy her back. He quickly moved outside of her arm's reach, grabbing his jacket and sliding it on. He really didn't have motivation that led him to get up every day, but he had to move forward whether he liked it or not. If he let time truly stand still, if he succumbed to his depression, he'd surely go insane. Putting his thoughts to the back of his mind, Demetri buttoned his jacket, continuing his life as if nothing was wrong. That's what he did every day since he slaughtered the nearby village. He never even spoke of what he'd done. He woke the next day pretending that it hadn't even happened. He tilted his head at his sister, wondering what else was on her mind as she gave him a hug. She typically sought extra attention when she was troubled or had something on her mind.

"Are you ready to meet our guests?" He probed, attempting to dig out the source of his sister's visit. The emerald eyed man doubted it was only to toy with him. That could be done at any time of day, especially when he was dressed more...presentably. He slipped from her arms and grabbed his tie, beginning to work his magic with it. He could remember his step-mother constantly reprimanding him for being unable to tie a tie. Ever since he set out to learn, and now he always wore one. He hoped she could see him from wherever she was, and he hoped she shoved her cruel words down her throat and choked on them.

Then he heard the knock downstairs, smirking to his sister, "Looks like we've got something to do~ Castiel and Reiji seem to have our current maids a tad bit..busy.." So he knew about Anise's suffering in the hall? It wasn't like Demetri to allow his brothers to extend unnecessary cruelty to the young women..

He took little time in reaching the door, mostly because he skipped the stairs entirely. He was to the ground and at the door in less than ten seconds, hoping Mirabelle was shortly behind him. The red haired man opened the door, smiling down at the two females as he leaned against the doorway. He caught the youngest right in the middle of her first sentence and he chuckled to himself. She reminds me of.. His mind shifted to his previous maid, to Alice..

“I can pick it open if they don’t answer it? I could make short work on this one.”

"That won't be necessary.. Though I'd love to hear how one such as yourself acquired such a skill.." His voice was smooth, like silk, but had a subtle masculine quality to it as well as he spoke, "I will show each of you to your rooms. You should get dressed after making yourselves comfortable, because we will be having dinner shortly.. Anise and Tanzy have prepared an excellent meal and we'd appreciate it if each of you join us. I have supplied your work attire as well. You can find the box on each of your beds." He informed them, ushering for them to follow him inside of Castillo de la Muerte. The inside was quite glorious. Chandeliers and Victorian furniture.. They were quite rich indeed. The Santiago family refused to conform to modern technology. He also didn't want to linger with the door open, enough terror came from inviting strangers into their home. "I made each outfit myself, based off Reiji's judgement of course.." He decided not to inform them that as vampires, they each had a keen eye for mathematics... the clothes were likely to be scarily precise, down to the slightest centimeter.

He wanted to leave it up to each of their employers to inform them, he wasn't going to ruin anyone's fun. He then smiled, leading them up the stairway, "Camilla, your room is across from Anise. She's rather nice and she will definitely help you with anything you need. Don't hesitate to utilize your placement." he informed the small girl, pointing to her room. He noted her small stature, wondering just how old the girl actually was. She appeared to be even younger than Anise when she began working for the Santiago family.. He gave her a warm smile before his eyes shifted to Jane, "You're across the hall from Tanzy, she's also a quite useful and sweet dove. Albeit Tanzy can prove to be a little more blunt than Anise." He chuckled, pointing to her room as well, remembering Tanzy's arguments with Mirabelle as her name crossed his lips. The two were like fire and ice when they were brought together.. A mischievous smile crossed his lips before returning to the task at hand.

Then his attention finally turned to Jason, "Your room is at the end of the hall for decency... I hope you find the room suitable, and during suitable hours you may visit Anise and Tanzy for guidance. Though I advise you to keep your visits to decent times, for my twin can be quite...possessive of Anise and Reiji is quite... temperamental and also territorial of Tanzy." He approached, a smile on his face as his cold hand patted Jason's shoulder. Demetri wasn't threatening him, more of giving the poor boy a proper warning. He wasn't sure what type of man Jason was, but he didn't want anything unfortunate to happen because he failed to supply proper information to the new help, "I assume we won't have to worry about that though.. Also, a warning to everyone, Reiji does not tolerate rude behavior.. his punishments are quite unorthodox so I advise you all to be courteous." He chuckled.

He moved to depart, but turned on his heel sharply, "Camilla, you're going to be my personal maid once your duties begin. I have very few rules.. but I do intend for you to learn how to properly pour wine and to wash laundry. Most other things I prefer to do myself... Jane, you're my sister Mirabelle's maid.." He looked to his sister, checking for her reaction. She assumed that she wanted the butler, but Reiji, being an older brother was very protective. Then he adjusted his tie and continued, clearing his throat, feeling a little uncomfortable. He hoped that Reiji informed their sister of this, otherwise Demetri was going to be the one to receive the blunt end of her disappointment, "Finally, Jason, you're my brother Bishop's replacement, Anise has been transferred as our eldest brother, Castiel's personal caretaker."

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“I can pick it open if they don’t answer it? I could make short work on this one,” Camilla spoke up. Jason looked at her, surprised and curious about the ability and where she might have come about it. He, for instance, had no clue how one could possibly pick a lock with nothing more than what they had on him. He would need dynamite as a minimum what with his skill at it. He was about to say something when he noticed the door open and saw a figure with red hair standing in the doorway. He heard someone welcome him and wondered who it might be until he thought he saw someone else.

"That won't be necessary.. Though I'd love to hear how one such as yourself acquired such a skill... I will show each of you to your rooms. You should get dressed after making yourselves comfortable, because we will be having dinner shortly... Anise and Tanzy have prepared an excellent meal and we'd appreciate it if each of you join us. I have supplied your work attire as well. You can find the box on each of your beds. I made each outfit myself, based off Reiji's judgement of course..."The red haired man said as he ushered the three in. Jason noticed a slightly shorter blonde girl beside him, the one who must have spoken, though his real attention was on the entrance.

The chandeliers and finery of the wealthy family was amazing and rather expensive looking. He had known the family was wealthy considering they were hiring two new maids and a butler, but he had expected less than, well... this. His ideas of a wealthy person were quite different though he didn't vocalize it. He was still in awe that someone could own so much in the palace their home was.

Only then did his newest employer's words register. He had made all of their uniforms. How interesting that was in itself. Jason looked after his new boss as he began climbing the stairs, following as he figured they were supposed to. He let his hand drape over the rail. "Camilla, your room is across from Anise. She's rather nice and she will definitely help you with anything you need. Don't hesitate to utilize your placement. You're across the hall from Tanzy, she's also a quite useful and sweet dove. Albeit Tanzy can prove to be a little more blunt than Anise." The man continued. He pointed out the girls' room and explained. That left Jason wondering just how many people lived in this house. How many other servants did they have?

"Your room is at the end of the hall for decency... I hope you find the room suitable, and during suitable hours you may visit Anise and Tanzy for guidance. Though I advise you to keep your visits to decent times, for my twin can be quite...possessive of Anise and Reiji is quite... temperamental and also territorial of Tanzy." Jason was still looking at the large place while he listened to the explanations. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to find the red haired man giving him a smile that seemed to be friendly enough. Jason thought over the man's words. With what he had already seen, his room was certain to be more than suitable. He had his own room. He would definitely go to the girls mentioned to know what he would need to do and know how to do it, though he was certain he would make sure it was at decent hours. He didn't want to anger any of the household and he certainly didn't want to come across as bad in any way.

"I assume we won't have to worry about that though.. Also, a warning to everyone, Reiji does not tolerate rude behavior.. his punishments are quite unorthodox so I advise you all to be courteous." Jason nods his head without hesitation, "Yes sir, of course. No worries." Jason was earnest in his promise and didn't want to come across as bad on his first day. And what did the punishments entail? It couldn't be much more than a cut in salary or no dinner. What else could be done with an unruly servant?

He seemed about ready to leave, then seemed to remember something and came back around. "Camilla, you're going to be my personal maid once your duties begin. I have very few rules.. but I do intend for you to learn how to properly pour wine and to wash laundry. Most other things I prefer to do myself... Jane, you're my sister Mirabelle's maid... Finally, Jason, you're my brother Bishop's replacement, Anise has been transferred as our eldest brother, Castiel's personal caretaker." This made sense of some of the oddities that was around him, but certainly not all of them. The girl, Mirabelle, was a house member. There was at least four brothers, and a set of twins in that. Jason hoped they weren't extremely identical for that would leave problems for him.

His own boss had lost his servant to Castiel, who Jason didn't know. As he was left to go about his own business, Jason moved to go to his room. He nodded at Mirabelle and Demetri, giving a slight bow and saying, "Excuse me please," Before going down the hall towards his room. As he arrived, he set his case on the floor by the door, looking around curiously. He noticed a box on his bed which was by far the best he had, or will, sleep in. He walked to it, opening it to find a note on top.
From Demetri:
Welcome to Castillo, I'm sure you will have many hardships along the way, but finding something to wear will never be one of them. I'd like to know how it fits.
Hardships? Possibly. Jason smiled at Demetri's note. That was the man's name. He was liking the man more and more. Setting the note aside, he tried on what was a suit. It was not like most with it's informal collar, but Jason liked it. He was going to look in a full length mirror the room held when he realized that it didn't just fit, it fit perfectly, as if it was custom made to suit him. He froze. How did his new employers know his measurements? Even his sleeve was at the proper length. He sighed slightly in disbelief, it was probably just that he was of the same stature and near height of one of the brothers. That must be it.

Jason just looked in the mirror once more, then moved to put his suitcase on the table. He wondered where he should go. He didn't think exploring would be a good thing, and he didn't want to try to seek out one of the experienced maids, but he certainly didn't want to stay in his room. He emerged, walking down the hallway while looking around. He traversed the stairs, standing in the entrance way yet again. The only other place he knew in the mansion besides his room. Instead of traveling any further, he looked at the ornate furniture, the chandelier, and at the various ways he could potentially go, but wasn't too keen on trying. He certainly wanted to meet the one he was going to serve most, but he wasn't sure how to go about with that. Dinner was probably best for that.

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“I can pick it open if they don’t answer it? I could make short work on this one,” Camilla spoke up. Jane smiled at her in appreciation. Skills such as that, the ones nobody ever expects, those are the more interesting and fun ones to possess. "That won't be necessary.. Though I'd love to hear how one such as yourself acquired such a skill... I will show each of you to your rooms. You should get dressed after making yourselves comfortable, because we will be having dinner shortly... Anise and Tanzy have prepared an excellent meal and we'd appreciate it if each of you join us. I have supplied your work attire as well. You can find the box on each of your beds. I made each outfit myself, based off Reiji's judgement of course..." Jane sees a man who she believed most be one of the family members spoke. "Welcome, welcome," Jane saw a young blonde girl say. Jane smiled at her as well. She seemed friendly enough ,things here couldn't possibly be too bad if everyone was so friendly.

The obvious wealth of the family was incredible. The finery and beauty that was throughout the entire mansion was spectacular as far as she could see. She moved forward, walking in to stand next to Camilla, looking at the man with red hair since he seemed to be the one in charge between him and the girl. Maybe they were related, or possibly just friends.

"Camilla, your room is across from Anise. She's rather nice and she will definitely help you with anything you need. Don't hesitate to utilize your placement. You're across the hall from Tanzy, she's also a quite useful and sweet dove. Albeit Tanzy can prove to be a little more blunt than Anise." The red haired fellow started off talking to Camilla, but when she noticed his pause, she looked back at him to find his gaze on her. She smiled softly at the name. She hoped the two would get along, otherwise working here wouldn't be entertaining whatsoever. This man did say that she would be useful though she may not be gentle with her approach. Jane would be okay with that so long as she wasn't rude or mean in which case she would probably ask Anise who sounded friendly enough as well. Names, however, could be deceptive. Why was the man causing her sweet dove? She was curious about it, but didn't think she should tell him to stop. What message would that send. It wasn't like he was bad looking however. Maybe, just may-. No. She was here to get money that she needed, not have feelings for anyone that employed her.

Jane didn't really pay attention to the words of the red haired man as he spoke to Jason, but instead, looked between the two. "I assume we won't have to worry about that though.. Also, a warning to everyone, Reiji does not tolerate rude behavior.. his punishments are quite unorthodox so I advise you all to be courteous." Jane was about to ask what could possibly be a punishment that sounded as this man made it sound. She frowned and shook her head, dismissing the notion that it could be anything bad.

"Camilla, you're going to be my personal maid once your duties begin. I have very few rules.. but I do intend for you to learn how to properly pour wine and to wash laundry. Most other things I prefer to do myself... Jane, you're my sister Mirabelle's maid... Finally, Jason, you're my brother Bishop's replacement, Anise has been transferred as our eldest brother, Castiel's personal caretaker." This certainly surprised Jane in a way. She hadn't been expecting the blonde girl beside her. She could tell the blonde was whom the red haired man was referring to when he looked at her, somewhat nervously in a way. She spoke up then, clearing away any possible hesitation on the thought.

”Reiji already informed me... Gave me a whole speech of complete nonsense. I will convince him eventually though. But don’t get me wrong.. It’ll be a pleasure to have you. Yes… A pleasure indeed.” The girl by the name of Mirabelle said as she came in for a hug. Jane was surprised and accepted it, confused as she did so and giving the red haired man a questioning look before her attention turned back to the girl. She certainly was friendly enough. There was nothing wrong with it however and Jane didn't care too much.

"Well, thank you. I'm sure it'll be a pleasure," Jane says softly as she steps back. Jason left after politely dismissing himself. "I suppose I should get ready then. It's been a pleasure meeting you all. I guess I'll see you all at dinner then," Jane says as she steps into her room. She closes the door rather quickly, her heart sinking. She was so scared. She was in a place with people she didn't know, in a place she didn't know, working for people she didn't know. They were kind and friendly enough so far, but what if she messed up? She couldn't possibly serve anyone a drink without it falling and she had no skills other than sewing though why would they need that in such a place as this where they could toss anything they didn't want anymore.

She sighed, standing and placing her bag on a small table by her bed. She sat on her bed, staring at the box that the red haired man had mentioned. She wondered of his name. She wanted to think of him in a different way, as a boss, as an employer, not as how she thought she might be. He probably was engaged or something along those lines and she should just leave it at that. Jane looked at the box yet again and lifted the lid, not wanting to keep anyone waiting.
This dress is compliments of Demetri, I hope you like it. I hope you have a wonderful time here at Castillo. If you ever find yourself needing anything, feel free to stop by my door. Anything I can do, I will. Get dressed, little dove.
Again with the little dove nickname. Jane smiled slightly at it. It was cute and she rather liked it though she wouldn't tell him. If she did, well, she wouldn't in any case. She set the note aside. She might just have to take him up on his offer should she not know what to do or how to do something for Mirabelle that Tanzy couldn't help with. She didn't know what that could possibly be. She was a teenage girl after all. How hard could she be to assist in her daily life?

Jane took out the maids outfit and nearly choked. It appeared rather small and didn't seem as if it would cover much. She reread the note and looked back at the dress. This was it then. She quickly got into the dress, leaving the cuffs off for now. She looked at herself in the mirror. It wasn't as bad as she thought though her shoulders were bare. She smiled slightly, it fit perfectly done to the last seem. Demetri was gifted with dress making if he really had created it. She would have to commend him and see if he would allow her to know how he did it.

Jane looked down at the cuffs and slipped them on, unsure what else she could do with them. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair just barely reached the bottom of the cuff on her neck. The headpiece sat on the crown of her head, not doing anything except being decorative really. Jane smiled at her mirror image, then moved to her bag. She opened it and slipped out an old, cheap necklace her brother had made her and slipped it on. In her time of nerves, it would serve as a boost to her confidence hopefully. The neck collar covered it up for the most part though it didn't if it moved too much in which case she just needed to cover it up once again. It wasn't difficult at all. She walked to the door, opening and glancing out before leaving it open and going back to her room to put away the now empty box, but leaving the note on the bed to put in her bag. She thought the note cute and a small reassurance that she was to work here and that she needn't be so worried.

Camilla’s eyes widened slightly as she was interupted half-way through her suggestion my a man with flaming red hair. “Bloody-“ she almost swore in her shock, before she clasped her hands over her mouth as she gave the man a glare in response to his chuckle. "I will show each of you to your rooms. You should get dressed after making yourselves comfortable, because we will be having dinner shortly.. Anise and Tanzy have prepared an excellent meal and we'd appreciate it if each of you join us. I have supplied your work attire as well. You can find the box on each of your beds." Anise and Tanzy? Oh, well she should have expected other maids in there, it was a mansion after all, they’ll need all the help they could get in maintaining it. Another, smaller girl emerged from behind him, giving them a playful bow, cheerfully welcoming them to the mansion.“T-thanks?” she replied hesitantly. Are those two related? They sure had the same air of mystery exuding out of them. "I made each outfit myself, based off Reiji's judgement of course.." the man continued, and Camilla looked at him, shocked and quizzical, cocking her head slightly. He made them? A man? She wasn’t sure whether to admire him or think that is an odd habit for a man to be having. At least she learned something new…

"Camilla, your room is across from Anise. She's rather nice and she will definitely help you with anything you need. Don't hesitate to utilize your placement." Anise? She made sure to keep that name in her mind, she’ll need help in learning how to even clean and cook, having absolutely no idea how to do those things. He then continued to tell the other two where their rooms will be, warning them again that Reiji, their employer, does not tolerate any behavior that is out of line, and that his punishments were rather ‘unorthodox’ whatever that word meant.“That sadistic bastard…” she muttered under her breath, toying with her hair once again.

It’s over? She thought a little wearily as the red haired man finally turned to leave after his long speech, but he turned back. Apparently that wasn’t all to it. She braced herself for another long talk, but he just said"Camilla, you're going to be my personal maid once your duties begin. I have very few rules.. but I do intend for you to learn how to properly pour wine and to wash laundry. Most other things I prefer to do myself... Jane, you're my sister Mirabelle's maid... Finally, Jason, you're my brother Bishop's replacement, Anise has been transferred as our eldest brother, Castiel's personal caretaker." “Mmm… Ok, I’ll be going then, see you guys.”

She headed down the halls to find her room, stifling a yawn. Listening to long talks without getting bored was apparently not one of her strengths, and she was almost glad that the talk was over. Striding down the halls to find her room, she stopped in front of the one opposite hers. “Anise, wasn’t it.” She lifted her hand to knock on it, waiting for a reply. There was none. Hmm? Maybe she was still busy… Camilla had been looking forward to seeing what her senior looked like, and she stepped back, slightly disappointed, going into her room. When she saw the bed, she immediately flopped down into it and buried her face into the pillows. It had been a tiring day for her, there was too many things to see and hear, and many that she couldn’t wrap her mind around. “Ow!” she let out an involuntary yelp as her foot hit something, and she turned around, irked, to see the parcel on the bed. Was that the uniform he had told them about? She opened it to see a maid’s outfit with a small piece of paper resting on top of it.

As my personal maid, know you can come to me with anything. I hope you have a comfortable stay. I will do everything in my power to protect you from any dangers you may face, I hope you find the outfit fits properly. I understand you're quite young, but as long as your work is sufficient I will treat you the age you act, rather than the age you are. See you soon, tiny dove. Tiny? She couldn’t help but smile at that. Oh we’ll see, we’ll see. She set the note aside before pulling out the outfit, nearly throwing it on the bed. What was with that…that… It felt that she would die a horrible death in that mountain of frilly material. That must be the most erotic thing… She turned her back on it and calmly counted to ten, before turning back to it. Ok, ok she will not rip it to shreds. Deep breaths, Camilla, deep breaths. She slipped on the dress, leaving the cuffs aside as she checked her reflection in the mirror. It was too girlish for her liking, but she kept it on for the sake of not offending her employers. Especially the mysterious sadistic bastard.

Finally, she put on the collar on her neck, wondering why it was buttoned. Was that needed? It was not like they were going to detach it or anything. She placed the head ornamont on top of her flowing hazel hair, pinning it in place before heading out, unsure of what to do next. Was she supposed to find her ‘master’ or something?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tanzy felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise in trepidation as Reiji frowned, fearing the worst. How long would she survive this reassignment? She didn't doubt the man would not hesitate to eliminate her if she displeased him in any way. His words didn't sound angry though, and hearing the glasses being placed aside on his desk, she dared to glance up at Reiji. He didn't need the glasses to see? In spite of her situation, she found her gaze lingering for a second in curiousity.

A part of her wished to combat him and ask how she could possibly not be gloomy in such a circumstance. This hardly felt like a promotion, it felt like a waiting death sentence. She managed to hold her tongue, a look of surprise and confusion in her features as the intimidating vampire before her continued. To be told to not go into a room without permission was one thing, but to not enter a room at all? That was a new one to her. And even more surprising was that he forbade her from cleaning said room. Why would she not clean his quarters? She assumed that someone who kept their room tidy would more than likely automatically clean their work space as well. Deciding it best not to ask for now, she tried to reason in her mind that his room was probably something he wanted full control of, his privacy and belongings too personal to share.

Tanzy nodded as he spoke, listening to Reiji's commands with growing confusion. Be nice to the new help? Did he think her rude? Mean? She never thought she was unduly disrespectful or unkind, and if so, no one had told her such. The only person she truly felt animosity towards was his sister Mirabelle, and she didn't go out of her way to encounter the vampiress.

Finally prompted to convey she understood, Tanzy nodded once more and managed to look up at her new master as she spoke. "Yes sire..." she murmured, only to hear and see none other than the object of her rare but unwavering dislike. Bowing slightly to Reiji and giving a curt nod of her head to Mirabelle, Tanzy excused herself, taking a deep shaky breath before straightening up and heading to the kitchens, remembering with a start that the final preparations needed to be completed.

Tanzy arrived just seconds shy of her friend, giving Anise a gentle and hopefully reassuring smile. She didn't want her friend to worry about her. Looking with apparent approval at the cakes so finely baked and decorated by the ebony haired maid, Tanzy double checked the serving platters, helping Anise load them to place upon the table in a lavish presentation.
Turning at the sound of an unfamiliar voice, the maid saw a young brown haired woman, the stranger inquiring about the food and a sample. About to answer, Tanzy was handed first the chicken and then her now-finished potato salad to put onto the cart and wheeled into the dining room. She flushed at Anise's praise of her food, wondering how Anise could not think she was just as good in the kitchen as she.
"You flatter me Anise. I'll start placing the dishes out, the table is set already, so don't worry about it. We just need to bring out the food and drinks." Tanzy loaded the first two platters onto the small dining cart, pushing it out to place them on the table.

Glad everything still appeared to be picture perfect, Tanzy settled the golden brown chicken in the center of the table as the showpiece of the dinner. By the time the table was finished, there would be a neat line of platters along the center of the table and a bowl of bisque as an appetizer already waiting at their place as people seated themselves.

Looking at the beautifully browned poultry, Tanzy clenched her fists, unable to banish Reiji's threats against her friend from her mind. She knew what she would do now. She hadn't had a chance to say it, but as soon as Reiji summoned her, she knew what she had to say. She feared the man, but if he would listen to her, then maybe she'd at least be able to make an arrangement that would offer some slight peace of mind. She vowed to take it up with her master as soon as they were alone once more.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"That's sounds like a wonderful idea,"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"..Master Santiago.."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tanzy swallowed hard, awaiting the repercussions with dread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Ready to eat, baby brother?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Heh, I'll be lucky to tell you two apart within a month."

Demetri chuckled at this and shook his head, "You'll get the hang of it faster than you think." He then pointed to his face, finger at the right side, below his mouth "I'm the one with the freckle." He gave Jason a wink before parting ways. Demetri straightened out his suit before finding his spot next to Bishop. He couldn't help but smile at this. They always kept him close to Bishop due to 'behavioral' issues, but currently Reiji was parading around like a king stricken with madness. It was a bit biased in his opinion...

He made his way to his chair, smiling to his twin beside him, "I heard the commotion, are you going to be alright, brother?" He asked, green eyes flashing concern. He meant to keep out of family affairs, but Bishop was like his other half. Keeping out of things that involved Bishop would mean shutting down half of his brain in the process.

Demetri noticed out of the corner of his eye that Camilla and Jane hadn't taken their seats yet. He didn't mention it, but he hoped they would soon, else they receive a harsh scolding from Reiji and the family dinner would be ruined with bickering. He looked to his glass of wine, the smell taunting him in unimaginable ways as he waited for the cue to do so. He licked his lips as he stared at the glass. Demetri obviously had a drinking problem...but aside from getting blood drunk, like Tanzy and Anise had witnessed... substance never seemed to truly effect him, or Reiji for that matter, despite the amounts they consumed.

"Tonight, the appetizer is a creamy tomato bisque. For dinner, Anise and I have prepared deviled quail eggs, roast chicken, potato salad, fresh rolls, and corn on the cob. For dessert, Anise has created for you two rich cheesecakes, one apple, the other cherry. We have a chilled rosé wine for dinner, and for dessert we have a light chamomile tea."

Then Reiji's wave of a hand brought Demetri's drink into his hand with almost inhuman speed. He brought the glass to his lips far more slowly, not wishing to alarm their new guests. By then everyone was seated so he tilted his head over to Camilla, "Just in case...work your way in on the silverware. If you mess up a little no one will notice..." He whispered with a wink. Then took a sip of his wine once more. Well, perhaps it was more than a sip..

"Master Santiago, I know it is not my place, but might I speak with you after dinner for but a moment?"

Tanzy's voice rang in his head and he located her to be next to Reiji by the sound of it. What is she trying to keep so discrete..? He smiled, but decided now wasn't the time or place to reveal his sibling's acute hearing. His siblings probably had their own way of revealing their nature to their maids. He wasn't going to spoil their fun.

”Jane.”

He then took a moment to smile to his sister, whom looked as if something was bothering her. Nothing is going to happen under our watch.. He thought to himself, but he wasn't sure if that was more to reassure himself, or Mirabelle. He gave her a reassuring smile, before looking to Camilla again, "Is there anything on the table you'd like me to reach for you, little dove?" Her arms were so thin and small he doubted she could reach most of the nearby assortments.

"Are you certain that you're ready for such a large crowd...? If you need any help with names, or otherwise, I can assist you. I hope you enjoy your meal, Lord Castiel."

It seems all is going well, for now. I guess we all can have a peaceful dinner if we set our minds to it.. He closed his eyes for a minute, frowning a bit. The only thing that was missing was music... though he'd forgotten to rent a band for the night... That was his fault he supposed, but it didn't stop it's absence from spoiling his meal..

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Jane looked at those around her, taking her time to look each in the face just to see the family’s appearance. There was a variety of hair color though they all looked to be rather young. The only ones that were not questionable whatsoever were Demetri and Bishop, both with the same hair and same face.

Jane looked down at her plate, wondering how on earth she was going to figure this out. She wanted to just use one utensil for everything if she could, but didn’t know if that would pass with this family. They seemed laid back, well Demetri did, but she was still worried. She looked at the wine before her. She hadn’t really had a lot of wine in her life and was slightly curious. She looked at the others momentarily, seeing Jason was just downright staring at the girl called Anise. Taking a sip of wine, she heard Demetri whisper something Camilla about the utensils, but didn't quite catch it. Great, now she really was doomed. She couldn't very well lean forward and ask him to repeat what he said at the dinner table. That would be extremely rude and probably not something the head of the house would approve of.

Jane’s attention then turned to the most silent brother at the table. He had blonde hair and was sitting quietly, looking as if he was comfortable but not at the same time. She wondered why he was different than his brothers. She could already tell things about them. The head of the house, the one the other maids were calling Master Santiago, was definitely in charge and didn’t like anyone challenging him. Demetri was pretty comfortable with everyone, Mirabelle seemed to be considering something, and Bishop was, well he was the only one Jane hadn’t really picked anything up from. One thing was for sure though, all of them had their own looks in one way or another.

Mirabelle spoke her name and Jane smiled at her, giving her a nod of greeting. She took a sip of her wine, listening for a moment and hearing a somewhat familiar nickname. She rolled her eyes inwardly as she heard Demetri’s nickname for the maids. She smiled as she set the wine down and took up her spoon, guessing wrong on the utensil.

She wasn’t sure who to talk to since she didn’t really know the brothers and those that she did know seemed to be interacting with someone else. She didn’t want to butt in or interrupt though so she stayed quiet. She slowly brought her spoon to her mouth, amazed with the taste of the bisque. She wasn’t quite sure what was in it, but it was truly spectacular.

She looked down at her plate, not knowing what to say to anyone and certainly doubtful of whether or not she should even say anything at all. Her stomach held butterflies and she wasn’t having a good time so far, just because she felt left out and odd not knowing anyone. She didn’t tell anyone, but sat their quietly. She wasn’t entirely open at the beginning, only being open after she had at least known the people she was with for a little while.

Jane wondered what else these brothers had in store for the new help that night. She wondered whether or not all her time here would be like this, her being quiet. She hoped not, but wasn’t entirely sure.

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Jason felt broken when he heard her speak her name. He felt himself almost fall into despair and his food, almost losing everything that held him up in his disappointment. In his disbelief that she wasn’t who she looked like. He took a deep breath, his chest aching slightly. Heartache wasn’t a real problem was it? He didn’t think so, yet here it was.

”I'm Anise Delopar... It's a pleasure to meet you, ...Jason?" Jason hid his disappointment behind a mask of surprise. He looked at her with new interest that was nonexistent in reality. ”Anise Delopar? The pleasure’s mine. I’m sorry, I just… you look exactly like someone I once knew. Jason Olivander,” Jason says, reaching for his glass of water rather than the wine. As he eats, he doesn’t once reach for the wine, being extremely careful not to touch it.

”This dinner you and… Tanzy was it?” Jason checks, wanting to make sure he was getting close to getting some names, ”The dinner is really spectacular.” Jason wanted to talk to her, but at the same time was unsure. She looked like his Alice, sounded like her and everything, but wasn’t her.

He ate, copying the others choices in the utensils for the various food. He refused to be left behind in trying to catch up to his mannerisms at the dinner table. ”Anise, how long have you worked here for the Santiagos?” Jason asked, genuinely curious about this girl.

"Tonight, the appetizer is a creamy tomato bisque. For dinner, Anise and I have prepared deviled quail eggs, roast chicken, potato salad, fresh rolls, and corn on the cob. For dessert, Anise has created for you two rich cheesecakes, one apple, the other cherry. We have a chilled rosé wine for dinner, and for dessert we have a light chamomile tea."

Reiji took his seat first, followed by his siblings and the hired help, in no particular order. He glanced around the table in a bored fashion, cupping his wineglass and twirling it in his palm idly as she gave the list. It wasn't like he didn't hear her loud and clear. The occasional inconvenience of being supernatural was definitely the exceptional hearing abilities. Some things he'd heard in his lifetime just weren't worth repeating. He wished he could be more selective with what his ears registered. An off switch would definitely sweeten the deal of immortality immeasurably. Not to mention the smell of her blood invading his nostrils. She had been a very bad girl today. Feeding her blood to her former master when he strictly stated she was now his? That wouldn't do... He'd surely have to punish her for her disobedience..but he'd give her a chance to defend herself after dinner. Perhaps she could find some excuse to deter him from his pursuit of retribution.... however it was quite unlikely.

"Master Santiago, I know it is not my place, but might I speak with you after dinner for but a moment?"

He knew her attempt of secrecy was in vain, but gave no visual evidence of it. What was it to him if her efforts were in vain? It wasn't like he was the one with something to hide. His crimson eyes followed her to her seat, a small smirk crossing his lips for a fleeting moment before his flat expression returned. He took a sip of his wine finally before standing, clicking a spoon against his glass gently, "I would like to make an announcement before we all become entangled in what I am certain will be quite meaningful conversation, I want to welcome Jason Olivander, Camilla Eden, and Jane Christopher to our home. I want everyone to give them the proper Castillo de la Muerte welcome... I am Reiji Santiago, acting head of house and your new employer. I have three rules, One... Do not steal from me or my family.... Two... Obey the lord or lady you've been assigned to... and Three... Never enter my living quarters under any circumstances... if I've made myself clear, I hope each of you find your stay....." He trailed off, searching for a suitable term, but his voice was eerie and a far too sadistic for the friendly dinner's atmosphere. It left a chilling cloud over the room that was definitely more than a little hard to shake. "tolerable.. With that, I urge everyone to enjoy their meal.... converse...and by all means, have fun.." He gave the crowd a playful wink before raising his glass and taking a sip. He sat down, eyeing Jason knowingly. He knew all about his situation with alcohol. He knew everything about the poor boy's life. Out of the three, Reiji personally sought out Jason. He did so intentionally, due to his relationship with Anise's twin sister. He never met Alice, but he heard quite a bit in the past year. Apparently she was more insufferable than Anise and that was quite a feat. He couldn't stand the naive and shy act that the demon child fooled his siblings with so he intended to cause her as much discomfort as possible. Perhaps Bishop and Castiel would see her in a different light if another man came into the picture. There was no way this once drunkard wouldn't fall for her annoyingly bright smile and sickeningly clumsy charm. Anise made him want to gag. Sure she was no longer all lillies and daisies.. but she still held so much determination and will despite her obvious lack of ability. Had she not signed a lifetime contract he'd of fired her immediately. She could get the job done when cleaning was concerned and was an amazing cook, but she was clumsy and broke many priceless vases and irreplaceable decor.. compared to Tanzy however, she was a novice at her trade. She and Tanzy were derailing his family from their foundation. The only solace he found from this situation was that Tanzy was a more manageable human. She had her uses, and she was also quite entertaining to say the least. She didn't irk every fiber of his being like Miss Delopar. If Bishop and Castiel hadn't interfered he'd of ended her miserable life in the hall. It wasn't like she would mind. The past year she had been moping and crying during the daylight hours. He wasn't sure if his siblings knew, seeing as it was their natural time of rest...but due to his new obligations he discovered she was a lot more irritating than he previously knew. Her sobs weren't the worst of it, either she was having nightmares or she was going mad because several occasion she addressed her deceased sibling as if she were in the room with her alive and well.

Killing her would have been a service to everyone in his opinion. He gave out a huff and began eating his bisque, once again admiring Tanzy's meal, but inwardly pouting that it didn't contain the delectable morsel's blood in it. Favoritism? Another naughty mark, my little maid.. I do look forward to punishing you, love.

"Keep staring boy, and I'll remove your eyes from your skull."

"Dear brother, that's no way to present yourself to your new butler..." He said in a scolding manner before standing, making his way over to Bishop and placing a firm hand on his shoulder, "I hand picked him, just for you. Apologize to the boy, now. I'm sure he's prepared a reasonable explanation for why he's gawking at your former maid." Reiji denied himself the chance to smirk, Bishop for once was making the mockery of himself and Reiji was being a dutiful older brother, reprimanding his younger sibling's rudeness and squashing a possible fight that could reveal the true nature of the family to the new help far too prematurely. Such a good brother I am..

He took his seat once he made his brother's threat known to the entire table. His intention was not as pure as some would think. Reiji knew exactly what he was doing and none of it was for the human's sake. He was attempting to validate his position as soon as possible. If Castiel's memories returned, it could be taken away from him within the blink of an eye. He needed someone in his corner when that happened.

Vampires were beautiful creatures; flawless in appearance, wise in knowledge. They had the speed and strength any human would die for – the heightened senses of an animal. They were a force to be reckoned with, but Mirabelle saw it… Saw that the one thing that would bring them down was themselves. They weren’t a family at its strongest when they were together, but amidst a civil war that seemed to be a secret. Sure, they could come together in disaster, it was proven the night the wolves attacked, but Mirabelle couldn’t fight the feeling that they only fought together for the fear of losing whatever it was to someone else, other than each other. Her eyes first settled on Reiji. She studied his face while her hand idly held the spoon amongst her food, gently toying with what she couldn’t bring to her lips. She found the boyish features that she used to know. The way he held himself, the way he spoke and asserted his dominance as he took Bishop made her the slightest bit uncomfortable. Mirabelle didn’t react, didn’t move. She merely looked down to her food until the spout was over.

She thought about his rules, and then thought about the small corner she had taken over in his room. There was a spot clear just big enough to fit the girl if she sat in the Indian style position. It wasn’t all that lady like of her, but she found it more comfortable than perched on the edge of a chair. Mirabelle meant to take up the least amount of room possible, but that’s where she studied when she needed his guidance. She would leave traces of her writings behind, mostly of either practiced penmanship or notes left on paper tucked away in books. She wasn’t just learning how to read, but learning what was inside the books. It wasn’t just childish stories anymore, but deep concepts of philosophy and the questionable lies in a book meant only to be myths. Many nights before he’d wake to her presence, she’d whisper prayers of one day finding him to wake as the man he used to be, not the man that would kill her if she didn’t state her presence quickly.

Her thoughts turned to Castiel, and so did her gaze. It was strange to see him.. It was strange to see all of them amongst each other, but Cas most of all. She only knew very little of him as a vampire. She only saw what he had become the night she came home – the man that would have killed her had she not proven to him that it was her. The girls of the home had taken an extreme liking to him, constantly checking to see if he was okay, but the man that sat beside her was a complete stranger, and she was finally beginning to accept that.

And then there were the twins. Bishop and Mira never had a close bond, but they did care for one another. She loved him just as much as she loved any of her brothers, but nothing compared what he and Demetri had. She supposed she was always jealous of their relationship, but never once tried to harm or take away from it. Mirabelle had felt more alone than she had been while she was away.

Her gaze fell upon Jane. That girl was going to be her salvation. Mirabelle didn’t know it yet, but she was going to come to find the female incredibly important to her. She watched Jane in the way she moved, in the hesitance in her actions. All three of them, so innocent, so naïve. They didn’t have a clue on what they were getting themselves into, and that almost succeeded in making the female vampire feel.. guilty. Then the ache in her fangs returned and she remembered exactly why they were there. Reaching out to grasp her glass and ease the tension, Mirabelle raised it in the air.

”A toast. To new beginnings, new memories, and new relationships.” She paused and looked amongst the men at the end of the table. ”To family.” The last part was more to herself than it was to the others, but she gave them all a forced smile and took a sip of her drink, only wishing the meal would end faster.

Tanzy felt a shudder run down her spine as Reiji smirked at her retreating form, uneasy even though the expression lasted only a moment. She wasn't sure which was worse, seeing his anger, or not knowing if his wrath awaited her. She knew it was foolish to think he didn't smell her blood in front of Castiel, and his expression gave her no heads up about his mindset. She supposed she'd find out eventually. Glancing over at the blonde male as he sat quietly in front of his food, Tanzy opened her mouth to ask if he needed anything, only to remember the new arrangement just in time. She closed her lips, biting on the inside of them slightly in distress.

About to eat, Tanzy noticed one of the new maids looking more than a tad lost. The poor girl was obviously unsure about how to go about navigating the table settings, and looked sufficiently- -and understadably, anxious. Leaning closer to Jane, Tanzy inwardly thanked whatever had inspired her to seat the older of the new maids to her right.
"Don't worry, just start from the outermost utensils and work your way in. And anything above the plate is for dessert." Tanzy whispered quickly, finally turning her attention to her own food.

She once more was interrupted from taking her first bite, a clink of silverware on glass arousing her attention as it was intended to. Reiji was finally making his debut opening announcement to the new comers, and though the words sounded pleasant enough, his eyes and his demeanor left her on edge. She shivered, glancing around the table and likewise lifting her glass after the siblings. After taking a nervous sip, Tanzy finally sipped her first spoonful of bisque, her appetite somewhat impeded despite her hunger by a coil of nerves in her stomach.

The young woman merely glanced up as Bishop threatened the new butler, feeling sorry for the man, but not particularly worried. Bishop was indeed frightening, but he was at least predictable. And despite his threats, he could be talked down by certain individuals. She had no doubt he could and would carry out a threat if angered enough and pushed to, but he didn't hide what displeased him, which made things much easier. Besides, so long as he didn't harm Anise, Tanzy was willing to accept him.

Reiji's voice and sudden movement to reprimand the hot-headed twin made her flinch, uneasy and wary of the man's wrath even when it wasn't directed at her. If he threatened Bishop, she worried that he would in turn threaten Anise, her friend seemingly the only human of any worth to said redhead.