Chapter 7: Blackwood Creek

"But she was defending us!" Raven protested. Vanity quietly shook her head to Raven and turned around, hands lowered to her back.

"Marshall, if you'd be kind as to check my bag there, you'll find a mandate from the Church permitting me licence to execute the Church's holy justice with deadly force in the course of my work."

Ravens eyes widened. The Marshall looked at her companion with the rifle; he shrugged as the Marshall picked Vanity's bag up and pulled out a leather wallet. Inside was a piece of heavy, expensive waxed Vellum, bearing the seal of the Church of Divine Radiance; a seal Vanity had acquired several years earlier. The mandate made her an official Monster Hunter of the church, and licensed her to bear arms and use lethal force; Divine Law in most places overrode local laws, where there was any. And while Vanity tended to work freelance most of the time, there was no expiry date upon the licence the Church had granted her for the job she had done on their behalf two years prior.

The Marshall sucked her teeth.

"Vanity Hellsong. Any relation to the Monster hunter Rudolf of the same name?" Vanity nodded, a faint smile playing upon her ruby lips. "So you're a monster hunter then. That don't look like no monster bleeding on my street."

"Don't look like much of a man to me neither" Vanity shot back. The Marshall half-chuckled, put a hand on Vanity's shoulder and turned her round to face her. She handed the licence back to Vanity, but held onto it and Vanity's slender fingers wrapped around it. She sniffed, and spoke with a low growl.

"Here on business?"

"Respectfully, none of yours, Marshall."

The Marshall grunted and released Vanity's licence.

"Got a mouth on you. Pretty one too. But a word of advice; your father's good name and that mandate'll only carry you so far in this town. Be thankful you pulled this horseshit in low town, and I was feeling generous." The Marshall turned to face Eli, who still stood with a look of shock and faux innocence. "You hear that, Eli? A famous monster hunter you just tried to pimp here. You're gettin' careless. And boy, if I catch you trying to hijack newcomers again you'll be in irons working the railroad faster'n a bat at sunset. The whorehouses here pay their dues. No unsanctioned whoring, you hear me?"

"Much obliged, marshall" Eli spat. He made a show of tipping his small hat, turned and walked away as his two remaining goons hastily jogged to join him. The Marshall turned to her companion, who had shouldered his rifle. "Best get a doc out here for this sonovabitch, Reeves. And you, miss Monster Hunter, low town is my patch and I don't wanna hear no more trouble from you, we clear?"

"As the water in the creek," Vanity smiled, gathering her things. She wondered who this bluecoat marshall had pissed off to get stationed in this end of town, but didn't press the issue. She needed release, and wanted to get out of here fast and get someone or multiple someone's between her thighs as soon as possible. Once she was packed up, she turned to leave, but felt a soft, warm hand in her arm.

"Thank you."

Raven stood by her side, eyes large and shining, lips moist. Vanity swallowed hard.

"Don't even worry about it. I'm sure the Marshall here'll be able to set you up with whatever you need."

She wanted to turn and leave again but Raven stood firm, hand still on her arm, softly caressing it.

"You're Vanity Hellsong."

"That I am."

Raven looked around, unsure of how to say what she wanted to; but the words still caught Vanity off guard.

"I dreamed about you."

Vanity blinked a couple of times.

"Really?"

"Yes. Well. No. It was more like a Vision. I saw you, surrounded by fire, with a sword in your hand... I didn't see your face but you told me your name and you were..." Raven blushed. "Naked. And... You, uh, you called to me."

Vanity felt herself flush, her nipples hard and aching against the light fabric of her shirt; a warmth in her belly which spread like fire to between her thighs. She felt herself growing wetter there, the trickle of her arousal tickling her thighs as this beautiful young girl gazed into her eyes with an expression of uncertainty and desire. She thought again of her experience within The Dreaming, of her father Rudolf and the man named Andras. She had no such memory of Raven, and certainly no memory of being naked in some burning place. So, she figured, that ruled out whatever the fuck she had experienced with her father. But the girl had dreamed of her. Something peculiar was occurring, she thought. And it warranted further examination. Vanity looked the girl up and down, her beautiful perfect body glistening in the heat, her eyes locked on Vanity.

Yes. She warranted further examination indeed.

"Naked huh? Well I guess this means you and I, Raven Darcie, best have ourselves a chat."

Vanity took Raven's soft, warm hand in hers, feeling the thrilling warmth and electricity course through her; knowing Raven felt it too; and led her to the closest Saloon.