Alex guided Anthony up the cement steps into a brick building.  The interior looked as if it had once been sectioned off into several rooms.  Each room was now outlined with a two way marble benche or planter framed with columns around the entrances and a lowerd beam.  In effect, it was like someone cut most of the wall away to create large windows in the walls.  Soft hanging lights in paper laterns of different styles and effects littered the ceiling in a sensible pattern.    People milled about in sets, two's really.  Two males or two females.  Sometimes these two's would blend with another set for a while, but eventually, they would separate.  The art presented ranged in styles, message types and meduims.  Abstract sculptures to statues, watercolor political statements to multi-medium portraits, the art had messages and each one was its own statement.  It would be highly unlikely someone could enter this exhibit and not see something they were attracted to, even if only to the moving man on a ladder that spiraled into nothing.<br/><br/><br/>A quick scan of the room and Alex could see her eyes on them already.  The man comes to ask the tickets and before Alex could say a thing, she was next to him.  How did she get there so fast?  She was not the kind of woman that ran or even moved quick.  Her motions were elegant, demanding and fluid.  Her motion had the look of agelessness about them, as if she had lived to see many eras.  Of course, Alex knew that none could, but there was that uneasiness that prickled his nerves when she came around.  It was that same effect that most just could not handle this woman as their client.  Alex could.<br/><br/><br/>He turned his charming smile to her; one cheek hinting at a dimple.  “Hello Victoria. How are are you?”  He leans in for a kiss to her cheek as she juts her jaw in the manner the pope offers his hand to have his ring kissed.  He steps back as her eyes shift from him to his 'partner' for the night.  “This is Anthony.  He's knew to the area and deals in art.  I thought tonight's little get together would be a great way to welcome him to Toronto.  I trust you will make him quite comfortable?”   His words were a bit of a request but also a challenge.  He knew the woman liked to take on her 'pets', favored ones to adore and pamper.  He had been one for many years, hence his little change in plans tonight.<br/><br/><br/>The ticket guy still waited and she gave him a look that he understood as he pulls out two tickets and stamps them “All is in order I see.”  He turned to tend to his other duties.  Victoria turned her attentions to Alex.  “Welcome to Toronto.”  She juts her jaw forward for his kiss as well.  A hand across her middle in a drole manner and her other hand holding up a glass of champagne.  A waiter walks by with a tray of chapagne circling a bowl piled high with dark, dusted chocolates.  A little marker reads “Dark Chocolate Lavendar Truffle by Soma”  In smaller print under the tag, it read “handcrafted.”  Alex takes up a glass for himself and one for Anthony.  He holds it patiently, expecting Anthony to understand the jutted jaw and comply.<br/>