Necromancer Chronicles Pt. 02

"If you come back, and get within fifty yards of Cindy, my spell will detect you and kick in. It will bind you to a piece of jewelry where you will be powerless and quite bored, for the rest of Cindy's life. I will not be coming back to check on things, that means you will be trapped until the spell dies, which is when Cindy dies. It's up to you, but I'd advise you to stay the fuck away unless you want to be trapped and very bored for forty to sixty years."

He opened his mouth to talk but I really didn't want to hear it, I pulled his energy and he popped out of this plane of existence.

Amy said accusingly, "You didn't even hear his side."

I shrugged, "It was safer for him that way. I can't think of a good reason to stalk your girlfriend after death, there was a very good chance he would have pissed me off if he got to talk. Then I'd have stress trying not to do something I'd regret to the bastard. Trust me, it was better for him this way."

Amy rolled her eyes and looked away. It was still very early so I started heading for home. That's when all hell broke loose, someone ran a red light as I was crossing and hit the driver side door and side panel. My body crashed into the door, I could swear I heard my skull crack as my head slammed into and shattered the window. My last thought was that we were so fucked as I passed out.

I woke up slowly and opened my eyes. The light felt like needles piercing my eyes. I could see Amy fighting close to ten vamps, or were they doubled? I also saw a few bodies on the ground, quickly decaying into dust. I smiled, I loved that woman, I mean how she was a bad ass.

I reached out with my necromancer power, fighting the pain, but felt spells of protection around them. My only other choice was to pull overwhelming energy, or get out and use my demon abilities. I moved and my head spun, I felt vertigo, no idea which way was up and it felt like there was an ice pick stuck in my brain.

I quickly coated it with shadow to numb the pain and sighed in annoyance. Why was it every fight I was in I had some kind of head injury? That left the other alternative, I pulled power from my ghosts and sent a lance of it at one of the vampires. The idea of enslavement was as distasteful as ever, so I hammered through the shield and snuffed out the vampire's life. The strain of it with my injury caused my vision to go black, I almost passed out again.

I looked desperately at Amy, she was still fighting, there were six left and based on independent movement I was pretty sure I wasn't seeing double. Amy was holding her own for now, already downed five to my one, but she was hurting. One of her arms hung uselessly, obviously broken. She also had a number of wounds over her body and my slow mind realized those assholes had long daggers.

Well, I couldn't fight, or channel enough to kill without passing out, so I improvised and started channeling all the energy I could from my ghosts and to Amy through our bond. She looked a little more alert, but still outnumbered and I could feel myself start to pass out again. I was struck by desperate and probably insane idea.

Bindings were done magically, connecting a sort of conduit from my mind, to the target's spirit or soul. For me to send her energy I had to direct my magic, and feed it to her, while also drawing on my ghosts. But what if I grounded a conduit differently. Oh, this was probably the dumbest thing I ever did, but I used my power to create a new binding between us, but from my spirit to hers. In theory that would make it more of a partnership, and she could actually access my magic and pull from me, even if I was unconscious.

If I wasn't wrong that is, and about to kill us both.

I established the conduit and bound our souls together. I immediately felt a roaring of energy pass through me, it didn't hurt my head, because I had taken it out of the loop. Still, I was really dizzy and passing out again. I just barely managed to cast speed healing on myself at the last moment...

I woke up and was surprised my head didn't hurt. My head was on something extremely soft and I felt arms cradling me, and legs on either side of my waist. I slowly opened my eyes, despite my wariness it didn't hurt at all. I could hear Amy whispering something into my hair, her lips touching the top of my head. Her voice kept changing in pitch and I thought she was crying.

"Amy?"

"Oh, Vince, what did you do? What am I?"

"Vampire?" came out more like a question than an answer.

She whispered half doubtfully, half in awe, "Not anymore."

I couldn't feel a heartbeat, but her body felt warm, warmer than I ever felt before, almost human temperature. I slowly sat up, head was still good.

"What happened to my wound, how long were we here?"

She said, "Only a few minutes, as for your wound, I healed you, with my witch power."

Being brilliant I said, "Huh?"

She giggled, "You heard me. I'm also not... thirsty. And I don't think I have fangs anymore. What did you do?"

I explained what I did and the reasoning behind it. "I had no idea it would do this to you though."

She shivered and sniffled, wiping her eyes. "I am stronger and faster than I ever was as well. I seem warmer. It seems whatever you did traded my need for blood for getting my magic back. Not that I'm complaining, it's wonderful. I'm just a bit nervous, what am I?"

I checked the bonds and noticed there were only two, there should have been three. Somehow the other necromancer's bond was gone. I didn't even consider the consequences when I gleefully reached in and released my bond. I left the one connecting our souls, I didn't know what would happen if I touched that one. What if she died? As far as I could tell, she didn't need blood anymore because she was living off necromantic energy through the bond.

And it was living in some way shape or form, if her witch magic had come back.

Amy asked, "What did you do."

I couldn't help but smile, "You are no longer bound to me as a servant, although I left the other one going. You are free, from all of us."

It became my turn to hold her as she gently sobbed in my arms. I couldn't imagine what she was feeling, she had been a slave in one shape or form for the last two hundred years.

"I love you... you know that right?" she asked softly, then said, "I could never tell you, not when I wasn't free."

"I love you too Amy, have for a long time," I said, but it came out wrong. I was horrified by the depth of sadness my voice expressed in that moment.

"Oh come on, I'm not that bad," she grinned at me but in her eyes there was pain and a question.

I caressed her cheek and tried to speak but I could not. Finally I said, "Take a look."

She looked confused, but understanding filled her face and she entered my mind. I forced myself not to shield and push her out, and she read me, what I couldn't say, what I didn't want to believe, how I fooled myself, lived with what I was.

I was a monster. I ate souls, and enjoyed it. Resisting it, spreading it out, not killing anyone, doing it as little as possible, could not change that fact. It did not make me a good man, just not psychotic. I still did it after all, that I needed to do it in order to live was a poor excuse.

I did love Amy, but I could never express that physically, we could never ever be more than friends. The idea of even doing it even once, just taking a little bit of her soul away from her, even if it wouldn't kill, or hurt her all that much, disgusted me. What did that say about me, that I would do it to strangers even as I knew it was wrong, I was willing to sacrifice parts of people to continue living, but I could never make love to Amy, I would die first.

To say that in exchange I gave them a moment of pleasure to make it worthwhile was a sick joke. A way to delude myself, to live with what I was. I could always lie to myself, that was easy. But Amy, the woman I considered family and who I loved more than my own life. I had so longed for this day, to free her from bondage. Her, my love, I could not lie to her.

She cried as she read that and I felt her pull out of my mind. I moved to hold her, but she pulled away from me and stood. She was shaking with both tears and anger.

Her voice was just a whisper, but it was full of steel, "You dumb bastard. You are good in my eyes. The best man I have known in two hundred years. You could have been taking me against my will all this time, using me. Using all your ghosts. Every single thing in your life where you have a choice, you always take the noble path. Only in that one thing where you don't have a choice do you stray. If you were at all an evil man, it wouldn't bother you so much. Hardin is on his way with another car, he should be here in a moment. I need... I need to get this blood off of me, I'll see you before it's time to leave for the council."

She left at a speed I could barely track, for a human she would have been a blur, if they even perceived anything at all. I looked around, my jeep was a lost cause, the pickup truck that ran into me had a scrunched front end. Good thing I was in the large jeep, I might have died on impact if I had been in one of my sports cars.

There were fourteen piles of clothes, six of them were in shreds, as if someone had torn their bodies apart. Vampire bodies decay to dust quickly when they are killed. Not instant dust like in the movies, but quickly over about five minutes. I reached out with my power and decayed all the clothes as well, before someone official saw them. It was just a few minutes later when the cops and Hardin arrived just seconds apart.

I told them it was a hit and run, that the driver ran the light and I got knocked out. When I came to the truck was empty and no one was in sight. I left it at that, the vampires probably stole the pickup, the cops would never solve it, but would probably assume it was some kids, possibly a gang, out on a joy ride.

What Amy said to me did sink in, and I could see her point of view, I was desperate to believe it, but the fact remained that I was willing to steal portions of souls to stay alive. In truth, that did bother me a great deal, but not nearly as much as the fact I couldn't be with the one I loved. No, I could only be a hunter, taking pleasure from strangers only.

I was really happy Amy was free, but I had never hated myself more than at this moment. I was bitterly conflicted, I wanted her to choose to stay with me, needed her, but how could I bear it if she did? The fact our souls were connected just made it that much more complicated.

Was she dependent on me? Would she die if I broke the binding, or if I simply died? Or would she become vampire again? I did something that felt right, but could have been a huge mistake. Granted, if I hadn't we would both probably be dead by now anyway, it was a moot point, still, these were things I needed to find out.

"Are you alright Vince?" Hardin asked.

I shrugged, "I am well, I'll be happier when this thing with Silas is worked out."

"Interesting what happened to Amy, she called me with her mind you know. I almost jumped out of my body in surprise."

I grinned despite myself, zombie humor...

"Yeah, I'll need to figure out what I did, she is no longer a slave, or a vampire. But she is still bonded to me, and me to her."

Hardin said uncomfortably, "Sir, there is something you should know. Something I found out."

"Why so awkward?"

He shrugged, "It is not one of your favorite subjects."

I sighed, "Go ahead and tell me."

"Well sir, when you eat a part of the soul. It makes the human feel sick, uncomfortable in their own skin. They are even more likely to pick up a normal disease for a time. But I don't think you are aware that the damage you do isn't permanent. I don't mean to say it isn't a burden, but you aren't doing as much harm as you believe you are."

I muttered, "And how would you know that?"

He said, "Well, we are bonded, all of us can feel your strong emotions and moods. It vibrates through your bonds."

I frowned, I hadn't known that either, but that wasn't what I meant.

"No, how do you know it isn't permanent?"

He said, "I heard it around, and although I can't substantiate the rumor it makes sense. If demons are in hell punishing the wicked, and they eat souls for sustenance, well, they would pretty much starve in short order. No, they eat a part of the soul, and may I say while torturing a spirit, not giving them orgasms, and the soul regenerates. The soul is infinite my dear boy, all those people you have slept with are fine now, except maybe the ones from last week."

"So?" I mumbled, being kind of a jerk, but I didn't want to think about it.

"That means you aren't doing irreparable harm, and could in fact revisit someone after enough time passed."

That actually did make me feel a little better, I wouldn't mind revisiting Kim, and a few others from the past that have stuck in my mind. I was still horrified with the thought of sleeping with Amy though. Perhaps I was just an overprotective fool, but I wouldn't allow any harm to befall her if I could help it. Ever. Probably part of why she was so angry at me earlier, I knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself, hell, probably more capable than I was. But love doesn't make sense really, it isn't logical.

When we pulled in I took a shower for the third time that day. There was enough time before afternoon council for a quick lunch before we left. I was walking down the stairs when I ran into a very sexy and determined looking Amy.

She grabbed me with a speed and strength that would have challenged my demon side and pulled me into the softest, sweetest kiss I have ever had. This was so much different than any other kiss. I loved her and more I felt her love for me as a light connection between our minds was opened. She showed me what I showed her, how she felt about me.

It was so confusing, how much she loved me... I was so not worth it.

She broke the kiss and whispered, "It hurts too much. Now that I am free I need to be with you, it hurts too much to be in the same place, and not be able to touch you, love you."

I was torn. Everything in me both wanted to give her anything she wanted, and at the same time shied away from giving her pain. It seemed I could not give her one without the other.

I said, "Can you give me time to.."

She cut me off with a growl and another kiss, this one hard, possessive, her hand running through my hair.

I said, "Wait, let me explain, I could never deny you, not for long. But for my sake, before I hurt you, can we look for a way to block my power. Maybe the witches or sorcerers know a way. Please."

I held her hand and squeezed it, her face softened at the desperate plea in my voice and eyes.

"Okay, but I won't wait long. I've waited long enough already... asshole."

I said sarcastically, "Oh good, I would have missed the abuse, I'm glad some things never change."

She giggled, because sarcastic or not, she read the truth of it. I would have missed it. I was kind of crazy after all.

"Let's get lunch..."

She punched me, and it hurt, "You know I can't eat."

I grinned, "Are you sure about that? Do you need nothing to eat now, or did your diet change?"

Her eyes widened and she zipped down the stairs. I laughed as I chased after her to the kitchen...

Chapter 6 - Anise

I had slept a little late, but still made it back to my apartment by nine. Unfortunately the moving truck didn't get there until close to ten thirty. I was trying to be polite but it was close to lunchtime. I wanted to eat with the ladies, and I especially wanted to be there in the afternoon to see what happened with the demon... and my granddaughter.

I was trying to come up with a way to watch over my families better. Amy had been in slavery so long, captured by vampires. I could have freed her long ago, if I had only known about it. Instead I had been raising another family, then wandered aimlessly for a hundred years healing people.

Still, it wasn't my fault, but I still felt I could have, should have, done something sooner. I also wished my furniture wasn't here yet. I bit my lip thinking about last night. Maybe I could return the favor and drag Willa home tonight.

My phone rang and it turned out to be Tim, the vampire clerk. They were requesting aid and healing. It must be bad if the witches couldn't handle it. Not every sorcerer learns to heal, it is a difficult process to learn, but I had nothing but time and sorcery is something I love to do.

I told the movers I had an emergency but they were adamant I couldn't leave them alone for insurance reasons. I knocked on my neighbors doors until someone trustworthy answered, it took four different apartments.

"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a work emergency, healthcare, would you mind supervising the movers while they put stuff in my apartment?"

The young man nodded, not taking his eyes off me. I smiled gently at him and handed him a spare key. I hoped he was eighteen, it was a close thing.

"Thank you, I'll cook you dinner to pay you back? Or, return the favor some other way."

He said shyly, "Oh, I don't mind, don't worry about paying me back. I'm sure I'll need your help one day. I'm Bill by the way."

"Thanks Bill, I'm Anise."

I showed him the apartment and introduced him to the movers and went down the stairs. I had no idea how bad the person was hurt, I'd be upset if someone bled out while I was playing meet the neighbor. I ran the couple of blocks, not willing to risk exposure, even for a life. It was a hard decision but in the long run I saved so many more lives if people didn't know what I was.

I walked through and Tim directed me through the council room to a side door. I got my first look at the patient. No wonder they needed to call me. It was a young vampire, and he was missing half a leg. Witches could heal just about anything, but they couldn't grow limbs. Lisa was there, I could see the magic she was working, some kind of pain blocker.

"Hi, so what happened?"

The vampire scowled, "The necromancer... actually it was Amy that did this, I managed to escape."

I looked up at Lisa and she shrugged to indicate she wasn't sure what the story was.

"So, why did you attack them then?"

He mulishly closed his mouth and I frowned. I crossed my arms and started asking questions to distract him while I grew out his leg. It was very advanced sorcery, molding earth, water and spirit into blood, bones, muscle, cartilage, and fat. I made sure to match bloodtype as well as the bones so what I did wouldn't be rejected by the body. Although, as he was a vampire I didn't have to be as exact, I was anyway.

"So why did you attack them? Who gave the order? Why did they give the order?"

He ignored me outwardly, and although I couldn't read minds I could get the gist of things. It was obviously Silas again, but why give the order if they would be here in just a couple of hours anyway?

I realized I missed a vital question, just assuming they kicked the vampires asses, Vince should be as powerful as she was, but he was so inexperienced, "Where either of them hurt?"

The vampire said grudgingly, "Vince was hurt in the beginning of the fight, but both of them are fine. I lost a lot of friends today, why didn't you ask about that?"

I shrugged and saw Lisa's eyes go wide. I guess I could be a cold bitch at times, but I had no pity for stupidity.

"You attacked them, seems foolish. Although you and your brethren probably didn't have a choice, so the fault lies with Silas. I'm sorry for your loss."

I felt guilty now, the deaths of those young should be pitied, they were sent to their death by a fool. I was too close to it really, ancient or not, attack my granddaughter and I will act out emotionally.