Chapter Text
Ages ago, there was a horrible cataclysm that saw two worlds collide, and then combine. A high technology world and a high fantasy world smashed together, leaving the planet a mishmash of different zones. In the most extreme magical areas, advanced technology could not function.
One such area was the Darkwood Forest and the surrounding plains and hills.
In that forest lived a necromancer named Alice Walker. She spent what little free time she had studying her discipline in her small cottage. A so-called “ethical necromancer” she was a follower of the Eldritch, the Void, the One who cared for all, all types of magic users, all types of folk. Even the Undead. She was drawn to necromancy as sure as a healer was drawn to their calling. She saw the Undead not as something to be ruled, but to be cared for. She sought their consent before drawing them forth, and did her best to help them when she could.
Now the seasons were changing, and she had to head to town to stock up on supplies. Unfortunately for her, it was a festival night.
Alice sighed as she made her way through the throngs of revelers on this warm early Autumn night. The only town on the edge of the forest was now packed full of the odd folk who lived within it, celebrating the end of summer. She just wanted to get her things and head back into the woods, but instead she found herself stopped over and over again by acquaintances and well-wishers. And, eventually, a member of the Cult of the Darkwood that she knew. One of the many cults that sprung up around the notoriously dangerous forest.
“Hello, Eddard.”
“Alice. So, you’ll come to this Fall celebration, but not ours?” he sneered, and she frowned. Her patience already had been exhausted, and now this shit. Again.
“A, I only came to pick up some things I needed and forgot this was the Day of the Equinox Festival in town. And B, your sect’s ‘celebration’ involves murdering an innocent man so the ‘forest spirits’ spit less hungry monster your way come Winter!” she said, her tone sharp. Eddard looked furious.
“He is not murdered! He is sacrificed. He is given much honor, treated very well-”
“Until you carve him to pieces with harvest implements!”
“How is a necromancer so squeamish?!”
“I’m not squeamish, I just have a conscience! I work with the dead, I do not add to their number if I can help it!”
“Enough, enough,” one of the shop keeps she knew got between them, “this is a night for revelry! You can have your religious debates another day.” He shooed Alice away, knowing she was tired of the festival, anyway. He brought Eddard into the store to show him the selection of shiny new harvest implements. She made an annoyed sound of disgust, then started weaving her way through the town.
Alice saw more cultists as she went. Some were throwing themselves into the festivities, but others were huddled together in small groups. They looked… worried.
Huh. Well, good! Maybe they were finally feeling guilty over the poor man they’d murdered recently.
As she tried to get closer to the town gates, she noticed someone wholly unfamiliar. Young, handsome, muscled, a strip of thick black hair braided with flowers. Almost done up like a Summer King. But there’s no way that’s what he was; the Summer King was killed much earlier in the year by the Cult of the Darkwood.
Well, he seemed to be having a good time. Always laughing. He seemed to look her way any time she noticed him, but she’d quickly look away.
Alice shook herself as she got to the edge of town. The ciders that had been pressed on her were clouding her judgment. Normally she ignored the men of the town, but that young man had seemed so...sunny. Such an open, happy face, so tall, so broad…
She finished getting her packages situated for the long walk home. Well, she’d never see him again...so… She glanced over her shoulder longingly. She sighed wistfully, then turned to head out into the darkness beyond the gates.
“Where ye headed to, hen? It’s only just past dark.”
She whirled back around, and there he was. Her bright, sunny lad. Her cheeks flushed, and his grin widened.
“Bonnie thing. Hurryin’ home to… who?” he asked, sauntering closer, “Ma? Da? Husband?” Her blush deepened.
“No one. An empty cottage,” she muttered, shifting her bags nervously. His grin grew wider still.
“Exactly what I was hoping ta’ hear,” he murmured, and suddenly he was so close.
She didn’t step away, looking up into his face with wide eyes. Void, he was handsome. Such an open face, such sunny blue eyes, broad temple, broad jaws; he looked like a big, friendly dog. Or a tame bear. He was wearing a short white shift and a white kilt, chest covered in flowers, even below his shirt.
“I...my name’s Alice,” she said after a moment. He seemed a little surprised, then he grinned again.
“Name’s Johnny,” He said, his face moving closer to hers. She nodded, then stared, seemingly unaware of what he was doing. His smile faltered, a little.
“What are you doing?” she asked when he paused.
“I… I’m gonna kiss ye, Alice.” He watched her cheeks burn again and his smile returned, “Have ye never been kissed before?”
“...no…” she managed, mouth suddenly dry. He smirked, and suddenly she felt hot, despite the edge of chill creeping into the air around them.
“Well, lucky me,” he said, putting a hand on one shoulder, the other sliding around the back of her neck.
Johnny guided her head back, then his eyes slid closed. Not sure what else to do, she closed her eyes, too. Then she felt his lips press against hers.
So soft, so warm, it felt amazing. It was like a jolt through her; she didn’t just feel it in her mouth. It made her chest tighten, her stomach clench, and a little lower she felt a fire starting to burn within her.
Hesitantly, she put her arms around his back, and she felt him smile into their kiss. His hand found his way from her shoulder to her waist and he pulled her close.
So warm, so alive. Then he slid his tongue into her mouth and she moaned. He pulled back, looking surprised, and she blushed.
“I...I’m sorry-”
“Oh, no. Nothin’ ta’ apologize for, hen. Wanna pull more o’ those sweet sounds out of ye’…” He kissed her, then drug his lips until they were next to her ear, “Lay with me, Alice,” he breathed, and she shuddered.
“I...I just met you…” she murmured as he kissed his way back to her mouth, but she kissed him back just the same.
He clucked his tongue at her, amused.
“Aw, now, don’t ye ken it’s bad luck to refuse the Summer King?” he said against her lips, then, to his surprise, she gasped and pulled back. Her hands were gripping his biceps, looking up into that big, handsome face with fear. But not of him.
“...yes, but not here. Come with me,” she said urgently, leaving her packages where she’d dropped them and heading for the gate.
Shocked, Johnny scooped up her bags and hurried after her.
“Sure, bonnie, but what’s-”
“It’s not safe in town. Not for you…” She muttered the last part and he missed it.
“Oh, uh, so where are we headed, then?”
“To my cottage, within the Darkwood,” she answered without looking back.
“...and that’s safer, is it?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t the Darkwood full o’ all manner o’ ghosts and beasties?”
“Yes.”
“And you aren’t scared?”
“No. I’ve lived within this forest my entire life. Nothing will harm you if you’re with me,” she assured him. He chuckled darkly, but she seemed not to notice.
“If ye’ say so, hen…”
“I do,” she replied curtly and he laughed.
“Ye seem like ye don’t get out much.”
“I get out plenty,” she said, a little crossly, as she lead him to the path into the Darkwood, “especially this time of year, so much to gather and preserve before the seasons start to change in earnest.” He laughed again, and her chest tightened. He had such a sweet laugh, how could anyone want to-
“I mean ye don’t socialize that much.”
“Oh,” she said, finally stopping for a moment to look at him. “Well, then… no. I work all day, then whatever time I have left I use to study. Leaves me precious little time for ‘socializing’,” she said with a shrug, and he chuckled.
“Such a dedicated little witch,” he said, and she blushed. “Well… their loss is my gain, I suppose,” he purred, then laughed again as her whole face burned. “Pretty thing… I suppose you’ll protect me, then?”
“Yes,” she said, so fervently that it caught him off guard, “I promise.”
“...o-oh, ha, well! Lead the way, then,” he said with a disarming grin. She gave him a bashful smile in return, then hurried ahead of him.
His smile disappeared as he walked behind her. Pretty hen. Sweet. Seemed smart, tougher than he would have thought. Too bad she was far, far too trusting.
She glanced back at him for awhile, making sure he was still keeping up, and caught a strange look of regret on his face. She paused, then his eyes snapped to hers and he gave her a soft smile.
“Makin’ sure I’m not a wraith, playin’ tricks on lonely young lasses only ta’ disappear, leavin’ ye wantin’?”
“No. I’d have been able to tell,” she said with a small laugh.
“Oh, would ye, now?”
“Yes.”
“Not afraid of ghosts?”
“Dead things don’t scare me,” she said, and once again his smile went strangely sinister.
“Don’t they, now?”
Alice frowned.
“...no. Johnny? Is everything okay?” she asked, suddenly uncertain. Her tipsy haze was starting to lift, a little. Had she made a mistake?
Then he grinned, so big, so sunny, that it blinded her good sense entirely. He threw back his head and laughed, loud and long, and her cheeks blazed. She’d never seen anything so beautiful in all her life, he literally took her breath away.
He walked over, shifting his packages to one hand.
“Ah, sorry, bonnie. Yer’ so serious, couldn’t help teasin’ ye a little. Mad at me?” He cradled her cheek in his hand and she leaned into his touch. Too easy.
Alice felt a strange, sharp current of power, but it was gone as quick as she’d felt it. He was looking down at her with his big, blue puppy-dog’s eyes, and it was forgotten in an instant.
She reached up, feeling a little light-headed, toying with a small sunflower tucked into his thick mohawk, then pulled a red cock’s comb out and tickled his nose with it.
“I could never be mad at you, Johnny,” she said shyly, but her voice was heavy with lust. He grinned at her.
“Good hen,” he purred, and her breath hitched, making him chuckle, “Lead on, bonnie, need to get ye home.” She nodded, wide-eyed, then took his hand and hurried on.
The moon had risen high enough to reach her little clearing, with her cute little cottage. It was like something out of a picture book. Several small gardens, separated carefully for some reason. A stone well, charming little outhouse, and a few small out buildings. Potting shed, that sort of thing. All very quaint.
The cottage itself was small but the ceiling high. She was a six foot tall woman, so she’d given herself plenty of headroom. Probably for storage purposes, as well. She was so practical! But so naive…
He stepped inside after her and a glance upward to the rafters proved him correct. Things hanging well above head height. That’s why she has so many stools scattered about, he supposed.
“Uh, the table good enough for yer bags?” he asked as she stoked the fire in her hearth, lighting the place up. She glanced back.
“Oh! Thank you for bringing my things! In my haste, I forgot…”
“No problem, Alice. Happy to be of service,” he said with a smile. God, she wanted to lick and bite his jaws… her cheeks went red and she lit a few hanging lanterns with shaking hands.
“Lovely place ye have. Looks like something right out of a fairy tale,” he said, then turned around to see the bed. A nook taking up it’s side of the building with a soft, thick mattress, lots of blankets, a bundle of furs hanging above it for when it turned cold. Pillows lined the headboard, mostly handmade, all a little… spooky.
Alice looked pleased.
“Well, thank you! I try to keep a neat home.”
“Bed looks comfy.”
“I-it is. I spend a lot of time studying on it, so…”
“I thought livin’ without electricity would be dreadful, but this doesn’t look half bad!”
“Oh! Are you from the Tech Zones?” she asked, turning to face him. She watched his face go blank, eyes empty, as if he’d suddenly been shut off. He was still, silent. “...Johnny?”
He shook himself, blinking, then smiled at her.
“Everything alright, Alice?”
“Are you alright? You just… shut down for a moment,” she said worriedly. He gave her an amused smirk.
“Sorry, bonnie, but I’d wager I’ve had a lot more to drink than you,” he said.
“Oh,” she sighed, relieved. To be fair, he wasn’t sure what had just happened, either.
“Alright, Alice. I can’t wait anymore, I need you.”
“...I need you, too,” she said softly.
He gave her a simmering look.
“Get those clothes off, ye bonnie wisp of a thing,” Johnny growled, his voice husky with lust, his eyes dark with it. She nodded, fingers fumbling with her bodice.
Nervous as a virgin, but she didn’t hesitate. He could tell she wanted this. It wasn’t like with the others. Tinged with obligation, pity, regret… or worse. She wanted him.
“You’re so...so…” she finished unlacing her bodice and the ribbon slipped from her fingers as she looked him over. She shrugged the bodice off and swallowed hard. “You’re so handsome. So… so sunny, so sweet. Such pretty blue eyes…”
Johnny groaned, tugging his shift off, leaving his chest bare, save for the flowers. That made her moan, and he blushed.
“Fuck, Alice… ye really know how ta’ make a man feel wanted.”
“You’re so gorgeous...so funny, and charming… I’ve never met anyone like you,” she said. A little drunk, but it was all true. Her heather eyes sparkled, and he felt his cold heart stir.
“...you’re just sayin’ that,” he said as she pulled her chemise over her head, only a thin strip of fabric keeping her breasts from view. She untied it at the shoulders and her breasts spilled out. Not the biggest, but bigger than he’d expected from her slim frame.
“I’m not. You’re beautiful, Johnny. Want you to stay with me,” she said, shoving all her skirts and bloomers off in one go.
“Fer the night? Darlin’, I’ve cleared my schedule,” he said, then tilted his head. Damn. Bigger arse than he’d thought, too. Thinner than she should be, willowy and graceful, but there were muscles under that soft skin. She said she lived alone; must work so hard to survive, and it showed.
Alice was paler in complexion than him, but she was lightly tanned, and freckled very lightly across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks. Her long, long wavy blonde hair was all the paler for her time in the sun, the colors of her clothes faded. A long time gathering, preserving, only then sitting down to study. Such a smart, resourceful girl…
That strange look of regret flashed across his face again.
“No. Forever…” she said dreamily.
“...You’re… just drunk,” he mumbled, blushing.
“A little, but when I drink, I tell the truth. I’m lonely, and you’re so kind...p-plus...plus…”
“Plus what, hen?” he said, standing and looking down at her. His hands played at her hips and she looked up at him, almost comically serious.
“You can’t go back to the cultists,” she said firmly. He froze.
“Wh-what? Why?”
“They’re going to murder you. Stay here, with me! If they come for you, I’ll fend them off!” She told him earnestly.
‘...where were you two months ago?’ he thought, a little bitterly. But…
“Are ye not one of them?” Alice made such a disgusted face that he laughed.
“Void no!” she snapped, and his eyes widened. The cultists did not invoke the Eldritch. “They’re monsters. Stay. I won’t let them hurt you,” she said, reaching up and cradling his big, meaty jaws. He pressed his body to hers, pressed their hips together. She could feel what she was doing to him.
“We’ll see, hen.”
“I’m serious!” he laughed, then kissed her.
“Hush, now. I know ye are. But we can talk about that bullshit later. Right now… I wanna see that pretty pussy.”
Johnny had decided he wasn’t going to kill her. But he was still going to drain her a little. Just a taste...had to keep his strength up. Plus, it would feel so good… just a taste… or two…
Fuck, he hoped he didn’t kill her. But he’d never wanted anyone more. At least… not that he could remember. He needed her.
An Undead energy-sucker through sexual congress, a creature born of forced resurrection, anger, lust and betrayal. An unwilling sacrifice to a thing he didn’t believe in. But she wasn’t involved. For now, for her, he was Johnny.
Alice undid the ties at the sides of her simple undergarment and pulled them away. Beautiful blonde curls above… Void, pretty, pink, puffy and glistening for him. Dripping…
“Fuck… get back on the bed. Need ye. Now!” He practically growled. She did as he asked, trembling like a fawn. He remembered that he’d been her first kiss.
“Are ye a virgin, hen?” she nodded. He got on the mattress at her feet and stalked up her body like a predator, but his face was so sweet, so tender. “Mmm,” he kissed her when he reached her lips, looking down into her eyes. “I’m gonna take such good care o’ ye, Alice. Got all night, after all…”
He yanked the rest of his kit off and tossed it aside, now naked above her. He looked like a pagan god, and oh, Void, he was big. A good eight inches, curved up, big head, even bigger upper half, thick, then tapering down to his base. Shapely, gorgeous, throbbing for her.
Johnny saw her eyeing it and could practically see her doing the mental arithmetic.
“Don’t worry, my pretty Alice,” he said into her lips, “told ye, I’ll make sure you’re ready for him.”
She decided to let that pass without comment.
Her lips felt a little tingly when they kissed, then moved down her neck. Alice tossed her head back and gasped.
“Barin’ yer neck to me, huh?” he said, then groaned as she threaded her fingers through his thick black hair, her other hand stroking the back of his neck.
“I trust you,” she gasped as he continued down, and it actually made him pause.
“So cute,” he murmured into her shoulder, settling his body between her thighs. Now, his hands free, they shot to her breasts. She arched into his touch as he squeezed and kneaded, moaning softly. “That’s it, hen. Gonna have you screamin’ on my cock before the night is out. Get good and wet for me,” he growled into the side of her neck and she moaned again.
Then he was climbing down her body. He lapped at her nipples as he passed, but he had a different focus, for now. He rubbed his stubbly cheek along the silky blonde curls above her sex.
“Fuck,” he groaned, “so fucking soft.”
Then he flicked his tongue against her swollen clit and her whole body stiffened.
“Hm hm hm. Feel good?”
“...yes…” she gasped.
“Good. Just… relax,” he said soothingly, massaging her thighs until she did as he asked.
“Good girl. Gettin’ so wet. But I’m gonna help ye along… and help myself.” His tongue lapped at her slit and he groaned. “Fuck, ye taste so fucking good,” he said, then he spread her puffy lips and he kissed and licked and sucked.
Alice writhed against him, hands in his hair, moaning and crying out so prettily for him. He was voracious, keeping her thighs spread wide. It was sloppy, wild and wonderful.
“Bet I could make you cum just like this, but I’m impatient. Need to get ye ready. Gonna put a finger in, okay?”
“Yes!”
Johnny laughed and pressed one large finger to her dripping hole. He circled it for a moment before he slid it in. A little bit of a stretch, but he got in easily
“Mmmm…” Alice sighed, then he began to pump his finger and she moaned.
“Ye like that?”
“Y-yeah…”
“Want a second?”
“Uh-huh,” she nodded, then threw her head back as he shoved two fingers in, “oh… f-fuck… g-good…”
“Doin’ so well, sweetheart. Gonna make ye cum on my fingers so you’ll get all good and sloppy fer me,” he said, rutting against the soft sheets beneath him. It didn’t take long for her to start thrusting back against his fingers.
“So sweet,” he panted, getting almost as worked up as her, the rough pad of his thumb working against her clit. Watching her pretty face as she cried and moaned. He ached for something he could never have. But he had it, for now. He sucked on her clit and that tipped her over the edge. She wailed and arched her back, her slick gushing around his lips. He was in heaven.
“Johnny!” she cried, gasping for breath, and no, now he was in heaven.
“Yer a fuckin’ angel,” he said, his voice so tender she almost couldn’t bear it. He looked even drunker than before. She stroked his hair.
“I… I wanna try, now,” she said so sweetly he almost couldn’t stand it. He crawled back up and looked into her face.
She felt...placid. Slightly drained. But mostly she felt good, and she wanted more. They both did. He pulled himself up over her and stroked her face. She was already a little lust drunk. Just a taste. And oh, she was delicious. Made him feel so strong with just a sip of her energy.
“My bonnie Alice… if anything hurts, or is uncomfortable, just tell me to stop, and I will, okay?” she nodded as she felt him nudging between her legs.
“I trust you,” she said again, and he groaned, hanging his head.
“You’re gonna ruin me, Alice,” he said breathlessly, then pressed his head to her hole. He was slow, and careful, but it was a stretch. She forced herself to breathe. It was so hot, so thick. She pressed her face into his bicep. “Doin’ good?”
“Mm-hm…” she whimpered, and as he got halfway in she was panting. She let her head fall back. He rocked himself in and out gently, helping her get accustomed, then he started sliding deeper.
“Fuck… so tight… perfect…” he said, practically whimpering himself. Heaven, over and over. When he was buried inside of her to the hilt he paused, looking in her eyes.
“Alice,” he whispered, then kissed her. She pushed her tongue into his mouth and he smiled, deepening their kiss while he began to rock his hips again.
“Johnny…” she said when she came up for air, and he pressed his forehead to hers. “Please…” she begged, and he grinned.
“Don’t worry, hen, about to give ye everything ye need,” he rumbled, then he braced himself on his forearms. His eyelids lowered, mouth open slightly as he concentrated, plowing into her slowly. He wanted to make this good for her. Slowly, he upped the tempo. Fuck she was so wet, squeezed him so tight. Her arms were around his neck, fingers digging into his hair. She scratched just right and he bucked his hips. She cried out, but she was moving her own hips in response.
Then he was rutting into her like a man possessed. The sounds that poured out of her mouth were sinful, and they only spurred him on as he fucked her over and over and over again.
Hours later, Johnny finally pulled out of her and she collapsed back onto the bed. He let her recover from her latest orgasm, still hard. He looked her over and sighed. The way she shook, not just her thighs but her whole body, muscles aching and strained, let him know she was done. Only a few more orgasms and she’d be dead.
He watched her pretty, bloodshot eyes trying to focus and frowned slightly. Maybe even one more. Johnny started jerking himself as he knelt between her thighs.
“Relax now, ye bonnie hen. Did so good fer me. Made me feel… almost…” he moaned, jerking faster. He watched her eyes growing dark.
“J...Johnny… don’t… go back…” she managed to stutter out, and he smiled. He fell forward onto one arm over her and kissed her, giving her just a little of her sexual energy back.
“Sweet Alice… lucky little hen,” he grunted, and she heard the wet squelch of him fisting his cock. She gave the tiniest little moan into his lips and he cried out into hers, his end splattering onto her stomach.
“First kiss and your first fuck is the Summer King… wonder what kinda luck that’ll bring ye? Especially since you survived,” he whispered as her vision went dark and she fell into a deep, satisfied sleep.
***
It took her over 24 hours to recover. He’d been thoughtful enough to leave a carafe of water and some fruit in reach, which was good, because it was nearly noon by the time she’d been able to get her legs to work. She had to go outside naked and lean against a tree. She winced as her aching abdomen struggled to do as she asked, even though she felt like she’d burst. There was no way she could crouch or even sit right now.
She’d gone to bed early that night and the next morning she was up bright and early on her feet. Still sore, but she raced around, getting dressed before heading to town.
Alice was on the outskirts in record time, the sun barely risen, banging on Eddard’s door. The cultist she’d argued with at the festival looked surprised to see her there.
“Alice-” he was even more surprised when she grabbed him by his collar and yanked him forward, then slammed his back against his house. “Alice! What-”
“Where is he?! Where’s the Summer King?!”
Eddard seemed confused.
“Dead,” he said, and she felt her chest tighten painfully. “He’s been dead for months, of course.”
She seemed shocked, then her face twisted in fury and she slammed him against the wall again.
“Don’t lie to me!” she snarled, “I saw him, I saw him at the festival the night before last!”
His face went pale.
“You did?!”
“Yes, his name is Johnny!” Eddard flinched.
“Listen to me, Alice, whatever you and the others saw,” she suddenly remembered the worried groups of cultists, “the sacrifice named Johnny died over 2 months ago.”
Alice was silent for a long moment.
“Where’s his body?” Eddard’s eyes grew wide.
“You can’t!”
Her magical aura flared to life, its greasy, almost flame-like miasma staining the air around her with poisonous purples, acid greens and deep, dark, oily blacks.
“YOU have no authority to tell ME what I CAN AND CANNOT DO!” Alice half screamed, half howled, her eyes ablaze. “Now tell me WHERE-”
“As far as we’re aware, it’s still where we sacrificed him,” he said, looking away. “We normally remove… them after a few days, but anyone we’ve sent to retrieve him has disappeared. Many of our number have since then…”
Alice stared at him for a long moment, then released his collar and ran off.
***
Traveling outside of the wooded trails was strange to Alice, but it was quicker to skirt the edges to get to her destination. She noticed when she she got near that the cult had moved camp farther from the trail head to their “sacred site”.
Alice plunged down the trail without a thought for her own safety. He hadn’t felt dead, so he could be anything. She should be more cautious.
But all she could hear was Johnny’s merry laugh, see his sunny smile, those pretty blue eyes…
Alice stumbled into the clearing, breathing hard. Death was here. Years of it. But fresher, too. She saw corpses of cultists sprawled around the clearing. Twisted necks, knife wounds, in some cases simply pummeled to death. She walked past them and then she could finally see the altar. And there he was. Laid out on it, arms hanging limp off the sides.
Only his flower crown remained, leaving the wounds where they’d carved him apart bare. He was still so bloody.
She walked up to him and looked down at his slack face. This was a corpse. But his flesh was all intact. No rotting, no animal predation. And during their sacrificial ritual they would have carved and tore flesh and ripped…
Tears blurred her vision, and she caressed his cold cheek.
“My poor Johnny,” she whispered, wiping her eyes with her free hand. “What did they do to you?” She noticed movement and looked down at his chest. The crescent where they’d used a sickle to carve his massive pectoral muscle from his ribs was bulging lightly at one end.
Alice expected to see an insect, but instead it was a tiny...bud? As she watched, it bloomed into a tiny, purple mum blossom. She reached down and plucked it, and his body jerked. The flower withered and died in her hand, and suddenly she felt it. Felt him. He was Undead, but somehow these flowers blocked out her powers when he was, well, in full bloom. A masque of life.
She caressed his face and he twitched. She smiled.
“That’s it, Johnny. Feel me… hear me… whatever binds you to this place, I break it.” His whole body jerked, seemed to tense up, lips parting, as if waiting for something. “Because you’re mine, Johnny.” His head lolled back, face still slack, mouth gaping. “I bind you to me and I bid you be free… whether you continue to walk this plane or go back to rest… is your choice,” she whispered, tears in her eyes, and she pressed her mouth to his.
His body arched and then his eyes burst open. One large hand tangled in her hair and wrenched her back, holding her in place.
Johnny closed his eyes and bellowed into the early morning sunlight, shouting and screaming at the horror of his death, the indignity of his resurrection, at this new unlife. All his pain, his fear, his rage.
With one hand she clutched at his wrist, but the other reached down and stroked his hair. Touching him with kindness, with the intent to comfort, not cause pain…
His shout became a wail, his grip on her hair loosening, and she pulled him up so she could hold him. He clutched her, burying his face in the side of her neck, and he sobbed.
Alice held him, rocking him gently as he cried and cried.
Finally, she felt his eyelids flutter, then he sniffed. After a moment, he sat up, and she let him go. He wiped his eyes, then looked up into the tear-streaked face of the one who’d freed and comforted him.
“...Alice?” She nodded.
“Yes, Johnny,” she said with a watery smile.
“How did you… do that?”
“I’m a necromancer.” He stared at her, then collapsed back onto the altar, breathing shakily. He threw his arm across his eyes.
“What...what now?” he asked after awhile. She smiled softly.
“My offer still stands.”
He dropped his arm and tilted his head, looking at her confused.
“Since you have decided to... continue on, you can stay with me. If you want to.”
He sat up and looked at her seriously for a long moment. Then his face split into a fiendish grin.
“And spend more nights like the one we shared?” She looked both excited and anxious at the same time, and he laughed. “Ha ha, well, not as… intense. Not as draining anymore, I promise,” he said.
“...yes…” she answered, almost bashfully, and he laughed again, throwing his arms around her, and she clutched him close.
“I’ll never let them hurt you again. I promise that to you,” she whispered, and he could feel her trembling. He held her tighter.
“I’ve got it from here, hen, but I appreciate the sentiment,” he said, rubbing her back. She was a strange creature. That’s what made him adore her so.