Exploring the Possibilities ... {pt 2} (Still open of course.)

[Sacher Masoch]

((This is continued from pt1))

Progress was made towards New Haven at a slightly more leisurely pace than Sacher was used to. This was due to his meeting Angel. Upon entering New Haven, Sacher found that it was slightly more metropolized than he had previously thought it would be. After all, they had a Starbucks. Not exactly a place that caters to his kind, but it was there none the less, and he did notice. And there were seats outside of the building. This was where Sacher chose to sit for a moment to rest and think.

Now, if Angel were still with him, he would pull out a chair for her to sit with him, if she wanted to. He had chosen to sit simply for the fact that, were she still with him, they would have to part ways here. For it had dawned on him that were she to accompany him on his errand, that he would be found out. And that was something he could not have. It needed to be a surprise. So if it was that Angel was sitting across from him, this would be where he excused himself with a promise to get in touch with her for that dinner date. If she had left his side earlier, the dinner date would have been mentioned at that time.

But before all excuses could be made, a traveling flower cart would come to pass. Sacher stopped the man. He saw the lilies upon the cart and knew exactly who had to have them. “I would like that bouquet of lilies please. Oh, and those pink roses as well.” The roses were for Angel. She would get them now, if she were still with him, or they would be left for her at the front desk of the Inn if they had already parted ways.

The man with the cart pulled out the two bouquets that Sacher had requested. He handed them to him in one hand, while the other reached out flat to await payment. Sacher placed the gold coins within the man’s hand. He put five more gold than was indicated upon the signs that hung from the water buckets. He had gold to waste for right now. And if he was in need of more, he could just send home for it.

Once the man with the cart rolled away, Sacher returned to his seat. As previously stated, if Angel were still with him, he would pass the roses to her. Then he would explain to her that they needed to part ways because he forgot an errand that he needed to do, and that he would contact her about their dinner date. If she was not still with him, he would place both bouquets into his bag (rather than just the lilies), with the flowers out, and be on his way.

He headed to a shop in town that he had heard about on the streets. It was a place called Fabrications by Design. This was what the second bag was for. When he finally found the establishment, the door was closed and the dark purple drapes were drawn over every pane of glass. Sacher sighed at this development. He had hoped that they had been open late. But he would figure something else out.

Just as he was about to turn from the door, he noticed a hint of light coming from the glass above the door. This struck him as odd. And upon further inspection, he could see that there was a dim hint of light through the closed draperies. So it was with this new knowledge that he raised his right hand to rap upon the front door. Now he simply hat to await a response, if there was going to be one.

[Leo]

It was that light could easily be seen coming from the cracks and small breaks in the curtain, but it was not a substantial amount. Could that it simply be an emergency light or one of those that stayed on when all else was dark so that the place would not be in total darkness.

While this was the case behind the light, it was also true that persons were there. By name: Emily and Master Mînguez, commonly known as Leo. Back in his office, with the door open, the female was attending to Leo's needs which, at the moment, included spooning out gazpacho into a bowl and keeping fresh bandages on Leo's left hand. The bleeding was contained but here and there the too of his hand would start to bleed anew and there wasn't anything to be done to stop it.

That they knew of.

This provided a small irritation to transcribing the current document before him on the desk. What would normally be an easy task was harder due to his hand and the corresponding myriad of sounds in his head.

It was that one of the sounds happened to be a knock at the front door that, at first, Leo had the thinking was a sound in his head. Until Emily said that she heard a knocking. Who could it be? And at this hour no doubt.

The answer was quite a few, for names of people came to his mind.

"Should I get the door?" Emily asked.

Leo ran his good hand through his hair with a sigh. "No lo creo. No, no I will go." Before he stood he opened his desk drawer and pulled out a leather hand wrapping. It was specially made to fit over his first three fingers of his left hand and tie at the wrist. A strap connected against his palm and the thick leather kept the top of that wrist concealed, slight padding on the inside to prevent damage and absorb any bleeding that may - and more often did - occur. It did nothing to hide the smell of it.

"You take the transcription and keep it well." While he may have wanted to sit and eat his soup he knew Emily will keep it while he was gone, and Leo closed the office door behind him as he stepped out.

Quick flick of a switch turned on one of the main lights of the shop, the light spilling through the sides of the closed curtains. He straightened the collar of his shirt and brushed the collar of his shirt-jacket, dressed in normal attire of a more relaxed suit of dark blue the front door was unlocked. He did not know who it was at the door, but it was that this man was not so easy a target if it was someone who thought to do harm. Besides, businessmen like himself and those he worked with carried out things in a more 'different' way.

[Sacher Masoch]

Sacher was debating whether to turn on his heals and go, sending someone else to the shop in the daylight hours, when he heard the sounds of movement from within the establishment. So he remained, though he took a step back to allow for anyone to step out or the door to swing. It was a habit.

It was when he took the step back that he better noticed the additional light. When he had been lost in the thought of perhaps leaving, he hadn't noticed. Just after the split second that it took him to adjust to the light being on, he noticed it. That sweet yet salty scent. Like new pennies. Oh that scent was intoxicating. Fresh, human blood.

Sacher cl0sed his eyes and swallowed hard. He had already eaten for the night. Some bunnies that seemed to have gotten him in trouble with the local tree huggers. But this was human blood, and it was fresh and warm and was making Sacher hungry all over again. He took a breath to calm himself, not that he needed the oxygen. That turned out to be a bad idea as the coppery scent had filled the air. So Sacher simply stopped breathing.

He cleared his throat and opened his eyes before speaking. "Please excuse me the late hour. Perhaps we could conduct a little business given you are still about? If it is an inconvenience, I can make other arraignments." Another dress shop, not likely. He was told that this was the best place and he would settle for nothing less. But perhaps a messenger or errand boy on the morrow if needed. Though Sacher would most definitely prefer to deal with this himself. If he could control the blood lust that was building inside of him.

[Leo]

The door was opened as the man on the other side began to speak and it was that the hand, that had the bleeding, was kept on the door as it opened inward. 

The man who spoke was regarded with a smile that spoke business: not to friendly and not to departed. He did not know this man and, from the top of his head, he could only recall one or two names of people he knew that would send someone at this hour. Fact of the matter remained that he still was ignorant of this man who was wanting to do business. 

"What is this type of business that you are wanting at the hour?" It was rather late, but Leo was as awake as the man standing before him, if not a bit flushed due to loss of blood. It was not enough loss to deem the man to look ill, only a bit flushed. "There would be no need for returning if we can settle it now."

His position at the door shifted to the left but he did not open it wider in a welcoming sign. Leo would not be so open with the hospitality of the shop at this hour with a potential client he did not know. It was not for his own well-being that had his concern but that of Emily who was in the back office. 

[Sacher Masoch]

Sacher chose to avoid the quip about the obviousness of his visit. He was fighting too hard against a blood lust that he had been ignoring for some time, to make such witty remarks. There was also something else to consider. Not many men frequented dress shops, especially at night, for dresses. Though, this was the purpose of Sacher's visit. But either way, the man was right to question Sacher from the door. At least that was the way that Sacher saw it. Even if the scent of the blood covered the scent of the woman in the back making Sacher unaware of her presence.

He made no move towards the door as the man who had opened it had not swung it wider or stepped aside as to invite him in. "Forgive me, I simply have some garments in need of repair or replacement if repair is not possible. And I wish to commission something as well. I had seen a woman in the most exquisite of gowns, delightful finery it was, and she said she had gotten it here. So given this is, by repute, the best place to get my requests taken care of, this is where I have come." He shut up then, he was rambling. Fighting the blood lust was taking a tole already, and the man had just opened the door but a moment before.

From the man's tone, it was hard to tell if he was simply tired or irritated. Sacher hoped for tired. "I have brought with me the garments, and I know what it is I would like from the commissioned piece. I could sketch it in a matter of seconds." Had he thought about it, he would have done so already. "It would not even take me long to pick a fabric." His toes were fidgeting in his boots. A safe fidget to avoid detection. But he had to do something to help himself in his fight.

Sacher had a thought of a way to hopefully push things along a little quicker, not that they were moving too slow, and end his torturous fight against his hunger. "I could pay any amount. To have the best is worth any price." Even if they charged him double, or even triple. Sacher didn't care. He just wanted to show the man the garments he had, pick something for the other piece, draw it out, and be away. Cursed rules against feeding while on this scouting mission. Perhaps if he put the lilies to his nose? No movement was made to do so though ... Yet!

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

Steps, everyone had steps that they took, to get from point A to point B. Some people made a straight line, some went a bit loopy, and other’s well they got distracted chasing butterflies. Gwen, for the most part, fell into that last category. Sometimes she might surprise people and go in the first category but for the most part, she was defiantly a butterfly chaser ... most things got done with their own time and not on someone else’s schedule. So it really shouldn’t come to any surprise that the girl was making her way towards the dress shop. The same one that had gotten her looks the first time she tried to find it, wearing handcuffs as pretty little bracelets dangling from her wrists. The one where Leo had finally kissed her, with those fuzzy handcuff’s no less!

Let’s not distract from the point, Gwen was indeed coming down the street, right towards the clothing shop. In her hand was a envelope, light purple in color, on the smallish size, with Leo’s name written across the front. Always before she had letter’s or gifts for Leo, she deposited them at the door of his and the Marques’ room at the Inn, but this time, she decided to try something different.

It was that something different that had the girl pausing, before she got to the door, which was open. That was easy enough to make out, as was the fact that Leo was standing inside of the store, in the doorway, the light spilling out behind him. But none the less she knew it was Leo. He was not alone, and that aspect did not go unnoticed. Suddenly her steps started coming to her again, almost as if she knew whom the man was, yet didn’t for sure. Well that was until she got closer to the pair, and the small tingling, not the good sort started to take place. Sacher. That’s whom it was! She was almost sure of it now.

Odd the feeling that you got when you saw someone you had a dislike of talking to someone that you cared about. Because well she would probably always care about Leo, even if she didn’t understand everything, emotions were things you couldn’t just … turn off. At least not for her, and she was full of many emotions, they ran over her in tidal waves. Sacher’s hearing would of probably already heard the sound of the black stilettos slapping the ground, and the now faster tempo as she was headed straight for them.

She paused only when she was close enough that she would not have to shout for her words to be heard, besides she still had to put the envelope in the mail slot right? Fingers on her left hand moved about the envelope, as the words came out. They were not hello’s…or any sort of pleasantries…oh no.

“Sacher…you big bully…you better not try to hurt Leo.”

That was the words that spilled from her mouth, and you can bet you better believe they weren’t in her normally happy tone either! Her free hand, the one that was not playing with the envelope was pressed palm against her black clothed hip. A black skirt that was pleated much like a school girls skirt, and about the same length, with a pale green button down shirt, the first two buttons were undone, and the bottom was not completely buttoned up for she had it tied off. The sleeves were not at their full length for at some point of the day, they had been pushed up her arms. No jewelry was worn but a single ring on her thumb, which depending on the angle of the light might get a bit of reflection as she was playing with the envelope, not looking at Leo, but staring at Sacher from the side.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline had decided to take a day off from Wolf's Head to go visit her sister Ryan. Along the way she decided to stop by her favorite clothing shop to pick up something a little more sexy than her boyfriend was use to seeing her in.

She was dressed in a pair of tight faded jeans, white tank top, with one of Connor's flannel shirts tied around her waist. With long dark brown hair resting on her shoulders, she opened the door. Just in time to hear her cousin Gwen say "You big bully…you better not try to hurt Leo."

Madeline stepped in beside Gwen, locking her eyes on the one Gwen was talking to. "Is there a problem Gwen?'

[Leo]

Just as he was about to address Sacher's request - a simple request it was really, especially since he knew hat he wanted most of the work was done, leaving the only thing that was left to do for the workers. BUt did he have the measurements? Whatever garments he had could suffice unless they were too tattered, but even then there could be an idea.

His left hand, the one with the leather wrapping due to the blood, came off of the door as he used it to subconsciously rub at the small stubble along his face. From his position he would likely be the first person to see his Gaitto as she approached coming down the road, even if Sacher sensed her first. Seeing her, his hand stopped it's motion on his face and the fingers curled in, a small trickle of blood running down the inward side of his wrist to gather and disappear into the sleeve of his shirt.

"¿Qué coño....?" He said more to himself as he heard what Gwendolyn said. That was not like her, was it? It was true that people changed - he had proof of that from hands on - and he placed that same hand agains the front door of the shop, the door that he was blocking so no one could get in without pushing past him and Sacher - and began to raise his other hand.

Just as he was about to be saying something there came another towards the shop, but this was a person that he had not set eyes in time long gone. Madeline, he saw her take a spot by his Gaitto and made sound like the two of them were going to attack this singular man.

And for what?

"¿Qué coño....?" He said once more, though this time it may be a bit louder and his right hand rubbed a finger at his temple as he looked at the sky. He was a bit off balance due to the loss of blood earlier but he did not think he was so far gone to not realize that the night had left and it was day?

He rose that hand then and waved it a bit to the right then left. "Buen noches Señoritas. This man has come to do business with me at the late of hour. There is nothing wrong here that I see."

It was true that he still did not know this man that was before him but, if he did turn out to be one that was not so good then he would be in a bind if the man decided to hurt the ladies.

"Perhaps, it is, that we can all come inside." And he could call for Emily to aide him in this situation. The door was eased open but he still stood in front of it.

[Sacher Masoch]

Sacher stood innocently (hehe) waiting to see what the man at the door would say when he felt the approach of another. It was a familiar presence, though Sacher was working to ignore it. He did not need another complication at that moment. His control over his blood lust was only so strong. And he truly was at this location on legitimate business. So it was when he heard her stabbing words press into his back that he mirrored the shock of the man at the door. And, even though the two native tongues differed, they expressed the same expletive at the same moment. "Que l'enfer!"

For as much as Sacher tried to ignore the presence of the one who's scent tasted tainted to him, she had cried out a veiled threat to him? All he was doing was trying to conduct some business. So with a slow turn, he moved to face the woman at his back. He was still in the exact same spot, his turn had been more of a slow spin as he did not trust himself to move quite yet. "And a good eve to you as well Miss Not-so-new-around-here. I take it from that wonderful greeting that you have knowledge of the man with whom I am here to conduct some business with. Fear not ma petite, I have no need to relieve myself at this moment. Señor Leo is safe." There was a long story behind that comment.

In hopes of her passing along and being on her way, Sacher turned back around to face the man he now knew as Señor Leo, because Gwen had called him Leo, and he spoke Spanish. But he did spare one more comment for Miss Not-so-new-around-here. "Oh, and ma petite, one should be more careful of their attire when leaving their dwelling. You smell like food and look like a salope. There are things that go bump in the night that are not as well trained as I. Perhaps, you should return to the Inn and clothe yourself a little more properly lest you become someones dinner." He hid his grin well.

As he had been speaking, another female approached. This one did not smell familiar, but she did smell of something. Werewolf. Not that she was one, no, the scent wasn't that strong. He didn't think she was one. But she had been around one, possibly even had bedded one. This definitely had Sacher's attention. But he had his orders. No feeding, no killing, he was to be on his best behavior ... For now.

He chose to not turn and look at the lady, or even address her at the moment. He was still fighting a blood lust. And the pair of lovelies at his back had just tripled the threat of that fresh blood costing him his control. He had already eaten this night, but with the blood lust filling him so badly, he would need to feed again. And it needed to be something larger than bunnies. Had this been a hundred years or so ago, Sacher would have simply called out to his sire. To invoke her name is to be under her protection. But, he was not supposed to let her find him here. He had been shielding his presence from her from the moment he passed through the portal. Even that was in danger of failing now.

So it was with a stoic face that Sacher turned to look Señor Leo right square in the chin. "¿Tal vez podríamos paso en el interior y dejar que las damas que en su camino? No deseo para mantenerlos a flote de sus tareas. Tienes mi palabra de caballero que me refiero a usted ningún daño." Neither of the ladies spoke Spanish that well, did they? Even if they did, he did not say anything offensive about them or towards them. So he hoped he would be safe from their apparent wrath. Though Sacher was rather confused as to why there were suddenly women at his back ready to attack him.

Concentrate. Control the blood lust. Do not drop your shields. You are here to take care of business and leave. Your business, not their business. Sacher repeated those words to himself in a circle of sentences in his mind. He needed to maintain. Because the more that hand bled, the harder it would be to not bite someone. And biting the man who was hopefully going to help him with his issue would have been very bad. Perhaps the hostile one dressed as a salope? Or maybe the one that smells of fornication with a lycan. Though, would Señor Leo still do business with him if such were to occur? Sacher doubted it.

((Now, before any panties end up in a wad, I did the research to find out what Madeline would smell like because Sacher would smell her. I used the name that she used in her post to find my information. I am not trying to mod anything. I just do my homework very proficiently.))

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

True, people did change, but in reality she had not really changed. In fact, had Leo ever seen Gwen around someone that she was not often fond of. Around someone that she did not trust further then a small ant could lift him? Sacher was a special case in point, for only one other, rubbed her the same way. So far. Knowing what she knew of the man, it was hard for her to remain neutral towards him, when she saw him standing in the door way with Leo. They had a ‘history’ of sorts.

Now it was true, both men that could speak Spanish would totally blow right over Gwen’s head, for she only knew a few words, and those had come from Leo himself. Who else was going to teach Gwen Spanish if not Leo? As she had not seen him in some time it made even more sense that she didn’t catch anything that the men were saying, save for what was spoken in English.

Hazel gaze did not leave Sacher, not even when Madeline came up next to her, and seemed to reinforce what Gwen was speaking of. Fingers stopped playing with the light purple envelope, that had Leo’s name upon the front, it had not gotten rubbed off in the fidgeting she had done on the way. She took a small breath as she tilted her head from side to side, almost as if she was weighing Sacher’s words. Her lips pursed just a bit, as her eyes narrowed slightly, before she spoke, the tone was relatively quiet and pleasant enough. “You promise, Sacher, that Leo will come to no harm from you?” Oddly enough, if he promised her that Leo would not come to harm, she would accept a promise. So far, she had not seen him go back once he gave his word on something.

A quick look to Maddie. “Not if he promises…” A bit of a smile was shot to Maddie, it had been a long time since she had seen her!

She knew not to look to Leo, afraid that she would soften, and then Sacher would not believe her protectiveness. Remember those books she read, well, maybe, someone should of locked the library up from her. The books said that when demanding a promise from someone never ever ever look away.

Her nose wrinkled up at the words of Sacher. “How does one smell like food? I know that I taste like…summer rain, and that is not really a food.” She looked thoughtful, “Maybe it could be a refreshing drink?” Oh the fun that someone could have with those words, seeing one of them present happened to drink his meals, but that wasn’t in her head. If one looked her eyes did sneak over at Leo just a moment but then they were back to Sacher. She read in a book that vampires liked fairy blood, but it wasn’t that she advertised all that she was, she could have been a delicious little cocktail of fairy/angel and elf. Buuuut….anyways. “What is a Salope?” Using words she wouldn’t understand, big ole bully!

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline smiled at Leo. It had been some time since she had seen him. If memory served her right he had a bit longer hair the last time they had spoke. "Good to see you Leo, nice hair."

Madeline studied the man before her carefully and listened as he spoke. She had grown up around vampires and in fact considered some close family. So when he referred to Gwen as food it made her chuckle a bit. "

Satisfied that Leo wasn't in any immediate danger, she softened and turned to Gwen. "No worries Gwen, he wont make you or Leo his dinner. But he is right though, you are awful tempting in that outfit." With that said she gave Gwen a somewhat firm smack to her barely covered bottom.


Madeline then turned her attention to the man that stood near Leo. "Please forgive me, the way Gwen was talking when I arrived, I thought there was trouble."
She gave the man an apologetic smile. "The name is Madeline Cauthon. It's a pleasure meeting you."

"Now if you will excuse me, I would like to look at the new summer line." Madeline would wait for the door way to clear.

[Leo]

Leo would certainly not be working with Sacher, as he knew his name now to be, if the man turned around to hurt the two ladies. Even if it was that he did not know the two women he would be on his honor to look to there well being. He did know that many of the women on Rhy'din could take care of themselves, but whether they could or not, he still had a responsibility.

Already was he gathered back to his composure but then Sacher spoke in a language that was not his own and the faintest flicker of pain passed briefly through his eyes. Unlike a few moments ago, when his hand bleed, this time there was a searing pain in the area that proceeded the bleeding. All because a language beside his own or the common tongue was uttered. But Leo understood perfectly the expression that had been said.

"The saying is that he means to ravish you for his own pleasure." A faint echo of that pain able to be heard in his voice for those that had ears to which to hear it. That did give him a clue on what manner of man that was at his door. Due to being visited in the middle of the night like this, after store hours when the daily operations were closed, he already had his thoughts. But now...

The bleeding hand was tucked away behind his back in a nonchalant fashion as he stepped inside the shop. Madeline was wanting to come in and loom around - because it was her this wouldn't be much of an issue even with the store being closed. Emily could help her, and would likely have to help them all for a moment or two while he dealt with his hand.

He let his eyes linger on Gwendolyn a moment before he took a few steps back into the shop and turned, bringing the hand around as he did, holding it at about mid-waist. "Make yourself at home everyone. Emily! Assistance please!" as he started back towards that office. He wasn't sure if Emily was still back there, but he knew she was in the shop.

What did Madeline expect to see as far as a new Spring line? The store was not the type that had rows of pre-made clothing attire out for the choosing, but fabrics with posted designs of a few dresses here and there. It was a clothing store, but one that made clothing. Dresses to be more exact, from the extravagant to some more common. Most of what she would find on the open racks would be brighter colored fabrics in lighter materials, though there were still heavier cloths able to be used.

There was a circular table, two of them, off to either side of the store with four chairs about them, this was for people to sit and talk over any ideas that they had on a piece they wanted commissioned. If it were normal hours, there would be those here able to sketch the thoughts out. Leo could do this as well, but at the moment he as heading to take care of his hand.

[Sacher Masoch]

Chocolate orbs slowly blink closed and then back open. Sacher still did not turn to face the ladies, but rather kept his glance facing forward. But Miss Not-so-new-around-here had a request. And far be it from Sacher, a proper gentleman, to deny her request. One of them at least. So he slowly turned to face the ladies and gave a meek smile. "I promise, Miss Not-so-new-around-here, that Señor Leo shall come to no harm from me this night." Such a carefully worded promise.

He didn't look her in the eyes. Not exactly. He looked at her eyebrows. He wasn't quite a master vampire, and to capture one's mind with a look into their eyes was not so easily controlled in one so young. So to avoid accidentally bespelling her, he avoided the direct eye contact. And if that was not enough for her, than tough. It was the best she was going to get under the circumstances.

Slowly, Sacher turned to face forward again. "And yes, I would very much enjoy ravishing you for my own pleasure." A hint of wickedness in his voice as those words were spoken. Señor Leo's hand had started to bleed more, and there was a hint of pain in his voice. Sacher closed his eyes and raised his head slightly while he took in the scent in the air. It was intoxicating. But after taking in that deep breath, he looked back at Señor Leo's chin. "Very well said Señor Leo. Might I call you Leo, as Miss Gwen has seems to have made our introductions for us? You may call me Sacher." A slight bend of his back to offer a short bow.

As for Miss Not-so-new-around-here's quarry as to the meaning of the word salope, Sacher would not respond. Suffice it to say, she would not like the definition. But if she wished to ask of another, and they chose to share, it would be on them. Of course, Sacher expected that if she were to learn of the words meaning, she would likely choose to physically assault him. And that could have a very dangerous outcome indeed. Sacher very much liked to play rough. But, to his credit, he did say she looked like one, not that she was one.

The other woman introduced herself. And the last name made Sacher cringe for but a moment. Not too long past, a couple of years in Earth time, his sire had been abducted. Things were learned during her involuntary stay at her former home. Names of those she cared about were amongst those things. It was a means to an end, the end being that her sire's ancestor wished a task of her. And she was reluctant, to put it mildly, to cooperate. The names that had been obtained, were going to be used to coerce her into doing what was requested of her. But she managed her escape before that could come into play. Which was why Sacher was here now, and not at home with his pet lycans.

The last name that was just given to him happened to be on the list of names that had been discovered to belong to beings that she cared about. To Sacher, this was a mixed blessing. It meant that he was in the right area. Which was a good thing. But it also meant that if it came to a battle, the chances were rather good that she would have back up. She was powerful enough on her own. She could easily take down a good percentage of the army. But with back up such as the Cauthon's, the army was in grave danger. That was, of course, provided that she had not found a way to trick the being who had molested her mind while she was in a comatose state and had provided false information. Sacher made note of this so as to relay the information to those who had sent him.

But none of this showed on his face or in any other way. Short of the slight cringe at the mentioning of the name. A breath was taken before he spoke. "The pleasure is all mine Miss Cauthon. You may call me Sacher as well." Said with his back still to her. "Please forgive me my rudeness, I simply am trying to avoid any accidents." If she was one of 'those' Cauthon's, which Sacher figured she was, than perhaps she understood what he meant? He did not want to bespell her anymore than he did Miss Not-so-new-around-here.

Once Señor Leo cleared of the door to allow them in, Sacher gave a deep bow while sweeping his arm in the direction of the door. "Ladies first." This was for a combinations of reasons. One being that Sacher needed a moment to compose himself. To enter into that building with the scent of blood having no escape was going to make things rather difficult on Sacher. Another reason was that Sacher wished to view Miss Not-so-new-around-here from behind. He was curious as to just how short that skirt was in the back. That was provided she chose to stay and gave him to oppertunity to make such an observance. For if she chose to leave, he would miss the view. A third reason to let the ladies go first was to put some distance between himself and Señor Leo. It would afford the man some space to tend to his hand and Sacher some air that was not riling his hunger and blood lust. Then there was simple chivalry. Chivalry wasn't as dead in Rhy'Din as it seemed to have become on Earth, was it?

Once Sacher would enter he would take the moment that was afforded him, by Señor Leo's leaving the general area to tend to his hand, to look over some fabrics for the dress he had in mind. He started in the area of purples, silks mostly. He thought perhaps something that was a shade that could be considered a purple or a pink. Though to put a name to these shades would be beyond him. He just had a mental picture and would know the color when he saw it. His bags had been placed on the floor beside one of the tables as he looked. Hopefully, there would be enough privacy for him to discuss the contents of his bag and the dress without the other after hours visitors realizing anything. After all, it could not be a surprise for the recipient if someone ran to her and told on him, now could it?

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

Her attention was stolen again, not for long, but those hazels that had a hint of green in them turned towards Madeline. “I am not scared that Mr. Bullyhead will eat me. I am worried he will eat Leo.” A small pause. “If he tried to eat me, I would have to tell Ryan and if Ryan did not give him permission she would take him to task…again.” She had a few others that she knew that would not stand for him eating her, but Ryan was the most safest to bring up no? Just because Ryan gave Gwen to the man she now calls Lesson Master, did not mean that Ryan would be happy if people she knew were harassing Gwen without her permission, and eating Gwen…well…that would take away some of Ryan’s fun and that girl had a bad side! A blink as she was smacked upon the bottom not having been expecting it, taking in the words trying to figure out if that was a good thing or not, something in Maddie’s face must of told Gwen it was, because she gave her a smile. “Thank you! That is a nice thing to be right?”

But then her gaze flittered over to Leo before turning back to Sacher. It was not that the man did not know where he stood with her, but on the other hand, when she said she would take his word for something, she really would. Her fingers played with the envelope once more. A simple nod of her head. He may not be the most trust worthy of men, but a promise was a promise, and the girl put quite a bit of stock in them. She did not miss that he said this night, which meant any other day Sacher might try to eat Leo. That’s what vampires did right? They ate people! But because she had asked or rather demanded something those manners would kick in. “Thank you, Sacher.” Not that she would stop calling him Mr. Bullyhead…well maybe he would get a new version of it? Maybe he would take the fact he got a nickname as a sign of affection. Who knew how that twisted head of his would take such a thing.

Now she was all happy over her small victory of securing Leo’s safety for the night from Sacher, when Leo’s words came out. Now there were quite a few reactions that could happen, but the one that they got was Gwen looking rather…blank for a moment. Her features had not moved, the only movement was the subtle flutter of her eye lids, not closing but as if she were reading a book in her head. But before she could answer, Sacher chimed in about ravishing and he was facing Leo. Because the light bulb had turned on, she had gotten her sweet little hands on a couple of those steamy romance novels. “Oh…Oh…I haven’t…but see Leo he wants to ravish you for his own pleasure…but its okay cause tonight your save from Sacher.” She puffed out her chest all proud of herself for getting him a free ass card for the night! Leo would not be ravished by Sacher tonight unless Leo invited it? Because if Sacher forced it, it would break the promise!

Then Leo was trying to get the whole train inside…and she heard him calling for Emily even as Sacher was ushering the girls in before him. Her plan had been to drop the letter in the mail slot, but that had not gone off without a hitch, for there was a hitch and a half at least. She looked undecided a moment but then she had to go inside. She could not smell the blood as others could, but because it was obvious that Leo was injured, she couldn’t just leave. Even though she knew he would not wish her to help, even if she didn’t touch flesh, which was caused the butterflies to go flying from her hands. Some things did change she had learned why the butterflies came. The butterflies that had caused a nice little rift in their whatever it was that they had at that time.

She gave a small wave of her hand to allow Maddie in first, it was easier that way, plus Maddie wished to find fabric, Gwen was just sorta swept up in the party now that was entering. Thankfully she would have the envelope in her hands to distract her from running amuck and touching all the different fabrics. Which was what her little heart would wish to happen, it was hard to block such things, but she was so much better about not just touching everything, at least for now. Work in progress. Once Maddie went inside Gwen would follow suit. She did NOT try to sway her hips or use any of those things that people called feminine wiles she merely just walked with her normal bounce in the step. Now as Sacher was behind her he would notice that not a single cheek of her behind was visible with the walking, the skirt itself covered her, completely. Now if she was going up stairs, or if she happened to get excited and jumped up and down that might be another story, but those things were not going to happen.

After Leo called for Emily she would address him. “Did you need any help Leo?” Her voice did not sound hopeful for she figured she knew the answer. But she figured that he had Emily assisting him before so if Emily was assisting out here, she thought to offer herself up. And if and when Emily appeared she would be greeted with a “Hello Ms. Emily!”

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline started to walk in the store, but stopped short when she caught a glimpse at the moon. It was a beautiful clear night, and the stars were bright and the moon was half full.

Madeline thought to herself that that maybe she didn't need a whole dress per say. After all by her calculations she wouldn't be back home till the night before the full moon, and well Connor would be in a frisky mood. Perhaps all she needed was just some...ribbon. Which meant this could be done at another convenient time. Leo looked tired, and there seemed to be more pressing matters for him.

So with that she turned around. "Leo my dear friend thanks for the help, it's kind of you to offer at such a late hour, but what I need can wait till a more decent hour. Gwen good seeing you. And a pleasure meeting you Sacher."

Being that it was late, Madeline decided to take a semi short cut to the Inn.
Grabbing ahold of the source she weaved together a gateway to front porch to the inn.

She would wait for everyone to go inside then step through.

[Leo]

"What Sacher wants from the two of us, Gwendolyn, are two different things," Leo explained just as he neared the door to his office. He could not let what she had said go unanswered, and he thought that he had put enough of distance between himself and the other male. Though, knowing what he was, Leo would be foolish to think that he was safe, despite whatever promise the vampire had made to his Gaitto, when they had thirst, such things like promises were void. 

That he was as close to the office as he was, Leo stopped to make a partial turn to face the others. "What he'd do with you is no less than any primal man would while you dress such."

"A dress, Sir?" Came the inquiry of Emily, her sudden appearance out of the office door nearly perfectly timed for an entrance into the conversation. 

Nod of Leo's head gave her direction. "The Señor, over there, has work to be done." Noticing that the paper was not in her hands or immediately visible he would assume it to be safely put away. "I will return shortly. Tend to him."

Reservation in Emily's face was evident by the way her eyes regarded Leo's face and the manner of which she saw him hold his hand. No need for verbal words for the look on her face said enough, yet she complied and headed over to where Sacher was looking at the cloths. However, off she went, addressing the customer as she did, a smile put on her plump face. "How may I help you?" Giving a nod of greeting to Gwendolyn, too, as she went.

Leo breathed in easy and spoke to Madeline before she had chance to leave, " You are welcomed by any time business is able to be done." 

The pulse in his hand had gone but he did know that it needed to be tended, but the question of whether or not he needed help, therein, another question. "You may accompany me," as he opened the door with his good hand and would hold it for her to enter. "It would provide less of a distraction for the patron."

Who knew what the intentions of Sacher would be if left with Gwendolyn out there. This did not mean that he was not concerned for Emily, but being that she was there, at the shop with the lateness of the hour, and attending to Leo as she was, said that she was not a simple worker. 

[Sacher Masoch]

Sacher couldn't help but chuckle about Miss Not-so-new-around-here's idol threat. Tell Ryan indeed. Sacher would put fifty platinum on a bet that De'Ryanna would hand her over to him and tell him to be off with her. Would Sacher win that bet? That is uncertain. Did De'Ryanna hate Gwendolyn? Not to Sacher's knowledge. But he would make the bet none the less.

Before they were all moving in the door, Miss Madeline had changed her mind about entering with them. "The pleasure was all mine Miss Madeline, I do hope our paths cross again someday." Someday being a figurative way of saying some night.

At some point Miss Not-so-new-around-here had thanked him for promising Señor Leo's safety for the night. "You are welcome Gwendolyn." Was said in response to that. His voice would be unusually flat and lacking it's usual charm and grace. To the untrained ear, it could have almost sounded like defeat in his voice. Even though Sacher was anything but defeated.

A glance was spared for the view afforded him by Miss Not-so new-around-here entering before him. And what a view it was. So pleasurable in fact, that Sacher even moved towards her reaching forth a hand to attempt at a grazing of flesh against flesh. She might have been covered to the naked eye, but he knew that just the right move could tell him just what she was wearing under that tiny little skirt. But was contact made before she was too far from him?

While he was looking at the fabrics for the dress he had in mind, Miss Not-so-new-around-here was moving to the back with Señor Leo. And Señor Leo was explaining to her that what Sacher wanted from him, and what he wanted from her, were two very different things. They were two different things, thought Sacher would not say that they were very different. After all, would feeding a blood lust not be also considered ravishing for ones own pleasure? As well it could be stated that Sacher was not one to discriminate sexually. So to feed either hunger from either of them would bring Sacher very much pleasure.

Although, under normal circumstances, Señor Leo would be correct in that a vampire who is in the throws of a blood lust would cast aside a promise made in an effort to feed his hunger to his satisfaction. But these were not normal circumstances. Sacher had a voice inside of his head that most vampires did not. 'Do not ever let me catch one of my children breaking a promise. Your word is your vow. If you give your word, if you promise, you keep to it. Any one of you that ever gets caught not doing exactly that will suffer a death a million times worse than any punishment you have ever seen before.' And she meant it too. Sacher had seen as much with his own eyes.

With that voice in his head for the first time in over a hundred years, Sacher fully intended on keeping his word to Gwendolyn. Would it be fair to say that he still feared she who had created him? Very much so, her temper at least. For once upon a time, she was the apex predator, the bane of all existence, the most evil being Sacher had ever met. Perhaps her new powers had tamed her, perhaps she was a far cry from the demon that she once was, but that temper was still there. What would she do now if one of her children broke a vow? Sacher had no desire to find out. Even if she did not know he was here yet, and was not supposed to know.

As Sacher admired a piece of cloth, a grin played at the corners of his lips as he overheard the words that Señor Leo spoke to Gwendolyn in regards to her manner of dress and a primal man's reaction to such. He had a touch of cloth in each hand. One was a shade of an orange, the other a shade of a pinkish purple. Both were very lovely fabrics. But Sacher was leaning towards the pinkish purple. For some reason it seemed to be the color the dress was meant to be.

He looked towards the lovely young lady who addressed him at the behest of Señor Leo. "Emily, oui? I think I like this pinkish purple one. How does it hang?" He didn't know enough about fashion to ask of the way something draped or how it would flare when one made a turn in it. All he knew was that it was pretty and he thought it would work for the dress he wanted made.



Emily smelled delicious and was easy on the eyes as well. Sacher wondered if Señor Leo had a beauty requirement for being in his employ. Perhaps someday Sacher would find a way of discovering that information for himself. But at the moment, he was content with Miss Emily and that delightful coppery scent. Sacher saw no evidence of Miss Emily bleeding, but her scent was intoxicating. And it was making Sacher a very happy man.

He showed the cloth to Emily and smiled at her. There was something lacking in that smile. It was as if he had misplaced his charm. But he was still fighting his blood lust, and even though Miss Emily was not bleeding, at least not to the naked eye, Sacher could still smell her blood. Señor Leo was under the protection of a promise. But no one else had been given such. Yet somehow Sacher knew that Emily would be included in his promise whether he had vocalized it or not.

So Sacher would await the woman's opinion of the fabric before he would request a pencil and paper to draw out the dress he had in mind. And from there they would move to the articles that needed mending. If Señor Leo returned before then, Sacher would be more than happy to deal with him, or he could remain dealing with Emily. Either way, he wanted to get his dealings taken care of so that he could be on his way. After all, he had flowers that were slowly wilting upon his bag, right?

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

When Maddie stopped short that caused Gwen to stop short as well, hoping that Sacher did not run into her, which thankfully he did not! Must be those bat like graces. At Maddie’s words Gwen gave a small wave to her. “Have a good night Maddie…it was nice to see you again.” And Gwen meant it just as she meant everything she said.

With that being said when she started to walk again and Sacher attempted to touch, he would get a bit of a surprise, or maybe not depending on the man. When his finger was two inches away it would be touched, with a zap, if he could feel them, connected to a rather feminine hand. Then just to make sure he knew that Gwen had not suddenly grown a head on her back, Azlin’s head appeared on Gwen’s back, all golden and silver locks bouncing, winking at him, at the same time her finger waggled in a no no fashion. And just like that she was gone again. Gwen would have been so upset to know that Azlin had popped in, she had told Archer among others that her mom had promised not to interfere in her life unless she asked her too. Sometimes the Goddess could not help but to tweak every so often. She had done her job and stayed away when Gwen had spent time with Archer, truth be told Az was all for Gwen to spend time with Archer, she always liked him. And in her mind it was much better then Gwen spending time with Fallon, which was a bit of a jealous spot, and a protective one at the same time. As for Leo, and whatever part he played in Gwen’s life, well Az did not know him so she had no real thoughts on that.

As Gwen was completely oblivious to the fact that Sacher had moved his hand towards her, and that Az popped out, both of those were good things. Probably for all that were involved. And she was looking at Leo like Duh!! “Oh of course, he wants you to make him a dress….but I really didn’t know that Sacher liked to wear dresses.” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “I don’t think I have ever met a male that wore dresses, do you get a lot of them in here?” It seemed like a good question to her. But she wasn’t quite long. “And he doesn’t want me to make him a dress, so of course, it would be totally different reasons.” Perhaps she got lost somewhere in there it was a good chance, but she spoke what she thought, which was part of her charm right?

And because she did not fully understand what Leo was getting at, she spoke without thought, though perhaps one should of said do not reply. “A primal male? Are they hard to find? Because now I am curious of what one would do to me.”

Gwen believed Sacher when he made his promise, without knowing that his creator would give him Hell so to speak if he broke it, and she found out about it. But if the Devil himself said, Gwen I promise this…she would believe it.

When Leo held the door open and spoke to Gwen she gave a small nod, and she did not think that Sacher would attack Emily because that would hamper him getting his dress he wanted, she stepped into Leo’s office, moving out of the way of the door. Her hand still had the purple envelope held in it, and the fingers of her opposite hand were playing with the corners of the envelope. Once she was inside she moved off to the side to wait for some sort of instruction or words or well anything.

[Leo]

Leo would not worry too much about the safety of Emily for it was his belief that she could take care of herself. She has all the years previous. Thought this did not mean that if anything would happen he would not come to her aide, only that he knew her well enough to not entice reactions for unwanted advances.

Therefore, he would do nothing but spare a glance towards her direction before giving an answer to Gwendolyn and entering his office, keeping the door slightly ajar. "All manner of people come into the shop. It's not my care if the items are for their use or objects for another." Surely there were males who wore dresses and if that was their style they would be left to it. As he rarely dealt with the customers on the personal level - except for the special interest cases - he was not the one to ask about who came into the store for what.

As he walked further into the office, holding his hand, and going towards his desk, he nodded his head back towards the door. "If you are really curious of a primal male and what they would to you, then I suggest you give yourself to Sacher and say that he can do what he wants to you. Some things have greater impact when they are experienced than heard." As the saying goes that he understood: experience it the greatest teacher.

Upon reaching his desk Leo would then let go of his hand and pushed around on the surface for the extra cloth that he knew was there and for wherever she had that bowl of water. He had seen the envelop she had in her hand, but did not know what it was for and, just as she was waiting for him to speak, he was waiting for her. She had asked to come and there had to be a reason for that aside from wanting to stand quietly.

Sitting down he undid the clasp for the strapping on his hand and set it aside. The blood that the inside padding had collected was evident and - Leo was not so naive to think that the smell of it and the open area on his hand wouldn't drift out through the opening of the door. There was not much he could do to prevent that unless he moved to the other part of the store but, with Emily with Sacher, he wasn't. It was not going to spill out of the padding, therefore he did not worry of it getting on the desk.

The blood came from the lines of an arcane marking circled by the words 'lenguaje llano', Gwendolyn may be able to make out the words, and the symbol, if she were closer. As he began to clean his hand so he could tend to it, he looked towards his room companion. "What is it that I can do for you?"

Meanwhile, out in the main area, Emily was looking at the cloth that Sacher had shown with a slight confused look in her eyes. "It will hang however the design constructs it to hang." If he wanted a tight, fit to form skirt then it would be so, the same as if he wanted it to flow. Though perhaps he was talking of the weight so she tagged on the end of her statement, "as you can see it is not have heavy weight."

She kept her hands folded to the front of her and down, though she was ready to take the fabric from him if it was one that he wanted. "What is it that you want the fabric to do, the image to create? Is your idea for something soft and fun or elegance and pose?" Or it could be for something completely different. As he hadn't said anything of the design she did not know the direction to steer him.

[Sacher Masoch]

Sacher had seen the Goddess, though he did not know her to be such, pop out of Miss Not-so-new-around-here's back. And he had felt the small zap from her touch. It had made him smile as he admired her beauty for but a moment. Her scent had come with her, it had filled the air, and Sacher would remember it.

But at the moment, another scent was filling the air. Stronger than it had been before. The coppery sweetness was slowly filling the room from inside the office. Sacher clenched his teeth as he listened to the apparent human female at his side. Her pulse was thundering beneath her flesh. To look at her neck was to see the tiniest of vibration to her skin as her blood raced through her veins.

Sacher's eyes fluttered and he averted his gaze from her for a moment. Though still listening, her voice sounded distant and hushed under the drumming in his head. He swallowed hard and flexed his jaw. Was this it? Was this to be his undoing? Had his thirst finally defeated him?

To attempt a calming breath would have done him in. So Sacher stopped any breathing not necessary to speak. After all, one did need to draw a breath to exhale and vibrate the vocal chords so they could make sound, oui? It took but a moment after Sacher stopped breathing for him to return his gaze to Miss Emily.

She was asking him for more detail of what he wished of the fabric. Which meant he would have to take a breath to speak. A slight prick to the inside of his cheek with his fang would cause a touch of blood and serve as a tiny distraction as he spoke. "I do not wish for the garment to be binding. I fear that to use something so delicate for such a task would require something a little stronger to line it, would it not? No, I wish for it to flow like water down the curves of her body framing her in smooth lines that would show her to be the Goddess that she is to me."

Never before had Sacher spoken such words of any woman other than she who had made him. Had this other woman captured his heart? Non, but she had captured his attentions in such a way as he wished her no ill will. And from Sacher, that was saying a whole lot.

He thought to himself for a moment. "Perhaps a quill, ink and parchment? Excusez-moi, Pen or pencil and paper? I mean to draw what it is I wish, or perhaps describe it to another so as they might draw it? I am not a trained artiste." Sacher figured he might be able to describe it better than he could draw it, but he wanted to try drawing it first, because he knew that even describing the picture in his mind was going to be a daunting task. And one that would require more talking, which required more breathing.

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

The scent that Sacher would smell at the time that Az had appeared and if he saw her again was lilac’s with the under scent of something more…feminine. But that really was neither here nor there, and perhaps at a later date they would actually meet.

Meanwhile, hearing Leo’s reply her head gave a light bob, showing that she was paying attention and getting his words, even if he did not see the movement, he might have though. A small breath escaped. “Yes, I recall that Ms. Emily and the other’s had their jobs to do, when I was here.” The measurements that had been taken and the dress that had been made for her, had been left at the Marques’s place. With Leo running off so quickly after they arrived, and the butterfly fiasco, such things were easily forgotten. A flicker of the memory of the lovely gown entered her hazel gaze for a moment, but there were other things that were more pressing on her mind for now.

At his words about Sacher, her nose wrinkled, could Leo not tell that they rubbed together as good as oil and water? Sacher was one of the few whom Gwen did not care for. Of course, part of that could be because of her loyalty to Mr. Coat but none the less. “I….will have to find a different potential primal male. Mr. Sacher and I do not…get along. I would not wish to ask him to show me anything.” It was said the most polite way that she could think of.

She had asked if he needed help. He was the one whom said she should come along. She did not ask if she could tag along with him. Things felt weird, well okay they felt weird when she showed up, but she felt as if Leo wasn’t even her friend, which she had thought he was. It was as if he was completely detached from her and she felt it. She did not expect warm and fuzzy because it wasn’t such the last few times they had seen each other, but it wasn’t so…cold.

Maybe it was because he was leaking out of his arm/hand…but he was leaking earlier when she first arrived and he had not seemed such. Her brain was tossing things out and around while she stood there, waiting to see if she could actually help him. Then she heard his words, she lifted the hem of her shirt, not really paying attention to any skin that might be flashed, as she slipped the envelope into the waist band of her skirt. Her shirt was released as she lifted her gaze to Leo. He asked a question so she thought to reply. What can I do for you. “I was just going past…I was off to see Archer…the genius…I have a delivery for him…but when I saw Sacher talking to you…I had to make sure that you would be safe.” It seemed so logical to her, even as she spoke she played with the ring on her thumb.

She started to walk towards him, drawn towards him, perhaps it was the fact that he was hurt. That always had a strange effect on her, when she was around someone that was harmed. Which meant that she made out the circle and the words…even if she didn’t know what they meant. Which he might realize when she asked. “What’s the words on your arm mean?” She would NOT try to pronounce them, because she knew she would mangle it badly. “If you don’t need any help…I should be on my way…to deliver the letter to the Genius.” Her hands were in front of her, fingers linking, and twisting as she spoke. She would of given his shoulder a light squeeze but he wouldn’t want that, instead she moved over next to him for a moment, before bending slightly and pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. And just like that she straightened up, and began her way out. “Take care Leo.”

[Leo]

Emily swept an arm out and towards one of the circular white tables that were situated along side of the room. "Over there," she indicated with the motion and a nod of her head. "There is no need to worry about any lack of skill if you can give an idea then the rest will be translated."

The shop did have a reputation for it's designs -the ones who choose to take advantage and ask. Anything that was possible in design for clothing they were able to do, even if a person only had a faint idea of what they wanted, after working with them they saw their fabrication come to life.

"What else that needs to be done will be built upon the color that you have chosen." Emily said this to mean that he wouldn't have to worry about needing to pick out any other colors or fabrics to make the design he had in mind work. "Unless, it is, that you have other color and fabric types in mind for your creation."

As Emily spoke she began to make her way towards the table she had indicated, her hands folded and held precisely at the height of her waist, causing the arms to be bent at the elbows. If walks could talk hers would say that she was about business, with no intents on being a distraction or making segway for idle conversations.

Meanwhile, in the office, Leo felt himself to be a little confused. "It must be a very important delivery for you to take to him at this hour of night." A delivery that had to be made right away and could not spare to be held over until the morning hours, if she was on her way to take it to him now. It could have been something that Archer did not want others to see him receiving. The envelop was inconspicuous. Just as she was tucking it away now she could have done so in the daylight hours to keep others from seeing.

If there was anything cold about him it was likely due to the fact of how much he was downplaying the pain of his hand. The man was very well at that for it was an unofficial part of the job description. It would not serve him very well to wear the thoughts in his head, and feelings of his body, on his face, when either could be a negative tool. Anyone who's been bleeding for near a full day would find it hard to be inviting and chipper and yet, because she and Madeline had been there, he would have looked out for them.

This was the reasoning behind him letting her come back to the office when she asked - to get her away from Sacher and the prying eyes and itchy hands.

He could see that she was looking ready to go so after the wipe he would begin the wrapping as he spoke. "lenguaje llano," he began. It was pronounced lan-goo-ha ya-no, and he said it with articulation so she would be able to repeat it again if desired. "There is no direct translation of it from my tongue to yours." A word-for-word translation would not make much sense, or mean what it translated to. "It means, a clear understanding of languages." That was the easiest way to explain. Things tended to get lost in translation but he believed that to be plain enough to keep the meaning.

The shoulder squeeze would have been as welcome as the kiss, wouldn't it, even if one was more connecting than the other. Leo did smile for her and rose from his chair as she moved to head out the room. "I will see you out." He was not going to let her walk through the shop, where Sacher was, alone, whether his hand was fully covered or not, it would have to do.

"It is good to see you are well," Leo said while walking but a half a step behind her. The bleeding had stopped for the moment, but no doubt the smell would not be hard for Sacher to pick up. "I do worry."

Even as they moved to the main room, where Sacher and Emily were, he would regard them both with a nod - or a measuring look to the male - as he continued on with Gwendolyn. "If it is that you are still heading to see Archer, be careful in your travel. There are worse out, at night, than that man there."

[Sacher Masoch]

Sacher bowed slightly to Miss Emily and began to walk towards the tables indicated. He was moving for the one he had set his bags next to. But his gaze was averted by movement. Miss Not-so-new-around-here was making her exit. And she was being escorted by Señor Leo. He looked to Miss Emily "Excuseament." And graceful steps carried him into the path of Miss Not-so-new-around-here.

He waited for her stroll to the exit to carry her closer to him. Once she was close enough, he leaned forward. Both hands were clasped behind his back. What would be unseen by those before him was that he was pinching his hand between his thumb and forefinger with the nail of his other thumb against the side of his other forefinger. It was an exercise in pain in an attempt to distract from the sweet coppery scent of blood.

Once she was close enough to hear a whisper he spoke. "Tell me Miss Not-so-new-around-here, why is it that you smell so sweetly of a lie?" He leaned back to stand erect once again with a knowing grin upon his face. Perhaps Señor Leo overheard, depending on his proximity to the lovely. Sacher did not much care if he did or did not. After all, it was not Sacher that she had lied to. Why would he care if he had outed her lie or not?

He winked at her and then spoke in more audible tones. "Good eve Miss Not-so-new-around-here. I look forward to our next meeting." She had the option to answer his question. Sacher would still hear her even though, with his hands still behind his back, he began to stalk back towards Miss Emily. He was not stalking towards her because she was prey though. This was a human version of a cat like walk. Felines were his animals to call, and he adapted characteristics from his Beast to Call.

Because he had bound himself to a wereleopard at home, he had been able to achieve that walk, and much more. The walk was overflowing with feline confidence. Cat's held themselves in high regard. Sacher was no different save for the fact that he was not a shifter vamp. So he had no animal form. And he was not strong enough to take a Human Servant as well as a Beast to Call to form a Triumvirate. So it was just him and his kitty. Both as cocky as any two beings could be.

Unless Señor Leo or Miss Not-so-new-around-here addressed him directly, his attentions returned to Miss Emily at the table. He would walk over and hold a chair for her before taking a seat himself. He would then take up the paper and the writing instrument provided and begin to draw a very rough outline of what it was that he wished. It was a simple gown. One shoulder, draping long to the floor. Looking like it had a knot under the arm that had no 'sleeve'. It looked similar to a toga. But with the fabric he had chosen, it would look much less like a toga and more like something a Goddess would wear no matter her religion or background.

He looked at the paper and turned it a little, as if he were making sure not to miss anything. "Something, like this. Perhaps you could draw it better than I, or Señor Leo could draw it better than myself? But this is the general idea." He was happy to have been able to draw it that much. He had figured it would look very wrong when he tried. But the simplicity of the design made it a little easier to put idea to paper.

He slid the paper to Miss Emily, and reached for his bag. What was going unseen was that between sentences, Sacher was biting the inside of his cheek, very hard. The pain was keeping the hunger at bay. He set the bag with the flowers upon the table. He removed the flowers from the bag and sat them atop the other bag that was still upon the floor. Then he unzipped the bag. "These garments belong to she who is to wear the dress. They fit her form like a second skin, well at least the bodice did." He removed the bodice and showed it to her.

The bodice was leather, and it had previously laced up the back. But it had been torn into two pieces. The front was torn all the way down. There was no lacing to tie the back back together, and the eyelets had been ripped free of the fabric. There was also a pair of panties and a garter within his bag. He pulled those free and laid them upon the table. They were crumpled in a pile, but if looked upon one could see that the panties had been torn off and the garter broke in half much like the bodice. Those would also be a hint to the fair maiden's size if put back together.

There was a peasant blouse in the bag as well, though it did not look as though it could be repaired. It had been shredded when the bodice had been ripped from the woman's body. And the skirts that finished the outfit had been broken at the waistbands and then ripped away in three or four strips to rid her of them. Looking at them now, after having hand washed the garments and air dried them so as not to cause shrinkage and to ensure that they were clean, he did not see where any of the items were repairable. But they would be able to be pined back together enough to use as patterns for replacements and even getting any sizing needed for the commissioned dress.

He had all the pieces on the table now. His hands went to his lap under the table and he resumed his pinching of himself to use pain to drown out the blood lust. His cheek was bleeding inside, and now that little fleshy part of his hand was bleeding too. Bloody pain was not helping, so he switched hands as he spoke. "I am sorry that they are not in better condition. I promise you that none was hurt during this particular removal of clothing. I do not think they could be mended, but perhaps used for sizing purposes and remade?" An honest question.

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

You know how some people didn’t really pay attention to time all the time? Well, Gwen was one of those, unless she had plans that specified a set time. She was great with days but no so much with times. So Leo’s words had her blinking, sure it was dark out but was it really that late out? “Leo…what time of night is it?” Because of the way he was speaking perhaps the Genius would not be awake or she would hate to wake him, what if she did and he demanded his shirt back…no she had already made up her mind he wasn’t allowed to have that, it had been added to the Gwen collection of men’s clothing. She liked her collection.

His whole demeanor had chanced once they were alone, and being whom she was, of course she would take that as a personal thing. Nor would she think that he had changed because if anyone was going to pounce on a wounded person it most certainly would not be Gwen. Well, XI didn’t count right? Because really that wasn’t completely her fault, he was taking up all the bed and not being cooperative at all.

He knew her well enough to know that she was going to want to repeat the words. Just as she had repeated the phrase that went with the ring, though she wouldn’t think that phrase, because when she thought things sometimes they came out of her mouth, and she didn’t want to go anywhere at the moment. “lan-go-ha ya-no.” the first part might of sounded a bit…forced, but the last two words came out rather well. Though she had no fun accent like Leo had. The girl could not roll her letters if her life depended on it. She looked rather thoughtful, but she did not ask any more questions, she was learning restraint!

As Leo stood and they began to walk out, when he spoke about her doing well, she smiled, because she really was doing well. And then he said he worried and she looked over her shoulder, as she stopped moving for the moment. “I worry about you too Leo. Probably always will.” She gave a small nod before she continued as they entered the main room where Ms. Emily was with Sacher. “ I will be careful Leo.”

No sooner had the words slipped past her lips then Mr. Bullypants himself was over to where she stood with Leo, making goodbyes. And the words that he spoke out. Now one thing that Sacher should learn, Gwen didn’t lie. She got things confused, but a out and out lie was not the case. A confused situation had indeed happened, and she looked at Sacher, though not his eyes she knew he would look at her nose or something if she tried. “What lie?” But then it hit her what he might be speaking of and she let out a giggle. “You read the envelope! If that is what you speak of, if the envelope were to be opened right now you would see while the outside has one name, the inside is to the Genius.” Funny how things worked, but they weren’t dealing with a normal girl, they had a Gwen on their hands, figuratively speaking. And she had not wanted to have to explain to Leo that he could not have the envelope with his name on it because it really wasn't his.

“Have a good night Mr. Sacher.” She could call him by his name. “Take care Ms. Emily.” Before turning to Leo. “If you stop by the Inn, you might notice I am not there so oft anymore. I was going to bring you my new address but I grabbed the wrong letter.” A lift of her shoulders in a shrug, before she leaned forward and up on tip toes. “Be careful Leo.” And like the flutter of butterfly wings she left the shop.

[Leo]

As Sacher went over to the table to sit and start to sketch, Emily watched. It wasn't what she would consider to be intruding or rushing in the way that she watched, it simply was. He wanted her to see the drawing and so looking while he was doing could not be helped. During the sketching process it was that Emily would give a nod of her head here and there - as though agreeing to internal comments about what she was seeing and the notations he made while he worked.

Once he had finished, the woman's eyes left from off the paper to regard him However, before any comment on the sketch, Emily furrowed her brows and looked at the . . . clothing . . . that the man had brought with him. "Yes," It was something to say other than silence and her words were filled with recoil while arms and fingers branched forward to pick the fabric on the table. More like rags if asked of her opinion; and her skin itched simply thinking of carrying those in her arms and at wondering why this man had even kept the undergarments.

Emily was no spring chicken and knew that there were guys who kept such things as trophy's from conquest and, that he had kept those, spoke volumes to the older womans ears.

"Yes. Yes." If it were normal hours sometime like this would have been picked up by one of the girls, alas, it was night and, since he said he didn't think they could be mended she assumed he did not want them back. As they were gathered in her arms Emily smiled as she thought of how lovely these . . . pieces of clothing . . . would look as kinder for the fires. "These will be taken care of." Keeping it all together in one hand she took the sketch with the other and, after folding it once, slipped it into a hidden pocket on her skirt.

"Your sketch is well enough. That, and your description, make it easy enough." Emily said this to Sacher as Leo started towards them. While his face still had the civility of a man doing business, Emily noted there was a change in the corner of his eyes after she witnessed Sacher going so close to Gwen and saying what he did.

Must not have been to his liking at all.

"Clearly Emily has taken care of you," Leo said while placing the left hand behind his back. Emily started off with the armload of what she had been given. "Is there anything else that we can help with?"

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