A cold wind blew through the oak doors of the tavern as they were opened, Mordock stepping through, candles flickering. The patrons looked him over curiously for a moment, the tension lowering as they returned to their cards, drinking, and seducing lewd women. The smell of old wood mixed with smoke from cigars and cheap perfume drifted his way. How much he despised places like this, yet how much he loved them.

"Hello there, Mordock!" a man bellowed.

Turning his head in the direction of the familiar voice, Mordock smirked, "Greetings, Jerec."

Jerec gathered Mordock into a hug, patting him loudly on the back. Pulling away, Jerec analyzed his friend, "You look bothered by something, brother. Care to tell?"

Snorting, Mordock’s eyes flicked toward the bar. "Can I at least get a drink first?"

Jerec motioned to an empty table and waved over his favorite tavern wench. "Rose, be a dear and bring my brother here an ale."

The harlot winked at Jerec, "Sure thing, handsome," she caressed his chin and turned away, leaving them with her hips swaying provocatively.

Looking at Jerec, Mordock gave a small smile. They looked absolutely nothing alike. He had dark skin, silver hair, eyes like emeralds. Jerec’s skin was tanned with black hair and coal-black eyes.

An orphan when Mordock found him years ago, Jerec and he were only children around eight. Lying in a pile of hay, half covered in an old cabin, Jerec looked so vulnerable. He shook with fear. Mordock frowned as the memory returned. Jerec’s mother had just been murdered that morning when he found them. Not only killed, but brutally raped causing her to hemorrhage, her simple dress torn, skirt tossed up about her hips, blood everywhere. He could not explain the burning rage and sadness he felt. From that moment on, Mordock had always been protective of Jerec, treating him as his own brother. He brought Jerec home and his mother instantly fell in love with him. Mordock and Jerec were her happiness in life.

"You going to tell me why you’re frowning?" Jerec asked, breaking through Mordock’s thoughts, leaning back in his chair.

Before Mordock could answer, the maid returned, reaching over his shoulder setting the ale on the tabletop, her bosom pressing against his back. "There ye go, honey," she leaned against him, smiling as she started playing with his hair, running her fingers through the silver tresses, her other hand sliding down his clothed chest towards his groin.

Jerec snickered at the scene before him, raising a brow as Mordock sat there, scowling darkly. She wasn’t really bad looking for her line of work, painted red lips lush and full; eyes, dark chocolate lined with blonde lashes matching hair that hung down her back in a mass of spiral curls. Her clothing was vivid, tight, and revealing; breasts threatening to spill from the bodice at any second. He waited with anticipation for that moment. Clearing his throat, Jerec chuckled, "Rose dear, my brother is not in the mood for your charms this night. Perhaps another time." Pulling out a gold piece, he tossed it towards the whore. Catching it with a grin, she tucked it between her cleavage. She then giggled as she walked away.

Jerec frowned. He hadn’t seen Mordock like this for months and it was beginning to worry him. "All right, Mordock, I have waited long enough. Out with it. What has caused you to be in such a foul mood?"

Lifting the mug, Mordock took a long swig, set it back down, still gripping the handle. "’Tis nothing of importance. I was just left unsatisfied."

Brows drawn tight, Jerec didn’t quite understand. "Unsatisfied? You mean you didn’t kill anything on your hunt? Is that the only reason?" he chuckled.

"No," Mordock growled out.

"Oh, well then, tell me why you were left so unsatisfied," Jerec grinned. He enjoyed provoking Mordock whenever he got the chance. He kept to himself too often and it was just tempting not to.

"There was a woman-"

"A woman?" Jerec interrupted, leaning forward. "Well by the Gods, you have a woman!"

"Would you shut that trap of yours for once and let me finish!" Mordock said, gritting his teeth.

"All right," Jerec held his hands up, palms out in surrender, unable to keep from grinning, "please, continue."

Mordock swirled the liquid around in the mug, staring at the foam. "She was bathing." He glanced at Jerec, ready for him to interrupt with another remark, but the grin only widened waiting for Mordock to continue. "The strange thing was I didn’t sense her, but she felt me, actually saw me! I don’t know how, but she did. It surprised me when she crept up behind me with a dagger pressed into my back."

Jerec’s silence was fleeting and he burst into a fit of laughter, hands gripping his sides. Sobering, he wiped the tears from his eyes. Clearing his throat, his attention came back to Mordock who sat there, brooding. "I’m sorry, Mordock, but you must admit, it is quite funny that someone, a woman no less, caught you off guard. Especially you, who are not caught off guard often if at all."

"Perhaps," Mordock glared at his mug, "but you may as well laugh while you can because it won’t happen again."

"All right, I got the point," Jerec chuckled, shaking his head. "So how did your hunt go this eve?"

That brought a look of delight to Mordock’s face, "Wonderful as always, and astonishingly successful."

"What have you killed this time?"

"A sphinxite."

Jerec brows raised. "You’re lucky that thing didn’t catch you off guard as well. Those creatures are fatal."

Mordock growled low then lifted the mug back to his lips finishing the ale. Setting the empty mug back on the table, he flicked his gaze toward the large oak doors as they opened. A cloaked figure entered, hood pulled down masking the face in shadows, limiting its appearance to the flaxen glow of eyes gleaming within the darkness.

"What do you think?" Jerec asked bringing Mordock’s attention back to him.

"What do I think?" Mordock repeated, perplexed.

Jerec nodded toward the cloaked figure.

"You know who that is?"

"I met him last eve. We engaged in a conversation and had a few drinks. Not a bad guy if you ask me and don’t let his looks fool you. He’s sensitive to the light."

Tilting his head, Mordock watched patiently as Jerec waved the man over. He did not trust many people especially those he had never met, but Jerec was a good judge of character. If Jerec trusted him, Mordock would give the man a chance. Still, he took precautions.

"Mordock, this is Deimos. Deimos, this is my brother, Mordock."

Pulling his cowl back, Deimos inclined his head, "Greetings, Mordock."

Mordock blinked in surprise. A drow! Rare in these parts, most were wiped out because of the races hatred for drow kind, usually murdered by hired assassins. Returning the nod politely, Mordock gestured to an empty chair, "Have a seat."

Deimos thanked Mordock silently then gazed about the room, "Slow night."

"Yes, it has been like this all night," Jerec responded, kicking back once again, looking very relaxed and undisturbed. "So what brings you here tonight, Deimos? I thought you were going to set off early this morn for Celibia."

"I was, but I was thinking about what you told me when last we spoke. You were going to Navander?"

"My brother and I, yes," Jerec nodded.

"What is it that makes you want to travel to such a place? It is forbidding, crawling with undead creatures and such."

"There is business we must attend there," Mordock replied, frustrated that Jerec had been talking about their plans with others.

Deimos gaze lifted toward Mordock, yellow orbs glowing brightly. "Perhaps you would allow me to join you?"

"We-" Mordock grunted as Jerec’s elbow rammed his stomach.

"Would love your company," Jerec finished.

"Wonderful. When is it we’ll be setting off then?"

Grumbling, Mordock answered, "Early tomorrow morning at dawn. We’ll meet here, out front."

Deimos stood, nodding, and replaced the hood, once again casting his face in shadows. "I will take my leave then, so I may have time to pack and rest for the long journey."

Jerec’s grin was wide. "We’ll see you then."

Mordock rubbed his stomach and watched Deimos exit the tavern, the cool night’s breeze whistling through the doors. Turning his attention back to his grinning brother, Mordock stomped down his foot.

Jerec howled, jerking his foot away, grin disappearing. "Hell and damnation, Mordock! What the hell was that for?"

"Must you tell everyone that you come across, our plans? To many know to much as it is."

"No," he defended, "He is experienced in the arts of magic, a master mage. I only thought that he would come in handy."

"How so?"

"He is a necromancer."

Mordock considered this. Perhaps the drow would come in handy once they got to Dyfil, especially with the undead creatures that lurked around past the gate. He could only hope that he was experienced enough as Jerec said he was. "We should get some rest as well. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Jerec stood, nodding, "You’re right. Sleep well brother."

Mordock stood as well, slipping his cloak off his shoulders, draping it over his arm, "Goodnight." He watched Jerec take his leave, rubbing his dark chin with his thumb and index finger.

"Why not. As Jerec said, he could come in handy," Mordock spoke quietly so others were unable to hear.

"Nothing will go wrong. I’ll make sure of it."

*****

Mordock bolted upright as the window fluttered open, pounding against the wooden window frame. Wind roared into the room, kicking the curtains up, rain pattering harshly on the floor.

Sighing, Mordock tossed the covers off, swinging his bare legs over the edge of the bed, goosebumps running down his flesh from the brisk and icy rain. Striding towards the window, he moved the billowing curtains aside. Taking hold of the window, he pushed it shut against the strong wind, slipping a small metal pin back into place, locking it.

He slowly gazed about the dark room, sensing a presence. Walking back to the bed, Mordock snatched up the blanket, whisking it off, tying it about his hips.

"Why cover yourself? I was suprisingly enjoying the view," a voice remarked from a dark corner.

Spinning on his heel, he cursed loudly, stubbing his toe against the wooden bed frame. Growling, he narrowed his eyes in the direction the voice had come from. "Who are you?"

"There’s no need to know who I am. I only came to retrieve what is mine."

A look of confusion spread across Mordock’s face, "I don’t have anything that belongs to you, whoever you are."

"Of course you do. You took it from me earlier in the forest."

"You! That woman that…was," he was at loss of words, the vision of this radiant beauty returning. Mordock’s loins immediately tightened. His body had never been this treacherous to him before. He had always had wonderful self-control around women, but why was it so hard now?

"Yes, that woman you were watching bathe," she replied in a bitter tone. "Now, if you please," she held her hand out, expecting him to give her what she came for, "my dagger."

Mordock taunted with a smirk, "If I choose to keep it?"

Stepping from the shadows, the woman glare at him, her patience vanishing, temper flaring, "You will give me what belongs to me because if you do not, I swear you will regret it! I will come upon you whilst you sleep and you will-"

It took Mordock two strides to reach her, covering a hand over her mouth, cutting her short. Tossing her onto the bed, he climbed on top her, straddling her waist. A hand still covering her mouth, the other gripping her wrists, holding them above her head, he pierced her with a forbidding stare. "Not another word, wench unless you wish me to cut out that sharp tongue. Do you understand?" The woman nodded stiffly and slowly Mordock lifted his hand from her mouth, "All right then, first, tell me your name."

She opened her mouth to argue but his eyes narrowed, quickly changing her mind, "Aislinn."

"How did you find me?"
"I just did," she said simply.

Mordock shook her by the shoulders, "The truth damnit! You didn’t find me just like that."

"All right! I had a sensed to where you were."

He drew his brows together, perplexed, "A sensed to where I was? How?"

"I’m a telepath, it’s that simple. I can sense things near by and I can hear your thoughts."

Aislinn blinked in startlment, "Is their someone else here?" Turning her head, she tried to scan the dark room around them, lifting her head the best she could to look around his large frame.

Grumbling, Mordock shook his head, "No, no one."

"But you didn’t speak! I heard someone else!"

"What you heard was the voice that only I can hear."

This time, she drew her brows together in confusion, "What do you mean a voice only you can hear? I am hearing it quite clearly."

"Mordock," she repeated, studying his face, "your name?"

Mordock nodded, climbing off Aislinn, sitting on the edge of the bed. Running a dark hand through his hair, he glanced at Aislinn, "The dagger is there," he pointed towards a small desk on the other side of the room, "in the top drawer."

Sitting up, she scooted to the end of the mattress, slipping off. Walking towards desk, she turned her head in Mordock’s direction, smiling to herself. Adverting her attention back to the desk, she tilted her head to the right slightly, slowly pulling the drawer open. She smiled wider seeing the dagger, carefully taking it from its small space within the musky drawer, replacing it at her hip. Her father had given her that dagger, the only thing she had in remembrance of him. Everything else she had was burned to ashes when her home mysteriously caught fire one night. Her mother died giving birth to her so her father was the closest person she had ever known. When he died, she thought it would have destroyed her, but her conscious always wondered if her father had not died of natural causes, but was killed. The house they had lived in for so many years just happened to burn down a couple days after her father’s death. Since then, she began thinking if it was linked to her father’s death.

"You have your dagger, now could you please leave? I have a long journey ahead of me tomorrow and I am in dire need of sleep."

Shutting the desk drawer, Aislinn nodded, walking towards the door, "Thank you." Turning the knob, she opened the creaking door, quietly watching him over her shoulder.

"Your welcome." Lying back down on the bed, he threw his arm across his face, forearm covering his eyes.

Stepping out of the room, she continued to observe him until she had the door completely shut. Sighing quietly, she made her way downstairs.