Urban Dead: The Price of the Oath

[Josh]

"Now that," he pointed out. "Is total historical revision. If I'd wanted to put the make on you, I would've done so LONG before that little episode."

[Caz]

"But you still thought I wanted to!" she pointed out. "Like you're fuckin' Testi-clees, God Among Women!"

[Josh]

"Well..." he said. "Yes. So you're the only woman on the planet who can resist my abundant charms and awesome hair. You win a prize. Next time we're looting a McDonalds, I'll get you a toy."

Petro was not overencumbered with this 'modesty' thing either...

[Caz]

"What's that? Abundant hair?" She yanked on his bangs. "Yeah, you're right. When I first saw you out there, I thought you were fucking Melanie."

[Josh]

"Hey, no civil service regs, I can grow it out now. FINALLY," he said with relief. "But sounds like your eyes are giving out, granny-lady."

[Hedgecore]

Gator took the bowl and inhaled deeply, pleasantly surprised. Then his eyes darted back and forth suspiciously. "Its not...people, is it?"

Lasko took up a spoon, scooped up a small amout of broth and blew on it. He touched his lips to it and recoiled. Sucking air in through clenched teeth he said "h-h-hot!"

I few moments later he tried again, and it had cooled enough that he was able to swallow. Please don't yack please don't yack Lasko thought to himself. Meanwhile, Gator had gotten over his apprehensions, and heartily dug in. "Ma'am?" he said between enormous mouthfuls, "this is the best soup in the history of soup."

[Caz]

She sighed. "You totally fucking missed your 'in.' You're supposed to say..."

She held her hand up with her index finger and thumb making an 'o' shape, like a mouth. She moved it as though to mouth the words: "Why yes, Sherry, I am fucking Melanie!"

[Josh]

"Your cue was too subtle. Your mythological wit is too much for us mere-type mortals," he pointed out. "Besides, when do I ever follow anybody's cues? It's part of my world-famous ladykilling charm."

[Caz]

Melanie turned to Gator, grinned.

"Well, if you consider zombies to be people..."

[Caz]

"Anybody's cues, yeah," she said, "but I'm not anybody. And you know perfectly well what I mean by that."

[Josh]

"If you were just anybody, you wouldn't be on my team," he pointed out, ruffling her hair again and offering a new cigarette.

[Caz]

She took it, tucked it behind her ear for later. "Chain-smoking whackjob," she announced. "And if I was just anyone, you wouldn't have wanted to bone me either."

[Josh]

"There you go with the revision again. Just admit that you had a mad crush on me and get it over with."

He lit the cigarette. "And if you were doing what I do, you'd be a chain-smoking drunk all the time too."

[Caz]

"Oh yes," she said, batting her eyelashes on him and leaning in toward him until their noses touched. "Like I'd give up on my perfectly exhausting relationship with our dear doctor for aforementioned chain-smoking drunk."

She paused a beat.

"Besides, your woman would kick my ass."

[Josh]

"As hot as it is when babes go at it, that's one that I'd rather not see. Because I'd be the one who had to mop up the blood afterward. The skinny ones are always the meanest, y'know." He leaned forward slightly and bumped her nose with his. "Skinny."

[Hedgecore]

"Aye! eat the fuckers back!" Gator laughed, "no, seriously, where the hell do ye get shite this good? I ha'n't had nothin' like this since I was livin' the good life, holed up in some rich cunt's mansion"

He looked slyly, "which reminds me..." He reached into his pack and produced an old, old bottle, sealed with a cork, which he popped off with his teeth. "Brandy, fucking good shite. 'Ad a tag on it, 's from 1876. Mmm?"

He offered it to her. "no crystal snifters, I suppose, no?"

[Caz]

"Let's just say I'm not a crystal snifter kind of girl," she said with a smirk, taking a sip and letting out a pleased sigh as the liquid burned down her throat. She then said:

"Two of our best and brightest wandered off for a while and returned with livestock. We're not gonna ask from where."

She turned back to Lasko, adjusting the pillow beneath his head.

"I said sit up!" she admonished, although not harshly. When it appeared that neither was looking, a maternal smile spread over her mouth. "Just keep at it; it'll cool."

--

Sherry inhaled and puffed air into Petro's face, sending his bangs splaying messily across his eyes.

"Skinny, yeah, you'd fucking know."

[Josh]

He blinked. "Now see, you don't go inverting my jokes like that. We're a proper and respectful outfit."

[Caz]

"Well then I'm properly, respectfully asserting that you're scrawny, Ol' Knobby Knees."

[Josh]

"Don't make me dig up my vast repetoire of blond jokes," he warned, leaning back with a smirk.

[Caz]

She huffed. Only the very goddamn tips of her hair were still dyed by this point anyhow.

"Only dyed it to keep from getting my ass locked up for murder," she pointed out.

[Josh]

His demeanor shifted suddenly. "Murder?"

[Caz]

She paused.

Oh fuck.

She hadn't told...

Sherry coughed into her palm, sitting upright and almost seeming to choke a bit.

"... Yeah. You know, in a gang, you kill people..." True, but not the whole story. "And... some stuff before that."

[Hedgecore]

As she passed back to him, Lasko raised his eyebrows. "I dinna think so: I been drinkin' long enough to know this is the last thing you need." Gator scolded, "Tell ya what: you pull through this shite, we'll hit a pub and tie one on, a'right?"
Lasko muttered with mock anger as the huge Scot took a swig. "Look, ma'am, you need anything, ye c'n ask me, a'right?"

[Josh]

He studied her face for a long moment. "More than that," he said. He put up a hand before she could reply. "Old news. It was over when Malton fell apart."

She'd lied, but she'd had good reason. She did what she had to do to survive when he'd rescued her. Since then, she'd proven her worth to the group. So it didn't really matter.