In the filthiest section of Port Anvil, the two companions ventured down a dim alleyway, heading towards a backdoor connected to a grimy, suspicious building. With each passing step, dominance flooded Larissa’s nostrils, drowning her confidence.

Raven swung the door open, and a mysterious darkness engulfed the filthy halls, carrying a rancid stench that made Larissa gag.

“I can’t do this! Get Sylva instead!” she cried, fleeing back down the alley. She spotted a trash bin and ducked behind it, trembling as she pinched the bridge of her brow and squeezed her eyes shut.

Hurried steps caught up with her, and suddenly she found herself in a warm embrace. Rose and blood overtook the rancid odor of command, and soothing circles on her back eased her trembling.

“Shh, shh, it’s okay,” Raven cooed, tilting Larissa’s chin to face her. “Come now, beautiful, don’t cry.”

Puzzled, Larissa wiped at the corner of her eye, feeling the dampness, and muttered, “You must think I’m such a cowardly wolf. I’m sorry.” Eyes wide and pleading, she begged, “Please don’t make me go in there. I can go fetch Sylva instead or wait out here but—”

Her blood tingled and her heart raced, words slipping away with each rapid breath.

The vampire flinched, speechless, and calmly questioned, “Where is the brave wolf that kicked me in the gut and bit my throat?”

“That stench is wicked and foul!” She pointed towards the door at the end of the alley, and an image of a burly man with silver hair flashed in her mind. Her lips trembled as she remembered him unbuckling his belt with a smug grin. “NO! Get Sylva! She can help! She can save you like she saved me!”

Larissa’s claws dug deeper into the vampire’s shoulder, causing the vampire to hiss in pain. Carefully, she pried Larissa’s nails from her shoulders and gently cradled them in her palms.

“I think you need to relax,” Raven said, turning towards the street and gently helping them both to their feet. “And find your footing.” She guided them out of the alley and through the bustling street of vendors, eventually arriving at a bazaar. “I always find shopping soothes me.” She turned away, leaving Larissa to mull over her thoughts.

Larissa’s eyes followed Raven’s retreating figure as she sniffled amidst the crowd of haggling patrons. She was grateful that her sadness blocked out the stench, but anxiety crept in at being left alone in a sea of strangers.

She missed the pack, she missed her home, she missed the vampire that abandoned her, but most of all, she missed the comfort of familiarity. She closed her eyes amongst the swarm of strangers, trying desperately to drown out their existence.

A floral scent hit her senses, and she opened her eyes, spotting a cheeky vampire holding out a colorful bouquet of flowers.

“Marigolds?” Larissa murmured, gently touching the petals and inhaling their scent.

“You mentioned them before, right? I assumed they were your favorite.” Raven gestured for her to take them, and Larissa mumbled her thanks. “You’re quite lucky, you know; these are the last of his stock.”

She sniffed the flowers, soothed by their pungent sweet scent, and murmured, “I thought you left me. Sylva seemed to be the only one to tolerate my moods.”

With a wave of her hand, Raven dismissed her worries and drawled, “Perish the thought, I would never dare. I would’ve taken you with me, however, I doubt you wanted to be plunged into a sea of sweaty dominants.”

A hand laid on the small of her back, and slowly led her away from the bazaar. “Do you wish to eat, my beauty? I know a little pastry shop to die for.”

The scent of marigolds fueled her confidence, and Larissa said, “Maybe we should get back on track.”

Scoffing, Raven scolded, “Or maybe we should get a snack, fill our bellies with good food and conversation. My contact isn’t going anywhere, and technically without him, we’re stuck here for three months so…”

“With a bounty on your head for a million silver,” Larissa pointed out flatly.

“The bounty looks nothing like me!” On cue, they walked by a bounty board filled with bounties, and Raven hotly defended, pointing at her picture. “For one, I have bangs. For two, they made my nose look like a beak. And three,” she shuddered, “they gave me chubby cheeks!” Her hands clawed her slender high cheekbones. “I swear whoever drew this has a certain disdain for me that will never quell even under the weight of 1000 suns!”

Larissa sighed, inwardly agreeing with the vampire despite herself. From head to toe, she exuded perfection and grace, as if she had been carved from the finest marble and sculpted to be displayed for the goddesses alone.

Her hair, a deep scarlet reminiscent of rose petals. Her skin, flawlessly pale, smooth, and rippling with lean muscle. But it was her eyes that captivated Larissa the most—like a fire that scorches everything in its path, leaving only embers in its wake.

Larissa glimpsed at Raven’s fiery irises and noted them a duller sheen than usual. A calmness stirred within her belly, soothing the anxious beats of her own heart.

“Here we are,” Raven announced, guiding them into a quaint shop on the corner of the street, with a view of the sparkling sea. Larissa gawked at the shop, surprised to find such rustic beauty in this grimy port.

The ring of the store bell jolted Larissa from her thoughts as they entered through the glass doors, and a chubby woman with a sweet face greeted them. “Welcome! Come on in! Names Gina and I have some brunch specia—” Her eyes widened, and her face fell, tears spilling from her wrinkled brown eyes. “Ravenna? It’s been too long!”

Instantly, Larissa blurted out, “Ravenna?” But the vampire ignored her and moved to give the woman a big hug.

“I can see that, Gina. Last time I visited, you didn’t have wrinkles.” The old woman playfully slapped her butt, and she let out a yelp.

“And your tongue is still as rude as ever.”

Larissa felt a wave of dread wash over her as she nervously shuffled her feet. Her inner wolf paced anxiously within her thoughts, growling at the familiarity between the two friends and howling for her to stay on high alert.

Larissa grabbed the hem of Raven’s robes and pulled her into a corner, away from Gina. Gina looked confused but shrugged it off. Larissa leaned in and whispered, “Are you sure this is wise?” She glared at Gina, squinting as if trying to see through her. “It’s one thing to goof off, but this lady knows you, Ravenna.” Raven flinched at her name. “And if you recall, you have a bounty on your head.” She gestured to the empty seats of the shop. “Seems like a million silvers would be awfully tempting for her.”

A hum emanated from the vampire, and without another word, Larissa was pulled over to Gina. “Gina, dear, may I have my usual seat and my usual order?” She raised two fingers, and Gina nodded with a grin.

“This way then,” she said, leading them up the stairs to the roof. She directed them to a white Victorian table overlooking the sparkling sea and opened a white umbrella for them. “I’ll go fetch the tea then. Want me to take your flowers, dear?” Larissa hugged the bouquet closer to her chest.

An awkward silence passed before Raven spoke up. “Please do, dear. In fact, you might as well keep them.”

“Betrayal!” Larissa snarled, baring her savage fangs.

Puzzled, Gina gave Raven a look, and Raven gestured for her to hurry. With a sigh, Gina reached down to snatch the bouquet. Her grip remained firm, and soon the duo engaged in a fierce game of tug-of-war.

Raven observed the interaction with mild interest and snagged a few marigolds from the bouquet. She got up from her seat, making her way behind Larissa. She gently placed her hands on her shoulders, leaning over her and nuzzling her cheek. “Please release the bouquet, beautiful. I promise I will buy you more if you do.”

With a weak growl she let go, causing Gina to stumble backwards and recover with a twirl. She rushed down the stairs quickly, and Larissa rumbled a growl that chased her.

Suddenly soft fingers ran along her scalp, gently applying a pressure that caused her to moan. Larissa gasped. “W-what are you doing?”

“Just apologizing for our little tiff earlier.” She felt a good tug on the back of her head, and a pungent scent bloomed from her hair. “Plus, carrying around a bouquet in a manly port such as this is conspicuous.” She handed her a clear silver plate and pointed to the marigolds tied in a bun.

A mad heat rushed to Larissa’s face as she admired herself, and she beamed. “Thank you, truly.”

With a firm grip on Larissa’s shoulder, Raven sauntered back to her seat.

Only the summer breeze could be heard as Larissa fumbled with the plate, and Raven stared nonchalantly at the sea.

A clack of the table drew Larissa away from her hair, and her mouth watered at the sight. “Is that? Pumpkin pie?” Larissa licked her lips, eyes hungrily devouring the pie, and turned her gaze to the plate across from her. “What’s yours? I thought you ordered two of the same plate?”

A round pastry occupied the vampire’s plate, filled with a red gooey substance that made Larissa drool.

The faint hum emitting from the vampire broke her trance. “It’s a strawberry tart, my friend. Do you want some?”

“May I?” Her eyes shined as Raven cut a fraction of the piece and placed it near the pie.

Larissa stuffed the tart into her mouth, moaning with delight as the gooey strawberries burst with flavor on her tastebuds.

“Shall I order another?” Raven teased, and Larissa bashfully nodded.

She glanced down at the pie, wolfing it down in a single gulp, and savored the sweet tang of pumpkin. “Can I have another?” She pointed to her empty plate.

“Of course,” Raven called to her friend, listing off a variety of sweets on the menu. Gina brought out the dish, placing it in front of the vampire, and Raven pushed it nonchalantly Larissa’s way.

Larissa lazily blinked at the dish, slowly lifting her gaze onto the vampire, and murmured. “I’d never thought I’d ever visit a pastry shop…”

The vampire quirked her brow, acknowledging her, and sipping on her tea.

“Sylva prefers to hunt for her food, rather than purchasing it, and on the rare occasions we do purchase food, it’s usually meat.” Raven hummed her response, still sipping on her tea. “When we visit the city, we would pass by the bakery near the arena, and during the summer they would put one of those strawberry tarts on display.”

Raven placed the teacup back onto the plate, and Larissa continued. “I always wanted to taste it, but never bothered to ask Sylva to buy it, especially when we needed to save silver for the tithe.”

She anxiously tapped her nails onto the table. “But you come along, offering it to me on a silver platter.” Raven’s expression remained passive. “Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful, especially for earlier, and I know you won’t say more about your past, so I won’t press on that.” Larissa flashed her a sad grin. “But I get the feeling you are too good to be true, Ravenna.”

“Oh?” Raven drawled; eyes laser focused on Larissa. “I commend your instincts, but I meant what I said.” She reached for Larissa’s hand, squeezing it. “I will not harm your friend.” She let go, throwing up jazz hands. “So don’t worry about this big bad vampire.” She grumbled about the last part. “There might be others on your tail.”

 “When you put it like that, how can I not worry?” Sarcasm rolled off her tongue, and Raven shrugged.

“I truly wish I could quell your distrust with my words, but I cannot.” Raven sighed, admitting. “Even with the truth you wolves are naturally bred to distain my kin.” She let out a bitter chuckle. “I should only be grateful your friend aimed for a punch rather than claw my throat out.” The fire in her eyes burned brighter. “Perhaps instead of you worrying about me, I should be more concerned about you.”

A deafening silence followed, and an uneasiness slithered into Larissa’s heart.

She went back to gorging herself with sweets, eyeing the vampire as Larissa devoured another pie. The vampire sipped on her tea with grace, her eyes glued to Larissa like a territorial cat.