Sage chuckled softly in response to her comment and nodded, giving the girl a grin. "Well I suppose getting dressed now solves that issue either way," he noted lightly before raising an eyebrow in response to her next comment. "all week, huh," he mused, crawling into the bed and curling up in a way where he'd notice if anyien was trying to get to Liz. Celeste could take care of herself...he'd seen her fight. And he could fight well enough if it came down to it, but she couldn't, so he wanted to make sure she was as safe as could be.

He did note that she'd mentioned a wedding ....namely, their wedding, and while he wasn't sure it would be smart to rush into a wedding right away, it did linger in his mind. It was nice to think about, he could admit that. And Liz would grow up with a mother, which could only help the girl.

He hummed softly when she mentioned getting some sleep, having already started to drift off despite his efforts to stay awake. Eventually, he just decided it would be best to get what rest he could for now, and deal with the future later. That would be future sages problem. Though he nodded and squeezed her hand when she said she'd have plenty of money....and he supposed it did make sense. He was just glad they had more than enough for what they needed. And that wasn't much.

Sage chuckled softly in response to her comment and gave her a grin. "Maybe I'll join you," he murmured softly, really just messing around. Maybe they'd do it, and maybe not. Only time would tell.

Liz was safe though, for now, which was good, and he smiled in response to her comments. "Sleep well," he murmured softly, nestling in happily before closing his eyes.

It took him a while to actually fall asleep, since he knew people would be coming for them, but eventually he did. He woke up later though, when he was yanked out of bed by...someone. no doubt and assassination. A loud snarl emerged from his throat, and he let out a powerful punch, and heard a bone snap in response. His attacker let go, and he whirled to face multiple vampires, circling the bed. He positioned himself next to Liz, protecting her best he could, growl still rumbling softly in his chest.

Sage glanced over at Celeste when she moved to stand next to them. It was probably good she'd been the next one to say something to him, since the next vampire to move or speak would have been killed. He'd seen what needed to happen to kill a vampire....and he knew he was perfectly lethal to them. His jaws were meant to snap skulls...so he'd have no issues slicing through a spinal chord or anything....things he now knew to be lethal. His claws were much the same way, and wolves had more endurance than any creature on the planet. He was a force to be reckoned with, and judging by the cautious distance they stood at, they could tell. Or maybe that was just because he was definitely plotting to kill at least a few of them off. Half would be a good number, though he'd be happy if they all died.

Though, he gave celeste a curt nod in response to her comment, but grumbled "I'll play nice if they play nice," to her, not intending his muscles, which were built for fighting and were more than ready to do so if necessary. His gaze locked on the woman who spoke....no doubt this was the empress who'd been spoken of. He looked the woman up and down, nose wrinkling slightly. That was it? He'd expected her a be a bit more....scary? Bigger? More intimidating? He wasn't sure, but he certainly wasn't impressed with her or her little band of undead goons.

He tensed further when the vampire stepped towards him, eyes glowing gold in the moonlight as they followed this Derek,and teeth flashing as his lips curled. But, the vampire was following orders, and didn't seem like he was threatening sage at the moment, so he stayed still and allowed him to sniff him. It was necessary, he knew that. It didn't mean he liked it though. But he was smart enough not to kill him now. Least, not yet.

Sages eyes followed the blonde vampire closely, tensing more when got a little too close to his girlfriend for his liking. Was she more than that? Because of the bite? He made a mental note to ask her about those details later. He could tell Celeste was angry at the guy though, and he also made a mental note of that.

When he finally left, he relaxed slightly, though stayed ready for action if need be. He wrapped his hand around Celeste's when she slid over to him, casting a quick glance her direction before looking back at the vampires around them. "Only if I have no other choice," he murmured to her, still watching every vampire there closely. "And you've never seen me fight," he added with slight amusement. He didn't often fight, especially not with full potential, because that would be suspicious. Humans were....breakable. easily breakable. He knew vampires would be harder to kill, but he knew he could do it if need be. But he wasn't stupid....and he knew with the three of them to keep...well, alive, it would be a difficult battle. There were a lot more vampires than them, and Liz was just a baby.

(What if sages mother was a werewolf queen, making him royalty? And only another royal magical creature can kill/usurp the empress, which is why she'd hunting him? He wouldn't know, but somehow they could find out he's royalty, do the research, etc etc? Idk maybe the empress gets around the rules of just leaving them completely alone and such? Lmk what you think lol)

(yeah I like that! Maybe the empress hints at something to someone but sage and Celeste don't really connect the dots/don't believe her and then we bring that thing in later?)

Sage sort of huffed out his breath in response to her comment and nodded. "With you and Liz here that's probably accurate," he murmured. If he was alone he'd have already jumped into the fry of things, but he wasn't, and he had to be smart about all this. If they wanted to leave here alive, that was.

He stiffened when the empress moved towards them, a low growl rising in his throat though he did his best to quench it. His eyes followed her carefully, and while it was clear he didn't trust her and would have no issues sucker punching her if she did anything, since she made no move to attack he let her sniff his neck, something he hated to do, since it would be easy for her to bite him there. She couldn't, of course, but still. He didn't know what the exact rules were and...all that.

She'd moved away by then, and he sort of just gave her a bored look when she vanished them. He really couldn't care less what she said or anything. When Celeste threw him the glance telling him to now, he wrinkled his nose and gave her a look of his own. He didn't bow. To anyone. Ever. And she certainly wasn't his queen, or in charge of him in any way. He and Celeste threw a few looks back and forth in a sort of silent conversation before he slid his gaze back to the empress after a moment, and nodding slightly to her. It wasn't a full bow, but he declined his head to her slightly, and that was what she was going to get.