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Jonathan Reid had caught Geoffrey McCullum’s scent on the streets of Whitechapel before he saw the strong familiar beating of the hunter’s heart with his blood sight. The corners of his lips tugged upwards as he made his way closer.
With the Skal epidemic drawing to a close and Jonathan’s return from Scotland, the two had agreed to team up to rid London of the remaining feral Skals and rogue Ekons. The Skals were definitely few and far in between, but the number of foreign Ekons appeared untouched or even increasing despite their combined efforts.
“Stupid leech! Show some style!” Geoffrey’s familiar brogue echoed through the narrow streets. Jonathan’s smile soon faded and he hurried along. He drew his sword as he shadow-stepped into the courtyard where his hunter was engaged in a deadly duel with yet another foreign Ekon.
Jonathan couldn’t help but bear his fangs and swiftly cut down the intruder. The nearly-bisected body collapsed onto the cobblestone unceremoniously and was soon set ablaze as Geoffrey threw some orichalcum powder and a lit match onto it.
“I had it handled, Reid,” the hunter said with his usual frown.
“I’m sure you did,” Jonathan replied, “but this was faster and I rather not see you injured again.”
Geoffrey gave a snort as he wiped the blood off his blade before sheathing it - Jonathan mirrored the action.
“Are you returning to Priwen headquarters?” the doctor asked.
“Aye, why? You have rounds there tonight?”
Jonathan pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. “No, but I can stop by,” he said. “You mentioned last time how you were running low on medication. I can make some more.” His smile brightened when Geoffrey agreed to that. Any time spent with the hunter, his hunter, was time well spent.
“I suppose you’ll be spending the day at the base then,” Geoffrey continued as he started walking.
“If you don’t mind,” Jonathan offered, watching as the hunter fixed his red scarf. The Ekon’s eyes fixated right on Geoffrey’s pulse point. Oh, what he would give to bury his nose into that spot and take in… He shook his head before his thoughts really drifted and looked ahead.
“My men know to leave you alone. Yer bed’s still there in the basement.”
“Thank you.”
Jonathan felt himself relaxing as they walked through the empty streets of London. It was as peaceful as it could get until his instincts warned him of danger. He quickly grabbed Geoffrey and shadow-stepped them forward just as spikes of shadow erupted from where they were.
“Feck!” swore the hunter as he reeled from the jump.
“This is my territory, newborn!” a shadow Ekon shouted, her red eyes flashing dangerously.
“Another leech,” Geoffrey spat, drawing his sword once more and verbally protesting when Jonathan stepped in between them.
There was a pause where the rogue Ekon took a sniff and glanced at the hunter. “Don’t worry. I won’t touch what you claimed.”
Jonathan ended up baring his fangs once more, a snarl working its way out from the back of his throat. He was unable to hold back his anger at the idea that the intruder would even lay a finger on his hunter. Blood and shadow swirled around his fingertips as they transformed into long hooked claws.
“Stupid newborn. Do you really have no idea what you’ve done?” the shadow Ekon asked.
“What’s she goin’ on about, Reid?” Geoffrey hissed lowly.
The question made Jonathan hesitate. He couldn’t answer either of those questions as an incorrect answer would unravel his alliance and friendship with Geoffrey and he didn’t really know what the shadow Ekon was talking about.
The other Ekon took another sniff, nose wrinkling at whatever she smelled. “I’m feeling generous tonight. I’ll give you ten seconds to get out of my sight and I’ll forgive the trespassing before I remove both your heads from your shoulders.”
Jonathan heard Geoffrey scoff. “As if we’ll leave a leech like you to wander the streets,” his hunter growled. At those words, Jonathan shadow-stepped and brought his sword in a hard slash across the rogue Ekon’s torso. He didn’t allow her to recover from the stagger and slashed upwards with his claws.
The intruder cried out in pain and attempted to shadow jump away only to find fiery bolts lodged deep in her chest. She staggered once more, trying to pull the bolts out as Jonathan swung his sword once again, ending her threat.
“Good work,” Geoffrey said simply, moving closer to burn both the decapitated body and the head of the rogue Ekon.
Jonathan sheathed his sword at the praise and smiled, feeling his heart flutter.
“But don’t think you’re off the hook. What have you done?” the hunter questioned, crossing his arms and giving the doctor his trademark scowl. The shadows cast by the burning body behind him made his expression look angrier.
“I’m not sure what you mean by that.”
“Don’t try to play games with me, Reid. You know that shit doesn’t work.”
The words stung and Jonathan wasn’t able to suppress a flinch. Had he not proven himself able to resist killing innocents? Here he thought they had become close allies if not friends or even something more.
“Geoffrey, I truly have no idea what that Ekon was talking about. I would never do anything to hurt you,” Jonathan insisted.
Geoffrey tsked and sighed softly. “Aye… but there has to be somethin’ that would explain why Skals run at the sight of me yet I keep attracting Ekons to my position. You already saw two tonight. What was that about your claim?”
Jonathan shook his head, still without an answer. He had noticed the second Ekon sniffing the air twice before their fight, but Geoffrey smelled the same to him albeit a bit more familiar and comforting. That could be explained by the increased time they spent together, however.
The hunter still eyed him with suspicion but dropped the subject. “Let’s go.”
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“What were yer thinkin’?” scolded Geoffrey though his tone sounded more exasperated than angry. It nevertheless made Jonathan shrink into Geoffrey’s blankets that were currently wrapped around his shoulders.
“Apologies,” the doctor said, though regretted nothing of his actions and accepted a blood pack from the other.
The hunter sighed and sat down at his desk. “Takin’ on four rogue Ekons is a little much. Even for you,” he continued. “Just don’t do it again, but I know you’re not going to listen.”
Jonathan smiled softly at the concern Geoffrey had for him as he gulped at the blood pack. The fight had made him use up most of his blood reserves and energy, but at least Geoffrey came out of it relatively unharmed save for a minor scratch on his arm.
Still, the hunter was right. It was four this time, but what about the next? More and more Ekons were appearing - all of them attracted to his hunter. His hunter. Had the Red Queen reawakened already? He hasn’t heard from his Maker since their final meeting in Castle Ashbury, and there’s no new Skal epidemic. Regardless, something was attracting all these Ekons to their position, but what?
“You’re purrin’ again,” Geoffrey remarked, causing Jonathan to stop and clear his throat. “Like a giant cat.”
The last comment came with a smirk which made Jonathan’s cheeks heat up. The hunter continued smirking and stood before heading to the door, saying how he was going to get something to eat.
Jonathan held back a whine at being left alone even for a few minutes. The urge only embarrassed him further. He was an Ekon, yes. But Ekons were not cats!
A couple of weeks have passed since the last Ekon attack, and he liked to think that they have become closer since. His feelings towards his hunter were certainly undeniable now, having grown stronger and stronger with each passing day.
The doctor finished draining the blood pack and went to dispose of the empty bag. Surely Geoffrey returned the same feelings. Being allowed in the office of the Guard’s Leader was something he had earned a while ago, but to be able to use Geoffrey’s bed to rest was a recent development. Jonathan was even allowed to spend the day in it a couple of times when their discussions over leech sightings and patrol routes took them into the early hours of the morning.
Sharing a bed definitely had to mean something.
Jonathan couldn’t help but bury his face into the pillows and sheets to take in Geoffrey’s scent once he returned under the covers. It calmed him in ways that he couldn’t explain and he didn’t stop the consistent rumbling that came from his chest this time.
“You really are a giant cat.”
Jonathan tensed and nearly jumped out of the sheets though twisted himself further in them. “I am not a cat!” he protested in an attempt to retain some dignity.
“All right, all right. Stop your movin’,” Geoffrey’s voice sounded from above him. Jonathan huffed but stayed still long enough for Geoffrey to detangle him from the blankets. “Now I’m wonderin’ if you mark things with your scent like a cat too.”
“I’ve already said, I’m not a cat.”
“Aye, but you’re demonstrating all these behaviours enough for it to be difficult to believe otherwise.”
There was that smirk again which made Jonathan believe Geoffrey was just poking fun at his expense. The doctor sighed but thought about Geoffrey’s words.
“Let me see the map of the Ekon attacks from the last few months,” he said, getting out of the mess of blankets. He looked over it once Geoffrey pulled it out.
“They’ve been avoidin’ headquarters, Pembroke and the area around your house,” the hunter said after noting the circles. “I assume that’s because you claimed them as your own?”
Jonathan huffed at that but couldn’t deny feeling particularly territorial when it came to the aforementioned three areas. “Rogue Ekons tried to attack you once you step far enough away from those places as if they sense an intruder. Your theory makes sense,” he admitted regrettably and glanced up. “But perhaps we can use this to our advantage.”
“What do you mean?”
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Geoffrey was absolutely piqued at Jonathan’s suggestion. What made things worse was the fact that it had worked.
The next night that Ekon… no. That giant cat had rubbed his own beard on his cheek and neck. Sure, the hunter would say they had formed a close bond over the last few months, but this was ridiculous. Then after what Jonathan had claimed was ‘saturating his scent’, the leech decided to lead him to Stonebridge Cemetery where Priwen Executioners and gunners testing out new orichalcum rifles had positioned themselves up high.
The results spoke for themselves. No fewer than five dead rogue Ekons lay around him, each having taken a bullet or bolt to the head.
“Are you hurt?” Jonathan asked, jumping down from his hiding spot.
“Not another word out of you!” Geoffrey spat with his arms crossed, wishing he could rub that smug yet concerned expression off Jonathan’s face.
“You know I’m pleasantly surprised to see our plan working so well. We can clear the city in a fortnight at this rate,” the doctor continued. Geoffrey couldn’t argue with that, but that won’t stop him from complaining about it.
“Clean up here. Burn the bodies,” the hunter ordered, turning to walk out of the cemetery.
“Geoffrey? Where are you going?” Jonathan asked, following for a few steps as the other Priwen Guards made their way to the bodies.
“To take a shower.”