"I told you, it's that mothafucka's fault! Now gimme my goddamn money back and lemme shoot again!"

Red's focus slid from the front end of the speakeasy- the band, the bodies sliding across the dance floor- to the shouting from the dice game in the back room. He put away the cigarette he was about to light, giving Ezra a subtle nod from across the room. He knew what it meant. Keep an eye out here. I'll handle this one

Behind the velvet curtain separating the two areas the room was dimmer, the lights hanging lower over each table. Inside was pandemonium. One of the naga card dealers was sporting a black eye and hissing, several other patrons standing around a half shifted werewolf brandishing half of a now broken bottle at them.

"Why is it whenever we let broke mothafuckas like you in here, it's always a problem?" Red asked, calm and with a smirk that was far too entertained for anyone to feel safe in the moment. Something, or rather someone, caught his eye in the corner of the room. A dark skinned man stood there, half wreathed in shadow but with a grin that was all teeth. Fuckin' Eshu again"And you, you know yo ass s'posed to be watching the mothafuckin' door. Shit get too goddamn wild when you in here. Get him out my goddamn speak before he ruins my fuckin furniture. Li, go get some ice for that eye. Ezra know how to shuffle cards good enough to cover for you 'till you can see straight."

He walked back out before the beat down started and the scent of blood could distract him. Eshu may have been chaos incarnate, but when they needed luck to come their way, the spirit never failed them.

"I need a damn drink," he muttered, smoothing his suit back down. He let out a slow breath, making his way through the racous crowd of the speak. He signaled to the bartender for his usual, the tumbler of amber liquid placed before him without him needing to specify. Different night, same shi-

Something made him pause as he brought the glass to his lips. A new face stood out at the bar. Beautiful, yes, and she smelled so damn good it made his fangs ache even from across the bar. But something was... *off. He swirled the liquid in his glass a moment, downing it before putting on his smoothest smile, weaving his way down to her until he could lean on the bar right next to her. That scent was even stronger up close, and he swore he could map the artery in her neck as she turned to notice him.

"Well, ain't you the prettiest thing up in here tonight? Guess the sun decided to turn up early tonight, huh?" He forced his eyes away from her face, his smile still slick as he scrutinized. No eas. No tail. Two legs. Normal looking skin. The realization slowly dawned on him.

Goddamnit. A human. She was human.

He subtly shifted, blocking her view of the rest of the speakeasy before she could see any more. He was careful too, not to smile too wide. His fangs suddenly felt too large for his mouth, as if they might flash with every word he said.

"Now listen, Sunshine, this ain't no place for a pretty little lady like yourself," he said, offering his hand to help her off the barstool. "The Cotton Club aint too far away. I happen to have a friend or two down there. They'll make sure you get taken care of. What do you say?"