Chapter 37
37
Vargr watched as Rutger fell into step with him. The end of the bridge was coming up, with the three rockmen leading the way. He ignored the horned beaster. If Rutger wanted to talk, he’d talk, but he’d not volunteer.
They strode at the tail end of the convoy of people. Road-trip Band , he’d heard someone say Cyn had dubbed them. His lips curved into an almost smile. She was impossible to ignore and always would be unless someone figured out how to break the mating bond.
Lithe, tall for a girl, swinging mane of catacomb-dark hair, twinkly red eyes, that gorgeous butt, those curves, and her smart mouth—that used to make him grin at her daring. On her own, Cyn was enough to trigger a disaster. And then too she was deadly. Which was what had plonked her into trouble.
Not with everyone here, just him. The others had put her killings aside, somehow.
Vargr scratched at his neck trying to reach where his wings connected to his back but couldn’t… quite. Fuckin’ things. They weren’t that useful indoors anyway.
A few new rocklike skin bumps on his shoulder reinforced his idea that he was still changing, only slowly, unlike her.
He preferred to stay near the back away from Cyn. Locke was here too. The sandy-haired, bearded weaponsmith was terribly dedicated to Maura, and he thought he recognized the signs of a stricken man. Locke and Maura had talked the tongues off each other at the picnic at Parklands. He’d seen them kissing too, and was surprised Locke hadn’t persuaded her to go further and done the whole bondmating thing.
They made a pretty pair to his eyes, though Locke was shorter than Maura. The blue squiggly beaster markings that down his arm were like pointers to where the two of them clasped hands.
And yet currently, she was a drooling mute—an intelligent woman rendered a zombie-type by the Lure, and he just knew Locke was mulling over a dilemma. Make her his without being able to ask her if it was okay, or not?
He couldn’t help Locke much. It was too personal a decision.
Cyn had stirred up feelings in him too. Kinda sorta love feelings, and all that had happened in very few days. He scowled. Way too premature, and he’d been like a schoolboy with a first crush.
Besides, it wasn’t love on her side.
“Well?” Rutger nudged up an eyebrow. “Are you going to talk about it or not?”
“And if I say not?”
“Ummm.”
“She said it again. That she’d fuckin’ shoot me.”
“I heard.”
“You just don’t shoot your lovers. It’s unethical.”
“I know. Immoral, illegal, lots of naughty things.”
“Shut up, Rutger.” He spotted a grin on the beaster. Shit.
“Can I just ask, what did you actually see that day? Because I have not heard all the evidence.”
He wouldn’t have. Willow, Mads, and the other judge had done the interviews in private.
“What did I see? I saw her leap and jump off a beaster or two and then in mid-air she gunned down Tom. The aim was straight through his head as if he was not there. It went on to hit the Ghoul Lord’s head. Her next shot went through my arm.”
“Tragic, undeniably so. I liked Tom. We all did. You healed okay?” He glanced at Vargr’s shoulder.
“I did. I’m not like you or her, but I healed okay. Yes.” Faster than a human would. He screwed his mouth up at the corner. “I do not understand why she did it that way when she could’ve waited and missed us.”
“Maybe she couldn’t have? Maybe it was the only way? Have you thought of that? If you had one chance to take out a Ghoul Lord, would you do it no matter what?”
He would’ve waited. Pretty sure. He tried to rewind to that moment. “Hypothetical… I think, I think really what bugs the crap outta me is that she had this blank look on her face, as if I was nothing.”
Rutger walked alongside for a while, quiet and clearly thinking. “Maybe you’re right. I know she does now regret what she did to you. But also maybe it’s part and parcel of whatever her nanomachines are doing to her. And you know that’s us too. We don’t control all of this.”
He sniffed loudly, tapping his hands on the butts of the two handguns he now wore, having found a match for the other. Bessie and Clank, he’d decided to call them for no particular reason. And he really should ask Kiko for an augmented gun… like the one he’d once bought Cyn.
“Maybe. I’m not sure that is enough for me.”
“Okay. Promise me you’ll try to discuss this with her, soon?” Then he waited until Vargr nodded. Rutger smacked his shoulder. “Just remember big dildo and ass fucking. You’ll be missing out.”
“Thanks. Not.” He gave him side-eye. “You chose a good time for that. I looked through the bridge windows and figured out why this is called the Adult Quarter, figured out they were rather… circumspect in their name choice. There are sex shop ads galore hanging off the edge.”
“Fuck. No,” Rutger said in awe. “Nooo? Really?”
“Yeah. This should’ve been the Porn Quarter.”
Locke wandered closer while Rutger was still digesting that. He had Maura in tow with a waist rope. One thing he’d noted at Worshipper Quarter was the lack of obvious humans. Not that they were common anywhere except up Top. According to Cyn’s recent observations, there might be still millions left alive. Might.
If only they could figure out a way to free them, but to do that, the Ghoul Lords would have to be gone. Which, he reminded himself, was why they were doing this trip. Not just to feed Cyn’s ego, or discover her past, no, it was to find a weapon they could adapt, create, grow. Whatever. Anything. Find something to help his sister.
Who is likely dead.
He felt the sting of almost-tears. After so long… still couldn’t help it.
Locke looked over, interrupting his mushy thoughts.
“I need some advice. Guess you know why.” He glanced at an oblivious Maura. “Should I do it? I was only talking to her days ago. She likes me but hell, this bothers me.”
“Bothers us all,” Rutger said from the other side of Vargr. “Would worry me if it didn’t bother you.”
“Yeah.” Locke sighed and played with the rope. “My argument is she would rather be alive and thinking then be this.” His mouth had sunken into the worst of glumness.
“Yeah.” He reached over to grasp Locke’s shoulder. “I can’t tell you the exact answer, but you hit the nail on the head. Bondmating is probably the best solution.”
“I think I made my own argument. I just wish Cyn could still help her.”
He grunted. “Sure.”
“She’s been trying. She told me so, but it isn’t working anymore, just gives her migraines. She’s even forgetting things and thinks that’s linked.”
How could that be? Vargr stared at her and wondered at how callous he might be, dismissing this woman who was trying her hardest to help Maura, even though it harmed her.
“I thought nothing could damage her,” he said quietly.
“What?” Rutger looked puzzled. “It’s not harm. Not permanent. Even she has to heal damage anyway. So she feels pain.”
“Yeah. Guess so.”
Something concerned him about this. Had killing the Ghoul Lord truly done that to her? If so, how? Or was it a side-effect of the nanites altering her?
Willow might know.
“We should get Willow to check her over.”
Locke muttered a yes but walked away, taking Maura with him. They all had their own concerns, and Maura was his. Vargr sighed. And Cyn should not be his, should she?
The bondmating wasn’t going away. Every time he saw the sway of her ass…
“I’m going to go ask Willow now.”
“Excellent idea,” Rutger said, following him. The damn grin on the beaster said it all. He knew.
“Shut up. Not one word.”
“None. Not a one.” He splayed out his hands in innocence. But he still smiled.