Gangster Era

(OOC--Ro, join in if you like, but we thought to just idly work on a thread RP to keep mental juices flowing for when you're more active again. So we took a blank spot in history and ran with it. No plot. Just to write something.)

Naitachel raised a couple fingers for someone to bring him another drink and smiled. It was fun to watch people dancing around, hear the laughter and merriment, and feel their care-free emotions. Those who ran the place were darker, frightening almost in their ruthlessness. Luckily they stayed out of the merriment. They respected money. Luckily the Prince family had plenty.

Though that was also a lure. The Seraph hadn't missed those odd visitors meeting Radu and Vlad now and then, trying to make sure their power and influence didn't cross their own, even trying to lull them over. So far, the pair had danced the tightrope of neutrality. One could hope that would continue so.

For now, Nait enjoyed not being effected by his drinks in the least, just there to savor the atmosphere. He nodded and tipped the server who brought him another martini, then sipped it a little just to give an excuse for his presence. Some here thought him a rich and weird lush. There was some word of him being a crippled Italian castrato. Others had other theories, rumors abounding. But he stayed quiet and cheerful and pretended it was that he simply held his liquor extremely well, being foreign.

That was true enough, right?

Soraya knew they should, technically, not be here. Since Prohibition had gone into effect, being in such establishments they called Speakeasies was, really, illegal. She and Naitachel were currently risking being here when a raid took place, and if such were to happen and they didn't make it out in time, they were further risking angering the arm of the law.

And perhaps Radu and Vlad.

But the fact was that this was where there was music, and dancing, and that was why Soraya came. Of course, a glass of wine or two and a few cocktails always helped, but it was the music that was mesmerizing. And as an homage to that very fact, her foot was now currently tapping to the beat of the song currently playing, the singer's rich, husky voice reverberating against the walls of this place. The sound mingled with the voices and laughter of the other patrons pleasantly.

"I believe they said her name was... Alberta Hunter?" Soraya said to Naitachel absently. "She is rather fantastic." She watched in silence as Naitachel's second drink was brought to him. She made no comment, as she knew alcohol didn't affect him. That was, except for champagne.

On her, however, the alcohol did hold sway, and the world was admittedly starting to have a somewhat... funnier lilt.

"Come and let us dance!" she said loudly, grabbing the seraph's arm and tugging on him lightly.

Min glanced up from the piano where he sat, grinning at the sight of Soraya trying to coax Naitachel into dancing with her. He considered a moment going to rescue him, but then shook his head and continued pounding merrily on the keys, enjoying the singers husky voice and the overall atmosphere of the place itself.

"I'm going to have a club of my own someday," he promised himself. "When things are settled and our responsibilities less overwhelming, I'm going to treat myself to a place where I can do this every night."

For now, though, he contented himself with playing here in the backroom clubs here in town. Most people knew he was a member of the Prince family, but he'd allowed them to believe he lacked any power or influence within it, if only to avoid being pursued by the local thugs. Admittedly, that wasn't always as successful as he'd hoped it would be, but it did reduce the number of times guns were pointed at him, thus reducing the number of times he had to reduce the thug population around him. He didn't mind their laughable attempts at intimidation so much, to be honest. He just really hated being shot.

Naitachel was in a neat suit and a long coat, the coat adapted with a special lining like an inner pocket for tail and wings to hide within. It took a minute to get on because he had to tuck many feathers within, but once on it hid things quite well. His feet wore "braces", really just bars of metal along the sides of his ankles to his soft shoes as an excuse for his odd walking style. It supported the rumors of him being crippled, but he wasn't so odd with many folk braced or otherwise affected by polio in their youth. So when Soraya asked to dance and tugged at his hand, he slid to his feet to comply with a cheerful smile.

The Charleston was an energetic and fun dance, ankles flying side to side, all the rage right now. It was but one of many such dance styles running wild now. Catching Soraya's hands, he pranced with the good cheer and enthusiasm this dance was designed for. That he hung out with his sister-in-law a great deal sometimes formed rumors of an affair between them, words that he always laughed off. She was devoted to Vlad. And he had his own interests, thank you. With Vlad and the rest of the family so busy, they needed someone to have a bit of practice with, right? So despite his coat fluttering around them, the pair enjoyed the dance floor.

<Could you believe it? Humans, trying to fly across the ocean! I am still attempting to wrap my mind around the concept. To think I may one day have to resort to nightly activity to avoid meeting humans in the air!> the Seraph laughed. <Speaking of odd things flying about, the Sevilles invited us to a seance tonight. I must admit curiosity as to if this is real or not. Do you wish to go?>

Soraya grinned as she followed Naitachel across the dance floor. Her feet moved easily, and the movements sent her red curls wild. She was sure she was drawing more attention to herself than was strictly necessary, particularly given whispers that had apparently been shared recently, but she couldn't make herself care; she was having entirely too much fun.

At Naitachel's commentary on humans flying, Soraya laughed breathlessly. <What is wrong with humans flying? I have flown on several occasions,> she teased, though they both knew the only way she had ever flown was with the seraph's help. <Besides, you often have to keep to flying at night as it is, what with the fact that people could see you if you were to fly over New York City in the daytime. I suppose the risk of running into a human in the air may add some thrill of discovery to your outings?> she teased.

The idea of a seance gave Soraya pause. <It may be interesting,> she answered, her steps slowing somewhat as she pondered the idea, <Though... do you suppose they are real?> she asked. She seldom asked the seraph for information about... beyond, and truth be told, she already knew more than she wished she did. Where her own family was intended to be going after final death, for example.

<I mean... is it truly possible for any on the other side to come through? Or would they be souls trapped in between? Could those from our own pasts come through and pose a sort of a threat by exposing us?>

<I can still get by occasionally in the daytime if up high enough not to be noticed. But if humans learn to take to the heights, that will mean I could be noticed far easier and therefore have to curtail my flights even more. I have nothing against your kind taking to the air using human ingenuity, but I must admit it would inconvenience me. I do not need more excitement, however, or "thrills" in my life--what I have are plenty enough,> Nait admitted with a chuckle as they continued to circle the dance floor. He was light on his feet and careful to keep turning enough that his long coat and tail stayed out of harm's way. It was quite lively music and he was enjoying himself immensely.

<Can a seance be real? Yes. It opens doorways and Summons. However, keep in mind such techniques, in a stronger level, are used to bring myself, Mara, and even demons into this world. Seances may be weaker, but they still may draw spirits into this world. If done correctly, it is a temporary visit by someone known. If not... something undesired and vicious may enter instead, and be difficult to send back,> he cautioned. <And, unfortunately, most those I know of who perform such rituals have only half the necessary knowledge, perhaps the rest being lost by time, and "wing it" the rest of the way, so it ends up being hit or miss results. Quite risky. Virtually anything may visit in such cases. I have no idea how my own presence might effect it, however.>

Soraya's smile began to fade as Naitachel spoke about the lines frequently unwittingly, and yet not completely blindly crossed when attempting to play with those things they didn't actually understand.

<One would guess that having you present would at least give them the backup of someone who actually knows how to contain it should it get them out of control,> she answered the seraph. She liked the Sevilles well enough, and they had young children living in the house. Any unwanted visitor from the, "other side," could bode more trouble for them than they would be able to handle. <If it is dangerous that they conduct this seance, if it is real, then perhaps we should be there to protect them, if nothing else. I suddenly feel rather uneasy leaving them to their own devices regarding this... experiment,> the redhead admitted. <Perhaps we should even consider trying to dissuade them from going through with this in the first place...>

The problem was that if the Sevilles had invited them, that meant they had likely invited several others, as well. And that meant there would be others there expecting a seance, which would also mean the proud Sevilles would be going through with it no matter what, if simply to save face in front of those elite-society members they had invited to attend.

<I agree, at least we ca help undo anything before someone is terribly hurt. I have never been to one before, only to rituals where I was the target of summoning or my opponent was. So at the least we might protect others,> Naitachel agreed, swinging her back towards their table as the dance ended. He, too feared for the people involved and anyone residing in the area. Too many dangerous things could be loosened by the unwitting and unwise and unlearned. Minor demons, imps, poltergeists, ghosts of a malevolent kind, any could be set free. Or, worse, a full demon or Mara. And the absolute worst? A portal to such dark things being opened and left open.

<However, I am not so certain we can dissuade them from holding the seance at all. Pride will win out over caution there usually, lest they lose face. I think we should not protest overmuch lest they withdraw their invitation, but a cautionary word after might be best.> Maybe the Sevilles would be more open to simply not holding another one, especially if they got scared during this one? One could but hope a poltergeist or angry ghost would be dissuading enough by itself. But hopefully nothing worse would come through, and when the seance ended it closed that out with the session's end, not leaving such unbound and free in the home. Granted Naitachel could banish such easily enough, but something stronger would be difficult for him and possibly force him to reveal what he himself was, too, in the process. Angels were supposed to keep a low profile, so that wasn't something he wanted to do. It could also lead to dangerous questions and rumors spreading about the whole family.

As she followed Naitachel back to their own table, the redhead nodded in agreement with the seraph's assessment of the situation. <I had come to much the same conclusion myself. There will be no dissuading them this time.>

The redhead sighed and sat, if only to gather her items before leaving again. <Though I fear I will be of little help in this should something go wrong. It is true, from what I understand several demons have an aversion if not a weakness to fire, but I will have to be judicious in my use of my powers, lest I accidentally entangle a bystander in a flame in the process. Still, I suppose I can at least offer my assistance should it become necessary.>

She silently hoped it wouldn't come to that, for if it did, that would mean that the very worst of demons would have come through in a physical way rather than only spiritual... the very worst of situations. She hoped all they would stir were annoyed spirits who would jostle the table a little.

"Shall we, then?" the redhead suggested, standing. "I presume it will begin rather shortly?" As she stood, she nodded in Min's direction, just now noticing he was also here, at the speakeasy.

Naitachel nodded, then flashed Soraya a smile. <Yes, perhaps fire might not be so useful against such in an indoor setting. However, with these sorts of foes, often enough a strong heart and will are the most vital of weapons. When you fight a spirit, your own must be strong to win as it has not a physical form to fight. Telepathy is a powerful tool as well. But keep in mind, what you fight may well fight dirty, using emotion and memory against you. It is very intricate battle indeed. But you have the strength of will to be a strong force for good in this.>

Noticing where Soraya had looked, he waved to Min as well in greeting, wondering if he was hanging out here or might tag along as protection. He himself had little to carry, just some money and identification materials and a couple keys, but that was enough to get mugged nowadays.

Min nodded back to Nait and rose, yielding the stool to the regular piano player, then followed Nait and Soraya. He tipped his hat to a few of the ladies on his way out, pausing only long enough to retrieve his long coat from the cloak room. Shadowing his in-laws, he kept his senses attuned to the shadows and alleyways. It never paid to drop your guard this late into the evening.

Naitachel's words made Soraya shudder. She had to admit to herself that she had much to lose - her husband, her sons, her family... and her past was a minefield of things she had rather forget. <I do hope what you fear does not come to pass,> she admitted ruefully. <I may be strong-willed, or as Vlad generally puts it, stubborn, though I think that is an exaggeration, but there is much I would rather not be forced to face, if a fight does become, "dirty.">

She wrapped herself more tightly in her coat, walking at as fast a pace as her legs allowed, particularly in these high-heeled shoes and so-called flapper dress. The night suddenly felt colder than it had.

"You could walk with us rather than behind us, you know," she called back to Min, hoping the bit of levity would dissipate this foreboding feeling she had. "The Sevilles live rather nearby, and if you intend to join us at the seance, we may as well all arrive together," she said just as they rounded the corner onto the street in question. The Sevilles' house was only a few doors away, and already she could make out another couple, likely the Handley's, being welcomed inside.

Min chuckled even as he moved forward and wrapped his long coat about his sister-in-law's shoulders. "Let us hope they have sufficient aperitif to warm you from this chill, sister. It would not do to have you fall ill." Glancing from Soraya to Naitachel, he asked, a wicked grin spreading across his handsome face. "So tell me, my dears, what sort of trouble will your husbands be chastising us for finding tonight?"

"No mischief," Naitachel told Min cheerfully. "We are but discussing what to do should the seance prove real. Amateurs should not disturb such forces as it is too easy to allow in something of a far darker nature than intended. If so, we may need a fair deal of strong will to send it back and close such doors again. If it reaches such a point, however, I may have to request you step out, especially if I must use my energies to cleanse. I wish you no harm, after all."

They were headed do a large and handsome manor house, a mansion of the times. The Sevilles had even remodeled a whole room just for seances. But from beyond the wrought-iron fence it looked lovely so far, and quite roomy. The Seraph had to admit he liked that style with the turrets and tiled roofs, balconies adorned with fancy railings to match the fences, elegant woodwork adorning the whole exterior facade. It was solid yet beautiful, with tall windows and several stories tall. Dinner was planned, then the seance itself with Misses (or "Lady" as she liked to be called) Seville herself leading it. They were rumored to have an extensive library in their seance room, and Nait only hoped none of their books were of the supernatural. He really hoped this was all a hoax. If it was real, it was too likely something dark had already arrived, or would soon if they kept this up. As far as he'd seen lately, the recent interest in the occult was dangerous because any "experts" in it were only half knowledgeable at best.

Min rolled his eyes. "Fools and their parlor games," he sighed as he accompanied the others. He resisted the urge to call their kin, in case greater strength should be needed to protect the attendees from their own folly than the three of them possessed. "So long as the food is of adequate caliber, I suppose I could be persuaded to play along. Perhaps we three could even give them a bit of the show they seek." he winked and smiled impishly, hoping that would be the extent of their exertions.

Naitachel's grim prediction that Min may be forced to step outside did nothing to alleviate Soraya's own discomfort at the situation.

"Well, let us hope it does not come to more than that," she breathed in agreement with Min as they neared the manor in question. "After all, the odds are really that she simply puts on a good show by adding trap doors and mechanisms to make the table itself shake." As far as she knew, the majority of those who claimed to dabble in the arts really resorted to trickery rather than actual interactions with the other side.

She gave her two companions one last meaningful look before crossing the gate an plastering on a large, perhaps overly so, smile. Given her own rather self-centered outlook on the world, the redhead doubted that "Lady" Seville would actually notice. She was more likely to dive right into her own grandiose plans for the evening and into her assurances that the Princes were not likely to ever forget whatever amazing spectacle she had in mind. Of course, Lady Seville herself was likely to be the heroine and center of attention for the event; kind as she might be most times, Lady Seville was hardly one to give up the spotlight to anyone else.

"Lady Seville!" Soraya called, approaching the woman in question. "How are you doing, this evening? Thank you again for the invitation tonight."

Lady Seville smiled brightly, almost bouncing with energy as she moved to embrace Soraya. "Oh, Mrs. Prince, how wonderful you've made it, and with such dashing escorts as well. Come! Come! We're about to begin." She almost dragged Soraya toward the rest of the guests. "Alright, now. Everyone inside. Come along. It's almost time."

Lord Seville approached Min and Nait. The smoke from his cigar billowed about him as he held the gate open for them. "Come on then, gentlemen," he urged them. "She won't want you to miss this, and neither would I."

Soraya tried not to stumble and fall over as Lady Seville dragged her into the house, clearly more than a little enthusiastic about this seance. <Should we see how they are doing this before interfering? Only intervene if they are flirting with true danger?> she asked her aforementioned dashing escorts.

Lady Seville was clearly so thrilled at the idea of this, "event," that Soraya hated to ruin it for her unnecessarily.

"I would not have missed it for the world," she answered the Lady in question aloud. "Will you be leading this yourself," she asked, "or did you find a medium? This is all very thrilling, but I admit to being somewhat... afraid of what we may contact." She put on her best innocent, if somewhat helpless expression, a look she had become rather adept at using when necessary.

<I think you are right. Intervening is best if only necessary, as by doing so we risk ourselves. Much as I wish to keep them safe, if they are accomplishing little with this then they are in no true danger, and perhaps measures may be discretely taken to ensure that. After all, by interfering, at the least we would be revealing we have some knowledge about such matters. At the worst, we shall be revealing our true natures and skills. The first would only encourage them. I do not know whether they might try learning more on their own, or if they would hound us to be part of their efforts and displays. The latter, they shall either be terrified or entranced, though I might hope the former--but the truth would be spread wildly, I am certain. Can you imagine either of them staying quiet about having friends of a vampiric or angelic nature, or able to generate fire in her hand?> The Seraph sighed mentally.

Naitachel had to admire Soraya's ability to seem all naive and innocent for other people and her skill with words in such situations. In moments like these, it was so very useful! He himself could not help but display his own feelings, and they were simply a pensive uncertainty. Luckily that suited the situation. But when they had to face and deal with some of the darker powers controlling the city these days, he was more a detriment and hindrance than aid, as he revealed too much too easily. Usually, as a result he simply excused himself frm any such dealings, deferring to others in the family. He trusted them to decide as they felt fit on his behalf. Though he wished he wasn't such a liability when interacting in such delicate matters. And this could easily be another one such.

Nodding politely to Lord Seville, the Seraph entered as bid. "Have you both done this before? Is there a particular person we will be seeking to speak with? And what started this interest?" he asked curiously.

"Find a medium? What, no, my dear. I am a medium," the Lady said proudly. She patted Soraya on the shoulder and smiled as one patronizing a child might. "You have nothing to fear, dear girl. I promise you will be safe beside me. I will be in absolute control of anything that crosses over into our realm. But hurry! It's absolutely imperative we start promptly at midnight!" Lady Seville sped her pace, attempting to drag Soraya along with her as she chattered brightly. "Isn't this just terribly thrilling?"

Soraya glanced over her shoulder at Naitachel.

<Uh oh,> she sent the seraph, knowing not much else would have to be said between them.  They would, it seemed, have to be on high alert.

"Thrilling, and yet terrifying!" Soraya said, playing into Lady Seville's antics.  Maybe if she went into hysterics, or at least pretended to, she might be able to forestall any true damage?  It wasn't a particularly fantastic plan, but it was something.  "How do you do this?  What if it is dangerous?" she asked, as if awed at Lady Seville's greatness.  "What if...  what if something unwanted comes through?"  Soraya looked up, wide-eyed, at their hostess.  "Do you have a way of warding off bad things?"

They needed to know, a well, if perhaps things weren't as dire as they feared.  Perhaps her methods would be all wrong, or, by some miracle, perhaps they would have appropriate wards and safeguards in place.