Geralt's eyebrows raised at the girl's sudden interruption, and he turned his gaze toward her almost lazily. He liked her more every minute, and how had he not noticed how particularly attractive she was. Despite her shockingly white hair, her skin was flawless and her eyes were piercing. His 'friend' had been right after all, she smelled like a vampire, and she probably tasted like one too. He looked her up and down as she spoke, noticing her choice of words with a twitch of his brow.

But it was Lucien who drew his attention once again. His voice was just as beautiful and light as his face...divine indeed. He let him speak for as long as he needed to. His curiosity was certainly piqued.

A circus? Now that was interesting, especially considering the menagerie that sat before him. He wasn't aware that his name was treated with any real weight any more. He hadn't practiced in ages, and since then he had been...well, celebrating in relative singularity. The fact that these two had suddenly waltzed into his life proved two facts to him: these people were desperate and far from ordinary.

There had to be more like him, Lucien, back with this 'troupe'. If they managed to house such a divine creature as this, what other obscurities could be lurking there. This intrigued him, but he hesitated.

"Well, a proposal so soon, we've only just met. Although, I do appreciate the confidence." He gave Ivory another glance as he retrieved his glass and swirled it once more, letting his eyes fall to the nectar inside as he spoke. "You've certainly done your homework, and legwork for that matter. I am not an easy man to track down...and your willingness to accept me as this 'Geralt the Great' is a bit curious. As I understand it, the artist on the poster didn't do me any justice." He sipped from his glass again and tilted his head back as he leaned into the couch once more, "Tell me, if you would, how exactly you found me? A man has this right to privacy, among other things." His gaze had neutralized to roll in between his two guests now. Even if he was half interested, he wasn't about to make it easy for them.

Ivory's expression didn't change as Geralt's gaze shifted toward her. She kept her continued disdain for him hidden, after all, she didn't want to make things harder for Lucien, so instead of grimacing at him, she smiled. Yes, she was confident. She was confident in Lucien's ability to convince this man to join them. Geralt wasn't the only man who was good with words.

Lucien's smile didn't fade, chuckling a little amusingly at the man's response. He didn't expect this to be easy, and the man's questions were understandable. They were completely strangers to him here, and they had somehow managed to find him, in a place where he would have never expected such a man with fame to live. That accomplishment was not an easy one.

"I must admit, you are correct, he really didn't. If you weren't Geralt the Great, I would most certainly be disappointed, you certainly have the charisma to be quite popular in our line of work." He said, also taking another sip of the wine he had been given. He was definitely not going to let it go to waste.

The nephilim did not allow himself to be deterred by his question, but he wasn't planning to give him the answer he wanted.

"I'm afraid that's a trade secret, I'm sure you understand. They say a magician never reveals his secrets correct?" He said, his smile shifting to a bit of an apologetic one. "I can assure you though, that the location of your home was not shared with anyone else, if that is another one of your concerns. I understand that you haven't practiced in a while, but my troupe has a set of skilled individuals that make us different than the average circus. I think you could enjoy yourself there." He said, leaning back a little on his chair, before shifting a glance at Ivory. He motioned her forward a little, knowing she would understand. He figured showing him would be more effective. Perhaps it would further pique his interest.

Ivory glanced at Lucien as he turned his attention to her. Her smile shifted into a smirk of her own as she looked back at Geralt, lifting her hand. An elegant, thin-looking knife materialized over her hand. The dhampir grasped hold of it, and with no hesitation, she thrust her hand forward. There was no unnecessary movement in her actions, and no hesitance, as the knife shot across the room, mere inches from the side of Geralt's head, before it buried itself into the wall. She waited a second, before shifting her hand in an elegant, beckoning motion, as the knife flew back to her hand. She caught it with ease, and began tossing it up and down in her hand. At least she could entertain herself with this now. Throughout this whole process, her eyes hadn't left the man across from her. Yes, Ivory was extremely confident.

"Sorry about your wall." She said simply. At the very least, she had chosen a thin knife. She had been somewhat considerate.

Geralt's expression hardly changed as he listened to Lucien's pitch. Aside from the twitch of an eyebrow here, and the slight widening of his smile there, he was extremely hard to read. This had come from years of practice. After all, mystery was a major part of his act, and over the years he had made this act not only his profession, but a facet of his everyday life. It was must easier to get by as a charming ghost, with no attachments, there were no interpersonal troubles. He had lived this way for nearly two decades, and he wasn't about to stop now just because a divine being and his vampiric assistant had walked through his door.

He had to admit though, the offer was getting more tempting by the second. He felt himself drawn to the man before him on more than a physical level. He wanted him, yes, but he kept adding more and more to the pile, and greed had always been a weakness for him. The compliments were helping as well; though Geralt heard them often, it was nice to hear them issue from such sweet lips as these.

It had to be a seer of some kind that had located him, this was confirmed by Lucien's deft dodging of the subject. Geralt had met a gypsy woman some years back that read bones, but the technique was vague at best. Their psychic had to be better than her if they were able to locate him, there were more than physical barriers to protect him from prying eyes.

Hhhmmm yesssss...more of them lurking, hiding in plain sight. A buffet of souls, all beholden to our power.

Geralt's eyebrows raised at the mention of some display, and he watched with vague interest as Ivory formed the knife in her hand. Now that was something that he had never seen before, and a twitch of his lips betrayed his interest. He was completely still as she flung the knife and felt it whip passed his cheek, keeping his composure without even having to try. They wouldn't come here to ask him to join them if they planned on hurting him. Even he couldn't deny that this was quite the skill. In addition to having vampiric blood, it seemed this girl had more tricks up her sleeve. His eyes followed the blade as it drifted back to its owner's hand and came to rest on her. Now she had his attention.

"It's a rental," he said in response to Ivory's apology, his voice as flat as his eyes. After a beat, he took another sip from his glass and shrugged in mock-defeat. "I must say, that was impressive, and unexpected. I don't think I've met anyone quite like the two of you before..." He tilted his glass back and downed the rest of the wine in one fluid gulp, then placed the empty glass on the table as he stood.

He laced his fingers together and began to pace the room, clearly lost in thought. "Circus of Stars, indeed...And you say there are more 'like you' there, is that right?" he turned back to face Lucien and Ivory, "I must confess, I'm not sure I would fit in among performers of your caliber. A simple stage magician can't be in high demand when you can do, well, God knows what else with your other members..." He made his way around to the back of the couch and leaned forward on it, his devious smile returning "Tell me, do I live up to the rumors? This can't be what you expected." He raised his arms briefly to gesture to the inside of the room and himself, then leaned froward and looked between the two of them as he awaited their response.

Ivory gave him props for not having even flinched as the knife had whipped past him. He seemingly didn't scare easy, that was for sure.

It seemed that choosing to show Geralt an example of what they could do had been a good one. The man had an incredible poker face, he had to admit, but for a second he had noticed that twitch of his lips. His interest had been piqued, which had been his goal. Lucien said nothing as Geralt stood, letting him contemplate. He used that chance to finish the last of his wine. He had been trying to savor it as long as he could.

"There is." He responded simply, before raising an eyebrow. "I'm a little surprised to hear that from a man who clearly holds such confidence. I did not take you to be one for modesty." He said a little amusingly before taking a glance about the room.

"I admit I would not have expected you to live in a place like this, but I like to think someone's choice of accommodation does not reflect on their amount of skill. I would have been a little more concerned if I had walked into an unnecessarily large, flashy mansion. Convincing you to join a travelling circus might have been far more out of reach for us." He said before giving Ivory a small glance. "Each one of our performers has something they're good at. I value diversity, as does the public. While I wouldn't call you a simple stage magician, I think someone like you is exactly what we need to.. spice things up a little." He said with a smile.

Geralt couldn't help but tilt his head and raise an eyebrow at Lucien's response. He was definitely the leader of this troupe, his confidence and demeanor told Geralt that much. He would certainly draw the eye of a crowd, he had an abundance of natural charm that seemed to be lacking from most men these days. Geralt more than appreciated someone who could equal him verbally, but it only made him crave Lucien more. He wondered if the Frenchman would be able to equal him in other ways as well.

He leaned back slightly when Lucien finished speaking, "Well, well, well...with words as sweet as those, how could I ever refuse? Although, you know what they say about magic..." Geralt had slowly tilted his head as he spoke, and when he pulled his hand away from the couch, the scarf that had been draped over the lamp before appeared between his fingers as if it had been stuck between the cushions. He took it and stretched it across his chest, then tossed it into the air with a flourish to show that it was, indeed, and ordinary scarf. He then held his hand up, palm open to the ceiling as he glanced at Ivory, then laid the scarf over his palm. "...it's all just a trick..." he continued, and the beneath the scarf a light began to glow, then the scarf began to swell of it's own accord as the light grew brighter and brighter, illuminating the space around Geralt. "...of the light..." He finished, and pulled the scarf from his hand with a quick motion to reveal a handful of fire.

The flames danced against his bare skin, and he held them there as the light shifted around his face and in his eyes, moving his fingers rhythmically with the tendrils of flame. He looked over at Lucien and Ivory, clearly pausing for dramatic effect, before raising his palm to his lips and blowing the flame out. Instead of disappearing, however, it burst into two distinct shapes which fluttered toward the two like butterflies of flame. They split and floated, one toward Lucien, and one toward Ivory, and then folded into smoke and drifted away.

Through this display, Geralt stood behind the couch, unbuttoned shirt and unkempt hair, looking like he belonged on the stage.

"So, what do you think, do I make the cut?" He directed his words and his gaze towards Ivory, curious most to see her reaction to this foreplay.

Lucien was relieved to hear the man's word of acceptance. That was enough to at least ease some of the stress the Ringmaster was undergoing. He lifted his gaze, watching with curiosity as the magician began to perform his trick. It was certainly impressive, but what he found the most intriguing was that despite the man's appearance, his motions, the way he directed his so called audience, which in this case was just them, it was perfect. He knew what he was doing. The man was indeed exactly what the circus needed.

While Ivory knew that this sort of flair was something that could be of use to them, she didn't want him to have the satisfaction of knowing it. After all, the circus had Akane. While she knew the kitsune couldn't manipulate her fire to the extent of such delicate shapes, he could have probably pulled off something more impressive if he had gone with something else. She didn't say anything in regards to it however, and simply let out a small scoff, not wanting to give him the complete satisfaction. He would see it for himself later.

It was Lucien who instead answered his question, having given him a small set of applause. "I think you most certainly do, Mr. Wagner. I would be truly honored to have you join my Circus. Our first show is tomorrow night. You can find us about a mile out from town. Feel free to stop by at any time, though if you wish to perform I must ask you show up ahead of time so we may discuss what your act may hold. Get ourselves situated and such." He said, retaining his smile as he rose to his feet.

"Glad to hear it, Lucien." He crossed his arms over his chest and chuckled a little, "Although, I confess I've gotten rusty. I'll need to...perfect my technique before my first show." He was smiling, but his expression changed quickly as he realized that Lucien and Ivory were about to take their leave. He raised a hand as the man stood, "Oh, I'm not sure we're quite done yet. Although, I do appreciate the directions, there is one final detail I think we need to discuss before I officially join." He paused, then sighed, "I hate to be crass but," he held up two forefingers and a thumb and began to rub them together in the unmistakable universal sign for cash, "What's in it for me?"

Juicy, ripe, soft, sweet...

Lucien wasn't sure if that was the case but, if he hadn't practiced in a while, he supposed it was possible, though from the aura of confidence the man gave off, he didn't feel he'd need long for it. He was hoping to have gotten everything settled so they could leave but Geralt spoke up again. His words made his eyebrow twitch ever so slightly. He hadn't thought he'd bring it up so soon.

"I was planning to have this conversation when you went to see us but, I suppose we can have it now." He said, though he did not take a seat again.

"Normally, each performer gets a five percent total cut. We have five at the moment, so twenty-five percent of the final cut goes to the performers. Aside from that, their living accommodations and food expenses are completely paid for. Each performer gets their own trailer they can do with as they please, their private living space, which is also covered and provided for. I make sure our performers are cared for." He explained. Considering he wasted no time in asking what he got out of this, he felt like this would not satisfy the man. However, Lucien was a man of fairness. He didn't want to offer him more right off the bat simply because he was well known, it wasn't fair to the others.

"Since you stated you might have gotten rusty, I figure such things may be open to negotiation after I see Geralt the Great at work for myself, and of course, after seeing how the public reacts to this new addition."

Geralt frowned noticeably as Lucien remained standing, and furrowed his eyebrows as he continued to speak.

Insults and slander. They need us, we are their savior and they spit at your feet. He should bow before us, grovel.

Geralt's eye twitched slightly and he glanced down and to the right, shaking his head slightly as if trying to clear it of a fog. It was the first time he had broken composure since the two had stepped through his door. He grimaced, but only briefly, before bringing his eyes back up to meet the Ringleader's, as graceful as ever, though his smile had faded to an almost annoyed frown. It was clear he cold control his posture and expression to meet his needs, hardly any emotion the two had seen since arriving had been truly genuine. Although, even Geralt had to admit it was the most he had shown in a long time.

He shook his head, the smile returning, but the light completely gone from his voice when he responded, "No, no...I think you may have misunderstood me." He straightened and walked slowly around the couch to approach his guests, waving his hands to gesticulate his meaning. "Rusty, or not, you need me. If you didn't, why the trouble of searching me out. No, my guess is that you're in trouble, that you're looking for someone to...what did you say before? 'Spice things up'? Well, you've found me." He stretched his arms out at his sides, presenting himself, before letting them fall back to his sides. "I was going to ask for fifty percent, after all, I was pocketing seventy when I had my own show in Paris. But, I'll offer you a deal. Thirty percent of the take, and expenses, and you will have the greatest magician of the age in your troupe." He reached Lucien and held out his left hand to shake, "Take it, or leave it?" he said, with the biggest shit-eating grin he could muster.

It was clear that Geralt did not like his offer. He had expected it to an extent. A magician this well known would have never settled for something so low, but in a way, Lucien wanted to know how far this man was willing to go. Despite all of his appraisal of the man to gain his favor, he hadn't disregarded the things Illyana had told him. Honestly just the breakage in his expression and the way he seemed to shake off something was just a little unsettling. What better way to pull out the man's true nature than by poking at his ego this way? Though he had to admit he wasn't pleased with the counter offer he had received. He had done everything he could to avoid revealing that they were in trouble, but the man had seen through it. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. The man was smart.

Lucien's smile disappeared, and his brow furrowed. He was less mad about the fact that he was demanding money, and more irritated at the fact that he had no shame in demanding more than all the performers made together. It was offensive to them, and Lucien didn't like it. Ivory clearly didn't either, considering that out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her blue hues shift to a bloody red. He lifted his hand to stop her from doing anything rash, but made no move to take Geralt's hand, not yet.

"This is where I think you've misunderstood me, Mr. Wagner. Whether you're right or wrong, it would be offensive to the rest of my people to give you more than they all earn put together. They helped me build this circus from the ground up, and I have no intention of doing that to them. The leftover money from the shows goes into travelling expenses, paying our other employees, and all of the things I provide for them. The less of that percentage we have, the less money is left to make sure we can make it to our next location, and the less you would make in the long run. Taking the current depression into consideration, I cannot offer you more than twenty-percent at this current moment. If I feel that what you have brought to the table is enough for me to not feel concerned about our future, then I will happily be open to negotiate with you." He said, his tone having taken a more business-like tone as he raised his other hand for the other man to shake. Lucien was a very polite, and kind man, but he was no pushover. He didn't care how famous this man was, he wouldn't disrespect his people this way and risk their livelihood for his greed.

Geralt's grin slowly faded as Lucien continued to speak, back to a neutral expression as he listened, lowering his hand when it was clear that Lucien was not going to take it. Inside was a whirlwind of emotion: anger, surprise, arousal, and a desire for vindication...he wanted to lash out, so badly, but as always, he kept himself in check. Part of him so desperately wanted what the voice inside has called for, for them to grovel, fall to their knees and kiss the ring, but the aroused part of him was glad they didn't. The Ringleader was stronger of will than Geralt would have given him credit for during the first leg of their conversation. His calm and kind demeanor had shifted to reveal a savvy business man. Geralt was impressed, to say the least. It seemed these people might just be worth his talents after all.

Ivory's eyes changing color was another interesting development. Geralt glanced at them, but didn't comment or let his gaze linger for too long. He would have to keep an eye on her.

He let the silence hang in the room for a beat, glancing between Lucien's smooth hand and his beautiful golden eyes, before a smile began to creep back. "It is clear that I underestimated you, after all. Clearly, you do take care of your people." Another beat, and then he took and shook Lucien's hand in one swift motion, "Every time you speak, you make it harder to refuse you..." He stepped a little closer, leaving only inches between the two of them as their hands moved slowly and rhythmically through the air, "I respect a man who can stand his ground, but I am looking forward to more...negotiating. It appears, you, sir, have a deal with Geralt the Great." He glanced down at Lucien's lips as he spoke and then back up into his eyes. He wanted this moment to last.

There was a moment of silence, but Lucien did not move his hand. He knew that by denying Geralt's offer, that he was taking a big risk. Yes, Illyana had told him he would not refuse, but he more than anyone knew that the future could change. One wrong move on his part and that future could easily shatter, and he would return having failed in recruiting him. However, he had to believe that just as he was testing this man, he was doing the same. He wasn't about to let him have his way simply because they were in a desperate situation. Once in his life, he had been naive, but that was not the case anymore. He had people who relied on him, and people to care for. It seemed that much had gotten through.

"Of course." He said, not averting his gaze as the man finally accepted his offer. Part of him was relieved, but another part was still slightly annoyed by the development. He would have to be careful with this one. There was a small twitch of his eyebrows as the man stepped closer, invading his personal space. He decided to disregard the man's comment. Once their handshake was over with, Lucien released his hand, and stepped back as Geralt clearly had no intention to.

"Then, Geralt, I welcome you to Cirque D'étoiles." He said. Having now given himself enough room, he gave him a small bow, before straightening up again.

By then Ivory had calmed a little, but she was still incredibly pissed. Money was the last thing on her mind, after all she didn't have much need for it aside from buying clothes and other things she felt like. She had grown up without it, and she knew that was the case for a lot of the others in the circus. They weren't greedy, they weren't like Geralt. Just the fact he had the audacity to demand that much of a count without any shame was outrageous. She had wanted nothing more than to punch that grin off his stupid face, but she held back for Lucien's sake. It was clear he had also taken offense, but he was still moving forward with this deal. She knew that they needed him, and she hated that. Just seeing him get that close to Lucien was irking, but still she controlled herself. Lucien could take care of himself, and he was managing to still be polite despite all of this. She had to respect him for that. There was a reason why he was the one in charge of these things.

Geralt's grin cracked his face as Lucien stepped away and bowed. Though he had been reluctant to let go of his hand, he of anyone appreciated a little showmanship. "I look forward to working with the both of you, it ought to be fun..." His eyes gleamed mischievously as he looked back at Ivory. The look of disdain on her face was clear, but he ignored it. She would come around, eventually.

"Geralt...?" He female voice carried through the room from behind them. Clearly, Mr. Wagner's guest had awoken, and not a second too soon.

He glanced over his shoulder, turning halfway toward the partition to his bedchamber. "Shh, mein kleiner, I'll be back in a moment." He looked back at his guests as they began to move toward the door. "If you'll excuse me..." He paused and tilted his head, "Unless the two of you would like to join us?" He gestured back toward his room, "Plenty of time left in the night for a bit of indulgence, no?" He glanced between them, undressing them both with his eyes.

Lucien made no comment, the gleam of mischief in his eyes was quite obvious. He already knew from this meeting alone that he and Ivory would not get along. Or at the very least on one end, they would most certainly not.

His eyes shifted toward the partition at the sound of a female voice. Honestly with all of this, he had almost forgotten Geralt had a guest, but he found it a perfect excuse to get going. His work was done, there was no need to linger any longer. He glanced at Ivory, his expression telling her to attempt to calm. He couldn't really have her walking around with red eyes, even if night had already fallen. One never knew. She took a deep breath, but her eyebrow twitched upon hearing Geralt's offer, but Lucien beat her to what otherwise would have been an incredibly rude comment.

"We'll have to decline. We've got a bit of work to do back at the circus." He said simply. At this point, it was obvious the type of man he was. Lucien would have his hands full with that one.

At his response, the man shrugged. "Suit yourselves, the invitation is open."

"We'll be seeing you." He said, before heading out with Ivory. It wasn't until they had made their way down from the fire escape that Ivory spoke up.

"I hate him." She started, before glancing up at Lucien with a furrowed brow. She had stayed silent the majority of the time, mostly because she had spent all of it observing him, looking for reasons to back up Illyana's argument, and surely she had found them. Plenty of them.

Lucien sighed. "I know." He said.

"He's arrogant, irritating, greedy, and completely insufferable, not to mention creepy. Did you see that look in his eyes? I don't mean to exaggerate, but it was like he was dead inside. It's the only way I can describe something like that. Behind all that smooth talk, there's clearly something wrong with him." Ivory told him. Part of her hoped Lucien would have changed his mind, but she knew he wouldn't, because she was sure he was already aware of all these things. Of course she understood why, they weren't in a position where they could just tell him to buzz off.

Lucien looked up toward the sky as Ivory spoke. He already knew this, but what could he do at this point? They did need him, and he knew it too. It's what made this all the more irritating, that he would have taken advantage of that fact.

"I know. I don't like it. I understand why Illyana warned me against him, but at the very least it could have been worse. This is something we might be able to keep under control." He hesitated a bit as he spoke. Honestly he wasn't sure yet, considering there could very well be way more to Geralt he hadn't revealed. He seemed to be fairly good at hiding his emotions.

"Are you sure about that? That man clearly wants to get into your pants. At this point I'm more worried for you." She muttered. Ivory knew how Lucien was, he would prioritize everyone else's safety over his own, and she wasn't a big fan of that.

"I know but.. I'll deal with it." He glanced down at Ivory. "I'm not the only one who caught his interest" He had noticed the look he had given the dhampir. It seemed Geralt didn't discriminate. That worried him a little. Ivory had already been quite aware of this, but she didn't care. She'd shoot him down without any hesitation.

”I have.. a task for you, Ivory. At the moment you're the only one who can help me with this." He said, rubbing his temples a little. "What is it?" She asked.

"Aurel, Akane, and Cora. I hate to ask this of you, and while I will make sure they know who it is we're dealing with, I want you to help me look out for them. I fear their innocence and curiosity might make them more susceptible to his.. smooth talk. I don't want to see any of them getting manipulated, and I hate to admit it, but I know I can't be everywhere at once. Illyana is already extremely wary of him, I assume she'll avoid him as much as she can, but the other three are too friendly for that, though I assume Aurel might try to keep his distance for a while.." He muttered. Aurel had always wary with strangers, that was something that hadn't changed over the years. Honestly he didn't think the man would try to do anything bad to them, Lucien would never let something like that slide, but he simply didn't want them to be deceived. He was taking extra measures, just in case. Had Illyana not warned him, he might not have gone this far but.. he didn't want to go into this blind. He wished to be prepared for any possibility. It was the least he could do after having made this decision.

Ivory sighed, not surprised he asked this of her. "I would have done that even if you hadn't asked. They're all too nice.." She muttered. "Who will look out for you?"

Lucien gave her a small smile, reaching out and placing his hand on top of her head. "You're quite nice yourself you know, even if you don't care to admit it. Everyone knows you care about them deeply." He told her, causing Ivory to avert her gaze to attempt to hide her embarrassment.

"I appreciate the worry, but I'll manage. I was taught how to take care of myself." He said, before he let his arm fall to his side.

"If you say so.." Ivory responded a little reluctantly. Despite his words, she'd be sure to keep an eye out for him too. The dhampir spent a lot of her free time during the day in her trailer, or in someone else's to pass the time, but considering the proximity of them all, it was easy to keep track of who went in and out of Lucien's trailer throughout the day. She'd be sure to interrupt whatever chances that man had of being alone with Lucien. It was the best way to avoid any problems, also, maybe it'd annoy him. That at least, would also be a little satisfying. With that in mind, both Lucien and Ivory continued their walk back to their home, night having completely settled by then.

Geralt had expected the both of them to turn him down, the kind of indulgence he was offering was too risky for their type. He was disappointed all the same, but tried not to dwell on it too much as he closed the door behind them. The room had been plunged back into darkness, just the way he liked it. His eyes flashed and he moved across the room toward the partition, watching the silhouette of the woman on the other side as she arranged herself on the bed. All this had left him in quite the lather.

Perfect...let them come to us, juicy and ripe for the picking. The angel will fall, he will not be able to resist us, and once he is corrupted the rest will follow.

He licked his lips as he reached for the partition, but paused for a moment as if remembering something. "Ah..." he said quietly, then closed his eyes, took a breath, and snapped his fingers. Nothing happened, at least not that could be seen in this room. "There, that ought to do it." He dusted his hands together and flung the door open, looking like a wolf who had just caught his prey.

"Ich komme für sie, liebling..."

--------------------

Illyana had spent the last couple hours of set up in a fit of anxiety. He had busied herself any way she knew how, from handing out tasks to helping the men spot check and pitch tents, to seeing to the needs of her fellow performers. She spent some time in Cora's trailer, helping her air it out a bit, and taking some time for their lessons as well, before night fell. Once the sun had set and Lucien and Ivory had not returned, she found it even harder to take her mind off of them. For the last hour, she had been pacing her trailer, biting her nails, deciding when she should try to see them...or when was late enough to start worrying.

It was right as she sat down at her table and closed her eyes, that she heard the thrum of the truck's engine and the flash of headlights passed over her eyes. She ran to her window and peered out of it, and seeing the truck approaching camp, made her way outside to greet Lucien and Ivory, her eyes wide with a mixture of excitement and worry.

Lucien turned off the ignition of the truck, before he and Ivory stepped out of it. Illyana had not wasted any time in coming out to greet them. It seemed they had taken too long in their visit, it was clear she was worried.

"He accepted our offer." He said a little hesitantly, before shifting his gaze to the other trailers. "He will probably come tomorrow, but before that, I want to talk to everyone again first thing tomorrow." He added. The sooner he got to do that, the better. He didn't really want anyone to be caught by surprise.

"I'm not a huge fan of him.. but he's the real deal. I think this will be of incredible help to us." He muttered, before looking back down at Illyana. "I don't plan to let my guard down. Once he's here I will observe him more closely. I promise everything will be okay." He tried to reassure her.

Illyana didn't even get a chance to ask the first of a flood of questions that were swirling around in her mind before Lucien began to explain. That tight feeling in her gut had loosened and re-tightened itself as he spoke. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or more anxious about the whole thing. Lucien's hesitancy made her nervous, but she knew that he would never do anything that would put their troupe in danger. This was something she would just have to trust him on.

But this was not her only concern.

"Well," she began once Lucien had finished, "I can't say I'm relieved, but I'm glad the two of you aren't hurt. I didn't get anything while you were away, and that's a good sign." Her eyes dropped to the ground, her fingers twisting together as he bit her lip in the posture of thinking and considering.

After a beat, she said, "This might be hard to pinpoint, but...what was he like? Did either of you," she glanced between Ivory and Lucien, "notice anything...off? You can save the details for the meeting tomorrow, but I need to know if you sensed something wrong." This information may help her in diagnosing the initial vision she had had of Geralt and getting to the bottom of the feelings of dread that surrounded him in her mind.

Lucien shook his head. "No, you had nothing to worry about in that regard. He was very.. accommodating.." He told her, excluding their first and last exchange, at the very least. There was no denying he had become incredibly hospitable after inviting them inside, though he was quite sure that was more so in regards to his ulterior motive. He let out a small sigh at Illy's question, glancing down at Ivory briefly.

"He has manners, and most certainly has a way with words. It would certainly be easy to get strung along by his smooth talk. His expressions are also very hard to read, and he can clearly control it as he pleases but.." He trailed off, and this is when Ivorys poke up.

"There's definitely something wrong with him. Despite his flashy smiles and talk, there's no light in his eyes. I don't know if that means something to you." She said, figuring there was no point in hiding it. Illyana would see for herself when they met. It was best she knew about it now. "He's also most certainly a playboy and wants to get into Lucien's pants. In my opinion, he's scum." She added, causing Lucien to let out a sigh.

"I felt that entire last bit was not a necessary addition and a little harsh but.. she's right. His eyes felt.. empty. It was a little unsettling." He told her.

Illyana could tell immediately that Lucien was holding something back, but she couldn't blame him. He was in the worst position of all of them, having to make this decision without the full support of the troupe, and knowing the risks. This couldn't be easy for him.

It was Ivory's comment that sparked a bit of surprise and unease from the fortune teller. She glanced between the two of them, her brow furrowing. This news was certainly concerning, but she was glad Ivory had gone along. Not only was she willing to protect Lucien, she was one of the few among them who could at the moment, and she wouldn't hesitate. At her last comment, Illyana blushed visibly and looked away. She definitely had not been expecting that sort of attention from their new prospect, but then again, she never was.

Her nervousness quickly faded when Lucien spoke up again. She wracked her brain for a moment, her fingers resting on her chin as she cradled her elbow in the opposite hand. "His eyes, hm?" She thought for a moment longer, shifting her weight from one leg to the next, "It doesn't really mean anything to me..." But there was something that was bugging her, itching at the back of her mind. Dark, dead eyes like a dark endless abyss...heat and swirling vapor...far away sighs and screams...

But she couldn't place it. She twisted her lips in annoyance and shook her head, "No, nothing right now. But, I can do some research." She said, a new fire lit in her eyes as she looked at the two of them again. "I better get started, show tomorrow." She said, and turned away suddenly to trot back to her trailer. Before she got too far, she turned and waved as an after thought, shouting, "Good night!" before contiuning on her way.

Ivory was a little amused by Illy's embarrassment, finding it a little adorable, but she didn't comment on it, nor allowed it to show in her expression. She didn't want to make things worse for her.

It was clear Illyana had become lost in thought. She was trying to make sense of all this, and he didn't blame her. Sometimes this worried him, as he hoped the girl wouldn't end up straining herself and become ill. That was the last thing he wanted, but it seemed she was clearly determined to figure this out.

"Don't stay up all night!" He shouted after her as she made her way back to her trailer, shaking his head slightly. "I should be telling you the same, don't stay up all night pondering about what happened today. What's done is done, now we just have to see how it goes from here." Ivory said, patting Lucien on the back. Lucien chuckled.

"No promises." He said, a hint of amusement in his tone. "If you happen to run into anyone tomorrow morning, tell them we're having another group meeting as soon as everyone's together." He added.

"Sure, sure. I'm heading back too, goodnight~" The dhampir said, beginning her walk back. "Good night." He responded, before he did the same. Upon his return, he changed his clothes. That was when he noticed something in his pocket that wasn't there before. A playing card. The ringleader raised an eyebrow. The King of Hearts. It was most certainly Geralt's doing. He shook his head slightly, before placing it on his desk. It seemed just like his sort of humor. With that, he got into his bed, his eyes trailing to the ceiling.

"Guess we shall see what happens.." He muttered to himself.

-

Simultaneously, over at Ivory's trailer, a similar card had slipped out of her pocket as she changed her clothes. She raised an eyebrow, but then rolled her eyes. The Ace of Spades. Once she was done, she picked it up from the ground and walked over to one of her many targets and pinned it there. She didn't see the point to doing that, aside from proving his magic was real. A magician's trick. After all, the man hadn't actually gotten anywhere near her.

"Well whatever." She said as she walked to her bed, picking up a knife from her table and swiftly throwing it at the target. It landed perfectly in the middle of the spade. With a small 'hmph,' the dhampir got into her bed, and eventually trailed off to sleep.