Killer Queen

A. Rose, owner of Eclipse. Dynamite with a laser beam. Guaranteed to blow your mind. [Closed blog for Lunar Cove RP]

[akiss-from-a-rose]

AALIYAH ROSE - ABOUT

--Basics--

NAME: Aaliyah Rose (originally Anastasia Rousseau) NICKNAME(S): Al, Liyah, Lee, Ali D.O.B. | AGE: April 19, 1430 | 595 (Claims 1962) AGE TURNED: 29 PLACE OF BIRTH: Kolozsvár, Transylvania (Now Cluj-Napoca, Romania) FACE CLAIM: Anamaria Vartolomei GENDER | PRONOUNS: Cisgender female | she/her/hers SPECIES: Vampire (Clan Advisor) OCCUPATION: Owner of Eclipse/Fence RESIDENCY: Celestial Hills RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Taken (Georgiana Ortiz)

Full About Page (under edits)

--Condensed Biography--

Aaliyah Rose is a liar. Though she’s nearly 600 years old, she’s spent the last fifteen years consistently telling people that she was turned relatively recently in the 1990s, going so far as to lie on multiple official forms and documents, even around town.

The first time she came to Lunar Cove was in the Early 2000s, thought it was only in about 2018 that she really chose to settle in town. She used to occasionally leave for business, but since the major hunter attack around the world in 2023, she’s instead chosen to stay in town.

Aaliyah doesn’t actually advertise to newcomers that she’s the owner of Eclipse, preferring instead to get some of their genuine reactions. She’s also been pretty well-known for the last two and a half decades for being one of the best fences on the East Coast.

If you have stolen or hard to sell goods, she’ll buy and resell them for you. In addition to being a fence, she’s also been known to play the role of muscle for hire, and, after several centuries, she’s a natural con artist.

After the events of New Year’s Eve 2023, Aaliyah agreed to be the clan’s advisor, currently making her the oldest member of the Council. She doesn’t exactly contribute much other than a few grumpy remarks or sarcastic comments, but she takes her position relatively seriously: that is to say, she’s determined to keep Meena alive, if only because she doesn’t want the job.

Since the Masquerade event, Aaliyah has had something of a fun, feline problem. On the day of the full moon, while there's still daylight in the sky, she turns into a large black cat-like creature, similar but not exactly a panther. She can turn into this form at other times, but whether or not she wants to is the real question.

Trigger Warnings: Fire, Death

Full Bio Page

--Wanted Connections--

Regulars: Be that to either Eclipse or the Black Market. While a nightclub isn't the best place to drink your sorrows away, Aaliyah's well known for playing the role of bartender in her own establishment. And, if you're looking for something less than legal, well. Aaliyah won't tell you if you don't already know, but if you're already down there, might as well have a chat, huh?

Vampires: Hello, baby vamps. Aaliyah has a habit of leading non-clan members astray with false information, especially if they're recently turned, but one of Aaliyah's jobs as Clan Advisor is working with the vampires of the Clan and offering guidance. If you can manage to knock down her defenses, she actually does have some pretty good information.

Dalliances: Aaliyah has been known, over the years, to engage in a number of romps. Usually no strings attached. There's not really much else to put here. If you draw her interest, don't want attachments and don't mind someone a little mean, you're probably her type. On the flip side, form an attachment! It can only go well.

Full Wanted Connections Page (coming soon)

--Fun Facts--

Similar Characters in Other Media: Carmilla Karnstein (Carmilla), Katherine Pierce (The Vampire Diaries), Faith Lehane (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Fiona Gallagher (Shameless)

Likes: AB+, chocolate, bookkeeping, bar fights

Dislikes: Club remixes, artificial grape flavoring, most white wines, fast fashion

She has mild pyrophobia from dying in a house fire.

She speaks a great many languages, having known Hungarian, French, Romanian, and conversational German and English just from her human life as an upper class woman. She knows quite a few more than that.

Used to be rather fascinated by the biological aspects of supernaturals but never bothered picking too hard at that particular thread.

Has only been in love properly once in her near six centuries (until recently). No, she won't be talking about it.

Full Headcanons Page (coming soon)

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[gazingatmestarry-eyed]

Quiet and still, Gia allowed Aaliyah the space to breathe. When she finally spoke, her voice remained soft. "Always." Slowly, she inched close enough to gingerly gather her lover into her arms. Gia held tightly but with care not to inflict any discomfort. "I will be with you for as long as you like."

Gia was not inherently a nurturer. Yet, her arms encircled Aaliyah like she was something sacred. A deep desire within her to care, however foreign these new feelings were. "Any time you like." A promise she made gently, as not to remind Aaliyah that this would happen again, rather to reassure her that Gia would be there whether it did or did not.

From her own finger, where it had rested all day for safe keeping, Gia removed Aaliyah's daylight ring. She kissed each of the other vampire's slender digits before placing the ring where it belonged. "All is right again." A reassurance that felt feeble with the knowing this was not the last time but the first Aaliyah would turn on the full moon.

[akiss-from-a-rose]

It was unfortunate to Aaliyah that this was real. Well, this part wasn't so bad, and listening to Gia speak was nice, but the shifting of her bones, the being unable to control her own physical state for an entire day? That had been horrifying. It had been something she hadn't expected happening to her, and that was daunting. She found herself shuddering without meaning to, leaning into Gia's grasp.

Aaliyah wasn't used to being comforted. She wasn't good at it. Even when she'd been injured several months ago, she hadn't known how to properly accept the fact that she needed help and comfort. Nevertheless, she found herself accepting it. She wrapped her arms around Gia, laughing breathlessly as she pressed her face into her neck. "Be careful... what you wish for," she murmured.

After watching with bated breath as Gia replaced her ring and kissed her fingers, Aaliyah closed her eyes and nodded. "It's okay." For now, at least. Until that happened again. And it would happen again. Again, and again, and again, she was afraid, until she could figure out a way to stop it. "It's okay."

[cantfightmoonlight]

"Okay, Mrs. George," Zeina playfully saluted their sire, making a Mean Girls reference. Though they couldn't help but think that their maker really wasn't making the best case as to why they shouldn't start referring to them as 'mom'. "Sorry. Aaliyah," Z flashed them a toothy smirk of their own.

"Rawr," They continued to tease, shooting Aaliyah a playful wink. Before a genuine laugh bubbled from their lips at the mention of having to be at least over the age of twenty-one, as though their stunted appearance hadn't already given that much away. "I think there might be some more telling traits that gave that little detail away, darling. Not that you don't look wonderful for your age," They purred in amusement, resting their head against their hand as they continued to watch their maker partake in the little song and dance brewing between them. "That is what they say nowadays. I guess you should get right on that. Buy yourself a Corvette, have an affair, fret over a mirror about non-existent grey hairs."

"I guess when I procure one of those fancy daylight rings, I'll let you know," They mused, though there was one word Aaliyah mentioned that Zeina hadn't taken in what felt like centuries. Precaution. They hadn't bothered fretting over such a thing in at least a hundred years now. Having given themselves over to fate had made the thought of such seem like a waste to worry about, though they supposed there once was a time when all they did was try to take one precaution after another. "Hm. I wouldn't mind a confidant? A friend. But I haven't needed anyone, since, well, the dawn of time at this point. But what of you? Are you, Aaliyah," They took the time to draw out each syllable of her name, letting it roll across the tip of their tongue as though they were trying it on for size, before asking, "Someone who wants to be needed?"

[akiss-from-a-rose]

"Who?" Aaliyah deadpanned. She rolled her eyes. Her experiences with siring were more miss than hit, she was starting to wonder if this was a similar case. Or maybe everyone was just out to frustrate her because it was the fucking full moon. "You're going to call me whatever you want, aren't you?"

Aaliyah wrinkled up her nose. "Sure. Roar. I haven't heard that sound since the mid-2010s from employees who thought that being 'emo' and weird made them look cuter." She smirked. She could play this game. It was the only one she knew how to play. "Thanks. It's the moisturizer. It's important to keep your skin hydrated if you're worried about wrinkles. You know, they say that Erzsébet Báthory moisturized with the blood of innocents. That's what kept her youthful for for-fucking-ever." Brushing a hand through her hair, she twirled a strand through her fingers, glancing at it. "How do you know I don't have a Corvette?" she asked, raising a brow. "Affairs are so 2014. I could do better. And I'd have rocked the salt and pepper look, just so that we're both clear."

Shrugging, Aaliyah said, "Do or don't. It's up to you. It's not a bad deal, though, joining up. A little paperwork and a promise not to leave a trail of bodies without an explanation is a pretty nice compromise for some sunshine and not having to worry about where your next meal comes from." A confidant. Jesus. When did she become that for anyone? Somewhere between here and thirty something years ago, she supposed, between this life and the one before it. She'd reshaped herself into someone that people could rely on, and, fuck, if that wasn't scary. She snorted. "I can do friendly, sure, if that's what you're looking for. But I'm not someone who wants to be needed, no. I never have been. I was pretty good at being a one-woman show before coming to this town. I suppose I've been making adjustments ever since."

[cantfightmoonlight]

"I think you would've had to have actually been a scout for that to hold true, but noted," Meena began to roll her eyes lightly over. But her smile faltered at Aaliyah's mention of unsavory places. She had a relatively good idea about her advisor's chosen extracurriculars. But Aaliyah had always practiced discretion to ensure that it didn't wind up as a Council issue. "Ah. I was under the assumption that you were already doing such, but good," She nodded in agreement. "Theoretically, I'd say that it's a good call and, yes, well, it's easier to debate others for being prejudiced and afraid of us, is all," She offered, understanding why Aaliyah had chosen to carry a bat, even if she was asking her not to at future events. "Perfect and sure you do. How can we possible be asked to keep up with them all?" Meena teased back. Amusement returning to her gaze at her friend and advisor's sentiment.

[akiss-from-a-rose]

"I remember when they first invented the scouts. That's probably good enough, right?" Aaliyah asked. She shrugged. "A good assumption. Let's say then that I'll be taking a more proactive approach from now on. I'll let you know, too, if I hear anything about it, but I'm not God; I can't be everywhere, as much as I like to threaten shit. If the Council wants people to stop selling that stuff, it's gonna take some serious fucking action. Probably a little not-so-nice kind." She grinned, small but enough to show off the dimples in her cheeks. "There's just been so many, and it's a fucking pass time to have at least one ball in all of them. Who could keep up with all that?"

[akiss-from-a-rose]

With: @unlost (Ewan) Where: In the Woods Somewhere (Blackout)

With all the heat and the lack of power, Aaliyah was pretty sure that fucking off to the woods was a far worthier pursuit than attempting to be helpful. Actually, no. This was helpful. It was a worthwhile activity with a solid goal in mind, and, at the end of it, the final product would be worth it.

If, of course, the final product came to be usuable.

"Does Rhode Island have any laws against making booze?" Aaliyah asked. She remembered Prohibition, but she wasn't exactly fucking around in Lunar Cove of all places back then. "Not that I really give a shit about the legality of this, but I wanted to make sure."

[cantfightmoonlight]

A melodic laugh danced out of Z's lips as they watched Aaliyah wrinkle up her nose. She was cute, that much was sure. "So maker it is, no?" They asked, slipping into a nearly perfect Russian accent with ease, before their dialect changed once more, taking on a French cadence as they added, "Or would you préfair anozzer name, 'mm?"

"So you are a werewolf fanatic," They hummed under their breath as their accent returned to that of a New Englander's. "Curious and curiouser. Only you're not a kid, are you, maker? To feel temporarily sad, melancholic, or down in the dumps, but you already knew this, no?" They observed, not knowing exactly how old their maker seemed to be, but they knew they were old enough to have turned them and far younger than themselves, which in their eyes was more than enough.

"Hm," They did press their lips together, though at Aaliyah's genuine question, mulling it over before they answered just as honestly back, however, in riddles their words may appear, "Can someone miss something they've never truly been deprived of?" They wondered, having continued to step out during daylight, even without having one of those fancy rings on their fingers. They may have needed a parasol and had yet to feel the sun once again warming their skin, but whether they missed the warmth or not, wasn't something they had thought too much on until now. "What would you have done, if you had known?" They asked curiously, before they added under their breath without any further elaboration, "It wasn't my time yet. Though now I found you so, what is running through that pretty little head of yours? Do you think I need you now?"

[akiss-from-a-rose]

Aaliyah bared her teeth in some semblance of a smile. "Just Aaliyah is fine. I'm a cool sire. No need for... titles. Just call me by my name, and we're living large, yeah?" Of course, a chameleon, much like Aaliyah herself, in the way that she adjusted herself to an environment. To stand out, to fit in, it didn't seem to matter. Aaliyah was overcome with the fascinating knowledge that the person in front of her was most likely a very old fae but also a relatively new vampire. A few decades in one species compared to who knew how many hundred years before as another.

A headache. Which was just what Aaliyah needed.

"I just love the idea of letting the inner beast out," Aaliyah said, deadpan. "Yeah, well, I own a night club, so I'm at least over twenty-one. All the hooplah for putting together permits and shit... probably puts me at at least twenty-five... Turned you about twenty-something years ago..." Aaliyah tapped her chin. "Damn, you got me. Not a kid. I'm guess I'm middle aged. Shouldn't I be having some sort of crisis?"

It was a nice rebuttal. "I find it different, being able to go out in it unencumbered, not having to take so many precautions like I used to." And, even then, sometimes it was just much, much easier to stick to the night. Aaliyah even preferred it that way, even still. No risk of burns. She enjoyed feeling warmth, though, the kind that didn't come from a fire, even if she found the summers unbearable in their brightness. She offered them a shrug. "I don't know. Helped out with the basics before fucking off. Kind of the bare minimum I could have done. But do you think you need me? Would you even want my help now?"

[cantfightmoonlight]

"Mhm, sure you are," Meena shook her head lightly over, sending the smallest of smirks her advisor's way. "Noted, though, no. I don't think it would be the smarter move. I think I know better than to try to tell you to come unarmed," She pointed softly out, knowing her friend well enough to know that commanding Aaliyah to do anything wasn't exactly in her best interest, unless she had an absolute reason to, nor would she actively be advise any of her vampires to show up to any town event unarmed, given the way many events seemed to take a turn these days, even if publicly she wasn't someone to actively state that residents should be wandering around with weapons. "I am asking that you use discretion next time, though. Just as we both know, the event was Capture the Flag, not baseball."

[akiss-from-a-rose]

Aaliyah held up a mocking form of a salute. "Scout's honor. However, with thoughts towards my model citizenship... There are some unsavory places in town. I know some unsavory people." Meena knew about the black market. Aaliyah knew Meena knew about the black market. It was in both of their best interests to pretend that neither knew about the black market. "I'll do what I can to make sure that ichor... doesn't go through any of those unsavory places I know about. We can't stop people from getting it, but I can at least knock one of the places they get it off the board. Theoretically." She put her hands up in surrender and wiggled her fingers. "I'm never unarmed. I'm an apex predator who doesn't even need weapons. The bat is to make people forget about that. But noted. I'll bring a knife to a fist fight, next time." She grinned lazily. "Is that what we were playing? Sports, you know. I get 'em all confused."

[gazingatmestarry-eyed]

It was a promise that settled over Gia in a way she didn't understand. A feeling so foreign she hadn't experienced it even once in two centuries of life. She couldn't name it, not the way she felt or how her lover spoke to her. "Whatever I'd like.." The quiet echo that was her voice came accompanied by a soft grin. Her eyes flickered up, full of interest and admiration as she gazed upon Aaliyah's face. "I want... you." The words were barely a whisper. Yet they felt loud, as they were accompanied by a vulnerability that made her feel as though she'd screamed something secret to the world. "I want to know you, unlike any other ever has, cariño.." No longer could she stand just to look. Her body stretched, slipping through silk sheets, until it rested a top Aaliyah's. As comfortable as the last piece of a puzzle, snapping into place, as Gia inched closer and closer to her face. "I want to know your mind.. your desires.." She continued between gentle kisses. "I want your fears and your shame." It was a lot to ask for, Gia knew, but it was not without equal reciprocation. "Will you give that to me, so that I may give the same to you?"

[akiss-from-a-rose]

For a moment, one that felt too long but couldn't have been more than a handful of seconds, Aaliyah considered what to say in response to that. Gia wanted her, all of her, but that was a difficult thing to want. That was a difficult thing to desire when there was so much, and most of it was a lie. "That's complicated," Aaliyah murmured. "Not because I don't want to give it but... What version of me do you want to know? Do you want to know more about Aaliyah, who owns a night club and deals in illegal things and turns into a cat? Or Alice, who played games with everyone? Or Antionette, who liked to hunt down holy men, not in some twisted sense of vengeance but because it was fun? Or would you like to know Anastasia, who lived in a pretty house surrounded by pretty things with pretty children who didn't love her because she didn't know how to love them? Who died in a fire woke up to a world that was still figuring itself out?" She brushed her fingers over Gia's cheek, soft and tender. "There is so much of me that is not just me. I am... a thousand masks that I've locked into storage containers or cluttered rooms. What I could give you is not just one person's shame but a hundred's. Is that really what you want?"

[unlost]

That was the thing about being old: it gave the immortal enough time to actually use their lives. After all, it took nearly a full human life span just to figure the damned thing out. By the time most people knew who they were, by the time they felt confident in what they wanted and who they wanted to be, they were already at death's door. But vampires and fae had time to invent (and reinvent as necessary). With enough time, identity was just another project to conquer. "And aren't the best things in the world the ones that cause a stir?" asked Ayza. "It's hardly worth going out at all if there isn't a scandal."

That last confession certainly drew her interest. There was a certain thrill in seeing something others were not allowed--the allure of the unattainable, the White Whale, so to speak, and the exclusive. It was also just plain amusing to know that the so called experts of taste and art were being fooled. Ayza raised an eyebrow. "Well then what's stopping us?" She hopped off the bar and secured her purse over her shoulder. "No time like the present." She gestured toward the front door of the karaoke bar. "Lead the way, Darling."

[akiss-from-a-rose]

Aaliyah just snorted. "I don't know if the best things are the ones that cause a stir. At least, not all of them. Sometimes, I kind of dig the mundane. Just a little bit, you know?" She kind of pinched her fingers together. Not that Aaliyah didn't enjoy scandal, too. She liked ruffling feathers. She enjoyed the shock and awe. But sometimes it was okay for things to just be normal. What was the word? Lowkey. Best not to draw too much attention when that kind of thing got you killed.

"Damn, who said we were going now?" Aaliyah started, raising an eyebrow even as she languidly pushed herself from the bar and started walking to the door. "Yeah, alright. I'll take you to my humble abode." Or, well. One of them. She owned an entire building, after all, with the different apartments used to house different things. There was no harm, at least in this moment, in unlocking a door and showing off a thing or two.

[solissideup]

A smile twitched at Lupe's lips. It was clear Aaliyah enjoyed whatever game the two of them were playing, but wringing that truth out of her was probably going to be just as difficult as prying the truth about herself out.

Lupe half rolled her eyes. "You're twisting my words. That's not how I meant it." She hadn't meant that humans couldn't keep up, but that, inevitably, their bodies would fail them in ways a vampire or a fae could never really experience. And while Lupe was still relatively young, even for a human, she had pushed her body hard for years. She knew that one day it was going to catch up to her. Until then, though, she'd keep going as hard as she could. Still, she laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, are you fae now, too? Sorry, but the badge stays. Off duty or on, it's not something I can just leave behind."

Lupe took the glass, watching Aaliyah the whole time. She raised her glass. "How about to collaboration, hmm? Maybe we can avoid the headaches if we just try."

[akiss-from-a-rose]

"You were being very opaque. How am I supposed to know your meaning if you don't say it clearly?" Aaliyah asked, grinning. It wasn't hard to twist someone's words when they gave them to you like that. "You're only young once, I've heard. Or, I guess in this town, as long as you want to be. The point, you know, is to enjoy it. You're allowed to. I don't know if anyone's ever told you that." Not that Aaliyah thought the deputy would listen. She lifted up her hands, shaking her head. "Not everyone needs to be a fae to have a metal allergy, damn. Maybe I'm just sensitive to it's tacky shape. But fine, fine. I forgot it was attached to you with an umbilical cord."

Aaliyah just snorted. "Sure. Collaboration." She clinked their glasses together and downed the liquid before pouring herself some more. "Try and try and try again. I promise, it's not gonna be as easy as you think."

[gazingatmestarry-eyed]

It was subtle, their way of communicating, but Gia understood. "As you wish." The soft rumbling coming from Aaliyah's throat was audible in a soothing way. Their situation wasn't ideal, but at least they were together. As Gia had come to learn, the miserable was less miserable in the company of the right person.

"Would you like to hear a story, mi cariño? It is not a fairytale, but it is true." While she spoke her hand never broke from Aaliyah's fur clad figure. An act that seemed to be for the ease of them both. "I was born on the island of Puerto Rico in the year 1825. White sand beaches, clear blue water, and... the smell of coffee are all I remember of it."

"I was sent to live in London with extended family. It was the hope of my parents that I would receive a quality education and introduction into the marriage market." Gia continued on about her interest in the education but not marriage, as well as her dreams of attending university, which was not allowed for women at that time in England. "I was nineteen.." She went on to explain her first and only marriage. The arrangement made by her parents to a man twice her age with no concern for love but financial gain.

"I made a few attempts on my life." The vampire quietly admitted. "Death over captivity." She offered in a contemplative confession. "Then we began to have children, and... I could not leave them." Her voice sounded distant and heavy with the weight of unspoken grief. "My eventual death was an act of retribution. The settling of a score between my maker and my husband." The disdain about being a pawn yet again, in a man's game, palpable in every syllable. "I cannot truthfully say to you immortality did not grant me sovereignty, for the first time in my life," She added earnestly. "though the cost was steep."

As their day together continued, time passing visible in the way the sun streamed through the balcony window, Gia continued to share with Aaliyah stories from her life. The passions of her career and even romantic life, though the ladder paled in comparison to the former. She had professional accolades a plenty but had never been in love, or properly loved for that matter. It was easier to speak honestly, she found, in the silent company. Though that wasn't it entirely. No, there was a desire in Gia to be known, and to be known by the woman whose head occupied her lap.

Night approached in a way that made the immortal uneasy but with a glimmer of hope that her lover's predicament would soon end.

[akiss-from-a-rose]

Aaliyah was content to spend the day listening to Gia speak, as she discussed the ways of her life. There was a few things that were similar in their pasts, though not much. It showed Aaliyah, however, that life did not change much at all, even with centuries in between.

Eventually, as the sun finally started to sink and the moon began to rise, Aaliyah felt that ache, that pain that started in her limbs as they began to shift and stretch. She pulled herself off of Gia's lap in case she started flailing about or accidentally hurt her. And then, just as with the morning, came the task of waiting out the shift of her body, this time, back to a shape that was more familiar.

By the end of it, Aaliyah managed to pull herself up, panting as, finally, she was again herself. She felt ragged, frayed around the edges, and she took a moment to linger in that before attempting to comport herself. She allowed her hands to shake. She allowed her body to keep its dull hurt without brushing it aside.

When she finally caught her breath, Aaliyah stared up at the ceiling before tilting her head to look at Gia. "Thank you," she said quietly. "For staying."

[darkest-andy]

The voice that suddenly spoke beside her sent shivers down the back of Andy's neck, still unsettling feeling to have her sire so close after so long. "I suppose I will." The younger vampire didn't bother to disagree with the other. While the sun was natural for humans, it was entirely unnatural for vampires. The daylight ring somehow just felt like delaying the inevitable. But perhaps that feeling would fade with time.

She was a little surprised when Aaliyah offered the glasses, but Andy took them none the less, quickly putting them on. Finally she could stop squinting. It was then that Andy fully looked Aaliyah over. "And I'm surprised to see you in one piece." She countered. But there was a undertone of actual concern in her voice. Because Andy had been feeling the pain her sire had been going through of late, the feeling of being ripped limb from limb.

[akiss-from-a-rose]

Aaliyah didn't know if there was much she could say to assure them of something that she wasn't that certain of herself. Truthfully, she didn't know if she'd ever be used to the sun. She was always going to prefer the night, especially when so much of her eternity had been spent in darkness.

"You know what they say: the first rule of fight club is that you don't talk about fight club," Aaliyah told Andy with a wink. An easier lie than admitting to a truth she still wasn't sure how to handle. "Why? Were you worried?"

[cantfightmoonlight]

@akiss-from-a-rose

"Well, that Council Meeting was interesting," Meena quipped after the two of them were now in private. "What are your thoughts on the newest additions?" She pondered, curiously for Aaliyah's opinions on such, before she added under her breath, "The donuts were a nice touch, by the way. Though, oh, and in terms of Capture the Flag. I know the bat was merely for fun and theatrics, but next time, can you do me a favor and carry a more concealed weapon? I know it's silly, but it might help with appearances, given how crucial it is for us council members to be playing nice right about now."

[akiss-from-a-rose]

"Can't wait for Round Two," Aaliyah murmured. She shrugged. "The sheriff is fine. She thinks I'm up to no good, but I'm a well behaved, model citizen. I'm not too sure about the new supreme or her advisor, but, really, we can only go up." She offered a lazy salute. "Sure. But, and I'm not trying to offer a critique here, but the smarter course of action would be telling me not to bring a weapon at all. If there's no place for a fucking baseball bat at a sporting event, there's probably not any place for a knife, either."

[gazingatmestarry-eyed]

The skin on her back tingled even after Aaliyah stopped tracing what but a masterpiece, Gia didn't know. "As you are to me." Words whispered with a rare sincerity. "No person owns another person." She agreed. Her shoulders fell with ease. A sense of safety and acceptance settling over the vampire, as she experienced what it felt like to be seen; to be known. "There will be things that our only ours." While Gia continued to speak quietly, there was no lack of conviction in her words. "Our secrets. Our traditions." Or anything they mutually decided was sacred.

[akiss-from-a-rose]

"Whatever you'd like to be ours," Aaliyah murmured, smiling slightly. "Secrets, traditions, spaces. I'll give you things I've never given another if you ask." That was always one of Aaliyah's major stipulations: people needed to ask if they wanted something from her. If she did something out of the goodness of her heart, she regularly complained about it for posterity. It was best, though, to be asked. To be given the opportunity to say no to something, and then agreeing to it anyway. Aaliyah cared for Gia, and she liked getting to know her, as terrifying as the thought was. Worse, she liked for Gia to get to know her, and more than just the mask of Aaliyah Rose that she kept pressed firmly to her face.

[solissideup]

"Guess we've got that in common," Lupe said back, just as dry. She usually tried to sound genuine and real, but Lupe contained multitudes-- she could shoot sarcasm as well as any other. It certainly came in handy when speaking with Aaliyah. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Lupe knew she felt as if she had to prove a point, as if the elder vampire might think Lupe stupid or not smart enough to run in the same league as her. But Lupe was smart, she had to be. Her parents used always tell her how intelligent she was, how she would go far in life. Well, look at her now. She hoped they would be proud.

Lupe let out a breath laugh. "Yeah, well, my delicate human sensibilities can't exactly keep up with age like a yours can," she said simply. She understood a lot of people looked down on humans. They weren't special, they didn't have powers. But Lupe never let that bother her. She didn't comment on the fun part. Not talking about the "fun" they'd had together was part of the game. It was the deepest and guiltiest of pleasures Lupe indulged in. Only a few times. Her brows scrunched. "Should I schedule in another visit to your bar, then? Just to drink, of course. Have some fun."

Rolling her eyes, Lupe chose not to comment again. She nodded at the two empty cups and the liquor still sitting on the desk. "How about we do this celebratory drink and go from there?"

[akiss-from-a-rose]

Aaliyah offered up a little bow of her head, mockingly sincere. "You said it, not me." She didn't mind playing this game, especially with law enforcement. Over the last few years, it's even become something enjoyable. The kind of criminal activity that Aaliyah engages in now isn't nearly the same as centuries of murder, but it was more risky. There were more people involved, more potential witnesses. So it was always fun to go toe to toe with Lupe.

"You think it's because you're human that you can't keep up?" Aaliyah asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're doing yourself, and other humans, a disservice by insinuating all that," she added, her tone actually honest for once. She grinned, though, any sort of sincerity washed away. "Please, do. Leave the badge at home, will you? The metal burns my skin."

Pouring the liquor, Aaliyah handed a glass to Lupe first before fixing her own. "One celebratory drink, likely to lead to another. Should we toast to something? Your incoming headache, perhaps? Not from the booze, though. Council meetings are always fun."

[gazingatmestarry-eyed]

They were slow, minuscule movements. The uncoiling of her rigid limbs as she inched from against the bed and towards Aaliyah. It was the act of transformation that stunned her. A reminder of the wolves who had stolen what was most precious to the vampire; her mind. After being bitten, Georgiana's sanity had splintered into something she meticulously attempted to piece back together. Yet, despite her tenure as a master of puzzles, this was one she could not solve. The aftermath left her riddled with a sort of foreign uncertainty only certain arms could sooth. A reminder that compelled her forward despite her fear.

"Here, darling. Rest your head." With no explanation as to how or why this was happening. The best Gia could offer Aaliyah was her company. "We will sit here together until this passes." Her words a promise. "Only an hour or so last time, remember?" She then soothing reassured them both. "It will pass quickly."

With nothing but time and worry to occupy the vampire she rethought every moment of their night together. Not once after Gia stepped into Aaliyah's office had either her hands or her eyes left her lover. It was borderline obsession. The passion so intense everything else was forgotten. From Eclipse to a car then her house. There was no way, she reasoned, that someone could've stuck Aaliyah like the night of the masquerade. No, she decided. What was happening now was different, albeit most certainly related.

When an hour and then another half for good measure had passed, Georgiana was sure. "Cariño?" Her hand stroked the top of Aaliyah's head, as she gently rendered her assessment. "Much like the wolves, it appears your transformation is linked to the lunar cycle." Tonight, the moon would be full in the sky. The reality of her situation a cruel joke in light of the trauma she was still dealing with. Her suffering a feeling she shoved, deep down in her chest the best she could, but that still roared its head in a burning hatred for the Lupine species. Few understood, but Aaliyah did.

"Regardless," She breathed heavily. "I will stay with you until you have returned to yourself." Her voice fell into a soft whisper. "Even longer, if you wish."

[akiss-from-a-rose]

There's really not any way for Aaliyah to communicate other than growls and rumbles, and fuck that, really. She's not an animal, despite what this form might seem to imply. At least she was more cognizant this go around, though perhaps that was more of an embarrassment than a boon. Being aware of how different she felt wasn't the most enjoyable experience.

Aaliyah laid her head in Gia's lap, closing her eyes. Maybe she could simply outlast this. It would go away in an hour, and then she'd be done with it. Maybe she could will it away. But no amount of effort would turn her back, and Aaliyah was at a loss on what to do. An hour grew into more, and, when Gia spoke, Aaliyah realized that this would be much longer than she hoped. A spike of fear pulsed through her. What if she didn't turn back? She would. Of course she would. She had the last time, and it could happen again. But fear wasn't rational. After almost 600 years, she didn't want to be stuck like this.

Gia's touch was still soothing, at least, even if Aaliyah did realize she was being pet, like an animal. She wasn't even aware of the soft rumbling leaving her throat. As Gia offered to stay, Aaliyah leaned her head into the gentle touch, as much of a response as she could give. Yes, she wanted Gia to stay until she returned to normal. Longer. Until she knew it would wear off, at the very least.

So much for going to Paris.

[cantfightmoonlight]

"Hmm, I thought it sounded sexy. But I suppose I could call you my MILF, if you'd prefer. Or vampiric mommy?" They taunted. Glancing over their shoulder, they wiggled their fingers over toward the busser as though to say hi as they watched them be sent off. "On the morning of every full moon in particular? Did you become some kind of werewolf wannabe?" Zeina scrunched up their nose at the thought.

'Golly gee?' they mouthed back, not having heard such a thing in quite some time. "Has someone not been keeping up with the 21st century?" They wondered. The last time they'd seen the other, they had been counting down the minutes until the clock struck midnight. They were dancing, drinking and raging into what had felt like oblivion, but there hadn't exactly been much talking, and scanning the practical stranger up and down now, Z found themselves wondering who exactly was their maker? Outside of some kind of masochist with a rather dated use of slang? "Who says they weren't?"

[akiss-from-a-rose]

Aaliyah just wrinkled up her nose. "Fuck no." She was not a mother. She hadn't been one in several hundred years, and she certainly wasn't one to those she'd sired. And even the modern connotations of the words MILF and mommy weren't exactly something she could really get behind. Sue a gal. "I'm a creature of habit. Happens after a few decades."

Snorting, Aaliyah asked, "Don't you know the kids love anachronisms? I had some fucker drunk off his ass a few nights ago telling me something about 'getting the morbs.' Where'd he even learn that?" She hadn't heard that since the Victorians. "And what the fuck does it even mean?" She cocked her head to the side. She wasn't sure just how old the fae was, just that there were rumors, and they went back a long way. All that immortality, all those years of being confident in what and who you were, just to have to relearn shit all over again, essentially reduced to a child. Aaliyah couldn't imagine, though, she felt something similar with this new monthly occurrence that plagued her. "Did you miss the sun?" she asked genuinely. Then she added, "Wasn't intentional, you know. I wouldn't have just fucked off right away if I'd known, but we were both pretty confident you were gonna make it through that shit, and I was already to Philly by the time I realized it happened. You're all grown up and then some, so I figured you'd find me if you needed me."