Fenrin knew when the lady had walked in without looking. The whole air of the tavern changed. The men's attentions were drawn to her like a moth to a flame. He turned and grinned.

She was even more beautiful up close. Her eyes were dark and painted with kohl. Her dark hair rippled in gentle curls down her bare back like a waterfall, and her silk dress draped perfectly at every curve and left much of her smooth skin open to admiration.

The woman walked with graceful steps to the counter, ignoring the stares, the movement of her hips making the silk ripple. The barkeep showed her a few gold coins—what he'd earned from the devil's whisky he'd sold to some gentlemen who were in a daze at the fireplace as Annabeth worked her pale magic. Following the barkeep’s gaze to Fenrin, who lounged in a chair pretending to watch the siren's show, the woman frowned.

Fenrin had changed, of course, now wearing a clean shirt loose in the sleeves and a tight leather vest the same dark brown as his hair which he’d tied back with a matching leather cord. He met the woman's eyes and gave her his signature grin, which made her raise an eyebrow curiously and give a smile back. She said something to the barkeep and he put the money away.

With a graceful pivot, she walked up the stairs and Fenrin followed. When he got to the room, she was standing by the small window looking out it, hair pulled over one shoulder so he could see her whole back.

The tattoo was impressive. The peacock feathers were colored and flared from beneath her dress, blooming from her right side and crossed the spine between her shoulder blades, the tallest three wrapping over her left shoulder. Their artistry invited a closer look and one couldn't help but wonder how far down the feathers ended.

"My fee is usually higher."

"I'm sure, but you also have plenty of gold. You're not here for the money."

She turned and eyed Fenrin again, "Who are you?"

He strode forward and stopped inches from her. She didn't move. Staring down at her, he tucked a dark curl behind her ear. "I am the Wolf."

"Wolf?"

"It's beautiful," he remarked, tracing the feather that folded over the shoulder. He pulled back his collar so the dark ink of his own skin decoration could be seen. "Shall we see if they compare?"

She smiled and Fenrin removed his vest. He stepped closer to the woman and her hand deftly unbuttoned his shirt and threw it off to reveal the geometric patterns from bear and wolf, forever ready to tear each other apart. She ran her hand over them pausing at the bear.

He leaned forward and kissed her, his hand buried in her hair. His other reached back and unclasped her dress and it slithered out from between them. Her warm breasts pressed against him and she curved, wrapping her arms around his neck.

His tongue slipped into her mouth and she pressed herself harder against him. Smiling under his lips, she pulled back, spinning in the dying sunlight. Her feathers continued down, wrapping around her upper thigh and transforming into an iridescent peacock, whose graceful head ended on her calf. She laid on the bed, twisting so the main feather and peacock could be seen at once.

As he admired the tattoo, he kicked off his boots and pants, kneeling on the bed. He started at her foot and slid his hands up to the peacock face, kissing it gently and following its neck with his lips. The women sighed. He went up her stomach to her breast and then raised his head to meet her eyes. Fenrin flashed his teeth and his gentle hands became rougher as he pulled her up to him. She stretched her neck up and bit his shoulder.

With practiced method, she turned him until he was on his back. She situated herself above him, her long dark hair falling like a curtain over them as she moved herself. They both panted and soon Fenrin ripped her down, spinning again to press himself on top of her. Her hands clenched his arms and she kissed his hands.

Once Fenrin was done, she took over, the knowledge of her profession elongating the experience as much as possible for both of them. Until at last, exhausted, they both lay on the bed, the women, curled against Fenrin’s side.

"A Wolf indeed. I have heard of you, Fenrin."

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"I would be disappointed if you hadn't."

"Why are you here?"

"I'm looking for a ship and I think we both know which one I'm going to get."

She sat up quickly, her eyes flashing dangerously. "That ship is not to be trifled with. Nor is its captain."

Fenrin smiled and took her hands. He pulled her down and leaned over her, kissing her neck and whispering in her ear, "I'm counting on it. That's why I picked you. I need your help."

She went to move her hands, but he held them above her head. "Let go of me."

"It is my ship by right and I'm going to take it. However, the captain needs to be out of the way. I want you to keep him occupied while I organize a mutiny."

She laughed. "Jaired may be old, but he's not weak."

"His power may be great, but it's foundation is borrowed."

Her eyes drifted to the bear on his chest.

Fenrin grinned. "Mine's bigger." He released her hands but she didn't move. "His men will follow me, or enough of them anyway. I just need time to talk to them without their captain."

"And what's in it for me?"

He ran his hand down the inside of her thighs and smiled. She snorted. "Please, you think I would do something this dangerous for the sex?"

"No, you'll do it for the same reason you do anything for Jaired—you love power. To be able to make a powerful man melt beneath your touch, to be able to use that power on a whim, to have a protector whose mere name keeps enemies far from your door. I'm not underestimating you. You knew exactly who I was and what I wanted when you walked in. You noticed me back at the dock and yet said nothing to Jaired. It's been a long time since you've taken commissions. If you weren't curious you wouldn't have come."

The woman smiled and reached up, tangling her hands in Fenrin's hair thoughtfully. "It's not often I'm not underestimated."

"I'm no stranger to dangerous women."

Fenrin leaned back as she sat up, her face was inches from his, her arms slipping around his neck. She studied his face closely and grinned slyly. "I'm sure you're not." Kissing him once more deeply, she then pulled her legs out from under him, dangling them off the bed. "I'll have conditions."

"As will I."

She leaned down and grabbed her dress, stood, and clasped it back on. "Give me one more day to prepare and then tomorrow night I'll keep Jaired from his ship. Condition one is you take me with you."

"I can't do that."

Her red lips narrowed. "Then we are done."

"I can't take you with me this time. But I can send for you after." He lounged back on the bed.

"So you'll leave me with an angry and betrayed Jaired."

"I have a safe place you can stay, but you won't like it."

"Why won't you take me with you?"

He closed his eyes and smiled. "You're too dangerous. I like to minimize variables."

She combed her fingers through her hair. "Alright, but how do you know Jaired won't find this place...and why won't I like it."

"It's a tiny village, hard to find. And even if he did find it, he wouldn't be able to defeat the guards there, trust me. As for you not liking it, well, let's just say they don't much like our type. I would recommend that while there you just stay low. They'll treat you well and be insufferably kind I'm sure but don't poke your nose anywhere or try anything."

"Are they monks?"

He laughed. "Practically. Anyway, point is you'll be safe. Now my condition is that you behave while there. What's your next one?"

"After you get me out of here, I want an in to Astrix."

Fenrin sat up, his eyebrows furrowing. "The capital? You want to play with Imperials?"

She grinned. "Very much. I've done what I can here but the fence around the Taka underworld is tight and I've been confined in it too long. I want to see how high I can go."

Fenrin laughed and ran his hand through his own hair. "You are dangerous. Well, I can't guarantee something right away but I promise to look and to at least get you there." He laughed again, "Damn, women and their ambitions. Then my second condition is that whatever level you get to, you promise to stay out of my way. I have no plans for empire toppling,but I don't want to end up under the scrutiny of the empire’s forces."

The woman looked at him with thought, her face surprised. She had expected him to mock her goals. Instead, he had planned for the situation where she achieved them all. "I like you, Fenrin the Wolf. I think we'll work nicely together. I accept your deal, may we both reach our goals."

He cocked his head. "Well, before you leave, you should tell me your name."

"Here I'm called Dana, but after this, I'll need a new name. So you can call me Maurya."

"Pleasure doing business with you, Maurya."

She left and Fenrin laid back down.

That went well, very well.