A New Wildcard is Added to the Deck

The driver lowered the divider, calling back to Quinn.

"Sir, we will be entering Shreveport shortly. I thought you would want time to wake before we get to the airport."

"Yes, Driver, well done. Gate 13, pull up out front. We are looking for a Russian woman Tall, slender. Dancer's build. Shoulder length hair, bright green eyes. She will be arriving shortly on the flight from Moscow."

Quinn hands him a name placard reading Viktoria Ivanov.

"I will wait here..."

"Of course, Sir...."

As the driver got out, Quinn smiled....everything was going according to plan...

A smile crept to her face as she walked through the airport, men and women both stopping to stare at her as she all but floated through. Even when she had been human she had always turned heads of passersby. Seeing a man standing with a placard, her name scrawled across it in flawless print. Walking to him, she gave a bright smile and spoke, her voice slightly accented. "Hello. I am Viktoria." She held her hand out to him and continued forcing a smile.

Quinn was relaxing, watching the donor's anticipation build as they waited for Viktoria's arrival.

He heard the woman approach and give her name to the driver. He rolled down the window and smiled.

"Once снова вы приехали в Америку, мой друг...Пожалуйста, получите в машине. У нас есть много, чтобы обсудить перед рассветом."
(Translation: "Once again you come to America, my friend..please get in the car. We have much to discuss before dawn.")

He smiled as she listened. The driver opened the door to let her into the back of the limo...

As she got in, Quinn took the time to look her over.

Я думал, вы можете быть голодным после рейса, поэтому я принес что-то на ваш вкус.
(Translation: I thought you might be hungry after your flight, so I brought something to your tastes.)

He paused for a moment, and smiled.

"If you do not mind, I am going to switch to english, as I am sure my accent is terrible..."

She smiled at him and inclined her head politely as she slipped into the limo. "Спасибо вам, г-н Куинн. It в удовольствие встретиться с вами. (Thank you, Mr. Quinn. It's a pleasure to meet you.)" As she settled into the seat, her eyes went to the woman sitting beside her and her mouth started to water slightly as she inhaled. Casting her gaze to Mr. Quinn, she smiled, her fangs peeking out daintily from behind her lips.

"Your accent is fine, Mr. Quinn. But I do appreciate the kind gesture." She looked back at the woman and leaned in close, her face inches away from the woman's neck. A sigh slipped through her lips as she whispered softly, "Вы запах вкусно. (You smell delicious)." The woman shivered and exhaled softly causing Viki to grin in delight; she moved her hand to the woman's leg and gently ran her fingers across it as she looked back at Mr. Quinn. "I would like to thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Quinn. In bringing something to eat and greeting me respectfully. I don't expect that from many men, so I must admit it is a pleasant surprise."

Quinn smiled and watched as she played with the donor.

"Of course, Ms. Ivanov. I believe it was your own Yuri Samerian that once said It is better to be overly respectful the first time you meet than to cause offence by showing too little.."

He smiled and nodded to the donor.

"Feel free to indulge as you please with her. She was hand picked for you, and from the smell of her, she is already about to burst..."

He motioned for the driver to shut the door and start driving.

"You will find I have no qualms about vampires and feeding."

His fingers ran over his leg where Jessica liked to feed, and he could not help but chuckle.

The limo pulled forward and rolled out of the airport parking lot.

She smiled at him as her hand continued running up and down the woman's leg, her arousal permeating the air and causing Viki to shiver. Her eyes went to Quinn's as she tilted her head to the side. "I hope you do not mind my eating in front of you, but I am quite hungry. It was a long flight and I feed often." She didn't miss the subtle touch of his hand to his leg, the vein she preferred herself when dining alone. "But then again, I see you are no stranger to a vampires bite, am I right?"

Her hand moved up a bit farther on the woman's leg and she moaned as her scent grew stronger. "I apologize for doing this in public, дорогой (darling), but I'm quite hungry." She nodded her head at Mr. Quinn, gripped onto the woman's leg and sang her fangs into her neck. While she pulled greedily at the woman's vein, her eyes and mind were on Mr. Quinn the entire time. She was not trusting, particularly towards men, but it would be very rude to not accept his gift. It wasn't long before she all but forgot that he was there, losing herself in that heady, thick crimson liquid.

Quinn smiled at her comment, nodding to confirm her observation.

"I do have that pleasure. Though I am extremely selective in that matter."

As she began to feed, Quinn could not help but think of Jessica as the woman's fangs pierced the donor's flesh. He smiled, then looked out the window rather than watching her feed. Jessica had made clear that for some vampires, feeding was a very personal thing. He smiled, as his mind went back to him own lovely vampire...

The woman's pulse slowed and she pulled away begrudgingly, pricking her finger lightly on her fang and dabbing it against the holes on her neck. Wiping her mouth on a napkin that was laying near where she sat, she cleared her throat and looked back at him, tilting her head sideways as she did so.

"Who is she? If it's not too forward to ask." She was curious; this was no mere mortal man. He was a were, and a very powerful one if she said so herself. With a raised brow, she sat there watching him, even as the woman's head gently fell on her shoulder; her donor was passed out, most likely due to blood loss. Oops. She had always had trouble with that.

Quinn chuckled as the donor slid down, out cold...

"Don't worry, our people will take care of her."

He looked up, smiling, as she asked "Who is she? If it's not too forward to ask."

He could not help but chuckle before answering...

"Of course not. It is a simply curiosity. do you wish to know her name or her pedigree? As you know, they are very different things..."

She raised a brow at him as she moved the sleeping woman to lay on the armrest on the other side of the seat. "Both. I assume she is higher class, as well as beautiful, to have attracted a man such as you." She smirked and settled more comfortably into the seat.

He smiled at the compliment, unexpected from what her profile had indicated. He nodded and smiled.

"She is none other than the progeny of the King of Louisiana. Her name is Jessica."

He grinned, waiting for that information to sink in for a minute before continuing...

"..and as an added interesting twist, we have His blessings...."

Her brow reached it's peak and she grinned slowly. "Really now? You, a were-tiger, and the king of Louisiana's progeny.... That is very interesting." She crossed her legs and leaned forward, placing her chin on her hands and her elbows on her knees as she looked at him. "Speaking of Louisiana...."

There was no way that she would be there. She hadn't seen, nor heard, from her former lover in over 60 years, but she had to ask. "I was wondering if you knew of a Ms. Beaufort?" She watched his face for the slightest hint that he recognized the name, part of her hoping that he did and part of her hoping that he didn't.

Quinn thought carefully...

"Ms. Beaufort? I am not certain. I am not a native of Shreveport, but I know someone who might be able to help. She is the owner of a vampire club here in Shreveport. She tends to know anything going on in the area. I'll see about arranging a meeting for you. Perhaps she can help you find your friend, if she still resides here."

He smiled, thinking to himself that Pam knew everyone in the city. She would know...

"Did Ariana explain the current arrangements to you before you left Russia?"

A woman... running a bar... in Shreveport. She cleared her throat and nodded her head. "I would very much like that if you could get me in touch with her." She cleared her throat and calmed herself down a bit before answering his question.

"She didn't give many details. Just mainly stated I was to meet you tonight as you had things to discuss with myself." Raised a brow again and smirked. "What do you have in mind, Mr. Quinn?"

OK...time to make his pitch.

"While I have close ties to the Vampire community, for various reasons, there are still some of the Old Guard that prefer to interact with only vampires. Ariana mentioned you to me in a message thinking you might have interest in working with the EEE."

He took a breath.

"While you consider the option, you have full use of the studio Ariana mentioned to you as well as a modest expense account and car service."

He hands her a small black folder.

"This is a donor supplier that delivers. Just let them know what you want and it will be located and delivered to you. The cost during your stay will of course be picked up by the EEE. We want you to be free to take your time considering our offer without concerns like where to feed and such. All we ask is that you simply consider our offer..."

She nodded her head at him and took the small folder, quickly rifling through it as she listened to him.

"I can accept those terms. If you give me a couple of days, and help me find my...." Smiled a bit "Help me find my friend, I will be honored to accept this offer. There is nothing left for me in Russia, so I would like to start new here." She held her hand out to him, gritting her teeth as she awaited contact.

Quinn smiled, noting her hesitation in offering her hand.

He reached in his jacket and pulled out a sealed brown envelope, placing it in her outstretched hand, smiling.

"you will find all needed documents, as well as identity cards, and expenses debit card, and a pre paid cellphone. These will help you get started here. We at the EEE are happy to hear that you will be accepting our offer. We will extend all resources we can to assist in finding your friend."

He released the packet into her grip, nodding and smiling.

"I am actually going to be paying a visit to the vampire I mentioned tomorrow night. If you like, I can make arrangements and you can accompany me to the meeting. I can broach the subject with you in the hall, bringing you in once my business is completed. Perhaps she will know the whereabouts of your friend, Ms. Beaufort though the name does not ring a bell."

He set a cloth napkin on the armrest and tapped a single finger at the corner of his mouth, nodding toward her.

She grinned and wrapped her fingers around the envelope, not missing the fact that he had found a way around her touching him. "You really are polite, for a man. I, again, thank you." She took the envelope and sat it with the other before reaching to grab the napkin from the armrest.

Wiping at the spot on her mouth, she would have blushed had she still been human. Thank goddess that wasn't the case. "I do apologize. It has just been a while since I've fed, and well...." She looked at the woman then back at Mr. Quinn, "she was so delightful."

"Well, we try to please, Ms. Ivanov. She was screened based information known on your preferences. We at the EEE believe in anticipating what will be wanted rather than responding after the fact. There will be another in your studio when we arrive, with a female handler. Plane rides can be very taxing for a vampire, from what I understand."

He smiled and continued.

"We have made arrangements that all of your cleaning staff and contacts will be female, as is indeicated to be your preference. I will be the sole exception to this rule, but as you have probably noticed, I understand your aversions and avoid contact as a courtesy."

She smiled at him, inclining her head respectfully. "And for that, I cannot thank you enough. Most men... they do not understand my aversion, or preferences. But had they been in my position, they likely would." Her story... it was not a pretty one, not by a long shot.

"I do look forward to doing business with you. May I call you John? Mr. Quinn seems a bit... impersonal." She smiled at him sweetly, her face now clear of blood and her cheeks a bit tinged with pink.

He smiled as she visibly relaxed...she looked almost human with the flush of blood coloring her cheeks...

"Of course, you may call me John. We are to be colleagues so familiarity and informality is a bit more expected. On that note, what would you prefer I call you?"

"Viktoria. Or.... Viki, for short." It was an endearment given to her by someone long, long ago. Shaking off that memory, she looked around the limo, her eyes stopping on the woman laying beside her.

"Someone will take care of her, yes? She won't be just thrown out?" While she was far from a perfect vampire, she refused to kill a human if they weren't deserving. She had no problem drinking from a willing donor, and definitely had no issues helping rid the world of those humans that did nothing but take advantage and hurt people weaker than them.

He smiled at her concern for a human.

"Oh no..she will be put on fluids and rest for a few days, then given a regimen to help rebuild her strength. You did take quite a bit. We may send her on a vacation once she recovers."

He smiled and nodded out the window as they slowed to a stop...

"Well, Viki, it looks like we are here. The studio is geared toward vampires with auto shields and such. You still have about three hours before sunrise, so you should have plenty of time to get settled in. Enjoy your snack...you may want to play with this second one a bit more. I hear she is very flexible, and she will be taken by the handler back to our facility here in Shreveport for fluids and such, just like your friend here..."

He smirked and motioned to the unconscious girl laying next to Viktoria.

"I'll be by to pick you up for the meeting I mentioned about an hour after sundown."

Nodded her head and smiled at him again. "I cannot thank you enough for all you have done. And the respect..." She met his gaze and said seriously, "I will have to re-evaluate my views. You have proven to me that not all men are the same." She inclined her head again as the limo stopped and the driver opened her door.

"I look forward to seeing you tomorrow for our meeting. Good night, John." She slid out of the car and headed towards the door, slipping inside and letting it shut behind her. He had said to enjoy the donor, and that was her plan. It had been too long since certain hungers had been fed, and tonight.... she would get her fill.