A hard act to follow

She put in another coin and pulled the lever, she kept winning, interesting. This wasn’t good for her addiction, but she already gathered that was the jest of it. She was after all a grown woman, capable of taking good life choice. One would think. Her brother didn’t really want to help her anymore, and who could blame him. Shouldn’t be his problem for the rest of his life, especially given the fact that he would live forever. Unless another angry lover came by and made sure that he wouldn’t be able to. Funny how he was so quick to judge her sometimes, as if he had forgot who had been and what he had done. At least she had never hurt anyone but herself. What did they know about him? She turned about him with a small, wicked grin. “He is a beast” she teased with a smirk before turning around pulling once again. “Probably now what you wanted to know” but he was, he had not left her alone after he had found out that she was his mate and what it would mean to drink her blood, after the seal was commenced “His name is Leigh Duncan now, he runs the facilities up in Grounds of Lily, Angelos laboratory” she explained letting a finger glide over her lips “and his so happens to be my mate, funny that, huh?” she mumbled not really caring who knew and who didn’t. “Do you have a smoke?” she asked turning giving him a small smile.

Bast let out a small breath when she asked what he thought Hanna would have for him this time. Leaning against the bars counter, he let his eye rest on the beautiful siren. “Who knows, I’m just glad she can keep him occupied for a couple of minutes, minutes where he doesn’t get into trouble, and I need to clean it up” he stated matter-of-factly. Closing his eyes, drowning his glass of whiskey, opening it again as the golden liquid had found its way down his throat. Placed it on the bar disk. “Another one, please” he added the last thing with a softer voice looking towards her, with the hint of a smile on his lips.

River chuckled a little bit, "not the precise information I was seeking, but noted," he replied a little dry and licked his lips a little bit. Leigh Duncan. Now that was something he could use. "Your mate? Didn't you have a whole never mate with my mate character act built up, or do I remember the tantrum of another person?" He tilted his head a little with a small chuckle. Never envied the witches for being bound by their life to someone else, well now he was like other vampires enslaved by blood and great thirst. Werewolves enslaved by the moon and their temper, witches their magic and their mate-bond. "Do I have a smoke?" He raised his brow a little, "who do you think I am, honestly I'm getting a little offended over here," he obviously made a small scene, well Norah of all people could keep up with this act of his and he lived for it. Then picked up a pack of ciragates from the inner pocket of his jacket, and handed it to her.

Kailani made a small grimace to agree, well there had been plenty of excitement for one night. The siren had known of River's schemes and plays longer than Bast had, but not longer than Lucille who had been the one stuck with him the most. Kailani downed her own drink in sync with Bast and first placed her glass down again as her other hand found the bottle, and kept beside him then sat her glass down and poured up in both of them before placing the bottle down. "If you are lucky, there is only one of the messes he has made tonight you have to deal with," she touched Bast's arm once again and picked up her own glass without taking her eyes off him. "But I can keep these coming right up all night," she waved her own glass a little bit before taking another sip.

“mmhm, he almost killed me, because he told me he didn’t want me” she made a small mock pout “Real momma issues that one” she hummed, how did she know that? Over eighty years as a profiler would do that to you. She had been making a living out of looking at crime scenes and then tell others what kind of killer they were looking at. People like Leigh, they wanted to think people couldn’t read them. But he was almost like an open book. Then added the part of whole never mate with my mate character. It was clear she was almost offended by the fact he told her that. “That’s my sister” she almost said is the words gave her a bad taste in her mouth, now she didn’t dislike her family like River did his. But Michelle, man, that woman was not the good kind of crazy. She was just stupid. Always talking about the ones around her weren’t any fun. She wasn’t any fun, bitch always wanted to make everything turn around her and when it didn’t. Michelle always did all the worst things to make it so.
And somehow, her father would always be there for Michelle. While she had been rotting away for over a year in Russia with no one coming to help her. Was she bitter? Yes, maybe. “Thank you” she purred, taking the package and took out a smoke. With a snap of her fingers a small flame appeared on her finger and lit the smoke. She nodded towards it to see if he wanted one. Then she would lit him one as well. Waving her hand, the flame extinguished again. Her fingers gently opened the jacket and placed it delicately in the inner pocket he had taken it out from. “I would never wish to offend you River, you know that” she said and winked.

“One more than I wanted there to be” he mumbled, not really liking that this Aaron was in town. It would mean trouble, they just needed to be happy that River had been too riled up to pick up the scent on her. Then again, Aaron had been human, and should have been long ago. But he feared what would happen if River figured out that he was still alive, and he was in town. “Much obliged” he said, feeling how the corner of his lips pulled a little further up as he looked towards her as she touched her arm, lifting a brow. “So what, is it magically going to be filled, or are you just going to eye me all night, and hope I want something else than whiskey?” he asked with a low husky voice.

"That is right, no one throws tantrums like Michelle," he chuckled a little bit, that witch had a sense for being extra - which said a lot coming from River. River took a smoke as well letting Norah light it, letting her place the pack back where he had taken it from. His eyes finding hers and raised delighted a brow, " good," he tilted his head by an inch to the side. His free hand found her chin and placed his index finger softly underneath it, lifting it a bit up. He had always adored Hanna, how could you not? Even if there was a newer breed of chaos from her that he couldn't put his finger on, he wasn't going to dig in it. "God I have missed you," he confessed in a lower hum before removing his hand from her chin.

Kailani wasn't blind to something else being on his mind, she also knew they would tell her if they felt like she needed to know - somewhere else another time, it wasn't like the siren was going to push for any information. The little teasing spark returned to her eyes by his comment, "that's a good question, I guess we will see what happens now wont we?" She took a sip more of her whisky, still not taking her eyes off him. "But besides that it's always hard not to have an eye on you," she stated the obvious, finally taking her eyes off him as she put her glass down, before she twirled her hair and tucked it behind her left air ear, then looking back at Bast.

And didn’t Norah know that. To think that Cassian and Michelle had grown up together, being so opposite of each other. Now, Charles was very innocent compared to her and Oliver. But he had been raised by Cassian and Eris, and far away from the drama that her and Oliver had caused. And even though Norah loved having fun and could create quite the scandal. She also had her working persona, could be extremely serious and always knew how to get the job done. But you didn’t get to where she was, without taking though decisions and being an expert in reading and knowing people. Even then, it had gotten her into some serious trouble. When the boss of Bratva had figured out that she had been the mole, it hadn’t taken long before he had found her and made sure that she understood what it meant to cross him. She had the cigarette placed in her between her lips as his finger was placed under her chin lifting it up. Her eyes slightly hooded looked at him, elegantly she took out the smoke and pushed the smoke downward from her nose, so not to hit him directly in the face. A small, twisted smile formed on her lips as he told her that he had missed her. Now, normally her stomach would have been tingling with anticipation. Her heart would have picked up speed. All the indicators how much she wanted to be with him would be flaring at this point. But there was nothing. Really tasting just how this bond worked when finally sealed. Oh, how boring that was. “Mmmh, I’ve missed you too” she purred, winking before taking another inhale of the cigarette.

“mmhm” he grumbled in a low sound coming from his throat, his eyes looked at her. Now, he knew how Kailani felt about him, but he had never gone there. Why? Because he had only once ever let himself love a person. A woman he had married, that had ended up dying because of his profession. After that, he had let Lucille feed their hunger. He licked his teeth and shook his head a little over her statement giving her a slight smile. “Well, I would still like a drink” he stated before looking over his shoulder towards what seemed like to be a problem between to men. “Hold that thought, but it better be something when I come back” he lifted a brow and made a half nod, before he turned around and walked towards he dispute.

Well he could feel it to, there wasn't the same desire tingling by touching her as usual, no desire flaming up "Yeah, its a shame really - with the bond and all," he mused a little looking into her eyes, it was such a waste having a free spirit like Norah locked up to someone else, and someone related to River himself by blood. Then taking an inhale from the cigarette still keeping his eyes on her. Now he knew his niece could fix the bond, but last time he checked she had been in Australia with Ace - well he hadn't put himself into details what they were doing, he wasn't even sure if Ace was in Athena or not yet?

It was rather odd how the two of them worked, how intrigued she was by the fact that he wasn't just luring her along despite would be able to better than anyone else. Kailani didn't need him to do anything really, she just simply adored him as he was, reserved and all yet she still got those small soft smiles. "Coming right up," she replied picking up the bottle and started pouring in his glass, then moving her eyes to the location where he was looking, a small sigh left her, before she nodded to him having to take care of it. " Men's solution to anything; who can throw the first and last punch," she mumbled a little to herself. She drank his drink before stated there needed to be something when he returned. Making a small shrug and poured up in the glass. "Oh sweetheart, its dangerous leaving such a delicate rose at the bar by herself now isn't it? If you are looking for a good time, all you have to do is ask," Timothy let himself show from the crowd of people, leaning against the bar counter. "That's so sweet, you think you actually had a chance," she placed both hands a little wide on the counter leaning a bit forward looking at the younger incubus. Teasing. He liked it. Well maybe a part of him hoped that one day she would actually go with him. "I haven't lost hope just yet, you know the hunt is what it's all about," he teasingly replied leaning a bit closer to her looking into her eyes before moving a little, "at least give my broken heart a drink," he placed a hand over his chest where his heart was. Kailani rolled her eyes a little before grapping a glass, pouring him a shot of vodka.

She couldn’t help the smirk forming over her lips when he told her it was a shame. Her head very gently moved from side to side, almost as if she was letting it follow the tones to a slow song. Her Bright blue eyes looked at the white smoke coming from the cigarette in her hands. She made her hand fold out, with the cigarette between her point and index finger. The fingers to the other hand danced over her lips, and as if she had just been gone far away, she snapped back to reality she took another inhale of what killed so many people. “A shame, yes” she hummed, turning her eyes towards him, tilting her head slightly to the left. Her eyes finding his, as she let her mind wander to their time together in Italy. How different views they all had on that time. “We used to have so much fun” when the word fun left her lips, her nose scrunched a little before it relaxed again. “Not saying we can’t have fun now, just not quite the same way” she turned to the coins still in the machine and bended down to take it out “On to the next game?” she purred, taking a smaller step towards him shamelessly looking at his lips before looking into his eyes.

The matter was rather quickly resolved, seemed like the men just needed a look from the incubus and they decided it was better just to shake hand and not create such a fuss. Bast breathed out, happy that he didn’t need to use more energy on it, that he actually wanted. Especially not when River and Norah was in the house, somehow, they always ended up with doing stupid. It was when everything was quiet that he became concerned. His eyes found Timothy standing in the bar, trying to hit on Kailani once again. He had always found it rather odd, that Nathalia was Norah’s daughter. But when Norah had told her, it had been very clear that the woman wasn’t interested in getting to know her. Which was the biggest reason why that idiot of a son had turned out the way he did. At least Timothy couldn’t use his powers on him, which was something he was very grateful for. Walking around the bar he took the glass that Kali had poured for him. “Thank you” he mumbled, turning his eyes towards his fellow demon, but without saying anything.

"Well we will just have to be creative now won't we?" He chuckled playfully whilst still keeping his eyes on her, even as she turned to the coins and took them out. On to the next game, oh yes indeed. "Always," River mused clearly not minding the attention even if he knew the bond stopped her form finding the same pleasure in things as she had used to. So yes, the bond was rather boring. "What game shall we play my dear?" He then asked and looked around them shortly, now there were plenty and it all came right up to the imagination.

Kailani shook her head a little bit, watching Timothy just take his drink, lifting a little towards Bast almost acting offended that he wasn't giving him more attention than a simple look. Now, Timothy was just dramatic, perfect collection to his families when one came to think about it, a bit too much perhaps for some. So, he just downed his shot and moved the glass towards Kailani for her to pour up again, so she did. "Counting on the rest of the night to be resolved that easy" She turned her attention towards Bast again, as he thanked her for the drink, even though Tim tried to get her attention - he knew by now that he couldn't whenever Bast was close around, unless it was a matter of life and death - and didn't include himself.

Norah gave him a bright smile as he added they always had to the creative. “You always knew just what to say to make me in a better mood” she hummed scrunching her nose as she looked over her shoulder and saw Timothy, Bast and Kailani standing by the bar and chatting. Or Bast seemed like ignored everyone else but Kai. Which Norah always had found rather funny. How Bast and Lucille was the same person, and then in it’s on way they were completely different. She turned back towards him as he asked what they should play. Her eyes narrowed a little, while she thought about it. “Let’s play something, you and I can play” she purred taking a smaller step towards him her hand touching his shoulder after she had put the coins into her purse. “How about –“ she looked around even though she already had a game in mind “You and I just play poker, just the two of us” she hummed by his ear.

Bast looked down at his hand holding the glass, let out a soft grunt as Kailani hoped the rest of the evening would go that smoothly. It had already been quite the event already. “I heard that it isn’t only River’s family that is flocking to the area, your family seems to be here as well?” he asked, looking towards her. The roams were going that both Florence but also Delphine had been roaming around. All the big families coming together, just begging for a catastrophe to happen. Bast still doing his outmost to ignore Timothy. Never really been able to like the boy, even though he was River’s grandson. And in his own way was family, but that didn’t mean that he needed to make nice. Now did it?

She looked around with a slight raised brow, as he asked her if she wanted to show the people around them how it was done. As her blue eyes found him again, a smirk glided over her lips. “Why show people how it’s done, when we already know we are better than them?” she asked, and even though it was a low mumble that left her lips. It was clear she wasn’t joking. Now it wasn’t just the thought about being better than most of the people here, there was a reason why River was where he was. It wasn’t about playing nice, nor giving after when people asked him to. It was hard work and knowing just how and when to push. And having people around him that could make him who he was.  “Let’s go to your office” she nodded, letting him show the way as she walked by Bast and Kailani she made a small wave. Winking at Timothy as passed him on the way up to River’s office.

He looked towards her, when she asked if he knew who was in town. Now there was one that no one really wanted to come hanging around. Because after she got a taste just what it meant hanging out with the likes of River, she had bolted and clearly meant it was all his fault. Now, River was meaning thing. And there were also many times where they wanted to hit him. But it was very rare he had ever seen him force himself on someone. Playing with their mind and getting out their secret desires yes. Sometimes it backlashed and people weren’t happy of what had transpired. His only thought was; don’t play with fire if you don’t want to get burned.
“Last I heard Florence is in town, but better news I think Delphine is roaming around here as well” he said swirling around the liquid in his glass before he took a sip.

He chuckled a little well, she was for one right. So, he wasn't going to argue with her on that one. And then there was the thing, he had been down here for a few hours in total for the opening. There was no rule on how long he should show his face, but enough to leave a mystery a little 'I think I saw him' was always good for the business. "Let's go," he placed his arm over her shoulder, taking drag from the cigarette as they past Kailani and Bast at the bar to head upstairs to River's main office. He walked inside and found a new set of glasses, clearly he had few used ones around from former guests. "What's tonight's poison?" he asked reaching his shelf filled with the most splendid and expensive alcohol one could find.

Kailani tilted her head a little bit further, always something Bast and Lucille managed to get all the gossip from the corners of town and around. Sometimes you just heard things if you paid close enough attention to it, also one of the reasons she liked being at the bar, the things people told you sometimes or told each other thinking everyone were too affected on alcohol to notice being said. Florence was in town? She blinked a little bit, no she wasn't surprised by Delphine. "Delphine doesn't surprise me - Florence, is bound for chaos. I haven't even seen her since Italy," she shook her head a little bit. Not since she had embarrassed herself according to Kailani. Not that Kailani was a saint in the aftermath of it all, but at least she wasn't out there running away from the actions she had taken. "Last I heard was that she returned to Leah Abyss, but that is of course also many years ago by now - maybe she heard both Oliver and River was in town and wanted to give them a piece of her mind" she sighed a little bit, her sister was known to hold a grudge, and Kai could feel the headache start to form by the thought of it.

She stepped into his office, looking around with a curious look. It was always interesting to see how he would decorate spaces when he moved locations. Her tongue glided over her lips, before she turned her attention back towards River, giving him a sly smile walking towards him to inspect what he had to offer. Her fingers glided around a Ron Zacapa 23 Rum. “This was always my favourite” she turned around with an almost angelic smile on her lips. “It’s almost like you knew I would be here” her smile turned into a smirk as there was a slight teasing expression to get from how she looked at the older vampire.

Bast let out a soft exhale, clearly not very impressed with Kailani agreeing with him. Even though he understood why she would think that Florence would mean chaos. Who were they kidding, it would only end up with her trying to either get an apology or make sure they knew just how mad she had been. Either way, it would just end up with being a bad day for Florence, which was something the older Siren seemed to forget. She was alone when she stepped into these casinos thinking that people would take her side against River. That was just the thing, they could all loathe him, but at the end of the day, they were all family.
“Wouldn’t surprise me” Bast mumbled, looking a little at the many people around in the room. It was in a way, amazing just how many different people that could gather underneath one roof.

He chuckled a little delighted as he watched how her fingers glided around grabbing her drink of choice, "I know," he whispered lowly. River was perhaps a selfish bastard, but he sure did not forget how to keep his ladies happy or appreciated whenever he got the chance. "A man could only dream," he chuckled a little bit. Truth to be told, he had hoped she would show, knowing the chance had been low, but even so he had been rather lucky that she had shown up here tonight.

It was such a long time since the siren had even been near the ocean, and when she did it was not longer than an hour. Well, she hadn't been needing it and after so long, it was just not a need anymore other than to get a little taste of how things had been before leaving the ocean. Florence in town alongside Delphine, at least she had managed to tell Delphine just why she didn't go home, but Delphine also remained the only one to hold that secret of Kailani. "We will cross that bridge when we get there, now won't we," she tilted her head a little bit to the side, giving him a little smile. After all the night had only just begun, just like their time here in Aston. Who knew what would happen next really?