On the telephone
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| Serafine Roche | Bryn Blackwell |
It's a very good thing that Serafine has hardwood floors in her apartment. She's paced the length of the room at least fifteen or twenty times in as many minutes, with her phone in her hand. The vampiress takes a breath, lifts the phone and then lowers her arm, resuming the pacing that would have worn out carpet if she had any.
"Get it together, Sera," she chastises herself. "You've done this hundreds of times before."
Yeah but it feels different now, says a little wicked voice in her head.
"Screw it," Sera snaps to the empty room. Taking a breath and pushing it out, her fingers glide over the touchscreen and she's holding it to her ear, listening to the phone ring on the other end before she can change her mind.
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"I do not care, Callum. I know it is a rather difficult situation, but if you can find me anyone that has issue with Alexandros Costas, I would be very appreciative."
Hearing the other line ring, Bryn frowns. He's not expecting a call, and when he looks down at the display, he blinks. "Look, Callum, I need to call you back." Beat. "Tomorrow. Get some sleep." Disengaging the room phone, he slides the accept button on his mobile, and takes a deep breath.
"Serafine?"
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In a way, Serafine is glad he can't see her face when he answers the phone. She can feel the smile that breaks out and spreads over her face at the sound of his voice, like she's a schoolgirl with a crush.
Mon Dieu, I have a crush!
Tucking that thought away, she manages a chipper, "Hello, Bryn. I hope I'm not interrupting?"
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"Of course not," he replies easily. She is interrupting, but it's nothing that can't wait. A list of enemies for a vampire that old is going to be rather long, and Callum will need time to compile it properly.
"Everything is alright, I hope?" Bryn moves across the room, settling himself on the couch. Laying back so he can stare at the ceiling while on the phone, he asks, "Not another murder?"
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"No, no, everything is fine." Serafine can't decide whether it's amusing or depressing that his mind automatically shifts to the worse case scenarios. She coils a long winding curl around one finger, continuing her pacing. Though it is slower now, confined to a smaller area.
"This is a social call."
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Bryn is thankful for that, because otherwise he would have to be wondering why the Priory didn't contact him. He hums into the phone a little, and then grins.
"A social call? And to what do I owe the pleasure, Miss Roche?"
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"A pleasure?" Serafine teases with a light laugh. "You haven't even heard what I have to say."
She slows her pacing and perches on the arm of the couch. Her voice may be calm, but she wipes a palm on her jeans leg. Yes, vampires can sweat, it takes a good deal to create such a thing, and she's not sweating. It's just a nervous habit. "I suppose I'd be laying it on a little thick if I said I wanted to hear your voice?" She's still teasing, though it wouldn't surprise her if the next time she calls him, it isn't for exactly that reason.
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"A beautiful woman calling for social reasons is always a pleasure, Serafine." Bryn thinks she sounds calm. Relaxed. Much like she appeared to be at the coffee shop the other night. "Perhaps a little, unless it is the truth."
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It's going to take a lot to wipe the grin Serafine's wearing from her face. She relaxes a bit, swinging around to sit on the couch properly, tucking her legs beneath her. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Blackwell."
Beat.
"I did tell you that I would be calling. I haven't forgotten that I did ask you out." Never mind that it's take a few days, and encouragement from Maeve, to work up the courage.
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"I had not forgotten." Bryn taps his fingers against the back of his mobile, and then asks, "Are you calling to cancel, or to set a time? Because I am afraid that I do have an engagement for which I am spoken for on Thursday."
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Serafine's about to answer when he continues and she blinks. There's a quick shake of her head where she tries hard not to put words to the spark of feeling that shoots through her, especially when she has no right to feel that way.
"Calling to set a time," Serafine breathes out with a flirty laugh. "I'm not going to cancel on you… unless of course, something forces us to, but even then, I'll just reschedule." She's not going to let some rogue vampire, or rogue baby vampire ruin this.
"That's funny, I'm spoken for on Thursday as well." Beat. "What about Saturday?"
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"One moment."
Bryn pulls the phone away from his ear to glance at his schedule. He would have a small day planner with him as well, but it's sitting in his room atop his bed, and he'd hate to have to go retrieve it. "I do appear to be free on Saturday evening. What time would you like me to pick you up?"
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Other women might argue the point. That she's the one asking him out, but Serafine doesn't even blink. "Eight thirty should do nicely." The sun has been setting around eight o' clock, and she'll both be able to get much needed torpor and to feed before he arrives.
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"Eight thirty it is then. Would you prefer that I pick you up at the gallery, or your flat?" Beat. "Apartment." If Bryn is going to be in NYC for a while, he will have to get used to their terms rather than bandy about the British ones so much.
"Or would you perhaps prefer that I just send a car, and meet you there?"
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While his formality would come off as forced with most men, it just works for Bryn. Or maybe she's just biased.
"I don't have any sort of problem with you picking me up from my flat, Mr. Blackwell." She looses a low, flirty laugh"You don't have to correct yourself on my account."
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"Then I will ring your bell at precisely eight thirty, Miss Roche." Bryn grins into the phone, not that anyone can see it but him, though it does carry through in his voice.
"You had best not be one of those women that adore to be fashionably late. If so, tell me now, and I will arrive at nine instead."
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"I promise to be ready promptly at eight-twenty, leaving myself ten minutes to spare." Serafine likes the sound of his voice, how carefree and relaxed he sounds. It gives her hope that she's not entirely crazy, and that maybe their upcoming date will further open a door between them.
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"Do not rush yourself, Miss Roche. If this is going to be a date, I want you to relax and enjoy getting ready for it." As she will be far more relaxed during the date then. Bryn chuckles, and then adds, "I promise not to show up ten minutes early. That would be entirely uncouth."
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"Trust me, I'll take my time," Serafine promises. She is a Vampire which gives her certain advantages where speed is concerned, without taxing herself.
The sound of his laughter makes her smile more. "I doubt you could ever do anything uncouth, Bryn." There's a lingering over his name, the whisper of a caress in the word.
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He's unnerved a little when she says his name in that manner, and he clears his throat as he sits upright.
"So I shall see you Saturday night then, Serafine, and you can introduce me to oxtail soup."
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There comes another playful, trilling giggle. Serafine is bordering, again, on giddy. It's been a long time since she's been this excited about anything. "Saturday night. Wear something casual." She's certain that no matter what he wears, he'll look absolutely delicious. "I'm looking forward to it."
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"How casual are we talking?" Bryn was about to dismiss the call, but is she talking denim and a t-shirt, or just much more casual than he normally dresses?
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"You don't have to dress down completely. Casual business pants, a polo shirt or whatever you prefer. No suit, no tie … how you were dressed at the coffee shop would be perfectly acceptable."
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"Brilliant."
Beat.
"I will see you then, Miss Roche." With that, Bryn disconnects the call, dropping back onto the couch and wondering once more how a simple errand of obtaining a personal number got to become this.
