all in a day's work (Ukume)

The hotel was a flurry of activities, the air filled with the noise of inconsequential polite conversation. Alek felt not unlike a shark in cloudy water; time seemed to pass slower the closer one wandered near him. Not anything they would notice but he did. Gave Alek a moment to peer at them and inhaled, relish in the color-saturated, saccharine-scented that seemed to emanate from every living thing. He felt a little shiver of nerves when someone unintentionally brushed past, or there mere shrug of a shoulder as though something didn’t feel quite right.

Was it natural that he always felt half-starved?

Or was it something else, something more profound as a fracture in his mentality, clawing up beneath his skin, screaming in his mind that he was broken and no different than the monster that had drained his wife and left him with an eternity to mourn. Alek was able to glance across the room and assess Lady Victoria's health, before the woman he'd gone to took notice. Turning back, he gave her a quick glance over. There was a warmth to her brown hair that brought a light to her features, a sparkle in her earthy hued eyes. The woman moved with a uncanny grace, as free as a autumn leave playing in the dayshine.

When his gaze slid over, a flicker of surprise crossed his features.

This particular woman's attire was certainly... unconventional, to say the least. Although he remained less startled than another might be towards it; uncouth as some designated it for a woman to be dressed comparable to a man, Alek had known fellow guardsmen to honor practicality in lieu of tradition. Far be it from he to dictate how a woman was meant to dress — even if his own wife had preferred such a fashion, Goddess rest her soul, he'd not bat an eye.

Undeniably, the inhuman features caught his attention at the start. Alek had seen people of all shape and size, men as short as children, even a girl with slitted eyes like a feline, yet despite the frequency he had in exposure to such curiosities never had such a unique form met his gaze.

Bet she'd make a fine archer, was his first thought.

The double set of arms made that musing almost a certainty. Ah, truly it were a shame that few women felt the same call to service. Many of the best guards under his command were women, traditional values be damned they made just as good soldier as any man. When Ukume faced him fully, his gaze shot straight to the pint she held in hand. Any wry amusement at the woman's apparent tolerance for alcohol was withheld expertly, not even as much as a smile cracked.

The woman's first words were confused at the lack of staff on hand, and as she listed off her name and title the situation became all the more clear. "Perhaps they went to de washroom?" he muses, a shrug as he adds offhandedly, "Eh, busy as dis place is it's no soehrprise." He had no intentions of causing any fuss or making trouble for the employees.

Ukume didn't see terribly upset, just disappointed so he figured no one was at risk of losing their jobs. The thought was something of a relief; this place was packed for a reason, he could tell a lot of work went into its upkeep. In his experience people who put up an honest days work were less likely to stray down the criminal path. "I'm Aleksander Byrne o' de Queensguard, escahrt to Lady Victoria. ma'am." he introduced himself politely, turning slight as he gestured towards the lady- still content to chatter away with her gentlemen suitors, it seemed.

Sigh. Goddess help him.

"Lady Victoria request dat I get 'er a room, if you 'ave any left." He explained immediately, well aware of the crowds sprawled out across the entry and foyer. The activity lent him to consider that this place rarely went with a vacancy, perhaps why Victoria had the foresight to send him off before the show in the music hall began. Hm. So Victoria was capable of thought after all. Curious.

He was startled when she asked that he address her in such informal fashion, jaw growing a little slack as she went as far as to bow for him. A flusterment at the display was visible in his facial expression, as he allowed himself to loosen up a bit while the influx of unwanted emotions rushed through him, cheeks tinged pink. Alek's arms extended instantly─ a light brush across her arm to regather her attention. "Oh ma'a, dere's no need!" he offers swiftly, stoicism giving way to chagrin. "De ahnly affluency abooeht me are dahse I'm tasked wit de prahtection o'."


Nodding, he gestures towards the bustling crowd around. "If anything I shooehld be bowin to you, ma'-... Ukume." Alek went on, stumbling slightly over the name, difficult to pronounce to him though it were. His eyes glanced down at her, in tentative reassurance at the improper mention. The Diamond Hotel had been accurately named; if the posh guests running about were any indicator, Ukume had more than a fair share to her name. Alek could applaud the woman's ability - it wasn't easy to run a business, much less create something so beautiful out of nothing and she had succeeded in both.

The moment she mentioned rooms, his brow furrowed and he nodded along, a certain severity crossing over his features. Back to business. Though he didn't let it show on his features, the surprise of an opening, it came as something of a relief. Lady Victoria did not seem the sort who'd take something like that at Ukume's word, and Alek would of loathed to have to intervene should the lady behave uncouth. "A suite, I wooehld dink," he thought aloud after a moment to consider it. Knowing Victoria, she'd only settle for the best. Besides... such a large room was bound to have accommodations to whomever she brought into her bed.

The very notion made his nose wrinkle in revulsion.

Goddess. He knew now why his men had all flaked out of this assignment.

Thankfully sleep wouldn't be necessary for him, though he'd been given more than enough coin and emergency funds should they have need of it, Alek saw it wise to remain diligent in this case and keep a midnight vigil just outside the lady's room. Any men she brought in may have ill intent, after all. Alek was nothing, if not, cautious.

Glacial blue hues followed her movement to settle on the chairs dotting the edges of the lobby.

The immediate reaction to her words were be to obey- it had been honed in him time and time again that when a lady makes a request, he is to obey. A second instinct, even. However the lull of duty overrode it, the man's arms gestured vaguely towards the direction of Lady Victoria. "De ahffer is kend, 'owever I moehst deny and remain at de ready shooehld m'lady require me." he replied, though not unkindly.

"Dank you," he supplies, sincere. "fahr everything." It had been a pleasant surprise enough that the owner of this expensive establishment had humored him with even a moment of her time; the number such instances had occurred in his past were certainly rare and few. Ukume was a very strange entrepreneur, it seemed like wealth and success hadn't been a detriment to her character.

Whatever was coming towards him smelled far to delicious, almost on par with the steak he had observed the lady enjoyed while she wined and dined. No, it wasn't on par at all.... this was better. It was a temptation, like a song playing over and over again on loop in his mind. Alek took in a calming breath and kept the dead thing inside of him at bay. Goodness, he relished that he had the foresight to bring enough blood laced wine to hold him over. His eyes flit onto Ukume, a hint of intrigue as he observed the demoness.

Should he ask...? No.

It was improper.

Alek were here to work, not to indulge his curious side.

Alek's gaze moved around the room, giving his eyes a chance to drink in the decor, built-in shelves with various things collected from all over, to the windows overlooking the city with lights winking like handfuls of stars. He brought his attentive gaze back to Ukume, laughter and mirth ringing out across the air around them. The woman had a way about her, a slowness and grace. It was not often that he spied one with wings, each as brilliant as stained glass. The color was aster violet, though made dim by the lightning, could outshine all the jewels in the room; bestowing an unearthly glow.

Is she a faerie? he wondered inwardly. 

The Fair Folk were rare and few, nonetheless he couldn't believe he'd seen one that remotely resembled this woman. They were the only winged race he was well versed in. Alek leaned forward then, graceful, the shadow snapping backward as if detaching from across his shoulders. "Excuse me, ma'am... I am curiooehs to know 'ow you manage to," His brow knit as he struggled at how to phrase it best. "To be so... ahpen. Wit what you are." Whereas most of the supernatural sort hid behind masks and the cover of darkness, Ukume was unabashed. That she were so free from the restrictive shackles of society and able to exhibit herself as the very thing she was born to be.

Though he doubt he'd ever be able to follow her example and step into the light; the reality of his situation were that his relied on the trust of the nobility to safeguard their well being, and far be it they to trust that which they did not understand —when even Alek did not entirely understand his new found vampiric nature—thus it seemed unlikely he'd to follow such an example and step into the light. Still, he could admire her brazenness.