"This game is horrible." Kayla said to Jim who sat across from her at the table. They had a chess game going and she was rather bad at it. He just smiled at her.
"It takes skill."
"Which I obviously don't have." Kayla said looking at her options and trying to see the moves that could be done.
"He's a cheat."
"I am no such thing." Jim said looking up at Savon who appeared behind Kayla. She turned her head up to look at him.
He looked in a decent mood today, yesterday she thought that he looked distracted and had gone out for a long time before returning. Not that she should care or notice, but she had. She was interested in him though she shouldn't be. He drank blood, was part demon or acolyte, that should put a person on your black list. Then again that wasn't really odd in their world was it?
"You're a horrible liar." Savon said teasing him. Jim was older, in his early seventies which was old for this day and age. Kayla liked playing chess with him or talking to him. He had such wonderful stories of what the world was like before.
"He's kicking my ass." Kayla said turning forward.
"Yes he is." Savon commented putting his hands on the back of her chair and looking at the board. He'd come over here because he wanted to. He was growing tired of just watching her. They'd been here for a week now with no incident.
"May I?" He asked gesturing to the board.
"Feel free can't do worse than I am." She said, he leaned forward his arm coming around her right and moved the bishop. Jim looked at him and then back to the board. Jim moved and Kayla glanced at Savon.
"Move the rook." He said pointing over her and to where she should put it. Kayla did as he said and they went about this a few times. Kayla realized after a bit that she might have a chance with him helping her.
Savon was close where he leaned on her chair and she got the scent of him. Like a mix of woods and something she couldn't name. Like a sharp spice scent, she just faced forward for the moment watching Jim.
Savon moved and grabbed a chair that was near them and turned it around and straddled it watching the game. He didn't give her a suggestion on her next move but she did what he would have and Jim had a thoughtful expression on his face.
"I think I liked it better when you stood over in the corner. Not helping this lovely young lady beat an old man."
"It's always in your favor to help the beautiful young woman over the old man." Savon said and Kayla gave him a smile where Jim gave a laugh.
"Typical young man." He leaned across the board a bit and looked at Kayla. "He's right you know, always better for your favor."
"Do men always think with one part of the body?" Kayla asked moving her piece now that Jim had. Jim gave a wounded look and Savon just watched her, he held a bit of a smile there. He knew with Kayla it was better to be direct than hint around it. Though to much wouldn't get him anywhere.
"Why is it that women always see men as less?" Savon asked Jim and he moved his piece.
"Because you are incapable of complex thoughts when around the opposite sex." She said with a smile and made her move.
"There you have it, women will always underestimate us. One we are very good at thinking of two things at once. It just happens that sex pops up to the front first and is normally one of the two." Jim said making his move. Kayla made her move and took one of his pieces.
"Check." She said and he looked at the board, Savon just looked at them. Jim had two choices to make, but neither was very good. He gave a sigh and moved his king out of danger.
"Exactly my point." She said.
"Women are just better at hiding it, but it comes up to the forefront just as much." Savon corrected.
"So you think." She spoke taking Jim's queen. "Check."
"You are saying that you have never had a sexual thought first before a common sense thought?" Savon asked her, she looked at him. He did it to make her uncomfortable which it worked, and no matter her answer he'd know the truth either way.
"That isn't a very nice question to ask a lady." She said to him. Jim moved his king.
"So you have."
"Never said that." Jim gave them a smile.
"Sounds like a yes to me." Jim answered and Kayla moved her queen.
"Checkmate." Kayla said with joy. Jim leaned back.
"That's still not an answer. Your reluctance says it's a yes." Jim observed, Savon just watched her.
"Think what you want." She said with a smile standing.
"Now the real question would be to ask her who here she had the thought about." Jim said and Savon had a real smile on his face this time. Both of them clearly not caring that they were putting her on the spot. She was clearly a good sport about it.
"She wouldn't answer the question, she can't even answer the one I originally asked." Savon stated.
"You just proved my point, men don't have complex thoughts, with your simple questions." Jim laughed and Kayla moved around her chair.
"Don't want to play again?" Jim asked.
"Maybe later." She said. "I want to go outside. Fresh air away from your simple thoughts and suggestions." Kayla turned and moved away from them. Jim giving another laugh. She was halfway across the room when someone spoke next to her.
"Care if I join?" She almost jumped at the sound of Savon's voice next to her. She glanced back where she'd thought she'd left him. How'd he move with no sound?
"Maybe, not sure I'm in the mood for company."
"Company or just me?" Savon asked as she reached the door to go up and out. She looked at him.
"What if you don't like the answer I give?" She asked.
"I'm a big boy, I can handle it."
"I guess I can put up with you for a bit." She said turning and going up the stairs. She wouldn't mind his company. Besides she was curious about him and could ask him questions if she wanted.
"Such a sacrifice." He stated.
"Just keep the appetite in check and we'll be okay." She said turning to smile at him. They came up to the door to the outside and she opened it.
'Depends on which one she means.' His inner voice commented. He felt the marking shift slightly on his body as he hit the light of the day. His other side would stay more in check in the sunlight, it was more a creature of the night.
"Just for you I will try." He told her. There were a few others up here as well. It was a nice day, a bit of a breeze and there were clouds starting to move in. It was early September right now, winter was coming and it was harder to move around then. They might have to head a bit more south than they were.
Kayla walked a bit going around the building and walking down the road that was there. She noted that he kept looking toward the trees that where there. She tried to see what he was looking at but there didn't seem to be anything there.
"What are you looking at?" She asked.
"The trees." Was his answer.
"Something wrong about them?" She asked with a bit of a smile. He looked down at her, he had a bit more of a serious expression about him. That was normal though, he didn't normally smile. At least not in the ha ha, fun type of way.
"You never know."
"Never put your guard down?"
"Do you?" He asked her. Kayla gave a sigh.
"Not really no, but it would be nice to. Can't go anywhere with out a weapon on you, or looking over your shoulder. I can't really imagine what life would be like if you didn't have to do those things." She moved off the road and toward a building there. It was a kind of plant shop. Though now it was run down and nothing there but dead things, some interesting plants grew outside where seeds had fallen in years past.
Savon was quiet at her statement and she glanced at him, the sun was lower but she noted that he was still squinting a bit.
"Does the light bother your eyes?" Kayla asked.
"Yes."
"So why come out if it does?"
"One because I like it better outside than in the building, and two because I wanted your company." She felt a bit of a smile for no reason at the last part of his comment and beat it back. It was nice to be flattered or hear someone say that.
"To what do I owe that honor to?" She asked. "You don't seem like a person that seeks out another's company for no reason."
"Because I like your company and I'm interested in you." Well he was straight to the point wasn't he? At least he wasn't pretending, just said it straight out. He hadn't done anything to her or even tried.
"Oh." Kayla said, she wasn't really sure what to say to that. Once again she was at a loss for what to think or how to respond to what he said. His actions and words were disarming. How did you really respond to the truth of something, either it was or it wasn't. Kayla took a moment to think about this. Did she want the interest or not?