Stage Two

[Trillian]

^{continued from here}

BEN LED KERR BY THE HAND into Venture, bypassing the lounge bar downstairs (too sedate, attracting a less promiscuous clientele) and up the stairs. The beat of the music was fast paced and the press of bodies on the dancefloor was already at a maximum. It also meant there were no booths for them to occupy.

Almost all of the booths had at least one vampire in it. Damn. There would be competition. The first booth table that Ben came across with only mortals had three giggling (drunk) women in it, and a plethora of empty cocktail glasses on the table. Slowing down to listen, one of the ladies was urging the other two to dance, who weren't paying her any attention because they were gossiping about some other woman's friend or boyfriend or whatever the hell it was, Ben didn't care.

"Them. Make them want to dance," he told Kerr, pausing in front of their table and staring at the trio. Two of them stared back whilst the third kept talking. That kind of domination was beyond his grasp at the moment and it would be so handy to plant ideas in people to make them go away or come over. He didn't want that for his pickup but getting a table was fine.

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr chuckled at Ben's instruction, wondering if he was aware how austere he sounded. He probably was and didn't care, which left Kerr feeling philosophical; at least Ben was determined to set them up for success.

With a charming smile, Kerr leant on the table, angled towards the solo woman first. Her eyes lit up as she smiled back, anticipating getting some attention. Really, Kerr was looking for the swiftest Domination possible, chaining his commands from one woman to the other in such a way that they'd be more likely to follow his instructions meekly (at not even half a millennia old, he had varying degrees of longevity on his Dominations but suggestible targets finessed the right way always yielded excellent results. These three drunk mortals were soft targets but he would do a thorough job anyway).

First, he amped the woman's desire to dance, causing her to yell at her friends. Kerr turned to watch them, noting his intrusion on their space had stopped their conversation, so he moved onto his next target. He forced her to listen to the first woman and hunted through her mind. This one wasn't as drunk, so her thoughts were clearer. He tugged at her emotions and implanted the thought that she wanted to dance and please her neglected friend. She initiated the final step by turning to the third in their trio and grabbing her arm, adding to the verbal pleas to dance.

With a final push regarding the dance floor and the fun to be had thereon, the third took barely any persuasion to leave their table. The first woman squealed her delight and Kerr prodded endorphins out of all three of them, wrapping them in the desire to dance for the rest of the night. As the other two joined in the squealing (he regretted that immediately) and gathered their bags to run to the dance floor, he gave them the added desire to clean up the table as well. With some concerning clinking, all the cocktail glasses were gathered and the trio hastened towards the bar to deposit them, chattering only about their eagerness to dance.

Kerr inspected the condensation rings and spilt, sticky cocktail streaks left on the table in their wake, straightening up and summoning one of the barbacks to wipe it clean. He then turned to smile at Ben, giving him a flourishing bow that finished with his arm extended towards the seat. "My love, your booth," he announced solemnly.

[Trillian]

Ben didn't see any of Kerr's finesse other than the result. It was like watching a movie unfold that he'd read the book about. At this part of the story, the three friends would get up to dance. The director's cut added in their cleanup as well.

"Nice touch with the glasses," Ben said, impressed with Kerr's ability. He yearned for that but knew he had to wait it out. It was frustrating that it was only accessible through training and age. It didn't seem fair that an aged vampire

like Lazarus

had immediate access to such things just because they were older while Ben worked his ass off and would get nothing for decades.

He shuffled around in the seat so Kerr could follow him in. They both watched their table get a wipedown and were asked if they wanted to place an order. Ben was recognised and offered a free drink but he declined, saying he would get something fresh. With a coy smile the barback left the couple to it, along with a clean table top.

"Lots of people," Ben said, looking around. Almost all of the mirror rooms were occupied also. Busy night.

[Existentially Odd]

"Lots of choices," Kerr echoed, also scanning the immediate area. Pretty girls, pretty boys, grungy, flashy, pierced girls, posturing, tatted, disaffected boys... all of it was available in the mix. Kerr inhaled, allowing the reality of their situation to settle upon him as sweetly as the scent of eagerness, thirst and lust filled his lungs.

It occurred to him, in that moment, that although he'd been excited about tonight, part of him had been too concerned with Ben's wellbeing to believe it would happen. He'd expected there to be balking, denial, an apology and a withdrawal of the offer, which would have disappointed him but he'd never have let Ben know. Ben's mental health was paramount.

He hadn't allowed himself to dwell or fantasise, because he hadn't been confident Ben would go through with it. Now, they were actually here and Ben seemed okay,  he was daring to hope. The smorgasbord of choices had his mouth watering with merely the hint of a promise of some drinking and sex. He wasn't discerning, he didn't care who came their way, as long as Ben was comfortable.

That said, his gaze lingered on a male vampire attending to the throat of his pretty female companion in a distant booth, her arm undulating in a slow, sweet rhythm beneath the table. Next, it found a pair of sweat-slicked males dressed provocatively and grinding suggestively against each other on the dance floor, before it landed on a similar tale pressed up against a nearby wall. An ankle hooked behind a knee, some rocking hips and an eager tasting at a throat all added up to a bewitching expression of ecstasy on a mortal face that had Kerr swallowing dryly.

He turned to look at Ben, attempting to keep his expression neutral. "See anyone you like?" he prompted.

[Trillian]

Ben didn't see lots of choices but he did see lots of couple-ups. The ones who were on their own or with a group of friends weren't to his tastes. Apparently, he had a thing for golden-skinned dark angels.

He kept that to himself.

Tall. He liked tall. Not too muscular - not like Owen, the type who looked like gym rats and intimidated him because they were jocks and Ben was very much not a jock. Not blonde. His gaze landed on a Latino man who looked promising but he was with four other guys and seemed to have eyes for one of his friends. Not him, then.

Someone direct. Someone not afraid to talk about how they felt. Someone like... like...

Murphy.

But no, he wasn't interested in a Murphy substitute either. Murphy was a friend, not a lover.

Ichabod?

No. That ship had sailed. Kerr didn't leap on it like Ben thought he would, surprisingly. That would've been just Kerr, though. Ben knew he was too much Ichabod's aggressor to ever be his equal. A sting of regret bit him.

His gaze landed on a gorgeous fellow with coffee-coloured skin and amazing green eyes. Another vampire. He smiled at Ben and Ben lowered his gaze. Not another vampire. You don't go to a vampire club to pick up another vampire. When he looked up again, the green-eyed guy was looking elsewhere. Ben could feel the disappointment in his chest.

"I don't know," he said finally to Kerr. "Let's just see who, uh," his sentence trailed off as the cute vampire glanced his way and smiled, "um, who approaches us."

He stared at the other vampire a little too long. Enough for Kerr to notice.

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr was intrigued by Ben's verbal stumble and sudden silence. He followed his love's gaze to the dark-haired beauty smiling at Ben, returning his grin when the emerald gaze shifted to meet his. Nice. Kerr raised his eyebrows invitingly before turning to watch Ben, his tongue prodding a fang thoughtfully.

He was pleasantly surprised to find he was thrilled by Ben's interest. There was no jealousy, no guilt, only joy that Ben liked the look of someone enough that it gave him pause and reason to take a second look. Second looks were good, they meant that that blond motherfucker hadn't destroyed Ben's instincts. If he could appreciate beauty in another, Kerr didn't give a shit if he was a vampire or not. There were bags of blood, they could share mortals, it could get even busier at their place. Everything was open, as long as Ben was interested.

"He could approach, I wouldn't refuse," Kerr murmured devilishly, leaning over to press a soft kiss to Ben's mouth before retreating. He wanted to deepen the kiss but he was aware if they appeared too wrapped up in each other, they might repel more than they attracted. Playing it safe worked in his favour, in fact, because when he straightened away from Ben, he found someone interesting had approached after all.

[pinkroses]

The vampire's gaze steadily shifted between the new couple who had arrived in the club, enjoying the little show of the dark one clearing a space at a table for them before they settled down. They had attracted a couple of glances from interested parties, but no one seemed to be making any move to approach them.

Those beautiful blue eyes were so enticing, and so much prettier when that smile lit up the blonde's face. And the darker one, there was a strength to him, a welcoming feeling, even from across the room. It was obvious they'd spotted him watching them, but he hadn't exactly been subtle about it. Where did subtlety get you?

He stood up gracefully as the two kissed, not put off by it. They'd both been eyeing him up, despite being enamoured with each other, so they didn't exactly give the impression they would mind company.

The crowd seemed to part before him as he moved through the people towards them. He was tall and wore tight black leather pants which fitted his form perfectly, teamed with a crisp white t-shirt which was just snug enough to make out the shapely form underneath.

A couple of dark curls fell across his forehead from his touseled hair as he leant over their newly cleared table, pressing his palms against the cool wood, bowing his head for a moment before he stood up straight, his green eyes glinting in the dim light.

"Good evening," he said, a hint of a Hispanic accent to his low voice. "You are such a beautiful couple, I couldn't help but notice. And you have both noticed me, obviously. May I join you?" he asked, gesturing openly to the table. He would slide in beside whichever of them offered a space first and he didn't doubt that one of them would. Kerr would be able to feel his age was roughly the same as his own, a touch younger perhaps.

[Trillian]

Ben watched the green-eyed vampire stand and start walking over to them. Suddenly, it was too real, too much, too soon. His mind was silenced by Ben's physical response to the sexy vampire as he approached with confidence.

Like Lazarus?

But no, the blonde ancient wouldn't have asked permission. He would've just slid into the booth and snaked an arm around Ben's shoulders. Staring at this guy, he thought he

wanted that

should make room for him. His tongue was glued to the roof of his mouth. Unusual. Ben was often a smooth talker in situations like this. His discourse was often unaffected by the turmoil within.

Ben shifted further around the horseshoe-shaped seat, closer to Kerr, all while eyeing the stranger. His gaze momentarily dropped to the other's chest, looking at a beautifully sculpted torso before he lifted his attention to the other's mouth, seeing full, sensual lips before finishing with eye-contact again.

"Yes, please," Ben replied to the question softly, without realising he was going to.

Yes, please? Yeesh.

[pinkroses]

A smile played on his lips at Ben's slightly odd response, and his green eyes flickered towards Kerr, almost questioning him as well, before he smoothly moved into the spot Ben had made for him. He did lift an arm to rest of the back of the cushion behind them, but rather than stretching his arm out behind Ben, it was a crooked elbow that rested, so his body could turn towards the couple more effectively.

"I am Gabriel," the newcomer said, pressing an outspread hand against his chest for a moment, before gesturing towards his companions, expecting their names in response. There was something intriguing about them - the dark one was older, yet the blonde seemed to have the control in the relationship - for tonight at least. Standing back to wait for his table to be cleared; picking out Gabriel before his companion encouraged him over; being the one to respond to make room. He seemed timid, nervous,

yes, please?

but of the two, Gabriel got the feeling it was the younger one who would be making any decisions tonight.

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr internally scoffed when Gabriel told them they were an attractive couple, knowing it was Ben that was hefting the greater portion of that load. The newcomer was obviously too dazzled to see beyond Ben's corona to the truth. His love's model looks far outshone his plain, imbalanced features, though it was kind of Gabriel to compliment them both.

Flattery and a mouth like his would get him far in life... and hopefully quite far tonight. He already seemed to have risen in Ben's esteem.

His fledgeling was uncharacteristically quiet, though his gaze betrayed his interest. Kerr took it as an encouraging sign and smiled as the statuesque vampire introduced himself. "I'm Kerr," he responded with a relaxed smile. Ben might not be talking much but introducing himself would be a nice, easy way to ease into it, so he deliberately didn't speak on his lover's behalf.

He was mildly disappointed it hadn't been a mortal that had approached them first but he supposed they would come. He'd saved himself for drinking but it didn't have to be from a willing neck. Besides, it wasn't as if Gabriel couldn't be pressed between he and Ben, if it came to that... just not for drinking from.

[Trillian]

Upon hearing Kerr's name being spoken, Ben licked his lips and offered his own. "Ben," he said, then struggled for something to say after it. Damn, why was he being so awkward now?

His mind raced through the other times he'd picked up drinks here. Loads of people would approach him and he'd either turn them away or accept them. None of them had bothered him or made him feel aware of every minute moment. Was it because he'd just come off an awkward dinner with Vincent and Owen? Was it because he was here hunting for someone with Kerr? Was it because blood wasn't their primary focus, but sex?

There. That last idea had caused his stomach to clench. He was putting pressure on himself to get laid, basically. That had never worked in the past. It wasn't going to start working now.

"So I haven't seen you here before," Ben said, the identification of what had been freaking him out had helped him to overcome it. "Do you only come here on busy nights?"

His question implied that Ben came here often, which wasn't entirely true, but he wasn't a stranger to this place either.

[pinkroses]

"Kerr," Gabriel repeated back with a nod to Kerr across the blonde between them, before Ben introduced himself as well. There was a lot of tension radiating from the youngling, it was a little uncomfortable to be honest, but Gabriel stayed quiet, letting Ben find his feet and the next conversation topic, hopefully something that would relax him.

"I don't live in the city, if I'm here for business then I sometimes come here afterwards to unwind," Gabriel explained. "And yourselves, are you here to unwind? Or was there something in particular you were looking for? You both had a scouting look in your eyes," he said with a grin, casting a gaze around the room.

"There is a lot of choice here, depending on what you're looking for. A drink..." he gestured towards a young human who was stood near the edge of the crowd, sipping a drink and watching the threesome.

The dark haired young man instantly blushed and glanced away as all three sets of eyes rested on him, however briefly. He was wearing black jeans, teamed with heavy boots and a grey t-shirt teamed with a demin shirt which hung open, the sleeves rolled up to the elbow. His eyes were dark and alert - the drink he was cradling was a bottle of mixed fruit juice, no booze. There was a silver peircing in his eyebrow, which glinted in the dim light as he cast another glance towards the table, his square jaw lookign set and a hint of disappointment in his expression.

The human had spotted Kerr and Ben entering and intended to approach earlier, but since he'd been at the bar being served, he seemed to have missed his chance. But the fact that they had been approached by a vampire, and had been noticed, spotted him from melting away into the crowded dancefloor. If their looks lingers he told himself he would approach, even if it did make the table even more crowded.

"...Or anything else," Gabriel finished, gesturing towards himself with a cocked eyebrow and a warm smile.

[Existentially Odd]

Gabriel not being a resident of the city was a good thing, as far as Kerr was concerned. It meant that whatever they did tonight would have no lasting repercussions. There was also a sense of anonymity that came with it, for it was unlikely Gabriel knew anything of their political agendas, both past and present. They were an anonymous couple looking for some entertainment. It was a liberating thought.

The mortal hovering nearby watching them was exactly to Kerr's taste. He was dressed tidily but there was something edgy and maybe even a little bit pouty about him and the way he was looking at them. He was bold enough to return their assessment but not so arrogant that he didn't blush beneath their attention. A delicious mix that intrigued him.

Feel free to join us, Kerr sent to the mortal, flashing a secretive half smile before he looked back at Gabriel. Ben had allowed the exotic vampire the greater portion of seat when he'd slid back towards Kerr, meaning the mortal - if he did accept the invitation - would be more likely to sit near Gabriel. That wouldn't do.

"We're in a trial anything phase," Kerr answered Gabriel honestly. "Life's been stressful for us both recently and we're looking for a way to unwind. We're not experienced at it, it might become too much and we'll stop without warning but we're interested to see what happens if we open ourselves up to new experiences," he smiled, looking Gabriel over pointedly. "All of them."

Sensing movement, Kerr glanced over to see the mortal heading their way. He turned to smile at Ben. "Perhaps you'd like to move around a little? It looks like we need to accommodate another." It would move Ben closer to Gabriel and allow Kerr to open up a little space beside him for the mortal. The alternative was him getting to his feet and allowing the mortal to sit first but that would mean Ben was surrounded by both of the pretty baubles. It might be alright, but Kerr didn't want to chance overwhelming him so figured it was safer to stay by his side while moving him closer to his initial interest.

If Ben wanted it another way, Kerr knew he'd say so.

[Trillian]

Ben stared at Gabriel throughout his answer, drawn to his confidence as well as his looks. He barely registered the mortal staring at them, glancing for a tiny moment when Gabriel said 'drink' only because he was compelled to pay attention to what the vampire was saying. When he gestured at himself Ben's gaze dropped again because he felt invited to. He raked his gaze back upwards once more, pausing at lips before staring into vivid green eyes. He started to smile, he could feel it growing on the corners of his mouth, but he lost track of it when Kerr spoke, explaining the situation with cold, hard facts.

So much for enjoying the thrill of the flirt. Ben lowered his eyes to regather himself and thought maybe he could recapture that tiny spark that he'd almost set alight, but then he was asked to move over. What? Why? His gaze shifted to see a mortal approaching their booth. It was big enough to seat five people comfortably or six squished together, but while Kerr had space beside him, it would put the newcomer right on the edge of the cushion.

Ben shuffled closer to Gabriel, which made him feel self-conscious again. He could feel Gabriel's age like a physical thing now because he was being open to him and he was very close. They were touching legs beneath the table. Gabriel's age wasn't an oppressive thing but it did make Ben want to submit. He licked his lips instead and tried some conversation just before the mortal slid into the booth.

"What sort of business?" Ben asked. It was probably one of the most boring questions on the planet, but he was stumped for what to ask.

[pinkroses]

Charlie blinked in surprise at the voice in his head and his dark eyes flickered between the three before recognising which it was from. A smile tugged one side of his mouth up into a grin and he didn't hesitate before beginning to make his way towards the table.
Gabriel's green eyes shifted to watch Kerr as the older vampire explained their situation. He was a little surprised that Kerr was so open about it, but if there was a chance that they might back out half way through whatever happened, then maybe it was better to know in advance. Gabriel gave a small nod of understanding, enjoying the bluntness of their interest. Yes, they were awkward, a bit timid about it, but Gabriel had no doubt that once they got into the swing of things they would be a lot of fun.
Since it had been the guy in the very nice suit who had invited him over, Charlie was pleased to see them all shuffle around so that he could take a seat beside him as he wove through the crowd. Gabriel shifted his body along the sofa slightly, but only a couple of inches so that when Ben moved up their legs were still pressed together.

"I own a construction company. I don't have much to do with the actual running of it nowadays, I trust others to do that for me, but when there's a big contract they like me to show my face at the final meetings, just to push things over the edge," Gabriel explained. "In cities like this, there's always going to be progression, new ideas coming through."

"And what do you do to keep yourselves entertained? Do you work?" he asked Kerr and Ben.

"Thanks for the invite," Charlie said quietly to Kerr as he sat down, trying not to interrupt the man opposite who was speaking - Kerr had most of his attention right now. The blonde beside him was too... pretty, and the other guy, we'll he'd only just arrived too, it wasn't him who had attracted Charlie's attention. His thigh pressed gently against Kerr's as Charlie put his bottle down on the table, casting his gaze around at the others with a nod and a smile. He felt like he was intruding, so didn't want to just start blurting out his name over the top of their conversation.