The tomb raider had lifted one of her bare talons to take the first step on her trek out of town. The decrepit dwarven cargo manifest she'd recovered had given her some leads that she was understandably hopeful about. Everyone knew that dwarves tended to secure their valuables against the ravages of time better than just about any other race. The crumbling manifest; the same one she had recovered the day she had broken Genrit from his frosty tomb. A meeting she remembered fondly, even if it hadn't exactly gone her way. She had still managed to bring home a good amount of gold, and with what was currently in the silk-lined leather purse on a belt at her hip she needed to acquire a few more supplies before her wings would carry her quickly from the colourful volcanic city. But her plans were shredded instantly as claws through silk. A voice intruded on her thoughts and Drache's foot came back down as she turned to look at the speaker, her ear-frills fluffing out slightly with attention and her tail curling up behind her in the shape of a question mark. The woman was sitting on a bench carved directly into the naturally-faceted surface of the giant orange geode. One look and Drache decided that she had never seen the woman before. She looked human enough, but no strange human had ever known her full name before. But rather than rigid with startled suspicion, Drache was only interested, a hand finding her shapely hip. The half-dragon smirked a little, her lip lifting barely enough to offer a white glint of teeth. [color=ed1c24]"It almost sounds as though you're suggesting I'm uncultured,"[/color] the red-scaled half-breed pointed out, the mockery of a pout lacing her tone. Her horned head tilted slightly, her pupils dilating and narrowing again as she looked the stranger up and down, deciding that she wasn't buxom but probably had a great ass under the tailored gown. Suspicion reigned supreme and the cross-breed's tail gave an undulating swish as she picked her response carefully. [color=ed1c24]"I'm flattered that you've such concern about my preferences. It's lucky that you caught me when you did or I'd be quite...unavailable."[/color] Drache's words were polite enough but she obviously recognized that luck had nothing to do with it. She wondered what kind of reputation she had that would have inspired this meeting. She wasn't the only half-breed in Pyresia by any means, but she was one of the oldest. The woman was either a dragon or worked directly under one. As a half-breed it would take Drache more than one look at her to know for sure. The salacious grin earned a lifted eyebrow and Drache's nostrils flared with a whole new level of interest. But the un-named woman didn't give Drache much time to make a decision before turning away, leaving the half-dragon to gaze thoughtfully up at the distance-hazy balconies ringing the caldera above, wondering from which one eyes had been watching her. -- It turned out that Drache's curiosity got the best of her. For better or worse, she was no longer the kind of half-dragon who shied away from her sense of adventure. She'd spent many years concealing her face and all it had lead to was heartbreak. The blonde woman's offer of employment, as well as the possible invitation for something else, was something the dragoness didn't want to pass up. When she arrived at the baths she didn't need a tour, being more than familiar with the echoing steamy chambers with their convenient dark recesses and intricately decorated mozaics. She passed her laden backpack to one of the loinclothed attendants in the domed atrium that served as the entryway, and received a gemstone studded pendant on a stiff leather cord that she could trade back for her belongings later. She slipped it over her neck and it settled nicely in her ample cleavage, jiggling slightly as she unlaced her corset and shimmied slowly out of her custom-fitted pants. One of the attendants, a shaddy black minotaur she hadn't seen before, was eye-balling her with interest so she bent over and lifted her tail, waving it back and forth invitingly. His buddy punched him in the arm to snap him out of it and Drache chuckled as she handed her clothes over and headed for the labrynthine depths of the Baths. The staff pointed the she-drake in the right direction, explaining that she had been expected, and Drache stepped through the door into a private room she'd never been in before. It looked much like all the others, but glancing around she spotted one or two humanoid faces she knew to be dragons in disguise. Her fiery amber eyes gleamed with lascivious delight and she slowed her pace to enjoy the show on her way to the side of the woman who had summoned her there. Drache's wings, held semi-furled and high up off her back, cut the steam into swirling ribbons as she passed. The heat was welcome and relaxing, an effect she had no doubt her acquaintance had chosen specifically to make her more malleable. Even her host was a tantalizing delight. Turning, the half-dragon sat down next to the woman. Every motion involved the subtle shifting of wing and tail, but Drache managed it with a smooth sensual grace that made her seem less like a creature cobbled together out of two different races and more like a being who was someone to contend with. Reaching back, she spun her black hair up into a bun between her horns and then relaxed back against the steam-warmed stone. [color=ed1c24]"Weren't you?"[/color] she challenged casually. [color=ed1c24]"It seems that whoever you're working for knew me well enough to know I'd come. Either I'm lucky to have found someone of like mind or your patron has gone through a lot of trouble to make me tractable."[/color] Her eyes roved hungrily over Peridiath. [color=ed1c24]"I daresay it's working."[/color] Like any fire-breather, Drache's skin was feverishly hot to the touch, her scales smooth and hard, though the skin as a whole was as pliable as skin should be. Not nearly as tough as a true dragon's armour plating, Drache's hide might possibly turn an arrow or reduce the depth of a knife, depending on the angle. And underneath the skin, athletic muscle, though relaxed now even as arousal smoldered in her belly. She lifted her legs almost obediently into the woman's touch, her thick talons flexing and shiny black from the water on the floor. At Peridiath's question, Drache reached over and slowly wrapped her fingers around one of the scaleless wrists, pulled it across her front until the women were nearly face to face and Peridiath was part-ways across her lap. The clawed fingers of her other hand worke smoothly down the pale steam-slick skin to grab a palmful of her shapely rear, groping. Some of the others in the room glanced up disapprovingly but Drache ignored their eyes. Whether they were dragons or not, the half-breed was used to the dislike. [color=ed1c24]"I see no reason why I might not have both,"[/color] the half-dragon replied in a low, provacative tone. [color=ed1c24]"Perhaps I'm wrong in my assumption that your patron was being clever in dangling you in front of me. I'd like to think you're here to mix business with pleasure of your own accord."[/color] The strong grip on Peridiath's wrist lessened, but only so that Drache could try to use both hands to pull the woman up until she was straddling the half-dragon's lap. It was the only time a half-dragon might be physically intimidating to a true dragon. Not always this bold, the half-breed was watching carefully, wondering if the woman was only here to seal the deal or if her flirtatious invitation had been real. [color=ed1c24]"Either way, if I'm going to [i]take[/i] the bait I intend to enjoy it. Though, it seems unwise to venture forth without knowing who my ultimate employer is." [/color] This last was said in a slightly musing tone as the half-dragon traced her smooth snout down the center of Peridiath's chest, nibbling gently at the soft flesh. Behind her, her wings flexed and her tail twitched like a cat. "[color=ed1c24]"What name do you go by?"[/color] It was asked almost as an afterthought.