by David Aries
I pounced, doing my best to restrain her. It wasn’t plain sailing with a net binding my movements, but I managed to lock in a basic choke.
She squirmed. Her hands darted, searching for her knife.
I kicked the dagger away as her fingers drew near. Without it, she couldn’t overpower me. Her friend didn’t bother helping.
Once my foe was fast asleep, I released and stumbled to my feet.
The remaining thug nonchalantly watched. “It’s over.”
“Do I look dead to you?” I said, tossing the net away. Blood poured from my wounds but I was good to go.
“Good as. Lemme share something neat.” She pointed at her dripping red dagger. “See this? Ain’t just some random ass blade. Hell no. We coat these bad boys in poison. Fast-acting stuff.”
I froze and looked at my arms. It wasn’t a question of if I’d been injected but how much.
“Look at your face!” she cackled. “Now who’s pissing their damn pants? Don’t be scared, chump. It ain’t lethal. Usually. Just gonna make you real numb, yeah? Nice and still for me.”
I groaned and stumbled back, clutching my head. “No way. This can’t be happening.”
“Believe it, fool,” she laughed. “It’s only a matter of time.”
This was bad. I had to do something before it kicked in. But, after so many slices, I was on borrowed time. I panted and stared at my trembling hands. My movements slowed and breathing softened. It didn’t take long for me to go still.
“About time,” she said. “What an annoying jackass. Guess I’ll give you some cred. Better than those fools pretending to be guards. And that guy? Pfff, not even a contest.” She nudged one of her fallen comrades with her foot. “Get up, girl. I ain’t lugging this mark alo&emdash;”
I shoulder charged her from behind, flooring her.
She stared, disbelief obvious. Her hand reached for her sheath, but I pinned her down before she reached it.
“How?” she said. “We had you. You were done.”
“Not quite,” I said. “That was a bluff. I didn’t feel a thing.” The shaking and panting had been genuine. However, it had nothing to do with the poison. It was panic. Nothing more. She mistook my relief for falling under the toxin’s spell, so I decided to go along with it. Fake it until you make it, or something like that.
“What? That’s impossible. The fuck are you?!”
I put her to bed before she asked any more questions.
Not bad. You almost had me fooled.
“Thanks. For a fast-acting poison, it’s sure taking its time.”
I’m not complaining.
“Same here.” My injuries were on the mend. Being a half-breed sure was convenient. If I had to guess, it was the reason I wasn’t a living statue.
Still, letting these punks off with a beating seems light. They tried to kill you. There’s no need for mercy.
“Don’t even go there,” I said. Killing demons was one thing. Killing people…
Who knows when they’ll strike again? Next time, it might be Titania.
“Low blow. I’m not…” Those words played back. I wasn’t the only one with a bounty. And they’d attacked moments after Titania and I had separated. Why would they let one of us go? “Shit!”
I rushed after her but navigating Grabadon wasn’t my specialty. Every street looked the same. It was a damn maze.
“Titania!” I yelled. Had she gone back to the bar? What if she’d run away because of our argument? I had to find her. I’d followed to protect her. If I’d driven her into the arms of some bandits…
I sprinted around a corner and skidded to a stop. My eyes bulged. I couldn’t believe it.
Five punks were flat on the floor. Titania stood in the middle, stretching her muscles. Her brows lifted when she spotted me.
“Told you I can take care of myself,” she bragged, face triumphant.
“Are you okay?” I asked, grabbing her shoulders.
“Get offa me,” she said, pushing me away. “What’d I just say?”
“I was worried, alright?” My concerns seemed irrelevant. Then my heart dropped. “What’s that?”
There was a small slice on her upper right arm.
Titania glanced at it. “Just a scratch, you big wuss.”
“We need to get you back,” I said, grabbing her wrist.
“Fuck’s your problem?” she complained, wrestling me away. Mid-grapple she stumbled and landed on her ass. “That’s funny. My legs feel weird.”
I tensed. It was as I feared. I picked her up and got moving.
“Let me down,” she said, squirming. Her movements lacked strength. “I don’t need your help…”
As stubborn as ever. I ignored her. We had to get back to the club, quick.
Esther was right. Bounties were no jokes. We had a new threat to worry about.
Chapter 11
“That should do it,” Dessa said, placing down the empty vial.
Dessa was so flamboyant that her extraordinary alchemy skills easily slipped the mind. I was beyond grateful for her assistance. We all were. Only she could be relied upon to produce a paralysis antidote at such short notice.
Titania laid on a couch, completely still. She couldn’t move or speak. It was an unsettling sight. Far too close to the worst-case scenario.
“How long will it take?” I asked.
“Don’t be impatient, darling.”
“But…”
“Come, come, she’s drank a potion created by my own capable hands. A full recovery is guaranteed.”
I cracked a smile. Dessa’s cockiness was reassuring at times like this.
“She got lucky,” Esther said, squeezing Titania’s frigid hand. “We all did. If it’d been deadly…”
“I shouldn’t have let her go alone,” I said.
“You shouldn't have gone in the first place.”
Our absence had slipped under the radar. The first they knew of it was me barging in shortly after closing time. Esther was on the cusp of a severe admonishing when she noticed Titania’s limp body in my arms.
I’ll never forget her shattered expression, no matter how long I live.
“Trapdoors are for emergencies, not fraternizing around town,” Gall said, nursing a pint of something strong. She looked ready to keel on the bar. Effects of being kept awake after a night shift. “I can’t hide you if you won’t let me.”
“It won’t happen again,” I said, rubbing my neck. As if I had control over Titania.
If I had to choose between following orders and leaping to her aid, I’d choose the latter every time.
“Now you see why bounties are so dangerous,” Esther said, eyes lingering on Titania’s still face. “There’s always someone eager to cash in.”
“This wasn’t some random punk after a quick buck. They were coordinated, covered their faces, and never used names. Not to mention their nasty surprise.”
“Which only proves my point. You’re in grave danger as long as we stay. The sooner we can leave the better.”
No argument from me. It’d been far too close. I didn’t leave until I’d seen it through to the end. In that, I wasn’t alone. We remained by Titania’s side, even as sleep tried to latch in its talons. Only Dessa surrendered to temptation but she didn’t doubt the end result.
The wait was excruciating. Time crawled at a speed slower than mankind had experienced before. Night became day before substantial progress revealed itself. As sunlight snuck in through the entranceway, Titania finally found the strength to sit up.
“Sweetie!” Esther cheered, hugging Titania.
“Tina!” Gall roared, smothering her niece from behind.
“Get offa me,” Titania mumbled, lacking her usual bite.
“I was so worried,” Esther said, nuzzling cheek to cheek. “Don’t scare me like that ever again.”
Titania couldn’t pluck up a complaint but her face did burn a rather adorable red.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” I chuckled.
She grumbled, eyes darting away. “You saved me. Again.”
“That’s what friends are for.”
“I don’t remember becoming your friend.”
“Poison-induced memory loss?”
“So funny I forgot to laugh.”
“A lover’s tiff already? My Tina’s really back to normal,” Gall cheered, ruffling Titania’s head between her prodigious breasts.
Titania could squeak and complain all she wanted, but she wasn’t escaping her doting bedside minders until they were ready to grant her freedom.
I watched with a warm smile. If I’d been too late, this scene would have been impossible. I savored our success. No matter how Titania acted, or what she claimed, she was someone I wanted to protect.
***
Titania’s recovery progressed smoothly throughout the day. On the eve of opening time, she was back to her energetic best.
“I’m good. You can stop sticking so close,” she mumbled.
“It’s okay. It’s no bother,” Esther replied, making herself at home in Titania’s personal space. She’d been an honorary resident since morning.
Titania tried to put some distance between them. Esther glided after without batting an eyelid. She’d have to do better than that.
“Maybe I shouldn’t open tonight,” Gall groaned, watching them play.
“What happened to keeping the rozzers off your tail?” I asked from my seat at the bar.
“But, my little Tina. What if she has a turn? How will Auntie kiss her better?”
“That might have the opposite effect.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Dessa giggled. Unlike the rest of us, there wasn’t a hint of exhaustion weighing down her eyes. “I find kissing to be a very effective cure for a whole list of ailments. Would you like to see for yourself, darling boy?” She wetted her tempting, pink lips.
“Erm,” I mumbled, glancing at our company. “Maybe another time.”
“How about a piece of Auntie?” the grinning Gall said, puckering her own ruby reds.
I gulped. That was a road I didn’t wanna go down.
Before I had a chance to answer, there was a knock at the door. Anxiety spread like a wildfire. I perched, ready to bolt.
Gall relieved all worries with a hasty answer. “Bloody Nora! What happened to your face?”
Sophie waltzed in. She’d seen better days. Her cheek was swollen, there was a cut on her lower lip, and the seeds of a black eye were sprouting.
“What happened?” I said.
“Do you all need to ask?” Sophie replied. “I’m gonna say. At least let me through the door.” She settled at the bar and got herself a glass of ale. “That’s the good stuff. Perfect tonic after a little roughhousing.”
“What sorta homes are you comparing to?” I asked.
“This ain’t much. I’m a tough girl. I’ve had worse. Not that I’m happy about it.” She took another swig and winced. “Being the saint I am, though I’d ask around. Find out who jumped you.”
“They did this?”
“Damn straight. You guys caught the attention of some nasty pieces of shit.”
“Who are they?” Esther asked.
“You cut right to the chase, don’t you?” Sophie pulled a card from her pocket. It carried a symbol reminiscent of a red eye. “Seen this before?”
There were a lot of blank faces.
“The Oath, right?” Gall said.
“She knows. The Oath. Lame name, dangerous group. Used to be bit-part players. Had a change in command and got real aggressive. Now they’re the biggest gang in the district. Got a finger in every shady industry going. Extortion, robbery, drugs; all traced back to them. Guards won’t do a thing and the other crews are running scared.”
“I’ve heard rumors. They’re being led by this monster of a guy. Huge. Biggest bloke anyone’s ever seen.”
“Human to boot. Full-blooded and all. Puts Jakey to shame.”
“There was nobody like that last night,” I said.
Titania confirmed the same on her end.
“And he didn’t slap me around in person,” Sophie said. “It’s them. This info is good. They ain’t hiding it. They’re looking for you two. Your bloody nose pissed them off. Now they want revenge and dosh.”
“Because we’ve got enough problems,” Esther said.
“We didn’t start it,” Titania huffed.
“I don’t care. You heard her. This Oath’s bad news. No more sneaking around. Do I make myself clear?”
Titania’s expression scrunched. “Yes, Boss…”
“Don’t think I’m forgetting you,” Esther said, stern gaze finding me.
“Got it,” I grumbled, rubbing my neck.
Letting a criminal gang do what they wanted didn’t sit right with me, especially after what they’d done to my friends. People who exploited those trapped by demons were no better than the monsters outside the walls. It would be best for everyone if The Oath ceased operations.
You know, this is why Esther treats you like a child.
My inner demon didn’t usually turn down a fight.
Who said I was? Scum like that deserves a snuffing.
Agreed, but I couldn’t do anything. I was a wanted man. I’d caused enough trouble.
Opening time rolled around not soon after. The other nuisance and I were stuffed back in our barrel.
Esther inquired into joining us. We rejected without hesitation. There was hardly room for two. The last thing we needed was a roommate. I was still sleeping on the floor.
After surrendering the majority of the previous night to worrying about Titania, I was ready to crash. I hadn’t had a proper night’s rest since becoming an outlaw. How I missed snuggling between my two gorgeous lovers.
“Hey,” Titania said.
“My thoughts were clean,” I blurted out.
“The fuck are you talking about?” Disdain was written all over her face.
“Nothing. Ignore that. I’m good. Did you need something?”
“I don’t need anything,” Titania grumbled, fidgeting. “But I guess you could be useful.” It was as if asking made her uncomfortable.
My cheeks gained color. Was she struggling with the same problem as me? Working together would be a lot more efficient than doing it solo. Nothing beat a woman’s touch. But I couldn’t believe Titania was willing to do something like that. Was she that desperate?
“Let’s spar,” she proclaimed, posing for combat.
I choked on air. My idiocy knew no bounds.
“Fuck you laughing at?!” Titania snapped.
“Nothing. My bad,” I insisted, attempting to wave away her concerns. “Surprised you asked, is all.”
“Don’t make it sound weird. I was paralleled last night.”
“Paralyzed.”
“Whatever. It was horrible. I was totally helpless. And it’s because I got sloppy.” Titania pointed at me. “You’re gonna help me train. Not that I’m picking you especially. You’re the only choice I’ve got.”
“You don’t need to justify it. I’m happy to help.” It was better than being pushed aside, even with the clear disclaimer. Training would benefit me as well. My regime had fallen by the wayside since reaching Graba&emdash;
Titania kicked my exposed ribs.
I grunted and lifted my guard. “What the hell?!”
“Training, duh.”
“You meant now?”
“That’s what I said.”
“No, it wasn’t.” Our snug cabin for one wasn’t the ideal venue for an aboveboard scrap. The wagon was cramped enough and it eclipsed our impromptu dojo.
“Stop being a baby,” Titania said, lunging at me.
I hopped back and struck the wall. Damn enclosed space. There was nowhere to go. I kept my arms up to block the worst of her hits.
Titania’s attacks were wild; not what you’d expect from a trained soldier. She abandoned the principles of a tank and went on a reckless offensive. Speed-wise she was a l
eague slower than Esther but attacked with more urgency. Each strike was packed with power. Her kicks were like being clobbered by a baseball bat.
The compact fighting space nullified the speed discrepancy. There wasn’t room to outmaneuver.
“You’re getting your ass kicked,” Titania cheered, drilling a thudding right jab into my meat shield.
“This isn’t a fight.”
“Shut it, excuses-boy.”
She ain’t wrong. Sparring or not, she’s making you her bitch. Do you get off on being her punching bag?
I was no masochist. Circumstances trapped me. My back was to the wall, literally, unless I came out swinging.
What’s stopping you?
He knew full well. I didn’t like fighting women. Defending myself was one thing. Lunging at my friend, who had only just recovered from paralysis, was another.
My god, you’re being such a wuss. You happy getting your ass kicked?
Hell no.
Exactly. Stop treating her like some delicate little girl. It’s Titania. Fucking Titania. What’s fragile about her?
It was a fine point. Enter her in MMA and she’d clean up her weight class, regardless of gender. You needed serious fighting chops to corner me, practice or not.
Exactly. Stop being a wet blanket. She’s itching for a fight. Give her one.
“Is this all you’ve got?!” Titania scoffed, grinning from pointy ear to ear. “I never knew you were this weak.” Her red eyes were ablaze with passion. It was the same twinkle Blair had when she talked about machines. An enthusiast in her element.
It’s upsetting discovering you’re dumber than a voice in your head.
“Sorry to disappoint, but I’m only getting started,” I said, opening my guard.
Titania buried her arm deep into my trap.
I snapped shut, catching her wrist under my shoulder. A swift kick toppled her base, spinning her into my possession. My free arm slipped under her chin, locking her down.
She thrashed in my hold. Her strength was impressive, but it wasn’t enough to overpower my height, weight, and gender advantage. Forfeiting was her only option.
Once she stopped fighting, I let her go.
“Dammit,” she growled, rubbing her neck. “The fuck was that?”
“A little something I picked up back home.” You didn’t need to be a soldier to know some tricks. Bouncers had great tips for dealing with boisterous opponents.
