Chapter-48 The Velvet Veil

The Velvet Veil loomed before them, a towering masterpiece of excess and elegance. Candlelight glowed behind tall stained glass windows, casting fractured patterns of crimson, gold, and violet onto the cobblestone street below. The entrance was framed by heavy, dark velvet curtains embroidered with silver vines, parting slightly each time a guest was granted entry, only to close again like a living thing guarding the secrets within.

Frederique stood at the edge of the lamplight, the delicate chill of the evening air brushing against her skin. She wore her most expensive dress, a thing of pale, unnatural white that clung to her curves like spun moonlight. The fabric shimmered faintly under the gaslight, as though the dress itself radiated a soft hunger, matching the one she felt stirring just beneath her skin.

The gown's bodice was fitted perfectly, a subtle sweetheart neckline dipping just enough to tease without compromising elegance. Fine silver embroidery traced the edges, wrapping around her waist in delicate patterns reminiscent of thorned vines. The sleeves, sheer and weightless, left her shoulders bare while trailing down to cuff just above her wrists, the silk whispering with every movement.

Her scarlet hair spilled down her back in soft, sculpted waves. Lysandro had insisted on the style, brushing it to a mirror-like shine before pinning a cluster of pale silver roses just above her right ear. Matching earrings... delicate chains ending in tiny pale gemstones... glistened against her neck.

But it was her face that made the dress complete. A perfect contradiction. Frideria's influence had sharpened her once-soft features, giving her high cheekbones a touch of unnatural symmetry, her lips a deeper red than blood. The eyes, though... those were what made people pause. They glowed faintly. Not enough to seem inhuman, but enough to unnerve. Enough to hold attention longer than was polite.

Frederique barely recognized herself. And that was the point.

"Don't fidget." Selora's voice, low and silken, cut through the night.

Frederique turned, meeting the fox-like Pooka's gaze. Selora stood just to her left, the embodiment of temptation in her midnight silk gown. The fabric was daring where Frederique's was elegant, slit high to reveal smooth, pale skin and hugging every curve of her body. Her auburn hair was a cascade of waves, and a subtle golden powder glittered along her collarbone.

She wasn't just a woman. She was a predator wrapped in beauty.

"You're doing fine," Selora continued, lips quirking into a teasing smile as her emerald eyes scanned Frederique from head to toe.

"If you keep holding yourself like that, they'll think you're royalty. Just the right amount of arrogance."

"I'm not... "

"You are now."

Before Frederique could respond, the final member of their trio approached.

Lira, the playful Pooka, had forgone her usual carefree look for a deep violet dress of crushed velvet, the neckline low but balanced by long, elegant sleeves that wrapped her wrists. Her hair, normally messy and wild, was swept back with jeweled pins, and a faint shimmer of glamour dust gave her skin a luminous, almost feline glow.

She grinned. "Look at us. Like we're about to rob the entire building without lifting a finger."

Selora smirked.

"We are."

Frederique blinked.

"I thought this was a bodyguard job."

"It is," Selora corrected, brushing an invisible speck from her dress.

"But presentation is half the work here. Confidence matters. If you look powerful, people think twice before causing trouble. If you look desirable..."

Lira finished for her. "They start causing trouble for themselves instead."

Frederique exhaled slowly, fingers grazing the side of her dress.

"And what exactly is the plan once we enter?"

Selora's gaze sharpened, the teasing fading into something colder. Professional.

"Three days. Three nights. The Velvet Veil is a private pleasure house for both mundane and supernatural clients. Our contract is with the owner... Solas. He's a Shifter, but not the kind we talk about openly. He's powerful enough that no one's stupid enough to challenge him directly. So instead, they target the brothel itself. Accidents. Disappearances. Drunken fights that go too far. That's where we come in.

"Our job isn't to fight. It's to prevent the need for fighting. Eyes open. Ears open. Keep the tension low. If someone needs scaring off, we handle it subtly."

Lira added, voice softer, "The humans working there? They know about the supernatural world. They chose this life. It's the guests we worry about. Some don't handle the truth well. Some... seek danger for the thrill. Those are the ones you need to watch closely."

Frederique nodded. The weight of responsibility settled more heavily on her shoulders now, a different kind of tension than her last mission. This wasn't about violence... it was control.

Selora touched her arm gently.

"And remember. No unnecessary force. You are not a monster here. You are elegance. Understand?"

Frederique nodded again.

Then, the doors opened.

The Velvet Veil was a palace of decadence.

The scent of jasmine, wine, and warm candlewax hung heavy in the air. Velvet drapes of deep crimson cascaded from the ceilings, parting only enough to reveal the lounge where pale-skinned servers offered goblets of shimmering liquid to guests reclining on couches of plush satin.

Music played... a slow, haunting melody from a violin somewhere deeper within, rising and falling like a heartbeat beneath the hush of whispered conversations.

Changelings and mortals alike filled the space. Some glittering in finery as excessive as their surroundings, others shrouded in shadowy glamours that twisted the light around them.

A man with skin like polished marble sat with a mortal woman on his lap, whispering something into her ear that made her shiver. A trio of veiled figures, featureless behind their illusion, sipped from a shared cup of something black as ink.

Selora led them deeper, her steps silent despite the heels.

The attention shifted. Not all at once. Not openly. But Frederique felt it, the prickle of gazes trailing over them... assessing.

Calculating.

Frideria stirred.

' They fear you. They should fear you. Let them.'

Frederique kept her head high, ignoring the whispers.

The double doors to the Velvet Veil opened, not to a looming figure but a striking woman who exuded authority despite her obvious attempts to appear composed. She looked like she had stepped out of a high-end office, wearing a fitted black pencil skirt, a sheer white blouse tucked neatly beneath a scarlet blazer, and thin-framed glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. Her raven-black hair was gathered into a severe bun, but the effect was softened by the delicate gold chain resting against her collarbone.

Her sharp gaze swept over Selora first, lingering just long enough to exchange a glance of mutual recognition before flicking toward Frederique.

"So," the woman began, her voice smooth but edged with curiosity.

"You're the new recruit I've been hearing whispers about."

Frederique felt the weight of the woman's attention pressing against her like a silent interrogation. She straightened slightly, but before she could speak, Selora's honeyed voice cut in.

"Director, meet Frederique. Frederique, meet the Director of the Velvet Veil. She runs the establishment when Solas is...occupied elsewhere."

The Director offered a practiced smile, perfectly polite but with a glint of personal interest behind her eyes.

"I keep things running smoothly, yes. Your presence here is noted, Miss Frederique. A Redcap, was it? I trust you'll be...discreet?"

Frederique nodded stiffly, the tension lingering in her shoulders.

"Excellent."

The Director's eyes traced Frederique's pristine white dress, lingering on the flawless tailoring and the icy elegance it projected.

"You make quite the statement. Appropriate, given our clientele. Presentation matters here, almost as much as protection."

Selora added with a teasing lilt, "She's learning fast. I told you she'd fit right in."

The Director's lips quirked slightly. "Indeed. I look forward to seeing if she can live up to her reputation. Shall we discuss the terms of your stay in my office?"