Thorn didn’t know what to expect when she stepped inside, but it was exactly what the whispers said it to be: a tavern; lodging, she suspected, was situated somewhere on the floors above. It wasn’t unlike the restaurant she used to manage: ample seating on the floor and at the bar; a fully functioning kitchen to provide an array of meals for the establishment’s guests; and enough lighting to accentuate the relaxed atmosphere without being too dark. However, it was more than just a place to sit a spell for a hotplate and a beer. In the corner sat a piano sat with its lid drawn, waiting for a virtuoso to grace the ivory with phenomenal talent – or not (it could just want a novice to play “Chopsticks” if given the chance). In another part of the tavern was a section dedicated to a little, friendly competition (only if the players saw it as such) – complete with a dartboard, pool table, and ping-pong table. The most exotic part of the layout was perhaps the hookah room; tendrils of scented smoke crept through the open door, concealing the ornate smoking pipes with a gauzy veil. On a whole, the Black Halo didn’t advertise itself as anything other than what it was meant to be, but Thornwick sensed there was something more.
From the corner of her eye, Thornwick caught some movement, and her gaze settled on the hookah room’s entrance, where a demon had emerged. Her beauty was apparent in spite of her scars; in fact, her flaws only enhanced it. Thornwick felt a teeny pang of envy: while the demon was tall and thin with an athletic physique, she stood a few inches shorter with an inch or two - or three - around her chest, hips, and thighs. An old saying came to mind:
Eye of the beholder...
She watched the demon make her way along the bar, neither of them saying a word. If they were the only two in the tavern, Thornwick wouldn’t know; the demon seemed to just appear with no forewarning, so who’s to say that there wasn’t someone else watching. Before the awkward silence could settle any further, she made her way toward the bar; she may as well order a drink, since this was the right place for it. With a thin smile, Thornwick inclined her head toward the demon and settled onto one of the stools.