2021-05-10 22:32 - Monday
Inside the Hellfire Lounge...
By the time she got time to herself that night, Jasmin was already frustrated. It was a rare night when she dressed down, in a black dress with corset and lace shawl, and boots, her blonde hair hanging down straight. So she found herself, seated now in a booth in the lower lighting, listening to the music. Jasmin absently ran a finger over the rim of her glass, filled with blood that had a bit of green and black specs floating in it.
Her mind drifted to the day, and her schedule for the rest of the week. Monday evening free, and not an aide in sight. “That is an interesting choice of drink. What's in it?” she heard come from behind and draw her back into reality.
Jasmin turned her head, one arm over the back of the chair. She actually gave a light smile at the speaker; a young, fairly attractive woman in a knee-length skirt and short-sleeved top, and a distinctly scaley look to her skin. Holding up her glass and sipping at it, she spoke lightly. “Oh, this? It's a blend of crushed herbs and spices. Like to mix them in sometimes. Gives the blood flavor.”
“That really works?” The question sounded incredulous, but there was just something there. Some hint of genuine interest she thought that she detected.
“Oh, yes. It can fit moods. Tonight is steak. The right amount of cocktail sauce and spices, and it's like seafood.” She looked the other woman over again. To hell with it, before gesturing towards the empty part of the booth next to her. “Care to join me?”
She watched the other woman move around, and then stop, stammering out an apology as she turned to leave. Jasmin felt her annoyance level rise, even without a great deal of prompting; sometimes, you didn't need to ask what happened. It was just obvious. Without bothering to turn, she spoke up. “Why thank you, Balthazar. I do so enjoy the company, and must thank you for your many contributions to my social life.”
A jovial bellow rang out from behind her, "Oh Jasmin, darling, no need to pout about a silly demoness when you can have supper with two gorgeous studs like us."
Before he and his companion sat, Balthazar leaned over to Jasmin, giving her a kiss on each cheek. "As ravishing as ever," Fake pleasantry was always on the menu with Romano. "Jasmin, I'd like to introduce the newest of my associates, Logan Hunter."
Logan gave a brief smile and an almost inaudible 'hello' as he took his seat next to Balthazar.
"You know in our world, can never have too many people watching your back, which is why I got good ol' Logan here." Balthazar, said, slapping the young man on the back. "Actually, the real reason is because it's a lot easier to pick up pretty little things with this young stallion next to me!" The old man laughed loudly at his own joke.
Jasmin finally turned to face him, and actually returned the duel kisses. As much as she deeply disliked the human sorcerer, he at least tended to pay well, and the ripartee was enjoyable.
"Of course - and how very generous of you to bring an additional doner with you." She turned her head slightly, glass of blood in hand as she sipped at it. The opportunity was too good to pass up. "Tell me, Mr. Hunter. Have you ever enjoyed the rush of an attractive woman giving you a good bite, and trusting her to know when to stop?"
A stern look crossed the body guard's face but when he opened his mouth to speak, Balthazar cut him off.
"Jasmin i'm hurt. You've never offered me such an invitation. Is it because of my grey hair and wrinkes? You know, I couldnt possibly be too old for you. If anything, you'd be a cougar even coming after me, forget young Logan here." The man's tone became uncharacteristically serious for a moment as he locked eyes with Jasmin. "Now you know I love you Jazzy, but Logan is off bounds, so let's leave it at that."
The smile never left her face at the obvious discomfort, though hers did disappear at the use of the nickname. Jasmin hated the name; it was just the kind of thing he did. And then, she decided, the war or words was even… for the moment. "Come on, Balty. I fed from a sorcerer, once. Made me feel ill, and I'm not sure if it was the Belladonna, or just a property of his blood."
The anger melted away quickly from the elderly man's face. "Anyways, we're all just here to have a good time right?" Balthazar motioned to the closest waitress, who immediately scampered over. "Another round for the lovely lady, a Gin tonic for myself and..." he looked at Logan.
"Molson if you've got it"
Balzathar already slipped a 100$ bill into the girls pocket "Thanks, you're a love."
"Now Jasmin, honey, I must confess, I had alterior motives to ask you here tonight. I'm looking for something, and maybe you can help an old man out. See what I need..."
"Who's that?" Logan interrupted strangely. The man rarely spoke let alone interrupted Balthazar.
The old sorcerer was visibly annoyed for just a moment "who what?"
"That woman there," Logan said, pointing across the room towards to a young woman, in a tiny black dress. "Sorry to interrupt, it's just, she looks really familiar and she keeps looking over this way."
Both Balthazar and Jasmin recognized the woman Logan was pointing at - Persephone, the mysterious owner of the establishment.
The woman was indeed staring back. Her gazed lingered on Logan before turning dissaprovingly to Balthazar. One of the triplet bouncers suddenly strood up next to her, whispered something into Persephone's ear and immediately they both dissapeared to the back office.
"That's the beautiful Persephone my dear boy. I really doubt you know her, not many people do. Don't lose sleep over her stud, you'll soon find out, noone gets into those knickers!"
She looked more amused at the young bodyguard checking out Persephone. Granted, she had done it enough times as well. "You know, not everyone looks at a woman and thinks of nothing but sex," she idly mused, with a light sigh.
"Well I know when I was Logan's age, that's all I thought about, right!" he laughed again, nudging his bodyguard. Logan smiled politely, but said nothing.
Jasmin's drink sat on the table, running her finger around the rim. "So, what does my favorite sorcerer need?"
"What makes this complicated is that i'm not sure exactly what it is i'm looking for. Me and some associates are looking for some sort of artifact, potion, anything really that would aid in magical thermographication. Basically the end goal is to move someone from one body to another."
In the short time he was employed by Balthazar, Logan had gotten used to hearing weird and wacky things. He was just getting used to magic, vampires and demons, let alone the idea of people changing bodies. This sounded a bit sinister, even for Balthazar.
Sensing the concern on the young man's face, Balthazar piped in immediately. "Think of the possibilities, if someone comes down with an incurable disease or has a terrible accident, presto changeo, we put them in a new body. Even a synthetic, magically created body. Very positive stuff my boy, and also potentially very lucrative."
Thermograph… Jasmin's mind turned the word over two or three times. Personally, she blamed Star Trek for every single sorcerer thinking that they just had to technobabble up their art in an attempt to sound deep and mysterious. "Well, not off the top of my head anything quite that specific."
She moved again slightly, resting the side of her head in her hand. This was going to be one of those nights. The possibilities did occur to her, though far less altruistic. Stealing bodies could mean stealing power - she filed that in the back of her mind, and tried to push the film idea that occurred away. "Not sure I've heard of anyone actually accomplishing body theft - there was a rumor, once, that I heard from a vampire back in… 99? Something about someone on a Hellmouth turning into a giant snake. Not sure how accurate that was, since it was a third-hand story."
"Well that's not overly helpful is it," the sorcerer chuckled. "Plus, if i'm thinking of the right story, I dont think it ended to well for him did it?"
"If it even happened at all," she responded evenly. "Sure, he might have, but you can't honestly expect me to believe that an army of high school students brought it down, and then the entire town promptly forgot that? It's like all those stories about `And then I almost destroyed the world this one time at band camp`. If even half of those were true, the world would be Hell by now by the law of averages."
She returned to her thoughtful pose, racking her brain. What was that think she had heard of…. "There was also Lasarna's Seal from my days in LA - heard about that. But if half the things about the group of do-gooders that supposedly have it is true, you might as well just kill yourself now and save them the trouble." The moment the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them for actually being useful. Oh, well. There would be other chances to send the sorcerer to an untimely demise.
Sensing that Jasmine may not be able to give him the answers he wanted that night, he needed to move to plan b. There were other people in the city that could likely help and he needed answers fast.
"Logan, buddy, I hate to ask you this, but I need you to go across town."
"Now?" Logan replied, somewhat confused.
"If you don't mind".
"Uh...sure boss." the bodyguard took an uneasy look at the rest of the clientele in the Hellfire Lounge. "You sure you'll be ok here without me?"
Balthazar laughed heartedly. "Of course, don’t worry about me. Plus, I have this lovely lady with me incase anything goes south. Trust me, she's a lot nastier than she looks!"
"Whatever you want".
"Great, you are seriously number 1 in my books Mr Hunter!" Balthazar waved his hand across the table and a grey envelop appeared out of thin air. "I need you to go to this bar called Slainte and see the owner. You can't miss him, big burly redhead. Just give him this for me".
"Sounds easy enough." Logan took the envelop and tucked it into the inside pocket of his leather jacket. "Jasmine, nice to meet you". With that, Logan, left.
The vampire kept an eye on the young man as he left, giving a half-smile to Balthazar. Her instincts were right: the night was going to be hell, but damnit, this was supposed to be pleasant `me time.` She made a show of checking the time for his benefit, downing the remainder of her glass and standing. "I'm afraid, Balty, that I have to go. Have to make sure the party-goers are enjoying themselves. If anything happens, just turn on that wonderful personality of yours. I'm sure they'll respond appropriately."
Balthazar feigned disappointment. Jasmin was usually quite knowledgeable, and therefore useful, but if she knew nothing, he wasn't sad to cut the evening early.
"Enjoy your evening darling!" he called out to the vampiress as she walked away. While debating to stay and have another drink or not, something caught his eye. Once again, across the room, Persephone was blatantly staring at him. "You're one weird lady," he mumbled to himself as he folded his napkin and left the table.
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