The Ice Queen ~Open~

[viranbishop]

Long strides were taken as shit kickers pounded the pavement. A cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth as he shifted through the London Streets. He stopped at a little vendor, grabbing a cup of hot Joe and adding a bit of cream to it before handing the guy his measly cash. A head nod was given in the direction of the man, a bit of a downer day it had been. Previously it had drizzled, which meant he had spent nearly ten minutes under an awning where he had no business being, headed to meet Mark Stapleton, some fink who had some information for Bishop.

His cell phone rang, reaching into his pocket at the sound of some American Band something bomb. Someone had sent it to his inbox and after listening to it, there was no way he could let it just slip from his device. A button pressed on the black slider. "Yeah." Doing that Charlie Brown teacher murmur on the other end, his eyes rolled as he took a sip. The cigarette was extremely low to the butt now but gave him the chance for a nice long drag before he had to flick it into the street.

"I've got somewhere to be right now.....how about we meet up in say......an hour and a half?" Walking onward. Bollux! the coffee tasted like shit, which led him to tossing the blasted cup into the trash can that was soon to meet his side. "Alright, alright....don't get your knickers in a bunch." Before anyone on the other line could protest he had hung up the phone with the touch of the off button, slipping it back into his pocket just as eyes lifted to view the person he was looking for.

His legs sprinted, which made Viran follow suit. Tossing the cup in the bin without really caring if it had landed inside....bustling around the corner of one of the buildings and chasing the asshole down the alleyway. He jumped a fence, Viran hated this crap. The chase. Criminals always thought that since they had something they were hiding, they had to run and think they wouldn't get caught.

Luckily for him the kid stayed on the ground after a hard crooked landing labored him at Viran's mercy. He snatched the guy up from his coat collar, dragging him to hit the fence hard as he crouched to eye level. "Evading the law Mark....that's three this month." Spoken sarcastically. The kid groaned a few times, lowering his head before the usual pleas were made.

"Come on Mark.....do we have to do this each and every time I need some info?" Viran knew where he was most of the time, but it was odd that after his last confrontation with him, how he would just up and vanish and come back with marks all over his body. "So look. Why don't we just cut the bloody mess out straight away, tell me what the....." His fist pushed into the guys shoulder to make him pay attention. "fuck it is I need to know."

There were a handful of people who knew what Viran was after, and those people, he knew for a fact had been associated with the big secret that had been kept so well. The man labeled as Mark had let heaves of air escape lips and a scrunching facial expression take leeway.

"I swear man......I dunno nothin." Viran gave a saddened sigh, reaching in his coat and pulling out another fag. Lighting it with a long hard pull. Shoving the lighter in that pocket as he continued his little bit. "Ya know.....I just had one of these lit....and you know....when I don't get to smoke a whole cigarette, I get a bit peeved ya know what I mean?" His heavy English accent grasping the edges of his words. The man gave that fearful cry as if he knew he was going to get the shit kicked out of him.

"Alright man....all right...." Viran raised a chin as he held the fag between two fingers, a tilted head in his direction, waiting for the bloke to speak.

"All I know....is that there's this woman....she....uh...." Viran grabbed his ankle and applied pressure to it. "She's what?" He pushed out. "She's got a crew man......some broad and a few guys...I dunno their names."

Viran let out a huff, snickering to these faulty excuses of an explanation. "Who's the woman? Where does she stay Mark?" He looked as though he was going to cry. Wet his knickers or something. Maybe let a bit of his glands rest as if he were in the loo on the crapper.

"I don't know I swear....they call her The Ice Queen." Rushed breaths were given out as he avoided eye contact with the detective. Then the most aggravating thing happened. He laughed. He really effin laughed. Well that just pissed him off all the more. Viran's eyes rolled yet again, grabbing him up by the throat and pushing his head back against the fence. "What is this?" He asked while noting the two protrusions on the side of his neck there at the curve.

The man laughed on again, hysteria had seemed to consume the public lately, more so, his public. "You will never know enough to be helped.....they are everywhere, and they will kill you just as fast as you can breathe." Laughter continued and Viran was just getting far too pissed off to play games.

He took a drag of the cigarette, blowing out the smoke after standing on two feet and pushing the guys head away. The information wasn't enough. He needed more. Names, locations. Things that actually led places. The Ice Queen? That could have been anything.

========

For three hours he sat at his desk, going through the net on The Ice Queen. A few based definitions that led him nowhere specifically in England. Not even London.

ice queen

1. A sweet and beautiful girl, who is rumored to be cold blooded and heartless.

ice queen

1. a beautiful woman with an ugly personality; one who disregards the feelings of others

ice queen

1. a cold and haughty woman

A few novels. Some plays. Movies based off of the phrase of combined words. But no such woman found that would conclude to be his resolve. One of the most horrible things he had to do on his job was search all sorts of databases for a simple freaking thing as that.

"Don't you ever sleep Bishop?" McAvey spoke out in his avarice tone. A deep strike from the fat man with the balding head. "Yeah....when I'm inside your wife." McAvey's face went stern, pissed off and red. The Irish were so touchy now a days, but that's what happened to people when they asked stupid questions, and grilled him about anything. Viran wasn't one for answering other people's questions. At least not for the time being.

An hour later and he had finally decided to call it a night, maybe go grab a drink and watch the NPT on the sports channel while enjoying a tap or something. He flicked the lamp off and the computer, getting out of the swivel chair and taking his leave.

Whatever, or whoever this Ice Queen person was, it was going to have to wait until tomorrow. He needed a drink, and he needed it soon.

========

Remy's had been just around the corner. It wasn't normal to see many cops inside the place, everyone went to their special little pub with their special little friends and old war stories. Viran mainly kept to himself. No one got along with him, and those that did were lucky, especially when they had to deal with him being a partner. Not wanting to be on his bad side was a goal people tried to meet. Other's just didn't want to bother unless they were forced into it.

"Another one of those nights?" The woman behind the bar asked. Of course it was. Whenever Viran came in and ordered the hard stuff, it was always one of those nights. "Captain's got me brassed off about some ruddy domestic at the C of E." She nodded, pourng the drink and passing it to him. His hands took hold of the glass, letting it slide down his throat in one fiery rage before tapping the bar with the glass for a refill, and she so happily obliged.

"You're not going to cock it up like you did that last case are ya?" She was just about the only person Viran didn't mind talking rounds like such with. "Catching these guys is fun....don't get me wrong....but of course I'd rather it be them wrapped int he Queens pleasure than me." A hard swallow of his own saliva as he reached in his coat for a smoke. "Of course.....it's always better to be out and about and have night's like this to where i can feel Knackered the next day." He said it in a rather funny way, making her laugh and leave him with another shot before taking another customer's order. Yeah, getting hammered was going to be the fun part. Getting home would be another unsolved case entirely.

[aubrey]

Seething a hard on for detectives now love?

Golden toned orbs slowly lifted away from the parchment that she had been studying for some time now. Slowly lips spread into a coy and smug curve, gazing out from behind a thick curtain of black-laced lashes at the pair that were in the beginnings of crawling up onto her bed, still bloodied from their more recent play time. Matching sinful smirks danced against perfected lips as teal eyes flashed mischievously. This was her favorite expression from them, her sadistic little twins, but unfortunately the usual actions that took place after receiving said glances would have to be delayed. Tonight was all work, even with the play.

“Another detective has taken an interest in me.” Words feel softly as she leaned forward, the sheet falling and exposing her bare skin as masculine hands pushed away the thick packet of information and photos that had previously surrounded her, creating a larger mess as they fell in unstructured disorder onto the floor, lazily in the way that snow fell. Careless. “I enjoy knowing more about someone than they know of me, especially when they have been trying so hard to uncover my secrets.”

More wasted devotion feeding into the obsession that she could throw beings into. Whether they loved or loathed her, Aubrey clung to minds and ate away as she seen fit. More games and until she grew bored and fell un-entertained she would amuse herself in any way that she deemed fit. Uncovering her secrets proved to do nothing more than reveal another layer of deception. Who was Aubrey Mayor…who was this ice queen? No one would ever really know because she was never the same woman more than once. Perhaps her true nature was even lost from her own self.

We don’t like it

No they wouldn’t, but then again they had never been too keen on anyone outside of their coven that took an interest in her-especially the ones that she ended up becoming curious about. Jealous little monsters they were.

With a small scoff her body moved back against the pillows as eyes slanted into a slight cut, letting them both know that they were not to move any closer. “When I care about what your opinions are based on my actions, I’ll ask you. Until then…” A slight growling hiss emerged between teeth, “…use your mouths for things that you are better at.”

………………

Judge remained silent and it was undecided on whether she was angered or amused by this simple and uncharacteristic notion. It was a rare moment for him to choose sides and agree with Kane and Abel, even more so rare for him to argue in their defense. No matter. Aubrey had ordered them and Olivia to remain on grounds unless they were called to her. They had been naughty little deviants as of late and tonight Aubrey was in no mood for their uncontrollable shenanigans despite the sting that accompanied their absence. Tomorrow it would be made up to them, but tonight she was more concerned with the human that was attempting to plunder where he did not belong. They say that curiosity killed the cat; Aubrey was holding a bat of cream for the little kitten.

Movements where made on her own, entering the small establishment without so much as looking behind her shoulder. Judge was to remain there and should Aubrey grow bored with the detective and not pursue him Judge was to take over upon his departure, follow him, and watch his movements. A thorn in her side was merely a thorn in her side and most likely the little human posed no threat to her or her organization, but they were playing it safe on the off chance that there was a possibility of him causing any type of uproar for her. Losing Mark had been nothing-a round of fun for her beloved twins, but the next one to loosen their lips enough might be someone of more value and Aubrey enjoyed her revenge too much to be stagnant of a rebuttal.

Detective Bishop was already here, had been for a soft minute according to her darling little birdie, as expected. With a confident and lazy pace she made her way to the bar, leaning in with elbows resting against the surface, acting as if the only thing she was interested in was gaining the little bartender’s attention. Hopefully she wouldn’t take too long; it would have been a shame to have to feed her to one of her boys.

[viranbishop]

"Hey Jessie, you think I could change this crap? I'll kick ya a few pounds." Spoken rather loudly across the bar after rolling uninterested eyes toward the television. BBC America was not his typical falance of showings, but sometimes one needed to be a bit more in tune with the world. She knowingly put it on whenever she glanced a chance at seeing him enter the pub, tonight was no different. She flipped him off, a good sign. That slender finger he could have sucked Whisky and lime off of all night, but as usual she was against handcuffs and hair pulling.

Viran stood, moving over to the tele and switching the buttons. IPC was on, better than the original tournaments he had been anxious to see. The bugger could watch and bet who would call or fold or even raise, but he refused to put a dollar down on any game. As long as he remained in check, the gambling problem would remain there for good. It was all about self control, and he had loads of it.

He moved back to his seat, cuffing hands around the glass and lifting dark eyes up to view the screen. Hellmuth was such an American cad that it pained him to watch. He wouldn't make it to the final table with a stack like that. Esfandiari was a favorite of Viran's. He had skills when it came to cards and chips, the magician they called him. A bad beat was given when he busted out Coleman and Duke, Annie had been a long playing woman with the cards, and she knew how to hold her own, but the night had been long from the looks of her eyes, and there went the championship cash, bracelet, and trophy. Such fools. "Bloody Prat!" He shouted out and stood halfway off the seat, raising a fist and licking his lips before sitting his bum back on the stool, licking his lips before raising the glass and taking a sip.

"Put paid to dick!" Some asshole shouted out from behind. Viran snickered and turned his body half way round to view who had said it. The nerve of some imbocile talking to him that way. "Got anything to say now tosser?" Viran asked without asking after pulling his standard issue out of it's holster and pointing it to the man. He raised hands in surrender, his bitch by his side showing signs of an early tremble. He'd hear about it later but he didn't much care.

Lowering the weapon he placed it in it's concealment, folding his body back to his drink and game. It didn't take much to get him going, especially after a long hard day and being off duty. A few eyes had darted in that direction but no one said a word. Not just anyone would pull out a gun in broad daylight and no one would say anything about it. It just wasn't done.

An eerie draft hit the back of his neck, not paying any mind he simply rose his hand up and scratched the breeze from off the back of his neck, returning his hand back to his drink and realizing how truly zonked he was.

Jessie approached, her mouth running yet again about how he can't just go about flashing his junk because he could. He knew he'd hear about it, but of course it was understood and always thrown out of the window.

A scent filled his nostrils then before the weight of a woman had fallen by his side. He pushed his drink toward the bar front so Jessie could refill it once more. He brought his eyes over to the side of their holdings, viewing a brunette who had seemed as though she didn't quite belong in a place like that, and then quickly framing his eyes up to the television. It had only taken a mere moment as he remembered something.

The woman. Her face. It had seemed so damn familiar and yet he couldn't quite picture where he had seen it before. Seen her. His hand fell into his pants pocket, removing a small note pad from it and opening it to flip and flip through pages. Having one of those little buggers was always handy, especially now. Nothing there. No notes about a picture. Nothing. Just.....names.

Finally he placed it back in his pocket before Jessie had asked the woman for her poison, turning his head to view her again, eyes wading up and down. Okay, so she was beautiful, but there was something about that face. "You don't seem to be the type of woman to come to a place like this." Heavily spoken out as he spoke illuminingly soft. Maybe her car broke down and she needed a phone. Stupid him, hadn't even looked around to see if she was with anyone.

[aubrey]

Drunken moronic attributes proved to shed no light against the dwindling faltered appeal of the hole-in-the-wall, no name bar. Hypocrites and panty waists that pounded back liquor who liked to pretend that they were somebody when in actuality they were nothing more than pathetic shadows that wasted the air that others could be breathing. Men and women were laying sick in hospitals dying that were more appealing to her than anyone in this run-down dump, and her goal of pursuit this evening, her dashing and oblivious obsessed detective would in fact be the one lolling his gun around. This was looking to be nothing more than a waste of her time.

Disappointment burned through cold veins, the urge to hiss with her distaste itching down the back of her spine, and yet she had to play patient, had to seem as if this was all just something that she was somewhat used too, something that she could ignore and gossip with a girlfriend about later. Fortunately for her there were only two women that she regularly associated herself with and neither of them was into simple or girly talk. Golden hues studied the woman as she directed her attention, orbs falling over the curve of her lips as she spoke, taking a moment to enjoy the scent that gently billowed from her being. How desolate and uncouth she must have felt as she returned to her apartment at daybreak. Another night of harboring drunks and incompetent tip totals before crawling into cheap pajamas and passing out on the futon that acted as her bed.

Such lost potential, but tonight that was not her prerogative.

Her choice of words had amused her. Poison. Aubrey’s poison of choice unfortunately could not be served here, but hands smoothed over the lapels of her fitted grey Burberry coat innocently enough as she requested a dirty martini. How dirty did she want it? Filthy.

Just as she was beginning to ponder how long he was going to stare at her before speaking the heavy scent of thick liquor washed over her, the heightened English accent following as Aubrey encountered her newest disappointment for the evening. "You don't seem to be the type of woman to come to a place like this." Lids fell over hues, lips pursing together momentarily as her interest was steadily growing dim. Here she had expected more from someone that had so steadily been pursuing her only to find that with first impressions he was simply another rowdy drunk in a low level bar. He was no threat to her or her people and that was more unsatisfying. There would be no game here tonight, nothing that could catch her fancy or invoke her interest in the smallest amount. The true wasted potential.

Slowly she turned so that she was directed toward him, finger circling the rim of her martini glass as she lazily looked him over, a coy expression curling at red lips. Aubrey had studied him countless times. She knew the lines etched into his face, the curve of his jaw, the tilt of his eyes. Fingers had been traced over the glossy photos time and time again as her mind spewed out various situations and possibilities that would evidently remain locked away for herself only. She was here to play a roll and there was nothing more than playing a part to liven up her nights, even when her stage and cast mates proved to be less than she had hoped for.

“What kind of woman do I seem like?” Softly spoken as the glass was raised to her mouth, a tender sip as the flavorless liquid filled her mouth, neglecting to take a seat, still standing as if she had no intentions of staying very long at all. She imagined Judge watching from somewhere outside, his amused and conceded smirk playing at his lips, the inevitable ‘I told you so’ thoughts lisping through his mind. It was a good thing that she had left the boys at home to amuse themselves, they would have gotten into too much trouble tonight.

[viranbishop]

“What kind of woman do I seem like?” Lids lowered, such a blatent question. A question to a question. He hated that. He hated it from the sods that ended up with him in interrogation. He hated it from his boss who thought sarcasm was a second language, and now she was making him regret even commenting. An irritant smirk follied over lips and his hand turned as his head did, lifting the glass by lips....mumbling out words like...."Like a bloody ice queen." Irritantly spoken and even as his words were soft enough for a normal woman to miss and wonder what it was that was spoken, he had a feeling this one would hear it. Hopefully not.

He took a small sip and as he placed the glass back down he had to chuckle. " Idunno....." Words pressed together, spoken with a slight ping of aggravation. He was so damn distraught about the personal case he had tied himself to. One of the main reasons he had actually gone through with being a detective was finding that bitch, but it seemed to be more of a wild goose chase than anything.

A bunch of bollux, that's what it was. Some fantasy organization that had seemed to be worse than an American Mob. When it was run by a woman, then that's where things had gotten serious. Then it hit him, her face had been seen by those eyes of his. Not in a picture, but in a memory. Never having met her, but seeing her face in the distance after he arrived at a crime scene at two O' clock in the morning. Something about two perps and a whore, she was found bloody and left at the bottom of the elevator. Not in the elevator, but underneath it. He'd seen it done in a movie before, but never did he actually get to witness something like that.

"There's two ligature marks here....and here....and two indents just there under the abdomen." The coroner spoke with the oddest tone. As if she had seen this before, or read about it. Pulling him to the side and explaining to him that this might have something to do with is own personal vendetta.

Xendra and Viran had been old school chums, so if he needed any insight to a case, private or actually work related, she was the woman to go to.

"Maybe like the type that has henchmen and big fancy cars." He pursed lips, noting the obvious as she sipped with crayola red lips. She may have been beautiful, but she had a dangerous vibe to her that Viran often caught on to.

"I've seen you before though......Can't place it really..." His drink was pushed back after Jessie refilled it once again. Not that had to be his last drink. Yes......definitely his last.

His head turned again for a split second, eyes noticing how she was still standing, even with the drink in hand. It was just....odd. No one he'd seen in a bar had stood when they had a drink. "Not staying long are ya?" Noting her stance and with brim curiosity he had set his glass down, oblivious to the tournament and getting the balls to just be out with it.

He turned in the stool, legs out toward her, having to shift one on the other side of her without hitting her leg. Placing fists between his legs to rest on the stool. "Right then...spill." He spoke sternly, as if she had an answer to some question he didn't exactly ask. "A woman like you....dressed like that doesn't just fancy a place like this out of the blue."

His eyes studied her own, telling if she was able to even spark a smile without a discourteous attempt. If it had been the woman at the crime scene off in the distant crowd, then she must know something he didn't. London was big, but he just didn't believe in coincidences. Maybe it was someone who looked like her, but then again, not many women could pull off such looks as her.

[aubrey]

Just as easily as that he was angered, Aubrey could taste it on the back of her tongue. Bittersweet and thick, a small pleased smile having to be concealed as she pretended to be more interested with her drink than she was of him. "Like a bloody ice queen." Mumbled, but she had heard it as clear as day. Suddenly there was something that struck her fancy through him, a pleased burning moving through her body. Viran had just won himself a bit more time and a look was cast his way to the side, thoughtful and devious. She wanted him to suspect that she heard, she wanted him to think that there was the off chance that she was amused if not pleased by the statement.

Only planting seeds though, he would no doubt only think that she had heard and not fully believe it. After all…how could she have caught onto something so softly spoken?

"Idunno....." Aubrey hummed softly, “Disappointing…” Mumbled out in her own gentle tones. She had wanted him to say something that caught her off guard, something quick minded and witty. But as always there was nothing but short-lived disappointment much alike all of the rest of the men that had droned too and from in her life. "Maybe like the type that has henchmen and big fancy cars." Aubrey smiled. Close, but not exactly. Who was this detective and where had he been hiding?

"I've seen you before though......Can't place it really..." More gentle amused sounds. They had all seen her before, or someone like her, someone that reminded them of her…there was always that comparison. Unoriginal, but still amusing. There was no recollection of him, but then again Aubrey paid almost zero attention to humans unless they had been making nuisances of themselves and he had been playing in her sand box too often as of late. "Not staying long are ya?" A winged brow rose as a coy smile danced against her lips as she stared at him, still sipping at her cocktail as she studied him in silence.

"Right then...spill." Golden hues brightened with a sickly thought. “Spill?” Softly spoken out, and yet stated as less than a question and more of a sultry comment, a soft smile that clung to the edges of delicate and malicious mixed together. What an unusual thing for him to say, but in the past five minutes the slurred and rough words that had fell from those lips had both piqued her interest and dare she thought, intrigued her. Spill she would, but her pursuer might not enjoy what fell to the dirty floor.

As he shifted more fully into her direction Aubrey was granted another long swell of the blossoming scent that swam over him. He tasted bitter, not in a sour manner, but it was more like irritation and anger bubbling up and dancing through his veins, causing her to momentarily allow lids to fall over hues as a longing sigh was shortly exhaled. It was beautiful, wallowing in someone news distress and loathing, a slight chill ran through her body as her glass was pushed forward by slender digits. The silent request for another. Wasted alcohol for a cause that might not have been a as lost as she had first assumed.

He was closing in on her, most likely a reflex that had not been intentional, but none the less it was happening and the gesture amused her enough to convince her to stick around for a short while longer. Her arm pressed forward as she shifted completely into his direction, leg lightly brushing against his own as her hand rested near to his glass. "A woman like you....dressed like that doesn't just fancy a place like this out of the blue."

The hold of his hazed hues caught her and without restraint she held that gaze, savoring what it was like to be looked at and not through. No one held eye contact with her for very long, or they had simply mastered the art of looking at her without truly looking her in the eye. Medusa caught her victims because they made eye contact and there were too many lost souls that were afraid of what might happen should a look linger too long with hers. Silly bits, the lot of them.

Finally an amused sound fell from parted lips, eyes glancing down as an insinuous smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, hues dancing up through thick lashes as Aubrey slightly leaned in toward him. “Henchmen…” She began softly, “…sounds disappointing. Gives me images of overweight drug pushers and useless muscles. Nothing more than ignorant lackeys that are unable to make clear decisions for themselves-sniveling weaklings that are in need of someone else to tell them what to do. I surround myself with no one that would fall under that description.” Her hand shifted, bringing the glass to rest in front of her. “And also…fancy cars can be small as well as large.”

That was thrown in to be humorous, a playful tease as her head turned, hues roaming over nameless and uninteresting faces as the drink was brought to her lips. “And if you have seen me before…” spoken as she turned to look back at him, a sultry and serious expression hitting features. “…then perhaps you have dreamed of me, or known me in another life.” Now it was her turn to pause, staring at him as if they had a shared secret that no one but the two could ever understand before another soft laugh chimed out, Aubrey leaning in so that their faces were near to touching. “I had been searching for something, and after finding it I think it to be more interesting than originally believed, so I might stay a moment longer.”

Eyes lowered so that she was studying the curve of his neck, a shutter moving through as she watched the blood flow through his vein. He smelled of everything that she enjoyed consuming, it was unimaginable to think on what he would taste like so with great restraint Aubrey tilted back, a few steps backward as hands pulled her drink along with her. “What about you?” Spoken after the drink had yet again been polished off. If he was smart he would buy her another one, if he was wise he wouldn’t. “What is a man like you doing here, talking to a woman like me? Looking for something, maybe?” Deep set tones held a slight hint of amusement as she turned her back to him, face turning so that her right side was turned in his direction, half glancing over her shoulder as eyes played wickedly. “Everyone is looking for something.”

[viranbishop]

“Spill?” Normally this was where he would get aggravated more and return to his drink but her gaze was unbelievably holding. Who the hell in their ruddy mind had eyes that color? Never in a day had he seen such a thing, which meant that she was either a very rare woman, or simply dangerous enough to pique his interest. Enough of the fouleties that came with his own musings, he had to admit this whole thing was rather amusing. People just don't walk up to men with guns and showed their bravery. Unless she was the type of woman who indulged in those with dangerous intentions.

“Henchmen…” She began softly, yet again Viran had brought his eyes to her own after feeling swallowed whole in them before. “…soundsdisappointing. Gives me images of overweight drug pushers and useless muscles. Nothing more than ignorant lackeys that are unable to make clear decisions for themselves-sniveling weaklings that are in need of someone else to tell them what to do. I surround myself with no one that would fall under that description.” A masculine chuckle was let out briefly to the imagery. "Yeah....something like that." A quick reply as it was, he did fancy the same thoughts. However deeply harbored inside, he had a knack for pushing things out of people without them realizing it. This woman only proved that she was seemingly too good for private school, some prim and proper academy that would teach her life's little lessons.

"Perhaps you're better fit to be a mobsters daughter then eh?" His right brow rose to the query, letting that linger in her mind for some feted reaction. “And if you have seen me before…” Already his eyes were turned away, another relaxing sip of the drink washing down his throat before eyes bore up to her with seemingly uninterested expressions. “…then perhaps you have dreamed of me, or known me in another life.” That really brought a chuckle onward. Dreams? Viran didn't dream. He assumed it was one of those things people did because while asleep they were too bored to relax. Instead, they had to make up their own little subconcious movie just to make their sleep a little more interesting.

No. He didn't dream. So the likelyhood of that statement had been tossed out the window, but suddenly his stomach lurched with the oddest sensation, as if after meeting her he could dream. Wicked things. "Hardly." He spoke with the lightest chuckle, watching as lips pressed ever so lightly to the glass as she appeared to take a small sip of the dirty. A sigh was escaped passed through center parted lips, feeling as though someone had been watching him from behind, and he didn't much like that feeling.

"Men like me don't dream about women like you." Spoken as a matter of factly. If she had known him at all, if ever, then she would already know that. "And i don't believe in past lives.....It's like some sordid fairytale meant to entertain the minds of feeble people with nothing better to believe in." All spoken in truth of how he felt about it. "Sure.....I was once a tapeworm come back human, and in my next life I'm sure to be a butterfly." He spoke out with sarcasm and chuckled shortly after. Shaking his head side to side. "Sorry lass.....just not my cup of tea; you fancy?" A chortle, then he gave her the most wicked grin he could muster in a playful like way.

“I had been searching for something, and after finding it I think it to be more interesting than originally believed, so I might stay a moment longer.” There was the kicker. Searching. Searching for something as he had been searching for someone, only this person was a woman, noted to many he had encountered as the ice queen, and it was almost as impossible finding her as it was the golden phoenix that had been displayed on one of those lackey television shows.

Sometimes he was thankful to own a television, other times it had been a curse. But he knew for certain he had seen her face before. In a dream? That was a load of bollux right there. “What about you?” Sniveling her curiosity eh? It usually was that way with women. the only thing Viran was good for with a woman was either locking her up in a cell to the Queens privy, or locking them against his bed post. “What is a man like you doing here, talking to a woman like me? Looking for something, maybe?” A little chortle was sent out to nowhere in particular. Then she did the whole Biore' model thing. A move celebs often used on the red carpet, or when they were looking for some reaction from a man who hadn't had any in weeks. In his case it had been days, but hey, who was counting? “Everyone is looking for something.” Stole the words straight from out of his mouth. Or his head anyway. Was she some sort of mind reader One of those gypsy women whom you could pay a couple of pounds to in order to gain some false insight into your future? Read thoughts?

"Lady....." He started as he let his fingers leave the glass. "I'm a cop......it's in my nature to be in search of something." He looked away just as he caught Jessie's eye, raising a hand with two fingers in the air. "Idunno....." He gave way to the frustration inside. "Ever heard of the Ice Queen?" He pondered to her briefly, maybe he could get some form of shock out of her if in fact she was this woman. It seemed she was like the falcon who was impossible to track down. Actually a myth of sorts. "I'm beginning to think someone's sent me on some wild goose chase." Viran didn't much like that. He didn't like being sent on wild expeditions like some mouse hunting the metaphorical cheese when all that was sprayed in his cage was the scent of cheese.

"Maybe she doesn't exist....." A flicker of a his hand as he raised his wrist to check his watch. No call yet from anyone with any information, but he did turn his head toward the door, catching what might be one of those hitmen of sorts. He must have been with her. Just what he thought. Some rich snoot who thought she had the world. "Oh what do you care.....You're probably some fancy shmansy dame who could care less about my woes'." He smirked as another drink was laid out.

"That's your max Bishop." He waved off Jessie after setting his drink down in front of him, the woman had another on him, but of course he hadn't asked. At least he was kind enough to get her one.

He shook his head low, hating when he was cut off, but already he was on his way to slurring his words. That aching feel pouring over his body. The gym had really taken a toll on him earlier. "But enough about me....." A small chiding chuckle. "What say you? Hmmm....? Coming in here with your pretty fancy self......come to pick me up then?" Now he was starting up. On his way to a slap or some snicker. Maybe he was better off. The search could last for months, years....

An aching growl was let out as he felt his temples. "Maybe I'm chasing some wild imagination." He let out a breathy sigh. "The Ice Queen....what was i thinking about believing all that?" Softly spoken to himself mainly. It was mostly the booze talking.

[aubrey]

Lady Oh my my my厀Wasn’t抰 he just the vast articulate one? Lady… For some reason the word falling from his lips sent a surge of slight irritation through her, as if he was annoyed that she had even spoke to him. "I'm a cop......it's in my nature to be in search of something." And just like that the disappointment was back, brows furrowing together as her head shook softly from side to side, turning back away from his direction. “What a boring answer.” Spoken in a way that it was hardly a whisper. It was proving to be more and more difficult to find someone to play the game that she was directing, instead he was choosing to be difficult and that she was less than satisfied with.

"Idunno....." Of course he didn’t. No one ever truly knew what they were looking for or what they were honestly after. The sad thing was that most of those little lost lambs found themselves in tiny caverns such as this, drowning out their senses in a vain attempt to find the light to brighten their paths. Well tonight he had found himself sitting directly before the very thing he was wanting; unfortunately his path would never be brightened with burning brilliance ever again, only shadows followed her. "Ever heard of the Ice Queen?" Well now, someone had up and decided to verbalize what she had already known. Interesting. Aubrey turned back to him, a lost and confused expression pressing over features as brows furrowed. “The Ice Queen-as in the supposed Vampire?” It was beautiful, the disheveled despair that he was going through over this. Aubrey enjoyed it much more than she should have. "I'm beginning to think someone's sent me on some wild goose chase." Her head shook as she laughed softly. “Sorry Detective..” There let him catch on to that, he had said cop not detective. “I don’t believe in ghost stories and I’m too old for tales of the boogey man.”

She watched him, studied him closely, making notes of small movements and facial expressions that would fall unnoticed by others, chin tilting to the side as he once again checked the band on his wrist that served as his watch. Somewhere to be, perhaps? Maybe another one of her blood donors to rough up and interrogate. ”Maybe she doesn’t exist…” Brows raised as she followed his eyes to the door, a suppressed grin because Judge had been unable to go unnoticed by the curious human, and inward sigh as her little deviants were noted standing yards behind Judge. Her eyes cut dangerously as brows were raised and fingers wiggled in a playful greeting. They could never stay away for too long, there was no point in ordering them to remain home.

"Oh what do you care.....You're probably some fancy shmansy dame who could care less about my woes'."This groped her attention once again, her back turning to the door so that once again Viran could think that he was holding her full attention. It was true, Aubrey could care less about his woes, but it thrilled her that she was able to bring such turmoil to a person that she had never before previously met. “That’s not entirely true…” Words falling as the little bar girl dropped off two more, letting herself finally ease onto a stool as she faltered off to accommodate the other guests. “I think it’s interesting that you’re obsessing over a woman that you have only heard of…Sad though really.” The line was cut off as she sipped at her freshly made martini. "But enough about me....." Yes…enough about the sad drunken little man…Aubrey wanted to hear more about herself, not to feed her vanity, just to know what could spark such an unlikely obsession.

"What say you? Hmmm....? Coming in here with your pretty fancy self......come to pick me up then?" This rewarded him with a laugh, but inside she was beginning to grow sick. How much longer would she have to play the innocent girl in the wrong bar bit? “Would you like me to pick you up? You’re buying me drinks, but you’re obsessing over another woman. It might be hard to imagine, but that hardly puts me in a position to desire to take advantage of you in your present state.” Teased out as she raised her glass to him. Already he was broken up about her, and he had no idea who she was. Fascinating. "Maybe I'm chasing some wild imagination." Another intake of boozed breath lingering with the edges of self loathing. "The Ice Queen....what was i thinking about believing all that?" The glass was placed back atop the stick bar. What was he thinking indeed?

“Maybe she is just a ghost story. Maybe she was just a girl that was drug into something against her will and then created an image of herself so that situations like that could be avoided in the future. You can’t tell me you honestly believe everything you hear about her.” Golden hues lowered as fingers played through thick brunette hues. “Why the obsession?” Curiously spoken as orbs lifted back up to him. “What has you so wound up about her?” Aubrey smiled softly, but there was a touch of self satisfaction hidden in the corners of her pout. “She is just a woman.”

[viranbishop]

There were a lot of good points in her words. A ficticious character called the ice queen, no one would speak about her, only hint the obvious oblivion that followed in her trail. “The Ice Queen-as in the supposed Vampire?” Her question had struck his fancy. He never mentioned anything about her being a vampire. Just a woman. “Sorry Detective..” That too stuck in his mind. He never mentioned he was a detective. No such word of being a constable or one of the Queen's guards. Just a cop. But at the time it hadn't been important. It took him a moment of silence between the two adults before he actually caught on. Maybe it was the booze. He loved his booze.

His right hand rose and fingers scratched the side of his head, moving through slightly darkened strands before messing up the front part with a ruffle of his fingers. “Would you like me to pick you up? You’re buying me drinks, but you’re obsessing over another woman. It might be hard to imagine, but that hardly puts me in a position to desire to take advantage of you in your present state.” Huffing silently to her jitment of a statement. Her query? Viran could have went home and slept with his neighbor, she had a tight ass, a flat stomach and she gave really good snogs to his fuck stick. Pick her up? Not such a bad idea, but the tumbles of his mind had fogged that idea straight away.

A sliver of a chuckle roamed out of his throat as eyes barely stayed open as he looked down at his half empty glass. Now he had caught on. When those lingering thoughts had popped into his mind and made him think. Throughout all the alcohol he had consumed, the only thing he could do was go over the facts of this fictional woman in his head over, and over, and over again. Like a haunting nightmare that he had wanted to get rid of once and for all.

No one but Viran had known why this was so important. Everyone he had asked had disappeared, which made him know he was on the right trail. As much as he wanted to deny it, as many times as he had run through the words of those who leaked information, the same thing happened again and again. Bodies disappeared and never came to surface. Except for one.

Earl Downs was one of Viran's snitches. He had gotten himself caught up in a bit of trouble in Germany, extradited to England where Viran got his hands on him because he had been involved with one of his investigations. When someone mentioned his name, Viran jumped at the chance to interview the guy. After he talked, or what was considered an off the record confession, he vanished, his body showing up at the Vankin River stream with words carved into his chest. You like to play, tag you're it. the blood had gone, washed over with the water of the river. Evidence gone. Not even a mark that resembled the others.

Vampire. Vampire indeed and he had to laugh at that. At least now she had decided to put her fanny to padding. If only she crossed her legs in a short skirt, or something splitting, then he would have been more immersed in the subtle perfection of her actions.

“Maybe she is just a ghost story. Maybe she was just a girl that was drug into something against her will and then created an image of herself so that situations like that could be avoided in the future. You can’t tell me you honestly believe everything you hear about her.” Now he had a right to smirk. He could choose to play this game, if it in fact had been a game. "No....." He let the pause take it's place where it rightfully belonged. "Not with something like this.....believe me, if you knew what I know;" A mid expulsion of hot air escaped lips again. "There's no way anyone, or even most of those sods I talk to could say the same thing." Almost frowning at the images spread on his desk only an hour or so ago. Bodies, missing persons reports. He wanted to rub his forehead from it all. The sight wasn't gruesome for him. Viran didn't mind blood so much as he did losing people in his city. England wasn't known to be that bad of a crime area like other countries, and half of it was connected to this one woman.

“Why the obsession?” That was a bit hard to explain. Did she even have a right to know? If she were the ice queen, would she even remember or know what it was she had done? “What has you so wound up about her? She is just a woman.” Just a woman. A woman had started the entire mess of man and earth. Eating the apple, getting blood cursed and spent to have women after her bear children, suffer for seven days out of the month for twelve months. Eve. It was all her ruddy fault.

His left hand reached inside his coat pocket, pulling out a pack of butts and smacking one out of the soft pack, raising it and placing the filter between lips. "Have a smoke?" Offering the dame one. The dame. He never even caught her name. "A bit of fresh air yeah? I'll tell you all about it." If she was that interested. There would be no discussion, he was going to find out once and for all who the hell this woman was and why she had taken it upon herself to call out such words that stuck in his mind. Thinking that because he was drinking, he wasn't so catchy with the subtle hints. She was wrong.

He downed the last of that drink. He needed to find a new one and fast. Punching his chest with his thumb turned inward as he let out one of those silent and breathy burps but made it a point to not do it in her face. Being a man permitted him to do things like that.

His eyes made no motion to take a look at the man who stood watch. If the woman wasn't important, why the man? Why the designer labels and why did she hesitate to sit? Viran stood, pulling his coat on but reached into his pocket to fetch his wallet, opening it and giving a chin to Jessie.

"Leaving cowboy?" She smiled that cute way she did, leaning in on the bar after pulling away the glasses. He hummed out yes as he flipped through some bills. "Well you owe a tab....seventy-six should cover it, tip included." He smirked uncouthly, not because it was pricey, but because he had to pay the whole damn tab at that very moment. Oblivious to the fact that Jessie was overlooking the woman and getting a bad chill from her.

Sliding the cash across the bar, her fingers sliding back a book of matches to him. It just tasted better with a hint of sulfur when he drank. His own special liking that not many blokes took to. "I'll be back in a few. Need a pinch of air." Which was code for busted, and she nodded, turning to grab her rag and wipe that portion of the bar down.

The woman followed, surprisingly agreeing to it, Viran moved toward the back door which wasn't too far from where they were sitting. Letting the door remain opened so he appeared to be a gentleman, only once he had closed the door, he picked up the two by four and slipped it through the steel handle, blocking anyone from coming out. Just in case her little helper decided to interrupt his line of questioning.

Quickly without lighting the fag he turned to her and pushed her back by shoulders, pinning her against the wall so he could face her eye to eye. No one, absolutely no one had eyes like that. It was.....unnatural. "I never told you I was a detective.....annI never mentioned she was a vampire......." He didn't even think vampires existed, just some myth like werewolves in London. A silly tale people told one another for sheer entertainment. "You know a lot more than you lead on lady, and I want some bloody answers right now." His tone was harsher as hands pushed harder against her shoulders, grilling eyes to hers in all seriousness. He could cuff her then and there and drag her to the interrogation room, but everything that involved this so called ice queen was off the record. When it came to what he wanted anyway.

She'd talk. She'd talk or he'd force answers out of her. "Idon wanna hurt ya.....but I will, so start talking." Laying it down flat. the final drawn. She knew something, and he was afraid, deep down inside, afraid that she was who he had been looking for the entire time.

[aubrey]

Just a woman. One, pissed off and cruel woman that became enraged with the thought of someone getting too close to information that could potentially be harmful to someone that she cared about. Just a woman who delighted in the idea that she could make so many so miserable without even having to try too hard…just a woman. Kane and Abel had already been restricted to certain play times and areas which annoyed her, but she couldn’t have either of them fall to misfortune. Aubrey would burn all of England down with her wrath should something happen to either of them and here sat the reason that Mallie could not yet go off grounds as well as restricted past times. Maybe she should have let them kill him, snuff him out. Teach others a lesson. There are some stories you simply do not chase.

"Have a smoke?"

Something interesting had just suddenly changed with him, something that caused a slow spark to begin burning up through her spine. “No thank you…those things can kill you, you know.” Teeth trailed over the sweep of her lower lip, hues lightened with the promise of something more exciting than this disgusting excuse for a no name bar.

"A bit of fresh air yeah? I'll tell you all about it."

Aubrey grinned, a cruel and coy motion of lips as her form slid from the tall stool. “I think a bit of air could do some justice.” Ah, another one of her little puns. He wasn’t going to tell her anything, Aubrey could smell the suspicion oozing from his body. Oh what fun, they were going to be able to play after all and she would be able to drop this Plain-Jane act.

Now there was only the act of waiting, eyeing him as he went through the motions of cashing out, revolted by the indecent and impolite acts that was purely humanity. How could they stomach it? Being so entirely disgusting…it turned her stomach slightly to watch him. As he motioned forward Aubrey paused and looked back at Jessie, an insinuous smirk playing at lips before raising her hand to blow out a kiss in her direction. It would be nice to be able to pay her a little visit again, one that would wipe that little smile off her face.

Moving through the open door, chilled air dancing across her face as a slight tilt of her head put his actions into view. A two-by-four, a little piece of wood. Cute. “That won’t really help you…Cowboy.” Spoken tenderly as she rotated her neck from side to side. Fingers running through thick tendrils, lifting up and allowing them to fall back into place before turning back to cast him a mischievous smirk.

Then it happened, much quicker than she had expected from him, but that too was pleasing in it’s own right. Why waste time with small talk when you could get right down and dirty from the get-go? Hands griped against her shoulders, an impish laugh as her body slammed against the alley wall, cased in by the detective with his unlit fag still hanging from lips. What a shame it would be for it to be broken before the promised lighting. Honey bronzed hues looked directly into his own hazed orbs, chin lowered as she blankly stared up at him, amusement lingering promises against features.

"I never told you I was a detective.....annI never mentioned she was a vampire......."

Widened doe-like eyes blinked up at him, a pout pursuing as she sighed softly. “Oh dear detective…now that you’ve caught me, what are you to do with me?” Judge was rolling his eyes somewhere; he most assuredly would have a smoke perched between fingers, smoke billowing from pursed lips as he debated whether he should step in or not. The mental image made her smile, pearly teeth gleaming in the scant light that made it’s way to the desolate alley.

"You know a lot more than you lead on lady, and I want some bloody answers right now."

A tiny mewl of a sound escaped parted lips as Viran forced her more roughly against the wall. Curiosity pulling at her as she wondered whether his tone struck fear into others. Unfortunately for him she was no street girl that he could rough up for information, but what fun it could be to play one on another night. Get smacked around a bit…the thought made her purr. “Yes. No. To get to the other side...ahh…negative four…No I don’t know how fast I was going…” On and on…quirky little answers that hopefully would bleed another act of hostility. Aubrey enjoyed playing rough, it was one of her favorite games.

"Idon wanna hurt ya.....but I will, so start talking."

[/center]

Another purr accompanied with a thick rolling bubble of laughter. Hurt her? Him? The thought alone was incredulous, but too amusing to not appreciate. “Please…” Smoldering eyes stayed deep with his own, a sultry pout to match deepened tones. “Hurt me.” Whispered out softly as hands rose rapidly to push his to either side, shoving against his chest to push him back away from her as eyes burned brightly with excitement. “But do tell me, Viran Bishop. How are you to hurt me? Chain me up maybe?” Slow steps were made in his direction, features hardened and pleased dancing with malicious intent. “Beat me into submission until I sing out to you all that you would like to hear?”

A pause…so close to him, so close that she could smell the sweat that had not yet even begun to build up around his forehead. Aubrey imagined her tongue dancing against his skin to lap it up. Eyes slanted dangerously. “Who in the hell do you think you are to lay hands on me?” With a small huff of anger her hand shot out so that she could strike him across his face. Pulling back and taking one small step closer as her head shook with disappointment. “If you want something from me all you have to do is ask, but it’ll come with a price poppet.” Brows raised as her glared at him, chin tilting to the side as lips spread into a grin before chimed laughter sounded out.

[viranbishop]

Her laughing had made him a little pissed off. Not to mention the looks she cast in his direction. “Oh dear detective…now that you’ve caught me, what are you to do with me?” The thoughts alone could have processed so many mean things. As stated before, he didn't have a problem busting up a female. Not in the least.

After moments of words being exchanged, mainly on his part. Cautioning her. Getting replies back that were snide and aggravating. “Yes. No. To get to the other side...ahh…negative four…No I don’t know how fast I was going…” His eyes cut low, snickering as he sucked his tongue against the inside of his cheek, biting down and wishing she didn't push it to where he would slap her. He would. He could.

"Idon wanna hurt ya.....but I will, so start talking." She seemed to somehow start to boil and stir like a witches brew. Heating up to a boil, shaking that which held it up so it could spill and push up out in the open and hit everything in it's surroundings. He felt like something dark had filled up inside his chest. “Please…” He could see the color read in his mind as it drew blank as he stared stoically into honey eyes. Her words whispered out like a bad little secret.

Next he felt hands move over his chest and without realizing what harm she could do, his found himself pushed away from her with a force he had never felt from a woman in all the years he had so far lived. “But do tell me, Viran Bishop. How are you to hurt me? Chain me up maybe?” Words spoken as his head was hanging downward, hovering over and slowly standing as his right hand held tight to his chest. Wanting the harshness of it to go away. A painful thing, a force like that. New. Un-natural.

“Beat me into submission until I sing out to you all that you would like to hear?” Images coursing through his mind of everyone he had ever beaten to talk about her. The more she talked the more he had known that his gut instinct was flaring up. Telling him that she was who he had been looking for.

“Who in the hell do you think you are to lay hands on me?” He was standing now, lowering his arm to his side, wanting to draw his gun but he had remained frozen as her Medusa like eyes burned through his. He could feel his heart beating harder and harder. When she had made her approach his chin lifted as to state his bold manly stance clear as day.

Her hand rose and with a flash his head had turned. She struck him as if he were some sort of bitch. His head turned with a hand to his jaw, not catering to look back up to her. He knew that something about those eyes were making him lose himself. “If you want something from me all you have to do is ask, but it’ll come with a price poppet.”

A price? Sure. Everything nowadays had a price. Cash....always cash. What was it that she wanted? His life? Like everyone else who had wound up dead in his streets. Finally he lifted his head, a banshee voice drilling his brain like a dental drill. He was breathing out like he was finally calming down after a lap around the pool.

"I've got nothing you ruddy need." He stated flatly. This time his own cold glare was given to her in a snap reaction. "But I'm taking you in." He said as he whipped out cuffs and latched one onto her slender little wrist. Fingers touched skin and he was chilled by the temperature of her. Pushing past it and looking at her. Watching her as he attempted to get the other wrist in.

He wouldn't bring her down to the station....oh no, he was going to take her somewhere where he could get some real answers without being questioned by his peers about why he had taken on his own case. More answers he didn't care to share. Ever.