#shiver.threads

where: utp

The end of her shift had come to be her favorite part of her day. Keya liked her job well enough, it allowed her to keep an eye on any unruly men that she could feast upon. None that were regulars though. She couldn’t put that much of a dent in Astarte’s business. Money was power and power was everything when it came to the three sisters that frequented North Dakota’s borders and bodies of water. But being that it was still technically winter, Keya had to resort to becoming her true self in her bathtub. Which was much less ideal than she would like to admit. Making her way out of the club, the meyr found herself being followed. She wasn’t stupid. She could hear their footsteps behind her and see their shadow each time they shifted position so that they wouldn’t be seen or noticed. A soft laugh echoed from her lips and through the air that shifted between the alley and the streets before her. 

“I wouldn’t be laughing if I were you little lady,” came their dark voice.

Again, Keya laughed. But a true laugh this time. One that echoed to the other sided of the street. She didn’t turn to face whoever had been following her. Only a smirk playing on her lips as she waited for him to approach her. Waiting until he was a breath away when she spoke. Her curls twisting with each turn of her head. 

“Oh baby,” she said, laughter still playing in her voice, “you shouldn’t be lurking in the dark like that.”

when: May 21st, just after midnight

It was a rare sight, to say the least, to see one without the other. Of course, one was always lurking nearby. That much could be said for the two. Though in this instance, she had needed to study. Finding it much more accommodating to do so in the early hours of the morning or late, late at night rather than during the day. Pandora sat quietly waiting for her sister to wake from her dead sleep to come join her. Laptop propped open before her as she stared at the bright screen. Blue eyes fixed on the screen. Though she was not so fixated that she did not notice the person who stood behind her. Not close enough that she could feel them breathing (no, that would be far too creepy..not that she isn’t herself) but close enough that she could hear them breathing.

For some time, Pandora pretended not to notice. Typing her essay with ease and running her thin fingers through her blonde hair. It’s waves cascading down her shoulders before stopping rather abruptly at her collar bones. It was one of the features that made it hard to discern which twin one was talking to. A fact that the other played with from time to time. In their early years, Pandora would switch with Lilith to get out of going to her piano lessons. Being the much more rebellious one. She’ll still ask her sister to go to one of her classes for her. No matter that she was the one who wanted to come to this school to begin with.

tony was seated at a table by himself. as he was sipping his drink, the ice rattled against his glass. he briefly glanced around before he lit a cigarette. he pressed the cigarette between his lips before letting out a drag. he tried to blend in to the background, but it was kind of difficult not to notice him. after all, his gang was rather notorious around these parts. no one dared to bother him, but he didn’t mind an occasional chat here and there.  

he often came to ace of angels to drown himself in alcohol. there was not much to do around here, so that was how he usually spent his free time. it was much better than being sober, and the dancers weren’t bad either. the night was rather uneventful. the music was drowning out the chatter from the other clients. it was not long before someone had settled down next to him. he found it odd, but it was an individual he recognized or thought he knew.  

he took another sip from his glass. “i hope it’s something important because i’d much rather be left alone.” there was a gruff quality to his voice. perhaps, it’s because he’s been burning the candle at both ends since the day he arrived in hill city. 

when: september 2020

who: open !!

Though the Victorian estate prided itself on the moniker of Thistledown, it was much more than a bed and breakfast. It had been her own residence stately residence when built, but she could not come to part with it as she came and went. Helle had a habit of dotting about the globe, out of her own epicurean curiosity or fleeing messes wrought by her own choices, and flirting with excuses to give to the Court when she was honored and burdened with more power. The Seelies longed to bind her hands tighter, to trap her in higher postions when she only longed to roam free. She had gone about carefully curating what could be her gilded cage. Her most prized additions were lush gardens and a labyrinthine hedge maze for the days she didn’t want to be found.  

The feyrie was longing for a garden party -- when an aftenoon with a string quartet gave way to clandestine debauchery as the night darkened, then lightened in the earliest hours. She longed for the moments of addled clarity that only struck when drunk, embraced beneath a silver moon. Until then, she contented herself lazing about in the slowly waning warmth as autumn crept ever in. Helle cupped a delicate bud between tender hands. She closed her eyes and let the faint perfume carry away with a soft breeze. Her fingers unfurled and a blossom soon followed, unfolding layers of white against the dark green hedge. Helle quickly retracted her touch, turning when footsteps neared. ❝All the bright, precious things fade so fast. It’s a marvel that these have stayed, isn’t it ??❞

ELEGANT FEET CARRY THE   regent through the crowd. she was working, technically. about to go on the stage for the second time the night, but now it was time for her to explore, entrance, and indulge. she was on a high right now, as always when the night was rolling in her fever. the queen to be was always a good host   :   when she got her way. and tonight? she definitely was. the crowd was hungrier than usual, all eager, hungry eyes watching ever enchanted movement of her temple. even now, even just walking, she felt their eyes, tracing the outline of the figure she knew was damn well to die for. 

dancing her way up to the bar, she settled herself on her elbows next to the person already sat there, blowing a kiss in the bartenders direction. there was no need to order. kamryn was already a queen in this building. royalty, wherever she went. when her eyes finally turn to the company she’d decided to entertain for the moment, her lips pull back to reveal all too sharp teeth. a shark disguised as a dolphin. 

THERE WAS SIMPLY TOO   much going on. all contact with her parents had been cut off, and it wasn’t as easy to deal with as she thought it would be. instead, she marinated in her anger. with no reason to not sound drunk when her mother called her to scold her for whatever she’d done wrong on that day, she’d fallen into a bit of a spiral. all of her time focused around school, magic, and alcohol. at least her control was growing. 

delicate form rested on the stool near the bar, a bottle left in front of her upon request, and a glass snuggled between her fingers. her eyes rested on the amber liquid, watching the whiskey swirl in her cup for a moment longer before finally raising it to her lips, downing the liquid. if she wasn’t calling her, what was that wretched woman doing? probably ruining another poor unassuming persons life. just like she ruined hers. cherry lips curl back over her teeth ever so slightly, snarling at the thought. better if she was dead, she couldn’t fight away the voice whispering it. at least then the demon wouldn’t be able to sink her claws into anyone else. let the cycle end with her, with justin.

the glass lingers by her lips, not far. she swirls the liquid again, her eyes following the movements. she wondered if her mother was going insane, overflowing with insults to throw upon her undeserving daughter. she hoped she was. she hoped she was sitting at home staring at her phone, thinking of trying to call her again. it took a week of ignoring her calls and voicemails for her to stop calling every day. another two weeks for her to stop calling at all. one more for the texts to stop. what on earth was she doing now? what did she do with her life, if she wasn’t making her miserable? 

THE MUSIC WAS LITERALLY   her own, but she doesn’t care, swaying her hips in time with the beat the way she so perfectly knew how. the dragyn was a mess of laughter and delight, completely sober yet high all the same, euphoria gathering in her ancient blood at the very act of getting to dance. the most freeing thing in this whole mundane world. she’d long since discovered human’s overlooked the most joyous parts of their little world. so now she’s in the center of a crowd, flashing her money maker and laughing as she hangs off strangers.

the pr team would have a time cleaning this up. but, then again, alanza was quite good at hiding the messy parts of her existence. still, she doesn’t care. it’s clear in the way she shakes the fabric against her skin, the way her eyes close and her head lulls back.