A toast! To quell the beast within!! (OPEN)

[Juer Kalmuri]

"What kind of man embraces their inner demons?" The first question. "How can any man carry a family when he has a beast gnawing just under the skin?" Second. "Why did this have to happen to me?" The third question, and the hardest to answer. Who would torment themselves with these questions? None other than Aniel Wolfgang.

Esteemed detective of Reajh, proud of his position, at least in public. The miserable workaholic known to always get his man when he needs, but there is one creature that seems to always escape him. For lurking in the shadows is a creature born of unholy primal magics, a were-creature. Yet to be identified, Aniel does his best day and night to find out who just this creature is, and take him to justice.

"What if they knew?"

Aniel shook his head, he would run if that were the case, he knew he could outrun anyone on the police force, at least anyone on his team, he made sure of that. Guilt filled his mind, seeping into his dreams as he thought of all that he had done to hide his crimes from the law, it went against everything he was taught as a child, but he had to do something to keep himself alive.

"Is it all worth it?"

It has to be, he is doing something good for the world after all, killing those who would do harm to the good citizens. But even a lone wolf needs to relax now and then, thus was the reason for tonight's outing, rather than the hunt that would take place at this hour, or the guilt-ridden dreams of a lonely man. He was going out to drink and be merry!

"What should I wear?"

The usual of course! dawning his civilian standard clothing, indistinguishable from any other other than a few ribs and tears that look like a dog had been left alone with it for too long, he looked just like any other average Joe on the street. Aniel liked it that way, but he was not a liar, anyone who asked him for what his work would get an answer, however uncomfortable it would make Aniel be.

"Where should I go?"

Why not the old pub! It did not take long for him to show up to the closest bar, the most recent crime happened in a residential area, so it did not take long to find a watering hole he had never been seen in before. Aniel made sure never to be a creature of habbit, you do one thing daily, people will notice. and Aniel did not wan that in his line of work. Walking into the Pub he was quickly guided to a booth near a far wall, while thankful he got to keep his back to the wall, Aniel soon realized his mistake, looking around the pub, he became slightly tense, what if something happens?

Aniel tried to keep calm, ordering his choice of firewater, and waiting calmly, wanting to sink the night away down his gullet with as many steins as he can fit in his belly.

[alex_xr]

Bethe walked into the pub, wearing what surely looked like her sunday best only not appropriate for church at all.   She looked like an connlaothian, a beautiful one, but a connlaothian none the less.  She was here to kill this cursed beast that hunted the streets, someone had paid the Sirens a small fortune to hunt down and kill it. Now it was just a matter of finding out information. That was the hard part, Her usual connections didn't have any leads, No one in the guard or city seemed to know much.  She was trying to find the famous detective  Aniel wolfgang.   

She was sure that if anyone had the scoop it was him. Though it seemed he never formed habits, so here she was for the 5th time this week trying to find the man at a pub.  How hard can such a famous man be to find. Well appearantly he was good at staying out of the public eye, because she still hadn't found him.  She sat at the bar, and looked around trying to determine if any of the men gathered here could be him. All she had was a rough description from an unreliable source. 

She now remembered why she took this job, it was going to be a hard one from the get go. She just hoped it was possible, with the money on the line that was, she didn't want to disapoint her client. Though surely the Sirens could find some stupid werebeast.  How hard could it be?

[Juer Kalmuri]

Aniel would sit at the far end of the bar in his booth, a hard wood bench with a big table in front of him, more fitting for a party table or a huge drunkard than a lone man, but that was alright, Aniel liked having a lot of space between himself any anyone else, and sitting just about anywhere else would have him rubbing elbows with at least three other people in the filled bar.

Aniel was on edge, he always was, there was so many people in here, but he could not leave now that he had ordered his drink, it would be rude, he would smile and nod to the barmaid as she came, putting a stein on his table, filled with mead. Aniel would nod to her, not interested in trying to find a "happy ending" at this bar, just to drink and try to forget the troubles of the world for a moment.

He had the feeling however that there was someone else in this bar that would be looking for him, be it criminal or otherwise. He was fully aware of some people losing faith in Aniel and turning to private eyes and assassins to do the deed of finding the were-beast. Aniel knew that other criminals would hate to see their buddies get ripped to shreds, and there are always bound to be survivors who'll pay anything to have the head of a werewolf. He knew that this would be the beginning of the end for him. As these private eyes will surely seek to find Aniel to ask him questions, and they always have a way of getting answers no matter what is said to them.

[alex_xr]

Bethe, saw a man who looked vaguely like the man she sought and then swayed her hips seductively as she approached the lone man in the back of the bar. She found it odd that a man would have such a large table to himself. Did he have something to hide?  Was he avoiding people? Was he waiting for friends to arrive perhaps.  She finally made it through the throngs of people and slapped away enough hands that she was able to get to his table. 

" Excuse me sir, I was wondering are you perhaps Detective Aniel Wolfgang?"

She gave her best smile and bent low looking closer at his face, making sure to tease him with a rather direct look at her cleavage.  she seemed to ooze confidence and  was certainty not shy.  She wondered if she would again find out it wasn't him or some fool would pretend in hopes to get a "happy ending" to the evening.   Bethe hoped that maybe this was it.. Maybe she could stop barhopping as "fun" as it was.

[Juer Kalmuri]

Aniel would look up, eye the woman in the face, clearly not interested in her tease, even though he was quite attracted to women and she was quite the specimen, Aniel was already prepared for this, his dark red hair and sideburns that connected his hair to his trough beard distinguished his face from most others, so he knew that he was not going to get out of this easily. Still he would answer her honestly, speaking in a short-spoken deep tone.

"Since you have to ask during off hours, no. I am however Aniel Wolfgang."

Aniel would take his stein in his hand, putting it to his parted lips and take a steady swig from the mug, setting it back down gently on the table, he was not out to make noise or look tough, he was just a man with a position. That was all and he knew it. Crossing his arms he would look back to the woman, awaiting a response to his answer.

[alex_xr]

She sat down across from him without saying anything. She crossed her legs, and leaned forward a bit ensuring that her cleavage was visible.  She wanted to make sure to be appealing to the man. She hoped he was at least drunk enough to not have all of his inhibitions.

"Perfect, I am here to ask about the beast you chase, though I understand if you don't want to talk about it off hours. Its just your a hard man to find. "

Bethe smiled at him and blinked her eyes, She would try to seduce the man at least if he wasn't going to give her any information off duty, then perhaps she could find out something in the mean time like where he lived.  She wondered what he might have to say about the werewolf.

"I am sorry if this is a bad time, I just have been looking for you for the last week. "

"

[Juer Kalmuri]

"No..." Aniel would say simply, clearly not wanting to talk about this, he would raise the stein to his lips once more, taking another steady swig until it was emptied, putting it back on the table slightly harder than before as he let out his held breath.

"I am not one to share my work with any random stranger who knows who I am." Aniel would say, leaning forward in his seat, his eyes attempting hard to look her in the face, but slowly end up trailing down to her cleavage every minute or so, before darting back up to meet her eyes. He seemed more sleepy than drunk however.

[alex_xr]

She smiled and blushed a bit. She had forgotten to introduce herself of course.  She gave her best flirtatious smile and said.  " Sorry of course! I forgot to introduce my self. I am Isabella, "  she wondered how he might react to this.   " So what are you up to tonight? Surely you don't intend to drink all night alone. "  She said as she ordered a drink of her own.   

Bethe wondered on what she should say she does,  a bounty hunter?  a private investigator?  She ran the scenarios in her head.   She wasn't sure yet but she wanted to make sure that it was a good one, especially for one who was here dressed as she was.  But heh her main reason here was to get close to  Aniel.   

[Juer Kalmuri]

Aniel wished that he had just kept blunt at this point, he hated it when he gave an opening to "these people" they always just pushed. Aniel was not about to trust this woman, she used her body to her advantage, something that has gotten to more than a few of his men, people like her are the reason why he has not trusted anyone with his secret. She had no idea what tree she was barking up.

Waving over to the waitress as she came with the woman's drink he would order the same stein, but to keep the one he has here, he wanted to count his drinks, less he end up passing out on the way to one of his many homes. Looking back to the woman when she was done explaining and went back to asking questions.

"Well, Isabella, I do actually. This is the only table available for me it seems. I requested a table with a booth. Chairs are too easily tipped over, and then you're on your back. I am sure you've heard of the robberies in this part of town? I came here because it is close." Aniel would concede slightly to what she wanted, he talked about his work, no harm in that, right? as long as it kept away from talk of "the werebeast" Aniel was safe. His drink having lowered his guard just enough to convince himself of this.

[alex_xr]

Bethe smiled and nodded seemingly entranced by what he had to say.  She seemed to have broken at least one gap in his wall of distrust.  She would just have to work her way to it.  She blushed a bit as if she just noticed he was staring every once in a while. 

" I can see why you would request a booth, but I have one question.  How can you be on the look out for robberies when your drunk? Either way it sounds dangerous, surely you wouldn't come out here all alone to investigate that."

Bethe honestly wanted to know the mans logic not she minded him drunk, it made it easier for him to succumb to her advances.  She  wondered if he had friends here as well.

[Juer Kalmuri]

"That's why I am here during off hours, I don't drink on the job, Isabella. What kind of detective would I be then?" Aniel was starting to sweat, his deep red hair on his face starting to seem a bit more bright from the liquid slowly building inside of it, Aniel wiped his his face with a rag provided by the bar.

He could tell by her face that she noticed his eyes traveling. Even for him it was hard not to take a look once in a while, but that did not mean that he enjoyed doing so. He resented the idea that she would use a mixture of his drunkenness and  her body to get information out of him, but yet, here he was letting her do just that.

Still, now was his chance to maybe get back at her a bit, ask a few questions of his own, he was trained to control a conversation in order to get information out of suspects. However this was much different. As he already knows what she is after, he already knows who it was, and he had to use these skills to hide rather than uncover. He would focus harder, controlling his face, not even blinking without putting thought into it. Doing his damn-est not to give her more of what she wants, control.

[alex_xr]

She gave a girlish giggle  and spoke " A not very reliable one for sure! No your the best or that is what the word around town is"   She needed to find an opening. She casually leaned forward and fixed his collar with a smile. " There much better, can't be looking like a slob. " She  wondered what to ask about next. Should she ask about his work or something else. " So what do you do for fun?"

She was sort of curious about what he did outside of work, maybe she could happen to run into him somewhere else.  That would be a good way to go about it, she thought. Though she wasn't sure he was the type to have much fun outside of work.

[Juer Kalmuri]

Aniel would take his drink as the waitress came back, putting the second stein to his lips and taking a long sip, not wanting to answer the question even more than he did not want to choke on the alcohol. His willpower faded soon enough however and he put the mug down, looking at the minx as she adjusted his collar.

He was done wasting time with her, he knew that the only reason she was here was to get information out of him and he did not want her to try and "get personal" with him. letting go of the mug Aniel leaned back in his chair.

"Listen, I am afraid that I can not comment on the were-beast case at this moment, there is no way I can help you." Aniel spoke sternly, wanting to get the girl to leave him alone at this point before she got into his head.

[alex_xr]

Bethe kept her smile. " hmm so you just work all day, that is not healthy you know, you should get around more, learn to have some fun. " She smiled making sure to lean forward a bit.  She would have him, she decided.   She could ask him in an official capacity on the marrow, now that she knew what he looked like.   

" I am sorry to hear, that you can't comment but why let that get in the way. I am sure there are some ways you can help me. " She said seductively. knowing the last part had two different meanings.  She winked, and gave her best seductive glance she could muster with this face.  She slowly took another sip of her drink, wondering what he would say to that.   She was either going to get closer or pushed away.

[Juer Kalmuri]

Aniel would sigh, crossing his arms in front of his chest. A twinge of what lie just under the skin told him that she really would look nice spread out on his bed, helpless. He could end this chase that she wants to have tonight, tucked between the sheets, naked and unprepared. Until she finds herself underneath a flurry of fur and claws.

He shook himself, it would look like a shiver to her. What was he thinking? she did not deserve to die, she was an annoyance, not a criminal. He had to control himself. It was clear, she would not be coming to his home tonight if he could help it, taking the stein quickly he would gulp down the remaining of the second stein.

Slightly choking on the liquid, he would shake his head, his face crunched up at the bitter taste remained. Looking at her at an angle as his face pointed down at the table. "You're going to have to be straight with me if you want my help, ma'am." Aniel would say calmly, hoping a non-answer would be best in this situation. Now on the defensive in terms of controlling the conversation.

[alex_xr]

She smiled and couldn't believe his response usually she had them in the palm of her hands at this point.  Bethe wondered what was up.  " Surely you know how a man like you can help a woman with needs like me. " She said leaning forward, and wondering what was going through his mind.

Bethe needed a plan,   " We can always go back to my unanswered question.. of What do you do for fun? " She said wondering if maybe he had someone back home or something and thats why he was seemingly uninterested in her.

[Juer Kalmuri]

"No ma'am, I am afraid I don't know how I can help you." Aniel would say, wanting to sound official, what was wrong with this woman? She is going to get herself killed at this rate. Aniel thought, at this point she is almost asking to sleep with him, Aniel hoped that her coyness would evaporate the moment he forced her to be blunt. Then she would lose interest because she could not play with smoke and mirrors anymore.

"As I might have said before, I work for a living, I am not at the bar often, surely you can see why, with all the people coming to nag at me over a case I am working on." Aniel would say, ordering his third stein, the waitress warning him that after this, he is getting cut off. Aniel would nod and turn to Isabella.

[alex_xr]

What was his problem,  He was so intent on it.  " Can't a woman be interested in the man behind the work?"  She asked innocently, trying not to show her irritation.   She wasn't sure why he was so against sleeping with her.  She was close to showing the seal she didn't like to use, the one of the group that had hired her.  It was the seal of some family high up in the system of this city, She hadn't paid attention.   

Bethe,  sighed  " Sounds like boring times, if you spend all time working."  She ignored his jab about people coming over and nagging. She couldn't beleive he had been so blunt.   She was turning out to not like this man.

[Juer Kalmuri]

Aniel would not to her comment. Sipping the stein, he seemed to be gaining ground again, so uch so that she looked as though it was starting to bother her, perhaps soon she would leave him alone. How could she not see he was saving her life in doing this? If she did know however, she would try to kill him, or just report him to people whom would do it themselves.

"Well when you're the detective and crime happens, you have to be there, it is luck that I am able to go out and be here now." Aniel ignored her question, not wanting to have an answer that she could use. Crossing his arms again, folding them into the other "Again, if you have something specific I can do, you can let me know. If it's not urgent, then I'm afraid I'm off duty and uninterested with anything to do with my case, much less interested in talking about it."

[alex_xr]

Thats when she accidentally spilt her drink on her self, the wet fabric showing all that the dress had left to the imagination.  She turned bright red, " Oh I can't believe i did that" She looked for a towel  or something. She  seemed to actually have done it on accident as she searches for a napkin or something while covering her self the best she could with her arm.    Bethe just hoped this accident worked in her favor as she really turned beat read out of embarrassment. She couldn't believe she had done that, She kind of wanted to disappear at the moment.  " My dress is ruined... I can't believe it,  She was still beat red.  She was really embarrassed.