Reckoning Day, Reckoning Night {Kiss Vampires & Servants}

China was glad he had managed to get everything done that he needed to do before his appointment. Well, it wasn't just his appointment, it was everyones and everyones servants too. The fact of the matter was that Donovan didn't like to be kept waiting and anyone that did keep him waiting, well, let's just say they had a bad few days, weeks, months. He wasn't so sure about the years but he had a feeling that years was a possibility. Shaking his head, he made his way down the hall towards where he knew Yuki would be. It wasn't usually hard to find the youth, he was either in China's room or buried in some books. As he hadn't been in the room, the logical step was the library.

Opening the door, the vampire nodded and made his way towards the boy that had his raven head buried in a book. Taking the book, he whipped it out of his servants hands before reading the title and smiling slightly. Making sure to mark the page, he reached a hand out for Yuki to take before leading the youth out of the library and to the meeting. Book in hand, China made easy work of the halls until he came to the main auditorium and opened the door, ushering Yuki inside. They were the first ones in and that suited China just fine.

Stepping inside himself, China gave a bow of respect, showing his neck to Donovan before ushering Yuki to a seat. Once the boy was seated and China returned the book, the vampire wandered over to his elder but kept his eyes on the door and Yuki.

"Master. I am glad we are not late, i couldn't find Yuki."

Having been sprawled on the floor and totally immersed in his reading material -a rather old and heavy copy of Much Ado About Nothing- Yuki was completely oblivious to the fact that a meeting had been calledand did not eve realize he had company until the book was swiped from his grasp. He yelped and looked up and back to see China-Rose glancing over it and smiling. He blushed and even noted that he'd marked the page before helping him to his feet and leading him out without a word. There was a smudge of dust on the boy's face from searching through and handling some of the dustier books earlier and it itched enought hat he noticed and wiped at it with his sleeve now that he wasn't too distracted to notice it.

He hadn't asked where they were going as he could see they were headed for the auditorium but he was very puzzled as to why. What was going on? As he was ushered inside he spotted only one other person; a man he did not recognize in what looked to be a very nice and probably very expensive and expertly tailored suit. It definitely looked nice on him. But who was he?

He let China guide him to a seat and hugged the big book to him once it was returned, still puzzling over the situation when China-Rose went to the other mann and spoke. His face flushed scarlet as he realized that this had to be the Master Donovan that China had spoken of a few times. The Master of the City. There was no one else that China seemed to refer to as 'master' so it made sense. He hid his crimson face behind the book and murmured the softest of apologies. He hoped he hadn't made a bad impression...

Selma was gliding through the hall, making her way to the auditorium. She was slightly behind on her time but she would make it by the edge of her teeth. As it was a meeting with the Master himself she had changed out of her usual style, and into a very formal gown of an old style. The top was sleeveless, and was indeed a corset in the color of deepest red. As she really had no need for air unless she wished to speak, it hugged her upper form quiet nicely. It then flared open to a black silk material just at the bottom of her stomach and allowed it to flow back behind her. The blood red of the top leaked down into the bottom for about three inches to give it the appearance of spilled blood on the bottom half. Her boots were still knee high and leather, but these ones were of high heeled to be a little more formal to match the gown.

Her rich hair fell around her shoulders in waves and curls, and her eyes seemed to shine a more vibrant green then usual. When she looked at the time again and saw Aubrey slipping in through the door she used a burst of speed so that she could slip in before it closed. Just as she thought she made it in just the nick of time as she walked down the way of the auditorium before kneeling down before Donovan, next to Aubrey only seconds later, and bared her neck to him in greeting.

Donovan. She had heard just a few things of him from when she had been with the council, and none of it had seemed bad. When she had learned that it would be he that the Council was putting upon the seat here, she had been more accepting then she would have with someone else. Granted she was still leery of him due to his bloodline, but then she never had forgiven Belle for what she had done to her while she herself was staying with in the council. "Master," she whispered out in greeting as she knelt. She would not move until she was given permission to.

Donovan made a steeple of his fingers, looking thoughtfully at the four individuals who had deemed his request important and had thus arrived on time. Those that who had not arrived punctually or did not arrive at all would be dealt with separately at another time. Tardiness was a trait that ought to be punishable by flogging; it was the height of rudeness and damned ungentlemanly. Although many Masters were enthusiasts concerning public humiliation, Donovan firmly believed that there was a time and a place for such a punishment and would, therefore, bide his time in dealing with this small yet significant transgression; he would, perhaps, insist upon a more private meeting when delivering his judgement in regard to this matter. There was, after all, such a thing as ‘overkill’.

It was interesting to see who had appeared and who had not. China-Rose, his Témoin, had arrived first of course, accompanied by the infamous Mr. Koyuki Wanatabe; though they had yet to meet, Donovan had heard mention of Mr. Wanatabe. What kind of Master would he be without a functioning and well-maintained information network? It just would not do to appear surprised. It rather ruined the effect. Nevertheless, it was… good to meet Koyuki, or ‘Yuki’ as he seemed to be referred to in colloquial terms, “It is a pleasure to finally meet you Mr. Wanatabe.” Donovan was not surprised to find that China-Rose and Koyuki had arrived first; China-Rose undoubtedly wanted to make a good impression with his young man. Donovan rather liked China-Rose; he was rather like a younger cousin in a few respects. They had, until some years ago, shared a bloodline, until Donovan had broken from Belle Morte and become his own fountainhead, a Sourde de Sang.

One thing that China-Rose had received from Belle Morte that Donovan had not, was the ardeur. This was something that, unsurprisingly, Donovan was not jealous of in any great way. While it was probably a useful power in many ways, the pros did not outweigh the cons in that personal debate, and thus Donovan was content with the powers and abilities he possessed himself. Of course, that would not stop him amassing the powers and abilities of others for his own means and ends. Mr. Wanatabe intrigued Donovan in a few ways; for one thing, he wasn’t a warrior and, as far as Donovan knew, there was nothing particularly special about him. So why, why, why was Koyuki so important to China-Rose?

Aubrey on the other hand… Aubrey gave Donovan a rather curious headache that began right between his eyes. He made Donovan want to pinch the bridge of his nose and say things to the effect of, “Why? Why is he still alive? How is it that he is yet to be dust on the breeze?” Of course, being a gentleman, Donovan said no such thing and let no such thought so much as flicker across his face. If Aubrey had been stupid – truly stupid, rather than just slightly dim – then Donovan might have called him an utter failure as a vampire. He was five hundred years dead and still only had the common sense of a dead dormouse. Yet somehow Aubrey had (miraculously) survived half a millennium and had become a domesticated urban predator. Donovan was somewhat astonished to see Aubrey arrive in second place, behind China-Rose and Mr. Wanatabe. He had fully expected the young vampire to forget the meeting entirely. Curiouser and curiouser.*

Selma. She was of the Earthmover’s bloodline, as was headache-inducing Aubrey. Selma had been perilously close to being late until she had slipped through the door moments after the young vampire. Donovan greatly approved of the fact that she had appeared; Selma had a singularly no-nonsense attitude that Donovan found appreciable. She was around the same age as China-Rose, and double that of Aubrey, so she had seen at least one millennium roll on past. The arrival of Selma heralded the last of his vampires due to appear.

Donovan gestured offhandedly to the peons, "Please, seat yourselves." China, of course, had seated himself as was his wont; indeed, he was surprised that Aubrey hadn't simply thrown himself into a chair. Selma, naturally, was behaving with decorum. Yuki was hiding behind a book. How quaint. His inventory of players had assembled themselves and Donovan surveyed them keenly, pondering their use for the future. "I trust you have all settled and adjusted comfortably?"

[*Continuing my Alice in Wonderland theme – I didn’t just make up the word ‘curiouser’ lol]

China took a sly look aound as Donovan asked them to be seated. Donovan had already greeted Yuki after all and it seemed the Master wanted to get down to buisness. That was fine by China though and calmly, he sat down on the chair next to his human servant. He adjusted his white suit jacket and open necked ice blue shirt before wrapping an arm around Yuki's shoulders and getting comfortable.

Waiting patiently, the almost albino observed his master with a critical eye. He knew Donovan of old and whilst they weren't opely close, there was deffinately a likeability. Purely friendship in China's case, servant and master sort of thing. Anything more would have been troublesome and cause problems. Maybe....Maybe Donovan was like family, an uncle or a cousin. Yes, that was about right.

Selma was, to China, a little strange. She wasn't eccentric as such but she was unusual. She tended to have odd rather largely human moments but he found that he liked that. It was always good for a laugh after all but her timing had a tendency to be bad. Like when she decided she wanted to learn how to cook and asked for China's opinion on the matter as he was doing the theatre accounts. Shaking his head, he brought his gaze to the last vampie occupant and frowned.

Aubrey, whilst handsome and fashionable in an in-your-face-here-i-am-world sort of way, caused a lot of headaches. The male could think his way around a corkscrew in a storm but that of course made him valuable. Especially when politics were played. China was just grateful that he'd never had to battle politics with the top hat wearer. He would be lost within five minutes, even if he was considered good at vampire politics.

Hearing Donovan speak once more, China drew his attention to the dark haired vampire and considered his question before answering.

"It's comfortable. I myself am finding the adjustment rather easy, though the accounts are rather a new thing. It wasn't anything too out of the ordinary though. I am afraid to say that Yuki may take a little longer to adjust. Isn't that right strawberry?"

Koyuki blushed and nodded as the Master of the City addressed him, ducking lower behind his book. He just couldn't help it. He wasn't scary or anything -yet- but the boy just couldn't help but be shy. Especially when he spoke to him so formally. He'd very nearly asked him not to call him that but... no.

Dark eyes watched as two more entered the auditorium. A man he didn't yet recognize, though he looked like a rather fun individual, and Miss Selma. He liked Selma, she was an odd one but she made him smile. And he helped her when she wanted to test out recipes since he was generally the closest person on hand that could eat. It was fun and she was a surprisingly good cook. Of course he had to help sometimes so he could tell her whether or not something needed more or less seasoning etc but that was fun too. She really was something.

At any rate, his eyes moved back to Donovan as he spoke and when Shiro sat beside him he snuggled into his side. Being close made him feel better. Though when he was once again brought to the attention of the head vampire, his cheeks flushed vibrantly with color and he lowered his eyes, book laid flat in his lap and hands folded atop it. Hiding wasn't polite. "H-hai... yes... but... but I will try my hardest."