Awake once more for an elven encounter.

You're kinda tired of passing out at this point. You stare into the ceiling of Claire's parents' bedroom once more. That Desert Killer stinger really did a number on you. Well, to be fair, most people would die from that, so you feel quite capable. Your horrible pains aren't gone, not by a long shot, but it is different. Less immediate and more focused. It's no longer a pain that can be felt in your entire body. It is very much centered on the wound itself. You move your hand towards it. It singes a bit as you touch it. You are not covered in bandages anymore, but you can certainly feel the new metal stitches interwoven in your flesh.

"Hey, are you awake?" signals a voice from the other end of the room. You don't recognize it. It's a bit deep and slightly sultry.

You tip your head towards the sound. It's the barmaid. The dark elf smiles wryly at you. She is sitting in a chair with her elbow on her leg and her chin resting on the top of her hand. Her very full breasts are nuzzled into the cave made by her slightly arched upper body.

"Yeah." you exhale as you lay your head back down on the pillow.

"Good." she just nods: "I'm Farah, by the way."

"Jess." you shortly reply.

A cold air of silence creeps through the floor boards as her seductive nature intensifies on her face. A wink, and some fiddling with her hair behind her ear, signals some sort of flirtation. However, you don't know why she is doing it.

"Why are you here?" you ask.

"Not happy to see me?" she asks sardonically: "Emily asked me to look over you for a little while."

"How long have I been out?" you ask.

"About five hours. It's noon." she replies as she gets up from the chair.

She moves towards you, her hips swaying slightly. She sits down on the edge of the bed, tilts her head to the side, and pouts her lips a bit. You furrow your brow, not entirely sure what she is planning.

"Is my presence really that intoxicating?" she quips. You just stare at her confused.

"You haven't even noticed." she says. This woman is making less and less sense.

She nods her head to the right of you, and you turn your head.

Claire is lying in the bed again, sleeping like a bear in winter.

"She gets attached so easily." the dark elf muses: "But then again, so do I."

She chuckles as she lies down on your other side. Something is telling you that her ease of affection is not completely honest. You now have small sleeping frog girl on your right, and a dark elf whose motivations you can't quite figure out on your left.
At least you don't have to pee.

You turn your face towards the dark elf. She gives you a seductive smile.
You are about to open your mouth to ask her what she is doing, but before you get anything said, she leans in and kisses you. She goes straight for the lips. It's a long kiss, and she is doing it feverishly. She cups your face as she is making out with your surprised face.
After a couple of seconds you gain a hold of what is going on, and you grab her hand on your cheek. You hold it, and slowly moves it away from your face.
Then you forcibly crush it.
Reeling her face away from yours, a pained expression on her beautifully sculpted face.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" you ask coldly.

"W-what do you mean?" she asks.

"Don't play dumb, missus. I know this game, and you're trying to get something out of this. I saw your true face at the bar, remember? I remember how you cowered with fear behind that little bar shop of yours. I remember how you let me handle all of those goons alone. So what are you trying to accomplish?"

"Can't I just show appreciation for my savior?"

You press harder. She whimpers.

"Don't lie to me. I defeated a Desert Killer with my bare hands, walked ten miles in the desert, and took out about 4 kobold goons and a gargoyle bandit. I've spent the last two and a half day facing the bad odds of survival and beaten them every time. What hope does an elven wench like yourself have against a woman like me?"

"You're hurting me." she whines.

"Then you better talk." you bite.

"F... f-fine." she say: "I wanted protection."

You let go.

"The whole reason that the town got shot up, and that Claire's parents died was because they wanted me." she sniffles: "I... I'm scared. And I want to ensure that I could count on you to protect me."

"You can't, because I won't." you ruthlessly reject her.

"Please... they will surely kill me or worse." she cries.

"I can't see how that is my problem." you dismissively reply.

"Why won't you help me?" she asks pleadingly.

"Because you're not worth helping."

"And Emily and Claire are?" she asks less upset and more confused.

"Emily has brought me back from certain **** twice now. Her medical knowledge is invaluable. Claire has provided me with a place to sleep and recover."

"But I can give you pleasure." she desperately bargains: "I can give you companionship and intimacy."

"But I don't need that to survive." you state, less cold and more matter-of-factly.

The elf nods solemnly, then makes her way up from the bed.

"I don't think that's true." she says not facing you: "I think everybody needs affection to survive. Without it, we will die the same way we lived. Alone. Our story will go untold. Our life would have been in vain, and as such, we might as well die."

She turns around to face you once more. Her expression is hard to read. It's not an all out anger, but more of a cynical disdain for both you and the world she is in.

"I don't believe for a second that the reason you're helping Emily and Claire is for medical expertise and shelter. I think you're starting to like them. And I think that it scares you."

You never intended to let her have the final word, but as she is walking away you find yourself completely silent. You can hear the front door of the house slam. You turn your head towards the still sleeping Claire. For some reason that calms you down a bit.