Julianna grinned at that one, leaning back in her chair again, hands going to link lazily behind her head. "Yes, a bod does have a lot to do with it." Though she was surrounded by hot bods pretty much every day, it was mandatory to appreciate the new and fresh ones.

    "It is," Tala replied, with a fond little smile as she watched Fang lift C.J. to the ground. She hadn't thought of it until Randi had commented, but they really were her pack, or as close as two vampires and a tiger could be. She would kill to protect them, and usually managed to resist the overwhelming urge to kill /them/. Just like family.
    Anna waved a tolerant hand and allowed herself to be guided out the door, with no protest and another tiny yawn. "I need to clock out before we go."
    Fang snatched Zabri by the hips and swung her around once, easily. He snickered softly, possibly a little bit tipsy himself. "Happy feet," he joked, doing a little step on the table.
    "Hello, love," Darshan said solemnly, and reached out to pull her into a hug. Unlike his soulmate, he was not very demonstrative, but he knew everyone here and it didn't make him as uncomfortable as it otherwise would. "I'm sorry that I had to go running off on you. Twice."

    "It's almost not worth the effort to go sleeping in the enemy camp, though," Irene said, with a laughing little sigh, as if she had divined Julianna's thoughts. "There are so many lovely ones here. A girl could just sit back and feast her eyes for hours... days... weeks even. I'm thinking of writing an ode to Christian's ass, or Mr. Redwood's abs..." How she had gotten a glimpse of that was anyone's guess, but voyeurism and spying went hand in hand, didn't they? "Or Guivre's... well, were to start?" She fanned herself with a hand, her face once again alight with humor.

    Randi eyed Tala sideways, noting the little smile on her fellow wolf's face, and grinned. "Finally find your niche, Tala girl??"
    "I'm sure Craig will be happy to clock out for you," Price assured his soulmate easily, nodding at the two security men taking posts outside the suite. "'Night boys."
    George doffed the air in front of his head like he would a hat. "'Night." One eye closed in a wink. "And always a pleasure, Ms. Valdez."
    Head tilting back, Zabri sent a throaty laugh to the ceiling. "Happy /feet/??" She reached her hands out, sliding them across his decently broad shoulders and down a nicely chiseled chest. Gold eyes sparkling, she took a sauntering dance step behind him and let her fingers curve the shape of his ass and give a teasing and totally objective squeeze. "Yep, I think you're right then. It's the feet."
    C.J. gave a happy little hmmming sound when she was pulled up against her dragon, who was like the ultimate good-smelling boy. She nuzzled his collarbone and brushed a light kiss to his neck. "It's okay, I know you'd rather hang out with Christian than go through all the public crap. At least you saw the show."

    Julianna grinned again, eyes still sparkling. "I always thought the "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" was overrated. I keep my friends plenty close enough." She didn't comment on Irene's viewings because, well, it wouldn't surprise her in the least if she'd seen more than asses and abs.
    Her grin widened at the latter though. "I'd be careful with that one though; you might finally rile up C.J.'s territorialism."

    "They'll do," Tala said, and took another drink.
    "You're awfully pushy tonight," Anna grumped, but there was a smile on her lips that completely contradicted the disgruntled tone of her voice. She shook her head at George. "I'll return the sentiment when you stop accepting bribes from the fans. I'm starting to wonder if it was really maid service that snuck that freaky baby doll into Mr. Miller's room."
    "You'll never prove it," Tristan said, his china blue eyes wandering down to the interesting view under her fitted pencil-skirt as she started down the hall towards the elevators. "You think about that drink, Valdez."
    Fang grinned slowly, readjusting his grip on her until her could lead her in a rumba across the table, in spite of the alcohol he had consumed and the fact that the music pouring from the speakers was just not a rumba. It was a bit wobbly than it otherwise might have been, of course, but that could have had something to do with Zabri's hand on his ass, as well. "Now... that IIIII... can daaaaaaaance," he sang under his breath, with another little snicker. He had a nice voice, smooth and mellow, but he practically yodeled the words, he mouth stretched in a broad smile.
    "Christian is tolerable company," Darshan conceded. "I enjoyed the show."

    Irene grabbed the wine bottle, and gave a purring little stretch as she returned to her chair. "There are a few friends I'd like to keep very close," she said, and actually wiggled her eyebrows and leered a little. "Yes, wouldn't want to rile the tiger with my admiration," she agreed, her lips quirking.

    Smirking, Randi downed her own drink. "So how long you in town for??"
    "Sometimes I have to be," Price said, in a voice indicated it hurt him just as much as it did her. "Otherwise you'd overwork yourself /again/, and I'll have a harder time of getting you to class in the morning."
    George merely smiled in bland agreement with Tristan. "Not to mention he can now sell it on eBay for a small fortune. Could maybe even pass it over as his own child."
    "Now there's a scary thought," Price murmured, continuing to steer Anna down the hallway. He wasn't going to allow her to become distracted, anyway.
    Laughing again, Zabri moved in perfect time with Fang as they danced around the coffee table. Yes, she could feel it trembling under her feet, but she didn't fear a tiny collapsing table. When one dodged bullets and knives on a near-daily basis, the smaller dangers became much less important. And the small details, like how much alcohol to consume in a night, became all-important.
    "I think you should probably stick to your day job," she offered to Fang after he yodeled some, still grinning playfully. Her fingers gave his comfortably bubbly butt one more squeeze before delicately trailing away.
    "Poor D, you need more friends," C.J. commented, her voice sad for his benefit as she nestled her head in against his neck. The pot was working in a smoky tendrils through her system, making everything seem mellow and calm around her. "And I'm glad you enjoyed the show. I tried to keep the rest out of your way."

    Julianna laughed, tilting her chair back again. "A /few/ friends, eh??" she commented, wiggling her own brows. "At the same time, Irene dear?? I never would've imagined that."
    Lips still twitching, she inclined her head in agreement. "I have yet to see her really and thoroughly pissed, but I bet someone attempting to move in on her man might provoke it."

    "Probably for a couple weeks," Tala replied. Her eyes wandered to Fang and Zabri. "Assuming that Fred and Ginger don't waltz off that table and leave me without a bass player."
    Anna chuckled good naturedly. "I always get to my morning class. It's just a matter of whether I stay awake through it or not." She shuddered a little at the suggestions concerning the baby doll, but continued down the hallway.
    "Sweetheart, that is my day job," Fang shot back, his eyes narrowed in amusement. "What, you don't like my lovely singing?"
    "I'm fine with the friends I have," Darshan said quickly, before she could get any funny ideas about setting up play-dates for him or something. He reached up to brush back a strand of her hair, pulling back a little to down at her face. "It was fine. If 'the rest' really start to bother me, I'm perfectly capable of remaining unnoticed."

    Irene raised her brows in mock surprise. "Really, now, Julianna. Do you think that any one person could keep up with me? I need at least one spare there, ready to step in." She chuckled at the thought of the tiger in a tiff, and shook her head. "I'd never try anything of that nature with Mr. Guivre. Just pure aesthetic admiration, nothing else."

    Randi grinned, eyes flashing briefly. "If falling off a little table would put your bass player out of commission, do you really want him anyway??" The play-fights back at the homestead were worse than that.
    "And considering you're actually paying money to go to those classes, it's likely best you stay awake during them," Price commented, voice oh so reasonable, as he quite reasonably ignored the security men behind him. Maybe when not provoked, they'd keep their comments to themselves and let Anna leave.
    Grin tripping happily over her mouth, Zabri gave him a heavy-lidded gaze. "If that's your day job, I don't think you've managed to keep it thanks to your lovely singing."
    C.J. considered that, a line forming between her brows as she thought. "D, do you /have/ any friends??" It was a genuinely puzzled question because, sad as it sounded, she couldn't really think of anyone he just hung out with. Maybe Christian on occasion, but he needed more than one person, right??
    She instinctively nuzzled into his hand when he pushed her hair back, and smiled up at him. "I know. You don't do anything you don't want to." She nuzzled his hand again, then gave his palm an absent lick before brightening. "Wanna drink?? I think it's time for another drink. And joints all around!" Wow, she was actually willing to /share/ her drugs. Must've been a happy day.

    Julianna grinned at her friend, arms crossing casually over her chest as she tipped back in her chair again. "Point taken. I always knew you liked multiple boys."
    The grin widened a bit, playing in her eyes, as she inquired, "Because of C.J., or Darshan??"

    "Falling off the table and having an attractive woman fall with him might distract him, though," Tala remarked.
    Anna fanned a hand, acknowledging his argument and conceding defeat in the same gesture. She seemed inclined to ignore the security team as well, either because she was inclined to go along with Price's plans concerning bed or because she was still irritated with them over the bribes.
    "My charming personality?" Fang hazarded, an answering grin on his mouth.
    "I have friends," Darshan said placatingly. The truth was, he was content with what friends he had. If he was forced to associate with too many people, he was likely to kill one or two of them just to thin the numbers down. The thought made a thin smile skirt across his lips, which he quickly erased.
    "I think it's time for sleep," he replied firmly, since the party seemed to be thinning out.

    "Yes, well, it would be so selfish of me to only pick one," Irene drawled. "Then the others would miss out on the pleasure of my... company." Her tone was light, but there was something shadowed about her gaze as she said it.
    "Both?" she offered, with a faint smirk.

    "Wimp," Randi smirked, glancing towards Fang. "If that's enough to distract him, I can't imagine how he manages to get anything done on stage."
    Price directed Anna towards the elevator, ignoring George's amused gaze on their backs as they went. He was getting Anna into bed, period.
    Zabri's smirk widened. "That must be it, sweetcheeks. Women are really into that sentimental shit."
    Another doubtful look crossed C.J.'s face as she studied her soulmate. She knew he wasn't the most sociable of creatures, but even dragons needed group gatherings, right?? And what was with the smile that came briefly to his face??
    "D," she began, but didn't take it anywhere. She wasn't even sure she knew where she wanted to take it, and her head was starting to hurt a little. She needed another drink.
    "Sleep, already??" she echoed in blatant disbelief. "It's like...not even midnight!"

    Julianna grinned playfully at her friend, though there was an answering understanding in her gaze to match Irene's shadows. "I bet they'd be missing out on a lot then. That's so generous of you."
    She laughed at her next response, nodding her head agreement. "I can see them doing a tag-team revenge plot on someone," Julianna said, grin widening again. "Or at least I can see C.J. whining about it until Darshan agreed, then he'd just kill the person and be done with it."

    "Honey, he doesn't have a woman on top of him while he's on stage." Tala considered that statement carefully, then tipped the bottle back and let another heavy dose of liquor slide down her throat. "Usually," she amended.
    "Really?" Fang said, with another quick grin. "You don't seem like the sentimental sort to me."
    "Well," Darshan said, his tone contemplative and with a rare flash of humor. "Maybe not sleep." He didn't bother to point out that it was well past midnight; it just didn't seem worth it.

    Irene's expression warmed for a moment, a response to the understanding on Julianna's face. She didn't know all of it, of course - no one did - but if anyone understood what was going on in Irene's twisted, labyrinthine brain, it was the other spy. The usual easy laughter returned to her eyes, as she bobbed her red head in agreement. "I know, aren't I just a peach? I've often been complimented on my charity, making sure that everyone gets their share of my lovely self."
    She shook her head at what was probably an entirely accurate portrait of the dragon and his soulmate. "That sounds about right." She rose to her feet, and placed the empty wine glass on the table, all in one sudden, decisive movement. "I want a drink," she announced, completely ignoring the mostly empty bottle of wine on the side table. "Would you care to accompany me down to the hotel bar for a martini?"

    Randi laughed then, a husky little sound that filled the fast-emptying room. "And on that so promising note, I think I'd better jet, wailer. Don't think I want to see Fang with a woman on top of him anytime soon." She shot a speculative look in the lamia's direction and, hot though he was, it was undeniable she didn't want to see a show.
    Zabri grinned full-out this time, golden eyes gleaming. "Well, /most/ women."
    Naturally, C.J.'s full attention swerved to her lizard at that. Dark eyes brightened, her face perking up. "Go to bed, but not sleep??" That made her lids droop with promise and her voice dip into a purr. "What did you have in mind??"

    Julianna smiled, just a really nice genuine smile, as Irene's face warmed. Though she wasn't up close and personal with the other spy's past, she knew enough to understand it was a rough one. "Well honey, I don't know if 'peach' is the first adjective that comes to mind." She winked teasingly, reclining in her chair again. It was always so much fun, hanging out with her fellow spies. Especially one of Irene's caliber.
    An actual giggle bubbled up when considering Darshan and C.J. Julianna loved to watch that particular couple, just because they were so...opposite. And of course they deserved a toast.
    "I think that is a marvelous idea," she agreed, rising to her own feet. "Lead the way."

    Tala wiggled the fingers of her free hand in a little wave. "Don't you go being a stranger. I expect you to look me up at least once more before I leave Las Vegas." Her eyes slid to C.J. and Darshan, and she rolled her eyes. She was going to kill whatever asshole had roomed her with C.J. She hadn't been able to sleep in her bed since they had arrived.
    "Ah, so you're unique," Fang said solemnly. He used his hands on her waist to pick her up and twirl her, so that they exchanged places on the table. The table itself shuddered, a dangerous protest at holding the weight of two bouncing adults.
    Darshan didn't respond; he simply smiled a cool, reptilian smile. His eyes, however, were anything but cool as they lingered on her face. He placed a cursory kiss on her cheek, then used his arm around her shoulders to lead her towards one of the back rooms in the suite. He didn't look back, but he thought that he heard Tala sigh.

    "I'm just full of marvelous ideas," Irene purred, and obligingly led the way out of the room and down the hall to the elevator. A short ride down, and they entered the hotel's plush lobby, all shining white marble and thick carpets and glass. The bar, on the opposite side of the lobby, was not as full as it had been earlier in the evening, but it also wasn't empty. This was, after all, Las Vegas.

    "Count on it," Randi said with a wicked little smile, winking a gleaming eye at her old friend. "If you're not doing anything for the full, I'm dragging your ass out with me. Be prepared. We'll put the old homestead to shame."
    Jacob was just watching his bandmates and their companions with a sort of resigned fascination. Because they were just...so strange in their relationships with other people, but naturally his best of friends. What could that possibly say about him.
    Though he'd admit, C.J. pretty much took the cake as her entire face went dreamy at Darshan's kiss. And she was seriously purring as she went all too willingly with her soulmate. All Jacob could do was shake his head when the door closed behind them, before sending a considering look in Fang's direction. Looked like he'd be hitting the couch with Tala again.
    Sigh.
    Rising to his feet, he nodded to the two werewolves. "I'm going downstairs for a few minutes; I need some fresh air." The "and when I get back, I want to go to bed" didn't really need to be added, right??

    Julianna grinned again and followed her friend down, eyes casually glancing over the bar area. Just because she was such a good little spy, and Ethan had taught her to always be aware of her surroundings.
    Like a delicious looking guy hanging out alone at the bar, one hand wrapped thoughtlessly around his glass and his eyes studying a muted TV. Julianna winked at Irene. "So, how friendly you feeling tonight??" she mock-whispered.

    "I look forward to it," Tala said, with a low chuckle. She cast Jacob a look when he made his departure, understanding and resigned amusement combined. "Wait a second, I'll come with you." She gave Randi a friendly peck on the cheek, then followed Jacob out the door, wiggling her bare feet against the nicely thick rug. She was remarkably steady, considering the mostly empty bottle in her hand, and she took another quick swallow, fully intending to remedy that. Judging by the looks that Darshan and C.J. had been giving each other, it was possible she wouldn't be getting any sleep even if she was in the living room.

    Irene's pale eyes skipped over the bar, and she didn't even have to look to guess who Julianna was referring to. "I am the most amiable of women," she remarked offhandedly, her gaze fixed on her friend's face. "You should know that by now."

    Randi chuckled and made her own discreet exit.
    His face seemingly permanently fixed into resigned fascination, Jacob watched Tala coming after him. "You sure you're going to make it??" Though it didn't stop him from heading out of the room and to the elevator. He needed fresh air; if she couldn't handle it, he'd just carry her back up afterwards. Bigger sigh.

    Julianna laughed and went to plunk herself on a stool at the bar, a few empty chairs down from the lonely man. "Even at almost one in the morning??" She raised her hand at the bartender to signify a drink was in desperate need.

    "I'll be fine," Tala said, and gave him a look out of the corner of her eye. "Remember, unlike the rest of our band, I'm an adult," she said mildly. "I'm a few bottles short of being so dead drunk that I can't drag by ass back into the elevator." She raised the bottle in a vague salutation to George and Tristan as she passed them. "No need to follow, boys. We'll go out the side door, and I promise to eat anyone who assaults us, so you don't need to worry your pretty little heads about it." She made a vague mime of picking her teeth, then stepped into the elevator.

    "True amiability does not consider the time," Irene said, mock-primly, then laughed as she deposited herself onto a stool, next to Julianna and in a good position to check out the truly fabulous male specimen a few stools down.

    Jacob merely grunted at that tidbit of information, and it was hard to tell if he believed it or not. Not that he'd say either way out loud, because then she might kick him or something. Though she wasn't wearing shoes. Hmm, this might be the best opportunity to make fun of her. She couldn't outright hurt him.
    Unfortunately, he just didn't quite feel like making the effort, and by the time he was done sorting it all through his tired mind, the moment had passed. Too bad.
    George gave an agreeable nod, slouched against the wall opposite the suite, arms crossed. He looked like a regular ole guy just hanging around, but the glint in his eyes put a lie to that image. "Have fun. If you get in trouble, scream for help and we'll try to hear you." Clearly no promises were being made though. It was past midnight; it was about time to go home.
    Jacob just sighed at that and stabbed the lobby button in the elevator.

    Eyes gleaming, Julianna winked at her again as the bartender approached. She ordered a vodka martini, casting appreciative glances from the corner of her eye as the bartender looked at Irene.

    "Scream loud," Tristan suggested, from where he was propped up against the wall. He didn't open his eyes, but his speaking at least proved that he was not asleep while standing up.
    "Cheer up," Tala said, as the elevator doors slid shut. She looped a casual arm around his waist, either to be companionable or in a covert attempt to steady her slightly wobbly steps. "There's a chance that Fang won't get laid tonight, and you can sleep in your bed. Even if he does talk in his sleep."

    Irene hesitated for a moment; tonight, she didn't want the non-taste of vodka on her tongue. She smirked at the bartender, covering her momentary discomfort with expert ease. "I'll have a Monte Carlo, please." She followed Julianna's gaze, and her smirk widened, as she leaned over to speak into the other spy's ear. "Take a picture, it'll last longer." Besides, he was well worth a picture. Mmm, those shoulders. "With the menfolk that you hang out around, I wouldn't think that you'd be particularly distracted by masculine beauty."

    Jacob sent a sigh in the security team's direction and let the elevator doors closed. An amused glance went sideways at Tala but he didn't comment on where her arm was. "Yeah, but everything he says in his sleep is pretty much the same thing as if he was getting laid."
    That said, the doors swished open and he hooked his own arm around her shoulders, guiding her outside with him. The glass paneled doors opened silently onto the cool Vegas night and he breathed in the air deeply.

    The bartender gave a snappy nod and mixed her drink as well, passing it over before going to check on the lonely man. Julianna grinned at Irene. "Just because I'm not distracted doesn't mean I can't appreciate when I see something worth it." And that particular man's body seemed worthy of sitting side by side with Ethan and Patrick and all of the other guys she knew. She had to wonder what he did to get just that in shape.

    Tala shuddered a little. "I'd just as soon not know the details, thanks."
    She shuddered again as the cold air touched the bare skin on her back and shoulders; it really was amazing how the air cooled in the desert after dark. She curled a little closer to Jacob, since it seemed to be the most expedient way of keeping warm and getting fresh air at the same time, except for sprouting fur. Which would certainly give the tabloids something to talk about.
    Unbeknownst to both of them, jealous eyes watched from a van parked in the shadowed corner of the parking lot.

    "Christ, I think he has muscles on his muscles," Irene mused in a laughing tone, her mind apparently wandering along the same track as Julianna. She took a sip of her drink, her eyes roving down towards that part of the man's anatomy as was mostly hidden by the seat of the stool. She was being less that subtle, but she hardly cared. She did enough covert watching when she was working that she really didn't want to bother with it when she was at her leisure.

    "You think I do??" Jacob asked dryly, but overall, it wasn't too bad. He usually just kicked the lamia in his sleep, and he shut up for a little while. Repeat process as often as necessary.
    The cold air obviously didn't affect him, but he kept his arm around Tala as he watched the pretty much deserted street in front of the hotel. He even cuddled her a little closer to him, though clearly in a non-sexual way to anyone with enough brains to tell the difference.
    Taking another deep breath, Jacob glanced down at Tala again. "So, you think you'll be getting into your room anytime tonight??"

    "But he's so...sleek," Julianna murmured back, a grin still hovering on her mouth. As a Karnee, she definitely appreciated sleekness.
    The guy in question apparently became tired of attempting to ignore their glances and not-quite-so-quiet whispers, for he turned his head and looked at them. His eyes were an endless midnight blue, just this side of black in the dim bar lighting, and Julianna almost had a hot flash. Something about the assessing look in them was almost familiar too, but then the guy smiled a truly heart-breaking smile, and she put it out of mind for now.
    "Hello ladies," he said, voice soft but clearly audible as he looked from one to the other. "Out for the night or coming in for the night??"

    "I doubt it," Tala said, and turned her head so that she could grin up at him. "It looks like it's you and me, together again. Just tell me that you're not going to wear those awful boxers." The only reason she was able to tolerate The Boxers was because they were better that tolerating C.J. and Darshan, en flagrante delicto. Not even Jacob could make The Boxers look good, and she could say objectively that he was quite easy on the eyes.
    From within the van came an angry squeal, quickly muffled. Tala looked around, as if she had heard something in that range that only a dog can hear, then shrugged and dismissed it.

    "Drinking a toast to some friends of ours," Irene said promptly, a smile teasing the corners of her mouth. "Newlyweds, you know." Or they might as well have been, the way that they acted sometimes. Not that she could see Darshan as a starry-eyed bridegroom, or C.J. as a blushing bride, for that matter. "Would you care to join us?"

    A smile twitched at one side of Jacob's mouth. "I know you prefer nothing at all, Tal, but I've got to sleep in /some/thing." And those were currently his only clean boxers. He really needed to pitch his clothes down to laundry at some point.

    The guy chuckled and slid from his stool. "Sure, I love toasting people I don't even know." He moved over to sit beside Julianna, lifting his glass once he'd settled. "To the newlyweds."
    Grinning, Julianna raised her own glass. "To them." All the while having the same thought Irene had.

    "Just because you're bashful, doesn't mean the rest of us should suffer," muttered Tala, who did indeed sleep in the buff, although she was usually good enough to put on a slip or a robe when she and Jacob were forced to cohabit. "Ah, well. We can make a night out of it. You, me, some blankets on the floor, and a bottle of champagne?" Followed by a fight for the remote, as per their usual routine.

    "May they continue to alternately disturb and disgust those of us who are happily single," Irene added, and raised her cocktail in a toast before downing half of it.

    "Who's the one suffering??" Jacob teased lightly, giving her shoulders a friendly squeeze. "You're the one walking around naked all the time."
    He took another deep breath of the cold night air, and just managed to stifle a yawn. "Sounds like a plan. Just be sure you don't drink the whole bottle this time around. Last time you got tipsy and wouldn't stop climbing all over me." That had been their most notorious remote fight; they'd even pulled Fang from the bedroom to yell at them to shut up.

    Julianna grinned again and the guy chuckled in agreement before they all downed some of their drinks. He set his empty glass down and gestured for another, before turning hooded eyes to the women. "So what brings you to Vegas, business or pleasure??"
    "Both," Julianna said wryly, finger absently circling the rim of her glass. "Equally." Or maybe not, since, for her at least, business was pleasure. She genuinely just loved her job.

    "Like it bothers you," Tala said, with a snort. Nothing much seemed to bother Jacob, which was probably good, considering the company they kept.
    She smiled fondly at that particular memory. It was always a nice change to get under Fang's skin, instead of the other way around. "It was your fault. Sitting there, holding it in your hand and taunting me." He had stood up, and waved it over her head, knowing full well that it was hardly a fair match with the height difference.

    "I suppose that depends on how pleasurable you find your business," Irene mused. "But that's why I'm here. Work, work, work. Ask anybody." She caught Julianna's eye, and her lips curled up into a wry, lopsided smile, a reminder of what they had been talking about earlier that evening.

    "I'm made of pretty steely stuff," Jacob had to agree, because it was necessary. With this bunch, someone had to be the voice of reason /all/ the time.
    A full-out grin came to his face at that. "Hey, I was doing you a favor. It's way too big for you to even fit your hand around; you couldn't handle it right." Which was scarily true; the TV the suite was equipped with was one of those monster big screens, with too many options and buttons on the remote. It was definitely a man's remote.

    The guy gave a little half grin that was scarily sexy, Julianna observed with some amount of fascination. "Most people don't find their work all that pleasurable."
    "That's a shame," Julianna commented, tilting her head to meet Irene's eye and give another wink. "You shouldn't do something you don't enjoy."

    "I'll show you how well I handle it, later tonight," Tala promised, with a faintly wicked grin. She would be victorious in the fight for the remote, greater height be damned. "I think I'm going to head upstairs. It's getting a bit cold for me, even with a big, strong man like yourself to hold on to." She went up on her toes to give him a friendly peck on the cheek, much like the one that she had given Randi. Then she untangled herself from him and teetered inside.

    That smile alone was enough to make a girl fall over dead from hormonal overload, Irene reflected. "Do you mix business and pleasure...?" She left it an open ended question, and raised one brow, making it clear that she was wondering by what name she was supposed to address him.

    "Don't try to be saucy or I might have to get rough, just to show who's the boss," he teased. He wasn't above tickling, if it came to that. From reading the internet, he knew all of Tala's weaknesses. Haha.
    "I'll be up in a little bit," he said, giving her another squeeze before watching her head back to the door. She seemed a mite unsteady but he knew George and Tristan /would/ be there if something happened, so he resumed his enjoyment of the cold night air. Feeling better than he had since they'd finished playing that night, nonetheless.

    The guy smiled again. "Ry. And what's business without pleasure...??" He returned the open-end, brow twitching just slightly upwards.

    Tala disappeared inside, and had just reached the elevator when it slid open and Fang stepped out, clutching a pack of cigarettes. "Off to feed your addiction?" she wondered.
    "Come now, Tala," he said, with a flirtatious smile. "You know that you're my only addiction."
    She rolled her eyes tolerantly, and got into the elevator. Fang had to be tolerated; there was no hope of curing him, and killing him would leave a mess.

    "Irene," she replied, offering her hand. "I never did see the point of business without pleasure. As my lovely friend said earlier: you shouldn't do something that you don't enjoy."

    Jacob continued gazing out over the street, crossing his arms thoughtlessly. An occasional car would pass by, since this /was/ Las Vegas, and he could hear some music pouring from opening and closing doors along the strip, but it was actually quieter than he would've suspected for this time of night.

    "Truer words I haven't heard in a while," Ry agreed, taking her hand to give it a firm but brief shake. "Why everyone else can't seem to understand that is beyond me."
    "Most people are masochistic," Julianna offered helpfully, eyes twinkling, as she offered her own hand. "Julianna."
    Ry chuckled and repeated the shake. "Unfortunately, there's no room to argue in that estimation either."

    Fang lit up a cigarette as he stepped outside. "I saw your girl as I was coming out," he said with a grin, in a manner that was meant to provoke. "Seriously, man, if you want the bedroom tonight, I can clear out." Tala would have hurt him if he had said it to her, but Jacob usually just ignored such commentary. Therefore, Fang was smart enough not to say such things when Tala was within hearing... or at least, striking... distance.

    Irene raised her drink in another toasting gesture. "To those few, precious people with an ounce of common sense." She smiled slyly. "Not that I'm blowing my own horn, or anything."

    Jacob snorted, shaking his head at his friend. "And have you so accidentally barge in while we're in the middle of something?? I think not." It seemed likely Fang would take the couch, then get tired of it halfway through the night and come back into the bedroom, only to disturb both Jacob and Tala from their sleep to tell them to get out. And wouldn't that just start the ball rolling.

    "It's always impressive to meet someone with enough self-confidence to toast themselves," Ry said with another half-grin, raising his own glass.
    Julianna laughed and clinked hers to both of theirs. "To all of us then."

    "Much as I would love to see Tala naked," Fang said mournfully, since it was a well-known fact among the band that their lead singer did not wear very much to bed, "she would kill me."

    "I'll drink to that," Irene teased, and finished out the last of her drink.
    She tilted her head, an obvious pose that sent her red hair cascading over one shoulder and left blue shadows on one side of her face under the colored lights of the bar. If Irene was good at one thing, it was appearing shallow enough that most people just assumed she was harmless. No one gave the vain credit for being anything other than vain, after all. "So, why are you here, Ry? Business, pleasure, some combination of both?"

    "And I would undoubtedly be tempted to join her," Jacob agreed, eyes half-closing as he privately relished the fresh air. Undisturbed by bouncing tweenies for once. Maybe the parents had finally shaped up and actually put the majority to bed.

    Julianna and Ry downed their drinks respectively and all gestured for another. Clearly this night wasn't ending anytime soon.
    Wrapping his fingers around his new glass, Ry slid the women another amused glance. "Some combination of both sounds about right."
    "Oh, a mystery man," Julianna said with teasing relish. "How intriguing. And what is it that you do, Ry??"
    The amusement deepened. "A little of this, a little of that."
    Julianna grinned. Obviously, there was little the spy liked better than a good mystery to solve.

    "Well, I wouldn't want to tempt you," Fang drawled, sucking on his cigarette like the addict that he was. He glanced up at the sound of a car starting in the parking lot, then returned his gaze to Jacob, the shit-eating grin sweeping across his lips again. "Awfully possessive, though, aren't you?"

    Irene smiled as well, and there was a sharpness in her gaze that was in direct contrast to her careful posing and flirting. Being secretive was practically an open invitation for the spies in the room to go digging through a person's past, at least in her mind. "That sounds familiar," she told Julianna, her voice wry. They knew any number of people who couldn't talk about what they did for a living.

    "You don't /have/ to tempt anything," Jacob said dryly, shaking his head and causing black bangs to fall over his eyes. "Around you, people just kind of get that urge."
    Purposefully ignoring any sounds that could lead to a disturbance of his peaceful mood, including the turning over of an engine, Jacob continued observing the stretch of land in front of him. It was so...gaudy. He was quite glad they wouldn't be here for more than a few weeks.
    Though his eyes did cut towards Fang and that stupid grin on his face. "I'll show you possessive if you keep interrupting," he commented, thinking how nice it would be to get a real full night's sleep.

    Julianna's grin widened at her friend. "All too, I think," she agreed, glancing at Ry again. "Though not in such pretty packaging."
    A brow rise a little higher. "Pretty??"

    "I'm special that way," Fang said smugly. He removed the cigarette from his mouth long enough to make a motion like he was zipping his lips, although it was doubtful that such a promise would last long.
    Indeed, it didn't, as a van came rumbling up. "Channel five?" he hazarded.

    "Pretty," Irene confirmed, completely unrepentant. "Take it as the compliment that it is. Julianna knows too many lovely men to apply the word lightly."

    "It's a real talent," Jacob had to agree, and it was hard to tell if he meant it or not. Though it /wasn't/ hard to tell he had absolutely no interest in the appearance of a rather large van that just...stopped in front of them.
    Taking an instinctive step back, Jacob gave his bandmate a little grimace. "If it is, have fun."

    Ry chuckled before taking another drink from his glass. "And you don't??"

    "But I don't have my face on," Fang joked, snagging Jacob by the wrist before he could make a full retreat. He let the cigarette drop from his mouth, grinding it out under one foot.

    Irene smiled, and placed a hand over her heart. "None that compare."
    Of course, that didn't mean that she wouldn’t toss any of them out of her bed for eating crackers.

    Jacob looked at Fang's hand on his wrist with an almost unfriendly expression, but before anything could happen after the lamia squished his cigarette, the door of the van opened.
    And Jacob's worst nightmare came to life.

    Ry gave another half-grin and took another drink. Julianna shook her head. "I don't know why, but I always seem to attract the conversationalists," she commented to Irene, wiggling her brows.

    Fang simply stood there for a moment, his mouth gaping, as if he couldn't quite believe what came pouring out of the van. Even Fang, who found some horrible things acceptable, seemed a little horrified.
    Then a damp rag was pressed over his mouth and nose, and the world became nice and swimmy, the way that it did after he had consumed a truly spectacular amount of alcohol, and he blacked out.

    "You have me for conversation," Irene said, in a manner that would have been comforting if she hadn't been wearing an expression reminiscent of a fox that had come to the farm and found Farmer John away on holiday and the hen house open and waiting. "The people that you attract are good for... other things."

    Jacob took another step back when the swarm started to head towards him, but Fang still had a grip on his damn wrist. And apparently he just wasn't up to par on the speed thing, because they were on him before he could even object.
    He did manage to think "but it's Fang you want!" before his vision went gray, then decidedly black.

    Julianna wiggled her brows a little more wickedly this time, something she'd been picking up from Zabri. "That's true. About all the use I get from you is conversation anyway." Which was true, in a round-a-bout way.
    Ry was watching the pair with a look of amused interest, although mild, as he took another drink.

    Fang and Jacob were dragged into the van with all the subtlety and quiet that is possible when a group of people is loading two full grown and unconscious men into a van - that is to say, not very much. Very soon, however, the van went roaring out of the parking lot, and carried its prize away into the night.
    Someone was humming the theme song from Mission Impossible. They were swiftly silenced.

    Irene raised a brow, and leaned close, intending that her words be for Julianna alone. No need to raise curiosity in Ry's pretty little head. It would be a shame if someone that gorgeous started asking questions, and had to be taken care of in the traditional manner. "I'm very useful. Which reminds me - when do I get paid for tonight's tete-a-tete?" The tone was teasing, but the question probably wasn't. Irene never did anything for nothing, not even for her friends.

    The van actually didn't travel that far, mostly because they weren't sure how long their prizes were going to be out. Some had expressed concern that to use too much knock-out gas would put them out...permanently. Better to relocate than endanger, like, the /best/ things that could ever happen in their lives.
    But, of course, they couldn't forego all stereotypes, and the van pulled up to an appropriately abandoned-looking warehouse.

    Julianna grinned at her friend. "When I get something a /little/ more useful out of you," she assured her just as softly, though Ry's brow had lifted at all of the secretive whispering.

    "Someone go unlock the door," said a shrill voice, in what was meant to be a whisper but came out sounding more like nails on a chalkboard. Very excited nails.
    No one moved, unwilling to miss the chance to help drag the two boys into the warehouse and, like, touch them. Finally, the shriller pouted and went to unlock the door herself.

    "That's the spirit," Irene said lightly. "But don't think that I'm going to forget about the payment."
    She smiled archly at Ry when she caught his expression. "Talking about you, of course," she informed him promptly, then leaned away from Julianna and tossed back her drink.
    A young lion-shifter, who Irene knew of by reputation and through various bugs placed in the homes of those nearest and dearest to Irene, would have said outright that they had been discussing his butt. But Irene was never so crude. No, she would never even lie to a man about a conversation concerning his ass...ets.

    No one even seemed to notice the shriller leaving. All eyes were fixed with rapt obsession on their prizes. One hand simply /had/ to reach forward, reverently touching Fang's jean-clad leg. Before being promptly smacked away, followed by a hiss, "Don't touch my man."
    "Hey, he's mine first."
    "What! You skanky ho, he's /mine/."
    "Wait, didn't we already decide..." The voices were steadily getting louder by then, denials and insistent demands starting to overlap the other.

    "Never," Julianna promised her friend, still grinning. "I know you have a running tab in your head somewhere."
    She added a wink at Ry to Irene's comment, whose brow rose a little higher. "Anything good??" he asked, clearly amused but not quite so clearly believing.

    "Just as long as I get Jakey first," whined another voice.
    Fang moaned and stirred, causing momentary silence before they once again began their whispered arguments.

    "Of course," Irene said primly.
    "Oh, yes," she informed Ry blandly, in a perfectly believable voice but with a light to her eyes that not only gave away the lie but made it clear that she wasn't trying that hard to be believable. "We've decided that you're a secret agent. A spy, if you will."

    It was hard to determine how long the arguments would've lasted if Jacob hadn't groaned next. Finally, someone seemed to pick up the hint, and said doubtfully, "Hey, shouldn't we, like, get them inside?? Because if they wake up out here, and we don't have them, like, secured, they're gonna be kinda mad."
    Whether it was the thought of their lust-toys being mad, or the thought of them being tied up, that got through, the gang suddenly kicked into gear and awkwardly starting transferring their prizes to the pre-designated areas for holding.

    Julianna merely grinned and took another drink from her glass.
    The amusement became plainer on Ry's face. "And how exactly did you come to that conclusion??"

    Fang awoke with the distinct impression that he had missed some awfully hard partying. He was tied up to a hard chair, and his head hurt. What other explanation was there? Well, possibly that Tala had finally had enough and hired some thugs to kidnap him and rough him up, but that didn't seem right. If Tala wanted his ass kicked, she would do it herself. And, being as she didn't have a kinky bone in her body, she probably wouldn't have tied him up first.
    Then he realized that not only was he tied up, but he was tied to someone else. "Guh?"

    "Well, let's see. You're a handsome man, alone in a bar at a truly ungodly hour, making vague comments about business and pleasure and being quite mysterious about what you do for a living. It sounds like the start of a James Bond movie to me." Irene glanced critically into his glass. "The drink is all wrong, of course. You need something more like... let's see... like what Julianna is drinking. Yes, that's a proper drink for a spy."

    Jacob's eyes were staring up at the ceiling by that point, trying to evade the pounding in his head by rolling them about some. Not a partier by nature, with the last clear thought being of Fang holding his wrist, he just knew that bastard had something to do with this.
    And there it was, the oh so clever voice of reason over his shoulder. Jacob twisted his wrists a little and came to the undeniable fact that he was tied up. To a chair.
    Looking over his shoulder with a defeated sigh, he just managed to catch a flash of blond in his view. Voice flat but filled with intense feeling, he muttered, "I hate you."

    Ry's brows raised higher, the amusement even more clear. It did something to his face, Julianna mused, that no single woman should be subjected to.
    "Well that could be said about two exceptional women who just happen to wander into a bar and start whispering privately between themselves," he pointed out. Eyes dropped to Julianna's glass. "And like you said, the drink's right."

    "But baby, I love you," Fang muttered, more aware of the pounding in his own head than anything that Jacob - because it had to be Jacob - was saying. "Otherwise, why would I be tied up with you?"

    "Ah, but the number is all wrong," Irene said mournfully. "You never see two female spies together; it's either one alone, or three. You only get two spies when it's a man and a woman, like the Avengers." She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. "Maybe you two are in it together, and I'm innocent. Is there something that you haven't been telling me, Julianna my dear?"

    There was a moment of silence, followed by a just as heart-felt, "You're sick. You need some intense and thorough psychiatric help."

    "Ahh, but then again, you see the girl spy and bad spy together," Ry contemplated. "Like in that second Charlie's Angels movie. Maybe you're warning each other off or something, and I got caught in the crossfire."
    Julianna just flashed an enigmatic smile, eyes gleaming.

    "Hey, man, I'm not the one who tied us up," Fang protested weakly. "Besides, just because you don't like to have any fun doesn't mean that the rest of us have to imitate the walking dead."

    "Well, since Julianna's a complete sweetheart, I know which one that makes me," Irene mused. She glanced at Julianna and smirked. "Evil she-spy. I kind of like that, don't you?" She looked at Ry again. "Except I refuse to wear leather, so that's out. You can't be an evil she-spy and not do the leather jumpsuit."

    Another pause. "Forget the shrink, you need a AA meeting. As soon as you get us out of here, we're enrolling you in rehab. Now how about untying me??"

    Another half-grin shaped Ry's mouth as his eyes dropped casually over the body he could easily view past Julianna. "The world's loss."
    "Oh, aren't you smooth," Julianna giggled, finishing her drink and gesturing for another. This would probably be her last, unfortunately.

    Fang was silent for a long moment. "But I don't drink that much liquor," he said, finally. "Not usually. Maybe you're just thinking twelve-step? What kind of twelve-step would we enroll me in?" He completely ignored the second question, not only because he was also tied up, but because the first one had distracted him.

    "As silk," Irene agreed. "Yet another sign that he's a spy." She leaned across Julianna, resting her elbow on the bar and looking at Ry with the air of someone about to ask something of grave importance. "Tell me, Ry. Do you ever wear leather? Or would it be expensive black suits, in a man's case?"

    Jacob sighed, because only Fang could take a comment like that and turn it into...this. "One with several steps of apologizing. And maybe one with groveling."
    Then he heard it. A giggle. Eyes swiveled and he wasn't even sure what kept him from shuddering as he watched a circle of tweenies surround them.
    "Now now, don't fight," one of the girls said, clearly attempting a sultry voice that just made Jacob sigh again.
    "Fang, your dogs are here," he said in a resigned voice.

    Ry flashed a full-out grin at that, and Julianna did have a hot flash. Wow.
    "I'm not opposed to leather," was the response. "Makes it hard to do underwear though."
    "Oh, you devil," Julianna laughed.

    "This so isn't my fault," Fang said, and there was a hint of panic to his voice as he watched the pack of so-called dogs approach. He didn't mind fans, when he was untied... or if they were a few years older... but this was really too much.

    "Bit warm in here, don't you thing?" Irene asked vaguely, and her voice held a gentle touch of amusement, but really, it wasn't fair for a man to look that good. In spite of her jokes on the subject, Irene was usually immune to the charms of the opposite sex, but how could any red-blooded female stay cool and composed with that smile and even the thought of leather pants with nothing beneath them?

    "Then whose fault do you imagine it is??" Jacob inquired with some manner of disgust. "You're the one who's always shaking your ass at the crowd."
    Eyes lit up among the dogs just at the thought. "Will you shake it for us??" one particularly bold dog asked, then coughed and tried to turn it into a command, "You /will/ shake it for us."

    "How about another cold drink for my friend??" Julianna called to the bartender, grinning at Irene.
    Ry chuckled.

    "They kidnapped you too, asshole," Fang muttered, his voice more than a little sulky.
    He stared at the girl who had addressed him for a long moment, his lamia dignity warring with the usual pleasure that he got from shaking his ass around. Dignity won out, because, did he really want to encourage these girls? "Like hell I will."

    "Make that a cold shower," Irene said, good naturedly.
    All the same, she finished her drink in one quick swallow and accepted the new one that the bartender offered her. "Maybe he's a spy," she suggested. "Just think. No one would ever suspect."

    "No, it's because you stopped me from leaving," Jacob muttered back. "I was just an innocent bystander that you wouldn't let go, bastard."
    The girls shared glances at Fang's refusal, clearly not expecting that. He should be, like, happy to shake his ass for them, right?? Why wasn't he going by the script.
    "Um," the talkative one said, looking back at Fang. "Please??"

    Julianna giggled again and the bartender flashed a grin as he passed a drink.
    Ry shook his head at Irene's words. "Nah, too obvious actually. Undercover spy does bartender just smacks of cliché."

    "No, it's because your fanbase is almost as big as mine, fucktard," Fang shot back. He looked at the girl, and simply shook his head. "Noooo." As though the drawn out syllable would help.

    "More than the rest of us?" Irene asked. Then she sighed. "Let's face it, none of us are spy material. I won't wear leather, Julianna is too nice, and you're about as cliché as the bartender."

    "My fanbase didn't kidnap me so I'd give them a private ass-shaking show," Jacob muttered, shaking his head in more obvious disgust. "They know better."
    The girl frowned at Fang, looking at her friends. Then her hands went to her hips and the frown turned into a pout. "Yes."

    Ry smiled again. "More's the pity. Sounded fun for a while."
    Julianna grinned to herself.

    Fang turned to the girls, and gave them a winning smile, a sudden turn around from his previous panicked refusals. "I'm not going to shake my ass... But tell me, how many of you are fans of my boy Jake here? You can't all be mine." Because the only pleasure he was likely to get out of this situation was proving the other man wrong. And maybe a little bit of an ego boost, although at the moment abject terror was drowning it out. "Come now, don't be shy."
    "If we tell you, will you shake your ass?" someone asked, her tone contemplative.

    "Well, you're young," Irene said blithely, turning back to her drink. "You could always make a career change. Do you think that there are many openings in the 007 field?"

    The girls glanced at each other again, some starting to grin. "We'll tell you after you shake your ass."
    Jacob's snort was possibly heard in the next abandoned warehouse over.

    "I would imagine," Ry commented. "That kind of job seems dicey; never know when you might get knocked off."
    "Oh, adventure and mystery and the promise of an early death, what's not to like," Julianna chuckled, finishing her drink and pushing the empty glass at the bartender.

    "Tell me, and maybe I'll shake my ass," Fang retorted, and gave them a winning smile. They were fans, and therefore predisposed to like him. Maybe he could charm his way out of this?

    "I think it's the whole 'promise of an early death' part that gets to most people," Irene drawled. She ran a finger over the edge of her glass, then smirked and shrugged. "I suppose that the good outweighs the bad, for some people."

    Clearly the thought had some weight, because the girls glanced at each other again. A few were definitely melting in his direction, eyes widening with abject adoration. A few others were biting their lips.
    "Okay," one finally cut in before whispers could start. "We'll tell you, but you /have/ to shake afterwards. It's only fair. Like, quid pro quo, yanno."

    "Mystery and adventure do have a huge draw," Ry agreed, finishing his own drink. "Wonder why."

    Fang smiled his melting smile again. "Would I lie to you?"
    Inwardly, he was rather surprised that any of them even knew the term 'quid pro quo.'

    "I wonder," Irene murmured. "Well, there's no accounting for taste. Las Vegas is a fine example of that. How long do you plan to stay?"

    There were actually a few real "oooh"s in the crowd when The Smile was flashed. A couple pretended to swoon and quite a few took an instinctive step towards him. Jacob stared at the entire crowd like they were circling lionesses. Not that they had any of the admirable qualities lionesses possessed, but...well, maybe kittens in premature heat was more apt.
    "Okay, no problem," the talker assured Fang, having been one that had taken a step forward. Which put her in touching distance, which she couldn't resist taking advantage of. Fingers reached out to gently pet his hair. "Some of us are Jacob's fans, of course. Why would we grab him if we only wanted you?? Though honestly, you're much better."
    She fluttered her lashes at him as a mutter sounded behind her, "Jake's the /man/."

    "As I like to imagine myself of exceptional taste, not very long," Ry observed with another half-grin. "Yourselves??"

    "We love you Jake!" screeched another, before lapsing into embarrassed - and awed - silence.
    Fang didn't even have to say 'I told you so.' It hung there in the air, quite as loud as if he had shouted it at the top of his lungs.

    "Of course you have good taste," Irene said promptly. "You're talking to us, aren't you?"
    She smiled and gave an eloquent little shrug. "I'm not sure. I have some business here, as I said, and I'll probably move on after that."

    Jacob just gave another little sigh and muttered something under his breath. Sounded suspiciously like a repeat of his earlier feelings towards Fang, actually.
    Meanwhile, all of the girls were looking at Fang expectantly. Not a few with quite a lecherous gleam in their eyes.

    Ry merely smiled again, eyes sliding towards Julianna, who nodded her head in agreement. "Same. Some business here, got some family in the area. Whole bonding experience."
    "I can't imagine you being the type to have family in Vegas," Ry commented.
    Julianna grinned. "Well, my sister doesn't /live/ here. She's actually in on business too, and her boyfriend and a lot of friends are around for the fun of it."

    Fang seemed to consider a moment, then shrugged to himself. He had promised, and besides, when in Rome... "Would one of you ladies help me up? I hope I can do this... it does interfere with one's ability to perform, being all tied up."

    "Yes, it's always interesting when Julianna's family is all together," Irene murmured.
    "Where is your family, Ry?" she wondered idly. "Since they're obviously not in Las Vegas."

    One smiled that sickeningly sweet smile of the pre-adolescently obsessed. "You'll manage. You're, like, superman."
    Others giggled and Jacob grunted in disgust. But a couple did step forward and, with surprisingly nimble fingers, untied Fang from Jacob, then retied Jacob to his chair, then helped Fang stand up. The latter only had his hands tied behind his back now, and all of the girls were openly ogling. So, just, preeetty.

    "Oh, and that isn't mysterious," Ry chuckled, giving Julianna an interested eye. "Family problems??"
    Julianna smiled serenely, laughter lurking in her eyes. "We're a perfectly functional dysfunctional family, what can I say."
    Shaking his head in amusement, Ry glanced back at Irene. "Long dead, I'm afraid. Yours??"

    Fang stood there for a moment, stretching his cramped muscles and flashing the occasional smile. The last of which was directed at Jacob. "Good luck, man."
    Then he made a mad charge for the door, going through the pack of fans.

    "They relate well to each other," Irene said dryly. "It's everyone else that I worry about."
    She smiled a sharp sort of smile. "I'm a widow."

    Jacob stared after Fang's quickly retreating back for a moment, then just snorted. Really, what else could he do in the face of Fang's extreme cowardice and lack of friendly loyalty??
    The girls stood frozen for a moment, watching one of their prizes get away, then one yelped and they all surged forward. Fang just almost made it to the door and out, which no doubt made it even more painful when two girls tackled him flat out. Probably for the pure physical pleasure of touching him around the waist and, ah, maybe a little lower. By accident, of course.

    Ry gave Julianna another interested eye and this time she only smiled.
    Gaze shifting to Irene again, he commented mildly, "It doesn't feel appropriate to offer my condolences. Didn't like the bastard??"

    Fang was more or less expecting it when he was tackled. After all, it just couldn't be that easy, could it?
    All the same, he gave a defeated wail as he was tackled. There was a moment's silence as he was buried under a pile of fangirls, followed by a mildly indignant cry of, "Hey! Get your hand off of that!"

    Irene lowered her eyes to her glass and swirled her drink around, peculiar smile still in place. "Yes, well, a person is never quite who you think they are when you first take your marriage vows, are they?"
    Of course, some cases were more extreme than others.

    Jacob smirked at Fang's cry, because he couldn't help it; the prick deserved whatever was about to happen to him right now. Which he felt was perfectly just, as he watched the tweenies proceed to strip the lamia of...everything.
    One was giggling madly as she removed Fang's boxers, eyes clearly locked on one thing in particular. The others were talking amongst themselves in fast whispers even Jacob couldn't keep track of, until one jumped forward and wrapped her hand around Fang's, heehee!, PENIS!
    All of the others girls shrieked in disbelief and awe and envy as the one girl held onto him with a look of totally red-faced satisfaction.
    "Oh my GAWD, Maureen, you're such a slut!" one of them tittered loudly, causing them all to laugh.

    Something shifted behind Ry's eyes, something dark and ugly and old, but his smile was brilliant as ever. "Can't argue with that truth."
    Julianna gave him an intrigued look. "Uh oh, problems yourself, handsome??"
    Ry only smiled again.

    "Get her off me! Get her off me!," Fang was yelling at the top of his formidable lungs.
    "He's going to get cold," commented one girl. "Isn't that bad for his... thingie?"
    Fang whimpered.

    Irene tched softly. "Oh, come now. Surely no woman would be fool enough to mess up a thing with you?" She turned in into a subtle question, her voice rising a note on the last word.

    By this time, and not feeling a damn bit bad about it, Jacob was laughing. Out and out laughing his ass off, because he still felt Fang deserved what was happening.
    Maureen looked down at her hand and the thing that seemed to fit so snugly inside it, and a doubtful look came to her face. "I think you're right. I thought they were, uh, yanno, bigger. Than this. And like all the things I read about Fang on the Internet, I thought...but, like, I can, uh, fit my hand around it."
    "It's 'cause you don't do anything for him," one of the other girls offered helpfully, in that so-subtle malicious way of middle school females. "Remember, we learned about it in sex ed. The guy has to be, like, aroused, before it gets, like, big. And Fang is definitely way big," she was quick to add, ever supportive of her idol, "but he's just not, yanno, turned on by you. Let me try!"
    She hopped forward, and was promptly stopped by another girl who wanted to try. And then were many, /many/ reaching hands stretching towards only one part of Fang.
    And Jacob was, indeed, still laughing his ass off.

    Brow raising a touch at the question Irene made of it, one side of Ry's mouth tilted upwards again. "You would think so, but alas no. Some women mess up a thing before it even starts."

    Fang's screams now lost all semblance of words. It was one of his dreams to have a whole group full of females reaching for him, eager to please - which brought a whole new meaning to the term 'be careful what you wish for'.
    Meanwhile, Jacob's laughing had drawn attention to him, and one or two girls who giving him considering looks. "Maybe they're all that size," one finally said, her voice sly. "Maybe we should, like, compare."

    "Well, their loss, my dear. You're perfectly fabulous company." Irene, ever alert, glanced up at the first sign of movement in the door, and smiled serenely when she saw the scruffy, hook-nosed man standing there. "Friend of yours, Julianna?" she asked mildly. Ezio Aquila was not one of those people lucky enough to know Irene face-to-face - but she knew him.

    Fang was thoroughly lost from view in the mad rush of pint-sized females, voices rising to shouts as they all tried to touch him.
    "Stop it! I get to touch first!"
    "He's going to be my husband, let go of him!"
    "Hey, if you keep pulling like that, won't it come off??"
    "Why isn't it getting any bigger for me??"
    "OH OH, look, I think it got...harder!"
    Several of the closest girls ooohhed and aaahhed as they watched it.
    Jacob's laughter effectively dried up at that comment, and he gave the girls a very knowing look. "I'd really hate to ruin the mystique, and I'd hate for you to be even more disappointed after Fang, so maybe we should save the comparing for another day." Having protectively crossed his legs during his speech, and like hell were they prying them apart anytime soon. He was /so/ not getting raped by a bunch of barely post-teens.

    Ry did the dazzling smile again and Julianna winked at him, before following Irene's gaze at her words. Her countenance immediately brightened and she lifted a hand to wave. "Ezio! What are you doing here?? Weren't you and Ethan doing something today??"

    Finally, panic and the sensation of cold hands on tender parts had their effect on Fang.
    He fainted.
    Jacob's biggest fan was not about to give up so easily. "Noooo. I read this website, and it said you were even bigger than him. Are you just afraid to emberass him?"

    Ry and Irene both received a mild sort of scowl, but Ezio smiled a faint, almost-friendly smile at Julianna. "Hey, bella." He nodded vaguely at her question. "We were. Now we are done."
    While he was speaking, Irene had leaned over the bar to murmur to the bartender. A moment later, she presented Ezio with a glass. He took it, and started to offer her one of his barely there smiles, before he took a sip and scowled ferociously. "How do you know my drink?"
    Irene smiled, pleasant with an edge of smugness. "Lucky guesser."

    A lot of the girls cried out and a few of the closer ones even screamed in outright panic when Fang fainted. Thinking he'd gotten so, um, aroused, he just couldn't handle it. Especially with all of his future wives in attendance.
    He was immediately scooped up among caring hands and carried, only somewhat awkwardly, over to a couch that had seen better days. Girls went to fetch blankets and pillows and water and anything else their panic-stricken minds could think of to grab to make him better. And, uh, awake.
    Jacob managed to school his scowl into something that was almost apologetic. "Sorry to already start the disappointment, but I can assure you that anyone who's seen Fang naked has not seen me naked, so it'd be pretty hard for someone to compare."

    "Already??" Julianna asked, unable to help the curiosity in her voice. Ethan and her sister were probably the hardest people to get information out of, especially when they didn't want people to know it, so all she knew about the day's events was that it concerned the RoA. Maybe Ezio would be more forthcoming. "Didn't you have to travel all around Vegas though??"
    Ry watched the threesome for a moment, expression still amused, though there was something new in his eyes. A...stillness.
    He finished his drink and rose to his feet. "Ladies, it has been a pleasure, but unfortunately, the night has turned long for me. Can't have pleasure in the business without some sleep." Pulling his wallet out, he retrieved some money and set it on the counter, and gave Irene and Julianna another pulse-hopping smile. "The next round's on me though."
    Replacing his wallet, he grabbed the leather jacket hanging from the back of his chair, sent a totally guy-like nod in Ezio's direction, and made his exit.
    It really was a shame Julianna Blackblood was so close to Ethan. She was almost too nice to kill.

    The girl pouted in a manner that would be very becoming in about five years. "Uh-huh. What about that skank, Tala?" She sniffed disdainfully, unable to forgive that both of her men wanted that... that... fatso!

    The look that Ezio gave Julianna was blank and not at all forthcoming - whatever was going on, he wasn't going to be the one to share it with her. He gave Ry an answering nod, and leaned against the stool that the man had previously occupied. "Yes, we are already done," he confirmed, and seemed disinclined to elaborate.
    "See you around, handsome," Irene called genially, sipping on her own drink and watching the exchange between Julianna and Ezio with mild interest.

    Jacob blinked in honest surprise at the question. "What about Tala??"

    Not being phased by the look, because she did get it a couple of times a day in her line of work, Julianna flashed one of her most coaxing smiles. It wasn't that she really expected to get something out of Ezio because, well, he /was/ RoA, but it never hurt to practice. "That sure didn't take too long, did it?? Mustn't have been too difficult."
    She sent a regretful look in Ry's direction, as he was rather yummy, but that was the kind of association that was fun only while it lasted. Having a guy that hot would probably strain the trust issue into breaking. Ah well.

    The girl's pout became more pronounced. "Don't play innocent with me! We heard -everything- tonight." She reached out, and plucked something off of his collar, where the tweenie twins had been hanging earlier. It was small, subtle, and metalic... and looked disturbingly like something used in the movie version of an FBI sting operation.

    The barest glint of humor showed in Ezio's eyes. "You're not getting anything out of me. Give it up, Julianna." His gaze moved to the redhead beside her. "Why don't you tell me who your friend is?"

    Jacob could only stare for a minute, faced with the most extreme stupidity any kind of gods out there had placed on this stupid green earth. "You bugged my shirt," he said slowly after another minute, wanting to make sure he knew exactly what was going on, "heard me and Tala talking while we were standing outside, then waited for Fang to come out, and kidnapped us. That about sum it up??"

    Julianna breathed an exaggerated sigh but grinned good-naturedly at the old guy. "Ah well, can't blame me for trying. And you never know, you might let something slip." She winked teasingly at him, knowing that was a joke.
    Eyes opening innocently, she looked at Irene. "Have you not met before??" It was a secret cue line, in all actuality; it wasn't the first time the two spies had gone out together and run into a friend of one or the other, and they both knew the other could be picky on who knew their actual identity. So it was an opening to let the other woman give which name she chose for the situation.
    Spy etiquette was a very nice thing.

    "Yes," the girl replied, and sniffed again. "We heard you and that hussy. You were all over each other. There's no denying it!"

    "No," Ezio said, and reached out to ruffle her hair with rare affection. "I'm sorry to say that it takes more than a pretty smile to make a grizzled old bastard like me talk."
    Irene inclined her head slightly in thanks for the courtesy. "We haven't had the pleasure," she murmured, and extended a hand. "Although we've spoken before. Irene Adler."
    He looked at her for a moment, then nodded, and his expression became a touch more civil. "I remember. That time in Barcelona. You were quite helpful." He accepted her hand, and placed a kiss on the knuckles, and Irene laughed with delight.
    "I've very helpful," she agreed. "To anyone. For a price."

    Jacob closed his eyes so she wouldn't see him roll them, and he breathed slowly through his teeth so he wouldn't start yelling. "Child, I don't care what you thought you heard, Tala and I are not sexually active together. Christ, we're like brother and sister."
    "Eeeeeeyuuuuw, you'd screw your own sister!?" one clearly ardent Fang-fan shouted a bit...loudly.

    Julianna made a face at him, shaking her head to get her hair back in place. At this time of night, she wasn't bothering fixing it completely. "Jeez, whatever happened to the stereotype that /all/ it takes is a pretty smile to make grizzled old men talk??" she asked dramatically, punctuating it with a grin.
    She watched the exchange between the spy and the assassin silently, grin still hovering, and gestured for the bartender to get her a glass of water.

    "Oh, yeah," the girl said sarcastically, except that her pre-pubescent voice didn't carry sarcasm too well, and it sounded more petulant. "Do you sleep naked with your sister, and let her touch your thingie?" She glared at the Fang-fan because, after all, Jacob was still her man, even if he was dating a ho.

    "I'm a grizzled old -bastard-," Ezio reminded her. "What trouble have you ladies been getting into tonight?" He gave Julianna a sharp, searching look. "Unless I'm interrupting a professional consultation, and not a girls' night on the town?"

    Jacob didn't bother to hide a grimace then. "No, I don't let my sister do that, and I definitely don't let Tala do that. And I don't sleep naked with her. Where the hell did you /get/ this stuff??"

    "Then it should be even easier, with your bastardly self wanting to corrupt and take advantage of lil ole me," Julianna offered helpfully, eyes twinkling playfully. Then she shook her head. "Oh no, our professional consultation already ended. Hence why we're now in the bar." She eased the stool vacated by Ry out an inch with her boot-encased foot, giving another coaxing smile. "Won't you join us??"

    "There's no denying it!" the girl exclaimed, looking to the others for confirmation. "We heard it from your own mouth!" Then she seemed to get a little distracted by said mouth, staring at it dreamily.

    "If your family hasn't managed to corrupt you yet, it seems unlikely that I'll have any luck," Ezio replied gruffly. He looked at the empty glasses on the bar, which weren't exactly -numerous-, but which were certainly starting to pile up. "Hmm, so I see. That bad?" He looked at Irene, as if hoping for a response from her, and she simply looked back serenely.
    He shook his head curtly at the invitation, indicating that he was fine where he was, leaning against the stool and drinking his drink.

    "Then you misinterpreted what was said," Jacob snapped, his patience wearing sharply to the thin side. This was just ridiculous.

    Julianna grinned again. "Well, true. But it's still fun when people try. Ethan says I'm too nice for my own good. Do you think that's true??"
    Hand lifting with the glass in it, she showed off her new drink, which was water. "It's been worse. Thinking it'll get worse, which is why the night's pretty much ended." She smiled again, not seeming phased by his refusal to sit.

    "There was no room for misinterpretation," the girl sniffed, in an act of pure teenaged stubbornness.

    "Yes," Ezio agreed, with unflattering immediacy.
    "The fish pond is going to get blown sky high," Irene murmured, with a sideways glance at Julianna. Ezio looked very much as though he wanted to ask her how much she had been drinking. Then he snorted. Spies.

    Jacob didn't bother hiding his eye roll this time, and heaved a big huge sigh that even a stupid obsessed tweenie could understand. "Alright, fine. I'm desperately in love with Tala, which means I have zero interest in you. Going to let me go now??"

    Julianna made a face at Ezio. "Well dang, there's gotta be someone around here to balance you and Ethan and the rest of them, right??"
    Lifting her glass to take a drink, her gaze darkened a hue at Irene's words. "With all of the little fishies in it," she agreed, looking up again when movement caught her eye. This time the brightening of her face was immediate and incredibly drastic, lighting everything up from the inside, and the smile Ethan shot her as he crossed the room matched it.
    "Juli," he greeted softly, dropping a kiss on her cheekbone, before nodding to Irene. "Ms. Adler."

    The girl's face lit up, happy that he had finally conceded defeat. "That's alright," she said cheerfully. "We're going to -save- you from her evil wiles." Then she motioned to the others. "Come on. We must go to the van and -prepare-."
    There were a few titters and a general feeling of excitement at the thought of saving Jacob from himself and the horrible Tala.

    "Exactly," Irene said. "That's why the rest of us like you so much, Julianna my dear. You're novel."
    "Fishies?," Ezio wondered, and he sounded as if he didn't really want to know. The look on his face when Ethan came in was one of bare relief.
    "Mr. Hawke," Irene responded, with a bob of her curly head. She looked at Julianna. "Well, now that your boys are here, I think that I will take myself off." She looked at Ezio and Ethan. "Unless there's anything that I can do for you gentlemen?"

    Jacob stared after girls in a kind of horrified shock. He didn't know how they intended to /save/ him, and he most certainly didn't want to know either. Damn, how was he going to get out of here??

    Tilting her head, Julianna gave her fellow spy a sweet grin. "Always good to be appreciated."
    She winked at Ezio, then laughed at his expression as Ethan made his way towards them. Moving her glass to the other hand, she looped an arm around his waist, giving him a hug as his own arm encircled her shoulders.
    "So soon??" Julianna inquired. "I'm sure Ezio would be /more/ than happy to have you stay; he probably feels secure, knowing he can't corrupt the corrupted."
    Ethan chuckled, then gave a small shake of his head. "Not yet, Ms. Adler. Though I'd keep my ears open to every direction in he next few days. Money's going to start waving." His eyes were at their normal dispassionate indifference, but Julianna saw the grim twist to his mouth, and her arm tightened around his waist again.

    The girls filed out, chattering happily and casting the occasional longing glance back at the boys.

    "I'm pretty sure that I'm incapable of corrupting Ethan," Ezio said dryly, "but stay if you like, Ms. Adler.
    "And such a gracious invitation, too," Irene teased. "I'm sorry to have to decline."
    Her mouth jerked into a quick smile at Ethan's words. "Well, Mr. Hawke, you know that I'd do anything for you. Especially if you're waving money." She looked at Julianna, and for just an instant, the laughter in her eyes darkened into something more serious. "You'll fill him in on what I was able to tell you? And... other concerned parties as well?"

    Jacob managed not to cringe anyway, and let his head thunk onto the back of his chair. It was wood; maybe if he hit his head hard enough, enough times, he'd put himself into a coma. And /not/ wake up until this was over.

    Ethan chuckled again and Julianna gave the other spy a small smile. "I will. Let me know if you find anything else out." It sounded like a casual request between two friends, but when spies were involved, it was so much more than that.

    "Are they gone yet?," the 'fainted' Fang asked from the couch where he had been so lovingly placed.

    "Of course," Irene said graciously. She smiled, a gentle curve of the lips that left her eyes cool and grim. Her voice remained light and friendly, however. "If you don't hear from me for a while, don't fret. I'm thinking of taking a bit of time to myself, and going somewhere where nobody knows my -name-." There was a subtle evidence on the last word. She pulled one long red curl out in front of her. "I think it's time to change my hair again. Maybe I'll go platinum. I've always fancied being a blond." She slipped off the stool and sauntered towards the door, wiggling her fingers in a casual wave over her shoulder. For another spy, the message was unmistakable. Irene thought the current situation was serious enough for her to do some firsthand digging, a rare occurrence for a woman whose network was extensive enough that she rarely had to leave the comfort of her own home.
    She slipped through the lobby, and went out the front door of the hotel. There was a man leaning there, a cigarette dangling unlit from between his lips. She glanced sideways at him, but her heart wasn't really in the subtle assessment, her mind already focused on the job. Nice face, beautiful body, a fringe of baby-fine black hair and a pair of almond-shaped black eyes. She could do without the Rambo bandana around his forehead, but boys would be boys. "May I have a cigarette?"
    The corner of his mouth jerked out, a truly charming little smirk that gave her the impression that he was laughing at her on the inside, but managed not to offend. He fished a pack out of the pocket of his jacket without looking and tapped out into her weighting hand, before fishing around again for a lighter to light it with.
    "Much obliged," she told him, after she had taken the first puff. She sashayed her way off into the parking lot, towards the place where she knew that her car and driver would be waiting. She didn't look back, but he watched her go, his eyes narrowed in speculation.

    Jacob shot the lamia the dirtiest look imaginable. "I hope they eat you," he said with more feeling. "Inch by short inch."

    Julianna looked after Irene for a long minute, expression grim again. Ethan gave her shoulders a squeeze and she shook herself, tilting her head to look at him with a smile. "So, what've you been doing with Ezio today??"
    Chuckling, Ethan tucked a strand of hair behind her hair. "Nice try. Isn't it late for you to be out??"
    Julianna made a face. "Ouch, fine, be that way."
    He chuckled again and looked at Ezio. "She already tried you, didn't she??"

    Across the street, hidden in the dark shadows seeming to splash purposefully just right there, oynx eyes watched the couple as the woman stole a cigarette. The gentleman sitting on the bench seat didn't move, seeming relaxed and waiting with his arms stretched out along the back of the bench. One ankle was resting on the knee of his other leg, and his jaw was moving in slow, steady rhythm as he apparently chewed on something.
    After the woman departed, his eyes focused on the slouching man, but he didn't move himself.

    Fang sat up, and wrapped a blanket around his waist. "Now, now," he chided. "Keep talking like that, and I won't untie you." He eyed Jacob, and couldn't quite surpress a grin. "I didn't know that Tala was your skank. If I had, I wouldn't have made... quite so many... comments about seeing her naked."

    Ezio took a sip from his glass, and arched his brows at Ethan, as if wondering if that really required an answer.
    "What did Ms. Adler have to say?," he asked Julianna.