The Other Mayor of London

[undergroundmods]

The OTHER MAYOR OF LONDON invites you to a night to remember...

"" (Watch on YouTube)

Hosted at The Angelo in the heart of Islington (courtesy of Cesare Borgia), Raymond Harris invites you all to join him on the night of Saturday, 6th August to celebrate his self-proclaimed ascension as the Other Mayor of London. His aims are threefold: to stake his claim as the most powerful supernatural being in the city, to persuade other interested factions to ally with him, and to intimidate his enemies with a show of extravagance. All members of the Islington Nest are expected to work hard tonight to achieve these goals.

The party officially begins at 20:39 when the sun sets and ends at 05:34 when the sun rises. Of course, there's no guarantee that everyone will make it until dawn...

Rules of entry
• This is a black tie event. Anyone who fails to wear the appropriate attire will be denied entry.
• No stakes or other vampire-killing weapons. That's just rude.
• No more than five werewolves and shapeshifters will be admitted in total. Raymond wants them to witness his power, but not to spoil his party. They will be closely watched and likely mocked by the surrounding vampires.

Raymond is guarded by his vampire henchmen at all times. Any perceived threat will be dealt with swiftly and mercilessly.

Places to go
Once you're admitted to the hotel, you'll walk into the lobby, where you're free to mingle with the other guests. It's here that you're likely to first spot the party's human contingent: a collection of young and beautiful men and women whose sole purpose is to provide a live food source for the vampires. Dressed in uniform black suits and cocktail dresses, they will offer up their wrists and/or necks to anyone who wants them.

From there, you can head over to the bar for a more relaxed and cordial atmosphere. Drinks are free until midnight; after that you'll have to pay. The bar does not serve blood; it's expected that vampire guests will drink directly from their nearest human.

If you're looking for something a little more substantial, try the tea room where you'll be served tea, coffee or red wine, and a selection of cherry tomato canapes, strawberries and scones with jam and clotted cream.

The main action, however, takes place in the ballroom. Red mood lighting continues the general theme and live music will be playing all night. Professional dancers provide entertainment in the early evening, but it won't be long before the ballroom is crowded with party-goers revelling in the fun, free and wild atmosphere. This is where you may find Raymond, the benevolent host watching over his guests. Drink and be merry. He wants everyone to have a good time.

(You can check the OOC plotting thread for more info and to ask any questions about this event. Enjoy!)

Comments

Nancy | OTA

[stauncherhearted]

Usually at this sort of thing, Nancy is working. Tonight is a rarity in that she's actually attending as a guest, rather than looking for someone to take home at the end of the night. Naturally, she's here with Cooper, and it's the first time she's actually gone in public public with him. Nancy's dressed-up, and incredibly proud of the emeralds she wears.

Most of the night, Nancy is on Cooper's arm, but is never without a drink in her hand. Occasionally, she escapes to the bar for a long drink. Later, she's in the ball room, dancing up a storm, even if Cooper isn't anywhere near her. She gets chattier, the more she drinks.

Honestly, she's not here politically. She's just here to have a good time. And maybe make-out with her boyfriend in a darkened corner.

[longterm]

Now that's where Nancy's wrong, at least in Cesare's eyes. Everything is political. Every action is a move and Nancy has just made a poor one. Cesare isn't entirely sure why she's here, whether she was so foolish (surely not?) to turn up like this or was being deliberately challenging. Either way, Nancy has strolled up to a professional establishment in a very unprofessional manner. Not in his house, thank you very much.

But then there's Cooper. Poor capricious Cooper, technically a peer, though Cesare doesn't exactly see him as one. Cesare wonders if Cooper knows he's dating a whore, or if Nancy has managed to hide that from him. She has always been socially savvy, at least up until tonight.

Cesare strolls up to the two of them, a drink in hand and a smug, overly cordial smile on his lips.

"Mr. Cooper, I'm glad you could make it. Nancy, I did not expect to see you this evening."

[emotioneater]

Cooper doesn't bother to hide the thin line his mouth becomes when Cesare approaches. He has his many wonderful qualities (even if no one else seems to think so), but his jealousy regarding Nancy is hard to reign in. If she wasn't with him, he knows she'd be working the crowd of powerful, wealthy, and all-too-charming vampires. Cesare is just full of that mysterious foreign air and Cooper really just wants to smack it out of him.

His arm is casually curled around Nancy's waist and he not so subtly pulls her a little closer to him. The message is clear: She is mine, not yours. Still, he's not going to start anything. "Cesare. We're both glad we could attend." Emphasis on the 'we' part of that statement there.

[stauncherhearted]

"Cesare!" Nancy's bright when he strolls up, giving him a warm smile. Wasn't he just telling her how great she was at people? She extends a hand to give him a warm shake. "Good to see you!"

Cooper's a pleasant weight against her, and she glances up at him to show him yes, she's got the message. "Well, it's a wonderful party. You certainly know how to throw them." She takes a drink of her wine, not straying from out of Cooper's grasp. She didn't want to. She didn't need to. She was here with him, and the fact that this could have any negative impact on her business was the very last thought on her mind. She was just happy to be here with him, and it showed in the way she looked up at him. She was young, she was foolish, and she was certainly in love.

"And it seems like everyone is having a good time."

[longterm]

Cesare can't help but be incredibly amused by Cooper's overly protective action. So Cooper definitely knows Nancy's profession. The fact that he clings to her as if that might stop her from making her living is sweet in a way, charmingly naive. If he thinks he can cuddle her out of prostitution, Cesare has some bad news for him. The Borgia smirks as he shakes Nancy's hand and leans in to kiss her on the cheek. A part of him knows that it could anger Cooper but Nancy and Cesare are friends, after all, and Cesare's European, it's what they do. And maybe he likes to fan the flames a little. What's the point of a party if you can't have a bit of fun during it?

He smiles politely at the two of them, nothing suggestive or smarmy. He's gentlemanly for the most part, knowingly gentlemanly. "Mostly everyone yes, I believe so. I'm glad." The werewolves and shapeshifters aren't exactly having the best time but Cesare doesn't believe they should have been invited in the first place. He doesn't like them in his house.

He gives Cooper a smile from behind his drink. "Don't worry, Cooper. I'm here for business," the words and not pleasure are politely excluded but nevertheless implied.

[emotioneater]

There's a slight twitch in Cooper's jaw as he grinds his fangs together when Cesare kisses Nancy. It's just an old tradition, but does it have to be so damn intimate? He counts to ten in his head slowly to calm himself back down. Nancy makes her living the way she does. He's accepted that, even if it took breaking one of her client's hands to do so. However, accepting that there's probably vampires in the nest that she's fed off of, vampires that he knows and will probably come into contact with, that's a little harder for him to swallow down. This is going to be his first big test when it comes to their relationship. He's not going to mess this up.

"That's nice," Cooper replies laconically to Cesare, too put out to say much more. He's not going to give the older vampire anymore ammunition against him than he already has.

[stauncherhearted]

The twinge goes unnoticed as Nancy blushes slightly from the kiss. She doesn't stray from Cooper, though, feeling the way he grips at her hip. He's the jealous type, she knows that. Good lord, he threatened to kill her client and broke his hand when he stumbled upon the two of them.

Truthfully, it had been frightening.

But he meant well, she knew that. He loved her, and they both just happened to have tempers. It was okay.

She squeezes Cooper's hand. "I should have known you and Cooper would know each other. He invited me, so I had to come." She smiles fondly up at Cooper, because she only has eyes for him. Even so, she picks up the conversation with Cesare.

"What sort of business?" Nancy gives the idea a little pause. If it was her sort of business... She didn't want to discuss it in front of Cooper. "Nothing too serious, I hope." She takes a drink, returning to look at Cesare.

[longterm]

Cooper's reaction is far too entertaining for Cesare. The poor man looks almost as if he's about to explode and launch for the Borgia's throat. Cesare has no doubt it's taking every ounce of Cooper's self control not to do so. So when Nancy speaks to him, Cesare's eyes are on Cooper instead. This is fascinating and he wants to watch. He smirks, amused, before shrugging and shaking his head.

"Nothing but the boring, strained politics of old men," he says, his words rife with double meaning. After all, Cesare is old, he takes pride in it, but isn't Cooper fairly old too? At least compared to Nancy? Shouldn't he know better and be able to control himself more easily? Quite frankly, it has Cesare worried. No wonder Islington is starting to go to shit.

He finally turns to Nancy.

"I must confess: I am surprised that you're here." A polite, but unwavering jab. Quite frankly, Nancy's presence seems like one of the poorest business decisions she could have made. He would have appreciated some more professionalism from her. He's disappointed.

[emotioneater]

Cooper watches as Cesare smirks and he's entertaining thoughts about knocking out the older vampire's fangs. The damned Italian was enjoying this far too much for Cooper's tastes. He'd do it if he wasn't completely sure that it would put him on Harris' radar for interrupting the peace and generally being a little shit. He's not about to lose what he's working towards over his jealousy.

"I invited her," Cooper says curtly. He's beginning to think it might not have been the wisest decision, but what else was he supposed to do? If he hid her away, then it would seem like he was ashamed of who and what she was. Maybe it wasn't the smartest choice, but it was the one he'd made and he was sticking with it. "It seemed like a professional courtesy, something the Nest seems t'be lacking in these days."

Was that a jab at the falling standards of the Nest, and by extension, Cesare? Of course it was. Just because he's been reduced to a battle of words doesn't mean he's unarmed.

[stauncherhearted]

Professional courtesy. Like they weren't dating or anything. She pressed her lips together, but said nothing on the subject. If he wanted to play it that way, fine. This was his social function, not hers. Not when she was on his arm, at least.

But the tension between the two men was thick, and she put a reassuring arm on Cooper's. He had nothing to be worried about. She wasn't working tonight, she was with him of all her free will- the witch's amulet around her neck spoke to that. Even if he wanted her to be a whore in their eyes tonight. So, she puts on a smile.

"This is hardly my first event like this," she tells Cesare, gesturing vaguely around them. "But it is the most extravagant." She smiles, because he'd like that. Feeding his ego never went wrong, especially if she couldn't feed him.

Professional courtesy, however, will not be forgotten.

[longterm]

The flattery from Nancy isn't missed but is somewhat ignored from Cesare. Instead he quirks an eyebrow and rolls his eyes, scoffing slightly.

"I know it's not." Cesare himself had invited her to a lot of them. She had attended most of them as a professional. Tonight she most definitely hasn't.

But then Cooper's jab irks him and he coils back a little, eyes narrowing, a polite smile frozen on to his lips. He raises his eyebrows.

"Professional courtesy? I had no idea that's what we called parading your whore in front of her johns nowadays. Forgive me. I am out of date." After all, isn't that exactly what the two of them are doing? How, in any sense, was this even remotely considered a good idea, let alone a professional one. He would have felt a bit bad about calling Nancy a whore out in the open like this, had she not been draping herself so heavily on Cooper, who insisted on insulting Cesare at his own party. The two of them needed to reassess their decisions.

[emotioneater]

He should have expected that low blow to be brought up sooner rather than later. Despite what he compartmentalizes their relationship as, Nancy's profession is what it is. It doesn't mean it keeps Cooper's temper from snapping like the finely-stretched thread that it is. It's one thing to insult him, he's quite used to that. It's another entirely to insult his girlfriend.

His fangs slide out in an angry display as he sees red, two splotches of pink appearing in his pale cheeks. Cooper can feel the pressure of Nancy's hand on his arm, trying futilely to drag him away, and that's all that keeps the vampire from decking Cesare right then and there, either of their reputations be damned. Cooper's staring up at him and he pokes the other vampire in the chest with one finger. Despite his fury, his voice is calm, that eerie tone that signals the fuse lit just before the explosion happens. "If you want to start somethin', Borgia, I will gladly entertain you. Otherwise, leave it alone."

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy knew what she was. She was painfully aware of it, and had been for far too long. She worked on the streets, she worked at parties like this. But tonight, she hadn't been invited to work. She'd been invited as Cooper's girlfriend. Sure, Cesare had taken her to things like this before, but as far as she saw it, the only difference was the lack of money changing hands.

Her grip on Cooper's arm tightened, pulling him back. It happened almost instantaneously, the second the word fell from Cesare's lips. It was a dark, dirty word that she tried to avoid. Cesare had used it to hurt. And it had worked. It had worked on both of them.

"Cooper," she hissed low, "let it go." Her profession was already a sore spot, she didn't need another reason to make it harder on the two of them. Nor did she particularly need Cooper and Cesare Borgia getting into a knock-down-drag-out fight at this particular shindig.

As for Cesare... She looked at him, her brow soft, her lips parted just slightly in a pout. There were no words for him, right now. Not like the great Borgia would listen to anything a whore had to say.

[longterm]

"Leave it alone?" Cesare doesn't like the order in Cooper's voice. Who does he think he is? The audacity that he would dare pick a fight and even touch Cesare in his own domain is simultaneously infuriating and baffling. Cesare knows Cooper is hotheaded. He didn't know he was an idiot too. The Borgia pushes his shoulders back a little and leans into Cooper's pointed finger, nose turned up, a slight snarl on his lips.

Unfortunately, when attempting to attack Cooper, Nancy is the nearest ammunition.

"If everyone had done that in the first place, we wouldn't be having this problem. Do you know how many people in this room have purchased her services? Everyone here knows exactly who she is. Yet you insist on parading her as some sort of socialite debutante. That's poor business."

[baisant]

Jean-Claude has not seen Nancy for quite some time. Certainly since the last time she had reprimanded him for his latest offense against her friend. He does not allow his thoughts to linger on Kenzi for too long, though he knows as soon as he steps up to greet the girl that will be the first thing on the front of her mind as well.

He does not know whether she knows of his position, or his plans for the future, but she is here, and accompanying one of the vampires who has proven himself loyal to Jean-Claude's cause thus far. So he figures he might as well step up and find out.

"He does not know what a charm he has brought to this gathering, here," Jean-Claude comments, as he steps up to her, managing to have caught her in a rare moment without her vampire companion of the evening. All the better to discuss him behind his back, after all. Assuming he gets that far.

[stauncherhearted]

She recongnizes his voice and, pursing her lips, turns to face him. Yes, it was on the forefront of her mind- she did just happen to be talking to the sire of her best friend who, oh, y'know, attacked her, nearly killed her, and then went to rehab. It's very hard to forget that, especially when you have less than nineteen-years worth of memories. But she can see why it would be pushed to the back of Jean-Claude's mind.

Nancy blinks slowly- was he trying to complement her? Or insult Cooper? Either way, it's one way to open. "Oh, I think he knows." He was quite the possessive one- it's rare she's gotten a moment away from him. "He's been showing me off all night."

[baisant]

Jean-Claude turns to glance over at Cooper once more. As a matter of fact, yes. He had been complimenting her indeed. If he happened to be giving a little rub in the other vampire's direction as well, then that was neither here nor there. He was certain that Cooper could take it. It was not as though, for all her beauty, Jean-Claude was out to steal his woman from him.

"I had noticed," he replies.

[stauncherhearted]

Hopefully he could- but Cooper was a hot-head as all would witness later tonight. And certainly the jealous type. But he trusted her, and that was paramount.

Nancy, despite herself, smiles, blushing a little. "I love him a lot," she has to admit, and it's alright to tell Jean-Claude, because he won't ever be purchasing her services, and she won't ever be selling to him. Besides, who else is she supposed to tell? Kenzi wasn't here.

So her sire would have to step in for a moment.

"He makes me stupidly happy."

[baisant]

Jean-Claude doesn't mind her confiding in him. Truth be told, a lot of his dancers do, this is hardly that different. Perhaps the only difference is that Nancy had at one point seemed to hate him, so if anything he finds himself slightly surprised she hasn't continued along that vein. Perhaps he really does make her that happy.

He turns to look at Cooper across the hall again. He honestly doesn't know all that much about the other vampire, save for the fact that he feels as though, when push comes to shove, he will be able to trust him to choose the right side on vampire business. "He treats you well?" he finds himself asking. For he knows Nancy's type -- she can be stupidly happy and horribly mistreated at the same time, the two are not mutually exclusive.

[stauncherhearted]

There's always that old belief about sex workers. Single mothers, or girls that have been horribly abused. Daddy issues, and she'd be quick to tell you that she doesn't have any. Though, her social circle seems to say otherwise.

She nods. "He does." He'd never hurt her. Scared her, sure, nearly put a vampire through the wall when he'd seen them together. But that was it. He respected her, he trusted her, and he loved her. She can't stop smiling when she thinks about him tonight, how great he looks all dressed up. "Everyone seems so concerned." They shouldn't be. He was a hot-head, but he knew where to draw the line, she believed.

It was also nice, she realized, to be able to confide in someone. Someone that she didn't care what they thought of her.

[baisant]

It's a belief, but one that is spurned on by personal experience. At least in Jean-Claude's case. Even if said personal experience happens to have been more than slightly behind the times. He is merely looking out for her wellbeing, having a fair idea that there are far less people doing so in the city than there really should be, all things considered.

"What can I say," Jean-Claude replies to her comment about his concern with a shrug. "I know my own kind. And no, I am not implicating our mutual friend of anything. One can simply never be too careful, ma petite."

[stauncherhearted]

She pauses, about to ask how he and Cooper were even remotely similar, but she heels as he continues. "Good, I don't like it when they do." She hated it, truthfully. She trusted him, as a vampire and as a person.

she pauses for a moment, then points out the elephant in the room. "You heard from Kenzi?"

[baisant]

Jean-Claude's face goes carefully blank, which is a sure sign that he is trying to hide whatever true reaction he might be having. He shakes his head slightly, after a moment.

"No," he responds. "No, I am sorry." Whatever has happened to his newest progeny, he has not heard from her since she signed herself into what was essentially vampire rehab. Of course, he has not seen her out and about on the streets taking part in Raymond's sanctioned massacring of the innocent either, so he would like to think that wherever she is, she is at least in a good place.

At least, he thinks to himself somewhat morbidly, he would have felt it if she had died.

[stauncherhearted]

It's that blank look, that pause, that has Nancy's heart in her throat. IF she was okay, if he knew anything, he would have said right away, she was sure about it. If what she knew about sires and their progeny was correct.

But he pauses and he... apologizes. Her brow furrows and softens, and Nancy takes a drink. "Oh." He had no idea, and neither did she.

"Uhm. Thank you." Now it was her turn to do something unexpected.

[baisant]

It's true, it is unexpected for her to thank him, and Jean-Claude raises his eyebrows slightly, the look on his face expressing as much. But he does not comment on it. He is far more diplomatic when he needs to be for that.

"Not at all. If I ever hear news, ma petite," he replies, inclining his head at her slightly, "you will be the first I inform. You have my word on that."