๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐จ : open , @startyourdescent
๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ : outside of a random bodega , midday
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ hangover on a monday was the last thing anyone needed and despite not being able to stomach anything other than coffee , the hunger was beginning to catch up to her . she needed something hearty and slightly greasy , and she needed it now . the only place with any sense of urgency was the bodega : ' bacon , egg and cheese on a bagel , salt pepper ketchup . ' the shadowhunter moves through the aisles with ease grabbing a coke and bag of chips along the way , she bids the owner of the establishment โธป an orange tabby named gustavo , farewell with a scratch between his ears before heading back out . a bit too desperate to get something in her system , josie makes the ๐๐๐๐๐๐ mistake of unwrapping her bagel , ready to take a bite just as she's bumped into by someone , sending said bagel to the ground . or had she walked into them ? โ my bagel ! man , what the ๐ณ๐๐ฐ๐ธ . โ
who: @startyourdescent
where: on canal street, outside the shadow market
a clove dangled from her fingertips, the taste of ash, spices and burning herb heavy on her tongue โธป one of her favorite mortal treats, burned better than those electric flutes that the younger crowd smoked. she's got one foot against the wall of the old theatre and her ancient eyes are observing the stars blinded by light pollution. โ rumor has it that there's love potions inside. โ
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ at the other's words , failing to stifle a chuckle at the thought of purchasing one for herself . she didn't need to be loved , worshipped , however ... โ right around the corner for valentine's day, clever . โ the winter breeze whistles quietly , to the humans it must've been harsh , but to her it was enough to feel . โ thinking of buying one yourself or simply advertising ? โ
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ narrow in the direction of the bartender and rowdy patron that'd been demanding service , josie lacked the patience and grace the brunette had . โ as long as they aren't those overly sweet fruity ones , i'm all ears . i usually stick to beer but maybe i'll be a little more spontaneous . โ fingers mindlessly begin to tap on the semi sticky counter , never one to sit still for too long .
a subtle shift. phantom goosebumps that would tattoo her skin if the vampire was human again shiver through like a wave, the acid in her throat tampered down : all familiar signs of being in the presence of one of her own. isara let out a breath she didn't know she held, one she no longer needed but did out of habit. caramel eyes look upward, flutter to the gravestone and there read in carved letters camille. would it be insensitive to pretend she did? โธป in front of strangers was one thing, towards the dead's acquaintances was another. isara had already cheated death, and mocking it would be another nail within her blasphemous coffin. โ not in life, but it's never too late. โ what a load of crap.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ tilts to the side , a quiet chuckle slipping past her lips at the vampire's response . its obvious she hadn't expected to be interrupted seeking refuge and some sort of peace among the graves . โ oh , please . โ yesenia brushes away the suggestion , the other woman's way of making this less awkward . the witchpire would've been actually annoyed had the other pretended , โ do you usually spend your friday night's lingering around random graves ? โ she asks , more so intrigued , as she places the small bouquet inside of the vase attached to the gravestone .
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ been any other business owner , yesenia would've been quick to greet one of her best spenders , welcoming them with a shake of their hands or a kiss to their cheek exchanging sugared pleasantries to make them feel superior to the other patrons . anything to keep them coming back , to keep them ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ with their wallets . but she wasn't a suck up , never had been in all of her years of living . oberyn could wait , and he would . besides , she'd been occupied with company of her own too .
โ ๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐ up for me , cariรฑo . โ the whisper is sealed with a fleeting kiss to the wound she'd left behind , she hadn't taken enough to fully satisfy her thirst , just enough to tame the burn that'd slowly been itching it's way up her throat . yesenia doesn't bother with watching where the man goes , whether he heads for the exit or stays to indulge some more by buying the attention and time of one of her girls who'd stay as long as his generosity didn't end . one thing was certain : yesenia could feel his eyes on her as she'd made he way over to someone else . her ๐๐๐๐ . โ clearly not full enough if my presence was missed . โ sharp nails pluck the macaroon oberyn had just taken a bite from to have the rest for herself , โ don't tell me you're outgrowing my girls , oberyn . โ
that treacherous feeling. the gnawing in one's stomach, the acidic thirst in her throat โธป they say she'll feel it harder, more often in the first months following the change. and overtime? it'll never go away, but the newborn will learn to control the impulses that follow. it hits her, and the girl scrambles for sanctuary somewhere far, cold, and alone. where the dead are the only company she can stomach when it becomes worst. the cool air does wonders, the beating hearts of mundanes far and she's able to concentrate on it : until footsteps find her. isara kneels at the grave, hands folded in front of her to feign praying in hopes that they move on, leave her to mourn whoever's name was on the stone.
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ slips past painted lips at the startled jump and gasps from the few mundanes she walks past , it hadn't been directed at her but to the doberman freely trotting ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ steps ahead . arevalo , her familiar , doesn't pay them any mind and instead focuses on sniffing and investigating everything else but the humans . enrichment , or whatever . carefully , she holds onto the bouquet of flowers that'd been picked from a stand minutes ago before they'd made their way through the cemetery , a path they'd memorized long ago .
โ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ camille too ? โ yesenia asks , leather boots coming to a stop near the brunette , though not close enough to be invading her space . seeing a vampire pray , now that was a rare sight , one too good to be true .
the scent that assaults is nose is metallic, and it makes his pack nervous with the prince of hell's attack still too recent. it crawls, covers the chinese restaurant in its repugnant glory and the usual smell of pork does nothing to mask it. the growl settled in the atmosphere, and the alpha's eyes raise to the door with scrutiny towards the new comer. โ we're closed. โ
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ begins to seep through her body like syrup , resulting in her boots to start dragging along the pavement as she considers her options . hazel eyes drift away from the hotdog stand nearby , ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฅ๐ฐ , to the shawarma truck that was already closing up uncharacteristically early . further down , ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ก๐ .
โ fuck. โ
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ choice but to set her pride aside , the growling in her stomach makes the decision for her as she finds herself in the establishment . โ then why's it flipped to ๐๐๐๐ ? โ fingers flick the slightly grimy metallic sign against the door . โ c'mon , man, where's the customer service ? s'like nobody wants to work anymore . โ ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ธ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ต ๐ฏ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ค๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ฏ .
i bet she could never make you ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ , 'cause the scars on your ๐๐๐ผ๐๐ are still ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ . tell me that she ๐ค๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฏ'๐ต get this ๐๐๐๐ฅ , she can almost be the worst of me , too bad she's just ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ off your ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ค . let me know when you're ready to ๐๐๐๐๐ . baby , you just need to send for me .
โธป ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ has emerged in the shadow world . the ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ is built on the bones of indulging on temptations , sharp nails stained with blood , and eerily chanting in latin . behind closed doors, whispers insist their allegiance belongs to ๐ง๐จ ๐จ๐ง๐ . only time will tell where their loyalties really lie , but one thing is certain : the descent into hell will be easy for ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ .
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ โธป
name : yesenia zavala
nickname(s) : none
age & birthday : 600 / october 29
sign : scorpio
gender & pronouns : cis woman , she/her
sexual orientation : bisexual
species : witchpire
familiar : doberman, named 'arevalo' / rev
allegiance : no one
occupation : owner of victrola
traits : adaptable, strategic, determined, confident, passionate, selfish, resentful, secretive, impatient, ruthless
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โธป
parents : xiomara & ignacio zavala
siblings : unnamed zavala's
more to be added
๐๐๐๐๐ โธป
tw: mentions arranged marriage & domestic abuse? kinda? def not in detail
from the moment they had proof of yesenia's life, she had been cherished and adored. born from two witches, with diluted warlock and fey ancestry from either side, who wanted nothing more than to grow their coven and continue to pass down their gifts.
her parents had broken away from the coven they'd originally met in, some may have called them ungrateful for it but truth was, it was far too fractured to try and save. there was strength in numbers and if they wanted their kind to survive, they'd have to strive for better and relocate. a few of their closest friends had been persuaded, though it didn't take much as tensions were running high within the group.
naturally, her parents became the leaders with far better discipline and cohesion to amplify their magic. along the way, they'd welcome more witches seeking growth and community too.
being the firstborn to the founders of the coven meant yesenia never lacked affection or attention. from the start, even when she'd been in her mothers womb, she'd been blessed with protection rituals and adorned with charms and talismans that'd been passed down. herbs and oils would be carefully smudged onto her skin with muttered chanting in latin that would soon become a second language to her too.
her magic would manifest at a young age with the guidance of her parents and coven, a luxury they didn't have in their own childhoods. and although some would have said she was the guinea pig (and spoiled princess) they realized that if they continued to successfully raise their children just as yesenia was, they'd amplify their abilities and protect each other from infernals and downworlders.
they lived mostly in peace with a few run ins with other species. admittedly, yesenia found them interesting despite being told that they were lost souls to the darkness. she would never admit out loud to the elders but she'd surely whisper about it with her sisters and cousins.
as lost as their soul may have been, or whatever the elders would say, they had far more powerful attributes that she'd secretly craved. as a teenager she'd sneak off to learn more about their kind, maybe even acquainting herself with a few vampires from a nearby clan or the nomadic warlocks that would pass through occasionally.
(alright, gonna try and speed this up a bit as I'm getting lazy -- oop)
tragedy does eventually strike when a pack of wolves, driven mad by the moon, breaks the treaty. a restless night of screaming and blood being splattered. they'd done their best to ward them off, killing a few in the process, but the zavala coven had lost more than half their people and homes.
her father had never been the same after losing his people, but losing his wife and a few sons hurt and angered him the most. everyone felt it, spirits were down, they'd have to rebuild from the ashes. in a fit of desperation, the only sort of solution he could come up with was seeking unity and refuge to the coven's nearby, a cry for help. most had turned a blind eye, they had enough on their own plates. until one finally lent a hand, they'd been acquainted with one another, occasionally trading spells and objects.
from the start of their partnership, before the bloodshed, yesenia had captured the attention of the leader who was far older than she was. she'd never paid him any mind but with the zavala's desperate for a helping hand, he named his price. she would be his in exchange for everything else.
it was an unhappy marriage and yesenia would forever despise the man and resent her father for it. in the end it was all for nothing as their covens merged into one, resources were scarce and her father easily overthrown. her ' husband ' lead with fear and heavy fists, community nowhere near what the zavala's once had.
desperate to find a way out for her and her remaining siblings, yesenia managed to sneak away in the dead of night when her ' husband ' had been off at some meeting. she'd run to that same vampire clan nearby, the one where she'd befriended a member or two. she was willing and ready to trade her magic for strength and bloodlust, that's when she'd found out she could transform into a hybrid.
she had targeted them where it hurt the most : siphoning every last drop of magic from their bodies. it was a new and welcomed ability, one that drove her into a frenzy just as much as the taste of blood did.
yesenia had of course spared her people, the same couldn't be said about her dad, and so she led them, helping them build from the ground up and in turn they worshipped her for it- for doing what her father couldn't when tragedy struck. she'd protect them and get her revenge on the covens that'd left them out to bleed, leaving them as weak mundanes.
but she craved more and knew she couldn't stay permanently, the years were starting to pass and she remained and the hunger only grew. the only way to satisfy her appetite was by leaving.
its been centuries now and yesenia has long parted ways with the pain she endured during her mundane witch years. the anger and annoyance remains as a reminder.
she enjoys indulging in her hunger and desire, keeping herself entertained as she can - its for the best she doesn't let boredom manifest ๐คซ new york has been fun thus far, always something to get into, someone to see. she's had victrola for a while now, its good income and keeps her busy and the bloodlust at bay. if she isn't consuming it, she's using it in her rituals. and it most certainly is on the menu.
you've been ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด , you've been ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฅ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ and you look ๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ธ๐ป half the time ( dont โ๐ธโ๐ผ ) . ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ you , like ๐๐ธโโ๐โ๐ผ๐ do . you've still got it , i'm just keeping an eye . you know you're ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐ than this .
โธป ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ has emerged in the shadow world . the ๐จ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ช๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ง is built on the bones of hitting replay on old videos and voice messages over and over again , taking a swig straight from a bottle of vodka before using it as a disinfectant , and furrowed brows focused on mending skin with a needle . behind closed doors, whispers insist their allegiance belongs to ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ . only time will tell where their loyalties really lie, but one thing is certain : the descent into hell will be easy for ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ .
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ โธป
name : josephine blythe
nickname(s) : josie , jo
age & birthday : 30 / november 23, 1996
sign : sagittarius
gender & pronouns : cis woman , she/her
sexual orientation : lesbian
species : nephilim/shadowhunter
allegiance : the circle
traits : resourceful, persistent, adventurous, inquisitive, passionate, sarcastic, impulsive, blunt, unforgiving, restless
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โธป
parents : celeste beaumont & elijah blythe
siblings : evelyne blythe, benjamin blythe, jonathan blythe, sabrina blythe, eliza blythe
parabatai : jonathan blythe
๐๐๐๐๐ โธป
tw: death of family member
born alongside her brother, jonathan or jb, the twins were the middle children among the six. though, admittedly, their infant and toddler years made their parents question whether or not they would continue to have more. they were a handful as it was and whipping them into being the next generation of soldiers shadowhunters within their lineage was proving to be a struggle.
or maybe the struggle was mostly with josie, her parents would never fully admit it out loud but that's how it certainly felt. coming from two pureblood lines of shadowhunters meant there was a legacy her and her siblings would have to sustain.
she may have not fully understood it at a young age but the pressure would surely make a home in her chest and suffocate her.
attached at her brothers hip, the two were partners in crime from the moment they started crawling and you couldn't tell them that they weren't born with twin telepathy. a 'gift' bestowed upon them by angels, their grandmother would jokingly entertain.
although eager to walk, jump and climb all over the place, getting josie to sit and focus on her studies was a hassle. she was too hyperactive and inattentive, spoke yapped out of line and unfiltered too much unlike her older siblings who just seemed to get it easily. the twins would be sent off to the academy in idris, despite how slightly embarrassing it was that the training their family could provide wouldn't be enough.
she wasn't a complete lost cause, josie enjoyed training in combat and learning weaponry. it kept her busy and entertained, and it seemed to be the only time she did focus. the academy could work with that and mold her into a disciplined warrior and weapon, as close as josephine could get, at least.
her parents even feared whether or not she would be initiated at twelve, josie thought they were dramatic (they were) and she wore her first rune with pride, happy to prove them wrong. maybe, just maybe, they'd stop their doubting and have a little faith.
naturally, of course josie and jb would become each other's parabatai. fighting alongside one another and being able to know of each other's whereabouts even when they were apart on separate missions. as if the twins weren't bonded enough as it was, at least their parents could be proud of them for completing their training and following in their footsteps.
josie thrived being able to travel, enjoying the missions that were a little bit too far out more than others, always finding creative ways to come victoriously on top. plus she got to see a lot more of the world and meet new people, who wouldn't enjoy those perks?
that is, until she'd been traveling back to meet with her brother to join him on a mission he'd taken up. she'd told him to wait, that she'd be there soon, but of course he just had to be impatient and reckless (she definitely shouldn't be judging harshly) . if it weren't for the fact that they were outnumbered she would've yelled at him for not listening to her.
what neither had expected were the hellhounds and how quickly they'd ripped into jb like nothing. all she could hear were his strangled final breaths, still doing his best to hurt the creatures before they could turn their attention towards her. with blurred vision she'd managed to escape, knowing it was the only smart thing she could do as what little of his life force that was left faded along with their parabatai rune.
josie would have to come back to the scene of the crime, numbered this time, to collect his body and finish the mission.
it's been a year or so since jb died. in her process of mourning and all that therapeutic bullshit of acceptance and processing that it comes with the job, her allegiance has turned to the circle. and she's picked up a few vices here and there, drinking her grievances away until she's numb, maybe picking a fight or two, sue her.