Part 2
~Several Weeks Earlier...~
The cold wind and rain had no effect on Medea. All that mattered to her was finding her target and making him dead. The fool was arrogant enough to be careless. And drunk as well.
Stroke of luck for her. She smiled unpleasantly, waiting for him to turn and notice her. He stopped and belched into the night. Medea's delicate nose wrinkled slightly in disgust.
He finally turned and saw her. "Hey there," he slurred. "Don't recall seeing you before."
Medea forced her smile into a more pleasant one. "That's because I don't hang around here." She sauntered up to him, hips swaying, hiding her stake behind her back.
He clearly saw she was hiding something. "What'd you got there?"
Medea's dark head tilted. "You really want to see?" What an idiot. Didn't men ever learn that curiosity killed the cat? Or vampire, in this case.
He shrugged, leering at her. "I guess."
Medea laughed, the sound cold enough to send chills running down anyone's spine. "Okay. You asked for it." With those words she brought the stake out and plunged it into his heart.
She stepped back, an amused smile on her face as she watched *his* face contorting with shock. He tried to yank the stake out, but was too late. The surprised light in his eyes died. His skin started turning leathery, stretching over his bones, withering away. Within minutes he was a mummified corpse.
Task complete.
Leaving the corpse where it was Medea headed home, in a very good mood. She would have liked an assignment that was more of a challenge. It was just that Neo was ridiculously protective of her.
Medea pouted as she walked down the silent late-night streets of their small home town. He was the head of Night World in their state, they'd been together for about a year.
Yet sometimes he drove her crazy. But how did you dump a Night World ring leader without winding up very dead? He did have his ways of making up for it, she thought with a curl of her lip.
She jogged lightly up the steps to the huge mansion on the edge of town. The doorman let her in, nodding respectfully.
There wasn't a Night Person in town who didn't know who Medea Blackthorn was. They were all afraid of her, and knew not to cross her. You don't piss off someone who killed people for a living. Medea was the town's top assassin. She never failed. Never.
She found Neo in his office, not looking happy at the files of paperwork on his desk. Paperwork? She decided not to investigate. He looked up as she came in. "Is he dead now?"
Medea smiled and took a seat on a leather couch without being invited. "Very."
"Good. Here's your next task."
Medea took the manila folder he handed her and flipped through it, studying the information. Which wasn't a whole lot. She vaguely recognised the boy in the picture as Dylan Stillman, a Daybreak vampire hunter.
She wasn't too impressed with the idea that the boy was still a senior in high school. She looked up at Neo suspiciously. He was smiling. She scowled. "Dream on," she snapped. "There is no way I'm infiltrating a vermin high school."
Neo just grinned at her. "I don't care what you do, or how you do it. Just make him dead fast. That idiot is starting to annoy some important people."
Medea sighed heavily and left the office, her mind already starting to strategise how she was going to pull this off. He was just one little vampire hunter. He shouldn't be a problem...
* * *
Dylan glanced over his shoulder, knowing he was being followed. It was an instinct feeling, really. The girl was pretty enough, raven hair, nice blue eyes.
She slipped through the night like a shadow. Too bad if she came any closer he was going to have to kill her. Vampire scum deserved to die.
Even pretty ones. But this was a vampire he hadn't seen in town before. As long as she kept her distance, everything was going to be fine. She didn't have to die unless it was necessary.
If Dylan had been a smart Daybreaker, he would have staked Medea Blackthorn that first night he'd met her. He could avoided so much pain...
But he was a somewhat decent Daybreaker. He believed that most people had the chance to change. He didn't like to kill unless he had to.
"Is something wrong?"
The girl had walked up beside him. Dylan glanced at her, looking at her from feet upwards, taking in the snake-skin boots, long perfect legs, short black skirt, black top with a design in silver dots. The stunning face, her jewel-like eyes, that mane of gorgeous raven hair. The model-like smile she gave him.
"You keep glancing over your shoulder."
Dylan cursed himself. He should have stopped at let the girl pass. "No, no problem. I could hear something...I guess it was your heels."
The girl nodded. "Sometimes being out at night can make you rather jumpy. I'm new in town, I'm Melanie."
Dylan looked at her. Something about her smile seemed almost...false. It was an expression he knew well. One that said "I'm going to kill you".
~Not if I have anything to say about it~ he thought. "Dylan Redfern. You new in town?"
"Melanie" nodded. "Yes."
"Maybe I'll see you at school or something." He gave her a fake smile of his own, and walked off. Within an instant he was well away from her. Thank god for vampire speed.
He'd gotten away from her. This time.
* * *
Medea cursed. Shit. Shit. Shit. She'd had the stupid Daybreaker within her grasp, and somehow he'd managed to get away from her. Shouldn't have happened.
Damnit. She looked around. He was long gone by now. But still, it didn't mean she was going to give up. Not that easily.
An idea was starting to form in her mind. Not a particularly pleasant one, but it was the only plan she had at the moment.
* * *
Medea scowled furiously, not looking forward to the thought of being forced into a human environment. But she couldn't see any other way to get her target. Dylan was already suspicious of her.
She shook her dark head, cursing Neo for making her do this. Why she put up with him sometimes was beyond her. But, she supposed he'd do for now. Keep the seat warm.
She forced a smile on her face as she got out of her car. Already she could see the heads turning as she sauntered up to the school office.
She was *not* going to enjoy this.
* * *
When Aurielle Harman arrived that morning the first thing she noticed was a stirring amongst the student body, particularly the boys. Nothing ever happened in their small sleepy town so a new student was pretty big news.
Scanning the halls she couldn't see anyone who particularly stood out. Until she went to her homeroom. Sitting with her friends was a girl she'd never seen before.
A beautiful girl with a mane of raven hair, sapphire eyes. Everything about her showed beauty and perfection. At once Aurielle's skin started prickling. Something about this girl was *disturbing* in a way she couldn't quite put her fingers on.
"This is Maria," her best friend fellow witch Katia Arlin said as Aurielle sat down.
"Maria" smiled unpleasantly. Something about her seemed...false. Aurielle just managed a brief smile. She couldn't wait to get out of this girl's presence.
When the brief period was over she almost ran out the door. She could hear Katia and the others talking to Maria, explaining Aurielle was just acting weird.
"You look you've just seen a ghost."
The arms of her boyfriend Dylan Redfern, wrapping around her shoulders made her feel slightly better. Aurielle smiled a little. "I don't know." She frowned, wondering if she could talk to Dylan, or would he think she was just insane?
"What is it?" Dylan asked, head tilted, ever-changing eyes a concerned and gentle green.
Aurielle shrugged uncomfortably. "Have you seen the new girl, Maria, yet?"
Dylan shook his head, looking slightly suspicious. "New girl?"
Aurielle looked at him, trying to interpret why he should look like this. She shrugged. "Well, there's just *something* about her...that...I don't know...completely freaked me out. Am I nuts?"
Dylan chuckled. "Maybe you are. Want me to kill her?"
That made Aurielle smile. "Yeah. Would you?"
She was feeling a little better as she went to her first class. Surely she was just overreacting. She was just being paranoid. Maria, or whoever she was, was probably a perfectly nice person.
So why was she still getting shivers running down her spine?
* * *
Medea knew she was being watched. So far her disguise had worked. The damned Daybreakers had been fooled, except one.
That stupid little Harman witch looked like she might be something of a problem. The way she had almost run on sight had been a little disturbing.
Medea hadn't thought anyone would see through her that fast. Or maybe she could just be imagining all this and being paranoid because she wasn't getting anywhere with her assignment.
Or maybe it was the idea that she *knew* she was being watched. She scanned the crowded cafeteria. Two people were walking towards her. The guy was tall and muscular, with long stringy blond hair. Murky green eyes twinkled as he smiled at Medea, who was unimpressed.
The girl was only an inch shorter than he was, dressed in a sleek black body suit, long red hair cascading down her back.
They sat down without waiting to be invited. Medea eyed them, curious. "Yes?"
"The infamous Medea Blackthorn presents herself, run little vermin, run," the guy said with a smirk.
Medea didn't know whether to be amused or angry. She felt a vague surprise that these people had actually recognised her. "And who might you two be, then?"
The girl's dark eyes rolled. "Ignore him. Caphius Mandrill is a jerk."
Caphius Mandrill glared at the girl. "And Yvette Darkthorne is a bitch."
Medea was feeling more inclined to be amused. Night People were just so polite to each other. "Charmed, I'm sure," she said dryly.
"So what's someone of your stature doing here?" Caphius asked. "Maria?"
Medea snorted. It was the only fake name she could think of when she was enrolling. In case there were other Daybreakers who might recognise her she'd changed her name.
She'd forgotten about other Night People being there. But still, maybe if they knew who she was, and might even respect her status, they might be somewhat useful.
"I'm here only on an assignment," she answered.
"That Redfern bastard?" Yvette asked with narrowed eyes. She glanced at a table the other side of the cafeteria where the Harman witch sat with Dylan and the others she'd seen in her first class.
Medea nodded. "Uh-huh." She scowled. If Dylan was constantly going to be surrounded, and he was likely to recognise her as well, getting him alone was going to be hard.
Killing him was going to be harder.
"How long has he been with that Aurielle witch?" she asked finally.
Yvette shrugged. "Only a couple of months. Yet his irritatingly attached to her."
Medea cursed mentally. The girlfriend was going to be more of a problem than she'd thought. She really didn't have time to deal with that.
"Here's the deal," she said finally. "You guys get rid of the witch, I'll give you both a cut of my pay."
They exchanged glances. Medea could practically see their eyes light up. They'd obviously heard something of her pay-role.
The less things she had to deal with, the better. She had enough on her mind.
* * *
~Several Weeks Earlier...~
The cold wind and rain had no effect on Medea. All that mattered to her was finding her target and making him dead. The fool was arrogant enough to be careless. And drunk as well.
Stroke of luck for her. She smiled unpleasantly, waiting for him to turn and notice her. He stopped and belched into the night. Medea's delicate nose wrinkled slightly in disgust.
He finally turned and saw her. "Hey there," he slurred. "Don't recall seeing you before."
Medea forced her smile into a more pleasant one. "That's because I don't hang around here." She sauntered up to him, hips swaying, hiding her stake behind her back.
He clearly saw she was hiding something. "What'd you got there?"
Medea's dark head tilted. "You really want to see?" What an idiot. Didn't men ever learn that curiosity killed the cat? Or vampire, in this case.
He shrugged, leering at her. "I guess."
Medea laughed, the sound cold enough to send chills running down anyone's spine. "Okay. You asked for it." With those words she brought the stake out and plunged it into his heart.
She stepped back, an amused smile on her face as she watched *his* face contorting with shock. He tried to yank the stake out, but was too late. The surprised light in his eyes died. His skin started turning leathery, stretching over his bones, withering away. Within minutes he was a mummified corpse.
Task complete.
Leaving the corpse where it was Medea headed home, in a very good mood. She would have liked an assignment that was more of a challenge. It was just that Neo was ridiculously protective of her.
Medea pouted as she walked down the silent late-night streets of their small home town. He was the head of Night World in their state, they'd been together for about a year.
Yet sometimes he drove her crazy. But how did you dump a Night World ring leader without winding up very dead? He did have his ways of making up for it, she thought with a curl of her lip.
She jogged lightly up the steps to the huge mansion on the edge of town. The doorman let her in, nodding respectfully.
There wasn't a Night Person in town who didn't know who Medea Blackthorn was. They were all afraid of her, and knew not to cross her. You don't piss off someone who killed people for a living. Medea was the town's top assassin. She never failed. Never.
She found Neo in his office, not looking happy at the files of paperwork on his desk. Paperwork? She decided not to investigate. He looked up as she came in. "Is he dead now?"
Medea smiled and took a seat on a leather couch without being invited. "Very."
"Good. Here's your next task."
Medea took the manila folder he handed her and flipped through it, studying the information. Which wasn't a whole lot. She vaguely recognised the boy in the picture as Dylan Stillman, a Daybreak vampire hunter.
She wasn't too impressed with the idea that the boy was still a senior in high school. She looked up at Neo suspiciously. He was smiling. She scowled. "Dream on," she snapped. "There is no way I'm infiltrating a vermin high school."
Neo just grinned at her. "I don't care what you do, or how you do it. Just make him dead fast. That idiot is starting to annoy some important people."
Medea sighed heavily and left the office, her mind already starting to strategise how she was going to pull this off. He was just one little vampire hunter. He shouldn't be a problem...
* * *
Dylan glanced over his shoulder, knowing he was being followed. It was an instinct feeling, really. The girl was pretty enough, raven hair, nice blue eyes.
She slipped through the night like a shadow. Too bad if she came any closer he was going to have to kill her. Vampire scum deserved to die.
Even pretty ones. But this was a vampire he hadn't seen in town before. As long as she kept her distance, everything was going to be fine. She didn't have to die unless it was necessary.
If Dylan had been a smart Daybreaker, he would have staked Medea Blackthorn that first night he'd met her. He could avoided so much pain...
But he was a somewhat decent Daybreaker. He believed that most people had the chance to change. He didn't like to kill unless he had to.
"Is something wrong?"
The girl had walked up beside him. Dylan glanced at her, looking at her from feet upwards, taking in the snake-skin boots, long perfect legs, short black skirt, black top with a design in silver dots. The stunning face, her jewel-like eyes, that mane of gorgeous raven hair. The model-like smile she gave him.
"You keep glancing over your shoulder."
Dylan cursed himself. He should have stopped at let the girl pass. "No, no problem. I could hear something...I guess it was your heels."
The girl nodded. "Sometimes being out at night can make you rather jumpy. I'm new in town, I'm Melanie."
Dylan looked at her. Something about her smile seemed almost...false. It was an expression he knew well. One that said "I'm going to kill you".
~Not if I have anything to say about it~ he thought. "Dylan Redfern. You new in town?"
"Melanie" nodded. "Yes."
"Maybe I'll see you at school or something." He gave her a fake smile of his own, and walked off. Within an instant he was well away from her. Thank god for vampire speed.
He'd gotten away from her. This time.
* * *
Medea cursed. Shit. Shit. Shit. She'd had the stupid Daybreaker within her grasp, and somehow he'd managed to get away from her. Shouldn't have happened.
Damnit. She looked around. He was long gone by now. But still, it didn't mean she was going to give up. Not that easily.
An idea was starting to form in her mind. Not a particularly pleasant one, but it was the only plan she had at the moment.
* * *
Medea scowled furiously, not looking forward to the thought of being forced into a human environment. But she couldn't see any other way to get her target. Dylan was already suspicious of her.
She shook her dark head, cursing Neo for making her do this. Why she put up with him sometimes was beyond her. But, she supposed he'd do for now. Keep the seat warm.
She forced a smile on her face as she got out of her car. Already she could see the heads turning as she sauntered up to the school office.
She was *not* going to enjoy this.
* * *
When Aurielle Harman arrived that morning the first thing she noticed was a stirring amongst the student body, particularly the boys. Nothing ever happened in their small sleepy town so a new student was pretty big news.
Scanning the halls she couldn't see anyone who particularly stood out. Until she went to her homeroom. Sitting with her friends was a girl she'd never seen before.
A beautiful girl with a mane of raven hair, sapphire eyes. Everything about her showed beauty and perfection. At once Aurielle's skin started prickling. Something about this girl was *disturbing* in a way she couldn't quite put her fingers on.
"This is Maria," her best friend fellow witch Katia Arlin said as Aurielle sat down.
"Maria" smiled unpleasantly. Something about her seemed...false. Aurielle just managed a brief smile. She couldn't wait to get out of this girl's presence.
When the brief period was over she almost ran out the door. She could hear Katia and the others talking to Maria, explaining Aurielle was just acting weird.
"You look you've just seen a ghost."
The arms of her boyfriend Dylan Redfern, wrapping around her shoulders made her feel slightly better. Aurielle smiled a little. "I don't know." She frowned, wondering if she could talk to Dylan, or would he think she was just insane?
"What is it?" Dylan asked, head tilted, ever-changing eyes a concerned and gentle green.
Aurielle shrugged uncomfortably. "Have you seen the new girl, Maria, yet?"
Dylan shook his head, looking slightly suspicious. "New girl?"
Aurielle looked at him, trying to interpret why he should look like this. She shrugged. "Well, there's just *something* about her...that...I don't know...completely freaked me out. Am I nuts?"
Dylan chuckled. "Maybe you are. Want me to kill her?"
That made Aurielle smile. "Yeah. Would you?"
She was feeling a little better as she went to her first class. Surely she was just overreacting. She was just being paranoid. Maria, or whoever she was, was probably a perfectly nice person.
So why was she still getting shivers running down her spine?
* * *
Medea knew she was being watched. So far her disguise had worked. The damned Daybreakers had been fooled, except one.
That stupid little Harman witch looked like she might be something of a problem. The way she had almost run on sight had been a little disturbing.
Medea hadn't thought anyone would see through her that fast. Or maybe she could just be imagining all this and being paranoid because she wasn't getting anywhere with her assignment.
Or maybe it was the idea that she *knew* she was being watched. She scanned the crowded cafeteria. Two people were walking towards her. The guy was tall and muscular, with long stringy blond hair. Murky green eyes twinkled as he smiled at Medea, who was unimpressed.
The girl was only an inch shorter than he was, dressed in a sleek black body suit, long red hair cascading down her back.
They sat down without waiting to be invited. Medea eyed them, curious. "Yes?"
"The infamous Medea Blackthorn presents herself, run little vermin, run," the guy said with a smirk.
Medea didn't know whether to be amused or angry. She felt a vague surprise that these people had actually recognised her. "And who might you two be, then?"
The girl's dark eyes rolled. "Ignore him. Caphius Mandrill is a jerk."
Caphius Mandrill glared at the girl. "And Yvette Darkthorne is a bitch."
Medea was feeling more inclined to be amused. Night People were just so polite to each other. "Charmed, I'm sure," she said dryly.
"So what's someone of your stature doing here?" Caphius asked. "Maria?"
Medea snorted. It was the only fake name she could think of when she was enrolling. In case there were other Daybreakers who might recognise her she'd changed her name.
She'd forgotten about other Night People being there. But still, maybe if they knew who she was, and might even respect her status, they might be somewhat useful.
"I'm here only on an assignment," she answered.
"That Redfern bastard?" Yvette asked with narrowed eyes. She glanced at a table the other side of the cafeteria where the Harman witch sat with Dylan and the others she'd seen in her first class.
Medea nodded. "Uh-huh." She scowled. If Dylan was constantly going to be surrounded, and he was likely to recognise her as well, getting him alone was going to be hard.
Killing him was going to be harder.
"How long has he been with that Aurielle witch?" she asked finally.
Yvette shrugged. "Only a couple of months. Yet his irritatingly attached to her."
Medea cursed mentally. The girlfriend was going to be more of a problem than she'd thought. She really didn't have time to deal with that.
"Here's the deal," she said finally. "You guys get rid of the witch, I'll give you both a cut of my pay."
They exchanged glances. Medea could practically see their eyes light up. They'd obviously heard something of her pay-role.
The less things she had to deal with, the better. She had enough on her mind.
* * *