Hunted

Chapter Two

     Faking a hangover is easier with enough practice and observation. Whenever I have a really tough audience, I can even go the full measure and puke in a bush if I must. The point is, that I go out of my way to make the person I'm with feel like I'm headstrong and still a little under the influence if I've picked them up in a bar. I want them to feel like they're in control of their situation while doing everything possible to find ways around them and their colleagues. They think I'm miserable in a corner while I'm listening for secrets,

I met with Ragnir at nightfall, when the moon started to rise. I was sitting outside the bar waiting for him whenever he jauntily walked toward me. "Ah, you made it!" He greeted brightly. "You look like hell!"

I grumbled at him. "Let us go to this oh so exciting endeavor you speak of." I said through my teeth, glaring at him.

"Of course, of course." He said, nodding. "You still have money, yes? We won't get through the door without money."

I rolled my eyes, nodding as I patted my jacket where I had money stashed in my inner pocket. I wasn't about to show him how much but he seemed satisfied. "This isn't a brothel is it? I have no need of whores." I said with a huff. "Whores are boring."

The smaller man chirped a laugh and shook his head. "'Whores are boring.' I've never known a man to say such a thing! Oh, the wonders of being rich, I suppose."

I grunted, rolling my eyes again.

Unfazed, the man roughly wrapped an arm around my shoulders, chuckling good-naturedly. "Well, come along then. Let us get your mind off of the pain in your head." He said and began walking.

Ragnir talked and sang as we walked despite my occasional grumbling and insistence that he shut up. He did not. It seemed that he sang louder and made greater efforts to irritate the piss out of me with every glass-shattering verse. Finally, when I was contemplating killing the man and going home for dinner, he sighed and turned me toward a weather-worn door.

"Here we are. Now, you stay quiet and let me get us in, yes?" I arched a brow then nodded after rolling my eyes. I still was not entirely convinced this wasn't a brothel.

He pulled his arm off my shoulder and stepped up to the door, pounding on it five times. There was a long pause then someone opened the peephole opening on the door and looked down at us. "What?" Said a rough voice, and Ragnir took a step back from the door with his hands up in supplication.

"Good evening! We've only come to play, friend!" My guide said with a nervous chuckle, one hand to his chest. I remained behind him, allowing him to speak to the doorman. Clearly, he knew their language, and I wasn't about to stumble through it and end up in an unnecessary fist-fight.

There was a bestial growl behind the door. "You have your invitation then? And the color of your money is sound?"

"Of course, of course!" He responded then motioned for me to come forward. I didn't like it but I took a few of the gold coins from the inner pocket of my coat and let the doorman see them before returning them to their home with an obvious jingle. As I did this my companion showed a pendant he wore with a small silver dragon dangling from a long leather cord. There was a long pause, then a snap as the doorman shut the peephole.

A few seconds later the locks on the door started to disengage and Ragnir grinned. "Now the real fun begins!" He said to me, his smile impish with delight.

Little did I know that the man standing next to me was completely insane and he'd invited me into a cesspool for a night of fun.

The door opened to a cramped hallway, and at the other end was a second door and a check-in window. The doorman grunted at the two of us and we both began walking. I reached for the door but before I could open it a perky young woman's voice chirped, "excuse me!"