angharad_of_lux (angharad_of_lux) wrote in birthrightrpg, @ 2020-12-09 09:20:00 |
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Entry tags: | angharad, brianna winters, derek mitchell |
Visit to Lux after Samhain
Who: Angharad/Brianna/Derek
When: Present day
Where: Lux
Ratings G
The stage area of Lux could easily be mistaken for being larger in dimension than guests may have seen on previous nights, peopled with a full band and the sorceress performing ‘Would I Lie to You?’. The dance floor was pumping as patrons danced and the air overhead seemed to be alive with what appeared to be tiny dancing lights, as if a cloud of fireflies were also joining in on the action.
The walls were dark, some pale streaks of a crystalline substance lending them some depth, allowing the eye to identify the limitations of the area. Angharad was wearing all black, her arms bare, hair blonde, lips full and red as she danced with the backing singers.
Derek didn’t know where to look first. He was expecting Lux to look the same as it had on Samhain, but everything was different and new. The hostess he had met briefly that night was performing on stage, and he turned to Brianna with a smile.
“There is some serious Hogwarts action going on right now,” the vampire told her.
Brianna was watching Angharad perform, amazed at the powerful voice that wound around them all. After the night at karaoke with Gabe and Izzy she had found herself humming and had started to look up some of the karaoke links Izzy had sent her. She looked around at the completely different walls and nodded to Derek.
“Yes, this is rather different, isn’t it? And the stage area too. I remember thinking when she was on stage performing during Samhain that it looked like the stage area changed between her sets and then when the others were up there, like the Freddie Mercury person and the other one, who was it? One of the Beatles I think it was?”
“Paul McCartney, I think,” Derek answered. “Did you know that there are some people who think the ‘real’ Paul McCartney died in a car crash sometime in the 60s, and they replaced him with a lookalike? And that the album cover for Abbey Road alludes to the secret. It’s weird to think about...” He realized he was blathering and trailed off.
She looked at him, shaking her head. “No, I hadn’t heard that,” she replied, a little surprised. Her father had liked the Beatles and when he took her to the laboratory on a weekend and it was just the three of them, he would sometimes put music on, usually from the 60s and 70s, and always with some Beatles. She had always loved ’Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ and Juliet’s favourite had been ’Sargent Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ while their father would always join them to sing ’When I’m 64!, singing it to each of them.
“What would you like to do?” he asked Brianna. “We can get drinks, we could dance, you know, with each other.” He smiled bashfully.
She glanced back to the dance floor and all the people there, and opted for a drink, requesting a cocktail one of the bartenders at le Breeze had introduced her to recently. “I’ll have a Moscow Mule,” she told Derek and indicated a table across the other side of the room that appeared to be available. Angharad and the band started another number, When Tomorrow Comes’. Brianna made her way through the people standing watching the band perform, and finally reached the table, placing her clutch on the seat and turning to continue watching the performance.
Derek nodded in confirmation. “Moscow Mule, coming up.” He ventured to the bar along the back wall and ordered two of the drinks from a friendly staff member. After a few moments, two copper cups full of the cocktail were handed to him, and the vampire made his way carefully to the table where Brianna had settled.
“I decided to try one,” he told her, setting hers before her along with a cocktail napkin. “I don’t usually order drinks with vodka, so this is something new for me.” He turned to watch the performance as well, glancing at Brianna out of the corner of his eye every so often.
Brianna thanked him, her eyes lighting up approvingly when she saw the beverage was served in the appropriate cups. She sipped at it, enjoying the mint and ginger flavours wound through the vodka.
Angharad finished the number and the set, advising everyone as such before turning and giving the backing singers a hug each. The musicians all departed the stage area through a dark curtain behind the stage, but Angharad came down the steps and into the group on the dance floor, stopping to talk to a particular couple for a moment, then another individual, spending a little longer with them.
“Have you ever been here before Samhain?” Brianna asked Derek as the two of them watched the blonde head angle to one side as she appeared to be speaking softly and earnestly to the individual she was with. “I had heard of it but didn’t know anything about it before then.”
“No, I haven’t,” Derek admitted with a grin. “But I wish I had. This place is definitely unique.” He turned his head toward his companion, marveling not for the first or even hundredth time at how beautiful she was. “Is it the same for you as Samhain? I mean, is it...quiet?”
The vampire wasn’t quite sure how to describe her unique...gifts? Powers? Using the word ‘psychic’ made him think of a woman with a scarf around her head, long fingernails, and a crystal ball. That, or Miss Cleo from the old infomercials.
Brianna looked around the room as she considered his question, a little unsure. It was different from what it had been like at Samhain, she was able to 'see' things if she wanted, but it wasn't taking as much effort for her to block it out as it normally did. "It's different from that night, but also different from normal, outside," she ended up saying, trying to describe it. Her eyes came to rest on the singer again, the woman now giving the individual she'd been talking to a hug before making her way through people again.
As she drew closer Brianna decided to see what she could 'see' and turned her attention to the woman. What she saw made her blink, and step back a little, a sudden intake of breath timed perfectly with Angharad turning to look their way.
The sorceress wended her way through the guests, acknowledging the greetings but keeping herself moving until she was standing in front of the two of them.
“Greetings, and welcome to Lux,” she said, looking from Brianna to Derek and back again. “If I’m not mistaken you were both here to celebrate Samhain with us?”
Brianna nodded, a little awe struck, and also feeling a little guilty. She normally didn’t ‘look’ into strangers. Her days at university had taught her that that was just not something one could or should ever do, as the secrets revealed could be disastrous to know. She had no idea what had made her do it, and she swallowed as she almost found herself apologising, but realised that would sound even more weird.
“Uh, yes, we were,” she admitted instead, “it was a fabulous event.”
Derek nodded in agreement with Brianna, giving Angharad a friendly smile. “Yeah, it was really fun. I haven’t worn a costume since I was a kid.” Though the night was most memorable for the time he got to spend with Brianna, and he partially credited the experience for her willingness to get out and explore beyond the walls of Le Breeze, which was a huge plus in his book.
“How do you make it look so different, if you don’t mind me asking?” the vampire continued, gesturing to the walls and the fireflies above them. “Unless it’s a secret. Like the way magicians don’t reveal their tricks.”
Angharad’s smile widened at his question and she looked at the lights above, and the walls currently surrounding them. “The earth and the skies above have so much energy to offer, and all it takes is a purpose, and a little touch of magic, to create great beauty,” she told him, then gave him a wink. “Does that sound mysterious and secretive enough?” she asked him as she laughed.
He glanced at Brianna, then nodded. “Yeah, I would say that fits the bill.” Derek wasn’t too personally familiar with magic, but he knew it existed, and he knew people that wielded it. It was fascinating. Then again, he might have been powered by some kind of magic, for all he knew. He had died, yet still walked and talked and went on existing. Who knew why and how vampires existed? Certainly not him.
The sorceress watched the face in front of her, her eyes focused on him as a small crease of curiosity appeared in her brow. She noted his eyes dart across to the young woman with him before returning to look at her and the room surrounds.
Brianna was looking at the two of them, gave Derek a smile as he glanced at her, and then met the eyes of their hostess as she turned her attention toward Brianna.
"And we all have secrets, don't we?" Angharad said meaningfully, looking from one to the other. "Sometimes we don't even fully grasp the entirety or magnitude of the secret, but we know it's there."
Brianna found her fingers were fiddling with the clasp on her clutch. She swallowed,and looked at Derek
"One secret you can reveal, I hope," she continued, looking back at Derek, "is your name! I believe I had the opportunity to greet you at Samhain, but I don't think I heard those?"
“I’m Derek,” he said, holding out his hand to Angharad in greeting. “And as far as secrets go…” He trailed off and shrugged with a grin. “Most people I associate with already know mine, so I don’t know if I would call it a secret anymore.” He glanced at Brianna, watching her fiddle idly with her bag and wondered if she was okay. The vampire tried to ask her silently, seeing if she would pick up on it.
Angharad held his hand, nodding slowly, before turning to Brianna, who looked at Derek for a moment and gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m Brianna Winters, and I can’t help but admire both you, and your establishment here,” she replied, looking down at where Angharad’s hands rested on the table.
The sorceress followed the young woman’s gaze and held her hand out to her. “It’s perfectly alright,” she told her, “you’ve nothing to fear.”
Brianna hesitantly let go of her purse and slowly reached her hand out, placing it in Angharad’s, readying herself for what she didn’t know, but after what she’d ‘seen’ before she knew it could be anything. Instead, as the sorceress’ fingers gently curled around Brianna’s hand she felt a warmth run through her, a sense of peaceful strength that was like nothing she’d ever felt before. Her eyes darted up to Angharad’s face, meeting eyes that were already on hers, that were open, and welcoming, encouraging. She swallowed again, realising she wasn’t actually actively shielding herself, as if her shields had lowered of their own accord and she was able to control whatever was happening around her without any effort. Blinking a little she broke her gaze from the woman in front of her to look around the room, at first thinking something had suddenly happened that there was no-one there, but there was. All the people, the music, were all still there, but Brianna wasn’t being bombarded by thoughts, or sensations that were not her own.
She looked at Derek, her eyes wide with surprise and could see the expression on his face, and again gave him a reassuring smile before looking back at Angharad.
“What… how did you know?” she asked, a little stunned. Since the night at the diner, and the spell James had done to locate them all, she and Radek had been very cautious about keeping her abilities under wraps. After she had spent the time with the immortals learning more about them, she had been more aware of people around her. The night she had been out ‘touring’ with Derek had had her feel as if she was being watched, as if someone was following her, until they left the cocktail bar. She still didn’t know why she had felt that way, but she had definitely felt it.
Angharad closed her other hand over Brianna’s and angled her head a little. “There is a certain aura about you,” she replied, “your abilities are only just coming to you now, and your skill in divining all their strengths will continue to blossom, when I fear they may be put to the test, and needed most.” She slowly released Brianna’s hand and straightened to look at Derek again, lightly placing her hand on his chest. “Your heart may be still, but it is carrying much,” she told him. “Perhaps one day this will change.”
Derek looked between Angharad and Brianna, almost as if he were a spectator at a tennis match. He knew from Brianna’s expression that something strange was happening, though obviously not negative or unpleasant. He wondered what was happening, if they were communicating with each other on some level that the vampire would never understand. Then, as the hostess touched his chest, he felt something shift inside of him.
“Are you…” He drifted off, unable to articulate the questions that tumbled through his mind. Somehow, though, the vampire felt like maybe Angharad knew. “You can see things that others can’t.” That part was a statement. He glanced at Brianna. “Do you know how I feel about...her?”
Again Angharad’s head tilted a little and a grin crossed her face. “It doesn’t take a sorceress’ skill to see that,” she told him, her grin softening into a smile. “But there is more to you, more in you than you give yourself credit for.”
Brianna blinked, not quite sure what Angharad had meant with what she’d told her, still running through the words, ’... your skill in divining all their strengths will continue to blossom, when I fear they may be put to the test, and needed most.’ She missed what Derek had asked, and looked from one to the other to try and pick up the conversation.
Angharad’s gaze moved from Derek back to Brianna. “You have fought against your true self for a long time, understandably so and with good reason, but it is now time to turn that fight toward preparing to tackle the fates and fears that will befall.”
Again Brianna listened. Again the words seemed to be what made perfect sense, but also carried a warning that caused her concern. “What if I’m not ready? If I can’t…”
Angharad shook her head. “You are, and you will,” she replied simply. She looked from one to the other and this time nodded. “Time is both your friend, and your enemy.”
Confused, Brianna frowned. These words made Brianna think of Derek, his immortality, and that of Radek, and Jake. All of them were immortals, whereas she wasn’t. Was time her enemy, and their friend? She was about to ask when Angharad looked back toward the stage. “And time is up for me for the moment,” she said to them both, and without any hesitation she turned and made her way back to the stage.
Derek turned to Brianna. “Well, she’s certainly an interesting person.” He studied her carefully, noting her confused, if not bewildered, expression. “Are you okay?” Again, he found himself wanting to reach out and touch her, but he wasn’t going to do it without her express permission.
Her hand reached out and found his forearm, her fingers wrapping around it as her eyes followed the sorceress across to the stage. Brianna was a little bewildered and as she gripped Derek's arm she continued to stare around the room. Her gaze would focus on one person, her eyes narrowing slightly, and then widening a little again, as if surprised, then dart to another. A few long moments later she came to look up at Derek, then down at where her hand was resting on his sleeve, then back up at his face, realising she hadn't noticed she was in contact with him.
"I… it's… " She realised she was sounding ridiculous and stopped and shook her head. "It's like everything just fell into place," she finally said, a small smile starting to appear. She realised the grip she had on his arm and released it, patting smooth the area she had scrunched. Again she looked up at him. "All the 'noise', the echoing and walls, it's like they're all gone, and yet I can hear if I want." She paused before adding, "as if I'm now in control of it."
“That’s amazing,” he told her with a broad smile on his face. Derek was truly happy for her, though he wondered if this new effect would last outside the walls of Lux. He hoped so. He knew how much of a struggle it was for her, to have to block out the ‘noise’ and protect herself.
“It must feel really freeing,” the vampire added. He looked down at their forgotten Moscow Mules. “Do you want to test it out?” His gaze swept over the crowd.
She followed his gaze down to the forgotten drinks, picking hers up and looking at him again. "What did you have in mind?"
“Umm…” Derek looked around the club. He had not thought that far ahead. “We can go out onto the dance floor,” he said. “See if it holds, being close to that many people?” The vampire shrugged and smiled. “It’s up to you, of course. It’s your mind.”
"Derek, that has to be the most original way I've ever heard of anyone asking someone else if they would like to dance!" she laughed, a feeling of exhilaration starting to sweep over her. It was of course also a perfectly good idea and she nodded, took a large sip of her drink and replaced the copper cup back on the table. Holding her hand out to him she angled her head toward the dance floor and inhaled deeply. "Come on, purely for research purposes only, let's dance!"
He grinned and took her hand. “Exactly,” Derek replied as they made their way to the dance floor. “For research purposes.” The vampire wasn’t the greatest dancer, or even a dancer at all, but that didn’t really matter to him at the moment. Just being close to Brianna was enough.