Lie

Venus lowered her head. Her dark hair veiled her face and her voice fell to a shamed whisper. “I’m…I’m sorry. I was frightened.”

Merrik twisted his lips. He shifted his belt, causing the hilt of his sword to jangle. “Frightened of what?”

“I lived alone on my farm,” Venus said. “My husband…he died. I heard rumours of orcs. They…it was dark every night. But I thought of them. I thought I saw some…I don’t know. I…I was scared. But I heard there was no room in town. I came here with nothing, and I…I thought I’d pretend to live here, you’d let me in.”

Venus surged to her feet. Merrik gasped but she only grabbed the front of his shirt, clinging to him. She turned up a **** face, tears cutting streaks down her cheeks.

“Please!’ Venus sobbed. “Please don’t make me go! I…I don’t want to be taken by the orcs! I can’t go back to my farm! I turned out the horses! Let the cows go! I can’t go back. Don’t send me back!”

“Ho! Calm down!” Merrik looked about. He had no idea how to act. His hands hoevered about her as if afraid to touch her. Afraid to be blamed for her tears. His face flushed, a deep ochre hue in the lamplight.

Venus pulled herself up further by his shirt, thrusting her tear streaked face towards his. “Don’t send me back! Please don’t! They’ll **** me and use me!”

“Okay. Alright! Hush. Quiet. I won’t. You can stay. But you have to calm down.”

Venus sniffed. She shook and looked up nervously into his face as if afraid to believe him. “Y-you won’t?”

“No. NoO. Look. I…” Merrik breathed out harshly. “Just…get inside. Okay? And be careful. Alright?”

Venus gave a shaky nod. She allowed him to disentangle her hands from his shirt and bowed her head. “Th-thank you.” Dropping a quick curtsy, Venus turned and raced into the dark city streets. She looked back once to see Merrik moving back to the gate, scratching his head in confusion. Then she was around a corner, and out of sight.

Venus slowed among the shadows of an alley. Pressing her back against a wall, she touched a hand to her chest until her heart stopped its frantic beating.

That was too close.

She stayed where she was until the initial panic faded. As she calmed down she looked about herself. The alley cut behind two rickety buildings. One looked like a tavern, the other a merchant’s by the empty barrels stuck outside. She grimaced at the thought of spending the night alone, and a sudden ache resounded in her core when she realized it would be the first night she had spent alone, without her master’s form pressed over her, his cock sheathed inside her. She sighed wearily and considered her options for a rest that night. And, for the coming day. She had not forgotten her mission.

Her eyes sharpened in the dark like a cat’s. She was a Shadow Hunter, and still had their skills. She could see more easily in the dark than any normal man, and with them she scrutinized her surroundings. Her gaze was repeatedly drawn to the back of the inn, and the heavy door which, by the smell wafting towards her, led into the tavern’s kitchen.