The chair creaked a little as I leaned back. I had to be careful. It was actually old, and weathered. It'd break if I let my full weight lean onto the chair's backrest.
I was getting a little tired of sitting here. And not just because I couldn't get Renn's body out of my mind.
"They're our people, Vim," Brandy told .
"They are," I accepted that fact.
"They did attack him, however. rit witnessed it. As did Renn. So this may still end... regrettably," Lawrence said.
"Their attacks were of no danger to ," I once again brought up that fact to the three of them... but I really hadn't needed to.
These three knew that. They knew it well. Out of everyone here in Lun, rit, Brandy, and Lawrence knew what I was capable of best.
All three of them had witnessed it themselves. Back during that Monarch incident in the south.
"Although that's the truth, you can't ignore the fact that they still attacked you Vim. It ans they're willing to kill. They had no way of knowing they couldn't harm you, which ans they had attacked with the intent to kill. That's not a good mindset for our kind," rit said.
We were sitting alone, in one of the empty rooms in the Societies Houses. No one else was around. Which was probably why rit's tone sounded so hard and serious. She wasn't afraid to remind of how she used to be.
"Only for you, rit. A few of our other mbers becoming more lethal would be a good thing," I said.
rit glared at from her large chair, and I looked away from her as to look at Brandy and Lawrence. Their chairs were like mine, more reasonable.
"You believe they hadn't been trying to attack you, originally... but that doesn't an they ant no ill will. What if instead of killing Renn, they had wanted to kidnap her? Or sothing like it? We must take that into account," Lawrence argued.
Brandy nodded, agreeing.
I leaned back again, and had to stop. Damn thing almost broke more.
Stupid chair. I glanced around the room, at the other chairs and couches. Maybe I should just swap mine...
"If we allow Vim to chase them, to hunt them, he'd likely find them... but what if his encroachnt into their territory only further escalates the violence?" Brandy asked.
"Vim's not so bloodthirsty he'd just start attacking them, Brandy," Lawrence said to her.
She nodded. "I know but still. Now they'll be on guard. React harshly. As we would, if our positions were reversed," Brandy said.
"We would, Lawrence. I'd attack him on sight had our situations been reversed," rit took Brandy's side.
Lawrence sighed, but nodded. He couldn't really keep arguing that point. He knew they were right.
"I say we let them have the first move. Let one of them return again. If they co baring fangs, then we let Vim do his thing. If not, however..." Brandy suggested.
"I'm more than willing to try any and all thods to find an amicable solution," I suggested.
rit ignored . "I agree, Brandy. What do you think, Lawrence?"
He nodded, also ignoring . "I agree. If they really are our brothers and sisters, we must give them refuge."
"If that is the will of the Society," I said simply.
The three nodded, and Brandy stood. She patted on the shoulder as she walked past, leaving the room.
Lawrence sighed as he too stood. "Far too many votes lately. I enjoy your visits Vim, but prefer it when they're quiet ones," he said as he too patted my shoulder and walked past .
As he left, I glanced at rit. She was still sitting there. Would she try to pat my shoulder as they had? She'd find it difficult, and not just because of her height, so I was looking forward to her attempt at it.
"What?" she asked with an annoyed tone.
"What yourself?" I asked back.
She huffed, and glanced behind . She watched as Lawrence left the room. Once he was gone, she looked around... as if to make sure we were really alone. We were of course.
rit then hopped off her chair, only to grab it and drag it closer to . Once it was almost touching my knee, she clambered back onto the large chair and scooted closer to .
"Hm?" I waited for her to tell what was going on.
"Did you sleep with her?" she asked .
I blinked. "The Stalker girl? No... I might have killed her though," I said.
"Vim this isn't the ti to be like that," rit growled at .
"No, rit. I'm not that stupid. If you must know, I simply took a bath with her. That was it," I said. So it had been rit who had walked near the bedroom door.
"That was it?" she asked, not believing .
"Her entire reason for wanting to bathe with was to see if I had any non-human traits, rit. She wanted to see naked, so she could find out what I am. You should have seen her disappointed face," I said.
rit sighed, and leaned away from . "You're such a blind idiot," she complained.
Blind? "I have great eyesight," I said.
rit ignored my poor attempt at playing the fool, and she scratched her head. Her thick locks of hair sounded oddly heavy as she did. "Probably best you didn't... I'm worried for her ntal state. Renn's blaming herself for all this ruckus," rit said.
"Still is," I said. Part of the reason I had accepted that bath was for that very reason. To distract her, if even for a few monts.
"Then maybe you should sleep with her?" rit suggested.
"Why don't you go sleep with her? If you're that concerned with who shares her bed," I said to her.
"Hmph," rit huffed at .
Staring at her as she looked away from , upset, I wondered what her problem was.
Did she care for Renn that much already? And rit thought Renn was depressed? Over the recent events? She had blad herself, to a degree... but it honestly hadn't been that bad.
"This is all happening because I like her, isn't it, Vim? My friends always die," she then said softly.
"Says you rit? Do you not recognize who you're sitting next to?" I asked her, speaking just as softly.
She sighed. "We're all a bunch of curses... slowly poisoning the things we love."
I didn't like the fact I was agreeing with her. "Slowly? Feels real fast to ."
rit groaned as she leaned back. She leaned against the large chair's backrest... which made her look very uncomfortable. She was so small she was almost able to lie down on her back on the chair itself. "Usually you show up, and then leave again. Then show up and leave again... All the while with nothing really happening. Why all the drama now? Why all of a sudden?" she asked .
"I've been wondering that myself," I said honestly. It was odd.
"Is it her? Is she a Saint, Vim?" rit sat up quickly, as if realizing it was possible.
"If she was, do you really think the Chronicler would have let her out of her sight? She'd have been locked into the Cathedral had she been a Saint," I said.
"That's true..." rit mumbled.
"Fate has just... decided to be busy lately," I said. Sadly I could hear in my own voice that it was clear I didn't believe what I had said at all.
"Fate," she feh'd at .
Still...
Maybe rit was onto sothing.
Renn was unique. Maybe not entirely, on her own. She was strong, but not so strong that it was a shock. She was wise, but not so smart that it made others feel uneasy around her.
And she was strangely affectionate. Not just she herself, but the world around her. People liked her. She had made even rit her friend. Soone who had vowed years ago to never befriend anyone ever again.
Then of course... there was .
She was attracting even .
Maybe that was why I was attracted to her. Maybe fate was ssing with her, and thus my...
No. I couldn't bla my feelings on that. It wasn't just fair to Renn and myself, but it was an insult too.
After all I couldn't, and wasn't, affected by fate.
But that didn't an she was immune too.
"My life has been a little odd lately, since she's shown up," I admitted.
"Oh?" rit seed willing to hear more details, but I wasn't in the mood to tell them.
"What's your idea on why they targeted Renn?" I asked rit.
She blinked, and seed oddly upset that I had changed topics... but allowed it all the sa. "Likely exactly what everyone's been saying? She's a real predator, Vim. Her scent alone makes her stand out. Which by the way, was why I suggested you sleep with her. Maybe if you two do the nasty you'll erase her scent, allowing her to stay safe from such things from now on," rit said.
Although rit had a weird smile as she spoke, I couldn't help but take her words to heart.
Was that possible?
"Jeez Vim! Don't actually consider it!" rit reached over to thump . Her small hand wacked on the arm, and a tiny static shock passed between us.
"Was just wondering if it was possible," I said honestly.
"Is it...?" she asked.
"Might be. I've never cared to notice if I eliminate the sll of those I have sex with," I said.
She sighed, shaking her head.
It was a thought, at least.
"I just worry," she mumbled.
"I agree with you... but everyone's forgetting sothing," I said.
"What? That you're too old to get it up anymore? I bet it'd work again if I zapped you a bunch," A wild smile planted itself on her face as she lifted up a hand, letting her electricity dance across her fingertips. It sparked and zapped as it did.
"I'll rember that offer for when I really do get too old, and need help. But no... I an everyone's forgetting how rare those like Renn are," I said.
rit frowned at . She wasn't sure what I ant.
"Who's the last real predator you've t?" I asked her.
"Other than Renn...? Well..." rit went into thought, and it took her longer than I figured it would have before she rembered. "I guess in the south, Vim. The one who brought that Monarch. The rest I've known, or knew about, thanks to the Society," she said.
I nodded. "That's what I thought. And that was what? Two hundred years ago?" I asked.
"Almost three now," she whispered, as her eyes went dull. She was rembering the event.
Reaching out to tap her on the knee, to keep her from ignoring , I nodded. "Exactly, rit. Those on the roof earlier yesterday... One of them had been young. The bird girl. With the feathers," I said.
She nodded. "I noticed. Probably only a few dozen years old at best," she said.
"Right? What if they had all been that young?" I asked her.
rit frowned, and then her frown deepened as she realized what I ant.
"Renn's the first real predator they've ever t. Which is why they haven't even noticed any of us. Her scent is so strong, so pure, they don't even realize we're like them," she understood quickly.
I nodded. "I bet that's the truth. I'm not sure what they an by master, but it's likely just an older mber. Soone like us," I said.
She nodded too. "I agree. Most of the new generation doesn't realize that those like themselves exist. Renn hadn't even realized how many of us existed until she t us. She thought there were only a few of us in all the world."
"Right?" I nodded so more.
"They had looked young. Even for our kind," she said.
"Says you?"
"How many are like , Vim? Those like aren't born anymore," she said.
That was true... I'd not be able to tease her about that. She had sounded so sad because of it.
"Don't you let her suffer, Vim. If you let this or anything else ruin her, I swear I'll do everything I can to kill you. I won't succeed, but I know I'll be able to annoy you enough to make you regret it," rit said.
I smiled softly at her. "She's not the one you should be worrying about, rit."
rit blinked, and little sparks danced around her... and I knew why.
She was shocked.
Shocked I'd admit it.
Which oddly didn't shock at all.
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