08-10-2018, 11:01 PM
Touch amplified her intuitions, so when the boy Nox asked her to dance, Vena obliged with a smile.
Threads of connection drifted between him and the man who caught Scion's interest, but of the two it was Nox's presence that resonated louder. Some people were simply like that, for reason's she could not explain; it was even true of Scion's own son. More than that, though, when she'd sauntered to the bar and awaited notice, he had spoken Ascendancy's name and darker intentions than Vena truly wished to hear. Other words too for which she had no meaning, filed away for later. As leverage in pursing Scion's wishes, he might be a valuable tool.
He was charming enough, and easy to look at. If his tongue erred a few times towards the inappropriate, he also knew how to be a gentleman. But the touch of his hand flickered something dark and earthy and unquantifiable. She tasted blood, lots of it, dark and thick with sorrow. Connections to Jay Carpenter fizzled beneath the weight of it despite that she tried to dig them out. She didn't truly know how to navigate what she saw, and sometimes she could find little meaning even when she tried to direct herself. There was something familiar though: the touch of cavernous dark, cold like death, that bridged a connection to Ascendancy.
The music changed tempo. He told her to follow his steps, and she did, the glimpse of a sly smile as she matched him. Scion would likely not approve of the raucous music, but Vena did love to dance. Such a shame that to do so with him, she must suffer the sharp tang of blood down her throat. Although given that she also got to partake of something she enjoyed, it was easy enough to ignore. When even words might spark sensations, not all of them pleasant, she had learned long ago to live with a little discomfort.
Dark hair tousled her shoulders by the time the song ended, her dark eyes bright and chest breathless. He swept a bow that bloomed a warm smile on her lips, but she knew better than to linger. Afterwards she caught Scion's eye briefly, but did not pause to seek him out. Words were unnecessary between them. If Vena lavished attention on someone, there was usually a reason. He would depart to discover it.
In the meantime, she circulated amongst friends with warmth and grace, her honeyed tongue drawing company with ease. The dancing left her bright and smiling, the memories evoked from Nox's touch banished deep until they faded, leaving only a trace of curiosity. Ijiraq and strzyga. What were these things? Little that would intrigue Scion, she'd wager, but Vena's curiosities ran deeper. She inquired over the man named Nox, but no one of society seemed to know who he was. A few offered Cruz Vega up as the man who had accompanied him through the door and likely funded the ticket, but gossip turned more frequently to the men in black. Though none seemed to know much about the identities of the men in the uniform.
It was then the scream shattered all comfort. Music cut to silence.
She looked for Scion instinctively, knowing the general direction in which he stood without truly knowing why. But she could not see him through a suddenly thickened crowd. Even in heels Vena could barely see over shoulders, but a few gentle enquiries revealed the heart of the drama. Unwilling to join the crush of bodies, she retreated from the fray, aware from the frantic whispers upon whom the chaos centred. Jaxen lived to thwart his father at every opportunity, and though Scion's appraisal of the woman he chose to bring tonight had amounted to disinterested dismissal, Vena was quite convinced that one was trouble.
It was only happenstance that snared her attention, caught as she was on the wrong side of the crowd to witness the spectacle at its centre. She watched curiously as the lieutenant Jay Carpenter locked in stare with two others standing on the periphery, then plunged into the chaos, only to emerge a moment later with Jensen James. But it was not this nor the fact they were joined by Natalie Northbrook that attracted her attention. It was the expression on the face of the man who wore jewels on his fingers, and the bloody way he and Jay Carpenter knotted together.
As the group dispersed, Vena too far away to hear the words exchanged, she took a step towards the remaining players, only to pause as Ascendancy's voice radiated through all ears. Scion would be interested to know the identity of this man, but for now she turned and braved the gathering throngs of people to dutifully return to his side. Jaxen was still missing; he would not like it.
Threads of connection drifted between him and the man who caught Scion's interest, but of the two it was Nox's presence that resonated louder. Some people were simply like that, for reason's she could not explain; it was even true of Scion's own son. More than that, though, when she'd sauntered to the bar and awaited notice, he had spoken Ascendancy's name and darker intentions than Vena truly wished to hear. Other words too for which she had no meaning, filed away for later. As leverage in pursing Scion's wishes, he might be a valuable tool.
He was charming enough, and easy to look at. If his tongue erred a few times towards the inappropriate, he also knew how to be a gentleman. But the touch of his hand flickered something dark and earthy and unquantifiable. She tasted blood, lots of it, dark and thick with sorrow. Connections to Jay Carpenter fizzled beneath the weight of it despite that she tried to dig them out. She didn't truly know how to navigate what she saw, and sometimes she could find little meaning even when she tried to direct herself. There was something familiar though: the touch of cavernous dark, cold like death, that bridged a connection to Ascendancy.
The music changed tempo. He told her to follow his steps, and she did, the glimpse of a sly smile as she matched him. Scion would likely not approve of the raucous music, but Vena did love to dance. Such a shame that to do so with him, she must suffer the sharp tang of blood down her throat. Although given that she also got to partake of something she enjoyed, it was easy enough to ignore. When even words might spark sensations, not all of them pleasant, she had learned long ago to live with a little discomfort.
Dark hair tousled her shoulders by the time the song ended, her dark eyes bright and chest breathless. He swept a bow that bloomed a warm smile on her lips, but she knew better than to linger. Afterwards she caught Scion's eye briefly, but did not pause to seek him out. Words were unnecessary between them. If Vena lavished attention on someone, there was usually a reason. He would depart to discover it.
In the meantime, she circulated amongst friends with warmth and grace, her honeyed tongue drawing company with ease. The dancing left her bright and smiling, the memories evoked from Nox's touch banished deep until they faded, leaving only a trace of curiosity. Ijiraq and strzyga. What were these things? Little that would intrigue Scion, she'd wager, but Vena's curiosities ran deeper. She inquired over the man named Nox, but no one of society seemed to know who he was. A few offered Cruz Vega up as the man who had accompanied him through the door and likely funded the ticket, but gossip turned more frequently to the men in black. Though none seemed to know much about the identities of the men in the uniform.
It was then the scream shattered all comfort. Music cut to silence.
She looked for Scion instinctively, knowing the general direction in which he stood without truly knowing why. But she could not see him through a suddenly thickened crowd. Even in heels Vena could barely see over shoulders, but a few gentle enquiries revealed the heart of the drama. Unwilling to join the crush of bodies, she retreated from the fray, aware from the frantic whispers upon whom the chaos centred. Jaxen lived to thwart his father at every opportunity, and though Scion's appraisal of the woman he chose to bring tonight had amounted to disinterested dismissal, Vena was quite convinced that one was trouble.
It was only happenstance that snared her attention, caught as she was on the wrong side of the crowd to witness the spectacle at its centre. She watched curiously as the lieutenant Jay Carpenter locked in stare with two others standing on the periphery, then plunged into the chaos, only to emerge a moment later with Jensen James. But it was not this nor the fact they were joined by Natalie Northbrook that attracted her attention. It was the expression on the face of the man who wore jewels on his fingers, and the bloody way he and Jay Carpenter knotted together.
As the group dispersed, Vena too far away to hear the words exchanged, she took a step towards the remaining players, only to pause as Ascendancy's voice radiated through all ears. Scion would be interested to know the identity of this man, but for now she turned and braved the gathering throngs of people to dutifully return to his side. Jaxen was still missing; he would not like it.