Spilled Blood (Raffaele and Lily)

[Dice]

Not many know the life of the wind. After all, the life of the Gypsy was not walked by many. Yet being the youngest biological daughter of Leander and Mama granted her gypsy abilities just as wondrous as her siblings. Yet she was also blessed with the ability to see the world with more colors than her siblings. She could see the colors that danced along the wind, the emotions it carried for her and her people. So the day the wind picked her up and twirled her to an unknown destination. Confusion caused Lilith to look to the wind as it gave off no aura to suggest where it was taking her.

So as she landed on her feet in a strange room. She took it in. It looked like a dinning room with a rather interesting style. Unlike anything that would be found in Nowhere among her people. Though her people themselves were rather unique. So she began to wander around the dining room then wandered into what seemed to be a sitting room before she found her way outside and looked up to the fading sun. “where did you bring me?” She questioned the wind softly as her eyes took in all of the colors dancing among the plants she had never seen before.

She stood there in that solace moment before she finally looked around taking in the property she stood on. It was clear that this place was owned by someone who lived comfortably in a world that often didn’t allow it. “Can you give me some kind of clue why I am here?” She asked the wind and when a gentle breeze pushed her back to the door she exited she gave a gentle sigh.  “Okay but why?” She asked again only to be pushed towards the door again. “I swear to Mama if you get me killed away from home. I will haunt you for the rest of my eternal life.” Yet another push she let out a groan.

She felt her hand grasp the door handle and move back into the room. Her eyes took in all the gentle colors as she moved through the home. “Hello? Does someone in this home need some kind of help?” She asked in a strong voice as she reached for a book that sat on a shelf. Trailing her fingers along the binding she could make out the strong hand that had held this book because of the slight different color variations. The person seemed to close this book in anger over and over again. “Interesting.” She said to herself gently as she moved deeper into the home. “My name is Lilith Rahotep. May I know who you are?” She called out hearing the shifting above her.

[Raffaele Spataro - Council]

Spilled Blood

 "I hope you find whatever it is you.. or the Wind is searching for."

Once her small, floating steps neared him after her beckoning, Raffaele remained still. His brow creased as she came far closer than he was expecting and stood with a look of bewilderment once she grazed his neck with her nose. His lips parted to say something, but what he wasn't sure of. A request to stop, perhaps, but the moment was over just as soon as it had begun as Lily moved back into the room once more and towards the books she seemed intrigued by. 

Raffaele still remained rather like stone on the spot once the encounter was over. The feel of her touch on his skin was almost foreign as he hadn't been so close to anyone in countless years. The warmth of her skin began to fade just as quickly which seemed to make him come round again to her partially deafened words in his mind, clearing his throat softly. "As I said, there is no need of repayment. I hope you find whatever it is you.. or the Wind is searching for."

Raffaele had been deep within his accounting ledgers for some time, but found himself drifting off as to the new guest that had suddenly appeared on his property. His gaze moved off of the pages where the ink dripped from the pen he held and towards the sunlight that streamed into the room from behind the mostly drawn curtains. He couldn't shake the feeling that they still hadn't come up with a reason why Lily was brought to him in the first place and so he stared at the spot on the floor where the sun's light had finally ended, far away in his thoughts until the sound of a familiar heartbeat drew his attention.  

"You haven't changed?!" Vincenzo's familiar, but perplexed voice made the sanguine's head turn. His expression of shock matched.

Raffaele looked down at himself with mocked confusion. "Was I supposed to?" He saw the disapproving scowl on the old man's face which made him smile. "This isn't some banquet or ball, Vin. I'm not changing."

This apparently was not an adequate answer as the stomping and muttering under the breath began. Raffaele was then being yanked along to another room within the corridor that had wardrobes he hadn't opened in what seemed a lifetime. Various pieces of more formal wear began to fly from inside as Vincenzo's head was buried within. The sanguine side-stepped and ducked the onslaught of clothing before taking refuge at a wall to lean his head back against it until this fit was over.

Minutes later and he was straightening the collar of the new shirt he was being forced to wear, but refusing to close it completely. It was the agreement that they finally came upon as he still wore the same pants and boots he'd had on previously. Somehow this appeased Vincenzo nonetheless. Coming to the room that would now be Lily's temporarily, Raffaele lightly knocked on the mostly closed door. "Signorina? Are you ready? It appears our meal is prepared and awaiting our arrival." His gaze shot over to Vincenzo near the end of the hall who seemed to be enjoying this entirely too much and Raffaele rolled his eyes in answer.

[Dice]

✧ Spilled Blood ✧

Lily for being so observant and silver tongue in nature, she never quite understood how she could put others on edge. She was so used to being the sweet one, the easiest one to talk to of her siblings. She was used to people being drawn in to her and wanting her near, she never noticed how she set him on edge by her actions in order to track him better in his own home. “I am sure that I will figure it out, maybe the wind just knew I needed some new inspiration. Your home is beautiful beyond words I can express.”

When Raffaele left she picked through the dress wanting to make a lovely impression on her first meal with him. After all, the Vincenzo fellow was going to be making a beautiful meal for them. She wanted to respect that. Yet all the dresses were not to her flowy standards, since Raffaele didn’t seem to care if she made her own outfit. So she got to work pulling out the soft pink dress and removing the Tull out from under the skirt of the dress. Making the dress vastly longer, with some skill she placed slits at the bottom of the dress, twisting the cut pieces together to make a braid rope along the bottom of it. She figured it was a decent enough alteration that fit her style and his home. A blend of both worlds.

She ripped the sleeves off the dress making it a sleeveless dress, She slipped in the dress pulling the corset as tight as she could and stared at her reflection for a long moment. She felt fancy, it was a feeling she hadn’t felt ever, being a gypsy you were wild and free. Looking so prim and proper even with a gypsy flare was something she never really could get used to, though she was sure it wouldn’t become a common occurrence either. She heard the knock upon her door, making her go towards the door and pulling it open with a smile on her lips. “Oh lovely I am starving.” She gave an easy chuckle.

She took in his new shirt giving him a once over shamelessly. “Well you are always a proper one I feel, yet somehow you seem more proper for dinner.” She gave a teasing chuckle as she moved out of her current room shutting the door so he wouldn’t see the pile of fabric on the floor. She planned on using that to craft something else in the following time there. She gave a swirl in the hall before following Raffaele to the room they would be eating in. As she took her seat her eyes scanned the room for the decorative pieces that were no doubt around.

“Are you from here? Or is this the place you choose to settle?” Lily asked as her eyes looked all around, taking in the many colors that others couldn’t see. She could hear the food being plated so no doubt it would be here in no time. “How do you and my dear cousin Vega know each other? Did you help him out? Or he you? He does have a habit of helping others even if it could end with him getting hurt.” She was sure that Raffaele would soon learn she couldn’t seem to stop talking when she was in a new place. It was her nature to probe and learn all she could about those around her. Information was often something she gathered naturally, a skill that in the future would serve her well.

[Raffaele Spataro - Council]

Spilled Blood

w/ Lily Rahotep

• ...there were some things he couldn't and wouldn't share. •

Raffaele's dark eyes moved over her new appearance. A single brow raised at the improvements which had been done to the dress which she had finally chosen to wear from the wardrobes. He of course had not seen any of its choices before, but he knew that the garment had certainly been altered to her liking as it was in no way fashioned for a lady of society. He imagined all the stares she would likely receive if it were something she decided to continue wearing at the market. A slight curve of his lips lifted at this.     

He sighed out a breath in annoyance, purely a human habit since breathing wasn't something he did much of anymore. "Vincenzo insisted I be more presentable while having a formal dinner," he replied to Lily, looking back over his shoulder at the older man who wasn't expecting to be outed. Vincenzo then slightly flustered as he stood up straighter from behind the wall and quickly made an escape, no doubt to the kitchen to ready their meal. This made his smirk widen a little more. "You look lovely, signorina."

The long hallway on the lower floor was currently being flanked by two of his workers at the double doors. Raffaele rolled his eyes at this. More of Vincenzo's doing. On any normal day throughout the many normal days here, there would be no one standing there. In fact, the room was hardly used as he took his particular meals to the privacy of his study. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been in the formal dining room.

Still, the doors were opened for them and once they made their way to the overly decorated table which again was never like this, he pulled back the chair for Lily to sit in before making his way down the long table to the other end to sit on the plush seat. Raffaele's head turned slightly as another of his workers came to pour them some wine before standing against the wall again silently with two others who remained like statues. He could put them in the gardens with the other stone sculptures with how still they were. A stifled laugh caught in his throat with a slight shake of his head before he lifted the now full cup.

Just as he was going to raise it towards Lily in a silent toast, she began to ask questions about himself which paused his initial gesture. His arm slightly lowered as her attention seemed to be everywhere in all the newness of her current situation. Raffaele's lips thinned as it was clear she wanted to learn more about his relationship with her cousin beyond what he explained before, but there were some things he couldn't and wouldn't share. At least not in detail. "I suppose your cousin doesn't speak much of his life as a bounty hunter? I shouldn't find that very surprising." He sat back in his chair and looked down to the table for a few short moments. "It was a dangerous, but thrilling time," Raffaele started, glancing up and across the table to Lily. "We helped each other out, sure, but he was more guidance for me than I to him. Things were..." a lump formed in his throat, though he continued with the thought, "harder for me. It was a different time in my life when I didn't much care if I lived or died, but mostly hoped for the latter." More truth than he'd of liked to share passed his lips before he could stop himself. "Your cousin is a good man. Far better than myself. We parted ways after feeling it best I go on my own. So no, I'm not from here, but it is where I live now."

He hadn't meant to be so blunt. It certainly wasn't an enjoyable topic of conversation whether they were at a dinner table or not. Vincenzo entered the room from the opposite doors then with a small line of others behind him carrying various sized trays to bring what seemed to be a feast for ten rather than two. Raffaele was still glad of the interruption as he never liked speaking about the past or the reason he and his closest friend had parted for decades without contact. The staff began to serve them food in which he hadn't had in years, nor would it even fill him really. Still, most of the people in his home did not know what he really was besides Vincenzo. His gaze turned towards Lily then in an effort to move the conversation away from him. "As you can see, my staff is very enthusiastic." His maroon brown eyes cut to Vincenzo then whose smile couldn't be prouder. "I hope you like it. I'm sure it's very different from what you're used to."

[Dice]

✧ Spilled Blood ✧

Lily had no sense of fashion when it came to the society he lived in. Just like most gypsy she seemed to have her own sense of individuality, flowyness, and comfort when it came to clothing. So the altering of the dress made it fit her style but she kept the corset part that hugged her curves, it was a new sense for her to have a garment hug her body. She felt exposed as she stood across from him in the new outfit. The look he wore with the slight curve of his own lip into a smile meant that she must look somewhat appropriate in her mind.

“Presentable? Why as long as you have something covering your naked bits from food falling on them. Then you are then presentable, though I have also not had many what did you call this?” She thought for a moment. “Oh yes, formal dinner.” She chuckled it was foreign to her, after all most of their dinners were held around campfires with dancing. She gave a gentle smile to Vincenzo, “I should show you sometime how we do dinner, I am sure it's nothing you have ever seen before.” She winked to the older male not sure if he understood her or not. She then looked back towards Raff with a gentle smile and a rose blush kissing her cheeks. “Thank you.”

As they made their way to the dining room Lily looked around the place taking in the new part of his home. He really did have such a beautiful home. She never pictured living in a home like this, she figured she would always be living in a tent never being in one place too long unless the wind had other options. That is why having the chance to do so until the wind decides otherwise was an exciting adventure for her.

Taking in all the decorations on the table and a small smile touching her lips, “I feel almost as if I am your date or something so honorable. I have never had this much effort put into a meal for my presence before.” She moved towards the seat sitting down as the seat was pushed in for her. “Thank you.” She said softly, her eyes studying him as he walked to the other side of the table. Picking up the glass of wine she looked down to the different colors swirling together to make a rich red color. “This wine would make a lovely paint color.” She mumbled to the wine softly before taking a sip of it. She felt as if she was being watched with the guards of the room which put her slightly on edge.

Her gaze stayed on him to watch his face, her life as the speaker of the pack starting to kick in. She had questions and often got the answers she wanted with ease. He would be one of the toughest nuts she was hoping to crack. “Vega is a bit of a mystery to most of us. He grew up with the ice side of him.” She said and then realized maybe she should clarify. “He grew up a Viking, with his mother who is a warrior. There was a time we didn’t know Vega, but once we did we knew he was just as important to us as any other gypsy. The wind just likes to keep him busy.” She thought about Jeovani for a moment.

“A bounty hunter though? Rather interesting, I can’t picture it.” She gave a chuckle before focusing on him, “Does that mean that is what you do? Hunt bounties?” She raised a brow towards him as he continued. She felt a part of her longed for a touch of the dangerous life. Maybe that is why the wind brought her there. Though a frown touched her lips as he spoke of not caring if he lived or died, there was so much to life to long for. Though she was a bit idealistic or so she had been told. “I am glad Jeovani could provide you something to hang on to in life when you were going through a rough time. We all need people like that in our lives.” Did she have someone like that? Or was she just meant to be that person to others? Did anyone have her back? These thoughts danced in her head for a moment but she tried to not let them show.

“As a nomad I don’t belong anywhere and everywhere and nowhere. So I get it.” She said as she looked at him over, “But I think you are a better man than you give yourself credit for. Most wouldn’t allow a stranger to blow in and offer them a room and clothes among other things.” She gave a gentle shrug to her shoulder. “Yet I know if you are like most you won’t see how great you are in the end anyways so me saying this will go in one ear and out the other.” She chuckled learning this was the case for most people yet she knew that sometimes those random moments when the walls come down allowing the person to accept what the other person could change the course of their lives.

She figured that is what Jeovani had done for him, a moment Jeo had broken through to Raff. Seeing how this topic seemed to put him in a bad mood, she had managed to get an answer that would satisfy her curiosity for the moment. Opening her mouth to change the subject she watched as the trays came in. She sat up straighter still shouting Vincenzo a wink as she felt her stomach growl loudly. She felt as if she hadn’t eaten in days which she knew wasn’t true, still. “I am equally enthusiastic to eat this lovely food.” She gave a bow of her head towards Vincenzo and then to Raff, “Thank you for allowing me to put you out and fill my belly.” She said looking towards the food, picking up the first item that was sitting in front of her and taking a bite out of it. She felt the flavors dance along her tongue causing a moan to leave her throat. “This is delicious.” She said as she took a bite of something else another moan was earned. “Maybe you should come cook for my family and show them real cooking.” She licked her lips and it was clear she had no table manners.

[Raffaele Spataro - Council]

Spilled blood

w/ Lily rahotep

• "If you don't mind the company, of course." •

Raffaele waved a hand in dismissal of her thanks. "You are family to one of the greatest men I've ever met. You are of course welcome here." His fingers tapped along the cup full of wine he held aloft still and took a sip. Despite the spread of endless food, it would do nothing to stave off his hunger. His gaze moved to Vincenzo momentarily and without words, the sanguine already knew the man would understand what he was needing. The elder simply nodded in understanding and disappeared from the room.   

He brought his attention back to his new guest, the sounds of her agreement of the meal unmistakable in her moans of pleasure. A low chuckle came from him, as he watched Lily. "I'm glad you like it. Jeo wasn't partial to it all, so I'm happy to see it doesn't run in the family. I'll inform the kitchen of your approval. I'm sure they are happy to make use of their skills for a change." Raffaele sat back in his seat as his mind wandered. "Though you would think he couldn't afford being so choosey when we were on the road as much."

The corner of his lips lifted slightly in a smile as he remembered some of the better times between he and his friend. "I don't do much of the bounty life anymore, no," he explained, returning to her previous question. "Life took me in a different direction. Things had become chaotic. I had become chaotic. I was in a place where I wouldn't be able to do that kind of work without endangering others with my recklessness at times once Jeo and I parted ways. I needed to step away from that life." Raffaele looked upwards towards the house. "I came back here. Started a new life. I've been keeping to myself. Whispers have begun among the townspeople in an attempt to learn more about me since I don't leave the grounds often." He shook his head and hummed in amusement, some of the dark strands of his hair tipping forward. "They come up with some... colorful stories."

His gaze lifted then towards her, but he couldn't help the number of pulses he could hear around him. Thrumming through his skin and making the already awkward situation more so. Raffaele turned and leaned his chin on his fist. "Honestly, will you all please go about your normal routines? Being here will only delay you in other work and I'm sure none of you want to be here late into the evening." There was a hesitancy among the humans before they finally started making the way to their various  stations throughout the estate. It was at that moment Vincenzo returned with a look of confusion and a mouth agape. "I sent them away, so don't even try and stop them." A displeased scowl was his returned answer before he was offered another cup with something more akin to his kind. "Grazie."

Raffaele took the goblet. Its contents a deep red that smelled fresh. He was about to take a sip when he noted the man lingering. "That means you too." Vincenzo cut him a exasperated look that he had become very used to before turning to smile at Lily and finally exiting the room. He didn't much feel like playing along with this game anymore.

Smirking, the sanguine didn't bother with propriety any longer. He pulled at his collar and unbuttoned his vest, standing from his seat with his drink. Moving down the ridiculously long banquet, he sat adjacent to Lily at her end of the table. "There. Now we don't have to send missives to one another," he joked, catching her eye. 

"I wouldn't mind seeing the gardens at night." The words were a little softer then as he called back to her comment earlier in the day. Also seemingly out of nowhere, but Raffaele was suddenly feeling glad of the change in his normal routine. "If you don't mind the company, of course. After dinner? I haven't been in quite some time and the staff does take all that effort to keep them. I should go and appreciate their hard work. Perhaps you can do a comparative piece. The difference in what it looks like while the sun is up compared to when the moon takes its place."

[Dice]

✧ Spilled Blood ✧

While Lily comprehended Raffaele's deep care for her cousin, she yearned to understand their connection more fully, what drew them together. She held a belief that life had a way of aligning those who needed each other at a given moment, akin to how the Wind often nudged her towards others in need. Fixing problems had become her purpose. She pondered what troubles might have summoned her cousin's friend instead of him. Her vigilant gaze observed the silent exchange between Raff and Vincenzo.


"There have been times when we've gone without food, so we've relinquished the luxury of being choosy. Nonetheless, this is some of the finest fare my taste buds have encountered," she remarked, savoring another mouthful. "Don't you entertain guests in your home? Make use of your wonderful staff?" Though she understood the appeal of solitude, she mused aloud, "I hail from a place where isolation is rare. Sometimes I envy the adventures Vega embraces so freely."


Her mind drifted to the places she'd escape to paint in silence if given the chance. Could the Wind have brought her here to grant her respite? Despite bearing a heavy load herself, she refused to let others carry the burden. She regarded him sadly as he spoke of the life he left behind with Jeovani, understanding the upheaval chaos could bring, yet recognizing the beauty it often birthed.


"What tales do they spin? Has anyone come close to the truth? Allow me to hazard a guess: you're a wealthy prince who lost his love and now cloisters himself away, shunning affection for another, yearning to fade into oblivion with her?" Lily's eyes scanned the room, observing the reluctance of some to depart when bid. Was it a desire to maintain their gaze upon her? Or perhaps the allure of witnessing what could be perceived as a courtship? Or simply the joy of company? She chuckled softly as candlelight danced in her eyes, casting a radiant smile before they dispersed to their duties.


As the elder male returned, the scent of iron mingled with floral notes tickled her senses, his annoyance evident as Raffaele seemingly dismissed the paid help. She wondered if it was due to the blood he needed to consume. Lily smiled towards Vincenzo as he departed, observing Raffaele quickly acclimate to the setting. "You certainly know how to relax, don't you?" she quipped, her bright eyes holding his gaze for a lingering moment. His eyes would make a captivating subject for a painting; perhaps she could leave him with a portrait as a gift.


"I'd welcome the company; after all, wandering alone might lead me into trouble, and Jeo wouldn't approve of that," she remarked, lifting the wine glass to her lips and taking a leisurely sip, tilting her head back to expose her graceful neck. Lowering the cup, her tongue darted out to catch any stray droplets. "The duality of beauty in two lights, two sides of the same coin, it's a captivating notion. The question remains, though: if I paint it, will you accept it as a gift?" She wouldn't dare suggest it as payment for his generosity; she knew he would likely reprimand her. Perhaps she was here to remind him of the beauty he had shut out from his world.

[Raffaele Spataro - Council]

Spilled blood

w/ Lily rahotep

• "It's better that way. Safer for them. Easier for me." •

Raffaele smiled to himself at her guess of the tales the staff and those in town made up about him and his reclusive ways before sipping from his new cup gingerly. It wouldn't be very pleasant to have blood stained lips and teeth in front of his new guest, especially while dining. His tongue brushed quickly over his fangs and his smile then grew, flashing a hint of his teeth. "You're not too terribly off, but no, it seems I'm not good enough to be called a prince," he teased, hearing the waning steps of Vincenzo finally leaving them to their privacy. "The staff, naturally, are closer to being correct in their guesses. A small number of them know my routines and habits best of all. Vin is the only one who knows it all. I am grateful to him." 

His thumb brushed over the rim of the drink. "Most of the others fear me," he continued matter-of-factly. "Though, perhaps fear isn't the right word. I would never hurt any of them and I think they know that. I suppose wary is the better term? They keep their distance whenever possible and I don't blame them for it. It's not as if I'm very personable." Raffaele shrugged a shoulder. "It's better that way. Safer for them. Easier for me." 

His normally crimson-brown eyes turned to molten amber as the sun set low on the estate, casting a warm glow through the towering windows framing the dining room. Raffaele leaned back in his chair in complete ease, admiring the beauty of it. The table was set farther away in the space, but given the time of day, it wouldn't cause him much discomfort at all should its light spill over his brown skin. Even if it did, it would be worth it to experience the star's descent. The sunsets were beautiful here and he endured the irritation often just to watch them with a sense of longing he couldn't quite figure out.

The sanguine took another sip of the blood mixture and was surprisingly pleased to hear Lily agree to his suggestion, but was not expecting her request. "A gift?" He let the idea sit for a moment before inclining his head to her in agreement. "I will accept it graciously. Thank you, signorina." He nodded to the mostly untouched spread that still sat upon the long table shaking his head in amusement, already hearing the displeased murmurs from Vincenzo. "You better at least finish your plate so you don't endure an earful from the master of the house."

After escaping from the formal dining, Raffaele offered his arm to Lily once more. It had taken a good amount of convincing to get Vincenzo to offer the rest of the food to the staff and whatever might be left over in the kitchens. He had only asked that a small portion of the meal, including desserts, be left for Lily when they returned back to the house so they wouldn't lose any more of the fading light as night swept through the grounds. 

Raffaele led the way through tall ornate doors and down the stone stairs that opened to the gardens where torches and lanterns had already been pre-lit and fireflies glowed more brightly in the coming dark. One of the staff had brought the meager painting supplies at his request to the bottom of the steps and he lifted the items in their satchel along with the stand to the canvas. "You are the artist," he began with a nod in the direction of the archway and gate to the start of the gardens. "I will follow your lead until you've found your place of muse."

[Dice]

For Lily, the concept of home was as elusive as the wind she chased. She had never experienced the permanence of a fixed abode, a place to call her own. Despite being surrounded by a loving family and finding her niche among them, she always felt an underlying difference. Her heart yearned for a sanctuary where she could freely express her creativity, a space to adorn with her art. Yet, her life as a Gypsy, perpetually on the move, denied her that luxury. "You certainly carry the air of a Prince, more fitting than I ever could as a Princess," she quipped, her voice tinged with playful sarcasm. As the watchful gentleman finally departed, she felt a palpable release of tension, realizing only then how her shoulders had been taut with vigilance, a Lupin's instinct to remain ever-alert.


"How much does Vin understand about other species? Does he think you’re the only one with such differences?" she questioned, taking another bite of her meal. "I just want to know if I need to downplay my Gypsy or lupine traits." Dining within the warmth of a home was a rare and comforting experience for her. "There’s a certain solace in being known beyond what others might fear," she reflected, recalling the mistrustful glances cast her way, aimed at her Gypsy heritage, unaware of the wolf that lay beneath her sun-kissed skin.


"Ah, that sensation is all too familiar," she mused, her voice softening as she slipped into memory. "Walking down the street, feeling people cross the road or clutch their children tighter—not fleeing, but watching your every move." Her eyes grew distant, recalling times when stones were hurled, each one a reminder of her outsider status. The gentle breeze caressed her face, drawing her back to the present moment with Raffaele. "Are you drawn to certain blood types more than others? Is mine unpleasant to you?" Her curiosity was insatiable, always seeking knowledge.


Her questions flowed with ease, perhaps because she was eager for his attention, to bask in the glow of his fiery, honey-colored eyes. Captivated, she imagined him as the focal point of her next painting, envisioning a series that captured his essence. Her gaze lingered on his face, then traveled downward as he reclined, the sunset casting a warm glow over him. She imagined what lay beneath his attire, how colors might dance across his skin, the interplay of light and shadow. A blush crept over her cheeks as she realized her eyes had been tracing his form, undressing him in her mind.


"I should admit, the gift I ask of you is somewhat selfish," she confessed. "Living on the move means I can't hang my art, so having a single piece with a home would be invaluable to me." Though she couldn't comprehend Vincenzo's murmurs, she sensed their weight. "Forgive my lack of decorum, but I feel I should make their night," she declared, indulging heartily in the meal, a hint of her wolfish nature emerging as her eyes briefly glowed red. She leaned back with a contented sigh, patting her now full stomach. "Forgive me, but I fear another bite might be too much," she said with a rueful smile.


Lily entwined her arm with Raffaele's as he guided her through grand doors that seemed to touch the sky. She marveled at their splendor, only to find her attention captivated by the gardens beyond. Fireflies flitted about, their luminous trails painting the air amidst the vibrant blooms. Overcome by the scene's beauty, tears threatened to spill from her eyes. "I’m not sure how I could ever choose one place as my muse," she murmured, wandering the garden path.


Her fingers brushed tenderly over the petals of various flowers until they reached a central gathering of blooms. "Here, amidst these blossoms, I see a reflection of all," she said, tracing a gentle finger along the petal of a lily. Emboldened by the moment's intimacy, she asked, "Have you ever been painted in the nude?" Her gaze met his, steady and unflinching. "I suspect you would make an exquisite subject for a painting."