Twenty-Two

Joe

Joe sat up from where he'd been curled up on the bed as Marie emerged from the book nook Kuro had used to create her pocket universe. She'd been in there since Kuro had taken her in a couple of hours ago.

She let out a heavy sigh and climbed on the bed to curl around Joe. He snuggled against her, wiggling in her arms and letting out a happy whine. He could tell she was deep in thought, but the alarm had gone off, letting them know he was going to change soon, and he was looking forward to holding her in his arms as a human.

Kuro came into the room, having stepped away to get a glass of water. He set it down on the nightstand and joined them on the bed, lying down behind Marie and wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Making progress?" Kuro asked.

Marie sighed. "Yes, but not enough."

Joe prodded her cheek with his nose.

Marie let out a soft laugh and snuggled her face in the fur at his shoulder. "The space you set up for me is amazing, Kuro. It's like a literal mind palace, which is something I was never really able to grasp when I read about them. But the magic is amazing, because it lets me recall all the things I didn't even know that I knew. So I was able to find a lot about that Egyptian chest plate and what is depicted on it. I was able to track down things I didn't remember reading about what the symbolism might mean. I was even able to pinpoint the medicinal purposes and growing habits of the Blue Lotus. But it can't help me with what I don't know. I don't know what I need to fill in the missing pieces of how Socrates Industries is doing what they're doing and what the ramifications are."

"You're worried that if we take away the amulet and the plants, the people who've been using them will suffer," Kuro said quietly.

"Exactly." Marie's arms tightened around Joe. "All we know is that they're sometimes dead and then they're alive again. We don't know if they need the amulet to sustain life or if they'd be completely fine never coming into contact with it again. Would we be responsible for their deaths if they can't live without contact with the amulet? I need more information. Nothing Rensho has given me so far has helped answer those questions. They did find me a documentary on rituals using the blue lotus, though."

Joe studied Marie, struggling with a mess of conflicting emotions. He wanted to do anything in his power to help her, of course he did. And it was within his power to help her. But there was a risk associated with it, and he didn't think it was worth it or the knowledge he could give her. He didn't want to do anything that could hurt her.

The hex took hold of him and he rolled away from her, not wanting to expose her to any more of it than she already had been. It probably wouldn't affect her, but when it was active like this he didn't want to take any chances. When he could finally open his eyes and breathe again, he was taking up half her bed.

He turned his head and there was Marie with Kuro looking over her shoulder. Her lovely lips were curved in a smile and she had that soft look in her eyes that she had for him and Kuro that he hadn't seen her give anyone else.

He couldn't deny her anything, he realized. And it was entirely possible she would be incredibly angry with him if she ever found out that he had withheld information just because he thought it was for her own good. That wasn't the way to respect Marie.

"What if there was a way to give you the answers you can't get anywhere else? But you would risk your life getting them." The words came tumbling out. "For every moment you spend seeking knowledge, you pay for it in life energy. Would it still be worth it to you?"

Kuro stiffened behind her and Joe saw his hand tighten on her wrist. But he didn't say anything, didn't argue, didn't even glare at Joe. Joe was torn between being relieved and disappointed, because he kind of wanted Kuro to stop him from offering this to Marie. Marie was looking at him, her gaze moving over his face and taking in his entire body, his posture.

"How?" she asked softly. "Exactly how does it work?"

Joe buried both his hands in his hair before sitting up straight and meeting her gaze directly. "I would give you my fox bead. While it's inside you, it will draw your life essence from you. But there's an exchange that takes place. Concentrate clearly on what it is you want to know and my magic will give you the knowledge. It will give you what you want to know, and depending on how long you hold on, it will also give you what you need to know—sometimes it can give you everything. But don't do it, don't look up to the sky and try to understand the universe, because there isn't enough time in your life to hold all of that knowledge."

"You can take it back before it's too late," Kuro said, talking to Joe.

"But what if he takes it back too soon and I don't get what I need?" asked Marie. "If we're going to take the risk, I should control when to stop, shouldn't I?"

"You can," Joe answered. "Your will is definitely strong enough. But Kuro's right. I can also stop you, take back my fox bead at any point."

"It doesn't sound like you want to do this at all," Marie whispered.

"I really don't," he whispered back. "But I have the power to give this to you, and it's the right thing to do to tell you that I can."

He loved her, he realized. It was too soon to say it out loud. He wasn't ready, and he didn't know if Kuro was ready to hear it, and he definitely didn't know if Marie was ready to hear it. But he did.

He loved the way she moved through the world, unafraid to take up space, making space for other people. He loved the way she could move among supernaturals who could kill her as easily as breathing and yet trust them, having earned their trust and respect in return. He loved how expressive her face was and how many different smiles she had just for him and Kuro.

He loved the sound of her laughter, and he wanted to keep learning every sound she could make when he was giving her pleasure. He loved how driven she was in her quest to find out all there was to know about each thing she dedicated her time to. She was so thorough, so detail oriented, and so careful to make considerate decisions.

She reached out and laid a hand against his cheek. He leaned into the warmth of her palm against his skin. He'd become infatuated with her months ago. In the space of just these few days and nights, she had become someone so incredibly precious to him, he couldn't bear for her to ever be disappointed in who he was. She made him want to be a better person.

"It's worth it. If we can avoid killing people by accident, out of ignorance, it's worth it," Marie said quietly. "Please tell me what I have to do."

Joe choked on a laugh, or a sob, he wasn't really sure which one it was. He'd known that would be her answer. Marie? Say no to the chance to find the answers she was seeking? Never.

He took the hand she held against his face in his own and gently pulled it away, leaning over her so that she laid back on the bed. He looked up at Kuro, into his lover's eyes, and begged him, "Don't let me kill her."

Because he could.

"You won't," Kuro said, and the conviction in his voice steadied Joe.

Joe dredged up some sass from somewhere deep inside and gave Kuro a smirk, then he looked down into Marie's eyes. "Think about what it is you want to know. Hold onto it, love."

Then he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her.

There was a moment between them when the kiss was just a kiss, and yet it was everything at the same time. She was so sweet, so trusting. He ran the tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips, coaxing her to open for him, and she did. He took a deeper taste of her, sliding his hand along the side of her neck and gripping her at the nape. He helped her tilt her head for him, allowing him to kiss her even more deeply, and then he released his yeowoo guseul, his fox bead, into her.