“She’s someone under my protection.”  Jo said softly, stepping back from the loose hug and Nat nodded, having once been under that protection.  Now she was just as strong as Jo was, at least without her vampire enhanced powers.  “As you’ve been your whole life.”

            “Ah, of course.”  Nat said in a voice so adult that Jo had to blink.  “I’m going to wander. You have someone on your six that seems to need your desperate attention.”  Jo turned to come face to face with Marina.

~*~*~*~*~*

            The CAC was looking wonderful, and Windwalker and the JadedRogue were blending into the crowd as much as they could.  Wind tall and towering and Rogue shorter and tussled. 

            Both had gone shopping for clothes for the occasion, Rogue having lifted two tickets to the event, even though they’d been invited. Along with credit cards and wallets.  Wind was none too happy about the event, but the Rogue told her it was how to do it.  Selling too many coins would raise suspicions.  Wind had shot back that getting caught for pick pocketing would be just as bad.  Rogue had scoffed.

            In what might have been payback, Windwalker had lifted one stolen credit card from the Rogue’s pocket while she was rummaging through the racks, mumbling about why they couldn’t make comfortable clothes that could pass social muster.  Unsupervised, Wind had selected a black wide-collared shirt, black form-hugging pants, and a shimmering green tie that called out the emerald in her eyes, but opting for comfort rather than style in a pair of brushed suede Frye Boots and a matching wristband with chrome hardware.

            Rogue had practically choked when Windwalker stepped out of their motel bedroom later, looking beautiful and butch as hell.  She swallowed her words, not wanting to give the shaman any indication that she approved of her fashion sense.  Or her obvious native beauty.  Just who is she dressing for, Jaded asked herself and shook the question off.  Sometimes it was just better not to know.

            Now they were walking about the CAC, watching and taking mental notes.  The DJ for the evening, a lovely little morsel named Carmen, Rogue had learned, was playing an updated version of ‘Sway’ by a group called Pussycat Dolls of all things.