Amused, Seven contemplated her question. His expression was teasing in the same way Kaylee teased him, making her wait for a response. He stole a sip of his drink to bide the time, and glance at Kaylee’s scandalous neckline as he reached.
Afterward, he leaned comfortably into the cushions, drink balanced against his knee. The cool glass seeped like fingers along his leg.
“Very lucky,” he finally replied. The real story behind his name was buried deep, but Seven locked that story away somewhere unreachable, and in a moment like this, he happily wielded the word for more advantageous reasons. In this moment, he didn’t even think about it.
He hadn’t forgotten about Mist, but as he stared into Kaylee’s golden eyes with all the fascination of one looking into the sun without being burned, he could hardly bring himself to look elsewhere. “And I am the lucky one tonight. Your eyes are so beautiful.” He assumed they were some sort of advanced lens, they almost seemed to glow from within.
It seemed another money roller was in the house tonight. Juls picked up the first one, Mandy set her sights on the second. Claire already had walked off with the roll of cash, that was more than enough for all of them to take a turn seeing what this mystery man wanted. It was dangerous playing with the Mafia, but it was part of the gig. Mandy looked over at Bruno, and then at Nox and they were both watching everything and nothing all at the same time. She didn't know how they did it. Nox's gaze never fully took in the bar -- he was avoiding it. Avoiding Raffe, but that was to be expected. At least it hadn't affected breakfast and coffee or even anything else. Probably the tamest break up Mandy had ever seen -- specially at Kallisti, passions run hot when you work together.
She doned her guise as the gum snapping bimbo Candy and sashayed and swayed her way over to the newest high tipper. She ran a finger along his shoulders and leaned down snapping her gum in his ear with a wide bright and peppy smile.
"Hey there, What do you do for a living sweet thing?" She pushed her fingers into the muscles in the back of his shoulders and neck and giggled.
"I'm guessing boxer." She leaned down over him her boobs spilling out for a good look. He couldn't touch, and the moment he did Nox or Bruno would be on him and he'd be out so there was absolutely no worry in Mandy's mind as Candy displayed her body.
Alistair had held small talk with Nadya as soft, bassy music played in the background; he had sipped his Manhattan and continued to wait for his contact. Alistair was entirely in the moment.
In the States, he rarely frequented strip clubs, having ventured in only after a match when the boys had invited him. He had felt strip clubs were cheap and shallow; why pay for something when the hunt was much more thrilling. Alistair also held himself to higher standards than most. He had found great satisfaction in achieving things others couldn't because his inner soul ached and tormented him to find satisfaction. A soul that strained to feel a deep emotional connection with anything he acquired. Pure satisfaction.
Why settle for silver when gold was within reach? Often, a treasure was closer than one thought, and people gave up too soon. They chose to lower their standards and settle for mediocrity. Often, on a dig for gold, the treasure was just three feet from where most would give up in their search for success or pleasure, but Alistair had the perseverance to see it through.
There was a lot of competition when it came to being mediocre. That space was very crowded. It was easy to achieve. Alistair had lived on a level where it was him and only a select few resided. This was the case for combat sports and women alike. The competition at the top was less due to the altitude Alistair had chosen to climb.
He had a thirst for a particular type of woman. A woman who had depth, mysterious emotion, high intellect, and possessed beauty that went beyond simply a big set of fake tits. His tastes were complex. He didn't have much of a sweet tooth; he preferred the satisfaction of a nice juicy steak. Encounters with ladies of the night that were paid for tended to leave a bitter taste in his mouth and, while at the moment, gave him a carnal release after were as satisfying as eating a rotten piece of fruit.
He and Nadya had surveyed the room, sitting pensively, engrossed in the sensual atmosphere. Drinks and little snacks kept coming from the server. Her soft face and innocent face intrigued him. While it seemed innocent, her vibe had given off a sharp edge, her hazel eyes lined with dark eye shadow. Each time she had left the table, Alistair enjoyed watching her petite little ass wiggle from side to side in her short skirt as she walked away. Nadya watched his eyes, knowing exactly what he was thinking. She had taken a mental note as she anticipated his wants.
Alistair had settled into the moment and had become completely relaxed.
Suddenly, Alistar's contentment had been interrupted; Alistair had jolted as he felt a warm body press against him and a bimbo-sounding voice in his ear. He had grimaced as her fingers dug into a wound that was covered by his jacket.
"Sorry, you don't touch him if he doesn't say it's okay for you to touch," Nadya had snapped at Candy. Alistair raised a hand, gesturing that it was okay to Nadya. Nadya was there to facilitate Alistair's enjoyment, intimately involved as requested, and act as a gatekeeper. Often, these clubs had con artists lurking. As a Mafia-hired escort, she was fully aware of all the tricks.
Alistair had coyly smiled and obliged with a response.
"Nice to meet you..." he had drawn out the 'you,' leaning in slightly as she had said her name, Candy, in a cutesy reply. "Candy, ok." Alistair had paused, looking away for a moment to look at Nadya as he said her name. "It's Candy...Candy." Alistair's smooth yet rugged tone penetrated the air.
"Well, Candy," Alistair found it fun to repeat her name a few times as he turned back to look at her. "I am a professional wrestler from America. But here in the city, I'm doing mostly bare-knuckle boxing. Maybe some other types of fighting soon; I'm new and am just getting settled. Are you a fan of fighting, Candy? Do you like to see men tear each other apart?" Alistair had playfully responded as he looked off in the distance, exuding an aura of secure yet unattainable indifference. A charisma had glowed around Alistair as the dim lights outlined his chiseled jaw, covered in light stubble and red marks from his match, which had hinted at how much of a real badass he was. His ability to practically kill a man, juxtaposed with intelligent, thoughtful, and straightforward speech, had made him an alluring figure. He was sophisticated, complex, and embodied masculinity.
Alistair's self-awareness was one of his strong points. He had smiled inwardly, fully cognizant of what was transpiring in that moment as a big set of tits bounced in his face.
Alistair chose to play along with her game. His gaze had lowered, taking in her breasts, drawing a line with his eyes from the slit of her dress up slowly to her eyes. As he had looked at her, his eyes had sparkled with a glint of mischief, and he said, "Hmm, let's see. Tell me a bit about what you do. Do you work for a church? Or perhaps you serve the less fortunate at an orphanage? I can't quite make out what you do for a living," Alistair had smirked and amused himself.
Her hot pink dress had stood in stark contrast to Alistair and Nadya. They had been dressed in darker colors, emitting a vibe of seriousness. Candy had sat next to them, looking out of place even though she had been made for this place. Even though Alistair always strived for something of taste, Alistair was not above a little fun, purely for his amusement. And even though his ultimate satisfaction came from his pursuit of a fine dish, sometimes cheap takeout hit the spot on a whiskey-fueled late night. He had allowed her to stay, not brushing her off immediately, instead subtly inviting her and Nadya to take a little nibble while he had waited.
Mandy got the distinct impression that he wasn't their normal clientele. She looked back at Nox and Bruno again and gave both of them a smile as she sat down next to the Mafia's next big ticket item. She should have realized that the moment she'd seen the woman. She might not have joined them had she been paying attention. And he seemed to be full of himself too another trait she hated in a man. But this was her job and she could sling sex for even the ugliest of men. Good thing this one wasn't that, though one could never tell from the outside what the inside looked like.
Candy sat down next to the man and twirled a finger in her hair. Nox always burst out laughing when she tried to pull the trick on him. It was more nervous habit than a ploy when out in the real world. Now it was all about the dumb blonde. And Candy was all part of who she was in that moment.
"I abhor violence. Why can't we all just get along? The only good thing that comes out of violence is the look of a man, the cut of his body and the way he moves. But that can also be born of nicer things like dancing."
The dancer on stage was mid shift and one of the boys was taking up his carnal act of taming the shrew. She was quite literally a shrew -- or at least the cat in the shrew costume was playing the part. It was a riff off of the boy who lived with a transmogrified woman as her cat/shrew friend a classic student teacher porno ripping off young adult literature. Sven was busy begging Ms. Shrew to turn back into a woman. He danced across the stage and when his back was turned she'd morf back into herself. The crowd would laugh, and he'd turn around and she was a cat. The illusion was curtsey of one of the channelers in the house. Nox didn't look to be particularly paying attention and Candy didn't think it was Juls she was busy with another dangerous looking fellow. Was one of the others not that Candy could tell.
Candy giggled when his dour comment about her profession crossed his lips.
"I'm in the entertainment business. Conning poor saps out of their paychecks for the illusion they could ever have me." She said with a bubbly voice still twirling her long blonde hair around a finger and smacked her gum for added punctuation.
"It's not as righteous a living as tearing men apart mind you. But it pays the bills." She gave him a sweet smile as she pulled a term Nox used on women.
"Tell me, Duckling, are you a Taurus? Big strong man like you has got to be a Taurus."
"Well, sugar. Sorry, I mean Candy," Alistair had playfully matched her words . "How did you know? Guess that makes me a walking stereotype." as he played into her banter.
"Based on that fact, Candy, tell me what you think you know about me. It seems you can see things others can't," Alistair had said, placing his hand on her leg, just below the hem of her dress, touching her exposed skin, not realizing the rule he had just violated.
Alistair was intrigued; there was more to her than those long golden locks. She had outright said she was there to con men out of money for pleasure they wouldn't receive. Alistair had enjoyed the straightforwardness. He had become very entertained. It had not been what he was expecting.
Nadya had moved off Alistair's lap to sit next to him. As she moved, her gaze never left Candy, staring directly into her eyes. Nadya's hands had not left Alistair, one running high up his thigh while the other was tucked to her side between them as she had leaned into him. Alistair had turned, now half-facing Candy as they spoke.
Candy giggled at his question. What she thought she knew about him? But it was the woman he was with which she was most wary of, him -- he was nothing. And two of the men here could fillet him like a fish if they desired. And Given Nox's temperament as of late, he might enjoy it.
When the man's hand strayed to her leg, she held up one hand staying the boys on the wall who had instantly took a step forward. All of them. It didn't matter who's side of the room she was on, they would all be there in a moment's notice. Candy imagined that Bruno and Nox already had weaves of air wrapping the poor man's body -- ready to yank him away from her should he try anything more.
She gave the woman a pretty smile and cocked her head to the side.
"Your first time here." she said placing her hand on his and picking it up gently and placing it on the woman's hand who was trying to say mine but not doing a very good job of it. She was just the mobs dog sitter. She was nothing more than that. Candy leaned in and whispered,
"See, only we can touch here. Those boys on the wall all around us. They'll escort you out should I desire it." She leaned back with a giggle and a twirl of her hair.
"But I'm rather enjoying our titillating conversation. And the hot glare from your handler is dousing that enthusiasm."
Candy giggled bubbly and snapped her gum again and in her best sweet valley high voice added.
"I know you roll with some powerful people. And of course you are a big strong man in the ring. I'm betting you're stubborn and loyal. And like all Taurus have a love of beauty and riches. Ambitious and work hard. And if I were a gambling girl I'd bet it all on the you only here to meet someone your bosses said you had to meet." She ran her fingers up the side of his thigh like his handler and giggled softly.
Two can play that game chica!
Alistair had not experienced the one power, magic, or what some even said was the force. He had been ignorant of any real danger. While he had been in the States, he had heard news reports of what was going on in Moscow but had never experienced channeling. Alistair hadn't been one to follow world events; he had been too busy with his craft. Alistair hadn't known that, although he felt like the top alpha male in a world of ancient power, he was merely a speck.
As Candy touched Alistair, Nadya showed a competitive flicker in her eye. She had been an expert at managing ego. You always needed to play into it, playing it masterfully like a musical instrument. Nadya had known exactly what she was doing. As Candy had begun to feel Alistair's leg, Nadya had gazed down, sliding her hand very slowly up the inside of his thigh, squeezing his thick muscular quad tightly toward her. She had softly kissed him on his cheek, then whispered something in his ear, inaudible to Candy.
Alistair had turned back to her with his eyebrows raised with delight. Her lips had mouthed the word "yes" in a seductive and slow motion.
Alistair had been slightly distracted as he turned back to address and refocus on Candy.
Hearing her break him down accurately, he said, "Wow, you are good. Do I get this service for free, or do I now need to leave some money on the dresser for your insightful insight? Are you about to read my horoscope, too? What was my dog's name when I was 10?" Alistair continued to enjoy himself, laughing inside though a little impressed. Still a bit intrigued with what else he would discover. He had thoroughly enjoyed two women getting catty, competing against each other, trying to one-up each other while using him as a scratching post.
"Yes, I was meeting someone my boss had told me to meet. He is a very powerful man in Moscow. Maybe you've heard of him, Mr." Alistair wasn't able to finish, Nadya had interrupted by reaching up to turn his head back to her.
"Alistair, we not share business with help. Is need-to-know basis, and zis bimbo, she not need to know." Alistair had realized what he had been doing, temporarily letting his guard down. He had quickly changed the subject to something far more shallow.
"Looks like I get to stay a bit mysterious. I am meeting someone, but they are running late. So Candy. You said you are an entertainer. When do I get to be entertained? Will I get to see you dance or maybe I need a private lesson. I'm dying to see those talents in action." Alistair smirked as he glanced at her breasts. "Although, I'm sure you'd have to bring your goons. I'm sure they are a lot of fun." Alistair glances at each man, sizing them up, not knowing he could be killed in a matter of seconds.
"I need another drink. Candy, Nadya, what do you want?" Nadya had ordered a Martini, Alistair an Old Fashioned, and they had waited for Candy to answer.
"Let's talk about something fun. I'm new to Moscow. What do you think I'd enjoy doing? You seem to know me inside and out. What local fun is waiting for me? Alistair changed subjects after his overt request. The liquor had started to get to him and he had continued to fight to hold on to his guardrails.
Ryker wasn’t here for the fascinating conversation. If he wanted to talk his brains out, he’d seek out the one fucktard famous for running his mouth. Not that he’d call Marcus that to his face, but the guy loved the sound of his own voice. So much so, Ryker might have recommended he run his mouth next time he wanted to torture prisoners for information. It’d be far more efficient than the waterboarding.
He came to Kallisti to enjoy being pawed at, and Ryker expected they send their best. As he looked around, he anticipated the girls would be classier. He watched some bimbo in pink prance around a couple at a nearby table about as enthusiastic as a pcp-crazed puppy. In contrast, a fiery redhead rounded his shoulders, her feathers tickling the back of his neck as she did. The drink was met with barely an examination before he put it to his lips. He wasn’t a snob when it came to his vodka, so long as it got him drunk, but when it came to his women, he was particularly choosy.
Which was why he studied the girl that joined him with as much scrutiny as selecting his favorite sidearm. In the end, they all served the same purpose, but he did have his preferences. She’d do, he decided and watched her sit.
The opening question took him off guard, but he responded almost immediately. His accent was Eastern Ukrainian, though he spoke English like a native. Hell, he masqueraded successfully as an American for half a dozen missions abroad. Between the skill and his charmingly blonde hair and blue eyes, he was a perfect choice for those assignments.
“I am Basil the Great. I am above that bullshit. But you asked, so tell me which sin is your favorite, and I’ll think of an appropriate penance to absolve you.” Ryker’s expression was deadly serious. There was no smirk tugging his lips; no gleam buried in the scarred webbing of his eyes.
Candy glared at his words.
"I am not some whore or hooker."
The brawler thought to smoot things over with a drink but she stood up and looked over to each of the boys and made sure they understood this wasn't about the touch. The each took a step back to their posts and she had to glare at Nox and Bruno the hardest before they returned to their posts. She turned back to her client.
"I know who work for sweet heart. His lap dog is well known in some circles." Candy said with a bubbly little giggle added for intended insult. [color=hotpink]"Enjoy your night."[color]
Juls laughed seductively.
"Oh, my favorite sin is of course lust, darling." She ran her fingers over his arms and played the dangerous game of touching.
But she was laughing more at the reference.
"Are you sure you aren't Basil the Blessed of our very own Red Square?" She couldn't help the smile on her lips.
[[ooc: sorry it's really short but that reference link only made one comment stand out. I'm sorry ]]