Gathering: Halloween Gala

[concierge]

A large, decorative sign situated prominantly in the lobby reads:

The Nexus Hotel
proudly presents its
ANNUAL HALLOWEEN GALA

Formal Reception
Nexus Dining Hall
6 PM - Midnight

Monster Mixer
Nexus Basement
8 PM - 2 AM

Masquerade attire recommended for all guests

Most of the chairs have been removed from the Dining Hall to allow for ballroom-style dancing to the orchestra set up on the far end of the room. A polished cherry wood open bar is aligned along one wall. The adjacent Bistro is open for the duration of the formal reception, serving gourmet hors d'oeuvres.

Downstairs, the basement's largest storeroom has been converted into a spooky nightclub, complete with DJ, dance floor and cocktails.

Comments

[vampire_shield]

Bella's hands came up to cover the laugh when she saw the fangs, but the giggles escaped anyway.

"You do and I'll have to hex you into a frog or something," she fired back, waving a plastic wand at him.

[powerof_water]

"Oh, frogs. Very powerful magic," Adam teased, grinning at her. He had a little bit of a lisp from the stupid fangs but it seemed to be getting better the more he spoke in them.

"What would you even do with a pet frog anyway?"

[vampire_shield]

"I'd build it a lovely terrarium that it could sit and swim in all it wanted," Bella responded promptly, nodding with her brilliant idea. "I like the fangs. Nice touch."

She wanted to ask how the spells had gone, but she was partially afraid of the answer.

[powerof_water]

"I did my ritual," Adam said quietly, not wanting everyone to overhear him. One of the benefits of having a vampire as a friend meant that he didn't have to talk all that loud.

"I got back home but I couldn't find anyone there. It's like I was too late, or something? My dog came back with me but that was it."

[vampire_shield]

"Sounds like what I get when I go back to Forks to hunt," Bella said with a sad shrug. "It's the same town, but it's like Lost Colony of Roanoke stuff there. Houses, cars, food on tables in restaurants. Everything's there, just no people. And my house completely deserted."

She brightened, just a little. "At least it's a little success though?"

[powerof_water]

"A little! I missed Raj, so it was good to see him. I did my Samhain rituals and cleaned everything up before coming here, so. I'm yours for the rest of the night," Adam said, bowing a little even though it was over the top.

"Halloween is something I've never really celebrated. It's a holiday to me, not a candy thing."

[vampire_shield]

"I never did either," Bella admitted. "I mean, when I lived with my mom I couldn't really avoid it. She's a Kindergarten teacher, so she usually went all out for the kids in her class, but I was happier giving out candy than going door to door."

It just sounded too pathetic to say that going out alone wasn't much fun, so she'd stopped before she was ten. "Is it considered rude or classless to ask about the rituals?"

[powerof_water]

"Nah, but it's all witch stuff. I don't think it would be that interesting but if you want to hear, I'm happy to tell you."

Adam honestly liked talking about it but it was something he'd mostly shared with the Circle. He'd never really talked to anyone outside it about them.

[vampire_shield]

"I'm interested, really," Bella said. "I mean, it feels strange being part of the supernatural world and knowing so little about the others in it, you know? Even if things are wildly different in your world than in mine, I'd still like to know."

[powerof_water]

"Well, Samhain is one of our four holidays. Witches worship the elements, especially the Earth, and the goddesses associated with her. My ritual is about that," Adam explained.

[vampire_shield]

Bella couldn't stop the smirk and didn't really try. "So is the whole thing about dancing naked true or just one of those Hollywood movie things?"

[powerof_water]

"Um, no," Adam said, a little awkward about that.

"I guess you could, if you wanted, but I've never performed a Samhain ritual while naked. It gets pretty cold in Massachusetts by Halloween, it'd be not so smart."

[vampire_shield]

"No, I guess not. Probably risking a lot of frostbite in places you really don't want it," Bella grinned, then added innocently, "like your fingers and toes. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you though. I mean I had to run the vampire thing when I first found out about them. Garlic and holy water and sunlight and that kind of thing. I was curious if there were the same wrong assumptions about you guys, too."

[powerof_water]

"Well, you found them," Adam said, though it was good-natured. He knew that Bella had not been trying to offend and he'd rather have a chance to explain something than anything else.

"No wands, no naked moon dancing, no human sacrificing."

[vampire_shield]

"Wait, no wands?" Bella said, affecting a pout. "I mean, it's good you're not sacrificing humans because then I'd probably have to do something about it, but I'm kind of upset about that one. Seems almost wrong somehow."

[powerof_water]

"No, I don't need wands to do magic. We just use our minds," Adam said, laughing a little. "I guess I could show you some, if you wanted. It's not the most interesting thing in the world because I don't have a lot to draw from but..."

He grabbed a glass of water and spilled a little but before the droplets could hit the ground, he stopped them and manipulated them in midair. "It sort of looks like mercury out of a thermometer, doesn't it?"

[vampire_shield]

"That is so cool," Bella said truthfully, jaw dropping open as the water hung in mid-air. "I mean, seriously cool. Looks kind of like a lava lamp, without the psychedelic colors."

[powerof_water]

"This is just a parlor trick but I need a bigger focus for anything big. I wish I had access to the ocean," Adam said wistfully.

"We could find one behind a door, I bet."

[vampire_shield]

"There is," Bella said, brightening at once. "The forest I run in, it's in the Pacific Northwest and the whole forest borders on the ocean. I go there all the time to listen to the waves when I'm missing...well, before."

[powerof_water]

Adam grinned. "We could go sometime? I could show you real power and not just goofy party tricks?"

It was comforting to finally have an option to do something bigger than float a little water.

[vampire_shield]

"Whenever you want," Bella enthused, beaming a huge smile at him, then batted her eyelashes at him comically. "I promise not to go all swoony and stuff over the power thing."