Return to Phoenix Manor

Heidi turned her head over her shoulder to Brutus and spun slightly, sighing under her none existant breath, her eyes observing every move he made, every bit of expression that itched on his features. Her mind wandered to the party outside and wondered whether the butler had announced their soon arrival. "They sure can try, Brutus," she smiled, stepping a little over towards him but her eyes narrowed then.

Looking to the material be placed over her shoulders, she slid her fingers along the material. "What is this for?" she questioned him, looking around her body, then back towards where Brutus was with a light pout on her face. She then folded her slender arms under her chest.

"It is not like I will contract a cold, Brutus," she teased gently, wondering who exactly was outside. She was slightly irritated none of her favoured Lords or Ladies would be there.

Valdemar's eyebrow rose as he looked to her. "Keep teasing and I'll rip it off right here." his arm moved around her waist once more. His eyebrows came together as he made out what she said. "Who?" he asked lightly, taking another drink of the blood. He knew exactly who she was talking about, he just assumed she'd lie to spare his feelings. His fingers drummed on her hip, he then drained the last drops of blood before placing the glass onto the table. His eyes also scanned over the guests. He assumed there wouldn't be many of the lords about, what with the order lurking, it would be too dangerous.

Aro's lips curled ever so slight into a smile as he looked down to the panther. "Such a noisy animal.." he laughed lightly before he took another sip from his glass. He lowered the glass from his lips as his eyes returned to Elena. "Just that celebrations in the vampire world are always.. entertaining to say the least." he laughed lightly.

---

Brutus rolled his neck with a crack, along with his shoulders. His eyes then narrowed at her as she asked the question. He merely moved the material so it draped over her breasts. He nodded firmly, folding his arms over his large, muscular chest.

He pointed out the window, shaking his head with hard eyes. He then clenched his hands into fists, cracking the knuckles loudly.

Arianna huffed lightly but kept up her search, that was until he asked who. "Hoggle." She quickly said, glancing at him before back at the crowd. "I was expecting a lot more than this." She said, leaning into him a little. "I suppose now is not a safe time for us, with the Order snooping around where they shouldn't be." She said with a slight scowl. A butler offered to refill her glass but she declined as she looked over at Valdemar.

Elena smiled lightly, glancing down at the panther before back up at Aro. Some hair had fallen over her face and she reached up with one hand to tuck it behind her ear. Then quickly put her hand back behind her back. Intertwining with the other once again. "I see." She said, getting the jist of what he was saying.

She glanced around her, spotting Arianna and Valdemar. Giving them a light smile before looking at Aro once again.

Heidi blinked once as she looked down to the material covering herself, before back to Brutus bemused. "How thoughtful, though unneeded," she muttered, but she didn't move the material away, simply shrugged it over her shoulders instead. "Come on now Brutus. Time we joined in," she sighed.

As she walked over towards one of the doors, an entourage of maids, butlers and general servants awaited the two of them. She glanced back to Brutus and called him over with an inviting smile and a wave of her hand.

Her fingers went to her hair and even found a golden tiara piece weaved among her thick curls and she felt herself laugh quietly. She passed through the servants who were offering her things, but she didn't acknowledge them until both her and Brutus were outside the grand doors.

Her eyes shifted to the butlers she knew would open the golden and mahogany.

"Ah." He said lightly with a tilt of his head. "Why are you looking for Hoggle, exactly?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. He cleared his throat slightly. "Precisely." he said stepping away from her, sliding his hands into his pockets as he looked idly over the crowd. He rocked on the balls of his feet, his mind was clearly else where now.

Aro's eyes moved over Elena's face. "Whom are you here with, if you don't mind me asking?" he questioned with a light smile. His eyes then moved over the panther. The sound of laughter echoed around his mind. He knew exactly who that panther belonged to. He also knew what their reaction would be to him talking to this young girl. The thought of it amused him to no end, the thought of causing more pain and suffering to the pair of them.

-----

Brutus's expression to change in the slightest, he merely kept his stone like eyes on her. He let out a slight groan as she mentioned joining the party. He followed after her as she gestured. It was obvious that the servants didn't feel comfortable around him. There was no wonder with the things they'd seen him do at Heidi's command.

He followed closely behind Heidi, barging his way through the servants. Sending them all flying away from him. A dark smirk moved over his lips as a croaky laugh escaped his lips. He looked to the butlers as they reached the grand doors. He snarled slightly at the butlers, who then proceeded to pull the large doors open, revealing the festivities behind them.

Arianna turned her head to him with a raised eyebrow. "There is no doubt in my mind that he will try to bed her. However, the way she acts around males, his chances are slim." She said, rubbing his shoulder tenderly before shifting her gaze back to the crowd. She was able to catch glimpses of the person Elena was talking to but couldn't quite make out his face. "Can you see who she is talking to?" She asked Valdemar curiously.

Elena smiled again lightly and gave a small shrug. "Valdemar and Arianna, I do not know their last names." She said, glancing around. A bad feeling started to creep over her, this man was hiding something. The panther bared his fangs slightly then turned and nudged Elena with his nose, signalling it was time to move on. "What is it?" She asked quietly as she looked down at the black feline. He simply nudged her with his nose again, this time, with a little more forceful.

Elena gave him a confused look. He was warning her but would this man try anything with everyone else around? Plus, Arianna and Valdemar were close by. Along with other vampires. The panther turned and let out another quiet hiss, keeping his stance in front of Elena.

Heidi's eyebrow rose casually in return to Brutus pushing through the guards and the servants. As they large doors were opened, her eyes winced a moment at the bright candle lights hanging from the ceiling, before a smile crossed her features. "How lovely," she commented quietly, before holding her hand up to speak.

Whenever she did this, the guards would suddenly bellow over the crowd below, and they did so today, extra-loudly. The boom of their voices made the room to those wise enough, fall silent. Heidi lowered her hand and blinked, before smiling again lightly, but it didn't meet her eyes.

"Thank you all very much for coming to my manor tonight to celebrate the first day of The Crimson Moon," she said slowly, opening her arms to signal to her followers. The Seven Days of The Crimson Moon. These were seven days in which Vampires would go and hunt, but hoarde the bodies and drain the blood into bottles until the seventh night in which a final celebration would be held and they could indulge on all that they've brought.

The first night of the Celebration was tonight, and the last was on the 25th Sun of the 12th Shine, the Human 'christmas,' and so the same for the Vampires. Heidi tilted her head and continued to speak.

"I hope you all will begin to hunt after the celebration, or some of you have already got ahead. Please remember, you must not consume any blood of that that you hoarde. It is saved to share amongst your kin. Of course, you can hunt in between. There will be one kill on the first night, two on the second, three on the third, continuing till the seventh night. I say this because I know there are new ones of us here." She said this, and her eyes found Elena directly in the crowd. Her green eyes shifted to her 'parents' and her expression was more serious.

"Each Vampire must kill a single human and hoarde their blood tonight. No exceptions. Each of you must do this," she smiled, before clapping her hands and looking to Brutus. "Now. Let the celebrations begin!"