Loyalty Oath

by Edmund Hughes

  Jack had been resting against one of the cave’s walls, but he sat up to flash a smile at Katie in response to the question.

  “Never in a million years would I expect you to ask after Mira in that tone of voice,” said Jack. “It almost sounds like you care about her or something.”

  Katie scowled at him.

  “I’m just curious,” she said. “I don’t like loose ends.”

  “She’s alright,” said Jack. “As far as I know. It took her a while to get used to being human again, after the fight with Pierce and Volandar. She became a big part of my life, and almost started to settle down and get comfortable. But…”

  “But?” said Katie.

  “Mezolak showed up.” Jack shrugged. “I made the stupid deal with him. Mira wanted to stay close to me, as my thrall, but he saw right through her. Shot her in front of me.”

  “Oh god,” said Katie. “I’m sorry.”

  “I couldn’t let her die,” said Jack. “So… I gave her the Embrace. She’s a vampire again.”

  “You… what?”

  “It was the only option I had at the time,” said Jack. “Kind of ironic, really. Technically I’m her broodfather now.”

  “Gross,” said Katie. “Don’t phrase it like that.”

  “What?” said Jack. “Like her being my broodmother sounded any better.”

  “The two of you were like horny teenagers half the time you were together,” said Katie.

  “That would be the half in which we weren’t engaged in supernatural combat,” said Jack.

  She smiled at him and set the last few pieces of wood down into the circle of rocks she’d assembled to contain the fire. Jack heard her muttering an incantation under her breath, and a second later, flames danced inside her palm. Some of the wood was still wet, but she lit the dry pieces in several places, giving it a strong start.

  “Nifty,” said Jack. “I take it you learned that from Margaret?”

  “Yeah,” said Katie.

  Jack moved himself closer to the fire, basking in its warmth. Katie slid in next to him, and he felt her hand slide into his. It was such a simple gesture, but it was enough to make him forget about his leg, the handcuffs, and all the rest of his troubles.

  “I wonder sometimes…” said Katie. “If I made the right choice.”

  “About joining the Order?” asked Jack.

  She nodded. “It seemed like the right thing to do, at the time. I’ve learned so much, and become so much stronger. But I can see how me being gone from the island has affected things.”

  “Eh,” said Jack. “That might just be your ego talking.”

  “Fuck you,” she said, playfully. “I’m serious. And I’m not just talking about how I could have helped you. I heard about the storm that destroyed most of the town…”

  “It was instigated by a water nymph,” said Jack. “It was pretty rough.”

  “If I’d been around for that, maybe things would have gone differently,” said Katie. “For you. For Ryoko. For everyone.”

  Jack let the silence hold for a couple of seconds. He understood the doubts she was having. He’d had similar ones before, especially over Ryoko and what he could have done differently to support her.

  “What was left for you on Lestaron Island, though?” asked Jack. “A hungry vampire? Half of a mansion you wanted to sell anyway? It’s not like it was a place bustling with opportunities.”

  “Well, why were you there?” asked Katie.

  “To keep myself out of trouble,” said Jack. “And I guess because of Ryoko, and Mira. Neither of them really had anywhere else to go.”

  “Maybe I could have been satisfied with just that, too,” said Katie. “I still have dreams where I’m back on the island. Hell, I even have dreams where you’re…”

  She blushed, and her hand went to her neck. Jack made the mistake of inhaling through his nose, and between the smell and the expression on Katie’s face, he had to draw on his willpower to keep himself in line. His bloodthirst had been growing more intense by the minute as his body directed his blood essence reserves toward healing his leg.

  “You’re thirsty,” said Katie. “Aren’t you?”

  He didn’t answer her. Katie reached into the pouch of her windbreaker and pulled out a small vial.

  “Is that what I think it is?” asked Jack.

  She flashed a small, mischievous smile. “All members of the Order carry a few different potions on them at all times. It’s usually up to each individual mage’s discretion to decide which ones are most useful for their situation.”

  “Are you running into vampires that often?” he asked.

  “Better safe than sorry,” she said. “Old habits die hard.”

  Katie pulled the stopper from the flask and downed it in a single sip. Jack stared at her, feeling almost heady with anticipation at what would come next.

  CHAPTER 17

  Neither of them said anything for at least a minute. A thick tension had joined them within the cave, and Jack got the sense that the heat of the fire wasn’t the only reason why he felt warm.

  “It’s going to take a few minutes for the potion to start working, right?” he said, more to fill the silence than for the sake of the question.

  “Five to ten minutes,” said Katie. “I used to wait for twenty back at the mansion, but it should be fine.”

  Five minutes. It was such a short amount of time normally, but in that moment, it felt like an eternity. Katie’s smell had him by the nose, along with another lower part of his body. He slid a little closer to her around the fire. She was taking forcibly slow breaths and shuddered slightly as his shoulder made contact with hers.

  “How long do you think it’s been?” asked Jack.

  Katie rubbed her neck. “Months. Since that last time in the Emerald Keep.”

  “Uh, I meant… how long it’s been since you took the potion?”

  “Oh!” Katie let out a nervous laugh. “Not that long. We still have a minute or two.”

  She slipped out of her windbreaker and spread it down across the smooth cave floor behind them. Jack felt his heart pounding in his chest, pumping blood to all sorts of interesting places. Katie slid back in close to him, and it took him a second to realize what she was doing as she pulled out the key to the handcuffs and unlocked them. He furrowed his brow at her.

  “What?” asked Katie.

  “Half the time you insist that I wear handcuffs when I feed on you,” said Jack. “I figured given everything that’s been going on that this would be one of those times.”

  “The handcuffs just… make it harder,” said Katie. “Why bother with them?”

  “To keep you safe,” said Jack. “To keep me from…”

  He trailed off. The tension was unbelievable, and the once spacious cave now seemed tiny enough to push them on top of one another.

  “It’ll be fine,” said Katie. “I’m not a little girl. I can handle you.”

  “You can handle me?” Jack smiled at her. “Those are fighting words, Katie.”

  “I could take you in a fight, Jack,” she said. “I’ve come a long way.”

  “Have you, now?” He lifted his now untethered hand, and caressed her neck with a single finger. Katie held his gaze, and she did a good job at hiding the shudder that ran through her.

  They both lost control at the same instant, falling into an embrace, lips locking together like magnets that had veered within range. Jack kissed her deeply, and Katie ran her hands through his hair. He had missed her so much. Far more than he’d let himself realize.

  They pawed at each other like it was their first time. Katie’s workout top was made of a stretchy fabric, and Jack could feel her nipples poking out against it, under his palms. Her hand was slowly rubbing his crotch in a gentle, teasing motion.

  “The potion should be working now,” whispered Katie. “You can bite me.”

  Jack gave her nipple a soft pinch through the fabric of her shirt. Katie shuddered and squeezed his bulge thro
ugh his pants. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head.

  She wasn’t wearing a bra underneath. The fire’s soft illumination let him see her breasts in their full glory. They were a little larger than average, with a full, healthy pertness that made them seem like they were begging to be squeezed.

  “My neck is up here,” said Katie. Her cheeks were red, and Jack grinned as he reluctantly tore his gaze off her chest.

  “I don’t just want your neck,” said Jack. “I want all of you.”

  He slid a hand along Katie’s thigh, and saw her bite her lip in response. Her hair was still in a ponytail, and she flicked it over to the opposite shoulder, exposing the pale nape of her beautiful, flawless neck.

  He planted a kiss on it, and then another. Katie’s fingers unzipped his pants with a few deft movements, and he felt her soft, warm touch as her hand slid into his boxers.

  “I’m just going to take a sip,” he whispered. The words were as much for him as they were for her. He didn’t want to lose control and overdo it, not on the first time after so long.

  “Okay,” said Katie. “I’m ready.”

  She was more than ready. She’d worked his shaft out of his boxers completely and was doing incredible things with her hand. Jack felt her speed up her pace as let his breath tickle her neck, and then he felt her give him a squeeze as he sank his fangs in.

  God, how he’d missed Katie. Her blood brought a brilliant, euphoric clarity to the moment that made him feel like a fool for ever letting her get away from him. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to fuck her. He wanted to hold her and have her for keeps.

  He took a sip, and then stopped, just as he’d promised. Katie flinched as his fangs left her neck, and her eyebrows went up in confusion.

  “That’s it?” she whispered. “You… can take more, you know.”

  “I know.” Jack pulled her yoga pants down, and then her panties. “I’m going to. Small sips, as we go.”

  Katie let out a low, anticipatory moan.

  “I’ll take another right as I push inside you,” he said. “And then another, when I make you cum.”

  In his time during feeding off club girls and enjoying the party scene, he’d learned a few things. Katie was biting her lip and leaning back on her windbreaker, legs open, all but pulling him forward onto her. He knew exactly what to do to tease, and to please.

  “Oh god,” she whispered. “Jack… hurry up!”

  He let his erection press between her legs but only grazed her with it instead of pushing in. He did the same thing with his lips and fangs, tickling the spot he usually bit. Pushing Katie to the brink before letting her have what she so desperately needed.

  “Jack!” she said, in a lusty, urgent voice.

  “I thought you said you could handle me?” whispered Jack.

  Katie grabbed him by the back of the head and gave him a deep kiss. Jack gripped her by the ponytail and gently pulled her head back. She let out a pleasured whimper, and he sprung on the attack.

  Two parts of his body penetrated her in perfect unison. Katie let out the kind of dirty squeal that most men never get to hear. He’d told her that he’d bite her when he entered her and when she came. He hadn’t been expecting both to happen at the same time.

  “Oh!” she cried. “Oh god, Jack!”

  He moved, thrusting into her, enjoying every inch of her soft, warm body. Katie wrapped her legs around him and buried her face against his shoulder. He held her in a tight, loving embrace, burning each moment of the encounter into his long-term memory.

  He let his hands run over her breasts and butt. He pushed as deeply into her as he could go and planted soft kiss after soft kiss on her lips. Katie ran her hand through his hair, urging him on.

  It was as hot as it was intimate. There’d always been so many barriers between him and Katie, whether it was her relationship status, the friction between them, or something else. This time, there was nothing stopping them. Jack pumped into her faster, enjoying the tight, hot sensation of her womanhood. Katie kissed him, and then nuzzled her cheek and neck against his lips.

  “One more time?” she whispered.

  “Say please,” said Jack.

  Katie scowled at him and chose to kiss and then suck on his earlobe, instead. That was enough.

  Jack let his lips tease her neck while he focused on his own pleasure. He let his pace build until he was giving it to her with hard, aggressive movements, and then kept going until he was about to burst. He bit Katie and drank her blood right as he passed over the edge, and the pleasure was more than worth the effort.

  She tasted so good. He savored her delicious, lemony scent as he unloaded inside of her. Katie let out a satisfied shudder as he pulled back.

  “Jack,” she said. “I…”

  She closed her eyes for a moment, and stared directly at him as she reopened them.

  “I love you,” whispered Katie.

  Jack pulled her into a tight, sweaty hug.

  “I love you, too,” he said.

  CHAPTER 18

  The fire kept them warm as they lay together in each other’s arms. Jack wanted the moment, or a variation of it, to last forever. He wanted to go back to the mansion with Katie and back to their old lives, and he wanted to bring this newfound closeness along with him.

  But it was just a dream. The fire started to die down, and the cold air from the bottom of the ravine pushed its way into the cave. Jack and Katie both pulled their clothes back on in silence. Jack heard the handcuffs rustle as Katie wiggled back into her yoga pants, and he winced at the idea of sleeping with his hands behind his back.

  “I don’t see the need for them tonight,” said Katie, seeming to read his thoughts. “Tomorrow, though. When we get close to encountering Margaret and the others, I probably should put them back on you.”

  Jack sighed and nodded his head.

  “I’d almost forgotten that I was a prisoner,” he said.

  “You and me both,” said Katie. “I’m sorry. Really, I am. This whole situation is just one giant clusterfuck.”

  “Mezolak has to be stopped,” said Jack. “Katie, there’s more to his plan than just avoiding the Order of Chaldea’s scrutiny. He has Zedekiah’s Scepter, and he’s twisted it with his magic. He’s using it for necromancy, and started turning corpses into ancient, supernatural monsters.”

  “How the hell did he get his hands on that?” snapped Katie. “I thought Pierce was in possession of it, still.”

  “He was.” Jack didn’t elaborate, and Katie didn’t pry for more details.

  “Jack, I don’t know how much I can do,” she said. “My voice doesn’t hold much weight in the Order. I can try to convince Margaret, but after what happened on the train, she’s going to be suspicious of any information coming from you.”

  “Do what you can,” said Jack. “I’ll do the same. Even if it means just keeping myself away from Mezolak so he doesn’t have one more tool at his disposal.”

  Katie’s expression took on a disconcerted quality as she listened to his words.

  “You’re not a tool,” she said. “Regardless of what the Order ends up doing, I’m going to help find a way for you to be free of this stupid loyalty oath thing. You’re an idiot for making a deal with a demon, by the way.”

  “Yeah,” said Jack. “I know.”

  Katie put what was left of the driftwood onto the fire, and the two of them curled up together in front of it. The stone floor was hard, but Katie’s body was soft, and Jack fell asleep in her embrace.

  ***

  She shook him awake after what felt like only a minute or two. He scowled as he sat up, feeling a dozen aches and pains across the length of his body. How long had it been since he’d gotten a good night’s sleep? Hell, how many days had it been since he’d even slept in an actual bed?

  “There’s something outside the cave,” whispered Katie.

  “Human or monster?” asked Jack.

  “Animal, I think,” whispered Kat
ie.

  Jack sat up slowly. His leg felt better, still bruised and sluggish, but not nearly as bad as it had been earlier in the day. He slowly made his way to the mouth of the cave, frowning as he saw how obvious their presence was, even from just the light of the dying fire.

  It took a couple of seconds for his eyes to adjust to the night, even with his vampiric night vision. As soon as they did, however, he immediately made out the silhouette of a panther heading down the river bank in their direction.

  “One of Reese’s cats,” whispered Jack. “Fuck.”

  “I can take it out with a spell,” said Katie.

  “You mean kill it?”

  “What else can we do?” asked Katie. “Don’t tell me you have a soft spot for the crazy cat girl?”

  “I just…” Jack exhaled through his teeth. “I don’t think it makes a difference, either way. I’ll take care of it.”

  He moved toward the animal slowly, and saw it immediately perk its attention in his direction. Jack cast Spectral Hand and seized the cat with two long, looping shadow tendrils. It let out a loud, rumbling hiss, but he ignored it, lifting it up and down a few times to get a sense of its weight.

  With a swinging, gentle movement, Jack tossed the panther up into the air, and over the ravine’s upper edge. It landed with a thud, and he heard the rustle of grass, indicating that the fall hadn’t broken any bones or injured it. The panther would have to head all the way around to a point where the cliffs weren’t so steep if it wanted to get back down to them, which would take hours, if it managed it at all.

  “Fuck,” said Katie. “She’ll know we’re here, won’t she?”

  “She might even be close by right now,” said Jack.

  He frowned, considering his options. If he used his Blood Sight to reach out to Reese, he could probably figure out where she was in relation to them. Unfortunately, the connection went two ways, and he’d run the risk of leaving himself open to one of her commands. It was too dangerous to try, he decided.

  “We can’t stay here, then,” said Katie. “We’ll have to try to travel through the night.”