23. Amber Hart
Amber mingles with the dead, making introductions here and there, rubbing shoulders with people who may very well be older than the country they stand in. Snow swirls through the night outside the large windows, lit by the magnificent view of the Manhattan skyline. After carefully and politely extracting herself from a conversation about the theological (and she suspects sexual) benefits of flagellation with two vampires dressed in a cassock and nun's habit, Amber drifts through the room, waiting an appropriate amount of time before diving back into a conversation. Or at least she was going to, when unsettlingly animalistic eyes catch Amber's own. The vampire from Carissa's building - her building now, really - Liam is here. And visibly upset, wide and shark-toothed mouth twisted into a scowl. He's dressed still in baggy clothes, though he seems to have washed them at least. His hood is still thrown up, casting much of his face in shadow. He marches directly towards Amber.
She freezes for a moment, unsure what to do, memories of having her head smashed into the linoleum by wild strength vivid in her memory. Then the cunning part of her mind reasserts itself. He wouldn't dare attack her here. She's safe from his fangs and his claws - and if she can keep her blood cool enough, from his words as well. Amber straightens from her frozen state and turns to face him directly. He isn't a challenge she needs to shirk from.
Liam sticks out a finger at Amber accusingly stepping into her space, nearly touching her. "You don't care at all, do you? It was all just a ploy to fuck with me, huh? Well that's fine. Two can play at that game." He snarls.
"What?" She's caught off guard by his words. Of course she cares... and can't show it, not here, she realizes, the realization chilling. To so much as have Carissa's name mentioned in this place is to place her life in danger. Liam is either exactly as angry and irrational as he seems, or he's intentionally holding her hostage. "Why would I choose a fight with you?" she brushes his finger away with the back of her palm, taking half a step back and wrinkling her nose as if at an offensive scent. If he wants to play the ranting lunatic - or actually is one - then she'll use the relative difference in appearances for all it's worth.
From the corner of her eye, Amber sees Theo watching with interest. But... not moving to intervene. He's waiting to see how she plays this. "You know exactly what I mean." Liam says in a harsh voice. "Tried to chase me off and then didn't even bother. It was never about her. You're just messing with me. Why? I dunno, you tell me."
"You're upset that out of the entire city, there's one apartment I don't want you staring in while I sleep with the occupants?" She adopts an incredulous tone. "I feed quite well, thank you. What I do or don't do with a particular mortal is none of your business. We had an agreement," Amber's voice grows steely, and she draws herself up. "I've kept out of your business. Keep yourself out of mine."
Liam grits his pointed teeth and is about to open back up when one of the watching vampires titters and shakes his blonde head. "Neonates." He comments with a chuckle. And the floodgates open to ripples of laughter throughout the room. It's very clear, despite his comment ostensibly including her, that Amber is not the target of ridicule here. She can see Liam realize he's not going to make any further progress at the same time the embarrassment hits behind his eyes. Theo watches with a little wince. A low hiss comes from somewhere deep in Liam's throat, and he looks back at Amber. For a moment he looks about to say something, but then turns on his heel and marches out of the room.
Amber sighs and shakes her head at his departure. Something has him quite upset with her, and she will need to find out what. She genuinely doesn't want a fight with him - and if he's convinced she's starting it, then despite this little setback, he won't think he has the option to back down. Well, a matter for another time. This won't exactly have done her any favors in resolving and escalating, but immediate crisis averted. She takes a deep breath and straightens her dress. Can't just slink away and think about it in private without making those laughs point in her direction as well.
The feel of the room changes when Amber sees him. It's as if the floor gained a sudden but very slight pitch and yaw, ever so subtly angled so every line leads towards him. Siveri stands among the crowd, evidently having quietly been there for some time. He meets Amber's eyes and nods in distant approval, his hands coming together silently, once, as if clapping. Even that morsel of attention sets a non-existent shiver of pleasure up a long-quiet spine. Thoughts of Carissa, Theo, Liam, they all fade - just a little, oh so subtly - like polaroids left out in the sun, bleached of color in comparison to the vibrancy of his dark eyes meeting hers.
Amber gives a faint smile at the clap, enough to say that she's noticed it and appreciates the praise. She considers resisting the urge to head in his direction, to assert her independence in front of the crowd, but no. If she were well and truly devoted, she wouldn't resist the urge, and that's a secret she has to keep. She has no one else to talk to anyway, not immediately after a confrontation like that. So she moves slowly in his direction, making her way around the outside of the dance floor in no particular hurry.
Siveri is dressed in a long black coat with silver thread throughout, with a silver ring on his finger she's never seen before, bearing a crest. "You did well." He murmurs to Amber. "Is this about the building you purchased?"
"His hunting grounds, apparently," she slides into position at his side. "One of my herd lives there, and we made a deal that I wouldn't interfere with his activities if he left her for me. Dona Dominiguez will be here later," she mentions the information she came across in case he wasn't aware.
He nods, once. "Did she show you her heretical practices?" Despite dropping an intensely loaded word to describe the Dona's bloody faith, his tone is even and nothing about his expression betrays any particular... fervor about it. The inclusion puzzles Amber a little. He doesn't seem the type.
"She did." A complex wave of emotions passes over her at the memory, and she hesitates, unable to find a succinct way to give her opinion. "Quite gruesome. I'll try and keep my distance unless necessary," is the best she can come up with.
Siveri nods again, briefly pausing to exchange pleasantries with a vampire who approaches him for a few moments. "That you have stayed vigilant and collected is to your credit." Though he'd never say it out loud here, Amber can almost taste the unspoken pride in her. "The Wyndham is a sanctuary, but never forget that she wields weapons against which no walls can defend." It's an unnecessary warning, at least from Amber's perspective, but he makes it all the same. "Shall we dance?" The change of topic is abrupt.
"It would be my pleasure," she says, meaning it completely. "My second dance with a man tonight - people will think I'm straight," she chuckles. The horror.
"Second?" Siveri asks neutrally, leading Amber onto the floor. He's not only physically stronger than Theo, evident in the casual way he can move Amber's entire weight if needed, but more forceful. Rather than letting Amber lead he takes an almost aggressive role in the dance. While no less well-coordinated, Amber finds herself constantly on the back foot, both literally and metaphorically, trying to keep up.
The dance is thrilling - nerves alight trying to keep up, be ready for each move as it comes. Siveri captures her attention in a way the young lord simply didn't, and she barely has time to pay attention to the rest of the room as he leads her around. "Lord Wyndham," she finally manages, catching her breath in a slow measure.
"Ah." Siveri remarks, still seemingly completely neutral. "And how did you find Hypatia's dear son," he asks when they next come together, lips barely an inch or two from her ear.
"Quite charming. He knows how to hold a room, though I imagine I could match him on my home turf," she smiles along with the worlds, letting him know that it's merely natural competitiveness and not any intent to seriously challenge Wyndham. "His attempts to woo me are in vain, however," she has her turn to whisper sensually in his ear soon enough. "I'm already taken."
"A shame to see all the world deprived of you so early." Siveri answers back with a little private smile and... was that a joke? Dear God, he must be in a good mood. "I was not aware you were so exclusive in your affections." For a moment, just a moment, Siveri seems about to kiss Amber - but he whirls her away, the long rondeau of coming together and separating and coming together continuing.
"Oh, I have innumerable lovers across the world," she answers the smile with one of her own. Distracted by the wordplay though, Amber makes a misstep as they come apart. It's rather small, but happens at just the wrong time as he attempts to sweep her into a twirl, throwing off her balance enough to kick herself in the calf with the other foot. She's saved from stumbling away awkwardly by a strong arm on her back, turning the stumble into an unexpected dip. She seizes on the opportunity. "But a knight serves only one Don." She looks up at him earnestly, heart in her throat.
She should not have said that. Difficult memories, his secret shame.
She couldn't bear it if she were were rejected.
But maybe...
Maybe he won't...
There's a moment of confusion in those dark eyes. And then... just for a moment Amber can read Siveri past the surface, past the cues and hints he doesn't bother to hide, past his tightly-controlled mask of calm and icy distance. And past that mask... there's a connection, a feeling, something born in blood shared and an alignment of desire, perhaps. Her own hopes are laid bare in the way she searches his expression hungrily.
How could she know? It's like the words were written across his cheeks. And the answer rises to meet him like a stone launched from a sling. Dominguez. He wonders how much Amber knows. Of course he does, how could he not? There's calculation in how Siveri's eyes bore into Amber's. Oh yes, the weighing of factors, odds, possibilities and potential paths to take. His mind may be incapable of stopping, after centuries upon centuries of operating the way it does.
But in the twist of one corner of his mouth, a slight tightness around those cold, dark eyes... that's not calculation. Amber can see that Siveri is, in this single shining moment of vulnerability, concerned with what she thinks of him. Not because it may affect some long-running plan. Not because of practical difficulties introduced by her knowledge. But because, in some way, her opinion of him matters. He cares, in his way. "Such is the way it has always been." Siveri murmurs in reply to Amber, his voice subdued, almost withdrawn.
She had been terrified to find nothing at all. But the mask fell away for just a moment, and she was there. Important to him. In this moment she doesn't care if she's being used, doesn't flinch as he leans into the dip to kiss her, feeling the significance of it. Nor does she much care who else sees her as she responds, tilting her head back and away slightly as her eyes close, bringing attention to her pale throat, vulnerable and open to whatever he chooses to do to her.
It's over in an instant. No long, intimate spectacles in this room of predators, but... it's enough.