During the walk to my place none of us said a word. I needed the time to gather my thoughts. To get a hold on the situation. Everything seemed to conspire to make fulfilling my oath more difficult. I needed the bastards to be dead, but things kept popping up, and I go off on a tangent with no real hope of getting back on track. So far, I had nailed two of them. Mostly by luck. Oh, I knew them all now, and I even knew why, but something always happened before I could take the next step.

  I would have to take some chances if I ever would have any chance of fulfilling my oath. It made me very uncomfortable though, because things were getting increasingly complicated, my list of people to kill was getting longer, and I sure as hell was in the dark about most everything.

  We got to my place, and I finally had a chance to change my clothes. I put on some tights and a hoodie. Old, worn and damn comfortable clothes.

  “What the hell am I supposed to do?” I asked Gemini as I stepped back into my small living area. “I just want the bastards dead. Nothing else. I have no need to save supes I have nothing to do with. Why? Why should I help? They all want me dead anyway!”

  Gemini looked calmly at me. “Not all.”

  I shrugged. “Only ninety-nine point nine percent of them.”

  “Fair.”

  “So why?”

  “If you help me, I’ll make sure you can walk away.”

  I took a god look at Gemini again. I wasn’t sure her motives were all about me, but that didn’t seem to matter because there was this connection between us that I couldn’t explain. It was lust and obsession, magnetism and fascination, and it was inevitable attraction. For both of us, it seemed.

  “I don’t think you have that much clout, Gem.” I said quietly. “It will cost you too much to make such a promise.”

  “But I'll make it anyway. And I’ll stick by it.”

  All those feelings I had for her made it impossible for me to leave to do this alone. If I didn’t help and she died, there was no way I would ever forgive myself. “I won’t hold you to it.”

  She took my hand. “I will make sure, Maria. Don’t doubt that. And I can call in a favor from Nahanha.”

  I understood what she was saying. I knew her promise was gold. She would do or die trying. I knew that I’d probably be dead anyway, so it didn’t really matter. I wouldn’t say that out loud, because she seemed to want to believe that I stood a chance. “Okay,” I said, trying to muster a little optimism.

  “We’ll need more people if we’re going to go get to Derek and the other two. And then Jacóbi if we can. Nahanha can’t get directly involved, because she doesn’t have cause. It will be seen as if she’s going against the Council. Should something happen to change that, I believe she will move without hesitation. Any Ideas?”

  I thought for a moment. Silvio couldn’t give any active help, but he could make sure the syndicates stayed out of our way. Especially since this was a play against them as well, in the sense that the illegal revenue side was bleeding money. And he would appreciate knowing who to squeeze for money when the whole thing had blown over. I had some other contacts, but no one I wanted to drag into this mess.

  “I say we give the Outfit the heads-up. Perhaps they will keep the other syndicates away, for a while at least. The increasing problems with the kidnap-murder case, and the amount of “noise” the supernaturals are generating isn’t good for their business. The Outfit runs most of Chicago, so the other organizations will toe the line on this one, or they’ll pay for it. But other than that...nope.”

  Gemini nodded. “Good idea with the Outfit.”

  “If it turns out that Jacóbi is behind all this...I have no idea of how to get to him. Or even to prove it. Can I just go after him for revenge?”

  “You can. But he has hundreds of Gh?la and thousands of retainers to throw at you should he need to.”

  “So, what do I do?” I asked bitterly.

  “Deal with them as opportunity arises, Maria. I imagine you have quite a list by now. So, deal with Jacóbi if and when the opportunity arises. Sooner or later, he will cross your path. Focus on Derek, Martin, and Phil. You take the rest out as you can.”

  “You seem to be certain that Jacóbi is behind this.” I said.

  “I hate to say this, but I think Nahanha is right. She is usually spot on, and she doesn’t lie. She might hide things, or mislead you with truth, but she doesn’t lie. She hold to the ways of the old. I think we can safely say that Jacóbi is out to start a war to further his own powers.”

  “She said she wasn't ready yet. I don't know if we were meant to hear that.”

  Gemini matched my pace. “I think it is more that she doesn’t care that we know she is planning something. I'm certain that she has her own very well thought out plans. And backup plans on backup plans and so on. Truth is, she is not a patient woman. If she was behind this there would be a lot more people dead by now. No, Nahanha is angling for better position to take over Chicago, but I doubt she wants a war. Too many of the Cursed here in Chicago are too powerful. It would cause too big of a ripple.”

  “But if a war started?” I asked.

  Gemini shuddered. “God help us! She would drown the city in blood!”

  That was a disturbing image.

  “So how do I get to Derek, if he’s disappeared?”

  “I have some contacts. I hesitate to use them because they’re...well, they’re not the good guys. They are evil in every sense of the word. They will jump at something like this ‘cause they have very good reasons to hate Jacóbi, but they would gladly kill anything and everything that happens to get in the way. I think I can persuade them that Jacóbi is using Derek.”

  “Can we trust them?” I noticed that Gemini was still holding my hand.

  “No, but as I said, they’ll do anything to get to Jacóbi. Unfortunately, that includes killing off the whole of Chicago if it would help them. They will stop at nothing to get to him.”

  There was no humor in her voice and that scared me. “Do we have a choice?”

  “Well, yes...we have one other choice, but I’m not sure I can reach her.” She sounded hesitant, almost defensive, but there was affection in her voice. Perhaps she was thinking of a former lover.

  As soon as that thought crossed my mind, jealousy coursed through me like molten lava. It scrambled my brain and probably made me look like an angry cross-eyed troll. The exquisite pain of thinking of Gemini with another almost pushed me into a killing rage.

  “Maria?”

  I crouched, drawing deep breaths. I was trying to calm myself down and trying to not think about Gemini and other women. Failing miserably.

  I was in that weird mid-change phase where I had some control over the change. The snap, crackle, and pop of my bones were agonizingly slow as I did my best to force the transformation back. After a couple of minutes, I was back in control again, but I had no idea of how I could deal with the reality when just the bare thought almost made me snap.

  “I...ah, damn it all to hell. I need to hold you!” I rose to my feet slowly, giving Gemini an opportunity stop me if she wanted. I caught Gemini in an embrace, bringing her lips to mine. It started out as gentle, but it turned savage as she gripped the hair on the back of my head as she took control.

  “What the hell happened?” Gemini asked between kisses.

  “Doing a mind game on myself...got jealous.”

  I guess I shouldn’t have said that, because I got another surprise as Gemini slapped me so hard I flew back into the wall.

  “You have no right to feel jealous!” She hissed. “What I do, or what I have done, is my business! You have no right to question that! Do you understand?”

  I knew she was right. I even understood her anger but it didn’t change how I felt. I felt insecure, lost, and I found myself almost obsessive about everything Gemini. She was the only thing I seemed to be able to focus on in this mad world I had stumbled into. I was also scared as hell and trying to do what I had to do anyway.

  My head hurt like hell where Gemini’s hand had connected. “You’re right.” It came out in an almost growl. “You’re right in every way. But even though I know it, I don’t feel it.” I walked up to her slowly. If she wanted to beat the crap out of me, I would let her.

  “Don’t go all alpha on me, Maria!” She hissed.

  “I’m trying not to, but I need to touch you, Gem. I don’t understand why, but I must. Let me, please?”

  This time she came to me. In rush so fast I hardly saw it, even with my new abilities. She pushed me back against the wall and kissed me savagely.

  “If you ever do something like that in front of others, Maria, I will skin you alive!” she said as she pulled my hoodie over my head.

  “I’ll try to behave,” I breathed as I nipped her neck.

  Gemini pulled back my head forcefully by the neck hair causing my eyes to tear up. “I’ve been fighting my own fights for longer than you’ve been alive. If I want help, I’ll ask for it! I’m no fucking damsel in distress – and you damn well better believe it!”

  “I,” I answered as I kissed her neck again, “will try, and I will do my damnedest not to embarrass you, Gem, but I can’t promise. I don’t have that much control, I’m sorry, but I don’t.”

  She pushed me towards my makeshift bed. “I really should make you take a cold shower instead.” In an instant she ripped my tights into shreds and tore them off me. My camisole and panties met the same fate.

  Gemini’s eyes were shifting between silver and electric blue as she licked her lips. “I’m sure this is a really bad idea.” Her voice held a hunger I hadn’t heard before. It was husky, low, and intense.

  “So am I, but I don’t care!” I said and pulled her down on the bed with me. I tried to get on top, but Gemini twisted so that I found myself on my back.

  “Oh no, you don’t!” She nipped my neck hard. “I set the pace here!”

  “You’ll pay for that.” I growled in pleasure as she bit down at the base of my neck. “As soon as I can think str-“

  “Shut up!” Her voice was almost feral. She stood up and stripped down quickly, throwing her clothes on the floor. Then, she was back straddling me. She drew me upwards, forcing me to support myself on my arms, and proceeded to kiss me deeply. Holding myself up on my arms, I could only let her do whatever she wanted - she had total control, and she used every bit of it as she continued to rip the rest of my clothes to pieces in-between kisses.

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  I noticed that Gemini had tattoos all over her body. Any normal person who saw the tattoos would have said that they were something like tribal bands and stylized sun and animal patterns. Her back was full of Cuneiform writing wrought in different forms, like dragons, eagles, a single eye with wings, and many more shapes. They were beautifully made. Her arms had tribal bands, and here and there were primitive animal shapes worked into the cuniform-patterns, like something from cave drawings. The text-drawings that made up the bands had depth and shading that made it look like they were moving when she used her muscles. On the stomach below her navel and out towards the hips the tattoos depicted the phases of the moon and what looked like old Chinese writing. Above her heart and bit down on her left breast there was a sun pattern that seemed like it shimmered when I looked at it.

  I had no idea what it all meant, but she was stunning. I loved that the tattoos looked almost alive when she moved. It made her look like some tattooed Amazon warrior - though a very short one.

  She was so beautiful! And the lust I felt as I watched her, tasted her, felt her – made me shiver.

  Rubbing herself against my lower stomach and over my mound, she moaned into my mouth as she continued kissing me. I was matching her movements and rumbled impatiently at her pace.

  I was dying to just lose myself, but I wasn’t sure what would happen if I did that, so I had to have some self-control. I knew we shouldn’t be doing this, but keeping my distance went out the window as soon as Gemini kissed me like she wanted to devour me. I got so wet from that kiss I squirmed trying to get more friction from her movements.

  I moaned into Gemini’s mouth as our tongues met, sending jolts of electricity through my body.

  “Please,” I moaned.

  I didn’t think I could ever get enough of her taste. Our lips fit so perfectly even though the kiss was rough and wild. I tried to just be patient, to be in the moment, but the anticipation of what to come was driving me crazy.

  Gemini kept my arms from her with this position. She dropped one hand from behind my neck to caress a nipple with her thumb. I exhaled every bit of air I had in my lungs as her thumb made my nipple rock hard. It tightened to an almost painful hardness as her hand swept over the underside of my breast and over my nipple.

  With a slow exhale, Gemini scooted back a little and dropped her hand to my mound. She broke the kiss and looked at me.

  “May I?” she asked breathily.

  “Please! Please touch me!” I answered just as breathily. My heart was pounding in anticipation.

  I wanted to take control, but as soon as she cupped me and slid a downwards finger between my soaking wet folds, all thought disappeared from my head. I let out a little squeal as her finger grazed my clit. Then she pushed me back gently onto the bed.

  I blushed as Gemini’s gaze roamed my body. I was fit. More than fit actually. I had always been the typical tomboy with short hair, muscular build - but not bulky. I had a feminine face, but my body had few curves. Instead, I had the build of a professional martial artist - ripped and flexible.

  After the turning into something more than human, I had become more sharply angled and leaner. My small breast was still small…unfortunately. I was above average in terms of height, but I had always felt I needed to be taller. I had a bit of a height complex.

  All that did not matter one bit though, because the hunger in Gemini’s eyes made me feel so much that I had a hard time breathing.

  Gemini slid a bit further down and put a leg between mine, easing them apart. With a wicked grin she took one nipple in her mouth as she slid one finger into me. Slowly she drew it out only to push as slowly in again, all the while kissing and sucking my breasts. It was torture!

  My hips jerked and breathless sounds were coming out of my mouth. I didn’t have enough air for words, only sounds. When another finger slid into me as her thumb stroke my clit, I came hard.

  “A bit quick on the draw there, “ Gemini purred.

  I pulled her down on me and kissed her hungrily. “Well, my tur-“

  “You’ll get your turn, I promise,” Gemini whispered in my ear. “I’ve not have my fill yet!”

  Gemini just pushed me down again and started to slide even lower down on my body. I wasn’t sure I would survive this. She paid homage to my flat chest on her way down, seeming to really enjoy my enlarged nipples. They were swollen and sensitive, after her ministrations, but nothing she did cause me any discomfort. It only fanned the flames of my desire.

  She traced her tongue down my chest, stomach and mound before stopping. Her eyes were glowing silver and blue as she looked at me, and her features were elfin like and angular. She did not look human, but gods she was beautiful.

  “I want to taste you! Can I?”

  “Yes, taste me!” I groaned.

  I spread my legs wider as her hand went back to my mound. She separated my folds and pushed two fingers inside. Then she flicked her tongue over my clit, and after that with more pressure, lazily lapping my clit and entrance. I jerked my hips upward to get more pressure, more speed, more everything, but she kept me in place with her superior strength.

  Gemini seemed to know to apply just the right pressure with her tongue, and as she licked the underside of my clit, I started to get desperate - I needed more! I clutched the mattress doing my best to keep my claws in, but failing.

  Gemini lifted her head and laughed. Then she dipped her head down again and increased the pressure with her tongue and the speed of her fingers going in and out of me.

  Every now and again she reduced the speed to let me come down a bit before pushing me to the edge again. Again and again, she drove me to the brink.

  I gasped and threw my head back in ecstasy as Gemini, while pushing in and out of me, sucked my clit into her mouth.

  “Please, let me come!” I groaned.

  I grabbed Gemini’s head and started to meet her movements to get to that climax I so desperately needed. All air left me as I came, and I shuddered and tensed as waves of ecstasy coursed through my body. It went on for quite some time; all the while Gemini stared at me with that hungry possessive look. With a last long exhale, I relaxed and fell back onto the mattress.

  I closed my eyes as Gemini moved to lay beside me.

  I opened my eyes and met Gemini gaze, her eyes still glowing with that inhuman inner light. She took my breath away.

  I cupped her cheek and kissed her. It started out gentle but turned hungrier and hungrier as we kissed. I drew her to me and rolled so I was on top.

  “My turn,” I almost hissed.

  Gemini answered by scratching her claws down my back, telling me who was in charge. With all that pleasure she had given me, I would have gone along with anything she suggested. She was so damn beautiful, and she tasted so good as she kissed me. I hungered for more.

  Gemini arched her body into me allowing me full access to her breast. Supporting myself on one arm, I grabbed the breast greedily and ran my tongue at the underside of the breast. She moaned and almost crushed my head to her breast with one hand while her other scratched my back.

  I applied some suction just below the nipple while caressing it with my thumb. She groaned and shook her head in pleasure. “More!” She commanded.

  Moving over to the other breast, but this time I took the nipple into my mouth as sucked on it. She hissed in pleasure and moved her upper body in sync with my mouth. The sounds she was giving off was exquisite torment to me.

  I could see her cheeks darken as I let my hand glide down her stomach, down to give her the same attention she had given me. I ran my fingers through her wet folds, only now and again touching her swollen bud. The slow circles I drew around her clit caused her hips to rise, looking for that pressure.

  I went back to her mouth and kissed her hungrily as I with a slow but powerful thrust moved two fingers inside of her. I rubbed my hand over her clit as I withdrew almost fully and then did it again.

  Gemini moaned and bucked. I held her firmly in place, and that seemed to frustrate her. I feel her try to flip us again, but a hard kiss with a fistful hair made her stop her attempt to take over.

  She was bossy – and I loved it!

  Gemini wasn’t intimidated by my grip. She just growled back as she kissed me back.

  In a quick move I slid down her body, spreading her legs, making room for me to taste her.

  “May I?” I asked huskily.

  “You’d better!” she hissed.

  I pushed her legs wide and buried my face in her wetness. No sooner had I wrapped my lips around her clit than she came with a keening sound that gave me so much satisfaction.

  But if I thought that would be the end, I was wrong.

  “Not enough,” Gemini growled. “Come here!” She pulled me up and kissed me, guiding my hand back to her wet folds.

  My fingers glided into her again and I could feel her muscles grip my fingers. I could feel her pressure from her muscles increasing, almost vibrating. She rose to meet me and buried her face in my neck moving so fast and hard I had trouble keeping pace.

  I suddenly felt Gemini bite my neck, moaning and licking and then biting more. I knew she broke skin, because I could feel me bleeding a little. She continued to nip, moan and scratch as she neared the climax.

  I rose up a bit and locked eyes with Gemini. I wanted to see her eyes as she came. I kept my eyes locked on hers as she rode out the orgasm, and it was absolutely glorious.

  I fell back onto the mattress beside her and pulled her to me and rolled her on-top of me. For a while there was nothing but contentment.

  If I had thought that this would take my mind off Gemini, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Her presence blazed in my mind like a beacon. A center where nothing else mattered and where rationality came a distant second to passion - or obsession. I could almost feel her with my mind and the power of her body pulsed with energy that my body responded to.

  The feeling of her body pressing against mine made me wet all over again. I reached out and hugged her tightly to me. I hungered for her. Hungered to make love to her again.

  I slowly caressed Gemini’s breasts while kissing her neck and shoulder. She was well muscled and every move held power. Rolling to lay on my back, I had her laying on her back on top of me. Still kissing her and nipping her neck I had full access to her. I slid my hand down her side, scratching with just a hint of claws, and then caressed her thighs.

  The inside of her thighs were warm and sweaty. She shivered as my caresses got higher and higher and then spread her legs so that I could reach better.

  “Touch me!” She commanded.

  “Patience.” I was going to take this slow.

  “No! Faster!” She tried to twist out of my grasp.

  “No! My turn!” My voice was almost on the wrong side of feral.

  Laying on my chest Gemini couldn’t make me go faster. She grabbed my hand and started rubbing herself against it. “Touch me!”

  I spread her folds and rubbed my finger up and down the slit. She exhaled hoarsely and pressed her pussy even harder against my hand.

  I twisted and lay her on her back and slowly kissed my way down her belly. I kissed the inside of the thighs using just little teeth to scrape the sensitive skin, and then I moved further down her thighs.

  “Please! Please!” Gemini gasped.

  I abandoned the plan I had of making her pay and moved up again. It seemed that neither of us was big on patience. I entered her faster than I had before, using two fingers again. I dipped my head and kissed and licked the top of her folds, and as I tasted her it made me moan in pleasure.

  Gemini spread her legs more, urging me to go even deeper. Gripping the back of my neck and pressing herself to me, she urged me on with small gasps of pleasure.

  I started moving faster. The gasps grew shorter and her claws on pricked my scalp at the top of my neck.

  When she came, she pulled me up against her and bit down on my shoulder. In reflex I did the same. And then there was lightning and stars! Time seemed to slow. There was a glorious snap as power resounded in me like some enormous drum and even Gemini seemed to be a bit cross-eyed.

  “What the hell was that?” I gasped.

  “I have no idea!” Gemini panted. “Not a...clue. And I don’t care – come here!”

  “You got to be kidding!” I said as she took me in her hand.

  “You’re not getting off that easy!”

  “Easy?”

  She drew me into a kiss. Hungry and with almost mindless passion, she made me even more wet. How could I not respond to her fire? This time we were both touching, making love.

  The other times had been giving and receiving. This time we were matching each other’s rhythm. Both of us wanting it quick and hard. Her powerful thrusts and grappling muscles made short work of me.

  This time, we both came almost at the same time. I kept moving into her as I came, and she soon followed me over the edge.

  “Gods,” Gemini sighed and kissed me deeply, not seeming to want to take a breather.

  “No way! If you want more, you’ll have to wait!” My head almost swam.

  “I’ll wait for a few minutes...”

  I snorted. “A few minutes?! Right...I’m spent”

  She snuggled close and I pulled up the cover over us.

  We lay silently there for a while. Both of us enjoying the buzz and feeling sated. I couldn’t have stood up if my life depended on it. I had never experienced the like. This was so all consuming, that it felt unreal. We had been growling, clawing, and biting, which until then had never been a part of what I regarded as a healthy sex life. But it fel natural.

  “I can feel your heartbeat.” Gemini wiggled herself to comfortable position. “It matches mine.”

  “It does,” I answered, happy that she wasn’t shying away from me. “How about some coffee?”

  “No. Let’s just lie here for a while.” Gemini yawned.

  I remembered her change in the alley before, and I realized that I had no idea of what she was. Whatever it was, it sure as hell wasn’t anything vegetarian. I also found myself not giving a damn about it. Whatever else she was, it didn’t matter, because she was mine! As simple as that – mine! I knew it in my bones. And I knew that something else had happened, but what it meant or why our connection was so much stronger, I had no idea.

  Gemini hadn’t acknowledged that anything out of the ordinary had happened to us. Perhaps because she wasn’t looking for that bond, that connection inside herself. Or perhaps she was just accepting it instead of trying to analyze it. Whatever it was I wasn’t going to ask her and make her chafe at what it was that was drawing us together.

  So far, most of what I knew was about Breeds. They were weres, but the rest of the groups I had no real idea. I knew I had met something dead and walking - well, she had felt not really alive, but living - in Peter Criss’ assistant. Probably a Ghoul. Gemini had said something like body snatchers.

  Gemini would be some other type of supernatural, but which one I couldn’t tell yet. If she was a vampire, daylight didn’t bother her. And if she wasn’t a vampire, she was some other thing. So the Brood, the Ghila, and the Others were unknown. And so was what they were comprised of.

  All this was making my head spin.

  “You’re thinking too much.” Gemini said tersely.

  “Well, yeah...I guess.” I noted Gemini had put my hand over her breast.

  “Don’t,” she said and caressed my thigh.

  “Gods, you’re insatiable. What makes you think that I can do this again?”

  “You don’t have to do a thing,” she purred. “I’ll do all the work!”