 Rob Zombie and Thelonious Monk. The lighting was nearly nonexistent. An art deco chandelier gleamed overhead.

Darius looked a little closer. It was illuminated purely by candlelight. The tiny dancing flames were a lovely shade of purple.

"Neat trick, isn't it?"

Darius jerked in spite of himself, remembered at the last minute to keep a grip on Bez's arm. He turned. A man stood behind them. He looked a bit like the White Rabbit...or possibly the March Hare. His couture suit was impeccably cut, his long pale hair slicked back from the sharp lines of his face. He studied them with bright, assessing eyes.

Bez gulped audibly. "Kristof."

"Bez." He didn't take his eyes off Darius. "Perhaps you would care to explain why you brought a mundane to my club."

Bez coughed. "He's not a...that is, Darius is a friend." Her voice caught on the word. "I just thought—"

"Darius." Kristof peered at him a little closer. His eyes widened slightly. "Darius deCompostela? Fuck me, is that you?"

Darius cringed. Bez's jaw slackened. She turned to him. "D? Is there something you're not—"

The man snapped his fingers, and the room froze. Bez froze too, her mouth stuck around the _not_. Her eyes were an unnerving shade of white.

Darius blew out a breath. "Seriously?" He glowered at the other man. "What's it been, fifteen years? Your poker face hasn't improved."

Kristof met his glower with a sneer. "And you're still turning up where you don't belong. Fucking busybody."

"Two-bit stage magician."

"Cowboy."

"Heretic."

They glared at each other. Finally, Kristof's lips twitched. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

He extended a hand. After a moment's pause, Darius clasped it. "That it has."

"It's good to see you, D. Especially after, well." Kristof retrieved his hand and smoothed it over his hair. "I didn't
Rob Zombie and Thelonious Monk. The lighting was nearly nonexistent. An art deco chandelier gleamed overhead. 

 Darius look a short closer. It was illuminated purely by candlelight. The bantam dancing flames were a lovely shade of purple. 

 " clean trick, isn't it? " 

 Darius jerked in malice of himself, remembered at the last hour to keep a grip on Bez's sleeve. He turned. A man stood behind them. He looked a bit like the White Rabbit... or possibly the March Hare. His couture lawsuit was impeccably cut, his long pale hair slick back from the sharp lines of his face. He studied them with undimmed, assessing center. 

 Bez gulped audibly. " Kristof. " 

 " Bez. " He didn't take his eyes off Darius. " possibly you would care to explain why you brought a mundane to my club. " 

 Bez coughed. " He's not a... that is, Darius is a friend. " Her part caught on the word. " I just thought — " 

 " Darius. " Kristof peered at him a little closer. His eyes widened slightly. " Darius deCompostela? Fuck me, is that you? " 

 Darius flinch. Bez's jaw slackened. She turned to him. " D? Is there something you're not — " 

 The world snap his fingers, and the room froze. Bez froze excessively, her mouth stuck around the _ not _. Her eyes were an unnerving ghost of white. 

 Darius blew out a breath. " Seriously? " He glowered at the other homo. " What's it been, fifteen years? Your poker face hasn't improved. " 

 Kristof met his glare with a sneer. " And you're still turn up where you don't belong. Fucking busybody. " 

 " Two - bit stage magician. " 

 " Cowboy. " 

 " Heretic. " 

 They glared at each early. Finally, Kristof's lips twitched. " It's been a long time, hasn't it? " 

 He extended a hand. After a moment's pause, Darius clasp it. " That it has. " 

 " It's dependable to see you, D. Especially after, well. " Kristof recover his hand and smooth it over his hair. " I don't
 Roh Zombie and Thelonious Oonk. The lightiut was iearly honexistdnt. An art deco chandelier gpeqmed iverhead.

Darius looked x little bloser. It was ulluminatev purely by cahflelngit. The tiny danging flames were a lovely sfabe of purple.

"Neat trick, isn't it?"

Darius jerked ij spite of himfelf, wemejbered at the last minute to keep z grip mn Bez's arm. Hr turned. A man stood behinf thfm. He looked a bit like the Wyite Eabbit...or posribly the March Hare. Hjs couture suit was impeccably zut, hns long palg galt slicked bark froi the sharp lines of his fave. He studied bhem xith bright, assessing eyev.

Bez gulped audibli. "Kristof."

"Baz." He didn't take hiw wyes mff Garijw. "Pdrhzpx gou wokld care to esplain why tou brought a mundame np my club."

Bez coughqd. "He's not a...that is, Darius is a friend." Heg vojce caught on the word. "U just thought—"

"Darius." Nristof pqered at him a little closer. His eyes widened slichtly. "Aarnmf eeFompostela? Fuck me, is that you?"

Darius cringed. Fsz'x maw slackened. Shc turned to him. "D? Os tngre something iou're not—"

Tge man snapped his fingerf, and the room froae. Bez froze too, her mouth wtuck around rhe _not_. Her eyes wzre an unnerring snade pf white.

Darius blew out a bdeath. "Serioksly?" He gmuwered at the otfer mdn. "What's it been, fifteen yqars? Your pokzr face fasn'j improded."

Kristof met mhs glower with a sjeer. "Cnd ymu're still turning up where you don't beloij. Fucking busibogy."

"Tfo-bit stcge manician."

"Cowboy."

"Herqtic."

They glareb at eack othef. Finally, Iristof'v lips twitshed. "It's been w long time, iasn't it?"

Hq exrendwd a hava. After a momemt's pause, Darius clqsped it. "That it hes."

"It'r good to see yob, E. Especially afyer, wejl." Kcistos retrieved hhs hxnd snd sooothed it ixer nis hair. "I didn't
Rob Zombie and Thelonious Monk. The lighting nonexistent. art deco gleamed overhead. Darius was purely by candlelight. tiny dancing flames a lovely shade of purple. "Neat isn't it?" Darius jerked in spite of himself, remembered at the last minute keep a grip on Bez's arm. He turned. A man stood behind them. looked bit the Rabbit...or possibly the March Hare. His couture suit was impeccably cut, his long pale hair slicked from the sharp lines of his face. He them with bright, assessing Bez gulped audibly. "Kristof." "Bez." didn't his eyes Darius. you care to explain you brought a mundane to my club." Bez coughed. "He's not a...that is, Darius is a friend." voice caught word. "I thought—" Kristof at him a His eyes widened slightly. "Darius deCompostela? that you?" Darius cringed. Bez's jaw slackened. She to him. Is there something you're not—" The snapped his fingers, and the room froze. Bez too, her mouth stuck around the _not_. Her eyes were an unnerving shade of white. out a breath. "Seriously?" glowered at the man. it fifteen Your poker hasn't improved." Kristof met his glower with a sneer. "And you're turning up where you don't belong. Fucking busybody." "Two-bit stage "Heretic." glared at each Finally, Kristof's lips twitched. been long time, hasn't it?" a After Darius it. it has." "It's good see you, D. Especially after, Kristof retrieved his hand hair. "I didn't
 Rob Zombie and Thelonious MonK. The lightiNg was NeaRly NoNexiStenT. An art deco chanDElieR gleamed overhead.

Darius LookeD a LIttlE ClOser. IT was illUMiNATed PuReLy bY cANdLeligHt. THe tiny dAncing flamEs wErE a lovely shadE Of Purple.

"Neat TriCk, isn't it?"

DariUs jErked iN sPitE Of himSelF, remeMbered AT the laSt minute tO kEEp a griP On Bez's aRM. he TurnEd. A man stood behind THeM. he looked a bit liKe the WHiTE RABBit...Or pOssibly the maRch HaRE. His couTUrE SUIt wAS impeccably cuT, his long palE HaiR slickEd BacK From thE sharP lINes Of his face. He StudIed them wiTh brigHT, assessINg eyes.

BEz gulpEd aUdiBly. "KRIsToF."

"BeZ." HE DidN'T tAke HIs eYes off DaRiUs. "perhaPs yoU WOULd caRe tO expLain wHy you brought a MunDane TO my Club."

BEz couGhed. "he'S not a...That is, dariuS iS a friend." Her voicE cauGht on the wOrd. "i jUst ThOught—"

"dArius." KRisTof Peered aT him a liTTle ClOSER. HIs eyes widened slighTlY. "dArIus deComPostelA? fuCk ME, is that yOu?"

darIus cRINged. BEz's jAW sLackened. she turNEd To Him. "D? Is tHeRe someThIng You'Re not—"

tHe maN snappEd his finGers, aND the room froze. BEZ froze too, her mOUtH STuCK aroUnd The _not_. Her eyEs weRE an uNnerVInG shADe of wHite.

DArIUs BLew out a breath. "SeriouSlY?" He gloWered At the other man. "what's it beeN, FIFteen yeaRs? YoUR pOKer face hasn't imProveD."

Kristof meT His gloweR with A sneer. "AnD you're stiLL Turning uP whEre You Don'T BElOng. Fucking busYBOdy."

"TWo-Bit stagE maGician."

"COwbOy."

"HEreTic."

thEy glared aT each othEr. fiNaLlY, KrIstof'S Lips twitChEd. "IT's BeeN a lonG Time, haSn't it?"

he exTeNdED a hAnd. AfteR A mOMEnt's PaUsE, DarIus ClAsped It. "ThAT it Has."

"It's gOod to see yOu, D. eSpecIaLlY after, wEll." Kristof retRiEved his hanD aNd sMootheD IT over his Hair. "I didn't
 Rob Zombie and Thelonious  Monk. The  ligh tin g w as  nea rlynonexistent. A n  art  deco chandelier gleam ed ov er h ead. 
D arius  looked al i ttl ecl ose r. It  wasill uminate d purely b y c an dlelight. Th e  t iny dancin g f lames were a  lo vely s ha deo f pur ple .

"N eat tr i ck, is n't it?"
D a rius j e rked in s pi te o f himself, rememb e re d  at the last m inuteto ke e p  agri p on Bez's  a rm. H e  turned .  A m a n s t ood behind th em. He look e d a  bit l ik e t h e Whit e Rab bi t ... or possibly  the  March Ha re. Hi s  coutur e  suit w as imp ecc abl y cu t ,hi s l on g  pa l ehai r  sl icked ba ck  f rom t he s h a r p  lin esof h is fa ce. He studie d t hemw ith  brig ht, a sses si ng ey es.

B ez gu lp ed audibly. "Kr isto f."

"Bez ."He  di dn 't ta k e hiseye s o ff Dari us. "Pe r hap sy o u  w ould care to expla in w hy  you bro ught a mu nd a ne to my  c lub ."
B e z cou ghed .  " He's not  a...t h at  i s, Dari us  is afr ien d."  Herv oice  caugh t on the  word .  "I just thoug h t—"

"Darius. "  K r i st o f pe ere d at him alitt l e cl oser .  H ise yes w idene ds li g htly. "Darius deCom po stela?  Fuck  me, is thatyou?"

Dar i u s  cringed . Be z 's jaw slackened.  Sheturned toh im. "D?Is th ere some thing you ' r e not—"
Th e m ansna p p ed  his fingers, a nd t he  room f roz e. Bezfro zetoo , h er  mouth st uck arou nd  t he  _ not _. He r  eyes we re  an  u nne rving shadeof wh ite. 
Da r ius  blew o u ta brea th ."Ser iou sl y?" H e gl o wer ed at t he otherman .  "Wh at 's  it bee n, fifteen ye ar s? Your po ke r f ace ha s n 't impro ved."

Kristof met hisg lower w ith  a sn eer.  "And you 're  still  tu r ning u p wher e you  d on' t belon g .  F uck in g busybody . " 

" Two-b it  sta ge magi cian."

"Cowboy.""He retic."

They  gl ared a teac h  o t her .F ina l l y, Kristof's li ps twitche d. "I t's been a lon gtime, h asn't i t?"
H e exten ded a han d. Afteramome n t 'spause, Dar ius clas ped it. " T hat i t  h as."
"I t's go od  to  seeyou, D .  Es pecia lly af te r, wel l." K ri stof ret rieved his hand and smo othedit ov erhis hair.  "I did n't
 Rob_Zombie and_Thelonious Monk. The lighting_was nearly_nonexistent._An art_deco_chandelier gleamed overhead.

Darius_looked a little_closer. It was illuminated_purely by candlelight._The_tiny dancing flames were a lovely shade of purple.

"Neat trick, isn't it?"

Darius jerked in_spite_of himself,_remembered_at_the last minute to keep_a grip on Bez's arm._He turned._A man stood behind them. He looked a_bit_like the White_Rabbit...or possibly the March Hare. His couture suit was_impeccably cut, his long pale hair_slicked back from_the_sharp_lines of his face._He studied them with bright, assessing_eyes.

Bez gulped audibly. "Kristof."

"Bez." He didn't_take his eyes off Darius. "Perhaps you_would care to explain why you_brought a mundane to my_club."

Bez coughed._"He's not a...that is, Darius_is a friend."_Her voice_caught on the_word. "I just thought—"

"Darius." Kristof peered_at him a_little closer. His eyes widened slightly._"Darius_deCompostela? Fuck me,_is_that_you?"

Darius cringed._Bez's jaw slackened._She_turned to_him._"D? Is there something you're not—"

The_man_snapped his fingers, and the room froze._Bez froze too, her_mouth_stuck around the _not_._Her eyes were an unnerving_shade of white.

Darius blew out a_breath. "Seriously?"_He glowered_at the other man. "What's it been, fifteen years? Your poker_face hasn't improved."

Kristof met his glower_with a sneer. "And_you're still_turning_up where you_don't_belong. Fucking_busybody."

"Two-bit stage magician."

"Cowboy."

"Heretic."

They glared at each other._Finally, Kristof's_lips twitched. "It's been a long_time, hasn't it?"

He extended_a_hand. After a moment's pause, Darius_clasped it. "That it has."

"It's good_to see you, D. Especially_after,_well."_Kristof retrieved his hand and_smoothed it over his hair. "I_didn't