Secrets

[Rima Elaine Donavon]

Rima sighed, but simply nodded at Darius. Her eyes wanted badly to bleed full of silver, to allow her just a glimpse inside his mind… but she stood firm. Anything like that would do no more then get her in trouble.

But something Darius said had caught her attention. What was this about the investigation? She was being investigated? She didn’t even have details regarding much, other then word of mouth by a little Huntress that needed to learn to watch her mouth.

Relaxing, and finding no more will to try to ask questions, Rima closed her eyes, calming herself, before she re-opened them.

[Doctor]

Anshel faked a pout. "I hate that people assume I'm stupid just because I'm pretty." He patted down the hair Azura had mussed and smiled. "You have my word that the guilty will be delivered into your boyish, wrathful hands. And if she's innocent, Hell, there are plenty of other things to kill, right? I'm High Judge now. I've got the keys to the prison." He offered, jokingly.

He stood up and surveyed his friend. He was calmer now and less brooding. Success.

"Let's go. It's fucking cold out here."

[AzuraGallu]

"You're pretty?" Azura replied in off-hand humor, turning his back and beginning his walk to the council chambers once again.
He walked a few steps before Anshel's other comment reached him and he had to stifle a laugh. "It's not that cold. Jesus, how do you survive when you're on missions?"
He opened the door from the courtyard, holding it just long enough for the Hunter to slip through. While he was by no means excited to return the the group, tail between his legs, he needed to know what she knew. Anything would benefit him at this point, even bad news.
Throwing open the doors to the council chamber, he sauntered in as if nothing was amiss and he hadn't stalked out moments earlier in a torrent of negative emotions.
Blithely taking his seat, he peered at the Blackraven more closely, arms crossed over his chest in a gesture that clearly said: don't talk to me.

[Rima Elaine Donavon]

Rima shifted as Anshel and the Gallian Prince entered. The Prince's stance was nearly funny, if only he didn't have the power to control an entire Clan to retaliate against negative words spoken against him.

Azura's look in her direction wasn't missed either. She returned it, but wasn't opening her mouth to utter a single syllable. Her eyes were scary calm, focused, the colored adding intensity to the look.

By nature, Rima was a very dignified woman. She always had, and always would be. A bit of hatred in her direction wasn't going to change that.

[MeloraBelikov]

(Ahhhhh, catch up post. I hate working nights. )

A sigh escaped her lips, heavy, annoyance lacing her lips as it escaped. She shifted her weight, looking around the ice filled room admiring the scenery. If she'd had such an ability, every room she'd enter would be chilled like the dead of winter in Moscow. A smile graced her lips. Beautiful ice crystals trailing her every step? What a lovely idea.

When the men left the room with all of the raw emotion sweeping out the door behind them, Melora took her defensive stance as instructed, hoping that Rima would become out of line. Much to her disappointment the woman just sat there, eyes fixed on them. Had she become even the slightest bit offensive Melora would have seen to it that she was detained until Azura's return so that he could dispatch her in whatever way he saw fit. It was only fair, of course. And besides, he was a friend. For a vampire beast, anyway.

Finally they returned and Melora relaxed her position, once again returning to her elegant self. Azura had returned in a better mood, which helped her to relax a bit more. Vampires had this nasty habit of being deadly when provoked, and Melora secretly wondered if Azura would take the time to spare her if he flew into a rage. Unfortunately, her best guess was a resounding maybe, which didn't sit well with her, particularly if he intended to follow her to their next location. Being home would set her off guard, so she hoped that things would go smoothly enough that she wouldn't be at a disadvantage. Funny, the only thing she ever seemed to worry about was violent situations. That's too bad, she thought, Моя семья would be ashamed. I was always such a sweet girl.

[Doctor]

Anshel would have retorted by verbally listing all the drunken, lascivious compliments Azura growled in his ear while inside of him, but they were already in the council hall and he wasn’t about to feed into his detractors’ hostile paranoia by informing them he’d had sexual congress with the king of a clan they were sworn to protect humanity from.

He swiftly took to his chair and, still just a tad cold, slipped his duster on, letting it hang from his shoulders as he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. He surveyed the room.

Things had gone to shit in a hurry since his promotion not twenty minutes ago. That shouldn’t have been a surprise.

It had never been an ambition of Anshel’s to take a seat of substantial power. Firstly, it was restrictive, and if there was anything Anshel absolutely despised in the world it was restrictions. Secondly, he subscribed to the belief that seats of such importance should be filled by great people. And while he was his most favorite and cherished person in existence, he did not fancy himself a great man. Anshel assumed this uncharacteristic offering of humility would appease the powers above and below, but alas, it was proven to him time and time again that none of the fates gave a flying fuck about what kind of man he was. No, those bastards just wanted to fuck with him - child kings observing the workings of his plans and tossing in divine intervention one after the other until every gear stalled, sputtered, and died in smoky glory.

He let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his eyes. He was too fucking old for this. Melora was still standing, looking as pissy and angry as she always had since she blossomed into a teenaged girl, still radiating her hostility and disgust towards his prisoner. Something apparently happened while he was in the shower. It was like he couldn’t leave their side for a damn minute.

“Miss.” He addressed Rima, head still in his hands. “Your arrival has come at an inopportune time, but, as you are here now, our previous dealings will be postponed to address the issues regarding yourself.” He righted himself and looked into her old, old grey-blue eyes. “Please identify yourself, your clan, and the business that brought you to Banglaire Court.”

[Rima Elaine Donavon]

Rima cleared her throat, eyes meeting Anshel’s gaze evenly. This was a basic lesson she learned in her early years with vampires: confidence and eye contact. Both would help in tense situations, as she had been told several times in the course of her life. “My name is Rima Donavon, from the Clan Blackraven.” Her shoulders were squared as she sat in her seat, keeping her appearance professional. "My business here was to deliver a painting to a client who instructed me to bring the piece here.” She crossed her legs, resting her hands in her lap calmly.

The words against her, as far as she could understand, were insinuating that she was somehow responsible for what had happened to the Gallu's center of power. That she was somehow involved with the King's death, though that was all she knew at this point. She simply came to this place to do a job. She knew of their laws, being that she was the caliber of thief that she was. She had to know who she was running from, right? But she was more content in her long life to keep to herself and only deal with others as was necessary.

[Doctor]

Anshel cupped his chin and tapped a finger to his glossy lips.

"Who was your client and why is your name not on our roster, Ms. Donavon?" He asked.

His eyes darted to meet those of the guard on her left. "I assume she wasn't on the roster?"

The guard nodded and he looked again at Rima, one eyebrow raised, waiting for an explanation. Blackraven? He wasn't one to prejudge, but really, this was all pointing to something very bad.

[Rima Elaine Donavon]

"My client was a man named Damien Stark. As to my name not being on on the roster, I have no explanation for somebody else's lack of thought for official matters." She shrugged, mind running through the technicalities of appearing in such a judicious place. Time felt like it was passing in a massive blur. "I wasn't aware there was a roster to be on. My client failed to mention this. Perhaps he has some explanation."

She refused to let herself become riled at the prospect of not having a solid alibi. As a thief, it was a way of life. It was how you survived. She wanted terribly to be back in Florence with some sort of book in her beautifully decorated house, but now was a time for focus. She couldn't afford to let them see her sweat.

[AzuraGallu]

Azura furrowed his brow. Though he'd heard her name several times through the past few hours of the day, he'd failed to register just why it sounded so familiar.
He knew her! It took a minute for him to dredge up the memories of his only too recent departure from the lights, drugs, and sex of the human realm, but he'd heard her name in their circles. She was renowned for her thievery.
Waving a hand, splaying his fingers in a rather kingly gesture of 'shut the fuck up, please', he spoke for the first time without a hint of malice.
"Wait wait wait. Rima, Rima Donavon? I know you! You stole a classical Rembrandt from my roomie in Prague. After he'd purchased it from you."
He looked at Anshel, glad that he'd finally clawed up some fragments of reasoning from this convoluted cluster fuck. "She's famous in human circles. A very accomplished cat burglar."
His eyes were searching as they looked at the Judge, asking for some kind of link to everything, but he knew his friend had none.
Even though it angered him to even think it, he knew this woman was on the fringes of her clan. A true clan member of the Blackraven's would never result to stealing as a means of creating revenue. They were bloody rich, spoiled, and far too techy to take any real interest in things as soul bearing as artistry. At least that's what he'd always pegged the Blackraven's to be. Perhaps this woman, in her old age, had been cast out as a dead limb, so to speak. His clan did nothing of the sort, preferring to respect their elders, but he wasn't about to assume other clans did the same.

[MeloraBelikov]

Melora decided it was time to chime in herself. She'd been quiet up until now, being good and doing what she was told. "I assume," She started, "That you're the one who made off with the painting from the hotel in Vegas." Her eyes flicked from the subject of conversation to Azura, who was, as usual, distracting her from her duties. He was so hot when he was all professional and whatnot. She scanned him, taking in the details and memorizing them before she caught herself. What the hell? She thought to herself, finding something else for her eyes to rest on. He probably noticed that. He's a vampire, snap out of it and get back to work. But even though she had corrected herself in her head, she couldn't help but think that perhaps it might not be so bad if he accompanied them on her next trip. You know, for eye candy's sake. She was sure Anshel would agree in that respect.

[AzuraGallu]

He caught Melora's look out of the corner of his eye, and so caught up was he with the trial at hand, he'd had to do a double take.
Was she really looking at him like that? Well, his manly ego just went up a couple notches. Peering at her out of the corner of his eye, he winked at her from over his shoulder, completing his absurd sexual gesture with a wolfish grin. His fangs peeked out from just below his upper lip as he smiled.

[MeloraBelikov]

Oh god, he looked at her. And not just looked, but looked at her, winking and all. Melora felt her heart jump into her throat when he winked, but his fangs peering out from just below his lips were enough to keep her mind on track. Well, until he looked away from her anyway. Then, she let her mind wander. And wander it did, directly to the gutter like a booze-hound looking for bits of his broken teeth after a brawl. She immediately felt flustered by the thoughts of adding him to the ranks of her sexual conquests. Though they were few, she always managed to raise the bar with each man. Every man she slept with was just a little more funny, smart, and handsome than the last. Had Azura not been a vampire he would have been the ultimate man. Melora frowned at the last bit.

She supposed as long as he wasn't going to sink his fangs into her that it wasn't that big of a deal that he was a vampire, and it was even a little bit sexy in a dangerous way. But would she hate herself in the morning? Perhaps she should make it her mission to find out.

Confidently she peered back over at him, green eyes glittering. Her gaze lingered on his eyes which to her seemed to be mischievous. Was it possible that he wasn't just messing with her because he could, but instead thinking the same dirty thoughts? Melora knew she should focus on the court proceedings but her mind was now entirely passed out in the gutter, waited to be dragged out of it.

[Doctor]

Violence or sex. Follow a path long enough and it would eventually result in one of the two. Luckily, the latter had won out for a brief moment. Anshel relaxed just a bit more, seeing as how Azura and Melora were now eye-fucking in lieu of their previous virulent posturing. While Melora's struggle with this grand moral dilemma and Azura's general exploits were endlessly entertaining, relief, not amusement, washed over him now.

Then again, what better way for Azura to seduce the Huntress than to viciously murder a vampire? Anshel kept intensely alert.

"It seems," he said to Rima, "that you have a criminal record. It is our responsibility as enforcers of Law to launch an investigation and bring you to justice." It was perfect. No matter what Rima would say or whatever mind-tricks she might play, they had every right and reason to hold her in their custody. While it was rare the court even bothered to attend to petty crimes like thievery, it would serve their best interest to keep her for questioning, or at least as collateral should the Blackravens choose to bargain.

Anshel turned his attention to Azura who was throwing out provocative gestures as if they were candy, naturally. It was a pity that platonic camaraderie manifested so easily between them; he looked so enticing in that cape.

"Azura," he said, "and Melora." He didn't face her, because he knew if he turned to find her moon-eyed and drooling he'd laugh in a manner very unbecoming of his station. "As you are most familiar with Ms. Donavon, I ask you to share your impressions of her situation. Is it possible she is being truthful about her business here?"

He looked to Rima again. He'd keep quiet about the investigation now. Better she think there was a chance she would be released than to know the truth.

[AzuraGallu]

Azura turned the look he was giving to Melora right back onto Anshel as his head swiveled in his direction. He was silently laughing, nose scrunching on the bridge in an effort to keep himself presentable in front of everyone present.
"I'm not familiar with her. I just know her reputation. As does most of the world. Though not many know her face."
His eyes shifted to Rima, quickly reviewing everything he'd heard or might have heard about her. He also quietly discussed with himself what the Blackraven's may have been planning.
"Because I'm Gallu, I'd say she's not to be trusted. But based on her reputation and what I know of her clan...there's no way they'd allow someone like her to be in some kind of grand scheme. Well, if any of them are sane."
He snorted boredly, turning to meet Anshel's gaze with his own. "But I suppose I'd say we should keep her around just in case. Maybe bloody her up to see if she'll talk about anything useful."
He closed his eyes with a sickening air of aristocracy, crossing his arms and tossing a leg over one knee, leaning back in his chair. He was acting quite the brat today.