He didn't particularly like the posters management had pinned up for the night. It was a flattering enough picture, he supposed, but that was where the good stuff ended. The full-color posters were flashy; in the middle was a picture of him looking soulful, a flowery kind of background, and bold print proclaiming "LADIES NIGHT AT THE TEQUILA" in smaller print it said "Half-price drinks for you ladies and the velvet voice of Adam Stanton". No punctuation.

Plus, 'velvet voice'? Good God.

The lights were dim, Adam supposed it was supposed to be romantic. That was, after all, the theme of the evening. And he looked the part perfectly. His bronze hair was artfully mussed and he wore a knee-length jacket that looked a bit like a roquelaure, dark grey trousers, and a wine-colored silk shirt. There was a rose in his buttonhole. But he played the part with enthusiasm, his dark green eyes like jewels as he let them glide over the largely female crowd, crooning about strangers in the night. Adam certainly had the face for romance with all of its smooth planes and striking angles. And his voice was perfect too--smoky and intoxicating.

Strangers in the night
Exchanging glances
Wond'ring in the night
What were the chances...

Sinatra was usually a crowd-pleaser. He also had some Maroon 5, Josh Groban, and a wide variety of songs on his list for the night. They liked for his show to be varied, a mix of classics and contemparary. Finishing his first set, he hopped from the stage and headed to the bar. Adam was signed up until closing, but usually divided his gig into four sets. Adam ordered a Virgin Mary. Drinks were free, but he couldn't get alcohol until he was done.

She was taking in her new home, Demaitre, this city with its many inhabitants, both mortal and immortal, such as herself. She walked the streets alone, Lance off to hunt with a promise of finding her later and she on the hunt as well, but not for food but for fun and entertainment.

Her black heels clicked against the pavement as she walked, much like a mortal’s would, though she had long left their kind. In appearance, you would think her human, alive and breathing, with fair smooth skin and curled blonde tresses falling around her bare shoulders. She wore a tube dress, white in colour with a large black band around the waist, and reached to her knee. She covered it all with a short black trench coat that just passed the length of the dress. She was elegant from the way she walked to what she chose to wear.

She saw the posters before she noticed the club, the poster alarming bold and gaudy in her opinion but what it advertised interested her. She always liked live performances, in fact she sang. She used to sing in clubs in New York when she and Lance had lived there, little far off places away from too much attention. She smiled, this would do, should would take in the entertainment and if worth her time she would stay, if not there had to be other places to find the fun and human company she desired.

She chuckled at the description of his voice ‘velvet,’ she had heard truly soulful voices in her time, Sinatra, Kelly and Crosby for example. Did they think this Adam Stanton of their calibre? She would test that theory. She also went in because of the name, Adam, it had been her brother’s.

When she walked in the show had already begun, the lights were dimmed and Adam Stanton stood on stage crooning for all her was worth, one of her favourite Sinatra songs, ‘Strangers in the Night.’ He was good, they had not lied, he was not Sinatra or Kelly incarnate but he had his own sway and appeal. She walked through the crowd of mostly women, and found a table to share with a redhead, near the front. She slipped out of her coat and casually placed it over her crossed legs as she sat.

Her blue eyes watched his performance, reminisce of the greats but still very current and new. She liked it and the smile on her face let it show. “Has he been on long?” she asked the redhead, her eyes leaving the stage for a moment. “No, just started,” the woman replied and both their eyes returned to the stage. By the time he had finished his first set, Thea, as she was going by now, had a new friend, Jazelle. They laughed, talked and sang along with their favourite songs as Adam performed, and when he left the stage Jazelle ran to the bar to get them both some drinks.

“A bottle of Bourbon and two glasses please,” she asked. Her order came quickly and she ran back to the table bottle and glasses in hand and smile on her face. “He’s over by the bar,” she told Thea. She looked back, finding the singer at the bar and then turned to her drink. “Hit me,” she said with a small laugh, clear and sweet to the ear. “Cheers,” she said as before brining the drink to her lips and sipping it slowly before setting it down again.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mr. Velvet Voice himself. Where's your bouquet of roses?"

Adam turned around, all thoughts of well-packed redheads immediately draining away. He knew that voice. "Son of a bitch." The sexy voice that could sing tunes of love and forever so well you believed, changed. In three strides, Adam was right in front of the man the lazy drawl belonged to, a tall muscular fellow with hair practically buzzed and intense brown eyes. Adam didn't pause, throwing an arm around the other to give him a hearty slap on the back. "What the hell brings Mr. NFL to Demaitre?"

Edgerrin Willis returned the pound with enthusiasm, those nearly black eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. "Trying to organize an exhibition game with the CFL. But, really, where are the roses, chuck?"

Adam laughed, slapped his old buddy's shoulder again. He hadn't seen the former Wolverines quarterback since graduation. "Keep harping on them, and they'll be up your ass. How you been, man? Your brain get knocked back in place by all those sacks your shitty O-line's been allowing?"

"You got me in good shape for knocking, with all your damn plowing in practice." Edgerrin replied easily, ordering himself a whiskey sour. The two talked for a minute about old times.

"Look, I gotta get back up on stage, 'cause management's probably grinding their teeth." Adam said at last, glancing towards the stage.

"A'ight. When you come back, put your pretty, pretty manners on. I want you to meet my girl."

Adam flipped a smile back, a charming one to the pretty blond making her way towards his old friend. Then he was back onstage and, for the heck of it, switched a couple of his songs around. With a wink to his old friend and the girl, he started Luther Vandross's Buy Me a Rose.

“Looks friendly,” Thea said with a laugh as she observed the exchange between the performer and the man she could only presume to be a friend. Jazelle laughed, “Looks like it,” she replied sipping her drink again.

Thea was taking it much slower than Jazelle, the woman obviously had a liking for the sauce and if she didn’t slow down Thea was going to need to help her home. She would be an easy target if Thea needed to feed later. She wouldn’t hurt her of course, she was enjoying the conversation, she might even arrange to meet this woman another time. She would be none the wiser when or if Thea did use her to satisfy the thirst.

She tapped her hand against her leg and rocked gently to the beat as the performer, Adam Stanton, returned to the stage. Luther Vandross was his next song selection, Buy Me a Rose, a lovely song. Thea had to admit that she loved that song, she loved all his songs. He had taste in music that was for sure. She applauded after the song was finished, a smile on her face.

“You come here often?” Jazelle asked; a slight slur to her voice that would have gone unnoticed if Thea hadn’t been a vampire. “No. it’s my first time,” she admitted. “You might want to slow down,” she told her, though not in the commanding tone she used to control mortals. She would leave the choice to Jazelle. “A virgin then?” she replied with a laugh. “Yes,” Thea replied, “you could say that.” Her eyes returned to the stage, “Does he perform here often?” she asked. Jazelle nodded. “Damn he’s hot,” she told Thea. The woman couldn’t get past that. Thea looked at him with silent blue eyes. He wasn’t bad. She sipped her drink and relaxed to listen.

Though he kept wanting to shoot a grin at his buddy, mostly because Edgerrin couldn't help but make gag faces at the romantic songs, Adam managed to keep the whole 'soulful' thing going as he slowly worked his way through his songs. Drifting from the discovery of love angle that he had begun on, he slowly moved to sadder songs, just as he'd planned.

Every night had to have a theme, a progression. There was a wide variety of genres in his show, from Sinatra and Vandross to the Backstreet Boys and Micheal Buble. Ending it on a contemporary note (James Blunt's Goodbye My Lover) Adam was seated by the time the show ended, his head down as if in grief. There was, after all, a kind of acting one had to do when on a stage.

The lights blacked out, done for the night. He'd made his intermissions between acts shorter than planned, since he'd spent so much time after the first set. Walking off the stage, he grabbed a table. Management liked him to hang around, talk with the patrons. Flirt. When that all died down, Adam would be able to snag some more time with his old friend.

Edgerrin with a girl, jeez. Was it serious?

Chi entered the Tequila after spending less than a hour in line. People seemed to mysteriously like her and often let her pass in front of them. She perhaps was only 16, but she had boosted her image with a bit a make-up and she looked at least 20. Her outfit of course helped. She wore a brown leather coat and black skirt covered in small silver stars. She removed the coat to show a black corset. If you could classify her in any type of school group, it would be goth.

She slid onto a stool at the bar and had watched the last part of the show. The guy had a good voice. She absently flicked her silver hair over her shoulder and turned to the barman as the music ended. "Coke and rum." She always kept it easy and she liked it that way. Sometimes she would venture a little farther, but for now this was perfect.

Jazelle’s continued to drink and continued to talk about the singer. She was amusing herself the only way she could. Jazelle, as it turned out, had just broken up with her longstanding boyfriend. “Three years…three bloody years and he just leaves a note…can you believe that?” she asked Thea, her words more slurred than before. “I mean…I loved him. I wanted to marry him,” Jazelle continued and Thea listened in silence. She understood the woman’s betrayal and she couldn’t stand to watch it.

She looked at Jazelle, “Jazelle,” the woman looked at her face and Thea spoke into her mind with a voice low and commanding. Enough drinking. Like a machine the woman obeyed, putting her glass down. “And this guy…it’s his loss honey. Let me tell you, marriage isn’t that wonderful,” she said, her eyes turning back to the stage. Jazelle continued to stare with a drunken look in her eyes before the words hit her. “You married?” she asked. Thea sipped her drink. “Not anymore.”

The songs progressed through the night, each getting sadder by the second. On the last, Goodbye My Lover, Thea’s eyes glazed momentarily but that soon passed. “So what happened?” Jazelle’s voice broken into the end of the song. Thea looked at her confused. “What?” Jazelle had been silent since Thea’s revelation, but now her curiosity got the better of her. “You said you were married. What happened?” Thea looked at her and studied what she was going to say. She looked Jazelle straight in the eyes. “He betrayed me, just like you. So I know how you feel,” she told her calmly. She smiled, “How about we not talk about them and talk to that singer?” she said leaning her head towards the table where Adam Stanton was now sitting. Five words from him would definitely perk Jazelle up.

Thea rose from her seat, her every move soft and elegant. “Come on,” she told Jazelle before heading toward the singer’s table. “Excuse me?” she said politely waiting for the man to acknowledge her. Jazelle now stood beside her fidgeting with her hair. She was attempting to improve her looks out of nervous habit. Thea had never had that sort of trouble speaking with males. She smiled at it, and then refocused on the man seated in front of her.

"I know your O-line's a piece of crap, man, but you're not always checking all your receivers before you throw. I know it hurts to get sacked, 'cause you quarterbacks aren't as tough as us linebackers, but you gotta suck it up until they get, at the least, a new center. Moreover, none of your backs can take the press—Oh, hi." Deep in some shoptalk with his friend, as his friend’s girl looked on with an amused expression, Adam broke off with a smile as he glanced at the two women.

The redhead was definitely bang-able, he decided immediately. As some guys do.

“How do? Like the show?” Adam asked, leaning back to stretch his long legs out.

Chi watched with amusement on her face. Every word and every expression were readily filed away in her brain. She knew this man, he was like every other man she had slept around with and it was surprise that all his mind was interested in was sports a sex. Men were so one-minded. Well it wasn't surprising truly it wasn't. There was a time where she had been the same, but then again someone of her age, needed entertainment.

She watched, her feet swinging slowly back and forth in front of her, sipping her drink carefully. A person could learn so much by watching and that was what she would do simply watch until she found something interesting to do.

Thea couldn’t help the laugh that left her as she heard Adam’s thoughts. He thought Jazelle bang-able. She looked at her new friend; perhaps this night might go better for her than she thought. Jazelle also thought Adam more than enough to make a night pleasurable and she didn’t need to read her thoughts to know that, she’d been saying so all night.

She waited for Jazelle to say something, but the cat seemed to have gotten her tongue, so Thea decided to help her. “We apologise for the intrusion Mr. Stanton,” Thea began, “but my friend was so moved by your performance that she wanted to come over and tell you how much she enjoyed it…we enjoyed it.”

She reached back and gently brought Jazelle forward. “Isn’t that right Jazelle?” The redhead nodded but still her tongue seemed to lack its former ability to speak. Say something,she urged into her mind. “I thought you were hot,” the woman blurted out and then seemed mortified by it. Thea smiled. That was not precisely what she had wanted her to say but apparently it was the foremost thought on Jazelle’s mind.

Thea sensed the interest of another nearby, keen and critical. Her eyes sought out the source and found it. She smiled and acknowledged her.

"The magnetic mystery of Adam Stanton." Edgerrin muttered.

"Oh hush. You don't have anything to complain about." Adam replied with a wink at Stacy, Edgerrin's girlfriend.

Adam's dark green eyes found their way back to Jazelle and Thea. "Not an intrusion at all, ladies. I'm glad you liked the show." He smiled. He really was good-looking. Not soft, vapid good-looking, but rugged on-the-edge good looking. And he had an especially devastating smile. Patiently, he watched the redhead, apparently named Jazelle.

"I thought you were hot." She said at last, then looked as if she wanted to sink straight into the earth.

Adam smiled again, surreptitiously crushing Edgerrin's toes when he snorted a laugh. Of course, he needn't have bothered as Stacy jabbed her elbow in the man's side at the same time. "Thanks. Always nice to hear compliments." Adam replied easily, wanting to put her at ease. She seemed a bit nervous--and buzzed. "Would you like a seat?"

Chi decided that perhaps now was the time to join in the talk. She noticed the other glancing her way and Chi tilted her head in response to the others acknowledging. She slid off her stool and made her way towards the table where they were all talking. She could be social.

She made her way, her skirt swishing from side to side and her silver hair draped over on shoulder. She didn't want to sleep with the man, no she wanted to be social, she simply wanted to know more about him.

She sidled up to the other vampire and smiled. "Hello. I'm sorry if I'm interrupting but you look very familiar." Her brow was furrowed, thinking it over. She snapped her fingers. "You played in the NFL didn't you?" Chi had watched many NFL games, she found the sport interesting.

Thea’s eyes flashed to the man at the table with Adam momentarily as he made some cute remark. She didn’t laugh.

Thea studied Adam’s method of checking out Jazelle. His green eyes were taking her in like a man in the desert finding an oasis. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take much for Jazelle to loosen up a bit and who knew, maybe they’d get to test each other’s waters before the morning came.

She would admit Adam was good looking, very, with that rugged look apposed to that smooth pretty boy appearance. She could see why he turned heads and packed this place full of women who wanted nothing more than to see him out of his clothes with his voice crooning in their ears.

Jazelle’s outburst didn’t seem to bother Adam in the slightest, which was good. The woman’s face lost the look of horror and relaxed a measure, though not entirely. The other man however, found Jazelle’s words amusing and Thea shot him a look but her face said nothing. “You’re welcomed,” Jazelle replied with a smile. He offered them a seat, which Jazelle quickly took while Thea lingered a moment before joining her. This was really for Jazelle, Thea wasn’t looking for anything in particular, just some good conversation and fun.

Just then, the girl Thea had noticed approached, she could feel her even before she spoke and her eyes turned to her with an easy look as she addressed the other man. Thea knew nothing of sports, she wasn’t a fan though she had watched a game or two with Lance.

“You going on again?” Jazelle asked Adam and Thea’s eyes turned back to the pair. She smiled, a sweet hint of a smile.

"He wishes." Edgerrin interjected with a laugh, glancing at the new woman.

"Ah, stuff it." Adam retorted comfortably, taking a sip of his vodka tonic. "I played college for the University of Michigan. I'd be sacking this guy's sorry a--butt, if not for blowing the crap out of my knee in my senior year." Adam washed away the taste of that particular disappointment with a swallow of his drink. And it was a bitter taste indeed, knowing he could have been a Pro-Bowler at this point.

And had an enormous paycheck, but the money didn't matter so much. Adam had money, quite a lot, but he had wanted the glory. And he'd wanted to play.

Jazelle took the offered seat, her as-yet-unnamed friend hesitantly following suit. "'Going on again'?" Adam echoed, still brooding over football and the game that at once given him everything and taken it all away. "Oh, no, sorry. That's all for tonight."

Chi bowed her head. "I'm sorry, I know what it's like to have a dream taken away from you." She could feel his disappointment. She hadn't meant to bring it up, but he did have the build of a footballer, which was probably why she had brought it up in the first place. "I'm apologize for my indiscretion, I shouldn't have brought it up."

She then let a small smile play across her face. "You do have a very good voice, I always wanted to sing, though people always compare me to a crow. Not my venue I suppose." She hadn't moved from her spot, though she was interested. "How did you find out that you could sing and well at that?"

Thea listened with some measure of disinterest as the topic of sports arose. By her face you would have guessed otherwise, but inside she was casually taking in others present, their specific location, size and sex.

“Oh. I was hoping you were,” Jazelle replied with a slightly disappointed look. “We were really enjoying it. Weren’t we Thea?” she continued with a quick glance towards the pretty blonde. “That we were. You were very good,” she added for good measure. “I would say you’re somewhere between Sinatra and Josh Groban. You have a very unique flare.” It was a genuine compliment, she knew and appreciated good music, she had been there to watch the greats like Sinatra perform live.

Thea looked at the other vampire, who seemed genuinely distressed by her mistake. Disappointments were a part of life. They had to deal with them. She could sense the disappointment in Adam, but knew like everyone he would eventually overcome it. Thea couldn’t help but smile at the girl’s curiosity and waited patiently to see what Adam had to say.

"Oh, well, you know. Started singing along with all these artists on the radio or tv. Listened to a lot of either super popular or really unknown bands, so I like to think I have a good range of influences." Adam shrugged, sipped at his drink. "Several kids at school had formed a band and wanted a frontman. I'm okay at bass guitar, but they liked my singing voice better. Kind of a rock sound, wasn't too bad. We split up outta high school, though, and I sang with some guys in college. Didn't do half-bad thinking of it..." And since he was, he swallowed the rest of his drink. Adam didn't have any idea where some of those guys were now. Kind of depressing.

"I swear, man, you should make a career on your voice. You can do better than random gigs." Edgerrin piped in, his dark eyes studying his old friend.

"Maybe. But I like what I do. 'Sides, a career means agents and la-dee-dah." Adam flashed his signature killer smile to Thea at her compliment. A mix between Sinatra and Groban? Definitely one of the better critiques he had recieved. "Thanks. You'll have to come on rock night, we'll see what you think then."

Chi watched him, her eyes thoughtful and then ventured her eyes to Thea. That one was reading her mind and Chi didn't quite enjoy it. Her mind was her own. She didn't got around invading others mind and she expected others to stay out of hers. Stay out of my mind child. The tone to the voice was harsh and yet bland at the same time. Something that one could master.

Chi looked at Adam's companion. "You know you may actually have an idea there. Yes there are the agents and all the nine yards which include popularity, money and woman. You sure that you aren't interested in that?" She eyed him. "You strike me as the type of red-blooded male that has many needs. Being famous would give you a lot of that." Chi wasn't ashamed with her words, after a time words really meant nothing if you fluffed them with words that gave the sentence nothing. It was better to get to the point.

Thea sat back in her seat as Adam spoke, her leg swinging gently and her arms placed in her lap. She had an look of polite and subtle confidence as she listed to Adam’s story. Like so many, his musical experience began with singing along with the radio and television. She looked at Jazelle, the woman seemed completely absorbed in his words. Thea was not so interested, it was fun to know, but nothing life altering for her, then again she wasn’t drooling over Adam as Jazelle was.

Adam’s friends interjected offering his approval and encouragement. He thought Adam should try to make singing a career, Thea though he could be right, he did have a good sound, but music wasn’t exactly the easiest career to get into if you didn’t want it badly enough and Adam didn’t seem so inclined by his own admission.

He flashed her a smile, which she returned. “Maybe I will,” she replied. As she spoke her eyes met with the other vampire, and then out of nowhere her voice exploded in her mind. Stay out of my mind child. The smile stilled on Thea’s face and her features became even. I do believe you that statement should be for you, she replied calmly. I was not in your mind, but you were very much in mine. Her words were polite and even.

She laughed as the others reacted to her statement. A red-blooded male that has needs, weren’t they all. “I’m going to get another drink. Jazelle would you like something?” she asked her friend. “Any of you?” she then offered the group. Her eyes flashed to the vampire indicating she was included. She was obviously the testy type and Thea wasn’t in the mood for an argument.

Adam gave a kind of half-laugh at Chi's words, unsure of how to respond. Truthfully, he supposed, even if he did come off sounding a bit arrogant. "I have money, popularity enough, and..." Oh, well now, what was the best word to stick in here? "Fans." He decided at last, smiling blandly at the woman with silver hair. Adam didn't want to be crude, you know.

Thea stood up, a funny sort of look on her face. It had been one of polite interest only a moment ago; now she looked a bit tiffed. Adam couldn't quite see what had been said to make the change, but shrugged it off. Still, she offered the table a drink. "Sure, I'll have a vodka tonic." He replied easily, then glanced at Stacy, who had kept rather quiet. "How about you?"

Stacy smiled, "I'll have a Sea Breeze. I like my froofy little drinks." Truth be told, she'd been kept rather entertained by the conversation flowing around the table. Besides, she wasn't the type that always wanted to be noticed. ((Translation: Romax forgot she was there)) Edgerrin was, so that balanced out evenly. "But, if you're heading up to the bar, let me go with you. Eddie wants a beer." She smiled at him and he returned it. Maybe they hadn't been dating that long, but Edgerrin always wanted a beer.

Chi let a small smirk grace her face. "Is that what we call them now? Fans?" Chi knew exactly what he was talking about. A woman doesn't live 6000 years without noticing a few things. For one, fans were different for what he was referring to. That she was sure of. She was sure that some were fans, but others were just woman looking for a good time.

Her eyes casually swept to the other vampire in the little group. HEr eyes held nothing, not even bland interest. "No thank you, I'm ok with my drink." She held up her drink as to show, it was still half full. The other vampire seemed annoyed at her, Chi shrugged it wasn't her problem. There are two ways to use telepathy, the first is mind to mind, the second is mind to air. I simply threw the thought out there, I was never in your mind. You plucked my thought from the air, I was willing to let you get that. Everything else stays in my mind.

Thea heard Adam’s remark about having money, popularity enough plus fans. He sounded a bit cocky, but no more than most men in his position she was sure. She let the look that the other vampire’s words had aroused, fall from her face and was replaced by a sweet smile. She was not about to let anyone ruin this night for her.

“Vodka tonic,” she said with a smile and then looked to Jazelle who smiled and ordered vanilla vodka. “Sea breeze,” she repeated the other woman’s order. “Okay,” Thea said with a small laugh at the woman’s remark about froofy drinks. “Thanks,” she added at her offer to accompany her to the bar, welcoming the company. She looked at the vampire and nodded her understanding as she refused another drink.

Very well. I had no desire to be in your mind I assure you, Thea replied casually before sweeping past her and heading for the bar. She had no intentions of arguing, she was about having fun tonight not squabbling over nonsense.

She sat at the bar as she placed the order. “I don’t think I got your name.,” Thea asked the woman who had accompanied her. “I’m Thea,” she introduced herself with a smile and extended her hand.

"Stacy. I'm with Edgerrin, the one who keeps making tactless comments." Stacy said it lightly, giving Thea's hand a squeeze. "Unbelievable as it may sound, though, he's actually capable of being quite charming--cute even." So speaking she glanced back and caught his eye, blowing him a playful kiss. He was a busy man too, but made up for it by being surprisingly sweet. Very surprisingly. "So, Thea, hmm? Interesting name. You're friend seems rather... " Stacy smiled, searching for the right word. "Enamored? with Adam."

"She's talkin' 'bout me." Edgerring muttered to himself as Stacy blew him a kiss. "She gets that look every time she is."

Adam ignored him. "So, I didn't catch your name?" He directed the comment towards the woman with the silver hair. Dyed probably. She seemed a bit, ah, highbrow for a place like this, but hey. Even as he resisted the urge to shoot some smart-ass comment back at her, he smiled blandly. Maybe his reaction would have been different if she was a guy, maybe not.

Chi smiled at him. Her hair dyed? Puh-lease. No hair could get this silver if it was dyed, it needed to be natural and it was. She had been born with and would probably die with it. It was really that simple. She played with a strand of her hair, the low lights bouncing off of it. She continued to smile. "I know what you are thinking. The hair, it has to be dyed? Actually I was born with hair this color, completely natural."

Her smile was amused and she gently reached her empty hand out. "My name is Chyou, I was born in China and now I live here. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Thea smiled, “Nice to meet you Stacy,” she said kindly. She looked over at the man named Edgerrin as Stacy spoke of him. “I see,” she said with a grin at her statement. “Oh I know all about that,” she continued, “I’ve had a charmer in my life before,” she added. A charmer, there was an understatement; the man was more than charming, no charm failed to describe him.

She watched the playful exchange between the pair but said nothing about it. She was an advocate for signs of affection, kisses, hugs, a fleeting brush of a hand against a back; it all was so warm to her…warm and human to seek out another.

“Thank you,” she replied to Stacy’s comment about her name. “It’s Greek,” she added. Thea meant Goddess or short and either seemed to suit her, though she would never claim to be in the likeness of any God. She was a short woman, and fair of face and when she heard the name she liked it immediately, that’s why she had adopted it for so long.

She gave a small chuckle as Stacy spoke of Jazelle. “Well Jazelle isn’t really a friend. I met her here just now and we just seem to hit it off, and I don’t think she’s alone on the enamoured front. I mean they seem to be interested in each other, wouldn’t you say?” she asked curiously.

The bartender brought their order, laying it out before them before moving on with his other duties. “Shall we?” Thea said with a smile as she grabbed what she could and headed back to the table. She placed the drinks in front of their respective owners and reclaimed her seat. “Did we miss anything interesting?” she said with a smile before sipping her drink.

Adam smiled, but it was a little perfunctionary. He didn't quite know what to make of this Chyou. "You read my mind. China? I thought the overwhelming majority had black hair. Asians seem to top the board in that respect..." Adam mused thoughtfully.

Stacy smiled brightly to set off the cynicism in her words. "Well, Adam's a man, so of course he's interested. You can't expect him not to be. Hmm, actually, I suppose you could, but... I know his type." Taking her own drink, rather impressed by how many Thea picked up, she followed the blond back to the table.

In response to Thea's question, Adam sent his smile her direction. "Not too much, though I've learned that this is Chyou and she's from China." Speaking of it, he turned back to her. "Have you walked the Great Wall?" He asked curiously.

Chi laughed. "Most Asians do have black hair, that is true." Even in her time all her family had black hair, but she had been different. "But have you ever heard of genetic mutation, Adam?" She tilted her head to one side and watched him with an amused look. Genetic was what she had had once she admitted to herself that she hadn't quite been blessed by the Goddess that she believed in.

Chi nodded. "I've seen the Great Wall, yet I never walked on it. I wasn't quite that interested on walking on it." She had never seen it in real life, because the wall had been built long after her time, besides she had preferred Egypt to China. There was so much more to see there. "I prefer Egypt, there is much more to see there."