Fortune and Fortitude Pt. 01

He continued to protest, but she refused to listen to him. She had that glint in her eye, and he knew better than to argue with her. Still, he privately swore that he would pay her back, someday.

The task was arduous. He was used to sticking some stuff in a cart and walking to the cashiers. She had other plans.

Eventually he ended up being fitted for a suit. When he asked how she could possibly afford it, she just smiled. "I've been saving up for something special." That was the only answer he got.

After a couple of hours, they got their answer. With bated breath, they crossed their fingers as he put the card in. To his surprise and relief, it worked.

Quinn grinned. "Congratulations, Mr. Bertrek. You are a millionaire."

"Probably," he added. "We still don't know how much is on it." It's not like there was any bank information listed anywhere. He'd just have to make sure he didn't get used to it.

As an afterthought, they went to the mini-Walmart for some groceries. He was going to need something to eat for the next... well, ever.

It was getting late, so Jared dropped her off at her house. Quinn seemed hesitant to leave him by himself at the house, so he had to remind her that there wasn't much she could do if someone came by anyway.

When he finally got home, he opted to just crash in his bed. He had hardly gotten any sleep last night, for obvious reasons, and the party was tomorrow. No use going in on no sleep.

Consciousness faded quickly.

When he awoke, the sun was already high in the sky. A glance at his phone told him he had slept in -- 2 o'clock. He had a text from Quinn. "You up?" Sent about 4 hours ago.

He winced and quickly sent her a reply before getting up to do his morning routine. It had been so long since he last got to have a real, unrushed shower.

By the time he got out, Quinn was already making some lunch with the groceries they had bought. It was so strange. Normally they'd have to be kind of careful of Meredith coming home -- she had never approved of his friendship with Quinn. Her parents tolerated him on the basis that they didn't spend that much time together. If they only knew...

After lunch, they had some time to spend. They quickly transferred over to the couch, with her bundled up in one corner and him half reclining on the other side. It was their usual hangout spot, and Jared was grateful for the reprieve of normalcy.

"Hey, Quinn. When does school start again?"

She pondered that for a second. "Next week. Monday, I think." Her eyes widened. "Are you actually thinking of going back? With what you've told me, that sounds kind of dangerous."

He shrugged. "I don't know. Honestly, all of my plans for the future are a little bit wrecked by this whole conspiracy to kill me."

She giggled. "You know, it happens. What can you do?"

He managed a smile. "You're probably right. I am rich now. If I play my cards right, I'll never have to work again."

That sobered her up. "Woah... You're right. How much do you need to survive? Like, 50k a year? More?" She counted on her fingers. "Even if you somehow use up 100k every year, and if it only has one million, you'll be set for ten years. And that's pretty much the worst-case scenario." She rested her head on her knee. "Assuming he was telling the truth."

"Well, we don't have a reason to doubt him yet. What I still don't get is why? It was made pretty clear that he wasn't just being affectionate." Jared sighed. "He said he was disappointed in me."

Quinn reached over to take his hand. "Honestly? The fact that a man like him is disappointed in you should be very encouraging. He doesn't sound like a very good guy."

When Jared didn't reply, she pressed on. "Maybe he felt guilty. You know how it is with you guys. Always covering up what you really feel."

Jared raised his eyebrow. "I don't hide my feelings!" Their eyes locked and Jared winced. Yeah, he was a bit too obvious.

Quinn looked away. "No, I guess you don't." But she didn't withdraw her hand.

The silence quickly became awkward. Jared cleared his throat. "Are you going back to school?"

She shrugged, finally pulling back to wrap her arms around herself. "I guess so. I don't really have a reason to not go, right?"

"And I do?"

She punched his leg. "You've been shot! That's reason enough, at least for a few weeks -- maybe a few months. And that's not counting the fact that you apparently are about to have assassins pouring down your back."

He sighed. "Don't remind me. Let's just hope Miss Senguine can do something about that."

Quinn checked her phone. "Speaking of which... We should probably start getting you ready."

"What? But it's only 5:30!"

Quinn sighed. "Trust me."

She wasn't kidding. First, she made him go take a second shower, a "thorough" shower. Then she made a light dinner, went home to grab her hair products, and spent the next half an hour messing with his hair.

Next came the actual suit. He thought it was a bit too tight, but she said that it was supposed to feel like that. By the time they finished, it was just past 8.

"Why on earth do people take so long for parties?" Jared asked incredulously. "If this was just for fun, I don't think it would be worth all of this preparation."

Quinn just laughed at him. "The prep is part of the fun. Admit it," she smirked, "You look great."

He glanced at himself in the mirror. "I look just like I normally do. But with shiny hair and a black coat."

She stared at him. "You really can't tell, can you?" She rolled her eyes. "You actually look ready for whatever this rich lady is throwing. Probably."

His eyes widened. "Probably?"

She frowned. "Well, I've never exactly been to a fancy party. I did my best."

Jared sighed. "Can I at least eat a little more before I go? I'm still pretty hungry..."

"I'm sure they'll have refreshments. You'll be fine." Her smile faded. "We really don't know what we've gotten into, huh?"

He nodded. "Nope. Quinn, thanks again. I couldn't do this without you."

"You always say that!" She laughed. "Like in math class the other day. You totally-"

"This isn't math class." He shifted. "I mean it, Quinn. Thank you."

She met his eyes. "Thank me when you get back."

They both fell into an awkward silence again. Jared hesitated, but before he could walk out the door, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. "Be safe, okay?"

Jared returned the embrace. "I will. But I don't know when I'll be back."

She pulled back to look at him. "I'll be here."

"Wait, what about curfew? Your parents-"

"Screw my parents. I need to know when you get home. I have a feeling we'll have a lot to talk about. If you're not back by morning, I'm calling the cops."

Like that would help. His father had demonstrated last night that the police were completely in his power. But if it made her feel better...

"Goodbye, Quinn." Love you. The thought came unbidden, but he was grateful that he at least kept his mouth shut. It totally wasn't the time for THAT particular confession.

"Go get them, Jared." With one last look behind him, Jared ventured out to the car.

It was time for a party.

***********

When he arrived, he was surprised to discover the number of cars outside. As he walked up to the door, he tried to figure out a plan. The truth was, there was just too much that he didn't know, too many unknown variables. His only real goal was to try to learn more about what was going on, and accept Miss Senguine's "protection."

He knocked on the door. Music could be heard coming from inside. To his relief, it didn't sound like classical music, or even normal dance music. He didn't know how to dance.

The door opened to reveal a beautiful dark-haired woman. She appeared to be in her early twenties, with her long hair flowing gracefully down her back. She was dressed in a well-fashioned halter top and a short black skirt -- a stark contrast to her pale skin.

"Hi. I'm, uh..."

"Who invited you?" Her tone was icy.

"Um, Miss Sanguine." He tried to steel his nerves. "She told me to come here tonight. Can I come in?"

She stared at him for a long moment, her brown eyes boring a hole through him. Finally, she gestured with her head for him to enter and walked away.

He gave a small breath of relief before entering the house.

His first thought was that Quinn had been totally right. Everyone here was dressed up, but it wasn't for some elegant party. Music was pounding some sort of pop tune, and there didn't appear to be anyone actually dancing. A few people glanced over to him, but no one seemed to really pay him any mind.

He averted his eyes from a particularly raunchy couple and looked around for Miss Senguine. It took a few minutes to find her, as she was reclining in the corner by the refreshments table. He took a deep breath and walked over.

She glanced over to him as he approached. "Ah, young Jared. So have you decided? I assume you wouldn't so finely dressed if you just meant to drop by." She sipped from her wine glass.

He shoved his doubts aside. "Yes. I've decided to accept your offer of protection, on one condition."

She scoffed. "Denied. Under my care you will have no such conditions."

"Please," Jared bowed his head. "I need to know what I'll be giving in exchange. You said there would be a price."

She chuckled. "I see. You need not worry. You will receive my protection so long as you do as I say. You may break off the arrangement at any time, should you desire."

Jared thought on that for a moment. "There's not other price?"

"None whatsoever." She eyed him suspiciously. "Out of curiosity, what changed your mind?"

"I met my father."

She tensed. "Your... father?"

"You know him?"

She waved her hand dismissively. "I know of him, more than anything. That must've been an educational experience."

Jared straightened. "Not educational enough. I'm still not convinced of this magic you told me about."

"Keep your voice down!" she hissed. When he glanced around, she explained. "Not everyone at this party is privy to our true nature. Only a few are my proteges. The rest..." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You were saying?"

"I was saying, I need some answers." He clenched his jaw. "I need to know what's going on."

She looked at him, seemingly pondering on something. "Very well. Come with me." She stood and set her glass on the table. "No need for prying ears and eyes."

He followed her upstairs to the same room that they first spoke in, and she settled into her chair. He sat down. The room seemed much more sinister in the dark of night. Before he could ask any questions, she began her explanation.

"We've been in hiding for centuries, now. Ever since humans decided to really start fighting back, and even more especially since their so-called 'Industrial Revolution' we've had fewer opportunities to openly dominate them."

"The more powerful and explicit demons were killed off -- We have good reason to suspect that dragons, in one form or another, really did exist, albeit only a few. In any case, it took decades to adjust to the new power dynamic. We are still powerful, but going head to head with them would be suicide en masse. We are few and far between, after all."

Jared folded his arms. "Where are you going with this?"

She ignored him. "And so we've waited, using our advantages to merely edge up human society. Unfortunately, our cravings are not easily satisfied. Some of us hunger to return to the old ways." She tilted her head. "I'm not a fan of that idea -- electricity and running water appeal to me greatly. Look around you," she said softly. "This is what subtle manipulation can do in this society."

"But alas, I'm outnumbered. Many wish to pick up where our ancestors left off. Worse still, they are slowly acquiring the means to do so. We are approaching what you might call the apocalypse."

Jared closed his eyes. "So all demons are rich?"

"Not all, but a vast majority, yes."

"And they're using their wealth to try to bring down the world."

"Human based civilization. And don't forget influence. Many are politicians right now. A true irony."

He opened his eyes. "And you want to stop them?"

She scoffed. "Heavens, no. That would be idiotic to attempt. My goal is to set myself up in a way that I can live out my later days in prosperity and safety."

"Then where do I fit in with this?"

"I'm getting there. My strength has dwindled over the years in my pacifism. I have no intention of regaining that power." She smiled. "In exchange for my guidance and support now, my proteges will take care of me when the world ends. And if you are anything like your father, you are very powerful indeed."

"So you're using me?"

"Shamelessly."

He pondered that for a moment. She sounded completely sincere. "So what would I do when the world ends? Assuming we can't stop it."

She shrugged. "That is not my concern. You must decide that for yourself. In the meantime, please use this period to get acquainted with my proteges. Unless you have further questions?"

"You said something about powers. How do I get stronger?"

She sighed. "We will discuss that another time. I don't think you'll like the answer."

He was afraid of that. "Fine." He racked his brain. "But I need to confirm: You really think you aren't human, that you have magical powers, and that the apocalypse is coming soon?"

She sniffed. "Trying to ridicule my position doesn't change the truth. Put in that way, yes, I do. And you are one of us."

"Then what are my powers?"

"I have my suspicions. Again, we'll discuss this later. I am going to retire to bed." She rose and stretched. "I advise you to use this time wisely. Don't waste it."

He followed her from the room. Rather than descending the stairs, she approached a stairway going up. He moved to go back to the party but stopped. "Wait. Which ones are your proteges?"

"Don't worry," she said tiredly. "I'm sure they'll find you. Be careful with what you tell them, however." She grinned. "We are not a cooperative people."

On that happy note, she went up the stairs, leaving him to contemplate how he was going to handle this. What did she mean? Were there things better kept unsaid?

He sighed and returned to the chaos of the bottom floor. The music had been turned up, making it difficult to hear anything else. Some people had started dancing. He counted maybe thirty people? It was hard to tell in the dim lighting.

Someone caught his eye. She had short, brown hair and was dressed in a tight blue hoodie and short shorts. She raised an eyebrow and walked up to him.

"So you're Jared?" She spoke loudly to be heard over the music. Well, Miss Senguine was right. They did find him.

"Yes. And you are one of the proteges?"

She laughed. "Name's Annika. From what I've heard, you're one of us now. Let's see what you're made of..."

Before he could react, she leaned in to sniff his neck. "Uh...." He backed up. "What are you doing?"

She kept her eyes closed for a second before opening to look at him curiously. "It's one of my gifts. I can detect power through smell." She closed her eyes again to sniff. "And you smell powerful. Like, no one I've ever met. What are you?"

This was getting weirder and weirder. "A demon, I guess?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sure, but what kind? Gorkerilous? Maybe a Forsen?"

He stared at her blankly. "I have no idea."

She shrugged. "Doesn't matter, I guess. What matters is your plan for the future. You know, the one that's coming?"

He nodded. "I guess. I'm still getting used to the idea." He tilted his head. "What would you suggest?"

She seemed surprised by the question. "Well..." She hesitated. "You smell ancient. If you really duck your head and focus on getting stronger, you could probably set yourself up pretty nice for when everything hits."

"What?"

She blew a raspberry. "Look, our kind functions on a might is right kind of basis. If you get really powerful, you can have anything you want." She took another deep sniff. "And boy, you've got what it takes. How about a deal?"

He blinked. "A deal? What kind of deal?"

She leaned in close, pressing her hands against his chest. "An alliance. I help you build your powerbase, and you help me. With your kind of strength..." She licked her lips. "I'm sure we can find something," she pressed her chest against him, "Mutually beneficial."

He might be dumb, but there was no mistaking that signal. He gulped and tried to ignore his bodily reaction. "I'll think about it."

She stepped back, freeing him to breathe. "Do that. I'll be waiting." She winked at him before turning and disappearing back into the dance.

"I thought she'd never leave."

Jared jumped and turned around to see the dark-haired girl from earlier standing there. "Oh." Of course.

She stared at him deadpan. "Want to go talk somewhere private?"

"Uh..."

She rolled her eyes. "Not like that. Like on the balcony."

He smiled. "That sounds great."

She led him through the blaring music back up the stairs. Instead of going to the lounge, she led him in the other direction, where there was a pair of windows guarding a balcony. With one push, she opened them and stepped out into the cold night air.

He drank it in. The music was little more than background noise now. That music had really been messing with his head. He turned his attention back to the girl. "Thank you. What's your name?"

She looked at him for a long moment. "I'm Kiara."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jared."

"I know." Oh yeah. Of course she would know that already.

"You wanted to talk?"

She sighed. "Listen, right now you're a wild card. I need to know what you're like. Tell me about yourself."

He hesitated. How much should he share? Miss Senguine had been pretty clear that he couldn't reveal too much. Still, what could she do with details from his normal life?

He told her about himself. He hated Greek, was a developing writer, his favorite milkshake flavor was chocolate, etc. At the last second, he decided not to mention Quinn. He didn't want to drag her into this anymore than she wanted to come.

She listened silently, her eyes never leaving his face. When he finished, she folded her arms.

"That's it? What about your demon life?"

He shrugged. "Miss Senguine only told me about that on Monday. I had no idea before then."

Her eyes widened. "You definitely shouldn't have told me that."

Whoops. He winced. "I guess I don't know what I should say and shouldn't. I'm used to being completely honest."

Kiara gave a dark laugh. "Yeah, that won't work anymore." She hesitated. "Does that mean... you sympathize with humans?"

"Definitely. Personally, I'm still not convinced that I'm not one of them."

She nodded. "I guess that makes sense. It's not a trick, though. I promise."

"I'm starting to see that."

They fell quiet. "Is that everything you wanted to know?"

She looked down. "No. The truth is... I'm against this whole thing. The end of the world. Trampling humanity beneath our feet. It just seems so... fruitless."

"Miss Senguine said something similar."

She clenched her jaw. "Not that she plans on doing anything about it." She glanced over to him. "Not like what I intend."

He looked at her in surprise. "You're going to try to stop it?"

"No." She looked away. "Not that I don't want to. I just think my energy would be better devoted to..."

She laughed nervously and wrapped her arms around herself. "I shouldn't be telling you this."

He looked her in the eye. "I won't tell a soul. I promise."

She stared at him for a moment before relenting. "Fine. I want to make a haven of sorts. For humans. Somewhere they can live without fear of oppression." She sighed. "Not that I'm optimistic. None of us are terribly powerful, myself included. If anyone wanted to take it over..." She shrugged. "There wouldn't be much that I could do."