If You Dare (MA 15)

Guest

Constance pulled on her slinky black dress and apparated to the nearest dance/strip club. She didn't visit often but she was treated with high respect when she arrived. Without having to wait in line, bouncers directed her to a private VIP room. It was lit dimly but when her eyes adjusted, she saw that there was a lounge and what appeared to be a bar. She looked over her shoulder and said something along the lines of get out. Walking over, she looked at what drinks the club had to offer. She took vodka and fire water and mixed her own drink.

She sat down in her chair and opened the curtains around her by a flick of a finger. Then there was a show below her. People were dancing against each other and further away people were drinking at tables. Sipping on her drink, Constance's lips pulled into a smirk. Then people were clearing away from the dance floor. A stage pulled out and a spot light when on the center of the stage. A shirtless man came out and announced the night show. Standing up and walking forward, she peered over the balcony to watch the show below her.

Around five or sex men came out and started dancing to Pony by Ginuwine. Her brow rose as the men ripped off their shirt to a military based costume. Constance mused to herself,"Oh my.."

Guest

Louis hadn't signed up for the Auror squad, in fact, he hadn't signed up for much when he began work at the Ministry, but with his numerous amount of talent, the Ministry had pulled him in to multiple jobs to do that simple beings couldn't. Teaching, mainly, but a few cases had come his way.

Vanessa wasn't so happy about the cases, not that Louis could blame her, he'd been away for long enough, and the last thing she needed was for him to get hurt. But Louis continued to remind her that he was a powerful wizard, and that he would never let anyone separate her from him again.

This assignment was at a bar.

Louis didn't frequent bars often, alcohol had been a bad cover up for his sorrows many years ago, but never bars. Shaking his head, Louis moved in to the bar and made a beeline to the bar. The man ordered a cognac, ignoring the weird look the barman gave him and moved around the shadows. Where the woman was, Louis didn't know, what she looked like, Louis didn't know. He merely had a name. And a name was as interchangeable as the next name.

As the lights dimmed for the main show, Louis moved towards the stairs heading up to the boxes. They were normally the best views in the house. Whilst moving along the soft carpet, or what would have been soft many years ago, Louis noticed a woman sat by herself.

"Oh my.."

The words brought a slight smirk to his lips as he looked out in to the main stage. Strip club. It would be a strip club that the Pureblood would be sent to, of all places. "Anyone would think you hadn't seen a man naked before." Louis commented to the witch, his French accent flickering through as he looked down at the woman. "Monsieur Louis Clement." He offered, knowing it was rude not to introduce himself.

Guest

Constance felt the presence before she heard the voice. She didn't move her eyes from the dancers,"Anyone would think you would be perhaps batting for the other team, coming to this strip club." She mused and looked over at the man who had interrupted her viewing. Her eyes looked him down once before she met his eyes. "I've heard quite a few french men come here for the entertainment of the dancers." She gestured down at the nearly naked men on stage. Taking a sip from her drink, her hands rested on the railing.

He introduced his name and she nodded,"Is there anything you'd like, Louis Clement, or would you leave me to my own activities?" She added, her french coming out when she pronounced his name similar to how he said it. Her eyes looked down at the ground and saw a few men steering through the crowd. One lingered at the stairs before turning off into the bar. Her eyes met Clement's and she quirked a brow at him.

Guest

"Anyone would think you would be perhaps batting for the other team, coming to this strip club."

Had Louis not served with Muggles for a time, he likely wouldn't have picked up on such vulgarities in his social circles. The idea of being homosexual was an accusation the man could not take lightly, it wasn't natural. "I prefer woman, and I don't partake in such cheap sport." The Frenchman replied, motioning to the strippers below that held none of his interest. "And I think your assumptions on French men are slightly biased." He added, shaking his head. Louis had never met a homosexual Frenchman, and he didn't want to start now.

"Is there anything you'd like, Louis Clement, or would you leave me to my own activities?"

"I'm looking for someone." Louis replied softly, not missing how she had taunted him with the use of a French accent. Though, she could try as much as she liked, he wasn't easy bait. Leaning on the back of her chair, Louis lowered his voice to a whisper. "You wouldn't happen to know where I can find a very beautiful woman by the name of Constance Vale, would you?" He asked, completely unaware of whom he was talking to.

Guest

Constance looked over her shoulder at him, his clothes seemed way too coordinated and well dressed. Really, unless he had a lover that was obsessed with his wardrobe, she thinks he is gay. Obviously, his 'feathers were ruffled' and Constance got a kick out of seeing him move to behind her chair and look unsettled. She loved making people uncomfortable when she knew she had the upper hand of the situation.

Glancing down at the show, it ended and a new set of dancers came onto the stage. Turning around to face him, she topped up her drink and sipped on it again. His voice was soft and quiet but Constance did not fail to hear him. She didn't move an inch and was natural when he mentioned her name. Her eyes were calm and unnmoved. After years of practice, her body didn't give any clues or give aways on who she was. "Constance Vale, the woman who is word of mouth, yes? If I were you, I wouldn't mess with this woman. I have heard what she can do.." She said smoothly, sipping on her drink.

"Mr. Clement, may I offer you a drink?" she mused and her eyes flickered over to one of the barmen and nodded him over.

Guest

"Constance Vale, the woman who is word of mouth, yes? If I were you, I wouldn't mess with this woman. I have heard what she can do.."

"The Black Widows don't scare me." Louis replied evenly. It was the truth, he'd faced much worse from his Grandmere over the years, and the Brookshires were nothing. Besides, even if anything should break out, his blood kept him safe from their regime, so Louis simply had no worries. He could flit between the Black Widows and the Ministry as he saw fit.

"Mr. Clement, may I offer you a drink?"

"I have my own." Louis commented, raising his cognac before he took a seat beside the woman. "But seeing as you have heard of the witch, you can tell me what you know." Louis prompted, there was only so much in the media, after all, and information was information. Once seated, Louis undid the buttons on his suit jacket, making himself more comfortable. His reasons for being here could be manipulated by how this woman spoke, Louis had learnt the art of deceit from a very young age, and had never stopped using it over the years.

Guest

Constance felt her lips tug into a smirk and lolled around a few thoughts in her mind. This man was obviously on a mission who wanted to take down Black Widows. It wasn't exactly hard to guess since he was after Constance and was not supposedly afraid of Black Widows. So Constance killed a Salem headmistress... It wasn't exactly something huge. That was very bloody too. Her mind went back to where she was and scanned him.

She sat in her own seat beside him, crossing her long bare legs. He raised his drink and she nodded once. No surprise there, he wanted information on Constance. She felt herself laugh, a humorless laugh. "Mr. Clement, information doesn't come cheap these days. The thing is, who has not heard of her? She was in the media and people were told to keep a watchful eye. Tell me, why are you here tonight?" Her eyes flickered down to his movement of unbuttoning his suit. This may be a long night...

Guest

As Louis sat, his eyes flickered to the men making a show of themselves only briefly before his eyes moved back to the woman before him. When she addressed him formally once more, he shook his head. "Please, call me Louis." The man insisted, these premises didn't need to be uptight, he summarised, so it was probably better he acted casual.

The statement of information not coming cheaply made Louis smile. "Believe me, there is no price on this Earth that I could not afford." Louis replied, a smirk touching his lips. Being one of the most powerful men in Europe came with such luxuries. Or, at least, a name like his could sway people enough to believe that, they did not need to know how the youngest Clement was living, just hear the name.

"As to why I am here, the Black Widows interest me." He told the witch in a conspiring nature. "The Brookshires are something of... an alliance with my family." The man explained, watching her carefully as he took a sip of his cognac. This woman knew a fair deal, or that much he was sure, it was simply a case of extracting it.

Guest

Constance licked her bottom lip and spoke,"Mr. Clement, price is not of my concern. Talk is cheap. I would be interested in something that you would not so freely give." Her voice was silky like a cat. She placed her drink down and rested her hands atop her knees. Tilting her head to the side, she studied him. Something was not quite right and Constance was yet to put her finger on it.

Black Widows interested a lot of people. Many people feared this group since of the dark magic that was produced. If there was a killing spree, it would happen in large amounts. For more dramatic flares, it would be a killing perhaps once a week, then one the following week, and so on. If the ministry have not put that together then they are quite dumb wizards. One thing that sparked Constance's interest was a said alliance.

Brookshire did not mention this. If there was, she would know about it, being the leading lady. Of course, her reaction was calm and she shrugged. "If you have an alliance with them, you surely do not need me for information, Mr. Clement." Constance hissed. She looked at him harshly and back down to the dancers on stage.

Guest

"Mr. Clement, price is not of my concern. Talk is cheap. I would be interested in something that you would not so freely give."

The comment made Louis smirk in to his glass. She was good, he would give her that much, but if she believed for a second that he would give her enough information to work out what he would never give away, then she was wrong. "I agree, talk is cheap." Louis replied, placing his empty glass on the table and surveying the bar, his eyes avoiding the men before coming back to the woman.

"If you have an alliance with them, you surely do not need me for information, Mr. Clement."

"The Brookshires were an alliance of my youth. Unfortunately," Louis explained, holding the unfortunately to get his point across. "Recent events have made it difficult to get in touch with him. I am told that this Constance Vale would be able to point me in the right direction." His story worked, everyone knew the Brookshire heir was in hiding, the coward.

"But, if you don't have the information, perhaps I should leave you to your... entertainment." Louis suggested, inching to the edge of his seat, making it look like he was getting ready to leave.

Guest

Constance's eyes followed his movements. He seemed that he wouldn't give out too much, such as prized possessions in fear of losing too much. Louis seemed almost... closed off. He was not interacting with women nor men for that matter. Perhaps he had a special sweetheart at home? That could be a contributing factor as to why he would not give so freely. His body stayed still but his eyes were constantly moving, checking his surroundings. It was quite obvious that he had not been to this kind of place nor did he know what to expect. Constance could play that well...

Chuckling, Constance rolled her eyes. If the Brookshires dropped the alliance, it was for one obvious reason. A threat. This Clement man was on the 'bright' side. Gears starting moving quicker in Constance's mind, making her smile grow wider. To find the Brookshires is a dangerous job, Constance thought. They were in hiding for a reason. There was a plan brewing in their mind that could perhaps wipe out ministries... Constance believed his story. Something was behind it but he didn't exactly supply a heap of information to her.

Soon enough, he was getting ready to leave but somehow she had the feeling he did not have the intention. This man would not leave Constance since she knew too much but it was humorous that he did not know. Wouldn't Clement ask around if there was a Constance Vale here? Obviously his mind was not in the right place... Then again, people were brainwashed these days with the prophet, what is right and what is wrong. Clearing her voice, she saw the bartender finally come up to her. "Took your time, boy." She snapped, her eyes not leaving Louis's. What he next said, sounded like music to her ears. Constance couldn't help but smile. A cruel, hard, venomous smile.

"My apologies, Miss Vale."

Guest

The woman had fallen silent, which was of no use to Louis. He would have to mill around the club a little more and look for the witch he truly needed. The one before him was simply wasting his time. But as Louis went to get up, the waiter came across with drinks that hadn't exactly been ordered.

"My apologies, Miss Vale."

Louis had only a few seconds to register the information. No time to reflect on his own stupidity, nor time to reflect that he hadn't probed the woman for a name. Careless was what he'd been, but he wouldn't allow it for a second. The Frenchman moved forwards to grab the woman, his wandless magic trying to set up containment wards as fast as possible.

He would not let this witch go, it was not an option.

Guest

Constance moved to the side swiftly, not moving a hair out of place while she did so. She felt a change in the room and knew that he was working some kind of magic. It didn't bother her because she was trained for this. They would not have let her become the position she was. Flicking her hand, she moved the lounge in front of way to create a barrier between them. "Now, now Clement. Surely the Ministry taught you not to act like an animal?" She smirked.

Her mind wondered for something that might aggravate him. "At least maybe an animal in bed. If someone was sexually satisfying you, then you wouldn't be out trying to get me." Her lips formed into a sneer and paced slowly around the room, feeling tension start to rise. "Clement, you know, all the stories are true. One of the most wanted, the one who is difficult to catch. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands." She licked her lips, feeling the presence of the bartender at her side. "Did I not tell you that I have this place hooked with Widows? Here, my lovely friend, Rodino, will watch me kill you."

Constance pondered her options, keeping some thoughts to herself. Maybe she shouldn't kill him, she needs someone to report to the Ministry and he hadn't come alone. Bugger. Though there was nothing bad about torture. That was always something fun she enjoyed doing, fore sure.

Guest

"Now, now Clement. Surely the Ministry taught you not to act like an animal?"

"The Ministry taught me nothing." Louis spat back at the witch, not in the mood to play up to her crap. He was no animal, he was just working to keep the world Vanessa lived in safe. If this witch for a moment believed she could taunt him in to stupidity, she was wrong.

At the mention of sexual satisfaction, Louis lips turned in to a smirk. Lesser beings were taunted with sexual frustration, but not Louis Clement. He was a man of sophistication, and men in his position did not fall in to such traps. Ignoring those words, Louis concentrated on keeping the containment charms to the bar.

"Did I not tell you that I have this place hooked with Widows? Here, my lovely friend, Rodino, will watch me kill you."

"Then Mr Rodino hasn't read the scripts!" Louis replied fiercely, the man beside the witch being smashed across the room without Louis having to move a muscle. "Come quietly, Miss Vale, and everything will be so much kinder on you." Louis offered, not lowering his guard for a moment, if the witch wanted to duel he would, and it would only turn badly for her the moment she reached for her wand.