Into the Fire
Fifty
Author’s note: This chapter presumes that you are familiar with Kelvin’s Choice’s story, Tamers, as well as Micah Hakubi’s story, Gunpowder, Treason & Plot, and uses characters and situations from them with their permission. If you have not read these stories, you are very naughty and need to remedy the situation immediately. Both are well worth the time.
***
Iain rubbed his eyes and leaned forward to rest his forehead against the coolness of his desk. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as his mind raced. He heard the door to his study open and, with his perception, saw that it was Sofia. The Peekabu took one look at him and screamed.
He jerked upright in shock as people began pounding into the room. Eve grabbed the hysterical pokegirl and began rapidly shooting questions at her. Sofia ignored them as she babbled in Spanish.
Canaan’s antenna twitched and the Splice laughed softly. She draped an arm around his shoulders and spoke loudly enough to be heard over the disjointed conversation going on between the Megami-sama and the Peekabu. “Back in her village, Sofia once found a man who had died at his desk and he was in the same position Iain was in when she entered the room. She thought our man had stroked out and she panicked. Interestingly enough; while part of her panic was because she was blamed for the other man’s death and punished, most of her terror was based on the fact she is starting to like our Iain and thought she’d lost him.”
Dominique shook her head slowly. “Bloody hell, I wish she would just go ahead and fuck him and get it over with.” She tapped Sofia on the shoulder. When the Peekabu ignored it to continue frantically trying to explain to Eve, the Archmage spun her around and slapped her across the face hard enough to knock her down. Sofia stared up at her in shock and Dominique grabbed her by the arm and lifted, turning her harem sister to look at Iain. “He’s not dead and speak English, girl.”
Iain chuckled softly. “I’d point out that you don’t speak proper English either.”
Dominique snorted. “I don’t speak that abomination you call American. I do, however, speak English perfectly.”
Sofia stepped forward slightly. “You’re not dead?”
Dominique’s eyes narrowed at more Spanish, but she subsided when Iain gave her a hard look. He nodded and replied in the same language. “I’m fine, Sofia.” He held out his hand. “Come see for yourself.”
The Peekabu launched herself over the desk and hit him hard enough to knock his chair over backwards, taking him with it. Canaan looked down and laughed at the sight. Sofia had him in a death grip as he groaned from the impact that had driven the air from his lungs.
Pandora stepped around the desk. “Sofia, were you offended that he wasn’t dead?” She lifted Iain, chair and Sofia upright. “Because what you did could have killed him if he were an ordinary human.”
Sofia clung even more tightly to Iain and burst out in tears. Eve sighed. “Did you have to say that to her?”
April had come in with Ninhursag. She hurried around to Iain’s side to watch Pandora work.
“Better now than after she’s crushed his skull.” The Fallen Angel gently felt the back of Iain’s head. Her hands glowed. “All he got this time was a bad bruise and perhaps a mild concussion, but he was lucky. Very very lucky.” She straightened. “Eve, she is not bonded to him. That means she is not mentally conditioned to avoid harming him. Yes, we of the harem are having sex with her to keep her sane while she works through her issues. However, this does not change the fact that we are letting an unbonded pokegirl cling to Iain. He is not invulnerable and every moment she spends with him alone is dangerous. She doesn’t want to hurt him and she’s still learning her abilities. If he dies from an accident on her part, he’ll still be dead.”
Iain cradled Sofia as she cried. “I think you’re being overly pessimistic. Considering that this is the first time she’s touched me voluntarily, I’m not sure how much danger I’m in from her.”
“The fact that you are willing to give people a pass until after they hurt you does not mean I am.” Pandora looked at Ninhursag standing in the doorway. “And neither are you.”
The Elfqueen nodded. “That’s true, but he lets us make our decisions and in return he gets to make his. We all know it, no matter how much or how little we like it. Still,” she continued as she turned her attention to Iain. “You know she’s right. Until she’s bonded, Sofia is potentially the most dangerous to you of all of us.”
Did it ever occur to you that perhaps I was allowing this so that she’ll learn to trust me and therefore let me bond her sooner rather than later? He was well aware that Sofia was listening even while crying and Iain spoke quietly while sending the thought to everyone in the room he was bonded to. “I don’t think Sofia is a danger to me. She would never deliberately hurt me.”
Dominique grinned. Sneaky. Did I tell you how much I like that about you as long as it isn’t being aimed at me? “He could be right.”
Pandora gave a grudging nod. “She did immediately sound the alarm when she thought he was dead. I suppose she’ll do the same if and when she does accidentally injure him.”
“Now that we’re all in agreement, do you suppose I could have my study back?”
April chuckled. “It is a bit crowded, isn’t it? Ladies,” she waved at the door, “I believe Eve and I have a training regimen to abuse everyone with.” As everyone filed out of the room, the Duelist paused. “Sofia,” she said firmly, “training includes you. Don’t be long.”
When the door clicked shut, Sofia slowly raised her head. “Thank you, sir,” she said very softly in English.
“You are one of us, Sofia.”
“But they are right, sir. I am not. We haven’t,” she broke off and sighed. “I am afraid.”
“That’s ok. Everybody is afraid of something. At least your fears have a basis in reality. You were hurt a lot and that’s a very good reason to be afraid. We’re not hurting you here and so as time passes you are less afraid.”
She blinked. “I am?”
“You’re touching me, aren’t you? When we first met, you wouldn’t have come near me for just about any reason.”
“Sir, I would have if you had ordered me to.”
“Then you would have had a good reason to be just as afraid of me as you are of the members of your former family. I don’t intend to be like they were and you won’t have to go back to them again.”
Her ears flattened. “Sir, you said we would go back when I am stronger and punish them.”
“I just said you won’t have to go back. If you want to go back when the time is right, then we will, even if we have to come back to this world to do it.”
Sofia met his gaze. “I want to, sir. You will hurt them and they deserve it.” She wiped her face on his shirt and got up. “I got you messy.”
“I’ll change shirts.”
“I could bring you one, sir.”
Iain smiled. “Thank you very much, but April made a special note to remind you that you have training today. I don’t think you should be late to that.”
“Yes, sir.”
After she was gone, Iain carefully got out of the chair, suppressing a groan. He checked his back, noting the sore spots from the fall. They were healing, but they still hurt.
A little while later he was back in his study and wearing a new t-shirt. He made sure the camera was aimed at him and started the recorder. Then he leaned back in the chair. “Kelvin, Micah, I wanted to say something momentous, something that would encapsulate in a few words the enormity of what has happened. I thought about it for a couple of hours and so far I just don’t have the right words, so I guess I’m not going come up with something historic. In a dozen years when I write my memoirs I guess I’ll just have to lie.” He leaned forward and looked into the camera. “So I’ll be blunt. Something recently happened in Sanctuary and I took advantage of it. I’ll get into some details in a moment, but the final result is that Sanctuary appears to be neutralized as a threat to us.”
“Now it’s time for some details and then an analysis of what that means for us. First a bit of background. Typhonna is dead. Evangelion killed her.” He flashed a quick grin. “Yeah, I seem to be kind of hard on legendary pokegirls, even if Jenova was not a legendary. Hey, at least I’m not wandering around murdering Catgirls.” The smile faded. “It’s interesting to contemplate that we have never met and that comment may not mean anything to you. It’s entirely possible that each of us comes from a different Earth and that they are only similar to each other. For you two, it is entirely possible that Lysander Spooner was not one of the Presidents of the United States.” His smile returned. “It’s possible he wasn’t President on mine, either. I’ll let you wonder.”
“But enough about probability and dimensions. Like I said, Typhonna is dead. So I know that whatever was pretending to be her was a fake. But something that looked like her and acted a lot like her attacked Sanctuary City in a surgical strike that appeared to copy and then did destroy their primary records repository. If someone had a copy of that, I’d like to see it, by the bye.”
“In any case, during the attack, a large portion of the High Council and some of the citizens of the city fled to a predetermined safe point. After destroying the repository, the fake Typhonna destroyed this safe place and everyone in it. She did not, however, use anything resembling Typhonna’s singularity generator. As I wasn’t present and all of the descriptions were rather vague, I’m not sure what it was and I’m not willing to speculate. Whatever or whoever this pseudo Typhonna was, it was aware that the real Typhonna was dead because it built a structure out of the real Typhonna’s bones. I suppose stranger things have happened, but this is definitely on my to-date list of freaky shit.”
“Among the surviving members of the High Council was included the Mistress, named Desiree, and Kirabo, another powerful member. Most of the survivors are what we could consider moderate and they, with a little prodding on my part, have decided to remake Sanctuary into what its name suggest it is. To that end, they elected their first non-Goth member to the High Council, a Blue League expat Officerjenny named Portia. Portia is charged with policing the DCWS and appears to have been given sufficient resources to make a very good attempt at that with more support forthcoming from the other members of the council. I’ve also convinced Sexmet to keep an eye on Sanctuary and to step in to smack people around if things appear to be starting to backslide. Outside of Desiree and Kirabo, Sanctuary isn’t aware of Sexmet’s surveillance and I expect it to come as a significant shock if she has to get involved.”
He shifted in his chair. “Sanctuary has also declared war on the Limbec Pirates and plans to exterminate their presence in lands under Sanctuary’s control. I conveyed from Sanctuary to the Blue League information on all known pirate bases around the world and you’ll find a copy of that information attached to this message. A friend of mine in the Blue League administration says she’ll disseminate the information to the leagues after she verifies it, but that could be too late and so I’m giving it to you to pass on to any friends or enemies of yours who might have a use for it. This is an opportunity to crush that abomination completely and I hope it’s not wasted.” His eyes hardened. “After all, pirates are only romantic in Disney.”
“Everything together means that Sanctuary is not looking for us, at least not officially. Now, it may take a little while for the change in our status to filter down to the rank and file, but eventually we should be safe. That leads us to our options now. It means that we are free to turn our attention to crushing the part of the Celestial Alliance that has been causing Kelvin so many problems. Personally, I’d like to scatter the whole group to the four winds, at least the survivors,” he smiled nastily, “but one of my wives would undoubtedly protest and some of her reasoning would probably be valid. It also means I’m available to help you, Micah, with whatever you might need. Just remember, both of you, that there is an expiration date on that offer.”
“Which brings me to my future. While helping you if you request it, I will also be preparing to leave this world. As I’ve already said, I’m moving to One. There’s no Sanctuary and the leagues are just getting started, meaning there’s time to prepare to resist them without having to deploy fusion weapons or explain to them what having control of the high orbitals really means.” He stopped and was silent for several seconds. “I have a family now. I didn’t ask to come here and, at the time, I would have said no to anyone asking me to come here. However, I did come here and I have a family now and I wouldn’t give them up for anything. It’s both a weakness and a source of strength and I intend to protect them as much as I can, even as they try to protect me. On One, there’s not the institutionalized prejudices against pokegirls that are present here and so I’m less likely to have to murder a bunch of people to get one of our daughters back after she gets kidnapped because she’s a powerful breed or have to murder them because she killed someone while resisting being kidnapped and they want to kill her for acting in self defense. Even if I don’t stay in Texas, it’s a big empty world and I can disappear if I want to. As I also said, both of you and everyone with you are invited to go with us. If you chose not to, well that’s your choice and I’ll wish you well no matter what decision you make. As for me, even if I could go back to my home world, I have a pretty good idea of what the governments and concerned citizens there would think of and do to my family and so that’s not really an option for us. I’m already a polygamist. God only knows what other laws I’ll be breaking besides bigamy.” He smiled slightly. “If people think Sukebe was rough on humanity, they really don’t want to piss me off by trying to hurt my family. I’ll make what he did look like a lazy Sunday afternoon.”
“In any case, I won’t be leaving right away. I made a commitment to a friend to help her with a workup of a cruiser, so I’ll be around until your ladies, Kelvin, get their butts in gear and get it here. Unless you take too long, of course.”
Wood creaked as he leaned back in the chair. “I guess that’s about it. I’ll do my best to make sure that both of you receive this message and the information about the pirates in a timely manner, but if I don’t hear from you I’ll figure it’s because you don’t want to go with me. No matter what you decide, I wish you good luck, gentlemen.” He turned off the recorder.
***
April leaned against his side and sighed happily when he put his arm around her to pull her closer. “Eve’s not happy with this, but I couldn’t get her to give me a reasonable reason why. She kept falling back on ‘it’s just not right’.”
Iain shrugged. “It’s a knee jerk reaction that almost every celestial pokegirl would have in the same situation. She’ll get over it pretty quickly. It’s like Pandora joining us. She didn’t like that either, even if she didn’t say anything about it. What do you think about what’s going to happen?”
“I’m curious. If it’s useful I may consider it myself.” April hopped off of the fallen log they were sitting on and pulled some cards from her pocket. She activated them, releasing her Dark Magician Girl and boosting its combat strength significantly. “Patrol the area and report if you find anything of note.” The construct dropped a quick curtsey before launching into the air and shooting off. April watched until it was out of sight. “That’s still a bit unsettling.”
“What, the personality that’s emerging?” Iain stood. “When Dominique figured out how to let you give them a more autonomous intellect and the equivalent of a delta bond, she did warn that they might start developing into something resembling real people if you over-anthropomorphized them. Still, it’s better than what I had Madison doing where she had to give up brain function to remotely control her constructs.”
“I know what Dominique said. But you saw what the Girl just did. Do you think I’m assigning her humanlike attributes she doesn’t deserve?”
He shook his head. “No, I don’t. I think you’re right. What I saw was real. Besides, I’ve seen you try to curtsey. She’s a lot smoother at it than you are.” He chuckled when April smacked his shoulder.
His head came around at the thudding of hooves and relaxed when he recognized Raquel and Zareen. They pulled up in front of him. “I do not understand why I have to undergo this purification ritual and ceremony that Pandora has devised.” Raquel sounded mildly miffed. “This is silly.”
“You could be right,” April said. “But Pandora was a Seraph before she was a Fallen Angel and some Seraphs would make getting out of bed into a ritual if they could get away with it. They take comfort in the routine of ritual and if you want what she’s offering, you’ll have to accede to her wishes in this.”
“Iain could order her to just do it.” Raquel’s eyes narrowed when Zareen laughed. “What?”
“Idiot.” Zareen loaded that one word with enough contempt to make the Rapitaur hiss angrily.
Iain sighed. “I think what Zareen was trying to say was that she thinks you should recognize the fact that I wouldn’t order Pandora to do this. You were interested and so you and she spent days discussing it. If you couldn’t negotiate another way for this to happen and aren’t happy, I’m still not going to get involved. Think about it this way. If you play along, you do eventually get what you want. Otherwise you should probably tell her that you have changed your mind.” His eyes shifted behind her. “Right, Pandora?” April fought not to laugh as Raquel’s eyes bugged before the Rapitaur whirled around.
The Fallen Angel never smiled, but she did look less grim than usual as she replied. “That is correct. My rules aren’t that complex, but I will insist on them.”
“I had to fast for a whole day. I’m hungry.”
“Purification is important before any significant act, Raquel. It’s much more important than the transitory demands of your stomach. When we are done, you will be allowed to eat before I begin your training. Now change to your human form.”
Raquel shifted to her bipedal form and smoothed down her skirt. “I do want to do this, it’s just that-”
Pandora interrupted. “Then stop complaining.”
“All right. What do I do now?”
Pandora turned to Iain and April. “Iain, this is a lot like evolving and I would like it if you helped with the ceremony. From what I’ve heard, whenever you’re involved interesting things happen.”
April sniggered. “Yeah, that’s a good word for it. Interesting.”
Iain’s eyebrows went up. “What do you think I can add?”
“To be honest, I don’t know what or if anything you could add. I do understand that your presence has acted as a catalyst for evolution that is always positive.”
“So far.”
“True. But still, that is the case. Nobody is unhappy with what they’ve received from you, which is sufficient for me to ask that you aid Raquel.”
He eyed her speculatively. “You are hoping that you get some kind of boost out of this, aren’t you? Aren’t you powerful enough already?”
“I am a pokegirl and we fight. We are never powerful enough. You want examples that I am right? How about some from the women around you? A desire for more power is why April wanted to become a Duelist and then was so pleased with the special cards that you gave her. It’s why Eve is happier as a Megami-sama than she was as a Megami. Ninhursag did not evolve, but her power levels grew substantially when she and you and Zareen all melded magic into something new. She is much happier as she is now than as she was and would never voluntarily give that power back. Zareen is pleased to be a Nightmare rather than a Unicorn. She’s not sure which she’s most pleased with, that she’s a Nightmare or that she’s yours. Raquel seeks to become fiendish to boost her own powers. Someday, that will be why Sofia will want to become a Ria. My power level was not sufficient to keep me from being killed and, while I have gotten more powerful since then, both during my death as well as my new life, our enemies are incredibly powerful and every little gain I can get I will welcome wholeheartedly.” She touched the sling of the shotgun on her back. “We are planning to go a new world, Iain, a place that you’re pretty sure you understand in the coarse weave but with fine details that you never documented. We will get surprises and many of them will be unpleasant ones. That’s when we’ll need to be as powerful as we possibly can get.” Her gaze met his. “And it’s not just a pokegirl trait. Why else would you be spending tens of hours every week training your body and your magic?”
“Your point is taken and agreed with. I’ll be glad to help.” He smiled slightly. “You argue your point most eloquently.”
“I took some rhetoric classes after my death.”
April shivered. “Stop doing that!”
Pandora frowned. “What am I doing?”
“You’re talking about your life after death as if it was nothing special! It’s scary.”
“My life after death was a lot like my life, except I didn’t need taming. The lands of the dead are broken into areas for people from the various worlds and, in them, life continues on similarly to what it was like when the dead were alive.”
Raquel looked curious. “Is that all there is?”
“First, some of the areas are for beings nothing like us, so there’s always something new if you are so inclined, but the truth is that if a person was a sheep in life, they’re a sheep in death and don’t bother to explore any. When they’re ready, they move on to their final destination, which varies somewhat based on their religion.” The Fallen Angel folded her arms. “However, this is a conversation for another time. Today, Raquel will become fiendish and my student in how to use the abilities which come with her new status. It is my pleasure to be able to take what a Demon Queen meant as a curse and use it to reward those of my family who understand that it is not a curse, but instead whatever she chooses to make of it. I know that Raquel will use it for her family and to help us do good works.”
“You’re sounding like a Seraph,” April warned quietly.
“I was a Seraph, as you well know. However, the truth is that Iain has not set us to fight anyone who was good. All of our enemies have been people and things that, in the main, the universe is much better off without. It is not his nature to hurt people for no reason and I do not see that changing.”
April blinked. “In the main? What does that mean?”
“There are always those who might miss someone, no matter how evil they are. Parents. Children. Friends. Any person who dies might leave someone behind who depended on them, but if they were responsible they would have chosen a life path that wasn’t inherently terminal.”
“What about our life path?” Zareen’s leonine tail twitched. Iain had noted she did it when she was thinking hard.
Pandora shrugged. “The path we walk is dangerous, but we are planning for a future in which our lives will be less lethal and therefore have less potential to end early. It is very true that the violent often die by violence and the peaceful often die peacefully.”
Iain patted the Nightmare on her equine shoulder. “We didn’t choose to be killers because we like it. We are living the life we live because we have to defend ourselves. Do you think Eve likes what we have to do? Or April?”
Pandora cocked her head. “What do you feel about what we are doing, Iain?”
“I’m not sure you will be content with the short answer, but that’s all you’re going to get right now. I regret the reasons we have to kill people but I like killing them.” He managed not to smile at the expression of shock that plastered itself across her face. “I was a child when I recognized that I like killing. That enjoyment translates over into killing anything. For me, killing someone outside my bubble isn’t any different than killing a rabbit. I’m just glad it’s not a sexual pleasure or I would have had a very different life as a serial killer.”
“I am suddenly glad that you cannot become fiendish.”
Iain held out his hand and a ball of black fire appeared over his palm. Pandora’s gasp echoed around them. “I don’t need a template to create hellfire. I can’t project it any distance yet, but I can make it. In the end it’s just magic and magic will be my life until it ends.”
The Fallen Angel wrapped his hand in hers, vanquishing the flames. “Oh, Iain,” she said sadly as she kissed his fingers, “what have I done to you that you should have had the chance to learn this? I am so sorry.” She rubbed the fingers against her cheek and then released him, stepping back. “I release you from your promise to me. I will be gone within the hour.”
She blinked when he grabbed her hand. “I refuse to let you go.”
She tugged her fingers free. “You will not keep me from making a decision of my own free will, Iain.”
“No, I won’t, but we are delta bonded and there is nowhere you can go that I cannot find you.” He smiled gently at her dumbfounded expression. “I brought you back from death, Pandora, so I can even find you if you are silly enough to kill yourself. Just as I can’t forbid you from leaving, you cannot forbid me from following.”
“I would think that you would respect my desire to be left alone.”
“Normally I would, but you’re acting out of misplaced guilt and not thinking logically. You didn’t coerce me or trick me into teaching myself how to create hellfire. I chose to learn it on my own, just as I learned to make heavenly fire too. What I am is not your fault. What I choose to become is not your fault. You are free to try and influence my decisions, but in the end each and every decision is mine and mine alone and I refuse to allow you to shoulder some imaginary burden on my behalf. Now, I am here and I want to help make Raquel into a fiendish pokegirl like you. Let’s get this started.”
“This discussion is not over.”
He snorted. “You’re a fallen Seraph, Pandora. This conversation will never be over. Just don’t forget I know your one true weakness.”
Her brow furrowed. “I have a weakness?”
“I’d call being very ticklish a definite weakness in the bedroom.”
The Fallen Angel flushed scarlet. “I am not.”
He laughed. “You just told me a lie! I never thought I’d hear a Seraph lie. However, you’re forgiven since I am going to use that lie as an excuse to prove it to you later.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her meaningfully and her flush darkened.
Her eyes narrowed. “How did you know? Was it Canaan?”
“You told me. We’ve been sharing dreams, remember?”
“Can I become fiendish before you two fuck?”
April clapped her hands over her mouth to keep the laughter in as Pandora rounded on the Rapitaur. Iain stepped between them. “Raquel is right. Fiendish first, then makeup sex.”
Pandora took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Fine.”
“So you do want the makeup sex! I knew it!”
Iain spun. “Raquel,” he said in a warning tone. “Drop it.”
April had come over during the discussion and now she put her hand on Iain’s arm. “Can I handle this?”
“Do I sound that touchy?”
“Yes, you do.” He nodded and she turned to Raquel. “You were deliberately needling Pandora after Iain and she had ended the issue. When Pandora is done with you, you will report to me and since you seem to be filled with an excess of attitude, I will train you until we’ve drained that to an acceptable level.” She looked over her shoulder. “Pandora, do you wish to proceed with Raquel’s transformation or do I get her now?”
“If Raquel has not changed her mind, I wish to proceed.”
April waited a moment. “Raquel?”
The Rapitaur had been staring at April. She blinked. “Oh, uh, yes, I want this. I don’t suppose a heartfelt apology to Pandora would be sufficient to keep you from beating me half to death, would it?”
April smiled slightly. “I take it you’ve heard about my punishment training sessions, then? If you give Pandora a heartfelt apology and she accepts it, then I don’t see any reason not to consider the matter closed.”
“That makes the final decision Pandora’s,” Raquel protested.
“Yes, it does. Pandora and Iain were involved in some,” she smirked, “relationship building by teasing each other and you decided to get involved. That makes it her decision as to how insulted she feels. All of us get personal time with him outside of sex and, believe it or not, she was not greatly offended by his remarks. What you were was rude, jumping into a conversation the way you did. You’re lucky it wasn’t Ninhursag or me instead of Pandora you insulted. If you’d prefer, I could make the final decision Iain’s instead of Pandora’s.”
Raquel looked at the suddenly speculative look on Iain’s face and shook her head almost frantically. “Pandora, please.”
“Then I suggest you be heartfelt when you apologize.”
The Rapitaur turned back to Pandora, only to stop when the Fallen Angel held up a hand. “You are forgiven, Raquel. Just don’t do it again.” She glanced at April. “Will that keep her out of trouble?”
“This time it will. Raquel, just remember this: Pandora did not say you didn’t insult her or hurt her feelings. She said you were forgiven, which suggests that she was offended.”
“Oh.”
“Pandora, what do Raquel and I need to do for this?”
She gave him a relieved look. “The three of us need to hold hands. After that I’ll ask Raquel some questions and then I’ll make her fiendish.”
“So you’re turning this into a blessing? I like that.”
“I don’t know if I’d ever call being fiendish a blessing.”
“Pandora, being fiendish is what led to you being killed when you were. Without that, it’s arguable that you would not have been in that restaurant and therefore we would have never met. Then I wouldn’t have you in my life, which I do think is a blessing for me.”
“How do you do manage to turn what I consider a curse into something positive?”
“Enlightened self interest.” He grinned. “All I consider is what your presence does for me. Yes, you killed your tamer and became a Fallen Angel. Yes, you decided to shorten your life by hunting evil until you were killed. Yes, you were made fiendish as an attempted stab in the back from an infernal pokegirl and it got you killed by some ignorant celestials. If any of those steps hadn’t taken place, you wouldn’t be here right now and that’s what is important to me.”
“You think all of this happened so I would be here? I thought you didn’t believe in predestination.”
“I don’t. All I know is that the fates sucked me to this god-awful place and then tried to make up for it by letting me become involved with some of the most wonderful women in any universe. You are one of them and I am going to appreciate your presence instead of questioning how you came to be with me.” His smile faded. “I also try not to think about the price each of us paid to end up here, and that includes me. You were murdered, I was tortured and April and Raquel were abandoned by the men they thought cared for them. Eve,” he shook his head. “Eve and Dominique were sent to be my personal fuck toys by powers that had control over them. The point is that each of us paid a price to be here and as much as I’d like to wave my hand and take all of your pain away from each of you, I can’t. All I can do is care for you as much as you’ll let me and be thankful every day when I wake up and you’re still here.” He took the Fallen Angel’s hand. “Raquel, please join hands with us.”
Pandora gave him an odd look as Raquel took their hands. “Just for the record, Iain, you have taken a lot of our pain from us. All of us are happier for being with you.”
“Does that mean someday you might smile?”
“Anything is possible.” She turned to Raquel. “Do you understand what you have asked to become this day?”
The Rapitaur nodded. “I do. You have told me everything you know about being fiendish and I believe I understand.”
“With that knowledge, do you still desire to become fiendish and, if so, why?”
“It will enhance my power and let me better protect the family that I have joined. I understand now that I was abandoned in order to allow Sean Dubroc to be free of Undine. That will not happen here and I want to be able to help protect the others, including Iain. Therefore I do still desire to become fiendish.”
“If you ever use this power for something that I feel is inappropriate, I will rescind this,” she glanced at Iain, “blessing and it will never be yours again. Do you understand and accept this limitation?”
Raquel looked startled. “We didn’t discuss that.”
Iain chuckled softly. “It’s standard celestial boilerplate. Eve made the same conditions with Dominique when she offered her blessed status.”
“Oh. I understand and I accept your ruling, Pandora.”
“Then prepare to accept my dark blessing.” She gave Iain a significant look and he unlocked his power and allowed it to flow out his hands into the two pokegirls. Pandora looked surprised for a second and then her eyes began to glow purple. The color quickly darkened until her eyes were solid black.
Blackness exploded from her body to engulf Iain and Pandora and dimmed the area as it absorbed any light that touched it. April stifled a gasp and reached for her delta bond. She relaxed when she realized that Iain was anxious but didn’t feel any changes taking place in him.
Where the light from a normal evolution would have faded, for the darkness it was there one instant and gone the next, revealing everyone who had been inside. Raquel took a deep breath and shivered. “That was awesome!”
Pandora broke the circle. “Now you get to go eat something. When you come back, we’ll start your training in your new abilities, strengths and weaknesses. You’ve got an hour.”
“Thank you, both of you.” Raquel whirled, shifting to her equine form as she did so.
Iain dodged so as not to be knocked sideways by the massive torso as she spun and raced off. He looked at Pandora. “How do you feel?”
“I was just about to ask you the same thing. I’m sure April is concerned about what may have happened to you. I am too.”
“I feel as normal as I did before. Now, how do you feel?”
The Fallen Angel shrugged. “Something changed. I don’t know exactly what it is yet, but when I do, I’ll let you know what it is.”
“Thank you.” Iain smiled suddenly. “Raquel wasn’t kidding about being hungry. She’s eating like she hasn’t seen food in weeks.”
Pandora nodded. “So you are delta bonded to her now. That’s one of the things I was hoping for. She was concerned that so many of us have that binding us together and she didn’t. That should make her less fearful about her status here. Has she realized it yet?”
“Nope. You set things up so she’d get it, so I’ll let you help her discover it. She owes you for it and needs to recognize that fact.”
“Thank you, Iain.” She turned to the Duelist. “April, I’d like to request extra training time and some kind of regimen which will allow me to experiment and see what may have changed in my own powers.”
“I’ll see what I can set up. I’ve got a baseline on your abilities and I think we’ll start by running you through that again to see if anything there has changed.”
“Well, while you two are working on that, I’ll be getting back to the house and return to my own studies and Dominique’s tutelage. I’m beginning to think she has some plans to turn me into her apprentice.”
***
Iain waited for the Kerrik Wolf pokedex to finish powering up and then checked his mail. “Oh, crap, I have two messages. I wonder if it means that the world is ending.” He pulled up the first one and activated the video.
Camille the Ladyien appeared. “Good day, admiral. I am sending you this message to let you know that my mistress would be pleased if you would drop by for a social visit sometime soon. She’d like to see someone without any sort of axe to grind. I’d appreciate it if you did so. She’s got us, but people know she’ll be leaving the government soon under,” she paused, “less than optimal circumstances and many of the people who would have associated with her in the past are concerned that any stigma attached to her might be contagious. If nothing else, please come for her retirement ceremony. You should be receiving the formal invitation in a week or so.” She glanced to the side. “I have to go. Nobody knows I’m sending you this. I was hoping you’d drop by and surprise her. Thank you, Kerrik.” The message ended.
Iain stared at the screen for a moment before sighing. “I’m still a sucker for the old damsel in distress, I see. I’ll talk to Eve and Dominique about coming up with a reason to visit.” He keyed up the second message and read the header. “Shit.” He reached out through the delta bonds. Ninhursag, Eve, could you come to my office? I’ve got a message from the police department in Wick, in Scotland. I’d like you here when I play it.
We’ll be there in just a minute.
When they’d joined him, he hit play. “Admiral Wolf, I am Inspector Rebekah of the Wick police department.” Rebekah was an Officerjenny with a long plait of blue hair coiled atop her head. “I’m afraid your name has come up in regards to an investigation and I’d like to set up an appointment to interview you as soon as possible. I checked with the BLSF and they confirm that you are not at sea and should be available. Please contact me so we can make the arrangements to get this done promptly. Thank you.”
Eve frowned. “I see she’s being typically close mouthed about the investigation. Do you think you’re a suspect?”
“For what? I’ve never been to Wick since I came to this world. I wrote about it in my stories, but most of my activities have been in Ireland. You know that.”
She nodded. “It was possible that you and Scheherazade had traveled there before I joined you, so I wasn’t completely sure.”
“What are you going to do?” Ninhursag was looking thoughtful. “I had business in Wick decades ago, so we could teleport there if you want to.”
“It’s a little closer to the Harris Conservatory than I like, but I don’t see any harm in helping the police. If I were wanted by the league, I’m sure Cherry would have summoned me already. Speaking of her, I got a message from Cammie asking me to drop by for a visit. Apparently she thinks her mistress is lonely and thinks Cherry would appreciate seeing me.”
“Is she playing matchmaker?”
He chuckled. “I don’t think so. I’m supposed to get an invitation to her retirement ceremony sometime soon.”
Eve blinked. “Oh. Considering that her retirement is probably her falling on her sword like she said she’d have to, everyone there is probably treating her like she’s got the Bloody Flu. She could well be lonely then. Are you going to visit her?”
“She is my friend. I don’t have very many of those.”
Ninhursag smiled smugly. “Outside of us, you mean.”
“Exactly.”
“When are we going?”
He tapped a fingernail on his desk. “I’ll contact Inspector Rebekah and set up a time for us to meet. Then I’ll figure out when I can drop in to see Cherry.”
***
Dona was seated in the receptionist’s desk and she looked up when Iain and Ninhursag entered the outer office. “Admiral Wolf, I wasn’t aware you were coming by.” An ear flicked. “Considering that I’m acting as my mistress’ secretary, I’m pretty sure you don’t have an appointment.”
“I thought I’d drop by and drag your mistress out of work early.” He glanced out the window at the darkness. “Or maybe drag her out of work not so late as usual.”
The Kung-Ewe’s eyes twinkled. “I can’t stop you, not that I would. Give me a minute to announce you.”
“How about I announce myself instead?”
She blinked and dropped back into the chair she’d been getting out of. A slow smile spread across her face. “I can’t countermand an order from a human.”
“Right.” They shared a quick chuckle before Iain opened the door to Chambers’ office and slipped inside. Monica was busy writing something and he watched her for a few seconds. “The Blue League is going to use that desk as the flat surface they need to bend you over and fuck you royally no matter what you do. Are you hoping that working sixteen hour days will get them to use lubricant when they do it?”
Chambers jumped in her chair and stared at him unbelievingly for a handful of seconds. Then her face lit up. “Kerrik! I didn’t know you were coming by.”
“I was in London, realized it was suppertime and thought I’d take you out to eat. I didn’t figure I needed an appointment for that.”
She looked down at the paperwork on her desk and grimaced. “I need to finish this.”
“What are they going to do if you don’t? Fire you?” He didn’t stop smiling when she winced. “I heard about your impending resignation, Cherry. It’s one of the dumbest things the league has done in recent memory, but nobody listens to me.”
“I’m not going to disagree with you on that one. Still, I’ve got too much work to do to have dinner with you tonight. Thanks for asking, though.”
“I don’t remember asking. You are going. You just have one decision in regards to it. You can walk to dinner with me or you can get carried to dinner with me. I suppose in the second case you could scream and get me arrested, but then the paperwork for that will keep you at the police station and away from here for a lot longer than dinner with me would have.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” She jumped out of her chair when he came around the desk and backed away quickly. “I take that back. Yes you would. Give me five minutes and we’ll go.”
“Three hundred seconds and counting, Cherry.” He went back to the receptionist’s area.
Donna shook her head when she saw he was alone. “Didn’t work, huh?”
“She’ll be out in five minutes.”
“And you believed her?” Camille walked in from the hallway. “She’s stalling you, sir.”
“I don’t think she is. I think she believed me when I said I’d throw her over my shoulder and carry her away.”
The Ladyien’s eyes couldn’t widen, so the look of shock that dropped onto her face didn’t look quite right. “You really said that?”
Ninhursag was trying not to laugh. “He could, quite easily.” She finally stood. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.”
Donna’s ears perked. “So, where are we going to eat?”
The Elfqueen shook her head. “I know where they are going, but you, Camille and Undine have an invitation to a picnic we’re having outside of London. April and Sofia made dinner and you don’t want to miss it.”
“Uh, we don’t normally leave our mistress unguarded.”
“Camille, do you think we won’t be monitoring the situation with them? If there’s the slightest hint of anything, we’ll take you along with us so you can guard them while we spirit them both away to someplace nobody could find them.”
The Kung- Ewe frowned. “But why can’t we eat with them?”
“Come on, he’s a boy, she’s a girl, who knows what might happen if they spend some time alone together.”
Iain choked. “That’s not funny.”
Ninhursag folded her arms. “I know the thoughts you sometimes have about her.”
He turned bright red. “That’s beside the point. I have those thoughts about lots of women and I have a very full dance card.”
“I’m just teasing. I know you would never take advantage of Ms. Chambers unless she wanted to be taken advantage of.”
He gave her a pained look. “Can we change the subject?”
Camille was trying very hard not to smile. “Oh, I don’t know, sir. This seems to be rather interesting. I haven’t seen a man blush like that in years. Government types are all so stodgy.”
“Are we?” Monica looked around the room as she came in from her office. “What are we talking about?”
“They’re busy teasing me.” Iain fixed Ninhursag with a look. “But it was just about over.”
The Elfqueen smiled innocently. “We were thinking that Camille, Donna and Undine could join me and the rest of the harem in a picnic while the two of you went to dinner. We’ll be monitoring through the delta bond and will rush to your sides if there’s a problem. Where is Undine, anyway?”
Camille’s face didn’t change, but suddenly she radiated an aura of smug satisfaction. “She’s at home. She is throwing up at irregular intervals and doesn’t want to be seen in public while this is happening. The doctor assures her that it’ll pass in a few weeks. Do you want us with you, mistress?”
Monica nodded. “I should be safe with Kerrik. You two make sure to save a plate for Undine if you can.”
“April will probably have one of us deliver Undine’s supper while it’s still hot,” Ninhursag reassured her. “We do know where you live.”
“That would be very much appreciated.” Chambers turned to Iain. “So, where are we going and do I need to go home and change first?”
***
“This isn’t exactly fine dining, but damn, Kerrik, you know how to show a girl a good time.” Chambers hoisted her glass in a salute. “Thanks for listening to Cammie’s concerns.”
“I figured you eat at fancy places all the time.” Iain picked at the pepperoni on his last piece of pizza. “And this place does have the best pizza I’ve found so far.” He flashed a quick grin. “That’s as long as I don’t ask where the ingredients come from.”
“You’re right about me not eating at places like this often. Sometimes Cammie will pick something up for us at home, but most of the time I eat at formal restaurants. Donna does most of the cooking at home, but we’re seldom home before dinnertime. Still, she’s pretty good.” Her expression darkened slightly. “I guess she’ll get more practice when I’m retired.”
Iain had worked hard to make sure that the dinner conversation had been kept as deliberately light possible. He’d done most of the talking, telling Cherry about life on a world without pokegirls and otherwise letting the conversation go wherever her occasional question led it. He cocked his head. “I know you have worked for the government in one form or another since boot camp. Maybe it’s time for a change.”
“People fear change, Kerrik,” she said quietly. “This is a huge change for me. I can’t even stay in my house. It’s leased by the government for the Ministry of Defense.” She traced lines on the tabletop in the condensation from her glass. “I’m going to be homeless.”
Iain reached out and squeezed her hand gently. “Whatever you need, Cherry. You call me and I’ll see what I can do. I’m sure we can find better than a pallet for you someplace.”
She squeezed back. “Thanks.” A bittersweet smile appeared. “It’s a good thing the league didn’t know you’d do anything for me or they’d have sacked me long ago to get your help.”
“It wouldn’t have worked. Our friendship is relatively new.”
“Most of my friends are in the government. Right now they don’t want a lot to do with me. They’re afraid I’m contagious and the truth is I am.”
“This wasn’t your fault.”
“That doesn’t matter and you know it. A thousand years of British and Blue tradition makes it my responsibility and I get to pay the price for it. I said I’d pay it gladly as long as we won in the end and I will, but damn it hurts.”
“That it does. You do all the right things and they still screw you over for it. I’ve been there and can tell you that Llewellyn and the other important people know the truth and in a few years you could always go back to work for the government as a consultant or join the board of directors for some company. The Davions of New Avalon are always looking for people who could get them government contracts. Look, while this crap happened on your watch, you’re also the person who, it could be argued, saved the league.” He smirked. “Under your guidance, I sallied forth to do battle with the evil Orange spies.” His eyes turned serious. “As classified as this probably is, you could still write your own ticket in a lot of places.” He picked up his glass and drained the beer before reaching for the pitcher. “What I have to decide is how I feel about what happened and what is happening and what I’m going to do about it.”
“I don’t understand.”
“It’s our friendship that kept me from cramming my admiral’s insignia up someone’s ass, Cherry. If you’re leaving the government, I don’t have any reason to play that game anymore.”
“While I’m personally pleased you like me that much, Blue still needs that ship and it needs you to make sure she works up properly.”
He shrugged. “I’m only waiting so long for it to show up. Kelvin is still up to his armpits in alligators and if that delays the ship, that’s not my problem. I’ll cheerfully return any pay I don’t think I earned and go on my merry way. If nothing else, what is happening to you is a solid reminder that I don’t have that many allies in the government and my attitude is going to cause problems. I’m not a peg at all and since I won’t fit in any preconceived holes, I’ll be a rebel and governments don’t like rebels. In the beginning, at least, you put up with me because you needed me. Harris tried to, but she had a lot of trouble reacting to the real me. Most government flunkies will and so I expect my friendly relationship with the Blue League government to go with you when you leave it.”
“Do you really expect it to be so bad, Kerrik?”
“I’ll probably find out in a bit.” When she looked puzzled, he chuckled. “I’m going to be late for a meeting with a police girl in Wick tonight. I’d rather spend time in your company than answer whatever questions she has.”
“Kerrik, if you need to be somewhere soon, you can go ahead and leave.”
He gave an expansive wave. “I’m already late. Don’t worry about it. What’s she going to do, take me into custody for being a no-show? That’s what I’m avoiding now.”
Monica began softly laughing. “You’re incorrigible. Since it’s me, however, I forgive you.”
“Remember that if she tries to have the BLSF bring me in for her.”
“I will. What’s this about?”
“I have no idea. Her exact words were that my name had come up in regards to an investigation and she needed to interview me. I called and set up an appointment for an hour and a half ago.”
“Then you should go.” Monica sighed. “Even if I’m having a good time.”
“Then I should stay. You’re enjoying this. I’m enjoying this. Eve says that Camille and Dona are having a good time too.”
Chambers shook her head and began stacking plates on their tray. “Go, Kerrik. I don’t want to have to come and bail you out of jail because you were late. Where is this interview going to be at?”
“I’m meeting an Officerjenny named Rebekah in Wick. It’s up in Scotland.”
“I know where Wick is. I did some training up in that part of Scotland.” Pushing her chair back, she stood. “Now, Mr. Wolf, take me to my harem so you can get to your interview.”
***
The sky in London had been clear and filled with stars. Iain remembered it fondly as he and Eve hurried for the nearest doorway with a canopy to get out of the steady rain falling from the sky in Wick. His wife’s clothes changed, becoming dry. Then they changed again so she was wearing warm looking rain gear over them. “Do you want me to make you something?”
He shook head. “I don’t really look good in your dresses. While I’m calling Rebekah you can nip into that store over there and buy me something.”
Eve frowned. “You have a rain cloak at the house. I could have Canaan bring it instead of wasting money on something you’ll only wear once.”
A grin flashed in the almost complete darkness. “I’ll wear it and then present it to Sofia. She doesn’t have any raincoats yet and this’ll also give her something else with my scent impregnated in it.”
“Did it occur to you that sometimes you’re too crafty?”
“Only when I start thinking about making macaroni turkey hand tracings or crocheting tea cozies. At that point I figure I’m going too far.”
Eve started to say something and stopped herself with an effort.
He gave her an innocent look. “What?”
“Never you mind. I’ll be right back.” She splashed across the street as he pulled the Kerrik Wolf pokedex from his belt and activated it.
He dialed Rebekah’s number and the Officerjenny answered on the first ring. “Where the hell are you,” she snarled. “You’re over two hours late.”
Iain’s eyebrows rose. “Unless you have a warrant for my arrest, you’d better simmer down or I’ll just go home and your investigation can proceed without me. I’m doing this as a courtesy. I’m late. So what? I had something more important come up.”
Rebekah took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “You’re right,” she admitted, “and I appreciate your willingness to do this. I apologize, Admiral Wolf. It’s just been a very long day.”
“If your day has been too long, officer, we can reschedule and I’ll try to be on time next time.”
“Are you in Wick?”
“I’m watching the rain fall.”
She nodded. “Then we’d better get this out of the way so you don’t have to come back. Look, I’ve already gone home for the night, but I’ll give you directions to my house if you’re not afraid to be alone with me.”
He snorted softly. “One, I’m not afraid of you and, two, I won’t be alone. I brought Eve with me.”
“You can send her home.”
“Officer Rebekah, I don’t go anywhere without an escort. There are just too many people looking for my scalp right now. If you want to interview me I’m going to have to insist that Eve be present. She’s a Megami-sama and understands about law enforcement and their rules.”
“I am familiar with the composition of your harem, admiral. Very well, bring her along.” She gave directions to her house and broke the connection as Eve returned with a rain slicker.
Eve frowned when he repeated the directions to her while putting on the slicker. “You really should have brought Ninhursag here along with us. She knows the town.”
“We agreed that only one pokegirl was less likely to make it look like I was ready for a fight and you remind people that I am a good enough person to have a Megami-sama in my harem. Even if it is a lie.”
He couldn’t see it in the almost complete darkness but knew from the delta bond that she was probably glaring at him. “You take that back. You are that good of a person.” He felt the glare soften as her voice turned slightly whimsical. “That’s true even though you wanted to shoot me when we first met. That, of course, was just wrong.”
He pulled up a map on his pokedex and spoke without looking up. “I seem to remember someone being perfectly content with me being ready to shoot someone named Sif for just about the same thing.”
She chuckled in the darkness. “That’s easy. You’re not good enough for two Megami. You’re barely good enough for one.”
“Even if one of them is Sif?”
“Especially if one of them is Sif.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He pointed. “We go that way.”
“We’ll be headed out of town. There’s a police station that way?”
“We’re not going to a station. Rebekah’s already gone home and we’ll talk to her at her house.”
“That’s odd. I’d expect her to want to interview us at the station. The interview rooms are set up just for that sort of thing.”
He put the pokedex away and pulled up his hood. “We are talking about an Officerjenny here. She’s probably got an interview room at her house where she practices interrogations. Presuming she owns the home, that is.”
Eve laughed as they headed down the street. “You’re probably right.”
Rebekah’s house was larger than Iain expected and well lit by security lighting that covered the entranceway and every barred window he could see. “Nice place. Has that military fortress feel to it that people enjoy so much.”
Eve snorted. “We almost went that way at our house until Lucy’s design team pointed out that bars won’t even slow down most pokegirl attackers. That and the stone shutters are much prettier and actually hide the holes in our walls.”
“Yeah, I’m sure prettier was the overriding reason. Our next house will be a Frank Lloyd Wright design and made out of nothing but glass.” Iain knocked on the door.
Rebekah must have been preparing for their visit and was even wearing her uniform. “Come inside admiral.” She eyed Eve briefly. “You too, Eve.”
Iain glanced at Eve. She’s a Titto, not a jenny.
Eve gave a mental shrug. She probably gets more respect pretending to be a jenny. I don’t recommend you let her know you can see through her subterfuge.
No problem. I’ll probably piss her off enough with my normal behavior that I don’t need to go looking for another way to make her angry.
Rebekah led them into her dining room and waved at the table. “Please remove your weapons and sit down.”
Iain blinked. “I’m not armed.”
“Admiral Wolf,” she began.
Iain interrupted her. “Call me Kerrik. I’m not going to call you inspector all night.”
“Kerrik, then, my records indicate that you have a firearms license and are usually armed.”
“Yup. That’s true. So you can either accept my statement that I am not armed right now or we can leave.” He smiled thinly. “But you are not searching me.”
“I’m afraid I must insist.”
He nodded. “That’s your choice. I don’t see a warrant. Good night and good luck with your investigation.” He motioned Eve towards the door.
Rebekah audibly ground her teeth. “Fine. Just sit down.” He exchanged a look with his wife and settled down in a chair. “Thank you, Kerrik.” She pulled a notebook out of her pocket. “Now, I need to ask some questions.”
Iain managed not to say something sarcastic. “Shoot.”
“First, your name is Kerrik Wolf, right?”
Fortunately he recognized it as standard procedure before he opened his mouth. Many police started interviews with something innocuous so they could establish a baseline for detecting lies later on. It also established a rapport with the interviewee that might make them let their guard down and reveal something damning during the discussion. “Yes.”
“You’re a registered tamer in the Blue League, but your records indicate you are an immigrant. Where are you from originally?”
“Texas.”
She blinked. “Where is that?”
“I’m from a different earth. Texas would be in the ocean south of Indigo and east of Sunshine. It was part of the United States of America before the leagues staged their coups.”
“I see.” She made a notation in her notebook. “And yet you are an admiral in the Blue League.”
“That’s also true. I was commissioned in a very irregular manner for a specific job. After that job is over I’ll give up the commission if it’s not stripped from me in some fashion.”
Rebekah frowned. “There must be an interesting story in there.”
“Yeah. I’m a sucker for pretty redheads.” Eve chuckled softly behind him.
The Titto put her notebook away and picked up a briefcase that was against the wall next to her. She put it on the table and opened it, removing an automatic pistol which she placed in front of Iain. She put the briefcase on the floor next to the table as she spoke. “Do you recognize that weapon? Feel free to examine it if you’d like.”
Iain picked it up and checked the chamber before popping the magazine out. “It’s a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, is loaded and has six hollow point rounds in the magazine.” He pushed the magazine back into place and put the weapon down. “It looks like a reproduction of a Colt .45 M1119A1.” He did a quick estimate. “And it has the five inch barrel. That would be 12.7 cm.”
“Very good, Kerrik. Have you seen this specific weapon before?”
He shook his head. “Nope. I’ve never owned a Colt .45 and I’ve never seen this particular weapon before.”
Rebekah picked up the weapon casually and her arm blurred as she smoothly lifted it to press the muzzle against his forehead, cocking the pistol in the same motion. “If either of you move, you die.” Eve froze and the Titto could have sworn for an instant that Iain’s eyes turned solid black. She looked again and dismissed the thought when they proved to be their normal blue and green. “I am very serious. You will follow my instructions or I will kill you, Kerrik. Eve, pull your pokeball from his belt and return yourself.”
Iain’s eyes narrowed. “Eve, go home. She won’t kill me until she gets whatever she wants.” I am not unprotected and they are not going to use you as a hostage for my good behavior.
Eve vanished and Rebekah pressed the pistol more firmly against Iain’s head. “Make her come back right now!”
“Fuck you. If you wanted me dead, you’d have pulled the trigger already.”
A deep male voice came from behind Iain. “You are too smart for your own good, Kerrik. Even after your Megami warns them, they won’t be able to rescue you, you know.”
Iain frowned. He knew that voice from somewhere and cudgeled his now perfect memory before the answer came to him. Fury swept through him and he only barely kept a grip on his temper. “You didn’t learn your lesson with Micah or Kelvin, Paul?”
The man moved around so Iain could see him. His eyes were hard. “I am on a mission, Wolf, and I go by Triple H. I’m Paul to my friends, which you are not. I’m surprised you realized who was behind this since I even used someone who isn’t part of my harem so you wouldn’t be suspicious.”
Iain blinked and started to retort that he’d never cared enough about Paul Levesque to study his harem and then realized that antagonizing the man was counterproductive. Instead he took a deep breath. “Look, if you let me go, I’ll forget this ever happened and we can go our separate ways.”
“I can’t do that. I have my orders.”
He tried a different tack. “Do you think the Blue League is going to be happy that you are kidnapping me from inside the league?”
“That’s not my problem. Mr. McMahon knows what he’s doing.”
“He may think he does, but he is sorely mistaken this time.” He sighed when Triple H didn’t respond. “All right, you caught me. What happens now?”
“I’m not going to chat with you while your girls try to figure out a way to spring you, so now we go.” He took Iain’s arm in one hand and the Titto’s arm in the other. “Rebekah.”
They vanished.
***
Iain Grey - Tradesman
Living Harem
Ninhursag - Elfqueen (maharani)
Eve - Megami-sama
Dominique - Blessed Archmage
April - Duelist
Zareen - Nightmare
Pandora - Fiendish Fallen Angel
Canaan - G-Splice (Amachamp Hunter/Alaka-Wham)
Sofia - Peekabu
Raquel – Fiendish Rapitaur
Dead Harem
Eirian - Silver Dragoness
Skye - Blue Dragoness
Emerald - Green Dragoness
Aurum - Gold Dragoness
Beryl - Red Dragoness
Julia - human
Ling - Cheetit
Matilda - White Tigress
21x Twau