He was a dangerous man. You could always tell dangerous men from all the rest, for they have that air around them. Where the air itself seems filled with static, as if the being holds a power over it. Others cower before him, and those silver eyes against that dark complexion of his. Tan. He was here from Italy, and this time....This time he would be staying. He had bought himself a log cabin. Actually, lets be realistic. The place was a mansion made of logs and stone. Yeah, the son of Italys most known Mafia Godfather lived very well.

He walked silently through the streets of down town, his eyes drifting now and again to take in the people. His gaze was startling, so piercing and silver it was and how when it captured you it seemed as if he was looking deep inside of you, down deep into ones soul. He was a very dangerous man indeed. Griffen stood at 6'3, with hair of jet black that was short. He was lean and wiry, and in all honesty very attractive. Why is he here, in the small town of Sparkling Creek? Well, he was being hunted down. He had made the mistake of sleeping with the wrong girl and getting her pregnant. Lets just say her father is a rival of his fathers. Boredly he took in the women here. None of them really stuck out to them. All white people, they look the same. Well, okay maybe they didn't. He didn't understand why all the men here went after the leggy blondes with their to bright eyes and no brains. Although it brought a fun time to play with them, Griffen often got bored to fast to stick with one. Yes, he was a complex indivdual. You'd best keep that in mind.

He leaned against a wall, his eyes drifting. He was looking to start the Mafia here, in the United States. So here he was, so relaxed, yet looking so dangerous. On his person he carried weapons of every sort, from knives to guns. Anything could be used as a weapon where he was concerned. So here he stood, waiting. Waiting silently, so very silently letting the crowds filter around him. Every now and again he would watch as a fight would break out. Usually over a woman. Men. Pitiful creatures they were.

For now I hold a key, and though I may be lost
I know that I will find my way
I search endlessly but every time I've thought
that I was near the smoke and mirrors lead me astray
see the pit boss, steal each tick tock
time it seems will suffer at our hands
I look for exits in the haze, the dense electric twilight maze
I've heard that there is one that leads to sunlit lands

Parking Tidus' car in an abandoned lot, the red-head had tucked the keys into her pocket and decided to wander about on foot. You'd have never known that she'd watched a man die the night before, and nearly been killed herself. No, she was assurance and grace, covered in a cloak that simply exuded sexy.

As she walked away from her car, she examined herself in the side mirror: a skin-tight burgundy top only two shades darker than her hair that ended a ways above her navel, leaving five inches of gleaming white skin and a black belly-button ring visible to the eyes. A push-up bra made much of her already nice chest, creamy mounds clearly visible through the deep V of her shirt. A pair of oh-so-tight jeans hugged her tiny waist, the black denim further accentuating her alabaster skin until she seemed to be carved of raw moonlight. With a swirl of her fingers, she removed the pencil that held her elegant bun in place, allowing her waist-length, blood-red hair to fall out around her body, looking like rubies spun out into something more like gossamer. She wore no makeup: she didn't need any. Her complexion was perfect, her lips exactly the right side of red, all on their own.

When she was satisfied with her appearance, Sarah moved away from the car, tucking the money Ben had given her carefully into a secret pocket in her bra, right above the dirk she always kept there. Five inches of solid steel: for those troublesome men who were never happy with what they had paid for.

With a seductive smile lighting her lips, she leaned against a wall not a hundred yards from Griffin, studying him. Now here was a fellow who might be interesting to get to know...

He smelled her before he saw her. Whether it be perfume or just the soap she used, he didn't know but he liked it. His eyes drifted once more until they landed on her, and those silver eyes seemed to glow for just a moment. They had no trace of blue in them, and if the light hit them just right, they looked near mettalic. He stood slowly, all grace and motion and began to walk slowly towards her. Dark colored pants, not to dressy but oozing money, a dark blood red shirt hidden by a trench coat loaded with all his...Neccesities. His eyes were trained on her, this ivory beauty with satiny hair the color of blood. He wanted to bury his long fingers into that hair of hers, feel the silken texture. As he came near, a sexy smirk spread across his lips as he leaned against the wall once more, a scant two feet from Sarah. Now what is a beauty like you, doing in a place like this? He murmered. His voice was low, deep and utterly sexy with that hint of accent. He looked like a cat, lazy one moment and alert and ready to attack the next. It would bode ill if one were to misjudge him, for Griffen was a man of power. And he would make sure that everyone knew of that power.

A flirtatious smile lit her face as he came toward her, almost like he had felt her wanting of him. She did not move or speak as he came, and even as he leaned near her she only smiled softly, turning and plucking a rose from a half-dead bush to tuck behind her ear. Finally, she turned back to him, her lightly Italian-accented voice flowing like honey. Someone has to bring beauty to the world. Since I have it, I grace others with it.

And she reached a hand up to trace his eyebrows with a long fingernail, the tip of it barely brushing his skin as she leaned into him, so close that a hard breath would have made them kiss. And you?

His eyes lip up, taking on that mettalic hue he was known for and when he spoke again, his own italian accented voice murmered back I'm here to wreak havoc. Nothing more, nothing less. Strong words, from a strong man. He lifted a hand and twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. Quiet Griffen. He was a strong leader, and it could be seen very well that he was. His eyes never left hers, not for a moment. He wasn't that trusting of her, not yet anyways.

Her deep sapphire eyes met his, running her tongue over her lips as though she had just tasted something sweet. As he twirled her hair, she turned her face into him, moving her lips up his hand in a line of small kisses that ran of the heel of it to the fingertips. Turning her eyes back up to him, her voice came low and husky. Havoc... Her voice twisted the word, played with it, endowed it with an essence of intimacy, as though she had rolled it around in her mouth before it escaped from her lips.

Her eyes met his again, now making her look so tiny, so frail, so small... Delicious...

His eyes turned a stormy silver as he moved a bit closer to her, his arm just above her head. He knew better then to judge her by looks, for he could see the keen intelligence in her eyes. With that arrogant smirk on his face he murmered Its girls like you who make strong men beg on their knees. But he wouldn't beg. No, he was not the begging type. It was go for what you want, and keep pressing at it but don't beg for it. He lowered his mouth to hers, pressing a feather light kiss to her mouth. Just a taste is all, its all he needed.

Fire. Thats what he came back with. She tasted of sin and passion, and he loved it. It showed in his eyes, his normally concealed eyes but he was with a woman. Why hide his lust?

She watched his eyes in fascination: how they could change from something so cold, so metallic, to something that reminded her of a spring storm brewing. She let him see her delight in her eyes, her voice barely a breath as he brought his lips to hers. And it is the strong men like you whom we little girls twist to our power and break apart into something liquid. And she let him kiss her, not really kissing him back, but just being a body to be kissed. Even so... he tasted like sunshine... and she hadn't been aware until just now that sunshine even HAD a taste.

As he drew back, she caressed her hands across his chest, up and around behind his shoulders, a sweet smile on her face, voice even lower than before. So... do I taste good?

His eyes still held that storm inside them, a fire like no other. To bad I'm smarter then those men. He murmered softly in her ear. But she had hit a tick just then, a little pet peeve of his. He was like no other man. He sank back, his eyes holding that metallic once more. No more lust, no more fire. Just cool demeanor with a hot temper. Like fire. He murmered to her. He made no move to touch her now. Nothing.

Ah ha, so she had hit a nerve... she'd found out one of the minute little things that made him tick. She tucked that back into her brain for later use, letting her voice come in the same tone, as though she hadn't been calculating these things. Good. And she lay a hand on his shoulder, applying a gentle pressure to turn him as she spoke. Because I won't have an ordinary man.

Boy oh boy... sensitive guy, huh? High maintenance, maybe... but something about him struck a chord in her, a melodramatic chord that brought some old sadness into her eyes before she finally chased it back.

She smiled up into his eyes, but unlike most smiles she gave to men... in this was something genuine, and she had ceased conciously trying to seduce him. Her voice was soft, though the flirtatious tone was absent. And you are sunshine, sir. Flash and fire... and risen above the world to look on on little, mortal me.

His usual smirk was back in place, and to her last words he replied A mortal you may be, my dear, but you hold more power then you know. Again he raised his hand and began twining his fingers through her hair once more. Such lovely, soft hair it was. He no longer was interested in bedding her. It would be an added bonus, yes, but not something he was looking for. My name is Griffen, and you are? He asked her quietly. The crowd was thinning as night began to fall but he seemed to not notice. He was thinking of taking her back to his place and just....Hang out. If he decided he could trust her, he would bring her into the New Mafia.

As she expected, he perked right up. He just needed his pride stroked a bit, that was all. She gave him that smile again, moving smoothly back to the seductive creature that she was. Keeping that smile, she reached up to brush a stray strand of his hair out of the way before she answered his question. Sarah Cassidy Jones. Cassidy for short. DON'T call me Cassie, and I won't call you Griffy. Deal? And she grinned, presenting her hand, somewhat impishly, to be shaken.

He raised an eyebrow at her words. Theres only one person who got away with calling me Griffy. The only reason hes still alive is because hes my best friend. He got off the wall and stood tall at his six foot three inches. He held out his own hand shaking hers firmly, then placed a soft kiss to her palm. It is getting late, Miss Cassidy. Why don't you stay at my place tonight? It wasn't an invitation to sleep with him, just a place for her to stay. He was about to say more when he started ringing. Okay, so he didn't ring, his cell phone did. He answered it with ,b>What is it now? If Sarah were to listen, she would hear what sounded like a party on the other end. Wheres your good bourbon?! Came a shout. Griffen held the phone away from his ear. I'm on my way home, Malachi. I want those people out of there. Cold, flat, emotionless. But there was a touch of warmth in his eyes for his russian companion. Shit....Alright, EVERYBODY OUT! He could hear the crowd booing, but he didn't care. I want it clean before I get there. Cursed. He could hear the man cursing him in russian. Hanging up the phone, he smiled at Cassidy. You coming or staying here?

She smiled, for apparently he knew how annoying it was to be called a cutsie name. Yes, and the only person living who calls me Cassie is one of my ridiculous ex's. Pitiful fellow, him. That's why I dumped him. And she grinned.

But then his phone rang, and she listened with a smile on her face. Sounded like somebody was having a blast there. Then, he turned his attention back to her, and she let her eyes grow warm again, her lips smiling. Sure. Got nothing better to do.

He smiled and took her hand. Come with me. He led her towards a lamborgini and opened the door for her then climbed in himself. Hold on. Then they were off.

She allowed him to lead her, favoring him with a smile and an innocent peck on the cheek as he opened the door. She sat, and of course, they drove away.