KazAlkemi

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Penny's hand fit comfortably in Christian's. He found it comforting in a way he wasn't used to, but it also felt like the most natural thing in the world. It was strange how something so normal felt so uniquely special. Christian mulled this over while he set the pace of their walk, leaving Penny to sort through her feelings. When she finally spoke up, Christian turned his head to look at her, trusting his feet to keep them on a safe path.

He smiled when she apologized, unable to help himself. ”Human emotion is one thing I am quite comfortable with, actually. It's buying trailers and grilling I am rather under prepared for,” he said with a slight chuckle. Christian squeezed Penny's hand before he spoke again. ”I think your brother does care… but he may not understand how to be a brother. Why do you wish you didn't care?”

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Supper was a little uncomfortable. Christian could feel the tension in the air, but was used to one-sided conversations. He was also used to no conversations. Sometimes it took a while for a spirit to come to terms with their death and make the decision to cross over. Like the teenage girl Christian had helped after meeting Penny. He spoke when spoken to, adding a bit of information here and there, but Christian mainly left the conversation to the siblings. At least, until the conversation turned.

Christian stood when Penny did, focusing mainly on her while brother and sister went back and forth yelling at each other. When Penny stomped away, Christian moved to follow but paused. He turned back to look at Luke.

”I’ll talk to her, but I can’t make any promises. Thank you for the meal,” Christian said before he hurried after Penny.

Penny was already at the truck by the time Christian made it outside. He got to her quickly, watching her rub her eyes. Christian sighed and glanced around.

”You can’t drive like this. Let’s go for a walk. Just down the road a little ways and back. Come on.” Christian offered Penny his hand to take, and a small smile, hoping to convince her that a walk was a good idea right now.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian felt his cheeks warm, and his eyes grew wide. He didn’t realize he could blush. Christian ran a hand over his cheeks and mouth to compose himself. There was an understanding that Luke was doing the typical big brother looking after his younger sister speech, which Christian understood but didn’t think was necessary. Even if Penny hadn’t survived a nest of vampires, Christian got the impression Luke didn’t really know his sister. Christian didn’t think Penny would let anyone walk over her. Then again, Christian was starting to get to know Penny, and by coming here, there seemed to be more layers to her than he realized. Lovers not only sounded weird to Christian but was way too soon even to consider.

Christian cleared his throat and nodded, hoping he came across as nervous about being beaten up rather than anxious about advancing his relationship with Penny.

”I understand,” Christian finally said, smiling awkwardly. Once they finished outside, Christian followed Luke in, shutting the door before reuniting with Penny. He felt his cheeks flush again when she asked him how it went.

Christian couldn’t deny he was interested in Penny. He was currently interested in developing their friendship and helping her improve her hunting skills, but he also enjoyed the feeling he got when she relaxed in her arms. Or the way she seemed to smile just for him every time he walked into the room.

”Interesting…I learned a lot,” he said, truthfully. ”Do you have a barbecue? If I practiced I’m sure I could have the technique down.”

Château de La Lune

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Rihannon Linx

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Location: Dining Room
Skills: N/A
Fit

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Rihannon watched the volley of words being thrown back between Richard and Eleanor before they leaned over to Nathan.

“Are family dinners always like this?” they asked him curiously. This was better than reality TV.

“Well, I wouldn’t say always. But there is almost always some drama.” Nathan smiles. “I’m Nathan.” He offers his hand for Rihannon to shake. “Sorry about my brother. He thinks he is always right.”

Rih extended their hand to shake Nathan's. “Rihannon, and trust me, I've heard worse. Is this the first awards event you've put on?” The event overall seemed organized but there was an underlying note of chaos that didn't seem normal.

“No,” he tilts his head a little confused. Releasing Rihannon’s hand. “My grandfather started it in the 90s. I think I've been to almost every one. Though, Lawrence being punched is a first. What have you noticed? My mother will probably lose her mind if anyone says as much to her.”

“Oh… I've just never heard of this award and well… The maids seemed a little lost earlier with our luggage but I suppose anything can happen with an event hosted in a family home. How does your family pick people for this award anyways? I'm not exactly well-known… did they hack us?” Rih joked.

“Oh, the maids are new. We usually only have the full time staff here. That'd be Felix, the butler, Gordon, our chef, Faustus, the gardener, Armel, our driver, Leon, the sommelier, and Olivia our maid. The other two are just in temp positionsions. As is Aziza, he is here for Gordon. As amazing as Gordon is, I don’t think he could cook for over twenty people without some help. We always have to have some extra help. During the rest of the year not even all of us are here at the same time. This week is the busiest for everyone. I’m sorry you had issues with your luggage. Did it get solved? If not Felix would be able to help after dinner.” He paused thinking about the rest of what Rihannon had said. “As for picking you, you were probably submitted by someone who noticed you and thought you could use the extra attention. I don’t know anything about hacking.”

Well, someone definitely noticed me, especially if they were behind that letter in my room.

"Yes, it was okay. Although, I did hear yelling in the hallway about it from one of the other guests," Rih confessed as they settled back into their seat. They glanced around the table, wondering just who might have nominated them. Of course, it didn’t have to be a person who was here, but that seemed unlikely. Once their glass of wine was topped up, Rih took a generous sip before cutting into their fish. It was light and flaky, just enough to satisfy a craving.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian made his way into the kitchen and waited for Penny. He didn’t feel comfortable wandering the house without her. He was looking forward to their conversation at the hotel later. Christian wanted to get to know Penny better, but was also concerned. It seemed her past hadn’t been the most pleasant.

Christian smiled and stood beside her when she returned to the kitchen. At her suggestion, Christian looked around the kitchen. ”Um, sure…Where are those exactly, and what do I do?” He followed Penny’s example, though, and washed his hands.

After brief instruction, Christian sprinkled the appropriate spices onto the prepared patties. He remained focused on his task even when Luke joined them, and finished just before Luke picked up the tray. Christian turned to put the spices away when Luke asked for help.

Christian turned, looking at Luke and then Penny. He smiled gently at her, knowing what this conversation was going to be about. It would be a first for Christian, but he had heard stories from human souls about the art of backyard grilling and the community it evoked.

”It’s okay,” he assured Penny before he joined Luke outside.

Christian walked around the deck, taking in the backyard and the setup before he joined Luke near the grill. He watched the man turn on the BBQ, committing everything to memory. It seemed like an important task to learn. Christian turned his focus to Luke when he addressed him. He smiled at Luke’s attempt to intimidate and put Christian through the paces.

”I was honest with her. I don’t see much point in lying or playing games. If she asks me questions, I answer her. If she needs me, I’m there for her. I confess I wasn’t expecting much more than your sister’s friendship, but…” Christian looked back toward the house, his smile shifting into something softer. ”There definitely seems to be something developing, but I am in no position to rush it,” he said, looking Luke in the eyes for further assessment.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

The act of Luke sizing up Christian brought a genuine smile to his face. The squeeze to his hand only brought a sparkle to Christian’s eye before he released Luke’s hand. Christian found it amusing that Luke was trying to determine what kind of person he was during this quick interaction.

If only he knew…

Of course, the actual truth would probably kill Luke. Or just make him think Christian was some crazy person, which wasn’t the first impression Christian wanted to make. While Christian continued to find the male ego fascinating, he felt the air around Penny shift into something darker, and looked to her, alarmed.

Christian won’t beat me.

Christian stepped closer to Penny, resting his hand lightly in the middle of her back. He didn’t want to come across as if he were crowding her, but he wanted to know she had his support with whatever was going on here. There wasn’t much time to ensure Penny was okay before Luke seemed to deflate and led them to the truck they were here for. Christian dropped his hand while they walked, but remained close to Penny, feeling rather protective of the human he had grown attached to.

While Peny examined the truck from the inside, Christian walked around it, looking for dents and scratches and trying to look like he knew what he was doing. Once the deal was made, with the incentive of staying for something to eat, Christian followed Penny into the house. The continued silence started to worry him, and he frowned at the back of Penny’s head until they were inside and she addressed him.

The frown instantly dropped when Penny apologized to him, replaced by a horrified expression that she felt the need to apologize.

”I think the girl who survived a den of vampires can handle a little family dinner and drama,” Christian said, attempting to joke. But not wanting Penny to think he was trying to make light of the situation, Christian pulled Penny in for a hug, tucking her head under his chin and held her. ”Do you want to discuss it?” His tone was gentle and open, wanting to give Penny the space she needed to express herself.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian's arms automatically wrapped around Penny's waist, returning her hug with a generous amount of pressure. He found the contact and motion came to him easily. Christian had hugged souls before and hugged Penny before but this one seemed different. It settled him in a way he didn't realize he needed. The news that Death presented him with didn't seem daunting anymore. He was looking forward to telling Penny about it.

He chuckled when Penny asked him how work was, it was almost like she read his mind. ”I'll tell you about it after,” he whispered into Penny's ear before she released him. Christian turned to greet Penny's brother. He smiled and shook Luke's hand.

”Christian, it's a pleasure to meet you.”

Château de La Lune

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Rihannon Linx

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Location: Dining Room
Skills: N/A
Fit

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Rihannon shuffled into the dining room behind the group, trying to take everything in while also seeming unassuming. They knew they needed to stand out in a place like this, but they were also rather introverted at heart. Rih thanked the staff member for pointing out their seat and pulled out the chair before tucking themselves in. They noted the table was large and had at least twenty people. The conversation would be loud in this room.

“I would much rather sit next to her.” Rihannon caught the tone and turned their head to see a rather large-looking person leering at them. Rih cocked their head to the side. Why must certain people who look like that think they have any right to comment on another person’s appearance?

”And what makes you think I am a woman?” Rihannon asked. They weren't large-chested by any means, and the silk shirt was large enough to hide such things. Not to mention the jacket that covered them. Perhaps it was because Rih liked to style their hair or wear make-up? Well, that was hardly a reason to gender someone in this century.

Rihannon turned their attention to the head of the table to listen to Eleanor. Ah, things were starting to click into place. It made more sense that no one here looked familiar to Rihannon. As Eleanor had said in the foyer when they first arrived, they were all nominated based on their portfolio and nothing more. Interesting. Rihannon picked up their white wine glass now that it was full and sipped it before looking left then right. Conversation. Small talk. Rihannon inwardly groaned. This is why they like performing. No conversation was needed when one was singing and dancing.

The salad was served, temporarily saving Rihannon from having to open their mouth and emit a friendly greeting. They were saved again by a scraping chair, a determined march, a surprised grunt, and then the familiar sound of a fist connecting to a face. Rihannon gasped before they snorted and laughed. The hit had been spectacular and sudden—the perfect kind of entertainment for the evening. As Lawrence left, Rihannon composed herself and looked between her neighbours.

”I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have laughed at your family member…” But that was hilarious…

Rihannon took a bite of their food, thinking of it more as fuel rather than something to enjoy, and looked about the room again. Across the table, a conversation between the person who had punched Lawrence and someone a few seats down from them started. Due to the space between both parties, the conversation was rather loud, and Rihannon heard that the puncher’s name was Miguel. Rih’s eyes widened. Well, that’s one mystery solved.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Skills: Invisibility; Teleportation

”I will meet you tomorrow. I’ll have the rest of the day and all night to ferry souls to the other side. Take care until then,” Christian said before he vanished from Penny’s room and reappeared in a retirement home a few states over.

Hours passed for Christian until Death summoned him. Christian spent the time before that reaping various souls for various reasons. However, they all seemed relatively normal, from natural causes or long fights with illness. It put Christian on edge for his meeting with Death. It was usual for Christian to see people who had died from violent means and natural ones. To have so many people on one side of that spectrum was unusual. So when Christian walked into the room Death was inhabiting, Christian was on edge.

Death raised his gaze to look at Christian. A small smile slipped unnaturally onto his face, and his eyes seemed to glow as he beckoned Christian to sit.

“How is your Penny?”

”She isn’t mine.”

“Ah, does not seem that way. It seems you spend all your time there, rather than with your charges. Did you not feel the peace from releasing souls to the other side before you returned to me?”

”So it was on purpose.”

Death smiled and rose from the chair he inhabited.

“Another lesson.” He turned and pulled a black book from a shelf behind him. Death set the book on the desk and pushed it towards Christian.

“Her pattern keeps changing. You keep interfering. You keep shifting the future by remaining in her life. You are upsetting the Order.”

Christian shifted uncomfortably in his chair, staring at Penny’s book on the table. The book contained every way Penny was destined to die. Death opened the book, but before Christian could look away, he saw that the pages were blank.

“There is no more certainty when it comes to her. Life and death is usually more efficient than that.” Death pulled the book back and placed it on the shelf. “And I do like efficiency.” He turned back around and levelled a stare at Christian. “There comes a time when every reaper needs to be put down. When they lose focus.”

Christian looked at Death, feeling a deep sense of fear from the words he said and the way he continued to look at Christian as if there was a secret he wanted Christian to uncover. It was within reason that Death would want to remove Christian from the playing field, but Christian didn’t want to die. He didn’t know he could die.

“I am no stranger to the whims of humans. It is exciting watching them live their lives. It is thrilling to be around them, but it is not our path, Christian.”

”But it could be. So many ask to live in the moments before we claim their souls. Penny asked the same, but–”

“There was a light within her that didn’t want to remain extinguished,” Death stated, completing Christian’s thought. Christian met Death’s eyes, shocked he understood so clearly. Death smiled, Christian’s amusement entertaining to him. “I am just as fascinated with humans as the rest of my children are. I have saved them and sacrificed others, but only because I know the outcome of those decisions. I see the books, I know their path, I know the end of the world. You, Christian, do not. Your choice has changed something significant. Your choice will colour the outcome of this world. There are consequences, but your chosen path is now cemented in this world. To reverse it would do more damage. You will remain, and Penny will remain, but let this be a warning to you. If you make a decision that alters the Natural Order again, I will not be so kind. Now go. You have more work to do before meeting Penny’s brother.”

Christian remained seated for a few more minutes, shocked by what Death told him. A chance. Permission. Forgiveness. It was more than Christian expected and better than he could have asked for. Christian stood, ready to speak.

“Do not thank me, Christian. You may believe this is a blessing, but it is a punishment. You will understand soon enough why.” Death snapped his fingers, and Christian was gone. He arrived in a new location, in the dark and the cold. He heard crying and screaming, followed by a familiar tug that signalled a life had ended. Christian sighed but couldn’t remove the smile from his face. Death said it was a punishment, and Christian knew he should heed those words, but it was difficult to feel anything but happiness in this moment.

Christian remained in high hopes until time indicated he needed to return to Penny’s side. After reaping another soul, Christian teleported to Penny’s brother's house. He remained across the street, invisible to all but one person in this world. He watched Penny’s brother work on a car for a while, until he went inside. Shortly after that, Penny arrived in her rental vehicle. Christian walked across the street just as she parked and opened the driver’s door for her.

”How was your drive?”

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian hung back while Penny spoke with her brother. The space was small, though, and Christian had excellent, supernatural healing. When he heard her brother mention the killings, Christian turned his attention back to Penny. He noticed her face fall and her posture shift from the topic's discomfort, and Christian found himself moving closer to her side.

The conversation continued, and Penny tried to regain control of it. Christian heard it all, but his focus remained on Penny this time. Even when she declared she wouldn’t be travelling alone. Something danced inside him, a warning perhaps, but it also brought a smile to his face, which grew when she informed him what she had said.

”That’s alright. It might ease their minds to put a face to who is travelling with you.” He smiled softly at Penny, looking down at her slightly since he was taller—especially when standing as close as he was to her.

Christian didn’t realize he moved as close to her as he had. He glanced away from her and stepped back when something flashed across his vision. Christian rested a hand on his temple, blinking away the uncomfortable feeling.

You have work to do…Work you’ve been behind on. Finish it and come see me.

Christian looked at Penny, some emotion flashing across his eyes before he shifted it into a smile. ”I have to go…When would you like to leave tomorrow?”