06-03-2015, 12:06 PM
Bas sighed and his eyes returned to Tatyana. She saw him looking at her when she turned and she smiled at winked at him before returning her attention to the audience. The power pulsed in him and he could smell the faint sweat from her exertions as well as the light perfume she wore. She was so much more classier than most dancers who drenched themselves in body spray until it was cloying and overpowering.
For a moment, he allowed himself to relax and enjoy her. He had been so tense lately, never able to breath and let his guard down. He shook his head, cursing himself for a fool. He should've been more subtle about it, more circumspect when that mook cop had started towards him- after his pretty little lookout had ID'd him. But frustration kinda makes you stop thinking. He knew that. He needed to be smarter about things.
His eyes focused again and he saw a man at the bar with his camera out scanning the room. Immediately panic and anger surged through him but he grabbed at them with his well, holding on to them by what seemed like finger tips. Wait....wait. Be careful. He was glad he didn't overreact because one of the bouncers showed and shut the guy down quickly. Still, the man was on his radar now. He looked vaguely familiar too. That wasn't good. Familiar right now was a very bad thing, in his eyes.
The man went and sat down at a table of three other guys. None of them looked familiar. But after a few moments, one of the men got up and walked to the stage where he could be closer to Tatyana. Bas watched him carefully. The coincidence was too much. It was happening again. He felt that panic and anger rise as he saw the man make his offering, his head tilting in Bas' direction.
Nor did he miss the slight misstep in Tatyana's movements, small though it was. Too much. Far too much. He squeezed his hand into a fist, ready to move, and clenched his jaws before letting go at the sharp pain. It was a good reminder. Be careful, moron! He relaxed his hand as he watched the man make his way back to his companions. Bas watched them surreptitiously.
Finally, the music ended and Tatyana came off the stage. One nearly out of sight she grabbed Bas arm, pulling him behind the curtain completely. "What are you doing out here? That guy saw you" The look of fear in her eyes was clear. "You need to go. I'll get you my key."
Bas looked down, thinking, then back up at her beautiful face. He was an idiot. He smiled lopsidedly, the smile that always said he was goofing off. "He say something about me?"
Tatyana's eyes widened, her whisper sharp. "Are you crazy? You're the one who came to me for help."
Bas' let his smile fade away. "I know. I know. You're right."
His frustration finally came out. "Dammit!!!"
He looked at her pleadingly, wishing he could explain it to her. "Something is wrong, Tatyana. Something is going on. And I don't know what it is. I have to know."
That last was more pleading that he wanted.
He sighed, deciding. "I'm going to go over there."
At her sharp intake of breath he said, "I'll be careful, I promise."
He looked at her reassuringly. "It'll be ok. I just need to know."
His smile became a smirk, as this were all no big deal, though inside the anger was still there. "But just in case, maybe you could get dressed and be ready to go?"
He didn't expect her to, of course. She had work...and a life. Her look said as much. He smiled and gave her a hug. "It'll be ok. I promise."
He walked around the curtain slowly- both because he wanted to be careful and because it hurt to walk quickly especially with the power filling him- and made his way to the table the four men shared. On his way he pulled a chair around and when he reached the table he flipped it around and sat without preamble, a carefree smile on his face. "How's it going, gentlemen? Can I help you with something?"
He looked at the guy who'd had his wallet out and his head tilted feigning innocent curiosity. "I know you from somewhere right?"
For a moment, he allowed himself to relax and enjoy her. He had been so tense lately, never able to breath and let his guard down. He shook his head, cursing himself for a fool. He should've been more subtle about it, more circumspect when that mook cop had started towards him- after his pretty little lookout had ID'd him. But frustration kinda makes you stop thinking. He knew that. He needed to be smarter about things.
His eyes focused again and he saw a man at the bar with his camera out scanning the room. Immediately panic and anger surged through him but he grabbed at them with his well, holding on to them by what seemed like finger tips. Wait....wait. Be careful. He was glad he didn't overreact because one of the bouncers showed and shut the guy down quickly. Still, the man was on his radar now. He looked vaguely familiar too. That wasn't good. Familiar right now was a very bad thing, in his eyes.
The man went and sat down at a table of three other guys. None of them looked familiar. But after a few moments, one of the men got up and walked to the stage where he could be closer to Tatyana. Bas watched him carefully. The coincidence was too much. It was happening again. He felt that panic and anger rise as he saw the man make his offering, his head tilting in Bas' direction.
Nor did he miss the slight misstep in Tatyana's movements, small though it was. Too much. Far too much. He squeezed his hand into a fist, ready to move, and clenched his jaws before letting go at the sharp pain. It was a good reminder. Be careful, moron! He relaxed his hand as he watched the man make his way back to his companions. Bas watched them surreptitiously.
Finally, the music ended and Tatyana came off the stage. One nearly out of sight she grabbed Bas arm, pulling him behind the curtain completely. "What are you doing out here? That guy saw you" The look of fear in her eyes was clear. "You need to go. I'll get you my key."
Bas looked down, thinking, then back up at her beautiful face. He was an idiot. He smiled lopsidedly, the smile that always said he was goofing off. "He say something about me?"
Tatyana's eyes widened, her whisper sharp. "Are you crazy? You're the one who came to me for help."
Bas' let his smile fade away. "I know. I know. You're right."
His frustration finally came out. "Dammit!!!"
He looked at her pleadingly, wishing he could explain it to her. "Something is wrong, Tatyana. Something is going on. And I don't know what it is. I have to know."
That last was more pleading that he wanted.
He sighed, deciding. "I'm going to go over there."
At her sharp intake of breath he said, "I'll be careful, I promise."
He looked at her reassuringly. "It'll be ok. I just need to know."
His smile became a smirk, as this were all no big deal, though inside the anger was still there. "But just in case, maybe you could get dressed and be ready to go?"
He didn't expect her to, of course. She had work...and a life. Her look said as much. He smiled and gave her a hug. "It'll be ok. I promise."
He walked around the curtain slowly- both because he wanted to be careful and because it hurt to walk quickly especially with the power filling him- and made his way to the table the four men shared. On his way he pulled a chair around and when he reached the table he flipped it around and sat without preamble, a carefree smile on his face. "How's it going, gentlemen? Can I help you with something?"
He looked at the guy who'd had his wallet out and his head tilted feigning innocent curiosity. "I know you from somewhere right?"