Duck, Duck, Goose... but not...

She'd taken to watching the male and Tavi from the corner of her eye, pretending to be interested in whatever game was being shown on a monitor up by the bar. It wasn't necessary to see them, she just needed to hear. Although she did catch his slightly awkward but almost endearing reach to put his arm around her shoulders. Thérèse was hard pressed not to laugh at him, as it was she couldn't suppress a smile. She didn't think the boyish charm was forced or faked. Even though she wasn't paying much attention it did seem genuine. Impressive considering what the mulo had told her about him. But then she knew men who were more than competent fighters and yet relaxed and charming when not engaged in a brawl. It was always an interesting contrast in character.

Noticing the two men with the cell phone and the texting she rolled her eyes. Why couldn't some people just leave work at work? They took it with them everywhere and infected other's relaxation with it. Of course, she wasn't totally innocent of said crime and so didn't feel the need to make a scene. And the man seemed disgusted enough at having been disturbed she didn't think it would be a big deal. She decided to watch their game for a bit however, that and the door, trying to appear she was waiting for someone and getting restless.

"Distraction, lulling, lying, cheating....whatever works." Tavi replied quite happily.

She wouldn't admit that she missed whatever shot he made because she was paying more attention to his ass but it would be the truth. Drew's height made a nice lean line stretched out across the table; Tavi was certain that he'd look much better laying next to her on a bed without such distractions as other people, pool tables...clothes. He didn't need to bother trying to distract her she was doing a good job of it all on her own.

Reminding herself to slow down, Tavi took another sip of her coke while Drew sent the fourteen bouncing around the table and eventually into a pot. He hadn't called it and it probably wasn't what was intended but she wasn't here to win or lose but to enjoy his company.

Tavi did think his honesty was so completely adorable that she gave him a charmed grin when he came to stand next to her and admitted that the shot wouldn't fly with his hustler. "Well your friend isn't here and we're not betting the farm on the match so its all good."

When Drew reached for his drink behind her, Tavi leaned into him, laying her head on his shoulder. The one he might like to use if he actually wanted to taste that coke. "Unless there is some other kind of bet you wanted to make. Then we might have to become more serious." She smiled and snapped her teeth together from her place near his neck, indicating her willingness to 'go for the jugular' as it were.

Antoine shook his head at the kid. Smooth, REAL smooth. Tavi seemed to think it was cute though. Hmm, being awkward worked? When did women start deciding they didn't want the men to be practiced and suave? He sighed and turned to watch Vaughn make his next shot.

****************************

Preparing for his next shot, Vaughn lifted his eyes from the table to notice his daughter leaned in speaking to her date. He quickly returned his attention to his game when she suggested wagering on the outcome of the match. Sighing, Vaughn decided no one should really see their children flirting, it was awkward. Flashes of chasing a tiny naked Tavi around a campfire with a diaper in his hand sprang unbidden to mind. She had been his little girl once.

Knocking the ten into a pocket, Vaughn looked for his next shot. He didn't have anything very good. Instead of wasting time trying something near impossible, he tapped the fourteen in front of Antoine's six.

He returned to the table and gave the Legionnaire a smug look before turning to catch the attention of the waitress. "A Guinness and a..." He looked at Antoine, who made a disgusted face. "glass of water for my picky friend."

"Ground rules. Good. Good."Â?

Drew muttered absently. Yeah the little smile distracted him. OK so he was a sap. It happened, he really couldn't help it. Not that he was a -total- sucker for a pretty face but maybe a bit of one.

"I didn't know you had a farm -to- bet. I wouldn't mind one, I'd look good in overalls."Â?

He teased a bit. Smiling as she lay her head on his shoulder he didn't make any move to head back to the table. He didn't mean to, but he started playing with her hair a bit. It was hard not to, the color was kind of memorizing. There was a little bit of him that wondered if it was real and if it was how she kept the color from damaging it (he'd heard his sisters bitch about that before) but he also knew better than to say anything.

As she playfully snapped her teeth near his neck Drew felt his wolf respond. It wasn't intentional, purely instinctive. He stood a little straighter and growled softly. Very softly, he caught it before it got much beyond his chest and he hoped it could be mistaken for something else as he settled back into his more relaxed posture. His grin went from goofy to sly.

"Do I need to know what you have in mind? I mean it might make a difference how I play this."Â?

Well at least they weren't calling each other by pet names. It gave every indication of being a new relationship, perhaps Tavi wasn't in too deep. Either way she had to keep her Alpha's daughter away from the vampire who held her. Perhaps she could separate them without much effort. She wasn't sure. It was worth thinking about.

Mon Dieu! Enough flirting! She needed a name. That is all she wanted and then she would be quite happy to simply leave with no one the wiser.

Apparently her calculated looks to the door had given one of the other men in the pool hall the wrong impression. He came over to her with a smile and another ginger ale. Thérèse was a bit startled, but at least he was polite.

"Some one stand you up?"Â? He asked.

"Non. He is just a little late."Â?

She turned away hoping to politely discourage him. But he perused. "French?"Â? She only nodded Seeing he was about to say something else she pointed to the table he'd come from and the friend he was apparently with.

"I think your friend is waiting for you, it appears to be your turn."Â?

With a frown he got the hint and left. Thérèse sighed and went back to the table playing again. But now she had an idea. Perhaps she could stir something up.

The hand in her hair was nice, Tavi sighed softly and closed her eyes. He smelled good, warm, clean and manly; it was plenty distracting this close. So often these days men had on as many layers of scents as women and used a far heavier hand while applying them. Drew just smelled like Drew and that was wonderful as far as she was concerned.

The soft growl was unexpected but extremely hot. It definitely caught her attention. Making a soft satisfied noise in the back of her throat, Tavi leaned back and gave him an arch smile. Reaching for his hips, she pulled Drew close and suggested an outcome to their games.

"Alright, since this is only date number two. How about something tame? The winner of each round gets to ask a question and the loser has to answer honestly." At least he didn't know her well enough to ask anything really incriminating. Just in case, though, she added. "If for some reason either of us feels we can't answer a question then the winner can choose a favor to be done in return."

Looking up into his dark eyes, she smiled "So does that change how you plan to play?"

Antoine was not pleased with the guy's hand in Tavi's hair. He wondered how the Alpha was taking all that. Focusing on the game in front of him, Antoine walked around the ball that Vaughn blocked and dropped in another that was almost as easy. He sunk another and then grinned at his pack mate.

Going around the table, Antoine sank another before scratching.

"Too cocky. See where it gets you." Came the quietly amused voice behind him.

Handing over the cue ball, Antoine went to his water and sipped it with a sullen look at the table.

***********************

Vaughn chuckled at the Legionnaire who was regarding the table with a hurt look of betrayal.

He was feeling a little easier about the whole situation after having decided on a course of action. At this point he had resigned himself to many sleepless nights, telling his staff that he was going on a holiday with his family and then personally following his daughter. Or the man, he had yet to decide that part of it.

He looked up to note that Therese had a visitor to her table. Listening in on the conversation, he could tell that the man was an unwanted guest. Vaughn smiled to himself when Therese dispatched him with cool efficiancy.

Returning his focus to the pool table, Vaughn needed to make up for Antoine's little run of luck.

Drew let her pull him around. He didn't even think it was terribly odd that she was about half his size and still had enough muscle to move him around. Well it wasn't like he was protesting much or at all so what was there to think about.

Tame? Not what he had expected from her, but given that growl of his, probably all for the best. He sure as hell wasn't ready to tell her about his wild side. Nope. Hell, Drew had never told any one out side the clan or the Pack. It was a secret he kept under lock and key, and possibly buried under five or six feet of concrete. You know, just to be on the safe side.

Even sitting on the bar stool he had to look down at her. His ever present smile went from sly to just amused. He liked that there was an out, just in case.

"Deal."Â?

He said and bent down to kiss her quickly.

"I think it might."Â?

Drew suddenly wished he'd paid more attention to what Reign had tried to teach him. He might of picked up a little of it but not enough to make a huge difference. He ambled up to the table, far too confidant, lined up a shot and promptly missed it.

Yeah. Should have paid more attention.

"Would you believe it is my turn to lull?"Â?

She waited. It didn't take too long but Thérèse didn't want to call attention to herself by flagging down one of the waitresses that were occasionally circling the hall instead she waited until one came to her.

"Would you do me a favor please?"Â?

The woman listened politely as Thérèse explained that one of her friends wanted to send a drink to the girl with the aqua gradient hair. Thérèse simply picked a table at random, the one with the texting man and about where the French had come from seemed best. It was rather close to Tavi and the Kadzait and seemed likely.

"Just tell her it is from that table. He is shy, I'm certain he'll say something later."Â?

The waitress looked a bit dubious, after all Tavi was with a date. But, she'd seen far too much in this job to really question it and agreed.

"Sure thing hon. I can take care of that for you... him. What should I send?"Â?

Good lord. She had no idea struck by a sudden inspiration, or possibly the small cocktail menu on the small table where she'd been keeping her ginger ale, she made a suggestion,

"The Sex on a Pool Table please."Â?

The waitress just shook her head, "Subtle. Well you don't ask you don't get."Â? She said as she walked away with the price of the drink and the order.

Tavi watched with large green eyes as he leaned down to kiss her. It was nice, distressingly quick but they had a game to get on with before the place closed, whenever that was. She gave him a wide grin and let go of him so he could make his shot.

Which, didn't go so well. Laughing, Tavi nodded her head and reached for her cue.

"Oh, I am -so- on to you, Mister."

She turned around to find a waitress standing there with a glass full of a variety of liquor. The woman explained where it came from and she turned to look across the way to the table on the other side of the room. Nodding, she gave the waitress a smile and then turned her glare to the man who was currently bent over the table making a shot.

"Will you excuse me for a second. There's someone I need to strangle." Taking her focus off Antoine for a moment, she looked back and smiled at Drew. Then with a face like a thundercloud, she walked purposefully to the other table.

Vaughn listened to Therese tell the waitress she wanted to order a drink. He tried to hear what she asked for but couldn't. Looking up, he noticed that they were having a short discussion. Therese's voice was too low for him to hear over the other noises in the place but he noticed that the waitress was staring at Tavi and her date. The woman shrugged and walked off.

Now what could that be about? The waitress went to the bar and he could see the bartender preparing a drink. The man raised his eyebrows and chuckled at something the waitress said. The drink was then headed towards Tavi.

Oh, Bloody Hell!

Tapping Antoine on the shoulder, Vaughn took this time to disappear to the restroom, feeling somewhat sorry for abandoning the poor Legionnaire.

Hey wait, that was a drink. And he didn't order it, and he knew Tavi hadn't ordered it, that or it was the slowest service ever and apparently Tavi wasn't going with the slow service theory or even the possible mistake. His instinct was to go with her, to protect or possibly menace. After all, it was just plain rude to hit on a girl when she was obviously out with some one else. Drew was not happy, in fact he was insulted. But since she seemed to have some idea what was going on he hung back and let her do the talking.

Not that he could let it go totally. He just couldn't. Drew followed along for a few steps, not so close to Tavi as to intrude just enough to be obvious and then lounged at against the wall. It wasn't a casual lounge, there was some menace, some threat to the lounge. He was very aware of what was going on between his date and this guy. And while the passive aggressive waiting was his usual MO Drew had the size, the build and just enough practice to pull it off without looking like a goon or a hulking idiot.

Well at least they hadn't both left the table at the same time, so Thérèse was happy enough. She hadn't -quite- meant to start a fight, just enough of a misunderstanding that names might be exchanged but given the look on Tavi's face she might have miscalculated. Ah well, not much to be done about it now. She simply bent back over the pool table and did her best to observe without watching. She wasn't totally surprised to see the Kadzait position himself to jump in if necessary. Of course, if it came to that, she might just slip out the door. She wondered how this was going to play out.

Octavia stood in front of Antoine with eyes narrowed and a tight grip on the stick in her hand. It would be broken over Antoine's head if he didn't come up with a satisfactory reason for why he was here and why he had ordered her a drink while she was on a date. Then her father would hear about it; probably not with a pool stick but most likely a spoiled tantrum at a volume that would wake the entire Kumpania.

"What do you think you're doing?"

********************************************

Antoine turned to Vaughn and saw where he was looking. Merde! The look on Tavi's face suggested broken limbs. He noticed the cue stick was still in her hand. Standing up, he turned to find that Vaughn was gone.

Making the sign of the cross, Antoine muttered under his breath.

"O ma bien-aimée Reine!
je vous remercie de m'avoir tant de fois
tiré des mains du démon..."

His phone went off. Turning his eyes heavenward, he thanked the Blessed Mother and pulled it out. Scanning the message quickly, he then turned it towards Tavi.

It said

This is a family matter, Fourpence. He is not here for you. You will see.

Antoine gave her a small smile and a shrug of his shoulders. The boyfriend was looking particularly menacing on the wall but he wasn't a known element and probably a human. Tavi, on the other hand , was fast and evil. He didn't worry that he'd lose to her; he worried she'd make the biggest scene in Nachton and break something he cherished before he knocked some sense into her head. If the boyfriend came to help, then there would be trouble. And who wouldn't help the poor little hellcat that was barely over five feet tall?

************************************************

Her eyes softened at the nickname. Only her father would call her that. He called her Fourpence from when she was little; he had said she wasn't yet a full eight but half of that. Thinking quickly, she had to admit that if Antoine was watching her then he'd not be standing here out in the open so easily recognized.

She would trust the word of her father and not kill the Frenchman. If it turns out that he was here for her then she'd deal with him later. Giving him a pat on the shoulder, Tavi shook her head.

"Thanks for the drink, Birdie. Next time, try a soda."

Walking back to Drew, she smiled at him. Tavi came up close and wrapped her arms around him, placing her chin on his chest. "You're kind of scary looking when you go all somber." Turning to look back at Antoine, she said. "I think he just didn't want me to find out he was here on my own AND he has a real odd sense of humor."

She scanned the crowd of people briefly before walking back to their table. Tavi wasn't sure but the woman in the corner looked like Therese. That was odd. Why was Antoine following her? She'd get that information out of him back home. Right now she felt it best to explain him to Drew. Once at their table, she held out a hand to him.

"Perhaps I should have been more thorough in my introduction at the park. Octavia Emiliano, pleased to meet you." Her expression was part smile, part chagrin; it made her small nose crinkle and her cheeks colour. "Birdie, works with my dad."

Antoine's cover might be blown now as a member of the R'asa if Therese were paying attention. However, Tavi doubted the woman would know he was here for any other reason than to play pool unless Antoine had gotten slack ass with his tailing.

((OOC: Antoine is praying to be delivered from the hands of demons. ))

Vaughn listened to the exchange from just inside the narrow hallway that lead to the restroom area. He had texted Antoine with something that he hoped would give Tavi pause at least long enough to start using reason. He smiled at the pat on the shoulder and the suggestion of trying a coke next time. Poor Antoine, at least she didn't break the cue stick over his head.

He saw her briefly as she passed by the little hallway and headed back to her own table. The new boyfriend was much more calm than he expected. Vaughn had stayed just around the corner in case there was trouble. Someone capable of marking Therese seemed a likely candidate for any kind of violence. Vaughn had expected a drink being sent by some strange man to his date to send the guy into a rage. Antoine was a Legionnaire, no slouch in hand to hand, but Vaughn wouldn't have left him alone to fight another of their kind. IF the guy was even one of them. Why did Therese send the drink to Tavi? Was it just to cause trouble? Surely when Antoine protested that he did not send a drink and the waitress was questioned it would have led to Therese. Then what would she have done? Called it a practical joke? If she knew this guy then wouldn't he recognize her?

Something here wasn't adding up. Hell, several somethings. On top of that he was probably going to have to replace Antoine with someone else that Therese had never seen.

With a sigh, he returned from the restroom and looked at Antoine.

"You done with your shot?"

Drew looked at the guy she was half threatening, he didn't look like a coward or incompetent and yet he didn't look happy about the way Tavi was holding that cue. Of course, on the receiving end of that look Drew wouldn't be happy either. Still, he got the impression that she was a bit scary. Huh, interesting. Well if she'd been a cop and was a detective she couldn't be a total push over Drew reasoned.

Something was going down, he just didn't know what and it was sort of... well it made him want to scratch his head. But given the trouble Reign was having Drew was probably inclined to be suspicious and jump at shadows. He didn't think it was a bad thing. Either way he'd remember the guy.

He couldn't help but be curious about what the text had said, and even with Tavi looking damned cute while looking up at him, he couldn't just forget about it. He'd just think about it later.

After a second he relaxed and grinned at her.

"It's a hobby. Lurking for fun and profit. So... who is he?"Â?

Drew jerked his head at the guy as they walked back to the table.

It was habit he accepted her offered hand and slid into professional mode.

"Andrew Benally, but you can call me Drew."Â?

His real name... well Drew never gave that. Only two people in Nachton even knew it and only Nikhila ever used it and she was extremely careful to only use it when there was no one else around. Usually only when she was trying to make a point too.

He smothered a half laugh.

"Birdie? As in Bye Bye?"Â?

This was -not- how Thérèse had envisioned this playing out. She had anticipated the male getting cross and demanding answers. She hadn't ruled out Tavi getting cross, but she really had assumed he would be the aggressor. He certainly wasn't being passive in all this and he was certainly interested.

Odd that the man, ah her French speaker, would show Tavi his phone. A text? Did they know each other? Probably. Thérèse made careful note of his face. It was probably time to be moving on, she had undoubtedly just raised far too many questions.

Holding out for just a few more seconds she managed to catch his name. Thérèse thanked every saint she could think of for that little bit of information. Discretion, of course was the better part of valor she had what she'd come in for, more information would come later. So Thérèse picked up her purse quietly walked to the bar paid her modest tab and simply vanished. Home would be good right now, and if she felt obligated to handle more for the mulo, would just start with the internet. Tavi deserved some privacy even if she was out with a Kadzait.

((OOC... Thérèse out.))

Tavi smiled at Drew and knew he had questions. He deserved answers and for some reason she didn't want to just blow him off with a quick and easy lie.

She pointed to her nose and then looked back over at Antoine. The Frenchman did have hawkish features, high cheekbones, beak like nose. Tavi didn't think he was ugly; for him they worked together well enough. The mass of shoulder length black curls and waves helped to soften the chiseled face quite a bit and the golden brown eyes were beautiful.

It was not the only reason, not even the main reason, why Antoine was called Bird. He was a marksman for the Vyusher. One of the best in the Legion and it was said that he had the eyes of hawk. Of course the some of the Legion also said that Bird stood for him being too chicken to stand and fight instead of hitting someone from far away. This was normally said on the run, with the intention of starting something with the normally easy going Antoine.

"He sometimes works as a body guard for my father." She smiled. "I thought maybe he was following me, checking up on me, you...either, both." Taking a sip of her drink, Tavi then finished explaining. "Anyway, I guess that's why he sent the drink so I'd find out he was here that way instead of drawing the wrong conclusion. He showed me a text from his friend so I'd believe that their meeting here had nothing to do with us. Just coincidence. "

It was close enough to the truth. The text was from his friend that also happened to be the alpha of the pack. He wasn't here spying on her or Drew.

Except that Antoine was following Therese. Why was she here? Tavi looked up to notice the woman was walking out the door. Huh, did she meet someone earlier or was she stood up? Tavi would like to kick some sense into the man who would do that, if that was what happened. She liked Therese.

Vaughn could hear Therese speaking with the bartender. The soft lilt of her accent and the precise pronunciation of her words was like music compared to the rest of noise in the hall. She was settling her tab.

Damn!

Quickly pulling out a reliably large bill, Vaughn headed back to Antoine.

The Frenchman wasn't surprised to see him and only nodded when he handed him the... fifty apparently. Antoine grinned and said something about a tip. Vaughn was already headed out the door, he muttered his assent and gave the man a backwards little wave.

*******************************************

The Sarkis' reappearance now that his daughter was gone was not a surprise. Nor was it a shock that Vaughn planned to take over surveillance of their pack mate. He was disguised and very good at the shadowing of people. The Alpha would have made a great Legionnaire. Many of his brethren in the Legion agreed; they were powerfully loyal to their more cool and collected Sarkis. Vaughn led his people with his heart -and- his head; his pack loved him for that.


((OOC: Vaughn out. Antoine eventually out. He's finishing the game first and then leaving. ))

Body guard? Checking up on him? What the hell? Was this the mafia? Drew started turning things over in his head a bit. He threw in another glare at the other guy for good measure, but he was trying to put things together. When he did, his conclusions were a bit of a shock. Oh. Holy. Shit. He was out with the Mayor's daughter. Way to go Benally. First vampires, now politics. How did he do this sort of thing?

Ruefully, Drew shook his head. He wasn't about to go run and hide at this point. He was surprised and a little embarrassed but not a coward. Even if this guy had been here checking up on him he was likely to get back a very boring background check. So he opted to just shrug the whole thing off.

"Start small, aim for getting him elected governor or senator or something. Then worry about president.�

His easy smile was back in place and all things considered Drew was feeling better about the whole encounter. Although, he did look at the drink suspiciously. It was different. And she had said to try a soda. He was being overly suspicious and he knew it. but if this guy was a body guard of some kind wouldn't he have picked a drink she liked? He'd work it out later.

"What kind of drink is it any way?�

Maybe it was a code. And maybe he'd seen too many spy movies.