Rayleigh
10-05-15, 06:15 PM
Closed to Tobias.
She woke to his breath on her neck. The small room held the chill of early morning, and the heat that met her skin like the gentle brush of a feather was a strangely pleasant sensation. As she lay beneath the thin sheet, her jade eyes slipping closed again, she found her own breathing slowing to match his. She became aware of his hand on hip, and the close proximity of his body on the small mattress. He still reeked of the previous night’s ale, and ugly, guttural sounds slipped past his chapped lips every few moments. But it was the warmth that she remembered as sleep came to claim her once more.
By the time the sky’s pastels had faded to cloudless blue, Rayleigh had already dressed. Tugging on her rigid leather boots, her gaze moved back to Tobias Stalt’s prone form. The sheet was draped haphazardly across his back, revealing only a few of the scars that darkened his bare skin. Her fingertips tingled as she recalled the feel of them beneath her touch, but as she laced up her boots, the memory faded.
How much time would pass before she began to regret it all? She had given something very precious to a man with whom she was not romantically involved. There had been no love between them, but there had been alcohol, and at the time, that had been enough for her. But now, with the fresh light of a new day revealing what they had done? There was no doubt or remorse festering in the pit of her stomach. In fact, as Rayleigh closed the door behind her and descended the steps to the main room, there was a lightness in her gait that had not been present before.
“Good morning,” the brunette called as she approached the bar.
The barkeep, a slightly older woman with similarly colored hair returned the greeting and the smile. “Was everything to your liking?”
A telling smile flickered across Ray’s lips. “Oh yes,” she answered. “Thank you for that.”
“Of course.” Wiping her hands the rag that hung from her waist, the woman added, “would you like some breakfast?”
The mechanic paused, momentarily considering the woman’s offer. Then, she fished a few coins from the pocket of her coat. “Not for me, thank you. But would you mind bringing something up to room four?”
“I can, yes. What is the name?”
“Rayleigh,” she answered without thinking. Quickly realizing her mistake, she hastily continued. “Well, that’s my name. But the food is for Tobias Stalt.”
The first emotion that flashed in the barmaid’s eyes was recognition. The second, however, was harder to place. Was it surprise? Anger? Fortunately for Rayleigh, she would not wait long for her answer.
“Tobias Stalt, huh?” The other woman’s tone had adopted a sharp edge that forced the smaller girl back a few steps. “Interesting. His women normally don’t buy him breakfast afterwards.”
At this, Rayleigh’s own voice hardened; there was something accusatory in the stranger’s words, and Ray did not appreciate it. “I beg your pardon?”
A sickly-sweet expression of childish amusement softened the innkeeper’s wrinkled face. “You mean you don’t know? Tobias has plenty of company while he is here. In fact, I should have assumed by the room number. That is his favorite spot, and where he brings most of his… companions.”
Something in the pit of her stomach tightened. “I am well aware of Tobias’ reputation.” Rayleigh bit back. “But this was nothing like that.”
“Nothing like that,” she echoed, before giving a short laugh that made Ray strangely nauseous. “You’re different? He’s changed?” The woman sneered. “You’re not the first to say that, and I am willing to bet that you won’t be the last.”
The green-eyed girl’s jaw worked as she stared down her new-found competitor. The pair shared a tense moment of silent warfare, thrusting daggers into the others’ heart with only their gaze. Then Rayleigh sighed.
“I don’t have time for this,” she growled, pocketing the coins she had withdrawn shortly before. The flickering happiness that had warmed her then was now all but extinguished, and she found she could not even bring herself to look at the stranger. Short, angry strides carried her to the bulletin board, where slips of paper advertising jobs beckoned her toward new adventures. Generally, the brunette would examine each, weighing the benefits and risks, and ultimately selecting the best choice. This time, however, she tore at the nearest offer, balling it up in her fist as she continued her march toward the door.
“One more question!” Despite every instinct crying out in protest, Rayleigh turned back to the barmaid. The older woman’s eyes were narrowed, a thin smirk on her lips, when she asked, “did he finish inside of you?” When there was no answer, she spoke a final time. "You're going to regret that."
Shrill laughter chased Ray out the door and into the busy street.
I already do.
She woke to his breath on her neck. The small room held the chill of early morning, and the heat that met her skin like the gentle brush of a feather was a strangely pleasant sensation. As she lay beneath the thin sheet, her jade eyes slipping closed again, she found her own breathing slowing to match his. She became aware of his hand on hip, and the close proximity of his body on the small mattress. He still reeked of the previous night’s ale, and ugly, guttural sounds slipped past his chapped lips every few moments. But it was the warmth that she remembered as sleep came to claim her once more.
By the time the sky’s pastels had faded to cloudless blue, Rayleigh had already dressed. Tugging on her rigid leather boots, her gaze moved back to Tobias Stalt’s prone form. The sheet was draped haphazardly across his back, revealing only a few of the scars that darkened his bare skin. Her fingertips tingled as she recalled the feel of them beneath her touch, but as she laced up her boots, the memory faded.
How much time would pass before she began to regret it all? She had given something very precious to a man with whom she was not romantically involved. There had been no love between them, but there had been alcohol, and at the time, that had been enough for her. But now, with the fresh light of a new day revealing what they had done? There was no doubt or remorse festering in the pit of her stomach. In fact, as Rayleigh closed the door behind her and descended the steps to the main room, there was a lightness in her gait that had not been present before.
“Good morning,” the brunette called as she approached the bar.
The barkeep, a slightly older woman with similarly colored hair returned the greeting and the smile. “Was everything to your liking?”
A telling smile flickered across Ray’s lips. “Oh yes,” she answered. “Thank you for that.”
“Of course.” Wiping her hands the rag that hung from her waist, the woman added, “would you like some breakfast?”
The mechanic paused, momentarily considering the woman’s offer. Then, she fished a few coins from the pocket of her coat. “Not for me, thank you. But would you mind bringing something up to room four?”
“I can, yes. What is the name?”
“Rayleigh,” she answered without thinking. Quickly realizing her mistake, she hastily continued. “Well, that’s my name. But the food is for Tobias Stalt.”
The first emotion that flashed in the barmaid’s eyes was recognition. The second, however, was harder to place. Was it surprise? Anger? Fortunately for Rayleigh, she would not wait long for her answer.
“Tobias Stalt, huh?” The other woman’s tone had adopted a sharp edge that forced the smaller girl back a few steps. “Interesting. His women normally don’t buy him breakfast afterwards.”
At this, Rayleigh’s own voice hardened; there was something accusatory in the stranger’s words, and Ray did not appreciate it. “I beg your pardon?”
A sickly-sweet expression of childish amusement softened the innkeeper’s wrinkled face. “You mean you don’t know? Tobias has plenty of company while he is here. In fact, I should have assumed by the room number. That is his favorite spot, and where he brings most of his… companions.”
Something in the pit of her stomach tightened. “I am well aware of Tobias’ reputation.” Rayleigh bit back. “But this was nothing like that.”
“Nothing like that,” she echoed, before giving a short laugh that made Ray strangely nauseous. “You’re different? He’s changed?” The woman sneered. “You’re not the first to say that, and I am willing to bet that you won’t be the last.”
The green-eyed girl’s jaw worked as she stared down her new-found competitor. The pair shared a tense moment of silent warfare, thrusting daggers into the others’ heart with only their gaze. Then Rayleigh sighed.
“I don’t have time for this,” she growled, pocketing the coins she had withdrawn shortly before. The flickering happiness that had warmed her then was now all but extinguished, and she found she could not even bring herself to look at the stranger. Short, angry strides carried her to the bulletin board, where slips of paper advertising jobs beckoned her toward new adventures. Generally, the brunette would examine each, weighing the benefits and risks, and ultimately selecting the best choice. This time, however, she tore at the nearest offer, balling it up in her fist as she continued her march toward the door.
“One more question!” Despite every instinct crying out in protest, Rayleigh turned back to the barmaid. The older woman’s eyes were narrowed, a thin smirk on her lips, when she asked, “did he finish inside of you?” When there was no answer, she spoke a final time. "You're going to regret that."
Shrill laughter chased Ray out the door and into the busy street.
I already do.