Just your everyday waitress from Hell {Wulf}

[Eva Rombar]

“But lady, it’s real leather! Can’t you feel the difference? I don’t sell that fake crap that you see on the other street corners. You see this crease? That means that it’s genuine crocodile leather. I can give you a good price!”

The voice practically echoed in the busy street in which she stood, and the owner looked hopefully into her face as he practically smooshed a pair of gloves against her eyeballs. They were definitely nice looking gloves, but given that she’d used to skin animals to make her own clothing, she knew a pair of good gloves…and those were definitely knock offs.

But try telling that to the street salesman. She did her best to stand strong against his insisting, even started to walk away. He just HAD to go and say that he was using the money for the gloves he sold to buy his daughter a birthday present. He just HAD to go and say that.

Great, there went this week’s paycheck. Well, at least she had plenty of gloves for the winter time!

With a martyred sigh, Eva trudged down the muggy street with a plastic bag full of gloves. She’d had just enough money in her wallet to be able to pay for that sparkly pair of shoes she’d seen in the shop window near the café, but it was still a dream for now. But that was alright, wasn’t it? She did like to have goals, dreams.

They were hard to find back in her husband’s domain. It seemed that everything she didn’t have in the world of demons became precious…especially now that she was free.

Wandering down the busy street, she moved with the crowd, relishing in the normalcy of the movement. For the past…Gods, she didn’t know how long now, she’d been living in the darkest, vilest piece of demon-run Hell in the universe, married to the King of Everything Evil.

Sagaen had rose up from the earth like some kind of biblical devil, and had terrorized her people for months before he decreed that he would accept only a virgin sacrifice for his leaving. Her father had forbidden any from throwing themselves to the demon, but in the end, she had known deep in her gut that he would never stop, until he got what he wanted. So, in the dead of night, she gave herself to him.

And had been paying for it ever since.

With a happy chime, the door to the Half-N-Half Café opened and she was greeted with the hazy smell of coffee. Ever since she’d escaped her husband’s world two months ago, she’d been doing her best to live quietly in this new society above. She kept herself embedded in the human part of the world, keeping her head down and making her way. As long as she drew no attention to herself, she just might have a few years of peace, before she was finally found.

Ah, years without having to look at Sagaen’s ugly face. Freedom from his voice, his touch, the little room beneath his bed…

“Eva!” A familiar voice jolted her from her reverie, and she smiled at the older woman behind the cashier’s counter. Harriet, her boss and the café’s self appointed ‘Mama,’ gave her a little wave. “You on today? Great; we’re gonna need the help, now that Becca’s out sick with the flu.”

"That's what I'm here for! Super Eva, to the rescue!" With a chirpy salute that she’d learned from the picture box in her apartment, Eva just grinned and headed over to the kitchen. After exchanging colorful sandals for sneakers and donning her apron, she went to work.

She did so love this world, with all of its simplicity.
And her dreams of a pair of shiny, crystal-adorned sandals…

[Wulfgar Fenrisulfr]

I make the good girls bad, and bad girls worse;
nice guys are last 'cause I’m always first.
I’m a freak show sucker for how it feels;
turn the girl next door into hell on heels.
I’m red white blue tattooed and just don’t care;
I’m the all-American nightmare.

Business as usual.

By the gods, how he HATED those words. Thankfully, things in New Orleans had been heating up and most days, that didn't apply to his corner of the realms. Having been suckled on war, the current situation was nothing more than a reason to rejoice in the fact that he finally got to bash a few heads together without having to gauge his every word. It was freeing in ways that those not born of an immortal line could never phantom.

To put is simply... Wulf was in his element and his disposition more chipper than it had been in a very, VERY long time. There was almost a gleeful grin on his face as the huge viking/celt strolled down the street and nodded once or twice to the women he passed.

His ice blue eyes glimmered as his thoughts revolved around how good it would feel to break out the whoop ass and stomp a few insolent faces into the mud. He lived for those rare occurrences since the world had gone more "politically correct" and just the prospect of it made things more sunny.

Spying a little cafe, the warrior dashed across the street and then slipped through the door just as a patron was leaving. Brushing back his platnum locks, he eyed the customers for a moment before letting his loose hipped stride take him over to the counter. A tall, dark haired woman came out of the back door just as he reached it and he couldnt help letting his eyes rove her form. He was only male after all and he appreciated beauty in all its shapes and sizes and she DEFINITELY was a beauty.

When the lady behind the counter asked for his order, Wulf reluctantly turned his attention towards her and asked for coffee and a cinnamon roll. Sweets were his weakness but since Banning had reappeared, Kaera hadn't been spending much time in the kitchen so he was forced to take his guilty pleasure elsewhere. If it wasn't for the fact that his baby sister was so much happier with his old friend, Wulf would have been happy to send him back to the spirit world just because he missed her baking.

Not that he really would but.. It was a nice fantasy right?

Growling a bit under his breath good naturedly, Wulf handed the woman some money to pay for his order and then caught sight of the dark haired lass again. As his eyes followed her, he wondered what such a pretty colleen was doing working a dead end job like this. She didn't really seem like the type and he couldn't help thinking that she should be tucked away in some fine home with a passel of kids holding on to her skirts. That thought brought a whole wealth of images floating through his mind and he shook his head with a sharp snap. Damn, maybe he really was getting old....

Turning back to the counter, he waited for his order and then spun to leave just as a child barrelled into him. As the little one started to fall, the shifter saw his coffee go tumbling and hiss as he realized it was going to burn the toddler. With quick reflexes, he knocked the cup aside and felt the hot liquid spill over his own hand and arm even as he pulled the child out of the way and to safety.

"Son of a.... " he hissed, biting his tongue at the last minute, remembering he was in the presence of a little one. "Are you all right, lass?" he asked the little girl who stared up at him with big eyes before she nodded and her frantic mother scooped her up with a "THANK YOU".

[Eva Rombar]

Someone was watching her. The sensation crawled up her shoulders and sat at the back of her neck as she bent over to clean an abandoned table. Someone was watching her quite closely, from the way the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She tensed, her breath catching in her throat as she snuck a glance over her shoulder. Was it one of her husband’s men? Was it Neko, or Trevain; the bounty hunters who always seemed to be on her tail? Oh God, please say that it wasn’t them, please say that it wasn’t any of them…

Eva frowned slightly when she met the eyes of a blond stranger standing near the door. He was…good gah, he was huge; dwarfing just about everyone in the restaurant with his sheer size, as well as the blanket of authority that seemed to cling to him. Every movement screamed power, composure, self confidence. He was like some kind of…warlord of old, venturing into a neighboring town for ha-ha’s. She’d met her fair share of those kinds of men over the years, and the realization that she’d found one in the 21st century made her blink in surprise.

It wasn’t everyday that she caught sight of such blatant masculinity. She ran into military types, sure, and there were a few politicians that had flitted in and out of her life…but this man was different, somehow. Aside from his size, there was something about him that made him completely unlike everyone else around him.

It was enough to make her tense even more, gripping the wash towel in her hand until her knuckles turned white. If a man like him were there to collect her, she wouldn’t stand a chance.

Just finish up your shift and slip out the back, she told herself with a resolute nod. She’d given her husband’s hunters the slip hundreds of times over the centuries; this time would be no different. A glance up at the clock told her that she had less than two hours left, so once the lunch crowd was gone—

A hissed curse rang through the air, and the woman turned around sharply. She gasped, seeing the result of the little collision, and without a second thought about the stranger’s allegiances, she hurried over to them.

“Oh my God, are you alright?” She exclaimed, reaching out to inspect the injured hand. “I just saw what happened. You must be in so much pain…come on; come into the kitchen. We’ll run your hand under some cold water and bandage it up. There’s a first aid kit inside. Please, come on.”

She tugged at his sleeve, nodding toward a swinging door in the back of the room. Gah, trying to move this guy was like tugging on solid rock, but sheer concern had her digging her sneakered heels in and dragging him forward. Once inside the kitchen, she practically shoved him toward the sink and turned on the cold water full blast. Matt, the cook, barely spared them a glance as he quickly prepared the next ordered meal.

“I’m sure you’ll be alright,” She informed him, busying herself with taking out a battered first aid kit from under the sink at his knees. ”You’re a hero, after all. How’s your hand feeling? Any better? Gah, if anything else, I’m going to buy you a refill, for making sure the girl wasn’t hurt.”

[Wulfgar Fenrisulfr]

Well, Hell. Thats certainly hadn't gone as planned.
Even as his skin stung from the heat of the fresh made coffee, Wulf was more concerned with the health of the barren. Obviously, though, the tot had escaped any real danger so he breathed a sigh of relief. The mother thanked him once more and then whisked her toddler away with a sound scold, leaving him to shake his hand warily and stare at the blistering surface.

Damn, it was a good thing he was immortal or it might actually be something more than a nuisance.

However, before his thoughts could go any further, the woman he'd been observing earlier came barreling at him and he suddenly found himself being fussed over like some sort of modern day hero. Blinking in surprise, the wolf tried to figure out just what it was he'd done to earn her benevolence and could only give a slight shrug as he was suddenly pulled and prodded into a back room of the cafe.

Unsure of what she was going on about and suddenly feeling a bit out of his element with all the hovering, Wulf opened his mouth and then closed it again as he caught her scent. That alone made his eyes close and he instinctively leaned closer to draw deeper breath while she leaned over his scorched hand.

Damn, the woman smelled of Jasmine and other exotic fragrances. Fresh, seductive, and natural all at the same time.

As she continued to fuss and doctor his wound, the ancient shifter took the opportunity to observe her quietly. Ever one to take in the details first and react second, the wolf let her move around him like a sleek lioness with a threatened cub. A smile crept over his lips at her words and he found himself laughing softly for no real reason at all.

"Lass.... I've received far worse wounds in wrestling matches with my brothers... There is no need for all this.... commotion, though I do appreciate it. I was simply doing what any male of worth would when a child was threatened..." he finally said, eying her closely, not mentioning that children were his one true weakness. "It was my fault the collen was in danger to begin with so it was my duty to remove it."

[Eva Rombar]

Damn, but being around this man made her…tingly. She wasn’t sure if she liked the sensation, or if the sudden urge to run away and hide in the nearest corner was the best thing to trust. He looked at her with such hooded eyes, and every movement practically screamed restrained power. Something told her that he wasn’t a man to piss off.

It reminded her so much of her husband, that she had to fight the instinct to blanch. Thank God that he started talking in that rich brogue, so much unlike the harsh voice she was used to, or she just might have thrown the first aid kit at his head.

“Well, those are some brothers you have,” She said, raising a brow. She looked up at him as she turned off the water and used a towel to gently blot at his burnt hand. He’d had worse wounds? Well, she’d expect nothing less from such a man’s man! She suddenly had the image of him sitting down at the breakfast table with a bowl of rusty nails, and she ducked her head so he wouldn’t see her smile.

She winced when she saw the redness where the coffee had scorched him. Good gah, and he wasn’t howling in pain, crying or even whimpering? Definitely a macho guy; if she were in his shoes, she’d probably be bawling at the moment.

Shaking her head, she turned to retrieve the first aid kit she’d snagged from the sink. “Believe me; most men would not have acted like you just did,” She said, digging around for the Neosporin. She knew she’d stuck some in there, after last week’s little ‘soup spill.’ “Most guys would probably have started yelling at the girl, or been too slow to react. But you got burned, so she would be alright. You’re a good person; I can already tell.”

With a triumphant ‘ha!’ when she found the little tube, she turned back around and took his hand in hers again. Huh, funny…it looked as if the skin was almost back to normal. It must be the light.

Gently, she applied the medicine to his hand, muttering ‘sorry, sorry’ whenever she felt she was rubbing a bit too hard. With her head still bent to the task, she continued. “I mean, just last week we had a guy trip over a toddler and spill the take out soup he was carrying. The poor girl was in tears by the time he finished yelling at her and her mom. It was horrible! But you went and made sure that she was unharmed…gah, I should clone you for scientific study. And…there we go. All done!”

She smiled as she released his hand, but the expression quickly faded as she noticed the lack of red. It was as if he’d just…healed. Right there in front of her.

Unease prickled the back of her neck, and she took a jerky step back from him. There was something not right here…oh God, what if he really was one of her husband’s men! She darted a glance at the kitchen, relieved when she saw the cook and his apprentices scurrying around.

Fumbling with the tube of medicine, she quickly shut the first aid kit and hugged it against her chest. A smile was pasted onto her face as she forced herself to look up at him. “I think you have my seal of approval to go. Do you want me to get you a replacement cup of coffee?”

[Wulfgar Fenrisulfr]

Would the wonders of the world never cease. Wulf couldn't remember the last time he'd been a woman's presence, besides that of his sister, that he'd casual sat there and listened to her chatter. Normally, he found it vastly unproductive and unworthy of listening to.

This though... This was different.

There he sat as the woman fluttered about him and he was.. what? Enjoying it? Relaxing to the tones of her voice? Wanting to know what it would feel like to have her doing that in other circumstances? Shit, he didn't know what it was but whatever it was.. it should have freaked him the hell out and surprisingly... it didn't.

Maybe he'd finally lost the battle edge as Ty was always teasing him he would with all the diplomatic bullshit he had to deal with. That thought was quickly pushed aside though because he could still feel the warrior blood in his veins racing as he turned his thoughts to the coming war. No.. the battle edge was still there... Just more.... tamed.

Damn, next thing he knew, he'd be sitting at home reading Shakespeare by the freaking fire.

Shaking his head, Wulf turned his attention back to the womans words just as she seemed to grow tense and an air of wariness stole into her voice. As she pulled away and gave him a cooler look, he frowned and mentally cast around for what he could have done to offend her but found nothing. With brows furrowing, he stood up and glanced at his arm to see it was almost fully healed.

Then, he swore. Shit... Of course. He had thought he sensed something supernatural about her but maybe she was simply a regular human. She no doubt was wondering what the hell was going on and he'd almost left himself exposed.

"Way to go, numbskull. " he thought to himself as he ran a hand through his long blond locks. Out loud though, he simply said. "Please.. if you don't mind... I was heading into the office and the coffee there sucks if my sister doesn't stop by and start a fresh pot... My brothers have no clue how to make the crap even after all these years...."

[Eva Rombar]

Whoof…this guy was tall. And his accent was pretty…AND he smelled good. She wondered what kinds of sounds he made when he liked something, or if he liked to cuddle—

Eva gave herself a mental shake as she took yet another step back from the man. Those feelings, those awkward feelings, they had to be telling her that something was wrong. Her time on earth was finite, and her husband’s men were very tricky. Was he trying to…gah…entice her with his manliness? Or, or, OOH, she knew it! He was trying to distract her with his rumbly voice, so she wouldn’t notice him attempting to grab her!

Except…he didn’t do any of those things, did he? He just spoke calmly, accepted her offer for a coffee, and returned her wary look tit for tat. Darnnit, there had to be something up with this guy; his hand was healed!

Though he’d obviously tried to hide it with that sexy voice- not thinking about it, not thinking about it- and his acceptance of a replacement coffee, she’d seen the way the burns had almost melted away on his hand. If he wasn’t one of her husband’s men, he definitely wasn’t human. Were there really such beings out there in this new world? She’d heard stories, but she’d never actually met someone who was as strange as herself.

And, though she despised her gift and thought it rude to the extreme, the woman couldn’t help but loosen its chains. Slowly, gently, she let some of her conciousness seep into his; taking a peek at what he was thinking. She was a bit on the rusty side; at the moment, all she could gleam was the general impression of ‘oh crap, she saw my hand heal.’ But still, she wasn’t certain.

With a little nod, she made as if to turn around and head to the coffee maker at the other side of the kitchen. But then, changing her mind, she whirled around and took a few steps toward him again. She’d retracted her mind, folding up her gift and locking it away in its normal place, so she was relying on instinct, now.

”If you’re one of Sagan’s men, you can drop the act, you know,” She said, lowering her voice so the cooks couldn’t hear them. She resisted the urge to fidget and bite her lip, as she was want to do when nervous, and forced her eyes to meet his. ”I know you’re not some businessman heading into the ‘office;’ your hand healed too quickly for that to be true. You’re not human, so…what are you? Cambion? One of the Garrods? A new recruit in the army? I’m not going back easy; I’m going to tell you right now. And if you try to hurt anyone in here to get me to go back with you, I’ll gut you like a fish. My time with that monster you serve taught me many things, so…try me.”

And that point, she was sure that either her head was going to turn 180 degrees, or her eyeballs were going to burst into flames, but she didn’t care. Things like these had to be nipped in the bud…and she had to know if she was going to run. Again.

…Just please, PLEASE say he wasn’t really a businessman, because running from the guys in the white coats were never fun.