Houses of the Holy

Chapter 5

"John is right, you can't shut yourself off from people", said Natalia.

Ausra took a sip of her coffee, looking at the blond woman thoughtfully. "It's hard for people to understand, but my father has a fortune and I am his heiress, Alexey is my heir. I don't want guys after me for that, me looking the way I do, I'll be suspicious of their motives", she said sadly.

"Ausra, don't say that. You aren't ugly and John really likes you, do you want to be single forever?", she asked.

Ausra sighed and looked down at her cup of coffee. "I thought it was going to be me and Alexey forever, I don't want to bring a guy around who is going to hurt my son. But I see my sister and Danny with the boys and they're so happy, a real family. I wanted that growing up, but Dad was either in Detroit or on the road with the Wings", she said.

"I can ask Derick about John, they're best friends", said Natalia.

"Could you, Natasha? I need to know if he's a good guy", she said.

"I'll ask, but I think John is a good man and Alexey will like him", said Natalia.

The women then went their seperate ways and Natalia saw the text from Derick. "Derick, I need to ask you something", she said.

Derick raised an eyebrow when heard it, holding her hand and lightly kissing the knuckles. "What is it, ma belle Polonaise?", he asked.

"Ausra wants to know more about John, she barely trusts anyone", she replied.

"I've known Champ since we both played for Columbus, he's a good guy. He doesn't have any criminal record or kids that I know off, he doesn't drink that much", he said with a chuckle.

"She's afraid guys want her only for her father's money and that they might hurt Alexey", she explained.

Derick frowned. "Champ has got plenty of his own money and he loves kids, he's close to his niece and nephew and the Moore family is very close. She has nothing to worry about in that regard", he said.

Natalia nodded as she leaned against him, sighing when she felt his fingers in her hair. "You have to understand, the Fedorov family is extremely rich and Ausra is her father's main heir. It's common knowledge in Russia how rich he is, she's afraid men only want her because of his money and that she is unattractive", she explained

"Merde, pardon. But what about the boy's father?", he asked.

"She was with Nicklas Backstrom, he's the father. It didn't work out, they have very different personalities and they were better off as friends", she said.

"Merde, Champ has his work cut out for him. But he's always been up for a challenge, he is going to like this", said Derick with a chuckle.

"Why are Germans such fucked-up people?", Dan wondered out loud as the bartender set down a beer in front of him.

"Je sais, clubs back home don't play this kind of stuff", agreed Derick as a DJ in a booth spun some vintage Nine Inch Nails. The club was the sort of Goth and alternative place often found in Europe, the decor with a pseudo-Dracula vibe and dim purple lights, the clientele mostly Gothic types with a handful of normal-looking people.

"At least they play good music here, techno and rap shit sucks ass", said John.

He sipped his beer and had a chuckle when he saw Caelan dancing with a sexy Gothic girl in a black corset top and fishnet stockings, her ample bosom spilling out of the top. "Looks like our young friend is going to get lucky", he laughed.

"Yeah, but don't let Daddy see that", joked Dan.

John nodded in agreement and drank his beer, watching the couple dance and glancing around the room. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Ausra at the end of the bar, drinking from a small tumbler of vodka. She looked in his direction and lifted her glass, gesturing to the DJ as Solitary Man by HIM came over the speakers:

Melinda was mine
'Til the time
That I found her
Holding Jim
Loving Him
Then Sue came along
Loved me strong
That's what I thought
Me and Sue
But that died too

Don't know that I will
But until I can find me
The girl who'll stay
And won't play games behind me
I'll be what I am
A solitary man
Solitary man

I've had it to here
Bein' where
Love's a small word
Part-time thing
Paper ring

I know it's been done
Havin' one
Girl who'll love me
Right or wrong
Weak or strong

Don't know that I will
But until I can find me
The girl who'll stay
And won't play games behind me
I'll be what I am
A solitary man
Solitary man

John listened to the words, Ville Valo's accented baritone adding an air of menace to the old Neil Diamond song. Damn, is that how she feels?, he wondered.

Ausra finished her drink and oredred another, walking over to the group. She wore tailored black mens' slacks and a blood-red silk blouse with a black waistcoat, her red hair in loose waves almost to her waist. The effect was powerfully alluring, a combination of classic Dracula with Marlene Dietrict at her androgynous best as John took a hasty sip of beer.

"I asked the DJ to play that song, it says it all', she said.

"Ausra, I'm not after your goddamn mney and I won't hurt your son. I don't know how they operate in Russia, but I'm American and we don't do that kind of shit", he said angrily.

Ausra stood up to her full height, which was just shorter than John but taller than Derick and Dan. "You have better be telling the truth, Mr. Moore", she replied.

John grinned at her, a laughing look in his blue eyes. "All right then, my Lady Dragonqueen. Let's dance", he said.

Ausra returned the smile and let him lead her onto the dance floor, Dan and Derick lifiting their beers in a salute. The sound system played a Rammstein remix as John pulled her close, his big hands resting on her lower back. "Trust me, Ausra", he murmured.

Ausra felt the vodka and a forgotten feeling of desire go through her, looking slightly upwards and feeling the unfamiliar sensation of being small. John gave her a knowing look and winked at her, a merry gleam in his blue eyes. "You're not used to this, are you?", he drawled.

Ausra tried to control the panic rising in her, but she closed her eyes and mentally counted to ten. "I need a lot of practice, you're right", she muttered.

"We got all the time in the world and I'm a patient man, Lady Dragonqueen", he chuckled.

The group had a good laugh when they saw John dancing with Ausra, ordering another round of beers. Dan picked up his glass and raised an eyebrow when he saw Jacquetta seated at the far end of the bar with Natalia pointing this out to Derick. Both men picked up their beers and walked over to the women as Natalia's face lit up, giving Derick a hug. "I thought vous mademoiselles would like to see your men", he said gallantly.

Jacquetta frowned and took a sip of her vodka and lime, hoping Dan would go away. "What do you want, Mr. Carcillo?", she muttered.

Dan just laughed and took a sip of his beer, flashing her a cocky grin. "Signorina Jacquetta, I just wanted to be with a pretty brunette who is leading me on a merry chase. But the chase is always better than the catch, said the great man Lemmy", he laughed.

Jacquetta gave him a look and oredred another vodka and lime. She knew that Dan wouldn't give up and that he was harmless, but she was still wary. I don't trust those types, guys like that are heartbreakers, she thought. Jacquetta did have to admit Dan looked good in his tight jeans and vintage Rolling Stones t-shirt that showed off his muscular tattooed arms, his dark brown hair almost to his shoulders as she fought the urge to tangle her fingers in it. Don't go there, she reminded herself.

"What's the matter, mio bella? Let's dance", he said.

Jacquetta normally would have thrown the drink in his face but the vodka was starting to take hold as she let Dan lead her onto to the dance floor, the DJ spinning old-school Prodigy. Dan had a triumphant look on his face as he took her in his arms and they began to dance, expertly leading her in the steps. "My family is Italian, my nonna insisted that I learn how to dance properly', he said with a laugh.

Jacquetta had to smile at his words, imagining an Italian granny insisting her big tough grandson take dance lessons. "Somehow I find that funny", she laughed.

Dan smiled proudly. "Whenever I play in Toronto, she comes to the games with my folks and wears my jersey, she's got all of them", he chuckled.

Jacquetta felt herself relaxing as he twirled her around, an amued look in his brown eyes. 'I like you a lot, Jacquetta Lemaire. You have that Ice Princess shell, but you're not really like that", he murmured.

"When we get back to Quebec, you really ought to see more of the city", she said.

"Then be my guide, mio bella", he said huskily before kissing her lips.