Into the City Heat {Isobel}

[Colin Holden]

Every day feel the heat in the city
Like the barrel of a smokin' gun
Read the signs see the lights they're so pretty
You're the one now turn me on


Las Vegas, Nevada. Night time and the lights on the streets glowed brighter than the stars in the sky and those who were blinded by the chance of easy fortune filled the city. They would be easy prey for a particularly skilled opportunist, but no, he may be a thief but he wouldn’t steal from hard working folks who could hardly pay their bills, Colin had rules and a personal set of morals. He would only take from the stinking rich, those who had more than they could dream of spending in their lives and in the next one. Not only that, but he would share…some of his gain to those who needed. He wasn’t really in it for the money, but for the thrill of getting away, slipping right through their fingers and make his master escape.

The place was the Rivertown Casino, not only the coffers would be filled with cash, but they would be handling millions worth on diamonds, courtesy on some exhibit some rich guy was bragging about. Off course, security was brutal, the best money could buy. Technology, big ass gorillas with guns and what had caught his attention was the hint of magic in the air.

Curious.

It wasn’t a one man job however, and that had gotten him a little edgy. He always worked alone… but this was just too juicy of a target for him to pass up. He would need a team of about thirteen to pull a heist like this one…or just one very good thief.

As he had heard, she was it. She was supposed to have some especial skills like him and a major crush for the sparklies. Yeah, she had seemed just like the one he needed to pull this one up, question was…could he trust her to not cross him and leave with the diamonds and leave him behind? Well, Colin would find out soon enough…if she showed up, that is. Women, huh? Always late.

They were going to stay on the Hotel Casino to prepare for the heist, registered as Mr. and Mrs. Williams. A honeymoon couple…he’d hear she wasn’t too bad looking, could be useful as eye candy to distract the big security guards if needed.

Viva Las Vegas!

[Isobel O'Conner]

Las Vegas. City of the shiney lights. City of guilty pleasures.

City of the SPARKLIES!

Standing outside the huge casino, Isobel O'Conner checked her reflection in the glass and then grinned. Dressed in a form hugging silk dress with a slit high enough to spark a mans imagination and heels that showed off her well turned legs, the little Valkyrie knew she was looking good. In a city like this, it would never do to blend into the background, at least most of the time, and she enjoyed the play on her senses the game gave her. It was like cat nip to a kitten and chocolate to a child. Entirely to wicked for a creature such as herself to resist.

Not with the promise of glittering treasures at the end of the game.

A casual glance around and then the beauty was on the move. With purposeful steps, she swept through the held doors like a woman on a mission and gave the attendant a wicked smile. As the young man gazed at her as if spell bound, she let a soft laugh trickle over her shoulder and sashayed towards the lobby that lead to the hotel connected to the casino.

All the way, her keen gaze swept the tables and took in what looked ripe for the plucking and what booths were under close regard. Not that any mere surveillance would stop her if she truly wanted to fleece the tables but they were simply to much hassle when there were other, easier targets.

However, she wasn't here for that at the moment. She was after much bigger.. Much BETTER stakes. She was here to pull off the job of a century. A job that promised the mother load of all stakes and a bright bobble that would be a trophy in anyones treasure.

All she had to do ... Was work with a man she didn't know and somehow manage to pull it off without him landing them both in jail. Word had it, he was an accomplished thief himself but she didn't know if it came from skill, magic or a combination of the two. To say she'd been surprised at his call had been putting it mildly but she was always up to a challenge so she'd agreed to meet him here. After all, life was dull if you allowed yourself to grew compliant.

A fact she knew much to well.


Reaching the hotel lobby, Isobel glanced around and finally spied the young man she was looking for. With a wicked grin, she took a moment to observe him. He was tall, handsome and definitely interesting. Maybe this would be fun after all.

Putting an extra swing to her hips, the young thief crossed the distance between them and grinned as she slipped her arm into his.

"Hello Lover.... Have you missed me, Husband?" she drawled impishly.

[Colin Holden]

Presentation was something he always took good care of, tailored black suit, italian leather shoes, impeccably shaved face and a one million dollars smile that had women that even when they knew he relieved them of their jewels, want him back. For Colin, light fingers or magic wasn’t enough to make a world class thief of renown. You had to have style and charm, survive overwhelming odds that would get a lesser one killed or locked for life and live to brag. It had never been about the money alone, if it was, he would be amongst those suckers on the table, snapping his fingers and making the darts turn exactly the numbers he wanted.

No, it was about the thrill, the chance of getting caught and getting away. While he did kept some of the riches he “acquired”, lots of it made it to the hands of those in need. Some charities, some hungry father or mother struggling to feed their children…in his own mind, it made him some sort of hero, a modern day Robin Hood.

The brunette that juts walked by him, the type with long shapely legs, big boobs and a face a man would sell his soul for, gave him that winning smile before he walked over to her, whispered a few worlds in her ear that had her knees trembling as he took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on her palm before pulling away just as her husband stepped away from the front reception desk, complaining about her expenses.

Some men, they just didn’t know what amazing jewel they had at home.

Placing his hands in his pockets, Colin wandered around the lobby, peeking with idle interest at the casino…or so would one believe he was just seeing the couple of newlyweds playing the roulette. Seems like they had a lucky strike, but it was at an end and their money was going away really fast. The couple didn’t seem to know the right time to quit and at this rate they would owe their pants in only a few minutes. But that was only part of was catching his attention, his trained eyes was scoping the cameras location’s, the big assed security guards and the exits. State of the are security, would take someone either really insane or real good to pull this out. He was on luck, he was both.

All that was lacking was finding out if his partner was good enough for that.

There was this surge of magic as her presence approached him, she knew it had to be someone of power. That slender arm enlacing itself with his told him she was it, dear wife. And he was probably married to a 200 pound old women, right? When his head turned towards her, it took all his self control to stop his mouth from hanging open and his eyes go wide in an awe struck look. No, he kept his cool, eyed her up and down, offered a soft smile and whispered in a teasing smooth voice. “Honestly, dear wife of mine, I was expecting more somehow.”

With a playful look in his eyes, he took her hand in his, entwined his fingers with hers and kissed her hand. When he let go of the kiss, his hand felt slightly heavier as he left into her finger the gold and diamond encrusted wedding ring, courtesy of the brunette from a few moments ago. Her husband would complain about her losing it and wasting his money once again, but he would get her a new one and that wouldn’t even make a dent on his bank account.

“Always remember to wear your wedding ring dear, you’re Mrs. Williams now, and happily married women wear their wedding ring on their honeymoon. Now, show we go to our honeymoon suite, we have the best in the hotel and as any married couple, we’re dying for some privacy, aren’t we?”

Yeah, he was no rookie. That woman was hell on wheels, getting involved with a woman that hot and pulling out a stunt like they were about to pull was a big no no. Alice Cooper had the perfect words for that. I want to love you but I better not touch. I want to hold you but my senses tell me to stop. I want to kiss you but I want it too much. I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison.

As he guided her towards the elevator and past the casino, Colin took one last look towards the other honeymoon couple. They were down to their last chips, the cute red headed wife had just kissed the chips for luck and then the roulette was spinning.

Thing is, fate really wasn’t on their side.

Placing his free hand behind his back as they walked past the roulette table, Colin smoothly snapped his fingers and with a little magical nudge, the little ball run a little further and the couple lucky instantly had a change for the better.

Now there was only the hopping they would be smart to quit now that they were ahead.

[Isobel O'Conner]

Oh... he WAS good. Give the boy bonus points! This certainly boded well for their partnership. He had class, charm and ... what was this? A sense of humor?

Oh yes, this might turn out to be fun after all.

Isobel hadn't even given a thought to the whole wedding band issue. It wasn't something that she normally paid attention to unless she was looking at a prospective lover. The fact that her new "partner" had graced her hand with such a beautiful one instantly won the little Valkyries approval.

Gifting him with a wide smile, the slender beauty leaned into him in what appeared to be newlywed adoration but mischief danced in her eyes. Never one to let a man think he had the upper hand, she lazily allowed her hand to stray down his chest and licked her lips in a manner designed to catch a mans attention.

"Oh... I'm definitely about the privacy, my lover.... The sooner the better... You know I hate to be kept waiting and its been far to long since we've... gotten... acquainted with our new status?? I think there are still things that I should learn about you?"

Then, giving him a provocative wink, she twisted away and strolled with him through the lobby. To the mudane eye, she was the picture of a newly weded bride as she gazed about at everything but she was mentally taking note of security cameras and other important details.

"What suite did you book for us again, darling?? I do hope its secluded and quiet... You know how that the last hotel complained about all the noise we made...I'd hate to find us put out on our rear ends before our ... honeymoon .. is over...." she drawled, winking at the elevator man as they stepped inside and waited for the thing to carry them upward.

[Colin Holden]

But she was a flirtatious devil wasn’t she? Good thing Colin had a level head over his shoulders and wasn’t the least tempted to…oh, look at those wet lips…no, no, no, NO! He was there on business, and while some times it did get mixed up, work came before fun. She was an unknown on the equation, she could very well be tempting him to get him to fall on his knees for her and when they got the job done, she leave him to see the sunrise behind bars…that if he was lucky. No, Colin Holden didn’t get his reputation by being a fool and trust was dangerous on his line of business. The wise men once said trust was earned, not given.

But he played along with it, smiled, even peeked at her cleavage to add to his act…oh alright, the peek was for him and not the act, but still…

Focus Colin, the job. Yes, the reason he was there? The diamonds? Yeah, it would be tricky, state of art security and it was just in the casino, they still hadn’t even seen the safe. Unfortunately that was one the places that they didn’t take guests to a tour, so they would have to find a way to sneak in first for a recon.

“Best suite in the place, you know I always get the best for my lovingly wife. And ah, yes…it is on the top floor, so we will have all the privacy we need. Only this time my sweet, try not to complain I tire you too much?”

With a smirk, Colin kept his new partner close as he saw the look of the hotel employee on the elevator gave him and he returned it with one of his smug ‘yeah, I’m that good!’ He could sense she was trying to give him back just as good, but he wouldn’t allow her to get the upper hand.

“Come on darling,” he tugged her along with him and towards the room as soon as the elevator door opened. “We have a long night ahead of us and I’m eager to start.”

The bellboy’s face went all red as he looked away and went on his way back to the lobby. Ah, the fun of embarrassing others, it always amused him.

A quick slide of the key card and they were inside a sumptuous room, large and elegantly decorated. Courtesy of a rich businessman who thought he could beat Colin at poker only to find out he was thoroughly wrong on that.

Unbuttoning his jacket, he placed it neatly on the chair in the corner and gave the room a quick inspection before nodding. “I guess that will have to suffice, don’t you say? Now I’ve heard a little about you, that you’re skilled…maybe almost as good as me,” he gave her a smile before continuing, “What you think? Can you do it? We need to take a peek at the vault before deciding on how to do this, any ideas? And since , my dear, you made so clearly that we’re the loud lover’s, we should be making some noise…otherwise they will believe something is wrong.”

Colin didn’t need to look to see the shadows moving under the door rem. The bellboy had sneaked back out on the hallway hoping to hear the newlyweds and gossip to his co-workers apparently.

[Isobel O'Conner]

Touche'.

Isobel had to give the man credit. He obviously wasn't going to be put off easy by a smile and a bit of patty cake. She suppose that spoke well of his talents but she was never one to put all her eggs in one basket. There was simply to much at risk and it wouldn't do for her "secret" to come to light. It would make for awkward questions from authorities of a different .. nature.

"Oh, I have no doubt that I can "do" it. That doesn't concern me in the least." she said by way of reply as she took off her own wrap and dropped it over the back of a nearby chair. "The question is... What exactly is it you are after and whether or not it interferes with my end game."

Walking to a chaise lounge, the petite woman sat down and relaxed casually against the velvet lining before shooting him a glance. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she took in the gaze he shot towards the door and then ran a hand up on curvy leg as she curled them on the couch beside her.

"Darling.... Why don't you pour some of that excellent champagne and come over here.. Unless your planning to make me wait? You know I get very grumpy when you make me wait!" she drawled out wickedly as she raised her voice loud enough for the bell boy outside to hear. "As for what I can do.... As long as its big.. enduring .. and able to make me see stars twinkling.... I'd be willing to do almost anything..."

Biting her bottom lip at the end of her double edged taunt, Isobel arched a brow at her companion and then sent one of her shoes flying towards the wall. When it hit with a huge "THUMP" the shadow outside the door jumped and she had to stifle a laugh.

What was that saying? "Eavesdroppers never heard anything good?" Er.. something close to that anyways. She'd bet her sparkling ring that the boy outside was having all sorts of lurid thoughts.

If he only knew.

"So... my love... I'll show you my ..stuff... if you show me yours, hmmm??"

With that, she let the other shoe fly and grimaced as the heel broke off as it to hit the floor. Damn, she'd really actually LIKED that pair of shoes. What a waste. The things a girl did in order to surround herself with her little comfort treasures.