Russia was the perfect place for Matthew to wile away a few years while the heat of London simmered back down into something manageable. He'd fucked up and he knew it but Russia was a frozen wonderland and the Frenchman was interested in only drowning his problems in liquor and opium and women. That was something else that Mother Russia held to her bosom for Matthew to take.

Dressed to the nines in a red suit jacket with broad black lapels, there was a small crowd starting to form around him and he loved the addition of bodies to the girls he'd hired for the night. It bolstered his already astounding confidence.

The dark haired beauty that joined the table was given an idle glance before the dice were cast and the table erupted into a cheer at his continued luck. Grinning like a mad fool, Matthew collected his winnings and set out another bet, laughing under his breath at the amount of support he was getting. The woman caught his attention again as she added her coin to his and it was here he gave her pause, noticing her supernatural beauty and the familiar pull of Kindred blood against kindred blood. She was a vampire but since she didn't look like any hunter he'd been running from, he flashed her a brilliant smile and offered his dice ridden hand for her to blow her luck on.