Dates with total strangers were no stranger to Cosmina. Depending on the night and the reason she could be wining and dining with anyone and they might not survive the evening. Tonight was slightly different than the usual fare though. Her date for tonight was, for one, very obviously a mutant. Being one herself she had no problems with this except for those issues he might give her. And, amusingly enough, he'd outright demanded she go to dinner with him this evening. The brazen approach had amused her so much that she'd agreed based on that alone. Thus she was wandering about her penthouse apartment getting ready for said date. Her hair had been left down and slightly wavy. Nothing too fancy if only because fancy became troublesome if trouble came calling. Likewise her outfit was intended to be somewhat provocative without restricting her movement too much. It was a very short dress in a brilliant shade of blue with a pair of black knee boots that Mina knew she could fight in while still being decorative enough for the outfit.

Following a quick make up routine and a decision not to wear jewelry, too much chance for damage if they ended in a fight, Mina checked the window and made a brief call down to the desk to check if her date for the evening had arrived.

Venus wore a silky black button up, with a vest of azure silk over that, Black suspenders ran down to black with blue pin stripe slacks, his cobalt snake skin shoes gleamed with a shine that was refined. He teeth gleamed a white shine that most would think must have had cosmetic improvement, but it was just excellent hygiene, never mind they were sharp and wolfish.He pulled up to the curb of the building that wasn’t too far from his own apartment. In his shiny new toy.

He called the number that he was given. “I’m just outside, take your time if you like, I’ll be here.” Venus got out of the car and leaned on the hood of the gorgeous ride. His feet crossed at the ankle and a confident smirk on his face.

The call came shortly after she had gotten off of the phone with the boy at the desk. Cosmina collected her purse and her two phones, one for business and one for other things, and was off. The phones found their way inside the purse as she rode the elevator down. Wallet? Check. ID? Check. Keys? Check. Knife and derringer in case of trouble? Check.

Never let it be said that she'd let herself get caught without some weaponry no matter where she went. As she exited the elevator and stepped out of the lobby Mina caught an eyeful of the car and it's decoration and smirked.

"Nice toy."

She liked her baby better but the silver Jag was staying in tonight. The preference was likely only based on the fact that she owned the Jag and not this vehicle.

"Nice Dress." Venus observed his lovely date choice for the night. "You look gorgeous." He said as he opened the door to the blue snakeskin interior. thats right his shoes matched the leather in his car. He typically was a Red everything sort of guy but felt it made him pop more to contrast. He picked the lovely little Romanian because one she had a fire in her that he could resist playing with and two she hadn't shied away from him in the least, meaning more than likely she was a mutant or someone who had been around them a lot.

He closed the door behind and went around to his side of the car, surprisingly it didn't deep down when his heavy frame was added to the vehicle, he had the struts reinforced. He sped into traffic and weaved through new york 's nefarious roadways with ease of a practiced hand. He sped through the traffic to a Mediterranean restaurant that had five stars and a chef that could make anything into edible bliss.

The fact that they complimented each other was not lost on her. Neither was the color of the interior of the car. She grinned a little at his comment. If she said so herself it was hardly possible for her to be anything but gorgeous. She knew she looked good. She might have returned the comment but it seemed entirely redundant to do so. He dressed well and despite the obviously mutant features was fair to look at. The confidence he seemed to possess didn't need a boost.

"Thank you."

The drive to the restaurant was remarkable only in that Mina noted his skill at handling the vehicle. Beyond that there was little need to pay attention and she sat in thought until they arrived at their destination. Her eyes passed over the restaurant. If she'd been here before she didn't recall it.

" I hope you like Mediterranean, though if not I am sure the Chef will cater to our whims." Venus was known to be grateful to those that gave him great service, and when you were connected in ways that he was, people didn't like to disappoint him, just in case he was one of his brothers instead.

"So Mina, What do you do?'

Venus inquired as he opened the door for the woman brushing away the valet, he tossed the keys to the man and with a smile told him to have fun. the fact was he was going to drive the car how he liked anyway. He offered his tree trunk of an arm for the woman to hold if she liked, she might recognize that his arms were impossibly hard with muscle not that she wouldn't have guessed they would be.

"It's fine. Nothing I haven't had previously,"

So far so good. At least until he decided to ask the one question she didn't like answering. The answer itself changed with the weather. It wasn't as though she could openly admit to be a mercenary and assassin.

"I dabble. Temp jobs in this and that. I've been known to play bodyguard from time to time. Among other things."

None of that was strictly a lie. Mina wasn't hired on by any one individual and she had done bodyguard work. Still did actually. It paid when the contracts dried up for various reasons. Usually because the bosses thought they could get away with cheap hired help. They eventually came back when they wanted something done well and done quietly.

"And you?"

A sly grin came to his face. "˜I am in the same business, A man who does what needs doing." And that was that. He often had the trouble with the question and might have answered with philanthropist or some other mundane but explainable answer. " I admit however that it isn't my life's work. No." He lifted a delicate but he assumed dangerous hand to his lips. His eyes said that she was his life's work, a smoldering furnace burned behind those eyes and she was the fuel he seemed to crave.

"do you dance Frumoasa mea*?" He spoke Romanian fairly well since his stay there , it was much easier to seduce a woman when you knew at least a few phrases in her tongue, though sometimes you could get away with not even a word. He was more and more pleased with his date as they went.


**** Romainian- My lovely.

The same profession huh? Who knew if he was being truthful or not or whether the lack of names for their jobs had led to confusion. The bit of charm that followed made her happy she'd decided to take the date. It was amusing to see a charmer at work. It was an angle she'd used before, though she tended more towards physical appeal than pretty words.

"It's almost amazing how often people need someone to do what needs done. Of course I'd be out of a job if other people suddenly learned to do such things on their own."

Mina chuckled lightly, a sound that continued when she heard the Romanian roll off of her dining partner's tongue.

"It's been years since I heard that language. Not since my mama."

Of course she'd heard it since her mother but usually not from people she wanted to talk with. English served her better in most cases anyway, though being raised bilingual had it's benefits.

"And yes, I dance."

“Such is life, but I can’t say it surprising to find others less capable then the likes of us.”

“Stiu un pic, doar lucruri foarte importante.*” he smiled, typically people that hadn’t heard their native tounge for quite awhile too k the chance to dust of the old language.
“such as, Cred ca veti fi Uluitor la dans pe podea.*” but then again he wouldn’t push the point.
“I visited Romania during their registration act and did what I could to help the mutant cause, I picked up what I could while I was there,”
They made their way to an elevator and rode the clear glass box up the side of a wall to a roof top restaurant of pure elegance and luxury.


Romanian –I know a little, only the important things.
I think you will be amazing on the dance floor.

Mina casually lifted a shoulder in a shrug.

"Most of them are too lazy to do it themselves. They can't be expected to have any skills if they don't practice them."

His skill with her mother's language was good enough. It certainly didn't sound bad to her.

"It's enough." she smirked for a moment, "Of course I'll be amazing on the dance floor. It's one of the skills I learned for my jobs."

Mina winked at the smug charmer and waited until they were in the elevator before speaking again.

"Mama left Romania many years before the registration. I was born and raised here. I know enough of her tongue to get by because she wouldn't have it any other way but English is more my native language than Romanian."

The restaurant itself was quite upscale but then Mina had half expected that when she'd seen the car and his clothes. He enjoyed the finer things as well, or so she presumed.

“Too True.” He liked the fact of what was implied by what their employers were, they were not.

“ Ah, but dance is so much more than work, so much more than skill, it is a language of its own.” One that he hoped to have more conversation in than they had here and he hoped to continue that conversation late into the evening.

A presumption that was well informed, though did she realize that he saw her as one of the finer things in life? She would be the nights end he was sure. He ran an affectionate hand down the length of her arm.

The host snapped to attention upon seeing Venus, the reservation book being forgotten as the thoughts of tips fondly remembered replaced them. He snapped something into an earpiece and a flurry of motion happened in the back ground. He tilted his head for a moment and then a polite smile came across his face once more.

“Venus, your table is being readied as we speak.” A polite bow was given to them both, a moment’s hesitation and then he turned. “Right this way please.” He took them to a corner with what could have been arguably the best view in New York city, a silhouette of lady liberty cut itself on the moonlit night.

She listened politely to his commentary about dance but did not agree with him. To her dance was a skill and one that had served her well over the years. Mina prided herself in being good at any skill she took up and if she wasn't good she practiced until she became so. Dance had always been a means to an end for her. A tool to be used when infiltrating high society affairs or for seduction when she was at play. It did not have a 'soul' or a 'language' or whatever he wanted to claim. Such a claim sounded good to romantic types. One of these, Cosmina was not.

Allowing the touch to her arm, Mina watched the restaurant staff scramble with no small amount of happiness. Watching people serve her always put a smile on her face and though she knew the fuss was for this evening's company that didn't dim her smile one bit. Once they were seated Mina took a moment before smirking at Venus.

"You have them well trained."

Well trained staff at such places were always a blessing. Not to mention it made a good impression on clients that weren't already convinced of her skill.

“But of course. This is some of my finer work, people wait years for years to get a reservation at this place, but we have the best table upon sight.” Venus didn’t mind bragging a bit about it, the evening was just getting started. A guitarist made his way over and began to play. A bottle of their finest wine was brought over nearly immediately. A glass pour for each of them and bottle left in ice ate the table.

Menu’s were slide onto the table and the specialties of the night were recited . “ But for you both, we only wish to make your heart’s content, Master chef Louise has bid to tell you that anything you desire tonight shall be yours.” Ever since he saved Louise from that man with six arms and a scorpions tail he had the man in his pocket, he would have to make sure that he never found out that he put the scorpion man after him in the first place.

“Mina,” he said her name like it tasted good on his tongue.” What is your passion?”

And the evidence of said training came forward immediately. She laughed. He definitely had the people here in his pocket. The chef was basically at their beck and call. Mina could admit to herself that under other circumstances this would probably be a perfect date. However no one that charming was without agendas and thus she remained on her guard and let the whole thing amuse her. Besides, getting close any way but physically was far too dangerous.

"Passion, huh? Interesting choice of word."

And one entirely wasted on most people, or so she thought. Watching a person in their final moments of life showed her more passion than the average person saw in a lifetime. Dragging her eyes down the menu, Cosmina recited a couple of dishes that seemed interesting toward the waiter. They were jotted down quickly and efficiently.

"If I said my passion was living well what would you say?"

The answer was perhaps coy but she was determined to enjoy herself this evening, no matter where the night led.