Title: Spells Trouble

Author: kerithwyn

Prompt: Kenzi walks into a bar and meets...Vince Teagues!

Fandoms: Lost Girl, Haven

Notes: Written (surprisingly fast!) for the Into a Bar challenge.

Slow night at the Dal Riata.

Not that Kenzi was complaining. "Exciting" at the Dal usually translated into "terrifying," at least for her very human and mortal self. Especially since Bo was off doing succubus things, leaving her claimed human to fend for herself. Kenzi was totally in favor of Bo getting her freak on, since it meant a better mood for her best friend/roomie overall. Besides, Trick was puttering around in the back rooms somewhere and everyone knew better than to mess with him. Trick had made it clear that Kenzi was under his protection too, and no one wanted to defy the owner of the only neutral ground in town. Even the fae had boundaries.

Sometimes Kenzi wondered how this had become her life: surrounded by fairy-tale creatures, constantly involved in their immortal feuds and petty grievances. Dangerous, yeah, but at least never boring. And she ate a lot more often than when she was running petty cons and stealing wallets.

The door opened and an old(er) guy wandered in, looking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He seemed like any dude Kenzi might pass on the street: checked shirt, cheap slacks, basic brown jacket. The kind of guy she probably wouldn't have bothered scamming, back in the day. Since then, Kenzi had learned how deceiving appearances could be: for one thing, there was a "don't come near" aversion charm on the Dal to keep humans from stumbling in. And since even the fae didn't automatically know what kind of creature any other fae was just by looking at him, it was always better to be cautious.

He had some really fabulous curly hair, though.

Kenzi wiped down the bar as he made his way over. She sidled up to him, whiskey bottle at the ready. "Tell me your troubles."

The old guy's head shot up like he'd been slapped. "What?"

"What's buggin' ya, you know?" Kenzi said, glad there was a bar between them. The look he was giving her was way too intense. She clutched the bottle a little tighter in case she needed to use it in a way not approved by the manufacturer. Or by her, for that matter. But better a broken bottle than a broken Kenzi.

"Ah." He regarded her for another moment, then offered a thin-lipped smile. "My Troubles...are a serious matter. But I somehow doubt you're the proprietor of this establishment?"

"Nah, just looking after it for a friend." She added quickly to his narrow look, "He trusts me with his liquor."

"In that case, young lady, I would very much like a double shot of that whiskey you're guarding so carefully." The guy reached into his back pocket and retrieved a battered wallet, pulling out a Canadian twenty too crisp to be anything but straight out of an ATM. "And for you as well."

"Favorite new customer!" Kenzi grinned at him, her reservations vanishing in a flash. She pulled two glasses from behind the bar and set them out, pouring liberally. At one point Trick had needed her help and for the favor she'd negotiated free drinks for life, but this guy didn't need to know that. And Kenzi could always use extra pocket money.

The old guy saluted her and took a healthy swallow. "Ah. Very nice." He added conversationally, "I wasn't sure I'd be able to find this place. I guess some of the old legends really are true."

"Hmm?" Kenzi murmured, only half-listening, intent on refilling her glass.

"The anti-fae charm," he said, and Kenzi barely set down the bottle before she dropped it. The guy smirked and waved vaguely toward his face. "Clover juice and rainwater on the eyelids to see through glamours."

She could see it now, a brown stain on his eyelids that she'd taken for old-man skin spots. "You're human? Listen, it's not safe—"

He snorted an unpleasant laugh. "There's nowhere safe. But a long time ago I was given a promise, and I'm here to collect." He drained his glass and looked directly at her. "I'm looking for Fitzpatrick McCorrigan."

Kenzi would have swallowed her gum, if she'd been chewing any. Learning Trick's real name had finally paid off. And yeah, she wanted Trick up here to deal with this creepy guy, the sooner the better...with her backup, of course. "Oh, sure, Fitzpatrick. Who shall I say is calling?"

"Tell him Vince Teagues is here. Tell him..." The old guy smiled. It was sharp, calculating, and far too nasty for Kenzi's comfort. "Tell him I'm here to collect on his debt to me."

*laughs a little* I have a theory about what he's doing here, but for those looking for the back story...when does Vince ever give a straight answer? :D