The woman’s dark lips smirked, a soft and low chuckle rumbling in her throat. She seemed to take a moment and consider the question. “‘Moor Wolf,’ ‘Bitch’....” She hesitated, trailing off while a number of different words she would have loved to be called echoed through her mind. Shoving the thoughts aside she refused to think what a few of them would sound like coming from someone else’s lips. “‘Mistress.’” Her words continued, followed by a snorting sigh. Slate eyes studied Eleanor. “Despoina, is my name. If no other word or title suits you.”

Once more harsh, dry, laughter peeled from Despoina and she shook her head. “Your fangs aren’t that scary. You-” Her eyes went wide in realization at what she had said. Before she could recover her expression the surprise had been clearly evident, swiftly masked by a withering scowl coupled with a low growl. “No!” she lied defensively, words fast and hackles high, refusing to show any sort of weakness and letting her fangs glitter in the light instead. Eleanor might have known the truth about her, but Despoina was going to be even more damned if she was going to give in to this before she was ready to accept it herself. “I would never. Just saying someone might. Maybe. If you were lucky.” Growling, she internally leapt at any opportunity to change the topic from Eleanor’s face and her own unfortunate attraction to it.

“Really?” The word rolled from her tongue with enough honied sarcasm that even bees would have found sweetly bitter. “Trade dry pads for a warm den, maybe even someone to keep you warmer on cold nights?” Despoina stepped closer, her eyes alight with a challenge and daring, shining brighter at the nervous swallow she caught the other one taking. “Maybe you will find your knight with muddy armor.” Another step and they were nose to nose. Unknown to Despoina, her lips had stretched into a wide, sly, smirking grin; her teeth showing but not bared. A low snigger tainted her words. “No, I don’t. Why?” Her eyes were locked on Eleanor’s curiosity and excitement blazing hot in their depths.