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[img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/846d3efbf499cff2d016f44d558a67ec/tumblr_inline_o54g50SToM1rifr4k_500.gif[/img][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/f19d24f5c64c08da8748d2dc257be420/tumblr_inline_ocplcgYN9h1rifr4k_500.gif[/img]
[b][Color=00A651]Daniel Cooper[/Color] and [Color=Crimson]Aurora Newman[/Color][/b]
[b][Color=Crimson]Location:[/Color][/b] Tanner Covenhouse ~ Garden
[/Center][Sup]Collab with[@duskshine749][/Sup][hr]
Daniel waved goodbye to Jaz and Cait for now and found his way to the snack table. Pickings were a bit slim, mostly junk food, but luckily they had Daniel’s favourite flavour of chip. He grabbed the fresh bag of sour cream and onion chips, opened them, and had several handfuls. He then proceeded to conjure his absinthe from home and a shot glass. He took a shot, used his twisted tea as a chaser, and exhaled harshly, [color=00a651]”hoo boy, that’s what I needed.[/color] His speech was slightly slurred and he felt a bit tipsy on his feet, a sure sign he was about where he wanted to be.
He looked over to the veranda where he knew Carlisle was earlier, but it seemed he had moved, damn. Now Daniel would have to go find him so he could monitor his condition. He briefly considered telling his mysterious friend to shove it but decided against it. That was probably the alcohol talking, and they also made it seem like people he cared about could be in trouble. Daniel just wanted people to stay safe, so he would keep doing this mission as long as he needed to.

Meanwhile, Aurora tried not to be amused by the conversation between the Pearson Siblings. As expected, Tristan was overreacting over his sister’s choice of clothing. Putting her hands up when he turned in her direction. [Color=Crimson] “Staying out of this one.” [/Color] She shook her head. Refusing to be sucked in their little debate. Excusing herself from her little group. Aurora went to refill her own drink when she saw Daniel stumbling around the room towards the snack table. 

It wasn’t like him to be so drunk. He usually knew how to handle his drinks well. But today? It seemed like he indulged in more than he should have. Making her way over to him, so she could check up on him and his state of drunkenness. [Color=Crimson] “Woah steady on.” [/Color] Managing to catch his arm before he toppled over by the snack’s table. [Color=Crimson] “How much did you have to drink?” [/Color] Her brow furrowing with concern.

[color=00a651]”Oh hey Rora,”[/color] Daniel said as Aurora helped steady him, asking how much he’s had to drink. [color=00a651]”Oh, y’know, a bit,”[/color] at this point he had somewhat lost count, but he knew he still had plenty left at home. [color=00a651]”You want some? The absinthe isn’t for everyone, but I’ve got plenty of these,”[/color] he indicated the twisted tea in his hand.

[Color=Crimson] “Hi.” [/Color] Aurora greeted him back, whilst making sure that he was steady on his feet, she shook her head in amusement at his answer. [Color=Crimson] “I thought you didn’t drink so much?” [/Color] At the mention of Absinthe, she made a slight face. Shaking her head. [Color=Crimson] “No thanks, I am good. It’s never been my drink. How did you get it anyways? I don’t remember there being any Absinthe bottles at the drinks table.” [/Color] A slight moment of confusion was visible across the blonde’s face. Who knows, maybe with the events going on at this party, she might need something stronger later in the night. But for now, she didn’t feel like indulging in something so strong.

[color=00a651]”Suit yourself,”[/color] Daniel said, not in a dismissive way, but in a very accepting way. [color=00a651]”As for my drinking, I’ve been trying a new way of thinking. Everything in moderation, including moderation. So I figured tonight would be my night of going a bit overboard.”[/color] He finished the twisted tea and hiccuped, putting it next to the absinthe. [color=00a651]Excuse me, but now I think I’m good, at least for now.”[/color]
She asked where the absinthe came from and he realized she probably didn’t know exactly what his powers were. Well now he could be a bit of a dork and have some fun. [color=00a651]”Allow me to show you where it came from, by making it disappear before your very eyes,”[/color] Daniel was speaking in his best showman voice, which when factoring in the slurred speech, wasn’t very good. [color=00a651]”First, this bottle before you is very real, please, touch it,”[/color] he held out the bottle for Aurora to feel before he took it back. [color=00a651]”Now observe,”[/color] fortunately the tablecloth was long enough to go over the bottle without needing to be removed, [color=00a651]”One….two….three!”[/color] On three Daniel dismissed the bottle back home and slammed his hand down where it was, making it seem like he would break the bottle but it was safely away from here. [color=00a651]”Ta-da,”[/color] Daniel was about to bow but thought that might be a bad idea, so instead did a little curtsy.

Aurora listened to his explanation. She couldn’t deny him letting loose, everyone deserves to let loose once in a while. [Color=Crimson] “Fair enough, I suppose. Everyone has different ways of letting loose.” [/Color] She just could hope he didn’t intend on getting into a fist fight anytime soon, as that’d be unlike him. Aurora was silently hoping that no more fights would be heard or seen tonight. One was enough for the evening.

Watching Daniel as he wanted to show her something. [Color=Crimson] “Show away, Magician Daniel.” [/Color] Jesting playfully. As he held the bottle for her to feel, she reached out letting her fingers wrap around it for a few moments. Indeed, it was a solid bottle. Her hand then dropped down to her side; watching him carefully. Aurora’s eyes filled with curiosity as he slammed his hand down against the table where the bottle was supposedly laying…but it was no longer there. A smile on her face as she gave him a little clap. [Color=Crimson] “Well, what a neat trick.” [/Color] It was the first glimpse she got of his powers. Figuring he had conjured the bottle out of thin air, so to speak. As he curtsied, she smiled. [Color=Crimson] “Think you might need a bigger audience.” [/Color] It was probably more of a lighter event of the evening; witnessing the little trick with his powers. 

Daniel laughed at his little show, [color=00a651]”ya, it’s one of my signature moves. Not exactly flashy, but I’m not exactly a flashy kind of guy.”[/color] Her comment about an audience reminded him of other people at the party, [color=00a651]”oh right, have you seen Carlisle anywhere?”[/color] Hopefully he was still fine, Daniel grabbed the chips he opened and started snacking on them to appear nonchalant. He angled it towards Aurora with an inquisitive look, asking if she wanted any without talking since his mouth was full.

[Color=Crimson] “Nothing wrong with that.” [/Color] Flashy wasn’t always exactly the best. Unless people liked flashy. As he asked about Carlisle, she shook her head. [Color=Crimson] “Not for a while no. The last I saw of him, he was out on the Veranda.” [/Color] Aurora hadn’t seen him much at the party. Maybe he was hiding away from the chaos? As he offered her some of the crisps, she reached in to grab a few herself with a thanking gesture. [Color=Crimson] “I can help you look for him, if you need? Besides, I could use some fresh air.” [/Color] With that, Aurora took a munch of the crisps she had in her hand. Not sure what he needed to talk to Carlisle for, but there was no harm in her helping him look right? They might find him faster that way.

[color=00a651]”Ya, some air would probably do me some good too,”[/color] Daniel vanished the can he left on the table and headed outside, chip bag still in hand. He snacked as he walked and made some small talk with Aurora. [color=00a651]”So what have you been up to lately? It’s been a while since we’ve talked.”[/color] He was sure the fresh air would help sober him up, but for the moment he was still a bit shaky on his feet.

The inside of the coven house was feeling a bit stuffy. Following his lead, Aurora took another bite of the crisps from the palm of her hand. [Color=Crimson] “Work’s kept me busy, lots to look over for the publishing house.” [/Color] Aurora said with a light shrug. [Color=Crimson] “It’s not as boring as it sounds, until my brain decides it can’t think of anything creative for feedback on the last chapters.” [/Color] It always frustrated her, when she had a mind block like that when it came to her work outside of the coven.
As they got to the Veranda, Aurora didn’t see Carlisle anywhere. But her feet did step on something. Hearing a slight crunch. Looking down to see a broken glass shard, with a few drops of blood. What on earth had he gotten himself into now? That boy was always getting into some trouble. But Aurora didn’t recall hearing anything going out on the Veranda earlier; not over the sound of Hayden and Delaney fighting inside.  [Color=Crimson] “Mhh, he must have sneaked off past everyone.” [/Color] Aurora mused. Luckily there were stairs from the Veranda leading down to the garden. The air was crisp. It was refreshing. Breathing in the fresh air. [Color=Crimson] “What about you? What have you been up to?” [/Color] The pair not having seen much of each other, besides Coven matters. As they walked, she tried to make sure that he wasn’t too wobbly on his feet. Not wanting him to injure himself, since he was on the drunker side than she was. Looking up to admire the night sky, Aurora caught a glimpse of the last of the blue magical barrier fading away. [Color=Crimson] “Did you just see that?” [/Color] Aurora questioned, sounding worried. What the hell was that? 

[color=00a651]”See, that’s a job I’d never be able to do,”[/color] Daniel commented, [color=00a651]”I’m not nearly creative enough.”[/color] They got to the veranda and Aurora pointed out the broken glass and blood. [color=00a651]”Carlisle is not having a good day, I hope he’s okay.”[/color] They headed down the stairs slowly, which Daniel appreciated Aurora for, and she asked him what he’d been up to. It was only fair since he had asked her fist. [color=00a651]”I went to school for kinesiology, got my degree,”[/color] Daniel told her, [color=00a651]”once things settle down around here I’m thinking of going back to school for teaching and becoming a physical education teacher.”[/color]
As Daniel was looking out for Carlisle he noticed the barrier was visible on the horizon, and it slowly faded away. He was about to ask Aurora about it when she asked him first, [color=00a651]”I did, and I don’t have a good feeling about it. Come on, Carlisle’s in charge of the barrier now, maybe he knows what’s up.”[/color]
Daniel moved as quickly as he could manage, which given his current state was not very fast. [color=00a651][I]Damn it, why did I have to go and drink so much,[/I][/color] Daniel scolded himself as they approached the garden benches. He thought he saw someone sitting on a bench, it looked like Carlisle, [color=00a651]”I think that’s him,”[/color] Daniel said to Aurora before calling out, [color=00a651]”Hey, Carlisle, do you know what’s going on with the barrier?”[/color] They got close and he noticed Carlisle wasn’t moving, [color=00a651]oh no,[/color] Dan couldn’t stop himself from vocalizing his thoughts. He touched Carlisle’s shoulder and it was cold and hard, like a statue, [color=00a651]”no no no no no nonono,”[/color] Daniel recoiled from Carlisle, the text from earlier coming back to his mind, [I]The final stage is about to begin[/I]. Was this the final stage? He couldn’t believe it, he stumbled back but not from being drunk, nothing sobered you up faster than finding a dead friend.

Aurora knew that working as an editor for a publishing company wasn’t for everyone. But she had always been a bookworm and loved literature; so the job had been right up her alley. [Color=Crimson] “It’s certainly not for everyone, I agree. But it is rewarding.” [/Color] Like any job it had its pros and cons. One thing was for certain, it wasn’t Carlisle’s day indeed. [Color=Crimson] “He’s having his fair share of bad luck today, for sure.” [/Color] Aurora sighed. Her worry equal to Daniel’s. She might not have been the closest to Carlisle, but she still cared about him. He was family after all, since they were a part of the same coven. As Daniel told her what he himself had been up to, Aurora looked intrigued. [Color=Crimson] “That’s an interesting job.” [/Color] It seemed like he was one of the few returning one’s with a new degree. [Color=Crimson] “I don’t think I could wrap my head around your degree.” [/Color]
The fact that they both had seen the barrier failing, gave her a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. They had been at the barrier earlier today. It had been fixed. What made it fail so suddenly? [Color=Crimson] “Let’s hope he does.” [/Color] If the barrier was down, who knows what sort of outside dangers the coven could be exposed to.
It didn’t take them long to find where Carlisle was sitting. As she came close enough, a scream of horror escaped her. Her eyes wide. It was a sight that would shock anyone; even someone as calm and composed as Aurora herself. [Color=Crimson] “Oh god…… Oh god…..” [/Color] She felt like she couldn’t breathe from the shock. Feeling her stomach twisting and flipping inside. Putting her hands over her face, she trembled at the sight of Carlisle’s stiff, bloody and wide-open eyed; seemingly dead body. 
[Color=Crimson] “This can’t be happening.” [/Color] Aurora muttered to herself, shocked. They couldn’t be a leader, could they? No, it seemed like it was a nightmare. He had been fine, earlier on today when she had seen him. How was this possible? A slight voice in the back of her head nagging at her, that she hadn’t done research into his Lycan curse. If she did, maybe he could have been spared?
[Color=Crimson] “I…what do we do?” [/Color] Aurora asked, looking at equally shocked Daniel. [Color=Crimson] “We can’t just leave him..”[/Color] It felt too cruel to leave him like this. As her stomach kept churning, she groaned. [Color=Crimson] “I think I am going to be sick.” [/Color] Clearly panicked, she felt like her alcohol contents would make their way back up’ especially at the sight in front of her.

While Aurora was looking at Carlisle’s body Daniel took out his phone, he had questions, not like they’d be answered but he needed to vent a bit of frustration. [color=00a651][I]What the fuck happened to Carlisle? Is this your doing?[/I][/color] He got a reply back almost instantly, [I]Perhaps you should not be around in a moment, hate for you to be caught in the crossfire.[/I]
[color=00a651][I]What crossfire you son of a bitch?[/I][/color] But there was no reply, and Daniel knew it. He also knew at this point that he had been duped. Whoever was on the other end of the line had known how to manipulate him. They knew Daniel wanted to keep people safe, and would do anything for that end. And now because of his nature, Daniel had been the reason someone he cared for died yet again. He looked at Aurora, [color=00a651]”you’re right, we can’t just leave him. We should call someone, I just don’t know who…”[/color] That was partly an excuse to her as to why his phone was out, but it was also true they couldn’t just leave his body there.
Daniel started pacing, trying to come up with someone to get in contact with, then it came to him. [color=00a651]”Lilith. Maybe she’ll know what to do. She’s friends with Carlisle, also she just knows things.”[/color] Lilith also had the ability to basically read your mind with her magic, but right now Daniel didn’t care. Once they got this Carlisle situation sorted he could worry about how he possibly put the whole coven in danger while trying to keep everyone safe.

Aurora’s mind was still spinning, trying to steady her breathing and shaking body. Too concerned about what was in front of her to notice that Daniel was on the phone to somebody. Still trying to figure out how Carlisle ended up dead, in the garden without anybody hearing or seeing anything.
As Daniel spoke up, she looked towards him to see he had a phone in hand. Not thinking anything of it; other than him trying to call someone for help. [Color=Crimson] “I think I saw Lil, wander off somewhere with Miles earlier.” [/Color] Even if Lilith could help them figure things out, they still needed more muscle to move Carlisle’s body. [Color=Crimson] “We’re going to need more muscles if we need to move him. Maybe Rowan along with Tristan and Vic?” [/Color] Automatically her mind going straight to a few of her friends that would be strong enough to help them move Carlisle somewhere safe.
The longer she took in the scene in front of her; the more she felt her eyes stinging with tears. God, she barely cried. But this wasn’t a situation she expected to find herself in the middle of. Her breathing not calming down either.

Aurora was having a bit of a breakdown, and as much as Daniel wanted to scream because this was all his fault, he couldn’t do that. He had to be there for his friend, his panic attack would have to wait. He put his phone away and put his hands on Aurora’s shoulders, [color=00a651]"Aurora, look at me, come on. Deep breaths. Inhale,”[/color] Daniel took a deep breath in, both to demonstrate and to keep himself calm, [color=00a651]”hold it a sec……and exhale.”[/color] He let the breath out, [color=00a651]”now, I know this is a lot. Believe me, I know. But we have to keep our wits about us. Carlisle was connected to the barrier, so if he’s gone then something dangerous might come through.”[/color]
He took another deep breath, [color=00a651]”you go inside and tell everyone, it’s probably safer in there surrounded by others. I’ll stay here with Carlisle’s body, keep it safe,”[/color] plus if he was out here alone Daniel could maybe have his moment to let out all these feelings he was experiencing.

As Daniel gripped onto her shoulders, he briefly brought her back to reality. Managing to blink back some tears, Aurora tried to take a deep breath as per his instruction. Her breath was shaky, as she struggled to deepen it from her shock. But eventually mastered a deep breath. Holding it for a while, before she breathed it back out. Repeating the motion, a few more times; before her breathing calmed down. Without Carlisle, they couldn’t keep the barrier up. Aurora herself wasn’t an Abjurer to have such an ability. [Color=Crimson] “How are we supposed to fix the barrier without him?” [/Color] 
When he suggested that she go inside and inform the others, Aurora paused for a second. [Color=Crimson] “Are you going to be okay here alone?” [/Color] The last thing they needed was for someone else to get hurt or attacked, whilst she was inside being the bearer of bad news.

[color=00a651]”I don’t know,”[/color] Daniel told her, [color=00a651]”It’s not like we have a surplus of abjurers. But that’s a problem we just have to put aside right now”,[/color] Daniel was forcing himself to be numb to the situation. If he allowed himself to express the feelings inside he would just break down. [color=00a651]”I’ll be fine here, I promise,”[/color] he reassured her, [color=00a651]”I can take care of myself,” [i]and I would feel even worse if another one of my friends was hurt because of me.[/i][/color] He kept the last part to himself, he didn’t need Aurora worrying about him at this point, and right now Daniel wanted to be alone. Being with Carlisle’s corpse was probably the best chance he would get for a while.

Aurora knew he had a point. It was a problem for another time, yet a big one. If the barrier was down too long, who knows what could happen. [Color=Crimson] “Carlisle and Lil, are the only ones.” [/Color] Or Carlisle was one of them. Now it just left Lilith as the only Abjurer; aside from maybe a few of the older generation of Abjurers that were on the council.
As he assured her that he was going to be okay, Aurora tried to believe him. But maybe a small part of her wasn’t convinced. But nonetheless she nodded. If something would go wrong, he knew where to find her. With that, Aurora managed to make her feet work. Walking back towards the veranda entrance, towards the party. The music still blasting, people laughing, dancing, having a good time. How was she supposed to break the news to everyone? It’s not exactly something she had experience with. It was a first. The walk back inside felt like an eternity. Her body moved slower than she was used to; maybe it was just the shock of everything. Aurora looked quite spaced out, her face sunken. Trying not to have another panic attack as soon as she entered.