Moonlighting (Open)

[JAMES HUGHES]

LOUISEVILLE, KENTUCKY

James let the rhythm of the music in the bar calm him down. He was so close- he could almost taste it. As wonderful as that was, he was growing impatient and he didn't want to end up doing anything drastic because of his obsession.

So that's why James was in the middle of a bar, drinking shots of vodka like it was water and eyeing the dance floor. There were a couple of lovely ladies that he figured he could have fun with but he didn't move from his seat at the bar. He would feel dirty if he found her after...indulging himself...

James frowned, his anger boiling a bit until he downed a few more shots and crossed his arms. A bit of fun couldn't hurt and it would take his mind off of the obsession of the hunt. But who should he approach? Now that was a cunundrum.

[SHILOH SUMMERLAND]

Shiloh had decided to visit the bar for a little R&R as she had been having a particularly crummy and rough day. She had spent all of the day running around the town looking for any sort of leads to her current case she was working but so far she had come up with absolutely nothing. It was really starting to get to her so she decided to stop trying to wrack her brain about it and just relax for a few hours and have a few beers. Maybe in the morning she would have a pair of fresh eyes so to speak and finally figure out what clues was missing.

Though as soon as she had stepped into the establishment she realized that she had not expected it to be as packed as it was. Normally this would have deterred her from the place altogether but she was determined to have herself a damn drink. So she simply started pushing her way through the congested walkway. Elbowing and moving people out of the way as trying to excuse herself would have been completely pointless as no one would have been able to hear her over the loud sound system. She tried not to gag as she caught a few whiffs of someone having serious body oder problems.

Finally she had managed to get halfway there and nearly squeezed through some tables when someone suddenly pushed back their chair with a screech and bumped into her. Which caused her to crash into a nearby table that someone had unfortunately been sitting at. Thankfully her reflexes had acted fast as she grabbed the table to keep it from being knocked over though not enough to keep one of the shot glasses on the table from falling over. She could not help but wince at the sight of spilled liquor.

"Sorry about that." Shiloh shouted apologetically over the loud music as she watched for the brunette man sitting at the table for his reaction.

[JAMES HUGHES]

"Don't worry about it," James flashed the girl a charming smile. It seems his night was about to get much more interesting. By the looks of her she was strong, capable- possibly a hunter.

He forced down his urges to do anything uncouth and gestured to the free seat at the opposite end of the table. "It looks like you're trying to find a place to sit. I'd be honored to have your company." He felt smug but portrayed a humble facade in order to bring the girl in. Yes... this night was about to get much more interesting indeed.

[SHILOH SUMMERLAND]

Shiloh raised an eyebrow at him 'an honor' she thought to herself. She could not remember the last time someone, especially a guy had ever said that to her. Hell she didn't even think anyone ever did in her entire life. She mulled over the idea of grabbing a seat with the guy. As she considered it she gave him the once over. He seemed pretty average looking with his short light brown curly hair and deep brown eyes. Physically she would guess that he was pretty good with the ladies since he was very easy on the eyes. She also noticed that he wasn't wearing anything to fancy for a night out at the bar. If she had to guess she would have pegged him as a possible local college student. Normally she didn't trust anyone for a moment, but if he really was just a college kid there wasn't much he could do that she couldn't handle. If she really needed to she could always break his arm or something.

Grabbing a hold of the back of the metal chair she pulled it back quickly and sat down into it in one swift motion. She might as well take up the offer of a seat she told herself as she sat. Since she was sure that she wouldn't be able to find a free seat anywhere else. Plus it would have been rude of her to decline the offer especially after she cost him a good drink.

"Sorry again about the drink, some asshole bumped into me." she told him as she sat there resting on her elbows across the table from him. She gave him a quick half-hearted smile as if to also say 'what else could I do'.

[JAMES HUGHES]

"Consider your debt paid, offering me some of your time," James laughed, his facade of ease working. He figured he looked as average as they come-another good thing about still being human. Not many people suspected you of of ill deeds when you looked like a young southerner. Ever since he made his deal with the cross-roads demon he had been able to weave in and out of every lie as if each new skin he took on was as real as his own.

"Not many men my age know how to be a gentleman, anyway. It's a waste." James sighed. "But, let me offer apologizes in his place," He gave Shiloh a gentle, charming smile. "Mind if I buy you a drink?" James shifted in his seat, tilting his head to the side in a vague, almost niave sort of gesture. He made sure he was showing this girl only his best most refined mask; he had a feeling that she was smarter than the usual bimbo he would run into. "The name is James. May I ask your name?"

[SHILOH SUMMERLAND]

Shiloh couldn't help but let out a brief laugh at his comment about his fellow men. As she of all people knew full well that not many guys now a days were even the least bit gentlemen-like. She seemed to have the worst luck ever as she had managed to run into a lot of jerks on and off cases she worked. Which sort of explained why she hated deal with them at bars, since beer made them even worse than if they were sober.

"You can sure say that again." she told him as she rolled her eyes to further express her disdain for jerks. "Sure, I'd love a drink right about now." she told him and that fact that she didn't have to pay for it was an added bonus not that she would say that outloud. Since life as a hunter did not exactly mean that one would be rolling in the greenbacks. In fact it was the opposite sometimes she would really have to watch her cash and try to get to it to stretch out as long as she could.

"Name's Shiloh." she told him with a half-smirk.

[JAMES HUGHES]

James couldn't believe his luck. She was falling for each ploy he had, though it wasn't as if he expected she wouldn't. He was quite impressed, almost so impressed he was considering letting her go instead of trying to eliminate her once their little soiree was over. This Shiloh was intelligent- street-smart in ways that most of the female hunters he encountered were lacking.

"So, Shiloh, why are hanging around a bar like this? You strike me as someone who can do remarkably better," James gestured, for example, to a man at the table to the left of them who was so plastered he had passed out in his food. "I don't reckon you enjoy that sort of company," He laughed, before giving her a good-natured smile. James had to pat himself on the back- his rich southern accent was yet another thing that helped bulster his facade despite the fact that it lent nothing to his character. James gestured to a waitress, ordering a round of drinks for the two to them before turning his smile directly at Shiloh again.

[SHILOH SUMMERLAND]

Shiloh was taken completely off guard by his question, as she had always thought that she fit into the local bar scene like this one. As she did her best to blend in with the locals so that she did not bring any more attention to herself. She guessed that maybe now she would have to try even more to seem normal to other people. But none the less she answered his question without giving too much about herself away. As she liked to keep her secrets hiding, and she did a damn well job of doing so.

"I'm staying in town for a few days and I decided to spend tonight kicking back and downing a few beers here to wind down a bit."

She turned slightly in her seat to get a look at the man that James had pointed out. Seeing the man completely over his limit in liquor and possibly taking a nap in his food she couldn't help but make a face in his direction. "You reckon pretty right about that guy, I normally stay away from types like him." she told him playfully imitating part of the southern accent that he had.

[JAMES HUGHES]

"I guess it seems like a pretty good place to take a load off. That's why I'm here. Nowhere else in town to get a good beer like out in a rowdy bar like this." James whistled low for a moment before giving Shiloh a cheeky grin and wink. "It's places like these that remind me of back home in the country." The corner of his lips turned up in a quick smile at Shiloh's teasing. Yes, this girl certainly was entertaining. He contemplated letting her go after they had their fun.

"Ah, now that's not fair," James put a hand over his heart, giving Shiloh a wounded expression. "My accent is quite charming I'll have ya know." He laughed for a moment before shrugging. "Most people grow to like my accent. You will in time I'm sure." He gave a big laugh, before taking a swig of his beer. "It's a mighty shame you dislike me so much," Another laugh.

[SHILOH SUMMERLAND]

"I'm sure it is" Shiloh responded with a laugh and resisted the urge to roll of her eyes at his statement that his accent was found charming. Maybe by flocks of naive girls it might of worked to charm them out of her panties with the help of that grin he flashed she thought, but Shiloh was a little smarter than that. Carefully crafted words and good smile wasn't going to melt her just yet, as living the hunter life made her a tad more suspicious of everyone. Though she made it a point to hide it very well so that she did not tip anyone off. She decided to have a little fun with this guy as she always found it fun to tease people every now and then. Plus she needed a little fun to balance out the stress from her day.

"Never said that I didn't like you." She said to him quite cryptically so that it would make it harder for him to figure out what she had exactly meant by that. Shiloh also flashed him a brilliant smile of her own as well.

[JAMES HUGHES]

James couldn't be more pleased with himself. He sure knew how to spot the interesting ones. "You're a cold woman with a sharp tongue, Shiloh." He lifted up his beer as if to toast to her and then took another swig. "But I don't scare easily," He laughed, a twinkle to his eyes. James knew how to play this game well- the game of a predator and prey was simply a chance to distract with a whole bunch of smoke and mirrors.

"So, tell me, what do you think of the town?" James tilted his head toward the windows, truly interested. "I grew up her when I was a young'un and just coming back for a visit. It looks the same as it ever was but I'm not too sure what outsiders think of it." She was clearly not from around the area, that was obvious from her lack of a southern accent so he hadn't revealed that he knew she was a hunter. He'd continue to play the clueless and endlessly charming southern boy.

[SHILOH SUMMERLAND]

At his comment about her being a very cold woman she could not help but quirk her eyebrow at him again and give him wide grin. If only he about her hunter lifestyle. Then it would really explain why she was the way she was. You really couldn't grow up the way she had and not expect to be a little hard on the inside. It was what helped her cope with the things she saw, but unlike some of the other hunters she knew to have fun once in a while. Spend a few hours forgetting about the constant fighting evil day to day that took up most of her time. Which was what she was doing now.

"Well from what I've noticed from my stay here so far is that everyone here is very close-knit. You know everyone knows everyone sort of deal." she told him trying to sound as nice about it as she could. Though a large part of her of her disliked the fact that is seemed that everyone was resistant towards outsiders of the town. As it was because of that reason she had been having a bit of trouble moving forward with her case. People did not want to talk to her especially since she was nowhere from the town. "But it does seem like a charming little southern town." she added to hopefully keep him from thinking that she hated his hometown.

[JAMES HUGHES]

"Be as honest as you want, I don't mind a bit," James shrugged, sensing Shiloh didn't have any warm fuzzy feelings for the town. "I got out of her the first chance I got when I was younger. I hitched a ride on a bus and was gone." He smirked, "Though it is nice to see familiar places and what not." James ordered himself another beer, already finished with his first drink.

"So you're from out of town... may I ask where you're from?" He doubted that Shiloh would give him any real facts about herself but he was more interesting in figuring out her ticks and the tell-tale signs of different emotions. He made sure to keep up the appearance of being casual with occassional eye-contact but in reality James was studying each and every movement and reaction Shiloh made and keeping track of the time all at once. If he wanted to make sure this plan went down the way he wished, he had to keep on his toes and be ever alert.

[SHILOH SUMMERLAND]

Even when given the invitation to pass a remark about the town Shiloh decided not to as giving a reason why she did not like the townspeople would reveal more about herself than she wanted. So she shrugged off the question and drummed on the table with one of her free hands absentmindedly.

"My family is from Connecticut, one of those little towns near the deeps woods and stuff." she told him as casually as she could to make it sound real. As there was no way in hell she would tell him where her she was from, even if she had not been back to that town in so many years since the incident that started everything. She forced herself not to be dragged back into those memories, the last thing she needed was a trip down memory lane. Especially when she was trying to have a bit of fun. "My dad made us go camping nearly every weekend growing up." she added to help sell the story and then he decided to go on the attack and asked a question of her own.

"So what brings you back to this town? Family?"

[JAMES HUGHES]

“Thank goodness, no!” James grinned with a sort of twinkle in his eyes. “My family was glad to be rid of me. I was a troublemaker in my time,” He was lying through his teeth but it was the story he had told so many times it was flawless. He had always been the good little choir boy all the way up until his dealing with the crossroads demon. “They gave me money and sent me on the first bus out of town so I could make something out of myself.” He sighed, as if remembering the good old days and shrugged. “I’m just here to see what happened to my beautiful old town.” Now that part, for the first time in this conversation was one hundred percent true.

James gestured for the waitress to bring him another beer and then flashed his charming grin back to Shiloh. “So, now let me turn the question back on you, darlin’… are you in town for business or pleasure?”