Spell, Crook and Handle Pt. 03

"What is that," I asked.

"That is the information you required. It is the life work of a master gem cutter."

"Whoa, what kind of format is it in?" I asked and again she was loath to answer. "Okay, I guess I will just have to see for myself."

I stared at the icon and blinked. The rush of information was a maelstrom of sensory overload that forced me to shut my eyes and let the download finish. I think I screamed when the input reached its height. I opened my eyes and there was silence. I looked at Feng and she was now kneeling at my feet. Due to our shared link I could actually feel her hand on my leg.

"I didn't know it would be so intense I swear," she said digital tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I am alright, but how about a diagnostic to make sure there is no permanent damage."

"I am doing so as we speak." She said as she looked at me intently. "Scan complete, no neurological damage detected."

"Well that's a relief," I said. "Now I am ordering you to tell me what the hell I just downloaded."

"The life work of a master gem cutter," she said and then continued. "His name was David Asher and he passed away at the end of the 18th century. He was considered at the time the world's most gifted gem cutter. He had no peers and was courted by nobility all over Europe and the Near East."

"That is all well and good but you've evaded my question, again. What sort of format did I just download?"

"A majority of the file was what you could call muscle memory. The rest was intimate knowledge of raw gems and their qualities and characteristics."

"That is fantastic," I said. "Now for my last question, I promise, where the hell did you get that information?"

Feng knelt there for a very long time. She must be processing a shit ton of possible responses and then she blinked before she spoke.

"I discovered them buried in Master Nick's digital vault. The vault led me to a physical location that was quite isolated. That location yielded the memory engrams you downloaded."

"You are protecting that source aren't you?"

"I promised," she said.

"There are more engrams at that location isn't there?"

"Yes."

"I respect your desire to protect your source." I said and left it at that. "How do I access these new memories?"

"I suspect performing task or tasks related to gemology or mineralogy." She said smiling now.

I smiled and looked over at the sleeping Inquisitor. I had to deal with her first and then I would see what kind of treasure was now hiding in my head. I stood up and walked over to the bed. She was definitely easy on the eyes. She was of average height but she possessed a lean muscular build. It was a fine balance of power and dexterity. Her breasts were a large B to a small C cup with small areole with perky nips.

Her eyes were still closed but she wasn't sleeping. I plopped down next to her and she opened her eyes.

"Do you usually talk to yourself," she asked as she sat up. "Um... where are my clothes?"

"In the closet, do you want them?" I asked and she slowly shook her head.

"You actually saved my life," she said with a look of surprise. "You could have killed me."

"I could have but I am not wired that way," I told her. "I just want to be left alone."

"I was sent here to hunt the barghest not you."

"Now that we have that settled you can leave if you feel up to it," I said. "I can step outside while you dress or I can get your clothes for you."

The Inquisitor looked at me and I could see the wheels spinning. She shook her head and looked down at the sheets. I will admit it I was enjoying her discomfort. I leaned close and kissed her cheek. She blushed and I looked in her eyes.

"You don't know how to ask do you," I said and she nodded. "Do you want me to get things started?"

"Please," she said in a whisper.

I took her chin in my hand and turned her to face me. I leaned in again and kissed her lips lightly. She let out a soft moan. I broke the kiss and looked into her eyes again. They were half lidded and she was biting her lip now. I kissed her again and her arms went around my neck causing the sheet to fall away from her breasts. She was a natural kisser and had me aroused in no time at all.

"Touch me," she moaned in my ear.

I kissed her neck as I cupped her left breast. She let out another moan but it quickly turned into a growl. When I teased her nipple she gasped and arched her back. Her body was beginning to shake and I suspected she was getting close to cracking. I decided this was a perfect time to change tactics. I stopped, slipped behind her and held her close.

"What are you doing," she asked as I snuggled close.

"I thought you might want to cuddle," I said and she looked over her shoulder at me like I had lost my mind.

"Cuddle? You just want to fucking cuddle."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well more that cuddling!" She said whimpering.

"I got an idea," I said smiling. "I know you're a virgin and all but have you ever um well..."

"Masturbated, is that what you are asking?"

"Yeah," I said grinning even wider.

"You want to watch me get myself off?" She asked and I nodded. "...Only if you do it at the same time."

"Fair is fair," I said as I began tugging my shirt off.

So I stripped down and leaned against the headboard of the bed while the hunter took up a position at the foot of the bed. She propped her head up with a couple of pillows so she could see me. The Inquisitor spread her legs and reached down to begin pleasuring herself. I followed suit and took my cock in hand. We watched each other as we masturbated. Unhappy with her position she grabbed her pillows and scooted until her pussy was mere inches away from me. Satisfied she returned to diddling herself.

"See how wet I am," she moaned. "This is what you did to me. You are very big. I don't know if that will fit inside of me."

"Sure it will," I told her as I slowly stroked myself. "It will fill you up nicely and make you cum easily, I promise."

"It is so close," she purred. "I can't wait to feel it inside of me."

She pulled her pussy lips apart to show me her rosy pink flesh. I watched as she teased her clit and slid two fingers in her cunt. Her ass lifted up and off the bed as she ground it against my hand. She moaned and whimpered as she rubbed against me now. I took my hand and placed it on her sex while her other hand wrapped around me. We had switched roles now as we teased each other. She cried out as my fingers slid inside of her. I shuddered as her hand moved along the shaft of my cock.

"You are killing me," she growled. "Fuck me already! You got what you want! I am begging for it now."

"How do you want it? Shall I keep you on your back or do you want to be on top?"

"Just do it already," she cried.

I shifted my position and knelt between her spread legs. I took the tip and tapped her clit with it and she glared at me. I took her hand and she guided me inside of her. I watched intently as her mouth opened wide and she let out a long low moan. I felt her pussy wrap around me as I filled her up. She cursed and blasphemed as I began moving my hips. I grabbed her tits and squeezed them as I thrust into her.

"Oh shit... oh god... I never guessed how good this would feel!"

I just giggled and moved a little faster now. The hunter's body shook as her first orgasm crashed over her and another cry escaped her lips. The first touch of the dark magic was felt as she begged for more. I continued thrusting and she shifted her legs over my shoulders so I could plunge deeper still. I smiled down at her as I rolled her onto her shoulders. I was driving my hips down into her now. She looked up at me with a hint of worship in her eyes now. The loud slapping sound as our bodies met was loud in my ears. She was grunting each time my cock filled her up now and urging me to shoot inside of her.

"I want to feel it, I need to feel your seed shoot into me," she said.

"Close..." I growled as my first orgasm crested.

"I can feel it! You are getting bigger! Holy shit you are stretching me even more!"

I cried out as I lost control. She echoed my cry as her body mirrored my own. Her orgasm hit her hard and fast. Panting, I lowered her body back to the bed. Her arms went around me and pulled me close. I could hear her heart tripping in her chest.

"Can you go again? Ooh you are still hard... here let me..."

She rolled me onto my back and took over. She was awkward at first but was a quick learner. Her movements became more and more confident as she fucked me. I was enchanted as she lifted up her body slowly and she watched as my cock disappeared inside of her. She bit her lower lip as she moved.

"Gabrielle," she moaned. "My name is Gabrielle."

"Louis," I replied as she thrust downward. "UNNNN... you are enjoying yourself."

"UH HUH... I love your cock," she growled as her gaze intensified. "The more I come the better it feels."

"That's how it works," I told her as I began thrusting upward to meet her body.

"Oh I like that," she said excitedly. "Are you going to fuck me from behind?"

"Only if you want me to," I said.

"Oh yes... I want to feel it all!"

"It's going to be a long night," I said and she nodded.

Gabrielle and I fucked for hours. I let her experience every position I could think of as well as letting her suck me off twice. Her first blowjob was awkward but the second one she actually tried swallowing. It was early morning when we finished in a sweaty pile on the floor. We shared a cold shower and the old Inquisitor reared its ugly head.

"This complicates things," Gabrielle said as I washed her hair.

"How so," I asked and she laughed.

"I am Ordo Malleus and you are... wait a second... what exactly are you?"

"I am not sure, to be honest. My story is convoluted."

"I believe you," she said as she rinsed out the shampoo. "Want to share?"

"I have the blood of Watchers in my veins," I said and the silence was profound.

She turned to face me and looked up into my eyes. There was an expression of shock and awe on her lovely features. She looked at me and I could see she was looking at me intently. Her tears were almost invisible in the confines of the shower.

"You are a Watcher," she said putting maximum emphasis on the word 'are'.

"I am now," I said and she made a puzzled face. "I was born human, like I said convoluted."

"I will protect you," she said. "Let me travel with you, please."

"It will be difficult for you," I told her. "I am not the monogamous type. You must accept that fact or leave now."

I could see the shock on her face but then she nodded. She leaned against me and placed her head against on my chest. I gave her all the time in the world she needed. Her answer was direct and clear cut. She dropped down to her knees and began licking and sucking quite enthusiastically.

"I am guessing that your answer is a resounding yes," I moaned.

Part Two: Demon in the Mirror

Vancouver, Canada

It was the end of a gorgeous day. Gabrielle and I had just taken up our positions to observe Port Metro in Vancouver. The green hillside looked out over the water giving us a direct line of sight on any and all water traffic coming into the city. I had learned over the past six months both sides of having an Inquisitor as a companion. The plus side, no one was hunting me anymore and she had become a complete freak in the sack. The down side, we were hunting things I would have steered cleared of before we hooked up. Take our current situation for example. The Grand Inquisitor himself had ordered her to Vancouver to intercept some sort of shipment from Europe. I didn't like the lack of details this mission was based on. While Gabrielle, the good little soldier, didn't bat a luscious eyelid at how ambiguous her orders were. When I questioned her she just shrugged and told me it happened all the time.

Not that I didn't trust her with my life, I didn't trust her boss one iota. I had Feng run the specs on this cargo ship as well as monitor the High Inquisitor's communications and report back to me with all pertinent data. Our ship was due in tonight so to pass the time I decided to practice. I unfolded the small table I had packed in my backpack. Then I placed the tools on it and took out the raw uncut stones I had purchased. Gabrielle watched me intently as I examined one of the stones before attempting to cut and shape it.

"I didn't know you were trained in such things," she said as she munched on a roll we had purchased as part of our supplies.

"I'm not," I said as I looked at the stone through the jeweler's eyepiece. "Hmmm... this should be simple enough."

"Wait, if you aren't trained then how can you expect to succeed?"

"Convoluted," I said and she threw up her hands in surrender.

I placed the stone in what I hoped was the proper position and brought the blade down upon it. I managed to cleave the gem perfectly. I reexamined it and chose my next cut carefully. An hour later I handed the finished jewel to Gabrielle. She held it up to the fading light and whistled.

"It is gorgeous," she said and handed it back.

"No, keep it," I said and she blushed.

"I have taken an oath of poverty," she said.

"You also took one of celibacy and you see how well that turned out," I said smirking.

"You are awful you know that," she smiled.

"Trust me, I know," I said and we both laughed.

I put the tools and table away. I had lost my light and we should be on lookout for the ship anyway. I took out my gauss pistol and loaded it with standard rounds. Gabrielle eyed it with what I would have sworn was envy.

"It was a gift," I told her.

"I know that," she said. "I just wondered how it fires."

"There is next to no kick considering the amount of force it exerts on the projectile. I have handled quite a few pistols and this one is the most accurate by far."

"The Vatican attempted to purchase gauss weapons but they were turned down." She said and I laughed. "What's so funny?"

"They were turned down when a certain someone discovered they were hunting me. Besides I don't think she trusts your High Inquisitor much."

"I take it that 'she' was the one that gave you that pistol."

"Yes, but she gave me a matched pair," I said. "...with custom grips and a biometric security system to boot."

"Are you telling me that you are the only one that can even fire that pistol?"

"Uh huh," I said. "That precaution was all my idea."

I handed her the gun and watched as she looked it over. She tested the balance and turned it this way and that. She pointed to an aperture just below the muzzle. I told her it was what the manufacturer called a smart gun link. I explained that the hardware, when activated, projected a ruby colored dot where the round should hit. I took it back, turned off the safety and pointed. She looked at me with one eyebrow raised in disbelief.

"I don't see anything," she said.

"The display is projected directly onto my retina. So it doesn't give away my position to an enemy."

"Oh now that is just too damn cool," she said smiling.

I placed the pistol's safety back on and holstered it. We sat close and watched the ships come in. It was nearly ten at night when the ship arrived. If I was expecting something small and manageable I was sorely disappointed. I grimaced at the massive cargo vessel pulled into port. It was one of those beastly fuckers that carry hundreds of the large cargo containers.

"Mother fucker..." I cursed and made a face.

"We better hurry," Gabrielle said as she got to her feet. "We have to meet that ship and keep it from being unloaded. We have to search it."

"Feng," I said as I stood up.

"I am on it," she said. "I am searching the ship's digital manifest. The port authority receives a copy of all containers on each ship. I will endeavor to isolate which one you are seeking."

We returned to our rental car and drove to the docks. The other positive aspect of having an Inquisitor with you is all the false ID's that she carries on her. As I drove she opened her purse and took out one and hung it around her neck. I was simply her driver and she would do all the talking, which was fine by me. We reached the security check point and we stopped. She got out and met the guard. He took one look at her credentials and waved us through enthusiastically. Gabrielle returned to the car smiling. The gate opened and we drove through as she fought off the giggles.

We reached pier 124 and parked. The Grand Marianas had dropped anchor and thrown the massive ropes that would hold the vessel in place overboard. The dock crew tied them off and a gangway was lowered into place. We were out and ready to intercept the captain. Feng had isolated twelve questionable containers that were purposely vague. I was impressed. We could have been forced to search over a hundred and she had narrowed it down to a dozen, good girl! Crewmen began to exit the ship as we walked on board and were directed to the bridge.

Captain Miguel Santos was the master of this ship. He was an older man, Argentinian by birth and well-seasoned in all the rules and regulations concerning questionable cargo. He and Gabrielle did a little legal dance until she threatened to impound the entire vessel until such time as each and every container was searched. That shut him down and took the fight out of him instantly. I read out the numbers on the containers and on the fifth one he reacted. It didn't take Feng to tell me his heartrate was elevated, I could smell his fear.

"Why don't we star t with that one," I said and he nodded.

I left Gabrielle on board as I went to the dock and watched as the container was offloaded. I casually clicked the safety off on my pistol and unsnapped the cover. I wanted to be able to draw and fire. The ground crew brought bolt cutters and cut the lock off. I backed away as they opened it slowly. The entire container was packed tight with wooden boxes of all shapes and sizes. The men around it left me to it and returned to their other duties. I walked closer and I felt it. The blast of psychic cold was palpable! There was something dark and sinister lurking in this container.

I silently went through the spells I had hanging and waited for the hammer to drop. I turned to look up at the ship and Gabrielle was looking down at me. I gave her a thumbs up and she waved back. The hairs on the back of my neck went up and I looked around. There was activity all over the place. This pier was not isolated and this ship wasn't the only one docked and being unloaded. The truck approached at a normal speed and seemed like it was going to continue on. I got a look at the driver and saw the expression of anger and surprise. Even as he turned the truck in my direction and gunned it I crouched, drew my pistol and fired. The three round burst struck the front of the truck turning the engine to scrap. Damn Newton and the laws of motion! The vehicle had already picked up sufficient speed and momentum to make it lethal.

"Kuun," I cried out and the barrier snapped into place a moment before the truck would have struck me.

The vehicle stopped and the kinetic shield dissipated. I raised my weapon and took aim at the driver. He held up his hands but his passenger lifted the assault rifle up and fired off a wild burst. The windshield shattered and I rolled away. Men began to pour out of the rear of the truck and I switched the pistol to full auto. I fired into the cab and the rifle fell deadly silent. I took up a defensive position behind one of the open container doors. More automatic gun fire erupted and I aimed at muzzle flash. Three volleys of bullets struck in and around my position.

I pulled back and instinctively wrapped the shadows around me. I moved slowly to a flanking position when Gabrielle appeared. She had an auto pistol in each hand and fired controlled bursts into the rear and side of the truck. I raced towards the rear of the vehicle to create a crossfire. I reached my goal and crouched. Three men lie dead on the concrete, two were wounded and five were holed up in the back of the truck. Two fired at Gabrielle while three reloaded. I lay down a line of fire into the back from one corner to the other. I looked over and Gabrielle was picking herself up off the ground. She was wincing from the impact with her body armor but she was otherwise unharmed. We made sure the threat was over and checked the injured and dying. They surrendered and were disarmed.