Living paycheck to paycheck defiantly wasn’t the life Cohen was planning to live when he had gotten himself emancipated from his father a year ago. However, he kept telling himself that this was temporary, and at least he was free of his wretched, oppressive father. No matter he still had to work long hours at The Tequila to make ends meet to pay rent for his substandard apartment. At least, he didn’t have to fret about paying college tuition until after he graduated or he would be in even worse financial tribulations.

Walking into the establishment, he saw two guys in business suits that were settled in the farthest booth from the door. They were eating and had manila folders spread across the tabletop. ‘Working on a Saturday. Just like me, well, maybe not just like me. They probably didn’t have to worry about any foreclosure upon their apartment,’ he thought to himself. Of course, Cohen could have been wrong, but he doubted it.

There was a man crouched on a bar stool, nursing a tall drink. His face was already slack, his movements very slow and precise, as if he were afraid he’d spill something. Drunk at one-thirty in the afternoon; not a good sign for him. But Cohen felt that it wasn’t his business. You can’t save everybody. In fact, there are days when Cohen felt like he couldn’t save anyone, and that was including himself.

Moving behind the counter, Cohen put on his bright green apron that was inscribed with the Tequila logo. He wasn’t aloud to wear his eyeliner to work because it was a violation of his dress code, he didn’t complain because he made good money at his job. At the present, the bar was virtually empty with the few customers that he had already observed. Besides, refilling the already drunken man with his beverages and giving the businessmen their bill, Cohen filled his time with polishing glasses. It wasn’t that they needed it. He was just bored without anything to do. The real customers would come tonight when the sun went down.

But there was someone he could help. Someone he could save.

Keilana had only wanted a place to escape the cold. A place where she could get a bit of food and all.... But still that wasn't happening.

"Just leave me alone please!" She said again to the group of guys that had her cornered in a tabled area, sitting all around her now.

"Come on sweet thing. A beautiful girl like you certianly must know how to please a man." Said the most agressive of the bunch, the one sitting nearly on top of her.

"I'm not that kind of girl! Really I'm not!" She said as she tried to stand up. But the man pushed her back against the wall as he stood even quicker.

"Well you will be damnit." He said grabbing her upper arm roughly.

"Stop it! you're hurting me!" She said loudly. But no one even bothered to look it seemed. "Please! Just let me go you creep." She cried out as a vicious back hand made contact with her face. She fell silent, her terrified eyes looking arond the room desperatly. But she didn't make another word as she gave a soft whimper.

"Come on guys. Let's go show this lady a fun time why don't we?" The man said with a grin as he jerked her closer to him. His buddies all began to stand up but still she made not a sound.

As the afternoon dwindled and the night took its rise, more customers seem to haphazardly find their way into The Tequila. Saturday nights were the least fun to work because the most vicious crowds seemed to find their way into the club. Why couldn’t they just stay at the White Mice where there kind of behavior was acceptable? Well, Cohen didn’t exactly know, but he wasn’t the best enforcer when things got rowdy. He was small and under-muscled compared to most men, and he didn’t hold an authority when he spoke either. Cohen had been telling his manager that they needed a bodyguard, but she never listened to him. Go figure.

Looking up from the bar, he saw a group of men that were surrounding a woman. Not wanting to believe the implications of rape, he continued to make a tall drink for a customer in front of him. Then, he heard a scream that turned a few heads from the bar including himself. He looked immediately at his fellow bartender, who was a woman herself. Without words, he began to move from behind the bar to the group of people that were harassing the lady. The woman bartender went to call for the police.

“Excuse me,” he said without them paying attention to him, “EXCUSE ME!” They turned at him giving an askance glance. Cohen’s eyes went immediately sheepish, and when he went to open his mouth words failed him. Then, he swallowed quickly then finding some words, “Ge….Get away from her,” he said gathering a little bit of courage, “And we are asking you to leave before we have to call the police.” The glances that he received from those words didn’t grant him a kind response.

Anita García

It was her first night here in Demaitre. She had been in town for a couple of hours and Anita needed a little drink. Her eyes fell on this place called Tequila and because that was one of her favourite drinks she just walked in. She sat down at the bar and looked around while she lit a cigarette. The bartender looked sort of cute in a boyish way. Anita her attention for the boy was disturbed by a woman who yelled. Her eyes scanned the pub to see who had screamed and soon enough she saw what was happening a bit further away from her. This girl was harassed by a group of men.

Anita sighed and shook her head. Why were there always these sort of men who thought they could do everything to a woman? The bartender she was looking at before went to check on it but it seemed that he wasn’t the most courage one. Maybe she could help. Anita was used to these dirty annoying men with there cigars and drunken ass.

She put out her cigarette, got up and walked over to them.
“Good evening boys, you want something to play with then go somewhere else.”
She grabbed to girl to her and looked at them.
“This girl belongs to me.”
Even though she didn’t knew the girl she held her tight so they would think that the girl and Anita were friends. But clearly they liked that even more because one of them grabbed Anita and pulled her on his lap.
“Didn’t I make myself clear?”
Her voice was soft but cold. Anita got up and put her knee between his legs while she started pushing slightly. She tilted her head to his ear and whispered.
“I’m not that kind of girl and neither is she. So get up and leave before I have to hurt you.”
She pushed trough and could hear the man moan of pain. Then she got up, grabbed the girl by the arm and went to the bar while she whispered to her
“Let us hope they don’t make any trouble now.”

The bartender still stood there and Anita looked behind her.
"Hey we could use another drink you know."
A soft smile played on her lips as she called for him to follow them.

“Thank ya pretty lady.” Christian whispered pressing his lips softly to the inside bend of the woman’s elbow. The woman in question smiled at him, a wry grin that was just a bit flushed with the drinks she’d had and yet more than understanding if a bit confused by what had gone on between them.

She giggled, soft and bubbly as Chris’s tongue edged along the light bite wounds he’d left, healing them or rather bringing them close enough that it looked like he’d simply nibbled at the skin with normal mortal teeth.

The woman in question was one that he’d seen several times during the course of a few performances and well when she had invited him out for a drink, Christian had been in need of one, simply not the kind that came in liquor bottles. Unfolding the woman’s arm once more, he put a tender kiss where his bite had been. The woman wouldn’t remember, at least not clearly what had transpired between them. But he did allow the emotion surrounding it to be carnal if only so that the woman’s mind might write its own story at the end of the night.

And feeling invigorated, Chris got to his feet, his dreadlocks swaying with the motion over the almost bare tops of his shoulders. And rather impressive shoulders they were, ebony skin set off the white tank top he wore, which only served to show well toned and worked musculature. Chris was always proud of his body, it as much as anything else was a symbol of where he’d come from. And it was with that thought and consideration that a shout broke his thought process and the after glow that comes with a really good feeding.

“Good-night chreiè,” He pipped, giving the woman a soft and comforting smile. Then he was off, moving from his place at the back of the club until he was pretty sure he’d stumbled on the scene of the disturbance.

Two women seemed to be staring down a group of thugs. He didn’t even think as he moved beside the nearest of the women, his build and height no doubt making him intimidating.

“Now, now fellas. Don’t ya know how ta treat ladies?” He asked, giving all of them a dark look that as good as said “Don’t give me a reason to hurt you.”

((Er... Other Angel... Might wanna watch the God moding a bit ;) But anyway, on with the show :) ))

Hearing the voice of a man, younger than the ones who held her now, the girl looked up hopefully. There were fearful tears that had been streaking her face and she was shaking slightly. All she had wanted was to stay out of the cold.

"Scram Kid. We ain't gonna hurt her. Just gonna make her useful." He said with a grin. "You got a problem with that or something?" But his look grew slightly hesitant as another woman came over, apparently connected to the girl. And then a man. One who didn't look to be wanting a fun time with the both of them.

He gave Keilana a little shove away, pushing her into the large dark skined man. Instantly Keilana clung to him tightly, knowing he wanted to help her.

"Alright boys. Let's get outa here..." He grumbled as he began to make his way out, the others following suit. As they left, Keilana let out the breath she had seemed to be holding before. She pulled away from the man with a shakey smile and looked around at the small group that had helped her.

"Um... Thanks guys..." She said sheepishly. She hadn't wanted to bother them at all... but she had done all she could. When he had slapped her, not only had he stunned her, but she had stopped fighting, as she always had when struck. "I tried to tell them to go away, but they wouldn't listen..." She was quiet, her mind stilled from the eyes on her, most unusual really.

Watching the event unfold before him, Cohen almost felt relieved that he didn’t have to get knocked out on the job to save a lady from a pack of drunken men. Somehow he must have missed that somewhere in his job description. It seemed to him very heroic that a woman and a man came to the girl’s and his rescue. What was even more surprising was that he didn’t even know these people. You don’t meet a lot of people like that anymore these days.

Just trying to take it all in Cohen didn’t know how he was going to get back to work. It was like he could no longer focus on what was happening in the bar. He went over to the man that had helped in the situation, but before he could say anything he was swept back to the bar to make a drink for an angry waiting customer. Grudgingly, he went over to make the drunken man his beloved drink when all he wanted to do was thank the man and the woman and ask the young lady if she was okay.

When he was done he went over to the two ladies in the bar to see if everything was alright. “Are you two alright? I am very sorry that it happened, and if there is anything that I can do I would be glad to help. Also, madam, thank you for saving her,” Looking up, he wondered where the man had gone. He really did want to thank him. Tonight just wasn’t going to cooperate for him. Then again, why should tonight be different than any other night.

(OOC: right, hmm, okay on another forum where I'm active that's not really god moding, there god moding is when you put the other person in a situation where he/she can't get out anymore... but sorry for that... I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the information ;) )

IC

Anita

Meanwhile another hero came to save to day. He looked like the usual guy that worked out and liked to help others to get something in return. Anita didn't cared for it she walked to the bar and didn't even bothered to see where the girl was. Now that it was over she would be in good hands. She waited for another drink because she felt she could really use one. The bartender came over to her to thank her.
"No problem, what does a girl have to do otherwise around here. Just give me a drink please."

To some Anita may seem annoying at this moment but it's her first night here and the first thing she sees is what she has escaped from. That would bring everyone's mood down.
"I'm new here" she said to the bartender.
"I have just arrived, I'm looking for a job. Maybe you could help me? It doesn't have to be here, just a job somewhere… and do you know a little place that I can rent or something?"

Anita figured that someone who worked in a bar heard a lot and knew a lot so he could probably help her out.
"By the way, I'm Anita García."
She introduced herself to the others

Christian’s dark look didn’t vanish until the men had vanished from his gaze. His fist had gone tight about his sides and his muscular shoulders had bunched in preparation for battle. His dark eyes were made darker still by the shadows in which he stood and he had to work hard not to curl his lip in rage and disgust. Watching them go, he sighed finally.

“May da good lord have mercy on der souls…” It was a prayer rather than a curse, coming out melodic and exotic with flow that spoke of the Caribbean’s blue waters and many islands. In his heart though Christian truly hoped they could be better men. But that wouldn’t have stopped him from harming them if they hadn’t backed down.

Crossing his arms, the man’s rage drained away slowly. Then without missing a beat Chris’s expression moved from darkness to light, an enchanting smile making drastically white teeth standout brightly against dark skin.

“Ya welcome little sista.” Chris said easily, he hoped soothingly. “And it wazn’t ya fault, what a man does ta ya against ya will ain’t neva ya fault. Trust a man dat knows chile.”

Chris moved then, looking toward the bartender and the other woman that was involved. Chris had showed up pretty late in the proceedings and it was simply his nature showing itself when he moved toward the bar. Looking first at the bartender, then the woman.

“Are ya both alright?” He asked, voice still melodic. And he smiled at the woman. “Ya didn’t hurt dem to bad either I hope.”

Keilana gave a sheepish smile to the man as he spoke to her. His accent was one she'd only run across a few times back home but hadn't yet heard here. It was relaxing and calming and all... But she didn't want to be in all this light... If someone found her here... Not only was she under age... But...

The young woman who had helped her had drug her off to the bar... But it wasn't like she drank. She couldn't really. But she was tempted... She had heard that it made you forget, made you feel better... And Keilana wanted to feel better...

She felt more relaxed as they began talking to each other, letting her slip into a back corner. She just wanted to stay here a bit more, keep out of the cold... She had a bit of money left... And she was a bit hungry... But did she want to spend the last of her money now?

No. She'd wait. She wasn't really hungry anyway...

She just watched them, watched them as they talked... Keilana's eyes went to the young man who had first stepped up. He seemed nice... maybe a few years older... Then to the young woman... She had been rather agressive, and that kind of scared her... The tall black man though seemed like a gentle giant. He had been stern with the men, nearly beat them. But he had been kind to her... It was odd how situations could bring so many different people together.

Anita

She looked at the other man when he spoke to her and she laughed softly. Why was he interested in whether or not she had hurt them? Who cared for those men? The girl needed help and she helped.

"Well it's there problem, not yours. I don't care for it. And yes I'm fine thank you."

Her voice sounded a bit bitter but what did you expect. The man questioned her about what she had done. Well if he wanted to found out if she had hurt them then he should ask those jerks about it or she could give him the same treatment.

Anita watched the girl in the corner of her eyes. She noticed that she looked rather young and not only that she seemed to pull herself away from her and the other people. She leaned in to the girl and spoke softly.

"Look girl, don't let those men bring you down. There are more like those in the world and you should know that. Learn a lesson out of this and find a place where you can learn to defend yourself. There won't always be someone like me or them around to help you. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."
With them she meant the bartender and the other hero.
Suddenly her face was much friendlier to the girl. She couldn't stay that hard when she saw that little one. She seemed scared and there was just something else that bothered her but Anita couldn't figure out what it was. Anita smiled softly and put a hand on her arm.

"So you want something to drink or something else? It's on me girl, I noticed you could use something."

Chris couldn’t help the grin that came to his face. Some people had no sense of humor, born without a funny bone he’d say, but of course it didn’t matter to him one bit that Anita seemed completely oblivious to his joke about the men in question, instead he simply felt it as his responsibility to get some sort of positive reaction out of the woman before they completely parted company. What could Chris say that was the way he saw things and his smile was soothing and gentle once more.

“Woah, sista. I’m on your side.” He cried placating, raising both hands palm up in the universal sign of surrender, his smile still in place. “A man don’t always mean no disrespect when he joke, ya know what I mean? And besides I truly wonder bout ya. Don’t know if ya know like I know, but ain’t to many sista go round beating men on da head and so where I’m from its always customary ta see ta a lady’s safety.”

Chris then glanced at the bartender.

“Dat goes for well wish’en folk to ma brother. You did a good thing, dat not everyone would hav!”

Christian didn’t have the have vampiric empathy to pick up the emotions that were coming off of these three. He’d lived enough life to read expression, understand motivations and yet he did feel there emotions, sometimes felt them like his own and yet that was hardly his reason behind wanting them all to feel better. After all it was what he did, who he was, his calling if ya ever want to call it that. His faith demanded it…

That was Chris’s driving force and what lit up his smile as he looked at the young girl again and the woman that had seemingly taking a liking to her.

Chris could feel the girl’s uneasiness, and a bit more. Still he smiled and regarded the other woman softly so that no one else might here.

“I think she might be a bit too young for dat drink.” He said. “But she looks like she could use a meal.”

He spoke louder then.

“How bout it little sista? Could ya use a bite ta eat?”

Keilana was fine as they ignored her, prefering it emency. So much so that she froze as they spoke to her again and it took her a few moments for her to respond. And even when she finaly did respond she stammered repeatedly. "N-no... I-I'm fine thank you..." She trailed off, pulling her arm away from the young woman. Keilana's stomach growled in protest though as she rejected the offer. "I'd like a glass of water though..." Yes, that would also help to take an edge off the hunger as well.

She couldn't pay them back for the food. Well, she could, but she didn't want to spend her last little bit of money on food.

But Chris was right though. She wasn't old enough to drink, not even in Canada.

It wasn't that she was afraid of her company, but rather what they would do if they found out she was a runaway... If they found out that she was only a kid really... Would they turn her in? Not to be mean or anything, but to try and help her...

"I didn't bring any money with me... I couldn't pay you back..." She murmured almost embaressed. "And I already owe you guys for helping me."

Chris's grin was wry despite himself or perhaps truly it was because of who and what he was and his smile came bright even as he waved a single dark skinned finger at the young woman.

"Now, now, don't be like dat little sista. An old man I might be, but even I can hear ya stomache growlin from way of der and well it just won’t be right if I asked ya ta pay me back when I offered, now would it?”

Not waiting for an answer to his question, the Hatian man reached into the pockets of his jeans, pulling quickly wadded bills from their depths. It was some of what he’d made playing on a street corner earlier, about a hundred dollars all in all. For Chris it was more a thank you than anything he charged or even asked for his musical services and besides he could probably live for a few millennia on what he had spirited away all over. He’d never been playing for the money.

After all that was the thing about time. All sorts of things become valuable. Chris then placed the bills face up on the bar, even as he looked at the girl.

“Ya don’t owe us a thing…well except maybe ta sit here and have a meal like decent civilized folk…”

He made that last a joke even as he kept from laughing at it himself.

Anita

She couldn’t help but giggle a bit when the man put his hands in the air. This was a strange fellow. There were mixed feelings inside Anita, she was wondering what the deal was with this guy. Maybe she should give him a chance.

“Right, fair enough but as you may have noticed I can take care off my own safety but thanks anyway.”

Too young? With a quick good look at Keilana she indeed noticed that she might have been a bit too young for a drink. The girl refused their offer and Anita knew for sure now that something was wrong with her. Hungry, all alone in a place she didn’t belong, too young, no money and scared or nervous… she knew when people did that. Or she was hiding for someone or she had run away from someone or it could be both. Keilana remembered Anita of herself when she got away from Pancho. The same actions and attitude just like her years ago. She couldn’t just ask the girl whether or not Anita was thinking the right thing and so she just let it go … for now.

Before Anita even could say anything or take her money to get something for the girl, Chris already laid a pack off dollars on the bar. Anita stared at it and then at the man. She didn’t thought she still needed to pay anything for the girl. Maybe it was better if she left them alone. The girl was probably better of with this guy than with her. She was new here so Anita wouldn’t’ be of much help.

With a soft sigh Anita turned around and leaned with her back against the bar so she could look around in the pub. Would this be a good place for her? Demaitre was unknown to Anita and her first night here she had already been confronted with what she ran away from. While she softly shook her head with a sad look on the face she took her drink. The only thing that sometimes seems to help. Anita emptied her glass and ordered a whiskey. A new glass with the loveliest fluid ever in it was handed to her and with a pleased little smile she took a sip from it. A slight shiver went trough her body. Maybe she could get used to a life here, just maybe.

He was offering a free meal... Well... Shouldn't she accept? She knew it would be the smart thing to do. He seemed genuinly nice, like he really wanted to help her, not just try to corner her in to something...

"Well, since you're offering." Keilana said with a shakey smile. "I kinda grew up in a much bigger city even than this one. Not used to meeting a lot of nice people at once." She said simply.

"So... Um... How did you guys come ta be here tonight?" She asked curiously, wanting to know what had come about to bring this particular group together. "I was just looking for a place to- Hang out really." Well, more so for getting out of the cold, but she couldn't say that really. They seemed like nice people, but if they found out that she was a runaway? She wasn't really sure what they would do.

"I came here for a bit and just tryna find my place in the city... It's not as big, but it's deffinantly different." New York was like a world in itself... Something that anyone would be confused by if they hadn't grown up there. But the outside world was just as strange to her as New York would be to them.

But could she tell them she was from New York?