The softly lit parlour of Evony Goldmoon's home was electric with activity as guests mingled this way and that. Some examined the display case positioned in a place of honour on a dais at the center of the room, while others surveyed the competition and attempted to use their powers of deduction to ascertain who had come armed with enough purchasing power for victory. Regardless of whether they were collectors, rival businesses wanting to study the thing, individuals fearful of spirits, or one of the more uncommon individuals who not only desired but actually sought out contact with the ghosts, they all desired to win the illustrious prize.
As was the custom the purchase of auction tokens had begun weeks before the event. One could only place bids with those tokens and though no names were attached, one could see how many tokens had been sold to what addresses on public record. This stoked the fire of competition before anyone had stepped into the room. If you were outbid, you could purchase more tokens on the spot - for a more expensive rate, of course.
I admired the shrewdness and elegance of it all greatly. I couldn’t remember a night I had enjoyed more in quite some time, a sensuous delight with just a touch of the sinister. I had spent the first part of the evening charming my way into a small group for company with which to pass the time. Our party at the moment consisted of several individuals of varying motivations and means, though we all kept a careful watch on the dais where our mysterious prize waited. True to the Goldmoon talent for pageantry, it remained locked away from our eyes in a small ornate box that was enclosed in the display case.
“It is a spectacular party,” commented Yurome with excitement and spark, her hand reaching out to touch the arm of Miette, who was seated next to her on the couch. “I don’t know what’s more enticing - the atmosphere or the lore.”
“The lore, definitely,” Winter replied. ”I’ve heard very little about this new member of the Goldmoon family - though they seem to have been brought into the fold rather quickly.”
They glanced with meaning towards one of the hosts who was artfully refilling a pitcher of one of the small tables before withdrawing silently. We’d declined the host’s offer for company, having been equipped with one of our own in the form of the vivacious Yurome. She commanded our attention and adoration as easily as if we were all her own submissives, much like the attentive Remy who took it upon himself to refill our glasses one by one. Yurome favoured him with an approving smile.
“For someone who runs an establishment centered around fans of the supernatural, you are remarkably well read on the affairs of the living,” she equipped, returning her attention to Winter. “But really, Evony seems to have been all we’ve heard about lately.”
Winter smiled serenely and ticked their finger back and forth in the air.
“Evony is all we have been talking about, which is a different thing entirely. What we say is based on conjecture. I aspire to know their story, not the gossip we’ve spun about them and their spectral visitor.”
“Who *is* it, I wonder,” Yurome mused. “The house is warded like so many of the homes. One of the common lost souls drifting about wouldn’t be able to enter. It must be a manifest, maybe even someone who lived here previously.”
"Suppose after all this the damn thing doesn't even work," commented Remy with a quick, nervous grin I'd noticed was a habitual expression of his. He was anxious, eager to please and resonating with it. "Would be quite a scandal if it was all for show."
"Don't be foolish," sighed Velvet, the last member of our small group. Her eyes scanned the room and the fingers of her left hand absently detangled her hair.
"The company would never recover from a stunt like that."
"Well, look at the scientist," protested Remy, flushing. "They seem anxious as all hell."
True enough, the star of the evening did not seem to notice the fawning attention of various attendees who were trying to entice them with conversation. Evony instead seemed to be pacing and inspecting various parts of the room at random. It was quite a contrast to the hosts, who filled the room with an easy charm that put the guests at ease, despite Evony's behaviour. Their grace and serenity made the researcher's erratic behaviour seem harmlessly quirky - simply another piece of the night's story.
"That one looks haunted sure enough," I agreed, feeling a twinge of pity. "Must be unpleasant to be so attractive to spirits."
"There's some who would disagree," Remy said, smiling again.
"Bite your tongue," Velvet replied crossly, falling back into their easy banter that had been rather amusing. While Remy was obviously a bit of a naive skeptic, Velvet had a prickly nature and was obviously very discomforted by the idea of ghosts. Yurome watched the conflict between them with sparkling mischievous eyes.
“Perhaps the inventor should spend less time tempting the dead and concentrate on the pleasures of the living,” she said archly, eyeing Velvet who returned her gaze steadily. I felt palpably the thread between the two of them growing taunt for a moment.
“Excellent”, interjected Winter, laughing. “If a lover kept ghosts away, nary a soul in this city would be plagued.”
