Making a Splash (OPEN)

[Colin Holden]

Ah there was nothing like the Big Easy. So much excitement. So many beautiful women. Colin swirled the ice in his glass tumbler of scotch as he sat in the lavish hotel's bar and eyed the waitress bending over to hear the order of a particularly elderly patron, her head tilting a little as he did, grinning to himself. The little redhead was a beautiful distraction from thinking about the lecture he had in the morning at Tulane and the highly starched suit he'd have to wear.

His hat sat on the bar before him, the dusty old thing having been with him for ages now. His sturdy old brown leather aviator jacket still rested over his broad shoulders, covering the white linen shirt he wore under it and covered the leather bands around his wrists. The brown cargo pants were clean...for the most part, his well worn boots laced up tall at the ankles. The jacket hid the two guns holstered in the shoulder harness over his shirt and served it's purpose. Thank god for modern air conditioning.

Raising one eyebrow as the waitress straightened up and smiled, nodding to the little old man he thanked that air conditioning even more as well as the inventor of those nice thin t-shirts. He was smart enough not to get caught staring though as he averted his gaze before she looked his way to scan over the other patrons.

He knew the Eye of Ra was here somewhere. Somewhere in this town. He'd half hoped to discover it buried under a swamp. The prospect of getting to do a little alligator wrestling was appealing to him and he chuckled a little to himself as he sipped the scotch and thought about he museums he'd checked out that day. The gig of being a visiting Ancient Studies professor was merely a good cover for his real purpose; finding the treasure.

He noticed a rather pale looking patron over in a corner, keeping to himself. The guy could use some sun, he thought to himself and made mental note of the petite blonde he was eyeing as she sat alone at another table in the bar. A small grin slipped to his lips as he hoped his hunch was right. Patting his jacket he felt for his flask and pulled it out, upending it and emptying it of the rest of it's contents. It was only about a third full as he drank and he smiled as he screwed the top back on and tossed some money on the bar along with his room number on a napkin.

He waited till the little waitress came by and tipped her a devilish wink, scooping the cash and the napkin up and handing it to her as he made his way out of the bar and into the lobby of the hotel.

It was one of those opulent affairs in the middle of the French Quarter; fountain in the lobby and plants, comfortable couches and chairs for people to relax in or pass out in...it was New Orleans after all. He paused at the fountain, slipping his flask out and filling it up before screwing the cap back on and shaking the excess off his hands, slipping the flask into a side pants pocket and finding an inconspicuous spot along the wall to lean and watch the bar doors. It wouldn't be long, he was sure of that much.

[Isobel O'Conner]

It was a good day. A Very, VERY good day. The sun was shining bright and she had a nice shiney treasure in her pocket to keep her happy. What more could a girl want? New Orleans was such a spectacular little town with all its supernatural deities and mythical lore that she hadn't been able to pass up the chance to relax and take a few days off. The fact that the legendary Eye of Ra was there really wasn't pertinent.... and if you bought that, Isobel would be quiet happy to selling you some ocean front property in Arizona.

With her typical Valkyrie perception, she'd sensed the presence of some sort of treasure within the city limits and it had drawn her like a moth to the flame. On the same level, she'd sensed another presence searching for her prize and had made short work of snagging it right out from under his nose. Oh yes, she'd really enjoyed watching the handsome human sniff around for his mark and had left just enough clues to keep him guessing. Not to mention the amusement of watching the former owner/thief's irritation to finding his prize piece missing. All in all, the combination had made for a very amusing round of checks and balances.

Now, however, she was bored with the game. The poor human was obviously no match for her cunning even if his devious brain came up with interesting solutions to the problems she'd set down before him. It was only sporting to tempt him for so long and since he'd been such a good sport about the whole thing.. Well, she could toss him a bone, right? Right. Never let it be said she wasn't anything if not merciful.

Strolling into the hotel lobby, the slender young Valkyrie let her gaze float over the patrons until it found the object of her search. Grinning wickedly, she tilted her head and glanced towards the door he was staring at so intently. Gliding silently, she traced up behind him and then peeked over his shoulder. Curiosity made her wonder just what he was waiting for and she couldn't help quipping right in his ear.

"What are we looking at?"

[Colin Holden]

GAH!! Colin fumbled and turned quickly as he was startled by the sudden voice over his shoulder and caught that pair of twinkingly eyes as he looked at the woman behind him. Clearing his throat and trying to gather some composure he smiled at the lovely lady as he looked her over, tipping his hat to her as that adorable grin split his lips and made those dimples show.

"I have to say ma'am...now that I'm seeing what's in front of me I'm having a hard time remembering what I was watching for." he said smoothly as he reached out and took her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing gently on the knuckles.

Vampire....remember MacArthur..vampire, don't get too distracted; that little voice nagged in the back of his head and he tried to shoo it away mentally but it was there, nagging. "Regrettably though it is a matter of some importance but I would be honored if I might call on you later this evening Ma'am. Perhaps share a drink in the bar here. My treat of course." [/color]

His voice was smooth as silk, deep and resonating with those well articulated words that poured like honey off his tongue. His eyes shifted ever so subtly as he glanced toward the bar doors and caught sight of the vmpire leading the pretty little thing out of it and toward the lobby doors.

Holding up a finger he smiled at the lady before him and winked, playfully. "Duty calls fair lady. But fear not, this shouldn't take too long. Then I'll be free to try to convince you to let me spin you around a dancefloor over drinks." Damn duty. Damn curse. Damn honor code. He really wanted to just stay with the woman before him but another damsel was in distress.

Slipping off after the couple he hung back, walking slow enough and looking around at the festive lights and sights as he walked, looking like any other tourist. But as the man led the woman into a dark alley his face changed, turning all business as he moved stealthily into the alley. Moving up behind the vampire he stopped a few feet away and spoke "I'm the last one to not appreciate a little necking but it's better when you leave the lady flushed with life and heat." he drawled, smirking as he crossed his arms over his chest, looking forward to the fight. He hadn't gotten any good fights in a while. But hopefully it wouldn't last too long so that he could get back to that little lady with the big soulful eyes.

[Isobel O'Conner]

Isobel couldn't help the grin that spread over her face when the handsome man jumped and spun around to look at her. It was simply her nature to be mischievous and the surprise in his eyes made her want to giggle. Unfortunately, he definitely seemed preoccupied by whatever he was waiting for inside the bar and she found herself curious enough to stick around and find out what on earth he was talking about. All his flirtation aside, he had the cutest dimples and she didn't have anything better to do.

Before she could inquire as to what exactly the nature of his little stake out was, the door opened and a man and woman strolled out into the hall and through the hotel doors. She instantly pegged the man for one of those filthy blood suckers and her lip peeled back in a sneer of disgust. How she hated those creatures. When her companion excused himself to slip after them, the Valkyrie blinked in surprise and then shrugged.

Following after him with eyes that oggled his cute backside, Isobel skipped silently along behind and hide in the shadows from time to time when he seemed to look around. It wouldn't do at all to let him catch her at this point and she was curious as to what he was going to do.

When the couple in front of them turned down a dark alley, the Valkyrie saw her companions face change and was intrigued. Did he KNOW what the man was? And if so... what exactly was he planning on doing about it? Vampires were notoriously bad sports about having their dinners interrupted and Isobel felt a flash of pesky concern. She didn't know why but she certainly didn't want the vampire to scratch her new playmate. That would make her very angry indeed. She might just have to rip his hideous little fangs out... or off... depending just how badly he trespassed.

As the human male moved up behind the vampire, Isobel saw a stack of crates. Moving swiftly, she perched herself on them and then watched with curious eyes as the creature registered his approach and the woman screamed. Her gaze took in Colin's unimpressed look and she wanted to clap her hands in glee. This could actually be interesting. Maybe there was more to this cursed human than she had first assumed.

On some level the vampire must have registered her presence for his eyes suddenly shot past Colin and landed on her. Instantly, Isobel recognized him as one of the bloodsuckers who'd recently moved into New Orleans. Sticking out her tongue, she snapped her fingers softly and a $20 bill appeared.

Grinning impishly, she waved it in the air and looked to the woman trying to slide away. "I've got $20 on the big, handsome devil with the cute hind end. With a tush that tight, he's GOT to work out."

[Colin Holden]

Almost distracted, Colin flickered his eyes toward where the vampire looked and heard that cute little voice. A smirk appeared on his lips, making those devilish dimples show as he uncrossed his arms and looked to the woman slipping toward the far wall from the vampire. He tipped a wink to her and smiled that broad smile, showing those pearly whites. "No need to fear ma'am...I won't let this leech..."

But his words were cut off as the vampire launched at him, tagging him in the jaw with a viscous right hook. If he'd been a normal man it might have broken his neck but as it was it merely staggered him and left him rubbing is jaw as he looked up at the vampire... "Oooow?!" he said as he straightened. "You can't even let a guy get in a good line or two first? Rude. Very rude. By your lucky. You're about to get schooled in the ways of manners."



The silly little blonde just remained pressed up against the wall, screaming her fool head off. That was bound to draw attention and attention wasn't something that Colin wanted. At least not from the law types that were bound to be called. His hand slipping into his jacket he pulled out the little flask and with his thumb spun the top off. "A little Holy Water Tin Man?" he remarked to the vampire before he threw the contents of the flask into his face, causing the vampire to clutch at his face and scream in fear.

But the water from the fountain wasn't Holy by any means and he only had a few seconds before the vampire realized it wasn't really burning. Turning he grabbed the screaming woman and planted a kiss on her screaming lips that left her stunned and breathless looking up at him with dewy, dreamy, far away eyes and sighed. Winking he grinned. "You better take off little lady. It's not safe for you here."

Well it had worked, silencing her screams and well playing the hero was always fun. Turning his eyes back to the vampire he grabbed the male by his collar and pulled him in fast, displaying more strength than he should have had as he brought the man in for a hard headbutt, bashing his forehead into the vampires.

"Now...I have a bet to win. I'd hate to disappoint the other little minx." he growled at the creature and threw him into the alley wall hard, hearing bones crack and crunch. Sure it wouldn't kill it but it would make it hurt. "Come on...this isn't a show." he groused as he shrugged off his jacket, revealing the two big .45 revolvers under the jacket, held in the shoulder holsters on his broad torso.

A smile was shot over his shoulder to the little woman perched on the wooden crates as he tossed her his jacket. "Keep it clean for me?" he asked just before he was tackled to the dirty ground of the alley and the vampire started punching him as they rolled over the alley floor. He took as good as he got, muscles flexing and straining under his linen shirt and those tailored pants.

A leg launch had him flying towards those wooden crates, his big frame smashing through them as he landed among the splinters. "I hate it when they do that." he groused looking to see that Isobel had made it out of the way in time before worrying about the blood trickling from his nose and lip.

[Isobel O'Conner]

Oh, there was nothing like a display of manly muscles to make a girls day complete. She adored watching a good fight and this was definitely one of those. Repressing the need to clap her hands gleefully, the petite Valkyrie practically danced in her seat as the human shot forward and jerked the woman away from her hungry Romeo.

However, when he kissed her before letting her go, Isobel's eyebrows furrowed. She decided she didn't like this new development at all. No, not at all. As the woman raced away, Isobel couldn't help but "accidently" tipping a crate so that it fell in front of the woman and cause her to fall into a muddy puddle of god knew what. There, that should do it... She wasn't nearly so pretty NOW.

Grinning impishly, the petite figure turned her attention back to the men just in time to over hear the humans "minx" comment. As his coat came flying at her, she caught it nimbly and then pulled out a cherry sucker to pop into her mouth. Her eyes avidly ate up the scene going down in front of her and she hooted and hollered like it was a WWF fight and her favorite contender was going for a knockout.

"YEAH!!! GIVE HIM A RIGHT!!!!! OHOHOHOH Here comes a hard left.. Ouch... thats gotta hurt...." she said, keeping up a running commentary. "Watch out!!!! OH YEAH!! NICE BLOCK!!! GIVE IT TO HIM!!!! YES!!!!! OH BABY.... SHOW HIM WHATCHA GOT!!! COME ON COME ON!!!! THATS IT!!! YEAHHHHH!!! SLUG HIM ANOTHER ONE!!"

Unaware that she'd actually risen out of her seat, Isobel caught the kick that spun the human back into the crates just in time to jump agilely from the coming disaster. Landing lightly on the ground, she frowned in irritation as the wood splintered all around them and she realized that the racket was no doubt going to attract unwanted attention.

"Oh , yes.. I do to.... Vampires really have no style you know..."

Unfortunately, before she could say more, a strong arm encircled her chest and she was pulled roughly against a heaving body. Instantly on alert, Isobel cursed her distraction just as sharp teeth made a grab for her neck and she went into a frenzy of action.

Slamming her head backwards as hard as she could, she heard the sound of bone breaking and knew she'd taken out the bloodsuckers nose. As he howled, she drew her dagger from her sheath and savagely sank it into the leg of her attacker before jerking herself out of the weakening hold. Dancing away, she lifted a hand to her neck and felt a bit of blood there where sharp teeth had scratched the surface.

"Didn't your maker ever teach you its impolite not as ask a lady if she wants to be dinner first?" she snarled before shifting her stance for another attack. "No wonder you look like death warmed over... Oh Wait!!! YOU ARE DEATH WARMED OVER!! COME TO MOMMA, FANG BOY!!! I GOT YOUR LOVIN RIGHT HERE!"

Tossing the dagger from hand to hand, the Valkyrie fairly danced with excitement and just managed to cast a glance over her shoulder at the human. With glowing eyes, she smirked and ducked out of the way just in time to trip the vampire and send him into the stack of crates right beside Colin.

"Awwwww... Did the poor dead guy take a tumble?? Hows it feel to be the one laying in the dirt? You ready to cry Uncle or you want some more of this? "

[Colin Holden]

What the hell?!? Colin looked at the little woman handle the vampire before he could get up, grumbling to himself and then..those eyes. Okay..so beautiful and exotic. He could deal with that later.

In his own special way.

Looking over to the bloody-faced vampire that lay next to him he grinned a little at it and said, "Fiesty one isn't she?" His hand was closing around a thick bit of wood that had splintered off when he crashed the crates, and gripping it tight. "But I can't let such behavior of one so lovely go unnoticed. That's twice tonight you've terrorized the fairer sex and well..buddy...I'm a gentleman."

With that he turned, rolling his body over to straddle the vampire and with one large, powerful hand he held the thing's throat, the other hand bringing up the splintered wood and raising it high. His muscles bunched and flexed as he brought it down hard in the thing's chest and twisted, leaning his weight into it as the vampire's eyes widened and his mouth opened in a scream that never had time to leave his throat.

As the thing began to liquefy before his eyes Colin sprang up and back from it, dusting off his sleeves as he watched it melt like ice cream on a summer sidewalk before looking over his shoulder to the little Valkyrie with her knife.

"Now little lady....Don't you know it's the man's job to come to the rescue of one so lovely as you are?" he drawled , grinning, as he walked toward her and held out his hand for his jacket. The comments to his posterior had not been forgotten and only made him grin more as he thought of them. Maybe tonight wouldn't be a total wash after all."And one as lovely as yourself shouldn't have need for carrying around a little toothpick like that. She should have a protector willing to give his life to defend your honor."

Yes, ...he was smooth.

[Isobel O'Conner]

I'm gonna teach ya how to scream my name,
Your never gonna get away from me
Yeah I kinda like that, I wanna tap that.
you can bet I'm gonna get you
Come on over here and play with me,
Let me be your dirty fantasy.
Yeah I kinda like that, I wanna tap that.
you can bet I'm gonna get you.

Oh... how sweet! Was he worried about little ol' her? Didn't that make her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. To bad she was even more immortal than he was and had buried more than her fair share of idiots. He was awfully cute though with those adorable dimples and "do me, baby" eyes.

"Well, mate... I hate to burst your bubble but this chicky is quiet capable of holding her own in any fight that comes her way. I was trained by the best after all and after a few centuries... it becomes as natural as breathing. No bloke has ever tempted me to change that so....." she drawled at him before spinning her dagger and sliding it into her boot.

Tossing him his coat, Isobel smirked and twirled around to sashay towards the mouth of the alley. Allowing a bit extra swing to her stride, the little Valkyrie glanced over her shoulder and gave him a heated once over that was as flirty as it was inviting. Mischief fairly danced in her eyes as she called back.

"Come on now, hot stuff... Lets blow this joint before we have unwelcome company. I don't know about you but I feel like celebrating a bit... A girl works up a bit of a thirst when dealing with blood sucking nasties."

Continuing on her way, the lithe young woman paused for a moment before looking around. A thoughtful expression floated across her face before she frowned.

"Blimey.... What are you in the mood for, Sir Knight? Me, myself and I... I'm thinking Screamers... Ever been there? A person could do worse and they cater to people like us...If your really good.. I might even letcha buy me that drink you were offering earlier!"

[Colin Holden]

Eyebrows raised, Colin watched the little knife spin and sheath as he listened to her words. Under his breath, grinning slightly he muttered "I always did like older women."
He hadn't quite reached his own bicentennial yet and so clearly she had some age on him.

It made him wonder what variety of being this plucky little woman was even as he caught his coat with one hand, dusting himself off a bit as he shrugged into it.

A little slow to follow he watched that tempting sway of hips and confident swagger as she strolled down the alleyway, his grin broadening as his eyes took in the 'assets' she had. Distracted enough that he was caught in his ogling that grin turned a bit playful as she looked at him like he was 210 pounds of pure silky chocolate and she was dying for a fix.

Oh how he admired the creature that was woman. No other entity in the world had the grace and allure that women held. Both soft and strong at the same time. Those smoothly flowing curves that varied so delightfully from one to the other in proportion but still retained that irresistible feminine shape that had men drooling, warring, dying for a mere glance or soft touch from them since they'd crawled from the primordial ooze.

Taking larger strides to catch up to the little Valkyrie he offered his arm out to her as they walked from the alley. "Anything you wish lovely one. Screamers it is but I must insist you allow me the pleasure of your name so that I might hear it from those tempting lips."

Pausing in their stride, standing slightly in front of her on the sidewalk he gave a small, half bow to her and offered his hand out. "I'm Colin MacArthur at your service and ever at your feet and call fair lady." he says smoothly in that rich baritone tone of his, playing into the role of Sir Knight as she dubbed him, but a hint of that irascible smile tugged at the corners of his lips even so, a lock of his chocolaty hair falling over one eyebrow and eye in a devil may care fashion.

[Isobel O'Conner]

(HEY Colin, you mind if I just ghost us over to Screamers? I can see Isobel doing just that if its OK? Maybe also save us some transition time??)