Raven had lain in bed after Ismael had left, unable to fall back asleep. Her nerves were fiery points of anxiety that would not dissipate, no matter how she tried to calm them. Truth be told, it was almost laughable, thinking of herself in the context of nerves. But that was reality, and she was nothing if not realistic.

A shadow slipped into her room at precisely two-fifteen and Raven rose to a seated position, pausing as a touch of dizziness assailed her. She ran her hand once through her hair, glad for once of the short haircut that required little straightening as she swung her legs over the side of the bed, striding to meet Francesca.

"Let's go," she murmured, voice barely audible. "Sean will be at Aidan's room in five minutes."

"A gift for rathe timing runs in the relationship, I see," Raven shot back in a whisper.

Francesca sounded a low chuckle as she exited the room, moving with the calm surety of someone who not only knew their surroundings, but knew what they were doing. With quick, quiet steps they made their way to Ismael's quarters, Francesca pausing to examine the keyhole. She slid a matchbox from her pocket and lit a match, handing it to Raven and bending to slip a lock pick into keyhole. Several seconds later, she smiled triumphantly, twisting the door knob open.

Stepping lightly on the balls of her feet, Raven moved around Francesca and into the room. A glance to the bed assured her that it was empty, as was the rest of the space. Raven turned, signaling the all-clear to Francesca, who shut the door behind herself before turning on a cellphone and illuminating the room with a dim glow.

She aimed the light up, above their heads, and Raven's eyes followed her movement to find a trapdoor embedded in the ceiling. A leather strap hung down, and Raven leapt lightly up, taking hold of it and pulling the trapdoor open with the force of her descent.

"Ismael would probably have been able to reach that with barely a hop," Francesca noted.

"Ismael is ten inches taller than I am," Raven replied with a dryly fractious tone.

Staring appraisingly at Raven, Francesca asked, "You're, what, five foot six?"

Raven conceded a nod before she returned her attention to the gaping blackness above them. "Which is approximately four inches taller than your height, so I suggest that you use my hands as a booster."

Bending down on one knee, Raven cupped said hands, holding them out and steeling the muscles in her forearms. Francesca turned the cell phone off and tucked it into her pocket before taking a step back. She then darted forwards, foot pushing off Raven's cupped hands and propelling her into the air. Her hands caught the ledge of the trapdoor, and her torso disappeared into the space beyond it as she lifted herself upwards.

"Clear." Francesca's voice came a moment later, and Raven crouched down. Her legs uncurled beneath her, thrusting her into the air as she reached for the lip of the trapdoor above her.

Instead, her fingers slipped against skin, and Francesca let out a sound of exertion as she hauled Raven towards herself.

"Damn. You're heavier than you look," she said, and Raven's answering laugh was an incredulous huff.

"Is that an insult?"

Francesca's only response was a grin, teeth flashing in the darkness.

They were in a narrow passage, standing on the bottom step of a steep, shallow staircase that curved upwards and out of sight. Raven moved in front of Francesca, ascending the stairs two at a time. She slowed her pace when she saw a glimmer of light ahead, signaling the end of the passageway.

Francesca moved silently alongside her, but Raven shook her head. She bent towards Francesca, speaking in a whisper so soft that it was barely audible, even with her lips to Francesca's ear.

"I'll signal when I clear the room."

Raven's movements were silent, liquid grace as she approached the end of the staircase. A single candle brightened the room ahead with dull luminosity, and Raven's spine solidified as her eyes came to rest on the chair that stood in the center of the area--and the figure that occupied it.

"Raven." The corner of Ismael's lips were curved.

"I was not expecting you to be awake at this hour."

Ismael chuckled, the sound coming from low in his throat. "Oh, come, Raven. Surely you, who knows me better than anyone else, will also be familiar with my sleeping habits."

"I want you to let us go."

He blinked at her before his eyes moved over her shoulder, into the darkness behind her. "Come out of the shadows, Francesca. None of us here are blind to your presence, and it's rather rude to linger out of sight, don't you think?"

Raven darted a glance over her shoulder to see Francesca ascend the top step and walk out to stand against the wall, hate pooling in her lovely brown eyes.

"I don't care what business you have with Aidan. I want you to let us go, Ismael," Raven repeated, turning back to face him.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, love." Ismael leaned back into the chair, eyes sliding away from Raven as if he'd lost interest in the conversation.

Raven narrowed her eyes. "I have done everything that you asked of me. You still do not trust me?"

An expression of amusement crossed Ismael's features. "Love, I would be foolish indeed to trust you." 

"Then you are foolish indeed," Raven said, sauntering towards him. "For a smart man would not allow me near him--much less on top of him."

Ismael's smirk grew as Raven moved to stand nearly above him, legs on either side of the armless chair. "The seduction tactic is one that I invented, love. Do not expect it to work on me."

"But," Raven purred, bending down so that her face was level with his, "it was I who perfected it."

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Oof, darlings. That's all I can say: oof. This pairing is one for the ages indeed XD although, it doesn't look like it'll be lasting much longer... but who knows? Will true love prevail? Then again, it's questionable that Raven and Ismael's arrangement is true love. I'm rambling now... I'm rambling, aren't I? God, my brain is a mess lol. Do vote and/or comment, though! Reading your thoughts makes me the happiest girl with a messy brain that there is ;)