Tiffani woke up in the dead of the night in the house across from the Cloak and Dagger. (The term 'house' used lightly since it was just barely an enclosed tent.) Tiffani hadn't slept well the past few months, not since the incident. She pushed the thought of them out of her mind though it nagged on her why she thought of them in the first place. It had been at least a fortnight since she had seen them. She felt under the dirty cloth pillow for her dagger, sheathed them in her garter hilt and got dressed in a long, black dress. This was becoming a habit of hers, waking up in the night to go for a midnight stroll, sometimes coming home with more than she left with. Tonight however, things would turn out a little different.
From her window Tiffani could see a light was on in the tavern and two silhouttes floated against the red curtains of the office. "Perhaps Damien has company this eve." Tiffani spoke to herself. Still, she wanted to check the place out. It was, afterall, her tavern and anything that went on inside of it, Tiffani needed to know. She tied her cloak around her neck and hid herself under the hood. Her tent had nothing of value to her so she didn't bother knotting the rope to hold the door closed. Another silhoutte bounced off the curtains and Tiffani's curiousity peaked. Surely Damien could not entertain two guests at once. He was barely man enough for one woman. She walked across the path, melting into the shadows until she reached the front door of the tavern. Both her and Damien knew the back door squeaked. The silver key fitted perfectly into the rusty lock, the door open just long enough for Tiffani to squeeze through. Even though their voices muffled through the walls, Tiffani could recognise all three. If it was who she thought then Damien was going the right way to get fired.
Tiffani ran on her toes to the other side of the tavern and pressed her ear against the door, careful not to obstruct the light emitted from underneath and warn them of her presence.
"It's not your fault you were tricked into this Damien. You know what you need to do to gain control of the tavern." a man's voice said. Tiffani knew the man as Derrick, and she knew him well.
"Exactly! What have you got to lose?" a woman's voice spoke. Tiffani knew her too, Felicity. She despised Felicity with a passion.
"My life! She pays me well and I don't mind what I do." Damien spoke up. Tiffani rolled her eyes. He was always a wuss, even from the first day she found him. He was only good for his cast-iron stomach.
"You know her moves, how she kills. Rid us of her and I guarantee you a partnership in this joint." Derrick said.
"I don't know about this." Damien replied, the nervousness obvious in his voice.
"No more will you do her dirty work. No more will you have to put up with her lies and her treachery." Derrick badgered him.
"Yeah, and if you don't kill her first, she'll kill you. Mark my words. I know how she thinks." Felicity piped up.
"Then why don't you do it instead! You don't need me. I don't know anything!" Damien replied in squeaky voice.
"Because she trusts you." Derrick said in a low tone, "If you prove to be worthless, and we find out you failed us, you'll be buried beside her. Alive." he threatened.
"Don't do it Damien." Tiffani whispered to herself, not in fear of her own life but prove his loyalty to her.
"Alright, alright. I won't fail you." Damien crumbled under the pressure.
Tiffani narrowed her eyes and pushed herself off the wall.
"Shhh!" Felicity hushed them all, her shadow from the light under the door pointing to the wall. Tiffani scurried towards the bar, jumped on it, skidded across the top and landed crouched down on the other side. "ARRHH!". The door swung open and Derrick jumped out, a fire poker in his hand. The three of them looked around the dark tavern but no one was in sight.
"You're seeing things Feli. I'll be back tomorrow and I expect her to be gone Mr. Karlos. Understood?" Derrick said, throwing the poker at a dart board and missing completely. It fell to the floor with a loud *Clunk*. Damien nodded and lead the two out of there. Tiffani waited until she heard the key lock the front door and the door to the office close before she stood up. She walked to the office, opened the door and turned out the light. Last thing she wanted was Felicity and Derrick watching her like she did to them.
"Hey.. Wha?!" Damien started. "Why was he here? And with HER. In MY tavern!" Tiffani growled. Damien breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh it's you. What are you doing here?" he asked, knocking a few books off the desk in the dark. "Do not answer my question with a question. Why did you let them in Damien?" she said with pure hatred in her voice. "I didn't! I mean I did but I didn't know they were looking for you. Besides I thought you liked your sister." he said, his voice getting softer as he spoke. "You thought I liked my sister?" she repeated slowly and through gritted teeth.
"well, err, no. I know you don't like her but I just thought..." he trailed off. "Don't think. Don't speak. Don't even move. I'm not through with you yet." she said in a furious tone so he knew she meant business. She opened the door and slammed it shut behind her. The thought of locking him in there crossed her mind but he had a key to the door. Her key was useless against him.
Tiffani ran to the front door, unlocked it and slipped out. Felicity and Derrick were down the path, talking amongst themselves and from where Tiffani was she could see Derrick's arm around her sister's shoulder. Tiffani glared at them, plots of revenge swimming through her mind. One day, Tiffani promised herself, Felicity will feel the sting of losing Derrick just like she did and only then will Derrick receive his just desserts. One of them was destined to die by her hand and she didn't care which one. The day Tiffani lost Derrick was the day she lost her sister, her conscience and her compassion for life.
