Morgana wasn't sure about hiring Sydney, but she had to admit that she found it hard to deny Julian of anything. While the girl's credentials had been good enough, she didn't know if she could really handle the crowd that came into Haven. While humans did frequent the club, most of the patrons were Kindred and they were a lot rowdier than any drunken bikers she might have met along the way. When certain Kindred didn't get their way, they could be very disagreeable.

"We card them at the door," she told her, walking her from one end of the bar to the other, "so you won't need to. If they're old enough to drink, they'll have a stamp."

"I thought this place was 21 and up."

"Usually, but occasionally, we have 18 nights. Everything was easier before the human clubs decided to start letting the underage into their establishments. To preserve the Masquerade, we often adopt human trends and this, unfortunately, is one of them."

"So, stamp gets a drink, no stamp can kiss my ass."

Morgana rose an amused eyebrow at her, then nodded. "That's right." She turned to face the main floor. Her arms moved out as she directed her around the room. "Security is always within eyesight of you. Every entrance, and of course, the stairwell. I live up there, so I don't want any random people wandering into my space."

"I thought you lived with Julian."

Morgana laughed. "Not hardly." She turned towards Sydney with a grin. She wasn't the first to assume that she would do the same as Lillie. Most others who gave her the accusatory comment found their necks in her hands. However, she didn't hear the same mocking tone that she had heard in the beginning of her reign as primogen.

She leaned against the bar. Her hair drooped down her back, landing to brush against the top of the bar. "I have to keep my powerbase strong, and being seen as the prince's girlfriend won't help me do that. Julian and I have our relationship, somewhat loose though it may be, but living with him is not on the agenda right now."

Sydney shrugged. "Your choice. You all just seem so... tense. Like you can't enjoy whatever it is about your life that you enjoy 'cause you're too busy worrying about power and control."

"That's because we have to." Morgana stood up straight. "There is always someone with designs on our places, especially in our clans. I had my plans when Lillie was in charge, and I acted on them. I just didn't have to plot a coup to take over. She placed it in a neat package in my lap."

"You wanted her and Julian." She shrugged. "You're both uptight as all hell, so you're a fit."

"We're not uptight," she told her, "we're goal oriented. We're leaders, it's in our blood, and leaders can't afford to have the fun that others have, but we do make time for that. You'll learn the more you're here."

"Uh huh." Sydney's eyes floated around the club, stopping when she spotted Cash leaning against one wall. She supposed she should have been more gracious for the watchful eye he kept over her, but being followed annoyed her. She didn't mind the protection, because she knew she needed it, but she didn't like the idea of someone around her all the time.

Morgana's eyes followed her and she nodded. "Get your bearings, Sydney, and be prepared to work tonight. I have to admit, though, you're doing an excellent job proving you're not Sasha."

"Excuse me?"

"She was more than happy to sit around and do nothing but waste Julian's money, considerable amount that it may be. At least you're useful."

As Morgana walked off, Sydney thought about her comments. She obviously had no love lost for Sasha, but she got the idea that she felt that way about most humans. Was the woman really that far removed from her humanity that the race she used to belong to only disgusted her? Of course, Sydney was still human and most of the human race annoyed the hell out of her.

Shrugging, she hopped over the bar and landed in a crouch. Slowly, she stood up straight and walked over to Cash. He didn't move as she approached. He stayed leaning against the wall on his right side. His eyes were low, so that he stared at a place somewhere between her head and the floor. His hands were stuffed in his pockets. He looked way too comfortable for Sydney to be so uncomfortable.

"You planning to stand there all day?"

"No."

"How long are you going to stand there?" Cash shrugged and Sydney growled. "Seriously, man, if we've gotta spend this much time together, I'd like to know. I hate being stared at."

"I'm not staring at you. I'm watching the building, and if you'd think with your head instead of that attitude of yours, you'd know it."

"Look, asshole. You're the one doing the standing around and watching."

"That's right, so leave me to it."

"What is the deal with you? Damn, are you still pissed about what I said about Sasha?"

"It has nothing to do with Sasha."

Actually, it had everything to do with Sasha. As much as Sydney got on his nerves, he couldn't help but think of her, mostly because in life, she was everything he had thought an Embraced Sasha would have been. He didn't understand how she could be so free within her human skin. How she could just wander like she had no problems when there were people around her all the time who wanted to kill her. How she could adapt so quickly to a situation that was at best, shitty as hell.

It had taken too long to convince Sasha what she needed. She cringed at the blood he offered her to make the pain go away. She cried at the thought of drinking blood. She wanted freedom, but she didn't want to pay the price for it. Sydney didn't want any of it, but he thought that if she did get it, she wouldn't have been so hard to convince. It was a matter of survival, and Sydney had that instinct. Sasha could only survive if someone did it for her.

"Look," Cash said as he stood up straight, "I won't be here the entire time. It's not my decision to look after you. Personally, I think you can take care of yourself. Julian doesn't think so, and he's my prince. I do what he wants. But, remember, I'm his bodyguard first, and he needs me."

"Oh, I'm sure he's just ecstatic over that."

Cash growled. "I'll be here until about eight, then I've got places to go with Julian. Someone else will be here to take over then. He'll take you right back to the mansion, and then you can have all your time to yourself."

"Good. Because you know what? With you around, I'm starting to hate the Kindred as much as I hate the human race."

Sydney whirled around and stalked off. That man got beneath her skin more than anyone else. It was sad, too, because she thought under any other circumstances, he might not have been that bad. But, considering the fact that he not only drank blood, but he had the detestable taste to fall for her sister, well... the poor guy would just be out of the glory of cruising the streets with Sydney.