O.D. 1.8.2000 [12:40 p.m.]

(Another very brief Vittorio and Innocence...)

[Victor DiSperanza]

Fri 18:56 CST to Innocence, Maleficent, Viast, Mercedes Moncada, Heinrich Vertrauen: So much for the elegance. Instantly, he twists his head about and sinks his teeth into her shoulder, and for a ghastly moment there is nothing but the sounds of this most brutal of kisses. And then his hand fastens about the back of her neck, and shadows pour over her form from beneath his fingers, wrap about Innocence...and he rips her off his form as a man might rip a leech off his leg. She is cast aside carelessly, and his eyes glitter as he rises, straightens his coat, and wipes the back of his mouth lightly upon his hand. His eyes find Mercedes (and oh, how those eyes burn), and he bows to her cordially.

"Madam." Without a pause he crosses the room and--in a flash of violence so unexpected, so unannounced, that even their undead hearts might skip in their cold breasts--overturns the table on his way to the leader. Wood splinters; the bowl skitters aside, amazingly unharmed, and he is suddenly...calm again. "A word."

And they remove themselves to the suite's master bedroom.