She needed something quieter then the bar, needed something far more soothing and yet there she was again. Like she was running away to the place like it was some dirty little secret kept locked away in those four little walls. She had met a man, had even told Klara about him. Talbot. Yet she was still lost in a twist of emotions she didn't want to pull apart or piece together. So there she was again, nursing a glass of scotch,leaning against the jukebox as it played some old Classic Rock song that had her hips moving in a sensual sway. Wearing nothing more then a simple silk dress that looked more lingerie nightgown style then actual dress.

"Cancel the deal. I wanted a closer look at the books. I don't like the looks of the revenue stream. I want everything legal, everything certified, and everything kosher. I want a conference with accounting to search for other options set up for tomorrow morning. Alright." He clicked the button of his phone and stuffed it into his slacks pocket. For once, he was walking. And with the sun gone, that meant his work day was done. Pacing casually toward a place he began to be familiar with, he walked into the high caliber bar. He felt run down again. Negotiations were rough, and shopping around for just the right price for contracting and project management was not a fun thing. He was still in his work clothes. Clad in a typical Italian suit, his hand came to tug at his tie to loosen it. He needed to unwind...

Cream colored silk trimmed in black lace at the hemline, black lined stockings and heels. Her hair was braided back tonight, that pendant resting in its old metal presence against the smooth of her cleaveage. She hadn't seen him enter, too consumed in her thoughts and the music.

His lively blue eyes searched the room falsely. He wasn't looking for a damn thing. He went for the bar and got a gin and tonic. Nic was fickle with his tastes in a drink.

A sigh,head bowed as the song ended before she pushed away from the jukebox - an elegant creation of redwood it was. Turning away her body was smooth lines and sensual curves as she lifted the glass to drain the contents

Unlike the night before, the place was in fact very populated. Women gave him interested glances, and smiled as he passed. This time, rather than a booth, he came to the elevated portion of the establishment, to the sitting area. Nic was in a wallflower mood. He wanted to sit down and let the depressant increase bloodflow to his brain. Liberation from a headache was on the menu, for now.

"Can I have another please." The soft smooth low of voice poured over her lips as the rich dark wine it could become, those black velvet eyes lifting to fix upon the tender. She didn't dare look around.

With the elevation, and a cushioned seat, his evening was already off to a good start. His fingers glided through his styled hair, as he sat back and observed. Now that he was on the sidelines, which was a rare place for him to linger, his eyes danced around the room. Guilty as charged for looking at the hips that swayed just enough to grab his attention. And when the song shifted to another tune, he smiled and glanced toward the expensive juke box to the end. As his eyes passed over the many heads and faces. The curly helixes caught his attention on the grounds of recognition. A quiet grin was on his face, as he resumed drinking. It was nice not to be noticed every second of every waking moment. Rhy'Din was a quiet vacation that he was enjoying for the time being.

A fresh glass of whiskey on the rocks was raised to her lips as she looked around, the black velvet of her eyes drifting in near a dreamer's haze as she wandered through the crowd. Yes it was a crowd tonight of beautiful people that were dancing. Grinding hips and grooving in that way of the rich and freedom willed. One man happened to grab for her, claiming her by the hips and pulling her close in that wicked dance that was near borderline dirty. So lost in her thoughts she hadn't expected it but there she was then squirming in his embrace. "Let me go!"

His eyes had peeled away from her as the dance club gained a throbbing vibration in the floor. The bass was pounding, which suprising didn't give him a headache at all. In fact, it soothed him. He realized he hastily drank his gin and tonic, seeing it empty in his hand. As he began to map his way through the congesting crowd, he noticed that a man had come behind Shawna. Those careless blue eyes gained dim alarm when he saw the lack of rhythm she had with the gentleman behind her. And when he saw her less than rhythmic jerks away from the man that held her, he stood up like sharply and darted for the crowd. Not before he shed his suit jacket on the chair he once sat upon. He pushed his way through, crab-walking quickly through the meshing bodies, trying to make a hurry out of getting to where he spotted her.

The voice was soft and low, undercurrents of panic as that grip tightened on her form to pull her towards him. She struggled for a moment even as her hands were lifting, that glass of whiskey shattering on the floor beneath her as her fists rose to lash out. Not quick enough as the man's grip caught her wrists and tightened around them bringing out a soft yelp of pain

His eyes raced across the many faces that were below him and at eye level with him. His height was a helpful advantage in navigating. He knew those type of guys. He used to high five them when he was in a college fraternity. But it got old after graduate school. He didn't play hero too often at all. In fact, hero and Nicolas Breckenridge rarely were in the same indicative sentence. He finally found her curly hair and thrashing that mismatched the bopping rhythm of the beat of the song. His hands shoved away the last few shoulders that were between them, and finally was in their range. Since there wasn't enough room to draw his arm back for a proper shove, his foot lifted and jutted structurally with a powerful piston-like motion at the man's knee. When the man paused in pain, Nic's hands came to Shawna's frame to wedge some space between them. Enough so that he could slam a fist into his face to disorient. His other hand clutched the man's shoulder, giving a clinching hold to the pressure point sleeping there. The pain the man felt got his hands to release Shawna's wrists. Nic wasn't a bar fighting type of guy. But he had taken enough martial arts classes to know what to do to ward off ill-intentioned perpetraitors.

A startled gasp was breathed out as she took a few stumbling steps back, dark lashes widening around black velvet eyes marred with a starburst of crimson. She watched surprised and stunned at Nicholas suddenly being there between her and the other man that had grabbed her. Her wrists ached and it took a lot for her not to react in other ways. Wrapping her arms around her waist she took a step back as her eyes were fixed intently upon his form. Him coming to her defense

His leg hooked backward into the gap of the man's legs to wrench his footing out of sync. The man plummeted to his knees, allowing the man to punch Nic's stomach. Nic doubled over, but clenched his hands together and brought down a Thor's hammer type blow to the top of the man's head. The man stiffened, and slid into unconsciousness, looking as if to be hugging Nic's legs, falling into them motionless. Nic shoved the man into the ground. The man was -obviously- drunk, and forceful. Nic took a few steps away from the man, his own heart racing.

Surprised she took a few steps forward fingers reaching to curl upon his arm as the pound of her own heart was beating in ragged shock in her chest. She couldn't go all crazy in the bar, it'd put out way too much of the secrets that Klara and Shawna had kept for so very long. "Thank...thank you?

He couldn't hear her due to the pounding music, and when she touched his arm, only then was he snapped back to reality. Nic nodded, and rolled his shoulders in a futile attempt to shake off the adrenaline pulsing through his veins. He turned toward her, and gestured toward the seating area. Even if she wasn't going to join him, he was certainly going there to pick up his jacket. He felt eerily calm and better than he felt before. The violence must have let him release some steam from the past few days of ledgers and board meetings.

She followed after him, eyes still marked by the crimson touch as she moved in step behind him. She felt that calmness strangely enough and settled into it with her own strange peace.

He criss crossed through the dance floor, finally getting to wear his jacket kept watch of his chosen seat. He snatched up his jacket. The noise was less concentrated, since the speakers were below them rather than at earshot level. "You really know how to pick them."

"I didn't pick him at all. He grabbed me." She suddenly didn't feel so thankful anymore, head bowed as she stared at him with those eyes torn between emotions. Crossing her arms over her chest as she looked away. The moment had truly shaken her, and she couldn't stop that subtle tremble

He sat back, and began to unbuckle the buttons at his wrists. He wore a long sleeve dress shirt that was a light blue. The tie of his was loosened, and undone. "You okay?"

"I will be." Softly, strong words even if she couldn't stop that shaking, that gentle shiver along her skin. A mix between shock and pure nerves

He nodded patiently, and then rubbed at his slightly mussed hair. He scooted closer to her, hands resting on his thighs, as his fingers intertwined loosely. Sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and he nudged her shoulder with his broader one. "Wanna get outta here" Get some air? I don't want that guy to wake up for round two."

"Yeah...maybe this place isn't right for tonight." A check of the time but it still wasn't in the Witching Hour where things could go bad. She nudged him back before of all the things, an impromptu hug as he brought up the other guy again

Nic grinned, and brought an arm to stroke her back in that brief hug to acknowledge an acceptance of her gesture. He stood up, and headed for the door. A curious, almost hungry glance was toward the area where the guy remained down for the count. He'd have a bruise later on his stomach.

At least that crimson burst had gone from her eyes. It was a different sort of hunger, a private thrill to see him near beast like nature to him when he fought the other man. She moved to his side to follow him into the night