After that inital meeting with Logan, that caused her to lose her temper, and send out that call on the other level of existance, where their beasts resided, Syd was hoping that the one illusive lion that was left in the city would make himself known. It had been one of those calls, that calls to you, and pulls you towards the caller. Weather you realize it or not.
Today however, Sydney was takeing a well deserved break before the job they would be doing next week. She'd found out long ago, when her father had taken her on her first job, that the best way to proceed on a job, was to be as relaxed as possible when you went. Paix seemed the most logical place to go for this. Not to mention she was going to need her hair cut soon anyway, why not get it done all in the same day? Manicure, pedicure, massage, and haircut and style.
Stepping inside the cool interior of the spa, her khaki peddle pushers clinging to curves. A tanktop of emerald green on the top and flipflops on her feet. Too hot for much of anything heavier.The scent of African Lilys and the savannah moved around her, as the white lioness stalked at her side. Shields there only if needed and so far, she didn't see the need. that warm energy would slide along the skin, like the heat of the sun baked plains.
Moving to the front desk, she gave the receptionest a dazzling smile. Chesnut strands falling around her face in waves and emerald green eyes, roamed aorund her. The spa was new, and she liked promoting new buisnesses. SOmetimes they returned the favor by promoting The Magic Door. at least that was always Max's theory. But then again, her father had theorys on alot of things.
Leaning her arms against the counter, she nodded when the woman asked if she could help her. "Yes actually. I intend to treat myself today. Massage, manicure, pedicure, haircut and style...You have openings today I hope?"
Paix was hopping today. Friday, everyone wanted to look pretty. Or so Jenna said. Valen was the draw for the place, his reputation for using cutting edge techniques and the latest styles without being outlandish had gained him an international reputation in their circles. Though you wouldn't think it by looking at him. Skinny, wild black fanned out hair with white stripes accenting, half the time in jeans and a shirt,the other half in leather or vinyl, he looked like he belonged in a dark club in a European city rather than living it up in the Big Easy.
Valen had a history with Jenna, this arrangement had been beneficial for both of them. She'd had a period of great loneliness recently, but when Charles Geller returned all that changed, so Valen no longer felt the weight of her insanity. For lack of a better word, of course. He had just finished up his last customer when he felt that power come strolling through the door. He had heard the call, but it was short, not long lived. He'd been in a pride several years back, but it became such a mating game that he just cut his losses and left that city. New Orleans, he thought, was different, but now he was wondering as that maned head turned to see the woman walking through the door. It made his black lion jump up from his lazy resting, taking sharp notice.
As the lady behind the counter said they had space and time to accommodate Syd's desires, Valen wiped his hands on a towel and walked into the reception area. Hazel eyes met hers directly. Was this the Regina? He wasn't sure, but he knew for sure it was a strong lioness. His accent was vaguely German, but smooth, easy on the ears.
"Welcome to Paix...you need something we have here...yes?"
There it was again. The scent she'd caught a few times through out the city. The white lioness was on her feet, and tail flicking back and forth at the feel of another cat. Turning at the sound of the voice, she let her eye's wander over him, takeing in the interesting apperance, that seemed to almost mimic the beast within. A friendly smile was given, and a nod to his question.
"Yeah actually..." She told him what she'd been hoping to have done today, and moved away form the desk towards him. The lioness moved forward, and sniffed at this new male. Already carrying the scent of two others. Both having taken up rooms at the house. Glancing back to see that the receptionest was busy again, she turned to look back towards Valen. "Been wondering when I'd run into you....rather elusive little thing arn't you?"
It was good natured teasing. Syd for the most part was rather laid back, and didn't really make a big deal out of things unless one of her own was threatened. The beast within moved towards his own, and sniffed curiously. Then gave a playful bat to knock him down, and flopped across him, starting the process of grooming him. weither either of them realized or not, the white lioness was already starting the process of claiming this one too.
"I'm Sydney....and who might you be, my elusive one?"
How could he not return the smile? Valen wasn't a smiley person by nature, but when the lady gave him hers, his came of its own volition. She was gorgeous, to be sure, but that was not what drew him to her. It was something more base, more important than physical attributes.
"Valen. Pleased to meet you, Sydney....." That black lion went flat when the white lioness ran into him and started grooming. Valen's beast had no qualms with being claimed. There just had been no claiming done in New Orleans, so he could survive either way. He stepped closer, catching a whiff of her scent and giving her lungs the fragrance of hashish and sugar cane. It was an interesting combination, sensual and innocent.
"I am no longer elusive, now am I?" the smile remained, as he led her to the room where the shampoo girl would wash and condition her hair before he expertly styled it. But as she sat, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, the exotic accent more pronounced at close encounters, his breath hot and enticing with the flavor of sugar. "If you are the one I am to follow, then consider me yours." Valen was not interested in power or control, but belonging to a pride, he could live comfortably with that.
The male lion laying willingly under her had her beast purring deeply in contentment. Grooming his mane and face, and then Nuzzling. Marking him with her scent, as her own, so that any that came across would know he was under her protection. It didn't even need to be talked about it seemed. The scent of hashish and sugar cane filled her nose, and she breathed deeply, commiting that scent even further to memroy, and let him lead her into the room where her hair would be washed and conditioned. A part she liked actually."That's true....your not..."
His voice hitting her eardrum, and his breath against her skin, along with the words he murmmered made her smile, and she looked back towards him with a nod and murmmered back lightly as the shampoo girl came in the room. "Then know you have my protection, Valen...We'll talk more about it...." As he stood up again, she smiled brightly to the girl that would be washing her hair, and settled back in the chair, head tilted back towards the sink to let her work.
Should he need it, she had room for him to take up residence at her home. A room he could call his own,and a house he could call home, with all the creture comforts anyone could ask for and more. That would be brought up though, when there wern't ears to listen in that they didn't want to listen.
Once the girl was done, and her hair was towled off and Sydney was lead to a chair, she sank down, feet comming up on the little foot rest, and she settled her arms on the rests, watching him as he did whatever it was he needed to to to work his magic. "How long have you lived here in Nawlins, Valen?" Not accusing. just curious. She herself had lived here most of her life, though a good portion of her childhood was spent on the road during the summers with the carnival her father owned. Though those days had ended when he'd sold the carnival to a buisness associate when Sydney was 17. And now, after Max's death, 8 years ago, The Magic Door, and the other buisness had fallen to Sydney, and she'd come to settle once more in the house she'd grown up in.
