Persephone glanced over at Caramia as she polished off her sushi. She was glad the fledgling finally gave into her appetite. A newly sired vampire needed to consume food, beverage, and blood triple the amount of what they normally would in the beginning of their transformation. She expected under the watchful eyes of Orion, Caleb, Rogier, and Lyndie that she was supplied with it, but now that none were around, it was up to her to make certain her new sister was properly taken care of.
"Persephone?" Caramia called out to her.
There was definitely a note of hesitation wavering in Caramia's voice. Persephone watched the tension in her muscles, the uncertainty and nervousness in her movements as she wrung her hands.
"I'm sorry," she whispered to her. "I know it's not my place, but I overheard a lot of conversations about you and Caleb." Persephone swallowed back the lump in her throat. "I never wanted to be the reason why it didn't work out between you two."
Persephone took a deep breath. It would be so easy to lash out at her. It would be easy to tell her to mind her own business, but what would be the point? For so long, she had blamed Caramia, but years carved out the truth. It was not Caramia's fault nor was it Caleb's desire to seek her out.
"You weren't," she forced out in a strained voice. This was the first time she ever truly talked about it without pretending he didn't matter. "When we were younger, I did blame you. I hated you. It was all so misplaced, because you weren't responsible for forging his and my relationship. He and I should've trusted and communicated more the things we wanted. Instead, we just hurt each other. Our actions were not your responsibility. Our actions are our own responsibilty."
Caramia held her breath, searching Persephone's eyes before she finally released it. "Do you still love him?"
Don't lie to her, Persephone thought to herself. There was no reason to lie to her. She no longer had to hide a damn thing now, because it was over between her and Reginald. After breaking free, she realized that it was what she had secretly wanted to be free from political and blood alliances. She was free from a hellish relationship that felt more like a prison than a safehold. She was no longer chained and she could do whatever she desired to do now.
"I do," she confessed with a weak smile when Caramia's eyes widened. "I love him very much and I won't ever love anyone like I love him, but he and I aren't meant to be. Our story is over."
Caramia swallowed. There was a frown on her face. "That's just so sad though. I can't truly believe that. Not with how he looks at you."
Persephone wouldn't give into hope. "I wish it was different, but life goes on." She glanced down at her sister by blood's food. "Eat up, Caramia. You need your strength."
~
The moment he braved the world and stepped foot out of the elevator, Orion wished he hadn't. He was meeting his father at the jazz bar adjacent of the lobby. He groaned when he ran right into Mercedes and Lord Samson. He couldn't have stopped the inevitable interaction, because they were also supposedly headed in the jazz bar. Forcing himself to be polite and civil, his eyes bounced back and forth between Mercedes and Lord Samson.
"It seems as though the headlines are calling for a union between our houses," Lord Samson uttered, with a smirk.
Mercedes reached out, trailing her hand over Orion's shoulder and down his arm. "I wouldn't mind an intimate union between our Houses. We seemed to have great chemistry, don't you think so?"
Orion took a step back, attempting to maintain distance between himself and them. He didn't wish to make a scene, but he also knew their presence together would make a scene no matter what. Judging by how many eyes were upon them and the occasional snap of light, it was safe to assume they were indeed making more headlines to his aggravation. He prayed that Persephone had confiscated Caramia's phone, because he could only imagine these headlines.
"I'm sure you wouldn't," a voice behind him sounded and relief was instant. Orion was grateful that Caleb had decided not to drink himself to oblivion. "Samson, still trying to force your way into the High House of Cristos?"
Lord Samson rolled his eyes at Caleb's intrusion into their conversation. "You're one to speak, Valient. You and your stepsister have been attempting to weasel your way into the High House Of Cristos, have you not?"
"Orion isn't my type," Caleb said in a deadpanned tone, causing Orion to smirk at that.
"But perhaps Persephone is," Mercedes tutted. Blue eyes sharpened as they regarded Caleb with malice and anger. "At least, she realized not to water down the purity of her blood."
Blood purity? Watered down? Orion's blood had cleaned Caramia's blood just the same way Persephone's blood would clean any impurities in Caleb's blood to make his House -- the High House of Valient. It was all politics and power plays within vampire society. Social climbers never made sense.
Caleb chuckled darkly, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of it all. "Don't be foolish, Mercedes. You know full well that any blood mixed with High bloodlines makes a lesser bloodline become a High bloodline," he growled, glaring at Lord Samson instead of Mercedes until his eyes flicked to her. "Are you feeling guilty, Mercedes? Perhaps so especially if you're projecting your own guilt, shame, and thoughts upon me, because I'm quite certain you're in the exact same shoes I was in years ago."
Mercedes huffed in anger and took a step towards Caleb, but it was Lord Samson that placed a hand on her wrist to prevent her from slapping Caleb. Orion only smirked, watching the tension between them flare dangerously.
"Come, my dear," Lord Samson told his Sire. "Let's depart. Valient is only touchy upon these subjects, because we all know that Lady Persephone will become a member of the High House of Camberia fairly shortly. His anger is misplaced and foolish."
With that, Lord Samson walked off and Mercedes dutifully followed him like a little pet on a leash. Orion raised an eyebrow as he turned to Caleb. Both of them stood, staring at each other before they shook their heads and laughed even though there was nothing at all humorous about that situation.
"I see you didn't drown in your vices," Orion pointed out proudly.
Caleb shrugged. "Plenty of the time to still do so, but for now, I'd like to keep myself afloat."
"Where are you headed?" Orion asked, wondering why Caleb decided to leave the comfort of the suite.
"I needed a walk to clear my head." Caleb's eyes shifted to the entranceway of the hotel.
Orion just nodded his head and Caleb gave him a little nod before he headed out. He watched his friend walk passed Lord Samson and Mercedes without a single look in their direction even though they certainly skewered him with a dark glare. Orion chuckled, knowing this was why Caleb was definitely his only true friend outside of his family.
He forced himself to walk into the jazz bar, locating his father in one of the small round tables with a wine glass of blood, a small platter of shrimp cocktail, and dish of pistachios. He was listening to a jazz band accompanied by an enchanting songbird spilling her soul. He walked towards his father and seated himself at the only available seat next to him at the table.
"Did you have trouble locating the jazz bar?" his father finally asked after a few moments.
Orion shook his head. "No, the sharks are out."
"Ah, delightful creatures," his father grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "They haven't changed I see. Blood climbers are never worth our time. Their intentions are always quite clear."
After a few moments passed by and a new song came on. His father glanced over at him and Orion felt like he was looking straight into his soul.
"What?" he muttered.
His father smirked. "I can taste your questions, Orion. Out with it."
"Why aren't you furious about me selecting Caramia to sire and to establish a matebond with?" He forced his words out, but he was fiercely apprehensive of his father's response. Did he actually approve? Would he truly welcome Caramia into their family?
"She wasn't after your blood to climb the social ladder, Orion," his father told him honestly. A similar shade and shape of eyes analyzed him, watching how his response caused him to react. "She was after it to live in the beginning, but she was never after to climb the social ladder. I noticed the change in her after you rejected her that fateful night. She shattered not because you refused your blood, but you refused to give her your heart." He gave him a soft nostalgic smile as if he was reflecting upon someone else. "She'd rather die than suffer if you gave your love to someone else. Her greatest fear was no longer death."
Orion swallowed, already well aware his father was one of the most intelligent vampires he had ever known. "Mother wasn't your mate," he pointed out as he took a deep breath. "Why would you allow me the courtesy to discover and have mine?"
"Because I hope some day, you and your sister will forgive me for tarnishing your mother's memory," his father told him in stark honesty. "When I discover my Mate."
"There's nothing to forgive," Orion protested in surprise. "Mother died centuries ago. She never wanted to become one of us."
His father sighed. "I knew she wasn't my Mate after I was given the dark gift," he told him. Orion wasn't surprised by that revelation, because if she had been, she would've been with him right now. "But I would've still sired her and established a matebond if she had turned."
"I know," he told him. "Which is why there is nothing to forgive. She choose her fate."
"Which is why I allowed you to choose your own fate as long as it was truly your Mate. I didn't wish to stand by politics and bloodlines." His father smirked, then glanced up at the clock. "They should be landing soon within the hour. You and Caleb should be there to greet them." Orion rose up from his seat, but his father grabbed his arm. "Please tell Caleb I'd like to speak with him when he has the chance."
Orion nodded his head and his father nodded in return, releasing his arm. He quickly rushed off and found Caleb walking back into the hotel intent of reaching the elevators. Instead of having him escape upstairs, Orion quickly grabbed his friend and pulled him along as he made it out of the hotel.
"They're arriving within the hour," he relayed to Caleb.
Caleb only nodded as Orion's hired driver for the duration he was here for the conference immediately zipped up to the curb. His friend kept silent as they slipped inside the car.
"Why so silent?" he asked him, noticing Caleb had been quiet for the last five minutes.
His friend only shrugged. "The most peculiar thing happened."
"Which is what?" Orion asked.
"The infamous Lord Devereux and his sister," Caleb muttered, shaking his head. "I wasn't aware the High House of Hawkley was attending the conference nor the ball."
"They're actually here?" Orion gasped in shock at that news.
Caleb nodded. "They asked me if I would like to attend dinner with them tomorrow night to discuss politics and the newest developments." He shrugged his shoulders. "They also requested if you and your entire House would like to join. It seems like it is a secret dinner."
Interesting. Very interesting. So the infamous Devereuxs have finally made an appearance in vampiric society? He wondered who else would be invited to this secret dinner.