Relic Hunters! (closed)

[DrStein]

Jesse let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Genius. Pure genius. Once we get to a hotel, I'm going to lock the door and prevent you from putting any clothes on until we leave."

He looked back at the corridor out and drew his rifle. "Alright. Grab the idol and follow me. Once we see daylight, run and don't look back."

 

[haremfaery]

Drina shook her head. "You become aroused by the most unusual things." But inwardly, she was flattered. "There still could be more traps once we try to leave with the idol. Let us hope there are no more."

She took off her backpack and unzipped it, carefully lifted the idol and put it in her bag. She pushed her arms through, settled it on her back and pulled out her Browning. "Ready."

Leaving the temple was thankfully uneventful. They hit the ground running once they were at the opening. Drina was in excellent shape. She had to be for working in the field. Sitting at a desk doing research was all well and good, but it made to too easy to get soft.

 

[DrStein]

They cleared the temple and would come to the boat in a matter of minutes. Jesse was starting to think they were in the clear. Until something caught his ankle and he and Drina went sprawling to the ground. He felt hands grab his arms and he panicked when he glimpsed someone grab his rifle.

He was roughly wrenched up to his feet and he and Drina found themselves face to face with a man Jesse knew all too well. "You Bolshevik son of a hoo-er!" he spat in his accent. Victor Petrovik was a Russian antiques collector and one of Jesse's employers on occasion.

"Now, now Mister Moore," the dark Russian chided in his smooth, deep voice. "Is dat any vay to greet a benefactor." He was tall and muscular with swept back black hair and a neatly groomed mustache and goatee. He was dressed for travel, but even those clothes looked unusually expensive. One man held Jesse and another Drina beside him. Petrovik was accompanied by another three guards, most of whom appeared to be Russian.

"You've been stealing the artifacts I find for you so you don't have to pay me. Shit. And I thought the Yids in my neighborhood were cheap. Looks like they got nothing on a Russkie."

Petrovik merely smirked at Jesse, confirming his suspicions. The American's temper flared up however when his former employer came up to Drina and held her jaw, forcing her to look at him. "This one I may keep alive," he drawled in a sinister tone.

Jesse struggled against his captor and snapped, "Ye touch 'er again and Oi'll feed ye yer fuckin' heart!"

Petrovik paid the threat no mind. "Take him to the river and kill him. He has outlived his usefulness. If he has the idol on him, take it from his corpse."

Jesse felt himself being dragged away when his knuckles brushed the darts in his belt. He took one out and snapped backward, jamming the poisoned tip into the gut of the man holding him. The bastard screamed in surprise and agony and let go of Jesse as the poison burned his flesh, slowly working it's way into his bloodstream where it would stop his heart.

Jesse threw a second dart, hitting the man who held Drina in the neck. The third was for Petrovik who dove out of the way and the dart sailed harmlessly into air. Jesse rushed the man holding his rifle and punched his in the jaw. The momentary stun was enough time for Jesse to grab his gun and twist it in the man's hands so the stock whirled up and cracked him in the other side of his jaw, knocking him out. He turned to Drina, his eyes wide.

"Run!"

 

[haremfaery]

Drina looked daggers at the Russian and was formulating an appropriate gypsy curse for him when Jesse spoke up. She smiled a bit, she knew he had a soft spot for her. It's what made her able to convince him to give some of the relics he found to a museum.

Suddenly, all hell was breaking loose. Drina scrambled for her own pistol and ran towards her boat without looking back. She could hear Jesse thumping behind her.

She had a very good sense of direction and got to her boat without any further mishaps. Unless...

She stopped before they got to the clearing where her boat was tied up. "Just in case they found my boat and left some goons here..." She hissed at him. She peered cautiously through the dense greenery. She did not want to charge headlong into another ambush. They thought the Russians had been following Jesse, but they had plenty of time to have investigated the area and found her boat.

She always was the more cautious of the two of them.

 

[DrStein]

Jesse turned and fired off a shot at their pursuers. Without proper time to aim though he missed. It sent them to the ground though, which bought them more time. He skidded to a halt, nearly bumping into Drina and nodded to her as they peered through the foliage. Sure enough, there were a pair of goons at the boat. Jesse suppressed a curse and looked around for some sort of advantage.

His eyes drifted upward and saw a massive boa constrictor curled up along a tree branch directly over the two goons. "That'll do," he muttered under his breath. He chambered another round as quietly as he could and took aim. His shot rang out, startling the thugs who looked in his direction. Drina looked like she was going to bash his head in until the loud splintering of wood caused all eyes to go up. The bullet blasted through the branch, leaving it too weak to hold the immense serpent up, which was already slithering angrily at the disturbance.

With a loud crunch, the branch snapped and the two hapless thugs screamed as they found themselves trapped under the very angry boa before it captured them in its deadly grasp.

Jesse grabbed Drina's hand and sprang out of their hiding place. They vaulted over the screaming, hissing mass on the ground and into the boat. "Get the motor running!"

Jesse pulled a magazine out of his pack and loaded ti, chambering another round. The motor roared to life and Jesse wobbled as Drina unmoored their boat and they took off down the river. He saw the figures on the river's edge recede into the distance, firing off one shot that missed Petrovik but hit one of his goons. They went around a bend and disappeared from the sight of their pursuers.

Jesse settled down into the boat and leaned against his rifle, trying to catch his breath. "When we dock... any chance you could spare a kiss... for your handsome hero?"

 

[haremfaery]

"Hero?" Drina looked back at Jesse. "I would not have been in this situation if you didn't work for such unsavory characters. AND you let them right to the idol." Their death-defying escape left her anxious.

Jesse's charm could only get him so far with her. And she was not letting it get to her this time.

"You know this isn't over. Your Russian is still alive. He'll come after the idol again." She thought a moment. "Why does he want it? And what else does he have?"

 

[DrStein]

Jesse knew that tone. She was angry with him. "I'll give you the point that Petrovic was one guy I shouldn't have done business with. I'll explain when we get to the trading post."

Before long they pulled into the docks at the trading post and moored the boat. The owner came over and Jesse immediately sprang up and fished a wad of Belize dollars out of his pocket. "Uh, senor? Uh... shit, what was it... Ingles?"

The man gave Jesse a strange look and answered, "A little."

"Okay, uh..." Jesse thumbed out several bills and handed them to the man. "There's a Russian coming this way. Tall, dark hair, beard. If you see him and he asks about us, tell him we went down the river. If you get rid of him, I will give you double this."

The man looked at Jesse in wide-eyed shock and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, sir. You and the lady went down river."

"Gracias, gracias." He turned to Drina. "Is there somewhere we can hide? A hotel or a flophouse or something?"

 

[haremfaery]

"The only hotel in town--I am there under my own name. I should go immediately and check out, take my things. It will fit your story. I will tell them I am leaving immediately with a friend and going downriver in case my supervisor calls to find out where I am." Drina told him.

She gave him a smile, "Jesse, you surprise me, I woudl think that you would know all of the seedy places from here to Brussels. There is a place on Roja La Calle. You should feel at home there. The women are very friendly--as long as you pay them. No one will give us away there."

She would let Jesse wonder how she knew of such places. But the Rom were everywhere and she occasionally checked in with her cousins for her father.

 

[DrStein]

Jesse raised a brow at Drina. "Okay, hotel first, then we find a place to hide out." Getting Drina checked out didn't take long. He even managed to keep himself from making any lewd jokes as he helped her shove her clothes into her bag.

They went to the brothel Drina described. Through the front door was a common room with a couple of tables and chairs. On one of them was an open book that Jesse assumed to be a directory of patrons. A sultry young lady, couldn't have been older than 18, smiled at the two of them and walked over with an obvious sway of her hips, giving Jesse a very appreciative look.

At least she would prove cooperative. Jesse gave her his winning smile. "Buenos dias, senorita. Ingles?"

The girl smiled at him and nodded. He got the feeling a lot of travelers came through here for one reason or another. "My companion and I need a room where we can lay low for an evening. I'd be very grateful if you could help us without... spreading word of us." As he said that, he gave a meaningful glance at the registry book. He took one of her hands, discreetly loading a fold of bills into it, and kissed her knuckles. "Could you do that for me, senorita bonita?"

The girl gave a little moan and nodded in agreement. Not letting go of Jesse's hand, she led him and Drina upstairs to a vacant room. The furnishings were sparse and the bedsheets had seen better days, but there were curtains on the windows at least. "Muchos gracias," Jesse said with a wink. The girl tucked the money he slipped her into her cleavage and walked out of the room. She gave Jesse a final look, her eyes flicking over his body appreciatively, before closing the door behind her.

"Well... That went well." Jesse took off his rifle, pack and belt and set them on the bed. "Where do you want me to start?" he asked Drina, his tone becoming serious once again.

 

[haremfaery]

"Usually I like a little kissing first." Drina said sarcastically putting her backpack carefully on the floor. She sat on the bed and pulled ehr boots off. She wondered what state the bathroom was in, she would dearly love a long bath right now.

"Start at the beginning." She shrugged out of her bush jacket revealing a tan sleeveless shirt that looked very much like a man's undershirt and probably was. Drina put aside womanly decorum in dress when she was out in the field. It was far too impractical.

 

[DrStein]

Without missing a beat Jesse responded, "I can do a little sweet talking to if you want." Seeing her taking her jacket off reminded him of just how sweaty and uncomfortable he was from racing through a humid jungle that had to be over 90 in the shade. He stripped his own shirt and undershirt, enjoying the feeling of a little cool air against his sweaty torso, even if the air in the room was a little stale. He scratched at the sparse blond curls on his chest, the humidity making it itch like crazy. He spared another look at Drina. Even wearing men's underclothes she looked sexy. He smiled to himself at the thought that she could look good in a burlap sack.

"I started doing business with Petrovic a few years back. His payments always came through and he didn't ask questions. Though I should have been more cautious. He's an antique dealer from Moscow. Or he was. Used to be a dealer to the Romanovs in fact. Until the Bolsheviks came and he switched sides. Once Lenin came into power, the bastard skipped town and relocated to Monaco. I should have known something was up when he wasn't upset about me losing three relics he wanted."

Jesse stood up and crossed to the window. He cautiously peered out into the street, though it was unlikely Petrovic would reach the town for hours yet. "In addition to the knife he stole from us and the idol... Let me think... It was a gold necklace with a jaguar on it and this... stone tablet thing. It had a carving on it of this big wheel, I think he said it was a calendar. That ringing any bells for you?"

 

[haremfaery]

Drina could not help but admire Jesse's physique when he took off his shirt. Perhaps because she lived in southern Italy her entire life and her family was all dark haired and dark eyed Romani, but she found his blond hair very exotic. She liked running her fingers through his chest hair. She realized she had missed him very much.

She stood up and paced. "The jaguar necklace has to do with Ix Chel, and the dagger was used for blood sacrifices. The Mayans really liked their blood sacrifices..." Drina said thinking out loud. "The calendar...There is a story about the goddess. How she constantly tried to take power from the sun--an explanation for eclipses I imagine. Anyway, the legend says that if certain artifacts are brought together at a certain time, in a certain place, the goddess will confer her power on her follower to harness power over the sun."

"I don't know what that means. Your Russian can't believe this myth is true. Can he? Does he think he can harness the goddess's power?" She shook her head. "No that is silly. I was raised on superstition and it is true there are more things in the world we cannot explain or understand but...this cannot be true. Your Russian just wants the complete set so he can brag, yes?"

 

[DrStein]

Jesse sat and listened to her explanation, though he still managed to toss off a joke when she mentioned the Mayans enjoying blood sacrifices. "Who doesn't?" She shot him a glare and he smiled and held his hands up in surrender. The smile was wiped from his face however when Drina came to the conclusion. Something crossed his mind.

He remembered his last meeting with Petrovic. He said he had just bought a home in Mexico City. That he was looking forward to relocating there. At the time, Jesse couldn't wrap his head around why the dealer would want to trade his villa in Monaco for a mansion, no matter how posh, in Mexico City. He figured it was just another eccentric millionaire thing. "Where? A certain place, where would that be? Did the legends ever say?"

Jesse wasn't superstitious. Not by any stretch of the imagination. His mother and grandparents certainly were. They raised him on tales of the fair folk and the little people that lived in the hills of the Emerald Isle. But growing up in a tenement and becoming a scoundrel to get by had drilled all of that right out of his skull. But Petrovic... The greedy Russian seemed to be obsessed with fairy tales and legends. Every time he and Jesse met he offered a drink and a story.

 

[haremfaery]

Drina's eyes narrowed when Jesse said the Russian has moving to Mexico City.

"I would have to do a little research for confirmation, but I would bet it is Mexico City. The myth says...when the moon rises and sees her reflection...so...Mexico City has a lake, yes?" It was all coming together. "Then if we go there, we can get back all of the artifacts and put them into a museum where they belong." Because the myth of being able to harness the goddess's power could not possibly be true. Because if it were true...she could not even think what that would mean.

 

[DrStein]

Jesse stood up and walked right up to Drina. "Normally, this is the part where we would fight about who gets the relics." He stared into her eyes a minute and then shook his head. "Not this time. You can have them. What I want is to find that son of a bitch, and put a fucking bullet in his skull."

He put his hands on Drina's shoulders, his eyes never leaving hers. "He double-crossed me and threatened you. This is personal." He tilted her head up and slowly lowered his face toward hers. His free hand went around her waist and pulled her body against him. Despite the both of them being sweaty and dirty from the day's exertions, there was an undeniably intimate atmosphere in the room as the afternoon sun filtered in softly through the curtains. "Do we have a deal?"

 

[haremfaery]

Drina was ready to give Jesse all of the arguments as to why she should get all of the relics, but he surprised her.

"My hero," She said with a smile. Her arms went around his neck and she kissed him deeply heedless of how dirty and smelly they both were. "Yes, we have a deal." She kissed him again and ran her hands down his chest to his trousers and began unfastening his fly. She pushed his trousers off his hips and past his tight ass. She grinned in anticipation of being with him. Her nipples were already hard and chafing against her shirt.

 

[DrStein]

Jesse kissed her back forcefully, giving her his usual cocky smile when she accepted the deal. She got his trousers halfway off when he grabbed and threw the two of them down onto the bed. He kissed her lips, her neck, her shoulders, anywhere his lips could reach as he stripped off first her shirt then her trousers. His lips found her breasts and he began showering them with kisses, giving occasional attention to her nipples.

A part of him laughed inside. If his father knew that he had these flings with a gypsy girl instead of settling down with a proper Irish Catholic lady, he'd have a stroke. Jesse never was one to play by any rule that he didn't make up. He could feel Drina's hands on his chest, remembering how much she liked to run her fingers through his chest hair. And he loved the feel of those slender fingers and her nails scratching softly against his skin His teeth grazed her shoulder and he let out a soft growl of lust against her skin.

His hand stretched out over her stomach, caressing her soft skin. He loved the softness of the touch compared to the muscle tone underneath. He had been with women in the past who were very pretty, but a woman who had a little real strength? Who could hold her own in danger? Now that was just downright sexy. His hand drifted further down until he arrived between her legs and began to slowly rub her pussy as he kissed her passionately. It had been a year since he last touched her like this. It had been too long.

 

[haremfaery]

Drina would never admit it, but she loved when Jesse was a little rough. Throwing her on the bed, using his strength to manhandle her around the way he wanted her. She was a strong woman in body and spirit and she wanted a strong man. Academia tended to attract some very cerebral men, but when it came to the bedroom, she wanted raw passion.

She supposed that was why whenever Jesse growled it sent shivers through her straight to her very core.

She ran her fingers over his body rediscovering it. She remembered all of the old scars, like a map of his adventures, but there was a new one.

She arched her back and spread her legs wide when his hand finally touched her pussy. She buried her fingers in his hair and tugged a little. "Oh, Will." She breathed between kisses. They really were very good together.

 

[DrStein]

Jesse's breath caught in his throat at the name she moaned out. He stopped touching her and drew back. "What did you just call me? Will? Who the hell is Will?" It felt like a knife in his ribs. She was calling out another man's name when he touched her. He continually tried to convince himself that these moments of intimacy were for fun. But hearing that... He felt hurt... betrayal... jealousy. Since when was he jealous? That had never happened before.

He stared into her eyes questioning. His skin still burned where her fingers had touched him. He could still taste her on his lips. But now there was a lump in his throat that threatened to choke him. He didn't know why he was reacting like this, and that only bothered him even more. This shouldn't upset him. This was just a fling. So why did that sound like a lie even in his own head?

 

[haremfaery]

((Ooh shit! Getting my RPs mixed up and my other adventurer's tale. Because Will is of the same mold as Jesse. Shit shit shit. Guess I have to roll with it now.))


Drina let out a Roma expletive. "Caro mio! I am so sorry. That is a bad thing I did." She looked stricken and very sincere. "Will Harcourt is a visiting professor at the museo. I was thinking how men like Will--they have no passion. Not like you. And...his name came out."

She looked up at him, her large eyes looked shiny as if she might cry. She moved to sit up. "It is unforgivable, what I did. Saying another person's name in bed... You hate me now." Because if he had been the one to slip up, she would have taken a knife to him.

She looked away. Now they would be at war with one another. How could she have been so stupid? She had not even slept with Will. She had no desire to. Jesse would never trust her now.

 

[DrStein]

((This will just make the climax of the story that much more satisfying))

Jesse stared at her for a moment. He let out a snort and sat on the opposite side of the bed for a long while before pulling his trousers back on. "I need a bath." He couldn't keep the icy tone out of his voice. He didn't believe the story she gave. After all, what was more likely? That she was comparing him to some stick-in-the-mud professor and accidentally called out his name instead? Or that she had found someone else in the year they were apart?

On his way to the bathroom, he spotted his rifle sitting on the sideboard. Adriana. The name he had carved into the stock six months ago. Now he felt like it was mocking him. He crossed into the bathroom, chiding himself for slamming the door. He stripped down and drew the bathwater. He just sat in the tub staring at the ceiling. Why did this upset him so much?

He just sat there, not really bothering to scrub the dirt out. It was only an hour later when he felt the water starting to cool off that he bothered to clean himself. He drained the tub, put his trousers back and draped a towel around his shoulders to dry his hair. He stepped out into the bedroom, refusing to make eye contact with Drina. He couldn't. To look at her right now would hurt too much.

 

[haremfaery]

((I can't believe I did that. I've _never_ done that in RL or RPs 0.o))

Drina pulled on her clothes after Jesse left. She was angry at herself for ruining their sweet reunion. Men's egos were so fragile. She had thought Jesse was more secure than most men.

They had never made promises to each other. She was sure he saw many other women between the times circumstances brought the two of them together. And yes, she had had two other lovers since she had been with Jesse a year ago. And neither of them were named Will.

It was clear Jesse did not believe her and that turned her angry on him.

When he finally finished in the bathroom, he would not look at her. Fine. She went in to take her bath. She rinsed her clothes first trying to get the worst of the dirt off them. Then she refilled the tub for herself and sank into the water.

She sighed and let her hands roam her body. She had been looking forward to reuniting with Jesse. She put her right hand between her legs and fondled herself. Since Jesse was not speaking to her, she would have to take things into her own hands.

She tried to stay quiet but as she worked herself towards an orgasm, the water sloshed and she moaned. She pushed two fingers inside and used her other hand to work her clit. She was fairly successful at keeping quiet until with a loud cry, she came. For a brief moment, she considered moaning Jesse's name, but she doubted he would believe she was sincere.

She came out of the bathroom naked with her hair up in a towel carrying her wet clothes. She glanced at Jesse as she draped her wet clothes around the room.

"Are we not going to speak at all?" She found herself still angry at him and his double standard. Perhaps it would be best if she just kept quiet for now.

 

[DrStein]

Jesse just sat on the bed, elbows on his knees, fingers threaded together, and his chin on his hands. He ignored the sounds coming from the bathroom. Listening to them only made that stabbing feeling in his heart worse. When she finally came out and spoke to him, he looked over at Drina, seemingly ignoring the fact that she stood naked in front of him. "Oi'm a lotta things Adriana, but Oi don't chase after another man's woman." His voice was deadpan and quiet, colored only by his accent. He had never said her full name before. It sounded strange to him to say it. "Ye coulda fuckin' told me."

He sat up and crossed to the window. "It's been a year. Oi shoulda figured it out moiself. What would you want with a fuckin' scoundrel loik me?" He was surprised that the words left his mouth. He had never spoken of himself in such a way. But something about hearing her call another man's name... "We foight all the toime, and ye lecture me about what a mercenary Oi am. Shoulda known...

"And whoi the fuck are ye mad at me?" He turned to face her again. "Oi'm not the one imaginin' someone else in bed. Oi even said you could take the relics. This job isn't about the money anymore. And now Oi'm the asshole?" He marched up to her, staring directly into her eyes. "Maybe it'd be better if once this bushwa is over... if ye just left me the fuck alone." He was surprised to find himself on the edge of tears and he regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, but there was no taking them back.

 

[haremfaery]

Drina's eyes flashed at Jesse. "I am _no_ man's woman! And what should I have told you? Do you tell me of every conquest you make? Have we exchanged vows? Tokens? Does either of us have a claim on the other?" Besides, her uncles would never approve. It was tradition that her family would choose her husband for her when the time came. Not that she would adhere to that. She was a modern woman. She was sure she would never marry. After all the freedom she had in her job, with her adventures. She could never be tied to any man.

She watched him walk away from her to the window. "What are you saying Jesse? You have _never_ done anything but flirt and coax me into bed. You cannot expect me to believe that you have been celibate since we were last together. It isn't in your nature. So stop being such a hypocrite." Her voice rose with her anger.

"I _told_ you. I wasn't imagining him in bed instead of you. I was thinking how different Will is from you. How different all my friends at the museum are. Don't you know what the Zen Buddhists say? 'Do not think of the white horse.' Once it is said, it's impossible to not think of the white horse. I said Will's name, It was a mistake and I'm sorry." She put her hand up to touch his cheek. This was a part of Jesse she had never seen before. A very vulnerable part. He couldn't really have feelings that deep for her, could he? "

 

[DrStein]

Jesse let out a laugh that came out like a scoff. "Tha's what ye think o' me? Oi'm some philandering creep?" He brushed her hand off of his cheek and stepped back. He put his hand on his rifle and looked at her name carved on it. "Ye want the truth? Oi carved this in after our last encounter because Oi missed ye." He cleared his throat once more and swallowed his accent.

"Truth is... I sold my home in New York two years ago. I travel all the time, live mostly out of hotels. Anything I can't take with me my brother looks after for me. Haven't stayed in the States for more than a month since." He looked Drina directly in the eye. "Running into you was always the highlight of traveling. I don't know how we keep crossing each other. For a while I just assumed you were stalking me." He let out a bitter laugh at that. It seemed that was too much to hope for. He was starting to come to grips with the fact that over the years he had known her he had grown fond of her.

"Haven't been with a woman other than you in those two years." Now it was out in the open. He'd already said one thing he regretted, what was another? "Never crossed another girl I really wanted. Always came up with some excuse."

He advanced on Drina again, backing her up against the wall. "How much do you really know about me? How can you tell me what my nature is? I could always persuade you to open up. But looking back, you never really seemed that interested in getting me to do the same. I was always just the stupid Yankee who kept stealing treasure. My fault for not seeing that before." At this point, he practically had her pinned. There was only an inch of space separating them and he stared hard into her eyes.