Dangerous Seduction

Let the Games Begin

Raven missed her father. She couldn't help it; he had been the biggest part of her life for so many years but she hadn't thought being away from him on Earth would be so difficult for her. But recently, what with her upheaval of fortunes – being captured by the League, being forced into the Titans, being made to train vigorously – she felt almost desperate for Trigon's familiarity. The final straw had been Damian's blatant rejection of her advances yesterday, she needed some perspective, to remind herself that they were only human and that she was so much more than them.

So, the next morning Raven woke before dawn and made her way to the roof of Titan's Tower. It was quiet in the early hours, the city across the water sleeping, even the criminals in bed. The lack of sirens – usually ever present – was slightly eerie.

Sighing in contentment, Raven settled down to meditate. In order to form a link to her father she had to calm her usually volatile mind, sweep all emotions away. It was annoying but necessary. Still, she wasn't used to it, only having performed the meditation routine a couple of times in her life, so she was prepared for it to take hours which was the reason she had risen so early; this way she would hopefully be done before the six o'clock morning training.

About an hour into her breathing exercises however, she was jolted out of her concentration by a disturbance behind her. Glaring over her shoulder in annoyance, Raven was surprised to see Damian al Ghul standing just in front of the door leading into the tower. He had his arms crossed tightly and was glaring at her.

"What are you doing up here?" he demanded in an icy voice.

"Meditating," Raven's voice was scathing; he had just cost her what little progress she had gained. "You?"

"I come up here every morning," he replied, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

She should have taken her revenge for the day before by getting him all hot and bothered before denying him satisfaction. But Raven's mind was slightly groggy from the meditation and she wanted to talk to her father so she merely shrugged and returned to her lotus position.

After a few minutes, she sensed rather than heard Damian begin his exercises.

As she suspected, Damian's presence hindered her meditation to the point where she was grinding her teeth together and had begun picturing violent, rage-filled acts against the many people on this planet she classed as enemies.

"You're not very good at that are you?" his voice didn't make her jump; she was already so pent up that it merely gave her an excuse to vent some of her frustration.

"Well, I'm sorry if you being here distracts me." She snapped, turning once more to glare at him.

Instead of being insulted, he just looked at her, cocking his head slightly. There was silence for a while before he said. "I can help you if you want; I know some relaxation techniques."

Raven narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "And why would you do that?"

He shrugged. "I'm the leader of the Teen Titans, part of my job is teaching my teammates." He strolled forwards until he stood next to her, looming so close that Raven had to lean back and squint slightly to maintain eye contact in the dazzling light of the low-hanging sun.

Damian sat down next to her, body positioned so that he was facing her.

Still suspicious, especially at his motives – was this the next round in their game? – Raven turned so that she was facing him too.

The teenagers regarded each other for a moment until Damian began explaining about a technique he had been taught by Taiwanese monks high in a mountainside monastery.