| California Girl? | Sep. 19th, 2007 @ 09:42 pm |
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Spike had been in Los Angeles for nearly three weeks now, and to be perfectly honest, he wasn't sure why.
Aside from the Memory Lane moment in front of what was once Wolfram & Hart Los Angeles, the Champion hadn't experienced anything that might be considered ground-breaking or epiphany-inducing. Spike's gut led him out here, almost as if he knew there was some personal growing he had to do, yet now that he was here, the vampire was lost.
Sure, he'd slain the occasional vampire, played Champion to the helpless like he had years ago when he was led to believe by some phony calling himself Doyle that he had a destiny, but it wasn't the revelation he was looking for.
In a lot of ways, Spike was still Buffy and Angel's snarky - if not good-looking - sidekick.
Spike lit a cigarette as he walked along the Walk of Fame, taking the first drag and maneuvering through the crowd of people in front of the Chinese Theatre. It was a nice place, one Spike had seen many a show in, but the people in ridiculous outfits hanging out in front, charging two bucks for a picture … insane.
Especially the Matrix guy. Didn't he know the Keanu-in-shades-and-black-trench coat look went out of style nearly 10 years ago?
Chloe was in a funk. She was more than depressed. Even more so then when her father had passed away. That had been a shock, and thrown her world off kilter. But she'd still believed in life. She still had believed in herself. She still had believed in love. But after weeks of being virtually alone, reliving her capture over and over again... Enough was enough.
The room was littered in broken pencils. The old poster of the Tristan look alike from the movies was in tatters, hole-poked, and filthy. Chloe had reached down to grab another pencil one day, and the box was empty. She'd blinked and looked down at her hands. They were stained in pencil lead. Without a word she went into her bathroom and took a hot shower. Then she packed a bag and drove to the airport. She'd always wanted to go to LA. It was a happy place. She needed a happy place. Anything to stop the lonely and painful ache deep inside.
( Viva LA ) |
| Trophies | Jul. 25th, 2007 @ 10:21 pm |
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There are many kind of trophies in the world. Bowling, swimming, racing. Ribbons, gold Oscars, Olympic medals. In the poker world, there was money, of course, but there were also bracelets.
In the poker world, there are two groups. Those that have won a bracelet, and those that haven't. The haves, The have nots. Once you've won a bracelet, you just want more. Doyle Brunson has eleven. No one has more than him. Chloe? She has zero.
You have to win a championship tournament to win a bracelet. You have to not only get to a final table, but win that table, to win a bracelet. Chloe had made it to a final table just once, and had never been able to compete. She'd been a little tied up at the time, thanks to Tristan.
There was a time when the only thing Chloe dreamed of was winning a bracelet. Now? She just dreamed of not being alone, scared, and sad.
Pencils littered the floor. The wall was pockmarked with the lead and holes from numerous punctures. The poster on the wall was barely visible anymore due to all the pencil wounds in its visage. She clenched her jaw and threw another, the sharpened point landing into the wall, where a chin might have once appeared.
Chloe was determined. She may never win a bracelet, but she would beat this fear. She would, or lose her mind. Her next trophy wouldn't be seen, but it would be felt. And that would be the best trophy of them all.Current Mood:  aggravated |
| Never Count Your Money... | Jun. 29th, 2007 @ 11:26 am |
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The flowers were beginning to wilt. Still, Chloe just sat at the kitchen table with a half full coffee mug between her hands, and stared at them. Morning sun filtered in through her kitchen window, alighting onto the table top, around the flowers, and spreading onto the tile floor. Normally Chloe would be smiling at the beauty, but not this morning.
A growing frustration was engulfing her heart and soul. After another sip of her coffee cup, she stood up, and went over to the sink. She poured the rest of the luke warm beverage down the drain. Then she went over to the dying flowers, picked them up, and tossed them into the trash can. Snagging her purse and keys off the counter, Chloe headed out to her mustang, and drove off towards Vegas.
There was no tournament that she was heading to, but there was such a thing as getting back into the saddle again. She was tired of being scared, mad at feeling weak, and frustrated with herself. It was time to be strong and not hide away. She was a survivor. Pencil or not, she'd survived, and it was time to get back to living.
She pulled her car into a nearby parking lot and walked across the street to the casino. It was the same casino where she'd won her last tournament, heading towards that glorious final table, when the vampire had impinged on her celebrations. There was no tournament this day, but there was always poker to be played.
It wasn't long before Chloe was seated at a high stakes table in the private rooms. Glancing around at her playing partners, she calculated that three of the five were armatures. Unless one got lucky, they really were no competition for Chloe. A tall, thin, dark complexioned woman on her left, however, could well prove to be formidable. But it was the fat man with the mole near his nose that sat across from her that made Chloe's lip curve downward.
"Welcome, sweetie," he said, fingering his thick mole and giving her a lewd wink. Chloe hated it when strangers called her by an endearment. It was rude, condescending, and patronizing. But she just smiled and watched for his tells. Beating him would be very satisfying indeed.
It didn't take long to figure him out. Whenever he was bluffing, he fingered his mole between his thumb and forefinger. It was quite disgusting, really. And if he had something that he thought was a winner, he leaned a bit forward in his seat. After a few hours mole man's pile of chips was dwindling, and Chloe's was growing.
The dark skinned woman was tougher. Chloe stayed even with her for quite awhile. It was early evening when the armatures were chipless, and it fell down to mole man, Chloe, and the dark skinned woman.
The woman had folded before the River card was flipped. Chloe, with no expression on her face, studied her cards. She had pocket aces in her hand, and the River card was also an ace. Trips. Almost a sure winner.
Mole man fingered his mole and watched Chloe's eyes. Chloe glanced at his chips. Calculating her own stacks, she pushed in a third of her winnings, forcing him to go all in if he proceeded. The dark skinned woman smiled and looked up at the mole man. Even she noticed how his fingers tweaked faster and harder, and his lizard like tongue came out to flick over the corner of his mouth.
"What you got, sweetie?" the man muttered to himself. Still, he wouldn't be beat by a woman, especially one as beautiful as Chloe. She had to be bluffing. Smiling, he pushed his chips to the center. "All in. I call you."
Chloe nodded softly. Since she'd been called, she had to show her hand first. "Three aces," she said softly, placing them face up on the table.
Mole man cursed, shook his head, and stood up, leaving the table. Chloe waited until he'd exited the room before sliding the generous pile of chips onto her side.
"Well played," said the other woman.
Chloe thanked her and smiled. She glanced at her watch. It would be getting dark soon. Usually she'd stay and play this out, seeing who walked away from the table with all of the chips. But her nerves were starting to jingle. The sun was setting. Chloe wanted to get home to the safety of her house. "I think I'll call it a night," she said, standing. The exotic woman frowned but nodded. "Perhaps next time," she said softly.
At the cashier, the teller greeted Chloe by name with a smile. "Would you like this credited to your account, Chloe?"
"Seventy five in the account, and I'll take the other twenty five in cash, please." The teller nodded and completed the transaction for Chloe.
She was satisfied as she sunk into her mustang and started it back up. Her mind turned over the hands of the game played. What could she have done better? What could she learn from this round to take to the next? What eyes were watching her? Shaking herself, Chloe pressed down on the accelerated and headed back to the safety of her home.Current Mood:  nervous |
| Got Milk? | Jun. 21st, 2007 @ 05:55 pm |
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The wheels of Connor's grocery cart squeaked a little as he pushed it down the aisle, and he decided that mundane chores such as shopping were the perfect relief when you needed something to help turn off your brain. The question of crunchy or smooth peanut butter was much easier to answer than ones about your own worth or well-being. He picked up two brightly labeled jars and studied them, then shrugged and put both into the cart.
Maybe he should grab a bus up to Vegas, see if he couldn't track Justine down. If he tried to ignore her, there was no telling what she'd do, and he didn't want to risk another late night visit from her. Then again, maybe he could also stick his hand into a blender and then turn it on. It might end up being less painful.
The young man shook his head, trying to brush the thoughts aside as he rounded the corner. He'd deal with it later, once the groceries were bought and paid for. He doubted she was going anywhere. Unfortunately.
Chloe took some aspirin with her cup of coffee and then grabbed her purse. She didn't want to go out and leave the protection and privacy of her home, but she needed groceries. This would be her last cup of coffee, otherwise, and she had nothing with which to cook dinner.
She was surprised to find the flowers and card from Levi on her doorstep. He must have arrived when she was sleeping. She was sad and depressed that she hadn't been able to talk to him yet. She was beginning to wonder if she'd ever tell him now. What good would it do? Besides… he was obviously busy.
The flowers were left on the kitchen table and she returned outside to her mustang. She was numb as she drove to the store, a small shopping list in her mind: oatmeal, coffee, milk, hamburger, Epson salt, more aspirin…
( Follow the shopping list... ) |
| Frozen | Jun. 12th, 2007 @ 12:30 pm |
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The faucet was turned as hot as the temperature could go. Steam covered every surface of the bathtub. And still, Chloe shivered.
She was chilled to the bone. Nothing helped. She couldn’t get warm. And even with bubbles up to her neck, she couldn’t get clean.
Chloe knew she was lucky in some aspects. She was alive, for one. The vampire could have killed her, or turned her. It was coming, one or the other, Chloe knew. It had just been a matter of time. And she could have been physically violated. That was a matter of time too. Instead, he’d enjoyed frightening her until she almost died of the shock and fear.
It had been a game to the vampire. Chloe had been left stripped, chained to the walls. So cold… Not fed, rarely given water. And he’d come and scare her. Terrify her. But he hadn’t really hurt her other than that. She just knew it was coming. The things he’d say. The things he showed her, and do to himself, saying he would do those things to her when the time was right.
Then, thankfully, Dyan had come, before the time had been right.
How had all this happened? Chloe turned her brain around and around again. She’d won the poker round. She was two tables away from the last table. There had been a celebration with fellow players, friends, and spectators. There had been drinks. Somehow, he had slipped something into her drink. The next thing she could remember was being chained to that wall, naked and alone.
Chloe held the washcloth up to her face and cried. Why couldn’t she get warm? |
| » The Kindness Of A Stranger |
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Chloe groaned and rolled over and off the couch. She fell to the hard floor with a wince. She blinked a few times before opening her eyes fully. As the room came into view, her memory came sweeping back as well. Slowly she sat up. A rush of huge relief washed over her. She was safe. Or at least, she was away from that stone, cold, and dark place where the vampire had kept her.
At first she'd just wanted out of there. It didn't matter how or by whom. When Dyan had appeared, her fear was minimal compared to her urge to die or be free. It was only now, in the silence of the room as daylight struck, that she began to feel unsafe.
And unclean. She hadn't bathed. It was all she could do to eat the food that Dyan had forced into her before the vampire went to sleep, as did Chloe, falling face first onto the sofa until now. Supposedly Dyan had a roommate, but Chloe never met them, and she had no desire to now as well. Not in her condition.
Her nose wrinkled. She was still dressed in her clothes that the vampire had discarded. Dyan had found them and dressed Chloe. Once arriving here, the rest of the shackles had been removed before she'd eaten and slept. Now all Chloe wanted was to get out of here.
She grabbed a notepad and a pen.
Dyan
She hesitated for a moment, wondering what to write. Finally, she decided on simple.
Thank you,
Chloe
Chloe knew she might end up owing the vampire for her life, but she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.
( Homeward Bound )
( A Friend When In Need )
( Known Acquaintances )
"See you soon Chloe."
Chloe waved goodbye and watched Julie through the front window. After Julie's vehicle was gone and the dust had settled, Chloe picked up the phone. Slowly she dialed the number she now knew by heart. She almost cried when it went straight to voice mail. She took another deep sigh and cleared her voice.
"Levi, it's me." She paused for almost a full twenty seconds, trying to gather her thoughts. "I don't know how long I've been gone. I… I need you. Please… please come as soon as you can." She quickly hung up before she started to cry. She didn't want to cry. Not into the phone. She wanted to wait and cry when she was in the bath tub, with bubbles up to her nose.
Jun. 9th, 2007 @ 09:54 pm
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| » Rescue Comes In Many Forms |
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There was just enough night cover left for Tristan to ride back to his place
in Searchlight. He locked the metal door, imprisoning Chloe in the concrete
basement, and then zipped his leather jacket back up. He whistled a jaunty
little tune on his way up the stairs and then snagged his helmet and left the
warehouse.
His Harley was parked undisturbed right where he left it. In this
neighborhood, there wasn't much around but dust. That's why he'd picked this
warehouse. It was deserted. Even the trains were dusty and rusting.
The sound of the motor on his bike split the night as he started it up. He
gunned it a few times, and then sped away heading out of town.
In her bonds, Chloe sagged against the wall. She was cold, hungry, and
thirsty. In reality it had only been a few days, but to her it had seemed like an
eternity. She'd only been given enough water to stay alive. Her thoughts
were turning from rescue, to demise. She also thought that if she could
somehow kill herself, she wouldn't be turned. She didn't want that. Anything
but that.
Dyan was slumming it that night, wandering in the warehouse district where
half the buildings were abandoned and the other half were so badly neglected
that they ought to be condemned. She stopped dead and pondered the logistics
of doing something to require all the workers in one of the places to have to
flood out in a panic, but the growl of a motorbike shredded the silence
abruptly and drew her attention like a moth to a flame.
She headed in the direction the noise had initially come from, knowing there
was trouble to be had if she nosed around a little. People who had rides
like that didn't hang around in places like this late at night unless they were
up to no good. She was exactly the type so she was sure there was fun to be
had. She reached the warehouse the noise had come from, her sensitive nose
picking up the remnants of the exhaust fumes from the bike and she glanced
around briefly.
There didn't seem to be anything going on outside, so she found and tested
the door, which of course, was locked. That was totally typical, doors around
here locked behind you without a key being needed. Fine. She glared at the
barrier and finally just grabbed the handle and gave it a solid yank, which
popped the cheap crash bar lock.
She looked around the even darker interior of the place and knew immediately
that there was someone here, but that there was no business or production in
the building. It was deserted. She went looking for the person she could
smell and came across another locked door, which made her think this was the
place. All the other doors she'd passed were hanging open or unlocked. She
smiled that this door opened inwards and a kick would open it for her. The sole of
a boot smashed into the door with all the fierce strength of a curious
vampire and it popped open and bounced back against a wall and tried to slam
closed again.
Chloe stretched her arm as far as she could from its shackle in the concrete
wall. She could not pull it close to her face no matter how hard she'd
tried. In her mind's eye, she saw her teeth sawing at the skin on her wrist,
until the blood flowed and never stopped. It made her shudder to think of it.
It was just like a vampire, in many ways… that thought. Only her teeth
would be her own, and she wouldn't be drinking the blood. No, she'd be freeing
herself the only way she knew how. By dying.
But it was of no use. The chains wouldn't stretch far enough. She couldn't
reach a darn thing. He left nothing behind him when he'd come and go. Not
even her clothing in which to hang herself with, let alone cover her
nakedness.
Her body was so sore and tired, but she wasn't broken. No, he'd never break
her. Chloe, at the worst times, would close her eyes or stare at the
ceiling, and think of her father, and how he'd loved her. She'd also think of
Levi. They were so new, but just that look in his eyes would make her stomach
flutter. She'd think of him, and all the badness happening to her would melt
away.
Turning from her dying thoughts now, she brought Levi into her mind. His
dark eyes. His hands. He had strong hands. Chloe loved hands most of all. A
crash broke her out of her reverie. The door was shaking. She cried out,
not able to really form a word. Was she finally being rescued? Had she been
found? The door crashed open again, only giving her a glimpse of one boot
before it started to swing closed once again.
Dyan heard the weak call and smelled the scent of imprisonment as she caught
the edge of the door and opened it back up much more gently. She came down
the stairs, the switch for the light at the top flicked by her fingers as she
went.
She stopped short and withheld a laugh as she saw the woman in chains. Chloe
was it? Sure, that was right. She put her hands on her hips, the jeans soft
and almost skin tight under her finger tips. She looked very out of place in
this jury rigged torture chamber, her clean designer clothes and brand new
boots, soft, shining hair bouncing loose around her face and shoulders as she
observed in silence.
Chloe was naked, her lips chapped, her wrists chafed by the shackles, her
body just starting to show the signs of forced deprivation. The blonde almost
felt bad for the woman, but not quite. There was a touch of amusement in her
voice when she finally greeted her old 'friend'. "Well look here, what have
you got yourself into and how in the world did a good girl like you land in a
nasty position like that?"
( A Cool Drink... Please? )
Jun. 3rd, 2007 @ 02:16 pm
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| » Evil Lurks Here |
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Chloe moaned and licked at her chapped lips. Her tongue felt like it was ten times its normal size and covered in fuzz. Her throat was parched like the Nevada desert. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a cool drink of water. She couldn't remember how she got here. All she could remember was that she hurt.
How long had she been here? It felt like days. It felt…like weeks. It felt like forever.
There was a creak of the door, and her dark prison was broken with a streak of light.
He was back. And he had something in his hands.
( Scared Of The Dark )
May. 30th, 2007 @ 01:13 am
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| » Voicemail For Levi |
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"Hello, Levi. It's just Chloe checking in. I bet this weather has you so busy. I hope you are staying warm and safe. I just wanted to...well...I just wanted to say hello, maybe hear your voice, and...to thank you again for the other night. I had a wonderful time. I hope we can...do it again real soon. I mean...dinner or...something." :giggles:
"Call me if you get the chance? I promise to not be a pest. I just...I'm sitting here at my kitchen table, thinking of you, and wanted you to know that. Be safe, my Levi."
Feb. 10th, 2007 @ 09:51 am
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| » Cold and Hot Thoughts |
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Chloe stretched in her bed as she awoke. She felt a chill. Especially on her toes, which happened to be sticking out of the end of her comforter. She pulled her knees closer to her chest beneath the blanket and sighed, a smile still on her face.
She wished she could still sleep in the sheets that had been on her bed when Levi had joined her. She wanted to still smell him. But chocolate and whipped cream and…other things…had made a cause for laundry. So instead she was in clean sheets, but the memory of him and their love was still fresh.
"Brrr," she whispered. She swung her legs out of bed and pushed them into slippers. Grabbing her robe, she shuffled into the kitchen to pour herself some coffee. Thankfully she had one of those automatic makers, so the coffee was always ready and waiting. Not this morning, however. "What the?" Chloe tried to flip on the light, but there was no electricity. "Dang, must have lost power."
Maybe the morning paper had news. She proceeded to her porch, yawning as she went. She gasped as she opened the door. It was freezing! And…"Holy cow!" The ground was covered in white…"Snow?!"
Inches of it. Almost a foot of snow in her own yard. It was…"Beautiful." Chloe smiled and bent to pick up her paper. Well, that probably explained the power outtage.
Things were definitely changing around here, she thought. Instead of spreading herself out on the porch to read her paper and drink her coffee, she went inside to the cold kitchen table. Instead of reading the latest news, however, she found herself frequently gazing out the window with a little smile on her face, her mind lost in thoughts of snow and Levi. She grinned and laughed at herself. One was very cold, she thought, and one was very hot.
Feb. 4th, 2007 @ 10:52 am
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| » Empathy Amongst the Mops |
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Her little mustang could only hold so much, but Chloe had packed it that afternoon with as much cleaning supplies as she could. Once she reached the Road Kill Grill, she unloaded mops, buckets, sponges, soap, an extra hose, paint, brushes, sand paper, and a million other supplies.
She'd tried to get a hold of Jo, but so far she hadn't had much luck. But it was time. Time to wash away the blood. Time to put the past behind her, and move onto the future.
It was cleaner then she'd expected it to be. The inside of the grill smelled like chemicals. There was no trace of her father's blood. But a stain remained, none the less. Chloe was anxious to change the colors, change the patterns, change...just change. Something new and fresh. A new beginning. She rolled up her sleeves, and got started.
Black highway as far as red eyes could see, and a Volkswagen Beetle sped down it's surface at speeds just over the limit. The little red car, returning from Boulder City, was driven by Lorne; green hands grasped steering wheel as the Scissor Sisters blared their disco anthems over the cars thundering sound system. Tires tore over pavement and the demon who held no legal driver's license careened gracefully between lanes as he headed back home towards Vegas.
Richie Knudsen was an old friend of Lorne's. He lived in a basement suite in a small house off the main drag in the small desert town, and would often make his way towards the busy city of Las Vegas to visit his demon friend. This time, Lorne had figured he needed some fresh air, and went to visit the older man instead. On his way back, the drive seemed to last forever, and the demon began to grow thirsty.
A sign on the roadside informed him that a diner was up ahead, and feeling a little adventurous, the green skinned crooner made the executive decision to pull over. As the diner came into view, it looked scarcely inhabited, although a Mustang sat lonesome in the front lot. Pulling in beside it and killing the engine, Lorne reached over to his passenger seat and grabbed his black fedora and popped it dutifully on his head before he slid his sunglasses onto his face.
He exited his car with fluid grace and strode up to the front door and gave it a yank to discover it was locked.
"Well, that's no way to bring in the customers," the demon mused to himself as he pulled off his sunglasses to peer through the front glass into the small diner.
( Seek And Ye Shall Find )
Dec. 16th, 2006 @ 11:49 pm
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| » A Not So Cold Reception |
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Chloe was disappointed, but not greatly. She had made it to the final table, which was a wonderful thing. But she'd also been the first one out. Still, her winnings were more then ever before, but for every seat you made at the final table, your winnings multiplied exponentially! She didn't have the heart to complain though. And playing Texas Hold 'Em had taken her mind off of things for a little while.
Now it was back to reality, however. Nervously she entered the police station to see if Levi as there. She was curious to talk to him about his voice mail. Perhaps he'd made progress on her father's case?
Grace seriously didn't think she'd been this relaxed in...weeks. She had bruises on her thighs, a faint bite mark where her neck met her shoulder, and scratches on her back. She could still half feel Darian's fingernails dragging over her skin. And she just felt...good.
She pushed open the door to the precinct building, intending to go bug Levi. Just a small matter, really, wanting some info on someone who was dealing stolen goods out of one of the motels near the Strip, and it was good to keep those channels open. You never knew when you'd need a cop, right?
She rapped on the reception desk, getting the sergeant's attention. "Yeah, hi," she said, slouching casually against the object. "Is Lieutenant Bowman around? I'd like to talk to him if he's got a few minutes."
Chloe had been approaching the desk when she saw the other woman in front of her. Her ears pricked up when she heard her ask for Levi. Taking in her appearance, Chloe as a bit startled. The woman was obviously in some kind of trouble, because she didn't look well. Domestic abuse perhaps? Chloe now hesitated, wondering if she should step back and wait, or come back later.
No, she was here now. It took a lot for Chloe to work up her nerve now when Levi was the subject. It was a combination of excitement and fear in her belly just at the thought of seeing him. She couldn't turn back now.
"Sorry, the Lieutenant's not in right now, is he expecting you?" "Seldom if ever," Grace answered dryly. "When's he gettin' back?" "Shouldn't be more than an hour or so."
An hour. Great. The vampire pushed off from the desk, moved to one of the plastic chairs that were lined up against the wall, then sat down an lit up a cigarette in blatant disregard for the 'No Smoking' sign directly behind her. She'd wait it out, then. Not like she was on anyone's timetable except her own.
Chloe took a step back to let the other woman pass by. She went up to the desk and softly added her name to the list for Officer Levi. The desk sergeant said there was indeed news on her father's case, but he couldn't elaborate. "It's best to wait for Officer Bowman." Chloe slowly nodded and turned towards the waiting area. She noticed the other woman was smoking. "Rough day?" she asked softly, slipping into a chair.
( Cold Hands )
( Ask Levi What? )
Dec. 6th, 2006 @ 11:52 am
|
| » Life Is A Gamble, |
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Chloe had started out heading into the city to find a casino that might have a tournament going on. Maybe the Bellagio, she thought. A nice tournament to get her mind off things, and maybe get some money in her pockets. She wasn't allowed any of the insurance money yet from her father's will, but even if she could, she didn't want it. A part of her was still not accepting he was actually gone.
That thought gave her pause. He was gone, and life had to go on. There were things that needed to be taken care of. Her lawyer had been glad to hear she had decided to keep the diner, but find someone else to manage it. The thought of The Road Kill Grill is what motivated her to turn the mustang into the police station, enter, and ask to speak to Officer Levi. At least that's what she told herself. It was strictly business.
A bran muffin was slowly being picked apart by large uncaring fingers as Levi sat in his usual place behind his desk with his booted feet resting on top of it. Muffin crumbs fell from his hands and landed on the front of his shirt where the bored cop brushed them off and continued poking at his pastry.
He hadn't been on shift long, and as soon as he felt like it, he'd gather his jacket and head out on the streets. There were probably far more exciting things to be doing than eating a bran muffin and procrastinating paperwork. He'd heard from Shinkewicz that Green Day was in town and figured he'd go offer his services as riot control and maybe get in a free concert to boot. But then again, a leisurely drive up and down the strip sounded just fine, too.
A large chunk of muffin was pulled off and Levi popped it into his mouth when his phone intercom buzzed. "Lieutenant, there's someone here to see you," the receptionist buzzed. Levi popped the pad of his thumb into his mouth to clean off muffin debris before pushing the button. "Send them in," he responded before he leaned lazily back in his chair with his feet back on the desk, half a muffin resting atop his stomach.
Chloe was shown the door to Levi's office. She gave it a gentle knock and then stepped inside. She smiled nervously, noticing the muffin on his stomach. Obviously she hadn't been disturbing him, she thought. She wasn't sure whether she should be upset or not. Was he still working on her father's case?
"I thought the police preferred donuts," she teased him gently. She saw the chair opposite his desk and sunk into it, her hands clutched nervously in her lap.
For some strange reason, Levi had expected Grace to be the one who had come to see him, hopefully with news about that Lance kid. Then again, Grace wasn't one for paying visits. She usually phoned.
( Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. )
Nov. 14th, 2006 @ 08:52 pm
|
| » Know When To Fold 'Em? |
|---|
Chloe had read the vampire book front to back, cover to cover, twice.
It didn't read like a novel. It was frightening fact after fact. How vampires were made. How they lived. How they hunted, and how best to defend yourself from them.
Chloe thought it was a bit funny that the use of garlic was really just a myth. Why that struck her as funny, she couldn't say.
Sunlight burned. Holy water burned. Fire. A wooden stake to the heart. Decapitation.
Chloe was a strong person emotionally and mentally, most of the time. But physically? She could not see herself possessing enough strength to push a stake through a vampire's chest. Hopefully it never came to that.
The book also talked of exercises and training one could do to help keep themselves in shape for such an encounter. Chloe frowned. Why would someone want to do that? Why go after the creatures? But then she realized that someone must hunt them too, else they'd be overrun by the demons.
Her hand clutched at her neck a few times. There really was no explanation to why Chloe was alive. Dyan had every oppurtunity to kill her, but she hadn't. Or worse, to turn Chloe into one of the vile things.
She shuddered and put the well read book down on her coffee table.
Her eyes wandered to the phone. Maybe she should call Officer Levi and tell him about all her new knowledge? Maybe he could teach her how to thrust a stake?
An all too different kind of thrusting floated in her mind then. She blushed and quickly stood up. She had to return the book. She really needed to thank Emmy. And maybe she could buy Levi a thank you gift for helping her the other night...
No, that was just juvenile. Chloe started pacing in her bedroom. He was a policeman. It had been his job to protect her. He was probably getting annoyed with her by now.
She could use the excuse to call him by checking in on her father's case. She did need to know when she could start working on the Road Kill Grill. She wanted it cleaned from top to bottom and then a new fresh coat of paint added. Then, hopefully, Jo would accept the management position, and they could once again open the doors.
Chloe looked back down on her phone as it rested in the middle of her bed. She'd thrown it there earlier after almost calling Levi while reading the book. It was the part about how sexual the creatures could be. Her hand had reached towards the phone to call him just to tell him...what? That's when she'd thrown the phone.
Finally, Chloe left both book and phone behind. She pulled on some shoes, hopped into her black mustang, and drove back to the city. She needed a good poker game to take her mind off
Nov. 11th, 2006 @ 09:39 am
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| » Flushed |
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The Palms was Chloe's favorite Casino. It was popular lately for it's dance club, "Rain," but Chloe liked it because of its history. Many famous faces played at these poker tables. She wasn't in a high roller room tonight, however. She had found a mid level table near the back of the casino. Since she wasn't a famous face herself, she blended in with the tourist crowd, except for the fact that she had a nice stack of chips in front of her. She sipped on a Lynchburg Lemonade and studied her cards before the flop.
"I'll match the big blind," Chloe said, almost as if she was reluctant. Her fingers rested casually around her cards. She didn't play with her chips or tap her fingers. She just sat back with an almost blank expression on her face. She was trying her best to stay focused on the game, and by the look of her winning chips, she was doing just that.
Dyan stood near that very same mid roller table and watched the game in utter silence. She could play well enough to break even, but black jack was more her game. She was dressed to the nine tonight, hair down, a flaring black gown with a brilliant crimson inlay showing off her assets, matched black pumps gave more height than she possessed naturally.
The blank faced woman had captured her attention, many players had give away actions but she had none. She was also winning the hand, which was attractive.
The small clutch carried by the vampire was stuffed with cash, the booty of a kill made earlier in the evening before she'd gotten herself all dressed up. She decided that if the woman stayed at the table, she would join for the next round.
Chloe watched as the dealer laid down the flop. An ace, a ten, and a nine. None were helpful to Chloe, so she folded. A pair of aces was an easy win for someone, and there was also a chance at a running straight. Her low cards weren't that attractive anymore, and she was only out the blind. She debated whether to play another hand or not. Since her drink was still half full, she decided she might as well stay.
A pair of aces did indeed take the hand. She smiled at the young man that had finally won his first hand. Chloe had already taken more then her share of his money, and planned on taking even more.
Dyan smiled to herself and swept towards the table, claiming an empty seat and laying cash on the table to buy her chips. She didn't particularly care if she won or lost, this money was just as worthwhile to her as Monopoly money would be to the men and women working in the bank cages.
A server wandered by and offered to bring her a drink, she accepted, asked for a whiskey and Seven and then sat back in her seat to wait for the dealer and watch the other players.
She nodded a greeting to several, including the young lady she'd been watching before. She collected and paid for the drink and took a sip, then set the glass on the table and fell as still as a statue on its plinth.
Chloe smiled at the newcomer. With some players, it was hard to tell how friendly to be. Some didn't talk at all. Others babbled about everything and anything. Sometimes it was strategy, but most often times it was nerves, especially on rookie players. Chloe wasn't sure which category the new lady fell into.
( Not exactly a poker face... )
Nov. 1st, 2006 @ 11:54 pm
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| » Coffee Thoughts |
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It was a bright morning in Nevada. Chloe had made her coffee and taken the mug outside on the front porch to greet the morning sun with her breakfast. Birds were singing, there was a slight crisp breeze in the air signaling the change of seasons, and it seemed peaceful and hopeful.
Chloe frowned. The scene sure didn't fit her mood. She sipped from her coffee and crossed her legs at the ankles as she stretched out on her porch chair.
It wasn't often when Chloe greeted the mornings. If she wasn't playing poker in an all night, all day tournament, she was either sleeping, or at the Grill. Usually she was sleeping. Just like that morning…
Her daddy's lawyer had visited with her yesterday evening. Jake had left everything to his daughter, of course, including the Road Kill Grill. Chloe was still numb inside as the solicitor explained her options. She could keep it and it could become her life, just like it had been her father's life. She could own it but have outside management take care of the business. Or she could sell it.
Chloe wasn't sure which option was the best at the moment. It broke her heart to think of selling it. That place was her home. She grew up there. It formed and shaped and molded her into the woman she was today, and it had been her father's dream come true. It was a part of her and a bond she'd always have with her daddy.
Yet, maybe she needed a fresh start. Her father wasn't there anymore to run the place. It was him that people came to see. It wasn't the food or even the service as much as it was her father's personality. Yes, they came to see her too, but it wouldn't be the same.
It was too hard to even think about right now.
What if she sold it? She could move to Vegas, get a little apartment there, and concentrate on her poker game. Maybe if she took it more seriously, she could move up in the ranks. Still…her daddy wasn't there anymore to coax her on, to support her…to be proud. She'd have to find that on her own now. Maybe the lights and sounds of the casino and the thrill of the game would help distract her from her grief…from the aching loss inside.
It still really hadn't hit. Chloe was just going through the motions. It was amazing how much had to be done in the wake of death. Arrangements needed to be handled, business conducted, people notified…the lawyer was doing his fair share. Chloe was very grateful to him, even if she couldn't show it.
Her coffee grew cold as she gazed upon the morning. Which road to take? What option was best? How could she ever decide?
Oct. 2nd, 2006 @ 10:37 am
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| » Here Comes The Cavalry |
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The peal of sirens blared out through the desert as a literal motorcade of police cars roared down the highway. Lt. Levi Bowman, fresh back from a small impromptu trip to Los Angeles, led the charge with his squad car in the front of the line.
Feeling oddly relaxed after returning home, the cop had gone straight back to work as though nothing had ever happened. Except now, he was more focused, more in tune with things, and now with the biggest mystery of his adult life solved, Levi felt now that he knew the truth, he could at least get on with his life.
The call had come in this morning; the owner of a small eating establishment had been found dead by his daughter, who had made the call in hysterics. Nothing like a bit of homicide to get your shift on a roll, and as though Levi had been taking a leisurely drive through the city, sipped on his coffee as his car barreled down the freeway at a speed well over the limit.
The Road Kill Grill was situated out in the desert in between No Man's Land and Buttfuck Nowhere. Levi'd been there a couple times while passing through to stop for a quick breakfast when his shift had ended. It was a popular spot for State Troopers to stop for a bite to eat, and officers who were on their way back to Vegas.
( Interview )
Sep. 24th, 2006 @ 09:33 pm
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| » A Shocking Discovery |
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It was very early in the morning. The Road Kill Grill opened at five in the morning for breakfast. Chloe usually got there around four thirty if she was going in to help open and work through the breakfast rush. It all just depended on what her daddy needed for help that day, and whether or not she was going into Vegas. Chloe had decided to take this coming weekend off, away from the poker tables. Her dad had a waitress away for a little vacation so Chloe had volunteered to help that morning.
But she over slept and missed her alarm.
The strangest part was not that she over slept. That happened once in awhile. What was strange was that her father never phoned to wake her up.
When she finally awoke, she gasped when she saw the clock. It was five thirty! "OHMYGOD," she shouted. She hurtled herself out of bed and dashed around her room like a mad woman. No shower. She'd grab coffee at the diner. Sniffing her laundry, she found the cleanest white polo shirt she could fine on the floor and pulled it on along with some khaki shorts and tennis shoes. She was dialing the diner on her cell phone as she ran out of the house and into her mustang.
( Daddy? )
Sep. 18th, 2006 @ 11:46 am
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| » It's always the damn river! |
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Chloe had pocket threes, and the flop had a three, a six, and a jack. Trip threes was a fairly good hand. "I'm all in." She pushed her remaining chips into the center of the pot.
It was time to double it up, or this round was over. The tournament cost her ten thousand for a seat, and she'd already won several tables. She'd leave with thirty thousand even if she lost this hand. Compared to the 1.5 million the winner would receive however… Chloe had never made it all the way to the final table. Her goal wasn't even to win the entire thing. Just making it to a final table… was that too much to ask?
Robert showed no expression on his face. He couldn't accuse Chloe of slow playing this hand. It was hard to tell with her. Sometimes she played so aggressive she was all over the place, and other times she sat back and leapt upon you at the last possible moment. He studied his cards, played with his stack of chips, and then matched her bet. "I'll call you."
They were the last two at this table. The winner would advance to the next round, the loser would have to pack up and go home. Chloe laid down her two threes, displaying her set. Robert shrugged and smiled, and put down his six and eight.
Things looked good for Chloe. The turn card was another face card, a king. No help to anyone. Chloe's fingers itched. "Come on…come on," she whispered. That's when the dealer flipped over the river card. Another six. That gave Robert three sixes! Damn it!
Robert smiled and shrugged again. He shook Chloe's hand. "Nice game. Better luck next time."
Chloe sighed and shook his hand like the good sport she was. Phil Laak, affectionately nicknamed the Unabomber because of his grey sweatshirt he always wore pulled over his head, smiled at her as he walked back. "Too bad, Ace. Maybe you'll win next time." He of course had just beat out everyone at his table. One more to go until the finals. "Gonna stay and watch? Jennifer is still playing." Jennifer was Phil's girlfriend. She was a mean poker player on her own, and Chloe had never beat her either. Some day…some day.
"Nah, I better get back to the diner and lick my wounds." Chloe gave him a smile and then went to collect her winnings. Thirty thousand was nothing to sneeze at.
It was forty five minutes later when Chloe's convertible black mustang pulled into the back of the Road Kill Grill. Her father was there to meet her with a hug. "Sorry, pumpkin. You'll get 'em next time."
Chloe hugged him back and kissed his cheek. "I didn't do too bad."
It wasn't long after that before Chloe found herself with an apron on, and a bar towel in her hand. She flirted with the regulars and poured coffee. They gave her unsolicited advice on her poker game, and of course she smiled and nodded and promised to try it that way next time.
For the most part, Chloe had no complaints. The only thrills and spills came from her poker games. Life was good and predictable.
Sep. 13th, 2006 @ 10:21 am
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| » Intro |
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Chloe Reed is a professional poker player. Texas Hold ‘Em is her specialty. She’s played with all the greats: Chris Ferguson, the Jesus of poker, Doyle Brunson, Annie Duke, Gus Hansen, Jennifer Harmon, and the mouth, Phil Hellmuth. The list could go on to include the two Phils, Ivey and Laak. They were not friends of Chloe, per se, but fellow competitors. She’d never won the World Series, nor even made it to a final table, but she’d come very close, several times. Her time was coming. At least, that’s what her Pa kept telling her.
When she wasn’t in a high roller room in one of the casinos in Vegas, she was in her father’s diner, situated about dead center between Searchlight and Las Vegas. The Road Kill Grill was her father’s pride and joy, and Chloe had grown up behind the counter, pouring coffee and wiping up spills. That’s where she’d learned the joys and sorrows of cards. Many a player pulled her into a booth and dazzled her with their skills. She had the eye and the talent for the game. Her cute smile and dark eyes were also a true asset, especially against the men. They just didn’t think a girl as pretty as her could bluff, let alone play, but she was as hardened as the best of ‘em. It was her aggressiveness that made her rich, but also tended to get her into trouble. She loved the thrill of the game.
Chloe has long dark hair that she likes to pull back into a pony tail when she’s working at the diner, but keeps down and curled when playing cards. The soft and romantic waves of her hair help to distract the other players. She’s fairly tall at five foot, nine inches, and she knows her legs draw looks. Again, she uses that to her advantage.
Personally, Chloe hasn’t had much time for a social life. She’s been a ‘daddy’s girl,’ and there just hasn’t been time between the diner and the cards for dating. Her father was always strict about her time when she was young. It wasn’t safe for a single girl to be out after dark. She knew the talk and the gossip, and so did her father, and he wasn’t willing to risk it. Once Chloe became 18, she really had no desire besides those of the cards. She loved her Pa. She loved The Road Kill Grill, and she loved cards. Nothing else mattered.
Sep. 12th, 2006 @ 10:13 pm
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