#hell i. might take tomorrow (friday) off for a little more wiggle room and slight planning time

[retiredcultistredux]

((when you can't draw circles but literally every character you ever draw has at least one circle in their design so you end up with circles with the most wobbly fuckin lines ever. also read the tags pls))

[fortuositywritings]

Tattoo Heart

Summary: Tony and you make a dumb drunk decision. He gives you a tattoo.

“Um, what the hell, Tony! You said it wasn’t that bad.”

“It’s not! It’s well-proportioned. Really it’s the best heart I’ve ever drawn. I don’t know why you’re so upset. It could have been worse.”

“The heart isn’t the problem. You tattooed Wanda’s name on it!”

“Yeah, I can see why you’re mad.”

You poked your sore arm. Out of all places, he had to tattoo it on your arm above your elbow where everyone could see. Talk about bad placement.

You pout, “How am I supposed to hide this?”

“Baseball tee’s could make a comeback. You’ll be a trendsetter,” he suggests, not helping at all. 

You glare at him. “You’re paying for it to be removed.”

“I expected no less,” he concedes. You’re still touching the tender spot, frowning. He stops you. “Poking it is not going to make it go away.”

“Fuck! I’m never getting drunk with you again,” you vow. 

“You say that now, but come Friday night, whiteclaw in hand, you’ll have no recollection of this ever happening.”

“Getting a tattoo with your crush’s name on it is kind of hard to forget, Tony,” you spit out. He wears a sheepish smile. Speaking of the party on Friday, “Shit!”

“What?” Tony asks, clearly not processing the situation you’re in as fast as you are.

“Wanda’s gonna be there,” you remember.

“Well, yeah. It’s Pietro’s birthday party and they’re twins so,” he comments sarcastically.

“It’s a pool party. How am I supposed to hide this?”

“Just don’t get in the pool. Or you know what, just don’t go. Say you got sick,” Tony suggests.

“I can’t do that. She expects me to be there and I don’t want to let her down on her birthday,” you explain. Wanda had personally invited you to her party, saying you were going to be her partner for beer pong. 

“Fine. Don’t worry about it too much. We have all week to figure something out,” he reasons. You guess he’s right. No use in stressing too much.

Friday afternoon comes too fast.

You’re stressing as you look at yourself in the mirror. You look ridiculous. 

“You’re literally a genius and this was the best you could come up with?” you complain. You already feel yourself sweating. You hadn’t thought of what to wear. You only had your one piece bathing suit. Tony told you he had something and you trusted him. What he brought you, a long sleeve rashguard to wear over your bathing suit.

“Makeup was just going to wash off. We couldn’t chance it. This way, you can get in the pool,” he says. 

“I look like I’m going surfing, not a pool party,” you huff. 

“You look fine. If anyone asks, you burn easily. Now let’s go. Your girlfriend is waiting on you,” he rushes you along, grabbing your stuff for you. You throw on some shorts and slip on some sandals.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” you mumble, blushing as he pushes you out the door.

“Oh, I know. This wouldn’t be such a big deal if she was.” He closes the door.

Pietro opens the door for you and Tony. You both hug him and congratulate him on another year of being on this earth or as Tony puts it, “Congrats on being one year closer to death!”

Technically, their birthday is tomorrow but they always have a birthday dinner with their parents, so they celebrate with their friends either the day before or after. You and Tony hand Pietro your present for him. 

“Just don’t open it in front of your parents,” you warn. He decides to unwrap it right then. You roll your eyes at his impatience to wait until tomorrow. To his satisfaction it’s running shoes with a bottle of alcohol in each shoe. He laughs, thanking you for his present. He notices you looking around, searching for a certain somebody. He already knows who you’re looking for. 

“She’s in the kitchen,” he tells you, a smirk appearing on his face when you blush at being so obvious. You thank him and go find Wanda.

As Pietro said, she is in the kitchen fixing some appetizers to bring outside. What you weren’t prepared for was her already in her bikini, like she’s ready to jump into the pool. Her two piece bathing suit doesn’t leave much to the imagination but you’re quite the daydreamer it seems. You’re snapped out of your trance by Wanda clearing her throat.

She wears a smirk much like her brother’s and you splutter an embarrassed, “H-hi! Happy Birthday. You, uh, you look good. Great! You look ready for the pool.”

She smiles, amused by your awkwardness. “Thank you. You look ready for the beach.”

You blush. “Yeah, I burn easily,” you lie and quickly move on, handing her the present you got her. “Here.”

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” she says, but you shake your head. “Of course I did. It’s your birthday tomorrow. You can open it now if you want. Your brother did.”

“Unlike my brother, I can wait. Let me go put it in my room. I’ll be right back. Wait here,” she requests. You nod and she leaves with her present. You respectfully turn your gaze to the appetizers, not wanting to ogle her backside. 

“Cowabunga, dude! What the hell are you wearing?”

“No way. I almost wore the same thing. Good thing I didn’t or that would be embarrassing.”

You roll your eyes, turning around to see Sam and Rhodey, both clearly amused by their own jokes. You give them an unimpressed look and they laugh harder. 

“Haha. So very funny,” you deadpan.

“Seriously, Y/N, why are you wearing that? It’s like a thousand degrees,” Rhodey asks. 

“Maybe I’m insecure and you guys laughing just makes me feel worse? Maybe thought of that?” you retort, but neither buy it. They look at each other and start laughing. 

“Insecure, my ass. You almost give Tony Stark a run for his money in the size of ego,” Sam says between laughs. You just roll your eyes.

Wanda returns to find the guys pressing you about the long sleeves. 

“Hey, Wanda. I think you might have given Johnny Kapahala the wrong address. She’s gonna be late for the competition,” Sam jokes and you hate that you get the joke. Wanda doesn’t and looks adorably confused. All she knows is they’re referring to you so she looks at you for an explanation but you ignore her in order to throw your own remark.

“At least Johnny wasn’t afraid to swim at the beach,” you bite, making Rhodey and Wanda laugh and Sam take offense.

“There are sharks!” Sam defends himself, making you all laugh. 

The three of you help Wanda bring out the appetizers to the backyard. They’ve got a table and a bunch of chairs laid around. Wanda asks if you’d like a drink and goes to fetch one for the two of you while you greet other friends. 

“You didn’t want one?” You ask her when she returns with only one drink. “If we’re going to be beer pong partners, you can’t leave me drinking alone.”

She giggles and takes a swig from your drink. “Happy?” She asks when she returns the drink to you and smirks upon seeing the slight blush on your cheeks. 

You get a few more remarks about the rashguard but with a few drinks in everyone’s system, the pool is more enticing than poking fun at you. You didn’t plan to get in the pool but with a simple “come on” from Wanda, you’re cannonball jumping into the deep end. 

Once it’s dark, you all begin to vacate the pool in order to play games. You and Wanda play two games of beer pong seeing as neither of you are very good and you think you’ll surely be sick if you play another round. 

You eat, you dance, you sit around and talk to your friends, and Wanda is with you the whole time. It’s midnight and you’re right beside her as everyone sings for her and Pietro. She hands you the first slice of cake, which you eat standing up just to stay next to her as she cuts a piece for everyone. 

It’s nearing 2am as people begin to leave. Wanda and Pietro make sure everyone is getting home safely, either taking a LIFT or having a designated driver. You and Tony stay later to help the twins clean up, which they greatly appreciate.

Almost an hour later, the house looks as if there hadn’t been a party. You and Tony wish them happy birthday once more before he pulls out his phone to call an Uber. The twins insist you two stay, that it is way too late and they’d feel better if you do.

Tony wiggles his eyebrows discreetly at you when Wanda invites you to sleep in her room. You spare him a warning glance before following Wanda to her room. She offers you some pajamas and hands you a long sleeved tshirt like you ask. You excuse her questioning glance saying you get cold at night. 

You change in the bathroom. When you return, you find Wanda also in her pajamas sitting on her bed with the present you gave her earlier in her hand. 

“You want to open that now?” You ask, amused at her eagerness to open it.

“I mean it is my birthday now,” she reasons. You nod, closing the door and going to sit next to her. “Or is this one of those ‘open when you’re alone’ presents?”

You quirk an eyebrow. “What kind of presents are those?”

“One of those romantic ones like in the movies that show that you’ve always loved me or something,” she replies. Your palms feel sweaty all of a sudden with the way she stares at you. She reads the nervousness on your face and takes pity, continuing, “Or a vibrator.”

You burst in giggles. “Damn it. How’d you know?” you joke. 

It’s not a vibrator, obviously. You got her two necklaces, one gold with her name and the other sterling silver with her initials.

“I was going to just get you the gold one but then I thought maybe you wanted one to match all those rings you wear so, that’s why there are two,” you explain.

She puts the box aside and throws her arms around you, pulling you flush into her. “Thank you. I love them.”

“Are you sure? ‘Cause I could totally return those and get you a vibrator if that's what you want,” you laugh. She pulls back immediately, a frown on her face. 

“No, they already have my name,” she protests, pulling a chuckle from you. She hands you the golden one that says ‘Wanda’ and asks, “Will you put this one on me?”

At your nod, she twists around, turning her back to you and sweeping her hair up. You struggle with the clasp a little due to your nervousness, but you get it. Had you paid closer attention, you would have noticed how Wanda shivered at your touch. 

She turns back around and you admire her with your gift around her neck. “It looks great on you.” 

She leans toward you again and you assume it’s to give you another hug, which you wouldn’t mind one bit, but she doesn’t move her head to the side the way one does to hug someone. Her nose bumps into yours and you realize she’s going to kiss you. 

For some damn reason you pull away before her lips reach yours. She looks embarrassed and begins to apologize, “Sorry, I misread that. I thought with the present and the way you’ve been looking at me all day, shit.”

“No, you didn’t misread anything,” you reassure her. She relaxes. “Can we try that again? I was just nervous, but I’m ready now.”

“Are you sure?” 

“Wait.” You get up and make a show of shaking off the nerves and pumping yourself up before you sit back down. “Okay, now I’m ready.”

She giggles, grabbing your face and pulling you into her, kissing the life out of you. She moves to lie back on the bed and you follow her lead. You’re kissing and it’s getting hot and she tugs on your shirt. You remove it without a second thought. You begin kissing down her neck pulling sweet noises when you leave a love bite. She gasps and grips your arm, right above your elbow. 

You flinch in pain. The sudden intake of breath tips her off and she pulls her hand away. She asks worriedly, “Are you okay?”

You remember the tattoo and the fact that it’s not so hidden right now. You start to panic. “Yep, why? Are you okay?”

She narrows her eyes in suspicion, but you kiss her with the intention to make her forget. A minute later, she does it again, grabbing right on that spot. You try not to, but she hears the small groan and she pulls away. “Okay, what’s wrong?”

“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong,” you lie. 

“Then why do you flinch every time I grab your arm?” She moves to grab your arm again to prove a point but you move it away.

“Nothing’s wrong with my arm,” you deny. She sits up and reaches for your arm. Once more you pull out of reach. 

“Y/N, let me see your arm,” she demands. 

“Okay.” You try to save yourself from some of the embarrassment by explaining, “But before you look, just know I did it on a drunken dare and I didn’t know until the day after what Tony actually wrote.”

That piques her curiosity and she shuffled around you to take a look at your arm. You can’t watch, so you hide your face behind the palm of your other hand. You expect her to either laugh at you or get upset, but moments pass and you don’t hear anything. 

You get the nerve to look over your shoulder at Wanda. She looks indecisive about what she wants to say, but she doesn’t look mad. Finally, she says, “I guess I don’t have to ask if you like me or not.”

You groan in embarrassment, hiding your face again. She laughs and pulls you into her as she lies back down. “Don’t laugh. It’s embarrassing enough getting your crush’s name tattooed on you. I don’t need her to actually make fun of me.”

“Aww, you have a crush on me?” she coos. 

You pull away, giving her a deadpan look. “No, I get girls’ names tattooed on me all the time.”

“Having your crush’s name tattooed is embarrassing,” she agrees.

You narrow your eyes, thinking she's just making fun of you now and that was the last thing you need but she continues, “So how about we say it’s your girlfriend’s name?”

Your eyes widen. Wanda bites her lip nervously, waiting for your answer, and that’s how you know she’s serious. You blush, “That would be less embarrassing.”

“I think so too. So what do you say?” She asks, wanting a clear answer.

“I would love to be your girlfriend,” you answer.

She smiles and kisses you. You can’t help the giddy laughter that comes after. 

“You know, he didn't do too bad. It’s pretty well-proportioned.”

[scribomaniac]

The House of Sorcery, Chapter 7: Dinner with the Undead Queen

Read from the beginning here!

Reyna blinked several times at the glasses in front of her. The ice she just added made the carbonated drinks fizzle and pop as it began to slowly melt. A Vampire was here. Knowing Dunstan hadn’t set up any appointments for today, she wondered what they wanted, and then wondered if they’d be trouble. Spinning the cap back onto the two liter pop bottle, Reyna called out, “Be right there!” And put it back into the fridge. 

Jorge was frowning at the intercom screen next to the front door when Reyna walked up behind him. “Since when does Dunstan work with Vamps?”

Raising a brow, she replied easily, “Since always. Oh,” she looked at the screen, “that’s Sophie.” Standing patiently on the other side of the door was Sophie Bernard, an exquisitely beautiful Vampire with a small button nose, thin red lips, and plump cheeks accented with high cheekbones. With a busty bosom and hips to match, the Vampire was more round than tall.  An impressive feat, considering she was just shy of six feet without her heels.

Although the Vampire looked like she was in her late twenties, she had actually been born in the early twentieth century.  She’d been turned just before the second World War by Lilith, the Queen of Vampires herself, and had been by her side ever since.

Immediately, Reyna unlocked the door and welcomed the Vampire into her home. “Reyna, darling!” She cooed, her voice lilting with her French accent, once she saw the dark haired Mage on the other side of the door. Stepping one staggeringly tall heel past the threshold, and then the other, she leaned down to press light bises to both Reyna’s cheeks. “How lovely to see you! And who is this handsome young man?” She asked, her sharp blue gaze quickly landing on Jorge. Having known Sophie since she was ten years old, the green eyed Mage immediately caught that mischievous twinkle in the Vampire’s eye and knew exactly what it meant. “This is my friend, Jorge.” She introduced, then stressed, “We’re just friends.” Sophie’s lips pursed with the shrewdness of a disappointed grandmother. She’d been trying to set Reyna up with a boy since the young Mage had hit puberty. “Jorge, this is Sophie. She’s Lilith’s personal assistant and a friend of Dunstan’s.” “Enchonte,” Sophie straightened her spine before extending her hand for Jorge to take. The blonde haired Mage looked between Reyna and Sophie with a slight frown marring his face before accepting the extended hand and shaking it. Sophie looked a little put out, probably hoping he’d kiss it, but brushed it off easily. “So,” she clapped her hands together and aimed her blue eyes back towards Reyna, “where might I find Dunstan at this hour?” Reyna frowned, thinking, "Oh, probably somewhere near Worcester by now." "Worcester? Massachusetts?" Sophie blinked, then with a pout, she asked, "And what is he doing there?"

Jorge awkwardly bumped into Reyna as he shifted, as inconspicuously as he could, away from Sophie. Leaning into him ever so slightly, Reyna took pity on her friend--she’d never seen him so uncomfortable before--and made her way back towards the kitchen, motioning for Sophie to follow.  Jorge took the opportunity to dash up the stairs without a look back. "He's driving back from a House session. He'll be back the day after tomorrow. Want something to drink?" "Coconut water, if you have any." Of course they had some, Reyna thought while grabbing a carton out from the fridge. Although neither resident drank it, Dunstan always made sure he had some on hand just in case he needed to play host to any undead guests. "Day after tomorrow, you say? Hmm," Reyna poured a glass and handed it to the tall Vampire. "Oh, thank you dear." She took a sip, then stared at the glass in thoughtfully. "Lilith will not be pleased to hear this," she said before taking another sip. Reyna held back a roll of the eyes. Lilith was rarely ever pleased, but Sophie always made it sound much more dramatic than it was. "What do you need?" Maybe if it was magic related, Reyna could help her out and send Sophie on her way. She loved Sophie, she really did, but the longer she remained in the house, the longer Jorge hid upstairs, and that didn’t make for a very fun weekend. "Oh," Sophie took another dainty sip of her water and shook her head, "it is nothing, Lilith just wished to have dinner with Dunstan soon and sent me to set a date." If that was all, Reyna would happily play secretary for her Master. Summoning his planner, she flipped the book open and found today's date, "Okay, no problem. What day were you two thinking?" Puckering her lips, Reyna skimmed through his plans for the upcoming week. "Looks like he's free the night he gets home," technically he didn't have to go to dinner with the Vankov's, "and Friday night." Clapping her hands together, Sophie smiled triumphantly, "Friday works perfectly! I'll let Lilith know immediately," she pulled her phone out from her purse and her thumbs went flying over the glass screen. "We'll expect the two of you at seven, with you arriving ten minutes early, of course. Dress shall be semi-formal, and remind Dunstan to bring a gift for his hostess, yes?” Putting her phone away, she released an unnecessary breath of relief, "Wonderful!" Leaning in to press more bises to her cheeks, she pulled away with a smile and said, "Well I really must be going, darling. I'm to make a few more visits before the day is finished. I shall see you on Friday--give me a call if you need to go shopping before then!" Wiggling her fingers in farewell, she winked, "Say goodbye to Jorge for me.” Reyna pretended to gag before opening the door for her. Sophie's bell like laugh echoed throughout the foyer and she gave one last wink before finally stepping out the front door. There was a brief silence after Reyna closed the door, and then, "Is she gone yet?" Jorge's voice asked from somewhere above her. Looking up, Reyna saw his eyes peering down at her through the banister bars.

“Yeah, she's gone. Didn't realize you were afraid of Vampires, George.”

Jorge rolled his eyes and started the trek down the stairs. “Shut up. I've never met one before.”

“Really?” That surprised her. Jorge was an Apprentice, he should've dealt with dozens of them by now. Reyna herself had been dealing with them since she was ten, and had known how to tear their hearts out of their chests at age eight.  Just in case one ever got too hungry.

Nodding, Jorge gave her a strange look, “Yeah,” he said slowly. “Why? Do they come around here often?”

“Not really, but Lilith is Dunstan’s top client, so--what?” She stopped at the look on Jorge's face. His eyes went as wide as saucers, and his mouth puckered as if he'd just tasted something sour. “What's that face for?”

“Lilith, as in the Lilith? The Vampire Queen? The original freaking Vampire?”

“Yeah,” Reyna said slowly, wondering why he was freaking out so much. It wasn't exactly a secret after all. In fact, she was pretty sure Dunstan bragged about it any chance he got.  Being Lilith’s chosen Mage was a high honor.

Running his hands through his golden locks, Jorge looked at her like she'd begun to molt. “Since when? Why? How stupid--”

Brows furrowing, Reyna crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her friend, “What do you mean since when? Since always! How do you think Dunstan makes all his money?” It certainly didn’t come from being a Sorcerer. Sure, the job paid well, but not this well. Not well enough for several houses, a Rolls Royce, and all the designer clothes in their closets.  

“Vampires are dangerous, Reyna! God, how stupid--I can't believe he's letting any of them near you! Donny would flip his shit if he knew about any of this! Hell, the whole House would!”

“Don't be so dramatic,” she told him while heading back towards the kitchen. Their glasses were just where she left them, but the ice had shrunk three times its original size. “Everyone in the House knows, even Donny.” That man was oblivious, but not that oblivious.

“Besides, they're not that dangerous, so long as you know how to handle them.” So long as you were powerful enough, she amended in her mind.  Vampires were pretty durable, after all.  Only three things could kill them: direct sunlight, decapitation, or a stake to the heart.  Ripping their heart straight out their chest worked, too, of course, but it took a lot of skill to do.  A lot of conviction, too.  Magic could only get you so far, after all.

“It's just good business.” She added with a roll of her eyes.  Reyna had heard Dunstan utter that phrase dozens of times before, so it sounded a little weird coming out of her own mouth, but it was true regardless of who said it.

Jorge snorted, “Good business,” he repeated, his tone mocking. “Yeah, right. This has nothing to do with business and everything to do with politics.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” His tone was starting to get on her nerves.  Business, politics, who cared?  It was money, it was comfort, it was survival.  Reyna didn’t understand why Jorge was making such a big deal out of this.

The blonde shrugged, feigning nonchalance, “I'm just saying they're powerful allies to have in your corner.”

Reyna grit her teeth and felt her magic coil beneath her skin, reacting to the anger and frustration brewing in her chest.  If Jorge had something to say, he should just say it. “That doesn't sound like a bad thing,” she snipped because, really, it didn’t.  

“It's not,” he shrugged again and grabbed his drink before heading back to the living room. Over his shoulder, he added, “If you're expecting a war.”

“Now come on,” he sighed from his spot on the couch, already done with the conversation, “I wanted to finish that episode. Can we rewind?”

Frowning after her friend, Reyna suddenly hated his ability to just shrug things off and move on.  He might’ve been done with the conversation, but she wasn’t.  There was more to be said, more to hash out, but the green eyed Mage knew she wouldn’t get another word out of him on the subject.  Not now, at least.  Running her tongue along her teeth, Reyna forced her jaw to unclench and sighed.  “Yeah, sure.”

Nose scrunching, Reyna knew she’d have to tone down the attitude if she wanted to have any fun this weekend.  She reminded herself that she didn’t get to hang out with Jorge often, and that she wanted to make the most out of the next couple days.  Closing her eyes and taking a few calming breaths, Reyna felt her anger slowly unwind and her magic settle.  Finally, she followed her friend back into the living room and joined him on the couch.

The week came and went in the blink of an eye. There had been no other interruptions--be it from protesters or Vampires, thank god--during Jorge's stay, and their dinner with the Vankov family had been lovely. Loud, but lovely all the same.

They'd gone to the Grand Lux, much to Dunstan’s chagrin.  “It's for tourists,” he'd said, sneering at the very thought of eating there. Reyna had to concede that her Master was right in that regard, but it was also a restaurant with plenty of options for any and all picky eaters, reasonably priced--even if Donny was technically paying--and didn't look like a hole in the wall. They could even dress however they wanted.  Fancy or casual, the Grand Lux accepted all sorts of stylings.

It had gone over smashingly.  Everyone had loved it. Elena wore a brand new dress she’d received for her birthday, Mrs. Vankov loved the restaurant’s decor, Marcus was pleased with the menu’s reasonable prices, and even snarky little Nico found nothing wrong or annoying to gripe about.

Now Reyna found herself preparing for another dinner party, though she had a feeling this one wouldn't be nearly as fun as the last.

Lilith was amazing, and Reyna looked up to the fearsome Queen with the utmost respect and even just a tad bit of hero worship.  Not everyone could rule for over two thousand years, now could they?  And then there was Sophie, who was always a laugh and a pleasure to be around.  And she always bought Reyna pretty new clothes, which easily endeared her into the young Mage’s heart.  But these dinners, they were always a little . . . dull.

On occasions like these, Reyna was really only ever invited as a courtesy because she was Dunstan's Apprentice, and she only ever went because, well, you don't turn down an invitation from the Undead Queen.  Not if you wanted to remain in her good graces, anyway.  

She hoped the dinner would at least brighten her Master's mood. After the Vankov dinner, Reyna bit the bullet and told him about the protesters. He'd taken it about as well as she had expected, with thunderous rage and an explosion of venomous words.

After his outburst, the brown eyed Sorcerer had turned inwards, keeping to his study and barely speaking a word for the past few days. Reyna could tell he was planning something, but had no idea what. Perhaps planning for the dinner with Lilith, or perhaps, as Jorge said, planning for a war.

Whichever it was, Reyna just hoped he'd tell her soon. She hated waiting.

They arrived at Lilith’s building that Friday evening, fifteen minutes before they were officially expected. Dunstan handed his keys over to the valet, a human boy with scraggly blonde hair.  He was one of the few humans working on the building’s staff.  He looked like any other normal teenage boy, with half lidded eyes and an easy smile.  He was smart, though, he had to be, and braver than most.  Most humans steered clear of working with Vampires, but Lilith paid well, and as far as Reyna knew there’d never been an accident between staff and resident.  

Lilith had bought this building five years ago and had renovated it to fit her Vampiric needs. Every window was fitted with UV protected glass, several floors were repurposed and turned into a blood bank, and iron was used to decorate almost every inch of the place to keep those pesky Fae out.

She'd intended for it to be a haven for her and her favorite children. Originally, the neighbors hadn't been too keen on the idea of the Vampire Queen living the next building over, but when that dissent reached Lilith’s ears, she smiled and said she understood. The next day every building surrounding her had been bought up by an anonymous developer, and all those who'd complained found themselves promptly evicted.

Although it was never spoken of, it was no real secret that Lilith had been the buyer. The fact that she did it wasn't surprising to Reyna, it was the fact that she could. Lilith lived in the center of the Loop. These buildings weren't cheap. Sure, she'd had over two thousand years to raise the money, but still. It was very impressive.

The building itself was built back in 2001, which, considering the ages of its residents was still very new. Lilith, of course, lived in the penthouse at the very top, which took an awfully long time to get to, even using the elevator. It’d taken the two Mages almost five minutes to get from their car to her floor.

The double ding of the elevator announced their arrival and the silver doors opened up to a grand foyer. The floors and walls were covered with a dark gray marble, with silver and black swirls running through its veins. Antique chairs and small, glass coffee tables filled the room and the walls were decorated with oil paintings and a few artifacts that looked positively Viking. Reyna had no doubt that all these pieces were original and very, very old.

The soft tap-tap of shoes hitting the marble floors echoed throughout the room as Benjamin, Lilith's butler and a fellow human, walked around the corner.

Benjamin was an older man, close to his seventies but not quite there yet, with dark black skin and a full head of hair that was so gray it almost looked white. He'd been with Lilith since he was sixteen, and besides Sophie had been with Lilith longer than anyone else on the planet.

“Good evening, Master Dunstan,” he nodded to the both of them, “Miss Reyna. May I take your coats?” Once in hand, Benjamin efficiently hung them up in a closet, “Very good. Her majesty is in the Drawing Room, please follow me.”

Even though both Mages had been to the Drawing Room enough times they could find it blind, Benjamin was a stickler for protocol and would be aghast at the idea of letting them wander through his Mistress’s home unchaperoned.

The Drawing Room was decorated similarly to the foyer, with oil paintings and Viking relics, but instead of marble, the floors were a dark hickory wood and the one wall that wasn't made entirely of window glass was covered in dark gray brick.

The first time Reyna had met the Vampire Queen, she'd been nine or ten, and thought Lilith was larger than life. She'd looked so ethereal, with her pale white skin and matching white hair that seemed to illuminate space around her. Her dark eyes, blacker than any lump of coal, seemed to see everything, and always hinted that she knew something you did not.

Now, five years later, all those things remained constant. Lilith's hair had not changed, her skin had never changed pallor, her eyes remained sharp and soul cutting, but the one thing that always took Reyna by surprise was her youth. With her round face and small stature, Lilith would forever remain a child on the cusp of puberty. Reyna, on the verge of sixteen, had already outgrown her physically.

The green eyed Mage wondered if she'd ever get over the shock of Lilith's youthful appearance, or if she'd have the same reaction once she surpassed Sophie's undead age.

Lilith stood in the middle of the room, her hands neatly folded before her. “Dunstan, Reyna, dear, how wonderful to see you again. It's been too long.”

“Lilith,” Dunstan stepped forward and took her hand to kiss it. “Thank you for welcoming us into your home.” Lilith's face remained unchanged, as unmoving as stone, as she watched Dunstan. The Vampire Queen didn't care about pretty words or any sort of flattery, she cared much more for action and gifts. “For you,” Dunstan wisely cut to the chase, a green bottle appearing in his hands.

Red lips pulling back into a dangerous smile, Lilith's elongated canines showed themselves at the sight of the blood filled bottle. Black veins appeared along her pale temple and the whites of her eyes bled red as the faint scent of blood permeated her nostrils. “How kind of you, Dunstan. Benjamin,” she paused, then forced her face back into a neutral, human like expression, “please prepare me a glass. I'll have this for dinner.”

“Of course, your majesty.” Benjamin nodded and then took the bottle back towards the kitchen.

“Where's Sophie?” Reyna asked, after giving Lilith a greeting of her own. She hoped Sophie showed up soon.

“Oh,” Lilith said casually, waving a dainty hand at Reyna, “she'll be here soon. We had a bit of a . . . we'll, I guess you could call him an intruder.” She cocked her head to the side in thought, her white blonde hair cascading over her bony shoulder. “Yes, we had an intruder. Sophie's dealing with it.”

Lilith motioned for them to sit on the black leather sofa while she sat in her white plush wing back chair. Dunstan hummed and rubbed a hand over his mouth and along his beard. “An intruder? That's . . . unusual. Your security is so tight, I'm surprised he got in. Was he a Vampire?”

“Vampire, yes. Unusual, no.” Lilith shrugged, “As for my security, don't worry your pretty little head, Dunstan.” She grinned and gave Reyna a sly wink, “it's as tight as I need it to be.”

Brows furrowing, Reyna clarified, “You let him in on purpose? Why?”

Another shrug, “Information, I suppose,” her smirk widened, making her look almost lupine, “and a bit of boredom, too.”

“Who was he?” Dunstan asked, his frown deep and stern.  

Benjamin reentered the room then, his heels hitting against the wood floor at a steady rhythm as he handed Lilith a crystal glass filled with dark, gooey blood. “Thank you, Benjamin.” She took a small sip and sighed, closing her eyes as she relished the taste. Reyna wondered who tonight's donation belonged to.

Opening her eyes, the whites a light pink, Lilith looked straight at Dunstan, “Ah, yes,” her tongue darted out to lick whatever residual blood was on her lips, “truly, he was nobody. A grunt from Louisiana who thought he'd test out the sire theory.” She scoffed before taking another sip.

No one knew exactly how Lilith had become to world's first Vampire. Some said she made a deal with the devil himself, others claimed that she was a Fae experiment gone wrong. Some rumors even claimed that a giant bat bit her, and that's how this all started. The only person who knew for sure was Lilith, and as far as Reyna knew, no one ever got a straight answer out of her.

One thing every Vampire seemed to agree on, however, was the sire theory. The theory that as their Queen, as the origin of their Vampiric abilities, every one of them was linked to her, like some sort of hive. And like a hive, if the Queen dies then so do the children.

It could, of course, be all made up. Lilith could've started the sire theory as a way to ensure her survival, and so far no one had been able to test it. No one wanted to take the chance.

“A grunt?” Dunstan raised a brow, “So he was working for someone?”

“That,” Sophie began, walking into the room as quietly as a mouse. Reyna never understood how the Vampire could be so quiet, even while wearing stiletto heels. “Is something I intend to find out.”

“Sophie, good, I was starting to worry,” Lilith narrowed her eyes as she surveyed her assistant. “I hope he wasn't too much trouble.”

Sophie puckered her lips and sat down on the arm of the sofa, “He's taking a bit longer than I had hoped, I admit.” She pushed some blond hair behind her ear, “I thought I would take a break and check in with him after dinner.”

Lilith hummed, but eventually nodded her head. Reyna watched as a silent conversation continued between the two Vampires. Lilith was not happy, and neither was Sophie, but with Dunstan and her there, there wasn't too much they could do about it.

“Very well. Shall we move to the Dining Room? Sophie, I'll have Benjamin pour you a glass of Dunstan's gift.”

Perking up at that, Sophie smiled at Dunstan and purred, “A gift? Oh how magnifique! And who do I have the pleasure of dining on tonight? You, perhaps?” Her smile was teasing, but Reyna could see the barely tamed excitement twinkling behind her blue eyes.

Chuckling, Dunstan shook his head and stood, “No, I am not the donor, Sophie.” His grin turned sharp, and his Apprentice heard what his words didn't say. You should know better than to ask that, the smile said.

Mage blood was a delicacy to Vampires, and the more powerful the mage, the more enticing the blood. Sophie had been vying for a taste of Dunstan's blood for as long as Reyna knew her, but Dunstan always refused. Reyna didn't know why, exactly, but knowing her Master, he was most likely saving it for a large favor.

“I’m sure you won't be disappointed, though,” Dunstan continued as Benjamin returned to lead the foursome into the Dining Room. Just like the rest of the penthouse, the Dining Room was decorated with accents of gray and had a large glass table in the center of it surrounded by several iron backed chairs.

“The donor is a Fae friend of mine.” Dunstan grinned as Sophie gasped. Fae blood, like a powerful Mage, was extremely potent to a Vampire, and much, much harder to obtain. “She owed me a favor.”

Reyna looked away to grimace. She knew which Fairy her Master spoke of. Clochette was the name she went by, and she, unfortunately, was a regular visitor at their house. The green eyed Mage didn't understand their relationship, and the be perfectly honest, she didn't want to.

Snapping her fingers once everyone was seated, Lilith summoned Benjamin and two servers into the room. Benjamin placed an identical glass of blood on the table in front of Sophie before turning to his mistress to refill her glass.

The two servers--two Vampires this time. They must've been young if they were still working for a source of income--placed hot plates of coq au vin before the two Mages.

“Dunstan,” Lilith began after several minutes of idle chatter and some eating, putting her glass down, the Undead Queen leaned forward in her seat, “tell me, how was Salem?” Her reddened lips curved into a wicked smile, “Anything . . . unusual happen?”

Reyna frowned and just barely suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. It was obvious that Lilith knew what happened that day, about the coup. She'd be amazed if anyone in the magical community--Elves included--hadn’t heard about it by now.

Dunstan smirked and took a sip of his white wine before answering, “Yes, actually.” Reyna had to close her eyes this time to hide the eye roll. Now Dunstan was playing along. Fabulous. “A few of my colleagues had attempted to overthrow Keeper Johnson. If it weren't for Reyna,” he turned to smile at her. Reyna’s green eyes flickered between him and Lilith suspiciously, but she merely continued chewing her chicken. “We'd probably be in the middle of a civil war right now.”

Dunstan wasn't wrong. Some Sorcerers probably would've sided with the Woodhalls and Murphy, but a decent amount would've fought back, especially considering the way they had planned to take power. It would've been long and messy--keeping her in Salem for who knew how long--and Reyna was glad it had been avoided.

“How wonderful!” Sophie declared, her thin lips tipped up in a proud smile. “Our Reyna darling, a little hero.”

“Yes,” Lilith murmured, “how wonderful indeed.” Reaching for the stem of her wine glass to take another sip, “Still, a coup,” she swirled her blood, watching the sides of the glass fog up with a red hue, “that doesn't bode well. How is Keeper Johnson dealing with such a blatant lack of faith?”

Dunstan grimaced, “She's burying her head in the sand.” He pushed some food around on his plate, considering taking a bite, “Hoping it all blows over.”

“Do you think it will work?” Sophie asked, her blue eyes a little too wide and a little too innocent. “That strategy, I mean.”

“It's not inspiring, that's for sure.” Dunstan took another sip of his wine and sat back in his chair. “Many Sorcerers now feel like a change in Keeper may be necessary.”

Reyna coughed, almost choking on a bite of food. The House wanted a new Keeper? This was the first she’d had heard of it. She'd have to contact Jorge and Marcus after the dinner and see what they thought.

Replacing a Keeper wasn't easy. First someone would have to publicly call for their dismissal, then someone would have to second the motion, then, for it to work, three fourths of the House would have to agree.

And as if that wasn't hard enough, then they'd have to go through elections. Someone would have to be nominated, then that nomination would have to be seconded. Then, once all the nominees were in, they'd have to vote. A nominee would have to have the House majority to win, which could be difficult if more than two Sorcerers were running. If no one won by majority, they'd vote again. Again, if no one achieved that elusive half plus one vote, then Duels were challenged; winner take all.

Lilith laughed, low and deep and almost like a purr, “And let me guess, they believe you to be the necessary change?”

Reyna wasn't surprised to hear that. Dunstan had wanted to be Keeper of the House for years now. The only thing that had stopped him from challenging Johnson for the position was his respect for her. Guess that had run out. Still, Dunstan becoming Keeper would change everything.

“I have a decent amount of support,” he nodded, “though I'd prefer to have a few more,” he paused, trying to find the right words, “allies in my corner before moving forward with any of this.”

“Are you sure now is the right time?” Sophie asked, her blue eyes flashing towards Reyna. “You wouldn't want Reyna to suffer because of any of this.”

Dunstan chuffed out a laugh, “I appreciate your concern, Sophie, we both do,” he winked at Reyna, “but you have nothing to worry about. Reyna's been ready to take on the title of Sorceress for almost three years now.” Sitting up straighter, the green eyed Mage preened at her Master's praise.

“She'll do just fine as this district's Sorceress, and heaven help anyone who tries to usurp her.”

Sophie hummed, not looking at all convinced, “What do you think of it all, Reyna darling?”

Sharing a quick look at her Master, Reyna folded her hands neatly on top of her lap, hiding her sweaty palms, “I think,” she said slowly, trying to keep her voice steady. She felt blindsided with this conversation. Just like with the King situation, Dunstan had chosen not to warn her in advance. She'd have to deal with that later, however.

“Dunstan is the best chance the House has to survive King and his rhetoric.” Dunstan smirked and Lilith nodded, but Sophie's attention didn't waver. “And I know I might be young, and it might be . . . overwhelming at first, but I also know that I can do it.”

Dunstan hadn't been lying when he said she was ready. Her magical prowess had already surpassed many Sorcerers in the House, which meant not many would try to steal the seat from her in a Duel. She'd also been Dunstan’s Apprentice for eight years. She'd had plenty of time to watch him and learn the ropes. She could do it. She was ready.

Sophie sighed, “Very well,” she nodded and took a sip of blood. “I still think you are too young, but--”

“Sophie,” Lilith cut her off and sent a sharp glare in her secretary’s direction. “That's enough.” Sitting up straighter, the Vampire Queen smiled at the two Mages, “Well, now that that's all settled, let's talk allies.”

“How many Sorcerers are in your corner?” She asked, her black eyes looking straight into the Sorcerer’s soul. She reminded Reyna suddenly of an asp, ready and waiting for the right moment to strike.

“One hundred and seven have already pledged their loyalty to me.” He stroked his beard in thought, going over the numbers in his head. “There are about a hundred or so seriously questioning Johnson's leadership, then there are the other hundred and fifty that are waiting for to see which way the wind blows before officially taking sides. And the remaining seventy eight are remaining loyal to Johnson.”

“Those who are still undecided, it’s them we need to focus on.  You need to show them how far your reach extends,” Lilith said simply, taking another sip of her blood before continuing. “They already know how strong you are, magically. They've known that for a while now, haven't they?”

Her lips remained a flat line, but Reyna could see the smile and laughter behind Lilith’s dark eyes. The Vampire Queen had always been amused by the story of Dunstan's rise to power. She always got a kick out of retelling the gruesome details.

“Now they need to see the power you wield by the company you keep. So,” she clapped her hands and looked to her assistant, “let's have a party. Who shall we invite? My wealthiest children, of course. We'll be needing some donations and they do love to show off their money.  Perhaps I can have them turn into a competition.  Wouldn’t that be fun?”

Sophie had pulled out her phone and began taking notes with a thin, serious line between her brows. Her blue eyes flashed up to her Queen, awaiting further instructions. “You'll want to send a list to Sophie,” Lilith continued, “of all your supporters and those you believe can be persuaded to your side.”

“We’ll invite the Fae Queens,” Lilith said slowly, almost grounding out the words. It was no secret that the Vampire Queen and the Fae Queens didn't get along. Well, hated each other was more like it. Lilith thought the sister Queens were alien entities with no right to this dimension, and the Fae Queens believed themselves better than Lilith since she was so young. The white haired Vampire was two thousand years old, and yet to the Fae Queens she was barely a toddler.

“They won't come, of course,” Lilith sighed, “but they'll send envoys, I'm sure. How many do you think they'll send, Dunstan?” Her black eyes surveyed the Mage, trying to determine his worth. “They do favor you, yes?”

Dunstan nodded easily, “They seem to, though this will be the true test, I suppose. Hopefully they like me enough to send five representatives.”

Reyna hid a grimace by shoving a large piece of chicken into her mouth. She did not like the Fae. At all. Beyond Clochette, she’d met many Fae.  Both from the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, Reyna had seen them work on their home turf and abroad, and she'd even met their Queens--which was something not many could say. They were gorgeous, all of them. The Queens especially. But there was a hunger in their eyes and mischief in the curve of their lips that always put the young Mage on edge.

They were unpredictable at best and bored at worst. Reyna remembered the first time she'd been allowed into the Seelie Court. She'd been twelve or so, they'd been in France, and Dunstan had gone to call on the Seelie Queen. It’d all been fine, too, amazing, even, until one of them, a female with amber eyes and hair the color of plums, spotted a Goblin lurking nearby. They rounded on the poor creature faster than a shark on chum and had boiled him alive just for the fun of it. Reyna could still hear his screams.

Repressing a shiver, Reyna tried to banish the memories and other thoughts of the Fae out of her mind. Five Fae at one party, her mind repeated. That was going to be . . . difficult, to say the least. Well, she'd just have to cross that bridge when she came to it.

“And, of course, we'll invite a few choice politicians,” Lilith snapped her fingers and a servant flashed to her side, ready to pour more blood into her glass. She hummed for him to stop, “Those that are sympathetic to your cause, those loyal to the current mayor.”

Mayor Hamilton was an older man in his late sixties who'd held the title of mayor of Chicago for the last two decades. He was a smug old bastard with a square chin, a receding hairline and pale, Scottish skin that turned painfully pink if he ventured out into the sun for too long. Vampires burned less easily than this man.

He wasn't a bad mayor, but he wasn't a good one, either. The people of Chicago had gone too long with tax hikes and car shattering potholes. They wanted something different, something new, and so for the first time in what seemed like forever, mayor Hamilton finally had some competition.  Reyna would've loved to watch the drama of it all unfold if that competition had come from someone other than King.

Sneering down at her mushrooms, Reyna viciously stabbed one with her fork, causing Dunstan to raise his brow at her. Shrugging an apology, she tuned back into the conversation.

“Was there anyone else?” Sophie asked, her thumbs hovering over her phone’s screen.

“Just one more person,” Dunstan cleared his throat, “Sybil Line.”

That was ballsy of him, Reyna thought with a slight frown. Sybil Line was a Seer, a Prophet descended from Apollo himself, or so the rumors went anyway. She could look into your future with startling accuracy, and always had a prophecy or two up her sleeve. Reyna wasn't sure how they'd met, but Dunstan had somehow made friends with Sybil way back before Reyna was even born. If her Master could get her to make an appearance, that'd be one hell of a statement. The only problem was that Sybil was introverted as hell and hated leaving her home in the suburbs. No way in hell was she going to come all the way up into the city just to shmooze some people for Dunstan.

Still, Reyna stayed quiet. Now wasn't the time to point any of that out. And who knows, maybe Dunstan and the Prophet had already come to an agreement of some kind. Either way, she'd find out soon enough.

With the guest list settled, and the date of the party set for the night of the winter solstice--almost four months from now--the dinner party ended and the two Mages took their leave.

Outside Lilith's apartment, Dunstan had barely closed the driver side door when the words tumbled out of Reyna's mouth, “Is Sybil really coming to the party?”

If she were honest, she'd admit that she was excited by the prospect. Reyna loved Sybil, she was like a big sister to her and had been ever since she was twelve and she'd gotten her first period. Dunstan, the uneducated male that he was, dumped his Apprentice on Sybil's doorstep, begging her to take Reyna for a week and teach her about 'being a woman’. His words.

In hindsight, the memory was pretty funny, and in the end it had been a pretty fun week.

But although the Prophet and her Master were old friends, and Reyna looked up to the misty eyed woman, their visits were few and far between. And with Sybil's nature being what is was, Reyna was trying not to get her hopes up. It was hard, though. She really wanted Sybil to come.

Dunstan shrugged, “She said she would,” he said slowly. “But we won't know until the night of probably.”

Nodding, Reyna hummed and looked out her window. She hoped Sybil came. It'd almost make the Fae tolerable. Almost. Maybe she'd call her tomorrow, maybe add some incentive.

“Oh yeah,” Dunstan said suddenly, as if remembering something.  With one hand on the wheel and the other stroking his beard, he asked, “Since when do you hate mushrooms?”

Wincing, Reyna told him what really caused her to act so harshly towards the vegetable: King robbing her of enjoyable drama.  It was pathetic and embarrassing, but Dunstan wouldn’t have let it go. So as Dunstan’s laugh echoed throughout the car--Reyna swore people three cars over could hear him--she buried her face in her hands and waited for the embarrassment to pass.