Disclaimer: I obviously own none of the characters other than original ones I've created. The whole world and any recognizable characters belong to their respective owners. I'm not making any money off this, it's purely for fun. Once I'm done I promise to put them back in their original condition, no worse for wear.

Author's Note: I sincerely apologize for the delay in updating. My laptop hard drive started failing around the beginning of the month and it took me til now to 1) Get the new one in the mail 2) Get someone to put it in and install my drivers/OS on it. Thankfully I had everything backed up so I can resume my weekly update schedule with what was already written. I do still need to reinstall a bunch of my software though which is annoying. I am thankful however that it warned me before it died so I didn't lose everything like my old desktop drive in the past.

Chapter 3 – The Tavern

For the second time that night the tavern found a deathly quiet pass over it as yet another dark clad figure entered. It had gotten semi accustomed to the one that now sat in a dark corner nursing a steaming mug of what was either tea or another hot beverage. The door shut behind her and shortly after the rumble of thunder and pelting of rain penetrated the eerie silence the room was wrapped in. Slowly Syanndra made her way to the bar to speak with the innkeeper. As she moved through the room she took in the stares, whispers and few lusty glances from a few drunkards sent her way. She also noted the figure in the corner that seemed to watch her carefully, though not in a similar fashion as the townsfolk. Syanndra hoped that he wouldn't spell out to be trouble though she suspected it likely. He gave off a more powerful aura, very similar to her own. In her mind there was little doubt as to what exactly he was.

"Can I help you?" The innkeeper asked nervously as his eyes raked up and down her form. She was clad similar to the other hunter though she had a small black leather saddlebag over her left arm.

"I require a room for an undetermined amount of time," she stated quietly as she sat a few gold coins on the bar. Her voice was slightly muffled due to her scarf yet he still heard her clearly.

"Uh... I'm not sure there are any more available right now," he stuttered nervously, "Think the last one was just uh... rented out."

"I see," her voice was steady and betrayed no emotion either way about his statement, "Are there other inns in this town with lodgings?"

"We're the only one unfortunately," he explained as he resumed wiping the glass in his hands. Her aura was dark and sent the hairs on his neck up, but it was nothing compared to the man earlier. He would admit she was beautiful, what of her face he could see, that same unearthly beauty as the youth before.

"A pity then," she murmured as she went to retrieve the money from the bar. Carefully she let him get a glance of the coinage still in her small leather pouch. She'd found in the past that these types sometimes 'magically' found a room available when the prospect of more money came up. It seemed that for enough coin they could overlook her heritage despite the fact she was hired to help their town.

"I..uh.. well let me check the book," he offered suddenly and put the glass down. After he picked up the ledger, and pretended to glance through it though it fooled no one, he spoke up again, "Yes actually we have another room upstairs, last door on the left. How long were you staying again?"

"Til my business is completed," she responded and placed the original money plus one more coin on the bar again.

"Very well then, uh will you require meals as well?" he asked, his greedy eyes on her coinpurse again as he replaced the ledger beneath the bar. He straightened back up, a key in hand as he waited for her reply.

"A meal for tonight, yes, and your best hay for my horse in the stable," she answered and put an extra silver down. After her last contract she knew the horse had well earned it's reward, and a small reprieve.

"Stew all right?" he inquired as he collected the coins on the bar, his large hand scooping them up in one grab. The other hand deposited the key on the bar infront of her as he added, "Any drink with that?"

"Wine," she supplied, "Something of quality, and a glass of water as well."

"It'll be right out if you want to drop your bag in your room," he explained as he quickly put the coins in the secure box beneath the bar. Syanndra nodded and moved to the stair case as the innkeeper went to ready her meal. D watched her with careful eyes as her figure ascended the stairs.

"Going to go see if she's competition?" the gravelly voice piped up out of the darkness as D stood. The voice was quiet enough that only D seemed to hear it and his movement to climb the stairs she'd disappeared up was answer enough.

Meanwhile she'd dropped her bags off in her room, making sure she hid the extra coin purse from the mayor with what remained from her own pouch. She'd make sure to put them in the secure compartment on her cyborg horse in the early morning when she left. Syanndra was not looking forward to leaving before dawn but she'd need to if that other man turned out to be a hunter as well. Between him as possible competition and the limited mobility she had during the daylight hours this was not going to be easy. From the look of him she surmised he was and could only guess someone else had hired him, or the mayor was pulling a fast one on them both. With her sword still on her back she emerged from the room and locked the door. Before she'd even turned she felt it, the presence behind her. An aura darker than her own licking at the edge of her senses. It actually sent a shivver down her spine that repeated itself as she heard the voice.

"What are you doing here?" the smooth, deep voice of the youth asked.

"I was hired for a job," she responded and pocketed the key in a pouch on her combat belt, "I surmise you knew as much. I could ask you the same but I suspect it's for a similar reason."

"Hm," the male merely replied as she turned to face him. He was truly gorgeous and she could tell he was not human. He had to be like her she figured. Long black hair hung in waves down his back midway, the pale angular features and crystalline eyes gave him that unearthly beauty 'their kind' held. Between the pale skin and his beauty it was enough to confirm his heritage, the pointed tips of his ears only further cemented it. He towered at least a full head taller than her and she had to tilt her head to meet his eyes.

"What job were you hired for?" he inquired quietly with a glance down from her eyes to the scarf that hid her face. He ran into few other dhampirs over the years, all save two had been male. Granny Viper had been the only female dhampir he'd ever run into before this moment. D took careful note of the long blood red hair and pointed ears trimmed in amethyst and silver. There was no doubt to him about her heritage and he surmised the scarf hid her features due to the usual reaction their kind got. Both women and men alike were generally struck silent and gaping at the appearance of a dhampir's beauty.

"The mayor hired me to go after a noble as well as handle a few other tasks," she answered quietly, her eyes locked with his. She found herself smitten with his looks, not to the point of normal women though. She still could not deny the fact that this man was absolutely gorgeous, moreso than a man should have a right to be.

"I see," he responded as he mulled over how this would work. Obviously one party had hired her and the other party had unknowingly hired him. He didn't usually work with others, or at least 'work well' with others so this was unlikely to end well.

"I would presume you were hired for the same task eh? Making me your competition," she reasoned as she watched him carefully. His face betrayed no emotion and he merely gave a nod in reply. "Great," she muttered with a sigh, "I have no quarrel with you, perhaps we can work together to accomodate both our jobs so no one loses out?" Truthfully Syanndra hoped the man would agree to teaming up. She could feel his aura, so much stronger than her own, and really did not want to possibly have to fight this man. He screamed the 'loner' type though so she figured it was a wasted effort though she had to try.

D looked at her, his face the same stoic emotionless mask as always as he simply said, "I work alone."

Syanndra was quiet for a moment, having expected this outcome, before she nodded. She swore she'd heard a snicker somewhere in the hallway after his comment though and could not place it's location. She brushed it aside and presumed it was an eavesdropper as she could only see the two of them in the hallway.

"I see," she responded, "A pity we couldn't come to an arrangement. I'll wish you the best of luck then."

D nodded once and turned slightly to allow her to pass him to the stairs. She moved past him, keeping a watch on him from the corner of her eye til he was out of sight and she was descending the stairs again. D turned back and went into his room, his left fist clenched tightly. With his door locked he planned to prepare and leave early the next morning.