kiss and tell

using one of mine million tickets

Delicate curve of talons drummed lightly to the vanity, gazing into the deadened eyes which stared back at her through the fractured glass. Each crack breaking about her visage though never banishing the beauty masking an underlying venom. It was a façade she would continue to carry, it was so easy to hold on to when it got everything she could ever desire. Control, ravenous beasts bending beneath the gentle yet fleeting touch of her paw; money, refractions of their glimmering surfaces dancing under the low light; entertainment, so many coming and going within her presence - within the seedy bar itself. Yet this was a life she adored, one she flourished in despite the jealousy cast toward more vagrant souls.

Even feigned attachments never keeping them in one place for long, beholding the sights this world had to offer without the urge to return to found comforts. Or at least that is how she envisioned such creatures to be and, as of yet, she had yet to be proven wrong. With a quiet scoff she turned toward the refreshment still gracing her room, a muzzle dipping greedily though it is lapped with a languid grace. Only to slow entirely as Illya’s phrases filled her ears, a crown tilting to greet him in silence as he spoke of the latest act to plague the stage.

How he may need her to smooth things over if that failure of a bard could not pull it together, he’d be surprised if the crowd didn’t boo the poor sap from the bar entirely. Hearing of it could only stir a breathy laugh from her lungs, “If that is what it takes love. I will tame the lions.” A teasing smile tugged at her lips, lidded gaze holding upon him as his own murmurs filled the air anew. “Thank you my lady,” he would let her know when. He always did. And upon the gentle swish of a curtain, the quiet click of the doorway - she held privacy once more.

Hopefully that hired fool could clear up his own mess but she may as well prepare for a last minute act. Pushing herself up with a drawn out stretch, her eyes closed for but a moment as she reached for the silken curtain to press it aside only to be met with a far different sensation. Moisture upon leaves which teased the flesh of her forelimb, mismatched hues shooting open as she startled lightly. Swiftly reeling back from the foliage though no matter where she looked the shadows of her dressing room could not be seen.

It had seemingly all but been replaced by the swirling expanse of sticky sweet mist and gurgling streams leading off into the unknown reaches of the realm. Despite the alarm she should be feeling in these moments - in seemingly being transported into an unfamiliar land as if she’d blacked out - such notions were unknowingly suppressed; leaving her more intrigued than fearful or angry. Circe’s tail swished lightly, the usual sashay of her hips carrying her further into the lagoon’s embrace. Wandering through brushing foliage until she could either find escape or wake up from an all too real dream.

don't you know too much already

i'll only hurt you if you let me

Like a shadow he slithered through the forest unbidden, seeking solace in a place that may or may not exist. He'd heard whispers about a mystical lagoon hiding somewhere within the lands but he'd not been able to find such a place yet. He wasn't sure why he was so interested in finding the hidden gem but a part of him felt like exploring today so that was just what he'd do. Except, he'd soon find, that he was not alone. She materialized like a ghost before him, walking through the misted forest without any trepidation. Where had she come from? His pupils contracted, as he lifted his head, inhaling her scent deeply as it breezed by on the wind. Still as intoxicating as when they first met, perhaps more so now. He felt a familiar sensation prickle down his spine and his predatory gaze snagged on her swaying hips as it trailed down her body from his position behind her.

He did not make himself known yet, and instead chose to follow her instead of continuing his possible fool's errand. He kept to the darkness of the trees, eyes never leaving her figure as she moved in case she decided to disappear as quickly as she came. She was alluring without even trying... unless she was already aware of his presence. He didn't think she was but he knew he could be wrong. Their paths twined through the forest until eventually they reached a clearing. For the first time during their short journey he let his eyes leave her frame and shift to the blue waters nearby. He made to find her again and she was gone. Blinking, he wrinkled his muzzle and tore himself from the shadows and into the small, open expanse that sat before the lagoon. This must be that curious place he'd heard of but how... how had he come to be here and where had Circe gone? Confusion swept over him though the feeling was quickly replaced by a strange and unwelcome warmth. His body stiffened slightly as he peered over the edge of the bank and into the water. It was there he found himself staring back.

sinclair

coax

Faint familiarity hung upon the breeze as it brought vegetation to rustle, something or rather someone she’d encountered before though it was not enough to turn her gaze. Not enough to overpower the intoxicating lure of what guided steps into the unknown. Fueled the silent urge to let these lands embrace her in the gentle, shadowed brush of foliage against her figure. It was so unlike the dingy bars or hide aways she so often found herself roomed within between performances.

This was a place where she need not worry over falsified enticement nor the promises of a serpent’s tongue. No crafted lyrics to lure in the unsuspecting, no husky whispers offered for naught but her own gain - for so willing are beasts to wait upon her every whim, to offer glimmering gems and whispered phrase they hold no intent of keeping. And while she relished in such attentions… it was nice to escape it even if only for a short while.

Perhaps this is why she was whisked away to this peculiar realm… or more realistically perhaps a drink had been tainted and this was nothing more than some drug fueled illusion. It came with the haziness such a thing offered, however, it did not completely steal it all away. She still held consciousness, still clung to the ability to move without a stumbled step. Oh how she hoped all this was real. It certainty felt to be that way with how the winds ruffled extravagant furs, how birdsong took the place of class acts taking center stage, how there was seemingly no one truly here but here.

If this were not a dream, hopefully Illya could keep the tigers at bay until she could make a grand return. Before that could happen though it seemed another guest lay housed within these lands as attentions soon strayed toward the dazzling pool not far from where she stood within the trees. A darkened pelt one that could fit any stray behemoth met but only so many held the lingering perfume of pine. Something which pervaded now, growing stronger as she prowled toward the known stranger. Her crown held high, eyes lidded as she looked to him in search of a name.

Was this the wild man of the woods, that nobleman down on his luck seeking solace at the bottom of a cup, or perhaps the wannabe gambler without a trace of luck? Though while she could not recall it from the top of her head, that had never proven to be a problem before. It would come to her in time if it were not offered again. And if it didn’t? Well none had turned down a pet name yet, a thought which bid a sly grin across her lips for it was her turn to saddle up next to where one stood. Glancing briefly toward the waters at the distorted visage of not only herself but the smoke laden man currently at her side, “See something you like in these waters love?” In a lagoon so clear the bottom could be seen as easily as what stood above its surface.

don't you know too much already

i'll only hurt you if you let me

As quickly as she vanished, she reappeared at his side and one reflection turned to two. Blinking, he turned angled his head toward her and lifted his gaze from the water to her face. How had she done that? He was lost in a haze of wonder when she asked him a question and he almost didn't catch it, he was so out of it. Sinclair blinked again, as if pushing away sleep, then offered a small smile.

"Not until now," he murmured, his gaze softening as he regarded her.

There was something about her that he found alluring, something he could not shake, and he found himself feeling rather strange as he looked upon her now. Something was clouding his mind but he couldn't tell what it was. "This place is like a dream..." he said as he turned his head away from her to look out at the lagoon. Lavender eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze returned to the siren before him. "Do you remember me?" he asked. curiously.

Had he been a memorable meeting for her at all or had he been just another slobbering face in a crowd of many?

Sinclair couldn't be certain what she thought of him but perhaps, if she let him, he'd prove himself more memorable today than the last time they'd met.

sinclair

coax