Shifter

[Intel]

[Xander]

He felt the slight tug of awakeness, as his eyes began to flutter open.

His head pounded and his vision blurred, as he struggled to open his eyes.

Gods, how much wine did I drink?

His body felt stiff, and his head continued to pound. He tried to take in his surroundings in the dim light.

"Hellooo? Yoo hoo?" He heard a female voice, before he felt a light slap to his face. He recognized that voice. Marion. His vision came into focus, and he saw her grinning at him, a few inches from his face in his chambers.

"What are you –"

He went to walk towards her, but his legs wouldn't move. His arms wouldn't move either. His gaze moved from her smiling face, to his ankles, where ropes secured them to the two bed posts. He looked up to his arms, tied to the top of the bed posts where the red bed curtains draped down to the floor.

"I wouldn't bother trying to fight against them. I learned to tie those knots from one of the best sailors on the Betlian seas, so all you'll do is give yourself rope burn." She beamed at the knots, clearly proud of her handiwork.

Despite her warning, he still tugged against the knots, and neither his arms or legs moved from their tightly secured spots on the bed posts.

She took a step back towards the desk, leaning against it. "I told you so."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm going to assume you drugged my wine to get me up here."

"So clever."

"And I'm going to assume that you want something from me?"

"The cleverest." She brought her hands up, feigning applause.

"And you think this is the best way to get that?" He snarled, gesturing as best as he could to his body with his tied hands. She scanned his body with a heated gaze. He returned the favor. She was dressed in her usual fighting leathers, that hugged every inch of her curves to perfection. Gods. He couldn't deny he was attracted to her. The encounter they'd had after their sparring had occupied most of his waking thoughts as well as his dreams. He had woken up many times in his bed, the very bed he was tied to now, aching for her. He simultaneously wanted to destroy her and fuck her at the same time. He wasn't sure where the line would be drawn.

"I'll make a deal with you, Xander." She drawled, the corner of her mouth turning up slightly

He nodded, not sure if he could get a word out without biting her head off.

"What I need is information you have on your father, Tyrmoth, the leader of the Dargon clan –"

"What makes you think I'd –" He seethed.

"Ah ah ah." She tsked, waving her finger. "I'm not finished yet. I need information you have on Tyrmoth. Where he sleeps. Whom he sleeps with. What he wears. Who he keeps in his inner circle. Any bit of information."

He stared at her, swearing he could see red blurring his vision. Did she think he was that easy? That he's just give up information to her because she had him tied to a bed? She seemed to track his train of thought, as she continued.

"And, because I'm feeling generous, for every piece of information you give me, I will remove an article of my clothing."

His mouth went dry. Did he hear her correctly? He looked over her again, warily.

She lowered her gaze, batting her eyelashes towards him. And he'll be damned if he didn't feel heat spread through his body at that gaze.

"Cmon, I know you've been watching me, Xander. Wishing you could see more of me after you came into my room last week."