Neen hovered in the stairwell, just below ground level and watched the street warily. She felt completely naked with both guns sitting empty in their holsters.
"Hurry up!" she whispered back down over her shoulder at Sliver, who was carefully and cautiously punching in a series of numbers into the security coded door.
"I have this booby trapped with enough explosive to take out half the street, so maybe just shut up and let me concentrate," he whispered back tersely.
It had taken them over an hour to reach one of Sliver's safe houses. They had flown as high as they could amongst the sky scrapers to avoid detection by any half blood elves, who were still hunting for them in the streets below. If they were caught they would be as good as dead, especially when the elves realised that they no longer had the stolen elixir. To make doubly sure they had not been followed by any fairies who might be working for the elves they had taken the most confusing and frustratingly long path that Sliver could dream up. Only when he was absolutely sure they were not being tailed he brought them to the safe house. Unfortunately standing at street level in broad daylight, with her wings covered in an oily layer of pollution was not her idea of safe.
"You know, all the sneaking around we did is going to be for nothing if we sit here all day and get spotted by half blood elves!" she grumbled as she briefly glanced back over her shoulder down at Sliver again. He had finished entering the tediously long sequence and was now in the throes of a disenchantment spell. As soon as he had finished the door it glowed green for a second then swung open.
Neen rushed inside behind him as he turned on the light and then locked the door behind them. Neen looked around the apartment as her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. It was very basic and extremely rundown. In the living area there was one small table, a single chair and a mattress in the corner on the floor that was pretending to be a bed. Most of it looked like it had been rescued from the garbage.
"Wow Sliver, now I know why you never invited me back to your place."
"Funny, it's a safe house for emergencies only and stocking up in times like this. You want luxury go rent a hotel room."
"Is there at least a shower? I have to get this stuff off my wings," complained Neen.
"Next you will want bubble bath," groaned Sliver. "The bathroom is in the back, if you are lucky there might even be soap."
Neen hovered into the small bathroom to find it was in the same shape as the rest of the apartment. It was disappointing, but would have to do. She clipped the door shut behind her and double checked it locked properly. She was too tired to play games with Sliver and knew that if she wasn't careful he would try something on.
She unstrapped her guns and her pouches of fairy dust and placed them into the nearby hand basin then stripped naked and tried to make the best of things. Despite the poor water pressure and powdery soap the feeling of water on her wings was wonderful.
After a considerable amount of time cleaning and preening her wings she finally stepped out of the bathroom. When she entered the living area she found Sliver lying lazily on the mattress in the corner.
"Climb on in babe," he said provocatively, with a broad smile.
"I'd rather sleep with an undead orc."
"Funny. We both need to get some sleep and there is only one bed so just get in. Besides it will be safer to move through the city when it’s dark."
Neen rolled her eyes and reluctantly climbed onto the mattress beside him.
"If I feel one hand..." she began, but as soon she lay down he was on top of her. She tried to free herself, but he had both her wrists pinned firmly to the mattress and had hooked his legs in under her back. She was going nowhere.
She was so angry at herself for being so stupid! She wanted to scream, but she didn't. There was no way she would give him that satisfaction. She resolved to kill him as soon as he finished whatever sordid acts he had in his fevered lustful eyes. To her surprise however he lent down and kissed her ever so gently. His lips lingered on hers for some time before he pulled away again. She was speechless. She had only ever known Sliver to be calm, cold, calculating, ruthless or angry, never gentle. He rolled back off her and lay on his side facing away from her.
"I don't like the way it made me feel when you wigged out today and I had to save your ass. After this job we should part ways permanently."