“That’s the point. Rich people often deserve it.” Jack sat by the fire and gave up on the conversation. In the year they had been friends Rachel never even gave him a hint as to what she’d done. It must have been really bad.
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is finding some money.” Rachel looked down and pulled out the last two silvers.
“Oh!” he shouted. “Give me the two silvers.”
“What? No way! This is the last of our money. What if the deer get scarce again? Winter is coming. You remember last year?” She looked at him and saw his expression fall.
“Yeah, you found me half frozen and starving but it’s not like that.” Then Jack looked excited and confident. “I can turn our two silvers into twenty.” She almost handed him the coins but then she remembered what the seer had said. She needed these two silvers to pay the man. What if Jack was going to pay the man for her? If he really could get twenty silvers then she would have plenty. The woman didn’t say when she’d even find the man. This might be worth the risk. It was Jack, he wouldn’t let her down.
“We were flat broke and couldn’t find anything to eat for nearly a month. What if that happens again? And what are you going to do with our last two silvers?” She looked at him unconvinced as he shot up. She hadn’t even said yes yet but he knew her indecision meant he’d already won.
“Down payment on a job.” Jack’s eyebrows raised and he got a stupid looking smile on his face.
“What kind of job requires a down payment?” Rachel stood up and flipped the coins in her hand.
“It’s simple. Just a hunt. You are the best hunter I know. It will be a snap.” He held his hand out anxiously.
“Just a hunt? Then what are we paying our last two silvers for?” Rachel was now getting suspicious. Jack was skirting the questions now.
“I need it to lubricate the men giving out the contracts,” Jack winked.
“You’re going to buy ale?!” Rachel threw up her hands, completely exasperated. Jack plopped back down on the ground looking depressed. Then she thought about it. She was told that she needed the two silvers to find him. What if this led to the man? She threw caution to the wind. They would find more money. She couldn’t miss an opportunity to meet this man.
“Fine!” she yelled and tossed the coins at him. Jack quickly caught both with the same hand. He may not have been a very good fighter but damn he was quick. How many men could have caught both silvers with the same hand in a fraction of a second?
“You won’t regret this,” he said with a huge grin.
“Don’t wake me up when you get back. Especially if you’re drunk,” she headed to her bedroll and laid it out.
“You’ll see. This will solve all our problems,” he kissed her on the forehead and started back toward town.
Rachel pulled her bedroll near the fire and got inside. Her pants were mostly dry now. She would have loved to head to town but this particular town had far too many of the king’s soldiers. Once in a while Rachel liked to have a good time but that would have to wait until the next town. After Jack made good on his promise to turn their two silvers into twenty.
Chapter 2
Jack walked up to the tavern cautiously. He didn’t see any guards but they could be hiding almost anywhere. They had seen his face and the merchant knew his name. Hopefully the king’s soldiers weren’t in the tavern having a good time. The city guards would surely have involved the king’s soldiers. He wasn’t wanted like Rachel but a thief stealing from a slaver drew a lot of unwanted attention.
When Jack was sure the coast was clear he slipped inside and looked around. No guards or soldiers, thankfully. He walked up to the bar and saw the pretty blonde, the one with the enormous cleavage. She gave him a wink. He thought about it for minute, her cleavage was probably fake anyway. Socks rolled up to push her breasts out. Everyone knew that bigger breasts meant bigger tips. She walked over slowly toward him, refilling cups and eyeing him the whole way.
She was fairly attractive, she had a thin waist, decently sized hips and even if there were socks under them, her breasts looked amazing. Jack found himself staring at her chest until she addressed him.
“Got something for me?” she asked seductively.
Jack pulled the ring he had traded for out of his pocket and set it on the counter. She gave him an appreciative smile and started around the counter. When she was inches from his face she looked up at him and smiled.
“My grandmother’s ring. I didn’t believe you could do it,” she looked into his eyes full of lust.
“I’m very good,” he replied. She was attractive and apparently very willing. Then why did he feel so guilty just thinking about it? The answer was Rachel. She was all alone in the camp.
She put one hand around his waist and with her other she guided his hand to her chest. They were, most certainly, not fake! No socks, no nothing, just her. This made him feel even more guilty.
Jack quickly removed his hand and looked around nervously while he backed up.
“I owe you,” she said following him and she pulled one of the shoulders of her blouse down to show off more skin. “I’m very happy to pay up.”
“What will your boyfriend say?” Jack gulped. He struggled for something to keep her at bay.
“I don’t have a boyfriend,” she replied.
“Umm…” he took another step back and was against the counter. “Fiancé?” he asked meekly, hoping for a way out of this.
“Well…he’ll never know,” she pushed herself against Jack. “You sure seem like you want to.” She ran her hand up the front of his pants. “You really want to.”
“Sorry, taken,” he quickly ducked under her arm and scooted away. He noticed a large scowling man walking up to the waitress. She threw her arms around his neck. Just great, the fiancé. The man started toward Jack but the waitress stopped him with a kiss.
Jack made his way to the back of the tavern and found an empty table. What was wrong with him? He wasn’t taken and that woman had been gorgeous. Well, not as beautiful as Rachel but pretty enough. Jack smacked his forehead. What an idiot. Rachel would never see him as anything but a friend. He wasn’t entirely sure she was into guys either. She never showed any interest in men, definitely not him. It was stupid and he knew it but he couldn’t be with anyone else. He’d tried a few times since he realized that he was in love with the stunning redhead but it wasn’t fair to use some random woman, the whole time wishing she was Rachel. He was a jerk and probably an ass but he wouldn’t do that.
Jack thought back to the day that he realized he loved Rachel. He had been a little tipsy, not exactly drunk. She had waited at their camp while he went to town to buy supplies and lift a few extras. He had scored a good haul, even stealing a bottle of something strong. It tasted horrible but it kept the cold away as he walked back to the camp. Ok, maybe he was drunk but she didn’t need to react so badly. He had walked up to her, kissed her on the lips and professed his undying love for her. How did she respond? She bruised two of his ribs and gave him a black eye. That was when he realized he actually did love her. He didn’t care that she’d beaten him up. The pain would go away in a week or so. The part that hurt the most was what she said. ‘I could never love a thieving prick like you’. That was also the day he realized that he could never tell her. Not seriously. She’d chalked that outburst up to being drunk and he wasn’t about to correct her. He decided instead to stand by her side, give her whatever she asked for and keep loving her in silence for as long as she’d allow it.
Jack noticed the two men he’d overheard earlier. One was tall, taller than himself by a few inches and thin. The other was a little rounder and Jack’s height. Jack walked back up to the bar and asked for three ales. The waitress looked at him lustfully again but didn’t dare make a move with her fiancé sitting on the other side of the bar. Why couldn’t she have had red hair? Maybe if she’d had red hair. Jack shook this off. No, not even if she looked like Rachel. She still wasn’t Rachel.
Jack grabbed the ales and sat beside the two men.
“Name’s Jack. This one’s on me boys,” he chuckled as he pushed them each a mug.
“Charlemagne,” the first replied as he lifted the mug to his mouth. This was the rounder one. He had black hair and a face just as round as his body. He looked young, about jack’s age, twenty four or so. He also had a kind look to his face. Butcher’s son perhaps? The child of someone who could afford food or had plenty to spare.
“I’m Davinious,” the tall one said eyeing Jack curiously. “What do you want?” Davinious was lanky and had blonde hair. Jack couldn’t tell right away what type of work his father did. This one was a mystery. He had a rough look to his face, though also about Jack’s age, but there was a sadness to him. He also seemed a little sharper than his friend. That look in his eye, underneath the sadness, told of an intelligent man who would be hard to con. Luckily for Jack, this time it wasn’t a con.
“Ok, first off those names…” Jack laughed and raised his hand for another round. The attractive waitress winked at him and Jack looked away quickly.
“What about our names?” Davinious asked, annoyed.
“I’m going to call you Chuck,” Jack pointed at Charlemagne. “And you…Dave.”
“Why Chuck?” Charlemagne asked.
“Charlemagne…Charles…Chuck. See, it works,” Jack replied.
The waitress put the drinks on the table and leaned in closely to Jack so he could look down her blouse.
“Sure you’re not interested?” she asked.
Jack nervously eyed the large man who was giving him a death stare.
“I’m quite sure,” Jack smiled and held the first silver out for her. “Just remember you owe me four more.”
“I can do that,” she said seductively while she grabbed the coin out of Jack’s hand and then moved his hand to her thigh. “Seems like I owe you more than that.”
When she was gone Jack let out a sigh and Chuck laughed.
“You turned down Mary?” he looked at Dave but he was not as amused. “He turned down Mary,” Chuck said to Dave.
“Yeah, well, that mountain at the end of the bar would probably flatten me.” Jack threw back the last of his first ale and started on the second.
“Oh yeah, Burt is a mean one. Still…” Chuck couldn’t believe Jack would turn her down. “He’ll be gone in like thirty minutes. He’ll be headed home to care for his dad’s farm. Lock up the livestock, stuff like that. I’m sure Mary would be glad to take you upstairs. Burt wouldn’t even know.”
It seemed like Chuck was far more interested in Jack being with Mary that Jack was. Maybe he should take her upstairs? It had been a long time since he’d been with a woman but she still wasn’t Rachel.
“I’m good. Let’s get to the reason I’m here,” Jack said trying to avoid any more talk of Mary. Maybe if he got drunk enough he’d say yes next time she came around or maybe she’d just find another man to hit on. He was hoping she’d just forget him.
“I knew there was something,” Dave said, downing his second ale.
“Before we get into that,” Jack raised his hand and Mary was at his side in under a minute with three more ales.
“Change your mind yet?” Mary asked and turned to watch Burt walk out the door. She grabbed Jack’s hand and slid it up her dress while she sat on his lap.
“Umm….” Jack couldn’t figure out what to say. She wasn’t wearing any underwear! Although the thought was appealing and the warm mound of naked flesh between her thighs urged him to say yes, he just couldn’t. He felt a pit in his stomach and his chest hurt. It was like he was somehow cheating on Rachel. He stood up quickly and she nearly fell to the floor. “I’m sick,” he said.
“Sick? You seem healthy enough to me,” she said, clearly discouraged and upset.
“Whore from the last town.” He shrugged his shoulders and watched in amusement as a hand went to her gaping mouth. “Doctor says give it two weeks.” He almost grinned at the end. This would certainly put a halt to her advances.
She stood and dusted herself off. When Jack handed her the second silver she pinched it with two fingers. She was now afraid to even touch him. He would be surprised if she didn’t go to the bathroom and wash between her legs. Jack almost fell off his chair when she made it to the bar. He just couldn’t stop himself from laughing loudly and the two ales he’d finished weren’t helping his balance.
“Ok…” Dave said then tried to get Jack to focus. “Why are you here?”
“Oh that,” Jack started on his third ale. Mary dropped off three more ales then Jack smirked as he watched her nearly sprint to the bathroom. “I can help you two.”
“Help us how?” Chuck asked, a little more interested than Dave who just eyed Jack while downing his fourth ale.
“You two have a problem. You need to kill that bear or whatever-ya-ma-call-it.” Jack realized that he was starting to slur a little and he was making up words when he couldn’t remember what he was going to say. He was starting to feel the ales. Maybe he shouldn’t have told Mary he was ‘sick’ after all. With a little creative thinking, she could be a stand in for Rachel. He smiled to himself. No, she really couldn’t. Rachel was one of a kind and there wasn’t a woman who could hold a candle to her. That long red hair, her beautiful smile and that body…he stopped himself. He really needed to get back to his offer instead of dreaming about Rachel. The ales weren’t making Mary any more attractive, they were just making him want Rachel.
“The Drool Bear? You want to help us kill it?” Chuck asked, he was starting to sound drunk as well.
“Yeah, da drool bear thingy. Dat ting.” Jack finished his fourth ale and held up his hand for another round. Mary looked cross and he felt bad. She made her way across the floor to him. “Sorrys, Mary. If I asn’t sick I’d fuck ya.”
Mary huffed and returned to the bar.
Jack shot a glance at Dave and realized that he was starting to loosen up.
“So what’s it gonna cost us?” Dave asked. He could hold his liquor better than Jack or Chuck apparently.
“Twenty silvers. Dats ten fors mes and ten for the lovely Rachel,” Jack said as he fell onto his hands. “Where did my drink go?” He looked down and noticed all his mugs were empty.
“I tink yous drankeded it,” Chuck laughed.
“Well shit! Why’d I do dat?” Jack laughed back at Chuck.
“Twenty silver and you’ll kill the thing?” Dave asked.
“Yeppers. Well…mostly Rachel will. I’m like her sidekick.” Jack raised his hand, nearly falling over sideways, and soon a very annoyed Mary came back with three more ales.
“I wouldn’t fuck you if you were the last man on earth!” she yelled then turned back to the bar.
“Dats not what yous said five minutes ago, cutie. Wait,” Jack looked up at the clock. “Dat was like an hour ago,” Jack said and looked down at the ale.
She shot back a sad glance at him then went behind the bar again.
“You hurt her feelings,” Dave said.
“She juss wouldn’t…she’s…I’m taken,” Jack replied then fell on his face.
Chuck stumbled around the table and picked up Jack’s head then Dave lifted him up. Each of them took an arm and led him outside.
Mary followed them with a pitcher in her hand. When they were all outside she dumped the pitcher full of ice over his head.
“Maybe that will wake his ass up,” she huffed then went back inside.
“Holy shit! It’s hailing!” Jack yelled.
“No, Mary’s just getting some payback,” Dave smirked. “You deserved it.”
“Yeah, I did,” Jack said then tried to stand on his own. He stumbled a few feet forward but was able to catch himself before he fell. “This way lads. The beautiful and lovely Rachel awaits our good news.” Jack stumbled and swerved toward the camp.
Dave and Chuck caught up to him and stood on either side of him. He bounced between them a few times then seemed to
get his balance.
When they reached the camp Rachel heard them singing, very loudly and off key. She stood beside the fire tapping her foot. She crossed her arms and then the stench of ale assaulted her. Jack staggered toward the camp and noticed her first.
“Damn, you’re hot!” he yelled then started laughing. “And not just cause your standing by the fire.” He fell down laughing while Dave and Chuck stared at him.
Rachel didn’t say a word, only tapping her foot faster.
“Chuck,” the round man said and then stumbled close to the fire.
“Dave,” the tall, lanky man said and took a place beside Chuck.
“Get the fuck up you…” she couldn’t think of a good insult at the moment, she was too mad.
The Fire Maiden's Desire Page 2
