Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Shane gave Marge a warm smile as he opened his arms. “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Marge wiped her eyes before pulling him into a hug, tight enough that his old body would have hurt. “What happened to you? You left the city.”

“This is Old Marge?” Rai yelled.

Shane chuckled. “Yes.”

“Shane?” Marge asked.

“Sorry,” he said. “Talking to my wife.”

Marge froze. “Your wife?”

“Yup. Met a woman while outside and got married. I think…”

Stepping back, Marge crossed her arms. “You think?”

“Yeah, Shane, you think?” Rai asked.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he stepped inside the house. Shutting the door, he rolled up his sleeve.

Marge gasped. “Shane…”

“There’s more,” Shane said. Unbuttoning his shirt, he pulled off the flannel, showing Marge both tattoos. “Come out, guys. We’re safe here.”

Marge moved to close the curtains.

Motes of light drifted off Shane. Some of them fiery red, and the others earthy brown.

Marge gasped as the lights flickered, and Rai and Reginald appeared.

“This is Old Marge?” Reginald asked.

Rai marched up to him and poked Shane’s chest. “You lied to us!”

“Voices down,” Shane murmured.

Clapping a hand over her mouth, she glared at him.

“I never lied,” Shane said. “You just assumed she was old.”

“Old?” Marge asked. Eyes still wide, she looked over Rai and Reginald. “They’re Descendants.”

Shane nodded and glanced at Marge. Gray hair spilled down her back, but her young face was what Rai was having a problem with. Marge was only in her thirties. With pale skin and a smooth complexion, she was the height of beauty in the slums.

“They are,” Shane said. “And I need you to keep them a secret.”

“You have two…” Marge trailed off as Rai stepped up to her.

Smiling, Rai pulled the woman into a hug. “Thank you for taking care of Shane.”

Marge’s expression softened. “I did what I could.”

Rai nodded and stepped back, letting Marge go. Walking over to Shane, she took his hand before standing by his side, her ears twitching while her tail swayed.

“This is Rai,” Shane said. “My wife. The big man is Reginald.” Running a hand down his face, Shane added, “They are here to help me fix what I screwed up.”

Marge’s brows furrowed as her lips thinned. “Your last job?”

“Yeah,” Shane said, closing his eyes. “We have to get back the item I stole. The city is in danger.”

“What’s going on?” Marge asked, her voice filled with worry.

“We might have to evacuate the slums,” Shane said. “There’s a town not too far from here that is mostly intact. We can stop there until we can get further away.”

“Shane?” Rai prodded him. “They’re children.”

“They are survivors,” Shane said. “I also have the feeling that we can recruit more Descendants to help us.”

Reginald cleared his throat. “I know a few.”

Rai continued to frown. When Shane turned from her, he found Marge with narrowed eyes.

“It’s that serious?” Marge asked.

“I’m downplaying it,” Shane admitted.

He watched Marge’s body tense. “How much time do we have?”

Shane glanced at Rai and then Reginald. Both of them shook their heads.

“We don’t know.” Shane sighed. “I need to investigate and get the children back.”

I could likely find out if I visited the Librarian. Although that won’t end well.

Marge moved to a chair nearby and sat down. “You heard about that.”

“I did.” Shane gestured to the couch, and Reginald sat, taking up nearly the entire thing. Shaking his head, Shane moved to the last free chair and pulled Rai into his lap.

“There’s a lot to fix,” Shane said. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he added, “I can’t start with the children. I have to secure supplies for us. I want the slums moved to the town as early as possible.”

“Can we help?” Marge asked.

“No. I need everyone acting normal until we leave. I need to get to Jeremy. Where is he hiding?”

Marge shook her head, the weight of sorrow crushing her. “He was taken this afternoon by the guards. He was caught stealing food for his family.”

Shane’s fist tightened, and Rai turned to touch his face.

“We’ll get him back,” Rai said softly. “You know where the jail is. Let Reginald do his thing, and we’ll have him out tomorrow.”

Letting out a deep breath, Shane nodded. “You’re right.” Turning to Reginald, he asked, “Will you help me?”

Reginald nodded before crossing his arms. “I told you already that I’m in this with you. Just give me a plan, and I’ll make it happen.”

Rai shook her head. “Shane's not allowed to come up with the next plan.”

“Why not?” Shane protested.

“You convinced Reggie to throw you over the wall,” Rai said sharply, her glare boring into him.

Marge chuckled. “Why didn’t you go under the wall?”

Reginald shook his head. “He was worried something would get into the city.”

“Couldn’t you have just filled it back in?”

Rai turned to Marge with a smile. “Yes, we could have. If only men weren’t so thick-headed.”

“Men,” Marge agreed.

Shane gawked at Rai. Glancing at Reginald, he found the big man looking the same.

“Can you believe this, Teddy?” Shane asked. “The women are turning against us.”

Grumbling, Reginald said, “My name isn’t Teddy.”

“Sure, it is!” Shane chirped.

Rai and Marge shook their heads.

“Shane?” Marge asked. “I’m trying to remain calm, but you have to explain why your two companions have a human form. Your wife has a tail…”

“Yup!” Shane said happily. “It’s really soft!”

Rai smacked her forehead. “Don’t leave it up to this man to tell you anything.” Shifting in Shane’s lap, she turned to Marge. “All Descendants have a human form we can take. In our world, we had humans as well, and many of us were married to them.”

Reginald stiffened and pursed his lips.

“Can I say more?” Rai asked.

Sighing, Reginald nodded.

Rai turned back to Marge. “We never invaded this world. We were forced into this world.”

Marge’s eyes widened. “That’s not possible…but it explains so much.”

“They destroyed everything around them out of anger,” Shane added. “You would too if you were ripped away from your world and your people were captured.”

Marge rubbed her temples. “We brought you into this world,” she stated. “Then the Marked—”

“Are bastardized versions of what I have,” Shane said. “The cores they use are manmade, based off of the real Descendants.”

Covering her mouth, Marge shook her head.

Shane regarded her with a fallen expression. “We destroyed ourselves, Marge.”

***

Rai shifted on Shane’s lap, saddened that he wasn’t reacting the way she was used to. This conversation is too serious. I actually miss Shane making a fool of himself.

Wiggling her butt a few more times, she felt Shane grab her hips and hold her still.

Glancing over her shoulder, Rai found Shane with an expression as hard as stone. His gaze was on Marge, who was looking pale as she took in their story.

“Shane,” Rai said, “Maybe we should stop the bad news for the night.”

“No,” Marge said. “It’s okay. I just need a moment to process.”

Shane rubbed the base of her tail, sending jolts of pleasure through Rai’s body.

“I should go out and get us dinner,” Shane said.

Marge nodded. “The stalls will be busy right now. You should be able to get what we need.”

Patting her hips, Shane motioned for Rai to get up. Reluctantly, she did.

“You can’t go on your own,” Rai said.

“I won’t.” Turning to Reginald, Shane asked, “Want to go learn my trade?”

Reginald chuckled. “As long as we aren’t killing anyone.”

“Put on a hat. We need to hide your ears,” Shane said before getting up.

“What about me?” Rai asked.

“You stick out a little too much.” Shane grabbed her tail gently. “There’s no hiding this.”

Sticking out her lip, Rai pouted. “I can always enter my tattoo and come with.”

“Stay with Marge.” Leaning in, Shane gave her a chaste kiss. “Maybe you can figure out our bedrooms.”

“You’re staying here?” Marge asked.

“I have to stay somewhere,” Shane said. “With the Marked out and guards patrolling, I can’t hide in my usual haunts.”

Sighing, Marge ran a hand through her hair. “Fine. I’ll prepare my guest rooms.”

Clapping his hands, Shane turned towards the door. “Let’s go, big man.”

When Reginald stood, the couch protested, relieved that his heavy body was finally off it.

Rai watched the two men leave before turning to Marge. Shifting on her feet, Rai held her hands to her chest. “So, you’re the den mother of all the children?”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Marge narrowed her eyes at Rai. “What have you done to convince Shane to settle down? Did you torture him? Is he a willing man in your relationship?”

Frowning, Rai held out her hands. “He pursued me!”

Marge crossed her arms. “And I’m sure you didn’t entice him in any way. How did he survive out in the wilds? He must feel indebted to you for taking him in.”

“He does,” Rai admitted.

“And you think that’s a good enough reason to play with his heart?” Marge moved to grab something from behind her chair. When she turned back around, she was holding a club. “You think you are special to that boy? However you are bewitching his mind, I want you to stop.” Patting her hand with the club, Marge glared.

Rai kept her hands up. “I’m not doing anything, I swear! He’s the one that saved my life! I don’t know why he fell in love with me…”

“You think he’s in love with you?” Marge spat out. “That boy only knows survival and pain. You think you can waltz into his life and make him forget what your kind did to him?”

Rai lowered her hands. With a deep sigh, she shook her head. “I’m not trying to make him forget anything. But even you had to have noticed that he is happy. All I’ve done is give him the love he deserves.”

Holding out the club, Marge pointed it at her. “You say you love him, but you are hiding the truth from him as well. If you can’t tell him everything, then you are simply using him.”

Rai narrowed her eyes. “What do you know about the truth?”

“Not as much as I’d like,” Marge said with tight lips.

Shaking her head, Rai moved to the chair and sat down. “I’m worried how he’ll react when I tell him the truth.”

“He’s a tough man,” Marge said, finally lowering the club. “If you are going to stay with him, you need to tell him everything.”

“I will,” Rai said softly. “I promise.”

“Good,” Marge said with a nod. “Now tell me about this item that he stole.”

Rai turned her attention to the bare wall across from her. “It was a vial of Descendant blood.”

Marge fell back into her chair. “That’s not possible. There’s no such thing in this city.”

“It’s here, I can promise you that,” Rai said. “Veronica Pierce has it, and I’m worried what she is going to do.”

“Dr. Pierce is in the capital.”

“Not anymore.” Rai sighed. “I caught her scent a few weeks ago. I was only in the area because of that vial. If I wasn’t injured, I would have killed Veronica while she passed by.”

“As if you could,” Marge huffed.

“I would have at least died trying.” Rai shook her head. “With that vial, she could do more than destroy this city.”

“That explains why the city was tearing itself apart to find Shane and his supporters,” Marge said.

“Yeah.” Rai closed her eyes.

“Why did you pick Shane?” Marge asked. Setting the club down, she added, “You Descendants don’t casually give away your essence.”

“I was dying, and he was the first human I found without the taint of the Marked,” Rai admitted. “I took him away from those hunting him and offered myself over to him.”

“And now he loves you?”

Rai nodded. Opening her eyes, she glanced at Marge. “It was an instant attraction. From the moment he received my powers, he was trying to show me how he felt. It only got stronger as we trained.”

“How do you feel about him?” Marge asked.

“Honestly?” Rai started. “I want to take him and run off into the wilds. Set up a small home for ourselves and start a family. I don’t want him anywhere near what is happening.”

Marge smiled. “Good. You really love him, don’t you?”

“I do,” Rai said softly. “He deserves happiness, and I want to be the one to give it to him.”

A sigh escaped Marge. Rubbing her eyes, she said, “You know what you have to do. I’m holding that to your promise, or I’ll end you.”

“Who are you?” Rai asked. “You’re not a simple den mother for the children.”

“You don’t need the answer to that.” Getting up, Marge returned the club to its hiding spot. “Come with me. We need to set up your bedding. I’m placing you two on the other side of the house than me.”

Rai blushed. “We aren’t that bad…”

“I’m not taking your word for it.” Marge started towards the hall, only pausing to glance back at Rai for a moment. “Let’s go.”

***

Shane looked over Reginald’s outfit. He was wearing a black tank top with black sweatpants and shoes. His tanned skin blended in well with the clothes, highlighting his brown hair and beard. On his head rested a beanie in shades of browns and blacks, hiding his ears and the sides of his head so people didn’t realize he didn’t have human ones.

Walking next to the bear, Shane felt small. He might be athletic and fit, but Reginald was massive and looked like he could eat Shane and still have room left over.

“How are we doing this?” Reginald asked.

“You’re going to distract the vendor, and I’m going to pilfer what we need,” Shane said.

“Just like that?”

“Yup. It’ll be easy to steal food with how big you are. They will practically throw their wares at you, just because of your size. You need to eat, after all.”

“No, I don’t,” Reginald grumbled.

Shane chuckled. “They don’t know that.”

Walking through the slums, Shane caught sight of several of the children watching them with wary eyes. Some of the younger adults looked out of broken-down buildings, their eyes haunted and aggressive.

“Why wasn’t this part of the city cared for?” Reginald asked.

“Don’t know,” Shane admitted. “I was too young when the city walls went up. But if you go further into the city, you will find nicer living apartments that were repaired. The market is always hopping, and most of the residents have money.”

“Why don’t you get a job?”

Shane frowned. “Before Rai came along, I could barely clothe myself. Getting a job in rags didn’t work. Once a plague on society, they only ever saw me as such. Even when I wanted to work honestly.”

Reginald nodded. “That’s why you want to take everyone away.”

“Yes. The people of the slums are some of the hardest workers I know. If they were given a chance, they could do good.”

Patting Shane’s shoulder, Reginald nearly knocked him over. “They can bunker in the town for now. First, we have to get everyone back.”

“That’ll be a tomorrow project,” Shane said. “Why don’t I feel hungry?”

Reginald rumbled a laugh. “You likely need to eat less with so much essence running through your body. Just wait until you merge with mine.”

“Yay, pain…” Shane mumbled.

“Pain is good.”

“Masochist,” Shane snorted.

“I am not,” Reginald protested.

“Sure, sure. I don’t kink-shame.” Shane snickered as they reached the main street. The last time he was on it, he had been running for his life. Looking towards the market, he pressed his lips together.

“Memories?” Reginald asked.

“Yeah. Not good ones either.”

Patting his shoulder again, Reginald said, “Let’s go. The sooner we get back, the sooner we can eat your horrible cooking.”

“You like my cooking!” Shane protested.

Reginald grumbled another laugh before joining the crowd heading towards the market.

Shane caught up with him, and the crowd parted for the massive man, their eyes wide as they gawked.

Chuckling, Shane patted Reginald on the back. “You strike quite the presence.”

Reginald glared down at Shane. “I’m uncomfortable.”

“You’re fine!” Shane said, drawing out his sentence.

When they reached the market, Shane took the lead. The stalls were already starting to thin as their products were sold for the afternoon. That left them with little time to grab what they needed.

Shane eased his way through the crowd with grace, while Reginald simply walked in a straight line. Everyone parted for him, leaving him to follow Shane without any issues.

They stopped when they got to the grocery stalls. With Shane dressed in a better outfit, they didn’t think twice about him being a normal resident.

“Bread for you, sir?” a woman asked.

Shane smiled. The seller was young with red hair and freckles. The loaves were likely freshly made that morning but would be a little denser by now.

“Maybe,” Shane said. Stepping closer, he eased his posture into a relaxed stance. His long-sleeved shirt hid his tattoos, but it couldn’t hide the new muscle underneath.

“What can you tell me about your bread?” Shane asked smoothly.

“W-well,” the woman started. Looking Shane up and down, she smiled. “I make my bread with the finest wheat, imported weekly.”

Shifting his body, he eased himself into the stall to look over the loafs. Slowly, he moved over to the cash drawer. “Really? Every week? You must be lucky to get supplies that often.”

“Yes!” she said with pride. “I pay a premium for the best wheat, so it’s only fair that I charge slightly more than my competitors.”

With his back to the drawer, he pulled it open the smallest amount and slipped his fingers inside. He only needed a few coins.

“How much for this premium bread?” Shane asked.

The woman clearly smelled a sale. “Ten coins.”

“Hmm,” Shane mumbled. Fingering the coins, he slipped twenty into his palm. Closing the drawer, he stepped closer to the woman. “I bet we can work out a lower price.”

Licking her lips, she asked, “What do you have in mind?”

“What time are you done here?” Shane asked, slipping his hands into his pockets.”

“Shane Undere!” a voice boomed.

“Shit!” Shane muttered.

The woman glanced over and gasped. Reginald was standing at the stall with his arms crossed, glaring daggers at Shane.

“Cheating on my sister in broad daylight?” Reginald asked.

Shane slipped back out of the stall. “Not at all, dear brother. I was just buying bread.”

“With honeyed words and promises of activities?” Reginald growled.

“I hadn’t gotten to the promises yet.”

Reginald grabbed Shane’s shoulder. “You’re not leaving my side.”

Shane waved at the woman. Blowing her a kiss, he was pulled back into the crowd.

“Did you get the coin?” Reginald asked quietly.

“Yeah.” Shane patted his pocket. “We have enough for a few things for Marge.”

Reginald grunted. “Good. We need meat, and this place doesn’t smell like it has any.”

“It’s fake meat,” Shane explained. “It’s shipped in, and I’m not sure how it’s made. We better stick with it though. Marge won’t be able to handle real meat.”

“Like you didn’t?”

“Yeah,” Shane said softly.

Taking the lead, Shane wandered over to a stall with chunks of gray meat. The man behind the counter smiled, his yellow teeth had hints of rot, but he did his best to be approachable.

“I need a pound,” Shane said, pulling out three coins.

“Four coins,” the man said.

“You’ll only get three.” Shane turned to Reginald and patted the large man’s arm. “Do you hear this, brother? The man wants to overcharge us.”

Reginald grumbled, “He does, does he?”

Shane turned back to the seller and smiled at how wide his eyes were.

“Three coins should cover it,” Shane said.

Handing over the chunk of meat, Shane slipped it into his bag that he had summoned when the man was distracted.

“It was a pleasure doing business with you,” Shane said with a chuckle.

Leaving the stall, he moved over to the vegetables.

“This town has quite the selection,” Reginald commented.

“It does,” Shane agreed. “Word is that we aren’t far from one of the major farming towns. They grow what’s needed for several cities nearby while we provide stone and iron products.”

“You have a mine?” Reginald asked.

“Yes. It doubles as a quarry and is on the far side of the city. It’s a little worrying how deep they’ve gone, but it hasn’t run dry, so there’s that.” Shane stopped at the vegetables and picked up several carrots and onions. “I have five coins for all of this.”

The lady behind the counter held out her hand.

Shane gladly handed over the coins and added everything to his bag. “Fruit next.”

Nodding, Reginald followed him over to the fruit stall. The best products were already taken, and all that was left was slightly bruised and wrinkled fruit.

“Not the best,” Shane commented.

The man behind the counter apologized. “The next wagon comes tomorrow,” he said. “If you can wait until then.”

“Gladly.” Shane shifted the bag on his shoulder. “I don’t know what Marge can do with meat, carrots, and onions, but it’s better than nothing.”

Reginald smiled and moved back to the bread stall. Grabbing a loaf, he smiled at the woman. “I’m glad you didn’t entice my brother further.”

The woman paled.

Shane handed the woman four coins for the loaf. Giving her a sheepish smile, he said, “He’s a bit protective.”

Nodding, she hurried to the back of her stall to get away.

Chuckling, Shane took the loaf and added it to his bag. “Let’s get back. Marge might be killing Rai.”

“She hasn’t returned to you yet, so I think she is only being tortured.” Reginald’s rumbling laugh shook the air.

Once again, the crowd parted for them.

***

Rai sat with Marge in the main room, laughing as she told stories of Shane from when he was younger.

“Did he tell you about the pie incident?” Marge asked while wiping a tear from her eye.

“He did.” Rai chuckled. “Rachel and him snuck away with one, but you caught them.”

“I caught Shane,” Marge corrected. “I’m pretty sure he let me though. He’s rather evasive when he wants to be.”

“Oh, I know,” Rai grumbled. “He’s a weasel.”

Giggling, Marge covered her mouth. “He is. But the man cares about those around him. Some of our youngest only survived because of him. When he left, everyone was heartbroken.”

“I brought him back as quickly as I could,” Rai said softly. “He needed to adjust to my power first.”

“Now he has Reginald’s as well?” Marge asked.

“Yes. It’s going to be another few weeks before he adjusts to another set of power. But he received some useful boons for bonding with us.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Marge said. Rocking her chair, she rested her head against the back while gazing towards the ceiling. “Marked don’t get boons from their summons. They only get strength, speed, and the ability to fight next to their bond.”

“That’s what Shane said.” Rai ran a hand through her hair. “He was really confused when I appeared instead of an animal. I think that’s when he fell in love with me.”

“It’s the tail, isn’t it?” Marge joked.

Chuckling, Rai nodded. “I’m pretty sure it is. I think I sparked a fetish in him.”

“He always seemed like the type to branch out.” Marge shook her head. “Did he really refer to me as Old Marge?”

“Yes…” Rai said slowly. “I should have known better than to take him at his word about that.”

“You live and you learn.” Marge stood up and stretched out her back. “The boys should be back soon.”

The sound of footsteps on the outside stairs made Rai’s ears twitch. “They’re back, or you have another visitor.”

Marge ushered Rai into another room. “Hide for now.”

Rai waited patiently in her room, listening for sounds of Shane coming back. When she heard his voice growing closer, she smiled.

“She’s in here. I’ll have Reginald help me in the kitchen,” Marge said.

“Thanks, Marge.” Shane opened the door a moment later. Closing it behind him, he smiled. “Hello, love.”

Rai couldn’t stop her tail from swaying madly behind her. “I don’t like you leaving me.”

Shane hurried to her side and pulled her into his lap. “Marge said you have something to tell me.”

Rai sighed and nodded. “The truth of what is going on, or at least as much of it as I know.”

Shane scratched around her ears. “I’m listening.”

Closing her eyes, Rai savored the moment. After a moment, she sighed again. “The woman we are after is named Veronica Pierce.”

“The platinum-haired woman?” Shane asked.

“Yes. She’s from the capital. I don’t know the name of the city, but I know Veronica has been hunting me for a very long time.”

“Why you?”

Rai slumped. “Because I’ve been hunting down a vial of my blood. The same vial that you gave to her.”

Shane paused and let his hand rest on top of her head.

“What’s really going to happen with the blood?” Shane asked.

“Veronica thinks that she can give the power of a Descendant to one of her Marked. When I was in the capital, they experimented on many patients and came back with the same conclusion. The blood transformed the person into a monster that tore everything apart. Before I escaped, Veronica was rumored to have found a way to use my blood specifically to succeed in boosting her Marked.”

“Why you? What’s so special about your blood?” Shane asked.

“I honestly don’t know,” Rai admitted. “I wish I could tell you. The other Descendants’ blood didn’t work, but for some reason, mine did.” Shaking her head, she turned around and rested her head on Shane’s chest. “The woman that freed me also destroyed my blood samples and killed the test subjects that were in the process of changing.”

“Someone helped you escape?”

“Yes,” Rai said softly. “But I learned that one of the researchers escaped with a vial of my blood and had plans to use it for their own good. I followed them to this city but could never sneak in and destroy it. Now Veronica has it and is likely already in the process of converting one of her Marked.”

Shane kissed the top of her head. “How long does the process take?”

“I don’t know. We might only have days or even weeks left. Without a steady supply of my blood, Veronica will be running tests still on the one vial. It’s likely that we can even sneak in and steal it back, preventing her project from blooming.”

Shane let her go to rub his eyes. “That explains the blood, but what about the reason you were brought over?”

Rai shook her head. “Another night. First, I’d like to kill Veronica and end her testing. Then I’ll explain everything.”

Shane didn’t say anything for several long moments. Finally, he spoke. “I love you, Rai. If you say I need to get the blood, then I will get the blood. But I’d like to secure my friends first. Do we have time?”

“I think so,” Rai said. “Likely not much, but you’re right. We need to get them out of harm’s way. Veronica will have likely taken control of all of the Marked in the city by now. The researcher I followed is probably dead, and most likely the mayor is too. Veronica is the most powerful Marked I’ve ever seen.”

“Stronger than me?” Shane asked.

“Possibly,” Rai admitted. “But she doesn’t have fire powers or Reginald’s gift of earth manipulation. Nor does she have two badass Summons to help her.”

“All I heard was that you want to show me your ass,” Shane said.

“Shane!” Rai growled.

Holding up his hands, Shane laughed. “Sorry. By the way, I want you with me next time I leave. There’s a wrongness to not having you with me. I think I’m addicted to you, Rai.”

Giggling, she nuzzled into his chest. “Good. My plan is working. Soon your heart will belong to me.”

Glancing up, Rai watched Shane smile. The talk went better than she expected, but there was still so much to share with him. In time though. In time.