How long had it been? [ Open to all! ]

[Cyrus Silverling]

That was exactly the question at hand. Cyrus paused as he stepped into the establishment, curious eyebrow lifting at what he was assuming happened to be some minor changes. And if there weren't -- well, these so called changes were probably a figment of his imagination due to the extended period of time since his last visit. Left hand lifted as fingers laced through his rather short strands of hair. "Well.. let's have us something to drink," he murmered to himself under his breath.

Slow, casual steps led him toward the counter until he reached one of the stools, obviously, adjusting himself down to a sit without much hesitation. Right hand moved to unbutton and roll up the left long sleeve to about the elbow, the opposite following suit after the original had finished. A glannce was given around to see if anyone might have been around. Hell, it had been so damn long he forgot how the place operated for that matter. With an elbow lightly falling upon the counter, his closed fist moved to press against his tilted cheek. "I wonder if any of the same people are hanging around.." Not too farfetched of a thought, but one never really knew.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline had been in the kitchen fixing herself something to eat. She had made a turkey sandwich and some chips. Once she cleaned up her mess, she grabbed her plate and went back out to the bar.

As she backed out the door, she didn't see the person at the bar until she turned around. Madeline liked to dropped her plate. Where did he come from? she though to herself.

She recognized him, he was one of her fathers friends. Madeline sat her plate on the counter behind the bar, and leaned back on the back counter. She crossed her arms and grinned. "Well look what the cat dragged in. It's good to see you again Mr. Siverling. Would you like a drink?"

[Cyrus Silverling]

[font=Times New Roman]Cyrus had somehow managed to completely lose his focus during that brief few minutes between his own entry and Madeline's. A side long glance had been given toward one of the windows, not looking at anything in particular, but sort of thinking back mostly. It wasn't until she spoke up did he snap back into reality, head turning back to find the ever lovely Madeline just across from him.

A smile grew on his previously non-chalant facial features. "Just Cyrus, Miss Cauthon." A nod came accompanied with the words as if to add emphasis. "Some water would be amazing, actually. It's been quite the trip getting back here." It wasn't as bad as he made it sound, but it certainly hadn't been fun. "...but long time no see. How have you been?"

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline stopped leaning and fixed Cyrus a glass of cold water and handed it to him. Out of all Gawain's friends, he was one of the better looking ones. She was happy to see him, and the smile on her face showed it.

"Been okay Cyrus, and please call me Madeline or Maddie. So are you going to be staying around a bit? I'm sure Dad would get a kick out of seeing you again."

[Cyrus Silverling]

An appreciative nod was given as the glass of water was set infront of him. One hand reached out to take the glass, immediately lifting it up to his lips for a brief sip before setting it back down against the counter. When she mentioned the length of his stay, that smile switched into a grin. "Considering I've gone through some considerable life changes, I was actually on a search for a new place to relocate, you know?" Eyes shut momentarily in thought. "Your father was one of the people I was hoping to run into. And yourself as well."

[Madeline Cauthon]

Maddie did know what he was talking about, she herself having had just got back and now that her dad was back, she had no planes on leaving anytime soon. Especially if Cyrus was going to be sticking around. It was sweet that he said he wanted to see her also. "Dad is around here somewhere. So you're bound to run into him."

Madeline stretched her long arms over head for a moment. Then brought them back down. She wondered what it was about this place that said home."Well you come to the right spot to relocate. I've just got back here myself."

Maddie thought on all she had went through the past few months. "I guess you could say I had some growing up to do. You know, life changes"

If he was willing to share, so was she.

[Cyrus Silverling]

It was crazy how life worked sometimes. Not everything had always gone to plan, but the world usually had a mysterious way of working itself out. His lone free hand moved to scratch at the back of his head idly as he listened intently. "I understand. Sometimes we have to go away for awhile in order to have the ability to figure things out." The last little drink of water was consumed during his pause before he continued. "Although, I'm a terrible example of learning from your mistakes. And from that? I was lucky enough to get divorced." The one positive was that he no longer had to br involved in guild business. And the divorce had been more of a blessing in disguise. "Enough about me, though. Is everything okay with you?" An eyebrow lifted with the question. Hopefully he wasn't prying.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Maddie listened as Cyrus spoke. It was refreshing to have a normal conversation with a normal guy. Madeline's subconscious almost did a happy dance about Cyrus being divorced. She felt bad for the guy, but hey if he seemed happy with it, well she would support such happiness.

Madeline reached down, and grab a beer from the mini frig under the bar. She popped the lid off and took a sip. She thought about her answer for a bit, a bunch had gone on over the passed several months, and she wanted to tell him. Yet she didn't want to seem like one of those babbling airheads she had seen. "Things are good now, but Dad kind of had a rough spell a few months back. Seemed the beast wanted out, and he lost it. Things got rough for a bit. so while Airtia worked on fixing Dad, I took off. Just needed some fresh air you know."

Madeline's pride refuse to let her say she was sent away like a helpless child.Plus she had promised Gawain she would let the rift between her and Air go. She left it at that, she would tell him more if he asked.

"Want some more water, or perhaps something else Cyrus?"

[Cyrus Silverling]

Honestly, the last thing Madeline had to do was feel sorry for him. It had been quite a long time coming, and now he was free of the 'ol ball and chain. Not that marriage was a bad thing, but the other person definitely played a huge role in the matter. His head tilted curiously as he listened to the brief story. "I can't very well let you drink alone, can I? Ill take whatever it is you're having." Offering up a smile with the words. Both arms moved to rest on the counter infront of him, body leaning backward some to allow him to sit more appropriately. "So.. Gawain was raging, and so you left?" That was his quick little recap of the situation. Well, it seemed like he had missed a lot. "I'm guessing by everything you told me most of it went for the best. I'm glad to see you're still in one piece," he let the words out with a light, harmless laugh.

[Madeline Cauthon]

"I hear that." Madeline handed him a cold bottle of beer.

"I kind of had to, Airtia said it was too dangerous to be around, and she made us leave. Us being me and my half sister De'Ryanna."

Madeline pulled up the stool behind the bar and sat on it. "Thing is I kind of resented being sent away, but hey you live and learn right. I had a lot of anger and resentment to get rid of, and did some things Gawain would have skinned me for. But that is all past now. The important thing is Dad back to his old self, and we're a happy family again."

Madeline took another sip of her beer and grinned. "And you're here now, so I say we drink to starting over."

[Jade Stone]

"Twenty five, six, seven. Oh. Eight, nine. That's for you. Oh hell, take this too." Why not. Standing at the open front door of the Inn Jade pushed an extra ten dollar tip right into the delivery guy's pants pocket. It wasn't like it was her money she was spending.

"It's totally alright, I understand. Limited supply, big demand. You don't have to. I got 'em. Thanks. Bye." As she took and shifted the five large wine bottles in her arms to the position of best balance Jade looked pretty talented at it. Much to the delivery guy's chagrin. She flashed him a charming smile before kicking the door shut with her foot.

Now all she had to do was get down the hall and up three flights of stairs. She'd take it easy, take her time, and it would be a piece of cake. Well, so she thought.

Jade was a lot stronger than she looked but carrying five large wine bottles isn't about the weight. It's about the level of awkward. It only took walking a couple feet down the hall for her to realize this was Orange Alert awkward. But what could she do? She had to at least get to a couch or something soft before she could put them down and think this over.

Hey! The lounge had couches. "Eureka," she muttered under her breath. This trip was now minus three flights of stairs. Thank God.

Except that now that Jade had a plan of action, she got a little too caught up in said action. The blonde (dolled up in all black as usual) put a bit too much giddy-up in her step and carrying all these bottles obscured her view of the floor. She didn't see how the floorboard her toes were about to smack into had curled upward with age.

Whap! Into it her foot smashed. Jade yelped. She lurched. She didn't fall, but the fifth bottle balanced on top of bottles three and four rolled forward. She rolled it back into place by yanking herself back up straight. Only to realize that bottle number one under her left armpit had been slowly slipping free the whole time. "No!"

Crash. Shatter.

Shards of glass and a suspect dark red liquid spilled all over the hallway. The outskirts of the accident zone had spattered far enough that anyone inside the bar area could see the red liquid and pieces of glass just outside the doorway. The people in the bar could also hear just how Jade felt about all of this. "God damnit!"

Who knew a cute girl like Jade could get so un-cutely mad.

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

You know when you stay in your rooms for any period of time, how you could get that stir crazy feeling? Almost like you felt you were trapped, even though there was no reason why you couldn’t leave your room? She was having that feeling, it was strange for her, she was happy here at the Inn. Maybe she just missed her friends. That had to be it. It felt like forever since she had saw Jade and Epiphany, though Tyger told her that Peter Pip had gone away, hence why he took her Valentines Day card. And Leo had not come back for their second session of her self defense. She did understand he was a busy busy man though she did not hold that against him, not in the least, she did not need him here.

That was it, she was going to get out of her room, no more sitting around debating what to do. She was going to take action! That very action had her walking down the stairs, more like hop-skipping. Stairs were rather boring when one took them one at a time. Today she was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans that fit her rather well, black tennis shoes adorned her feet. A baby blue tank top that had a line for the back, she was getting better about wearing clothes that wouldn’t get damaged if her wings woke up, and a small black jacket covered her arms and shoulders. Her hair was loose and bouncing with every step she took.

Just five steps to go when she heard a crash, and she heard Jade’s voice, even if the words that Jade were saying were ones that had never slipped past her own lips. She went flying down the rest of the steps, and towards Jade she went, it took only a moment to spot her. Hazels looking to Jade, of course she was worried about her friend. “Are you alright?” There was concern in that voice, for Jade was her bff, and she had to check. Even as her thoughts went to cleaning up the mess, so no one else would get hurt.

She was already kneeling down near the broken glass, picking up a few of the large pieces when something stole her attention, and her gaze moved away. To bad her fingers didn’t move when her attention did, for a stray piece of glass sliced into her index finger. Small whimper of pain escaped as the pieces of glass she had picked up went to the floor and injured finger was plucked into her mouth.

[Cyrus Silverling]

"I agree. That's a great thing about having a drink, you can always find a reason to do it." The freshly opened bottle, thanks to Madeline, was taken in hand and brough up into the air in a cheers like fashion. Once that was out of the way -- well, he took it upon himself to take a nice drink of the bottle.

"I don't think we have anything to worry about. Positive things are go-..." CRASH! So much for finishing that sentence; Cyrus turned his gaze away from Madeline, looking in the direction where he thought the rather loud eruption had come from. What could that have been? Zomibes? Ghouls? Gangsters? Who even knew. "We should probably check that out," he gave up lightly.

If she, in fact, chose to follow his lead -- then imagine his surprise when they turned that corner to see two girls, one whom he knew, with liquid and glance all over the place. "Nice to see you too, Gwendolyn." Giving up a grin with the words, you know, because a cut finger in the mouth was so hilarious. Alternating glances were given back and forth between the two women. "Is everyone okay?"

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline had her bottle up ready to toast Cyrus when they heard the loud crash. "Light! What was that." Madeline followed Cyrus. When they got there she saw the two women and the mess. She also saw the smirk on Cyrus's face and she had heard the comment he had made to her. Maddie smiled. Seeing both ladies were okay. Maddie knew this was something she could easily fix. "I believe I can fix this." She rubbed her two hands together. "Aperio." In just a few short moments the broken glass bottles were back to being whole bottles with the contents inside. Even Gwen's finger was good as new. Now thaw was taken care of maybe they could finish their toast. "Now would you ladies like some help or perhaps join us for a drink at the bar. Or perhaps both." Maddie smiled hoping they would join them for drinks.

[Jade Stone]

Only one bottle number one that she'd tried to carry in her left armpit had fallen. The other four bottles Jade was still balancing in her arms as she was cussing a word under her breath a little more unladylike than 'damnit'.

Until Gwendolyn showed up. Can't say a word like that even in a whisper around Gwenie, that's like screaming at first graders that there's no Santa. "I'm fine Gwenie can you - wait don't touch the - !" Glass. Jade was looking right at Gwendolyn's hand when the cut happened. Watched the skin split like clouds parting for the sun and the blood well up like a fountain of goody gum drops.

Okay so most people wouldn't think of it like that. But Jade couldn't help it. The smell of blood was everywhere from the dropped bottle, her anger at herself had grown her fangs in, and then a freshly open wound on top of it? She had self-control and everything but sheesh!

Cue Cyrus. Jade nearly flashed her 'tee-hee silly me' smile at him but stifled it just in time. She preferred people to think she was human. Because you know, red liquid in wine bottles could always be red wine? In Jade's book, totally better to look like you were a wino than a vampire. For serious.

Speaking of wine bottles. Men were invented to carry things. Jade edged his way. "Hi. I'm Jade. Can you get the one under my armpit?" Don't hear that request every day do you Cyrus? Bottle number two was under her right armpit, and if the one under her left had slid…best to abandon the armpit carrying system. "I've got the other three."

When she turned back to Gwenie, Jade saw a mess cleaned up back into its repaired bottle and the woman who'd obviously done the job. "Oh, wow. Thanks. Makes me feel better about being a klutz. Can you get that one for me?" The repaired bottle on the floor. Jade had learned that three was probably more than enough to carry at once, even for her.

She'd been taught by every vampire that considered themselves her mentor that spilled blood was contaminated and bad to drink. But she wasn't worried about that now. She had four bottles left and Gwenie'd been hurt. "Gwenie, you okay?"

Sure others had asked her that, but she had to ask too. After all, she was Gwen's BFF!

[Cyrus Silverling]

What an interesting turn of events to say the least. What had started off as a simple drink turned into loud noises and shatter glass. Realistically, it shouldn't have been all that surprising considering where he was. Next thing he knew that would all cease to exist, seemingly, by Madeline letting out a single word. Obviously, it was more complicated then that, but impressive none the less.

Distracted. Attention turned toward the lone person he hadn't yet met, and she had no problem with introductions. "It's a pleasure, Jade." Given up with lifted eyebrows as his arms extend to take the bottle of what was assumed to be red wine... despite the thickness it had. A glance was given between all three of the women, you know, not being too entirely sure what to do with the container of liquid.

[Gwennie]

It had happened when Jade said don't touch that, it had gotten her attention to be dragged from what she was doing. Never mind the fact that Gwen was rather relieved to know that Jade was okay. The finger went straight to the mouth, because of what she knew, she didn't know how else to get the bleeding to stop. With the feeling that the smell of blood was not a beneficial scent to Jade, she was doing the best she could, without much thought.

So imagine the shock that did cross her features at the sound of Cyrus's voice. That wasn't a sound she thought she would hear again. He had been her friend, and he left her, without so much a see you later, nothing, just poof! Perhaps that was part of the reason she got worried when she went for a period of time without seeing Jade, a part of her was scared Jade would just leave without a word, not even a letter saying, see ya around kiddo! Her normally hazel gaze were more blue at the moment, and those eyes were rather large.

But before she could even get her brain all wrapped around all of that, there happened to be Madeline, speaking words. Now, the bottle did get fixed that was plain for all to see. And if that magic was directed at Gwen's finger as well, Madeline would feel a bit of a soothing goodness and warmth shoot back at her, Gwen's angelic side was shielding her, for if it had allowed Madeline to heal her she would of gotten rather sick. When her finger was popped out of her mouth, so that she could speak, the cut was still there, not all fixed. Her other hand moved to lift up the jacket of her outfit, pressing the fabric against the cut, hoping to get it to stop. Otherwise she was going to have to go get a salve and have it bandaged.

Turning to Jade, "I'll be...okay Jade. Are you okay?" There was a few layers of hidden meaning under that question. Then she stood up slowly, no longer having to be careful of the glass that she had cut herself upon, and looked to Cyrus. Taking a deep breath. "Nice to see you Cyrus." She spoke the words a bit shyly. Taking in the scenery and all, plus she didn't want to ask why he didn't say bye when he left. They never say bye.

Then her attention went to Maddie, "Hi." She wasn't one to leave anyone out. "Neat trick with the glass bottle! Makes clean up a snap!"

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline did feel a warm feeling. When her healing powers reached Gwen. She was glad everything had turned out okay, and no one got hurt. She carefully picked up the bottle off the floor. She knew what it was instantly. She had been raised around vampires herself and knew what blood wine was when she saw it. She also knew the rule about spilled blood. She had learned the purifying trick while she was away. She smiled at Jade. "This has been purified if you want it. And if you need more, we have plenty at the bar."

She then turned to her attention to Gwen, and smiled. "I'm glad you're okay. Yes it does come in handy from time to time."


She looked at both of them. "By the way my name is Madeline. Madeline Cauthon, I'm the resident bar tender/ receptionist. "

She saw the kind of surprised look on Cyrus's face. She was sure he was wondering about how she did that, and what to do with the bottle. She gave him a smirk that would be reminiscent of Gawains. When Gawain was up to something.

Looking at Jade. "Jade was it? If you would like, I can transport these bottles to your room safely without problem or movement if you'd like."

[Jade Stone]

"Uh..." Thank god she couldn't get much paler than she already was! When Madeline mentioned purification and having plenty at the bar, her green eyes shot to look at Cyrus' reaction before she could think about it. She 'fixed' that by looking away just as fast, back at Madeline. As subtle as a stampede, that was her! "...ye-ah. When the bar was boarded up a few weeks back I started ordering out." A wince. Which flashed her teeth for a second. Before her earnest fix-it explanation took over. "It's nothing against you guys. You guys are great. A-Plus. Really." Nothing like feeling like you were digging a hole, boy did she wish her mouth wasn't such a big shovel.

It made her grateful for Gwenie's question. Gwenie's question made her think twice about accepting Madeline's offer, Jade would've just hopped on the chance to be queen of the lazy otherwise. "I'm...thinking I could use the walk. But thanks. Really. I'm going to take these up to my room but I'll be back down, okay Gwenie?" She didn't want her BFF to think that she was going to be abandoned down here. Jade just needed to get the smell of fresh blood out of her nose and to give Gwendolyn a chance to bandage her finger. Then she would be aces and back to her old helplessly charming self.

"I'll be right back." Sheepishly said to the group before she slipped by all of them to make the beeline for the stairs. With how fast she moved a person might think her feet were on fire! In her hurry to get her hunger in check and her head back on straight she accidentally left Madeline and Cyrus standing there each holding one of her bottles. Whoops.

[Cyrus Silverling]

There were so many questions that he could ask all three of the women, but knowing that probably would start a riot of a conversation in itself, he chose to keep it all on the inside for the time being. For someone that considered himself pretty perceptive, the whole conversation managed to go right over his head. Yes, she was still in the clear about being a vampire, with him anyway, for the time being. Watching Jade run off with her three bottles, leaving him and Madeline with a bottle each, attention was now solely focused on the two remaining.

"I'm thinking we should all head back inside before something else drops." The possibilities were endless. A small pause to was given to gauge their reactions before he turned back toward the interior of the bar, bottle in hand and all, casually making his way back to his seat at the counter. The bottle of red wine was set next to him, freeing up his hands so that the left could wrap around the opened beverage from before.

So far? This returned hadn't been nearly as uncomfortable or frightening as he had previously imagined. Right away he had run into two people he knew, and was on the verge of meeting someone new. Of course .. there was still plenty of time for someone to drop a bomb on him for, oh, vanishing into thin air without a word. Or hell, that seemed like the nicest thing that could happen. But until that moment came? The guy was simply going to enjoy things for how they were.

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

Hearing Madeline she smiled to the woman. “It’s nice to meet you, Madeline. I’m Gwendolyn Zoi. But most people just call me Gwen.” Most people, that wasn’t taking into account the nicknames she had picked up from those that were her near and dears. “That must keep you busy.” She smiled to Madeline, for that did sound like a lot of work. As for the girls last name it did not quite ring any bells, if it should have, she really didn’t know many peoples last names.

Now her attention shifted to Jade. She gave a small nod of her head, she would be fine with Jade not being there for a few moments, and she would be able to get something on her finger. She smiled to Jade as well when she spoke. “Okay, be careful on the stairs.” Yes Jade was down to three but things happened sometimes. Besides she understood why Jade would take off at the moment, there was no holding that against her.

As it was, she was still composing her self as well, a shock of sorts to her system had happened. She was not the sort to call people out in front of others, at least when she put her mind to it. If she were to forget herself there is a good chance then that it might happen. Her hand that was holding the jacket to the cut squeezed against her hurt finger. “Sounds like a good idea.” Cyrus’s idea of going back to the bar. She would walk into the open bar area with the two of them, though she would pass through and into the kitchen. She had learnt her way around the area while Madeline was gone, she had helped out randomly. She also knew that the kitchen had a small first aid kit. Making her way to it, she pulled out a band aid, yes she did know what they were, and a small packet of a salve of sorts.

Walking back out from the kitchen, she would move over to the bar, leaning her hip against one of the barstools, near them. She then unfolded her finger from the jacket, the cut was slightly jagged and the blood flow had slowed due to the pressure upon it. Opening the packet carefully with her free hand and her mouth, she would spread the salve upon her cut. Then she used the same method to open the band aid, which she applied carefully to her finger. If one paid attention they might think she had a bit of practice at this.

A glance to see if Madeline was sitting on a stool or behind the bar, would dictate her next move.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline thought going back to the bar was a good idea. With bottle in hand she made her way back with Gwen and Cyrus. She took the bottle Cyrus had and took it with her behind the bar.She sat the bottles of blood wine where the others were kept.

Maddie then sat back on her stool, and took another sip of beer. She noticed Gwen go in the kitchen and come back out to rest against one of the bar stools near them. Maddie couldn't tell but it looked like Gwen was still hurt. She seemed like a lovely girl. "Gwen, if you're still hurt, I have been trained in the healing arts, I could help if you would like."

Turning her attention back to Cyrus, it had just dawned on her that he said he wanted a place to relocate. "You know we do have residental suites on the third floor if your interested. Hold on let me go grab the book."

Maddie jogged over to the reception desk, got the book, and jogged back. She went back behind the bar and hopped back on the stool. She placed the book on the bar where Cyrus could see. She pointed to an empty slot. "See suite 303 is available, and look it's right down the floor from Airtia and Dad. Or if you want something smaller..We have single rooms on the first floor." She pointed to the empty space above her name and gave a flirtatious smile.

[Cyrus Silverling]

That settled that. It was good that they had all decided to migrate into the other room, because standing there without much to say didn't seem like the best approach. The bottle of beer was lifted to touch against his lips, head tilting back to let the liquid descend down into his stomach through the passage of his throat. There was nothing like an ice cold beer to settle on down with.

When Gwendolyn came out of the back with something, which later became clear to being a band-aid, he gave up a nod as if to say glad it isn't serious because damn if glass cuts weren't some of the nastiest of them all. The guy had suffered his fair share of trials and tribulations, and had the unfortunate scars to show it. Most of which had come in his way younger days, when Gawain, Glenn, and Fallon had taken the liberty of taking advantage of his youth.

Attention was grabbed by Madeline when she mentioned a permanent residence, head tilting to look over the pages as she flipped through them, glancing at the names and places of living while she scrolled through. Hm. Interesting.

Left hand lifted to touch against his jaw idly as his eyes wondered up to the ceiling in throught. Realistically, he didn't need anything extraordinarily large. All that space would go to waste, and more than likely someone else could have put it to better use. When he caught that smile, he sent a harmless wink back in the process. "I think a single room is fine. I've got no idea what I would do with all that extra space in a suite." Giving a nod to reinforce the fact.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline could think of several things to do with the extra space, but that was neither here nor there, and she was pretty sure it would disturb the other guest.

She caught the wink and gave a warm smile in return. She held his gaze for a moment then wrote his name beside room 108. She could feel a certain excitement building inside of her one she hadn't felt in a really long time.

She turned the book around so Cyrus could sign it and handed him the pen. As he signed the book, she went back to the reception desk, and retrieved the room key. When she got back Madeline leaned close against the bar. With her right elbow propped up, and her left arm resting on the bar, she dangled the room key in front of him. With a devilsh grin and a raised eyebrow "Perhaps I could show you to your room after while."

[Jade Stone]

Teen queen rule number two is that if you're feeling knocked off your game, it can be fixed by a change of clothes. Jade was ten years too old to really be a teenager anymore, but hell people mistook her for jail bait all the time and she thought it was a good rule to live by. So after she put the three bottles on the counter she went on Mission:Wardrobe Change.

Or Mission: Irony. Because Jade changed out of all black into all black. That's all she ever wore - black. Old habit, from back in the day when she was still a teen queen. She upped the ante on her wardrobe choices so she didn't look like a schlub (Which is, if you're wondering, a schlep and a scrub combined). A flattering short sleeved scoop-necked sweater dress, leggings, and black leather ankle boots with a chunky heel. She even brushed her hair. Feel special, bar people. She was making an effort.

Part of the reason she made the effort was to have a distraction. Just let the thoughts of blood and hunger and frustration and fangs just fly fly away in the name of fashion. So by the time she was dressed, she felt human again. Human. Har har, the irony.

By the time she was back downstairs, she was feeling a whole lot better. Enough that when she strode into the bar she held her hands up over her head in a 'tada' sort of way. "I'm back!" Walking over to where they were all gathered she spotted the band-aid on her BFF's finger. She flashed Gwendolyn a grin. "You know Gwenie, I just read in a magazine that band-aids? Totally 'in'. You're so fashion forward." See? Jade could joke about what happened. Joking was good.

She stood next to her friend, leaning into the bar counter. That's when she spotted it. It. Bottle number two, the one she'd made Cyrus take. "Bull balls!" The exclamation was weird but Jade thought was better than swearing in front of Gwenie. "I totally didn't mean to make you babysit my groceries. Won't happen again." Cue Jade making a casual lean over the counter to try and reach said bottle in front of Cyrus and drag it towards her. It was just out of her reach. "Come on bottle. Come back to Momma."

When she was feeling nervous, the strangest things popped out of her mouth sometimes in the name of her trying to act natural.

[Sponsored content]