Welcome to Chapter Twelve! Thanks to everyone who has read and voted and commented or sent me an email. I very much enjoy getting emails - they keep me motivated. This chapter gets into some violence and lots of sex. Quite a bit of plot development and insight into more of the obscure characters. The twins are making headway on several fronts in this chapter. I tried for a longer chapter this time per a request and hopefully filled another one. I hope Howard was looking over my shoulder for this chapter as much of this one is unchartered territory from our earlier discussions, but sometimes the characters take over and tell their own story and ten pages later they've pushed you into a new direction. Hope you enjoy it.
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Geran and Nicole - Chapter 12
Geran's Story:
Nicole and I quickly got back to back and extended two blood blades each. We were facing Throatslitter and about fifteen or so of her flunkies. I eyed her carefully.
She had a voice that sounded like cold stones from a graveyard rubbing across each other. "You are forbidden from accessing the Black Library."
I responded, "OK. Fine. Back off and we'll leave peacefully."
She shook her head and drew two long katanas, "No, a message must be sent and you must be made to understand my employers' position in this matter."
OK - keep her talking. "Employers? There's a whole group worried about us getting some books we and no one else can read?" I don't usually lose my cool but this was too much. Not again was the only thought I had. I didn't care who we faced or how many. I began trying to manipulate my teleportation field in ways I had never attempted. She just needed to talk a little longer.
I stalled, "What if your employers wanted a certain book or books from in there? We could get them for you or them."
My bet paid off. Whomever her employers were they were listening in and probably watching as well. I linked minds with Nicole so she was aware of what I was going to try to do. Just as Throatslitter began to speak in that creepy voice I let loose.
My teleportation field moved Nicole, me, and Throatslitter's legs twenty feet straight up. Nicole and I hovered in place except I swooped in quickly and grabbed her dismembered legs. I held them over my head and roared in triumph while the blood poured over me. I glared down at her crippled body and laughed the most evil laugh I could. "Tell your masters we will NOT submit. Molon Labe!!"
I sent searing power through the legs I was holding and burned them to a crisp and hurled them at the fleeing bodies. I imagine their masters needed her healed rather than sacrifice the whole group. I wasn't done.
I flew down with blood blades drawn and flashing through the escaping goons. I think I killed about five and was drenched in blood.
I wasn't tired like I thought I would be though. I had an incredible thirst as well. I grabbed a water bottle from my back pack and downed it, but if anything I was thirstier than ever. Enough! I'd deal with that later.
I caught Nicole's gaze. She had an odd expression. "Let's go check out some books!" I took her hand and teleported to the double doors to the Black Library.
Nicole's Story:
Geran was... I don't even know. He became a warrior with very unexpected side effects. The blood scent of another person like Throatslitter pulled his vampirism out of dormancy to almost active. He was covered in blood and had an aura that would make a normal human run away pissing themselves. Even I was leery.
We got to the doors ready to pick the locks and light the goofy torches. We needn't have bothered. The Black Library smelled the blood as well and made us welcome. The doors were wide open; the torches were all lit and it was very bright inside. The books were, well, the books were making noises. I was still linked to Geran's mind and he heard the noises too except to him it was an almost painfully beautiful symphony. He was completely and totally spellbound.
He strode in with clarity of purpose and began selecting specific books that called out to him. Each one he touched absorbed some of the blood covering him. By the time he pulled the tenth book he was clean of any blood. The lights went out and the noise stopped. I grabbed Geran's hand more frightened than I'd ever been in my entire life. I could feel the raging hunger of the books still on the shelves and knew they would rend the flesh from my bones to be set free into Geran's hands.
I grabbed him closely and tapped into his befuddled brain to 'port us home. I fumbled the first attempt and just got us back to the roof. The blood still there made the books in Geran's arms glow slightly. I tapped him again and got us to our bedroom.
He had an expression of almost rapturous joy on his face. I slapped the books out of his arms and popped his cheeks a few times. He had a slightly confused expression on his face.
"What are you doing? Why are you hitting me?" He asked.
"You fucking jerk! You were GONE!! Those books wanted to eat me and you were going to FUCKING LET THEM!!" I began shrieking, screaming, crying, and trying to beat the living shit out of him.
He let me continue until I ran out of steam and then held me tightly.
"You fucking jerk." I whispered to him.
"No more trips to the Black Library." He told me kissing the top of my head.
"I certainly hope not. You just can't go in bloody and it would probably be a good idea to find a new book thief partner. Nicole is unsuited for this task and highly vulnerable." Mom had gathered the books and was flipping through them casually.
Geran looked startled. "Mom, you're hurting them!"
She looked at him like he had just grown four more heads. "What did you say? I'm causing these BOOKS pain? Is that what you're insisting is factual?"