The Dragon's Den (Pantera)

[Cindra Rourke]

She had attended enough parties, soirees, luncheons, and balls to completely desensitize her to any nervousness one might normally experience in preparing for such an event. Like usual, she had left herself ample time to deal with the necessary tasks for turning herself into the properly primped and powdered lady of stature her name alone made others of their class anticipate and although it wasn’t altogether unpleasant dolling herself up, it was rather satisfying seeing the reactions she garnered. Perhaps she oughtn’t take as much pleasure from surprising people, but she did. Unwilling to reveal things to Luan and Portia that would surprise them, it was the only time she got to feel that sort of satisfaction.

Her heavy black velvet cloak had covered her from the neck down on her way out of the school to where she could apparate off campus, yet a few of the older students and a colleague or two did note the smokiness of her eyes, the deeper rouge of her lips, and adornment of her hair as she passed through the corridors and the Entrance Hall, a grin on her lips as she noted their mixed looks of shock, wonder, and speechlessness. Honestly, they should have known by that age that professors did have lives outside of the classroom.

Pantera had given her the address a few days earlier and though she wasn’t a stranger to meeting Portia at their destination, she did usually already have a few names of those to ‘engage’, giving her something to immediately focus her attentions on until he decided to appear beside her as if he had been at arms length the entire time. This, however, was different. Pantera was meeting her there but she had nothing else to go on. An unfamiliar place, with likely unfamiliar faces, and nothing to occupy her, other than staying back on the sidelines to begin observations, should his family waylay him. The thought caused her to purse her lips a little as she arrived and found herself relinquishing the cloak.

The gown she wore was of layered habutai silk; garnet over black, causing it to take a deeper hue than the red would have alone. From the front, the neckline dipped low and formed a wide V shape as the soft gathered folds of the fabric stretched to her shoulders where they formed a thin strap that coiled around under her arms and spread themselves down along her sides where a charm kept them from moving and revealing the sides of her breasts as the gown slowly curved around to form a low, complimenting V just below the base of her spine, her back completely bare. Just below her chest the fabric clung softly to her form all the way to just past her hips where diagonal cuts of sweeping inserts caused it to begin fanning out until numerous wispy layers brushed her feet and formed a short train at her back, counter balancing the lack of fabric covering her on that side. At the bottom, the garnet layer was slightly shorter and along one side, hiding amongst the soft folds was a slit in the fabric layers that ran from her ankle to the top of her thigh, so that the right movement, turn, or breeze revealed the legs within.

Though good at looking as well as playing the part, she adorned herself simply. Unlike many pureblooded witches intent on showing off their jewels, Cindra preferred using the little she needed to emphasize her assets to her advantage. Her hands bore only her silver band and an onyx tipped silver ring that coiled in a spiral around the length of the base of her left thumb. Around her neck, a thin silver chain, light enough to be confused with several strands of thread wrapped lightly around her throat, a 360 degree marquise cut onyx dangled just below her collar bone while the length of chain wrapped back around to her back like a lariat, the remaining length following her spine to about mid back. Her earrings matched, dangling only an inch or two from her lobes while her hair was twisted into a semi-tousled knot on the back of her head, tips of wild ends allowed to peep out here and there while two polished ebony hair sticks wove through the tangle at different angles, a small length of matching chain dangling from the end of each capped with a small onyx stone that swung lightly with her movements.

At first, when the cloak was removed the loss of its warmth prickled her exposed flesh but she knew she’d adjust soon enough and made her way amongst the people present, pointedly avoiding drawing close enough to require making acquaintance yet and found a place near a window that would serve her needs nicely. Having a view of the room, entrances and all, she could read the people present, noting their body language as well as the little clues their appearance gave as to their position, temperament, profession, and the like. When offered a glass of wine, she accepted and took the glass in hand, lifting it for only a small sip, her needing her wits about her, before lightly cupping the glass in both hands.

As she expected, most of the faces were foreign to her, though a few she had seen before, one of which caught her eye and lifted his glass slightly and nodded nearly imperceivably in greeting. Cindra smiled lightly in return, copying the gesture, her mind trying to recall where she had seen the wizard before so as to perhaps bring up a name. He clearly recalled her face, and rarely did she get such a greeting unless they knew whom she was. It wouldn’t do to fail to know his. Schooled to not express her thoughts in such a setting her face remained unchanged, the look of lady like mild interest in place as she took a few steps to her left and turned her gaze to scan another portion of the room when a display case caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Meaning to give it just a cursory glance, she looked over at it and instead found herself stepping closer upon sight of the contents within. The small mahjong tiles neatly tucked in the corner were almost unnoticeable were it not for the way her body seemed to thrum whilst looking at them. Even through the glass she felt their pull and it was disturbing and entrancing at the same time. Definitely not your ordinary set.

Before she could even think of touching the glass, she tore her eyes away, her gown whipping out lightly as she began to spin away from the case and right into facing Pantera.

[Pantera Tsua]

The Tsua house was an intimidating place from the outside, as frightening as it was grand and simplistically regal at the same time, the swirl of appreciation varied amongst the types of wizard though, who slipped in the large open doors of the entrance. It was settled at the end of cul-de-sac, separated from the other homes in the neighbourhood and it carried a shadow that the older houses, near forgotten in this age, didn’t quite manage on the same scale. Light spilled from the open doors, cutting gold across the steps that led up to them and the parts of the path below even that. Some wizards remained outside, greeting their fellows or waiting for partners to arrive. Orbs of light floated around in the darkness outside, sluggishly flying over the larger groups of people in priority, lighting the places they stood with a tentative politeness.

After stepping through the dark polished oak doors one was met with a sea of marble, the floor clicked under the steps of the formally dressed wizards and witches, coloured a slightly off white, with black imperfections that sometimes glittered in the curious light glaring down from the crystals of the extravagant chandelier. The entrance room was large and specious with several sets of stairs that either led into a different room or offered something akin to a backward balcony, that over looked the room like some majestic pedestal from which all these lowly people would be addressed. Pillars stabilized the roof all four corners of the room, carved out of the same marble as the floor, though strange twisting creatures coiled up their thick cylinder shapes reaching a hold close to the top where their lips were curled back in a fierce disapproving snarl toward whomever might pay them too much attention.

Cases of strange objects lied the very sides of the entrance, some jutted out of special cases in the walls, others were hung in frames and a couple were settled under the protection of tables with clawed stands. Music could be heard under the drawl of the room, but then so could whispers, shrill laughter and other things that were questionable at best without the circumstance of which it was ushered.

Pantera nearly grimaced at the sight of his father breezing toward him and the young male flicked out the heel of a grudgingly shoed foot and kicked it open for the insufferable man. Mister Tsua exuded elegance and didn’t falter even a step as he moved through the doors, passing his son little more then a short glance as cold amusement flickered across his lips. It was hard to not smile back at it in defiance, but Pantera didn’t want the man to know about how elated the very notion that he wasn’t bonded so pathetically under him anymore. It would rouse suspicion and then, chances were he’d be right back where he started – either that or dead.

It would vary depending on how the man wanted to use him.

Letting a shiver coil through his body absently as the man passed him by in a cold gust, Pantera remained where he was for a moment before moving after him, he gave it all a reasonable distance in order not to aggravate the ‘reward’ he’d get for coming. It was hard though and Pantera settled a scowl on the man’s long figure as he exited into the bright hall. After a quick glance round to make sure his sisters wouldn’t all approach him en mass, Pantera stepped out into view.

His dark hair was straight and flat, it’s uneven ends always capable of taking away from what might’ve been an otherwise uncharacteristically smart appearance. The tresses flickered at the sides of his face as he moved his head, pausing as an elderly woman, past her prime stepped in front of him pointedly. Pantera quirked a brow at her, but didn’t say anything or make any kind of greeting, not that he rathered she would hear it. The near skeletal creature, which’d tried hopelessly to fill in what once might’ve been a quite beautiful face with a variety of shades of make-up and was strewn in a dress far too flamboyant for her years. Parts of it were frilled and pattered and other parts gave was to laced layers, especially on her arms.

”I don’t know where your daughter is.” Pantera half scoffed, emphasizing the word with some amount of bitterness, letting the silver earrings dangling from both his ears catch the light with a sharpness that only seemed to add to his words. Pantera’s eyes were surrounded with more black then usual and when he scowled mildly like that only the shape of his visionaries were visible, rather then any other detail.

”Now now… Bitterness isn’t very fitting of a young man your age, darling. You should be nicer to your step-mother.” Pantera let out a loud scoff and turned his head away, realizing his mistake a little too late before the elderly woman pulled her chapped lips into a brash smile, reached round and gave his rear a perverse squeeze. If anything could have birthed a more clueless child then it would be this one and Pantera grimaced slightly managing to stifle the flinch that threw itself up his body when she did that. It wasn’t like she held off much normally… Perverted old bat. She had the charm and subtlety of a badger in a raincoat and he let her know it, pulling back abruptly as she called after him.

Pantera was his mothers only child, the others were the spawn of a considerably infuriating woman swooning somewhere over the sight of a misplaced object or the sight of Master Tsua. The male hated this place already and closed his eyes as he made his way through the crowds of people ignoring whatever came his way for the moment. If anything the crisp darkness of his suit suited him, the outer jacket slipped fantastically against his figure and gave his shoulders a sharper shape before the start of the sleeve. The two sides were pulled together across his lower chest with a single button, leaving his neck exposed where the undone collar of his shirt bent outward and then rested over the more conspicuous collar of the jacket. He did look very smart, though he’d made up for the absence of noise in his outfit with a pair of black gloves that stopped before his fingers, enclosing only round his thumb and then up his arm where a length of chain connected from his knuckles somewhere up under the sleeves of his suit.

That was when he saw her, lifting his gaze up from adjusting his sleeve. Pantera almost blanched for a moment, keeping his eyes fixed on Cindra as she inspected the mahjong concealed behind the casing. Realising that wasn’t perhaps the best thing to do, she went to turn away from it, turning to face him. Pantera made it look like he might’ve been there for a long while, letting his eyes move across her form as he tapped a couple of polished black nails across his lips, curling them inward slightly as he let a satisfied smirk take their place across his black lips.

Pantera stepped forward close to her, prowling round in a tight circle, letting one hand tickle his nails across her side, then more firmly across the exposed skin of her back. The male let out a rich audible purr, and his eyes flashed for a predatory moment as he came back round to where he’d started in front of her, still with a finger lingering near his lips – as if it was there to restrain something.
”Might I say, the Mistress Rourke is looking… delicious.”

Pantera followed the formality up with a chuckle, his earlier irritation and that sick creeping feeling in the back of his mind forgotten. A couple of heads turned their way, as Pantera’s attention wasn’t usually lavished on just anyone. Ignoring it quite easily, Pantera tipped his head toward the case behind her. “I’d try not to go near that one if I were you, it’s looking for any excuse to possess someone again. It was made from the bones of a fabled Chinese monster, or so they say.” Shrugging mildly Pantera half turned and offered his arm with a greatly amused smirk, doing it more out of tainted playfulness then anything. "Shall we?"

Oh, he’d not forgotten what had happened at the untimely end of their last meeting and his mind almost fell away from him again as he was drawn into the memory. Precarious really, but a shiver moved down his spine several times none the less and he chuckled slightly with a light shake of his head.

Of course, Pantera wouldn’t get far with a beautiful woman on his arm, not if his sisters had anything to do with it.

[Cindra Rourke]

There was one small consequence to how she last ended their meeting that she failed to consider in her hormone-addled haze… Pantera being all the more predatory once the evening of his promised ‘invitation’ arrived.

As his gaze fell on her and proceeded to walk a tight circle around her, she felt like every stitch of fabric covering her had suddenly faded under his inspection, his nails nearly gave her a start while the feel of them across her back made a wave of sensation wash over her so quickly she was glad too hands held her wine glass or it would have surely crashed to the floor when her grip slackened. Cindra knew she drew in a breath and her eyes flitted closed for a brief second at his purr and she began to wonder just how long she would hold out once they left that evening. Already she was hoping the night half over, her skin tingling from his attention and the warmth she now associated with him beginning to pool in her abdomen.

And Gods, the thoughts that invaded her at the way he uttered the word delicious.

She’d make a bargain with the devil himself to get everyone out of there. Now.

Thankfully, his chuckle helped her stow that line of thinking away until when it could be acted on later.

“You may, Mister Tsua. Especially as I find you equally… appetizing.” She brought the glass to her lips and trailed her tongue along the thin rim just a tiny bit before lightly pressing her lips to it and taking a nearly nonexistent sip.

While being preyed upon was a common annoyance at these events, old pureblooded wizards thinking all young witches were there for their pleasure and little else, and while she was quite schooled in keeping her mask firmly in place even under Portia’s attentions, only once before had she ever felt a measure of her true reactions slip through and that had marked the last of her formal evenings with Mychal Brynn.

However small a slip she may have made with Pantera, she wished to not let more get past her unless she had some sign from him that she needn’t be so guarded, however unlikely that would be.

Cindra looked over her shoulder, back at the case as he tipped his head towards it, and a silent ‘oh’ passed her lips before she turned back, the strange pull now making perfect sense as she smiled slyly, releasing a hand from its hold of the wineglass to slowly slide it up under his arm to rest atop it. “Indeed we shall,” she replied, a glint in her eye with the double meaning and the memory of her parting words nights past.

If she had continued to think about what her reactions to him meant she might have thought it odd that she felt perfectly at ease on his arm, letting him lead her where he wished, but as she no longer bothered entertaining such questions in her mind, it never formed. Perhaps someone who knew her well might question her taking a man’s arm so willingly, as it was rare she acquiesced to such a gesture unless she was a distant relation to the wizard, or he counted amongst Luan’s close friends.

The wizard from before turned back in her direction and quirked an eyebrow at the sight of them and the motion made a name click in place. An annoying man who tried far too hard to get into one of Portia’s aliases’ good graces, and had failed miserably namely due to her part in influencing Portia’s perception of the man. He hadn’t changed, from what she saw, and he still had that hint of perverse interest in the back of his gaze. Raising an eyebrow, she drew a little closer to Pantera so that her side brushed against his arm, the fabric of his suit jacket tickling the little skin of her side it struck as the rest lightly grazed the side of her gown covered breast as she lightly moistened her lips. The rapid loss of color in the man’s face followed immediately by a pink flush caused her to grin as she turned her attention back to Pantera.

“I read them well,” she whispered softly, speaking of those present, enough for him alone to hear, mindful to pause and cast the necessary lady like smiles when an eye fell on her. “Yet anything you could add would be helpful.”

An elderly witch passed them and her perfume was enough to knock a goblin off its feet. Lifting her glass to her lips she tilted it back slowly, allowing the scent of the red wine to fill her nostrils before taking a tiny sip and lowering it when she was far out of range.

Breathing easier, she turned to him, a hint of mischief in her gaze as she grinned. “So where are you taking me?”

Inwardly she chuckled. The night looked to abound with hidden meanings!

[Pantera Tsua]

The irritation Pantera had felt toward the beginning of the evening smoothed out now that he’d seen Cindra and more predatory mood struck him earlier into the night then he thought it would. An unwelcome silent purr thrummed through his body as the female did nothing to alleviate certain thoughts, running her tongue across the smooth rim of her glass pointedly before taking a faux sip. He wondered mildly of she’d regret what she’d offered in what the male had already presumed was a muddled haze, it was somewhat clear from the way her eyes fluttered shut when he prowled ardently and fixedly round her, that perhaps she wasn’t much of a meddler in this sort of thing. A grin surfaced in the back of his mind but he didn’t let it float up into more then that as he kept his eyes on her, keeping his fingers close to his lips.

Nothing went unnoticed and his eyes could’ve turned silver and hungry right there and no one would be surprised. Despite that, Pantera closed his eyes and chuckled at her opinion of him and felt that too, wasn’t going to help him ‘tame’ any, however little he was prone to allow. “A lady should never kiss and tell, Cindra.” It wasn’t like Pantera didn’t get enough attention in that area as it was, the male was rather demanding when it came to such and so blatantly brash about it that he could pin any person in the room against a wall, could take them to the springs of bliss and back and wouldn’t even bat an eye.

She slipped her arm under his then curled it round to rest atop the obsidian sleeve of his jacket, the scent of wine drifted from her and Pantera almost winced, turning slightly as they started to walk to claim the glass between a couple of slender fingers, removing it from her grip before he took a rather large mouthful and handed it back, closing his eyes as he swallowed it. It was going to take a lot to tolerate a lot of these people. They treated him like some sort of doll, now Pantera wouldn’t pretend he didn’t know he was particularly pretty for a boy, but that was no reason to think he was incapable. That and he could see the poorly hidden urges in the back of a few people’s minds as he was forced to smile mildly and bow in their presence and compliments.

To them he might as be one of Mister Tsua’s enchanted objects, a little dark, a little jagged; but who didn’t want some? Pantera hoped maybe he was just being conceited and let a clearly false smile shift over his face as an Elderly Wizard and his wife made to approach him and Cindra, luckily they were captured in conversation by a tall man extending his hand and Pantera closed his eyes, refusing to let some relief flicker through his expression.

Cindra’s words brought his attention back to her along with a fiendish grin. He hadn’t missed her drawing a little closer to him as they walked, but he hadn’t paid it much attention either. “Oh don’t worry, you’ll get the low-down on everyone who comes toward us. I wouldn’t want you ill-informed now would I?” There seemed to be more in then sentence then he let on, but Pantera only tipped his head after letting it loose.

Pantera chuckled, but it was low and sounded like it had been incidentally melded with a rich purr as the noise bypassed his lips and he tipped his head back a little, happily moving out of certain thoughts and discomforts about the amount and the sorts of things she could learn. He didn’t think she had enough of ‘it’ in her to do anything with particular tit-bits, but even so…

”Figuratively or actually?” He grinned, parting his jaws to openly draw his tongue across his slightly tipped teeth then lifted a hand with an amused chuckle. “Well, I’m trying to make sure you don’t run into my-”

Pantera almost outwardly groaned at the high-pitched noises that flooded his way, before he was surrounded by a flurry coloured silks, perfume and several pairs of hands that seemed intent on checking him overly entirely before they’d back off. Deciding against fighting the bite of cold rings, fake nails and the effervescent song of bangles close to his ear, Pantera was able to better focus on the three faces that smiled at him quite inanely for the moment. The noises they made hadn’t transformed into words yet, but their cooing usually meant they thought’s he’d ‘grown bigger’ or had gotten ‘prettier’.

Pantera didn’t bat an eyelid as the palm of one of those hands came at him in a sudden flush of anger and he caught it in a hand before it struck his face, narrowing his eyes at his three sisters. They all looked rather surprised by got over it almost as quickly as they had the happiness at seeing him. “Mother said you-” The Youngest sister Neyla, a daintily looking creature with a long willowy form and an equally light, flowy dress seemed to regard Cindra for the first time and blushed in embarrassment, pulling her hand from Pantera’s grip as she nudged the other two females. Twins, who were identical in every way, aside from the current shade of their light make up. None of the three females bore the same ethnic traits as Pantera, but they didn’t share the same mother – though that wasn’t well known information.

Neyla had similarities in her dark hair and eyes, but that would be explained when Pantera’s father decided to mingle. They were distinctly average looking female’s though, and they fell under the usually categories for female wizards and were settled in rather cushy jobs. While Pantera didn’t care who did what, so long as they were good, his father had forbidden the three women, who were all in their early twenties from doing anything that might have made it harder for them to wed and further increase the Tsua’s grip. Really, a one-track guy, but Pantera could see the benefit.

”Ohh. She’s pretty!” One of the three muttered without much tact and Pantera coughed out a laugh, pulling away from the three with a light exhale. “Cindra Rourke, These are Master Tsua’s three daughter’s.” Pantera pointed to each one, rudely, casting another clearly fake smile their way as she told her their names. “Neyla, Juna and Marin. There as troublesome as they look, awful meddlers and the twins have an irritating habit of fussing. Just like their insufferable mother.” Okay, that had been pure spite and Pantera smirked in predatory amusement as each female blanched then heated slightly in anger.

Neyla, being the youngest was naturally the first to pout powerfully and folder her arms.
”I’m sorry you have to spend the night with such a little bastard Miss. Rourke. He wouldn’t be here if he didn’t have to come, it’s unfair that he’s made you come to experience his foul mood. Pan gets awful stiff whenever he has to stay in the same room as father. I think it’s because he’s scared, father has a lot of plans for him, that’s for sure. You know just the other day I was talking to Juna and the two of them were at each other’s throats as usual… I’m not sure what they were talking about but it was something about ‘transfiguration’.” The female shrugged mildly and eagerly continued, looking Cindra straight in the face as she unloaded information while Pantera bristled in the background, barely resisting the urge to hurt the woman. “He left before I could say hello, as usual. You know, I haven’t seen him for nearly a year now?”

Shaking her head, the darkest of the two scowled and closed her shadowed eyes, letting her primped and premed long curls flicker across her shoulders and coil round her neck. “Would you like some more wine? I can tell you lots of stuff about Pan to make up for him dragging you here.” She turned her head and flashed the male a grin, reprisal complete, because of his comments earlier; he had no doubt. It was no good to go off and leave her in the precarious care of these three though, so Pantera reached out and pressed a couple of slightly chill fingers to Cindra’s shoulder to stop the three from tugging her off somewhere and muttered a stern, distinctly and rather unnerving unemotional.

”Later…If you really must.”

The three seemed to hesitate before they left slowly, muttering to one another and Pantera felt a pang in the back of his mind, suddenly utterly desperate for a cigarette; Not that he hadn’t smoked a whole packet and a half before people had started arriving to this charade. “Speak of the devil and he shall appear, right?” Pantera mused, turning an eye to Cindra, he didn’t pull much of an expression but he tipped his head slightly as he regarded her, apparently welcoming any questions.

[Cindra Rourke]

Seeing him, fingers hovering near his lips, was somehow reassuring. Pantera’s appearance was certainly a nice, thought provoking sight, as the suit reminded her more of the silky soft coat the panther in him wore, and in turn the wild, untamed predator that made itself present even in the one kiss they had shared. Her only other experience had been of the gentle, handle her like a breakable object sort, and the forceful claiming from one testing the extant of their boundaries. While the former was by far better received than the latter, Cindra knew she reacted more to the latter, albeit tainted by displeasure, so when Pantera’s own brand of feral advancement was mingled with her willingness, she had found herself nearly on fire. Even then, she was currently finding the room far too warm. The amount of her skin laid bare didn’t alleviate the warmth her train of thought had ignited, nor did being so close to him when she had hours yet to wait before experiencing anything else but that one short memory.

And suddenly, his fingers being so close to those damned lips was becoming a distraction.

Cindra grinned. “Then it’s a good thing I am a lady.” She waited a moment to see if his gaze would meet hers. “I like my secrets.” Letting her eyes fall over him, taking in again the sight of a smart dressed wizard whose suit just screamed to be removed, slowly, deftly, and pushed aside while inspecting everything beneath with a pair of eager hands. Namely, her hands.

As they began walking, she felt him turn a bit, reaching for her glass which she relinquished without comment or outward reaction, much like any couple use to traversing such events had she thought of how at ease the interplay had been, and gave a small chuckle at his large intake of the wine within. The glass back in her hand, she felt an amused grin curl one corner of her mouth up. “The evening’s just started. Do you really anticipate it being that bad?”

She knew there was bound to be numerous awkward and deplorable moments, already she had noted several wizards’ heads turning their way and when their eyes fell on her it was habit that caused her to cast the expected smile while her stomach twisted. Years of exposure had made the feeling second nature and for a moment she wondered if Pantera hadn’t as much experience with handling these scenarios than she. There were eight years between them, but she had already determined he had been thrown into this arena at an earlier age than her. The rules however did differ, based on position, family, and most of all, gender. While a wizard was given more leeway with his speech and reactions, a witch wasn’t given such leniencies. Hypocritical, but true… he had never been expected to uphold the same treatment without any outlet with which to expel his emotions as she had.

As she fended off the annoying wizard as best she could, given the limits of her circumstances, Pantera seemed to misinterpret her drawing closer to him when she spoke and her grin disappeared with a chuckle. “Ill-informed? No, I just like all the information I can get.” Cindra lightly nodded her head in the direction of the wizard she knew was still keeping her in his peripheral vision. “Just making it clear who’s staked their claim in regards to me.” Turning towards him and giving his arm just enough pressure to signal her desire to pause a moment, she stepped in, her chest turning in towards his as she brushed a cheek against his, her lips just shy of his ear, the hand of the arm she held pressing lightly against her stomach. Perhaps a dangerous ploy, but Pantera’s earlier prowling had set the tone, and Cindra knew it would both keep Pantera simmering on a low boil as well as the damned wizard at bay, and whispered, “And made my consent even… clearer.” The last word more like a purr, she pulled back, wetting her lips, and returned to his side.

They didn’t get far however when her ears were suddenly assaulted most painfully by three harpies that descended on them like vultures on a carcass. Cindra hoped to God these were females of some relation, because even though she doubted he’d ever entertain anyone of this level of annoyance even for cheap thrills, the chances of them being some of the clingy, never gets the point if you cursed type of fawning hopeful weren’t entirely out of the question. When a hand rose towards him, she couldn’t help the tensing of her fingers on his arm, the only thing keeping her from snapping the stem of the glass in her other hand.

Thankfully, he caught it, and thoughts of perhaps a failed encounter struck her, but no sooner than her urge to stake a claim of her own hit her, the hand’s owner spoke and confirmed her earlier hopes. Four seconds and already she knew why Pantera wanted to avoid them. Being an only child was suddenly a very good thing.

It happened quickly after that. One moment she was being bluntly described as ‘pretty,’ like some bauble on his arm, initiating a familiar twist in her stomach that was easily ignored, the next she was being introduced to the daughters Tsua by a Pantera bearing a fake smile that nearly made her want to crack an unguarded one of her own. Wine might not be enough after all. And lastly, she knew several pieces of his puzzle. Three annoying, and rather lacking in social restraint, half sisters, and a stepmother he didn’t like. At least they both could enjoy the way they paled a split second before anger flitted on their faces, just as she’d done to Mr. Annoying.

It was good to note he knew how to play his sisters.

Gods they had to be spoiled brats, one actually pouted like being denied a candy.

Cindra could feel the slight change in Pantera through his jacket, clearly bristling, as his sister started spouting off far more than was wise given the setting and how little they knew of her. At least, how little she assumed. A connection between their two families had only recently been discovered, so she felt it safe to assume that whatever they made of her as a Rourke would be limited to hearsay spread by people, in one way or another, strapped tightly down by the network Luan Rourke maintained. She should have reciprocated the greeting, lightly offering a delicate hand to clasp airly as was usually dictated, but the chance never came. And while she liked learning more about him, this was not the way it should have been done.

An eyebrow slowly rose and her earlier smile of greeting flattened more into a barely registered sign of disapproval as the girl continued, her words both informative and upsetting at the same time. All she revealed was being tucked away, naturally, but a few things stuck to the forefront of Cindra’s thoughts.

Her hand had loosened on his arm at his introductions, but it now gave a gentle pressure as she broke in at the girl’s pause as she turned to flash Pantera a grin. Her own was positively calculating.

“I’m not sorry at all, Neyla,” she tested the name on her tongue and even that was annoying, though she never showed it. “I rather looked forward to spending this evening with Pantera… his mood being more to my taste,” she turned slightly in towards him and her gaze moved to the one who most recently addressed her. “And although I would enjoy hearing more about him, I’m afraid I met him here this evening to learn more for myself.” With a feline look, she raised her glass-laden hand, turning it to run the nail of a finger down his upper arm. It was nothing to make her points in one swift, sweetly laced action that dripped with meaning.

Cindra played this game far better and could make one wish they were being lashed again. Poor Neyla would probably need some translating later, if her sisters were even up to the task.

Pantera spared her another moment in their presence, however, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Not even a quarter an hour and she was already on the offensive. It was going to be a long night. The look on his face told her much and with a light chuckle, she held her glass out him to hold a moment. Having seen that look once before, she reached down the front of her gown, the only convenient place to stow anything in such a gown, though the small pocket sewn inside the gown held considerably less than her bra, and pulled out a thin, brown, stick like item.

Holding it out to him, she smirked. “Clove cigarette,” she explained, “A bit of an acquired taste, but more intoxicating I find.”

Glass back in hand, she took a small sip. “Indeed… tell me… exactly how much did you tell them? I get the impression they know I’m not returning home tonight.” Something about that possibility unsettled her. It went without saying his father had plans for him, she had no doubts her father did for her as well, but with planning came a need for information and Cindra doubted anything those three heard would remain secret long.

“And by any chance would this ‘transfiguration’ have anything to do with that scene at the lake?” she added, the word having brought the memory back of him facing the kappa, in a form she couldn’t very well describe.

[Pantera Tsua]

Wine wasn’t nearly strong enough, but then Pantera didn’t rather firewhisky would be either, no, he’d have to down pure acid to still that stirring beast and to keep his sharp quicksilver tongue from lashing out his disapproval on all the people he already knew he hated. The male didn’t think she really needed to ask, and passed her little more then a brief glance, did she really think he’d worry about it if he didn’t already know? As much as the male liked to think he was used to these sorts of things, it had become an increasing case for alarm. Not only was he still to pretend he was the heir of the Tsua, but he had to meet and greet people who’d latched themselves onto his mind in his earlier years of this sort of treatment. Pantera was mixture between wilderness and restraint and it was hard to see just how many chains he’d pinned himself with until those sorts came along. It was both uncomfortable for him and it made him restless, that he could not bite at the hands teasing and pulling at his fur- that he was going to sit through hours of torment without even so much as one reprisal, lest his mother get the brunt of his misgivings.

“Oh?” Pantera’s eyes moved in the direction her head tipped where he saw the unsubtly of the man observing them with a slight flush to his cheeks. Unable to tell whether it was anger or a large sort of the innocence young Tsua himself lacked. The Light pressure on his arms was surprisingly noticeable and Pantera turned his dark visionaries back to the female pausing as she’d inclined. Oh now that wasn’t a particularly good idea and a smirk rode Pantera’s black lips as the female lent forward, the warmth of her cheek brushing against his own. He felt her lips move across the skin and the dash of darker richer crimson painting them flickered through the back of his mind, letting his grin only grow as he tipped his head inward slightly, skilfully catching his teeth against the soft fragrant skin where her jaw melded into neck. Pantera chuckled as the emphasis on the word clearer sent a sharp shiver down his spine and he smoothly reached up his hand, with the subtlety of a gentleman at a party and caught the side of her face with his hand as she pulled away. A couple of slender fingers curved under her jaw, whilst others were lain across her warm neck in a manner that seemed strangely acceptable and so none of the men and woman around them batted an eye as Pantera pulled her back toward him, brushing his lips against her own with dark, flashing eyes. The tips of a couple of teeth honed into view, followed by a rich dark purr as he claimed her lips, with, again, no chaste.

Stating his claim, eh? Pantera deepened the kiss a little, letting part of his attention shift to where the man was staring, he slipped the arm, pressed against her stomach from the turn of their closeness, round her side enough so the male might see and let it ride down through the shifting swath of fabric, until his fingers were able to scrape slowly down the parting between the back and front, down the side of her upper thigh as he broke the kiss and tipped his head slightly with feline look of smug superiority, that he pointedly made sure was as tactless as the man himself.


After the initial swirl of attention from his sisters, they blushed quite readily when Cindra drew a finger up Pantera’s arm, who’d been so content on holding back the bite that come with his bristle that he’d sharply turned on the attention, probably first thinking it was one his three siblings shamelessly fondling him again. The three girls weren’t sure whether to look offended or not and scowled mildly amongst each other, passing curiously glances as they paused a moment to see if anyone would explain. Pantera hardly let his tension go, even as they left, though, absently taking the glass as Cindra held it out for him to hold, the male swirled the dark contents indefinitely for a moment before taking a sip, only turning his eyes to the female once the sharp tang had bit into his mouth.

Pantera quirked a brow at Cindra as she reached down the font of her gown and tipped his head, sending the metal earrings dangling at the sides of his face to bite coldly against his light tanned skin. When she held out the small cylinder to him the male looked at it for no more the a split second before visibly relaxing a little, the notion of drowning out the abhorred perfumes and welcoming sluggish thought making his insides clench with a need to inhale that ashen smoke. “Pfft. It had better be, muggle cigarettes just don’t cut it – two packs before this thing started and I still feel I could brutally murder everyone in the entire room…” His voice was bitter and dark as he slipped the cloven cigarette between his black lips, pulling a muggle lighter from the back pocket of his suit pants, letting the two split tails of his jacket ride up and crumple over the intrusion of his hand. He meshed his blackened fingers around the object, his features glowing for a moment as little steel box birthed an insignificant flame. Pantera drew in deeply, tipping his head forward to let a smoky torrent bypass his lips before he returned his fingers to the black skilful plumes and rested them there, with the cigarette hovering to the side a little. “Now do you see why I’m uptight?”

Though, he looked considerably smoother now that he had a cigarette and regarded the world with a cooler gaze, his dark hues flickered back to Cindra though at her first question and he chuckled slightly. “ I haven’t told them anything, this is the first I’ve seen of them in months. It’ll be their Mother that knows something, she finds it difficult to keep her abhorredly big nose out of anything. A flaw in her design maybe, but it’s just a matter of time until she steps on Master Tsua’s toes.” There was a grim satisfaction at the thought, but Pantera’s dislike for the woman ran rather deep, it wasn’t as brutal as the hate for his father, but that didn’t mean the dark male would ‘play nice’ with her either. “She’d be the best person to ask about the connection between our families really, she runs at the mouth a little, just like her daughters but that doesn’t mean she’s any less involved in the process.”

Pantera was nowhere near calm or loose enough yet to talk to that woman though, so they’d have to wait to inquire further.

”Mmmn.” Pantera offered Cindra a more calculated look but decided to just be open with it, there was little he could do to flip the subject round a little, thanks to his sisters lack of tact. “I’m sure you’ve heard of cases where Animagi have chosen to remain in their animal forms and have returned to the wild…? Well, about sixty or seventy years back an incident occurred in which one man discovered the nature of a balance between the two… he went completely mad under the strain though and so it was left up to his colleagues to find out what had gone wrong.” Pantera looked very much like he did as a panther at that moment, standing next to Cindra with one hand close to his lips and the other in his pocket, offering an interesting stance that better displayed his lean form. One he closed his eyes one could only the a sharp oval of black and he looked pretty tempered, but only as much as a cat that had been disturbed from its rest in some way.
” A couple of Animagi greats delved deep into the project and discovered that the balance between animal and man did exist, but was a precarious state. Theories concerning the werewolf had put people off the link between man and beast and so it was all a rather tentative subject to go about exploring… Anyway, the three Animagi each attempted the transition into a ‘chimera’ state. Though I don’t have much love for the term…” The male trailed off a little and lifted his hand from his pocket, displaying two long finger to her pointedly. “Two out of the three went mad and the other… he managed his ‘Chimera’ state but became alienated and returned to the wild after publishing their works. A perfect balance between man and beast must be made, if the scale tips in any direction more then the other then madness ensues.” Shaking his head slightly, after pulling back his straight malleable darkest black tresses from his face Pantera let his eyes befall Cindra again.

”The ‘Chimera’ state shouldn’t be allowed for very long or it becomes permanent, that’s what Master Tsua wants me to do when I turn eighteen. Says it’s the ultimate form… ‘perfection’ or something like that. Honestly? I’m not sure, the gains don’t add up to the losses at all… that and the possibility of madness is unsettlingly welcome.”

[Cindra Rourke]

Cindra must have perked Pantera’s interest, pointing out her earlier motive, though her current one was aimed as much towards her own gains as anything else. She could sense his eyes finding the wizard she intended to drive off, even as she turned in to him in a move that would announce their ‘claim’ clearly to anyone that chose that moment to gaze at them. Her breath hitched a brief moment as she felt him turn the scales on her, his teeth against her sensitive flesh drawing a soft moan from her before she could think the better of it, the urge to nibble in return difficult to ignore. Still, she managed to finish her clarification, body growing more frustrated with need the more they played this game of their own, but by God, it had to end well.

He must have enjoyed the way she purred the last word for he stopped her from turning away just yet, his hand bringing forth a gentle burning sensation everywhere it brushed her skin, his actions strangely appropriate as he reclaimed her, his physical statement capable of staving off more of the male predators in attendance then hers would have alone. His eyes flashed and the glimpse of the untamed creature behind sent a shiver through her as his lips descended on hers.

Cindra submitted wantonly as he deepened it, all thoughts of where they were momentarily forgotten as she became lost in the way he made her burn with a need more intense then she had known before. Urging forth his untamed hunger was as satisfying as submitting to the dominance it brought with it and no matter how well she may provoke his feral side, it wouldn’t be long before Pantera realized how willing, and eager, she was for it when he gave in to it. She might play as fervently as him, but in the end he had the upper hand, and it would be just like him to take advantage of that. Not that she’d entirely mind.

In fact, she had a strange suspicion he would prove her greatest weakness and not care in the least so long as he kept driving her to delicious distraction.

As if his passionate kiss wasn’t enough, he upped the ante and she felt her insides tremble with anticipation as the arm she still held moved and she felt his hand along her side, his fingers leaving a tingling trail in their wake as they slide down her side, finding the side of her thigh. Her hand, having slid up to his upper arm, just above his elbow from his movement, and held him tightly, her nails pressing into him as she struggled to not do something she’d regret. Pushing him against the nearest wall and running her hands inside that midnight suit sounded incredibly good at that moment as her soft moan was lost in their kiss just before he broke it. Cindra knew he had to be driving the final nail in the coffin of the poor wizard’s hopes, but she didn’t move just yet, her needing a moment to regain herself.

At least if the night was going to be long, she could look forward to small bites of what would come. No better appetizer could she want.

The interlude with Pantera’s sisters certainly wiped the short lived feeling of lingering bliss away and it would surely not be the last, but one thing was clear as he took the clove from her, he quickly returned to being as tightly wound as a new watch. Cindra didn’t miss how he eased up when distracted, and she wondered how much worse the episode with the three might have left him had she not pulled her trick. This little side game of theirs just might serve more than a pleasant diversion, it might serve to keep him from snapping should the tension prove too much.

Normally she slipped off to puff her own tension away but the need to hadn’t risen… yet.

The bitterness in his voice decided it for her. What else was there to try after all?

Even as he looked considerably relaxed compared to a moment ago, the cigarette doing its job, he was still on tender hooks and she sensed it. Smiling devilishly, she leaned over his shoulder, her chest pressing into his arm, her chin lightly resting on his shoulder, lifting just slightly as she spoke. “Don’t worry, you get to devour me later.” Were there any Cheshire present they would have envied her look as she gazed at him silently a minute then turned more serious.

“I do, but try not to let it wind you too tight. Turn it around on them. You already know how much more satisfying that is.” With a wink she pulled back, keeping a little closer to him than was necessary but it felt more natural to her now. After all they’d done, there was no point in rigid etiquette, not that it was entirely followed once a pureblood party got truly going. Besides, as heir he’d have far more leeway to play with, her own familial position meaning more than a regular witches, yet considerably less than his simply because she carried the Rourke legacy with her, the name to be lost. A prize to be absorbed into some already deep pureblood coffer.

His reply drew her from the unpleasant truths and it was welcomed eagerly.

Cindra took a sip of wine and nodded. “Your stepmother then.” Her eyes drifted over the assembled, observations ever ticking away for future reference. Some of the clues that to her were as obvious as the nose on a wizard’s face were lost on many people. Pantera didn’t seem as concerned with those present, more like trying to separate himself mentally from the throng. Inwardly she chuckled and continued her scan of the large room. Through the crowd she spotted across the room one of his sisters and a woman speaking, their gaze turning in their direction, though from Pantera’s angle he’d miss them, a group of wizards and their witch jewelry blocking his view. She got the feeling more than one of the daughters was there, but even her viewpoint was partly obscured but she managed to see enough of the old woman to put more than one piece together.

“Easy enough,” she commented with a light chuckle. The fact he already confirmed her a quick to spill added with what she determined from observation alone, it wouldn’t take much at all to get the woman gushing like a geyser. Only the Minister’s wife was an easier target.

The words ‘remain in their animal forms’ gave her a chill and at that moment, she knew she wouldn’t like where his answer was heading. And while he continued a sick weight settled in her stomach that had nothing to do to with those annoying sods milling about and around them. She only managed to nod here and there, her eyes becoming unfocused on anything in particular until he held two finger up in her gaze, so much of what he spoke being all too familiar and why clung to her like a dark shadow. Suddenly, she felt the desire to drain the rest of her glass in one swift tilt of the crystal; the warmth of it pooling and doing it’s best to burn away the apprehension in her gut.

A passing tray allowed her to deposit the empty glass before reaching over and taking the lit cigarette from him with two delicate fingers, bringing to her lips for a long pull, her eyes closing as the rich, spicy smoke filled her lungs and soothed her nerves a bit before relinquishing it back to him. Exhaling slowly, she lowered her gaze to the lapel of his jacket, her fingertips running along it absently. “I’ve heard all this before. A little more, in fact.”

The chill returned and she lifted her blue-gray eyes to meet his. “Father knew the one, and before he cut himself off from the world, father somehow managed to get a portion of his unpublished original manuscript from him. He was far too interested in it, I always thought.” Fingers gripping his collar a second before leaving, she turned slightly from him to grab a new glass before it passed them by. “This can’t be good,” she mumbled. Turning back, she took a large sip and held the glass out for Pantera, anticipating him needing it as much as she.

“You can’t,” Cindra added pointedly. “It’s not worth the risk, no matter how unsettlingly welcome it may seem.” The concern in her voice couldn’t be helped; she had grown far too open with him to hide it. Then another thought struck her and she paled slightly. “Pantera… when is your eighteenth birthday?”

[Pantera Tsua]

Oh, Pantera could play the predatory game especially well, with his jagged primal dominance, it wasn’t just the way he stated his claim either, the male quite naturally exuded an animalistic quality, either from the way he seemed to be unconsciously separate from everyone in the room or the way he want about things, there was little caution but a bundle of apparent restraint like a beast stilled in the grass, unbeknownst to its prey. Every muscle was visible, those claws brandished but still ready all the same as one could imagine the agitation thrumming through the creatures mind as it waited for that perfect moment when it could throw its weight forward in a moment of release, claiming everything- leaving nothing.

Tonight, Cindra Rourke was as good as his, and Pantera would stand for nothing less then monopoly, her eagerness only fuelling that primal urge to stake his claim to all the balding middle-aged perverts in the room. It was quite something to have such a dark and dangerous creature crawling directly under his skin, it was mainly that which incurred a look of dark satisfaction when the female took a moment to regain herself after his turn in the game and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, bristling lightly as that beast growled out hungrily for more. Her light moans hadn’t been lost to his ears, and Pantera had found it hard not to go for louder ones, very hard in fact; which was precarious simply because there wasn’t a lot that could stop him if the restraint slipped.

He could take her against every wall in that room regardless of the people who happened to be present; they were nothing more then a glimmer of memory every time silver shot through the otherwise hidden hue of his eyes. The young wizard kept these hungry thoughts in mind drawing himself away from the insufferable masses, as a means to stave off breaking point, which no matter how tense he was, was still pretty far away. Cindra’s warm body pressed against him and Pantera tipped his head the side mildly, letting his half cool gaze flicker across her features as she made a point to mention something that would make up for all this bother later. The word devour shuddered and rippled through his mind, and the male tipped his head back parting his black lips with a feline grin, jaws stretched apart lightly before he drew his tongue across his teeth and wet his top lip lightly in approval of the statement, allowing for a purr to curl up his throat.

Pantera chuckled out a spicy smoky breath and let his attention return to the hot taste of the cigarette trailing sharply down his throat, like he’d just inhaled hot ashes. The feeling was glorious and though the smoke lavished rich ease on his mind, there was always an under-lying relief for the temporarily sated need. It was a bad addition to have, especially to the extend he held it at his age, but Pantera liked to think that in the end if it was the cigarettes that had killed him; then something in his life must’ve gone horribly wrong.

”Oh, there’s no doubt she’ll spill something, but the woman has an intolerable lack of class, that and talking to her will spark the interest of Master Tsua upon yourself.” Pantera let a gin slip across his lips and he held the cigarette lightly between his teeth, brushing his lips over the distasteful wrapping before he slipped it from his mouth and appeared to look bitterly amused, his gaze fixed on the swarms of formally dressed Witches and Wizards. “Are you sure it’s going to be so easy?”

If it really was didn’t she imagine he’d have inquired already?

It didn’t help that his Step-mother’s mother had been invited to this party, which meant more perverse fondling; people just couldn’t keep their hands to themselves when it came to him and the male almost wanted to know why that was. Of course, he quite welcomed it under the right circumstance and a shudder flickered through his deep insides at the recollection of Cindra drawing her nails up his back like she’d done at the lake and he decided he didn’t mind her touching him at all. That’s not to say she wasn’t one in a million anyway.

Pantera passed Cindra a calculative scowl when she took the cigarette from between him lips and took a drag on it herself, he almost chuckled at the sentiment, but mild irritation outweighed it as the heady enveloping taste and scent dulled in his mouth and nose. She appeared more riled about this then he thought she would be and Pantera tipped his head as she finally relinquished the cigarette. The male slid it between his dark fingers but kept his eyes on her, lifting his fingers to his lips as he observed silently barely able to feel her fingers moving over the trimmings of his suit.

Heard all this before?

Pantera quirked a brow, lowing his hand slightly as he took in the information, letting a more business worthy smirk twitch across his lips, ensnaring the word he let it fly toward in an low-lying darkness. “Why not? … it was fascinating subject, that and the end result is certainly something to be aware of.” Pantera shivered slightly just under the mention of all the possible gains, reigning in that devouring hunger sharply, closing his eyes. “ Have you read it?” Oh, Pantera’s mind swam with a need to find out what was in it, he’d pretty much researched the subject to death and had managed to get some rare documents, but the other parts of the original manuscript were lost to the wild – where ever that Animagi had withdrawn to. The male almost let another shiver catch him at the thought that Master Rourke had known the man and a sudden urge to come across Cindra’s father through some means with inescapable.

Pantera took the glass without much thought, keeping silent as she seemed to think only bad things about this…’opportunity’, he wondered what more she might know then he already did, also reasoning that she was rather careful in such aspects, no matter how many brash risks he’d managed to inspire within her.

Not worth the risk…

Now, Pantera wondered about that perhaps more then he should, drawing a black nail across his lips before he slipped the cigarette between them, letting that hot spice scratch satisfyingly down his throat. With a mild note toward the concern more evident in her voice then he felt it should have been, Pantera opened his eyes and turned them toward her again with a look of dark amusement. “But what if I could manage it? What would it be then?” Surely then it wouldn’t be ‘not worth the trouble’ … so what would it be? Perfection…? That’s what the few that knew about it seemed to think.

The male quirked a brow at Cindra and let loose a low rich feral chuckle, tipping his head back a little as his silver earrings danced frantically against the beginnings of his jaw line. “I wonder…” He mused teasingly, grinning as he slipped the cylinder between his lips and then preceded to let his grin grow even more a rather tired looking male came forward and bowed deeply in front of Pantera with a slight flush to his cheeks, whether through the dramatic and silent apology, or through something else, it’s origin was unknown.

”How’s the madness treating you, Torsson?”

The male paled slightly and rose from his bow with a mildly pained look, upturning his greying blonde brow in mild distress that the young man still felt the need to treat him like that and he tucked his tail between his legs in submissive obedience. The male’s hair was thick and wavy, brushed back in a manner that made its unkempt curls look like they’d been tamed to some degree. He was a tall man, only just taller then Pantera, his suit looked like it had been put on rather hurriedly and parts of it were askew as he shifted slightly, letting his blue-green eyes flicker over to Cindra with yet more discomfort.

Pantera just looked amused, watching the man squirm under his gaze and then tipped his head satisfied when the man managed to whimper the beginnings of Pantera’s name. Though some years older then Pantera in his mid to late twenties, the male clearly wasn’t the assertive type and seemed the kind that someone like Pantera could run rings round.

”Tancred Torsson, this is Cindra Rourke.” Turning his attention with some eased amusement back to the female, Pantera tipped his head lightly and returned his primal gaze to the male, who had dipped his head politely to Cindra, but offered no more then that. “Torsson, whilst not the most… domineering man – when he can help it.” That incurred the flush from the male Pantera had wanted exactly and the young wizard took a moment to enjoy it hungrily as the male shifted some more in apparent discomfort. “He’s my longest most trusted colleague to date. He pledged himself to my mercy after a particular incident when I was younger and I’ve kept him ever since.” Pantera purred the last part, toying with the male again as he spoke like Torsson was some sort of pet. “He’s a werewolf incidentally – born and raised. He works for the Ministry when he’s not doing jobs for me and he’s the only other secretkeeper.”

As soon as Pantera made the last point, Torsson’s shifting ceased and he returned his blue-green eyes to Cindra with a more calculative look, his face still partially flushed. “Mm…Sorry, it’s a pleasure.” The male extended an arm, now that he was sure Pantera wouldn’t get irritated by unnecessary pleasantries and looked back at the dark young Wizard, who had taken the moment to inspect Torsson in his suit with a mild smirk as he took another drag on his cigarette.
”As a bonus for being my partner, I make him monthly potions to stop him from doing anything I’ll have to clean up. He usually appears in my stead for certain kinds of business transactions.”

[Cindra Rourke]

Cindra chuckled lightly at his question. She almost forgot how well she played her little game, few knowing the pieces she’d collected unless they became privy to them. Of course Pantera had no idea just how persuasive she could be, he’d never seen her at work.

A grin played across her lips and she drew close enough for only him to hear. “Do you recall the scandal little over a year ago, when somehow it got out that the Minister was trying to pass that revision to the inheritance law behind everyone’s back by including it in the fine print of the Property Amendment?” She gave him a moment to think back on it. The Minister nearly got ousted for the plot, and it was only due to her father’s intervention, at a great cost to the Minister, that he remained in his position, if only in name now. Luan Rourke’s circle held the real power, if not the Minister’s paycheck.

A delicate eyebrow rose. “Did you know that information came from his delightful wife?”

The woman was positively a nightmare. She was more Medusa than Madam; her calculating gaze was so piercing. Squeezing water from a rock was easier than getting a straight answer from her. Few attempted to ply her for anything fearful of reprimand but Cindra wasn’t easily swayed. Instead she measured the witch’s weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and under the guise of a fellow young witch of position, wiggled it out of her without the blonde batting an eye in recognition. Cindra had to use one of her father’s close friends who saw the benefit of having a separate understanding with his heir to pass it on to Luan, after all, she had owed the old wizard and he could get something out of her father.

“I doubt your stepmother could be more of a challenge than that harpy,” she quipped, a pleased grin on her face. There were some similarities she noted in the two, but being already known for a loose tongue, and add a lack of class… it was almost too easy a task. “Not that I’m looking forward to meeting your father any sooner than necessary. He’s seeing me with you is bound to raise some questions.”

The subject of the ‘Chimera’ animagi wasn’t one she particularly wanted to discuss. It was far more disturbing than simple madness and reverting to a purely animalistic state, it held other consequences that bore numerous unknowns, variables and possibilities her father had found quite interesting, perhaps to the point of becoming an obsession. Wizards might not take the matter as much to heart, after all, witches held little purpose to them other than being broodmares, but it rankled her like nothing before.

But Pantera needed to know. He seemed far too interested in it himself for her to keep the knowledge to herself and see him enter into it without having the opportunity to consider all the risks.

“I’ve read it,” Cindra admitted after taking a sip of wine. “There’s a reason a large portion of the manuscript was ‘lost’ and never published.” Her gaze fell to the glass in her hand. “The only thing their published works didn’t include was perhaps the one thing people should have raised questions about.” Looking at Pantera, it was clear why it had been such a significant, and ultimately excluded, part of the original. Hell, she was antagonizing it and relishing in the after math when it came to Pantera. A thought that vaguely made what she was going to reveal all the more uncomfortable. If he should pick up on it, or worse either Patriarchs…

“It discussed all aspects of animal and human instincts involved in the mingled state, all save one… mating. The ‘lost’ portion father has speaks solely of it, and extensively at that. They were just as curious about what sort of offspring could be produced by the union of one of the ‘Chimeras’ and a regular witch. While the two that went mad never successfully found witches… willing and… responsive to their wilder tastes… the third, did, or at least thought he did.” Cindra stepped closer so that she could easily wrap an arm around his, her hand on his shoulder, much like in a dance, before explaining further, not wishing to risk any chance of being overheard as she nearly spoke in his ear.

“He overlooked her true mental state during the ‘experiment’, thinking her reluctance being mere cold feet over giving birth. She did conceive, without incident in fact. However, while preoccupied with their research, he failed to see the signs of her slipping into a severe depression until it was too late. She took her own life and the fetus was too underdeveloped to survive outside the womb. They removed it naturally, for research purposes, and it was too early to determine how much, if any of the mingled animal properties were present.”

She shuddered slightly. “They wanted to see if this perfection could be passed down through their progeny. Damned idealistic wizards.” Her voice lowered some, as she seemed to speak more to herself. “I hate to think why he took such an interest in that part.”

And she truly did. There were aspects of Luan Rourke becoming clearer lately and none of them comforted her. In fact, they only served to make old suspicions more disturbing and haunting no matter how she wanted to forget them permanently.

Her gaze passed over the room for only a brief moment before returning to Pantera. “If my father shared this part of their research, the proof that conception was possible, even if the outcome was never clear, with your father.... what do you think he may have done with that knowledge? Frankly, I worry about the possibility of him sharing it in the first place, he coveted that manuscript, and to be honest, I doubt the Itou would have sufficed as payment. Unless…” she paused, a thought striking her that did more to add to her worry than any other but she stopped it at that. Entertaining that thought was not going to happen, during that evening at least.

The arrival of the tall wizard came at a good time, her pulling herself away from Pantera as he approach, and from the moment he bowed, she knew him to be someone in Pantera’s employ. Looking a little worse for the wear, Cindra watched the exchange between the two with an amused grin. This Tancred had to be at least her age, if not older, and he practically acted like a trained pup. Funny how close she came to the truth of that matter.

“Mister Torsson,” she replied in greeting. “You wouldn’t have had anything to do with that wyrm, would you?” A laugh nearly escaped her upon asking it. It was doubtful he’d known the circumstances of their meeting. “For if you did, I suppose I’d have you to thank for my being here with Pantera this evening.” Grinning, she lifted the wineglass to her lips.

[Pantera Tsua]

Pantera looked thoroughly amused by the admittance, but said nothing while she told him about the incident. Of course he’d heard about that, it had roused quite the reaction from the general populace and the male recalled being told about it a little more in depth by an informant. The dark male quirked a brow at Cindra lightly when she so disregarded the obviousness of his stepmother and Pantera let a smirk paint his black lips, closing his eyes pointedly. “You don’t find her easy information a bit unsettling? And it’s always the obvious ones who are better at hiding things, because why would we expect them?” That didn’t take away from the female’s previous victory though and Pantera let the side of his thumb rest with some thought on his bottom lip as he drew in a lungful of spicy ashen breath.

”Questions?” Pantera scoffed. Quite dismissively in fact and lifted his other hand to wave the point away as if it were nothing. “He’ll just be happy I brought a woman.” It was true enough; the man had always been achingly obvious and more ready to torture Pantera when he brought a male partner to these sorts of things. Usually it was just Torsson, because Pantera couldn’t stand other people for longer then they were necessary and somehow the man had bypassed that. The young wizard assumed it was the length of time they’d known each other, but a smirk twitched in thought toward certain aspects of their ‘relationship’.

Pantera’s eyes flickered fixedly back to Cindra when she told him she’d read this ‘lost’ part of the original manuscript and he let his attention slip to her smoothly. She was just teasing him with that little quip, telling him nothing and something at the same time about the damned script. Pantera couldn’t help his intrigue after the sorts of things he already knew and, unfortunately, didn’t quiver or falter under her discomfort and hesitation toward… whatever it was about. She made it as clear as day though and then tugged at him more then its reasoning.

Pantera almost let out an abrupt and loud laugh.

Mating? Well, he wouldn’t complain, but he didn’t share the view. Why would they need to birth a born ‘Chimera’? That would have nothing to do with increasing one’s own power at all. It sounded more like a sick game then anything and Pantera shivered in pleasant amusement. Cindra stepped up close to him in order to talk out of shot from wandering attentions, he smirked mildly at the timing of it, but decided to listen instead of act on the twitch that ran through his free hand at the teasing warmth and scent of her body so close to his own.

The male grimaced at the thought of children, looking irritated just at the thought of the goddamned things, but he could understand the benefits of breeding power, even if he didn’t agree with it. Pantera didn’t find it especially sickening though, it was only natural that someone who’d come across power would want to go further with it, would want to creature more. That feeling of god was consuming… Pantera imagined. The male listened to her speak more to herself then to him, questioning her father’s motives, Pantera thought it was only right, really. Unless her father was just a somewhat twisted, staggering pervert… then the chances are he was up to something, had a goal that went with the knowledge.

When she incorporated his father Pantera grimaced slightly and suddenly the whole idea became very heavy. Despite the fact Pantera had once thought his father could pluck the sun from the sky without feeling it burn his fingers, the male wasn’t entirely convinced the man could go for something like that without letting a piece slip… but Pantera had been wrong about the man before, maybe he was now.

‘I doubt the Itou would have sufficed as payment. Unless…’

Entertained the thought as he pretty much teased Torsson, smirking despite himself at the idea of it, oh, the thoughts of what could be gave him luscious inner shivers and whilst he wasn’t keen on the conceiving part, he entertained the idea of sex as something neither human nor animal, visibly shuddering as a result. Regaining himself, finding he’d closed his eyes into that one, he quirked a brow toward Cindra, who seemed to have dropped the same idea quite eagerly – not wanting to think about it he supposed. It was rather brutal of her father, if indeed he had the right idea.

Torsson looked at a loss for a moment at the mention of a Wyrm, then something snapped and he flinched and looked at Pantera sharply, but his gaze eased as soon as the dark male entered his vision and he dropped it to the floor at Pantera’s feet, mumbling the male’s name. “ I do hope that’s not going to stock in your school pastime.”

Pantera only grinned, tipping obviously toward Cindra, keeping his eyes on the male, who drew his blue eyes up at the movement, and made a loud ‘Shhh’ noise, grinning as he pressed a finger vertically across his lips. The male flushed slightly and shook his head with an exasperated sigh. “Well… at least you got something out of it.” Torsson, let a meek smile go toward Cindra, before he made an ‘ah!’ noise and bowed before the two again. “ I’d better go deal with the Steins. Please behave Pantera…”

The dark male only grinned as Torsson turned and vanished into the crowd. Silly, thing he was, very cute but Pantera wasn’t sure if it was appealing or not. He much preferred the man he got close to the full moon and chuckled at how badly that reflected on his personality.

”Do you think my father promised me to your father’s designs? And you…” Pantera could only smile sinfully, if she’d followed the same thought, then she’d know and he tipped his head. “After he’s had me attempt the ‘Chimera’ state anyway.” Pantera purred, doubling back a little, teasingly, wondering if she’d thought that this notion would put him off, it was a small detail amongst a lot of big ones… and it wasn’t entirely a con either. Absently parting his lips for the cigarette, Pantera drew his tongue across his teeth and let out a single airy chuckle.

”Sly old dogs, aren’t they?”

[Cindra Rourke]

“Easy information?” Cindra replied, a shocked tone in her voice. “I had to put up with that woman for nearly an hour…” Her words died as he took another drag of the cigarette and she smirked, shaking her head lightly. “You’re insufferable.” It came out playful, for he surely knew by then she found him quite sufferable, only his egging her on had irked her a bit. She knew the game of acquiring knowledge well, it was truly the only one she engaged in and she’d have been tossed out long ago had she not been good. “Of course they’re better at it, that’s why I always suspect them. It’s only easy because I don’t make the mistakes others do. I never said it was quick as well.”

Tempted to snatch the clove from him and take a pull herself, she instead lifted the glass to her lips, closing her eyes as she tipped it back for a larger sip.

Pantera’s remark about bringing a woman drew her closer to him, an eyebrow slowly raising as she set a well placed foot between his, her leg brushing lightly against the insides of his as she ran a hand down his chest to his side. “Oh? I hadn’t figured your tastes to be so varied.” Grinning, she leaned in, her chest lightly pressing against his as she lightly nipped at the underside of his jaw, purposely not pressing her lips to the spot so the feel of her teeth would linger as she quickly spun back away from him, a devilish gleam in her eye.

When she revealed to him all the details she imagined his father left out of any discussions on the matter, Cindra noted his grimaces and thought he may have found the same points as disturbing as she had. Experimenting through the creation of a child, being so single-minded as to allow a witche’s state of mind to slip unnoticed, like his part had been done and he merely had to sit back and wait to see the result? If ever a witch was treated as chattel, it was then and though she knew she had little better awaiting her, especially given her station, Cindra had no desire to become another useless bauble on some wizard’s shelf. Much she had to offer, if given the chance. Who knew how long she had before she’d find out her own fate, most were married off at around her age.

Torsson’s nervousness was nearly comical, drawing her thoughts away to more pleasant shores. It seemed the blue-eyed man had no idea where the wyrm had ended up and Cindra nearly chuckled as his gaze dropped to Pantera’s feet. He wouldn’t be filled in on the finer points of Pantera’s ‘transactions’ she was sure, but it was fun to garner that reaction nonetheless. His loud ‘Shhh’ drew her attention and she grinned slightly, listening and waiting for the older male to pick up on Pantera’s obvious hint, for already he seemed quite pleased with announcing to all present that his claim was staked. Perhaps she was falling in too deeply if she was enjoying being monopolized so, but Cindra found giving a damn near impossible at this point. Let Pantera claim her, she heartily agreed.

Torsson’s barely audible ‘ah!’ noise did make her chuckle lightly, her casting the poor wizard a smile as he made his excuses and left. Pantera looked very pleased with himself, the male ego being such a predictable thing, and she took the opportunity to look at him, head slightly tilted in thought. “Behave? I’d of thought he’d know you well enough to know that an unlikely proposal.” Smiling she hovered over his shoulder again. “So, when I go to your house to practice, do I get to do so with him?” She practically purred the words, knowing he’d read more into it than she actually intended but what fun was there in toying with a feline if you weren’t out to get them to spring into action? In truth she could use a poor soul to duel with wandless, not that her question alluded to wandless pursuits alone.

Pity Torsson was so damned soft. It might have been tempting.

'Do you think my father promised me to your father’s designs? And you… after he’s had me attempt the ‘Chimera’ state anyway.'

Cindra felt her chest tighten and her eyes snapped to Pantera’s face. He damn well purred! He was smiling like the devil himself being offer the pearly gates and she felt she could have been knocked over with a feather.

Was he… enjoying… the prospect?

Sly old dogs? Try manipulative bastards, she thought angrily. The fact he came to the same thought she didn’t want to entertain just confirmed how well the pieces fit together. Cindra hadn’t uttered a single word in speculation and yet he just spouted it off like nothing. Her stomach flipped and she swore the room grew ten degrees warmer.

“You aren’t the least bit upset that this feels like we’ve played into their hands?”

Not, ‘Aren’t you upset with the idea of us being thrust together… permanently?’ Or, ‘Upset that we’ll be expected to literally rut like animals in heat, pun intended.’ Or, ‘Upset about being subjected to our lives being arranged for us as we’ve known all along would happen?’ No, she focused on the only thing truly bothering her about the scenario and had she not been worked up about that point alone she might have realized how telling her choice of words had been. Of all the things she knew, it was how much one didn’t say really gave one away.

Having Pantera openly, his stake irrevocable, free to indulge themselves as they saw fit, consequences be damned was far too engaging a thought.

She truly was a lost soul.

For now, they had conjecture alone to go on. Meeting his father seemed suddenly a better idea than a moment before, if only so she could see his reaction and look for any hint that they were on the right path.

Her nerves were beginning to rattle a bit and it was a foreign feeling that began to unsettle her. Thinking of walking freely into another of Luan Rourke’s crafted paths didn’t sit with her well and she found herself turning to the only thing she knew would ground her again. Quickly she lifted a hand to Pantera’s jaw line and pulled him in for a deep, mind numbing kiss, her tongue tasting as much of him as it did the clove.

[Pantera Tsua]

Pantera chuckled when Cindra sounded shocked and looked even more amused when she doubled back a little at his opinion. He got exactly the reaction he’d looked for, with some playfulness twisted in and the male, let and ashen torrent cut through the air in front of his lips, his dark eyes fixed on the line of smoke emitted from the burning end of his cigarette.

A long slender leg slipped between his own and Pantera quirked a brow, tipping his head after a light pause toward the female’s face. Either she wanted it really bad, or she hadn’t learnt not to tease him so yet. A hunger pooled in his lower stomach as he felt that leg bush against the inside of his own deliciously and the male looked amused, allowing her to lean in and spark a dangerous shot of heat up his spine when she nipped the underside of his jaw, not contaminating the feeling with a warm brush from her richly painted lips. Pantera almost bristled when she spun away from him in a further effort to teach and the male bit down on his tongue, curling an arm round her side, hooking his claws sharply into her side before he pulled her back skilfully in the position she’d teased him with, forcing her hips against his own with a delicious sharpness before he purred sensuously and hungrily close to the far end of her jaw, his lips parted, hot breath lavishing her neck.

”And why’s that?” Pantera asked, wondering how he’d managed to give her the impression he really cared about keeping his tastes to one certain thing. As far as gender was concern, Pantera didn’t care – if he liked them, he’d claim them. Male or female never really made it into his brain, but it didn’t stop there, Pantera had never agreed with the supposed ‘fact’ that wizards were to lead and witches were to be seen and not heard. The male knew quite a few women who were more apt at handling themselves then your average stumbling man, that and by nature women were conniving and intelligent… sometimes in less obvious ways though. The male supposed after putting his sisters into the mix along with their mother.

”Oh he knows, he still feels the need to ask though.” Pantera smirked, letting his eyes follow the tall greying blonde through the crowd, tipping his head as he gave the man come credit for how well he’d cleaned up this time. Feeling the closeness of her words, Pantera quirked a brow at her but didn’t smirk until she’d finished speaking. Pantera closed his eyes and looked very amused by the thought, tipping his head as he flicked the ash from the end of the cigarette, bringing it to his lips as he took his time answering. “Nope.” He said, apparently much to his own amusement, opening a dark eye that flashed primally at her with unspoken, hungry, things. “ He’s all mine.”

A chuckle left Pantera as he said it and the male lent forward a little, drawing a single nail down the part of her dress, moving his sharp nail across her warm upper thigh. “I can assure you though, he’s not as timid as he looks. He’s got quite the punch magically.” The male let his gaze flicker to the male through the crowd and he pressed the pads of his fingers to his black upper lip. Torsson bent low for Master Stein, who looked gruff and unappealing, muttering something equally a irritating, Pantera imagined, as Torsson smiled apologetically for Pantera ‘previous behaviour’. The young dark male didn’t even need to be there to know what they were saying and smiled.
”I wouldn’t be nearly so happy about keeping him otherwise. Well, not until nights close to the full moon anyway.” Pantera smirk took a perverse turn and he let it lie out there quite openly, before he yielded to what she actually meant and tipped his head.

“but, you can play with him if you want. I don’t expect he’ll react well to any frisking though.” A chuckle.

Thinking on it, Pantera was partially surprised at himself, by now he would have dragged Torsson out several times to ‘relieve his tension’, but maybe it was the teasing that kept him from just pinning Cindra against one of the walls. Though it irritated him that they didn’t go especially far with it, it was better then the stupid Were-wolf’s accidental teases that just built and built until Pantera had little choice. Also, there was the added fun of seeing the uncomfortable look on everyone’s faces as Pantera domineered the older male into a darkest crimson flush before he could drag him outside.

That and he hadn’t had such an …interesting prospect to entertain in the back of his mind.

Oh? Now that was an interesting question. Not in itself, but there were other things she perhaps should have said she worried about and Pantera bit down on his tongue in another flush of pure animalistic hunger, closing his eyes into an amused smirk.

”Well, now that we know the game, it shouldn’t be hard to turn it back on them. I’m not looking to father any children.” A grimace moved across his features at the word children and Pantera rejected that part entirely, entertaining only the power and the more warped sinful aspects of the whole diabolical plot. Pantera wondered what made them think he wouldn’t just turn on them though, with his additional power; it he could manage the ‘Chimera’ state… was that what his father’s bonding curse had been for?

It seemed they held and even amount of pieces to play as the others… but there was a worry when tangling with one’s teachers and Masters.

Pantera was deep in thought when he felt Cindra’s warm fingers on his jaw and pulled him into a kiss that sent that hot spark through him again as he let her tongue taste just enough of him before he turned the tables and tangled hers with his own. Skilfully slipping the burning cigarette up to the curve in the gap between his fingers he slipped his claws against her hip and pushed her back into the hard glass casing of a display table, lifting his other hand up to her face to make it all the deeper, hungrily taking in her taste, tinged with wine, clove and him.

[Cindra Rourke]

Nipping had apparently been a good idea, judging by the way he swooped in to stop her retreat and lavish her with the glorious feeling of his nails in her side and his hips against hers. The warmth pooling in her focused where those two parts meet and Cindra begins to find the urge to grind against him nearly unbearable. Biting her lip to stave the urge, her blue-gray eyes drift closed as he closes in on her neck, his warm breath drawing a strained moan from her. “Why what?” Going with the lesser of two evils, she shifts her leg forward, enough to graze his groin without drawing too much attention to her action as she runs her nails up along the back of his jacket hard so he might feel some sensation through the fabric hindering what she’d truly like to feel.

The moment passed too soon, she felt, but they weren’t alone and there would only be so much they could get away with, in good taste. As it was, she had been acting with quite a bit less restraint than normal and instead of chastising herself, she decided to chalk it up to his influence on her. Out of the wine, clove cigarettes, and him, he was her greatest addiction. How quickly she caved to him should have been alarming if she didn’t find the result so desirable. While not exactly unfamiliar with pleasure, his was a different sort altogether and it had her nearly mad for it.

Scowling lightly, she turned from his hungry eyes as he chuckled. It was hard to keep the look on her face when she suddenly left a nail moving across her thigh and she felt more than warmth between her legs. God, she was reacting a little too well to him! If only the hand could go a little closer…

The evening was going agonizingly slow. At this rate she’d have half his clothes off of him before they even crossed his threshold.

Her voice is a bit shaky with need when she quips, “Not so timid? Sure you’re not up to sharing? I hear variety is nice.” A grin crosses her lips and she’s curious what he’ll make of that. It was… a bit interesting. The last thing he should do is peak her curiosity, after all Ravenclaws did like knowledge and perhaps there might be something to canine instincts. Was Pantera more concerned about sharing Torsson, her, or them both? He just might be selfish enough for the last, Cindra rathered. A mock pout. “I take it petting would be out too then?”

Pantera seemed far too pleased by her question, and though he closed his eyes, which she read rather well, he couldn’t hide the smirk on his face. In the back of her mind a part of her said this should worry her, but it was ignored by the rest of her that was entertaining the positives more than common sense should. His comment encouraged her abandoning any worries. “No, I suppose not. Perhaps us meeting this way will give us a greater hand. Heaven knows I don’t wish to be a broodmare.” Not that she’d never consider one child perhaps, but not any time soon… not that she’d tell him that. It wasn’t something she had her heart set on, though it would rankle Luan bad enough.

She scowled. “That will likely be a sore spot with my father. I wonder which would hold out longer, my evasion or his longevity.” Luan Rourke wasn’t a young wizard, but not quite old enough to keel over any time soon, by natural causes anyway.

Once she turned her thoughts from it and sought to ground herself with his kiss, Cindra found herself wholly intoxicated by him even as she felt him push her back into a display table, the edge driving into her back, her free hand gripping the wood casing, but she couldn’t care at the moment as his hands very gripping her deliciously around the hip and face and she couldn’t taste enough of him. Her little remaining resolve was quickly dwindling, the people in the room forgotten as she barely kept from lifting a leg to wrap around him by the thinnest of threads.

Panting, she pulls back just enough to speak, her lips brushing his. “Pantera…” Her eyes are completely glazed over now with need. “I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out.” The hunger, frustration, and breaking restraint punctuate her sudden confession. Looking in his dark eyes, she grabs his jacket lapel and pulls him closer, eager to taste him again as her lips descend on his. She knows she should stop them, almost wants to beg him to stop her, and yet can’t find the strength.

At least until a forced cough sounds off directly beside them…

[Pantera Tsua]

The strained groan flushed him with an almost carnal need to create more and that hunger roused him again, stirred under his skin and the male almost thought it was going to burst out when her leg pressed between his and graze his crotch as she shifted it teasingly, striking a hot spike to move up his spine. Pantera’s teeth grazed her neck hungrily and he pulled her a little closer, irritated by the fabric she was garbed in. Sure, she looked perfectly delectable with it on, but with it off… flesh on flesh, the back of his mind howled brutally for it, snarling and lashing his thoughts spitefully as he was forced to draw back. Because of that, the male almost felt the need to add just a little more spite to the whole ordeal and entertained ideas of pouting and childishness as he was left to woefully accommodate his animalistic desires with ‘wishes’ and ‘imagery’ all things that almost sickened him in their humanity. A low sensuous purr left him, which was lower and more pressing then all the other noises he’d made prior, for a moment it seemed more panther then even his Animagi form had yet managed in her company.

He felt so tame he wanted to lash out, bit a couple of hands tare a couple of throats and then carry off his spoils into the night. Pantera entertained a couple of thoughts about dragging Torsson somewhere just to sate his current need, but decided against it grudgingly knowing fully well that wasn’t what he was hungry for tonight. Though, he enjoyed her eagerness, he liked the dominative power that it gave him, who easily she gave in and wanted back, regardless of whatever façade she was to keep for all the uppity morons in the room.

Her voice incurs a light grin to his lips; Shaky and wanting in a way that just seemed to make him all that much more hungry. “I already have variety.” Pantera pointed out, with a quirked brow toward the other part of her sentence, now just whom did she want him to share; Herself or Torsson? To be perfectly honest, Pantera wasn’t particularly entertained by the idea, much less them sharing each other and resisted the urge to dismiss it entirely. Torsson could go off with whomever he wanted so long as he kept coming back – and he did- and so could Cindra, but when two things he wanted or had claimed came together, well; that would probably breed some sort of jealousy. It was complicated and Pantera wasn’t used to it enough for much understanding and even to him it seemed a rather strange concept, unnecessarily complicated.

“You could try, I suppose, but I wouldn’t advise it.”

Pantera took an extra deep drag on the cigarette, which much to his irritation was nearly all burnt away and his mind twitched to wherever Torsson had gone, Tancred had long since learnt that Pantera wasn’t a happy anything without his cigarettes and if the Werewolf wanted to avoid conflict with Pantera’s father he was going to have to come here especially quickly. Master Tsua hadn’t reacted well to the knowledge of Torsson’s debt, especially not considering the incident itself – which Pantera had to admit, instilled a pretty big turn in his character- and didn’t hesitate to belittle the poor creature. For a few years he had made things very difficult for Torsson, the Ministry didn’t take to his being a werewolf very well and there had been brutal harassing, that is until the Torsson lost his temper. Pantera couldn’t quite remember what happened, but it had all stopped rather suddenly after that and Torsson became a secretly revered creature.

The first werewolf accepted into the Ministry too.

Thinking about what Crinda had said, Pantera wondered is the male had ever met Luan Rourke…

“ I couldn’t say for sure, depends how set he is on his ‘dastardly’ plan.” Looking rather amused again, Pantera let the clove cigarette hang between his lips without any support, keeping his eyes closed as he slipped a hand into one of his pockets. “My birthday is in December, by the way and I’m not sure if Master Tsua’s ‘asking’ if I make the change is a rhetoric or not. I don’t know if he’s got some set up planned in the case of my refusal.” Still. He wasn’t sure, there was something distinctly wrong about the ‘Chimera’ state… but there was a yearning for it too, Pantera almost wondered how the three Animagi had gone about making their own decisions; not that it had panned out very well in any case.

Pantera was panting lightly too when Cindra pulled back from their kiss and he’d never wanted the removal of her dress more, right then and there he entertained ideas of ripping it off and his eyes took on a sheen of silver hue as she muttered his name in the dregs of want and brushed her lips against his own. Quickly draining of any afterthought humanity, Pantera’s eyes remained fixed on her hazed blue-grey hues and the male let out an airy laugh. Oh now that was just cruel… He couldn’t leave yet, there was still stuff to be done… but neither of them was going to make it much further if this kept up. Cindra pulled him into another hungry kiss by the lapel of his midnight suit and Pantera pushed her against the display a little more, tempted to throw of his jacket so he’d be able to feel her nails scrape against his back better – not that that would help him stop.

The noise behind him makes him stop abruptly, but he doesn’t pull back and his and Cindra’s intimate closeness remains for at least a moment longer before the forced cough sounds again and Pantera is able to deduce who it was just from that. He almost growls murderously at the interruption and out of spite to it, doesn’t move back at all and instead turns his head slightly – silver contaminating his hues in a way that made it seem like he’d turned into someone else.

The threatening growl is met by a light scowl, before the tall woman forces a flippant smile across her face. She’s garbed in something that looks horribly like a kings robe, trimmed with a furred black, whilst its main colour was a curious silver-gold. Floral patterns glided up the sides and the long sleeves and Pantera almost groaned at her. Auburn curls hugged the frame of her rather long face, her eyes were large and overly expressive, gashed with thick makeup that didn’t match at all and she had a striking resemblance to Pantera’s sisters, only now they’d come together to form something a little older and a little more sickeningly annoying. The woman looked disapprovingly at their position and Pantera turned his head back and lent his brow on Cindra’s chest with a sigh as rage made its way through his body.

Moving away some, but not enough for his step-mother to be satisfied Pantera’s scowl only grew as a taller darker creature slipped behind her, the glare of his dark eyes alone capable of sapping all the warmth from the room and his and Cindra’s needy bodies combine. There was a light caught in those sharp, slightly tilted eyes one that Pantera silver ones flashed at with automatic challenge, decided not to withdraw under the cold, abhorred power his form exuded. Master Tsua was definitely where Pantera had acquired some of his good looks, though he was a more masculine looking creature then Pantera, their body structure was the same, lean and compact, that and the nature of their eyes and their overall feel was pretty similar too, only Master Tsua felt like a frighteningly enraged Pantera all the time. Short dark hair, smoothed back in a manner that was smart, but didn’t make it seem like he’d bothered to try hard, strange earrings hung from his ears and his appearance in a suit, Pantera would yield, was absolutely breathtaking.

The man exuded the attributes of his animal too. Both feline, but his wasn’t nearly as dark as Pantera’s and the man seemed to be missing those patches of black on the lips, fingers and round the eyes which –unbeknownst to most people – were totally natural. Pantera then, took mostly after his mother and Master Tsua looked at him like that too.

The woman smiled with a taunting obviousness at Pantera, showing off the piece she’d made an effort to put into play straight from the get go and parted her lips, lavished thickly in a dark crimson, keeping that smile even as she spoke. “ What have I told you about smoking, young man?” Her tone was sickly sweet and had a rich accent to it that made Pantera tip his head mildly as he quickly found refuge in another sharp lungful of spicy toxin and smiled back at her with a cold flippant pleasantness. “And I thought you were bringing your filthy pet, again. It’s nice to see you’ve brought someone with more class… I suppose.” The woman grimaced when she spoke of Torsson and Pantera bit down on his tongue, having to do so even harder when the female cast an eye at Cindra like she might’ve been some sort of whore he’d hired just to piss them off. “I swear, it make’s me sick to think of you rutting with that disgusting creature.”

Pantera’s silver hues flickered sharply, but he kept up his smile, even letting it grow some. “Oh, they have their advantages. You should know, love, you’re not exactly with Father for his lovely personality, are you?”

The woman looked like she’d been stung for a moment, but let loose a dry laugh. “Honestly Pantera, dear, I don’t know why you think you have to treat me so badly; it was your Mother’s fault, throwing herself around like a common whore. You can’t expect that to go down in any family, let alone this one – you’re lucky you got to stay with her as long as you did, quite frankly. It wouldn’t go down well if everyone knew you were her bastard child, we were only thinking of you when we did it; you’re so selfish.”
Pantera kept his smile, but he’d bristled quite obviously at the mention of his mother and most of the other things the woman had said and stepped away from Cindra for a moment, leaning forward with a rather unnerving gentleness, whatever he’d said caused the woman’s face to flush purple and Master Tsua stiffened slightly.

Whatever he’d said had earned him quite the slap from his father and Pantera had to take a moment to stop seeing stars, his head turned totally to the side. He had his eyes closed as he turned it back, wiping away a trail of blood that had slipped between his lips with a slender thumb, the dark crimson making of a bruise already apparent on his face.

“Since you seem so set on entertaining.” Pantera’s father muttered, his voice low and rich, exuding yet more chill into the room. “You can put yourself to better use. Have your mutt accompany you. Be ready in ten minutes or won’t get what you came here for.”

With that, the two turned and left, and Pantera smoothed a couple of fingers round the side of his neck as muttered resumed around the crowded room, having gone silent after the sharp sound of his Father’s impressive backhand.

”Shit.”

[Cindra Rourke]

It had been about the riskiest move Cindra dared at the time, shifting her leg forward just right between his to brush against his groin, enough to gain his attention through the sensitive area but not the crowd surrounding them. She should have known that baiting him, a wizard far more attuned to his animalistic side than any she had previously encountered, would likely garner wilder results than your average run of the mill hormone addled man. However, the latter had never quite proved to be as delectable a playmate as Pantera.

His teeth grazed her neck in response as he pulled her closer and a voice in the back of her mind screamed for those teeth to find purchase on far more places…like every bit of her currently pressed against him, and she barely managed to muffle the moan it drew from her, for fear of it echoing across the room. Though her back was completely laid bare, she felt too much fabric was sandwiched between them and the irritation of a long night ahead before anything could be done to peel the offensive obstructions off gnawed a little more at her restraint.

If Portia could see her, he’d think she’d been drugged and he wouldn’t have been too far off.

Pantera’s purr was unlike any he had produced before, it’s low timber sinking into her until it hummed along her spine and her knees nearly gave way at the sound, the thought of sinking into him in absolute submission and letting him drag her off like a well caught prey striking her without warning. God, how she wanted to. And she whimpered lightly in regret when her better judgment reared its ugly head and forced her to push back the temptation and get through the night.

When it came to Torsson, Cindra doubted she’d ever truly consider any sort of sport with him, not that she had considered this with Pantera nearly two weeks ago for that matter, but she was rather surprised he responded so casually. It wouldn’t be the best idea, in all honesty, things would be rather complicated enough given current circumstances, adding that to the mix could cause tension, or worse, that none of them needed. Besides… so long as he continued to show this sort of interest, Cindra wouldn’t need to turn her eyes elsewhere.

Her eyes fell closed as she exhaled and turned her head slightly away from him, their gaze falling on those closest to them once they opened. “If it’s like other ingenious and unheard of prizes he’s truly set his mind on acquiring in a blinding obsession… the lengths he’ll go to bring new meaning to the words power corrupts.” A shiver ran through her and she began contemplating pulling out another clove cigarette and lighting up right there, though she preferred not to have it dangling between her fingers in public. Stealing a few from Pantera’s was a different matter.

“December?” That didn’t give her much comfort, or them much time either. He’d be deciding soon, or forced soon, Cindra wouldn’t know exactly which way that might go as she hadn’t any experience with Pantera’s father and couldn’t guess how rhetorical the question might have been. Chances were a wizard capable of binding his son by such cruel and inhumane ways would think nothing of forcing his mind on him as well. But... Pantera wasn’t bound anymore, and Cindra didn’t doubt there was a good deal of pent up anger and power in his form; should push come to shove, it could very well get ugly. Perhaps she had best find a time to talk with Pantera more on it. His own interest was apparent, but also his concern, which gave her hope he wouldn’t leap into anything fool heartedly. At least one thing she knew wouldn’t happen, so long as they were both at Hogwarts, Luan couldn’t play all his cards if she was part of his deck. That in itself would buy them time.

The display case driving into the base of her back should have had her wincing, but his form pressing her against it hungrily drove her mind too far into other thoughts to register anything but the heat between them and the tingle of desire making her increasingly uncomfortable in her core. The cough made her freeze, her lips still entwined with his, her hips intimately pressed to his, her fingers coiled around the lapel of his jacket, much like Pantera who stopped his attentions just as abruptly though he never pulled away from her. When a second cough broke the spell, his growl reminded her of one a poor meal would hear just moments before their head was bitten free of their body and when he turned his head, she barely caught sight of one of the two people Cindra did not want seeing her in this position.

So stunned, was she, she thought nothing of his lowering his head to her chest, she had been so shocked. Instead she found herself staring at the garishly dressed witch, wishing beyond all hope she had kept her damned desires at bay for appearing like this had probably rendered any future attempts of hers to finagle information out of the woman nearly impossible without some form of bribery, and Gods how she hated the sort of things witches could demand in that regard.

Cindra felt her stomach drop upon sight of the other person she ardently wished would not see the two of them, a thin fabric layer shy of rutting against the display case, as if to illustrate the ease with which the match could be made. Every curse word the ginger knew passed through her mind in rapid succession, even a few towards Pantera, as it didn’t take a Master of Divination to determine the man standing behind his stepmother was Master Tsua… Dante… the man she recalled briefly catching sight of in her father’s study. It must have slipped Pantera’s mind to tell her that tid bit of information! The way he had inquired about ‘Dante Tsua’ made him sound like a family middleman. The fact he had been invited into the Rourke home, Luan’s study, spoke of more than he may have figured. This was no simple connection.

It was bad enough hearing the woman prodding Pantera with the low blow, but it was even harder when she turned her words towards Cindra. If there was one thing a Rourke exuded, had made a point of doing so for generations, it was holding to a standard of class and deportment that even made some other families feel uncomfortable. Granted, her current position was far from that, but this was not a Rourke function, nor one attended by many she could say orbited in Luan’s circles, and already the guests had shown a, thankfully, slightly looser set of expectations. After all, when in Rome… she couldn’t hold too much against Cindra, could she?

Her brow arched elegantly as she stood up from the table, casting the old bitty a pointed look as if to stress she had no idea what she’d just bitten off. It may have complicated things, but Cindra would be damned before she let any witch try to place her behind them. At the same time, Pantera’s reply made her grin, somehow knowing he must love to throw that back at her, the witch’s reaction confirming it’s effectiveness. Unfortunately she batted back in turn and it was clear the situation was going from awkward, to bad, to worse rapidly. And while she was tempted to lightly place a hand on his arm in hopes of calming Pantera before he did something he’d regret, she felt it best to leave him to it, knowing so little of the couple.

She missed Pantera’s reply, but no one present missed the resounding crack of a hand meeting flesh as his father backhanded him hard enough to nearly spin Pantera’s head around. Cindra jumped at the sound that broke the air instantaneously as he moved, the action so fast she wondered if she had truly seen such a vulgar display, the confirmation coming in the form of a quickly forming bruise and blood on Pantera’s thumb. His father’s words were low and though they should have been hard to hear, the resulting silence of shock permeating the great room enabled them to reach her ears fine.

The room felt ten degrees cooler, and Cindra felt the distinct desire to not face the man alone. Ever. She’d instead take Luan Rourke’s wrath any day.

Once voices returned to the throats of those in the room, and the nightmarish duo left, Cindra breathed easier, though she shook slightly, most likely due to the adrenaline that pumped through her during the episode. Noting heads beginning to turn away, she turned to him and saw a small drop of blood he’d missed as the expletive left his lips. Casting him a look of agreement, she lifted a hand to his lips, lightly cupping his cheek as she ran her own thumb over the spot, wandlessly healing the split lip and bruise as she did so. They wouldn’t need that reminder of the encounter.

Looking up towards his eyes, she lowered her hand, staying only a step away from him out of newfound habit. “Well, that certainly wasn’t pleasant.” A sigh. “So much for easy… she’s not going to be a walk in the park anymore. And your father,” she paused and quirked a brow at him. “Is it at all possible he didn’t recognize me?” How she prayed he hadn’t. She barely got a passing glance of the man, but then she had a near photographic memory. If they could have luck in any one thing, let it be this. “Cause if he did and word of this gets to my father…” A shudder and she fell silent a moment.

Crossing her arms lightly, she grinned and tilted her head, blue-gray eyes fixed on his. “So… working tonight as well?” While she figured him to be involved in numerous transactions, she couldn’t help but wonder what he was getting into now, and with his father of all people.

How she hated the man more.