DISCLAIMER: I don't own either Vampire$ or any of its characters. Nor do I own John Steakley. Just a copy of his book.
Cherry Catlin didn't ask himself why Jack had gone on that obvious suicide mission. He knew why. And he was both grateful and resenting toward Felix for stopping him from following Jack over the railing arround the terrace.
The resentment had very obvious reasons. But the gratitude...
Jack had somehow known, like other things he seemed to just know sometimes, that someday he'd do this. That he'd die for the cause on a kamekazi mission. Cherry had known it too, but tried his best to ignore the cold weight of that knowledge in his gut.
One night, after Anthony and David and all the others were settled in the hotel the Team was staying in, Jack's arms had tightened their grip around Cat.
"Bwana?" he had asked quietly.
Jack had just settled his chin on top of Cherry Cat's head, and he was quiet so long Cat thought he'd gone to sleep.
Then, just as quietly as his partner, Jack had asked, "Don't follow me, Cat. Promise me you won't."
For one bewildered, horrified moment Cat had thought he was breaking it off. Fingers trailed lazily up and down his exposed side, and Jack clarified, "When they get me, Cherry, don't you follow. Don't do it, you hear?"
So that's it, he'd thought with some relief-- not enough. Cat didn't want to think about Jack dying, about him cold and lifeless. He'd turned in Jack's arms and kissed him, hard, needing all of a sudden to feel Jack still warm, still alive. Still close.
Jack kissed back, hands rubbing Cat's back soothingly. When they parted for air, the gaze pinning him drew a response, broken by his panting.
"It's the only place I won't follow you, bwana."
A small, sad smile curved Jack's lips, something flickered in his eyes. Before Cat could ask about it, Jack's lips were on his again.
-----
Cherry Cat curled around the extra pillow on the hotel bed. He'd made a promise, and he was keeping it.
But fuck if it didn't hurt.