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

[longterm]

Cesare doesn't bother to turn to find out who is speaking to him. The accent and the tone of friendly, amiable scorn makes it perfectly clear. Instead he keeps his eyes fixed on a blonde who is with him. He smiles and places his hand to her throat and to lift her chin up with his thumb, his gaze intent and curious. If Jean-Claude thinks he's going to shame Cesare out of feeding and enjoying himself, it's not going to work.

"And what if I were?" Cesare doesn't intent to kill his willing participants tonight, at least certainly not in public, but in truth there is little other than his own philosophy that's stopping him. Raymond Harris certainly wouldn't stop him, after all. If anything it's actively encouraged. All bets are off at this point and Cesare would like to remind Jean-Claude of that.

[baisant]

Jean-Claude doesn't really give a toss about Cesare enjoying himself. Let him do as he likes, Jean-Claude doesn't really care. So long as it is not a choice that the rest of the city will make him regret. If he kills that woman, Jean-Claude will have something to say about it. Even if it is not against the current laws as the vampires are to hold themselves accountable. The fact of the matter is that there are no laws, as far as Raymond is concerned, other than the laws that he has created for himself.

That is what concerns him.

Jean-Claude gives the other vampire a withering look. Cesare knows damned well just as he does that there is nothing stopping him. And that is part of the problem. Still when he replies he is ever the gentleman.

"Who am I to stop you." Only the Marquess of Islington, of course.

[longterm]

Cesare finally looks to Jean-Claude and grins wide, flashing his bloodstained teeth.

"Exactly."

Tonight is a night of peculiar rules and regulations, strict political positioning and careful unspoken alliances, but when it comes to Cesare enjoying himself, for once he has complete freedom. He's particularly pleased with that idea.

"Congratulations on your promotion, by the way. I should have jumped back into bed with you while I had the chance." It bothers him a bit. Of course it does. Cesare has always been power hungry (why else would he have built this damn hotel?). But he knows when it's best to be a good sport, at least in his own, slightly off kilter way. Besides, he's rather have a Marquess of Jean-Claude than a stranger or someone incapable.

[baisant]

Jean-Claude inclines his head slightly in thanks to the other man's congratulations. Although he doesn't know quite what to think of the words to follow. Would he have enjoyed another night in bed with Cesare, but of course he would. He has started to get the measure of the other vampire however and finds him to be more power-hungry than his own tastes generally run. Such people are dangerous, and Jean-Claude has ever been in the habit of self-preservation.

"Perhaps you should have," he replies. He doesn't know whether to honestly take it as a compliment from Cesare or whether the other man is saying so because he is owed it at his rank, but he will take it regardless. "It is too bad for you that your chance has passed," he replies instead. Both because Cesare does not seem to be interested anymore, and because he doesn't think he would take him up on it now, even if he were. It would be far too foolish, with the other vampire as power-hungry as he is.

[longterm]

To be honest, Jean-Claude is entirely correct in his assessment, not that Cesare sees his own ambition even remotely as a flaw. Their time together had been fun but some time and a lot of things have changed since then. Cesare doubts the two of them are still compatible. In fact, he wonders if they ever truly were. Perhaps what Cesare was so drawn to was that power and influence seems simply to fall into Jean-Claude's lap even when he doesn't necessarily want it. Cesare wishes he were as fortunate.

"Tell me if you pick up a new squeeze, will you? So I know whom to envy?" To his credit, at least Cesare is transparent. He wants to know who might be receiving favor and who to treat differently. He likes to keep an eye on all the players on the field, so to speak.

[baisant]

Jean-Claude tilts his head at Cesare slightly, keeping his dark blue eyes level at the other vampire as he does. He is well aware of why Cesare might be asking such a thing. And just what sort of 'envy' Cesare might impart to such a person, if he were to have a 'new squeeze' as Cesare puts it.

"Perhaps I shall," he replies. "That is dependent on me picking up a new squeeze, as you say, however. If I were you, I would not hold my breath." Jean-Claude would sleep with anyone, and as many times as they so desired. But the notion of a singular fondness for one particular person -- that is something that he only gives but rarely. He has been hurt in the past, after all. And he knows better than to invite such pain upon either himself or those people close to him.

[longterm]

That makes things easier, for now at least. The game is changing a lot right now. At least Cesare can rely on one thing to stay the same.

"We did have the love to end all loves," he says wistfully before breaking out into a broad grin to show that he's joking. He's over dramatizing what in truth had probably been a mutual fondness and respect rather than anything truly emotionally meaningful. The sex was good but, then again, with either of them, when was it not?

"Though really? Not even slowly falling for one of your dancers?" He makes an expression of surprise.

[baisant]

Jean-Claude is grateful that, in the time they had been together, Cesare had never found out about Asher. That he had never been to his private rooms, where the portrait of he, Asher, and Julianna hangs both in honor of what was perhaps the happiest period of his life and also in memory of it as well. One look at the portrait and the viewer would be able to see the love between the three of them. The fact that four-hundred years and so much tragedy has passed since then makes no difference about his feelings for the other vampire. And Jean-Claude has no wish for the love he has for the other vampire to be dragged across the coals in the way he knows Cesare might do.

"Sleeping with a dancer and having them as a 'main squeeze' are entirely separate things, as well you know," he comments, making something of a face at the other vampire as he does.

[longterm]

Cesare raises his eyebrows and mouths an oh to show his surprise and understanding.

"Then I'm pleased you're still keeping a healthy appetite, even if you won't partake in tonight's festivities." He looks at Jean-Claude for a second. "Your tastes have changed."

It's not entirely clear if that's true, but Cesare certainly thinks it is. Maybe it's just his own interpretation of Jean-Claude that has shifted instead, as the two men gradually learned more and more about one another and, as such, drifted apart. For some reason, Cesare always thought of Jean-Claude as fiercer.

[baisant]

Jean-Claude raises his eyebrows at that comment. He cannot help himself. He is curious to know just what exactly the other vampire means by it.

"My tastes?" he questions. Just what does Cesare think of him, exactly? Who does he think that he is? How well does he -- or did he, for that matter -- even really know him, to make a comment such as that? It doesn't rankle Jean-Claude so much as puzzle him.