seven devils.

see, I have to burn your kingdom down.

[giaguillory]

grexsed:

“First thing you need to learn about the people in this house,” Duke smiled down at her good-naturedly. “We never leave each other for good.” For the most part, that was true. There were people who had come and gone over the years, but those who remained now were family. Loyal through and through. At least, Duke was pretty sure. “Red?” He asked, smiling dropping. “What do you mean?”

“Whatever.” Gia shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, though a small smile sat on her lips. “Good to see you back.” The witch nodded at the clarification of which hybrid she spoke of. “I don’t really know how to describe it. She’s been distant--but that doesn’t really count for me, anyway. But the other day, she acted like she didn’t even know who I was. It wasn’t some kind of joke, either. It was a complete episode of amnesia, or something.”

[giaguillory]

grexsed:

Duke grinned, leaning against the car and facing her. “You being here.” He admitted, arms crossing over his chest. “You didn’t think I’d let you drink all the alcohol in there without me, did you?” A soft chuckle escaped him as he smiled down at her, his expression fond. “Why are you still here?”

“Yeah, probably. Though, seriously--I thought you were gone for good.” She scoffed at his mention of drinking the alcohol, and shook her head. “No, there aren’t many other functioning alcoholics around these days.” When he posed his question, she sighed and glanced back towards the house. “’Cause shit is still fucked up, that’s why. Something happened in Paris, but I don’t know what. I don’t even know if my coven entirely knows. But your hybrid witch--the one who’s half leech--she’s weird.”

[bloodxwitch]

Paris was just the start of it. The redheaded witch had been experiencing temporary amnesia over the past month and began to forget simple spells. Red had woken up with a terrible headache, traipsing to the kitchen to brew herself some tea (by hand of course since she couldn’t remember her spell for fire); her gaze perked up when she heard footsteps approaching, looking at the figure quizzically before speaking up. “Who are you?” 

[giaguillory]

Gia had been in the house long enough that she no longer faced such open hostility--but she was hardly a member of the family. (Not to say that she had tried to become one.) Still, Red’s inquisitive stare and question caused a great sigh to leave the witch. “Seriously? Is that supposed to be, like, a cool joke?” 

[grexsed]

“It’ll be fine, Levi.” Duke was saying to Levi as they pulled up to the mansion. He’d forgotten how much he missed the smell, the aesthetic, the way it made him feel. The two of them had been gone for a little over a month and not much had changed except now the humidity was even more thick. He sighed, parking and stepping out of the car. The sun was low in the sky, casting an almost angelic glow over the land. As if the sky was trying to remind him how magical home could feel. 

He slammed the door shut and looked over at Levi, a small smile on his lips. “They probably won’t even care that we’re back.” Duke shrugged, going to grab his suitcase from the trunk. In his heart of hearts, he knew that wasn’t true. Their family was too close, shared too much, for them to suddenly not care anymore. If anything, they’d be happy to have Levi and they’d tolerate Duke. 

But he’d never underestimate their ability to be kind.

“Do you want me to carry this for you?” He called when the trunk swung up, revealing both of their bags. 

[giaguillory]

As someone with far less invested in the clan as opposed to the other family members, Gia had taken Duke and Levi’s departure from the home at face-value. She wasn’t exactly thrilled that the two vampires had flown the coop, but she didn’t invest any feelings of real sadness either--not when there was plenty more to be worried over. Still, she couldn’t help but to feel almost pleasantly surprised to see their return--though as she walked out to the car they’d arrived in, she retained an aloof expression. Leaning against the car, she quirked a brow. “I wonder which is weirder--the fact that you’re back, or that I’m still fucking here.” 

[giaguillory]

“I know that things have been tense around here, and I’m not trying to cause unnecessary drama,” the witch prefaced; her hands held out in a show of surrender. “But we really need to start talking about what we learned at the meeting--and we have to figure out what we’re going to do next.” Gia’s nose wrinkled as she realized that she’d used the term we over and over--but she supposed if her own kind were refusing any more assistance, she’d have to lean on the family. 

[witchxodie]

When your family is in danger,you protect it,simple as that. 

Odette had a left a note and her phone on the kitchen table filled with a simple apology and a promise to be back soon.Her timing was horrible but this was something only she could do,a sight not meant for her lovers.Their home had been filled with so much pain,so much darkness,that it set the hybrid on a course she knew she was never going to return from. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to keep them safe,there was no other way around that.

A few days later,Odie was finally home,creeping in the front door as quietly as she could so she wouldn’t disturb anyone. That didn’t last very long as soon as the tired hybrid walked in the living room,there was someone there.

“Hey….didn’t think anyone would be up at this hour. How are you? Is everyone alright?”

[giaguillory]

Gia hadn’t paid much mind to the missing hybrid--there was enough shit occupying her mind, and she couldn’t profess to having an extreme fondness for the artist. Nonetheless, it was interesting when she disappeared with a scant note--and more interesting still when she caught Odette sneaking in while the full-blooded witch mulled over a cup of freshly-made tea. “Didn’t expect to see you back around so soon.” 

[emmanuelnathalie]

Bonnie Carlson scenes (12/?)

[giaguillory]

grexsed:

“As long as you don’t tell Elias you drove the car at all.” Duke agreed; he got drunk like any other human, but driving for him was easy when drunk. But he’d been driving for longer than most humans, with better senses. “Mind-reading?” He teased, looking over at her with a smirk.

“Elias and I have as few conversations as possible,” Gia replied with a grim smirk, “so I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.” The witch didn’t have a destination in mind as of yet--she was going over the available bars in her head and trying to pick a favorite. “Hardly,” she replied with a huff. “I just tried to figure out which would be the most cliche. I was going to add absinthe into the mix.”

[giaguillory]

gracewatcrs:

“something,” he said softly. his brows furrowed, and a sigh escaped him. “and they’ll offer no help to us and none to you, even though you’re one of their’s.” he scoffed. “join the gracewaters, gia. we’d accept you in an instant and you’d be safe. you’d actually be looked out for.”

“That’s all I’ve got,” Gia admitted sheepishly. “Something bad, worse than the other shit that’s already been going down around here.” A frown spread across the witch’s lips at the sudden offer that was made, and she shook her head. “I can’t do that.”

[giaguillory]

grexsed:

“Yeah, yeah.” Duke snorted, grabbing the keys to one of the cars and tossing them to her. “But you have to drive.” He decided, walking out the door and sliding into the passenger seat. Being outside already felt better than laying in bed and moping; it made him feel more awake, at least. “I like dark liquor.”

"That’s fine with me,” she replied with a shrug. “But you’ll have to drive back later. I’m assuming a vampire doesn’t stay drunk as long as I’m going to.” The witch settled into the driver’s seat with a smirk, and brought the car to life. “Yeah, I’m not surprised. Let me guess...whiskey? Rum?”

[giaguillory]

grexsed:

Duke shoved his hands into his pockets, glancing down at her. This is what he had meant when he’d told the others she could be fun; there was a kindness in her eyes. “What’s your drink of choice, then, Gia?” 

“Tequila sunrise,” she replied without much time given to thought. “Tequila gets the job done, orange juice prevents the hangover, and the grenadine gives me shirley temple-type nostalgia. We going, or what?”

[laurahharrier-deactivated201705]

You don’t want to get mixed up with me.

[giaguillory]

grexsed:

duke thought for a moment before sitting up slowly. a drink or two did sound nice. “you’re buying.” he decided, getting up and tugging on a shirt. “… you can’t drink alone.” duke found himself smirking as he brushed past her to find his shoes. “that’s what alcoholics do.”

“And there goes the southern charm,” Gia drawled with a smirk. “First round’s on me,” she allowed with a nod. “After that you’re on your own, leech.” The witch snorted at his comment as he walked past her, and shrugged her shoulders. “That’s the thing about bars. You’re never drinking alone.” 

[giaguillory]

gracewatcrs:

sol lifted his head with grace at her entrance, but it was obvious he was completely exhausted. a tiny smile drifted across his lips. “well, if it isn’t my favorite trespasser,” he murmured, his throat still far too sore to speak louder than that. all the magic that had burned out of him had left him weak; he couldn’t even properly heal himself right now. “what do you want?”

“That doesn’t seem like it should be a tough competition,” Gia retorted, a smirk on her lips as she leaned against the doorway. “Or at least, I’d be pissed if it was.” The smirk faded at the question, and she nodded her head. “It’s about what happened at the meeting I took the vamps to. With the witches. Maybe you already know, but...they told me something. That something was coming.”

[giaguillory]

grexsed:

“I don’t have my chain.” Duke told her quietly. “I shouldn’t be escorting you anywhere.” He’d thought, for a moment, that’d he’d been getting better. But the lingering taste of witch blood reminded him how weak his resolve really was. “Just go.”

“I’m not asking to be escorted anywhere. I intend on escorting myself,” Gia replied with a roll of her eyes. “I’ve managed to make it this far among constant death threats,” she added dully, “I’m not worried about it. Look, I will go drink alone--I just prefer not to. Considering you’re already well-documented alcoholism, I thought you’d be into it.”

[giaguillory]

grexsed:

“I appreciate the concern, but I think it would be best if you walked away.” Duke didn’t want to face Gia, especially not after what he’d done to one of her kind. He wondered if she’d be able to tell. “Please.”

“I heard that Sol made daylight rings,” Gia replied instead, pointedly ignoring his request. “I need to get out of this fucking house. I’m thinking...going out into the swamps to scream, or hitting up a few of the local places for a few drinks. Probably both. Get out of bed and come.”

[giaguillory]

@gracewatcrs

“I know that you probably don’t want to be bothered right now, but I have something I’d rather tell you now instead of waiting on it. You mind?”