<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The warmth that spread throughout her body was most concentrated in her cheeks. Without having to see her own reflection, she knew that they were glowing as a result of the compliments he paid her. The sincerity of his words was untouched by the overdone charm he seemed to embellish his demeanor with, and for the briefest moment she was stunned by the genuine intent in his voice as he reached out, brushing stray strands from her face. An insistent urge surfaced as her eyes fixed upon his lips, the temptation near irresistible to taste them again. By some feat of superhuman restraint, or insanity-- she wasn’t quite certain-- she managed to part ways with the Hunter, nodding to acknowledge the promise she made to await his arrival. Ava turned and let the midnight breeze calm her, cooling the heat that managed to build in the mere seconds she stood face to face with him. With each step she took, the distance increasing between them, she was better able to compose herself. She reached beneath her jacket for her <b><a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FrgjZN7L.jpg&amp;hash=5416429fc3dd3c579d82a377e445010f" href="https://i.imgur.com/rgjZN7L.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">tank top</a></b>, hiking it up to expose an alluring midriff in a shameless attempt to attract the attention of choosy bouncers. <br/>
<br/>
Ava made her way to the back of the line, tuning out the giggling gaggles of excited girls so that she could observe her surroundings. As the line moved, she realized that while there was obvious preferential treatment toward women, there were quite a few men who managed to skip the lengthy line to enter without waiting. They bypassed the patient crowd, their own arm candy in tow as they approached the velvet barrier. Peering to the front of the line, she watched as they flashed symbols on their wrists and arms. At the sight of them the bouncers allowed them entry, unhooking the rope to let them pass. She tried to commit their faces to memory, at least capture recognizable traits so that she could seek them out on the inside. Fortunately she didn’t have to worry about losing too much of the quick features and qualities she gathered. The two bouncers moved slowly down the line, hand selecting a handful of women to sprinkle into the mix; Ava among them. With the rest of the lucky ladies she stepped into the club, into the fray of bodies moving from the bar to the dance floor where catchy, upbeat rhythms had men and women grinding and swaying provocatively. <br/>
<br/>
True to her word Ava shot a text to the Hunter, letting him know that she had made it inside. While she waited, she resisted the impulse to simply launch herself into investigating. Instead she made her way to the bar, gently pushing through the sea of people that crowded the blue lit bar. Wedging between chatting acquaintances and handsy couples, she waited to capture the attention of one of many bartenders hustling behind the counter. It was a far cry from the sleepy roadside hole in the wall, where the taste of a sweet drink was only a smile and a wave away. As scuzzy and sticky as it was, she wished she was back there, sitting on the pool table with a pair of rough hands tracing the lines of her body. Ava was so caught up in her thoughts that she hardly noticed the figure beside her, commanding the attention of a bartender by presence alone. All she could see was that the man was coming her way quickly. Her lips parted, just about to order some weak beverage when she was cut short. <br/>
<br/>
“Another round for the table, please.” The man beside her requested. Ava looked up at him, recognizing him as one of the men who flashed the mark on his wrist. Even now under the bright azure light she could see it poking out, just beneath his sleeve. “And, whatever she’s drinking.” He added, drawing her attention up to his eyes. They were staring down at her, a predatory look in his dark eyes. “Are you drinking or are you waiting on someone? A friend? Or . . .”<br/>
<br/>
“I am drinking. I was just about to order, but you beat me to it.” Ava smiled, a deceptively sweet curve on her lips. “And, it’s just me. It's been a pretty rough night, so I thought I’d take some of the edge off here.” She could see the gears of his mind turn, unsavory ideas evident in the way that the sleazy grin on his face broadened, how his gaze intensified. <br/>
<br/>
“Well, you’ve come to the right place. I’m Ezra.” <br/>
<br/>
“Kyla.” She lied.<br/>
<br/>
“Pretty name for a pretty girl. Kyla, my friends and I are in the booth just there.” He pointed, indicating to the booths on the outskirts of the club, on the corner near the DJ booth. There were at least five other men that lined the seats, girls in their laps and drinks in their hands. “Come visit when you get your hands on something good.” The bartender returned with a few bottles, and the Vampire gathered them in his hands before disappearing into the crowd. Ava decided against more alcohol in that moment, ordering herself a virgin drink with the knowledge that she’d need to be sharp and on her toes if she was going to skillfully extract information from them. Another text went to the Hunter, telling him exactly where she would be. Though she told him that she wouldn’t do anything without him present to back her up, she knew just how quickly the attention of men-- regardless of their supernatural afflictions or otherwise-- lost interest when in the presence of so many attractive options. Ava grabbed her drink and made her way over to the VIP table. Ezra welcomed her by banding an arm around the small of her back, leading her into their section to show her off and introduce her to his friends like a trophy. <br/>
<br/>
Ava assumed they all bore the mark of the Coven, some being more visible than others. As far as their interactions with one another, they seemed to be well-acquainted-- definitely not new friends or newly sired. It seemed that he was connected as well, nodding in greeting to club-goers outside their section. "You must be a regular here. You seem to know quite a few people outside your group." Ava pried carefully, earning a smile from the Vampire. <br/>
<br/>
"I come here often. A lot of these people do, though. Most of them are something like . . . Co-workers." He admitted, trying to be just as careful in his response. <br/>
<br/>
"I see. And, what is it that you do? Must be good work to afford bottomless champagne and five-star service." <br/>
<br/>
"I do a little of this and a little of that. It's hard to really put a title on it." <br/>
<br/>
"You're not like . . . A drug dealer, or something like that are you?" Ava asked teasingly, her brows raised with suspicion in her voice. <br/>
<br/>
A bark of laughter left the Vampire, "No, no." His amusement seemed genuine, which meant that he was both unsuspecting of her and that his guard was down. "Pretty and funny." The hand that had been respectfully placed against her lower back for some time began to wander. <br/>
<br/>
Her stomach turned and her skin crawled, but she was willing to endure it as long as he was useful. "A girl can't be too careful. Really, what am I supposed to think? 'This and that' is such a vague answer. It sounds a lot like 'odds and ends.'" Which meant that he wasn't terribly important if he was telling the truth. "So, maybe not an entrepreneur but doing well for yourself?" Ava did her best to ensure that her focus <i>at least</i> appeared to be on him. She knew if he got the feeling that she was fishing for information on others, she might lose his interest and gain his suspicion. <br/>
<br/>
"Something like that."<br/>
<br/>
"Do you work with your friends? The ones you're with tonight?"<br/>
<br/>
"Yeah, we are all apart of the same 'business.'"<br/>
<br/>
"So, you're the boss?"<br/>
<br/>
"No, but the job  is not without perks. That means I get to treat beautiful ladies like yourself to anything they want." His wandering hand was still cautiously exploring, testing her level of comfort with each bold caress. Ava tried not to squirm, though she wanted to jump out of her own skin. "Like, another--" He paused suddenly, reaching for his phone in his back pocket. "I've got a call. Sit tight. Don't go anywhere." Ezra stepped away, not completely out of sight though he did distance himself from the group. Ava walked to the edge of the VIP section, scanning the crowd for a familiar face. </span>