The Scarlet Assassin

Chapter Three

"Put a knife through his thigh," I said calmly. One of my people, closest to Otis quickly stuck her blade into his thigh. Otis yelped, clutching his leg, and reached for his ax, but then looked at all the blades pointing to him and thought against it. Draven still didn't have his knife drawn, but I saw his hand move toward it.

"That's for coming into my house and threatening me," I said, my voice rising. It was Otis who spoke next, his tone strained. I glanced at him.

"You will pay for that, bitch-."

"Would you like it to be an arm next? Maybe a finger or an eye?" Silence. I turned back to Draven. "Now, if you want us to speak civilly, let's do it in private next time. I know you felines enjoy dramatics and radiating fear, but all I smell are a couple of wet pups. So learn your manners before I give the order to put the dogs down." Draven licked his lips.

"Are you done now?" I moved to the stairs, starting to descend them, one by one- slowly, methodically.

"I also hate you, I think your jawline is uneven, and you're a coward for coming here at the notion of my absence." The crowd parted to let me pass. Rafe and Fallon came up from somewhere in the mass of bodies and flanked me until I stopped in front of Draven. "I'll spare you the rest of my insults." Draven took the smallest step forward. The room tensed even more.

"Thank you." His voice was menacing.

"Don't thank me, Draven. I just don't feel like wasting my breath on something so vile." Before he could say anything, I turned my back on him.

A boy sat on a barstool against the wall, but with one flick of my finger, he stood up and darted into the crowd. I took his spot and set my feet on the wooden table with a groan.

"If you want to talk, let's talk." Draven chuckled and shifted, looking around.

"I assumed we'd talk in private." I only smiled.

"Assumptions are dangerous, Draven. You of all people should know that." Again, Draven glanced briefly at all the faces, at all the people itching for a fight and for the others silently urging our conversation to go on. He frowned as his eyes flicked back to me, and he checked his pocket watch.

"Please don't be difficult, assassin-."

"I'm not being difficult. I'm being smart." Sitting up and resting my elbows on my thighs, I gave a short smile.

"You see, you want to talk with me alone no doubt in my office. My guess is there's three maybe four of your men waiting for me to walk through that door and slit my throat. And don't bother telling me I'm wrong when I know I'm right. I heard in passing about scheduled murder happening tonight- the murder of the century- and I'm flattered at the notion that it's me, really I am. At first, I thought it was a rich merchant or maybe a royal advisor until I noticed the man tailing me bearing a wolf tattoo. That's when I really started putting two and two together- that you've decided to take out the king's assassin.

"You've checked your watch three times since you've been in here and your hand has twitched anxiously. Being in here makes you nervous doesn't it Draven? Killing me makes you nervous. The money must've been good for this extent of planning and gall, but it doesn't satisfy the tiny voice in your head telling you that killing the leader of the Vipers -the Ravaryn assassin- is a bad idea. Does it?" Draven swallowed hard. His hand slowly stretched for his knife, but Fallon took a single step up and did the same. She glared at him hard until his hand retracted. He scowled.

"We have you surrounded- everywhere. You take one foot out of this bar, if anyone does, my men will kill them. The Vipers will die tonight." There was an uneasy murmur that passed through the crowd. I cocked a brow.