Kev led the small group back to the main bar. The room was still mostly empty, bathed in the soft afternoon light filtering through the high windows. Their footsteps echoed on the polished wood floors as they walked, the silence a stark contrast to the usual nighttime roar.
Kev took the empty glass from Bruno. The massive bear hesitated for a fraction of a second, his small eyes flicking to Warlock before he relinquished the glass to the human. Kev walked behind the bar to wash the cups in the deep steel sink.
"Someone as important as Mr. Kev shouldn't be dirtying his hands with such work," Warlock commented, leaning against the bar. "Why not have your bodyguard do it?"
Kev grinned as he placed the clean cups on the drying mat. "I don't mind getting my hands dirty."
Warlock laughed. "Is that why the city enforcers were after you yesterday?"
Kev glanced at Talon, wondering how far the news of his own 'humanness' had spread. He didn't want to tell Warlock he was an alien, but he also didn't want the gangster to think he was a wanted criminal.
"I'm..." Kev said, "...a bit mysterious, I guess."
Warlock's laugh died down, and his eyes raked over Kev. The otter then let out a little giggle. "A great answer."
Wanting to move on from the topic, Kev walked out from behind the bar. He didn't want to leave the tour as it was, after basically denying Warlock from really seeing or exploring the west wing.
"How about we keep going?" Kev said. "Let me show you some of the east wing's offerings."
Kev led the group to the east wing. The atmosphere here was instantly different from the raw, carnal energy of the west. The lighting was softer, coming from ornate oil lamps, and the air smelled of old leather, wood polish, and expensive, fragrant tobacco. Quiet alcoves with high-backed armchairs dotted the hallway, and the art on the walls was more traditional—moody landscapes and stern portraits of long-dead beastmen.
They reached the public billiards room. It was a large, richly appointed space. Several full-sized pool tables, their green felt tops pristine, sat under low-hanging, multi-bulb lamps. Tall, dark-wood racks held an impressive array of cues, and a small, well-stocked bar was tucked into a corner, its shelves gleaming with glassware. The walls were paneled in dark wood, and a few leather couches were arranged for spectators.
"This is the games room," Kev said, walking into the room. "Unlike the fighting pit, the gambling here is all personal... just make sure you don't gamble with Fang."
Warlock strolled through the room, running his hand over one of the green felt tops. "Of course not," he said, rolling the 7-ball towards a corner pocket with his other hand. It dropped in with a soft thunk. "Gambling means you think the other side will lose, and... it would be a tragedy if anyone in the family was seen as a loser."
Kev didn't really know how to respond to that, but he nodded, glad that the Mafia would, apparently, not trap Fang using some sort of bet.
Kev glanced over to see Talon standing next to Bruno at the door. He could tell Talon was still not convinced that this was a friendly visit. His eyes were shifting between the bear and the otter constantly, and his feathers were slightly puffed. The bear, on the other hand, still stood with that same stiff posture, his eyes following Warlock as the otter felt and inspected the offerings of the room.
"I've been asked to make sure Fang doesn't gamble, actually," Kev admitted, hoping to fill the silence.
Warlock pulled a pool cue off the wall. The otter looked over at Kev and asked, "Is that why you stopped Mr. Fang from chasing Mr. Maffa around last night?"
"Uhh..." Kev was lost. "What do you mean?" He hadn't really been thinking about much last night other than stopping Fang from punching the cheetah and causing a big scene in Ralph's establishment. Maybe Fang could get away with something like that in the club, but it would have been disrespectful to fight in The Perch.
"Oh, you know," Warlock said while looking down the shaft of the pool cue, inspecting its straightness. "Could he catch the kitty right away, or would the cheetah outrun him and lead him on a little parade around all of those rich diners? Mr. Maffa is quite dramatic. I'm sure he would have been yelling and telling everyone to film with their phones."
Kev hadn't even considered that. Was Maffa really the type of person who would try and bait Fang into causing a scene just to hurt the wolf's reputation? There was definitely deep-seated hostility between the two, but Kev had thought it had been due to some sort of bad business deal or childhood rivalry. When Maffa had said that his and Fang's fathers knew each other, it had almost sounded like they might have been friends at one point.
"I just wanted to make sure we made it to the show in time," Kev deflected. After Fang had pounced at him last night, he didn't want to think about what a full-blown episode in a crowded restaurant would look like.
"Show?" Warlock asked. "What did you see? I love a good show."
"We went out to Ms. Marybelle's fashion show," Kev said. "And what are you doing with the cue...?"
Kev watched as Warlock stood next to Bruno and held the cue up at different angles with one eye closed, as if he were measuring something.
"I'm just considering the possibilities," Warlock grinned at Kev, before looking back at Bruno. "What do you think? Would it hurt to hide this?"
The bear just nodded his head.
Kev closed his eyes and turned, moving to the exit. "Okay, so let's go to the next stop. Please leave the cue here."
As Kev walked up the east wing hall, he heard Warlock telling Bruno that they would "find out later." He could almost feel Talon physically shudder behind him, the eagle's pace speeding up to stay even closer to the vulnerable human.
Kev stopped in front of another door and waited for the otter and the brown bear to catch up. He said, "This is, of course, the private meeting room."
It was exactly as Kev remembered it from his second day. The small, intimate space was dominated by a heavy, dark-wood conference table and high-backed chairs. The small bar in the corner was clean, its mirror shining behind the neatly arranged bottles. Only a few oil lamps were lit, giving the room a moody, serious atmosphere.
Warlock walked in and frowned. "It looks the same as our meeting two weeks ago... There will be more guests tonight..."
"It is," Kev smiled. He had finally caught the otter off guard. "But we are not having a meeting. We are having dinner." He gestured to the room across the hallway. "So, tonight, we will be dining in the conservatory."
Kev motioned for Warlock to follow him.
The conservatory was just as beautiful as it had been the night he and Fang had decided on it. However, the long mahogany table was no longer bare. It was now covered in a crisp, white tablecloth, and flanked by a row of plush, cushioned captain's chairs. The late afternoon sun streamed through the glass walls, making the exotic plants and gleaming slate floor seem to glow.
"Now THIS," the otterman exclaimed as he walked in, "this is it!" Warlock twirled around the room, his sleek suit a dark contrast to the vibrant greenery. He reached out as he moved, his fingers gently brushing the leaves of a towering fern, then the velvety petals of a night-blooming jasmine. "Oh yes, yes, yes!"
Kev let out a silent sigh of relief. Maybe he hadn't impressed with the west wing, but this reaction was so much better than he could have hoped for. He gave a small nod to Talon before looking back at his guest. "It's very... outdoorsy, don't you think?"
Warlock nodded as he felt the padding of one of the chairs. "It's so hard to find a place like this in the city." He gestured out the large windows to the sunny backyard. "The real estate around the park is nearly a third more expensive just for the view of the trees... To have this room available for meetings... I'd say it's better than a window seat up in Mr. Ralph's restaurant."
Kev walked over and stood next to Warlock, looking out the large glass sliders that took up the entire exterior wall. He had grown up around trees, and when he had arrived in this world, he didn't even know the massive city that surrounded him existed. The green space around him, he was now realizing, was just another one of the luxuries that Fang provided him without him even knowing it.
"Would you like to take a walk around the backyard?" Kev glanced over at Warlock. "The grounds are just as much a part of the club as the mansion itself."
Warlock nodded vigorously. "I was just about to ask... and correct me if I'm wrong, but is... is that a pool I see?"
Kev let out a laugh as he unlatched the sliding door and pushed it open. "Your eyes do not lie."
Warlock did not wait for Kev. He cut a straight line to the awaiting water. The pool, under the bright afternoon sun, was a perfect, shimmering oasis of brilliant blue. A small, decorative waterfall gurgled at one end, its water cascading over smooth, grey stones. The deck, made of a light-colored, non-slip stone, was arranged with plush lounge chairs and wide, white umbrellas. Lush, manicured hedges and vibrant flower beds enclosed the entire area, creating a private, secluded paradise.
"If I had known, I would have brought my bathing suit," Warlock said wistfully, taking a seat on one of the deck loungers.
Kev watched Bruno slowly padding around the patio, the massive bear also seeming interested in the private swimming hole. Talon, on the other hand, was still standing at attention with his arms behind his back. Kev hoped Talon would relax a little; if they thought that Talon saw them as a threat, they might be insulted.
"So you enjoy swimming too?" Kev asked, joining Warlock by the poolside. "I've been enjoying it quite a bit since we don't have any air conditioning here."
Warlock's tail wagged a bit as he slapped the cushion of the lounge chair next to him. "Sit, Mr. Kev. I should have realized you were an aquatic mammal! Oh, no wonder I find you so... fascinating."
"Uhh..." Kev took the seat next to Warlock and nearly yelped as the otter tugged him a bit closer. "I, I don't really think I'm an aquatic mammal, per se."
"Amphibious, then!" Warlock said, seemingly undeterred. "It makes so much sense now. You're not furless, you're... evolved."
When Kev heard Talon softly rasp "streamlined" from behind him, he couldn't help but crack a smile. It was stupid, but it sounded logical, and it was better than Sabrina telling everyone he was the victim of some sort of chemical accident at a nuclear power plant.
"All I can say is I enjoy swimming," Kev replied.
"So," Warlock gestured towards the water, "I'm guessing your lack of fur makes up for your lack of tail? I would be very interested in seeing how agile you are in the water sometime."
"I'm sure you're much faster," Kev said. "I'm not really much for racing. As you can probably tell, I'm not exactly the most physically impressive individual around."
"Mr. Kev has very good technique," Talon's rasp surprised Kev. But before he could thank the eagle for the compliment, Warlock was already asking follow-ups.
"So you've seen him in the water?" Warlock asked Talon. "He must seem much more comfortable in there."
"He does," Talon said. "And he's been teaching me how to stroke the breasts."
Kev choked back a surprised laugh.
"Oh?" Warlock said, his expression intrigued. "He didn't seem the type. And neither does Mr. Fang. Quite the jealous one." He turned to Kev quickly and said, "No offense, of course. The wolf and your relationship is personal, and it doesn't matter to me if he has you feeling up the ladies."
"The breaststroke!" Kev said, a little too loudly, hoping to avoid any more confusion or have Warlock's mind wander any further. "Is just a swimming technique! It's called that because your chest muscles are used... you need a strong chest."
Talon considered this before turning back to watch Bruno again. "It should be called the pec stroke, then."
Warlock laughed and said, "You will have to teach me it sometime, Mr. Kev."
"Of course," Kev said, rising from the lounger. "Just don't tell Fang you're coming out to stroke breasts with me, or he might bite you."
"Only bite?" Warlock giggled, standing up. "I'd be getting off easy, then."