Meltdown

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito smiled at Aliya, his features melting in a way that they only did around his family and close friends. He reached out to touch the side of her Ali's face as she pulled away from him, smoothing his thumb across her cheek and searching the depths of her eyes.

"I'm glad," he murmured.

~~

Eryn looked into Alex's face and felt her heart freeze. The shifter still remembered the first time she had seen that face. Alex had just been pulled off the street by Kaito who'd brought him home and tried to get some of Fiore's home-cooked clam chowder into the near-starving boy. The Great Dane had clucked over the younger male endlessly as Kai sat on the counter, watching Alex and Fiore closely.

Eryn had barged into the kitchen, ranting about her latest case, but she had stopped short when she saw the dark eyes looking up at her from the table suspiciously from over a bowl of chowder. The panther hadn't moved a muscle, gauging the stranger's reaction to her. The boy looked at her for a while longer before he relaxed, putting his nose back into his bowl of chowder and chowing down.

The panther had moved slowly across the kitchen to where Kai was sitting, her eyes drinking in Alex as if she had been dying of thirst. In those few moments when her eyes met his, she had felt something...a connection that she hadn't felt in a long, long time.

"Who is he?" she had asked, knowing that she wanted him. And only that. Then she had seen Kaito's face and her heart had dropped.

Now Alex stood in front of her again. Eryn half-hoped that his eyes would light with recognition when he saw her, but nothing filled them but dull curiosity. He didn't remember, but the same frisson of wonder shocked her senses when she looked at him, especially after so long. It was the same feeling she had gotten when she first saw him and, now....when she looked at Belthezar.

Finally coming back to her senses as she saw the interest in Alex's eyes sharpen in response to her unnaturally long pause, the shifter choked out an answer, "E-Eryn. I'm Eryn. Who's asking?"

The shifter gave a sassy smile to smooth over her earlier social faux-paus as they continued to look at her before flipping her hair over her shoulder. Her false confidence paid off in the end as Bastet finally nodded as did Eschaton. Abaddon reached out to take her hand, but her eyes were still riveted on Alex who hadn't moved and was cocking his head to the side in a queer manner as if trying to remember something.

[†Arisen†]

The girl blushed a little, but smiled. She gently pressed his hand to her cheek and closed her eyes for a moment, simply relaxed standing in a close proximity with him. And, for once, her succubus heritage didn't flair and she was simply a girl, standing in the kitchen, dealing with the fact that her brother, whom she thought dad for years, could be alive.

She was simply Aliya.

~~

Belthezar waited until Eryn seemed like she might move. And she didn't, he went to her, giving a polite bow to Eschaton and Abbadon before he took Eryn's arm gently.

"Come, little sister, its not proper to stare," he said softly, keeping himself from turning to Alex, focused on Eryn instead. he knew it wasn't right to come up from behind them the way he did, but it couldn't be helped. Eryn had been staring far too long for it to be simply dismissed.

Belthezar simply hoped she'd come with him.

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito watched Aliya's face for a moment, feeling her life thrumming under his palm as her blood rushed through her veins. He could feel the effect he had on her as her blood sang to him of cold nights curled up together under warm covers, the faded memory of the taste of hot chocolate, sunshine kissing her skin in greeting. All these images of relaxation flowed from her living flesh into his time-frozen skin and the vampire reveled in it. He imagined the world he had pictured earlier where he, Ali and Alex somehow managed to live in harmony and love and, in this moment, standing in his ordinary, everyday kitchen, Kai could picture the extraordinary event.

He sighed softly, smoothing his thumb over her cheek once more before gently turning his hand over to weave his fingers in between hers. Gently, he used his supernatural strength to tug the smaller girl against himself, giving her a small hug.

~~

Eryn had allowed Abaddon to grab her hand in a bid to distract herself from Alex, who was starting to stare at her a little too closely for comfort. The panther had been so distracted that she hadn't felt or seen Belthezar approaching and his touch on her arm startled her badly enough that she jumped and sidled closer to the Fallen. Her reaction caused the Angel of Destruction to round on the man who had come up so casually to touch her and snarl; a glimmer over Abaddon's shoulders showed where his glamoured wings were stirring in his agitation.

Uh-oh.... Eryn thought, instantly understanding the small problem she'd created by reacting badly to Belthezar. However, it had succeeded in dragging Alex's attention away from her and to her partner in this night's escapade.

"And who is this?" Abaddon bit out, imposing himself between Belthezar and Eryn as he stared at the other male menacingly. "I don't remember you having a brother, darling. In fact, I remember you being distinctly....unattached."

His eyes flashed to her with a bit of heat burning in the back as the shared memories of long, hot nights in the jungles of South America, the beaches of the Caribbean and of Greece and a myriad other places all over the world over the centuries passed between them. The look elicited a jealous growl from Eschaton, who stepped up next to Abaddon as if claiming him. The Fallen rolled his eyes at the Master Vampire's possessiveness before returning his accusatory gaze to Belthezar.

Alex and Bastet watched the whole exchange with barely-concealed interest. Though Bastet was obviously fuming that Eschaton was being so possessive of Abaddon, Alex was watching the whole conversation intently, his head still cocked to the side as if listening to a half-forgotten song.

Eryn saw all of this in the few seconds between Belthezar's unwitting touch and Abaddon's pointed question. Her eyes flickered as she saw Alex's reaction though, knowing that this was touching something in him that had been previously untapped. However, any further exploration of it would cause them trouble tonight. Though her soul yearned to be recognized by Alex and she knew that he felt something when he looked at her, the panther was smart enough to know that tonight's mission had been accomplished and it was time to get out.

The panther placed a soothing hand on Abaddon's shoulder as she passed him, eliciting another growl from Eschaton before going to stand by Belthezar. Her arms wrapped around his bicep comfortably as she leaned her head against his shoulder in a perfect show of companionship. Golden eyes connected with the Fallen's startled red ones as he looked at her questioningly.

"Eryn?" he asked unsurely.

"I'm actually trying out a communal living thing," the shifter answered with a smile. "There's a few shifters living together and I have to say that the...benefits..." her smile degenerated into a smirk, "are quite satisfying. Belthezar's living with us and gets perverse joy out of calling me his little sister." At this, the panther bared her teeth a little, nipping the older male on his shoulder with her sharp fangs, teasing him, but also knowing exactly how to drag out Abaddon's interest. Her eyes caught her old friend's again, blazing with heat and a blatant invitation, "You should stop by some time.... I think you would really like it."

Eschaton's chest rumbled with a growl again, but Eryn could see that the Fallen was intrigued...and so was Alex. Perfect. Now she just hoped that Belthezar would play along.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya gave a little startled squeak as she was pulled close, but soon smiled. She gave a small nuzzle into Kaito contently. Something in the back of her mind was whispering, but she ignored it.

"...Thank you, Kaito. Truely."

She felt like she'd been alone for so long. No family. No real friends. She'd closed herself off. She hadn't wanted to have friends, honestly. And now....

She gave a small, contented smile.

~~

Belthezar laughed at the bite, ruffling her hair, "You haven't complained about it before."

He twisted to nuzzle her hair before huffing into it, almost playfully.

"Are you <i>sure</i> we should invite them, sister dear? New blood might be fun, I agree," he hummed, then turned as if looking Abaddon over, "... I don't think I'd enjoy sharing much."

He gave a teasing grin, "Then again. I like the competition."

Belthezar looked over the others standing there, analyzing them.

"Should we extend the invite to all, sister? I'm sure they would enjoy it," he mused, picking at his bangs, "What do you say?"

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito just reveled in the feel of her body pulled up next to his before gently disengaging himself from the embrace. He smiled at Ali a little hesitantly, unsure of his welcome now that he had initiated contact. Feeling absurdly shy, the vampire tugged on their entwined fingers as she peeked at the smaller girl through his fringe.

"Would you, um, like to watch a movie with me while we wait for Eryn and Belthezar?" he asked.

~~

Eryn growled at Belthezar as if this was a common joke and she always scolded him for calling her sister, but huffed as he placated her by offering to invite Abaddon. Her eyes sparkled in pretended excitement, though the speculation in them was real, as she looked at her old friend...she wouldn welcome a good romp between the sheets with the Fallen. After all, their encounters in previous centuries had been the perfect remedy when she needed to blow off some steam.

Abaddon smirked at the cocky bastard standing with his arm around the shifter girl, seeing the speculation in her eyes and taking it at face value.

"Are you sure you'd win? After all, I know all the tricks to make Eryn's toes curl." At this statement, Eschaton loosed a deep growl and the panther rolled her eyes.

"Really, boys? No need for macho posing right now. Any of you," her eyes traveled from Abaddon to Belthezar and finally Eschaton. Allowing herself one fleeting glance of Alex, she turned back to the other shifter who was fussing with his bangs. She slapped his hand away, mussing them before expanding her purview to the rest of the group assembled behind the Fallen.

"I think the invite could be extended, as long as everyone uses their manners," a pointed glance at Eschaton. "After all, new blood is always fun... Would you like to stop by?"

~~

Abaddon glanced at Belthezar and then at the smaller woman standing next to him. His eyes glinted with excitement at the thought of the chase she would put them through. It sounded more fun than being Eschaton's bedwarmer for another few centuries. As he nodded assent, he could feel the vampire next to him tense. The angel glanced at his current lover whose eyes were narrowed dangerously...the Master Vampire needed to learn that he couldn't own everyone around him- especially not Abaddon. This chance would be the perfect thing to do that.

~~

Eschaton locked his snarls and growls inside himself, settling for leveling a death glare at the upstart little shifter that was creeping in on his territory. He refused to be chided for his manners again- especially in his own sanctuary! Though the Master Vampire wouldn't show it, he held deep feelings for his angelic companion and the thought of sharing...it made his blood boil. He would not allow this little bitch to take Abaddon from him, so he had to go along.

"I want in too," the vampire said.

"I want to come as well," he heard, turning over his shoulder to see Alex. Seeing the boy made him smile. Oh how I have you wriggling on a hook, dear brother, he thought venomously to Kaito before giving a swift nod to the younger male who was looking at him to see if he would be allowed. I'll let everyone use and abuse your little boy toy and break that scheming heart of yours...just for fun.

The smirk twisted his lips and momentarily relieved the pressure crushing his chest at the thought of Abaddon sleeping with someone else. Unsurprisingly, Bastet abstained, though her wide color-shifting eyes capture more than Eryn and Belthezar probably wanted revealed.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya blinked up at Kaito curiously. It seemed like an odd request, but they had nothing else to do. They were stuck waiting after all.

And Kaito....

She was sure he wanted the company. How long had he been here alone? Sure, he had the shifters to keep him company, but...

"All right," she smiled gently, "What do you have?"

~~

Belthezar smirked at the challenge, but backed down as Eryn spoke. This man, Abaddon, seemed to be worthy opponent in all areas. He almost had to remind himself of the situation they were in. He huffed as Eryn mussed with his hair, ducking obediently under her hand, letting her do what she wanted with it before standing. And that smirk returned when the Master wanted in.

This would be fun. Very fun.

Alex made the smirk vanish and he cocked a brow.

"You sure, kid? It can get pretty..." he paused, looking over at Eryn, then at Abaddon and Eschaton, "... <i>Violent.</I> I'd hate to see such a pretty face get shredded in some fit of pleasure or rage."

He didn't want Alex thrown in a fight. He didn't want Alex near at all. It would be too risky. Far too risky. But, he still had to play along.

"You're not human. You smell like one of those forsaken ones," he scrunched his nose in distaste as he leaned in for a moment to sniff the air, then leaned back.

He nuzzled into Eryn's hair, giving a whine, "I don't like his smell."

Belthezar was trying to play off insanity simply for the sake of it. But also to keep from being recognized. It was easy and left his thoughts scattered if anyone tried to pry in.

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito grinned at Aliya's simple reply. His face lit from within with boyish pleasure as he remembered times gone by from his human days where he had spent the evening in the pleasure of another's company free from any social stress or expectations. Sadly, his position had changed once he had become a vampire and had warped even farther from his simple life as he matured and came into his full powers. Though Kaito would never admit it, his powers far exceeded any normal vampire his age's and the only other vampire in this city who had a hope of taking him down was Eschaton....and that fight had a good probability of swinging the Asian vamp's way. Kai would never take Eschaton on though because he didn't want to draw the Harlequin's, the Vampire Council, attention his way. His life style, though not dangerous to exposing the Immortal community's secret was not exactly...normal.

Having Ali here was like being human again and it made him feel alive again. He'd had a similar feeling when Alex lived with him, but their were definitely subtle differences in how the two humans- or demons- made him feel. The vampire decided that was a good sign as he started leading the succubus towards the family room.

"Why don't we investigate? I know we have lots of Disney movies to keep Anastasia happy, but, beyond that, I'm not really sure..."

~~

Eryn wanted to grin, but she knew that would ruin the entire gambit. The entire ploy was going so well and she definitely did not want to spoil it with a misplaced expression. The urge to smile evaporated though as Alex stated his intention to join in.

Her eyes flit to him as she slyly suggested something to Belthezar about Alex's scent in a flat tone; she didn't even really hear what she said. All she could see was his seemingly frail human body as it broke under the other Immortals' passion. Though she knew incubi were made of tougher stuff than their appearances and that they only looked like this to entice others to them....it still made her wary. Plus, Kai would kill her if she slept with Alex.

Oh, he knew how she had looked at his lover. How she had lusted after him and why she had kept her distance from the couple. How she had secretly shadowed Alex after the vampire had returned him to his family. How she had silently mourned his lover after he died. The vampire knew, but he had let her have her little crush.

And now, now, Eryn had the chance she'd always dreamed about. Alex didn't remember anything and she wanted him. And she could see he wanted her....but she couldn't....couldn't betray Kai's trust like this.

The panther had wanted to entice Alex, but she hadn't wanted his participation. All she had needed was to drag Eschaton away so that Alex could be extracted. However, the chance to have Alex was standing in front of her....the panther shook her head and played along with Belthezar.

"I don't think so, boy," she said, smirking at Alex in an all-knowing manner. "You're a little too...young for this." At this, she looked at the other three males, tossing them each a knowing look. The shifter knew that all of them were much older than this kid and it would be much more fun if it was just them. Abaddon was instantly on board, but Eschaton still wanted to thrust Alex in the middle.

"He comes or we don't," was all the Master Vampire said, making Abaddon snarl.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya allowed Kaito to lead her, smiling all the while, "I'm sure some Disney movie would probably be the best way to relax right now, right?"

Lord knew the last thing they needed was something serious and heavy. something light and silly.

"Let's see... What do we have in the way of choices? Something funny is preferred. There has to be something, right?" She hummed, drumming her fingers against her lips in thought.

~~

Belthezar managed to pout in place of a growl.

"That's no fun. I don't want to break him. Boooooriiiing," he sighed, then smirked, "How about we do something else then. To decide if he can go. A game?"

He hummed drumming his fingers on his lips.

"You and me," he gestured to Eschaton, "A battle of wills. These two-" he gestured Eryn and Abaddon "--choose and agree on what we do. If I succeed, the boy comes another time. If you win, he can come with."

He knew it was stupid, and could only hope that Eryn picked something he could succeed in.

"What do you say? You like games, right?"

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito smiled at her softly, nodding his head in assent as he led her over to the cabinet where the family kept their collection of movies. As he opened the cabinet to show Ali his supposedly meager collection of movies, the vampire's eyes widened as they were met with a mountain of DVD cases that were perfectly alphabetized and organized according to genre.

"Wow...now I know were all my money is going," Kai joked as he pulled out two DVDs he had never seen before, glancing cursorily at the descriptions on the back before replacing them into the immaculately maintained movie cupboard. "So, what would you like to see?"

~~

Eschaton glanced cursorily at the other male, judging him silently. A competition? Really? However, the Master Vampire could see no way out of this particular situation other than relent on his decision to take Alex. The boy's eyes practically pleaded to let him come along and the vampire refused to lose face, especially in front of his rival for Abaddon's bed. Finally, a smirk graced the vampire's lips as he bowed his head a little in acknowledgement.

"Games are my forte," he admitted, glancing at the Fallen who snorted, having been involved in one too many of his lover's schemes lately.

Eryn's grin was sharp enough to cut as she glanced at Belthezar, her eyes flashing with the warning that he better not lose or his time in her bed tonight would result in more than a few scratches and a steamy memory. To Abaddon, though, she giggled excitedly, rushing over to clutch his arm in a bid to enrage Eschaton and aid the vampire in losing his focus. The Fallen looked down at her indulgently and she felt the whispers of his wings circling her shoulders and drawing her closer to his side; involuntarily, her body shivered with memories and the amusement in the angel's eyes deepened as did their reddish hue.

Almost choking at the look she saw burning in his eyes, Eryn managed to get out, "What shall we have them do?"

Abaddon's eyes finally disconnected from hers to contemplate his lover and the man who he was competing against for the panther's attentions. A devious light lit in his eyes as he saw the form of a particularly crotchety Immortal, Askavi, who frequently came to Resurrection, but rarely ever danced or engaged with anyone.

"First one to bend Askavi to their will wins," the angel announced, motioning to the female sitting at the bar. "Time limit for each contestant is...." he glanced at the watch circling his wrist. "Two minutes...that should make brute force of will the definite decision maker instead of charm or wit."

Eryn glanced at the other woman, recognizing her from a previous visit to the club, before affirming Abaddon's choice of contest. If Belthezar was who she thought he was, he should have a lick more power than Eschaton...otherwise, they would have a lot of explaining to do to Kai in the morning.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya blinked at the collection, "I didn't know someone could own so many movies..."

She reached in, hesitant to upset the order, and pulled out a few she recognized, "These are pretty funny... Uhm...."

The girl dug through curiously, humming softly. Something else. There had to be something more. She felt the voice at the back of her mind and an inccessant tugging feeling followed, to which she pressed a hand to the back of her head and brushed it off. A few more movies were added to her little pile and she sat back.

"Any ideas?"

~~

Belthezar grinned when Eschaton agreed. This would be fun. Loads of fun.

He drew himself up, assessing the vampire before him, hoping he himself gave off the air of a young, immature pup. He wanted to be underestimated. For Alex's sake.

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito glanced down at the movies that Aliya had picked out, noticing her slight distraction and her fleeting touch to the back of her head. As he sorted through the movies, he gave her a cursory look, trying to discern if there was something the matter.

"Are you okay, Ali?"

~~

Eschaton looked down his nose at Belthezar, sneering slightly before looking over at Askavi. He had seen her before and knew her habits pretty well. He also knew what was in his range of talents to make people perform. The Master Vampire also knew that it would be easier to bend her will to do something that she normally would anyone or something that was only slightly out of her routine.

"Any other rules?" he asked, not even questioning who would go first. It would obviously be him.

"If you both manage to overtake her, then craziest stunt wins," Eryn put forth, leaning against Abaddon and making Eschaton narrow his eyes. Her bid against his concentration was working, but it was also fueling his anger and giving him more raw power to attack the unsuspecting Immortal with.

"Fine."

Turning to look at Askavi, Eschaton focused his mind on hers, feeling the thrum of life that was buried inside of her, melding his mind and hers into one. At first, she was unaware of his presence, but then she felt him, tried to push him out, but it was too late. And....ahhhhh, there.

The vampire blinked his eyes as what the female saw overlaid his own vision. It was always disconcerting to be linked to someone else's mind, but it was one of his myriad talents, though he often left his victims a little worse for wear. Forcing Askavi to stand, he suggested that she sweep all the drinks off the counter in front of her which she promptly did to the horror and threats of her barmates. Before any of them could enact physical harm, the Immortal climbed on top of the bar and started rowdily singing along to the song blaring over the club's speakers, dancing her ass of in a completely un-Askavi-like way. Instantly, the people who had been screaming at her started cheering her on as Eschaton subtly influenced them as well.

As his two minutes ran out and Abaddon called it, the Master Vampire released his hold on the female who was left standing on the bar, staring down at a sea of her admirers who were still lustily singing along.

"Top that," the vampire said, turning to Belthezar. Alex was stifling a smile behind his hand; he had seen that woman at the bar before and she was completely antisocial, what Eschaton had just pulled was an amazing feat.

~~

Eryn swore silently as she watched Askavi perform and glanced at Belthezar, hoping he had something amazing to pull out of his ass. She had to hand it to the vampire though, when he wanted something, he definitely went after it. The little trick with making Askavi channel some of his charisma was definitely a nice touch and she had to give him some points for that one.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya didn't answer immediately, "... I think so. There's just.... Something. At the back of my mind. Like... Like someone's calling me."

She gave a slight pout, not understanding, but shrugged it off, "Its just there. Its not bothering me."

~~

Belthezar watched the display with interest and smirked. This would be a fun challenge.

"I'm not sure if I can, sir, but I'll do my best."

It was a taunt, and Belthezar focused. He gave a slight nod and sorted Askavi's mind out from the fray. It was really nothing to slip into her mind. He took control easily, simply lulling her into comfort first then rushing in. He had her pause in the middle of getting down from the counter and had her slide back up rather seductively. It was easy, really to have her pull up the nearest Immortal and start dancing with them on the bartop.

If she was lucky, she wouldn't be going home alone after the dance.

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito watched Aliya carefully after that. She may brush it off as nothing, but the vampire had many more years of experience behind him and recognized the signs that she so casually brushed away. It sounded like someone was trying to establish psychic contact, but his girl wasn't ready for that yet and her mind was naturally rejecting it, still acting human. It was like trying to call a number that had been disconnected; Ali's mind need to be re-hooked up to the supernatural before she could field psychic mind touches. The vampire wondered who it was, but knew that now might not be the time to bring up his suspicions.

"Tell me if it does start to bother you," he warned before returning to sifting through the movies, laughing as he pulled out one title that he did recognize. "The Thing? Really?" he teased.

~~

Eschaton's lips curled at the thinly veiled insult and he watched his opponent's attempt at controlling the other Immortal. He could feel the finesse behind the other male's power and he watched with detached admiration at the masterful manipulation of the female. However, he was fairly sure he would win. The vampire echoed that thought with a smirk.

~~

Eryn admired the way Beltehzar easily took over control of Askavi's body, but she had to hand it to Eschaton at this point. His grasp of showmanship was incredible and, though Belthezar's manipulation of Askavi's dancing was interesting, Eschaton had originally started this stunt with the bar dancing. The other shifter's gambit was too close to the Master Vampire's and his time was ticking out. Eryn glanced at him nervously before shooting a look at Alex, who was watching the power play with a knowing smirk. The boy saw her looking and winked, having the feeling he would be coming along tonight despite her wishes.

~~

Abaddon watched the other shifter's mind-control and had to admire the seamless way he had assimilated himself into his target's mind, but his thoughts ran down the same trail as Eryn's. If the other male didn't step up his game, he was going to lose and, even though Abaddon wanted to have fun tonight, he would not mind knocking this Beltehzar down a peg or two, especially in Eryn's eyes. The Fallen glanced at the smaller woman pressed against his side who was looking at the other male with her lips pressed together into a thin line. Yeah, he wouldn't mind that at all.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya nodded to his instructions, then pouted.

"Hey. Its old. So old and cheesy that its funny.," she leaned her weight into him teasingly, "That came out when you were a kid, right?"

She grinned at her own wit, be her joke poorly placed or not, and started to look through the rack again, humming softly. She forced the pull form her mind, writing it off and ignoring it.

~~

Belthezar could feel the other's.... uncertainty of his victory.

Still, he didn't stop. He screwed his brows and focused sharply.

Askavi's movements suddenly turned jerky, then smoothed again. She spun on the counter before she dropped down.

And that was when the killing started.

The movements were jerky again as she twirled, taking down the unmarked mortals. Those not reserved or invited easily cut down.

His mind barely registered a few Immortals slipping into a frenzy with the newly spilt blood. Askavi, however,s tarted to panic. He could feel it. And he simply tightened his hold and her her keep killing until the time was up. He forced her shape to change to whatever she could accomplish and had her flee, rather than risk her getting killed.

Once his little trick was done, he nearly stumbled, pressing a hand to his temple. He hated controlling others. It really gave him a migraine.

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito laughed at Aliya's little joke, setting down the The Thing as he flipped through the movie. He remembered when that movie had come out, seeing it in theaters had been an experience. The vampire remembered his date squealing in terror and clinging to his arm, exclaiming about how she would be scared of strangers for weeks afterwards. He had smiled indulgently before thinking that it was him she should be afraid of.

The vampire shook himself from his reverie, not wanting to think about how that particular memory ended when he was so near Ali. His hands flew through the stack,not really looking at anything before plucking a random movie up and holding it out for inspection without looking.

"What about this one?"

~~

Abaddon called time and watched as the club degenerated into a bloodbath. The Angel of Destruction sighed, shooting a glare at the shifter, though it was technically his fault for not setting any rules. But still....

The Fallen stepped away from Eryn's side, moving into the middle of the fray as he moved, grabbing Immortals by the collar and throwing them out of the fight to enforcers waiting at the edges. The mortals merely cringed in terror and scurried from his path as the other Immortals began to calm due to Abaddon's presence and commanding demeanor. As the fight finally ended, the Angel glanced at the casualties that had been left in Askavi's wake before taking a quick glance at Eschaton, who was fuming.

To throw some attention away, the Angel turned around to the crowd, jumping on the bloody bar in a parody of Askavi's earlier show before raising a hand and yelling, "Well, I hoped you liked Resurrection's first attempt at live entertainment."

The mortals chuckled nervously, not sure if the man was kidding or not, but looking at the bodies strewn about that other club employees were silently picking up. Using a bit of magic, Abadddon redirected the mortals' fickle attention, using a glamour to make them think that the "performers" were moving around under their own power rather than being dragged into the back alley to be disposed of. The mortals silently relaxed, though the Immortals were still on edge, looking at each other distrustfully.

"Now, to celebrate this momentous occasion of Resurrection's first live show, drinks on the house!" the Angel called which brought a roar from the crowd and a mad rush for the bar as everyone, including the Immortals completely forgot the killings that had occurred moments ago. The Fallen jumped off the bar, walking back over to his small, subdued group where Eschaton was fuming and ready to kill the shifter that had broken the hospitality laws by killing in his territory.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" the Master Vampire asked, moving into Belthezar's personal space until his face was inches away from the other male's.

~~

Alex had watched the whole thing silently, but then with growing horror as he realized that those people had been killed because of his singularly selfish desire to be included. His face was white as he looked at the group of Immortals standing nearby and realized exactly how much power was contained within it.

~~

Eryn stared mutely at Belthezar once the blood bath was over. She was impressed, not gonna lie, but she felt that the waste of those human lives had been unnecessary. Her nerves were singing with the power that the male had controlled in those brief moments and she could feel the nearly gravitational attraction that she had to him growing. As Eschaton got into her partner's face, the smaller woman stepped in front of the vampire, pushing him away.


"Back off, Eschaton. We should have specified rules if we thought he was really gonna do that," she said simply. Taking Abaddon's nod as he came up as the agreement that it was. "Sorry, but Abaddon handled it well. So, your little pet won't be coming along tonight..."

Her eyes flashed to Alex and she saw the broken look on his face, but she knew that she could do nothing for him at the moment. She had wanted to keep him away from tonight and she would take any price for that, even the steep one that Belthezar had forced out of her. She had to keep Alex safe.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya watched kaito's face change with a memory and smiled gently, then looked over the movie when he ahded over.

"Kaito. Chick Flick. Are you okay with that?" she giggled. Honestly, where did that come from? Surely Anastasia was too young for it.

~~

Belthezar smirked as he watched the clean up, and didn't back down when Eschaton got in his face. He was startled when Eryn forced the vampire back.

Still, he turned slightly, crossing his arms and gave a bored huff. He had a part to play.

"So. The kid isn't coming. Good," he hummed, reaching to play with his bangs, "I'd hate for that to happen to him."

He knew he was on the edge of Eschaton's patience, and had lost all of his good-will. He really didn't mind. He was as old as the Master. He wasn't afraid. He refused to be.

"Eryn. We should get going. We're running out of play time."

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito looked down and groaned a little as he realized what was in his hand before looking over at Aliya.

"Well now that I've offered, I find it a little hard to retract it," he said, giving the DVD case another sneaky glance as he tried to imagine what was going to happen in this type of movie.

~~

Eryn fell back into her part, refusing to let the heartbroken look on Alex's face shake her. As if by habit, she once gain reached over and casually mussed up Belthezar's bangs. Eschaton still silently stewed, shooting baleful glares at the male shifter and then at Eryn as he watched her interactions with Abaddon.

The panther laughed at Belthezar's statement, grabbing his and Abaddon's hands and startingn to drag them out of the door. Her eyes were lit with genuine excitement as she let that feeling overtake her rather than having her green orbs reflect the hurt she felt at leaving Alex behind as he wallowed in guilt.

"Well, then let's go and play!"

[†Arisen†]

Aliya laughed softly, "If you don't want to watch it, we don't have to, Kaito. Don't worry about it. You were thinking about something else."

She smiled and set the case down, humming softly.

~~

Belthezar huffed as she messed up his bangs, but smirked as she took his hand.

"See ya, kid!" he called as he followed Eryn out, smirking all the while.

He found Eryn's excitement rubbing off on him and he let loose a howl as they hurried out, laughing afterwards at the startled guests he passed. This. This would be fun. And he would enjoy every moment of the night to come, he decided.

While he knew he had been out of place with his slaughter, and knew it had hurt Alex, it was for his own safety. The last thing he wanted was Alex to get caught in this.

Now, he simply pondered if Eryn had a place in mind for them to retreat to.

And a thought suddenly struck him.

This night wouldn't be pretty if what came to mind came true.

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito looked through the movies carefully this time, conscious of his decisions and thoughts as he looked at them. Finally, after a little more deliberation, he held out another movie for the girl's inspection.

"How about this one?"

~~

Eschaton sullenly followed the trio out of the door after giving Alex a small pat on the head and a silent command to Bastet. She would watch over the boy while he was gone and the enforcers would make sure that the club stayed safe for both of them. The girl nodded and then followed Alex as he numbly walked over to the bar.

The Master Vampire walked out only to be confronted by Eryn's Mercedes which had been pulled up by the valet. Her eyes darted to the four of them and then her tiny sports car before she shook her head a little.

"This isn't going to work," she said, clearly stating the obvious. "Do either of you have a car or..."

The question died on her lips as she watched a limo pull up to the curb and the chauffeur rushed around the side to pull open the door. The panther looked at her baby for a moment before tossing the keys back to the startled valet and sliding into the limo. The hem of her dress slid dangerously high up her thigh and Abaddon could feel his breath catch at the sight of her exposed skin.

The young woman gave an address to the driver as the others climbed in behind her. She hadn't entirely pulled her cover for tonight from thin air. When she was in the city, she shacked up with a group of shifters that were into community-style living. The place they all owned together was sweet and the benefits were very good, but she hoped that her friends would be smart enough to play along..if just for tonight.

Please don't let anything go wrong, she thought silently as she watched the Master Vampire slip into the car.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya hummed, looking over the box, then nodded with a smile.

"That'll work!" She started to put back the other movies carefully, making sure they were sorted properly before she got to her feet, "Now! Do you know how to work all this? Its different for every console."

~~

Belthezar slid in last, mostly for his distaste of being in a limo. He was fine in his own car, by himself. He didn't like being enclosed like this, with these people. These strangers.

He smoothed out his shirt, though, and slid next to Eryn, almost possessively, toying with his hair again as he huffed.

"You certainly like luxury," he mused, pushing his glasses up his nose again before his fingers moved to his bangs again, tweaking them. No, he didn't like this at all. He felt exposed and trapped at the same time.

He leaned into Eryn a bit, for a little bit of comfort, exhaling as he did so, passing it off as fatigue from earlier.

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito looked at the TV, considering the behemoth perched on his living room wall. He knew how to turn it on and, in theory, he knew how it was supposed to work. However, he had never been the one that Aliya asked to help him set up her movies, that had always been Alex or Fiore. The vampire had been notorious in his household for not being very versed in electronics. His excuse had always been that he would live for thousands of years and didn't need to learn how to use technology at this very moment. Alex had always teased him for it.

"Well, let's see if I can," the vampire said, stretching himself out and cracking his neck a little as he bounced up and down on his toes. Crimson-tinged eyes eyed the myriad controllers with trepidation. "I've always enjoyed a challenge."

~~

Eryn turned to look at Belthezar in surprise as he leaned his head on her shoulder. The panther was a little surprised at how well the male was playing his part and was very grateful that he had easily fallen into her plans as she spun them off the top of her head. She knew that she had to keep up appearances, but sitting in the car with these three males, Eryn suddenly felt a little shy and unsure of her self. Though the panther was comfortable with her sexuality in all aspects and had no qualms about handling three males at once, tonight it just seemed daunting.

In a bid to rid herself of her nervousness and the other male of his anxiety, one of her hands tentatively slid through the dark hair that tufted off of Belthezar's head. The feeling of his hair, thick and a little coarse, was almost erotic. It felt like petting fur and the shifter wondered what sort of animal Belthezar shifted into when he turned. As her fingers tangled deeper into his hair, Eryn felt her instincts rising in her body, forcing her towards him and craving...something.

As she pushed her body against his side, the panther pushed her mouth against his neck, teasing the flesh there with butterfly kisses. The girl was so focused on running her hands through Belthezar's hair and learning the feeling of his skin underneath her lips that she didn't even notice when Abaddon shifted her into his lap. The Fallen allowed his hands to slide up her legs, teasing them hem of her short dress before he reached up to cup her chest. He lowered his mouth to her neck, mirroring Eryn's attentions on the other male. The panther moaned, sending pleasant vibrations fluttering through her back and into Abaddon's chest as he chuckled softly against the back of her neck, making the girl shiver as she glanced over her shoulder at him questioningly.

"So, are we not going to wait before we get home then?" he teased, sliding a few fingers under the hem of her scandalously short dress and making the slightly younger Immortal squirm deliciously against him, one of her hands still trapped in Belthezar's hair.

Eryn grinned, pulling Belthezar towards her front as Abaddon sandwiched her from the back. The panther reveled in the possessiveness of the Fallen, finally feeling in her element again as she relaxed into his rock solid body, wanting to feel the other shifter's warmth against her front. To watch the two males battling for dominance tonight would be fun. Her eyes glinted in suppressed excitement as the weight of their situation finally settled on her, but the challenge and fun tonight promised was also enticing.

"Not if you don't want to," she whispered seductively, lacing her free hand into Abaddon's hair so that both of her hands held two of her lovers' hair. Her eyes connected with Eschaton's over Belthezar's shoulder.

The Master Vampire had been staring out of the window until he heard the sounds coming from the other side of the limo. As he looked up, the sight of the little bitch perched on his lover's lap had almost made him lash out, but he knew that would have angered Abaddon even further. The Angel was already riled over something and the vampire didn't want to sink any farther in his esteem. At the girl's challenging look though, Eschaton felt compelled to play along with the games. He normally did not dance to anyone's tune, but he refused to lose to her. To anyone really. And this girl was bringing out his most competitive side....if only he knew that she did the same to his brother.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya laughed, "You don' know how to work it, do you? You want some help then?"

She looked at Kaito curiously, giggling, "There's no shame in asking for help, Kaito, just remember that~"

The girl settled on the couch, giggling a bit as she watched Kaito steel himself for the coming battle with the electronics. She was curious to see how well he would do with setting up, and pulled her knees to her chest, watching curiously.

~~

Belthezar let a groan rumble through him from Eryn's affections. He really hadn't been expecting that, but he really didn't mind.

He gave a soft growl as Abaddon pulled her away, but grinned as she pulled him back.

He leaned his weight into her gratefully, nudging his head to her hands almost innocently, but one hand pawed at her waist gently, the other pressed to her ribs under Abaddon's hand, almost as a reminder to the Fallen that he was still there and wasn't going to back down.

He felt Eschaton's anger and smirked a little, pressing his head to the free side of Eryn's neck, his teeth nipping at the pulse there. Belthezar knew he was being strangely possessive of the shifter, but he didn't really care. He couldn't even tell if it was part of his act anymore.

"I don't think our... <i>host</i> would appreciate that, little sister," he breathed near Eryn's ear, "I think he feels left out."

[callingxforxblood]

He didn't want to lose face in front of the pretty girl and the vampire also knew that he'd done this before...he had just kindof forgotten how. Kaito looked at the controllers again and then at Aliya before resuming his psych up. He would not be brought down by technology! He was nearly a thousand years old! He would not be brought low by these puny human inventions that had only cropped up fifty years ago! He could take them on!

Sufficiently convinced of his own prowess, the vampire started forward to dig through the controllers, searching for the one that turned on the DVD player. The TV turned on with the a quick click of the only controller whose purpose he knew. That controller was tossed over his shoulder to land on the couch next to Aliya as he sifted through the others. Five minutes later, Kai was sufficiently frustrated and turned to look over his shoulder at Aliya with his eyes pouting.

"Help?" he asked in a small voice.

~~

Eryn laughed a little at the ticklish feeling that Belthezar's breathing set running down her spine, squirming into Abaddon's chest and making him grunt a little in pleasure at the feeling of her pressed up against him. The Fallen glanced over at Eschaton who was clearly sulking, but also had a strange light in his eyes.

Then Abaddon heard Eryn murmur, "Come here, Eschaton."

Suddenly, the vampire was kneeling on the seat to his left. So Eryn was on his lap with her back to him, straddling his legs while Belthezar was in between hers, resting on his knees and the Master Vampire was to his left, pressing up against his arm. The panther smiled at Eschaton, running her fingers through his dark hair and sending her mouth whispering over his sunkissed skin before leaning into kiss him, sliding her tongue into his mouth and toying with his fangs, letting one of them prick her tongue a little. The vampire growled at her as one of his hands slid behind her head to hold her in the kiss while the other fisted in the back of Abaddon's shirt, pulling his chest flush against the other male's muscled arm.

As the Fallen watched Eryn kiss his lover, he felt Belthezar's hand underneath his own on the panther's body. The other male had his head resting on Eryn's shoulder, so the Fallen leaned forward a little bit, freeing his hand from under the other male's to turn Belthezar's face towards him before leaning in and smashing his mouth against the shifter's in a bruising kiss. It was punishing and a bid for dominance between the two that Abaddon couldn't wait to finish playing out in bed. As he kissed the other male, his hands roamed over Eryn's body, reminding her whose lap she was sitting on, even as his lips claimed the man he thought to be her lover.

Eschaton leaned into the little shifter's intoxicating kiss, feeling the blood beading up from her small tongue and sliding into his mouth. It was exotic and different to be kissing one such as her and the Master enjoyed it thoroughly despite her being his rival. He pushed far enough forward that Eryn ended up lying down across Abaddon's lap with the Fallen and Belthezar engaged in a kiss above her and the vampire. As Eschaton pulled back, his eyes tracked the two males' kiss as well before he slid one of his hands down Belthezar's chest, suddenly interested in feeling the skin stretched taut over coiled muscles though he had cared less a moment ago. Eryn's eyes followed Eschaton's hand and hers mirrored his, crawling up Abaddon's chest as the vampire's climbed up Belthezar's.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya watched, rather amused with Kaito's fight with technology. When he asked for help, she laughed and got up, going to the consoles. She found the DVD player and turned it on manually instead of looking for a remote, "All right. Simple enough. Now, look for the remote that has the same brand of the DVD player."

~~

To say Belthezar was a bit startled by Abaddon's display of dominance was an understatement, but he didn't back down. He pulled himself up, his hands sliding to Abaddon's thighs under Eryn's. He leaned into the Fallen, not backing down, biting and suckling on his lips.

He did, however, give a little groan when he felt Eschaton's hands, sending pleasure through his heightened nerves. one of his hands slide from Abaddon's leg to Eschaton's hair, pulling his fingers through it gently.

He refused to pull back from the kiss first though. He was not going to back down to the Fallen.

Although, some deep part of him wanted to, just to see what the Fallen could do and how Abaddon could please him, but he shoved it away.

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito huffed a little as Aliya easily conquered turning on the DVD player before hunting through the controllers again, looking for the one that matched the DVD player brand. When he was finished, he had come up with two controllers that were both labelled with the logo for the Japanese electronics company (which he actually owned quite a large share in).

The vampire looked at both of them for a moment, face decidedly puzzled before holding them out to Aliya for inspection. He did not want to add breaking the DVD player to his list of transgressions around the house- Fiore would kill him. His eyes begged her to help him as his face took on the pleading look of a small puppy.

~~

Abaddon groaned into the kiss he was sharing with Belthezar as he felt the tripled sensations of the other male's kiss, his hands traveling over his thighs and Eryn's lithe fingers teasing his sensitive chest. The Fallen felt the tension building up between the four of them and wanted to revel in it, but he too refused to back down from this kiss with the shifter and pressed forward, biting and soothing in turns as he assaulted the other man's mouth with his own.

Damn this felt so good....and they hadn't even really started yet. The thought made him smirk into the kiss and then he groaned again as he felt Eryn's hot mouth tracing his scars through his shirt. The hand that wasn't brushing over the side of Belthezar's face slid into her hair as he pulled her head up.

~~

As Eryn felt Abaddon pulling her up, the sight of the Fallen kissing Belthezar made her blood start roaring through her veins. The panther had come up to the right side of them, trailing her mouth up Abaddon's neck and making him shiver as her fangs brushed over the junction of his shoulder and neck.

Eschaton's head was still almost in her lap as he lazily ran his fingers over the male shifter's chest, enjoying the sensation of having his hair tugged. As he grew bored with merely touching one body, he leaned over and started snaking his tongue in intricate designs on Eryn's thigh, making her breath catch as she glanced down at him. His eyes glinted at hers in a challenge as his tongue snaked under the hem of her dress a little before winding its way back down the inside of her leg. She fisted one hand in his hair, next to Belthezar's, whose fingers she tangled with hers as she watched the Master Vampire for a moment. Eschaton smirked at her before turning his attentions to the pale strip of skin on Belthezar's abdomen that had been exposed as his shirt rode up; he mouthed it, running his fangs over it teasingly as his hands found even more creative things to do with the shifter's body.

Then Eryn's attention was once again caught up by the two males battling for dominance in this encounter. The shifter pouted, it wouldn't be any fun if one of them won out right now, so she instead gently snaked her way into their kiss. Entwining her tongues with both of theirs until the three of them were kissing threeway, giving them a way out of the struggle to dominate each other...for now.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya gave a gentle smile. She patted Kaito's head before taking the two remotes and looked them over. She hummed, then handed one to Kaito, "Try that one. I think it's the right one."

She then poked to look at all the other remotes tucked away, "... Why do you have so many? You could have... an army of remotes in there, ready to take over your TV."

~~

A shiver shot through Belthezar with the added touches and caresses from Eschaton. He managed to catch his breath as Eryn joined in, then dove in again.

His hand slid higher up Abaddon's leg while the other fisted a bit in Eschaton's hair, pulling him closer. Demanding he come closer.

He was the first reluctant one to pull away, catching his breath, but dove back in again, biting on tongues and lips harder than before. Nipping and sucking in a teasing way as if to show he wasn't done.

[callingxforxblood]

Kaito looked at the remote she had handed him, trying in his mind to distinguish it from the one that she had not chosen. Finding no obvious differences, the vampire clicked it and watched as the DVD menu sprang up on the screen. He almost wanted to pout again since she had had to help him find the controller. Giving up on that, he hopped up on the couch, patting the spot beside him in a welcoming gesture. When he heard her question though, the vampire gave the offending remotes a glance before contemplatively staring at the television screen, twirling the hard-won DVD remote between his pianist's fingers.

"You know, I really have no clue," Kaito said, looking over at Ali. "You'd have to ask Fiore. I really don't understand why universal remotes have never really caught on."

~~

Eryn whined in loss as Belthezar pulled away for a moment, but contented herself with exploring Abaddon's mouth as he pulled her closer to his chest, winding his arms around her torso and slowly turning her around to straddle him. Then Belthezar was back, slammed up against her back, biting and kissing, as if he had never left. Eschaton had sat up and was watching the show contentedly, one hand sliding teasingly along the tops of his trousers. That is....until the door of the limo opened and a polite, "We're here." was heard

Eschaton merely thanked the chauffeur who Eryn could smell was aroused before straightening his clothes and slipping out of the limo. The panther leaned back against Belthezar's chest since she couldn't exactly get off Abaddon's left until the other shifter felt like moving enough to free her and, right now, the two males were finishing off their kiss. Though Abaddon now pulled back and was looking down at Eryn's exposed legs appreciatively, trailing one of his hands up the honey hued skin.

"I can't wait to get you upstairs," he murmured, leaning his forehead against hers and kissing the tip of her nose, making the normally unflappable shifter blush a little at the unexpectedly sweet motion.

"Well then let's get out of the limo and go up there," she murmured, pushing her back against Belthezar's chest a little harder to tell him that she wanted up.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya hummed as she took her spot on the couch again, pulling her legs to her chest, "Well, tehy were a pain to use. And didn't always work."

The girl leaned into his side, humming softly.

"So.... Come here often?" she asked, teasingly, then started to giggle, smiling.

~~

Belthezar grunted when the driver opened the door, pushing himself up and sliding out after the Master.

He didn't bother with his clothes and gave a rather relieved sigh at being out in the air--now cold in contrast to the intensity of the limo. He could smell the arousal in the enclosed space and wafting out the open door. It was strong enough to make him nausious, if it weren't clinging to his skin as well.

He reached up to rub his eyes and pulled off his sunglasses. He blinked a bit, nearly black eyes adjusting to the dimness of the night and being covered for so long.

"Come sister. You have the keys, remember?" Belthezar called, saving face for not being able to simply walk in.

[callingxforxblood]

"Maybe I could invent one that worked really well!" the vampire said, leaning back into the couch and stretching out one of his arms behind Aliya's head, envisioning the world where one remote did everything for you perfectly. "I have eternity to do it after all!"

As he heard her question, the vampire snorted sarcastically, teasingly yanking a bit of her hair as he did so. His eyes focused on her smiling face and his sardonic expression relaxed a little bit into a genuine smile.

"Why no, miss, but if you come here a lot, I'll make sure to stop by," he teased, poking her in the side with his free hand.

~~

As soon as Belthezar slid out of the car, freeing her, Eryn slipped off of Abaddon's lap, giving him one quick peck on the cheek before pulling down her dress to an appropriate length as she climbed out.

"I'm coming, I'm coming, don't get your panties in a twist, snarly male," Eryn said as she straightened herself out a bit before looking over at her supposed lover. The panther grabbed the other shifter's arm, leaning against his shoulder contentedly and wanting to steady herself from the heady experience that had just transpired in the confines of the limo.

"What was that?" she whispered, almost under her breath so that only Belthezar could hear. "It's like fire...when all four of us are together...even without Eschaton....it's..." words escaped her as she felt the connection between her and Belthezar slowly forming. It was frightening to see how attached she was to this male she had only met today.

Letting go of the were's arm with some difficulty, she walked towards the door of the highrise apartment building, striding through the revolving door and lobby like she owned the place and trailing Abaddon and Eschaton and, hopefully, Belthezar, in her wake. The doorman gave her a quick nod of greeting and she smiled at him, leaving the man glassy eyed since she was still exuding pheromones as were the boys with her. The elevator was already called when she walked up to it and she gave a deferential nod to the bellhop before she glanced over her shoulder to look at the boys. Quirking an eyebrow as the doors slid open behind her, her lips slid into a smirk.

"Coming?" she asked innocently, backing into the elevator to lean against the wall with her neck bared gracefully in a playful position of submission. Her eyes still held the challenge saying that she wasn't ready to give up quite yet though.

[†Arisen†]

Aliya giggled a little at Kaito's excitement, then leaned into the tug on her hair and giggled at the poke.

"Oh really? Then, I'd have to talk to the owner. I'm not sure he wants me loitering around his house forever," she said teasingly, "Its pretty full up here, after all."

~~

Belthezar snickered at her response, but paused when she spoke. He parted his lips to respond, but she was already walking away. He shook his head, and bowed to the other two males, "After you."

He followed behind them at a comfortable distance, sliding his glasses into his pocket. He hummed softly as he sniffed the air, almost immediately regretting it. He scrunched his nose against the scent in the air as a pang went through his body.

Honestly, why did he make such a stupid mistake like that?

His pants were growing tight, but thankfully it wasn't all that noticeable.

He tugged down his shirt, covering the spot Eschaton had attacked, now slightly damp and red.

He realized it was foolish to get into an elevator with the people who set him alight so easily, but the door had already closed and it was too late.