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

[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."