Ascension - Book Eight - Man x Man

Chapter 57 (M)

"Do not support businesses who do not except who you and your neighbors truly are. Protect one another. We are all in this together." 

The deafening sound of the crowds approval makes me cover my sensitive ears. Randy glances towards me, shifting uncomfortably. "I thought you were the famous one?" he mumbles. 

I scoff, rolling my eyes in the trademark warlord fashion. "Apparently I'm not as likeable." I grumble, it used to bother me more in the early days. Now I was just appreciative that others saw in him what I did. He could be funny, witty, charming, among the dangerous side notes that lingered below the surface. "We make a good team. You... don't necessarily look human. But people like what you have to say. You connect better than I do, I grew up in a castle, it's a little more challenging for me to say the right things."

"Aren't you really rich?"

Running a hand through my hair, I can only shrug once more. "Not anymore. That money is long gone I'd imagine, Kings don't just have rooms of gold, you know. At least we didn't. I was in the middle of an active war when I 'died'. Frankly, we hardly had a place to sleep and it was you and Marcus who funded a lot of our foot travels with your gambling. We had allies who helped but I was never meant to be King, so I had very little resources or ability to access any of my father's money."

It was difficult to get used to, sleeping outside or in shadey taverns. The amount of walking we had to do had been good for my fitness but I couldn't lie and say I wasn't enjoying a more comfortable life style. "When we arrived in this time, you and I had some ups and downs. They needed us in different ways, you started singing, I had to help fix the weather. You have always been better at making money, we found each other again after some time apart. We always do."

Randy frowns, listening to Verando sing, looking as though he was trying to picture himself in this life. "We fight a lot?"

Did we? I consider this. "You're a real asshole sometimes. You're also a lot older than me. I had a lot of growing up to do, you had to learn to stop lying to me and trust me. We are both kind of fucked up, you know."

"I thought you were young.. you look my age." He wrinkles his nose. 

I snicker. "I was twenty three when we met, you thought you were in your forties. Lycan's don't age like mortals do. It's fine, I have daddy issues and you seemed like you needed some fresh blood." The look he responds with tells me he can't decide if he's horrified or uncertain. I decide to let him stew on that as the song ends, all this talk was making my wolf threaten to go savage. I steal a whiff of the collar of my shirt, the scent was fading, it was time to reclaim what was mine. 

"Do you feel comfortable finding Cas and going back home?" I ask, trying not to look to impatient. 

"You trust me on my own?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. 

Not particularly, but I was in the mood for bad decisions. "You keep escaping, I think you're old enough to be back where we left you before your future self gets home. If you think I'm a stickler for the rules, a lecture from your own pompous ass might be an enlightening experience. Please, just be careful." I hand him my phone. "Verando is on speed dial, you just press this button. If you need me, this is how you will reach me. Please keep the fornicating to a minimum, you have plenty of children."

Taken aback, he takes the phone. "I do?"

"Mmm... five... six? I've kind of lost count." Stretching up on my toes, I kiss his cheek. "Just be good." I hadn't gotten to play much with my lycan body lately, moving through the crowd with inhuman speed and agility, I make my way to the stage. It didn't occur to me that it might be seen as an attack, feeling all eyes trained on me, I jump onto the stage and raise my hands in a show of innocence.