More from the ineffable Loreli.

Late evening, Loreli sat at a table in the small shop. The inscription supplier was the only place in Stormwind to replace her destroyed brushes and the gentleman who ran the shop was kind enough to let her sit at the testing table and trim them down for her purposes. The light was better here, though this late, it was long gone. The proprietor of the shop was in the back and had been for some time.

She set the last brush on the small rectangle of leather, rolling them up and tying off the lash that held it closed. She brushed off the table and looked up, nearly falling out of her chair in surprise.

Jaylen sat across the table, chin in hand, watching her.

Loreli dropped her hands to her daggers, “What do you want this time?”

He leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs out, “Now, don’t be like that. Can I buy you dinner? A drink?”

“I’d prefer not.” Loreli said, getting up out of her chair. She refused to turn her back to him. Yet, she also didn’t want to seem too wary, to let him catch her unease.

Jaylen got up too, coming around the table. He crossed the distance with a lazy, confident saunter. Loreli put a hand out to stop him and he stepped right up to it. He took her wrist and pulled her into him.

“You’ve never been very good at this.” He grinned.

She shoved him away, drawing her daggers, leveling both weapons at him. “I’ve already given you my answer, Jaylen. Leave, or I swear I’ll send you back to Shaw in pieces.”

He ignored the blades and stepped right inside her guard without even so much as a blink. Pushing her arms down to her sides, he took the weapons from her. Loreli experienced a lucid moment of panic, as she recalled the last time he’d held her daggers. Part of her wanted to fight back, part of her wanted to scurry away to hide or find help. The whole was frozen in place by her indecision. Or was it something else?

Loreli was vaguely aware of him replacing her blades back in their sheaths. He placed his hands on her face. Tilting her head, he trailed kisses along her chin.

“Could you really kill me, honey?”

Loreli shook her head, closing her eyes against the shame of that admission. He chuckled, a low rumble. He bit her neck, hard, causing her to make a sort of strangled mewling sound. Her knees threatened to give out.

“I’ve got this room at the inn. You should stay with me, tonight…” He whispered.

Every rational part of her brain screamed no. Yet, somewhere in the depths of her memories, something begged to go with him. It was true; she had been the one to end their relationship, previously. However, she hadn’t wanted to. Thus, she made no protest when he led her out the door. She walked in a daze. Jaylen prattled on about nothing, as if they were lovers on a casual stroll, as opposed to enemies engaged in a battle of wills she knew she was losing.

They reached the inn, climbed the stairs and the door closed. The time for escape or protest was gone.

***

Loreli awoke to the early rays of sunrise filtering through the window. She started to move and groaned softly. Every muscle ached. What the fel had she done last night? She forced her eyes to focus and spotted a lock of midnight hair tangled with her own pale jade.

Flashes of memory slapped her to coherence. She felt weak and pathetic. How easily Jaylen had worked her over. She slid out of the bed and noticed the bruises on her wrists. Oh, that would be fun to explain.

At least Jaylen was a heavy sleeper. She eyed him, a wave of revulsion sweeping through her. She could kill him now while he slept. Grabbing a dagger from her belt that was lying haphazard on the floor, she considered his exposed neck. She willed her arm to move. Nothing happened. With a barely audible sigh, she dressed and left the inn.

 There was nothing else for it. She was a liability and couldn’t even trust herself. She headed for the University, composing in her mind what she would say when she resigned as soon as she found Arrens.

Only she hadn’t realized the time. The Headmaster was in the middle of a class and she didn’t want to interrupt.