Not that way pt4

The blur behind the counter stopped, taking the form of a short girl with multi-colored hair. She appeared mannequin-like as she suddenly stood still and reached to grasp Rase's arm. She said nothing, but nodded mechanically for them both to slip back to a quiet booth that no one had discovered yet. She smiled as if she'd said something, but it wasn't audible to Vara.

Rase smiled and looked back to the corner. "Thanks. We can wait there just fine," he chuckled and groaned quietly at the same time to Vara, trying to behave. "She'll tell him where we are. Join me?"

Vara smiled a little, her fingers playing over the back of his neck her chuckle was soft as she nodded slowly. "Somewhere a little less open?" She whispered, glancing around them at the others who gathered in this place. What a show they might get from her if she wasn't careful with her ink and with Raser so close, so warm, so handsome... She didn't have her girls with her now to stop her from just following the sensations and reactions.

"Everything's in the open here, just not many people care. I care," he said, stretching against her touch. "Never know who may try something just to prove a point out here, either. Let's go. We've still got some time before Joe comes back."

She nodded in understanding, she wasn't trying to cause that sort of trouble for him.. though to be honest she wouldn't mind a different sort of trouble which involved just the two of them. Her fingers curled tightly around the precious bottle and she stayed close to him, ready to follow him off to a less open spot. She liked him even more for caring about being out in the open and not wanting to have something start. There were so many people who were always trying to prove a point, spending more time doing that than anything else. It was tiresome and boring -all the time-. There were always times and places when stands needed to be made but when it was done over everything it lost meaning.

Rase led her without force, gently directing to the hard-to-see table that was partly obscured by a vending machine that once sold packs like the box in his boot. It now delved out healthy alternatives, if it were plugged in. It was lit only on the top to appear as it should for the daylight customers who abided the new laws but left it ignored. Even the machine had secrets, ones he knew as he reached behind the bench to bring it to life and punch a button. The pack that fell out held tablets, six neatly aligned on a pale pink card that looked hand-wrapped in cellophane. He kissed the wrapper and slid the card away in a zippered pocket before unplugging the machine again. He let Vara slide on in to the corner out of sight ahead of him.

She slid into the booth, across the bench and nestled into the corner -after checking it out a little to make sure there wasn't anything undesired lurking in the shadows. She turned to watch Rase come in after her and pulled her bottle open again, trying to carefully dose herself to be relaxed for their transportation -she knew what other effects the ink had on her -and she enjoyed those as well but could get carried away easily.

He looked up to see her with her dropper on her tongue again and smiled as he slid in beside her. He didn't know if she saw the 'purchase' he acquired or if she'd know or care what it was. "What's it taste like? To you. I can tell you what you taste like after you do that," he said, nuzzling over closer again.

She lapped the last drop from the dropper and set it back to the bottle for now, her tongue moved in her mouth playing with the flavor as she looked at Rase. She giggled and gave him a sort of shy smile as she shrugged. "Mmmm.. candy I guess.. to me anyway.. it's not easy to describe. This one is my favorite.." She tapped the bottle with the dark blue ink. "..makes me all tingley and happy.." Her eyes flared with blue and sparkles and her mood seemed more playful than before. She shrugged her jacket down a bit so it was off her shoulders, but still on.

"That's what you taste like to me," he grinned. Even in the dark corners his eyes shone pale green, lit from within. A card like the one he'd slipped away was pulled from a different pocket with a single tablet remaining. "This one's my favorite... everyone has their own poison," he whispered, voicing his opinion this time as he unwrapped it and dropped it in his drink, watching it foam into nothingness at the bottom. "Totally herbal," he chuckled, raising an eyebrow and his glass to suck it down. "Makes me tingly and happy... sometimes for days."

She giggled at his comment about poison and eyed him for a long moment after, her teeth catching her lower lip as she considered her effects. "Whatever keeps you going.... but um.. speaking of poisons.. that reminds me.. don't bite me.. well at least not hard.. K?"

"I only bite hard when asked to," he reassured, although nibbling gently was still on his mind. After the drug worked its way down, his eyes brightened more but seemed more sharply dug into his cheeks. "What happens if I change my mind? I'm a nice guy, but you don't know me and I don't know you... as much as I intend to find out."

Her eyes were bright as she leaned against the bench watching him with a slight amused grin. "I wouldn't advise playing that game.. " A memory flickered of what happened to the last person who thought she was some tart to grab and sell off to the highest bidder -it was a very unpleasant mistake. "Lets just say I'd leave a bad taste in your mouth if you do.." One you'd likely die choking on.

He chuckled but not at what she said..at what he saw. The girl had more than a few surprises hidden away. "Don't worry... I don't play the shell and sell game... honey. If I don't want your company for myself, I don't waste my time... or yours. Hopefully you're not bored." He wasn't going to explain the coincidence of his comment to her thoughts. She was a smart girl and he expected she'd figure it out soon enough. "Besides, I really like the taste... of you.. and that... on me."

"It's good that you don't.. it's becoming quite the business it seems." She commented but didn't hold onto that thought for too long, not wanting to ruin the mood with discussion of the deteriorating state of the city. One of her room mates was still healing from that encounter with the group of thugs who had tried to grab them.. thankfully all three girls were gifted and skilled. She turned her attention back to the man next to her -he was dark and gorgeous and she decided that she was very glad he wasn't one of those kinds of men. Vara didn't exactly live her life following all the lines and rules -but she hadn't sunk so low as to be a rat or snatcher. She ran her finger down the line of Rase's jaw and smiled softly. "Do I get a taste of you now.. ?"

He considered that a moment then his finger drew along the bottom of his glass to gather the drop or two on the bottom and the bit of concentrated drug that accumulated there. He offered her the taste of that alone first. It was obviously a stimulant, but he hadn't said just how strong it was. It's affect on his gifts was more than apparent. "Tell your friend I'm sorry. If I ever see the guy, I'll do my best to send him her love," he snipped, upset that anyone had gone out of their way to hurt anyone, though his own passtimes might shed a hypocritical light on himself.

She reached to take the taste he offered her, cautious about doing so, things reacted in her system differently than others. His words registered as she sat back against the bench again, rolling her tongue with the taste on it -she liked her ink better. "What?" She asked softly, she hadn't said anything... Her eyes narrowed a little and she licked her lips, watching him carefully. "How.." She trailed off again and chuckled quietly. "I suppose I'll have to be careful what I'm thinking about, around you." Vara sighed and brought her gaze up to his eyes, how they were lit up sort of amazed her. "I'm sure she'll appreciate that. Are you sure you shouldn't be called Hood instead of Pan?"

"I'm sure. It's short for Panic... and I don't rob from the rich to give back to everyone. I'm not a communist.. my family left that life decades ago. I'm my own charity... but I'm still a nice guy," he explained, bouncing off the topic to reassure her again. "Don't worry about what you think around me. It's random usually... unless I have a little help." He raised his glass again.. the drug was just that sort of help. "Raser for mind eraser, though, since I like you, I'll tell you you have nothing to fear... but fear itself. Not me."

"Oh I'm reassured." She chuckled again, eyeing him and shaking her head a little. "So you're not going to show me a good time tonight and make me forget you by morning?" The way she said it with the hint of a tease and tugged his sleeve was almost inviting.

"I'll let you know after I show you the good time, first. When's the last time you were on a slot shuttle with someone you just met?" He teased back, not necessarily talking about their ride.

"Hmm never.. this is my first time.. are you excited?" She teased him back, reaching over to run her fingertip over his jaw. Just a taste.. she licked her lips and smiled.

Even her fingertips tingled on his skin and he chuckled, reaching up to scratch at the tickle. "You tell me," he grinned, his eyes seeming to pulse a little with that excitement. His hand shifted away to bring her closer for the rest of the taste she wanted, to taste how the tingle felt.

"I think you're a very naughty boy and a good girl like me should be careful.." She whispered, just before her lips brushed against his. She shifted forward, nearly in his lap as she reached for a deeper taste. He was delicious, better than her candy and she wanted more. She knew part of it was her ink and part his drug, and a lot of him making her all tingley.

He nodded, finding a better way to tell her he agreed by lingering this time, aware, unafraid of onlookers. Joe mattered and he already said the girl was with him, but anyone else that might want to break in on their good time would regret it severely. He intended to be naughtier, but they were short on time until their ride came. "How do you like the taste of danger? The shuttle has to take a few unexpected turns... could be half an hour all to ourselves."

Her arms wrapped around him and she settled into his lap, stradling him in the booth they shared, she kissed him once more and then pulled back with a playful smile. "I like what it tastes like so far.." Her hand smoothed down over his chest a bit and her eyes were heavy with desire.

"Don't let me stop you. I'm keeping you safe, remember?" He looked back behind them briefly for a glimpse of Joe or the silent girl that had given them the tip. Nothing yet, which was something. The boys must have been busy enjoying himself, so he'd enjoy himself. The ride wasn't leaving without a paying customer. His eyes cooled watching hers draw him in.

"Right.. just not safe from you.." She laughed lightly, not bothered by that idea. Vara nuzzled in closer, kissing his neck and nibbling his ear. "Who is keeping you safe?"

"From you? Daaawwwg, better not be anybody, baby," he chuckled, getting chills from her attention that soared along the heightened senses the drug had already sent aloft. He reached behind her to steady her in his lap. "How about I just talk about keeping, period, safe and everything else?"

His choice of words earned him a slow pass of her delightful tongue over his neck. "Sweet talker.." She teased softly, trailing tiny kisses along his jaw. "Keeping.. I think I like that.. keep talking." She was comfortable right there in his lap and for a few moments thoughts of getting home faded, replaced with him and how good this felt.