Monster's Mercy

by William D. Arand

  Your skill in Intimidation has increased (2)

  Rene finally left the entryway, dismissing the bouncer in the same action. He let the man fall from his thoughts instantly. Slipping in amongst the upper-class customers, Rene glided through them like a shadow.

  In the span of ten minutes, he’d cased the room. He’d found nothing too surprising. There were many inns and taverns he’d probably have to check.

  Expecting to find his target in the first location was silly.

  Folly, even.

  He’d spent weeks to find targets before. This wasn’t an issue for Rene, nor even an annoyance.

  Completely unfazed, Rene turned and walked over to the bartender.

  Pulling out the wanted poster below the level of the bar top, Rene held it up for the tavern keep.

  “Seen him?” Rene asked, piercing the man with his gaze.

  Nodding his head, the bottle jockey pointed to the back door.

  “Left about fifteen minutes ago,” said the bartender.

  Turning on his heel, Rene left the common room. He exited through the same door as his target. Looking around at the hard-packed dirt and grass, he tried to pick up any sign of which way his quarry had gone. Even a general direction would help.

  Rene was no tracker though. He’d taken the basic wilderness classes and the like during his service, but nothing extensive.

  Grunting in annoyance, he squatted down and touched what looked like a boot print heading west.

  Your skill in Tracking has increased (1)

  Raising his eyebrows, Rene focused on the idea that he wanted to use this “Tracking” skill he’d picked up.

  A small window popped up in front of him with a list of three names. The one at the top, the most recent he assumed, was his target.

  Jim Cook.

  Upon selecting the name, faint red glowing footprints appeared on the ground.

  Your skill in Tracking has increased (2)

  Here and there, the footprints were broken up or smudged. Or they were incomplete and only partially visible.

  Though still trackable.

  Uh. Alright then. So, I’ve said this before, but I think this god fellow is a pretty swell guy. Did we buy him a birthday present yet? Probably should.

  Totally worth it for the possibility of a return gift.

  With a sardonic smile on his lips, Rene began trailing along the red footprints. Following them as they meandered along the alley towards the road.

  They turned right at the street and headed straight towards another establishment nearly exactly like the one he’d just left.

  Wore out his welcome at the last one, moved on to have himself some more fun.

  Your skill in Tracking has increased (3)

  Interestingly enough, the tracks disappeared around the back. Rene followed them around the rear of the building and into an alley.

  The tracks went right up to a wall and vanished. Looking up, Rene found a window within jumping distance above the spot where the boot prints disappeared. The second floor was covered in windows.

  Your skill in Tracking has increased (4)

  Which meant dear little Jimmy boy was inside the building and didn’t want to use the front door either.

  Bouncer maybe?

  Walking around to the front around the other side Rene didn’t find any other exits to worry about.

  After checking his weapons, he opened the door and stepped in, just as he had at the previous one. This time, he met the eyes of the bouncer at the door before the man had a chance to touch him.

  Your skill in Intimidation has increased (3)

  Your skill in Intimidation has increased (4)

  Any possible challenge died on the man’s lips as soon as his eyes connected with Rene’s.

  Stepping past the bouncer without a word, Rene began scanning the room. His prey must be one to work a crowd into buying him things, since he had not a copper to his name. Which meant all Rene had to do was find a crowd, and Jim was likely to be at the center.

  Lo and behold, a crowd was indeed gathered. Particularly, all around someone at the bar. Which would fit the modus operandi of his target.

  Making his way over to the crowd, Rene decided to get to the center of it. If he could grab and bag his target now, he could get back and be done with this.

  And resume our tea party!

  Rene began to press in through the crowd, using his shoulder and elbow to make gaps so he could creep ever closer to the center.

  Suddenly, he found himself face to face with a beautiful, green-eyed young woman with long black hair. Probably about his own age, or a year or two older, with an elegant and refined face. A light-colored, perfect complexion that would mark her out easily, finished his instant assessment of her.

  Her clothes did a fair job of disguising her well-endowed figure, but Rene had a good eye for clothes. He’d always had to pay attention so he knew when a person was hiding things on their person.

  In her hands were fliers that looked like rough sketches of someone.

  Her eyes fastened onto his face as Rene turned away from her and left the group.

  A lovely face in such a mundane place. I don’t fault the crowd for forming a committee; she really is quite pretty.

  Then he saw Jim. Heading up the stairs to the second floor with a lady of the evening on his arm.

  We have him! He has to purchase his company.

  He entered secretly and came below; only to go back up and pay for a blow.

  Rene would only have to wait. It’d be easier to collar him once he left, rather than trying to interrupt a business transaction.

  Rene snaked his way through the crowd of people, who only seemed interested in the beauty behind him. Moving quickly up the stairs, he managed to catch sight of his target slipping into a room at the end of the hallway.

  Making a calculated decision, Rene tried the room next to the one Cook had entered. A quick check inside proved it to be empty. He moved to the window, then opened it and looked down.

  Below him was the alley he’d tracked Jim to earlier.

  We’ll catch him when he crosses the door, once he’s all finished and done with the whore.

  It had only been perhaps a minute since Jimmy had entered the room. He doubted this would be a long wait. He didn’t seem like the type to last very long.

  Rene spun around to face the door when it opened with a click behind him.

  Standing there was the beauty from earlier, staring at him as if she knew him.

  “It’s you,” she whispered, her voice a warm purr. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  Rene pivoted, putting his right foot forward and his left foot back. He didn’t detect any threat from her, but he’d be a fool to trust in that alone.

  A pretty face was one of the best ways to bury a knife in someone.

  Activating Analyze on the woman, he parsed the information quickly.

  Odelia Delacroix

  Age: 18

  Sex: Female

  Race: Human

  “I’m sorry, miss. I’m not quite su—” Rene broke off suddenly as the woman moved forward towards him.

  Her empty hands came up as if to reach for him.

  Taking in a slow breath, Rene moved to unsheathe his dagger and splash it home in her throat.

  One quick push and there’d be no noise. Cradle her body on the way down, so there’s no thump. Hold her hands still, so there’s no thrashing. Wait for agonal breathing to end. Slide her under the bed, catch up with Cook.

  For the first time in long uncounted years, Rene hesitated.

  He didn’t strike. Didn’t end the young woman. His hand remained clenched at his side and she remained undamaged.

  Grabbing onto him, Odelia pulled him into a firm hug, crushing him for all she was worth.

  Rene did nothing. He didn’t attack, pull back, push her away, or anything.

  He stood there and let himself be hugged.

  “I’m so glad I found you
. It would have haunted me to the end of my days to never have found the man who killed my captors and set me free,” whispered the woman, holding him in her firm embrace.

  I’d like to taste her, but I’m glad we didn't end her.

  I don’t think her blood would be sweet like the Elf’s, but I think she’d be warm. Like summer sunshine on a cold morning. Unyielding and undaunted.

  You’ve gone soft.

  Rene said nothing, waiting for her to finish up with whatever she had planned. He kept one ear on the noise coming from the next room. The grunting and thumping of Jimmy buying his companionship.

  After a few seconds, it seemed Odelia had noticed the noises as well.

  “Is that…?” she asked, pulling back from him to look at the wall.

  “Yes,” Rene said, his eyes stuck to her face.

  “I… ah, see. Is that what you were…?” Odelia started, her face turning back towards him.

  “No. I’m here to capture him and turn him over to the courthouse,” Rene said. Even to himself, he had to wonder why he was telling her this, why he wanted her to know his reason for being in this room.

  And not waiting for a prostitute.

  Soft. I’m soft?

  You’re soft!

  We’re… soft.

  “Oh! I see! Out being the hero again?” Odelia gave him a bright smile. Patting him lightly on the shoulders with her hands, she took two steps back. “I’ll not—”

  She was interrupted by a loud groan from the next room.

  Cook’s cock cooked off.

  Quick and early.

  Seconds later, there was a dull clatter of coins hitting wood. Before Rene could hustle Odelia out, they both heard the door to the next room open.

  “Damn,” Rene hissed. Stepping forward, he gently pressed Odelia to one side, indicating the corner with one hand as he opened the door with the other.

  Timed as if by a miracle, Jim stood in front of the door with only his pants on. His boots and shirt were strung over his shoulder.

  Grabbing the waist of the man’s pants, Rene yanked him into the room and closed the door.

  Jim stumbled into the room and started to turn around.

  Rene was on him before he could even cry out.

  Spinning the man partially to face him, Rene lashed out. Two strikes to the stomach and Jim crumpled to the floor.

  Working smoothly, Rene pulled the bindings from his waist that he’d brought for this situation.

  Rene trussed the man up and tied his hands behind his back. Taking an extra second, Rene stuffed a nice, solid gag into Jim’s mouth.

  “Call out, make a sound, or do anything stupid, and I’ll cut your tongue out. You’ll live, I’ll get my gold, you’ll never talk again,” Rene hissed in the man’s ear, low enough that Odelia wouldn’t hear it.

  Jim nodded his head a bit and Rene stood up.

  “I’ll be leaving,” Rene said, meeting Odelia’s eyes.

  Her hands were clasped in front of her, eyes wide.

  “I’ll go out first and distract everyone. You take him out the back. Wait for me there,” Odelia commanded.

  “Wait, I—” Rene tried, the door closing behind Odelia as she sped off.

  So many dominant women, so little time. This is becoming enjoyable.

  “Masochist,” Rene muttered, hauling Jim to his feet and dragging him out of the room. “Never listened to me when I told you what to do.”

  Rene couldn’t deny the results though.

  Odelia did her part and more. All eyes were on her as Rene marched Jim out the back door, completely unnoticed.

  Looking up one side of the alley and down the other, Rene was half tempted to bolt. Forsaking Odelia entirely.

  She was in the inn looking for us. Think back to the papers in her hand. All we’d do is fire her up more.

  We should wait.

  Rene didn’t argue. He knew the Monster was right. She’d only go hunting for him again.

  Then she was there, faster than he expected, with a bright smile and a bounce to her gait.

  “You’re here,” she said, moving in a bit too close for comfort.

  “I am. Now I’m going,” Rene said curtly, dragging Jimmy along again. He’d take the alleyways and back roads as much as he could.

  He didn’t need to advertise that there was a new bounty hunter in town. That news would spread well enough on its own without him adding to it.

  Odelia fell in beside him, her fingers pushing her black hair back from her face and behind her shoulders.

  “You’re not from Felicie. Your accent… Laetus? Laetus,” Odelia confirmed her own question, peering at him from under dark eyebrows. “Here to save damsels and catch criminals? No. That doesn’t feel right.”

  Rene held up a hand to stall her, then motioned to the crook he had in front of him.

  “Oh? Oh! Yes, ah, yes. Right. After, then. We’ll go have lunch and discuss this. Good,” Odelia said, nodding her head with a smile.

  After that, she said nothing.

  It made Rene nervous.

  Chapter 8

  After turning Jimmy Cook over to the authorities, Rene was two gold richer. He’d have to give everyone else their split, but money was money. It was more than he’d ever earn doing the normal types of work an eighteen-year-old could expect to do.

  Odelia practically materialized next to him as soon as he got back to the main road.

  “Let’s go, I know the perfect place. My treat today. Come along, then,” Odelia said quickly. She placed a hand behind his back and began guiding him down the road, her fingers and palm firm on his spine.

  In the back of his head, he could feel the Monster stirring. They were uncomfortable with being touched, yet her hand wasn’t unpleasant enough to rile him up.

  “It’s simple fare, not one of those truly expensive sit-down experiences. Something we can pick up and take with us. Now, back to the subject of you,” Odelia said while keeping pace with him even as she guided him along.

  “I would love to believe you were there to rescue me. I can’t, though. I appreciate that you did rescue me and left me a clear exit route, but I don’t think you were looking for me specifically,” Odelia had a quick pace to her speech, her voice liquid and warm.

  “I wasn’t. I was escaping,” Rene admitted, his eyes moving from person to person as they walked.

  “Ah, that makes sense. I appreciate you getting me out as well, then. Now you’re hunting criminals. Which means you’re…” Odelia’s eyes flashed as she stared at the side of his face. Rene had been watching her out of the corner of his eye.

  The Elf has a brilliant and logical mind, without more clues she’ll eventually fall behind. This one, though, is a master of insight; with enough time she’ll understand us outright.

  I fear for us.

  “Trying to figure out who captured us? That feels… partially correct. Not completely.” She gave him that bright smile and turned back to the road they were on.

  “I haven’t had this much fun in a long time. It’s always tutors, work, chores… ad nauseam,” Odelia said with a sigh.

  Looking at her directly, Rene found that she was smiling.

  “Was your life so dull that you enjoyed being kidnapped?” he asked.

  “Goodness, no. I would never repeat that. Being kidnapped was… it was terrifying. I wasn’t sure what they were going to do to me.” Odelia’s voice trailed off. “It’s a blessing they, in fact, did nothing.”

  She gave her head a shake and continued.

  “Then I was rescued. A man stepped into my cell from the dark hallways. He looked at me and then left, leaving the door wide open for me. In his wake, were all of my captors. Dead, naked, humiliated. I walked out of my nightmare and back into the waking world without having lost anything. Not even a full day of my life.”

  Rene couldn’t deny it sounded a bit like something out of a strange fairy tale.

  “Deciding I must know my hero, I went to track him down. Using my lim
ited skills, I put together hand-drawn sketches of my dashing hero. All from my poor hazy memory,” Odelia said. Then she sighed and lifted her free arm as if in defeat, the other still on his back.

  “Having no luck at all. Going from inn to inn and asking people if they knew or had seen him, I felt almost hopeless.

  “Then, instead of actually finding him, he walks in off the street. Casual as a breeze of fresh air. Appears in front of me as if fate had answered my request.

  “Again. Just like the last time I asked for a hero. He appears again. No more than mere inches from me.”

  Odelia looked like she would run out of breath before she stopped talking.

  Rene felt his lips curl up in a small smile.

  “Take a breath. I’m not running away,” he said quickly.

  Odelia blinked twice and then smiled at him, taking a deliberate and loud breath.

  “Sorry. It’s just so exciting! Now, I’m going to have lunch with my hero after he just captured a bandit. Afterward, you’re going to take me to where you’re staying. I’m not going to let you escape until I know where I can find you later. I’ll not let you vanish again, hero.”

  Rene shook his head, feeling like a cornered animal.

  We should stop and wonder a moment watching from under her gaze like a rodent. Is this how our marks felt, before the final blows we dealt?

  ***

  Rene took a seat on a bench.

  Odelia had been right of course. Lunch had been pretty good, though they’d decided to eat it where they bought it. Using a low wall as a table between them.

  She was strange to him.

  Energetic, bright, intuitive, and perceptive. Where Alana dissected him and pulled out every little fact, Odelia was happy to get the general feel of something and move on.

  Why does our mind wander and shiver? They take our thoughts, and we ponder and quiver. Soft, soft, soft.

  Like her touch.

  Odelia sat down beside him, her eyes moving to the library before them.

  “You’re staying here? Why?” she asked, her head tilting to the side as she thought. “To hide. To plan. They wouldn’t look here. They’d expect you at an inn. But why? You’re skilled enough to probably take anyone they sent.”