Destiny's Calling

[Jason Thornvaald]

Graham stepped into the Treasure Trove, green eyes sharp and calculating. The former Mamba Commander was dressed in a pair of black cargo jeans, black muscle-shirt and a deep green cropped jacket on over it. His dark hair was somewhat disheveled and revealing it's propensity to curl, both of his shock-batons strapped openly to each thigh. All in all, he looked no different than the myriad of thieves and cutthroats around him, blending in to the masses with minimal effort.

Graham glanced this way and that, hoping to spot one of Jason's crew, if not the bastard himself. He blew out a slightly frustrated sigh when his search revealed nothing.

The Commander tensed when a tiny female suddenly supplanted herself in front of him. He blinked down at her, torn between confusion, wariness and then a nearly instantaneous--if somewhat reluctant--stab of lust. She had hints of Asian blood from the tilt of her sky-blue eyes, her inky hair cropped short and somewhat wild around her head. A playful, teasing smile lit her pretty features, hands caught onto the curve of her hips, as if amused by some joke that only she was party to. And despite the fact that she was almost boyishly slender, the tight black leather mini-dress she was wearing was more than enough to catch his attention. Much to Graham's chagrin and annoyance.

"Hey there hot stuff," she purred. "You and me got a date with destiny."

Graham ignored the beast in him, which was giving a lusty growl of primal possession at the thought of taking her up on her blatant offer, frowning instead. "Sorry, but I think you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm on a very important assignment. If you'll excuse me."

He started to step around her, causing the girl to sigh loudly and roll her eyes. "You're never going to find him on your own." Graham froze, then spun back to her.

"What?" His whole body was tensed tighter than a bowstring. The girl merely smirked, tapping her temple. "You're a psychic?"

"My, you catch on fast," she teased with a grin. "And here I thought you were just all hot body, no brains."

"You know Thorn Scarsgard?" Graham demanded then. She lifted one pale shoulder in a noncommittal shrug.

"You might say I've run into him once or twice." Her blue eyes suddenly snapped back to him, carefully calculating. "And that I might know where he's keeping himself at this very minute."

Graham's breath caught, almost unable to believe his luck. "Where?"

Now the girl purred out a chuckle, sounding far to sure of herself for his peace of mind. And, strangely enough, it was turning him on something fierce, too. "Not so fast, sugar. Nothing's for free in the Cove, babe. Everything has a price. You wanna know what I know? It's gonna cost ya."

Graham frowned a little. "I don't have a whole lot of money."

Again that self-assured, sexy little smirk. "And I never said anything about money, did I."

[Jason Thornvaald]

Thorn sighed in contentment as he watched Lyra finish up the last of her work.

"I swear to God Jason, when I get out of here--,"

"The very first thing you should do is see about a new pair of pants," Thorn cut in cheerily, interrupting the nearly foamingly furious man being tied down in front of him.

Graham had shown up on the Cove and tried to get the drop on him. Thorn wasn't entirely sure how his cousin had gotten his information, or who had supplied it, though if he himself had been blessed with just a smidgeon less self-preservation instincts Graham very well might have succeeded. Luckily he had, however, so that Thorn and Lyra together were able to subdue him, knocking him unconscious. In that time Thorn had removed all of his cousin's clothes and weapons, and instructed Lyra to tie him up. With something very fire resistant.

Graham had come back awake about half-way through this process, but by then it was too late. And now his ex-Mamba cousin was so furious his fangs were flashing on a nearly constant basis. Thorn, lounging on his hip near-by, just smirked fearlessly. He was hoping that this would deter his damned stubborn kin to cut his losses and let it go. He doubted it would work, but he had to at least try.

In honor of his mother's memory, he'd really much rather not have to kill her nephew.

"Let this be a reminder, the next time you want to try your luck," he pronounced, tone going a little colder, and the temperature around him dropping by a good ten degrees. "You're family, that's the only reason why you're still alive. Remember that." Lyra straightened, finally finished with lashing Graham down to the floor of the small two-room shack they currently found themselves in--the location of a deal Thorn had been in the middle of sealing when Graham had decided to drop in uninvited.

Thorn gazed down at his cousin's enraged face and chuckled. He lifted his hand and jingled the security card that would access a rather sleek, expensive Talon-class transport shuttle by the name of Starfire. "Thanks for the new transport shuttle, by the way," he murmured.

The only thing Graham answered with was a loud roar. Thorn just chuckled, tossing his head a little and indicating that Lyra follow him as he turned to go. He shut the door on his cousin's snarling threats, and Lyra sighed. She eyed him warily.

"He's going to try and kill you for this, you realize that don't you?"

Thorn just laughed. "He can keep trying. Everybody's gotta have a hobby I guess." He started leading them away from one of the seedier sections of the Cove and growled. "Send out a runner to see if they can't figure out how in the hell he knew where we'd be. And while you're at it, make sure somebody comes by here after we're well away to let his ass out."