Alessandro stretched out his long legs and let his elbows hang off the top of the bench's back. Most people would not view a park bench as comfortable, but the young man sprawled on it looked as comfy as if he were slouching in a leather divan. Dark lashes fluttered down until his eyes were only open by slits as he threw his head back, staring up at the sky. Pinpricks, writers were always calling the stars, as if beyond the veil of night some great, brilliant expanse reached oven to the ends of the universe, desperate to pry its illuminating fingertips into every nook and cranny of the galaxy. Of course, he knew this not to be true. Sandro had watched the advance of science evolve from the geocentric model to the launching of the Hubble telescope. In space, he mused, it's always night.

Night. It was his world. True, his tolerance to diffused sunlight permitted him to awaken and dwell outdoors on cloudy days, giving him a more flexible schedule than most immortals. But nighttime is so beautiful... Above him the constellations glared down like chastising eyes, and the wind sang in the trees, accompanied by a hidden chorus of crickets, concealed in the grass. It was serene, now that the screams had died away. Alessandro smiled. They'd find the body in the bushes tomorrow, her eyes still wide with horror and confusion, assuming the Amman didn't come and clean up before dawn. Teenagers frequented the playground after dark, smoking contraband where nobody could see and revisiting childhoods they scorned. Playground... hunting ground... Sandro smiled – it was the same to him. He licked his lips and found that her taste still clung to them – sweet and tangy.

Sighing softly, Rowen blinked as she made her way down the path before her. Normally she would walk across the grass, but tonight she felt like taking the path, though it was much more easy, and faster to walk across the grass. Her mind was set on what to do, it was still early in the night, a waste to go home now, a nice wind, pure sky with no cloud in sight. A soft smile came to her lips.

“Star’s never really seem to change over the years…..” She said to herself softly as she looked up and around slowly. Her eye’s soon came back down, her hears catching the laughing of teenagers in the park, though she had no reason to both them, she didn’t care. Stopping slightly, the smell of death seem to hang in the air, though she kept walking, knowing the Ammon would be there soon.

The path soon brought her to this young man, who had sprawled himself over the bench as if it was life. Blinking she sniffed the air slightly, and sighed.

“Do you always leave your meals in the bushes a public park?” She asked him softly, as drew closer to him, soon stopping to look at him. The moon made her black hair seem blue, her eye’s seemed silver.

Alessandro barely had time to register the whisper of footsteps on gravel behind him before he heard her voice. He languidly turned his head towards her, taking in her silvery gave. A smile crept across his face, splitting his pearl-white countenance to show equally white teeth.

"Just be thankful you don't have me as a house guest," he replied, voice warm and just above a murmur. He was in a good humor; his hunger was satiated by the girl's blood, and oh, how musical her cries had been, falling in a decrescendo of protests as her life force had been drained. "I fear prudence has never been one of my shining virtues."

he didn't sit up any straighter, but unhooked one of his arms from the rear of the bench and gestured with it to the open space beside him. "Would you care to join me?" While he no longer spoke English with an italian accent, his enunciation was still a little too crisp to be natural, and his intonation was distinctly European.

Rowen blinked and watched him, her eye’s moving slightly as se stood still as stone. The Distant sound of the teenagers still playing at her ears as they moved from the park, though again, she didn’t much care as they disappeared. Watching his grin, she only blinked as she sighed softly, but didn’t seem to mind as she listened to him.

“I don’t keep vary many house guests." She stated as she laughed softly, the smell of the girl was still on him, mostly the blood was all she could smell, though her own hunger was filled already. Laughing slightly, she nodded ever so slightly. “I don’t think vampires like you have many shining virtues in that area.”

Again with watching him, seeing his moves, she blinked. Looking at the space, she had been walking for a while, though not tired, she thought it would be nice to sit. Thus she did move and sit in the space next to him.

“Thank you.” She said softly, her voice tinted with a German accent, she herself was from Europe. She missed her home, though now vary different, she still missed it so.

"You're welcome." He smiled at her, brushing a bit of auburn hair away from his eyes. They were blue, but on could not tell in the absence of light. That was the only shame about living in the night – colors were never as lovely. How many centuries had it been since he'd seen sunlight spilling through a stained-glass window? The vibrancy of the reds, blues, golds... Memories that were imitated by modern technologies and artificial illumination.

"And you're most likely correct about virtues. Come to think of it, I don't think I have many at all," he continued with a laugh. "Vices, on the other hand..." He gave a luxurious stretch, raising his hands over his head, then pulled himself up a bit straighter. Even on the prowl, his vanity kept him looking impeccable. He wore a white dress shirt with slightly looser-than-normal sleeves, a white-silk cravat, and a black waistcoat and trousers, tucked into his boots. He'd tied his hair back with a ribbon for the practical purpose of keeping it out of the way when feeding.

"So, tell me," Alessandro began, "What brings you so far from home, Frauline?" He'd travelled all of Europe, and while not as multilingual as he would hope to be, he'd developed a facility for recognizing dialects and accents.

Looking at him, all she could do was give him a soft smile, and nod softly, her eye’s like silver. Sighing softly she sat back as she blinked. Color wasn’t as much to her now as it was when she was mortal, it had so much more meaning to her then, she knew the stained glass, the colors of the sun rise and sun set, though seeing them now was just not that easy.

Laughing softly to his words, she nodded. “Yes, virtues don’t come easy, but vices I suppose come more easy. Less of a headache to think about when naming them off.” She grinned, glancing at him. His clothing was a bit off for this time, though she didn’t mind, she kind of liked it, her own being more with the time. A pair of fitted pants slightly flared in the leg, and navy blue 3/4 sleeve button up shirt and a light jean jacket. Raymond said she needed better clothing for the changing times.

Listening to him once again, a small smiled came to her lips at his words. “It’s been some time since someone has called me that.” She started looking up at him. “I thank you for that.” She said, it was nice to hear someone call her that, after such a long time.

“I am here for a change, though my heart still belongs to Germany.” She stated and looked at him again. “And why would a man such as yourself be here?”

"You're welcome, again," he told her with a smile that was almost, but not quite a smirk.

"Myself? I left Florence on account of social, religious, and ultimately political reasons, and while two year later I could have returned with ease, I was by then in the arms of wanderlust... as well as several other pairs of arms and lusts, but those were beside the point." He watched her out of the corner of his eye, curious as to how she'd react towards his confessions of debauchery. Not that he gave a damn what people thought of his habits, but it often gave him an idea of what the present company was like. And if he could get said company into bed.

"I'm easily bored, I suppose. Five centuires of journeying can evince that. But this city has its charm, and as the bushes can tesify, ample feeding grounds." He sighedinwardly. That had been the problem with Paris – there was so little substance to the physicality of the people! "I'm a man of the arts, of learning, and of enjoying life. One truly must learn to enjoy it when it becomes permanent, after all."

Noticing his smirk like smile she had to wonder, though only nodded as she listened to his story. She blinked at a few things, but said nothing to allow him to finish his words, he was an odd man, though he had his parts that’s she liked, like being so open about his life, and not really seeming to care who was there to listen. Looking at him she nodded softly, pushing her black hair back once again.

“Ah, Florence. A lovely place to live, though I do know what you mean about things changing. I didn’t like it. I made a visit and I changed my mind, though things seem normal once again.” She said looking at the starts as she blinked. Easy to get to bed wasn’t her style, though if she liked him enough she would play with him, and she did like him already, in a way like her, though more open about things.

“I know the feeling of being bored, and I’ve spent my time traveling. Though at this age things start to run few in what to do. And feeding grounds don’t bother as much as they use to. I’ve changed my view on that.” She said, as she did hold a darker side, something she didn’t like to show, though it was rather strong.

“And the arts.” She smiled. “I love them, Music, Theater, Dance, Art itself, anything with it. Though I agree, you must find something when life is as such for us.” A smirk came to her as she sat back and looked at him.

He frowned and turned to look at her. Her sentences and the way she said things confused him, though he supposed that may have been due to his lack of sleep – he'd stayed out late, not returning home until six in the morning, then staying up until 10 am to finish his costume for the masquerade. He had then arisen early to catch the museum before it had closed for an exhibit that featured a Cecinni painting. The exhaustion must be wearing on his wits, resulting in his inability to comprehend her first remark.

"The arts are a wonderful thing," he agreed finally. "They do help ward away the boredom, though I've learned to change with the times enough to find things to occupy myself with. Parlor discussions and balls have gone out of style, but fancy clubs, wine bars, and poetry readings are lovely innovations grown popular of recent years. As for feeding grounds not trying hard enough..." he shrugged. "I miss the thrill of the hunt, but I appreciate the convenience."

He leaned his head back again and watched the stars, noting the distant progression of an aeroplane high in the firmament. "Do you enjoy the museum?" While as a gentleman, Alessandro had dabbled in all the arts, he considered himself more of an art admirer than an artist. True, he'd done a few paintings, and tried his hand at composition over the years, but it was out of entertainment more than passion.

Leaning back slightly, she looked up to the stars for a moment before looked back at nothing. Thinking about how things would go over at the masquerade, she was still adding her touches to the dress to make it her own, making sure it a was a perfect fit, and then her mask, that was work aswell. Finding the colors to match the dress was hard, so she was stuck with painting the mask aswell. She needed to get out of house at some point.

Listening to him, she nodded and sighed softly, his words rang true in her mind, times have changed so much. “Yes, those days have passed of talking about who was with who then and who they looked, who was invited and who wasn’t. But it’s all the same today aswell, though with vary different ways of doing it.” She said as she looked at him.

“Poetry is something I like, the bar a place to go when your board or need to meet new people. Though sometimes I wish I was still living in the past. But my mind has changed on feeding grounds…..” She stated.

“Though talking of Balls and such. What do you think of Marcus’s masquerade. Personally I think it will go over well, he has a talent for that. And are you going?” She said and blinked at his question.

“The museum. Yes, I do, vary much, I go when I can. Brings the past back to life in a way, though it is a good way to spend your time, and you always get something from it.” Her words came as she looked at him, then followed his gaze to the stars, and smiled.

Alessandro shrugged, still looking up at the starscape. "I believe I will attend. I don't know much of this Marcus character... I haven't been in Demaitre as long as others, and I don't pay much attention to names dropped in coven politics." A light breeze passed though the playground, and the chains suspending the swings creak and sway slightly. "I do miss a good masquerade, however – I think the last one I attended was in Vienna – and I think I'm looking forward to this upcoming one. Especially if a lady such as yourself has faith in it." And especially if it was an opportunity to flaunt his tastes. Vanity had always been one of Sandro's most damning characteristics, as well as his arrogance.

He stopped, then abruptly leapt to his feet and spun on his heel to face her. "It has come to my attention that I've failed to introduce myself! How gauche... My apologies." He lightly took her hand in his own and bowed with a flourish, bending deeply and brushing his cool lips on her equally icy fingers. "Alessandro Nicolla Fioricci, at your service, Frauline," he murmured softly, but clearly.

Looking off at the playground, she blinked as she listened to his words, nodding softly every now and then. “Yes, I will aswell. And as for Marcus, he is a well talented man, and knowing him, the set up will be beautiful, worthy to talk about for some time.” She said, the creek of the swings came as she felt the breeze. “My last was in Berlin, I miss them, a time to know new people, and feel like one of the normal population.” That was hard, though this will make her feel normal for once in a long time. As far as her and vanity, it doesn’t matter much to her though she does try and keep herself looking good.

Watching him in surprise as he stood, turned and looked at her, she blinked in wonder, then listened to his words. A soft smile came to her face as she nodded, having forgotten herself to introduce herself aswell. Allowing him to take her hand, her skin was far and soft, though cold as normal, she smiled softly. “Nice to meet you Alessandro.” She smiled as she nodded. “And I am Rowen Akeria Leer, and I am at your service a well kind sir.” Her voice was soft, though gentle as the words came.

Alessandro gave her a charming smile, which had once made every girl in Françis I's court grow faint, and sat back down on the bench. "A lovely name." It wasn't just flattery – it was a nice name. Sandro always voiced his appreciation of things he found attractive (and sometimes things he didn't if it would get him in with the right people – honesty was a pointless policy in his opinion.)


Leaning on the wood of the bench, one of his arms dangling off the wrought-iron armrest, he reflected on Rowen's previous words. "I miss socialization, but I don't think I've ever considered myself to be one of the 'normal population,'" he paused and looked at her meaningfully, "nor would I want to be."

A small crease formed on his brow – the expression he adopted when in thought, or feigning to be so. It was good fortune that his visage was exempt from the ravishes of time, else the small line would have become a canyon over the years. "Rowen – we are immortal. We are beyond human – we are superior. Normality is far beneath us... don't you have pride in what you are?"

At his comment, she smiled softly as she blinked, then looked up to the stars. “Thank you. And yours is aswell, It’s been a while since I’ve heard it.” She stated as she looked at him, her eye’s again looking silver, before she looked away, her eye’s laying on the playground for a moment before loving back to the stars.

Listening to him again, she wondered about his words, let them run through her mind and sink in. Silent for a few short minutes she felt herself nod. “I suppose so, though I meant normal as every vampire is equal no matter how strong or weak. Or how stuck they are, or vain, or anything else.” She shrugged though knew what his words meant, she knew vary well what he meant. They are different then anything else out there, immortal and forever to live this way.

Her mind sat on his words, and soon she felt the urge to rest her head on his shoulder, but held back from it. Immortal. “I know we are Alessandro, but my mind has changed a bit since I took his Raymond. Though I can still say I have a vary dark side that thinks have low of normal people, but part of me just thinks we’re all the same, Immortal or not.” Her words rang true, a vary dark feeling did come from her. Sitting back she leaned on him slightly. “I do pride what we are, we see things change as time passes, know their mistakes, know how stupid it was for them to do things. We know more, and are far stronger then they will ever be. But they have something we don’t anymore. A mortal life they can live and die. We have a life we live for only god knows how long until we are killed.” With that she looked at him, her eye’s a silver blue and slightly sad.

“Thank you. And yours is aswell, It’s been a while since I’ve heard it.”

Now what did she mean by that? Alessandro was perplexed, then realized that she may have simply meant it had been a while since she'd been to Italy, or that perhaps, though his name had been common enough in the fifteenth century, it may have fallen somewhat out of usage.

“I know we are Alessandro, but my mind has changed a bit since I took his Raymond. Though I can still say I have a vary dark side that thinks have low of normal people, but part of me just thinks we’re all the same, Immortal or not. I do pride what we are, we see things change as time passes, know their mistakes, know how stupid it was for them to do things. We know more, and are far stronger then they will ever be. But they have something we don’t anymore. A mortal life they can live and die. We have a life we live for only god knows how long until we are killed.”

As she looked up at him, leaning somewhat on him, Alessandro shifted his weight slightly to bring him closer and lightly brushed a strand of her blue-black hair from her eyes. More often than not, when he reached this level of intimacy, it was with a mortal (who often then became a meal) and the absence of warmth felt somewhat odd to him. It didn't perturb him though, as Rowen was just as, if not more beautiful than most of his quarry. "Fear of death is what drives mortals to their lower states. Place them in a situation where their scrawny necks are on the line, and they'll dissolve into beasts. True, some will show honor, but they're rarely the ones who live. It's a survival of the fittest, and the fittest are animals. Because their futures are so limited, they don't think of consequences. Humans are pitiful creatures of the moment."

He knew what he spoke was rather hypocritical – he himself feared death. But I won't let it show. He also didn't plan ahead a lot of the time, but that's because I have all the time in the world!

As for her statement, she simply meant his name, it has been some time since it came to her. The last time she really heard it was in Italy, and it was a child, cute, smart, she shook her head slightly as she sighed.

Watching him and feeling him move she blinked and sighed softly. She listened to him, and allowed him to move the hair from her face, she had to admit, this is the closest she gotten to anyone in some time, and it felt nice. Fear of death is what drives mortals to live the best they could, and fight or it, even if it might killing the weak to keep the stronger alive. It’s a win lose situation for mortals every day, and they had to plan everything as time went, and it was confusing in many ways to them. Schooling, a life, friends, a job, so many things, but Her, and the rest of the Immortals, had as much time as they wanted for anything, endless amount of time.

“Your right, they are driven by dear of death, and many other things. Though some of us are aswell. Not all, but some, never knowing when it might come, though later so long you tend to forget about it after some time.” She said and sighed softly. Her view slightly different then his, she just wanted to live in peace with the mortals, but mortals tended to over react to many things, though Raymond grew up with it.

“Everyone fears death at some point in their mortal, or immortal life.” She said looking back up at him once again.

Alessandro looked down at her, his hand now resting on the back of the bench behind her. She clearly didn't share his pride, but he respected her for presenting an alternate side of a debate. While he doubted they'd ever agree, the face that she could start discussions capable of providing intellectual stimulation made her a worthwhile acquaintance, and potential ally. He hesitated to think of her as a friend, as Alessandro didn't really make friends. He had lovers, he had allies, and he had instruments. Consciously or not, every action of his had some selfish purpose; every smile was a lure, every bit of gentlemanly charm a way to guage a reaction or reel in a victim. Were he more ambitious, this machiavellian streak could have taken him far. As it was, he preferred pleasure enough to power, and mainly used people as means to indulge in the more carnal sins.

"Death is feared because it is not understood. It is also feared because every man knows his own imperfection. Atheists don't want to die because they don't know what comes next – nothingness is an incomprehensable concept." He smiled slightly, his eyes focusing on something far away. "Now, Christians fear death, because each man knows his own deep dark secrets, and no matter how much he may confess or pray, he knows that he's going to hell."

He returned his gaze to Rowen. "What about you? What terrors does the afterlife provide you with?"

Sighing Rowen knew vary well they weren’t the same, but it was nice to have someone to talk to, someone smart and she was about to talk to them in such a way. Looking up at him again, she blinked as she watched him, then looked at nothing as she closed her eye’s, her mind racing with things. She was like him in a way, though she locked that side away when she took him Raymond, in fear of hurting him, she opened her eye’s and looked at nothing but the tree’s blow in the wind. Listing to his words she blinked slightly, and nodded, Humans did fear what came after death, and religion made this worse for some, though for some it was their life. Blinking her ice blues she thought as she sighed softly.

“Your right on that, they fear what comes after it, knowing nothing is after it, Mortals just don’t like to be alone at any point in time, even though some say they do, they hate it.” She said looking up at him. "Religion is what does some people in at times, though you are right again, they know a sin will damn them anyway.” Her words were true, as were his.

Rowen blinked and sighed. “The afterlife for me, is just what comes, it’s what fears me now that I’m like this. The fear that my darker side will one day take over again.” Her words rang true. “I was never like this before Raymond, he changed my mind. I use to be vary much like you before I took him in.” She said looking up at him.

Religion could indeed be a curse. He'd been raised with just enough of a Catholic upbringing to know that he was headed right for the devil's domain the second someone rammed a stake through him. It was all the more incentive to remain in the best of health. Or as healthy as one can be when one is dead.

“I was never like this before Raymond, he changed my mind. I use to be vary much like you before I took him in.”

Alessandro raised a querulous eyebrow. Used to think like him? Was she implying that his frame of thought was less mature? That she had surpassed him in all her years? He might not an ancient, but he didn't fancy himself born yesterday. And yet I do take offense at every remark. He reminded himself to relax – paranoia didn't suit him.

"Who is this Raymond you keep referring to?" he asked after a second. He kept his tone casual and innocent, though he was eager to know if she was with another man. Not that prior relations had stopped him before; there was many a lovely countess he'd taken to the count's bed beneath her husband's nose. Rowen, however, was not a petty and bored noblewoman, and might prove far more elusive an enigma.

She didn’t think his way of life was lower then her own, it was a frame of mind and she was just saying she use to think like him, not meaning an offence to him in anyway, she was just like him. Then the question about Raymond came up, and she nodded slightly, she had forgotten to tell him who he was, thus with a sigh she closed her eye’s.

“Raymond is the mortal I have taken in. He was six when I killed his father, and he watched me do it, his eye’s, his look of fear made me think about what I had just done. His mother was dead, and now his father due to me. Because of him I changed my mind about things and how I lived, I became more calm, and not so evil.” She stated as she opened her eye’s.

She sighed softly though didn’t move from his shoulder, she felt somehow at home where she was at the moment. She didn’t talk much about her past, but a there was something about her that begged anyone to try and find out more about her, something that drew people to her, or drove them away, it was nice to have a person to talk to for once.

Not a lover then? More of a... son? Alessandro was surprised. he could hardly picture himself taking in a mortal ward. Perhaps sheltering a pretty, young vampiress beneath his wing, but a mortal? Rowen's tastes were very different from his. For all the age and wisdom she might have, there was a softness there that was nearly laughable. Not that he'd mock her, of course – her persuasions and preferences were not important to him just yet, if she could make a useful.... ally.

He considered himself in her situation. He probably would have eaten the child, or simply left it. Alessandro had never truly felt obligated to anyone or anything. What did it matter if they died when he killed them, or just a few years down the road? They were like insects – frantically short-lived and immaterial. He had to eat, and as a superior being, his survival ought to come first and foremost over that of squabbling humans.

" I became more calm, and not so evil."

Not so evil. He pondered the meaning of evil. What was evil? What was good and bad? Dark and light? They were only words from concepts so aged and frayed most people couldn't discern their meaning – if they had a meaning in the first place. Evil and Good were simply different ways of looking at acts; they were illogical brands people put on whatever they saw. Was Sandro evil? He sinned, killed, and had more vices than half of Demaitre combined, and yet he could be charming, and was a patron of art: the greatest thing to come from humanity.

His slender, supple fingers reached up around her and caressed her silky, dark hair. "And before then? How were you?"

She remained where she was, her eye’s looking at nothing as she blinked, as if distant and looking into the past. Looking up at him with a blinked, she had to wonder about things, she didn’t think like him anymore, though she felt the same as some part of her still thought the same about life. Looking back to nothing her, her mind thought back more, to the time she a mortal aswell, ready to be married and have a life and a child of her own, though it only ended in fear.

The man who took her filled her head with lies about how mortal lived, and believed every word of it, this vampire that turned her made her into a perfect dark figure. Something like him, though female, she sighed as the images came back, it hurt. She cringed slightly, though looked at him at his question, nodding she sighed moving slightly closer to him.

“Before then…..I was something not to be reckoned with. I fought anyone who tried to take me on, and ended up killing many. I killed every day to feed, and I didn’t care, mortals were just like cattle, something that just walked around to be spluttered. Vampires were what were meant to rule and keep humans in control, and kill them off like they were nothing.” Her words were cold, and it brought out her darker side with each word, a chill to any vampire to listen to.

“I was brainwashed by a vampire to believe that mortal were nothing. I could have been married, and had my own children, and a life.” She said as she looked up at him again. “Though I let him do this to me, and it took me so long to see what he really did to me. The eye’s of a mortal child.” She said looking back at nothing. "Just something about his eye’s looked like the little boy I had……whom was later killed by the thing who turned me.” There she said it, the reason she took in Raymond, her own child wa skilled, she was married and had a good life now if only things didn't happen as they did.

Alessandro frowned, and had he any compassion, he would have pitied her. He hadn't been turned against his will, necessarily. He hadn't really known what was going on when it happened, and he barely remembered that evening. It lingered in his mind as mere snapshots and recollections of sensations. He did remember, however, discovering that he could not die. And the possibilities that then opened... He would always remain young and beautiful, and could continue to prosper, amassing a fortune he's never need to pass down.

He'd never fathered any children to his knowledge. He'd slept with his share of harlots before being turned and losing the ability to create life, so there might be some bastard descendants of his wandering the globe, but he doubted it. As such, he'd never felt any kind of parental love and affection. Love? It was a word. Lust, now, was something he understood all the intricacies of. He thought of the sweet-tasting girl lying limply in the bushes a few yards away.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, though he wasn't really. He agreed more with Rowen previous school of thought, though mortals did have some uses besides nutrition. They were amusing, and some had great talent – it was a mortal, after all, who had painted the ceiling of the sistine chapel.

Rowen blinked as she listened to him, those words weren’t real even though they were said, that didn’t mean they were meant. Closing her eye’s she only wondered why she had told him this, she normally avoided talking about her past, but she thought it was time to come out, but to him, she didn’t know why. Opening her eye’s she sighed as she looked up at the starts again.

“I didn’t care for any mortal, my mind fixed. They were good for slaves and food, no matter who could do what, or who had talent. They were nothing to me.” Her eye’s fixed on the stars, she killed countless people over the years, and she didn’t even want to think about, though she did now. Looking at him she blinked, then looked at the ground, though for some reason she found a kind of warmth in him, just a friend or something like that, she didn’t know.

Raymond changed that, his eye’s were like that of her own child, innocent and carefree, something about him she didn’t know what, sparked something in her mind that changed her. Her eye’s ventured back to him as she blinked, Love was something she thought she would never friend, Lust was something else she thought she would never find, but a friend or ally was always welcomed.

Alessandro was rarely unsure of what to do. Even when the correct course of action was unclear, he almost always plunged into any situation with a clever quip on his tongue and some idea of what he was doing. Often times it was advantageous. Other times it was disastrous. Reckless as he could be, he was never accused of sitting back and letting the world pass him by.

Right now, however, he paused, flexing the fingers on the hand that wasn't stroking Rowen's hair. It was a gesture of agitation he'd subconsciously adopted sometime during the French Revolution. Rowen was clearly entrenched in the sorrows of her past. He couldn't relate, not having experienced much sorrow, mainly because he didn't let bad things happen to him, and when bad things happened to people around him, he didn't particularly care. He was blessed with indifference when it came to any life besides his own. Oh, he valued certain individuals as assets and lovers, and while their demise was sorely inconveniencing, it wasn't emotionally devastating to him.

Rowen interested him. His inability to comprehend her and see eye-to-eye with her made her enigmatic, and her being another vampire outside his coven made her a forbidden fruit. And that which we may not have is what we most desire. Beautiful. Mysterious. Tantalizing. He ran his fingers through her hair, lightly kissing the top of her head. "I can only imagine how horrifically jarring that change must have been," he whispered into her ear with an air of sympathy. It was true; he could only imagine, and never really experience it. He'd killed millions over the centuries, and never batted an eyelash over it. The most remorse he could remember feeling was when he accidentally broke a perfectly aged bottle of wine during a bar brawl in Seville.

Rowen looked in to the distance as she thought about something, it was nice to have someone to talk to. Thinking more, she glanced up at him, he seemed more like a friend then a stranger, and for some reason she felt protected by this one. Her bright blues soon moved to his hand and watched him flex it in wonder, but did nothing about it.

Her eye’s soon moved back to nothing, her mind sighed as she felt some kind of warmth from him, a friend maybe. Moving just a bit closer to him she closed her eye’s again as she thought. Knowing he was much different then her, but in some way the same, another thing that seemed to draw her to him is that he was from another coven, two different views on life, but in a way the same.

Feeling the kiss on top of her head, her eye’s opened slowly to look back up at him as if to say thank you. She knew he didn’t understand much, she didn’t either, but he was nice enough to sit and listen to her, she needed this. A strong, handsome, not dark but vary drawing man such as him was someone she needed, a friend, more or less an ally then anything. Moving slightly she kissed his neck softly. “Thank you….for listening that is..” Her words were soft as she looked up at him from his shoulder.

The sensation of her lips brushing against his neck sent his spine tingling. It wasn't the unpleasant, hair-raising tingling, though... Unlike most of the women he courted, who emanated warmth in waves, Rowen was cold as the pale and distant stars. Even without primal heat and the sensation of warm breath brushing past his cheek like velvet, there was almost a charge in the air about her, like the wind before a thunderstorm.

“Thank you….for listening that is...”

He brought his fingers up to her face, lightly tracing down over her temple and cheek, feeling her cool, white flesh – unchanged by the years. Centuries. Perhaps millennia. He lightly cupped the side of her jaw in his hand, then leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth. For a moment he allowed his lips to linger, then drew back just enough to look into her silvery eyes, which so often seemed to look right through him.

"You're welcome," he breathed, then smiled, a hint of boyish mischief in his expression.

Rowen blinked at her acting of the moment, she didn’t know what drew herself to kiss his neck like that, she just had to. It was something she hadn’t done in some time, and it felt good to be able to do it again, to this time not to a warm blood filled neck, but to a cool flesh like her own, it was still welcoming either way. Feeling his hand on her cheek she wounded slightly, her eye’s fixed on his for the moment.

Feeling his fingers trail along her skin, and jaw, she felt his hand cup itself about her jaw, and all she could do was wait. Her eye’s watched him, then she felt the kiss. Though she didn’t pull back from it, she welcomed it, it had been so long, though when he pulled back she returned his look into his eye’s as a soft smile came to her lips.

"I see that look…” She said softly though she didn’t mind, and returned his kiss softly allowing it to linger just a bit longer before she pulled back herself. Her eye's again fixed on his.

"I see that look…” She returned his kiss, sending a thrill through him. This woman was truly electric – there was lightening in her touch!

"What look?" he innocently asked when they parted. The blood was beginning to run in his ears – it was moments like this when even in death, he felt alive! His arms snaked around her and pulled her gently towards him, their cool bodies meeting, seperated only by their garments. Once again he leaned in to kiss her, more forceful and assertive this time than before; then he had simply been testing the waters. Now he wanted to explore her taste and the sensation of her lips against his. The two of them, locked in their embrace were like a pair of ice sculptures - frozen and perfect in their beauty.

Still holding her, he let his hands trace down her sides, coming to rest about her slim waist. Finally, his drew his mouth away from hers and came up for air. "You're beautiful," he breathed, eyes shining in the moonlight.

“You know vary well what look I mean.” She said as a soft smile came to her lips and she grinned slightly. There was something about him that drew her to him, she didn’t know what, but he had this air about him, that just seemed to draw her in.

Her eye’s seemed to shine, for once a vary long while and she felt……happy, that she had someone to talk to, someone to be with. Feeling his arms make his way around her small frame, she did nothing in protest and allowed herself to be pulled closer, his body to her own, she felt warm, even though both were as cold as ice. The thing that happened, wasn’t that easy for her to put into words, since it had been such a while since it happened, though for some reason with him, it felt right when normally she would protest, she only took part in it. Her own hands finding their way around his neck slowly, her icy fingers playing at the back of his neck.

Upon pulling away from him slowly, a soft smile came to her as she looked back at him taking breath, she looked in his eye’s. “Thank you. And you’re a fairly handsome man.” She grinned kissing his neck out of play.

((OOC: OhmygodIamsosorryI'vebeenawaysolongIfeellikeadickforabandoningyouI'vebeensobusypleaseforgiveme!!!))

“Thank you. And you’re a fairly handsome man.”

I know, he thought with a smile, but didn't say it. The brush of her lips against his throat sent a pleasant chill through him. he told himself it was the irony; most often it was his mouth against the necks of the damsels he courted and not the other way around. But there was something else about it... a distant memory evoked by a sensation stored in the deep recesses of his mind. I don't remember anything about that night! He admonished himself, determined to not let anything get in the way of the moment he was having with the beautiful woman before him. His hands caressed up and down her back and sides, tracing her figure over and over, lightly massaging. He pulled his neck away from her mouth, then ducked back in to kiss her on the mouth. Her taste... He reached for the back of her dress, fumbling for the buttons...

((OOC: Oh it's ok. *hugs* I'm just happy your back. take all the time you need for things, i don't mind.))



Blinking slightly, Rowen could feel shiver and it made her grin, though it made her fangs brush against his neck. Though she felt kind of the same way, and thought slightly, she was use to having the men at her neck, though as well, memories came back to hunt her as well. She shook her head slightly to rid herself of the thoughts of that night, then looked up at him as he pulled back, she took the kiss, but only returned it and smiled softly. Her hands played at his neck, soon only sliding down his chest and played at his shirt and pants. Feeling his hands at her dress she laughed softly.

“Maybe we should go some place for this? My place isn’t that far…” She said and looked up at him, her eye’s silver once again due to the moon.

“Maybe we should go some place for this? My place isn’t that far…”

An invitation. Good – he'd initiated things by giving the ball a light tap, but she was willing to continue them by allowing it to keep rolling. With mortal women he often took control, sweeping them off their feet before they could protest. Then again, most mortal women were cold and drained dry by morning. Rowen was no silly mortal girl, and he'd have to be more careful in his courtship. They were both immortal, and while Alessandro was rash and reckless in many things, the art of love was not among them.

"That sounds like a brilliant idea," he replied breathily, a smile on his lips and in his eyes. He forced himself to pull away from her and stand, holding his hand out.

"Shall you lead the way, milady?"

Watching him, She smiled softly and had to pray herself away from him as if a child trying to remove it self from it’s toys and to go eat dinner. The thought made her laughed slightly, to eat dinner. She wasn’t planning on that, he was her kind, Immortal, and she liked that. He was smart, and she didn’t have to try and make things easy, she could play with him all she wanted. Taking his hand she stood up and grinned.

“Follow me.” Came her breathy whisper in his ear as she held him hand walking down the path back to her home. Raymond would be up, though he wouldn’t both them, he would just be reading or working him art.