black dog

Filthy but positively adorable was this Nikos Baryshnikov. Liam had a keen eye for finding potential in those who on first glance seemed of lesser importance. With a proper bath and good scrub behind the ears, Nikos will be shining like a prized pooch and eventually curling up to warm Liam’s lap. Great potential indeed. 

“Gilda, yes. She’s one of my maids that attends to my needs on days I couldn’t care to be bothered. If you want her to be gentle she will be. If you want roughness, well, that can be arranged too,” Liam said with a knowing look. It seemed Nikos was intrigued by the prospect of someone bathing him; as he should be.

“Liam Löfgren,” he informally introduced himself. Centuries ago he was a Lord, a title he left behind once fleeing his homeland in Stockholm, Sweden. It was an identity he had to hide for so long to ensure his safety, that the title of Lord often made him scoff in a derisive way. Leading the barghest to his private vehicle, Liam waited for his driver to get out and open the backseat doors for them. Holding out his hand to him amicably, he said, “Come with me and all will be explained. You are in good hands, my boy.” Walking over to the other side of the car, the vampyre swiftly got inside, waiting for his new company to follow suit. He could have compelled him to adherence but Liam liked for other’s to exercise their own free will. If the barghest was truly interested in something better, he’d oblige him without further hesitation.

Nikos considered the words carefully. There was a certain curiosity there because he’d hardly ever been attended to in his life. Mostly fending for himself and while there was a certain thrill at the idea that someone would be bathing him, there was also a quiet questioning of whether or not it was just a bath that seemed to be in store. Mostly, he just wondered what the man in front of him intended to do. 

At the introduction, Nikos committed the name to memory. “So, Mr.  Löfgren or...?” he questioned and immediately stood up a little straighter as the man held out his hand, motioning for Nikos to follow him and get into the vehicle. He hesitated only a moment, wondering if he could really trust that he was in good hands. He didn’t truly know if he had a choice, but that wasn’t what drove Nikos’ feet to carry him forward. There was genuine intrigue, genuine curiosity and a spike of excitement at the idea that he’d caught the attention and eye of someone so clearly powerful. He usually liked to fly under the radar of people of Liam’s stature, but that was mostly because he’d probably end up robbing them later on. Nikos had no intention of robbing this man. At least not yet. 

“Where are we going?” he queried as he crawled inside, looking around the interior and then out the opposite window, trying to catch and see if anyone was concerned with the interaction. If he were outside the walls of this place, he might think this some sort of trap. He’d been on the run from people who wanted his kind dead for so long, this felt off for him and it was making his heart beat rapidly in his chest. 

As the stranger focused his full attention on her, Athena did the same, even going so far as to sit up in the grass.  He looked young, but looks could be deceiving in such a place as Black Watch.  Especially when he spoke of the stars as fondly as she did, as if his soul was older than his youth implied.  “Dunador,” the Undine sighed.  “Another place I will never visit.  What’s it like?”  She could only rely on the words of others, be it written or spoken.  Dangerous as it might have been outside of the city’s magical wards, she still yearned to travel and see the world with her own eyes.  To feel how nature’s spirit changed as the lands did, seek out new experiences than the ones her sheltered world didn’t allow.

As she sat up, Nikos eyed her a little more closely. There was a genuine curiosity on her face as she repeated his homeland’s name. Lamenting that she’d never be able to visit there and he didn’t have the heart to tell her that it probably wasn’t worth her time. Though, she’d have an infinitely better time than he would going back there. He shook his own head, giving it thought because how did one explain Dunador to someone who’d never been there? “It’s earthy,” he says at last, eyes going distant as he tries to remember a place that seemed so distant from here. “It always smelled like...leaves and rain. I can’t remember the sunny days, only the foggy ones. It was always just...wet. And alive. Colors seem more dull there, but it made something beautiful always seem more vibrant.” 

Alrick was used to snark and sass when his work was brought up. There were plenty of people in Black Watch who didn’t approve of the prison contracts, even though they benefited from them daily. Eventually, people either saw the beauty in the Cellhouse or they despised it more than ever. Alrick wasn’t going to judge this man for one little snide comment.

He watched Nikos with careful eyes, reaching out gracefully to take the crumpled paper from him. His eyes scanned the document for a moment, then again, before he looked back up. “A conflict of interest? In some ways, maybe, but in others….” His mind raced through all the people he knew who might like a contract like Nikos’ - including himself. “Not so much. Do you have a preference as to what kind of work you end up doing? If I help you, I’d rather not stick you with someone who will make you do things you despise.”

Nikos was quiet, sipping at his drink as Alrick looked over the contract. His mind was moving a million miles a minute because so far, he’d yet to have his contract filed. It wasn’t for lack of interest, but all in all, Nikos needed to work this to his advantage. He needed to make sure that somehow, some way, he was going to find an advantage in all of this. He was in this contract for the long haul and he’d be damned if he was going to spend the next 25 years in a living hell. 

It’s why the man’s words surprised him so much. He lifted his head to look across from him. There were those that had shown interest in his contract, but most had come at him with a sinister smile on their face. But Alrick didn’t have that and was instead asking him what he’d want to end up doing. Nikos felt the corner of his lip curl up into an appreciative smile. “I’m good with my hands?” he shrugged, smiling a little because the words could imply so much. But knowing he’d probably not get another opportunity like this, he sighed and looked around the room. “I could also pick the pocket of any person in this place. Including yours. That’s what I’m really good at,” he said with confidence. 

Before anything else, Iona was a survivor. Outside of Blackwatch, the Black Rot proved too much of a threat for her to even consider selling her body for coin, when any touch shared with a stranger could prove fatal. Here, it proved a lucrative opportunity for her. She couldn’t say what she might’ve done differently had she not come here, or if the Black Rot hadn’t been an ever-present threat in her life before, but she knew that no matter what she had to do, she would keep herself going.

“Cause I’m sweet and spicy,” she giggled playfully, tossing her hair over her shoulder. All the lollies at the club had a candy-themed nickname, and hers fit her perfectly. Her expression softened as he promised to come see her whenever she wanted, that sounded like the Nikos she remembered. “Be careful what you promise… I might always want you around.” She didn’t mean to flirt, but she was constantly flirting at work, and with him, it just came naturally, even despite what they’d gone through.

Nikos gave a quiet laugh when she got playful with him at his questioning of her name. “That’s the truth,” he shook his head because the name fit. He’d missed her. He’d missed this, just talking and enjoying being in the company of someone he cared about. He let his hands fall away from her finally, folding them loosely in front of his chest as he eyed the guard. He wasn’t ready to let her go yet, but he knew he didn’t have a right to keep her longer. He knew where she was now, at least. Could go and visit her when his contract was squared and he was free to roam without a constant watcher. 

The small flirt caught him off guard and his gaze moved to her face, coy smile across his lips. There was still doubt and apprehension there, the knowledge that they’d never get back what they once had. But he loved her. Maybe not in the same way they had before. But love took many forms and Nikos could count on one hand the number of people he’d say he’d die for. Iona took first place. He would forever and always make that pledge to her, whether she wanted it or not. It didn’t mean he thought he had any right to her, or any claim on love back form her, just that he knew what he devoted to her. 

Leaning closer, his voice lowered, a husky growl whispered in her ear. “Any time you want me, all you need to do is ask.” 

   The selkie had always wondered what his family’s estate looked like from another person’s point of view. After all, Caladh called the place his home, and even he knew that his father did not skimp out on coins and gold when it came to the property. Yet, every now and again, he wanted to make sure that the estate truly was the piece of art that he saw it to be. 

   A shy smile danced on his lips then, his gaze trailing to the ground. ❝It technically is.❞ He never liked to brag about his family’s riches, for they were not his own. Although, he instead preferred to accommodate people and put the money to good use. With a playful glance to the other, he gestured with his head. ❝Shall we?❞ 

   Leading the way still, Caladh walked on the Firth land, heading inside with humble pride swelling within his chest. ❝Suffice to say, my family owns the property. But seeing as I am the only heir here, then it is mine.❞ he shared, in any case Nikos had questions floating around. ❝You know, you are more than welcome to come over, should you ever arrange that contract of yours.❞

Nikos followed with an air of awe encompassing every step he took. His eyes darted around the entire place, like he couldn’t take it all in at once. Like there was too much too look at and he didn’t know where to start. The manor was gorgeous, elegant and he couldn’t even begin to comprehend what it must be like to call a place like this home. 

“You live here by yourself?” Nikos asked as they stepped inside. Nikos’ head tipped backwards to get a good look at the ceiling. He had to fight his instincts when he spotted valuables out in the open, had to turn off the thief in himself because out of respect for the man who’d offered him a hand when he needed one, he’d never steal from him. He had some scruples to follow. 

At the statement, Nikos’ attention focused back on Caladh and the bewilderment was less for their surroundings and more for the open invitation. If he was being honest with himself, he didn’t know what to do with it. “Really?” he asked before he could stop himself but it was less questioning why and more just questioning whether he’d heard him right. Though a grin spread across his face. “Next time I’ll bring wine,” he proclaimed playfully.

“The stars you know.  You were not born in Black Watch?” she queried gently, head trying to wrap around the idea that the stars could be different elsewhere.  It was the only sky she knew, but that didn’t mean it was the only one that existed.  The male seemed fidgety, almost nervous as she watched the way his fingers danced along the doodad in his hands.  Certainly not from Hightown then, everyone who lived within its borders always seemed to act with the confidence and certainty that they belonged precisely where they were.  Athena supposed she had been the same way before she’d been contracted.  “Do your stars look so different than ours?”

A laugh escaped him despite himself and he lifted his head to look back over at the girl laying in the grass. “Nah,” he shook his head, his improper way of speaking feeling more pronounced in her presence and the poise she held herself with. “Wasn’t born here.” The way she questioned him, he studied her for a moment before he flipped the trinket around in his fingers and pocketed it with a nimbleness that spoke of a slight of hand art. He sat up on the bench, elbows leaned against his knees and his attention full on her now. “They do,” he confirmed. “It’s misty in Dunador,” he said, voice growing serious for a moment, reminiscing about a home he hadn’t been to in years. “It’s like looking at stars through a veil. Gives them a...different feel. Like they’re less attainable. The further North you go? Here? They shine so bright it’s like they’re tempting you to reach out and take them. It makes it unfair, because you’ll never hold one.” 

She cringed at the number attached to his contract. Twenty-five years was a long time, and she couldn’t pretend that it wouldn’t feel like that. “Mine’s only seventeen, but it’s not exactly luxuries. Here’s hoping you get something where you get to live at someone’s estate.” She waggled her eyebrows playfully, then slid off her bed. After a moment of looking around her room, she found a thick jacket, and headed toward the door. Maybe Nikos would be a friend, even if he ended up in a cushy contract where he would meet a fair number of people who were better off than she was. Or maybe, he would just be someone she felt connected to that she would lose. That happened more often than not.

Sera pushed the heavy wooden door open, then waved for Nikos to join her. “I’ll help you sneak back toward the guard. One of the most amusing things to do is watch his face when you suddenly appear near his side after he’s spent time looking for you. If nothing else, it should give you a good laugh today.”

The words immediately have him start to daydream. It hadn’t occurred to him that he could potentially wind up living in someone’s estate. He’d known he’d wanted to make the most out of this contract thing, try to work it to his own advantage. But the idea that if he played his cards right he could wind up some place luxurious? It gave him a new goal to try and shoot for. “Huh,” he said simply, an indication that he wouldn’t mind living in the lap of luxury, even under contract. “I’ve seen some of those estates. They’re...big.” It was a lame observation, but honestly when he’d seen them, he’d been thinking from a thief’s perspective just what he could get out of them. 

As she opened the door, he followed suit, grinning at the idea that they’d be able to trick the guard once more. “Now that’s something I would gladly witness,” he told her with a grin. The guard wasn’t his favorite person in the world, he’d give anything to give him a little trouble. 

Alrick raised a brow, but it was more out of surprise than judgment. “You must be new around these parts. I run the Kordech Cellhouse. I know, I know, the prison auction house, but it sounds a great deal worse than it is. We give everyone we can second chances, you know.” His eyes lifted to where the wives of two of prisoners had disappeared to, and Alrick shook his head. “Sometimes we give them third and fourth chances too.”

Though he was a person that commanded respect, Alrick rather liked when someone didn’t humor his arrogance just for the sake of it. Someone with genuine curiosity, like this man seemed to have, didn’t bother him. Alrick stretched his arms behind his head, placing his open palms against the back of his dark curls. “Ah, yes, now that’s the best way to look at the night. Sometimes the most sinful nights start with the most boring proposition. Tell me, are there any business dealings you need help with? I hate to say it,” Alrick most certainly did not hate to say it, “But I’m respected in these parts. If there’s something you need done, I’m happy to help.”

If Nikos should have been embarrassed that he didn’t know who the other man was, he didn’t feel it. There was, however, genuine surprise that he was now seated across from the owner of the Kordech Cellhouse. He’d heard of the other auction houses, hadn’t seen how they’d done business first hand yet, but it still left him wondering if he shouldn’t be showing a little more class around the man sitting in front of him. He chewed his lip for a second, the consideration dropped before he smiled across at him. “Charitable,” he snarked, but there was no ill intent behind the words. If he’d come without a contract to this place, chances are he would have wound up contracted through this man’s cellhouse eventually. 

Out of bad habit, he lifted his hand to his mouth, chewing at his fingernail as he considered the man’s proposition. Asking him if he needed any help with his own business dealings. The first and foremost thing that came to mind was his contract. Any other business he’d found himself entangled with was of the less than legal nature. Silently, he reached into his back pocket, withdrawing the contract he was obligated to carry around with him until someone effectively claimed it. He didn’t hand it over, rather kept it in his hand and waved it at the man, rolled up and crumpled, but clear what it was. “Would it be a conflict of interest?” he quipped, wondering if he’d piss off his own black market contractors if he sought out help for finding a bidder on his own. 

Connected as she was to the ocean, nature in general still brought Athena peace when she didn’t have the free time to make a visit.  It was what found her on her back in a small park clearing in Hightown at night, gaze trained to the stars.  Work would begin soon, so she took advantage of the free time her contract allowed to simply enjoy the grass between her toes and tickling her palms.  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?  As dark and depressing as this place can be, the stars still smile on us.”

Nikos had been lounging on a nearby bench. He hadn’t said anything when the woman had come to lay in the grass a short distance away from him. There was a trinket in his hands that didn’t technically belong to him, but he’d pocketed it anyway. It was getting late and he’d probably start to get questioned if he stayed in Hightown much longer, but the woman’s words had him glancing over at her. No one else around, he looked towards the sky, only briefly taking in the look of the stars before his gaze fell back to her. “The sky looks different here. Not the stars I know,” he tells her, a slight melancholy grumble to his voice, almost dismissive of the idea that the sky looked beautiful, going back to playing with the trinket in his fingers.

It wasn’t until he asked if she was okay that she realized her mistake. He wasn’t judging her, like so many of the people here did, because of what she did. He was worried about her. And that brought a soft smile to her face, because at least that meant he still cared, in some capacity. “Yes, I’m fine,” she assured him, reaching out to touch his cheek gently. 

“No, they don’t hurt me. Nobody would pay for damaged goods,” she added, not feeling the need to mention that sometimes the clients did like to get rough, but that was all in the name of pleasure. She didn’t imagine that hearing about that would make him feel any better, and since it didn’t bother her, she wasn’t about to complain. “I’m treated better than a lot of other contracts, actually. Like I said, I’m good at it and I earn a lot of money for them, so they have every reason to take good care of me.” 

Brief though the gesture was, Iona still appreciated it. She smiled at him, dropping her hand from his cheek as he stepped away. Gods, it was good to see him. She nodded. “Yes, I live there. Just ask for Ginger, that’s my stage name.” She wouldn’t mind if he stopped by, in fact, she wanted to make sure that he was doing well. “Come by as soon as you get your contract sorted out, okay? I want to know where I’ll be able to find you.”

The words shouldn’t have calmed him down. Outside these walls, where contracts didn’t exist, he doubted this was anything Iona would get herself involved with. She was a dancer, yes, an entertainer, but this felt...different. It wasn’t jealousy he felt at the thought, he wasn’t entitled to it, but he did feel a pang at the thought of what could have been if he’d stayed. He couldn’t call it regret because he’d never regret doing what needed to be done to protect her. But wondering how things might have been different? How maybe they could have come to the Black Watch on different terms if they’d simply worked their way towards it? 

“Good,” he said when she talked about how good she was at the contract. That she brought in a lot of money and he couldn’t help but smile at that. She always had. The game they’d played, while she distracted people and he’d relieved them of their pocketbooks and coin purses. He had no doubt she carried on that legacy here and maybe she didn’t share his sticky fingers in bringing in the money, but the better she was at keeping someone’s attention, he knew the more she’d make them pay. 

He raised a brow playfully when she gave him her stage name. “Ginger?” he asked, smiling coyly like he found it funny, but it wasn’t a knock at her. It was simply amusing to him. He had every intention of stopping by once he got off the leash he was proverbially on with the guard standing behind him. Once he was free to roam where he wanted to, he was already making plans and going to see her was top of that list. “I will. I’ll come see you whenever you want me to,” he pledged to her. 

   Whilst Caladh was not 100% knowledgeable with where most species came from, he at least had an inkling of a guess that Nikos here was no ordinary folk. Usually, anyone who came from beyond the wall had a high chance of not being merely human. Especially noting that Nikos claimed to have been chased out of Dunador. Far south, which was not an area where most humans resided.

   And while it was great that Nikos had managed to enter the walled city, it was no all butterflies quite yet. ❝Unfortunately, coming into Black Watch does have a price.❞ he commented, stating the obvious. It was easy to put one and one together. ❝Hence the guard, I suppose…❞ 

—

   Leading the way, Caladh led Nikos into Hightown. Past the sentinels and the gated that separated the affluent from the rest of the citizens of Black Watch, they soon arrived at the Firth estate. 

   Stopping short of the estate’s boundaries, the selkie paused to turn to Nikos. ❝So, what do you think?❞ Gesturing towards the property before them, he was quite eager to see what the other thought.

“Hence the guard,” Nikos confirmed with a nod of his head. Caladh was a smart man, something Nikos enjoyed. He liked to think himself clever and while he was usually good at piecing together things that went unsaid, he wasn’t the quickest at it. He was clever in survival, clever in talking in making friends -- but he’d never claim that book smarts was a part of what defined him. “But, it could be worse. I could still be out there,” he grinned over at Caladh, pointing out the very truthful fact that he was happy he didn’t have to worry about the black rot as something he couldn’t outrun anymore. 

The rest of the walk to Hightown was mostly in silence, Nikos enjoying the view and taking in the scenery. He rarely made it up to these parts, his contract still up for bid and no real reason to venture out these ways until that bit of business was taken care of. Nikos’ movement as they walked was erratic, like he had too much energy to simply walk in a straight line, jumping up to walk on low ledges or climb on furniture as he surveyed the area. 

It wasn’t until they reached an astonishingly lavish and beautiful manor that Nikos glanced over at the man, raising a brow when Caladh said that this was their destination. He turned back to look at the outside of the estate, taking in the stonework, the ornamental architecture, the overgrown ivy and vines that only added to the place’s historical beauty. 

“It’s...-” he started and then stopped, turning to Caladh, wide eyed. “Is this yours?” he asked, like he was suddenly realizing just whose presence he was in. “It’s...stunning,” he said, no lie in the words, bewilderment evident on his face. 

Sera watched him carefully, her blue eyes taking him in the way she had so many other people. Years of fighting for her life had trained her to observe every movement a person made, every expression that graced their features, and so much more. She had to be good at reading people to beat them, even in the fighting pits. Mere force wouldn’t have allowed her to survive for as long as she had. His question broke the trance she was in. Shaking her head slightly, she sat up a bit straighter. “Yes, you look presentable. Definitely not as pathetic as you looked sitting in the dirt. Who knows, maybe someone respectable will see how clean you are and put in a bid for your contract.”

Nikos barely noticed the scrutiny. Thought she was eyeing him up at his new cleaned up presence. He’d picked up on the fact that she hadn’t been fond of him being a barghest, but he still couldn’t help the thought that he felt comfortable in her presence. He wasn’t fully ready to let down his guard, he’d spent years on edge, but there was a part of him that thought maybe the more they’d get to know each other, maybe he’d just found a friend in this place. He laughed at the prospect that now he was presentable and someone would bid on him. “Here’s hoping,” he grinned, eyeing her again. “Twenty five years is a long time. It’d be much nicer if it was something cushy.” 

Most days, Freya missed the ocean. She missed the cold waters of the Western Deeps, the bright, colorful reefs and assorted fish. But, all of that was so very far away, a life that had only ever been hers briefly. On days when the ache for home got to be too much, she found herself in the Bay of Storms, swimming mindlessly – a risk, sure, but one that was worth it. She surfaced in a secluded cove, one she thought only she knew of. However, as she pulled herself up onto the beach, pale pink tail glittering in the morning sun, she heard movement.

Her heart leaped into her throat, very aware of how vulnerable she was on land, tail not yet dry enough to shift back into legs. She cleared her throat. “You can come out,” she called softly. “I know you’re there.”

Nikos had found the cove on pure accident. Venturing out, exploring, discovering. It had few signs that anyone knew of it or came here often, so he’d already buried a box in the sands of a rocky outcropping. There weren’t many treasures in it yet, but if he was going to go the way of thievery, for contract or not, he needed a place other than where he lived to stash things. 

It surprised him when he heard splashing and he crouched down, concealing himself the best he could behind a rock, unsure who or what was splashing around in the water. His eyes widened somewhat at the flash of pink, shining and iridescent in the pale light. He swallowed thickly, wondering if he shouldn’t just turn and leave, give her space and privacy. But her voice called out to him and he made a face before standing up, giving a small sigh. “I didn’t mean to spy,” he said first and foremost, stepping out so she could see him. 

“Ah, so I’m not simply forgetting faces in my old age. What a relief.” He unwrapped his arms from his company’s shoulders, and they slid away from him. He shook his head as they walked away, grasping Nikos’ hand. “Alrick Bryant. You’ll have to excuse my company. Unfortunately, even when I go out to have a drink myself and forget about the stress of my day, it seems my business affairs follow me.”

His eyes lifted to where the woman had disappeared to, but he quickly looked away. “So tell me, what brings you to this particular tavern? Business? Pleasure?”

Nikos gave a chuckle at the man’s relief that they’d never met before. He doesn’t know about the other man, but Nikos would remember a face and a stature like the man sitting across from him. When he introduced himself, it wasn’t a name he’d heard before and his curiosity got the better of him as he said his business followed him here. He glanced at the retreating women before lifting a brow at him. “What kind of business do you do, exactly?” There was no real accusation or rudeness in the words, just a simply curiosity. 

Taking a chance, he pulled himself into the seat across from the man, turning the chair around so he was sitting on it backwards, just a more comfortable position for him when he could lay his arms across the back of it. “Both, maybe,” he gave cryptically at the man’s venture into what had brought Nikos here. “Seeing where the night takes me.” 

♦ initiation - nikos baryshnikov & bhagyaraj “raj” nahushadeva

you gave me a reason

♦ pockets full - nikos baryshnikov thief moodboard

what is yours could be mine

♦ born under a bad sign - nikos baryshnikov childhood moodboard

the seventh son, an ill omen, fated for heartache