Golden Shadows [Open]

[Avenant]

Connell kept his glass sequestered, buoyed in an upturned palm and nestled against his waist. "I understand th' gravity of not asking.", He made in reply, one side of his mouth pulling into a tight, humorless, lopsided grin. "Th' options left us are few." Con extended his hand briefly, the slosh of liquid washing the inside of his glass a dirty orange as he gestured expansively. "And how better t' foster goodwill, mm? Most o' what's left are either young, yet, or new." the man paused, a dry chuckle directly preceeding the lift of his glass. The drink he'd been nursing disappeared, empty glass finding its way to the table. Hands folding across his middle, he offered a brief nod in thanks, for the refreshment. "They've yet t' see how you operate, and magnanimity's far more palatable than tyranny."

At that, he paused for a minute, choosing his words and noting with more than one sense, the proximity of another of Maximus' servants. He shot a look Alec's way, before he began to speak, seeing if his leader had anything he'd care to get in edgewise. "First. Don't see how creatin' such a draw isn't a direct benefit t' your checkbook. Th' money you'd make off o' somethin' like this would offset th' cost 'n' then some. Secondly," The werewolf had begun to loosely count off with the fingers of his left hand, the corresponding digits on the right easing into a pocket, thumb hooked out. " 'M sure our kind's not th' only party concerned that multiplies... unnaturally." He took a moment to choose the word. " Doubt you 'n' yours'd be idle through th' affair." Two fingers out.

"Third.", He continued, his thumb straightening, ", it only helps put th' town on th' map. Things're changing, Maximus. Timbre Ridge won't be th' quiet little backwater it's been. Th' railroads saw t' that. Be it 'n' annual festival... public works project...," he gestured loosely in the vampire's direction, "...'specially with Roosevelt's new thing. Y'might get in tight with th' CWA, may be money there." He shook his head, abandoning the tangent. "... Bigger 'n' better, right?" The question rhetorical. Connell began to slowly pace, both ticking off another finger and eyeing the recently-arrived vampire curiously. He seemed a man of substance, rather than a simple servant.

"Fourth." He said, attention turned briefly to Conner - long enough to politely wave off the offered tart - before he got back to Maximus. "And more t' th' immediate future. Th' pack has t' grow. One way or another. We mightn't be fond of takin' townspeople..." Con paused, gaze dropping to his extended fingers, the least digit still curled. Eyes lifted, but had temporarily shed their ambient geniality. "But if somethin' doesn't happen here..." He shrugged, implications clear. "You lose little t' nothing, in helpin' arrange this, and gain much from it. Fail t' act here, and you're openin' up a peculiar can o' worms." Connell rather hoped the vampire saw his last statement as a caution, rather than a threat, awaiting response.

[kodiak]

Alec watched Connell and Maximus with deliberately dispassionate eyes. The Shepherd was taking a personal risk in speaking so bluntly to a leader with so much physical, supernatural, and organizational strength. It was true that wolves needed members, and also true that being so small a pack, they had little left to lose. It was also true that Maximus would not need to strike Connell, or any other wolf for that matter, directly to cause devastating personal damage. Alec didn't want things to be openly adversarial between the groups, certainly not before he understood the inner workings of the players and the town.

It was time to tap in to the skills he'd gained from that expensive college education. He blinked flatly at Connell and hoped the shepherd caught the message to pretty please, tone it the hell down. "There are many reasons that stability among the wolves would be good for the vampires," Alec quickly regrouped Connell's valid points into one much less pointed statement. "But let's not lose sight that truly, bringing more people to the town is good for everyone involved. You need more," he paused for a second to raise an ironic eyebrow before he offered the poecilonym for victims, "volunteers just as do we. The right draw could bring plenty of lambs in with the wolves."

Alec wasn't overly interested in any of the human townsfolk he'd met for prospective wolves. In truth he himself was hoping to find a way to draw in a few experienced but loyal wolves so the pack would have more strength and sense than only himself and Connell. And avoiding any social events that might purport to mate Alec off with use of glass or fur slippers would be best in Alec's point of view.

[Krepta]

Maximus blinked calmly at the two, nearly statue-like for all that he moved. It was clear that something Connell or Alec had said had annoyed him, if only for the sudden lack of motion on his part. The eyes that watch them were that of a pit-viper waiting to strike-- cold and yellow and alien. It was if the humanity had bled right out of him. Or maybe it had never been there to begin with. He gave no signs as to exactly what had set him off, however.

"It hardly matters to me what's palatable to your people or not. You stay here--- you exist because I allow you to. Make no mistake about that. The mere fact that I allow your pack to remain here without asking any tribute in return is a gift from me. My numbers are fine; worry about your own. Or have you forgotten so soon who rules this valley?" The vampire didn't look any less relaxed where he sat, watching them with cool deliberation. If one were perceptive enough though, the stiff, corpse-like curl of his fingers on the arms of his chair might have given him away, or perhaps the way his eyes flashed, angry and predatorial darkness.

"And," he breathed, "If you or your kind risks us exposure in any way what so ever, I will see you all exterminated." A thin, cold smile curled over his lips. "For the greater good, of course." He leaned back in his chair again, suddenly human. Brown eyes, normal eyes flicked over to Alec, though they were still cold.

"I like you, both of you. I'd hate to see that favor spoiled with a sudden bout of stupidity." He folded his fingers and breathed softly through his nose. Almost a sigh. "Now, I'll ask you again in a way that you can perhaps better understand. If I give you and your people this... aid you seek, what will you give me? There is a price to everything, my friends. Just ask Lucien."

[themascura]

Noting his employer's sudden displeasure, Conner retreated quickly across the room, putting as much distance between himself and the guests as possible. It was nothing personal, he just didn't want to be in the crossfire if things got hairy. He wasn't sure what had made Maximus so angry all of a sudden. The big man seemed pleased as punch a minute ago- probably 'cause he had had a chance to wipe the floor with someone earlier and thus release a little bit of pent up aggression (or a lot of it.) He certainly wasn't happy now though, and it behooved Conner to keep his pretty face... well... pretty. He earned his living with it, after all!

The svelte Irish man grimaced a little and offered a tiny, apologetic shrug to the guests, indicating he had no idea what was going on and was powerless to try and help, even if he really liked the pair. It was minutes before he recognized what had gone wrong. Maximus had probably taken the 'by force' thing as a threat to steal his people. The Irish man's eyes widened and he shot the older wolf a look of warning, quickly slashing a hand over his throat. Immediately after he tossed a look at his employer, hoping the elder vampire hadn't seen what he had just done.

Steele quickly crossed the pavilion to stand slightly behind and slightly to the right of Maximus, ready to defend his master to the death if need be. It wasn't truly that Maximus needed protection- the events of this morning more than proved that- but that Steele was a creature of unswerving loyalty. As far as the dour man was concerned, Maximus was family, and Steele would do anything for family. Even if Maximus didn't necessarily feel the same. Granted, seeing how Maximus got along with his sister, that was probably a good thing.

Still, like the good guard dog he was, Steele was primed and ready for even the slightest indication of an order from the Emperor.

[kodiak]

Alec paused for a moment to give the pack's shepherd a very dark look. They had not come to goad the vampires. They had made this visit to give the rest of the town the impression that the wolves were stable and their leader was calm, reasonable and rational. Alec did not want to have a dominance fight in enemy territory with an older and possibly stronger wolf. He couldn't look at Connell any longer, turned his focus back to Maximus and the two men at his side. He waited for the Shepherd to complain or challenge, but the sounds drifted softly away.

When it seemed that it was only Alec and the vampires, he breathed out slowly and tried to think of what he could possibly do to salvage the meeting. "There will be no stupidity," Alec spoke with smooth assurance even as his own surety wavered. He was filling in. He'd known from the first that acting as Alpha, making himself a stalking horse meant a certain amount of personal risk, but he hadn't expected Connell to deliberately increase that risk.

"You have my personal assurance that the pack will not expose anything. Not while I draw breath." He might only be a stand in leader, but he would make and keep that promise because he knew in his bones that it was critical for the survival of the wolves. "What I am willing to offer you will be limited to myself and my personal holdings. I will not tie the pack at large to anyone," but bonds hand been tested and reparations had to be made. Paying with his blood to keep the rest safe was the entire point of his role, "but I, myself, will make things right between us."

[Krepta]

Maximus inclined his head. The dark look in his eyes faded like a passing cloud, though there was no doubt still a shadow of it there, lingering just beyond that polite smile. He noted, out of the corner of his eye, the retreat of Conner and the arrival of Steele at his side. As well as the departure of the Alpha's second, though he did not turn his head, nor did his eyes follow the man.

"Good," he said quietly, dangerously. "See that this is so. I am not the type of man to give more than one chance in the face of foolishness." He shifted his weight and moved to rest his hands, palm down on the table before them. He looked relaxed, though the subtle lines and the light straining of the muscles in his face betrayed the fact that he was still very much annoyed.

"Now, is there anything else I can do for you, Alec?"

He felt Susa move by his side, a warm weight against the outside of his thigh, and the vibration of a quiet rumble as the beast sought to soothe it's master. It seemed content to behave now, at least now that the action was dying down and Lucien was no longer around to tempt with trouble. Maximus made a mental note to have a frank talk with the man over that when this was all done...

[themascura]

Conner shot Susa a nervous little look. He had heard stories from the other Lovers. They said that sometimes, if the Emperor was angry, he would only have to look at the source of his anger and Susa would be on them in a moment. The big cat was deadly, Conner had absolutely no illusions about that. Deadly to even a vampire. He would never understand how such a reasonable, calm man as Maximus could be so at ease with the great beast by his side. The creature always seemed to be restless... and hungry. Lucien's relationship with the big cat, on the other hand, he could rationalize easily enough. Lucien was insane. The sort of quiet, insidious sort of insane that made itself known after days, or months of knowing the man... usually, at least. He seemed as restless and hungry as the cat, lately. It was as if there was a storm brewing and only those most in touch with their inner animal seemed to realize it.

Steele looked down at his Master and the big cat by his side, turning and tipping his hat briefly to the werewolf alpha. Clearly something had not gone as planned during the meeting. That was a bad sign for Maximus's mood. He rarely appreciated chaos and disorder... especially during a planned and calculated meeting. Even Susa was treading lightly now. Steele looked at the mid-morning sun, gauging the time. It was early in the day. About the time his master would be asleep. That certainly wasn't going to help matters. It would be best if he cleared the rest of today's schedule and took pains to make sure Maximus was left alone for the rest of the day. An errant word or move on the part of any of the denizens of the Dregs could well end badly... very badly. He nodded to himself and waited for Maximus to conclude his business. After that he would see the guest off of the property and then busy himself taking care of the schedule and declaring Maximus off limits to everyone for the rest of the day.