February 17, 2002
1 Chapter 1
Piper Camden stared at her own reflection in the dirty window of the Las Vegas Yellow Cab she had hailed thirty-five minutes earlier. She didn't like the face that stared back at her. It was solemn and waxen. Piper rarely smiled these days. Her thick golden hair fell in layers to the middle of her back, and her eyes were absolutely lifeless. They used to be a sparkling emerald green that always seemed to be hiding a secret. Now they were dull and pensive. It's impossible to have seen the things Piper has and still have a twinkle in your eye.
This is my chance to change that, Piper thought to herself. Maybe they can help me.
The cab had left downtown Vegas twenty-five minutes ago and was now approaching the suburban areas of the infamous city. The neon signs and cheap motels were fading into the distance and being replaced with inns, cafés, and apartment buildings. It was early fall, and the sidewalks were scattered with orange and brown leaves. The streets were bustling with people on a Tuesday afternoon. There was a middle-aged lady trying to keep her young boy out of trouble by pulling forcibly on his coat sleeve. An elderly man stood outside of a café called Gina's, smoking a cigar. Everywhere Piper looked there were innocent, ignorant people carrying out their petty existences. For the hundredth time that day, she asked herself Are they even worth saving?
Then the cab was driving to the outskirts of the town, where trees became more frequent and houses came into view. The cabdriver pulled onto a side road that led down to a huge set of silver gates.
"This is as far as I can take ya', Miss. Nobody gets past these gates without a specific invitation. That'll be $100." The cabbie tipped up his plaid-print cap and stared at Piper through the Plexiglas window.
Piper had been staring at the high-security gates while the bristle-faced cabbie was speaking. "Um, could you just hang on one second? I may need you for a ride home."
"Another forty minute drive?! That'll cost ya', Girlie." The cabdriver's gray eyebrows narrowed at Piper as she got out of the car. "What's the matter? Afraid that the millionaire won't let you past his iron gates?" This sent the old man into chuckles of laughter, which were followed by a coughing fit.
Piper just slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and stepped out of the cab without a word. Because that's exactly what she was afraid of. What if they didn't even let her inside? What if he wasn't home? What if he accused her of treason and had her taken before the council to be executed? There were just too many things that could go wrong, but Piper couldn't stand there and worry about them all. She resigned herself to whatever fate that came upon her. Nothing really affected her deeply anymore. It was as if her emotions had been bottled up and locked away deep inside of her. She was prepared to accept whatever they did to her, which, surprisingly, was very little.
A young man that looked to be around nineteen or twenty stepped out of a security guard hut that was adjacent to the security gates. He had blonde hair that he had highlighted electric blue, and an earring in each ear. One of these earrings was of a black foxglove.
"What business do you have here, Gorgeous?" The 'wolf boy asked Piper with an appreciative glance. He stood about ten feet away from her with his arms crossed over his chest. He had on black jeans and a black sweater that emphasized his broad shoulders.
"I need to speak to Mr. Descourdes. I have…a request to ask of him." Piper decided to choose her words carefully in case this werewolf was as stupid and belligerent as the rest of his kin.
"Is that so? What's your name, Sweetheart?" The boy gave her a suspicious look from under heavy-lidded eyes. Piper guessed that he was trying to place what race she was.
"Piper Camden, and don't ever call me sweetheart." She gave him a tight- lipped smile.
"Well, well, well. You smell like a vampire, Piper, but I'd venture to guess that you're not one of the lamia. I know -- I'm impressive. It wasn't the last name that tipped me off, however. It was your tattoo." He lowered his eyes purposefully to her right wrist.
She instinctively pulled on the sleeve of her jacket to cover up the black rose. It was about the size of a quarter—a small brand on her wrist.
"How clever of you, Mr. Werewolf, but I don't have time for this. Please escort me to Thierry Descourdes."
The 'wolf gave a shout of laughter and grinned at her. "It's not that simple, Piper."
Piper decided that she really didn't like this boy.
"Please, I really need to talk with him. I don't have an appointment, but I'm willing to wait all day." Piper felt her ice-y shell melting to reveal a weary young girl underneath.
That did the trick. The wolf boy looked at her for a long moment and then went into his security station. There were voices coming from inside, and Piper wondered just how powerful this Thierry guy was to have a building full of hired muscle at his front gate. The boy reemerged from the white hut with an expressionless face.
"He's currently occupied with a very pressing matter—"
"I said I don't mind waiting all day if I have to. I don't expect him to drop everything and greet me at the door." Piper interjected.
"—but you may wait inside until he is available." The werewolf finished. He tilted his head to the left when he looked at the duffel swung over her shoulder. "Would you like me to take your, uh, bag?"
"No." Piper's voice came out in a harsh, clipped tone. She hated it when people tried to help her. She didn't need any help. She wasn't inferior; she could do it on her own. Then why are you here, Stupid? She decided to try and be polite. She wanted these people's help. "Yes, thank you."
"My name is Asper. You might as well get to know me since you're going to be around for awhile. Lord Thierry is a very busy man." Asper swung her duffel over his shoulder and turned toward the giant gates. There was a slight pause and then they slowly opened. Piper guessed that one of the guards inside the little hut had pushed a button or something of the sort.
"Are you ready?" He had turned to give her a curious look due to her lack of response. That was because Piper was starting to panic. This is it. I'm really going to go in there and start all over. I'm going to have to try and fix everything. I need to prove that I still have some use left; a purpose to serve.
"Let's do it." She fell into step beside Asper and they walked down the paved driveway to the awaiting mansion. The atmosphere was all too familiar to Piper, however. The intense security, the illustrious house, and the big black rose on the double front doors that led inside all brought a wave of pain and memories to her senses. She hoped "Lord Thierry" was a completely different person from Adrian.
Asper reached over and pushed a black buzzer on the side of the house. After a moment, a medium-sized young man with long blonde hair that was pulled back answered the door.
"Nilsson, this is Piper. She has an appointment with Lord Thierry and is supposed to wait for him inside."
"Yes, of course, Asper. Please come in, Miss. We can take it from here." He gave Asper a firm nod at this and then took Piper's bag. Asper actually waved his hand at Piper before turning to go down the steps. She just stared back at him with a face devoid of emotion.
The furnishings inside Mr. Descourdes' home were even more immaculate than those outside. The entrance connected to a hall with marble pillars that reached from the matching tile floor to the ceiling of the house. Piper guessed it was around four stories up. There was a set of French Doors to her left that led to a parlor that was decorated in earth tones such as sienna and mauve. To her right was yet another large sitting room with three couches, all with matching ottomans, and two love seats. This room was a soft rose petal color with mahogany bookcases lining the walls. The den, I'm guessing. Straight ahead of them was a very long and very wide staircase. It had wood railings on each side of it with deep carvings in them. The corridor they were now facing continued on either side of the stairs.
"Where would you like me to put this, Miss? I can give you a guest room upstairs if you'd like. You may be here that long. Lord Thierry—"
"—is a very busy man, I know. That will be fine, thanks. Is it possible for me to get something to….eat?" Piper turned to the butler nervously. What she really meant was, can I hunt here or do you have blood for me somewhere in the kitchen?
Nilsson gave her an amused glance and turned to go up the gigantic carpeted staircase.
"The woods out back stretch for miles and have a variety of game in them. If, however, you prefer human prey we could find you a willing donor. What is your preference?"
"I'll go hunting in the woods after dark."
"Very well." Nilsson briskly made his way up to the top of the steps and took a right turn into another long corridor. This one had numerous paintings and candle sconces along the walls. There was a door every twenty feet down the hall which must have reached close to 200 feet in length.
"I think you'll do fine in the medium suite. It has just about everything you'd need--except the kitchen. You may go hunting whenever you like, just so long as you return within an hour of your departure. The guards might become a little wary if you linger too long. If you need anything, there is a phone on the bedside table. All you need to do is pick it up and dial zero." While saying all of this, the young butler had pushed open the door of the suite and set her bag down on the huge four-poster bed along the far wall.
Piper examined the room carefully. There was a large entertainment center against one wall with a couch across from it. A very spacious walk-in closet was next to the door that she assumed led to the bathroom. There was a balcony next to the king sized bed that overlooked a very large garden to the side of the house. Piper liked how it made a swift and easy exit, if need be.
"Thank you, Nilsson. This will do nicely." Piper's ears suddenly pricked up at the faintness of footsteps on carpet in a room across the hall. "Is there anyone else staying in this wing of the house?"
Nilsson raised an eyebrow at her inquisitiveness, but gave her an honest answer nonetheless. "This is the guests' wing. Yes, there are a few friends of Lord Thierry staying here this week. However, I don't believe that they wish to be disturbed. I'll see you later, Miss Piper. Good evening and good night."
Piper watched the man leave and shut the door behind him. She decided not to correct him on the "miss" title either. She was never one for formalities, even though Adrian had thrived on such things. Any opportunity for his power to be recognized or gawked at was always used to his advantage.
Suddenly there was a quick knock on her door, and then it was pushed open. A boy, around nineteen or so, stood in its wake. He had ash-blonde hair and a very lithe, well-muscled body. His ever-shifting eyes told her that he was one of the lamia.
"Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else. Who are you, by the way?" The stranger leaned against her doorframe and crossed his arms.
Piper gave him a cool look and then turned to cross the room. Once she reached the balcony she pushed back the lace curtain with her right index finger and stared at the gardens below.
"Are you one of Hannah's friends?"
She turned and frowned at him. "No, I'm here to speak to Thierry."
"Ahhhh, so you're here on business. I should have guessed." He walked over to her sofa and plopped down onto the middle cushion.
"You never told me your name. I'm Ash Redfern." As he spoke he reached out to shake her hand. Piper didn't make a move to do the same. He glanced at her tattoo.
"Piper. Let's get one thing straight right now, Ash. I'm not your friend. The sooner you realize that I'm an antisocial bitch, the sooner we can skip the chatty pleasantries." She stood facing him with her hands on her hips.
"Easy there, Tiger! I'm just trying to get to know my new house-mate." He put his hands up in a surrendering gesture.
"Is that what you were doing? Funny, I thought you were putting the moves on me." Piper raised an eyebrow at him.
"Naw, that's just wishful thinking on your part." He winked to let her know he was jesting. "I'm taken."
"Give her my regards and deepest sympathies." Piper went over and unzipped her duffel bag. No better time to unpack than the present. Well, it wasn't as if she had anything better to do.
"I think you and I are going to get along just fine." He gave her a grin to rival the Cheshire cat's.
"Why are you still here?" She asked in frustration.
"You really are antisocial." He chuckled and stood up from the couch in one fluid movement. "Alright, what should we do first?"
"Excuse me?"
"Well, there's the game room, the bowling alley, or the swimming pool. Oooo, or maybe we could go hit the town. This IS Vegas after all." Ash rubbed his hands together eagerly.
"What part of antisocial don't you understand?"
He frowned at her and sat down on the bed next to her unzipped bag. "You are the one who doesn't understand. You're the only company I've had in two days! I don't think you could comprehend the vast relief I'm feeling for another person's presence right now."
Piper gave him a skeptical look.
"Come on! It'll be fun. You don't know how to party until you've partied with The Ash." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and gave a devilish grin.
Piper heaved a sigh of resignation. I suppose that since I'm stuck here I'll have to get used to him. Perhaps his friendship will even work to my advantage. If he's a friend of Thierry's, then Mr. Descourdes might not be so quick to kill me.
"So, anyway, back to square one. What daring escapades shall we embark on together tonight?"
"Well…do you know where a starving vampire can get anything to eat around here?"
"I knew we'd get along great together." Ash winked as Piper tried very hard not to smile.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Piper lifted her head from the doe that she had just finished feeding off of. She used her telepathy to remove the tranquil veil from the creature's mind and gave it a mental push to run back to its family. The woods were thrumming with life. All around her there were trees that seemed to reach to the sky. An occasional owl cried out into the air as it took flight on the other side of the forest. Nature had always brought Piper a peace that nothing else could seem to match. Well, almost nothing…
"Has that lovely appetite of yours been satiated yet?" Ash called from a little to her left. He strode over to where she was standing gazing up at the stars.
When she didn't respond right away, he studied her face.
"It's one of the few things I don't despise about being what we are." She commented softly.
"What's that?" He answered just as quietly.
How I can hear that raccoon and her babies scurrying up that oak tree a half-mile away. How the stars look like diamonds, sparkling endlessly against black velvet. How I can feel the essence of this forest on my skin, as if it were the wind. I have never regretted giving up my old life for those things. She turned to Ash and gave him a tenuous smile. It was the first time she'd communicated telepathically with someone in months. She'd learned to guard her thoughts and feelings so well that it had become almost physically painful to share them with anyone else.
Ash smiled back at her and turned to walk back to the mansion. She fell into a languid pace beside him and let her thoughts overcome her.
"How long ago were you changed?" Ash inquired after a moment of silence.
Immediately Piper's smile faltered and she turned to him with very serious eyes.
"Not yet. I know that when I speak to Lord Thierry I'll have to relive my past, but until then I'd prefer to just enjoy this night. I promise you, Ash, that I'll tell you everything. It's just too soon and I'm not ready. Please trust me." Piper wasn't sure what had made her convey such strong emotions toward this lamia boy she barely knew. Perhaps it was because he had been so kind to her when she needed a friend.
"No problem, I'm not one to pry. In fact, I'm up for a rousing game of pool myself. Care to join me, Cupcake? Or are you afraid I'll kick your undead ass?" His teeth flashed in the darkness of the woods as he taunted her.
"You're on, Pretty Boy."
They raced each other back to the mansion and burst into the back hallway.
"The Game room is down the hall and to the right…" Ash started to walk in the direction he was pointing while Piper followed close behind him.
Piper turned at the sudden sound of footsteps nearby.
"A human's coming." She stated gravely to Ash and turned around to face the approaching person.
Ash turned as well and smiled when Hannah came out of one of the rooms in the hallway.
"That's Hannah, Lord Thierry's soulmate." He waved to the tall girl with wheat-blonde hair and grey eyes. Piper could detect a sense of respect emanating from Ash. Apparently, Hannah was someone of status.
"Ash, up to more trouble I see. Who's your new friend?" Hannah smiled at Piper as she walked towards the two vampires.
"Piper, this is Hannah. Hannah, Piper. She's here on business to speak to Thierry. Apparently he's too busy to see her until tomorrow, though."
"Well, being the Elder for all of southern California would demand a full schedule from anyone. Pleased to meet you, Piper. Are you…a cousin of Ash's?" Hannah asked carefully. Piper noticed that there was a definite spark in this girl's eyes. A glint of wisdom seemed to be in them.
"I'm not lamia, if that's what you're asking. I was made a vampire about two years ago." Piper replied hesitantly. She felt uneasy around this girl, as if she were being judged by her.
"Welcome to our house. I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot of you from now on." Hannah smiled warmly and put a friendly hand on Piper's arm.
Piper immediately flinched at the touch. Human contact was something she rarely experienced. Hannah seemed to recognize her discomfort, however, and removed her hand quickly. The Old Soul had seen many things in all of her lives, but never someone with so much pain in their eyes.
"I have some things that I need to do now, but if you'd like extra company later I'd be glad to offer mine." Hannah turned to Ash who grinned back at her.
"How could I resist being in the same room with two gorgeous blondes for hours on end?"
Hannah shook her head and gave a short laugh. "You haven't changed at all, Ash Redfern. Just wait until Mary-Lynnette sees you again--same old rakish charm as ever."
Piper turned her jungle green eyes on him then. The name Mary-Lynnette had caused a look of loneliness to cross Ash's face. Was she the girlfriend he'd mentioned earlier? Were they soulmates like Thierry and Hannah? For some reason that thought brought a twinge of pain to Piper's heart. Just because she wasn't happy didn't mean no one else could be either.
"See you around, Hannah." He called a farewell as she turned to go up the flight of stairs at the end of the hall.
"She seems nice." Piper allowed.
"Oh she is. She's an Old Soul, you know. She's been around since back when Maya bit Thierry." Ash watched Hannah go up the stairs until she disappeared out of sight.
"So do you want to go play pool? Or are you thinking about going to brood after your girlfriend in your room?" Piper poked him in the back to get his attention.
"I've kind of lost my competitive edge now. You might actually win. I think that brooding sounds like a fair alternative, though. I might even give her a call. It's hard to be without your soulmate, Piper. You feel so….so…"
"Incomplete. It's as if there's a void in your being where they belong." She finished for him sadly.
Ash's eyebrows rose in surprise, but he didn't question how she knew what it felt like.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning then?"
"I'm a creature of the night. What makes you think that I get up for mornings?" Piper tried to lighten the heavy atmosphere with some gentle teasing.
"I have faith in you, Piper Camden. Don't ask me why, I can't explain it. I think it has something to do with the fact that I'm such a sucker for blondes…" He grinned at her and turned to go upstairs. "What will you do while I'm confined to my room and the telephone?"
"In a house this size I'm sure I'll think of something. Goodnight, Ash."
"Later, Piper." The blonde boy turned and jogged up the stairwell without a backward glance.
Piper watched his retreating form for a moment and then spun around to face all of the doors in the hallway. What on earth could you need all of these rooms for?
Piper decided to find out just what was behind them all. Technically she wasn't snooping; all of the bedrooms were on the top floor. Besides, she reasoned to herself, I'm just peeking in. It's not as if I'm going to go through anything. With that justification in mind, she turned to the first door on her left. It was the one Hannah had come out of. It was a dark cherry wood with a pattern carved around the frame. The gold knob was cool to her palm as she took a deep breath and turned the handle.
It opened swiftly and soundlessly. It was pitch black inside, except for some moonlight that filtered faintly onto the floor from underneath a set of drapes. Piper's night vision allowed her to see perfectly well in the dark as well as a lighted room. She stepped inside to take a closer look. This one was about the size of a tennis court and decorated in rose colors. There was a large desk against one wall with a computer, a fax machine, a telephone, and various other technological devices on it. The opposite wall was lined with bookcases that were overflowing with various paperbacks. There was also a strange little statue on one of the shelves of a duckbilled platypus's skeletal structure. Is Hannah in college? What is her major? Piper frowned with thought and turned to the third wall. This one had three large filing cabinets against it. Piper knew it was wrong to go through other people's things, so she bit down on the urge to go open them.
The last wall was the one opposite the door that had the large bay window in it. There was a painting on the wall next to the window. It was of a boy with frost white hair and sorrowful eyes. He wore a dark business suit and wasn't smiling. Why would you ever want such a depressing picture in your office?
Piper thought she recognized the young man's face, though. She went back over to Hannah's desk. In a silver picture frame next to the fax machine was a photo of her and the young man. They were both dressed to the nines and standing in what appeared to be a ballroom of some sort. Hannah's hair was twisted up gracefully and she was smiling at the camera. The blonde boy looked as if he was aware of the photographer at the last minute. He had a small smile on his face and a surprised look in his eyes.
"Really not the best picture of me I know, but Hannah insists that it's her favorite. I keep telling her how un-photogenic I am, but somehow that escapes her notice." The voice was a soft baritone and it was coming from ten feet behind her.
Piper turned to see the boy from the picture standing in the doorway that she'd left open.
"I'll take a shot in the dark, so to speak, and guess that you're Piper. I'm sure you've already surmised who I am. Do you mind if I turn on the lights? I'm so used to Hannah having them on in here." He reached out his left hand and flipped a switch on the wall. The room illuminated and Piper's eyes adjusted instantly.
"Please have a seat on one of her conference chairs. You won't mind if I sit at her desk, I'm sure." Lord Thierry Descourdes said with a slight smile.
Piper sat in one of the light pink cushioned chairs facing Hannah's desk.
"We meet at last. I understand that you traveled all of the way from New York City. I'm sorry that I didn't contact you sooner, but I've had some important meetings all day." He leaned back in the seat and folded his hands behind his head.
Piper tried to swallow the lump in her throat and respond. "They warned me that you'd be busy."
"Well I'm free now. There was something you needed to discuss with me? I know you didn't come all of the way out to my house just to get an autograph." His smiled did nothing to lessen the tension in Piper's bones. What if I mention Circle Daybreak and he has me arrested? What if he accuses me of treason and turns me into the Council? That's nonsense…he has a human soulmate. That still didn't keep Piper from worrying.
"Actually, I did have something important to ask you." She started slowly. Piper had come all of the way out here for this, she couldn't back down now. "I wanted to know if you lead the secret society of Circle Daybreak."
There was a long pause as Thierry's smile faded and he stared at her face. "Just where did you hear that, Miss Camden?" He asked softly.
"Some 'shifter who I met in the park a few weeks back told me. She said that you could help me start over. She said that you'd know how to take care of me. W-Was she wrong?" Piper inquired softly.
Thierry sat up in the chair abruptly and folded his hands on the surface of his soulmate's desk. "Not quite. I do happen to be in charge of Circle Daybreak, which is an underground union of humans and Night People. We try our best for everyone to get along and live in peace. I cannot help you though, Piper, until you tell me why you're really here. What brought you to my doorstep? Why did you travel so far in search of something you weren't even sure existed?"
Piper took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She knew this would be coming. She'd have to tell a complete stranger what she herself was still trying to erase from her memory. All of the horror, pain, and grief was about to break loose like a tidal wave; and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
"Piper," Thierry said softly, "who changed you?"
The question she dreaded most of all. A rush of tears stung the backs of her eyelids but she refused to let them spill over. She would confide in this man and seek his help, for she knew it was impossible to seek forgiveness. To have someone else bestow such a thing on you, you must first bestow it upon yourself. Piper snapped her eyes open and met Lord Thierry's gaze.
"His name was Adrian, and he was another elder of the Night World…"
1 Chapter 1
Piper Camden stared at her own reflection in the dirty window of the Las Vegas Yellow Cab she had hailed thirty-five minutes earlier. She didn't like the face that stared back at her. It was solemn and waxen. Piper rarely smiled these days. Her thick golden hair fell in layers to the middle of her back, and her eyes were absolutely lifeless. They used to be a sparkling emerald green that always seemed to be hiding a secret. Now they were dull and pensive. It's impossible to have seen the things Piper has and still have a twinkle in your eye.
This is my chance to change that, Piper thought to herself. Maybe they can help me.
The cab had left downtown Vegas twenty-five minutes ago and was now approaching the suburban areas of the infamous city. The neon signs and cheap motels were fading into the distance and being replaced with inns, cafés, and apartment buildings. It was early fall, and the sidewalks were scattered with orange and brown leaves. The streets were bustling with people on a Tuesday afternoon. There was a middle-aged lady trying to keep her young boy out of trouble by pulling forcibly on his coat sleeve. An elderly man stood outside of a café called Gina's, smoking a cigar. Everywhere Piper looked there were innocent, ignorant people carrying out their petty existences. For the hundredth time that day, she asked herself Are they even worth saving?
Then the cab was driving to the outskirts of the town, where trees became more frequent and houses came into view. The cabdriver pulled onto a side road that led down to a huge set of silver gates.
"This is as far as I can take ya', Miss. Nobody gets past these gates without a specific invitation. That'll be $100." The cabbie tipped up his plaid-print cap and stared at Piper through the Plexiglas window.
Piper had been staring at the high-security gates while the bristle-faced cabbie was speaking. "Um, could you just hang on one second? I may need you for a ride home."
"Another forty minute drive?! That'll cost ya', Girlie." The cabdriver's gray eyebrows narrowed at Piper as she got out of the car. "What's the matter? Afraid that the millionaire won't let you past his iron gates?" This sent the old man into chuckles of laughter, which were followed by a coughing fit.
Piper just slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and stepped out of the cab without a word. Because that's exactly what she was afraid of. What if they didn't even let her inside? What if he wasn't home? What if he accused her of treason and had her taken before the council to be executed? There were just too many things that could go wrong, but Piper couldn't stand there and worry about them all. She resigned herself to whatever fate that came upon her. Nothing really affected her deeply anymore. It was as if her emotions had been bottled up and locked away deep inside of her. She was prepared to accept whatever they did to her, which, surprisingly, was very little.
A young man that looked to be around nineteen or twenty stepped out of a security guard hut that was adjacent to the security gates. He had blonde hair that he had highlighted electric blue, and an earring in each ear. One of these earrings was of a black foxglove.
"What business do you have here, Gorgeous?" The 'wolf boy asked Piper with an appreciative glance. He stood about ten feet away from her with his arms crossed over his chest. He had on black jeans and a black sweater that emphasized his broad shoulders.
"I need to speak to Mr. Descourdes. I have…a request to ask of him." Piper decided to choose her words carefully in case this werewolf was as stupid and belligerent as the rest of his kin.
"Is that so? What's your name, Sweetheart?" The boy gave her a suspicious look from under heavy-lidded eyes. Piper guessed that he was trying to place what race she was.
"Piper Camden, and don't ever call me sweetheart." She gave him a tight- lipped smile.
"Well, well, well. You smell like a vampire, Piper, but I'd venture to guess that you're not one of the lamia. I know -- I'm impressive. It wasn't the last name that tipped me off, however. It was your tattoo." He lowered his eyes purposefully to her right wrist.
She instinctively pulled on the sleeve of her jacket to cover up the black rose. It was about the size of a quarter—a small brand on her wrist.
"How clever of you, Mr. Werewolf, but I don't have time for this. Please escort me to Thierry Descourdes."
The 'wolf gave a shout of laughter and grinned at her. "It's not that simple, Piper."
Piper decided that she really didn't like this boy.
"Please, I really need to talk with him. I don't have an appointment, but I'm willing to wait all day." Piper felt her ice-y shell melting to reveal a weary young girl underneath.
That did the trick. The wolf boy looked at her for a long moment and then went into his security station. There were voices coming from inside, and Piper wondered just how powerful this Thierry guy was to have a building full of hired muscle at his front gate. The boy reemerged from the white hut with an expressionless face.
"He's currently occupied with a very pressing matter—"
"I said I don't mind waiting all day if I have to. I don't expect him to drop everything and greet me at the door." Piper interjected.
"—but you may wait inside until he is available." The werewolf finished. He tilted his head to the left when he looked at the duffel swung over her shoulder. "Would you like me to take your, uh, bag?"
"No." Piper's voice came out in a harsh, clipped tone. She hated it when people tried to help her. She didn't need any help. She wasn't inferior; she could do it on her own. Then why are you here, Stupid? She decided to try and be polite. She wanted these people's help. "Yes, thank you."
"My name is Asper. You might as well get to know me since you're going to be around for awhile. Lord Thierry is a very busy man." Asper swung her duffel over his shoulder and turned toward the giant gates. There was a slight pause and then they slowly opened. Piper guessed that one of the guards inside the little hut had pushed a button or something of the sort.
"Are you ready?" He had turned to give her a curious look due to her lack of response. That was because Piper was starting to panic. This is it. I'm really going to go in there and start all over. I'm going to have to try and fix everything. I need to prove that I still have some use left; a purpose to serve.
"Let's do it." She fell into step beside Asper and they walked down the paved driveway to the awaiting mansion. The atmosphere was all too familiar to Piper, however. The intense security, the illustrious house, and the big black rose on the double front doors that led inside all brought a wave of pain and memories to her senses. She hoped "Lord Thierry" was a completely different person from Adrian.
Asper reached over and pushed a black buzzer on the side of the house. After a moment, a medium-sized young man with long blonde hair that was pulled back answered the door.
"Nilsson, this is Piper. She has an appointment with Lord Thierry and is supposed to wait for him inside."
"Yes, of course, Asper. Please come in, Miss. We can take it from here." He gave Asper a firm nod at this and then took Piper's bag. Asper actually waved his hand at Piper before turning to go down the steps. She just stared back at him with a face devoid of emotion.
The furnishings inside Mr. Descourdes' home were even more immaculate than those outside. The entrance connected to a hall with marble pillars that reached from the matching tile floor to the ceiling of the house. Piper guessed it was around four stories up. There was a set of French Doors to her left that led to a parlor that was decorated in earth tones such as sienna and mauve. To her right was yet another large sitting room with three couches, all with matching ottomans, and two love seats. This room was a soft rose petal color with mahogany bookcases lining the walls. The den, I'm guessing. Straight ahead of them was a very long and very wide staircase. It had wood railings on each side of it with deep carvings in them. The corridor they were now facing continued on either side of the stairs.
"Where would you like me to put this, Miss? I can give you a guest room upstairs if you'd like. You may be here that long. Lord Thierry—"
"—is a very busy man, I know. That will be fine, thanks. Is it possible for me to get something to….eat?" Piper turned to the butler nervously. What she really meant was, can I hunt here or do you have blood for me somewhere in the kitchen?
Nilsson gave her an amused glance and turned to go up the gigantic carpeted staircase.
"The woods out back stretch for miles and have a variety of game in them. If, however, you prefer human prey we could find you a willing donor. What is your preference?"
"I'll go hunting in the woods after dark."
"Very well." Nilsson briskly made his way up to the top of the steps and took a right turn into another long corridor. This one had numerous paintings and candle sconces along the walls. There was a door every twenty feet down the hall which must have reached close to 200 feet in length.
"I think you'll do fine in the medium suite. It has just about everything you'd need--except the kitchen. You may go hunting whenever you like, just so long as you return within an hour of your departure. The guards might become a little wary if you linger too long. If you need anything, there is a phone on the bedside table. All you need to do is pick it up and dial zero." While saying all of this, the young butler had pushed open the door of the suite and set her bag down on the huge four-poster bed along the far wall.
Piper examined the room carefully. There was a large entertainment center against one wall with a couch across from it. A very spacious walk-in closet was next to the door that she assumed led to the bathroom. There was a balcony next to the king sized bed that overlooked a very large garden to the side of the house. Piper liked how it made a swift and easy exit, if need be.
"Thank you, Nilsson. This will do nicely." Piper's ears suddenly pricked up at the faintness of footsteps on carpet in a room across the hall. "Is there anyone else staying in this wing of the house?"
Nilsson raised an eyebrow at her inquisitiveness, but gave her an honest answer nonetheless. "This is the guests' wing. Yes, there are a few friends of Lord Thierry staying here this week. However, I don't believe that they wish to be disturbed. I'll see you later, Miss Piper. Good evening and good night."
Piper watched the man leave and shut the door behind him. She decided not to correct him on the "miss" title either. She was never one for formalities, even though Adrian had thrived on such things. Any opportunity for his power to be recognized or gawked at was always used to his advantage.
Suddenly there was a quick knock on her door, and then it was pushed open. A boy, around nineteen or so, stood in its wake. He had ash-blonde hair and a very lithe, well-muscled body. His ever-shifting eyes told her that he was one of the lamia.
"Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else. Who are you, by the way?" The stranger leaned against her doorframe and crossed his arms.
Piper gave him a cool look and then turned to cross the room. Once she reached the balcony she pushed back the lace curtain with her right index finger and stared at the gardens below.
"Are you one of Hannah's friends?"
She turned and frowned at him. "No, I'm here to speak to Thierry."
"Ahhhh, so you're here on business. I should have guessed." He walked over to her sofa and plopped down onto the middle cushion.
"You never told me your name. I'm Ash Redfern." As he spoke he reached out to shake her hand. Piper didn't make a move to do the same. He glanced at her tattoo.
"Piper. Let's get one thing straight right now, Ash. I'm not your friend. The sooner you realize that I'm an antisocial bitch, the sooner we can skip the chatty pleasantries." She stood facing him with her hands on her hips.
"Easy there, Tiger! I'm just trying to get to know my new house-mate." He put his hands up in a surrendering gesture.
"Is that what you were doing? Funny, I thought you were putting the moves on me." Piper raised an eyebrow at him.
"Naw, that's just wishful thinking on your part." He winked to let her know he was jesting. "I'm taken."
"Give her my regards and deepest sympathies." Piper went over and unzipped her duffel bag. No better time to unpack than the present. Well, it wasn't as if she had anything better to do.
"I think you and I are going to get along just fine." He gave her a grin to rival the Cheshire cat's.
"Why are you still here?" She asked in frustration.
"You really are antisocial." He chuckled and stood up from the couch in one fluid movement. "Alright, what should we do first?"
"Excuse me?"
"Well, there's the game room, the bowling alley, or the swimming pool. Oooo, or maybe we could go hit the town. This IS Vegas after all." Ash rubbed his hands together eagerly.
"What part of antisocial don't you understand?"
He frowned at her and sat down on the bed next to her unzipped bag. "You are the one who doesn't understand. You're the only company I've had in two days! I don't think you could comprehend the vast relief I'm feeling for another person's presence right now."
Piper gave him a skeptical look.
"Come on! It'll be fun. You don't know how to party until you've partied with The Ash." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and gave a devilish grin.
Piper heaved a sigh of resignation. I suppose that since I'm stuck here I'll have to get used to him. Perhaps his friendship will even work to my advantage. If he's a friend of Thierry's, then Mr. Descourdes might not be so quick to kill me.
"So, anyway, back to square one. What daring escapades shall we embark on together tonight?"
"Well…do you know where a starving vampire can get anything to eat around here?"
"I knew we'd get along great together." Ash winked as Piper tried very hard not to smile.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Piper lifted her head from the doe that she had just finished feeding off of. She used her telepathy to remove the tranquil veil from the creature's mind and gave it a mental push to run back to its family. The woods were thrumming with life. All around her there were trees that seemed to reach to the sky. An occasional owl cried out into the air as it took flight on the other side of the forest. Nature had always brought Piper a peace that nothing else could seem to match. Well, almost nothing…
"Has that lovely appetite of yours been satiated yet?" Ash called from a little to her left. He strode over to where she was standing gazing up at the stars.
When she didn't respond right away, he studied her face.
"It's one of the few things I don't despise about being what we are." She commented softly.
"What's that?" He answered just as quietly.
How I can hear that raccoon and her babies scurrying up that oak tree a half-mile away. How the stars look like diamonds, sparkling endlessly against black velvet. How I can feel the essence of this forest on my skin, as if it were the wind. I have never regretted giving up my old life for those things. She turned to Ash and gave him a tenuous smile. It was the first time she'd communicated telepathically with someone in months. She'd learned to guard her thoughts and feelings so well that it had become almost physically painful to share them with anyone else.
Ash smiled back at her and turned to walk back to the mansion. She fell into a languid pace beside him and let her thoughts overcome her.
"How long ago were you changed?" Ash inquired after a moment of silence.
Immediately Piper's smile faltered and she turned to him with very serious eyes.
"Not yet. I know that when I speak to Lord Thierry I'll have to relive my past, but until then I'd prefer to just enjoy this night. I promise you, Ash, that I'll tell you everything. It's just too soon and I'm not ready. Please trust me." Piper wasn't sure what had made her convey such strong emotions toward this lamia boy she barely knew. Perhaps it was because he had been so kind to her when she needed a friend.
"No problem, I'm not one to pry. In fact, I'm up for a rousing game of pool myself. Care to join me, Cupcake? Or are you afraid I'll kick your undead ass?" His teeth flashed in the darkness of the woods as he taunted her.
"You're on, Pretty Boy."
They raced each other back to the mansion and burst into the back hallway.
"The Game room is down the hall and to the right…" Ash started to walk in the direction he was pointing while Piper followed close behind him.
Piper turned at the sudden sound of footsteps nearby.
"A human's coming." She stated gravely to Ash and turned around to face the approaching person.
Ash turned as well and smiled when Hannah came out of one of the rooms in the hallway.
"That's Hannah, Lord Thierry's soulmate." He waved to the tall girl with wheat-blonde hair and grey eyes. Piper could detect a sense of respect emanating from Ash. Apparently, Hannah was someone of status.
"Ash, up to more trouble I see. Who's your new friend?" Hannah smiled at Piper as she walked towards the two vampires.
"Piper, this is Hannah. Hannah, Piper. She's here on business to speak to Thierry. Apparently he's too busy to see her until tomorrow, though."
"Well, being the Elder for all of southern California would demand a full schedule from anyone. Pleased to meet you, Piper. Are you…a cousin of Ash's?" Hannah asked carefully. Piper noticed that there was a definite spark in this girl's eyes. A glint of wisdom seemed to be in them.
"I'm not lamia, if that's what you're asking. I was made a vampire about two years ago." Piper replied hesitantly. She felt uneasy around this girl, as if she were being judged by her.
"Welcome to our house. I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot of you from now on." Hannah smiled warmly and put a friendly hand on Piper's arm.
Piper immediately flinched at the touch. Human contact was something she rarely experienced. Hannah seemed to recognize her discomfort, however, and removed her hand quickly. The Old Soul had seen many things in all of her lives, but never someone with so much pain in their eyes.
"I have some things that I need to do now, but if you'd like extra company later I'd be glad to offer mine." Hannah turned to Ash who grinned back at her.
"How could I resist being in the same room with two gorgeous blondes for hours on end?"
Hannah shook her head and gave a short laugh. "You haven't changed at all, Ash Redfern. Just wait until Mary-Lynnette sees you again--same old rakish charm as ever."
Piper turned her jungle green eyes on him then. The name Mary-Lynnette had caused a look of loneliness to cross Ash's face. Was she the girlfriend he'd mentioned earlier? Were they soulmates like Thierry and Hannah? For some reason that thought brought a twinge of pain to Piper's heart. Just because she wasn't happy didn't mean no one else could be either.
"See you around, Hannah." He called a farewell as she turned to go up the flight of stairs at the end of the hall.
"She seems nice." Piper allowed.
"Oh she is. She's an Old Soul, you know. She's been around since back when Maya bit Thierry." Ash watched Hannah go up the stairs until she disappeared out of sight.
"So do you want to go play pool? Or are you thinking about going to brood after your girlfriend in your room?" Piper poked him in the back to get his attention.
"I've kind of lost my competitive edge now. You might actually win. I think that brooding sounds like a fair alternative, though. I might even give her a call. It's hard to be without your soulmate, Piper. You feel so….so…"
"Incomplete. It's as if there's a void in your being where they belong." She finished for him sadly.
Ash's eyebrows rose in surprise, but he didn't question how she knew what it felt like.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning then?"
"I'm a creature of the night. What makes you think that I get up for mornings?" Piper tried to lighten the heavy atmosphere with some gentle teasing.
"I have faith in you, Piper Camden. Don't ask me why, I can't explain it. I think it has something to do with the fact that I'm such a sucker for blondes…" He grinned at her and turned to go upstairs. "What will you do while I'm confined to my room and the telephone?"
"In a house this size I'm sure I'll think of something. Goodnight, Ash."
"Later, Piper." The blonde boy turned and jogged up the stairwell without a backward glance.
Piper watched his retreating form for a moment and then spun around to face all of the doors in the hallway. What on earth could you need all of these rooms for?
Piper decided to find out just what was behind them all. Technically she wasn't snooping; all of the bedrooms were on the top floor. Besides, she reasoned to herself, I'm just peeking in. It's not as if I'm going to go through anything. With that justification in mind, she turned to the first door on her left. It was the one Hannah had come out of. It was a dark cherry wood with a pattern carved around the frame. The gold knob was cool to her palm as she took a deep breath and turned the handle.
It opened swiftly and soundlessly. It was pitch black inside, except for some moonlight that filtered faintly onto the floor from underneath a set of drapes. Piper's night vision allowed her to see perfectly well in the dark as well as a lighted room. She stepped inside to take a closer look. This one was about the size of a tennis court and decorated in rose colors. There was a large desk against one wall with a computer, a fax machine, a telephone, and various other technological devices on it. The opposite wall was lined with bookcases that were overflowing with various paperbacks. There was also a strange little statue on one of the shelves of a duckbilled platypus's skeletal structure. Is Hannah in college? What is her major? Piper frowned with thought and turned to the third wall. This one had three large filing cabinets against it. Piper knew it was wrong to go through other people's things, so she bit down on the urge to go open them.
The last wall was the one opposite the door that had the large bay window in it. There was a painting on the wall next to the window. It was of a boy with frost white hair and sorrowful eyes. He wore a dark business suit and wasn't smiling. Why would you ever want such a depressing picture in your office?
Piper thought she recognized the young man's face, though. She went back over to Hannah's desk. In a silver picture frame next to the fax machine was a photo of her and the young man. They were both dressed to the nines and standing in what appeared to be a ballroom of some sort. Hannah's hair was twisted up gracefully and she was smiling at the camera. The blonde boy looked as if he was aware of the photographer at the last minute. He had a small smile on his face and a surprised look in his eyes.
"Really not the best picture of me I know, but Hannah insists that it's her favorite. I keep telling her how un-photogenic I am, but somehow that escapes her notice." The voice was a soft baritone and it was coming from ten feet behind her.
Piper turned to see the boy from the picture standing in the doorway that she'd left open.
"I'll take a shot in the dark, so to speak, and guess that you're Piper. I'm sure you've already surmised who I am. Do you mind if I turn on the lights? I'm so used to Hannah having them on in here." He reached out his left hand and flipped a switch on the wall. The room illuminated and Piper's eyes adjusted instantly.
"Please have a seat on one of her conference chairs. You won't mind if I sit at her desk, I'm sure." Lord Thierry Descourdes said with a slight smile.
Piper sat in one of the light pink cushioned chairs facing Hannah's desk.
"We meet at last. I understand that you traveled all of the way from New York City. I'm sorry that I didn't contact you sooner, but I've had some important meetings all day." He leaned back in the seat and folded his hands behind his head.
Piper tried to swallow the lump in her throat and respond. "They warned me that you'd be busy."
"Well I'm free now. There was something you needed to discuss with me? I know you didn't come all of the way out to my house just to get an autograph." His smiled did nothing to lessen the tension in Piper's bones. What if I mention Circle Daybreak and he has me arrested? What if he accuses me of treason and turns me into the Council? That's nonsense…he has a human soulmate. That still didn't keep Piper from worrying.
"Actually, I did have something important to ask you." She started slowly. Piper had come all of the way out here for this, she couldn't back down now. "I wanted to know if you lead the secret society of Circle Daybreak."
There was a long pause as Thierry's smile faded and he stared at her face. "Just where did you hear that, Miss Camden?" He asked softly.
"Some 'shifter who I met in the park a few weeks back told me. She said that you could help me start over. She said that you'd know how to take care of me. W-Was she wrong?" Piper inquired softly.
Thierry sat up in the chair abruptly and folded his hands on the surface of his soulmate's desk. "Not quite. I do happen to be in charge of Circle Daybreak, which is an underground union of humans and Night People. We try our best for everyone to get along and live in peace. I cannot help you though, Piper, until you tell me why you're really here. What brought you to my doorstep? Why did you travel so far in search of something you weren't even sure existed?"
Piper took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She knew this would be coming. She'd have to tell a complete stranger what she herself was still trying to erase from her memory. All of the horror, pain, and grief was about to break loose like a tidal wave; and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
"Piper," Thierry said softly, "who changed you?"
The question she dreaded most of all. A rush of tears stung the backs of her eyelids but she refused to let them spill over. She would confide in this man and seek his help, for she knew it was impossible to seek forgiveness. To have someone else bestow such a thing on you, you must first bestow it upon yourself. Piper snapped her eyes open and met Lord Thierry's gaze.
"His name was Adrian, and he was another elder of the Night World…"