Topic: The Goodbye and Arrest

Leoni Lupin

Date: 2013-02-01 12:46 EST
The Goodbye and Arrest:

Leoni swept into the room with a quick glance over her shoulder. Her cheeks were flushed and it looked as if she hadn't slept in days. Leoni was known for her impeccable style, yet tonight, she wore jeans and a small black hoodie. The hood had been pulled loosely over her head. Beneath, her dark hair had been swept into a hurried and tangled bun. Her face, although still holding its natural beauty, looked as if it had a little swelling, bruising and scrapes. She huffed in small relief as the scents around her passed non threatening information. She never broke her stride, as she moved behind the bar to snatch up a bottle of Vodka and then made her way to the back of Inn, where the dart board hung upon a wall. After taking a longer than average pull from the bottle, she procured a dart and one after another, with accurate precision, she nailed them to the target.

Stavros dressed to the nines. Always. Yet, it was with a casual sort of, devil-may-care attitude. Where buttons were meant to be buttoned, they hung loose and open...casual. His chocolate brown locks were usually in disarray and mussed by his unfortunate habit of running his hands through it. It was a habit he'd tried to break, but to no avail. He stood there for a long moment on the porch. Piercing green eyes remembered the Inn as it had been many years ago. His lids shut, as he wiped away those memories, long past gone. It was all done now. This was his reality now. Drawing in a deep breath, he pushed the door open and the room soon echoed softly with his heavy booted footfalls. An easy, confident stride took him to where he needed to go. A large, slightly calloused hand reached out to snag a beer on his way. If he remembered correctly, one could simply take what they wanted...and pay the toll later. He slid in easily enough, and then it was on to a bar stool, where he sat and turned to casually observe the patrons.

A deep look of concern etched upon his features and by habit, he ran a large hand through his hair. Dark eyes searched for Leoni and when they found her, he drew in a deep breath and sighed. He sat there, watching her and wishing he were anywhere else. Sitting for a beat more, he saw her pause and look his way. For a long moment, they locked eyes, neither one saying a word verbally. Finally, Stavros pressed his lips together in a determined line and forced his feet to move.

She felt him before she smelled him. "Stavros,?" Leoni nodded without looking as she heard his approach, and continued to throw the darts.

"Leoni, it's time,?" came Stavros's soft reply. He did not want to make a scene. It was hard enough, without making a scene. He just hoped she felt the same way.

"No." She stated simply, her eyes focused upon the target.

"It *is* time,?" he said a little more forcefully. "Look, we can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way.?" He felt silly even using the line, for he had heard it many times before. It was one of those things you never thought you'd have to say yourself, but in this case" it held merit.

He caught her pause and sighed heavily, his features softening a bit, "Look, Lucien has already closed down the candy shop. Your estate has been raided, your assets have been liquidated?"everything you own?" is gone. There is nowhere left for you to go. If you run, you know we will find you. If you resist us, you know what will happen to everyone around you. At least consider them.?" He paused to let that sink in.

Leoni's stomach dropped. Already"....She knew. She knew it well. Leoni had only been allowed this much freedom because there were other things Lucien deemed to be more important, but in truth, she knew it wouldn't last. She knew this day would come eventually. For the first time since he entered, she paused the dart, but refused to look at him. In her mind, fleeting images of Audrey, Magenta, the baby, Saffron, Dill and even Arts flew by....but as quickly as they became images, they slowly disintegrated into bloody lumps of unrecognizable body parts. Lucien was a monster...Stavros was right.

"Leoni,?" he whispered. He always did hold a soft spot for the woman. Lucien was the heavy hand and Stavros dealt the weary blow. He never did have a heart for this sort of thing. He was fun loving and easy going. He'd have loved to leave this job to another, but Stavros was nothing if not loyal and this was his duty as right hand. He would do it no matter what. His hand went over hers to remove the dart gently. "Give in Leoni. It won't be forever and I'll make sure you don't suffer too much."

Slowly, her fingers unfurled to release the dart. She smiled sadly. Leoni never cried, but when she did, it might've broken the Devil's heart. One tear found it's lonely path down her cheek. "He had to send you, didn't he?""

Stavros forced a smile and lifted a finger to gently wipe away her tear. His heart broke, but duty was greater than any love he could ever have for his "sister". "Leoni,?" he whispered, "I asked to do it.?"

Of course he did. She nodded understanding even as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her in a hug he knew she'd hate. She let it last for a moment, mainly because she knew he needed it more than she did and then pulled away. Her dark eyes drifted over the patrons as if she were trying to soak up their freedom as well. She knew Stavros didn't want to....didn't have to"But he would and he did. Her heart sank as reality of the situation spilled over her, "Okay Stavros,?" she nodded. "I'll go.?"

He expected her to fight. He expected her to throw a fit or at the very least, throw a dart. Perhaps she would trick him and make a run for it. He knew there were many things she could do but she didn't. He wondered if maybe he hoped she would. What he saw in her face, however, told him she would be going with him without incident, and maybe that's what hurt him the most. He had always admired her willingness to play the wild card and now here she was" tame before him and her fate was entirely in his hands.

Ready to go. He nodded and a small quirk of a smile played upon his lips as he saw she had already cuffed herself. It made him love her more.

"Heh, I always wanted you to cuff me Stavros, I just didn't think it'd be quite *this* way."

Stavros managed a grin in response and placing a hand gently on her back to guide her, he led her outside, where four armed guards were waiting. They would fall in line behind her with the semi-automatics they wouldn't need. Leoni was placed in the van by Stavros himself, before the motorcade of seven drove away and left the Inn where it stood.

TBC

Leoni Lupin

Date: 2013-02-01 14:23 EST
A Reckoning:

It was difficult to breathe beneath the heavy wool mask over her head. It seemed that they had taken every precaution' Her hands were cuffed tightly behind her at the wrists, as well as her legs at the ankles. Leoni could smell something within the fabric. Instantly she recognized it' It was a "perfume" used to dull smell and throw off scent. There would be no way she could track where they were taking her. She could hear muffled sounds around her and the barking of orders given by Stavros. The ride had been relatively quiet. Stavros had apologized for the hood and the cuffs and Leoni reassured him that she understood and she wouldn't try to escape. She knew he was only following orders from Lucien and could not and would not vary from them. He had his own demon to face. She could feel him near her'sense his anxiety. In a weird way it calmed her.

The moment the truck had stopped, she heard the loud noise of the metal door rise and knew they had reached the destination. Stavros instantly sprung into action, giving out orders and setting things into motion. She felt rough hands grab her by her neck and push her forward. Leoni was determined not to fall, but with all senses mute, she found that task a hard one to follow. As she stumbled, she felt the hand disappear. A strong hand enclosed her arm to steady her and she knew instantly' Stavros had control of her again.

Gently, he guided her through what felt like rough terrain. They walked some distance before stopping. His hand tightened around her arm. All was eerily quiet and still and she knew by the static in the air just who was before them?.

Lucien Lobos

Date: 2013-02-03 17:14 EST
"Le-oh-niiiii!" The greeting came out more as a bellow than true speech, a thunderstruck burst that popped out just a hair off, just at that moment when complacency settled in. "How good of you to come on such short notice, yeah?" His voice was like slate covered with tar, dripping with the smug pretense as the sound of an old fashioned lighter heralded the heady scent of cigar tobacco, rich enough to cut right through the oils coating the woolen sack. With the vice clamped in lip, his tone dropped the honeyed facade into the pure, metallic rumble. "Take off the hood."

Stavros complied with a steely tension in the hand on Leoni's arm. It led the mind to wonder whether or not he was holding to her for her safety, or his own. Whatever boiled in him, it was too complex, too layered to be simple hate. It smacked of a teenager brimming with contempt for his parents, held by the leash of stern, if efficient, fealty. He stepped in towards Leoni's flank, breath warm for a moment through the bag in a silent sigh as he loosened the strings and withdrew the bag, inch by inch, in that moment of mercy to let her eyes adjust. It was perhaps his own shame that led him to turn away from her line of sight as he withdrew it entirely, revealing one of Lucien's Forest manors dimly lit beneath the cold winter sun, setting just a hint west for the early afternoon.

Lucien, of course, stood with the luminary at his back. The shadow sank around the lean cut of cheek and the meticulous cut of beard, the stern brow and sharp angles of his overcoat's lapels like Persephone dressing her beloved Hades for his procession through the Fields of Asphodel. Tucked in at the neck of the coat, perhaps in mockery, in attestation of his conquest, was a scarf of silvered thread; most assuredly, not a lick of the moon's metal found its way into it, but it shone all the same, glinting in menace around the corners of his neck. In his smile, the slight accentuation of his canines added more to the betrayal of the truth that swarmed around the trio, their inborn duality as both human and wolf, of Civilization and its Adversary rolled into one. No, humanity was not prey, to them; it was their testing ground, their kingdom made to rule. "You've had your fun, Leoni. You had your time lazing about on easy prey, culling the herd of the fat and gluttonous children of a world where life is cheap as boxed wine and day old bread. It's time you got to your real work, yeah?"

Leoni Lupin

Date: 2013-02-11 17:03 EST
((Okay...I've lost this thing twice...so unfortunately this third one is stripped of most detail :T....Regardless...))

Leoni could smell him even through the thick hood. They had arrived.

"Le-oh-niiiii!"

She could feel Stavros's grip tighten around her arm. She could feel the air around them thicken with tension.

She felt Stavros behind her and was thankful for the mercy he gave in removing the bag slowly, so that she might regain her senses. As her eyes adjusted, she noticed they were in the midst of Lucien's Forest manor. She had been here before. Her lips pressed together as her eyes ticked toward him. He was handsome....cocky and sure. He was someone who knew his strengths and used them well.

"It's time you got to your real work, yeah?"

Leoni nodded slowly and responded as he knew she would, "It is as you wish Lucien."

Lucien Lobos

Date: 2013-02-17 16:17 EST
"Please! If it were as I wished, then half of Europe would be forest, Man wouldn't choke the land as harshly as he does..." Lucien turned slowly, dragging his shadow from Stavros' face and opening it to the sun's broken stare upon its works through the greedy grasp of leaves. He tilted his wrist as the ash fell from the end of his cigar succumbed to the ring of ember, lifting it back to his lips for a puff, a draw, and a slow billow of the rich smoke from his lips. "....and ownership would default to me on whatever I decided to piss on. However, we are forced to make due when our wished go unmet, yes?"

Stavros attempted to hide his smirk and silent spasm of a chuckle behind a cough, the hand on Leoni's arm loosening for a moment of distraction. The sudden sound brought a rustle in the underbrush as three steely-gold eyes peered out, too intensely set for mere humanity, too high for wolves. Hints of motion betrayed the sharp ears adjusting, drawing on sounds and vibrations in such poetic complexity that language would fail miserably, laughably, to express all of their assessments.

More and more pairs shone as a gray blanket drew over the sun, heralded by a chill breeze that brought smoke to dance and fabric to tremble. Lucien strode toward the Manor across the crude gravel and stone, a porter in his long-coat and a plain ebony mask carved with the vague features of a wolf standing at the ready. "Let us continue our discussion indoors. It appears Stavros has a cough, and I him, and you, in good health."