, it's a jungle out there [zan, pleasums]

[EVANDER CHARLES CROSS!]

_{i wish i had an angel for one}

[/font][/i][/color][/sub]
( MOMENT OF LOVE )[/b][/font][/color]
^{i wish i had your angel tonight}[/font][/size][/sup]
[/center][/color]

<sub>Walking into the courtyard at a rather brisk pace, Evander tugged a bit of his more-than-annoying mask. The thing looked quite silly on him, he was sure. The man wished nothing more than to remove it from his face, and throw it into the bushes, however he doubted the young Malfoy would enjoy such a thing- the boy, Evander had learned in their short time together, liked having everything go his way. Nobody was to remove their mask for any reason, or under any circumstances, until midnight. Unless, of course, they wished to invoke the wrath of a spoiled child.

Knowing he would probably be able to get away with it, as he hadn't wanted to come to the party in the first place and thus would be avoided all of the other guests, Evander was tempted. His fingers traced the lines and things upon the ebony mask before sighing. He wouldn't do such a thing- tonight was not a night in which he wished attention to be on him.

Alexandra was with him, and he needed to remember that. He needed to keep her presence secret from the bumbling child that ran the party. Last time the two had met, it had ended in ... more than bad words between them. Evander was fully ready to defend her if he needed to, but he would have rather skipped confrontation for the sake of both of them- and his coven. In the end, his Coven was what really mattered to him in any situation.

Nearing the courtyard, which was bathing luxuriously in moonlight, Evander put out a hand toward her, a small smile softening his otherwise strained, hard features. She was the only woman he thought was worth bringing to such an event, and because of this she'd been his instant choice. When he felt a hand, not soft nor delicate as most "lady's" hands were, Evander led her to the fountain and sat on it's edge, helping her down as a gentlemen was apt to do. Brushing a stray piece of hair from her face absent mindedly, Evander questioned her on how she was doing. "How are you, Zan? Are you sure you want ot be here?" He had wanted her there beside him, but had assured the woman that if she was weary of being near the Malfoy, in such a vulnerable position, then he could go with his Blood Sister.</sub>

( WHAT'S HER FACE ) Alexandra, bby <3
( COUNTING UP THE COSTS ) not avaliable as of now
( INSPIRATIONAL THEME ) London Calling - The Clash
( PASSING NOTES IN CLASS ) Nothin' except I'm sorry for Powerplaying V___V if you want me to change it, i can. Just go ahead and slap me, then make me change it.

[nightmare]

Another piece of the puzzle that doesn’t fit
You throw your arms up, you’re so damn sick of it
What are you hurting for?
What are you searching for?
L O V E
♥dress♥mask♥

Zan plucked nervously at the edge of her blue dress, wobbling ever-so-slightly in her high heeled shoes. She had to cling to Evander’s arm for just a moment, but loosened her hold the next second. The last thing she needed was for these purebloods to start gossiping about how “clingy” she was.

The time in between her first meeting with Evander and now was almost a blur for her. He had visited often, and Zan had grown more comfortable with him than she had with anybody else. She had been in a better mood around the shop, to the point where one of her bolder employees had cheekily asked who she had been snogging. It hadn’t helped that it was that same employee who was staying late when Evander had asked her to come with her to the Malfoy ball. Naturally, this employee had immediately dragged Zan to her house, chattering cheerfully as she dumped a blue dress and mask, as well as shoes into her arms. Zan didn’t know where she had gotten the clothes, and she didn’t ask. Though she grumbled at the time, she was grateful.

Honestly, Zan didn’t know why she was here. Any one of these purebloods could have been at her store, sneering at her about how she was only an impurity and she should wait on them hand and foot. She carefully readjusted her mask, determined to keep her face covered. She didn’t want to be recognized, though she doubted she would be. Most purebloods rarely bothered to memorize her face.

Well, she did know why she was here. Evander had asked her to come. He had made it clear that she didn’t have to, but she wanted to. So she had dressed up, brushing out her hair until it was long and silky, and had safely stowed her wand away in a cleverly sewn pocket hidden in the dress. Evander helped her sit down on the edge of the fountain. With almost anybody else, Zan would have protested to being treated like a fragile object. With Evander, she gave a small grin, closing her eyes for a second as he brushed her hair out of her face. “No, I’m not,” she admitted truthfully. “But I’ll be fine. Promise,” she added, giving another weak grin. She sighed, running one hand through her hair nervously. “Are yeh sure yeh want me here?” she asked uncertainly. “I can’t dance, yeh know.” Or speak, or walk, or be like a pureblood, she added ruefully in her head. Here, she felt like she stood out like a sore thumb, and she was terrified she would embarrass Evander.

[EVANDER CHARLES CROSS!]

_{i wish i had an angel for one}

[/font][/i][/color][/sub]
( MOMENT OF LOVE )[/b][/font][/color]
^{i wish i had your angel tonight}[/font][/size][/sup]
[/center][/color]

<sub>It was true, Evander had gone back time and time again after their initial meeting at Alexandra's pet store. His feigned interest in the animals had waned, and he'd become friends with the woman. The Vampire had the faintest idea that something more would be able to bloom between them, if it were cared for. As of now, it was a tender rosebud, needing special care and attention. He intended to nurture the small bud, though, into a beautiful flower. Evander would have loved to be able to call himself something more than just her friend, though he had no intention of doing so until he had the position secured, and in a proper manner.

It had been a rather humerus night, Evander knowing of the fate that would soon befall Zan when he left the store. The Vampire had sensed the employee's heart quicken and her breath intake become sharp for a moment. Of course, there had been no real way to know what would happen to Zan by the girl's hands, but Evander had left with a fairly good idea.

The dress and shoes lended to Zan looked appealing on her, though this was almost a bad thing. He should have fed before he'd come, as being around Zan tended to tempt him a bit. The strong scent of perfume would normally mask the lure of blood and pheromones, but no strong perfume was to be had out here. Evander didn't know what would be worse- the smell of sweat and mingling bodies, or sitting out here with Zan, on a nearly empty stomach.

Shifting so that he was almost completely facing her, Evander looked her in the eyes for a heartbeat, then looked away. He wasn't sure weather she liked that or not, his seemingly endless eyes meeting hers. Speaking in a level tone, Evander answered her question. "I am absolutely sure I want you here," He smiled gently before adding in "And I know you don't think you do things like a proper pureblood lady, and you'd be right. You do them better." A beam of moonlight casted it's transparent rays across the courtyard, giving them both a milky pallor- or, well, it made Evander glow in a way since he was already quite milky in colouration.

"Don't know how to dance? Good. I'll teach you." The words came out in a simple tone, and he stood up. Bowing to her, he held out a hand. The last words out of his mouth were humble, "May I be graced by your presence M'lady, in a dance?"</sub>

( WHAT'S HER FACE ) Alexandra, bby <3
( COUNTING UP THE COSTS ) not avaliable as of now
( INSPIRATIONAL THEME ) spitting venom - modest mouse
( PASSING NOTES IN CLASS ) not avaliable at this time.

[nightmare]

Another piece of the puzzle that doesn’t fit
You throw your arms up, you’re so damn sick of it
What are you hurting for?
What are you searching for?
L O V E
♥dress♥mask♥

It was odd, almost unnatural, how comfortable Zan was with Evander. Even with her employees who she was closest to, they couldn’t be alone for more than a few hours without falling into an awkward silence. Her and Evander talked for hours, and yet whenever he left, she wished that he wouldn’t. She could barely understand the fluttering feeling she got in her stomach whenever she saw him, the slight sadness she felt when he left. She hadn’t been close to anyone in years; it almost hurt to think that she could actually make a friend. And maybe…no, she couldn’t think that far. IF she tried to plan ahead, she’d only hurt herself.

In her dress, at the ball, she felt both more beautiful and more clumsy than she had ever felt in her life. She had never worn anything as smooth and silky as this dress, but she felt like she was inches away from shattering into a million pieces to reveal the coarse impurity within. She felt so much like she just didn’t belong; only Evander’s presence kept her from completely losing her mind.

He turned to look at her, catching her eye with his own mesmerizing ones. As familiar as her fluttering stomach was the pang she got when he caught her eyes and looked away; both regret and rueful gratitude. She felt her heart give a little when he said he wanted her there; people rarely wanted her there. “Okay, if yeh’re sure,” she said softly, resisting the desire to reach out and take his hand. She still didn’t want to seem like the other ladies there, the ones who clung to their dates like a limpet and giggled uselessly.

Zan couldn’t believe Evander when he said she was better than the purebloods. “I can’ believe that,” she said, giving a wry grin. Though nobody could pay her enough to be a pureblood, she had always admired their grace, their elegance, their ability to talk like water flowing through a river. The fact that they were arrogant snobs who behaved like the dirt beneath her feet kind of put a damper on things, though. But still…Zan was no lady, not by any stretch of the imagination. Putting her in a dress didn’t change that.

Honestly, Zan wasn’t surprised that Evander knew how to dance, and was willing to teach her. She had slightly been hoping it wouldn’t come to that; as far as she knew, she’d be horrible and just fall over. Another part of her was eager to learn, and to have Evander teach her. He stood up and bowed, holding out a hand that seemed to glow in the moonlight. She laughed at his last words; like she would deny his request. “Indeed,” she said in a slightly teasing tone, putting her hand in his. She allowed him to pull her up, her first graceful move all night. She stood uncertainly, one hand still encased in his. She wasn’t quite sure what to do now; from what she had seen before, she was supposed to put her hand on his shoulder. But was that right?

[EVANDER CHARLES CROSS!]

_{i wish i had an angel for one}

[/font][/i][/color][/sub]
( MOMENT OF LOVE )[/b][/font][/color]
^{i wish i had your angel tonight}[/font][/size][/sup]
[/center][/color]

<sub>With Zan, he felt as if nothing was wrong with his life. Neither death nor solitude could change his mind. The only reminder that he'd once lived as a sort of Vampiric hermit was Kistin's constant taunts and jeers at his relationship with Zan. At times the man could have easily been persuaded into thinking that his brother was actually jealous. Of course, there wasn't another soul about that held the same thoughts as Evander and so there wasn't anybody to lead him to such thoughts. It didn't help, either, that nobody would be able to answer whether it was Evander or Zan Kistin was jealous of.

Evander could spend hours just talking with her; it was always easy to with her. Their topics ranged from serious, political manners, to just speaking about the weather and the condition of the pet store. Sometimes he brought up his own travels of the world- where he'd been and what he remembered. Sometimes he'd have to run home, or even ask her to floo him, for he realized all too late how long they'd been talking.

Evander tugged at his mask once more, fully irritated by it's presence. It was hard to make such a normally serene Vampire wish nothing more than to throw something into a blazing fire and be rid of it, but it seemed that the party had found it's own provocation- one that proved effective. He looked quickly in to the calm water of the fountain, spelled so that while there was always new water spewing from the top and running from the sides, there would be no movement or rippling within the fountain. It was still, and served as an adequate mirror.

He looked like a fool.

His mask only served to make his pale, pasty skin stand out brilliantly- even more so than his tuxedo did. The gold highlighted an even, perfect tone in his flesh, however it was not something he enjoyed. Zan however looked beautiful; perfect, even, in his eyes. And she worries about how she looks next to me ... bah! he spat mentally. He really shouldn't have been making such a fuss about it. After all, while he normally had a large choice when it came to his wardrobe, he couldn't avoid wearing darker colors at all times. This was just one of those times. The fact that he was being forced to show off the effects of his curse, however .. that vexed him.

When she slipped his hand into his Evander straightened, bringing her with him. His hand wrapped around her waist, he stared at her for a moment before placing her hand on his shoulder. "There, you see, that's where your hand should go," He gently took her other hand and intertwined their fingers. "And the placement for the other ... " Smiling at her gently, he began to lead her in the dance. Looking at her, Evander hoped he wasn't going too fast.</sub>

( WHAT'S HER FACE ) Alexandra, bby <3
( COUNTING UP THE COSTS ) not available as of now
( INSPIRATIONAL THEME ) I'm not your boyfriend baby - 3OH!3
( PASSING NOTES IN CLASS ) Awww :3 they're so cute.

[nightmare]

Another piece of the puzzle that doesn’t fit
You throw your arms up, you’re so damn sick of it
What are you hurting for?
What are you searching for?
L O V E
♥dress♥mask♥

Evander was probably the most interesting person Zan had talked to in a long time. Her brothers entertained her, but they could be so petty and immature, Zan vividly remembered having to deck them out a few times when they were all kids. Evander seemed to know a little bit about everything, and was willing to share it. She could sit entranced for hours, listening to him paint pictures of his travels with his voice. She shook herself slightly; it wouldn’t do to have her acting like a star struck teenager.

Zan was still fascinated by Evander, even though she had known him for only a few weeks. Most of the human men she talked to were one of 3 kinds of people: the impurities who were paranoid and avoided her, the coarse ones who loitered near the front of the store and leered at her, and the pureblood men who curled their lip and stared down their noses at her. The vampire was so different, and so interesting. Zan was enthralled by anything unique, and Evander was definitely unique.

A smile flickered one Zan’s face when Evander tugged at his mask, looking irritated like a small child. He had been fiddling with it all night, and Zan just assumed it was because it was uncomfortable. True, the mask wasn’t very comfortable; it squeezed her face and got in the way of her vision. However, she had no idea how foolish he felt; to her, he simply glowed, his white skin and cool demeanor reminding her of pictures of angels she had seen in various books. He looked to be made of marble and was, quite simply put, beautiful. Zan hoped she didn’t stand out painfully next to him.

Zan could feel her heart beating faster as Evander gently moved her arms so that they were in the proper dancing position. Though her and Evander had gotten close when talking, this was the closest she had been to him, at least for an extended period of time. Luckily, she was soon distracted as Evander led her in a dance. At first she tried to concentrate, but she stumbled. She tried letting her feet work on their own, and to her surprise, it worked. She wasn’t great, but she was dancing. She supposed it was something engrained in every female, no matter how ‘impure’ their blood was.

Zan was about to say something, she wasn’t quite sure what, when a giggling couple ran past them through the courtyard. They glanced at Zan and Evander, then looked away, running back towards the mansion and the ball. However, Zan froze, her eyes locked on where the couple had disappeared. She was just beginning to enjoy herself, but she recognized the pair. It was a couple of purebloods who had come by her store a few weeks ago to buy a Fwooper. They had mostly ignored her, until the end when they had to pay. The pair had spoken slowly, as if afraid she wasn’t smart enough to keep up. When she had snapped back, they had looked astonished, as if not expecting her to speak. Though they were long gone, Zan stared after the pair with wide eyes, perfectly still. She was suddenly reminded of what she really was: an impurity at a pureblood party, disguised in a fancy dress and mask. Unconsciously, Zan buried her face against Evander’s shoulder, as if to hide from the bloodsnobs that surrounded them.

Throw in a lil drama ^^

[EVANDER CHARLES CROSS!]

_{i wish i had an angel for one}

[/font][/i][/color][/sub]
( MOMENT OF LOVE )[/b][/font][/color]
^{i wish i had your angel tonight}[/font][/size][/sup]
[/center][/color]

<sub>Evander spun with her, noticing that while she wasn't the most graceful of partners, she kept up and was eager to learn. He lead her in the more simple steps, twirling her around once or twice, before bringing her into his arms for a slower dance. His steps were quick, yet leisurely. He would not be rushed through anything, even for a woman who he thought he both desired and loved.

"You look beautiful, and you're so graceful for your first time dancing ... most women would be stumbling over their own feet every step of the way." He purred into her ear, smiling all the while. It was always curious, how she brought out a more loose version of himself. Evander's life, since he'd joined his Coven, had been dedicated to moving higher in the ranks and making sure his Coven prospered. This had made him far more manipulative, shrewd, and conniving than he had been born. Constantly he was scheming, and thinking about how he could twist a situation to suit his own needs, and his coven's. He was, like other Vampires, dedicated and loyal.

With Zan, however, the Vampire seemed to let himself just be himself. He never thought of how he could twist their relationship so that his Coven earned from it. Never did he think of how he could wiggle his way into her financial and work life. Instead, he was comfortable just being around her. Evander already knew that he would go out of his way to protect her, and to keep their relationship how it was now. He also knew that was dangerous thinking.

When she looked toward the couple, Evander's lips pursed gently, his seemingly endless eyes narrowing. One of his long arms encompassed her, circling her waist and pulling her closer. The other brought itself to her head, stroking her hair gently. "Zan, what's bothering you?" He voiced his question in a whisper, lips close to her ear. But he already knew what

And the fact that he'd caused her discomfort troubled him.</sub>

( WHAT'S HER FACE ) Alexandra, bby <3
( COUNTING UP THE COSTS ) not available as of now
( INSPIRATIONAL THEME ) beauty and the beast - nightwish
( PASSING NOTES IN CLASS ) not available at this time.

[nightmare]

Another piece of the puzzle that doesn’t fit
You throw your arms up, you’re so damn sick of it
What are you hurting for?
What are you searching for?
L O V E
♥dress♥mask♥

Zan laughed aloud as Evander twirled her, thoroughly enjoying her first dancing experience. She felt her heart leap as he brought her close again, though not in an unpleasant way. He was graceful, much like a cat. She leaned her head against his shoulder, half closing her eyes as they spun and twirled, dancing like Zan had never been able to before.

Zan grinned awkwardly, unused to the compliment. She was an impurity, and thus was not often praised, especially for her looks, or being graceful. With others, she would be suspicious, since she was so rarely flattered. But Evander sounded so sincere, it was impossible to think he was faking it. “I think it’s the lead,” she murmured in reply, grinning wryly. “I don’ know what I’m doing, so it’s mostly you showing me,” she added, chuckling quietly. She had never danced before, simply because there was nobody to dance with. Evander was different, sincere, understanding…the forbidden word, love floated into her mind, but she pushed it out. Alexandra Fey Harper was a paranoid, rough, and unlovable impurity. How could she even be thinking about love?

She didn’t think they could be closer, but suddenly, they were. The few inches of space between them disappeared as he embraced her, one hand smoothing the hair her employee had insisted that she style and brush for about 3 hours. “It’s…nothing,” she replied, her husky voice quiet so as not to draw any attention to the pair. “Jus’ easy to remember what I am here.” She shook her head, trying to dislodge any uneasy feelings she had. She took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. Calm down Zan, and suck it up, she told herself sternly. You’re here, and you’re staying. Don’ yeh dare be a wimp, and don’ yeh dare cry!

Zan took another deep breath and looked up at Evander, giving a weak but definite grin. “Shoul’ we go inside?” she inquired, glancing around as yet another couple strolled past, heading towards the ballroom. She didn’t know if there was some sort of event inside they were supposed to be witnessing, or if they were free to wander for the full time. She trusted Evander would know what to do, which was why she asked.

[EVANDER CHARLES CROSS!]

_{i wish i had an angel for one}

[/font][/i][/color][/sub]
( MOMENT OF LOVE )[/b][/font][/color]
^{i wish i had your angel tonight}[/font][/size][/sup]
[/center][/color]

<sub>Evander felt the slightest pull of his lips to her forehead, though resisted the urge. That, he was quite certain, would be crossing the line. It was a thin one, and one that was blurred almost into non-existence, but it was still a line. Evander wasn't willing to put what was between them at risk for a simple, inexplicable desire he had. Instead, he stood there holding her, sure it was to come to an end soon enough. Surprisingly, though, Zan seemed to make no movement to pull away. It suited him fine enough, and so Evander stood stock still. He wasn't about to move and remind her just how close they were.

"Well that's good, I think I'd never like to hear you've forgotten what you are, because what you are is a wonderful person, Zan, and let no Pureblood or otherwise tell you different." Evander whispered, just above an inaudible level. He spoke only the truth, or at least how he saw it. Zan was a far better person than most people he knew, or was associated with. That might have been because in order to claw his way to the top within his Coven, he had to meet and gain the respect of quite a few sketchy figures. However, Evander thought he still had a good handle on "good" and "bad" people even after so many years, and Zan was definitely one of the better types.

Looking toward the few couples twirling and trotting past them, though some lagged behind at a more leisurely pace, Evander pursed his lips. They seemed to all be navigating to the indoors. This could be because of the fact that they recognized Evander for what he was, and didn't wish to get in his way, though he doubted it. Some of them had come from a good two minutes walk away. The gardens just beyond the courtyard were expansive, Evander knew without really having ever been in there. He could sense the distance, judging it by the sound of beating hearts and pulsing veins on the other side of the low walls and high hedges lining the courtyard's outer reaches.

He looked down at her smile, and gave her own of his own. "I think that would be a good idea." For once, his words weren't spoken in an eloquent, measured way. His lips were so close to hers ... so close. For a moment he forget where he was, and even thought about leaning down and closing the distance between them, but stopped himself just in time. That would be crossing the line, and he would never do such a thing.

His expression was slightly pained as he separated from her, still holding her hand, and led Zan through the gathering crowd of people. Most took one look at him and kept their distance, though some didn't seem to know better. They reached nearly the center of the crowd, and Evander waved and nodded to some who called his name. He seemed to know most people, or rather they knew him. At least by name.</sub>

( WHAT'S HER FACE ) Alexandra, bby <3
( COUNTING UP THE COSTS ) not available as of now
( INSPIRATIONAL THEME ) Death Valley Queen - Flogging Molly
( PASSING NOTES IN CLASS ) one of the longer posts i've made with him ... but also one of the worst >__>

[nightmare]

Another piece of the puzzle that doesn’t fit
You throw your arms up, you’re so damn sick of it
What are you hurting for?
What are you searching for?
L O V E
♥dress♥mask♥

With anybody else, this would be awkward and uncomfortable, just standing there in somebody else’s arms. In fact, almost anybody else who tried to embrace her would probably be cursed. Zan had always seen herself as something of a feral cat; even her Patronus was a large, scruffy looking Kneazle that glared at everything with silver eyes. Her and El Diablo seemed one and the same; okay to know, but one you’d never want to get close to. What had happened? It was like Evander had melted something inside her, something that allowed her to stand here comfortably with his arms around her. It both scared and thrilled her.

Zan chuckled as Evander softly told her she was a wonderful person. She didn’t see herself as a wonderful person. She was a person trying not to die. Did that make her wonderful? “I ain’t changed in 10 years, no matter what the purebloods have told me. Don’t think that’s going to change now,” she commented, her usual wry humor coming out in a voice almost as quiet as Evander’s. She suddenly realized that her hand, which had been on Evander’s shoulder, had gone around his neck, embracing him and pulling him closer. Her first reaction was to jump away for fear that he would notice it himself and pull away. However, that reaction was overwhelmed by the desire to tighten her hold, bringing his head closer to hers. In the end, she did neither, not wanting to ruin anything.

Zan watched curiously as more and more people, in groups of two or three, wandered past. A few glanced towards the pair by the fountain and hurried on, whispering to each other. Zan’s paranoia instantly leapt to the fact that they recognized her as an impurity, and were going to spread the news. However, she glanced up at Evander and realized that it was probably him. Though she had grown used to it, his pale skin and hypnotizing eyes would mark him as a vampire, and others would recognize it and shy away from it. Zan could vaguely recall a time when she had felt the same way, but now it barely registered in her mind as something strange. Evander was a vampire, just as she was a halfblood. It didn’t change anything, it was just who they were.

She looked back up as Evander spoke again, and was again painfully aware of how close he was. All she had to do was stand on tip toes, and they would kiss…She looked down, refusing to let such traitorous thoughts enter her head. “Okay, lead the way,” she said instead, reluctantly slipping away from Evander. He still held her hand, but instinctively, Zan let go and slid closer to him, slipping one arm around his waist. It seemed natural to do so, enough that Zan barely questioned her actions.

As they were soon surrounded by purebloods, Zan desperately wanted to bow her head to avoid detection. However, she had never been meek, and didn’t want to start now. She held her head high, her expression calm and composed as they continued to walk. She was curious about all the people who greeted Evander; she had never really thought about how he was invited to this ball anyway. “Your friends?” she inquired, glancing up at the vampire.

[EVANDER CHARLES CROSS!]

_{i wish i had an angel for one}

[/font][/i][/color][/sub]
( MOMENT OF LOVE )[/b][/font][/color]
^{i wish i had your angel tonight}[/font][/size][/sup]
[/center][/color]

<sub>Evander noticed her arm about his waist almost instantaneously, and did nothing to remove it. It was almost natural to have it there. It was an added weight but not one that was restricting, not in the least. If he wasn't entering a room where instantaneously he was "all business", Evander would have peeked down at her, and if he found that she had been smiling at him, he would have returned the favor. However, those were "could have beens", and Evander tended not to dwell on the different forks of his future. Instead, he took a direct route to what should be, and what would be, and ignored the rest of his options.

In the end, Evander got what he wanted. That's how it always was because of his way of dealing with things, and he didn't plan on changing anytime soon.

The nods and friendly gestures were all good signs. They showed that while Vampires were looked down upon by the Purebloods, they still paid respects to the high ranking Covens in the areas. Should they not, they'd have a problem on their hands that couldn't be dealt with as easily as the Impurities had been, not to say that had been an easy ordeal. Voldemort knew that he had to secure his weak alliances with the stronger Covens, including Evanders own, and had obviously relayed the message to the other Purebloods.

Vampires were strange creatures. One could think that you would simply wait until Sun-up, sneak into their lairs, and dispatch them by severing their heads from their shoulders. This was not the case, however, as most Vampires kept a simple house above ground while their real manors were under it. Because of this, Vampires had been known to hold lock downs for years in their homes. They kept their bleeders (though Evander was not known for using a derogatory name for humans who fed Vampires aloud, it sometimes slipped into his thoughts) with them and thus were supplied with constant food.

It would be pure suicide to wander into a Vampire's hiding spot when it was having a complete lock down- sun or not. The Coven of Athenis was especially known for holding lock downs while also striking their enemies at night. They were a deadly Clan, not one to easily be dealt with, and there were a few more like them. Evander had almost been tempted to join a Coven that hailed from Ireland, in fact, for her much preferred the Irish to the English. However, it had been convenient at the time to stay where he knew the territory, should he have to make a quick escape.

Having been so deep in though, contemplating the reasons for the Purebloods biting their tongues for the most part around him, that he nearly jumped when Zan's voice broke through. Being a trained Vampire from The Coven of Athenis, though, he stood his ground. The only show that he'd even been surprised was his body going taut, and his standing a bit straighter. "Friends?" He said, voice shaking with sarcasm and laughter "I wouldn't call them that, exactly." It wasn't the type of tone that said he was mocking her, just the type that said they were nothing of the sort. "They're just people who have a strong sense of self preservation." He didn't explain himself, instead leaving it open for her to either pursue or drop.

Mentally wincing, he realized it must have sounded as if he meant that he would kill them if they didn't pay their respects. Evander you idiot, what a blunder indeed... he growled at himself Haven't you already promised yourself that you wouldn't scare her with all this Athenis business? It was just another promise broken among many, though, and didn't truly bother him.</sub>

( WHAT'S HER FACE ) Alexandra, bby <3
( COUNTING UP THE COSTS ) not available as of now
( INSPIRATIONAL THEME ) warrior's code - drop kick murphies
( PASSING NOTES IN CLASS ) O< evander is a waaaaarrior! -points to the song-

[nightmare]

Another piece of the puzzle that doesn’t fit
You throw your arms up, you’re so damn sick of it
What are you hurting for?
What are you searching for?
L O V E

Evander didn’t shrug off her arm, which Zan took as a good sign. She could feel herself starting to loosen up just the tiniest bit. She was masked, so nobody would recognize her, and she was dressed just as elegantly as any of the other pureblood women here. Besides, if any of the bloodsnobs tried to mess with her, she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She could feel her wand, hidden in a pocket in the side of her dress, against her hip, ready to be drawn at a moment’s notice. She finally began to feel confident here, enough that she freely looked around instead of keeping her gaze locked forward.

When she was looking past Evander, somebody bumped into her, almost knocking her to the ground in her unstable heels. Her head whipped around, eyes narrowed slightly as she took in the culprit. It was a pureblood male, one of the men around her age that always dressed like they were going to a party and generally treated her like dirt. She didn’t recognize him, but then again, they all looked the same. He looked about to say something snide, then caught sight of Evander. His eyes widened slightly, and he mumbled an apology before pushing through a few people in front of him and was swallowed up by the crowd. Zan glanced up at the vampire again, trying to see him from an outsider’s perspective. He didn’t look human, but he didn’t look scary either…Zan suddenly flashed back to their first meeting, and the flash of fangs he had shown the Death Eaters outside her store. Maybe there was something to fear after all, though oddly enough Zan still felt fine.

She guessed Evander had been lost in thought, because he seemed to tense up as she spoke. She was glad enough he didn’t consider these purebloods friends, though his second remark puzzled her. “An’ what happens if they don’ behave themselves?” she asked, her tone slightly teasing, though she did want to know. Evander didn’t seem the type to go around killing those who didn’t obey him. She knew very little about his Coven, or the respect it had gained.

The pair had paused among the mass that was crowded outside the ballroom. Everybody seemed to find it nice to stand and chat just outside, but Zan was starting to feel a chill. However nice it was, her dress was not made to keep her warm. “Can we get inside?” she asked, taking her arm off his waist to briskly rub her hands over her arms. “I’m freezing.” Normally she wouldn’t have said anything, but she didn’t think the cold would affect him, and he wouldn’t think to go inside.

TAG ! Evander
WORD COUNT ! Pssh, too lazy
LYRICS ! What are you waiting for? by Sick Puppies
OUTFIT ! ♥dress♥mask♥
NOTES ! Sorry it took so long. Hope you have enough words to work with ^^