Hell's Bailiff - Chapter 2 Part 1
Hell's Bailiff - Chapter 2 Part 1
Edited September 5th, 2011 to relocate action to pre-Millennium Mystara.
Not a week after Kana's offer, trouble came to my front door.
My butler informed me of callers who refused to not be seen immediately, and really, had enough clout to barge their way in anyway.
Kana touched my mind.
:Priests of that bothersome Vanya, honey. I guess they're on to you. I wanted to warn you they were coming but I was a bit busy. Sorry.:
She had the most delightful tinkling laugh, I had to admit. Anyway, she caught my mental "harrumph". I had enough political connections who were "on to me" already but who had continued to shield me because of what I could schmooze for them.
:Oh, please. You wound me with your suspicions!: Kana whimpered.
It is a generally futile exercise trying to sift fact from fiction when it came to devils, but the mortal mind has a habit of turning endlessly over things of entirely no use. Had she arranged this event? What could she get out of someone ruining me? Putting me on the run? Why?
My callers had forced their way into the lobby of my mansion. There was a small retinue of guards, and positioning against my own security staff already discretely moving into place. Thank god for good (if pricey) hired help.
They were both low-ranking clerics in the church of Vanya. I'd seen them both now and again, always volunteering to assist with society events where anyone who was anyone would be seen. A cut above the usual bootlicking toadies. Probably giving barely more than lip service to their god, but it's hard to say. Even scarecrows throwing around the powers of their faith have their uses.
The guy was Jude. I knew little about him except he and Bella were partners in a way, at least when it came to climbing the political ladder. Whether they were sleeping together or not had never been of interest to me. The woman was Bella. Above average in looks and struggling like all women to keep her figure in check. Not above using her body for advantage in the cutthroat circles she was born into, but so far not particularly successful.
Bella immediately reined in her familiarity with me and put on an all-business mien. And indeed she was very familiar with me. I'd shared her bed on several occasions, even had a couple of trysts on temple grounds (afterhours on the kitchen table, for example). It had been a thrill for her to be bedded by someone of such social standing as myself, and she had been willing to be... "adventurous". But even she had limits. There were rumours of her being a slut -- evidence of her being too desperate to trade her way up socially -- and as I wasn't committing to raising her fortunes, she had eventually admitted I was a lost cause and no longer worth the delights of her body. In truth, compared to who I could sleep with, she was only somewhat above average in looks and passable as carnal experiences go. That she was willing and free were probably the only reasons it went on as long as it did.
Did I use her? Yes. Sorry, but I do have vices. But surely, dear reader, you must see that they pale in comparison to sending souls to Hell.
Anyway, now wasn't the time to bring it up, although I had to expect that the power of her official capacity right now no doubt gratified her.
They had papers of course. Official papers permitting them to basically ransack my estate to root out evil. Never mind that probably a quarter of the nobles in the city secretly worshipped nasty gods to get ahead while the rest were just plain unscrupulous and ruthless even without one of the "bad gods" to inspire them. I made a mental note of who authorized this farce. I'd have to tackle that problem later.
"Mi'lord Simon, I regret to inform you that we are here on official business. We are here to look for signs of devil-worship," Bella said boldly.
"Nonsense of course," Jude added quickly. "But to silence all unfounded accusations once and for all... Well, you understand."
"We shall be efficient and brief to clear up what is probably a misunderstanding, if you and your staff will be cooperative," said Bella.
"Bella! Lovely to see you," I beamed and gave her a warm embrace and a slightly lingering kiss on her cheek.
"Simon! Uh, I mean, mi'lord -- Ahem! This is... business."
"Oh, yes, of course. I'm just so happy to see you. After so long... But yes, to the matter at hand..."
What a mess. They couldn't be allowed to see too much. But how? I needed to thin the witnesses down to more manageable numbers. Less brainpower meant less convincing lies to fabricate.
:You need to find out who else knows.: Kana whispered in my mind. :And make sure no one else will know anything.:
It's distracting, the way all this telepathy happens. Especially when she was telling me what I already knew.
"Bella... and, um, Jude isn't it? I think we've met a few times."
We shook hands cordially.
"Mi'lord is kind to remember me."
"Of course I do. You distinguish yourself in my mind with your diligence to your god. I see you helping at just about every important function for the church of Vanya."
"Mi'lord... So kind to notice."
They were both armed and armored, obviously expecting a fight -- or ready to make an excuse for one. How good they were I didn't know, but I didn't want to attract attention with a fight and the necessary clean-up after. Besides, fighting is such chancy business. Plus, they had a squad of ten guards inside and more milling outside, obviously anticipating my own security staff. My estate had, of course, been on several occasions opened for invitation-only functions and celebrations, so my staff was no big secret.
"Look, we're all friends here. There's no need for guards boorishly tearing my home apart. And as you know, I am a businessman. I have considerable contacts and sensitive contracts in negotiation. I simply cannot risk the interests of my investors to any possible leak of sensitive communications... Can't we come to some sort of agreement? You can of course have a thorough search, but... not with the guards."
Jude and Bella looked to each other. They were clearly going to refuse.
"Of course, I will also send my staff away. It'll just be you two and myself," I offered, "Until you have concluded your investigation to your satisfaction."
:Stick around, Kana.:
:Of course. I already know where you're going with this. You're so clever I could kiss you!:
I couldn't really trust that, but at the same time, I didn't think she'd risk the validity of the contract by putting me in a situation where two priests of Vanya would kill me. Weak of faith or not, I couldn't be sure good ol' Vanya didn't favour them with divine bad-guy-smiting power on general principle to spread light and goodness than to really reward anyone for their piety. And I qualified as a baddie, didn't I?
"Bella... Please," I pleaded, and grasped her hand gently. "And look, I hate to throw it in, but your uncle Thomas is one of my investors. A very prominent one too. And your aunt--"
"Yes, I, oh, I hadn't thought of that." Bella fretted, now that she remembered that small detail.
"You will have my complete cooperation, I promise," I assured Jude. "Can't we come to some sort of agreement?"
I haven't slept with him of course -- sorry, not my type -- but he agreed to the "some kind of agreement" part, so I might be able to get rid of him with a bribe for now and something more permanent later.
They sent the guards away, and I emptied my estate of staff. My dear captain of the guard would not budge, and not because of her attachment to her collection of ornate warhammers, either. This was very irritating until I saw the genuine devotion in her eyes -- Which, shameful to say, I really hadn't noticed before. Generally, my eyes wandered a bit further down, down beneath her cute pink nose and narrow chin.
Dear reader, you may think me by now a relentlessly duplicitious and manipulative creature of soulless wickedness, but really, in day-to-day dealings I am not so bad. I pay my staff well and treat them with respect. Goodwill goes farther than coin in ensuring loyalty, but more coin can only help, if only to protect against being outbid. And for most living one payday at a time, coin trumps loyalty.
My head of security I had lavished even more favour on, and thinking back now, maybe it was the one or two times I had been generous with money and time off when her father had taken ill.
Her name was Kristryd (more often "Kristy" when we were in private) and she was a stern-faced beauty with a touch of cuteness, even if she were my very competent head of security, and corded with muscle. (Have I seen her naked? Yup.) Somehow, she always managed to show just enough of her succulent cleavage which I must say, of just about any race, dwarven women are most kindly blessed. She was looking for a lifemate but she had standards and living in a predominently human city didn't make finding a suitable dwarf all that easy.
Of course I'd tried to seduce her. But after she soundly reminded me that a professional distance was necessary for her to do her job properly, I backed off. Drat.
Anyway, right now she sensed trouble and she could be very stubborn, in a protective sort of way. With misgivings, she left. To make sure, I watched her go, and waved her on whenever she looked back.
"Now, this thing about diabolism... I think I know what you're talking about. Just some naughty things I have downstairs, precisely because they'd give the wrong impression. It's all just amateurish dabbing in wizardry, I assure you. You'll, um, be discreet about any special shipments for confidential clients that you may see along the way? Omit them from your report... I hope?"
"We'll see... That is, duty first, no matter our friendship," Jude replied. "I'm sure we can come to an arrangement."
I had distracted him with the nonsense about requiring his trust. Piquing his greed made me more comfortable, now that I felt there was a chance that some sort of substantial bribe might clear all this up.
"And of course, you're still free to look through the entire estate at your leisure."
I led them down to the extensive sublevel, down to the storage rooms, and the one section I always kept locked and that was off-limits to everyone I didn't want in on the terrible evil I do. Which is to say, it was off-limits to everyone, even dear Kristy, who more than once probed me with both concern and suspicion.
I opened the door. And, voila! No, gentle reader, there was no bloody dissection table, no summoning circle drawn in blood, nothing that screamed gory and vilest murder. There was an office and indeed a summoning circle. Anyone with enough knowledge of the arcane could figure out it was to contain devils.
Careless? Yes. But really, do you have any idea how long it takes to draw one of those damned things, and triple-check it?
The rest was just an office, a filing cabinet, some stationery supplies, and a wine rack. Wine helped to calm the nerves of those who signed pacts. I never partook of it myself -- a bad experience when I was very young (more later, if I remember) -- but it helped so incredibly much socially to have people tipsy or outright intoxicated that I made sure to be well-stocked at all times.
"A summoning circle. And wards against the infernal," Jude pointed out immediately. "Mi'lord, I'd say you have a lot of explaining to do."
:Any time now, Kana."
And what an entrance she made. She was barely dressed in carelessly spilling nightrobes and just her firm, taut body underneath. Oh, yes, I'd had her too, when she was a bit drunk one time. Or maybe she was only pretending to be drunk because the liked the way I ever after pined for another breathtaking night with her. More puppeteering by the cunning devil who'd probably had to slut her way through much worse on the way up hell's social ladder. Sometimes I shuddered to think of who or what else had been inside her, in the very same cleft of ecstasy as I had been.
But back to the present...
Jude jumped to attention in more than one way. Even Bella was silenced.
"What's the commotion? I'll have you know that I had a late night and... oh... just the worst hangover..."
She had such a way of inspiring ulterior-motive motivated concern in men. Jude fell hook, line, and sinker of course, and was immediately at her side to unnecessarily comfort her.
"Here, let me walk you back upstairs," I offered.
Naturally, Jude interceded. It was almost comical how men fell all over themselves for her. Yes, I did too the first time I met her. Only once that was out of the way and I was jaded did my mentor let any negotiations begin.
"Allow me, dear lady," offered Jude. "You are clearly co-conspirators and should not be allowed to... uh, conspire further. She needs to be interrogated about this room and what her guilt is."
"Interrogated?" Kana gasped, and immediately clasped her hands protectively to her generous bosoms in that innocent way that made hot-blooded men want to both protect her and ravish her.
"I will--" Bella wanted to interject but Jude was already advancing on her, and she helpfully backing out in the proper direction out the door.
"Simon!" Kana pleaded.
"It's an official investigation. I'm sorry," I surrendered.
"Jude!" Bella snapped.
"Bella, I can explain this silly circle business--" I delayed her long enough for Kana and Jude to be away. And now that they were separated...
:I won't be long.: Kana whispered in my mind.
I didn't doubt it. I almost felt sorry for Jude. With his guard down like that, either Kana would seduce him to her side or rip his family jewels off and watch him die slowly.
I suddenly embraced Bella and whispered urgently, "I missed you." I kissed her full on the lips.
"Liar!" she pushed away.
"Alright. Maybe I didn't. But I still think fondly of you. And not only in 'that way'."
I think she was about to call me a liar a second time, but faltered. And stopped trying to wriggle out of my arms around her slender waist.
"You were the one who cut things off," I continued. "Wouldn't respond to my letters... And now this."
"I-- It's not like that. You never had any intention--"
"Of marriage? Of course not. But of friendship? I was hurt that you cut me off so abruptly. It wasn't the sex--"
"No of course not. When you could have any woman you wanted--"
"I missed you."
She tried to rally. "You-- You're just trying to get out of this investigation."
"I just want the opportunity to have the talk we should have had. The talk you owed me. For all our time together. Bella... Please. Please don't be upset with me. We can still be friends. Without the sex."
"This investigation--"
"Jude and my associate will hash it all out. You'll see. Just studies into the arcane, playing at wizardry. A harmless past time half the nobles in this city do. But you can see how someone could get the wrong idea. Bella, how could you possibly think I'm in league with devils? You know me! Consorting with devils? They'd eat me alive!"
"Simon, people are talking... About how you suddenly appeared. And where you got your fortune... And your silent partner who helped you set up a branch of his operations here in this city... They have suspicions about him too."
"Who's 'they'? Jealous rival merchant houses? Political enemies? Who would possibly want to slander me?"
She said something but just then Kana distracted me. Another danger of having someone in your mind. But right now I was in a pickle and I gave her free rein.
:He's told me everything, the weak-willed fool. But you'll need to help him out a bit.:
The way she said "help him out a bit" didn't imply a fat purse of coin.
:What do you mean?:
"Simon?" Bella drew me back to the present. I had been too distracted. Damn.
"I'm sorry Bella. I was just worried there-- About what Jude said."
"What about what Jude said?"
"He said he was going to interrogate her -- um, my associate. Look, I don't know anything about him, really, other than seeing him around at functions. He's not going to... be... 'rough' with her?"
"NO! Uh, well, no... Of course not. I don't think."
"I'm just going to check."
Bella followed closely. "Who is she, anyway?"
"Oh, that's Kana. One of our wholesale agents. She's very good. I suppose you can guess part of the reason."
Bella snorted.
"I let her use the house whenever she's in town, which isn't very often and as she keeps late hours, I don't always know when she comes in."
"As if you don't keep late hours either," Bella jabbed.
"You're right. We've both been there," I replied and gave her a sly grin.
It's not quite the same feeling up someone past chainmail leggings, but it was the gesture that counted and her petulant and not angry slap to my hand was all the answer I needed.
Some women really do look cute when they're mad.
I leaned in for a peck on the cheek but she pulled away.
Drat. Okay, so we couldn't just pick up where we left off.
We made it upstairs without further dallying and found the "interrogation" over. No wanton nakedness and fooling around, which I half expected. Kana was sitting on her bed, leaning sultrily on one arm while her other hand held a goblet of wine. Her long, smooth, legs where crossed, her nightrobe nonchalantly spilling to either side, with her apparently quite unaware.
"Bella, about that circle we saw..." Jude addressed Bella. "Let's compare notes. In private."
:Kana?: I snapped.
She didn't answer. Not good. She just had this triumphant smile on her face, and snuck in a quick wink before languidly sipping her wine.
"Um... sure..." said Bella, and she allowed herself to be led away downstairs.
I heard Jude say something about having a closer look at the pacts and Kana having given him the key to the room.
"Kana?"
We were alone, so she could have spoken aloud, or whispered if she had wanted to be more cautiously discreet, but she was maybe instinctively so cautious as to use telepathy.
:It's easy to be weak of faith when there's so little to show for it.:
:What did you offer him?:
:Relax... Things will take care of themselves from here on. Plus there's a bit of fun for you too.:
She winked at me. I glared at her.
:My dearest Simon... I am a wicked devil, don't you know? It's my job to collect souls, and here was one, ripe for the plucking. Oh, and as I did all the work on this one, I'm sure you'll agree their souls are mine and won't count toward your debt.:
My stomach felt funny in that "growing sense of panic" sort of way.
(to be continued...)
Edited September 5th, 2011 to relocate action to pre-Millennium Mystara.
Not a week after Kana's offer, trouble came to my front door.
My butler informed me of callers who refused to not be seen immediately, and really, had enough clout to barge their way in anyway.
Kana touched my mind.
:Priests of that bothersome Vanya, honey. I guess they're on to you. I wanted to warn you they were coming but I was a bit busy. Sorry.:
She had the most delightful tinkling laugh, I had to admit. Anyway, she caught my mental "harrumph". I had enough political connections who were "on to me" already but who had continued to shield me because of what I could schmooze for them.
:Oh, please. You wound me with your suspicions!: Kana whimpered.
It is a generally futile exercise trying to sift fact from fiction when it came to devils, but the mortal mind has a habit of turning endlessly over things of entirely no use. Had she arranged this event? What could she get out of someone ruining me? Putting me on the run? Why?
My callers had forced their way into the lobby of my mansion. There was a small retinue of guards, and positioning against my own security staff already discretely moving into place. Thank god for good (if pricey) hired help.
They were both low-ranking clerics in the church of Vanya. I'd seen them both now and again, always volunteering to assist with society events where anyone who was anyone would be seen. A cut above the usual bootlicking toadies. Probably giving barely more than lip service to their god, but it's hard to say. Even scarecrows throwing around the powers of their faith have their uses.
The guy was Jude. I knew little about him except he and Bella were partners in a way, at least when it came to climbing the political ladder. Whether they were sleeping together or not had never been of interest to me. The woman was Bella. Above average in looks and struggling like all women to keep her figure in check. Not above using her body for advantage in the cutthroat circles she was born into, but so far not particularly successful.
Bella immediately reined in her familiarity with me and put on an all-business mien. And indeed she was very familiar with me. I'd shared her bed on several occasions, even had a couple of trysts on temple grounds (afterhours on the kitchen table, for example). It had been a thrill for her to be bedded by someone of such social standing as myself, and she had been willing to be... "adventurous". But even she had limits. There were rumours of her being a slut -- evidence of her being too desperate to trade her way up socially -- and as I wasn't committing to raising her fortunes, she had eventually admitted I was a lost cause and no longer worth the delights of her body. In truth, compared to who I could sleep with, she was only somewhat above average in looks and passable as carnal experiences go. That she was willing and free were probably the only reasons it went on as long as it did.
Did I use her? Yes. Sorry, but I do have vices. But surely, dear reader, you must see that they pale in comparison to sending souls to Hell.
Anyway, now wasn't the time to bring it up, although I had to expect that the power of her official capacity right now no doubt gratified her.
They had papers of course. Official papers permitting them to basically ransack my estate to root out evil. Never mind that probably a quarter of the nobles in the city secretly worshipped nasty gods to get ahead while the rest were just plain unscrupulous and ruthless even without one of the "bad gods" to inspire them. I made a mental note of who authorized this farce. I'd have to tackle that problem later.
"Mi'lord Simon, I regret to inform you that we are here on official business. We are here to look for signs of devil-worship," Bella said boldly.
"Nonsense of course," Jude added quickly. "But to silence all unfounded accusations once and for all... Well, you understand."
"We shall be efficient and brief to clear up what is probably a misunderstanding, if you and your staff will be cooperative," said Bella.
"Bella! Lovely to see you," I beamed and gave her a warm embrace and a slightly lingering kiss on her cheek.
"Simon! Uh, I mean, mi'lord -- Ahem! This is... business."
"Oh, yes, of course. I'm just so happy to see you. After so long... But yes, to the matter at hand..."
What a mess. They couldn't be allowed to see too much. But how? I needed to thin the witnesses down to more manageable numbers. Less brainpower meant less convincing lies to fabricate.
:You need to find out who else knows.: Kana whispered in my mind. :And make sure no one else will know anything.:
It's distracting, the way all this telepathy happens. Especially when she was telling me what I already knew.
"Bella... and, um, Jude isn't it? I think we've met a few times."
We shook hands cordially.
"Mi'lord is kind to remember me."
"Of course I do. You distinguish yourself in my mind with your diligence to your god. I see you helping at just about every important function for the church of Vanya."
"Mi'lord... So kind to notice."
They were both armed and armored, obviously expecting a fight -- or ready to make an excuse for one. How good they were I didn't know, but I didn't want to attract attention with a fight and the necessary clean-up after. Besides, fighting is such chancy business. Plus, they had a squad of ten guards inside and more milling outside, obviously anticipating my own security staff. My estate had, of course, been on several occasions opened for invitation-only functions and celebrations, so my staff was no big secret.
"Look, we're all friends here. There's no need for guards boorishly tearing my home apart. And as you know, I am a businessman. I have considerable contacts and sensitive contracts in negotiation. I simply cannot risk the interests of my investors to any possible leak of sensitive communications... Can't we come to some sort of agreement? You can of course have a thorough search, but... not with the guards."
Jude and Bella looked to each other. They were clearly going to refuse.
"Of course, I will also send my staff away. It'll just be you two and myself," I offered, "Until you have concluded your investigation to your satisfaction."
:Stick around, Kana.:
:Of course. I already know where you're going with this. You're so clever I could kiss you!:
I couldn't really trust that, but at the same time, I didn't think she'd risk the validity of the contract by putting me in a situation where two priests of Vanya would kill me. Weak of faith or not, I couldn't be sure good ol' Vanya didn't favour them with divine bad-guy-smiting power on general principle to spread light and goodness than to really reward anyone for their piety. And I qualified as a baddie, didn't I?
"Bella... Please," I pleaded, and grasped her hand gently. "And look, I hate to throw it in, but your uncle Thomas is one of my investors. A very prominent one too. And your aunt--"
"Yes, I, oh, I hadn't thought of that." Bella fretted, now that she remembered that small detail.
"You will have my complete cooperation, I promise," I assured Jude. "Can't we come to some sort of agreement?"
I haven't slept with him of course -- sorry, not my type -- but he agreed to the "some kind of agreement" part, so I might be able to get rid of him with a bribe for now and something more permanent later.
They sent the guards away, and I emptied my estate of staff. My dear captain of the guard would not budge, and not because of her attachment to her collection of ornate warhammers, either. This was very irritating until I saw the genuine devotion in her eyes -- Which, shameful to say, I really hadn't noticed before. Generally, my eyes wandered a bit further down, down beneath her cute pink nose and narrow chin.
Dear reader, you may think me by now a relentlessly duplicitious and manipulative creature of soulless wickedness, but really, in day-to-day dealings I am not so bad. I pay my staff well and treat them with respect. Goodwill goes farther than coin in ensuring loyalty, but more coin can only help, if only to protect against being outbid. And for most living one payday at a time, coin trumps loyalty.
My head of security I had lavished even more favour on, and thinking back now, maybe it was the one or two times I had been generous with money and time off when her father had taken ill.
Her name was Kristryd (more often "Kristy" when we were in private) and she was a stern-faced beauty with a touch of cuteness, even if she were my very competent head of security, and corded with muscle. (Have I seen her naked? Yup.) Somehow, she always managed to show just enough of her succulent cleavage which I must say, of just about any race, dwarven women are most kindly blessed. She was looking for a lifemate but she had standards and living in a predominently human city didn't make finding a suitable dwarf all that easy.
Of course I'd tried to seduce her. But after she soundly reminded me that a professional distance was necessary for her to do her job properly, I backed off. Drat.
Anyway, right now she sensed trouble and she could be very stubborn, in a protective sort of way. With misgivings, she left. To make sure, I watched her go, and waved her on whenever she looked back.
"Now, this thing about diabolism... I think I know what you're talking about. Just some naughty things I have downstairs, precisely because they'd give the wrong impression. It's all just amateurish dabbing in wizardry, I assure you. You'll, um, be discreet about any special shipments for confidential clients that you may see along the way? Omit them from your report... I hope?"
"We'll see... That is, duty first, no matter our friendship," Jude replied. "I'm sure we can come to an arrangement."
I had distracted him with the nonsense about requiring his trust. Piquing his greed made me more comfortable, now that I felt there was a chance that some sort of substantial bribe might clear all this up.
"And of course, you're still free to look through the entire estate at your leisure."
I led them down to the extensive sublevel, down to the storage rooms, and the one section I always kept locked and that was off-limits to everyone I didn't want in on the terrible evil I do. Which is to say, it was off-limits to everyone, even dear Kristy, who more than once probed me with both concern and suspicion.
I opened the door. And, voila! No, gentle reader, there was no bloody dissection table, no summoning circle drawn in blood, nothing that screamed gory and vilest murder. There was an office and indeed a summoning circle. Anyone with enough knowledge of the arcane could figure out it was to contain devils.
Careless? Yes. But really, do you have any idea how long it takes to draw one of those damned things, and triple-check it?
The rest was just an office, a filing cabinet, some stationery supplies, and a wine rack. Wine helped to calm the nerves of those who signed pacts. I never partook of it myself -- a bad experience when I was very young (more later, if I remember) -- but it helped so incredibly much socially to have people tipsy or outright intoxicated that I made sure to be well-stocked at all times.
"A summoning circle. And wards against the infernal," Jude pointed out immediately. "Mi'lord, I'd say you have a lot of explaining to do."
:Any time now, Kana."
And what an entrance she made. She was barely dressed in carelessly spilling nightrobes and just her firm, taut body underneath. Oh, yes, I'd had her too, when she was a bit drunk one time. Or maybe she was only pretending to be drunk because the liked the way I ever after pined for another breathtaking night with her. More puppeteering by the cunning devil who'd probably had to slut her way through much worse on the way up hell's social ladder. Sometimes I shuddered to think of who or what else had been inside her, in the very same cleft of ecstasy as I had been.
But back to the present...
Jude jumped to attention in more than one way. Even Bella was silenced.
"What's the commotion? I'll have you know that I had a late night and... oh... just the worst hangover..."
She had such a way of inspiring ulterior-motive motivated concern in men. Jude fell hook, line, and sinker of course, and was immediately at her side to unnecessarily comfort her.
"Here, let me walk you back upstairs," I offered.
Naturally, Jude interceded. It was almost comical how men fell all over themselves for her. Yes, I did too the first time I met her. Only once that was out of the way and I was jaded did my mentor let any negotiations begin.
"Allow me, dear lady," offered Jude. "You are clearly co-conspirators and should not be allowed to... uh, conspire further. She needs to be interrogated about this room and what her guilt is."
"Interrogated?" Kana gasped, and immediately clasped her hands protectively to her generous bosoms in that innocent way that made hot-blooded men want to both protect her and ravish her.
"I will--" Bella wanted to interject but Jude was already advancing on her, and she helpfully backing out in the proper direction out the door.
"Simon!" Kana pleaded.
"It's an official investigation. I'm sorry," I surrendered.
"Jude!" Bella snapped.
"Bella, I can explain this silly circle business--" I delayed her long enough for Kana and Jude to be away. And now that they were separated...
:I won't be long.: Kana whispered in my mind.
I didn't doubt it. I almost felt sorry for Jude. With his guard down like that, either Kana would seduce him to her side or rip his family jewels off and watch him die slowly.
I suddenly embraced Bella and whispered urgently, "I missed you." I kissed her full on the lips.
"Liar!" she pushed away.
"Alright. Maybe I didn't. But I still think fondly of you. And not only in 'that way'."
I think she was about to call me a liar a second time, but faltered. And stopped trying to wriggle out of my arms around her slender waist.
"You were the one who cut things off," I continued. "Wouldn't respond to my letters... And now this."
"I-- It's not like that. You never had any intention--"
"Of marriage? Of course not. But of friendship? I was hurt that you cut me off so abruptly. It wasn't the sex--"
"No of course not. When you could have any woman you wanted--"
"I missed you."
She tried to rally. "You-- You're just trying to get out of this investigation."
"I just want the opportunity to have the talk we should have had. The talk you owed me. For all our time together. Bella... Please. Please don't be upset with me. We can still be friends. Without the sex."
"This investigation--"
"Jude and my associate will hash it all out. You'll see. Just studies into the arcane, playing at wizardry. A harmless past time half the nobles in this city do. But you can see how someone could get the wrong idea. Bella, how could you possibly think I'm in league with devils? You know me! Consorting with devils? They'd eat me alive!"
"Simon, people are talking... About how you suddenly appeared. And where you got your fortune... And your silent partner who helped you set up a branch of his operations here in this city... They have suspicions about him too."
"Who's 'they'? Jealous rival merchant houses? Political enemies? Who would possibly want to slander me?"
She said something but just then Kana distracted me. Another danger of having someone in your mind. But right now I was in a pickle and I gave her free rein.
:He's told me everything, the weak-willed fool. But you'll need to help him out a bit.:
The way she said "help him out a bit" didn't imply a fat purse of coin.
:What do you mean?:
"Simon?" Bella drew me back to the present. I had been too distracted. Damn.
"I'm sorry Bella. I was just worried there-- About what Jude said."
"What about what Jude said?"
"He said he was going to interrogate her -- um, my associate. Look, I don't know anything about him, really, other than seeing him around at functions. He's not going to... be... 'rough' with her?"
"NO! Uh, well, no... Of course not. I don't think."
"I'm just going to check."
Bella followed closely. "Who is she, anyway?"
"Oh, that's Kana. One of our wholesale agents. She's very good. I suppose you can guess part of the reason."
Bella snorted.
"I let her use the house whenever she's in town, which isn't very often and as she keeps late hours, I don't always know when she comes in."
"As if you don't keep late hours either," Bella jabbed.
"You're right. We've both been there," I replied and gave her a sly grin.
It's not quite the same feeling up someone past chainmail leggings, but it was the gesture that counted and her petulant and not angry slap to my hand was all the answer I needed.
Some women really do look cute when they're mad.
I leaned in for a peck on the cheek but she pulled away.
Drat. Okay, so we couldn't just pick up where we left off.
We made it upstairs without further dallying and found the "interrogation" over. No wanton nakedness and fooling around, which I half expected. Kana was sitting on her bed, leaning sultrily on one arm while her other hand held a goblet of wine. Her long, smooth, legs where crossed, her nightrobe nonchalantly spilling to either side, with her apparently quite unaware.
"Bella, about that circle we saw..." Jude addressed Bella. "Let's compare notes. In private."
:Kana?: I snapped.
She didn't answer. Not good. She just had this triumphant smile on her face, and snuck in a quick wink before languidly sipping her wine.
"Um... sure..." said Bella, and she allowed herself to be led away downstairs.
I heard Jude say something about having a closer look at the pacts and Kana having given him the key to the room.
"Kana?"
We were alone, so she could have spoken aloud, or whispered if she had wanted to be more cautiously discreet, but she was maybe instinctively so cautious as to use telepathy.
:It's easy to be weak of faith when there's so little to show for it.:
:What did you offer him?:
:Relax... Things will take care of themselves from here on. Plus there's a bit of fun for you too.:
She winked at me. I glared at her.
:My dearest Simon... I am a wicked devil, don't you know? It's my job to collect souls, and here was one, ripe for the plucking. Oh, and as I did all the work on this one, I'm sure you'll agree their souls are mine and won't count toward your debt.:
My stomach felt funny in that "growing sense of panic" sort of way.
(to be continued...)
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