MORNING STAR

“I wasn’t following you, but… I’m pretty sure I can take care of myself. Thanks for the warning though.” Gideon smirked just barely, finishing off his beer before he tossed it away and shrugged, glancing back at the ‘party’ or whatever Nia wanted to call it. “I was almost burned alive about a week ago.. I think she’ll give me a pass.”

"How tough and strong of you.” Liam commented dryly. His initial remarks had been meant more to deter a visitor in the woods -- or at least this part. His own intentions were to shift and spring away for the evening. He’d shown his face and made enough of an appearance to sate his mothers’ will. That was good enough. “How boring almost.”

Ruby was new to this scene. Her parents had kept her sheltered, but now she had a front row seat to what people were truly capable of. “Why did you come if you didn’t want to be here?”

"Obligation.” Liam answered bluntly. “My mothers are the two most terrifying women I have ever met. The last thing I want is for one, or both, of them to come after me with a sandal. Terrifying shit.”

“The very insane ones are interesting and unpredictable, those are the ones i find interesting and the other nope” smiled Jason, “Insane people in general are always so fun. You seem interesting”

"Oh, I’m not interesting. I’m as boring as they come. Grey. Bland. Tapioca pudding.” Liam made a slight sour face for the last example, the thought of the nasty pudding imagining itself onto his tongue. “I assume that means you think I’m crazy. That’s rude, isn’t it?” Though he wasn’t offended, not in the slightest.

“Who said I was following? I’m waiting for my target to follow me in. Didn’t realize this section was already occupied,” she spoke, shoulders lifting as if was an honest mistake. “And if a few people slip off, I’m sure she won’t worry too much. Not too concerned about it either.”

"Don’t break my heart. I’ve got to believe that such a beautiful woman is following me into the woods for something, else I’ve got shit to show for coming here.” Of course he wasn’t serious. The tone of his voice couldn’t reflect more neutrality than it already was if he sincerely tried. The man pressed a shoulder into one of the tree trunks and finally cracked a slight smirk, “Target? Go on.”

“Why not? You don’t want to be a king?” Nia asked curiously. It was a strange concept, considering she was so used to people trying to steal her crown. Most people wanted as much power as they could get. “So you just stay fake forever then? Sounds like a shitty life,” she responded with raised brows, blue eyes studying him for a moment. “So are you faking it right now?”

"I would rather catheterize myself with a metal rod and no anesthetic than become a king.” His admission was blunt. Despite the description for it there was only the slightest of amusement to his tone -- otherwise it was curt, serious. “Yep. Stay fake forever. Nobody gives a shit about the real you. Everyone is trying to use you for something. Get used to it. If it’s precious to you, keep it to yourself.” His presence at the bonfire was to make nice -- to make the del Torro family keep up the appearance that they were just as charismatic as they were dangerous. “Of course I am.”

“You might not remember me, but I remember you very well. I can’t forget you or the night it happened. I was looking for Tony. He is my cousin who lives in the Bronx and instead of finding him, I ran into you. You bit me and … well… I am standing her so you can only assume what happened.” Juliette chewed on her lower lip. She felt guilty for what caused her full change. The brunette sighed, her emotions clear on her face that there was pain and guilt there. “I just want to know why. I think you at least owe me that much.”

She was giving so much detail, recounting it like some kind of scenario or romantic event. Liam couldn’t help when his jaw opened and stretched, the yawn lazily covered by his free hand. “Who the fuck is Tony? Wait -- don’t answer that.” The details came and went quickly. His interest waning. He bit many, so few lived. None sought him out. “If it’s true, I’m surprised you lived. You don’t seem particularly strong for it.” And he paused. “Why? There’s no reason why. You’re not special, it wasn’t premeditated.” 

“I like the bonfire. There’s just too many people who have had too much to drink.” She’d dodged too many drinks being spilt on her shoes. People forgot that those around them didn’t want to get blind drunk and forget what had happened tonight. With a shrug, Ruby motioned over her shoulder to the party. “People forget this should be fun.”

“Such is the want of free libations. People want to forget the atrocities that took place. So they drink themselves stupid and do stupid shit. Because ... people are stupid.” Now he shrugged, all too aware of what was going on outside of the woods. He simply enjoyed the muffled quiet here. “Things like this are seldom fun.”

“Maybe so” said James as he studied the man, “I have met a few two that tried to kill me. You see i sometimes people either interesting or boring most of the interesting ones are crazy or have a keep secret”

“So which is it? Are the psychopathic serial killers boring or interesting? Because insanity is to blame for both of those things.” He still spun slowly, one lazy loop around, and glimpsed at his guest as he went. “Have to decide.”

She couldn’t believe he was here. When she noticed him, Juliette had to follow. It wasn’t like she was wanting to be at the party anyway. When she noticed him walking into the woods, she chose to follow. He might not even remember who she was, but she had questions. “You’ve already preyed on me. I don’t know if you remember that.” The brunette replied as her eyes fell to the ground. “I don’t belong to this kingdom. She may be nice, but there are more important things to me then a bonfire.” Her hazel eyes returned to the man. “Why did you turn me?” 

Immediately his eyes narrowed. The scent was familiar but it didn’t quite strike a chord in his memory. The accusation was a bold one but not beyond Liam -- not when he ignored his hunger for too long and let it take over in one quick punch. He assumed most of who he bit didn’t survive. Well, those he didn’t entirely devour. “You’re not familiar to me. Are you sure you have the right shifter?” Liam pressed his shoulder into the trunk of the nearest tree, bore his weight into it and crossed his arms.

“Really? Sometimes the prey can become the hunter. I have met a few serial killers and they were all terrible and not fun or interesting” said Jason with a  grin on his face, “to be honest i don’t give care about any of the rulers

"Sounds exactly like something someone who thinks they’re invincible would say.” His fingers wrapped around the base of a thinner tree, palm scraping across the bark there. Slowly he began to push his weight in the opposing direction -- a lazy swirl along the foliage. “Nobody said that a serial killer had to be fun or interesting. Of course they’re terrible. They kill people for psychotic reasons.”

“I wasn’t… I needed some fresh air.” Ruby replied, blushing even as she offered the silly excuse for stumbling upon the stranger in the woods. “I’m not running, it’s just too crowded and I needed a few minutes away.”

"Don’t like swallowing smoke?” Arms folded over his chest, eyes narrowing at the little brunette. His own excuse for disappearing was similar in the desire to get away from the crowd. He had never been fond of them. “I can’t say I blame you. Too many suits pretending they aren’t stuffy.”

“Hey watch this!”

“You know usually when people need a good time, they come to the club and tell me all their dirty little secrets. Like this one guy–he’s dead now but he was—his wife cut off his penis and came and told me all about it.” Parker said quietly, nodding while biting the inside of her lip. “Ya know, there’s this thing that some dancers do, me, specifically, you gotta shimmy with the best of them yeah? yeah!” She nodded laughing a bit going to touch the person in front of her but knocking over her drink instead. It was clear that she’d had one too many but Parker didn’t care. Besides this is what bonfire’s were for right?

"I’m going to tell you right now that if I went to a club and paid for a private dance to have the girl balance a fucking coin on her nose, I’m demanding a refund.” Liam curled his lip, a tinge of some kind of emotion crossing his features before disappearing entirely. “And watch your drink.”

“And is that what you would do if you were king?” Nia asked curiously, though she knew that wasn’t exactly her style. She’d been far too good at being on her own, ruling alone would be just as easy. “So basically, fake trust to get shit done?”

Liam couldn’t help but snort, “No, that’s not what I would do if I were king. But it’s a good thing I’m not.” He wasn’t after power. It seemed strange considering his lineage, or the brutality that followed in his family’s name. It was too muc spotlight. “Fake it, yes. Nobody in the world worth the real shit. That’s how you get dead.”

“It tends to be most days,” Nia laughed, raising her eyebrows. “So your family is royalty then?” she asked curiously without any hint of malice in her tone. Unlike her counterparts and those before her, Nia truly wanted peace between the cities, especially with her own. “I don’t trust anyone. A lesson hard learned but well received.”

“Bronx.” Liam answered shortly, plucking his cigarette and flicking the ashes with his ring and pinky fingers. “Smarter that way -- not to trust. But people you can either use or know will bend over backward for you. That’s how you make a small council. Then you scare them into realizing that if they fuck with you, they’re gonna pay for it.”