[IC] The Counts [for Dark Light]

[GhostWing]

Sabine rolled her eyes, she couldn't understand why girls took so long to get ready. Her own routine didn't include fussing with make up but being a vampire, make up wasn't necessary except purely for vanity and Sabine preferred the classic look of her Italian heritage. She looked back to Alek and shook her head.

"They'd rather keep her in the dark if it's possible but they also said it's on you if she's told or figures it out. Council bureaucracy at its finest. Personally, I think she deserves to know, especially if you're serious about her," She said.

Cara got out a while later and braided her hair back, getting dressed in the clothes she brought into the bathroom with her. She did up her usual minimum of make up and walked out, smiling to Alek and going over to peck his cheek.

"Ready?" She asked him.

[Dark Light]

"Yup" he replies with a nod.
Truth was he was starving but he couldn't exactly just get a bite to eat from the cupboard.

"Alright" he says looking towards Sabine.
"We're all ready to go."
He wraps an arm around Cara's shoulder.

[GhostWing]

Sabine nodded and left the room, going to get the car. Cara snuggled into Alek's side and smiled up at him. She actually wanted to ask him about Sabine since he was awake now or he wasn't sick. The woman made her curious and though she wouldn't readily admit it, she was slightly insecure that maybe she was one of those ex-girlfriends that would pop up and try to worm their way back in. She'd worry about that later, she wasn't a petty school girl after all.

"So what are we going to do first? We're going to get something to eat right? I'm starving," She said, leading him to the studio's front door.

[Dark Light]

Alek led Cara to the car, arm in arm.
"Ah I still don't have my appetite, but sure, what do you feel like?"
"We will get you a little something to eat, have a look around and then go meet the family."
Alek's words were honest but his eyes told Sabine he needed to feed.
"Sound good cuz?"
It was the first time that he had referred to Sabine as his cousin, hoping it would sate Cara's curiosity for now.

[GhostWing]

Sabine gave Alek a nod at the look in his eye. Luckily, she knew just where to go since by the time they were leaving, it was the start of lunch. She got in the front seat and spoke with the driver, now waiting.

"Sounds like a plan," Cara said with a smile, climbing into the car and buckling into her seat.

It wasn't a very long drive, the car parking in a small lot for a local cafe. Sabine had already called ahead and a table was set up outside since it was a pleasant day. Once they were all seated, a waiter brought out three cups of a deep red liquid, one the usual vișinată that was served before lunch far Cara and the other two had blood for Sabine and Alek.

"What's this?" Cara asked, picking up her glass.

"Vișinată, it's thought to increase your appetite. There isn't a set recipe for it but this cafe's is generally a bit sweeter and opaque," Sabine answered. "And yes, it's alcohol."

Cara looked at the contents and took a taste, enjoying the sweet drink with a hint of tart. It was sort of like having a glass of wine with lunch so she was fine with that. She just had to drink it slowly since she was a lightweight.

[Dark Light]

"When in Rome" Alec said giving her a playful nod and clinking their glasses together.
"So Sabine, who will be meeting us today" Alec casually asked despite the tension nearly tearing him apart inside.

Turning back to Cara he asks. "So while here what should we see? There are some exquisite museums, the bear sanctury, oh the Turda salt mines.
There's always Parc Aventura Brasov if you would rather be amongst the trees instead of underground..."

Alec tried his hardest to take his drink slow.

[GhostWing]

"Meeting us? No one, you however will be meeting the town council to discuss a few things. Cara and I will have some girl time and shop," Sabine said, sipping at her blood.

"Well, the bear sanctuary sounds nice, what's Parc Aventura Brasov?" Cara asked. "How long until you have to meet with the town council?"

"The meeting is at 2, so that's 3 and a half hours from now," Sabine said.

[Dark Light]

"Not enough time to get to Parc Brasov then." Alek announced. "It's a tree top walk way, a sort of adventure park."

He examines Cara's drink, there had to be enough remaining that he could order another one and finish it before she finished hers, to avoid the chance of her asking for a sip.

"Sabine, those drinks go down quite nice, can you get me another please."
He politely asks.
"So what will you ladies get up to while I take care of business?"
He puts a hand on Cara's knee,
"I'm sure it will be much more exciting then what I have to go through."
He lets out a little laugh.

[GhostWing]

"Maybe we can go there some other day, it sounds like fun," Cara said while Sabine waved for another glass to be given to Alek, a waiter quickly walking over and setting the glass of blood down and taking Alek's empty cup as he briskly walked away.

"Well, Sabine said we'd be doing some shopping so I guess there's that, but other than that I guess I'm at her mercy since I have no clue what there is to do," She said, taking another small sip of her drink, not even a third of the way through the glass.

"I'm sure we'll find some interesting things to keep us busy," Sabine said. "And then we'll meet back up before going to the castle."

[Dark Light]

"Deal" Alek announces in a casual cheerful tone. In truth he was feeling anything but that. He goes about as normal, passing the hours until he has to meet the council. He redies himself as best as he metal can trying to anticipate the events and conversations soon to follow. But he had nothing, for too long now his focus had been outside of vampire politics, he had done very little to keep up to date.

((Let's jump to that part.))

[GhostWing]

Cara and Sabine left Alek to his meeting while they went to the shops, Cara giving him a brief kiss before he left them. The council held their meeting in an old stone building with Gothic architecture. The moment Alek walked in a young looking woman led him into a circular room where several people were seated around a conference table, an empty spot for Alek at one of the ends.

"Now that Count Dracula has joined us, we may begin," A woman said, she looked to be in her 30s with completely white hair. "Count, it's come to the attention of the Council that you've taken interest in a human, is she aware that you're a vampire?"

[Dark Light]

Alec's hands slam down on the table before his as he shoots from his seat.
"Seriously? You cannot have dragged me half way around the world to tell me that the major concerns of our political party are occupied by the single knowlege of a female teenager!"

He slides back down into his seat and brushes away the loose hair from his face.
"What else is on the agenda?" He asks a lot more calmly then his previous outburst.

[GhostWing]

The woman didn't even flinch at the outburst, simply thrumming her fingers on the table as she waited for Alek's tantrum to subside. Once he sat back down, she shifted and stood herself, leaning over the table and glaring at Alek. For a moment, everyone in the room could tell she wasn't just a pretty face and held herself like one of the ancient beings, mainly because she was one of the oldest members of the Council.

"No, it's not the reason why you were brought here, the Council has only recently learned of the girl and as such, she needs to be vetted. This is not a political question, it's a security question, if this human has ties to a hunter clan then we need to know. Now stop acting like a spoiled fledgling and answer, does she know what you are?" She demanded, her tone serious.

[Dark Light]

"And if she is linked with hunters I might lead them to you?"
He snidely replies.
"Self preservation. You have lived so long that true death terrifies you. Your very existence revolves around existing."

Then he finally concedes.
"No, no I do not believe she knows what I am."

"You are safe... For now."
He quickly continues on not allowing anyone to dwell on his words.
"So now that is established, what else is on the agenda that so desperately needed my attention?"

[GhostWing]

Once he answered, she sat down in her seat and nodded to one of the young men standing around the edge of the room, taking a file what he handed to her. She opened it and gave it a brief look before handing it back, the attendant walking to the other end and setting it down in front of Alek.

"Vampiric children have been going missing and turning up days later dead. The killings are methodical and clean, the only thing missing from the victims are the fangs. We believe this is the work of some cult or a group of fanatics and they always leave a message behind," She said, nodding to a copy of a handwritten note. "'The fanged will fall.' Most of the victims were discovered near your castle."

[Dark Light]

Alec couldn't dismiss this news. The 'missing for days' part concerned him most.
With so many questions the discomfort became apparent on his face.

"Have their makers been appropriately punished? The circumstances cannot change the law, we must hold to our customs and stay true to our values. They are the ones responsible for the actions of their protege and the death of these younglings is proof enough that they failed to maintain their secrecy and uphold the masquerade... Unless you have reason to believe these weren't acts of mortals?"

[GhostWing]

"These kids aren't turned fledglings, they're natural born, the laws don't apply to vampires who were naturally born since they don't have makers besides their parents. As far as our examiner determined, the cause of death was that they were literally scared to death. We don't know if it's vampire, man or something else doing this but the fact that it's so close to your home is the most troubling part," She said.

"Vlad denies knowledge of the killings and we've checked, your seals are still intact and are keeping him in the boundaries you set and even so, his vendetta is against humans, not his own kind. Normally we'd have our investigator help you but she was injured while on a case, I'm afraid you're on your own until another investigator is available," Another council member said.

[Dark Light]

"Very well." He replies, hiding his interest below a sigh of servitude.
"I'll take what ever information you have compiled and then I will be on my way to talk to these mortal parents."

Alec stands and waits to see if there was anything more for them to share.

[GhostWing]

(So sorry @Dark Light, I had a really busy week!)

The councilwoman passed down another file to Alek that had the names of the parents and victims as well as their medical reports, a flashdrive with interviews conducted so far and whatever leads they had. It wasn't much but it'd get him started. The meeting went on for another two hours to deal with actual politics and other issues. Sabine and Cara were happily chatting away, several bags in their hands and arms as they passed by the council to see if the meeting was over.

[Dark Light]

While the politics carried on Alec was elsewhere as he considered how to carry out his investigation while keeping a close eye on Cara.

"Sabine" he accidentally says aloud as he notices her walk by.
When the council question him he replies.
"Sabine, I request you order get to assist me in this matter. I will need her, aid, in this matter." He said it in a way to leave it open for interpretation, even if it was guided to let then believe he needed a baby sitter for his human.

Alec rushes the final formalities of the meeting, playing on politeness and pleasantries knowing they see him through this quicker then resistance would.

When it was over he moves with excitment and a hint of vampire speed as he sneaks around out the back to aproach Cara from behind.
He silently wraps his hands around her waist and picks he up with a playful squeeze.

"Who you spying on?" He playfully asks as he puts her down and helps her with her bags.
"Have a good time?"