Chapter Text
The street is mostly empty at twelve am, which is what I need as I stalk through the shadows, passing shop front after shop front. The bar is still blaring music, and as I pass, I see lights from another shop, the open sign still lit.
Midnight Echo’s Coffee Shop.
I plan to spend my downtime in the alleyway waiting for my target, one of the male bartenders, to come out so I can finish this job quickly, but the coffee shop is new. A few days ago, it was still under construction. I give Taash a nod as I pass. They’re busy hauling some drunk out of the bar when I pass.
“Stay warm, Rook,” Taash says when they see me.
“Always do.” I lie, it’s winter and I’m in a hoodie. What can I say, I like the easy movement over the warmth a real jacket offers.
Peering through the new shop window, I can see a man leaning behind the counter, a book in one hand and a coffee cup in the other. Dark hair half tied up. The sign really says open, and the hours say it’ll stay that way until two am. I push the door open and nearly melt at the wave of heat that washes over me. It smells fantastic too.
The guy's head pops up, and I give my best disarming smile. Which is outmatched by his returning smile. “Welcome in. Hello," he says.
“Hello!” I make my way up to the counter. He’s had time to set his things down and has his full attention focused on me. There’s a menu hanging behind him. I chew on my lip as I look it over. “So late for coffee,” I say, mostly to myself.
He chuckles, and my eyes flicker down to watch him. The right corner of his lip is upturned. “I offer tea if you’d prefer.” I could swear the shine in his eyes lessens when he makes the offer, but it’s too quick for me to be sure.
“Ugh. No thanks. I’d rather drink my brother's coffee than take tea. ” And that’s saying something because Viago’s coffee is practically mud. The stranger laughs, and it’s a full-chested sound. It sends a warmth up my spine and down into my stomach. “What kind of person comes to a coffee shop for tea anyway?”
The stranger shrugs. “I’m told it happens, so I stocked it accordingly, but left to my own devices, tea wouldn’t have made it into my shop.” It’s my turn to chuckle. “See anything you would like?”
My smile turns sharp as I swallow down my first answer because, as fun as it would be to flirt, I do have a job to do. “What is the strongest coffee I can get…without ruining the integrity of your coffee?” I added the second part when he opened his mouth with a frown.
He chuckles again. “I’ve got just the thing.” He starts going through the motions of pulling espresso shots when he says, “For saying it’s late for coffee, you sure don’t hold back. Long night?”
I lean on the counter, pushing back a strand of pin-straight black hair when it falls in my face. “Long couple of days, really. I’m hoping tonight will be my last.” He nods as he keeps working. “So, six am to two am doesn’t give you long to sleep.”
“Nope.” I give a small hmph and unzip my hoodie as sweat builds at my spine. “Is this for here or to go?”
I look around the empty shop and see a table that looks out onto the bar entrance. “Here. I’ve nowhere to be for a while.” I take off my hoodie and drape it over my left arm just as he hands me a purple and silver cup filled nearly to the brim with coffee. The smell hits me as I hold it close to my face, and I’m not even slightly ashamed at the moan I let out. “Fuck, this is going to be divine, I just know it.” Sitting it carefully on the counter, I ask, “How much do I owe you?”
“It’s on the house.” He says
I stop fishing for my wallet. “That’s a horrible idea.”
He laughs.
“No really. How will you stay in business when you give out free coffee? What happens the next time I need a midnight fix and you're out of business because you gave me free coffee?”
It’s clear he’s trying to hold back more laughter. “You’ve yet to even taste my coffee, and you’re worried about next time?”
With a sullen glare, I pick up the cup carefully and take a drawn-out sip. The groan I let out surpasses the last one, and this time I blush lightly. “Yeah, I was right, divine. Now take my money so I can single-handedly keep you in business.”
“Consider it a gift for keeping me from getting bored, and I promise I’ll make you pay next time.” For some reason, I don’t believe him, but I’m really not going to fight tall, dark, and handsome.
I do see a tip jar out on the counter and grin widely. Putting my heavenly drink back down, I get my wallet out and drop a twenty in the jar. “Consider that my thanks for your trust that I’m worth having back.” We both laugh, and I see the moment he wants to argue, but I stick my hand out faster, “My friends call me Rook.”
He takes my offered hand in his. “Lucanis. Nice to meet you, Rook.” I swear my legs don’t buckle when I hear my name practically purred.
Standing upright, I shove my wallet back into my pants pocket and take my coffee. “Guess I’ll leave you to your peace, thanks again.”
“Let me know if you need anything.”
I nod, pulling out my phone and shooting a group text to Viago and Teia. New coffee shop down on canal blvd. Coffee puts mine to shame.
Teia’s response comes in rapid. Open at this hour?
Viago responds while I’m typing. Don’t get distracted.
I delete what I had typed. Sending instead. Fuck you Vi. I’m undercover waiting for target to appear. Hours are sixam to twoam.
I pocket my phone to focus on the bar across the street and the coffee cupped in my hands.
I don’t lose track of time so much as drown in the sensation of sipping on my quickly cooling coffee. A quick glance at my phone tells me the bar will be closing soon. “Doing alright over here?” Lucanis is standing slightly behind me to my left and I check him out in the reflection of the window.
“Coffee’s delicious, and you’re here now. What more could a girl want?” I twist my head to look up at him with my most charming smile.
Lucanis is staring at me, and I can’t decide if it’s a look of surprise or disdain that graces his fine face. “I’ll count myself lucky that you think that.”
“You should.” I wink before sighing, “But your timing is shit. I just got clued in that my job is starting for the day.” I glance back at the bar to see a slew of people walking out. I'll never hear the end of it if I mess this up. I stand to shrug my hoodie on. “But I swear you’ve not seen the last of me.”
“I would hope so.” He watches me zip my hoodie, and I down the dregs of my drink. “May your day be easy.”
“Thanks.” Then, with a mock salute, I head for the door. Outside, I dart across the street and slink into the shadows. I watch Lucanis until he goes into the back of the shop. That’s when I veer down the alley and wait.
I kneel down using the dumpster as cover. I throw my hood up, gloves go on, and pull my knife from its holster around my ankle. I watch Taash come out of the back and leave quickly, followed by another qunari who comes out, this one slender and female. She stands around waiting until a human woman joins her, and together they leave.
I’m rocking on the balls of my feet when he appears. Freckled face pinched in a grimace, and he carries trash over to throw out. When he opens the top, I strike. One moment I’m crouched, the next I’m behind him, knife at his throat. “The crows send their regards.” Then he’s dead. Blood splatters the dumpster as I tilt his body up and over.
Not a drop of blood is on me, and I hum a little tune as I replace my knife and slip back out onto the street. I stroll a couple of blocks before pulling my phone out. It's just now two am.
Nearly an hour later, I’m walking into my office and plopping down behind my desk. Kicking my feet up, I text Viago. It’s done. Stop for coffee on your way I’m dying here.