Fatal Attraction

The inn's interior felt more spacious than its exterior suggested. A stone hearth blazed fiercely, logs crackling within. Sturdy wooden tables were crowded with townsfolk and scattered travelers, most bundled in thick woolens or furs.

Behind the bar, a barrel-chested man with salt-and-pepper hair bustled tirelessly, polishing glasses and pouring drinks, his booming voice occasionally cutting through the din.

"Two rooms, landlord! With hot water!" Lumi's voice sliced through the clamor. She slapped several shiny silver coins onto the bar with a sharp clink.

The landlord glanced at the coins, then swiftly scanned the odd trio before him: a travel-stained woman with sharp eyes, a wild-looking young woman with black hair and green eyes, and a tall, inhumanly pale man of striking beauty. A flicker of wariness crossed his eyes, but the gleam of silver swiftly outweighed it.

"Hot water? Ha! Lucky to get any at all in this weather! Got enough for one proper bath right now. The other two rooms'll have to wait, or make do with a lukewarm wash." He wiped sweat from his brow with a forearm. "Rooms at the far end upstairs. Keys here. Bath's down the hall to the left, last door! Common use! Be quick about it, others are waiting!" He pushed three heavy brass keys across the wood.

Lumi snatched the keys. A sly grin played on her lips as she immediately pressed the small bath key into Ellis's hand. "You first, pup! Reekin' of dust and wolf blood. Any longer and the ale'll turn sour." She theatrically fanned the air before her nose, then turned to Caius, her tone matter-of-fact. "As for you, old relic, reckon it's been centuries since a proper soak? Pretty sure you can hold out a few more."

Ellis's fingers closed around the warm copper key, tracing its rough-cut grooves. She craved the hot water, needed to wash away the grime and the clinging scent of battle – iron, dust, and things she'd rather forget. She offered no argument, just a low Hn, before turning towards the narrow wooden stairs. Her boots thudded on the creaking steps.

The common bath lay at the end of the hallway. Steam curled from beneath the door, carrying the clean scent of soapwort, a stark contrast to the tavern's stuffy air below.

Ellis pushed the door open. A wave of damp heat enveloped her. The room was small, its lower walls clad in rough stone slabs, the upper half coated in flaking whitewash.

In one corner, a large, cumbersome cast-iron tub gurgled, sending up plumes of steam. A few dried pine needles floated on the water's surface, releasing a fresh, woody fragrance. A wooden shelf nearby held rough but clean linen towels and a hard, yellowish bar of soap.

She swiftly turned the lock and leaned back against the cool wood of the door, releasing a long breath. The outside noise vanished, replaced only by the water's rhythmic splash echoing in the small space.

Ellis untied the leather cord binding her hair. Raven-dark locks cascaded down her back. Next came the heavy travel coat, the dust-caked leather jerkin, the inner layers… Her movements were efficient, yet carried a hint of deep weariness.

Finally, the last garment slipped away. She stood naked in the swirling steam, her strong, lean body revealed in the hazy light. Long training had shaped her form – shoulders like folded wings, a waist slender yet powerful, legs marked by clear muscle definition. Faint, silvery scars, tokens of wilderness and combat, dotted her skin. The freshest was a dark red scab on her side, a memento from her clash with Caius.

She stepped into the tub. Scalding water surged around her, drawing a low sigh of satisfaction from her lips. It felt alive, seeping into her tight muscles, dissolving the ache and the chill lodged deep within. She sank deeper, letting the water rise to her shoulders, only her head and neck remaining above the surface. She closed her eyes, letting the steam bead on her lashes and damp hair.

Just as she surrendered to this fragile peace, a sound broke the stillness outside. Footsteps, impossibly light, feline in their silence, approached the door. They stopped abruptly just outside. Silence fell, thick and sudden, broken only by the water's murmur and the sudden, loud thudding of her own heart.

Outside, Caius had indeed paused at the bathhouse door. He hadn't sought it out; Lumi's loud ordering downstairs had driven him to seek the corridor's relative quiet. The stillness and the warm, clean scent were oddly soothing to his heightened senses. Yet, beneath that clean fragrance, another scent threaded through the damp air, faint but unmistakable.

Blood. Very faint, seeping from under the door. Had the little wolf's wound reopened? Or…?

The scent was a pebble dropped into the stagnant pool of his ancient senses, sending ripples through the silence. He could picture the steamy room beyond, imagine that young, resilient body submerged in the heat. Water tracing paths over smooth skin, steam plastering dark hair to a neck… and that elusive thread of blood, a dangerous, pure jewel glowing in the dark. His tongue brushed the tip of one sharp canine. In the depths of his silver-grey eyes, a spark like deep red ember flared and vanished. An ancient instinct, mingled with complex appreciation and a possessive hunger, stirred slowly in his cold chest.

But he remained still. A perfect, breathless statue. After a moment, he turned without a sound, a shadow dissolving into deeper shadow, leaving the door and its potent allure behind. He moved towards his own assigned room. As if his pause had been nothing more than a brief, meaningless hesitation in an empty hall.

Inside the tub, Ellis held her breath, ears straining. The overwhelming presence lingered for a heartbeat, then simply… vanished.

Tension slowly bled from her body. She slid deeper into the water, but the fragile peace was shattered. She looked down at her own arm, the muscle taut beneath the skin, then at her reflection wavering in the water. Her green eyes, deep and intense in the steam, held a complex, unreadable light.

She scooped a handful of hot water and splashed it fiercely onto her face, trying to wash away the inexplicable unease.

Finally dried and dressed in clean underclothes, soft woolen trousers, and a tunic, Ellis stepped out, her hair still dripping. The hallway was empty now. She headed for her room, but her steps faltered almost imperceptibly as she passed Caius's door.

It stood slightly ajar. No light burned within, only the faint moonlight from the window sketching the furniture's vague shapes. She saw nothing, yet felt the absolute stillness and chill radiating from the darkness within. She averted her gaze and quickened her pace to her own door, pushing it open.

Warm lamplight and the rich smell of food welcomed her. Lumi was already there, setting down a large platter of steaming stew, golden-brown bread, and a jug of hot ale on the small round table in the center. She looked up as Ellis entered, grinning. "Better? Look at you, finally got some color back. Come on, eat! Landlord's no slouch in the kitchen."

Ellis nodded and sat. The food's aroma sparked real hunger. She picked up a piece of bread, took a bite just as the door opened softly again.

Caius entered. He'd changed out of his dusty, ornate coat, wearing only a finely tailored, deep grey velvet shirt, its collar open slightly. His damp, pale gold hair was swept back carelessly, a few strands falling onto his forehead, still dripping. Clearly, he'd also freshened up elsewhere.

He looked unnaturally clean, pale as moonlight, radiating a faint coolness. He moved to the single remaining chair at the table and sat with effortless grace. His gaze swept over the food, holding the detached appraisal of nobility viewing peasant fare, before settling on Ellis.

His eyes lingered on the wet strands clinging to her neck, the water droplets tracing paths into her collar.

"The hot water appears to have been… refreshing, Miss Ellis," his voice was low and melodious, like dark water moving under ice, devoid of inflection. "Though," a faint, unreadable smile touched his lips, "some wildness is not so easily washed away."

His gaze seemed to pierce her clean clothes, seeing the blood pulsing beneath her skin, sensing the power momentarily subdued by the heat but coiled, ready to spring.

Ellis met his stare without flinching, a low, warning rumble escaping her, like a young predator's growl.

Lumi acted oblivious to the current between them. She shoved a large chunk of stew meat into her mouth, speaking around it. "Alright, alright, you two drips! Eat! Better than wasting energy glaring. Caius, you don't eat, but you can watch, right?"

Caius lifted his empty glass. He directed it towards Ellis in a gesture of silent, elegant salute. The smile deepened, becoming something both purely appreciative and chillingly possessive.

"No, madam," he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper, soft as a lover's murmur, yet instantly chilling the air. His gaze locked onto Ellis, whose body tensed in renewed alertness. "Some flavors… are best savored when the moment is perfectly ripe." His eyes remained fixed on Ellis, as if she were the only true delicacy in the room.