Stronger Together chapter 68 (Patreon)

It was almost anticlimactic in a way. I mean, it actually wasn't, a  guy got vaporized by fire magic and Cinder was trapped in an obsidian  cage, but it felt that way. This had all been such a colossal mess and  it could have gone so much worse. Cinder's compulsion, which had driver  her so hard to defeat me, had ultimately been the only reason we avoided  a massive ritual showdown against a potential new goddess.

I  took in my new...roommate? Thrall? I didn't know, but I knew she was  mine. Her porcelain skin set off her glowing amber eyes and her midnight  black hair framed her delicate features perfectly. Say what you wanted  about Cinder Fall but she was a looker. She pouted back at me, not the  expression I expected. "Had a nice look? Just because I'm loyal to you  now doesn't mean you can ogle me." I must have shown some surprise  because she nodded. "Yes, I can feel it. I knew it was coming and tried  to avoid it, but now...it seems stupid that I bothered. I don't mind  anymore, but then I suppose I wouldn't."

Lara  and Lily approached. Lara was smirking. "Quite a war prize you've got  there. Many of the men in the court and even most of the women will be  jealous." She looked over at Lily "She caused all this trouble, are you  really just going to let him take her?" Her eyes flicked back to me. "No  offense meant, I'm just making sure we all come out of this looking as  good as possible." As she said the last part her eyes roamed over  Cinder's body, partly exposed by the burned and shredded red dress. I'd  have rolled my eyes at her sex vampire priorities but all that thigh was  kind of distracting me too.

Lily  shook her head. "Her involvement was peripheral to mine. My purpose in  the city was to capture or dissuade James. With him gone I owe Cameron  and his friends a debt, and letting them claim their own spoils of war  isn't even the beginning of what I need to pay." She shot me a grateful  look. "You have a favor from me, if you should ever need it." She gave a  weary sigh. "With James dead Sorcha will be in a bad position, his  breach of etiquette during the fight when he attacked early is a stain  on her family. This should all be over, thank the mothers."

Lara  sighed. "I burned a ton of influence throwing this gala, and now the  whole thing is pointless." She smirked at me "I'm half tempted to demand  you let me take it out of your new toy's ass, but I can still salvage  some reputation making inroads with the factions present so I have  mingling to do." She swept up to peck me on the cheek with a devilish  grin. "Ta, darling. Be sure to visit whenever you'd like. I'd be happy  to entertain you."

I  stared as she sauntered away, a very nice swing in her hips. I turned  to Harry, who had come up behind me during that last exchange. "Why do I  feel like Lara was the biggest winner here. She got to enjoy all the  fruits of our victory, never had to pick a single fight and gets to ride  our success to who knows how many new alliances after the fact." I  groaned "Not to mention managing to get so much out of this without  lifting a finger is going to be a huge boost to her reputation. If I  didn't know she had no way to predict our wins I's day the crafty bitch  planned all this."

Lily  chuckled "Trying to spot vampiric manipulation in hindsight is a bit  like trying to second guess your actions in a hurricane. Be glad you  survived it intact, start picking up the pieces, and make sure you're  better prepared for the next one. In any case you have my gratitude as I  mentioned, I should go attempt to sway some of my subjects to my side  of things while the events are fresh. Having so many witnesses will help  me extract a higher price from Sorcha, but especially for fae,  recollections can be unreliable. Greasing some palms may jog some  memories. Shall I leave Fix, to make sure she doesn't get out of hand?"

I  shook my head and offered her a smile. "I appreciate the offer, but no,  Raven was enough to handle her last time, and she's no danger to me  anymore. Enjoy the party, and in case we don't see each other again  soon, it was nice meeting you." I shot a smile at the Summer Knight as  well, extending my hand. "You too Fix, though we didn't get to talk  much, I can respect doing the strong silent thing and keeping it  professional around your boss."

The  muscular man chuckled and took my hand, shaking it firmly. "I  appreciate that. When we're at work I'm usually expected to shut up and  look menacing. I don't quite pull off looming as well as Harry over  there but my title does some of the work for me." He squeezed tighter,  meeting my eyes with a grateful smile "But really, thank you. Not a ton  of circumstances where I can get away with saying it, but you saved  Lily's ass, and the rest of Summer along with her. Consider that a favor  from each of us."

The  two of them smiled at us again and departed, leaving us alone with the  massive black stone cage and the woman inside it. The crowd has  dispersed, and despite a bit of staring from a few stragglers the party  goers were mainly giving us a wide berth after the display. I turned  back to Cinder. "I'm guessing i can let you out of there? And before you  comment I'll know if you're lying. Raven is an empath of considerable  skill, so yes it's a valid question." Cinder snapped her mouth shut,  most likely having been about to make a sarcastic remark about me not  believing her anyway.

Instead  she just nodded, still pouting. Raven stared for a moment then waved a  red gloved hand, the cage melted flowing out over the floor and  solidifying into black tiles. I smirked at that, amused that Lara's  pristine white marble floor was black in a twenty foot circle. I raised  an eyebrow at Raven who shrugged. "I can sense her submission. It's  almost as complete as mine. She won't do anything to endanger or  displease you."

Cinder  glared at the other woman as she dropped down to catch herself in a  crouch, which honestly I almost thought had to be a semblance of its own  because she was still wearing fucking stilettos, but she barely even  wobbled as she hit the tile. "I'd appreciate if you kept your  observations on my emotional state to yourself please. He knows I'm  loyal now, he doesn't need the details. Those things are private." I  raised an eyebrow in disbelief at the girl. She flushed and averted her  eyes. "Though I don't suppose I'm in a position to make demands."

She  sighed, covering her face with both hands. "Alright. I can explain what  I feel a bit to put you at ease, but let's not go into this too  deeply." Harry had wandered off with Fix and Lily and Morgan was over  with Kara chatting so we were alone, and she cast her eyes around to  make sure no one besides Raven and I was listening before continuing.  "I've always looked out for myself. My childhood was not pleasant, and I  learned from a young age that if I didn't take care of myself no one  would. Everything I do was motivated by my best interest." Her face  flushed. "But now its motivated by OUR best interests. I think about  what would be good for you as a reflex. It's...deeply disturbing."

Her  expression was so open and raw I couldn't help but feel sorry for her.  If she was from the same time as Yang she hadn't even done most of the  worst things we saw from her in the show and she was clearly different  now. Raven would have sensed deception but more than that I could see  from my girlfriends face she felt the emotions Cinder was expression   and pitied her for them. I wasn't sure what the hell had done this or  why it happened but I was going to take care of her. Cinder was one of  my girls now, like it or not.

I  gave her an understanding nod. "I won't ask you to talk about it any  more than that. I can see it'd hard for you to get your head around. I  think anyone would be off balance after a perspective shift that  drastic. Take your time and process." She looked incredulously at me,  clearly not believing I was being so understanding after all she'd done.  I shrugged "Don't look so shocked, you came after us because of  whatever the compulsion was, and though you wormed your way into being  the recipient of the ritual Jack would have done it with or without you.  Your only direct action against us was fighting Raven and she whooped  your ass, there's not that much to let go."

She  sulked a bit when I mentioned her loss, but her eyes softened as i  finished talking. She heaved a sigh. "Fair enough, and with an empath  you'll be more than capable of keeping track of my loyalties in any  case. I suppose I'll consider myself on probation. I expect I'll be  coming to live with you as well so your girl here can keep a constant  eye on me. I do have one small request however." She glanced over at the  still unconscious blonde vampire with the pink streak in her hair.  "Samantha is my only friend here. She found me when I first arrived in  faerie and without her I'd be dead a dozen times over. She's been with  me for years now."

I  held up a hand, sighing again "And you want to bring her with you and  take care of her." I looked at Raven, judging how honest the girl was  being and surprisingly got a firm nod. I hadn't expected Cinder to be  capable of friendship, and I wondered if some of the change to her  personality had magnified the emotion, but regardless i wasn't going to  turn her away. What was one more vampire roommate. I groaned and rubbed  my temples. "Fine. New room setup. Cinder and Samantha will room  together in Raven's room. Raven with me. Morgan and Inari with Kara so  she can keep an eye on them."

Raven  smirked "We might need to move soon if we keep bringing home strays. I  don't think we have room for many more." Her tone was teasing but she  had a soft smile on her face and I knew she supported me on this. We  couldn't leave these girls to fend for themselves. We'd have a full  house but it's not like we needed to babysit most of them. Just Morgan  probably. She reached out and took my hand in hers and gave it a soft  squeeze.

Cinder  smiled gratefully and stepped away from us to walk over and tenderly  scoop up the small vampire. She said a few words to the changelings left  over and gestured out the door, they looked a bit upset but after a bit  of snarling finally stalked out. As Raven let go of my hand to go  collect Kara and Morgan and Cinder carried Samantha over so we could all  head home I reached into my pocket to find the fortune cookie I hadn't  ever had a chance to read from Odin. We'd all sort of decided enough was  enough and it was time to go so while everyone gathered I cracked the  cookie open to read the small fortune inside. Expect excitement at your next social engagement. I glared down at the tiny piece of paper then up at the ceiling. "You did that on purpose!"