See Part Four A
Title of Series: The Web - Borne Of The Fall
Part Four, Interlude 3
"Call Me Evil, Little Sister. I Guess I'd Do The Same"
CREED
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"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."
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"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." A woman sobbing in the background.
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"Ashes to ashes," Cue woman sobbing and husband wrapping an arm around her. "Dust to dust."
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"Ashes to ashes," Claira Sorren weeps. Carter Sorren wraps an arm around her. The priest continues. "Dust to dust."
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"Ashes to-" Pause.
I pick up the phone when it hits the third ring. "What?"
The voice on the other end is terrified. "M-... Mr. Cr-... Mr. Creed?"
"Get on with it, Prachett." It's my newest accountant, Lori Prachett, and she is mighty scared. Heh. She must have heard about what happened to her predecessor, Tom Marino. The worm actually had the nerve to try an' skim money offa my accounts. Idiot. Now he's just a dead idiot.
"The houses you wanted were bought. New Orleans, San Francisco, Chicago, and Toronto. Maxwell Haug, your Realtor, said you wanted to be called as soon as the money went through."
I grunt and hang up the phone. Four houses, four choices. We could go south, south west, west, or north west. It'll be up to the others to figure out where we'll head.
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"Ashes," Claira Sorren sobs and dabs at her waterproof mascara. Carter Sorren wraps an arm around her shoulders, his face absent of any emotion. "Dust to dust."
If they weren't already dead, I'd kill 'em myself.
*Hey Vic? Whatcha doin'?*
*Nothin', Jae. No worries.*
~*~
The airport again.
I really hate airports. The smells, the overpriced food, and the empty-smilin' stewardesses. The sick people hackin', the brats cryin', the business executive slammin' his suitcase into my knee. I well and truly hate airports.
It's actually not that bad right now. Eight o'clock at night and clear skies mean that everything's on time (for once) so people come and go fairly quickly. I've only waited for fifteen minutes when I see Asher leaving the jet. He looks pale and drawn, more-so than usual. Wonder what's up?
"Hi. Nice jet." ...Okay, so it wasn't the best opening, but at least it was something!
Asher gives me a wan smile, his hair flowing down to shadow his face from the harsh overhead lights. It's as much an instinctual reaction as my growling at loud noises and it hurts to watch. "Jean Claude's. He felt I would be more comfortable in his jet than on the commercial flight."
I nod, aware of the people staring at us as the walk to the next gate. I know most people'll stare at me because of my height, not many six foot, ten inch men with linebacker type body's around, but Asher probably thinks the looks are all for him. He smells uncomfortable. "You need to go to the luggage pick-up?"
"No, I'm having it delivered to your home. They were instructed to leave it by the front gate with a man to look after it." Asher shrugs, perfectly comfortable with the thought. Doesn't he realize that people here would probably just leave it to be stolen or steal it themselves? As though hearing my thoughts, he continues with, "They answer to Jean Claude. Nothing will happen to my belongings."
*Hey Ash! How was everything?*
Asher smiles, his face actually brightening. *Fine, Jubilation. The trip back wasn't as hard as I expected.*
*Lucky.* She sends a grin to us. *Ever since I got back yesterday, everyone's been trying to be my new special friend. I can't get a moments piece, man. I'd go to the Danger Room just ta work out and get some quiet, but people would get even more worried and start harrassing me again. Sheesh.*
*You think that's bad? I've been sitting next to a five year old for the past half a day.* We all groan in support of Adam, who most certainly has had a trying flight.
Jubilee starts chewing on a piece of gum and somehow manages to mentally talk like she's mentally chewing, with loud smacks and the occasional pop. *Ya know, I was thinkin'. Kora hasn't fed on anyone in awhile.*
*I've been eating regular meals. I can substitute one for the other, people were just always easier to come by than stuff I could eat.*
Adam speaks up in the lull that follows Kora's words. *I'm landing.*
I go to the window and nod. *We see you.*
*Woohoo! Everyone's in New York again!* We get an image of a hamster dancing complete with annoying ho-down song.
*Jubilee!*
*Yo, why does everyone say my name like it means 'Shut up!'* To that, we give no answer. We do value our sanity, what little is left in my case.
Ten minutes later, Adam's bounding down the ramp with long strides, a backpack, and a medium sized suitcase. "No other luggage. I travel light."
I nod again and start heading for the exit. *Great. Now let's get out of this hellhole.*
*Asher, when was the last you fed?* Adam's staring at Asher with a puzzled expression. So he noticed what I did, too.
Asher shrugs uncomfortably. *It's an offense to hunt on another master's grounds without their express permission and without the permission of the person you would feed on. Jean Claude didn't remember to give me permission and I don't get many offers.*
Adam turns to look at me and, on a tight signal, sends me a simple thought. *He's hurting.*
"Rassumfrassum." I make a sharp right turn into the men's bathroom, growl at the three men at the urinal, and yank a man in the stall out. "Leave, now." The four men leave. Asher and Adam walk into the bathroom, Asher looking slightly confused and Adam smiling sardonically. *Yer feeding him.*
*Me? Why me?* He looks unsurprised.
I bare my teeth at him in an unpleasant smile. *No matter how much he sucks outta ya, ya won't die.*
*Yeah, I'm a bloody energizer bunny. Shite.* Adam drops his bags on the floor and switches his mental voice so that it's audible to us all. *Asher, if you need to feed, do so on me.*
Asher takes a halting step towards him, then stops. *I do have control, you know.*
*Yes, we know. You've proved that splendidly, but now you're in pain and I can help that pain to stop, so go ahead.* Adam pauses his gentle voice, the one he used on Kora in the dream, before saying in a slightly more teasing tone, *Just try not to make me a mess. I work hard at cultivating the grunge look, but bloodstains are just too much.*
I move to the door when I see someone start to open it. *I'll be outside.* "Cleaning crew. Use the bathroom the one floor down." The man looks a little shell-shocked, but quickly goes away. Heh, I still got it.
A moment later, I'm floating in a haze of sensations. *Holy...*
*Shit.* Jubilee's riding this with me. Kora too. We're all feeling Asher feed. Jesus Christ.
It's like everything I've ever felt all rolled into one giant wave. It's birth and death, sex and killing, pleasure and torture. It's the bloodlust and the pride of taking down your first kill. It's the sharing, the exchange, and the extension of life. It's the height of orgasm.
When it ends, sometime after a couple seconds or a few centuries, I'm leaning against a wall, panting. People are passing by and eyeballin' me strangely, but they're stayin' away.
*Oh. My. God.* Jubilee whimpers.
Kora quietly passes her agreement through the link. *That was fun.*
I snort quietly. *I think we can safely assume that Asher didn't feed since before the link. We would have all felt that before.*
*Gods. I desperately need a beer.*
Asher giggles and steps out of the bathroom, his face so flushed he could pass for human. He's carrying Adam's bags and looking surprisingly drunk. *Is all Immortal blood so potent? Or is it all the beer you inhale?*
Adam staggers out of the bathroom looking slightly under the weather. His color is slow in returning. *Like I would know. I don't exactly drink blood on a regular basis.*
*You guys have got to warn me before you do that. Pryde, Monet, and Paige just walked into the kitchen and I was about to make an escape before the warm fuzzies started. Jesus, I think I just had a happy in front of three of my least favorite people. Flippin' great.* Jubilee groans.
'Jubilee? Are ya okay? Should Ah call Hank or Jean?'
*'No, I'm fine. Kora just felt something new and decided to share the experience. I gotta go. See ya!'*
'Well, that was strange.'
'Ya said it, Kitty. Strange even for Jubilee.'
'Jubilation is in a world all of her own. I don't know what potential Frost could possibly see in her.'
There's a sharp blast of pain from Jubilee as she retreats from the not-quiet voices in the kitchen. *Adam? When ya get that beer? Don't forget to share.* There's a snort of contemptuous laughter. *Sharing is caring, after all.*
Adam, Asher, and I exchange a look. We have a moment of perfect understanding, one of those moments I seldom felt with anyone except those now dead.
*Sure, Jubilee. No problem. Any requests?*
*Ya mind a little Jack? I'd certainly love some.*
*Not a problem at all.*
To Adam and Asher, I send, *I never thought of the kid as a heavy drinker.*
Adam sends back on a private line, *She probably doesn't do it often. She doesn't strike me as a heavy drinker, either.*
*Gentlemen, haven't you wondered about it? We met in a bar, she's stolen drinks off of Logan, and now she admits to drinking whiskey. Don't you find it suspicious?* Asher's as solemn as a giddy teenager can look. At least he remembered to send it as a private message.
*Hangin' with the runt, she's bound to have picked up a stronger stomach than the X-Men know about.*
*I agree, Victor. Asher, if she was a lush, I think her Academy friends would have found out a little earlier.*
Asher snorts inelegantly and waves a dismissive hand. *Those people. They didn't even realise how close to suicide she was until they found her bleeding in the bathroom.*
*Actually, she hasn't had anything to drink here except for the sip off of Logan's beer. She's been plying herself with sodas and coffees with whip cream.*
We all blink and stare at each other. *Kora, how much did you hear?*
*Not much. You guys stopped broadcasting to each other and started not broadcasting to Jubilee. I ended up getting a bit of the conversation.*
Adam raises an eyebrow in our direction. *Is it me, or is she becoming more lucid?*
*It's not you.* Asher giggles to himself. You'd think a vampire could handle his blood better.
*So when can Asher feed again? That was neat!*
Asher giggles louder, so hard he's almost doubled over. Adam groans and staggers off to find a drink.