Author's Note: And here we have the final (I hope) fic in the trilogy (probably).
Disclaimer: I don't own the Night World novels but Holly and Shadow – may he rest in peace - are both mine.
As music blared around him Redfern watched the casket like a hawk. Despite the many checks he couldn't find it in himself to believe that Shadow would do the decent thing and stay dead. Around him Nightworlders watched each other with the general hostility of a honey badger.
Each one of the Elders and bodyguards had been thoroughly searched for weapons, nevertheless Hunter knew almost all of them had something up their sleeve. Metaphorically and literally. Take Holly for instance. He knew for a fact that the guest of honour had a handgun built almost entirely from ceramics somewhere about her person whilst the witch next to her probably – from the way she kept shifting uncomfortably and wincing – had garrotte wire sown into her dress and The Rose was practically a walking armoury; although in that case it was because the guards had been to scared to ask for her weapons. Personally he couldn't stand violence, or at least violence he had to commit himself.
Holly also watched the casket, her eyes tinged with regret, the only thing stopping the tears was self-control. And Shadow's sense of humour. Despite the natural sadness of the occasion – for her at least – she couldn't suppress a slight chuckle. Really the man was impossible, noone else she knew could have planned their funeral down to the last detail. Her eyes still fixed on the coffin she allowed herself to relax slightly as she listened to the music he'd selected.
"And when I snuff it bury me quickly then let carousels begin." sang the record. It was the tenth song so far, each showing a complete lack of mourning; very much how Shadow would have wanted it.
Taking her eyes off the coffin for a few moments she watched the last of the guests arrived. A small group of nervous humans who were looking so out of their depth that the fish had lights. She remembered Shadow talking about them once. Apparently they'd helped him build the warehouses mainframe.
"Enjoying the occasion?" said a voice in her ear. She didn't even have to turn.
"Shouldn't you be in your seat Redfern?" She replied coldly. She could tell he was smirking behind her.
"Most unusual don't you think. That the corpse is the most heavily armed among us, makes you wonder if he's actually dead."
"He's dead alright. It's a token gesture on his part. He always had a flair for theatrics. Now if you will excuse me I need to give the eulogy."
Holly could feel his eyes boring into her as she ascended the podium. Shuffling the papers nervously she tapped the mike. It was working.
"Honoured Elders. We are gathered here today to say goodbye to one of the greatest threat we have ever known. A man who commanded more fear than any of us assembled here today. Now he has, even now, a few words for us."
Holly calmed herself before speaking. "Thank you for coming here today. I have had the great honour and privilege of calling many of you my friends and enemies. A rare few of you both. I want it known to all that I never killed out of hate, arrogance, revenge or bigotry, I always swore the day I killed someone and could not provide a non-emotive reason would be the day I hung up my swords. Going by the fact this is being read out that day never came. I do not want to be remembered and it would gladden me if the world were to forget I ever existed, do not mourn my passing in any way, it was my time and I most likely was happy at the end. Which brings me to my will. Forty percent of my wealth is to go to whoever is credited with killing me. Half my wealth and all property assets, shares and patents are to go to the vampire I knew as Holly Mayborn." Holly's voice trailed off as her mind comprehended what she'd just said.
"The– the– the remainder of my wealth is to be split equally between the members of the 1337 G4m3r5 group who, against all odds, managed to make me computer literate. And now I would like to give a few personal notes to various members of the crowd. My first message goes to Hunter Redfern, a man who's mind is..."
The music changed, Holly recognised it instantly – Verdi's Requiem Dies Irae – it was all the warning she needed. She dived off the platform rolling to her feet and ran for the exit.
She never made it in time, the crunch of breaking wood echoed through the dome as a fist broke through the coffin. With a mighty kick the lid flew off and the impossible rose from it's confines.
Shadow stepped out of his coffin guns blazing. He emptied each gun;s magazine into the front row. Throwing away the automatic weapons he unholstered two handguns as the assembled Elders and their bodyguards went for their weapons.
One particularly cunning vampire had managed to sneak in a small crossbow. However this only served to make him a priority target. From across the room Shadow blew his brains out.
Anyone else with a potentially long range weapon quickly met the same fate until a werewolf – having changed while Shadow was preoccupied leapt at the armoured human.
Shadow turned, dropping his guns and lifted a hand up into the werewolf's path. Electricity arced from his fingers leaving the acrid scent of burnt fur and ionisation heavy in the air.
Holly watched in fear and amazement as her friend slaughtered his way through the room, sparing a choice few. She'd never seen him this bloodthirsty, or this dramatic. Despite the gravity of the situation she laughed when she figured it out: the funeral was being televised. Shadow was showboating for the camera!
"Do something! Stop him!" Redfern urgently hissed from beside her, fear painted on his face as another of his bodyguards was casually beheaded by Shadow's backswing as his other blade buried itself into the skull of a shapeshifter.
"Do I look suicidal? The moment I move in his direction I will be killed. It's that simple."
Running out of Elders to kill Shadow turned his attention to the cowering duo.
Advancing with all the authority of a blood-drenched god he stood in front of Redfern.
"This was all to get a clear shot at you, ya know. That demonstration of yours was the step too far, I could kill from dawn to sunset for the rest of my natural life and I would still not have as much blood on my hands as you have. I'm sorry Redfern, but this is your time to die."
"I thought you didn't do revenge?" Redfern croaked.
"This isn't revenge Hunter. It's surgery."
