Sui Generis – 36

 

"What comes next?" Mag asked, turning to look at Brand.

Brand grinned. "I don't think we've got the energy for anything more right now."

Lifting his head off Brand's shoulder, Mag moved to lean on one elbow, shaking his head. "That's not what I meant, although give it an hour, and I'm sure we will."

"Ever the optimist, even in your condition." Brand traced a finger lightly over the bruise on Mag's cheek. "Lovely shade of yuck yellow/purple."

"You're avoiding the question," Mag replied a bit querulously.

"Probably because I don't know the answer. We go on the way we have been—school, you working, me getting a job—finally. That's one option."

"With you still spending at least some time out at night, hunting?"

Brand nodded. "It is what I do."

"I know. I suppose it won't be much different than searching for Fedor."

"Oh it will, because it won't be personal."

"Do you…?" Mag tilted his head questioningly. "Do you kill every vampire you run into?"

"No. If they're behaving then it's live and let live. If they're attacking someone rather than feeding carefully and wiping away the memory, then they're fair game."

"Are there a lot like that?"

Brand smiled slightly. "The city isn't overrun with them. On the other hand, they are out there. Unfortunately it's usually either young ones who haven't learned self-control or older ones who've gone rogue."

"I thought Antton and the Enforcers took care of the rogues."

"Apparently they do, when they're truly vicious and a threat to our existence. You can only put so many deaths down to feral dogs before people start to panic."

"Do you have to kill the young ones? Can't you—I don't know—talk to them or something?"

"I try, sometimes. It's not in my job description so to speak but still, yeah, sometimes I do."

Mag sat up, looking down at Brand. "You should join Antton and his friends."

Brand chuckled. "Funny you should say that. That was the second option. As Randulf mentioned, I might make a good Enforcer, with some training. But—" he took Mag's hands in his, "—it's a decision we both have to make."

"Do you want to?"

 Brand frowned. "Maybe. With the new abilities I have, I could be useful. Antton said that I'm a force to be reckoned with now."

Mag nodded. "It makes sense, I think—especially when you learn all there is to know about what a werewolf can do."

Sitting up now, Brand said, "Okay, I'm puzzled. Why are you agreeing with this? Because I think you are. I figured you'd be dead set against it."

"In case you've forgotten, I saw what Fedor and his minions were capable of. It's frightening to think what they could, and probably would have done given the chance to—to normal people, I guess you could say. Hell, maybe some of the others who were helping him had already. I suspect even Fedor did before he got fixated about finding a dhampir he could turn into a creature that could hunt and kill werewolves the way they can vampires."

"All right, I guess I understand. Still…" Brand studied him thoughtfully. "You really would be okay with my becoming an Enforcer?"

"Honest truth, I'm scared shitless about the idea because it's the kind of job that could get you killed. Still, I suppose it's sort of like being a cop or in the military. You take calculated risks based on what you know and how you've been trained and in the end, you stop someone who needs to be stopped."

Brand embraced Mag, holding him against his chest, whispering, "Exactly. I knew you'd understand."

"So you're going to do it?" Mag asked quietly.

"I guess I am. I wasn't certain at first. It had to be all right with you because… well, it just did." He kissed Mag's temple. "We've been through so much together, in such a short time. At first it was…" He paused. "It was just us being partners and friends I guess. Then—now—in the last few days, I realized you mean more to me than that. I told you, but…"

"You weren't certain I believed it."

"Yes." Brand nodded. "I knew how you felt about me. It took me a while to realize I feel the same. If you'd… if it wasn't okay with you then I wouldn't do it—join the Enforcers, if I'm asked."

"It's what you have to do, for your sake. For the sake of the people you'll save. And doesn't that sound all high and mighty." Mag laughed softly. "Still, it's the truth. Just don't leave me out of it. I may not be, well, Enforcer material, but when you need my help…" He turned to look at Brand. "If you do…"

"When I do, even if it's just you telling me I made the right choice, I know you'll be there for me."

            "Always."