the wicked king

Reid Cassidy. Vampire. 33. What's in it for me?

[reidcassidy]

armstrong-james·:

James looked over from the corners of his eyes at Reid. Reid, a man who had been in Shadow Falls longer than James had been alive, who knew his family and their legacy. Dianna had always warned him that Reid was savvy, the type to find things out one way or the other and it was better to not make an enemy of him. The Armstrongs had been wary of vampires ever since Atticus’ untimely and unsavory death, but James knew his mother hadn’t rejected the silent partner of Saints & Sinners entirely.

“Maybe it’s Maybelline. Or the other conglomerate equivalent,” James retorted, cocking an eyebrow at Reid. For once, someone wasn’t raging at him for leaving. Someone wasn’t looking at him like he was a ghost. While he acknowledged all of those feelings as valid, James found he didn’t love this attention. All those months locked away, fantasizing about even the most trivial things of freedom (the burnt coffee at Procaffeination, the smell of the dewey grass in the park, the crowded farmers’ market in the summer time) he simply wanted to slide back into his old life, no questions asked. Things were never so simple.

“I took part in a clinical study that cured me of my supernatural ailments,” he said stiffly, reciting the lines his case manager had drilled into his mind. James hadn’t been free long, and he wasn’t about to sacrifice everything for the sake of truth. He took another bite of ice cream, the taste seeming more bitter than sweet now. “What did I miss?”

“Hmm,” Reid hummed, eyebrows raised ever so slightly as if only in mild interest. Since Murphy’s sudden arrival into town and the trouble she’d found herself in, he’d been keeping tabs on the goings on in Shadow Falls. And as compelling as this new development was, it was also a very unexpected one. He’d heard about the cure, sure, but he hadn’t actually expected it to be a real thing. Least of all did he believe that the Armstrong boy had been a voluntary participant. 

He chuckled a little at the dry joke, the hint of a smile fading the moment he began to speak again. His suspicions were all but confirmed with that bullshit drivel he regurgitated and Reid clenched his jaw. So he supposed that was where Kim had gone. Who would be next? 

“Where do I even begin? Shadow Falls is full of nonstop action, as you well know. There is the matter of the... suspiciously disappearing members of the supernatural community. I don’t suppose you know anything about that considering you’ve only just returned home.”

[reidcassidy]

gracexkline·:

Grace sipped her drink and focused on Reid’s expression.  He was grinning, pleased with how things were going.  Grace was too.  It seemed that their interests had aligned in exactly the right way.  Truthfully, she’d forgotten what it was like to find a halfway decent guy in a bar.  They were usually all creeps.

“It’s not too forward,” Grace replied.  Maybe it should have been, but she was looking for fun.  Whatever the night had in store for them back at his place was something she’d be open to.  After all?  Where were the rewards in life without a little risk?  

She hopped off her stool and straightened her skirt out while flashing him a coy smile.  “Shall we?”

Reid’s serpentine smile spread like wildfire as he watched her slip from her stool and stand before him. He allowed himself a long look, a languid trail of his eyes as he took in the entirety of her. He threw back the rest of his drink and reached into his pocket for his wallet. Standing, he tossed way more than enough money onto the bar top before slipping his wallet back into his pocket and turning to her. “We shall.”

Once outside, Reid led her towards the street. A sleek black town car sat waiting beneath a street light. As they approached, the driver came around to the passenger’s side, impeccably dressed, and pulled open the back door to the car with a pleasant smile. “Mr. Cassidy,” he greeted. 

Reid nodded to the man in return before letting his gaze trail back to the pretty little thing beside him. “One of the perks of sticking it to the man is keeping a driver on retainer,” he told her, his voice low and quiet. His grin was wide and boyish and he stepped aside to allow Grace to slide in first. “After you.”

[reidcassidy]

gracexkline·:

Grace could feel the air between them.  It was practically crackling with tension and that excited her.  Truth be told, it had been awhile since Grace found someone in this town interesting enough to spend time with.  Her coven members and Erin not withstanding.  Sometimes Shadow Falls was not exactly the bustling hub she’d love for it to be.

“That’s honestly the best description I’ve ever heard,” Grace chuckled.  She leaned in, completely fascinated by the things he was saying.  She bit her lower lip and wondered exactly where he had been hiding during her months in Shadow Falls.  Certainly he would have made things more interesting.

Tilting her head, Grace brushed her hair over her shoulder with the back of her hand.  “I do love the whole twenty questions vibe,” she told him, playfulness dancing on her lips.  “But maybe we should get out of here?  Go somewhere more…quiet if we’re going to play a get to know you game.”

A slow smile spread across his face, predatory and alluring. He had cast a line and she had taken a nibble. And maybe she’d cast one of her own judging by his own piqued interest where they was usually only stark boredom. His eyes had fallen to her lips, where she’d bitten down on them, where she was now smiling at him playfully. He imagined himself sinking his teeth into them, too.

Her suggestion was like music to his ears and he grinned at her, not unlike the cheshire cat. He was nearly purring when he spoke again. “I’d offer up my home, but I’d hate to come across as too forward.”

[armstrong-james]

“Well…At least ice cream still tastes the same,” James mused quietly, taking a bite of his Neapolitan flavored dessert. At least now, he didn’t have to eat around the chocolate part. Maybe he was trying to find something positive amidst all the hell he had experienced the past four months. That hell wasn’t over, but at least it was more bearable. He could live like someone with rights again, see his friends, see his family. Eat ice cream. “I can’t remember the last time I had chocolate,” he said, tilting his head.

[reidcassidy]

Keeping up appearances meant, well, making appearances. It wasn’t enough to hold blood drives or host charity dinners. He knew he spent more time than he should at Saints and Sinners and less time in everyday places like coffee shops and diners. To be completely honest, he hated these kinds of places. He hated the crowds, the people, the lines. He especially hated the god awful Top 40s that was playing over the loudspeaker. 

The words were a welcome distraction, a reason to step out of line while still maintaining the image of being a kind and social man of the town. It wasn’t until he saw exactly whom it was he was speaking that the intrigue really set in. What a delightful day it was indeed because, it seemed, Reid Cassidy was talking to a ghost.

He breathed in the very human scent, tinged with a little something more perhaps, and smiled. “The prodigal son returns from the dead. Not a very original trope, but effective, nonetheless. Things used to have to get quite messy to pull something like that off. Tell me: what's your secret?" 

[reidcassidy]

gracexkline·:

There was something almost electric in the air.  Grace could feel it.  She shifted on the barstool, crossing on leg over the other.  Maybe she was wrong.  She was pulled in and she didn’t want to let go.  Then he offered to pay for her next drink and Grace flashed him a smile.  “Thank you,” she murmured.  “Aren’t you a sweet one?”  Grace was no fool.  She knew he was doing it to get something out of her, but if their interests were aligned then what was the harm?  Her gaze swept over him once and she took another deep breath.  Grace had half a mind to tell him they should get out of there, but she didn’t want to be a fool.  She didn’t want to be reading between the lines and getting it wrong.

Grace chuckled lightly, her head shaking in amusement at his comment.  Oh how she wished she knew what he was thinking about that, though mind reading was not her gift.  She could see into the past, not into the minds of others.  The bartender appeared with her new drink and she picked it up, humming softly as she pondered his question.  Something that had nothing to do with magic?  It was harder to answer than she thought.  Everything in her life had something to do with magic.  

“I moved here from New York City about six months ago,” she told him.  “The culture shock has been far too intense.  What about you?  I mean…if this is turning into twenty questions,” she chuckled.

His eyes drifted to her toned legs as they crossed one over the other. He dragged his gaze slowly up the length of her until he met her eyes again. Her sweet comment brought a low rumbling sound of amusement from the back of his throat. She was turning out to be quite the delicious surprise indeed. 

He pursed his lips and nodded thoughtfully at the information about herself she’d given. It would likely never come up again, never be an important fact for the future, but he filed it away anyway. Just in case. He’d lived in New York once, though he hadn’t been back since the 60′s, and even still, he could understand the culture shock. New York had always been more progressive than North Carolina. It was only the memories that drew him back, kept him circling the south rather than moving on for good. “It’s like time travel in the worst way,” he agreed with a throaty chuckle. Her next question gave him pause and he let the electric silence between them stretch until he was sure it was palpable. He smirked devilishly and instead of answering her question, he leaned in just a little closer. “If twenty questions isn’t satisfying to you, I’m sure we could think of something else.”

[applysomepressure]

[reidcassidy]

gracexkline·:

She smiled, her gaze never wavering while she hung on to his every word.  He was pulling her in and Grace was glad for it.  It had been awhile since she found an interesting guy at a bar.  And she went to plenty of bars.  She sipped her drink as he explained his appreciation.  “Oh the power is definitely great,” she told him.  “It can be a bit of a head trip if you don’t check yourself.  I mean….there’s always more to learn and you can’t just do whatever you want just because the potential is there.  Magic can be dangerous.”

She tilted her head, chuckling in amusement at his comment.  “Oh totally that’s exactly how covens behave,” she joked.  She loved her coven.  They were like a family to here and she couldn’t have been more grateful for it.  “All those witching movies are mandatory viewing at our monthly coven sleepovers.”  Laughing, Grace lifted her glass to her lips and finished off her drink, feeling the alcohol start warming her up as she loosened up even more.

Reid couldn’t help his self-satisfied smile when he noticed she hadn’t dropped her gaze. He tilted his head for just a moment, trying to listen for a thudding heart, proof that she was getting trapped in his spiderweb of charm. His smile spread even more at the idea of this dangerous magic. What fun he could have with unchecked magic.

But he wasn’t so intoxicated by power that he couldn’t appreciate that she played it smart. For a young witch, he got the impression that she was a strong one, with more control than he could probably even imagine. He watched her throw back her drink, watched the column of her throat as she swallowed, and had the sudden urge to see her when she let loose. “I knew it,” he said with a chuckle and then caught the eye of one of his bartenders and nodded towards his and Grace’s empty drinks. “On me,” he said as if this wasn’t already his bar and his booze.

He had an infinite number of questions he could ask to satisfy his intrigue, but he worried that harping on them might make her feel as if he were interested in only that. And even if it were mostly true, he couldn’t help but appreciate her youth, the way her clothes clung to her curves, or the way she was looking at him. He licked his lips, narrowing his eyes as he made it apparent he was interested in her as a whole. “So, now that I’ve got that nice little image of a coven sleepover in my head, tell me something about you that has nothing to do with magic.”

[reidcassidy]

murphyslawx·:

“Don’t be so surprised that I would use that against you,” she chided. It was a low-blow, but anything was better than talking about it. Fear wasn’t something she was used to feeling, not for a long time, and the sudden resurgence of it was unwelcome. Distractions would be needed until the whole thing was sorted, properly, and with luck the Knights–at least a good chunk of them, anyway–would be dead. The thought of that had her spirits higher.

“Feel away if you must, but I’m not all that concerned,” a lie, a rather blatant one at that, but Murphy found herself caring less and less. The odds that the Knights would catch up to her here, quite literally what felt like the middle of nowhere, were slim. All she had to do was wait them out, and patience was something vampires were experts at. Eyes landing on his grin, the rush that came with the knowledge of what he was saying had Murphy glancing around the dingy bar they were stuck in as he spoke, agreeing that the place really wasn’t much. “If it’s what you say it is, then this place is nothing in comparison. Not worth trying to find replacements here. I’d offer my services but, well, you and I both know I don’t do well with authority figures. I just don’t think I could take you seriously as a boss.”

She flashed him a cheeky grin, letting her finger dance along the rim of her own glass before pushing it away, snatching onto the thin piece of information he just gave. “I don’t know. Like, two days ago? And what disappearances? Better yet, tell me on the way. I’m starting to get hungry.”

“I’m not surprised,” he shot back with a smirk. “It works.” 

Her false lack of concern was obvious to him but he didn’t push her. He could be a nice guy sometimes, see? It wasn’t nearly as fun, but it was possible. He made a mental note to follow up with this, though. Knights sniffing around the place could prove... inconvenient for him and his plans. And no one messed with his family. Murphy was a pain in the fucking ass but she was family.

He snorted and he raised his brows, trying to imagine what it would be like having Murphy as an employee. “I already have one pain in the ass on the payroll, I don’t need another one. And it’s cliche to want to fuck your boss. You don’t want to be a cliche.” He was teasing, leaning in his chair to remove his wallet from his back pocket. He tossed significantly more money onto the counter than necessary to cover their drinks-- he had an image to protect, after all-- and stood, narrowing his eyes at her enticingly with a nod towards the exit. “Surely it’d be bad manners if I didn’t properly welcome you to town and what am I if not impeccably mannered?”

[morality-malicious]

Jesse Williams

[reidcassidy]

gracexkline·:

She mirrored his action with her own drink and sipped it again.  She was having fun, letting loose.  That was the whole point of going out to the bar.  Grace was always a wildcard.  She was always willing to have some fun or try a new thing.  That was what kept pulling her back to situations like these.

He wasn’t an asshole and that made Grace curious to see where the night would take them.  Tilting her head ever so slightly, she chuckled.  “You’ve got a point there.  We’ve all got our own little..quirks,” she admitted.  “I’m an earth witch and dabble a bit in retrocognition,” she told him.  Her coven power was something that she had not yet truly mastered, but she knew she’d fully get a handle on it someday.  She thought briefly to ask him if he had a lot of experience with witches, but honestly Grace didn’t care.  She was having fun with him and would rather keep things about them than anyone else he might have known.  Shifting forward on her stool, Grace focused her attention on him.  “And you’re not a witch.  Just have a fascination with us, huh?  I promise we’re not as crazy as Hollywood paints us.”

Reid was taking mental notes, filing this information away in a folder marked Grace. She was intriguing and Reid kicked himself for not taking notice of her before now. There was a quiet strength in her, but there was a glint of the good kind of trouble behind her eyes. Reid smirked, both to himself and at her. “I’m not a witch,” he echoed in confirmation. “But I’d say it’s more of an... appreciation than fascination. Possessing magic must feel like endless possibility.” He wasn’t really pandering, either. Okay, well, maybe he was a little, but witches really did have so much power at their disposal. At the center of it, it was power that he wanted. It was all there was left to really want in the end. Time could destroy anything, but power was timeless. 

He laughed at the Hollywood comment and feigned disappointment. “So you mean you don’t play Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board during all those mandatory coven sleepovers? That’s too bad. I thought The Craft really nailed that one, you know?” 

[reidcassidy]

murphyslawx:

Of course he wouldn’t let it go. Why would he? Reid could be a persistent little shit when he wanted to be and being the big man around town clearly gave his demeanor even more bite. It was frustrating how good ego looked on him. Murphy wanted to be annoyed by it, but she knew it was well-deserved. Didn’t mean she had to like it.

“So demanding,” she purred, feeling a tad more like herself before she settled back, eyes forward. Talking about it with Amari was hard enough. Having to rehash the whole deal again with Reid? Murphy was already exhausted, her nerves frayed. Admitting that she fucked up to her sire was one thing, but the man before her was something else entirely.

“I got into a situation that involved the Knights, okay?” Murphy let her eyes trace up towards the ceiling, along the bar. Anywhere but at Reid. It was obvious she couldn’t hide anything from him, he was a lot like her sire in that aspect. Avoidance would be the best way to deal with it. Brush it off like it wasn’t serious. Maybe he’d get bored, move on. It wouldn’t be hard to put two and two together with what little information she gave, anyway. “Before you start, I already talked to Amari about it, and I’m here now. So, yay. Exciting. We can be a big happy family again.”

Murphy twisted so she was facing him again, crossing her legs as she offered Reid a wide smile, practically dripping in sarcasm. It waned after a moment, shifting into something a little more subdued, more genuine.·“Seriously. It’s not that big of a deal. It’s… It’ll be fine, yeah? Look, hey. Tell me more about your club. Is it as scandalous as I’ve been lead to believe? Please say yes.”

She settled back into a version of herself he recognized and he felt himself relaxing as well. That was, until she started talking about ‘a situation that involved the Knights’. The very first thought that entered his mind-- the one that slips through a split second before the words you’re hearing actually process-- was that really, it was only a matter of time before she pissed off the wrong person. But there was real danger there. For as powerful of a man he was, the Knights were vastly stronger. Hate was powerful; he’d seen so many examples of that firsthand in his long life, and the Knights were not few. The net of their influence was cast wide and for the first time in a long time, he felt that awful thrill of feeling outmatched. Like prey instead of predator.

It was not a feeling he welcomed and he was certain whatever he felt about it, Murphy was feeling worse. He wouldn’t push her about it. Tonight. He’d file it away in exchange for a favor she’d inevitably ask him. “That’s a clever tactic,” he said, pointing at her with the hand that was clutching his glass. “Trying to distract me by appealing to my narcissism so I don’t have time to think about the fact that you’ve got real shit going on.”

He took another sip of the drink-- tasteless shit that it was-- and glanced around the shabby place before his eyes landed back on her. “We don’t have to talk about it.” Yet. “But I can put out feelers. Find out if there’s anyone around I should keep an eye on.” He shrugged as if it were nothing. But now he was wondering if the disappearances in town were connected somehow. “It’ll give me something to do.” He took another sip, just muscle memory at this point, a filler between thoughts. His face shifted into something devilish and he grinned. “You should come see it for yourself. All you can eat.” He glanced down at the glass in his hand and snarled at it as if it offended him. “Nothing like this hokey pokey hole in the wall. I just like to keep tabs on the competition. Maybe pick up a new dancer. Or bartender since mine seem to like to lose their fucking minds or disappear altogether.”

He set down his drink and then lifted his chin in her direction. “When did you get into town?”

[reidcassidy]

murphyslawx·:

Murphy sniffed, feeling more like a scolded child than the near-400 year old vampire she was. Not even the mouth comment was enough to get a rise out of her, and her shoulders tensed the longer he spoke. Clearly, Reid didn’t appreciate her efforts. Not for the first time she wondered why she showed up in Shadow Falls instead of dealing with the Knights herself. Frowning, Murphy folded her arms on the bartop, using one to prop her chin, and sighed.

“Some shit went down, but it’s nothing you need to worry your pretty little head over.” A flick of her wrist, eyes glancing towards him before looking quickly away. It was all the information she felt he deserved at present, what with his lukewarm reaction to her homecoming of sorts. She had hoped he would at least be marginally more tolerable. She wasn’t lying when she said she missed him, especially considering the fun they had in the past. Maybe his retirement changed him, too? Murphy wasn’t sure. Part of her didn’t care. If he wasn’t happy to see her then she would be on her merry way, simple as that. “I just came looking to catch up, that’s all. Completely innocent. Well, mostly.”

When she didn’t immediately fire back with some snarky comment, Reid himself tensed a little. His mind returned to the thought that she’d come here for a reason, but he didn’t have to think on it too long before she was speaking again, giving him just enough to be interested but not enough to actually say anything. Because of course. 

But aside from the annoyance that she could be so, well, her, he found himself sitting a little straighter, leaning a little more forward. Curiosity. Concern. He could admit-- to himself, not out loud-- that he was being a little shitty to her. But he’d been feeling the itch to do something for a while now. Having her come here and rub it in his face, the complacency, the absolute fucking staleness that came with having everything you could possibly want, made him angry. It ruined the illusion that it didn’t all mean absolutely nothing in the end.

That wasn’t him complaining though. Most days, he did feel like a fucking king. He had his hands in everyone’s pocket; this town was like a marionette and he the puppeteer. Everyone knew him here, but no one actually knew him. No one except Amari. And the vampire before him. 

So, yeah, he was being a dick, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t like family to him. And the fact that she mentioned anything at all about ‘shit going down’ meant that there was definitely more to it and Reid’s jaw clenched, eyes narrowing as his mind switched into something like protective mode. “What kind of shit?” he asked. “Let’s catch up. We can start there.”

[reidcassidy]

murphyslawx·:

The fact that Reid fell into it so easily had Murphy pausing, taking in the sight of the man next to her. He never succumbed to her pestering that fast before. Things were worse here than she first thought. “Really? Just like that.” Incredulous was the only word for it. Once the shock of it wore off she grinned wide, laughing loudly. “Man, you must really need me. Giving in that fast. What happened? Crown too heavy?”

He clearly had it good here. From what she heard, what she’d seen, Reid was well-respected, maybe even feared in Shadow Falls. His staff respected him, and his connections to their illicit world seemed strong. It truly seemed like he had it all. It must be so boring. “You know, if I’m honest, I didn’t think I’d get this far. I know I’m good but I didn’t think I was that good. What do you need, Reid? Hm? What does the king want that he doesn’t already have? These bullshit human laws rule out a good ol’ fashioned hunt. Unless you’ve got some swanky lawyer connections to go with that impressive suit collection I almost guarantee you have.”

Reid let out something that sounded like an undignified snort as she went on and leaned back against his chair, arms folded over his chest. He let her speak, let her get out all her words, her taunts, her teasing and glanced down at his admittedly flashy jacket. He tugged at the lapels and shrugged, flashing her a cheshire grin. “Aww. You think I’m impressive?” 

He sighed then for the dramatics and took a sip of his new drink. It was nearly as tasteless as the first, though it at least didn’t taste like it belonged in a porcelain bowl and he supposed that was a plus. “Murphy,” he started, an air of disinterest seeping into his tone, “I said you had my attention, but I’ve never been much for patience, so tell me why you’re here or find another way to occupy your mouth so I can enjoy my drink in silence.” Yeah, he was bored out of his skull, but he’d tolerate another decade or so of tortuously monotonous days and nights before he’d willingly show her his hand. Especially when she was playing hers close to the chest.

[reidcassidy]

murphyslawx·:

Murphy wanted to be upset that both her sire and Reid managed to see right through her, but the satisfaction and relief at being back among her own people–people she spent ages with, who she would tentatively call family if she didn’t hate that word–had her biting her tongue. It was probably because of how close they were that they were able to see her return for what it was. She needed help. Seeing Reid was just an added bonus. It still stung a bit, though.

“I know you don’t mean it,” she chided, dragging the tip of her finger around the rim of the glass before picking it up and downing half of it in one go. It held no flavor, and not even the burn was enough to satisfy her. Disappointing. Flicking her gaze back towards Reid, Murphy shifted in the stool so she was sitting sideways and crossed her legs, making extra effort to bump into his own just to be obnoxious. She grinned wide as she waited for his reaction. In the past, annoying Reid was one of her favorite ways to pass the time. “I’m unforgettable. Everyone knows that. Not even the world’s strongest compulsion could make someone forget about me.” She couldn’t help the exaggeration, and even added in a flourishing gesture towards herself and batted her eyelashes. Laughing, she straightened up again. “And what if I did just come to say hi? Would that be so wrong? My two favorites wasting away in some useless little town. Maybe I just thought you’d might want some fun for a change. I doubt there’s any of that here.”

Reid’s smile was slow to spread and he let himself acknowledge that it was good to see Murphy. She always meant trouble and he’d been getting a little itchy for a little of that himself lately. He watched her finger dance around the rim of her glass, heavy eyes flicking back to her face as he tried to read her intentions, to see if he knew her better than he thought he did.

His bar was flourishing, it didn’t require him to be there everyday to ensure the goings on and if he was honest with himself, he was getting a little lazy with his regular access to fresh blood. It was all becoming so mundane. He arched a brow as he fixed her with a look. “It depends on what your idea of fun is this time.” He leaned forward a little and tilted his head with a smirk. “You have my attention. For now.”

[reidcassidy]

murphyslawx·:

Ending up in this part of town was not at all what Murphy intended. Ending up in Shadow Falls wasn’t what she wanted, either, but yet she found herself there. In Shadow Falls. In this bar. Surrounded by humans. Not for the first time she wondered just what she did wrong for this to be what her life turned into.

Finding Amari was the easy part. Her sire always had a sort of call over her, and tracking the woman down wasn’t difficult. Reid, on the other hand, was proving an annoyance. Saints and Sinners was the first place she looked, but when questioned, the staff didn’t seem to have any answers. Her only idea shot, Murphy took to wandering around in hopes of picking up his scent.  Instead, she ended up here.

Luck seemed to be on her side for once, though, because as soon as she stepped into the building her eyes caught sight of a familiar form. He didn’t seem to be aware of her presence yet, and Murphy grinned to herself. It took no effort to slip up to the bar next to him and order a drink–the name of it erasing from her mind as soon as she spoke it–and waited. It didn’t take him long to turn to her, and Murphy felt giddy with excitement. She waited another beat to see if the realization would kick in before frowning, almost pouting at him now. “Yeesh, I know it’s been a few decades, but you haven’t forgotten me that quickly, have you? Break a girl’s heart, why don’t you.”

How he hadn’t known it was her right from the moment she sat down, he didn’t know. He did nothing to hide the roll of his eyes as the bartender returned with whatever it was that she’d ordered for the both of them. “Murphy,” he said curtly in greeting. 

Despite the fact that she was technically older than him, he still felt this big brotherly sort of way towards her. Even if she was a huge pain in the ass and her appearance here now felt more like trouble than a nice visit. “Try to be less forgettable,” he shot back with a small smirk and one shouldered shrug, taking a rather large swallow of his new drink. “To what does Shadow Falls owe the pleasure of a visit from you? I imagine you’re not here to just say hi.”

[reidcassidy]

nickk-robinsonn·:

Flanagan’s was a good place to get your mind off of things. That’s what Nick always thought. And boy, his mind was on too many things these past few months. James’ death and disappearance (it was hard to tell what order those two came in), Kelsie’s reign as Alpha, Kelsie’s pregnancy, trying to find a new job, and now, three more people had disappeared. Nick prided himself on getting to know everyone in town. Mainly because it was in his nature to be social, to want to know those he shared a small town with. But also, he was the beta of a wolf-pack. Keeping eyes and ears open was something Atticus Armstrong had taught him and it was good practice. Opal Garcia was gone, the baker at the Pie Hole. A bartender, Kim Long, disappeared. It seemed like people were being plucked from this town left and right.

He ordered himself an old-fashioned– something strong, not too difficult to make, and Flanagan’s did it well. When the man– Nick recognised him as Reid Cassidy. The man always seemed like an enigma to Nick, which only made this unexpected encounter all the more welcome. His eyes fell to the man’s glass that the bartender was swiping, a small trace of the light yellow liquid at the bottom of it. Nick scrunched his face. “Yea, looks like you ordered their happy hour beer or something. The cheap watered down stuff,” he chuckled. “Probably got you more hydrated than not. Which isn’t what we’re here for.” The bartender returned with two old-fashioneds and Nick raised his glass to Reid. “Here’s to not drinking Coors Light,” he grinned before taking a sip. “I feel like I haven’t seen you around much in Flanagan’s. What brings you to our little shack of rednecks?”

Reid got a good look at the man before him, immediately recognizing him as one of the members of the Armstrong pack. Though he and Dianna were nothing but acquaintances, he still made it his job to know what he could about the supernatural community around him. He didn’t particularly enjoy not having the upper hand in any and all situations so he did what he could to have as much of it as possible. 

He swallowed down a comment about the shit quality of Flanagan’s in general, but he didn’t know what Nick knew about him. He couldn’t hide the fact that he was a vampire, but wasn’t planning on giving parts of himself away for free, so he kept the comment to himself. He took the new drink in hand and raised his glass to Nick’s in cheers. He shrugged as he swallowed (and admitted to himself that this drink was much better than he’d expected) and said, “Figured a change of scenery couldn’t be a bad thing. Wouldn’t want anyone to think I prefer Saints and Sinners over...” His eyes roamed over the place, a little distaste in the downward pull of his mouth, “this.”

[reidcassidy]

diannaarmstrong·:

She felt like a pretender, a fake, sitting in the bar her wolf pack so loved to visit. The younger pups and the old timers loved Flanigan’s– it had that dive bar feeling, everyone knew your face, and it wasn’t pretentious. Dianna used to go with Atticus, for show, but wasn’t much of a drinker. She’d play darts, she’d order beers for the pups, then drag them home when they were drunk. She remembered James spending his 21st birthday here all those some odd years ago. But now she sat perched on the bar stool, not out of place, but like a relic. She wasn’t one of the youngsters fiddling with the outdated jukebox. She wasn’t a gal in tight pants curled over the pool table. She was a widower, a tired woman in a worn leather jacket that smelled like cigarettes. 

The announcement of the disappearances had her thinking about the loss of her son again. Just when things felt like they could be fresh or new (Kelsie moving in, flipping the old guest room into a nursery) something would surface up and take a swing at her. Dianna wasn’t a drinker, but she needed a drink. Something to take the edge off, something to make her feel like less of a cautionary tale or a yellow photograph of a memory.

“Jameson and ginger. Can’t go wrong.” Dianna said, barely glancing at Reid out of the corner of her eye. Her eyes fell to his empty beer pint as it slid its way to the bartender. A small, wry smile pressed on Dianna’s lips. “Never pegged you for a beer guy.” She mused before finally looking him in the eyes. She had trouble with vampires after Atticus was murdered. It was silly to fault an entire species for a singular incident, but it left her wary. She could always, literally, sniff one out as she figured they could figure out who and what she was right away. Dianna wasn’t one for small talk. “Haven’t seen you in here much before. Trying to drink away the memory of the missing persons? Probably not going to see them again.”

He followed her gaze to his empty glass and shrugged. “I’m not usually.” He leaned in a little conspiratorially, though he still retained a respectable distance. “It was cheaper than mine, now I know why.” He leaned back into his chair again as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Her question cut through him, though, reminding him that there was, in fact, at least one care: supes were disappearing. And it could no longer be construed as a coincidence. He nearly shrugged, opening his mouth to say to be quite honest, he didn’t much care. But then he remembered exactly who it was he was talking to and he shut his mouth again. 

He did what he could to stay out of the personal affairs of others and her husband used to parade his literal affairs through his club pretty regularly. Knowing how that ended on top of the disappearance of her son, he figured she was not the right candidate for his blasé attitude. She’d sniff out a lie if he pretended to care though, so instead he followed through with his shrug and tried a different avenue instead. “If we’re being honest,” he started pointedly with a knowing smile at the woman who pulled no punches sitting in front of him, “I came here to find myself a distraction. Or a new bartender since apparently I just lost one of mine.”

Something about Dianna demanded respect, even from a guy like Reid who often found himself without an ounce to give. The bartender returned with their drinks and he glanced down at it. His finger lightly trailed the lip of the glass. “Think it’s all connected? The disappearances, I mean.”