WoDA fiction World of Darkness: Attrition - Boot-Scooting Boogie

[z-August Turner]

Word spread through certain groups in LA like fire. People that knew the right people got to hear the whispers of a get-together up on Copa de Oro Road. It was mostly people somehow associated with the UCLA campus, but a few others caught wind of it as well. People who made it their business to know where the good times were going to be happening were very aware of this party. They also knew that Lucian and Oneca, the host and hostess for this epic End of Summer bash, didn't mind what zip code you lived in, so long as you didn't drag down the party with anything that would rouse the interest of the cops.

The winding road of Copa de Oro was one of the wealthiest in LA and the houses there were home to people with more money than things to spend it on – usually. In this case, the house housed the offspring of people with more money than things to spend it on and their broke friend. Tonight, the house was already thick with cars, with several parked on the U-drive and more in the yard. A line was building in the street as more and more people showed up, ready to have some fun.

Most people were following the path around the outside of the building to get to the fun. The outdoor fireplace faced the patio; despite the summer heat, a fire burned merrily in the hearth. Massive speakers played music loudly enough that everyone at the party could hear it, even if they weren't close to the house. Entrances to the living room and dining room off the patio gave ready access to both air-conditioning and the kegs purchased for the party. The pool, just down the steps from the patio, was open as well, with a wet bar near the water to create more pool-worthy drinks on demand. An electric bull was not far from the pool, surrounded by hay bales and set in a sand box to mitigate the impact of a fall. Carefully maintained lawns were now host to a variety of games and groups mingling and chatting. Trees, set back from the lawn and house, gave convenient shadows for couples looking for a bit of privacy, if not comfort.

Those inside found the luxurious house a delight to chill out and drink in. The floors were hardwood and tile in the public areas. The kitchen's granite counters were full of finger food and drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Spacious rooms had plenty of furnishings and places to sit; the numerous rooms allowed people to form groups and chat or play party games. There were a few locked doors but the party-goers had plenty of places to play.

Cowboy hats and boots were the unifying apparel tonight. While the cowboy theme was there, it wasn't overstressed; country music wasn't the only music blaring out of the speakers on the patio. A mix of songs kept playing, though most people weren't here for the tunes. Most were here for the host and the fun.

Even the 'charity case' as Saja had so eloquently put it, was here for the host. August had a final project to worry about, but she was going to party tonight. She'd had way too much stress this summer; this was her turning point. She was going to have fun tonight, damn it!

August peered at herself in the mirror, inspecting herself from all angles. Her green bikini top was daring, as was her Daisy Dukes; she'd cut them earlier today and like most self-tailors, she got them a little shorter than she'd meant to. Buck up, she ordered herself, fighting a blush as she took a look at her backside in the mirror. You want Lucian or not? The answer was yes, so she put up with feeling nearly naked. Her boots were black with silver stitching, while her cowboy hat was a simple black one. She hesitated, her fingers on the cording, but she finally left her wolf's head pendant alone. It hung between her breasts, the silver glinting in the light.

Satisfied wither appearance, August shut and locked her door; hard experience told her that if she didn't, she'd find her bed occupied when she wanted to use it. And if she finally snagged Lucian, she damn well wanted her bed free and clear. At the very least, if she wanted to sleep, she didn't want to have to kick people out of it, strip the sheets, deal with any wet spots and have that icky 'strangers had sex in my bed' feeling. If people wanted a bed, there was the guest room, or the guesthouse. Shoving the key into her back pocket, she wandered downstairs, fiddling with the camcorder as she came. Oneca would probably roll her eyes at August, but the pretty grad student didn't care. If something interested happened tonight, she'd catch it on film.

People were already thick in the house; August scanned the crowd before plunging into it with a grin. This was the last hoorah before she had to start facing school again. August wanted to make it count.

Click to reveal..

All and sundry are invited; feel free to assume that your character has heard of an epic party where Lucian Hunt will be attending. The main OOC rule is: if you join the party, you must leave the party - remember to write yourself out if you're done.

[SalmonMax]

Right from the start, Triessa stuck out at the party. She had the only dirty, grungy red 70's Ford pickup amidst a sea of Audiis and sports cars and even a few VW's.

When she got out, she was wearing a sort of beige, long sleeved halter and a dark forest green vest over it. A long skirt swirled around her legs, decorated in a wild pastiche of primary and earthtone colors. All of it looked like it might have come from a bargain bin, or perhaps even been home made. She hadn't a scrap of makeup on, not so much as a dab of eyeshadow or lipstick. She was literally a headband with a peace sign, and a joint, away from Woodstock. Beside tanned, toned, sculpted bodies of the well-to-do youth of LA, Triessa seemed pale and ordinary.

Or she should have. Maybe it was the confidence in her movements and eyes...despite how badly she failed to fit in, she gave no sign of self-consciousness or embarrassment. Maybe it was how she seemed to spend a lot of time staring at perfectly normal things, like the puncbowl, and the hatrack. Triessa seemed somehow -realer- than the people around her. There was a vitality to her that was a scream to most people's whisper.

What no one knew was that Triessa was watching the spirits. She loved these big parties, because they attracted all kinds of interesting Twilight fauna. In the punchbowl that she'd drifted over to, she took note of a pair of little critters that were cackling and pretending to do laps around it. Drunkenness spirits, she suspected. Someone had spiked the punch already.

She sighed happily and looked around, favoring everyone with a broad, if somewhat vague grin. The real fun hadn't even started yet.

[Ira Sagebrush]

Romeo had caught wind of the party from hearing a discussion between two of the college kids that worked the front desk of the Residence Inn he was staying at. He'd been eating breakfast when they started going on about where it was and who would be there.

Cha-ching. Open invitations are good.

~~~~~~

It only took a short ride into town to procure a hat that would allow him to fit in with the theme, more difficult was figuring a way to transport it on his bike. In the end, he just used the leather cord the hat came with, and he let it try and strangle him all the way to the party.

The advantage of having a bike versus a car, was it allowed him to park closer. He wound through the cars parked in the u-drive and killed the engine near the front door, but not so near the front that people would be tempted to touch it or sit on it as they walked by on their way to the party.

He'd already found out that having a bike in LA seemed to be an open invite for any passing douchebag to sit on it and have a mini-mid-life crisis or punk-ass kids with entitlement issues to ask for a ride and then be offended when you tell them to 'fuck off'.

Romeo had yet to find a way to electrify it without risking blowing the thing up, so he was left with the standard klaxon alarms and the comfort of knowing that without his thumbprint, they weren't starting it. He also knew that wouldn't stop them from knocking it over and scratching the shit out of it either.

Fuckers

He locked his helmet to the bike and donned the well-fitting wrangler hat. It went well with his rustic, boot-cut jeans, but the riding jacket and black riding boots made the ensemble garish at best. The cherry on top was his thick, black-framed glasses that made him look like a cast member of some direct-to-DVD rip off of City Slickers. If Romeo had any read idea of blending in with the crowd, it would be a disaster.

But then he didn't really want to blend in. He was here to network. He had a small stack of business cards in his pocket to leave around the house, the party and hopefully in people's clothing. Anything to keep him longer in California and prevent him from going home. Anything to keep his mind off things.

With a deep breath, a small cough to clear his throat and a small handful of minty Tic Tacs, Romeo walked the path around the house toward the back, trying to smile.

[Owns-The-Night]

"This" Dec muttered to himself as he walked up the drive to the Party Palazzo "Is somethin' else." The music was blaring from every open door and window, mixing with the sounds of lots of people having a good time. Dec hated lines, but he was here to enjoy himself, not start some shit by cutting in front of people and generally behaving like a dick. But the crowd was making him edgy. Too many rich folks, and rich folks always felt entitled, and then squealed like piggies when they found out that daddy's dollars didn't keep fists from breaking their nosejob.

How bad can it be? No drugs, no weapons. Sounds like the best damn party you've ever been to from what some of the students were sayin', too. A nice, chilled-out fun-fest. Right. He took a couple of slow steps forward, tilting his head back as though he were admiring the joint rather than considering heading back the way he'd come. A couple of girls ahead of him threw the Vargr curious looks that became quietly appraising. The one on the left, Dec idly noted, had a smokin' rear.

He didn't look too bad, all things considered. His brown leather cowboy hat was real. At least, it was a hat he'd worn for actual work in the actual outdoors, and it looked like it. Worn, and a little stained, but not scrubby. And his boots too, dark brown under his faded blue jeans, well-worn in, though the soles were new. They'd been lingering in the back of his closet since he'd come to L.A, and now was as good a time as any to re-use them. A habitual white t-shirt and a belt-buckle with a relief of a standing wolf, head lifted in a howl, and Declan was ready for anything.

Dec grinned lazily at the girls, making one blush as they both faced forward, then laughed silently to himself. Oh yes, this was a good idea the Doc had. He was going to have to say so, too. Though far from a saint, Dec was conscientious about giving people their due. Still smiling, he stepped into the party and let the crowd swallow him up.

[z-August Turner]

“Auggie!” Marley’s probably one of the few people August really doesn’t want to talk to right now; she’d been uncomfortable around the woman since the whole Dec-thing. It wasn’t Marley’s fault, entirely – August always wondered if Marley was running around calling her ‘Crazy Turner’ behind her back and telling people she talked to her imaginary friends. Still, she was a peer and August had on a polite smile as she turned.

The blonde wasn’t alone; there were a couple of other people from the school there. August smiled at them, even as her paranoid little voice whispered that they knew and had laughed at ‘Crazy Turner’ earlier with Marley. Nevermind that Jane (not her real name, like many Chinese students, she adopted an American name), a Chinese national, and Javier were not the types. The whispers were still there. “Is he here?” Marley gasped excitedly.

“He?” August asked with a sinking heart.

“Lucian Hunt! I heard he was coming!” Marley said, rolling her eyes. “Who did you think I meant?”

Javier shook his head, his braids swinging around him. “Marley, none of you ladies have a shot in hell with him, at least not for anything more than a quick bang.”

“You don’t know that!” Marley said, kicking up the drama as she cooed dreamily, “He might fall madly in love with me at first sight!” She was just joking, but August still felt a spurt of anger.

“Yeah, haven’t seen him,” August said, trying to smile. God, what had she been thinking?! Every woman at this party would be nosing around Lucian – she didn’t have a chance. “I need to find Oneca, catch you all later! Have fun!”

Turning, she headed for the corner of the house – she wasn’t checking to see if Lucian’s car was here, honest – but wasn’t really watching where she was going. Because she was lost in self-misery, she didn’t see the guy coming around the corner until she ran into him. Thankfully, she didn’t have a drink in her hand and she didn’t have a drink in her system, so she didn’t drop her camcorder. “Oh, god!” she yelped as they both reeled back from the impact. August glanced down quickly to make sure she hadn’t fallen out of her top before focusing on him. He looked… like one of the physics nerds trying to come to a ‘cool kids’ party. “I’m sorry!” she said, her eyes wide. “That was totally my bad. You ok?”

[Ira Sagebrush]

Romeo swallowed hard as the bump forced him to eat the remnants of the breath mints or to choke on them. His face turned bright red as he forced back the coughing attack and the sudden flush of mint attacked his sinuses.

He looked up at August from his slightly bent over posture as he regained his composure, giving her a glancing up-down, "So much skin..."

"I'm sorry?" she asked.

Romeo shook his head and stood up, "Said you look thin."

Yes, that was better.

"Which is my socially awkward way of saying I'm fine and you're beautiful." he said offering a hand and pushing up his glasses with the other. "Romeo."

He glanced up and realized he was wearing the hat and quickly snatched it off with his free hand, not wanting to be impolite.

You're a fucking retard.

[z-August Turner]

August blushed at the compliment. She got them enough to know that she was pretty but she didn’t really have the confidence to make herself truly shine. She took the hand automatically, shaking as she said, “I’m glad you’re ok-” She blinked. “Wait, your name is Romeo?”

When the green-eyed girl heard her own disbelief, she quickly backtracked. “I mean, I’m glad you’re okay, Romeo. I’m August.”

As she was talking to him, August had the sudden and unpleasant realization she wasn’t wearing enough clothing to be talking to strange men. She’d dressed for Lucian and now she was feeling distinctly underdressed – especially now that she realized she had no shot with the Lucian Hunt.

“I’m kinda one of the hosts,” she added as she reclaimed her hand. “So…” They stood there a moment and August finally managed to come up with a topic. “So is this your first time to one of Oneca’s parties?”

[Jeremy]

Jeremy normally didn't spend this much time in the rich parts of town, but he supposed some fun and tail didn't hurt for sparking his interest. He worked his way up the driveway, smiling and catching the eyes of a girl or two, including a nice chesty darling. No tricks, no conning, just some fun and wing-space... arm-space.

But then, he caught a familiar voice coming off from the corner of the house, and he quickened his pace to get inside, with the added warning of a sideways glance. August? A host? For a moment, he considered aborting his plans, then decided against it. Surely in the crowds, she couldn't find him, much less raise a ruckus in her own party.

Reassured, he continued his way through, searching for a drink for starters. Not that he had far to go to find one.

[Ira Sagebrush]

She's stopping to talk?

"Um yeah, yeah it is. I only just got to town about a week ago." Romeo answered, glancing over the too-often discussed topic of his name. "Though if they are all like this, I'll try to become familiar...as long as you stop trying to kill me."

The slight curve to one side of his mouth and the twinkle in his eye belied the deadpan method of his last statement. The man didn't really have looks, his clothing might be expensive, though his sense of style was exceedingly plain and it was obvious his haircuts came from a chain salon, so it was of no surprise that Romeo had to depend on his wit to be considered attractive.

[SalmonMax]

"You're a freeloader."

The voice came from not far away as Jeremy eyed the refreshment table. Right at his elbow in fact. When he looked, he saw some girl dressed like she shopped at Hippies R Us watching him as she sipped a cup of punch, her eyes sparkling merrily.

She waved her free hand out at the press of students in the party when he turned to see her.

"You didn't bump into anyone you knew, and you weren't scanning the crowd to find anyone. You came straight to the food and drink, like that's all you're here for." Then she grinned and added, "Like me. We're the same. Punch is spiked by the way."

She smacked her lips and considered. "Rum, I think. Maybe vodka. I can never keep them straight."

Abruptly she thrust a hand out. "Triessa Elrich."

[Jeremy]

Jeremy clicked his teeth like a beak and shook her hand. "Guilty as charged. Jeremy Noctis."

He walked over to the punch and poured a liberal glass of it, before sipping deeply and letting his sense roll awash in the flavors. Molasses, definitely rum then. Then he looked at Triessa with an amused grin. "Rum, English-speaking islands style, well-aged and certainly premium. Seems par for a party run by a wealthy kid with his package displayed all over LA."

He felt interested in covering with Triessa, for he could sense a vitality like his, but different. Most interesting. "You're the Ford pickup owner out there, right?"

[SalmonMax]

Triessa nodded, watching Jeremy intently. Invisible to mortal sight, a spell twisted before her eyes like spectacles, translating the Supernal world into things she could see. Gauzy halos of light surrounded everyone there at the party, but around Jeremy it was peculiarly intense. His soul was stronger than normal, but it wasn't Awakened. She wasn't sure what it meant.

"It's very liberating having the worst car on the block," she informed him. "People can ding it, key it, write on the window with lipstick, break the mirror...doesn't matter. As long as it's got two wheels, an engine and a steering wheel I'll still be able to get it back home. I expect there's a lot of people paranoid about their cars here tonight. Nice not to be one of them."

"What about you, Mr Noctis? Did you drive? You don't strike me as the driving type. You seem like you'd either walk, or hitch a ride."

[Jeremy]

What one thing that Triessa didn't know, was that Jeremy's enhanced senses picked up on the interest, if not the exact reason. As if one moment, she'd seen something more about him. Strange. The feral himself wasn't caring to give his nature away with the crowds and the unknown quantity here, but perhaps he could pry something out over time.

"Yep. I walk, and take the bus occasionally. Traffic isn't much of an issue, which makes up all the difference. Less aggravation, less delays, cleaner skies as far as my part."

[z-August Turner]

August snorted, even as she flushed a little. “I actually promised Oneca I’d cut back on the number of guests I try to kill at each party,” she said, giving him a wry grin. “So I guess I’ll put you on the ‘no-kill’ list, Romeo.”

What a weird name. Do I ask?

C’mon. This is Hollywood. L.A. You’ve heard weirder names.

This is pretty weird.

August mentally rolled her eyes at her own dialogue and turned back toward the house. “Come on, Romeo,” she said with a grin, “let me introduce you to some people. I’m afraid that the man of the hour isn’t here yet, or at least I haven’t seen him, but I’ll be happy to show you around to the next generation of movie makers.” At his questioning look, she admitted, “I’m going to UCLA for film studies. What about you? You a grad student or unaffiliated with higher education?”

[Owns-The-Night]

Like a wolf in the fold...

Twenty minutes later, Dec was having a good time.

Well, for the most part. He'd secured a fine perch on the patio and was leaning against the railing, beer in hand and enjoying the benefit of the scant breeze. The music was loud, uncomfortably so for the Vargr's keen ears, but the he at least could watch the goings-on without being deafened. His moon-silver eyes had no trouble piercing the twilight. He'd nodded and said 'hi' to a few people who had recognised and greeted him but otherwise seemed comfortable to merely observe. This wasn't particularly an issue, because one thing Dec wasn't crowded with was people willing to stand closer to him than absolutely necessary.

Not that there weren't a few.

"...So I've, like, seen you around the campus and stuff. Traci here says you're always in the gym or running." Traci hid her blush in her drink as her companion, an exuberant petite blonde, ran her mouth with a combination of nervousness and interest. She was cute: petite in height and build, with short pixie-cut hair and bubble-gum pink lipstick that matched her bikini top and the tassels on her white cowboy boots. White Daisy Dukes and cowboy hat completed her ensemble - along with her endless stream of chatter. Dec had barely needed to say a word beyond 'Hi, I'm Declan', because the girl could talk for the U.S of A. Her name was Joy and she was a freshman, a local girl born and bred. She liked dogs and horses, recycled, and hated the smell of cigarette smoke. She had a refreshing lack of pretentiousness for an L.A. denizen, and an open manner, and Dec found himself warming to her despite the endless stream-of-consciousness he was being barraged with. Joy had NO brain-to-mouth filter, it seemed.

Her friend, Traci, was taller and darker, with hazel eyes and light-brown hair. She was also the quiet one, and the most reluctant to approach when Joy had come over, practically dragging her along.

"I'm, like, totally wasted after one hour's workout. I do power-yoga and pilates once each a week." Brown eyes rested on his chest for a moment then looked up into his eyes. She giggled and sipped her drink, her gaze straying from his eyes to his shoulders then wandering off with deliberate casualness as she talked. "So what's your secret? You're doing all this heavy work all day, then you go and work out? Crazy man!" Her tone was light, teasing and flirtatious as she poked his arm, then her eyes widened and she looked at Traci, then back at Declan with a remorseful expression. "Um, I didn't mean 'crazy' like, y'know, crazy. Sorry! I get sooo spaced out. That was so mean of me!" Dec smiled at her and shook his head.

"Honestly? Running's the second best exercise there is." He grinned, his head tilting to one side as Joy laughed. It wasn't much of a joke, but relief added to the happy vibe.

"Oh, I just bet you know allll about that!" She shot back with a matching grin. Dec shrugged and took a swig of his beer, before sliding his gaze back to hers and smiling again.

"I never kiss an' tell, darlin'." Joy's laugh was melodic, and Declan was starting to feel that the night was going to have a very pleasant ending when, in hindsight, the inevitable happened.

"Joy!" A broad-shouldered, athletic young man pushed his way to the blonde girl's side. She squealed from, well, joy and threw her arms around his neck. Another guy seemingly stamped from the same mold came with him, sidling up next to Traci and taking her hand. Both guys were studying Declan with that appraising gaze - but he kept his own manner affable. No hard returning looks, no slight lifting of his lip. Just a regular Joe, having a drink and chat. Nothin' to see here officer.

"Robbie! You made it." Joy half-turned and motioned to Declan, who was watching their exchange from the rail. "This is Dec. He's a groundskeeper at UCLA. Dec, this is Robbie, a friend."

"A good friend." Robbie said with a smile at Dec before looking back at Joy. "C'mon, Joy. The gang's all here down at the pool."

"Oh, awesome!" She looked at Dec again. "Want to come and meet the guys?" Dec was tempted to accept, but saw the look in Robbie's eye and decided against it. It'd just turn into a dick-swinging contest, and that would be all fun and games until someone lost their trachea.

"Nah." He grinned at Joy. "I don't have my trunks, and it's too early and too sober for birthday swimwear." Joy giggled then mock-pouted.

"Aww, alright then. It was awesome talking to you, Declan. I'll see you around?"

"Count on it." He watched as Robbie led the girl off, one arm protectively (and possessively) around her shoulders. He was still watching when Joy glanced back to see if he was, and grinned as she smiled coyly back at him. Yeah, she'd be back when Robbie passed out. Probably. Maybe. Hell, the night was still young.

And with that thought in mind, Dec slipped off the railing and wandered off to find another beer. And something to eat. The buffet table looked promising. A promise that bore fruit, as he found a variety of meat-based finger foods and, grabbing a plate, heaped it high. He moved along the table like a wolf stalking the edges of the herd, picking off the food that seemed most palatable to him and nodding absently to the black-haired kid and the hippy-looking girl as he passed by. The kid looked like a student, short and skinny. The girl looked... well, out of place, for one. No tan, no hardbody-revealing clothing, and no makeup or perfume. Another student, probably. He gave her a second look as he pondered the punch, sniffing lightly at it without bending down.

"Rum." he said in a quiet, deep voice, smiling wryly at the two students(?). "It's always rum. I'll stick with the beer."

[SalmonMax]

Triessa beamed at Jeremy as he spoke, revealing that he'd hit on something important to her. "I usually bicycle," she reported. "But after moving across state I'm a bit out of shape and I didn't want to be all smelly so I drove up here this time."

She blinked, distracted by something in the crowd past Jeremy. "Good lord, is that a person?" After squinting a little she nodded. "It's a man."

The university groundskeeper sauntered past, with Triessa staring at him...not with the usual lusty ardor, but with surprise and interest and, yes, some intimidation. That he was no stranger to.

Abruptly Triessa blurted, "Wolf!" When Declan looked sharply back at her, she nodded and said, "I like your belt buckle."

[Owns-The-Night]

Dec's first reaction to the girl blurting out "Wolf!" was almost comical, if you didn't actually know how close it was to catastrophic. He tensed, turned, and stared straight at her in shock that warred with the fight/flight instinct. He almost either a) threw his food in her face and bolted or wolfed out and bolted. Neither of which would be a good idea, really. Fortunately, his sentience won out over his instinct, and he managed to turn his shocked expression into a 'WTF?!' raised eyebrow. Then Triessa commented on his belt buckle and he relaxed.

"Oh, yeah." He glanced down and then smiled back at her. "It was a gift." Which was true. It'd been one of the things Lise had brought him as kind of a 'welcome to the family' present. He tilted his head slightly as he studied her, silver eyes glinting from under the brim of the hat before he tipped it back on his head a little, lessening his forbidding appearance a fraction. A notable fraction, but still a fraction nonetheless. "You a wolf fan?" Stupid question, just look at her: she's an neo-pagan Earth-sister type. She probably knows all about wolves, or thinks she does. Having spent some time up in the hills running with the wolfpack there, Dec considered his knowledge a little more first-hand than most.

[Ira Sagebrush]

Originally Posted By: August Turner

August snorted, even as she flushed a little. “I actually promised Oneca I’d cut back on the number of guests I try to kill at each party,” she said, giving him a wry grin. “So I guess I’ll put you on the ‘no-kill’ list, Romeo.”

August mentally rolled her eyes at her own dialogue and turned back toward the house. “Come on, Romeo,” she said with a grin, “let me introduce you to some people. I’m afraid that the man of the hour isn’t here yet, or at least I haven’t seen him, but I’ll be happy to show you around to the next generation of movie makers.” At his questioning look, she admitted, “I’m going to UCLA for film studies. What about you? You a grad student or unaffiliated with higher education?”

"Oh, I don't go to school. I own a security consulting firm. I'm in town on business...hopefully for awhile." Romeo answered. "So, are you an actress then? Film studies seems like it would be code for 'acting'."

Man of the hour?

This was better than he could have hoped for. Not five minutes in and the ice had been broken and he was talking to someone familiar with the scene. And!...he was going to be introduced around. He might get some vital handshakes in that could later turn into consults without all the pandering that was usually needed.

Wish I had a drink. At least I have a hat to hold to keep my hands busy.

"Oh, and who is the 'man-of-the-hour'? Sorry...my outsider status showing again." Romeo asked, smirked.

Wait...is she going to think I said 'hopefully for awhile' for other reasons? Not that she isn't cute...she probably thinks you're 'old'.

Romeo tried to keep his gaze on her face to gauge her reactions, but unable to keep his eyes from glancing occasionally over the feast of flesh she was displaying.

[SalmonMax]

"A wolf fan?" The question for some reason seemed to strike Triessa as funny, from her giggle. In reality she was giggling at Declan himself. Wolf buckle. Silver eyes. Sniffing the punch? Aura that looked like it was about to go supernova. Jeremy had some mystery to him, but this 'cowboy' was as subtle to Tree's senses as an earthquake.

And she'd blurted wolf. Probably almost got herself dead there, hence the nervous edge to the giggle. She couldn't help it. On some level or other, she was a bit of a thrillseeker. And you had to admit his reaction had been almost as hilarious as it had been nearly lethal.

"Sort of, I guess. I'm more interested in the relationship between wolves and human beings though. Both wild wolves, and domestic dogs which are just wolves that have adapted to symbiosis with humanity. The story of wolves and men is one of the most historically successful examples of how human beings can learn to live harmonically with the world...bending it, and themselves...instead of breaking it."

Her hand popped out as if on its own crazed whim. "Triessa Elrich."

[Owns-The-Night]

"Declan Perault" A calloused hand engulfed hers gently as his silvery eyes watched her with concern hidden behind curiousity. "Most folks just call me Dec. Pleasure to meet ya." Triessa's senses felt a jolt at the skin contact, a prickling almost like electricity raising the hairs on her arms and neck - the tactile version of his aura.

"Most wolves I've seen stay well away from human beings." he said as he popped something bacony into his mouth and chewed cursorily before swallowing. "You get some scavengin' in the cold months, but most times people swear they've seen a wolf in their yard, it was a coyote."

"You see many wolves then?" Triessa asked with a puckish glint in her eye. Dec paused, then nodded, his own eyes narrowing a little. It was obvious that dissembling was NOT this man's strong point.

"Yeah. Used to have them living near where I grew up in Montana." he answered. "Plus there's some live up in the hills south east of here in the Pine Hills. Big old conservation area - it's good for hiking and the like. So what's your field? You're a student, right?"

[SalmonMax]

"In the sense that I am learning," Triessa hedged, then grinned a mea culpa and admitted, "But not in the sense that I am going to school here and paying for tuition and so on. I'm thinking about taking classes...but it's not the ideal way for me to learn. I'm hands-on. I learn by doing. Best. I learn best by doing."

She shook her hands as if rattling a box between them to illustrate the point.

"Oh, and this is Jeremy." She turned to introduce him. "He is a freeloader like me, and, I suspect, like you."

[Owns-The-Night]

"Hah." It was a bark of a laugh, but good-humoured. "Close enough. I have to clean up the crap some of the students present dump on the UCLA grounds, so I'm entitled." Dec said with a lopsided grin as he offered Jeremy his hand. "Besides, the party people say 'open door', they should expect all sorts, right? Dec Perault, kid." he said by way of introduction to the much-smaller Jeremy.

The girl was alright, he decided. Not so much a hippie, or at least what he thought as one. For one thing, she seemed to have a sense of fuckin' humour, rather than having a head up their own asshole to keep the stick company. He'd had a bellyful of peaceniks when he'd been in the Army, and since his Change he hadn't gotten any gentler on the subject. Life was violence, change was violence. Not always physical, but there it was. Nature was the most violent of all forces. Why else would something like Dec exist, right?

[Jeremy]

Jeremy picked up on the intimidating aura of Declan, Triessa's sudden interest similar to her focus on him, the belt buckle of a wolf, the punch sniffing... for someone like him, the point was clear. Fellow feral, this guy screamed, and Jeremy figured he could hold a chat soon enough.

His gaze as he studied Declan was intent, like a bird studying something very interesting on the ground. "Jeremy Noctis." He returned, while shaking Declan's hand. "Freeloader as charged, hardly a student."

"You staring at me?" Declan asked, noticing the behavior of Jeremy's. "Just gauging how far they stay away from you when they want to dump crap." Jeremy smoothly responded with a grin. "I'd say a mile isn't unreasonable. Too many of these kids-" said in a manner that Jeremy did not class himself among them "-feel entitled. You got a justification here, which all the better."

An idea slid into his brain, and it was worth a shot. "You like hiking? If you don't mind coming outside with me, there's something I can show you. Well, not up close without leaving, but good enough from afar."

[z-August Turner]

August laughed. “Noooo,” she drawled, clearly amused by the idea. “I mean, I’m cute, but I like working the cameras. That’s what my Masters is in – cinematography. That’s what I have fun doing. Being in front of the camera seems like it’d be a drag. Remembering lines, marks, all that crap. But maybe I’ll direct someday.”

She looked at him sideways, bemused. Every newb in LA through that when you talked about ‘The Biz’ you were talking only about the actors. In truth, for every actor that wandered around with an actual paying gig, there were ten more support staff working in the wings.

“The man of the hour is Lucian Hunt. He’s an underwear model – you’ve probably seen him on billboards – or at least his underwear-clad crotch,” August said with a grin. Her eyes were sparkling and there was a slight flush over her cheek bones as she spoke of the super-hot man. “Oh, hey, here’s some of my classmates. Sorry they’re not big name, yet, but Hollywood is totally a ‘word-of-mouth’ industry. Even I know a director. He won’t be here, but I’ll introduce you sometime, ok?”

Still smiling, August led him over to a group of people and started to pass out names to everyone there.

[Lucien Hunt]

It was like everywhere the man walked ZZ Top should have just followed him about performing 'Sharp Dressed Man'. Everyone guy he passed insisted on a high-five or handshake or a slap on the shoulder. In truth it was, at this point in his partying career, legal for him to change his name simply to 'Dude!'. The ladies were far more classier and certainly more subtle. They'd smile or wink or 'accidentally' hold their hand out to brush against him as keep their dates from noticing. At least, shady as hey may have been, the ladies were polite enough to remember his name and he smiles and winked at every flirtatious 'Hi Lucien.' that crossed his path.

As the host he was playing it over the top tonight with the white tank top shirt underneath an open and atrocious paisley shirt. His jeans were stylish and his black hat and boots were obviously just purchased and incredibly expensive. Upon his waist rest a pair of prop six-shooters and his lapel sported his 'hip-hop law enforcement badge' as it read 'Shrff' instead of 'Sheriff'. Lucien was shameless and one of those rare souls who lived embarrassment free. Life was too short to not have some fun, and his gawdy wardrobe was simply his way of saying 'it's a themed party people, go all out and get stupid'.

Embarrassing August on the other hand, was becoming sort of a hobby for him. She was cute, sexy, adorable and the fact that she was totally oblivious to those three facts made it all the more fun. He stood behind August for several moments, listening as she made her way about the group of people, dolling out introductions and name dropping. "As they say: 'Vorbeşti de lup şi lupul la uşă.'" He delivered in a near flawless accent while the sudden blank stares from everyone, and the sudden startle from August, made the dramatic pause worth it. Lucien knew how to work a crowd. "It's Romanian, 'speak of the wolf and he is at the door.'" He translated politely.

His gaze swept over August as the crowd digested what would be (at least) a month worth of culture for them. "August, wow." It didn't escape her notice that his eyes had stopped at her chest. "When I said we have to get you having more fun I certainly didn't expect you to bring friends so soon!" His mock excitement for August and her 'invitation' to her friends roused a few chuckles from those who had also been admiring her. He pointed to the daring green triangles the preserved her modesty and grinned broadly. "They're shy, that's so cute. Seriously though!" He added, placing his arm around her. "Glad you could make it."

"I live here, remember?" She smiled at him, despite her embarrassment at him just pointing out to everyone that she had a lovely, but apparently shy, rack.

"All the better," He recovered, forgetting that simple fact in the middle of his silliness. "Shorter walk for ya so you can conserve all that energy for studying n' stuff." He waved hand about dismissively.

"Buzzing already?" She asked.

"Hell. Yes. Ladies." He responded with a grin wide enough to have hung a coat on and a slight lean that declared he had no idea what 'personal boundaries' were. "C'mon, you three should be too. It's a party." She couldn't help but notice he was now referring to her and her chest as a collective. The man was certainly a handful.

Notcing August's guest he remained polite (in his own goof-ball, slacker kind of way) and extended his hand to Romeo. "Nice to meet ya, bro. Name's Lucien, and I must apologize because I. Am. Buzzing. So how you guys liking it so far?"

Click to reveal..

For fun, read the post slowly while listening to 'Sharp Dressed Man'.

[Owns-The-Night]

Quote:

"You like hiking? If you don't mind coming outside with me, there's something I can show you. Well, not up close without leaving, but good enough from afar."

Dec's eyebrows went up in mild surprise. Well, this was L.A., after all. It wasn't the first time he'd been propositioned by another man, but it was definitely the fastest it had happened in a social setting. He looked mildly uncomfortable, mainly because he was, and that was unfortunate, because Declan only really knew one way to deal with guys that made him uncomfortable, especially in front of women. He covered his embarassed cough with his drink and cocked his head to one side. He glanced for a moment at Triessa, reminding himself that there was a reason not to simply bare his teeth and growl, then stared hard at Jeremy, anger starting to simmer behind his silver gaze.

"You get points for workin' fast, pal. But I ain't that way inclined, and I got no idea why you'd think I was." he said calmly (for him, which is to say that his voice didn't quite become a growl). He tried to smile pleasantly. "Got nothin' against you and yours, but I ain't leaving this party and going for a walk with anyone who has matching equipment, clear? Ma'am. I'm goin' to get some air." He tipped his hat to Triessa then, with another hard stare at Jeremy that clearly communicated 'Stay the fuck away from me' in no uncertain terms, turned and left, wandering off into the party.

[Jeremy]

"I'm sorry, but that's not what I meant." Jeremy was right there, shaking his head, arms crossed. "Nothing sexual, ain't gay either. But this thing is hardly discussable in here, I think." His voice was honest, but silkily trying to smooth over an unintentional faux pas.

[z-August Turner]

“Fun, of course,” August said with a grin. She slipped her arm under Lucian’s terrible shirt and put a friendly arm around his waist. “Lucian, this is Romeo, he’s new in town and he does security consulting. I said I’d introduce him to a few people after almost killing him.” Of course, now she was regretting that a little, since Lucian was 1) buzzed, 2) touching her and 3) appreciative of the efforts she’d made tonight. “Romeo, this is the guy I told you about.”

“I knew it!” Lucian grinned at her. “You can’t stop talking about me, can you?” He’d meant it as a joke, never discerning the truth. Someone less buzzed and high on life might have seen the embarrassment in August’s gaze and understood that it meant Lucian had guessed correctly.

“Well,” she attempted to recover, “all of LA is talking about you, Lucian. And anyway, why wouldn’t I be talking about the hosts of this great party?”

[SalmonMax]

Triessa nodded absently when Dec addressed her, but barely registered it otherwise. She was too busy absorbing the interplay between the two like a Mysterium geek. Had she popcorn, she'd have been avidly munching on it as she watched raptly.

She was sure there was subtext to this. There were differences in their auras, but they are more similar than different. Did they recognize each other? Was this a spat over territory? Food? Her? Was Jeremy trying to get Dec alone to ambush him? Or maybe he felt he needed lurking friends to gang up on him? Or maybe it was just as he said, and there was some kind of news to transmit, or discussion to be had.

Triessa couldn't wait to see what they were up to. She had to hold herself back to keep from shooing them away...then finding a nice quiet corner to scry from.

[Owns-The-Night]

Dec paused for a brief moment, looking down at the kid who'd stepped around into his path from behind him. Now that Jeremy mentioned it, Dec didn't smell arousal on the dude. Okay, so that was a matter of crossed wires, so what the hell did he want?

Though the Vargr was increasingly starting not to care. He'd come to the party, had Bobby the Frat Fucker swoop off with his first promising prospect of a fun night, then had Triessa, who was cute and strange, cry wolf at him and damn near startle him out of one skin and into another. And now Triessa's friend, or whatever, was trying to get in his face about some big secret he wanted to show Dec after spending thirty fucking seconds in his company. Worse, the kid was blocking his path.

Dec wasn't a bully by nature. He figured he had about seventy pounds in weight and a head in height over this kid, and that was just on two legs. He really didn't want his end of summer blowout to end with a fight. At least not this early in the night - he'd just GOT here, dammit. But nobody, repeat nobody, kept talking to a guy who'd just given him the 'fuck off' look unless they wanted trouble or were just too fucking clueless to get it.

"Listen, kid." he growled in a low tone, locking eyes with Jeremy as his voice rumbled in his chest. The hand holding the beer poked a finger into the kid's chest hard enough to rock him backwards a little. "I don't know you. You don't know me. I've got no reason to give two fuckin' hoots what you're tryin' to sell me, no matter how fuckin' important you think it is. Fine, you've got a bug up yer ass about something. But I'm here to forget my troubles, eat, drink, and be merry. And you are fucking with that!"

The last words were uttered in a snarl that belonged to an entirely different set of vocal chords and evoked images of grizzled shapes hunting in the mists of the dawn of time, whilst creatures three steps up from apes huddled in caves around fires. Nearby partygoers jumped a little and looked round, and Dec composed himself before continuing.

"Now get the fuck out of my way before I get mean." he told Jeremy in a dreadfully controlled tone, his gaze never wavering.

Click to reveal..

Presence 3 + Intim 3 (Non-verbal spec for the stare +1) + Predators Bearing 1 + Striking Looks 1 + Ferocity 3 + Double from Unsettling Eye = 24 dice

1d10=7, 1d10=7, 1d10=9, 1d10=10, 1d10=10... 1d10=8, 1d10=5

popping tens

1d10=9, 1d10=9, 1d10=5, 1d10=6

14 successes on the Intimidation roll. Message transmitted loud and clear "I will hurt you."

[Ira Sagebrush]

Originally Posted By: August Turner

“Fun, of course,” August said with a grin. She slipped her arm under Lucian’s terrible shirt and put a friendly arm around his waist. “Lucian, this is Romeo, he’s new in town and he does security consulting. I said I’d introduce him to a few people after almost killing him.” Of course, now she was regretting that a little, since Lucian was 1) buzzed, 2) touching her and 3) appreciative of the efforts she’d made tonight. “Romeo, this is the guy I told you about.”

“I knew it!” Lucian grinned at her. “You can’t stop talking about me, can you?” He’d meant it as a joke, never discerning the truth. Someone less buzzed and high on life might have seen the embarrassment in August’s gaze and understood that it meant Lucian had guessed correctly.

“Well,” she attempted to recover, “all of LA is talking about you, Lucian. And anyway, why wouldn’t I be talking about the hosts of this great party?”

Romeo stood, mostly silent, fully intimidated by the more socially adept Lucien. And already brimming with fiery envy at his confidence and interaction with August. He was also offended on her part, but as he was quickly learning, the women here seemed to enjoy being considered solely on their looks.

God, I hate pretty boys.

"A pleasure to meet you, Lucien." Romeo said, forcing a smile. "Making out to be quite the night."

Can't believe he's already fucked up. I would be so lucky.

"Your junk seems to take you far." he smiled, only half snorting.

Cocky asshole.

[z021]

Oneca wiped the last of the tears away from her face and used years of long practice to apply perfect makeup to hide any puffyness. Several slow deep breaths and long blinks also did away with most of the red veins through her eyes. God, I've done this too many times.

Click to reveal.. (flashback yay!)

The fight Saja had been bad. Not epic or she'd be curled up in bed for a day or two instead of forcing herself to go down to the party she was throwing. Saja had said she shouldn't have the party, that the house didn't need so many strangers tramping through it, and that Oneca would let underage students and just any kid that wandered in drink because she was irresponsible. That she'd let people do drugs because her degenerate friends sold them. It might have looked comical, the young near-mirror of Oneca dressed up in an honest-to-god Candystriper dress yelling up at the black leather-and-silk clad older sister, but it was Oneca's face that was pale, Oneca that was crying. One direct command, one simple soft, "Cancel the party, sister" and that would be it.

Instead, the tirade continued for several more minutes until Saja threw up her hands. "You don't even want to be helped, do you? All I ever do, all your family ever does, is try to help you. Why can't you understand that, Oneca? Why won't you let us help you? Don't you love us?"

The last verbal slap sent Oneca gasping, her hand over her heart. "Please...."

"Now look," Saja ignored Oneca's reaction completely, "I'm going to be late. I took a double shift a the pediatrics ward, so I'll be there overnight. I'll be home around eight. Make sure the place is cleaned up by then, if you insist on having this cesspit of social gathering. I don't want to come home to beer cans and vomit all of the place. I locked the door to my room. Make sure people stay out of it."

"Of course, Saja."

She slipped on her outfit for the party, smiling weakly at the cowboy hat and the high-cut shirt. Maybe a nice tumble with Lucien would put her in better spirits; it'd be a first, but what the hell? She knew Remy would be here too, but she'd been in the hospital for nearly a week after what Saja did to her the last time she and Remy were together. So, Lucien, much better target: nice friend, low on the sexual hangups, utterly gorgeous, mostly just made Remy wish for a threesome. For a spiteful moment she considered the key she had to Saja's room (after all, she'd only said other people), and her own bed was larger and more comfortable anyways.

She stared at the mirror and realized she was stalling. All right. Go time.

Her boots sounded on the stairs and she slowly started mingling with the guests, nodding to those she recognized (surprisingly most them, but six years at the same collage will do that) and making her way over to the drinks in pretty short order. She mixed herself her own style mojito (heavy on the mint, light on the vodka, and a splash of strawberry schnapps), raised the glass in salute to Remy, who smiled at her but was obviously "working" at the moment and would catch her later as the party wound down. She settled into a crowd-watching corner (one she could see both pool and front door from), and turned on the 'available hostess' vibe for her guests.

Click to reveal.. (Oneca in her outfit)

[Lucien Hunt]

Originally Posted By: Romeo St. Claire

"A pleasure to meet you, Lucien." Romeo said, forcing a smile. "Making out to be quite the night. Your junk seems to take you far." he smiled, only half snorting.

"Pleasure is all mine, Ro'." He patted the man on the shoulder and smiled broadly. "August is a sweet woman, please be nice to her. How she stays sane putting up with our antics is beyond me." He swung his arm over August and squeezed her closer to him giving her a fresh dose of his way to expensive designer cologne. Lucien would've been glad to have known it worked exactly like the advertising had claimed. "If you'll all excuse me, I have to go cause more mischief. Romeo, dude, been a pleasure. If you need anything, holla atcha boy Lucien, I'll get you hooked up. August, you stay beautiful girl, you look fantastic tonight." He leaned in and kissed her cheek, before rapidly disappearing back into the throngs of people.

"Wow," Oneca heard as Lucien snuck in from her front door flank as she watched the antics around the pool. "I think that's the most clothing I've seen on you in, well, ever." He grinned broadly, tipping his drink back bit. "You look gorgeous, hon, seriously." He leaned in and hugged her, offering her a kiss on the cheek. He was buzzed, but far from drunk (Oneca had seen Lucien off-his-nut drunk before, and her quest to get him back there for pure gins and giggles was never-ending).

"Awesome turnout," He added, pointing to Declan. "Even the crazy gardener guy showed up."

[SalmonMax]

The clear hint of imminent violence shook Triessa from her fascination. Whatever might be attending, this was a party full of mortal children. If Dec lost it...lost it so bad he forgot where he was...there was a lot more at stake than Jeremy and herself.

But she didn't dare come between them either. Dec was on a razor's edge. Anyone who seemed like they were trying to take charge would get a heaping helping of unearned wrath. If they were lucky, that's all they'd get.

So she very quietly put a hand on Jeremy's arm, staying out of the fray, but exerting just a little pressure on him to back off. Her hope was that it would give him the cover he needed to gracefully retreat without losing too much face.

[z021]

She hugged him hard for a moment, only a little longer than usual, but left an arm around him. The comfort of his presence was a little hard to let go of. She laughed at the clothing comment, "No, that's not true. I have two dresses for when my parents come to visit, and you were here for one of those visits like four years ago. They go past my knee and everything." She gave him an almost vicious look, remember some other day, "You can also pretty much see through them in full sunshine."

She followed his pointing and nodded. "Now that's a sign that the party is officially open for business. Mmm...oh, and there's a few outfits in my closet you've never seen. But those are only for special friends."

She topped off both of their drinks after sipping his to see what it was; usually Lucien took to the lead on drinking at parties but Oneca wasn't just keeping up, she was making up for the head-start he'd arrived with. "So, did you bring swim trunks tonight or am I getting you drunk enough for skinny dipping?"

[Swara-Ann]

Swara-Ann didn't get the memo. although lovely, blonde, and sexy, she was a social outcast by her own design. The poor girl just didn't get a clue when it came to certain things, like showing up to a themed party dressed in theme. Not that she disappointed anyone interested in attractive, pigtailed blonds. Her cut-off shorts hung off her waist a bit, teasing onlookers with a view of the pink bikini bottoms underneath. Her pink hoody was zipped up just enough to show the matching string top it concealed and honestly, her flip-flops were a nice touch to rounding out the ensemble... okay, not really.

'Scott' seemed nice enough, he'd been talking to her for the better part of twenty minutes now despite her not really having more clue what micro biologists did now than when the conversation began. "Well, back home we had a lot of horses." she pointed out when Scott asked her what she enjoyed doing in her spare time. "I love horses."

"Ahh," Scott perked up. "My family owns a ranch upstate, we have a lot of horses. It's nice to meet a fellow equestrian."

"Oh, no, I'm a Virgo." She nodded assuredly as she corrected him. "But I like horses all the same."

"Riiiiight." Scott inhaled and sighed softly. Some girls made it too easy. "Another drink?" He offered politely.

"Oh, no, this is the same one I've had." She corrected him again. Wow, this guy is kinda slow for a scientist guy.

"I was offering to get you a second one." He tried to force a smile, but it was getting increasingly difficult for his logical mind accept that it was scientifically impossible for this girl too function on her own.

"Oh!" She giggled, embarrassed slightly. It seemed to happen to her a lot, not that she noticed. "Right, another one, drink, gone, got it... wow. Blond moment." She giggled and handed him her empty cup. No sooner was he gone than she began wandering about on her own. Something wasn't right at this party, the scents were all different, wrong even. Curious like a cat she began to survey the area, prowling like a hunting beast amidst a herd of prey.

Click to reveal..

Swara-Ann is hunting for the off kilter ferals in the area. She can smell you.... (well, detect you to some moderate degree)

[Lucien Hunt]

"Hey, I'm special, those men who make me wear the helmet even say so." Her rolling eyes only made him grin wider. "You sure know how to pique curiosity, we might have to peek at this closet later." He winked and tipped his drink back.

To the uninformed as Lucien and Oneca wandered through the party meeting the masses, it was easy to see that they 'belonged' together. They moved the same, talked the same, and hell, they looked like a matching set of gorgeous when standing side by side. Most just assumed they were dating. Other knew that Lucien and Oneca would probably sleep with about anyone, so each other was the next logical step.

"I did, as a matter of fact, bring something to swim in." He added. "I'm already feeling no pain, I thought it best o pack an overnight bag. No way I'm driving like this. Not sure about skinny dipping, I mean, my god woman, do you want these ladies to mob us? You've seen the billboards, that's not shopped, Neca." The tipsy host smirked evilly.

[z021]

She held up the finger of her free hand, trying to be careful not to slosh her drink only to realize it was half gone again. "Ah, yes, but then they would have proof. The women here would declare the evening a miracle, and all the ones the cameras on their cellphones would worship you and their phone provider for eternity." She giggled and finished off the drink, "Probably in that order."

The dark-haired beauty waved at friends and former classmates as they made the circuit through the house and out on to the near acre of property filled with the young, beautiful, rich, or just well-informed of LA. It was her house and she was certainly showing much more skin than Lucien (although most of LA had seen much more skin of the Adonis-like underwear model), but he was the one that got the most looks and shout-outs and drunken thanks. Oneca let herself fade behind his charisma while they walked; it wasn't completely unusual, but Oneca was usually the first one in the wet t-shirt contest or doing belly-shots off some freshman that really shouldn't be there. Lucien had expected her to ditch quite a while ago and come find him later when they were both tipsy and full up on hanging out with other people.

She tossed the plastic cup and snagged them both beers when they passed a catering table; the beers were followed by a plate of pinwheel wraps, cookies, a huge pile of salt & vinegar chips. She made a face while she thought, crinkling her nose, "Well, you probably don't want to stay in the guest room. It's Saja's week to clean, so I left it unlocked." She ate on of the little pinwheels with great satisfaction, then offered the plate to him. "Saja herself would probably put you out of work if she came home and found you in her bed. Um, I'm not sure about Aradia. She hasn't been here all that long, but I don't think I should invite strange men into her bed when I've know her less than a month. It just seems....un-cousinly. Ditto August. She's had some...guy issues, in the past. I don't think she's really dealing with....yeah, I should stop there before she appears and smacks me sill."

She tilted her head at him and watched him with glittering dark eyes, "So I guess you'll just have to stay with me tonight."

[Jeremy]

Jeremy recoiled and left, rather quickly. Pushing through the crowd, he went out past the pools, looking for fresh air and cooling off his frustration at the situation... note to self, the Vargr is too prickly.

[Nigel Astor]

Nigel walked onto the grounds of the party and looked around. His head was covered with a worn black cowboy hat. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. On his upper body was a black button down shirt with a white cow's skull on the back, the horns going down the back of his arms. His hands were covered in a pair of brand new black leather gloves. His pants were a pair of black wrangler jeans. The boots he was wearing were all-black cowboy boots. However, there was one thing odd about his cowboy get-up, he was wearing dark lipstick and a bit of pancake makeup on his face. His walk was slow and purposeful as he walked into the house, his head swiveling as he took in all the faces at the party.