Death in Flame Chapter 3

Lara opened her eyes. She yawned and sat up in the comfortable bed, expecting to look out of her mansion window, with it's lush rose beds in the garden. But no, she only saw Cairo's palm trees and mountains of desert sand.

"What're you doin', Lara? It's seven am." a groggy voice asked her.

She turned over, dreading to see-

"RUTLAND!" she shouted furiously, covering her bare body with the sheets. She couldn't't resist a quick peek at her enemy- he wasn't as conscious as her at all, his anatomy displayed openly. She shuddered.

"Is this real? You can't be serious!"

"Yup, it's real, I ain't only in your dreams, Croft-"

She whipped around and punched him forcefully. "You dirty bastard! How dare you! Son of a bit-"

"Whoa! You were the one who dragged me back here! This is your hotel room. I didn't know just how much you wanted me!" he retorted, running a cold finger over her bare shoulder. She pushed him off the bed, reaching for her clothes. He made a disappointed noise as her flesh vanished. He grabbed her arm. She stared at him coldly.

"Did you realise what you were doing last night, Lara?"

"What's it to you? You're just a liar and a fool."

"You seemed so- I don't know. Like you changed, became happier in yourself. Passionate, maybe. From what I know you're only passionate in archaeology. Why me?"

"I could never feel like that about you, Rutland. You're just fooling yourself. I need to find Amanda. Where is she?"

"I told you. England. Probably Cornwall somewhere. You should pay me for that information. I couldn't normally reveal it to anyone." he told her expectantly.

She shot him in his left arm and walked to the door.

"I am not a whore. If I ever come back, and I find you here, I will kill you. Good riddance."

"W-what about last night?" he gasped in pain, on the floor.

"It never happened."