Ren had done a fairly good job of distancing herself from...well, everyone. After the total devistation of her friend being taken, and the subsequent rescue, left her feeling as if she were some sort of cursed object, best left in seclusion.
Sulking was over, and it was time to get back to basics. The why of the reasons she now inhabited New Orleans. Back on the job, as they say.
So Ren made her way down Burbon Street. The party area of city. Bodies, hot, warm, and cold roamed the area. Squaring back her shoulders, she studied those who walked and talked.
An area thick with preternatual energies caught her attention and with purpose she moved in. Could be nothing, could be something. Never know until you peel back the layers and see what's there. She found herself walking into Krazy Korner. Blues filled the air and seemed to sync up with your heartbeat.
The air was scented with stale beer, chips, perfumes and cologne of every kind. The humans gave off their own energy. They were on the prowl - not for a vein, but on the prowl just the same.
Ren moved slowly through the crowd and went to the end of the bar furthest from the door. The neon glow from the fans above, had her grinning slightly. Interesting decor.
Searching the faces of those around her, she saw shifter, vampire, human. And one very misplaced fae. The shifters were contained, they had very good self control. The vampires were a different story. As she watched them, she thought that they could either practice the letter of the law, that wasn't so new now where they could plead innocence by lack of knowledge, or......they could make her night more interesting.
Ordering a scotch, she settled in to see what happened.
It felt great to see people frolicking on the streets, it was one he missed since he left this town for awhile to visit his family in West Virginia. Driving back into New Orleans reading a sign to indicate he was indeed back from his long trip. Along that, he was an uncle to his baby niece! Excited much? He made sure to call his boss at the hospital where he is to be on duty tomorrow soon. Owen recently had installed a car phone, high tech, can communicate and drive at the same time. Cool isn't it? Holding his siri phone, he pressed down his right foot on the gas pedal accelerating speed in his dark blue, volvo with the windows down a notch, the hood at the top was down to let the wind through.
Sure, it was cold, but not to him. His inner beast created a nice thermal temperature so he was feeling swell. "Eye of the Tiger!" His voice boomed, not paying attention to who heard or was listening. Parking in a spot, he thought he saw someone vaguely familiar, her scent was undoubtly irreplaceable. Remaining in his seat, right hand still on the steering wheel while singing to Eye of the Tiger in a boistering tone. Hey, that's one of the best damn hits of the century, if people came out to tell him differently he'll let them know to go fuck themselves with flipping the bird afterwards.
Soon as the lady walked in, he removed his car keys from his smooth automobile and began to stroll into the bar looking to where he recognized the woman. Ren?! She had a thing about her he could never ignore. Wanting to surprise her, he moved with the grace of some hip, very cool. Gaze fell on her instantly when he slid in beside her thinking of striking of a remember me conversation. "Hey stranger." He ordered something light, nothing heavy this time. Owen has been hiatus for some time, he was getting back into that twange. NOLA was beginning to feel as if he didn't know what the city look like already.
-- Edited by OWEN CONNORS on Saturday 28th of January 2012 02:38:15 AM
Charred Oak drinks must have been the beverage of choice for slayers. It must have been then smoky flavor or the subtle hues. It could also be the fact that it was some of the strongest alcohol on the planet and perfect for scaring those demons away, even if they were only in the mind.
Titus had been at the blues bar a few times before and this time it was no exception to the standard fare. He was tucked away in a corner booth that was not at all crazy and was enjoying the blues like anyone else would. Simply dressed in khaki's, a black shirt with a white outline of Duke Ellington and a red overshirt, he appeared nothing more than a simple tourist in search of the real New Orleans. The P-14 in an undershirt holster and the disposition might have given him away though as he sat and relaxed. You could never take the executioner out of him, even if he was off duty.
He spotted Ren as she walked in but said nothing. He remained quiet in the corner and raised his glass if she noticed him. They had spilled blood together, and much like breaking bread, they shared a sort of bond now. Nonetheless, he let her catch up with her tackling friend and returned his attention to the band.
He also kept tabs on the vampire roaming about. The vamp had no arrest warrant but from time to time Titus saw that loo. If they pumped blood regularly, Titus would call it flush, but it was still that apparent look of feeing the tingle up your spine as Titus's power slid across the room and the flared nostrils as they inhaled that scent of fresh tilled earth. Yes, they boogeyman might be here.
Ren noticed Titus. How could she not? She'd smile and salute to him in a lazy sort of way. She'd also send another round over to her favorite cop. Along with a cocktail napkin she scribbled on. The scotch burned as it coated her throat, instant fire in her belly with the enivitable heat that followed such a drink. Too bad the effect was always so short lived. It did give her the extra advantage of trying whatever she liked without fear of over drinking and making an ass out of herself. When Owen approached she raised her glass. "What's up doc?" Chuckling she shook her head before sipping the scorching liquid.
Where has Ren been? In the past, they usually ran into one another like two cities conjoining with one another. A bartender came to slide his light alcoholic beverage. It was a cooler. Not too strong nor too weak. He likes it just right. Sipping the contents not looking at her right away even when she spoke his profession. "I went back home for awhile. I just got in from West Virginia. Thought someone I know might have at least missed little ol' me." Owen said in mock hurt while adding one of his boy next door kind of smiles as an addition. He didn't mind though.
Any friends he had back then when he came to stay in NOLA had vanquished like some caped superhero on a long mission. Following her gaze to a man who wasn't familiar with. Something about him was off, he did not bother to fill his head with who the man nor cared to investigate.
Titus received the little napkin from one of the waitresses and gave her a wink as she left. Titus would never stop flirting, even when he was in long relationships he could never get out of happily communicating with a fine woman.
He looked over the napkin and gave a little smirk to the note and pulling out his pen, scribbled his own bit of funniness to it before sending it back with the same waitress along with a generous tip. He gave Ren a week before looking over the crowd once more. Titus was simply out having a good time tonight, too much work seemed to rattle his nerves, made him on edge. So he took a few personal days and simply sat back and enjoyed the world around him.
He had to remember what he was fighting against the dark for.
She watched Owen recieve his drink and take his inital sip. She didn't know many people in the area, so she did in fact notice when one went missing. It was a relief to know he hadn't gone to the great beyond, as she feared. "Good to see you're still with us." She grinned, lifting her glass in a small salute. "How was the trip?"
As Ren downed the last of the scotch in her glass, she tapped it on the bar before setting it down, indicating a refill. Thats when the waitress came over. High school much? But it was funny. At least to Ren. She always did have an odd sense of humor anyway. Reading the note she chuckled and blew a kiss to the man in the corner before dropping the napkin on the counter in a wad, and returning her attention to Owen, waiting his response.
A flick of wrist had the door pushed open with little to no effort before that tall blonde strode into the bar following the petite blonde that was her younger sister. A near perminant frown seemed to crease her face giving off the "don't fuck with me" vibe. It was so natural to act like that out of self preservation. Juliett had no care in the world when it came to her own safety, then again she wasn't cursed like Susette. Cowboy boots crushed beer wrappers and assorted bits of garbage on the floor as she followed in the path of her overly exuberant sister. Somehow she had managed to be tempted out into society and even ditched the full camo outfit she prefered for simple jeans and a long sleave t-shirt. You could take the girl out of the swamp but you can't take the swamp out of the girl. The lingering smell of fresh muck or rotting vegitation seemed to cling to her no matter how hard she scrubbed her skin. Juliett gave a squeel that probably could have made most people want to slug her, but which caused Sus to smirk. Arms where suddenly encircling her as Juliett's group of gossiping giggling girlfriends sucked both of the blonde sisters into their midsts.
There was nothing more horrifying then being confronted with today's teenage youth. Susette could only smile fondly at the girls the girls who could technically still be young enough to act like children and old enough to actually get into a bar these days. Hands directed the girls to pick a seat or a space so that Susette could play the protective older sister and fake the facade of being a normal person. Those greenish yellow eyes danced over the heads of those milling about, content as a fat cat sitting in the sun. What with all the bodies and all that heat it was a right nice place to be.
Listening to a smooth, ballad hit strumming through the speakers of the bar, nothing like melody to get your groove on. The old seventies hit song "Born in the USA" boomed loud and clear. Owen liked this, could never get enough of classical hits. The cup raised to his curved, elegant lips, dark brown eyes scoped the business interior for signs of life as they were all over the place. Scents of victoria secret to funky axe on some of the guys who thought, shit actually works attracting the right kind of girls. There was a sweetheart sitting next to him already, her name was Ren. He was shielding tightly, keeping any freaky crafts from slipping in at a short moments notice.
Fingers of his right hand curled around the glass bottle, the effects of the acohol immediate vaporized as the slightly, strong liquoir was ingested. Seriously, he missed the gal, even if he did only known her a short amount time. Last she seen of her, she started hanging out with what was her name? Georgia. Not that he expected to see her twenty-four seven, seven days a week, besides he's been a gone for that long. "It was great. Just became an uncle in May. My oldest sister gave birth to her first child, her name's Whitney, she is a feisty one. "He filled her in what has been going on with him ever since he took off to see his father and four sisters, he being the only son, ahh..it didn't bother, not at all.
Now, as for the new girl that came in, she looked nice, her scent though, that was set her apart from the human race. It was an awful fragrance for a woman like that, there was something amiss. Nope, he kept to himself. "How is Georgia? I haven't seen the girl in awhile. I bet I may have missed quite a bit." He admitted, he does feel out of place soon as he got back into town.
As stated, Titus liked to flirt so he kept it open to whatever she thought. Above all things Titus would never tell a beautiful woman what to think. He simply gave Ren a wink and continued on with his bourbon. He liked the corner, it meant that two of his sides were covered with walls, so he could focus more on what was in front of him.
He thought he recognized the man next to Ren but fell short of his name. He could stay in here all night but would never remember his name, thus the failings of this mortal man. Nonetheless he let the man work his magic. Titus knew the magic Owen was working just on the way he moved, the way he stood. Humans and animals weren't so different and this man was both, Titus could tell.
As the blonde came in with her younger double the place erupted in screams, the typical call of a venue of valley girls. No matter what part of the world you were from, the cry was always the same. Titus winced just a bit as he took a sip of his bourbon. Hopefully they wouldn't last the night. He also noticed the older one's moves, lean, sleak, animal, were. He wasn't one hundred percent but most acrobats worked their whole lives trying to move that smooth and this one did it as if she were breathing. She could be nothing else.
For now Titus sat and watched, content to simply enjoy the theatrics. As the bar wound it's way into the night.
The scent of the swamp wasn't as unpleasant as it should be, at least to Susette. She'd grown up with it part of her life so to her it smelled like home. It wasn't rancid, obviously if it was that would have made her life a living hell but it lingered. One could taste it on their tongue, the death of leaves in murky water. A head count was managed of the girls swirling around her, six in total counting her sister. A clap of her hands to gain those sparkling and painted up eyes of the girls before she was grinning, a lop sided thing. "I'm going to assume you all have ID and I'm not going to get arrested for supplying you with beer. Sit tight and I'll get the first round." The chatter instantly sparked up around her as she slipped out of the warmth of those excited buzzing bodies. A casual gait had her strolling to the bar, one cowboy boot set against that bottom rung as she dug a hand into her front pocket.
A casual glance down the length of the bar had her zeroing in on the heat that the male was putting off. That alone made her want to slide closer even if it was only to be a parasite and absorb the pulsing heat coming off him. The female he was speaking too caused a brow to twitch ever so slightly even as a napkin was delivered to her from across the room. She didn't have to look at the bartender standing in front of her to order and set the first round of beers into order, laying down a few bills on the top of the sticky wooden bar. Hip shifted and she turned to see who the female was passing notes back and forth with. Her obvious inspection was interrupted by the delivery of her beers. Like a trooper, bottles already openned where grasped by the mouths between fingers as she pushed off the bar.
Painted nails and bright colored sleaves where reaching for the beers as soon as she got close to her sister again, and a chorus of "thank you" was offered. Her own beer was left dangling in her fingers, catching a nearby empty table out of the courner of her eyes she hustled the group of babbling young women toward it. Once she was able to settled into the chair and seemed content to simply bask. An ever watchful eye dancing over her "charges", that pesky protective streak alive and well within her.
'Like...Oh My God!' was what went through Ren's mind as she watched the trio enter. She couldn't help the small smirk that she tried to hide behind her drink, as she nodded to Owen. "That's wonderful!" she responded to his news of the new child.
Ren listened to Owen regale with tales of his trip, but she was a warrior, a guardian of sorts. And the wave of power that emitted from the seemingly older female was such that she needed to pay attention. Her eyes flickered from Titus to the woman, hoping he'd get the picture.
Lifting her glass to her lips she realized it was empty and tapped the bar for a refill. It was then the live band lifted it horns and started the toe tapping staccato rendition of W.C. Handy's, Memphis Blues. Ren watched as drunken humans attempted some sort of jitterbug to go along with the tune and couldn't help but chuckle.
Ah, refreshed drink, how lovely. "Georgia was well, last I saw her." To herself she'd admit she'd been avoiding most of her friends. Almost loosing the big hearted Georgia Grace was near to Ren's undoing. And she blamed herself.
Her eyes locked with the blonde's down the bar, and Ren lifted her glass, to let the woman know that Ren recognized the flow of energy that emitted from her. Tag Mokole, you're it!
"Your family always has the best stories." She said to Owen.
The power of the swamp wasn't mistaken, there was something reptilian around this girl, but he wasn't sure if he met anything like it. As if, to pretend he knew not a thing, his first thought was flagging down a tender with a raised right hand a little louder, but cared less to whomever was in ear shot of him. "Another of this will yah?!" Yum, the effects of the bits of alcohol didn't immediately put the young leopard in a stupor. Nope. He was a stone drinker through and through. You can often see him holding a bottle of Milwaukee or Bud's Light, but today, he was giving his best friends of the poison variety a fresh day off. Doctors like himself can't have the fresh tint of beer scent on his breath while he was busily tending to his wards. The tender came back to refill his glass. "Thank you, soooo much." He had paid a second time.
As for the chick who slid her form next to him earlier, she was slipped a flirtatious wink in her direction. May have to sneak a peak at that one. Not a fan of the blonds, but rest his case that he wasn't so dull that he didn't have his share of fun. Titus wasn't the only dude whose got flirting on the brain. Ren was lovely, he could have his way with her like the first time. On the other note, the new gal was in his peripheral vision. His beast was sitting behind it's curtain, a little bit of that curtain parted to let some of that wind fill the room with a fresh smell of moisture with a hint of rainforest for that's exactly what his beast sanctuary was. Rainforest, lots of it for him to hide in the multiple piles of grass.
Even when the smell of fallen rain and rainforest was wafted in the air, he had to keep his human act up for the humans in here who couldn't see anything except a man with a smile of a sophisticated West Virginian. Those brown orbs looked Ren over, his smirk too fancy not to at least prove there was so much to him that many people just, couldn't comprehend with.
It wasn't the full moon's effects, but his way of finding room for enjoyment, when he wasn't exercising the minds of those coming to seek his advise in the privacy of his office. "And, we most certainly do Ms. Ren." He said, in the most elegant sound escaping the contours of his lips. "My father is an accountant. He owns a number of businesses. He's an ex-Marine." A sultry grin. It wasn't like he was telling her too much. It was what he knows of everything Maxmillian Connors told him when he was younger.
If having his way with her consisted of flirting like a feline in heat, well, yup there was that. Owen was relentless. Ren learned her lesson well in the past, and all she did now was flirt. Relationships were too complicated and too draining. She figured release came in many forms. And she prefered the physical strain and pain of a good fight, rather than getting snuggly with someone else. SO flirting it was.
And she enjoyed it. Witty banter, subtle and not so subtle inuendo. For the life of her though, it seemed anything that walked on two legs and ended up on four, were perpetually on viagra or some such.
"Marines huh? Pretty bad ass. I use to know a few." She lifted her glass in salute. "Semper Fi."
As she lifted her glass to her lips, the entrance door opened, and a wave of ill intent rode the air. Six men entered, hands in their pockets or hidden under their jackets. Two were practically jumping out of their own skin. One was calm, serene almost as he took the lead.
Ren rolled her eyes muttering "Humans." before continuing with her drink.
With the amount of preternatural presense in the little blues club, Ren wondered what the outcome would be. Not to mention one heavy dute cop that she knew of.
The group spread out, as she expected. The obvious one in charge heading just a few seats down from Owen. Two remained by the door, one to the other end of the bar, the other three fanning out in different directions.
"This should be interesting" She said, draining her glass once again and placing it on the counter. No sooner had she done that, then the shout of "Everyone on the floor!" and guns appearing had everyone around them gasping. Though some for different reasons. Humans were stunned, afraid. Preternaturals were dumbfounded.
Ren smirked. Looked between Owen, Titus, and the unique female that entered. Sliding off the stool, she went to her knees. Taking note of those fanned out and the voice of the group. "Interesting indeed."
Beer waas drained rather quickly so the taste didn't linger that long on the tongue. Empty bottle deposited in the middle of the chattering girls as the surrounded the table they circled. Hazel eyes shifted ever so slightly to purposely size Titus. Sadly it wasn't until someone starting yelling and people screamed or gasped that her attention was pulled back to the situation. Something close to a snarl bubbled up from the depths of her throat at the very thought someone was threatening her sister. Susette's biggest flaw was that aggressive nature that came out when someone she cared for or was in charge of was threatened, being territorial didn't just mean over land. Eyes bled till they where a bright gold and she was standing rigid even as people started to go down to the knees and put hands up.
Hands shifted, gliding under the black jacket she wore and gripping the handles of the hunting knives in hand. She wasn't going to go out without a fight. She hadn't expected anything really to happen but she was very thankful she traded her pocket knife for a hunting knife strapped to her backside. It came out of the sheath nearly silent, head bowed as she stood one of the few still standing after the screaming ended.
"Get on the ground honey, I'd hate to have to put a bullet in that sexy ass."
Juilett's eyes nearly buldged out of her skull realizing Susette was still standing and had the flat blade pressed against her hip so it was invisable for the moment. Flapping hand was waved at her to urge her to get down and not ruin her cover but Juilett should have known her sister better then that.
Hat was knocked off Susette's head letting it fall to the ground before her face was nudged up by the barrel of the gun. Those yellow eyes shifted to the man's face, sadly he was too busy looking at her chest. Which was his downfall. The knife came up to the man's neck pressed in against the jugular as her arm coiled around him in a tight grip. The weapon in his hand was easily dislodged and turned around. Gun was trained on the leader, keeping her body stock still behind the wanna be robber.
"Get out or I'll shoot you where you stand." The tone Susette spoke in was flat and dead, but did not hide the menance behind it. She would shoot them all, without blinking an eye and probably be called a hero for it too.
There are moments when it just never pays to be well-informed. As the six entered the bar Titus could tell they were up to something. They moved like a pack of wild dogs than a unit, yay for Titus. He almost put them in place as they spread out across the bar and as he drained the last of his beer the back two posted up by the door closest to him. He bent down and tightened his shoelaces on the boots he wore, just in case, while the lead man moved towards the crowd. Untucking his shirt, he started to roll his neck a bit as the man turned around and produced the shotgun. The command was yelled and the show was on.
Now in truth, the safest thing to do was give them all the money in the bar and give accurate descriptions to the police when they showed up. Titus knew better when he caught the glint in Ren's eyes and judging by the serpentine look in the blondes, this was not going to go down without a brawl....with guns.
"Meat," he thought as he stared at the leader who was within range but he'd lose the element of surprise on the other five. "Potatoes," he reckoned as he stared at the two nearest to him posted at the door. In his head he began to plan the move. He'd go for the gun in hand of the one on the right, disabling with a sweeping elbow across the jaw. The second he'd stun with a spinning backfist. It was the quickest most efficient way.
The moment the blonde moved her knife Titus made his decision and was in motion. Years of fighting the preternatural gave him reflexes that Spiderman occasionally would dream about. He ghosted towards the two at the door and jammed his hand between the hammer and pin of the revolver of the one on the right. The other was thanked with a backfist to the brachial plexus knocking him cold to the floor. All happening in the space between the leader staring at a heaving chest and then realizing he had a knife at his throat.
Humans.
Titus wasted no time and pulled his P14 in the right hand and used the thugs revolved in the left. He took a step on top of a table. He did this for two reasons: The first was to provide a clear view of his targets. The second was safety. The other three would see him as, literally, a bigger threat than the blonde. Yes, she was as deadly as anyone else in here, but the man with two guns was more trouble in their heads.
Men.
They would be shooting at him and would have to shoot upwards. This hopefully saved the innocent patrons from collateral gun fire.
"Gentleman, your numbers have been reduced to four and boss man over there seems to have slipped into the one blonde in here with brains and a knife. Now right now, nothing but some egos and a few heads have been bruised. But if'n you all don't do as the young woman just said, I swear on these guns violence will ensue. Now make the right choice and walk out of here."
Now Titus was fucked, he just announced his intentions and he only had two guns trained on only two of the three viable threats. He didn't pick his two targets without homework though. The one he left open was the closest to Ren and the other preternatural. Now was when things would really start happening. This was the big dance.
Humans, as much as she loved them, could be stupid as fuck sometimes. Though the preternatural world had bigger egos. After the 'robbery' she was going to tip toe out and beat the snot out of the humans. Teach them that thier life style choice was just plain wrong. Perhaps teach them some manners. But nuuuuuuuuu.
The blonde, who just went way up on her 'gotta be dangerous' meter, to 'oh great another one - le sigh -'. Then Titus has to go and put his ass in the wind. Loverly! Ren never ran from a fight. She'd sit by and let one happen if it didn't directly involve her. But that was not the case here.
It wasn't so much that time slowed down. It was more like Ren went into hyperspeed. Using the gifts of her unknown father to roll from her crouch to the feet of the third man who now lifted his gun so his aim was directed at Titus' head. It would appear to the humans that she just appeared in front of the man. She popped in front of him with a toothy grin and "Hi ya" before snatching the gun and slamming the butt down on his head. The man fell like a sack of potatoes. And the rest of the crew dropped their guns, realizing that just these three were too much for them to handle.
"Mack you said it was a humans only place." one of the two by Titus said.
"Shut up Henry." Susette's captive growled. Almost worthy of shifter that growl.
Turning her head from Titus to the blonde to her captive, she blew a puff of air out of her eye and said "Now that's entertainment.", just as sirens wailed outside the door. Holding the gun up above her head by the barrel as the cops ran in, lil old me, harmless as a newborn kitten.
You'd think it would have been quick, but god no. Everyone had to have a statement. But hey, our trio of hero's got free drinks!
