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All anyone could rightly know is that the two were conversing. Over what had been for their ears only. It could have been business for all anyone knew. The Machiavelli were charming and anyone who had spent time with either brother would understand how disarming they could be. They could squeeze blood from a stone with just a few words. Rafaele was no exception to this. Even being the younger son, Rafaele learned how to charm with the best of them. No Machiavelli was to be anything less than perfection. Perhaps he let his gaze linger for just a little too long as they conversed. But it was hard to ignore the craving of familiarity.

But Rafaele never gave away more than he intended.

If Edon had seen him by now he was sure that his dear older brother would have something to say. Rafaele would clap his brother on the arm, converse and go on his way. There would be catching up to do later of course. He would need to make sure Edon was well aware of what he was up to. “I must be feeling generous for some reason.” Eyes lidded half way as he held up his drink to study how the light played in the rich brown liquid.

He gave a slight shrug of his broad shoulders. “Well, if you ever find yourself out of that position the offer still stands. It always will.” He knew that that would likely never happen, there worlds were still miles apart even though they stood right next to one another. Only inches away. He would always be welcome at ORG, welcome at his table “Perfetto. Then I will expect to see you soon. Che tu possa passare una bella notte.” Duty called for them both, he lifted his glass to his friend as he turned to leave. That stormy gaze following him all the way back across the room.

Once he could draw his attention away it swept back out across the crowd. Searching for the red headed Koenig quickly. But he quickly spotted Edon with the lovely Georgina Dela Passaglia on his arm. He gave a short, breathy laugh. Rafaele had heared about her late husband. And I’d he had any opinion about it or y would be good riddance. Claudio was inept at best. Once he caught his older brother’s gaze he inclined his head slightly, lifting his drink to him but it seemed his brother had other plans that involved the dance floor. Very well.

Rafaele turned his attention back to the crowd. Eyeing Amadeo, waiting like a predator ready to about pounce on it’s prey that it had been stalking.

"It's a date-- and an official one at that," Eloisa quipped, very pleased with herself for actually landing one! The last time they'd spent time together poor Eloisa had practically strong-armed the man into seeing her again -- and she hadn't actually expected him to show. Though he had pulled out all the stops, she couldn't say it was an actual date, especially given her forward request. And even tonight, though she had been hopeful to see him, they had only just recently admitted a mutual interest in one another. So to finally have something to look forward to, knowing exactly where she stood with him, was a very good feeling, indeed.

The smile she wore was bright, and there was nothing in the world that could bring her down in this moment. The stars had aligned and somehow, she was on the arm of the most handsome man in the Clan, she was certain of it. Perhaps she should have said a prayer of thanks to Grendel while he was so near--she hadn't even thought of it! Well, whatever reason -- luck, fate, the gods -- Eloisa could only hope things continued coming up daisies.

A few nights in the country... Oh, she could hardly wait to get home and go through her things. Focusing on anything else the rest of the week would be torture, but Eloisa would do her verry best to ensure nothing went awry so she could go. However she had to bribe Franny into letting her take a few nights off, she'd do.

If Eloisa had known Romeo was worried that she'd get bored, she would have laughed, and covered him in reassuring kisses. Eloisa wasn't here to be entertained, of course; she was here to get to know him, and his stories were only a small part of his makeup. What the rest of him entailed, well, that's why they were here. If anyone were to get bored, the Puttanesca was certain it would be such a learned man as Romeo. What did she have to compete with such an unlife full of adventure? A salon? Some gossip and light-hearted conversation? She was a catch, she knew -- but a man like Romeo could have any woman or man he wished. So even her kissable lips and ample tracks of land weren't guaranteed to tempt a man for long.

But that was neither here nor there.

She didn't need to worry about tomorrow. Everything she wanted was right here.

Her bright blue eyes watched as he lifted her wrist. His expression had her all but melting--he really was terribly handsome, and he set her stomach fluttering every time she gazed at him. And that purr in his voice would have sent her undead heart racing, if it could. Leaning forward, she nuzzled his ear with the tip of her nose, before planting a few soft kisses upon its ridges and valleys. "Romeo," she purred his name in return ever so softly against his ear. Her lips pressed against his earlobe, before she sucked softly upon it, giving a breathy little sight upon its release.

She had no words. Not right now. No, right now, she was happy to give him a little break from all that business


---

Ricco gave a scoff at Rain, his brows knitting slightly. "How preposterous," he argued with a low huff, giving a small click of his tongue. "I assure you, Meine Mond, that the mere notion I'd run out of such adulation, or tire out my tongue for any other amusements on the docket, is nothing but hogwash." He wasn't actually upset or angry, but his expression did turn more severe, in his typical serious fashion. If anything, Rain would be absolutely drowning in compliments and poetry as well as other intimate tidings later this night, if only to prove a point.

However, the message was received, and Ricco would relent from further discussion. Perhaps it would be better to be more reserved, at least until they were alone and away from prying eyes. It was enough of a statement having the Koenig on his wrist, wearing his ring; no need to underscore his feelings so publicly--though he was doing his best to keep his words low.

Thankfully, there were other things to focus on-- like their next meal. The offerings were lush, and gorgeous, and tempting but he was pleased to find one Rainier enjoyed. Some dark haired beauty, who would soon find himself at the teeth of their Beasts. His own was already pacing, prowling, ready to snap and slurp up that beautiful vitae. Of course, he was a gentleman, or could be... and he was more than happy to let Rain drink his fill.

When the Koenig caught his eye, teeth bared, Ricco watched intensely. Seeing those fangs disappear into that neck, smelling the perfume of vitae nearby, and watching Rain drink so closely was surprisingly erotic. It couldn't be helped though-- this entire night was full of repressed needs. Families who hated one another were also near individuals they loved or craved. On top of the power surge of Augustus' awakening, how could the night not be crawling with tension? Ricco was no exception.

His dual-colored eyes watched with interest. He cared not about what else was happening in the garden. His fingers flexed greedily, his Beast eager to indulge. Not yet... Not yet. He'd wait. Besides, watching Rain eat was a bit of a show in its own right, and he didn't want to miss a thing.

Yayoi

Meanwhile, elsewhere around the Mansion...

The Disciple seemed to turn almost to stone as he listened, his body unmoving, his focus intently upon the two vampires bathed in the soft silver glow of the moon. He could feel the tension from the dark haired one, his eyes flicking briefly to watch as he pulled the blonde closer to his side in a protective manner, a faint twitch lifting the corner of Augustus's lips as his eyes returned to the intense blue of Nico's own. His mind raced through encounters trying to place him, to pull the moment from a sea of memories vast and deep. And there it was. A small child with intense blue eyes being shown the Giovanni Estate by his father. Dragged along on business as was not uncommon among the clan. "Nicolò Puttanesca." His tone drifted calmly across the cool night air as recognition blossomed in his eyes.

It wasn't a surprise he hadn't realized it was him initially, they'd met so long ago and so very briefly. He'd also been quite young then, though that was most certainly no longer the case. Time raced rapidly towards oblivion and it often made his head spin with how quickly it could move. So much gone, so much changed, in the blink of an eye. "It has been some time, has it not? Though perhaps you don't remember. It was so long ago now." The voice of the unknown male caught his attention, his vibrant gaze slowly breaking from the blue of Nico's to drift to the honey brown of Matteo's instead. The intensity of his attention, like threads of silk cocooning the object of his focus, made it feel as if the rest of the world simply fell to silence and the importance of the person with whom he conversed were paramount in that moment.

Augustus furrowed his brows, the expression a mix between contemplative and taken aback. A bold little thing, this one. He enjoyed the spark of energy that radiated from him. It reminded him of the flickering heat of a brightly burning candle. Laughter filled the quiet night in response though the sound was not unkind. The ancient vampire was genuinely humored. Such a bold observation and spoken with such little hesitation, how refreshing. He smiled down at Matteo and gave a resigned sigh, turning to look back at the party over a shoulder. "Indeed we could use a little more... oomph at these functions couldn't we? We're celebrating the lifeblood of the clan and yet every year it feels like we're dragging ourselves to our own grave with how stiff and formal things have become. Amadeo does love his pomp and circumstance. Though from the general vibe it seems everyone would much rather just be assigned a coat closet in which to fornicate. I can't necessarily blame them. It would certainly be a more lively social activity than dinner."

At Matteo's next question those slender brows furrowed again. How was he enjoying the evening? That golden gaze drifted away for a second, as if searching the grounds beyond the balcony for the answer to a far more perplexing inquiry. For some reason it caught him off guard. Generally that wasn't a question he received and he hadn't honestly considered his own enjoyment when he took a moment and really thought about it. He'd been too busy resuming the role as head of the house to pause and dwell much on fun in any capacity. His time spent in the inner chambers had been... pleasant, in a manner of speaking, but it served a purpose and fed an insatiable need more than anything else. And even now when he'd needed some air and to get away from the throng for just a moment, he couldn't say he was particularly enjoying his night so much as he was enduring it. He looked back at Matteo and offered a measured smile that was meant to be polite. "It has been fine so far. Thank you."

It was then that he realized how comfortable he was in the presence of these two males, a sense of ease having overtaken him quickly enough to surprise even the Disciple himself. He couldn't say he felt relaxed in the presence of others, not for a very long time anyway, so this encounter was certainly something for the Disciple to chew on later. "But how rude of me. I'm afraid, while I have met Nico before tonight, we haven't been properly introduced ourselves. Augustus Giovanni." He gracefully extended a hand in greeting, moving closer as he took another step towards the pair, claws glinting like bits of polished obsidian in the silver dusty light.

It was a simple gesture, but one holding purpose beyond just following expected social formalities. As the hand came up those golden eyes slid to Nico, watching his reaction to the movement. While it wasn't overtly obvious that the Ancilla's emotions were rapidly shifting beneath that calm exterior he could easily sense the inner turmoil and it intrigued him. He wanted to draw it out and examine it. To see what writhed beneath the surface. That hesitancy, the caution, it only fed the desire to dig deeper. And dig he would.

All Nico had wanted was to get through this evening unscathed. Well, that and to not attempt patricide in front of a mansion full of guests on the most celebrated evening of the year, with Augustus himself in attendance. So far, it seemed like things weren't going too poorly. He and Matteo had managed to not be dragged apart by their families, and when a murderous urge had hit, his blonde companion had made the most helpful suggestion of stepping out of the house and finding a place where they could just be alone. The moments shared in what had almost been privacy had been pleasant, and a precursor to what promised to be an even more fun time later, when they would finally be able to wrest themselves away from this engagement.

Now he had to wonder if perhaps the odds had always been stacked against him. Forced to endure countless hours of socializing and listening to vampires and mortals alike talk business. Keeping a watchful eye over his sisters as they trickled into the estate, knowing full well that at least two of them were as likely to get into some kind of trouble as anything. An encounter with his dearly despised Father. What he assumed would be another dry upcoming dinner and some boring ball to follow.

Or, instead of that, the Disciple himself just turns up unexpectedly, catching him in the act of avoiding the event, catching them both in the act of skipping out and missing Augustus's grand appearance.

Not that he looked overly put out by it. The ancient vampire's face, just as ethereally beautiful as Nico remembered it, looked more bemused than anything. Still, the Puttanesca never trusted what he saw on the surface. The Disciple of Giovanni had quite a grim reputation, one that Nico had heard about from multiple sources. How much of it was true, fabricated, or exaggerated meant very little to him at that moment. There was always a grain of truth to modern stories, and history alone painted a very bloody portrayal of the ancient.

So, of course, he was guarded at that moment. Unlike Matteo, who always seemed much more at ease in all situations. Warmth personified. He could practically feel the younger vampire's charm oozing from him and could tell he had just turned on the brightest smile without looking. It was just who he was. Easy to be around, and to want to be around more. Nico followed the blonde's lead and offered a smile of his own, though it was much smaller, his icy gaze settling on Augustus and never leaving him as he finished his approach and stood before them.

To say that he was surprised that Augustus remembered him would be an understatement. How long had it been? Gods, Nico had still just been a fledgling, old enough to recognize the Disciple as one of the most beautiful men he'd ever seen, but young enough to still adhere to every whim of his own father. Centuries. For some reason, the recognition warmed him, a small flutter in the pit of his stomach, his smile lifting just a hint more and he gave a nod of his head.

"Yes, and I do remember as well. You are not easily forgotten." His voice was smooth, cordial, and he might have said more if not for Matteo using the small pause to speak himself.

It was at that moment that Nico broke his gaze away from Augustus, his attention snapping back to the blonde on his arm. Did he...had he really just..,

Nico blinked, keeping a tight rein on his knee-jerk reaction to look at Matteo like he was insane. It was difficult, but he somehow managed, though the tension between his shoulders grew, and did not ease, not even when the Disciple's response was, surprisingly again, to laugh.

Nico slowly, and for his credit, calmly, took in a deep inhale and exhaled slowly, then slid his attention back to Augustus, while trying to appreciate the way Matteo reassuringly stroked the back of his hand.

"Yes." He smiled, again, this time hoping it didn't look as strained as he felt. "I too hope you are enjoying your evening."

Well, so far, somehow, things didn't seem to be going too badly. Maybe he still had a chance to get through the night unscathed, as he'd intended.