shake it out [kenzie]

[CYRUS LENNOX REID]

Staying in shape certainly wasn't a bad thing. Even after existing for so many years, Cyrus wasn't exactly sure if he could gain weight or lose the physical form that he had honed before, when he was truly alive and a human. He'd never been as physically active as his brother, Dorian, but he had worked hard to get a leaner, but still sculpted and strong physique that he could be proud of. It was a good thing, in his opinion, since he would be stuck in the same body and frozen in age for the rest of eternity, if he had his way. Although he had certainly made more than a handful of enemies in his time, few could actually track him down when he wanted to hide, and if they did find him, usually they ended up with both brothers to tangle with, and that was far more than most could handle. Especially petty to somewhat advanced thieves that Cyrus had pissed off because of some job or because he had taken something that he'd wanted for himself. Nowadays, he tried his best to stick with jobs that were given to him, instead of acting on his own, because there was routine and expectations that way. Also, it helped out the Averin family, and while he didn't know all of them, he was quite fond of Deidre, the daughter of one of the main mob bosses.

The swimming pools and recreation center were good for an occasional visit, while he was in town. The job he did, when he was on missions of his own were fairly physical, but working out was a great pastime for him as well. The exhilaration that came from pushing his body to the limit made him feel... for lack of a better term, alive again. First, he had decided to work out his arms and legs on the various exercise machines. Twenty minutes of weights, then forty minutes of cardio on the treadmill, that was his standard work-out. Then, he liked to go to the heavy bag an work on a few punches and fighting maneuvers that Dorian taught him. Normally, his missions wouldn't come to blows, as he was all about stealth and silence, but occasionally, even the professionals got caught, and then he'd have to be able to dispatch his attackers without killing them. Killing was something that Cyrus didn't enjoy, unless his own life was at stake, but he knew more than a few ways to put down an enemy force that didn't end in fatality.

After he'd worked his hands to exhaustion with some crippling blows on the heavy bag, he made his way to the swimming pool to cool off. Cyrus dove perfectly into the water and began to swim laps, loving how his body, even when it was exhausted, could still feel his body gliding through the water, light as a feather. His endurance really was quite impressive, but that could easily have been attributed to some of his more special abilities. Even with the extra damage he could do, Cyrus would be lying if he ever said that he didn't miss being human, but only sometimes. After all, this was a life he'd chosen so he could continue at his brother's side for eternity, if life would be so kind as to grant it to them.

The hybrid swam two more laps, then surfaced and caught the gorgeous eyes of a rather lovely young woman. She was looking at him, or at least, that was the impression he got. His days had been lonely, and she seemed... Cyrus gave a closer look, using his limited abilities to read auras to really tap into what was bothering this young woman. Stress. Irritation. Overburdened responsibilities. Cyrus gave a half-smile to himself, knowing that he could understand. Some of the jobs he'd done had been very much for Dorian's sake, and while he did like doing good, it wasn't what drove him as it drove his twin. Sometimes, the responsibility of always needing to toe the line made him exhausted, no matter how much he loved his brother.

Cyrus used his upper arm strength to lift him out of the pool, shirtless for the time being, but moved toward where his towel and gym bag were. After drying off a little and pulling his tank top over his head, he approached the woman and slung the towel and bag over his shoulder. ”I'm very sorry to intrude, but I couldn't help but notice you,” Cyrus said, turning on the charm and speaking softly, then giving the woman a kind smile. ”I'm Cyrus, and I was actually just headed out. Could I buy you a drink? You look as though you've got the weight of the entire world on your shoulders, and I'd very much like to ease that burden.” Normally, he wasn't so bold, but the days had grown too long for him to be lonely, and spring had always been somewhat symbolic of a rebirth for him. Maybe, just maybe, it was time for him to start trying again.

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OUTFIT: Here!

[MAKENZIE EVE MYERS]

[style=width:400px; height:15px; font-family:oleo script; font-size:23px; line-height:85%; color:#876363; border-bottom: 5px solid #c1a2a2; letter-spacing:-1px; text-decoration:italic; text-align:right;]make me listen to the truth even if it breaks me,

you can judge me, love me

This really wasn't Kenzie's normal go to place for when she was looking for a bit of a getaway but that's actually what made it all the more perfect at the moment. No one would be looking for her here and the chances of running into anyone she knew by chance was basically slim to none. She enjoyed running her spa and she loved taking care of her pack but sometimes one just needed some time alone. Away from the sudden influx of stress and anxiety that had hit rather unexpectedly starting with Harper's kidnapping. Thankfully that had ended happily enough in part to she and Wyatt Montgomery teaming up to get her back. Between her girls and the guys from his pack as well even the radicals who had taken Harper were no match. Granted there had been a few hairy moments and there had been a point when Makenzie had been about ready to go down swinging to make sure her girls made it out safely. Wyatt had proven himself a more honorable man than she'd given him credit for though and come back to get her out.

In the end they had all made it out with mostly cuts and bruises, most healing quickly enough thanks to their heritage. It had left a mark though, reminded her of that dreadful night almost a year ago that had left her with this title in the first place, something she had hoped her pack would never have to experience again. Because so little could actually harm them as wolves it was almost easy to fall into a sort of complacency where you didn't feel as if it could touch you almost. Even though she knew that was hardly the truth a part of Kenzie had wanted to believe it could be possible. Because she hated this. Feeling this way, vulnerable and powerless. She had felt that way her whole life growing up and until she had finally thrown fate to the wind and run away it had been like something of a shackle tying her down. Since then she'd come so far and was almost a completely different person in terms of her confidence and attitude and now she was determined not to fall back into those old habits.

So here she was, sitting by a swimming pool, book in hand hoping to simply disappear for a while into this fantasy world inside the pages. It had worked for a short while but her mind proved to be a bit distracted by the second bit of news that had added all the more irritation to her mood the other day. A new pack had apparently arrived in the city a few days ago, a large one too with males and females combined. Apparently the alpha was some eighteen year old child or that was how Makenzie thought of anyone younger than twenty-one. She hadn't spoken to any of her girls or Larson about it yet though she was sure they had also heard the rumor which they would no doubt bring up in the pack meeting coming up. She wasn't really fearful over this new pack but she was wary. Trust was not something she easily gave and normally it took a good deal of proof for her to believe you weren't simply going to screw her over. Though he likely had not a clue Wyatt had actually done just that the night they had gone to find Harper by simply coming back for her even though it meant risking his own life to do so. Did she still think he was an arrogant asshat? Yes, yes she did but he as an arrogant asshat she trusted and that was something to say the least.

After getting less than five pages into her novel, Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Glaskell, she glanced up from the classic at the sound of water splashing. When she'd first come out here by the pool there had been no one swimming and only one other person sitting the the opposite side of it reading as well. This new addition to their silent little party certainly seemed to know his way around the water, slicing through it with long, easy strokes. She watched him for a short bit but soon directed her eyes back down to her book though that was really a lost cause by this point. Simply too much on her mind to enjoy the book as much as it deserved. Instead she found her eyes once again draw to the young man now surfacing at the end of the pool, not even really caring when he caught her staring slightly. Playing absently with the pages still open in front of her she subtly kept her gaze flickering back and forth as he climbed from the pool, a very faint little smile tugging one corner of her lips upward. She might not have had the highest opinion of men as a whole but there was no denying some of them were rather pretty to look at all the same.

Having averted her gaze again and attempting to once more concentrate on this book, Makenzie was not at all expecting the sudden sound of a voice aimed her direction and glanced up slight surprise. The man from the pool stood a couple of feet away, a black tank on now and a warm smile on his face. His voice was softer sounding than she imagined it to be from just looking at him and though normally she wouldn't have much cared for the interruption this time it didn't seem to bother her really. Tilting her head slightly, she listened as he continued not sure she was hearing him right. He wanted to buy her a drink because he thought she seemed troubled? Well that was a first. Most men had...other intentions in mind to put it politely. Not that he didn't have any ulterior motives of his own but at least he was being sweet for the time being. Closing her book, she bit her lip thoughtfully, sizing him up almost. "Well aren't we a regular Dr.Phil," She remarked almost in amusement, making light of of the fact that he'd so accurately pegged her current mood. "A drink does actually sound rather wonderful right at this moment though so yes you may buy me a drink. Or two,"

This was hardly something Kenzie did often, agree to get a drink with a complete stranger. She just didn't have the patience to put up with most of them and honestly wasn't interested in any kind of hook up. So why put yourself through all that hassle of dealing with them when you could simply skip it and have a much better time? This man, however, gave off a rather calming vibe and for some reason Makenzie really did believe he wanted to give her shoulders a rest from that imaginary yet still very heavy weight. Standing up, she slung the strap of her medium sized bag over her shoulder. "Makenzie," She introduced in in return, a real smile parting her lips for the first time.

[style=width:400px; font-family:courier; font-size:10px; text-align:center;]THANKS TO MAC !

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[CYRUS LENNOX REID]

Cyrus loved women. It was intrinsic to his nature to notice what he believed was the more beautiful example of the species – even if they weren't exactly human. However, one thing that Cyrus didn't do was long-term, intimate relationships. Sometimes, women had difficulty understanding what this meant and pegged him as a 'player' of modern society – the kind of man who dates a woman with the hope of seducing her and sleeping with her, but nothing else. Cyrus was somewhat of the exact opposite, and he found this to be endlessly confusing to some women. The hybrid enjoyed the company of women outside of his bedroom. He loved to take women out for lunches and dinners, on lavish, romantic dates; he liked making women feel like the special, beautiful beings that he thought they were, and if some intimacy happened, he enjoyed kissing, light affection, and all of that, but he had closed himself off to the idea of a sexual relationship a rather long time ago. Centuries ago.

After he'd lost Mae and their unborn child, Cyrus believed that he'd lost everything. The only thing that kept him going was his relationship with his brother and the fact that Dorian needed him – the twins had a mission, and after he lost the woman who he'd hoped would be his wife and mother of many, many children with him, he was more determined than ever to finish what they'd started when they started lending a hand in helping slaves cross the Underground Railroad safely and make it to Northern states where they would have their freedom. Once that was free and the North won the Civil War, Cyrus had considered being done with the whole 'saving people' thing – even though he knew the world was better off without the twenty-four Ku Klux Klan members he had murdered after finding his beloved hanging from a tree, he still felt a twinge of guilt and really began to question what was really right or wrong – killing people was wrong, wasn't it? Yet he and Dorian killed those who would harm and enslave others for a cause. The KKK members and slave-owners in the South felt that they were acting upon their own cause, too. So, who was right? Cyrus had stopped killing for good after the Civil War and focused on his work instead, using his ambiguous, non-violent morality to make himself millions, and helped out his brother when he could, so long as Dorian promised not to put him in a situation where he would have to take another life.

These days, he was a very busy man, and spending time with beautiful women in between his jobs and other trips for 'business' was a way for him to unwind. A beautiful woman, he'd learned, could be very distracting from a number of things that weighed heavily on his mind on a daily basis, and it was something he enjoyed to be able to make some lovely lady laugh and smile just because of his company. That was why, when he laid eyes upon a rather lovely woman who was by the poolside reading, looking like she was in a conflicted state of mind (and her aura confirmed this detail), he couldn't help himself – he approached her, hoping that she'd favor him enough to let him try to make her smile again. After looking at the title of the book she was reading and not recognizing it, he spoke to her, trying not to intrude or make her feel like he was just looking at her for her physical beauty, which was staggering. She seemed amenable, so he continued with his attempt, knowing that he'd at least caught a temporary interest when she closed her book and looked his way. ”Perhaps more insightful, and with better hair. I hope,” Cyrus ran a hand through his hair that was likely messier than his usual style because he had been swimming, but he laughed a little – he wasn't self-absorbed at all, but found that most women liked a man with a good sense of humor. ”You might just say that I take an interest in beautiful women who should smile more.”

After making the offer to take her out for a drink – or, as she suggested, two – Cyrus took a step back and collected his bag, throwing it over his shoulder and offered her his hand. Not that she needed it or anything, but it was a polite gesture. ”Two sounds equally wonderful, shall we?” After she stood up and they started walking out of the pool area together, he saw her smile in a way that he knew was likely genuine and she gave him her name in response to his own. ”Makenzie. That's a beautiful name,” Cyrus said, then tilted his head to the side a little, regarding the structure of her face and how it seemed to light up whenever she smiled. ”And an equally lovely smile to match.” They made it outside, and Cyrus held the door for her, and pointed toward a building that was just down the way.

”It's a little pub that I frequent when I'm in town. They've got a great bar selection, and it's just a short walk.” They made it to the building, where he opened the door for her again, and snagged them a table, a little bit secluded, but not enough that she might be uncomfortable and flagged down a waitress. He ordered a gin and tonic for himself, and allowed her to make her selection before the waitress left and they were alone to their conversation. ”I noticed the book you were reading – it's not one I recognize. Is it any good?” Whenever he was with a woman, Cyrus liked to set the tone early, letting them know that he wasn't the typical man, and wasn't going to drop cheesy pick-up lines at them or hit on them shamelessly until they felt uncomfortable or like an object. One of the finest thing about a good woman was a sharp mind, and he always liked to know what was underneath the surface in terms of substance. Without even reading her aura too closely, Cyrus could tell that Makenzie had a lot of substance, and he was curious to get to know her, hoping that they would have a good connection. A good connection always brightened his day.

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[MAKENZIE EVE MYERS]

[style=width:400px; height:15px; font-family:oleo script; font-size:23px; line-height:85%; color:#876363; border-bottom: 5px solid #c1a2a2; letter-spacing:-1px; text-decoration:italic; text-align:right;]make me listen to the truth even if it breaks me,

you can judge me, love me

There were more than a few people in Makenzie's life that seemed to assume that she was something of a man-hater. It was true she had a rather low opinion of a good many of them and honestly wasn't going to give most the time of day. However, she was by no means of the mind that men were only good for procreatation and had no other redeeming qualities. On the contrary she was more than happy to point out the opposing gender's positive traits and knew more than a few who she respected and even considered friends. The fact that she wasn't one to go out and let a man hit on her at the bar without either telling him off or that she didn't prefer to have casual sex seemed to fuel her reputation though. She wasn't exactly sorry for it because by this point she didn't figure there was a man out there who would want to put up with her fiesty attitude or past baggage even if she had dealt with most of it. At least this way she didn't have to deal with the constant questions of when she was going to finally settle down or have kids. Everyone just seemed to assume she was going to spend the rest of her life a single woman.

Outwardly she didn't let on that it bothered her that she was likely going to be alone for the rest of her life. She had always been tough and resilent and there were worse things than living by one's self. Deep down though that thought always made her faintly sad. Maybe it was having had the message drilled into her all her growing up years that she was supposed to get married and raise a family that accounted for that longing. Or maybe she was just afraid of being old and lonely. She had friends though, good friends and her pack as well which meant she shouldn't have to really ever fear having no one. That desire was still there though, the one deep, deep down that secretly wanted though more than to have someone know you utterly and completely, no secrets, and still love you for who you were.

Frankly though she didn't expect that sort of thing to happen. She was just a bit too practical for that I guess. One of the reasons she identified so well with Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Predjudice. She could imagine that happy ending scenario but didn't have high hopes of it every actually happening to her. Just wasn't how the world worked. Even as a little girl she'd quickly realized that fact. So might as well resign yourself to it and get on with life. And she had. Enjoyed it very much most of the time and really couldn't look back and say she'd change anything about it so far, good or bad. It had all shaped her into the woman she was today, cliche though that sounded. And normally that woman would have glanced up upon being approached by this stranger and given a one or two word reply in a tone that would have made it quite clear she was not interested in whatever it was he wanted. Could have been just a conversation true but in her experience it was never just a conversation for most of them.

There was something about this man though, something that gave her that tiny moment's pause and instead of shutting him down cold she actually found herself closing her book and giving him most of her attention. Still she wasn't completely out of character, brushing off his (correct) assumption that she looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. To his credit he didn't get offended or even seem put off by her remark, going right along with it even. He was right; he did have better hair than Dr. Phil. More of it at the very least even though it was slicked back a bit from being wet. His added observation made her lips twitch a bit but she didn't reward him with the aforementioned action even though she found herself oddly touched by the sentiment. Normally that sort of line would have her rolling her eyes and scoffing inwardly at whatever sleezeball was trying to get her to notice him. The way this man said it though came across in a completely different manner and for once it was appreciated. Still she wasn't about to let her walls down that easily.

In fact a part of her almost grew a tiny bit more wary when he offered her his hand as she stood up before proceeding to happily agree to two drinks. Certainly there had to be some sort of ulterior motive behind all this chivalry. There usually was after all. Still it might be fun to play along and see how much time it took until the act dropped and he revealed his actual intentions. She certainly wasn't afraid to put him in his place when that happened so why not be a little spontaneous for once? He continued to play the part of a perfect gentleman though, complimenting not only her name but the smile that she finally let part her lips. Well, Cyrus weren't you proving to be something else?

Stepping through the door as he held it open for her she followed the direction of his hand and recognized the building he was pointing out. She'd been there a couple of times but couldn't say she knew it extremely well. She did remember the nice atmosphere though as they walked inside and Cyrus found them a table quickly enough before flagging down a waitress. "Rum and Coke for me please," Honestly she didn't even know if she'd drink any of it simply because she liked to be on top of things when it came to situations such as this. However, it wasn't a strong drink. As soon as the waitress left Kenzie prepared herself for that awkward quiet that often seemed to follow but instead the man across from her picked the conversation right back up, inquiring about the book she had been reading by the pool. still waiting for that inevitable moment when he'd start trying to talk her into coming home with him or worse start getting to handsy right there at the table she was pleasantly surprised at how well he was doing so far.

"A lot of people aren't familiar with it I've found but it's one of my favorites and I think just as good as any Jane Austen novel if you enjoy those types of classics," A smile accompanied her response, nothing flirty or overly wide but pleasant nonetheless which was getting more out of her than a good few men could boast. "So, Cyrus, what sort of books are you familiar with reading?" A slightly tilt of her head was given along with the query, genuinely curious to see what he found interesting literature. It was rare to meet a man who enjoyed reading anything more than a magazine these days let alone one who actually knew some of the classics. Maybe this stranger would prove himself in a league all his own on that account though

[style=width:400px; font-family:courier; font-size:10px; text-align:center;]THANKS TO MAC !

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[CYRUS LENNOX REID]

Part of what drew him to his profession as a thief, spy, and criminal was that Cyrus enjoyed a challenge in just about every aspect of his life. For him, nothing that was truly worth doing should be easy, otherwise you couldn't really enjoy it once you reaped the benefits of whatever the prize was. Whether it was a million dollar artwork heist or some uncrackable vault, taking the 'easy way out' had never appealed to him, even if sometimes, the simplicities of life were enjoyable enough. To Cyrus, an easy life would be a boring life, which was why he was always challenging himself, always moving, traveling, and meeting new people. Making new memories and engaging in new experiences kept eternity from seeming like a chore, and from the moment he got that flicker of determination and slight disinterest in the brunette's aura when he met eyes with her at the pool side, Cyrus knew that this would be his challenge of the day.

Of course, compared to most men, he was harmless where his methods of seduction were concerned. No matter how good a date was, he'd never end up taking a woman home or going back to her place. There were no strings, and definitely no temptation for sex for the hybrid, because he just wasn't interested. The more interesting part of courtship to Cyrus was the chase, which might seem strange for someone whose entire career was based upon the hope that risks would pay off. He considered the 'payoff' from romance and dating women to be the time spent together, the opportunity he had to surprise a woman who might have preconceived notions about what kind of men existed in the modern world. To bring back a bit of chivalry, even, because in his opinion, it was a lost art, and one that he had not forgotten. The hybrid had lots of charm, intelligence, and was a good conversationalist, and had enough confidence in his looks and other facets of his personality that would gather a woman's attention that he knew he could get just about any woman interested in him, with enough time. But still, there was that desire for a challenge, and if this mysterious brunette could give him that, it would be a good day indeed.

So he started small by gathering careful insight, just like he did with his jobs – knowledge was power, and all that – and read her aura carefully, not wanting to dip into her thoughts too deeply because that sort of thing was private, and he didn't have as strong telepathic abilities, anyway. His immortal half tended to showcase itself with a stronger sensitivity to auras, along with the quick healing, but reading minds was touch and go. She was skeptical, which only fueled his interest, after he introduced himself and even complimented her, being so bold as to guess that she'd have a lovely smile. Really, he didn't consider it to be much of an improbability – most women had lovely smiles, and since she was a beauty in her own right, even with a more neutral expression on her face, he had no doubts that her smile would be stunning. The fact that she didn't immediately go along with his veiled request made him chuckle and grin all on his own, because it proved that she was intelligent and still skeptical, not willing to just humor his request because he was immediately complimentary.

So he'd have to take another approach, making jokes in a cordial way that showed his own intelligence when she made certain compliments, and it didn't take much longer than that for them to make their way out and toward a little pub that he frequented while he was in town. Also, he was finally rewarded with that smile, which pleased him to no end. They sat down, ordered their drinks, and he paid direct attention to Makenzie as she spoke, taking an interest in the book she was reading, as it showed that he paid attention to more than just her looks, which most women appreciated. Naturally, she made a reference that he'd only understand if he knew literature, and he did, and then turned the tables on him. The hybrid grinned. ”A well-read woman is a rarity, I've found. Jane Austen is good, classic, sometimes a bit wordy for my tastes.” He liked description, but not always in the format that went on, and on, and on... ”Some of my personal favorites? I tend to stick with a little bit older classics: Goethe, Shakespeare, though mostly his sonnets and lesser famed stories, Shelley, Kafka, Tolstoy... I could talk about books all day, if you'd let me. What do you enjoy, other than Ms. Austen's works? Romance? Adventure?” He wasn't trying to brag, but he was trying to set the framework to let her know that he was more than just some random man that would make an attempt to 'pick her up' in a public meeting place. Their drinks came, and he took a moment to kindly thank their waitress with a warm smile, then took a sip before focusing all of his attention back on Makenzie.

”I hate to monopolize the questions while two people are getting to know one another, so please feel free to ask me anything. I suppose we could always take turns, but that seems a bit staggered, don't you think? Interrupts the flow of conversation.” Cyrus said, opening the floor for her to take an interest in him, in case she was interested, which he really hoped she was. Still, he got the sense that he'd need to do a little more ice breaking to get her to warm up to him at all. ”Right then... are you a local girl, or has Manuka become a home for you later in life, as it has for me?” It wasn't fun to make too many assumptions about people, but if he had to guess, he'd say that she was likely from Manuka, since she seemed fairly confident with her surroundings, and was also a werewolf. Oh, he'd picked that up right away, and he knew that werewolves existed everywhere, but also knew that there was a rather large population of them in town. Packs, a prominent family of werewolves. He'd done his research. Regardless, an interesting person was an interesting person, and a beautiful woman, well... he'd never hold species against something, that was for sure. After asking his question, he decided to take a step back and allow Makenzie to continue, elaborate however she was comfortable, and he could continue from there – he was a quick study of people, especially ones that captivated him in some way or another. And those dark eyes that kept flickering over his face were certainly captivating, and made him very aware that there was a reason why women were something of a weakness for even the most capable of men.

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