The Quellers, Dan Wright [top novels to read txt] 📗

it was much stronger than regular wine and one had to take a sip at a time rather than a whole swig. As Alix drunk hers, a little bit of wine spilled out of the cup and poured onto the top of her dress.
‘Oops,’ Alix said, a little playfully rather than annoyed, ‘clumsy me. I got it on my dress. I have to wash this off quickly before it stains.’ She turned her large, brown eyes towards Tyrus, fluttering them suggestively. ‘Would sir like to help me get out of this dress? I have great trouble doing so alone.’
Tyrus almost couldn’t believe his luck. Not only had he bankrupted one of Faye’s most notorious gamblers, this woman was just giving herself to him. He instantly drank down his mulled wine (though it burned his throat a little) and slammed the cup on the bar. ‘I would be delighted to help.’
Taking Alix in one arm, the two of them left the joyous atmosphere and walked up the stairs to the rooms. The hooded person following them as they did.
Tyrus and Alix made their way to a room that was secluded from the rest of the den. A place where the two of them could be alone together. Tyrus locked the door behind them to make sure that they were not disturbed.
‘Well now, my dear,’ Tyrus said, already feeling the effects from the mulled wine having taken too much at once. ‘Shall I, help you out of your dress?’
‘Patience, my lord,’ Alix said. ‘Let us not rush into things too quickly. The night is still young after all.’
‘Oh, come now, my dear,’ Tyrus said seductively. ‘We both know that you didn’t take me up here just to help you wash your dress. How about we... indulge in a few things. If you know what I mean?’
He slapped Alix on her backside playfully. ‘My my,’ Alix giggled. ‘You are forward, milord!’
‘Come on, sweetheart, don’t keep me waiting,’ Tyrus said, grabbing Alix around the waist in a vague attempt to grope her.
‘Easy,’ Alix said, gently pushing him away. ‘Good things come to those who wait. Why don’t you sit down over there and I’ll slip into something a little more, comfortable.’
Tyrus had to fight hard to control himself as Alix’s beauty was such that he felt like a young boy that had been given his first toy. But he thought that maybe it was best to control himself, he wouldn’t want to ruin this night. ‘You sure know how to tempt a man, young lady,’ Tyrus said, sitting down on the nearby bed.
‘Ah, ah, no peaking,’ Alix said.
‘Oh you are not fair,’ Tyrus groaned. ‘Why do you torment me like this?’
‘Just be patient,’ Alix said sultrily. ‘Close your eyes. You’ll have a surprise when you open them.’
Tyrus felt a little angry at being toyed with like this as he was used to people giving him what he wanted straight away; but with a woman of such exceptional beauty as her, he allowed her the chance. He closed his eyes tightly.
‘Are you sure you are not looking?’ Alix asked as she started to undo the back of her dress.
Tyrus could hear the sound of Alix’s dress hitting the ground and he his heart beat faster. He could not wait to open his eyes up and feast on the wonders that he would gaze on. However, Alix seemed to be taking too long in undressing herself.
‘What is taking so long?’ Tyrus asked impatiently. ‘Must I grow a beard before you are ready?’
‘Not long now, my lord,’ Alix replied, still in her sultry tone. A moment or so later, she spoke again. ‘You may open your eyes my lord.’
At last, Tyrus could gaze upon the fruits that would await him. He opened his eyes without a moments hesitation. But he was most confused, and a little shocked, to see that Alix had not undressed herself. Instead, she had changed into a completely new outfit, made of dark orange leather. Around her back she had some kind of small cape, made from what looked like the fur of a blood wolf. She stood with her hands to her hips, looking towards Tyrus.
‘What is the meaning of this?’ Tyrus asked angrily.
‘Sorry, love,’ Alix said, her voice still returned her sultry tone, except this time it sounded a little more malevolent and threatening. ‘Hate to string you along like that, but it was the only way I could get your attention.’
Her hands combusted into flames, frightening Tyrus. However, the flames did not seem to hurt Alix. Instead the transformed into what looked like swords – swords of pure fire.
‘What... what is going on?’ Tyrus asked, nervously. ‘Please, you... you can take my money... take as much as you like.’
‘Who said I was here for your money?’ Alix said, narrowing her eyes.
Tyrus leapt up from the bed and bolted towards the door, struggling to unlock the door. Alix made no attempt to stop him, knowing that he would not get far. Tyrus got the door unlocked and flung it open to escape. Behind the other side was the hooded figure from downstairs, barring his path.
‘The only place that you are going,’ the figure said, ‘is with us!’
The hooded figure backed Tyrus back into the room. He pulled his hood over his face, pulling it away and tossing it aside to reveal himself. He was a young man, roughly the same age as Alix, dressed in a long, brown overcoat that stretched down almost to his feet. By his side was a large warhammer with a long handle, forcing it to be used with both hands. Both advanced on Tyrus, who backed away until he was right against the window of the room.
‘What, what do you want from me?’ Tyrus stammered.
‘We’ve been after you for a long time, Rofelo,’ the man said in gruff tones. ‘Changing your name may have delayed us slightly, but it was foolish of you to think that you could stay in hiding forever.’
Tyrus’s eyes widened in terror. He knew now that this could not be a random attack on him. It had to have been planned. ‘Who sent you?’ he gasped.
‘I think you know,’ the man said. ‘And he is most interested in reconciling the debt you have with him.’ He took his hammer in both hands. ‘Now, are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way?’
Rofelo felt the back of his spine run cold. He couldn’t breathe, almost like he was being strangled. How could he have been discovered? He was sure that he was so careful. But he also knew the fate that awaited him if he went with these two, it would be like committing suicide. Rofelo couldn’t allow that to happen, not when he had made such a good life here.
With his pathway to the door blocked and with no other escape path, Rofelo quickly turned to the window behind him, pushing it open and jumping outside as an act of desperation. He plummeted through the air, crashing on the ground below.
‘Honestly, Dylan,’ Alix said. ‘I don’t know why you bother giving them a chance to surrender. If just gives them a chance to get away.’
‘I guess I’m just too soft,’ Dylan replied. ‘Oh well, we’ll have to do this the hard way.’

Rofelo picked himself up, groaning in pain. The fall had not been too bad, as the distance between his bedroom and the ground was fairly small and not enough to do any real damage. He cried aloud in pain and clutched his leg, sprained badly in the fall. This had alerted the attention of the nearby city guards, who ran over to Rofelo as he lay whimpering on the floor. ‘Are you ok, sir?’ one guard asked.
Rofelo looked towards the window of the bedroom, where Dylan and Alix were standing. Fearfully, he pointed towards them, screaming in fear. ‘They... they are trying to kill me! Help me, please!’
‘You there! Stay where you are!’ the guard shouted, pointing towards Dylan and Alix. Some guards ran into the den, on their way up to catch them.
‘Perfect,’ Dylan sighed with annoyed sarcasm. ‘And there I was hoping we could keep the guards out of it!’
‘You go after Rofelo,’ Alix said. ‘I’ll deal with the guards.’
‘Try not to do any real damage this time,’ Dylan reminded her. ‘Remember, we’re only here for Rofelo, not to hurt anyone.’
‘Hey, you can trust me,’ Alix said. ‘I’m all about being careful.’
‘You mean like back in Larga?’
‘Oh you just HAD to bring that up, didn’t you? How many times do I have to tell you, he came at me with knife! Besides, he survived, didn’t he?’
‘With half his face burned off!’
The guards burst into the room, their pikes pointing towards both of them. ‘Stay where you are!’
‘Leave these guards to me,’ Alix said to Dylan.
Dylan rushed to the window, leaping out without a care of what damage a fall like that might do. Alix turned back to the guards. She held her fiery swords towards the guards. ‘Now boys, you want to play?’

Dylan landed outside on both feet with cat-like agility. The guards advanced, though they were all slightly perturbed that Dylan could have landed like that without hurting himself.
‘Put your hands up!’ the lead guard ordered as his unit held their pikes towards him.
‘We just want him,’ Dylan said, pointing to Rofelo. ‘He has a debt he needs to repay, so just let us take him and we’ll leave it at that.’
‘I said put your hands up!’ the guard shouted again.
It was obvious that these guards weren’t going to be reasonable, but Dylan really didn’t want to kill them. They were just doing their job after all and Dylan never liked to kill if he could avoid it. Fortunately, he wouldn’t have to. All he would have to do was disable them and then he could focus on capturing Rofelo.
‘As you wish...’ Dylan said, quietly.
He carefully lifted his hands up into the sky, while at the same time focusing all his inner power into his fist, which in turn travelled up through his hammer.
Before the guards could so much as blink, Dylan slammed the end of his hammer to the ground with all his might. The earth shook with the impact, causing a small earthquake. The guards around Dylan lost their footing and stumbled around trying to keep their balance. Dylan used this distraction and leapt at the guards, slamming his fist into their jaws with lighting fast speed. In just a matter of seconds, the guards were all out cold.
By now, Dylan and Alix’s actions had attracted some unwanted attention from onlookers out in the streets. Seeing as Dylan’s enormous display of power had panicked the people of Faye, Dylan heard a few more soldiers among the crowd cry out: ‘Call for reinforcements!’
They ran off to gather more troops. Dylan knew they didn’t have much time. Turning to Rofelo, Dylan saw him limp away down the street, using the distraction to try and get away from him. It was a minor inconvenience to say the least.
You’re not going anywhere, Dylan thought.

The guards that had trapped Alix in the bedroom were still to make a move on her. She stood her ground, her hands still burning with fire. ‘Well?’ she asked. ‘Aren’t you going to try and take me down?’
The guards held their stance, but were panicked. They were not trained for this kind of situation – a few of them were just fresh out of training and so had no idea how to resolve this.
‘Aww, does nobody want to play with me?’ Alix asked,