The Fun Start (Tag: Gabriel and Open)

[angelique]

Angelique wondered if she could pull this off but figured she could. She had told Dax that he would have the night off and she would be taking over his bar. She looked at herself in the mirror and just stood there staring for a moment. She had decided to change from the cheerleader outfit to a more biker hot look. She had a leather black mini skirt on that barely covered her bottom.

She had put on a black leather vest that had only one button buttoned. Underneath what could be seen looked like a black bra that pushed up her cleavage to it's full potential. She ran her hands through her hair though her bangs fell forward once more covering her eye. Some said it made her look wicked or that she had something hidden. She sat down and pulled on the black thigh high leather high heeled boots and stood up.

She did a turn in front of the mirror before she blinked. She heard a knock on the door. "Come in." The door opened to show a scantily clad lady employee and she spoke up. "Dax is missing." Angelique spoke then. "I gave him the night off. I'm taking over the bar tonight." With that Angelique walked to and then out the door. She strolled comfortably and casually into the bar area on the second story.

Two of her male waiters were standing waiting for drinks and she heard the whistles from some of the men in the bar. Some women, too probably. She walked to the bar and one of the men lifted her up onto the bar. "Tonight is the special entertainment." She spoke loudly before she put a fist in the air and began to move it playfully. "I will be serving this night!" She heard the hoots and hollers.

She began to walk along the bar with a seductive sway to her hips. Her lips curved in wicked delight as music began to play. "Now for all the assholes who kept complaining that drinks weren't being poured... You all complaining now?" She put a hand to a cocked hip as she heard the 'NOs'. "Glad to hear it!" She laughed softly as she pushed her hair back from her face once more.

She grabbed a pole and started climbing it before she stopped midway and bent backwards so that her legs were held wrapping about the pole and she had her hands on the bar. A man put a credit in his mouth and leaned over she took it with her teeth and came back up so she could slide back down the pole. She crawled across the bar and felt a few slip some credits in her boots.

She met the one man's eyes as she came up close to the man. "You think just one is good enough for me?" She purred as their noses nearly touched. He spoke with a grin. "Never, Angelique. You are and always have been the best at doing what only you can do." She watched the man put another credit between his teeth and offered it to her. She brought her leg over his shoulder and leaned in about to take the credit with her own teeth once more.

She picked up a bottle as someone set a shot glass down beside her and she poured the shot not caring what it was. She pulled the credit from her mouth as she set the bottle down and blew against the man's lips before she slid her hand along his cheek. "It's been a long time since you were on the stage, Angelique..." He whispered softly and she laughed softly. "That's because I have a business to run." She purred and he took out a credit sliding it along her cheek softly.

[nefret2011]

Ava walked down the street, feeling dejected. With no schooling, the hospital wouldn't take her. The woman she was staying with was nice enough, but her comments about getting a job were getting more and more frequent. It was only a matter of time before she was kicked out entirely. She knew where she would be then. A slave. She shuddered at the thought, but what choice did she have? Go back to Haven? At least slaves were sometimes freed. At least...that's what she heard.

She stopped when she heard a noise. A lot of it. At first it seemed just like a constant roar, until she realized they were voices. Male voices. She wasn't experienced by any standards, but she could recognize catcalling. The safe thing to do would be to go back to the apartment. She turned, prepared to head back. Then a thought struck her. You ran away from home. Across the freaking Wasteland. That wasn't a safe thing, was it? She'd come here for the experience of it, hadn't she? With jaw set, she headed off toward the sound.

She slipped through the door of the Casino, feeling immediately out of place. She was dressed extremely casually. Peasant blouse and jeans. Her hair was braided back. She looked average. And she felt it. Everyone else, especially the girls, were dressed to the nines, all for show and beauty. Again, the thought of going back entered her mind. And again she pushed it away.

Several larger, intimidating looking men glanced toward her. But one look was enough to assure them she wasn't a threat. She moved forward slowly, trying not to catch anyone's notice. Not that she could. Every eye in the room, male and female, was riveted to a woman dancing on a pole. Ava blushed at the sight, then blushed harder out of embarrassment. It seemed like every time she turned around she was reminded of just how sheltered she was. She began fiddling with her braid self-consciously, watching the woman.

She was absolutely gorgeous. More than that, she was confident. Sexy. Everything the men wanted. And they made it obvious. There was more than one hand in the air waving a credit. She played the crowd well, Ava had to admit. The human found herself mesmerized. She wanted to be like that. To be in the center of a crowd and not be at all deterred by it. To be so confident men couldn't help saying the same kind of things they were saying to her.

"Angelique's in rare form tonight." Ava turned to see a couple employees watching the woman as well. "She hasn't done that in a while." Another employee laughed. "Yeah, makes you wish she was working here rather than running it." Ava's eyes widened. The woman on the pole, Angelique...she was the boss? So not only was she gorgeous, confident, and the center of attention, she was also successful. Ava leaned back against the wall in defeat. I surrender. She thought towards Angelique. You win.

Still, Ava didn't leave. This was more entertaining than anything she'd seen in a while. More importantly, it was distracting. For a while she didn't have to think about the middle-aged nurse back at the apartment ready to drop a hint about getting a job at a moment's notice. Or the fact that she couldn't get a job. Even her envy of the woman faded away. Only one thought repeated through her mind. I wonder if she could teach me how to do that?

[vengeance]

Vengeance had stopped dancing as he saw Angelique. He wasn't quite sure what was being planned but she had been really pissed off at Gabriel for having kidnapped her and she had been up to something or planning a revenge. He knew it deep down. But then she got on the bar and started talking and moving to the beat. It was quite entertaining really. His sister always lit up the room when she decided to play the crowd.

He moved to watch to see if anything happened that would hurt her. His job first was to protect her, the second to kill, and then to strip here at the casino. He had his shirt off and just had a pair of black leather pants on at that having been in the middle of entertaining when the customers turned to see the rare show on the bar. Angelique had a way of bringing attention to herself all the time. But to Vengeance she would always be cared for. He had known her more than half her life and he loved her like only a brother would.

He heard the words of his coworkers and looked over to see a woman admiring Angelique's dancing. "It's always a rare treat to see her like this. So freeing really. You should give it a try. We all do here. Including me." He looked her over with a smirk before pulling out a smoke and setting it between his lips. He looked to his coworkers and chuckled some. "Wait until Gabriel hears or sees her like this. Would be a nice touch. I owe him one anyways."

He starts to light the smoke and then as if he realizes he is inside he pulls it from his lips and puts it back into the pack. The two coworkers began to whisper and he heard them quite clearly. One nudged the girl. "I thought Vengeance would be the one performing tonight for the audience like this not Angelique." Vengeance smirked as he looked more fully at the two. "Not me tonight, buddies. Seems Angelique is taking over the show. I will be up later though if someone calls Gabriel." And with that an idea struck him.

He should call Gabriel and just dig it in. "Follow me, girl and I will show you how this is all done." He spoke to Ava before he began to move towards the bar and to a phone. He picked it up thought over the numbers he had memorized in case something happened to Angelique. He began to dial the number and waited for Gabriel to pick up. He spoke clearly and with full of malicious intent. "Hey, Gabe buddy... You know I would love to see your face here right now at Lust. Would be a perfect time to show up..." He looked over at Angelique as she crawled along the bar.

She was quite beautiful too bad he didn't have that feeling towards her. "Your lovely lady looks so lovely tonight. Did you get my message I left in your room of I will be getting her back safe and sound or..." His voice turned cold and brutal then of years of killings just were sainthood compared to what he had done to people. "I would begin to cut you to pieces as the sun rose where you can..." But then he remembered that he was busy. "Sorry must be going. See you soon, dear." He hung up the phone with a smirk coming to form once more.

He moved over to the woman then. "Wait for the fireworks. I can't wait. The name in this world is to show one card at a time and never show your full hand. What is your name? Or rather what do you go by? I am known as Vengeance." He looked around the room and chuckled softly. "When Gabe gets here you might want to stay out of his way. If you like I can introduce you to my sister later. Angelique is quite entertaining in person as well. You thirsty? Order a bottle of Rum. Dax won't serve me alcohol while on the clock. Like I can get drunk on the shit." He leaned against the bar with a chuckle.

[nefret2011]

Ava turned when she heard a voice fairly close to her. It took her a moment or two to register what he said. All she could think was Oh, for the love of all that is holy... You'd think living in a city full of supernatural, unhuman beauty wouldn't faze her as much anymore. But he seemed to be even more so than usual. His outfit, designed just to push the mind toward that line of thought, wasn't helping much. While he was wearing pants, they didn't leave much to the imagination. And I thought vampires were outta my league. She thought, focusing on his face rather than the rest of him. It was better to think that way, if just barely.

"I...really can't." She said sheepishly. Admitted it was like admitted how much she didn't belong here. "I wouldn't even know what to do if I got up there." Not to mention her attire. No, she was much better off as a spectator. Part of her wondered what it would be like to see him performing. She pushed the thought away. "Gabriel?" She asked, frowning. She hated that she didn't understand, but she didn't want to outright ask the question.

The same employees from before were still speaking. For a moment the man listened to them. It didn't seem to bother him that they'd just been talking about him. Maybe he was used to it. He spoke about maybe getting up later. The thought of watching him perform came to her mind again. She felt her cheeks heat up and was glad he was looking at his coworkers. She turned her attention to the second mention of someone named Gabriel. There was a lot of emphasis behind the name. She wondered who he was and why he was so important to this man.

Ava was about to swallow her pride and ask, when suddenly the man ordered her to follow. She did, glancing again at Angelique. She looked caught up in her performance, but Ava doubted she was completely oblivious. You didn't run a casino because you couldn't keep track of things.

He had a longer stride, so it took her a moment to catch up with him. He was already on the phone with Gabriel. The tone of his voice was more than a little frightening. Considering how many types of people (she could never seem to figure out if the word "species" was an insult or not) there were in the city, she was pretty sure he was dangerous enough to cause severe damage. And it sounded like he wanted to. What had Gabriel done to warrant that? Suddenly, she wasn't so sure she wanted to know about him. She moved back a bit, just as a precaution. The idea of being the recipient of the man's anger was terrifying.

"Fireworks." She repeated dully. She knew about them, giant lights in the sky. The Elders in Haven had spoke of them often. Fortunately, her constant reading had already introduced her to the phrase. She wasn't so sheltered that she didn't know what he was talking about. A mercy, that. But it wasn't comforting. Something big was about to happen. It looked like she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or am I? She thought. This would be interesting, if nothing else.

"I'm Ava." She said with a small smile. "At least, that's what my mother wanted me to be called." It didn't miss her notice that he didn't say what his name was, rather what he was known as. "You must have quite the reputation." She said. How else could a man get a name like Vengeance? When he spoke of Gabriel again, she nodded. Interesting or not, she was not getting caught in the middle of whatever was happening next.

"She's your sister?" She asked. Then shrugged. "Well that makes sense." They were both gorgeous. Too gorgeous. Like the pictures in the old crumbling magazines she'd seen growing up. She shook his head when he offered rum. "I don't drink." In truth, she'd never drank a drop in her life. In her world, alcohol was meant for disinfecting things. She looked back at Angelique, still as sultry as ever, and sighed. "Why can't that be me?" She muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

[vengeance]

If he knew what she was thinking he would say holy? I am as holy as you get, sweetheart. Well, up until his fall. He brought his hand up letting his hair fall down along his shoulders and giving more of him that predator appeal. He could tell she was admiring his beautiful body. He generally ended up with the same appraisal every time and it didn't bother him or deter him from what he did.

"Really can't?" He tilted his head some at that with a smirk. "You do what you like and then say that if it fails. Or come up with a second plan of action. Perhaps tonight..." He leaned in to whisper in her ear with his soft and husky voice. "I will teach you when I am up there tonight." He looked over to a stage then with a soft chuckle. "Want to be my partner for the night?" He teased lightly though he wondered if she would say yes.

"Yes, Gabriel." He answered to her question of Gabriel. "He's a casino owner. Pain in my ass really." He chuckled some at that as he looked back to where the woman was looking. He heard her words and shook his head some. "Besides only a few practice it's more about doing what comes naturally. A slide of a hand along a pole immediately gets a males' attention. A lick of the lips as well."

After he had gotten off the phone with Gabriel he looked to Ava. He saw the woman step back and nearly smirked. Obviously she had overheard some of his words then and after he hung up the phone he had spoke to her and heard her response. "Yes, fireworks. We will see how big the fireworks are when he gets here. The casino owner has such a horrible temper when it comes to Angelique."

He heard her name and smirked. "Ava. First rule don't down grade. Ava is your name. It's what you go by. When say it speak it so others will want to hear it. Like this..." His voice dropped to a sexy and husky tone as he spoke. "I am Vengeance. My reputation has many forms." He lifted his shoulders and the muscles seemed to move of their own accord as he did so.

"Well, technically my sister. We've been close for a long time. Half her life or something like that. So yeah, we are family." His eyes slid to her and sighed. "Of course I would pick the one that doesn't drink." He laughed softly at that. "Did you know that they said alcohol is good for the heart?" He murmured some. But then he heard her muttered words as she looked to Angelique again. "It could be you if you wanted it to be so. I am after all her brother. I could teach you, I guess." He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "We all start somewhere. Go for what we want."

He looked her over and then tilted his head some. "But don't follow in another's footsteps. Do your own steps. Or don't do anything at all." He began to move again towards a group of people letting her decide if she were going to follow or step up. He ran a hand along a woman's back and up into her hair before whispering something in her ear and letting her go. She looked at him as if she wanted him right here and now. He gave her a wink and stole her drink before moving on to someone else where he got a few credits from the man as he pressed against the man's back.

He was sticking close to where Angelique was though so that is a disturbance happened he could do something about it. He looked to Ava and saluted his drink to her before taking a drink of it.

[nefret2011]

Her entire body froze of it's own accord when he came close. The logical part of her mind told her he was doing it because he knew it would get to her. The rest of her didn't care. His words were teasing, full of innuendos. Fortunately, teasing was one thing she could handle. And give right back. "I wasn't aware you need a partner." She whispered back. "My mistake." She wasn't sure how she would answer if he asked her outright. Part of her was extremely tempted to say yes. To be the one with all eyes on her, even if only for a little while. Now what it was like to be so far off the beaten path no one that knew her from before would recognize her. Impossibly tempting.

A casino owner. That made sense. She'd heard about the casinos here. The owners were like Lords of olden times, having complete dominion over their establishments. And like the old nobility, they debated and fought endlessly. It would make sense that the man Vengeance seemed to hate so much was at the same level as his sister. But it also meant that this situation could become even more..."interesting" than she'd anticipated.

...doing what comes naturally. She glanced again at Angelique, finally realizing why she was so captivating. Unlike most performers, who always looked like they were concentrating on something in one form of another, she made it look like you had accidentally walked into a private scene. "I can see that." She said to Vengeance quietly. Then she noticed how some of the woman were looking at Angelique. Not with admiration, like Ava was. No, the look on their faces was much more like those of the men. "Are you sure it gets only the males' attention?"

Gabriel had a temper. This just keeps getting better. With any luck, when everything went down she would be forgotten. A member of the audience watching a completely new show. But Vengeance already knew her name. Somehow she doubted he'd forget it. Add to that his promises about what would happen after everything went down...he was expecting her to stay. She wasn't sure what surprised her more. That she was getting involved in the affairs of vampires, or that she didn't mind it so much.

While her body didn't freeze again when he dropped his voice, she did hold herself slightly stiff. It was far too easy to relax around him. She smirked at him. "My name is Ava. My reputation is little known as of yet. I'm going to change that." The words came out more naturally than she intended. She just hoped it was more her own confidence than Vengeance's influence.

Ava nodded when he spoke about the brother-sister relationship between the two. When he spoke about "half her life", she wondered how old he was. There was something ageless about him. You could see him in any situation, mature or juvenile, and not think it strange to see him there. Did that make him a vampire? Seeing as she saw now fangs it was impossible to tell.

"I actually have heard that before." She was enjoying the sultry, teasing aspect of their conversation. She'd never spoken to anyone like this. "What I don't know is what you're good for." Was she coming close to a line that shouldn't be crossed? Probably. Should she pull back? Most likely. But this was a new aspect, one she wanted to explore a little more. This confident Ava that spoke to men like Vengeance without embarrassment was a girl she did not know. She wanted to get to know her.

She was surprised when he offered to teach her. He had to have more important things to do. Things he'd like to do more than teach a naive human girl how to make men stop and stare. Go for what we want. Is that what he wanted? To help her? Evidently so, but she wasn't sure.

Don't follow in another's footsteps. Advice she dearly needed. Being raised as an apprentice to her mother, having her life basically planned out for her, mirroring her parents...it was the reason she'd left Haven in the first place. And what did she do upon coming to New Vegas? Wanted to join the hospital and live a low-key life in the suburbs. Maybe get married and have children. It was still her parents life, just upgraded slightly. She watched him walk away, toying with customers as he went. It was as natural as breathing to him.

Before she could decide what to do next, someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned to see a well-dressed man, obviously wealthy and possibly a vampire, smiling at her. She knew she'd walked past him before. He hadn't even acknowledged her then. But, then again, vampires didn't do much with your average human. But a human that had a conversation with a man like Vengeance? They were much more likely to get noticed. Rather than say anything, she merely raised an eyebrow.

"I did not know we had such a beauty in our midst." The man said, smiling. Ava frowned slightly. If she was "such a beauty", he would've at least really looked at her before. He didn't seem to notice the look on her face, or else was purposefully ignoring it, because he continued. "You intrigue me. Such a package." He reached up to touch her hand. She moved his hand away, just slowly enough to not raise suspicion. She wanted to be flattered. Normally, she would've been. Probably would've fallen for his lines like they were gravity. "Thank you." She said, her voice cool. Again, no reaction from him.

"You and Vengeance seem very...close." And this was when it hit her. He was a social climber. Somewhere in his mind, getting on the good side of a girl who had spoken to the brother of the casino owner was going to benefit him in the end. "He stands that close to everyone." She said dryly, motioning to the man in question. He was pressed up against the back of another man as if trying to prove her point.

"I've never seen him quite so interested in anyone." The vampire, she could see the barest hint of fangs as he spoke, was absolutely pig-headed in his pursuit. And the farther he went, the more annoyed she got. "I'm a very interesting person." Her voice was now icy. He hadn't even bothered to ask her name. Or even greet her. Did he honestly think she was that stupid? It was insulting. "However, you're not." She turned to walk away, then stopped and looked back at him. "If you want to be in a better position with Vengeance, I suggest you speak with him."

She walked closer to where Angelique was performing, slightly stunned with herself. She'd told someone off. No, not someone. A vampire, of somewhat importance judging by his outfit. Someone the normal Ava would've been terrified to even ask for the time of day. But this new, strange Ava hadn't even been afraid. When she noticed Vengeance looking at her, she turned. She smiled at his salute, still on a sort of high from the rush of everything, and gave a small one of her own.

[vengeance]

Vengeance could tell she had frozen when he had moved closer to her. He always liked that. It told so much really. Freezing in motion was the epitome of saying 'I am either scared or I want you but don't at the same time.' It was a great reaction for much. "I always need a partner or rather when I feel like having a partner. But with Angelique it is always a hard act to follow. With her being alone or not." He chuckled some at that. "What harm will it be? No one knows who you are or anything. Eyes watching you. Seeing just you." He began to whisper temptingly then. "In whatever position I wish for you to be in or perhaps I will let you do to me whatever position you wish for me to be in." He grinned wickedly at that.

"Everything is based on a reality to the viewer. What they wish to see inside their head. What you want them to see though leads to what they want to see." He raised a hand waving it towards Angelique. "Art. She hasn't always been able to pull it off though. She grew to realize how it is done as I did. When we first started out we both were quite naive in art. But now it all turns out perfectly. Exquisite and refined in it's portrayal. And attention comes in many forms. Male, female, and anything. You get more by giving sugar than vinegar. Hence why I am counting on Gabriel seeing this." He laughed softly.

The music changed to a strong sounding beat thrumming through the casino and he glanced around with a grin sliding wickedly onto his features. He heard the response of her not knowing what he was good for. "Watch and you will see, Ava. I will have my drink and some credits in no time at all." At least that was the easiest reply of one thing he was good for. He spoke a little more before the beat began to go into an even more stronger sound. He began to move then. His hips swaying to the beat as if he was driven by the music.

His body began to take on the beat of the music even as he looked through predatory eyes. A smirk curving his lips as he moved to the lady. Her eyes slid low showing her want of him even as she willingly had given over her drink to him. As if in payment to what he had done to her. The man was more simple. He pressed against him and had heard the whisper of it's in my pocket. Vengeance hand dipped inside the pocket even as he pressed against the man. He kept an eye on Ava though. He knew at the moment she couldn't take care of herself even as he watched out for Angelique. He knew Angelique could handle herself. The two were as thick as thieves and knew how to take someone out. He still remembered that night he had met Angelique.

He brushed his hand along the lady's arm that was closest to him. He began to whisper in her ear even as his hand slid to the woman's wrist and he spun her pulling her back against his front. He moved her down so that she was bent at the waist and he leaned over her and took a drink of his drink. He helped her back up and gave the back of her neck a gentle kiss before laughing that sultry laugh of his. The woman watched as he left her. He played in the crowd as he did every night getting the people to draw more into the games of seduction and want.

He saw the vampire that had come up to Ava then. He knew him. He had been trying to get Angelique's attention for a long time and he was disgusting in Vengeance's opinion. He had distaste for the man. Vengeance may wear a disguise but that didn't mean he didn't show exactly the man he was now. He moved a bit closer to hear the conversation and be close enough if something happened. Vengeance knew the vampire wanted Angelique for himself. He had tried everything to get Angelique to be with him.

Vengeance though knew deep down that Angelique loved Gabriel. But that didn't mean Vengeance couldn't get his digs in at all. He watched the vampire closely as he went to touch Ava's hand but the woman was smart in not being fooled by this vampire. He leaned his back against the bar as someone came up and shoved him so he was laying along the bar more. He looked up to find a woman practically straddling him on the bar and laughed softly.

He lifted his hand and brushed her hair back from her face as he brought his lips close to her lips and whispered. "Not now, dear. Perhaps later when the party is over." He knew it wouldn't happen but leave the men and women wanting more is the way of it. He gripped her hips and pressed her hard against his body before pushing her back with a grin. Besides he was watching a show at the moment. He straightened as the woman moved away swaying her hips thinking she would get him but he would disappear before she found him when the party was over. "Bravo!" He said as he saluted his drink to her. He began to come up to her again. He dropped the glass letting it break on the floor as he clapped his hands. He didn't worry about stepping on the shards either. A man came over and began cleaning it up even as he continued to walk to Ava. He had only a couple sips out of the glass, too. Such a shame but oh well.

He stepped up beside her to look at Angelique. "You really should join her. Make her take notice of you. She would respect you more for it than you just standing here eying her as if you want to be her. Make your move first before someone else does." He chuckled softly. "I would but at the moment I am on duty with Dax not here someone has to keep a watch. And even when Dax is here it seems." He could remember that time he had been so pissed at Dax but then that anger had changed to hunger of the man.

[nefret2011]

...a hard act to follow. Ava glanced up at the stage for what felt like the millionth time. It's true, Angelique did seem more of a finale type of girl than the opener. She turned to Vengeance with an eyebrow raised. "Just me?" She asked doubtfully. "I'm pretty sure there will be plenty of eyes on you." How anyone could watch her when she was next to him was a mystery. Unless there were those more...distinct in their preferences. She couldn't help blushing, and hating herself for blushing, when she mentioned positions. How was she supposed to explain this to him? Actually, I'm a virgin and have absolutely no idea what "positions" you're talking about."

Okay, she did have some idea. People talked, afterall. The Elders of Haven were all for "the continuation of the species" so they didn't exactly run the place like it was a convent. But it might as well have been, compared to this place. Haven was about sex for reproduction. Here you could get it on in the middle of the room just for the hell of it. No one would be overly put out. Some would probably try to join in. This was a world she didn't know, no matter how much she was starting to wish she was a part of it.

"That's not like any art I've ever seen." Ava said dryly, motioning to Angelique. Still, he had a point. She sighed. "So you're saying is if I go up there and make a fool of myself now, I'll look less stupid next time?" Not exactly a friendly prospect. Still, if it led to becoming a true "artist", it was something to think about.

She watched him work the room. He looked exactly like a predator. One that you should run away from but you knew he would get you in the end so running was pointless. The people he interacted with were completely besotted by him. Some looked on him with familiarity. The regulars, she guessed. But even those who didn't know him didn't try to resist. He was exactly the kind of temptation they'd come here to indulge.

After fending off the vampire, she noticed Vengeance in an interesting position. She assumed he'd been taken by surprise, considering how he pushed her away. Of course, not before bringing her closer. She shook her head, smiling. It was as natural as breathing to him. As if he was lust incarnate, rather than just working in a place with that name. When he cheered, she gave a small bow, smirking. She watched as he just dropped his glass. Someone immediately moved in to clean it up. So there was a part of lust that was mundane. She was beginning to think the place was entirely other.

"On duty?" She asked him. As she looked back on everything he had done, she began remembering. The way he seemed to be constantly alert, even when getting his credits in the most sensuous ways. "You're...a bodyguard?" The role fit him well enough. She remembered the anger in his voice when he was on the phone. She couldn't think of anyone stupid enough to go against him.

She thought about what he said, debating with herself. She could stay where she was until whatever was going to happen happened, then head home...or rather the place she was staying. Continue the fruitless search for a job and pretend this night was just like any other. She frowned. That sounded miserable. Still...she looked down. Everything about her made her look out of place. "If I'm going to do anything, I should probably look the part, huh?"

[vengeance]

Vengeance gave a soft laugh at her words and he bowed his head some giving her a wicked grin. "Perhaps but they will be wondering who you are as well and that will make the mystery even more interesting." He looked through his lashes up at her as she blushed. Could this woman never have been touched? The blush seemed of embarrassment more than anything else as if she were trying to figure out what she wanted and when she did she was nervous about it.

He looked up at Angelique as she motioned to her. "Then you haven't been looking at the right art. A body is a work of art. Did you not admire my body of all it's masculine beauty when you first saw me? Did you not have to take in every detail as if it were a painting?" He intentionally ran a hand down along his chest to his stomach and lower before bringing it back up and teasingly scratched back down along his chest and stomach. He laughed softly at her question. "Maybe you will excel the first time around? How do you know unless you do not try? You aren't a nun, are you?" He made a distasteful face. "You don't look like one but who knows anymore." He knew he was being an ass at his words but it didn't matter. Piss someone off enough and they would do what you tell them not to do. "You know nuns wouldn't be good on stage. Perhaps I should find another." He smirked at that and bowed his head as if departing her company.

He wasn't taken by surprise by the woman on top of him. He allowed her to press heavily against him. It was an act in a way. You gave what the customer wanted and taunted them with it. He knew what she wanted and she knew what he wanted. He wanted her credits and she wanted his body. But then he had moved her away from him. It was a natural occurrence here at Lust.

He saw her bow and inclined his head some in acknowledgment. His bare feet touched the ground without even touching the glass as if he knew where every shard of glass was. The man cleaning it knew that with most of the dancers or entertainers being barefoot they would harm themselves on it. When he got back to Ava he heard her question and smirked. He knew he was technically on duty and Dax would have his head if he caught him drinking. The man and him had bouts and drove each other to madness. He wasn't quite sure what to do with Dax. Sometimes he wanted to strangle the man while other times he wanted to toss the man against the nearest surface.

"I wouldn't call me a bodyguard per say. More of a family to the owner and would destroy anything that even remotely hurt her." He spoke matter of factually even with an almost bored sound to his voice."But really look around you. Do you really think that you once seeing how fun the other side is could go back to such a mundane existence?" He spoke as if reading her mind. By the way she dressed and acted he could tell she had been mostly well cared for.

The song changed then and he looked up with a grin on his face as the customers began to jump even as he did. Even Angelique stood up and grabbed the pole jumping up and singing. "I want your ugly. I want your disease. I want your everything as long as it's free... I want your love... Love, love, love I want your love..." Even Vengeance began singing the harsh song of Bad Romance Cannibal Corps. "You know that I want you..." His body began to move to the beat even as bodies began to move against each other.

He then heard Ava's words even as the people were singing and he grinned at her words. "Come on and follow me." He looked around and decided it would be rough getting anywhere at this point with so many bodies pressing and enjoying each other with the evil beat of the song. "Hurry... I love this song." He took her hand as he began to move easily between bodies with hands gliding over his skin and he gave a kiss to some peoples' cheeks as he passed them or nipped their shoulder teasingly.

"Keep up, Ava. They will want this song played two more times. It's like our anthem in a way. I want your horror. I want your design. 'Cause your a criminal as long as your mine..." He was singing even as he pulled her along and moved between the bodies keeping a good grip on her hand so as not to lose her in the crowd. When they made it to the back room he pulled out a black leather mini skirt, a pair of black fishnets, and a red leather tanktop. "There's a few shoes there, too and some costume jewelry. Try on what you want. I figure match with all the others since it's leather night. I will be just out the door where I can keep an eye on what's going on. Come out when you are ready, peaches or is it nun and you going to run off with your tail between your legs?" He winked as he left her there to get ready.

[nefret2011]

Mystery? She knew she confused people. Her daydreaminess had a tendency to leave people scratching their heads. They were probably all very confused as to why she'd just up and left in the middle of the night. But... wasn't mysterious just a more seductive form of hard to understand? Okay, that might have been a stretch. But she needed something. "I can pull off mystery, I think." She said with a grin.

She was surprised that she did not blush when he mentioned her looking at his body. Watching him work the room, noticing how many people looked at him like that, it must be completely common-place to him. The bout of confidence lasted while he stroked his chest. She watched, unperturbed for a little while. "Not a nun...not quite." She grinned sheepishly. When he spoke about needing to find someone, she raised an eyebrow. "Could you be anymore obvious?" She rolled her eyes, grinning. "Have you ever tried a naughty nun act?" She imagined someone dressed like Angelique, but with a habit and rosary. She laughed at the image.

"So you aren't a bodyguard, but you make it your business to protect people." She said dryly. "All your missing is the paycheck." When he spoke next, she frowned. She'd heard of people who could read thoughts. She hoped he wasn't one of them. The idea just weirded her out. "It wasn't that mundane till I came here." She muttered. Truthfully, the constant threat of zombie attacks had kept life in Haven from being too dull. Although, compared to this, Haven might as well have been gray-scale.

The song was fairly new, but she'd heard it before. Mostly blasting from one of the casinos. She wondered if it hadn't been coming from Lust the entire time. While the words were still foreign to her, she could at least hum along. She watched Vengeance start moving as if it was second nature. Before long, she found herself dancing with him. Well, not with him exactly. She would be hard-pressed to move exactly like him. At least, for right now. She hoped she was a fast learner.

She gently shoved her way through the dancing throng. It was easier when he took her hand. It was less of a shock after watching him interacting with others. A little while ago she would've read a lot more into the hand holding. Already she was realizing just how clueless she was. She shook her head at herself. When he mentioned he loved the song, she laughed. "Really? I never would have guessed."

Ava let herself be pulled along. She watched him pull out the clothes, effortlessly. "Do you dress everyone?" She asked teasingly, taking the outfit. There wasn't too much to it. But of course there wouldn't be. This wasn't the place to dress modestly. She shook her head when he challenged her again. "You know, the taunting is just as see-through the second time. " When he left, she immediately got to work. She pulled off her modest farm-girl outfit and pulled on the new Lust-variety of clothing. There was a pair of heels nearby. Black with a bit of sparkle. Tall enough for attention, not so that she'd break something.

She pulled out her braid, shaking her hair out. There wasn't enough time to do anything super fancy to it. Not that she knew how, anyways. But somehow she doubted having a nice updo mattered here. She ruffled up her hair so that it looked wild. Grabbed some hoop earrings (not huge, she didn't want to be untangling her hair the entire night) and a choker to complete the effect.

She took a few steps in the heels, trying to get a feel for them. While she was shaky at first, she realized the less she thought about it, the easier it got. When she was sure she was walking steady...or steady enough not to embarrass herself, she left the room. She looked at Vengeance and smirked. "Passable?" She asked. "Or shall I go grab my rosary?"

[vengeance]

Vengeance rolled his eyes some. "Mystery comes naturally. You can play a part but the fact is you just make it more intriguing if you do it naturally." His grin came then of wicked appeal. No one would ever think he were an angel at all with the way he acted and spoke. "I can pull off many things but natural is my way." His voice dropped to a sexy whisper at his next words. "I can be anything and everything and there is no pretense or acting for it."

He heard her words and grin slid away to a frown. "Could have fooled me. You remind me of a nun. Eh..." He lifted his shoulders in a mocking way. "My mistake. As for nuns... No, I would refuse to." He spoke simply as if tossing it aside without any explaination at all. He had left that portion of religion out of his acts. "Perhaps they have done it on one of my nights off." He had left God and fell hard. He had fallen a long, long ways.

"She's my sister. I protect those I actually have taken the time to care about. If I didn't then they are on their own." He shrugged. It was as simple as that. "I don't need the paycheck for it and besides I get credited plenty. As for this place... It's all about the party. The less clothing the better. The less to hide behind. It is all partying here. We protect our own and outsiders know it." He gave a wicked grin then as the song began to play. The wicked lyrics were a great thing for here. He gave her a look and his sarcastic reply. "No, I just said that for the Hell of it."

He laughed softly and shook his head. "Sometimes. But it's always better when the clothes come off." He smirked at that. "Who said I'm taunting? You do act like a nun." He left the dressing room and then moved over to the wall as he saw a black mask and grinned some. Faceless. He picked the black leather mask off the wall and waited as he watched Angelique continue to sing out the lyrics of Bad Romance.

His body was moving to the beat as he waited. A few men and women coming up to him and running their hands along his body as he moved. He in turn ran his free hand along their bodies. He looked over as the door opened and held up the mask as he looked her over. "Better than a rosary." He chuckled as he it out to her. His eyes slid over her figure and he gave a smirk. He could say so much but decided on letting her off the hook this once.

"Just wait until you see some of the acts you will have to follow. I remember one night Angelique and Gabriel looked like the King and Queen of the Damned. All bloody. It was quite interesting. The customers loved it." In truth the whole act had been very real. There was no acting in it. Later that night Vengeance had gone out and finished the job that Gabriel had started. The vampire was no more and no one was the wiser either. It was an in and out sort of job. But nothing of it had shown on Vengeance's face as he remembered that night.

He took Ava's hand and spun her around in a spin to get a better look at her. "Much more believable that you are supposed to be here now." He ran his fingers then through her hair to make the waves look more as if she had just had some fun and wanted more. "But who is to wear the mask? You or I? You want to be my victim for the night or am I to be your victim for the night?" He taunted her again in that dark drugging and tantalizing voice of a whisper.

[nefret2011]

Ava laughed quietly, listening to him talk. "Do you understand how that sounds?" She said with a small smirk. "Everything comes naturally to you?" She shook her head. "Please tell me you're not a deity of some sort. That would just be too strange." Vampires, mutants, zombies, elementals, she'd deal with a lot of strange things so far. And so far she'd managed to take it all in stride without looking too much like a deer in headlights. But she had to draw the line somewhere. Although she was starting to wonder exactly what he was. He had that agelessness, but wasn't quite as... well, vampiric. She couldn't explain it, but there seemed something "other" when she compared him to vampires she'd met.

She frowned at his answer. It had only been a joke, but she was pretty sure she'd struck a nerve. But this wasn't the time or place t o ask about it. She didn't know if there ever would be a time or place. "Okay." She said flippantly, eager to change the sudden tension. "Keep it to the good stuff then."

"Do you care about a lot of people?" She asked, a little bit in awe. So far, the people she'd met were pretty self-serving. Especially being a human in a city run by vampires. It was unsettling to look in a vampires eyes and realized they were looking at you like a food source. It was different with zombies. They were mindless. They couldn't trick you into going off to a dark corner with them. It was a whole new survival game. And she was afraid she wasn't that good at playing it. "Who exactly is an outsider?" The real question she was asking was obvious, but she couldn't bring herself to ask it. She felt pathetic enough as it was. You know you're an outsider. She told herself bitterly. Changing your address doesn't change that much.

"Then it's a good thing you're here, isn't it?" She said. "Or else I'm sure this place would be overrun. Would end up as a convent by the end of the week." She felt compelled to pull the skirt down, but resisted. It wasn't unpleasant, just strange. She wasn't used to having so much skin showing. She'd worn shorts a lot. Not many tops that showed much. Mostly because...Oh crap. She thought. I totally forgot about that.

She looked down. Sure enough, above the top for all the world to see, was a jagged scar running along her collarbone. Stupid zombie. She thought. In Haven, the scar was the example shown to younger kids when referring to zombies. "You don't wanna leave the walls. Why? Well, haven't you seen Ms. Bianca's daughter? Poor thing was outside the walls at the wrong time." It was humiliating. Even on the hottest days, she'd never let it show. Now...well it was too late to change anything. With any luck, no one would notice.

"I'll play victim." She said with more confidence than she knew she had. A hand reached up almost of it's own accord to brush the scar. "I look more the part." His voice was intoxicating. It was hard not to get pulled in. Her heart sped up for a moment at the thought of what was coming next. Getting up on stage with a gorgeous man to do...she looked over at Angelique. Keep calm. She ordered herself. You're not the same stupid daydreamy girl anymore. Okay, so she wasn't much better than she had been before coming here, but she was making progress. That was something, right?

[vengeance]

Vengeance heard her laughter and smirked at it. "I can be anything anybody wants. How do you think that woman got me down on a bar top?" He murmured softly almost in what one would call a bedroom voice. A soft growling sound even etching the words making them sound indecent. He shook his head and laughed softly. "Not a deity. I'll give you sound advice. Don't even try to guess what I am. Angelique can't even answer what I am and I like it that way."

He knew his taking her seriously or her striking at a nerve better left dead had changed his casual atmosphere to even more the animal about ready to attack at a moments notice. He heard her words and grinned at them but then he looked back at her thoughtfully. "Not many." He said honestly with a shrug of his shoulders. He grinned at her next question of who was an outsider. "Anybody that doesn't work here in actuality. It is a very limited branch that do." He spoke matter of factually.

He frowned at the next thought as he turned and began to move some knowing full well that the wings on his back wouldn't give him away at all. They looked almost tattooed on. The only thing that would give away who he really was was the other symbol of his real name on him and only angels knew that or who he was and they knew better than to talk. He didn't get his nickname here on Earth. It had been given to him up in Heaven and Heaven help who ever spoke of whom he was.

He turned to look at her and looked where she was looking down. He smirked at the scar but didn't make a comment just yet. "Did you know some people find scars hot?" He looked at her closely and grinned then. He looked back at Angelique as she did. "Scars aren't always as they seem. You could try to cover it but why do that?" He moved to stand closer to her and ran a finger along her scar chuckling though his touch was gentle and soft even. "Shouldn't hide it. A flaw is not a flaw unless you make it so." He dropped his hand then as he looked out over the crowd.