How swift it was to pick up on habits when mates share a room, share the same bed. Those routines that were forged without realizing it had become so painfully obvious when disrupted. How those forged patterns became something, she could not think of the word... but there was a word for it. It was a foreign concept to her. Now it had nothing to do with matters of the flesh. No, this was different.

Darcy was acting strange. That much she knew for certain. It was not like her cowboy to sneak from room to room undetected. No, he walked into every room as if to make his presence and rank known. Yet it would seem her lover had made himself scarce, entering their bed late and vanished before she even awoke. His lurking seemed odd. The sun had barely set and his side of the bed was empty... the only sign of her cowboy was that his side had been slept in, the indent of his figure could be made out. He was so quick and quiet in the morning that she hadn't even heard the sound of him getting ready. He wouldn't be avoiding her now, would he? The room was perfectly empty, save for her felines. Including the sleepy Lynx that curled up, peacefully on her master's pillow as if in silent protest.

It was Darcy's peculiar absence that made her wonder just where he was the night before. She wasn't at Syn either to question it. No, most of that evening had been spent with Leon. It started off as a spa day, along with her nails, hair and shopping. It had been a long time since the she-devil spent such dedicated time to sort through endless racks of clothing, lingerie, shoes, accessories and everything she could ever desire. Leon was more than content to spend his waking hours styling and choosing outfits and doting upon his queen. Especially within his element, especially when there was money to spend.

She had to give it to Leon, he had an eye for fashion, which of course aligned with her own... most of the time. At least when he selected items with her in mind. Darcy would have had an aneurism had he seen the bill of her recent spree. She enjoyed watching that silent struggle of watching him squirm.

Darcy had to notice that their closet seemed a little fuller, bursting at the seams. There were even new outfits that hung up on the racks of his section of the walk-in along with her own. How certain that he would have noticed it. In fact, she was almost ready for the look upon his face, only to find his face absent. Perhaps she even wanted the reaction. How dare he make her look for him. Her cowboy was one of her most favoured people to toy with. Matedom would certainly not save him from that. Did he notice the new shirts that had been procured for him? He certainly wasn't wearing any of them, they remained untouched with the tags on for added measure. Perhaps she should have bought the foul neon mesh top that Leon insisted on. The designer garbage that had a price tag of nearly $700! A waste of a shirt and abrasive on her eyes. Who would be the one punished more? Her eyes at its neon orange hue assaulting them? Or Darcy who would have hated the shirt as much as she did?

Darcy had missed a great deal, how unlike the man who was so very observant. No one would have missed the spectacle of the near endless shopping bags that were paraded by staff like a procession into her room. All the pieces that were to be carefully sorted and put away with such care as they deserved as they were to be worn by her, she would expect for it to be treated with respect.


She drew from bed, slipping into her robe that the vampire queen hadn't bothered to close which meant it barely concealed anything at all. It wasn't long before she began to ready herself as one of her recently chosen feeder, a well-behaved twenty-something year old was sent up to her room. She liked him. He didn't try to speak or stare too boldly at her state of undress, simply and compliantly he submitted to her bite even as the venom began to take hold. Once returned to his holdings, Leon was summoned like a lady in waiting, ready to serve his queen. He was eager to work, lost within his favoured place, her closet...He hummed cheerfully to himself as he plucked out options suitable for his queen. He knew the safe topics in which to broach, most of the time... Practically preening when he earned her favour.

"I have a little gossip." He nearly sang like it wasn't so early in the evening, his voice carried from within that closet. One of the few beings even allowed free access in that room in the first place. He smelled fresh and looked perfectly presentable. However, it was his shirt that somehow stood out to her, even though it was well within Risque's chosen colour pallet it still somehow appeared loud and flamboyant as the man himself. The buttons left most of his chest exposed as he emerged from that closet swiftly and aptly plucked three dresses for her to pick from. Two new and one old as she waited, with her hair and make-up already completed.

Risque gestured for him to go on with a vague, elegant swooping gesture of her hand as she distractedly eyed her choices.. Two black and one in colour.

"One of your yummy little were's told me they saw Darcy slipping away this evening, barely anyone was even awake."

"Was he now." She stated blandly and yet somehow still terse... as if bored by Leon's gossip as she eyed that one outfit with clearly more interest over the others, The black, backless bandage dress with a slit that travelled alluringly up her right thigh. Yes, that one would do for today and she had just the shoes to pair with it.

If only Leon changed the subject or held his tongue. "Do you know what I think?" He overstepped grossly. His mouth parted a breath taken as if to go forth. "I think that Dar-."

Risque's eyes flashed in a violent spark of irritation, her hand rose immediately, to silence his runaway mouth. She silenced him with a vicious, loud but satisfying slap echoed through the room. Shock bloomed across his face, as did that discolouration that bloomed. He could do little but raise his hands to cradle the sore, swollen side of his face even though it would soon heal. That message burned much longer within his mind than the sting from the cut on his cheek. Even he knew it was but a mere warning fire. "Non. I do not care for it. Careful with your speculations, I really don't feel like killing you tonight. Leave and change that vile shirt while you are at it. It offends me." He offended her. How calmly she said those words yet they were no less deadly even though he could not help that offended gasp. She called his shirt.... Vile?! He knew better than to say anything to her and yet he looked like he might pray to the designer gods as if they might smite him from the heavens... Even still, somehow he feared his queen more. Her word was law. He lowered his head in a deep, respectful bow, releasing his error much too late. That was one topic he had never tried to broach before. His tongue was too loose. A mistake he had learned far too late.

She would not accept Leon's meddling fabrications. She knew speculation when she heard it. Speculation of her mate was a disrespect... and somehow, a disrespect upon her. Leon melted away in retreat as she didn't so much as afford him another glance as her gaze remained fixed upon that chosen dress. But Leon's speculation was not without... kind of truth. Was it not?

Once dressed and satisfied with her appearance in the blissful silence of her own company she descended down the steps to enter the familiar office.

Eventually.. it was with a far too dismissive and yet inevitable demand that she asked for someone to summon Darcy. One of her more petite cats curled upon her lap in perfect contentment, purring as she clicked through the first of her emails of the evening. Her freshly manicured finger tapped against the key in a bored-like manner. It wasn't too much later that a sharp, familiar rap of Darcy's knuckles against the door was heard. She could have messaged him herself... and yet somehow having someone else ask to retrieve her mate seemed so much more.. satisfying. The vampire queen finished the final line of her email before she admitted him inside of that room. Her lover seemed to skulk his way inside, somehow engrossed with a flimsy piece of paper in his hand that was strategically placed in front to hid his face. He appeared too engrossed. How could that piece of paper be more interesting than her? Did he think that he could hide from her with a piece of paper? The she-devil eyed him with intense scrutiny, although she does not comment upon his unusual behaviour just yet. Instead, she replies to his observation that were clearly intended to distract her, those final words then saw that paper lower to show his familiar face.

"Over charging us? How unfortunate for them." Her gaze narrowed, focused on distraction he had dangled before her. "I believe it's time for a meeting with our.. 'loyal' suppliers. I will not tolerate being made a fool." That word loyal was spoken with a hint of venomous disdain. She refused to be overcharged or be made into a fool of any kind, in any world. She would handle it.. one way or another. They would be reminded what it meant to meddle in her affairs.

What happened? Had her wicked little monster been naughty?

She lifted an expectant hand palm out in silent demand, looking to that sheet of paper he held in his hand. As if it were evidence of his findings, while also luring him close. As if she could better steal his secrets by stealing his little safety paper that he seemed so entranced with. "Let me take a little look, oui?" Her hypnotic gaze remained upon his mismatched eyes as she waited.

"You were quiet as a mouse yesterday, I didn't even feel you come to bed." She added offhandedly, a sense of perfect nonchalance. Her other hand ran idly through the smooth glossy silken fur of her feline upon her lap, running her finger tips through it caused the feline's eyes to close and yet that her sharp gaze remained fixed. "I do have one little question for you Darcy." Her honied voice slipped free from her alluring painted lips, her features perfectly smooth and unreadable. She waited long enough until his attention was wholly upon her, where it belonged.

Risque had him cornered, almost exactly where she wanted him. "What could you possibly be hiding from me, hm?" Her mate seemed oddly closed lipped. How certain that was about to change.