He was trying to gain her trust.  He'd tortured people before, and the witches were pushing him to do it with Vara, but he didn't like that kind of interrogation.  Not because of qualms on his part, but because torture didn't stop when the truth was out, torture stopped when the torturer heard what they wanted to hear.  Torture didn't work.  But talk to a person?  Eventually, they just started talking back.  It could take a while but often happened inside a few hours.  Small acts of kindness helped build a rapport.<br/><br/>"Right now, why do I need to be proposing anything at all?" he said.  "I can get you more water, food.  I'd like to unchain you, but I don't think we're there, yet.  Right now, though, I just want to talk.  To you.  Preferably about Blackvayne, but I'll take whatever comes up.  I'm not trying to trick you.<br/><br/>"And, yeah, I'm wondering why he'd want it, myself.  It burns like a sonofabitch, but I don't know what else it does.  But if you don't know anything about it...."   He screwed the lid back on, but the stink lingered.  "But I don't believe for a second you're useless.  You probably know a lot of things about him, things that would be useful for me and mine to know.  Right now, you're likely way more valuable to me than to him.  And I'm the only way you get out of here alive.  That's the truth, hard as it is to say.  Once the word gets out that a 'traitor' is here?  There will be wolves at my door.  It's a strong door, but I've got to leave eventually.<br/><br/>"Me?  I don't see you as a traitor.  A traitor is someone who betrays someone else, right?  We're just on different sides, and maybe not so different.  Werewolves think that just because you were born to change shape that someone you 'owe' them your allegiance.  But that's not the way it works, is it?  You give allegiance, and you never gave your allegiance to the witches, or any werewolves from around here, or to Gaia.  How can you be a traitor?  It makes no sense.  But Blackvayne gives you something.  Clearly, pride.  You're proud you're valuable to him.  That's not nothing.  That's a lot.  And he makes sure you've got a place to rest when you're wounded or taken sick with radiation or poison.  He makes sure you've got nice things, a clean, warm, dry place to stay.  Rich food in your belly, wine in your cup.  I've got some moonshine around here, too, if you want a drop.  And a sense of belonging to something bigger than yourself.  Which is more than you've ever gotten from a witch or a werewolf.  Am I wrong?"