[Ariyah – Fremont – Starbucks near Canvas Studio – BoL – NA]
[Wake roll: Fail | BoL roll: Fail | Hunger: 1 —> 3]
Ariyah sat in one of the booth-like seats in the back of the crowded coffee franchise and took a sip of black liquid from her cup; a futile attempt at calming the growling beast inside her. She had woken up a little hungry and kickstarting her undead-heart had made her more so. The bitter beverage provided her with a bit of warmth and little else.
When she was alive, she had avoided coffee as it made her heart jittery. Now that it no longer affected her physiology, Ariyah uses it to help her blend with the rest of humanity.
The downside was having to regurgitate anything she imbibed in an hour or so.
“You alright?”
Ariyah smiled at her companion, the thought of expelling the coffee later had unconsciously made her frown. “I’m fine, just a passing thought.”
The goateed young man sitting opposite her smiled in understanding. The friendly youngster Ariyah had met at the art jam the other night, Jacob, had followed up on their brief encounter with an invitation for coffee. The original plan was to have a little chitchat before attending art jam together, but with the Prince’s task looming over her every thought, Ariyah had shortened their night to just coffee. And maybe a little snack.
Which reminded her, the night was not getting any younger…
“Should we go? I think the jam’s starting any moment now.” Ariyah closed the lid of her reusable cup and slipped it with the half-finished coffee in her bag.
“Sure,” Jacob agreed and went to dispose of his cup.
Ariyah felt her phone buzz. She took her mobile from her purse and checked her messages.
From: Sofia
That mockup you drew for the Williamson's is a dream.
So you're serious about expanding your business to include interior design?
Ariyah felt a smirk touch her lips as she typed a reply.
To: Sofia
Yes, and I wasn't kidding when I offered you the job.
You always hated that misogynistic boss of yours, right?
Ariyah was confident in her own abilities, but having another, more experienced, designer on the team can only be a plus.
Jacob returned from the bin, and the two of them headed out into the Seattle night.
“Before you go up to the art studio,” Ariyah said as they walked down the street, “I thought I’d show you this piece I saw in a side alley the other day. I think you might find it fascinating.”
[Awe Activated]
It was not hard to convince the young man to follow her down a side street. She had noticed a pretty graffiti a couple of days ago and thought it was a good ruse to use on a potential target. The location was pretty isolated, and there wasn’t much foot traffic.
Taking a corner, Ariyah let Jacob walk on ahead of her to view the graffiti, inhaling deeply as the young man walked by.
[Bloodhound: Resolve + Awareness: 4 successes vs 4 diff | Success | Sanguine]
It seemed the young hipster was feeling good today; there was a tangy sweetness to his blood – just the taste she preferred. Her fangs extending in anticipation, Ariyah moved up behind Jacob, preparing to sink her teeth into his neck.
[Scene Queen Hunting Check: Manipulation + Persuasion + Awe: 2 successes vs Diff 4 – 1 Fame | Bestial Fail | 1WP]
[Toreador Clan Compulsion active]
Ariyah’s eyes flickered to the artwork behind Jacob’s silhouette, and she froze.
The graffiti had been updated since she was here last.
Originally it was of a woman’s features on an abstract background. However, now it’s been modified into the face of a fae queen, regal and cold, braced against a snowy landscape that hinted at the Unseelie court. The expression was exquisitely executed, the eyes glinting with a steely imperiousness.
It was an impossibly unique piece, and Ariyah couldn’t stop staring at it.
She moved in front of Jacob, her hunger momentarily forgotten and her fangs retracting, as her eyes took in all the minute details of the artwork in front of her.
It wasn’t just spraypainted, there was brushwork incorporated in the piece, and Ariyah traced a finger along a painstakingly detailed leaf curled at the edges of the design.
“Ariyah, you okay?”
Ariyah wasn’t sure how many times Jacob had called to her, but from the concern in his voice, it was more than a few. She tore her eyes away from the wall to focus on the man beside her.
“Sorry, I just got caught up in the piece.” Ariyah said wryly, “Apparently, they’ve made some changes.”
“I can see why you brought me here, though, it’s an amazing piece of work.” Jacob agreed. “Although I think I liked the one you did at the jam better.”
Ariyah smiled at the compliment and tried not to look back at the engrossing painting as she let her companion lead her out of the alleyway.
It was not until after they had parted ways at the entrance to Canvas Studios that Ariyah realised she had completely forgotten to feed.
And now it was too late; she had an appointment Downtown.
She wasn’t eager to meet with someone assigned by the Prince while she was hungry, but she didn’t want to be late either.
She just hoped that there was time to feed between receiving the task and actually completing it.
[Ariyah calls a Lyft to take her to #downtown ]