The sound of her voice was pleasant. Serafina seemed to carefully choose her words, even though they didn't sound calculated when she spoke. They felt more effortless, but without the mundane routine feeling that some woman somehow incorporated into their voices, complete with the high pitched giggle and her fingers touching your arm. Routine was unpleasant, almost like the way women dyed their hair every 4-6 weeks. You could often tell what a woman was like by how she kept herself; fake blondes were the easiest. The laugh, the arm touch... Almost like math. Serafina didn't fit into an equation, a routine. You could tell by the scars lacing her arms, there was absolutely no routine, no mundane barriers. Her opinions, though? I had personal, deeply felt judgments about many hunters. I believe, firmly, that most of the supernatural beings did. Who willingly accepted someone who's core beliefs undermined your very existence? Never had I met a hunter, save for the serious oddball or two, that genuinely felt a connection to me, my existence, or my world. Maybe my experiences were the oddball, and Serafina had a point, but history told me otherwise. Hunters cared most for the destruction of lives that existed opposite of theirs. I shook my head minutely, understanding that her opinion was far closer to the truth than I would have liked to admit out loud.

" While you're entitled to your opinion, it's wrong." All in jest, I lowered my gaze to look at her to make sure she took the comment in that manner. I was particularly sure she would, especially with her own sarcastic responses far from sparse. " I think that sometimes, we forget that when it comes down to the very fiber of our beings, we relate in that our histories are all human, somewhere." Vampires, hunters, witches, werewolves... We all held the same physical form as the humans who evolved into the creatures we are, now. Sometimes I didn't want to see it, and I resolved to ignore it, but Serafina had a fair point, even if her words were laced with as much humor as my earlier ones had been. " Me, interesting? Quite the contrary I am about as vanilla as it gets."

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending, I was truly anything but vanilla, and I know it. Her silence during the initial exchanges wasn't surprising, but I could physically feel her rising to the occasion beside me. It was impressive, honestly, noting the haughty lift of her chin, the way her shoulders stretched back as if she had absolutely nothing to prove, and she'd be damned if someone suggested otherwise. It brought a smaller, less mischevious smile to my lips. Was this what it was like to have a partner in crime? Ha, literally. With minimal effort, Serafina morphed into the perfect accomplice, accepting the bait and seating herself at the table with the rest of the predators seated there already.

The lions were hungry, their eyes shifting quickly between my face, the woman beside me, and the rest of the star players of the night. Luckily, poker was a specialty of mine and the face necessary had had lots of practice. The banter was easy to engage in, especially when Serafina spoke up instead of taking a passive role. Her voice lilted in the perfect manner, and when coupled with the smile that engaged all of her features, she had somehow placated the lions. And unfortunately for me, I was impressed. I sighed, leaning back in my chair for a moment to absorb the scene instead of thrusting myself into it quickly. Instead, I found my eyes meeting hers. And it was all too easy to feel a certainty creep into my eyes, and a darker color overtaking the brilliant light blue that had been there before.

After useless chatter with my co-workers at the table, the waitress came over. She took orders quietly to keep our conversation lively, asking each customer for an order close to them. She offered various options to everyone, including the man seated directly opposite of me. I stiffened, only briefly enough that Serafina wouldn't feel the tension run through the arm I had rested comfortably on the back of her chair. The waitress worked her way closer to us, pausing closer to me before kneeling as if to show me a menu as instructed. "A bottle of the Mourvedre, please; two glasses." The waitress smiled to me, holding my gaze a moment longer than necessary, before nodding to Serafina, and turning to execute the orders. The rest of the table had ordered a mess of appetizers, including the oysters promised, which had the corner of my mouth turned up, appreciating the humor in all of this.

I guess it could look like a pretty fair date.

" Thomas, Davante has been absolutely crucial in accomplishing all of the deals that we have been securing. His Arabic is nearly flawless..." He trailed off, allowing Thomas to throw me an appreciative look. Thomas was going to die tonight, thinking I was some kind of phenomenal business professional who had helped better his company. Funny, especially as it was a business decision that would end his attachment to his company. Their conversation went on, allowing me to butt in and out at my leisure. When Sera spoke up, I couldn't help the quiet snicker, allowing the softest, barest part of my fingers to brush the bare part of her arm, gently trailing over her shoulder to touch the slender curve of her neck, urging her to lean closer.

"Pleasure is all mine, actually," I said, my voice soft enough for only her. Interrupted seconds later by a very full glass of wine, the rest of the table raised their glasses.

"To the success we have had as partners, and the many in the future!" He raised his glass the highest, catching my eyes. At least this game had perks. Thomas raised his glass, his smile seemingly genuine. "It is my pleasure to be working with all of you. To future success, and our promising interpreter," Thomas added to the toast, raising his glass to his lips, sipping a wine dark enough to be blood, or laced with something similar.