Chapter 4 - Talking

Alcide

He was impressed, cocking a dark eyebrow when she admitted that she was to be an Alpha. Female Alpha's were not unheard of, but they were very rare; he made a mental note to find out exactly which pack she was part of and delve a little deeper into exactly what 'complicated' meant, out of interest for the pack he didn't want someone within trying to stir up any trouble or make power plays, Markus was far from perfect, but when his anger was in control he was a pretty good Alpha.

At her question about his own story he responded in that lazy lopsided grin of his, "Not one half as interesting as yours. I grew up around here, I'm an only child, my father is still around and I work with him for a construction and surveying company. Outside of that I'm the Beta to my pack, The Long Tooth, under Markus our Alpha." As they left the woods for a small quaint cabin he nodded at the structure they were approaching, "And this is my home." He ended with a shrug as they reached the porch, "Like I said, not too interestin' " but he gave a smile as he was able to see her more clearly in the light from inside his cabin as he opened the door to let them in, leaving it open behind him so she could follow.

He failed to mention of course that his mom had died when he was young from Cancer, and so he was raised by his father, whom he loved but that had a terrible gambling addiction to which he often had to clean up and take extra jobs just to make ends meet. He had gotten a huge break a while back when Eric Northman, the vamper deputy... sheriff? or whatever of this area had paid off all his fathers debts in order to make Sookie a new drive way.

"I'll be right out," he said leaving her in the rustic but quaint living room and quickly changing into some jeans and a button up shirt, pushing the sleeves up and donning some shoes.

"Did you want anything to eat or drink?" he asked as he left the room, "I don't have guests over often so I don't have much."

Addaleigh

She rolled her eyes at his lude comment, not in least offended by it; when you live among vampires you grow a thick skin to all the sexual innuendo that flies about, he was witty but still a man so she left it at that. But his follow up comment made a cheeks a little warmer than she would have liked, she was after all still a woman before a very ...very... very attractive man who she was sure had in his decades of time had countless lovers and time to prefect the very art of making a girl weak in the knees. It was a line to not be crossed, one she wasn't easy, and two he was her boss and possible future King.

She opened her mouth to reply but his quick decent down to her level, his eyes so very much like the ocean in winter bearing into her own, made her close it and draw in a steadying breath. He was invading her space, and assaulting her senses; he smelled clean but with that undertone of masculinity, his features flawless, his arms tensed and showing full well that he was not an idle man but one that in his time did a great deal of work, his jaw set firm as his eyes searched out her own silver ones.

"I can't be glamoured." she said her voice far quieter than she intended, the intimate amount of space between them easily filled. "And unless you want your patrons to see pirouettes or assemble's on stage I doubt I'm suited as a dancer. I studied Ballet, Eric, not Pole." she rebuffed, in an unoffended tone, a small amusement in the tilt of her lips when she corrected him.

"Perhaps a bar maid?" she suggested, while she loathed the idea honestly of working in a bar, it was far better to sling drinks than to be on stage in less than nothing dancing.

Eric

Eric smirked at her as he brought his hand up to trace the slope of her neck with light fingers. "I have never had a ballerina as a lover." He said with hooded eyes, his smirk still in place. "I hear they're quite flexible, which is convenient for someone with stamina such as mine."

Letting his hand linger on her flesh for a moment, Eric pulled away and stood straight. Eric Northman was a patient man, who had learned many centuries ago that things are always better when you wait until the point of madness. He let his gaze fall over her again once he was back in his seat. Reclining, he re-laced his fingers.

"How are you with numbers?" He asked changing the subject. His words were harmless and professional, but his eyes remained hooded as he watched her. "I need someone to keep the books while I see to more pressing matters."

There had been a rumor floating around his club; talk of a witch that had been killing supernatural creatures. He knew no one else would look into this because his queen was currently drowning in her own debt. Bill had mentioned something about it, but he was currently caught up in Sookie. Eric could easily use Addaleigh as a way to find the witch, but he wanted desperately to keep the whole matter quiet. The more people knew, the more likely it was to get back to the witch that he was after her.

Ariadne

"No thank you." Ariadne shook her head as she looked around. His house was small, and hidden by the woods, it was perfect. It gave him the privacy he needed, but was still close enough to town. She would have to ask him about land nearby for sale. She had some money saved up from selling her old family home, but she had been stretching it out so she didn't have to work. Now however, it seemed she would need a job just to keep herself busy. "If you wouldn't mind, could I possibly borrow a pair of shorts?" He probably wouldn't have much that would fit her, but perhaps he had a mate? She could smell a female, but the scent was faint, and his home didn't seem to contain female touches one would expect. Perhaps an old mate? It seemed rude to ask.

"If you don't mind me asking, does this Marcus have a mate?" She asked with a frown. Being an alpha female made her a desirable mate, but she had no intention of mating with another wolf just for the sake of alpha offspring. However, the male alpha's she had come across have a decidedly different outlook. "Are you mated?" She asked with a tilt of her head. It was forward, and exactly what she had just told herself not to ask, but her inner wolf was attracted to this specimen - this beta. "Are you sure you're a beta? It's just, you seem like an alpha." She circled him, openly eying his body and face. She stopped in front of him, just a hair away from his body. Ari could feel the heat that radiated off of him as she lifted her chin to take in his scent. Alcide smelled of cedar and pine with an undertone of musk - a mouth-watering combination. She wouldn't deny the attraction to him, but having any kind of relationship - physical or otherwise - would create conflict for his pack. If they were to become mated - and that was a big if - it would put him in a position of alpha male, which would practically force him to leave his current pack, or fight for leadership rights.

"I'm sorry." Ari said with a small smile as she took a step back. "I'm being rude."

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