So let's chat.

[roughcutgem]

Who: Beryl, Danny, Nat?
When: The day after her (failed) kidnapping.
What: A chat with an ex-spook.

She settled in chair, eying the oddly calm man across from her. He was still handcuffed but he wore them well, like they were just a formality and hell who knew they might be for him. They were being civilized in one of the rooms at the Circus, chairs, tables, he even had an untouched burger in a bag. She looked him up and down, trying to get a read on him, but he just came across as...mild. Forgettable. "That's a terrifying skill," she admitted easily as Nat leaned against her back, arms draping over her shoulders. She could feel the half angry, half stressed rumble through his bones and lifted one of his wrists to her lips to nip gently in reassurance.

"A useful one though," Danny noted mildly. "Sadly a born skill not a learned one. You're looking well."

"I shake shit well." Like hell was this guy learning about Khem's healing ability.

"Of course," he nodded easily. "And now you have questions. There isn't much I can tell you you don't already guess though."

She smiled sharply, "then just tell me everything. Better details than assumptions when you're willing to throw bodies at me."

Danny laughed softly, then stopped as he noticed Nat tense, "sorry, wasn't mocking anyone. Where do I start?"

"Who you are, who you work for, and then the details of this 'job'." Beryl was firm on that, tugging Nat's arm gently until he rested his chin on her head.

"And then?"

"And then I think things over." Simple as that.

Danny considered that then nodded, "Alright. I was CIA once upon a time, don't bother looking for records, it's not how my division worked. When I retired I was approached with an offer to work for a private outfit. I didn't like their moral standards and declined, so my girlfriend was killed and my daughter was taken. Every time I complete a mission now I get proof of life." Simple, stark, but utterly honest.

Beryl snorted, passing a pad of paper. "your name, her name, etc."

THAT made him narrow his eyes but he finally complied, "she's seven now. I haven't seen her in person in six years," he admitted quietly. "You can access pictures of her at the address I've listed, I move all proof of life to secondary servers so friends can run facial recognition for me." But more eyes were better. I DO maintain several covers and aliases though, one of which is the reporting job. The article is real, and well written if I do say so myself."

"I don't give a fuck about the article."

"He does," Danny noted easily, glancing at Nat. "But anyway. My 'boss' is someone better than me. He calls himself Maison, he's NOT CIA but he had to have come from a similar global outfit I'm sure. He one damn step ahead every time. And this job is a high ticket one. Retrieve a runaway child, whether she agrees or not. Two million down payment. Thirteen mil on delivery, any condition, injury...preferred," he spat, hating that. He had been slotted to join a GOOD company, one that rescued people from being trafficked, and pulled kids out of cults...

...instead this and he hated it.

Utterly.

"He's not a vamp, my boss. I know that. Fucked if I know anything else about his biology though. I can swing the setback, he won't kill my daughter because I failed, and I made sure to hire people who DESERVED dying for the grab because it was fucked from the start honestly. None of this felt at all right, especially since I had to ID you from cane scars on your back and the aged branding scar," he growled.

Beryl blinked, considering that, "most don't know what they are." Old, faded scars now. Amorphous.

"I got reference pics when they were fresh." Just. Saying. "Your blood relatives are a horror show."

"I'm aware." Very.

He sighed, getting his composure back, "and I imagine your cousin isn't dead like they said." Wishful thinking on their part.

"I don't have a cousin."

"Yeah, he's alive, good on him," he nodded. "They don't want anything to do with him, don't worry."

She tensed at that, seriously considering if they just needed this guy dead but..."we let you live what are your intentions?"

"Well, figuring out this mess with you and yours, they'll hire someone else if we fail," he admitted. "Apparently they...lost their house slave and that means they need a new one."

"Glad she's gone," Beryl sighed. "Auntie had a rough life."

"...yeah." That was a very grim agreement.

Yeah.

"Eat. We're not going to fucking kill you today," she sighed, standing. "I need to discuss things." With Nat. And others maybe.

Danny nodded, poking the hamburger bag finally. "Alright, you know where I'll be."

Comments

[roughcutgem]

"...I call Rafael, you go talk to JC or Asher, make sure we don't surprise them by inviting an alpha in? No fucking clue where all those boundary lines are myself," she chuckled. "And means you can give them the good news?"

[nathanielgrayson]

Nathaniel nodded. "I don't think he'll mind: they worked out their issues after Jean Claude came to power." His smile bounced back onto his face. "But yeah, I'll go tell them and then come find you, ok?"

[roughcutgem]

"I'll be right here," she promised. "I'll even be good and heat up one of Khem's frozen bits to nibble while I chat with the Rodere," she promised, reaching for her phone.

She mainly had Rafael's number to track down Khem in emergencies but, well...

[nathanielgrayson]

"Be right back!" He grinned brightly and hurried out of the room. There was no denying his excitement...for their paper, not so much for the Rodere talking to Dan. No, Dan was being shoved into a dark corner in his brain, at least until after they got married.

Oh my god, I'm getting married!

Asher and Jean Claude weren't too thrilled about being woken during daylight hours, but when Nathaniel was happy it was downright infectious, and they settled back to sleep with smiles on their lips after thanking him for the heads up and offering their sincerest congratulations.

When Nathaniel made his way back to Beryl, he was already on the phone with Jason. "...I know you know where it is, Jay. I mean, I'm guessing that's where we go? ...No, just be ready and I'll text you guys when we're going. ...Ok, thanks, Jay, I love you!"

He beamed at Beryl, smiling so hard it nearly looked painful. "Jason and Khem will meet us there. We just need to let them know when we're going"

[roughcutgem]

Meanwhile Beryl was on the phone with Rafael honestly, working out a 'hey, ex-spook under possible duress but would like confirmation etc etc' and the whole fun rundown there.

Yup.

Less said the better.

That done she chuckled at his enthusiasm, "do I look presentable enough for this?" Honest question!

[nathanielgrayson]

Nathaniel shyly slid his hands over her hips. "You look perfect. But I'd be ok with anything you wanted to wear." He chuckled and added almost guiltily, "Unless it was some custom order that we had to wait months for. I wouldn't want to wait that long unless it was really important to you."

[roughcutgem]

"Hey, clean and passable is good enough for me, fancy is for the bedroom," or playroom, in her opinion! "Just making sure my shirt isn't inside out or anything." She'd been stressed earlier!

[nathanielgrayson]

Honestly, they both had. Or at least Nat had been until after their rather long night of...stress release. He glanced down at his own clothes. "I look ok? I'm so glad I didn't wear my comfy shorts; I'd definitely change."

He nodded to her phone. "Everything taken care of?"

[roughcutgem]

"I love your comfy shorts though..." she smirked, kissing him. Intense and very pleasant thank you! "You look utterly distracting of course. And yeah, we'll hand off to Rafael and then we can ghost this place!"

[nathanielgrayson]

"Say the word and I'll go get them," he teased.

He couldn't help melting into her kisses: bond or no, he could feel how intensely she loved him with even the softest peck. He sighed happily. "I can get you a ring later, ok? I..." He blushed delicately. "I want to find the perfect one for you."

Besides, he couldn't be shown up by Jason who had shocked him -and everyone else- by how much thought he'd put into Khem's ring.

[roughcutgem]

"Hey, you realize we get honeymoon tonight right? I demand comfy sorts soon as we're home!" she laughed, tracing hands down his sides. "Mmmm, babe? Prefer you think about a design for a ring tattoo around an ankle or wrist? Can't lose that!" And it would mean more that way too honestly?

"Jewelry...disappears sometimes. And can't fight with it. Going to figure out what to get you though..."

[nathanielgrayson]

His body shuddered under her hands and he arched against them eagerly. "If our honeymoon is more intense than last night, then let's hurry up and get that paper and get home."

He blinked, his eyes glistening at her request. She was going to mark herself as his, marked in a way not even the most vanilla human could mistake? "Really? That...that would be amazing, babe."

[roughcutgem]

She laughed at that, amused, "oh I see. An excuse for topping last night. We'll order in," she promised with a smirk.

...what? IT hadn't seemed that big a...um? "Hundred percent babe. All my skin belongs to you if you want it that way."

[nathanielgrayson]

Nathaniel shook his head gently. "No," he said softly, "I want it to belong to you. You deciding you want that is more special to me than you doing it 'cuz I asked you."

He leaned close, pressing his forehead to hers. "But that can all be after? Now we just go get..." he paused and smiled against her forehead with the next word, "legal, and then we go make sure none of them try to take you from me again."

[roughcutgem]

"Mmmm, fair, still love to wear your marks." Any way he chose to do so! Just saying!

She chuckled softly, kissing the tip of his nose, "Legal, all kinds of paperwork, then doing less legal stuff," she agreed warmly. "A beautiful combination."

[nathanielgrayson]

The corner of his mouth quirked up. "I love how your face just looked when you said that. Come on: drive me to where we sign the papers and I'll call Jason and Khem. And then I swear I will do everything I can do top last night for you."

[roughcutgem]

"Mmmmm, bloodthirsty smiling?" she teased. She liked that he enjoyed her being a predator honestly. "Ohhh, but that's ominous when you say it. I'm going to be so worn out!" she laughed, pushing him gently toward the door.

[nathanielgrayson]

"100%. Bloodthirsty, ruthless when you need to be, but someone I can trust completely." He flushed and gave a nervous chuckle. "My fingers are crossed: I...I liked how much you enjoyed it..."

[roughcutgem]

"I like being that person," she admitted. And accepting for such! It was no small step as far as her life was concerned! "Babe, I'll wear you out too just so you know, not all on you," she teased.

After all, she had really enjoyed last night, once drugs and such had worn off! But she knew that degree of lead was hard for him!

[nathanielgrayson]

His turned to walk backwards, and the playfully wicked smile he threw at her would have been more at home on Jason's face. "If I'm gonna top last night, I need to make sure you don't have enough energy to wear me out."

He took her hand and gave her a gentle tug. "Come on before Jason gets sidetracked and forgets to come be our witness."

[roughcutgem]

"Oh, that sounds like a challenge," she grinned, teasing fingers along his belly because she COULD thank you. "But yes yes, going to the car now." The Rodere was on the Danny thing!

"Khem wouldn't let him forget though."

[nathanielgrayson]

Nat stifled a laugh. "I wouldn't underestimate Jason when he's in a mood."

But he turned with her, letting her back in the lead with a bounce in his step. His job until they got there would be to let Jason know they were leaving and to keep himself from rubbing his face all over her as she drove.

[roughcutgem]

"This is important. Khem would drag him out of the house naked if she had to and he was being a pain," she snickered.

But yeah, her job was to drive and not be distracted by the desire to tease him? Yeeeah. She had the hard job, not crashing and all.

[nathanielgrayson]

"Don't throw that out there: he'd totally walk out in public naked and Khem would just die."

He wondered as they drove if any other people signing marriage paperwork were trying to not fuck right on the counter while they did it...it certainly was tempting in any case...

He couldn't even think straight, he was so excited!

[roughcutgem]

"She would actually shake the shit out of him if he tried," Beryl mused. "You know she would, that's a LINE!" Obviously.

Oh, most probably since so many sudden marriage paperwork filers were horny teens or people who were tired of waiting! She wouldn't be surprised if they sanitized the desk as a matter of course every half hour or so!

"They on the way babe?"