Finder’s Fee At Least?
Nathan rolled his eyes and huffed out a sigh. He put down the shaker he was cleaning.
“What do you want Jack?” He asked as the man approached the bar. It was a slow night, not many people in the bar so there was plenty of seating. A few people danced on the floor, a few others at the cocktail tables.
“Just wanted to see you.” The man sat his tall, broad frame in front of Nathan at the bar and leaned forward. “Can’t I come by to see my old friend?”
“You could, if we still were.” Nathan replied, light agitation on his face and in his voice. “Now, order a drink or leave.” He said calmly.
“Fine, I’ll get a glass of B Negative on the rocks. Tequilla mixer.” Jack ordered the drink casually with a smile, letting his fangs grow. He licked them as he flashed them with a playful grin.
“You know we don’t serve that here.” Nathan flatly stated. If he didn’t know the Vampire sitting in front of him he’d use some magick to squeeze his brain for flashing his fangs like that. Nathan, unfortunately, did know the Vampire. They went way back, all the way to high school. They had been high school sweethearts. “And put those tiny little things away.”
“Fine.” He retracted his fangs. “I’ll just take a vodka soda.” Nathan got a glass and made a drink.
“What do you really want?” Nathan topped the drink with a lime. “I know you didn’t come here for the drinks.”
“You’re right.” Jack took a sip. “I need your witchy expertise.” The Vampire leaned back and stretched his arms out and behind him. His broad chest pulled the shirt he wore tightly. A small piece of Nathan remembered the chest fondly, another piece of him…
“No, I can’t turn a coworker you don’t like into a toad.” Nathan probably could, he just didn’t want to.
“Damn.” Jack leaned back on the bar; with a soft chuckle he grinned. “I need some sunlight sigils.” He finished his drink, tapped the glass and Nathan made him another. “Some of my nightcrawler friends.” He downed the second drink in a swift motion. Sunlight sigils were relatively simple to craft, any Witch could do it and they granted Vampires the ability to walk in the daylight without bursting into flame. They were a simple protection charm really.
“I don’t make sigils for Vampires.” Nathan took the empty glass and placed into the sink.
“You did for me.” Jack called him out. Nathan stopped for a moment and looked at him. Old memories still fresh in his heart flooded his vision.
“You were an exception.” He grabbed a glass and started washing.
“Please?” He asked, sending his blue eyes towards Nathan. “For me?” It worked. Jackson North still had his hand around Nathan Moreau’s heart. All he needed to do was flash that smile, bat those baby blue eyes, or flex that bicep and Nathan would do almost anything for him.
“How many do you need?” He caved.
“Just four,” Jack smiled wide. “maybe six.” Nathan looked at him. The same way Jackson was able to cast a spell over Nathan with no magick, Nathan could do the same to Jack. “Okay. Ten.” He admitted.
“Ten?” Jack nodded. “A hundred per sigil upfront, non-refundable. And I have to make sure I’m not giving any psychos the ability to hunt during the daytime.” Nathan gave Jack a hard, stern look.
“Deal. I told them you’d probably charge $120.” Jack slapped his hands together and rubbed them. “Means I get a profit.”
“Oh, I forgot to mention my travel and supply fees. And for my time.” Nathan smiled, finishing the glasses he was washing and placing the drying rag over his shoulders. Jack chuckled. “When do you need them?” Nathan asked.
“Tonight if you can.” Jack stood up.
“Where at? I get off around eleven. I’ll run home, grab some supplies and meet you there.” Nathan leaned over and crossed is arms over the bar. Jack leaned over to meet him, inches away from his face. Nathan could smell Jacks breath. It smelled sweet from the drink. His cologne almost covered it. Nathan wanted to reach out and brush Jacks lips with his, but stopped himself. They’d been broken up for a few months and the wound was still fresh in a way. Jack needed to stop coming by, coming around. Nathan knew he needed to set a firmer boundary…but why didn’t he?
“Bar Positive.” The Vamp bar a few blocks down. The Avalon was a Witch bar. For two groups of people that didn’t get along and were constantly threatening an already weak treaty between them, they always seemed to be near each other.
Nathan pulled away. “I’ll be there.” He walked away, further down the bar and found work to do. Jack thanked him and started to walk away. “Hey Jack,” Nathan called out to him and he stopped, turning to face him. “you may not need an invitation to come here, but next time…don’t.” Nathan tried to set a boundary, settling back into sense. Jacks’ look shifted from the hopeful one he’d had from the positive interaction, to a neutral one.
“Sure, I’ll call next time or something.” He replied, a hint of sadness.
Nathan nodded and Jack left.
“Hi, welcome to Avalon. What can I get you?” Nathan said to the next patron who approached the bar.
*****
“Julia!” Nathan called out from his room. “Have you seen my sunstones!”
“Kitchen windowsill!” She called back from her room. “We had them charging today remember!”
“Well why didn’t you take them out of the window! The moonlight will undo all the charging.” He mumbled as he walked into the kitchen to get them. “They aren’t here.” He said to her.
“I moved them.” Celia appeared.
“Ah! Celia!” Nathan jumped. “You scared me.”
“Sorry.” She apologized. “I put them on the bookshelf.” She pointed at the shelf in the living room.
“Thanks.” He told her. She evaporated then reappeared next to the shelf as Nathan approached. “What did you do today?” He asked.
“Oh you know, watched TV, read a book. Went on a long walk to the window where I watched people live.” She responded in her ghostly sullenness. Celia was a ghost so anytime she said anything it almost always had a ghostly resonance to it. She had been the victim of a serial killer in the 80’s, the killer had been caught but Celia hadn’t been able to move on for some other reason. Her soul bound to this apartment. Nathan and Julia had tried to release her, but just couldn’t. Some things magick couldn’t fix.
She was benevolent and a good roommate, so neither of them cared she lingered. The did worry she might lurk during “adult playtime” but she promised she didn’t.
“Hm, sorry. I am working on a way to give you more leave than the apartment. But I need a piece of your body and I don’t want to disturb your grave. Your family still visits too much.” Nathan explained with a grimace.
“Oh, it’s fine.” She waved him off. “Besides, I’m a great security system. No one is going to try and break in when they see me looking out the window so sadly and creepily.” She joked. She made the best of her situation, but both Nathan and Julia knew it bothered her. She’d tried to leave before, but the second she stepped out of the front door she disappeared and reappeared inside the room she’d just left. If she tried to walk through the walls to the apartment next door she got sent flying across the room, Nathan and Julia actually found this quite funny but made sure to never laugh out of respect.
“Still, I’ll figure something out for you eventually.” Nathan put the rest of his supplies for the spell crafting in his bag. “You should at least be able to go to the courtyard like that old cat lady who fell off her balcony a few years ago.” He walked to the door.
“At least you made me corporeal so I can at least be seen by everyone.” She said.
“Silver linings, now I have to go. I’ll be back soon. Bye Julia!” He called out.
“Okay! Wait, where are you going?” Julia popped her head out of her room and her long blond hair dripped water onto the carpet.
“I’m gonna go make some money, give out some sunlight sigils to some Vamps.” Nathan told her. “You’re dripping.”
“Oops. Sorry.” She grabbed her towel and wrapped her hair, catching the water. “Can you bring back some chocolate pretzels? I’m craving.” She asked as Nathan walked out the door.
He might.
*****
The next Vampire sat in front of Nathan and opened the top buttons of his shirt to allow Nathan access to his heart.
“Hands first.” Nathan outstretched his own hands. The Vampire matched the pose.
Nathan closed his eyes and focused, trying to read the Vampires’ energy. It was harder to get a read on other supernatural’s – other than fellow Witches anyway – but with focus and practice a good Witch could sense whether or not the Vampire was trustworthy or hid ill intentions. This one seemed fine, so far he hadn’t had to turn any of them down. Nathan did get a strange feeling that this particular Vampire was into some kinky shit, but as long as everyone was consenting Nathan wouldn’t judge…at least in front of him.
“Okay, you’re good.” The Vampire leaned back, his scruffy chest exposed, Nathan laid one hand on a sunstone in front him. “This will burn.” He warned and the Vampire nodded. He began. Nathan traced the sigil while chanting: “Bydded I hyn eich amddiffyn rhag golau’r haul.” It was an old Welsh version of the spell, just the one Nathan preferred. The one his grandmother taught him was in Cantonese, which was funny because she was French.
The sigil shimmered lightly and the Vampire winced in pain as Nathan traced again and repeated the spell. The Vampire winced in pain once more. A third and final time left the sigil glowing the color of sunlight as it burned into the Vampires chest permanently.
“Shit that burns!” He cringed in pain.
“The smell of burnt flesh isn’t so good either.” Nathan remarked as he held out his hand for the cash. The customer paid and got up, allowing Nathan to repeat the transaction on the next Vampire. Then the next. Then another until he was finished. Jack sat down in front of him now.
“Nice doing business with you.” He said over the thump of the music. The Vampires in the club danced in their fast and graceful ways, it was hypnotizing to watch. Not that a Vampire could hypnotize a Witch. Jack held out his hand, expecting a cut. Nathan raised a brow. “Oh come on, I did bring you the business. Finder’s fee at least?”
“Fine.” Nathan slid him a few bills. He felt drained. Jack could tell, he slid him a glass of water and a sandwich he’d gotten from the back.
“Here. It’s your favorite.” Nathan picked up the sandwich and took a bite.
“Mmm, smoked ham and cheddar.” He savored the flavor. “You remembered.” Nathan looked around the club, they were in a little alcove at a booth and the lights flashed and the music drummed around them. Nathan and Jack had been here once, years ago together on a date…before Jack turned. Nathan didn’t come near the Vamps often, not for any particular reason, just because the Vampires and the Witches didn’t often mix well. Vampires and Witches were opposite sides of Natures balance. Witches being servants of Nature, upholders of the Balance and protectors of the Innocent and Vampires being an insult to that Balance and needing to feed on the blood of the Innocent, put the two species at odds quite often. In modern society however the two needed to get along and found they could through an uneasy treaty being formed.
“I did.” Jack said sweetly staring right into Nathans emerald eyes.
“You know that won’t work on me.” Nathan looked away, swallowing another bite and taking a drink. Jack had never needed the power of compulsion to draw Nathan in.
“I wasn’t trying to compel you. Just looking.” Jackson reached out, trying to grab Nathans hand. Nathan pulled away and started to gather his things back up. He blew out his candle.
“I’ve gotta go.” He said, standing up.
“It’s late, at least let me walk you to your car.” Nathan thought about it. He could handle himself if anything came after him, but he did feel a little drained so maybe it wasn’t a terrible idea to let Jack walk him to his car. What was the harm?
No, don’t let him back in. You just kicked him out. He told himself. Jack stood now and looked down at him.
“Not for you, for me. I’ll feel better knowing you got to your car safely.” Jack said in his soft, caring tone that had always made Nathan feel safe. “Please Nate.” Nate. Such a simple nickname, so common, but when Jackson North said it…
“Fine, I parked out back.” Nathan said.
“I’ll get your bag.” Jack reached out and took it, not giving Nathan the option to turn down his chivalry. They left their little alcove and wove themselves through the dancing bodies. “Hey Mark, I’m gonna walk my friend out to his car. I’ll be right back.” Jack worked as a bartender at Bar Positive. Mark nodded.
Jack escorted Nathan through the kitchen, down a hallway and out the back door. The moon was high in the sky at half full and the night was clear and warm, but not overly so. Nathan took in the moonlight, feeling it recharge him and he took in a deep breath. A mistake. The smell of the dumpsters wafted through the air.
Jack chuckled. “Yeah, try having Vampiric smelling powers.” He said when he noticed Nathans face.
“Yeah, I think I’m good.” Nathan reached out and grabbed his bag from Jacks shoulder and Jack grabbed his hand, holding it there. He wasn’t cold. Jack kept himself fed on blood bags from a bank that dealt to Vampires on the low, so his skin was never cold to the touch. Helped him blend in easier. Nathan didn’t pull away. When he didn’t Jack reached up and tucked a piece of his black hair behind his ear. The cheesy move he’d always done before kissing him. “Jack.” He said, warning him.
“Why not?” Jack asked. He had tried to respect Nathans reasoning for why they broke up, why he said they needed to. But he just couldn’t wrap his head around it. He still loved him and Jack felt that Nathan still loved him. He didn’t need magick to know that.
“We’ve been over this Jack. We…you and me…it won’t work.” Nathan pulled out of Jacks grasp.
“Why?” He asked annoyed. “Because I’m a Vampire?” His brow furrowed in annoyance. He still didn’t like the reasoning.
“Yes actually.” Nathan nodded, repeating the words he’d said when they broke up. “Among a myriad of reasons, that is one. Possibly the biggest one. You’re gonna live potentially forever, I’m gonna grow old and grey.” He took in another breath and heaved it out. “You’ll stay the same, and I’ll wither. Our kids and grandkids will watch as one dad dies, and the other remains younger than them. We’ll have to move every five to ten years as to not arouse suspicion. And not to mention the political reasons. I’m a Witch. A Witch from a prominent family. And you’re a Vampire.”
“That’s not a good reason.” Jack repeated his line from the arguments they’d had.
“Yeah, well we wouldn’t be in this predicament if you’d-” Nathan took a beat before he said something hurtful. He could tell Jack regretted his decision, but there was no going back now. It was a one-way road. “We made our choices.” Nathan said instead. Jack took a step closer to him.
“I’m sorry. Again.” Jack got even closer and whispered. He lowered a hand and grabbed Nathans. He traced his other hand down from Nathans shoulder to his other hand. The touch sent shivers, electricity across Nathans body. “I’m sorry Nate. I’ll say it a thousand more times if I have to.” Jack spoke slowly and Nathan knew it was sincere. Nathan wanted more than anything to let Jack back in sometimes. Wave a magick wand and undo what Jack had done, but…
“Jack.” Nathan tried to warn again but he didn’t pull back. Pull away. Jack held both his hands still, his face falling lower.
“Nate.” Jack said.
“We can’t” Nathan said. Trying to convince himself to move back.
“Then pull away from me. Walk to your car.” Jack offered. Calling Nathans bluff.
Neither of the men moved. A soft wind blew from behind Nathan and his scent filled Jacks nostrils. He’d missed it. The cologne he’d worn hadn’t changed since the break-up and it mixed with the scent of his blood. Jack had managed to get a handle on the bloodlust rather quickly. But it wasn’t the scent of Nathans blood that drove Jack to inch closer to him, it was him. It was Nathan.
Jack lowered the final few inches and placed his lips on Nathans. He didn’t fight, push back, so Jack kissed harder. Taking in his bottom lip, sliding his tongue into his mouth. Nathan responded in kind, their bodies melting into one another.
“Jack.” Nathan moaned as he felt Jacks manhood press into him.
“Sorry.” He said, but Nathan leaned into him. Running a hand up Jacks torso, under his shirt. Feeling the definition of his muscles. Jack did the same, he felt the curves of Nathans body. Grasping his plump sides firmly. He loved the way Nathan felt in his hands and Nathan loved the way Jack held him. Nathan lowered a hand down to Jacks waistband and slowly undid the zipper and button, slipping his hand inside and taking Jacks length into his hand. “Huh.” Jack took in a sharp breath.
The two continued to kiss as Nathans hand traveled the length of the organ in his grasp and Jack reached around and squeezed Nathans ass in one hand, the other hand snaking up into his black hair. Taking a handful.
“Jack…” Nathan moaned as Jack pulled his head back, so he could travel down his jawline and down his neck. Placing kisses and licking Nathans collar bone. He extended his fangs and slid them along Nathans skin, teasing him. He’d fed from him once or twice when they’d tried to make the relationship work and it felt euphoric to both of them. “Jack I…” Nathan didn’t know if he wanted to do that again, he feared if he did there’d be no going back.
“I won’t” Jack responded as he moved back up to Nathans mouth and resumed the kiss, retracting his fangs. “Nathan I-” But Jack froze, Nathans hands still traveling Jacks body. He moved his hands to Nathans arms and stopped him.
“What?” Nathan was confused, months of Jack trying to get them back together. Trying to get them to do this again and he stops them? What gives?
“Get down!” Jack threw Nathan down as softly as possible as some shadow of a creature pounced. The two flew into a pile of trash near a dumpster.
“Jack!” Nathan shouted as he saw the collision. He stood back up just as the creature stood up, Jack lay beneath it confused and discombobulated. “Caleo!” Nathan threw his hand up and spoke the spell and a ball of flame shot forward. The creature was fast and dodged with ease, stepping into the light from the streetlamp.
In the light Nathan could see it was covered in scales, and was a deep green color. It stood nearly as tall as Jack was, it’s hooded eyes held slitted irises in a deep yellow-orange color.
“What the fu…” Nathan had never seen a creature like this. It was like a snake, or Komodo dragon in the shape of a man. Before Nathan could get a good enough look, the creature hissed and lunged at him.
“Nathan!” Jack screamed but Nathan was fine. He raised a hand and sent out a wave of power, redirecting the beast midair away from him. The creature howled as it slammed into a wall. Jack used his Vampiric speed to meet the creature as it landed on the ground. He picked it up with ease and tossed it toward another wall. “Ew fuck, it’s slimy.” He remarked shaking his hands to get the slick liquid off of him.
“Apsilio!” Nathan raised both hands and tried to cast the spell but the creature managed to dodge the spell and the bag of trash next to it exploded, its contents flying everywhere. The creature, angry, lunged once again towards Nathan it’s claws outstretched.
“No!” Jack, in an instant, was in front of Nathan. “Ahh!” The creature sunk it’s claws into Jacks side and shoulder. “Ahh!” Jack howled in pain as the creature dragged it’s claw down Jacks shoulder and across his chest.
“Movetur!” Nathan flung his hand up and the creature shrieked as he flew ten feet back and landed on the hard pavement of the alleyway with a crunch. Jack collapsed in front of Nathan in pain, holding his wounds. Nathan stepped around Jack; hands outstretched. He was exerting his energy, pressing a wall of telekinetic energy around the creature. It writhed and screeched in pain as he did so. “Spiritibus meis!” Nathan summoned the power, strengthening his next spell. “Arsit!” Nathan commanded and the creature burst into flames.
It shrieked an awful sound and convulsed as the thing burned, the smell of the burning flesh and scales permeating the air. A few more moments and the creatures writhing ceased. It twitched once or twice more, then laid still. Nathan waved a hand and the flames died away. The smell lingered as the smell of smoke and singed flesh wafted.
Nathan stumbled, but caught himself.
“Jack.” He took in a breath and turned around to see him curled into a ball, seething in pain. “Are you okay?”
“No! It burns!” He exclaimed as he convulsed on his back. “It fucking BURNS!” He yelled. “What the fuck was that thing!”
“I don’t – I don’t know!” There was so much blood, it was everywhere and there was an opaque viscous liquid oozing from the open wounds. “You’re not healing. Why aren’t you healing?” Nathan reached out.
“No, don’t touch it!” Jacks hand seized Nathans. “We don’t know what it is, but it fucking burns! Don’t touch it!”
“I can’t fix it if I can’t touch it! I don’t – I don’t…” He looked down at the man twisting and grimacing in pain below him. “I don’t know what to do. I can’t focus. I need-” Nathan calmed himself, took in a deep breath. He needed to figure out what to do. He had to save Jack. Another deep breath. He was afraid to move him, and he couldn’t lift him without help. He was worried he wouldn’t make it in a car ride. What if this creatures venom could kill a Vampire? He centered himself, ready to attempt something he hadn’t done before. “Okay, I think I can do this.”
“Do what?” Jack asked between heavy, painful pants.
“Do you trust me?” Nathan asked.
“Do what?” He repeated.
“Do you trust me?” Nathan grabbed the sides of Jacks face and looked into his eyes and calmly asked. Jack took a moment, trying to calm himself.
“I do.” He nodded. “I do.”
“Okay,” Nathan nodded slowly, holding back tears. “this is gonna hurt.”
“Wait what?” Nathan plunged his hand into Jacks abdomen, with a little magickal help to make it through the thick muscular chest and between the ribcage. “Ah! FUCK!” He exploded in pain. “What the fuck!”
“I needed to make a connection! Now stop writhing, I don’t want to accidentally rip your heart out. Stay still.” Nathan tried to soothe as he grasped Jacks heart in his hand lightly. With the connection he was able to forge a connection and channel his Vampiric strength and essence. Something Witches didn’t do often.
Nathan took a moment to center himself, taking in a deep, calming breath.
“Vectus Locorum.” He spoke. He felt the magick rise and fall away. “Come on, I can do this.” He said to himself centering himself again. He felt the magick surround him, pulling it from the air, the ground, from Jack. He repeated the spell. “Vectus Locorum.” He whispered and as the spell left his lips, they wrapped around him and Jack. Forming a cocoon of magick that tore them from this point in space.
The world shimmered, faded, ripped away. The alley and the night sky shifting and contorting as it reformed and they were teleported from the alley behind Bar Positive and into Nathan and Julias’ apartment.
“Ah!” Celia and Julia both screamed at the scene. “What the fuck!” Julia jumped up from the couch and joined Nathan and Jack on the floor and Celia faded in and out in surprise, screaming.
“Help.” Nathan panted, feeling drained more than he ever had been. He slowly removed his hand from Jacks chest and Jack kept wincing and groaning in pain. A low growl in pain here and there. Julia reached out, not knowing what to do. “We were attacked.” Nathan tried to keep it together, but his head was spinning. He felt lightheaded.
“What the fuck! What!” Julia kept going. She inspected the wounds, looking them over.
“Why are his pants open?” Celia screamed, still surprised and terrified at the scene before her.
