This is a work of FICTION, made by and for adults 18+. The following chapter includes depictions of hypersexuality and unintentional misgendering. Reader discretion is advised.

---

The tall figure’s skin was as white as snow, though her black dress covered most of it; her hair was just as dark while the straight strands nearly reached the floor. ‘Oh, wow,’ Vixen gawked at her piercing violet eyes. ‘SHE’S— prett—’

“OH!” the bartender cheered. “Hello, Solaris! You’re back already?!”

“Hello, Selena,” Solaris set her wide cap on the bar and took a seat. “Yes, the other shops I want to visit were already closed. I’ll have to try again closer to sunrise tomorrow.”

“That’s a shame. Well, if it means I can see you for another night or two, I can’t complain on your behalf. So, whatʼll it be?”

“Just a glass of wine for me.”

“Same as usual?”

“You’re a darling, Selena. And,” Solaris leered at Vixen, “for our stranger—”

“Uh,” Vixen balked, “I— don’t have anything to—”

Solaris pulled a silvery ring out of thin air and offered it to Selena. “Will this do for our stranger?”

“OH!” Selena cheered. “This is lovely, Solaris!” She slipped it onto a finger. “And it’s my size. Thank you, sis. Of course, it will do. What will it be, dear?”

Vixen could still only gawk. “I— Well, what—”

“Let her hold your hand.” She glanced at Solaris. “Selena’s very good at reading someone’s tastes.”

“Oh, don’t,” Selena sheepishly waved. “But, they’re right.”

Her tail fur stood on end. ‘Oh, shit.’

“If I touch you, I can get a good idea of what would taste good to you.” She shrugged, “It’s uncanny,” then reached out, “but it works.” With a gulp, Vixen gently grasped her hand. Selena soon hummed, “I think I know what would taste good. It’s a shame, though; you haven’t been able to try very many foods. Hopefully I can change that! A friend of sis is a friend of mine.”

Before Vixen could be taken aback, Solaris announced, “So, stranger. I’ve paid for your food and board, you’ve listened to me and my sister banter, but I can’t say I’ve heard anything about you, nor have I received anything for my generosity.”

“O-oh,” Vixen squirmed, “well, I— can’t offer anything—”

“You can offer me your story.” Solaris flourished their hand; from a bluish glow, tall cards backed with intricate moon-like illustrations stacked themselves into their palm. “I’m clairvoyant, you see. By reading my cards, I can learn many things about someone. Their past, their present, even hints of their future—if the cards wish for it.”

Vixen stared in bewilderment. “If the cards— wish for it?”

“It’s uncanny,” they smirked as a sizable deck finished forming, “but it works. Or, at least it has since I was little. When I came into my magic and first tried to create something, I made these cards. I didn’t really know what to do with them until I shuffled them.” Solaris demonstrated. “Then, if there was something I wanted to know, I could understand what the cards were trying to say. And then, when someone else shuffled them, I understood what the cards were saying about them; often general things, but sometimes I can learn things they hadn’t told me or they’d kept hidden; in some cases, things they didn’t know themselves—not until they looked deeper into their lives and learned my cards read true.” They handed the deck to Vixen. “Would you add your energy to the cards so I may learn of what brought you here?”

“Add my— But, I can’t perform magic.”

“You still have energy, though.” She perked up. “That’s what we immortals are: energy given form. Magical; if you want to be romantic. It doesn’t matter if you can perform magic—most kin can’t anyway; just by putting your energy into the cards, you influence their magic.”

‘Wait,’ Vixen’s tail swayed, ‘I’M MAGICAL?! I didn’t even know!’ Her elation faded as she realized, “Wait— if most kin can’t perform magic to make things… how do we barter?”

“Well, I can’t say many kin visit my shop in Quies, but—for those who can’t use creation magic or have limited magical abilities—I offer to read their cards like I’m offering now. Selena?”

Their sister perked up, “Well, I can’t say I get very many kin customers either, but most offer something they’ve made by hand—like your necklace. Others offer their services, like cleaning up; but, honestly, more energy is what I really need.” Selena pointed out an abandoned mug on the bar; the sudden disappearance of its foamy contents made Vixen flinch, but she jumped as it slid to Selena. “I made everything in this room myself, so as long as customers don’t consume the things I made recently, I can take the energy back.

“Most of the time, my customers consume my energy and I don’t get it back; so, I need more energy. This necklace sis gave me the day before yesterday,” she held up the shimmering emerald pendant hanging off the intricate silver chain around her neck, “actually held a great deal of their energy, but most of it’s gone now. This new ring, as well; in fact, I’ll be using its energy to make your meal. If I use their energy too much, though, they’ll disappear—like the rest of the jewelry sis gave me over the centuries. I’m already quite fond of them, so I don’t want that to happen.”

Solaris cleared their throat; Vixen just caught them carrying a light blush before they carried on, “So, usually kin offer their services, since items created with magic offer more energy than most things crafted by hand.”

“What do you mean by— most.”

“Well, for example, anything grown inside the Inner Keys will have much more energy; another advantage beyond bartering.”

“Stop trying to convince me to move to Quies, sis!” A new, delicious scent wafted as Selena declared, “I told you, I’m perfectly comfortable here on the ‘edge of civilization,’ as you put it. Besides, I have no interest in living under this ‘Duke’ you speak so highly of! One monarchy was enough for me, as it should have been for you.”

“And I keep telling you that the Inner Keys have so much more to offer! Protection, resources, customers with energy to spare! Quies is even quieter than Refuge and the trees are so tall you can only see the sun at noon! If you’d ever visit to see! And the ‘edge of civilization’ was the bloody hamlet in Jerne we got out of.”

“Stop callin’ it bloody,” Selena insisted. “Just because we’re vampires doesn’t mean everything was bloody!”

“Are You Kidding?! Everything smelled of blood! EveryONE smelled of blood!”

“Stop—” Selena cleared her throat, “stop making a scene in front of customers, sis. I’m sure—” She covered her mouth and snapped back to Vixen, “OH, DEAR! I never asked your name! Oh, what a host I’ve—”

“If,” Solaris interrupted, “you’ll let me hand our dear stranger my deck to shuffle, perhaps I can answer that question for,” they offered it to Vixen, “her?”

Still trying to catch up, Vixen gaped, “Uh— yes, her. And,” she took the cards, “I suppose I can— shuffle it.”

After a clumsy attempt to shuffle, Solaris reassured, “That’s plenty. Thank you…” they took the untidy stack, “Vixen.”

Frozen, Vixen gaped, “H— how did—”

“I told you, my cards have their own will.” They neatened the deck, “By adding your energy, you’ve influenced them; I know through centuries of experimentation that their arrangement is entirely different than when I handed them off to you, as is the energy they carry. Just by feeling the new energy, I can already read so much, especially since you were thinking of your name as you shuffled.”

She darted between Solaris and the cards. “It’s not just uncanny,” Selena postulated, looking over her shoulder, “it’s eerie, isn’t it? I was the first one Solaris asked to shuffle the deck. I had gooseflesh just looking at them when I handed it over; the glare of a child who knows some devilish secret—”

“You were the one who left herself open to a magic she didn’t understan—”

“You,” Selena dropped a delectable plate on the counter, “were the one who asked me to ‘play a little game’ with you knowing you hadn’t even begun to understand the magic yourself.” She had the final huff before beaming at Vixen, “Please, I hope you enjoy your meal, Vixen. Do let me know if anything isn’t to your liking, my dear.”

Vixen finally took a seat after glancing at the dish: a steaming leg of venison infused with aromas she’d never smelled nor conceived. Drooling as she picked it up, Vixen peered at Solaris when they began, “Well, now that you have your food and my cards know you, would you mind if I—”