June 15th, 2007
11:59 PM
A secret Grove in Scotland.
A MidSummer's Nightmare Pt 1
WOOOSH
Green light illuminated a circle of runes which lay carefully spread across the grove’s leaf-covered ground, drenching the otherwise serene setting in an eerie hue. It had been many years since the foliage of this forest was witness to such magics, but it was by no means the first. Twice did they gather for such a purpose; twice before had these same runes sprung to life. Twice before had the spell been cast.
With an angry cry, a lone owl flew from its perch high atop the grove, eager to leave the scene. The natural order was to be unbalanced; every beast, great and small, could feel it and end every animal fled, not wanting to bear witness to such atrocities.
As quiet as the night wind, an assembly of twenty-two hooded figures silently emerged from the black woods, congregating silently around the mystical circle.
With face shrouded in darkness, the only green-robed individual stepped forwards and into the circle to address the brothers and sisters of his order.
“With the passing of time, our Order has dwindled, our power diminished. Long has it been since our magic was as strong as that of our forefathers before us; but times change. On this night, we are at the strongest we have been in over a century. Our numbers have risen, and our power once again mighty. Because of this, it is time to forge a new destiny; now is our time. Now begins the era of the Order of the Fae!”
Those around the circle nodded wordlessly as their leader turned towards the North of the circle. “Bring force the vessel.”
Some of the druids parted slightly, revealing two individuals who looked rather incongruent in the somber setting. The comatose form of a large, scruffy individual hung limply from the broad shoulders of a young man. Beneath his angelic golden curls, a scowl of annoyance marred his cherubic face.
“Bring force the vessel, set up the runes, wash the robes… god, sometimes I think I should change my name to Cinderella.”
Ungracefully slumping the unconscious body into the center of the circle, the young man turned to face the head of his order. Although unable to see the grimace on the man’s face, he could feel the disapproving look no doubt chiseled underneath the green hood.
“What? Don’t look at me like that – and yes I know the look you’re giving me!”
A chorus of sighs could be heard from several of the druids, as if in unison the thoughts “Here we go again” played through their minds.
“Well what did you expect? There I am sipping my strawberry daiquiri, enjoying a nice Sunday reading, and then WHAM! You hit me with this! you know I almost dropped my Cosmo in the tub for Christ sake.”
The green clad man raised his hand, trying to silence the upset youth, but it was to no avail – no force on the planet had that type of power.
“Read my lips: I. Don’t. want. a. Sibling!!!!!!! I’ve spent over a hundred years as an only child, and you know what, I like it that way!”
“But you keep forgetting; you’re not an only child, my son,” a raspy voice whispered from behind the secrecy of his cloak.
“Oh PUUUUUUULEASE! That retard in LA doesn’t count. See, the way I see it is you needed a practice model before you perfected the spell with me.” He smiled arrogantly as he brushed out a single wrinkle from his tight fitting, stylish G-Star shirt.
Green orbs began to glow from beneath the darkness of the druid’s hood as his impatience grew steadily. “Although he didn’t turn out as our forefathers had planned, your older brother still lives, and after tonight Loki, so shall your new younger brother.”
“Oh GREAT. Now I’m going to be the middle sibling! You know they always turn out weird or crazy or something!”
“No ‘ifs’, ‘ands’ or ‘buts’ will make us change our minds, so please, my son, grab one of your Teen People magazines and go sit quietly while we work.”
With a great Huff the young man spun around, all the while muttering as he made his way outside the circle and back to where he actually did have a Teen People waiting on a tree stump for his return. “Stupid spell… stupid sibling… I don’t want another brother…stupid…OUUU, J-Lo has a new husband!”
Now that the distraction was silently engrossed in his magazine, reading up on how Peach lipgloss was the new Cherry, the coven of druids was ready to begin.
Stepping out of the mystical circle, the lead sorcerer began the chant, leading his confreres into weaving the intricate magic, and opening up the gateway. Not a single one blinked in hesitation as the helpless man still in the circle began to stir. He was a common street thug, some dirty ingrate of society Loki no doubt chalked up in the back alleys of one of the many bars he frequented.
As the chanting grew, the eerie green light of the runes changed colours, taking on an unnatural shade of purple. Wind began to whistle through the branches of the ancient trees as the balance of nature slowly began to tip out of alignment. Leaves recklessly twirled about, ripped from their homes, as the maelstrom intensified in strength. With a violent shudder the man, who was just ‘coming to’, began bleed from his eyes, ears and nose; the magic had reached its crescendo and was funneling directly into his weak shell of bone and flesh. That, however, would soon change.
As a new, evil entity poured into his body and merged with his very soul, the man felt power flow through his veins. At first it was painful, excruciating really, but as the seconds ticked by the pain was replaced with fiery energy, invigorating his previously weak, pathetic body. Had the feeling lasted any longer, no doubt the man would have relished in gifts bestowed upon him that day, but such was not his fate. Unlike the two men before him, his mind and soul were not strong enough to fight the iron will of the foreign entity and within the blink of an eye, his being was totally consumed by the dark faery.
“Freedom!!” he bellowed, springing to his feet, and outstretching his arms as if waking from a prolonged slumber.
The druids around the circle shifted uneasily as they gazed upon their creation; something wasn’t right, and they could feel it. The man was exuding too much magic, and his body was actually physically changing to accommodate the will of the faery inside him. Muscles began to bulge out, and the animated body grew almost an extra foot in height.
“You- you are ours to command. Now what is your name? You’re new masters demand it!” the chief druid called out, his voice unsteady and nervous.
The now towering behemoth smiled as it turned its purple eyes onto the setting around him. “Oh foolish mortals, you know not who you invoked this day,” it laughed condescendingly as it marched towards the threshold of the runes. With one terrifyingly powerful punch the magical energy shattered, allowing him to pass the circle’s barrier.
“How dare you?! We will teach you to obey!” Drawing forth a glowing rune stone, the green clad sorcerer held it high before the newly reborn monster. “Now OBEY!”
The faery flinched slightly, but then reached out, grabbed the stone from the old man’s hands, and proceeded to grind it into dust.
“I obey NO ONE!” it bellowed, before savagely snapping the neck of the druid. Before any of the stunned magicians could react, the monster ravaged through the group, bringing with him a tide of quick and certain death. “I am Kronor! Men and myths alike fear my name, for I bring with me the purity of oblivion!”
Somewhere in the middle of an article analyzing Brad Pitt’s abs and a new ad endorsing Ralph Lauren’s new fragrance, Loki’s keen ears picked up on the commotion off in the distance.
Springing into action, the man ran back to where the Order had been conducting the ritual, only to jerk to an abrupt halt. Beneath a pile of blood, gore and ripped off appendages, not a single druid was left alive. The horrific scene resembled that at the end of Kill Bill Volume 1 after Uma Thurman had cut her way through the Crazy 88s. The only difference here was the corpses lining the blood-stained ground were those of Loki’s now-extinct Order.
All the while unaware of the behemoth which hid magically in the shadows, Loki’s eyes widened as he took in the gruesome picture before him.
“HOLY MASSACRE BATMAN!”
reintroducing Ryan Phillippe as Loki
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a final goodbye for Ryan
*** June 8, 2007, 5 am ***
*** A quiet, private beach near Malibu ***
Daye waited without speaking as Sam and Drew lay the heavy, still body of the demon onto the hastily crafted pyre Daye had constructed here, just out of reach of the quietly rolling tide. She did nothing to try and slow the steady stream of tears that flowed down her dirt- and blood-streaked cheeks. Maia held tightly to her hand. Daye didn’t have to look down to see the girl wore matching tears.
Sam and Drew finally finished and stepped back away, glancing at Daye but not saying a word. Daye led Maia to the neatly arranged pile of wood and lifted the girl into her arms. The beach was empty and dark, save for them. The moon dimly shone down as Maia reached out with one small hand and placed her palm against the scarred cheek of her father, who lay in eternal slumber before her.
“Maia?” Daye’s voice was hoarse and choked with tears. “It’s nearly time. Are you all right? Are you ready?”
The little girl nodded solemnly. “Goodbye Ry’n,” she whispered as Daye handed her into Sam’s waiting arms.
Daye turned away from her family and raised her hands over Ryan’s remains. She turned her face towards the slowly descending moon. “Mother Goddess from hence all things come, I commit unto thee this man. Beloved father, lover, friend, hero; I beseech thee guide him to a gentler peace. Accept into your love and light this once lost soul. Free him from all pain, all suffering, all regret. From beginning to end, all things are one in the circle. We return this soul in peace and love, and vanquish this vessel that held it in our world. Into the fire, into the light, go now Ryan. Be blessed.”
Daye lifted a smoldering piece of wood from the pile. She brought it to her lips and closed her eyes. With a soft outward breath and a whispered word in Latin, a flame ignited and Daye brought it down to the pyre. “Blessed be, first in my heart, blessed be always.”
Flames burst from the wood, engulfing Ryan’s body. Daye stepped back into the warm comfort of her family. “Blessed be,” they each repeated in unison, as smoke rose into the dark sky. They huddled together as the fire consumed Ryan’s body. No other words were spoken.
daye and drew set a date
*** June 9, 2007, 1:27 am ***
*** Poplar Avenue ***
Daye sat on the sofa in the silent apartment. She had her feet tucked under her and a steaming cup of tea in her hands. No one else in the place was awake. Daye suspected no one else in the entire building was awake tonight. The battle with Delancre had gone on well into the wee hours of the morning and most of Daye’s friends were exhausted. Daye could understand that. She was exhausted too, but she couldn’t seem to get to sleep tonight. Besides the grief she felt from the Ryan’s loss, Daye couldn’t seem to put aside her anxiety over what might come with the rising of the sun tomorrow.
Now that Ambrose Delancre had been defeated, his supporters routed or wiped out, Daye and the other White Hats were now facing the arduous task of rebuilding without any distractions. They would now have to really take stock of themselves and decide if their experiment had failed miserably or if it was really worth it to start over. They would have to find ways to reconnect both as friends and as allies. Delancre was gone, but his legacy would live on. The White Hats would be a long time dealing with the chaos he’d sown.
Daye had her own personal chaos to consider now. Aside from the problems inherent in trying to mend fences and build bridges with her friends, now that the battle was really over she had to think seriously about what she was going to do next. Daye fiddled with the ring on her left hand as she thought about the man sleeping down the hall. Drew had been so relieved and, as usual, so supportive when he’d arrived with Maia shortly after the fight came to an end. Someone had contacted him to come and pick her up and he’d done so without hesitation. Drew was just so happy that she’d survived.
*Drew…* Daye thought to herself, feeling guilty that there wasn’t an unmitigated rush of love and warmth when her fiancé came to mind. She wanted to be as enthusiastic as he was about things now, but something just didn’t feel right. She knew that it had been crazy lately, what with the Delancre thing looming over their heads and all, but still she and Drew were walking on eggshells around one another. She couldn’t remember the last time he’d touched her in a more than casual way, and Daye could sometimes see that he was holding back something he wanted to say. She just couldn’t figure out how to get him to open up without pushing him too far and causing hurt feelings. She wasn’t willing to do that. She’d hurt Drew far too much already.
*You need to just relax,* Daye admonished herself. *There’s nothing wrong that is worth all this worrying. Everything will go back to normal now and you can talk to him. He loves you and he wants to listen to whatever you need to say. Just give him a chance.*
“Hey, Baby,” Daye glanced up when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Drew was standing over the back of the sofa, looking down at her with a confused smile. “What are you doing up so late? It’s the middle of the night, and I know you’re tired.”
“Exhausted,” Daye agreed with a rueful smile. “But I can’t seem to get to sleep. Too much on my mind, I guess.”
Drew came around the arm of the sofa and settled himself beside her. “Makes sense I suppose, considering.”
He reached out and looped an arm around Daye, pulling her close. He hugged her and rested his chin on the top of her head. Daye forced herself to relax in his embrace. She sighed deeply. “I know it does,” she replied. “I just can’t seem to get my head around it all. Delancre is gone, Maia is safe - and Ryan…”
Daye’s voice trailed off. It was still too close, too fresh. She couldn’t bring herself to talk about what had happened to Ryan, even though there was a part of her that wanted to so very much.
“It’s over now,” Drew soothed, stroking her back. “I know it seems impossible, but it really is over now, Baby.”
*Over?* Daye asked herself. *Is it really over, though? There are so many things we still need to work out, so many things that could still go wrong. After what Delancre did to my friends - to me - are we ever going to be the same again?*
“Drew?” Daye lifted her head so that she could look at him. He was smiling down at her, so obviously happy to be just where he was. “What about…? Never mind.”
“No, go on,” he said. “Tell me what’s bothering you. I want to know.”
Daye paused, considering. She had tried to talk seriously to Drew about how she was feeling a couple of times before now, and although he said he really did want to know he never really let her get out how she was feeling. Drew seemed to be almost afraid of what she might say. Daye didn’t understand it, but more importantly, she didn’t know what to do to fix it.
*One more time,* she thought. *I’ll try one more time.*
“What happens now?” Daye asked him plaintively. “What are we all supposed to do? What Delancre did, the things he made all of us do, that’s all changed us. It’s changed me, and I don’t think that I’m the only one. So, Drew, what now? What comes next?”
“We pick up the pieces and keep going,” Drew replied easily. “You can all get past these things, Baby. You always do. This is no different than things you’ve been through in the past. You got through all of that, and you’ll get through this too.”
“But this is different,” Daye argued. “This time, the thing we had to fight, it was us. Delancre was only one of the enemies in this battle. The bigger one, the more important one, was our own evil. And it hurts. Seeing the darkness inside of you, it hurts.”
“But… it’s not you,” Drew’s voice held an edge of desperation. “Not really. The evil - that was something else. You, Baby, you’re good. You’re a good, decent, caring person. You’re not the person who did those things.”
Daye had known all along that Drew really believed what he’d just said. He wanted to separate her from the woman who’d been infected with Hyde. That was wrong. It was wrong and it was impossible. She had done those things. She was the same woman. Drew wanted for the truth to be something else. He’d convinced himself of it. Daye knew that it would be better, more fair, to make him see the truth. But how much would that hurt him?
“I just don’t know, Drew,” Daye said. “It’s not just me, but I think all of us, all the people that were infected, they are going through just this in some way or another. And I have to ask again, what do we do now?”
Drew took Daye’s left hand in his own and brought it to his lips. He kissed her gently. “Well, I was thinking,” he said. “Maybe now that Delancre is finally dead, now that we’ve got a little time, maybe… Why don’t we get married?”
“Married?” Daye was surprised. She knew he wanted to do this, but she’d assumed they would take some time to work things out first. “When?”
“As soon as possible,” Drew replied. “By the end of the month. What do you think?”
Daye was even more amazed. Drew was thinking of a time frame that left them no more than three weeks. How could he possibly be serious?
“Three weeks?” she said. “That’s only three weeks. Don’t you think that’s a little… rushed?”
Drew frowned. “I feel like I’ve been waiting forever,” he replied. “So how could it be rushed now?”
Daye couldn’t answer him. She felt out of sorts. She was confused. Drew wasn’t. This was what he wanted. “What about-? Won’t your parents want to do something… big?”
Drew laughed. “Maybe, but they better be able to figure it out in three weeks. I don’t want to wait anymore. I want to make you my wife.”
Drew leaned down and covered Daye’s mouth with his own, his kiss tender but possessive. Daye allowed her eyes to slip close and tried not to think about all the problems they still faced. She wanted it to be all right. She wanted it to be perfect.
Drew’s hand slipped down, caressing her throat and shoulders. His kiss grew bolder. Daye tried to relax as his hands slipped inside her nightgown. Drew’s mouth left hers to tease along her jaw and down her neckline.
“Baby,” he murmured against her skin,” I’ve missed you so much.”
At first, Daye just let herself feel without thinking, but as Drew’s caresses grew more intimate, memories flooded her mind. She tried to ignore those memories of her time at the mansion, of the things she’d done of her own free will as well as of those done to her. She wanted so much to just enjoy the sensations flooding her body. She wanted to be loved by this man and to love him in return.
Drew was burning up. It felt as if it had been so long since he’d been here like this, with his Amanda. He felt nervous and excited, like an untried teen. But in the back of his mind, ugly thoughts reared their head. Who had last held her like this? Who had cradled her breasts in their palms? What had she done with those others? Had she enjoyed it, underneath her Hyde-driven lust, had she taken pleasure in with those others, men and demons? Did she think about them still? Was she perhaps thinking about them now?
Drew’s hands were on her breasts, but his gentle caress was growing harder, nearly painful. Daye squirmed away from him. She brought her hands up, crossing her arms over her chest. Daye stared at Drew in surprise. He didn’t just look aroused. He looked angry.
“Are you all right?” Daye asked him warily.
Drew took deep breaths. He pushed his sudden fury down deep inside. When he looked up at Daye, she was leaning away from him, her whole body in defensive mode. He felt disgusted with himself. “Baby, I-I’m sorry,” he said softly. “It’s too soon for you. I shouldn’t have… I’m sorry. I got carried away.”
Drew wasn’t looking at her now. His eyes were downcast and he wore a strange expression on his face. Daye noticed that he didn’t mention the anger she’d seen moments before. *Why is he angry with me?* she wondered. *What just happened between us?*
“Drew…” Daye had no idea what to say to him.
“Are you okay?” Drew asked. “I didn’t… Did I hurt you? I should have… maybe… Baby, are you okay?”
Daye nodded. “It’s all right,” she replied wearily. “I’m fine. Stop beating yourself up, Drew. You didn’t hurt me.”
“Thank God,” Drew whispered. He glanced up at Daye. “I never, ever want to do anything to hurt you, Baby. I love you.”
“I love you too,” Daye said. It was true. She did love him.
“Maybe… I’ve been thinking; until the wedding, I’m gonna move into the guest room,” Drew declared. If he just put some distance between them for the next few weeks, that would give them both time. He could deal with whatever anger, whatever unwarranted resentment he was feeling now for her, and then, on their wedding night, it would be like starting anew.
“What?” Daye was very confused. “But why?”
“I know you still need time to fully recover from what happened to you,” he replied. “And this way, when we make love again - as husband and wife - it will be so much more special.”
Daye stared at him as if he’d gone mad. “Don’t you think?” he asked cautiously.
*Maybe he doesn’t want to be with me anymore.* She couldn’t quite shake the feeling that this was all wrong. *Maybe he’s disgusted now. After everything that’s happened, after everything I’ve done, maybe he can’t stand the thought of making love to me again. But, then, why would he still want to marry me? I just don’t get it.”
“Amanda? Baby?” Drew tentatively put a hand on her arm. He was very pleased when she didn’t flinch away.
“I-I guess… If it’s what you really want,” Daye replied. “If you think… I’m fine with it.”
Drew nodded, smiling broadly. “It is. It’s a great idea. You’ll see. After this brief time apart, things will be so much better between us.”
Daye nodded slowly. She still couldn’t quite figure it out. She was suddenly even more tired than before. She stifled a yawn.
“You’re exhausted, Baby,” Drew’s voice was tender and full of concern. “You should get to bed.”
“Maybe,” Daye agreed.
“We’ve got a lot to do with the move tomorrow,” he said. “And now we’ve got a wedding to get ready for, on the 30th.”
Daye nodded. “I’ll talk to Kate and Tash tomorrow.”
“Great!” Drew stood, bent forward to kiss Daye on the forehead and then left her alone. Daye watched him go, confused and apprehensive. She had no idea what to make of his behavior. Finally, shaking her head, she stood and headed off to bed herself.
New Sun Rising
Friday, 8th June 2007 – 5:42am (Sunrise)
Kate and Galen’s House
Brilliant white light filled the skies burning with the ferocity of an uncontrollable inferno. It flickered several times, wavering in the solid orange ethers and winking in and out of focus like sunlight reflecting off a mirror.
Kate had been crouching low, her arms tucked over the back of her head protectively, but in the wake of the rising morn she pulled herself to her feet, squinting as she tried to make out her surroundings and shielding her eyes from the intense radiation with the back of her hand. Several people stood on the horizon, little more than tall, black silhouettes, their shadows stretching across the barren land. Silently, Kate joined them, standing at the precipice as they gazed at the skies.
Everyone was still and not a sound could be heard as everyone stared at the light, watching its path across the heavens. Whatever it was, it would fall soon but that wouldn’t be for a while. For now they could enjoy a momentary peace, a calm before the storm. But how long would it last?
The house was deadly silent except for the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway and the steady breathing of the dozen or so occupants who lay sleeping in the lounge. Inanna was curled up in a small chair, her short blonde hair ruffled and scraggy and flat on one side from where she rested her head. Blake snoozed on the floor surrounded by several other witches, his broad frame partially covered with a thick cotton throw. Meanwhile, Galen slept on the couch with Kate wrapped close in his arms, his head resting on her bruised shoulder.
Everything was still. Everything was quiet.
A small shaft of orange light bled against the pale floral wallpaper of the living room, slowly growing in both height and width. Kate’s eyelids fluttered open and she blinked several times, the sleepy haze of her dream growing faint with the passing seconds. Stifling a yawn, she gazed upwards, her eyes focusing on the anomaly, watching it increase with a deep sense of inner peace as it heralded the breaking of day and the end of another long night.
Slowly that beam of sunlight grew brighter and more intense as it filtered in through the flimsy curtains, shedding golden light into the entire room along with the fresh, hollow sound of birdsong. Kate’s tired eyes glanced around at the sleeping bodies that lay in chairs or huddled together in front of the fire in various states of languid repose. Their injuries appeared soothed in the dawning light, bloody cuts and lacerations taking on an almost benign demeanour.
She remembered their gathering together, exhausted after the fight at Runyon Canyon. After Maia had been safely returned to Amanda’s care and once everyone’s injuries had been taken care of, how they had just fallen asleep without a further concern to be had.
Kate rolled her head slightly, causing Galen to murmur in his sleep and roll around restlessly on the narrow couch. After a moment he settled again, rubbing his chin against Kate’s bare shoulder as he continued to sleep with her in his arms.
Kate lay facing Galen now, her eyes searching his peaceful face. Mild scratches marred his handsome features but otherwise he had survived the battle with a minimum of injuries. Even so she lifted her hand to cover the worst of those wounds and focused what power she could into that channel. Her head ached but Kate continued to draw energy into the palm of her hand, using that energy to heal her beloved.
She spoke quietly and softly, her lips forming the words of her incantation with barely audible disclosure.
“Pains and aches and evil things,
Fly from thee on rapid wings.
Leave thy body, don't return,
For peace and quiet do you yearn.
Surround my love in radiant light,
Magic power pure and white
And banish the forces of the night.”
Kate smiled as the familiar golden light of her powers issued forth from her flesh, repairing the small cuts and abrasions across her husband’s face. Kate was about to snuggle back into her husband’s arms when she felt a strange pang deep inside, like something was calling out her name and she had to find what it was.
Sitting up, Kate quietly slipped from her husband’s arms. Her eyes scanned the room as she heard that strange compelling call again deep within her own being. She winced in pain, her aching limbs and muscles screaming in protest as she rose to her feet and silently tiptoed through the lounge, around the various sleeping bodies. She followed that sense of inner yearning; followed it into the kitchen, her bare feet feeling good against the cold tiled floor as she pushed the back door open and stepped outside.
Golden light flooded the garden, warming the parched grass as Kate walked barefoot down the porch steps and sat on the bottom one. She sighed tiredly, leaning against the solid wooden porch beam and stretching out her legs in the dry lawn, her exposed toes curling into the warm grass as she watched the sun rise over the horizon.
It was here… whatever had been calling her was here amongst the apple trees and the overgrown grass, in the daises and the buttercups. It had awakened her with the rising of the sun and whatever it was, it was beautiful.
Kate’s eyes fixed on the small orange glow that was just beginning to crawl its way above the horizon, she rested her weary head against the wooden porch support and watched as the sun rose and a new day began.
****
Galen slowly pushed open the back door, pulling the light wool of the blanket he was carrying around himself as the cool morning air met his senses. He sighed noiselessly, a sigh of relief at finding Kate safe. He stood in the doorway observing his wife with serious contemplation as she sat watching the sunrise. She looked so peaceful, so still, with her eyes trained on the sun’s path as it slowly ascended into the skies. The warm rays cast a golden glow across her face and reflected upon her hair, giving it the appearance of pure fire.
He’d awoken a few minutes ago, feeling the cold absence of his wife with the same kind of loss that a man might feel after losing an arm or leg. It was always that way now; he couldn’t sleep without Kate in his arms. He just didn’t feel settled if she wasn’t lying by his side. In the agonising weeks that they had been separated it had really hit him how much he needed her, even just for the little things like seeing her smile or hearing her voice in another room. He’d never realised before how much he had taken for granted, how wonderful it felt to just sleep with Kate, feel her warm, relaxed body against his, hear her soft breathing, to be surrounded in the delicate scent of her. He was determined not to take anything for granted ever again.
“Katy, honey? What are you doing out here?”
Galen’s voice was quiet and gentle and even though he received no answer he joined his wife as she sat on the bottom step of the porch. The sun was just above the horizon now, a burning ball of orange and red bleeding against the azure sky, slowly rising above the canopy of trees and foliage.
Kate turned and smiled at her husband, golden light caressing his handsome features.
Galen looked up at the stunning view and then back at his wife. She was wearing very little, just a skimpy vest and thin cotton lounge pants. He quickly removed the blanket from his shoulders and wrapped it around Kate’s slender frame, tucking the warm woollen material snugly around her body. His task completed, he wound an arm around her, enveloping Kate in the combined warmth of his body and the wool from the blanket.
Together they sat in silence as the sun slowly rose higher, lightening the sky into a brilliant shade of blue. It was just so beautiful… majestic. As Kate watched she felt an inner calm settle in the pit of her stomach and she rested her head against Galen’s shoulder as his hold on her became ever more protective. Sunlight steadily crept up the garden until it reached their feet; warm and caressing like a tender embrace.
“Just look at that…” she said quietly, the sound of birdsong chirruping in the background.
Galen smiled contentedly. “It’s beautiful all right… A new day.” He silently sought out Kate’s hand and laced his fingers securely around hers. “Do you think…” he began hesitantly, “do you think that this could be a new beginning for us? Now that Hyde and Delancre are all behind us? Now that we have each other again, we could be stronger than before. It’s what I want. More than anything.”
“So do I,” admitted Kate, turning her head slightly so that she could look at her husband.
“I love you,” Galen said suddenly and without reserve, his hold on Kate’s hand tightening.
“And I love you,” said Kate with a soft smile. “It’s the only thing that I’m sure of anymore. I know that whatever else is going on inside me, amongst all the hurt and sadness my love for you is constant and enduring. It outshines all the bad things.” She smiled again warmly, “It makes them run away in fear.”
Galen wrapped his arm back around Kate’s shoulder and pulled her close, stroking his fingers through her hair. “I know we can make it work,” he said reassuringly, “if we both want it enough. And at least… at least all this with Hyde and Delancre, at least it’s all over now.”
*Is it?* Kate wanted to ask, *Is it ever really over?* If it was over then what was that feeling deep down inside, beneath her skin, in her blood, her bones? Her dreams held the answer if she could only understand them, or remember. Something was waiting, just below the horizon, something waiting to make itself known. This was just a slight reprieve, a time out, a temporary remission.
It wasn’t over. Oh no, it was never over, not really. In fact, it was only just beginning…
Kate didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to spoil the moment; it was all they had after all, these all-too-brief moments of peace in a battle that stretched an eternity. Life was made up of moments like this. She snuggled further into Galen’s embrace, burying her cheek against his warm shoulder and relaxed a little more easily into his arms as they continued to watch the sunrise. Together.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 16th, 2007
12:23 AM
A secret Grove in Scotland.
A MidSummer's Nightmare Pt 2
“HOLY MASSACRE BATMAN!”
With dropped jaw, Loki moved forwards, inspecting the pile of grime and gore that lay at his feet. It was sick really, bodies mangled and torn to pieces. Any ordinary person would probably have gagged from the sight, maybe even passed out, but to Loki it was nothing he had never seen before – hell, he’d probably done some things that rivaled this in the past.
As he stepped over a decapitated corpse, the faery felt no remorse or sorrow from the loss of his Order, let alone shed a single tear. Oh sure, the Order did bestow on him great power and privilege, but that was years ago – back in the good old days. But times change, and so did his Order. Those who understood Loki’s worth and value had long ago passed away from old age, and the newer generation just didn’t seem to appreciate having him around. More often than not, the new heads of the Order would send him off on meaningless missions, a complete and utter waste of his talents.
“Pfft, good riddance is what I say. The whole bloody lot of you got what you deserved. In fact, I’m just sorry I didn’t think of doing this earlier – but if I didn’t, then who? For all his superhuman senses, he couldn’t pick up any other being in the near vicinity. “Ahhhwell… what does it matter?”
Picking up the lifeless body of one of the younger druids, Loki proceeded to use it as his waltz partner. “Ding Dong, you’re all gone, and now I’m a free man,” he sang joyously, dipping the corpse down low.
“No boy, you’re a dead man.”
Jumping slightly, Loki dropped his dance partner back into a pool of blood as he spun around to face the booming voice that addressed him. “Jesus, you gave me the hibby-jibbies for a second,” the half-fae commented, as the mystery man stepped out from the shadows.
Towering almost a foot over Loki, the behemoth’s massive frame practically blocked out the full moon’s silvery rays. Long, scraggy hair tumbled haphazardly in the man’s face, illuminated slightly by the soft purple glow of his wild eyes. “You are not pure, yet you reek of my kind’s immortal blood. Another of these pitiful human’s perverse creations? Yes, yes that is what you are,” he rambled, eying Loki from head to toe. “Like me, they trapped you in a revolting cage, doomed to share your existence with a mortal. Yet you are different. Unlike me, you did not extinguish the human’s soul and so you exist in duality; a vile continuation based on symbiosis.”
Loki’s perfectly plucked eyebrows rose in amusement. “Well I would have never guessed it was ‘The Architect’,” he laughed, as he started to circle the monstrous man. “I mean just between you and me, what’s the deal with your six million dollar words? Didn’t anyone tell you no one likes a show off?
Noticing the lack of expressional change in the stranger, Loki put on a mock frown. “Do you know how much energy it takes to be witty and clever? I mean, come on buddy, would it kill you to giggle a bit?
No response.
Disappointed, Loki shrugged his shoulders in defeat. “Well Mr. Grumpy pants, if that’s the way things are going to be…”
Faster than any human could move, Loki put his years of experience into use as he lunged forwards, driving his elbow in the direction of the man’s throat. However, the stranger outmatched the half-fae’s speed and before the blow landed, his massive, paw-like hand shot upwards, catching Loki by the upper arm.
“Be silent worm, your incessant chatter offends my ears.”
With a strength not of this world, the colossus’ grip became so tight that Loki’s arm gave an audible crack before falling limply to the side. Before he could even cry out in pain, Loki’s enemy backhanded him with such force that it sent his body flying backwards.
Stomping forwards, the beastly fighter roared with rage. “I’ll eradicate you and every other fae on the planet for what our kind did to me! None shall survive my wrath!”
Loki tried to make it back to his feet, but the enemy was just too fast and definitely too strong. Before he knew what was happening, Kronor had him hoisted up and wrapped in a devastating bear hug.
As he felt the life being squeezed from his body, the half-fae had no quick or witty quips to spew out; all he was focused on now was getting out of this alive. With the slight strength he had left, he brought his head crashing downwards straight into the titan’s nose. It didn’t do much damage, but it broke enough of Kronor’s concentration to allow Loki to bring his knees up and push off the man’s chest thereby propelling him out of the vice-like grip.
“Fight all you like maggot, for you stand no chance against my might!”
Realizing that the man was absolutely right, Loki grasped his broken arm to prevent it from swinging around, and darted off into the forest. He was not one to run from a fight, but if he stayed he was a dead man. And as much as he liked his pride, he loved his life a lot more.
“Running won’t save you! I’ll find you, just like I’ll find every other faery in this forsaken dimension!” Kronor bellowed as he stormed after the wounded prey. He followed in pursuit for several minutes before temporarily giving up; it was evident that the worm knew the woods too well to be followed – not tonight anyway.
Off miles away, Loki’s body sagged to the ground inches away from a gentle stream. A million questions rushed through his mind as he crawled his way forwards, allowing the gentle water to glide over him: Who was that man, why was he so strong, and why was he after faeries? If he meant to survive their next encounter he would have to find the answers – but that was for another day. As it was now, all he hoped to do was survive the night.
With a final burst of energy, Loki pulled his entire body into the water and allowed the gentle current to pull him downstream.
Eight minutes later, somewhere on the banks of the river Clyde –Scotland.
An unnatural mist glided over the waters before gently stopping on the shores of the river. With not so much as a gust of wind, the mist began to grow…take form. What started as a shapeless mass changed, altering into the silhouette of a tall, slender woman. The white hue of the mist also changed, first growing darker and then taking on a wide variety of colors. Finally it grew solid and the female outline took corporeal form.
Without a word, the naked woman of the mist turned towards the west and began to walk.
Introducing HHH as Kronor
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 8th, 9:41pm
Bob’s Bar
Kyle’s eyes were wild, his breathing coming in rapid bursts around his excited voice. His hands played out in front of him in erratic, darting motions that left his audience enraptured.
“So, there I am… fifty-seven thousand of them surrounding me. My allies had them distracted so that I could have this one chance, this one opportunity to destroy his top captain. If she died, then the army would collapse and flee. If I failed, then we would be slaughtered. The weight of the entire battle, the fate of the world hung on my shoulders.”
A mix of demons and humans were gathered about him at the bar, almost two dozen of them open-mouthed and hanging on to Kyle’s every word. Even Bob had given up all appearance of pretending to tend a bar to listen to Kyle’s tale.
“She was a massive woman, almost ten feet tall, and carrying a sword the size of me! She was fitted with this thick armour that could stop bullets, and enchanted to prevent any spells. Beneath her one of our strongest warriors lay half-dead, an ancient fae who once took down a god, and soon to follow was one of our best witches – a man so powerful he could rip a hole in the very fabric of the universe. I hefted my sword – remember, the magic one the ancient priest gave to me – and I shouted: ‘Let him go! I’m the one you want to fight.’ And she turned to me and smiled, kicking the witch away, and said to me: ‘I accept your terms. Prepare to die, Kaoshian. For I am the Vampire Slayer!’”
Several of the demons gasped. They had known the Slayer was in town, which leant some credibility to Kyle’s tale.
“And with that, we hurled ourselves at each other; blade to blade,” Kyle continued after a dramatic pause. “So powerful were our strikes that sparks flew from our swords when they struck. She dealt me a dozen grievous wounds, but I pushed them to one side and fought all the harder. I set alight to her face and took her arm off at the shoulder. But the Slayer is every bit as hard as she is said to be, and even one-handed and burnt to a crisp, she refused to die. Just look at me.”
It was true that Kyle was still a beaten mess. His arm was in a sling, there were bandages around his waist, his bottom lip and left eye were still swollen and he was covered in dozens of cuts and bruises. It was nothing short of a miracle he wasn’t in a hospital.
“Before long it was clear that I was the superior fighter, and nearly had her. But I was betrayed. A man I thought to be my ally stopped my sword and knocked me to the ground. Before I knew what was going on, the Slayer had me by the neck.”
Once more there were several gasps. Kyle let the tension build by taking a sip of his drink. This was the best part, the bit he always liked telling.
“What did you do?” one of the demons asked in awe.
Kyle smiled cruelly. “I snapped that bitch’s neck like a twig.”
His audience erupted into cheering, several patting him on the back and one or two buying him drinks.
When they had settled down a little, Kyle put his hand out to silence them so he could continue. “When the army saw their greatest warrior and leader was dead they panicked and fled. We killed thousands and thousands of them as they ran. Even their general was caught and his soul banished for ever.”
There were more cheers and an impromptu round of applause broke out. Kyle lit up a cigarette and gladly accepted the drinks he was offered.
“You mean to tell me a cocky little wimp like yourself took out a Slayer?” boomed a new voice behind him. Conversation died as Kyle swivelled round on his bar stool to take a look at the owner.
At nearly seven feet tall and rippling with purple muscles, the demon was an ugly, pug-faced and scarred barbarian. There was a golden ring through his nose, a wickedly curved knife in his belt, and two more just like him stood at his shoulder.
“I mean, look at you. You’d have difficulty taking out a Norsh.” The demon and his cohorts burst into laughter.
Kyle looked around at the other patrons, who were slowly backing away. Bob was already standing by the door out to the back of the bar.
The Kaoshian looked back to the demon. “You got a problem?”
Leaning down into his face, the demon burped. “Yeah, I got a problem. My brother was killed by a Slayer. It’d take more than you to take one out.”
Kyle breathed out a puff of smoke into the demon’s face. He smiled as he watched his audience back away even further. Several even began reaching for weapons. “If he was related to you, I’m not surprised.”
The demon let out a vicious growl, but before he could do anything Kyle reached into his pocket and brought out a little box. “Here’s proof if you want it,” he said, opening the box.
Kyle’s audience crowded back in to take a closer look inside the box. The inside was layered with purple fabric, and nestled amongst them were two eyeballs.
The demon grunted. “You could have got them from anywhere.”
“No.” Another voice cut in, this from the depths of the hood a cloaked demon wore. Kyle couldn’t make out his face, only two orange eyes within. “Even removed from the body and in death I can still feel the power of the Slayer lingering in them.”
“What do you know?” one of the demon’s cohorts shouted. “This squirt could be paying you to say that!”
“Hey!” Kyle cried, insulted. “If I had money, I’d find better ways to spend it.” He frowned. “Hey! I’m no cheat!”
“He speaks the truth,” the cloaked demon said. “Those eyes come from a Slayer.”
“You should listen to him,” nodded Bob, throwing in his two cents. “Jrace here’s a damned good mage from what I hear.” Several other demons nodded their own agreement.
The demon let out a long whistle and turned his eyes back towards Kyle who beamed smugly. In this town, Bob heard a lot and it paid to listen to what he said. “Wow, you did kill a Slayer!”
“Damn right I did,” Kyle responded, then dropped his voice. “We still have a problem?”
The demon’s face was a menacing blank for a minute, and once more patrons started backing away, but then he burst into a wide grin and took Kyle under his arm. “Hell, no! ‘Bout time somebody avenged old Brun. Here, let me buy you a drink. Name’s Zax.”
“Thanks, Zax,” Kyle said, smiling at the number of drinks that were fast appearing in front of him. This was going to be a good night…
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
Saturday, 9th June 2007 – 11:00am
1318 Poplar Avenue
Daye swiped her hand across her forehead, wiping away the sweat, and smiled at Drew. “Go on and I’ll call you when I’m ready,” she said. “You can come back and pick me up then.”
Drew nodded. “All right,” he said. “Take your time. I know this is important. And don’t worry, they’re your friends. They’re both going to say yes.”
Daye nodded then stepped away from the kerb so that Drew could pull the van away. She waved one last time and then turned back to Tash with a smile. She hoped that Drew was right. She wasn’t as sure as he was, wasn’t as confident. After the things that had happened recently, she and her friends were all still walking on eggshells around each other, although the victory over Delancre had brought them closer together.
*Averting an apocalypse has a way of bringing people close,* Daye thought wryly.
“So... Kate should be here any minute, now,” Daye said to Tash as she came to stand beside her at the foot of the steps. “Once she gets here, there’s something I need to talk to you both about, okay?”
Tash’s slowly returning senses picked up a degree of excitement – and apprehension. Whatever it was Daye had to tell them, she was obviously worried about her reception. She started to place a hand on Daye’s arm, but stopped when she noticed her hand was still bare. Touching objects was still safe, but yesterday she’d had one or two flashes of vision when touching people, and didn’t want to trigger anything right now. Instead she clasped her hands together in front of her and smiled reassuringly.
“It’s okay. I know you and she still have a few issues, but I’ve seen the two of you together over the past few days and things are definitely improving. It’ll be all right, I’m sure. Look, it’s a nice day; maybe we should just sit on the steps while we wait for her.”
Daye nodded. She sat down, watching the street for Kate’s approach. Tash did the same. The women sat together in companionable silence and Daye was very glad for the lack of tension between them at least.
“Daye..?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you think it’s really going to work? The White Hats, I mean. I know after Delancre we’re all feeling on a bit of a high and everyone sounded happy enough to start it all up again… but I can’t help wondering if we’re just setting ourselves up as targets.”
Tash let the sun play on her face for a while as Daye pondered her question. Before she could answer, Tash added, “And then, of course, there’s still some underlying tension between some of us…”
Daye sighed. “I don’t know, Tash, but I think we have to try. We can’t let what Delancre did beat us. I can’t anyway. Tension or not, I’m going to make things better. I need you... all of you. You’re not just my friends, you’re my family, and I’m not about to let Delancre or anyone else mess that up.”
Hearing the determination in Daye’s voice, Tash felt a warm glow suffuse her and a broad smile split her face. “Thanks, it’s good to know you feel like that. I feel so alone sometimes, it’s good to be reminded we have each other.”
Kate steered through the streets towards Poplar Avenue, her long fingers – scratched and scraped from the battle with Delancre and his minions only two days ago – tapping lightly on the wheel in time to a Everly Brothers song on the radio.
”When I feel blue… and in the night, when I need you… to hold me tight, whenever I want you all I have to do… I dream… dream, dream, dream…”
Frowning, Kate fiddled with the station dial, trying to keep one eye on the road as she did so. The last thing she wanted to listen to right now were melancholy love songs. As a lively pop tune filled the car, her lips curled into a smile. She felt strangely serene that morning; her head ached as though she had her own private pneumatic drill running in there and her limbs felt sore and heavy from the fight, but her spirits were high, buoyant even.
Spotting a parking space, Kate eased the car inside and turned off the engine. She even felt better about seeing Daye, though it would probably still be some time before things were back to normal, or as normal as they could be. Everything just felt… at peace.
Seeing her friends sitting on the stoop, Kate waved. “Tash… Daye… hi.”
“Hi, Kate,” Tash waved back. The faint hint of apprehension from Daye increased slightly, but it was nearly drowned out by her sense of resolve, and that undertone of anticipation. Tash was tempted to push for a moment, to stretch her reawakening talents, but she felt no desire to invade her friend’s privacy like that. She had the feeling that whatever it was, Daye would be talking about it soon enough.
“We were just enjoying a bit of the morning sunshine. But I guess we should go inside to talk, huh?” Tash rose from the step and turned to Daye, an eyebrow raised in enquiry.
Kate smiled again, though a little more awkwardly than before as her eyes met Daye’s. They had fought together the other night, they had put their lives in each other’s hands but Kate still felt annoyingly uneasy being in her company. She bitterly wished it would all go away, wished that she could look her friend in the face without feeling pain and resentment. Kate was enormously glad that Tash was there too; although they had their own issues they were nowhere near as personal as the ones she shared with Daye.
She shoved her hands into the pockets of her skinny jeans and shrugged slightly, wincing inwardly at the stiffness in her right shoulder. “You made it sound very important over the phone. I hope…” Kate held back a sigh, “I hope nothing is wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong... I just...” Daye paused and glanced up at Tash. “Maybe we should go in. It’d be easier to talk inside. Your apartment, Tash?”
“Sure.”
Tash led the way into the old brownstone; the dimness inside contrasting with the bright sunlight they’d just left. Still working out the kinks in her hips from the fight, Tash wondered at the wisdom of living on the third floor as the stairs seemed to go on endlessly. Finally, though, she was ushering her friends inside her apartment, hurrying to open the curtains in the living room to let some of the late morning light filter in.
She collected her gloves and slipped them on as she headed to the kitchen, calling out, “Make yourselves comfortable, I’ll get some drinks.”
Quickly brewing up some coffee for herself and a pot of tea for Kate, Tash grabbed some fresh orange juice out of the fridge for Daye and soon the three were settling in the living room with their various drinks. Both Kate and Tash looked expectantly at Daye.
Daye took the glass of orange juice and sipped from it slowly. She was trying to gather her thoughts and her courage. “Uhm... Drew asked me to... That is, well he and I, we decided... I’m getting married...” Daye stammered. “In three weeks. I was hoping, really hoping, that you two would agree to be a part of it...”
Kate’s teacup clattered a little in the saucer, her hold on the receptacle tightening so as not to drop it. That was really the last thing she had expected to hear, especially with everything that had happened lately. She had to wonder if Drew had really lost his mind or whether it had been Daye’s decision to push things along so quickly.
While Kate hesitated Tash leapt past her, squealing in rapturous delight as she enveloped Daye in a warm hug, squeezing her tightly in congratulations.
As Tash sat back down, Kate realised that she still hadn’t said a word. *Just what are they thinking?* she thought in amazement. *Marriage? Now?* Kate’s lips formed the beginnings of several words but fell short of actually saying anything.
“I um, that is- marriage?” she forced out eventually, placing her saucer down on the coffee table before she dropped it. The disbelief in her voice was painfully evident and she blushed as the other two women focused their attention on her. “I mean that’s, that’s really good news. Three weeks?” She glanced uneasily at Tash before turning back to Daye. “REALLY good news… I’m, I’m happy for you… BOTH, you and Drew, this is good, good news, it really is!”
Kate forced herself to her feet and hugged Daye in the same way that Tash had, wincing at how awkward it felt. “And you want us to be a part of that?” she said, pulling back and sitting back down. *Just shut up Kate, please shut up,* she told herself silently. “Wow what a… an honour, really. It’s an honour, right… Tash?”
Tash gave Kate an odd look. “Of course it is. Oh, Daye… that man really dotes on you, you know. I mean, it might seem like a short engagement to some, maybe,” she shot a warning glance at Kate, “but you’ve really been together quite some time, and living together. If this feels right for you, then I’m all for it.”
Tash positively beamed at Daye. Even though Kate and Daye were still trying to overcome their recent difficulties, and even though they all knew Daye and Drew still had issues of their own to work out, Tash couldn’t see any reason to undermine Daye’s announcement by being half-hearted about it. She remembered full well the night Victor had proposed to her, in the middle of the party at Bibliophile, and how she’d felt so embarrassed - but also so proud, and happy. Nothing should ruin that feeling for Daye.
At Tash’s glare, Kate’s cheeks reddened even more in shame and she forced her smile to widen, hoping that it didn’t look too false. Gods, why couldn’t she just be happy for them like Tash was? Drew and Daye deserved some happiness after all this, didn’t they? Kate felt terrible for raining on her friend’s parade but part of her just felt this was all so wrong and worst of all… she felt jealous.
Oh Gaia, she felt jealous and annoyed and resentful. Daye had almost ruined Kate’s marriage and now, only weeks after screwing every male in Los Angeles here she was announcing her upcoming nuptials as though none of that had happened. Kate had never felt so ashamed of herself in all her life.
“Yeah…” she agreed with Tash, trying her hardest to sound sincere. She really wanted to let go of all this hate and bitterness, more than anything she wanted to let it go. “The two of you deserve each other- deserve to be happy, I mean. You deserve to be happy.”
Daye blushed. She had expected a less positive response, from Kate at least. Despite Kate’s awkwardness, the fact that she’d said she was happy and that she was trying… Daye appreciated that. She felt so odd about the whole thing herself. She still wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do, but Drew wanted it so badly and she couldn’t stand to disappoint him any more. Drew wanted this and she loved him...she really did.
“Thank you, both of you,” Daye said. “I... it does seem fast to me, but Drew... No,” she shook her head, “we don’t want to wait for the next disaster to strike and mess everything up. So, three weeks...” Daye shrugged. “I know it’s not a lot of time, but we’re going to keep the ceremony small – just our closest friends and Drew’s family. We’ll have more people at the reception. A genuine blow out... maybe we all could use that, huh?” Daye grinned.
“Well, I for one think it sounds wonderful.” Tash slid next to Daye and hugged the woman again, a little gentler this time. Despite Kate’s unconvincing cover-up, Tash could feel some of the apprehension diminishing in Daye, only to resurface in the moment of quiet before she’d replied. Tash’s sensitivity was still too low to discern the cause of Daye’s worry, but she could have a pretty good guess.
“So long as it feels right for you,” she repeated.
Kate fell mercifully silent again, observing her two friends as they sat together on the couch. She rested her hands over her knees, taking up very little space in her chair and feeling very much like an outsider of her own making. Her eyes moved from Daye to Tash and back to Daye again, frowning a little at the mixed signals that the latter was giving out. Her words were encouraging but the feelings Kate was picking up on seemed less sure, verging on the uncertain.
Kate drew in a short breath, opening her mouth to say something about that and then… nothing. She clamped her jaw together and instead just smiled. “It sounds like… it’ll be fun. Just what everyone needs right now… something to… celebrate.”
Tash opened up an arm, gesturing with her head for Kate to join them. Kate might have some very justifiable reservations, but they still should share in this good news. And it was good news… wasn’t it? Tash pushed aside her own doubts and concentrated on feeling happy for her friend.
Kate moved over, smiling awkwardly, and settled on the couch, sandwiching Daye between her and Tash. Tash leant forward, enveloping all of them in a hug. “So, what colour dresses do we get to wear?”
Daye was pleased with their acceptance and for the first time in ages felt like she was actually a part of the group again. Having Tash and Kate share in her plans, that made them all the more real somehow, and it made her doubts seem all the more foolish.
She looked thoughtful for a moment before replying, tongue firmly in cheek, “Uhm, I was thinking fuschia… or lemon yellow… or, I don’t know, fluorescent orange?”
“Oh yeah, I can just see us in fluorescent orange, can’t you Kate? It’ll go so well with your red hair, too.”
Though she had to behave with more enthusiasm than she really felt, Tash found she needed to remind herself less and less often to be excited for Daye. Despite a hint of worry that still permeated the air, there was also the sense of camaraderie that comes of three women discussing wedding plans.
With all three of them still clustered together on the sofa, Tash found her broad grin growing easier to maintain. Despite Hyde’s depredations and despite Delancre’s manipulations, they were still friends, still able to plan for the future. A nice, normal, ordinary sort of future where two people who were in love could get married and settle down with their family.
“But seriously,” Tash continued, “if it’s only three weeks away we have a lot of planning to do. We need a dress for you, something for the two of us… and what about Drew? We’ll need outfits for him and his groomsmen… then there’s the catering, and finding a reception hall at this short notice… well, maybe the Foundation can help out there.” Tash winked. “You know, throw enough money at a problem and often it goes away.”
Daye laughed. Leave it to Tash. “Uhm, well... I’m thinking, especially since time is so short, and with... other considerations, we should try and keep it pretty small. The ceremony itself will just be our families. For Drew that means his parents, but for me... well, that’d be you guys, of course. I’ll invite a few other people to the reception, but I think Drew’s mother will be planning that part.”
Daye rolled her eyes. “I’m sure she’s better equipped than I am, high society matron and all, you know.”
“Wow…” said Kate with a slight laugh. She still felt quite uneasy about all this wedding talk but she couldn’t help but be caught up in Daye and Tash’s enthusiasm. As her friend’s attention turned to her she shrugged awkwardly and laughed again, a little easier this time.
“I was just thinking how much simpler it was to elope. Of course I had the whole big ceremonious affair the first time there were doves and a choir and… everything… but well I guess…” Kate stammered unsteadily, wishing she hadn’t brought up the subject of her first marriage. “Well, there’s something to be said for keeping things intimate.”
Daye noticed Kate’s brief pause. Her friend’s first marriage had been the proverbial poster child for divorce. Kate didn’t like to talk about what had happened to her back then, but Daye had a pretty good idea the kind of man she’s once married. Some marriages were mistakes from the get go. *Like your impending one?*
Daye shook off that ugly thought. “Well, hopefully intimate, anyway. I’m willing to concede on the reception, to keep Charis happy, but I really can’t see a big, old extravaganza of a ceremony.” Daye paused, looking thoughtful. “I was actually thinking this morning, that I’d like to get married at the memorial site. I’d like to think it would be a way to include all the friends who are no longer with us, and it’s such a beautiful, special place.”
Tash frowned at the renewed sense of disquiet from Daye, though if both she and Kate had worries about the suddenness of this wedding announcement, surely Daye also must be wondering if it was for the best.
But then Daye mentioned the memorial, and a faraway look came into Tash’s eyes. She and Victor had shared a mere eight days of wedded bliss – five of them on the blasted landscape of G’rnatha. A part of her still wished Alice hadn’t dragged her through the portal, but left her to remain with her husband. The only Earthly remnants of him were at that memorial site.
Tash ducked her head quickly, feeling the sting of unshed tears prickling her eyes. Not even a year had passed yet, since their marriage. But maybe, just maybe, with a new marriage taking place at the site it would let her take one more step towards healing.
“That’s an excellent idea,” she said thickly. “The memorial site would be perfect.”
With all the emotions that were suddenly flying around Kate could barely cope with her own. Tash seemed sad and repine while Daye… Kate couldn’t quite tell what was wrong with Daye. She seemed distracted somehow, as though she wasn’t as enthusiastic about her wedding preparations as she was pretending to be. Kate sighed inwardly, annoyed at herself for reading too much into things; surely Daye wouldn’t be so stupid to get married if she was less than completely committed to the idea. As for her own reservations on the subject, if she was going to be a part of this then… then she would just have to put them aside.
Kate nodded in agreement. “I think it would be very beautiful there.”
“Good, I’m glad you both agree,” Daye replied. “I would find another place if anyone was uncomfortable with it. I just feel it’s important to us all, and I think in a way the memorial beach is about more than loss, it’s about love. What better place could there be for a wedding, right?” Daye sighed. “Anyway, there is a lot to do. And not a lot of time. I’d like it if we could all go dress shopping together. That’s the first thing. We could make a day of it. If you want...”
“Shopping? Just give me time to get my credit card…”
Tash grinned at the sudden look of panic that crossed Daye’s face. “Just kidding. Well, kinda. When do you want to go? Tomorrow too soon?”
“Uhm, well, I need to settle things at the house and all,” Daye replied. “Give me a few days, okay?”
“That’s only two weeks before the wedding. Wow, I can hardly believe it’s so close already. Ok... so, what else would you like us to help arrange? Hmm, flowers. We need to find you a nice bouquet. And are you going to have bomboniere? And what sort of music?” Tash began ticking off on her fingers. “You’ll need a celebrant, and we’d better send out invitations as quickly as possible, and then there’s rings...”
Kate laughed at Tash’s insane organisational skills. She must be the only person who could actually make a wedding sound like a tactical manoeuvre. The more she heard about floral arrangements and place settings, the more Kate was convinced that eloping was a pretty damn good idea after all. Daye was looking increasingly worried as the list of arrangements surged from Tash’s mouth.
“Don’t worry,” said Kate gently, placing her hand supportively over her friend’s. “We’ll help you sort everything out. That’s our job right? As your bridesmaids?”
“Right,” Daye agreed, flashing a grateful smile at Kate. She glanced down at the watch on her wrist and sighed. “I should probably think about heading home now. I’ve a lot to do, and I don’t just mean wedding planning. I’ve got work piled up at the Bib, and I promised Alicia I’d stop in today or tomorrow out at the mansion. I’m sorry to cut and run, but I should get moving.”
Daye turned and hugged each woman in turn and then stood. “I’m just gonna borrow your phone, okay Tash? Drew’s gonna come pick me up, as soon as I give him a call.”
“Sure, it’s right over there. And Daye?” Tash gave the woman another quick hug before stepping back. “I’m very happy for you and Drew. You deserve to find some peace with each other. See, I told you that once you and he started talking about what had happened, then the healing could begin. Not,” she chuckled, “that I expected it to be so dramatic. I’m so thrilled. Go, call your man. I’m sure he’s anxious to hear what we said.”
Daye fought down her embarrassment at Tash’s words. The other woman wasn’t so off base in her assumption. The right thing, the best thing, for them to have done would have been to talk things out, but they hadn’t. Daye knew that most of her doubt and trepidation stemmed from that very fact. Still, she’d agreed to marry Drew and it was what he wanted more than anything. They would talk soon.
“Uh... yeah, thanks,” Daye replied, moving over to the phone. Drew was on his way a few minutes later, and she went back to sit with her friends. They talked of flowers and dresses and other wedding essentials and Daye ignored the unease she continued to feel.
Tash and Kate waved goodbye to Daye and Drew, after sharing yet more hugs and congratulations, and when Tash finally closed the door she turned and appraised Kate steadily.
“Well, that was a stunner. Did Daye seem a bit… uneasy to you? But maybe that’s just pre-wedding jitters.”
Kate shrugged uncomfortably. She didn’t really know how to deal with any of this herself. The last things she had expected upon receiving Daye’s phone call that morning had been to discuss wedding plans. It made her uneasy and not just because this whole thing brought up bad memories for her.
“I guess… we all get them, getting married is a big thing, a lifetime commitment…” Kate grimaced at her words, offering Tash an apologetic smile. “Well, you know what I mean.”
“Yeah,” Tash replied softly. “Yeah, I do.” Her eyes unfocused as she seemed to gaze through the wall to the direction Daye and Drew had gone. “But they’ve been together a while, and they’ve weathered bad storms before. I’m sure they’ll be okay.”
daye talks to nikolai
*** Sunday, June 10, 2007, 9 am ***
Daye stood in front of Nikolai's door reviewing what she planned to say to him. They had barely been acquaintances before she had contracted the Hyde virus, and after... She hated to think about the things she'd done to him after.
*You have to do this,* Daye told herself. *You can't move on until you face up to everyone you've hurt and tried to make amends.*
Daye had called ahead, so she knew that Nikolai was here and that he was willing to talk to her. She hadn't been able to tell from their brief phone conversation exactly how he was feeling, but she had to find out. Daye reached out and knocked on the door.
The table was covered in maps and books, trying to track down references. With his guide only a meager collection of books and things half-remembered, tracking down the lcoation of this place was becoming difficult. So far he had a few promising places, though he would need to look at the local legends and geography more. The more seclusion a place had, the more likely it was to be what he was looking for, though there was always the question of food. All in all trying to find this place was a frustrating experience. It was with some relief that he heard the knocking on the door and set aside his work for a moment, opening to find Daye outside.
Already with his abilities starting to recover at least some, he could feel a small tinge of regret. It was an experience not unlike someone trapped in darkness seeing a small crack of light before being brought outside. "Good day, Amanda," he said. "I hope you are doing well?"
Nikolai stepped aside and allowed Daye to enter the apartment and led her into the living room as he spoke. Daye smiled awkwardly in response to his question. "As well as can be expected, I suppose, Nikolai. And you? Are you recovering your abilities? How are you?"
Daye couldn't help but recall the things that Alicia had said to her the other day at dinner. Nikolai had been greatly affected by Hyde and on top of the guilt she felt for what she'd done to him personally, Daye still felt somewhat responsible for what Delancre had done to them all as well. No matter how many times one of them told her that she was wrong to feel that way, Daye couldn't seem to completely overcome her feelings of responsibility.
Just how was he? That was an interesting question indeed. Nikolai could find only one answer. "Looking for the way out of the woods," he said simply. "Is something bothering you? You look disturbed."
Daye looked down at her joined hands. She had things to say to this man, apologies to make, but as with every other person she’d so callously abused Daye found it hard to get started. She didn’t know just where to begin.
“I actually wanted to apologize to you, Nikolai,” Daye finally said. There was really no other way to say what needed to be said. “I know that I offered some half assed apology about my behavior before, but, as I’m sure you guessed, I didn’t mean a word I said back then. While I was infected, well… I just said or did whatever I thought would benefit me the most. I wasn’t sincere. I am now. I am sincerely, completely sorry for the way I treated you before. I couldn’t be more ashamed of my behavior.”
Nikolai's exuberance disappeared at the words. Truth be told, his behavior had left a lot to be desired as well, so he could hardly fault her for that. But then, there could be no good without the capacity for evil, so some guilt was certainly to be expected. "You are not the only one to feel that way, Amanda," he said. "We all have been exposed to the worst parts of us that we all choose to keep in check. Besides, we cannot change what has been - only where we go."
Daye sighed. She agreed with Nikolai's words. Wasn't that what she was struggling so horribly with now? Where did she go from here? She wanted so much to fit back into the life she'd led before Hyde, but no matter how hard she tried, it didn't seem to be working.
"That's just it," Daye said before she could stop herself. "How do we know where to go from here? I feel like... Sometimes, the guilt... Sometimes I just don't know what to do; what to say; even what to think. I know we all did things that we regret, but don't you ever feel like you were the worst, like no one could have been as evil as you were? That's how I feel every day now."
Daye shook her head in disgust. "I tried to rape you. That's the most abhorrent abuse of my power that I could possibly imagine. I tried to take away your free will. I did take away Drew's. I can't imagine how anyone could stand the sight of me now."
Nikolai stopped to consider her carefully. It was true that she had done abhorrent things, and the quest for power and desire for domination was certainly one of the darker instincts that could come up. It was the kind of thing that led to something like she had tried to do to him, and in the end, managed to barely avoid going through with.
"It is because in the end, you still regret what you did. It both was and was not you who did those things. So we hold out hope that the person you will be, will be the one before you were infected."
"But not the same person. I can't be the same person, can I?" Daye was asking Nikolai the questions she constantly asked herself, the questions she was afraid to ask anyone else. "I can't go back, not after what I know now. There's no going back, Nikolai."
"You can never step in the same river twice, as the philosophers have said." Nikolai walked into the kitchen area to get out two glasses, pouring them with water. No, there would be no drinking while having a deep conversation.
"You have changed, and nothing can happen without change, Amanda."
Daye accepted the glass of water from Nikolai and took a sip. "That's the thing, Nik," she said. "I have changed. I'm different, but there are... I need to be not different. There are people who depend on me, and for them, I need to be who I was.”
"You can try to reach that, but you cannot be exactly what you were. The key question, though, is that the person you want to be? If not you might as well give up now."
"I-I don't know," Daye answered honestly. "I don't want to be the person I was when I was infected. I don't want to be anything like that person, but I used to do just exactly what was expected of me. I tried to never break the rules, and I always tried to keep myself in constant control. My work, my play, my magic, they could all be consuming, but I've always been afraid to let loose. When I was infected I lost all that fear, and even though I did some terrible things, in a way it felt good to not constantly be wondering, constantly worrying about staying inside the lines. Now that I know how it feels to let go, a part of me balks at the idea of stepping back into the roles I've always played."
Nikolai nodded silently, motioning for Amanda to sit. Once she sat down in the chair, he looked for the right words to say. "Perhaps this virus is more of a learning experience for all of us," he said, as he considered what she said. In a way, it would be a shame for everyone to have gone through this kind of hell and have had nothing to show for it. "Maybe your lesson is that you've spent all of this time letting everyone else define you. So much so that all you could see was the role: the mother, the wife, the magician. But never once seeing the person that fills each of these roles."
"That's it exactly," Daye agreed. "I can see now the things I want just for myself, not for everyone else. I can't go right back to living for the expectations of other people, no matter how much I might love those people."
Daye paused, her expression growing dark. "There are things I need to explore, things I need to come to terms with. What happened to me: that's my pain and I carry that burden alone, which is only right, but I can't bear it and the added burden of pretending that none of it happened."
"Then don't," he stated quite simply, though not as sympathetically as he felt. He could see in her a kindred spirit, lost as he was, needing to find her place in the world now that the old place was shattered.
It was too bad for times like this that regular humans did not have a ritual Finding, or that he could not give her his guide. Though for a day, at least, he could try to fill that role as best he could. "I can't tell you how to live, of course, just that you have to decide these things for yourself. But there is one thing you know: you can't be defined solely by other people. You must define yourself."
Nikolai's words resonated with her, but Daye knew something that he didn't. She couldn't afford to be selfish. She couldn't allow herself to take even one step down that road, because that road led back the way she'd just come. It was too inviting by half, the idea of just letting loose and doing things that felt good, things that were for her and her alone. Daye would never allow herself to behave that way again. It was too hard to walk away. As guilty as she felt over the things she'd done, some part of her longed to be free again, free from the restrictions and expectations of others. That was why she had to be so very careful now.
"Of course, you're right," she told Nikolai. "I have to figure out who I am and where I'm going. I have to do that. I can't expect anyone else to."
"Then there's not much more I can do for you - except, of course, to wish you luck. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?" He could sense her curiosity; it had grown ever since she came in and first saw everything scattered about the table.
Daye glanced around the room. She had no idea what Nikolai was up to, and she really wanted to know but didn't really feel it was her place to ask. "Not that it's my business, but what about you? What are you going to do, Nik? I imagine you've got other plans than just playing counselor to your distraught friends."
"As I said: I must find my way out of the woods, although," he added with a smile, glancing at his most recent lead, "it may be more literally into the jungle at least to start."
"Uhm, you-you're going somewhere, then?" she asked, more confused. "Where exactly?"
Taking a long drink, he sighed before putting his glass down. He had to tell everyone else about his plans eventually, didn't he? Rather than just merely disappearing.
"Only until I find myself," he said at last. "Once that task is accomplished, I plan on returning. After everything I've been through... what else is there to do?"
"You mean you're literally going to 'find yourself'?" Daye asked. "As in on an actual, physical journey of self discovery as opposed to a spiritual one?"
"It can't be both?" he asked with a look of seriousness on his face.
Daye laughed softly. "No, I don't suppose there's any reason why it can't. I just don't think most people go on an actual journey, that's all."
"Most people don't share their mind with a centuries old spiritual demon," he replied, before becoming concerned again. There was someone he probably should tell, but couldn't bear facing. Not until the end, anyway. "Would you happen to know how Alicia is doing, by any chance?"
Daye's eyes widened at the sudden change of subject. She had worried before coming about what she would say if the other woman came up.
"Well, I saw her last week," Daye replied. "She... That is, we... What exactly do you want to know, Nik?"
"Just what the question sounds like: how she is doing," he replied flatly before thinking that he was a little harsh. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that our last meeting, we did not part on the best of terms."
Daye grimaced. "So I gathered," she said. "Nik, she's very hurt. And she's angry. When we talked, I apologized to her for my part in what happened between you, and... she told me what you did. I understand, but she doesn't."
Daye paused. "The Council. They're going to name her Director of West Coast Affairs, or something like that. She'll be staying on - at the mansion. She and I... She's my friend, and I'm going to salvage that friendship. Not just because I like her, but also because the Watchers are still good people to have on your side, no matter what's happened. I may not be going back to the Council, but I don't want to sever all ties with them either."
Nikolai stood and walked towards the back of the room, avoiding Daye. He knew that he'd tried his best not to hurt her, but the reality still hit home hard. That there were worse ways he could have tried to end it was of little comfort.
Then there was the Council - now that would be in the way of any relationship! He found himself taking any claim that the Council was going to reform rather skeptically. Somehow he doubted that you could teach that particular dog new tricks.
"I never intended to hurt her so much, but if I don't even know who I am and so be loyal to myself, how can I show loyalty to anyone else? Especially to those close to me?"
Daye rose from her seat and walked over to where Nikolai stood, so obviously distraught. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as she spoke. "Honestly, Nik, I do understand. I just know that Alicia doesn't. She feels used, and stupid, and hurt. It's not just about you sleeping with some other woman either, you know. She's perhaps more angry that you decided to break things off - for her 'own good'. Alicia is a strong, independent woman. I think it rubbed her very much the wrong way for you to be making unilateral decisions about your relationship. I can't tell you if you did the right thing there, but I can tell you that to her it felt like just an excuse, and a not very good one at that."
Nikolai turned back towards Daye. He could remember very well all of the things that he had thought. "Working to oppose the First Elder of the Council, connected to the mob, and she wasn't in danger? Just by associating with me? I realize that you like think that things like magic make you immortal, but the truth of the matter is that nothing does. On top of that, I had returned to my old ways, and saw no end in sight. I did what I thought was right and I do hope to set it right - one day, when I'm able."
Daye sighed audibly. Nikolai, like most men, had very little idea how women thought. "Nik, the fact is, no woman wants to hear the phrase 'for your own good'." It tends to put our back up. Even when we're little girls, it chafes when someone makes decisions for us. I think, maybe, men don't feel it quite as keenly, but for a woman there are all sorts of connotations. Not the least of those being that you all don't think we're as capable or as competent as you are.
"Try, just for a minute, to see it the way Alicia does," Daye said. "You thought your life was too dangerous for her to be a part of it. You told her that after confessing that you'd slept with some other woman that you couldn't be together and that it was for her own good. Honestly, Nik, how did you expect her to feel?"
"I don't know," Nikolai confessed, softening some. Just how did he expect her to feel? Even more importantly, how could he face her again?
Though he could see where she was coming from, he still couldn't shake the conviction that he'd acted rightly. He really didn't deserve to be with Alicia, at least not until he could be loyal - and that would require him to know himself first.
"That is one of many things that I need to work out, actually... what I have to do about all of this that has happened between us."
Daye nodded. "I think, maybe the time that you're away... Well, maybe things will be better there when you get back too. Alicia will have time to get past her anger and really deal with what she feels."
Daye shrugged. "It's probably a good thing, what you're planning to do, on many levels. If it means anything, though Nik, I hope you can still work it out. Alicia was so upset, so angry when I talked to her, that I'm sort of afraid she's going to retreat behind that cold, distant facade she's worn for all these years. I'd hate to see that happen. So I'm rooting for you at least."
"It would be nice to be able to end it on a more amicable level," Nikolai replied, walking back over to the table. "Though to be honest, her involvement with the Council may very well be a sticking point for us. The fact that they could even fathom giving a man like Delancre so much unchecked power makes me question the wisdom of associating with that organization."
Daye could sort of see Nikolai's point, but on the other hand... "People make mistakes, Nikolai," Daye reasoned. "Sometimes big ones. Delancre was very convincing when he wanted to be, believe me. I know from personal experience how adept he was at making you see only what he wanted you to see. It's not the first time an organization like the Council has been mislead, and I doubt that it will be the last. Part of the problem is that there's always been such a strict adherence to traditional values. Now, though, most of the old guard has stepped down. I predict a very different Council will arise from the ashes of this one."
"Hopefully. Then again, perhaps the Council's time has passed," he suggested. Still, she did have a point that you could still mislead organizations en masse like that.
"Still, the Watchers will have a hard time earning the trust of anyone in the demon community - especially after this. None of them - us - are going to be inclined to trust many people affiliated with the Council even indirectly, are we?"
"I don't suppose so," Daye agreed reluctantly. "The Council... well, I'm no longer a part of that organization, but I still hope they can make things work. It's important for groups like the Watchers to exist. But still, it will be hard. Like us individually, they have to work to rebuild the relationships that have been destroyed by Delancre's machinations. The Watchers are going to have to find their way as well."
daye and drew try to have a nice night out
*** Monday, June 11, 2007, 7:07 pm ***
Daye sat across from Drew at an intimate table for two in one of their favorite restaurants. Before the virus, they had come here once a week. It had been their habit to take a few hours away from all the other distractions in their lives just to reconnect with one another. Daye had always valued their time together before, but now she couldn’t help but feel that somehow even this had changed.
Drew held her hand loosely in his as he told her about the trip his parents had taken to the Caribbean. He was relaxed and smiling. She felt tense. She tried to relax, to enjoy being with him, but she just couldn’t. Daye wanted to put the past few months behind her now that it was all over, but she couldn’t seem to do it.
The White Hats and their many allies had defeated Delancre and his army a few days ago, but the cost to them had been pretty high. More than a few of the bodies littering the ground at Runyon Canyon had belonged to people that had come to offer them support in their fight. Daye had cried herself to sleep that first night, for those she’d never known, and most of all, for the one casualty she’d truly been close to.
Daye had held Ryan in her arms while he slipped away, torn apart by the violence of Delancre’s magic. She could still see his face, ravaged by pain but somehow finally at peace. They had buried him in the clearing beneath the tree, near all the others that they had lost. Afterwards, Drew had taken her home. He’d been gentle and kind, giving her the space and time he thought she must need to work through her grief.
The problem Daye was having, though, was that she just couldn’t seem to work it out in her head. Delancre’s evil, Ryan’s death, her own terrible behavior, these things plagued her mind. She felt so alone most of the time. She just wanted to talk to someone, to be able to tell someone what was going on inside her head. Just being able to talk about it would have made her feel so much better. Unfortunately, there was no one she could talk about it with. Drew didn’t want to discuss anything that had happened over the past few months. He tried to be understanding, but he couldn’t bring himself to face up to exactly what had happened. He just kept telling her that things would get back to normal.
*But I don’t feel normal,* Daye thought to herself. *I feel out of sorts. I keep thinking about what happened to me in that cell beneath the Council House. I can’t focus on anything the way I should. I just wish someone else knew the whole story, that someone else understood.*
“Baby?” Drew’s voice penetrated her thoughts. He was frowning at her, concerned.
“Uhm, sorry,” Daye blushed. She had been doing that far too much lately, letting her mind wander when she was supposed to be listening. Particularly with Drew.
“It’s okay,” Drew replied, reaching across to gently caress her face. “I know you’ve had a lot on your mind lately. I was just asking if you thought maybe we should go back to Tahiti for our honeymoon?”
*Honeymoon?* Daye paused. She hadn’t really thought about that. She hadn’t actually thought about the wedding at all, let alone what came next. But she wasn’t surprised that Drew had been thinking about it. He mentioned the wedding all the time. He wasn’t trying to put pressure on her, Daye was sure about that, but she thought that maybe he was convinced that everything would just miraculously go back to the way it had been once they’d exchanged vows. She wasn’t so sure about that.
“I guess I hadn’t really thought about it,” Daye admitted to Drew. “I didn’t know if we were actually going to take a honeymoon.”
“Not take a honeymoon?” Drew seemed very surprised by her words. “Baby, of course we’re taking a honeymoon. I mean, I know it was my idea to move into the guest room until after the wedding, but believe me, that’s not because I don’t want to sleep with you. You’ve just been so skittish about me touching you lately, and I thought you’d be able to relax more if I didn’t put any pressure on you to sleep with me. I figured you understood that.”
Daye nodded. She had known why Drew didn’t want to sleep with her, although his reluctance stung a bit to be honest. She had agreed to go along with this period of celibacy, though, because at times being with Drew was so tiring that she welcomed a chance to relax her guard. At least when she closed her bedroom door at night, she could stop pretending that everything was all right. Although it was a terrible thing to cry oneself to sleep alone in the dark.
“Tahiti sounds nice,” Daye said. In truth, it didn’t matter to her one way or the other. She and Drew had once spent a wonderful week on the island. Maybe some of that magic they’d once found there would be recovered if they went back.
“Good, good.” Drew lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently. He released his hold on her, though, as their food arrived. They both began to eat quietly.
“So,” Drew said after the silence had gone on just a tad too long, “how are the wedding plans coming along?”
“Fine,” Daye replied, not able to muster the enthusiasm to go into detail.
“Oh… okay,” Drew said. “And work? How’s the shop? Is it terrible without Alicia?”
Daye nodded, sipping her water. “It’s very busy,” she said. “I imagine I’ll have to spend a lot of time there if I’m going to be ready to take our honeymoon off.”
Drew sighed. “I expected that,” he said. “Just don’t push yourself too hard.”
Daye shook her head. She didn’t want to tell him that she was actually looking forward to the times she would be at The Bibliophile for hours. Going there was another welcome respite from the struggle to maintain pretences at home.
Drew moved on to other topics as they finished their meal. Daye tried to listen and comment appropriately, but by the end of the evening she was feeling no better than she had been before. They left the restaurant and drove home in near silence. When she left Drew at the door to her bedroom, she didn’t see the fear in his eyes or the worried frown creasing his brow.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 8th
Dawn
The Big House
Alessa closed the door softly behind her, and she heard the sound of Ellis' car leaving her property. She took a glance around the deserted and darkened hall. She hadn't been in the Big House for too long, her house. The time at the mansion had taught her she felt it as home after all. With a tired sigh, Alessa walked slowly into the big house, silently taking off the ragged and bloody clothes she had worn to the battle, carelessly leaving them spread over the polished wood of the floor.
She winced as she disrobed. Small intakes of breath sounded when a movement stretched her overly abused muscles in the wrong way, or when the fabric had stuck to the several wounds and scratches she wore. By the time she got to the big mirror in the living room she was completely naked, except from Chance's crossbow that still hung to her back. She hadn't discarded it, even when she had run out of bolts soon after the battle started.
Alessa cocked her head and studied herself in the full size mirror, the growing light of day allowing her to see. She didn’t look much different, for all that had happened in the last couple of days. Oh yes, she was dirty; soot, dust and different shades of blood were clearly noticeable all over her, but fortunately most of the blood was not hers. The wounds she had suffered were already in the process of healing, although some of them would leave marks that would take longer to erase. She absently rubbed her leg, where the scar tissue was already fading thanks to the Morla blood's restorative powers. If she hadn't come across that demon she would be telling another story now, or none at all.
She grimaced then, and her moving hands grew frantic. Her palms tried to clean the goo and stains from her body, scrapping and rubbing, until she cried out at the sharp pain of a cut in her arm breaking open. Detachedly, she looked at the blood oozing from the wound, her blood this time. Delancre had cut her there, she absently remembered, before she killed him herself - one among so many. She had killed so many tonight, and so many of hers had been killed. Ellis' DP had been severely cut down; only a couple of dozen had survived from the almost sixty he had gathered, and some of them would not live to see tomorrow's dawn. The Ghosts had sustained considerable loss too, as did the Watchers and the witches Kate had brought from Sindell…
A broken sob echoed in the deserted room, and Alessa watched detachedly how a clean, transparent teardrop mingled with her blood on her arm, somewhat cleansing it. Suddenly the rubbing stopped. She needed to get clean, wash up all the gore and dirtiness off her body. She moved towards the French doors with the same frenzied quality of her movements of just before and she fumbled with the lock, finally breaking it open. She ran out of the house then, and down the stairs onto the sand of the beach and she kept running to the welcoming ocean.
Alessa plunged the surf, greeting the sharp burning on her wounds and the numbing cold of the water. She started rubbing her body again, but this time the blood and dirt and sweat disappeared in the salty substance; leaving her body clean, at least on the surface. She still could see Delancre's blood on her hands, feel his touch in her limbs and his kisses on her skin, sense his obsession in her heart; she doubted she would ever stop remembering those. She had atoned a little for her own deception last night, finally facing him in a non-deceitful, fair fight. And she had beaten him, it was over. Somehow she felt at peace with herself. Her mouth curved in a small smile as she threw her head backwards to soak it in the water and massaged her hair to ease and disentangle the dirty knots.
Clean, Alessa dived again, relishing on the freedom she felt. She turned underwater and emerged face up to float on the surging surf. The sun was shining strongly now, even if it was still early. She had spent more time at the water than she had believed, but she wasn’t ready to come back yet. She closed her eyes and let the gentle waves cradle her. The water felt warm now, and the salt was an easy taste in her mouth.
Soon everything was tinted red, and she almost fell asleep on her back, but surprisingly she didn’t choke on the water. Eventually she realized that water was now surging through newly opened gills under her ears, bringing her all the oxygen she needed to function. She spurted, and sank in her surprise. She had never been able to achieve that level of shifting in the past, not even in her Hyde-infected days. It had always been a surface thing, imitating the creatures' outer aspect, never their inner constitution.
*You are Verbati now,* she remembered her grandfather's parting words and grinned under the water. She wasn’t purely Verbati, nothing would make her relinquish her human blood, but unlike her friends, her cleansing had implied connecting with her demon side, accepting herself as she had never before. Hyde had opened a window, letting her peek at her abilities and possibilities; but the Primal ritual had opened the door and walked her inside. Ironically, she also felt more human.
Elated, she altered her hands and feet so she could move easily under water, and a translucent film screened her eyes for protection and visibility. Then she started to swim away from home.
She emerged from the water some time later, and she looked up and down the lengthy expanse of Malibu beach for early risers, but it was still too early, even if the sun was warm and strong. The beach was deserted. Purposely, she walked towards the spot where the memorial tree had been planted so many months ago. The sapling was still strong and erect, it had grown beautifully.
The acrid smell of smoke reached her nostrils and she saw the still warm remains of what looked like a funeral pyre. She felt tears spring to her eyes again. Somebody had already been there, saying goodbye to a loved one too. She felt an eerie link to that other mourning friend.
Without another look to the still-smoking spot, she walked to the tree and knelt beside it, then she finally took off the crossbow that still dangled at her back. Leaning forward she started making a hole in the sandy ground. When she felt it was deep enough, she placed the weapon in it and caressed the polished wood before starting to cover it again. The tears were running freely now, making small darkened dots on the dry sand.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to come say goodbye to you; I had some detours on my way here."
She chuckled between her sobs. "Consider yourself fortunate you weren’t around too, Chance," she added without much humour; the possibility of a Hyde infected Chance wasn’t something she would like to think about. But then, if he had been around, maybe things would have come out differently. "But maybe it's better this way," she went on, "so you didn’t have to see me these last months. I'd have hurt you too.
"I would have liked a little visit, though, you know? You visited Cole, couldn’t you have made a little detour yourself?" She wiped her eyes, and chuckled again. "You were always an infuriating man, Chance."
Alessa lovingly smoothed the sand over the slight mound. "But I loved you, I still do. I will always love you." She touched her lips with the tips of her fingers and placed them over the crossbow's - Chance's - tomb.
"Adiós, mi amor."
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
***** Sukravãra, Jyaistha ٩,٢٥٥٤ – Jahanat *****
[Saturday, June 9th, 2007 – “Heaven”]
“Why are you doing this?” three voices said in unison, the cadences overlapping each other to become one. Though the question seemed hopeless, the voice that spoke it was anything but. Instead it was a mingling of anger and love and the breathless fervency of bravery.
“Because I must. Because you have kept her from her destiny for far too long, and that is not something I can allow to persist!” The answer. It was not the one they wanted to hear though deep down there had always been the perception of that inevitable answer.
“She still has one more lifetime… Just one in which to find happiness. Will you not allow her even that?” pled the Maiden, she of the eternal hope.
“NO!” Shiva, Creator of Life and its Destroyer.
Then the sweet scent of lotus blossoms. “That would be pointless - we all know it. You do wrong to violate the Celestial Laws,” Brahma the Sage voiced without inflection. His was only to say the truth, and this he did, for good or ill.
“How can it be wrong? She is our daughter, it is our duty to fight for her!” the Warrior Kali said, her eyes darkening to blood-red fire.
“We knew what her fate would be when we made her,” the Crone replied with her own weary wisdom.
“Enough,” uttered the Three. Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu the Preserver of Life. It was the King who spoke and his was the voice of the law. “Despite doubt and hurt and bitterness and the best of intentions, now is the time when duty, not love must govern her heart.” Not unkindly, he turned to the Triple-Goddess, “Go now, Lady and fetch your daughter. I go to make my arrangements, I prithee do the same.”
For an endless moment it seemed as if She might dispute. But perhaps Wisdom accepted and Valour understood, could Vengeance then do any less? “As you wish, my Lord,” the Goddess bowed her head in obeisance.
“See that you do not tarry in this task, for I fear more danger shall come of such a delay.” There was grief in his voice, unexpected yet certain and this at least She knew well enough to soothe.
“All will be well, my King, my Husband, my Love.” With gentle hands and soft lips she soothed his shining brow. Embracing, they gave and took comfort each from the other, drawing on a love that was rooted firmly in Heaven and the depths of the Earth.
* * *
“It will not be an easy task,” Kali announced ominously, once she reached her abode. Neither Maiden nor Crone refuted her.
“She is Our daughter and thus she will do as we say,” Durga said with false assurance, for who knows a daughter’s faults as well as her mother? Kali snorted derisively, “She is Our daughter and thus she will not come easily.”
“She is what we made her: woman and warrior, lover and keeper. We cannot fault her now for having our will or strength or our stubbornness.” said Parvati softly, ever the mediator. They knew the truth of this though it did not make their chore any easier.
“Perhaps there is another way,” Durga said slowly, looking away as if calculating the stars and galaxies as they spun on their axes. But the three shared one mind and before the Old one could speak again, Kali’s derisive voice rang out, “Have we so weakened that we must rely on mere mortals to fulfill our tasks?”
“It is not weakness to admit that aid is needed,” Parvati said with expediency, refusing to be drawn into a fight.
“Parvati is right. And I know of one who will help us,” Durga said with ringing irrevocability. Thwarted, Kali grudgingly assented to the proposal though she could not resist a last attempt to sway their course.
“This goes against my very nature of being a Mother…” she said softly.
“And Ours,” was the unanimous reply.
A silver bead of moisture trailed down the Goddess’ cheek and it came equally from all three. That day the Great-Mother wept and no one would ever know if it was for Herself or for Her daughter - finally returning home.
~
Alessa Calls Round at Kate's
Saturday, 9th June 2007 - 5:11pm
Kate's Home
Alessa was feeling unusually content when she climbed the steps to Kate's house. She hadn't talked to her since the attack, and then she had only exchanged some pleasantries with the witch before leaving with Tash to the Council's mansion. They hadn't had time for more, but Alessa felt that she owed the witch more than some hurried words, she had been a key part of her survival; and now that she could think more clearly, she could also appreciate Kate's counsel and support in their true measure. She just hoped the witch didn’t think too badly of her for not following her advice.
Taking a deep breath and trying not to think of that possibility, Alessa knocked on the door of the beautiful house and waited for Kate or Galen to open it.
Kate smiled as she watched her husband cooking up a storm in the kitchen. He noisily chopped up vegetables while dividing his attention between a sizzling frying pan and another that simmered away with some rich, creamy concoction of mushrooms and aubergine.
“You can help if you like,” said Galen as he paused for breath, taking a long gulp of his glass of wine and wiping his brow with the back of his shirtsleeve.
“Oh, I quite like the view from over here,” Kate smiled as she leaned against the counter nursing her own glass of Chardonnay. “Besides, we both know what a tragic failure I am in the kitchen, and one apocalypse this month is quite enough for me.”
Suddenly there was a collective uproar of noise from the living room, and Kate’s head turned in that direction, her attention waylaid by the voices of her friends who were still staying in her house before they returned back to the coven. It was a time for celebration, as strange as that seemed. Yesterday they had held a small requiem for their fallen comrades, wishing them a safe journey across the Great Divide, but today it was a time to celebrate the cycle of life and renewal of the spirit. Right now that involved copious amounts of drinking and loud singing. Kate wasn’t sure if she’d prefer it if they couldn’t be just a tad more maudlin.
Kate welcomed the sound of the knock at the door, placing her glass on the counter as she went to answer the call. She beamed as she saw her friend on the other side, her smiling face littered with sparse cuts and bruises, though nothing near as bad as her own.
“Alessa,” she said happily, embracing the other woman as she stepped inside, “I’m so glad to see you.” A slight frown of concern crossed Kate’s face as she observed her friend closely. “How are you?”
Alessa felt her own face respond to the witch's friendly welcome, and all her concerns faded as she let herself be led inside. The sound of conversation and laughter welcomed her and her smile grew wider.
"I'm all right, Kate. Thank you." She noticed the pointed glare towards her face and she brushed the other's concerns with a gesture. "This is nothing, they'll be gone tomorrow. I wanted to talk to you, but maybe it's not a good time. I can come back later," she apologised with another smile.
“Oh,” said Kate, suddenly noticing the direction of Alessa’s apology. “Oh no, don’t be silly,” she said, leading her friend past the living room as a dull BANG, followed by several awed gasps and rapturous applause sounded behind the closed doors.
“Wiccan celebrations tend to last a while, especially when there aren’t any Elders to come break things up.” At Alessa’s puzzled expression, Kate explained. “A requiem, for those who we lost. I know it can seem a tad… inappropriate, but Gaia teaches us that there’s no real death only a transition as we return to the earth and are reborn. It’s comforting, to know our loved ones never really leave us, that a part of them will live on forever.”
Alessa nodded, thinking about her own requiem to Chance. Different as it had been, the feeling was the same. "It must be good, to be remembered like this," Alessa said softly, but quickly brushed the gloomy thoughts from her mind. Chance wouldn’t be forgotten either.
She smiled brightly again, and took Kate's hand in hers, squeezing hard. "I won't take you much of your time, anyway. I wanted to thank you, I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for you."
Her smile faltered for a second and she went on, "Although I know you weren’t happy with my decisions, you helped me through anyway. I wish I'd listened to you, but… well it's a little late for wishing now."
“I guess so,” said Kate as she led Alessa through the noisy house and out onto the back porch. The sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows across the sunlit garden. She sat down on one of the wrought iron garden chairs, gesturing for Alessa to join her.
“I’m just glad you’re safe, that’s all. After we rescued Daye… it felt so wrong, leaving you there with that man.”
"Yes, I know what you mean, I still can't believe what happened to Daye. I was there the whole time and I did nothing to help her - I'll never forgive myself for that." She grimaced, the image of Daye in that cell clear in her mind. "But it was as well that you didn’t try to take me then, I wouldn’t have gone with you. I was too bent on revenge still."
She took a deep breath then. She didn’t like to think of her time with Delancre, and she didn’t want to talk about it, but suddenly she found herself talking to Kate. "It wasn’t so difficult, you know? As long as I had your charm with me, he couldn’t read me, and it wasn’t so difficult to fake interest, some of it wasn’t feigned too." She blushed at the passion he had stirred in her. "Hyde did it for me."
She grimaced again, remembering her parting words to the First Elder, and she bowed her head, blushing. "I'm so ashamed of all that, Kate. I did the same thing I despised him for doing, I made him love me and then snubbed him, I laughed at him, ridiculed him before I left."
Kate placed her hand over the other woman’s, giving it a supportive squeeze. “You did what you had to in order to survive. Alessa. He did terrible things to you, he kidnapped you, he deceived you, he gave you a virus that took control of your emotions, made you into something that you’re not and Gaia only knows exactly what he did to you on Isla Nublada. If you treated him in the same way that he treated you then it was no more than what he deserved.”
Kate chewed her lip thoughtfully, sighing restlessly. “Sometimes in life you can’t afford to be the victim, you have to take control of your destiny; and that’s what you did. You know I believe in karma? If Delancre hadn’t done what he did to you in the first place then none of this would have happened.” Kate fixed Alessa with a poignant stare, “Delancre’s punishment was of his own making and he got what he deserved. No matter what passed between you, you must believe that.”
Alessa averted her eyes from Kate's intense stare. "You don’t understand, Kate. I know he deserved it. He deserves what'll happen too," she added thinking of the Necromancer's vow. "I don’t have tender feelings for that monster… I killed him, por Dios!" She turned to face the woman again. "It's me I'm worried about. All this; it put me to his level, made me as bad as he was."
Kate frowned a little at Alessa’s words, “How can you say that? You care about the things you’ve done, do you think he did? Do you think he cared about what he did to you? To ALL of us? Of the hurt and the pain he caused, of the lives he took, of those poor demons that he brainwashed into submission? Do you think he cared? I mean you probably knew him better than any of us, did it keep him awake at night? Did he cry himself to sleep with guilt? You knew Delancre, how you can believe that you are anything like that monster is beyond me.”
Kate shook her head firmly, “You’re nothing like him. Not even close.”
"Oh, Kate!" Alessa sighed in relief and embraced the woman warmly. "Trust you to put things into perspective. You are right, it doesn’t make it easier, but you are right." She chuckled, and moved away a little to look at her. "I'm sorry, you must be tired of listening to confessions by now, being the only one of us who didn’t get infected."
Kate smiled weakly, shrugging a little. “Well I’m not sure I was the only one, but the amount of times I’ve cried on people’s shoulders?” she laughed a little, “I guess it must be my penance. Though I have to say, I don’t really mind it all that much. I’m just glad to get my friends back.”
"And I'm glad to have friends to come back to," Alessa answered, beaming at Kate. "It makes a difference, you know? I was alone for a long time, it feels just right." Her smile lost some of its exuberance, as she went on. "And everybody has been so kind, so understanding that bursting to tears is getting to be a constant too. Even those I hurt, or neglected, like Daye or Ellis…"
A slight uncomfortable grimace flickered across Kate’s face at mention of Daye. She still felt disconcerted by her frank announcement earlier that morning not to mention all the extra baggage she was carrying around with her. Those feelings were so dark and oppressive and weighed so heavily on Kate that she felt like they would crush her if she didn’t release them soon. She half considered passing on Daye’s ‘happy news’ but then thought better of it. She’d only just heard the news herself and besides, this was Amanda’s wedding. She should be the one to tell her friends about it.
On the matter of Ellis though, Kate couldn’t help but smile. She remembered well their conversation not that long ago. His concern and devotion towards Alessa had gilded his every word and thought. Watching her friend now, Kate wondered if she had any idea just how highly Ellis Longwood thought of her.
“True friends learn to forgive,” Kate said eventually, feeling the sting of her own words. She was trying to forgive Daye for the pain she’d caused her but it was difficult, much harder than she had expected. “And Ellis… I met him before we went to battle, he was very concerned for your wellbeing. It doesn’t surprise me that he’d be more than willing to show understanding.”
"Oh, he did? I didn’t know," Alessa said softly, a little embarrassed. "Ellis has been wonderful." She noticed the witch's impish stare and she blushed furiously, remembering that Kate could sense her well.
"We were together for a while, before knowing about Hyde," she hurried to say. She felt the need to explain herself, even if she knew Kate wouldn’t judge her. "I don’t know what will happen now, I'm not sure about much lately."
“Something tells me that Ellis would very much like there to be… something,” said Kate with a wry smile. “I guess you just have to figure out if that’s what you want too.” Alessa looked thoughtful and serious and so Kate shrugged, casting the woman a sly grin. “He is pretty handsome even in my humble opinion. I think it’s the eyes.” She added reflectively, “I’ve always gone all gooey inside for a man with nice eyes…”
Alessa felt her mouth start to curve and had to press her lips together not to smile, "The most piercing blue," she said a little dreamily, "but in my case I think it's the accent." Her eyes shone playfully for a moment, "Morris was English too, you know? You should have seen him when young… and Chance-"
Alessa stopped talking, and she got suddenly serious. She looked down at her hands, and sighed. "I know what Ellis wants, he's made it quite clear, but I can't give it to him now. I need some time to know how much of what happened was mine, and how much was Hyde's."
“Well I can understand that,” said Kate, her voice supportive and considerate. “I always think it’s important to know your own feelings before involving those of others. I pretty much felt the same way about Galen when we first met, though obviously the circumstances were very different. I’d just lost someone very… close to me, and Galen… He was there for me, you know? He was a friend, very kind and gentle. I found myself feeling more for him than just friendship and I guess, a part of me was afraid to be feeling those things again so soon, but I also wasn’t sure if I was confusing gratitude for love.”
Kate rolled her eyes and smiled, “Well you know how it turned out, but it took me a long time to finally realise what I felt and an even longer time to do something about it. I was lucky that Galen was willing to wait for me, but in the end if something is meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
"That's true, love can't be rushed, but it has a way of getting there anyway." Alessa nodded at that, and she gave Kate's hand a thankful squeeze. "You don’t know how good it feels to have somebody to talk about these things." Inés was a dear, but her approach to relationships wasn’t always the most reliable one, she'd probably just tell her to jump on Ellis. She hadn't liked Chance either.
Alessa offered her friend a smile and started to rise. "But I feel kinda guilty of taking you out of your part- gathering," she quickly corrected herself. "I should be going."
Kate nodded, rising also. She could tell that her friend had much to think about, which was unsurprising considering the ordeal that she’d been through. But then sometimes it was nice not to think, sometimes it was nice just to be involved in something that could take your mind off all the flotsam blowing around inside your head.
“Are you sure?” she asked just before they reached the backdoor. As Alessa turned to face her Kate smiled softly. “About leaving, I mean. You could stay for dinner if you’d like? If I know my husband there’ll be plenty to go round.”
Alessa's head turned to the door from where the merry voices and laughter came and she bit her lip before turning to look at Kate again. "I don’t know, I don’t want to intrude…" she started but at Kate's mock frown she laughed, "In that case, I'd love to. Thank you."
Bathtime Confessions
Monday, 11th June 2007 – 10:03pm
Kate and Galen’s House
Dull candlelight flickered in the darkened room, reflecting off various surfaces; from the collection of glass bottles that lined the shelves filled with a myriad of colourful and sweet smelling concoctions, to the polished porcelain surface of the bathtub. In the background soft, lulling music played unobtrusively, creating a relaxed and intimate atmosphere in the small bathroom of the Eldridge household.
“There… how does that feel?”
Galen sighed in contentment as he relaxed in the hot water of the bathtub, enjoying his wife’s tender ministrations as she scrubbed his back. He’d had a tough day at work and this was just what he needed right now. Though he’d started back at the LAPD after their return from England it had been in a severely limited capacity. But now that the threat of Delancre had been quashed he was anxious to re-establish himself.
But things had been tougher than he’d anticipated. There were those who resented him stepping back into his old role, and even worse, those that believed he was no longer up to the job. Galen could tell that it would take a lot of hard work and dedication to get back everything that he’d sacrificed for the sake of his marriage, the woman he loved and averting yet another potential apocalypse.
“Hmmm… that feels just wonderful…” Galen mumbled as Kate continued her expert attentions, drawing the soapy sponge up and down his back and across his shoulders, working up a thick lather which she ran her fingers through and smoothed across his skin.
A demure smile curled the corners of Kate’s lips as she leaned forward, pressing her body against her husband’s soapy back and resting her chin upon his shoulder. Using long, slow strokes she brought the sponge around and began to gently wash his chest and torso, dipping the sponge into the hot water and trailing the warm suds across Galen’s bare flesh.
She hummed along gently to the music that filtered into the bathroom, Debussy’s ‘Clair de lune’. It wasn’t often that they got any time to themselves lately. Her friends from Sindell would be returning to the coven within the next couple of days but in the meantime the house always seemed to be overcrowded. It had proved virtually impossible for Kate to find some time to be alone with her husband. Until now that was. She had purposefully arranged for them to have the house to themselves for the evening for some much-needed time alone, and she fully intended to enjoy every moment.
Brushing a loose strand of hair from her eyes, Kate leaned in close again. “You were saying…?”
“Hmmm?” intoned Galen distractedly, completely lost in the attentions of his wife. “Oh… oh yeah. Okay so I told the Chief, ‘look, I know I’ve had a lot of time off recently but that doesn’t suddenly make me some dumb rookie!’”
Galen sighed wearily as he recalled the events of earlier that morning. He rested his hand on Kate’s knee, stroking his way down her leg and gently rubbing her calf under the water with thoughtful contemplation. “And then… then I demanded that he take me off this stupid probation period. I mean, come on… ‘come on,’ I said, ‘I’m a detective not a pen pusher, I should be out there solving crimes, not writing up goddamn traffic violations.’ I mean, what am I? A cop or some dumb meter maid?”
“Oh you’re a cop…” intoned Kate ardently, whispering into Galen’s ear as she continued to draw her hands across his bare chest. “A strong, powerful, commanding upholder of the law.” A sweet smile curled Kate’s lips as she dipped her mouth low and lay a trail of soft kisses across the back of his neck while she spoke. “You’re a fine, healthy, potent force. Full of vigour and… and stamina… And if they can’t see that I know someone not a million miles away who appreciates all of your talents.”
Galen chuckled at Kate’s playfulness, lacing his fingers together with hers as he took hold of her hand, her own fingers curling around his as he gently kissed each one. “Do you take anything I say seriously?”
Kate smiled coyly, resting her chin back on his shoulder again. “Not if I can absolutely avoid it. Okay… okay…” she said with a relenting laugh, “Come on, tell me what happened next.”
“Well…” began Galen slowly, trailing his free hand down Kate’s bare leg again, drawing the bubbles back and forth across her pale skin. “Of course he agreed with me, I mean, he’s no fool, he knew I was right.”
Galen grinned, “I’m being reassigned a new partner tomorrow.”
“A new partner?” asked Kate with a curiously raised eyebrow, halting her attentions momentarily. “What about James?”
Galen sighed reluctantly, running a hand through his damp hair. “Well, you know… I’ve been away so long he got teamed with this other guy and… and, besides, I think it’ll be good to work with someone new for a change.”
“Awwww,” pouted Kate in sympathetic playfulness. She gently rubbed her hands over his broad shoulders soothingly and drew him back to lie against her lithe body, resting his head against her shoulder. “Now I can tell you’re disappointed,” she said with a slight smile, cradling him snugly between her legs as she ran her fingers through his hair gently. “But you have to promise you’ll play nice with the other children.”
Galen chuckled a little and closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feel of his wife’s body completely surrounding him, of her soft breasts pressed against his back and her smooth legs wrapped around his torso. He sighed in complete contentment while Kate washed his hair, her fingers rubbing against his scalp in a delicious rotating motion.
He remembered the first time they had bathed together like this with candles, soft music and hot, steamy water. He’d always been a shower person until Kate had opened his eyes to the erotic delights a shared bath could provide; it was indeed a most enjoyable way to spend an evening.
“So what about you?” Galen asked as Kate poured warm water through his hair, carefully rinsing away the shampoo. “How was your day?”
Kate shrugged noncommittally. “You know… laundry, a little gardening…” Kate shook her head in disbelief, it was hard to accept that only three days ago they had been fighting for their lives. Already life had begun to resume its usual routines, in a few more weeks the bruises would fade completely and the aching in her muscles would abate and there would be very few reminders left to record their greatest battle to date.
“Actually,” she said after a moment, “I was thinking…”
“Hmmm?” asked Galen, looking up at his wife as she suddenly fell silent, “You were thinking?”
Kate ran her fingers across Galen’s chest contemplatively, tracing small circles in the thin layer of bubbles that coated his skin while watching the patterns of light dance across the dark walls from the soft glow of the candles.
“I was thinking that I might open the shop up finally.”
Galen frowned a little, pulling back slightly from Kate’s embrace so that he could face her. “Are you sure you’re ready for that?”
Kate shrugged again, “I don’t know,” she admitted quietly, pressing her lips together with uncertainty. “But I know that if I have to keep filling my days with laundry and defrosting the freezer I’m going to go mad. It was different when Emma was here. She- well…” Kate looked away sadly, trailing her fingers in the warm water, “She took up most of my time just looking after her but…”
Kate sighed heavily, “I don’t have that anymore. I guess I just feel lost, a little unsure of what to do. I think this could be good for me, you know? Give me a focus, something to get up for in the mornings, especially now that you won’t be here - and I don’t want you to feel like I don’t want you to go back to work because I do. I know how much it means to you. But I need that as well. I need to feel… useful.”
Galen observed his wife with quiet contemplation. There was no denying that she’d been through a lot these past few months, they both had. Their worlds had been turned upside down and then some. But in many respects his own life still had structure, it still had meaning. He had a job that gave him a sense of purpose, of doing something worthwhile, but Kate…
Losing Emma had taken all that away, Galen had never realised it before but when their daughter had been born Kate’s sole purpose had been to protect and take care of her. After Emma’s death, there had been the Hyde virus and Delancre to fight against, to take her mind off that gaping hole that their daughter had left behind in the wake of her passing. But now… now there was nothing to fill that void, to distract her from the emptiness she felt inside. Even her friends from Sindell would soon be returning to England, then the house would be completely empty during the day; Kate would be entirely alone.
With an ever so slightly reluctant sigh, Galen slowly nodded in agreement.
“Okay,” he said, leaning in and laying a supportive kiss on her lips, stroking her chin with the edge of his thumb. “Okay, that’s good. So long as you’re not taking on too much all at once, I don’t want you getting overworked.”
“Chance’ll be a fine thing,” said Kate with a wry smile. At Galen’s serious gaze she rolled her eyes and smiled again, “I promise I won’t take on too much and I won’t let myself get overworked. Happy?”
“Very,” said Galen with a grin. “Now come on, switch places with me.”
Kate sighed with diffident accord as Galen scooted to one side of the tub, allowing her to slide up in front of him while he spread out in the space that she’d just vacated.
“There,” he said with a smile as Kate settled herself between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, kissing the back of her neck and shoulders with devoted tenderness. “Now this is nice…”
Kate murmured in agreement, closing her eyes as Galen began to gently rub her shoulders.
As he performed this simple massage, Galen observed his wife’s thoughtful silence carefully; thinking how pretty she looked with her hair all piled up at the back of her head and her cheeks all flushed and pink from the heat of the bath.
“My god you’re so tense,” he said with a chuckle, working his fingers into the tightly knotted muscle tissue of her shoulders, all the while trying to make sure that he wasn’t too rough. There were still several dark bruises that marred the milky whiteness of her skin, a reminder of the battle against Delancre’s troops that had only taken place three days ago. Galen thought how strange it was; a cruel twist of irony, that Kate could perform virtual miracles of healing on other people yet couldn’t use that power on herself.
Kate rolled her head to one side, closing her eyes as she enjoyed Galen’s tender massage. “Hmmm, that feels so good,” she moaned, arching her back a little in response to the relaxing sensations that he was creating. “Just a little lower…”
As Galen’s fingers moved further down her shoulders Kate sighed in appreciation, “Oh yes… that’s it…” she moaned again, arching her spine a little more as he hit the right spot, “Just there…”
Galen smiled as he kneaded his fingers deeply yet gently, pressing the fleshy muscle tissue in circular motions with his thumbs. He worked from the back of her neck, slowly moving down her spine and outwards to her shoulders, trying to work out the tightness he felt there. He chattered on aimlessly, talking about one thing or another and then suddenly fell quiet as he noticed his wife’s almost reflective silence.
“You’ve been a little quiet these past couple of days,” he commented mindfully, still gently kneading his fingers into Kate’s shoulders. “Is everything okay?”
Kate shrugged, opening her eyes tiredly and picking up her glass of wine from the side of the bath, nursing it between her hands.
“I guess… well there has been something on my mind.” She sighed wearily, taking a drink of the dark burgundy liquor before speaking. “The other day, when I went to see Amanda? She told me that… well, she and Drew are getting married, in three weeks actually, she wants me to be a part of it. Tash, Daye and I are all supposed to go ‘dress shopping’ this weekend.”
Galen was silent for a while, his fingers halting their gentle massage of Kate’s shoulders. “Well, that’s good news isn’t it? Drew and Amanda finally getting their lives back on track after… well after everything that’s happened.”
“I suppose so,” said Kate trying to sound agreeable though her voice betrayed her inner doubt. In the meantime Galen resumed his tender attentions, working his fingers into the tense knots in her shoulders. Kate closed her eyes again in relaxation, enjoying her husband’s skilful attendance.
“Hmmm, I don’t know,” she mumbled absently, “It just… it seems like such a rush.”
Galen chuckled slightly, brushing a few loose strands of hair from Kate’s chignon back from her neck. “Oh come on honey, let’s be honest. If we’re talking about rushing things we got married two days after I proposed.”
Kate chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully, “Yeah, I guess, but we were different, we hadn’t just gone through everything that… well you know. Daye spent the last few months…” Kate paused, her voice falling silent. “And then Delancre, he did some horrible, terrible things to her. And I mean, look at us, we’re struggling to get through what happened to us and it wasn’t even… I mean, it wasn’t so…”
“I know.” Galen wrapped his arms around Kate and rested his chin on her shoulder. For a moment the only sound that could be heard was the steady dripping of the tap and the occasional ripple of the bath water as Kate trailed her toe back and forth across the surface, disturbing the peaks of fluffy bubbles.
“I guess it does seem rather hurried. But maybe they just don’t want to wait any longer; you know how we felt about things? Like if we didn’t do it straight away that something would happen to ruin it? After everything that has gone on this past year can you blame them? First Ryan and Mariah, now all this with Delancre? Besides, Daye knows her own mind, this is obviously what she wants, what both of them want.”
Kate leaned forwards, wrapping her arms around her knees protectively. She silently trailed her fingers in the water, creating tiny ripples on the surface where the candles reflected off the water. “Well that’s the other thing… I’m not even sure this is what Daye wants. When she made her big announcement she just seemed so uncertain and reluctant about it all.”
Galen sighed, running a hand down Kate’s back, tracing the contour of her spine with his thumb and brushing any stray soapsuds from her skin. He didn’t really feel comfortable talking about this considering his tenuous relationship with Amanda, but it was obvious that Kate had some reservations about the whole thing. “Maybe- maybe she just has cold feet, or perhaps it’s just nerves. Like you said, three weeks isn’t very long to arrange a wedding.”
Kate shook her head, gazing dolefully into the water at the shimmering reflections on the surface. “I don’t know. I just felt like there was something wrong, in fact I know there was. I could feel it, and I mean how am I supposed to stand by Amanda’s side on her wedding day when I know there’s something wrong?” Kate shook her head again miserably. “H-how am I supposed to do any of this with the way I feel?”
“I thought…” Galen sighed wearily, making a cup with his hand and gently scooping the warm water up to pour over Kate’s skin, “I thought the two of you were getting along now. I mean at the battle you seemed so much more…”
“We were fighting for our lives, Galen,” said Kate mindfully. “There’s a difference. I’m not saying that things aren’t better between us but…”
“But what?”
Kate’s shoulders sagged dejectedly; she was quiet for a long while before she shuffled around in the tub so that she faced her husband, tucking her knees to one side so that they were sitting opposite one another.
“Well it’s just…” she brushed a few strands of wet hair from her forehead, glancing up at Galen tentatively. “When Daye told us that she was getting married…” Kate shook her head and looked down ashamedly.
“I don’t know…” she said shakily, her voice rising with emotion, “I just felt so angry and resentful. I mean it’s not fair is it? Her having this goddamn perfect wedding when she nearly tore us apart! It just made me so mad I wanted to scream! And then, then she was so uncertain and hesitant, I mean Drew has been nothing but understanding and forgiving and there she was acting like… Well she’s just so damn ungrateful is all and, and…”
Galen took hold of Kate’s arms, running his hands over her wet skin soothingly. “Kate. Please, calm down.”
Kate looked up at her husband, her eyes searching out his. “I can’t,” she said sadly, “that’s the problem, whenever I think about her I think about…” Kate shook her head and drew back, leaning against the other end of the bathtub and draping her arms over the rim.
Galen leaned back also, his eyes fixed on the sombre and weary expression on his wife’s face; she seemed so distraught and unhappy. He knew she had good reason but part of him couldn’t help being a little resentful. More than anything he wanted her to get over this, to be able to put it behind her the way he had with Damen Kirk. But she wouldn’t, or couldn’t. Either way it stood like an impenetrable barrier between them no matter what he did or said.
“Just say it,” he said unhappily, “we both know what you’re thinking so just say it and get it over with.”
“Fine,” said Kate with an air of submissive compliance, “I think about her and you, I think of the two of you in bed together. And every time I see the both of you in the same room… I just can’t get those thoughts out of my head.” Kate wiped at her eyes and shook her head again. “I’m sorry I, I can’t do this I, I just can’t.”
With a noisy amount of splashing, Kate climbed out of the bath and grabbed her robe, pulling it on tightly around her wet body.
“Hey! Hey!” shouted Galen as he stumbled out of the bath also, grabbing a towel on his way and wrapping it firmly around his waist as he took up pursuit of his wife.
“Hey, wait up!” he shouted again, following Kate into the bedroom and grabbing hold of her arm. “Will you just stop?” He gently took her hand and led her over to the chaise and sat her down.
“What’s going on baby?” he asked softly, “I thought we’d gotten through all this?”
Kate didn’t say anything but she hung her head disheartenedly. Galen reached out and gently brushed back her wet hair from her eyes. “You remember we did the whole you hate my guts thing? We shouted stuff and you… you said you still loved me, you said you wanted to put this behind us and start again. Wasn’t that what we were saying the other day after the battle with Delancre? A new start for the two of us?”
“I know,” said Kate wearily, barely able to lift her gaze to meet that of her husband. “I meant it, I did. It was just… seeing her and with Tash too. They just both seemed so happy and like before and then there was me. I really do want to forgive her…” admitted Kate sadly, “or at the very least I just want to forget it all ever happened! But all I can think about are the things that you and she did together and…”
Kate took Galen’s hands in her own, holding them tightly. “Maybe… maybe if you told me it would help. That way I could stop imagining the worst…”
“No… no Kate,” said Galen firmly, pulling his hands from hers as he all but leapt to his feet, pinching the top of his nose in a stressful gesture, “we’re not… we are not going down this road again!”
“Why not?” asked Kate, her voice rising with annoyance, watching her husband as he paced the bedroom floor with marked displeasure. “You won’t talk to me about it, was she better than me, is that it? She was so damn good that you can’t tell me because I’ll get jealous?”
“Get jealous?” echoed Galen incredulously, “This is hardly rational behaviour to begin with!”
Galen sighed in exasperation and sat back down next to Kate, taking her hands and forcing her to acknowledge him. “Look,” he said, trying to sound as calm as possible, “Telling you what happened that night won’t ease your pain and it won’t make the past undo itself. What happened between Daye and I… it meant nothing, you know that. I’m in love with you. When I’m with you, when we’re together, you’re the only woman I think about. I don’t want anybody else, certainly not Amanda, and she- she’s marrying Drew. We’re all trying to put this behind us and get on with our lives.”
“And I’m holding you back?” asked Kate suddenly, a slight frown wrinkling her forehead.
Galen sighed, running his hands through his hair. “No, that’s not what I meant.”
“You know, if you’re such an expert at forgiveness, why don’t you tell me how you did it? How you managed to forgive me. I know I hurt you, I hurt you badly and how you can look at me sometimes and not feel sick about it completely confuses me!”
Kate stood up sharply, evading Galen’s attempts to placate her. “I cheated on you, I slept with another man, you… you said you hated me. And now…” Kate shook her head in despair, “…and now…”
“I love you.” Galen rose to his feet again, walking over to where Kate stood, her face etched with pain and remorse. “I nearly lost you remember? Yes it hurt. Yes I was in agony. But within all that… the thought of losing you, of- of never being… with you? That hurt more.”
Galen frowned as he studied Kate’s face. “But this was never about us, was it? This is about Amanda, about her betrayal?”
Kate slowly looked up at her husband, tears glistening in her eyes. “She was my best friend,” she said quietly, “I stayed by her side while she gave birth to Maia, and she laughed about my inability to save my own daughter- our daughter. She laughed Galen, about you, about how pathetic and weak I was, how I couldn’t stop you from leaving me…”
“She wasn’t herself,” insisted Galen heatedly, grabbing Kate by her shoulders firmly, “you know that, you forgave everyone else… why not her?”
“Because it was personal!” cried Kate painfully, “And it felt personal at the time, it felt very damn personal. Because after all that… after what she told me I didn’t want to go on living anymore! Don’t you think I KNOW that it was Hyde? Of course I do! Of course I know, I remind myself all the time.”
Kate held her hand up to the side of her head, “In here I know,” she said sadly, “but here?” she moved her hand to cover her heart. “Here it hurts, Galen. It still hurts here no matter what I tell myself.”
“You have to let it go,” pleaded Galen, wrapping his arms around Kate and holding her close, “It’s the only way we can move on, all of us.”
“I know,” whispered Kate quietly, holding on to Galen tightly, “I know…”
Kate pressed the side of her cheek against Galen’s bare chest, burying herself in his strong embrace. She thought about everything that he’d said, she knew his words were true but she still felt lost, she still felt that pain inside and the more she thought about it the worse it became.
Slowly she disentangled herself from his arms, looking up at her husband before she pulled him close again, pressing her lips against his, her mouth enveloping Galen’s as her kiss became firmer and more needy. Wrapping her arms around his shoulder, Kate pushed him down onto the bed.
Galen looked confused, though that expression soon evaporated as Kate tugged at his towel, pulling it aside before straddling his lap.
“Kate…” he said gently, holding her back as she bent to kiss him again. “This isn’t a long term solution you know? It isn’t going to help-”
“I know,” interrupted Kate solemnly, trailing her fingers against his cheek while at the same time she rocked gently on his lap. “But it’ll help me forget… at least for a few hours anyway, and that's about all I can handle right now.”
daye reveals exactly why she was tortured to marcus
*** Wednesday, June 13, 2007, 9:17 pm ***
*** The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel ***
Daye followed Marcus to the sofa and sat down beside him, only half listening as he finished up a story involving a seemingly innocent gesture that had proven to be a grave insult to some Reknor demons who had been business associates of his father.
Daye had been distracted all evening, but she'd tried to keep up appearances, struggling to focus on Marcus' words and enjoy his company. Whenever they managed to squeeze in a few hours for dinner, usually in his suite, she generally loved hearing all the wild tales of his youth he'd share with her. She found his past to be both mysterious and exciting. Tonight, though, she simply couldn't shake off her pensive mood. This was the first time they'd been alone together since they had defeated Delancre and Daye couldn't seem to get her mind off him. She knew that somewhere Marcus had Delancre's soul stashed for safekeeping. The thought gave her chills. Even though the man was dead, it seemed to her that as long as his soul remained here, then his evil lived on.
Daye understood Delancre's particular brand of evil better than anyone else could. Tonight she couldn't stop thinking about the time when she'd been his captive, and especially the four endless days when he'd tortured her so thoroughly. Only she had seen firsthand the kind of perverse pleasure he took in bringing such pain to another living creature. She hadn't talked about it, not to anyone. Drew just didn't want to know the details about anything, and Daye felt it would be wrong to burden any of her other friends. So, she was sometimes haunted by this aching need to have someone else understand exactly what she'd been through and to see Delancre for who he really, truly was.
Daye was usually a very pleasant guest. She had her own store of anecdotes culled from her upbringing amongst the Watchers and her association with Sindell and they were stories Marcus loved to hear. Her childhood filled with friends was very different from his own solitary upbringing.
Tonight though, Marcus had been maintaining the conversation almost single handedly and though he didn’t mind that, he did want to know what was bothering Daye.
“So are you going to tell me what’s wrong?” Marcus softened the question with a smile but it was obvious he was concerned.
Daye glanced up suddenly at Marcus' question. She flushed guiltily. "I'm sorry," she said with a sigh. "I know I haven't been very good company tonight. I probably should have begged off. I've... there are some things I've just been thinking about. It's nothing, really. Just some things on my mind. I don't mean to be distracted. I shouldn't have come tonight. Usually, I feel so comfortable with you. I guess I thought maybe just being here would help me get my mind off... I'm sorry."
Marcus glanced at the drinks cabinet then discarded the idea. They’d had wine with the meal and neither of them drank that heavily. He did, however, stand. “If you need to get away from your cares for a while, feel free. I’ve a few more stories yet.”
Marcus walked over to the kitchen counter and set up the coffee maker. “But if you want to talk about it…”
Daye hesitated. A part of her so wanted to take him up on the offer. She needed to talk to someone about this. She just didn't feel right doing so. It was far too heavy a load to dump on one of her friends. "That's okay," Daye said, trying to sound light and cheerful. Even to her ears, though, her tone seemed a bit brittle. "I wouldn't feel right. It's my problem. I don't want to bother anyone with it."
Then, unable to restrain her morbid curiosity, Daye added out of the blue, "By the way, I've just been wondering - where did you, that is, what have you done with him anyway?"
Marcus gave her a sharp look before setting some water to boil for Daye’s tea and thought for a moment. He didn’t want Sindell or the Watchers interfering in his planned revenge on Delancre till it was too late and telling Daye what he had in mind might be a bad idea in that regard. On the other hand, his final disposition seemed to interest her and Delancre had tortured her. Perhaps that would be enough for her to set aside her normal nature.
“I have him in storage for now. Once Sindell aren’t in position to interfere I have other plans.”
Daye nodded. "So he's... safely contained? I mean, he's no danger to anyone, right? There's no way..."
Daye stopped herself. She could hear the note of desperation and panic in her own voice. She was sure that Marcus could hear it as well. "Never mind," she continued, forcing a weak laugh. "Of course, you've taken all the necessary precautions. You’re very good at what you do. I'm being- I'm sorry, I'm just being ridiculous. I don't know why I can't seem to..."
Daye's voice trailed off and she dropped her gaze to the floor, embarrassed beyond measure by the overwhelming fear and shame she felt. For the first time since she'd been rescued, she couldn't seem to stop thinking about the things that Delancre had done to her. She was very afraid that if she didn't leave now she might do something really awful, like break down in front of Marcus once again.
Daye suddenly sprang to her feet. "I-I'm not feeling well, just now. I'm sorry, Marcus. I think I have to go."
Daye grabbed her purse off the coffee table and started to leave.
Marcus moved quickly from behind the counter to grasp Daye’s wrist. The contact gave her pause and Marcus used that hesitation to wrap his arms around her.
“It’s all right.” She struggled and Marcus let his hands rub gently across her back as he spoke again. “He’s not going to get free. Ever,” he whispered softly. “He will never ever hurt you again and once Sindell is out of the way I promise he will pay full measure for every pain he caused you.”
He continued to hold her. “Talk to me, Daye.”
Daye fought against Marcus' hold and the comfort he offered, but it was just too much. She needed to pour out this pain to someone, and there was no one else willing to listen. Unable to stop her tears from falling, she slowly, hesitantly began to speak. "I'm sorry, so sorry. I don't want to, I can't. No one knows. I can't- I haven't talked about this," she stammered. "There's not been anyone who wanted to know. But I can't just keep it inside anymore. I need..."
Daye lifted her gaze to Marcus', searching his face for some sign that he felt put upon. She only saw his open acceptance and patience.
"Can I tell you? Do you want to know what happened to me?" she asked softly. "I need to tell someone. I need someone to really understand what happened to me."
Did he want to know? Marcus didn’t need another reason to hate Delancre but Daye needed to tell someone and it seemed no one else was willing to listen. He reached up and wiped a tear from her face. Marcus manoeuvred them back to the sofa without quite losing contact. They settled down, with Daye leaning against him while he kept one arm wrapped around her shoulders, his hand continuing to stroke gently.
“Tell me.”
Almost as if she had no control, Daye began to tell him. She poured it all out for him, every vile detail of her violations. She left nothing out. Marcus heard about the physical torture, which he'd already pretty much known, but he also heard about the other violations. She spoke in a monotone as she described repeated rapes at the hands of her demon keepers. Her voice was hollow as she told him of the hallucinations Robert had created in her mind. She sobbed openly, her color high with shame and fury as she explained how much pleasure Delancre took in her pain and degradation. She spoke without pause for a long time, and Marcus never interrupted. Finally, her words seemed to dry up. She stopped speaking, but her tears continued to flow.
While Daye's words still flowed Marcus just held her, letting his presence comfort her. He was silent as much from shock as anything, though there was also a measure of dismay swimming around his mind. Daye needed a professional counsellor. Someone who could help her come to terms with everything Delancre had done.
Daye hadn’t gone to a professional though. Instead she was here, wrapped around him, and Marcus had to fight down the bitter rage that welled up within him. An eternity of agony wasn’t sufficient to wipe clean the degradations Delancre had heaped on this woman. Daye didn’t need that anger now though and Marcus bottled it up to address another time. His hands continued to offer the comfort of contact with another person but not knowing what he could say to help he instead remained silent.
Daye appreciated Marcus' silent comfort. He didn't offer empty words of solace, but rather the simple support and comfort of a friend. If her words upset him, he did his best not to show it. His sympathy was respectful and quiet.
Finally, her sobs quieted and her tears slowed. Daye moved her head from where it rested on Marcus' shoulder and smiled tremulously at him. The guilt hit her almost immediately.
"Thank you," she said softly. "I'm really sorry about that. You were very kind to let me fall apart all over you." Daye laughed ruefully. "I'm not sure why you put up with me, Marcus," she said. "I'm an emotional wreck half the time. You'd be better off if I just stayed out of your life."
“And whose fault is that? Not yours nor mine. The man to blame currently resides in an Orb of Thessula in my wall safe.” Marcus took out a clean handkerchief and handed it to Daye. “I don’t regret knowing you Daye, despite everything that’s happened. As for falling apart all over me again,” he shrugged and gave her a small smile, “I’m just happy you could get all that out in the open.”
Daye took the handkerchief from Marcus and wiped her tear-streaked face. "I'm a mess," she said with a sigh. "But it did feel good to finally be able to tell someone about what Delancre did to me."
She turned towards Marcus, reaching up to cup his cheek tenderly. "Thank you very much," she said sincerely. "You've been a really wonderful friend. I can't tell you how much that means to me just now."
Marcus leant away from Daye’s hand. “It’s the least I can do. All things considered.”
"Please," Daye scoffed. "I haven't done anything to deserve your kindness. Far from it, actually. If not for me your life would be much simpler, I'm sure."
Daye paused. "It's funny. The only reason I think I managed to make it through all of that with Delancre was because I had someone else to worry about, you know. Every time he asked me to reveal you and Onyx, he just managed to firm my resolve not to be broken. His biggest mistake was in thinking I'd ever betray someone I cared about that way."
Marcus blinked. *Reveal me and Onyx?* He hadn’t thought about why Delancre had tortured Daye; from her description of the sick pleasure he got from it Marcus had assumed Delancre had tortured her simply because he could.
He moved away from Daye, reducing the contact to just their hands. “I thought he was just… What was he after?”
Daye realized almost immediately her error. She hadn't meant to reveal the reason behind Delancre's torture. She had always meant to keep that burden to herself.
"Never mind," Daye said, hoping to divert Marcus' attention from her slip of the tongue. "It doesn't matter now. I don't know why I said that."
Marcus’ hands stilled as he thought about Daye’s slip. What did Daye know about that Delancre would have wanted to know and Daye could have told him? Tash’s zombies? Probably not. That had come as a complete surprise in the final battle.
For that matter Daye didn’t know about it anyway. In fact the only thing that really sprang to mind was… “He wanted to know who cured you.” Marcus made it a statement not a question. “And you didn’t tell him.”
Marcus resumed his gentle caress of Daye’s hands “So tell me again how you don’t deserve my kindness?”
Daye flushed and dropped her gaze to the floor. "You deserved my loyalty, Marcus," she said softly. "You're my friend. I wouldn't tell him about you. I didn't want to put you in danger."
Daye's eyes came slowly up to his. "It was my fault I was in that position, and I couldn't have put you at risk because of my own arrogant stupidity. You tried to warn me, didn't you? And you were right. I just wish I hadn't broken under his magic. He came after you because of me. I couldn't be more sorry for that."
“Well…” She was right: he wouldn’t have been at risk if she’d accepted his warning about not returning but he’d handled that situation badly from beginning to end, especially the end. “Let’s not try and assign blame. I wasn’t at my most eloquent when you announced your intentions. And regardless of why you ended up there you held on to the bitter end.” Marcus had no doubt Daye’s torments would have continued even after she had given up Marcus. Delancre had enjoyed the situation too much not to try and break her utterly. That Daye was as rational as she was, was a testament to her mental strength.
Daye blushed at the memory of just how Marcus had tried to convince her not to go back to the mansion. She didn't blame him for it, but his methods had left a bit to be desired. She had been very angry and his actions had only made things worse.
She glanced down, noticing for the first time that Marcus held her hands in his. He was absently stroking her as he spoke. She was amused by his continued attempts to comfort her.
"I appreciate you saying that," Daye said. "When I was... when those things were happening to me, I wondered if perhaps I wasn't getting what I deserved, though. After everything I did to my friends, to Drew, I thought maybe it was my karma to suffer that way."
Marcus noted Daye’s glance and withdrew his hands completely. For the first time since her attempt to flee they were completely separate. “No one deserves to suffer that way.” *Except Delancre…* “You weren’t in complete control of your actions, through no fault of your own I might add. The blame isn’t yours to bear, put it where it belongs. With Delancre and the people who created Hyde.”
Daye sighed. "I know that it's not entirely my fault," she said. "I can't lay all the blame for my actions on the virus, but I know that I didn't deserve what happened to me. I mean, I know that up here." Daye pointed to her head. "It's just sometimes, when I'm feeling particularly guilty, I feel differently."
Daye began to absentmindedly toy with the engagement ring on her left hand. She sighed. "I'm sure, once everything settles down, I'll start to feel better about what I've done. I just have to make amends, make it up to Kate and to Drew - and to everyone else. I'll feel better once I do that."
“I’ve mentioned your martyr complex before, I think.” Marcus’ tone wasn’t quite serious. “I guess so long as your need to atone doesn’t put you in the way of a sadomasochistic megalomaniac I won’t keep saying I told you so.” Marcus’ expression turned serious, “But don’t let your self-imposed obligations lead you down the wrong path.”
Daye considered his words for a moment. She wasn't doing that, was she? She studied Marcus through her lashes as she turned the ring around on her finger. She was going to marry Drew in a few short weeks. She'd begun to plan for their wedding; a small, intimate affair with only close friends and family in attendance. She loved him. She knew she did. What she felt for Marcus wasn't like that at all.
Marcus was easy to be around because he listened and he didn't judge her. Daye knew that she needed that from someone. She liked him as well. He was interesting and very different from her. He made her laugh and being with him was soothing. *And if I'm being totally honest here, I lust after him,* Daye admitted, but only to herself. *Not that that matters much. Lust does not justify anything. I let myself be ruled by lust when I was infected. And I lust after Drew too - I have for a very long time. I'm just confused. That's perfectly normal. I'm not about to do something rash or stupid and ruin my whole life just because I've got the hots for this man.*
"I'm not," Daye said finally, with conviction. "I want to marry Drew. I love him."
“Which is good, because the wedding is in three weeks.” Marcus stood up and poured himself a coffee. The liquid was bitter from spending so long in the maker but it suited his mood. The water for Daye’s tea was lukewarm so he started the whole process again. A glance at the clock confirmed the lateness of the hour but Marcus was happy for Daye to stay as long as she needed.
"How are the preparations coming for it?”
Pretty good," Daye replied. "I'm just getting started, but we're not planning anything too elaborate. Just family and our close friends."
Daye paused, gathering her courage. "You'll come, won't you? I really want you to be there."
Marcus gulped his coffee at that. Would he attend? He was fairly certain that Daye was marrying Drew for the wrong reasons. Once she may have loved him but now, after everything she had gone through, Marcus wasn’t so sure even if Daye pretended otherwise.
However, once the hot bitter coffee had finished abusing his throat Marcus smiled. “Of course I’ll come, so long as you don’t mind a reprobate necromancer and his demonic…” Hmmm. Would Onyx be attending with him or Tash? Marcus shook his head at that. “Yes I’ll come.”
Daye smiled broadly, obviously pleased with his response. "Good, I'm so happy to hear that."
At that moment, Daye's cell phone chirped. She grabbed her bag and motioned for Marcus to wait a moment.
"Hello," she said into the receiver. Marcus could only hear her side of the conversation.
"Oh, I didn't realize how late it was," Daye said, turning her back to where Marcus stood with his coffee in hand. "Yes, yes, I'm still at the shop. No, don't wait up for me. I'll be a while yet. Yeah... the books. I will. I promise. Okay. I love you too. Bye."
Daye hung up the phone and slowly turned back to Marcus, looking guilty.
Marcus poured boiling water onto Earl Grey tea with a stilted, overcontrolled motion. When he was certain he had his voice and face under control he look back at Daye. “What happens when you really do have to do the books?”
Daye blushed to the roots of her hair. "I honestly don't know," she replied. "There are always things to do at the shop after hours. It seemed like a reasonable excuse."
She moved towards him, taking the hot cup of tea and blowing on it to cool it down. "It's not what you think, Marcus," she continued finally. "It's not that I'm ashamed of us, or anything like that. We haven't done anything wrong."
“Not recently.” Marcus wanted to call back those two words the moment they left his lips. Their relationship during Daye’s infection was in the past and was not going to be repeated. Marcus just didn’t understand why Daye felt the need to lie about a simple friendship.
Daye eyes widened in shock. They never, never talked about what had happened between them. It was almost an unwritten rule that they dance around that subject. They didn't talk about it, no matter how many times she might think of the things they'd done together, some of which had happened right here in this very room. She and Marcus were growing very good at pretending. They pretended they'd never been pressed flesh to flesh in a straining dance of lust and fire. They pretended that they still didn't sometimes want to just forget everything and be that way again. So, needless to say, Marcus’ clipped words shocked her. They hung in the air between them as the silence in the room grew oppressive.
“All right,” Daye finally said, “We aren't doing anything wrong, then.”
“Not any more. We're just friends. There's nothing else going on here. I know that. You know that. But Drew doesn’t. He knows our past and you’re hiding meetings with me from him. What’s he going to think when he finds out? Don’t put me in that situation.” Marcus didn’t want to say that, it sounded judgmental and demanding and Daye valued his friendship because they were things he normally wasn’t, but the situation was too close to the bone to close to other things.
Daye visibly flinched at his words. She could tell he was very angry, because Marcus was fighting to keep his tone of voice emotionless. She knew him well enough now to know that the further he retreated, the more violent his inner turmoil.
"I don't mean to," she said, unable to keep the pleading out of her own voice. She wanted him to understand. "I don't know exactly why you're so upset, but I don't mean to do anything to offend you. The only reason I haven't explained things to Drew yet is that I wanted to give him some time to readjust. He's still, understandably, got some serious issues with trust now. And for some reason, I don't know exactly why, he doesn't seem to like you very much. I'm afraid he might be jealous of you, and that because of that jealousy he might misinterpret our relationship. I promise you, when I feel he's ready to handle it I will explain things to Drew."
Her tone cut through his anger, even more so the comment about Drew’s dislike. Daye’s fiancée had reason to dislike Marcus even if he ignored his relationship with her. Explaining that to Daye was probably a bad idea but there were things he could explain
“I’m sorry, Daye. I’m not… I’m… My father was a drunkard and a womanizer. Women passed through his bed almost as fast as the drinks did, with all the attendant deceit such affairs require. I hated it. I hated him.”
Daye was surprised at his admission. It was a rare thing for Marcus to talk about his family, although she'd had hints from the things he told her about how rough his childhood had been. Still, she felt terrible for putting him in a position that made him feel as if he resembled a man he so despised.
Daye set her tea down and moved towards Marcus. She reached out and placed her hands on his. "No. I'm sorry. I had no idea. I wouldn't want for our relationship to cause you any pain. If you'd rather not see me again, at least until I've explained things to Drew, I'll understand."
With casual grace Marcus disengaged from Daye’s grasp. “I’ve no right to demand that of you. No right to interfere in your relationship with Drew.” Marcus smiled, trying to ease the pain he saw on Daye’s face. “And we aren’t doing anything wrong. I’m sure Drew will come to understand that.”
Daye suppressed the urge to sigh with relief. She didn't want to stop seeing Marcus. She had no intention of doing anything to hurt Drew, but being with Marcus, even for just a few hours, helped her to feel good about herself now and again. She didn't want to give up on this friendship when it was just getting started.
"You're right," Daye agreed. "Given time, I'm sure he'll be able to accept us being friends. He wants what's best for me, and he respects me enough to let me make my own decisions. I'm probably being too paranoid about this whole thing anyway.
"You're a good person," Daye continued. "You've been wonderful to me. Drew will see that and know that our friendship is right."
“I hope so, I really do.” It would take a long time though and the payment would have to have faded into the past first but he would put up with Drew’s dislike for Daye’s sake.
Daye glanced at her watch and sighed regretfully. "I should probably be going soon," she said. "Sorry tonight turned out to be so heavy."
"That is as I recall what friends are for. I'm always here if you need someone to talk to. You can count on that." Marcus offered a hand to Daye and walked her to the door of the suite. "You know where I am," he said before giving her a brief kiss on the cheek.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
Friday, June 15th,
11:00pm
Somewhere in LA
The night lay silent over the streets of L. A. as the black-clad figure made his way. The buildings around lay deserted and worn-down by time and aside from a few homeless persons that lay passed out in an alley nearby he was all alone.
He paid them little notice and moved on quite quickly; he didn’t have time for the moment. After a while he stopped before an old warehouse. He gazed at the worn-out walls, where most of the paint had disappeared, and the completely dark windows. In the light of the nearby streetlight a grin could be seen on his lips. He was finally there. He then went to the old door and knocked.
The occupants of the warehouse, some dozen shadowy figures who had been clustered around a table, froze. One nodded, and the candles that had been on the table flickered and died. At a second nod two gathered up the items on the table; maps, diaries and the like, then all stepped back into the shadows, melting completely with the darkness, bar three.
These three turned to the door and approached it with caution. One went left, the other right, and both drew weapons. The middle figure, female by her silhouette, slid open a shutter but was mindful to show only her eyes and keep the rest of her face in darkness. Her right hand dropped to her own gun on her waist and flicked off the safety, but did not draw it yet.
“Can I help?” she asked in a thick voice.
"Yes," the black-clad man on the other side of the door said, "I'm here to see Morris Giles."
"Morris Giles?" the woman repeated. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s no Morris Giles here." Whilst she spoke she peered through the shutter to get a better look at the speaker, and waved to her two cohorts. They both raised their weapons at the door and stepped back, and the woman also now drew her own gun.
"Really? Well let me rephrase that: I know bloody well that Morris is in there and you could either let me in peacefully or I'll dust your ass back to last week."
As he said this with the same calm voice, the man moved his hand inside his coat and placed it on the katana that lay there well hidden.
Roxana slammed the shutter closed and stepped back behind the two vampires with her. "Shoot him," she commanded them.
Whilst Roxana and one vampire kept their weapons trained on the door, the third drew up alongside it and threw the door open. Then all three fired simultaneously.
Just as the bullets were fired the man moved out of range with almost catlike reflexes and as his face changed into his game face his smile grew broader and he said, "Very well, then."
He then drew the katana and advanced towards them with the same agility.
The vampire closest to the door snarled and switched to his own game face while Roxana and the other drew back at sight of the katana to get a better angle. But before any more shots could be fired the visitor was upon them, bringing his blade down in a deadly arc that the closest vampire was only just able to block with his pistol. With his free hand he slugged the attacker in the gut, unknowingly blocking his two comrades from getting a clear shot.
The visitor then made another swing with the blade and the vampire's head and body dissolved into dust. The others then took the opportunity to fire another round at the stranger and a bullet entered his left arm.
He moaned with pain and looked at the wound, then laughed. "Bloody guns! You youngsters are all too fucking stupid!" He then turned and leapt at Roxana and just as she was about to fire her gun grabbed her by the throat and placed his blade by it.
"All right, lads." He said. "Let´s finish this peacefully or...." He brought the blade in closer. "You´ll have yet another pile of dust!"
Roxana allowed her vampire face to come out and shook in the attacker’s grasp, but couldn’t break free. The other threw his gun to one side, drew a sabre and advanced.
"Stop," commanded a powerful voice that came from nowhere and everywhere. Roxana shook her head at the other vampire and closed her eyes. There was a brief busrt of light that blinded all eyes in the warehouse, and Roxana used this distraction to her advantage by prying herself out of the attacker’s arms.
When was able to see again, Roxana stood out of reach of his katana with a gun pointed at his head, and he saw he was surrounded by nearly a dozen vampires, mostly armed with guns but a few with swords. Two or three held no weapons at all, but were tracing runes in the air or mumbling under their breath.
The circle of armed vampires parted and a ruggedly handsome figure stepped through them, a bemused smile on his face. "Unlike the weapon you were shot with, each of these I have enchanted personally. As the bullet leaves the chamber it will set alight. You may survive being hit from one of these, but as you can see there are seven such weapons pointed at you. The odds of you surviving all of them are small." He paused to let what he had said sink in. "Now, be a good chap and lower your katana or I order them to open fire."
"Morris Giles, I presume?" he said, lowering the blade.
"I see no point in denying it. You are correct," Morris confirmed. "Now I am left with the question of who you are and what you want. At first I thought you would be a hunter, one of those self-styled, holier-than-thou goody white hats, but you are a vampire so that is highly unlikely. Considering you are a vampire, I am led to believe that two individuals in particular may have sent you. And so I ask; who are you, what do you want, and who sent you?"
"Well, firstly tell your girlfriend here to lower the gun. And yes, I know she's your girlfriend since your scent fully reeks of her," he continued at the sight of Morris' expression.
With a simple nod from Morris, Roxana lowered her gun and stepped back. The other vampires around similarly pointed their weapons away from their guest, but held them ready and refrained from holstering them.
The stranger smiled and then turned to Morris. "And to answer your questions, first you were wrong. I am a hunter, but not one of those wankers you were talking about, since my prey is a bit different. I bet you can put two and two together after that."
“I see,” Morris answered, rubbing his chin. “You would be the enigmatic Hunter then, correct? Your reputation precedes you.”
“Thank you," Hunter simply said and gazed around the room. "And to answer your third and second questions, I came here by my own free will and the reason I'm here is simple. It's about the Eye."
Morris’ eyes narrowed. “You come for the Eye? Interesting. What could you possibly want with it? And why do you come to me about it?”
"'Cause I know you´re looking for it, mate," he answered. "And I want to help you find it."
Morris did not immediately answer. Instead he remained staring at Hunter for a long period of time, then he turned away and wandered over to the table. “Well, it appears our operation has been compromised more than we thought,” he said to Roxana, who came over to join him. “I wonder, though, to what extent.”
“We can solve that later. Right now, we have him to deal with,” Roxana reminded him, with a thumb over her shoulder to where Hunter was still surrounded by Morris’ minions.
“Yes, yes, of course.” Morris’ voice suggested he was still lost in thought.
Roxana raised her gun. “Do you want me to kill him?”
Once again, Morris took a time before speaking. “No,” he said at length. “This Hunter has something of a reputation, and from what I have heard he might be useful to us.” His arm swept across the now empty table, but which before Hunter’s arrival had been filled with documents. “You must agree, we could use the help.”
The vampiress nodded and holstered her weapon. “And besides, we could always use him to find our security leaks.”
“Yes, we must plug those quickly.” Morris turned and strode through the circle of vampires towards Hunter. With a wave of his hand the circle dissolved as his vampires holstered their weapons. “Very well, Hunter. I will allow you to assist us. However, there are a number of conditions.” He held up a finger. “One; I want you to tell me, in detail, how you came to find out about me, what I’m doing, and where I was.” Another finger went up. “Two; I want to know who else knows.” A final finger joined the other two. “And three; as a demonstration of your loyalty, I want you to perform a task for me.”
Hunter's grin grew wider at these word and then nodded. "Well, firstly who hasn’t heard about the great Morris Giles, last survivor of the line of Dathan? I hadn’t, but I met one of your little minions and let's just say that you can do marvels with holy water."
Morris' eyes narrowed a bit at these words but Hunter continued completely unmoved. "Two, I haven’t got a bloody clue who else knows about it and three: what exactly?"
“That explains what happened to Michael,” Roxana whispered to Morris, who nodded but didn’t say anything until Hunter had finished.
“Come here,” the vampire beckoned, moving over to the table and waving for Hunter to follow. As they approached the table, his minions began laying the items back on the tabletop. This time several large, glossy photographs accompanied them. “We can ignore the first two questions for now. At this time I am more concerned with our security. The last time I was here I was troubled by certain individuals.”
He picked up the photographs and handed them to Hunter. In each of them there was a picture of a different person; Alessandra Hunt, Cole Matthews, James the Ripper, Vincent de la Roach, the demon Darlome and Chance. “There may come a point where I am forced to eliminate these…people…before they become a nuisance again, but for now I wish merely to remain incognito. You, I hear, are an excellent tracker. My own vampires are either too concerned with locating the Eye, enforcing our security – at which it seems they are not doing a good enough job – or are incompetent. They would only tip my hand. I want you to seek out each of these and report back to me on them, without any of them knowing what you are doing or even that you are there. I especially want to know if they are aware of my presence here. Do you understand?”
Hunter looked at the pictures, then nodded. "Should I know anything particular about 'em?"
Morris waved, and a vampire handed Hunter six files. “These files have been put together from a variety of sources, but the general bulk of it was taken from the Watchers’ files several months ago.” His eyes flashed to Roxana, who straightened and beamed. Morris gave her a proud and loving smile, then turned back to Hunter. “Everything you need to know will be contained in these files.” He paused. “I will repeat again, it is imperative you do not alert any of them to your or my presence. Your reputation tells me you will not. Do not disappoint.”
Hunter opened one of the files and skimmed through it. So, one was a Verbati? That would be a bit difficult, but not impossible. He closed it and looked at Morris. "I won't," he said simply. "However, I want to discuss one thing - the pay. And no, I don't want any money. I simply want one thing; to use the Eye after you´ve gotten it."
Morris’ eyebrow went up. *Ah, and so we come to it at last.* “And may I ask what for?”
"You know what it can do, Morris, so that should answer your question," he simply answered and once again his inner eye showed him a woman, dressed in a long white dress with two intensly green eyes. He quickly snapped out of it and turned his attention back to Morris. "After I'm done with it I don't give a fuck were it ends up, so I will not stop you in whatever the hell you're planning to do with it." He then held out his hand. "Agreed?"
“You have spirit, I like it.” Morris smiled and took Hunter’s hand and shook it firmly. “Agreed, though I hope you won’t mind me sending one of my people along with you? For security reasons, I’m sure you understand…”
Hunter's eyes narrowed a bit. *Great, a chaperone,* he thought. But he nodded and said, "Fine, though I will be doing this my way and if he doesn’t do as I say he'll find himself on the other end of a stake. I'm sure you understand."
“Of course, and I’m sure she does as well.” Morris nodded and turned to Roxana, who came over to him and wrapped an arm around him. “Roxana, dear, go with him. He has the experience, so listen to what he says.” His voice dropped to a barely audible whisper, “But if he steps out of line, kill him.”
Roxana’s eyes flashed seductively to Hunter as she detached herself from her lover and stepped over to him. Morris smiled and turned back to the documents spread out on the table. “Now, if you two will excuse me, I have some work to do.”
Hunter nodded and moved to the door with the files in his hand and Roxana behind him. He smiled. Soon, very soon he would be reunited with her.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
Sunday 10th June 2007, 1:56pm
Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel
So, this was it. Crunch time. Tash bit her lower lip nervously as she rode up the elevator to Marcus’ floor, to her meeting with him. Last night as she and Onyx had lain warmly snugged together in Tash’s bed, Tash had finally broached the subject of getting an appointment time with the necromancer. It was something she’d been putting off since the battle with Delancre’s forces, but she knew that sooner or later she had to face him and try to explain her position.
The elevator doors slid open smoothly, ejecting her into the hallway, and Tash paused briefly outside Onyx’s door as she passed by. But she resisted the temptation to steal a good-luck kiss from her lover – who was also Marcus’ assistant, she had to remind herself. Instead she continued on to knock firmly upon the door leading to the necromancer’s suite.
Marcus looked up from the text he was studying and smiled at the door. Onyx had let him know Tash wanted to see him and he wasn’t expecting any other visitors. “It’s open, Tash.”
Tash entered the room, closing the door gently behind her, and stood awkwardly in the centre of the living area. Unsure of how to start, she settled for the safety of inane small talk.
“Hi, Marcus. How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” Marcus stood as Tash entered. “And yourself?”
Tash nodded and Marcus gestured to a chair. “Please take a seat.” He walked toward the kitchen area. “Coffee?”
“Sure.”
Marcus returned a few minutes later and handed Tash a cup of Yemeni Mocha Mattari. “So…”
Taking a deep breath, Tash parroted, “So…”
She inhaled the rich aroma of the coffee and took a slow sip, appreciating the smooth texture and flavour. Time to launch into it.
“Well, I’m not one to beat around the bush. You and I have a contract. I feel honour bound to see it through, but you must understand that now that I’m no longer infected by Hyde I have certain… misgivings about some aspects of our arrangement.”
Marcus hid a smile. It didn’t take an empath to realise Tash was uncomfortable with this conversation. He sipped his coffee for a second or two, letting the silence drag out while thinking how he should react.
“Let’s not beat about the bush, Tash. You don’t like my magical gifts or the uses I put them to.”
“No, that’s not entirely how it is. I do respect your talents, and God knows I was as happy as anyone else when you threw in your lot with us against Delancre. I even continued to use the zombies I’d created – though I did de-animate them as soon as we were done.”
Tash shook her head and took another long sip of her coffee. “It’s just – I don’t feel comfortable with some of the darker memories that lurk inside me. Ohenewaa was… evil. There’s no two ways about it. Heart as black as the ace of spades, and all that. Working with you has helped, I admit, in letting me access her knowledge without being caught up in reliving her past, but something like summoning the Avatar of Death… that’s not the sort of thing I’d willingly do now. You may think I’m just being queasy, but I believe there are limits to what we can safely toy with.”
“I don’t meddle with such powers lightly. I’m sure you realise that and though I don’t have your, ah, wealth of experience I’m well aware of the risks I’ve run recently. More so than I think you realise.”
Marcus grimaced. The Divide in and around Los Angeles was rather tenuous right now. His meddling had left it too thin in places but Delancre’s demonic army had made it necessary. Likewise Daye’s rescue would have failed without his summoning. Tash could be squeamish after the fact, that was her prerogative, but Marcus knew what he had done had been necessary.
“You’ve told me what your difficulties are. How do you propose to solve them?”
Tash winced at Marcus’ reproving tone. She’d done her best not to upset him too much, though she was aware that her objections would strike at the very core of his profession – hell, his whole family history. But she couldn’t just go on with their old arrangement as though everything would be all right. She knew she would find sticking points. Far better to discuss it now than to surprise Marcus in the midst of a session.
“Well, for the moment I think perhaps we need a general set of guidelines. Areas I’m willing to explore within myself, and areas that I’m not, though I’m not sure I could detail exactly which are which beforehand. We may just have to take it as it comes, and you may have to be prepared for me to simply tell you that I don’t wish to discuss a certain topic any further. I… I’m sorry, I wish I could be more specific. But until I try to access particular knowledge, I don’t know what else will come with it.”
*Well,* Marcus thought, *that’s rather surprising.* He’d expected Tash to break off their agreement completely despite her ‘honour’. For that matter, he’d have been inclined to let her. Considering what he’d already gained from their sessions he’d been quite handsomely paid for his spell, and bearing in mind that Tash had laid to rest the zombies she’d raised. Still he had no intention of looking a gift horse in the mouth.
“Perhaps if we kept our sessions to more defensive magic?” There was any number of areas that could cover.
“Maybe.” Tash nodded slowly, rolling the taste of Marcus’ sense of triumph around in her brain. Had she underplayed her hand? It was too late to back out now, if she had.
“I don’t want you to feel as though you’ve been short-changed. I know our agreement was for seven sessions, and so far we’ve only had three. But I’d rather you knew up-front that without Hyde’s influence I’m no longer inclined to delve into the darker areas of your specialty. Perhaps keeping to defensive areas will minimise the difficulty.”
“I understand. And to be honest there’s little point in forcing you to address areas you’re unhappy with. The agreement was for your assistance and I doubt you’d be helpful if I did insist on a free hand in our discussions.”
Marcus continued on in a much softer, gentler tone. “Tash, I’m not unaware of the difficulties Hyde has raised for you and your friends. I see no reason to exacerbate those difficulties.”
Tash relaxed, a relieved smile crossing her features. “I was hoping you’d feel that way. And although I’m not quite the same person you met originally, I hope we’ll still get on all right.”
She laughed nervously. “I have to say, I was worried about Onyx for a while. I wasn’t sure if Hyde… well, I’m not the sort to just fall into a relationship like that. But it still feels right, even now. What I’m trying to say is, I hope our,” she searched for the right term, “working relationship stays on the same sort of footing, too. Some of the subject matter may be too dark for my liking these days, but we did work well together, and I felt… I feel that you’ve helped me deal with Ohenewaa’s legacy a bit better.”
Marcus nodded, though he didn’t actually agree with everything Tash had said. Her squeamishness over the origin of her knowledge was causing her to ignore a virtually priceless repository of knowledge. Well, Marcus had four more ‘visits’ to that repository and while he had to accept Tash’s limits he would garner as much power from her as he could.
“I’m glad there’s been a least something good to evolve out of this for you,” Marcus managed with some sincerity. “Shall we say this Wednesday, at the usual time?”
daye's dream
*** Thursday, June 14, 2:11 am ***
Daye lay on a cold table in a dark, damp room, covered by a scrap of filthy cloth. She was naked beneath the scant covering and although her eyes were wide open, she could make out nothing of significance in the inky blackness. She couldn’t catch her breath as icy fear crept through her veins. She could smell mold and dirt and other, darker things. She knew this place. It was so familiar, so repugnant.
“Goddess, no… it’s over, it’s been over… I know it has,” Daye whispered hoarsely at the shadows. Her friends had come. They had rescued her from this place, hadn’t they? Had it been real? Had she been home - safe - had they really defeated Delancre? Or was it all another cruel torment, another delusion she’d believed in far too much?
Daye sat up slowly. She settled her feet on the floor and stood. The darkness in the room was deep and oppressive. Daye moved slowly forward, wrapping herself in the ragged blanket. The air around her was chill and she could faintly hear the cries and whispers of other living things in the night. Daye walked slowly to the door of her cell.
Daye reached out, her eyes adjusting as much as possible to the gloom. All she could make out were faint shadows. The doorway before her was amazingly unblocked. Daye didn’t stop to wonder how that was, she simply hurried out into the cellar halls. Something else was niggling at the back of her mind, but she couldn’t dwell on it now. Now, if she was quick and smart, maybe she could finally escape from this dreadful place.
Daye moved into the hall, running her hand along the damp wall. She didn’t know quite the way to get out, but if she just kept moving maybe for once luck would be on her side. Daye came to a juncture in the stone hallway and was glad to see a dim light ahead. She moved towards that light.
Daye stopped when the source of the light came into view. Her mouth fell open and she stifled a gasp. Tash and Kate stood before her, bathed in that weak light. Marcus lay between them on a cot not unlike the one in her cell. His eyes were closed. Tash and Kate both wore heavy robes and were staring down at him coldly.
“Will he be able to help?” Tash asked Kate, her eyes flicking over to where Daye stood. “She is hurt deeply. Will he even want to help?”
Kate raised her eyes and frowned at Daye. “There should be someone else,” her tone was accusatory. “She should have told the other. His is a healing touch. This one…” she gestured at Marcus and snorted derisively, “He is all wrong.”
“It’s not our place,” Tash argued. She turned a gentle smile on Daye. “Come along then. There is much to do and little time in which to get it done.”
“Tash?” Daye asked cautiously. Tash was her friend, but also her enemy. And Kate. Kate was the woman she was closest to in the world, but Daye had betrayed her. Surely Kate wanted to see her punished as well. Was that what this would be then, more punishment?
“No. Poor girl, not really,” Tash replied. “I am your friend, and not your friend. We are here, but not here. Come closer. You have nothing to fear. This place is not what you believe, yet is where you are.”
Daye was puzzled by Tash/not Tash’s cryptic words. “I don’t understand. Is this real? Is it a dream? Did any of it really happen? Or am I still trapped here?”
“Don’t be a fool!” Kate snapped. “You know the truth. You are a Dreamwalker. You should not be confounded here.”
Daye closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. She could almost see. She almost knew. Something - some important detail was just outside her grasp. She concentrated, reaching for it, and suddenly there it was.
Daye’s head snapped up and her eyes opened. “This is ‘The Dreaming’,” she declared. “I’m here, but I’m not here. It’s real, but it’s not real. That’s why I don’t feel any pain. I’ve been healed from the torture Delancre put me through.”
“There you are,” Tash said, smiling indulgently.
“Should have known right away,” Kate grumbled.
“Now, be patient,” Tash admonished. “Her ordeal was long and arduous. She carries many wounds. There may be scars yet.”
“No, that’s why we’re here,” Kate disagreed. “It’s time to heal.”
“Heal?” Daye repeated. “Heal what? Who?”
“It’s time for you to heal,” Tash replied gently. “Come closer. Time is fleeting.”
Daye moved cautiously forward. She knew where she was, and that in this place she held much power, but still this was new and confusing to her. “Who are you really?”
“We are you,” Kate replied coolly. “You want to be whole. You seek solace. We have brought ourself here.”
Daye stopped beside the cot. She glanced down. Marcus was sleeping soundly. He looked very peaceful in his sleep. “And him?”
“A means to an ends,” Tash said. “He is your way. You will find healing and let go of the pain, the horror, through him. All will be well.”
Daye nodded, watching Marcus. She wanted to lie down next to him and take some of his peace into herself. He had offered her comfort and she had been able to trust him. Surely, in her mind, she’d envisioned him for the same reason here.
“Go on,” Tash nudged her gently towards where he lay. “Lie with him. This closeness is what you seek.”
Daye turned her surprised gaze on Tash. “But I… I can’t.” Daye shook her head, taking a step back. “No. No, I shouldn’t… no.”
“This is your way,” Kate hissed at her. “You have always been guided by your heart, even when you heed your head. This is the only way. You must open yourself up again, completely. He may not be the best choice, but he is your choice. Do not let fear rule you.”
Daye quirked an eyebrow at her friend’s command, but she sensed the truth of her words. It was fear that made her hesitate. She was afraid, not of Marcus, but of what it might mean to be that close to another, even here in this place that was safest for her and with a man who technically did not exist. Her mind and body both recalled the perversions she’d endured in this place, more so when she stood here in this cell so similar to that other. As when Drew had touched her only a few nights before, a part of her was in abject terror of any intimacy.
“You cannot go on being afraid.” Tash’s eyes were full of sorrow. “It is not in you to shy away from connecting. Do not do so now. You will wither inside of this prison. You must be completely free of it.”
Kate and Tash gave her one final look and then turned and moved into the deeper shadows. Moments later, Daye was alone with Marcus, who still slept blissfully on.
Daye took a deep breath. She had to trust herself. She slowly stepped forward, still clutching the ragged cover around herself. With careful, deliberate movements, she set her body down beside Marcus’ on the small bed. She was barely touching the length of him, and she held herself tightly apart. Daye reached out and gently touched his face, unsure what exactly she was supposed to do.
Marcus awoke at her touch, slowly blinking sleep from his eyes. He smiled and pressed into her touch, letting the stubble of his beard rasp gently across her fingers. He gave her a sleepy smile, soft and very much at odds with his normal persona.
“Hello you,” he whispered.
Daye smiled in return. She felt the first flush of nervousness combined with a flare of attraction as she looked into his normally cool blue eyes, now alight with welcome and warmth. He didn't seem the least bit surprised at seeing her here. *He's not real, though,* Daye admonished herself, a fact which she found both liberating and a bit disappointing. She could literally do anything here with him, and he would respond the way some small part of her wished he could in reality. But, on the other hand, none of this was real.
"Hello," Daye couldn't keep the catch from her voice. She still cupped his face. She let her fingers gently stroke his cheek and then move on to trace his lips.
He turned his head slightly to press a kiss into her palm then reached up to grasp her wrist. He rolled onto his side while drawing her closer leaving them facing each other mere inches apart.
The motion seemed to startle Daye and she shivered and Marcus saw the beginnings of panic in her eyes. He spoke softly to forestall that fear, letting his breath flutter over her cheek.
“May I kiss you?”
Daye nodded hesitantly and Marcus crossed the space between them to press his lips to hers in a tender kiss that invited passion. Marcus’ hand, which had reached up to cup her face, now drifted down her flank to settle its weight on her hip while his fingers stroked small circles on her skin.
Daye focused on the warmth and tenderness of his touch, ignoring the flutters of fear she experienced. This was Marcus. She trusted him. She wanted him. There was nothing here to be afraid of. She had no reason to anticipate brutalization. There was only pleasure to be found here.
Daye parted her lips beneath his, granting access to his gently stroking tongue. She sighed against his mouth. Marcus' hand was at her waist, sending spirals of heat out from his stroking fingers. Daye brought her hands down to his shoulders and back, mimicking those small lazy circles he was tracing on her body through the thin layer of the ragged blanket.
The slow kisses and languid caresses were a far cry from their previous frenzied, frantic couplings but there was a deeper, more fulfilling pleasure in them. Marcus was content to revel in the slow burn of their passion, trading kisses and caresses for an interminable time. When she stiffened at some fear his touch raised Marcus bent his head to press open-mouthed kisses against her skin, leeching the memories of torment from her flesh and leaving behind wholesome desire.
Passion, though, could not be held back forever and Marcus' hands and lips moved more intimately over Daye. He winced inwardly when the whimpers came caused by remembered pain and not desire. But he refused to be deterred by the brutalities of her past and so he drew the sting of those remembered cruelties away with tender care till pain turned to the soft sighs of pleasure.
Marcus' touch was intimate and tender, taking away the memories of pain and leaving only the sweet glow of passion in their wake. Daye arched into his touch as he grew bolder and bolder. She murmured his name between sigh and moan, her voice reverently caressing each syllable.
As Daye grew more fevered, she touched him back, her touch mirroring his. She longed to repay him for the tender care he was showing her. Daye's mouth played across his flesh, her tongue darting out to taste and tease.
All trace of hesitancy gone, but with no great urgency either, Daye’s hands moved across Marcus leaving trails of fire in their wake. Marcus moaned with delight as she pressed her body against him. Her soft skin rubbing over his sent shudders of pleasure through him.
Marcus found himself with Daye beneath him, one arm wrapped around her shoulders, kissing her with increasing passion while his hand moved over her torso. Every muscle in her body suddenly locked rigid though, when that hand slipped below her waist.
Featherlight caresses eased the tension from her body while he whispered softly soothing nonsense in her ear.
Daye's mind was full of the memory of rough touches, wicked claws forcing themselves into her body and the burning humiliation of violation. She'd always, from the first, enjoyed giving and taking pleasure. She'd never before had any shame of her body or of the things she could do with it. Now, though, with the brutal invasions so fresh in her mind, Daye had the urge to shy away from Marcus' gentle touch, even as he spoke soothingly to her.
She trembled and her hands came up to try and create a barrier between them. "I... Marcus..." Daye's voice was choked and pleading. The arousal his touch had ignited was beginning to fade beneath her rising fear.
"I can't... Help me. I don't want to be afraid," Daye whispered hoarsely.
“It’s ok.” Marcus reached up and caught her hands. He kissed her again while letting his thumb rub gently across her hand. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He moved them back onto their sides still facing each other and as he caressed her hands, he nuzzled gently at her throat before moving with aching tenderness down her body, kissing and suckling her. When he brushed against her intimately once again she tensed and Marcus moved back upwards. He pressed his hand into hers. “Guide me.”
Here were the words she needed to hear, as Daye took hold of his hand. This was not like the abominations she'd experienced at the hands of her demonic assailants. Marcus would not take from her. He would give. He would give the pleasure she sought and follow wherever Daye led. This was just exactly what she needed.
Daye took the control he offered. She guided his hand over her body, helping him to touch where she needed to be touched. As she moved their joined hands, Marcus continued to kiss her, his mouth moving from her breasts to her throat and back, again and again. The feel of his lips coupled with the things she was doing with their hands soon managed to drive away the last remaining fear in Daye's mind. Finally, she released his hand, giving him the freedom to touch her as he pleased. Daye reached out and took hold of his head, bringing his mouth down to hers. Her kiss was open and unreserved.
Freed of the last of her fears Marcus let his hands roam freely. He kissed Daye again then gently rolled her onto her back before worshipping her body. Her hands threaded through his hair, the short fingernails pressing to the edge of pain against his scalp and Daye moaned in pleasure, breathy cries filling the air around them. He reclaimed her lips in a searing kiss then her hips rose to meet his and Marcus' voice joined hers in spiraling passion.
Daye's eyes were closed, but her other senses were full of Marcus and only Marcus. His taste was on her lips and tongue. She could feel him, every inch of him touching her, pleasuring her. His hungry cries drove her desire higher and higher. When she drew in a breath his scent filled her as well.
Finally, as they climbed towards a crescendo of passion together, Daye opened her eyes. She watched him, barely noticing that the room was now full of light, or that other things had changed as well. When they crashed together at the peak, Marcus gave one final groan. Daye smiled up in wonder as she joined him there.
Marcus settled to one side of Daye with a smile and wrapped his arms around her. He nuzzled gently at her neck and let his hands slide across her skin before wrapping a cotton sheet over both of them. A warm breeze disturbed the curtains by the window letting light flood through room.
“Thank you…”
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
6:45am Thursday June 14th
The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel
Marcus rolled out of bed, cursed his fertile imagination and walked to the shower to run the coldest shower his five star hotel could manage. Standing in the shower shivering beneath a spray of frigid water Marcus’ mind wandered back to his dream.
It had been certainly vivid and detailed but then he had a great deal of experience of Daye’s body. Her description of her torment at Delancre’s hands had obviously provided his subconsicous with inspiration but he did wonder why his imagination had decided to address the issue in such an erotic manner.
Marcus shook that aside and let the ice cold water finish its work before he turned the temperature up. He’d already decided on Delancre’s punishment. Indeed, though he doubted Natahsa had quite realised it, his meeting with her yesterday had helped solidify some of his thoughts on the matter.
Maybe it was time to plan out some of the specifics. Marcus smiled in the slowly warming water and then quickly finished his shower before dressing then walking into his study. He opened the wall safe and took out the Orb of Thessula containing Delancre’s monstrous soul. He set it down on the desk then took out some paper. Yes, it was time to deal with Delancre.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
Monday June 11th, 2007
10:25pm.
One of those stereotypical alleys found around the world where its always strangely deserted at night. You know the type.
The vampire hauled Kyle up by his collar and slammed him against the brick wall.
"Look at this little squirt!" the creature with a nose-ring snarled in his face. "Swaggering around like he owns the place. I should teach him a lesson!"
"Yeah, teach him a lesson!" one of his goons shouted.
"Teach him who owns the place now!" the other jeered.
The vampire flared his nostrils and spoke again. "So what if you killed a Slayer? We're fed up with you good guys dusting us one by one. We're putting you out of action whilst you're wounded. Permenantly."
*Oh, sure. Beat up the guy in the sling. That's fair...* Kyle hawked and spat in the vampire's face. "Bite me."
The next thing he knew the vampire's knee was in his groin and he had dropped to the ground, moaning in pain. The vampire turned away to wipe Kyle's spit off.
"Piece of crap," he said, turning back and kicking Kyle as he continued to moan.
Even through his pain and wounded pride, Kyle had to admit this guy was strong. Probably the strongest guy he'd fought since the Slayer, and definately the baddest vamp he'd come across in a while. There was still the matter of his sling, though.
When the pain in his groin had started to fade, the vampire hauled him up again and held him before his face. "Not so cocky now, are we?" the vamp asked, then hit him three times, after which Kyle was having difficulty stopping the world from spinning.
The vampire laughed at Kyle's pain and hurled him against the wall he had been thrown against earlier. Hitting with a dull thud, Kyle slipped to the ground in a dazed pile.
Both the vampire's goons closed in with him as he advanced on Kyle. "'Bet that sling is real flammable. I was looking forward to some good sport. Pity you can't turn into your demon form, then." The goons burst into low, threatening chuckles as they continued to menacingly advance until they were standing right next to Kyle's limp form.
Kyle's daze seemed to vanish instantly as his head snapped up to glare at the lead vampire. "Good job the arm's not broken." He hurled the peice of cloth away, changed form, kicked the legs out from all three and rose to his feet as they fell. With all on the ground he was able to dust one with his tail before the other two got to their feet and began trading punches.
Ducking under a jab, Kyle spun and came up with a left uppercut - unfortunately unable to dodge the right hook that came his way on the return. Off balance, Kyle fell to several more blows and a couple of kicks, only returning to the offensive again after a punch to the groin to the vampire who had hit him in the same place earlier. With one out of the picture for a bit, Kyle focused on the other. But this guy was just as hard as the other and blocked Kyle's four opening blows, countering the fifth with a high kick. Kyle ducked the kick and batted the leg to one side, jabbing at the vampire's face. The jab connected and the vampire staggered. Launching into a scissor kick Kyle brought the vampire down to its knees, but even as he did so the leader came back at him again.
It was hopeless. Kyle couldn't put one down quick enough to take out the other. These vampires were good.
One grabbed him in a bear hug whilst the leader sockered Kyle in the gut. The wind hurled out of him, but even as he gasped Kyle leapt up and planted both feet firmly in the vampire's face. As he went back, Kyle grabbed onto the vampire grappling him but was released before he could set him on fire. He had just enough time to check on the lead vampire before he had to duck from the creature swinging a metal bar at him. The bar whistled past again and Kyle ducked and rolled - coming up with his back against the wall.
Kyle checked left and right to see no escape. Both vampires were converging on different angles. He would not be able to fend off one before the other attacked. "Aw, crap."
The lead vampire swung his bar back ready to strike, but found as he did so he met stiff resistance. Turning to look, he saw a meaty purple fist holding the bar firmly, and trailed this meaty fist up a muscled purple arm to a battle-scarred and hardened face before letting out a yelp of surprise.
The demon ripped the bar out of the vampire's hands and hurled it by the neck into the wall next to Kyle. The other vampire turned to look at his fellow goon's outcry, only to see the fist of another huge demon hurtling towards him. He, too, flew across the alley into the wall on the other side of Kyle.
"Hey, man," Zax called, kneading his fist.
"Hey, dude," Kyle called back, stepping away from the two vampires as they got back to their feet.
Zax and one of his cohorts stepped fowards. "Mind if we take care of these?"
"Sure, be my guest," Kyle replied, shifting back to human form and leaning aginst the wall to get a good view.
The two purple demons, the third missing, reached the vampires just as they got back to their feet. A few rock-hard huge fists to the faces and both vampires were on the ground again. The other demon dusted his vampire with one of Kyle's fallen stakes, dropped earlier, whilst Zax did the job himself and tore off the vampire's head with his bare hands.
Kyle's face as the two turned round showed he was impressed. *I'm real glad we made friends rather than enemies,* he thought, carefully eyeing Zax's hugely powerful arms.
"Huh. Couple of Walker's lot, by the looks of 'em," Zax said idly to his accomplice.
"Who?" Kyle asked.
"Walker. John Walker. I'd heard he was in town. The undead-life here has really taken a turn for the worst since all them Watcher-demons showed up. 'Course now you've gotten rid of them all, almost single-handedly as you say it, then the vamps would be flooding back, and they'd be looking for a leader. All it takes is one remotely strong and clever vamp to fill that gap..."
Kyle nodded. "This John Walker," he frowned. "Not a very... intimidating name for a big vamp, really."
Zax shrugged. "All the good ones were taken. Anyway, last I heard he was out east murdering babies or something, but then I hear he's come to LA. If he's already got goons out acting like they own the streets, then he's been here for a while... What?" Zax suddenly asked.
"What?" Kyle repeated, looking startled.
"You had a strange expression on your face. Looked as if you were... thinking."
Kyle ignored the hidden insult and instead smiled. "I just got an idea. You guys got anything planned tonight?" The demons shook their heads. "Fancy going on a little hunt?"
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
***** Monday, June 11th 2007 – Highway 10, out of L.A. City *****
The flashing of numerous headlights sped by like crazed fireflies toward the city of Los Angeles. Driving in the opposite direction, Vivek checked the rearview mirror of the ’95 Honda Civic rental and watched the prominent skyline, gilded by the setting sun, grow smaller in the distance. Glancing toward the other side of the car, Vivek had a rare uninterrupted moment to study the pensive silhouette of his passenger. Though she was sitting only an arm’s length away from him, she seemed more removed than ever and Vivek felt a brief panicky sensation that she was slipping like water through his fingers.
“Stop staring at me,” Simryn said firmly without turning her gaze away from the passing scenery and Vivek flushed at having been caught, hurriedly turning his focus back to the road before him. They drove in silence for a while, the constant hum of the engine the only sound.
“Where are you taking me?” the Kshatrani finally snapped, her voice waspish because she knew she’d let her inquisitive nature get the better of her.
“Wait and see,” he replied, smiling benevolently as if he were her father giving her a treat. With a glare that could produce fire or singe him at the very least, she turned back to her window, folding her arms and drawing her body as far away from him as she could get. Vivek shook his head and bit the inside of his cheek; it took everything in him not to laugh at her childish display of a pout. Never in all his imaginings had he thought the Kshatrani of legend would act this way.
But it was her right to know, and yet what could he tell her? Truth be told he didn’t really know where he was taking her, but it had risen inside him, the sudden impulse to get her away from the city. Ever since she had come to L.A., and especially after meeting that man,as Vivek preferred to think about him, she had grown strangely moody, her emotions flitting from place to place, almost dizzying in the speed and frequency of their changes.
Though he delighted in her occasional fits he didn’t think it was the true her. Perhaps inside she was a raging fire of emotions, but outside, the being she presented to the world was cold and aloof. *You didn’t think her cold then,* his own voice mocked him and despite his desire to pretend it never happened, the memory of what had occurred almost a month ago rose to the surface. Unseen, a gamut of emotions inundated his synapses and he coughed to clear the sudden thickness in his throat.
Simryn glanced at him sharply, “Kya hai, maine kaha tha k-” she started but any further words were forestalled when he turned to her with hot eyes that had nothing to do with anger. Vivek cursed his own lack of resolve. He had intended to hide his growing feelings for her, knowing that she would never be able to reciprocate, but ever since that evening in their apartment he had been unable to forget the feel of her against him, and how right she had felt in his arms.
“Main theek hoon,” his voice was soft and husky, and the sound of it caused a shiver to run up Simryn’s spine. “But you look tired, maybe you should rest,” he finished inanely and she nodded, gratefully taking the out he was providing from their awkward sharing of glances. Leaning her head against the window, Simryn pressed her hot skin against the cold glass. In that position she could fee the even vibration of the car down to her bones and it could have lulled her to sleep save for the racing of her pulse and the flashes impressions that burned in her mind’s-eye.
Yes, she knew exactly what he was thinking of; it had plagued her own thoughts of late. Every day they woke up pretending that it had never happened, going about their daily routines as if nothing had changed. But things were changed: where he had been haughty and interfering he was now sickeningly sweet, though he still kept to his word and hadn’t let her or Nikolai meet alone again. Wanting to forget was not enough to dull the consciousness of what she had done to him or the moments leading up to her transitory departure from sanity.
FLASHBACK
***** Evening, Mid-May, 2007- Nikolai and Simryn’s apartment building *****
Nikolai timed everything just right… he hoped.
Kate was right: he had to figure out what happened, how exactly he felt. And if he was going to pursue this other woman, he had to figure out how he felt. Hell, he had to figure out how she felt, why they felt this connection. For the moment at least they’d been polite when they met, though it was clear that things had changed between them.
When he heard the door shut down the hall, he counted to six before opening the door to his condo just far enough to see Vivek heading out on some errand or other. *Good,* he thought. That would mean that he could talk to her without the other man’s watchful gaze. His door shut silently; he went back inside to wait five minutes, then slipped out to head down the hall.
Nikolai stood outside of the door to Simryn’s for a minute, trying to work up the nerve. Then, sighing heavily, he raised his hand to knock three times and waited silently for her to answer.
Simryn knew who it was that stood outside before she touched the door, and for a moment she wondered resentfully if she should just ignore the summons, as Nikolai had been steadily ignoring her for the past weeks. The warrior inside her wanted to fight, but the woman in her was hurt and the two parts struggled but inevitably her temper won out. Running a hand over her face, Simryn knew that nothing could disguise the weary shadows beneath her eyes but she told herself angrily that she didn’t care what he thought… not at all.
The door swung open slowly. Though she seemed momentarily frozen, there was no surprise in Simryn’s eyes as she gazed up at Nikolai. Like her, he seemed worn and distracted. His hair was windswept and there was a mysterious look in his eyes that caused her heart to beat faster in alarm.
Something was wrong.
Despite her own misery of the past weeks and the jab of anger she’d felt when he’d presumptuously turned up at her door, Simryn could not ignore the inexplicable feeling of gladness she had when she saw him. Sighing inwardly, she wondered if he would ever feel the same way and yet she couldn’t ask him… couldn’t allow him that much power over her. So, with a small frown to hide her concern, Simryn brusquely waved him in through the door.
Nikolai gladly accepted her invitation inside, able to understand her feelings perfectly. In spite of himself, he had to admit to a certain amount of pleasure at getting to see her as well. He accepted the drink when Simryn offered it to him, knowing what her values of hospitality were like.
The Russian sat across from her, holding his glass in his hand, moving it gently back and forth. It was obvious that Simryn was also concerned now, probably at his appearance. With all that had been going on recently, he didn’t really blame her. “Simryn,” he finally said softly. “There’s something I need to talk to you about... about us.”
He looked up at her, before the woman could speak, noticing the look about her. More and more he had to wonder; his thoughts drifted back to a time with Garak… and the chess game. King Nikolai and Queen Alicia, with other people from this life on the one side, with Queen Simryn and some other unknown king on the other. *The past, perhaps?*
Their eyes met again for a moment, and Nikolai could see a part of himself reflected in her. Some of the old teachings of L’Than’s school came to his mind, about the openness and trust required in any relationship. *Maybe Kate is right… am I trying to pursue her instead?* “I don’t know what it is, Simryn, I barely know you but feel like we have been together before. In the past. Does that make any sense to you at all?”
For a moment, Simryn let Nikolai’s words wash over her and felt a burst of triumph, because despite Vivek’s misgivings she had always believed that he would remember who they had been together. But the victory was short-lived as her guardian’s words came back to haunt her, echoing in her mind till the doubts were mirrored in the viridian depths of her eyes.
He looked so earnest, and he was so dear to her. But how much did Nikolai really understand of their connection? And when he discovered the truth would he be compelled to her out of duty and obligation instead of the love they had once shared? How long would it be till obligation turned to bitterness and hate?
She could not live if she had made him hate her.
“My people have long believed in the reincarnation of a soul,” she said evasively, keeping her distance even though the very singing of her blood through her veins called to him.
Her evasiveness did not pass Nikolai’s attention unnoticed as he watched her form carefully. He could feel her holding back as well, and felt an urge to go over to her and try to be close to her, unsure of where that came from. *No, you know damn right well where it’s coming from,* he thought as he tried to find some way to reply.
“As have the Xangyarj… in a sense,” he replied, remembering many of the older things he’d read. Sighing, he brought his eyes to look into hers steadily. “I don’t know what I’m saying, Simryn, to be honest. But I need to apologize for how I’ve been since what happened…”
So that’s what was worrying him. Simryn wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly cold. If he was apologizing, it meant that he was feeling regret over what had happened. Focused on her own emotions, Simryn brushed away the small twinge of recognition at the name ‘Zangyarj’ as if it were a gnat.
That night, which had meant everything to her, had been as nothing to him. Her lips twisted in a bitter smile; despite the sexually liberated attitude of these times, guilt was ageless.
The laughter that spilled from her lips was chilling in its self-mockery. “By all means, let us be honest with each other. But you needn’t let your conscious prick you so… I knew very well what I was doing and so did you.” She walked up to him, running her fingers lazily down his chest and lower in a gesture that was blatantly sexual with none of the tenderness of their one and only encounter.
“How do they say it here?” she queried coldly. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Consenting adults.”
Nikolai’s hand reached down to catch her hand, pulling it away. Of all the… it was almost like she was infected with this damnable virus as well. Though it could just as easily have been a misunderstanding.
“I don’t know how they do things where you are from,” he returned, “But in Russia, it is considered bad form to make love to a woman and then to treat her like nothing after. It felt like picking up something left off, and I have deliberately avoided you out of fear.
“If you don’t want me to actually care enough about you to feel guilty for treating you that way, say so,” he returned just as coldly. “If you want to be thought of as an object, I cannot stop you. I would rather think of you as a human being, however.”
At the term ‘human being’ Simryn paled, and pulled her hand away violently from Nikolai’s grasp. The coldness in his eyes was foreign to her and Simryn would have cringed but for her pride. She did not know what was making her act this way, say these things, but it was something she could not control. Inside of her was a mixture of fury and sorrow that had not diminished with the passing of time, only increased exponentially to remind her exactly how inhuman she really was.
“I don’t know what I want you to feel about me. I don’t even know how I feel about myself,” she laughed brokenly. Where there had been the furious temptress was now the vulnerable lover and Simryn dropped to her knees, head bowed and palms arched up in silent prayer.
She had been so conceited, so arrogant to think that she could defy the passage of time without consequences. And now nothing was left of her world save ashes and memories, and the spirit of one man who could not remember.
Something within Nikolai stirred at the sight of the woman on the floor, and without thinking he moved to kneel besides her, taking her into his arms. Her distress washed over him, her confusion. A bit of newfound humility was there as well, and Kate’s words came back to him, about souls recognizing each other. “Simryn... Please, look at me,” he said before her.
For a moment the woman didn’t look up, though when she finally did, he was struck by a sudden realization. Noticing the details, that old advice had been. And the details here… “I don’t know what to say,” he began softly. “Maybe I’m crazier than I ever thought before, maybe I’m just lost. But when I look at you, I feel like I’ve known you before. That night when we were together, it was as though we were trying to carry on a previous union.
“Yes, it sounds crazy. But that’s what I felt and I needed to talk to you, to see if you could shed some light on the situation. And if you could, to find out… what we should do about it. All I know is that I’ve come to value your companionship, and I would not want to completely drive you away because I’m a crazy, mixed up half-demon who needs to try to find himself.”
With a startled jerk, Simryn pulled herself away from Nikolai’s half-embrace to look up into his candid face. He didn’t seem aware what he’d just revealed and she waited for realization to come, when it did, he grimaced visibly and turned resignedly guarded eyes to her as if to await a horrified reaction.
“I knew the name ‘Zangyarj’ sounded familiar,” she said seriously, the distressed look in her eyes replaced with reflective scrutiny; and Nikolai seemed more taken aback by her matter of fact knowledge of the Demon race than in the Kshatrani’s abrupt mood swing. “You do not look like their people, even if you are only half-Zangyarj.” Her tone clearly implied her doubt and she peered at him suspiciously as if by looking harder she could catch a glimpse of something resembling a gray-skinned reptilian species.
The Russian continued to look a little dazed at this revelation, so Simryn stroked the side of his face with gentle fingers hoping to relieve a little of his strain. “I do not think you are crazy,” she said softly, “but you are right. There are things I know about… us, and you have a right to that knowledge.” When she stood up, he followed suit and for a few seconds they stood in awkward silence, him because he didn’t know what to say and her because she was ashamed for how she had acted when all he had wanted to do was apologize.
“Please, if you can find it in you. Forgive me for the way I acted toward you. It was unpardonable of me.” Simryn held her hands out in uncertainty, “I do not know why I acted that way. The only thing I can say is that ever since coming here I have not felt quite myself. Perhaps it is time for me to return home…” she stammered, her small hesitations letting Nikolai know that while she did long to return, something or someone held her here.
“Simryn, I-” She put a finger over his lips, effectively silencing him.
“Later, when we can be alone,” she said, ignoring Nikolai’s raised eyebrow as he considered the empty room. As if her words had summoned company, the door was pushed open and Vivek strode in muttering unintelligibly under his breath. When he finally noticed he wasn’t alone in the room his gaze arrowed on Nikolai, standing barely a breath’s distance from Simryn and his eyes narrowed in undisguised anger.
“Thank you for coming to visit,” Simryn said brightly, clearly hoping to defuse the situation. Ignoring her self-appointed guardian’s obvious displeasure, she hustled Nikolai toward the door.
“You’re very welcome, take care. I’ll see both of you around,” he answered gamely with forced cheer as he stepped out into the hallway. Only a heavy, lingering glance implied that he had been there for something more significant.
* * *
Vivek shut the door, locking the tumblers into place with a tinny click. At the sound Simryn closed her eyes against the grim anxiety fluttering in her belly. What had she just got herself into? Could she truly tell Nikolai everything - about who they had been and what she had done? It seemed impossible; in a dissonant series of silent pictures she saw herself telling him and him reviling her for the way she had twisted their fates. And yet, by his own admission, he was half-demon; if anybody, he would be able to understand.
During her little internal revelation, Vivek had continued to stare at the closed door intently. He might have been studying the lined wood - which definitely needed a new coat of paint - but she doubted it. When he finally turned to her his eyes glowed with a simmering scorn. “I thought we agreed you were going to ignore him until we figured out what to do about your situation,” he said, angrily striding toward her. Simryn didn’t think it was just her breaking of their understanding that had him so upset.
“I do not think it concerns you but if you must know, he is the one who came to see me. I could hardly ignore him outside my door,” she said mockingly, her words doing little to appease him.
“Well you should have! I do not want that man in here ever again! Gods only know what the two of you do when I’m not here!” he sneered in a way that was meant to make her feel dirty, to cheapen her feelings for Nikolai.
Instead of becoming incensed as he had expected, the Kshatrani’s eyes turned sly as she practically purred, “Oh, is that what this is all about?” Simryn had already gone beyond anger and she felt an already familiar rush of exhilaration as a new feeling took over. Somewhere deep down inside, a part of her was saying “uh-oh” but it was not the part presently in control.
There was a momentary struggle, invisible but very real, and then as if she were a disembodied being, Simryn could watch herself as she approached Vivek, her body swaying sinuously toward him. She felt like she might gag but somehow could not make herself stop. ‘This is not what I want! Stop!!!’ she cried mutely but her body refused to obey. She felt as if she were beating against an invisible barrier and could only watch with sinking feeling of dread.
Vivek held his ground, though the inherent animalistic part of him clamored for self-preservation at the look in the Kshatrani’s eyes. “I know what you want,” she continued huskily, “what you long for. What you dream about when you look at me…” At that she leaned into him, forcing an intimacy that he didn’t seem able to escape. “Yes,” she hissed, biting her lower lip temptingly as she stroked her body against his. Vivek’s nostrils flared, as his breathing grew rough. “This is what you want, isn’t it?” she was unrelenting as she rubbed against his obvious arousal.
That detached but completely coherent part of her continued to cry out. With her remaining psychic strength, Simryn screamed, ‘STOP!’ and this time something must have gone through because Vivek abruptly pulled back, clamping his hands around her arms to still her movements and hold her away from him. “Stop it. This isn’t what I want,” he said though his body, still trembling with lust, belied those words.
“It’s just the body,” this Simryn said in carnally welcoming tones, but her eyes were a frigid, ice-green pools. Continuing to hold her in check Vivek shook his head; he didn’t know what was happening but this wasn’t the Simryn he knew and yes, he could admit it, he loved her. Probably had since he was a child, hearing the ancient tales of her passed down through his family. She was in his blood, and someone like that could never be forgotten easily. He loved her, which is why he could never take advantage of her in this way.
“No… it isn’t just the body. That isn’t what you are, what you were meant for. This has to be everything; body, mind and soul or it will destroy us both.” They stood staring at each other, his golden-brown eyes trying to warm her cold green ones. At last the ice seemed to melt, and fat tears rolled down Simryn’s cheek as she released a shuddering sigh. For the second time that day Vivek found her in his arms but this time he did not mind and held her close, mumbling soothing words to ease her hurt.
Simryn was crying tears of mixed relief and despair. Relief because she was back in control of her own body and yet that brief invasion had unearthed a new awareness that could drown her in despair if she wasn’t strong enough. What Vivek had said was true. When it came to love or even lovemaking it had to be everything. Body, mind and soul, or it would destroy her.
It was only now she realized her mistake, in making love with Nikolai so soon she had not yet gained the trust of his heart or his soul although both those and her heart were in his keeping already. ‘Fool! What happens if he cannot give you what you need?’ her voice berated from within. But the answer was obvious - she would die. Some suicidal part of her was eager for it, the welcoming compass of death; better to be dead than to be incomplete and always longing for completion. She could not stay with him like that, but neither could she live without him.
***END FLASHBACK***
The car slid silently to a halt and the slight jerking forward of inertia startled Simryn from her remembrance. “Hum phaunch gaye,” Vivek pronounced as if he had accomplished something grand and Simryn couldn’t help rolling her eyes at him.
“Where is here, exactly?” she asked snidely, a fleeting look out the window revealed the same milling streets and flashing lights that could be found any where else in the city.
“Achi tara dhekho,” he said smugly and she complied, glad that whatever he found so exciting had at least wiped the earlier look of… lust, longing - or something else - from his face. Peering through the glass that had begun to fog up, Simryn could make out the features of the crowd and read the boards hanging over the shop doors. Her mouth gaped open. The signs were all written in Sanskrit and the faces, as far as she could tell, were Indian.
There was a small popping, suction noise as Vivek opened his door and came around to her side. As she unfolded out of the small vehicle, she couldn’t help but smile in delight as the familiarly delectable scents of eastern spices and the sounds of various dialects filled her senses. “Yeh Kehse?” she managed to ask, for once not minding the self-satisfied look on Vivek’s face.
“There are a surprising number of Indian people living in this city, and of course where there are Indians, there is going to be, well, this.” And he spread his arms to take in the vast, busy streets. “Chal,” he said glancing at his watch as he ushered her away from the car, “let’s take a look around before we stop by the temple.” Happily, Simryn agreed as they merged into the crowd.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
Tuesday, June 12th, 2007
2:34am.
The dilapidated door in the dilapidated wall burst into splinters as a body flew out of it and rolled to a messy heap outside. Kyle stormed out no more than a second behind the vampire, stake already in hand, and with one plunge it was all over. He straightened, spat, and lit a cigarette.
"Damn. Wrong place again," he cursed.
"Ahhh, don't worry about it," Zax said cheerfully as he too exited, happily wiping dust off his arms and slapping Kyle comradely on the back a few times. "From what I hear, this John Walker's a slippery bastard. He knows how to play the game. So don't get yourself all worked up that we couldn't find him in one night."
Kyle took a drag and scuffed his left foot on the floor. "Yeah, you're right." He shook his head. "I'm still finding it difficult dealing with the fact I'm after a big, bad vampire called 'John'."
Zax let out a deep, booming laugh. "Yeah, I can see how somebody used to dealing with 'Lord Delancre' and the Slayer would have trouble adjusting. But, hey, not everybody can have really trendy names. Vampires included. Now, me on the other hand... What?"
During his brief acquaintance with the large, barbaric, purple demon, Kyle had come to find he had a habit of breaking off mid-sentence whenever somebody gave him a slightly sceptical or odd look. "Nothing," the Kaoshian answered, lowering his left eyebrow. "I was just... didn't you say you knew everything going on in this town?"
"Everything?" he repeated. "Hell, no. Just most things. The important stuff."
"And the lair of a big, bad vampire isn't important?"
Zax gave him an odd look. "Maybe for the humans and good guys, sure. But not us. We're different, remember."
Kyle frowned and was lost in thought to the point he forgot about his cigarette. There was something about Zax's words that made him stop and think.
Zax's cohort - Kyle had come to learn his name was Grons and was Zax's brother - muscled his way out of the building and swapped glances with Zax. Then both of them leaned in closer towards Kyle and Grons waved his hand in front of his eyes whilst Zax went "cooee".
"Huh? What?" Kyle asked, startled.
"You were spacing out on us there."
"I was? Uhh, sorry..." he trailed off weakly. It was obvious something was still troubling him, but he couldn't put his finger on what.
Grons and Zax swapped another look. "Hey Kyle, what do you say we give this crap up and go grab some drinks and get in some fights?"
Kyle took his time in answering. "No, not tonight guys. I think I'm gonna hit the sack early."
"Well, okay if you want-" Zax began, but Kyle was already wandering off into the night, his mind racing.
Kate Opens Bonne Santé
Thursday, 14th June 2007 – 11:55am
Bonne Santé, Pasadena
Reintroducing Marc Anthony as Officer Tony Green
Kate chewed on the end of her biro in deep contemplation as she glanced through the stack of order forms on her desk. She couldn’t believe how much work there was still to be done before she could even start thinking about opening Bonne Santé to the public. In the past few days, Kate had worked slavishly to get her new venture off the ground, arranging for advertising, ordering supplies and making the finishing touches to the renovations that had been completed back in February.
But she was tired, even though she would be the last to admit it. The admonishments that Galen had expressed so gently and without reproach only three days ago came to mind, that she shouldn’t take on too much all at once, that he didn’t want her to be overworked. But despite her assurances to the contrary, that was exactly what Kate had been doing if for no other reason than to keep her wayward thoughts more agreeably occupied. But if her sole aim had been to employ her mind with something other than Daye and her impending wedding then at least it had been successful, but also at the same time she had run herself to the point of near exhaustion in order to achieve that aim.
Kate sighed as she rose from her seat, abandoning the stack of paperwork for the moment as her tired eyes observed the accomplishments of her indefatigable devotion. The ‘waiting room’ where she stood was almost complete, at least. The antique leather armchairs and sofa that she’d found in a nearby junk store and had painstakingly restored months ago and now were arranged suitably around a dark mahogany coffee table with a similar bookcase against the far wall. An art deco lamp rested on a small chestnut console alongside a vase of freshly cut lavender that filled the room with its fresh and invigorating scent.
Smiling a little at her pleasant surroundings, Kate sank down into one of the soft leather chairs with an audible sigh. A slight, saddened expression formed on her face as she remembered the countless times she’d brought Emma here when she had been preparing to open back in February. The little girl would crawl across the polished floors, amusing herself by chasing dust bunnies while Kate made various telephone calls, all the while keeping a watchful eye on her daughter as her podgy rompersuit-covered knees slid each way and her light giggling laughter echoed in the empty space.
Kate sighed again but heavier this time as she leaned back in the chair, brushing her hair from her face. She just hadn’t the heart to even set foot in the place after Emma died, even though she could have used the distraction. But now, she was amazed to admit that the pain that had felt so raw in her heart even at the thought of her baby girl wasn’t as harsh and oppressive as it had once been. She could even feel happy thinking about her daughter, could enjoy looking at her things without breaking down into inconsolable tears. The agony, the absolute unbearable agony of her loss was still there, and though Kate never expected that to dissipate at least now she felt like she could cope with it. That, in the end, made all the difference.
“Hi honey.”
The dulcet jingle of the doorbell caught Kate’s attention and she looked up, smiling as she saw her husband standing in the doorway carrying a huge flowering amaryllis in his arms, grinning from behind his burden as he stumbled inside.
“I didn’t know you were stopping by today,” she said brightly, rising to her feet. Though Galen was back at work he’d started ‘dropping by’ Bonne Santé in his lunch breaks, making up the most ridiculous excuses which they both knew were just a pretext so that he could check up on her to see if she was ‘all right’.
“So…” said Kate, trying her best to disguise her fatigue while regarding her husband with amused suspicion. “What are you doing here?”
“Well,” said Galen, fighting against the large crimson blooms which kept trying to poke him in the eye, “you know, I was out walking my shrub and we were in the neighbourhood so we decided to drop by and take you out for gelati.”
At Kate’s laugh, he smiled, placing the amaryllis on her desk at the far end of the room. It was true he was worried about her, not least because of her emotional outburst over Amanda a few days ago. He knew that she was working herself too hard, probably to avoid thinking about the things that kept her awake at night. She thought he didn’t notice when she didn’t sleep, when she worked herself to death just to give her something else to occupy her mind. But he did, she’d done exactly the same thing after her plan to bring Emma back from the dead had failed. Though Galen was at a loss for how he could help, he was determined not to let Kate down a second time. He would be there for her whether she liked it or not.
“I thought you could use some plants. You know, brighten up the place a little, they’re supposed to make you happy or something, I think.”
Kate smiled again, walking over to the desk to inspect the plant, weaving the long leaves between her fingers. “I love it,” she said, admiring the bright red flowers before turning her attention to Galen. She smiled warmly, leaning in close to her husband and rubbing his shoulder through the thin cotton of his work shirt. “It’s perfect.”
Galen’s grin widened as Kate lay a warm kiss upon his lips, her hands sliding across his shoulders and down the length of his tie as she pressed herself more snugly against him. Galen trailed a hand down her waist, letting it move lower to rest on her hip as he drew her closer and kissed her again, his mouth softly exploring his wife’s with tender indulgence.
“You know, detective,” she purred seductively between kisses, “as a local business woman, I feel it’s your civic duty to give me thorough instruction in some of the security protocols I should try to address in order to deter this neighbourhood’s criminal element.”
“Hmm,” murmured Galen with a slight smile, “and there is nothing more I would rather do right now than give it to you, but unfortunately I-”
Suddenly, the bell above the door rang again as a young man sauntered inside; grinning from ear to ear at the scene that greeted him. “Well. I thought we were supposed to be going out to lunch, but it looks like the two of you started eating without me.”
Galen pulled away abruptly, scratching the back of his neck with unease. “This is what I was about to mention. Kate… you remember Tony, right?”
Kate wiped at her ravaged mouth self-consciously, turning around to face the young Italian. “Um, yeah…” she mumbled uncomfortably. There was little chance that she’d forget Tony Green. He’d been an almost permanent fixture around their house before their trip to England, though she hadn’t seen him for almost a month since.
“Hi Tony,” she said quietly, loosening herself from the intimate embrace she shared with her husband and perching upon the edge of the desk.
“You know, I’d almost forgotten what a babe you had for a wife, Eldridge,” grinned Tony as he swaggered into the shop. “I have to say, it’s great to see you again Princess. You’re looking particularly lovely… as usual,” he said, fixing Kate with a wide smirk. “It’s been a while, huh?”
“It certainly has,” admitted Kate warily, glancing at her husband in confusion.
“I should probably explain,” said Galen quickly. “Well I told you how I was being reassigned a new partner right?”
“That’s where yours truly comes in,” Tony interrupted, looking around the premises with visible admiration. “No one else would take him, so I graciously stepped up to meet the challenge.”
Galen rolled his eyes, “I was the only one who’d work with him more like. Not that I had a choice in the matter.”
“Of course,” laughed Tony again, “who would choose me to be their partner, right?” He looked around the shop again, smiling to himself. “This place is really something, you know? It has a whole nature vibe thing going on. So… Bonne Santé? What’s that mean?”
“Good health,” said Kate with an awkward shrug. It wasn’t that she disliked Tony it was just that he always made her feel rather uneasy. His offhand comments and jokes always seemed a little too personal for her liking, as though it was his underlying intention to antagonise everyone he came into contact with.
“It’s um, going to be a sort of alternative healing centre,” she explained, “Aromatherapy, Reiki, accupressure, that sort of thing.”
“Wow, I didn’t know you were into all that New Age stuff,” grinned Tony, giving his surroundings one last perusal before turning his attention back to Kate. “So I guess if I ever need to unwind I should come to you…” he whispered with a smile.
Kate didn’t say anything but she smiled uneasily, looking up at her husband. She couldn’t help but feel disappointed that Tony was Galen’s new partner. She had liked James a lot and was beginning to feel sad that she wouldn’t see him as much as before; not only that but she would have to see a lot more of Tony instead.
Tony watched Kate carefully before smoothly placing a hand on her knee, letting his fingers gently squeeze at her exposed flesh. At the same time and before she could make a scene, he patted Galen on the shoulder in a gesture of camaraderie.
“So are we gonna grab a bite to eat or what?” he said, his hand nudging a little way up Kate’s knee and resting there for a moment before he finally withdrew it. “I don’t know about you two,” he continued, turning to smile at Kate, “but I’m absolutely… famished.”
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
Monday, 11th June 2007
LA County Police Department - Detective's Room
James Anderson looked up at his phone with red-rimmed eyes. His face was a collection of salt-and-pepper bristles and his shirt had wet patches beneath the arms. His tie, wrinkled and stained with coffee, hung loosly around his neck. He had lost five pounds in the last week.
James looked at his phone because it was ringing.
"Anderson," he said, snapping it to his ear.
The pleasantly female voice on the other end of the line said, "The Captain would like to see you in his office right now."
It was Janice, the rookie who manned the phones for the Captain. Once upon a time she had come over to James' desk and brought cups of coffee with a smile and chatted about church, TV or life. She had brought sunshine to the increasingly dark corner where James hunched over his desk and drew lines and connections.
"On my way," James growled into the phone.
The Captain's office looked like they always do in the movies. His office had been used more than once as a movie set for just that reason. Few people outside the movie business commented on his antique oak desk and vintage office chair or the collection of photos of the Captain with various movie stars wearing the LA County police uniform.
The Captain wasn't there. But someone else that James recognised was.
"Jerry Dorsey!" James sputtered. This was the man who had given him the names of Ozimandius De Angelo's aliases. For the last few months, it had been his all-consuming obsession. An obsession accentuated by the fact that his partner had fucked off to be with his sexy wife. As far as James was concerned his fucking partner had stopped being a cop.
"Special Agent Jerry Dorsey, James," he said flashing a badge, "Sorry for the deception before."
"Special... but I thought-" James' mind reeled.
"I gave you those leads because you could work without raising suspicion. And suddenly you've hit paydirt. We want to bring you into a joint operation with the LA County Vice and Organized Crime divisions."
Dorsey lifted a handsome leather briefcase and pulled out a photo. He handed it to Anderson who recognised the face as one of the men from Oz's past that he had been trying to locate. It was a distinctive face, but all of his inquiries for a full search had been denied.
"Who is he?" James asked.
"He is Dmitri Edmundovich Gromyoko and he is the top man in the Russian mob here in LA," Dorsey practically crooned, "And you've drawn a connection between him and Ozimandius DeAngelo."
Dorsey exchanged the photo for a plain white card with a cell-phone number printed on it. "Here is how you can reach me. I'll be in touch with you to arrange some resources for you."
Then, Jerry Dorsey left. He nearly knocked over the Captain on the way out. The Captain came in with his coffee and sat down. "James, I'm sorry but I am taking you off your current assignment-"
James stood up and took the Captain's hand, "Yes sir! And I couldn't be more excited. I am looking forward to my new duties. I need to go home and change. I'll be in to sign any transfer papers later this afternoon."
Then James practically ran from the Captain's office.
"Wait! I-" the Captain sighed in resignation. *He said he'd come back,* he thought, *I'll get his badge and gun then. I hate to let him go. He's a good cop - WAS a good cop - but the last report he turned in looked like the work of a deranged conspiracy theorist.*
The Captain turned to Janice at her desk who was looking not only too young, but a little baffled by James' departure. "Tell the front desk to confiscate James Anderson's weapon and badge when he comes back. And tell Det. Eldridge I want to see him ASAP."
morning musings
*** Thursday, June 14, 8 am ***
*** Daye’s house ***
Daye sat staring out the window in the living room, a cup of tea rapidly cooling in her hands. She couldn’t stop thinking about last night. Part of her felt guilty, worried about what had happened while she slept and about what it might signify, but she also felt good, really good. For the first time since leaving Delancre’s, Daye finally felt as if she was starting to move past the pain and humiliations she’d suffered in that dungeon. Talking things out with Marcus had been the first step, and the fantasy her subconscious had supplied her the night before had been the next. The only thing that worried her was that it was Marcus, or rather her mind’s version of the man, who had played the pivotal role in healing the scars her torture and rape had left on her psyche.
*Why Marcus?* Daye questioned herself. *Why not Drew? Drew’s the man I love. Drew’s the man I’m going to marry? Why isn’t he the man I would choose to help me when I needed help?*
Last night, before she’d had that dream, Daye had opened herself up to Marcus. She’d shared with him all the horror of her confinement at the Watchers’ mansion. She’d finally been able to freely express those feelings to someone else. Surely that was part of the reason why Marcus had been her dream lover. It didn’t mean anything, not really.
*But it was so… nice,* Daye thought dreamily. It had been nothing like the passion she’d once shared with the real Marcus. The man she’d conjured out of her imagination had looked like the necromancer, but he’d been so much more open, so much more connected. The Marcus of her dreams had been there to give her exactly what she wanted and exactly what she needed. He’d made her feel safe and in control.
Daye found that with the weight of her fear lifted, she once again was comfortable and aware of her body. She longed to reconnect in reality with someone, to feel the things she’d felt in her dream.
Drew walked into the room dressed in a pair of jeans and a bright blue t-shirt that molded his body in just the right way. Daye smiled brightly at him when he came in. “Hi,” she said standing and setting her cup down on the coffee table. She moved across the room towards Drew. He watched her with a curious light in his eyes. Daye stopped inches from him and reached out to trace and hand over the muscles so tightly defined by his shirt. She smiled up at him from beneath her lashes.
“Where are you going?” Daye asked, leaning in towards him. Drew’s mouth quirked in a cautious grin but he made no move to touch her.
“I was gonna go do some errands,” he replied. “Don’t you have to get to work?”
“I thought I might go in a little late this morning,” Daye replied, letting her hands slide up his chest and around his neck. “If you wanted to… stick around and help me with a little something.”
“Like what?” Drew asked.
“This,” Daye stretched up and pressed her mouth to Drew’s. She let her tongue slide between his lips and ground her body against his. She’d woken up on fire from the dream she’d had of Marcus and now she wanted desperately to put that fire out with the man she was supposed to be on fire for.
Drew’s arms were suddenly full of wanton woman, and as much as he wanted her, a part of him balked. Daye acting all forward and worked up rang a warning bell in the back of his mind. As she coaxed him with her mouth, Drew’s mind was racing through horrible possibilities. Carefully, but with obvious intent, Drew disengaged himself from Daye and took a couple of steps back. “Baby, are you okay?” he asked hesitantly.
Daye was perplexed and more than a little hurt. Since when did Drew shy away from intimacy with her? “I’m fine,” Daye said. “I just… I wanted to spend some time with you. I miss you.”
Drew sighed and scrubbed a hand across his face. “I miss you too. But, we agreed. We’re gonna wait until after the wedding, right?”
Daye nodded slowly, but inside she was shocked. When Drew had first suggested it, she’d agreed because she still had needed time. Now, though, she was feeling so much better and she had thought, maybe, if she could just get Drew to make love to her, things might start to get better. But he didn’t want her - or at least he thought waiting was somehow good for them. Daye didn’t want to feel rejected, but she did.
“Baby?” Drew moved toward her and drew her into a hug. “You understand, right? I just think it’ll be more… On our wedding night, when we make love again, I want it to be special.”
Daye sighed. “All right,” she said. “I-I’m sorry. You’re right. It will mean more then.”
Drew pulled back and looked down at her for a minute. Then he smiled gently and bent forward, kissing her on the head. “Okay, and don’t feel bad. It’s hard on me sometimes too.”
Drew moved away. “I’m gonna head out. You’re sure you’re okay?”
Daye nodded, forcing herself to smile despite how she felt. “I’m fine. I’ll see you later.”
Drew left the room and Daye picked up her cup and headed for the kitchen. She tried not to think about the ache in her body or the sting Drew’s actions had left behind.
sam visits daye at bib
*** Thursday, June 14, 2007, 10:47 am ***
*** The Bibliophile ***
Sam stepped through the door of the bookshop. Inside it was bright and busy. He smiled to himself as he moved towards the counter, where one of the young waitresses was putting together some high priced coffee concoction for the customer leaning nearby, idly thumbing through some mindless entertainment magazine. The girl grinned at him and held up one finger, indicating that Sam should wait a moment for her to finish.
*Brittany? Bridget? Brandy?* Sam thought to himself. *What is her name again? I know Daye’s introduced us at least three times.*
“That’s Brenda,” a woman’s voice sounded near his ear. Sam turned his head and smiled self consciously at Alicia Wyldling, who’d apparently just come up to him.
“Hi, Mrs. Wyldling,” Sam said. “Thanks, but how did you know?”
“I’ve seen that look on many a new student’s face at the Council house before,” she replied. “You know you know her name, but you just can’t quite recall it, and you’re more than a little embarrassed by the lapse.”
Sam shrugged. “I still have trouble keeping all the staff around here straight.”
“That’s fair enough,” Alicia assured him. “I’d almost swear the staff doubles weekly.”
“As busy as this place is, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Sam responded. “Are you here to see Daye too?”
Alicia nodded. “I told her I’d be stopping by to drop these off today.” She held up a folder. “The finalized ownership papers for the shop. And she had said she’d be willing to come around to HQ and help me go through some of the books left there. I have no idea what some of the texts pertain to, how to catalogue them, or even if they might be dangerous or what have you.”
Sam was nodding. “I think she mentioned something about that to me,” he said. Then he frowned. “Except… do you think her going to the mansion is such a great idea, considering what happened to her there?”
“I know it won’t be easy for her, but I think she’s better off facing this sooner rather than later,” Alicia replied. “The Council was once a large part of her life, and even though she’s resigned I think it will still play a part in Daye’s decisions, not to mention that she has friends there. She can’t hide because she’s afraid.”
“Daye’s never hidden from anything her whole life,” there was a touch of anger in Sam’s tone. “I just don’t think she needs to borrow any more heartache.”
“I don’t want to hurt her, Sam,” Alicia replied. “I was angry at her, but I’m not anymore. All this… what’s happened, it’s given us all a chance to learn a thing or two. I’ve moved on. I just think it’s healthier to deal with these things.”
Sam shrugged. He knew that he was just being protective of Daye, but that didn’t change how he felt. She had been through hell at the hands of Lord Ambrose Delancre, the First Elder of the Watchers’ Council, and no matter what else had happened, a part of Sam blamed all Watchers for that. The Council had made terrible mistakes, mistakes that allowed a man like Delancre to rise to power virtually unchecked. They were responsible in good part for all the crimes Delancre had then committed. Now, anything that a Watcher wanted seemed suspect. Sam knew he wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Many of Daye’s friends and fellow heroes were still very suspicious of the Council. It would be a long time before trust was rebuilt.
“It’s up to her, of course,” Sam replied. “Daye will do what she thinks is best - no matter what any of us say about it.”
“She is headstrong,” Alicia agreed with a smile. “Lucky for us, because if she weren’t I’m not sure what kinds of terrible things would have happened by now.”
At that moment Brenda came up to the counter, smiling apologetically. “Sorry about that,” she said. “It’s been crazy this morning. You’re both here to see Miss Blaise, right?”
Sam nodded and Alicia replied, “Yes, Brenda. She’s expecting me.”
“I, uhm… I just stopped by,” Sam added when he heard Alicia. “I can wait until Daye and Mrs. Wyldling are done.”
Alicia glanced at Sam. “It’s not like we’re in secret negotiations to bring Elvis back from the dead, Sam. You can join us. I’m sure Daye won’t mind either, and it might put your mind at ease about the Council’s intentions with your sister.”
Sam nodded. “Okay. If you don’t mind.”
Brenda seemed happy with their decision. She asked both of them to wait a moment and went back to get Daye from her office, where she generally spent entirely too much of each day lately. Minutes later, Daye came up to them.
“Hi. Sorry you had to wait,” she said. “Want to grab a table out here?” she looked around at the very full shop, “Or maybe we should just go back into the office. I know it’s cozy, but at least we can all sit down in there.”
Sam and Alicia both agreed and Daye led them back to the office. Once they were all settled, Daye called the counter and asked Brenda to bring in some tea as soon as she had a chance.
“Okay, so first off; Alicia, you’ve got something for me?”
“Yes, here are the final ownership papers.” Alicia handed the folder to Daye. “Everything should be in order. Which means the shop is now yours officially.”
Daye smiled brightly. “I can’t believe it,” she said, taking the folder and flipping it open. She stared at the paperwork for a few minutes and then closed the folder with a sigh. “It’s mine. Although at this point I’m wondering what I’ve gotten myself into.”
Alicia laughed softly. “Yes, well, you had the benefit of a very good manager up to this point,” she said. “I’m sure you’re finally beginning to realize how much work really goes into keeping this shop running smoothly.”
“Oh, yes,” Daye agreed. “I don’t suppose I could offer you anything to entice you to abandon the Council and come back to me, could I?”
“I rather think not,” Alicia replied. “The Council really needs me right now, and I love being a part of it.”
“I pretty much figured you’d say that,” Daye frowned. “Oh well, I’m going to have to break down and do it then.”
“Do what?” Alicia asked.
“Start interviewing for a manager,” Daye said. “This place is too much work for me to handle on my own. I hate to do it but I have to.”
“Well, I know Maia for one will be glad when you do,” Sam interjected. He blushed when both women looked at him in surprise. “Sorry,” he mumbled.
“No, Sam, it’s all right,” Daye soothed. “You’re not wrong. I’ve been spending so much time here that I barely see her, or you - or Drew.”
*Not that you’re using this place as an excuse to hide,* Daye said to herself. *No, not at all. You aren’t avoiding Drew or anything.*
“It’s okay,” Sam said. “I know you’re working hard. I don’t resent it. Maia and I, we make do.”
Daye felt guilt begin to bubble slowly up. She had hardly seen Maia at all over the last few days. Her daughter was bound to start noticing that Daye was never around, and no matter how much she blamed it on the shop that wasn’t the only reason she’d been away from the house so much lately. With classes out for the summer, Drew hardly had to spend any time at the University and so he was home a lot. He was caught up in wedding planning, which in itself seemed odd as that was usually the bride’s prerogative, and as the days flew by he grew more and more excited. Daye wanted to share in his enthusiasm, but she was still so apprehensive.
“I’m going to start being around more soon, Sam,” Daye replied with a sigh. “I promise. Let me just find someone to manage this place competently.”
“I’m sure you’ll find just the right person soon enough,” Alicia soothed. She glanced at Sam out of the corner of her eye and noticed that he was nodding, but there was still the light of worry in his eyes. “And I hate to add to your burden, but I was hoping we might arrange a time while I’m here for you to come out to the house and go through some of those books we’ve been discussing. Most of the Watchers in town right now are more of the battle oriented type, rather than the research and catalogue type. I don’t know when they’ll be able to start sending people to me, either, as back in England now the remaining Elders are having a time of it going through and routing out any leftover Delancre supporters.”
Alicia paused and sighed heavily. “It’s going to be quite a long time before the Council recovers from this disaster. Putting aside just getting our numbers back on track, I can’t begin to imagine what we’ll have to do to regain the trust and respect of the demon community and really the entire supernatural community as a whole. Delancre did a lot of damage to a lot of people, both with Hyde and with his many other underhanded dealings.”
Sam couldn’t help but agree with her on both points. Delancre had been a really evil man, and the Council was going to have a time recovering from his actions. A lot of people, human and otherwise, had good reason to distrust the Watchers now, and they’d always had issues with that in the past as well. It was hard enough gaining anyone’s trust in the underground world they all were a part of. Winning that trust back after something like this seemed almost impossible.
“You’re gonna have to work hard and be patient,” Sam advised. “People have good reasons to doubt the Council now. It’s not going to be easy to set certain feelings aside.”
“I don’t expect anyone to just welcome us back with open arms, Sam,” Alicia turned slightly in her chair so that she was facing the younger man. “I just want to try to smooth things out, particularly here in Los Angeles. For better or worse, this part of the world is an important center of supernatural activity. Considering how many times other agencies have had to come together to prevent the next apocalypse from starting right here, I think it’s high time the Watchers’ Council had a stronger presence in this part of the world. We’ve been reactive rather than proactive for far too long if you ask me.”
“Careful,” Sam warned. “That stance could be construed as very similar to the changes Delancre was trying to make. You don’t want to identify too much with anything the First Elder was trying to do.”
Alicia looked slightly affronted. When she spoke, her tone was decidedly cool. “Well, Mr. Aubrey, I’m sure you think that’s a valid argument, but I can assure you I’ve no desire to rule the world. I want the Council to grow from this experience in a positive way. Then maybe at least some good can come of all this tragedy.”
Sam blushed. He’d never been very good at confrontation, after all, and he’d obviously inadvertently just offended this woman. “I didn’t mean to imply that you were in cahoots with Delancre or anything. Not even that you sympathized with his cause, Mrs. Wyldling. I just was thought you’d like to know how someone on the outside might view that statement.”
“I suppose,” Alicia responded, still a bit upset, “but surely you can see that we have to make changes, broad ones, if the Council hopes to survive in this day and age. We’ve been far too reluctant to grow and evolve and that’s the main reason we’re in this predicament now. It’s been the policy of Watchers to try and remain aloof and to never alter our course. Look where that’s led us. People hardly thought us effective before. Couple that with the rampant distrust or outright dislike we’re to be facing now and we’ve no chance unless we are able to start changing our way of thinking.”
“As long as you keep in mind what your ultimate goals are and don’t let yourselves be blinded by some romanticized idea of what you might be able to become.” Sam couldn’t understand why he kept arguing with this woman. He hardly knew Alicia Wyldling, and the only other person he’d ever been comfortable enough to honestly express his opinions with was his sister. Even when talking to Drew, who he lived with day in and day out, Sam was still sometimes uncomfortable.
“I’m sure I can avoid becoming a megalomaniac bent on world domination,” Alicia replied dryly. “But you should feel free to keep a close eye on me if you’re that worried, Mr. Aubrey.”
*Wouldn’t mind that one bit,* was the unbidden thought that came to Sam’s mind. He blushed immediately and looked down. Alicia was a very good looking woman, even if he guessed that she might be a bit older than he was. Sam had noticed on more than one occasion that an awful lot of Daye’s friends were particularly attractive. He’d just never let himself think about any of them in a more than friendly way, but lately he’d been feeling, especially with the wedding right around the corner, very much the third wheel. Daye had Drew, and no matter how much Sam loved Maia, he found himself wanting to meet someone, someone to spend time with and talk to. Sam was too shy to even think about going out and actively looking though. So, he mostly just thought about how nice it would be to be part of a couple again, the way he’d once been with Bunny. He didn’t actually plan on doing anything about it, though.
Alicia noticed the blush and assumed Sam was now feeling bad about upsetting her. She kind of felt bad as well. He was a very nice, generally unassuming young man, and Alicia realized that she may have taken his words too personally. Sam probably hadn’t meant to offend.
“Sam,” Alicia leaned over, and in a very uncharacteristic move, took his hand and squeezed it gently. “It’s all right. You’ve no reason to feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. I’m unreasonably touchy about all this, I guess.”
“No…” Sam shook his head. Alicia probably assumed he was embarrassed about the things he’d said to her, since she had no way of knowing what he was thinking. *Thank goodness.*
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Wyldling,” Sam continued. “I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s not my place.”
Alicia was about to just shake off his concern when she stopped to consider the possibilities. Sam had been a topic of debate around the Council house lately. No one really understood his role in the prophecy, but they knew that he played one. Unfortunately, the researchers who had done the translating for Delancre had disappeared after the battle. Either they had accidentally lost their lives in the chaos, or they’d seen fit to run for fear of the reprisals coming their way. Whichever it was, there were really no experts left who understood anything about the Prophecies of Dynos. Sam had firsthand knowledge of the workings of the intricate magics surrounding the child, Maia. He’d been the girl’s caretaker nearly all her life and he’d actually been temporarily “The Guardian” when Daye was suffering at Delancre’s hands. More than one of the remaining Watchers had suggested that winning his favor and then getting him to talk would go a long way to helping decipher the puzzle and better understand what Lord Delancre had been really about.
“It’s really all right, Sam,” Alicia replied. “And there’s no need to be so formal. I’m not your fifth grade teacher, you know. You can call me Alicia.”
“Uh, right, sorry,” Sam said. “I’m sorry if I said anything wrong, Alicia.”
Alicia smiled disarmingly. “No, really, Sam, I’m not mad.”
She paused. “We’re still friends. To prove it to you, let me take you to lunch sometime.”
*Friends?* Sam was shocked. *Are she and I friends? I didn’t realize… but I guess I mess these things up a lot. She seems sincere. I think she really means it.*
“Er, I… you don’t have to do that,” Sam mumbled.
“No, I don’t, “ Alicia agreed. “But I’d like to. Will you go with me?”
“I, uh, sure,” Sam smiled hesitantly back at her. “If you really want… I’ll go.”
“Good.” *This is the perfect opportunity to find out what he knows,* Alicia thought. She felt the slightest bit uneasy. Hopefully, Sam would either never suspect her ulterior motives or he’d not mind them. “We could go…” Alicia pulled a daytimer out of her purse and flipped quickly through a few pages, “I’ve got time tomorrow. Is that all right with you?”
“I-I guess,” Sam turned towards Daye, who was watching them both with a speculative light in her eyes. “Daye, tomorrow - that’s Friday. Can I make plans? Will Maia be all right for a bit if I go out? Aren’t you busy with something?”
*Say yes,* Sam willed. He was really uneasy about going out with this older, attractive, worldly woman.
“Sure, Sam, no problem,” Daye replied, trying to keep from smiling in delight. She’d been surprised by Alicia’s offer as much as Sam undoubtedly been, but thinking about it, she thought maybe her brother and her friend might be very good together. Sam was still very naïve about things, particularly when it came to women, but in a way that could be a blessing. He was very patient and he would never push anyone. Alicia needed someone who would be willing to take things slow. She was hurting and probably feeling very bad about herself after what Nikolai did to her. Sam could help her and maybe being with a woman of Alicia’s experience would help Sam to open up and come out of his shell some.
“I’m going to go wedding dress shopping with the girls,” Daye added, “but Drew will be home. I can arrange for him to take Maia to his parents for the day, actually. Charis has been asking to see her. You go on, Sam. Have a good time.”
*Not likely,* Sam thought, swallowing hard. *There’s no easy way out of it now, though.*
“Okay, Mrs… er, Alicia,” Sam said. “I can make it tomorrow.”
“Good, good,” Alicia said, pulling a card from the daytimer. “Call me at the Council house and we’ll decide exactly where and when.”
Alicia then turned back to Daye. “And you give me a call as soon as you have some free time to come by, all right?”
Daye nodded. “Okay, then, I should get back to work and let you two get on with whatever business has brought Sam here,” Alicia rose gracefully to her feet. “Thank you, Daye. See you soon, Sam.”
“Soon,” Sam agreed, hoping he didn’t look as green at the concept as he felt. Alicia nodded once and then turned on her heel and left the office. Sam watched her go bleakly.
“Sam, relax,” Daye advised, reading him as well as she always did. “It’s not the Spanish Inquisition. It’s just a date.”
Sam turned back towards his sister, a horrified expression on his face. “It is not!” he snapped. “It’s just lunch.”
Daye laughed at that. She couldn’t help herself. “Sam,” she teased, “don’t you know where ‘just lunch’ can lead?”
“No, where?” Sam sounded truly frightened.
“To ‘just dinner’ and if you’re very lucky, maybe to ‘just breakfast’ the next day,” she replied, grinning toothily.
Sam groaned and rolled his eyes. “I’m sure I’m not ready for any of that,” he said.
“And I’m sure everything will be fine,” Daye replied seriously. “Enjoy yourself, please. You’re a healthy, adult male of a fairly decent persuasion and I think a lunch discussing something other than the Teletubbies or the Weebles will be really good for you.”
“I’m not so sure,” Sam said, “but I’m going to go. What choice do I have now?”
picking out the wedding dress
*** Friday, June 15, 2007, 1:34 pm ***
*** Downtown Los Angeles ***
Daye waited just inside the shop as Kate and Tash entered. This was the third bridal shop they’d been to in the last two hours. Daye was seriously beginning to reconsider this whole wedding idea. Kate had run off to Las Vegas, a four hour drive, and been married without a bit of fuss. Maybe she’d had the right idea. Drew had been more and more agitated as the week flew by and Daye had yet to go out and search for her wedding dress. He had started to make a habit of waking her up each morning with a reminder that it was only 18 more days until their big day, then 17 more, then 16, and so on. As if Daye needed that added pressure.
Trying to drum up some enthusiasm, Daye turned towards one of the many racks of white lace and satin lining the walls as soon as Kate and Tash reached her. They both still seemed in pretty good spirits despite the fact that Daye had shot down every dress they’d suggested thus far with almost no hesitation.
“All right, ladies,” Daye said, sounding only slightly defeated. “I’ve a good feeling about this place. We’re going to find the most perfect dress here.”
“Well, if not there’s always plenty more shops.” Tash loved this part. When she and Victor were married she’d not done any of this sort of thing. They’d simply had a quiet civil service and that was it. Now she almost wished she’d gone for a full wedding with all the trimmings. Simply looking for a dress for Daye was an event in itself.
Riffling through the dresses on the racks, she laughed and held one up. “Oh, you’d look just darling in this,” she joked. It was a monstrosity of frothing lace and heavy layers of taffeta, looking like a reject from the set of “Gone with the Wind”.
Kate wrinkled up her nose in distaste at the hideous dress, laughing a little as Tash swished the puffy skirt from side to side in a comical manner.
“Oh my gods,” she giggled from behind her hand, “can you believe someone actually made that?” Kate blushed and lowered her voice as the shop assistant cast the trio of laughing women an unamused glare. “Don’t look now, but I think we’re being disapproved of,” she whispered in a conspiratorial fashion.
Daye glanced over at the shop girl and rolled her eyes. “You’d think the way some of them act that this was life or death,” she said. “I know it’s important and all, what with the ‘til death do us part’, but I seriously don’t think we need to approach this wedding planning with quite that much solemnity.”
Daye moved to another rack and began to quickly go through the dresses. She barely paused for anything with a tulle ballerina skirt or massive amounts of intricate beadwork.
“Is it so much to ask for simple and understated elegance?” Daye asked aloud to no one in particular.
“I don’t mean to be conceited about this, but I’d rather the guests were looking at me and not some outrageous wedding concoction I’m stuffed in to,” Daye added, sliding a dress out and inspecting it with a tilt of her head. “What do you think?”
Tash nodded slowly. The dress Daye was holding up was a straightforward sheath dress, with a soft lace overlay that provided a gauzy neckline before the material beneath began from the bustline.
“That’s really pretty. Quick, try it on.” Tash looked around and pointed. “The fitting rooms are over there.”
Daye seemed a little reluctant, turning her gaze back to the dress with wary speculation.
“Come on!” said Kate briskly as she motioned towards Tash to help her, “You have to start trying them on sometime; may as well be now.”
Together the two women bustled Daye towards the dressing rooms in a whirl of white silk and chiffon, ignoring her protests as they pulled the curtain closed behind her.
“Here,” said Kate as she grabbed a veil and a pair of shoes too, handing them over to a startled Daye, “try these on with it. We may as well do this whole thing right.”
Daye moved into the fitting room and shed her clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor. She slipped into the dress she’d just picked up off the rack. “You know,” she called out to the waiting girls, “two things occur to me.”
Tash and Kate glanced at each other, waiting for Daye to explain, but when she didn’t elucidate further Tash smiled and said, “Well, if it’s that Drew’s an incredibly lucky guy and that you’re an incredibly lucky woman, I think we already knew that.”
Inside the dressing room, Daye rolled her eyes. It seemed that Tash was as caught up in this whole wedding nonsense as Daye’s fiancé was. “You know, for a tough as nails you-know-what hunter, you sure are a marshmallow when it comes to this romantic stuff,” Daye said, grabbing hold of the curtain blocking the dressing room from sight.
“What I was actually going to say,” Daye continued, “was that one, I need a whole different set of undergarments for these dresses, and two, there’s no way to put one of these things on without help. That must be why you need attendants when you get married.”
Daye slid the curtain aside and turned with her back facing the opening. “One of you want to do up the hundred thousand buttons on the back of this thing?” she asked, holding both the under dress and the sheer over dress up with one hand.
“As attendants, I think it’s one of your jobs,” Daye glanced over her shoulder at them and grinned. “So, start attending already.”
“Marshmallow? Me?” Task said with mock indignation. “I don’t know – blame it on my deprived childhood. It was all weapons practise and no Mills & Boon.”
She looked at the myriad tiny buttons running up the back of Daye’s dress, and then down at her leather-encased hands. “Uh, Kate, I think this’ll have to be your job.”
“Oh, okay, sure,” mumbled Kate uncertainly, glancing at Tash in perturbation as they all piled back into the fitting room and pulled the curtain close again. Kate turned her attention to the dozens of fiddly buttons, holding back a sigh as she pulled the delicate material together snugly, fastening the tiny buttons in place. She tried to direct all her focus onto the task at hand but her eyes glanced upwards, catching sight of Daye’s reflection in the mirror opposite.
Kate watched her friend as she smoothed out the white silk, turning to listen to something that Tash was saying. Daye looked much changed since that morning that she had sat by her side, attending to her wounds after her rescue. Her skin was still a little pale, but glowed with an inner vitality and her hair was already regaining its former lustre. In her mind, Kate could almost see Daye’s laughing face, full of spite and glee. Her eyes haughty and satisfied as she looked down her nose at her pitiful friend, delighting in her pain, jeering, taunting…
“Ow! Kate! Watch what you’re doing!”
Kate frowned as she came back to reality, realising that she’d caught some of Daye’s hair in the buttons. She frantically unfastened the top few, untangling Daye’s scarlet locks as best she could.
“I um, sorry,” she mumbled, realising that both the women were staring at her funny. “I’m, sorry Daye, I think I need some air, I’ll be right back,” said Kate hastily, glancing uneasily at her two friends before fighting her way through the curtain as she slipped out of the changing cubicle and back into the shop.
Outside, Kate breathed in deeply, closing her eyes momentarily as she tried her hardest to calm herself.
The curtain fluttered from Kate’s hasty departure, and both Tash and Daye stared at it for a second before Tash cleared her throat in the suddenly awkward silence. Over the past few days her talents had grown stronger, until they were almost at their old levels, and Kate’s distress was all too plainly evident.
“Uh, maybe she just needs a moment,” Tash ventured as she lifted Daye’s hair out of the way and did her best to fasten the last few buttons.
Daye sighed. She wasn’t dumb. She could see that there was still lingering resentment on Kate’s part. It was all too obvious. She couldn’t blame the other woman for feeling that way either. *I deserve her anger more than I deserve her friendship,* Daye thought to herself. *I don’t know what I was thinking, asking her to be in the wedding. What am I thinking getting married at all? I don’t have any right to just move on like this. Nothing is all right. Nothing is the way it was. I’m not all right. I’m not the way I was.*
“Tash,” Daye turned her head to see her friend now struggling with the buttons, “stop. This... this isn’t... I need to go check on Kate.”
Letting out a small sigh, Tash put her hand on Daye’s shoulder to stop her from rushing out after Kate. “No. I think it might be better if I went, all things considered.”
She poked her head through the curtain to see Kate speaking with a somewhat perplexed looking shop assistant, then ducked back inside the fitting room to face Daye. “Look, she’s just out there. You’ll be okay for a couple of minutes?”
“I’ll be fine,” Daye replied with a sigh. She turned back towards the mirror and looked at herself in the dress. It was very beautiful, but considering how she was feeling just now, there was no way she’d be willing to wear it at the wedding. *If there is a wedding.*
Squeezing her friend’s shoulder, Tash gave a wry smile. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Daye, you’re going to have a gorgeous wedding with all your friends being happy for you. I...” Tash held her fingers to her temples in a theatrical gesture. “Look, I’ve suddenly developed prescience. I see you, looking stunning in your beautiful wedding gown, dancing with Drew while Kate and Galen and I look on, smiling and laughing...”
A tentative smile lifted one corner of Daye’s mouth, and Tash grinned in response. “Be back in a flash,” she said as she pushed aside the curtain.
“Look,” said Kate to the prim young shop assistant, “my, my friends and I are looking to spend an obscene amount of money in your store, okay? This is a, a happy occasion, and I happen to know that you have alcohol for these kinds of things so… so I think it’s only polite that you drop the Frosty the Snow Queen act and crack open the champagne, okay?”
Kate turned as she heard Tash clear her throat. She sighed wearily, releasing the pent-up anguish she felt inside in one steady, controlled breath. “Tash, before you say anything – I know.” Kate rolled her eyes in self-recrimination, leaning back against the counter as the shop girl scuttled off into the backroom. “I, I didn’t mean to- it just, it all got a little too much.”
“I know.” Tash looked around and gestured to a couple of chairs tucked away near the shoe section. “Here, let’s sit for a couple of minutes. We’ve been on our feet all morning.” Once they were settled out of the main traffic areas of the shop, Tash searched for a way to begin.
“I know it’s not easy for either you or Daye, and we both know – hell, I think all three of us know – that this wedding is perhaps a little too sudden. But Daye’s decided to go through with it, and so I’m determined to help make it a positive experience. I know you and she still have issues, and this whole wedding thing isn’t helping you at all. Maybe, I don’t know... do you want to be part of it? If not, it’s probably best to tell Daye sooner rather than later. Yeah, I know – you’re confused. You don’t know what you want, huh?”
“No,” said Kate softly, shaking her head, “no, that’s not it. I know that I can’t keep blaming her for something that she didn’t have control over, I don’t want to keep blaming her. I want to be able to enjoy this, to share in this moment.”
Kate sighed again, rubbing her forehead distractedly. “I promised Galen that I’d try to work this out. I mean, if I want any kind of friendship with Amanda again I have to, right? I have to be able to put everything that happened behind me. It’s just so much harder than I thought it would be.”
Kate looked up at Tash, glancing at the fitting room curtain and then back at her friend. “The last thing I want is to ruin all this for her.”
“Yeah, but what happened... it can’t just all go away, can it? It’s not like turning off a light. I mean, I was on that side of it, too. I had Hyde and I know that I wasn’t compelled to do anything – it all came from in here.” Tash thumped her fist between her breasts. “Hyde just made it easy for me to ignore the consequences of my choices. I didn’t care if I hurt anyone, so long as I got what I wanted. It was the same for Daye. She didn’t sleep with Galen because it would hurt you, but simply because she wanted to, and could manipulate him into it.”
“I know,” said Kate quietly, looking down at her hands. Daye had said as much on that fateful morning when she’d lured her back to her apartment and laid the whole ugly truth out for her to see. She had explained how her only motivation had been because she could and so she did. But if Daye hadn’t wanted to hurt her by sleeping with her husband, it had certainly been the reason behind her eager desire to confess all. And in the end, that was the thing that had hurt Kate the most.
Kate frowned uncomfortably. There just didn’t seem to be any easy way to explain any of it, and a very big part of her just didn’t even want to go there. “I guess it’ll get easier – with time.”
“Ahem.”
Tash and Kate both looked up as the young shop girl stood just a few feet away, carrying a tray of glasses filled with golden bubbly champagne.
“Oh, thank the gods,” said Kate with a grateful smile. She leapt to her feet and swiped up one of the glasses, bringing it to her lips and drinking half down in one go. “Make that time and lots of alcohol,” she said with an uneasy grin.
With a laugh, Tash swept up a glass of her own and clinked it softly against the one Kate held. “Cheers to that,” she agreed.
Wrapping an arm around Kate’s waist, Tash hugged her close for a second. “We can’t forget what happened, and putting it all behind us may take time – and lots of alcohol,” she added with a wink, “But if we all work at it things will get better.”
She lifted the third glass from the tray, with a smile of thanks to the shop attendant. “Now, I believe this one’s for Daye. What do you say we get her out of there and see what she looks like?”
Kate nodded in agreement, putting her cheerful face back on. However she was going to deal with this she was determined NOT to ruin this day for Amanda even if it meant pushing her feelings way down low and putting on the best performance of her life. *Thank Gaia Tash is here,* Kate thought grimly.
The sense of disquiet emanating from Kate receded. Tash wasn’t fooled into thinking she’d somehow magically said the right words to make everything all right, but at least it meant Kate was making an effort to hide her bitter feelings. For just a moment Tash remembered how liberating it felt not to have to work at being compassionate and caring… but she quickly shoved that memory aside and concentrated on the two women with whom she was sharing the day. Kate and Daye may have reconciled, but they weren’t at the forgiving and forgetting stage just yet, and needed all the help they could get.
Taking Kate’s nod as sufficient answer, Tash swept her along back to the fitting rooms and called out, holding the third glass of champagne aloft. “Daye. Come out and show us how gorgeous you are.”
Daye heard Tash call to her from outside the fitting room. *Obviously she’s worked through that crisis,* Daye thought. She pasted on a smile and turned, pushing aside the curtain. “I don’t know about gorgeous,” she said. “It’s a very nice dress…”
Slowing to a stop, Tash took in the sight of Daye draped in the shimmering white material and let a broad grin grow over her face. “Well, yes, in much the same way that a Porsche is a very nice car. Here, a glass of bubbly to celebrate your upcoming nuptials.”
Daye took the proffered glass from Tash, glancing surreptitiously at Kate out of the corner of her eye. She was happy to see that her friend appeared to be over whatever had been disturbing her before. *Probably you should really have a talk with her,* Daye advised herself. *I should, yes, but I just don’t have it in me right now. What could I say that I’ve not already said? I hate myself more for what I’ve done than I could ever imagine her hating me. I just need to bear with it and give Kate time, and pretend everything’s just peachy. I can do that. I’m getting real good at it.*
Daye sipped the champagne. Immediately, she recalled the last time she’d had champagne and who she’d had it with. Images of Marcus’ dark head bent over her as he suckled her breast and champagne tickled her nerve endings flooded Daye’s mind. She had to shake herself in order to stop her mind from continuing down that road, remembering the incredible dream her subconscious had conjured up for her the other night.
Daye had to stop herself from spitting the champagne back out as guilt flooded her and filled her mouth with a bitter taste. She leaned down and placed the glass on a nearby table. Then she turned towards the bank of mirrors on the wall and cocked her head to one side.
“What do you think?” she asked, surveying her reflection. “Is this the dress?”
“Hmm. It’s very nice, and you do look lovely in it.” Tash eyed the dress carefully, doing her best to ignore the flickering emotions Daye was emanating. “But it is the first one you’ve tried on. We probably should keep looking.”
“Oh wow,” said Kate suddenly, picking up a slinky little number from a nearby rail. It was a long length of white silk, with a slight train and a classic halter-neck fastening. She turned around and handed it to Daye. “You have got to try this one on, it’s an actual Lacroix and it’s on sale. I’m telling you, if you don’t get this then I will!”
Daye laughed at Kate’s words. “And wear it around the garden?” she teased, reaching out to take the dress from her friend. “I’ll try it on.”
While Kate hunted for more dresses, Tash followed Daye back into the fitting room, gathering up the discarded first dress in her arms as Daye stepped out of it. Although the mood was lightening, after a moment’s hesitation Tash spoke up. Daye and Kate needed to get the air cleared, and while today might not be the best time they couldn’t just go on using a façade for much longer.
“You know that talk you had with Drew? You might want to think about having another one like that soon with Kate... but if she proposes to you, better not accept. It’ll only get messy.” Tash grinned to take the edge off her words, but knew the message had got across from the wry nod Daye gave before she chuckled at the joke.
“I know you’re right, Tash,” Daye said. “Things are still pretty awkward. I-I’m not sure what to say to her, though.”
“I don’t know either. But you’re friends, even now, and I know she’s having trouble coming to terms with everything that happened with you and... well, Galen. She’s working hard at it, but maybe just talking it out quietly might help her. Or, hell, it might just make everything worse. I really don’t know. But I do know that both of you are being very careful not to think about it or talk about it, and that can’t be good.”
Tash tugged at the dress Daye was trying on, making sure it fit snugly. “Wow, that’s pretty.”
Daye heard Tash’s words, but she didn’t know how to respond to them. It wasn’t just with Kate that she was finding communication so difficult. She had no idea how to talk to any of the people she’d hurt recently in an open, honest manner. She was trying very carefully not to talk about or even think about some things right now. Surely that wasn’t such a bad thing. In time it would get easier. It had to.
“It is very pretty,” Daye spoke slowly, checking from a couple of different angles. “I just think this isn’t quite right either. And I agree with you, but I don’t think right now is the time to try and talk things out, if talking things out is even the best thing to do,” Daye added. “I appreciate your support Tash, believe me. For now, though, I can’t think about it.”
Daye turned and moved out of the fitting room, approaching Kate, who was still thumbing through gowns on one of the racks. “I’ve tried it on,” Daye announced to her friend. “I’m not real sure about it, though. Guess you’ll be buying a new gardening outfit after all.”
Kate smiled, regarding the dress carefully. “Hmm, it looks good but…” she turned back to the rail that she’d just been looking at, flicking through the dresses again until she came to the right one. “How about something a little more,” Kate pulled out the dress and held it up for Daye to look at, “classic?”
The dress Kate was holding up was an elegant sheath silhouette in off white. It had thin, spaghetti straps and a scooped neckline. The gown was in tulle and covered in delicate, ivory floral embroidery enhanced by crystal beading. As soon as she saw it, Daye knew that it was her dress. Trying it on would be merely a formality.
“Oh, Kate,” Daye sighed softly. “I... let me try it on, but I think that’s my dress.”
A sense of relief flooded Kate at Amanda’s words and her guilt at letting her emotions cloud what should be a happy day for her friend eased slightly. If she could find the right dress, the perfect dress for Daye then maybe she wasn’t a completely useless bridesmaid after all.
“Come with me,” Daye suggested. “Let’s see if it looks all right on.”
She led Kate back to the fitting room, nabbing Tash who had been hanging back by one of the other racks. Daye tried the dress on and when they all emerged from the curtained off space, it was apparent that the dress was absolutely the one Daye was going to buy. Daye called the shop girl over and asked for her assistance. The girl was only too happy to help now that Kate had put her in her place. In a short time the dress was paid for, measurements were taken, and Daye was standing between her two friends feeling a rush of relief and even the first inklings of excitement about her upcoming wedding.
“Well, that’s that,” Daye said to Kate and Tash. “There’s just one more thing we need to do.”
Kate looked at the bags they held, thinking what on earth they could have forgotten. “Well, we have the shoes and the veil,” she said thoughtfully, “and that cute little head piece. I’m not sure though, there might have been one of two things you left behind.”
Daye smiled mischievously. “Actually, I was thinking about a dress for you two,” she said. “Now that I’ve found mine, maybe you both should share in the fun.”
Kate rolled her eyes and Tash groaned at the prospect, but they all moved towards the more colourful dresses hanging on the other side of the bridal shop to begin the search for a completely different, but just as important, gown.
A Spell to Move Things On
Friday, 15th June 2007 – 11:55pm
Santa Monica Beach
Galen frowned, keeping his eye on the road as he pulled the car to a stop and climbed out. Kate glanced at her husband momentarily before climbing out also, securing her bag over her shoulder. They hadn’t spoken a word since leaving the house, the tension between the two of them growing thicker with the departing minutes. Kate knew that Galen didn’t approve of her decision to do this but he’d still insisted that he go along with her “just in case something went wrong”.
Kate wasn’t about to let anything ‘go wrong’ that night but she could understand Galen’s concerns anyway – and his reservations to some degree. She had never performed a spell like this before and although she’d read plenty on the technique over the past few days it was still going to be tricky. Spells of this sort – the kind that dealt with emotions – usually were. But Kate was determined to make it work. It had to.
Glancing once more at her husband, Kate silently began walking up the beach towards the pier. The sound of music and laughter filtered down from the funfair and arcade above. Galen followed her brisk pace reluctantly, wishing that he’d been able to talk Kate out of this but wanting to make sure that she was safe all the same.
She had been in a terrible state that evening when he’d come home from work, bursting into tears almost as soon as he’d stepped through the door. He’d hoped that the shopping trip with Tash and Daye might have been something of a bonding experience; he knew women liked to shop after all, especially his wife. But it seemed that it had only made Kate more distraught and upset about everything.
“This isn’t exactly what I meant when I said you should try to let it go,” objected Galen as he followed Kate up the beach, jogging to try and catch up with her. “I was rather thinking we might try couple’s counselling or… Kate?”
The sand shifted beneath his feet as Galen struggled to keep up with his wife and he was almost breathless as he grabbed hold of her arm in an attempt to slow her down. “Kate? Will you just listen to me?”
“No,” said Kate suddenly, turning around to face him, the wind whipping up her hair and blowing it into her eyes. “I have to do this Galen. You have no idea what it was like for me today; pretending, acting like everything was all right when it wasn’t! I can’t go through another day like that. I just…”
Kate pushed her hair back from her face with both hands, looking visibly distressed and upset. “I just can’t cope with what I’m feeling inside.”
“We can get through this,” pleaded Galen, taking hold of Kate’s hands and holding them firmly. “I’ll help you,” he insisted, squeezing her fingers with worry. “I’ll do everything I can. Just forget this stupid plan, it’s not the way to deal with things.”
Kate looked down at their joined hands sadly. She knew that he wanted to help but he couldn’t take her pain away and he couldn’t stop her from feeling sick and angry every time she was in the company of her friend.
“You can’t help me,” she said dismally, hanging her head in shame. “I’ve never felt like this before, so… so bitter and, and resentful. I hate her, I do, and I hate myself for feeling this way. I’ve tried to ignore it, I’ve tried to put it behind me and move on but it doesn’t work! Nothing I do works and I just, I can’t keep living like this!”
“Honey, please,” begged Galen, cupping either side of her face gently in his hands, levelling her gaze so that she looked directly at him. “I’m no expert but you’ve taught me enough about the Craft to know that you can’t use magic to deal with things like this. Just because your feelings are too painful for you to confront doesn’t make this a good idea. You can’t just do a spell to stop yourself from hurting. We have to talk, you and Daye have to talk, get this all out in the open.”
Kate pulled away; straightening out the bag on her shoulder that contained all her spell equipment. “We can talk until we’re blue in the face, it isn’t going to change anything. I’m sorry if you can’t support my decision, but it is MY decision. Right now I can’t forgive Amanda, I can’t move on with all this anger and pain inside of me, and if I don’t move on I’m going to lose everyone that I care about.”
Kate started walking again, not covering more than a few feet until she suddenly stopped and turned to confront Galen again. “You know you were right the other night,” she said determinedly, “I can’t turn back time and undo all this. But I can stop myself from feeling this way, and that’s what I intend to do.”
***Some Time Later, Beneath Santa Monica Pier***
The wind whistled beneath the pier and the ocean waves crashed against the solid wooden supports which creaked disconcertingly with the pull of the tide. Galen watched Kate silently as she made the final preparations for her spell, the light from the moon barely filtering beneath the pier to light her slender form as she set out a ring of candles, sitting herself in the very middle.
He didn’t like this, something about the whole thing just seemed wrong. Kate was so emotional right now he couldn’t believe that she was in any state to do a spell of this magnitude. But if there was one thing he knew about his wife it was that once she’d set her mind to something she wouldn’t be dissuaded. He just had to hope that everything turned out for the best, and what did he know about magic anyway? If Kate could do this, if she could channel all her associated pain and anger from her body then maybe she would finally be able to put what happened between him and Daye behind her. Maybe then they could finally move on.
Kate closed her eyes momentarily as she found her focus. She breathed steadily for several minutes, just drawing the cool air in and out of her lungs, the salt from the ocean raw on her lips. Kate could sense her husband’s disapproving presence not far away, and also the presence of several people on the pier above. She blocked them all out.
Opening her eyes, Kate slowly lit each of the six blue candles that surrounded her in a near-perfect circle. She focused her eyes on the flickering flames as she continued to light the thick columns of wax, her pupils dilating heavily in the sparse light. Once completed she carefully unwrapped a clear quartz crystal from within a silk handkerchief, setting it out on the sand in front of her.
“From out of the dark and into the light,
A circular mark, a candle burns bright.”
Her words were swallowed in the roar of the ocean as the waves pounded harder against the pier’s wooden scaffold. Kate strengthened her focus upon the circle of light that surrounded her, raising her voice as she shouted her words into the night.
“Oh, healing light, surround me now,
Relieve my spirit's darkest hour.”
Kate’s eyes glowed yellow with the flame of the surrounding candles, burning with an inner fire as she continued to chant, waving her hands in a series of fluid gestures over the flickering candle’s fire.
“Burn my wrath in your flame,
Burn the anger that would maim.
Burn my misery by your might,
Burn my sorrow in your light.”
Galen continued to watch from a distance, his eyes narrowing on the slight gestures that his wife performed in the blackness of the night, her graceful movements highlighted only by the cool glow of the moon and the flickering, yellow candlelight. As the words issued from her lips a strange kind of red mist seemed to flow from her eyes and mouth, swirling around her body and growing stronger as she continued to chant.
“Hunted and captured these memories I’m chasing,
Negative feelings tonight I’m erasing.
Binding and bound these recollections,
Banished forever this memory infection.”
Kate felt a strange tingling in her flesh as she was enveloped in the scarlet vapour. Blocking out her surroundings, she turned her mind to everything that was causing her suffering, to every word and feeling that inspired those dark sensations deep inside. She forced herself to relive the most painful moments of the last few months, letting the power of the spell draw them out to the surface.
“With all that was wrong, and indiscretion gone,
I release the past, I release my hate,
I let go of all hurt, this I do abate.
In need of reprieve, I make it leave.
And as I will it, so mote it be!”
The deep red mist seemed to increase in volume and Kate’s body arched forwards as the crimson smoke was drawn out of her body by an invisible force. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back as the vapour continued to pour from her very being. Gasping for breath, Kate dug her hands into the dry sand at her knees, opening her eyes as she fixed her attention on the crystal that lay before her.
Kate watched as all trace of the scarlet smoke was drawn into the large crystal point. The stone swirled with red mist and she picked it up between her hands, feeling the hot energies beneath her fingers. Her breathing was still hard and drawn as she rose to her feet, holding the red quartz tightly against her chest.
The corners of her mouth quirked upwards into a slight smile. She felt so light-headed she wanted to laugh. Free… she felt free and… and happy for the first time in ages, unburdened by her resentment, by her feelings of bitterness, by her self-loathing.
As Kate stepped out of the circle, the candles all turned to black, their flickering flames smouldering into nothing but thin ribbons of smoke. Kate walked quickly towards the rolling waves just a few yards further down the beach, still holding the crystal tightly in her hands. She stopped as the chill water lapped at her bare feet, looking down at the frothy surf that swirled around her ankles, her toes curling into the wet sand.
Kate’s fingers tightened around the crystal as she looked out to sea, watching the black waves rolling back and forth. Slowly she drew back her arm, pausing for just a few seconds before she heaved the stone as far as she could out into the ocean.
“With this mystical stone, my anger be gone,” she called out into the howling winds, “Water bind it, let no one find it.”
Galen had watched all this with a sense of disquiet but as Kate made for the water’s edge he ran to catch up to her, grabbing hold of her by the shoulders as Kate looked out at the swelling waters where the stone had dropped before sinking below into the inky depths.
“Kate…” he said gently, holding his wife securely in his arms as she turned to face him. She still looked somewhat unsettled but her dark blue eyes sparkled with an inner glow as she gazed up at him. “Are you okay?” he asked warily. “Did it work?”
Kate nodded numbly, “I’m okay.” Looking up into Galen’s eyes she slowly smiled, her face lighting up with warmth and peaceful content. “It worked,” she whispered, sighing in relief. “Galen it worked.”
“It worked?” echoed Galen in confusion, his eyes searching out his wife’s but as she held his gaze he had to admit she did look different, serene and almost sanguine. “Wh- well, how… how do you feel?”
“Good,” smiled Kate sincerely, nodding her head. “Really good. I feel so… liberated. It’s like, like I’ve had a huge weight lifted from my shoulders!” Kate laughed giddily, her smile becoming brighter. Tears of joy glistened in her eyes as she raised her hand and trailed her fingers against her husband’s cheek. “I feel wonderful.”
Kate laughed again dizzily as she gathered up the length of her dress which was half soaked by now, and half skipped up the beach. Galen smiled though his happiness was tainted with concern. It didn’t seem right somehow, to one minute be burdened with pain and anger and the next for it to all just vanish. He couldn’t help but worry that something bad would happen as a result, that this would all backfire and blow up in their faces. Still, as Galen watched Kate continue to cavort barefoot up the beach, dancing between the pier scaffold, he couldn’t help but grin, shaking his head as he ran to join her.
“You’re crazy!” he laughed breathlessly as he caught up with her, grabbing her around the waist and sweeping her off her feet and into his arms.
Kate giggled, exhausted from her high-jinks and the added exertion from the ritual. She wrapped her arms around Galen’s neck, smiling as she gazed into his eyes, her own face alight with euphoria despite her tiredness. “I knew this would work,” she said happily, “I feel so free you have no idea. It’s like someone took a, a huge board eraser and just wiped all the negativity and the hate and the bitterness clean away. I know things are going to be better now, I just know it.”
Galen held onto Kate tightly, helping her pick up their belongings before they headed back towards the car. “I hope you’re right, honey,” he said quietly as they walked down the deserted beach, “I really hope you’re right.”
****
Deep in the unsettled waters of the ocean the red crystal slowly sank to the seabed, half burying itself beneath the sand and shoal. There it rested, glowing brightly in the dark. Steadily the crimson light began to intensify until it illuminated the entire reef.
On the water’s surface, tiny bubbles slowly began to appear, increasing rapidly until it seemed like the water was churning with a life of its own. Suddenly the surface broke in two and a great hulking behemoth emerged from deep beneath the waves; its dark ruby coloured skin glowing in the moonlight.
The creature landed a heavy foot on the squelching sand, tilting its snout to the sky and inhaling deeply, sniffing at the air. Its red eyes burned in the darkness as it turned its head from side to side, catching a familiar scent on the breeze. The creature emitted a low, satisfied growl deep in its throat taking several steps out of the surf, water running off the coating of its thick chitin and the thick spines which lined its back.
Following some invisible trail, the monster gave a slight grunt before heading out into the dark.
at home with drew
*** Friday, June 15, 2007 9:46 pm ***
*** Daye’s house ***
Daye sat in the armchair at one end of the living room. Drew was sitting on the sofa a few feet away, watching intently as two teams she couldn’t remember the names of battled for victory on a baseball diamond. Drew was intent on the game, a cold beer in one hand and the other clenched into a tight fist as he watched the action unfold. Daye watched him, a pillow clutched to her chest. He was so handsome, relaxed and really enjoying himself. Daye had to fight down the urge to put down the pillow and crawl onto the couch and into his lap. She longed deep down to get close to Drew again, to find a way past all the problems that lay between them and reconnect, but she didn’t have a clue where to begin. Yesterday morning, when she’d made an attempt to get close to him, she’d been rebuffed. Even though Drew had a reasonable excuse, that rejection still stung.
“You okay, Babe?” Drew asked. When Daye glanced up she realized that she’d been staring at him for the last few minutes.
“Uh, yeah, sorry,” she replied. “My mind was a million miles away.”
“That’s cool,” Drew turned back towards the television. “Yes, nice hit,” he said.
“Is this a good game?” Daye asked, trying to drum up interest in what Drew was interested in.
Drew glanced over at her before staring back at the television. “Wha-? Oh, uhm, yeah…”
“Is it important?” she pressed.
“Um, important?” he repeated, obviously only half listening. “What do you mean?”
“I mean is it for the, uhm, penance… or something?” Daye asked standing and moving towards him. She kept glancing at the television, trying to figure out what was so fascinating about the men on the screen running around after that little white ball.
“Penance?!” Drew was now looking at her as if she’d grown a second head. “What pena… Oh wait, you mean the pennant, right?”
“Sure, yeah, the pennant, then,” Daye replied, sitting next to Drew on the sofa. She was close to him, but made sure that she didn’t touch him out of turn. “So, is it?”
“Is it what?” Drew asked, once again watching the game intently.
“For the pennant, or something,” Daye said. “Is it an important game?”
Drew turned back to her, obviously struggling to be patient. “It’s just a game,” he said evenly. “Do you need something?”
*Do I need something?* Daye thought. *There’s a loaded question. Go ahead, tell him what you need.*
Daye shook her head. “No. Sorry, I was just curious.”
“That’s okay,” Drew shrugged. He watched her for a minute longer and then turned his attention back to the game. Daye sat in silence for a bit. She tried watching the game, but it was really impossible for her to follow. Not ever having seen American baseball before gave her something of a disadvantage. Drew had tried explaining it to her once last summer, but he’d finally grown frustrated and given up when she kept confusing positions and rules.
“I found a dress,” Daye suddenly announced to him. She thought that perhaps the news would make him happy. He was so very excited about the wedding.
Drew glanced up. “What?”
“I said that I found a dress today,” Daye replied. “When I was out with the girls, I found the perfect dress.”
Drew smiled brightly. “That’s great, Baby.”
Daye smiled back. “It’s really lovely, but simple. Elegant, you know and not at all fussy. It’s just exactly what I was looking for.”
Drew nodded. Daye, feeling less ill at ease, sidled closer to him and he seemed comfortable with it at least. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze. “That’s great, Baby,” Drew said again. “I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to find the time to get ready for the wedding.”
Daye heard the note of censure in his voice and she was suffused with guilt. She glanced down at her hands and shook her head slightly. “I know I’ve been busy with work a lot lately,” she said. “I’m really sorry. I’ve got a couple more interviews on Monday, and I’m sure I’ll find the right person to manage the store soon. When I do, I can go back to just putting in normal hours and maybe even cut back to part time. I know I’ve not been around enough. I am really sorry, Drew.”
“It’s all right.” He gave her another reassuring squeeze. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad, Amanda. I’m just excited that you’ve finally begun to get involved in the wedding planning. Feels like Mother, and Tash, and I, we’ve done everything. I hate for you to miss out on this experience. Isn’t a woman supposed to love all the little details that go along with planning a wedding?”
*A woman is supposed to be excited about her wedding, not slowly filled with dread,* Daye’s inner voice was going at it again. *And a man and woman are supposed to be comfortable with each other when they plan to spend the rest of their lives together. What are you doing? You can barely sit here with him without worrying about what to say or do? This is not in any way the way things are supposed to be.*
“I don’t know,” Daye said. “I’ve never had a wedding before, Drew. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be feeling.”
“What are you feeling?” there was just a small note of worry in his voice.
“Nervous,” Daye answered immediately.
“That’s perfectly natural,” Drew sounded relieved. What had he been afraid she was going to say? “I’m nervous too, Baby. I think everyone is before they get married. It’s a big deal.”
“Yeah, a huge deal,” Daye agreed. “I mean, this is only going to happen once, you know. I don’t want to mess it up.”
“I love you, Amanda,” Drew turned so that he was looking down at her. His arm still held her tucked against his body. “We belong together. This wedding is what we’re meant to do. As soon as we’re married, you’ll see, everything will be perfect.”
“I-is that what you think?” Daye asked, wondering why his words only made her more fearful.
“No, it’s what I know,” Drew replied. “I know that you are the only woman in the world for me. I know that I want you to be my wife - more than I’ve ever wanted anything in the world. I know there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Daye wanted so much to believe that his faith was not misplaced, but a part of her thought he was putting a lot of pressure on them both. This was a wedding they were planning, not a miracle. How could just saying their vows erase all that lie between them? How could he think that they could make everything all right with a ceremony? They didn’t talk about anything anymore, and Daye thought that only communication could cure their ills.
“Don’t you think…” she began, but paused. How could she reopen those lines of communication? She had to make one last effort. “Drew, maybe we should, I don’t know… Maybe we need to talk about some things. I know that this is hard for you, but I need… we need to talk about the things.”
Drew brought a hand up to her lips, and placed it gently over them as she struggled to find the right words. “Baby, we don’t need to talk about that. You don’t need to still be worrying about that. I told you, I don’t care what happened. I love you. I don’t need to know the details. You don’t need to keep reliving it all. Just forget about it.”
*Forget about it?* Daye sighed. She couldn’t just forget about it. She was starting to really get past what had happened to her, but that was only because she’d found someone to talk to. What about Drew? Who would he talk to when it all became too much? He was wrong to think that if he just ignored what had happened, it would all go away. But he wasn’t going to let her talk about it and he wasn’t going to talk to her that was obvious. She couldn’t push him. She couldn’t stand it if he got hurt. She had to leave it alone and just hope that she was wrong.
“All right,” Daye said, sounding subdued. She drew in a deep breath, and then stood. “I’m going to go finish those invitations. You can finish your game. Sorry I interrupted it.”
“Don’t be silly,” Drew grabbed her hand and squeezed it briefly. “I love you.”
Daye nodded. “I-I love you too, Drew.”
Daye pulled her hand away and walked out of the room, feeling no better than she had before.
sam and alicia's lunch date
*** Friday, June 15, 2007, 12:30 pm ***
Alicia glanced up with a smile as the hostess led Sam to a small table facing the ocean on the patio of a friendly but luxurious restaurant on the coast. Sam smiled haltingly in return. He was surprised by how she looked. He’d only ever interacted with Alicia in a professional type setting before. She normally looked very well put together, but severe in a way. Sam had always thought she was attractive, but there was something unapproachable about her the way she normally was. That was not the case now, however.
Alicia was dressed in a soft looking top. *Probably silk,* Sam thought, fighting a completely insane urge to reach out and touch the material. It was bright blue and simply cut, but left her arms and shoulders bare. She had on a straight skirt in a creamy looking off-white that came only to her knees. Alicia usually had her hair pulled tightly away from her face in a bun at the back of her head or a neatly trained ponytail. Today, for their lunch meeting, she’d left her hair loose and it hung down her back and over her shoulders in dark, glistening waves. Everything about her looked softer, more womanly, and so much more accessible.
“You look… nice,” Sam said lamely, settling himself in his seat.
Alicia was surprised and touched by his compliment. She’d debated how she should dress for this occasion over and over in her head before deciding on this outfit. She wanted to appear friendly and relaxed, rather than stiff and formal. She also, if she admitted it only briefly to herself, liked the idea of shedding some of her armor and maybe flirting a bit with this handsome and harmless young man. She needed to regain some confidence after the beating her ego had taken at Nikolai’s hands. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to use Sam to do just that.
“Thanks,” Alicia said. “You don’t look too shabby yourself.”
Sam shifted uncomfortably in his seat at her compliment. He’d asked Daye for help and she’d picked out the khaki slacks and green polo shirt he was now wearing. It was a far cry from his usual daily uniform of jeans and t-shirt or shorts and t-shirt, all generally liberally decorated with messy fingerprints and dribbles from his young charge. “Uhm, thank you,” Sam replied, blushing despite his best efforts.
*He’s really cute when he does that,* Alicia thought before catching herself. A little light flirting would be fine, but she mustn’t forget why she’d brought Sam here. *Best to work my way up to it, though.*
The waiter came up and took their drink orders, and once he was gone Alicia decided to get the ball rolling, albeit slowly. “So, Sam, how are you?” she asked. “How have things been at home, really? Daye doesn’t tell me much, and I really would like to know if everything is going back to normal for all of you.”
Sam started to assure her that everything was indeed fine, but then he stopped himself. It wasn’t really the truth, was it? Daye was definitely not herself. No matter how hard she tried to pretend otherwise, Sam could tell. She was tense and uncertain, particularly around Drew. Sam had noticed how she’d looked when they’d first come back to the house and Drew had moved his stuff into the spare bedroom. On the one hand, she seemed hurt and disappointed, but at the same time Sam thought that she was somewhat relieved. As for Drew, he just wanted to pretend nothing had happened at all. That probably wasn’t the best way to handle things, but Sam didn’t know how to, or even if he should, tell the other man that he was making a mess of things. Sam wasn’t even sure that Drew was making a mess of things. How would he know? It wasn’t like Sam was an expert in relationships or anything. He didn’t really have any advice to give his soon-to-be brother-in-law and he wasn’t sure that it would be his place to even if he did.
Alicia noticed that Sam had gone quiet and thoughtful. She hadn’t realized her question might warrant such a reaction. “Is there something wrong, Sam?” she asked. “Is there something going on at home? Is there something wrong with Daye - or Maia?”
Sam shook his head quickly. “No, Maia’s fine,” he responded. “And Daye… well, she’s okay. I think. It’s complicated, and I don’t think I should be, er, that is, it’s not my place to talk about her or what’s going on. At least, I don’t think it is.”
Alicia felt herself growing alarmed. Was there something wrong with Daye? Was it jus that the young woman not fully recovered from her ordeal with Delancre, or was there some new threat? It seemed as if Daye were constantly being targeted. As Maia’s “Guardian” her safety and sanity were of the utmost concern to the Council, and as one of her friends, the same was true for Alicia herself. “Sam, if there’s something wrong I hope that you’ll tell me. I know how you’re feeling about the Council lately. I don’t even blame you for it, but I’m Daye’s friend first, a Watcher second. I want to know if there’s something going on with her. If she needs my help, I have to know.”
Sam didn’t respond at first. He didn’t know what to tell her, or even how to begin. “I-I’m not sure what’s going on with Daye. I just, I feel like there’s something wrong, but she hasn’t said anything to me - or to anyone else. She just seems sad. She’s getting married in two weeks. She’s out shopping with her best friends for a wedding dress right now, and still, if I had to put a label on what she’s been feeling lately, I’d say it was sadness mostly. She’s pretending that everything is okay, but… Sometimes I get up late at night, when I can’t sleep. I like to check on Maia, just to see if she’s okay. And sometimes I just need to write…”
Sam paused and blushed. He’d never told anyone other than Daye and Drew about his writing. He hadn’t meant to tell Alicia just now. It had sort of slipped out while he was thinking about something else. Sam shook his head, as if dismissing the topic of his writing out of hand. “In any case, I’ve heard her when she thinks everyone else is sound asleep. I’ve heard her crying, alone in her room at night. I don’t know what to think Alicia. She wants for everything to be normal, but I’m afraid she’s just pretending. I’m afraid she’s hiding how she feels for the benefit of others, particularly Drew and myself.”
“Why do you think she’d do that?” Alicia asked, genuinely surprised, if a bit relieved, by Sam’s concerns. Daye had always been the type to face her feelings head on and she knew very well how to lean on her friends for support when she was having difficulty. Why would she do anything different now?
“Honestly?” Sam tilted his head to the side. “I think maybe, at least partially, it’s Drew’s fault. He just doesn’t want to face what really happened. I think Drew is trying so hard to be forgiving and accepting that he’s not really dealing with his feelings or anything else. Sometimes I catch him watching Daye when she’s not looking and there’s so much anger and resentment in his eyes. They need to talk, you know? But they don’t.”
“I know how Drew must feel, at least a little,” Alicia replied. “It’s harder than you might think, talking about these things. Daye betrayed him, and even if it wasn’t entirely her choice, it’s hard to separate the actions of an infected person from that person. I’m sure that you’re right about what they both need, but I’m also sure that they have to come to the point where they’re comfortable talking about this on their own. I don’t think that there’s anything you or anyone else can do to fix things for Daye and Drew.”
Sam nodded reluctantly. “That’s what I feel as well, but it’s hard to just sit by and wait for them to start working things out themselves.”
“Of course it is,” Alicia reached out and placed a comforting hand on Sam’s arm. “They’re your family, Sam. You just want everything to be okay again.”
Alicia paused and they sat in silence as the waiter came up to take their order. Once the man was gone, Alicia tried to figure out how to steer the conversation in the direction she wanted to take it. She needed to find out what Sam knew about Maia and the prophecy. She felt a bit uneasy about pursuing the information though. Alicia didn’t know Sam all that well, but she suspected that he was still leery of the Council. She didn’t think he’d just be willing to discuss Maia and the Dynos with her, which meant that she needed to get him talking and then sort of lead him to reveal what he knew without coming right out and asking him. The problem with that was that Alicia felt a bit bad about tricking Sam. He was such a nice young man and Alicia hated to think that she’d be doing anything underhanded in her dealings with him.
“So, how are things otherwise?” Alicia asked when the waiter had gone. “How’s Maia dealing with all of this?”
“Maia’s… Well, she’s just great,” Sam replied with more than a note of paternal pride. He obviously thought of the girl as his own, which was in no way surprising. “She’s a really amazing little girl. She’s so smart and so, I dunno, in touch, you know? I bet it has something to do with where she came from. She just knows things. She understands things that the rest of us might not really get. She’s so happy that Daye is back. It was hard, trying to keep her spirits up when Daye was gone, especially after the whole ‘Guardian’ thing. That scared Maia pretty bad.”
“Guardian thing?” Alicia repeated, pretending she had no idea what he was referring to.
“Yeah, uhm, oh, right… You probably don’t know that,” Sam said, looking a bit embarrassed. “Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”
“What are you talking about?” Alicia asked.
“Er, uhm, it’s just that… Okay, the thing is,” Sam explained, “when Delancre had Daye held captive at the mansion, the Powers that Be or whatever… There was this, uhm, escape clause incorporated into the Covenant between the Blaise family and the Powers.”
“What kind of ‘escape clause’?” Alicia urged him on.
“They had worked in… Well, the first thing is, I guess I was always part of the prophecy, not that I understand how that can be, ’cause I don’t,” Sam explained. “I never really thought of myself as prophecy material.”
“And why not, Sam?” Alicia interrupted, genuinely annoyed that he thought so little of himself. “You are absolutely ‘prophecy material’. You’re smart and strong and loyal - and handsome to boot. You’ve got all the requirements to be a hero, or some grand subject of prophecy.”
Sam blushed profusely. *Did she just call me handsome?* Sam thought. *And all those other nice, totally off base things?*
“Uh, er, anyway, I was in the prophecy as, I guess you could say, a failsafe,” Sam continued, pointedly ignoring Alicia’s words, but obviously affected by them. “In the event that Daye proved unfit to be ‘The Guardian’, I would take her place. Uhm, and I did take her place - while she was at the mansion. That’s what I meant before.”
Alicia nodded. That at least answered a question or two about Sam’s role in both Maia’s life and the Dynos Prophecies. “And that’s why Maia was so scared?”
“Yeah, I guess. Well, she’s just a little girl, right?” Sam asked. “I think that Maia thought if Daye wasn’t her guardian that was kind of like giving up on her mother.”
“How did Maia know, though?” Alicia asked. “Did you tell her?”
“No, of course I didn’t,” Sam replied, slightly affronted. “I know better than that. I’d never involve her in anything she’s not ready for. She just- She’s very smart. Some things she just knows. I-I’m not sure, but she’s got a sense of people and sometimes she can find out things, especially if I’m thinking a lot about them.”
*Maia is a very special little girl,* Alicia thought. *It’s obvious, Dynos or no Dynos, that we are going to have to keep a close eye on her, no matter what Daye’s feelings might be on the matter. There’s far too much at stake.*
“I didn’t realize,” Alicia spoke carefully. She had to tread lightly around these issues. “Of course, we all know that Maia is unique, but I don’t think anyone really understands exactly what that means. Only the people who’ve been as close to her as you have could possibly know, obviously.”
Alicia leaned forward and spoke earnestly to Sam. “I’m very glad for all our sakes that Maia has a man like you around to guide and protect her, Sam.”
Sam blushed once more at her complimentary words. “Uh, thank you. That’s a very nice thing to say.”
“It’s only the truth,” Alicia said.
Sam shrugged. “I-I love her. Maia. And, well, Daye too. They’re my family now. I never really, I never felt like I belonged anywhere before I met Daye. No one ever accepted me that way. I don’t do anything special or know a lot about anything. I just, I want to take care of them, make sure that they’re both happy and safe. Daye and Maia - they love me, and I love them.”
Alicia could see how much he meant those words. “What about you, though, Sam?” she asked, more interested in this young man for himself than she ever would have thought. He had a good heart and was so very earnest. It was refreshing to meet someone who hadn’t become jaded about life. He knew all about the darker, more sinister things in the world, yet in many ways Sam was still an innocent. “What do you want for yourself? There must be things that have nothing to do with Daye, with Maia. Things that you want or need? Daye has Drew, and Maia, well, she’s just a child. You? You’re a grown man. Surely you need something beyond being the perfect brother and uncle.”
Sam glanced up at her, sure he was misreading her highly personal question. Alicia sat forward, leaning across the table, her food pushed to one side. She stared at him with open and ardent curiosity. Sam felt distinctly uncomfortable under her scrutiny, but also in some way aroused by her blatant regard. His temperature shot up by degrees. He couldn’t help but notice the way her hair fell over her shoulders in soft waves, framing her face. With only the small table between them, Sam caught a whiff of something sweetly feminine coming from her as she waited for his response. Almost without thinking, he drew in a deep breath before he spoke. “Sometimes, I guess, I miss… It can get lonely,” he admitted softly. Sam leaned forward then as well, drawn by her intense gaze. “I-I was married once, you know.”
Alicia hadn’t known, and she was sure her surprise at his words showed clearly on her face. “Something we have in common, then,” she said. “Do you mind my asking, that is, well, what happened, Sam?”
Sam winced. The memories of Bunny and all the things that had happened to him before meeting Daye sometimes seemed like events in someone else’s life. He had only a hazy recollection of the time that had passed between coming to Los Angeles and finding himself on the doorstep of the Crimson Brotherhood, but every attempt at clearer recall left him feeling breathless and full of terror.
“She… Things didn’t work out,” he finally replied evasively. He hated to think on how much it had hurt finding Bunny with his best friend. She had betrayed him so deeply that at the time Sam had thought he’d never be able to move on. Now he rarely thought of her, and when he did it was more often simply a longing for something they’d never really had in the first place. “I don’t know what happened to her. It doesn’t matter. That part of my life is… It’s not who I am anymore. But sometimes, yeah, I do get lonely. I miss something - something I’m not sure I’ve ever even had, to be honest.”
Alicia could see that whatever had transpired between Sam and his wife had left him wary and weary as well. She could understand that. Although there could be no comparison to their situations, she’d felt much the same way when her husband had died. Julian had been her whole world. He’d rescued her from the cold prison of her childhood and shown her that there was warmth and love for anyone willing to grab hold and take it. They’d spent the five short years of their marriage traveling the world for the Council, investigating phenomena and oftentimes battling against the forces arrayed against them, side by side. Julian had been a skilled wizard, with strong combat senses. He’d trained with the elite Watchers Guard for many years before requesting assignment as a field agent after he’d met Alicia. Julian had been strong and agile, with a quick mind and a loving heart. He had unfortunately fallen in a battle with a cult of demon worshippers in the dark forests of Eastern Europe. Alicia had wanted to die herself that day, but she’d survived, awakening in a hospital in Prague a young widow with a broken heart. She’d closed herself off then, unwilling to ever feel that kind of soul searing pain again… until Nikolai.
“I know the thing you mean,” Alicia said softly, feeling anew the pain of losing both her husband and more recently her boyfriend. “It’s so nice to be a part of someone else, and to feel that they’re a part of you as well. There’s nothing that can compare to it, but at the same time, nothing hurts more than losing that.”
Sam tilted his head and watched the sorrow and pain play across the woman’s beautiful features. Wanting only to offer comfort, he reached out and placed a hand over hers, his thumb stroking gently over her knuckles. “I’m very sorry for your loss,” Sam said. “I know that I never knew the man you married, but I still am so very sorry for the pain you’ve gone through.”
Alicia laughed bitterly. “Sam, for a long, long time, I didn’t let anyone near me because losing Julian hurt me so very much,” she paused and turned her head to look out at the ocean view, “and then, finally, I began to believe it would be all right to trust someone again. Then this whole Hyde thing comes along and I’m left licking my wounds once again. It would be so easy just to run and hide. Sometimes I think it’s too much, too devastating, falling in love, having a relationship.”
“But what else can you do?” Sam asked. “It’s worse to close yourself off, isn’t it? And it works. When it’s supposed to, it works just right. You just have to be patient, I think. Whatever comes first, eventually everything is going to be just right. You just have to know that this stuff, the things that hurt, they’re what it takes to get you ready for the right thing. The right time.”
Alicia shook her head in wonder. “You’re not like anyone else I’ve ever known, Sam. I don’t know what to think of you.”
Sam ducked his head, pulling away from her. He suddenly felt self-conscious again. Who was he to be spouting some kind of philosophy at this woman? She had done and seen more in her life than he could even begin to imagine. Sam felt very much out of place giving her any advice. And yet, it made him sad to think of her alone and apart from everyone else. There was something so very wrong with that.
Alicia felt a bit bereft when Sam drew away so abruptly. *Was it something I said?* she wondered. Glancing down at the table, she saw that somehow they’d both finished their food while they talked, though she really couldn’t remember what she’d eaten or if it had been any good. Alicia looked up at Sam, who was still looking down, apparently embarrassed about something once again. She turned her head to look down at the beach, where waves crashed against the shore and children screamed with joy. On impulse, she turned back to Sam, grabbing his hand.
“Let’s go walk on the beach,” she suggested. Sam looked surprised. “I’ve really enjoyed talking to you, Sam. I was thinking, maybe we could just prolong this date a bit. What do you say? A walk on the beach and some more conversation before we go home?”
Sam hesitated a moment, but he really did want to say yes. Alicia had been listening so intently to him, and that made him feel good, important somehow. Finally, he nodded. “All right, yeah, I think I’d like that too.”
“Good, good,” Alicia signaled for the waiter and quickly paid for the meal, ignoring Sam’s protests. “I asked you to lunch. I pay. It’s really that simple.”
Once the details were taken care of, the two of them rose from the table and left the restaurant and headed down towards the nearby shore. They walked along, hand in hand, and talked as the sun slid slowly across the sky and the afternoon opened before them. Later, when they parted, Sam had found the courage to suggest they meet again sometime, and Alicia had readily agreed. She’d started out looking for information, but ended up in a completely different place and for once, Alicia Wyldling wasn’t upset about the twists life sometimes took.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 13th
Mid afternoon
The Big House
Inés studied her cousin’s immobile form and smiled to herself. Alessa was pretending to be asleep, but she couldn’t deceive her for a minute. She was probably just trying to avoid conversation. Inés shrugged; let Alessa get away with her guiles, she was just too happy to have her cousin back safe and sound to complain about her aloofness of late. With those thoughts, the demoness leaned back on her seat again and closed her eyes against the brilliant sun, falling into a contented daze near Alessa’s swimming pool.
A loud splashing sound startled her, and she opened her eyes to see Alessa emerge from the other side of the pool. Inés smiled and leaned back to wait for Alessa to get out of the water.
“Esto es vida, prima,” she said, watching Alessa wring the excess water from her hair before lying back again. Her body didn’t show any traces of her wounds anymore, but she looked thinner and her tan couldn’t completely conceal her paleness. Alessa wasn’t taking her coming back to normalcy as well as she wanted everybody to believe.
“When are you going back to work? Any time soon?”
Alessa turned her head to look at Inés and shrugged. She hadn’t talked to Reah since the battle; it was one of the things she couldn’t get to do. She knew that one of the reasons was that the topic of the Armoury would arise, and she was avoiding it. She didn’t feel like having the restrictions of a job at the moment.
“I don’t think so. Not at the moment, at least,” she answered at last and closed her eyes again, indicating that the conversation was over. But Inés had other thoughts.
“So, what are you going to do?” she pressed, and watched with amusement how Alessa pressed her lips in annoyance. “You can’t hide in here forever, you know?
“I’m hardly hiding here, Inés!” Alessa answered, irritation clear in her voice. She signalled the open area of the swimming pool and the beach not far beyond. “I’m in plain sight.”
“You know what I mean; you haven’t set foot out of the property for days. If that’s not hiding...”
"I went to Kate's the other day," Alessa interrupted, “and people can visit me here anytime, Inés. Your coming every other day proves it.”
Inés chuckled at Alessa’s best effort to sound Hyde infected, but her tone lacked conviction and they both knew it.
“Well, it’s not my fault that your swimming pool is so great. Not to mention the help. I just love it,” she answered nonchalantly. “And you love me , so don’t complain.”
At this Alessa felt the corners of her mouth twitching and she fought a giggle.
“Come on, nobody’s gonna tell if you smile a little,” Inés joked, and was rewarded with her cousin’s grin. She studied Alessa for a minute, and her eyes shone mischievously. “So, what are you going to do?” she pressed.
Alessa sighed and straightened in her chair. “I really don’t know, prima. I feel like a boat without helm. And people pressing me isn’t helping,” she added with a poignant stare.
“I’m not pressing... ok, I am. But I’m just worried about you.”
“Everybody is worried about me, Inés. I’m fine.” At Inés' raised eyebrows, she sighed again. “I just need some time, ok? To sort things out.”
Inés settled back at this. “Mind if I use your swimming pool in the meantime?”
Alessa snorted. “As if you’d care about my answer.”
Inés just grinned. “What does Ellis say of your self imposed solitude?”
“He doesn’t. He’s giving me space - unlike some people I know,” she said, stressing the words, and Inés grinned again.
“He’s more patient than me,” she said, shrugging.
After a while Inés spoke once more. “James asked me to go to New York with him.”
“Really?” Alessa was surprised, she hadn’t heard about James in months. She felt guilty, she had been so wound up with her own problems that she hadn’t thought of asking Inés about the vampire. “Are you going?”
“I am,” Inés answered, suddenly serious. “I was waiting for you to get well.” She chewed on her lip and lowered her eyes before going on. “Now I’m just waiting for the Manolos to get here before I leave, though.”
“¿Qué!?” Alessa snapped, shocked. The Manolos were a couple of old wizened Verbatis, the protectors of the clan. To her knowledge, they had never left the rain forest before. “Why are they coming?”
Inés took a few seconds to answer, “James found Raúl. The Manolos are coming to take him back to Paraguay.”
Her voice sounded flat and detached, as if it belonged to somebody else, as she went on with the tale. She told Alessa about James’ admission of having caught and beaten her brother, and how she had gone afterwards to the hospital where James had taken him. Raúl had been badly hurt but still alive. His wounds were already healing, to the amazement of doctors and nurses. It was proof of her brother’s strength that he had kept his human form after his ordeal. Inés had forced herself to take him out of hospital before the truth was learnt. His case was already strange enough.
“Where is he now? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Alessa asked, her voice shaking with controlled anger.
“Because you’d have killed him,” Inés whispered, and her hands fluttered with her shades. “I talked granddad into taking him back, he can’t be allowed to go on killing. The Manolos are already in their way here.”
“But, why? He certainly deserves dying.” Alessa stopped when she saw the pleading look on her cousin’s face, and she didn’t press to know where the demon was. She stood up to sit next to her, embracing Inés warmly.
“Shongu will know what to do, you did well.” *And James did even better,* she thought, smiling to herself.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 13th, 2007
Nikolai's apartment
4:47 pm
"Hola Nik, how've you been?" Alessa greeted the Russian as he opened his apartment door. She looked up to his startled face and her smile faltered. She hadn't called in advance and had entered the building after another tenant left the door open. Obviously she had surprised him; she just hoped he wasn’t mad at her for intruding. "I'm sorry, I didn’t want to intrude but, well, I wanted to talk to you."
Nikolai nodded slowly. After all of the work that he had been doing, it seemed as though he was finally on the right path and would soon be ready to depart.
"No, it's ok," he said, standing aside to allow her to come in. "I was just doing some research is all."
Alessa beamed at him and she stepped inside. She had wanted to talk to him since the big attack. After all that happened, she felt especially close to Nikolai. He too had been an important part in her recovery after her return to LA and had stood by her ever since then. Even during her crazy scheme for revenge. She needed to know how he was faring after his own ordeal. And Inés was right, she had been hiding.
"Thank you," she said as she took a curious look around. Tables and chairs were covered in books and maps, and there were a couple of suitcases half-full near a wall. She frowned and looked at her friend again. "You going somewhere, Nik?"
Nikolai sighed. He knew that people would be surprised, and that it would probably be best if he just told everyone where he was going, but there was something holding him back. This was something that he felt he had to do on his own.
"Adrift on the sea, looking for the shoreline," he replied cryptically. That was as good a description as any for the way that he felt since being infected, temporarily cured, infected again, and finally cured. "When I shall return, I'm not certain, but I do plan on it."
"I hope so." Alessa bit her lip and watched him more closely. He sounded even more obscure than usual, and he looked a bit strange. Her mouth curled tentatively. "I'd hate to lose a good friend," she said, and she hoped he could sense the truth in her words.
"I'm very thankful, Nik, for all you've done for me," she added and looked into his eyes.
"It was the least I could do, after all the evil I've perpetrated," he replied steadily, moving to the kitchen to offer Alessa something to drink. "I would hate to lose a good friend as well. Tell me, how are you doing? Your ordeal must have been terrible."
Alessa thought about the passionate hours she had spent with Delancre and blushed furiously, thankful that he couldn’t see her. She still couldn’t believe she had done those things, felt those things…
“I-I- well, it wasn’t that bad. I sort of had it light, considering.” She lowered her eyes, shame and guilt fighting in her. The tables had turned on her after getting rid of Hyde, and having descended to Delancre’s level to achieve her revenge was one of the things she regretted most. Thankfully she hadn’t been able to kill him that night; she didn’t know how she’d have dealt with it if she had.
Nikolai studied Alessa carefully. He didn't blame her for taking it hard, and would probably be one of the ones with the most reason to feel guilty - except, perhaps, for Tasha. It was bad enough to have been evil and manipulated by Delancre, but to have slept with him... well, he could just imagine the guilt that she was going through.
"Having it light doesn't make you feel any less guilty, however," he observed. "Alessa, do you want to talk about it at all?"
"Talk about it?" she repeated, frowning a little. She didn’t know if she wanted to; most probably not. She had talked about it with Kate already, and it had felt good. However, the feeling hadn't lasted past the merry evening she had spent with her, Galen and the Sindell witches. That night she had come home to another never ending sleepless night. "Do you want to hear about it?" she asked finally.
"I would not have asked were I not willing to listen," he said seriously, standing and walking into the little kitchen area. Things seemed so small, now that he was preparing to leave. "I think I'll make some tea if you would like to stay a while, Alessa."
Alessa nodded and smiled weakly to him. "Some tea will be nice, thank you, Nik." She crossed her legs and dangled her feet, thinking again about his offer while she tapped her fingers on the soft suede of the arm chair. She stayed silent for a few lengthening minutes, watching Nik prepare a pot of tea in the kitchen, before talking.
"I stayed in that mansion exactly seventeen days. In that time I saw Daye once, played a game of wits with Tash and sent Oz on an errand that could have got him killed. I didn’t care much for gathering and passing information or helping my friends." She looked away then, and noticed that Tolstoy was sleeping over a pile of spread maps in a sunny corner.
"All my efforts were directed to making Delancre fall for me, so I could kill him when he finally trusted me. And I spared no efforts, believe me." She paused again. "However, when the moment finally came I didn’t have the nerve to kill him, so I just left."
"Not much for a fortnight with the enemy, right?"
Nikolai got out a pot as Alessa spoke, filled it with water and put it on the stove. He listened to her words intently, taking in everything she said, going over it carefully in his mind. "You would have preferred for things to be different?" he speculated, starting on a path that he suspected would lead her to the opposite conclusion. "Perhaps you would wish to be like my previous life? To be the kind of person who could kill without remorse or regret?"
Raising an eyebrow, he let the little bit of emotion that was seeping back into his senses come over him. Alessa plainly didn't think that was a good idea, even if she would not say so. "Far better that in the end, you have at least some regrets. It shows that you are still a caring person."
"Delancre said that if I killed him in cold blood I wouldn’t be able to live with myself afterwards," she said, not wanting to fall into Nikolai's trap. "He was an intelligent man, much too intelligent, and he knew me too well. I hate to have something to thank him for," she said in a flat voice as she reached to accept a cup of tea from Nik's hands.
"He loved me, you know? In his obsessive, sickening, disgusting way, he did love me." She averted her eyes from Nikoali's intense stare before going on. "He never showed me his real face, he was considerate and generous... in his way. He seduced me like nobody else did; ever. Sometimes I sort of… liked him too. I forgot who he was and what was I doing with him. Sometimes I let him in."
She fingered the emerald that still dangled from her neck; she had had it on when she left the mansion and she hadn't taken it off for some reason. "I hate him for that too."
Nikolai studied her carefully. L’Than knew the custom well; someone who felt guilty keeping something as a physical representation of that guilt. Until she believed that she could move on, he doubted that she would ever take it off.
“Perhaps it is for the best, then, that you could not kill him in that manner,” Nikolai suggested.
He opened his mouth as if to speak, then stopped and considered further. It was extreme, but it was an offer that he could make. “I’m leaving for India in a few days,” he finally confessed to her. “As a fellow half-demon, you may find the answers you seek there.”
"India?" Alessa raised her eyes. It was strange that he'd suggest that; she had been toying with the idea of going there herself. Pelor had been from the Himalayas, and she felt she owed it to him to tell his family of his fate. It was the least she could do after he had given his life for her.
But Nikolai didn’t know that, he had his own reasons for going to the other side of the world. She looked him in the eye. "Why India?"
"There is a tale told of a half-Xangyarj named Melander," Nikolai began. "He studied their philosophy before going to form his own school, and took up residence in India. From what little I have gleaned of them, they may have the answers I seek to what I should be doing."
Alessa nodded, she understood his offer now. Nikolai had his own burdens to carry and they weren’t so different from hers. The idea was appealing, but as much as she needed space she didn’t know if she wanted that. To travel to the other end of the world - that seemed a little too much.
"I don’t know, Nikolai. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that." She bit her lip and she smiled weakly. "I know that your offer is heartfelt, and I really thank you." She thought of Daye and how enthusiast she was about the wedding, and about Inés asking her help about Raúl, and then Ellis… She really couldn’t leave just now. "There are some things that I need to do right here now."
"I understand completely. I'll leave a book here with the information to allow you to follow if you change your mind." Nikolai sighed, wishing that there were some way to help all of his friends and himself at the same time. "If there is anything I can do for you before I leave?"
"You can promise to be careful." Alessa got up and hugged him warmly. "I'm going to miss you, friend. And please leave that book. I may follow you when I'm done."
Bon Voyage Nikolai
Saturday, 16th June 2007 – 1:47pm
Nikolai’s Apartment
Tolstoy looked up from the bed as Nikolai grunted with the effort of trying to force his suitcase shut. The last things that needed to be done before leaving, and this of all things had to give him problems. “Lock you bastard luggage from hell!” he cried as the suitcase refused to close. It wasn’t that the thing was overflowing so much as he suspected that the lock was broken.
Finally in frustration, he held the latch down on one hand, went to pound on it, and only managed to smash his own fingers. The cat responded by bounding on to the floor and promptly fleeing to the other side of the condo, probably to the sun room, his favourite place to hide.
When he finally heard the knocking on the door, Nikolai jogged out there, wondering how long he’d left Kate waiting. Hopefully it wouldn’t be long; he’d asked her over to pick up Tolstoy earlier in the day.
“Katya, I’m sorry,” he said, letting her in. “I was busy in the other room trying to get luggage to lock and seem to have scared Tolstoy into hiding.”
Kate laughed as she walked inside, glancing around the apartment at the bags waiting by the door and the assortment of books and maps that lay spread out across the dining table. “Well he’ll have fun at my place, there are plenty of nooks and crannies for a curious tabby to hide himself.”
“Thanks for doing this for me Katya,” said Nikolai as he led the way into the living room and sat down, giving a passing glance to the maps that he had been studying for the past few days. “It means a lot to me, to know that you’ll be looking after Tolstoy while I’m gone.”
Kate smiled at Nikolai as she sat down next to him on the couch. “Well you know I’m here for all your vacation needs. I water plants, I feed the fish, I collect the mail… that’s when I’m not looking after one scatterbrained moggie.” She laughed to herself and smiled again.
“Galen tried to pretend that he has allergies; turns out that he just doesn’t like cats very much, some deeply rooted childhood trauma I’m sure, involving a Siamese and tuna fish sandwich…” At Nikolai’s concerned glance Kate waved her arms dismissively and laughed. “Oh don’t worry, we’re working through his,” she made a gesture in the air of inverted commas, “‘issues’.”
Nikolai shook his head and laughed. “So long as he remembers to feed the little Czar before having a sandwich, they will get along fine. Perhaps Galen will want a kitten of his own after this,” he couldn’t resist teasing. No doubt Tolstoy would have fun there, though he did have one fear jump to mind again: that the cat would manage to find some precious antique to knock over in one of his exploration hunts.
“I think he is in the sun room,” Nikolai said, leading the way to the little room at the side of the condo, then smiled as he remembered something else. “I should warn you that Tolstoy likes to help you cook sometimes and I’ve kind of spoiled him with some table scraps."
A quiet ‘meow’ announced Tolstoy’s presence as he crawled out from behind a chair and wove himself between Nikolai’s legs, meowing again.
“I think he knows you’re leaving,” said Kate as she watched the cat before sitting down and enjoying the early afternoon sun. Nikolai sat down too and Tolstoy jumped up onto his lap, purring loudly as he tickled behind the cat’s ears.
“He’s going to miss you,” Kate smiled, observing her friend thoughtfully. “And he won’t be the only one. I think it’s only just sinking in that you’re going.”
Nikolai nodded slowly. It was sinking in slowly for him as well. After all of his research, buying the ticket, getting everything in order for several months. "With luck, I'll be back soon," he said, before Tolstoy looked up with a disbelieving glare. "It's like it was unreal before, something that was still just waiting to happen. Now that it's finally here... well, where did the time go?"
Kate shook her head, “I don’t know; fighting evil Watchers, hybrid demons, magical viruses. Those kind of things really eat at your spare time. I know I have a whole stack of laundry just waiting for me when I get home. Sometimes I pray for another apocalypse just so I can put off the housework.”
Nikolai chuckled some at the suggestion before joining her in the exclamation, "At last, a good use for the end of the world! Putting off the housework." Tolstoy looked up again at the laughing pair before deciding that he wanted down and jumped up on Kate's lap instead. "Maybe we could combine the two next time, and just start pelting demons with the dirty dishes?"
“Just the thought terrifies me,” laughed Kate, stroking Tolstoy gently, running his soft fur through her fingers. “You will take care of yourself, won’t you?” she said after a moment, her voice turning suddenly serious. “While you’re away… and, don’t change too much, okay?”
Nikolai could not help but smile. Of all the cautions to give a friend when travelling, that was not one that most people expected to hear, no matter how appropriate it was. "One half of me is a mystic and a healer; the other, a ruthless killer. I suspect that I will need to find the middle ground." He stopped for a moment, able to feel her concern. It still was strange, in a way, to actually have people worried about him for more than just losing an asset to the organisation.
"I will take care of myself, Katya, and you make sure you do the same too. We've been through a lot lately, all of us, and I just hope that I'm making the right decision."
“I know this is something you’ve been thinking about for a while now,” said Kate, still stroking her fingers through Tolstoy’s fur. The cat emitted a low purr of contentment, closing his eyes and flexing his paws intermittently. “So it isn’t just some spur of the moment plan. And I also know that…” Kate sighed wearily, placing a hand on Nikolai’s arm.
“It would be selfish of me to ask you to stay, you’ve been such a good friend to me, even throughout all these past few months. You were there, you helped me, and I don’t want to lose you.” At Nikolai’s objections she held her hand up. “Just let me finish. I don’t want you to go but I know that you have to. I know that ever since L’Than and the Finding you’ve been… lost. Struggling to understand how much you’ve changed and what that means.”
Kate stifled a sniffle and then laughed weakly at herself for being so emotional. “Look at me,” she said with a slight chuckle, “I’ll be in tears if I carry on like this.” Kate rubbed at her eyes and smiled. “Actually I had something I wanted to give you.”
She fumbled in her jacket pocket, disturbing Tolstoy who meowed in protest, clinging on to Kate’s skirt with his claws to avoid being thrown free. “Here.” Kate removed a small golden-brown gemstone from her pocket, placing it in Nikolai’s hand. “It’s tigers eye, it’s supposed to be good for protection and luck. It’ll keep you safe while you’re away.”
Nikolai looked down at the stone in surprise for several moments, just letting it rest between his fingers. "Katya, I don't know what to say... thank you." Enchanted or not, he wondered? Or was it something inherent in the stone without enchantment? These mystical things were always so confusing to him.
"I wish I had something to give to you in return," he said, allowing the stone to slip into his pocket.
Looking at her, and feeling her worry, the counsellor in him tried to come out again. Instinct could provide a guide, though he suspected that he would already know the answer to the question: had she lost many friends? It was quite sad to think about.
"Thank you."
“Just come back in one piece,” said Kate placing her hand on top of Nikolai’s, “and I’ll be happy.”
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 14th,
Bob's Bar,
Night
Alessa opened the door into Bob's and was rewarded with exactly the kind of place that she expected. She looked around trying not to show much interest, but she burrowed her hands on the pockets of Chance's jacket, grabbing the stakes she had put them earlier, and she moved purposely towards the bar. *That must be ill reputed Bob,* she thought eyeing the tough looking man who was slowly drying glasses behind the bar. He looked at her up and down and was about to say something when she let her eyes shine red for a second, signalling her as an acceptable customer. The man just nodded and turned to respond a call from other customer.
She settled on a high stool and leant on her elbows while she looked around again. Kyle wasn’t anywhere to be seen, and she sighed. She had been following his trail for a couple of hours now, but if the kid frequented this joint as much as Darian said then the trail could have been an old one. She signalled Bob for a drink, and turned around to keep watching the room through the mirror. Hopefully Kyle would show up soon, else she'd have to go to Poplar tomorrow to talk to him.
The door into the back room of the bar splintered under Kyle’s weight as he was flung through it. With a resounding smash he crashed amongst a collection of chairs and tables, flinging empty glasses to all sides. As the kid stubbornly, but with difficulty, pulled himself to his feet, his eyes turned nervously towards the titan of a demon that stormed out of the back room menacingly towards him.
“So,” Kyle began, dusting himself down, “you’ve got a good left hook.” He ducked under the demon’s next blow and smacked him under the lower jaw; snapping his head back. “Mine’s better,” he taunted, but left himself open to a backhand that sent him spinning until he collided with another table. Amidst the smashing of glass Kyle could be heard spitting a stream of curses.
The demon advanced again, grabbed Kyle by the shoulder and flung him over so his back was pressed against the table. Holding Kyle in one place with one hand, the demon reared back with the other and prepared to deliver the final blow.
"I don’t think so," Alessa said, as she grabbed the demon's arm and pulled backwards with all her strength. The thing was like a rock and it hardly moved, but it was distracted, and as it turned around to shake her like a fly Kyle used the time to slip from its grasp.
“Hey! What do you-” Kyle began, but broke off when he saw who it was the demon was shaking about. “Alessa?! What the hell are you doing?!”
"Saving your life?" she asked, as she ducked from another left hook, and uselessly punched the thing's rock hard chest. "What do you have, kid? A death wish?" she managed to say before she was thrown across another group of tables.
“'Saving my life'?” Kyle repeated with raised eyebrows. “Wait, you think…?” He trailed off, then began chuckling to himself even as Alessa and the demon continued trading blows. “I would have thought you of all people would look before you leap. Hey, Zax! Give it a rest, she’s a… uh, she’s a friend.”
At Kyle’s call, the demon suddenly halted in his attack and straightened, then he turned to Kyle and growled. “You owe me two drinks, buddy.”
Kyle’s eyes widened. “What?! No way.”
“Way,” Zax replied, chuckling. “I put you through two tables there. A deal’s a deal; you owe me two drinks.”
“One,” Kyle replied with a snide smile. “I put you through that table out back, remember?”
“You broke three tables?!?” Bob cut in, but nobody listened to him.
Zax pondered for a little, then laughed and nodded his head. “Okay, one. But only because I like you, and you put up a good fight for a little squirt.” He slapped Kyle on the back.
“Hey, you weren’t too bad yourself. For seven foot-tall walking brick wall,” Kyle shot back. “Bob, drinks!”
“Just coming,” the bartender shouted back.
With the drinks on the way, Kyle turned to Alessa. “So what brings you out here?”
Alessa managed to close her mouth and slowly shook her head. At his amused glance, she chuckled and composed herself.
"Don’t I get a drink too? I seem to have spilt mine in my rush to 'save' you," she asked Kyle, rolling her shoulder where it had hit against a table.
"I don’t know, missy. You broke a table yourself," warned Zax, but gave her a mighty – but friendly – slap. "Kidding. Hey Bob, bring the lady one too!"
"Thanks." Alessa smiled at the big hunk and turned to Kyle. "I needed to talk to you, about something you mentioned to Darian…"
Whilst waiting for his drink, Kyle lit a cigarette, then offered one to Zax. The demon waved them away and instead pulled out a huge Cuban cigar. “Where’d you get that?” Kyle asked in surprise.
“Lets just say he dropped it.” Zax gave Kyle a toothy grin.
Kyle smiled and shook his head, then turned back to Alessa. “I say a lot of things. You’re gonna have to be a little more specific.”
Alessa looked at the demon, who was now courteously offering her a cigar and denied with her head.
"No, thank you. I don’t smoke." She gave him an insecure glance and then turned to Kyle again. If the demon was his friend she may be able to talk in front of him. "It's about Morris, Darian said you knew something about him."
Their drinks arrived, and Kyle took a long swig. When he finished he slammed the half-empty glass down on the bartop. “Yeah, so what if I do?”
"Don’t be difficult, Kyle," Alessa said, a little annoyed with his attitude. It was like talking to the old Kyle again. "I just need to know the details."
She shot a glance at Zax who was interestingly watching the exchange, and went on. "That vampire and me, well, we have a history. Not a good one, too." She bit her lip and turned her head, reliving the last time she had talked about Morris with Delancre.
Kyle shrugged and turned around to lean on the bar. “Then you’ve got nothing to worry about. From what I’ve heard, Morris is long gone.”
"Is he dead?" Hope flickered in her eyes.
“Not dead. Gone,” Kyle repeated. “Took off somewhere looking for the, uh, Eye of St. Virgin or something.”
Zax coughed and blew out smoke. After taking a drink he spoke. “You mean the Eye of St. Vigeous?”
Kyle frowned and shot him a look. “How the hell do you know that?”
“I know a lot of things.” Zax gave a toothy grin. “And if he is after the Eye of St. Vigeous, you’re not gonna have to worry about him, lady.”
Alessa frowned and turned to the demon. "What is it? Some kind of magical thingy? Because Morris was great at tracking those down. He was great getting to use them too."
"Well, this 'thingy' is pretty dangerous. Takes people back from the dead and such, at least that's what the legend say." The demon shrugged and puffed some more smoke. "It may be just that, a legend."
"But then, if Morris is after it, it may be not. He was good with that kind of stuff." She caught Kyle's eye and she added, "How did you learn that, Kyle?"
Kyle didn’t reply instantly. He took a drag and another long swig first. “Took a little trip up to that abandoned nuthouse ‘bout a month ago. All expenses paid courtesy of your ex.”
"Oh." Alessa grimaced and averted her eyes. She didn’t like the implications behind Kyle's words, but she liked it even less that he was right. If it had been Delancre who sent Kyle to investigate the Clinic and things had gotten ugly, she could understand his reluctance to talk, then. "I'm sorry, Kyle. I didn’t know that Delancre would involve you in that."
"Shit!" Zax exclaimed, and his expression turned from friendly to openly hostile, and he advanced menacingly towards her. "You were with Delancre? You have some guts, lady, coming here."
Alessa took a step back, and shot a worried glance to Kyle; she had already experienced those fists that night.
“Stow it, Zax. She got inside information that brought him down,” Kyle said, without turning around. “And she killed him.”
Zax gave Alessa a different look. “That so, eh? So we’ve got the guy who killed the Slayer and the girl who killed the big bad Watcher.” He smiled. “You two would make a great team. Or TV series.”
Kyle flipped him a birdie. “Go to hell.” Zax merely chuckled to himself as Kyle turned back to Alessa. “Yeah, well, he did. And it wasn’t fun. But I got what you both wanted to know, and that’s what counts, right?” He shrugged. “Morris is off chasing the Eye, and like Zax here said it’s probably a legend, so he’s gonna be running round in circles for a while. Anything else I can help you with?”
Alessa bit back a catty response, and frowned. She was getting tired of his attitude, understandable as it was. But then, sparks always flew around them. She wouldn’t stand more shit from him, though.
"You know what, Kyle? Forget I asked." She nodded to Zax who just chuckled again, and turned to leave. "Thank you, though. It's good to know Morris isn’t around anymore; not that he's not gonna be back. Eventually."
Kyle didn’t say anything as Alessa walked away, he just kept looking forward, consciously knowing Zax was watching him. “Fine,” he said, though to who it wasn’t clear. Draining his drink, he stubbed out his cigarette, sighed, and pulled himself to his feet. “Alessa- wait. I…” He swallowed. “I’m sorry. It’s just, some weird shit went on in that place and…I don’t like talking about it.”
She stopped a couple of tables away, and hesitated a second before turning. "It's all right, that's a creepy place, I grant you. No need to talk about it."
Alessa walked towards the two demons, and smiled. She looked around at the customers who were busily trying not to pay attention; having Zax on your side in a place like this was an asset, but it wasn’t much fun either. She remembered why Chance used to come to the bar and she wondered if he'd have liked Kyle. Probably not.
"So what do you guys do for fun? Apart from breaking tables, I mean."
Kyle rubbed the back of his head and looked to Zax, who shrugged and looked away. “Uh, that’s pretty much all we do. Breaking things, I mean. I guess - after Delancre and everything - I don’t really feel like doing anything constructive, or orderly, or organised.” He shrugged. “Gotta get all that discipline and indoctrination out of my system, know what I mean?”
"Yeah, I guess I do." Alessa grinned, she did know how things worked with Delancre. "I haven’t dressed for dinner since I left the mansion." She laughed when Kyle rolled his eyes. "No, I mean it. He always insisted that I dressed up for dinner every night. It was sickening!" She held up a hand when Kyle opened his mouth. "Don’t say anything you may regret, kiddo. I have enough regrets myself."
"There must be better ways to spend the time, though, equally 'non-constructive'." She looked at Zax, then, and pondered a little before talking. She knew Kyle didn’t like vampires, she didn’t know about the other demon, though. "I brought some stakes that I'd like to use, is killing vampires disorganized enough?"
Both demons broke into big grins. “That’d be perfect,” Kyle said, waving for Zax to follow as they headed out the bar. “In fact, let me tell you about a certain vampire we’ve been after, goes by the scary name of ‘John Walker’…”
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 18th
House Party in the valley
10:20 pm
Kyle placed the joint between his lips and inhaled. Closing his eyes, he held for several seconds, then bent his head back and slowly exhaled. When he looked back again, the other five or six people standing in a circle with him looked on expectantly. Kyle gave it another few seconds for the weed to flood through his system. He had to admit, this was some good shit. Not that low-quality crap spread as thinly as possibly but home grown best.
At last, he cracked into a wide smile. “Yeeeeeeah,” he drawled.
The others broke into cheers and other drawls, one patting him on the back as he passed the joint on and one or two breaking into full fits of giggles. His head light, Kyle almost magically found a cigarette passed into his hand and a lighter in the other and put them both to good use, pocketing the lighter and picking up somebody else’s bottle of vodka.
Holding the bottle up to the light, he checked the contents. Woo! More than half full! Taking a swig, then dropping it to his side, Kyle staggered away from the stoner-circle in search of more amusements.
The Foo Fighters’ latest album blasted from the speaker system, filling the house with drums, guitar and angst-ridden lyrics. Around the lounge kids of roughly his own age danced and smoked and drank and did all the sorts of things kids his age did at a house party.
Including, Kyle noted, throwing up in a corner, spacing out on the sofa, and arguing out in the garden. A good party, all in all.
There was upwards of one hundred sixteen-to-nineteen year olds here, easily, all revelling in the absence of rules, all living for the moment. Just getting from one side of the lounge to another was proving difficult, especially as many of the guests had spontaneously decided the centre of the lounge was to become the dance floor. It wasn’t all so bad, though. When Kyle finally pushed through the press of people into an area where less were dancing – merely because of the presence of furniture which, looking at many of them, wouldn’t hold them back for long – he still had hold of his vodka, his smoke was gone but in his other hand he held a new half-empty carton and there was somebody else’s chewing gum in his mouth. To top it off, he felt more stoned than he had five minutes ago.
Cole yawned and looked at his watch. *God, is time not moving?* he sighed, trying his best to ignore the three bimbos that had flocked to him and were now spewing out an assortment of pointless questions.
“Oh wow, like I totally love your shirt, where did you get it?” one asked, as she popped her Bubbalicious Chewing gum.
“Uhh, I don’t remember.”
“You know your eyes are so blue, I mean there like the sky!” her friend added. “They have to be contacts right?”
“No, I don’t have contacts.”
“So sweety, did you come here with your girlfriend?” the last chirped in, as her hand began to trail down to Cole’s thigh.
“I’m here with him,” Cole replied coldly, pointing over to Kyle, who was being bounced around on the dance floor.
“I told you guys he was too cute to be straight,” the second girl pouted disappointedly. “Why are all the good ones gay?”
The third girl squealed in delight as she noticed Kyle walking over towards them. “Your boyfriend is SO hot, like can you guys make out for us?”
“He’s NOT my boyfriend,” Cole interrupted, as he rolled his eyes in annoyance.
“Oh I get it, you guys just haven’t hooked up yet. Well don’t worry, you’re a total hottie, for sure you’ll get him,” the first bimbo cluelessly commented.
“He’s a friend, I’m straight, and the three of you are really annoying!” Cole finally spat out, no longer able to contain his irritation.
“What-EVER,” tThe three ditzes said in unison, as they marched off in search of their next victim.
Taking a look round, though, Kyle noticed at least one person, besides the guys throwing up or arguing – no, wait, they were fighting now – who wasn’t enjoying himself. Shaking his head and sighing, Kyle slowly, made his way over and plopped down into the large chair next to him. It took a great deal of effort and concentration to regain his balance and convince himself he wasn’t sinking into the chair.
“Cole, you’re not looking happy. What’s up, doc?”
Which was something of an understatement. Cole looked downright bored; the kid was constantly glancing down at his watch. “Uh, it’s just- well, what I mean to say is…” He took a deep breath before going on, trying his best not to sound like a drag. “Kyle, do we even know anybody here?”
“Hell, no,” Kyle’s answer was quick and certain. “That’s the fun of it.” Failing in the attempt to drink and light a cigarette at the same time, Kyle focused on the latter then took a swig of the former. He didn’t fancy mixing them the other way round, but the thought of lighting a bottle and taking a swig of a smoke made him chuckle. “Look, we got this house party, right?”
“Right.”
“And we don’t know nobody here, right?”
Cole nodded again. “Right.”
“So it’s simple!” He paused, beaming. “So, there’s nobody hear who knows us , meaning we can do what the hell we want, get up to as much trouble as we want, and nobody’s going to be after us for it. So drink, smoke, dance… whatever. Everybody here’s out to have a no-strings-attached good time. Live for the moment, Cole, enjoy yourself tonight, ’cause we won’t be partying together until you get back from your Hogwarts over in England.” Believing the matter settled, Kyle sat back in the chair, then remembered he thought he might sink in to the chair and be lost forever, and sat up quickly, almost knocking the contents of his bottle everywhere but fortunately catching himself before doing so.
Cole, however, was still uncertain. “I don’t know…”
“Aw, c’mon Cole!” Kyle tossed the vodka over to Cole. “After everything you and I’ve been through recently, we deserve a little night off. Besides, that girl over there’s been giving you the eye.” He nodded off behind Cole.
A slight smirk played across Cole’s lips as gazed back at the attractive brunette off near the keg. “Yeah I guess you’re right.”
“Damn straight I’m right,” Kyle puffed out proudly. “Now stop wasting time, and go talk to her.” Without waiting for Cole to say anything in reply, Kyle shot surprisingly quickly and steadily to his feet and turned to walk away.
He came face to face with a guy who just screamed ‘jock’. His short and curly blonde hair was flicked up at the front, beneath which were bright green eyes. This was the type of person Kyle had known whilst he was in high school, hell, the type of person he’d been for a while – the sports guy with the charming looks that all the girls fell for.
Kyle wasn’t that type of person anymore. He hated that type of person. “What the fuck do you want?”
“I could ask the same question,” the guy replied, his voice equally full of veiled threats. Several of his friends, though ‘goons’ were the more appropriate term, leered in around him. “We don’t know you. I’d bet nobody here knows you. So what are you doing here?”
“Are you threatening me?” the demon asked.
The jock took a step closer so he was right in Kyle’s face. “Maybe I am.”
Kyle narrowed his eyes as he considered what he should do next. On the one hand, a good fight would really make the night go down well. On the other, this guy wouldn’t make for much of a fight, and besides Kyle was pretty wasted.
“Hey, c’mon guys! We’re all here to have a good time!” he said in the end, wobbling slightly.
A new guy came over, probably the one in whose honour this party was being thrown. “Hey, calm down, Greg. The more the merrier.” ‘Greg’ sneered and stepped away with the new guy, his goons in tow.
“Damn jocks,” Kyle muttered under his breath, making his way back into the mock dance floor.
No sooner had he pushed his way into the press of jostling people than one girl in particular caught his eye. Her thick black hair cascaded onto her shoulders, framing a pale face with full red lipstick and deep black eyeliner and her clothes were loose. Kyle caught her eye and smiled at the notorious ‘bad girl’ and was rewarded with a seductive smile back. Grabbing somebody’s drink and pinching a cigarette from somebody’s hand, he made his way over to her.
As he made his way over, he watched as she teased the guys dancing around her – pulling one in and enticing him only to discard him along with the rest, but even as one was discarded another was already leaping to be chosen next.
Kyle wasn’t going to fall for that. He moved around the outside of the circle of guys that had formed around her, making sure she knew he was there. He could see her frustration, confusion and interest grew as he carefully avoided her whilst at the same time always staying within her vision. Kyle was like a hunter stalking his prey.
Soon, however, he grew tired of the waiting game and plunged in, flinging the next hopeful guy aside and stepping into his place. The girl didn’t even bat an eyelid as the guy fell to the floor, knocking another couple down with him – she only looked at Kyle with lust, and Kyle gave the same look back.
Their bodies ground together, their hands roaming free. The circle of guys dissipated when it became clear she was not going to toss Kyle to the gutter like so many others. When they had gone, the girl leaned over and whispered in Kyle’s ear. The demon grinned, a grin that stayed on his face as he followed her off the dance ‘floor’ and up the stairs.
Meanwhile, Cole and the brunette, who he had learned was called Lori, had hit it off. Disregarding those around them, the two were locked in a game of subtle flirtation.
“So you’re leaving in two days?” Lori pouted, as she pushed Cole down onto another couch, and proceeded to sit next to/on him.
She was so close now; he could smell the sweet scent of vanilla coming from her tanned skin as he leaned nearer to talk above the blasting music. “Yeah, it’s pretty scary really, going to a new country and all, but it’s a great opportunity for my education and everything.” Cole flashed one of his patented ‘innocent boy next door’ looks as he gently rested his hand down on her thigh.
Lori wasted no time, allowing one of her hands to gently stroke Cole’s, while the other wistfully played through her long, silk-like hair. “Too bad you’re leaving so soon after we meet, but I understand how important school is, and a place like Oxford, that’s really amazing.”
Before Cole could respond, the boy who had saved Kyle earlier appeared, and was looming over the two. “So sis, wanna introduce me to your friend here?” he said, not at all hiding his judgmental tone of voice.
“Oh Dan, stop the big brother routine, would you? This is Cole. Cole, this is my brother Dan.”
The two exchanged pleasantries, and Dan’s body language seemed to ease up. “Well, great to meet you Cole. Like I said before the more that are here for his arrival, the better.” He moved off and out of the room.
Cole’s eyebrows narrowed slightly in confusion: *His arrival? Who is ‘he’?* “Are we waiting for someone special? he asked, removing his hand from Lori’s grip.
“Yeah, there’s a really special person coming, but you don’t need to worry ok? I promise it’s going to rock,” the girl whispered, letting her warm breath wash over Cole’s ear.
“Who said I was worrying?” he answered playfully, turning his attention back to her. However, deep down he was getting a gut feeling that something wasn’t right.
A few minutes later Dan burst back into the living room, Greg and goons in tow. Immediately, all conversation died and Greg switched the music off via remote. “He’s here,” Dan said simply. Then all the room was a buzz of action as people busied themselves. Lori left Cole sitting on the chair looking around, confused and bewildered.
Up in the bedroom, Kyle and the girl were going at it no holds barred. The thin sheets clinging to their sweating skin they moaned and ground and…forgot. And slowly Kyle lost himself in the sweet bliss of pleasure-
Then the door slammed open, and that guy, Greg, was standing there. “Fucking hell!” Kyle cried, rolling off the girl and looking angrily back. “Haven’t you fucking heard of knocking? We are busy here!”
Ignoring Kyle, Greg looked to the girl. “He’s here.”
“I understand,” the girl said, then throwing on a few clothes she quickly followed Greg out.
Overcome by drugs and alcohol, Kyle sat stupefied for a few moments. “Okay,” he said finally to nobody but himself. “Whoever’s here better be damned important…” Mumbling, he grabbed his own clothes.
As Kyle came down the stairs, Cole dashed over to meet him. All party atmosphere had vanished completely. The kids all stood around looking towards the door.
“Hey, where the hell have you-? ” Cole paused, as he felt the waves of sexual energy flowing from Kyle’s aura. Rolling his eyes, the teen didn’t even bother commenting, as he leaned closer so no one else would hear. “You have any idea what is going on?”
Kyle shook his head. “Not a damn clue. All I know is that I’m horny, sobering up fast and not liking it.” He watched as all other conversation in the room slowly died. “You?”
“Just that ‘he’ has arrived, whoever the fuck ‘he’ is.” Cole rubbed his temples, now wishing he hadn’t drunk so much. “I swear Kyle, if you get me into trouble and screw up my chances at Sindell, I’m going to turn you into a frog so fast…” the boy said, giving a half-joking smile as he looked around nervously. “I just hope you’re in good enough condition if something goes down, because I don’t think I’m in any position to do any of the hocus pocus.”
“Oh, just let them bring it,” Kyle responded, eagerly cracking his knuckles. “I’ve been holding out all night for a good fight…”
His words trailed off when a new figure entered the room, and even Kyle had to admit he had a great deal of stage presence. He was a tall and striking man with chiselled features and long black hair that fell straight down his back. The former-partygoers drew a collective gasp as his eyes travelled quickly around the room. They focused on Cole and Kyle for perhaps a second longer than everybody else, then moved on.
Dan and Greg both came forward and dropped to their knees before the new guy. “My Lord,” Dan began. “We are your faithful servants.”
“We are ready to serve you for all eternity,” Greg added.
The man didn’t say anything for a while, but stared down at the two at his feet. Greg cowered and looked away, but Dan held his gaze. “This one is ready,” he said in a deep and powerful voice, nodding towards Dan. “I don’t know about the rest of you. I shall have to consult with my aides.”
He turned and held open his arm, and another half a dozen people walked in. They took up positions around their leader as he stared down each guest one by one.
This time he lingered even longer on Kyle and Cole, and Kyle felt a chill run down his spine. “Aw, fuck,” he whispered under his breath.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 18th
House Party in the valley
Shortly thereafter
“Oh lighten up Cole, it’s a party Cole, have fun Cole,” the younger teen whispered sarcastically to his buddy as he stared at the group of vampires that had just broken up what was otherwise a pretty good time. Feeling the blood drain from his face, Cole started to go over a number of spells in his mind, praying that he could manage something while under the influence. “We have to do something Kyle, or they’re going to kill everyone here.”
Kyle clenched his teeth to stop his head throbbing and stared the head vamp down until his gaze moved on. “I kinda think that’s the plan,” he muttered. “You see the way they’re acting?”
Cole looked round at the subservient way everybody was acting around the vampires. A couple of them, even Lori – the girl he was with earlier – were bringing drinks and cigarettes over to the vampires. Several of the drinks were red, and Cole didn’t want to think of what was in them. “Yeah, it’s a little odd to say the least.”
“It’s more than a little odd. They’re fucking cultists.” Kyle licked his lips and went on. “Vampire wannabes. They think they’re in some sort of Anne Rice novel where vampires are wonderful creatures. A bunch of them get together, get in contact with a vampire and ask to be turned. It’s like an all you can eat buffet.” He shook his head. “I’ve seen a couple of groups like this around, mostly out east though. Didn’t know they’d moved this far west. All I can say is, I’ve never seen a vamp hold up to his end of the bargain. I mean, if you were a blood-sucking vampire and a bunch of kids offered themselves to you on a silver plate, would you turn any of them?”
“Why do we always find ourselves in these situations?” Cole wondered, giving Kyle one final annoyed gaze for having brought him here in the first place. “All right, so how you wanna go about this: the sneaky way, or head on?”
“I’m not one for sneaking,” Kyle retorted, preparing at any moment to ‘flame on’.
“Why did I even bother asking?” Cole sighed, as he began to ground himself as much as possible. Finally, taking one final deep breath, Cole turned back to his demon comrade. “If we die, I’m so going to kick your ass Kyle.”
“Fair nuff,” he chuckled. “Ready?”
With a slight nod, Cole moved his attention back to the party. “Hey people! Hey yeah, over here!” he screamed, as all eyes turned on Kyle and him. “Not to be rude, but you’re all retarded! These vampires aren’t going to give you immortality, they’re going to kill you!"
Kyle put his head into his hands. “Dude. They’re vampire-wannabes. Appealing to them isn’t going to work.”
“And what do we have here?” the head vamp asked, moving towards Kyle and Cole. “A couple of uninvited guests?”
“We don’t know who they are,” Greg said as he rose to his feet. “They’re not one of us.”
Dan got to his feet, too. “We thought you would appreciate a gift.”
The head vamp smiled. “And we do.” He nodded to his cohorts. “Kill them.” Four of the vampires moved to surround Kyle and Cole, whilst the other two stayed near their leader. They also, Kyle noted, blocked the main exit.
“The only gift we’re gonna be is an appetiser,” Cole warned, drawing his magic to the ready. “And with you as the main course.”
“Now’s so not the time, Cole,” Kyle said, pulling a stake out of his pocket. His eyes flickered to it, then to the girl he had been with earlier. “Sorry, darling, I wasn’t that happy to see you…”
One of the vampires reached out to grab him, but Kyle grabbed his arm and slammed the stake into the inside of his elbow. The vampire roared in pain but stubbornly refused to fall to his knees. Kyle ripped the stake out of his arm and plunged it into his chest. The vampire’s cries were cut short as it exploded to dust. “Heh, you see what you guys are signing up for?”
The head vampire burst into laughter. “He was our weakest and our youngest. Power comes with age and you will never fully develop it as a mortal.” He nodded at the remaining three, and they converged on Kyle and Cole.
Turning to the closest bloodsucker, the younger boy, with much difficulty, began to focus. “What child, praying to god to save you?” the monster laughed as it advanced slowly.
With a word of power, a beam of red light extended from Cole’s hands, engulfing the vampire in flame. Seconds later, all that remained was a pile of ash. “Shouldn’t always assume people are Christian, it’s a rather narrow-minded view of the world,” the Wiccan smiled, pleased with his handiwork.
“Oh my god! You’re some sort of FREAK!” Lori screamed in horror as Cole’s eyes flashed brightly.
“I’m the freak?! Man, she’s no better than the bimbos from the beginning of the night,” he sighed, bringing his magic on the next vamp that foolishly approached.
As the second attacker cindered and charred away, Cole turned briefly to see how Kyle was faring. *Heh, I’ve already got two, wonder how many he… woahhh.*
A wickedly athletic vampiress was giving a drunken/stoned Kyle a run for his money. He just couldn’t seem to keep up with her leaps and bounds. He saw himself an opening and managed to pull off a roundhouse kick, but the vampiress flipped backwards onto the table behind her. “No way.”
She kicked at him, but Kyle ducked out the way, grabbed a chair and launched it at her. The chair splintered and knocked her off the table, but before Kyle could do anything another vampire was in his face, with a fist not far behind.
Kyle leapt up onto a sofa to dodge the fist and hit the floor the other side. Turning, he grabbed another chair and used it baseball bat-style on the vampire as it followed him over. The creature toppled backwards, but the vampiress flipped neatly over the sofa and Kyle and landed behind him, knocking the chair from his hands before he could spin around. She drove him back several steps until he could throw up an effective defence – and even that was at the cost of his stake. But he recovered and managed to throw a couple of punches. Unfortunately the vampriess was too quick and ducked both of them.
This gave enough time for the other vamp to get back to his feet, and Kyle was in a two-on-one. He focused on the other vamp, knowing he was the weaker of the two, and was rewarded with a couple of quick blows to the vampire’s face and body.
Just when he was beginning to get somewhere, the vampiress knocked his legs out from under him and Kyle hit the floor with a thud. To escape her clutches he rolled left until he was safely under the table, kicking out at anything that tried to get in as well. But he couldn’t hide out under there forever. He could see the other vampire trying to make his way round behind Kyle without him noticing.
A piece of splintered chair caught Kyle’s attention. He grabbed it whilst kicking at the vampiress, held it so that the splintered part was pointing up towards him, and when he reckoned the other vampire was reaching down to grab him, thrust it upwards.
He was spot on, and the chair leg went straight through the vamp’s heart. “Bulls-eye.” Kyle rolled out from under the table in time to get showered with ash, and climbed back to his feet coughing. He spied the vampiress on the other side of the table, and was able to recognise that she was about to flip over the table towards him just in time to raise the piece of chair again.
“Contain yourself boy!” the leader called out to Kyle, before he could prepare himself to dust the tricky vampiress. “You make one more move against any of my associates, and, well…” The boss had no need to finish the sentence once he noticed Kyle’s gaze move over to where he and two of his cronies stood.
Between the two towering vampires, Cole stood helpless in the grasp of one of the monsters, his mouth being covered as to prevent any pesky magics.
“Who would have known a young mage would be attending? What a wild turn of events, wouldn’t you say? Now, drop your weapons.”
Kyle ground his teeth and narrowed his eyes, then chucked the wood to one side. “Fine.”
“Excellent, excellent.” The vampire waved, and the vampiress Kyle had been fighting took him roughly by one arm and forced him over towards the leader. Cole was similarily brought over, and the two forced to their knees. “Now that the excitement is over, where were we? Oh, yes. A gift.” He smiled cruelly at the two of them and vamped out.
“This is the last time I take you to a party,” Kyle whispered to Cole, whose mouth was still being carefully covered. The Wicca shot him a look that said something like ‘shut the hell up and free me or we’ll never get the chance again’.
“Silence before your Lord!” Dan screamed at Kyle, who surprised everybody by laughing.
“Look, I’ve spent the last few months in the company of Lord Delancre and his demon armies. I’ve fought against them. You guys just aren’t cutting it.” He looked at the head vamp. “I mean, I don’t even know your name. How are you supposed to be intimidating with no name?”
The vampire leaned down into Kyle’s face – so close that, had he been human, Kyle would have been able to feel his breath. “My name, young fool, is John Walker. And it will be the last you ever hear.”
Kyle broke into laughter again. “Okay, I take it back. You were more intimidating with no name. You’re John Walker?”
Walker slapped him, a blow so hard it left a distinct mark. “You would do well do show the one who will kill you some respect.”
Kyle worked his jaw as he looked back. *Thank God for the drink and the drugs. At least I don’t have to worry about pain.* “Sorry, it’s just… I’ve never been intimidated by somebody with a name like ‘John Walker’ before. I would’ve expected Bloody John, or Death Walker or something. Oh, and by the way, you’re not going to kill me, either.” And with that, Kyle put the flame on.
Everybody in the room took a step back, and those nearby took more than a step. Walker and his vampires dived to the floor to escape the mini-volcano that suddenly appeared before them. The vampire who had been holding Cole’s mouth shut didn’t let go, but pulled the kid out of the way with him. The vampriess, who had been holding Kyle down, wasn’t so lucky and exploded into fire.
Kyle darted to his feet, his tail scything out to bring down the vampire holding Cole. He toppled to the floor and released his hold, allowing Cole to get away.
Rolling out of reach, Cole made his way back to his feet before cracking his knuckles. Whatever intoxication effects he had previously been on, now were all dissipated, forced out of his system by the rush of adrenaline flowing through his body.
With a scowl of anger, the perfectly sober witch raised his eyes and pointed at his previous captor.
“Light of the Shining one
Bring forth your brilliant chariot!”
He chanted under his breath, evoking the magic of the sun god Apollo. With a ominous BOOM, a spear of light erupted from his hands and flew straight through the heart of the vampire, causing him to explode into nothingness.
Ah few “Ooohhhss” and “aaaahhhs” could be heard from the partygoers, as Cole’s magic dissipated, basking the room back in it normal brightness.
"Shut up!" he spat at the crowd, still disgusted by their blatant naivete.
“Showoff,” Kyle muttered, turning from duelling with the other vampire just in time to see Cole’s magic. Then he was back to trading blows. Unlike Cole, the partygoers were giving the flaming demon a wide berth and only watched him with fear.
He blocked a punch, blocked another, and caught the third – sending a blaze of fire rippling down it. The vampire shrieked and pulled his arm away, dousing it with the contents of a nearby glass.
For a split second, the two watched the fire as the liquid came into contact with it and it went out. Then they looked at each other. “Lucky for you somebody felt like sobering up,” Kyle said to the vampire, then spun and kicked the glass away with his tail, spun again and roundhoused him, and spun a final time and kicked him again, knocking the creature against a wall.
The vampire fell into a heap on the floor, and Kyle didn’t waste any time grabbing him and letting his fire take hold. Within seconds, the vampire was ashes.
Kyle straightened to face Walker, only for him to be nowhere in sight. “Hey, where’d he go?” he called to Cole.
“Wha-huh? Oh,” Cole mumbled, now feeling some of the wondrous effects of mixing alcohol and magic. Stumbling over to his friend’s side, he leaned against the wall for support.
“I think he got away. But on the bright side, we did manage to save all these people without any help from the White Hats.”
“You idiots! You ruined everything for us!” Dan’s voice rang out as he marched over furiously, while his previous gang lay low in the back for fear of what the fire beast or the witch would do to them. “We were going to ascend, and you fucked things up for us.”
Cole cast Kyle an annoyed look, before rubbing his eyes to get them back in focus. “You wanna handle this? I’m feeling a bit dizzy at the moment.”
Kyle nodded and turned back into human form. “Sure, no problem.” He strode over towards Dan, who was still roaring at him, and slugged him with a solid left hook. Dan hit the floor hard and already unconscious.
The Kaoshian demon turned back to look at the rest of the ex-partygoers – those who had been too brave or too stupid to run by now, anyway. “Anybody else really wanna be a vampire?” They looked uncertainly at each other and shook their heads. One or two looked down and took a step back. “Didn’t think so. Vampires aren’t anything like what you’ve read. They’re murderers, cold-blooded killers and worse.” Kyle turned around and walked back to Cole. “And who said violence never solved anything?”
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 18th
Somewhere in LA
A short time later
John Walker splashed his way through LA’s dirty underside; the sewers. *Thank God I don’t breathe* he thought to himself. He hated having to use the sewers, there were far better ways of moving about – even at day – but his orders had been specific. He rounded a corner and about halfway along, despite the heavy darkness, he spied the ladder he was looking for.
He moved swiftly to the ladder and quickly scaled it. There was a hatch at the top – locked, obviously, but in more than one way. First John pulled out a key and unlocked a padlock that had been dirtied to look old. Removing the padlock, he pulled back a shutter and entered a sixteen-digit code into the keypad. There was a click and mechanical whir, and John heard the locks opening.
Closing the shutter, he reapplied the padlock. There was one more lock he had to get through.
Pressing the palm of his hand against the centre of the hatch, John closed his eyes and focused like he was taught to. As vampires go, he wasn’t a particularly magically-attuned one. He was a thinker, and an innovator, and that was the reason he had been recruited into this organisation. But he was still a vampire, and like all supernatural creatures vampires had some magic in them. Focusing, John recited the words that had been drummed into him.
The hatch around his palm glowed a dull red, and bright blue runes appeared around it. John pressed his index finger against four of the eight and removed his hand. The magic faded, and once it was gone the vampire pushed the hatch open and climbed out, taking care to shut it behind him.
When he turned around he found himself in a small basement. The stairs that led up into the warehouse were before him. In between him and them were three vampires. They were all armed. Two of them held their guns pointed at his chest, and should John look down he knew he would be able to see two red dots hovering over his heart.
“It’s me. I need to see him,” John said, holding his hands out to both sides to show they were empty.
The third vampire, who didn’t have his weapon drawn, glanced down at his watch, then back at John. “You’re early.”
“I need to see him,” John repeated, and this time the vampire waved him through. The two gaurds lowered their guns and stepped aside as he pushed past and hurried up the stairs.
He passed through two small back-rooms and offices before reaching the main area. In the centre, a group of almost two dozen vampires were converging around a table. They all turned to look up at John as he entered. All but one.
“You’re early, Mr. Walker,” said the vampire who didn’t look up. “And alone. I presume, then, that you have failed.”
With his back straight, John marched over towards the table. “There was… a complication.”
“A complication?” the other vampire repeated, still not looking up. His attention seemed to be focused on the documents and pieces of paper lying scattered about the table. “What kind of complication costs you six men and all the vampires we had hoped to secure?”
“The kind of complication that fights back,” John snarled, and punctuated his words by slamming a stake down on the table top. “The slaying kind.”
Now the vampire looked up and studied the stake. “You encountered a Slayer? I was led to believe the Slayer here is dead.” His eyes drifted to another vampire who swallowed nervously.
John shook his head. “Not a Slayer. A demon, and a mage. They turned up uninvited, and when we tried to kill them they fought back. And from the way they fought I would bet on the fact they have experience in fighting vampires. Lots of it.”
“A demon and a mage, with vampire-fighting experience…” the vampire trailed off in thought, wistfully rubbing his chin. “I wonder…”
John coughed. “There is one more thing. I don’t know if this means anything to you, but as I was leaving I heard one of them say something: ‘we managed to save all these people, and without any help from the White Hats’.”
The vampire’s fist slammed onto the table far harder than John had slammed down the stake.
“Or something like that,” he quickly added.
“The White Hats,” the vampire snarled. “You’re certain they said ‘White Hats’?” John nodded. “Interesting. I wonder if it was planned or purely chance.” He snorted. “Most likely the latter. That group of retarded do-gooders blindly plunge through destiny with no real coherent organisation. Most of their successes can be attributed to luck or chance. No, I believe our security is still intact.” He turned back to John. “Though there is still the small matter of your failure, Mr. Walker. I invited you here because I was impressed with your achievements on the east coast. You demonstrate a cunning almost equal to mine, and one I respect. With Roxana attending other matters, Mr. Walker, I currently rely on you as my second in command. Do not fail me again.”
“Of course not, Morris. I would not dream of it.”
“Excellent.” Morris Giles smiled. “Now, we still need more vampires. I want you to set up another cult. But first, I want you to find out who interrupted you today, and kill them.”
John nodded, and quickly excused himself. He left through a different route, one that took him through another large but smaller space. This room was filled with weapons handing from the walls, and training devices scattered down one end.
More than two dozen vampires were busy putting them to work, whilst at the other end nearly another dozen were practising magic.
Back in the main room, Morris was once again studying the information before him. “And you’re certain of this?” he asked a brooding vampire to his left.
“Definitely,” he replied. “Our intelligence on this cannot be wrong. Valerian and Krispin know you’ve left India, but they don’t know how long ago or where you’ve gone.”
Morris grabbed the vampire by the collar and brought him close. “It is imperative you keep it that way. Feed them whatever you have to. We’re too weak to face them at the present time. We’re not ready, not until we have more men and the Eye, so keep them running in circles. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir, absolutely, sir,” the vampire nodded hurriedly.
“Good. Get on it.” Morris dropped him and turned to another. “Now, what’s the status on those vampires coming over from Europe?”
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
Sunday, 17th June 2007 – 3:10pm
1318 Poplar Aveune
Tash stared at the door, waiting for the knock that she knew was coming. Quarter past three, he’d said, and it was almost that now. From the way he’d sounded on the phone there was something he wanted, maybe, but she had no idea what at this point.
Maybe it had to do with the freshly restarted White Hats. They’d had their first meeting just a few days ago and although it had started out somewhat subdued at least most people seemed to be working to put the past behind them. But maybe it was something else, some new disaster… Or perhaps just something simple – two friends getting back in touch after a trying time. Tash sighed. There was no point in worrying about what he wanted. If it was important, he’d get to it in his own good time.
She perched on the edge of the sofa and tried not to feel nervous. They’d spoken a couple of times since the Hyde cure, but not really since they’d taken down Delancre. The White Hat meeting didn’t really count. She wondered if too much had changed between them now, if the friendship they’d developed and that had survived the trial by fire that was G’rnatha, would still stand fast now. They’d spoken words of reconciliation to each other after the cure, but back then Tash hadn’t had any of her talents working and she knew that he could lie with impressive skill when he wanted to.
“Oh, this is insane,” she said to the empty room, and went to the kitchen to brew some coffee and take her mind off this afternoon’s visit.
He took the stairs two at a time on the way up. It was regrettable to have to ask for this on such short notice, but it was something that was probably best done. Although with LA traffic being the way it was, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising to leave two hours in advance and still find a way to miss the flight. Driving to the airport wouldn’t be a problem on his own, but he didn’t want to leave his car there for however long he would be away; it was doubtful that they would fail to declare the automobile abandoned before long.
Nikolai stopped outside Tash’s door, taking a few moments to steady himself before knocking on the door. Yet another person he would have to tell about the fact that he was leaving, and part of him wished that he could have just brought everyone together, and let them all know at once.
“Ah, Tasha, hello,” he said when she opened the door, smiling. “I hope that you are doing well.”
“Hello Kolya. Please, come in. I’m making some coffee, or would you prefer tea?”
“Tea, please.”
Soon they were both sitting in the living room, Tash clutching her coffee in her hands while Nikolai rested his tea on the coffee table. Tash sipped the comforting brew and leaned back, stretching out her long legs before her.
“I’ve hardly seen you since the whole Delancre fight.” Tash puffed out a breath of air and shook her head. “Mind you, I’ve been pretty busy since then. The Foundation’s been helping the Watchers with cleanup, and then there’s Daye’s wedding plans… but you know all this. You were here for the meeting.”
Tash regarded Nikolai over the rim of her coffee mug before setting it down. “But we haven’t talked much, not just the two of us. How is everything?”
Nikolai had to think for a minute over the best way to put everything. The White Hat meeting had been mostly about everyone trying to set things aside. Not the best time to say that you’re leaving the country and don’t know exactly when you're going to be returning.
“As always, trying to put things back together. I suspect I shall be doing that for quite a while,” he said, considering Tash carefully. He wondered if her abilities had managed to return yet and, if not, exactly how much she would be suspecting him of lying through his teeth to her when he insisted that things were improving between them and so on.
“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I think I have finally pieced together the information on something that I’ve been looking for, a sort of spiritual order of demons.”
“Oh? Oh, that’s good news.” Tash eyed Nikolai’s unsettled aura and smiled in relief. “I know you’d barely worked out the relationship between you and L’Than when the whole Hyde thing started. It was bad enough for the rest of us, but I’m surprised you didn’t go totally schizophrenic.”
Nikolai laughed weekly at that. "Oh, it was close for a while, but at least the Finding went well, even if my guide was a Cardassian tailor."
Tash’s ears pricked up. Nikolai had been distinctly less than forthcoming the last time they’d talked of the Finding. He’d told her it was a very private time for the Xangyarj and she respected that. Still, she wasn’t going to refuse to listen if he happened to want to talk about it.
“So the tailor helped you after all? You must have just contracted Hyde when you talked about him to me before – no wonder you’d been having weird dreams. Hyde didn’t mess with the process too badly, then?”
“It may have helped, as the most difficult enemy to face is the self,” he replied simply. He felt bad for having brushed her off so quickly before, and figured that this was the perfect lead-in. “One of the things Mr. Garak made me realise was that I still have to find myself, and it’s something I can't really do here. I'm... this is difficult to say, but I'm leaving for India, Tasha.”
“India?”
Sitting suddenly upright, Tash frowned as she watched Nikolai’s earnest expression. His sense of conviction was overwhelmingly strong, as was his sense of being incomplete. No, that wasn’t the right word… unfinished.
She slowly relaxed back into her seat and took another long, slow sip of coffee, letting the steam billow around her nose and cheeks. “So, when do you go and what can I do to help? I presume you want to go alone – though I’ll gladly go with you if you want a companion.”
Tash pushed thoughts of her Foundation obligations to one side – it could be run as effectively from India as from Los Angeles. She felt a strong pang of regret at the thought of having to leave Onyx, even temporarily, but she ignored that also. This was what she did – the person she had to become again if Hyde wasn’t to change her forever. The one who would drop everything for a friend if she was needed. If Kolya needed her to go with him, then she would, it was as simple as that.
“No, no,” Nikolai got out. He'd already extended an invitation to Alessa to follow if she needed to, as she seemed able to benefit from it, but he wasn't looking for a companion per se. Even with her concern over him, he could tell that she was getting her life back together. The kind of guidance she would get there would be overkill for putting her life back together. The only other person he could think of who could use it was Daye, and then he could tell that she would never do it.
“That won't be necessary but, well, I don't know when I'll be back. I could use someone to give me a ride to the airport tomorrow, and… how would you like to borrow an armoured car?” he asked only half-jokingly.
Tash wasn’t entirely sure, to be honest. That car had come from Z’thrukaht and was a poignant reminder of what she’d lost on G’rnatha. Still, it wasn’t like it was quite sentient or anything. For all its intelligence it was still just a machine. Her sense of relief at not being asked to go with Nikolai also made it easier to accept this smaller favour. Besides, it might be fun to drive around in the Monte Carlo. It would be more comfortable than her bike, certainly, and with its G’rnathan enhancements was far more versatile than most vehicles.
“Sure, I’ll look after the car for you. And don’t worry about getting to the airport, I’ll be happy to take you. Your flight’s tomorrow? What time?”
“Around about 1pm, I think,” he said, hoping he was remembering that correctly. It meant that to take care of the security arrangements, he had to show up by noon at the latest. The country was nothing if not paranoid. He smiled. “I think you will enjoy it, just be careful what you say around it. That car has learned about a couple of kinds of music, and will be glad to find them for you, but… Let’s just say that it knows how to be a getaway car.”
Nikolai decided to omit the fact that the Monte Carlo would also almost drive itself - that would become readily apparent right away. It was a lot like riding a horse, if you could do that from the inside.
“So, a spiritual journey to India… Is there anything else I can do to help? The Foundation has more than enough to pay any bills and so forth. What about this order of demons, have you checked it out thoroughly? I don’t want to sound alarmist, but sometimes these things are just fronts to trick an unwary traveller. I’d hate to see you walking into a trap. I could investigate them for you-”
“That won't be necessary, though I do appreciate your concern,” he replied. Tash was genuinely concerned, but he really didn’t think that she had any reason to be. “One of the journals I managed to locate is of a Xangyarj who studied with them. Besides, we must all take chances now and again in these things.”
“Well, if you’re sure,” Tash conceded reluctantly. “And I suppose with something like this, it’s better to start sooner rather than later, but it’s a shame you’ll be missing Daye’s wedding. For all the hurried preparations, it’s really coming together well.”
Nikolai sighed again at that. “Yes, I know,” he said. “Unfortunately, though, we all have things we must do in order to heal. I guess this is hers.”
Tash nodded slowly. “I hope so.” Deep down, she wasn’t sure quite what was going on in Daye’s mind, and she had the feeling that the wedding might be masking more than it was bringing out to heal. Still, she could only do what she could to help. In the end, Daye had to find her own way.
“Well,” she said more brightly, putting down her now-empty mug. “I’ll be ready to drive you to the airport tomorrow. It seems so little, but if that’s all you need…”
“It’s all I need for now. Thank you, Tasha.”
daye's erotic dream
*** Saturday, June 16, 2007 ***
Daye stopped before the closed door to Marcus’ suite and knocked sharply. She waited, a warm smile on her lips, for him to answer.
Marcus swung open the door, obviously unprepared for visitors. Daye lost all track of what she’d come to say, because he was standing before her naked but for the towel riding low on his hips. His normally perfectly tame hair was a mass of wet tangles, and moisture still beaded on his skin everywhere. Daye felt her mouth go dry and awareness zing through her. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t even think. Her whole being was focused on him and she wanted to close the small gap of space between them and sink her teeth into him.
Unconsciously, Daye leaned towards Marcus. Her body seemed to be reaching for him though her arms remained at her sides.
His eyes locked with hers and there was no mistaking the animal heat in them before they dropped to rake up her body. Like a hand running over her she felt those eyes as he took in her legs made sinfully long by three inch heels and a hemline that was positively wicked. His eyes roamed her torso lingering at her breasts and Daye moaned softly at the imagined contact.
“Hello, Daye.” It was that soft tone; sexy and understated but so full of desire. It ran down her spine like a piece of fur and settled in her body like an ember waiting to explode.
Daye knew she'd come here for some reason, some reason other than the fact that here she was yearning for him with her whole being. She knew there was a purpose to her visit beyond the electricity dancing over her nerve endings and the low ache settling deep within in her, but whatever it had been had fled in the wake of sudden overwhelming desire.
"Can I..." Daye heard the huskiness in her own voice, but she didn't care. "Can I come in?"
“Of course.” The voice danced over her skin again, and Marcus swept out a hand to grab her. A brief tug made her stumble in the unfamiliar shoes and Marcus caught her smoothly in his arms. One wrapped around her waist the other brushed her hair away from her face.
She felt the moisture on his skin soak into her dress. The dozens of damp spots a cool contrast with the fires burning her skin. He leant inwards and kissed the corner of her mouth, his tongue making fleeting contact.
“Have you missed me?” He kissed her again more fully, his tongue sweeping across her mouth, while his hand stroked circles round the base of her spine.
Daye felt lightheaded at the first touch of his mouth on hers. She might have wondered why he was holding her, or why he was kissing her this way, but it felt so good and she'd been waiting so long.
Daye could feel every inch of him pressed close to her. She knew the only things between them were the thin material of her dress and that fluffy bit of cotton wrapped around his waist. Restlessly she shifted in his arms and smiled up at him.
"Terribly," she replied, wrapping her hands around his neck and tugging his mouth back down to hers. She sighed in contentment as his lips locked with her own and their kiss grew fevered.
He chased her tongue back into her mouth, tangling them together even as his hands ran over her body, tugging at her dress to caress the flesh beneath. He moved, pressing her backwards until she met the closed door and he pressed further against her. His hands dropped to the hem of her skirt, pulling it upwards revealing even more of her skin.
Finally he broke away from her lips, leaving her to gasp for air. She was on fire, burning hotter with every touch, every caress. His lips moved to her neck as his hands slipped completely under her dress, stroking and teasing her body while his mouth sucked and nipped at her throat.
Daye arched into Marcus' touch. His hot mouth was a firebrand on her skin and his hands were stroking and caressing her beneath her dress, driving her higher and higher. His long, elegant fingers played over her flesh and her body sang in exultation.
"Yes," she moaned breathlessly, urging him on. "Yes, Marcus...oh, yes...touch me...I want...oh, yes..."
She was on fire for him. Her every nerve attuned to the feel of his hands. It was too much, and yet not enough. She needed to feel him, skin to skin.
His hands stilled and a low moan slipped from Daye’s lips at the loss of sensation. He grasped at the dress and a sudden jerk parted a seam. More tugs pulled the fabric apart completely and the tattered remains slid to the floor, leaving Daye in her underwear.
Utterly dazed by her lust, Daye lost track of anything but the feel of his hands on her for a moment and Marcus took advantage. He spun her round to face the door and leant into her, his weight pressing her into the unyielding surface.
His hands lingered on her skin while his hips started a slow grind with only the towel between them. The motion let Daye know exactly how much he wanted her. The hot moist air of his breath caressed her ear as he whispered to her telling her how he wanted to take her, to possess her utterly, how he would make her beg and plead and scream for him.
The cool air caressed her bare skin, and one hand came back to grip his neck as he spoke softly to her of his lust and longing. Daye whimpered at the feel of his arousal pressing into her and bit her lip to keep from begging now. She was lost to the sensations of his body and his hands, to the erotic images painted by his words.
Blinded by her raging desire, she gave voice to the hungry need burning through her, urging him to take all that she had to give. He dropped hot kisses below her ear and over her shoulder. Daye was surrounded by him, by his hardness and his heat.
Any remnants of rational thought went up in smoke as she finally gave in and begged Marcus to soothe the burning ache inside of her.
Marcus wouldn't prolong the torment for either one of them. They'd been running from the flash fire of desire for weeks now. They were both more than ready to finally succumb to the burn. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him.
Daye turned back towards him. His blue eyes smoldered as he watched her quickly strip off the demure white lace bra and matching panties that were all that remained between her and wanton abandon. She didn't look away, but rather boldly let him see the matching heat in her own eyes. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips as she reached out and, with a deft flick of her wrist, loosened the towel wrapped around his waist. Daye's gaze slowly caressed him and her lips quirked into a smug smile when she heard his soft groan.
Daye reached out to him. She bent her head and pressed her mouth to his, while her body rejoiced at the contact of his skin against hers, finally.
Marcus moved and Daye clutched at him. Pleasure swept through hot and sweet. Soft cries fell from her lips as it flowed through her in slow building waves. Lost in the moment, she never noticed her nails raking Marcus’ back.
The sweet tension inside Daye coiled tighter and tighter as she clung to Marcus. She threw back her head and called out his name over and over as her drove her higher. She could feel herself coming apart in his arms and, pushed beyond her limits, she screamed out his name again and again as waves of pleasure rolled over her.
***
Daye bolted upright in her bed. She blinked away disorientation as she tried to penetrate the darkness around her. Her breath was coming in harsh gasps and she was soaked with sweat. Behind her now open eyes, the dream replayed, scene by scene, the sensations making her body hum with awareness even as she slowly began to realize what had just happened.
*I slept with him,* she thought in dismay. *It was just a dream, but it was so real. I-I wanted him so much.*
Daye pushed her tangled hair away from her face and struggled under the sudden weight of guilt bearing down on her. This wasn’t like the other dream. That had been about something she needed, and in it Marcus had been no more than a symbol, a creation of her subconscious. But this time, oh things had been so very different. This had been all about wanting. It had been about desire, hot and overwhelming. It had also been amazing. Her body was still buzzing. She had just had the most incredibly sexual experience with a man she was supposed to be "just friends" with, and even though it hadn't really happened, she felt terrible about it nonetheless. Drew, her fiancé, slept across the hall, blissfully unaware that her subconscious had her betraying him in her sleep.
"What am I going to do?" Daye whispered bleakly to herself. She scrubbed a hand wearily down her face and slid from her bed. There was no way she'd be able to get back to sleep tonight.
drew's late night wanderings
*** Saturday, June 16, 2007, 3:12 am ***
*** Daye’s house ***
Drew flipped off the television and quietly rose from the sofa. He was fairly sure that everyone in the house was finally asleep. Sam had been up a couple of times to get things for Maia, but now even he seemed to have settled in for the night. Drew breathed a deep sigh of relief as he turned off the small lamp in the corner and moved down the dark hallway towards the bedrooms. Every night was the same. He waited up until the last possible moment, afraid that his will would not be strong enough. He couldn’t settle in his bed until he was sure that Daye was sound asleep in her own. He wouldn’t be able to resist if he knew for sure that she was awake in the next room. His imagination wouldn’t let him rest. He was plagued with memories of walking through that door to find her clad in lace and satin, her arms open just for him. His very soul ached from the memory.
Drew walked down the hall, pausing at some sound. He stood just outside Daye’s door. He had heard something from within. Unable to restrain himself, Drew leaned and pressed his ear to the closed door. Maybe she was upset. He couldn’t walk away without knowing for sure that Daye was all right.
Standing there, trying not to even breathe, Drew was able to faintly make out the sounds coming from within. He pulled back as if scalded and stared at the door in confusion. Daye was not hurt. No, what he’d heard were definitely cries of an altogether different nature. She was… Perhaps she was asleep and dreaming. *Please, she’s asleep,* Drew coached himself. He had to believe that. If not, if she was awake, just beyond this door and she was…
Drew groaned aloud and dropped his forehead against the cool wood of the door. His mind was suddenly full of images of Amanda splayed across the bed, her head thrown back as she pleasured herself. His breathing came in shallow pants and Drew almost broke. He reached out with one hand and grasped the cool metal of the doorknob. He was about to turn it when another unwanted thought came to mind.
*But who is she fantasizing about?* the dark sinuous voice in his head queried. *Who or what makes her moan and cry out in that empty bed? Can you be sure it’s you she thinks of, you she wants?*
Drew snatched his hand back from the doorknob and stared in horror. It could be true, after all. Daye, awake or asleep, could be thinking of someone else. What if there was another man - or demon even? What if she’d been with someone while she was gone who was just…better than him, someone who fulfilled her in a way he never had? What if she was still secretly pining for another’s touch? How could he be sure?
“How can I ever be sure?” Drew whispered bleakly to the darkness. He turned from Daye’s door and moved quickly across the hall. Without glancing back, he slipped into his own dark, empty room. Drew sat down on the bed and dropped his head into his hands. No matter how hard he tried, these doubts continued to plague him. He couldn’t let go of them, or of the anger that still brewed deep inside. He wanted it all to just go away. In the light of day, Drew could believe that things were getting better, but at night, when he was alone, it wasn’t so easy. At times like this, he wondered what he was even still doing here. Again and again Amanda had betrayed him. She had done so with Ryan before and now again, with so many. Why did he still want her so? Why couldn’t he walk away?
“God, I love her. I don’t want to, but…” Drew felt hot shame and rage burning in his belly. He did. He loved Amanda so much. He’d never lied to her about that. She was the only woman that had ever made him feel this way. But he also hated her. He was so angry, so full of resentment. A part of him wanted her to suffer. He wanted to lash out at her for her actions, to make her pay for the pain he felt.
“But I don’t want to hurt her,” Drew argued with himself. “I want to marry her, to protect her. I don’t want Amanda ever to hurt again.”
Drew was so confused. He knew that. He knew that there was something wrong with the way he was thinking, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. More than anything he needed to talk to someone. Not Amanda. That would never do. None of her friends, either. He needed to talk to a friend. A friend of his own, but one who would understand, one he could talk openly to about things. Who did he know like that?
Sitting in the dark, suddenly Drew recalled a friendly face, a person he’d not spoken to in a really long time. “Yes, if she’s still there. If she wants to talk to me, maybe…”
Drew sighed and glanced at the bedside clock. It was still very early. It would have to be tomorrow, if he could fit it in. For now, though, he had to rest. Turning over on his side, Drew lay down on the bed and tried to go to sleep.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 15th
Morning,
The Big House
*The Eye of St. Vigeous, the Eye of St. Vigeous,* Alessa repeated to herself as she read title after title in the row of books at her eye level. She balanced one bare foot on the library ladder and step with her other toe on the edge of a shelf, reaching out to take a volume from a higher section. She opened it and browsed quickly through the index to just slide it back into its empty slot in the floor-to-ceiling bookcase. She leant sideways on the ladder again, trying to take yet another tome, and cursed softly when she couldn’t reach the desired text. She bent her knee a little more and put her weight on the leg perched on the shelf. A black curl got loose from her ponytail and she puffed it out of her eyes, she was almost there…
"Why don’t you just lengthen your arm?"
The question echoed in the large empty room and startled Alessa, who gave a little shout and lost her precarious balance on the ladder. Her right leg gave under her and she lost her footing. With a curse Alessa felt herself start to fall, like a slow motion scene in a film.
With uncanny speed, the man who had spoken unfolded himself from his indolent slouch against the wooden doorway and caught the falling woman before she hit the ground. However, while Alessa was by no means a heavy burden, the impact of her lithe body was enough to cause Ellis a vicious pull in his left side where a few broken ribs had yet to heal. He grunted with the effort of staying on his feet but gravity was not being kind and with a painful groan he felt his knees give way. Holding Alessa close, Ellis managed to maneuver his fall into a sort of crouch-slide along the edge of the bookcase that ended with the two of them in a heap of tangled limbs.
“Ouch! Woman! Will you stop moving!” he cried out when Alessa’s elbow accidentally dug into his side as they struggled to right themselves. When she turned to glare at him, Ellis just sat back, allowing her to push up to her feet in a graceful motion. In a move that was probably not as refined, Ellis ignored her proffered hand and pull-pushed himself up using the bookshelves as handholds. When he finally managed to get back on his own feet, albeit not too steadily, he turned to face her.
“Happy now?” she said somberly, trying to look concerned, but he scowled anyway. The look she was wearing clearly revealed her humor at his show of manly pride, which he had to admit wryly, hurt more than his sore butt at the moment.
Alessa pressed her lips together in an effort to subdue her smile, deepening her frown as she studied him intently. She hadn't seen him in a few days, not since the day after the battle. As she had told Inés, Ellis was giving her some space… and she had been taking advantage of it, hiding in her home. She noticed his ragged breaths; he was trying not to show his pain, and her merriment turned into guilt. She hadn't even called to check on him after all these days, even knowing that he had been hurt in the attack.
She moved forward to help him sit but he shot her a warning glare, and she didn’t know whether to laugh or shout at him. "Are you all right?" she asked finally. "I'm sorry, you shouldn’t have startled me like that."
“I thought for sure you would have heard me coming a mile away,” he said lightly, trying to recapture the teasing mood, at once sorry that his actions had erased the smile in her eyes and replaced it with worry. But she didn’t smile back, didn’t answer with the witty quip and wide smile he had come to love.
“I—” he started to say, wanting to apologize but when she looked up at him with guilty, expectant eyes the words lay forgotten on his tongue. “I missed you. I wanted to see you,” was what came out instead, an apology in itself and in the soft, dignified manner in which he spoke it, looking down at his feet, at his hands, off to the side, anywhere but at her. And although he didn’t mean it to, a note of hurt crept into the quiet admission, cutting into her like an unseen shard of glass.
Alessa blushed, and it was her time to look away. She had been avoiding him and she had no excuse. Not after the way he had been with her, after all she had done to him. Truth be told, she didn’t feel worthy of his concern at the moment. If she were to be honest with herself, however, she would be forced to admit that she had missed him too.
Her gaze softened without her volition, and she smiled. *I've missed you too,* she thought, but couldn’t make herself articulate the words. Too late she remembered that his empathic sense would have come back by then, and the suppression of his own smile was evidence of that. Her body immediately clenched, and she moved away to slip into the sandals she had left at the base of the ladder.
"I'm sorry," she stammered, trying to erase whatever he had thought he sensed. "I've been busy-"
"You've been avoiding me."
Hearing the flat tone of his voice, she tried desperately to regain her composure.
"I'm sorry, but I have been busy," she repeated, and with an apologetic smile she added, "too."
"I've been meaning to call you," she went on quickly, in a lighter tone. She couldn’t stand the hard gleam in his eyes, or the dullness in his voice, not when they had held such warmth just a second before. She just needed the warmth back, even if she couldn’t respond quite as yet.
"Daye is getting married by the end of the month, and I thought that, I mean - if you are still around by then - you may want to come with me?"
Ellis bit back an oath at the tentatively spoken offer, and his laughter was tainted with sadness when he replied, “Thanks for the offer,” but there was no inflection of either acceptance or dissent in his tone. Instead it was his eyes that held her, that laid him bare, vulnerable and naked to her gaze. They revealed, better than words how her simple offer had hurt him; because it was so much more than what he had expected and yet so much less than what he yearned for.
“I’m happy for her,” he said, breaking their locked gazes and Alessa felt as if she had taken her first real breath, drawing it in unsteadily through clenched teeth. *Come on, man! Get a grip on yourself,* Ellis commanded himself sternly, exhaling slowly and relaxing his facial muscles to gain the composure he was known for. *At least you know she did miss you,* he encouraged himself, and this knowledge was enough to bring him out of his self-indulgent pity-party. True it wasn’t much, but it was a start.
When he was sure he could look up at her without giving way to melancholy or anger, Ellis continued as if nothing had just happened in the space of the last few seconds. “I’d be happy to go. She deserves happiness. We all do.” A small smile flitted across his lips so quickly Alessa wasn’t sure she had seen it. A shiver ran up her spine at his words and could only nod her assent at his statement that seemed to have every intention of becoming a vow.
"We do," she whispered back, and looked away, refusing to fall into the trap of his eyes again.
"So, how've you been?" she asked, trying to change the topic. "Mike told me your people were better…"
If he resented the fact that she had called his friend and not him, Ellis didn’t show it. But he turned to look a the window and ran a hand through his hair in a gesture so familiar that Alessa's fingers itched to rearrange it, as she had done so many times.
"Sean died two nights ago. Some kind of toxin in his blood. By the time our doctors spotted it, it was too late."
Alessa grimaced and moved a step forward to lean a hand on his arm. She remembered the laughing Scot and her heart filled with sorrow for his loss. Too many DPs had died that night. Too many good guys.
"I'm sorry," she said again. Her hand slid to his in a reassuring squeeze in which she transmitted much more than her condolences.
“We all knew what we were facing,” Ellis said, but his voice didn't lose its flatness, and there was a fierce gleam in his eyes that told her that both he and his DP had found the fatalities worthy. Alessa flinched; she didn't want to think much about Ellis and his personal vendetta against Delancre.
“But enough of this,” Ellis added and she was startled out of her musings. He looked down at her petite frame and he didn't miss the evidence of stress in her. To his knowing eye she looked thinner and paler, and her eyes had lost some of their lustre. It was telling in itself that she hadn't bothered to hide those telltale signs, as he knew she could.
“So, what was that you were looking for?” he asked lightly, “That you were willing to risk your neck to find?”
“Humph! I was in no danger till you got here,” she grumbled, as thankful as he at their change of topic. Her eyes darted to his hand that was still holding his side and she fought a grin. “Serves you right, for startling me.”
“You must have been pretty gone, not to have heard me coming.”
“Well, yes. I was.” Alessa sighed in frustration; she had been going through tome after tome all morning, but she hadn't been able to find the smallest reference to the elusive Eye.
"I discovered something important yesterday. Morris is abroad, looking for some relic called 'the Eye of St. Vigeous'. Ever heard of it?"
Ellis stance changed immediately and his eyes gleamed again with a fiery light. Belatedly she remembered that Ellis had his own grudges against Morris too. It was kind of freaky that he hated all her ex-lovers so much, and yet he didn’t blame her for them. Freaky and telling, she just didn’t want to think what it told about.
"How did you learn that?" he asked as he walked to the big library table, where several tomes laid open. His attitude had changed completely; he was all business now.
"Kyle… Delancre sent him after Morris' trail. He went to Lone Peak-"
"But it's deserted." Ellis' tone was almost accusing and Alessa flinched. "I couldn’t find anything there."
"Not completely. Kyle talked to a loony vampire Morris left behind. He told him about this Eye thing."
When had Ellis gone to the clinic and why hadn't he told her? The questions crowded her head, but she didn’t want to sound accusing herself. She had probably been just too 'busy' at the time, so she just let it slide. "Do you know anything about that thing?" she repeated instead.
"There's not much there," she added, watching him go through the small pile at the table. "I thought the name sounded Latin, so I was going through the Roman shelves when you got here."
"No, not Roman. I don’t think so." He palmed a thin tome and weighted it, deep in thought. "It's somewhat familiar, though, that St. Vigeous… maybe from the early Christians? It's a saint, after all."
"Maybe. I was about to start with those."
Alessa looked upwards to the floor to ceiling bookcases, and sighed. The task seemed impossible, but she needed to find out what Morris was about. She got up to move the ladder to the Christianity section and was surprised by Ellis' strong hold in her hands.
"Let me, you can't be trusted around ladders."
She just snorted again.
---
Special thanks to Candy for writing Ellis
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
31 October 1963
Unknown Location
Introducing Rutger Hauer as Vard-lokkur
Light flickered across the wall of the cave as the small group descended.
Two vampires carried a casket between them, as a single lone figure led them down the path. The figure in the front had pale skin, as though he had long been dead. Light armour covered his body, the hood of his black cloak lay back. All his men could see from behind him was the torch he carried and the long white hair. Around his neck was a gold chain with a pendant holding a blood ruby. In his hands was an oak staff, as tall as his own six feet, topped with a clear crystal.
One of the vampires tripped, sending the casket to the floor of the cave, causing their leader to turn and face them. The vampire in the front looked positively afraid of the one in front. "Be careful with that, you imbecile!" he snapped. "It has taken us far too long to begin the Returning."
"My-my apologies, Estebe," stammered out the vampire, bowing his head. "I swear, it was an accident, and shall not happen again."
"See that it doesn't. If her rebirth is delayed by your incompetence again, I'll see you spend the next century becoming a living skeleton." So saying, the Estebe turned and began down into the cave again. Long practice taught him exactly how to deal with vampires, and he regretted the need for harsh threats, but that was what they responded to. With luck, he would not require their aid much longer.
Deeper into the cavern they went, until they came upon a ritual chamber. He hung the torch in a small outcropping within the chamber, before retrieving another from the wall, and using it to light a total of four. The flickering light provided just enough to work by, and to illuminate the alter in the centre of the room.
The pair of vampires placed the casket against the wall at their master's direction, trying to avoid the occasional sparks from the torches. They opened it up and withdrew a small leather bag, handing it to the Estebe, and revealing the other contents within: a full half foot shorter than him, a skeleton lay inside the casket, arms gripping a staff.
Years had worked away at the clothing which once wrapped the skeleton. Now only the tattered remnants of a dress remained, along with the circlet around the skeleton's head, with a turquoise gem held in the middle.
It was, he thought, a shame that they take so long in this necessary task.
One of the vampires looked to him, and he gave a slight nod of his head. That vampire then proceeded to grab the other vampire, dragging him over to the altar, fighting and struggling. But in the end, the vampire found himself overpowered, gagged and chained to the stone slab.
The Estebe could feel the power of the place coursing through it. At last, they had returned to the place of power at the proper astrological time.
The ritual could begin.
"Thank you for your help," said the man. "Now, about your reward…"
"Yes," the vampire replied. "You promised that you could turn me into a spirit."
He only smiled at that. "Come now. What were my exact words to you? I believe they were, 'I shall free you of your body'."
"Yeah, fancy wizard speak for turning someone into a spirit, right?"
With a slight chuckle, a wooden stake appeared in his hand, and was plunged into the vampire's heart before he knew what was going on. It was with a great deal of shock and hatred that the vampire looked at him as he turned to dust.
Turning back to the other vampire, the man returned to looking serious. "What can I say?" he spoke rhetorically, picking up the bag and placing it on the alter. "It's not something I'm fond of doing, you realise – this deception. But sometimes in order to restore a force for good, you have to enter into evil."
The first thing that he withdrew was a dagger, emblazoned with a phoenix on the hilt, in an ornate scabbard. This he set aside before withdrawing a small bottle. For the first time, he saw the vampire look up at him in fear as the realisation came that he was to become a sacrifice. As the Estebe opened the bottle, he put a bit of fluid on his hand, then placed his hand it on each side of the vampire's neck and finally across his forehead.
Struggling against his bonds proved useless for the vampire as the preparations continued.
Re-corking the bottle, the man now withdrew a small jar to make a celtric triquetra on his forehead, before replacing that jar. Holding his arms apart and at an angle above his head, he spoke in Old Norse:
“Goddess Hel, ruler of the underworld,
Who holds Baldr till Thokk sheds her tears,
Accept this sacrifice in exchange, like for like,
Standing between the realms of life and death.”
He reached to the side to find the dagger, lifting it into the air.
“Release the soul of the Lady Valdis,
Return her from your realm, to this world.”
With the words having been said, he plunged the dagger into the chest of the vampire. Arching his back, a blue light began to move out over the whole of the vampire, before covering its entire body. A similar light began to envelop the skeletal body of the other. Trying to scream, the vampire resisted but was unable to escape.
Slowly the vampire became skeletal as the body of the other began to gain flesh, filling out a female form. Long, black hair started to grow as the head formed, breasts growing to help fill out her body, as lithe legs regained the ability to step. Her green eyes at last came back in, with the circlet around her hair.
The man knelt as the blue disappeared, leaving ash for the vampire, and the woman slowly began to open her eyes and look around before looking at the tattered rags which barley concealed her body.
“My Lady Valdis,” he said, “at last, you have returned.
Valdis blinked, and looked around the room, before catching sight of the man kneeling before her. “You don’t have to do that, Vard-Lokkur,” she said, waiting for him to stand before continuing. “How long has it been?”
“Nearly five hundred years,” he replied.
“Five hundred years… and what of Sindell?” asked Valdis, stepping down from the casket and into the chamber. Vard-Lokkur picked up the torch and began to lead the way out, after chanting a quick and simple incantation to snuff the other flames.
“Sindell is still a power,” he said, walking through the cavern again. He stopped for a moment to turn back to Valdis, before noticing that her voice had started to take on the resonating quality it always carried. “In fact, the coven is far more powerful now than when we faced them. Fortunately, they believe we’re all dead.”
Valdis bowed her head for a moment in thought, as though remembering something. “It is as Alina Ruya said it would be.” It was one thing to know how long it would take for the next change in their number to begin; it was another entirely to return to that realisation. “And the demon Kul-Teran?”
“Destroyed by the Coven as well along with the bulk of his supporters. I spent three hundred years exterminating the survivors. There is no threat of his power being restored.” What he neglected to mention was that there had been one or two close calls in that time. Playing both sides the way they had – the only way to ensure the demon’s defeat – had been dangerous. In the end, the Coven didn’t know the truth: that the very group who they determined was evil had ensured the defeat of the demon.
“At least that is complete. Now we must continue with restoring our order.”
“Yes.” Vard-Lokkur turned to face Valdis again, stopping one final time in their ascent. “I have several good leads so that we may find Alina Ruya next.”
“Then we had better begin immediately,” Valdis replied, wishing that Vard-Lokkur had the foresight to bring along better clothes for her. Still if Alina Ruya’s visions had been accurate, they wouldn’t be finished anytime soon. There was still going to be much to do before their order was revived.
And, she thought, as they continued on the path again, Vard-Lokkur was in for a few surprises himself.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 15th
Several hours later.
The Big House.
“I have something here,” said Alessa raising her eyes from the thick volume she was reading.
“Mmmm?” mumbled Ellis as he too looked up. “What?”
“There’s mention to this vampiric holy night, the Night of St. Vigeous.”
Ellis head shot upright, immediately interested. He was tired, but he quickly got up and rounded the table to where Alessa was sitting. He leant at her side and he couldn’t help inhaling deeply to appreciate her scent. *Vanilla.* He shook his head and tried not to breathe without choking.
“Vampiric? So he isn’t a real saint?”
Alessa shifted in her seat, all too conscious of his breath near her neck. She cleared her throat before answering. “Seems not. Not Christian, at least. He’s a Patron Saint for vampires.”
“Typical of the critters, mocking what's holy and calling ‘Saint’ a vampire. He no doubt earned his title by the amount of destruction and deaths he caused.”
“No doubt,” Alessa nodded and kept reading the book. “He led a crusade of vampires against humanity during the first century after Christ… It says here that they swept through Edessa, Haran …”
“Edessa and Haran were near of what is now Turkey,” interrupted Ellis, sitting down besides her and twisting the book so he could see the old map it had. The surface marked as ‘swept’ was impressive, and it covered great part of modern Middle East. “Edessa was a major site of Christian crusader activity.”
“Well, it seems it was nearly destroyed by this Saint too, in 201 AD, although a flood was recorded as the cause. I guess St. Vigeous was very industrious.”
She noticed that his left arm rested carelessly on the back of her chair and she straightened to lessen the contact. She felt self-conscious, and utterly silly.
“Does it say anything about the Eye?”
“Nooo, all it mentions is this ‘Night of St.Vigeous’, near to the ‘Harvest’ and the ‘Advent of Septus’…” Alessa looked at Ellis with rounded eyes, all thougths of his closeness forgotten at the implications of what she was reading. “Mi Dios, if this night is something like the Harvest, this vampire must have been powerful indeed.”
“There are certain mystical nights in which vampires have greater than normal strength. The Night of St. Vigeous is one of such nights, similar in power and significance to The Harvest or the Advent of Septus, but closer to a traditional celebration to the vampiric population than the latter. On this night, vampires’ ‘power’ shall be at its peak. Whatever strengths and abilities they already posses will be at their best - an ideal night to feast. For three nights prior, the vampires prepare by chanting themselves into a frenzy, so that they will be at their most predatory as well…”
At his words Alessa felt a shiver go through her body. She didn’t want to imagine Morris on such a night. Ellis noticed her distress and laid a comforting hand on hers.
“Don’t worry, this can’t be a recurring event, like our Christmas, or we’d have heard of it before.” His eyes went back to the text. “What I’m more interested about now is that damn ‘Eye’.”
“Well, Zax – Kyle’s friend – he said that it was a legend, but I’m not sure. Morris was an expert in tracking mystical things, he wouldn’t be going after a sham.”
“Wait! There’s something here.” He interrupted her and leant over the book to read from it again. “… at the end of his crusade, when it became apparent that he would be defeated, it is said that St. Vigeous created the ‘Eye’, a powerful necromantic artifact with the potential to resurrect dead vampires. There is no real evidence of this artifact actually being created, though, nor any records of any other artifact ever accomplishing such a feat. However, the ‘Eye of St. Vigeous’ is a recurring point in vampire lore, most possibly for its almost miraculous powers.”
“So, there is an ‘Eye’!” Alessa exclaimed, in triumph. Ellis didn’t look so sure.
“It says here that there isn’t real evidence of it, Alessa. Maybe Morris is just following his wishful thoughts.”
Alessa didn’t want to let him down, but she really doubted that Morris would go on a merry chase for something that didn’t exist. She hadn’t followed him around the world hunting relics, mystical objects and books in vain. He always knew what he was doing, and even if sometimes they didn’t find what they were looking for, those times were few. He wasn’t some kind of Indiana Jones, though; his hunting was always preceded by extensive research and scrupulous planning. She doubted he had changed his methods, even if he had changed his nature.
“They said the same about the Gem of Amarra,” she said slowly. “That it was the vampires’ Holy Grail, and then came that Spike monster and found it.”
“So what are you saying, that this Eye is the vampire version of the Ark of the Covenant?”
Alessa grimaced at his tone, and looked seriously into his eyes. “It could be. I’m just telling you that we don’t have to underestimate Morris. He’s the best at what he does, believe me.”
"Well, I'm good at what I do too. I'll have the M&R experts researching this Eye. Now that we know where to look for it'll be easier. And I'll appoint people to investigate where Mr. Giles went. 'Abroad' is just too big a term."
"Thank you," Alessa said simply, and her eyes rested again on the opened book in front of them. She tried to sound calm, but as usual, thinking about Morris put her at nerves' end.
Ellis sensed her distress. His hand still rested on the back of her chair and he moved it to behind her head to firmly guide her gaze toward him. He wanted her to see his face as he spoke. “There’s nothing to be thankful about, Alessa. I'm just happy you are trusting me with this.”
Alessa simply stared at him, mesmerized by his eyes. Ellis held her gaze, and for the second time in that day Alessa was breathless. Encouraged by the trust and gratitude he saw in her eyes, Ellis couldn’t help leaning forward to give her a gentle kiss, stopping for the smallest second to look into her eyes before finally pressing her lips with his.
He hadn’t meant the kiss to be anything but a simple gesture of support, but the raw emotion that raved through Alessa assaulted him, making his resolve falter. With a groan, he buried his hands in her hair and deepened the kiss. His tongue tasted the sweetness of her mouth and his eyes closed. It was like coming home.
At his touch, Alessa let herself enjoy the kiss, and surprised herself by responding to him; dubiously at first and later with less reservation. Her hands moved seemingly without her control and they lightly grazed his neck before running her fingers through his hair. Oh, she had wanted to do it so many times that day! She marveled at the sheer joy she felt simply from touching him, and she struggled to dismiss the naughty voice in the back of her head who told her no.
Sensing the moment conscience spoke to Alessa, Ellis fought to slow down. He knew she wasn’t ready for this and he did not want to pressure her. He hadn’t waited for her to ruin it. She was far too important to him.
Alessa responded as quickly to his slower pace as to his passion, and was thankful when he pulled away. She had been too close. She couldn’t let it go like that again, she just couldn’t, and this time there was no virus to blame.
The thought of Hyde made her regain her wits again, and she stood up so quickly that she almost threw the chair back. Taking a couple of steps away from him, she brushed her hair with her fingers, rearranging it. "I- I'm sorry," she said, not looking back.
Ellis could only think how much he missed her warmth and how hollow his hands felt when she spoke. Quickly, he stood up and walked to her. Her back still to him, he put his hands on her shoulders and felt her stiffen at his touch.
"I'm not. I love you, Alessa," he answered seriously, pushing her hair aside to bare her neck and caressing her shoulders to ease her tension. "And you can't deceive me. I know you, sweetheart, I know you feel something too."
"Not love."
"I'm not so sure," he contradicted her, but he didn’t press the matter. There was time. He kissed the sensitive skin of her nape and his breath in her ear sent a shiver down her spine as he leant to whisper. "I'm a patient man, Alessa. I can wait."
"For what?" Alessa walked a step forward, escaping from his touch. She couldn’t lose herself into this man again.
Ellis just looked her walk away, and he smiled, a confidence he hadn’t felt earlier warming his limbs. "For you to realize you love me too."
---
St. Vigeous information source: "The Annotated Buffy"
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 20th, 2007
10:30 am
Poplar’s training room.
“Hello Cole, Kyle told me you were up here-” Alessa started to say as she opened the door to Poplar’s training room. She stopped talking when she saw that the boy wasn’t actually ‘training’ but he was sitting Lotus position in the middle of the room, obviously deeply in meditation. Clamping her mouth shut, Alessa started to retreat silently, hoping she hadn’t disturbed Cole much.
“Don’t go.” Cole’s words stopped her in mid step, and she turned around to watch him get up with a fluid motion.
“I’m sorry; I didn’t want to interrupt you,” Alessa said, and she walked to his side. The kid looked just fine, his fair hair falling in disorder around his handsome face and as usual a flash of the man he would become appeared in her mind. He looked more mature, though, not that he had ever been childish. Not with the kind of life he had lived.
She smiled up at him. He had grown a lot in the past year and soon he would tower over her. She wondered if she’d recognize him when he got back from Sindell. “I just couldn’t let you go without saying adiós. I thought we could go somewhere, have a little goodbye party…”
“You know I wouldn’t have left without seeing you,” the boy responded with a beaming grin, as he walked over and wrapped his arms around Alessa in a tight hug. "You promise to come visit, right?”
"To England? I don’t know Cole, last time I went there I didn’t have much luck." She tried to keep her face straight, but she took pity on him, and ruffled his hair, smiling. "Of course I will, you know you can count on me. If you need me or anything, just give me a call."
“Well the same goes for me,” he answered puffing out his chest somewhat. “If there’s another big apocalypse on the horizon, you let me know and I'll be on the first plane home.”
"Humph, I better do too, or you'll get here behind my back, anyway, to fight the apocalypse all by yourself."
She looked seriously at the teen, and tried to appear stern without much success. "I'd have killed you for going to that battle after you promised you wouldn’t, but I should have known better. You aren’t the 'stay-at-home' kind. Neither of us is."
She smiled, then, and added, "And you did kinda save the day too, fortunately."
Scoffing slightly, Cole’s face reddened. “I just managed to distract Ana long enough for Kyle to finish the job, he’s the real hero in that story.”
Looking away for only a second, Cole turned back to Alessa, his face more serious than before. “Kyle doesn’t have a lot of friends you know, kinda like me before I met all you guys…” He paused, tried to rephrase his thoughts, paused again, and finally just spat it out. “I know you guys might not always see eye to eye on things, but watch out for him, ok? I know Darian’s around, but he’s too trusting, and we both know Kyle will get into trouble behind his back."
Alessa watched Cole's face for a few seconds before answering. She could understand his concerns, sometimes it seemed that Kyle did have a 'death wish' indeed. And he kept repeating, in actions and words, that he didn’t need anything from anyone. In fact, the youth had a talent for pushing people away, and most of them didn’t bother to try to get close again. But once you got under that rough façade, well, he wasn’t that bad. And he did remind her of Chance.
"Don’t worry, Cole. I'll keep an eye on him. I'm sure you noticed we've been on talking terms lately." *And it's not been easy,* she added to herself. "Actually I offered him to stay at the big house; he hasn’t answered though. Probably won't."
“Well, at least the offer is there,” Cole smiled, before glancing at the clock that hung on the wall.
“You’re running late?” Alessa asked, noticing the distraction.
“Yeah, I am,” he conceded, wishing they had more time. “I have to pack some things still, and the Sindell people are going to be here in fifteen minutes.
Looking up at the first real friend he had made in LA, Cole gave into his emotions, once again throwing his arms around her. “Thank you Alessa, for everything.”
The demoness returned the embrace tightly. Cole may not realize it, but he had helped her as much as she had him. He and Chance; they had brought love back into her life.
“No, Cole. I love you; you know that, right?” She pushed backwards slightly to look at his face, and her vision was blurry with unshed tears. “There’s no need of thankyous between friends who love each other.”
She wiped her eyes, and smiled. “Just have a great life. You deserve it.”
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 20th
An alley near Bob's
10:05 pm
The demon’s fist came in hard and fast, quickly filling Kyle’s vision until the impact, and then all he saw was a spinning world that faded to black. His sight returned to see the two demons converging on him from different angles, each with a malicious light in their eye.
Kyle kicked to his left, but the demon grabbed his leg and spun him to the ground. He rolled right, then back left when the other demon stamped on the ground right next to his head, then back left again when the other demon did the same. With a free second he was able to launch himself to his feet, ducked a punch and spun to deal his own backhand blow.
The demon fell away and was replaced by the other, who wasted no time in dealing Kyle a blow to the gut and two to the face. Damn, these guys were tough! Both of a species Kyle wasn’t familiar with, they were more than giving him a run for his money. He took a couple of steps back and decided enough was enough, and the next thing his two opponents knew there was a blazing fire demon before them. Shadows all around the alley flickered and almost seemed to come to life.
As ever, Kyle used the small moment of surprise to his advantage, launching into a series of spinning kicks and punches that had them both on the back-foot. But then they recovered, and Kyle was taking a beating again. He blocked a punch with his forearm and lashed out with his left leg, knocking one demon back a couple of steps, but the other spun into a roundhouse kick that connected with his head and knocked him against a wall. Next thing he knew, there was a hand around his throat and another pinning his arms to his back.
*Maldito seas Kyle, you've made me walk in circles for hours, just to be enjoying yourself with your friends,* Alessa thought as she watched the fight from a darkened threshold. She'd been watching Kyle's fighting for some ten minutes now. She was coming from Bob's after asking in vain for him for the second time, when she had been attracted to the alley by the fire demon's flickering glow and the pungent smell of smoke.
She walked into the alley to find him parrying with what looked like a couple of his friends. She looked around for Zax, but the big demon wasn’t around. So she just leant on the old door and studied Kyle's movements with care. She should ask him to help her train again; the youth really knew how to move in a fight, and he was most effective in his demon form, although his friend didn’t seem to mind the fire.
After a couple of seconds went on and the demon's grip on Kyle's throat remained relentless Alessa started to worry. Slowly she straightened and walked to the threesome. They didn’t notice her, they were too distracted kicking each other's ass, and besides her camouflage instincts had taken over as soon as she entered the darkened alley. She was just inches away when she finally spoke. She had to make sure before doing anything, she wouldn’t make a fool of herself like the last time.
"Don’t you get tired of these parrying games, Kyle? I need to talk to you."
Kyle gasped and gurgled as his breathing was slowly cut off. The hand around his throat was like a vice, slowly but surely tightening, and trying to free his arms was like drawing blood from a stone. He had a horrible feeling he was going to die tonight
Then Alessa’s voice interrupted. Both demons swivelled their heads neatly around 180 degrees to focus on her. They both growled at this new intruder on their sport. Kyle, however, felt a twinge of gratification. “Um…Alessa.” He managed to splutter around the choke hold. “This time it ain’t a game.” Then his tail was up in the face of the demon pinning him, was plunging the fiery tip right into its eye. The demon shrieked and dropped Kyle, falling backwards and clawing madly at his ruined eye even as his partner moved towards Alessa.
Kyle fell to the ground wheezing and spluttering, his fingers lightly fingering his sore and bruised neck. It felt such a joy to be breathing again that all he wanted to do was light up a cigarette, but he had pressing business, and rose to his feet ready to fight.
"Oh, right, just what I wanted to do tonight," Alessa grumbled as she jumped backwards to get some space between her and the demon, but her smile betrayed her words. She just needed a good fight; it was good for your system.
"Nice girl," drooled the demon as it approached her. "A cute guy and a nice girl, we are lucky tonight." Without more words the demon breached the space that separated them in one jump and lunged forward.
Just as the beast was preparing to clutch her shoulder Alessa grabbed its right paw with her own, dropped to a knee, and flipped it over her shoulder all the while rolling with it to where she landed on top with her knee on its neck. She smiled at its surprised face and quickly started to shower quick powerful blows to his head.
The demon just smiled, and took her fists in its huge paws, preventing her movements. It raised its hips in an obscene movement. "Just where I like my women. Wanna play, beautiful?"
Alessa's wince grew ferocious, and she quickly changed to her demon form, leaping backwards and taking the demon up with her. "Am I so appetizing now, basura?" she asked through clenched teeth.
As Kyle before, she used the small moment of surprise to her advantage. She quickly kicked its right leg dropping it to both its knees. The demon wasn't expecting that, nor the increased strength of its opponent, but recovered quickly and from its lowered position shot a powerful sweep to her own legs, knocking her down. She grunted at the pain in her knees, and the demon laughed just to watch her take her stake firmly in her hand.
It sneered derisively. "I'm not a vampire, you idiot!" it said and rose in a clumsy motion to its feet again, size and weight hindering its movements.
"Useful anyway," she answered, leaping lithely to her own feet, and plunging the thing deeply into its right ear.
"Ouch, that hurt," the demon said, and Alessa watched in amazement how it simply pulled the wood out of its head.
With his opponent’s eye a mess, the fight was far more even than before. Through trial and error Kyle found that if he stayed to the demon’s left, the same side as his ruined eye, then the demon had trouble dealing with him. Plus his depth perception was shot to hell, and if he kept moving about the demon had similar problems.
He took a little sidestep to put him on the demon’s left, and the demon overcorrected too far, almost toppling over in his wide swing. Kyle was in under his guard in a flash, delivering a knee to the stomach – not the groin, he couldn’t be sure if it would hurt this particular species of demon there – then to the face. Just as the demon was gathering himself, Kyle leapt back out of his range again.
It was a simple matter of dodging the few clumsy blows, then darting in to wear his opponent down before jumping back again. In a few seconds, Kyle knew, it would be all over. He ducked under a high kick and powered his fist into the demon's face, aiming specifically for his left eye, and kept it there. Once more the demon shrieked in pain as fire licked at his face again, peeling back his flesh and skin and boiling through his empty eye socket. Kyle withdrew his fist and side-kicked him, a powerful kick that launched the demon across the alley and into a wall with a sickening crack.
The demon fell to the ground, and from the way it slumped over Kyle knew it was dead. He spent a moment admiring his handiwork. The demon’s entire face was a burnt and bloody mess, centring around the gaping, blackened hole that had been his left eye. Allowing a slight smile and nodding to himself, Kyle turned to see how Alessa was getting on. He folded his arms and lit up a smoke, leaning back against the wall next to the corpse to watch.
"What now, beautiful?" the other demon asked, shaking its head as if to rearrange things inside. "Is that all you've got?"
Alessa remained silent as she crouched; she went for a quick right kick to the head but the demon blocked it. As her foot fell back to the ground she followed through with a left hook, connecting solidly, but just not taking the demon out of the game. It quickly tried to sweep out her legs as it had earlier, but this time she was prepared and just jumped to avoid its arm, decreasing her size in a second so its other arm just brushed over her head.
The thing looked down in surprise at the now tiny hairy demon in front of him. Alessa used the surprise element again, and whirled with lightning speed, always under its arms' reach. Before the demon could do anything she was behind it, her claws sinking deeply into its back, kidney high. With a smile, she just kept her hand there, willing her claws to grow inside the demon, feeling them reach and destroy the hulk's internal organs, while it madly tried to reach her in vain. She slowly lowered to the ground following its crouch, her claws unyielding inside of it. She didn’t will them to recede till she felt no more movements from her rival. It was dead.
Kyle took a long drag, then tossed the useless butt aside. “Not bad,” he complimented her, taking a couple of steps towards Alessa. “Not bad at all.”
Alessa looked from the slumped form of the demon to the cigar butt and frowned, her temper flaring when she realized what it meant.
"At least I had an excuse for just 'watch'," she said, as she morphed back into human. "What's yours?"
“Ciggy break.” Kyle shrugged. “Nice kill. I guess I should be thankful that you showed up when you did, but for some reason I’m not. What do you want this time?”
Alessa crouched and cleaned her hand on the demon's shirt. She tried to focus on the matters at hand and not let Kyle's indolent manner affect her. She remembered her promise to Cole and gritted her teeth before standing up again.
"You surely have a way with people, don’t you Kyle?" she couldn’t help saying, shaking her head. "I'll remember it next time I find you fighting, for fun or not. I just wanted to tell you what I discovered."
At his puzzled look, she explained, "About the Eye of St. Vigeous."
There was a few seconds' pause before the words registered with Kyle. “Ohh yeah, that thing that vampire was after. Um… cool?” he said, not quite sure whether it was good or not.
"You don’t have to sound so excited about it," she snorted, watching him closely. "What Zax said was right, it is something that's supposed to resurrect vampires, and this vampire is looking for it. You don’t need to be very bright to see the implications if he gets his hands on it." Her tone implied that she didn’t give much for his wits anyway. "Given your special grudge against the critters I thought you may be interested."
“Well, sure. If there’s a vamp around that needs staking, I’m your fire demon.” Kyle nodded enthusiastically. “But… Zax also said this thing was a myth. Which means he isn’t gonna get his hands on it ’cos it doesn’t exist.”
Alessa sighed. She was getting tired of this discussion, it had been the same with Ellis. "Listen, Kyle. I know this vampire well, we… Well, when he was human we were together for a long time, and I know how he works. If Morris is searching for the Eye, then the Eye exists."
Kyle shrugged. “Crazy vampire in the haunted nuthouse told me Morris had gone far, far away…” He trailed off and frowned. “Thinking about it, I probably shouldn’t believe him too much. But he could be right. I mean, this Eye thing has been lost for hundreds of years, right? The search is going to take him all round the world. He could be gone for months, years even. We probably won’t hear from him in ages, and by then we’ll be ready.” He shrugged again. “After all, what are the odds the Eye is gonna be in LA, right?”
The demoness just stared at him. Of course, what the Kaoshian said could be right, but she didn’t think so. It just didn’t make much sense. If you put together what had happened last year, and now this… she was sure Morris would be back to LA. He had sworn his revenge to her, she didn’t want to feel all important, but she knew he had been serious when he'd spoken.
"We don’t know how long he has been looking for it, he may have already spent all those 'months, years even' looking for it. I only saw Morris again last year, and he was working for Dathan then, doing exactly that kind of thing.
"What I mean is… " She felt at a loss for words. What she felt was true to her heart was not so easily seen by others. "Morris has motives to come back to LA. For one, he had a burgeoning organization when Chance and I broke into that Clinic. We delivered a hard blow, but nothing he couldn’t get back together. I'm sure.
"And he doesn’t like me, to say the least. And I'm in LA."
“So, what?” Kyle held his arms open. “You want me to go chasing round the world after some vampire who could just as well be on a wild goose chase? If he’s coming back here like you say, then why don’t we just wait for him to show his face, and then chop his head off?”
"That's not what I-" She raised her hands in exasperation and leant on to look at him closer. "I'm not saying that you go behind him, I never asked you that!"
Kyle was confused and frowned. “Well, why are you telling me all this, then?”
Alessa massaged the bridge of her nose and breathed deeply to calm down. Why was she telling him? Good question.
"Hell, I don’t know why I was even thinking you may be interested or take me seriously at all. I just wanted you to know what was happening. That the Eye was most probably real and that Morris was most probably going to use it. Here, in LA."
Kyle gave a defiant smile. “Right, and when he tries, we’ll give him a good kicking. You’ve done that before, right? We can do it again.” The true gravity of the situation just didn’t seem to register with him at all. He saw the world in far simpler terms.
A smile crept into Alessa's mouth, and she cursed softly. It was clear that she wouldn’t get more from him than that, it was impossible talking with Kyle when he decided to be purposely thick.
"Right. Well, that'll be it, then," she acquiesced. "Just be careful, ok? And pay attention to word in the streets; any mention of Morris or the Eye and you'll tell me, right?"
“Right, will do.” Kyle nodded, but then his head suddenly snapped up. He frowned, then whirled around to look at the corpse that had been slumped against the wall.
The body was gone. So was the one Alessa had killed. Only two pools of dried blood were left. “What the hell?” Kyle asked, then shook his head. “Damn demons. I knew I should have burnt their corpses, just to be sure.”
"Fire isn’t the answer to anything, you know?" she said, rolling her eyes. She wasn’t interested in chasing demons any more than he was interested in chasing Morris. Suddenly she felt tired, and thirsty. "I'm going to Bob's for something to drink, wanna come with me?"
For a moment, Kyle considered her offer, but then shook his head and turned away. “Naw, I’ll pass on that. Gonna try and catch these two.” He waved at where the corpses were as he stepped down the alley. “Bleedin’ like that’s gonna leave a trail.”
Before he walked away, he turned back and seemed to be debating something in his head. Evidently he made his mind up, because his mouth opened and worked a few times, and then he spoke again. “Maybe some other time, though.”
"Sure," she answered, smiling. "I'll be around."
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 16th, 2007
Huntress
8:30 am
Reintroducing Jenna Elfman as Elise Hunt
Elise Hunt looked at the screen of her office's computer at Huntress. There were some low quality stills there, but the vampire was clearly recognizable. She studied the face that she would find handsome if she didn’t hate the recipient so much. It was definitely him. The stills showed him going out of an abandoned warehouse; surrounded by some bigger vampires who nonetheless failed to imprint the sort of power that the smaller figure of Morris Giles emanated.
Elise tapped the polished surface of her desk as she pondered what to do. She had been waiting for this, since Morris had left town some four months ago, confident that he would eventually come back. She knew she should report this to the LA Huntmaster, but she needed to do this alone, as she had since she had discovered that Morris Giles was not a childhood nightmare of hers.
*** Flashback ***
31st October, 2006
Elise drove slowly around Hollywood streets, she felt uneasy and upset. She didn't like what was happening. She had been quite worried when Tristan's fate had been decided, but she liked even less the idea of a vampire setting the path for the Society, even if it was Valerian himself.
She was a loner, and as such she seldom asked for any help from her fellow hunters, even if she promptly answered when hers was requested. However, she had paid attention to LA Huntmaster Tristan Barrington, because she knew Jenny had cared for him. She valued few things in her life, but her brother Alec and her friend Jenny were high on Elise's short list. Their friends became hers by extension, so even if the Huntmaster and she hadn’t exchanged more than Society concerned words, he was in the list too, closely behind Jennifer Stashelf. She was most certain that the man had no idea of this, though, and she wanted it to continue this way.
That was why she hadn’t engaged in actively pursuing Tristan Barrington when he was declared 'anethema', and had even tried to help him in subtle ways, mostly playing ignorance when asked about his whereabouts or misdirecting fellow hunters. Lately there had been no need though, as most hunters had decided to just let the matter 'drop' and returned to their usual hunting grounds. Elise shook her head, her anger rising again.
Since it wasn’t her intention to hunt the ex Huntmaster, Elise had made it a point to know his whereabouts or at least the whereabouts of his friends, the bunch at that Poplar Avenue building. They were planning something too, and she wanted to know what it was. That was why she was now in her way to the Brotherhood headquarters in the old Hyperion Hotel.
The sight that welcomed her as she turned at the Wilshire Boulevard made her almost crash her Mercedes. This was more than 'something'! A battle was being fought; a large red fire truck was parked besides its secluded entrance, the long hose disappearing inside. The noise coming from inside was enough to know what was happening. *Pumping holy water?* Elise thought in admiration, as she hurriedly parked her car and took her bag of stakes. Before entering the hotel, she looked around, surprised. Somehow the few people who seemed to notice something didn’t stop to morbidly watch. She shook her head, and she kept going, she wasn’t going to lose this opportunity to kill vampires, and the Knight Master would certainly appreciate a direct report.
Things had almost finished though, when Elise entered the hotel. The hideous mixture of water and ashes covering everything was telling enough, and she hadn't gotten much far inside when vampires started to run her way. She prepared her stake and crouched in a fighter's position when the first vampire caught fire. Her jaw dropped and she straightened some as she watched how the fire flew from vampire to vampire, as if killing Nazis in that old Indiana Jones movie.
She startled herself out of her amazement and, using the chaos around as cover, Elise run to the hotel's inner rooms. There was a magic circle there, containing a bigger flame, her eyes grew even rounder when she realized that the fire in the middle was indeed Tristan Barrington.
Her eyes narrowed in fury and she started to curse floridly at his so-called 'friends' who allowed such sacrifice, when the pained and surprised expression mirrored on all the faces around told her that they hadn't known. Then the circle broke and there was nothing more of Tristan Barrington but a rivulet of smoke and a crater-like hole in the floor.
Another sight caught her eye then, and her stake almost fell from her hand. Among the ones who had formed the circle was the man/vampire who had haunted her dreams for endless years. The creature she had seen leaving her house the night her family had been killed…
*** end of flashback ***
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 24th
6:55pm
Beneath LA - Sewers
The murky, foul water splashing beneath his feet, John quickened his pace as he felt eyes on his back. He knew, just knew that at least one person was following him, probably more. Wraith demons, he suspected, because he couldn’t hear or sense them all too well. The question was, what were they going to do to him?
John knew full well that this area of the sewer network was inhabited almost exclusively by demons. Half-breeds such as vampires, especially vampries, were outcasts down here. Coming down here alone was dangerous, but then again so was Morris’ wrath.
He rounded a corner, and with a mixture of relief and further fear spotted the two almost identical demons he was after. They were both talking to a third demon, and from what John could see they appeared to be retelling a fight, blow-by-blow.
Pausing a moment to gather himself, John splashed over towards them. He couldn’t do anything about the noise, and so could do little but continue walking as all three turned to watch him closely with a steely gaze.
“Excuse me,” John nodded to the third demon and turned to the other two, “but I need to talk to you two.”
One of the two sneered at him and the other growled. “We don’t want your type down here, vampire.” The word was pronounced so thickly John couldn’t help but take it as an insult. “You should leave before harm comes to you.”
Looking abashed, John nodded and turned to leave - but his turn quickly became a spinning kick that knocked the other twin into the foul water. He grabbed the one that had spoken to him, wrenched his arm, and slammed the demon against the wall of the sewer.
“Word of advice: run,” he snarled at the third demon, his game-face now out. The demon took one look at the one John had pinned against the wall, then at the twin he had knocked to the ground, and scampered without a word. Walker kicked the fallen demon as it tried to rise, and kept his foot pressing down on the back of its neck with all his strength.
“Before we get down to business,” John said to the demon he had pinned, “I know there’s only one way to kill a Malachai demon. Unfortunately for you two, I know that one way.” The intense struggling from both demons began to diminish. “Thank you. Now, I understand you two had a fight with a certain half-breed the other day. I want to hear all about it.”
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 20th, 2007
11:34 AM
The door to Cole’s room slowly opened with a slight creek, causing the boy to look up and see Kyle step in.
“So I guess you’re taking off in a few minutes right?” the older boy started awkwardly.
“Guess so. I wouldn’t want to keep the Sindell people waiting too long or they may turn me into a rock or something.” The two shared a brief laugh before an uncomfortable silence fell on the room.
To Kyle’s relief, Cole managed to break the quiet before he had to. “So I had some ‘summer homework’ to do before I arrived in England, and I was supposed to make something enchanted. Well anyways,” he fumbled, taking his pentacle ring off his finger and handing it over to Kyle, “take it. All you got to do is say ‘Vulcanus succendo’ and it will conjure up a circle of fire around you – but it’s only got three charges, so don’t waste them lighting your damn cigarettes ok?”
“Uhh, I can’t take your ring, man. Plus, you said you needed it for the school,” Kyle responded.
“Dude, with the amount of trouble you get into, I think you need it more than me. And plus, I made another one which uses lightning,” he said pulling out a small necklace. “Fire just isn’t that cool,” he finished tauntingly.
A smile crept on to Kyle’s lips as he slipped the ring on his finger and admired it. “Cool. I like.” Then his expression turned uncomfortable and he hastily patted down his pockets. “I, uh, I don’t have anything to give you. I didn’t think this was gonna be a gift-swap kind of thing…” He trailed off lamely. *What did I think it was going to be?* he asked himself, but couldn’t think of an answer.
Cole chuckled lightheartedly, as he slung the remaining bags over his shoulder. “It’s not. I made you the ring cause I know how much trouble you get into and since I won’t be around to be constantly saving your sorry ass, I figured you would need that little extra edge.”
Kyle threw him an odd look. “Like hell. I save your ass more than you save mine-” He cut himself off and chewed his lip. “Uh, I meant…thanks. I’m sure it’ll come in handy.”
Looking over at his friend, Cole couldn’t help but be amazed at how funny life could be. He had met Kyle because of the Hyde virus, and the two had joined together simply to cause havoc. Now, he considered the Kaoshian one of his closest friends, and it saddened him to not know when he would see him again.
“Kyle,” Cole said more seriously, his voice no longer playfully taunting, “I don’t know how long I’m going to be gone for, or if and when I can visit, so I guess we won’t be seeing each other for a while. So uhhhh,” he paused, he too now feeling a bit awkward. “Thanks for all those times you did save me, and just uhh…be careful, ok?”
Shifting nervously in the uncomfortable situation, Kyle scratched the back of his neck, put his hands in his pockets, then took them out again and lit a cigarette. Only then did he speak. “Don’t worry, Cole. I can look after myself.” And it seemed for the first time that he said that with no bravado. “You look after yourself, too. I don’t want to have to go all the way to England just ’cos you’ve screwed up a spell and raised an army of evil bunnies or something.”
A sudden honk of the car horn alerted the arrival of the Sindell witches – it was really time to go.
“Guess that’s me,” Cole said as he and Kyle made their way from his room to the door of the apartment. “Darian has my contact information, so if ever there’s anything, just give me a shout,” he said, opening the door, but not fully stepping through it.
“All right, will do. Good Luck Cole,” Kyle responded.
“Oh and remember, to activate the ring it’s ‘Vulcanus succendo’. Don’t forget.”
“I wont, don’t worry.”
“And yeah, if it doesn’t work, tell me and I’ll send you something else.”
“All right. Bye, Cole.”
“And…”
“COLE!” Kyle huffed, as he shoved his friend through the threshold of the door. “Just go, everything is going to be fine.”
“Ok, ok,” he conceded. “Catch you around Kyle,” he said finally, before gently clicking the door shut behind him.
Quin paced tentatively back and forth in the corridor at the head of the stairs, fingers fidgeting while she waited anxiously with a knotted stomach. She wasn’t going to cry. He’d be coming back. Chances of the plane crashing were extremely low and… Christ, what was she going to say? *Uch…* Rolling her eyes, she mentally slapped herself for being such a girl. No guy ever tore themselves up as much as this. She’d probably be lucky if he even thought of her once. Maybe she could make it back up to Reah’s apartment without him ever even knowing, then she couldn’t do anything stupid. Would he believe she just happened to be in the corridor? Maybe-
A door clicked shut and her head swung up to see Cole approaching with all his bags. Tightening her jaw she tried smiling confidently.
“Hey Quin…”
Cole stumbled back, but quickly regained his balance as Quin suddenly all but threw herself on him, locking her lips on his with an intense need, then buried her head against his chest, hugging him desperately close. You’d think he wasn’t returning!
At first the boy was stunned, but it didn’t take long before he returned the warm embrace. “I-I thought… Because of the Hyde when we… Well, after we… I didn’t know if… Well, about how you felt.” Now however, he needed no response - he knew. There had been more between them then that one night of passion brought on by Hyde’s influence – but now, things were too late.
Pulling herself sadly off him, Quin wiped at her eyes and tilted her head back in attempt to restrain the tears. “Uch, sorry Cole. I’m just…” Her gaze lowered and eyes widened horrifically. “Shit! I got mascara on your top. Oh, I’m so sorry. Hang on.” Patting herself down, she fervently searched her pockets. “I think I’ve got a tissue somewhere…”
“Quin,” he said gently, regretfully, before taking her hands and gently bringing his lips to hers one last time. As he finally drew back she could feel his body trembling slightly, and at that moment she knew - if she just asked, he would stay.
“Cole.” Looking into his soft, loving eyes she gathered up the courage to place a slight smile on her face. “Good luck in England,” she managed to choke out one last time, before hugging him once more. Yes, had she wanted, she could have made him stay, but it wouldn’t have been right. This was Cole’s big break and she wouldn’t be the one to stand in the way of his calling.
Smiling, he picked up the bags he had set down and with a final goodbye headed to the front door. They both knew the coming times would be filled with thoughts of what could have been, but also they both knew it had to be this way.
Outside, a large limo had come to escort him to the airport, but before that, Kate, Daye, and Darian stood waiting to see the young boy off.
It had been along time since he had people who cared enough about him to see him off anywhere. The thought was comforting, but also a little depressing. Sure he could call and write, but it would be strange not being able to see his friends.
“You guys are so busy, you didn’t need to come,” he mumbled as Daye enveloped him in a hug.
Daye waved a hand in the air dismissively. “As if we’d let you go without saying goodbye,” she paused, looking a little sad and thoughtful, “or see you soon at the very least. You take care and work hard, Cole. We’ll miss you.”
Cole smiled. “I will, and uhm, you know, congratulations on the wedding and all. I’m sorry I won’t be here for it.”
Daye shrugged. *Lucky you,* her traitorous inner voice quipped. “That’s all right,” Daye said brightly. “I understand why you need to go. Don’t worry about anything. We’ll all be holding down the fort here until you get back. Just relax and enjoy this time, Cole.”
Cole nodded again and Daye grabbed him close in one last quick hug before she was ready to turn him over to the others.
As Daye released her former acolyte, Kate was next to extend her blessings. “Sindell will teach you so much about all your powers,” she smiled as she kissed him softly on the cheek. “With your abilities, you’re going to be a dynamo.”
As she leaned back, a brief image of their past battle flashed through his mind. He had come so close to killing her and her family, but in the end Kate was the one to save him. He had learned from that incident, learned just how dangerous he could be. *I will learn to control my power,* he vowed silently as he said a final goodbye to the scarlet haired witch.
With that, there was only one person left to say goodbye to. Darian stood closer to the car, the smile on his face betrayed slightly by the gloomy look in his eyes. “So this is it. You excited, buddy?”
“Excited, anxious, nervous…terrified,” Cole responded with a chuckle.
“Don’t worry about a thing Cole, you’re going to do great. Just don’t try and open any interdimensional portals, ok?”
The boy smiled, but before he could retort the front window of the limo descended. “Best hurry Mr. Matthews, your plane is leaving soon.”
“Ah man, I’m sorry I’m keeping you Cole,” Darian fumbled as he got out of the way of the car.
Opening the back door of the limo, Cole threw his bags on the plush leather seats, and then turned his attention back to Darian. He owed so much to the fae, so much more than he would ever know. “Take care Darian, and please be safe.”
“I’m going to be fine Cole,” he smiled reassuringly, seeing the uncertainty in the Cole’s eyes. “And I’ll look out for Kyle and Alessa, we’re all going to be ok,” he finished, as if reading the boy’s mind.
Leaving the door ajar, the small boy suddenly rushed forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Darian. “I’m going to miss you,” he mumbled out almost pathetically, trying his best not to cry. He had done so well up to this point, but now he could feel the moisture accumulating in his eyes and his body began to shake.
Darian’s strong, powerful arms wrapped around the considerably smaller Cole as he returned the warmhearted hug, “I’m going to miss you too,” he said, his voice also quivering slightly.
Cole’s trembling came to a halt, his worries suddenly being replaced with a sense of safety and assurance. No matter what, he knew Darian would be there for him, and that thought gave him the strength and courage to finally let go and get into the car.
“Goodbye Darian.”
“Take care of yourself, Cole,” the fae said softly before gently closing the door.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
London
Heathrow Airport
June 19th, 2007 11:40am
“Bloody hell, would you watch where you’re going!”
Through the hustle and bustle of the busy Heathrow airport, an elderly businessman scurried about in search of the right terminal, all the while trying his best to avoid people who were continually bumping into the sling that held up his broken arm.
“Handicapped man in a hurry, get out of the way please!”
And a hurry he was in. So much of one, in fact, that his life very well depended on him catching a specific plane. If he didn’t leave Europe, who knows how long it would be before that monster found him and, even worse, what he would do when he did. So with little regard for the poor, broken arm, he pressed on, pushing through the crowds till he finally reached his destination. *So close, so close.*
“This is flight 283 to LA, right?” he managed to huff out as he produced the boarding pass.
The young, dark-haired woman working the boarding area smiled pleasantly as she punched the ticket’s information into the computer before her. “Yes sir, it is. You’re very lucky, the flight is about to leave.”
“Guess it’s my lucky day,” he returned amiably, before rushing down the terminal and out of sight.
“Welcome to British Airways flight 283 from Heathrow Airport, destined for Los Angeles. We’ll be flying at an altitude of…”
Ten Minutes after takeoff
The light of the ‘occupied’ sign faded to black as the bathroom door swung open. Strangely enough, the person who walked out was not the same fidgety, paranoid-looking man who had entered, but a tall, youthful blonde hunk, his pearly white teeth shining almost inhumanly from the wide grin that covered his face.
“You look extremely happy sir, excited to arrive in LA?” the flight attendant asked cheerily as she made her way past the handsome man, who, strangely enough, she didn’t remember boarding the plane.
“Oh yes, very. I have some old friends there and I’m just dying to see them again.”
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 18th 12:20 am
Abord the Cruise Liner Liberty
Floating somewhere in the British Isles
For Bob Smith it was a typical night aboard the Liberty cruise ship. All the passengers were no doubt tucked away, sleeping comfortably in their beds while he worked lazily, scrubbing the grimy floors of the deck. Most hated the nightshift, but for Bob Smith there was nothing better. There were no passengers to bother him, no bosses awake to oversee him, nothing but him and that peaceful moon.
*What a beautiful night,* he thought to himself as he paused from his work a moment to appreciate the wonderous settings around. The Liberty had just finished its tour of the British Isles and tomorrow was headed back to the US, so now was the last time he had to gaze at the lush greenery of the European landscape. “Not that I can see a lot,” he mused aloud, as he finally turned his attention back to the mop in hand.
Usually, despite the darkness, the coastlines were so well lit that you could make out the shore even in the dead of night, but tonight a strange fog had appeared almost in the blink of an eye, obscuring the view of the land. So, with no more distraction, Bob Smith went back to washing, unaware that around him the mist was growing ever thicker. It was only five minutes later when a strange, melodious humming broke the silence of the night that Bob noticed just how thick the haze had become.
The humming continued.
“Uhhh, is there someone there?” he called out, moving slowly towards the direction of the sound.
The humming grew louder.
“It’s not safe to be out on deck with all this fog about, you should return to your room.”
Still there was no answer; however, now he was beginning to see a silhouette through the mist, and what a silhouette it was.
*Holy smokes! I’d like to bring that little piece of ass back to her room all right,* he smiled, as he went in for a closer look.
He could almost see the person clearly now; a slender beauty with straight, silvery blonde hair, clad in an elegant dress, its brilliant azure colour outdone only by the striking blue of her eyes.
“Hey, haven’t seen you aboard before, which is surprising since I would usually remember such a pretty lady,” he flirted shamelessly, moving closer till he jolted to a sudden halt.
The woman’s pale, alabaster skin had begun to shimmer in the mist, its light hue changing into an almost pastel blue. The blonde hair that cascaded attractively across her shoulders followed suit, taking the same colour as her beautiful eyes which were now gazing back at him.
“What the f-”
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 25th
11:06 PM,
LA
The stale stench of death hung heavy in the air. The basement was a mess, a massacre. Bodies were strewn across the floor. Blood and entrails covered all surfaces.
They had all been dead for months. That much was obvious. And still death was in the air, a testament to the slaughter.
A thick cloud of dust - Kyle couldn’t tell if it was normal dust or vampire dust - was disturbed by his presence. He ignored it, pressed further into the basement.
More bodies: bodies lying next to weapons dropped in combat, weapons not reached in time, weapons still clutched to long-dead fingers. Bodies fallen in combat, fallen in surprise, fallen in flight…
Something caught his eye; a jacket fallen, discarded, like one of the many corpses. Kyle walked over, picked it up, dusted it off, then his hand froze as he saw the design on the back. A double-headed axe, dripping blood. He knew that design. The Blood Axes.
He had helped do this. Delancre - he had arranged for the Blood Axe gang to attack a rival.
There would have been no survivors, Kyle knew, from the sheer level of death. Systematically, each member of the gang would have been killed, even if they had been hunted down and butchered in the streets.
Which meant he knew what he would find.
Which he did.
Kyle found him lying in a doorway, a stake still held loosely in his hand, his eyes gazing emptily in Kyle’s direction, almost accusingly, but still he could make out a determination to fight on his face. His throat was torn out, no more than a bloody mess, his left arm broken. Kyle squatted next to the body, looked back into those eyes, and didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know whether to feel sorry or relieved, guilty or freed.
Kyle decided not to think anything. Instead, he stripped the body of the battered, three-quarter-length leather jacket and slung it over his own frame. Then he reached over and closed Hayden’s dead eyes.
+++Five Hours Earlier+++
Kyle booted an empty Dr. Pepper can, watched as it clattered and bounced down the pavement before rolling to a stop in the gutter. He walked a couple of feet and swung his left foot down into the gutter, flicking the can back up out of the road and kicked it again.
The can bounced and clattered once more, rolled to a halt, and Kyle booted it again. He was bored. Mind-numbingly bored. There was nothing to do. The sun wouldn’t go down for several hours yet, most of the bars were closed; there was nothing for him to do.
It didn’t help that Cole had left, either. At least if the kid were still here, they could have done something. Kyle didn’t know exactly what, but he felt certain they would have come up with something to keep him occupied. But no, Cole had gone, gone and left him bored and alone. And now, five days after he had left, the impact of Kyle's lonliness had finally registered.
The can bounced into the road, and a passing car crushed it under its wheels without even seeming to notice. Kyle looked at the flattened and battered can a moment, the outside design worn and scratched away leaving only the faded silvery surface beneath, then turned away and carried on walking.
Gone, just like all the others. Just like they always went, always leaving him lost and alone. Damnit, why did he reach out to people if he was always going to end up alone? Gone, just like Vince and Hayden and…
Kyle’s head shot up and he stopped walking. Hayden. He was in LA, fighting vampires. Oh, shit. He had completely forgotten. Totally and completely forgotten all about him. Was he even going to help him in the first place? Maybe not, but that didn’t matter now. What mattered was that Hayden was in the middle of a minor vampire gang war. That could keep him occupied for possibly weeks.
Unless, of course, the war was already over. And they had lost.
Kyle changed his direction and set off at a determined walk. There was at least one person he knew of who would know.
Mid-Season Four: June 8, 2007 - September 30, 2007
June 20th
10:16 pm
Somewhere in LA
It was late and Elise was tired. She had been bending down in that balcony for just too long, and her body was cramping all over. She massaged the tense muscles of her legs, and winced at the painful feeling; but she was more worried that she wasn’t getting anything. Again.
Elise stood up carefully, taking a look around before leaving the safety of darkness. The warehouse seemed deserted and had seemed so for the last three days, but she wasn’t taking any chances. It was the address from where those pictures had been taken, she just needed patience and time. She'd learn something, she just had to. She swung one long leg over the balcony rail and then the other, securing herself with her hands before jumping and landing silently on her combat boots. It was a high jump, but she was used to high jumps. Hell, she had grown used to a lot in her years of hunting. Being careless was not one of them.
She stayed crouched a second on the ground, looking around again, but there was nothing to be seen and only the common sounds of the city, far outside this deserted warehouse area, reached her ears. A little more relaxed, she stood up and started to walk away.
Hunter gave a sigh of frustration as he walked towards Morris' hideout. *Yet another bloody failure,* he thought. He had spent most of his time these few days tracking down the goody-twoshoe hunters Morris had talked about and so far absolutely bloody nothing. Through his contacts in the demon world Hunter had learned that one of them, Chance he was called, had been missing for about three or four months.
The bloke had, as far as anybody knew, taken a flight to Israel and not been seen of or heard from again. Besides that he had asked around about this James "Ripper" Conner. Apparently, he had turned out to be a vampire, how strangely it sounded and as far as anyone knew he had just left town.
Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a figure walking his way. Through the silhouette he could tell it was a woman, however he couldn't really catch that many details in the dark from the distance. She was walking away from a certain warehouse. Hunter's eyes narrowed a bit. His pretty good sense of smell told him that she was a hundred percent human. It could just be a coincidence, however he had learned to never trust coincidences. Besides he felt a bit hungry anyway. He moved closer to the woman and he was just about to change into his gameface when he caught sight of her face.
She had blond, golden hair and two emerald green pair of eyes. An image inside his mind flashed before his eyes and utterly awestruck he whispered softly, "Ems?"
Elise's head snapped upwards and she cursed herself for her inattention. There was a man in front of her, as if spurting from the darkness itself. She strained to see his face. He had a dark hair and eyes, and was enveloped in black, black clothes, black boots, black leather coat… *Cool, another Matrix fan,* she said to herself, but she had to admit that the achieved look was compelling.
She couldn’t see any threat in his manner and he seemed to know her too, or at least know her name. He had said her name, hadn't he?. Could he be a fellow hunter? Not entirely relaxing, and her left hand moving slightly to envelop the gun in her pocket, she smiled tentatively and answered, "Yes?"
Hunter looked at her with shock as myriads of questions went through his head. How? Why? What? Then at the sound of her voice he snapped out of it. It was different. Then he saw that her face too was different from how he remembered her. Her nose was broader, her facial lines different. No, he had to admit it wasn't his beloved, even though the resemblance was striking. However, he still felt intrigued by this woman and after a while he remembered that she had asked him a question.
"Sorry," he muttered. "You reminded me of someone."
"Oh, I thought you had called my name," Elise said, and she became more guarded instantly, studying him again. He still didn’t seem threatening, but it was a strange coincidence that he was around Morris' warehouse, even if he didn’t strike her as a vampire. A vampire would have jumped on her already. She needed to learn more.
"Are you English?" she asked, smiling a little more broadly. He had sounded English; maybe she could get him to talk more by appealing to a common nationality. "From York, right?"
Hunter was startled a bit by the question. Normally he would have been trying to see how many fingers he could break on her before she confessed about her reasons to be here. He was even more confused when he actually answered her question.
"Yeah. How did you know I'm from York?"
"I have an ear for accents. I'm English too, born and bred, but I've lost mine years ago." Making a decision Elise took her right hand off her jacket, and extended it to the stranger. Her left hand didn’t lose the grip on her gun, though. "I'm Elise. Nice to meet you."
He looked at the hand and a part of him asked himself, why the bloody hell he hadn't lunged at her throat by now. He sighed for himself as he decided to play along and took her hand.
"Alex," he answered.
The moment he touched her hand Elise realized her mistake. Alex's touch was as cold as only a vampire's could be and she started to curse inwardly, but her face didn’t betray her feelings. The vampire had not attacked, God only knew why, and she wasn’t about to test her luck. She didn’t want to start fighting either, not with a vampire who could know what she was looking for. So she kept the smile firmly planted in her face and shook the offered hand briskly.
"Well, nice to meet you Alex. It's always good to know a fellow Englishman," she repeated, her mind reeling to find a way out. "You don’t happen to have a car, do you? My boyfriend wasn’t very happy when I told him 'no' tonight and he just dropped me here in the middle of nowhere." She frowned and looked around. "Former boyfriend. No way I'm seeing the bastard again."
"He just left you off here? These are bad neighbourhoods, cutie, not a nice place for one like yourself to be walking around alone at night." He smirked inside. The role of the benevolent stranger fitted him pretty well. However Hunter wasn't as foolish as most vampires, and discreetly placed his hand on the katana that lay well hidden inside his coat. He continued with the fake expression of worry.
"You wouldn't believe the people that come out around here at night."
"Well, if you are an example I shouldn’t worry, should I?" she flirted shamelessly, while her other hand burrowed in her pocket and handled her second gun. "I'd like to hear why you are in such a bad neighbourhood," she taunted, and started to walk in the same direction she had when he interrupted her, leaving him to follow her. "So, no car then?"
Hunter felt a bit frustrated at his whole thing, but did his best to hide it. He knew he didn't have time for this and he didn't really want to annoy Morris any more than he would probably be from the news of his search. Yet there was something with this woman, something that intrigued him. It was her similarity to Emily, he decided, and then shook his head. "No, unfortunately not. However I might be able to show you some directions. Miss...?"
Elise turned around, suddenly afraid that her possible informant was slipping through her fingers. She was surprised the vampire hadn't jumped on her yet, and he kept looking at her with that strange expression in his face; a very handsome face if she was to be honest to herself. Strange that she noticed too, usually she didn’t give that much consideration to beauty in vampires.
"Hunt, Elise Hunt," she repeated.
These words caught him a bit off guard, but he tried not to show anything. *[i] Hunt, eh? Interesting.[i]* However he agreed Hunt wasn't that unusual for a name, plus he sensed that she was completely human.
Though it was surely better then nothing. He nodded. "Well, Miss Hunt, like I said there are many strange folk out here after nightfall and I wouldn't want you to get hurt, would I? Why don't I guide you out of here?"
Elise couldn’t help but beam at the handsome vampire. That was perfect, he was the only clue she had on Morris' whereabouts. She didn’t know why he had changed his mind, he had looked as if he was ready to let her go, but she wouldn’t complain.
"That'd be perfect," she answered, smiling brightly at him, not at all faking it this time. "And maybe you'll let me buy you a drink once we get to a more populated area? To show you my gratitude?"
Hunter grinned and answered, "That would be nice."