It was a brisk spring evening, about 7 o’clock. Through the steady murmur of rain, a single pair of footsteps could be heard headed down an empty street of Central Saint Petersburg, the clack of high heels unmistakable. Though her face was hidden by an umbrella, the woman’s presence exuded beauty and confidence. Her long legs took leisurely strides and a beige trench coat clung to her shapely figure. Hotel Astoria came into view and the woman’s full lips curled into a smile, her pace quickening slightly.

The doorman greeted her with a smile, his eyes doing a quick scan of her figure as she passed by. With her umbrella folded and the crystal chandeliers providing a warm glow, the woman’s face came into full view. Her face was narrow with high cheekbones and her eyes were an eerie, animalistic gold. After checking in her coat and umbrella, she made her way over to the bar.

Sliding onto one of the stools, she ordered a red wine and then turned a bit to see who else was present. She spotted a couple men in the back corner, clearly having some sort of business debate. The younger one was quite handsome, almost delicate in his features, and his posture was far more relaxed. The older man, probably in his 40s, was dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief, the negotiations not seeming to be in his favor. Seemingly satisfied with what she saw, the mysterious woman turned back to the bartender and stuck up a casual conversation, though her focus never left the men behind her.

Forty minutes later, the woman felt confident the meeting was drawing to a close and she stood to make sure she left before they did. Stepping outside, she ripped a large hole in her umbrella and waited. [i]Not much longer…[/i] She thought as she licked her lips in anticipation. She’d been following the man for a couple days now and had determined that he was sufficiently wealthy. All that was left was to seduce him and steal what she could from his home.

Finally, the fox spirit’s beautiful target walked out of the building and she began her act. She fumbled with the umbrella, trying to find a way to make it functional despite the large hole and failing. She sighed in exasperation and mumbled to herself, “This is just great. How am I supposed to get home now?”