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Heather Kessler {Lady Heather} ([info]dominates) wrote in [info]prideview_nyc,
@ 2008-01-08 21:21:00

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Entry tags:heather kessler, mick st. john

WHO: Heather Kessler and Mick St. John
WHERE: In front of the apartments, then the opera
WHEN: Tuesday Night
RATING: TBD
STATUS: Complete

She was wearing what she considered to be proper for the opera - a black cocktail dress with a warm shawl over top. Lady Heather was not particularly nervous - she worked with men on a regular basis and was (she liked to think) fairly good at reading exactly what they wanted.

Even if Mick was expecting a real date, she was confident she could let the man down easily. She stepped out onto the street a minute before seven and glanced around briefly before falling back to linger next to the door, arms crossed over her chest. Heather made eye contact with nearly every person, man or woman, who walked by. It was a habit, but it was also a way of subtly asserting her power.

And she did so love her power.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-09 05:04 am UTC (link)
As Mick stepped off the elevator, he couldn't figure out for the life of him how his suggestion became a "date". Not a date, just a night at the opera, and maybe some dinner. A date would be... all the same things, with Beth. He should probably drop by and check up on her. Well, not that he hadn't already, but he'd stayed out of sight. It was better this way. Better for her to just forget about him, and go back to Josh. It was better for everyone, except maybe him, but he'd live with it, so to speak, for her.

How'd he get into these situations? Josef had told him once that he was too easily controlled by women. It looked like his friend had a point. Tonight was another in a long list of mounting evidence against him. If this was a case, it'd be closed, and he'd already have his fee.

The opera may be just the diversion he needed. He stopped right before he stepped out the door. Outside was a woman who could only be Lady Heather. She looked every bit the part. Carried herself like one too. Was he under-dressed? He gave himself a once-over. He'd be fine. Perpetual coolness is the vampire's curse. Right. He was doing a great job of getting Beth off his mind.

He stepped out the door, and walked towards Heather, clearing his throat as he walked.

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[info]dominates
2008-01-09 05:12 am UTC (link)
"I can only assume that you are Mick, as I haven't seen you before." Which meant that he wasn't a client. She supressed the urge to smirk as he approached her and slowly relaxed her hands from across her chest. She offered him one for a firm shake, as she assumed he'd want. Only proper to introduce herself formally, after all.

Heather was already studying the man - she wasn't so subtle with her glances, but it wasn't overtly sexual. She was merely ... gauging him. "I'm afraid I'm not terribly familiar with this place quite yet - shall we be taking a cab to the opera, or shall we walk? It's a sight colder here than it was in Las Vegas." More than a 'sight', but that was beside the point. The man looked tense - either he was nervous about the 'date' or he was nervous about something else ... it was possible he was nervous that it was a 'date' and not a meeting. She assumed he would say so.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-09 06:24 am UTC (link)
Mick laughed, and took her hand. The handshake only reaffirmed his suspicion that she was used to getting what she wanted. He hoped he hadn't gotten himself in over his head. "Right, and you must be Lady Heather," he said, feeling a little weird using the name. Even though he was older than he seemed, he'd never been around for the whole nobility thing. Still, she had an air about her, and if he didn't know better, he might have thought she was a vampire like him. Older than him, even. All his senses told him she was human, however.

He noticed her sizing him up, like he was doing, and it made him a little uncomfortable. All this talk of vampires and werewolves on the forums would make keeping his secret that much harder. Her joke had not hit close to home -- it hit the nail on the head. He'd need to be careful around her. Was she expecting dinner? He wasn't sure his typical excuse would fly.

Her words pulled Mick out from his thoughts. He looked around, and up at the sky. She was right, it was cold, by human standards. Especially for someone from Vegas. Or LA. With a smirk he replied, "You know, I think we can take a rain-check on that walk." He stepped out towards the curb and waved his hand. Within moments a yellow car stopped a few feet away from him.

Who says you can't find a cab when you need one?

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[info]dominates
2008-01-09 06:29 am UTC (link)
"Yes, that would be correct." Although she'd had a few very exclusive clients in the past who indulged in bloodplay, Heather was not in fact a vampire.

And as for the cab...well, who would disagree?

The majority of New Yorkers at midnight in front of a club, of course!

She quirked a brow at him and nodded, immediately stepping over to the cab and sliding in the side Mick was not on. Heather didn't wait for him to hold the door open for her - there was no need for that sort of formality - and instead merely settled down as quickly as possible.

"You also did not tell me when the Opera started," she pointed out with a slight smile. She had assumed he would not allow them to miss it, though, so she hadn't been worried. While she enjoyed control, she recognized the importance of putting some measure of trust out there for people to take as bait. It was far easier to have people tell you what they wanted when they trusted you.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-09 10:31 am UTC (link)
Call Mick old-fashioned-- or whatever phrase the kids were using now-- but he was just about to hold the door open for the Lady, when she stepped around and got into the cab on her own. He smiled to himself and with a shake of his head, got into the cab. "319 Bowery please," he said before turning back to Heather, trying to figure out exactly what he was getting into.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to the punch again. Looking at his watch, he answered, "Well, the show starts at eight, so we should have plenty of time." Barring traffic, of course. The cabby knew what he was doing, however, weaving his way through the other cars, keeping a steady pace towards their destination.

Mick was unable to shake the feeling that Lady Heather had his number somehow. It wasn't exactly a comforting thought. That could make things, complicated. Still, he'd be kidding himself if he didn't think that she could play him like a fiddle if she wanted to. After all, here he was, taking her to the opera on a night he was supposed to be catching up on some paperwork for Eclipse Fidelity. Their team of lawyers had sent him a package of forms that needed to be filled out before he'd get a red cent from them. And he was supposed to be the bloodsucker.

Mick dismissed his train of thought, and glanced back at Heather. With all that's been on his mind lately, he was probably being paranoid. A night away from all that would do him good. "So," he asked, with a wry grin that showed he had every idea how many times she'd heard this before, "what brings you to New York?"

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[info]dominates
2008-01-09 09:08 pm UTC (link)
She knew very well that the answer she was about to present was probably not the one that he'd been expecting. Money, fame, power ... those were the sort of answers men expected from a woman like her.

"My granddaughter," she replied simply, shaking her head. She was proud of the little girl and it was obvious in her voice. "Her father moved out here about six months ago and I decided that it would be in my best interests to follow suit." After all, she'd only found out the girl existed a year ago and she hadn't wanted to waste any time getting to know her.

Not after losing her daughter. "The fact that this town is exactly the sort of place where a club owner such as myself can make a great deal of money is a happy bonus, I admit." She was fiscally set as far as that sort of thing went, though, due to her successful club in Las Vegas. Running the place and then selling it had afforded her a great deal of financial freedom.

Lady Heather tended to unnerve even the most composed of people when she set her mind to it. She was being quite lenient on the man sitting next to her so far, but there was no telling how long she'd be this generous for.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-10 03:16 am UTC (link)
Mick raised his eyebrows. No, that hadn't been what he was expecting. This, like the places they had come from, were cities of a million dreams, and most stayed that way. If they weren't chasing dreams, many people he met were running from their past. Which, well, was what he had tried to do. To pack up and move across the country to be close to someone you cared about, that wasn't a decision to take lightly. It was something he could respect, and relate to. In fact, it reminded him of his choice to stick around LA, and keep an eye on Beth.

Right, she'd mentioned owning a club on the forum. Something about catering to special needs. He could take a few guesses as to what, but he decided he wouldn't press the issue if she didn't. He wasn't a cop, tonight, he wasn't a even a PI. Just a neighbor showing a neighbor around the city. "Well, this is a great city for it," he said, looking out the window. Money wasn't a huge concern with him. He wasn't rolling in it like Josef, but he'd made some good choices here and there over the years. Some really bad calls too.

His thoughts drifted back to her reason for moving. There was something more there, he could feel it. For example, why didn't she just visit on holidays, like most grandparents? Apparently, being a detective wasn't something you couldn't just erase. Kind of like being a vampire. Still he knew better than to pry. After a moment of thought he simply added, "You know, you don't look like a grandmother."

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[info]dominates
2008-01-10 03:24 am UTC (link)
"You would be surprised how often I hear that. My daughter was only nineteen when she had her child and I was not much older than that myself. My profession as a dominatrix also tends to discourage the 'grandmotherly' archetype, I believe. I don't believe in going to extensive lengths to retain your youth despite that, though." She let her lips curve into a slow smile. No matter how much time she spent working at her club, her granddaughter came first. She'd set up a trust fund for the girl already - she wanted her to follow in her mother's footsteps and go to Harvard.

After another moment of consideration, Heather looked to Mick again. "And what brought you here in the first place, Mick?" She enunciated the last bit of his name slightly sharply and then glanced out the window again, enjoying the view of the street that the cab afforded for them. By her estimations, they wouldn't be late for the Opera. That was fortunate.

"Forgive me if you are looking for more information about me. I'm rather more accustomed to listening to others and gauging what it is that they want or need." In fact, she thought that she already had some idea about what Mick needed - what everyone did. A little stress release.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-11 05:14 am UTC (link)
Mick nodded as he listened to her, only arching an eyebrow at her frankness over her profession. To be fair, she had nothing to be cagey about, it was a legal profession, so long as that was the only "service" provided. He smiled when she said the part about extensive lengths. Good choice, not letting some quack with a scalpel ruin her in some quest for eternal youth. The fact that he could help her retain her youth, and permanently, without surgery, did not elude him. Not that he was about to increase the undead population anytime soon. It went against everything he believed.

He laughed. "So am I." By way of explanation, he added, "I'm a private investigator. If you play your cards right, ask the right questions, they'll tip their hands." He had no doubt that she already knew that. Anyone who worked a job which required being able to read people did.

Mick mulled over her question for a bit before answering. "Well, not sure what to say," which was true. Still, she'd been somewhat up front with him, and she should know a thing or two about discretion. "I needed a change. Things got complicated back home. People, relationships." Especially the one between himself and a certain blond reporter. "Stay in one place to long..." and shrugged, his voice trailing off. He snorted and shook his head slightly. "Typical, I know."

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[info]dominates
2008-01-11 05:25 am UTC (link)
Heather would likely not have wanted to join the ranks of the undead, anyway. Much of her business was done during the day, and being unable to leave the house because of sunlight would completely cramp her style. She nodded, placing her hands in her lap and turning to face Mick more fully as he revealed his reasoning for coming to New York.

"Whether it is typical or not, most people do not give up that sort of information so easily." She approved - hiding things could only be useful for so long before they took a turn for the worst. She had a feeling he still wasn't being completely honest with her, but it was best to press in small degrees. "Ah, forbidden romances between ... in my experience, either someone you shouldn't be associating with - in your profession, perhaps a photographer or a reporter - or the old fall-back of a secretary. Since you're a private investigator, however, I'd hazard a guess that you don't have a secretary."

She decided at that moment that she would make this man her new project: she would find out exactly what he needed and endeavor to allow himself to find it, either through her services or through personal fulfillment.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-12 06:17 am UTC (link)
Much to Mick's annoyance, being a vampire didn't exactly excuse you from daytime activities. Fortunately he wouldn't instantly burst into flames, but it still took it's toll on him. It had the added bonus of cutting into his sleep. Still, a lot happened during the day that he needed to be there for, so he didn't really have a choice. It was all part of interacting with humanity, even if he was an outsider.

Mick tensed up at the mention of romance. He probably should have realised he was being transparent, but he'd been a bit distracted. Forbidden was an understatement. When she said reporter, his hazel eyes flicked over to meet hers. After a moment, he said simply, "No, I don't have a secretary."

A twinge of guilt settled into his stomach. It wasn't her fault, after all. He sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-- I'm just not used to talking about it," he explained, with an embarrassed smile. Especially with someone he just met. However, with Josef gone again, he didn't really have anyone he could talk to about this. Just more isolation,and it was harder to deal with now than it ever was before.

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[info]dominates
2008-01-12 06:26 am UTC (link)
If it was any consolation to Mick, Heather did not have much of a choice about her daily life either. Making connections with her clients was an integral part of being in the fetish business. Without clients, clubs did not grow.

Then again, she had Satan to flaunt as part of her guest repertoire. If there was a bigger client name she could boast, Heather hadn't found it yet.

She was accustomed to people being edgy around her. It was par for the course when you were trying to get someone to open up to you, and Heather was surprised, honestly, that Mick had even bothered to apologize. Most people thought she deserved the reactions she got (she happened to think that she did too, most of the time). She smiled slightly and reached over to give his arm a light rub.

"It's a perfectly normal reaction to someone prying into your personal life," she murmured, glancing out the window again. They were nearing their destination, she assumed, and they still had plenty of time to spare before the opera. "You don't have a reason to apologize. My feelings are quite hard to hurt."

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-12 02:03 pm UTC (link)
Mick just stared at her hand, unsure how to respond. He often denied himself human contact. It was safer that way, for everyone. He resisted the urge to pull back, and instead closed his eyes. She was fine, he wouldn't hurt her. There was nothing to be afraid of. He focused on those thoughts like a mantra, and opened his eyes again.

For a moment, Mick studied her as she looked out the window. There was something about Lady Heather that reminded him of himself. He couldn't put his finger on it at first, but slowly started clicking into place. He was willing to bet even money that she knew what it was like to be judged. An outsider. Girls in her line of work often do. So did he. But that was different-- he actually was a monster. He'd done some horrible things. Things he doubted she'd even be capable of. As much as it always tore at him inside, he understood why people feared his kind. She, on the other hand, deserved better. The question was, did she know it?

"It doesn't make it right," he finally replied, shaking his head. Smiling slyly he added, "And I don't go around apologizing when I don't mean it." In fact, sometimes he didn't apologize, even when he did mean it. Not out loud anyway.

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[info]dominates
2008-01-12 09:27 pm UTC (link)
Interestingly enough, Mick might have found himself revising his statement of her deserving better if he did know some of the things that she'd done in the past. Tying a man to the hood of your car and then giving him a severe beating out of rage and little else was not exactly the sweetest thing to do. Then again, neither was allowing yourself to take payment to have someone kill you...but to be fair, she hadn't been thinking about that. Rather, she'd been thinking about her granddaughter. That didn't make what she had done right, however.

"It doesn't," she agreed with a smirk of her own, "And I would not have bothered to bring up the fact I am not easily hurt if I was not sure that you were being honest with your apology." She let her hand slide off his arm slowly and then set it back in her lap, flexing her fingers absently.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-13 02:40 am UTC (link)
Mick would be hard pressed to judge, considering he killed his ex-wife to protect Beth as a child. He knew what had to be done, and he'd do it again, in a heartbeat. If he didn't stop her then, he didn't want to think of the lives she would have destroyed. Not that it didn't haunt him at times. Still it happened. There was no way to undo it. The best he could do, is try to make sure it didn't happen again, that it didn't need to happen again. It was the best anyone could do.

"I appreciate that," he said, still smiling. They were currently stopped at a red light, but a quick glance out the front of the car revealed the opera house up ahead. "We're almost there." He looked back and was smiling. "Hey, you wanna grab a coffee before we go in? Or maybe just walk around?" He'd determined he would show the lady a good time.

"We have the time," Mick assured after checking his watch.

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[info]dominates
2008-01-13 02:47 am UTC (link)
And Heather would not have judged Mick in his decision. Protecting a child was something she understood, after all. In fact, she might have considered congratulating him for what he'd done (aside from the fact that the woman had been his ex-wife, and he probably still had residual feelings for the woman as most divorcees did). When he glanced out the front of the car and announced that they were nearing the destination, she nodded once.

"I would benefit more from tea, I think. Coffee tends to wreak havoc with my blood sugar," after a moment she offered, by way of explanation, "Diabetic." Having a cup of decaffeinated tea would do her no harm, however. She brushed a bit of hair away from her eyes and then looked to the cab driver as they stopped for good, offering the man several bills with a small smile. No, she wasn't going to let Mick pay for the cab ride, assuming she'd been faster than him at grabbing her purse.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-13 05:15 am UTC (link)
Mick had been reaching for his wallet when the topic of blood came up. Now, it was a little known fact --mostly because vamps didn't exactly make themselves known to the general populace-- that one of the best ways to get a vampire to forget what he was talking about, or doing, was to bring up blood. So, when she started talking about her own, it shouldn't be a surprise that he stopped what he was doing and cut his eyes over to her.

There was no way to cover his initial response. However, he couldn't just keep staring at her, at best she'd think he was a nutjob, and at worst... "Oh. Good to know," he said, and appeared to be considering that information for a bit. In actuality, he was clearing all thoughts of blood, or blood sugar out of his mind.

After a moment, he added, "So, no coffee, and no Italian food. Right." Then he began to concentrate on counting out the money for the fare, but looked up and noticed that she was already in the middle of paying the cabby. Mick shook his head and made a noise that was somewhere between an exasperated sigh, and a laugh "Tea it is then," he said, putting his money away, and stepping out of the cab. He ducked back in to face her. "My treat," he emphasised with a smirk.

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[info]dominates
2008-01-13 05:24 am UTC (link)
The reaction didn't go unnoticed by Heather. She'd had her experience with those who liked to think that they were vampires in her world, and they'd always ... been hung up on the word, on the term, on the implication of blood or bleeding.

Interesting. Very interesting, in fact. Heather filed away that reaction in the back of her mind for future reference and formulated a way to test her hypothesis further. She would have to check her blood sugar in front of him - bring real liquid blood into the forefront of their ... situation and see what happened. She took her change from the cabby and stepped out of the cab, smoothing down her overcoat.

"Your treat? Naturally, Mick." After all, she'd paid for the cab. She was definitely more than interested in what he had to say and do over the next few hours. Heather would devote all of her attention to him for the rest of the evening, no matter how interesting the opera proved to be.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-20 08:45 am UTC (link)
Although Mick was oblivious to her plans, he knew better than to think that he'd gotten away scot-free. Vamps survived by being careful, with a healthy dose of paranoia on the side. He'd need to be sure to watch his behavior from here on in. He was starting to remember why he kept his distance from humans. He also tended to keep his distance from vampires as well. There had been so many changes over the past few months, however, that he was beginning to wonder if it was time to rethink his personal exile.

Besides he was having a good time. If he had to mind his p's and q's, well, he was sure he could manage it for one night. Right? How hard could it be?

"There's a place near here." He pointed in the general direction of a cafe he knew to be around the corner. He'd heard good things about before, and had met with some clients there. There was the wry grin again. "Shall we?"

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[info]dominates
2008-01-20 09:19 pm UTC (link)
"We certainly shall," she murmured, bringing her hand to rest on his arm while they walked toward the cafe. It was best that Mick was oblivious to her plans for now, at least. She wanted to make sure she got his most natural reaction.

It was rather convenient they were going for coffee - she had to check her blood sugar before ingesting any sort of caffeine anyway - as it would provide a perfect stage for her plan. She would at least wait until they were seated in a private nook of the coffee shop before she sprung such a surprise on him. Heather smiled faintly and stepped into the coffee shop once it came into view. From the look of the menu, it was a nice enough place. She approved of it.

"I assume that you have been here before."

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-21 04:56 pm UTC (link)
The contact surprised Mick, although he supposed it shouldn't have by now. He didn't mind it; it was just one of those things he wasn't used to from people he didn't know very well. It had become much more frequent lately. That was something he needed to think about, but not now.

For a moment he allowed himself the brief fantasy that they were doing something as innocuously human as going for coffee. The moment ended he looked at the menu. The array of drinks and snacks that he couldn't taste became a stark reminder that he wasn't human, and hadn't been for a long time. Heather could enjoy them however, and in a way, it kind of made it better. Humanity by proxy, or something like that.

Mick nodded, "It's a good place to meet with clients," As if on cue, the host, Brian, came over and greeted him by name before directing them to his usual booth. It was quiet, and a little secluded, which was perfect for discussing case details. Little did he realize, that it was also perfect for Lady Heather's plan.

As they walked towards the booth, he leaned over and said in a false whisper, "And I can guarantee it's better than Starbucks."

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[info]dominates
2008-01-21 09:59 pm UTC (link)
"I assure you that I'm aware smaller places like this are much better than Starbucks. I had a client who paid for his sessions with Kopi Luwak. I was quite sorry to see him leave." Who didn't love to be paid in the most expensive coffee that money could buy?

She was glad to see that the host was seating them at a secluded table; it would ensure that her experiment would not cause a stir with the restaurant. The last thing that she wanted to do was embarrass Mick when he'd been perfectly charming thusfar. "There is a cigar bar only a few blocks from the apartments that is excellent for impressing your clients, since it seems that we are trading clientele advice." Nothing like blatantly stating to your clients that you had expensive taste.

Her rates tended to surprise them less when she took them to the cigar bar over a coffee shop. Heather slipped into her side of the booth, immediately straightening and moving to look at a menu. Something caffeine-free, she decided after a moment.

"Do you have any recommendations to a newcomer, Mick?"

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-22 05:06 am UTC (link)
Mick canted his head and grinned. "Didn't doubt it for a second." Again, he approved. He liked smaller places with a homier feel, not the almost clinical factory assembly line you saw in many chains. Probably had something to do with his age, he thought ruefully. After all, he was, appearances aside, essentially an 80 year old man. An old fogey maybe, but he liked to think he kept up with the times pretty well.

It was a thought. At least with some of the people he dealt with. Penny pinching corporates who only understood two things: money and privilege. "I'll take that into consideration." He looked around the place, and added, "Though I do like the atmosphere here." That, and, it allowed him to give something to others that he give to himself. It made it more significant for him somehow, not that they'd realize it.

Something decaf that tasted good. It couldn't be coffee then. In life, he would have considered that an oxymoron, and he hadn't had any reason to change his mind since. Still, it was a tough question. He mostly went by smell, and other people's comments. Most of the time, they'd go for one of the different specialty blends, all having plenty of caffeine. He racked his brain for any memory of someone ordering something without caffeine, and was drawing a blank. "You know? I don't know." He grimaced slightly in embarrassment, and began to read the tea section carefully, trying to figure out what would be good.

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[info]dominates
2008-01-22 05:13 am UTC (link)
"Actually..." Whether or not she would be able to ingest caffeine would depend on her blood sugar levels, and that was the truth. It would also give her a perfect opportunity to test her theory with Mick.

"One moment. I may be able to have at least a small amount of caffeine. People say that it doesn't effect blood sugar, but I've always found it effects mine now and again..." She pulled out her disposable lancet and pricked one of her fingers, giving it a squeeze to let the droplet swell to the surface while she picked up her test strip with the other hand and dabbed it into the pool before inserting it into her meter. Despite going through the familiar motions, Heather kept her gaze on Mick's face.

Curiosity. That was all that this was: not malice or an intent to harm him if he reacted strangely, merely curiosity. She smiled, bringing her pricked finger to her lips to wet it before she wiped it clean on a napkin.

The meter next to her beeped and she glanced down to it. "It appears we're in luck. If I drink a small coffee, I should be fine."

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-22 06:17 am UTC (link)
Mick's eyes widened as he realized where this was going. He was going to reassure her that she didn't have to, but just as soon as he opened his mouth, he was stopped by the smell of fresh blood in the air. Strong, near, and hers. His jaw clenched, and his nostrils flared as he instinctively breathed it in. At this point, he could have told her what the results would have been, but not only would that be insanely stupid, he was too distracted.

He closed his eyes, and concentrated on not breathing in the scent. On not changing, and revealing what he truly was to her. It felt like an eternity, but he'd managed to regroup, and his gaze met her curious one. It worried him, but when she licked at the blood on her finger, he was again too transfixed to care.

"Right," he said when she spoke. His voice was a little distant and dazed. Knowing that he was at risk of exposure, he shook his head, trying to clear the blood induced haze from his mind. He smiled weakly. "In that case, I recommend that," he said, pointing to a house blend that had always impressed his clients.

Through sheer force of will, Mick was able to put his analytical mind to work. What, exactly, was going on here? While he was on the topic, and since he knew damage was done, how could he fix it?

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[info]dominates
2008-01-22 06:26 am UTC (link)
"I've never seen a vampire react quite so strongly," she murmured quietly, flagging the waitress over after she spoke and ordering a small cup of the house blend for herself before glancing expectantly over to Mick. Heather assumed that since she'd taken several minutes to decide on what she was getting, he knew what he was going to have as well. She hadn't expected such a prominent reaction from Mick; honestly, it was as if he could literally smell the blood in the air. He'd certainly been interested when she'd licked her finger. Since he'd had his eyes closed as an instinctual reaction, it couldn't have been a visual stimulus unless he was using his imagination - and that was atypical for a fetishist. How strange.

"I would say that I have women at my club that cater to your fetish, but I can't say I've ever met one quite like you. The few that I've met have been regrettably insincere. They're merely trying to fit into some predetermined category to define themselves as 'edgy'." Her curiosity was only going to become worse at this point, and she wondered if Mick knew that.

Heather leaned over the table very slightly, speaking a bit lower than she had been in the moments before. "I cannot quite pinpoint how you are different, Mick. You're very ... interesting." Yes, that would suffice for now -- interesting. No need for him to think that she was going to turn him in or ridicule him for what aroused him.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-23 06:50 am UTC (link)
Mick's eyebrows shot up as she compared him to other vampires. Was it possible that she not only knew about vampires, but was an active part in the community? There was, after all, a supply chain for fresh blood, one which had human cooperation. For all he knew, she was part of that supply chain. Still, that wasn't a safe assumption to make. So he'd need to figure out exactly what she knew, without betraying the existence of vampires. His watched her intently as she ordered her coffee, as though the slightest motion would provide a clue. Then, she was looking at him expectantly.

Oh well. He wouldn't drink it, but he could order it. Besides, if this conversation continued much longer, he'd want the prop to mask his nerves. "I'll have the same," he said to the waitress, and waited until she left before continuing the conversation. Or, that was the plan.

Before he could ask her some carefully worded questions, her words made everything clear. The fetish thing. Right. He wasn't able to stop a slight smirk from appearing on his face. However, she unwittingly gave him the perfect out. He could pretend that was all it was. Still, her comment on his sincerity tugged at him. Mick was, as much as he could be, an honest person. The problem was, when you have to keep the sort of secrets Mick did, it wasn't an easy thing to be. It was one of the reasons he kept himself apart from others. Made sure not to let them in. It was easier that way.

"I doubt you've met any like me." By way of explanation, he added, "I've never been much for scenes." That much was true, on both counts. Even if she regularly made a point of hanging around real vampires, the odds that she'd meet one like him were phenomenally low.

Then he leaned forward, his tone serious. "I need you to promise me you can keep this a secret. I'm sure you can understand why." Again, this was true. More than she knew, and he was willing to let on.

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[info]dominates
2008-01-23 06:57 am UTC (link)
Once the coffee was ordered and Mick was speaking again, Heather turned her full attention to the man. She would need to continue to scrutinize him if she was going to figure him out (and she did plan to figure him out one way or another). His words took her by surprise, but she hypothesized that he had relatively little to gain from lying to her, so she would have to trust his word when he told her that she probably hadn't met any vampires like him before. That could mean any number of things, although the most obvious answer was at the same time the most absurd.

Then again, when one considered Occam's razor ... well, that wasn't important right now. What was important was that Mick was speaking again, giving her clues.

She glanced to Mick when he leaned forward, still as curious as she had been a few moments ago. Yes, she'd given him an out without realizing it, but it appeared that didn't matter. Heather smirked faintly at his words, leaning forward in return to murmur quietly, under her breath, "I'm sure you can imagine that I am none too familiar with the subtleties of discretion, Mick."

Probably more than he knew in return, but she was genuine in her words. She had no reason to use whatever he told her against him at this point, and she did not abuse her power like that. It was the perfect way to get it taken away, and that was the last thing that Heather wanted.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-24 12:58 pm UTC (link)
As he watched her studying him, Mick began to wonder if this was a good idea after all. Pretend he was a wannabe? What was he thinking? Thing is, he had a feeling that if he tried to outright deny it his response, she'd know he was lying. After that, nothing he said would throw her off the trail. Heather didn't seem the type to doubt what she saw. So he was stuck. Playing along with what, he had to say, was one of the worst covers he ever had to pull.

Again he noticed that whatever they were doing, it was always on her terms. Was it deliberate, or was it just second nature to someone with her job? Part of the personality profile, like how being suspicious, and a PI went hand in hand. Not that it could possibly have any relevance now. Still, the fact of the matter was, Mick didn't know what game they were playing, or, even if it was a game. She could be trouble. Big trouble. Though, he couldn't bring himself to believe she meant him any harm. Which really only made things worse.

"Believe me, I can," he said. Women in her line of work, or in any skin trade, for that matter, could be very tight lipped when they needed to be. Some had even risked their lives to keep a secret. Then again, there were just as many who would use the secrets they had, if it was to their advantage. He really couldn't blame either group. They were frequently judged, because of this, often unable to trust anyone but themselves. And that was something he could relate to.

"But that sort of trust goes both ways, right?" he continued, leaning back a bit, with a small smirk of his own. When he continued, his tone was serious again. "So, I want you to know, that you can trust me." If she found out the real truth, that would be just as important. When someone is scared, it doesn't matter if they're human or vampire. They make rash decisions.

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[info]dominates
2008-01-24 10:03 pm UTC (link)
Heather wasn't controlling the conversation on purpose, really. Not on a conscious level, but he was correct when he assumed that someone with her job eventually became used to directing instead of following, coaxing instead of being coaxed. She listened to what he said with an arch of her brow, nodding along with his last question.

"Of course it does. Trust that isn't mutual is far more fragile than people think that it is." She studied him again, weighing whether he was trustworthy. Thusfar he had proved to be frank and honest, which was always a good sign of being trustworthy. After another few moments of consideration she conceded, "Yes, I believe that I can. Do you think that something you are going to tell me is going to frighten me?" It would make sense for him to wish to reassure her if that was the case. She saw it now and again with her clients - they wanted her trust as much as they wanted to be trusted.

Mick wouldn't be making a mistake - Heather was incredibly trustworthy. Nobody would ever find out what had happened with Grissom, and nobody had ever found out about her judge's little ... fantasy. The latter had gotten her out of prison once, but she hadn't asked the man directly for him to help get her released. It had been a token of appreciation.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-25 12:31 pm UTC (link)
Trust that isn't mutual isn't, Mick thought to himself. He didn't say it aloud, because he wasn't sure how he felt yet. He had just met Heather, and it took him a while to trust someone. Besides, it wasn't entirely his choice. His life, if you could call it that, wasn't the only one on the line. He would, in essence, be entrusting her with the fate of an entire race. Any sane vampire would tell you that discretion was important, and no matter what the others might think, he wasn't that crazy.

She seemed accepting, but she still thought he was human. A little weird, maybe, but that was a long way from actually being undead. That, in his experience, tended to change things. And not for the better. Even Beth had needed time to "process" things.

Mick shook his head, "No, not that I'm going to tell you." His expression was apologetic, "At least not now." If he had his way, not ever. There may come a time, however, that he wouldn't be able to hide the truth. He rolled his eyes at the mess he made of things, and added with a bitter laugh, "Besides, I think I've told you more than enough." Enough to get her in trouble with all the wrong people if word got out. The weight of that bore on him, and it showed.

He could really use that coffee now, if only as a distraction.

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[info]dominates
2008-01-25 03:40 pm UTC (link)
She was accepting. Perhaps it would change if he told her that he wasn't in fact human, but only time would tell with that. Heather liked to think, like any human, that she could predict her actions ... but she also knew that this was rarely the case. He looked as if he was weighing this very extensively, which meant that it was important.

It made her both more and less curious. People had the right to have secrets if they wanted to, although in her experience it tended to eventually come and bite them in the ass. She nodded at his statement, "If you believe that, then I will accept it." For now, but that was written into her expression.

When he laughed and rolled his eyes, however, Heather slipped her hand out to rest against his gently, squeezing briefly before she moved it back into her personal space. The coffee would be good for now.

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[info]monsterinhiding
2008-01-27 05:00 am UTC (link)
When her hand touched his, Mick met her eyes, his expression one of frustration and concern. In truth, he'd like a confidante, but opening up wasn't something he was good at. Beth and Josef were pretty much the only people he trusted that much.

There was also Heather's safety to consider. He resolved, whatever happened, he'd make sure she didn't get hurt because of his secrets. He didn't like putting people at risk. As he made this decision, he squeezed her hand lightly in return. "Thanks for understanding."

Behind him, he heard familiar footsteps, and he glanced back to see the waitress, coming with their coffee. He'd had decades of looking over his shoulder, it wasn't an easy habit to break. He grabbed two sugar packets, shaking them, and pouring them into his coffee. He then took a spoon and stirred his coffee, lost in thought. The distraction provided him an opportunity to regain his composure. He smiled at her, and was all charm, "Besides, I wouldn't want to get boring, now would I?" Although he did, for her sake.

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