The gang watching TV was a sight to behold. They howled and yelled at what they were watching, throwing random things, taunting each other when one confessed to like what was on. The channel kept changing too.

    "Though sometimes a distraction might be nice," Keller murmured, which just to show how much she'd grown up.
    A brief nod of agreement. "Traveling isn't especially good for them anyway, and they really couldn't do anything here that they can't do there." Not the the Draches would see it that way, but it was true nonetheless.

    "You'll be able to grocery shop anyway," Price said with a grin. "You have a savings account you're hiding away somewhere, I know it. It's all a front, the starving student thing, overworking yourself and what-not." A teasing wink was sent in her direction as they crossed the parking lot. "Did you bring your car??"

    Tristan sent a wry salute in Nolan's direction, before slipping out the sliding glass door in the livingroom, and onto the back patio. He was gone in a moment, stalking around the edges of the house.

    Watching TV with a room full of rowdy gang members was an entertaining experience. Not to mention education. Sahar heard language at Mace's house that she had never heard anywhere else, and learned something about anatomy to go with it. It was really quite interesting what kind of flak a grown man could get for wanting to watch a Passions marathon.

    "Traveling into an area which seems to be suffering from a sudden infestation of dragons would be even worse," Galen said tiredly, "and you're right, there's nothing that they can do here. But it might be hard to convince them of that."

    "I like to think that I have a little more sense than that," Anna said, after a moment's consideration. "If I was going to pretend to be something, couldn't it be something fun? You know, like a fairy princess, and not a starving overworked student."
    She nodded, and used her hand on his arm to guide him towards her car. "It's probably the only intact one in the lot," she said, with a wry smile.

    Keller nodded in understanding. "It will definitely be hard to convince them of it, but it /is/ for their own good. They'll likely be more effective in Carolina anyway." Away from the danger zone, still perfectly capable of giving orders without becoming personally involved.

    "Well it goes with the sense, you're too realistic for that," he offered helpfully. "You decided to pretend to be something you /could/ be." Teasing grin, eyes laughing as he patted her hand.
    He moved willingly with her to her car, looking around mildly. "I think you're right on that one. Be surprised if the hotel isn't sued."

    "I'll talk to them," Galen said. "It might not do any good, but I will talk to them. Maybe if I lay out all of the reasons for them to be there and not here, they'll be willing to stay in North Carolina. I won't be able to tell them it's safer, though. You know how they are." He looked a little sheepish, since he knew that he could be that way, too. After all, it was how he and Keller had met.

    "That's a pretty thought," Anna said, with a grin, "but all in all, I think I'd prefer to be a fairy princess."
    A soft groan escaped her as she followed his gaze around the parking lot. "Please, don't remind me. Remember, I'm going to be dealing with the consequences of this tomorrow. A lot of very irate people."

    Keller reached across to pat his hand. "It'll be fine, Galen, either way. Even if they do decide to come out here, you know they'll be properly protected and taken care of. Or we'll just threaten to sic Iliana on them." That should put the fear into them, if nothing else.

    "I can see you flitting about, taking care of things by beating people with your princess baton," Price agreed, grin stretching. It was actually a cute thought, especially if Anna was wearing one of those princess dresses as she flew around.
    "If anyone can handle all of them, it's you," he said with calm surety. For some odd reason, she was remarkable at dealing with any irate person, whether human or Night. "And for today, just don't think about it."

    "I know," Galen said, but he sighed. He turned his hand over to catch hers, holding it across the table, his knuckles resting against the polished wood. A bare smile teased at his mouth when she mentioned Iliana. "That's a good one. I'll have to remember that. The Witch Child terrifies them, you know. They can deal with someone trying to kill them, but they can't deal with temper tantrums or weeping. I was never big on throwing fits when I was a kid. Neither was..." he paused, and shrugged, but it was true. His younger brother had always been difficult, but not one to throw a tantrum.

    "Oh, that's such a pretty thought," Anna said, her eyes narrowing with malicious, not terribly Daybreak pleasure at the thought of beating the next person to annoy her over the head with a baton. "I don't think that I could pull off the whole pink tutu, though, or the glitter."
    The surety in his voice made her feel better. It was surprisingly nice to have someone like Price voice confidence in her abilities. Still surprising, even after two months. "Thanks. I'll try not to think about it too much for the rest of the evening."

    Keller lightly caressed his palm with her thumb, smiling again at his words. "Iliana is good at that threatening stuff." She paused when he did, watching him for a moment. "Have you heard from him??"

    An amused look was sent in her direction, as he could only imagine who the look in her eyes was directed. "I've got disagree with that though. You'd look quite glorious in a pink tutu. So...friendly, and cute. Can't forget the cute."
    He nodded in satisfaction at her words. "Good girl. I'll treat you to some food and then I'll take you home and you can sleep all the badness away. Doesn't that sound nice??" Another wink in her direction.

    Darkness had settled firmly over Vegas when Julianna bounded up onto the broad porch. A cheerful grin was taking up her face as she knocked loudly on the door. "Gamble, oh Gamble, it's a beautiful night out here and you owe me a date!" A soft wind blew her hair over the collar of her denim jacket and she heard the snuffling of dogs behind the door, which just made her grin deepen.

    Leaning against a post, Paul watched a person exit the Harman store before the sign was flipped from "open" to "close." One of the few businesses that closed a semi-decent hour, it would seem. Or she was just closing early, who knew.
    Smiling slightly, he pushed off the post and ambled across the street. A brief check showed the business may be closed, but the door was not locked. Smile widening, he stepped through it, hearing the bell jingle over his head. What a nice way to announce his presence.

    "Oh, yes, very," Galen said, with a smile.
    The smile slipped from his face when he heard her question. "We lost track of him a while ago. I'm not sure if he's purposely evading my parents' agents, or if he's just that hard to keep track of. He's certainly not making as much of a commotion as he used to." He sighed, and shook his head. "You know he hasn't contacted us directly. He never has. That hasn't really been a problem, but with everything that's happening, it would be... nice... to know that he's okay."

    "Well, that just cinches it," Anna joked, with a flashing smile and just a hint of laughter in her voice. "I wouldn't want to give anyone a false impression."
    She rolled her eyes at his plan, although she continued to smile. "Jeez, Price, it's six o'clock at night. I'm not going to sleep this early. Do you intend to cut my food into bite-sized pieces at dinner, too?" She bumped her shoulder against his, a friendly little shove in response to his wink.

    The door was pulled open, although the screen remained shut as Gamble tried to coax the dogs away from the door, and the woman on the other side of it. They whimpered and whined, casting looks at Julianna through melting brown eyes, as if she was just their favorite person in the world. "Back, you mongrels. I get to greet the lady first."
    Finally, he just opened the screen door and eeled out onto the porch, shutting the screen firmly in front of wet noses on lolling tongues. He swept Julianna up into a hug, lifting her off the ground, then set her back on her feet with a grin. "Hey there, beautiful. I owe you a date?" He paused, and pretended to consider that, one hand reaching up to scratch at his chin idly. "Hmm. I don't remember that."

    The jingling of the bell alerted Phaedra to the fact that someone had entered the store, but she didn't turn around, busy neatening a shelf of herbs set behind the counter. "We're closed," she said instead, in a tone that implied that if the prospective customer couldn't read a sign, they shouldn't be shopping there.

    Keller smiled again, wondering idly how Iliana would react to her name being used in such a way. Though the Witch Child had definitely grown more mature as she aged, there was still that hint of innocence and naivety about her.
    Her thumb stroked his palm again as he spoke about his brother. "From what I saw of him, I wouldn't doubt he's avoiding them," she admitted. "After hearing about what's going on, your parents will probably try to find him again. Maybe they'll succeed this time, and you can know for sure."

    "Yes, because anyone who doesn't think your cute, is terribly misled," Price said, forever loyal, as his grin deepened. "And you should cover your whole body with glitter. It would definitely add to the image of cuteness."
    His grin finally broke into soft laughter at her, heh heh, suggestion. "Of course I would, if you so desired," he said quite regally. "If you don't think you can raise up any real energy, I'd even chew it for you." Bumping her shoulder in return with another grin.

    Julianna grinned broader as she heard Gamble's words, reaching her fingers out to the screen door. A couple of dogs shoved up to lick at her fingers through the screen. "Oh, my pretty boys," she crooned lovingly, before Gamble shoved his way past the dogs and out the door.
    A full laugh rolled out as he picked her up and swung her around, getting a huge hug and peck on the cheek in reply. Brows raised as he pretended to consider her words. Hands shoved into the pockets of her jacket and she rocked back on her heels, brows still raised, grin still on her face as he finally feigned ignorance. "You don't?? Maybe I was mistaken. I'm sure your boys will entertain me then, since you must be so busy and all. Such a popular guy that you are and all."
    The dogs whined behind Gamble, as if fully agreeing with her words. Julianna giggled and stepped past the vampire. "If you don't mind though, we'll need your house for the rest of the night. Thank you."

    Paul ambled through some of the aisles, looking over the load of crap stationed there. A moment passed before he replied, "You've always been closed, Phaedra. You should work on that."

    "They'll try," Galen said, with a nod, "I'll try. But if Mace doesn't want to be found, we won't find him. I think he's made it clear that he doesn't want anything to do with any of us, but I would like to at least be able to keep a discreet eye on him while all of this is going on. It's too dangerous right now for us not too, and he's the only member of the First House not accounted for." He smiled at her wryly. "I don't suppose that Gift would know where he is?" Not that he would ask her, not unless things got very desperate. The thought of owing Gift a favor left him a little cold.

    Although her thoughts didn't usually tend towards the truly vulger end of the spectrum, Price's suggestion about glitter made her eyebrows rise and a set of neat little dimples appear to either side of her mouth. "My whole body, hmm? I might need help with that one. There are certain places I know I can't bend to reach," she teased.
    She grimaced, and gave him a reproachful look out of dark eyes. "Okay, that was just gross, Mr. Kee. You are such a guy." She licked a finger and held it up in the air, as if to signify that he had scored a point.

    Gamble snagged Julianna by the waist as she moved to get around him and to the door. "Not so fast there, little lady. I didn't say no, now did I?" He released her, and cast her his own version of the liquid look that the dogs were giving her, a conscious imitation that was ruined only by the laughing curve of his mouth. "Of course, if you'd rather spend the evening with my furry friends there, I'm not about to argue with you. My ma taught me never to fight with a lady, you know."

    When Paul's voice hit her, Phaedra paused, her hands hovering over a jars of mugwort. They she continued what she was doing, moving briskly and efficiently behind the counter, very purposely not turning to face him until her task was done. When the last of the jars was organized, she turned. She crossed her arms over her chest as she swept a look over him, from head to feet and back again. "Oh. It's you."

    "Have to be very discreet, or he'll disappear again as soon as he feels your eyes on him," she said ruefully, having heard plenty of stories of the younger Drache. When she wasn't face-to-face with him. How he and Galen came from the same family was still rather beyond her.
    She was silent for a second, considering his question, before slowly nodding. "I bet she does," she admitted. "I'll ask her. It's one of those things that'll be easier for everyone in the end."

    Price grinned when he saw those dimples appear. He wasn't quite sure what it was, but he adored Anna's dimples. "Why Anna, that almost sounded like an offer," he teased back. "And here I thought you were such an innocent little miss."
    The reproachful look only made his grin widen. "Some things you just don't ever grow out of, you know?? Next I'll be blowing spit balls at you. Never say I didn't warn you."

    Julianna laughed again, turning in his arm so they were face-to-face. "Well you seemed to be heading in that direction, and you know how I can't stand rejection," she said, drooping her lashes modesty. Though the puppy eyes he gave her were beyond cute. There would no rejection to /anything/ he followed that with.
    "Well I wouldn't say I'd /rather/, but I wouldn't want to interrupt any plans you have or anything," she explained graciously, looping her arms around his neck and started to sway to the wind. She loved Gamble's house. It was one of her favorite places in the world.

    Finally making his way up the counter, Paul rested his arms on it and lounged against it. A smirk crept up his mouth as she spoke. "It is me. Long time, no see, Phaedra. Was starting to feel lonely."

    "Either that, or he'll march up to my door and try to kick my ass for spying on him," Galen said ruefully. That sounded so much like the Mace that he had known as a young man. So irresponsible, so brash, so... Mace. There really was no comparing him to anyone else. He turned serious at Keller's words, and shook his head reluctantly. "Don't, not if it's going to leave you owing her something you don't want to owe. I want to know, but I don't need to. If the worst happens... Mace has always been good at taking care of himself." He still didn't trust Gift, and certainly didn't like the idea of Keller being indebted to her on his behalf.

    "Of course I am," Anna said, with a sardonic note to her voice. "Didn't you know? All Daybreakers are the picture of innocence. We never do anything untoward. Especially involving glitter and nudity." She kept a very serious face through all this, although there was a trembling in her lower lip that was telling of the effort that it cost her.
    She unhooked her arm from his, and gave a mock-prissy huff. "Spit balls? That's the last straw. I'm going home to my usual diet of paste and crayons." Really, there were some things from the days when they had been children that it was probably best for her not to remind him off, but it was too good to resist.

    "Oh, I would never reject you, darlin'," Gamble assured her, giving her waist a brief squeeze before releasing her. Oh, but that woman felt good, and acted just too nice for her own well being. "I wasn't planning anything for the evening, either, so I'd be happy to give you that date I owe you. Out or in?" he asked.
    One of the dogs gave a short, mournful howl, as if it suspected that it had been supplanted in Julianna's affections.

    "It has been a while," Phaedra agreed, but not like she particularly regretted the separation. She moved and leaned her hip against the same counter he was leaning on, but on the opposite side, so that she was momentarily presented with his profile. A soft snort eloquently expressed her opinion of his last comment, and her mouth twisted into a faint smile, all sharp edges and wry humor. "I'm sure. You don't look like you've suffered much for it."

    That did get a short laugh from Keller. "He'd have to kick many asses to get to yours, don't worry," she assured him, mirth flickering briefly in her eyes.
    She was silent for a moment, then shrugged. "Alright." She would ask though. Because Galen would want to know, and it would do his parents good to know as well. Likely ease their worry, which they definitely wouldn't need once they became knowledgeable about the situation.

    "I always knew it," Price assured her most gallantly. "Just the image of you nude with glitter burns my eyes, don't worry." Another bump of the shoulder, the trembling in her lip making his own twitch.
    A soft laugh, and he wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her, whirling her about easily. "Ah, I see. Nothing I can offer could possibly compare with paste and crayons. My steak and steamed vegetables just disappear in embarrassment." He set her down, grinning wickedly. "Have enough to share?? I miss the taste of paste on my tongue."

    "Ah, my heart just went pitter-patter," she said lightly, giving his cheek another peck as he released her. She widened her eyes in a playfully wounded look. "You really forgot our date?? I just don't know what to think."
    She tossed a glance over her shoulder, as if she could see all of Vegas in that one look. The howl brought her attention back around though, and she grinned at Gamble. "I'm going to say in. Can't leave your boys feeling neglected and stuff, now can we?? Especially after I got their hopes up."

    The smirk softened into a lazy smile. "You can't imagine my suffering, Peepee." His eyes swept over her this time, taking in the curves he couldn't see but knew anyway. "You're not looking too bad yourself."

    "I don't know," Galen said, with a short laugh of his own, "he is family. They might just let him right through."
    He gave her hand a quick squeeze and released it as the waitress reappeared with their food, setting steaming plates of rarebit and Shepard's pie down in front of the couple. "I probably don't have to worry about it, though. Most likely, Mace is off in Tijuana with his friends, drinking himself silly and not having even the slightest thought in his head regarding dragons or anything of that nature."

    The trembling of Anna's lip finally turned into a laugh, full-throated and easy. "Well, I'm glad to hear it. My girlish modesty would make me shy away if you had any kind of dishonorable intentions, you know."
    Another laugh escaped her as he picked her up and twirled her around, her hands going to his shoulders to steady herself once her feet were once again on the ground. "Nuh-uh. I'm not sharing my paste with you, mister. I guess we'll have to settle for steak and vegetables, after all."

    "I'm sorry," Gamble said, seeming genuinely contrite. "I've been working today. You can blame you sister, if you like, since it was her folk I was entertaining this afternoon."
    He rested an easy arm over her shoulders, and followed her gaze to the dogs, who were scrambling for the best positions near the door, panting and staring at the two people outside. "Ah, but you always are so considerate of my boys. Be careful, I might get jealous." He said it with a grin, though, easy and relaxed enough to make it doubtful that Gamble could ever get jealous. "Well, why don't you come in, and I'll cook you dinner, and we can watch a movie?"

    The nickname made Phaedra's brow wrinkle with annoyance, although the look that he gave her made her feel uncomfortably warm in a way which had little to do with anger. "Right. What do you want, Paul?" She uncrossed her arms and leaned an elbow against the case, not quite imitating his stance. "Eye of newt? Wool of bat? We're fresh out of tongue of dog, I'm afraid to say, but if you'd like to place an order, you're welcome to do so. Of course, being as the store -is- closed, you'll have to wait until tomorrow to do so."

    Keller smiled again, though this one had a bit of a harder edge to it. "He wouldn't get through me, Galen."
    She leaned back as the waitress came back, eyes lingering hungrily on the food. The smell twitched her nose and she had to resist the urge to reach out and grab some. Fighting those instincts and all.
    A slight smile this time. "He'd be in his forties, and you still think he's a party boy??"

    "Me, dishonorable intentions??" Price put a hand over his heart, leaning his head back in tragedy. "Perish the thought. I don't even know the meaning of the words. At least together." An ingratiating smile.
    Which only widened when she refused him paste. "Alright cutie, I'll bite. What will it take to get some of your paste?? Maybe with one of those green crayons thrown in??"

    Julianna clicked her tongue, shaking her head in dismay. "Bad, bad Gift, working you much too hard. I'll talk to her about that." Said with a grin, because she doubted Gamble would /want/ her to talk to Gift. Her sister likely gave him the best business ever.
    She cuddled comfortably into his side, still grinning as she looked at his dogs. They were whining now, still giving big liquid eyes, just begging. "You should really talk to them about that begging thing," she whispered sideways to Gamble, giggling softly. "And it's okay. Most people are jealous of their dogs. Nothing for you to be embarrassed about."
    A wink, before she nodded agreeably. Julianna was notoriously easy to please. "Sounds great. Need any help with dinner??"

    Paul watched her move, eyes lingering this time on her chest as her shirt tightened briefly against the counter. Then he raised a brow at her, eyes lifting to meet hers as well. "Why would I want any of your weird ingredients?? I was just in the neighborhood, thought I'd drop by. See how you're doing." Eyes dropped again to her chest. "See what you're doing."

    “I don’t think he’s likely to come after me,” Galen said, and smiled. “Tijuana is so far away, after all.”
    Her question made the smile widen, just a little. “It’s Mace,” he said. Then he shrugged. “But you’re right, he could have grown up. It hasn’t been that long since we last heard of him, though, a few years. At that point, he…” he paused, remembering what their agents had told him of Mace, and the three friends he traveled with, “was running with a rough crowd,” he finished.

    “But you know them separately?” Anna asked, with a contemplative expression. “So you’re both dishonorable and filled with intent? Just not dishonorable intentions.” She smiled at him mischievously.
    “Bite?” she asked, with a raised brow at the unfortunate word choice. She shook her head with mock-sorrow. “Paste and green crayons. Really, Price, you have absolutely no culinary sense whatsoever. What am I going to do with you?”

    “Ah, don’t worry your sister about me,” Gamble said, with an easy grin. “I’d be bored stiff if it wasn’t for her and her merry men workin’ me to the bone.”
    He glanced at the dogs, and tried to look reproachful as they continued to beg shamelessly. “I’ve tried to talk to them about that, but you know, they look at me with those big eyes of theirs, and I just don’t have the heart to scold them. I’m so weak.”
    He gave her another squeeze before releasing her, and holding the door open so that she could walk inside. Of course, the dogs immediately rushed out to give her a proper slobber-filled greeting. “I’d be glad for the help. I know my way around the kitchen pretty well, but I’m sure the meal could do with a woman’s touch,” he said, with a teasing wink.

    A soft breath, almost a sigh, escaped Phaedra’s lips at the weight of Paul’s eyes on her, a not unfamiliar reaction to his presence. Damn him for being so desirable, and damn her for having absolutely no self control where he was concerned. “I’m fine,” she said, after a momentary pause, “and I’m not doing anything.”

    “We’ll hope,” she agreed with a chuckle. From what she remembered of Mace, he’d wanted nothing to do with his family. That might’ve changed by now though, as his parents eased into their old age and he started looking for a cushier life. If he came near Galen though, he wouldn’t get too close.
    She nodded at his words, recalling the trouble the younger Drache had gotten into. “I don’t know if he /could/ grow up,” she mused as the waitress went away. Very calmly, Keller reached over to snag some of the pie, inching it onto her plate and taking a big bite. Ahh, that was better.

    “I said I /know/ them, not that I personify them,” Price protested, another wounded look on his face. His honor was being questioned, after all. “I would /never/.” A pause. “Well, okay, I do have intentions, just not dishonor. I am a very noble soul.” And the appropriate nose-in-the-air look to prove it, only broken by his laughing eyes.
    A brief pause, before the ingratiating grin just deepened. “Maybe nibble would’ve been better?? I can nibble. I like nibbling.” He gave her a big-eyed sweet look. “Cook for me?? Show why I should prefer some culinary talent versus the paste and green crayons??”

    “Her merry men,” Julianna echoed, eyes twinkling. Just the image of that, Gift leading the RoA in tights, made her giggle. “I’m sure they love that idea. You going to provide the tights, hun??
    “You are,” she mock-scolded, poking his arm lightly. “Now they clearly think they’re the master, and you’re the pet.” An adoring smile was sent to the dogs, who whined excitedly. “You’re lucky they’re so nice, really.”
    Following him inside, she was instantly trapped inside furry bodies. Giggling, she dropped to her knees and held out her arms. The dogs immediately lunged at her, lapping her face with more excited whines. They cuddled into her from all sides and she hugged those she could reach before looking up at Gamble. “You might regret this particular woman’s helpful touch, but you know I’m always happy to help,” she said cheerfully, eyes still twinkling. A wet nose snuffled in her ear and she patted a fuzzy head.

    Another lazy smile, because Paul could see her reaction to him. He was a man who loved women, he’d learned to read the signs. “No plans for the night?? /You/??” An exaggerated display of shock as slightly mocking eyes widened at her.

    Galen calmly shifted a piece of the rarebit from the serving platter to his own plate, and shook his head. “My brother, Peter Pan,” he remarked, which was hardly an accurate description, except in that Mace would never grow up.

    The nose-in-the-air testimony of nobility made Anna laugh, and she pressed her forehead against his shoulder for a moment, her shoulders shaking. “Okay, I give up. You are the very picture of all that is good and noble.”
    She raised his head, only to laugh again when she saw the ingratiating look on his face. “I’m not sure that nibble is any better. I will cook for you though, if you like, but we’ll need to stop by the grocery store on the way. I wasn’t kidding about there being nothing but paste in the house.” She fished out her keys as they approached her car. “Not that a steak will have any more nutritional value for you than the paste would.”

    “I will,” Gamble promised, his expression somber but his eyes amused. “Anonymously.”
    “They are kind and tolerant masters,” he agreed easily, watching as the dogs frolicked around her like overgrown puppies. Then he chuckled softly. “Well, if you’re a disaster in the kitchen and I’m not much better, maybe we should just order Chinese food. I’m not sure that I have a fire extinguisher in the house.”

    A hint of temper snapped through Phaedra’s eyes, and she pushed it back under control before she responded to him. “You’re right, Paul. My life is obviously sad and empty. I must find something to do immediately, before my youth slips away and I am left a cold and withered old woman.” She turned away from him dismissively, toward the phone behind the counter. “You can let yourself out.”

    “Not quite as cute though,” Keller replied, rather dryly. She could imagine Mace trying to kill pirates though, as long as by pirates it meant anyone trying to encroach on his lifestyle. Why /couldn’t/ he have taken Galen’s example??

    Price grinned, just a nice grin, and patted her head while it was on his shoulder. “Thank you for finally admitting it. I can live with myself for a little bit longer now.”
    “Well nibble has a gentler sound to it than bite,” he suggested. “Though some girls are into the biting thing though.” A brief musing look, before another grin. “You think they have the same nutritional value, but you’re rather spend an extra twenty dollars on a steak than paste?? What kind of starving student are /you/??” He pondered her keys for a second, then shook his head. “But no, I said I’d treat, so I shall. What restaurant you wanna go to??”

    “Like that’ll help,” she teased happily. “They’ll trace it back, fear you not. Though I’d still like to be there when the tights arrive.” Just to see the RoA’s expressions. Then she’d quietly exit so she didn’t get caught in any of the crossfire, of course.
    “Of course they are,” she crooned, stroking muzzles and fingering ears. “They’re so pretty. Pretty boys. Whenever Gamble gets tired of you, I’ll take you in.”
    The dogs whined loudly, lapping at her hands, and she grinned as her eyes lifted to the other vampire. “Chinese sounds good. Likely be faster too. Though cooking ourselves might be more fun.” A mischievous look took over her features.

    The smile widened as he watched her turn. “Well I could always work on that keeping your youth thing.” He reached out, fingers catching her elbow and turning her back around. Straightening, he leaned over the counter and caught her lips in a light but nonetheless completely searing kiss. This was what always bit his ass; he didn’t like her as a person, but as a woman to touch and hold and kiss, she couldn’t be beaten.

    "I'm sure that he would disagree," Galen said, with a quick smile for his soulmate. He polished off the piece of rarebit quickly, then looked at the Shepard's pie, taking a tiny bit of mashed potatoes on his fork to try.

    A grin stretched across Anna's face. "Some girls are into the biting thing, hmm?" she asked, giving him mock-suspicious eyes. "How would you know that, Kee? Been hanging out with a kinky crowd behind my back."
    "A culinary student," she responded promptly, unhooking her arm from his so that she could unlock the car door. "I can cook if you like, but otherwise, I'm open as far as restaurant choice. Just as long as it isn't fast food or anywhere inside the Paris."

    "Well, in that case, I might as well send it with a singing telegram about their roles as Robin Hood and her merry men, and just guarantee that I'm going to be done in," Gamble said, with a quick grin. Then he stopped to ponder. "Do they still do singing telegrams?"
    He shook his head as she fawned over his dogs, and wandered into the kitchen to retrieve the Chinese take-out menu from the front of the 'fridge. He just laughed when he saw the mischief on her features. "Maybe we can make cookies or something else sweet for dessert. I probably have the ingredients around here somewhere." He offered her the menu. "What do you want?"

    Phaedra didn't resist when she felt his fingers on her elbow, and turned back willingly enough. The kiss burned through her, and there was something wrong with that, that she could dislike him so intensely and still enjoy his touch, still want to touch him back.

    A short laugh. "I think you're right," Keller agreed, even more dryly. No matter his faults, it wasn't a lack of self-love on Mace's part.
    She pulled another piece of the pie to her plate, relishing the idea that she could eat as much as she wanted to now. Galen would love her even when she blimped out at fifty or so.

    A sweetly mischievous look overtook Price's features. "I don't think kinky goes with noble, does it?? So no way could I be into that crowd. As for the biting thing...well." He shrugged casually, eyes laughing again.
    "I bet you can do a lot more with paste than with a steak," he pondered, mostly to himself. When she got the door unlocked, he reached past her to actually open the door, all gentlemanly and stuff. "Are you feeling like anything in particular??"

    "Might as well," Julianna giggled, giving his shoulder a condoling pat. "And yes, I believe there are likely many places that still do the singing telegram." Especially around Valentine's, she figured. Maybe birthdays.
    "Yes, I know, you're beautiful," she crooned to the dogs, as their tongues licked at any amount of skin they could reach. She kissed a nose and rubbed her cheek against a muzzle, then rose to her feet again. "Cookies," she said happily, winking at Gamble before taking the menu. "Let's see. I think just the regular." She handed the menu back, another sweet smile appearing. "Going to get some extra for the babies??"

    His other hand reaching out, Paul cupped the back of her head, holding her against him as he kissed her. Hunger slipped into the kiss and his grip tightened a bit around her elbow, pulling her a bit onto the counter.

    "I know it," Galen replied, taking some of the pie as well. There were even times when he missed his brother, even though Mace was... well, Mace could be a pain in the ass. He had gotten in trouble, driven their parents insane... but still, he was family.
    With a sigh, he scooped up a fork full of the pie and bit into it. The meat in it was tender, and he closed his eyes in pleasure. It was amazing how he had never really appreciated meat before choosing a leopard as his form.

    "You can't be noble and kinky at the same time?" Anna wondered. "Well, that must be very disappointing for some people." Although it explained a few things to her about some of Daybreak's stuffier members. She colored a bit at the thought, and decided it best not to share it.
    "Yeah, but it's kind of hard to find the non-toxic kind, these days," she said lightly. She smiled at his when he held the door open, climbing in and leaning across the seat to unlock the passenger side door and push it open. "I don't care. Mexican?"

    Gamble gave her a lazy salute when she told him what she wanted, and grinned at her question. "You know, as much as you've been visiting me lately, the boys are going to get fat and spoiled. I don't think they ate as much in the way of scraps in the years before I knew you than in the five months since we started dating, darlin'." All the same, he scratched one the dogs behind the ear before walking into the kitchen, making the animal's tongue roll out in obvious bliss. "Sweet and sour chicken for the boys it is."

    The counter shook a little as Phaedra's hip slid against it, aged wood and glass shuddering under the added weight, but it held her. When it didn't collapse under her weight, she brought her legs up as well, reaching up to curl her fingers around the fabric of Paul's collar to pull him closer.

    Keller shook her head, though it was hard to tell from what emotion. She finished her food in silence, then sat back to drink her water calmly. Yes, everything was always better with food.
    Eyes watched Galen from across the table. Well, food and something else.

    Price chuckled, low and only slightly sexy. "Well I never said I couldn't /be/ kinky. Just not with that crowd." A teasing sideways look, which made a brow raise when he saw her color. "Uh oh, bad thoughts??"
    He tsked lightly at her take on paste. "Well that's a shame. You'd think they'd make them all non-toxic these days, considering how many kids probably eat it anyway." He waited for her to be seated before closing the door behind her, then wandering over to slide into the passenger's seat. "Mexican it is. Take us away, Jeeves."

    "Nah, I'm sure they work off all the fat anyway," she grinned, patting a nuzzling nose. "Though spoiled is okay. These boys deserve to be spoiled." A particularly big lad sat beside her, leaning heavily against her hip with a happy tongue lolling from his mouth. It actually made Julianna tilt a bit before she straightened herself.
    "Sweet and sour," she echoed, grinning down at the boys. "It's okay, I'm sure you only really soak up the sweetness. Leave all the sour to Gamble." A few grunts from the dogs and she giggled again.

    Paul's hand moved from her arm when he felt her coming closer, slipping to her side and then down her hip and over her pant-clad thigh. The other hand slipped from her neck, confident in his belief that his mouth would keep her where she was.
    That hand moved down her other leg, and he pulled her towards him until he was nestled cheerfully between her thighs. The hunger deepened into something sharp and just bordering on angry as his hands kneaded her legs.

    Gold-green eyes looked up and met Keller's, and Galen smiled warmly at her. Nothing else needed saying, not after all this time. He polished off the last of his food, then echoed her, leaning back in his seat with the glass of iced tea. "How much longer until we meet with Gift?" He still didn't like the idea of meeting with the assassin, but it was better than sitting around and doing nothing at a time like this.

    "Nothing that I'll be sharing, thank you," Anna said, with a quick, baiting smile. It hadn't been anything that bad, but it was always fun to tease Price.
    "Maybe they think that if a kid is dumb enough to eat paste, they deserve what they get," she replied, with a sideways smile, since paste had been a big part of their mutual diet when they had been children. She then tilted her head back, sticking her nose up in the air as she pulled out of her parking spot. "Very good, sir, very good."

    "They're good boys," Gamble agreed as he once again went into the kitchen. He picked up the phone on the wall, dialing from memory and then stretching the cord so that he could go back into the livingroom with her. A soft chuckle trickled from his mouth as she talked to the dogs. "Yup, I'm a regular Ebenezer. I think I'll go kick Tiny Tim down the street after you and I are done eating, if that's alright by you."

    One of Phaedra's legs twined around Paul's, and if asked, she wouldn't have been able to fully explain the mixture of lust and pure annoyance that coursed through her veins and heated her already over-warm skin. The display case gave another telltale shudder, protesting even the slightest movement, and she slid off the front of it, her body scraping against his as she placed a foot on the ground.

    Keller was looking particularly relaxed and lazy by then, stretched out on her chair like a huge cat. But of course Galen knew her well enough to see how her eyes kept moving around the room, still alert and ready for whatever might happen. At this point, real relaxation would be a long time coming.
    "About fifteen minutes," she said, glancing over at the clock. "We probably want to head over soon."

    Price mock-groaned, giving her a light poke in the ribs. "Tease. You're going to have to make up for it later."
    Her summary of the stupidity of children made him pause for a second, in a carefully considering way, before he flashed a cheerful grin. "Well okay, I'll agree with that. Kids were lot less stupid when we were in that age range."
    He nodded in satisfaction when her nose went up in the air, turning to the window to hide his grin. "Now you're getting a chauffer hat for Christmas. You'll look so cute."

    "Good boys, good boys," Julianna praised happily, a bit of a wistful look on her face as she traced one finger between a particular beauty's eyes. She wanted a pet. She just traveled too much for it to seem fair to the pet.
    Passing a few more pats around, she finally wormed her way through the crowd and went to collapse on Gamble's sinfully cushy couch. Her arms flapped out and her head settled on the back of the sofa, a deep sigh bubbling from her lips. Especially when a particularly heavy weight hopped up into her lap.
    A soft grunt and she pushed the dog over a little, then settled to patting his head when he rested it in her lap. She looked up when Gamble came back, tsking him. "And leave me to make cookies myself?? You're slipping, dahlin'." Brief teasing smile as she mimicked his drawl. She thought she was getting quite good at it, anyway.

    A groan caught in Paul's throat as she slid down him, his arms wrapping almost painfully tight around her waist. He lifted her up, carrying her over a little and just almost slamming her into the wall of the shop. The bell above the door jangled at the motion and he pressed her into the wall with his body weight, giving his hands more opportunity to rove over what he could reach.

    As if he was taking his cues from her, Galen relaxed in his chair as well, rolling his shoulders as if to relieve some unseen tension. He stirred the iced tea idly with his straw, but even he seemed more aware and alert than he had once been, his head tilted slightly to the side and his eyes roving slowly across the room before coming to a stop on Keller. "I suppose we should. Where are we going?"

    Anna laughed, and poked Price back, in a splendid display of maturity. "I know. I'm so mean to you, aren't I?"
    "Of course," she said, easily agreeing with the idea that kids had been much smarter when they were kids. "I mean, we were small, evil children, but we were pretty clever." She tilted her head, thoughtfully. "Of course, your mother never seemed particularly happy about that. Like when we... liberated... Sheldon the turtle."
    "Oh, boy," she replied, rolling her eyes and not bothering to hide her own grin at the promise of a chauffeur's hat. "So you like a girl in uniform, hmm?"

    "Well then, I guess I'll have to leave puntin' little Timmy for another day, won't I?" Gamble said, one corner of his mouth turning up in a smile. He turned his attention to the phone as someone answered, rattling off their order, and accepting the delivery estimate before returning to the kitchen in order to hang up.
    He returned to the livingroom, and smiled again at the picture presented by Julianna and his dog, sprawled out on the couch. "Is there any room on that couch for me, or am I going to be consigned to the armchair?"

    A sharp little breath escaped from Phaedra when Paul picked her up, not really noticing or caring that his arms around her waist were too tight for comfort. Her hands slid over his ribs and onto his back as his weight settled against her, moving down his spine until she could pull his shirt out of the back of his pants.

    Keller smiled as she saw Galen's eyes move about, then finished off her water. "The Fashion Show Mall. Plenty of lights and people, so if we get nervous, we're free to leave whenever we want." A faintly amused smile, because she knew that's exactly why Gift had named that place. Though she wondered if the Redfern actually ever arranged meetings in parking garages and back alleys. Didn't seem Gift's style, really.

    "You are," Price decided with an expressive roll of his eyes. "Really, I don't even know why I put up with it. It shocks me."
    Another cheerful grin overtook his features as he situated himself in her passenger seat. "No, Mom was never all that impressed with your influence over me. She officially thought you were a...bad influence." Said in tones of horror, of course. "Though I'm sure Sheldon appreciated our efforts."
    He couldn't help but pause at her question, as images of her in different uniforms started tumbling through his mind. Maid's uniform, Catholic school girl's uniform, dominatrix leather thing... Yep, seemed he was still a guy beneath all the gentlemanly exterior. "I think I do. Wanna demonstrate for me??" Sweet smile.

    "You'd do that, for me??" Julianna teased, smiling with good humor as he returned to the kitchen. The big dog in her lap licked at her hand until she resumed scratching his head, lazily looking around the room. Of course she'd seen it before, and all of the artwork that graced its walls. Wasn't her thing, quite honestly, though she did like the artist himself.
    Her brows raised when he came back, before her eyes dropped to the dog sprawled over most of the couch. "I think that depends on our friend here. I'd be more than willing for you to join us, but..." She gave a helpless shrug, biting her lip with laughter, as the dog tilted his head to give Gamble an unimpressed look. As if he knew, as soon as Gamble joined them, the scratchings would stop.

    Fingers dipped into the waistband of Phaedra's pants before sweeping up her back. A few knowing flicks and he had her bra unhooked, finally tearing his mouth from hers to start a path up her jaw. His tongue teasingly traced the shell of her ear before sweeping down her neck, tasting the beat of her heart at her jugular.

    "Very courteous of her," Galen said, without the slightest trace of sarcasm, because even now, he wasn't really capable of it. He glanced at the clock on the wall again, and reluctantly signaled to the waitress for the check. "We really should get going, in that case. Wouldn't want to keep Ms. Redfern waiting on us."

    "Secret masochistic tendencies," Anna said knowingly. She pulled out of the parking lot slowly, with a faint grimace on her face, as if she was just waiting for the sound of tires popping. It didn't come, although the sound of glass grinding beneath the tires was enough to set her teeth on edge.
    "I was the bad influence?" she asked, in a mock-disbelieving tone. Then she paused to consider. "Well, yes, I suppose I was. You've more than made up for it, though. I had settled down and become very quiet and demure until you came back into my life, you know."
    When he paused before answering her question, she cast a sideways glance at him. His answer, combined with that so-sweet smile, made her snort. "What kind of uniform are we talking about, here? You've seen me in the one for the hotel plenty of times."

    "I'd do anything for you, beautiful," Gamble said, grinning widely. "Haven't you figured that out yet?" He leaned against the wall, shaking his head when the dog shamelessly bullied Julianna for her attention. Not that he could blame the animal, of course.
    He shook his head again and laughed at her response. "Well, then. I see that I've been supplanted in your affections." He looked at the dog again, and saw the entirely unimpressed look that it was giving him. "Either that, or you've supplanted me in his affections. Aren't dogs supposed to be loyal to their masters?"

    Phaedra tugged the hem of the shirt out of the pants, until she could slide her hands up under the fabric. Small, unnaturally warm fingers traced the edge of Paul's ribs, the muscles in his shoulders, even as her head tilted back and her body arched in a silent response to the play of his mouth.

    Keller merely smiled again. Sometimes it was hard with Gift, to know whether she was being truly courteous or just mocking them in her own subtle way. But Galen didn't need to hear that and he likely wouldn't believe it anyway. He was still clean and good, just like when she'd met him.
    A nod in agreement and she waited silently as the waitress appeared with the check. A swift transaction and Keller rose to her feet once that was taken care of. "Let's go. We should still have time to walk over there."

    "That would explain it," he agreed. Gray eyes were laughing again as he looked over at her. "Whenever I display such things, would you please smack them out of me?? It can't be healthy."
    The little grimace on her face made his brows raise, but he refrained from commenting as they left the parking lot. "Liar. I'm the most calming thing you've ever had in your life." Brief, edging-on-naughty grin. "And the most exciting."
    Another pause, as he now contemplated if he really wanted to tell her. "I guess every guy's got a weak spot in his heart for those pleated school-girl skirts," he finally settled on, the naughty grin coming back and deepening a little.

    Julianna laughed. "I feel truly special now," she assured him, eyes sparkling. "Though also tempted to test exactly how far that'll go. Better be careful or I might turn into one of those high-maintenance chicks." A teasing look through thick dark lashes, before the dog licked her cheek and drew her attention back to it.
    "Oh, you know dogs," she said blithely, rubbing the dog's ear until it let out a rumbly growl of pleasure. "Show 'em a pretty face and they'll jump on it, but they'll always come home to you." She grinned and kissed the dog's head, before lightly shoving it off the couch. It landed with a disappointed grunt, but stayed on the floor, laying on one of her feet.
    Julianna grinned again and looked up at Gamble. Patting the couch beside her, she told him, "Come 'ere cutie, I've got some affection for you too."

    Paul groaned very softly against her neck, nuzzling at the hollow in her shoulder as his hands swept up her smooth belly. Hands cupped her breasts, thumbs flicking over her nipples as he ground his hips against hers. Wasn't hard to figure out what he was really aiming for here.

    Galen was already standing as the bill was paid, and he nodded swiftly in response to Keller's comment. "It's not too far. Did she say where exactly she wanted to meet?" He hadn't actually been inside the mall himself, but he knew that a mall, especially a mall on the strip, would be big.
    He led the way out of the pub and back out onto the street. Then he smiled, just a little. "You do know that it's going to be a mob scene, right? 'Tis the season." Ah, but that brought back memories, and not all of them were bad or about dragons.

    "Smack the masochism out of you," Anna said, after a ponderous moment. "You don't think that might be a little bit counter-productive?" She gave him another little sideways glance at his next remark, and smiled teasingly. "Well, I must not have met a wide range of people, then. How sad for me. I really ought to get out more."
    "Pleated skirt? Probably plaid too, right? And those knee-high socks." She was silent for a long moment, as if she was considering that, although she looked away from the road just long enough so that she didn't miss the naughty grin on his face. "I could do that," she said finally, with a serenity that didn't match the mischievous look on her face.

    Gamble laughed as well, and gave her an appraising look. "Darlin', you couldn't be high-maintenance if you tried. You're much too nice for that. High-maintenance girls have a certain... screechy... quality to them." He grinned widely at her. "Of course, you're welcome to try to prove me wrong, if you want. I wouldn't mind pampering you a little."
    He meandered across the living room after the dog had been removed from the couch, leaning over briefly to ruffle the animal's fur in a sort of apology before settling down next to Julianna. "Do I get my ears scratched, too?"

    Phaedra's hips jerked automatically in response, and her breathing sounded a little harsh. She seemed to get the message, because she ceased her investigation of his back in order to run her hands down over his stomach, to the top of his pants and his belt.

    This close to the holiday season, McCarran Airport was even more crowded than usual, people bustling from one end of the airport to the other even as the sun sank below the horizon outside. Irritation and fatigue seemed to be the ruling feelings, since a great many flights had been delayed due to the suddenly strange weather.
    Ai Tseng could sympathize with that, since all she really wanted to do was get to her condo and wash the travel grime off. She motioned for her hired driver to retrieve her baggage, before pulling her cell phone out of her purse and wearily punching in a number. The first call went to the executive of her company's Las Vegas branch, letting him know that she had arrived. She hung up, and brightened considerably as she made her second call. There was, at least, a chance to turn business into pleasure.

    "Not precisely, but I imagine she'll be in front somewhere," Keller responded with a slight shrug. And if not, they'd just stand in front for two minutes and she'd find them. Gift could be creepy that way sometimes.
    Following her soulmate out of the restaurant, she peered down the neon-lit street before looking back at him. "It is, isn't it," she said, a bit bemused at the thought. "No doubt Iliana is going to insist on her huge party again." It had become a bit of a tradition, since that first year. "If you don't mind, I think we'll stay outside the mall for now."

    "Nope, because at least I won't be doing the smacking," he said cheerfully, laughter again frolicking through his eyes. "One level at a time, sweetheart."
    Another grin as he tossed a wink in her direction. "Not hearing me complaining. Friends are good things to have. Especially of the friendly female situation." Though honestly, Price didn't have much in the way of a lesbian fatasy. What was the fun if he wasn't involved?? Plus he preferred the one-on-one thing.
    "No, I can skip the plaid," he assured her. "Some girls really cannot pull off plaid." Another teasing smile. "The knee socks I won't protest too. They just go so well with those skirts." A brief pause, which he filled with an exaggerated amount of shock and disbelief. "You would?? Really?? For me??" A bat of his lashes. "What a coincidence, because I think I saw a skirt just like that in your closet the other day."

    "Awww, you don't think I'm screechy," Julianna chuckled, fluffing her bangs modestly. "You're giving me a big head already." She grinned up at him. "Oh honey, you pamper me plenty. You offered to make me food from scratch tonight." It didn't seem to matter that they'd ordered out instead. Just the thought was enough for her.
    The dog grumped up at Gamble but nudged his leg affectionately when he sat down. Julianna smiled, turning her body towards his as she folded one leg under her. "Well I don't think your ears are big enough to scratch," she mused, reaching over to scratch behind his ears. "Nope, doesn't work. I'll give you a backrub though." Her hand dropped from his ear down to his neck, where she reached behind and started massaging the back of it.

    Paul nipped her neck, then licked the spot as his hands dropped from her breasts. He was more of a leg man himself anyway, so it was time to see those legs.
    Fingers swiftly and efficiently unsnapped her pants, then slid the zipper down. Sliding around the waist, he pulled them over her hips and reached around, cupping her ass. Fingers kneaded the flesh there as he held her against him, hips rubbing yearningly against hers.

    Two rings passed before the line was picked up. An amused drawl poured through the line, "Aye??"

    "Yes, I think that might be wise," Galen said, with a chuckle. That would be interesting. Daybreakers and an assassin meeting in the middle of holiday madness.
    ...although, once again, it wasn't like it would be the first place.
    He followed her away from the pub, and onto the Strip proper, with all of its lights and glamor. He glanced at his watch frequently, but there really was no need to rush, moving as they were at a fast walk with more than enough time left to make it to the mall.

    "I don't think that makes you less of a masochist," Anna commented, "it just makes me a sadist." She just snorted and shook her head when he suggested friends of the 'friendly female situation,' since it was clear enough that he was joking.
    She did look a little chagrined when he mentioned the skirt in her closet. "The Santarellis put us kids in a private school on the money Daybreak gave them for putting up with us. That's actually from my school girl days. We had a uniform. Khaki. I think I still have the blouse and sweater somewhere, too." She gave him a mildly suspicious look out of the corner of her eye. "How did you know about that?" One of her hands lifted from the steering wheel long enough to give him a playful poke in the shoulder. "Snoop."

    "I'd best stop, then, hadn't I?" Gamble asked. "I must admit, I'm rather fond of your head at its proper size. I wouldn't want it to swell too much."
    He chuckled softly when she tried to scratch behind his ears. "Ah, well." When she started rubbing his neck, his head dropped back a little, and he made a little sound low in his throat. That was nice, especially after hours spent hunched over his worktable.

    A little wiggle sent Phaedra's sliding down the rest of the way, until she could step out of them completely. She continued to work on his belt, fingers fumbling once or twice as her body practically buzzed with the feeling of his hips rubbing against hers and his hands on her butt.
    The obstacle of the belt was defeated, followed more deftly by button and fly. She bent her head in closer to his, breathing in the sharp, clean scent of skin and cologne. It really wasn't fair for him to smell so good. Her mouth brushed against the corner of his jaw, just below the ear, lips and just the slightest edge of teeth.

    "Hey, Patrick," Ai said, moving off to the side so that she wasn't blocking the flow of traffic near the baggage carousel. "This is Ai," she added, probably unnecessarily, since she was certain that either Caller ID or her voice had already alerted him to that.

    Keller smiled. "I don't think I want to know what Gift would do in a crowded mall full of people." It was said in a teasing tone but there was a bit of a chilling truth at the bottom of it. Unfortunately, Gift was a lot more unpredictable in that area than even Keller was sometimes comfortable with.
    She kept at Galen's side as they walked, briefly enjoying the cooling night air of her second home. North Carolina would always be her first home, because that's where Galen and his family were, but Vegas was another one because most of her work took place here.

    "Well there you go, now we match," Price said happily. "A masochist and a sadist, who's better??" Her snort made him smile again, though he refrained from saying anything else. Seriously, he'd never seen the draw of a threesome. Did that make him less of a man?? He sure didn't think so.
    A brief gasp, as Price put a hand over his heart. "You mean it's a /real/ school girl uniform?? And you've never modeled it for me?? Oh Anna, I just don't know how we can even continue now. I feel so out of the loop." A wide-eyed look at her, ruined only by the grin again quirking his lips. It was so easy to laugh in her presence.
    The gray eyes widened even more when she poked him. "Snoop?? I don't think snooping goes with the noble air either. Maybe spy?? No, that doesn't work either. Protect?? Yes." He nodded in thought. "I think that'll work."

    "Too much??" Julianna giggled. "So a little swelling is okay??" She reached up, smoothing her hair and checking for any swelling. "I don't know if I like that idea."
    The dog at her feet lifted its head, giving a soft whuff. Julianna smiled at him and patted his head. "Yes, thank you."
    Her attention returned to Gamble then and her smile softened when she heard his sound. Fingers worked knowingly over the tight knots she felt in his neck, then down in his shoulders. "Been working too hard," she murmured knowingly, tilting her head as she rubbed.

    Paul's mouth settled over her pulse, feeling it pound beneath his lips. Her skin was warm, almost hot as his fingers skimmed over it. That was something he'd always noticed about her, she always seemed so hot.
    He felt her pants slither down and his hands left her ass, sliding back up to her hips. Thumbs caught in her panties and he pulled them down next, tongue flicking wetly over her skin.

    "Thanks fer tha' update, darlin'," Patrick chuckled. "Le' ma guess, yer in Vegas, aren't ya??"

    “I can’t even picture her in a mall,” Galen replied, in a tone that said that he really didn’t want to. He just couldn’t see how Gift and crowds of rushed humans would work together, much less in any way less than disastrous.
    He slowed as they approached the mall, stepping carefully into the parking lot, which was an obstacle course of blaring horns and swerving cars, true to the Christmas spirit.

    “What can I say?” Anna asked merrily. “I never knew that you were such a deviant. If I had, I would have mentioned the uniform earlier.”
    She laughed, and shook her head. “You’re trying to protect me by poking through my closet, hmm? I suppose that my underwear drawer also poses a serious risk to my safety,” she teased. “Really, between that and the schoolgirl fixation, I should just buy you one of those trench coats and be done with it.”

    “Well, I don’t want you to think that I love you just for your looks,” Gamble said, with solemnity but with the corners of his eyes crinkling with humor. “I’d still think you were beautiful, even if your head were to put on a little extra weight.”
    He relaxed into her fingers, his eyes drooping shut as she continued to work out the knots in his back. “Maybe a little bit, but I’m used to it.” Really, there was nothing else to do in the early morning hours when he was awake but no one else with any sense was. “Couple of big orders from your sister’s folk today,” he added. Usually he wouldn’t talk about his customers to others, but Julianna probably already knew anything he told her. One of the benefits of dating a spy.

    Phaedra moaned softly at the flick of his tongue against her skin, her head tilting forward until she could lean her flushed forehead against his comparatively cool shoulder. She slid a hand down the front of his pants, her fingers playing lightly over his abdomen through the fabric of his boxers.

    “Yes,” Ai agreed promptly, a smile pulling at her lips in response to his chuckle, “and I thought that you might be as well. I wanted to see if you had time out of your busy schedule to take an old acquaintance to lunch.”

    Keller reached over to touch his hand as they walked, giving him an understanding look as they entered the parking lot. She sincerely hoped this meeting wasn’t a disaster waiting to happen, since she’d managed to keep Galen and Gift apart for a good few months. But Gift had always been discreet and tactful. No reason to believe she wouldn’t be this time.
    The parking lot was a big enough disaster, as she worked her way through the mass rush of humans. Cars were scary things when one was on foot. She was eyeing a particularly pushy driver coming towards them as they crossed the street to the mall when suddenly, someone was just beside her.
    “Having a bad day, are we??” Gift’s voice was amused and pleasant as Keller blinked at her once. The Redfern fell into easy step with her, brow raising at the look on her face, before she looked past her to give a nod to Galen. “Mr. Drache. Let’s sit.” She led the way over to one of the benches in front of the mall, settling down with complete comfort. Legs and arms crossed and the amused look remained on her face as she looked at the two shifters.

    “Well now you know,” Price said agreeably, another grin playing at his lips. “May I suggest you now transform your whole wardrobe into school girl uniforms, or would that be taking it too far??”
    Eyes widening in thought, he pretended to consider that. “You know, I never thought about the underwear drawer. I should’ve looked there before. That’s definitely a danger zone. I’ll check that as soon as we get to your place.” A teasing wink, before he shrugged easily. “I’d love a new trench coat, thank you.” Playful grin.

    That brought a full-throated laugh, making her eyes glow as she looked at him. “Thank you, sweetheart. I’ve never felt more beautiful than I do with you. Both my big head and I, for that matter.” Another giggle, just at the thought of her head swelling. So much that it became permanently lopsided. Ethan and Gift would never let her live it down.
    “That’s not something you should be used to,” she chided gently, working on a particularly tight knot. “It can’t be good for you to work yourself so hard that you’ve /got/ this many knots. In fact, come on. Lay down.” She took his shoulders and turned him, laying him down on his belly on the couch. As an afterthought, she tugged off his shirt, nodding in satisfaction when he was where she wanted him.
    “Yep, I think Gift has a problem,” she said matter-of-factly as she straddled his butt and started a real work-out on his shoulders and back. The dog had moved once Julianna’s foot left the floor and was now resting its huge head on the couch right beside Gamble’s, giving his master huge “I’m hungry and cute and jealous so pet me please” eyes.

    Another groan rumbled softly against Phaedra’s throat as he felt her hand. Eyes closed tightly, his mouth heavy with sensuality as he kissed a path across her skin. “Now, Phaedra, /now/.” Guys didn’t particularly need a lot of foreplay in the worst of situations, but with her, it was always worse. Just seeing her got him hot and bothered, for some totally unjustified reason.

    “Lemme check ma little black book,” Patrick mused, amusement still in his voice as he hmmmed. “Why yes, darlin’, I believe I can manage tha’. D’ya ‘ave a preference??”

    "Ms. Redfern," Galen returned the greeting politely, but his face was wary and tense. He just couldn't help it. The woman put him an edge, and for more reasons than those that were easily understandable, such as her rather dubious career.
    In spite of this, he followed her over to the bench, settling on the opposite end and leaving plenty of room for Keller between them.

    "I think that might be a bit much," Anna allowed. "For one thing, they probably wouldn't allow me to wear a school girl uniform to work. I'm afraid that you'll have to content yourself with my other uniformed personas; hotel concierge and chef." Well, chef-in-training, at least, and the uniform was basically the same.
    "I should just have you do my laundry," she teased. "You'd get a thrill, and I would have one less chore." She pulled her car up in front of a restaurant, the front of which was decorated in red chili-shaped lights, actually a part of the usual decor and not an attempt to celebrate the season. "I hope you know, if you become one of those dirty trench coat flasher men, I will never be seen with you in public again."

    "I enjoy the work," Gamble assured her. "It's well worth any knots." He looked amused when she began to push him around, tolerantly submitting to being stripped to the waist and pushed down on the couch. "Pushy dame," he teased her, folding his arms in front of him so that he could rest his cheek on them.
    He sighed softly as he felt her weight settle on him, and gave another happy little moan as she began to work on his back and shoulders. "Yes, that was about what I figured," he said. He had closed his eyes, but opened them again when he smelled dog breath. With a soft laugh, he lifted one arm out from under his head, and buried his hand in the dog's thick dark fur.

    A rusty little laugh came from Phaedra's throat, rumbling against Paul's shoulder. She really wasn't sure why, since she wasn't feeling particularly amused, and there was nothing in this situation that she found funny, except in an oh-god-the-irony sort of way.
    It didn't really matter, in the end. She removed her hand from the front of his pants long enough to catch the band of both his khakis and his boxers and tug them downwards.

    "Actually, if you're free tonight, I could use drinks or a meal in good company before the real work starts," Ai replied, her voice wry. "That's a little bit too short-notice, though, I imagine. Sometime tomorrow, if tonight isn't good?" It was hard, since she knew that both of them had busy schedules. There was no rest for the wicked, after all.

    Gift gave Galen one sharply amused look but remained silent where it concerned the Drache. "Keller, I thought this meeting was going to be private."
    "Gift, you know I don't keep anything from Galen anyway," the panther pointed out, voice calm even as her eyes moved between her two companions.
    "Ah," Gift replied easily as she settled herself. Brow raised with vague interest as Galen sat as well, seemingly as far away from her as he could. She contemplated making a comment about his falling off the edge, but the prince looked edgy enough as it was.
    Plus Keller sat down then, hand going to rest comfortingly on Galen's thigh, even as she met Gift's eyes. "I need to know what's going on."
    "Mmmhmmm," was the reply, as Gift studied the shifter's eyes. Searching for something, it seemed like. "What do you want to know about??"
    "Darshan Guivre," Keller replied promptly. "We've heard tales from several people we like and respect that he's a good person. Even though he's a ten-horned dragon."
    "Okay," Gift said, voice still amused. "Anything else you'd like me to add to that??" She shrugged at Keller's look. "As you've heard, Darshan's been awake for almost two decades. He's never shown up before because he wants to be left alone. He has no animosity to Daybreak as long as you leave him alone. He doesn't abuse his power, he doesn't eat villages, he has no plans to take over the world."
    The last two sentences were the ones Keller was really aiming for, and having Gift say them made her feel better. Though she knew the Redfern's reputation and how Daybreak in general felt about her, Gift wouldn't lie to her. "Alright, and Christian??"
    "About the same," Gift said with another shrug. "He doesn't have any animosity towards Daybreak, doesn't want to take over the world. Leave him alone, he'll leave you alone. Yes, he's a special kind of vampire that can call lightning at will and change shapes as easily as you two, but he also doesn't abuse that power."
    That pulled Keller's brows down in a slight frown. Two extremely powerful creatures with no intentions of taking over the world. It went against everything she'd really learned. Powerful creatures always wanted more power, didn't they??

    "Oh, stabbed through the heart," Price said dramatically, laughing softly. "And honey, just to tell you, that white chef's hat you wear doesn't do a single thing for me." A small teasing wink, grin still curving his mouth.
    "I don't know if I'd recommend that," he grinned. "I start doing your laundry, you'll wind up missing panties and have to keep replacing them." Another wink, though the idea made him grin even wider. Just the thought of stealing her panties for his personal pleasure. It was fun to /pretend/ to be dirty, anyway.
    He clicked his tongue as she expertly parked the car. "Sure you will, because I'll still be as handsome and desirable as I am now." Naughty grin this time, before he helped himself out of the car. Time for food.

    "I don't know if that's a good attitude," she contemplated, clicking her tongue. Though she felt the same about her job, of course. Her job just didn't give her knots like this. "And yes, I'm very pushy when it comes to the well-being of the people I care about. So lie still."
    A grin, followed by a brief kiss brushed to the back of his neck when he settled. Then she attacked the knots, clicking her tongue randomly over a few particularly tight ones she found. "Not that she'll have one for long," she added as she rubbed the heels of her palms down each side of his spine, checking for more. "Gift is good at getting rid of her problems, that's for sure." She smiled when he started petting his dog, who sighed happily, the thump of his tail hitting the thick rug filling the room. "See, they'll always come home to you, sweetheart."

    The heat of her skin soaked into his even though his pants as they were yanked down. Paul bit her shoulder lightly, eyes still closed as his heart thudded against his ribs. When his boxers were pulled down enough, he caught her ass and lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his hips. Then he stepped into her, groaning thickly against her neck. Catching her wrists, he pressed her hands against the wall and held them there as his hips worked against hers. As usual, it took about two minutes, the excitement culminating in a hoarse moan against her throat as his release followed hers.

    "Tha' might be a bit 'arder, love," Patrick had to admit. The flip of paper was heard from the phone, before he chuckled. "Ah, forget it. I can reschedule tha' appointment an' I 'aven't seen ya in quite some time. 'ow 'bout I pick ye up in 'bout 'alf an 'our??"

    Galen covered Keller's hand with how own, although his eyes remained serious and dark on Gift's face in the gathering twilight. Even though he had heard most of it already, her assessment of Darshan was oddly reassuring. He didn't like Gift, but if anyone knew what was really going on, it was her. "What about Terra Drago?" he asked, speaking reluctantly.
    Her second answer was not nearly so reassuring, and he felt his brows draw in over his eyes, even though he said nothing. Lightning? He knew of vampires who could change their form, although they were rare and completely unrelated to those that the Night World had always considered vampires. They had surfaced several years before the Millennium, and mostly kept to themselves; he couldn't recall if there were any of that kind within Daybreak's ranks.
    He caught Keller's eye, his thoughts obviously running along the same lines as hers: two powerful creatures, and both of them not only willing but apparently eager to keep the peace? That seemed far too good to be true, when he was used to those with great power causing great problems.

    "Alright, so we can rule out any kind of perverted 'Chef Boyardee' obsession," Anna joked, "although I'm not sure why you would need so many pairs of underwear. I mean, you would think that one or two would be enough to satisfy that panty fetish of yours." The darkness of the car hid any further blushes at the discussion of her intimate apparel, showing only the wide white flash of her grin.
    "Nuh-uh," she said childishly, climbing out of the car as well. "You can be handsome and desirable, and I'll just come and visit you and not take you out in public at all, and we can go our separate ways, you to lurk outside of a prep school in your brand new trench coat, and me to work myself to exhaustion and eventually fall asleep and drown in a soup tureen." She reached the door to the restaurant first, holding it open for him.

    "You know you love me and my attitude," Gamble teased, seeming perfectly content to lie still and enjoy the feeling of her hands on his back, punctuated by the occasional soft grunt when she found a particularly tender knot in his muscles. Her next comment made him chuckle, softly and wryly. "No doubt about that. I pity the problem that crosses your sister, I surely do. I'm sure she'll have it, whatever it is, resolved soon enough."
    He chuckled again, although this time it lacked the wry edge to it, filled with simply, honest humor instead. "He's only lovin' me right now because your hands are busy," he said fondly, still petting the dog. "Once the food is here, he'll be happy to love both of us, although I warn you, it'll be pure cupboard love."

    Phaedra kept her face buried against Paul's shoulder as she moved with him, in easy tandem, the only place where the two of them fit together. She cried out softly as pleasure burned through her, her legs tightening briefly around his hips. For a moment she remained where she was, listening as her heartbeat thudded through her skull, waiting until both her pulse and her breathing slowed to a less frantic rate.
    Then she uncurled herself from around him, lowering her feet to rest on the pool of fabric on the floor, her pants and underwear.

    "That sounds fine," Ai said, with a smile in her voice. "I'm at the airport, if you feel like picking me up here. I can just send my driver to drop off my things at my condo." Once again, she didn't doubt that he could have found her without her telling him where she was. She could have done it, had someone come to her city, and she tended to deal with the more legal side of the law... Unlike Patrick. That alone gave him the advantage when it came to things like information.

    Keller held Galen's eyes for a moment, hand still on his thigh. If these two powerful people were content to stay out of things and not cause problems, she was all too willing to let them do so. And Gift had never lied to her, so she had to assume that's exactly what they were about.
    It still made her edgy though.
    When neither made another comment about it, and Keller had turned back to her, Gift raised her brows. One arm unfolded to drape casually across the back of the bench as she turned her body slightly, facing the two shifters a little more comfortably. "Terra Drago is another problem though. She's exactly what you'd expect of a dragon; power-hungry, vicious, and with every intention of taking over the world. And she's an eight-horned dragon, as I believe you were informed."
    Keller swallowed again. Just the thought made her feel a bit light-headed. "But you've been fighting with her for years, right?? That's the woman??"
    Inclining her had, Gift agreed, "Terra and I have never gotten along, and we've felt no need to act otherwise. I've ruined her plans and thwarted her attempts at world domination, and she keeps trying to kill me." An amused smile tilted her lips, as she briefly gazed past the two shifters into some far-too-amusing memory. Keller didn't want to know, quite frankly.
    "So what's different this time??"
    Eyes foused back on her. "This time, it's not Terra controlling the helm. She had a daughter with a man named Jayden Sadi, a shapeshifter who's been around since the dragons ruled. Yes, he's been turned into a vampire since then, of course, so that just makes him more dangerous now."
    "Juli said..."
    "Yes, he hates women." Cool eyes looked from one pair of shifter eyes to the other. "He will eat Iliana up, so if you want her safe, keep her away from him. You might consider sending her back to North Carolina, even. But I'll leave that up to you and Thierry. Anyway, they had a daughter. She's lamia, but it's highly suspected that she's also a dragon. The depth of her powers is unknown at the moment, as she's been in France for the past few years and hasn't seen fit to show any major bursts to draw attention to herself. But she's brilliant, and she has that kind of charismatic charm that made Hunter Redfern so popular."
    Keller was proud she'd kept her hand from tightening on Galen's thigh, though the information Gift had just unloaded made her idly wish she hadn't asked. Or didn't need to know, for that matter.

    Gray eyes widened innocently. "Oh you know, I need a different pair for each day of the week, for at least two weeks. It's better that way. And anytime you've got any to donate, you just toss 'em on over." A playful wink in the darkness followed by him reaching over to poke her lightly in the ribs.
    He opened his mouth to protest, then paused as if to consider it. "Well okay, that sounds fair," he finally decided with a happy grin. "I get you and the prep girls. What could be better??" Price grinned widely, before tsking her, reaching past her to hold the door open for her, as it should be. "After you, my darling."

    "Well, maybe," she agreed with another grin. "OCD though you may have. Boys and their toys, as they say." Julianna enjoyed herself as she felt over his smooth skin, searching for knots at the same time.
    Her thumb smoothed gently over the base of his spine when he spoke, causing another grin to sparkle in her eyes. "Me too. I'm surprised problems still dare to cross her, at this point. They should know better." Her finger found another knot and she gently eased it out, shaking her head again.
    The dog whuffed as if in disagreement, grinning happily at his master. Julianna smiled. "Any type of love is good though." Performing another run-down of his back, she nodded in satisfaction when she didn't feel anymore knots. "Okay, you weren't as bad as last time. Last time it took an hour to get you all loosened up," she had to admit, draping herself across his back then. Her thighs hugged his hips as she rested one arm across his upper back, using her free hand to start playing with his hair.
    The dog, obviously seeing her free hand, whined pleadingly.

    Paul leaned heavily into her as his breathing slowly slowed, feeling the after-effects tingling through his legs. His lips remained against her shoulder, eyes still closed as he breathed in deep. Then he felt her legs unwrap from around him and released her wrist, stepping back himself.
    Hair slightly mussed, eyes heavy-lidded and infinitely satisfied, he pulled up his pants and buckled them lazily. "Glad to see you still got it in you, sweetheart."

    "Lovely," Patrick decided, voice pleased. "I can be there in 'bout twenty minutes then. "'Ow 'bout I pick ye up out front and we'll decide where tae go from there??"

    "We'll send Iliana away," Galen said, his voice stiff. He couldn't help it; he was protective of the women in his life, and Iliana was like a sister to him. The thought of anyone hurting her like that... well it made him sick, and it made him angry, and most of all, it made him want her to be far, far away. It made him want Keller to be far away as well, but he knew better than to suggest it. She wouldn't go, not when there was a job to be done.
    "Is there anything we can do to help?" he felt compelled to ask. "With the dragon, and this Jayden, and their daughter." He felt a shiver go through his stomach as he said the word daughter, because he knew what kind of power ran in the veins of those descended from dragons, and his own blood was centuries diluted. What would it be like one generation removed, and combined with the strength of the vampire? "I didn't think that it was possible for a made vampire to sire a child," he mused, a thoughtful frown on his lips.

    "Well, now I know what to give you for Christmas," Anna quipped, and opted for a show of maturity, leaning over to give him a dainty kiss on the cheek in response to the poke.
    "Of course," she said contemplatively, "at that point, I will be dead, drowned in the soup tureen. Is that another one of your kinks?" She rolled her eyes when he took the door from him, but laughed as she walked past him through the door and into the restaurant.

    "Problems are just stupid that way, I suppose," Gamble said, shrugging beneath her hands. "Otherwise, they wouldn't be problems."
    She finished working out the knots in his back, and he just relaxed as she molded herself to his body, one hand reaching back to trail lightly across the arm that was resting on his upper back. "Thank you, darlin'. I don't know what I'd do without you. I'd be as hunched and crooked as a grandpa by now if it wasn't for those talented hands of yours."

    After steadying herself against the wall that she had so recently been pinned up against, Phaedra knelt to gather up her pants. "I'm so happy not to have disappointed," she replied, the faintest hint of a sardonic drawl creeping into her voice. As usual, when Paul wasn't touching her, he annoyed her. It really didn't take that much; a word, and that smug king-of-all-I-see attitude that he carried around with him.

    "That sounds good," Ai said, watching as her hired driver collected her luggage from the baggage carousel. "I'll see you soon, Patrick. It'll be good to have a chance to catch up."

    Gift simply inclined her head again as Keller nodded shortly in agreement with Galen's words. The latter's hand tightened in a small squeeze on his leg, as she could feel his thoughts. She couldn't leave herself, not when so many problems were abounding, but she was definitely planning to steer clear of Jayden Sadi.
    Heavy-lidded eyes studied the pair for another moment, before a slim shoulder rose in a shrug. "At this point, not particularly. Loathe as you might be to admit it, Daybreak simply couldn't handle this trio. You'd keep putting people in front of them, and those people would be killed."
    "Surely if we got the witches together," Keller started to protest.
    "Terra would know when they got close, and she would kill them," Gift replied evenly. "And she'd find out who sent them, and she'd attack Daybreak directly. She's a dragon working under her own power and will, Keller, not like your last one. She doesn't answer to anyone and she /will/ hit you head on if you irritate her."
    "But---"
    "Keller. No buts." Gift's eyes were still cool but direct as she met the panther's. "I wouldn't tell you no if I thought there was a chance you'd be helpful. But at this point, there are plenty of people out for Terra and Jayden's blood. All you can do at this point is make sure the rest of Daybreak knows not to start running after Mr. Guivre and Christian." A half-smile tilted one side of her mouth. "Unless you want the consequences from that as well."
    Keller frowned at her friend, even as Gift looked past her to Galen again. A brow rose slightly. "There are many things people deem as impossible, Mr. Drache."

    Price laughed, both at her words and her show of maturity. Fake though it may be, as he well know the depth of her immaturity. But he wouldn't call her on it. Better to wait until a more opportune moment rose.
    Nose wrinkled vaguely at her question. "No, I don't think you'd be of much use, drowned in the tureen as you'd be. Maybe I'll devise a way to make sure you don't drown. You probably wouldn't look as cute all bloated and dead." He winked, following her into the restaurant. He held up two fingers when the host looked at them, then gestured Anna courteously on when the young man began leading them to a table.

    "Fair enough," Julianna conceded. "Though you think they'd smarten up after a while, even. Problems like to hang around, last time I checked."
    She smiled softly at his fingers tickled across her arm, fingers still smoothing through his hair. She was jealous of his hair, though she'd never admit it. So soft and silky. "Oh, you could probably find someone else to do it for you," she contemplated, tilting her head to rest her cheek against one of his shoulder blades. "Granted, you'd probably have to dish out fifty or sixty bucks for it, but it would still get done."
    The dog, having sensed the wandering attentions, huffed again and flopped lazily down to the floor. Julianna chuckled.

    A brief yet scorching glance was sent over Phaedra's frame as Paul finished tucking his shirt in. "Well I didn't say /that/," he chuckled, taking another step away from her. "You should probably stop snacking while you read." Another lazy smile curved his lips as he buckled his belt, then ran a hand through his hair.

    "It will, darlin'," Patrick replied warmly. "I'll see ya soon." The disconnect was heard. Apparently he still didn't care much for the phone except when absolutely necessary. Or maybe he'd just had enough of it for that day.

    "Keller," Galen said softly, not looking terribly pleased himself, but agreeing with Gift's reasoning. "The last time we fought a dragon, we did it because we had to, because there was no one else to do it. I don't like sitting on the sidelines any more than you do, but if there are people better suited to take them on, and more likely to come out of it intact..." He shrugged helplessly.
    The frown deepened when Gift moved on to Guivre and Christian, and that he didn't respond to, and couldn't respond to until he had met one or the other of them in person. It just seemed so unbelievable that a dragon wouldn't be bent to the purpose of destruction, yet another thing to deem 'impossible,' as she put it.

    "Ah, so the truth comes out," Anna teased, following the host to the table and sliding neatly into her chair. "You love me for my looks alone, and not my sparkling personality. Not that I'd have much of that left, either, if I were all bloated and dead." She picked up the menu when it was placed in front of her, but didn't open it right away.
    "You saw the hotel, so you know how my day was," she remarked. "What have you been up to?"

    "They wouldn't be hanging around if they were smartening up," Gamble said, with another shrug.
    He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of her fingers in his hair. "What, you don't think that I could just flex my manly muscles and get someone to give me a massage?" he asked, and chuckles. "That hurts me Juli, it truly does." He glanced briefly at the dog and smiled, but made no move to continue the petting, his fingers still running lightly over Julianna's arm.

    Eyes narrowed briefly with anger, and one of Phaedra's hands curled inwards, as if she wanted to hit him. Finally, she just shook her head and raised a brow. "I would suggest that you read more, but since years of private education has obviously done nothing to improve your mind, I can't see how it would help," she replied.