Frozen Fire

by Adelaide E

Features everybody. The fourth Wild Power struggles with loyalties and love while our old friends solve the ordeals of being a soul mate. Revamped um, no pun intended...

1. Frozen Fire 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Night World nor the characters in it. They were created by L.J. Smith.

By Adelaide E.

Frozen Fire

"How is the girl doing?" Hunter didn't turn around as he spoke to one of his many spies. The man, Traces, was sufficiently terrified of the former head of the Night World without the need for paralyzing glares.

"She is suspended for the last two weeks of school and she must see a psychiatrist for the summer. Last week she locked two girls in the janitor's closet for bumping into her."

"Two weeks? A psychiatrist?" The red-headed vampire smiled slightly while his eyes stayed on the dancing fire before him. Locking people in a closet didn't seem like much.

"She forgot to tell anybody…they were locked in the closet for two days. It was in the basement, you see."

Traces appeared to be amused by the information as well and Hunter, being the selfish creature he was, disliked seeing others enjoy themselves. The man was becoming annoying fast. He sighed. "Leave."

He never heard a sound as he left. That was a good sign; his spies could only be heard or seen when they wanted it so. Without nothing else to do, Hunter sat at his desk. As he did so, he looked up to find Lily standing before him.

In truth, he despised the girl. She was too ambitious, secretly wanting his place as head of the vampires. Technically, his former place. One couldn't hold office if others believed him dead. It was a general rule. Ha, not while he was up and kicking.

"Why don't we kill her? Those Daybreak imbeciles have already drawn three wild powers to their side. Why should a human be different? We will not win unless there is less than three, but your insane and idiotic orders are stopping that."

Hunter was half listening, for the growing fury brought Lily to the shocking resemblance of a snorting, twitching hell cat. But then her continuing ranting brought the image of an angry hen. Vampire, and yet so much like those filthy shifters.

"What? Do you think the girl will be willing to join the 'bad guys?' Face it Redfern, the humans seem to cheer for the good, honest team, as do the Wild Powers." Damn her. Honestly, can't a man dream? Hunter's only solace was the fact she couldn't quite glare with out the pains of the two scars on her cheek.

He would have to thank Jezebel when he finally killed her.

"It's simple, really," he began in a chiding, mature voice that caused his daughter's glare to deepen. "I have a plan. A genius, incredibly complicated and intricate plan that I am unable to tell you because... well I just don't like you. And as informative as your rant was, it was also somewhat out of line. Out in left field as they say. I found her, I arranged her life accordingly. You have done nothing except watch. Watch," he emphasized with malicious smile. Oh of course she hadn't just watched. One of the many things that irked the woman before him was an accusation of incompetence. By the look of the servants, spies, and hunters who failed at their tasks...yes the woman was efficient in her duties.

"If this all fails and the daybreakers are left standing, and I am sure they will, I believe that a stake look fitting in your heart. Your failure will bring most of the Council members to unanimously agree with me."

"It would be the first time," he replied smoothly. "Though I'm sure one member introduced the idea that you have a painful—yet unfortunately not deadly—stick up your ass. And no one was inclined to say otherwise."

"You're impossible," she hissed, ignoring his immaturity. Then she stormed out of the room, slamming the door so hard one of the decorative furnishings fell of the wall with a disappointing crack.

Lily Redfern was bitchy, delusional, and entirely over ambitious—all of which Hunter attributed to her mother. The only trait that Hunter was ready to admit passing along to his daughter was her talent of destroying. With a childish frown, he set about repairing his mounted singing bass.

~*~*~*~

Those who believed the beautiful were born lucky were…well, just plain dumb asses. Since she was fourteen, the fourth Wild Power believed bad luck targeted the so called better looking.

Maria Yolken stared silently at the family she dined with. Both her parents had blond hair, and already her younger brother's brown hair lightening. All had sickeningly pale skin. Yet you are amazingly dark, she thought to herself. All right, so "dark" was an exaggeration, but there was a noticeable, singular tan. The only similarity she shared with the family was her slender build and lack of height.

No doubt there was a Barbie somewhere, feeling very out of place as she ice fished with her family of Eskimos.

It unnerved them when she stared. I'll have to stop, she thought. "So," she began with the pretense of friendliness, "…am I adopted?"

"Oh for heaven's sake, Mari." Mrs. Yolken set down her fork, exasperated. "You've asked a thousand times. And I'm going to tell you again, no. As much as you wish it, no. You came from my womb just like your brother." Her mother. Honest to goodness, Maria loved her, but less so when the woman spouted words like "womb" right before dessert. Even the rest of her family cringed, though they knew they were lucky that the doctor hadn't said "uterus."

Mimicking her tone, the girl replied, "And for hell's sake mother it's bad to lie to your own daughter." She used air quotes around the last word that made her father choke with laughter. Now, she thought, there's a man I could not possibly be related too. He is really nice and fair and a great guy. Maybe my mother had an affair.

"Now if any one's adopted it's got to be Robby here. After all you're normal, I'm normal, your mother's normal. But Robby's a freak." She couldn't help but smile at her "father's" comment. If any body was any body, she was the freak. Too competitive, too angry, and too impulsive. Like Kelly and Tally last week. It was really their fault they got her so angry to lock them in a closet. And anybody with the name Tally deserved some confining punishment. "What had come over you?" her mother asked when she received the call about the little mishap.

"It's time you told her mom," Rob added solemnly, blue eyes twinkling. With an expression shockingly solemn for one so young, Rob turned to his elder sister and said dramatically, "You're the love child of Julio Iglesias."

"Robby!" Mrs. Yolken scolded while her father laughed and sang, "Starry, starry night…" Maria was ready to let her younger sibling feel the full force of her thrown bread roll before Mrs. Yolken caught her arm.

"Well, I think it's time for the check," her mother interrupted the song brightly, awkwardly sidestepping the rain cloud in their sunny meal. Maria tended to cause many of those. "Excuse me?" A waiter came as Mrs. Yolken summoned the bill. The young girl observed him, for she liked to know what was around her and what were they doing. She yawned, bored, and propped her elbow on the table, waiting to leave the restaurant.

In hindsight, Maria could remember the night perfectly. Every detail, every piece of broken glass, every burn in the carpet. She always remembered things, but that night she wished she could forget. And the screams. Robby had shrieked so loud, he was just so frightened…as was her mother. Mari had brought Robby to the hallway, where it met the living room. Mom was on the other side of the flames but she was so brave. So brave. Mom, her mom, ran through, ran straight through the flames. Mari cheered wildly…

Until her mother came and grabbed Robby's hand.

And then she carried him through a gap through the end of the living room that Mari didn't see. She didn't turn to her, and though that could be excused for panic, she felt something else.

It was because she was fourteen, and Mrs. Yolken knew she could follow on her own, Maria would later tell herself.

"Mommy!" she had yelled. And Mrs. Yolken paused for a moment, but continued in her sprint. "Mom!"

Surely, she hadn't heard. Maria frowned, not understanding, as she stared at them. Her mother would have stopped and turned back for her daughter, if she had heard her desperate cry. She wouldn't have simply left her…

"Don't leave me here!" she wanted to shout, and yet the words came out an anguished, embarrassed whisper. The kind of humiliation one associated when asking a stranger for help. Somehow, Maria felt awkward asking her mother to come back for her; as if, perhaps, Mrs. Yolken shouldn't feel obligated to aid the young girl…

But that was wrong. Carol Yolken was loving, and good, and brave, and she would not leave her daughter.

Her mother had saved her child without event thinking about the stranger.

Mari hated remembering this part. She stood at the same spot dumbly and then tried to run to the gap, but it was already engulfed by flames. Through the roaring fire feet away from her she saw the hazy figures of mom and Robby.

She could have said there was no way out that way, could have said that that side of the house was going to be burned the worst considering all flammable things were in the garage, the way she supposed her mother wanted to go. As if bidding her command, the flames were already following them.

Instead she stood there silently as the diminishing shadows ran towards the garage stairs. Her father was dead, she learned from the police later it was caused by inhaling the smoke. Mari guessed her mother saw the spreading fire toward the truckload of chemicals and jumped out the window. A four story jump to either the azaleas or the drive way. And her mother would have hated to have the azaleas damaged.

Mari walked calmly to the window in her room and climbed down the drain pipe.

"Nobody would have survived that jump, miss. Even if they had they would have probably been disabled, mentally and or physically." Mari didn't notice the kind, sympathetic smile from the older man's face. She just wore the same cold, unemotional look when they told her it had been an electrical fire. The same dead emptiness in her eyes that her half aunt saw when she moved from her house to a northern part of Georgia.

On the day of her family's funeral, many understood why she didn't talk, greet, or even move. They left her in the church pew as she stared at the three closed coffins. They threw sympathetic looks at the reception when she sat in a foldable chair with a plate of food in her lap that her aunt had given her. She sat there, watching with unmoving eyes as these friends shared stories of her late kind mother, her dead adorable brother, her deceased funny father. The food, along with everything else in the room, grew cold. The metal chair felt like ice. And Mari was freezing in the middle of June. She wasn't sure if it was physical or psychological, but Mari had never felt warm since then. That day, a part of Maria died with her family at age fourteen.

And the only minorly amusing thing that day was some distant cousin who said:

"She looks pretty in her funeral dress."

~*~*~*~

June 4, 1999

"Hey, look over there." Trent hit his partner's arm when he didn't comply. "I said look." Warren's bald head turned to the direction Trent pointed at and gave a low whistle. Trent had to admit that it wasn't really responsible of him to promote gawking at girls while working, but he could barely ignore them when they were at a mall on a Saturday.

"She's probably a non-human, if you know what I mean," Warren said in a low voice, ever the cautious. Trent rolled his eyes, for of course he knew what he meant. After all, "non-human" did not mean galactic alien nor woodland creature. "She's… she's perfect. Perfect eyes, perfect full lips, perfect nose, not to mention a well proportioned body." Trent shook his head.

"Right, and who says 'well proportioned?' The word 'hot' will do fine, my friend. Besides, look she's a little bit shorter than normal. That's not perfect." He pointed out.

But Warren shook his head in turn, as if laughing at his friend's naïve nature. "No, every body knows that being perfect is just annoying. But if you have a flaw, you're imperfect, making you perfect because there's something that makes you…"

"Ahem."

The two turned to see Raksha Keller, who appeared none too happy. Before they could mumble explanations and apologies—which included studying girls' back pockets for hidden weaponry— she spoke sharply. "That girl you were drooling over? Follow her."

Disliking being ordered around in such a clip manner—for Hugh had always been so polite with his orders—Trent asked with uncertain eyes, "Why?"

Keller's expression hardened; she was accustomed to immediate obedience from those of the lower rank. Nissa and Winnie alone were sufficient, but these two were obviously dead weight. "Because that's what you were sent here to do. Make sure nobody gets to her. You know who nobody is. Tell Nissa if she's leaving or not. She'll take it from there." They could hear Keller's growling begin and left immediately.

Nissa, she's leaving, Trent thought as he followed her towards the doors. She'll be in front of you in a minute. It's up to you. Got it? He felt nothing. Nissa, don't miss her, there's Nightworld citizens who wants to give the lady a ride too. Nissa! There was something wrong; she wouldn't play around on something as important as this. He tried again and felt his words bounce against the walls of her mind.

Mari didn't squint when the fierce glare of the sun met her eyes. Ignoring the oh so obvious vulgar remarks from three boys a few feet away from her, she stood, hand on hip, eyes searching for a black topless convertible. While waiting, she saw a black stretch limousine occupying three spaces. Before she could see who was the celebrity honoring the small town shopping center, a gaudy race car brought a rush of wind towards her. The equally gaudy driver flashed her a smile.

"There's my little ice queen. How bout a ride?" Dorian Goldtooth stopped the gawking of the boys with one quelling glance. She found his little pet name more than annoying. It sounded like a two year old trying to say "ice cream" but not developing his R's.

"I'm not anybody's ice queen," she said as she tossed the bags in the back and settled in the passenger seat. "Should I drive?" she asked calmly when he didn't stop smiling at her. She was, as usual, irritated in his presence. Ever since the eighth grade she'd known him to be a perfect being; two rows of pearly white teeth, blonde hair that was amazing no matter how tousled it was, and then his angelic face. Perfection was always irksome to those less than so. Then he would say something and that reminded Mari that he was not intellectually pleasing.

"You will be. Someday…"his eyes flicked over her with some vulgarity, "someday. I feel like traveling today. Feel like going to the country side?" Mari frowned at the proposition, seeing as everywhere was the country side.

"Another session of women's defensive fighting? I'm sorry, but an hour's training dismissed by your hopeful "Next time?" isn't quite that tempting. Just take me home."

"Aw, come on it will be fun." Mari noticed he lost his devil may care charm, but didn't worry. No doubt he was just pouting or the wind blowing between his ears was causing some discomfort. Although she refused, they were now riding through one of the many fields that surrounded the small town of Blossom Springs.

"Dorian, turn around. We could go out another time," she said lightly. Her voice strained oddly at the last word. She coughed violently. How long was it since she last drunk something? Her throat was parched; as if she was swallowing sand.

"Here, your voice sounds pretty bad." She took the drink he handed, not caring what it was. It went down like liquid fire, making Mari cough more.

"Mari are you okay?" The words, concerned or not, were barely registered in Mari's mind. She'd expect for him to be worried about vomiting on the leather interior. The last thing she remembered was a Dorian's perfect eyes.

~*~*~*~

"You could be a little bit more considerate." Really, one of her friends just got knocked out. Instead of being concerned, the team leader simply cleared the surrounding crowd and then ranted about the mission.

"She'll be fine. Nissa get up and stop trying to get out of this." Trent was about to protest again until he felt the supposedly unconscious girl stir in his arms, muttering something unpleasant about Keller.

She stood up and cleared her throat. "We all know that whoever was on the bad guy's side has one hell of a psychic."

Trent took the opportunity to speak up. "I questioned the guys who were standing out here and then wiped them out. They said that she was picked up by a blond boyfriend in a black convertible. They headed west."

Keller asked, "What's west?"

Nissa answered for him. "Fields and that's about it. The road goes on to the highway. No buildings at all. Nobody's there during the day, but at night it's where the 'serious' couples go."

"So…what do we do now?" Warren asked nervously.

"Tell the boss we failed. They got her." The three kept silent, knowing to Keller failing was one of the seven deadly sins.

"Dammit," Keller said softly.

~*~*~*~

Dammit. Thierry closed his eyes as the voice on the other line waited for a command. "Find her. I don't care how, kill sparingly, and make sure she comes back in one piece." They were all stupid orders, but he felt he had to say something. He hung up the phone when he heard a dial tone. Hannah was standing in the doorway when he turned. Neither knew what to say for a few minutes.

"They got her and then they'll kill her." There was a bleak confidence in his voice. Hannah shook her head, a small smile on her lips to comfort him.

"What if they don't? If they're still trying to get a wild power on their side, there's still a chance." After a pause she continued, "Isn't it odd?"

"What is?" he asked as they sat on the couch.

"She is a she. There's Jez, Iliana, and then Delos. You'd think fate would be fair and have another male so it would be even. But destiny, fate, whatever it is can surprise you sometimes."

Thierry twirled a lock of Hannah's golden hair and said quietly, "Fate also says that she will be 'one with the dark' Now what do you suppose that means?"

"That we're screwed." Both looked up to find Jez leaning against the door frame. "Has any one ever seen her use her powers? She could just be another one of those false cases."

"Because Grandma Harman and the Maiden had vague visions about her before… and then some other minor psychics did as well. If it isn't her she's got to have a twin." Jez narrowed her eyes at his attempt of a joke. He changed the subject. "Listen, two weeks from now others will be coming. Did Nilsson tell you that you would have to clear your stuff out of some of the guest rooms?"

"Yes dad," she replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Where's Morgead?"

Her grim face softened slightly by the mention of her soul mate. "He's around. How are we going to live after New Year's if we don't get her?"

Hannah thought for a minute then answered softly. "Whatever happens, was meant to happen. If we die, then we were supposed to die." She laughed. "Sounds cliché, doesn't it?"

Jez stood for a minute, digesting the heavy words. With a grimace, the girl left for her room.

Thierry smiled down at his soul mate. "That's the first time I've seen her speechless."

~*~*~*~

June 8, 1999

Mari had once read a book where a girl was awake but didn't open her eyes to find out more information from her kidnappers. It wasn't helping her now. She heard absolutely nothing, save the constant humming of the world outside, which she guessed she was speeding past. There was leather under her, now sticking to her cheek. Cautiously she opened her eyes, expecting to find herself in Dorian's back seat. With one movement she was sitting up, looking into the rear view mirror where the driver's pale green eyes were.

"Hello," she said shortly. Mari didn't believe in shooting accusations until she knew what exactly the situation was. And she had always planned to die with dignity, and if this was the day she wasn't going to botch those plans by screaming hysterically. Panic attacks tended to be somewhat detrimental to one's dignity.

"Hello." He had a surprisingly deep voice for a man of his appearance. He didn't look older than twenty five.

"These ropes on my wrists are a bit bothersome. Anything you could do about that?" After three years of living with her aunt and her servants, Mari had become accustomed to having that superior voice towards the help. She saw the driver smile.

"If you promise not to stab me or anything."

"I doubt that would help you considering I never keep any promises." Mari slipped out the last of the rope coils and, like a cat out of water, jumped forward to wrap the rope around his neck.

"This is a very interesting rope, sir. Thinner than most, yet it took some time for me to slip out of it. And it makes you seem uncomfortable, if you don't mind me saying so." She pulled tighter as he tried to swerve, and the ropes dug into his neck, leaving angry welts. Her feet were bundled up as well, but she didn't have time to loosen those.

"There's no use you know." It made Mari smile, inwardly of course, that the deep soothing voice was now strained. He continued, "There are others behind us. Where ever you go, they go." She sighed mentally and reluctantly removed the rope, gave his cheek a little pinch and settled back in her seat. To stay preoccupied, she began to unwind the cords around her numb ankles.

"That ruins everything, doesn't it?" He glowered. "Come now, let's not turn sour. Is this a casual kidnap and ransom deal or is it far more interesting?" She spoke in her usual voice, not in the least affected by the situation. Over the years she made herself believe that the events of the course of her life would prove unimportant when she was dying. So this was nothing when it all came down to the end, when she finally reached the opportunity to tell God just what she thought of him and all his stupid plans. Mortal pain was probably a small itch compared to holy wrath. Or so she theorized, any way.

"More interesting than you could imagine." He cut her off before she spoke. "But you doubt that would help considering you don't imagine." She gave a brittle smile.

"You read my mind," she murmured then noted her surroundings. "Tinted windows, sunroof, extra space, and little wine bottles. Could this be a limousine?" Although she never really changed her tone, sarcasm was heavy in her words.

"I see the beauty is also accompanied with brains. And we are here." Mari was about to say it was a short ride when she realized she had been unconscious for who knew how long. Ever since…

"Where is my…friend? Dorian where is he?"

"Who?"

The ridiculous tranquillity she had before was swiftly fleeing her. This could be the woods, where she could be raped or tortured or both… or worse. She pushed all thoughts, rational and crazy, aside and took the offered hand as she stepped out of the limo. What she saw was bitterly disappointing. A castle? She thought. Well, isn't that just thrilling. To her left another car pulled up. "What day is it?" she asked as she noted each of the passengers that stepped out.

"Wednesday." Really, she thought. Four and a half days all in one nap.

There were eight males in all. The driver cleared his throat and motioned her to follow them as they headed toward the massive estate. Mari momentarily stood where she was to show that she was not some prize cattle to be herded about. And the fact that the men a few feet away from her eyed her as she was Bessie on a slaughterhouse field trip was another reason to stay put. Two began to move towards her.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming. Just don't touch me." She sounded like one of the snobby peroxide blondes on the cheerleading squad more than she formerly thought possible. Not to mention bitchy, she thought with dreary amusement.

In retrospect, what she had done was truly out of character and, frankly put, stupid. But it was surprising that she would turn into one of those desperate fools, who were reactionary at any window of opportunity. The eight men, eight killing, obviously dangerous, devious, callous—and so forth—murderers could have had driven Satan himself to run away whimpering, if it was not Satan himself who created them.

Taking a deep breath, Mari stepped forward to the men and…turned a heel and ran the other direction. At the moment she didn't give damn if the direction led to a women's penitentiary, as long as she didn't have to face the hunters. Mari hadn't actually thought how fast they would be; she only thought of how fast she had to be. Speed was natural to her, at least in this moment, when faced with a handful of potential murderers and possibly a Blair Witch behind her. She yelped when an ungentle hand clamped down on her arm. A tall boy with white silvery hair had little smile on his full lips.

What the hell?! Mari could have sworn she ran a good half a mile ahead of them and the last time she looked back there was no one following her.

"Where are you going?" He asked as if they were old roommates, sitting down to breakfast. Mari fought the urge to respond with "Nut 'n honey." She was struggling, trying to stop the tears of physical pain in her eyes. Even without effort, the boy applied so much pressure that Mari was sure the bone was being bruised. He repeated the question in chiding tones.

"Bird watching. I heard they have those funny, flying things in the forest. Would you like to join me?" Mari gave a false smile. When strength, speed, and logic failed her she could always count on her sarcasm. "Or would you believe I saw a dollar on the ground? Apparently, a dollar can get me good long distance rates."

He laughed in dark rich chuckles. "All right, midget, we have no time for games right now. Right now we have to get you into that castle. Okay?" He began to walk towards the group she had left in long effortless strides, forcing Mari to jog to keep up with him. Back to the snake pit, she thought and then felt belated umbrage for the midget comment.

It disturbed Mari to the point of violence when she saw all of the fast-and-fury men were all amused at her failed attempt at flight. They were wearing noticeable smiles, in their eyes or on their lips, when they escorted her to the door. Mari could have told them it wasn't necessary, that she wouldn't run away again, but then again she didn't really know if she'd have another lapse of insanity.

Her eyes moved to the men surrounding her. She hadn't really noticed it before, perhaps due to the soberness of her situation, but they were all extremely handsome. Those stunning looks only found once in every other high school were owned by all eight surrounding men. Mari knew that if she was a normal, boy crazy girl she'd be swooning by now. But even if she were, just the way they were would stop that. Mari felt like an innocent little newborn baby at the hands of little red men with tails and pitch forks.

No. No, of course not. She refused to believe that. She was Mari, the ice princess extroidanaire, the pinnacle of apathy, and the only girl in school who could challenge anybody from the football captain to Castro and win. She was not, nor ever going, to show that she was vulnerable. They had expressions as if carrying a conversation, one even laughed, and, although he made it seem as if he hadn't meant to, the little smile he kept told Mari it was also meant to frighten her more. They weren't talking and yet…they were communicating, somehow.

They reached the door in a matter of minutes, which opened the instant they reached the top step of the mountain of stairs. Mari thought the young woman who opened it was unnaturally yet naturally breathtaking. It was at this point when she began to ponder the possibility that she was dreaming of simply beautiful people who plainly didn't like her. As she thought this, the woman who eyed her distastefully was leading her up a flight of stairs. Comparatively, she was a great improvement from the men who had escorted her here, where ever here was. In her thoughts, Mari had not heard one of the men call "Hope to see you again Maria." after her. Maybe some small little part of her mind had heard it and shuddered at the intimate timbre in his chilling voice, but her only weapon now was to show no fear and ignore the distractions.

Another part of her mind was also wondering why? Why was she being taken away, why was she brought to a castle, why did they want her if not for money. It was one of the few moments in the past years when she actually felt fear. No, she didn't like that word…terror. She had worn the mask of stolidity for so long it had frozen on her face, like so many mothers told their gullible daughters.

She was told to sit in a well furnished sitting room, silk cushioned throne chairs, tables and rugs embedded with jewels and lined with gold. There was already a man sitting in one of the huge seats, sipped some wine, and then stood as she came in. He indicated the chair in front him, settled back in the chair, and slowly finished his glass, his eyes never leaving hers.

Mari sat, wishing she could do something, wishing she did something before, but something was always keeping her. She was also wishing she was bigger, stronger so that she could have ran faster or fought or at least have her feet touch the floor when she sat back in the chair. She settled for leaning forward and feet planted firmly on the floor, so as not to show her size.

He had an air of authority, yet was laid back and calm. He had sleek black hair that was fading into a gleaming silver in some places, green eyes that were uncannily clear, and pale skin. Any middle aged woman would have fallen in love with him in less than a second.

"I suppose you're wondering why you have been brought here." He sounded like an aged Casanova, except with a British accent.

Maria slouched slightly with disappointment. With his appearance, plus the creepy castle, and all the antiquity of everything… She had fully expected the new stranger to say with outreaching hands, "I vant to suck vour blood!"

"Well, it was just a nagging little thought for the past few days. Let me think…hell yes," she answered.

He nodded as if remembering a fond memory and pointed out smoothly, "Granted you been napping for the past few days. Nobody will miss you for a while. We sent a note to your aunt, explaining that you'll be off to Las Vegas. Place to be for summer vacation. You don't have any friends that will ask, conveniently enough."

"And what about Dorian?" Again her terror had heightened, and she felt that the mysterious man before had caught it. This play-it-cool thing is definitely not working, she thought, and tried to even harder to emulate James Dean. But the narrowing of eyes only hindered her vision and there were no brick walls to lean against.

But if Dorian was still alive, then he could do something, call the police, tell her aunt where she really was… storm the castle on a white steed for all she cared; she just wanted out.

He shook his head and shut his eyes. Oh, he looks sad, Mari thought with childish simplicity. Why would he be sad? The man then said, "I'm sorry, Maria. They killed him. They killed him before we got there."

Oh…no.

No.

Dorian died. Because of her. She caused another death. Dorian was so charming and…charming. What else was there? Before she could fully mourn her loss he spoke again.

"Maria… do you mind if I call you that?"

"Mari," she corrected gloomily.

"Of course. Mari, I want you to listen to me very carefully. Now this may sound untruthful but it is true. I never lie Mari. We have you here in this castle to protect you. I—" Before he could continue, Mari cut him off with a short burst of girlish laughter. False, of course, but mocking enough to show that she wasn't as gullible as he'd hoped she would be. And to stop the hurt. She hadn't felt it in so long that it seemed like it was slicing through her heart, more than just an emotion being made somewhere in her brain. The man before was still staring darkly, so she gave a shrug.

"Sorry. Just that it was my first James Bond-X files moment there. Okay, okay, I'll listen now." He cleared his throat and began.

"Since you have no will for beginnings, I'll get right to the point. I'm a vampire. See?" He curled his upper lip, revealing long needle like fangs. He seemed to be in no mood for interruptions but Mari was curious. She moved closer with narrowed eyes. They looked real… She moved up until she was a few inches away from him. Before she could touch them they retracted back into normal sized teeth. Those were definitely not fake.

"Hell spawned?" she asked with a shaky laugh. Then she sighed and shrugged at the ceiling. "Why not? Kidnapped by ravishing, Speedy Gonzalas men, trapped in a castle, my only friend is killed, and nobody would ever know. Not enough reasons to make me believe, but the fangs will do it." Besides, it wasn't that strange. It was like discovering a hidden tribe in the Amazon, or learning that a mythical fish in the ocean was real.

Not that strange? Her mind repeated angrily. Getting a paper cut is not that strange. Being kidnapped by vampires is pretty fucking strange!

"Eep," she let out with almost comical fear.

"I'm sorry, this isn't going the way I planned. It's a shock, I know, to have these horrible things thrown at you at once, but you must listen. We're keeping you here to protect you from the people who killed your friend. This organization is called the Night World." He paused when she made a face. He rolled his eyes and said, "What?"

She shrugged, unused to being forced to explain herself. "The 'Night World'? It just sounds little cheesy that's all. It's like as cheesy as…okay I got one. The Dark Planet. The Evil Black Hearts. The Midnight Stalkers. Mess with them and you'll rue the day you were born." He sat humorless and impatient. Mari sat back disappointed. She had even showed genuine movie effects there and he hadn't even appreciated it. Then he gave a little smile. Yes, she liked this man.

"If we're done with the movie trailers, I'll continue. The organization consists of witches, werewolves, and shape shifters, who change forms from human like to animals. They live among your people, as if they were one of your kinds. But there are some who are against us. They don't believe that our kind should carry on their ways of living."

Mari didn't like that careful tone of voice. "Ways of living, you say? And, do tell, what would that be?"

"Do you condemn others for eating chicken? Steak? Pork Chops? We are vampires, and in order to live we need your blood. Earlier you called me hell spawned. Well perhaps this is it. In order to live, we need you. We need your blood. Yes it's terrible, but do you expect us to ignore our instincts? To slowly die because of starvation. And we don't kill your people when we drink their blood, like so many humans think." His voice was compelling and reasonable.

If not for his tone, she would have giggled over the word "vampire." True, she had eaten meat, for protein and because it tasted good. What made her feel guilty was the fact that cows, piggies and chickens did die for her to live. Here vampires just sipped the juice box and left.

"What about those animal people?"

He smiled again, that gentle, amused smile. "Well they need guts. No, I don't mean the expression, dear, I mean they must eat the guts. Some can control themselves and eat them from animals but if they hadn't fed properly over a period of time, they may be driven to kill humans. But it's the same way a wolf kills a rabbit so he won't die." It all made sense to Mari. There were times when she watched in psychology, videos of coyotes, bears, and lions hunting and devouring beasts, large or small, for the sake of life. It had never affected her like it did the others then, so why should it now?

"Why," she began slowly, avoiding his kind, emerald gaze, "would you want to protect me? I mean, what do I have to do with anything?"

He took a breath and she could see he was searching for the proper way to tell her something. Something very important. She suddenly didn't want to know. The news he was about to tell was somehow going to change her life and she didn't want her life changed. But he took a breath and she saw she was about to receive her life sentence.

"They have three people who are like you. These people have powers. And in order to have that peak of that power they need you by the end of the year. But we don't want them to manipulate you like they did the others, Maria. We don't want that to happen again. So we're going to protect, hide you until then. Please don't think that we abducted you to lock you up in this prison. We're going to make everything comfortable. Please," He stopped, unable to go on.

Mari had no idea why he was saying please. Please what? Did she really have a choice in the matter when there were supernatural beings ready to stop her even if she wanted to leave? He shook his head.

"I'm sorry but I couldn't help hearing—"

"Hearing? I didn't say anything."

"Er…your thoughts. Vampires can hear your thoughts."

"Hey buddy, my thoughts are off limits," she protested heatedly. "And…are you sure you can?" Mari didn't like the prospect of constantly guarding her sarcastic and violent thoughts from those around her. For instance, almost against her will, her eyes flickered over the vampire sitting before her.

Great bod, she noted, face never losing its icy veneer.

"Thanks," he replied, blushing a bit.

"Damn," she muttered, and tried with all her power to block out mortifying thoughts. "Continue."

"They picked you up so I could explain it to you. But if you want you can go. You can go back to your Blossom Fields and wait to be picked up by the Daybreakers, so they can persuade you to become another one of their victories. A trophy, a pawn. You can go back," he repeated.

Mari sat very still and began to think. First of all there was no way out; no windows and no openings except the door, which most likely led to a dark hallway. So the option was to stay and cooperate for the time being. Then she would see whether she wanted to be protected, or if they were all psychos who thought she had powers. Then she reviewed the people who might help. This man said she had powers, so he was offering protection in the form of a castle-prison. Protection from another group of whatevers who might brainwash her. And this man was being really nice to her. Nicest anyone has been for a long time… too long. After all he said he never lied.

"Um…you just heard everything I thought, huh?"

"Pretty much," he answered with a small grin.

A slow smile spread across her lips, what some people called her killing smile. But it wasn't; it was just a little curve that showed she made a decision. If they were violent, blood thirsty decisions, it was their own fault. "Well, a castle isn't so bad."

This time Mari was able to see a full, happy, actually exuberant, smile on his face. "I'd hug you, but that's improper. We have a lot of work to do. First you have to meet the man who found out about you and decided to save you."

~*~*~*~

July 15, 1999

"She did what?!" The couple had come for a visit to their favorite mansion, despite protests from several daybreakers who were assigned to protect them.

"With that, that…snake. We're going to die, that's for certain. Dammit! We worked so hard. Dammit!" He kicked a chair across the room for emphasis.

"You know," Maggie told Jez, "one of the reasons I love him is his optimism. He's always looking at the bright side of things. And when he says 'dammit' it's only because he cares." She and Jez laughed, making Delos's head turn.

"I find no humor in the fact that the last person we need to save the earth just did a blood tie ceremony with a dead Hunter Redfern." His soul mate rose from the couch and wrapped her arms around his neck. Morgead thought this would only infuriate him more, but Delos visibly relaxed.

Oh, he thought, she must have said something to him. Morgead cleared his throat. "Not dead, pal. A witch brought him back, then she died. And as for the girl, we still got five more months. Something's bound to happen." He hoped Jez noticed his calmness. She had told him the other day that he never looked at situations rationally. "It's all just kill somebody, save the day to you. Never thinking," she had told him. He saw she nodded approvingly and he smiled back.

"We have to go save her," a new voice broke in with absolute certainty. Four pairs of eyes turned to greet Lord Thierry and Lady Hannah as they walked into the living room. Maggie ever the woman of etiquette, squealed and jumped from Delos's arms to greet the couple.

"I thought you guys were out on a meeting or something," Maggie said as she hugged Hannah. The girls were almost the same age yet when they were together it was as if Hannah was a grandma Maggie came to visit. Delos guessed it was an Old Soul thing to always look wiser.

"We were. Then we came home." Delos came to shake hands with the Elder and then to kiss the hand of Hannah. Jez and Morgead simply waved.

While Maggie gave the customary punch to Thierry's arm that he really didn't feel, Morgead asked, "How do you propose we do that?"

"We're sending some of our best to 'spy' on the castle. The limited number of men will go to investigate or kill them. That leaves the girl with another limited number of men that our people will kill; cue sweeping the girl to safety." Thierry's manner suggested there wasn't any other plan.

"Any other residents nearby?" Maggie asked what Jez was wondering herself.

Hannah shook her head. "We had Aradia do a little psychic searching on the island she's on. Apparently, Redfern wants her completely isolated from any other Night World citizens other than the ones she's already begun to trust. It would ruin the image of the innocent vampires, werewolves, shape shifters who have no choice than to listen to their instincts blah, blah, blah."

"Guess they don't want her to see that most of the hunters take pleasure out of their meals," Morgead remarked.

"Duh genius," Maggie said as she plopped down next to him. He gave an annoyed look but could never really scare the girl, especially with her prince near.

"This human was willingly brought into the Redfern Clan by the head of it himself." Jez said wonderingly. "A human, for goddess' sake, and he was the one who hated half breeds," she said with a supercilious sniff.

"Maybe she won't stay human for long," Delos said what nobody else wanted to consider. Then Thierry ruined the properly gloomy atmosphere by noticing:

"Who broke my chair?" Though never admitting to the crime, Delos sheepishly volunteered to find some super glue.

~*~*~*~

July 16, 1999

Mari wore an Asian red silk dress and found that the narrow skirt hindered her walking. Proper attire was a must when she endured a meeting with Hunter Redfern, for he clearly disliked her normal jeans and tank top armor. For the first two weeks she was given the same dresses she saw out of fairy tale books but they were simply unbearable. However did Snow White manage to run through the woods without accumulating half the forestry under her petticoats?

So she made Hunter settle for the present day styles, and Mari's shrewd eyes saw he was none too happy to relent. Hunter Redfern was all fake and no fun, so she believed, and she didn't trust him as far as she could throw him. Though, really, it would be fun to try and toss that full grown man out the window…

Now the first man she met, however, was an entirely different story. The tough façade was, what she believed, a cover up to…something softer. She once had a child hood friend, a one eyed alley cat was named Mr. Shamblepix, and just as she had used the name to irritate the ugly feline, she did so now to the aging father figure. From her former driver, Leo, she learned his name was Carn Lancin and that he wasn't "the greatest guy in the world." But to the best of her own knowledge, Carn was indeed a softy named Mr. Shamblepix underneath the layer of evilness. Most people just couldn't see that, just as most people couldn't really see the real her.

They were both misunderstood, Mari rationalized. In the others' absence, he'd linger longer than necessary to chat, or debate, or give her stern lectures concerning the lack of modesty in her wardrobe. Mari had been at first surprised, and then amused by his grudging fatherly attitude. Carn told her he wasn't being soft, just doing what he wanted to do. Of course.

Lancin had informed her that his team would not bother her, and would most likely to treat her as a little sister in need of protection. But facts were they did bother her, and their brotherly thoughts appeared incestuous and in need of latex protection. After weeks of denial in Carn's part, he finally ensured with a few threatening words that no "coupling," as he worded it, would happen. And in addition to these changes, Mari had a new family. A large new family from what she had heard, with grandsons and great grandsons and distant relatives in other species. Hunter was acting like the model father, but in Mari's opinion, Carn was surpassed him easily.

At the moment she was sitting on her wide bed, which was also covered in silk. She didn't like living like this, with strange beds that would teeter like a see saw and nobody but the boys to talk to. Ancient indoor plumbing, no electricity, and drafty marble floors. Through the narrow slits some might call windows, she heard the boys training and planning. The boys, she mused, were under the authority of a leader, who was under the authority of Carn, who was under the authority of Hunter. And Hunter was definitely not the type to be under anyone's thumb.

That leader…what was his name? Valdis…Valdis Eldson. He didn't like her or the way his men were distracted when she came to visit. That's why she was sitting very still on her bed, thinking about how he had told her to go back to her room after she slipped out while Hunter was detained. As if I was a child, she thought disgustedly. No, she thought, as if I was vermin. She had heard him say it enough to know she was the subject. "That vermin this, that vermin that," she mocked him, childishly. "To tell the truth I am getting rather sick of it." Unlike the girl who just looked at her wrong and got fired, Carn pretended not to notice Valdis' words.

Without knowing why, she began to dwell on the subject. Valdis didn't like her because of her species. But if she was a vampire, would he begin to like her? She pushed the thought aside hastily. Pleasing that bigot was the last thing on her to-do list.

True, he was handsome, but not exotically so like the rest of the men. His red hair was unlike any color she had seen on anybody before, his eyes a mixture of cerulean blue and jungle green. But they weren't very original. Red hair and blue eyes, big deal. And even though there was always an argument when they met, there was always respect for each other's stubborn looks in their eyes when they regarded each other. Mari told herself it was just a small, tiny crush. No, not even barely qualifying as a crush, just a small trip to insanity.

The side of the bed where she sat rose suddenly and she turned, expecting to see Mr. Shamblepix, but found the silver blond haired boy grinning at her. Oh yeah, she thought, he's the one who caught me when I tried to run. She hadn't seen him since the first day she was brought here.

"That dress suits you," he said. "Then again you would look beautiful in anything." He smiled that almost made Mari's heart melt. But she refused to show it. Mari was becoming tired of every vampire here thinking she would be unable to resist them and that meant a ticket to a bounce on the mattress. Mari liked to remind them she wasn't another helpless victim to their stunning looks. And this man expected for her to warm up with merely two sentences.

But then again, some incurably vain part of her mind thought, it was the truth. The dress made her look even more exotic, as if she would fit in perfectly somewhere in Asia. Mari made a point of finding out who her parents were when she left the castle, and kick their asses for not keeping her.

"Is that all?" she asked with her old voice. She liked using it, and enjoyed the way it made others cower. But it did nothing here save annoy Valdis. "I'm trying to think." That was as composed as she could be when her side of the bed was still up in the air. He stood up abruptly, making her land back on the bed boards with a thump. He sat close beside her but not close enough to make her uncomfortable.

"I know you've been restless." Of course you know, nit wit, you can read minds. "And I also know that Carn has been teaching you how to fight, protect yourself and, if necessary kill." She nodded, not really interested, but so that he'd continue. "Well, I found out that there are Daybreakers near here. In a cottage in the woods, trying to pass of as Night people." He sighed when he saw she was examining her nails. "Maria, it's them. The people who killed your friend when they were trying to get you."

Mari stopped breathing long enough for the stranger to notice. When she wasn't vexing Valdis, or chatting with the others, she thought of Dorian. It took her a while to think of some other qualities he had besides charm. Like humor, or what he thought was humor, but at least he tried to make her laugh. And the way he still talked to her despite the numerous times she had been inexcusably cruel to him. Loyalty, one of the few things valued. I think I cried, she told herself, but I'm not sure. From the beginning she was angry with the killers. Talking about it only added fuel to it. But her anger now wasn't like as it was at the beginning; that bubbling, seething rage that made her teeth hurt. It was a serene, calm ire that was made the earlier feeling of hate appears like a little miff. Mr. Stranger brought her back to earth.

"Maria," he began softly.

"It's Mari." She was tired of this man, this political world, and tired of being called Maria. She didn't even know her informant. "It's Mari. What's your name?"

"Alastair. Alastair Orin. Maria…er…Mari, I know it's not my place to say so, but your mind is like a satellite here. Anybody can tell you're bent on revenge."

His words rang in Mari's mind. Revenge? Well, maybe her anger had been festered around that thought. But how would she do it? She would need to know how Dorian died, so as the murderers would suffer the same fate. If he died slowly and painfully, they would spend even more time with torture, left alone to the point when they think they could escape. Then Mari would kill them with a dragging death. If he died fast and without much pain, then they could watch there friends or accomplices die quickly. Mari never thought like this before, and was surprised when she could do so quite easily.

"So you're asking me if I want to go?"

"Yes. I just thought you should know, because you don't seem to be healing with his death and it looks like if you keep going on as you do, you won't ever. You'll end up as one of those bitter, possibly insane old ladies that lives with a thousand cats. Now, I'm not saying that you should kill these people, just confront them…"

"But, Alastair, in order to heal, as you say, I'm just going to have to kill them." She was calm, sounding like a slightly distressed house wife with a surprise guest. And her mind was set; nothing, nothing, was going to change her decision.

Alastair searched for words. "This isn't what I wanted you to do." When she didn't answer, he continued. "It isn't going to help." More silence. "Well, if Carn finds out you're going with us as a wannabe Buffy, there's no way you're getting out of this castle." Mari turned to look at him without focusing on his features.

"But you won't tell him Alastair, will you? After all I'm just coming to learn, darling." Alastair became cautious at the tone of her voice, which had suddenly become certain and alluring. He noticed she slowly scooted over, until her head was touching with his shoulder. How is she going to kill daybreakers when she's so tiny? he thought.

"How is it that you haven't been around the other boys?" If Alastair didn't know any better, he'd have sworn she was either flirting with him or making sure he'd keep his mouth shut. She leaned her head against his shoulder, sable hair spilling out of the pins that had been holding it up. He took a breath. She was only human after all, and anybody could resist humans.

"I don't usually work with Valdis and his crew. I only come when they really need me," he replied smoothly. She may be had a strange effect on him, but he was determined that the damn crafty little vermin wouldn't see it.

"You know I haven't had any visitors besides the old people. Stay a while." Her hands were playing with his hair, her breath was warm against his neck. He was going to have to stop this, before she finished what ever she planned.

He stood up and in front of her, making her land gracefully on a pillow. She stretched comfortably, the dress showing every curve the girl could have. "What is it, Alastair?" This girl can't be human, he thought dazedly, she's too…inhuman. Shouldn't she be feeling guilty about playing with my feelings? Up until that point, Alastair hadn't heard of a heartless human.

"I…I have to feed. You know drink blood, drink some innocent being's blood." That ought to bring back from whatever delusional world she was in. Thinking she could seduce him, ha!

She tilted her head so that her shining hair fell away, revealing a beautiful bronze neck. "Really? Must you leave then? We could always have a little fun."

"Um, yes," he muttered quickly. "I have to go." He rushed to the door and left without saying good bye.

Mari smiled in satisfaction. Alastair wouldn't be a problem, at least to her. Now all she had to do was convince Carn she had to go. It was simple really. They treated her like a spoiled child and if she pouted and sulked enough, they would give in. Men always gave in.

He still wore a smile, although a bit confused, as he walked down the hall. Now he had to tell Hunter he had her all riled up so the Daybreakers could see which side she was on. Hunter loved a show.

~*~*~*~

July 24, 1999

Rashel didn't approve of working with the kids she was supposed to baby sit, but where they went she went. And that meant staying in a luxurious cottage with a wild power, a wild power's soul mate, her soul mate, and about fifty other people. Word from the head quarters was Hunter was very sure of himself and had only sent thirty men to protect the castle. That meant fifteen or so here and a few left to protect the girl. Right now all she had to do was wait for them. Rashel felt the couch shift its weight and greeted her soul mate with a nod, which he returned. She felt him take her hand.

This is a stupid plan, John, she thought to him.

True, but what other choice do we have? Rashel shook her head at the reply. Problem was there was no plan B. If they failed then they just left. And if the girl knew how to use her powers, the only way of leaving was the wind carrying their ashes away.

Is Hunter stupid enough to have the girl at the mission? Probably not. Rashel wanted to believe him, but there was always that small possibility when Hunter used that stupidity. Hunter in his former self had always had some screws loose; death and resurrection had probably dissembled his mind completely. She felt John laugh.

Also true. But if Hunter just delivers the girl, that's not stupid, it's called political suicide. Hey come here.

Do you think you can just tell me where to go? Rashel asked as she scooted over to John's welcoming arm.

Of course I can, woman. She punched him in the chest, making him wince.

Oh, I didn't mean to punch that hard. There was an obvious lack of sincerity on her part.

I know, you just punched where you "accidentally" hit me with a bat yesterday.

That was an accident.

"Rashel, Quinn." They looked up to find Fayth standing over them. Rashel learned after they joined Circle Daybreak that the girl was annoyingly efficient when it came to missions. And anything that didn't relate to the mission was unnecessary. Rashel wasn't sure if she did the right thing saving her life years back.

You did, you did. Just have to bear her irritating bossy-ness.

Rashel sighed. Well, I'm the boss, here. "What is it, Fayth?"

"They're coming. About twenty miles from here, walking mostly. Hundred men. Twenty werewolves. Twenty five shape shifters. Rest vampires."

Quinn shot up. "Hundred! Where the hell did they get hundred? And I thought they would have some at least guarding Rapunzel over there!"

"Must have flown in this morning. Fifty to a hundred. Slim chances of living," Rashel said in a neutral voice.

A tall boy with black hair swaggered into the bed room. "Are we forgetting that we have a wild power here? My girl can take them out easy in the blink of an eye." Now Rashel was sure she didn't like Morgead. Way too arrogant for his own good.

" 'Your girl'? What am I ? Your weapon? Please." Jez stepped into the room, roughly pushing Morgead aside. "Problem is Einstein, we can't kill the other wild power. Sort of messes up that whole save her plan. Then again she could kill us from where ever she is right now." Rashel nodded in worried agreement.

"What do we do?" Fayth asked dismally.

"Fight." Rashel and Quinn said in unison. Quinn smiled and said to Jez, "Nothing else to do. If the girl's with them, you're going to try to get to her and then keep her safe."

"And if not, take out a good half of the team with whatever you got." Rashel interrupted. She wasn't sure if it was right letting Jez use her power just to protect them, but she knew Jez would make the choice herself. The red haired girl nodded, eyes determined.

Morgead sat for a moment, calculating. "We have about twenty vampires here. Each can take two, possibly three," he said, knowing he put a gross amount of faith in each team member. But he always had a high opinion of his species, impartially of course. "That leaves sixty. Then we got about seventeen shape shifters who could take two, which leaves twenty one and the wild power for the rest."

Some thought this to be some good and hopeful arithmetic. Others…"We're dead," Fayth said flatly.

Rashel pulled herself up and stretched. "We all die someday, Fayth. I don't see why you're so afraid of it."

She heard Fayth say to her soul mate as she left to command the others, "Quinn, I think your methods to madness are rubbing off on her."

~*~*~*~

"Why don't you just put me in an iron box?" Mari yelled to Valdis ahead of her. She had to tip toe because she was once surrounded again, not by eight men, but twelve. They were walking to the cottage of Dorian's killers and Carn ordered Valdis to keep her safe.

Mari was so damn safe she couldn't move without bumping into somebody.

Although she could only see the back of his head, Mari knew he rolled his eyes. "If I could, I would and then I'd drop you down the Atlantic Ocean to watch your little frantic bubbles float to the surface. But right now, I have to save your petite ass from harm's way."

It gave her irrational pleasure, no matter how tiny, to hear he had noticed her "petite ass." They had been tossing insults and threats back and forth for an hour now. Mari wished she could stab him with the new dagger Mr. Shamblepix had given her.

"I was going to give it to my son," he had said. "But seeing as I don't have one, I'd like you to have it. You'll need it, any way." There was that same old roughness over tenderness when he spoke. Mari thanked him with a small smile that was a great effort.

The knife itself was simply beautiful. It was made out of three materials; mahogany, silver, and iron. It was in the pattern of a braid, the ends twirling together until they made a sharp needle point. The mahogany was a deep reddish brown, the silver gleaming with delicate designs, and the iron had strange words imprinted in it. The handle had sapphires and diamonds encrusted in the hilt, making it worth more anything anybody had given her.

On this outing, she mused, there were more than vampires. There were many animal people, too. All made her uncomfortable when they looked at her. She wished she could walk with Mr. Shamblepix, who was at the head of the army. He told one of the shape shifters that if she grew tired he would have to change into his bear form and she would ride on his back. Mari didn't care if she had to walk on her hands through the forest; there was no way to make her ride on any body's back.

To make matters worse, she had to wear a dress. There was such a short notice when she decided to fight alongside everybody else that nobody could go out and buy her new clothes and they had thrown out the jeans she wore when they kidnapped, ahem, saved her. So it happened she was wearing a pale green dress with darker green, little leaves sprayed over it. Feminine camouflage. The skirt was a problem, reaching mid thigh and possibly flying up if she jumped. She was lent one of the boys' boxers and made them smaller to fit her.

Her only comfort was the awaiting death of Dorian's murderers. She yelled out again. "The day you drop me in the Atlantic is the day you pull that stick out of your ass and get an IQ bigger than your shoe size. Which believe me, isn't that big! And you know what they say about shoe sizes…"

~*~*~*~

"Rashel!" The battle was on. They had surrounded the cabin and closed in bringing two to one, no matter who was who. Nobody was dead yet but a good number were injured.

"What? Shit!" She narrowly missed the fangs of the vamp she was tussling with when Quinn staked him from behind. He was holding his side, where she guessed there was another future battle scar.

"Hawk found her. She's being held far from the fights as possible, but he says she's fighting to be let go. Where's Jez?"

Fayth bumped into Quinn from behind before stabbing a wolf in the neck. "Fighting like a savage a south from here. Maybe a mile, two miles. She chased some bears down there." Rashel determined this was a good thing, because if she and the bears were the only ones down there, the night people would stay focused on her team up here. Nonetheless…

"Send five men down there. I don't care who just do it." She saw Quinn eyes widen for a moment then ducked and swung her leg out to trip whoever was behind her. He fell with a thud and she took the opportunity to stab his throat and then her sword took a trip to his heart. "John, are we playing tourist here? Go do something!" Her next opponent was the most adorable puppy she had ever seen. He died in his teenage form.

It had been like this for twenty minutes or so. No time to throw some clever parting words with the dying Night people, just kill, and then kill the next. And still no indication of the girl's powers.

Rashel had enough in the living room and then stepped outside to the porch to try to stop the enemy from coming in. Then she saw her.

~*~*~*~

Mari couldn't breathe properly. She was sure the short shallow breaths were due to the sight before her. The men she knew, some she didn't know, were killing. She walked slowly in a straight line towards the cottage, people parting like the Red Sea before her.

She was tired, getting away from the boys had taken so much work. Valdis gave her such a hard time, even threatening her to drag her back to the castle. That didn't work. The last she saw of Valdis were his eyes fill with anxiety and concern. He wanted to keep her safe, she could tell that much. But she didn't want to be safe. She wanted to find Carn.

Carn lied to her.

CARN.

LIED.

TO.

ME.

The phrase rang in her ears, the words were the only image in her eyes, and the pain the truth caused banging in her head. Because the carnage here was pleasure to the Night People. They were smiling at the corpses, people who were trying to defend themselves. They were laughing when the people fell pathetically to the ground in agony. He was probably lying about the Daybreakers, her powers, and…Dorian. Dorian the only reason she came. But he was lying about everything, everything that mattered in her life. Her only friend was probably killed by Carn himself.

"Carn lied to me. Carn lied to me." Mari repeated it softly, a ghostly melody in an angelic voice. He said that they couldn't help what they had to do, that they were just listening to their instincts. But he lied. Because this wasn't instinctive murdering; her guards, her companions, had sought this out and were relishing the glory of having a life leave at their hand. They were happy.

The cottage loomed closer and closer. The bastard made me trust him, she thought with a bitter laugh. I trusted him. He was family. "But what is family nowadays any how?" Her "friends" were yelling at her, telling her to get back. From her waist band, she drew the dagger. The so-called special dagger. Mari was holding it so hard that a sharp facet of a diamond cut her. Her blood looked strange and dazzling on the gleaming metals.

The men stopped trying to keep her back. They didn't even yell. Her friends, she recognized some who escorted her to this battle ground, were staring with…what was it? Fear. She was so tired with people looking at her with fear. Her classmates, her aunts, and now these intimidating men were staring. Fucking cowards. She was just a girl.

The strangers, the Daybreakers she supposed, were also afraid. But they were also smart and killed the Night people who were still gawking.

Her boots made horrific suction sounds as they connected to the floor because both were covered in blood. She found her way to what was left of the basement. There were maybe five or six bodies surrounding him and he was having trouble with seventh. She was lovely but human, and therefore had no chance of seeing the light of day. Mari was going to fix that.

"Maria. Get out of here!" The girl turned to Mari with flashing green eyes and with her version of Mari's killing smile.

Without hardly any effort, she pushed the girl aside. Judging by the blows Carn had given her to the legs, it was easy for anybody to.

"Carn, it's Mari," she called softly. His eyes widened. She knew it was strange that she should be calling him anything other than Mr. Shamblepix. "Carn, you lied to me."

"I…"

"You lied to me. I trusted you like a father." She made him wince. Good, but not enough. Her voice was chiding, almost sweet if not for the warning in her eyes.

He was backing away now until he was against the wall, his eyes never leaving her hand with the knife. "I'm sorry." Oh Carn, she thought wistfully, you sound like you mean it. He heard her.

"I do mean it. I'm sorry honey. I am. But if I told you the truth you'd leave me. I didn't want you to leave me." His voice was on the edge of breaking down. Mari simply stared.

"What about Dorian?" she asked, tears filling her eyes.

He moved his eyes to her face from the floor. "I'm so sorry," he began as he moved toward her, arms open. She moved away and saw the hurt flash across his face.

"You're a good actor." Her voice was shaking. When was the last time she was this out of control? "You're a damn good actor. I hate you for that. I hate you so much for that and for everything you did." Why was she crying? This man was nothing but another liar in her life.

There was something in his eyes. She wouldn't let that distract her. "You know if you had told me I could have left, I wouldn't have. I would have stayed there with you, because you were my family. Do you always lie to family? I forget, you don't have one… due to what, trust issues? Nobody made a fool out of me until now. Until you Carn." Her amber eyes dimmed, until they were hard, cold opals.

"I won't let you do this to me, not after I worked to hard not to let any one do it to me before." He must know what I want to do by now, she thought distantly. Why is he staying there? "Fight, do something. You're not doing a damn thing!" Mari's voice was desperate, and she felt like kicking him to draw a reaction.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. With startling reflexes for a man who looked so tired he grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. His green eyes were still clear and shining, like the first day she met him.

"You know what?" she whispered with a laugh near his face. "I still love you." Mari had a little sad smile on her lips. "And for that, I'll make it quick." Her dagger had been poised near his heart and she brought it down swiftly, her stomach lurching at the feel of the point puncturing skin. She closed her eyes and didn't want to open them ever again.

~*~*~*~

July 28, 1999

"Have you ever thought about how weird it is that she's so short but her legs still manage to look so nice and long?" Oh I do not like that voice, Mari thought grouchily. It was waking her up. She never felt this deep sleep before and found the cottony atmosphere amazing. But somebody was ripping through the drowsy layers.

"Oh yeah, I look at girls' legs all the time," a female said. She sounded irritated and something else, something familiar. Oh, she thought with curiosity, jealous. Yes, she heard that around school too. Deciding she could never again reach that soft, fuzzy sleep unless somebody hit her on the head, she opened her eyes.

And immediately closed them. Since when was lamplight so bright? She tried again, blinking rapidly and soon shapes began to form, and she could see what was above her. It was a canopy bed, pale blue with hazy clouds stretching across it. I don't own a canopy bed, she thought, eyes narrowing. What kind of spoiled, pretty princess owned a canopy bed?

Mari sat up very quickly and then regretted it. "Stop it," she growled fiercely.

"Stop what?" A guy who was sitting at the end of the large room stood up. He had light brown hair and cheerful gray eyes.

"I wasn't talking to you," she snapped. "I was telling the room to stop spinning," she explained, and she was completely serious. It was more than spinning; it was toppling and twisting as if some giant baby was shaking and exploring it. "Give me something. Aspirin, prozac… just get me a pill." She plopped down on the bed again.

"We think that you don't need any more thing in you than you have now. What I mean is that we already gave you some stuff before to heal some of your wounds and it might react weird to aspirin or prozac," he told her gently. Mari weighed between coming up with a rude quip or sleeping again.

"Where am I?" she asked tiredly, swinging her feet to the side of the bed. Her feet didn't touch the ground and she stared at it for a second, trying to remember if she had four feet, or two when her vision betrayed her.

"In Elder Thierry's Mansion. Do you know who that is?" It was a pretty girl with black hair. She had a distinct mischievous aura about her, if not spiteful.

"Of course. He's one of the oldest made vampires. Made by Maya herself, he lives in Las Vegas now and usually hosts solstice and equinox parties in his mansion." She flicked off the information absentmindedly and saw she just answered her own question.

The black haired girl raised her eye brows. "That's right," she said slowly, "How did you know?"

"Mr. Shamble—I mean Carn taught me. Carn Lancin." It hurt her to say that, but she told herself it was because she was thirsty. Then she looked at the boy. "You're human." He nodded. "What are you in for?"

"I'm not in for anything. I'm here to help." He answered with a smile. The boy walked closer and held out a hand. "I'm Hugh Davis."

"Mari Tybal," she said automatically shaking hands with him briefly. "Why would an Elder need help from a human?" She paused for a long pause. "Is he…I mean does he…Circle Daybreak?" Lordy, the vampire would suffer painful death if the council found out. The girl sighed impatiently.

"Yes. He's the boss of it all. I'm Blaise Harman. You're here because you fainted." Blaise doesn't like people who faint, Mari observed. Or maybe she just doesn't like competition… "You've been out four days." My lucky number, she thought miserably. And this was a Harman witch, a powerful Harman witch working with a human. The world suddenly became a stranger place than it was before.

Her stomach grumbled loudly. "I'm hungry." Hugh grinned and nodded.

"Well come this way, otherwise you'll get lost." Mari tried to return the smile but she didn't have the heart. On wobbly legs she followed Hugh down the hall to another hall and then to a room that did not look like a kitchen. But there was a secret passage behind what was painted to be a window and Hugh explained that it would be a faster way to get to the kitchen. From there she was led down a stair step, holding Hugh's hand in the dim light.

Then Hugh pushed through the wall and Mari was standing in a huge kitchen only fit for a four star restaurant. She sat on a stool by the counter while Hugh pushed the storage shelf back in place and went to the giant of refrigerator.

"Shut up!" Mari turned at the voice, and the following laugh which seemed to come a room away. Hugh smiled.

"That's the others. How about taking these brownies to the living room?" Mari was feeling like her old self again with the brownies and milk. But she wasn't sure which was better; groggy, obedient Mari or the cold, indifferent Mari. Neither was really an improvement.

"Whatever you want," she answered shortly. She saw Hugh raise his eyebrows at her tone. What did he expect? An instant bond of friendship? Brownies and milk wasn't the magic potion for that. If he had given her prozac, maybe…

"Well…okay then. Off to the living room it is." He took the plate of brownies and motioned for her to bring the two glasses of milk. Mari was suddenly self conscious at the prospect of a roomful of strangers. Her bloody boots were gone but she was still wearing the green dress, which still looked half decent. She brought a hand to her hair and Hugh turned around at the same time.

"Don't worry, you like great." The way he looked at her when he said it made her want to blush. But if she was going to be secure and self dependent again, she was going to stop becoming emotional. Impossible, yes, but so was the idea of vampires.

Hugh was still looking at her. "Um, okay. You don't look great," he joked, thinking his earlier comment was a cause of her sudden shyness. He's just trying to help, Mari told herself. Still she wouldn't meet his eyes, just kept staring at her socked feet.

Hugh opened the door and a flood of laughter greeted her. Mari observed the room she stepped into. Five arcades, two occupied. Five basket ball games you can find at Chuckee Cheezes. A big screen TV and a booming stereo system. Pool tables, ping pong tables, fooz tables, a dance floor, and computers… basically anything that a teenager could hope for in their dream house.

"This is a living room?" she asked and some of the better hearing teens turned towards her. The cute ones. They continued to stare at Hugh and Mari peered from the doorway.

"Well, Thierry likes his guests to be…entertained enough when they come over. To say the least." A tall boy walked to the stereo and turned it off. Hugh cleared his throat. He had not captured the attention of everybody yet.

"Hey shut up!" That was the same one who turned off the radio. Everybody turned to Hugh. Mari was determined to stay aloof.

"Um…our guest has finally woken up and she's fine…considering…Guys, this is Mari." Mari swept in the room, finally getting a clear view. Fifteen in all. There were two large windows and she guessed this was the second story. She wouldn't be able to make that long a jump… Stop it, she told herself, you're turning into Batman or something. No, her mind argued, Batman could make that jump. Then Mari felt ashamed of herself, being outwitted by her subconscious.

And they were still staring. "Hi." she said, grateful her voice didn't show that she was nervous under their survey. Instead she sounded…cold. Well that's what you are, she thought sternly. And you're also going crazy; you're having conversations in your head.

There were a few mumbled greetings. Hugh led her to an open space on the couch and they settled their snacks on the pull out table in the back cushion. "Did I grow horns or something?" she asked Hugh. In a different voice she might have sounded nervous, friendly but the way she said it was the same as saying, "Don't you hate people who stare? So rude." For a second Mari hated herself. Only a second.

There was a blonde, elfin girl that gave a laugh. "You know we're not supposed to be here because it's so dangerous. They could send a big bomb and then the world's lost!" Maria looked up at her, and wondered how she managed to make the apocalypse sound so cheery. "But we couldn't wait to meet you. I'm Iliana Harman." The slight girl walked over and Mari stood up to shake hands with her. To her dismay, Mari was the shorter of the two.

"And I'm Jezebel Redfern. And this is Morgead Blackthorn. Tybal, huh? That's an interesting last name. Like Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet?" a red haired girl asked. Of course, beautiful, and her boyfriend equally so. She was sitting next to the dark haired boy who had captured every one's attention earlier.

"Yes. I suppose. That's my real last name. My adoptive last name is Yolken. That was Swedish. Do you think I'm Swedish? That gave me a clue." Mari hated sounding bitter, and also hated her bout of verbal diarrhea. But both were unavoidable.

"But it's Redfern to the Night World," a boy with golden eyes said shortly. "You are a Redfern, aren't you? Did a blood tie ceremony with Hunter himself. You're a Redfern." He was being curt and tension filled the air as soon as he said it.

Mari wasn't going to be talked down to by any one. If he was attempting to make her feel bitterness, shame, or regret he was far too late. She met his gaze, something she saw startled him. "Yes," she said softly. "Yes I did. Hunter adopted me as a daughter, as if the psycho one wasn't enough. Redfern's a name we both own, isn't it?"

The girl beside him with auburn hair asked her, "How did you know?"

"Hunter was a chatter box. He told me about a some grandson who left him for a girl friend in the Dark Kingdom. All the little details. You gave him scars, Delos." Delos' body became taut. Mari could tell he didn't like the way she knew so much. But when she had the former head of the Night World Council throwing a pity party with her, Mari couldn't help but remember a few things. "Gave him scars on his face. He can't smile all the way without wincing just a little bit." And then Mari smiled. Now she knew which attitude was better. Being the ice queen was always enjoyable.

She faced Jezebel. "And of a great times five grand daughter who he pitied. He said that she was a half-breed, a freak. He made me imagine a monster. But he lied didn't he? Everybody tells lies and I was stupid enough to trust him." Mari had no idea where she was going with this, just telling what was on her mind. She supposed it saved time for those who wished to see her inner workings. In fact, she could feel just the smallest thing…

She shot a look at a vampire. "What is it?" she asked with sudden anger. "I'm telling what's on my mind, what do you need to know?" The vampire produced an infuriating smile.

"Just curious as to see if there's anything you're leaving out." He didn't erase his unnerving smile.

"Ask. It's bad to go where you shouldn't be," she warned with a savage grin. She noticed the girl he had an arm around stiffened at that. "What's your name?"

The girl answered for him. "I'm Rashel Jordan. This is—"

The vampire cut her off. "Quinn. Just Quinn. Former Redfern."

"Oh yes Quinn. I remember a Quinn Just Quinn," Mari said with a little grin. "The fire. He broke my lamp when he told that story." Quinn's smile decreased. "Why does it bother you that I know so much? You obviously know much about my life. Other wise Hugh here would have paid attention when I said my name. He didn't because he knew it already. And that's why those two gentle men," Mari gestured to the vampire and shape shifter who had played the arcade games, "were following me at the mall the day I was kidnapped. All the details."

Again there was an awkward silence; their fourth Wild Power was not the grateful girl they expected her to be. Mari gave a small bite to a brownie. Good, she thought with satisfaction. Then somebody else entered the room before there was another failed attempt at conversation. "I see everybody is here." All heads turned to see the newcomer.

"Lord Thierry." Mari said as she stood up with the rest. The vampire nodded. They settled back in their seats except the two who sat across from her. They stood to let Thierry and his infamous soul mate sit, assaulting the girl with the force of a double interrogation—or, at least, that's how she felt. Hunter told her he wasn't sure if Thierry's soul mate died again, there were just rumors of her existence.

"Hunter has told you about the prophecies?" This Elder went straight to the point. Mari liked that.

"Yes," she answered. Then she gave a tiny amused smile. "I'm supposed to be the bad one." Mari knew she had put too much pride in the statement, causing some worried glances from the Daybreakers.

"Maybe it's the blood tie with Hunter," a blonde, thoughtful looking boy asked. He was lounging with a muscular girl with long black hair, vaguely reminding Mari of waiting, jungle cats. "That's sort being one of with the dark, isn't it?" The suggestion was disgustingly optimistic. She, with a few of the other occupants, rolled her eyes.

"I think it has more depth than that Galen. I believe they mean the Final Battle."

"But how do you guys know it's me? You, Hunter, and everybody else has never seen me use any power what so ever. I could be a fluke." The Daybreakers exchanged knowing looks.

"Maria," Hannah began.

"It's Mari," she cut in sharply. "Nobody calls me Maria. Nobody," she repeated, teeth clenched. Hannah looked at her as if trying to understand something but then continued.

"Mari, when you…um…"

"Killed?" Mari gave a predatory smile that would have made Carn proud.

"Carn Lancin… you missed his heart." Mari stopped smiling. She made a surprised o shape with her mouth, but then closed it and took a deep breath.

"I told him it would be quick. Guess he thought I lied." Mari said in forced disinterest.

"Mari," a boy said. He had semi long blonde hair and looked…well the first that struck her was "lazy." But she learned never to make judgments on appearances. "Mari he did die quickly. Not because of the stake next to his heart. Because you were bleeding and you used you're power."

"But I didn't try…"

The boy shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Your emotions were so strong that unconsciously… Your anger, your hate—whatever you were feeling—took over that power and used it." He looked triumphant when he finished. Like a good little school boy who successfully recited a lesson.

Mari thought of Carn, her Mr. Shamblepix, dying because her anger was so strong. So strong because of what? Love or hate? She had envisioned him as a mummy before, but now all she could see is Carn's ashes.

"I want to go home." Wherever home was now. The castle had been the coziest place she had been in years. Home now was her aunt's lonely mansion. "I want to go home." Mari sounded childish, impatient. But that's all you are, that voice that she thought had gone away taunted now, to them you're a child's mind that's to be shaped and molded to their will.

Dammit if you were are coming from a specific part of my mind I intend to have you cut out! There was no response to the threat. Stupid, witty, sarcastic subconscious.

She tilted her head to survey them all. They were paying attention to her, being nice to her. Because they didn't want her to go back to Hunter. To the Night World. They were just being cordial so they wouldn't have to worry about her going to their enemy. They didn't really want her. These people were humoring a child so that she wouldn't become angry. She didn't want it any more. People toying with her mind, her feelings so they could save their own necks. I hate that. I want to go home now. These people are fake. They're lying. The whole world lies and I want to go home now, right NOW! The thoughts came to her in a dizzying rush, getting stronger by the second.

"Whoa, there Nelly," a vampire laughed nervously. "I have no idea what you're thinking, but it's pretty strong. Surprisingly strong. I'm glad you're not bleeding right now." It was the vampire who followed her at the mall.

"Yeah, I might have done something I would have regretted, Trent." He was about to ask how she knew and she pointed at the arcade game. "When I came in you were filling in your name for the high records before you went back to the start screen. I like to notice little details, remember?"

"You can't go home," Thierry changed the subject, sensing another awkward pause. "Stay, at least for a while. From what we learned, Hunter's letter to your aunt said you might be moving to Las Vegas permanently. He had friends of yours pick up your things the day you were…rescued, if that's the word. All of your belongings are now in your room."

Mari looked at him in disbelief. "I don't have a room here. I could have a room at my aunt's mansion, I could tell her…" Mari didn't have anything truthful to tell her aunt, anything that would make sense. And her aunt already had distrust from the years of lies Mari had fed her. "I could tell her I changed my mind," she pointed out, her chin thrust out defiantly.

Quinn cut in. "How would you get there? Nobody here is going to drive you." Thierry gave him a look that clearly demanded silence.

"I'll call a cab," she said, almost yelling. Mari began to get warmer, and more desperate. She was sure this was how trapped animals felt like. Or at least how they felt in those stereotypical movies, where they were beset with warriors armed with spears. Mari was surrounded by Abercrombie and Fitch savages.

"But we're not going to let you out of the door." The lazy blonde-haired person said, going with Quinn's lead. "How are you going to manage that?"

"A number two pencil ought to do the trick," she answered menacingly, worrying a few vampires present.

"We don't want you to think you're a prisoner here," Thierry explained in a soothing voice.

"Your friends here are doing a damn good job about that," she snapped.

"Ash, Quinn, shut up," Jezebel said pleasantly. Both glared at her.

"If you think keeping me here against my will is going to get you another wild power, you need lessons in persuasion."

"Well they took you to a castle against your will and in two weeks you were getting adopted. We were just borrowing an idea. Be happy we got electricity here!" Delos yelled.

"Don't you dare raise you're voice to me! You're acting like I'm Benedict Arnold and I wasn't on any body's side to begin with." she erupted, making the prince's eyebrows shoot up. "Carn said that…" She paused remembering her favorite vampire's words. Go back and wait to get picked up by the Daybreakers so they can brainwash you. "Carn said a lot of things," she reminded herself, voice dropping from the roar she had earlier. Before they could say anymore, she stood up. "I'm not saying that I'll fight on your side when the time comes. I'm just staying here so you'll have your chance to tell me why I should. Will somebody please take me to my room?" Mari hoped that Ash and Quinn wouldn't feel triumphant at her decision.

Once she was settled back in the room she had first awoken in, she curled up on the huge bed and thought.

The dagger Carn gave her was gone, probably left back in the gore fill basement. She was in a mansion that she couldn't leave. Her aunt thought she had moved to Las Vegas, which in rough terms she did. The people here were trying to make her feel welcome, save the three men she had yelled at. Then again, it could be another act. Everybody had been a trained thespian so far…Carn, Hunter, Alastair, the men, and the men's leader, Valdis. Wait, Valdis had been the only one who said and did what he felt like towards her. It was only a small comfort.

There was nothing else to do. She was just going to have to adapt to this new place and new people. It couldn't be that hard.

~*~*~*~

July 28, 1999

Hunter had just killed Lily and was now planning his next move in the study. He would have sent somebody else to carry out the deed, but that wasn't as satisfying as seeing the surprise. It wasn't only for the pleasure, though there was floods of that, but because she was going to tell the council members about his existence and his failure.

Even as he began to think about him, Traces came into the room silently. "How goes my adopted daughter?"

"Living with Thierry in his Las Vegas mansion. We have no clue as to what is happening in the house. All four wild powers are in the house and it's too dangerous to actually try to attack. There are wards all over the house and under the house. Nobody can get in except daybreakers."

"That shows what you know." Hunter told him. Then he waved the spy away. Now he had to think because he had absolutely no idea what to do. And he wouldn't even let himself think about letting the Daybreakers have the girl. That would be sickening.

~*~*~*~

August 19, 1999

"Let's say one nice thing about the people next to you before we go to dinner." Mari rolled her eyes. She did not like Rashel's friend.

"Point being, Daphne?" Morgead asked with a dismal sigh.

"I don't know many of you, so this way I'll learn what others think of you. Plus it will kill the time before dinner." Then she said the words that Mari hoped she wouldn't say. "Mari will start."

"Who said I was going to play this game any way? It's stupid," she snorted.

"What's the matter, Mari, suddenly speechless? If there's a word to describe you it would be never shuts up." Morgead grinned.

"Wait, was that your attempt at a joke? Why am I not surprised that nobody laughed, hmm I wonder…"

"They're all afraid you'll bite their head off and then play soccer with it," he replied easily.

"I enjoy volley ball better," she informed him coolly.

"I'll start," Iliana interrupted, for with Mari's endless supply of comebacks, the sparring would end around dawn. "Delos is dependable and Fayth always has answers. Delos's turn." Here it goes, Mari thought.

Delos mumbled, "Iliana is cheerful and makes everybody happy. And she knows how to make good pancakes. Iliana is really one of those people that you can go on and on about really…"

"Del, you're ruining it," Maggie complained.

"Oh yeah and Mari. Mari, um, Mari…Mari hasn't interrupted me once while I've been talking." Mari glared at his smiling face.

"My turn I suppose. Delos has successfully managed to walk and talk at the same time. And Maggie is admirable for putting up with this excuse of a man." Maggie laughed and hastily covered her mouth when she saw Delos's face.

That was the end of the game however when Nilsson came to tell to bring it in the kitchen. Of course many of the Daybreakers didn't need the evening meal, but most joined the humans for the fun of it. It was chefs' night out and the groups that were scattered about the mansion were now gathering in the kitchen. Pandemonium ensued until Keller had ordered lines in front of the five refrigerators as to get their own makeshift meal.

Mari secretly loved it; the noise, the confusion, and the interaction. At her aunt's, in the castle, and especially her old home, nothing ever like this happened. The only flaw of the beautiful disorder was the fact she always had trouble as to who to sit with, considering she had stolen Blaise's station as resident bitch.

She saw Maggie wave her over to an island counter and pulled up a stool. In front of her, a certain vampire prince sat happily until the fourth wild power settled in her seat. "Tell me, Delos, are your eyes permanently hindered by that rolling effect, or are you just happy to see me?"

"Look, she started it," he said loudly, pointing an accusing finger at her. Maggie gave a look of dismay.

Mari pouted. "No, I didn't mommy, he started it. He pulled my hair." Mari was loud and proud of her toddler voice. Again Maggie laughed.

"I swear, you're the only one who would mock him like that, other than me," she said. "Come on guys get along for once. I'm tired of playing referee. Delos stop rolling your eyes in front of her and Mari stop…being yourself," she said jokingly.

"See if that happens, then pigs will start to fly," Delos pointed out, shaking a cold fry at Maggie.

"We could always put you on a plane." Mari shot daggers at Delos. Then came eating time and Mari didn't have time to talk.

"Maggie, she's giving me the silent treatment." That's not true, I'm just eating, she spoke silently to him, downing her second chicken sandwich. Eating always took full concentration.

"You'd think you'd want that," Maggie answered with a full mouth. Delos reached over and wiped the mayonnaise from her lip. Mari continued eating, pretending not to notice.

"You know what Mari?" Another Delos insight, Mari sighed. "You have the expression of a statue. I'm not being mean, okay, just starting a conversation. Not many people can do this, even vampires, keeping that poker face all the time. It's like it's glued on and you're forever going to have that aloof, cold mask on." Mari continued eating, and wondered where the hell Delos learned conversation skills. Maggie punched him.

"You're not a good conversationalist, you know. Beside Mari can change her expression whenever she likes. It just takes a lot of emotion for her to do that." Mari nodded.

There was a loud "ahem." All boisterous teenagers turned to the double doors where Nilsson stood. Then he waited until the roar had quieted down. "Claire is here, Jezebel. And," he paused letting Claire move to her cousin. "We have a visitor." There were a few sniggers at that; Thierry's mansion was always full of visitors.

Mari wasn't paying attention, because it didn't matter to her who was here. Like Delos said, she was keeping the statue's expression steady.

"Mari," a soft voice said.

Calmly, she turned around. There must be dozens of Mary's or Mari's here, but she was just tired of fighting her curiosity.

She screamed. An ear piercing, glass-breaking scream. She stopped and then let out another. "Ohmygod," she panted, never losing her volume and unable to find anything else to say. Frantically, her head whipped about, staring from one confused face to another. Couldn't they see that he wasn't supposed to be here? Then the man took a step closer, making Mari scream again. But she couldn't stop, she wouldn't stop; she had to get it out. A hand cupped her mouth from behind.

"Calm down," a harsh voice said from behind. "You're making me deaf." It was Morgead and he was holding her arms to the side. She bit into one of his fingers.

"You're carrying me," she said in the most normal voice she could manage, but apparently by Morgead's wince, she had shrieked. Mari's feet were inches from the ground.

"Who is he?" Morgead motioned the man in the doorway with a nod.

Mari wrenched herself from Morgead and stepped closer to the visitor. That shining deep gold hair, those usually mischievous and now sad, dark blue eyes… She stepped closer and touched his cheek, his perfect cool cheek. She knew it was because he was a vampire that he was so amazing, but she still looked at him as a friend she had known for years. Nothing spectacular…he was just…him. Then she rushed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Oh God, Dorian, I thought you were dead," she whispered into his shoulder. She kissed his shoulder and then his neck, the soft skin tensing under her lips as she did so. Stupid thing to do, really, but for some reason Mari believed that he might have left. And she would not let this vision leave before she gave him at least one treasured kiss. Mari could not help squeezing so hard, just to be sure he was there.

He was real. She could feel his heart beat hammering against hers, his breath ruffling her hair.

Oh god. He was real.

She felt him straighten and remembered with a smile that Dorian was a foot taller than she was. Her feet were in the air and she didn't care for the indignity of it. "Dorian, I thought you were dead," she whispered again, her awe filled eyes searching his face. Everything was right again. He carried her out of the kitchen and closed the doors.

"I know," he murmured in her hair. Mari had no idea what she was doing. She never even bothered to say hi to him when he was her only friend. And now she was practically dry humping in front of strangers. The chaos of prophecies would change a person, she guessed. "I know… I know."

"Dorian," she said again, running her hand through his silky hair. She missed him, every part of him. She wanted to remember every finger, every inch, and every strand of beautiful hair on his head. Her golden boy. She was placed back on the ground and was again reminded he was abnormally tall to her. His hand was softly caressing her cheek. And then his lips were on hers.

~*~*~*~

"Okay I think I heard a slap or a clap," Claire whispered to the people around her, who then whispered it to around them, and so on until Claire waved them to be quiet. "Now I hear footsteps… I think they're walking away."

"See? That's violence and we do not allow violence to run rampant through this mansion," Warren said. He'd been trying forever to come up with an excuse to get out of the kitchen and Iliana mistakenly admitted it was feasible.

The concept of sneaking up on the two was ruined when Ash yelled, "Coming through," and pushed the door open. They followed him to the entrance hall way, where the wild power and guest were shouting. Technically, the wild power was shouting. Mari shot a hand out to stop any speech from the crowd.

"What the hell was that? You come here, I hug you for all the heaven's sake…" Her tone suggested it was a monumental action. "… and you kiss me? This is unacceptable, Dorian, unacceptable." She was past shouting, and had moved onto ranting and raving now.

"That's emotion," Maggie whispered to Delos.

Dorian looked toward the audience for any help then turned back to the small, hissing girl in front of him. None were really eager to lend it. "It was a greetings kiss, a hello kiss, a family kiss…" The males in the crowd shook their heads, having attempted and failed that explanation before.

"Dorian! There was tongue; don't you deny there was tongue. And nobody kisses their family with tongues, except for maybe in Alabama." She paused, thinking, and then continued with a new light in her eye. "And what the hell was in that drink you gave me?"

"You know I feel sorry for him. I mean, he kissed her. It's amazing he's not a crisp vampire or dying from the poison of her lips," Quinn said, clearly enjoying this outburst.

"I don't know what you're talking about! I bought that at the Donut Hut. You could ask anybody." He took a breath and then gave sideways glance at the crowd. "Listen can we take this Attack Dorian moment to some place private?" Mari followed his gaze.

"Oh, them? They're not important," she said impatiently and ignored the chorus of indignant words.

"Um Mari?" Trent stepped out. She gave a look that would have normally stopped him dead, but he was too absorbed by the situation to notice. "He did get a drink from the Donut Hut. We saw him." She turned back to Dorian as if he hadn't spoken.

"The kiss was…"she started again.

"Was totally unacceptable, highly unnecessary," he finished and looked to the crowd to explain, "she used to say that a lot to me." Then he turned back to Mari. "And I will never do it again." He looked sincerely apologetic until he drew a gleam in his eyes and whispered what everybody could here. "Unless you want me to."

For a moment they held their breath as Mari's eyes narrowed to almost impossibly thin slits. She pinched her mouth to say something but, surprisingly, let out a long breath. She smiled a mischievous smile and stepped closer to Dorian. "I think…"she said in a voice so throaty Jez could not help but roll her eyes. "that you need this, not just a kiss." She stepped closer to him so that their bodies brushed against each other with palpable electricity.

Her palm connected with his cheek before he knew what was coming.

"Ooh," the people let out and winced as she smacked him with enough force to knock his head aside. He moved his angry eyes from the onlookers and then to Mari, who was standing in front of him with her hand on her hips. There was an evil smile on her lips.

"That hurt! I thought you were going to kiss me!" Dorian was towering over the girl but she stood her ground, completely invulnerable to his threatening stance. He continued to rub his cheek.

"Mari." It was a deep, and slightly angry voice. She turned to meet the head of Circle Daybreak.

"You know, if you just came a few minutes earlier, I wouldn't have smacked him," she explained with wide, beguiling eyes. Thierry had to admit when she looked at him with wide amber eyes and protruding bottom lip she looked sorry, but he knew that trusting Mari would be the same as trusting the "Bad Seed."

"Mari," he repeated but again she cut him off, this time with rushed excuses.

"Dorian started it. He assaulted me. In my opinion, he shouldn't be here, causing sexual attacks that leave the victim severely traumatized. We should kill him." Her voice began as childish and ended violently. Dorian simply glared back.

For a second, Thierry looked at Dorian and the boy looked back. And then one blinked as did the other. A nod of the head, a wordless grimace, and various facial gestures ensued. It took quite some time of this exciting exchange before Mari realized what they were doing. "Oh, stop that! I hate it when you guys do that! Talk out loud."

Dorian complied, out of fear or the hopes of getting lucky that night. "I got pretty banged up after they took her. This lady found me and brought me to a hospital. Of course, I left before they could actually treat me and went to a friend. He couldn't take care of me, but I healed and hid for a while. Then I went to find this little…thing." He pointed at Mari with disgust. She slapped his hand away.

"Is there any possibility of gluing her arms to her body?"

"Do you want to join Circle Daybreak?" Mari knew if Dorian refused Thierry's offer they'd have to kill him. Oh please say no, please oh please say no…

"Well, I'm not fond of being on the Night World's side when you blow them to bits. Sure I'm in," he shrugged.

"That's the spirit," Mari said impassively. She couldn't believe that he was in the club like that. She thought there'd be hazing or other humiliating events.

"How do you know we could trust him?" Rashel asked.

"Yeah!" Mari piped up.

"We don't. If he is a traitor, he'll die. No questions asked. And shouldn't you be eating dinner?" Muttering daybreakers left for the kitchen.

"I want to share Mari's room," Dorian said brightly, evidently forgetting the violent incident. Mari punched him in the arm, but he expected it. She rubbed her knuckles, silently cursing Dorian and his surprisingly hard biceps.

Thierry looked uncomfortable for a moment and told them, "We'll discuss this later."

After dinner, Mari decided to talk to Dorian in her room. To her annoyance, her fellow daybreakers gave a suggestive "ooooh" as they left the room and giggled like children when she slammed the door.

"I think you have an ulterior motive," she announced as soon as the door was shut. Mari knew nobody would dare to listen at her bed room door; she didn't believe the residents were that suicidal.

Dorian regarded her with alarm. "Well, why don't you tell me how you really feel?"

"Isn't it unusual, Dorian, that you suddenly show up after I go to 'wrong' side?" She quoted with her fingers to emphasize. "And the fact you bought the drink at the Donut Hut is irrelevant because you could have tainted it with something afterwards."

"But I gave you the drink after you started coughing. ' After' being the key word there."

Mari paced the room, rubbing her chin while she thought. "True, therefore you couldn't have drugged me, but you could have inserted thoughts of thirst into my mind to make me drink it. Do you deny it?" she drilled. If I wasn't a wild power, I'd be a lawyer, she thought.

"I do not deny that the directing thoughts is a possible plan, but I do deny that I ever did so with you. How could you say that? I couldn't have even thought of that on my own." He said plopping face down on her bed.

Mari hated it when his voice became equal to a spoiled three year old's. "You weren't the brightest one in the crayon box," she confessed. "But why are you here now? When I was in the castle, you didn't come to save me. Maybe because you were a back up plan, just in case the first one back fired?"

"You expected me to come rescue you? Me and my one man army, yeah that would be smart."

"You could have infiltrated the castle by pretending to be one of the guards, saying you were sent after your former was getting too soft on me. Then when you gain their trust, you would call for back up and become the hero. But you didn't. Did you even think about a plan?" Dorian was still face down on her pillow and his voice was muffled.

Angry, Mari pulled him off the pillow and hit him in the head with it. "Now I'll have to burn this."

"Mari," he sighed. "I swear to you, I am not under cover for the Night World. And as for that Mission Impossible daydream, did you really expect me to come up with that when I'm lying in bed? Bruised and battered, incapable of feeding myself, much less sweeping you off of your feet to safety?" There was fatigue, disbelief, and mock self pity in his voice.

Mari hesitated in her questioning. "What, you don't believe me?" he asked, but knew the answer.

"Look," he ordered. He took off his shirt. Mari was about to fire protests but stopped. His chest, his flat stomach…covered in scars. Black or dark red, some the length of her hand, another slashing across his chest. Mari moved closer and saw that the large, dried gash started from the top from the right shoulder and ended at his left hip, two inches wide. His left shoulder was covered with one large bruise, the outer portion a vibrant blue and the inside splotched with violet. It was, to say the least, a bad boo-boo. Under the map of colors, his bones were at an odd angle.

Dorian wasn't over and put up both hands, and pressed palm to palm. Mari saw that the all the left fingers were a just a few centimeters shorter than the right, the tips strangely flat. "Bastards cut them off. Good thing I'm a righty, huh?"

Mari did not say anything. No words came to mind as her features contorted with shame. And to think! She had been accusing him of betraying her when he had been undergoing tremendous torture!

"Is there anything else?" The miserable words were distorted by the hands still on his face.

She drew her name on the carpet with her foot. There was a knot in her throat and she swallowed. "You know there are witches here to fix those, better than the your natural way." she said in a semi sorry voice. Maybe not the best apology in the world, but by the smile she saw through his fingers, she could tell he accepted that that was all he was going to get.

~*~*~*~

August 20 through September 8 1999 (picnic being on September 8)

After having his mind inspected by all the vampires in the mansion, Dorian continued his pursuit of Mari, who in turn continued to politely ignore him. Each time he asked her out, wherever "out" would be, she gave a little smile and remind him of their friendship and the consequences of a tryst. But each time he felt like he gained a little ground, winning her heart little by little. He finally took her on a date, without informing her of course. Dorian slyly, or so he thought, told her that there was a coyote prowling Thierry's grounds and he wanted to show her where he usually slept at night. And under the silver moon, he led her to a picnic for two, complete with cold chicken sandwiches, champagne jello, and two root beers.

Mari didn't want to tell him that Lupe reported the missing items and that "the retarded, resurrected, Ken doll's been sneaking off into the backyard." But she did tell him that he was amazingly thoughtful and that he made her happy. It wasn't much, but again that was all he was going to get. That and a long kiss good night.

~*~*~*~

September 10, 1999

"Hey, how about a little time off for good behavior?" he pleaded, sitting on the edge of the chair. Mari was sitting next to him and hid her smile by drinking her coffee. They were sitting with Hannah and Thierry in the study during the early morning hours.

"I told you that you could go outside, but in Las Vegas? Dorian, that's like hanging a mouse over a tiger. Any body could get her." Hannah sounded like a mother. Mari closed and then rolled her eyes, ensuring that the Old Soul would not be offended.

"I must admit, Dorian, you have been good. I've even heard Mari singing sometimes," Thierry said, smiling at her. Mari knew she hadn't done anything of the sort, but she blushed any way. In fact there was no apparent change in Mari; she was still the ill-tempered, sharp tongued girl, never pausing to give insults. Thierry was the only one observant enough to spy that Mari was happy now. She had a somebody, like her room mates.

"Yeah, I've been an angel. Let me out, and I don't mean on missions, I mean shopping at malls with my girl. I'm tired of this mansion," Dorian whined. Mari pulled and bent her knees into her shirt and laid her head on them. She decided to stay out of this until Dorian was done.

"We won't go to Las Vegas. We'll go past Las Vegas to another little town mall," he offered brightly. Mari scooted closer to him. It was considerate of him, to try to bust her out of the bird cage like this. She hadn't even asked it of him.

"We'll discuss this and then tell you later today," Thierry said sternly. Mari jumped up.

"Can I have some money? I mean we are going today aren't we?" She returned Thierry's smile. He nodded and she left the room with Dorian.

As soon as they were out, she pulled Dorian close and kissed him. It felt so good to have a friend again, except this with pleasant benefits. He pressed her back against the wall and slid his hands down her back. Mari sighed against his mouth, sometimes he was too close, presuming too much. Weeks earlier, she would have never thought she was going to end up kissing Dorian. But ever since he came, he had been like her own personal cheerleading squad, backing her up in fights and applauding her every move. But he had held his own when it came to their own little squabbles. Dorian had more than charm, he had stubbornness, ignorant thoughts, and a black and white point of view, almost everything that Mari had, with the exception of lack of knowledge.

"Mari and Dorian kissing in the hall and she has no pants on. Now what could this mean?" Mari broke away from Dorian and scowled at the intruders.

"Hello," Thea said. The couple had arrived last week and Mari forgot that their room was on this floor.

"We'll be leaving now, Eric," Dorian said affably and drew an arm around Mari's waist, drawing her away.

She resisted. "I do to have pants on. Well, shorts." She pulled up her shirt high enough to show them. "It's just a big shirt." Eric smiled, with mock suspicion. She let Dorian tug her to her room.

"I have to change." He shrugged.

"It's about four am. You got plenty of time." She nodded but rummaged through her closet any way. He settled on her bed. "Hey Mari?"

"Huh?"

"How come you don't like to be called Maria? I think it's a nice name." He picked up a note pad from her night stand and began to doodle.

"Just because," she responded lightly. She crawled across the bed and wrapped his arm around her waist. Mari saw that he was trying to draw a puppy, but it was turning out like a rabid mouse.

"What do you mean, just because? You hate it when people call you Maria. You hate that name with a passion."

Mari played absently with his pajama sleeve. She hadn't known it would be possible for somebody with purple puppy covered pajamas to look sexy, but Dorian managed quite well. "I don't hate it," she retorted.

"Come on," he whined. "Wait, does this have anything to do with family? Cuz I know how you hate to talk about that." Oh, she thought girlishly, he sounds so sensitive.

"It's okay," she assured him. "Um, well it's like Carol…"

"Who's Carol?"

"The mother figure," she answered coldly. Then she continued. "She claimed I had an awful attitude when I was a child. Carol told me I had three main personalities; Mari, Maria, and Princess. Mari when I was lethargic and malevolent, Maria was when I was everything a naughty little girl would be, and I became Princess when I worked my childish charm, equivalent to that of the soap opera evil twins, to get what I wanted. She would say that I always got what I wanted, always. And well after the funeral, everybody kept calling me Mari. I didn't see a need to correct them."

Dorian was silent for a minute, still drawing. "How do you know she's not your mother?"

Mari sighed dramatically. "Dorian, honey, have you ever seen my so called family pictures? Have you seen my aunt? They're all blonde, pale skinned, and sky blue eyes. It's been like that for generations and then they supposedly had me. Tell me, do I bear any resemblance to anybody? I didn't think so."

"You need to stop being bitter." He patted her belly like one petted a cat. She sighed again and leaned against him. If that was possible, she thought wistfully.

"Did you know that Tybal means princess? Coincidental, huh?" he asked, trying to draw a car.

"How did you know?" she asked, taking the pad away from him and correcting the "puppy" and the bunny.

"I was going to look up the Romeo and Juliet characters for a quick and desperate attempt of last minute studying on line and then accidentally went to a baby names site. It was one of the search results."

"You're funny," she smiled.

"And you're smart," he replied.

"You're smart too. I don't see why you underestimate yourself like that. You have untried potential." There, now the bunny was actually cute.

He laughed softly and Mari felt his breath ruffle her hair. "You're so sweet, Mari, even if you won't admit it." Mari felt him shift so he could stretch out his legs. "You know I'm really, really, really happy that I'm with you, Mari." Mari turned to face him, but Dorian was looking down at his hands.

"Yes, I believe you," she said slowly. His strange behavior made her some what reluctant to encourage him.

"I'm really happy," he repeated, his voice hoarse. "And…I don't know what else. Did you know that I had a crush on you since I met you?" Mari squirmed uncomfortably. The days before were not normally discussed, and for good reason.

"Well, you always said silly stuff, but then again you always had a girlfriend in hand."

Dorian was twisting his hands now and stammered, "Yeah, but…but, they didn't matter. You're this person to me. I mean, not just a person, you know, not just anybody, but you're like…I don't know. I like you a lot, Mari. A whole lot. It's weird you know? Well, I just thought that I'd say that, um..."

Mari stopped the frantic motion of his hands, and held one. He looked up and smiled. "I love you." Mari felt her reassuring smile freeze into shock, unable to stop it. Love? Good Lord, love? Mari thought, panicked. She was just now getting used to the fact that they kissed and he already loved her?

"I know that it's strange for you, I mean I've been loving you since the eighth grade, and you just started liking me, or lusting whatever verb you prefer," Mari gave a tiny smile; Dorian was trying to be his old self again.

"You know this is a huge bomb to drop on me," Mari said gently. On the atomic level! Her mind screamed. She wasn't sure whether to believe him. Of course she had no doubt that he truthful, for trust was one of the most important things in a relationship. She just wasn't sure if he knew if it was real love.

"I know," he said, giving a face of regret. "I shouldn't have said anything. This was the wrong time, and I did it so stupidly. I wasn't even remotely romantic, was I?"

"That's okay," she said, easing off him. She felt cold without Dorian's warm body cushioning her, but a shower would fix that.

"You know it's going to take a while for me to get perfect for our little date today. You're going to have to go," she said, shooing him away from her bed.

"You're already perfect," he whispered before he kissed her and walked down the hall. Mari leaned against the wall and watched him retreat, still staring even as he went up a floor to his room. Well, the "friends with benefits" label just flew out the window. The sun was beginning to peek through the window at the end of the hall when a voice interrupted her peaceful moment.

"Yup, those walls get more interesting by the day." Ugh, Quinn. Talk about ruining perfect Kodak moments. Before he could say more, Mari went in her room and slammed the door in his face. Time to get dressed.

Mari thought about Dorian while she showered. She thought about when she first met him during the first day of school assembly, and when she dressed she thought of how many girlfriends he dumped. Right away she knew that Dorian wasn't her soul mate. Not by her acquaintances accounts any way. There wasn't any electrifying connections, silver threads, no involuntary visits to the mind, no pink hazes, nothing really. But there were times when she would feel a flutter in her stomach when she saw him, and her heart beat faster than thought possible. There was only a minuscule percentage of the world's population that actually found their soul mates and, lucky for her, that percentage lived in Thierry's mansion. That was fine, because Dorian was enough.

Mari thought about her resolution, the one she created after Carn. Don't let anyone get close so they wouldn't hurt you. Try as she might, she couldn't think of any exceptions this case had. She was breaking what she swore to herself, and this was another risk. But didn't everybody say that love was full of risks? Mari disregarded her oath. If she didn't risk everything now, she'd never forgive herself for the rest of her life. She would end up always thinking What if?

~*~*~*~

Later on that day…

Valerian Stillman was having trouble looking out for potential kidnappers when Mari walked in her deliciously snug jeans. He had even more trouble when Dorian's hand threatened to block his view of her…back pockets. Not wanting to repeat the faux pas committed months ago, there were thirty daybreakers scattered around the mall and thirty outside. Val sighed, for he hadn't expected to be working the minute he stepped off the plane to see Jez. It was going to be a rotten vacation. He tried to get comfortable in the food court chair. Sometimes, things were just too small and he felt he was too big. He wished Thistle was here, so she could balance things; Val was too big and she was too small. Val shook himself and returned his attention to the girl.

Mari was blissfully unaware that they were being monitored by thirty people. Dorian knew it wasn't just the regular four and didn't want to ruin her fun. Personally, Val the whole mission was stupid. An amazingly stupid mission. Here the gorgeous brat risks the safety of her life, of the world, for an outing with Mr. Perfect. She was just so…selfish. Maybe that was kind compared to what Warren was saying about her.

Dorian was now hugging the girl from behind and leaning against a pillar. He whispered something that Val could have listened to if he wanted to, but that would be wrong. It was their date and nobody should intrude. Mari laughed. Now he listened.

"And then your aunt hung up on me and the next thing I knew, she was at my house, shouting accusations and checking the closets and bathrooms for you. If you had seen how scared the maids were, you would have just died. And your aunt was trying to hit me, but I kept dodging her until I fell over laughing." By this time they were both cracking up.

Val didn't find it funny. He remembered when Jez left so suddenly like that and how everybody was worried. Her aunt must have been desperately panicked when she heard Mari had moved without a word. Nineteen was old enough, but it was still so sudden. He'd have to check how she was doing whenever he had free time. Then he stopped himself. Sometimes Val thought this whole Daybreak business was changing him too much.

He withdrew his senses and scanned the area. There were a few Night World people, but they puzzled why there were so many of their kind at the small town mall on a Wednesday. Maybe there was more in the parking lot. He listened again.

"He keeps on staring," he whispered, and Mari jerked her head away because his breath was tickling her.

"Hello, it's his job." Yeah, it's my job, he thought indignantly.

"Let's go on the merry go round," he suggested, propelling her towards the kid filled ride. Val rolled his eyes.

"You are not going to get me on that thing. We can't even fit." But they were already in line.

"I know for a fact that you can fit. I could stand beside you." He saw that Mari relented and soon she was on a tiger, giggling like the children surrounding her, with Dorian beside her.

"Isn't it a very touching picture of true love?" Hugh asked cheerfully, sitting in front of him.

"Very," he said dully and shifted to face him. He hadn't like Hugh at first but now, after knowing him for months…nope he still didn't like him. The Old Soul was just too happy.

"So where is the happy couple now?" Hugh asked.

Val made a vague gesture behind him. "On the merry go round." Hugh peered over the vampire's shoulder.

"Where?"

"Over there," he said impatiently. Hugh shook his head and Val turned around. It didn't matter to him, there was another twenty something others watching her. It's not like they would lose her.

~*~*~*~

"That was fun," Mari said as they drove away in his mustang. "But why did we leave early?"

"Mari, it was getting claustrophobic in there. I felt like a lab rat." He explained easily. She leaned against him. They had been driving around the town, which seemed surprisingly old fashioned around town square. "Feel just driving in circles? I do. We could look at the same stores all day."

Mari didn't feel like riding around the same block for hours. "Well, let's take a walk around. How many are monitoring us now?"

Dorian helped her out of the car and looked around casually. "Ten. Guess they didn't feel like reporting our exit to the others. That's okay; it's better than a million." He took her hand and they began to walk around idly. An elderly couple passed by them and the man nodded at Dorian with a smile.

"Oh, I think that's adorable," Mari whispered leaning her head against his arm. She couldn't quite reach his shoulder. "They stayed together all those years."

"I think that old man thinks we're married or something," he said. He let go of her hand and rested his arm on her shoulder. It was heavy as hell on her dainty bones, but Mari accepted it with a loving smile.

"That's adorable too," she added. She wanted to say it had been a perfect day, but she was afraid that might jinx it. Dorian stopped her to stand in front of a wedding and tuxedo store.

"You know what?" he asked softly. "It's been a perfect day. Being with you and everything and getting out of that stuffy old mansion. I haven't felt this good in months."

So much for that thought, she thought. "Let's go in here." She pointed to a little restaurant called the "Cactus Rose". It looked full, but a hostess approached them and advertised one last available table.

"Should we really stay here?" Dorian asked when they settled in to their chairs. It was charmingly trite. There was a red checkered table cloth, a drippy candle and the dim lighting that came with amateur but romantic musicians. "Your body guards won't be able to watch us. There's no room and I think they're outside." Mari shrugged.

"That's their problem." Dorian reached over the table and held her hand. A nearly imperceptible frown curved Mari's lips at the action.

"Listen," he began roughly. "What I said this morning…well I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It's not like I didn't mean it, I did mean it, and it's just that it was… too soon, right? I didn't mean to upset you like that." Mari stared at their entwined hands, at how tiny her hand fit perfectly into his large rough yet gentle one.

Mari hesitated, unsure how to answer without hurting his feelings. In truth, she didn't love him, but she suspected she was very near in doing so. With a bright, false smile, she said, "Oh that didn't upset me. I was just shocked. It was strange that you loved me. I used to think you just loved the mirror. We make an odd pair don't we?" Dorian nodded with a smile. "Let's just eat okay?" she suggested nervously. Even though the restaurant looked isolated from the world, they were still in public.

~*~*~*~

Other side of town…

Keller tried to shout Nissa to contact the rest of the team, but the vampire holding her was stopping all air. She stood up to throw him off, then twisted her foot around his, and tripped him so that he fell on his back. She grabbed the knife he was holding while he was still down, but the vampire kicked it out of her hand from the floor. During the split second he jumped up, she shifted into a panther before he blink.

She knew who she was fighting, she should after all those hours of study at the mansion. This was the silver haired vampire, Alastair, the son of Relund Orin, who had the third seat on the council. Killing him would bring even more fear into the Night World heart. If he didn't kill her first.

This is what you get for investigating without alerting the other forty Daybreakers to help you, she told herself viscously. They were in the deserted part of the small town, where once bustling factories were left to rot.

Keller bunched her muscles and sprang, knocking him down again. Adrenaline was more than singing in her veins, it was like she could taste it. The vampire's head banged against a wooden plank on the floor and for a moment he lost his control. Thank Goddess for old abandoned factories and their hazardous, scattered weapons.

With a powerful paw, she slammed his head back into the plank and bit into his neck. Before she could do any serious damage he pushed her off and stood over her. She shifted into her human form to meet his eye. She had no idea where the others were, probably scattered around the factory.

"You know," the vampire said, "we had her first. Then you stole what we rightfully kidnapped."

"I have a feeling that you didn't come here to chat." Keller answered curtly. She didn't feel like a witty, sarcastic conversation so she kneeled, grabbed the wooden plank, which was now conveniently sharp. The vampire whirled at the same time to get the knife and they faced each other. He lunged first.

Completely unprofessional, Keller thought with a twinge of disappointment. She had been expecting a good fight. She sidestepped easily and, since she couldn't get an open shot at his heart, whacked the plank down on his back and then she hit him at the back of his head, making it snap forward. She grabbed the boy's shoulder's and threw him against the wall. He doubled over and then stabbed her calf of her left leg.

Keller hissed in pain and kicked him in the chest with her good leg only to realize it was a mistake. He grabbed her foot and yanked it toward him, making her fall flat on her back. He didn't waste any time to triumph and flipped the knife so that he had a stabbing position. He lunged again, and this time it mattered.

Keller felt the air move around her as she stopped the blade, which was scant inches away from her chest, by pushing him up and throwing him with all her might to the other side of the room. She didn't realize how much strength she had used until Alastair flew through the weak wall and stumble down a flight of rotting stairs. It took him a few seconds to steady himself.

They were seconds that Keller took full advantage of. Instead of pouncing on him, she threw a large piece of wood she broke off from the floor. Not to kill him, not yet, because that required more precision and concentration that Keller had the energy for. It was enough to distract him as she jumped after him and kicked him to finish his trip to the bottom of the steps, ignoring the screaming pain in her left leg. She was losing too much blood to continue for much longer. He would have to die soon.

Unfortunately, the dead didn't stay down. As soon she landed from her jump after him and moved towards him, she realized that he was playing possum. With his eyes still closed, he rolled to the side and yanked at her injured foot, and forced her to the ground.

Keller's headed met the cement floor with a resounding thud. Through the short waves of dizziness, she saw Alastair move towards her, brandishing his wooden weapon dangerously.

Just as he reached her, his eyes rolled back and a mummy fell on her. Breathing heavily, she felt Galen before she saw him.

"Where's Mari?" she asked, lifting a hand for help. Galen didn't just help her up, he carried her.

"She's still with Dorian," he said leaving the room. Keller let him carry her, because she didn't feel like walking any way. They met Winnie on the bottom floor, who raised an eyebrow when she saw Galen with an armful of Keller.

"Nissa said that Dorian and Mari maybe heading near here." Keller breathed a sigh of relief. Dorian wouldn't let anything harm her.

"Boss, that isn't a good thing," Nissa said standing in the door way.

~*~*~*~

Mari coughed again. She felt Dorian's arm on her shoulders.

"Mari, are you okay?" Mari are you okay? That's what he asked before…

"Fine, must have been the cherry pie," she answered. "Are we touring the city like you wanted?" Dorian smiled and nodded cheerfully.

"But there's not much to see now. We passed the colonial town square, the museum about desert animals, and the grave site of the founder of this lovely town. Now let's take a look to the factories spurned by the Depression, shall we?" Dorian had taken the dreary, humdrum voice of a tour leader and Mari laughed. He parked the car in front a huge building that seemed to teeter precariously on its unstable foundation. "It looks dangerous," he said and looked around. "Nobody around Mari. Let's go in."

Mari rolled her eyes. The missions and danger of Circle Daybreak had given him a James Bond attitude to add to his adventurous stupidity. "Walk in so that it could collapse over our heads? I don't think so." Dorian made an unintelligible noise and looked at Mari with pleading eyes. Those lovable, begging, dangerous, deep ocean blue eyes. "Five minutes," she sighed and he let him pull her through the hole in the wall where the double doors should have been.

There was only about a foot long square of light from the door way and the rest was darkness. "Dorian how do you know so much about this town? I don't even know the name."

She imagined that Dorian must have shrugged. "It's Millington Hills. And well, when I said that we didn't have to go to Las Vegas, just a small town, I meant it. I don't go say things I don't think about first. And after careful deliberation I found this quaint little place that would be perfect for an outing. For you and me." That's sweet, Mari thought, and she felt him hug her from behind.

"This isn't the most romantic place in the world, but at least we could be alone," he commented, seeing things she couldn't in the dark. She shoved him playfully.

"You and your romantic notions. Not everything has to be movie perfect, you know. The people make it romantic," she admonished. He kissed her cheek, his lips feeling weightless against her skin. She felt light headed and pleasantly content. Lately, Dorian always had that effect.

Tires screeched outside.

"It's been fun, Mari," he whispered in a taunting voice and she never had a chance to respond.

~*~*~*~

The night of September 10, 1999

"What the hell did you do to her?" The man who's talking must be awfully mad, Mari thought sleepily. My butt's getting too cold, she thought again, growing more awake.

"Nothing." That voice made her want to open her eyes, but it was taking an enormous effort to stay conscious. She felt as if she wasn't in her body, but deep, deep inside of her head, where it was warm and silent. It was the same fluffy place she had been when she first woke up at Thierry's Mansion.

Thierry's Mansion.

Circle Daybreak.

Dorian.

She opened her eyes and found she still couldn't see. After a burst of panic she took a deep breath and realized that it was dark, the reason of her blindness. And the men were still talking.

"Do you think I'm blind? The girl's half dead, you jackass! We need her alive, or do you need a dictionary? Alive, you simple minded idiot, means..." That one sounded very familiar, like someone she used to hate.

"I'm a jackass?" the nonchalant voice retorted in surprise. He continued. "You seem passionately involved with the girl, oh my mistake, the vermin. She's lower than us, so why should I treat her with care? Being gentle to that thing over there like being loving to a cockroach. Worse. A smart ass cockroach."

"I have my orders, boy. You jeopardize this mission and I'll kill you personally and slowly, you moron. Get her a blanket or something, she'll die in these temperatures."

"Don't order me around, boy," the voice suddenly became sophomoric and he copied the other man's tone. "You're not the leader here."

"Neither are you."

"Who made it possible? Who did most of the work? Who beat himself up just to get into the mansion? I did. Don't tell me what to do after I worked my ass off. Now you go get her a blanket because I won't. And if you don't the little bitch will probably get sick. We wouldn't want that would we?" he sneered.

"Don't hurt her while I'm gone," he demanded sternly. "Or you'll have me to deal with."

"I'll be polishing my dueling pistols while I wait," the second man taunted as the first stalked away.

Mari heard footsteps fade away and then she was left alone with the blur of Dorian.

"Did you enjoy the show?" the stranger before her observed with a lip curled in disgust.

Mari couldn't believe it. No, she could, but she didn't want to. She let him in her safely guarded heart and he betrayed her, lied to her and killed her. Another part of her died, this time slowly and painfully.

"No, nor the one you've been putting on," she rasped out. She wanted to cry so much it was suffocating to hold the tears in. Her faced was scrunched up, trying to keep the tears from bubbling over. God, the man she almost loved was just using her. People were always using others, but she never expected her friend of five years and the only love of her life to stab her in the back.

Not in the back; right in front of her, she was just pathetically blind.

She couldn't see him but felt his frosty hand on her neck. His hands used to be so warm and comforting. "Mari, this is where your main fault is. You never know when to shut up." Dorian sighed in irritation. "You yap-yap-yap at every chance. I hate it when you talk. 'You have untried potential,'" he quoted with a small laugh. "I desperately wanted to staple your mouth shut then. This is your problem, your vocal cords. Your voice box. Do you think if I cut it out, I would fix the problem?" Mari tried to move but her hands were tied, not only with ropes but also with chains. She stopped squirming when she felt something like a needle pierce deeply in the center of her neck. Slowly, torturously slow, it was drawn down until it met the hollow of her throat. Air came in rough and stinging gasps.

"You can't see it, Mari." A tinge of insanity tainted his smooth, honeyed voice. "But it looks beautiful, the scarlet blood on your slender, copper neck. It hurts a bit, doesn't it?" His voice was whispering, near her face. Abruptly, he stood up. "Your family wasn't tanned, Mari."

"I'm aware of that," she choked out. He was so fast she only felt the pain after her head was turned to the side from the slap. When she faced him again, his shadow appeared as if he hadn't moved. He did move then, to punch through the brittle wall, moonlight spilling in the room.

"Didn't I say I hated it when you talked?" He looked around with an arrogant smile on his lips. Lips she used to kiss willingly, so lovingly. "Well, is this romantic enough? Moonlight, so bright that you could see everything. What was I talking about? Oh yes your family. Your pitiful, human family. But they weren't really your family were they? They're fortunate enough not to be related to you." He held up her chin in a bone breaking grip. "Look at me—oh you're crying. Do you think I'll be sympathetic now?"

"No, no," she whispered. He slapped her again. She wanted to do something, call for help, and hurt the stranger. Because he was a stranger. The Dorian she loved was wonderful, and funny and he would never, ever hurt her. She didn't know this man any more. "I want Dorian back," she requested quietly. He let her head drop back to its former position, her chin becoming stained with her blood. She didn't mind the slaps any more, because it didn't hurt. What did hurt was the fact of who was slapping her. Who was insulting her, who was making her ache with every sentence, every sickening word out of his mouth. It was growing, the dull ache, clouding over her mind.

"I am Dorian. The Dorian you knew was a cover, a façade. But me, I'm real and I never loved you. No one ever loved you and no one ever will." She checked a whimper, for she always believed to be a horrible sound. "Do you want to know my last name? It's not Goldtooth, like you think. It's Lancin. Does that sound familiar, honey? Lancin?"

"Carn," she said involuntarily. Oh God, everything was a lie, moreso than ever before. She knew everything had it's own illusion…but Jesus, do the illusions have to be cruelly connected? Everything was a lie. But if the truth hurt this much then she would gladly live in a life surrounded by illusions.

"Do want some more bitter pills to swallow? I know it's hurting you, but at least you won't live in that stupid fantasy any more. Brace yourself, darling. I knew who your mother was. Do you want to know who she was?" His voice was bright and eager. Mari wanted to stop him but she couldn't bring herself to even move her head.

"She was a whore. Your father was a customer. And do you want to know why you're not pale like Carol? Your father was Asian and Italian, I forget what type Asian. Actually, your mother forgot. I probed her memory a bit before I tore out her eyes and stabbed her heart." He cocked his head curiously. "Are you listening to me?"

Mari willed herself to stop crying, to stop the river of tears flooding down her cheeks. She hadn't wept in so long that it seemed like her body was trying to get rid of all the tears that she dammed years before. All her life she lived a story, a chimera.

"Parents cause a lot of emotional baggage don't they? Your mother, she called herself Candy Lips, but her real name was Gwendolyn Marks. Your father, Teddi Tybal Something. My mother, who jumps the bones of anything that breathes and then moves on to marry richer man. My father, a liar and a hero to the Night World, Carn Lancin. Parents just don't understand how to fully take care of their children do they? Ah, parents," he sighed and sat Indian style in front of her and propped his head up by his arm.

"Did you know what I found after you killed my father? This, isn't it pretty?" Dorian held up a beautiful dagger. Three coils of silver, wood, and iron braided together and the needle point was dripping with her blood.

This is my chance, she thought feebly. She could use her powers and stop him, and then she could escape. But she didn't want to. She didn't want to hurt him, the man she almost loved. There was no other feeling except loss and that certainly wasn't enough to call the blue fire.

"Didn't he tell you he didn't have any sons to give it to? I looked in your mind while you out cold. That meant he didn't have any sons he liked to give it to. He loved you though, vermin, and you in turn stabbed him with it. Oh the bitter taste of irony!" he said with the melodrama of an actor. He was an actor, but now he was no longer incognito and enjoying very second of her torment.

"You were very near in loving me, weren't you?" He asked with a thoughtful expression. Dorian knew the answer and laughed. "I'm a wonderful performer. I'm magnificent. All of you suckers ate every bit of that act." Mari wasn't listening any more as the dizziness hit her, and his face doubled in her vision. Her head drooped down again and she saw that the front of her shirt was soaked in blood. "I'm bored, I wonder what's taking him so long," he complained twirling the dagger on the floor like a top.

Who's "him"? she wondered, feeling light headed. He kept on talking but Mari felt as if he was speaking a foreign language. The words didn't make any sense like it did before. She decided it was a good thing. Listening to Dorian was more painful than driving an electric drill through her brain. For a second she could catch what he was saying.

"…so in honor of his memory, I will do this with pleasure." Then she physically was dying. The dagger, the dagger that had once meant so much to her, was in her stomach. Funny, it didn't feel like anything. It had hurt like hell at first but then her body slid into shock. She often wondered what that was like, when there was so much pain the mind told the body to shut down for a while, and now she was experiencing it. Absently, she heard fabric and skin ripping as he dragged the knife across her belly.

Dorian sucked in a breath and shook his head with a smile. "Now that ain't pretty. By the look on your face, I'm guessing it's not hurting enough." Even if she felt it, pain wouldn't have mattered, nothing would have mattered. Life wasn't worth living right now. It definitely wasn't worth listening to the stranger any more. She closed her eyes.

Wind passed her face and with a great effort she opened her heavy eyelids.

"Haven't you listened to anything I said?" The boy had Dorian against the wall, his feet dangling in the air. "I'm not going to wait for Hunter to take care of this, I'll do it myself."

For the first time she saw Dorian scared. She could only tell by his eyes, but it was there, horror. For somebody who would have murdered anybody from a baby to an old lady, it was strange that he was afraid of death.

"You can't," he objected quickly. "If you do, you'll be punished. You'll die." The boy—dammit she still couldn't remember his name—slammed his head against the wall.

"I don't give a damn." Swiftly, he turned and pulled the knife out of her stomach, making more blood spurt. "Nobody will miss you any way," he said tiredly. Dorian's thin cry echoed in the chamber before silence blanketed them again.

The boy gently untied her and laid her on the freezing ground. For a moment, just for a fraction of a second, her vision cleared. The boy was handsome, maybe even stunning when she could see better, and had deep crimson hair, darker than blood. Pale blue-green eyes met hers. She gasped when her mind, her useless, easily fooled mind, gave her a name. "Valdis," she whispered. He smiled slightly and nodded.

"Don't worry, Mari. It's going to be all right. I'm going to take care of everything." She passed out, thinking all sorts of drowsy thoughts about her hero.

~*~*~*~

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. I consider them unwise and I know they are dangerous. Also, sinful. If a man should challenge me now I would go to that man and take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet retired spot and kill him." Mark Twain

Interesting fact that no one cares about: Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) is distantly related to former Yankee Paul O'Neill. GO YANKEES!