Domestic Disturbance *HF* Chapter 5

By Gene


"Oops," Malachi said, picking it up. "Hey, the candle didn't go out. And how come the wax doesn't burn? These are the same candles you've had here for weeks!"

"A gift from Gomurr," Alice said. "He and Shaman set us up with a few comforts around here. The candles are one of them. A real mattress for our bed is another."

"How come I don't get cool candles? Mine go out all the time, and there's wax all over my house!"

"Get married and you'll get cool candles. Make sure to put them on your registry," Alice said. "Your dad and I will come through."

Malachi grumbled and ate his stew.

Gene paced across the floor for a few moments, glancing about the house. He took stock of the tools and weapons laying about. Rapier, Claymore, axe, Bushido sword, staff, broom handle, MAlachi's fencing foil, a few knives, Alice's chain darts, hat pins, Alice's fan. And of course, the ring. Enough to keep all three of them busy, if needed.

Malachi tossed his bowl in the slop barrel and walked toward the door. "I'm heading over to my place. I'll check on the horses on the way over."

"Okay," Gene said.

As Malachi shut the door, Alice said, "THat was abrupt. What's he going to do there that he can't do here?"

"Whack off," Gene said.

Alice slapped Gene on the arm, "That's not funny!"

"I wasn't kidding," Gene said distantly. "He was eyeing a girl or two while we were in Spain. He probably saw a lot but didn't do anything. And he's 17. He's probably whacking it 2 or 3 times a day now, and seeing those girls probably gave him balls bluer than Grover's. I wouldn't be surprised if he's actually running home."

"Guys are really like that?" Alice said. "It's that bad?" She approached Gene with a grin. "How was it when you first met me? Did you..."

"All the time. When I saw you by the swimming pool at the mansion, up on the diving board, it was like Phoebe Cates in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. I replayed that image in my head constantly, all the time. It was bad."

"How bad?"

"Callouses bad."

"But you couldn't have me, I was engaged."

"Yep."

"Did that make it worse?"

"Of course."

"What did you do?"

Gene shrugged. "I whacked off a lot. Distracted myself by bonding with Eddie from the kitchen. He'd come over and watch pornos with me. Sleaze had the nerve to jerk in my office sink and leave it there."

Alice winced. "That's really offensive." Her eyes drooped and her voice lowered. "But did you do anything else?"

"What are you getting at?" Gene wondered if she knew, or how much she knew.

"I don't know. Mess around with anyone else in place of me?"

"Maybe."

"How about in Skaneateles? Or Buffalo? Vineland, New Jersey? Ontario?"

"Yeah, I went there. How'd you know?"

"It's part of my job, remember? I track the news, listen to news sources, hear from my contacts. I find out what may be happening with members of our Court and clean it up myself or pass it along to Cyclops. For a period of a few weeks, between when you joined the Court and when I broke up with my fiance', the same thing kept happening, but in different towns. It kept showing up in the small press. Guy would walk into a bar, a fight would break out, and he'd be the only one to walk away unassisted. And always with a girl. Sometimes two. But the description of the guy was always different, and it never matched you. So I didn't think much of it. But it was you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. Couldn't stand to see you with someone else. Didn't like being alone, but didn't want to be with anyone else. I just wanted to forget, go numb, do something to make me feel something else. So I'd go to some nothing bar in a nothing town dressed as an outsider they wouldn't welcome. I'd wait for them to pick on me, then egg them on just enough for them to bring it on. I'd take a few punches, a few kicks. Enough to make me feel physical pain, to forget the pain inside. Then I'd clean the house. Root out the real assholes, put them in intensive care, then maybe knock the others out or break a few arms. When I was done, there was always some bimbo ready to fuck me. Someone who was fine with being there for that day or maybe two days, as long as I kept the beer and sex coming and I treated her decent. And that was fine. But not what I wanted. I wanted you."

"And you waited. And there I was."

"After a while."

"What if you never had me?"

"Then I'd still wait. Maybe end up a monk like Shaman."

Alice poured the rest of the water from the pitcher into a silver mug and drank it. "C'mon, let's head to the well."

They each grabbed a water bucket and Gene opened the door. They stepped out hand in hand, until Gene was stopped in his tracks by a stick pushed against his chest. He looked up and stared into the face of Aidan McClellan, mounted on a horse. With him were 5 large men.

"Mister Pembleton," McClellan said. "I believe you have business with my Clan. I'd like you and your boy to join us at the Keep."

"Isn't it something we could discuss here?" Gene asked. Alice gripped his shoulder and hand hard.

"I'm afraid not," McClellan said. Two of his men pushed aside their cloaks and brought forth loaded crossbows. Looking at the others, Gene saw that they had crossbows, too.

"Should I bring my sword?"  Gene asked. "It's just inside."

McClellan smiled. "You shan't be needing it."

Alice called out. "Malachi! Come on out! Saddle the horses!"

There was a pause.

"Now son!" Gene yelled. "It's important!"

Malachi staggered out his doorway, tucking in his shirt. "What's going on?"

"We're going to the neighbor's," Alice said. "You're coming, too."

***
They rode along in silence, though Gene, Alice and Malachi were able to talk through a telepathic link Malachi established. He wasn't able to use many of his powers consciously yet, but those he did were often very convenient.

"What's the deal, Dad? There's only 6 of them! We could easily take them! Just you with the ring,"

"That's not the point, son," Gene thought back. "We may be able to talk through this. We'll fight them if we have to, and probably win, but they haven't proven to be hostile yet. Just overbearing."

"I don't know, there's something fishy about this," Alice thought. "It doesn't seem right. And someone smells."

"They all smell," Gene thought. "The men and the clothes they wear. And there's shit crawling in the hair of at least two of them. We should make them some soap."

"Hey," Malachi thought. "Where are we going? McConnell's place is down that ridge, in the valley on the other side of that hill."

"We're not going to my home, lad," McConnell said aloud. "We're going to the Keep. The seat of power for the Clan. Home of the McConnell Chief."

Malachi's jaw dropped. "How...?"

McConnell grinned and gave the family a sidelong glance. "Oh, I know about you. You're not normal. None o' you are. Ye're witches. You raised a house overnight. Candles with flame that doesn't burn. Even your privy. I knew there was something about ye before. I have the sight. Now I know. I'm takin' you to my Clan Chief. There ye can be made one of us, or remain outsiders. Your choice."

"Why do I think it will be worse than that?" Alice said.

"Nothing's as easy as it seems," McConnel said.

End Part 5

Gene
Original and Longest-Running Editor
White Bastard/King's Pawn--HellFire Club
Knight of the Long-Necked Bottle
Forbidden by Law to Eat Onion Rings
Selectively Sterile
Wielder of Unbridled Contempt for Humanity
Clearest Colon this side of the Milky Way
Messiest Underwear this side of the Milky Way
Certified Bastard-Training Specialist
K, your neck is looking overloaded... Let me take some weight off it!