undergrounds | [OPEN] SOUTHWARK TERRITORY CLAIM

He has managed to weasel the space out of Cesare one way or the other -- perhaps with promises of grandeur, perhaps with a rather large check written discretely on the side. Regardless he has managed to procure their gathering a private room. Unlike Raymond's gathering before, there will be no public feeding at this party. Though Jean-Claude does not discourage feeding itself. He merely wants to be respectful of Cesare's bar and the fact that the better part of it is still open to the public on such a night as this.

Guests are welcome, of course. Those who had not participated in the siege, accompanying a vampire who had done so or not. He does however have one of his Guilty Pleasures bouncers (called in from his night off) staged discretely by the door to let them in as they come. And to see any saboteurs off before they may ruin this gathering.

For that is what it is, of course. A gathering of minds. Probably the first of its kind, all of Jean-Claude's supporters all together, all of those carefully collected and gathered at his side to stand strong against Raymond Harris. The first time they are gathered together themselves without a battle in the midst. They are able to speak as freely as they might ever do in such a public place with so many people. There are drinks at their own private bar, and other refreshments if they so desire but they are vampires for the most part so of course the selections are rather sparse.

The message overall however is clear. Tonight, we celebrate who we are. We celebrate our unity. For the time when we must take a stand is fast approaching and who knows what the future may bring. So let us enjoy ourselves while we are able.

Jean-Claude, for his part, has claimed a standing table on the edge of the room and is nursing a glass of deep red wine that is more for the aesthetic than anything else. He is dressed tonight in his usual leather pants and thigh-high boots, white linen shirt with laced collar and cuffs left mostly open to expose the smooth, pale line of his chest. Accompanied by a sapphire blue overcoat, tonight. To accentuate his eyes. His hair is immaculate as always, in luxuriant curls draping about his face and shoulders. He looks every bit the perfect portrait that he desires. It is only those who know him that might see the strain here and there, in the flash of his eye, in the set of his shoulders -- a little too straight and posed to be natural. It is too bad that there are probably few who would be able to pick that out these days.

Caroline had gone past The Angelo many times now but never been inside. The interior is just as magnificent as she had dreamt it would be. It reminded her of what Klaus had said about genuine beauty, and she was glad that he'd let her take so many dresses from his still creepy trophy case of family collectibles.

She was also glad to just be here tonight. She was still new in town but she'd found other vampires that she felt she could trust. And that felt really good. So she wanders through the private room, meeting and greeting, enjoying the night because she has a feeling that nights like this might be rare.

Jean-Claude spots her across the room and raises his drink to her in a greeting. Waiting until she has crossed over to him in response before speaking up himself.

"Your first territory dispute in the city, if memory serves?" Jean-Claude asks, tilting his head at her and offering something of a smile. "What are your impressions thus far? Is it everything you thought you had signed up to be included in?" No one had died this time, of course. Hell, no one had really even fought back. A rare occurrence indeed.

Caroline thinks about that for a moment. "I'm not sure," she says finally. "I guess I expected it to be a bit more, well, violent. Not that I'm complaining that it wasn't."

Jean-Claude huffs out something of a laugh at that, smiling down into his glass and swirling the wine around in it in turn.

"We were fortunate, this time," he replies. "Though I am not complaining myself." He had planned the attack specifically to keep the violence to as minimum as he could. In exact counter of what Raymond Harris' plans might have been. There is a fight coming, and he needs as many loyal to his cause as he can get before he makes his move.

Caroline smiles, happy to have found others who think that way. Given recent events back home, she really doesn't want to get involved in anything too violent. She was too close to losing herself in the darkness.

"So, do I want to ask what happens now or should I just relax and enjoy the rest of the party?"

Jean-Claude flickers something of a smile at her at the question and offers her a shrug which could say anything or nothing, depending on how well you know the man. (Most likely it says nothing at all -- he's always been a pretty private person.)

"That depends on how much you want to know, mon amie," he says, and gives her an assessing glance, the question there in the air between them even if he has not quite expressly said as much. How much do you want to know? And how much can you keep a secret. "Perhaps it is better if you just enjoy yourself for this evening. I cannot say for certain but it is likely that more troublesome times are ahead."

"Yeah, I have a feeling you're right about that." Troublesome times seemed to follow her around, no matter which side of the Atlantic she was on.

She really wasn't sure how much she did want to know. While being in the dark wasn't usually her style, but lately she was beginning to wonder if ignorance really was bliss.

Until it got it you killed, that is.

"I don't know how much I want to know. It's hard to tell, until I do know something and wish I didn't." She laughs softly.

Jean-Claude inclines his head towards her at her response. "A fair answer," he replies in turn. "You have already some idea of our political leanings, this little group of ours." He gestures across the room, at those there gathered. Those who support him and his cause. "And I have spoken to you of the dangers that Raymond Harris represents for vampirekind and London as a whole."

He offers a gallic shrug, which could mean anything and nothing at once before continuing, "I suppose it should come as no surprise what we are planning from here, mon amie."

Caroline nods. She'd already pretty much known that, but it was still good to have it confirmed. "Well, Evie knows how to get in touch, whenever it happens."

In for the penny, in for the pound, right?

Jean-Claude nods slightly in response to her words. "I will let her inform you of the details, mon amie," he replies, with a soft smile. "I fear there may be too many ears listening in even here, at our victory celebration, to consider it safe for open discussion. But I will trust her to fill you in. For now..."

He raises his glass at her in something of a toast. "Let us enjoy ourselves while we can. We have succeeded thus far. Let us hope that such luck shall hold."

She raised her glass as well. "To luck!"

Thomas, of course, was certainly going to be present when celebrating was involved. Especially when it was a celebration lead by none other than Jean-Claude, and one so cleanly executed. No mindless smashing and bloody violence, only careful, precise planning leading to the acquisition of more territory. Thomas had to appreciate his style.

Thomas could be seen at the party, flirting with those who caught his eye, both those he was familiar with and those he wasn't. After all, it was a time to enjoy himself. His own attire consisted of slacks and a dress shirt that appeared to be mostly unbuttoned, revealing his well defined muscles underneath. He had a beer in hand, and looked very much the part of someone who fully intended to enjoy himself, the tension that had been present when he was at Raymond's party having evaporated. After all, this time he was among those he felt he could trust reasonably well.

Jean-Claude is happy to play host here, making his way between those gathered there at his little celebration, and though he had seen Thomas before and knew he had helped garner them the victory at Southwark, he cannot help but be pleased to have him join their celebration as well. He gathers up his own glass of wine and makes his way across the room to sidle up beside the other man, a coy smile spreading across his features as he does.

"I am pleased to see you here, mon ami," he all but hums at the other man.

Thomas smiled, his gaze slowly sliding up and down Jean-Claude's attractive form. "And I am pleased to be here. You certainly were a delight to work with."

It was certainly a more interesting territory claim than many he'd become used to in London, and a bit more like how things usually went back home. And, of course, Jean-Claude was always a very interesting person to be around.

Jean-Claude flickers the other vampire a smile at his words, and at the way that his eyes seem to linger. He had enjoyed their night together, and while Thomas is a little young and perhaps too similar to Jean-Claude himself for anything serious, that will not stop him from having a little fun with him. Together.

"It is good to hear you say so, mon ami," Jean-Claude replies, with a wicked grin. "A man can never hear too many compliments, after all."

Thomas grinned, taking a step closer to Jean-Claude.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that, because I'm more than glad to pay them," he said, reaching out to run a hand flirtatiously up Jean-Claude's chest.

Jean-Claude's deep blue eyes sparkle with a low light that can hardly be interpreted as anything else but desire. Although there is perhaps a little humor in there as well. It's always good to keep yourself from being too serious, after all. This one is so young, he thinks to himself. A vampire yes, but he has many years ahead of him before he has lived through and seen as much as Jean-Claude himself. How refreshing it is, that he has managed to meet him while he is still so fresh. He doubts that he will remain so, given another hundred years or so of the turbulence of the supernatural underground. There is always some agenda to be had, after a time.

"You flatter me, mon ami," Jean-Claude replies. "I should be careful that I am not spoiled, with such a rapport."

Thomas noticed the look in Jean-Claude's eye and grinned. "Nothing wrong with being a bit spoiled though, is there?"

If he'd been any of his sire's other progeny, he'd be doing this to curry favor with someone with rapidly growing influence, but as things were, Thomas was just happy to be around someone who was willing to help take care of this mess so he wouldn't have to worry about it for too much longer. And, of course, flirting was fun.

Edited 2016-11-29 23:16 (UTC)

[OPEN] SOUTHWARK TERRITORY CLAIM

[OPEN] CELEBRATING THE VICTORY

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[OPEN] CELEBRATING THE VICTORY

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