13739/News..news...and more news...

News..news...and more news...
Date of Scene:	19 August 2021
Location:	Cove Cottage
Synopsis:	Lucifer invites a Dracula to come see a new home he's got with Sinister. Plus, this just in...
Cast of Characters:	Lucifer, Sinister, Dracula

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Lucifer has posed:
The cottage is beginning to come together. Looking more homely than all run down like an old sea shack. Which would make sense considering it's by the sea, whacked by the perils that can come from the ocean. Sort of. Up in the northeast things don't tend to come in from the sea but moves more towards it. Either way, it's homey and lovely. All gothic sea shack with some pirate flair.

It works damnit.

And here is Lucifer, standing outside in the front yard working on the weeds and mess that's gunked up the stone path that leads to the porch steps. While he's doing this, he's smoking on a cigarette, and since it's on his mind he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a very particular coin. Why not surprise the hell out of Dracula and call him to a place he's not familiar with. Course, he'll likely surprise Nathanielle as well with sudden company but... he also doesn't want them to wait much longer to info dump all the things into Dracula's lap.

Sinister has posed:
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon... Oh you BEAUTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY~" This heard from inside the cottage, albeit a little muffled. "Nyahaha, go Nate, it's nor your birthday, but hay. You did not blow the fusebox!"

Tiles up, the kitchen makes a lot of noises as a symphony of putting things back where they were begins. "I'm going to open the kitchen purchases soon and there should be a grocery delivery imminently!" Is called out "Just FYI."

Dracula has posed:
From afar, the Lord of the Vampires has perhaps found himself beset with a certain amount of curiosity. He is often curious, and yet this particular curiosity has to do with the location of tokens. Or more specifically, the locations of the people who carry them. What is interesting by the sea? He wonders over such things whilst he is in a moment of lazy repose in the den of his castle keep. There is a pause in the action of swirling a glass of brandy when he senses the particular tug caused by the coin that Lucifer carries. One of his eyebrows quirks up, and a smile tugs at the corners of his lips. The glass is set aside and he smoothly rises to his feet before taking a step that bears him into shadow and darkness.

Skittering swirls of black shadow whisper through the air, gathering together and writhing amongst themselves. And after they linger a moment, Vlad steps from amongst them. They slither and dissipate behind him, and he takes a step further beyond them as his dark brown gaze flickers lightly over the location. Yet more than that, to the one who caused him to arrive here. He is, as is his habit, dressed in black -- a button up black silk shirt, black slacks, black leather shoes. A purple pocketsquare tucked into the shirt, and a long black peacoat worn overtop, his black hair falling halfway down his back. He tilts his head a touch to one side at what he hears from within the cottage as he steps closer. "You have been busy, my dear," he says softly. Yet for as softly as he speaks, the words are clearly borne to Lucifer for him to hear them.

Lucifer has posed:
"Alright! I'll keep an eye out! Can you put the kettle on, love?" Lucifer calls back to Sinister who is finishing out the details of the kitchen. Soon there will be tea had, and the groceries - well - the two of them at least do like eating food on occassion even if it does nothing for them. And Lucifer has proven that he can cook a plethora of things.

All of this is side thought as he hears Vlad's voice, straightening up and turning to look the man over. "Vlad, darling, how are you?" Walking forward, he offers the Lord of Vampires a hug and a tender kiss if he'll accept it. "Busy yes. With a few things. There is much to fill you in on, but first, welcome! A little home away from home in a sense. Come, let me show you inside." And he does just that, leads the unexpected visitor into the home with the unexpected visitee.

Sinister has posed:
"Tea it is," -- comes the cheerful feminine reply from inside. Inside the cottage is as much of a work in progress as outside -- although the garden looks as if it was once tended to quite kindly by someone that loved the rambling 'old english and wildflower' feel, it got a bit tangled and overgrown, hence the weeding. Inside, wallpaper has been stripped from the front hallway and vestibule where divesting of galloshers, wellingtons and wet by-the-coast clothing can be done and inside? Well, it's a little one and a half story affair. Seems once it had been a bungalow by the sea, but now, the attic has been half converted house the two upstairs bedrooms of the place. The downstairs, which once held all such rooms, now has an open plan kitchen dining room off of the right, overlooking the sea channel and a living room/study area to the left, with a groundfloor guest bedroom/den area, root cellar outside and a bathroom shower affair. The laundry room seems tucked in the back, where one might have a dog given that the floors are tiled, there's a sink for washing either big things that are muddy, or things from the backyard, which appears small and similarly rambly, but leads to its own little jetty into the water and a ricketty boathouse.

The whole cottage with its whitewashed walls and climbing rambling roses around the porch, sits on a little cliff-drop to the water with a deck off the dining/kitchen and probably a basement. That'd be accessed under the stairs.

Sinister is humming as she puts the kettle on the hob. An old fashioned singer, with a nice large tea-pot warming on a wrought iron stand nearby. It's all freshly tiled with new appliances and a self-dusting/vacuuming going on at the moment, courtesy of the window being open and telekinesis being a tool.

Dracula has posed:
There are times when Vlad chooses to eat as well. It depends on the food, and it depends on the company. Sometimes he does it to simply make humans feel more at ease by making himself appear more like them. Not that he often tends to care how humans view him. The notion of tea appeals to him, even though he had been just drinking brandy. He knows how to cook even though he doesn't put the skill on display very often.

A smile quirks at the corners of his lips as he watches Lucifer, and he inclines his head towards the man. He approaches, his dark eyes showing a sparkle to them, and he slips his arms around him to hug him in turn and willingly meet the kiss that's offered. "I am well, thank you. And for yourself?" Vlad asks, a flicker of curiosity to his voice. One of his eyebrows quirks up, and he gives a small nod. "A little home away from home is oft a good thing to have. Thank you, for the welcome," he says softly. He lifts his right hand, gesturing slightly towards the door. "Of course, after you," he adds, inclining his head towards Lucifer. He starts to follow him then towards and into the cottage, his curiosity piqued -- and even more so by the feminine voice from within the little house.

Once within, he slips his feet from his shoes before nudging them aside and out of the way. He takes in the space with a measure of curiosity. He easily shrugs out of his peacoat, and then he hangs it up on a hook near to others. "It seems a work in progress. I do like the look of it, and it seems to have good bones to it," he says softly. Once he has passed beyond the hall, he takes a brief glance towards the open area of the dining room and kitchen, then takes a longer look. "It would seem there have been other changes as well," he comments.

Lucifer has posed:
"Depends on the day. Currently I am well. Some recent events have come to pass that made me not so much. We'll get into all that. I promise." Lucifer offers as he begins to lead the way to and into the cottage. "I am sorry if it seems I've been distant from you. That both is and is not the case. I - we - have news, and I have a...request...to make of you. Actually. We have a request, and I have another request. It will all make sense in a moment." This much more. Lucifer is nervous. Sort of. He's seen this all blow up in his face in both a singular and dual method. He just has to not fuck this up.

And often times with Sinister and Dracula in the same room, he tends to fuck things up.

Once inside, he proffers a kiss to Vlad's cheek and then steps away for a moment. "Nathanielle, dear, we have a visitor. So we'll need three cups." He offers and then looks to Vlad and pulls a chair out for him at the dining table. Be yourself, you nitwit, and you're already starting off all prim and proper. He's putting himself through the mental wringer. A glance back over as he approaching Nathanielle and hugs her from behind. "The kitchen, my love, looks amazing."

Sinister has posed:
THe tiles are a black and white mediterranean theme, with simple geometric designs on the backsplash, it goes well with rustic cubpards and black-top finish on the various appliances and counters. Sinister had just been taking out the cups from the cabinet, various plate sets from expensive places, all in boxes still stacked on the floor by the dishwasher. They look like they're from local and not-so-local artisan potters, rather than commercial, so there's that. She turns, looking over her shoulder with one ruby red eye sparkling and holds up the third cup that was already in hand. An air-kiss is sent toward Vlad.

"You can invite all unexpectedly, but I can still hear your mind, my dear..." she chuckles. "Welcome to Cove Cottage, Vlad Dracul. I hope you like earl grey, as that's what's on the cards...." The kettle sings, she lets it off the hob and waits a good thirty seconds for it to cool -- slices of lemon, a little sugar, a little honey and no milk in sight, are put on the tray with the mugs, set to float over to the kitchen table which appears to be made of repurposed flotsam, also local artisanal. Very soon, the tea is steeping, the pot is ferried over and a cosy put atop of it and somewhere she got gingersnaps and thin mint biscuits, the kind that are very similar to Girlscout cookies. A gesture is made to those. "They found us already."

Dracula has posed:
"Recent events?" Vlad inquires, raising an eyebrow slightly as his dark gaze settles on Lucifer. "I have, perhaps, been gone a trifle too long," he comments, a flicker of curiosity shadowing his voice. "I will hold you to that promise, my dear. There is nary a need for an apology to be given. I have allowed you to be as distant as you have been and done naught to stop it or change it. It is a thing that works in both directions, for I could have reached out to you as well," he says, giving a small nod. "I look forward to hearing the meat of the requests that you have mentioned. I find myself curious over them," he adds.

He takes a moment to study Lucifer for a moment longer, then he steps forward to the dining room table and the chair thus drawn out. Lifting his right hand, he lightly touches Lucifer's side, then leans closer to kiss him on the cheek. "Relax, my dear. I will not bite unless you ask it of me," he says softly, a gentle tone to his voice. He settles to the chair, then smoothly crosses his legs at the knee, one of his hands coming to rest atop his knee.

He seems quite at ease, really. His dark gaze turns to Sinister and he inclines his head for the welcome offered. There's a wink as he makes a show of catching the kiss sent his way, and returning one of his own. "Thank you for the welcome, as well, my dear. Earl grey is quite a lovely brew, and it will be perfect," he says, giving a small nod. "I quite like the feel that this little cottage has," he adds. He glances towards the cookies, and then he chuckles softly before giving a nod. "I fear it never takes them long to find any particular place where they might make a sale. Next 'twill be Avon calling," he muses, a touch of amusement to his voice.

Lucifer has posed:
Relax. Yes. Lucifer can do that, right? He has no idea why he seems to get so twisted when both his lovers are in the same room. Maybe a part of him is just waiting for the jealousy monster to rage from someone, or for one or the other to simply tell him he can't have his cake AND eat it too. Still, he smiles and gives a nod to Vlad. "We do have ways of contacting the other. And like you I could have reached out sooner than I did." A pause. "Sort of." Then he presses a kiss into Sinister's neck and shifts to move back to the table. A glance to the girl scout cookies is given and he laughs. "Did they? Please tell me you also bought some samoas..." Those are his favorite.

"Thank you. We found it while taking some time to spend away from the city. Conversations had been had, and this place just seemed enough out of the way but also close to home that it was perfect." This offered and explained to Vlad before he taps a finger upon his chin. Likely trying to think of a starting point.

While thinking, he pulls a chair out for Nathanielle to use once she comes to the table and then he sits in a spot that will put him between the two. Not literally of course, just he'll have one on either side of him. "Well. Where to start. I suppose at the beginning...and we can take turns." He smirks. "After some thought, conversations, and considerations... Sinister and I have decided to start a family." He offers. "And, in fact, are actually expecting our first child." There. Nutshell one cracked open.

Sinister has posed:
Nathanielle flicks eyebrows up in a saucy bob at the catch of kiss, smiling open mouthed and flicking the tip of her tongue to taste the air oh-so-fleetingly. Then decorum reclaims itself, even though she tends to dress to all the assets and all the curves, even when dressing casual. After all, both these men know the full shape of Miss Sinister intimately. "Of course," Sinister glances over her shoulder again as she settles, this time at the top shelf over the counter. It opens and a box floats out, to land on the table, just in case. There's a few boxes in there. Girl scouts are hustlers. "There's been the odd occasion when Avon calling came in handy. Wait... they even find you out in the mountains of Wallachia?" She has to chuckle at that, because that's a sketch comedy if ever there was one.

A hand briefly touches the back of Lucifer's as he settles himself, solidarity as he sorts his mind out and in the meantime, she plays mother to the pot, pouring out three cups, adding a lemon slice to two of them and proffering a third to Vlad. And then? The crux of it begins.

"That started out with me not entirely sure Lucifer was being serious and it wasn't... this way around," she indicates the two of them. "He offered the possibility, to my masculine face. That went a bit strange."

Dracula has posed:
"It is as it is, and there is no changing the past," Vlad says softly. "Sometimes, time has a way of getting away from us. The hours stretch to days which easily become weeks," he comments, a thoughtful note to his voice. One of his eyebrows quirks up. "Sort of?" inquires the vampire, a touch of curiosity to his voice. "Sort of or otherwise, I could have come or I could have reached out in some manner of way. I chose not to, and I chose to give you space," he comments, giving a small nod.

"It is oft a good thing to spend time away from the city. I find that cities have a way of becoming noisy and lending towards a stifling sort of feeling, by times," he muses. "It does seem like quite an ideal sort of location." He's quiet for a time then, watching Lucifer pull out a chair for Nathanielle. "The beginning is oft a good place to start, aye," he comments, a smile quirking at the corners of his lips. He glances towards Sinister, then back to Lucifer, and one of his eyebrows quirks up at the news that's shared. "Ah, a family. I can understand the appeal," he says softly, a warm smile turning at the corners of his lips. "Congratulations are in order, it seems, for you both," he adds in a warm voice, sounding pleased and happy for them.

It's a wonder that the girl scouts haven't somehow managed to find his keep, but alas -- it's kept in another country where they can't reach. "Mm, they have found me at other temporary residences rather than at the Keep itself. The Keep is too well guarded and protected for them to actually end up at the door. A thing which Lucifer discovered quite unintentionally," he comments, a touch of amusement to his voice. His gaze turns to Sinister, studying her for a lingering moment, and he gives a nod. "I can see how that would have a way of going a touch strange," he says. He reaches out to accept the cup of tea that's offered, adding only a touch of sugar to it. "Thank you," he adds, inclining his head slightly.

Lucifer has posed:
"Ah. Yes. That is the true beginning. As not he me, but she me, because I have a she me...approached male Sin with the idea for family. Many talks and thoughts later, we turned the tables and decided Miss Sinister - aptly named Nathenielle by John Constantine - would be the child bearer.." Lucifer offers. "Then it sort of cascaded a bit. Nathanielle was attacked a couple nights later by ones known as Watchers. Speaking of some prophecy or another about our child coming to be and how it will end the world or summat...." He adds in this much, and then seems to think on it. Talk, conception, attacks. Not trying to skim on any details but he's also a little fuzzy on the time line.

"Then on a night out for ourselves, after cleaning up that mess we fell into a two-for-one. In that Uriel snagged me and we had a fight while Sinister ran into John Constantine again..." This is where he trails off a moment. There is good news and thoughts mixed in with the crapbag, he swears! Though he lets Nathanielle perhaps say a bit more on matters.

Sinister has posed:
"Watchers, the choir that are made up primarily of mortals-turned-angels, under the Archangel Metatron, who once was Enoch, the builder of the first city, elevated on death. Fanatics, most of them. They attempted to ambush me at Highgate cemetary, when I was paying respects and having a conversation with my dead parents, wife and two children. In the nature of making peace with old relationships and finally moving on, that was the purpose of that trip. It was rather rude to get impaled by a spear by some trumped up human with wings..." Sinister wrinkles her nose, looks over at Vlad and inclines her head. "Really, it's our family, as I'm the oven to bake this, but it's Lucifer's offspring and he's never had offspring. All kinds of prophecies exist on what will happen when the Devil takes a mortal... well, in this case immortal lover and bears a child. So, I might just be having the antichrist." She lets that just stew a little bit, then perseveres.

"Anyhoo... I don't know if you've heard of John Constantine -- he's a mystic of sorts and exceptionally touched with being able to see the invisible. They call him Hellblazer. Chainsmoking, weird-talking englishman that can act like his very own one-man vatican exorcist team. It turns out... he's on our side and offered to protect us. The child. Who we've decided is going to be called Morgan Stella Essex, or Morgan Stern Essex, depending. John's convinced that it'll be a boy... but I digress. That night when Lucifer was attacked by Uriel, the angel of foresight and prophecy, he fell to earth again, plunged into the sea by a lighthouse along the conneticut sea-road. We'd been expecting to find a quiet spot so I could let Lucifer experience the Song of the Sea. You should hear that too, it's quite amazing... but it turned out there was a rift in the lighthouse and John showed up to close that... ended up shunting us out of the fae realm and triggering one of the Seals of the Apocalypse. The Beast with seven heads came from the ocean... or rather the oceanside and spoke in tongues, proclaiming the Dragon kings. And then he fell out of my refrigerator later, with one arm missing, having closed the rift and escaped with that price. ANyway, long and short of it..."

Deep breath: "It doesn't matter if /we/ believe in the prophecies, there's enough idiots and sycophants, zealots and fanatics out there that do. I am not going to be safe, nor is the child I carry, for a good long time. So Lucifer's been scurrying about currying favours, I've bound Constantine to help protect it and you, Vlad? Would you do Morgan the honour of being his Guardian?"

Dracula has posed:
There is perhaps a moment where Dracula might be thankful to not have a 'she' version of himself. Though he can technically create a family, it's a thing that never turns out well and tends to end in bloodshed. Such is the way things are, with vampires. "Unless you had been intending to adopt, then one or t'other of you would have to be the bearer of the babe. Anatomy and all," he muses, a thoughtful note to his voice. He lifts his cup to take a sip of his tea, and one of his eyebrows quirks at the mention of an attack, his gaze turning to Nathanielle for a long moment before he looks back to Lucifer. "Watchers," he muses, sifting through his mind for what he knows of them, yet not coming up with anything to offer. "You are healed from what injuries you suffered, Nathanielle? Has vengeance been had on them?" he asks, something a touch dark and forboding touching his voice at that.

"What did you and Uriel have to fight on?" he asks, a touch of curiosity coming to his voice anew. "Not all prophecies are rooted in truth, my dears. It would be ill form to consider the child the antichrist just yet, considering the babe's not yet even been birthed," Vlad comments, studying each of them in turn. "I have heard somewhat have him, aye, but I have not met him. Perhaps our paths will cross, perhaps not," he adds. He tilts his head a touch to one side. "The Song of the Sea? I have not heard of it, but I find myself curious of it," he muses. "There are always and there will always be zealots and fanatics and other such ilk. The world has always had them." He reaches out to set his tea upon the table with the request voiced, and he shifts minutely, gazing unblinkingly at Nathanielle and Lucifer both. There is what might just be a pregnant sort of pause from the elder vampire. And then he finally addresses the request and offers an answer. "Yes. I will serve as his or her Guardian, to the best of my ability."

Lucifer has posed:
"The Watchers were dealt with, yes. I had not been with Sinister at that time, but she called me and I came to her. Two got away in the end but I gave the third a good what for." Lucifer explains and then he gives a smirk. "Me and Uriel? Why about my desire to fornicate to the point of actually having a family. Well that and part of what I did with the one Watcher was have him bear witness to a sort of promise of my own. To the tune of, you have to get to Nathanielle through me." There's a shrugging of his shoulders then while he leans back, taking his cup with him to sip a bit of tea from it.

As Vlad then speaks on agreeing to serve as Morgan's Guardian, he nods his head. "Thank you, my love." Words offered and then he sips and sets his cup down. "As Nathanielle also said, I've been culling favors. We are pretty sure a war is coming, from both sides, against us. So I am trying to gain as many on my side as I can while we wade through the mire and get to the end when the child is birthed. Even then, it will be a fight that continues. So I would ask of you, also, to fight by my side should I need to call upon you to do so." Then he smirks. "And you're right. Not all prophecies and edicts are true, or come true... but there is enough faith in these to make people act like the words of them are absolute law. I really hope to change their tunes."

Sinister has posed:
Look, not a blip on the weirdness scale yet. Go, go gadget Luci! "Oh, I should..." Sinister exhales, sets her tea down and with a brief pause for thought, reaches her hand to the hip opposite to the one she dug in, when she gave Constantine his charm. She digs her hands in deep, answering a different question from Vlad at the same time as doing something quite gory overall, as she pulls out a nugget of blood covered bone, works it in her fingers and proffers it to Vlad, still juicy and covered in sweet, sweet Sinister blood. It's a broadsword that LOOKS as if it's metal, but looks are deceiving... with a hold through the pommel so that a chain or leather thong can be inserted through it. "Here. Please keep this with you, Vlad." She asks this, holding it out and looking to Lucifer at the same time here, back and forth between the menfolk. "I did not tell you this at the time that I made your ring for you, Lucifer. And I wouldn't tell Constantine, but now that i have the both of you..." pause, beat "...I'm not normal. You both know that, obviously. My blood does weird things to an elder vampire and I can handle your family, Lucifer. I am also -extraordinarily- hard to kill." The answer to Vlad's question on healing, as soon as she'd dug out the piece of bone, her flesh already knitted over. She heals -that- quickly. "As long as even a little piece of me survives, I will return. So if something is to happen to me, by means I cannot defend against, as long as you both carry this piece of me that contains my marrow, my essence, I will return. Of course the charm may look extremely disturbing for a while, but..." she shrugs. It is what it is. "Lucifer, whilst you slept, I placed a tiny amount of Morgan's sloughed DNA into your ring, held with myself there. And I give the same to you, Vladimir. My own failsafes. Do not tell anyone."

Dracula has posed:
"'Tis almost a shame that I do not have them to hunt out and kill for what they did. No matter, I have a feeling that there will be others," Vlad comments, a thoughtful tone to his voice. He gives a soft chuckle and then nods to Lucifer. "I had a feeling that such was the cause of the fight between yourself and Uriel. They are your family and they ought be happy for you that you are having a family," he muses, giving a small shake of his head. He reaches out to pick up his tea, then takes a sip of it, savouring the brew. A nod is given to Lucifer. "You are welcome, Lucifer. If a war is coming, then I offer my Keep for your protection, if you wish to use it for such a thing. I will fight, should there be a need to do so," he says, the words a promise.

Vlad turns his attention to Sinister, and he quirks a brow as he watches what is done. The scent of blood is, at least to his sensitive nose, thick in the air, and a red spark comes to life within the cores of his eyes. His fangs descend, though he doesn't bare them and he remains seated and under control. Lifting his right hand, he reaches out to accept the charm as it's offered. "I will wear it at all times of day and night," Vlad says sincerely, inclining his head towards Nathanielle. Though it is a shame to waste the blood upon the charm, the vampire pulls free his pocket square from his shirt pocket in order to wipe the charm off. And as he does so, a twisted chain seems to grow through the hole of the charm, link by link slipping into place. Once he is satisfied with it, he shifts the pocketsquare and tucks it back into his pocket, then lifts the charm to his neck, the ends of the chain neatly linking together. "It is as it needs to be. I promise you, I will tell none of what it truly is. I will keep you and your unborn babe as safe as what I am able to do," he says softly.

Lucifer has posed:
So the deed is done. Lucifer and Sinister have informed Dracula of their family planning, new home, and recent events. There might be a bit more here and there to fill Vlad in on, but they got through the majority of it. The major things. There's something on the horizon coming for them, the only question is how fast is it coming?

Once tea is done, Lucifer will likely give Vlad a tour of the cottage. There may even be an invite for the Vampire Lord to stay the night. Who knows?! But as far as catching up goes, this wasn't too bad!