Grisly Bar
Worn wooden floors stained with ages of spilled drinks (and worse), creak under the feet of patrons as they enter the dark, disordered room. Though dust has settled over a lot of the establishment, making it appear abandoned, the flow of customers would speak differently. Dirty glasses, some with sticky yellow patches in the bottom where beer or scotch has been allowed to dry, stand on one end of the bar.
Several of the windows have been bricked up to prevent vandalism, but create a great fire-hazard. There is a tarnished mirror on the wall behind the bar with a chipped and fading Art Nouveau nymph painted across the bottom.
It's late at night. There's New Country playing on the radio, which isn't so much anyone's choice as it is no one's yet bothered to change it out for something else. Cinco emerges from a back room and looks toward the barkeep, arching a brow towards the speaker, a wry expression on his face that can be loosely translated as: 'Really?' He saunters between the tables to take up his usual spot in the middle of the bar as the barkeep wanders over to the stereo system to swap in some rock instead. Goodbye Garth Brooks. Hello, Guns N' Roses.
—-
First time in the bar for the Whip. As Marius enters, there are a few heads that turn, no doubt in response to that ticking on the nape of the neck, made all the worse for the vampire's age. While not 'ancient', there is quite the 'old' aura that is obviously picked up. His expression is set to impassively.. neutral. Dead, even. Expressionless, if that were humanly possible, which, for humans, it is not. For the blonde, however..
Cold, crystalline blue eyes scan the room without any great movement of his head before he takes the added steps from the threshold to the bar. His voice is low, but even with the new blast of cacaphonous music, he makes sure he can be heard, "The bottled blood."
—-
To be sure, just about every two-natured in the place glances up at the vampire's entry, Cinco among them. If he's surprised, he doesn't show it in anyway beyond the slightest rising of one brow. The barkeep, however, looks entirely surprised. They don't keep a whole lot of bottled blood on hand. It doesn't see a lot of custom, here. "All we got is O," he says, pulling one out of the cooler at the far end. He's not apologetic, by any means. He's very matter of fact. But, he's not hostile, either. Cinco adjusts his seat, slightly, watching the vampire move through the bar. The Beta leans back against the bar, now, elbows on the wood, canting his head faintly curiously.
—-
Marius didn't honestly think there'd be a call for it, no.. and the 'state' of the bottle, though not dusty, proclaims that it's stock that doesn't move too rapidly. "That will do." Even if it is downright disgusting, it's something that can take the edge off his 'threat level', though..
Nah. Maybe not.
His gaze moves from the barkeep getting the bottle to those further down the bar, his voice not raising; clipped, german accented words are spoken once again, "I wish to speak with one who has the authority to speak."
—-
That brings the faintest wry smile to Cinco's face. It's an unexpected call… though, upon consideration, it's not a surprise. "That'd be me," he says, turning to face the vampire more directly. He doesn't rise, however. He merely assumes a politely neutral expression. "What's your business, here?"
—-
The bottle is given, set upon the bar with a *thunk*. Marius rises ever so briefly in order to toss the money for the drink upon the bar beside it before he takes hold. It's.. warmish.
Grasping it, the vampire rises once more to his feet and gives Cinco his full attention, ignoring all around him now.
"We will speak, you and I." As a concession, perhaps, he inclines his head, "I mean you no ill."
—-
Cinco gives a simple nod in response to that. He turns to pick up a glass of golden liquid the barkeep dropped by his elbow shortly after he delivered the blood and glances about the bar. Then, he gestures to an empty table more or less in the center of the room. Interestingly enough, most of the other tables around it are largely empty. And those that do have one or two people at them find themselves casually vacated in a few moments. It gives the illusion of privacy. These two-natured have predators' ears. Even soft whispers are hard to miss. Standing by the table with a hand on the back of seat, Cinco waits for the vampire to join him before he actually sits.
—-
Marius begins in the direction gestured, and upon reaching it, passing those who are vacating the tables in close proximity seemingly casually. Those moving are careful not to touch the vampire…
Seating himself at the table, the drink is placed upon the table and ignored as he waits for Cinco to seat himself. Once down, business, his business, can begin.
"It is my understanding that your master has a treaty with us." Cinco is young; not the man that Marius was led to believe was 'in charge' of the wolves. "I should like to remind you that when the time comes, that we did not involve ourselves with your seeming inability to control one of your two-souled." Shifter, were..
"I will offer this, wolf.. we are aware of all that happens in this city, and, like you, we retain our sovereignty in our actions against our own. Yes?"
—-
Cinco lowers himself slowly into his seat. "If you mean the Alpha, yeah," he says, setting his glass down on the table with a light thunk. "Yeah. It's a non-interference policy. You deal with your people, we deal with ours." He lets the reference to the black beast killings slide. "Not meaning to be blunt—" except he does, "but what's your point?"
—-
"That is my point. As long as that is understood, there is nothing more that needs stating." a
As far as Marius is concerned, there really is nothing more that needs to be stated in the matter. The bottle remains ignored upon the table, though there is one thing more that needs to be done. "If there is any question .. in your flock, I may be contacted and I will come to explain." Exactly what form that explanation will take, however, remains unspoken, unhinted at in the blank, expressionless eyes. "My name is Marius.. and any will know where to find me."
—-
Cinco leans back in his chair, now. "Lemme get this straight: You came halfway across town to tell me to tell my Pack to stay outta your business." He reaches casually for his drink and takes a sip, brow arching. "Somethin' cooking, Marius, that we should know about? Just so's we can avoid it, you understand."
—-
Marius simply.. stares for a heartbeat before he moves, gaining his feet as quickly as a beat of a hummingbird's wing, the untouched bottle of O remaining behind. "There is no avoiding anything, wolf. My words are simply to be sure our understanding remains."
Once on his feet, he inclines his head once. "Now that I am certain of it, I have other matters to which I must attend. I bid you good evening."
—-
Cinco rises to his feet. "Alright, then," he drawls, giving a wry smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "Happy hunting, leech," he says. "If you need anything else, I'm always around. Just ask for Cinco." With that said, he stands there, just watching, until the vampire has left.
—-
At the word, Marius pauses in his passage out, any snickers that may have come from the surrounding that have heard it die. He doesn't turn around again to face the wolf, however, to offer his response. "I am no creature used for a physicker, just as you are no creature that bay around a master that demands you partake of carrion, fighting for the scraps after the bird of prey have taken it."
However, he does.. offer some concession for the moniker. "It brings life out of dead flesh, and restores the humours.."
With those words, Marius exits, the door closing behind him in the night.
