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[Dymm Crowley]

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Ever since Julianna was a little girl, she liked to hear stories about the mysterious. She liked to feel scared and to think there was more out there than she was seeing. She was intrigued by spies, burglars, thieves, and assassins.

And now, sipping her wine, she sat across from the most interesting man she had ever met.

“Tell me more about the cards,” she told him.

“Alright, dear,” the shadowy figure replied.

He had snuck in around midnight while Julianna slept. She had awaken soon thereafter and spotted him. After a failed attempt at escaping, she conceded to the assassin and agreed to join him for wine right there in her bedroom.

“The queen of clubs,” he said and threw the card down on the table. “That’s you.”

“The ace of spades,” he said and threw that one down. “That’s me. So, you see if I do this…”

He put the ace atop the queen. “Then that means that I’m going to take out your contract tonight.”

“What about the other cards?,” she asked.

“They all correspond to someone.”

“And the other aces?”

“Others just like me – my associates.”

Her eyes were wide with interest and her head nodded in understanding.

“Can I see your sword?,” she asked. She took another sip of her wine.

“It’s a kryss,” he said as he unsheathed it from his side. She examined the curves in the blade and noticed the dark greenish smudges near the edges.

“That’s the poison,” he said, noticing the wonder in her eyes.

“How often do you… do you kill people?”

“Often enough to get it plenty of use.”

They both drank from their goblets.

“You’re a pretty girl,” he said. “And you’re quite different. Usually, they try to make lots of commotion and noise. It doesn’t work, mind you. This is infinitely more pleasant for the both of us. You have certainly been a nice surprise, my dear.”

She smiled and she might have blushed but in the darkness, it was tough to tell.

“Have some more wine,” he said. She did.

“Who was the one that took the contract out on me?,” she asked suddenly.

“I’m afraid I can’t answer that, dear.”

“Oh, why not? Who could I tell now anyway?”

“The reason I cannot tell you is because I don’t know.” He noticed that she looked disappointed and disbelieving. “Professionals work out the contract for me. I don’t care to know any names, motivations, or information aside from what I need to know.”

She seemed satisfied with that answer. He looked to the window: it was getting lighter.

“It’s been pleasant, dear, but I have to get on my way,” he told her. He wrapped his cloak back over his shoulder and stood. He picked up his kryss and she eyed it nervously. He looked between the blade and her eyes and then snickered.

“Don’t worry about this, dear. Just get back to bed now.”

She looked back into his eyes and followed their attention to her empty goblet of wine. Her face sunk.

“I guess that rules out the possibility of a goodnight kiss,” she muttered, part humorously and part grimly.

She left the goblets out and slipped back into bed. He gave her the ace of spades card. She inspected it and then looked back up at him.

“I’m glad I got to meet you, Mr. White,” she said. “Good night.”

Dymm smiled, tipped his hat, and closed her bed curtains.

She was dead by the time he left the house.