The letter had come unexpectedly while she was just retiring from meeting with the other generals of the Ethereal Army. Thanking an unknown god she was glad it arrived when they were breaking for drills than to arrive when they were in the middle of their daily briefing. It would be hard to explain what the letter said without actually revealing what it said. She hated keeping things from the men around her, but some of them simply couldn’t or wouldn’t understand what was in this letter. She didn’t need a lecture from her subordinates in the appropriate conduct of a Five Star General.

One thing for sure was she couldn’t decide if she was livid or flattered by this letter. It became a sort of murky mixture of both which had her expression hardening into something no one wanted to tangle with if they didn’t have to. The rest of the men retired to their respective tents and she decided to do the same… she needed time alone to contemplate this letter. She stalked across the camp in an attire that she was entirely comfortable in this time. Her heavy boots left deep impressions in the loose dirt and clay. Her dark leggings were tucked into the boots. She wore a fitted tunic with a wide belt around her hips for her scabbard and the familiar weight of her sword at her hip. Her officer’s coat cut an imposing figure in the distance and up close her five gold gleaming stars were an understated way of denoting her rank here.

“My lady!”

Jackalyn ignored the voice hoping that they would get the clue that she didn’t want to be disturbed by the mere fact she didn’t acknowledge them or turn around. She needed time to figure out her response to this letter and having someone yammering in her ear about supplies, ally requests, and battle plans would simply insure that she make a misstep in this crucial next move. “My Lady General!” Jackalyn took a steadying breath and fought to keep her eyes from rolling as she spun on the heel of her boot. “What is it captain?” she hissed. His rank easily distinguishable on the lapel of his coat. “You’re needed to discuss soldier’s formations for our upcoming battle.” Jackalyn pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. Had they not just discussed this in the meeting they just had? “I need a moment, captain, I trust you understand that?” she replied as she pulled the flap of her tent back, but instead of ignoring him entirely she looked back to the man with an arched and impatient brow. “Is there anything else, captain, if not you are dismissed.”

“But… General Daffilis asked fo—“

Jackalyn brought her hand up and waved it dismissively. He was always on her back about this or that. He was a man who honestly believed that he should have Jackalyn’s position and so he was the last person she had any desire to take orders or opinions from. He was as trustworthy as a shark, but at least he was a shark on her side. “Captain, you’re dismissed. Leave before I put you on scouting duty.” His eyes widened and he saluted before hurrying off wanting to give his General no reason to put him on that particular mission.

Finally alone, Jackalyn ducked into her tent and withdrew the letter from her breast pocket to read it once more. So, this mysterious gentleman that she knew only as ‘the Cat’ had figured out her identity during the masquerade. A part of her was furious that he had been able to do so. It meant that all her careful planning was for naught and she’d spent the night in a dress and doing things she might not want to do for nothing. Then again, she could not deny the cunning of her dance partner for the night. He had drawn from seemingly harmless comments a clear picture of her. Once he knew she was a soldier and very skilled with a sword there were only a few women in the Ethereal Army with those traits and even fewer with her coloring. And in the same breath, it flattered her that he would write and want to see her again. It was dangerous ground, however, as she knew from the masquerade that he was not Hydriad nor Ethereal… which meant that he fell into that murky, amorphous category of enemy. It also meant that he might reveal his true identity as well since hiding behind the ornate mask of a cat would be obvious in Su’te.

A small voice in the back of her head wondered if this could be a trap. It was possible that he was planted in the masquerade to seek her out and entice her to come to Su’te for more sinister purposes than simply to reveal one’s identity. It seemed foolish to attack on Elven territory but desperate people were pushed to desperate measures. All these variables kept swimming around in her head and the more she thought about it the angrier she got. This was not the time for games.

Roughly she crumpled the letter and threw it into a small piles she intended to burn. Finding a match she struck it off her scabbard and held one hand around the front of the small flame to protect it from the light breeze that drifted through her tent. Taking one deep breath she prepared herself to simply drop the match and ignite that letter and any temptation to find out any more about the stranger she knew as ‘the Cat’. But, something stopped her hand. With a sigh, she blew out the match and cast it aside as she retrieved the letter and smoothed it out again. What if this wasn’t a trap… what if this was just one man knowing who one woman was and reaching out to her. It was foolish, stupid, and everything that Duhain had warned her against, but she rationalized it in her mind that she needed to figure out if this man was a threat to the Quadrant effort.

Folding it more reverently this time, she tucked it into the pages of one of her favored philosophy books. No one would open the heavy volume so she felt confident in hiding it there until she could find a proper place for it.

“Ra’iner!” she called for her page. He popped his head into her tent quizzically and awaited her order. “ Ready my horse, I ride to Su’te.”

-------------

Likely it was foolish to ride into Su’te alone, but this was something she wanted to do on her own. Her pride made it difficult to confide in any one of her men because she didn’t want to hear anything on the fickle hearts of women. This had nothing to do with her heart, she told herself, and everything do with finding out the identity of this man who knew her was and deciding if he was a threat to the Ethereals or the Quadrant War effort. That’s exactly why she was there… no more and no less.

She arrived a little afternoon and boarded her horse in the Inn’s stables. A part of her didn’t know what to expect when she would enter the Inn at Su’te. Would she find an enemy or a friend… or some odd mixture of both? Would he believe the woman who now entered in boots and an officer’s jacket with a sword at her hip was truly the woman he’d danced with last night? There was no point in hiding it any longer so why not embrace her identity and the gravity that came with it? Lifting her chin with pride and tucking a strand of blonde hair which had escaped her braid behind her pointed ears, she knew that he would if he knew what was good for him. She’d been hurt more times than she could count by mens' callousness although she never said as much. She simply tucked it back behind that dam of emotions she’d used to protect herself since she was a young girl training with Duhain.

She stepped inside and the Innkeeper gave her a little nod. She returned it curtly and moved farther into the room scanning its occupants for someone who resembled the man she’d danced with last night, but looking for whiskers and pointed ears was useless… instead she looked for those handsome green eyes, strong jaw, and dark complexion which had made him stand out to her before. Would he be as intriguing to her without the mystery?

"Everything is a mystery, ourselves, and all things both simple and humble." - Giorgio Morandi
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Dominic never allowed himself a moment’s rest. Even after he had spent such a long night at the Masquerade, even into the early hours of the morning, Dominic had ridden straight to Su’te directly afterward and after perhaps an hour or two of sleep, he was up and ready to get to work. His job was constant. When he did not have a specific order to gather information on someone in particular, Dominic gathered from word-of-mouth. Any place that allowed for more than one race to gather together, and any place with alcohol, tended to be a good place to observe and to gather information. Such a place would be nearly every inn, set up along the main roads for the travelers to stay the night, get a hot meal, and be on their way. Since the war began, several of the Inns had been closed off to outsiders, and frankly Dominic was surprised that this Inn, in Elven territory, had not closed its doors to other races. While he was not exactly welcomed in with open arms, they did not turn him away.

The true reason for choosing Su’te that day was one that Dominic would not admit to himself. He did not care to allow his feelings to make decisions for him. However, he could not deny that since he had danced with General Jackalyn Whimera, he had not been able to keep his mind off of her. It was not infatuation, he demanded that it was not! It was mere curiosity for she intrigued him – how was it that she was one of the only female generals? What set her above the others? This was not a political interest to him, in fact anything he gathered from her he doubted he would report back. This was personal interest, and that was all he would admit to himself.

After he sent the letter with urgency to the Elven General, Dominic wondered whether or not she would show up. Perhaps she had no interest whatsoever in seeing him again. Perhaps she was as curious as he, maybe even more so, for she did not know who he was, while he knew her. If she did not show, he would not pursue again, unless instructed to by his superiors.

Dominic sat in the corner of the downstairs area of the Inn, which served as a dining area and a pub. The Innkeeper did not seem to be too worried about his quiet presence, for many other species had gathered as well, some who looked more formidable than even he, a Soul-Eater. However, at first glance, Dom came off as a Magician or a Human. One could not tell by looking that he was a Soul-Eater, unless they were looking at him as he fed. He kept such things to himself, for he knew the dark tales that had been spun about the Soul-Eaters. He knew that his kind was feared.

His ears picked up the conversations about him, most of which centered on the war or perhaps the Masquerade that had happened the night before. It did not take long for a pair of Drow to get into a heated debate on the other side of the dining room, but Dominic had no concern for their quarrel. At that very moment, a new figure had entered the room. She was a tall elf wearing an officer’s jacket and a sword at her hip. Dominic’s lips twitched into a smile: she came.
He watched as she looked around the room for any sign of her dance partner from the night before, and he wondered if she would recognize him without his cat mask. Her back was to him and he rose slowly from his seat and approached her cautiously, for she had a sword and he was sure she could draw it faster than lightening if she felt she was being threatened. “Lady General…” Dominic’s quiet voice greeted her from behind and as she turned, he met her with a slight smile. “Would you care to join me?” He gestured toward the table he had come from.

In her element, that is to say in her comfortable attire, Dominic found her even more attractive than he had the night before. Such a fact he would not admit to himself, for at this time, they were yet strangers.

After they had been situated at their table, Dominic cleared his throat, “I was not sure whether or not you would show at so late a notice…” He stated awkwardly, finding it hard to converse without that ulterior motive and without the mask of hiding his identity from others. “Allow me to introduce myself… I am Dominic Mogwai.” He did not expect her to introduce herself, for they both knew he had been aware the night before. It was not rare, however, for Dominic to know a person before they had known him. His eyes scanned Jackalyn’s face, wondering how she may react to his true identity, finally revealed.

What did she expect out of this meeting? Answers. She convinced herself that this entire foolhardy mission was about the collection of answers and the judgment of whether or not this fellow knowing her identity and the things she had said to him the night before were detrimental to her or to the Quadrant effort. Still, she knew that there was something else behind it, but she refused to give voice to it. Refused to examine that particular motive and convinced herself that if she didn’t acknowledge it then it did not exist.

Her hazel eyes scanned the patrons who sat idly in the pub and dining room eating casually and drinking pints of ale and beer. No wonder he had chosen this particular Inn in Su’te. She could see many different races sitting around the room. It made it easier for him to blend in amongst the Elven territory, but it made it harder for Jackalyn to be sure who it was she was looking for. Was it him? She wondered focusing on a dark haired man with a scar down the corner of his face. He watched her warily, but the mask could have hidden his scar. But his eyes held a contemptuousness she didn’t expect and besides… they were blue. The General in her ached to find out just what this stranger was hiding, but Jackalyn knew that there were more important things to find out than to go chasing every sketchy looking scoundrel who filled an Inn’s pub.

After a moment of no one stepping forward, Jackalyn’s stomach sank into a pit that seemed to have miraculously developed beneath her feet. Maybe he had set this meeting up to see if the woman he had danced with was anything like the woman she truly was. She straightened the lapel of her officer’s jacket and knew her pride would not let her feel anything but righteously indignant if he was intimidated by her rank and standing. Or… perhaps now that he could see her face and the mystery of the evening was not upon them and making them drunk its particular brand of magic she simply was not what he had imagined. Her chin lifted a little higher as she usually did when she wrapped her pride and dignity around herself like a shield against the unexpected pain of being less than what one wanted.

“Lady General…”

The syllables uttered, and Jackalyn’s hand rested easily on the pommel of her sword as she slowly turned toward where the voice had come from. A twist of her head so she could watch him as the rest of her body followed suit. Once she faced him she began to notice familiar things about this man approached her. His olive skin, his roguish wavy hair, and what she noticed most were the same green eyes. Handsome, cunning, and above all… held no contempt. So this was the mysterious Mr. Cat? The feminine part of her which she had buried deep beneath layers of duty, honor, and civil duty purred in appreciation. Jackalyn swatted it away like the stray it was. There was no need for any sort of appreciation going on here. This was a meeting for answers, not for admitting how his smile complete with the small wrinkles at the corners of his eyes made his face loose the heaviness it always seemed to have and appear boyish and charming. No. There would be absolutely NO admitting that.

Her fingers tightened on the hilt with white knuckled uncertainty before letting it fall away. “Would you care to join me?” She didn’t trust her voice and didn’t want to sound weak or a woman to be underestimated. More than anything she hated it when men looked at her and judged her without cause and decided that because she was a woman she was weak and beneath them. For some reason, she did not want this man to judge her and find her beneath him. Whether it was principle or simply pride… or maybe something more, Jackalyn didn’t want to look too closely at her own motives. She nodded with a curt jerk of her head and followed to where he had been sitting before.

“I was not sure whether or not you would show at so late a notice…” She smiled distractedly and wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. She didn’t want to admit that when the note came all she could think of was coming to the Inn. Then again, she also didn’t want to admit that she had questioned his intentions and nearly burned said letter. Would he think her paranoid and touched for doing so? Either answer seemed to paint her in a light she didn’t want. “Well, your request was so courteously written…” she replied, but did not know exactly where wanted to go with the statement so fell silent. “Allow me to introduce myself… I am Dominic Mogwai.”

The name itself caused the back of her mind to spark with sudden interest. She had heard that name before had she not? But where? Her brows furrowed curiously for a brief moment as she tried to recall where she had come in contact with that name. Perhaps it had been announced the night before and she had simply filed it away as white noise as so many of the pompous introductions that night had been.

They sat there in awkward silence for a moment. It seemed so much more difficult to speak without the promise of anonymity. Their masks had seemed like safety nets to hide behind and so had the promise of never seeing him again. It had made her more willing to share things that she might not have told any other stranger, but here they sat. Something about one another had been enough to draw them back instead of content to move on with their lives with simply one happy, carefree night in their memories. Jackalyn knew that she wouldn’t have been content to simply go on without his name. The regret would have haunted her as so many other missed opportunities did.

“Dominic Mogwai… the name is familiar, but I cannot place where I have heard it,” she mused openly, but then shook her head dismissively as if it didn’t matter. She was convinced it was in passing the night before as he was announced. Still, the little niggling in the back of her head would not cease. Dominic Mogwai, the man whose nature it was to compile information. There was something there she was convinced, but the other part of her which rose to the forefront had other questions to be answered. “It seems so strange to meet without a mask on. Though, it seems my mask did little to hide who I was. What brings you to Su’te? It is fortuitous that you arrive in Elven territory so soon after the masquerade.” She silently cursed herself. This was not an interrogation! He was not some enemy to squeeze information out of. He was a man who… had found her so intriguing he had sought her out after the masquerade? She was being suspicious of his motives because she had lumped him into the category that every man who showed some interest in her to be. Pompous jerks with their own agendas. Perhaps she was being unfair to him.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she glanced away. “I am sorry. It is the soldier in me that questions your intentions… not the woman. I am pleased you’ve come to Su’te. It is a nice part of Meleth… not as beautiful as some of the more mystical areas of Viridis, but none the less nice. This is so much harder without a mask,” she admitted with a half smile. “It feels like we are on awkward ground… strangers, but not. So, perhaps we should try again?” She cleared her throat, straightened in her chair and extended her hand to him. “Good day, Dominic Mogwai, I am General Jackalyn Whimera… it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Perhaps she was trying to be eloquent to impress him as he spoke so charming so easily, but that was what years of education with Duhain was for.

Observant as always, Dominic could not help but to take note of every movement and expression that Jackalyn made. The way she straightened her lapel, the way her brow had furrowed ever so slightly at the mention of his name. Had she heard of him? Dominic wondered silently if he had been spoken of to the Quartrant General. He had been very careful in his work to keep his identity quiet. He made it a point to be able to blend in wherever his line of work took him. Perhaps she had heard of him in his line as a Bounty Hunter as opposed to his work as an Intelligence Agent frequently hired out by the Minervans. There was nothing wrong with being a Bounty Hunter, in Dominic’s mind. He searched out the criminals who had a bounty on their head, who evaded the law and hid in the nooks and crannies of Invoria, and brought them to justice. His favorite were the ones wanted “dead or alive”, for they were an easy meal, and he got paid.

Dominic did not answer as she spoke, for he was one to contemplate an answer before speaking. He took a moment, taking note of her tone and mannerisms as he did so. “You had the disadvantage of being a public figure.” He stated to her remark about her disguise. “That gives me an unfair benefit.” He raised one eyebrow as she nearly interrogated him about his intentions in Su’te. He did not blame her, for she knew that he was neither Hydriad nor Ethereal. Why should he be in Su’te? Either he was a traitor to his kind, or he was up to no good, right? A small smirk tweaked at the corner of his lips. He wondered if he could be called a traitor, for his loyalties were not very loyal at all when it came to the war. Money was what it all boiled down to.

It was selfish of him, he realized, to ask Jackalyn to come and meet him in the middle of the day. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t an important person. Was his pulling her away bringing harm to the Quartrant war efforts, being without their Five-Star General? He could feel a small twinge of guilt ebbing at the back of his mind. He wondered if he should mention this to her… he wondered if she might find him suspicious for even considering that. Would she think it his intention? He decided against it, and while he did so, she changed directions in her conversation completely. She apologized for investigating him so soon in the meeting, and suggested they start over.

Again Dominic surprised himself with how quickly he seemed to smile. The crinkling around his eyes felt odd, but not unpleasant. He reached across the crudely fashioned wooden table and took her outstretched hand in his, receiving it in a short shake. “The pleasure is all mine.” Dominic said in his same quiet tones, “Do call me Dominic.” His smile was ever so slight. “I must say Su’te is a very attractive area … the weather is agreeable.” Dom did not know why he had reverted to the weather as the subject of his small talk, but there again, small talk was not his forte.

“I hope I did not tear you away from anything important.” Dominic said as he waved the innkeeper over to their table. The innkeeper made haste to do so, as if hesitating would end in something grave, or someone’s grave. Dom was certain a brawl or two had broken out over slow service before, and it was probably the reason he now had a large scar stretching from his left temple to the curve of his jaw. “Can I get a cup of coffee?” He asked the innkeeper, who assured him that he would get right on it. Dom looked over at Jackalyn, allowing for her to order something if she wished. He intended on paying, if she would allow him.

Once the innkeeper had disappeared once more, Dominic fixed his green eyes upon Jackalyn’s face. “You asked what brought me to Su’te.” He remarked. He did not wish for her to wonder suspiciously about his intentions their entire meeting. “I came to hear news of the war from a mixture of perspectives. I never stay in one place for very long. Meleth was next on my list.” He sat back in his chair, making himself comfortable and running an idle hand through the waves of his brown hair. His eyes never left her face. “I hope it was not inappropriate for me to ask to see you.” Dom blinked and looked away momentarily. “You intrigued me.” He admitted, looking once more at her face to gage her reaction.

When he smiled, she felt her own lips follow suit. It was a strange feeling. Usually she was a very serious person. Humor wasn't lost on her, but she'd never been very good at it and in the end it took away from getting to the point. She couldn't fault the benefit of laughter, but knew she didn't have the skills to conjure it herself. Yet, a mere smile from the veritable stranger seemed to lighten her mood? She didn't like the power he seemed to have over her emotions without any cause. Ayise, Duhain, her Queen… they all had the power to effect her emotions and she had come to expect it. When they were sad or hurt Jackalyn's heart bleed for them. When they were joyful Jackalyn felt light and jovial. When they were worried… Jackalyn sought to fix whatever had made them anxious. Yet, they were people she trusted and they were people who knew the General more than any other. Dominic was not one of those people… and yet his smile effected her in a way she didn't expect.

Even more unexpectedly, when they touched in their brief handshake and he said that the pleasure was all his. She wished desperately for her mask back to hide the blush that threatened to stain the apples of her cheeks. She cleared her throat and drew her hand back as if it were burned and placed it against the cool familiar metal of her hilt. She had to get herself under control. This was strange for her not to be in total control of her mind, body, and emotions. It took expert control to remain calm and collected on the battlefield, but unlike some conversations with other men… she had a hard time looking at this conversation as a battle to be won.

"The weather?"' she replied with a quirky half smirk. She didn't expect him to talk about the weather, but then again… what else was there to talk about? Items from the night before? Both of them, or at least Jackalyn, had believed the discussion finished and something that would never come up again since they would part without knowing one another. "It is… and where you come from? How is the weather there?" she slipped in trying not to look too curious as to his answer. Perhaps she could figure out just what he was… Human or Mystical. She'd since pushed Nightwalker out of her mind. He lacked the general boorish and overly pompous attitude that she associated with that race and species. He was something else, and she was leaning toward Mystical simply because he seemed at ease sitting across from a woman who's reputation preceded her. He felt confidant in some ability -- but what that ability was seemed a mystery to Jackalyn.

She shrugged nonchalantly as he waved the Innkeeper over. She wasn't about to tell him that she'd ridden off while on break from briefing about her soldiers. Even thinking about leaving gave her a spike of guilt. What was she doing here drinking coffee with this man who may or may not be an enemy of her land? What possessed her to put her duties on hold for a few hours and see him? "Oh, uh… the same for me," she replied distractedly. Whether she actually drank it or not was another matter. She watched the Innkeeper retreat before turning back to Dominic and his beguiling eyes and intriguing smile.

“You asked what brought me to Su’te.” Jackalyn's eyes narrowed slightly. Ah, so he was just using her. He had figured her out the night before and now he was trying to charm her into some favor or another. A flash of anger filled her hazel eyes as she glanced away finding something to focus on to keep her temper from boiling over. Her notorious temper. Her foot tapped impatiently as she found a rip to stare at in a shoddy painting that hung against the wall in a misplaced attempt at atmosphere. Even her hand slowly tightened until her knuckles were white on the hilt of her blade and short little imaginings of kicking over the table and cursing him for wasting her time. For making her heart jump. The fucking bastard. His words were mumbled echoes in the background as her mind reeled at this emotional slap in the face she assumed he was about to give her.

“I hope it was not inappropriate for me to ask to see you.” Jackalyn's eyebrow arched high with incredulity. She opened her mouth to reply scathingly that with something about wasting the time of a Five Star General was more than inappropriate… it was a crime. “You intrigued me.” He glanced away and back with just enough coy for her to believe his words. Her mouth snapped shut and her brow furrowed for a mere moment as she tried to catch up in the conversation. Had she so grievously misjudged him? Had he simply been making conversation before and she had jumped to the most nefarious conclusion because she believed that a stranger and a man could not want simply the pleasure of conversation and company? She tried to think back to what he was saying while she was imagining all the torture she could do to him for wasting her time and realized he was simply giving an explanation to the coincidence of ending up in Meleth the night after the masquerade.

"I intrigued you?" she stammered with a note of surprise. She tried to cover her obvious confusion and surprise by tucking the same rogue strand of long blonde hair behind her ear. "Forgive me if I don't sound convinced. Rarely do men find me 'intriguing'. Mostly it's 'infuriating' 'impossible' or my personal favorite… 'in over my head.'" She rolled her eyes at that comment and glanced away once more to collect her thoughts before returning to his green gaze. "But you didn't ask me here to find out about my difficulty with people around me." Mostly men. She glanced down at her hands briefly and then tilting her head quizzically she asked, "Exactly why do you find me intriguing?" She found him mysterious and a curiosity as well… but she knew it was on a more personal level. He simply couldn't find Jackalyn intriguing… no, of course not. He found the Elven General intriguing, and while most of the time they were one and the same… around him they felt separate, but equal.

“Aster.” Dominic answered when she asked about where he was from. It was the truth, of course, but any number of species lived there. He figured she would assume he was a magician, for she could not tell otherwise by his appearance. Something in Dominic made him want to keep the secret of his species a little while longer. He was unsure how she might react. Would she think him inhumane for the way he survived? Was it his fault? It was something that had always interested him, how someone could condemn someone else for something they had no control over. Would they rather an entire species die out?

He blinked, clearing his mind of his musing before continuing, “It is very polluted there. Though, I have not been back in some time… as I said, I travel a lot.”

Dominic watched curiously as a plethora of emotions whirled across her face as if she was a tempest sea of anger, wrath, confusion, and curiosity. It was interesting to Dominic, for he had never pictured the General of the Elven army to have such little control over her own temper. He would not say so himself for he knew she had a weapon at hand and was sure she could slice through his throat quicker than he could set down his coffee cup if he angered her just so. He did take comfort in the fact that he too could take her life – nay, her soul – if the occasion arose. He also took comfort in the fact that she did not know this. However, he did not see it necessary at all to put forth the threat, for she was not one he wished to discard. She was valuable to her country. Dominic merely ridded the world of the invaluable – the urchins, the criminals, the prostitutes. Jackalyn was not prey. Even glancing over her lips he had no urge to take her soul. A certain other urge arose but he quickly suppressed it.

The anger that had flashed across Jackalyn’s face was noted with a question mark in Dominic’s mind. Had he over stepped some sort of unspoken line? Had he broken an unspoken rule? Truly the mind of a woman was a mystery itself, one that Dominic had never pretended to understand, a puzzle he continually attempted to piece together only to have a new, jagged, unfamiliar piece thrown into the pile. Jackalyn was the newest jagged piece, and Dominic was determined to figure out where she belonged. Was she merely a soldier? Nay, she was a General. Much more than any common soldier on the field – she had earned her stars. Perhaps she was fueled with the same determination as he. Perhaps they were of the same vein, in some sense.

The anger reflected in her hazel eyes reminded him of the anger he saw in his wife’s eyes the night she left him, though they were blue. The memory pained him and he looked away momentarily as if looking away would take the memory away. The innkeeper came back, placing two cups of coffee between the two. Dominic took a moment to pull one cup toward himself and immediately took a drink, the hot liquid scalding his throat as he swallowed. There, he thought, let it burn the memory away… and his painful memory dissipated for the time being, as if obeying his command.

Dominic looked up at Jackalyn again as her tone changed once more. She seemed surprised that he had found her intriguing. Things began to click as she spoke. The men she worked with and commanded underestimated her. He watched as she tucked a tress of blonde hair behind her ear once more and still he felt the same intrigue he had felt at the Masquerade. “You intrigue me…” he began his explanation, “Because you are in a league of your own. They say you are untamable, and yet you are the one taming the lion.” The lion in his illustration was the men beneath her, who she commanded with an iron fist. “You exude strength and confidence and pride, and at the same time you are the…” His words were spoken calmly and quietly, yet with a surety that could not be overlooked. “…most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” Truly they were not words that meant to feed one’s ego, but words of sheer honesty.

His green eyes scanned her hazel ones for any hint of what she was feeling. He was sure if she disliked what he said, he would hear of it soon. “I apologize for my forthrightness.” Dominic tacked on to the end of his speech, “I merely wished to explain myself.”

Aster? Jackalyn filed this away as yet another fact to add to the strategic puzzle that was Dominic Mogwai. She'd heard of the city which happened to be the largest Magician City in Rutilius. Jackalyn had never been, but it had been something she'd read about in books from Duhain. She could have chosen when she was younger to travel instead of joining the Army, but once she had made the decision to become another gear in the war machine then it had sealed her fate. Her scope of caring had narrowed to Ethereal, and when the war had started and they were joined by the Hydriad people then it widened slightly to their homeland.

Though, the way he spoke about it didn't make it very appealing to visit. Viridis had clear air, clean streams and lakes, and an abundance of wild life living in harmony with the Ethereal denizens. Pollution wasn't really heard of, but then again neither was the extent of technology that Aster had. Jackalyn's thirst for knowledge had appreciated that over the idea that the air was full of smog or smoke. What a world to live in where magic and technology made everything easier… "I've always wanted to visit Aster." It was a surprisingly candid statement for a woman who was supposed to be at War with Rutilius. Still, like any general she could appreciate a land's resources while disliking its inhabitants. Everything had its uses.

The flurry of emotions that overtook her was like an inferno that claimed everything in its path, and her disgust and disappointment in herself for feeling that way and knowing that it was he who caused it in her only fed the fire. She was a Five Star General! She was used to complete control over herself and hundreds if not thousands of troops. She had trained for nearly her entire lifetime for that control and focus… and in mere moments with nothing but a charming smile with lips that…. NO. Her thoughts and perceived weakness of spirit only made herself even more angry with herself, him, and the fact that despite how SHE might feel he seemed to only want something from her.

The coffee came at the perfect moment. It stopped her from imagining how to make him pay for whatever slight she believed he was about to deal her. He took a sip, and it surprised her that he did. Her fingers wrapped comfortably around the mug and she could feel the heat radiating from the earthen cup. It must have burned… Jackalyn, herself, contemplated the black liquid and spooned in a small amount of sugar from the small jars of sugar and cream that the Inn keeper left with their cups and watched the grains swirl away into oblivion needing something to focus her white hot anger on.

She couldn't say it was relief that flooded through her when she realized that she had so horribly jumped to a negative conclusion about him. She didn't know if it was because he was from a land which she was waging war against or because she believed that all men would inevitably fail.

“Because you are in a league of your own. They say you are untamable, and yet you are the one taming the lion. You exude strength and confidence and pride, and at the same time you are the…most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

Everything in her froze. It wasn't that she wasn't used to compliments… even on her appearance. She knew that she was an attractive woman and used it to her advantage sometimes. It often made her feel a little dirty when she did so, but being a woman who should already have so many disadvantages in a male dominated field it helped to use everything in your arsenal to get what one needed. She was also used to false and empty compliments that men flung around hoping to butter up strong women and wrap them around their fingers. Yet, the sincerity and honesty she could detect in his voice meant he wasn't doing that. He truly thought she was beautiful… nay… the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. There was no hiding the pink blush that stained her cheeks, but she fought the urge to twitter and giggle. She wasn't some school girl child to whom some crush had just confessed his feelings for. She was a strong woman who couldn't afford such feelings like giddiness and sweetness.

She lifted her chin a little in confidence, but couldn't stop the slow appreciative smile that spread across her lips. The warmth of her cheeks was distracting, but she wouldn't give into the awkward feeling one that she wasn't used to. She was a careful and calculating woman. She thought ten steps ahead and planned everything, but one letter from him had made her drop everything and ride to Su'te which was entirely out of character for her, and now he had surprised her yet again with a confession that she wouldn't have even begun to have predicted. The spontaneity and refreshing honesty pleased Jackalyn more than she could say.

"It pleases me that you think so, and even more that you are so forthright. There are too many games in my life already to indulge in yet another. Your honesty is… touching. And if every explanation from you would involve yet another sweet confession then I would play your priestess merely to hear another." She could feel the heat of his gaze watching for her reaction to his words. And once again, as she was not the coy young girl she met it boldly and this time didn't hide the appreciation she felt for his form. The men around her were all the same -- pale skin, blue eyes, pointed ears…. Why did she have such a need to touch the tips of his ears and feel the foreign roundness there? Why did she want to run her hands through his wavy dark hair and judge for herself if it was as soft as it seemed. And why the hell would she even begin to wonder about his lips and what the scruff on his cheeks would feel like against hers. Blasphemous thoughts. Lustful thoughts. Yet, her thoughts none the less and ones that demanded answers.

She cleared her throat and glanced away needing to break away from this train of thought. It was too dangerous to entertain any longer. This time, she sipped her coffee, and let the now warm liquid focus her thoughts away from the more scalding ones of the moment. Perhaps if she avoided looking at his eyes it would be easier to keep the conversation on safer topics. "You said you were here for news of the War. Have you heard anything…interesting?" She wanted smack herself for how silly that sounded after his honest opinion of her, but she didn't trust herself to continue down that road of questioning… it could lead to dangerous, albeit entertaining avenues.

“I’ve always wanted to visit Aster.”

Dominic gave Jackalyn a rather odd look. He hadn’t expected that from the Five Star General of the Elven army. There weren’t many things that people did that surprised him, for he was so observant and took in every detail seemingly possible at all times. He sometimes impressed himself by the amount of information he could gather from someone by their mannerisms. Most of this came from something inward… some sort of gift of his to pull notice anything and everything and keep it locked inside, and then handy at any given moment. Part of this came from his personal training under Brutus Aurelius who was a master spy himself. Dominic was a sort of apprentice to the elder Mystic and had learned many a trick from that man, but there was very little that he hadn’t been able to do before.

However, that short statement from Jackalyn’s rather delicious-looking (Dom cursed himself for thinking such a thing!) lips was something that did throw Dominic for a loop. She had always wanted to visit Aster? Dominic didn’t know why on earth anyone would want to, for the disgusting pollution that came along with the furtherance of technology. The smog was so thick one could cut it with a knife. Dominic stayed away as long as he possibly could, preferring the ability to breathe over any advantage he had in Aster. He would stop in every once in a while to make sure his house hadn’t been ransacked or burnt to the ground (for nobody would have known who to contact if such a thing had happened), and then he would be on his way once more. Always moving, always on the go. Staying stationary too long would allow his mind to wander… over every piece of information stored there, resulting in the most splitting headache one could imagine.

Dominic’s eyes followed her hand as she stirred sugar into her coffee, noticing the delicate tinkling of the spoon against the ceramic side of the cup. There was a delicate side to Jackalyn that was most appealing to Dominic. The soft, fleshy woman buried deep beneath the military jacket and cold metal of sword… there beneath the Five Stars and the iron fist… she was as delicate as any other woman and perhaps even more so. Perhaps she was more delicate deep down because she worked amongst men who did not appreciate her the way she deserved…

This train of thought was confirmed by Jackalyn’s reaction to his compliment. The corners of his mouth tweaked into a smile as she spoke… he almost felt victorious for having cracked that rougher exterior of hers.

The way she spoke… the words she chose… to Dominic, they were almost a seductive invitation and he struggled to keep such thoughts away. He answered in his quiet tone, “How can I resist such an invitation?” He half smiled, his voice huskier than before as he continued, “I have many confessions to make… but I will save them for a more … appropriate occasion.” Dominic had almost said private location, but had thought against it. His green eyes said the unspoken words as he gazed across the table at her. A deep longing arose in him that he had not felt in a long time – one that almost felt foreign, or forgotten. He watched as she looked away and then sipped her coffee, and he lifted his own cup to his lips as well. Should he say something more, he wondered, or would he just allow that phrase to hang between them?

The phrase hung, for she spoke next, a question about what he had heard of the war while in Su’te. Dom smiled to himself, for he could tell it was an attempt to keep from saying what they were both thinking. He set his cup down and idly rubbed the scruff on his chin, recalling the different things he had heard. Truly there hadn’t been much interesting said since he had arrived. “A great deal of it has been about the Masquerade.” Dominic answered thoughtfully, “And then of course the remainder of the comments have been very biased.” He vaguely felt as if he were debriefing Brutus, “The Ethereal and Hydriad believe the Quartrants have the upperhand and will prevail… the Nightwalkers and Mystics believe the Minervans are better prepared and have more incentive.” Dom ran a finger over the grain of the wooden table, feeling the way the splinters snagged at his skin and the roughness of the different grooves.

He lifted his eyes to Jackalyn’s hazel ones and then leaned forward to speak more candidly. “If you don’t mind me asking… why did you decide to come meet me?” His green eyes were full of curiosity. “You could have easily thrown my letter away and forgotten me… and yet here you sit… don’t get me wrong: I am very pleased that you did. I just cannot imagine why…” And truthfully, he could not, unless she could not resist a puzzle just as he could not. “Perhaps we are more alike than we realize… or perhaps the fates have brought us together…” Dominic laughed darkly here, for he was not sure he believed in any sort of ‘fate’. If there was such a thing as fate, he had no interest in it, for it had dealt him nothing but pain thus far in life.

But perhaps this would be the turning point.

Her lips quirked into an unexpected smile at the strange look Dominic gave her after her candid confession of wanting to see the city he called home. It was as if he was trying to figure her out in their very brief time together, and what she'd just said had broken his mold completely. For a moment, she was disappointed. Yet another man trying to figure her out and place her into a category when only earlier he had said she was in a 'league of her own.' He'd not been lying when he'd said it. She could see the sincerity on his face and that was what had touched her heart more than anything. Yet, he couldn't keep himself from trying to fit her into a box and tie it neatly with a bow. Part of her was glad he couldn't quite figure her out… and she was glad that he didn't seem disappointed that he couldn't figure her out and only more intrigued. Perhaps if she ever got to Aster she would form the same feelings about it as Dominic did… that it was a heartless, polluted city with more crime than good in it anymore. Jackalyn reserved the right to make her own judgement when the time came… and then at least she could say she'd visited it.

The low rumble of his voice as he answered her reply was like velvet over her skin. Soft, smooth, and with just a hint of rasp to give it a depth that she adored. He should be banned from speaking that way! As he continued, it took on an even deeper tone and she was not sure whether he jested or was serious… or whether the unspoken words that hung in the air were an invitation. The intent was apparent… and it made her heart stutter and that deep, dark feminine being she had pushed down and out of sight raise its head and purr with appreciation. For a moment too long they held each others gaze. Jackalyn unconsciously licked her lower lip and had to glance away.

This was ridiculous. How could she even entertain an idea as preposterous as that? How could she have even teased suggestively to begin with? Dominic seemed to bring out the woman in Jackalyn which she had tried so hard to bury and forget. She wouldn't let him. She couldn't let him. What would it mean for her to forget herself for one afternoon? Disaster. She couldn't do it… but dear god how she desperately wanted to. He dangled the idea like the forbidden apple and Jackalyn was as weak as Adam and as tempting as Eve.

To his credit, he didn't laugh or avoid her question. He answered it as unbiased and honestly as one could with such a question. There were so many views and opinions about the War she was surprised he had not gained a side himself, but then again that wasn't the question. He was very good at answering very specific questions so that he never strayed into an ideal or opinion that might color him in a certain light or loyalty. He straddled the line and in Jackalyn's mind seemed content to do so. She avoided his eyes while he explained his overheard gossip, but when he turned the conversation back to them he caught her gaze once more and she couldn't break free.

It took all that was in her not to move as he leaned forward. Unconsciously, her own body wanted to lean forward for its own reasons. Jackalyn tried to convince herself it was because she needed to hear better when he lowered her voice, but even she knew she was lying to herself. At the same time, she had to keep her shoulders from jerking back and putting more distance between them because the closer he came the weaker her resolve seemed to be. They needed distance between themselves… inches, feet, miles… walls. She was absolutely sure that if they came too close she might burst into flames.

"To be perfectly honest… I thought those very thoughts. I crumpled your letter and lit the very match you speak of, but… something stilled my hand." She didn't want to admit that she had convinced herself to come because she thought it her duty to out a potential enemy of Viridis. Would he be offended that she thought that? Would he be proud? She didn't know… and she still wasn't quite sure of how she felt about it herself. She knew she should have burned his letter and forgotten about his alluring eyes and mystery.

"But, there was something about you at the masquerade." Throwing caution to the wind she continued and leaned ever so slightly forward. "Even though you had no idea who I was… you picked me out of the crowd and treated me like a lady. I am ever so far from that. A General, a leader, a swordswoman… but not a lady. It was like you saw something in me that no one else did, not even myself. Selfishly, I wanted to feel that again. I wanted to experience the feelings you…." Her words died away as she realized she was saying a little too much. "For once… there were eyes that looked at me and didn't fear me." She knew it would make little sense to him, but for her… it meant everything. His eyes heated when he looked at her just as she knew hers did for him despite her every effort otherwise.

"Yes, but is it a blessing or a curse," she replied quietly to his comment about fates bringing them together. There was no future for them… no promise of tomorrow in fact there was no them. There could never be. So, fate was a cruel mistress to show her something she had wondered existed since her heart first raced at the sight of a handsome boy only to be sure she could never have it. She looked startled for a moment as his dark laugh. He must have had the same thought. "So you agree…" she replied softly. Curse Fate… it had brought nothing but pain and suffering. Why could she have ever dreamed that this would be any different… but it didn't stop her from wishing it was.

Without thinking, she reached out and pushed his hair behind his ear. With her fingertips so close to that soft skin she had been wondering about, she couldn't help herself but draw the barest fingertip over the smooth arch of his ear and down his lobe. How foreign it felt! How different and utterly fascinating to feel an ear that wasn't pointed. It made her wonder what else felt different about him, but she brought her hand back with a murmured apology. "I shouldn't have…" but it was more to herself than to him.

A soft chuckle escaped Dominic’s lips as Jackalyn confessed that she had very nearly burnt his letter instead of coming to meet him. He enjoyed her honesty. It was a breath of fresh air. He also enjoyed the spark she had… that fire that must have helped her climb the ladder to where she was now. “I am glad something did still your hand…” Dominic answered, his eyes lowering to those lips, the bottom of which her tongue had just run across. Oh that desire… that desire strengthened, and Dominic, too, had to look away. “I hope you are as well.” Though if she confessed that she wished she had stayed away, Dominic would surely understand. He enjoyed a challenge, anyway. He would like to think he wouldn’t have pursued further, but deep down he knew that he could not resist… ever since the Masquerade, he felt drawn to her.

As Jackalyn continued speaking, she leaned forward ever so closer to Dominic. He could see the hesitance in every move of hers… she did not fully trust him, and why should she? And yet he could see her softening toward him as the moments passed. The way she leaned forward as she spoke… Dom wanted to reach out and brush his fingers against that soft, pale skin… and yet he refrained. Instead, his eyes returned to hers and he contemplated the words that she spoke. What had drawn him to her? Why, out of all those women, had he settled on her? Perhaps it was her beauty, for she was far more beautiful than any other woman there… and yet nobody had asked her to dance? Perhaps it was the way she refused to meet his eyes as he walked along the line… a challenge…

The quietness of her next statement concerning fate also caught Dominic’s intrigue. She seemed sad… perhaps because they both knew that anything pursued between she, a Five Star General of the Elven Army, and he… an informant for the Minervan Army… it would be pointless. The end of that road would be that of heartbreak and misery. It would end in tears and anger. Was that what they wanted? Certainly not.

And yet… what was life if one did not take a risk? Dominic’s life was filled with risks. His previous marriage… he had thought that to be safe, and it ended the same way he believed anything with Jackalyn might end. Perhaps that was just his end, period.

He wasn’t the only one at stake there, though. Even if he accepted the ultimate end as being one of misery, perhaps Jackalyn wouldn’t accept it. Perhaps she wouldn’t find him a risk worth taking. Dominic’s eyes connected once more with hers as the next words left her lips, “So you agree…” A curious statement. He wasn’t sure to what she was referring. She was still an enigma to him, no matter how many “clues” he gathered from her words, actions, mannerisms… there was always another piece, and another missing piece.

His train of thought was broken as she reached forward and pushed his hair back and then ran a soft fingertip over the curve of his ear. The barest touch… the slightest whisper of a touch… affected him. It was like electricity to him, jolting to life so many desires within him. She murmured an apology as she withdrew her hand, but Dominic quickly reached out and stopped her hand in his, his eyes smoldering as he leaned forward as well, ever so slightly. His hand held hers still, the pad of his thumb running over the smooth skin of her hand. “Don’t… don’t apologize.” He said in that same smoky voice as before, “There’s no need…” Dominic trailed off, his own fingers brushing against her slender hand before gently pinning it down upon the table. There were unspoken words hanging between them… unexpressed desires… desires that Dominic intended to address.

Dominic lifted his other hand and reached forward, his fingers brushing against her cheek as they slipped past her own ear and into her soft blonde tresses which had been plaited back. He smiled gently at her, his eyes relaying to her the desires he felt within as he leaned forward even more and without asking permission, he stole a kiss from her tender lips.

The kiss did not last long, but for Dominic, it was long enough. It was as if he had forgotten what it felt like to kiss a woman because he desired her instead of desiring to feed upon her soul. Her lips were so soft against his and the thought of exercising his Soul-Eater powers didn’t even cross his mind… other thoughts were flooding his mind… thoughts he could not adequately express in words, and thoughts that were sharply interrupted.

OOC: I hope it's okay that he did that so soon... I seriously couldn't stop him! <3

She knew she shouldn't have. It was in every fiber of her being that she should stay away and put more space between them. The closer they found themselves the more heat seemed to build from a spark to an inferno. Yet, she was drawn like a moth to the flame. Everything about him intrigued her, infuriated her, and awoke that deeper feminine instinct within her that wanted nothing more than to rub along him like some wild predator. And even more disturbing was the want to stake some sort of primal claim upon him…

When he trapped her hand that had caressed the round tip of his ear in his, she felt the strangest mixture of emotions. Heat. It flooded her and raced through her veins like white hot lightening that arced between them. Anger. How dare he hold her hand without her permission, and yet she had touched him without his… but she was a General. That was her right. He was in her territory now. Along with the fact that longer he held her hand the more his skin seemed to burn her with its heat. She was used to being the one in control and he had just taken it from her. She glanced from where his fingers ever so gently brushed against the sensitive flesh of her wrist up to his eyes which had darkened with what she knew she felt as well, but was afraid to give a name to. Desire.

“Don’t… don’t apologize.”

Damn him and that voice.

When he pinned her hand to the table she glanced at it startled. They needed to stop. They had to stop. She knew that if they didn't there would be no turning back… Her eyelids drifted closed when his fingers slipped into her hair. So gentle. She wasn't used to the tenderness with which he touched her… as if asking permission. She was used to being hit, battle, and hitting just as hard back. She was used to fighting and killing… not this. Still, she couldn't help but marvel at the feel of his fingers, so sure and confidant, and the way he cradled her head. Her eyelids, feeling almost too heavy to open, barely lifted as she watched him lean forward. He wouldn't do it. Though her eyes dared him to. Her heart thudded so loudly in her ears and her heart raced even as her eyelids drifted down once more.

He tasted sweet.

And then the thought was ripped from her mind as hunger reared its head and she fought with herself to push him away or pull him closer. This wasn't supposed to happen! They couldn't do this. She couldn't do this. It was wrong, but if it was so wrong… why did it feel so right? Why did she want him to pull her closer? Why did she wish that they weren't in the middle of a crowded inn.

This was wrong. She couldn't lose control… not like this… not with him.

Even though one of her hands was pinned to the table, the other came around and smacked Dominic across the cheek just as she pulled away. It wasn't nearly as hard as Jackalyn could have done it. She was a trained fighter; a woman who excelled in hand to hand combat. If she had truly wanted to hurt him she could have, but she had to break the spell that they were both falling under… or at least the one he was so easily weaving around her. His lips… they should be outlawed. Everything about him should be! His voice, his eyes, his lips… thank god she never got farther than that.

She felt a twinge of guilt for the red hand print that appeared on his scruffy cheek. A cheek that had felt so strange and yet appealing brushing against hers when his lips had coaxed hers into compliance. She couldn't quite catch her breath. Jackalyn wasn't sure if it was because of her anger and surprise or because of the kiss. Still, she was now in full control of her person -- or as much as possible in being around him.

Her own lack of self control around him bothered her. If she hadn't slapped him… what would have happened? The woman within her desperately wanted to know… the General within her knew it she could never find out. "This is wrong. I can't be here. I can't be with you." She eased her hand out of his grip, standing up so quickly she knocked her chair over she left the crowded pub, but convinced herself that she wasn't retreating or running. This just had to be done. She found her horse which was sitting idly drinking water and gripped the reins pulling him out into the open courtyard of the Inn at Su'te and made ready to ride… as far away from Dominic and every dark desire he represented.

The slap that followed directly after the kiss had shocked Dominic. Truly it had taken him a moment to realize what had just happened, for he was still in such a euphoric state from having tasted the lips of Jackalyn… the slap hadn’t done much to knock his senses back into him, but it did make a point, and a rather painful one at that. He could feel the sting of the slap on his cheek as he watched her knock her own chair over in her haste to leave. He watched her retreating figure, and the people at the surrounding tables did as well, falling silent as their eyes returned to Dominic. He smirked and said, “I think she likes me…” and the pub roared with laughter and returned back to their normal conversations.

Dominic stood up, shoving his own chair backward as he slapped some silver coins down on the table to pay for both of their coffees. He then rushed out of the door to the Inn as well, just in time to watch her pulling her horse out into the courtyard, ready to mount. He opened his mouth to speak, but the only words that came to mind were ones that brought about memories… bad memories…

"Where do you think you're going?!" Dominic's voice was an icy hiss, his green eyes moving from Amelie's blue ones, to the bags at her feet, to their sleeping daughter in her arms. Tears were rolling down the woman's face and she bit down upon her lower lip until blood became visible beneath her teeth. "Where do you think you're going?!" Dom demanded again, louder this time. Layla stirred gently within her mother's arms and his wife shot him a look, one he had grown accustomed to within the last few months.

"Don't follow me." Amelia pleaded with him, another tear slipping down her cheek. "You will never see us again. Ever." It was a promise Dominic knew she was able to keep. She had threatened him too many times before for Dom to think she wouldn't go through with it. He had been planning on making things right between the two of them, but he had been too busy with his jobs... he had been too busy for anything to do with his family. He felt so detached.

But she wasn't allowed to leave. Anger lapped within Dominic and he bared his teeth as he growled, "You can't leave. You can't take my daughter from me." His eyes flashed from Amelia to Layla to the door as she turned from him and placed her hand upon the knob. "Stop!" He whispered harshly, "I could kill you, you know! I could kill you..." He had advanced and grabbed her arm harshly.

Amelia turned to him, her own eyes flashing. "Then do it, Dominic." She snapped, her voice matching his dangerous tone. Dominic said nothing. He knew he would not kill her. He couldn't. She knew this as well. "Let go of me. " She jerked her arm out of his grasp. "This ends here."

Dominic watched his wife walk out of his life, carrying his four-month-old daughter. "You're NOT allowed to leave!" He yelled as the door shut behind her. This wasn't how things were supposed to turn out. How did things get this far? He ran his hand through his hair, pulling harshly as a yell escaped his lips. He flung an arm out to his side and wiped her precious china off of the table beside him, sending it crashing into pieces on the floor. The next hour or so was spent with him throwing things around his house, destroying possessions and furniture.


Dominic closed his mouth. He wouldn’t fight her – not here, not now. It would do more damage than good, for she had her pride to look after. Perhaps he had overstepped an unspoken boundary, but as the taste of her lips was still fresh upon his, he didn’t care, and he wasn’t sorry. He allowed that same smirk to stretch across his lips once more as he watched her ride off in a fury, her blonde hair flying out behind her like a banner. She was gorgeous, and Dominic was going to make sure that in the end, she came back.

OOC: I hope that was ok!!! I cheated and borrowed my roleplay example. Neener neener neener.