The Beau & the Beast

43 - What we once were

~Alexander~

"Do you really think he's that fucking desperate?" Marianne giggled from the other side of the table.

"You said you needed people?"  I gave her a crooked smile and raised one eyebrow.  "I have what your boss needs."

She snorted and emptied a box of salt licorice in her hand, which she threw into her mouth and chewed frantically while she studied me. "Why?"  She mumbled between bites.

"Your boss is powerful."

"More powerful than your current one?"  She grinned with her light blue lips on her confusingly sweet face. And once again, I was puzzled how this little Harley Quinn- wannabe- girl was so important to the mighty Clocksworth, but I suspected she had certain qualities.

I lazily spun the glass so that a small vortex was created in the red wine, I knew I had her exactly where I wanted but I needed to be careful. "I suspect so."

"... and?"

I shook my head and smiled so that my sharp canines glistened in the light of the little tea light that shone down into the dirty old wine glass on the sturdy bar table. "I have good people behind me."

She licked her lips thoughtfully and fingered the half-full glass in front of her. "Give me all the details before I contact him."

"Not a chance."  I laughed and leaned back in my chair.  "I want to see him face to face first."

She tilted her head to the left and studied me for a while, "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely sure." My eyes slid over the slender body as she got up and walked forward and stood next to me.

She picked up a cell phone from her pocket, pressed the speed dial, and put it to her ear, "You have to settle for a call, love."

I hear someone answer and she mumbled some inaudible sentences. With a frown, I watch her as she leaned over, closing in so I could hear his voice.

"Alexander?"

"You heard right."  I replied with faked confidence but in fact I'm nervous as hell. Everything depended on this conversation, my whole fucking future.

I felt a light caress of her fingertips over my neck and a pair of lips that smelled of licorice bent down towards my ear. "How many?"  She insisted.

It was quiet on the other side of the phone but I knew he was listening. "One hundred and fifty."  I answered low.

I put my hands teasingly on her hips as she leaned back so I wouldn't hear the rest of the conversation.  She ignored my move and instead I saw a smile spread over her face and suddenly I felt her free hand began to move seductively up my arm.

Before I had time to move my hands upwards along her waist, the phone quickly slid back into her pocket and her black-painted nails scratched my jawbone, she shook her head, "Not today sweetie."

"What did he say?"

"Pack your suitcase Chérie, we're leaving for the french countryside."

~ Clocksworth ~

"Alexander Masson."  Lumiere muttered skeptically.

I followed his gaze and watched the much younger vampire who walked towards us in the courtyard.
"Have you met him before?"

"Never."

"Rumor has it that he is ruthless."

"Rumor has it that he is his prince's little golden boy and does everything to please him."  Lu answered dryly.