Chapter Six
VENTINA had time on her hands as she waited for the herbs she required for her potions to grow. She put the time to good use as she practiced her shape shifting to look similar to the comely barmaid. She finally felt confident enough to try it out, so one night she did. She snuck down to the local tavern to see how she would fair.
Ventina had found and fixed a dress with a low cut bodice to attract attention; or more correctly, distract. Sweet blossoms mixed with the right incantations produced a very alluring perfume. Pretty paint decorated her face to turn heads. Then and only then did she feel ready to go.
Darkness covered her tracks as she slunk along the back alleyways until she ended up behind the tavern. She hid in the shadows for a moment making sure no one saw her. When she felt comfortable enough she stepped out, smoothing the front of the dress as she sashayed towards the back door. She should have waited a couple of minutes longer as she didn’t see the man out behind the tool shed relieving himself after one too many pints. He had staggered out there prior to Ventina’s arrival in the alleyway. His fumbling with his trouser buttons, as well as an alcohol addled brain, occupied all of his drunken attention, that is until he saw the pretty young thing walking towards the back door. Hastily putting himself back together, most of the way anyway, he stumbled after her as he felt it was his unmistakable duty to partake of some liberties. Steal a kiss or two…more if she’d let him. Ventina saw him, unfortunately too late as he managed to position himself between her and the door. Ventina stopped dead in her tracks; his drunken leer spoke volumes causing her to take a step or two back away from him. She was going to turn around and leave when he spoke.
“Where ya runnin’ off to Missy?” He wiped his chin on the back of his hand as if it made him more presentable.
“I…I…I have to get back inside. Back with my friends.” Voice quivering slightly as she stuttered her reply. The frightened voice must have urged him on as he spoke again.
“Well whatcha doing out here in the first place all by yerself? Spying on me?” His face screwing up into a lopsided squint, before he lurched forwards at her. She backpedaled again as she caught a whiff of beer, sweat and urine. It was almost as foul as his behavior. She figured she could easily get away from him, but he surprised her by lunging forward again, grabbing both of her upper arms and roughly yanking her towards him.
Ventina was instantly angry and almost revealed herself by letting her anger control her attention. Her focus slipped for just a moment, barely keeping her from maintaining the image she wanted to be and revealing what she truly looked like. She caught herself just in time, but paid for it as he tightly pinned her in his arms. The smell was even worse up close and personal. Her struggling just seemed to egg him on.
“Sassy…little thing ain’t ya?”
“Leave me alone you big oaf.”
“Big oaf? That’ll cost ya even more. Now just give us a little kiss and we’ll both be on our merry way.” He grunted out with his struggling efforts to control her. He leaned his face towards her to kiss her, which was a bad mistake as she bared her teeth and bit his cheek drawing blood. He howled in pain. Spurned advances, too much to drink and the bite were more than he could handle as he drew back and gave her an open hand slap across the face, knocking her to the ground. Stunned, Ventina shook her head, eyes watering from the violent slap. Before she could move he pounced, pinning her to the ground under him.
“I’ll teach ya to bite me ya little Bitch.” As he forced himself on her trying to kiss her, one hand held her down as the other roughly groped at her skirts to try and lift them.
“Get off me!” She hissed.”
“Hold still and this will be over quicker.” He growled still missing his target.
“No! Leave me alone!” She screamed.
The backdoor of the tavern opened just at that point and she couldn’t have timed it any better if she had planned it. It was Billy. The noise and thrashing about instantly caught his attention. He recognized Harry, but didn’t know who was struggling under him.
“What the hell’s going on here Harry?” Billy said as he approached them.
“Leave us alone…we’re busy.” Harry grunted.
“Get him off me!” Ventina screamed again, fake fear tingeing the scream for sympathy, squirming violently beneath him. Billy didn’t waste any time as he hauled Harry up off of her by the back of his shirt. Harry’s suspenders being the only things keeping his pants from falling down around his ankles as Billy hauled him up onto his feet. Harry made a foolhardy decision to swing at Billy and it became his undoing as Billy planted a huge work hardened hand upside of his jaw putting him to sleep for a while. Billy just dusted off his hands before reaching one out to Ventina to help her up.
Harry had no idea that Billy just saved his life. Ventina was about to revert to true form and snap his neck. She would have just hidden the body until later. Harry would have made a couple of fine meals.
“The old fool. I don’t know what he was thinking.” Billy said looking at the unconscious form on the ground as Ventina carefully brushed at her skirts to try and get rid of the worst of the dirt. Turning his attention back to Ventina, Billy asked “Are you alright?”
Ventina, looking up at Billy, literally put her best face forward as she answered.
“I am now, thanks to you.”
Billy was silent for a moment as he stared at her face. Ventina reached up and brushed at her face as she asked, “Is something wrong? Do I have dirt or something on my face?”
Billy shook his head as if he was trying to shake something loose. “Ahhh…no it’s just that it’s I don’t know.”
She looked at him, a coy look on her face. “It’s just what?”
“I…you seem familiar, like I’ve met you someplace before.”
“I’ve always been around.” She wasn’t lying now. “We’ve probably passed one another in the street and nodded hello.” She was right about passing in the street, but not about nodding hello too often.
“You’re probably right Miss? I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Because I didn’t give it.”
“May I be so bold as to ask it?”
A smile plastered itself on her face. Ventina had to think quick as she almost answered the name she had given when she first came to the village. She sidestepped it as she slipped her arm through his, steering him back towards the tavern’s backdoor.
“I shall tell you my name over a much deserved drink, as you have earned it by coming to my rescue…Mr…?”
“Billy Lassiter.”
“Well Mr. Lassiter.”
“Oh please, it’s Billy. Just call me Billy.”
“Well Master Billy I do appreciate your assistance with my problem.”
“Then shall we discuss it over a drink?”
“Let’s.” And the two entered the backdoor of the pub. Billy took her over to the table he had occupied before he wandered outside. Catching the innkeeper’s eye he held up two fingers for two pints. The innkeeper himself walked the beer over so he could get a better look at Billy’s new companion. He had the same gut feeling that Billy had, but he knew it wasn’t from seeing her inside his establishment. He just couldn’t place it from where.
“And just who is this pretty lass Master Billy?”
“Well that’s one of the reasons we’re gracing your place.”
“And have you gotten your answer yet?”
Ventina gave him a cool, coy look as a name finally came to mind that was close enough to her own so she would