A get Together (Lions/Open)

[nicolette]

Relaxing back into the velvet couch she alone sat on she watched the club as it started to fill up. She had reserved the area she was in, it looked out on the club but was not like a lounging area, it had a few couches and chairs that were perfect for cuddling though she really didn’t want to do any of that in the open like this, she really wasn’t comfortable in her own skin just yet considering where she had come from, they just didn’t welcome people lounging all over them and while she did enjoy some affection it was hard for her to do such things in public for the moment. Her eyes rolled around the room, a few vampires were already here and she didn’t know them that well. They were all younger blood that she really had no interest in, the few Lycanthropes were not of her concern either she had sent an invitation to a select few.

She had let him a note, it was short but sweet, “My Rex..please join me at Excalibur tomorrow evening..I will have a red rose to signify who I am. Please bring whomever you desire, I look forward to meeting you. Truly Yours, Nicolette.” She had been in the city for a few weeks and had yet to meet any lions in the area, so she had taken it upon herself to invite him and whoever he saw fit to join her in a public place so that no one would feel as if they were being cornered. Tonight she had chosen a rather stylish outfit that she had had help picking out, though she would never name names. The pants were leather, they tied at the sides and were form fitting and soft to the touch. They ran into a pair of knee high boots that seemed to pull on unless there was a well hidden zipper somewhere. The heels were close to five inches and the toes came to a rounded point. The top was a mixture of red and black, it glittered when the light struck it but it wasn’t anything to flashy. The top tied around her neck and against the middle of her back with small laces which left most of her back bare though her front was well covered. Her dark locks foamed around her shoulders in wavy curls. She sat quietly and swirled the thorn-less rose between her fingers, waiting quietly for her guests, or guest, to arrive.

[Hieronymous Banks-Walker]

Hiero read the letter twice. There was no denying that the moment he'd mostly dreaded was upon them. He wasn't worried over meeting a vampire that had it in them to call lions. No he was more concerned on how sad vampire might take a rebuke. Hiero wouldn't allow any of his pride as small as it was to become lost to vampire politics.

Suiting up in club attire, black leather pants mesh shirt and velvet blazer Hiero left the note. He hoped that Ryssa and Z would know what it meant. If not his phone was on they could always reach him that way. Normally he would have taken his bike but was looking to blend in. So he took the SUV. The windows were rolled down as he had grown accustomed to the breeze off the lake as he took LSD. The letter didn't list an actual time so Hiero was in no rush. He for the first time in months drove the speed limit taking in the view in normal time.

Arriving at the club after having walked the few blocks from his parking space Hiero had time to take in the size of the line. While long it wasn't as chaotic as usual. That was a good thing the fewer people around the better. He had less than fond memories of some of the theater Vampires liked to put on.

Taking a deep breath and releasing it he entered the club.His eyes and ears moving about the place searching for the Vampire in question. Spotting her he moved to her with no stealth. It was a sign as to how he wanted to conduct their business. Keeping his face neutral he sat across from her. "Good evening, you rang?"

[nicolette]

She knew the moment he stepped in the door, her eyes rolled up from the rose she had so intent on and she watched as he crossed the room. His shields were up tight but it was clear he was not to happy with being here. The club was filling up slowly but surely but she had eyes only for him, at least for the moment. Her eyes moved past him, as if searching, but there were no others. She lifted her chin, waiting until he was closer. She decided not to test him to much tonight, his movements alone were enough to warn her off from that. He was not happy to have a vampire in town that could call him, while he might fight it it would be a battle of the wills and she was a little older than he.

Her lips parted and a tongue of velvet slipped out along her painted lips. She offered a smile, though no teeth were given for display and it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was sad that he wasn’t more curious about her, and his blunt comments were less than desirable. She wasn’t here to be his lover but she didn’t want to struggle with trying to get along with something that should rightfully be hers. She leaned forward slowly, setting the rose on the table, it wasn’t an offer because she knew that it would be a sad gift but it was pretty to look at, she always did enjoy flowers. She didn’t come with gifts, she wasn’t going to try and win him over since he really didn’t seem like he was going to try either.

Sinking back into the velvet of the couch she eyed him for a moment, allowing a swelling silence to settle in as she took in his attire and seeming style. He was good looking, clearly strong willed as well as able bodied. She lowered her chin and finally spoke up, her voice was alluring though it held no vampire willies, perhaps if he was reluctant after a few hours she might flex a little power. Until then she decided to try and be polite, “I did not ring, I sent a note. A note which included my name..why not share yours with me since I was so kind to expose mine.” She had an idea of what his name was considering she had talked about the Pride with a few others, though she didn’t want to assume anything doing such never turned out well for either party.

[Hieronymous Banks-Walker]

Hiero laughed, a low rumbling growl of a wistful laugh. It was honest in its coming though the humor of the situation was lost on his conscious mind. He had come girded for a battle yet he found a delicate flower of a vampire. His instincts were to reach out to her. To comfort her from the slight apparent in her carriage.

It was his one greatest flaw. The need to protect. The need to see no harm befall anyone. He wondered was it a karmic balancing act for the harm he could do.
"Yes it was a letter and not a ring. You don't do vernacular do you? Never mind the statement more than answers. You arranged a meeting via written means. You made an invite. I am here. You must forgive me for a bit of pensiveness. Its in my nature to distrust vampires my track record hasn't been the most...mutually beneficial."

Watching as the vampire considered his words Hiero continued, " My name is Hieronymous I am the Rex of the Cibolla Campo Clan." She had used merely the one name as most of kind did and so he would do much the same. It was a small thing that could net an understanding between them. He nor any of his present or future lions would be her pets or playthings. They were men and women to be treated as equals. He hoped he wouldn't have to say as much but who knew when dealing with vampires. Anything was possible...

[nicolette]

His mood lightened and it caused the muscles in her shoulders to relax. Well finally she was getting somewhere though she knew he wasn’t giving up much of himself. Her hands ran down her tights, if she had on a skirt she would a smooth it out, instead she found comfort in the leather that covered her legs. She cross her legs and her chin lowered as she glanced to the side and watched a few people as they moved out onto the dance floor in order to enjoy the club for what it was. She was lost in her own thoughts for a moment, it seemed this city wasn’t run as the many she had visited but then again it was her first city in America and she didn’t really know how things worked, it seemed Lycanthropes had a much different outlook on things.

From where she had come from, Lycanthropes were seen as food and companions. She knew of great love affairs between vampires and their animals to call though she had never really had it go that far. Sure they were entertainment but she was well aware that she was just as much to her. They offered her things and in return she did the same. She was the master of the two but it wasn’t an abuse relationship, though she had seen some. She tipped her head to the side, eyes rolling up to look at him again as she completed her thoughts for the moment.

“I am aware of how cruel some of my kind can be, and while I can assure that I am not one of them I am also sure that you will not take my word for it.” She lifted her hands, palms up in an open shrug as if to say she had nothing left really. Her hands fell back into her lap, folding across her hips very limply as she kept her gaze fixated on him. “As you can assume my animal to call is Lions and since you are the Rex I am to assume that while you will be the most attractive to me, you will also be the most difficult. Lycanthropes in America are truly a different breed. However, I hope you will not keep that which I have some rights to, away from me. I don’t plan on forcing my way into anything Rex..though I will not be seen as weak nor would you want to I’m sure. If another vampire comes to the city with the same ability, I hope you and I will already have an understanding and someone with said power wont feel that they can somehow take your Pride away from you, and me. Now this might never happen Rex..but there is always a bigger and badder monster out there, I only hope you’ll understand who the lesser of two evils is.” She cleared her throat slightly, she had been expecting him to be rebellious, he was living up to his reputation already and she had decided that being frank with him was better than trying to lure him in.

“Now, I can force things if I want to. I can also offer my aid to other lions if they come into the area unless you and I already have this understanding. I am more powerful if kept in the company of my lions, as are they. It is a give and take relationship like every relationship. I am not here to take anything away from you, but change is inevitable as I have come to understand over my many years.” She sighed some, offering a weary smile. “Well, I spilled out the cold hard truth..deny me Rex..and make things much harder..accept me and I can be your heaven on earth.” A grin rode of her lips then, her teeth were white and well taken care of but there wasn’t a hit of fang among them. She had made the last remark as a joke, her tone having a slightly upbeat tone that would imply it. She relaxed her shoulder fully and relaxed back into the couch. She had said more than she had planned and she really wasn’t a talkative personality but she felt being open and honest was the best way, plus she wasn’t sure if he had dealt with a vampire that could call him and his kind, or if simply he had dealt with vampires that took advantage just because they could. Everyone had bad experiences, but not all people were the same.

[Hieronymous Banks-Walker]

Smiling just a tad bitterly Hiero looked directly into her eyes. "This is America things do work differently. Even for Vampires. Nicolette. You are right and I thank you for your honesty. We as in you and the Pride would be stronger by joining our strength." Hiero watched her her body language, her carriage. She believed everything she said. Hiero couldn't fault her directly. It was the system of vampirekind. They were just as focused on dominance as lycanthropes. He couldn't know how long she had lived amongst them. He was sure that it was sometime. At a minimum it had to have been a few centuries. that long doing anything and it had to come naturally. her beast to call was the lion so she was bent toward dominating. Seizing a situation and taking control. That was a no-no. While she had a bent Hiero had an iron will that would stop everything short of death.

He didn't want to alienate her but he was no ones lesser.They would be willing partners or nothing at all. Damn the consequences.

Chuckling Hiero maintained eye contact. His full focused gaze searching verifying that his words struck home." But you are wrong. I say this plainly and truthfully I know that you can not take anything from the me or Pride. I don't want any antipathy with you. In fact I hope against hope that we can eventually have a beautiful relationship. That will never happen as long as you think you can treat us as anything other than equals. To prevent any further bruising of egos or pride I suggest one of two things. Either we start over or adjourn to a time where we can re evaluate what it is we want from each other."

[nicolette]

She lowered her chin, her face void of any emotion for the moment. Her hands folded together gently and she rubbed her fingers against one another for a few moments, clearly trying to think before she spoke. It wasn’t clear that she was angry, she was to skilled at hiding her emotions for anyone to pick it up, if she didn’t want them to. Finally her chin lifted along with her eyes and she looked back at him, a smirk pressing on the corner of her lips as she sighed some and rested her hands next to her sides.

“Well I thank you for your time Hieronymous, I do hope we see each other again soon.” She stood up as she spoke, looking down at him. She leaned down, picked up the rose she had been holding before he came and lifted it to her nose, inhaling the scent for a moment as she watched him. “If called by any other name..would smell as sweet..” She dropped her hands to the side, the rose still held between her fingers as she moved past him and towards the door. Perhaps she wouldn’t go home but she wasn’t going to stay here.

[Hieronymous Banks-Walker]

Hiero stood as she did. She was shielding hard he could feel it wavering between them. His words had struck a chord. He hadn't meant to shut down what she was proposing but he was not one to be lorded over. He had suffered hat lot once too many times before. His story was to be learned from as he was damned sure to never repeat the mistakes of his past.

Inclining his head as she made her way past him he spoke. " As do I Nicolette, but until then..."Barring her path he leaned into her ear and whispered his phone number. "Do call when you would like that to be," he intoned moving from before her. She had only set off one alarm in his head and sad to say that was the one alarm he couldn't help but attend to. He was no ones servant. Ally, Friend, associate but never servant. He knew it was pride but he was what he was.

If she bothered to call then maybe she have an idea as to what she was dealing with. As he would have washed the taste of his debacle from his memory...