Love the way you L I E -- Caleb

[CECILIA RENEE TABERNATHY]

When Lia got back to the bar she threw her hair over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes. The cops had asked her more questions than she wanted to answer. Why had she been the first to get there with Crispin, why was she even there. She’d made a good enough excuse that she’d gone as Crispin’s date but that had only really given them enough not to question her anymore about that. There were plenty of humans that didn’t understand what was going on. The body had been splayed out like it had been chewed up, diced up and then left there.

It annoyed her, the way the body was displayed. Humans were forbidden to hunt these days, at least leaving them out in the open like that. Too many human cops sticking their noses in other people’s business really. And that was what caused them all a dilemma. On a sigh, she looked around the bar—oddly enough it was silent. She blamed that on the time of day—there were a couple floating around but they were just setting up for the night when it really started jumping. Lia wasn’t in the mood—she wanted to get the smell of fresh blood from her clothes.

Oh she knew it wasn’t going to work, frowning she started walking to the back of the bar and down stairs. Down into the dark where her – whatever they were, stayed during the day. Most of the time he was sleeping but at that late hour she was sure he’d be up watching Judge Judy or something of that nature complaining about what kind of stupid sods they all were. For some reason that was comforting—even if they were fighting. She just needed to see him.

She smelled like Crispin, which was something—she just hoped that Caleb didn’t have a cow like he usually did when she came home smelling like a pack mate. She’d had relationships of some kind with everyone she would smell like them if she went to visit. But that was Lia’s logic anyway. She wanted to see him and sit in his lap and cuddle, even if he was a dead man who claimed he had no soul half the time. She just wanted to be held.

“Caleb? Are you up?”

[CALEB DESMOND ROUSSEAU]

Click, click, click.

Flicking his Zippo lighter on and off repeatedly, Caleb stared passed the flames to nothing in particular. He was currently in a meditative state, somewhere between sleep and consciousness, and everyone knew better than to disturb the vampire. The bar was in good hands, he was sure of it. Just last week he fired one of the bartenders for not wiping down the counter right. He was highly meticulous, so any fingerprints that were overlooked on the tabletop could mean someone's death.

Yes, it was as simple as that, and anyone who worked for him knew how temperamental he was.

Reaching over for the remote, he flicked on the telly and clicked through them distractedly, taking note of the time and the absence of a certain brunette. It wasn't like he needed her there, but rather he just... expected her there. Cale lifted his gaze from the screen when he heard a certain pattern of footsteps on the floor above him. It was a distinct pace that he recognized, making his lips curl into a grin as his icy blues darted back to the screen. His thumb moved up to smear a splotch of blood on the corner of his mouth, giving his lips a deep crimson color before his tongue moved out to lap it up. There, all clean.

Mmm, he had always been a fan of virgin blood. It was almost biblical, the taste of something so pure and innocent. Cale had entertained the thought of keeping one of his business trades, but eventually, she had managed to piss him off. That wasn't hard to do, however. So when he picked up on the smell of fresh blood and another mutt on the brunette moving down the stairs, his eyes narrowed sharply as a growl rumbled in his throat.

He could care less about what she had been doing... yes, he could care less, but he didn't.

In the blink of an eye, Caleb had disappeared from his lounging spot on the couch and he was standing before her, slamming his hand into the wall just inches away from her head. He left the imprint of his hand on the wall, one which had been redone several times now. "You tell me," he replied smoothly with a quick once-over, before producing a bottle of vodka from inside his coat as the lighter he held up illuminated her flawless face. "Long day?"

[CECILIA RENEE TABERNATHY]

She could say that one of the things she hated about him was his violent nature, but in reality—it was what excited her the most. The way he never apologized, the way he pretended he didn’t care right before the jealousy hit his eyes. It was fantastic and at the same time she knew it could lead to something violent—they were seriously a screwed up pair. With quick reflexes akin to her kind she grabbed the bottle form his hand and tossed it across the room. Whatever proof it was—she was going to have to pay for it eventually but the smash of glass was purely satisfying as she leaned her head back against the wall and gave him the kind of smirk that told volumes. That smirk was why the she wolf alpha hated her so much. She’d had a long day and she breathed when he said that, taking in his smell.

It was strange, for a vampire she actually loved his bloody smell. Even when he’d been feeding, oh sure she got jealous as hell of the women he fed on. He was a vampire and a calaus one at that. But for some reason she always came back, he was better than any kind of drug and that was also the problem being near him. It wasn’t as if he could get her to sleep with him, she’d evaded—moved away. Gotten close but never let him get that far. Why? She was scared, if there was an off chance that he was her mate she didn’t want to cage herself to an undead asshole that could never give her what she really wanted out of life. But, did she actually have a choice? She was fighting fate at every turn in her life. And Lia tried to make her own choices, ignoring the many ravenous wolves around her that bid her to do otherwise. No matter the clothing, they were all just animals underneath.

Her hands moved up and grabbed hold of his shirt, hard, with all the strength she knew he could take and she pressed her nose into his throat, taking in his smell. He could smell human blood, he could smell—a woman’s perfume and her blood boiled. They were just as bad for each other, and she growled low in her throat. ”You didn’t sleep with her did you?” she snapped on a growl, pulling herself away from him so that she could get her nose away from the harsh sent that was making her angry. Perfume, she never wore the stuff—it could give anyone with a sensible nose a serious headache. But she could smell it all over him. ”Cale.. you fucker..”

With the kind of strength her people were known for her shoved his arm away and started to stalk out. Great, coming here for comfort was the stupidest idea she'd ever had in her entire existence. Completely and utterly stupid. He wouldn't hold her, or rub her back in soothing motions. No he would fight with her, claw at her and bite her-- though she loved that. Sometimes she needed other things too.

[CALEB DESMOND ROUSSEAU]

Caleb had learned a good sense of deceit at a very young age. In the trading business, you had to have a poker face or you'd be taken for all you were worth. Now, self-control was another matter altogether. He seemed like your average devil may care, ambitious business man, but he wasn't. Certain things set him off, but he was usually good about keeping his impulsions in order. Enter Cecilia Tabernathy and all those scruples went out the window. If anything were to keep them from living out an immortal life, honestly? It would be each other, hands down. Something flickered in his dark eyes as she threw the bottle, a mix between anger and amusement. Her smirk stirred something else within him, the monster that wanted to grab her by the neck and mark every inch of her skin with his fangs. See, he was selfish and possessive, although he didn't live by the same rules.

He had gotten used to her scent, which was oddly repugnant only when it was mixed with that of another. Cale didn't forget that she was a werewolf, and more often than not, it was their differences that allured him. She wasn't the only one that found herself reverting back to bad habits. Of course, it would be better if their relationship wasn't based solely on violence, but Caleb simply wasn't an affectionate type of being. He never had been. But somewhere underneath those fangs, he was also a man, and her persistently dodgey antics could get to be... well, frustrating.

One thing he did like? Being handled like the ravenous vampire that he was. It was only a matter of time before she would pick up on his betrayal, though you can't really make any mistakes when you're dead, can you? Caleb smirked darkly at her words, resisting the urge to tease her for her clearly rhetorical question. "Would you believe me if I said no?" he stated, relishing in the sound of her growl. It was those little things that kept the fire going in their... whatever this was. "You don't exactly smell like roses. And that's saying something from someone who plays gravedigger during happy hour... it's absolutely revolting."

Cue a pinch to the bridge of his nose, but Cale didn't have the time as she turned on her heel to leave, before shoving him away. He barely moved as his icy blues watched her retreating form. If she thought he was going to follow her, she had another thing coming. Yes, he had convinced himself of this, but about two seconds later, the vampire found himself sighing as he moved over the railing of the stairs, blocking her from reaching the door. "I doubt you came here to bitch. We employ lackeys for that," he observed, tilting his head at an angle. "What is it then? You know I'm not fond of surprises... besides, Judge Judy is on a commercial break."