Chapter 427: Reaching An Understanding
Laz laid back on the bed and kept silent until Jill came out by herself. She had put on the clothing that Mrs. Smith had given her, a long sleeve shirt and sweat pants, but it was obvious to Laz that she didn’t have anything on underneath it. Considering the age difference, Laz didn’t really think about it and instead just pointed to the coffee maker, indicating that she could take some if she wanted.
Jill looked back and forth from the coffee maker to Laz several times.
"Don’t like coffee?" Laz asked, turning his head.
Jill shook her head in response.
"Just take something from the fridge then, whatever you want," Laz responded before taking another sip of his coffee and looking outside the open window. The night had turned dark, much darker than before and Laz could smell the rain in the air.
’Tonight’s storm kind of matches her mood, doesn’t it?’ Laz said while thinking.
Taking her to get some clothes and stuff like that was easy, but Laz’s real goal in coming here was to head to the complex where the awakened/infected were being held. He wasn’t going to do something like raid the place and free everyone, but he was curious as to what it was like. That and Laz had a thought going that since he was awakened, his parents might be too. It was a long shot, but worth looking into.
Outside, the flashes of lightning lit up the sky as thunder boomed, still far off in the distance. While Laz was feeling peaceful with such weather, Jill couldn’t stop herself from shaking even with the orange juice in her hand.
As the sound of the thunder came closer, Jill’s shaking got even more noticible. Laz finally sighed and got up, sitting on the edge of his bed between the two beds. Jill was quietly drinking her orange juice but watching Laz the entire time. While there was a TV in the room, Laz didn’t really want to hear it. Instead, he turned on the old radio that was sitting between the beds, While there wasn’t a lot of stations nearby, Laz did end up finding an old rock station. He didn’t know what kind of music Jill like, but that didn’t matter. Laz got the impression that it would be a long time before she opened up about anything.
As ’Dust in the Wind’ started playing, Laz looked over at Jill and asked,
"Is this ok?"
Jill shook her head yes but then turned away with her head down. Laz didn’t know what she was thinking, but at least she had stopped staring at him.
"Alright. After you finish that, get in bed. We have a long day tomorrow and should get an early start," Laz said before turning over on the bed and facing the door. Laz then pointed his finger and with a simple flick of black flame, cast a rune on the door and front window. He then waved his hand again and the light went out, causing the room to be cloaked in darkness with only the occasional bolt of lightning lighting the area.
Laz wasn’t worried about what Jill would do. Even if she did try to stab him in her sleep, the knife wouldn’t even break the skin with her strength. And besides, his sense would wake him up before she even got the chance.
Just as Laz was drifting off to sleep, he felt a weight on the bed behind him as something began to wrap around him. Opening his eyes, he saw that Jill had climbed on top of him and had discarded her clothes in the process.
"What are you doing?" Laz said, not moving.
"Thanks..." Jill said, her voice nothing but a puff of a whisper.
"This isn’t the kind of thanks I need. Please go back to bed," Laz responded, still not moving. He got the feeling that anything he did would be taken the wrong way and he wasn’t about to damage this girl anymore, even accidently.
"This... is all I am... all I have..." Came that same gentle whisper, one that broke your heart.
The tears started soon after.
Laz sighed. He needed to be less passive, he knew that. But what was the right course of action to take here? Laz’s mind quickly went to the person who helped him back when he had broken and finally nodded his head.
Sitting up, Laz was able to easily ignore Jill’s weight as he got up, leaving her on his bed still naked. Laz then stood in front of the bed and removed his shirt, before tossing it aside. Normally Laz would sleep naked, but he was extra thankful he decided not to today.
"You have worth. You have far more than you think. For now though, you have me. And since you chose to follow me, I will give you what you are missing. I will fill in the blanks. But what I want from you isn’t this. What I want, you can’t give me yet. But you had better damn well try your hardest because if I ever see you slacking, I will leave you on the side of the road," Laz said, his voice growing deeper and more powerful as his change started.
The white hair with a tinge of red.
The black tribal tattoos that ran the length of his rock solid body.
The golden eyes and haunting glare.
"This is what I am, little girl. This is what I offer to you. I will give you power, power so great that never will you be afraid again. Instead, it’s the world that will tremble at your passing. But that’s only if you survive long enough to reach this height. But even then, I will be higher. Which means you can never stop climbing. Do you understand?" Laz said as the building shook with the strength of his words
Jill looked at him, really looked at him and did something Laz thought he wasn’t going to see for a long time, she smiled...
"If I get as strong as you... can I kill who ever I want?" Jill asked, her sweet voice now containing a hint of malice.
"You’re enemies are dead. Do you plan to make more?"
"There are always more,"
"So be it. If you get stronger than me, you can do whatever you want. Hell, you could kill me if you so choose. But that is for the future, if you survive that long." Laz’s body lost it’s glow as he let the power slide back inside.
"For now, go to sleep in your own bed... And put some clothes on."
Jill did as she was told and laid down. It would be a while before she could fall sleep as every time she closed her eyes, she saw Laz standing there like a god among men.
That was the kind of power she wanted, the power to decide life and death for others with a snap of fingers.
It Laz could give it to her, then she would offer him whatever she could in return, even herself like she had just done.
That was what all men really wanted in the end, wasn’t it? Even if they started out all noble, their will power was as flimsy as a house made out of paper.
Jill wanted Laz to be different, but she knew better. At least she could get something in return this time.
Laz stay awake until he was sure that Jill was asleep, not wanting a repeat of what had just happened. When he heard her breathing level out, he knew that she was finally asleep. Laz then rose from the bed and walked over, grabbing a now cool cup of coffee before walking back to his bed and sitting down.
’I still can’t get a read on her.. go figure. Would training her be the best idea?’ Laz felt that doing so would be like arming a psychopath.
’Then again, who was he to judge? We all have to fight our own demons. And besides, It’s not like I am some saint. The only thing I can do is show her the path. After that, it’s up to her to walk it.’
Laz stared at the young girl and thought back to when he had first awakened. He was younger than her, but at least he had a few people around him who cared for him. His grandpa Crowe, grandpa Chu and even uncle Bill.
As for her, who did she have but him?
Laz was just about to set the cup down and go to sleep himself as he noticed Jill’s body glowing. A figured then ended up rising up from the glow, a figure of both pure eroticism and pure violence. While only it’s head was visible, it’s features were flawless. Long, pointed ears, deep wavy locks of black hair contrasting the pale skin. Her lips were the color of blood while her eyes shown like emeralds in the night sky.
Laz expected her to say something, but all she could do was growl while showing it’s pure, white teeth.
"I see. She isn’t strong enough for you right now and yet here you are. Feel free to hate me all you want, but right now I’m all she has. So even if you despise me, what can you do about it?" Laz said, not even the slightest bit taken aback by this event.
The beautiful projection then fought itself for several minutes, going back and forth and arguing. In the end, she simply looked over at Laz, shook it’s head as what could only be call a wordless thank you and vanished like the wind.
’Well now. Things seem to be getting more and more interesting,’ Laz thought to himself, silently.
