Wednesday, June 2, 2010
"Your agent said that Havens is your home, and that this is your resting place."
Grim looked up at the runes over the door, now modified. None shall enter without my permission or they shall be destroyed.
Treated with scorn by everyone, he had finally realized that it wasn't worth beating his head against the wall over and over and over. Raina refused to consider him a leader and was sleeping with LeBeau, which meant only a matter of time before he would be a "leader" and the 'mancers would take over. Lue didn't care for him anymore. Stefan was gone. Kalius hated him. The technomancers hated him. Jack was a lost cause. Shadow said he was done with them, too.
Rusty suggested to concentrate on building up the warehouse, of building the school. He woke up this morning, deciding that was a great idea.
The hell with Havens. The gypsies took over the palace. He handed over the keys and walked out. He pulled the Havens comm out of his ear and tossed it to the ground, stomping it underfoot. If someone really wanted him - which he now doubted - he'd still have his phone. But like a rejected lover, he never expected it to ring from them again.
Time to go find some teachers and students for his school.
Grim looked up at the runes over the door, now modified. None shall enter without my permission or they shall be destroyed.
Treated with scorn by everyone, he had finally realized that it wasn't worth beating his head against the wall over and over and over. Raina refused to consider him a leader and was sleeping with LeBeau, which meant only a matter of time before he would be a "leader" and the 'mancers would take over. Lue didn't care for him anymore. Stefan was gone. Kalius hated him. The technomancers hated him. Jack was a lost cause. Shadow said he was done with them, too.
Rusty suggested to concentrate on building up the warehouse, of building the school. He woke up this morning, deciding that was a great idea.
The hell with Havens. The gypsies took over the palace. He handed over the keys and walked out. He pulled the Havens comm out of his ear and tossed it to the ground, stomping it underfoot. If someone really wanted him - which he now doubted - he'd still have his phone. But like a rejected lover, he never expected it to ring from them again.
Time to go find some teachers and students for his school.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Icy Rage was outside and watched as the body was brought into the compound. Master Li, one of the best swordsmen in Paragon, bested by a mere mage. Rage went over to the body and pulled off the blanket. It had been pierced with multiple spikes - he could see the results of the Copper Serpent venom on the wounds. His uniform had been torn and parts of the flesh beneath torn off as well.
The sorcerer who had been his lookout was slated to be punished. He was already shackled to a post outside, and he would be put in the well later. Icy Rage went over to the man.
His topknot was undone and hung loosely down his back. He wore only his hakama, his socks and sandals lost. The soon-to-be-ex sorcerer looked up at Icy Rage. "What happened, dog?" Icy Rage demanded.
"The Traitor was there, too, with the Crystal Boy - and a woman with an army!"
Rage narrrowed his eyes. "Oh, really."
"They came from out of nowhere. I did everything I could, Master, I used every power I had. They defeated me first, but Master Li was still fighting."
Rage glanced at the body. "So how many were there?"
"The Crystal Boy - he was in black armor and he used black magic that terrified us. The Traitor, he had different magic than the Tsoo, Master Li said so. And the woman was all white, with ghosts who attacked us and disappeared."
Icy Rage tapped his finger against his chin in thought. "Did the Traitor seem to protect the woman?"
"I did not notice, Master."
Rage had heard this Copper Serpent was difficult morally and they had to break him, as happened to most boys at his age. Could it be that after leaving the compound, he had found a woman to attach himself to? Rage nodded to himself, kicked mud on the sorcerer and walked away. Now there were two people they could use against this Traitor.
Icy Rage reported to Tub Ci, and waited outside his office for two hours before being seen. He had not gotten to be the best in his abilities by being impatient. Tub Ci looked at him with lidded eyes. "Is the Traitor dead?"
"No, Master," Icy Rage said with a bow, "though I have new information. I would like to take some of your men and direct them against another person that assisted the Traitor."
"So the Crystal Boy did not kill Master Li?"
"He did not, Master. The Traitor did, with the assistance of a woman who summoned spirits."
Tub Ci tilted his head. "Really."
"That is what the Failed Sorcerer outside said."
"Have Herald Chi Kang tear the image of the woman from his mind and show you all, and then throw him in the well."
"Yes, Master," he said, bowing. He found the Herald in the mess hall, and brought him to the failed sorcerer. Kang looked the man over and gave him a predatory grin. Rage said, "He saw a woman who assisted a traitor of ours. Show him me she is."
The Herald nodded, and put a finger on the sorcerer's temple. The sorcerer tried not to scream, but his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell backwards. Then the Herald turned to Icy Rage and placed his finger on his temple. He got a vision of a woman in revealing costume, with white hair, partially visible, fading in and out of view. Icy Rage didn't really want him to show everyone else, not yet.
Not until he had his moment with her.
((This was retconned - it never happened. However I figured on keeping it here.))
Grim turned over, and looked at Lue's smiling face. "Morning sleepy head," he said with a grin. He whispered the spell and kissed Grim gently.
Grim smiled, putting his arms around him. "I must have been more tired than I thought."
"After last night, they gave me the day off," Lue settled in next to him. "What do you want to do?"
"We can do more research for Blue."
Lue nodded. "I'll go get us some coffee."
"Cream, four sugars."
Lue after another kiss, he walked down to the door of the warehouse, and suddenly got a sharp pain in his chest. It wasn't where his heart was, but it was the place he would feel tugs when the avatar was being used by Grim. He whirled around, and ran back to the bedroom, which suddenly exuded a sickly yellow glow. He ran into the glow and saw Grim in the middle of it, still sitting on the bed, staring at himself. He was beginning to go intangible.
"Grim!" Lue yelled, and ran to him.
Grim reached out his hands to Lue, but they passed through him. "LUE!" he screamed, and slowly faded away.
When Grim was gone, Lue slammed his fists on the bed in pure fury. "Grim..." he sobbed, falling to his knees beside the bed.
Grim looked down and saw he was still sitting and now wearing the gray clothes that he wore when he did reaper work. The world around him was cast in a yellow fog, though he could see his way through it. He was in the middle of a forest. He got up and stretched his black wings. He heard a noise in the brush, and turned toward it. Then another on the other side. Then another. His hand dropped to his belt, but his dagger was gone.
Slowly, angels came out from the trees. They were all in white, all carrying swords. He counted six of them.
"Uh...hi?"
They spoke in unison: "You have brought humans into the spirit world without permission."
"It was an emergency. Somebody else brought one of ours here--"
"But--"
All the angels raised their swords and pointed them at him. Grim put his hands up.
"Only one can come with you," said one angel, coming toward him, still holding the sword out. "The one whose heart belongs to you."
Grim nodded. "Okay, look, I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
"No," said the angel, "You will not."
They all spoke together, "For a cycle of the moon, you will have pain upon your return from here, to remember that the living are not permitted entry here."
Grim had felt pain before, but nothing like this. It filled his entire body, like someone was sticking knives in him, inside and out. Someone was tearing off his wings, his flesh, his eyes. He couldn't help but scream in agony, and that didn't help things. The pain went on and on, seemingly forever, and then it got worse. He prayed for bliss. He prayed to pass out, but he couldn't. Finally, either it abated or he got used to it, he couldn't tell which, and he slowly felt the coolness of stone on his face. He slowly moved sideways, moaning from the leftover pain.
He heard someone bounding up the stairs, and felt Lue skid to the floor next to him. "Beloved! Are you all right?"
"Pain..." he moaned. "Everywhere."
Lue started drawing a pain blocking rune on his temple. Grim screamed and writhed, slamming his head on the stone floor. Lue stopped and tried to hold him down to withdraw the rune. He finally did, and Grim calmed, breathing heavily. Lue held him, rocking him, as the pain subsided, though it seemed to take a very long time. Finally, Grim could speak coherently, and told Lue what had happened. Lue clenched his jaw. "Again, you suffer for them!"
"I honestly didn't think, it was all my fault--"
"They should share this pain with you. But they wouldn't. I would ."
Grim shook his head. "I don't want you to, love. It's only for a month. I'll be okay. I can't die from it." He looked up at Lue. "Just hold me when it happens?"
Lue held him tight. "I will. Always."
Grim turned over, and looked at Lue's smiling face. "Morning sleepy head," he said with a grin. He whispered the spell and kissed Grim gently.
Grim smiled, putting his arms around him. "I must have been more tired than I thought."
"After last night, they gave me the day off," Lue settled in next to him. "What do you want to do?"
"We can do more research for Blue."
Lue nodded. "I'll go get us some coffee."
"Cream, four sugars."
Lue after another kiss, he walked down to the door of the warehouse, and suddenly got a sharp pain in his chest. It wasn't where his heart was, but it was the place he would feel tugs when the avatar was being used by Grim. He whirled around, and ran back to the bedroom, which suddenly exuded a sickly yellow glow. He ran into the glow and saw Grim in the middle of it, still sitting on the bed, staring at himself. He was beginning to go intangible.
"Grim!" Lue yelled, and ran to him.
Grim reached out his hands to Lue, but they passed through him. "LUE!" he screamed, and slowly faded away.
When Grim was gone, Lue slammed his fists on the bed in pure fury. "Grim..." he sobbed, falling to his knees beside the bed.
Grim looked down and saw he was still sitting and now wearing the gray clothes that he wore when he did reaper work. The world around him was cast in a yellow fog, though he could see his way through it. He was in the middle of a forest. He got up and stretched his black wings. He heard a noise in the brush, and turned toward it. Then another on the other side. Then another. His hand dropped to his belt, but his dagger was gone.
Slowly, angels came out from the trees. They were all in white, all carrying swords. He counted six of them.
"Uh...hi?"
They spoke in unison: "You have brought humans into the spirit world without permission."
"It was an emergency. Somebody else brought one of ours here--"
"They were not to be exposed to this world. They did not all have to come here."
"But--"
All the angels raised their swords and pointed them at him. Grim put his hands up.
"Only one can come with you," said one angel, coming toward him, still holding the sword out. "The one whose heart belongs to you."
Grim nodded. "Okay, look, I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
"No," said the angel, "You will not."
They all spoke together, "For a cycle of the moon, you will have pain upon your return from here, to remember that the living are not permitted entry here."
Grim had felt pain before, but nothing like this. It filled his entire body, like someone was sticking knives in him, inside and out. Someone was tearing off his wings, his flesh, his eyes. He couldn't help but scream in agony, and that didn't help things. The pain went on and on, seemingly forever, and then it got worse. He prayed for bliss. He prayed to pass out, but he couldn't. Finally, either it abated or he got used to it, he couldn't tell which, and he slowly felt the coolness of stone on his face. He slowly moved sideways, moaning from the leftover pain.
He heard someone bounding up the stairs, and felt Lue skid to the floor next to him. "Beloved! Are you all right?"
"Pain..." he moaned. "Everywhere."
Lue started drawing a pain blocking rune on his temple. Grim screamed and writhed, slamming his head on the stone floor. Lue stopped and tried to hold him down to withdraw the rune. He finally did, and Grim calmed, breathing heavily. Lue held him, rocking him, as the pain subsided, though it seemed to take a very long time. Finally, Grim could speak coherently, and told Lue what had happened. Lue clenched his jaw. "Again, you suffer for them!"
"I honestly didn't think, it was all my fault--"
"They should share this pain with you. But they wouldn't. I would ."
Grim shook his head. "I don't want you to, love. It's only for a month. I'll be okay. I can't die from it." He looked up at Lue. "Just hold me when it happens?"
Lue held him tight. "I will. Always."
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tub Ci steepled his hands below his chin and regarded the five men standing before him. “Gentlemen, we have a problem.”
The men stood perfectly still. All of them looked like sorcerers, with the long gown-like hakama, some with shirts, others without and proudly exposing their yazuka tattoos. They were more than sorcerers, but warriors with some sorcerer abilities, and five of the best from all over Paragon and beyond.
"I have summoned you here because we have a traitor that needs to be destroyed."
"A traitor!" snarled Red Mist, "I will tear his soul from his body."
"I expect you do to more than that." He put his hands down. "He has taken down my gambling dens, he has attacked and killed many of my men in Steel Canyon, Talos Island, and Independence Port. And now, his most recent offense..." He pulled out a piece of paper and passed it across his desk.
Mr. Po, one of the Dragonfly, picked it up. His eyes widened. "This is...one of our basic spells! Translated into English!"
Others peered over his shoulder, and Red Mist tore it out of Po's hand. "This is a sacrilege!"
Icy Rage said quietly, "He must be more than destroyed. He must be made an example of."
Tub Ci said, "Him, and his sidekick, a Crystal Boy."
A couple of the men chuckled, knowing that meant it would be easier to get to main target. Take out the support, and then the target would be alone. The others looked angry - to associate with a gay man, a so-called "crystal boy", was worse than marrying your sister. Homosexuality was very taboo among the Hmong, and even worse among the Triads, where men were expected to be men, and not effeminate weaklings.
"The Crystal Boy has been passing these out in Steel Canyon. I want one of you to follow him, and then lay in wait for him. You will attack and destroy him and these pamphlets. Who will go?"
"I will," said Master Li, drawing his swords with a bow and presenting them lengthwise to Tub Ci. "He will have no chance against me."
Tub Ci nodded. "He's just a simple summoner from what I understand, who can do nothing without assistance." He looked to the other men. "The rest of you will have your chance against Lue Xiong, who shall be known from now on among us as The Traitor Serpent."
The men stood perfectly still. All of them looked like sorcerers, with the long gown-like hakama, some with shirts, others without and proudly exposing their yazuka tattoos. They were more than sorcerers, but warriors with some sorcerer abilities, and five of the best from all over Paragon and beyond.
"I have summoned you here because we have a traitor that needs to be destroyed."
"A traitor!" snarled Red Mist, "I will tear his soul from his body."
"I expect you do to more than that." He put his hands down. "He has taken down my gambling dens, he has attacked and killed many of my men in Steel Canyon, Talos Island, and Independence Port. And now, his most recent offense..." He pulled out a piece of paper and passed it across his desk.
Mr. Po, one of the Dragonfly, picked it up. His eyes widened. "This is...one of our basic spells! Translated into English!"
Others peered over his shoulder, and Red Mist tore it out of Po's hand. "This is a sacrilege!"
Icy Rage said quietly, "He must be more than destroyed. He must be made an example of."
Tub Ci said, "Him, and his sidekick, a Crystal Boy."
A couple of the men chuckled, knowing that meant it would be easier to get to main target. Take out the support, and then the target would be alone. The others looked angry - to associate with a gay man, a so-called "crystal boy", was worse than marrying your sister. Homosexuality was very taboo among the Hmong, and even worse among the Triads, where men were expected to be men, and not effeminate weaklings.
"The Crystal Boy has been passing these out in Steel Canyon. I want one of you to follow him, and then lay in wait for him. You will attack and destroy him and these pamphlets. Who will go?"
"I will," said Master Li, drawing his swords with a bow and presenting them lengthwise to Tub Ci. "He will have no chance against me."
Tub Ci nodded. "He's just a simple summoner from what I understand, who can do nothing without assistance." He looked to the other men. "The rest of you will have your chance against Lue Xiong, who shall be known from now on among us as The Traitor Serpent."
Friday, May 21, 2010
Grim came out of the spring waterfall drying his hair when he heard someone banging on the barn doors. The sound echoed throughout the tomb. Lue came out of the bedroom, straightening the shirt that he just pulled on. "Who's that?"
Grim wrapped the towel around his waist. "I'll go see. Whoever it is will leave when they see me in just a towel."
Lue put a hand out and stopped him. "I'll go." Grim watched him go down the hall, a spike extending from his palm as he walked. Lue went up the stairs, while Grim ran into the bedroom and at least pulled on a pair of shorts.
They banged again, and Lue and Grim heard clearly, "Police, open up!"
Lue stopped at the foot of the stairs. Grim had the shorts on and dashed down the hall. "No, Lue!"
Slowly, the spike retracted as he went up the stairs. Grim ran up the stairs on the other side, but Lue was at the door already, his hand on the handle. He pushed it open - it creaked on its hinges. "Can I help you?"
"Where's LeBonte?"
"Why?"
"We need to speak with him. Please step aside."
Grim went to the door. "Let him in, Lue."
Lue stepped back, and a short man in a brown trench coat came in, followed by a woman in typical Psi-Corps regalia. Grim peered outside when they came in. "What, no SWAT team?"
"Sorry to disappoint," said the man with a small chuckle. Grim closed the door behind them. Lue had moved between Grim and the cops. "Got anyplace we can sit down?"
"Sure." Grim directed them down the stairs to a bench. Lue took a position against the wall, and Grim stood next to him, while the two cops sat down. "You're obviously not here to arrest me because you would have done that by now."
"Right," said the man. "I'm Detective Fergus MacBride, and this is my partner Detective Judith Harris. We're here to ask you about something."
Harris said, "Do I have permission to enter your mind to show you some images?"
Grim blinked. "Uh, sure..."
She nodded, and then Grim's mind's eye focused on a scene with a dead and bloody body lying in the grass, a look of total shock on his face. Next to the body, burnt into the grass, was a near-perfect replica of Grim's face. Grim blanched - this looked so much more real than the pictures Jack had showed him. Lue looked at him concerned.
"Okay, stop."
The images stopped abruptly. Grim took a deep breath. "Are you okay?" Lue asked, after whispering the spell and putting a hand on Grim's arm.
"Yeah, just...you were there, huh?"
"Yes," said Harris. "We were called in as investigators."
MacBride said, "So you obviously didn't kill her, because you're smarter than that. But what do you know about it?"
"The short answer? It was done by a pissed-off psychic alien."
"Where is this alien now?"
"We have her locked up. The one who made her is taking total responsiblity."
The two detectives looked at each other. Harris only nodded. MacBride looked up at Grim. "I'm sorry, but this is our jurisdiction now. You can't seem to handle this, and ten murders were committed in Paragon City. The perpetrator needs to be brought to justice."
"We can take care of it," Grim said, bristling.
"Is it here?" MacBride asked.
"No, it's in Safe Havens. I think. Unless Shadow took it to some other dimension."
MacBride got up. "Safe Havens isn't in the place it was."
"I know. Let me get you a keycard to get there." Grim went back to the bedroom, and returned with two green keycards. "Use these at any portal. It's in another dimension. Don't worry, you can get back here without a problem."
Harris asked, "Why is it in another dimension?"
"Security reasons. Our enemies are legion."
Lue said, "Their enemies."
MacBride and Harris glanced at Lue, who was looking at Grim. Grim avoided Lue's eyes and focused on the two cops. "You'll have to talk to Jack or Raina Whitney. They're co-leaders of the group right now."
"Got it," MacBride said, and they started up the stairs. "Don't skip town, LeBonte."
"I don't plan on it."
They left the building, and Lue walked over to Grim. "Grim."
Grim turned to look at Lue, "Yeah?"
"You're going to get in trouble over them again. Will they stand behind you?"
Grim couldn't look at Lue. They both knew the answer - it was, at the very least, I don't know. Lue whispered the spell and took Grim by the chin, lifting his head up. Lue said firmly, "I will stand behind you. Always."
Grim wrapped the towel around his waist. "I'll go see. Whoever it is will leave when they see me in just a towel."
Lue put a hand out and stopped him. "I'll go." Grim watched him go down the hall, a spike extending from his palm as he walked. Lue went up the stairs, while Grim ran into the bedroom and at least pulled on a pair of shorts.
They banged again, and Lue and Grim heard clearly, "Police, open up!"
Lue stopped at the foot of the stairs. Grim had the shorts on and dashed down the hall. "No, Lue!"
Slowly, the spike retracted as he went up the stairs. Grim ran up the stairs on the other side, but Lue was at the door already, his hand on the handle. He pushed it open - it creaked on its hinges. "Can I help you?"
"Where's LeBonte?"
"Why?"
"We need to speak with him. Please step aside."
Grim went to the door. "Let him in, Lue."
Lue stepped back, and a short man in a brown trench coat came in, followed by a woman in typical Psi-Corps regalia. Grim peered outside when they came in. "What, no SWAT team?"
"Sorry to disappoint," said the man with a small chuckle. Grim closed the door behind them. Lue had moved between Grim and the cops. "Got anyplace we can sit down?"
"Sure." Grim directed them down the stairs to a bench. Lue took a position against the wall, and Grim stood next to him, while the two cops sat down. "You're obviously not here to arrest me because you would have done that by now."
"Right," said the man. "I'm Detective Fergus MacBride, and this is my partner Detective Judith Harris. We're here to ask you about something."
Harris said, "Do I have permission to enter your mind to show you some images?"
Grim blinked. "Uh, sure..."
She nodded, and then Grim's mind's eye focused on a scene with a dead and bloody body lying in the grass, a look of total shock on his face. Next to the body, burnt into the grass, was a near-perfect replica of Grim's face. Grim blanched - this looked so much more real than the pictures Jack had showed him. Lue looked at him concerned.
"Okay, stop."
The images stopped abruptly. Grim took a deep breath. "Are you okay?" Lue asked, after whispering the spell and putting a hand on Grim's arm.
"Yeah, just...you were there, huh?"
"Yes," said Harris. "We were called in as investigators."
MacBride said, "So you obviously didn't kill her, because you're smarter than that. But what do you know about it?"
"The short answer? It was done by a pissed-off psychic alien."
"Where is this alien now?"
"We have her locked up. The one who made her is taking total responsiblity."
The two detectives looked at each other. Harris only nodded. MacBride looked up at Grim. "I'm sorry, but this is our jurisdiction now. You can't seem to handle this, and ten murders were committed in Paragon City. The perpetrator needs to be brought to justice."
"We can take care of it," Grim said, bristling.
"Is it here?" MacBride asked.
"No, it's in Safe Havens. I think. Unless Shadow took it to some other dimension."
MacBride got up. "Safe Havens isn't in the place it was."
"I know. Let me get you a keycard to get there." Grim went back to the bedroom, and returned with two green keycards. "Use these at any portal. It's in another dimension. Don't worry, you can get back here without a problem."
Harris asked, "Why is it in another dimension?"
"Security reasons. Our enemies are legion."
Lue said, "Their enemies."
MacBride and Harris glanced at Lue, who was looking at Grim. Grim avoided Lue's eyes and focused on the two cops. "You'll have to talk to Jack or Raina Whitney. They're co-leaders of the group right now."
"Got it," MacBride said, and they started up the stairs. "Don't skip town, LeBonte."
"I don't plan on it."
They left the building, and Lue walked over to Grim. "Grim."
Grim turned to look at Lue, "Yeah?"
"You're going to get in trouble over them again. Will they stand behind you?"
Grim couldn't look at Lue. They both knew the answer - it was, at the very least, I don't know. Lue whispered the spell and took Grim by the chin, lifting his head up. Lue said firmly, "I will stand behind you. Always."
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Grim sat bolt upright in bed, a scream stuck in his throat. Lue woke up immediately, spines extended.
"God, oh, God..." He put his head in his hands. "Oh God..."
Lue retracted his spines, whispered the spell and touched Grim's thigh. "What, love?"
"Another job from Hades." Grim whispered the spell and kissed Lue, then got out of bed. He glanced at the clock - it was 4:30 a.m.
"Love, you don't have to do this anymore."
Grim turned to Lue as he grabbed Scythe. "What do you mean?"
"Didn't you do this to protect Kalius from being claimed by Hades?"
"Yes."
"You said yesterday you don't love him anymore."
"But I don't want to see him dead."
Lue frowned.
Grim went over to him and caressed his cheek. "I still care about him enough to want to help him. If having to fetch souls and bring them to their assorted afterlifes every once in a while is payment for that, then it's okay."
"They do not know what a generous man they have in you," Lue said.
"Lue, if you want me to stop associating with them..."
"I do, but I won't tell you to."
"I'll wait until they tell me not to."
"They never will. They'll keep using you."
Grim's eyes danced. "We'll see." He kissed him again. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Lue watched Grim leave, then lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Oh, Grim," he sighed sadly.
Jeffrey Glick stumbled out of his car. Working third shift at the hospital in maintenance sucked, but at least it paid the bills and he could sleep in relative quiet during the day. He climbed up the four flights to his apartment and fumbled with the keys at the door. Seven a.m., he was so fucking tired, all he wanted to do was fall into bed with his wife, just a quick kiss and conversation while he undressed, and then she would get up and he would pass out.
He opened the door, dropped his knapsack on the couch where he usually put it, and passed the kitchen. The clock on the stove was blinking - the power must have gone out some time during the night. He turned the corner and looked into his bedroom. He stopped short.
There was a large lump in the bed. This lump was a lot bigger than his wife. This lump also had short curly black hair, as opposed to his wife's long brown, and the broad back was dark brown instead of milky white.
His mind slowly registered that another man was sleeping in his bed. He looked back at the kitchen and his eye fell upon the knife rack. No, something faster than that, something that won't miss. He turned back to the bedroom, and focused on the nightstand near the door. He walked quietly to the nightstand and slowly pulled out the drawer, then pulled out the S&W 9mm and the magazine next to it. He stood in the doorway and shoved the magazine in, flipping off the safety. Holding the gun tightly against his side, he walked back out of the room, making plenty of noise.
The lump in the bed stirred, and he saw there were two lumps moving. "Ah, babe," said the brown lump. He heard a wet kiss. Then his wife: "Oh, shit, the power went off, look at the clock!" The brown lump rumbled, "I hope that we're not too late."
He turned over in bed and saw Jeffery standing across the hall, the gun pointed right at him. "Oh, fuck," he uttered, his eyes wide.
"Jeffrey!" yelled his wife. "I can explain!"
Jeffrey didn't even see her, his eyes focused entirely down the barrel of the gun. Jeffrey had done enough target shooting with his father. He knew what he was doing. The brown man moved slowly, as to not startle him, and stood up. "Hey, man, look, I'm sorry. I'll jus' get my clothes an'--"
Jeffrey was prepared for the small kickback of the pistol and rocked back with it, but kept his arms straight and steady. The shot went true, right into the man's chest with an armor piercing bullet - his father always said, pack armor that you know will kill an intruder because you often had only one shot. This blew a hole out the man's back that he could very well put his fist through, and it blew gore all over his wife. She stared at it, and started to scream.
"Shut up, slut!" Jeffrey yelled, and swung the gun in her direction. He pulled the trigger without thinking, and the upper left side of her head blew off.
The man was no longer breathing. Jeffrey aimed the gun down and walked over to a pair of jeans hung over his computer desk's chair. He pulled out the wallet and got his name, Brian Simone, same address as this building, different floor. Jeffrey looked at the two bodies on the bed.
"You know," said a voice behind him, "I would have done the same thing."
Jeffrey turned around and saw a blond man in gray, with black wings folded against his back.
"I'll give you a choice. If you live, you go to jail, maybe get executed, maybe not, depends on the jury. If you die, you go to Hades and wander eternally. What are you going to do?"
Jeffrey looked at the bodies again. He looked up at the gray man. "I want to live."
He heard a "snickt" and saw that the man took his hand away from a knife at his belt. "As you wish. Better call 911."
He walked over to the phone and saw that he still had his gun in his hand. He put it down next to the phone and dialed. "911, what is the nature of your emergency?"
He glanced behind him, but the gray man was gone. He took a deep breath and said, "I shot someone."
((Inspired by Wake Up Call by Maroon 5))
"God, oh, God..." He put his head in his hands. "Oh God..."
Lue retracted his spines, whispered the spell and touched Grim's thigh. "What, love?"
"Another job from Hades." Grim whispered the spell and kissed Lue, then got out of bed. He glanced at the clock - it was 4:30 a.m.
"Love, you don't have to do this anymore."
Grim turned to Lue as he grabbed Scythe. "What do you mean?"
"Didn't you do this to protect Kalius from being claimed by Hades?"
"Yes."
"You said yesterday you don't love him anymore."
"But I don't want to see him dead."
Lue frowned.
Grim went over to him and caressed his cheek. "I still care about him enough to want to help him. If having to fetch souls and bring them to their assorted afterlifes every once in a while is payment for that, then it's okay."
"They do not know what a generous man they have in you," Lue said.
"Lue, if you want me to stop associating with them..."
"I do, but I won't tell you to."
"I'll wait until they tell me not to."
"They never will. They'll keep using you."
Grim's eyes danced. "We'll see." He kissed him again. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Lue watched Grim leave, then lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Oh, Grim," he sighed sadly.
Jeffrey Glick stumbled out of his car. Working third shift at the hospital in maintenance sucked, but at least it paid the bills and he could sleep in relative quiet during the day. He climbed up the four flights to his apartment and fumbled with the keys at the door. Seven a.m., he was so fucking tired, all he wanted to do was fall into bed with his wife, just a quick kiss and conversation while he undressed, and then she would get up and he would pass out.
He opened the door, dropped his knapsack on the couch where he usually put it, and passed the kitchen. The clock on the stove was blinking - the power must have gone out some time during the night. He turned the corner and looked into his bedroom. He stopped short.
There was a large lump in the bed. This lump was a lot bigger than his wife. This lump also had short curly black hair, as opposed to his wife's long brown, and the broad back was dark brown instead of milky white.
His mind slowly registered that another man was sleeping in his bed. He looked back at the kitchen and his eye fell upon the knife rack. No, something faster than that, something that won't miss. He turned back to the bedroom, and focused on the nightstand near the door. He walked quietly to the nightstand and slowly pulled out the drawer, then pulled out the S&W 9mm and the magazine next to it. He stood in the doorway and shoved the magazine in, flipping off the safety. Holding the gun tightly against his side, he walked back out of the room, making plenty of noise.
The lump in the bed stirred, and he saw there were two lumps moving. "Ah, babe," said the brown lump. He heard a wet kiss. Then his wife: "Oh, shit, the power went off, look at the clock!" The brown lump rumbled, "I hope that we're not too late."
He turned over in bed and saw Jeffery standing across the hall, the gun pointed right at him. "Oh, fuck," he uttered, his eyes wide.
"Jeffrey!" yelled his wife. "I can explain!"
Jeffrey didn't even see her, his eyes focused entirely down the barrel of the gun. Jeffrey had done enough target shooting with his father. He knew what he was doing. The brown man moved slowly, as to not startle him, and stood up. "Hey, man, look, I'm sorry. I'll jus' get my clothes an'--"
Jeffrey was prepared for the small kickback of the pistol and rocked back with it, but kept his arms straight and steady. The shot went true, right into the man's chest with an armor piercing bullet - his father always said, pack armor that you know will kill an intruder because you often had only one shot. This blew a hole out the man's back that he could very well put his fist through, and it blew gore all over his wife. She stared at it, and started to scream.
"Shut up, slut!" Jeffrey yelled, and swung the gun in her direction. He pulled the trigger without thinking, and the upper left side of her head blew off.
The man was no longer breathing. Jeffrey aimed the gun down and walked over to a pair of jeans hung over his computer desk's chair. He pulled out the wallet and got his name, Brian Simone, same address as this building, different floor. Jeffrey looked at the two bodies on the bed.
"You know," said a voice behind him, "I would have done the same thing."
Jeffrey turned around and saw a blond man in gray, with black wings folded against his back.
"I'll give you a choice. If you live, you go to jail, maybe get executed, maybe not, depends on the jury. If you die, you go to Hades and wander eternally. What are you going to do?"
Jeffrey looked at the bodies again. He looked up at the gray man. "I want to live."
He heard a "snickt" and saw that the man took his hand away from a knife at his belt. "As you wish. Better call 911."
He walked over to the phone and saw that he still had his gun in his hand. He put it down next to the phone and dialed. "911, what is the nature of your emergency?"
He glanced behind him, but the gray man was gone. He took a deep breath and said, "I shot someone."
((Inspired by Wake Up Call by Maroon 5))