[h1]Seraphine Campbell[/h1]


Seraphine was a careful woman, it was true you couldn’t get anywhere in this city without gambling something, but Seraphine always played by the numbers, she knew how to stack the deck. Everybody in the city played the game, but the only ones who came out on top were those who were prepared to cheat. As such she’d put out feelers, and though there had been some trouble acquiring information about the girl, she had managed it. It had been a surprisingly thick file, for someone so young, but judging by her attitude, and the brief flash of power she had displayed, it was to be expected.

She’d arranged to have the security of ‘The Night House’ tightened as well. Up to this point it hadn’t been needed, her position and knowledge had been enough protection of city politics, but a woman as unpredictable as Veronica Rory wouldn’t care about those rules. Seraphine might cheat, but Veronica wasn’t even playing the same game. 

Seraphine Prime had contacted her of course, and swiftly, say what you might about her, she was a business woman, business was done without personal issues. The location she had chosen was out of the way, but it was safe, she wouldn’t do anything so crass as have it surrounded by armed men, but she would be accompanied by a number of employees, who would be more than capable of handling themselves.

She glanced to the side, tapping her fingernails against the expensive designer clutch purse in her hand, Seraphine was dressed in an evening dress, one that reassured the world of its expense by being simple, but elegant. Cheap evening dresses couldn’t have carried off plain in the way this one could, they would have felt the need to compensate with diamantes and cheap lace. The clutch was much the same, with only the embossed logo betraying just how many meals it might be exchanged for.

She wasn’t interested in double-crossing Veronica, at least not yet. Making it a habit of betraying people affected your reputation, and for someone who dealt in information being untrustworthy was a deathblow. The girl was dangerous, and if she proved to be a problem then Seraphine would deal with her, but for now business would suffice. It was lucrative after all. She hadn’t even attempted to bargain, which spoke either of substantial resources, which was not unknown for the Changelings, or a simple, total inability to care. It worried Seraphine Prime.

In truth Seraphine would not normally have leant this the personal touch, but this woman needed to be handled delicately, and the sum was not insignificant, so she was here. The restaurant was not overly busy, most people were out enjoying the sights, sounds, and lascivious delights of the carnival. There were still a smattering of customers here and there however, enough to provide protection should there be a problem, though she doubted Veronica would be too concerned about collateral damage it was standard practice, this way any double cross would be forced into the open.

Seraphine smiled graciously as she spotted her latest customer approaching with the Maitre d’ dithering behind her like a mother hen. She was a guest of Seraphine Campbell’s, and that meant she was a guest of any self-respecting business man in the city, still, the poor man didn’t seem to be having much look with the young woman. Seraphine dismissed him with a curt glance as the girl sat down.

“Good evening Veronica, I trust I find you well?”