(no subject)
There were a lot of nightclubs in Zaranth. Some of them were populated by a mostly human crowd, those were the more normal ones. Some of them were populated by everything from mages to vampires to werewolves and even an occasional angel. In short, just about anything.
Gaelon tugged his jacket off, walking down a flight of stairs into what looked like a subway entrance. He didn't have any trouble getting by the bouncer at the door, a deceptively thin and pale man who looked as if he couldn't have weighed more than ninty pounds, even counting his heavy velvet coat.
Through the large wooden doors, the sound of music playing loudly was just barely discernable over the general noise from the street. Once they opened, though, the song, which sounded like a mix between techno and some kind of rock, blared loudly. Too loudly for Gaelon's liking, but he was used to it.
The large room was dimly lit from candles and a few electric lights, mostly coming from the bar at the back. It was apparently a busier night than most, most of the tables were occupied and the dance floor, located in the middle of the room, sunken into the floor and surrounded by railing, was crowded.
Gaelon slung his jacket over his shoulder, glancing around. He recognized several people, a few even noted his entrance with a smile or a nod. He used to be a regular at this place, back when S'ten was alive. They hadn't forgotten him over the last year or so...At least no one had yet asked where his vampire cohort was.
Thin trails of smoke drifted up from the floor itself, contributing to the general cloud which hung over the room. Even so, he could pick out a few wispy figures which were lingering among the shadows. Ghosts...they'd had those before.
The elf headed for the back where there was another door. He slipped through the crowd without stopping, managing to avoid a few people who would have tried to stop him, and summarily ignoring someone who "accidentally" bumped into him.
The door opened just as he stepped up to it. A draft of cool air blew out from it, almost too cold for comfort. Gaelon strolled on in.
"My goodness, so the rumors are true after all. 'Tis good to see you back, Gaelon, we were worried," a silky, feminine voice greeted him.
The room was decorated with a medieval style, complete with a few tasteful torture devices. Just for show, of course. Deep burgandy and gold were the predominant colors.
The woman who spoke was lounging on a soft, comfortable couch, a goblet of wine in her hand. She had very long white hair and almost startling crimson eyes, but the smile on her face was strangely not as disturbing. A white snake of some kind stared down at him from an iron chandelier overhead, only moving to flick its tongue out once.
"I heard about what happened," she added, seriously. "So what business brings you here? Come over here and tell me all about it." She patted the couch next to her.
"Nice to see you again, too, Blight," Gaelon set his jacket on a hook next to the door and walked over, not bothering to look up at the snake as he passed the middle of the room. "How did you know I was here on business and didn't come just to enjoy some conversation?
"Tsk, call me Alexis. And I know you too well, that's how," she smiled as he sat down, swirling the wine in her glass. "Well, let's have it."
"I wanted to ask you if you recognized this." Gaelon pushed up the right sleeve of his shirt, revealing the odd symbol. He was started to get annoyed with it, as he couldn't figure it out, and it just didn't...do anything yet. He didn't like to be kept waiting.
Alexis blinked. "Oh, dear. That's Mordecai's symbol. I haven't seen that in years. Why did you tattoo that on your arm?"
"I didn't," Gaelon sighed.
"Oh."
"Yeah, so? Mordecai would be?"
Alexis swirled a finger in her wine, frowning thoughtfully. "He was a demon. Several hundred years ago he was quite a big name around here, but...He was killed by some angel..." She waved her hand absently, "Numiel? Something like that. I couldn't tell you why his symbol would be on your arm at this point in time. Shall I see what I can dig up?"
"Yeah...if you would. I'd like to know if I can just do a purifying spell on myself to get rid of it. I'd rather avoid any unpleasant side effects."
She smiled again. "Of course. So...How long did you plan on visiting tonight?"
"Just a little while..." Gaelon looked back at the door. It was almost midnight, almost time for Miko to be coming around.
"Really?" Alexis looked a bit disappointed.
Gods, he thought, not again. Were things like this only a year ago? Well, yes, they were. He knew that. His relationships were riddled with oddities, and plenty of casual sex. Of course they'd think that he hadn't changed that much...
She reached over, trailing her slender fingers over his neck. "We've all missed having you around. You make things so interesting."
Gaelon did his best to repress a shiver. Damn these vampires...
"Mm...Yes, I'm sure I do...Unfortunately, I really must be going..."
"Oh, fine," she smiled a little, leaning back. "I'll see you later, then. Maybe next time you'll bring your girlfriend?"
Gaelon stood up. "Yeah, maybe."
Gaelon tugged his jacket off, walking down a flight of stairs into what looked like a subway entrance. He didn't have any trouble getting by the bouncer at the door, a deceptively thin and pale man who looked as if he couldn't have weighed more than ninty pounds, even counting his heavy velvet coat.
Through the large wooden doors, the sound of music playing loudly was just barely discernable over the general noise from the street. Once they opened, though, the song, which sounded like a mix between techno and some kind of rock, blared loudly. Too loudly for Gaelon's liking, but he was used to it.
The large room was dimly lit from candles and a few electric lights, mostly coming from the bar at the back. It was apparently a busier night than most, most of the tables were occupied and the dance floor, located in the middle of the room, sunken into the floor and surrounded by railing, was crowded.
Gaelon slung his jacket over his shoulder, glancing around. He recognized several people, a few even noted his entrance with a smile or a nod. He used to be a regular at this place, back when S'ten was alive. They hadn't forgotten him over the last year or so...At least no one had yet asked where his vampire cohort was.
Thin trails of smoke drifted up from the floor itself, contributing to the general cloud which hung over the room. Even so, he could pick out a few wispy figures which were lingering among the shadows. Ghosts...they'd had those before.
The elf headed for the back where there was another door. He slipped through the crowd without stopping, managing to avoid a few people who would have tried to stop him, and summarily ignoring someone who "accidentally" bumped into him.
The door opened just as he stepped up to it. A draft of cool air blew out from it, almost too cold for comfort. Gaelon strolled on in.
"My goodness, so the rumors are true after all. 'Tis good to see you back, Gaelon, we were worried," a silky, feminine voice greeted him.
The room was decorated with a medieval style, complete with a few tasteful torture devices. Just for show, of course. Deep burgandy and gold were the predominant colors.
The woman who spoke was lounging on a soft, comfortable couch, a goblet of wine in her hand. She had very long white hair and almost startling crimson eyes, but the smile on her face was strangely not as disturbing. A white snake of some kind stared down at him from an iron chandelier overhead, only moving to flick its tongue out once.
"I heard about what happened," she added, seriously. "So what business brings you here? Come over here and tell me all about it." She patted the couch next to her.
"Nice to see you again, too, Blight," Gaelon set his jacket on a hook next to the door and walked over, not bothering to look up at the snake as he passed the middle of the room. "How did you know I was here on business and didn't come just to enjoy some conversation?
"Tsk, call me Alexis. And I know you too well, that's how," she smiled as he sat down, swirling the wine in her glass. "Well, let's have it."
"I wanted to ask you if you recognized this." Gaelon pushed up the right sleeve of his shirt, revealing the odd symbol. He was started to get annoyed with it, as he couldn't figure it out, and it just didn't...do anything yet. He didn't like to be kept waiting.
Alexis blinked. "Oh, dear. That's Mordecai's symbol. I haven't seen that in years. Why did you tattoo that on your arm?"
"I didn't," Gaelon sighed.
"Oh."
"Yeah, so? Mordecai would be?"
Alexis swirled a finger in her wine, frowning thoughtfully. "He was a demon. Several hundred years ago he was quite a big name around here, but...He was killed by some angel..." She waved her hand absently, "Numiel? Something like that. I couldn't tell you why his symbol would be on your arm at this point in time. Shall I see what I can dig up?"
"Yeah...if you would. I'd like to know if I can just do a purifying spell on myself to get rid of it. I'd rather avoid any unpleasant side effects."
She smiled again. "Of course. So...How long did you plan on visiting tonight?"
"Just a little while..." Gaelon looked back at the door. It was almost midnight, almost time for Miko to be coming around.
"Really?" Alexis looked a bit disappointed.
Gods, he thought, not again. Were things like this only a year ago? Well, yes, they were. He knew that. His relationships were riddled with oddities, and plenty of casual sex. Of course they'd think that he hadn't changed that much...
She reached over, trailing her slender fingers over his neck. "We've all missed having you around. You make things so interesting."
Gaelon did his best to repress a shiver. Damn these vampires...
"Mm...Yes, I'm sure I do...Unfortunately, I really must be going..."
"Oh, fine," she smiled a little, leaning back. "I'll see you later, then. Maybe next time you'll bring your girlfriend?"
Gaelon stood up. "Yeah, maybe."