[color=silver][indent][indent][right][sub]TIMESTAMP: Tuesday, July 21st || Afternoon
ft. [color=yellow]Cadence Levine[/color] & [color=63773B]Cameron Hyde[/color]
Flashback set following [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5337746]The Devil All The Time[/url]
Present set following [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5428198]Thank You, Chef[/url][/sub][/right][/indent][/indent]
[indent][indent][center][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/aewin][img]https://i.imgur.com/e3AvmBi.png[/img][/url] [img]https://i.imgur.com/hfUq1Cy.png[/img]  [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/brutalbx][img]https://i.imgur.com/zXZb6yJ.png[/img][/url]
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[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/937115873544650772/1090634594014986380/Cyde.png[/img]

[img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/937115873544650772/1090954840672321556/sf-phosphorus.fluoride.webp?width=658&height=81[/img]
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[sub][i]Friday, June 4, 2021[/i][/sub]

She said her name was Cadence.

There was something mildly entertaining but somewhat sad watching her run for a Greyhound bus that was always going to leave her behind.  The heavy New England downpour was drowning her and she most certainly wasn’t dressed for the weather. She was just passing through or at least that’s what she said. Visiting a friend for the weekend and then heading back to college even though they were still in the throes of summer.

He had no ill intention when he climbed into that cab with Cady offering to split the fare. Yet now as she watched her pretty hazel eyes fill up with tears and rain water, he knew he had to do something. The hunger was striking at Cameron’s gut like a sharp knife. He needed to satiate his appetite lest the fever, the rage take hold. He cracked his neck to alleviate the aching for violence in his bones and leaned his head out of the car.

[color=63773B]“Hey!”[/color] He called. [color=63773B]“Hop back in here. You’ll catch your death out there!”[/color]

Hyde diverted the cab back into Edenridge and across the barren Carlisle train tracks that hadn’t had a single locomotive on it since the lonesome death of a small girl nearly twenty years ago. With the taxi barrelling towards Chestnut, the devil looked at his new companion, he had offered her and she had accepted his jacket over her bare shoulders. Her skin was glistening crystalline as the June sun tried to penetrate the black clouds above them. Cameron's cold ocean deep glare fell into hers and the way she looked back, Cadence was inviting him.

He invited her into his workshop in return once they had arrived at his grandfather's pride and joy. [color=63773B]“I’m sorry. It’s not much.”[/color] Cam began as he shook off some of the heavy rain water and made his way to the small kitchen. He would allow her to wait until her next bus, maybe give her some dry clothes, not that he owned that many clothes anyway. He was fresh out of prison after all.  [color=63773B]“I'm in the midst of a refurb and it’s taking a lot longer than I expected. You want a coffee or anything?”[/color]

Cadence had only hesitated for a moment when she had accepted Cameron’s offer to share a ride. The weather wasn’t letting up any time soon and she wasn’t nearly familiar enough with the public transport system into Edenridge to know how long she would have sat miserable in the rain.

Cadence couldn't help but be drawn to Cameron's rugged good looks. His reddish-blonde hair, cropped short, gave him an effortlessly stylish appearance that she found captivating. His piercing blue eyes seemed to hold a depth that hinted at a complex storm of thoughts she longed to explore and uncover. Cameron's tall stature, standing at an impressive six feet that towered over her frame, and his strong, well-built body exuded confidence and made her feel secure in his presence. And his sharp, chiseled features that perfectly complemented his intense gaze could send any heart racing. Cady found herself increasingly captivated by Cameron's physical presence, a physical attraction for sure that Cadence was more than happy to indulge in.

Arriving at the McMahon Woodshop wasn’t exactly what she had expected when she had agreed to share the taxi with Cameron, but then again, she didn't know what to expect from the mysterious man. She shivered, feeling the chill of her wet clothes clinging to her skin, and decided that accepting his offer was the most sensible option.

[color=yellow]“That’s so sweet, thank you.”[/color] Cady said, grateful for his kindness. [color=yellow]“A coffee would be great.”[/color]

Cady used the brief moment of solitary to text Devika a quick explanation to her delay, assuring her that she’d text again when she was nearer. Only after that, when she put her phone away, did start exploring the Woodshop out of curiosity. Old projects and takeout trash were strewn about the room, fitting for a bachelor pad at the very least. She’d seen worse back at the frat houses. [color=yellow]“You’re refurbishing everything yourself?”[/color] She asked.

As expected, she began to drink in her surroundings. No doubt looking for tell tale signs of red flags that would announce a lack of safety. She wouldn’t find any. He knew better. [color=63773B]“Yeah. It was my Grandfather’s place but he died a while back and it sat empty. No one wanted it so I took it back.”[/color] As he poured the freshly brewed coffee into some mugs, Cameron thought of the grandfather he just spoke of. More specifically he remembered the way that he looked at him. He did not reminisce fondly on Lawrence McMahon’s icy cold stare. He had known early on and preached as such to Hyde’s mother that something wasn’t right with her son. When compared to his cousins, whom Cameron had not seen in years, there was always something off.

Hyde emerged from the kitchen holding two mugs and he couldn’t help but stare at her. Cadence really was a radiant beauty. The way the rain had forced her dress to cling to her body, it showed all of her curves. With every passing glance she offered him, it worsened his appetite. It made him want more. Cameron would not hide that he was looking at her. There was no point because how could he not look when she looked like that? She had beckoned him with her eyes, the way she pursed her lips to speak to him. Maybe she was hungry too? [color=63773B]“There’s a bus timetable in the back room, on the dresser.”[/color] He said as he handed the young woman her piping hot coffee. [color=63773B]“Some clean clothes, some towels too if you want to get changed and dry yourself off.”[/color]

Cady took the mug from Cameron, her fingers brushing against his for a brief moment, sending a jolt of electricity through her. She looked up at him, her hazel eyes sparkling with a playful glint. [color=yellow]“Thanks, Cameron. You're really a lifesaver,”[/color] she said, taking a careful sip of the hot coffee after gently blowing away some of the piping heat, allowing the warmth to spread through her cold body.

As she stood there, the rain-drenched dress clinging to her curves, she could feel Cameron's gaze on her. She wasn't oblivious to the effect she had on him, and she found herself enjoying the attention. It had been a while since she had felt the thrill of flirtation and the undeniable chemistry between them was hard to resist.

[color=yellow]“You know,”[/color] Cady began, her voice teasing and light, [color=yellow]“it's not every day you meet a handsome stranger who's kind enough to take you in from the rain and offer you coffee.”[/color] She took another sip, her eyes never leaving his. [color=yellow]“I guess I'm just lucky.”[/color] Nothing wrong with some harmless flirting with your hot saviour, right? And she was feeling so awfully cold…

She set the mug down on a nearby table and slowly walked towards the back room, feeling Cameron's eyes following her every step. [color=yellow]“I'll just take you up on that offer to freshen up, if you don't mind,”[/color] she said, her tone playful yet suggestive. Devi would understand the delay; she’d rolled up late to rehearsals many times looking like a disheveled mess. [color=yellow]“I'll only be a moment.”[/color]

With a coy smile, Cady disappeared into the back room, leaving Cameron with the lingering warmth of her presence and the anticipation of what might unfold between them.

She was teasing him now. She had cottoned on to the game he had started and she was willing to play too. Cameron liked that. He liked her. He watched her perfectly proportioned hips sway in her walk away. Obviously she was doing it on purpose, a silent but not subtle call for him to stare, to take in the view like a sun kissed horizon across the sea. Cadence didn’t know that she was sailing towards the edge of the map and at the bottom of that fall there be monsters.

Hyde placed his mug down onto the counter next to hers and slowly walked around the bar and into the back private area. He could see as he stalked the short hall that the bedroom door was ajar. As he reached it, Cameron placed his hands upon either side of the frame as he steadied himself. Through the gap, those damned blue eyes watched as Cadence peeled off her dress. She wasn’t scouring or searching through his drawers. If she was planning on wearing something of his, a girl like her, so well put together, she would’ve picked the outfit first before disrobing. She wanted him to see. Her skin glistened from the damp of the rain, which had provided the soundtrack to their game.

Cameron found himself pushing the door open further and stepping into the room, deathly silent. He did not utter a single word as he strode up behind the captivating young woman and gently ran his fingernails down both of her arms. He caught Cady’s gaze in his own inside of the mirror she stood before. Those hazel eyes were begging him, pleading with him to satiate the ravenous hunger inside of her. The same hunger that was eating away at him as well. Cameron breathed deeply by her ear, taking in Cadence’s scent like the prey that she was.

Cady's heart raced as Cameron approached, his presence filling the room. She hadn't anticipated his boldness, but the thrill of the unexpected only added to her excitement. As his fingers trailed down her arms, she shivered, both from the lingering cold and from the intensity of their connection. She held his gaze in the mirror, her hazel eyes meeting his icy blue ones, a silent invitation to continue.

Feeling his breath by her ear, Cady closed her eyes for a moment, soaking in the sensation of being so close to him. When she opened them again, her expression was a mix of vulnerability and desire. Turning to face Cameron, she reached up and gently touched his cheek, her fingers brushing against the skin there.

She only hesitated for a moment before leaning in and initiating a kiss that was tender at first, but quickly deepened as their passion took hold.

The hunger inside her grew stronger, her body responding to his touch; eager, desperate, longing for more. As they kissed, she allowed herself to be consumed by the intensity of the moment, the outside world and her obligations fading away as she surrendered to the primal, fervent connection she shared with Cameron.

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[sup][i]Tuesday, July 21st, 2021[/i][/sup]

The past month had flown by in a whirlwind of passion and intrigue. Cady found herself drawn to Cameron time and time again, their conversations deepening as they discovered their shared love for theater. It was a side of him that she hadn't anticipated, but one that only made her more eager to spend time with him. When her mother had told her she couldn't make it to the theater group’s next big production: The Importance Of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde; Cady knew exactly who she wanted to invite in her place.

Now, as they stood backstage at Boston College's theater, Cady couldn't contain her excitement. The place was buzzing with energy, the anticipation of opening night’s approaching date electrifying the air. Her heart swelled with pride as she guided Cameron through the labyrinth of props, set pieces, and costumes, eager to share this part of her world with him.

[color=yellow]“This is where the magic happens,”[/color] she said, her voice flirty and enthusiastic. [color=yellow]“Over here, we have the costume department, where they make us look fabulous every night.”[/color] She gestured to the racks of intricate garments, each one carefully crafted to bring the characters to life.

Cady led Cameron further into the backstage area, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she showed him the various set pieces and props. She couldn't help but brush against him occasionally, her touch light but intentional, a reminder of their growing intimacy.

As they reached the stage, Cady turned to Cameron with a mischievous smile. [color=yellow]“And this,”[/color] she said, spreading her arms wide, [color=yellow]“is where the magic truly comes to life.”[/color] The stage was lit by the soft glow of the work lights, a hint of the spectacle that would soon unfold. Cady stepped closer to Cameron, her voice lowering to a sultry whisper. [color=yellow]“I'm so glad you could be here with me tonight, to share in the excitement and the passion that goes into every production.”[/color] She looked up at him, her eyes full of warmth and desire. [color=yellow]“It means the world to me.”[/color]

She couldn't help but wonder what he thought of it all, this world that was so dear to her. Would he be as captivated by the theater as she was? Would he see the beauty in the art, the way it brought people together, the way it made her heart soar?

In Cadence, Cameron had found something different, something he hadn't really anticipated. Jesse James was part of the plan. His plan. He genuinely liked her but at the end of the day she was a means to an end. Aleyda made his blood boil in both the wrong and right ways. He was a kid when they got together and when they combined to make the beautiful blonde baby boy that she so viciously hid away from him. Cady was a different beast. In her, he thought he had found a sheep. Someone who could satiate his fever when it became too great to ignore. Someone who would help keep the demons at bay as he tried to reunite his family. Instead he was finding that she was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, hiding not just in plain sight but under the bright lights of the theater.

It was now his personal mission to bring the wolf out from the woods to devour the town.

He wasn’t surprised when, after dropping JJ at her parents house, he got a call from Cadence to join her in Boston. It was an easy drive considering most of the town was consumed by the latest letter scandal. That was some nonsense if ever he had heard it. Eden had much bigger problems than a few words on the printed page. He sat in the dark as Cady practiced on the stage and only made his presence known at her crescendo. How could Hyde willingly break such a wonderful performance. When she spotted him, she leapt down and ran into his arms like a widow into the arms of a lost love. She was enthralled and addicted, just the way she should be.

[color=63773B]“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Wild horses couldn’t keep me away from this face.”[/color] Cameron pushed a strand of blonde hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. [color=63773B]“I didn’t see Romi on stage during rehearsal. I thought she was playing lead?”[/color]

Cadence couldn't help but blush under Cameron's gaze, her heart fluttering at his touch. Cameron stopping by was the perfect opportunity for her to show off her space, the magic. She knew she had him wrapped around her finger, the way he came at her single call, and she couldn't deny that she was entirely wrapped around him just the same. There was no other surprise like Cameron dropping by during her rehearsals that could get her nearly as excited… well, aside from…

[color=yellow]“Oh, Romi,”[/color] She said with a mix of concern and excitement, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. [color=yellow]“You won't believe what happened. She had an accident, poor thing. She fell down some stairs the other night. She was drunk and it was dark. Totally unavoidable. Caused her to sprain her ankle too. She's going to be out of commission for at least a couple of weeks.”[/color] And with opening night right around the corner… there wasn’t enough time for Romi to return and take back her role.

Cady paused, her eyes dancing with the thrill of the opportunity that had unexpectedly fallen into her lap. She felt terrible, of course, given the circumstances. But this was finally her chance to prove her skills to her professors; Romi always had to take the lead and her money and good looks often got her the roles she wanted. It wasn't fair but... Cadence wasn't particularly [i]saddened[/i] by the switch. [color=yellow]“Which means,”[/color] she continued, her voice barely containing her excitement, [color=yellow]“that I get to step into the lead role of Gwendolen Fairfax! Even when Romi returns!”[/color]

[color=63773B]“Babe, that's amazing!”[/color] Cameron cupped her face and felt the vibrations in her skin. Cady was ecstatic and it reverberated off of every fiber of her being. Of course he knew exactly what happened to Romi. As soon as Cadence had told him that the girl was the star of the show and was rubbing it in everyone’s faces, Hyde knew exactly what needed to be done. It was easy feeding Romi the booze, she was a college girl, she was down to party. He didn’t even have to push her down the stairs, all he had to do was turn out the lights and let nature weed out the weak. That said, Cameron did take great pleasure in stamping on her ankle immediately after and blaming a fallen grandfather clock.

[color=63773B]“Darling Lady Fairfax.”[/color] The devil himself bowed his head with a mock english accent. [color=63773B]“I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being good all the time. That would be hypocrisy.”[/color] Despite all hazards and appearances, Cameron did enjoy the theater. Behind the mask of sanity that he wore and beneath the volcanic rage bubbling under the surface, the art of the stage was something he appreciated more than most. By all accounts, his mother had been a drama student at Eden and had all the potential in the world. Even when he was a child, in the rare days of good that she had between bipolar breakdowns, she would take what little money she had and they would attend whatever show they could afford. It wasn’t perfect but it was something.

[color=63773B]“You’re gonna kill it.”[/color]

Cady, as Lady Fairfax, fluttered her lashes playfully and replied in a practiced posh English accent, [color=yellow]“Oh, my dear Mr. Worthing, I assure you I have only ever been wicked when absolutely necessary.”[/color] She grinned cheekily before her expression softened, her eyes brimming with gratitude.

[color=yellow]“Thank you, Cameron,”[/color] she said sincerely, her voice returning to its natural cadence. [color=yellow]“Your support means everything to me. I don't know if I could do it without you cheering me on.”[/color] Because, really, who else did she have in her corner? Her friends, of course; but most of them were already part of the play in some form or the other. Her mother was too busy and the last time she’d talked to her father was when she was six, a month after her birthday. No uncles, aunts, grandparents. All alone in Boston. But not anymore. [color=yellow]“You know,”[/color] she began, her tone turning flirty and coy, [color=yellow]“I just so happen to have a pair of tickets to the opening night show. My mother won't be able to make it, unfortunately. But I would be absolutely delighted if you'd be my guest. It would make the night all the more special.”[/color]

She batted her eyes again, rosy lips forming a little pout as she leaned into Cameron’s body. [color=yellow]“What do you say?”[/color] she asked, her eyes sparkling with hope and anticipation as she picked up the posh accent again. [color=yellow]“Will you join me for a night of wicked indulgence and scintillating wit, dear Sir?”[/color]

[color=63773B]“When you put it like that?”[/color] Cameron’s hands traced down her beautiful body, sliding down her back until they had reached her hips where he pulled her tightly towards him. [color=63773B]“How could I say no?”[/color] This was a power play by Cady. She wanted to show him off to the world, mark her territory, claim him as hers in the eyes of the beholders. He couldn’t have that, at least not yet. There were still way too many moving parts in the game to prevent him from making his next move with her. Though he did want to see the show and Cadence did say she had a couple of tickets. Perhaps there was a move to be made here after all?

The Devil’s hands are idle playthings, so he moved one back up and took a hold of Cady’s chin with a firm grip. He held her face in his grasp, staring into her beautiful hazel eyes and tracking every contour of her face. Their month together and done enough to quell his wicked desires for the most part, yet they were still there, niggling in the back of his brain, screaming in the distance to ruin her. Between his finger tips, Hyde could feel Cadence’ heart racing, beating rapidly for him. It was a tell tale sign that he had learned to use to his advantage. She was his. She had given herself willingly to the one person, she most definitely shouldn’t have. [color=63773B]“Your little heart is fluttering. You really are excited.”[/color]

Cady's heart did indeed race beneath Cameron's touch, her excitement at the prospect of having him in the audience for her big night nearly overwhelming. She wanted him there, wanted him to witness her shine as part of the principal cast. 

[color=yellow]“Yes,”[/color] she admitted, her voice barely more than a whisper as she met his intense gaze. [color=yellow]“I am excited, Cameron. Excited about the play, about having you there with me, about everything.”[/color] She revealed, truthfully. Cady knew that there was something dangerous about the connection they shared, something that threatened to consume her whole. The sharp glint in his blue eyes said what Cameron's intoxicating lips couldn't. But she couldn't deny that the very thrill made her feel alive, made her feel seen and desired in a way that she had never experienced before.

As she stood there, her heart pounding in her chest, Cady made a silent vow to herself. She would hold on to this feeling, this wild and exhilarating energy that coursed through her veins, and channel it into her performance. She would give the audience a night to remember, and she would show Cameron just how captivating she could be, both on and off the stage. For him, and for her audience.

[color=yellow]“All I can hope,”[/color] she murmured, her voice soft and full of longing, [color=yellow]“is that you're as excited about all of this as I am.”[/color]

Obsession. Cameron had learned very quickly that it was a driving force behind much of Cadence’s being. Like him, she came from a broken home and from that came the desire, the unrelenting need to be wanted and loved. She was also a performer to the highest degree, a vocation in which the sole purpose is to be loved for what you are doing. Cady’s obsession was extending to him, to feel his love, to be validated by him and supported unconditionally. She might secretly be a wolf like him and she was making it clear that she was a part of his pack.

Cameron didn’t say a word before he brought his lips crashing into hers once again. He poured a great amount of feeling into their deep embrace. He wanted to fill Cadence up with more of the same addictive energy that she had been welling up inside her since their first meeting. It was easy to plant the seed in her heart and mind that he was hers and he knew that with each passing day together that she was fostering the belief that she was his. Cady was utterly devoted and worshiped wholeheartedly at his Church. 

As their lips met in a passionate, searing kiss, Cadence's heart soared with a wild, unbridled hope. She felt as though she was on the precipice of something monumental, a new chapter in her life that promised thrilling adventures and unforgettable experiences. With Cameron by her side, she felt invincible, as though they could conquer the world together. And in that moment, she believed that they truly could.

But beneath the surface of their burgeoning love, there lingered a sinister undercurrent, a dark whisper in the shadows that threatened to undo them both. It was a force that remained hidden, biding its time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and ensnare them in its deadly embrace. For now, however, Cady chose to focus on the hope that bloomed within her, the fire that burned brightly in her chest. She would hold onto that feeling for as long as she could, even as the darkness crept ever closer, threatening to close in around them.
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