Portland In Black 12

Noir Bedarte is a necromancer with a heart of gold- and he finds himself in Portland Oregon, to find a new serial killer called the Wolf- but Portland's own insane undead have plans of their own for him.  Part 12.

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Noir didn't run, but he didn't walk slow either.  He followed the trail of purple flames on the ground, his eyes locked.  Other pedestrians gave him curious looks.

They couldn't see it.  They couldn't see the Geist either.  Noir knew that.  He hoped that they wouldn't pay too much mind because of all the rain.  Ignorance of a sort that protected people.  People of a sort, anyway.

"Noir!" Jesha called from behind him.  "Hey, wait up!"

Noir tried to focus on the trail.  It helped him to ignore the throbbing still coming up his arm from his swollen thumb.

"You need to let me help you, you know."  Jesha told him.

"I... didn't ask for you to tag along with me after Newport."  Noir replied.  "You'd decided you need to help me, not the other way around."

"You need the help."  Jesha flipped her rain soaked dreadlocks, spraying water as they hit a corner.  "C'mon, don't you feel the same connection?  Like, we were meant to meet."

"This have anything to do with that Wolf God thing of yours?"  Noir asked.  "Because I don't feel a thing."

Except for a throbbing pain in his thumb.

"No it isn't.  My faith has nothing to do with this.  We've hunted together, and I saw the way you look at me.  You aren't not attracted."

Noir let out a sigh.  "I really am not looking for a relationship, Jesha.  And you have to have a better reason than that to follow me around."

"You need the protection I think."  Jesha said, poking his swollen thumb.

"Ow!"  Noir pulled away from her as they stopped at a crosswalk.  A Don't Walk sign flashed red.  The rain seemed to have switched up from drizzle to buckets.  "Could we refrain from reminding me of that?"

"You need the reminder I think.  And a relationship IS that important Noir."  Jesha said.

"Still not interested."  Noir retorted.  "I have... prior commitments."

"Elle?"  Jesha asked.

The crosswalk light switched to a white walk sign.  Noir paused before continuing.  He didn't answer Jesha at all.

"Noir, please."  Jesha pressed.  "Its obvious.  How long have you been separated?"

Noir kept his silence.  He grinded his teeth.  This was frustrating for him.

"Noir, people get past these things."

"You don't understand."  Noir replied.

"Don't understand what, pain or relationships?" Jesha shook her head.  "Jeez.  What did she do to you?"

"It was more like what I didn't do for her."  Noir answered.  He cringed.

"Oh.  Noir."

"She isn't dead.  I thought she was... and I've been working on that for awhile now."  Noir told Jesha.

Jesha kept quiet.  The two of them just walked.  They followed the trail of purple fire and sparks for a little bit.  In silence.

"Thats your deal with that... that thing we met back at the diner isn't it?"  Jesha asked.  "He knows stuff about her doesn't he?"

Noir shrugged.  "It works."

"Thats- She- that can't work Noir.  You know that right?"  Jesha told him.  "Relationships don't work that way.  People don't just stay together that long.  How do you even know she's still alive?  Or that you can even trust It?"

They rounded a corner.  Purple fire ended.  The Hunter Geist floated before them, pointing at a old red house.

It faded from there view.

"There we are."  Noir said.

"Noir-"

"Drop it for now, ok?"  He told her.  "Loyalty means... Its about Loyalty, ok?"

"I understand."  Jesha frowned.  "Don't be loyal to a corpse, Noir."

Noir walked forward into the old red house.

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