Hotel Omni
The Plaza was buzzing with activity when they arrived. The hotel wasn’t the only one leading on to the open space and their eventual destination wasn’t the only party happening by a long shot. Even still, the throng of people was easy to move through, such was polite socialite society, and soon both Saxon and Lily had been seen through the lobby of the Omni, to the awaiting lifts, carrying them to the debauchery of LA’s talented artists. Fairly typical elevator music played as they ascended, floor by floor, thankfully left alone, no kine wishing to call an elevator during their brief journey.
“Here, assured privacy, or so I’m told.” Saxon turned slightly, towards Lily, at the same time handing her a plastic card, that now in the modern era, constituted a room key. Perhaps in a drunken and drugged phase, the kine may not noticed one of their own being fed on, but it was never worth that risk, beyond the thrill one might get from being so… loose, with the Masquerade.
“Now, let us see if my file has nailed your preferences. Although, perhaps mentioning that will encourage you to go for variety? Many enjoy the thought of proving me wrong.” He grinned as he seemed to muse aloud, as much to himself as Lily, even if his eyes remained on her as they spoke, as was only polite.
It was a sight to behold, much had changed since she had last been here, years ago. Modernity, for all its wonders, could still be startling. She briefly wondered, not for the first time, how those with so many more years dealt with the ever changing times.
Lily took the room key offered, quickly slipping it into the wristlet that hung from arm. “So thoughtful of you. I would hate to make a scene.” Spoken tongue in cheek, a devilish smile flashed across her lips. “I’ll do my best to control myself, I fear what would happen if the buffet offered were to...overwhelm me.” A knowing look was accompanied by a nudge from her elbow to his sides as the elevator doors opened.
She took a few steps out backwards, still facing her companion, “Pay close attention, I want to know just how well you know me.” With a laugh, she spun around and took in her first look at the beauty that was hers for the taking.
White and light, an open expanse was there for the taking. People milled about, oohing and ahhing; the poor, young starving artists eating up the attention bestowed on them. You could still see the city, a perfect background to what this show offered. Her eyes darted from one piece to the next, mostly sculptures, many of overtly phallic or sexual nature. That must be back in vogue, a fleeting thought, before her eyes settled on a performance piece. Cordoned off by a low, black velvet rope, a woman, bare save for a belt of twisted white fabric about her waist, stood hunched over. The wall behind her had mirrors of varying sizes and designs with slurs written across them in deep red lipstick.
Slut. Whore. Cunt. Lily’s eyes went wide, her mouth dropped - just a little and only for a moment - before at last she took the steps necessary to draw her closer. Completely entranced, it had been so long since she had been in such a state. It was as if she had tunnel vision, though her reflexes were as good as ever, her shoulders twisting and turning to avoid brushing against anything less desirable than what she sought.
At the rope’s edge she stopped, her head cocking to take it in from various angles. A few kine joined her, she took in their presence and sorted it to a status of unimportance. She could stand here all night like this, all morning if she wasn’t careful. Slowly, she pulled herself back. It was not an easy thing to do, it never was, but she couldn’t draw attention to herself, standing and unbreathing. When she had regained control enough to avert her eyes, she sucked in an unnecessary breath, and turned her head to glance over her shoulder. Saxon couldn’t be too far behind, probably congratulating himself on being right.
Lily hadn’t bothered to try and deliberately avoid what he knew about her, which was promising. When you had already been read, it was only a futile activity to try and shut your cover. He had lied, when he said he had such details in a file on her, pandering ever so slightly to her ego that he would pay that much attention to the currently smaller players of LA. Equally, the more the kindred of LA though he could be everywhere, at anytime, watching, the more pause they gave before crossing him. No, the assumptions he had made about her had begun the moment they had met this evening, well, before then, when he had first seen her abode. A smile barely graced his features as he followed her, slowly, proving him right. He was beside her before he spoke, barely a whisper over the crowd.
“She will move in a hour...or, if you want the mind behind the creation.” Still appearing to whisper, Saxon pointed, almost overtly obviously, at a somewhat shy looking girl across the room, pretty, but seemingly somewhat scared of that fact. She noticed his motion, which seemed to perk her up slightly, obviously taking the compliment that someone would feel the need to locate her after seeing her art. Then, the kindred ‘detective’, turned back to face Lily.
“I will meet you at your room in two hours, make your decisions, whatever they may be, and be done before then.”
Lily’s eyes followed his motion, her eyebrow quirking up briefly as she made eye contact with the artist. A petite thing, pretty assuredly, not beautiful or sexy. “A difficult decision you leave me with.” She spoke quietly, musing it over in her mind, the choice before her. Saxon had become peripheral, “I will see you then.”
“Stealing” the artwork wouldn’t be a good way to go about it, and while she had not yet decided which was the more appetizing option, there was little harm in chatting up the mind behind it all. She had always enjoyed seducing her meal, men or women, it rarely mattered to her. And for a woman like the artist, to be approached and wooed by a woman like Lily, well, some heads would surely turn. Confidence had been a problem in her life, lacking it did not hold her back now.
Compliments, a gentle brush of her hand to the woman’s face, a few whispers...Lily listened as the artist explained her creation, her masterpiece. So shy when she had been approached, the kindred took pleasure in seeing her bloom to life, sweet smelling life, as she spoke of her work.
The model was beautiful, gorgeous, but it was the vibrant soul of the artist that won Lily over in the end. A few heads did indeed turn, as Lily lead her away from the exposition, to the elevators. It had not been difficult at all, a few minor protestations, a few kind and suggestive words to sway the woman. An easy meal, but not everything needed to be a full hunt, especially not in a place like this.
Saxon had chosen her room well, it gave an excellent view and was immaculately to her tastes. Perfection. The toreador offered her guest a glass of wine, but no more before the true seduction began. She wouldn’t remember a thing of it, and so there was little to be held back. Perhaps there had been a fleeting moment of fear in the artist’s eyes, but sensing the fear only drove Lily wilder.
The haze of feeding receded, and Lily took in her room in a new light. Sated, more than she had been in two years now, she spared a brief glance at the curled up body of the brunette on the couch. It was askew, the rug beneath it bunched up from where the furniture had been shoved in a moment of forgetting to restrain her strength. The glass coffee table was upended, though remained whole. Nothing too bad, then. She stood fluidly and went to check herself in the gilded mirror, lest Saxon happen upon her looking anything less than perfectly composed.
When Saxon stepped in the room, the tiniest detail about him appeared minutely ruffled, the second button of his shirt had joined the top in an undone state, otherwise there was no trace of his own, similarly carnal act. No drip of blood or hedonistic haze. He had knocked, but not paused on his way in. They had a time to stick to. The Kine was still present, he knew that even before standing outside the doored he had picked up the trace of a heartbeat. With seemingly no need to acknowledge his fellow Kindred, Saxon took a seat on one of the room’s loungers, before turning his eyes upon the scene.
“Try to be more careful. Wouldn’t want you accidently killing a kine in a fit. Particularly not my brother’s granddaughter.”The words came out without any form of hesitation, as if offering up your true, living flesh and blood was no matter. A simple tactic, topped off with a moment’s glance towards the slumbering form. Sweet girl.
“You wish me to tell you the secrets of your sire, so that you may bring them down. I plan on doing better than that. If this raid on the estate goes as planned, and the as expected, I presume I will have required further evidence that will force my hand against you sire. Ties to the Sabbat are not what I want in my primogen, nor in any kindred with a position of power over this city.” His business ‘voice’ came on once more as he began to explain, fixing his eyes with the resplendent Kindred before him, with an intensity that made it seem like he half expected Lily to strike him, as if he were preparing for her every motion.
“So, lets get down to business.”