Rojan

  A man of detail he tried to take in everything around him. It was what made him excel as an Organizer, that and his ability to be comfortable not tied to a hive. Not to be drawn to deeper connections.

  Thus, his higher ups were not too pleased by his most recent binding tie to a woman who by all means was not considered apart of their world. Was described in different but similar words as not easily predicted.

  It grated on him that he didn’t notice her lie as it was spoken. She’d seemed to him just a normal cashier not caring about her job with no motivation to care about anything of relevance.

  It should have been obvious at her amount of fear. He’d used a good amount of aura but she’d only had slightly breathless words. She’d looked straight at him, she’d looked at the picture long and hard like she was trying to place him and lied expertly.

  Her words, her tone, her way of speech did everything to make him want to be far away from her all while she watched him intently. The woman had read him aptly. She’d offered enough that he could still place the enforcer there and understand the necessity of the situation but leaving herself out of the picture.

  The whole time she spoke to him that dangerous sketch book hand been in her hands and he’d never thought twice about it.

  He’d gone on with his mission and found the issue she’d hinted at.

  He’d believed her fully. Until he’d tracked Koa and found him at the same location and with the cashier who didn’t look the least scared of him.

  Instead of being enraged by her he’d once again was more focused on the enforcer sure this had to be his scheme. Again a foolish over sight. Her gaze didn’t hold fear it held annoyance like he was a unwanted diversion in her carefully time schedule. Her words again were built to strike true.

  Shrugging him off and insinuating that no one wanted to be near him for any length of time anyway.

  Still, he hadn’t viewed her as a threat simply someone who warranted a quick and swift response. Even her quick witted question of his philosophy had just been surprising not concerning.

  He was searching for vampires out of line.

  But Koa was direct honest and diligent and offered a very reasonable, presentation of the situation. The woman’s presence didn’t make sense. Because she wasn’t a threat.

  Why it was so hard to see her as one? To accept the possibility.

  The respectful request from the enforcer. The defiance. The attempt at compulsion and her ability to just shrug it off.

  He flip from bantering annoyance to full irritation. Her plain and straight to the point account of exactly what card she held with no fear of what they could do, like they couldn’t do anything if she didn’t want them too.

  Before shifting back and offering short and unhelpful answer to his question. And he knew she was a threat.

  Then they were attacked. More people who knew things they shouldn’t.

  And he noticed she was gone. He’d been sure she must be with them apart of this ambush. The threat that finally succeed against him.

  Then a flare of flame and magic. The truck burning gloriously and the attackers retreating. The threat, the woman standing the hero in the blaze.

  Her foot on the chest of the one left behind. Glancing at her nails like nothing else there mattered. Like the world could burn and she wouldn’t care. A villain incarnate.

  She asked the man’s name and took that identity from him offering her own. She gave a villains speech but the words she spoke he now remembered not fitting a villain.

  She claimed to value life, any life and offered the decision to choose if the attacker valued his own life. Made him fear death. Possessed the question if the man believed in his cause.

  It was that question that haunted Rojan.

  And the fact that she’d offered that she was terrifying not because she was magic but because she was human. And directed the man to find value that wasn’t earned at the expense of another and hope that his sins weren’t too big.

  And she’d turned to them and subtly provoked and his own inadequacy, doubt over took him and he lashed out at her. An easy place to pin the emotions.

  And in a fluid unconcerned movement she’d leashed him.

  Misery took control of the situation.

  She’d handled things as cleanly and swiftly as an enforcer and an organizer should be able too. She formed a story that fit like a glove. And all she asked for was to be left alone.

  Then a human law enforcement showed up. The sheriff looked and spoke to her with genuine concern for her and she didn’t provoke as much toward him, the officer that was along took every words she said and even looked familiar enough to look concerned for her.

  Then the man called her Misery.

  Rojan didn’t put much stock in fate. He believed prophecies were always something that should be taken with a grain of salt. Prophecies that do come true are self-fulfilling.

  But they were an offer of a possibility.

  And the offer was the presence of a terrifyingly dangerous woman being more prominent in his future.

  He needed to know what the possibility was. If he was meant to be a force of protection, destruction or if there was something else that he was supposed to find through this woman.

  The woman, Misery agreed to give them a ride with only mild annoyance and a request for adequate payment. She’d offered him a spell telling him exactly what it might do.

  A confusing sign of compassion but held against the fact that she shouldn’t have this information. And she again offered the same lack luster explanation. It knotted through him and he almost lost his cool again.

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  Rojan didn’t want Misery to be something he had to handle, he realized. But still she provoked and pushed. She didn’t care. She frustrated him. She dismissed him. But he didn’t want to harm her.

  And he voiced his need. Something he didn’t do.

  It was like how he always expected it to be as she dismissed him. But it wasn’t she gave a snarky, dismissive toned answer that was detailed and personal. Giving him everything he needed. Not to understand her but to understand what he wanted.

  He wanted to know her. He wanted to find something that he could invest the parts of himself he’d retched out of his hive.

  That added more worry then eased it. Even more so at her insistence to burn the new roots.

  He’d used the one part that meant little to nothing to him to push and wasn’t surprised when she put as little stock in it as he did and voiced a new anxiety.

  She showed up. That’s all that the account really promised. She could just as easily disappear.

  It was a weight that grew with every uncomfortable moment of being bond. For reasons he hadn’t even thought of. Being tied to a place didn’t bother him but knowing where she was. It was too much. Too invasive.

  And he didn’t even know if he was built to fully root himself somewhere. He did enjoy his work. And he didn’t fit very easily into a human drive area.

  Rojan sat looking at Misery who didn’t change at all from the night before but the environment shed another light in Rojan’s mind.

  This woman lived in a world of her own making. She lived in an apartment surrounded by magic and looked eased. The child that was clearly important to her and the man were as comfortable. Even the dog wasn’t afraid of him.

  A child that was a choice. A man who explained the different location he’d felt the previous night. Rojan wasn’t worried about the relation or connection of the man he simply had more to put stock in.

  Koa though leaned forward.

  “I’m sorry to keep asked but are you two together?” He asked a simple curiosity hovering in the man’s eyes. Theo who was sipping his coffee paused and shot a glance to misery who didn’t meet it just bobbed her shoulders.

  “It’s complicated and I’m fine with that.” The answer was freely given with a tone that stated that would be the end of that line of questioning. Rojan didn’t want to push but.

  “Does he know?” Rojan asked. Misery looked at the ceiling at the same time a grin cut across Theo’s face his eyes sparkling with pure and utter amusement.

  “That Misery managed to claim a vampire without knowing his name and it turns out his fucking destiny is Misery. Hell yes, and it will be a fact I will never let be forgotten.” Theo offered without a single drop of concern.

  Misery flicked her gaze in a familiar glare that only made Theo laugh harder. Her lips twitched and she looked away.

  It was a perfect scene of time and comfort.

  “What beautiful did I get any of that wrong?” He asked. Misery shook her head and sighed.

  “No I am simply thinking through a change in my core values so that I can turn you into a frog.” Misery offered softly. Tears pushed at his eyes he was laughing so hard.

  Misery looked at him and a smile cracked past her demeanor before she eased herself.

  “Do we have anything else not concerning the official?” She asked. Rojan felt a disappointed tilt at the end of the moment.

  “I do have one last official request for today.” Rojan admitted standing. “I’ve been asked to confirm what your books are and if they have claimed you.” Rojan explained and feared anger or resentment for having to tell about the things that she’d directed so much passion.

  Misery though didn’t looked phased. She stood, Theo followed soon after and Rojan and Koa trailed behind. They entered a bedroom that were shades of muted purples and blues more dark wood furniture and old cluttered things stacked all around. She lead them to what had once been a decent sized closet but was now filled with shelves of books and a single padded chair.

  There were runed and plants surrounding the archway and salt was sprinkled along the entry.

  What really caught his attention though was the books themselves. Rojan hadn’t doubted Misery’s description but he’d only expected a collection related to vampiric lore. Instead she had bindings that indicated five clear collections though they weren’t all completed. They all radiated as she entered the space and she looked at them with a passion, affection and interest that was bright and undeniable.

  “From hear to here and mostly just about vampires. These lean more toward shifters but it also mentions other Lunar cycle creatures. These I would classify as helpful tricks and potions, I’ve yet to fully dive through that section. I don’t make potions without studying each ingredient fully. These talk about different realms and why they around as simple as they sound and why they aren’t as complicated as people think. And these are a rather extensive list of what I like to refer to as the creatures you warn your children against, leaning heavily toward fae.” Misery looked at them as if trying to gage what they thought about her collection.

  Koa let out a hiss of a breath and looked at Rojan as if trying to process the huge understanding of one human woman. He looked at Misery.

  “Who the Hell was this Grove?” He asked. Misery’s lips twitch in a look that both communicated affection and pain.

  “Grove was born around here. Mountain Grove Ridge is named after his family. He was considered to be the failure son even before he was actually struggling. The Sheriff is his brother. I can’t tell you how he found the books or what he did with them. I just know he was a hermit, he was paranoid. He lived by the it’s too dangerous for you and the somethings don’t want to be found mottos.” Misery snarked. “He died before vampires revealed themselves so I never got the chance to see if he would have offered me more answers if they weren’t so secret.” Misery admitted.

  Theo’s hand went to the small of her back before dropping quickly. The confliction that flashed across his face was momentarily. Misery sent her gaze to him and something passed between them and both eased.

  Rojan looked at the books again and then noticed the one book marked on the chair and felt he knew exactly what she was looking into. He picked it up and paged through it.

  “Breaking bonds seem to be complicated if you don’t know what the bond is and it seems there are a numerous amount of them.” Misery grumbled. Rojan looked at her and he thought of the bond. He paged through until he found a description that matched his discomfort and he offered it to her.

  “You can tell where the fuck I am?” Misery asked sounding horrified. Rojan grimaced.

  “I’m not the most fond of it either which is why though I don’t want to be casted aside I have to admit the bond is not fit.” He offered to her. Misery frowned and glared at him.

  “And what makes you think any bond is fit.” She asked, taunting him. Rojan stepped toward her and looked back at the books.

  “These are even bigger than what any of us thought. I don’t know anyone that has even been theorized of having so many volumes of the Pectorntelionica.” Rojan admitted. “And being a master of Pectorntelionica can be very dangerous. For you and your undefined family.” Rojan breathed. “I could be useful if nothing else.” He offered.

  Misery looked at him standing with that defiance. Then she eased and looked at the books then at Theo. She cocked a brow at Theo.

  Theo held her gaze then grinned at Rojan looking him over.

  “How would you like to have a friendly interview over drinks maybe tomorrow?” Theo offered. “I am down a roommate and if the interview goes well it might be a good way to start.” Theo offered. Misery nodded.

  “Fine. Let me know.” Misery offered before brushing it off and turning back to her books.

  Soon after Theo walked them out.

  “So it’s your decision whether or not she considers me as anything?” Rojan clarified. Theo glanced him over.

  “Misery has always been Misery even if it wasn’t always her name.” Theo offered. “And people have always decided what that means to them whether it fits with who she is or not. So, if you’re a problem she doesn’t have to deal with I’ll have already told you that there’s no need for you and thank you for your time.” Theo explained.

  Rojan took that in and nodded.

  “Do you want a resume and references?” He asked willing to play along. Theo’s brows popped up and then he considered.

  “You are offering to be protection so yeah just a generalized proof that you can do what you say you can. If you are interested in the room, standard renters information and be willing to do one of those spells that will keep you from harming my son. Aurelius is the most important thing to both of us.” Theo admitted. Rojan nodded. “Cool, Treiveire nine o’clock?” He offered.

  “Alright.” Rojan agreed. They watched Theo drive off.

  “Should we head back?” Koa asked. Rojan shook his head.

  “I’ll be fine.” He offered and started off.

  “What ever then. Have a nice night.” Koa grumbled. Rojan had no doubt he could prove his ability to protect sufficient. He though had never rented so he would have to figure out what standard renter’s information was.