A Normal Night?

[Enrique]

Ricky found himself out and about.  Marta had convinced him to allow her to stay with Elyse.  Of course, when it came to Marta, Ricky trusted Elyse more than anyone he knew.  Elyse was not only a good person who was rather skilled in her own right, but she also understood Marta in a way he never could.  Ricky smiled as he thought of Marta's last words to him as he dropped her off: Have fun and relax, dork!

She had changed so much in a short time, even if he could still see the darkness of her trauma hit at times.  The change had been even more apparent since she started online school and going to Kallisti everyday.  It was strange that a whole bunch of kids spent their days at the burlesque club, but Elyse ensure him that it was one of the safest places in the city.  Marta had hardly shut up about Sterling since they had met.  It seemed like Marta had truly found a peer who understood and accepted her without a thought.  It was what Marta needed.

Ricky decided to try and heed her advice and found himself in a Moscow bar.  It wasn't run down, nor was it one of the super extravagant Moscow clubs.  It reminded him quite a bit of his bar in Mexico City.  At times, he missed it, but he had made a choice to do what he needed to do for Marta - and he had no regrets on that.  There seemed to be a decent crowd her tonight, but Ricky spent his time alone at the bar, sipping at a beer.  It was a strange thing after so long to be alone and to have a night of no responsibilities and Ricky wasn't sure what to do with it.  He sat with the air of someone who would welcome company, but did not require it, as he slipped his beer, he pulled out his wallet, and used the app to cue up some classic rock on the jukebox, resisting the urge to send Elyse a text to check on Marta.  Marta would be fine, and she was right.  He needed to relax.

[Marisol]

Marisol decided it was a good night for her to go out tonight. She had no plans at all. She just simply decided to go out. She had been a detective for about a week now, and hadn’t really had any crazy cases or anything. Not that the job was boring. They had just started her out slow, and that made sense for the woman at the bottom of the totem pole. She was learning more about police work though, and that was enough.

Work life balance was important though, and it had been a long time since she had gone out on a date or just met someone who wasn’t also a badge. Marisol was out tonight to have a good time - maybe meet some people. She just wanted to see where the night took her.

The bar wasn’t anything crazy, but it seemed to be popular. A decent crowd had gathered and for the most part, people seemed to be having a good time. Marisol knew she was considered pretty and a few turned to look at her as she walked through the crowd to the bar where a lone man sat, nursing a beer. She sat down, leaving a space between her and the man, and ordered a mojito. As the bartender made her drink, she contemplated what to do. She hadn’t been out in so long, she didn’t know where to start.

The bartender poured her drink and she turned to the man next to her. He certainly was a good looking guy. ”Hi, how are you tonight?” Inwardly she rolled her eyes. There was nothing interesting about her greeting. She was so out of practice.

[Enrique]

Ricky noticed when the attractive woman took a seat near him, but didn’t speak. He didn’t want to put the woman on guard, but he did smile when she spoke to him. He turned to her, her look one of uncertainty. He wasn’t sure if that meant she didn’t actually want to to talk and was just being polite or if she just wasn’t sure what to say. He assumed the latter. A woman like her would tend to be more guarded at a bar and wouldn’t speak to someone to just be polite.

”Im well, and how are you?” he said, giving her a charming smile.

She returned his smile, leading him to believe he had read her right. ”Im well. Marisol,” she said offering her hand.

Ricky took it and gestured to the seat next to him. ”Enrique. You’re welcome to join me if you wish. I promise - I don’t bite.” She laughed and moved over to the stool next to him. ”Marisol - a name that reminds me of home. What brings you to this establishment tonight?” he asked, the bartender in him coming out without any effort.

[Marisol]

Enrique seemed nice enough. She was generally on guard while at a bar, never really knowing exactly who a person was at the beginning. She kept her guard up, but would see where things went for now. After all, she could take care of herself, and she’d be able to get a read on him soon enough. He was also a cutie too, and that helped. She still laughed at his mentioning he didn’t bite and took the seat next to him, taking a sip of her mojito.

”A long week of work and I decided I deserved a night of fun,” she smiled at him. ”Just go out and see what happens, you know?”

Enrique gave her a grin. ”A rare night of freedom. I get it,” he took a long pull from his beer. ”Must be a stressful job?”

She laughed. ”It certainly can be, but I’m still on the low end of the totem pole. Not getting the important cases yet,” she leaned in as if to tell him something important. ”Im a detective.”

”Ahh - a stressful job for sure. And, newly minted if I guess right by your ‘low on the totem pole’ comment,” his grin broadened and she nodded as he raised his glass. ”Congrats to you. Next round is on me.”

Feeling more comfortable with Enrique, her smiled broadened as she clinked her glass to his bottled and took a drink. ”Thanks, Enrique. I appreciate it. Truly.”

He laughed. ”You can call me Ricky if you’d like,” he said.

”But what if I prefer Enrique,” she asked with a playful smile. He had mentioned her name reminded him of home. She had a feeling he was proud of his heritage and would appreciate his true name.

His smile broadened, comfirming her thoughts. ”As you wish,” he grinned at her.

”Alright, Enrique, we know what I do. Now what is it that you do?” she said, poking him in the chest with her finger to punctuate the word ‘you.’ She was beginning to feel a little flirty.

[Enrique]

Enrique. He hadn’t been called that since before he met Jacinda, and he hadn’t known how much he had missed simply being called his actual name. Marisol was a detective, and perhaps she had read that in him somehow, or perhaps she had just liked it. Enrique realized he did too.

Marisol asked what he did. Well, there wasn’t a simple answer to that question. With the way things were, saying you were Atharim wasn’t a good thing - especially to a law enforcement officer. He hadn’t followed the law by registering though. He had done that to keep the law from him while taking care of Marta. He had no idea if she had access to those files though.

”I keep myself busy - odd jobs here and there - freelancing. Owned a bar in Mexico City - still fairly new here. Maybe I’ll go that route again.” he said, finishing his drink as she finished hers. He ordered another round.

Marisol nodded in understanding. She hadn’t had to go though a cross planet move. ”So what brings you here? Scoping out the potential competition?”

Enrique laughed. ”No, nothing like that. Like you, just needed a relaxing night,” he said, grinning.

She smiled pleasantly at him. ”Surely you must have plentlybof time to relax as a freelancer. Set your own schedule?” she teased.

He leaned in mimicking her own gesture from earlier. ”I got more going on than you would think. Perhaps someday - I’ll tell you, but for now, well - we’ll see.”

[Marisol]

Enrique it seemed had moved from Mexico to Moscow and had done it relatively recently. It was a good enough explanation as to why it sounded as if he didn’t have steady work, but still, he didn’t look like a freeloader or someone who mooched off the system. He seemed pretty down to earth as well, but Marisol was certain there was more to the story. She smiled when he pretty much admitted it.

”Ohhh…secrets. So much fun!” she said, her voice teasing. ”I get it. Not every detail should be shared with someone you just met.”

Enrique nodded. ”Yeah, although I wouldn’t mind sharing so much. Just not here. It’s someone to share I’m a more personal space.” he gave her a serious look. ”And I don’t want to put you on guard or anything. This is not an attempt to get you out for nefarious purposes.”

She smiled at his desire to out her mind at ease. Truth be told though, she wouldn’t mind leaving with him. She didn’t sense any ill will from the man, and at the same time - if he did try something, she could take care of herself. ”What if I wanted to though?” she asked her voice teasing slightly before she turned serious. ”I am gonna tell you up front though - not gonna sleep with you.”

He grinned at her. ”Well that changes things. If you’re comfortable with it, I wouldn’t mind hosting more private get together. And your terms are acceptable.” he stood up and paid their tabs, and they left the bar. ”Not far - I did walk - hope you don’t mind.”

Marisol shook her head. ”Not a problem. I grew up here. I’m used to the cold.” while they walked, her mind contemplated what secrets this man with her held.

[Enrique]

They walked together through the streets, and Enrique was surprised that she had been willing to come. Not only that, she had suggested it. He had felt a kind of spark between them, but was surprised nonetheless. He had been completely honest with her though. He had no intentions of anything but talking. At one time, he would have been wanting more, but the days of Enrique being a player were gone. He was open to more, but wasn’t going to push for anything.

Marisol seemed to be a kind and caring individual, but had also been a little flirty. Enrique had to admit that it was making for a relaxing evening, and Marta had been right. He had needed to relax. Lately he had been giving her more freedom, and it seemed to be working for her. She was becoming more independent and Enrique knew that’s what she needed. His wallet hadn’t beeped all night. She was doing fine.

Suddenly, Enrique felt something. It was a sort of sixth sense that those who hunted supernatural beings tended to get, and he knew - someone or something was here. Enrique noticed the subtle shift in Marisol’s posture that she was on guard too. Either she had noticed him or her cop instincts had sensed something too. Still, the pair kept moving. Both of them remaining alert and falling into an understanding silence.

[Marisol]

Marisol followed while still walking at his side. She was kind of amazed at herself, but she just got a good vibe from Enrique. He seemed to have some secrets, but most people did these days with channelers, secret societies, and stories of monsters everywhere. Even Marisol had her secrets. She sky going to just tell people she had dreams that were in some sort of other dimension that she could die in. Enrique had still been pretty up front with her.

Suddenly, she felt wary. Sort of like she was being watched or followed. Her posture shifted and she noticed Enrique’s did too. He had noticed something too. Her hand pulled out her taser. She had her gun as well, but would prefer not to use lethal force unless she had to. She held it in her hand prepared. Her eyes looked around, but she was still caught off guard as something pulled her into a nearby alley. She screamed briefly, more in surprise than in fear or pain.

Marisol didn’t know what it was, but even if it was humanoid, she had a feeling it wasn’t human. Its skin was pale and its eyes were almost complete black orbs. Marisol reacted quickly, bringing the taser to bear. The creature screamed in pain and Marisol felt a sting of pain on her forearm as the creature let go of her and ran.

Enrique appeared, a revolver in his hand and came up to her. ”Are you alright?”

Marisol checked her forearm. The things nails and ripped through her coat, leaving bleeding scratches on her arm. ”Other than these scratches and feeling a little shook up, I’m fine,”

Enrique nodded and she noticed his eyes go down the alley to where the creature had disappeared. His stance said he wanted to follow, but he held back as he turned to her. ”Well let’s get that cleaned up and we can talk some more.”

Enrique held more secrets than she thought. He had clearly wanted to give chase to the thing. For what purpose, Marisol didn’t know, but she had seen the brief look of fear in his eyes. Fear had kept him from going forward. The whole exchange hadn’t taken long. He had reacted quickly. She wondered if he was afraid of the creature - or if it was something else.

They arrived at his house and Marisol removed her coat. Enrique sat her down at a table and pulled out a first aid kit. He began to clean her wounds. They were superficial, but who knows where the thing’s hands had been. Better to be cautious.  Marisol thought as he worked and took a shot in the dark. ”You knew what that thing was, don’t you?”

[Enrique]

Enrique grimaced only a little as she asked her question. Then again, he didn’t have much of a problem revealing what he was to her. He was in compliance with the law. ”I do. It’s what we call a dreykan.” She moved to speak, but he raised a hand to cut her off. ”You’ll probably think me crazy, but it’s true. You see, I’m one of the Atharim. Now before you read me my rights, I’m registered and in complete compliance of the law. I was a field hunter. I hunted monsters such as what we saw tonight. Not people.”

She frowned but spoke.”I don’t think you’re crazy. I saw the thing - it wasn’t human, and well, if magic exists, why not monsters too. What exactly are these ‘dreykan’?

That surprised him, but he went with it. ”Vampire stories are based off of them. They drink blood. Without feeding they have trouble regulating their body temperature. With as cold as it is, I’m not surprised that one was out. Still - this one was weird. It attacked a pair, and ran with very little fight. Must be desperate, probably hasn’t fed or was interrupted during its last meal.”

He finished the work on her forearm. It wasn’t bad. "You said you were a hunter. I saw you wanted to follow it, but, forgive me, you seemed afraid. Why?”

He gave her a smirk. ”You definitely deserved that promotion to detective,” she smiled at that and Enrique found it very pretty.

”Not afraid of the creature, no.” he sighed and stood up. ”Something to drink? A beer?” she nodded and he got one before sitting down across from her. ”well you knowing I’m Atharim will make this story easier. When was in Mexico City, another hunter and I went to search out rumors of a nest of creatures called quetzalcoaus. They’re attracted to sin and we thought they had staged themselves near a cartel brothel. This brothel catered to people of ‘unique’ tastes - particularly young ones.” Anger flashed in Marisol’s eyes and Enrique agreed. ”Couldn’t save them all, but the opportunity to save one of them presented itself and I took it. The girl is thirteen. Legally, I’m her guardian, but our relationship is closer to that of siblings now. We couldn’t stay in Mexico. Too many bad memories for her there, and the ever present danger of the cartels finding her again. So we moved here. She’s a good kid, even if she’s very troubled. So no - I’m not afraid of monsters. I’m afraid of what happens to her if I don’t come back.” he chuckled. ”You probably think I’m nuts don’t you?”

[Marisol]

Marisol shook her head. ”No not at all,” she said, giving him an encouraging smile and placing her hand on his. ”it was all very unexpected, but I know there are things out there I don’t understand. It’s best to be open to learning more. I’ve…” she taped off, deciding if she wanted to tell him more. ”I have strange dreams. It’s like I’m in an entirely different dimension when I dream. I can get hurt there and everything. I saw nightmares there - not like bad dreams - but monsters. There are lots of things out there.”

Marisol looked at Enrique and he gazed at her not in disbelief, but in curiosity. ”You can enter the dream world? If you don’t mind me asking - is that your natural eye color?”

Marisol blinked, and then understood. He knew about people like Cal. ”Yes, they’re real. You’re thinking of people with golden eyes, right?” she said and he nodded. ”I met one once there. He seemed to understand that world pretty well.” Enrique looked like he wanted to say more. ”What is it?”

He shook his head. ”Its nothing. Well - nothing that I can tell you right now. Some things aren’t mine to tell.”

She nodded in understanding. ”Well - it’s supposed to be a relaxing night and it unexpectedly got a little deep. Not that I minded or anything,” she laughed. ”The company was good, but tonight is about relaxing - so why don’t we grab our beers, and watch a movie or something. End this night relaxing like we set out to do?”

Enrique smiled. ”Sounds like a fun plan!” he said. She let him lead the way.