It's time for another Good Idea, Bad Idea

[soaringeverhigher]

[After Game 6]

A couple nights after the whole angel incident — once most of the initial panic dies down — Shawn turns up at Helen's brothel. He's alone: no Jeffs, no Dani, no Buck. Alone, and a little unsteady on his feet. Sauntering in like he's definitely not here on official business.

"Ladies," he greets the girls who are lounging around in the common area. Then, a sideways afterthought to the men: "...gents."

Comments

[helen_troy]

She's been waiting for some time for this particular fishy to come swimming into the net. It's just not the night that she expected for him to finally work up the courage. Especially not after things with the angel and all of hell coming to earth (literally.)

Waving away her girls (because this one is hers), she greets Shawn with her most charming smile. "Hello darling. Now isn't this an unexpected pleasure? Come have a drink with me, tell me what you are looking for? Something in a tall blonde, perhaps?"

[soaringeverhigher]

In Privy Council meetings, or when his sister's around, Shawn's rarely looked at Helen with anything but a sidelong, smirking glance. This time? He grins as he goes to join her.

"Oh, I'm up for just about anything on the menu tonight. End of the world, baby! Or at least the end of Vegas."

He gives another look around the room. "Glad to see you're still in business. I almost thought you'd be bookin' it out of town by now."

[helen_troy]

"How flattering," she chuckles in return. She hasn't been as devoted to her pursuit of the tall, dark hound as she had in the past. There were other things on her mind, the demons and the momentary concern that her job would be taken away. Technically, she should be considering the most recent events, including the angel nonsense, but if Shawn Remington walks into her brothel unannounced, he'll have her focus completely.

"Are you? As you say, it's the end of the world. Somehow that makes people friskier. Why leave when the party is getting started?" She leads Shawn towards the back, her private suite, away from the eyes of her ghouls. Once the door is shut behind them, she opens a bottle of champagne, holding it out to him.

The hint of her usual flirtation in the air, but set aside at the more serious comment, and what she believed was lying beneath it. "I'm not afraid of death." She stated, taking a seat on her couch, patting the space next to her. "I could say it's because I'm a vampire, but it's not true. You though, I think you're afraid." It's not said in an effort to mock or needle him, but simply as a fact. So many in the city are afraid, why would Shawn be any different.

[soaringeverhigher]

Shawn eyes the bottle for a second before the Blush of Life shifts to the surface, bringing color to his face. Given the option, he'd rather have the effects than the flavor... but that could always come later. Besides, that guy in the club had had plenty in his veins already.

He tips the bottle in a brief toast, takes a swig, and settles into the spot next to her.

"If I were afraid of dying, I'd be in the wrong business." Being a Hound is dangerous enough. Having to answer to the Coles brought it to a whole other level.

[helen_troy]

"Not of that sort of dying, perhaps. Hell is a bit different than the final death. Who knows how long we will suffer and what torment is ahead of us. That is what brought you here, isn't it?" She's certainly not complaining. If he's here for bad decisions, she certainly will provide him with a list to take to confession.

"You are sneaking around on your sister, as though she were your wife, which makes me your mistress." She grins at her cleverness, sometimes she is just too precious.

"I know I didn't lure you here by my sex appeal, not after all the years of trying."

[soaringeverhigher]

"Thought you were more of a Madam." Ha. Ha ha. It's a really bad joke, and she's probably heard it before, and he doesn't care.

"Does it matter?" He offers the bottle back to her.

[helen_troy]

She'll give a tight lipped smile. Yes, she's heard that dozens of times before. But keeping the customer happy is something she's perfected over the years, learning with Cole especially. His jokes were terrible.

Taking the bottle, she sets it to the side, leaning closer. "No, it doesn't. I simply enjoy talking about you."

[soaringeverhigher]

He doesn't move much in response — but his head turns a little more toward her, his shoulders shifting back.

"Bet you do."

Hell has something to do with why he's here. Fear, too. Getting into the details is not something he's eager to do.

He raises a hand, aiming to caress the side of her neck.

[helen_troy]

Her hand rested lightly over his shoulder, gently cupping the back of his neck as she toyed with his hair. Don't mind her, this is something she's pictured more than once over the years. "You might be surprised." About a number of things, Hell included.

She leans into his touch. "We've been at this dance for centuries. Who knew it took the threat of damnation to bring you here?" It's almost worth it, now that she's got him where she wants him.

"I should tell you though, you have no reason to worry about Hell."

[soaringeverhigher]

He gives a short, wry laugh. "Yeah, well. The Lance might have somethin' to say about that." Destined to be damned, and all that.

[helen_troy]

"The Lance can say what they want, but I know a way to walk right out of the pit of fiery torment. Quite literally darling. You don't have to stay in Hell."

[soaringeverhigher]

His eyebrows pull together in a skeptical look — just at the same time his hand starts traveling downward, past her shoulder.

"Bullshit."

[helen_troy]

"Would I lie to you?" She said sweetly, nestling her head on the crook of his shoulder. Plump lips brushing against the tender spaces of his neck. "Ah! I mean about something serious."

She enjoys being the bearer of glad tidings, and she gets the sense Shawn is in need of it. Maybe she has a soft spot for him after all? Why else would she feel so generous. All without having first received what she wanted. It really was a cold day in Hell...so to speak.

"We don't have to be locked up in Hell. We can stroll right out."

[soaringeverhigher]

The thought drifts through Shawn's mind that he's either not sober enough or not drunk enough for this conversation. And possibly a little bit too horny.

But he can't hear something like that and not talk about it. He pushes back at her just enough that he can look her in the face again.

"How?" It's firm, insistent. But then, before she can speak: "If the answer includes the words 'deal' and 'demon,' I'm done talking."

[helen_troy]

She gives a small growl of frustration, put off from the end goal too soon. It's been centuries since her interest first began, what was a few more minutes? "Not demon or deal." She said simply. "A tear between our two planes. Something called 'a hellmouth.'"

If she knew pop culture better, she'd make a Buffy quip, but she doesn't, and even if she did, she's too amorous to care. "If and when the city is pulled down to Hell, it's possible for us to walk right out. As though it were a leisurely stroll. Once that demon in a jar gets loose, and he will, that's what he will do. He'll crawl right back out of Hell." Kill Father Christopher, but that's not her problem.

She leans in, placing a gently kiss on the corner of his mouth. "I so hope you aren't a 'go down with the ship' sort of man. You are far too yummy to be kept in the underworld."

[soaringeverhigher]

When she puts it that way, it sounds obvious. And very simple.

Too simple, he thinks. Back-up plan comes next, although back-up plan to what is still up in the air. Defying the angel? Resigning himself to Hell?

"Mm." He strokes the line of her throat with his thumb, savoring the anticipation for a moment. Helen Troy, who was look-but-don't-touch for so many years because of Cole (although, ew, don't think too much about Darius right now). And then because of their professional connections. And then because Dani didn't trust her.

Yeah. The threat of damnation was pretty much what did it.

"Anyone else in on this field trip?" Or is he just that special?

[helen_troy]

She's fully aware others might want to fight. There would be a battle between Heaven and Hell in the cards. It was pretty obvious this war now had two fronts. The probability of success had become astronomical.

Somehow, she wasn't worried. Damnation, it didn't scare her. Not in the way that some more personal and closely guarded weaknesses did. So long as Shawn never saw them, she would be happy. Hell, it was the reason for most of her bravado.

She could be nothing again. That was worse than eternal torment.

Her fingers ghost over his cheeks in a gentle caress. Her eyes closing against his touch. Tenderness wasn't something she was used to in her life. Not with Cole and not with...anyone else. She always assumed Shawn wouldn't extend her that courtesy. For all of her play and flirtations, she had been genuinely curious about him.

He didn't fit her usual type. So yes, that did make him special.

"I imagine that the Privy Council will be told by next court. I informed Kitty, Mercy and Palmer shortly before the sun rose after the angel chaos. Though I can't say if they would leave the city behind. Most of them sound as though they are going the noble route."

[soaringeverhigher]

So it really might wind up being some grand escape plan. A last ditch. How about that.

This encounter isn't exactly going the way he'd expected, either. Helen had always come off as more than a little predatory behind all the glamour. Despite the fact she's not a Gangrel, he'd half expected her to sink some actual claws into him once they were behind closed doors.

Distractions aside, if they're not about to get down, he's not sure what he's doing here. And Shawn is sick of not being sure what he's doing.

"Dunno about the others, but if you can trust Kitty to do anything..." It's what's best for Kitty. Same when it comes to Helen, actually. "Anyway. Think that's enough talk about them."

His hand moves from her neck to her knee, and he leans in, closing the distance for a kiss.

[helen_troy]

He didn't need to question why he was at the brothel, she had every intention of clearing that up for him. As well as chasing away whatever thoughts he was trying to escape. Whatever her hidden depths, she was a Daeva and could never escape her passionate nature.

She kisses him in return, snaking an arm about his shoulders and drawing him closer. She's usually the lead in this particular dance, and she suspects that Shawn would appreciate a woman who takes what she wants.

That was what it had all be leading up to between them.

Her hands roam over him, exploring the length of his chest and arms. Her head dipping in for another kiss, once the last had been broken. "Nothing but us tonight."