Fighting fire with fire

[paganchick]

Sapphira paid for her room, once again ignoring the man that seemed dead set on following her. He was not her normal partner in the tango of the game she was playing and his actions showed it. She had never had a guy just follow her for seemingly no reason.

She started making her way to her room.
"Why did you put up your hood? Afraid or something?" Sapphira asked. Figuring if he could just follow her around like a lost puppy dog she could insult and question his manhood. At least if he was a normal man he would be entertaining her, trying to court her and get into her pants. No, he just waked along silently, it was odd and though not unnerving, a bit annoying. She was slowly beginning to doubt he had done the feats that she had heard. Yeah he had the little shadow trick she had seen twice but that wasn't exactly impressive.

[DarkAssassin]

James let her pay for the room and then walked with her silently towards it, pulling his hood down once out of the lobby. "I was doing it for them," he responded, rolling his shoulder backward in the direction of the lobby.

He never looked at her, simply down the hallway. He noted her change in tone and sighed inside of his own head. Perhaps this woman really wasn't as dangerous as he had first imagined. She appeared to be breaking already, in a way. He was glad he had lots of patience, for he could tell this woman was fiery and quick to emotion.

He had no reason to let her think anything at all about him. So far, things were working out well in his favour. And even more possibilities would occur in that inn room, even if they weren't what he wished them to be.

[paganchick]

Sapphira stopped at the door of her room before turning to look up at the man. Her hands on her hips. Inside she was a mixture of emotions, mostly amused though she didn't let it show, the only think on her face was a bit of annoyance and frustration.

"I am not inviting you in my room, if that means lighting enough candles to chase away every shadow," She said simply. This man was a patient stalker of his prey, he was clearly one that liked to wear you down and watch you break. Unfortunately for this man she was no where near breaking and was just in the middle of her game. She could tell he was probably starting to think she wasn't a danger, good, the more he thought her weak the better. It would be easier to take him down if the time came.

She then took her key, and opened the door.

[DarkAssassin]

James looked upon her and merely raised a brow in answer.

He secretly enjoyed the thought that she assumed she had him figured out. By letting her take the reins he had done so for himself. If this woman was a danger, she would have to present it to him. He would forever be on his guard, for what good is a man if he is not, but he knew already that he had an advantage of reputation. He was certain she didn't think much of him so far. Perhaps even that his reputation had been false information.

The click of the door opening echoed inside his head and, inside his head, he smiled. The expressionless mask he wore in reality watched her form move into the room and he followed after her and shut the door behind him.

[paganchick]

"I thought I had made it clear I didn't want you in here.... Leave," Sapphira spoke, her voice growing dark, threatening.
She could tell he was still playing the game as well. Even though the game seemed to be growing more dangerous for each passing second. She had heard that he was a ladies man, but by everything so far she would have to disagree. The man had no charm what so ever.

[DarkAssassin]

"Adaptation. That is what I have done before your very eyes." The Dark One watched her in the dimly lit room, eyes glowing brightly, dangerously. "You have heard my reputation, no doubt. Of course you would have had to know something about me, to pick me out. You want something from me ... Or perhaps are supposed to get something from me. I'm curious to know what it is ..." He paused and glanced around the fair sized room. "You do not threaten me, Miss, because you do not know who I am or what you are dealing with. You may say the same for me, though I know you have something to do that involves me."

James walked over to the nearby window and was silent for a moment, looking at the moon. "You're probably wondering about the part of my reputation with women." He paused again. "It is true. I have slept with many women, won many women over ... In fact, if you were a normal person I wouldn't even be the same man you've met. I would in fact be the man you've heard so much about. I would be charming and luring. Seductive."

He turned to look at her, his eyes very cold now, boring into her skull with ferocity. "But when I know there is something amiss, like there is with you, I am as you see before you. Cold. Ruthless. Dangerous." He muttered the last three words with a slight growl.

"Now, I would much prefer that you told me exactly what it is you are supposed to be doing with me." James gazed at her, his face still emotionless, but his eyes so much more threatening. The game would end eventually. And he knew that while he had her alone, in a dark room, it might be the absolute best place he would ever get her for this sort of talk.

[paganchick]

Sapphira walked up to the man, her face once again pleasant, as it was in the tavern. She got close to him, closer than she had gotten in the street. She reached up, tapping his nose lightly with her finger.

"I am not afraid of you mister who ever your name is, you don't intimidate me or frighten me in the least. I have a scary dog," Sapphira spoke, her hand moving to rest lightly on his chest. And if I did have some big secret, you would have gotten it out of my much more easily playing the suave, charm filled gentlemen, then the cold, heartless, trying to be scary boogie man," She replied, her voice sweet, but right under the surface it was cold, ruthless. 

[DarkAssassin]

James eyes narrowed as she tapped his nose and once her hand moved to his chest, his left arm moved in a blur, latching onto her tightly and holding her body against his own. He held her firmly, emerald eyes never having blinked once, burrowing into her own green ones.

"I am not trying to make you afraid. But that does not change the fact that you should be." He reached up with his right hand, gently caressing her cheek. "You sound as if you wished you had encountered that side of me, the womanizer. It is a shame, you are extremely beautiful." He let his fingers move a few loose strains of hair from her face.

She was on the defense now, he knew. It seemed strange. Perhaps she really did have no need for him. And in that case, why was he here?

[paganchick]

Sapphira laughed.
"You see, dolly, you have it backwards, it should be you that is afraid of me," She spoke, not explaining why he should be afraid, or how. She let it just hang in the air as she looked up at his glowing eyes, her body melding against his, her body yielding where his would not.

"And yes, I would rather be charmed and then stalked, but don't be arrogant enough to think that would have landed you in my bed, because it wouldn't," her last word ending sharply. Her round pupils, for a second elongating to the cat like slits they truly were, but only for a moment.

[DarkAssassin]

He listened to her laugh, feeling her body yield against his own. He gazed back into her eyes as she looked at him, not bothered in the slightest.

For the first time, James smiled. A smile without feeling. He just smiled at her for a long moment. Then he leaned in closer to her, mouth near her ear and whispered, "I am not afraid of you. And yes, I would have." He moved his head back slightly to look back into her eyes.

What a strange woman to come to Zantaric, he thought.

He touched her cheek once more, very softly and for an instant his rigid body pushed lightly back against hers. "Live, Miss. Do not waste the beauty life has given you on petty things." He said this in a difference voice, one that was almost sincere. One that almost had feeling.

And with that, he released her from his hold, letting his arm fall away from her and stepping backward. He walked over to the window and opened it widely.

[paganchick]

"You wouldn't have," Sapphira replied simply as he opened the window. She had lived a very long time and there had been many a man try to get in her pants. Very few succeeded and considering she was hunting the man, he definitely wouldn't have.

She might not have the reputation that he had at face value but her reputation was tied to the mask she wore when killing which she obviously didn't wear on a regular occasion. "And maybe you should have a little heart now and again, it does the soul good," She spoke as she turned her back to the man.

He was an odd creature that was for sure. She didn't know exactly how she felt about him. There was definitely something about him that she couldn't put her finger on, but she was planning on figuring out what it was sooner rather than later.

[DarkAssassin]

James ignored her comment and glanced up at the moon through the open window. This was a waste of his time. Even if the woman was dangerous, she had made no attempt to do anything. She was merely another hired gun, most likely. If she was lucky, she'd never have to see the side of him that had garnered his reputation.

She was strange. So strange. Something inside of him stirred when he looked at her, but he wasn't sure what sort of feeling it was. Lust? Anger?

He glanced back to see her turn her back on him, and at the moment he slipped out the window silently, vanishing from view and hearing her final words to him as he dropped to the ground softly outside. He found the darkness immediately, or rather, it found him, and he disappeared into the night.

[paganchick]

She knew he would leave when she turned her back. That in part was a reason why she had done it in the first place. She wanted to be alone, relax. She walked back to the window, fixing it closed. She then moved to the bed. It wasn't the best looking bed, but she had slept on much, much worse. She had been traveling none stop for days so she needed the rest. She crawled into the bed, swords and knives still in place. She trusted no one, especially in a place like Zantaric, so she would sleep with all of her clothes and weapons intact.

It didn't take long for the light sleep to pull her away from the waking world. 

[DarkAssassin]

James walked through the shadows in silence. He knew that by now the woman would be asleep. Originally, he had intended to wait that out, and simply reenter her room once she was in her slumber, but now he had decided against it. There was no reason for her die if she had not legitimately shown a sign of wanting to kill him, or of even being a threat for that matter.

Still, he felt that strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was beginning to grow frustrated, since he was having trouble placing what exactly it was. Irritability was bad. Not necessarily for him, but for those who would come across him.

He felt no sympathy tonight. Comforted though he was by the darkness, he would not hesitate if he was attacked. And in Zantaric, that was a real possibility. Most around knew and understood his reputation enough to leave him be, but new arrivals or those who didn't recognize him in the darkness wouldn't be spared if they made the fatal flaw.

[paganchick]

Sapphira slept on, in her light sleep. She rarely ever had a deep sleep and even then she had to be in her true form. And light sound would rouse her quickly. Plus she wasn't one that you would want to wake up because you would face her grump wrath.

In was the first hints of light in the morning that began to wake her. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, another day alive, another day to kill. She had decided against killing the man so far, though she didn't plan on leaving right away. There was something about him that she had to figure out first.

[DarkAssassin]

By the time morning had come, James had made his way to a remote alleyway within the town. Miraculously, he hadn't killed anyone throughout the night, though this was due only to the fact that no one had approached him. He was resting with his eyes closed, leaning against the wall at the end of the alley.

Thoughts about the woman still swirled in his head, but he knew it was time to put them away. It was time to lose interest in her. For he had no desire to get mixed up in what she was dealing with. Perhaps today was simply a day to find another woman. One that was not so ... corrupt. One that was simpler.

He sighed quietly and stretched his right arm.

[paganchick]

Considering Sapphira had slept with all of her clothes on when it was time to get up it didn't take her very long at all. So moved to a small wash basin to wash her face quickly before making her way out of the room. She headed straight for the tavern.

Considering her alcohol tolerance and just her personality in general it made perfect since for her to start drinking at the first light of day. Plus she had to gather herself and decide what she was going to do with mister dark and brooding. She wanted to figure out what it was about him that made him different.

[DarkAssassin]

Walking close to the edge of the alley, James looked out to see the day-walkers out in full force. He glanced to his right, seeing the same tavern he had been in only yesterday. He reached up and ran a hand through his dark hair.

He flexed his arms beneath his cloak, stretching. Perhaps the tavern would be the best place to look for a woman. One to take his mind off of the other.

[paganchick]

Sapphira made it to the tavern, oddly enough she wasn't the first one there. She didn't know why humans would stat drinking so early just to end up in such a stupor by the end of the night they end up passed out in the streets in a puddle of there own urine and covered in there own vomit. She could almost pity them for it.

She ordered another bottle of strong elvish wine. It was her favorite wine to drink. It was strong enough to make her feel a hint of effect and tasted sweet, which was pleasing to her palate. She sat with her back to the door close to the back of the tavern, a place that the morning sun was casting shadows.

[DarkAssassin]

Entering the tavern, James sat in the same place he had been yesterday. He closed his eyes for a long moment. It was a bit early to start picking out women, but perhaps he would get lucky. He opened his glowing eyes again and glanced over at the bar, considering ordering some alcohol.

Where he sat was one of the only places in the tavern that was fully distorted by shadow.