Dark Knight's Heir Chapter Thirteen

[mangacat201]

Dark Knight's Heir

Author: Mangacat

Pairing: Jared/Jensen, others

Rating: R - NC-17

Parts: 13/25+

Word Count: 3395/80k+

Disclaimer: I totally wanna own them... cough sadly that's not possible, nor is getting paid for this. I'll have fun and they're not going to get hurt … much. Promise.

Warnings: Erm, m/m sex, violence, language, gore (i.e. epic battle of the good against the bad), het sex (OMG), character death (minor).

Summary: Jared Padalecki lives a Joe Average life with his fiancee... until a handsome stranger with an unbelievable story and a mysterious tale of destiny breaks the peace to safe his life.

A/N: God, guys, I'm so sorry I'm late with the new chapter, but I just didn't notice it's been such a long time. Anyway, have fun!

Masterpost

Castlist

Chapter thirteen

Jared felt the vertigo wash through him instantly, but this time he was not only braced for it, he welcomed the jumbled mess outside of him, since it made his surroundings match his insides. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that Jensen wasn’t really responsible for all this, but he had to vent some steam. He didn’t really have a plan about what he would throw at people once he was back at the Archway, but he was sure that no half-life, no witch or warlock would be able to stand in the way of his fury until he had some answers.

When the ground grew solid again, it threw him off balance a bit and sent him stumbling against the wall since he’d had no idea how long the journey would take him. Trying to get rid of the lingering dizziness and confusion, it took a moment to register that there was a lot of noise outside the portal entrance. Suddenly, strobe lights flashed at his eyes. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Jared realized that his dramatic exit might have caused some unanticipated side-effects, and when he looked through the entrance upon a mass of gyrating bodies, a low bass-line thrumming in his ears, and coloured lights flashing all over the room, he knew for sure that he was not in Kansas anymore.

Cautiously he stepped out of the portal and into a short tunnel that led to the alluring, dark interior of what was obviously some kind of night club. Before he could step into the big room however, the stone wall beside his head suddenly started to rumble and move, so he stumbled back and watched with growing trepidation as part of the wall fell away. It revealed a stone figure that sprang to life and into the entrance, still filling about two thirds of the tunnel when it had settled down. It was an ancient sphinx, its features turned to him with a blank and stony expression. Since it had sat down again on its haunches like it was custom for the old stone guardians of the pyramids, Jared didn’t really fear an instant attack, but he wondered if he would be able to do anything about it anyway. Vague recollections from his history-geek-phase told him that sphinx normally went in for talking first, but his experience with actually using the magical knowledge Jensen claimed he had (which didn’t guarantee any moves against an actual Sphinx!) was… unreliable at best.

Suddenly he became aware that as he stood there, lost in his musings again, something potentially lethal was  blocking his way. He directed his attention back to the stone figure in front of him. It had an eyebrow raised as if it had been following his train of thought the whole time. The voice that erupted suddenly startled him, not only because it actually sounded like gravel clicking against itself, but also because the features of the creature before him remained completely motionless. Nevertheless, he was sure that the thing was talking to him.

“This is your first visit here.”

It didn’t sound like a question, but Jared thought it prudent to answer anyway.

“Uhm… yeah?”

“Welcome then, to ‘The Sphinx’. This establishment caters to your every need regarding food, drink and entertainment. Please be aware that each and every magical enhancement is ordered at your own risk. Also, this club, and its premises, are strictly neutral territory, open for anyone willing to accept the house rules. Any provocation will be followed by instant banishment, and any fighting will be avenged by the direst of consequences for all participants.”

Jared was a bit baffled and didn’t understand the meaning of all that, but he nodded anyway.

“Alright.”

The stone figure inclined its head slowly and rose to its feet.

“With your words you state your understanding of the house rules and your acceptance.

 Please, put your palm on the sigil to your right.”

Jared looked to the right and saw a little plate on the wall with a raised outline, barely an inch in width. It looked like a gnarled tree. He hesitated for a moment, but his spidey sense didn’t tingle – wasn’t that a disturbing thought – and the stony guardian didn’t look like it was going to budge otherwise, so he put his hand flat over it. A flash of incredible heat scorched his skin for a second, but it was over too fast to amount to real pain, and it faded instantly to a cool tingling sensation. When he lifted his hand and examined it, there was the distinct outline of the design glowing on his hand.

“This is your pass for the night. It will fade come dawn at closing time. Be well.”

And with this, the guardian crumbled to tiny pieces in front of his eyes, the parts seeming to roll around aimlessly, somehow fitting into every little nook and cranny of the tunnel walls until everything was smooth and undisturbed again as if nothing had happened. Jared took a moment to marvel at the whole thing – he had never met a bouncer quite like that in his life – and  proceeded down the short tunnel, stepping out into nightlife, his earlier plights momentarily forgotten over the dazzling impressions he found there.

The flashing lights made it nearly impossible to discern anything about the bodies weaving over the dance floor other than basic features – small, tall, big, graceful, clumsy, male, female… human. He didn’t trust himself dancing among a crowd he really didn’t know how to handle, so he decided to check out the bar first. There were some hot spots where a lot of the crowd were getting their drinks, but the bar was big enough, and there were some clear patches as well where it was possible to find a seat. He plopped down onto one of the empty stools and contemplated what he wanted to order, suddenly realizing that he had no cash whatsoever on his person, and on second thoughts he had absolutely no clue if they even took cash around here. The surface of the bar was lit by indirect lighting from below, and most of the drinks going over it had some kind of weird glow that told him there might be stuff in there he wouldn’t know how to keep down anyway.

Jared didn’t speak when a bartender stopped by at his spot and just waved him on in the universal bar sign of – not now, maybe later, leave me alone, no clue what I’m having – and got a customary suit yourself shrug in return. He swivelled around to face the dance floor, putting his elbows on the even surface and pretended to be people watching. Inside he debated silently whether freaking out right now was an option. He was in a seriously magic-hyped place with no clue as to where he was.  He didn’;t know if or how Jensen could find him, or how he could prevent his own blundering self from putting his foot in his mouth in a way that would get him the magic-powered equivalent of a restraining order.

Jared closed his eyes tightly and wondered if there was any chance of actually getting out at the right portal if he went back and tried again. He had no way to tell just how many more exits there were, where they would land him, or how to work them properly. He suspected that this kind of travel required a level of skill and knowledge he shouldn’t have just yet, and he didn’t know how to access it consciously. Still he gripped the railing of the bar tightly and told himself to remain calm at all costs, because a full-blown freak out might clue the wrong people in that he really didn’t belong here.

However, before he had finished his mental pep talk, a glass clinked down heavily beside his elbow. Jared turned around sharply, almost knocking it over as he met the gaze of one of the barkeepers who smirked at him.

“I didn’t order anything.”

“Indeed you didn’t.”

He raised an eyebrow when the barkeeper didn’t elaborate any further and she rolled her eyes slightly, nodding at a round table in a corner booth on the side.

“Courtesy of the Black Mamba… she’s been keeping an eye on you ever since you stepped through the door. Always takes an interest in the new ones, so you’re invited to her circle if you choose to go over.”

The last part was delivered with a casual air of indifference, but there was something lying beneath that which had him reconsidering the words. They implied something more along the lines of you better, if you know what’s good for you. Not a feasible threat per se, just a friendly warning not to sit this one out. He considered the drink for a moment, but it looked fairly low profile, no glitter and shooting stars, something you would actually be able to get in a normal bar. Jared pondered whether he would be able to weasel information out of this patron if she was already interested.  He needed to know at least how to get back to the Marketplace without cluing her into his status as a complete novice in the machinations of the supernatural world. He really didn’t dare ask one of the bartenders, because some feeling told him they might not be up to helping him without any sort of payment. He took a deep breath, threw his brightest smile over his shoulder and grabbed the drink before heading over to the table.

It was less a table and more of a booth really, or an alcove if you wanted to be really precise. A big round table that would seat at least ten people stood surrounded by an almost completely closed circle of high-backed benches. It was nestled into one far corner, and that meant as much privacy as you were going to get in a club that was packed to the last scrap of space. The table looked like it was the patron’s usual spot, almost like it had been exclusively made for her, and that clued Jared in to the fact that this had to be one of their most high-standing customers. That could mean a very important source of information and assistance for him, but at the same time a terrible danger.

When he sauntered over, he went for cocky and confident, even if it had been a long time since he had last equipped himself with these traits to go on a prowl. As he approached he noticed that the plum coloured seats were occupied exclusively by beautiful women in flimsy silk dresses of the oriental style, but his attention immediately snapped to the blonde woman sitting in the back, right in the middle of bench. She was leaning back languidly with a glass in her hand, definitely older than him, but difficult to pin down otherwise. Just the air of quiet power and confidence told him on no uncertain terms that she was the woman the bartender had been talking about. That and the myriad of black lines swirling on her skin, covering every visible inch even up to her neck and her temple. The lines were obviously Marks, but different from what he had seen so far on Jensen, or Jeff or even himself.

Instead of the bulky outlines with sharp angles and turns, her design was delicate and swirled like a thin curled vine all over her skin. When Jared looked her in the eyes, she held them for a long moment, saying nothing, not reacting in any way but for the slightest twitch of her lips. All of a sudden, most of the young women lounging at the table got up and slinked off to the dance floor as if they’d just wanted to dance now, but a gut feeling told Jared that they had reacted instantly to an order. Well aware now that this was dangerous territory, he leaned against the high back of the seat to one side while the girls scrambled out and held up his glass.

“Thank you for the drink,” he addressed her.

She inclined her head graciously to indicate he should take a seat and spoke when he did.

“You’re welcome. I haven’t seen you here before.”

Not a hint of a question in her dark warm voice, just a simple statement.

Jared pondered what to tell her, but he remembered the rule of always sticking as close to the truth as possible to avoid the detection of lies.

“Of course not, it’s my first time here. I’ve stumbled on this place by accident if you will. Very impressive.”

Her laughter pearled from her lips like a little trickle of sparkling champagne and her eyes held her amusement.

“Why yes it is. Anything that’s run in a divine fashion will do that to you. So, you are new in town?”

“Yes, you could say so. I never knew that the Windy City had such a lot of character deep under the surface. It’s been very interesting going around and finding new places.”

She grinned at him in a way that could only be described as predatory, but her sweet tone belied the impression.

“I figure it would be. And you definitely chose the right place tonight. But I’m being rude again, aren’t I? I’m sure that you’ve been told that I am known as the Black Mamba, but that’s business. You can call me Mary.”

Jared started a bit at the ordinary name for a woman with such presence, but he figured that that’s what the business title was for. He wondered what business she was in.

“Hey, I’m Jared. Thanks again for the welcome. You must be a regular then?”

She nodded and swung her glass around in a sweeping movement, making the ice click inside with a high-pitched sound.

“Yes, and I make a habit out of pulling in new people to chat with. It is quite pleasant here, but travellers with stories to tell are my favourite part of the evening.”

Jared chuckled and patted himself on the back for such a successful opening. There was a little tiny part of him in the back of his head clamouring with pleas of sanity, survival instinct and rational thought that he should get the hell out of here fast and back to the real world to forget that all this had happened. It had stayed a dim reminder at the bottom of his mind all along, but Mary’s presence seemed to turn up the volume of the little voice. Still, there was another, fresher part of him that reared up to the challenge of her dark eyes and knew how to handle her. He let this part wash to the forefront of his mind and made sure to widen his smile a bit more before idly sipping his drink again.

When he lifted the glass to his mouth, Mary let out a delighted little gasp and he raised an eyebrow at her in askance while he swallowed.

“Your ring,… what a tremendously beautiful piece.”

 Jared looked down and encountered the sight of his engagement ring, a strong silver band with a single very pale ruby, and an engraved script that ran all around both outside and inside it. He felt a sudden pang at the reminder that he had still not managed to make sure Tom was all right or contact him in anyway. His chest constricted at the thought of the worry he had to be causing his loved ones, and he wondered what Tom thought had happened to him. He determined that he would try and find a way out of here soon, so he could make sure that everyone was alright, even if he had no clue how to explain either his absence, or the things that had happened to him in the meantime. Mary had to have picked up on his stormy expression for she withdrew slightly and asked, “Bad memories?”

Jared shook himself out of the gloom and forced a wooden smile on his face. “No, no, not at all. My fiancé had it made especially for me. I am never going to ask how much it cost, but yes, it’s beautiful. We went out to the park on one of those last golden autumn days, you remember? And suddenly he turned around and proposed to me. I was rather stumped, but I couldn’t have been happier.”

He grinned for real now at the memory of Tom suddenly tugging him in between the trees out of sight of the walkways and slipping the little velvet box out of his pocket. They hadn’t been together for long before they’d decided to move in with each other, and that day they had barely managed to get all their boxes unpacked, but it felt right to say yes in such a romantic setting. Jared had never expected to propose to anyone, much less look forward to his own wedding after he’d found out that he was really, really not turned on by skirts, so he couldn’t feel anything but elation at this great chance.

Mary smiled at him indulgently after his account, but her eyes lit up with a sliver of surprise before narrowing slightly in thought.

“That sounds lovely. But… a man, really?”

Jared lifted an eyebrow. “Yes, is that a problem?”

The woman shook her head and laughed lightly. “No, oh no, not at all. I just wouldn’t have thought.”

Jared grinned. “You’ll find I’m full of surprises.” He suddenly felt a little tingle run through him, like a sound from too far away to consciously pick up on it, but coming nearer. Before Mary could answer him it grew louder, a chime like a little bell going off directly behind his ear.

The sound seemed to originate from various different directions, nearer and farther, in rapid succession, which was perfectly ridiculous in a club filled with a bass that sounded like a heavy metal concert. Yet he could hear those little chimes, and they got more insistent by the second, distracting him from Mary’s answer, which he only vaguely perceived as, “I’m sure you are…”

He looked around, slightly confused before turning back to her.“Do you hear that?”

She returned his puzzled look.

“Hear what?”

“It’s like a little bell that’s…”

At this very moment he noticed a little brass bell that hung directly in the middle of the wall, chiming away happily, as if rung by an invisible string. Mary eyed it for a moment and then looked at him with a speculative gaze.

“Why, it seems I have to give up your pleasant company all too soon. You’re being called in by the higher-ups.”

“Huh?” Jared could have slapped himself afterwards for such a fumbling response, but he was rather dumbfounded. Thankfully, Mary took pity on him and pointed to the set of metal stairs that discreetly wound its way upwards, out of the way of the dance floor, toward a raised platform under the ceiling. Due to the strobing lights and a few strategic screens he had no idea what was up there, or who.

“Just follow the stairs up, they’ll be waiting for you.”

Jared hesitated a moment, but decided that she would know better than him, and it didn’t seem like she felt it was a strange or unsettling occurrence, so he assumed it was just one of those things.

“Uhm, thank you then, for your hospitable welcome. I hope we have the chance to meet again sometime.”

He stood and nodded to her with a slight smile, trepidation settling in his stomach slightly at the thought of whatever was awaiting him on top of these stairs. She smiled indulgently in return and took his leave with a small wave.

“I should think so, Mr. Padalecki. Good-bye.”

He turned around and stepped into the throng of dancers to get to the stairs on the other wall. By the time he noticed something was off, he wasn’t able to see her anymore, nor find the direction to look in, instead he was entangled in a flood of weaving bodies that gyrated around him, leaving only one path open for him. The way to the stairs.

Chapter fourteen