theyrecompletelymesmerized:

iamthefirechild:

“I would,” she replied in the same tone, “but I don’t want to deal with the backlash. It’s /very/ tempting, though.” Her eyes glittered, as she gazed around at the Fae. “Is this how humans are normally treated, or am I a special case?” she asked them.

“If this is normal, you might want to rethink your attitudes.” A quick hand gesture threw a drift of fire in their faces, forcing them back. “We don’t all need the protection of one of yours.” Turning to Vex, she said, quite clearly, “Take me out of here, will you? I’m sure there must be more folk like you elsewhere, and I don’t want to get my costume dirty.”

The Mesmer nodded at Summer’s words. She was right, permission granted or not, there were always repercussions for these kind of things. “Very well,” he said quietly, letting her speak to the people who’d tried to assault her. They were Fae, and a nasty breed too, but they were clearly afraid of the woman, not to mention that she was paired with Vex for sides; they had every right to be afraid of this situation. They’d made a very wrong move.  

Vex nodded in agreement with her request when she had turned to look at him. “Alright, love,” he agreed, taking her by the hand to lead her away from the scene. He took her towards a staircase, and then led her up the steps to an upstairs. Opening the first door, he stretched and nodded at it. “Private lounge. Very limited guests.” There were a couple Fae lounging in the area, and a couple humans that Vex knew very well. He took a seat, sprawling on the leather sofa that nobody accompanied.  “‘Ave a seat, Summer.”

Throwing herself into the leather beside him, Summer gave a prolonged shudder. “Look, I know they’re your people and all, but that kind of thing is why the Unseelie have a bad rep. Did nobody ever tell them that? I feel like a gnat that somehow escaped the spider’s web. Or possibly a mouse getting away from the Cheshire cat.” She put her face in her hands for a moment.

“Should’ve just fucking smacked one of them to begin with.” Lifting a booted foot, she inspected it. “Maybe I’ll wear spike heels next time. That’ll make an impression. What do you think, Vex? Would I look okay in spike heels?”

theyrecompletelymesmerized:

iamthefirechild:

She’d been about to simply abandon control and unleash hell in six different directions when Vex took control of the situation. She slumped to the floor when the Fae released her, one hand gripping at her throat over the marks. Glancing up, through the forest of legs, she saw people spreading away from him, though a few stayed.

Getting to her feet, she came up behind Vex. “I’m fine,” she said, softly, into his ear, before looking around at the Fae still clustered close. Anger hardened the lines of her face as she let a different side of her powers show, a halo of fire rising off her hair and drifting as sparks.

The Mesmer slowly nodded, taking in the quietly spoken words of the woman who’d moved to stand behind him. He was glad that she was alright, but that didn’t mean he was pleased. His eyes blazed with fury as he watched the Fae around them, teeth set into something similar to a snarl.  Vex felt heat from where Summer stood, and so he stepped to the side to look at her, raising an eyebrow.

The halo of fire was surprising, he hadn’t noticed her elemental abilities before, but it wasn’t a bad kind of surprise. He occasionally raised an arm against a flare of the sparks, which weren’t perfectly contained, but other than that, he didn’t move to stop her. “Do what you will. The mess can be cleaned up later,” he told her with a dark tone, saying nothing more. He reached into his pocket and took out a flask of whiskey, taking a swift swig from it.

“I would,” she replied in the same tone, “but I don’t want to deal with the backlash. It’s /very/ tempting, though.” Her eyes glittered, as she gazed around at the Fae. “Is this how humans are normally treated, or am I a special case?” she asked them.

“If this is normal, you might want to rethink your attitudes.” A quick hand gesture threw a drift of fire in their faces, forcing them back. “We don’t all need the protection of one of yours.” Turning to Vex, she said, quite clearly, “Take me out of here, will you? I’m sure there must be more folk like you elsewhere, and I don’t want to get my costume dirty.”

theyrecompletelymesmerized:

iamthefirechild:

The first few times, it was easy to slide away, letting the momentum of the club sweep her apart from whomever tried to grasp her. Then the invitations began to turn more into demands, until she was having to flare a spark of her disinterest at them. That rapidly ceased to be effective.

She found herself hemmed in, in a darker corner of the club. Only a few of the Fae in that corner were paying attention to her, but it was a type of attention she really didn’t like. Hunger danced in their gazes, and she was not at all sure she’d come out the other end sane — or alive.

The best thing, she found herself thinking, about being intoxicated by people was that there was no need to sober up. Her actions were still hers to control. So when one of the Fae pinned her in grabbed her wrist and smiled, all teeth, she was able to smile back just as sharply and say, “You don’t want to do that.”

But, “I think I do,” came the reply, before she was bodily pinned, and someone bent to bite at her throat.

Eventually, Vex began to make his way in the direction Summer had taken. He could sense the empath’s disinterest towards the others, her ability flickering up into the air every now and then. Unfortunately, he could tell how quickly it was ceasing to be effective. He told a group of nearby guards to keep an eye out for the girl as he made his way through the crowd, searching for her out of concern.

It didn’t take long to pick up on the darkest corner of the club. He quickly found Summer, amongst a group of Dark Fae, one of them pinning her close to a wall. He felt anger coil into his chest as he swiftly got closer to the scene. He watched for a moment, wondering if she could take care of herself. The moment  he saw teeth flash and somebody trying to bite Summer’s neck, the Mesmer sprang into action. He extended his arm, attempting to catch control of the Fae who’d pinned Summer; he slowly forced the situation, making the Fae release her and back away. There were a couple others that had stuck around, though. He could only control so many people. He gritted his teeth and snapped at them, projecting his voice venomously, “Get the ‘ell away from ‘er! She’s mine!”

She’d been about to simply abandon control and unleash hell in six different directions when Vex took control of the situation. She slumped to the floor when the Fae released her, one hand gripping at her throat over the marks. Glancing up, through the forest of legs, she saw people spreading away from him, though a few stayed.

Getting to her feet, she came up behind Vex. “I’m fine,” she said, softly, into his ear, before looking around at the Fae still clustered close. Anger hardened the lines of her face as she let a different side of her powers show, a halo of fire rising off her hair and drifting as sparks.

theyrecompletelymesmerized:

iamthefirechild:

After watching for a few minutes, chin on hands, Summer pushed herself away from the counter and slipped out into the crowd. She moved through the dancers and drinkers, the smokers and singers, easily, barely disturbing them. Sound beat at her ears and skin brushed hers. Someone’s hand touched her shoulder, and an anonymous voice hissed in her ear, “Come play, pretty thing.” She flashed a bland smile and slipped from underneath the fingers, moving deeper into the crowd.

The owner of the club gave Summer a nervous glance as she made her way out of his sight, meshing in with the rest of the crowd. A part of him wanted to follow her, wanted to ensure that she was safe here, but he quickly reminded himself that this was a party; Summer had every right to mingle, just as anyone else here did. And so, he leaned back against the bar and finished his latte before making his way into the crowd. He kept an eye out for her, but he didn’t purposefully follow where she may have gone either; he just sort of wandered around the crowded club, enjoying the atmosphere. 

The first few times, it was easy to slide away, letting the momentum of the club sweep her apart from whomever tried to grasp her. Then the invitations began to turn more into demands, until she was having to flare a spark of her disinterest at them. That rapidly ceased to be effective.

She found herself hemmed in, in a darker corner of the club. Only a few of the Fae in that corner were paying attention to her, but it was a type of attention she really didn’t like. Hunger danced in their gazes, and she was not at all sure she’d come out the other end sane — or alive.

The best thing, she found herself thinking, about being intoxicated by people was that there was no need to sober up. Her actions were still hers to control. So when one of the Fae pinned her in grabbed her wrist and smiled, all teeth, she was able to smile back just as sharply and say, “You don’t want to do that.”

But, “I think I do,” came the reply, before she was bodily pinned, and someone bent to bite at her throat.

theyrecompletelymesmerized:

iamthefirechild:

“I’ll just stick to the passive parts,” she decided. “Or maybe I’ll just hide back here the whole time!” She was only a little serious about that, leaning both elbows on the bar and looking out again. So many people; so many strangers.

Vex chuckled at her words, nodding a bit. “Whatever makes you comfortable,” he decided, leaning back against the counter of the bar. He hummed along to the song that was playing in the background, absently tapping his fingers against the bar.

After watching for a few minutes, chin on hands, Summer pushed herself away from the counter and slipped out into the crowd. She moved through the dancers and drinkers, the smokers and singers, easily, barely disturbing them. Sound beat at her ears and skin brushed hers. Someone’s hand touched her shoulder, and an anonymous voice hissed in her ear, “Come play, pretty thing.” She flashed a bland smile and slipped from underneath the fingers, moving deeper into the crowd.

theyrecompletelymesmerized:

iamthefirechild:

Summer took all that in. “And if someone who isn’t a guard bothers me? I’m assuming you don’t want me to hurt anyone trying to keep them off me.” There had been something in his emotions that she wanted to pursue, but she couldn’t isolate it, not with all the other people around. “What about /my/ powers?”

Vex nodded at Summer’s question, eyes leveling easily with hers in the light of the club. “If somebody’s bothering you, the guards know well to keep them off of ya. Don’t ‘it the guards,” he confirmed absently, sipping at his drink still. Her next question was an easy one to answer, “Your powers are a key to keeping you safe ‘ere, Summer. You’re more than welcome to using ‘em.. just not on ‘umans, if you can ‘elp it; the Fae’ll assume that you’re Fae, and that’ll be enough for ‘em to leave ya alone if they notice your powers.”

“I’ll just stick to the passive parts,” she decided. “Or maybe I’ll just hide back here the whole time!” She was only a little serious about that, leaning both elbows on the bar and looking out again. So many people; so many strangers.

theyrecompletelymesmerized:

iamthefirechild:

“I could hardly pass this up!” Summer sang out. “I haven’t been to a Halloween party in ages, and,” she gestured around, “I was curious to see if you guys celebrate it any differently.” She grinned, encased neck to toe in nearly skintight soft but sturdy canvas, dark blue and black and zipped up the front. A circular logo patch appeared on each shoulder, and two belts encircled her hips – one all little pouches, and one supporting two thigh holsters.

“I had the damnedest time deciding what to wear, too; wasn’t sure if you would want to see me in the leather or the bodysuit.” She winked.

Vex was glad to see that Summer had made her way to Carpe Noctem for the party. She didn’t usually go around the Fae-grounds that the Mesmer enjoyed, but every now and then, he convinced her to spend time in his territory. Smiling in her direction, he told her, “Nothin’ too different, love.” He took in the sight of her, a smirk appearing on his face as he leaned against the counter of the bar. “You look lovely,” he purred, tongue running briefly over his lips.

Nodding for her to come around to the other side of the bar where the drinks were kept, he offered her a drink of his spiked-latte. So far, the night seemed to be going off without a hitch. For that, he was glad; it had been a while since he’d got to celebrate. 

Summer took a slow sip, though she could smell the coffee as soon as he offered it. She didn’t really like coffee, although this one was okay. She smoothed a hand over one hip, removing a non-existent wrinkle. “I’m glad you like it.”

Looking out over the floor, she remembered why she hadn’t been to a party in ages. It was crowded, everyone talking over one another, bumping into one another; the music was nearly inaudible despite being loud as hell. Her ears buzzed with the volume, and her head buzzed with the emotions. Gently she pushed the latte away after that one sip. “No alcohol for me tonight, I’m going to be higher than a kite anyway.”