Connections, Money and Secrets [Almaz]

[Nox]

The room was hardly appealing. The yelling and the audience so close. Nox didn't want people that close to him, it would drive him up a fucking wall trying to make sure he didn't hurt anyone. He preferred a much more controlled system. He was much more controlling than this crowd would like. Most of them kept a distance around the two as the waded through the rough crowd. An air about them he supposed, and there probably was a bit more danger present than usual. The horde bubbled closer to the surface at Almaz. He could feel their pull. They wanted a fight. Wanted to taste blood. They ... it wasn't they, there wasn't a pull of the horde -- not exactly but today it was stronger, more nagging. Maybe it was the potential for what lay after. Or was it something else.

Nox spied Jaxen's friend in the ring. His back covered in a singular tattoo but he couldn't make it out for the movement -- not that he cared. He didn't particularly find ink attractive or unattractive, but it was always a curiosity. Other than the orborous he once sported he hadn't thought about getting a tattoo till recently -- etching the Atharim calling card on his skin had been hard, and he hadn't regretted it, but if he could muster up the courage to do that, he could do it to immortalize the loves of his life on his skin even if he never saw any of them again -- except Thalia -- he fully intended to see Thalia again. And it wasn't the Raffe was gone. He just didn't hold out any hope for them getting back together. He wanted it. Dreamed about it, but the horde wasn't going anywhere. Raffe would never trust him and ...

Nox pushed the thoughts away before the horde latched on to his misery and pushed through the cracks to make tonight a devastating match. Mik fought well. He was a brawler, Nox preferred control. His thoughts coming back round full circle as he glanced around and saw Jaxen with another man. A young blonde pretty boy who the playboy was fawning over. Nox followed them with his eyes to the door and watched as something happened. Something... was mild. Jaxen disappeared. The guy he was with turned around astonished by what had happened. He hadn't known anything more than Nox did and he saw him looking at him and his eyes went fearful. And he scurried out the door, tail between his legs and in such a hurry Nox almost yanked out of Oriena's grasp before he heard the bell toll for last bet in.

Well fuck! Nox turned back to Ori and smiled at her with a dark gaze. "Time for Round 1." He licked his lips. "I'm looking forward to round 2." The horde stirred deeply in his body. it wanted it all. Wanted the fight, the fuck. It wanted and needed and it clawed at his brain trying to take hold. But the power held it back...

Nox nodded to the man guarding the door where the fighter had emerged and he was let down without question. It was almost time to fight... the horde raged inside of him ready to pull the roof down...