I had the idea for this story... well, I'm not sure. I wasn't planning to write it, but it kept coming back to me. This happens before Huntress, and probably isn't at all what ever could have happened, but if I don't write it, it's gonna keep on annoying me. Like that story I did for Demonata... the most annoying story I ever thought of because at the beginning I refused to write it. I had to give in at the end. Jez is 14, Morgead 15.
I don't own Night World.
Huntress: The Untold Story
Morgead and I had decided to try again with the cooking thing.
It hadn't gone so well before. I had forgotten to buy the self-raising flour and Morgead had had the very 'clever' idea to put a balloon into the un-risen cake. Of course, when Uncle Bracken had cut it, it had exploded. Coating everything with the chocolate icing we'd put on the top. It had been hilarious, but then we'd had to clean it up, which had taken forever.
This time, Uncle Bracken had binned every single balloon he could find, and then practically started strip-searching Morgead when he came in through the door.
"I swear, Bracken," Morgead was saying. "I don't have any balloons. We're not even making sponge-cake this time."
I was sitting on the stairs, watching and grinning triumphantly every time Morgead looked at me.
"What are you making then," Uncle Bracken said.
"Fondue!" I said.
"No way. That's too difficult. I think..." Morgead pursed his lips, considering. "Tea-cake."
Uncle Bracken and I looked at him incredulously, and then burst out laughing at the exact same time.
"Go on then, kid. Same rules as last time. Any mess you make..." Bracken said. He paused and looked at us expectantly.
"We clear up," Morgead and I chimed at the same time.
Uncle Bracken waved us on. I jumped up and walked to Morgead.
"I think we should make tea-cake," Morgead said.
"What about Stollen? It is only one week until Christmas, after all," I answered.
Morgead sighed. "OK," he said.
I smiled at him and started collecting up the ingredients. Morgead was washing his hands. I opened the book and then washed my hands whilst Morgead was measuring out the ingredients.
"Shall we put some music on?" I asked.
"If you want, but will it be human music?" Morgead asked.
"Yes. They're surprisingly good with music. Just listen."
I turned on the radio and put it on a good station. Morgead was adding in all the ingredients when I came back behind him to watch.
"You wanna beat it?" he asked. He stepped aside.
I picked up a wooden spoon and started mixing it, whilst Morgead was buttering a tin. When he was done I put the mix in the tin. We put it in the oven.
A song I liked started on the radio.
"Let's dance!" I said excitedly.
"Dance?" Morgead said, looking at me as if he thought I was crazy.
Only just figured it out? I thought to myself.
I grabbed Morgead's hands and he didn't bother fighting. We started dancing crazily, laughing the whole time.
I didn't know how, but at some time I ended up in Morgead's arms. We stopped dancing and just gazed at each other. The song changed, but we didn't notice. Morgead's eyes were wide, and my heart was beating furiously.
"Jez..." he murmured. His hand rested on my cheek and he brought me closer. Giving me time to pull away, he bent down slowly and pressed his lips to mine.
At that first touch, I was completely lost. I couldn't pull away even if I wanted to.
And I didn't want to.
I locked my arms around his neck, kissing him deeper. I stroked his hair, learning the texture. It was so soft against my hands.
His hands were gentle around me, one twisted in my hair, the other at the small of my back.
We pulled away after a while. Morgead pressed his forehead against mine. We were silent, me still stroking his hair, him tracing patterns on my back.
"Maybe... I should go," he said. His voice was uncertain.
I opened my eyes as he pulled away. I tightened my arms around his neck.
"Don't go," I said. "You've got to at least try the cake."
I smiled. He smiled back.
"OK," he said.
I smiled again and pulled away. Morgead kept one arms around my waist. I leant against him, waiting for the cake to cook, but also wanting it to never end, so that we could stay like this forever. Feeling his arm around me... it may not seem like much, but to me it was perfect.
I hadn't realised that I loved Morgead, but I knew now. I was desperately in love with him. By the time I'd realised it, I was already in too deep to back away.
I leaned my head against his shoulder. After a pause, his cheek rested against my hair. His other arm twisted around me. He was holding me close, but not close enough.
"It's been half an hour," Morgead said softly.
I looked at the clock in shock. It had seemed such a short time. Although, now that I thought of it, we must have been kissing for about ten minutes.
"Jez?" Morgead asked. "Are you alright?"
I looked back at him. I could feel myself blushing.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said.
I got the cake out. "How long do we have to wait for it to cool?" I asked.
Morgead looked in the book. "About an hour."
I ducked my head, hiding my smile. He would have to stay for an hour. I didn't think I'd ever been so happy.
I looked up again as Morgead moved towards me and pulled me in his arms. I relaxed, listening to his breathing.
"I think I'm going to be doing that a lot," he said. His arms tightened around me and he kissed the top of my head.
"I don't mind," I whispered. I pulled away slightly to kiss him properly.
It was as perfect as the last time. Maybe even more so, as we were a bit more daring. I let my tongue press against his bottom lip. He was holding me closer to his body, holding me tight.
Morgead pulled away from me after a long time, but it wasn't long enough for me. The more he would give me, the more I would want.
~ * ~ * ~
"That's... interesting," Morgead said. His face twisted slightly, into an almost-grimace.
He'd just tasted the Stollen cake. I'd tasted it before him. It wasn't really the nicest thing I'd ever had.
Uncle Bracken laughed. "That's how it's supposed to taste. It's just because blood tastes so much better. Human food is much less superior to their blood."
"We should have put blood in there," Morgead said, turning to me.
"Maybe we should do that next time," I said.
He smiled, his emerald green eyes lighting up. "Yeah. We definitely should." He looked out the window. "I should go."
My heart sank at those words. I wanted him to stay forever. "OK," I heard myself say. I could hear that I sounded pathetically sad.
I followed Morgead to the door. "Come back tomorrow?" I said.
He opened the door then turned to look at me. "Of course," he said. He pressed his lips to mine again and kissed me quickly.
I watched him go, wishing desperately that he could have stayed.
I closed the door and went back into the kitchen. Uncle Bracken was still there, smiling.
"I came into the kitchen earlier, to see if you needed help," he said.
I froze. "You saw...?"
He nodded. "I'm happy for you, kid. And for Morgead. He's had his eye on you for a long time."
I smiled gently. "Really? I didn't notice."
Uncle Bracken laughed and shook his head. "Are you sure? Because everyone else did."
~ * ~ * ~
The next few months were perfect.
Morgead and I spent every moment we could together and I missed him desperately whenever we were apart.
We went hunting together alone usually. We would hunt either humans or animals.
I'd also realised that Morgead was much happier now. I'd asked him why, and he'd said that he'd loved me since we first met and was just happy that he didn't have to hide his feelings anymore.
We were going hunting tonight. Animals, because we wanted something easy.
I looked in the mirror, checking my hair for the millionth time. Even Uncle Bracken had noticed that every time I went to see Morgead, I wanted to look perfect. I'd tied my hair up in a loose bun, and already strands of it were falling out.
The doorbell rang, and I walked downstairs to answer it. Morgead was there, obviously.
"You ready to go?" he said. I nodded and we walked out.
"Where are we going?" I asked as he put his arm around my shoulders.
"The bay area? It'll take a while to get there, but the wildlife is good."
"I don't mind if it takes a while," I whispered to him. And I didn't. Any time spent with him was perfect.
We were quiet for the rest of the walk. I was trying hard to slow my heartbeat; I was sure he could hear it.
When we got there we hunted, enough so that we wouldn't be in pain the next day, then just chased the animals. After a while we sat down and watched the stars.
I twisted round to kiss him. He kissed me back, but there was something different. I found myself being pulled into Morgead's mind.
That had only happened before when we shared blood.
What... what's happening? I thought to him.
I could tell that Morgead was happy and wondering, not frightened like I was.
I'm not sure. Maybe...
He broke off, as if scared of my reaction.
Go on, I thought. I could tell he knew.
The Soulmate principle.
I was still in shock. I didn't even believe in Soulmates. How could they exist?
It didn't take long to realise that I didn't care. Morgead and I were Soulmates. My heart sang at those words. I could feel Morgead's happiness too.
I love you, he whispered mentally.
I love you too, I whispered back.
We spent a long time exploring each others minds. Not going in too deep; we were both still young. An hour later, which was too soon for me, we managed to untangle our thoughts. Morgead laughed at my annoyed expression.
"Come on, Jezebel," he said jokily. He stood up.
I glared at him and stood up too. He put his arm around my waist and we began walking.
"So we're Soulmates," I mused.
His arm tightened around me. "I think so," he said softly.
I couldn't believe that it had taken us so long to figure it out. We must have realised it before at one point, at least. To have been best friends since we were toddlers and only realising that we were meant for each other about ten years after we met...
That was crazy.
Better late than never, I thought to myself.
I smiled, perfectly content in Morgead's arms.
~ * ~ * ~
(Four months [approx.] later)
(A/N this is practically a rendition of 'The Best Day' from my Jez and Morgead: Memories, but it's much more dramatic.)
The school bell rang, finally signalling the end of the school year. I couldn't wait to be able to spend all my time with Morgead.
We were still perfectly happy together. We were convinced now that it was the Soulmate principle that bound us together.
Being a girl, I was already planning the wedding. I couldn't wait to be Jez Blackthorn.
I smiled to myself and took my phone out to check for messages. There was one from Morgead.
Hey, wait at school. I need to tell you something. Love you.
I went out of the building to wait by the gates.
After a while, Morgead came, weaving his way through the crowds. I heard most of the girls saying things like, "Hottie".
I tried to glare at most of them and closed the final few feet to Morgead. I hugged him tightly, ignoring the sighs and groans from the girls.
I pulled away after a few seconds and took his hand, pulling him away.
"What was it that you wanted to tell me?" I said.
He got out an envelope and handed it to me. A slight smile was turning up his lips.
I opened it. A drivers' licence fell out.
"You passed? That's great!" I said. I hugged him. He lifted me off my feet and span me around.
"Did you get a vehicle?" I asked him when he put me down.
"Yeah, a motorbike," he said. He put his arm around my shoulders.
"Can I have a go on it?" I said, excited.
He laughed. "If I'm driving then you can."
"OK!"
"Do you want a lift back home?" he asked.
"Yes!" I shouted.
He laughed again.
We ran the rest of the way to the motorbike.
It was great; a silver Yahama. It apparently went fast.
Morgead passed me a helmet and I got on behind him. I tightened my arms around his waist and we roared off.
It felt like we were flying. Morgead was obeying the speed rules, which annoyed me, but I think it was because he was worried for me.
"Go faster!" I whispered in his ear. He chuckled and shook his head.
"I've already been told off for speeding," he said.
"What, are you scared of the humans?"
"I swear one of them was a shapeshifter, Jez."
"You're scared of shapeshifters, then?"
We both laughed. "No," he said.
The ride was over, too soon, and he pulled up at my house. I reluctantly pulled away from him and slid off the bike.
"How about we go for a road trip tomorrow?" Morgead said.
I smiled. "That would be great."
He pulled me closer and kissed me.
"What time will you be here tomorrow?" I asked after the kiss ended. Too soon, like always.
"About ten?" he said. He kept his arms around me.
I looked at him. "How about nine?" I said. I smiled.
He smiled back. "OK. I'm not sure when we'll be back, though."
"Oh, well. Doesn't matter," I said. I kissed him again.
He smiled against my lips and pulled away. "See you tomorrow," he whispered.
I stepped away and watched him leave.
I walked in slowly. Uncle Bracken was standing by the door when I opened it.
"Saw that Morgead must have got his drivers' license, unless he was breaking the law," he said, grinning.
I grinned back. "He got it. We're going for a road trip tomorrow."
"What time will you be back?" he asked.
"I'm not sure," I answered.
Uncle Bracken frowned. "I don't mind how late you come back, but will you keep one thing in mind for me?"
I nodded.
"Remember that you are still a child," he said. He gazed at me seriously as I blushed, then turned and walked into the living room.
~ * ~ * ~
Morgead came at nine, as he promised and rang the doorbell. I sprinted downstairs to open the door before Uncle Bracken could. It would be the most embarrassing thing in the world if he gave Morgead one of his 'still a child' speeches.
I shuddered as I opened the door, then smiled when I saw Morgead. I couldn't help it.
"Hey," he said. "You ready?"
I nodded and called a quick bye over my shoulder to Uncle Bracken, then closed the door before he could answer. I walked with Morgead to the motorbike. He handed me a helmet. I climbed on behind him and put my arms around his waist again.
The ride was perfect. It was a warm day, and knowing that Morgead and I had the entire day together... I was excited.
After going around town a bit, we went to a field in the outskirts. Morgead brought the bike and we sat under a tree in the middle of the field. It was completely isolated. We couldn't hear the cars, which was rare in San Francisco.
After a couple of minutes of comfortable silence, Morgead's arms around me, he spoke.
"I've got something for you."
"Really?" I said. He laughed at the excited edge in my voice.
He got something out of his pocket and handed it to me. It was a velvet box. My hands were trembling as I took it from him. It seemed the right size to be a ring.
I opened it. Inside nestled a beautiful ring. It was silver and had two hands holding a sapphire heart.
Was he about to propose? I didn't think he would do that so soon.
"It's a Claddagh ring," Morgead whispered. "You wear it with the heart facing inwards if your heart belongs to someone. It's really just a Celtic promise ring." He shrugged.
I picked it up carefully and put it on, being careful to twist it so that the heart was facing inwards.
Morgead stroked my hair.
"Thank you. It's beautiful," I murmured to him. I turned to look at him.
He smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Who does your heart belong to, then?" he asked.
To answer, I kissed him. He kissed me back, gently but irresistibly. His hands were gentle as they stroked my hair.
I pulled away, determined to tease him.
"Oh. I didn't answer your question," I smirked at him and he watched me warily. "Orlando Bloom," I said.
I shrieked as Morgead pushed me down, grabbed my hands and hovered above me. I couldn't feel any of his weight, but every line of his body was against mine.
"Orlando Bloom?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.
I nodded. "I was going to tell you." I fought to keep a straight face, but failed completely.
"I'll show you that I'm better than Orlando Bloom," he said.
His lips crashed down on mine. His hands were tracing down my body, leaving burning trails like fire. My hands were holding him to me tightly.
My promise to Uncle Bracken was lost. All I wanted was him, all I needed was him. My legs were around his waist. Neither of us pulled away. We didn't want to.
I forced my hands away from his hair and to his collar. I hurried to unbutton the buttons. I was so impatient.
He pulled away abruptly. My hands dropped from his shirt. I could tell that I was blushing. My heart was going too fast and I was breathing way too quickly.
"Jez... do you really want to do that?" he whispered.
I looked at his eyes levelly.
He touched my cheek. "I want to... but we're both so young. You're only fifteen."
I frowned at him. He sighed.
"We'll wait at least until you're sixteen. OK?" he murmured. He kissed my forehead.
"OK," I whispered.
He got up and held out a hand to help me up.
I was annoyed. My birthday was in almost a year. Was there a way that I could make him change his mind? I probably could, but not today. Maybe in a week.
We went back on the motorbike. Morgead was silent, probably thinking.
We roared back on the road. I kept my arms tight around his waist.
My stomach was twisting painfully. I hadn't thought that Morgead would resist. After he'd kissed me with such passion, I was sure that he would want to.
I understood what the pain in my stomach was. I was a proud person; the rejection hurt me.
Not that I was going to let Morgead know that. My pride wouldn't let me.
At least we were Soulmates. I could count on the fact that we would be together for eternity. I smiled at that thought.
We turned onto a back road with trees lining on either side. I let myself relax against Morgead. The shadows of the trees strangely relaxed me, calmed down the pain in my stomach.
It happened quickly after that.
There was a rock right in the path of the motorbike. Morgead didn't see it and rode right over it. The tire burst and Morgead lost control. We were careering right for a tree, and I was the closest to it.
Morgead turned the bike desperately, so that he was closest, as if he was protecting me. We crashed right into it, and I saw Morgead hit his head hard on the trunk. I heard him say my name once before I sank down into darkness.
~ * ~ * ~
"Jez? Can you hear me?"
The voice cut through the darkness that enfolded me. I found myself being jerked back to reality.
I opened my eyes with an effort and saw Uncle Bracken bending over me, concern in his eyes.
I realised that it must have been him who had woken me up.
"Uncle Bracken?" I said. I tried to sit up, but gasped as my head exploded in pain.
He pushed me back down. I didn't fight him.
"Stay down. It was a pretty bad crash," he said.
I frowned. "Crash?" I asked. I couldn't remember a crash!
Uncle Bracken watched me, his eyes narrowed with concern. "What's the last thing you remember?"
I thought for a while and as soon as I remembered, I fought the blush stubbornly. The last thing I remembered was trying to seduce Morgead. I was definitely not admitting to that!
"I went for a road-trip with Morgead. We went to a field..." Something registered and my voice faded out as I panicked. "Wait. You said there was a crash."
Uncle Bracken nodded sadly.
"What about Morgead? Is he alright?" I asked.
Uncle Bracken was silent for a minute. My stomach was twisting with nerves.
"Uncle Bracken? Please, don't do this to me," I said. Tears started pouring down my cheeks. If Morgead was dead...
I wouldn't survive. He was my Soulmate. I needed him.
"We're not sure," he answered. "He's unconscious and the Witches here have been working on him. They think there might be brain damage. He could have amnesia."
I kept crying, my eyes closed. I needed him. I needed to feel his hand on mine, his arms around me.
Morgead... I thought to myself. How can the world be so cruel?
It seemed I could only have a certain amount of happiness before reality came catching up to me. I'd been living in a dream, a perfect dream. I wasn't prepared for a warped, twisted reality.
"I have to see him," I said.
"Wait for a while. Until he wakes up."
"But what if he doesn't...?"
My voice trailed off. I couldn't speak those words.
Uncle Bracken took my hand. "He will wake up, Jez. I promise you that."
I didn't look at him.
~ * ~ * ~
The Witches wouldn't let me see him until my head stopped hurting. After three days, I was crazy with not knowing anything. They wouldn't tell me how he was because of 'confidentiality', but Uncle Bracken managed to find out a bit.
Apparently, he woke up on the fourth day, but was confused and hallucinated for most of the time.
On the sixth day, my headache finally abated and I was able to see him. He was asleep when I went into the room. I stayed next to him, crying and holding his hand. When I left, I whispered 'I love you' and kissed his forehead. He didn't wake up.
On the seventh day, Morgead was awake. I was allowed to go see him. He was sitting up and glaring out the window. He had a scar on his forehead and was paler than usual.
"How are you?" I asked softly.
He turned to me and looked at me. His expression didn't soften as it usually did. He shrugged his shoulders.
"What would you care?" he said angrily. He turned to look back out the window.
I froze and looked at him incredulously. "What... did you just say?" I said menacingly. He knew that I was in love with him. He knew we were Soulmates, and that not seeing him killed me.
"I said," he said slowly. "What would you care?"
He was watching me with absolutely no tenderness, his eyes hard as emeralds.
I jerked back from him.
Was it possible that the Witches hadn't told me all that was wrong with him? Was it possible that he bad amnesia?
I had recovered my memories. I remembered that he had placed himself so I had the least impact. I remembered that he had hit the tree hard.
My vision blurred with tears. I fought them furiously. The way he'd whispered my name just before I'd blacked out...
"What's the last thing you remember?" I asked him.
He looked at me for a second, his eyes searching. I fought to make my expression impassive.
"I think..." he frowned, as if in pain. "I was meant to go round to yours. It was the summer holidays."
I gazed at him.
He'd lost an entire year of memory?
I suddenly couldn't stand it anymore. I punched his arm.
"Ow! What was that for?" he said. He held his arm and glared at me hatefully.
I never thought it would hurt so much to see him look at me like that. He'd done it millions of times before. Just not since he kissed me that first time.
"That was a year ago, you idiot!" I told him.
"I know! But it's not my fault that I had an accident. What are you doing here anyway? It can't be just to see me."
I glared at him. "I was in the accident with you, idiot."
"Don't call me that, Jezebel," he said.
"Fine. I was in the accident with you, Morgy," I said.
He glared back at me. "Don't call me that either."
I looked over at the door. How could he have forgotten?
Maybe we weren't Soulmates.
I knew that was the answer as soon as I thought it. A part of me protested, but weakly. It went completely out of existence after a few minutes.
I couldn't bear to be here any longer.
"I should go. I only came to see if you were still alive," I said, trying to put enough venom in the words.
He nodded and looked out the window again, ignoring me.
I fled from the room and into my own. Uncle Bracken was sitting by my bed.
"Hey. I thought you'd be there longer-" he broke off as he saw my face.
"What is it?" he said. He hurried up to me and hugged me.
"He doesn't remember anything," I managed to get out. The tears overwhelmed and spilled out. "He doesn't remember us."
Uncle Bracken rubbed my back. "Then tell him. His feelings can't have changed."
"But they have," I said. I looked at him with eyes that I knew were shining and feverous. "He was looking at me as if he hated me."
I stumbled over to the bed and sat on it, crying profusely.
"I love him," I gasped. "How can he not remember that?"
"Tell him," Uncle Bracken insisted.
"I can't!" I wailed. "Not when he looked at me like that!"
I tried to control my voice, knowing that it was very likely that Morgead could hear me.
"I can't," I whispered.
I crawled under the covers of my bed. Uncle Bracken stroked my hair as I tried to fall asleep.
~ * ~ * ~
When I woke up, I was in my room at home.
My first thought was that it was a dream. Morgead and I were going on the road trip today. I sat up, and a blinding pain exploded in my head. I cried out and fell back on my pillow. Uncle Bracken came rushing through the door.
"Jez! Are you alright?" he said.
I nodded. "Just my head."
"The Witches said that your head would hurt a lot in the next few weeks. It was a bad accident."
I whimpered. "It wasn't a dream."
Uncle Bracken looked at me silently for a second. "No. It wasn't."
I moaned and rolled over. Uncle Bracken went out.
I didn't try to sleep again. I got up slowly, wincing at the stabbing pain in my head.
I stumbled to my desk and picked up a blue notebook, my diary. I went back to bed and collapsed back on it.
I slowly turned the pages. I got to the entry written just after we discovered that we were Soulmates.
13th March 1995 (A/N Would that be about right?)
The best day today.
Morgead and I went hunting and then we found out something. We're Soulmates! I had no idea that there were such things, but it's the best explanation to how we're so perfect for each other.
Soulmates are meant to spend the rest of their lives together. How does Mrs. Jezebel Blackthorn sound? I think it sounds perfect. We will be together for the rest of eternity, fighting and hunting side by side. I'm excited about the future.
I really love Morgead, more than anything.
I still did.
If only I could live that day again and again for the rest of eternity. If only I could tell him. If only we could be what I thought we could be.
I slowly got up again, hardly noticing the pain in my head. The ripping sensation in my heart was so much worse. I hid my diary under the floorboards. I couldn't risk Morgead finding it.
But we could never be together now. Not now that he hated me. I knew that every time I saw him, which would be often, I would be weeping inside.
If I could take this moment forever If I could find the words I would speak them If I could stop the moon ever rising I wish that our dreams were frozen If I could steal this moment forever
Turn the pages of my mind
To another place and time
We would never say goodbye
Then I wouldn't be tongue-tied
When I looked into your eyes
We would never say goodbye
Day would not become the night
Wouldn't feel this cold inside
And we'd never say goodbye
Then our hearts would not be broken
When we let each other go...
Paint a picture-perfect smile
So our story stayed alive
We would never say goodbye
Never Say Goodbye by Hayley Westenra