Crimson Chains Diamonds & Daggers

Diamonds & Daggers

The Grand Royal Hotel — top floor ballroom, crystal chandeliers, black marble, champagne fountains. Mafia royalty and supernatural elites mingle under chandeliers worth more than small countries.

[9:45 PM – Gala Begins]

Adrian Vale(MC)

(fixing cufflinks, eyeing Lucien) You always drag me to places full of criminals?

Lucien Vortega(ML)

You’re under my wing. Better they know.

Adrian Vale(MC)

Or better you keep me in your pocket where no one sees me?

Lucien Vortega(ML)

Both

Damien Vortega(ML's Younger Brother)

(appearing from shadow beside them) You two look like a wedding waiting to happen.

Adrian Vale(MC)

And you look like trouble wrapped in overpriced silk.

Damien Vortega(ML's Younger Brother)

(winks)Compliment accepted.

Celeste Armitage (ML's fiancée)

(joining, dressed in gold, glass in hand) Lucien, you didn’t tell me your… cousin… was coming.

Adrian Vale(MC)

You didn’t tell me your dress was auditioning to blind people.

Celeste Armitage (ML's fiancée)

Still more tasteful than your attitude.

Lucien Vortega(ML)

Enough. Both.

(Room hushes slightly — Don Raphael enters, hand on his cane, eyes scanning like a knife.)

Don Raphael Vortega(ML MC Father)

Smile, Lucien. You’re representing the family

Lucien Vortega(ML)

I’m smiling

Don Raphael Vortega(ML MC Father)

You’re thinking about the boy again. I can tell.

Adrian Vale(MC)

("the boy") — I’m right here, you know.

Don Raphael Vortega(ML MC Father)

Exactly my point.

(Rival mafia heir approaches — tall, smug, power radiating in air like warm electricity.)

Rival Heir

This must be the famous Adrian Vale.

Adrian Vale(MC)

Famous? First I’ve heard.

Rival Heir

Your illusions… are talked about. I’d like to see them sometime — somewhere private.

(Lucien’s glass cracks in his hand without touching it.)

Lucien Vortega(ML)

Rival Heir

Wasn’t talking to you.

Lucien Vortega(ML)

And yet I answered.

Damien Vortega(ML's Younger Brother)

(grinning) Ah, here we go. Who’s making the first scene?

Celeste Armitage (ML's fiancée)

Hopefully the police.

Lucien Vortega(ML)

(leans toward Adrian) Stay with me tonight. Don’t leave my side.

Adrian Vale(MC)

Possessive much?

Lucien Vortega(ML)

Always

(Across the room, a shimmer — Adrian sees Rin for a split second through the crowd, before they vanish in a flicker of teleportation.)

Adrian Vale(MC)

…Did you see that?

Lucien Vortega(ML)

(low) I saw.

Adrian Vale(MC)

You’re not going after them?

Lucien Vortega(ML)

Not tonight. Tonight, you stay in my sightline.

(Music swells, chandeliers glitter — and every smile in the room hides teeth.)

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