Business deals are good for the soul...{Kaera}

[Vincent Montegue]

If there was one thing in the world that Dominick Montegue hated, it was board meetings. Groups of men and women dressed smartly, as if this day would be their finest hour, the determining point in their fast paced lives, all grouped together in one large, multi-windowed room. Pairs of eyes would lock onto the face of the VIPs- some hungrily and some not so much- chairs would make low creaking noises as slightly underweight bodies sank slowly into them, and sets of fingers would interlock gracefully on the polished table.

Lord. Talk about boring. And guess whose forehead most of those eyeballs would be plastered to? One had to love being the Head Honcho.

…Not.

“But Mr.—Dr. Montegue, that’s impossible,” Jonas, the CFO of his New York branch said with a frown, said folded hands clenching a bit, as if they were picturing his neck between them. “We can’t possibly divert that much funding to such a…miniscule project.”

“You think giving money to a battered women’s shelter is ‘miniscule’?” Bella, the savvy Italian executive from the branch in Rome, replied back with one brow raised. “I think it’s a wonderful idea. Think of how the media would eat it up! ‘Billionaire’s company gives back to the community’. Throw in another million to a children’s hospital, and we’ll be swimming in support.”

“Another million? I suppose the Rome branch would be happy to fund it, then,” Jonas replied with a sneer.

The battle lines were drawn, bullets were flying from side to side, and fifteen minutes later, it was a wonder how the table between them didn’t melt from the hostility. It was like a tennis match, without the rackets and sagging with more backhanded insults than a good soap opera. Okay, maybe he’d rethink that opinion from before. Maybe meetings were fun, and not the equivalent of having one’s eyeballs poked incessantly for all eternity.

An hour later, however, he was moving in the other direction once again.

“That’s enough,” He said loudly, startling the two combatants, who looked sideways at him with eyes bugging out of their sockets. Yes, little bugs, he thought with an inner smile, you have angered the Master. Rising from his seat at the end of the table, he placed both palms on the tabletop and flashed them his friendliest smile, ignorant to the fact that ‘friendly’ actually meant ‘wolfish.’ “The plan will go ahead as I’ve laid it out, but the amount will be lowered from 2 million to one. And that money will be split between the shelters and St. Luke’s Hospital; the cancer research department, specifically. There will be no more discussion on the matter. Gentlemen, ladies.”

Oozing the class that his family- on their non-homicidal days…may the bastards rot in the dimension they’d flashed themselves to- had bred into him, he nodded to each exec in turn before heading out of the boardroom; stride long and purposeful. It was only when he reached the closed confines of his very large office did he finally sag against a wall and knock his forehead against it.
Stupid people and back stabbers. Was there a world that didn’t surround him with them?

Tugging irritably at the black tie his secretary had tied around his neck before the meeting, Dominick sighed at the dark world outside. Like any good billionaire and owner of one of the country’s most successful property firms, he was expected to make a certain presence; attend the meetings, grease the metaphorical wheels and keep his stockholders as happy as they could be. He was Bruce Wayne incarnate; sophisticated, business savvy and powerful.

Too bad that his Batman died a horrible, agonizing death all those years ago. All he had were the fine business suits and the cold, calculating demeanor. Oh well; it had served him well in the past. Won him a few angry ex-wives, sure…but no one claimed his amount of power without sacrificing some…personal gain.

“Dr. Montegue?” Poking her head into the room, Mary, his secretary, flashed him a nervous smile. The small woman had always been afraid of him, for some odd reason. At his grunt, she nodded at the little planner clutched in her hands. “You’re going to be late for your dinner meeting if you don’t leave now. I took the liberty of calling for your car. Samson is waiting downstairs.”

With that, she jerked her head out of the doorway and disappeared outside. Well, so much for contemplating a resurrection of a leather, pointy eared suit. With another sigh, he moved over to the full length mirror at the other side of the room; straightening his tie and smoothing the lines of fatigue from his face. Jacqueline Bousier, the latest in a long line of gold diggers, would be disappointed when he called to cancel their date tonight. He’d have to remember to mention to Mary that he’d need something nice sent to her suite. Baubles always soothed the money-hungry female ego.

Twenty minutes later, he sat comfortably in the leather confines of his town car, leafing through the informational packet that his aid had put together that morning. Morningstar Industries, a powerhouse in overseas shipping and retail, was just the kind of company that he’d been looking for, with enough assets and connections to spread Montegue Inc into the wide world. So, let’s see…50% shares belonged to…to…

The words blurred under his fingers and he closed his burning eyes with an irritated growl. Slipping his reading glasses off of his face, he massaged the throbbing pulse behind them. As head of the hidden face of Montegue Inc., the research portion that only his most trusted staff members knew about, he thought it his duty to spearhead most of the current projects. And, after a certain attempted suicide by one of his ‘subjects,’ he’d had to spend most of the week in the office, analyzing data and rechecking formulas. If one were to meld a spell able to tweak emotion with one that could summon a golem, the results just should not be instant depression—

“Sir, we’re here.”

Glancing up, Dominick blinked at the face of his driver. When had the car stopped and his door opened? Closing the Morningstar dossier, he flashed a small smile in Samson’s direction before easing himself out of the car. He’d been working too hard. Perhaps a few nights spent with Jacqueline would clear his head.

Nodding his thanks as a waiting porter opened the restaurant door for him, he strolled into the main room, gait confident and smooth. De Manchardi was one of the area’s most expensive Italian restaurants, with both atmosphere and taste that would surely suit his future business partner’s palate.

A shark-like smile fell onto his lips as he folded long legs under a candlelit table. Forget Jacqueline; there was nothing like a good business deal to make a man forget his worries.
Now, hopefully Morningstar felt the same.

[Kaera Fenrisulfr Vuldanshe]

Cool and sophisticated. Those where the two words that most people described Kaera Fenrisulfr as when she walked into a room or attended one of the many business functions she was involved in. As one of the founding members of Morningstar Industries, Kaera took pride in the elite status they had obtained through her own business genius and always attended any major meetings herself.

Oh sure, there were still those old school gentleman who thought that her pretty face was a chance to get one over on her but they learned very quickly that her ice blue eyes hid a shrewd mind. It was also the reason that the COUNCIL entrusted her with their funds which she'd managed to almost triple in the last few years. All in all, she was a woman to be reckoned with and it showed.

Arriving outside one of the higher class restaurants in the city, the petite blond stepped out of her little Audi and strode towards the door. Once inside the place, she slipped her black shades off her nose and looked around.

Dressed in a feminine black pant suit with her hair pulled back in an elegant coil, she fit the part of a normal business woman but her eerie blue eyes gave credit to the fact that she wasn't exactly what she seemed. As they fell on her "prey" they gleamed a bit. Well, well... Wasn't this just going to be fun? The wolf inside her focused its attention on the man and an evil little voice laughed with pleasure.

Dominic Montegue of Montegue Industries was a known face but his reputation for not liking anything of the supernatural was notorious. The fact that he had wanted to do business with her corporation was suspect. Why exactly had he called this meeting and what was it he wanted? Either he was playing a deep game or he had no idea who it was that was behind the actual running of her business. Either way, he was about to get a rude awakening.


Waving the waiter away, Kaera straightened her shoulders and strolled forward. Keeping her pace even, she approached the table and arched a brow when he looked up to see her. Letting an impish smile spread over her face, she arched a brow innocently as she held out her hand and introduced herself.

"Mr. Montegue... You requested a meeting with me? As you know, I'm Kaera Fenrisulfr.... also CEO of Morningstar Industries.. "

[Vincent Montegue]

Leaning forward on the table, Dominick couldn’t help but let loose a weary sigh as conversation buzzed around him. From board meetings, to research meetings, and now to a would-be lucrative business deal; his mind was so incessantly whirling on possibilities that it was beginning to tire itself out. Perhaps he should have pushed tonight’s meeting back to another time and given himself a break before he finally ‘kicked the mental bucket,’ or so his colleagues called it.

He pinched the skin between his eyes, letting the pitter pat of conversations float into his mind. Someone to the table next to him was conducting a similar merger. A couple to his left was exchanging one year anniversary vows…

God, and speaking of anniversary. With his client nowhere in sight, he pulled out the small phone his secretary had shoved into his hands as he’d left and squinted at the screen. Age called for glasses, but hell if he was willing to look like Winston Churchill before his time.

Yes, there it was; five calls from Wife #1. All probably simpering little ‘it’s our anniversary, darling’ messages in that throaty purr of hers. Wonderful; just what he needed to deal with after a week like his. As if work stress wasn’t enough…

He also got a good bit of Council stress as well. Bloody hell.

Tucking the phone into his pocket in an instinctively smooth motion, he looked up at the familiar voice that sounded across from him. Normally devoid of emotion, it was the Montegue stock and trade to look like a robot, and he prided himself on living up to the expectation. But, right then? With the knowledge that one, someone had snuck up on him without his noticing their presence, and two, this was no Morningstar exec that he was expecting?

Cue some definitely flashes of surprise, irritation and wariness.

Nope, the voice did not belong to an aging man with a portly belly and a dry handshake. No, this was Kaera Fenrisulfr, fellow Chair in the Council of the Otherworld. Good God, and he’d thought that he’d had a migraine before.

Ever the gentleman, he unfolded himself from the chair, taking her hand in a firm grip of his own.
“Ms. Fenrisulfr,” He said, British accented tones smooth as he sought to cover up the initial surprise at her presence. To lie, or to tell the truth…yes, the truth would probably suit him best. Morningstar would merely be a convenient foothold in the overseas industry; he could easily acquire another holding elsewhere. Motioning for her to sit, he offered a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I’m sorry to say that I wasn’t aware that it was you who held the reins at Morningstar,” He went on. Waiting for her to be seated before he did so. “I had requested a meeting with the CEO in the hopes of somewhat of a minor merger. But I suppose that that would be a conflict of interest, now.”

Because of his involvement in the Council. The mere thought of the elegant chamber filled to the gills with non-humans made his skin crawl and his jaw clench spasmodically. He felt no animosity toward the other species that inhabited his world; no violent tendencies, or the need to promote human supremecy. But, after certain…events in his life, the mere thought of what they were capable of never made him tense with expectation. It was only a matter of time before someone got it in their heads to rule, and who were humans, when pitted against beings who could heal in a matter of minutes, or dodge bullets with unnatural speed?

And Ms. Fenrisulfr was definitely one of those ranks. The shifters; one of the elite race, whose souls were melded with that of an animal. In the past, he and his fellow scientists had tried to examine this fact on a molecular level, and found such large amounts of fascinating data, that it was almost impossible not to harness more samples. Each donor was willing, however, which he never hesitated to point out to others more…skeptical of his beliefs.

Some called him Frankenstein, and others- most of whom were of other species themselves- kept their distance. No one could understand, or so it seemed, that all he wanted was knowledge. Understanding, clarity…

Peace. But those were thoughts for another time.

“I am sorry to have called you out here, Ms. Fenrisulfr,” He said, then motioned toward the menus on the table. “I’ve already paid for tonight’s meal; an estimate of my and my ‘hopeful business partner’s’ expenditures. Please, order a meal, as I’ve stolen you from your dinner plans.”

[Kaera Fenrisulfr Vuldanshe]

Surprise, irritation and a hint of anger. Just what she expected when approaching but it still made her want to laugh. Humans were so predictable at times and this mans ill humor of anything different was legendary. However, business was business and if a profit was to be made.. Then who was she to stand in the way of progress.

"Mr. Montegue." she said by way of greeting before taking a seat and leaning back in the comfortable dining chair. "Its only a conflict of interests if you allow it to be. I'm quite capable of conducting business without letting my political views interfere. The only question that remains is.. Can you?"

Settling cooling into her business air, Kaera meet him gaze levely with a slightly arched brow. The only hint of her impish nature was in the challenge that her sapphire eyes fairly sparked at him.

"As long as we are both prepared to act like the two grown adults we are... I don't see any reason why we can't go ahead with things and hopefully come to a decision that will be mutually beneficial."

Ok, so yes, some inner part of her was really enjoying getting a one up on this man who believed mortals to be the supreme race. But honestly? Who could really blame her? The man looked so immaculate sitting there in his armani suit and well groomed hair that it made her want to reach over and ruffle it just to see what he would do.

His whole demeanor practically shouted, "I AM MAN, HEAR ME ROAR." and her fingers just ITCHED to knock him down a few pegs. Good grief, she thought the whole caveman thing had gone out with the dark ages but here was a perfect example of why she stayed away from modern men. .. Not to mention the fact that he looked so damned good doing the "I'm in charge" thing that her feminine side couldn't help but take notice. Something that she had NO intention of letting HIM know. The guy was already arrogant enough, for cripes sake. Never mind that fact that he was exactly the type that she had a weakness for. Oh the curse of growing up in a time when men were men and they didn't have these idiotic notions of male submission.

Pushing that little fantasy aside, the petite blond sighed and crossed her legs. She caught the slide of his eyes and hid a smile. So maybe she wasn't being purely innocent but a girl used what assets she had right? Right.

"So... What was this merger you were wanting to talk about. I admit that you have me curious but I didn't have time to talk with my secretary since I just flew in from Paris."

[Vincent Montegue]

Biting back the urge to bristle at her question, Vincent merely rolled a shoulder in a habitual show of annoyance and waited for her to be seated before he took his own once again. She was such a deceptively little thing; seemingly frail and breakable. Yet, from verbal sparring in the Council Chambers, he’d caught sight of a whiplash wit, and an inner strength that made his own pale in comparison. There was enough of that in the Fenrisulfr Clan to force his normally intolerant demeanor to soften ever so slightly, and he held a grudging respect for the family.

Even if they were a family of monsters who, if ever let loose on the world, could eradicate the human race. Or, at least, turn them into their image. Call him a survivalist, but he liked humanity a little bit too much to trade for fur and sharp teeth.

But that was where the Institute came in. He should actually thank Kaera and her kind for…donating their time in his facility. Some of the world’s most useful vaccines had come from the blood of the ‘others’ whom the Council defended.
Well…vaccines and weapons, but none save Uncle should ever have to know about that one.

“If you can manage, I’m sure that I can make an attempt,” He replied with a little nod at a nearby waiter.

As she shifted, his eyes flickered over to her, keeping his attention half on the waiter as he poured the usual glasses of water, and half on his ‘guest.’ Like her brothers, Kaera had a timeless air about her that seemed to attract attention. It was no matter that he loathed all things inhuman; the woman had a sad air about her, underneath her cutting mind, and the naturally male part of himself wanted nothing more than to protect. She was so small in her human guise, with an Old World beauty that turned eyes more often than not, and he found himself wondering what those lush lips would taste like.

…Yes, a momentary lapse in judgment, that. He’d gone far too long without a nice piece of arm candy; he’d have to remedy that in the upcoming charity banquet next week. Ah, an evening spent with a gold digger and a night with a house echoing with fake screaming orgasms. Ah, the life of a millionaire.

“Perhaps you would like to order, first?” He asked smoothly, despite the bitter direction his current thoughts were taking. “Surely if you’ve just flown in from Paris, you should be hungry. Francois makes the best boux d’obviers in all of the States.”

With the waiter hurrying over and his eyes locked on the scurrying young man, Vincent went on, a bemused expression flickering onto his face. “What I had for Morningstar, Ms. Fenrisulfr, was a merger proposition. We both have shipping interests in eastern Europe, and I thought it beneficial if we…shared the burden acquiring trade routes.”

[Kaera Fenrisulfr Vuldanshe]

I've known a few guys who thought they were pretty smart
But you've got being right down to an art
You think you're a genius-you drive me up the wall
You're a regular original, a know-it-all
Oh-oo-oh, you think you're special
Oh-oo-oh, you think you're something else
Okay, so you're a rocket scientist
That don't impress me much

Oh yeah, there was just something about Mr. Fancy Pants that made Kaera wanna rattle his chains. He had that whole immaculate look thing going and it was all she could do not to reach across the table and ruffle his hair like a five year old. Part of her wondered what he'd do if she got up and plopped in his lap and kissed him silly. It would almost be worth it just so see.


However, she was a business woman first and foremost so she pushed aside those thoughts and gave him a cool smile instead. After all, no matter how appealing she found him, she never mixed business with pleasure. It just wasn't the appropriate way to do things and she was always steadfast in her duties.

"Thank you, Mr. Montegue. I believe I will take your suggestion and try that." she replied politely without even glancing at the menu. "As for the merger... I believe I can see your point. However, there have been troubling rumors about your business ethics and I find myself a bit hesitant to agree to anything without some verification of your intent."

Watching him carefully as she laid her cards on the table, Kaera wondered just how much of the information Wulf had been gathering was true. The word on the street was that more than simple voluntary tests were being run at Montegue Industries and her brother was becoming more and more upset as the facts rolled in. Since this man was a trusted part of the Council, it wouldn't go over well if he was actually doing the things being suggested.

Heaven forbid Wulf ever figure out she was meeting with the man by herself. He'd have kittens over it and she'd probably be locked in the basement for the last of the man's mortal life. Something she DIDN"T need happening.

"Please don't misunderstand me, sir. I'm sure your aware that we Fenrisulfr's don't believe in beating around the bush and I won't insult either of us by using pretenses. My brother speaks highly of your business intuition but word of involuntary .... testing has been leaking to our world. I'm sure you realize that if this is true then it would have a great impact on any future...business arrangements we might have. I'm sure you can understand why that might be." she continued. "I hope that all this is a misunderstanding because I'd hate to think of a man such as yourself stooping to unethical practices. It would make the person little better than the ... animals he abuses."

Letting her sapphire eyes glow, Kaera tilted her chin and meet his gaze levelly.

[Vincent Montegue]

He’d been in the middle of taking a sip of his wine, when her words caught him by surprise. Problems with his business ethics? Him? Who was always double checking laws and donating half of his yearly income to charities? HIS business ethics were in question?

Oh, the urge to leap up from the table and storm off was too much to bear! Listen to this; a monster wearing a beautiful woman’s face was telling him that he was the unknown factor. Did he go around, lying to the government about his identity? Did he forge documents and work around the law to make sure that his people had leniency from the human world? No! How dare she say such a thing!

But he would never let his anger show, save the slow, measured way he set his wineglass down onto the pristine white tablecloth below. Ever so slowly, he leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of his chest.

“What ever happened to outside matters not affecting a business relationship, Ms. Fenrisulfr?” Tilting his head, he regarded her with his normal guarded expression. It really did mean very little to him; the merger he’d been thinking of appropriating that night. He could always buy into outside companies and have his lines protected that way. And especially now that he knew that Morningstar was owned by the Fenrisulfr Clan? The plan had evaporated the minute Kaera had sat down at his table.

He had to look into this little financial surprise. How many other companies did the family own? His accountants were going to have a run for their money in the weeks to come.

Tapping his fingers together thoughtfully, he continued. “But I suppose your questions are warranted, given the situation. Despite what…rumors your brother has heard,” Note to self: find the talkative mole feeding information to Wulfgar and dispose of him. “Montegue Research does not partake in illegal testing; illegal by your laws or mine. All of the subjects that we have working with us are voluntary, or so far gone in a mental fugue that it’s either get them off of the street or kill them.”

The waiter returned, happily setting their plates down in front of them. How long had it been since he’d eaten? Slept? One glance down at the plate in front of him had his stomach turning in disgust, and self control alone kept him from shoving the dish away. It was just anxiety, he told himself. Pressure and insomnia.

But he knew better. It was…no, he wouldn’t go there. Not with her sitting in front of him, and the public at his back.

“Is that what you prefer, Ms. Fenrisulfr?” He went on, leaning forward slightly. “To kill the unwanteds of your kind, who are too far gone with trauma from their Change, or too afraid to understand how their gifts work? We aren’t murderers at Montegue, or prison guards. Everyone who walks through our doors are treated equally, and are allowed to leave at any time, if they so wish. We are scientists, not torturers. We want to learn, to teach, and to help society- both yours and mine- in every way possible.”

Ugh, now his stomach was really boiling. With a shake of his head, he leaned back again, looking down at his plate before irritation could shine through. He had to get rid of these pesky ‘rumors’ before they really started to harm his reputation in the Realm. Not that he minded being called Frankenstein, but he didn’t solely deal with human businessmen, in this day and age. His employees wouldn’t suffer for his bias.

“I apologize…this meeting wasn’t called to become a lecture. It would probably be best if I leave. Enjoy your meal, Ms. Fenrisulfr. I would suggest dessert, too, if that wouldn’t seem too presumptuous of me.”

He paused, a thought sliding into his mind. How could he kill the rumors flying around? Why, appease the ear that’s listening to them. Standing slowly, he settled his napkin onto the table, motioning for the waiter to come over. After discretely slipping him his credit card, he turned back to his guest.

“Tell you what,” He said, something akin to amusement in his eyes. Once in a lifetime, he silently said. “I could sit here and argue with you until we’re both ready to get at each other’s throats…at which point, I’m sure that I would not be coming out on top,” A roguish smile. “But if you are so…curious as to what goes on in the Center, I’ll set up a tour for you, for your brothers, for anyone interested. Montegue Research Center isn’t open to the public, but in the face of these…allegations, I’ll make an exception. Have your secretary call mine…or, if you’re free, we could go now. Whatever is more convenient for you.”

[Kaera Fenrisulfr Vuldanshe]

OK, so maybe Mr. Montegue believed what he was doing was the right thing. Kaera had seen many world leaders rise and fall on those very platforms and she'd seen more nations destroy for just those very things. However, he did managed to surprise her when he offered to let her take a tour of his facilities. That, she hadn't expected.

Sitting silently for a moment, the petite blond stared across the table at him and weighed her options. Her schedule didn't have anything on it that couldn't be postponed and if she gave him time to think his offer over... Well, he might be the one to change his mind. This might be a one shot chance at seeing just what went on behind those lab doors and to see if he was telling the truth.

Making a snap decision, Kaera opened her purse and pulled out her cell phone. Hitting speed dial, she kept her gaze trained on her companion as she cancelled her afternoon appointments and told Ashling where she would be if anyone needed to contact her. When she hung up, she arched a brow at Montegue.

"I'm all yours for the afternoon, sir. Never let it be said that I'm not fair minded and I think a tour of your labs would be very entertaining."

Then, sliding her chair back, the she wolf stood up and laid down enough money to pay for her uneaten lunch. As she waited for him to join her, she wondered if she was making a smart choice. Montegue wouldn't dare to harm her but going into the labs would be risky. Wulf was NOT going to be happy with her.

(Okies.. If you like... We can just skip forward from here?? LOL Save the mundane chitchat over to the place if you like? )