The Masochism Tango

[Asa]

The Asylum

Valentine's Day.

Traditionally, for affection and romance... signified by a cherub shooting lovers with arrows. What better love to profess than the dark desires in one's own heart?

True love is honesty. Acceptance.

Or maybe it's just another holiday to dress up and be kinky as fuck.

Thick red drapes intersperse the dark walls. The same rich crimson material is draped over the St. Andrew's crosses. Every other drink seems a shade of red, and there are roses and their petals everywhere. For the fetish crowd, who don't need an excuse to dress up, a holiday is just an opportunity to take it to the next level. Corsets and PVC is the norm, and the club's lights trace patterns over plenty of bare skin.

At the bar, Asa toys with a drink. For those that know the apex predator, his attire is standard fare: a dark, well-cut suit, matched this evening with a crimson dress shirt rather than purple. With all the garish costumes around, a suit and tie might seem inappropriate -- but the right accessories make the ensemble.

One hand toyed with his drink; the other, gloved, toyed with his whip that rested on the bar beside the drink.

[Konrad Roth]

The smarmy and enterprising Savage arrives for the party dressed in white of all things. Most likely for irony, or perhaps to stand out. But then how could white be taboo on Valentine's Day? It might be if you were spending it in a fetish club and had about as much right to wear it as a wanton whore on her wedding day. But Konrad doesn't sweat the small stuff.

And why is he here of all places? Why, to celebrate the season of love of course. And somewhere inside that oily faux-beating heart there might be that glimmer of amour lining the walls of those Vitae-filled chambers. He's been having a lot of luck in that department as well, along with other fortuitous circumstances since he arrived in the city. This place is beginning to grow on him in ways he hadn't suspected.

Konrad's eyes initially snap to the figure of Asa , looking regal if not a little bored. He nods respectfully to the Prince should their eyes meet. An idea crosses his mind to try talking to the head-honcho in the Domain. But the Gangrel's eyes trail down to the bar counter where the whip sits and he's suddenly reminded of his own station. Konrad may have acquired connections and the start of sizable riches, but he's still a nobody, a Carthian, a Criminal, and a Cowardly one at that. He's already learned from his dealings with Galloway that the Invictus were a fearful breed of Kindred and someone like Clarke might outwit and expose him with even the most cursory of conversations.

Looking elsewhere, Konrad spies Vivian York , dressed in a little more than he remembers seeing the last time he saw her. Truly a shame to cover up that eye candy. The cloth only gets in the way when you're trying to tear open the flesh...drawls the Beast silently. He smirks and winks at her but doesn't approach. The presence of Kindred is no surprise, but he could always talk to Vivian at Court. This was a night to meet someone new. Of course if any of Konrad's flames show up he might sing a different tune.

White Suit

-1 Vitae for Blush of Life

[Hildegarde Bingen]

A courtesan drifted through the press of tight leather and plastic in a rustle of heavy skirts. Pale, cool, skin caught the tasteful light and reflected it. Long hair, carefully combed, absorbed it. A mask obscured most of her face, rendering it more enigmatic than usual; her mouth was a line - soft yet predatory. This hunter is calm and placid. Under the mask, beneath the skin, a Beast rattles in its cage, unseen by all.

After her first, meandering circuit where she is an object to seen, Hildegarde drifts to the bar where she orders her customary White Russian. While she waits, she idly spies the gloves of Vivian York and the coiled whip of Asa Clarke . Ever so slightly, a smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. From a blank line an enigmatic smile does form.

http://nwod.org/forum/album.php?albu...achmentid=3832

-1 Blood to activate Blush

[Coco]

In through the doors of Asylum Cosima Tascioni strode, cane held in gloved grip, cape sweeping along behind her. Yes, that was correct, it was a cape that she wore with her costume, one most unconventional for these halls of bondage and lascivious pain. The Claviger did not care, however. Why should she? She did not even know if she would be able to stay, though she dearly wished it to be so. After all, on a day like this who could be sure if the Queen of Desire would venture out into public? It was not her season, after all, though it was a day of desire, and so it was terribly unclear whether the demand of duty would raise its head. Faced with such uncertainty, however, Coco chose to gamble. After all, if she won, oh, the pleasures she would have. Far more pleasure than could be experience while confronted with a lover's absence and the face of one who could name her murderer.

Yes, just the thought of confronting Malory Grey turned her insides to ice, and in the short space of time it took Coco to stride to the bar a realization dawned upon: she wasn't truly seeking pleasure today. No, she was seeking something to melt the ice away; to make her feel like spring flowers bathed in sunlight once more. Perhaps in the teeth of desire she could find such a sensation. That she did not know, but what she did know, at least, was where her desires guided her.

"Perhaps I should join you," Coco said, sliding into the seat at Vivian York 's elbow. "Fever's can be contagious and I'm afraid I've also come down with one. I could hardly do anything else after looking at you." An energetically salacious smile appeared across the Wasp's lips.

   2 successes to appear HAPPY!

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2015-02-15 04:24:42		Coco! rolls 4 to she so happy! (manip2+subter4) (10 Again)		7, 3, 3, 10, 9		2 successes

the Costume

[Asa]

Asa watched as people filtered in, eyes sliding over skin and the various coverings with curiosity. Eyes hardened as more predators slinked on to the savannah. There was plenty to be had, but the reaction came nonetheless.

He studied each in turn, letting the simmering rage focus. Individual white-hot flares, rather than letting a combined conflagration consume him. A hint of a nod is offered to each; past the Taint, the Man is free to wonder, and observe.

"Miss York."

Asa smiled as he moved closer to the Daeva and the moth that had been drawn to her flame.

"Would either of you mind, or care for, an audience?"

[Coco]

How strange it was, to feel like a dream had descended over the world. Coco knew that no veil of sleep lay over her eyes, not when flesh felt so alive, but the sheer wonderousness of the evening was beyond anything but the realm of deliciously illusory dream. Perhaps it was the sheer nature of her desire's dress, or the attention of suddenly being showered upon her, but most likely it was everything combined.

With a contagiously effervescent grin, Coco accepted the drink from her fellow flame haired siren and then turned to regard the man requesting the honor of observing them, legs crossing demurely.

"Ah, I could not help but to say yes, for I do so love being admired, but I would ask a price of you both, first. Your names! Unless, of course, you would prefer something more affectionate?" she queried, turning to Vivian. "Or more anonymous?" she asked again, turning back to Clarke and taking a sip from her Fever.

[Asa]

Asa stood, abandoning his accouterments to raise his hands, offering to take Vivian's coat.

If the evening had consigned him to the role of voyeur, there was no reason he couldn't be a useful voyeur. It was a role he hardly minded -- more than one evening had been whiled away watching his sister at play.

And you never know just what you'll learn. And you, my dear, owe me for all the nights you've eye-fucked me. Turnabout is fair play.

"I daresay you must have quite the collection of names then, from admirers numbered legion," he answered the redhead with an arched eyebrow and small grin.

He took a moment to put action to word, his eyes slowly beginning at the crossed legs and moving upward. She might not have drawn his eye under other circumstances, but he was quite taken with the costume -- and it seemed to fit well.

[Konrad Roth]

Konrad observes as Vivian and Asa ultimately meet, picking up another woman along the way. As a pair, the gorgeous Kindred were no doubt drawing the eyes of many attendees looking to sate their unorthodox fantasies with the dominant whip-bearer or the spankable succubus. A guy like Asa needs at least three wheels to drive his party mobile, but Konrad isn't about to become the fourth.

Unable to attract the same attention, Konrad instead approaches a woman at the bar who he's seen before at Court, though they've never exchanged words or even matched glances.

"Come here often, Miss?" he asks Hildegarde almost boorishly, leaning against the countertop. There is something tragic about the doll-faced beauty that grabs his attention, though mask or no mask he can sense the challenging Beast poised to strike in the gaze of those lamenting glass orbs.