Reluctant Redemption

The next morning, Jenna had a surprise for me.

"Hello, there," she said softly. "How're you feeling?"

A cat's yawn threatened to spill my spirit from my mouth before I responded. Propping myself up, I rolled my shoulders and twisted my back a bit. "Good. Everything feels fine. Almost back to normal." My wings swished, turning my statement almost immediately into a lie. "Fairly normal," I amended.

She looked relieved and a little nervous. "I'm glad." She fiddled with the comforter, pulling at the fabric with her hands. "I have something for you. We found you cradling it in the church when we rescued you. Jackson wanted to destroy it but I kept it safe for you." Opening the drawer on the nightstand she reached in and pulled out the most-

I looked at Jenna.

The second most important thing in my life. My tether blade.

Holding out my claws, Jenna placed the weapon in my hand. Reverently tracing the sinister looking blade, I reacquainted myself with my old friend, my palm and fingers fitting the grip perfectly. Rolling the blade in my hand, I remained silent for a spell before looking up at Jenna.

"Do you know why these are called tether blades? Or why they are so important to Davonic kind?"

"Not really. I understand they are used more for cultural events than things than battle," she said, going back to fiddling with the blanket, her body thrumming with tension. "Though they are perfectly capable of taking a life in a pinch."

"Yes. They are called tether blades because they are a link to our possessions. The Davonic tend to be nomadic, we don't settle down easily. We seem to travel light, do we not? Only taking what possessions we can carry with us on our backs. Facing the harsh world with only the Dark Mother to look over us. Yes?" I waited a beat, running my thumb along the sharp edge of the blade until it bit in tasting blood just like the first time I'd pulled it from the forge. "That is a lie." I allowed the black red blood to bead on my thumb before directing it into a channel on the side of the blade. The dagger began to vibrate and, in a smooth practiced thrust, I pushed the tether blade forward. Jenna gasped. Starting at the tip, the blade began to vanish as I continued pressing to onward until everything up to the hilt was gone from sight. Once this was done, I shifted my grip and forced the blade downward, leaving a jagged navy blue tear in the air, the edges puckered and angry, thrumming with energy. Releasing the blade, I thrust my hand forward into my personal pocket dimension where I stored my things. Rooting around, I found what I was looking and pulled it out. Closing the portal and retrieving my blade.

Opening my palm, I showed off the small tarnished white object to Jenna. "This is a tooth from a fel wolf. The creature I slew in my hunt to prove my maturity."

Shifting my hip forward, I showed her the three jagged scars that ran four inches from hip bone back towards my ass. "It was a wonderfully harrowing experience and I took this tooth as my totem." Without warning, I jabbed the tooth forward into Jenna's pale thigh. She gasped, and watched wide eyed as I bent of and place my mouth over the puncture wound, drawing the milky amber liquid into my mouth. It tasted slightly of metal and ash as I captured a mouthful. My orange eyes flared as I rose. Pressing my thumb over my tongue, I gathered the necessary blood on my digit. Jenna watched me warily as I drew a line across her forehead, sweeping curves along her cheekbone, and pressed three bloody dots along her throat, two in the hollows and one slightly elevated right in the middle.

Lovely. She's so lovely.

I swallowed the remainder of the blood, the taste less appetizing than acquiring and using it had been.

"What just happened?" Jenna asked. Reaching up, she went to touch the drying blood with exploring fingers.

My hand interceded before she could smudge my work. "I claimed you. Marked you as my own through blood freely given."

"I wouldn't exactly say fully free. I mean-"

I cut her off with a scowl.

"Hm. So what now?"

Looking at her expectantly, I remained silent.

Clueless. She's completely clueless.

"I claimed you. Took you for my own. Is there anything you'd like to do?"

She still had a puzzled expression, narrowing her eyes as she tried to decipher what I was trying to imply.

Then I dropped the tooth in her lap.

Finally, understanding dawned on her face as she grasped the sharp incisor. She pointed at it and raised a brow. I favored her with a small nod and held out my forearm and turned my head so she could properly surprise me.

And surprise me she did. Instead of using the proffered arm, she slid the point of the fang into a meaty section of my breast. Gasping, my wings instinctively snapped out, making me seem larger in an attempt to intimidate what threatened me. Distaste and desire battled each other for dominance on Jenna's face as she lowered her mouth to the flesh on my tit. Her lips formed a seal and she let her tongue play along the taut skin of my breast for a moment before she suckled, capturing a mouthful of blood. Dipping her thumb she brought it from her mouth, the pad dripping with crimson black blood. Bringing it up, she prepared to draw on my face but she paused, uncertain of how to proceed.

"There's no wrong way, just do what you think is right," I reassured her. My orange slitted eyes were riveted to hers while they traced the planes and curves of my face, analyzing and imagining how she would leave her mark. Confidence grew and she began to paint. Her tongue slipping out the side of her mouth as she bit it in concentration. She started with twin lines, like tear marks that started below my eyes, curling slightly at their tips to point towards the corners of my lips. A dot was applied to the point of my chin, right in the middle. Like I'd done with her, she drew a horizontal line along my forehead but she elaborated on it by crossing the 't' with a line that dropped down the center between my eyes. Cocking her head, she examined her work critically and found it acceptable.

"There," she declared confidently. "Now you are mine."

"Was I ever not?" I teased, recalling the way she'd carried me from the ruined church.

Smiling, she seemingly thought it over for a moment. "No I don't suppose so. Ever since I found you in that church, this was always how it was going to end."

"Yes. But," I said, my claws delicately stroking the marks I'd left in her skin. "While you caught me when I was down. I managed to take you down while at full- *Cough* -full strength. I clai-*Cough* - claimed you for my own." The coughing wouldn't stop. My lungs burned and I couldn't seem to find my breath.

"Are you okay? Lay! Ulaylo?!" Her voice followed my down into the void, her phantom hands grasping desperately at my clammy skin.

~ Five Days Later ~

The rain drizzled from the air, matching the somber mood of the occasion. Jenna marched firmly up to a podium. On the ground in front of her was a plain looking ceramic urn. Within the urn were ashes from the ceremonial cremation from the night before.

"The woman in front of us was not very well liked, but she was dear to me. As many of you know, she was not one for overly elaborate words. Therefore, in memory of her I will keep this short. Love well and live freely. Salud to the deceased."

"Salud to the deceased," the crowd echoed morosely.

As Jenna left the podium, Jackson approached from the side, hat in proverbial hand.

"Jen, I'm sorry for your loss. I feel I must apologize for my actions last week. It was uncalled for. Especially with everything that's happened. I just-"

"Save it Jackson. I'm in no mood," I barked out gruffly.

Jackson winced and his wings drooped low, the feather tips almost brushing the ground. He turned and left me alone. The crowd gradually dispersed until only two were left.

Jenna fell to her knees and sobbed into her hands.

...

"I'm sad I did not get the chance to meet her, she sounds like a formidable woman," I said, unsure of how to deal with the situation. In Davonic culture, death is not something to mourn, nor is it something to be celebrated, it is merely a facet of life. But Jenna's grief was palpable and placed me on edge, uncertain about how I could help her with this.

"It wasn't exactly a surprise. She'd been sick for so long and she didn't want me visiting. Said I shouldn't, 'waste my life at her side'. Still... it hurts." She hugged her arms to her chest and I couldn't resist the urge to wrap myself around her back like a cloak, protecting her from the elements the way I couldn't for her grief. My ebony wings sheltered us, creating an igloo of warmth.

"Thank you Lay. I'm glad you're here with me."

"I love you Jenna. I'm sure your mother was very proud of how fierce and strong you are."

Jenna chuckled and I was glad to see some of the sadness fall from her eyes. "Love you too Lay. Mom would've liked you almost as much as I do."

We stayed that way, warm in each others embrace, the muted thumps of the rain a soothing music. We swayed together.

How about it Zeke? Turns out it wasn't the end after all. If only you could see me now... I wonder what other twists the Dark Mother has in store for me.

Jenna captured my lips in a gentle, reassuring kiss, and I closed my eyes, content for the moment to just exist. "How about we try not to ingest any more poison mushrooms? Mmkay?"

Smiling, I knew everything would be okay.

"No promises," I murmured into her cheek.

The End