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How do you knock out an Ogre? With very strong horse tranquilizer, apparently. Or whatever it was that was in the needle Nyxie’s newest acquaintance shoved into Luff’s leathery flesh. The great beast swayed...and fell, crashing to the ground with a booming thud, his eyes slammed shut. 

“Quick thinking.” Nyxvira said dryly, looking over the unconscious ogre with a fleeting glance. 

“Prepare for every eventuality, Miss Bloodbloom,” The man gave a slight shrug of his shoulders “or you’ll likely find that the world is constantly catching you off guard.” 

“Thanks, Mum.” 

“ Respectfully, Miss Bloodbloom,If your mother had raised you properly, this city wouldn’t keep catching you with your pants down.”

[hr] 

The Ogre’s body was loaded into a truck, along with the considerably more conscious Nyxvira, before the man and two unspeaking accomplices in dark suits drove them out to the murky hills around Santa Somabra’s outskirts, with the scattered midnight winds hissing against the truck’s windows as they sped down the haphazard roads to the Nyctari Estate. 

Nyxvira and Luff parted ways at the entrance, when the Ogre was dumped in the garage, and Nyxie herself was taken to meet Elkanah Nyctari. 

The Faerie was led through a vast cavern of a house, with huge blackwood pillars, and great spiraling staircases, until a pair of armed guards forced her into a dimly lit room, slamming the door shut behind her. 

“Miss Bloodbloom,” Elkanah called out from beneath a curtain of darkness, his features completely obscured by the thick veil that the night cast upon him “I’m glad to see that you’re intact.” 

“Signore Nyctari.” Nyxvira bowed her head, whilst a deep chill crept down her spine. She could feel her heart pounding like crazy in her ribcage, and with Elkanah’s vampiric senses there was no doubt that he was just as aware of it as she was. 

“You’ll have to excuse my poor manners, but I’m going to do away with pleasantries, if it's all the same to you, Miss Bloodbloom.” Elkanah’s voice spoke from across the room. 

“Of course.” Nyxie said, in as respectful a tone as she could manage. 

“There is a very specific piece of property that I wish to acquire; a brothel in the Red Light District that belongs to a man called “Contráth”. He’s refused any offer that my employees have made to him, and his establishment seems to be under the protection of the Hanged Men, who my nephew is intent on supporting.” 

“I see.” The Faerie spoke in a mechanical tone. 

“It is to my understanding that you’ve had dealings with my nephew in the past, and that he isn’t particularly fond of you.” 

[i] That’s putting it mildly.[/i] 

“That’s correct, signore.” 

“Good,” Elkanah paused for a moment, letting his words hang on the air “Then you’ll be perfect for the little bit of sabotage that I have planned.”