Darcy's mismatched gaze narrowed slightly in contemplation of Mary-Beth and her husband Wyatt. Risques' insistence that the pair had been sleeping together when Mary-Beth was married to another was hardly....surprising and yet some part of the Southern Cowboy found something almost...distasteful in how weakly those bonds of matehood seemed to affect Mary-Beth. Did she feel no fucking loyalty to anyone? Why did he even care? How much had he had to drink? Darcy's thoughts were cast aside once more as he fixated upon the task of driving. A task that had, somehow, become far damn harder then he remembered. The damn road seemed to...roll ever so slightly. Maybe he had become too damn used to city roads and their flat, neat surfaces. Risque shifted beside him, her boots lifted up to rest on the dashboard in a fashion that was undeniably appealing. Darcy, for several seconds, could hardly help the fashion in which his gaze lingered upon her femanine form.

"It's 'ot when yar do dat."

Those words were unusually bold and yet that moonshine had further lessened any filter Darcy possessed when it came to complimenting his lover- even if Risque was hardly aware of how her mere sitting position could be appealing. Her insistence that the alcohol was not working was met with Darcy's own agreement. Weak fucking drink it was- even if it tasted potent to the tongue. It had hardly affected either of them, he was certain, even as Risque continued to sip liberally at that bottle. His insistence that she need to tell Mary-Beth of the drinks failings prompted Risques own agreement as she swore Mary-Beth would know exactly of her thoughts on it all. The other Vampire leader was nothing more than an ant in Risques eyes. One she swore to forever exile within her own shame. Darcy, in that moment, readily inclined to agree with that very judgement. The veritable dramas between those women were nothing if not important in that moment. It was Risque's very mention of her disdain for having to attend that party however that drew Darcy's gaze once more. The Southern vampire merely offered that slight shake of his head before all but insisting he had already agreed to go to that event, that it would hardly be...right not to attend now. It simply was not the done thing. Those near antiquated notions had somehow become important once more. Those very ideals that meant so little within the city they called home held far more sway upon these country roads. He had given his word they would go- and he was not a man to break his word and be looked at with scorn by these....fucking hillbillys. Even if it was from them he had come. Once. Long ago. He was no wuss.

Risque, in turn, seemed to seize upon that very word. The vampire woman insisted she would not be called such a thing either as Darcy regalled her with that very tale of what they did to wuss' in the South. The world was far better off without them. Here, in the city, in France. They should all be shot. Risque was right and yet when was she ever wrong? Darcy, in that moment, was near inclined to marvel at his mate once more. The man was seemingly oblivious to the notion he had mentioned that very idea first. His lovers' sudden declaration that they would attend that party was met with a firm nod of his head, her mention of that blood once more reminding him of his own hunger. If this party was at all like he remembered however- blood would hardly be in short supply. It hardly took long to spot that chosen barn. The music and lights bled into the night air. The sounds of voices and laughter rose in pitches above the band as it played. Darcy easily guided the truck to a single spare parking space on the grass and beside a bay mare hitched to a post. The equine glanced doefully upward. Its ears laying back slightly in mild disdain at the rumbling engine before it adjusted its weight and fell near asleep once more. The animal, clearly, used to noises like this. Darcy had no sooner cut that engine then he moved to swing from the driver's seat and make his way to the passenger side to open the door for his beloved. God how he remembered nights like this. The sights, the scents, the music, the warm breeze and crickets that sung nearly as loud as the music itself. He lived for nights like this, once, when the world had been....simple. Too fucking simple. Like the vast majority of the people who surrounded him now.

The very look of judgement upon Risques face seemed only to deepen as he warned her away from the mare. The vampiric Queen all but eyed the animal judgementally before declaring she hardly liked its look. Risque drained what remained of that moonshine before tossing the bottle back into the truck. The pair making their way then toward those open double doors as the scent of bonfire smoke all but burned at Darcy's nose. Those vampiric senses seemed to....heighten every sound and smell. Those further memories Darcy had long since worked to bury seemed to tug more potently at him as he only shoved them further aside. One night.He only had to survive one fucking night in this place and then he could simply...forget it entirely. He had risen above this rabble. Just as Risque had said. Darcy moved to find his lover's side once more as the pair strode between those drunken people and gamboling children. Several dogs barked in excitement as they raced around that outside area and the drunken laughter of several other men broke out almost obnoxiously. Humans and vampires peppered that area. Both races intermingled with ease as wa sso often they way in those far out country towns. Vampires had to feed and how willing people were to allow it- when vampires offered protection and a powerful workforce in return to keep those farms productive. Maybe they were onto something. Darcy frowned ever so slightly at those ideas once more before shifting ever closer to his mates side. Even here, even now amongst this...rabble, he would have no one mistake Risque for anything less than his own. The mere presence of other male vampires so eagerly tugged at his own irritation. That territorialism so firmly encircling his lover.

It was the sudden sight of a distinctly unique set of boots and spurs however that prompted Darcy's gaze to shift from, the vampire momentarily eyeing those unicorn insignia before uttering a distinctly rare compliment. The man who wore them afforded him a distinct nod before uttering those distinctly.....accented words. That accent so alike his lovers own merely...thicker. They way Risques voice became when rage or irritation or lust overcame her. Risque seemed to pivot so suddenly to the sound of that voice Darcy near feared she might fall entirely as her figure leaned into his own. The vampiric Queen near frantically searching that crowd for the man in red plaid who had already disappeared. Risque's hand gripped his arm more firmly as Darcy merely eyed her in confusion. Did she...know him? Her declaration that she would find the man later prompted the pair to continue onward then. Darcy and Risque no sooner having stepped into that barn then several pairs of eyes shifted to face them. Several of those groups of gathered people paused to whisper as they passed. Darcy was already assured of just what they said. Risque, even dressed as she was, was a veritable spectacle to those small-town folk. Her look, her features, her body.....they were akin to no other woman here and how readily he could feel the eyes of those men lingering on her form. More than one cowboy afforded the back hand of his wife agianst the side of his head for the way they stared.

A near panicked chicken raced passed with several children in pursuit, the straw that lined the floors stuck to the bottom of Darcy's own boots as they made their way up that aisle formed by the long wooden tables. Most of them were attended by women who worked hard to make whatever food they intended to serve. The scent of apples and pie crust was nearly as assaulting as that of the goat that wandered amongst them and the small child Clay was forced to step over as he approached. Risque made no effort to hide that disdain on her features. How little they had to deal with....children within the city. Children so hardly ever appeared within Syn, nor did they tend to be out at night when vampires roamed. They were...unfamiliar. Darcy was content to eye them with some wariness in turn.

"They dun contain dem cause day probably jus gonna eat dem. Not da children. Jus da animals."

That chicken those children had been in pursuit of, Darcy suspected, was already destined to for the pot. The lives of those animals barely given a second thought by the Southern vampire as Clay approached. The other vampire genuinely delighted by the pair. Had Clay always been this fucking exuberant? Yet- even Darcy was inclined to admit he was curious of this...Roscoe. The Vampire that so apparently ran Jakin now. The Vampire whose territory they strode upon. The Vampire who was so fucking big he was hard to miss. Christ. A momentary glimpse of surprise flitted across Darcy's own face. Roscoe, even seated, was nothing short of enormous. The muscle that decorated his figure was near iron hard. The man would have been closer to seven foot then he was to six when standing. Big damn bastard. Yet it was so hardly Roscoe that Darcy's gaze fixated on as Clay offered his introductions- but the near tiny vampire woman beside him. Kasey. That singular name feel from his lips before even Clay could finish those introductions. Risque, in turn, seemed to fixate with a sudden, predatory potency. Both women so merely eyeing woman another.

Roscoe's own gaze shifted between his mate, Darcy and Risque before seeming to find some almost perverse pleasure in the situation as he lent across the table to shake their hands. That Southern hospitality hardly faltered and yet, in that moment, Darcy hardly minded the offer of drinks the other vampire made. The scent of blood, real blood, readily permeated that night air. Kasey was quick to do as any good housewife should and obey that command of her husband as she poured those drinks and yet it was hardly Kasey whom Darcy's attention lingered on for long. Risque's voice beside him, her lyrics smooth as satin, so readily offered 'stacey' a greeting. A look of disdain near akin to a storm cloud seemed to gather upon Kacey's features and yet she made no effort to correct Risque, for now. Hmmm. Perhaps that was wise. Risque continued then, the vampiric queen insisting Darcy had never mentioned her before. His mates' words sounded near....baiting. The very notion of jealousy within Risque was hardly one Darcy had ever considered. Risque did not feel jealous. She was superior to all things. How assured he was of that. Darcy, in that moment, so merely....confused by Risque's demeanor. Perhaps she merely disliked Kasey. Such a thing was hardly surprising. Risque liked so few people. Darcy so eternally having enjoyed that very trait about her.

Whatever emotion Risque seemed to feel the vampiric women concealed well as Roscoe, in turn, offered only some vague sort of...flattered excitement at learning of Darcy's apparent history. The other vampire quickly fixated upon Darcy's veritable 'legend' in a fashion that prompted a wariness of sorts to stir within the Cowboy. People flattered him when they desired something. Risques words were a veritable purr as she sipped upon her own drink before agreeing smoothly with Roscoe. How unusual her tone was. Darcy so ever aware of even those minute changes within his mate. The both of them, in the least, had needed that drink. Roscoe's flattery of Risque was hardly unnoticed as the vampiric Queen offered her hand for Roscoe to kiss. The muscular vampire doing just that as Darcy's jaw clenched in irritation. If Risque....permitted Roscoe's touch then it was hardly his place to argue and yet how very much it annoyed him. How aware he was of Risques free hand as it slipped beneath the table to run along his thigh. Her fingers pressing so dangerously close to his groin. How readily his body responded to her. Every part of him fixated upon her touch. Roscoe and Kasey were all but forgotten as the struggle to maintain his very decorum, the decorum RIsque expected, became his primary focus. How much he would have enjoyed taking Risque here and now beneath that night sky and with that bonfire smoke still tainting the air. Hmmm. How unfortunate they were hardly alone and Risque was unlikely to deem the ground a suitable location.

Risque's light, femanine laugh filled the air then. His mate the very picture of...controlled as she played that role so perfectly. There were few so talented as Risque when it came to....commanding a room as she saw fit. The vampire woman fixing her attention upon that which Roscoe had missed- else the other man had pretended not to see. That relationship between Kasey and Darcy himself one that the man had never truly anticipated he might ever have to speak off. It was in the past, after all, where it belonged. Risques words, this time, had become dangerous once more. The woman attempting to coax that story from him as if it was his option to tell it. Her words holding within them a silent command. Those lyrics emphasized by the tap of her nail agianst the glass.She would have that tale whether he desired to offer it or not. Darcy, in that moment, was nea unable to...deduce her mood. Not entirely. Risque was nothing short of calculating at that moment. Roscoe, across the table, merely watched on with intrigue. Kasey, for her part, seemed almost...reluctant to have him offer that tale and yet how unwilling he was to disobey his lover- even now. Darcy attempted to...downplay that story. At least a little.

"It ain't much of a story, Darlin'. Kasey and I knew each other when we was kids, back when we was both 'uman. We saw each other a couple o'times, ain't nothin' serious, when da war broke out I left. After dat we ain't seen-"
You come off it Darcy Blackjack! You was always a damn fine liar but seems you got even better at it I see since you been wit.....her

Darcy felt a veritable hiss rise within his throat and yet.....this was not his territory. This was not his underling to discipline. Besides, with that very look Kasey was content to afford Risque, a look made entirely of...judgement, Darcy was near assured it would hardly be him who disciplined her at all. Kasey pushed back her dark hair, affording it the lightest of tosses as she did before glancing at Roscoe, as if seeking permission to continue before affording Risque another judgemental glance.

Whe went out a few times like he said but we was for sure serious. We was engaged. We was...
"We ain't never been engaged, Kasey. I didn't agree to that and you knew it. Me Pa went ta yours and organised dat but he ain't never tell me nothin' 'bout it. I didnt know 'bout that till years later."
Still dun make it a lie, Darcy. Besides, it dun even matter. Yar skipped town.
"I didn't skip town, I joined da army, yar knew 'ow I felt bout me Pa and dat fuckin ranch."
Would ya have stayed if ya knew I was waitin' for ya?"

That veritable fight that had erupted between the pair was near immediately silenced. That singular question hanging near heavily in the air between them and yet...that answer came readily enough to his lips. His mismatched gaze met her own evenly then.

"No."

Whatever else Kasey had been about to say was cut short by Roscoe's sudden laughter. The heavy set vampire seemed to have taken some sort of amusement in that argument before his arm reached out to wrap around Kasey and pull her into him. That abrupt show of public affection prompted Darcy's own lip to lift ever so slightly in disdain before his gaze shifted briefly to Risque and back again. Roscoe's words broke that silence once more. Well it seems you two had quite the history. I can't say i'm sorry for it though. If you had married her I'd never have met my Kasey. Darcy's tongue brushed lightly across his fangs. The near outrage on Kasey's features had hardly lessened. The girl was as hotheaded and bold as he remembered her. He had known of her....affections for him and yet, even then, even all those years ago....she had hardly even been more than a fling. A toy to pass the time. It's still good to have you back in Jakin. How long are you and your lady staying? Kasey and I would be happy to host you for a few nights. Does your woman hunt?" Roscoe gestures toward Risque then. His gaze sharply fixed upon her once more.

We are rough men and used to rough ways.