Home For The Holidays - A Hellfire Christmas

[Seer]

A Few Years Ago...

It was the high holiday season in London, as the weather became even colder than usual, but a spark of hope spread throughout most of the city. Hyde Park was busy with it's Winter Wonderland, as happy patrons wandered about to the ice skating rinks, to the Ferris wheels, and to the brightly decorated holiday stall markets. While the lesser theaters were busy preparing their panto plays, The West End was heating up with theater and arts, and performances that rivaled that of Broadway.

To be in London during Christmastime was magical for many, but for some, it was a painful reminder of what they had lost and what they were lacking. For a season that celebrated being together with those you loved, it was also a season of emotional upheaval, and nobody knew that better than those who lived in Dupont Manor - headquarters for Hellfire London. The Christmas season was a bit of downtime for many in the London branch, as many members of The Inner Circle went on extended holiday and spent time with their families and friends. The mansion was quiet, but in a spirit of family, it's doors were open to any and all members who wished to not spend the holidays alone, or who had no family to go home to.

It had been an initiative of Evelyn Pierce, The Black Queen. She had no family herself, and many on her own court were orphans themselves. It was Evelyn's second years as Black Queen, the first running The Black Court by herself, and she was beginning to feel the pressure. She missed her "children", and more than that, she wanted to use this downtime to make inroads with those she had yet to get to know, as she had begun to smell blood in the water with regards to her sister Queens, Camille Rowe and Rebecca Everhart. At first she had been surprised that both queens elected to stay in the mansion for the holiday, until she realized it was a move they had made if only so she could not take credit for something. She didn't want to run Hellfire like this, and she was hoping that at some point, the icy resolve of Rebecca and Camille might melt. She also deeply missed Maxine Dupont, who had not returned to the mansion in over a year since killing her father.

Maxine Dupont had finally earned her freedom, but she had never felt more alone in her life. The holidays were a rough time for her because she had no family. Both of her parents were dead at her hand. One by accident, the other with great and specific intention to do so. It had taken Evelyn great lengths to protect Maxine after her public beheading of her father, so she had been relegated to wet work, actively throwing herself into the field and killing who needed to be killed by The Black Knight. Though she was busy, the downtime she had was endlessly painful. She had nothing to hide behind anymore, and she was looking for something. Anything. So she had accepted Evelyn's invitation to spend the holidays at Hellfire, a place she'd sooner see burnt to the ground despite holding the deed to the place. She was hopeful that she might enjoy herself now that the ghost of her father had enough time to settle, but she was cautious.

Archer Fairchild, the newly crowned Black Prince usually enjoyed Christmas, assuming himself to be a veritable Jack Frost. His mentor, the main who adopted him and changed his life had been dead for three years, and while he had more than taken hold of his family business, moving into ventures and industries once not thought possible for The Fairchild Family, there was something within him this season that felt decidedly...empty. And Archer was bad at finding the right things to fill holes, so to speak. Evelyn knew this and seemingly pleaded with him to stay home for the holiday season instead of follow Brienne to warmer climates. He would not deny the woman that made him prince, so he decided he would throw himself into his work, keep his head down, and head out before New Years.

Also on his way home was Daniel Reed, Red Bishop, and recent university graduate. He'd spent his first year after school at a Public Relations firm, attempting to make a name for himself, before deciding to use his powers to speed things up a bit. He'd had great success, and he was feeling good about himself, which made him very hesitant to go to Hellfire to spend the holiday with his father, Nathanial Reed. Despite seemingly growing up in boarding schools and almost never actually seeing his father, Nathanial had a way to explicitly express his disapproval at every decision Daniel made. He'd gone into Public Relations instead of Business. Gone to Dulwich instead of Charterhouse. All of this Daniel could handle, but there was still a conversation he and his father had yet to have, and while Daniel had no intentions of ever telling his father he was gay, every time they were together he felt it bubble up on his tongue. Felt it in his stomach. And this year, his mum would not be around to massage things between them, having decided to have a girl's holiday for Christmas in Monte Carlo. For the first time in possibly ever, he was going to have to spend quality time with his father, and he was dreading it.

And those were just a few circling the orbit of Hellfire London this holiday season. And though this time of year made the mansion quiet, what would ensue over the next week, would be LOUD. As our Hellfire friends make their arrivals to the mansion, we WATCH.

 

[Mercury]

London - Dupont Manor - Hellfire

The Black Queen had more than blown her decorating budget for the next two years, but it had been worth it. She had managed to transform the cold and dark walls of Dupont Manor into an old world Winter Wonderland. Every staircase, every empty great hall now had holly and tinsel. Beautiful soft glowing lights, and decorations and installations that reflected the colors of all three courts. She knew she was likely to not get so much as a thank you from those in the mansion, but she was decidedly proud of herself as she placed some last minute ornaments on a thirty foot tall tree in the main foyer.

"Almost perfect...."

She said, her chocolate skin glowing beautifully against the soft lights of the tree as she eyed the star on top which had yet to be lit. Evelyn was not necessarily a sentimental woman. She'd never really even celebrated Christmas before she got to Hellfire. But now she had the resources, both financially and emotionally to give those in Hellfire the kind of Christmas she had always wanted for herself. Satisfied with the placement of her ornament, she walked across the room, her black heels clacking against the marble floor, waving her hand in front of the life size fireplace across the room as the flames stoked subtly, before pulling her black fur over her dress. It had been a rough year for her. While Jean Luc's death had given her complete control over her court, she found herself at an impasse with her sister queens. Evelyn was feeling iced out, as she ironically found herself in front of a large set of ice sculptures representing chess pieces to play off the checkerboard marble in the foyer, before smiling.

"Nice work, Archie..."

He hadn't wanted to stay, but he had for her. She had grown up a lot like Archer, though it was something she never talked about. And while she did not have a Daddy Warbucks to raise her out of poverty, a lot of Archer's pain, the way he operated, she understood. He was as cold as his powerset, and yet, he had done this for her. Every pieces so meticulously designed and beautiful. He was deeper than he ever knew how to articulate, and she could tell that this year, he was missing his father. So she made sure to keep him close. She sighed heavily as she thought of yet another one of her "children" she wished to keep close. Maxine Dupont.

Attendant: "My Queen, the frosters are here for the hedge maze, any final instruction?"

"Yes...I want it to look like the maze from 'The Shining'. Tell them not to be afraid of laying it on too thick."

Maxine would love a bit of macabre mixed in with the quaint and elegant decorations. Waving her hand at the chessboard sculptures, she lowered their temperatures to keep them icy cold against the roaring fire as another attendant delivered her a glass of champagne, to which she gladly accepted and took a sip. She had not seen her knight in over a year. She needed time to process things, but Evelyn was not stupid. Maxine never learned the easy way. She was likely to show up as obstinate and angry as ever, but that was her way. After everything she had gone through, how could she be any other way? Evelyn just knew she wanted Maxine home for Christmas. However she turned up. This was the last piece. Everything else was taken care of. All she had to do now...was wait. To see who turned up. As this was not a working week for Hellfire, there would be no official, required events. People were free to come and go as they pleased, but Evelyn was hopeful that those who showed up would be won over by her painstakingly meticulous decorative hand, perhaps even Camille and Rebecca, though she wasn't holding her breath.

"And Happy Holidays, my dear..."

She gestured to her attendant as she downed the rest of her flute. Or at least she hoped it would be.

 

[Discord]

London - En Route to Hellfire

"He's impossible, mum. I can't do it."

Daniel lounged in back of the black town car zooming down the english countryside doing his best to try and come up with last minutes reasons that he might not be able to make it home for the holiday as he felt a wave of anxiety rush through him. He'd only counted thirty five fenceposts before the scenery cleared out again to frost filled fields. This might end up being the longest car ride ever. He adjusted the phone on his shoulder.

"You're pissing off on Christmas, why can't I?"

Charlotte: "Such language, Daniel. I realize the situation is not ideal, but I am not just going to be on holiday. I'm working on a story. The wealth disparity in Monaco and it's effects on the working class..."

Daniel rolled his eyes. His mother was a journalist, but she was a Reed first, which meant she used all the intelligence she had learned in university and used it to come up with reasons to do whatever she wanted.

"It's Monaco, mum. There is no wealth disparity. They don't even track the poverty rate there. It's zero."

While he was never amazed at the heights of selfishness that his mother could reach, she was also one of the only people he trusted. She'd always been adept at knowing what was going on with him, but like a proper british wasp of a mother, she never pushed things. She always let him be who he was. And she protected him. Anybody that could deal with his father was somebody he respected and Charlotte Reed had no peers when it came to that regard. Still, to know that she wasn't going to be home for Christmas hurt.

Charlotte: "I did not phone you for a school lesson, my dear boy. I need a break...Nathanial has been on edge lately. And you haven't visited home since you matriculated. Sorry, love, but it's your turn to deal with him. I'll be home by New Year's Eve. And if the lot of you have survived until then, I promise, you and I...we can go wherever you wish, for however long you wish. But honestly, Daniel...it's time for you to start facing your father like a man."

He rolled his eyes as he put his mother on speaker and began to fumble around in the car bar, pouring himself a make shift martini.

"I am a man. There's no other way for me to face him. But an entire week of him degrading every little thing I do? I'd sooner peel my skin of with a potato peeler..."

Charlotte: "Somebody with your penchant for ritual might not want to entertain thoughts such as that my love."

There was silence for a few moments. She had been the first one to notice his ticks as a boy, though it was a long time before she admitted defeat and got him into therapy for it. She had seen him at his worst, and despite how much better he was now at controlling himself, she was always worried he would slip again.

"Mum, please...I'm doing good now. I promise. I barely even--"

She cut him off because she knew he was lying.

Charlotte: "I merely called to tell you that I love you, and to encourage you to get to know your father in a different way..he loves you. In his way..."

"Right babes..."

His mother laughed softly into the phone. He always loved her laugh.

Charlotte: "Babes? Daniel, dear..the last thing this family needs is people thinking we raised you in Essex."

He smirked. They'd watched every episode of "The Only Way Is Essex" together. It was kind of their thing. He was about twenty minutes out from Hellfire.

"Right, mum. Well, I don't want to keep you from your very important work holiday."

Charlotte: "I love you, my fancy little lad. Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas."

He pressed 'end' on his phone and took a long, obnoxious sip from his martini. Daniel was not looking forward to this week, but part of him hoped his mother was right. That maybe this time alone could help him and his father find some common ground, because Daniel wasn't sure how much longer he could handle always being at odds with his dad. Leaning back in his seat, he exhaled deeply and loudly.

"Oh bloody fucking hell, I don't want to do this..."

 

[Avalanche]

Hellfire Mansion - London

"This year...to save me from tears...I'll give it to someone speciallll...."

The Black Prince danced around his darkened bedrooom in a pair of black underwear, closing his eyes and connecting to the ridiculous music playing from his bluetooth speaker. As he exhaled, his breath showed in the air. He had the coldest room in Hellfire and he liked it that way.

Woman: "You tryna for top o' the pops or summin?!"

Man: "Aye! Don't quit your day job, Archie boy! Come back to bed!"

He barely registered them. He'd been on a bender for a few days, but he felt like he earned it. If Evelyn wasn't going to let him leave and try to chase up Brienne's skirt in St. Tropez, he decided to get some business done. And he was this close to closing a deal with St. George's hospital. Soon, he'd have an endless supply of organs and other black market materials at his disposal, and he could start getting Sub Zero into markets that he had only dreamed of. His pops, Michael Fairchild, would have been so proud. All he needed was the last bit of blackmail on a few administrators and he would be set. It was a bloody Christmas miracle. So he was enjoying himself tonight. Because he knew that in a few hours, he'd have to put the skin suit back on and be Evelyn's naughty little boy. The Black Prince swayed back and forth to the music as he winked at the two willing participants in his bed.

"Ready for round two already? Proper slags...I love it. But first...party favors..."

Archer danced his way over to his desk, more specifically a square cut mirror that was covered in a mound of cocaine and a sharp razor blade. Scooping it up in his hands, he sauntered over to the bed and wedged his way in between the man and woman and sat the mirror piece on his abs. He carefully placed a line along the length of the man who's name he didn't know's neck, before snorting the line entirely, and following it up with a long lick to pick up any residue, before kissing the man on the lips. He then turned his attention to the woman to his right.

"Can't forget my other little snow bunny now can we?"

He sprinkled a line of coke on the top of her breasts and inhaled it deeply, before turning his tongue onto her nipple, kissing and licking it with reckless abandon. Archer was feeling good tonight. And he was sick of feeling like an emotional pussy for not being able to stop missing his father.

Woman: "Mmm....that tongue knows what it's doing..."

Man: "I'll say..."

"Ahh, you're just being nice..."

He kissed the woman who's name he didn't know with fervor as he looked at both of them with a sprinkle of mischief as he found himself rock hard.

"I like nice...why don't you both show me...how nice you can be..."

The Black Prince measured out a perfect thick line that ran the length of his entire cock, impressed with how long of a line it was, as he cupped the back of both of their heads and gave a signature smirk, pushing their heads down.

"Happy fucking Christmas."

 

[Recall]

London

This had been her first holiday alone. As a girl, she used to love Christmas. Her mom always made it special. Despite their small apartment, the amount of people Leticia Lennox was able to cram into that space and cook for was always awe inspiring. Though she never got much in the way of gifts, Vivica didn't care. She had never been much of a material girl. She loved being around people, she loved listening to her aunt's stories and watching the grown ups play Spades and bicker back and forth. She loved when Cameron would decide to mess with the adults and mentally compell them to play bad hands and start fights with each other. But those were far simpler times. She walked down the streets of London, a bit mindlessly, but she knew were she was headed, lost in thought for a few moments, which was a rare occurence for somebody who used to be able to do what she could do.

No, she couldn't move things with her mind. She couldn't bend steel with her hands. But that didn't mean that her ability was without burden. She remembered when it happened. The first time she realized she was different. At first, she thought Cameron was fucking with her. He'd never hidden what he could do from her. And she was always a bit jealous as a girl. That he knew what people thought of him. That he knew how people would react and what they were going to do. She was jealous until she realized the cost that something like that carried. Because she could remember. She could remember everything. Every single thing that she'd seen. Everything she smelled. Everything she felt. In perfect detail. In a way, it bonded her even deeper to Cameron. She was an outsider like him, and all she had ever wanted was to belong to something. Belonging to Cameron meant something to her. And he'd been so good to her when her mom got sick. He promised to take care of them, and he did.

She remembered those days, putting herself through school, trying to wrangle and wrestle Cameron from the arms of Elena Estrada. She was a bored and spoiled girl who loved that a boy from the wrong side of the tracks had taken an interest in her. He was obsessed. And the amount of money he was bringing in from his adventures with Elena made it hard to tell him no. He supported their family. Every expense that Vivica's mom incurred, he took care of. Even in her death, he paid for every funeral arrangement. But those days were long gone. She barely recognized him anymore. It wasn't that he forgot who he was, so much as he had found somebody else he desperately wanted to be. Once, it was them against the world...and then he met Alison. Vivica shook her head. As much as it hurt, that was no longer her life. She had buried Cameron. And though he was very much alive and well in New York, Vivica wasn't. Her life had taken a different direction. And looking back was too painful.

For the last two years, after Zach had rescued her from the Cassadine Compound in Greece, she had lived a new life. One that she was proud of. She'd recovered from the gun shot wound Ava gave her, but it had left her without her powers. At first, it had been traumatic. And then euphoric. She finally had room in her brain to be herself. To remember only what a human woman could. But it only highlighted to her how much of a crutch her power had been. For so long, she had simply been a vessel of information. A means to an end. A utility. Now, she was a woman who felt things on a grand scale, a woman capable of mistakes. One of those mistakes, she was still recovering from.

"Leela."

She had returned to London from The Middle East three weeks ago, barely surviving a mission with Zach Armani against a woman she had loved. A woman who had turned terrorist. Zach and Vivica had barely escaped with their lives, but the whole thing had left Vivica alone in London with more questions than she had answers. Her work at Clandestine had been a point of pride for her. But she had stuck her neck out for Leela. Roped Zach into things. And it had blown up in her face. That and the fact that is was almost Christmas, had caused Vivica to seek asylum in a place she hadn't been in years - church. Specifically The Abbey Road Baptist Church which was holding an evening service. As a girl, church had been one of the safer spaces in her community. She had a complicated relationship with God these days, after everything she'd been through, but there was still a part of her that was moved by sermon and testimony. And a bigger part of her that had to believe that all of this had to be for something bigger.

Perched in the back, she took in the warmth of the candles and the people around her. Ever since losing her power, she had a renewed sense of interest in things that were beautiful. She wanted to remember them, because for the first time in a long time, she COULD forget them. One thing she liked about London was that it was far removed from the kind of places she grew up. Everything felt like it was part of a movie, and The Abbey Road church was no different. Her home church had looked like a run down recreation center. Here, she could see why people would be honored to worship. Beautiful architecture. Ornate wood working. Deliberate construction.

Preacher: "I want to speak about the idea of finishing the job. Finish the job, because all of us have a task that God has for us..."

There was stories of Joshua, of Jehovah and even Jesus on the cross, and they were all stories that Vivica knew well.

Preacher: "May it be this evening, or even the next day that we consider the job that God has asked you to do. The job, the task that God has for you as Christians here, as a church. What God has asked us to do, may it be that we can be instructed to say, God, help us, to put something into our life that when we get done, we can say we have left nothing undone that God has commanded us to do."

That part hurt Vivica, because she believed herself to have survived death. For just a minute there, while bleeding out, she had seen the light, and wanted to go with it. And she had done so in the defense of Cameron. Of helping him. Sometimes she worried that her job in life had been her service to Cameron. That she had fullfilled that part, delivered him to his family. That maybe her purpose had been to help him find hers, and that she was done. And sometimes she felt like being "alive" again was almost blasphemous. But then she also thought that she had survived for a reason. But it was hard to believe that when she lived in a world where so many people had defied the laws of nature and died and were reborn and died again.

"Maybe church wasn't such a good idea...."

Vivica silently excused herself from the church as she pulled her trenchcoat over herself, walking down a cobblestone street that was frosty yet illuminated by the many warm lights of the many shops that were in full holiday swing. Her flat was a few blocks away, but she suddenly realized that possibly just walking the streets among joyous revelers in the holiday season, those who were not superheroes or spies, might do wonders for her own soul. As she headed down the street, allowing herself for a few moments to get lost in the spirit of the holidays, she felt a buzz from her pocket, and with how quickly she pulled it from her pocket and answered her phone alerted to her just how lonely she was right now.

Maverick: "There's my girl.."

Vivica smirked.

"You called me Jack, what did you expect?"

He had been one of the brighter spots of her service in Clandestine. And while their relationship had moved to something more platonic in recent months, she was glad to have somebody close to "home" that she trusted. But Jack wasn't one for social calls, if he was calling her, it meant there was work. And Vivica was ready to work again.

"I take it you got a job for me?"

Maverick: "I've always got a job for you, Lennox. How would you like a chance to get back in the field and have another go at Archer Fairchild?"

She cocked an eyebrow. Much of her work in Clandestine had been tracking the movements and stopping the efforts of SubZero and she loved it. But her miss step in The Middle East had led her to believe that she might be out of commission for field work for a bit. She stopped for a moment, and smiled. This was all Jack's doing, his version of a Christmas present. One she needed.

"They're letting be back in the field so soon?"

Maverick: "I am a very convincing, very sexy super spy, Viv. Or have you forgot? It also helps that I run things in London. And they trust my judgment. And I trust yours. I can find somebody else if you aren't inter--"

"I'm very interested."

Maverick: "That's my girl. Care to meet up to discuss the details? It's rather time sensitive. Are you heading home or towards another church service?"

"I'll be home in five...and please, I know you guys keep tabs on us, but I don't need to know the details."

Maverick: "Noted. And I'm already at your front door."

She smiled again. One thing about Jack, he could always make her smile.

"Of course you are."

Vivica rounded the corner, somewhat relieved, somewhat anxious. Whatever was about to be presented to her, she would do. She was loyal to Clandestine. And she was looking to put yet another painful past behind her.

 

[Domino]

En Route to Hell...

She would never admit it Evelyn, but part of her was a bit relieved to be going back to the estate for the holiday. In the months that had passed since she beheaded her father and rolled his head down the halls of The Great Hall, she had thrown herself into work. There were many out there who had been less than happy about Jean Luc Dupont's death. Despite his absolute depravity, he was a well connected man amongst many different circles, and when news of his death spread like wildfire, there had been a bit of an uprising. Thankfully, Evelyn had done what she always did, and smoothed things over, but it was now up to Maxine to clean up the remnants of his checkered past. She'd been having fun because it was the first time she'd been let out of her cage so to speak. No longer was she her father's weapon. And Evelyn had given no orders, just suggestions, what she did now as Black Knight was up to her. Every kill, every single little bit of her father's legacy she destroyed had been her choice, and at her hand. But she had underestimated the fleeting feeling of vengeance, despite how it fueled her. At the end of the night, when she washed the blood off her hands, after she pulled the trigger, she was as she always had been - alone. And it was something she had been hyper aware of recently. She had filled her time romancing an endless string of women all over the world, consuming them and using them to pass the time. But she still felt empty. Even murder no longer satisfied her, though she was still an avid fan. So when Evelyn asked, almost as if she already knew Maxine needed it, Maxine agreed, though ostensibly. She'd arrived in London yesterday, but needed a 'breather' before she headed back into the world of Hellfire. So she had booked a room at The Rosewood for a night of relaxation and centering herself, which was a task that was easier said than done.

Maxine stood in front of the mirror, wiping a bit of condesation away as she stared at the reflection of her body, something she had always been uncomfortable with. Something about her body had never felt right, or at least the body that everyone told her she had. As a girl, her mother had been a hyper feminine type, and it was something she clearly wanted to imprint on her daughter. It was just Maxine had never truly felt comfortable in that space. She'd always been more interested in masculine pursuits and past times, which made her relationship all the more complicated with her mom. When she was thirteen, she developed breasts the size of cantaloupes and she immediately began to bind her chest. And then, shit went down and she found herself in the custody of her father at Meridian Industries, where both her chastity and soul had been ripped from her. She never felt more removed from her own body. They had raped her. Experimented on her. Made her into something that she wasn't even sure was human anymore, let alone male or female. When she'd gotten out of the ordeal, it was the first time she ever felt any autonomy over her body, or ownership, and that had been a confusing thing to live with for the last six months. So she kept her hair short, she still bound her chest, she presented as masculine despite how feminine she still appeared. She didn't want to identify as female or male, she wanted to identify as a problem for anyone who crossed her. But she could care less how people referred to her. Maxine. Max. She. He. It meant nothing to her because after what she had gone through, she felt like something different altogether. However, while there was nothing more she loved than breasts on a beautiful woman, on her, she hated them. Almost instantly upon reflecting her gaze, she grabbed her binding bra and slipped it over her chest, running her fingers through her hair, a bit more relieved.

She began to get dressed, thinking of what she might find at Hellfire when she arrived. Her stunt in The Great Hall had been the last time she'd seen any of The Inner Circle. Evelyn seizing power had not gone over well with Rebecca, and secretly Camille though she would never say it. Jean Luc was an asshole, but he had worked together very well with the Red Court. Meanwhile, Evelyn had always seemed to have the ear of Liam. In short, the power dynamics were somewhat tilted on their head, and if Maxine knew Rebecca as well as she thought she did, she knew it was only a matter of time before she made a move against her. So while part of her was going back to simply spend time with her 'family', she also wanted to check in on Evelyn's safety. Not that she wasn't a smart woman and queen, simply as a matter of duty to the woman who gave her the freedom that she now had. Plus she couldn't help but shake the feeling that something was going sour in her own house, and that was something she would not tolerate.

Once she was dressed, she grabbed her army duffel, packed away her stuff and headed out of the room and down to the lobby where she met the valet attendant, who she gave a stern nod to.

"Were you able to bring me my baby?"

Valet: "Yes, ma--...yes, we were. Just arrived about an hour ago."

Maxine nodded as she heard the ROAR of said baby roll up to her. One thing about being back in London was she had access to all of her toys. And this toy was her 1926 Brough Superior SS100. It was bloody gorgeous. J.A.P. KTOR racing engine, dog ear rocker arm supports. Exposed pushrods and valve springs. Raw and elegant. 23 inch beaded edge tires, and cast iron cylinders. She felt like a fucking cheetah on this thing, and she promised to never store it as long as she had ever again. She reached into her duffle and produced a wad of euros and handed it to the valet.

"Many thank yous, my good man."

Wrapping her duffel strap across her chest, she straddled her bike, and made it ROAR as the vibration between her legs made her swell with excitement. With a mischevious smile, she peeled out of the hotel entrance and onto the streets, before heading to the country side, whipping around the curved roads with the feeling of a razor's edge as she zipped around. Before long she began to close in on the mansion and she watched with amusement as the gate house attendants realized who was heading through the gates, and watched their bewildered faces try to decide whether or not they should do something to stop her or alert the others. In short, they were predictably useless.

She zoomed into the front steps of the mansion, sliding to stop on the paved steps, leaving a skid mark in her wake. She was really back. The lightness she felt on her bike began to feel heavy as she looked into the larched arch doorway of The Dupont Estate. She shook her head and called out at the top of her lungs.

"LUUUUUCYYY! I'm HOOOOOOOOMMMEEE!"

 

[Crimson]

Hellfire London - The Game Begins...

The Red Queen had loathed the holidays for as long as she could remember. For so long, in fact that she all but forgotten why. She was sure it had something to do with her upbringing, or her childhood. But Rebecca Everhart was not a woman who dwelled on the past. Presently, the holidays annoyed her because the last thing she wanted to do was play Sister Mary Francis with her fellow queens. Crimson didn't fancy herself a feminist, in reality she was a rampant narcissist who really only cared what happened to her, but she couldn't help but feel that if they had been kings instead of queens, none of this weekend would be transpiring. But Evelyn had insisted. Because apparently it was not enough that she had wrestled the seat of power in Hellfire in record time. She needed to be canonized as a saint as well.

"Bah humbug."

Rebecca sat in The Red Parlour on a plush red velvet victorian sofa, her red manicured hand cradled around a glass of cabernet, taking a few moments to be by herself before the "festivities" in the mansion began. She took a belabored sip, before setting the glass on the side table to her left - producing a metallic red Chanel compact from her clutch, opening it to analyze the state of her face, something she did often. She was a woman who valued perfection above all else. Someone who realized that in Hellfire, branding was half the battle. And she knew her brand well. She wore red at all times, in a signature shade that was hers alone. Nobody had ever seen her without makeup. Or looking as anything less than perfect. She had gone to the greatest of lengths to protect her image and her physical beauty. That required maintenance. Maintenance that caused many in Hellfire to categorize her as a bitch or a diva. In reality, she was a woman who understood what it meant to hold the mantle of Queen.

<< SCREEEECH! >>

She could hear the sounds of Maxine's motorcycle trapsing through the property like a bull in a china shop to which she exhaled deeply as an attendant approached her with caution.

Attendant: "My Queen. You told us to alert you the second--"

Rebecca grabbed her wine glass and took another delicate sip.

"The second Maxine Dupont arrived home. Yes, I hear her. Thank You."

Before the emancipation of Maxine, Rebecca had held Hellfire firmly in her pocket. She'd enjoyed a very beneficial professional relationship with Jean Luc. Both of them shared the vision of taking what the Americans had done and making it bigger. Better. They're only mistake had been choosing Domino as their test subject. Rebecca had been against it. But Jean Luc had insisted. And it had ruined almost everything. Meridian Industries was supposed to be their MysTech. Now, it was struggling.

"All thanks to Evelyn bloody Pierce."

She'd never liked the woman, but it didn't stop her from dazzling everybody else. The men in Hellfire clung to her every word. And her maternal nature had caused more than a few to view her as some sort of mother figure. But Evelyn had forgotten what tended to happen to mother figures in Hellfire, and Rebecca was primed to remind her of that. It would be a slow burn, but Rebecca knew she would outlast The Black Queen. More than that, she knew that Evelyn would die at her hands. But in order for that to happen the way she saw it in her dreams, she needed a full scale assault. And that started at home. So while she loathed having to play nice, she knew that this was the beginning of the chess game. Of the moving of the pieces they were so aptly named after. And a good game of chess always started with positioning one's pawns.

Taking a moment to finish her glass of wine, she rose from the sofa and patted herself to perfection, once again exhaling deeply. She would not welcome Maxine home like some kind of house mother. She would make her appearance later. For now, she would keep up appearances. Ensure The Red Wing was ready for visitors, appear interested in the weekend's festivities. But soon...the game would begin.

 

[Chameleon]

Hellfire London - The White Wing

The quiet white wing began to become filled with the orchestral stylings of Dame Shirley Bassey booming throughout the halls as the sun began to set on The Dupont Estate. While it was an unspoken rule not to interrupt The White Queen when she was listening to Shirley, but the emptiness of her court during this time found it unneccessary. For all intents and purposes, Camille found herself decidedly alone. But she was not letting it get her down. Not tonight of all nights.

"I.....I who have nothing..."

From within the chambers of The White Queen's suite, Camille laid on the plush carpeting of her room, in front of the fireplace, her eyes towards the ceiling. It was Christmas, and they had all left her behind. Liam and Juliette had gone to Paris. Heidi was with her family. Only Damien remained, but she knew it wasn't out of love for her. It was out of fear that she might take one too many of the pretty purple pills he supplied with her with. How had she gotten here? She used to be a ballerina of the highest degree. They used to compare her to Anna Pavlova and Alicia Alsono. She had once kept the world captive with her grace and dexterity. With her beauty and delicate nature. And now she was a figurehead. A living legend with no gas left in the tank.

"You....you give her diamonds. Bright....sparkling diamonds...."

Hellfire had been fun at first. After an injury had taken her career from her, it had been an outlet for her waning popularity. A cult that would still worship her. A place that she once ruled with a man that loved her. Liam. Not being able to dance didn't hurt as much as Liam not loving her anymore did. But she knew it was her fault. She'd medicated herself so much, nobody could really love her. Because she wasn't human anymore. She was a shell, albeit an extraordinary shell. And she was not without her wits. The world may have forgotten who she was, but in Hellfire - she was a Queen. And her training had shown her that everybody loves a second act.

Blotting away the single line of tears from her face, she propped herself up from the floor, and grabbed the glass of chardonnay on the mantle of the fireplace, taking a long sip, before producing a afformentioned purple pill from her pocket, swallowing it with a comfort she wasn't proud of. Soon, the booming voice of Shirley Bassey faded, as the music shifted into something a bit more positive yet classic as Camille headed into her bathroom, sitting down at the vanity, forcing herself to look at her reflection.

"Happy Christmas, everyone. Thank you so much for choosing to spend your holiday with Hellfire. It truly warms our hearts..."

She rehearsed. Camille was a true diva, in the classic sense. A world class actress. Known for becoming the characters she portrayed on stage. But what most of the world didn't know was how deep her portrayals could go. All at once, the image of Camille Rowe shifted into that of The Duchess, Juliette De Lacroix. She stared at herself in front of the mirror for a few moments, practicing glances and smirks that she had read on the vampire's face over the years.

[mockingly] "Oh my keeeng. Shoorely you can zeee zat zee Queen is...how do you say? Sttruggling vith her pozeetion..."

She had hated Juliette from the moment she met her. Because of the way Liam had looked at her. Been obsessed with her. He had been a man of history and science, and she was a woman who was both a part of that and a pervation of nature. The moment The Duchess arrived in Hellfire London was the moment that Camille began to lose her sway over her own court. But Juliette and Liam were gone. And Camille was sick of playing second fiddle to her inferior. It was why she had joined league with Rebecca so willingly, despite Liam's distrust of her. Rebecca felt the same way she did. That these new woman of Hellfire were taking the helm of a mantle in which they did not earn. Camille wasn't in the position to teach them the lesson they deserved to learn, but Rebecca was. And this weekend was the start of that lesson.

Shifting back into her own form, Camille removed the white silk robe from her body and headed into her apartment sized closet. In part she was relieved to be the only member of her court in attendance this weekend. She had little to lose. And everything to gain. She was an actress. The primaballerina of Hellfire. It was the role of a lifetime. And despite her want to medicate every feeling she had these days, she was determined not to become a footnote in it's history.

 

[Solitaire]

Hellfire London - Let The Games Begin

<< Anyone who had lived as long as Danielle Baptiste had lived would have gotten bored. And that's what she was. Bored. Solitaire believed she had done it all. Endless wealth and opportunity eventually got old, and she found herself looking for new toys to play with at a frequency that sometimes frightened her. For now, she had her eyes on Hellfire London - a beautiful house with so many dolls to play with. They were strong, and powerful and reckless. Impulsive. She was drawn to them just as her siren song guided others to death. It just so happened to be very good luck that Rebecca Everhart stolen something that belonged to her - The Crimson Shroud. And she was going to get it back. But not without having a bit of fun of course. >>

<< She had approached The Red Queen as the daughter of a current Council of Ministers member, playing to Rebecca's desire for fame and power. The two became fast friends, and before long she had secured The Red Knight appointment at Hellfire. It was beautiful. Rebecca trusted her so much. Mortals were stupid. Danielle was looking forward to having fun for the next few days. Danielle loved to play a character, and the character she was playing at Hellfire was quickly becoming one of her favorite identities. She was primed and ready to stir up a bit of trouble to quell her lingering boredom. Tensions were simmering between the Queens in Hellfire, and while Danielle's first motive was to recover her stolen property, her second was to apply as much pressure and chaos to the situation that she could. >>

"I cannot wait for tonight..."

<< She sat in her quarters in the Red Wing. Security had alerted her to Rebecca in the parlour, but she left it alone. The Red Queen needed some personal time before every event. It was how she pumped herself up. How she came up with a game plan. Despite Danielle's hatred of the woman, she could admit she respected how Crimson led the Red Court. She continued to primp in front of the mirror from her red marble vanity, a fur stole draped around her silk nightgown for dramatic effect. She snapped her fingers as the space was filled with music, of a song that you remembered but could not place. A song you felt compelled to listen to. Solitaire's Siren Song. >>

<<There were so many people about to arrive at Hellfire. The fringe of the inner circle. The people who had no place else to go. People who wanted to be seen or heard. In short, the perfect kind of victim for her. And there was a good chance that one or two of them might just have some juicy intel worth keeping for a rainy day. Humming to herself she took of her stole and her robe as she walked into the red marble infinity shower. Each member of the Inner Circle had their chambers decorated in whatever they wanted. Truly. One's suite could look like anything. Danielle had gone for a bit of eighties glam, in shades of scarlet and crimson. Because she really missed the eighties. It was hands down in her top three of decades she'd lived through. And the cocaine never tasted so good. >>

"God I missed the water...."

<< Unlike other sirens, Danielle didn't always keep so close to the shoreline. She found that as she aged, she didn't need to. And that she had taught herself how to live in the world of the mortals. Because despite how wondrous it may have seemed to be, in fact, a Siren - the ocean was decidedly boring and dark. And her toys there didn't react the way her ones on land did. Despite all that, nothing ever felt as good as when she was in the water. And her third shower of the day reminded her of that. As steam floated and hovered towards the ceiling of her quarters, she began to prepare herself for tonight's mixer, and come up with a plan of action with regards to who exactly, was going to be her first victim. >>

 

[Seer]

Festivities Commence

<< Over the next few hours, many began to arrive at The Dupont Estate to celebrate Christmas with The Hellfire Club. While it was a quiet and intimate affair, it was one great value to Hellfire London, for many reasons. And it was clear that everyone either arriving or preparing for this weekend's festivities had their own agendas, it was yet to be seen how these different ideas would collide. It was something that would most certainly begin to bubble to the surface during the Welcome Dinner. >>

<< Daniel Reed had arrived to Hellfire quietly, heading to his quarters without announcing his arrival to the others. This weekend would be the first time that Daniel would be alone with his father in years. The last time he had seen his father was the night he told him he was gay. They'd done the proper british thing and pretended it hadn't happened. Tonight would test the waters for a father and a son, but Daniel would also soon find another, more unexpected object in his way of a future at Hellfire. One he did not anticipate. >>

<< Maxine Dupont was relieved to come home. After Evelyn scolded her for the way that she arrived, the two took to her parlour where they discussed business and caught up with each other. Evelyn was worried about Rebecca. And Camille. That she had heard rumblings of some kind of alliance starting without her. Maxine promised to get to the bottom of it. While normally a welcome dinner would have caused her to flee, tonight she was happy to be back at Hellfire. In her old bedroom. She'd spent so much time running from herself that it was a bit nice to be reunited with herself. Her bedroom in her family home used to feel like a prison. Now it reminded her of a simpler time. Of the time before her parents did what they did to her. It was comforting. But she knew that would soon fade as she faced herself with The Inner Circle tonight. >>

<< Archer Fairchild was looking to forget. This was the first holiday he would be spending without his adoptive father and mentor. He had seen so much professional success, with so much more on the horizon, but it felt empty without somebody seeing and knowing and validating what a success he had become. He was more upset and depressed than he wanted to admit, and he was ignoring it. But he was about to be faced with a connection that begins to change his perspective on who he is and what he's doing. >>

<< Vivica Lennox was chomping at the bit to restore her reputation at Clandestine. So when Maverick offered her the opportunity to disappear into deep cover, she jumped at it. She'd spent a large chunk of her time thwarting the efforts of Sub Zero, and she had to admit, that getting up close and personal with Archer Fairchild was something she was actually looking forward to. For as happy as she was to ruin his career, she was also intrigued by him. The chance to get to know him better, she simply couldn't refuse. But Vivica was about to learn that for as fast as she was ready to run from herself, she was about to be faced with the ghosts of her past. >>

<< The Queens hosting the weekend's festivities held their own beliefs and concerns. Each with a different perspective. Each court with a different goal. It was to be an interesting weekend for sure. So as the sun began to fall against the english countryside, the moon replaced it, as the guests of Holiday at Hellfire made their way into the great hall, which was framed as an elegant casual dining/cocktail mixer. The event was dramatically decorated with elegant and vintage english hunt house decor, with natural forest green foliage was cast about - clusters of douglas furs, evergreens, the light dusting of snow in the corners and more distinct architecture qualities of The Great Hall. Tonight's dress code was relaxed but elegant lodging attire. In the vein of a proper Apres Ski. How would these outcasts of Hellfire fair? And so we WATCH! >>