Chapter 5

I don't know exactly what happens to my body but I do know my dreams are much worse, I relive my earlier experience blood, bodies and all the good old details. It is from this I wake lurching forward grabbing onto the floor and something else. My claws had come out and when I hear the cry of a woman I open my eyes, my claws had cut deep grooves into the floorboards, while the other hand had dug deeply into the girl who had held me ups arm. Seeing this is enough to sicken me, my claws retract and I pull away quickly, I back into a corner fearing what I could do to her, I am already on the floor so it isn't difficult.

It is at this point I fully take in my surroundings, three or four teens point sticks at me while another helps wrap the arm of the girl I injured. We are in one large bedroom with a massive bed and beautiful furniture all over, this room is fit for royalty, aside from the pile of straw and cloth on the floor. One of them a good looking male taller than most yells, "move to advance on any one of us and I'll fry you, wretch." This apparently causes an argument amongst them with some thinking I should be fried anyway.

Luckily one small male interjects saying, "we should tie him up and discuss this where he can't hear." Thankfully a nod is exchanged and one of the sticks is wiggled and a rope wraps around my wrists and tied to a ring imbedded in the stone castle walls. My fear that I will massacre these people is so strong I don't even realize the rope moved without being touched. As they exit I hear insults such as monster and scum.

I am no longer naked and blood soaked, I am wearing old fashioned clothing fit for a worker or servant, they fit so I guess I can't complain. I need to get control, not for my sake but for others, and if I can't I will need to find a wooded mountain to live in alone, until I can. First I need to leave, but as I grow my claws to cut the rope the door flies open allowing the people to enter, so almost by instinct my claws retract.

The boy stands about two feet away stick pointed while the others stand behind him, that is at the same point I realize just how claustrophobic I am. Luckily he speaks and shuffles just a bit back, "I am Armin Bloodcrest, a noble warlock, who are you?"

His statement is said with complete sincerity but I can't help myself when it comes to bullshit, "I am Jack Wolf, a piece of meat with a face otherwise known as human."

He may not be impressed but one of the people behind him gets an ear to ear grin him on the other hand, "what? Do you think this is a joke? You insolent wretch."

He swings his arm towards me in seriously wicked punch but I've been in many fights and this guy is slow. I move around his hand slinging his arm over my shoulders and then tossing him into the corner, he does not seem to like this as a furious glare appears on his face.

"You my friend are slow and not just mentally." Personally I think it's pretty brilliant that I was able to come up with something so witty, the others seem shocked. Two of the people now to my back grab my already bound arms holding me so I cannot move.

The man slowly gets to his feet blood sliding down his chin, he's pissed and I can't say as I blame him, but to my surprise he does not hit me. Instead he looks me straight in the eye and says, "in two days there is a tournament to determine whether or not people want their familiars. If you think you are so good we can solve it then, what do you say?"

He is clearly planning something, what, I don't know but I do know I don't have it in me to back down, so before anyone behind me decides otherwise I reply, "deal." I hold my hand out for him to shake but he just shrugs it off and walks out, thankfully the others follow, all but one.

The girl I hurt stands clearly agitated mouth open, yet speechless, she is much nicer this way and when she starts speaking I'd rather she go back to it, "are you out of your mind? He is one of the most powerful fifth year students and a Bloodcrest for that matter and you have not even spoken to me. What is wrong with you?"

This chick clearly has her panties in a twist, "you need to chill. I don't give a shit if he's a fifth year student I've attended school for like thirteen years, and not to mention I have no bloody clue what a Blood Crest is, and to top it off who the hell are you and why do I need to ask you about what I'm to do?"

Now you know those situations where you think you know what your doing but really you are the only one out of the loop, yep that's me right now and I'll tell you I have never been more afraid of a woman with a twig. She is about five inches shorter but as she yells it doesn't matter, "why do you need to ask. Why, how about I inform you, I am Samantha Nightcrawler a noble witch and you, Mr. Wolf are MY familiar and have to do whatever I say. Secondly I am one of the worse fifth year witches, the Bloodcrest is a noble family with a lot of power whom are some of the fiercest witches and wizards in history. Do you have any more questions?"

As much as I would like to say no I do have one, "what's a familiar?" Now I know women are confusing but when all of her anger vanishes I get really confused, that is until she throws an object halfway across the room. The object, a book, called familiars lands next to me, now I know it's probably not the time but I pick it up and start reading. Luckily nothing else is thrown at me and she even stops pacing at one point, even if it is to start writing something on a sheet of paper.

I do not need to read everything to get the point of the book and it isn't very big so I finish in fairly quick time. A familiar is a creature or human summoned by a witch or wizard for the purpose of protecting and serving them. Witches and wizards such at close combat so they get familiars to do it and because they can they also get them to do everything else that requires labour. In return the familiar lives as long as their witch or wizard which can live for eternity. Familiars never say no because when the summoning spell is cast the familiar has about a week to live. So in other terms I've been given the really shitty end of the stick.

Sadly she probably will be shocked to know I have been wondering how to control the monster inside me and it can't hurt anyone if it's dead so hey I guess I'm all good. Looking up from the book I take a minute to examine who tied my metaphorical noose, she wears a standard uniform of blue and white, a thick headband covers her ears and allows her hair to fall gracefully down her back. I gotta admit if she was a decent human being I would be chill with spending my last week with her, mind you that is probably just male hormones speaking.

Interrupting the silence I vocalize my thoughts causing her to turn and face me, "so being a familiar I would be your slave and guard in return I would get to do this forever, am I right so far." After she nods I continue, "if I don't accept I will die in less than a week, still right?" Another nod, "okay well then for my choice I choose not to accept."

Her face goes from snooty victory to confused in moments, "what do you mean you don't accept, you have to, you will die if you don't. Do you want to die?"

Looking down into my lap I reply, "It is not that I want to die it is that I have secrets that cannot be learned and the only way I can make sure of it is by not living to risk it."

She takes the information strangely and instead of curiosity or anger all she says is, "get out, you can wait in the hall till I call for you."

I don't listen because I have to, I listen because I can at least show her some respect and give her some privacy.

The rope seems to fall off as if by magic and by this point I can accept that magic exists, so I exit the room to a dimly lit hall with doors like the one I came through, and take a seat on the cold cobble floor. To be fair I probably would have kicked me out too and god only knows how long I'll be out here for so I get comfortable. I do not know how long I sit here for before I see my first human, a servant by the outfit she enters Samantha's room and soon leaves in a hurry. After another long stretch of time a witch with a familiar in toe walk by, the witch enters Samantha's room while the familiar stays outside and moves to take a seat next to me.

We don't speak so instead I listen in, I don't hear much but what I do hear confuses me, "I don't understand I did everything you said I gave no ground I showed him his place I even threw something but he still won't." Then the other chic, "what do you mean he won't" back to Samantha, "he doesn't care if he dies he will not be my familiar, he said that he has secrets he does not want shared and to keep them secret he would do anything even die." "That is quite ironic considering whom he said that to you, should understand him best…" "... he is determined though…" "...let me…"

The conversation is quiet from there but in its absence another strikes, this time from the man next to me, "my name is Lou what about you?"

I have no reason to hate this man so I respond how I would back on earth, "I'm Jack, how long have you been a familiar?"

"A year and before you ask I didn't do it because I wanted to live, no I did it because my family was poor, so I made a deal with Lauren my witch, she would give them enough to live each month and I would serve her loyally."

He is not wrong in assuming that is what I would have asked next, so instead of acting as though it wasn't I stay quiet and listen instead.

"Back where I lived things are rough, food is poor and I am the oldest of my siblings so it was my job to keep others fed. One year we had all our crops die and in order to pay to keep food on the table my younger sister had to get a job at the local inn as a waitress, it was hell for her and the men were pigs. Look I am not saying it's the best thing ever but it is certainly not terrible, if there is someone you need to take care of elsewhere you can always make a deal."

His words would have held a lot of meaning if I had anyone left to care for, my people are on another planet or in a different time than me. Before we can continue our conversation though the woman exits the room and Samantha stands in the doorway, she is the first to speak, "Jack. I have talked with Ray she says she will try to convince you to change your mind, you will go with them." Without waiting for me to respond she closes the door clearly agitated.