A Bump in the Road. Chapter Thirteen.
A Bump in the Road
Chapter Thirteen
By Roofles
My feet carried me quickly and that throbbing ache that I had earlier from jumping off the roof (well falling) and running for my life was gone, left with only a tingling numbness. My arm wasn't stinging anymore from where it had been cut and my breath was evening out, I wasn't even sweating as I jogged down the street towards the only sanctuary I could possibly think of. A pub. A bar. A place people normally go to to get wasted. I really needed to find better places in this city.
The hairs on the back of my neck were on edge as I walked, quickening my pace as I felt more eyes turning towards me. Every shadow seemed to move, people seemed to be crowding behind me and no matter which corner I found myself turning down I found the same car tailing me. It might've been my imagination, it might've been the fact I was already so on edge but a part of me knew that, even if it was only one of these people, it only takes one.
"Keep moving, don't look back." Tezca growled in my ear. "We aren't alone."
"Well no shit," I muttered angrily, more in annoyance than anything else. I really didn't like being hunted. "Middle of the city and you'd think we'd have some privacy." I found myself going on being a bit more spiteful than I meant to be but didn't apologize. The person I wanted to string up by his tail wasn't Tezca but my own brother. Where ever the hell he was.
What have you gotten yourself into Marco? He had been able to help with my...issue, that was still somewhat of a large issue but Marco had been disappearing ever since he moved in. I figured he was out just doing dumb guy stuff or drinking. Alcoholism ran in our family after all. I never thought, even for a second, he'd be a big bad werewolf. Maybe he really was out howling at the moon, prancing through the fields and singing werewolves in London. Yeah. That sounded like my brother...
"Two of them." Tezca whispered once more in that growl. "Don't look back." He repeated. Not like I was about too. "I can smell gunpowder on them." Middle of the city, it was beginning to rain and he could smell something like that? "Blend into the crowd, use the others to block their sight."
"Right." I nodded, still annoyed about the obvious but followed the advice anyways. It was kind of nice to literally have eyes in the back of my head for a change.
"Their little red dots won't reach you then." Little red dots? Oh you have got to be kidding me. So of course I kept my head down, moving far faster and bumping into nearly everyone as I moved through the night crowd. And basically dove for the door to The Saddle and Shoe of the pub. The sign was a horse saddle with several horse shoes dangling off of it.
I slammed the door a little harder than I had meant too and nearly every eye inside turned towards me. I pulled off the jaguar hood over my eyes and headed to the table me and Marco always used. I was...disappointed to see it was empty. A part of me really did hope he would be here. Then again I wasn't looking forward to telling him the fact he didn't have a room to go too anymore. And the fact if and when I did see him I was properly going to strange him to death for causing all this shit.
I flipped my phone open and sent a few quick messages to Charlie, one to Marco and then thumbed over the last one. I frowned before closing the phone. Jenny would have to deal with being stood up, she had to used to getting it from guys by now.
"What can I get you boys?" A deep bronze tone asked and the over hanging lantern was obscured by the huge statue like figure of the bartender.
"The special." I said. The bartender never had anyone else, no waitresses or anything. A man that could do everything needed by himself. He reminded me of some great Greek bronze statue of some long forgotten warrior. I scrunched up my brow. "Sorry. Make that two." I groaned slightly as I heard an annoying growl in my ear until I had ordered more than one.
"Of course." That brass bell like tone grumbled from the bartender. He stood around longer than needed, staring at me before moving on. He did that. Often. And it was more unnerving each time as if judging me for some kind of moral choice I had made in my life.
"Oh hey!" I said as the light bulb went on. "Mr.." I didn't know his name, crap. It's never come up before. "Bartender dude." I wanted to smack my head on the table after saying that. "Have you seen my brother? Marco?"
"He's your brother?" The man stopped turning to look at me, the brass ring in his nose swaying as he did so.
"Well step-brother, but yeah. Have you?" I gave a hopeful smile but only got an uncomfortable silence in return. It was impossible to see if he was annoyed, angry, sad or even happy on that dull mask he called a face. There was no emotion on it. It really did look like he had gone in one too many times to get a face lift, the corner of his cheeks and jaws perfectly cut so. His jaw almost angular pointed with a flat block like chin.
I got a single shake of a head in a no.
"Also order one of these 'fried jalapenos.'" Tezca asked, well I assume he was asking for it and not telling me to order it. Though the latter was far more likely.
"I'll also take a bowl of fried jalapenos."
"And these onion. Rings? Are onion not circular?" Tezca was staring down at the picture menu confused.
"And some onion rings," I chuckled shaking my head. I was hungry. Far more than I thought. With the adrenaline rush fading I could feel the pain of hunger returning. I hadn't eaten all day. The only thing I had today was some soup from a crazy witchdoctor. Speaking of which.
I pulled out my phone, laughing again in a small bout brought on by exhaustion and dialed the number written on my palm. Given to me by the crazy wild dog. It actually rang.
"Hello?" I heard the voice on the other line pick up. I can't believe he actually had a phone.
"I can't believe you actually have a phone." I really couldn't.
"I don't." Lewis said on the other end. He was either picking at his teeth or chewing on his nails as there was a munching sound on the other end like static. "I have Clark though."
It took me a moment to respond to that. "The chicken?"
"Yeah. He gets all kind of signals." I just shut my mouth with my hand.
"Yeah well...that's...cool?" I shook my head. The new Iphone! A lizard tail chicken! Buy one now. "Look. I called to ask just what the fuck you did to me?"
"I didn't fuck you." Lewis said clearly missing what I had said. "I could fuck you. Would you like to make an appointment?"
"No, no. For the love of god no." I rubbed my forehead already getting a headache from this conversation. This is why I hadn't wanted to text him... I don't even want to know where he might get a text from on his chicken phone. "I meant with me and Tez...the jaguar. Why is it still...with me?"
"Oh that. Well it isn't." Lewis said getting up and I could hear him moving around on the other end. "I have his essence right...here? CLARK!" He shouted, into, the phone. "Where is the fetish of Tony?" Tony? He named the jaguar tony? Why is it always Tony?
"No look, I have that. I was wondering why me and him still have a connection to each other. And how do I separate it. Permanently." I was hoping he had some kind of magic witchdoctor sheers he could lend me and I could just clip the strings connecting us together.
"You don't. Or can't. Or well you could but shouldn't. You shouldn't." Lewis nodded to himself, I only know this as he was rubbing his head up and down the chicken. "If you did you'd be a balless person."
"Ball less?" The gears in my head slowly turned. "A eunuch?" I shuddered at the idea of being castrated.
"Yeah! One of those guys that don't got none no more!" Lewis yipped a laugh at that and a string of giggles followed find it far too amusing.
"Lewis." I groaned rubbing my forehead again. "Please. Please explain to me how that would castrate me."
"No, no. Not in the literal sense. You would just become one of them. Like boring. And dull. And lifeless." I wondered if the bartender of this place was a eunuch then, heh. "The vengeful spirit possessing you had latched on tightly, they tend to do that. I could've easily removed it but it would've taken a large chunk of you with it. And if you didn't die, well then you'd be a-,"
"Eunuch. Right. Stop saying that." I shook my head. "Thank you for...then what the hell DID you do?" I snapped catching myself.
"I purified it. Purged the bad stuff out." Lewis nodded once more or WAS just rubbing his head on the chicken. Don't ask my why a guy would rub his head on his cock. "It was vengeful. And now it isn't. Yay me."
"Purified? How? I thought it was a blood sucking, man eating, demon spawn of hell?"
"Hey." Tezca growled.
"Not a demon. We've been over this. Just your average, run of the mill, evil spirit of an old Aztec god. Duh." Lewis barked a laughed before tossing a few things into his cauldron.
"Of course." I just shook my head, rested back and looked up at the ceiling. "And then what was the whole soul snare thing for then?"
"Well I tied up the evil parts, burned it out of you and then poisoned you. Your welcome." Right, poisoned me. Figures. "So are we still on for tonight?"
"Lewis. We didn't make plans."
"Oh. Would you like too?" He asked hopefully and I hung up.
"You know I'm not a demon right?" Tezca spoke up, growling in my ear. Semi annoyed and almost concerned on the matter. Or I might've just been reading into things, again.
"Might as well be." I grumbled picking at the food that had somehow arrived without me noticing. I honestly didn't feel like eating but my hunger made me. I ate in silence, even offered the other burger to the jungle cat. He refused and watched me eat, a bit unnerving to say the least. The jaguar hood was off my head but the cowl of it rested on my shoulder, it's empty black eyes glowing with a teal fire.
Normally I could barely finish one of these burgers. They were roughly the size of your head. Now I found myself finishing both, the fries of both and then working on the fried jalapenos. It reminded me when I was wearing the amulet. At this I decided to take the jaguar jacket off.
It looked like my overcoat but was a tawny yellow, black rosettes dotted it as if it really was made from the jaguar's pelt. The outside felt fuzzy, warm and even had a animal smell to it. Earthy with the smell of rain. The inner layer was smooth like leather but warm on my bare arms. A part of me actually wanted to keep it on as the cold seeped in once I finished stripping out of it and dropped it at my side. And with it my exhaustion returned.
The cut on my arm wasn't healed but looked like an old wound I had gotten days ago than just an hour. My limbs still felt sore but it was as if I had gotten a quick nap in at least. And I was suddenly far too full making me groan and rest back against the chair.
"What's the plan?" Tezca asked taking the seat across from me as a jaguar once more. It was an odd sight to see a full grown, slightly larger than normal jungle cat sitting on a chair in a pub. No one really seemed to have noticed or paid it much mind. The question he asked was a good one. The very thing I had been thinking over.
"Was hoping to find Marco here. But I forgot. Fate hates me." My eys drifted around them room before going on. "We might as well wait and see if he shows up. Otherwise," I shrugged. "Who knows what to do."
Tezca nodded before looking around the room. Sniffing at the air before eying the bartender, he glared at the large man before looking back at me. "You should get some rest. It's been a long night for a mortal." I relished at the idea of being able to sleep. I just shook my head though.
"Can't. Not until I know Marco's safe. Those freaks might be after him too." I rested back some more rocking the chair on it's hind legs and looked around. The pub was more packed than normal.
Several people had filled up the various tables spread around the room. Many of the booths were filled up with things in their natural forms. Wings and fur, horns and scales all shown in lanterns hanging above and torches smoldering on the walls. This place looked like it belonged a couple hundred years in the past. I ignored the cat who was trying to use a thumbless paw to slide the chili jalapenos over towards itself and strained my ears to listen in.
There was something going on. Like a sporting event. It brought out the crowd. And took me several moments, Tezca trying to eat a single fried piece from the side of the bowl unsuccessfully, before I caught anything useful. That stupid arena match. And I was sure I knew where Marco was.
"That dumbass," I muttered standing up and opening my wallet, tossed a twenty onto the table. I didn't wait for the jaguar who had nommed the side of the red plastic basket and followed after me, attempting to keep everything from spilling out onto the floor. "Hey, Barkeep." I said waving at the guy. "Mind if I use your back door." I pointed towards the side door "I have a brother to kill."
It took a bit of convincing on my part before the Barkeep let us through. He didn't seem to have much of an issue with me but did not like Tezca, not that I blamed him. If I could've gone without the jaguar I would've. But I rather not leave him alone with the helpless denizens of the pub. Once I managed to get us through there was also the other matter of where we were going to go.
Of course it would've been too easy to go back directly to the ring. Coming from the ring wasn't a problem but going to it was out of the question or at least that's what the Barkeep was trying to convey. I'm not sure if he could or couldn't do it or just wanted to make sure we weren't in any direct danger. Either way it wasn't going to happen. So I chose the next best thing.
"Do you know a black cat named Varric? Owns a small apothecary shop."
The Barkeep frowned as I asked. It was one of the few times I actually saw him emote. "What business do you have with that witch's familiar?"
"He's the one who gave me him." I jabbed a finger over at the jaguar who had gotten up on a nearby stool with the basket of fried jalapenos and was, once more, trying to eat them one at a time. A jaguar's jaws might've been the second most powerful mammal in the animal kingdom, it was not however skilled at the more delicate things. I ended up grabbing a piece and tossing it up for him. Those jaws snapping shut around it.
"Don't mock me." Tezca growled but waited for me to throw another one up.
"You wish to go back to the guy who cursed you? I thought you were the smart one." I almost laughed but just rolled my eyes.
"You going to help or not?"
"Fine." The Barkeep said lifting a hand up towards the door. A snap of his fingers and he went back to wiping the counter down ignoring us.
"Thank you." I nodded giving a moment afterward. I didn't want to go back to see that cat but at the same time knew no one else of that world. Lewis was in the boondocks of some swamp and Marco was missing. It wasn't the safest, most logical or even the brightest of options I have ever been given but such was my line of work.
I headed for the door not even waiting for the cat to follow. Once more Tezca had picked up the bowl, trying to make sure he didn't spill any of it, and followed behind me. Looks like I was stuck with him rather I like it or not.
Tezca murfed, saying something with his jaws closed. I looked back and saw him trying to give me the basket. Rolling my eyes I took it and as I did found the large jungle cat curling around my legs, climbing up my back and once more draping out over me like a large jaguar pelt. The top of his muzzle and head fell over my own. It was disconcerting as those long fangs rubbed at the side of my face and I could almost feel his hot breath on the nape of my neck.
Large paws covered my hands and the overcoat hugged at my sides and back. It rose and fell with Tezca's breaths and once more I felt that smooth leather like feel over the interior rubbing against my bare arms. It was warm and I could feel blood underneath.
"Is this really necessary."
"Yes." Was the flat, growl of a reply I got and we opened the door and headed in. Even before the door closed behind me I found myself looking back and wondering. If I would ever return t the human world again.