Yaku was sans partner in crime this chilly evening as he strolled along the seafront of Port Cephei. Smirking at the empty spaces where ships had once proudly stood, he slipped his hands into his pockets. Turning his eyes back towards the city, he watched the other shu with a smirk of disgust. Uzi had informed him that the lovely singer that they had so compassionately saved no longer lived at the colorful bar in Crescent City. There had to be only one other place she would be.

It was as he was making his way towards the crimson shu’s house, that a familiar sweet voice caught his ear. But even as he recognized it, he realized it sounded different somehow. More confident. Sultry even. Turning towards the voice, his blank eyes fell on a shop with a warm glow radiating from its large windows and slightly ajar door. Intrigued, he cut a path through the other shu and slipped inside.

Lifting the upper corner of his lip in a slight sneer, he glanced around the richly decorated room, the scents of fresh pastries and warm spices assaulting his nose. The colors were darker than he thought they would be and the soft candlelight provided a much more intimate venue with a few dark, secluded corners. It was one of these that he chose for himself. Relaxing back into the comfortable seat, he glanced around again, this time at the other shu around him. A few were talking softly, many were simply sitting back and watching the pale skinned shu on the small stage, looks of contentment and happiness on their faces as she sang her song. Crossing his legs under the table, he turned his silvery-white eyes up to the purple haired girl.

As he watched and listened to her, his cold expression began to soften just a hair. She really was quite talented, and this place suited her much better. The longer he listened to her, the more he realized he could feel a small warmth start to grow within him. Giving his head a shake, he cleared the slight haze that had started cloud his mind. It amused him that he found that even he was not immune to her charms. When she finished, he leaned forward on his arms and watched her as she made her way around to every table with that warm smile and enchanting laugh. Another shu from a table near the small stage rose to his feet and took her place, choosing a guitar off the wall of instruments. When she finally made her way to his table, he looked up at her and noticed that though her smile remained static and warm, a slight flicker of recognition crossed her bright green eyes. A smirk slipped over his features and he waited for her to greet him.

“Good evening sir. Welcome to Martiya,” she said warmly to him, placing her hands down on his table across from him and leaning down a little. Yaku arched a brow at the seemingly innocent display and regarded her rather artful seduction with a slightly deeper smirk. “What would be your pleasure?”

“Scotch on the rocks,” he replied smoothly, enjoying the way the small flame from the candle in the middle of his table flickered across her smooth skin.

“I’ll have that right out for you. If you need anything more, my name is Covet,” she smiled at him and he watched her eyes slip over his two toned face and odd colored eyes before she pushed herself up and turned to walk away, stopping at the last few tables before slipping into the back where she quickly served up everybody’s orders.

He sat back in his seat and again watched the shu around him, ignoring the sound of the guitar resonating through the small space. When she returned to the main floor, he found his eyes went back to her effortlessly and he watched her again as she made her way around, a large tray balanced perfectly on her hand. She came to him last and as she set his drink down, he reached out and caught her by the wrist before she could pull away.

“Sit. Please,” he invited, nodding to the empty seat before him. Her skin felt like silk under his palm and he could feel her pulse beneath his fingertips, his nails digging slightly into her flesh. He watched her throat spasm slightly as she swallowed before slowly sinking down into the seat he had indicated.

“How are you feeling? Was my associate able to help you fully?” he asked smoothly, releasing her and reaching out to lift his glass to his lips.

“Yes, she was. I’m feeling much better now, thank you,” she smiled politely, clasping her hands together on top of the table. He looked down at them for a moment, then back up to her eyes with a smirk. He could tell she was nervous.

“Good. I am glad,” he said, managing an actual smile. He studied her again for a moment in the soft light and again leisurely sipped his drink. “You seem to be doing well for yourself,” he said, gesturing to the small venue but keeping his eyes on hers. She arched a brow and crossed her arms in front of herself as she leaned forward on them a little. He arched his own brow at the view he was granted and he found himself wondering just how innocent she was. If she was aware of the power she held over others.

“You came here to ask me how I am and comment on my place of business?” she asked rather frankly, holding his eyes with hers, her nerves gone for the moment. Yaku smirked and leaned forward as well, bringing his face a little closer to hers over the small table.

“I came to Cephei to visit the sea. It was your lovely voice that attracted me here,” he said with a sly smile, enjoying the pleased look that slipped over her features. Uzi was right. She was very easy to draw in. “Among other things as well,” he said in a low voice, his eyes loaded with meaning. He was rewarded with a pale pink washing over her pale cheeks, though that was the only indication that he had managed to fluster her.

“Thank you,” she replied, a coy smirk on her lips.

“You are most welcome, Covet,” he replied with his own loaded smirk and slight nod of his head as he lifted his glass to his lips again. “Tell me, does your red friend sell any of the items in his basement, or does he purely give them away when the one he loves is in danger?” he asked. He watched her blink and a closed expression fill her eyes, her smile faltering slightly.

“Loves?” she repeated a bit uncertainly. Interesting, he thought as he watched her closely. “Yes, he does sell some of the items in his shop,” she finally managed, regaining her coy composure.

“Yes, loves,” he repeated with a blank smile and small nod of his head. “Are you telling me he does not love such a beautiful and captivating shu such as yourself?” he asked, arching a brow in false concern. He did not wait for her to answer, seeing a spark of irritation ignite in her eyes. “It is such a shame if he does not, if he purely hoards and uses you to try to brighten up his dreary world, like a nightingale in a gilded cage. You deserve something as simple as love in return,” he said, lifting his brows with a confident smirk. He could see the uncertainty now. He had struck a raw nerve and managed to maintain a neutral expression. She held his eyes a moment longer, then glanced around at her other customers as if she suddenly remembered where they were.

“It was nice meeting you…” she trailed off, when she realized she had not captured his name yet. He shrugged a little to himself. Why not?

“Yaku,” he provided smoothly, almost charmingly.

“It was nice meeting you Yaku and I thank you and your friend for your help. Enjoy your stay here, and again, if there is anything you might need, don’t hesitate to ask,” she said, slipping easily back into her warm shop manner as she pushed herself back up to her feet.

“Don’t worry. I won’t,” he replied with a smirk as he held her eyes. She gave him a brilliant smile and nodded slightly before turning to continue chatting up her other customers. His eyes followed her closely for a moment and he finished his drink off in one quick swig. Smirking as another male shu fell victim to her sultry movements and charming smile, he placed the money for his drink on the table and rose to his feet.

Stepping back out into the chilly evening air, Yaku took a deep breath and immediately felt his head clear without the rich scents of the shop and her intoxicating presence to cloud it. Lifting his hat from his head, he ran a hand over his slick hair and replaced it before continuing his leisurely stroll, his mind starting to work through all that he had learned.