Cabaret & Candy (TONIGHT ONLY!)

[Thalia]

He'd practically announced to the room he hunted monsters; if he could talk about that with only reckless consideration for who might be listening, she couldn't imagine what he might consider too sensitive to share in public. Though it piqued her curiosity sure enough. He tugged her hand and she flowed like water, unfazed by a stranger's grip -- particularly if it led to answers. Thrill zipped up her arm. A little trepidation too. Yana's face ghosted in the back of her mind. The splash of red paint. She'd spent her life running from this.

"Coffee? I'm not drunk." Or only a little. Her expression scrunched, though it was only playful. The query did give her pause though; mostly because it was another very good question that she also did not know the answer to. "Oh." The flicker of a rueful smile answered. Shoes. Bag. Sketchbook. Rafael! She spun to find the sofa and the blonde man, which accounted for two thirds of her belongings. She had never been precious with things.

Rafael was still flipping through her drawings when she returned, chin sunk into his palm. There was a furrow between his brows, which smoothed as he glanced up. She smiled as she slipped her wallet back into her bag. Ever the butterfly. "Keep it if you like. I have to go, but it was nice to meet you, Rafael."

Shoes were a little harder to come by, since she did not remember at exactly which point during Methos and Aiden Finnegan's performances she had abandoned them, but were eventually rediscovered. "Quiet and coffee and answers, right?"

[Nox]

Nox hadn't meant to imply that she was drunk. Or him either, he wasn't even close. "I didn't mean for you."

He followed her to a blond man with a scar across his neck looking at a sketchbook that looked oddly familiar - similar to the drawing he'd just seen. An artist - a prophet? Nox didn't believe in fate or destiny, but the Atharim believed in the circle of time, of rebirth. So why not prophecy. She grabbed her things, and then she started looking for her shoes. How did you lose your shoes?

Her final question as she found them Nox nodded. "And a few more questions." He grinned. He headed around the corner and was well away from the club before he said anything else. "That is an ijiraq. An assassin of old. She is a queen, the queen I don't know. I can tell you what little I know, but I have questions for you too."

Nox found a coffee shop that was quiet. He ordered a large black coffee and took a seat in the back away from any prying ears. "When did you draw it?"

[Thalia]

Ijiraq was not a word she knew.

It was the of old part that caught her imagination more than the assassin part, at least at first. She puzzled over that as she followed him, letting her imagination unfurl like the curling shadows in the street around them took on new colour. Little surprise flickered, though; she took the news of monsters being real surprisingly easily, perhaps because the veil had already begun to slip from her eyes.

She'd found the revelation of Calvin's wolf-eyes beautiful, though she understood from what he'd said that it made him a target -- enough that he hid them. Her own gift had shivered her with fear before Emily's instruction, but now even that strangeness was in its own way a comfort. Life realigned, but Thalia realigned with it.

The word assassin caught up with her thoughts around the same time she sank into a chair, fingers clasped around her own coffee (to take off that tipsy edge). Her eyes widened a fraction, then narrowed into a frown. Curiosity burned in her expression, but in a way that made her gaze distant; preoccupied with the ebb and flow of thought within.

As such the question took a moment to penetrate. "Oh, a few days ago maybe?" God, what day was it even? "Why?" A touch of uncomfortable suspicion roused within; he'd grinned around the promise of questions, and she had been too eager for her own answers to linger on the why until now. It was both gratifying and utterly terrifying; for a brief moment Thalia considered flight.

"Is she the only one? Where did she come from? How do you know any of this?"

[Nox]

Nox was grateful for the coffee in front of him. The warmth in his hands, and going down was welcome. The ijiraq made his body shiver from an unseen cold. It wasn't fear - it was more than that, something Nox wasn't sure how to explain unless someone had gone through it just the same. The thought of the power being ripped through him still horrified him even days later. Touching the source was more than terrifying - it hurt. Like the Ijiraq was still attached.

Nox was glad this girl, slip of a woman, a vague recollection still tinged his mind, but he couldn't find it. This was worse than the memories that had pushed forward tonight's look. At least she hadn't drawn it before - prophets were almost as dangerous, and if the Atharim found her well who knows what they'd do about her. But he shook his head in response. "No reason really, but the night of the gala. She attacked us." Nox tapped his finger on the image. "I imagine she is in pain now. She lost all her drones, warriors, mates, or whatever they were. One who attacked Ascendancy and then brought her in with three others. They feed on the power these so called channelers." Nox whispered. "One fed on me." He shuddered visibly.

"I don't know if she is the only one. No one knows where they live or hide. There are legends and myths, but mostly long forgotten lore and what little I know came from a friend who's dead now. Even the Atharim know little about them, they are that old and that forgotten." Nox sipped at his coffee wanting to drown in the dark liquid. He could still feel the power being ripped out of his body.

[Jerry]

While the performances seemed to be keying down, the crowd was still very much focused on the musicians, and their host, though people didn't apprear to be drifting that way more than usual.

A woman slipped into their mix and carted off his target with a grin on his face. But whatever she said left him frowning and rushing her out the door. Damn! Now it would be more difficult to follow. But that was what Jerry did. He waited a short while and then slipped out the door they'd exited and caught sight of them walking away in silence. It would be hard to listen and walk, but Jerry pulled out his own long range listening device and sent it after the boy and his companion.

Surprise jolted Jerry to a stop as Nox divulged the name of a monster. One of ancient lore, but also one that hadn't been seen in centuries. Another mystery to solve - later. But was was worse he was talking to a civilian about it.

They sat down in a dinner and Jerry had no choice but to go inside, the boy was paranoid and sat well away from the windows. Did he know he was being followed?

The question didn't stop Jerry as he stepped inside the diner with his back to the traitor so recognition was minimized. And ordered a breakfast platter when the waitress arrived. It was harder to direct the listening device when he couldn't see, but eventually he found the correct location and filled in on even more private information than he'd expected. Who was this friend? And the Ascendancy was attacked by one? Too many questions, so few answers.

[Sage]

Nox left with some girl telling them to go on without him if he didn't catch up. He kept ditching them, and it was getting annoying. But what did he care, Nox wasn't interested, and he had Aiden, that was more than enough, but Sage still followed Nox as he left the vicinity with the girl, while they waited for the party to move.

The exchange was brief before Sage received a text, he didn't pull out his wallet like everyone else just pulled up the interface between the phone and his own personal computer - Sage chuckled at the thought. How far a PC had come... Nox's text told them to go on without him. His eyes narrowed as he watched Nox follow the girl around and then leave. "Looks like Nox is out." Sage pulled out his wallet and showed Aiden the text so he knew for sure, not that either of them would doubt him. They both knew what he was capable of. And he was capable of so much more. Sage tugged on Aiden's waist and waved for Jaxen to lead the way. "Shall we take this party elsewhere?"

[Jaxen Marveet]

“Stretch limo?” Jaxen pondered. Were a motley crew such as them worthy of such fineries? He laughed to himself and clapped his lordship on the shoulder. The friendly banter that followed was pitched slightly higher. “I thought you were attempting to fly under the radar? Staycation and glamping or performing and red carpets?” He aimed for Aiden to lead on, but while the group departed, a story followed on limber lips. “After a certain incident that was entirely by accident and completely misconstrued by the parties involved, I attempted to lay low myself, once.” He flashed a grin at those they passed calling his name fondly for favors. A wink for the girls and a wave for Boda followed. “I was forced to stay in a fleabag hotel in the red light district and don an attire to fit in with locals if you get me?” An elbow nudged upon Aiden’s ribs, mindful of Sage’s hand-placement. “Now, dare to believe this, but I had to take the subway. The subway!” He guffawed with mock pomposity, but the sly grin poised on his lips said it was all in jest. 


“This way, boys, Jaxen will show you the way.” A throw of air whooshed the doors open ahead of them, each striding out like the building was theirs to burn on their departure.

Continued at Tantalizing

[Thalia]

"The big charity one?" He didn't seem the type to have had a legitimate invite, though then again he clearly had moneyed friends. Thalia was only vaguely aware because of Aylin's interest in such things, and she perhaps only remembered even that much because of the media coverage of the ball's unexpectedly early end. Such a casual reveal of what had happened behind those closed doors bought her attention utterly rapt. 

"On channelers? Wait, feed?" Something in his reaction made her feel like shivering herself; he seemed genuinely disturbed, and the ripples of it were infectious. "Then you're a channeler too." Her fingers drummed against her cup. Frowning.

"You said assassin before. And assassins work for others. So someone sent her? And someone will send her again." She tailed off to almost murmur to herself. Her chin sank into her palm, gaze falling to the image of the ijiraq queen. 

After a moment she spun the phone round. "Your number? My life has been full on weird lately, and you seem very au fait with weird." The crooked nature of her grin suggested it was not an insult, on the contrary. "Long forgotten lore. Is it all true then? Myth, I mean. I overheard you say you fight monsters."

[Aiden Finnegan]

Sage flashed his wallet at Aiden and told them that Nox was ‘out.’

                “Well, that sure didn’t last long… Must’ve been important… Or maybe he was just bored,” Aiden answered his boyfriend with a wry grin. He wasn’t surprised by the other man’s departure; Nox had been very adamant about not coming to the Cabaret tonight.

                Jaxen and Sage were in agreeance, so Aiden began to lead them out of the club. Fans clawed after Aiden, snapping pictures, asking for autographs, and just generally getting into his personal space. It was all a stark contrast to the beginning of the night, no one giving Aiden or Sage a second glance. Just like the stage, part of him missed all of this and the other just wanted to groan.

                Bye bye peace and quiet. I hardly knew ye, Aiden thought to himself. Although I’m the only one to blame for this…

                Jaxen winked at girls and started probing Aiden with questions as they made their way to the club’s exit.

                “You’re right, Jaxen, I was trying… But it appears that you know how to play to one’s vanity. I could hardly reject your invitation onto the stage. Looks like I’m back on the scene… And the limo? I’m not the only wealthy man in the city, anyone could be sitting in the back of the stretch,” Aiden said with a wink, “Anyway, I didn’t leave my Manor much up until this last week. You can thank Sage for that one.”

                They came to the doors and Jaxen channeled a flow of Air, pushing the door open without a care for whoever might be on the other side. A long, sleek black limo was waiting before them; Cooper waiting in the driver’s seat.

                “Hope your new place doesn’t have fleas, Jax,” Aiden said to the other man with a hearty chuckle.

 
Continued at Tantalizing

[Nox]

She was a quick study. She had caught on to all the implied meanings. "I am." he agreed to her accusation. The echo'd feed made Nox shiver again. The Ijiraq's hands on him to draw more of the power. It felt dark and the terror was real. Nox wanted to make a bright glowing orb to brighten the darkness shadowing him, but it wouldn't help the cafe was light fine it was his own mood and memories shrouding his vision.

"No one sent her. But the first one was sent. The second of it's kind to attack the Ascendancy. She came because that one died. Killed by those of who could wield the power of the gods and shatter it to a pile of ice cubes. She came with others and they fed on us. While she took control of a woman and forced her to do her bidding." The memories were sharp. It was like reliving it. He had done so every night since the gala and he could picture it all, feel it all. It was like it happened to him over and over again and now he was seeing it in the waking world.

Her phone spun around and she asked for his number. Nox grinned. "This is a first. A pretty girl asking me for my number." he teased as he typed in his name and number so she could contact him about the weird in her life. "Weird has always been part of my life. But no the myths you know aren't usually real. They are based on the truth. The Atharim's purpose is to keep humanity safe from all those things that go bump in the night that you think you know. Vampires aren't real, but there are creatures that drink blood just the same. Werewolves." Nox laughed. "There are no men that turn into beasts, but they can connect to them somehow and become like them, still man, but glowing golden eyes and can act like them. Zombies based on a real mutation. Ghosts too." Nox could go on. "What's your name? Be a shame to hang up on an unknown call who needed my help." He pulled his wallet from his pocket and set it down unlocked for her to do the same.