Night's Omen

Sigried hadn't been to this place, yet. She walked in, accompanied by her usual amount of grace and charm, smiling sweetly at the doorman before proceeding, taking a seat then at the bar, resting her elbows on the counter. She looked around, eyes their natural black. She had no reason to hide herself, and fairly did that, tending to ward away from humans anyways.

No big deal, really.

She flipped through a small drink menu, wondering if she should just ask for a Bloody Mary and get it over with. She wore blue, as usual - tonight a lovely blue dress from Prada, along with a silver necklace that had a teadrp-cut sapphire on it. The dress was very simple, yet elegant, as most of her wardrobe was. It was as blue as the sapphire that hung on the edge of the silky fabric, and stopped only just above her knees. Her brown hair was left straight this day, and hung around her shoulders in a stylish windblown fashion. She managed to always look quite put-together, and she didn't suppose her natural vampiric beauty played that up.

She couldn't believe she was actually sitting in a bar, though. She never went out. When she did, it was usually to cause trouble. But was this really any different?

Lucien wasn't usually the sort to hang out at a bar, usually heading for a club instead.  The Hellcat's Hollow was nice, though.  He made his exceptions every now and then, and he needed a nicer place than his usual chaotic little club runs.  Tsunai was pregnant, they were engaged, he was still worried about the small chance that someone else might be the father of her child and that the test was wrong, there was the issue of Batten having been kidnapped and tortured, the attack on the Onyx guild, and he'd been informed that Batten and Shane were going to want to chat regarding those issues.  Sitting there with his drink, and his whip and knives in place sight, he was almost daring someone to mess with him, just for a reason to react.

At first, he ignored the woman who sat down at the stool beside him, finding no reason to even bother with her.  Why?  She probably wasn't human to be in this place.  Most of the customers here were 'unusual' in some manner, and he wasn't in a hurry to find out what her quirk was.  Or so he thought.

She was only sitting there for a few moments, not really doing anything special as Ash Leone, the Hellcat himself, took her order, but Lucien felt his garnet eyes drawn to her nonetheless.  He thought he was uninterested in anything about her, but he was suddenly taking in her graceful beauty.  Despite the dark hair, she seemed as though she were almost ethereal in the elegant blue dress.  She looked out of place here.

Was he staring?  No, not quite.  More like, admiring.

Sigried only smiled at Ash as he handed her the Bloody Mary. "So is it true? Is the Hellcat real, through and through, now? I heard it from Theron but I had to see it for myself." She batted her lashes at him, wishing she could call the cat like she could the serpent. It would make her life so much more interesting if she could bring Theron a Triste as a surprise gift.

She glanced sidelong to the Serpiente who watched her, fully aware of this. She enjoyed how they always fought it at first - the utter confusion they felt until they finally gave in, and simply admitted that she was utterly wonderful.

"Why don't you come closer, friend?" she asked, looking up to meet Lucien's eyes. She nearly betrayed herself in surprise, and if it hadn't been for 600 some odd years of practiced control over her madness, she might have actually gasped. She knew that particular snake. She could nearly burst from joy. Perhaps she would have something of a treat to tell Theron anyways!

"Come closer, and have a drink with me?" Her voice was so soft, so inviting.. She smiled at him sweetly, and if Ash was still standing there, he'd notice something very funny going on....

Ash kept his usual cool demeanor, his expression as perfectly untouched as ever, but something had flashed in his eyes and it was obvious to whoever had known him before that his already inhuman grace was now most definitely feline in nature.  He knew Theron's name, and was more than a little peeved to discover that the news had spread that quickly.

"Perhaps it is, mon chere," he responded in a smooth tone, his icy blue eyes flicking to Lucien for a moment.  Uh oh.  "But that is not something you would ever 'see for yourself', so you'll never know for sure.  You may wish to be careful about your choices in playmates, though."

He meant himself, of course, what with the way she was batting her eyelashes at him as she teased him, but he also meant Cobriana.  The cobra was not a man to be messed with, regardless of what tricks she had up her sleeves.  

Lucien was oblivious of Ash's concerns, unfortunately.  Yes, he was still aware enough to know what was going on, he was just...interested in this woman.  For whatever reason, he felt drawn to her in a way he'd never experienced before, and that was what made him accept her offer of a drink.  Or at least, that's what he told himself.  It was strange, but when she told him to move closer to her and have the drink, he wanted to do it.  So, he did, simple as that.

She looked genuinely hurt at Ash's words. "Oh now, come on. You know how Theron is. He probably knew before you knew. I don't think it's spread that far." She splayed her fingers across her glass, looking at the impression that they made from the other side. Things always looked so silly and distorted through multiple layers of glass. Sort of like life did.

"Hm, you mean him? Oh, he's harmless." She smiled again, and this time Ash would really know something was up. She turned to Lucien fully, resting her glass on the counter and canting her head with a sweeter smile than had previously been present.

"Hello, fine Cobra. And how are you this lovely, lovely evening?" There was something so... comforting about her voice. So loving. So warm. Like she could just... something.

Sigried is a bad, bad girl.

Ash really didn't want to believe that Theron could have known what was in store for him before he did, since that meant that the vampire could have warned him and hadn't.  That would have been...irritating.  That wasn't his biggest concern, though.  He raised an eyebrow when she said that Cobriana was harmless, expecting the cobra's reaction to prove otherwise, especially given his earlier mood.  Ash was unpleasantly surprised.

Lucien didn't react.

"I'm going to remind you that this is neutral territory, and he is not to be harmed or tricked into leaving with you," Ash told her firmly, unable to truly do more.  It wasn't his place to tell her to stay away from the cobra, and a threat like that would only make her want to play with the man more.  The most he could really do was pay attention and make sure no harm came to Cobriana while he was at the Hollow.  This was a tricky situation.

Otherwise, he had to get the drink and walk away, really.  He'd be watching, though.

It was true, Lucien didn't argue when she said he was harmless.  In fact, the most he did was frown, aware that she was wrong, but he didn't argue it.  Why argue with her?  Anhamirak, she's beautiful...  A pale goddess.  Just the sound of her voice in his ears, directed at him, and he felt the anger and frustration he'd previously been worried about fizzling away.  

"Better now," he answered honestly.  He couldn't help himself.  Who was she?

She reached a hand out, twining it in the Serpiente's magnificent hair, giving him a gentle brush of her fingertips as she smiled a cheshire smile at Ash.

"I wouldn't dream of encroaching upon the rules of your establishment, my deliciously furred friend. You should just be glad this doesn't extend past what it does, or this," she said, smiling dreamily at Lucien, "could be you."

She turned her attention away from Ash entirely, done with the cat for the moment. She would have loved a tiger, but she didn't think the feelings were mutual. Ah, well!

"Tell me, dearheart, how goes your work? I've been hearing interesting things about the Guilds lately. It breaks my heart to see you distressed so." She was so kind, so understanding of his pain, his needs.

His blue eyes narrowed at her 'threat', but he knew better.  She had no power over him, and he'd like the excuse to get her away from Cobriana.  "Not likely," he shot back at her, though he was taking his leave.  He'd keep watch, though.

Poor Lucien.  He was a proud man, a skilled hunter and not one known for having a weak will.  On the contrary, he was no pushover in any sense, but this wasn't normal.  

Of course it wasn't normal.  How often did he meet a positively radiant woman who actually cared about his worries?  Even Tsunai didn't get involved in his issues, and that was alright.  He didn't want to stress her out, especially since she was pregnant, but sometimes even he could get close to his limits.  And it was always nice to have someone who cared.  Someone who asked, who listened.

Can you say 'mindfuck'?  Ah, good, I knew that you could.

He actually leaned his head toward the hand that had brushed against his face, his eyes closing in silent appreciation for a moment.  Why did she feel so good to be near?  "Less than perfect, I'm afraid," he told her, regarding his work, and that was the last thing he should have done.  Once he even started, he'd opened Pandora's box, and it wasn't shutting.  He told her his troubles, all of them, from Tsunai's pregnancy to the issue of the father, the upcoming marriage, Kain breaking into the guild and nearly managing to even kill Lucien himself, the other guild leader's capture and torture, all of it.  

She listened intently - and it was hard for Sigried to pay attention to any one thing, but on this matter, she did so with ease - to everything the lovely Cobriana had to say about his life. She chose to comment every now and then.

"You were -attacked-? Oh my, I am so glad he did no permanent damage to you!"

"It's a pity about Tsunai, but as your future wife, she cannot use her pregnancy as an excuse for you not to express yourself to her. Perhaps I could speak with her, maybe ease her mind?" YES, let Sigried talk to Tsunai. She'd have that woman packing her bags in no time, not to mention throwing herself down a flight of stairs. Mongrel baby, it probably wasn't even Lucien's.

She was genuinely shocked to hear about Connor's kidnapping. "Hm.. that's unfortunate." That was all she said on the matter. She didn't dislike the man, but he had never warmed her heart either. He was more honourable than some of the humans she knew, but it didn't say much. Sigried couldn't really stand humans at all.

She stroked his hair lightly, gently, so comfortingly. "My word, you've been through so much, it's a wonder you are still around us and able to stay social. How hard it must be to have such troubles with no respect in return.. "

Ah yeah, feedin' that ego.  

In Lucien's favor, he didn't jump at the idea of Sigried talking to Tsunai, though it wasn't because he was suspicious or anything of the like.  "I don't think Tsunai would take that too well.  She's been...emotional, a bit unpredictable.  In fact, she'd probably think my talking to you at all was wrong," he said, laughing a little, as though it were ridiculous.  Of course, he wasn't exactly aware of how messed up this all was.

Also in his favor, though, was that he didn't take her ego stroking to heart.  He was a realistic person; he knew his strengths, and didn't let a little flattery build him up.  Oh, it was nice to hear and appreciated, but he wouldn't change his attitude as a result of it.  "Thank you, but it isn't the worst I've seen, just a lot of smaller things at once.  I'll be fine.  Just needed a little time out."

He was going to need more time out after talking to her, too.  Just to get his head together and figure out what the hell had happened.  Like, why he was automatically leaning into her touch.  Why it felt so good.  Why he was engaged and didn't find anything wrong with any of this.

Sigried feigned surprise, pulling her hand away suddenly. "Wrong? Oh, I apologize, then. I never meant to intrude. I don't want you to be any stressed than you already are, especially not from your fiance?!"

She sounded so hurt, so utterly embarassed. She shrank back from him, in the back of her mind making a note that Lucien wasn't a man who enjoyed having his.. ego fluffed. No matter. She drank her drink and looked away, casting the illusion of blush to her pallid cheeks, and gave the impression that she was greatly ashamed.

***

Short post, but got the point across. hehehe.

Well, to be honest, what man doesn't like his ego being fluffed occasionally?  Lucien just didn't act like an idiot because of it.  No, he was acting like an idiot because of something else.  Nicely done.

He looked startled at her sudden reaction, then shook his head and took her hand in his for a minute, just to get her attention, of course.  Right.  "No, that wasn't waht I meant.  You're not stressing me out at all.  In fact, I feel much better talking to you, so don't worry about it."

What an idiot.

Ah, a silent victory as the Serpiente lightly took her hand, trying to reassure her that he was not displeased. Why, again, did Sigried not work at Midnight? Perhaps she followed Theron in sitting on the fence, preferring to do a little of everything rather than limit herself to any one thing.

She smiled, a tiny, hopeful smile. "Really?" Wasn't SHE supposed to be reassuring HIM? Ah Sigried, turning things around again. "Do you mean it? I want you to feel as though you can talk to me, but if I make you uncomfortable, please, please say so, I will bother you no longer."

Batting of the eyelashes, gorgeous, award-winning smile. She had outdone herself this time. She really had.

Lucien was obviously a dumbass.  Or at least, he was way too wrapped around her finger right then.  He needed a good smack to the head to get it all straight, and then to get out of there before the vampire decided to take a bite out of him or something.  At that point, he'd have let her, though Ash probably wouldn't have.

"Nonsense, this is some of the better company I've found when I've gone out," he assured her, not wanting the pale, kind goddess that she obviously was to feel as though she'd done wrong.  She hadn't, of course.  

He smiled back at her, getting a little closer without realizing it, since she'd backed off some.  For whatever reason, he wanted to be close to her.  He was like a moth to a flame.

Sigried took great note of the way he drew himself closer to her, and smiled inwardly as well as out.

"I am glad, then, Lucien. I would not want to offend a man such as you." She batted her lashes, adoringly of course. Not that Sigried quite adored anyone. She hadn't recalled a time where she had ever, with the exception of Theron, held any one man in reguard above any other. She didn't favour them, actually. Come to think of it, she didn't favour women either. Sigried pretty much didn't like anyone except for Elke and her sire.

"Tell me, what are your plans for later?"

Okay, now she WAS up to something.